About 70 years ago, a group of Catholic women in Aurora, in the northwestern corner of Portage County, sought to have weekly Mass celebrated in their community and approached St. Joseph Parish in neighboring Mantua. The pastor advised they ask a local restaurant—the Aurora Inn—if they could celebrate Mass there. The owner, James Quinn, agreed. The first Mass in Aurora was celebrated March 13, 1955, establishing the Aurora mission.
That July, property was purchased to build a church for the fledging Aurora mission. For two years, Mass was offered in the living room of the house on the property. As Mass attendance grew, the congregation purchased the old church of St. Rita Parish in Solon for $5,000 and had the building transported to the current Chillicothe Road location. The Aurora Catholic community made necessary additions. On August 31, 1958, Youngstown Bishop Emmet Walsh dedicated Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.
The mission was raised to parish status on June 24, 1960. Subsequently, the parish grew. Religious education classes were first taught in the church hall but rising enrollment necessitated moving classes to a nearby public school. Various pastors would serve during the 1960s, as the parish saw continued growth in membership, volunteers, relationships with the local community, church renovations in keeping with the renewal of the Second Vatican Council and interest in planning for the future.
In 1972, the parish began the process of planning for a new church, which was completed in 1974. The church received at least one architectural award.In the ensuing decades, various priests served as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, addressing the spiritual, communal, physical and financial needs of their parishioners—including establishing a parish center, expanding and enhancing religious education programs, prayer groups, nursing home visitations and other outreach efforts, and efforts to welcome new parishioners.
The Youngstown Diocese announced in 2023 that Our Lady of Perpetual Help—along with St. Joseph in Mantua, St. Ambrose in Garrettsville, and St. Joan of Arc in Streetsboro—would come together under a common pastor in a collaborative unit known as “Portage North.” Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a title associated for centuries with Mary, mother of Jesus, expressing confidence in Mary’s eagerness to pray for the welfare of human beings—especially those who seek her intercession.
Description from The March of the Eucharist, 2nd edition (2025) published by The Catholic Echo
