DONATE ANNUAL APPEAL MAKE A PAYMENT INTERNSHIPS CONTACT CALL US SEARCH MAIN MENU HOME ABOUT US HISTORY SHARE THIS About Us OverviewOur MissionOur ImpactOur Patroness Saint More History April 1847 Establishment of Diocese of Cleveland in the northern Ohio territory with Bishop Louis A. Rappe serving as Bishop of Cleveland (1847 – 1870). 1851 St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum for Females is established for homeless females, run by the Daughters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, from France. 1851 – 1856 Bishop Rappe brought Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine from his native France in 1851 for the purpose of establishing a hospital. The property on Monroe St. off W. 25th Street wasn’t ready until 1852 – when St. Joseph Hospital was started. By 1856, the sisters felt the need to care for abandoned and orphaned children – sometimes the children of patients who died. The hospital was closed in 1856 and St. Vincent’s Orphanage was established in the same building- which was later rebuilt. 1863 St. Joseph Orphanage for Girls is established in the “country” (E. 60th and Woodland) accepting the younger girls from St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum (up to age 8) [the two programs served up to 250 orphaned girls at the turn of the century in 1900’s; the St. Joseph facility expands and houses all the girls in 1894; becomes St. Joseph Home for the Aged after 1947; the girls are transferred to Parmadale in 1948]. 1865 St. Vincent Charity Hospital opens to “all the people of Cleveland.” Society of St. Vincent de Paul is established by Bishop Amadeus Rappe, to visit the poor in their homes and to “bring them succor in kind, and also to afford them religious consolidation.” 1871 Little Sisters of the Poor receive their first “guests” in their Home for the Aged. 1873 DePaul Maternity and Infant Home was established in conjunction with the St. Ann’s Maternity Hospital by the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine. They also start the St. Ann’s Infant Asylum in this year, to care for the smallest children: foundlings or infants of the unwed mothers sheltered in the Maternity Home. 1880 By this year there are 5 parishes with Conferences of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul with visiting committees to call upon families in need. Funds came from collections in meetings and from parishes. 1881 An Orphan’s Fair raises close to $ 8,000 to be divided between 3 hospitals and an infant home. “Begging tours” conducted by Sisters to raise funds to operate institutions are beginning to be described as “precarious” and “inadequate” as well as “distasteful” to the Bishop, pastors and the people. 1894 All girls at St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum (all ages through 19) are transferred to St. Joseph Orphanage for Girls to expanded site on Woodland. 1895 Home of the Holy Family is established by Ellen Donovan originally outside of diocesan auspices. The original plan was to establish a Roman Catholic religious community to serve the poor, and orphaned children, but rather it became an orphanage with funds from sewing and begging. Ellen’s sister Theresa and others assisted. [The home eventually received funds from Catholic Charities Corporation when it was first created in the early 1900’s; children eventually transferred to Parmadale in 1952]. 1900 The Cleveland Catholic Federation is assembled to promote the cause of the Catholic Welfare Institutions of the Diocese. The Federation is formed with two members from each parish of the Diocese. The Catholic Ladies Aid Society is formed as an auxiliary of the Cleveland Catholic Federation to assist with special projects for children. 1906 St. Anthony’s Home for Boys is founded under Bishop Ignatius F. Horstmann (Bishop of Cleveland from 1892 – 1908). 1907 – 1909 The Catherine Horstmann Home, named in honor of Bishop Horstmann’s mother, is opened by the St. Catherine Protective Association of the Catholic Ladies Aid Society for high school girls and unemployed women to get training in new skills. The Labor Bureau of the St. Catherine Protective Association finds them jobs. [This operation later joined the House of Good Shepherd and became Marycrest (1946)]. 1909 The Traveler’s Aid service is sponsored by the Catholic Ladies Aid Society in the Union Depot to assist newcomers to Cleveland. Cleveland Catholic Federation solicits funds for orphans in March of 1909. In October, Bishop John P. Farrelly (Bishop of Cleveland from 1909 – 1921) appoints panel to study welfare needs of diocese and funding sources 1910 Board of Charities formed with Fr. Gilbert Jennings, Chair; Fr. LeBlond, Secretary 1911 Home of the Holy Family relocates to 18120 Puritas. Board of Charities recommends a home for orphans be established in cooperation with Cleveland Humane Society and Juvenile Court; recommends appointment of director to oversee welfare facilities of diocese; pastors on the Board assess themselves to pay $1.50 for each family in their parish to support the welfare facilities. Bishop Farrelly addresses letter to all parishes to adopt board’s recommendation. In November of 1911, Bishop Farrelly appoints 28 yr old Fr. Charles H. LeBlond (’09) as first Director of Diocesan Charities. 1912 The Catholic Charities Bureau of the St. Vincent DePaul Society is established for the purpose of providing coordinated formal social services. This is the result of a study of the Diocese’s welfare needs by the Diocesan Director of Charities and the Board of Charities. It is the central agency and office of Catholic Charities of Cleveland with Father Charles LeBlond as Director, located in the Electric Building in the heart of Cleveland’s business district. Diocesan Catholic Population = 300,000 in 17 counties. There are 750 orphans in 4 orphanages; 150 infants in one infant home (St. Ann’s); 9 hospitals; a home for working boys (St. Anthony’s); a home for working girls (St. Mary’s); a house of the Good Shepherd Sisters; a home for the Aged operated by Little Sisters of the Poor. First staff: Director LeBlond, Juvenile Court worker to investigate the status of court referred orphans/dependents, Catholic Ladies Aid Society volunteers working with Traveler’s Aid. Fr. LeBlond opens first Catholic Charities office at East 9th and Prospect in March of 1912. Catholic facilities in existence at this time: 4 orphanages; 1 infant home (St. Ann’s); 9 Catholic hospitals; St. Anthony’s home for working boys; Catherine Horstmann home for working girls; St. Mary’s home for dependent women; Good Shepherd Home for the Aged. Cleveland hosts National Conference of Charities and Corrections in June of 1912. 1919 Catholic Charities Corporation is incorporated on April 8, 1919. The first lay Board of Catholic Charities Corporation was established representing 90 parishes. Fr. LeBlond is first diocesan director of Catholic Charities Corporation. First fundraising drive raised $50,000. Corporation was founded to build facilities and help retire debt. Herman J. Trenkamp, a prominent Catholic businessman organizes Catholic laymen to raise funds and relieve the diocese’s growing annual deficit. Cleveland Community Chest (predecessor to United Way) would pay for direct human services. 1920 The Diocese of Cleveland procured land in Parma Township Catholic Service League opened office in Akron 1922 Big Brother Department of the Catholic Charities Bureau of the St. Vincent DePaul Society offers preventative and protective work for boys at the Juvenile Court. In September, Rose-Mary, The Johanna Grasselli Home for Crippled Children is established, through the generous gift of Caesar A. Grasselli, who donated his summer home on Euclid Avenue to the Diocese. Responsibility for the care of the children and management of the Center was given to the Humility of Mary Sisters. 1924 Big Sisters was formed to help pre-delinquent and immigrant Catholic girls 1925 Parmadale Children’s Village of St. Vincent de Paul was dedicated, housing 450 boys aged 6 – 16 on September 27, 1925. The new campus is the outgrowth of the St. Vincent DePaul Orphanage (established in 1853) and the St. Louis Orphanage in Louisville, Ohio. Parmadale is managed by the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine charged to oversee Parmadale. Cardinal Patrick Hayes of New York City dedicates the village for boys 6 – 16 at 6753 State Road, Parma. [Cardinal Hayes was founder of the New York archdiocesan Catholic Charities in 1920; he was known as “the Cardinal of Charities”]. 1930 Catholic Charities has branch offices in Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Barberton and Massillon. Central office in downtown Cleveland serves as clearing house for admission of all children to institutional care and future placement. 1933 Fr. LeBlond appointed Bishop of St. Joseph, Missouri Fr. Michael Moriarity appointed Director of Catholic Charities 1934 Declaration issued that Catholic Charities Corporation conduct Annual Appeal to assist direct services, raising $186,163 1937 Introduction of Catholic Youth Organization, designed to serve youth, coordinate and organize youth activities, serve young people at parish level and speak on behalf of youth in the community 1939 The Sisters of the Incarnate Word take over the administration of the Home of the Holy Family after Ellen Donovan dies. 1940 Fr. Albert Murphy, Ph.D. leaves post at National Conference of Catholic Charities in Washington to assume position of Diocesan Director of Catholic Charities in Cleveland. 1942 Catholic Youth Service Bureau established, emphasizing a professional approach to youth services, rather than a commendable volunteer plan, to serve adolescent boys and girls. The Diocese of Cleveland acquires the Cunningham Sanitarium on E. 185th and Lakeshore; a new building (later becoming St. Joseph Academy) is called St. Joseph-on-the-Lake. 1943 Diocese of Youngstown established, leaving 8 counties within the Diocese of Cleveland serving 450,000 Catholics Bishop Edward F. Hoban accepts the deed to the Delaney home, another generous gift to the Diocese, which is located adjacent to Rose-Mary Center, and is named St. Theresa’s Home for Preschool Children 1944 109 girls remaining at St. Joseph Orphanage for Girls are transferred to St. Joseph-on-the-Lake (formerly the site of Cunningham Sanitarium). 1947 Bishop Edward F. Hoban (Bishop of Cleveland from 1945 – 1966) dedicates additional cottages at Parmadale Children’s Village to accommodate over 100 girls transferred from the former St. Joseph Orphanage for Girls in 1948. Cottages 16, 18, and 20 were added. The girls moved into the side near the administration building (the Family Center). Catholic Charities central office moves to Chancery Building Catholic Charities opens branch office in Painesville Catholic Charities assumes responsibilities for Catholic children following the dissolution of the Cleveland Children’s Bureau of the Humane Society 1948 Catholic Charities Bureau added new agency, Resettlement Council, in response to a growing refugee and immigrant population, and to coordinate efforts on behalf of displaced newcomers to Cleveland 1949 The new Rose-Mary Home, which joined the Grasselli and Delaney Homes and was considered to be a state-of-the art Center for children with physical disabilities, was dedicated to coincide with the 31st annual Catholic Charities Campaign. Auxilary Bishop Floyd L. Begin officiated. 1950 Fr. Frederick Mohan appointed Director of Catholic Charities Bureau Catholic Charities opens office in Wooster Catholic Service League of Akron opens Lenora Hall home for working girls 1951 Catholic Big Brothers and Sisters program becomes a separate program under Catholic Charities Bureau. 1952 Parmadale Children’s Village accepts the girls from the defunct Holy Family Children Home. Parmadale adds a convent and an administration building. 1953 Marycrest School for girls opens in Independence [Marycrest was established in 1948 from the House of Good Shepherd; at first in Wickliffe and then moved to Independence in 1986; their Wickliffe building was sold and became the Boromeo Seminary] Catholic Child Guidance Clinic is established for five- to eleven-year-old children with emotional problems, providing expert clinical interventions. 1956 Dominican Sisters open 25 bed temporary facility to serve “all needy incurable cancer victims without regard for race, color or religion, free of charge.” First patient admitted in October was non-Catholic. 1959 Archbishop Hoban dedicates 100-bed Holy Family Home, built with funds raised by Catholic Charities Corporation. In the 3 years since its inception, 1,224 patients were served, 781 of whom were Catholic. 1960 Catholic Charities sponsors acquisition of 15 acres of land in Warrensville Heights for Little Sisters of the Poor home for the aged 1964 Fr. Michael Ivanko appointed Director of Catholic Charities Catholic Counseling Center is formed through a merger of the Catholic Child Guidance Clinic and the Catholic Youth Service Bureau, serving children and adolescents from preschool to age 21, and their parents. Richard Kelly is its first Executive Director. 1965 Catholic Counseling Center adds a School Social Work Section. Matt Talbot Inn is founded by Fr. Bernard Scarborough, O.F. M. as a halfway house to provide residential care for men recovering from alcohol and other drug addiction. It is named after the Venerable Matt Talbot, an 18th century Irishman who overcame the affliction of addiction by submitting to God, his Higher Power. 1967 Rose-Mary Center changed its mission to serve children with developmental disabilities CYO of Summit County incorporated to encourage, promote and conduct activities toward the betterment of community, especially its youth 1968 Bishop Clarence G. Issenmann appoints Fr. Casimir Ciolek as Director of Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities Bureau is renamed Catholic Family and Children’s Services. 1969 St. Augustine Manor incorporated at 7818 Detroit Avenue to provide services not limited to but primarily for elderly persons 1972 30 autonomous social service agencies affiliated with the Diocese and recipients of Catholic Charities funding formed voluntary alliance, Federation of Catholic Community Services which becomes a centralized programming, planning and administrative body. Its first Executive Director is Frank Catliotta from 1972 – 1983. 1974 Catholic Counseling Center adds the Youth Outreach Program on Near West Side which developed into the Hispanic Services Office. 1975 First women elected to Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities Corporation St. Anthony Home for Boys merges with Parmadale and children from its original site of 8301 Detroit Avenue move into cottages 4, 18 and 20. There is a name change to “Parmadale Family Services” as a result of the union of Parmadale Children’s Village of St. Vincent DePaul and the St. Anthony Home for Boys and Young Men. 1977 Fr. Edward J. Camille develops diocesan Secretariat management system. Bishop James A. Hickey appoints Fr. Camille as the first Secretary for Social Concerns, which includes the director of Catholic Charities. 1978 Catholic Social Services of Cuyahoga County is formed through a merger of Catholic Family and Children’s Services, Catholic Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the DePaul Maternity and Infant Home. 1980 Bishop Anthony M. Pilla appoints Fr. Walter H. Jenne as Secretary for Social Concerns. Institutional orphaned population dwindles at Parmadale and more special needs children are accepted for treatment from the Cuyahoga County Department of Children Services, the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court and the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disability; children also accepted from similar systems outside of Cuyahoga County. 1982 Catholic Counseling Center establishes the first outpatient chemical dependency treatment program under contract with Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. Ground-breaking for Rose-Mary Center Children’s wings 1987 Fr. Jenne recruits J. Thomas Mullen as consultant to restructure members of the Federation of Catholic Community Services 1989 The first Intensive Treatment Facility built at Parmadale opens. Matt Talbot Inn’s Board of Trustees founds Scarborough House, a three-quarter way house for recovering women. [Scarborough House spins off and becomes its own 501(C)3 organization; receives support from the Franciscans]. Rose-Mary Center’s first group home for adults, Euclid House, was opened. 1991 Creation of Catholic Charities Services Corporation for the purpose of planning, coordinating and assisting with the development, maintenance, operation and management of Catholic social programs and services for individuals, families, youth and young adults, elderly, disabled, poor and underprivileged. J. Thomas Mullen is President/CEO. [Two subsidiaries were subsequently formed in 1992: Catholic Social Services Corp of N.E. Ohio; Catholic Youth and Community Services Corp.] 1992 Catholic Social Services Corporation of N.E. Ohio is formed under the parent company Catholic Charities Services Corporation and includes: Catholic Counseling Center Catholic Social Services of Cuyahoga County Catholic Social Services of Lorain County Catholic Social Services of Lake County Catholic Social Services of Geauga County Catholic Social Services of Medina, Ashland and Wayne Counties 1993 Catholic Social Services and Counseling of Cuyahoga County is formed upon the merger of Catholic Social Services of Cuyahoga County and Catholic Counseling Center – at this point the services include Christ Child DePaul Day Care, Big Brothers and Sisters, DePaul Young Parent Program for pregnant or unwed teen mothers, Adoption/Birth Parent Services, Volunteer Services, Migration and Refugee Services, Outpatient Mental Health for youth and adults, Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment and Prevention for youth and Hispanic adults, Employment Services, Senior Nutrition Center Programs, Hispanic AIDS Education, Family Life Education and others. The agency has 15 service locations in Cuyahoga County. Anthony DeBaggis, Jr. is Executive Director. The merger was recommended by United Way and mandated by the new corporation. 1994 Bishop Pilla appoints J. Thomas Mullen as the first layperson as Secretary for Social Concerns. Catholic Charities Facilities Services, Inc. is established and is responsible for buildings and asset management for the properties within the Catholic Charities system of services. Some programs of Catholic Social Services of Cuyahoga County are “moved” to other entities: Volunteer Services becomes part of CCSC, Migration and Refugee Services become part of Parish Social Ministry, Adoption and Birth Parent Counseling is transferred to Catholic Social Services of Lorain County. DePaul Center is closed and sold to Cuyahoga Community College. The last Humilty of Mary Executive Director of Rose-Mary Center, Sr. Rosemary Hammer, retired; and the first lay Executive Director was hired. The second Intensive Treatment Facility built at Parmadale opens, along with the Multi Purpose Center. 1996 Catholic Social Services Corporation of N. E. Ohio is merged into Catholic Charities Services Corporation. Anthony DeBaggis, Jr. retires as Executive Director of Catholic Social Services of Cuyahoga County and the position is eliminated. [Some entities under Catholic Youth and Community Services are eventually also merged into Catholic Charities Services Corporation, e.g. Matt Talbot Inn, St. Martin De Porres, Fatima Family Center, etc.] St. Anthony Adult Day Center, a social day program for seniors with developmental and or physical disabilities, was opened. 1997 Bishop Anthony J. Pilla dedicates the Ellen Bonnie Mandel Sensory Garden and Sensory Room at Rose-Mary Center, one of the first of its kind in Ohio, providing sensory stimulation and activities for the children. 1998 Establishment of Catholic Community Care, an alliance of Catholic hospitals and nursing homes within the diocese 1999 Catholic Charities Health and Human Services incorporated for the purpose of overseeing the management and operations of the supporting organizations – [Catholic Charities Corporation, Catholic Charities Services Corporation, Catholic Charities Facilities and Housing Corporation, Rose-Mary Center, St. Augustine Health Campus, Catholic Charities Parish and Community Services, Diocesan Social Action, Catholic Social Services of Summit County, CYO and Community Services of Summit County – and with links to Catholic Community Care and Caritas Connection]. J. Thomas Mullen named President and CEO. Parmadale Family Services merges with Catholic Charities Services of Cuyahoga County. 2000 Catholic Charities Services Corporation establishes Matt Talbot for Women, a residential treatment center for women who are addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs, and their children. This is in direct response to a need identified by the Cuyahoga County Dept. of Children and Family Services. This is a “sister” organization to Matt Talbot Inn. 2002 Establishment of Caritas Connection, a formal partnership between Catholic Charities Health and Human Services, the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, and the CSA Health System 2006 Merger of Catholic Community Care and Caritas Connection to form Catholic Community Connection 2007 Catholic Charities Community Services incorporated to oversee the management of employment and training, family centers and day care programs within Catholic Charities Health and Human Services 2009 Merger of Catholic Social Services of Summit County into CYO & Community Services Most Reverend Richard G. Lennon, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland dedicates the new Parmadale Institute, a state-of-the-art secure residential treatment facility for youth between the ages of 11 and 21 years old. 2011 Summit County organization, CYO & Community Services, joins Catholic Charities Community Services Patrick Gareau appointed President and CEO for Catholic Charities Health and Human Services 2012 Rose-Mary Center celebrates its 90th anniversary—of service to community as a member of Catholic Charities Catholic Charities celebrates its 100th anniversary 2013 The four separate entities of Catholic Charities Corporation, Catholic Charities Services Corporation, Catholic Charities Community Services, and Catholic Charities Health & Human Services merge under one name and organization: Catholic Charities Corporation - doing business as Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland. 2014 Pope Francis records special message for Catholic Charities USA's Annual Gathering. Catholic Charities named a Top Workplace by the Cleveland Plain Dealer for the first time (has remained a Top Workplace ever since 2014). 2016 Rose-Mary launched its "Homes for Our Future: Community Integration Project." Rose-Mary moved resident from the center in Euclid into more intimate settings of four to six bed state-of-the-art homes located in neighborhoods throughout Cuyahoga County. Rose-Mary ceased its operations in Euclid in December 2016 and restructured its organization to better equip our staff and has become a leader in Ohio at the forefront of innovative care. 2017 Catholic Charities reached an agreement to sell 78 acres of unused land in Parma to West Creek Conservancy, an organization dedicated to the protection of local natural areas, open spaces, streams and waterways. Matt Talbot for Men recovery services expanded the number of chemical dependency and addiction residential treatment beds it operates for men by 16, increasing the total number of male resident treatment beds to 81. The Most Reverend Nelson Perez is appointed as the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland. St. Elizabeth Center opens in Lorain - expanding men's shelter and community assistance services throughout the city and county. 2019 St. John the Baptist Community Outreach Center opens in Akron - a new recovery support services program is designed to help those struggling with addiction to drugs and alcohol. St. Augustine Health Ministries celebrates its 50th Anniversary. 2020 For more than 100 years, Catholic Charities has served the Diocese of Cleveland. Our programs have changed over the years, but our commitment to serve the poor, protect the vulnerable and welcome the stranger has not wavered. These are unprecedented times due to the global outbreak of COVID-19. Catholic Charities continues to serve local families with critical services while taking precautions to minimize risk to all staff, volunteers and clients. We continue to provide services as appropriate, and in line with CDC and ODH guidelines. Love Your Neighbor Give today and help us continue Jesus' work of serving the least among us. DONATE NOW Telehealth Services Available Interested in counseling services but unable to meet face-to-face? We have services by computer, smartphone or calling directly. GET STARTED Volunteer with Us Provide help and create hope for those in need by volunteering at one of our locations. LEARN MORE Give Hope Today Your financial gift will provide essential programs and services to people throughout the Diocese of Cleveland. 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