Several Catholic church buildings in Ashtabula, as well as Rootstown, are set to close for all sacred and religious activities.
The Diocese of Youngstown announced that Mother of Sorrows and Saint Joseph churches, both located in Ashtabula, will be “reduced to profane but not sordid use” effective Nov. 30, 2025. The churches were part of a 2011 merger that combined three Catholic churches within two miles of each other into Our Lady of Peace Parish.
In Portage County, the original Saint Peter of the Fields Church building in Rootstown will also close due to severe water damage to both the church and its basement. The building had already been out of use for Mass services for several years…