PARISH HISTORY

Holy Family was established in 1877 just west of downtown Columbus Ohio in the historic area known as Franklinton. We are the fifth Catholic parish to begin in the City of Columbus. From the beginning of our parish we have always been unique as compared to the other older Catholic parishes. Whereas Holy Cross was founded for the German Catholics and then St Patrick was founded for the Irish Catholics, as was St Joseph Cathedral, and then St Mary in German Village was founded to serve the German immigrants who lived too far from Holy Cross; Holy Family was built to serve any and all of the Catholics who lived on the west side of the Scioto river. Regardless of the country of origin all of the Catholics living in Franklinton were given a home at Holy Family. Our early families were drawn from Irish roots, Italian roots as well as German roots. The early days were not easy for our parish as the country was still suffering from the effects of the Civil War but the faith and determination of the priests and sisters who came to the west side of the river laid a foundation which still serves us to this day.

From the earliest days Holy Family Church has had a drive to care for the little ones of God's kingdom. Almost immediately after the parish was formed Holy Family founded a school which took over the site of not only an earlier Catholic school run by the Sisters of Mercy but also at one time was the site for St Aloysius Seminary, the Diocese' of Columbus first seminary. As a result of the freeways being built and factories pushing out families our schools were closed in the 1970's. With the resurgence of families in our inner city area we hope and pray for the return of a strong and stable, faithful and fruitful catholic school apostolate.

"In order to know who you are, you must look at where you have been."

The Lord has blessed Holy Family with an incredible, however brief it may be, history which has allowed us to become the community of faith we are today.