Corpus Christi Church was a Catholic parish church of the Diocese of Columbus located in the South Side of the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States. The parish was founded in 1923 and the current Modern-style church was completed in 1951. In 2023, the parish was suppressed and merged with Saint Mary Church in neighboring German Village. Two years later the church property was sold for $1.2 million to a developer who plans to tear down the church and build affordable housing.
In 1922, Corpus Christi parish was established on the southeastern side of the city of Columbus by bishop James Hartley with the majority of its territory being taken from St. John the Evangelist parish. Fr. Edmund Burkley, then assistant at St. Mary Church, was appointed pastor by July 1923 and began purchasing land in September of the same year.[1][2] Ground was broken for the first parish building -- a combined church, school, and convent -- in March 1925, and in the summer a rectory was added to the property.[3][2] In May 1928 a convent to house Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, who had taught at the parish school beginning in September 1925, was built.[4][3] Continued growth made the construction of a basement chapel nessecary, which was completed in 1930. This building was intended to eventually become part of a school auditorium.[5][2] In addition to a primary school, the parish ran a two-year high school beginning in 1935, with most students transferring to St. Mary High School for the final two years. Due to an increased need for teachers and classroom space, it ceased operations in 1950.[3][6]
Current church
Fr. Edmund Burkley, the founding pastor of Corpus Christi, breaking ground for the 1951 church building. At this time he was pastor of St. Mary Church.
Fundraising began for a purpose-built church in 1944 following the payment of all debts for the basement chapel, and ground for the new church was broken on March 4, 1951. On August 12, bishop Michael Ready laid the cornerstone for the present Modern-style church, which was completed and dedicated on May 18, 1952, by Ready.[5] The altar was consecrated by auxiliary bishop Edward Hettinger on December 26.[7] In 1953, Corpus Christi's parochial school had eleven sets of twins enrolled for classes.[8] That same year, members of the parish founded a credit union, the only one of its kind among the Catholic churches in Columbus.[9][10][11] A six-room addition to the school was made in 1956 and a new athletic center constructed and dedicated in 1961.[12][13] Membership in the parish began to decline in the 1960s due to parishioners moving to the suburbs.[14] In 1986, staffing and pastoral care of the parish was given to priests of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, who remained in the parish until around 1993.[2][15]
Consolidation, closure, and alternate use
The interior of Corpus Christi as seen from the choir loft in 2021
In 1987, the Columbus diocese began to study solutions to deal with declining enrollment and rising costs at Corpus Christi school, as well as other neighboring schools including St. Leo and St. Mary.[16] Two years later, Corpus Christi and St. Ladislas schools merged, with 5th through 8th grades being housed at the Corpus Christi campus.[17] The merger resulted in $100,000 in savings annually.[18] The merged school closed in June 1993.[19] By 1999, St. Ladislas and Corpus Christi parishes were administratively merged but with each location continuing to host Masses.[20] The rectory at Corpus Christi served as the home of the Dominican Learning Center, an apostolate of the Dominican Sisters of Peace, from its founding in 1994 until it moved to new facilities at St. Mary. During its time at Corpus Christi, the center served over 6,000 people with General Educational Development assistance, English as a second language classes, and other basic adult education courses.[21][22][23] In 2013, Corpus Christi and St. Ladislas were clustered with St. Mary.[14] On July 1, 2023, Earl K. Fernandes merged the two churches into St. Mary, with the last Sunday Masses being said at each church on June 25, 2023.[14][24] The closed property was purchased by Healthy Homes, an affordable housing initiative of Nationwide Children's Hospital and Community Development For All People, in July 2025 for $1.2 million. The developer planned to demolish the building and construct housing on its site.[25]
Architecture
Upon its completion, the 1952 church building was described as "modern in every design" and featured seating for 700, a mosaic tile floor, a mural depicting a Corpus Christi procession, and a large stone cross on the front of the church.[5] It was built of brick and Indiana limestone, designed by the Columbus architects Ramsay and Croce, and cost $400,000.[26] The Stations of the Cross were executed in oil painting by Conrad Schmitt and the church had a cry room along with preinstalled hearing aids.[27]
↑ "Cornerstone Laying Set". The Columbus Dispatch. August 11, 1951. p.5. THE cornerstone for the new Corpus Christi Catholic Church, the first in the Catholic diocese to be dedicated to the service of God in honor of the Blessed Sacrament, will be laid Sunday, by Bishop Michael J. Ready of Columbus. The ceremony, one of the major highlights in the 25-year-old par-ish, will follow the 10 a. m Mass, which will be offered by Bishop Ready in the 20-year-old basement church. The Rev. Albert V. Kessler, pastor since Oct. 21, 1938, returned early this week from a two and one-half month European trip and will be present for the occasion. Unique among the mementoes and history of the parish that will be placed in the cornerstone will be photostat copies of letters from the President of the United States, the Governor of Ohio, and the Mayor of Columbus congratulating the parish on its growth and expansion and its contributions to the city, state, and the nation. The new church, which will be the first of its kind in the history of the parish, is being erected on the corner of Linwood and Stewart Avs, and will be of salmon-colored brick with Indiana limestone front and trim. It will seat 700 persons. Ground was broken March 4, 1951, by The Rev. Fr. Kessler and work was started immediately by the Altman-Coady Construction Co. The first brick was laid May 15, the day berore the pastor left for Europe to participate in the beantifica-tion ceremony of Pope Pius X. Designed by Ramsey and Croce, Columbus architects, the church is expected to be completed in the spring of 1952.
↑ "Corpus Christi Church to be Dedicated". The Columbus Dispatch. May 15, 1952. pp.6A. Finishing touches were being made Thursday to the $400,000 Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Linwood and Stewart Ave. The ultra-modern building will be dedicated Sunday in day-long ceremonies. The church constructed of salmon-red brick and Indiana limestone, is one of the most un-usual in design to be erected in Columbus...Fourteen stations of the cross depicting Christ's journey to Calvary hang on the side walls. The stations were pointed in olis by Artist Conrad Schmidt, Cleveland... A "crying" room for mothers of young children has been placed off one side of the sanctuary. The room, equipped with a loudspeaker system, even has sliding glass doors, so that mothers can receive Communion without leaving their children. For persons who are hard of hearing, there are 100 hearing aids... The architect for the contemporary Church was Ramsey & Groce, 6 W Frambes Av. The contractor was Altman-Coady Co., 1251 Fairwood Av.
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