Embodying the Church’s responsibility to preserve its cultural and spiritual heritage, St. Michael Parish in Canfield dedicated its new Saint Joseph the Provider Gallery in September 2024, preserving for future generations the beautiful stained-glass windows salvaged from the closed St. Joseph the Provider Church in Campbell.
Father John-Michael Lavelle—pastor at St. Michael Parish, pro-tem administrator at Saint Pope John XXIII Parish in Niles and Vicar for Missionary Discipleship for the Diocese of Youngstown— spearheaded this project, but this is not the first major renovation he has initiated at a parish he has led. In fact, Father Lavelle has established a legacy of transforming spaces into living tapestries of faith, memory and community.
Father Lavelle was appointed to his first pastorate in April 2003 at Immaculate Conception Parish in Ravenna. From there, he was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (now Saint Pope John XXIII Parish) in Niles. Since 2021, he has been the pastor of St. Michael Parish in Canfield. Each of these places now physically reflect his appreciation of the Catholic aesthetic.
“Art, architecture and liturgy are three things I love,” Father Lavelle said. “I can incorporate all of those in the work that we have been able to do.”
For Father Lavelle, however, the renovations he has undertaken go beyond his personal appreciation of Catholic art. He feels that these projects have helped guide his parishes through changing times.
“The landscape has changed,” Father Lavelle said. “With churches being combined—and sadly, some closing—we now approach these renovations differently.”
Church closings do not necessarily mean a complete end, because items that are preserved from a closing can now be used in different locations. Upon his arrival to the diocese, Bishop David Bonnar established the Office of Patrimony, which is responsible for the safekeeping, maintenance and dispensation of items from closed churches.
While Bishop Bonnar built the infrastructure that allows for the facilitation of items to parishes in need of them, Father Lavelle understands the importance of items finding the proper homes.
“Thanks to Bishop Bonnar, these items can be catalogued and stored until they’re needed at a church that fits their aesthetic and looks like they belong there,” he said. “Making sure that happens maximizes their beauty and helps create an atmosphere where the community can be together, pray and worship.”
The Saint Joseph the Provider Gallery at St. Michael Parish connects the church and parish hall. While prompted by the need to replace aging windows and improve drainage in the adjacent lawn, it became an opportunity to preserve local heritage.
Rather than removing the windows and leaving the space open, the area was enclosed to enhance its character and the windows were acquired from the former St. Joseph the Provider Church in Campbell. They were a perfect fit—there was space for 16 windows, each 38 inches wide, and the set from St. Joseph the Provider required few alterations to the space for installation.
“You could say that [they] were made in common sizes, but I believe it was meant to be,” Father Lavelle said.
The area now features vibrant depictions of the 12 apostles, Saint Paul, Saint Anne and depictions of Mary and Joseph. The design complements the stained glass installed in St. Michael Parish in 2000, blending tradition and renewal.
“In preserving these items, we don’t ever want to lose sight of the places from which they originated,” Father Lavelle said. “One of the decisions we made to honor this was to name this the Saint Joseph the Provider Gallery.”
At night, the Saint Joseph the Provider Gallery can be seen shining onto North Broad Street for residents of Canfield and those driving through. It is the most visible indication of the renovations and work within the walls of St. Michael Parish, including a new shrine to Saint Michael the Archangel.
“We are very pleased with the new shrine,” Father Lavelle said. “Many of the renovations we performed were able to be done with the help of items from different churches, but the shrine is something that needed to fit precisely with our church. The company in Italy that carved it did a wonderful job.”
In addition to the gallery and the Saint Michael shrine, other recent projects at St. Michael Parish include a new a baptismal font and tabernacle; the installation of a mosaic of the Holy Spirit; larger statues in the parish’s Holy Family shrine of Saint Joseph and of the Blessed Mother with the Child Jesus; and a statue of Christ in Repose for Good Friday—used only one day a year.
“My sister and her husband have three children, and they couldn’t possibly have a favorite, so that’s the way I see the renovations,” Father Lavelle said. “They’re all my favorites.”
Visit the St. Michael Parish website for information on Mass times.
