Diocese breaks ground on archives center
Story and Photos by Vince Taddei
The sunlight of a bright September morning beamed through the spire and towers of the former SS. Cyril and Methodius Church, casting long shadows across the broken ground where shovels waited. One by one, Bishop David Bonnar, diocesan leaders and community figures stepped forward, dug into the soil and lifted the first clumps of earth.
Attendees watched the ground give way to a new beginning—a moment that carried both the weight of memory and the promise of the future.
Beside this church—where generations once gathered for baptisms, weddings and funerals—the Diocese of Youngstown marked the start of something new. Crews will raise the All Saints Diocesan Archives Center, a 4,900-square-foot, two-story facility designed to safeguard the diocese’s history. The building will stand as a living testimony to the people whose faith built parishes, neighborhoods and schools across the Mahoning Valley.
“This is a huge step for our diocese,” Bishop Bonnar told those gathered. “When I came here nearly five years ago, there was no intentional effort to preserve our history. Now, God willing, this vision will serve the diocese for a long, long time. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.”
– A home for Catholic memory –
For decades, diocesan records were scattered. Sacramental registers, parish chronicles and correspondences were stored in parish basements, offices or borrowed archival spaces. Between 1943 and 1978, diocesan archives were entrusted to Kent State University Libraries. Later records remained in diocesan storage, waiting for a permanent solution.
“In the last three years, we’ve put a staff together and established a vision that will transcend this moment,” said Bishop Bonnar.
Church law requires every diocese to safeguard its patrimony, which includes sacramental documents, financial records, artifacts and art. But Bishop Bonnar sees more than legal obligation. In his second pastoral letter, Practicing Faith, Hope, and Love: Living the Virtues Together in Tough Times, he acknowledges the foundation laid by generations who built parishes and schools. “We can never forget these people,” he said. “They built our churches, supported our mission. We are here today because of them.”
The new archives center will provide what scattered storage never could: a climate-controlled, professionally-designed environment with the technology to preserve fragile materials for generations. Policies are already in place to ensure proper cataloging, conservation and access.
“This is about passing on our legacy,” Bishop Bonnar reflected. “As Paul wrote, we hand on what we ourselves have received. That’s the essence of what we’re trying to do.”
– The vision takes shape –
The archives project has been central to Bishop Bonnar’s leadership since 2022, but he admits it has been a demanding journey. “Beginnings are never easy,” he said. “Even identifying an archivist was arduous. I laid out the dream and stepped back, but I realized it needed more of my involvement. I became fully engaged … and I see God’s fingerprints all over this project.”
The fingerprints of others are there, too. An archival committee, steering committee and professional design team all contributed. Architect Paul Hagman, who designed the facility, said, “We attempted to make the design fit in with the old. It doesn’t look like it was built in the same era, but the proportions and materials reflect the church next door. All credit goes to the bishop—he really had a vision.”
The building itself will be more than a vault. Plans call for a public reading room, offices for staff and program space inside the preserved church. For diocesan Chancellor and Archivist Joan Lawson, this balance between preservation and access is vital.
“It is a time of gratitude and hope,” Lawson said. “The materials will be preserved forever, as much as possible. And the public will be able to encounter them in ways that serve parishes, families and researchers.”
Lawson brings a rare blend of expertise. The first half of her professional life was in museums and historical societies before she moved into parish ministry. When Bishop Bonnar asked for an archivist, she recognized the chance to bring her professional experience to the table. “It was a perfect merging of skills,” she said. “I love to organize and preserve materials. Now I get to do that in service of the Church.”
With her team—assistant archivist Hannah Shaw and processing archivist Jason Long—Lawson has been preparing for the move. “It’s a lot of organization and inventory,” she explained. “We have to make sure every item arrives in perfect condition.”
For Lawson, though, the archives are not only administrative. They are deeply pastoral. “Exhibits will tell the story of the people and churches of the Diocese of Youngstown,” she said, “and the church building itself will emphasize the leading role of immigrants in that story.”
– Honoring Saints Cyril and Methodius –
The choice of site was deliberate. SS. Cyril and Methodius Church, founded in 1896, was the first Slovak parish in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties. Its parishioners once hosted countless social gatherings and Masses—filling the church with incense, song and community life. The parish closed in 2022, but its story is far from over.
“It’s bittersweet,” said Father John Rovnak, who grew up in the parish. “Everyone wishes their parish could stay open. ButI’m grateful this beautiful church will still be used. It’s a testament to the love and care of those who built it.”
For Father Rovnak, the memories are personal and vivid. It’s where he made his first Communion, was an altar server and later attended weddings and funerals for family members. One of his fondest recollections was joining the men’s club gatherings after Mass. “Once a month they’d serve coffee and donuts in the hall,” he remembered with a smile. “I was by far the youngest person there, but I got to know men whose parents had built this church. They told stories of the Great Depression, of neighbors literally digging out the basement with shovels. That determination and grit—that bond of faith—was passed down to us.”
Though he never had the chance to celebrate Mass there as a priest, Father Rovnak sees the building’s rebirth as an archive and museum as a kind of continuity. “The history and determination of those people will extend into the future with us,” he said. “It’s still a beautiful space. And now, instead of closing, it’s being reborn.”
That continuity also matters to Monsignor John Zuraw, diocesan vicar general. “Today we honor the past, we look at the present and we move forward to the future,” he said. “God’s hand is always at work—past, present and future.”
– Theology of memory –
The project also carries theological weight. Father John-Michael Lavelle, in his capacity as curator of the patrimony for the diocese, reflected on how memory functions in the life of the Church.
“Our churches tell stories through stained glass, statues and Scripture,” he said. “As some of those items are no longer present in communities, it’s important to have a place for collective storytelling. Not just for treasures like stained glass, but for the documents and records that show where we’ve been as we discern where we’re going.”
Catholic tradition is, at heart, a tradition of memory. The Eucharist is the great act of remembering that makes Christ present. Mary, the Mother of God, “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19), modeling the Church’s vocation to treasure memory.
– A community effort –
The groundbreaking drew not only diocesan leaders but also civic voices. Among them were Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown, State Representative Lauren McNally and executive director of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society Bill Lawson.
“This archive helps keep those traditions—connections to our history and community—alive, while making sure families can always see and celebrate them,” Mayor Brown said in an address to those in attendance. “Bishop, these are your pictures, your community, and we’ll keep them safe for everyone to enjoy.”
In her address to the attendees, McNally offered a personal perspective. “My family’s connection to the Church has always been personal, full of stories and memories. Today, as we break ground on this archives building, we’re preserving not just documents, but the lives, faith and sacrifices of those who came before us,” she said. “This center will keep those threads of memory and hope strong, connecting future generations to our past and to each other.”
Pat Kelly, diocesan chief financial officer, described the planning process—site selection, feasibility studies, contractor bids—as detailed but rewarding. “It’s very satisfying,” he said. “Now we have a clear picture of what’s ahead and a detailed plan to realize the completion.”
Architect Hagman noted that the project includes minor repairs and preservation work on the church itself, ensuring the stained glass and roof remain sound. “It’s a preservation project as much as new construction,” he said.
– Looking forward –
The All Saints Diocesan Archives Center is expected to open once construction is complete and the delicate process of transferring materials is finished.
“Students can stand in the church and see how their great-grandparents worshiped,” Joan Lawson said. “Parishes will be able to prepare authentic anniversaries. Families will trace their sacramental roots. Scholars will study the immigrant story of Youngstown. All of it will be here.”
For Bishop Bonnar, the archives are more than a project—they are a promise: that the Church of Youngstown will remember. And in remembering, that it will continue to proclaim the God who is faithful through all generations.
“Thanks to so many people, the vision of this and all of the good that will come from it is now even more of a reality,” Bishop Bonnar said. “This archives center will be more than a building. It is our way of saying to the generations who came before us: We remember you, we honor you and we carry your story forward.”
