Father Edward Beneleit, a retired priest, was ordained for the Diocese of Youngstown on November 10, 1974, by Bishop James Malone at St. Joseph Parish in Alliance. He retired in 2017, having served in various capacities for the diocese—including his last assignment as pastor of St. Peter (now The Basilica of Saint John the Baptist and St. Peter Parish) in Canton.
A Canton native, he attended St. Joseph School as well as Canton Central Catholic High School before proceeding to Cincinnati’s St. Gregory Seminary’s high school division, and later its college program—graduating with a bachelor’s in philosophy in 1969. In 1973 he received a Master of Divinity from Mount St. Mary of the West—also in Cincinnati. From 1973 to 1974, he served as a deacon at St. Rose Parish in Girard and St. Joseph Parish in Alliance, often visiting patients at Alliance City Hospital.
In early 1975, he was assigned as assistant pastor of Holy Family Parish in Poland, where he served until 1978. Father Beneleit also was designated as chaplain for the Mahoning County Catholic Committee on Scouting. In 1980, he was appointed associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament (now St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish) in Warren. From 1986 to 1987, he served as associate pastor of St. Edward Parish in Youngstown.
Father Beneleit assumed his first pastorate, St. James Parish in Waynesburg, in 1987. In 1990, he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Alliance. In 2002 he became associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Canton. In 2006 Father Beneleit was assigned as associate pastor at St. Joan of Arc (now Guardian Angels Parish) in Canton. That same year he was appointed administrator of St. Clement (now Holy Family Parish) in Navarre and was named pastor the following year. In 2011, he was assigned to St. Peter in Canton as pastor. As pastor, he served on the board of The Rhoda Wise House and Grotto—with Rhoda Wise having been a parishioner of St. Peter during her lifetime. The Youngstown Diocese initiated the cause for her canonization in 2016. While pastor there, Father Beneleit assumed the additional responsibility of pro-tem administrator of the nearby Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Canton.
In addition to his parish assignments, Father Beneleit, who has been a Knights of Columbus member for more than 50 years, has served as chaplain for the KofC councils in Poland and Warren and as a faithful friar for the Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Assembly in Canton. Since retiring in 2017, Father Beneleit has assisted at various parishes.
