Church and School History:

 

The Reverend Walter T. Hanley established St. Charles Borromeo in 1953, and the first building contained both school and church serving the 250 families comprising the parish.  Eventually this became St. Charles Elementary School serving grades kindergarten through eighth.  The present Spanish Mission styled church was build and dedicated in 1964 at a cost of $450,000.  The original design was by Helser and Helser Architects.  Father Hanely was a student of church history and design and what stands today as St. Charles Church is about 85% Hanley and 15% Helser.

St.  Charles Church and Elementary School, preschool to grade 8, are located on West Elm Street at the intersection of Elm Street and South Cable Road.  St. Charles is the newest of the four Lima parishes and serves the southwest quadrant of Allen County.  St. Charles School currently enrolls over 400 studnets and recently saw construction of a state-of-the-art Early Ed wing which houses preschool, prekindergarten and kindergarten.  The high school, Lima Central Catholic, is located only a few short blocks south on Cable Road.

The current paster of St. Charles if the Reverend Steve Blum.  He and his associate, Father Joseph Sekere, serve one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Toledo.  The current parish office, which was formally located across from Church on Elm Street, was recently built between the Church and school.  The rectory is located across the Church on Elm Street.

The residence immediately north of the rectory was purchased to house the Sisters of Charity who once taught at the school.  When the nuns no longer served the parish, the house was converted into a home for senior adults who can no longer live without assistance.  This addition to the parish was named Hanley House.

St. Charles is a vibrant faith community, attracting people from all over the area.  Thanks for being a part of our history!