Doors of Faith: Holy Angels Church in Sandusky, Ohio

Many of my Cross and Larkins ancestors worshiped in Sandusky, Ohio at Holy Angels Catholic Church. Charles Cross, my fourth great grandfather, was Sandusky's first Catholic Mayor. He and his wife and children all attended church at Holy Angels. My great great granduncle, Nicholas Charles Cross, became Brother Sulpicious with the Xaverian Brothers. He taught religion at Catholic schools in Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Massachusetts. His earliest religious training was in Sandusky, Ohio at Holy Angels Church. Below is a baptism record of Nicholas Charles Cross, sometimes known as Charles Nicholas Cross, from Holy Angels.

In 1844, both my Irish ancestor Daniel Larkins, and my English born ancestor Charles Cross, signed a resolution which was published in the newspaper, that the "Sons of the Emerald Isle" resolved to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on temperance principles, without any intoxicating beverages. They participated in a temperance parade and a banquet, with the proceeds from the banquet to go to Holy Angels Church.

Many more members of my extended family attended Holy Angels Church, which was founded in 1839. My grandsons also both attended PreSchool in the educational wing of Holy Angels Church. While I was not raised as a Catholic, I have a deep faith in God, and I truly respect the faithfulness of my Cross and Larkins ancestors, as they played an active role in their church home, Holy Angels.

Naomi Cross, "Sister Bertha"

Sister Bertha, who was born Naomi Cross,is seen at the left of the group below, at a wedding in the Hough area of Cleveland.















Naomi Cross was born in 1897 in Sandusky, Ohio, to Harry and Sophia Cross. Naomi's great grandfather Charles Cross was the first Catholic Mayor of Sandusky, and her grandfather James Cross was a Union Veteran of the Civil War.During her youth, Naomi was a member of Sandusky's Holy Angels parish, and she attended Holy Angels Parochial School. Naomi Cross became a nun with the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine. She was known as "Sister Bertha." Rev. Robert C. Wolff wrote in his book about Sister Henrietta, who was a driving force in doing mission work in Cleveland's Hough area, that Sister Bertha was a key person in Sister Henrietta's ministry. Rev. Wolff stated about the Hough Mission Center, "Henrietta organized the larger programs; Bertha carried out the details of assembling, cooking, portioning and distributing food." Rev. Wolff wrote that from 1967 to 1981, Sister Henrietta and Sister Bertha were inseparable.

Sister Henrietta wrote of Sister Bertha in a 1970 issue of Catholic Universe Bulletin that "Sister Bertha is one who doesn't spare herself, she gives her all to look after the poor, just as Saint Vincent de Paul did." Sister Bertha died in 1981, from cancer. She is buried at Cleveland's Calvary Cemetery. In a 1981 Catholic Universe Bulletin, Sister Henrietta wrote about Sister Bertha, "When Sister Bertha, worn out in the service of God, closed her eyes quietly last week, she left behind a legacy of kindness and goodness and the most unselfish love...Everyone knew her and loved her..." While most of her life Sister Bertha ministered in the Cleveland and Summit County areas, she learned her core Christian values in Sandusky, Ohio.

Sister Bertha's tombstone at Calvary Cemetery can be seen at this link. Over one thousand cemetery records from Cleveland's Calvary Cemetery can be accessed at the Calvary Cemetery Search Engine, an ongoing project.

Father William G. Armitage

William G. Armitage was born in 1895 in Akron, Ohio. He was educated at Holy Ghost Missionary College at Cornwell Heights, Pennsylvania; St. Mary Seminary in Norwalk, Connecticut; and at St. Mary Seminary of Cleveland, Ohio. After serving parishes in Sandusky and Toledo, Father Armitage was appointed to Sandusky's Holy Angels Church on September 3, 1936. Holy Angels Church celebrated its centennial under Father William Armitage's leadership.




A history of Holy Angels Church, published in 1976, gives us insight into the life and character of Father William G. Armitage. During the 1940's, Father Armitage went to Mexico to study the Spanish language, so he could better serve the Spanish speaking migrant workers who attended Holy Angels.

Having a special place in his heart for young people, Father Armitage allowed children to roller skate in the old parish hall, and he was known to loan his vehicle to young men for their dates. Rev. Armitage sponsored festivals in the church parking lot, and he often was an anonymous donor of groceries and clothing for church members in need. When Vatican II provided new rules for the liturgy, Father Armitage was the first Catholic pastor in Sandusky to abide by the new rulings.

Rev. William G. Armitage was the minister of Holy Angels Church from 1936 to June 15, 1970. He died on November 11, 1971 in Sandusky. Father Armitage is buried in the Priests Circle of St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Sandusky.