About Gesu
Established in 1920, Gesu has a long history of family, faith and community.
The Gesu community is made up of about 400 families and households who are registered as parishioners.
Many of our parishioners come from the West and Central Toledo neighborhoods of Westmoreland, Old Orchard, Bancroft Hills, and also from the nearby Village of Ottawa Hills.
However, with such a long and rich faith tradition, there are people who come from all parts of the Toledo Metro Area to be a part of the Gesu family, some whose families have been members for generations.
Our parish’s musical style could be described as a more traditional Catholic experience. Through use of the organ and classic choral arrangements, Gesu strives to reflect the beautiful traditions of the Catholic Church while also seeking to provide new and modern worship experiences for all who seek God at our services.
In 2021, Gesu was twinned with the St. Pius X Parish Community in West Toledo. Our two parishes, who minister to many of the same neighborhoods, share our Oblate priest staff and have Mass schedules that complement each other in order to meet the needs of our communities.
Ready to meet the Gesu Catholic community?
From our Pastor Fr. Marty
Dear Friend,
On behalf of the entire Catholic Community of Gesu, I welcome you to our parish website.
Gesu, the Italian name for Jesus, has a long history of service to others since it was first established in 1920. For 84 years, Gesu was under the pastoral care of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits.
In 2004, responsibility for the parish was transferred to another religious community, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. With the Jesuit spirit as a solid foundation and with the present gift of Salesian spirituality at Gesu, we at Gesu work to build God’s kingdom together, right here in Toledo.
The heart of every parish community is the weekend celebration of the Eucharist. At these moments we come together to hear and reflect upon God’s Word in the scriptures and encounter His son Jesus in the Eucharist. St. Francis de Sales wrote that the Eucharist is the “sun and center of one’s spiritual life”. It is our most important time together as a parish family. Hopefully someday soon we will have the opportunity to celebrate the liturgy together with you.
Gesu provides a great variety of organizations and activities that can also deepen one’s faith and their fellowship with other parishioners. Many of these organizations are explained on this website. Your participation with any of these groups is most welcomed. In fact, participation and volunteering is a terrific way of getting to know people. I am confident that the more involved people become in the life of the parish, including involvement in the weekend liturgy, the greater will be their sense of belonging to this parish family.
Our Parish Mission Statement calls us to “Live Jesus” and to live the Gentle Spirituality of St. Francis de Sales. Our parish staff is ready to be of service in whatever way we can to help you in doing just that. I pray that our service will be a help to others in their efforts to grow in their relationship with Our Lord.
Together may we build God’s kingdom by serving each other.
In Jesus Christ,
Fr. Martin Lukas, OSFS
Pastor