Church of the Gesu

What Church of the Gesu does

Church of the Gesu is a Jesuit Catholic parish and nonprofit religious organization founded on Easter Sunday 1926 in University Heights, Ohio, operating under the Diocese of Cleveland and the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) Midwest Province. From an initial 14 parishioners and roughly 40 families, it has grown to serve over 2,700 families across Cleveland's East Side suburbs (Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, Pepper Pike, South Euclid, Lyndhurst, and Beachwood), with a staffed team of approximately 24 and a K-8 Catholic school enrolling nearly 700 students in a STREAM curriculum.

The parish delivers a comprehensive portfolio of spiritual, educational, and community service programs. Core products include weekend and daily Mass liturgies, full sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick), and faith formation across all ages — including Parish School of Religion (PSR), Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Montessori-based atrium), Friends of Jesus (adaptive needs), Adult Faith Formation/Ignatian programs, and OCIA. Gesu Catholic School provides Pre-K through Grade 8 Christ-centered education. Outreach is substantial: 12+ ministries, 500+ Service Day volunteers across 35+ projects, an Angel Tree Project serving 200+ families and 425 individuals, a 20+ year Honduras mission immersion program with Sociedad Amigos de los Ninos, and a recurring Lenten Fish Fries partnership with EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute. Technology infrastructure is built entirely on third-party SaaS platforms — FaithDirect and ParishSoft for online giving, BoxCast for Mass livestream, SignUpGenius for volunteer coordination, BidPal for auctions, LPi for bulletins, and Virtus for child protection compliance — with no proprietary technology layer.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: (1) Parish Sunday Offertory via the Gesu Sunday Offering (GSO) recurring giving program, (2) Gesu Catholic School tuition supplemented by named scholarship funds, (3) the $12 million Gesu Century Capital and Endowment Campaign (the first major capital campaign in over 20 years), and (4) event fundraising (Century Gala, Pancake Breakfast, Fish Fries, Women's Guild Spring Benefit). Geographic footprint is primarily domestic Northeast Ohio with a single Honduras mission corridor; no public revenue figures are disclosed.

Name

Church of the Gesu

Legal name

Church of the Gesu

Website

https://churchofthegesu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Church of the Gesu is a Jesuit Catholic parish founded in 1926 in University Heights, Ohio, serving over 2,700 families and nearly 700 K-8 students through worship, Catholic education, faith formation, and community outreach across Cleveland's East Side.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Catholic parish services
• Religious education programs
• Sacramental preparation
• Faith formation
• Community outreach services

Headquarters

HQ city

University Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Parish Sunday Offertory (Tithes and Offerings): Regular weekly and monthly donations from parishioners through the Gesu Sunday Offering (GSO) program, which supports daily parish operations. Parishioners can register for weekly envelopes or set up recurring electronic gifts.
2. Gesu Catholic School Tuition: Tuition payments from families enrolling children in pre-K through grade 8 at Gesu Catholic School. Financial assistance available through Fr. Robert J. McAuley, SJ and Fr. Francis T. Dietz, SJ scholarship funds.
3. Capital Campaign Contributions: The Gesu Century Capital and Endowment Campaign with a $12 million goal, focusing on endowment growth, infrastructure/preservation, and outdoor projects. First major capital campaign in over 20 years.
4. Event Fundraising: Revenue from events including the Century Gala, Pancake Breakfast, Fish Fries, and Women's Guild Spring Benefit. Fish Fries partner with EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Church of the Gesu is a Jesuit Catholic parish offering weekend and weekday Mass liturgies, sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick), lifelong faith formation for children and adults, and a Pre-K through Grade 8 Catholic school with STREAM curriculum. It also operates extensive outreach programs including Angel Tree, Honduras mission immersion trips, Service Days, Fish Fries, and pastoral care ministries serving over 2,700 parish families in the Cleveland Heights area.

Product overview

Church of the Gesu is a Jesuit Catholic parish offering a comprehensive portfolio of spiritual, educational, and community service programs. Core offerings include weekend and daily Mass liturgies, sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick), and faith formation at all ages through Friends of Jesus (adaptive needs), Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Montessori-based children's formation), Parish School of Religion (PSR for public school students), Gesu Catholic School (K-8 with STREAM focus), and Adult Faith Formation programs including Bible studies and Ignatian retreats. The parish also operates extensive outreach through service committees, Honduras mission immersion trips, pastoral care ministries, and community life organizations. The Gesu Century Capital and Endowment Campaign ($12 million goal) supports endowment growth, infrastructure, and outdoor campus development including the new Magis Outdoor Chapel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mass and Liturgical Services Weekend and weekday Catholic Mass celebrations including Saturday Vigil (4:30 pm), Sunday (8:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:30 am), and daily Mass (Monday-Friday 8:00 am). Holy Day Masses offered multiple times throughout the day. Liturgical services also include baptisms, weddings, funerals, and other sacramental celebrations.
• Sacramental Preparation Programs Preparation for sacraments including Baptism, First Communion, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick, serving children, adults, and families of the parish.
• Gesu Catholic School Parish K-8 Catholic school with STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) education focus for Pre-K through Grade 8, including preschool programs and early childhood classes (Happy Together and TOPS). Nearly 700 students enrolled.
• Parish School of Religion (PSR) Religious education program for students Pre-K through Grade 8 attending public or non-Catholic private schools, meeting Sunday mornings with classroom instruction and community Mass attendance.
• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) Montessori-based religious formation for children ages 3 through grade 3, meeting weekly in a specially prepared atrium with hands-on materials. Fulfills parish and diocesan requirements for religious education.
• Friends of Jesus (Adaptive Faith Formation) Adaptive faith formation ministry for children and adults with unique learning and developmental needs, formerly CAN (Catechesis for Adaptive Needs). Provides individualized religious education with compassionate, creative catechesis.
• Adult Faith Formation Programs Bible studies, prayer groups, retreats, Ignatian spirituality programs, book studies, and faith-sharing groups for adult parishioners including Tuesday Women's Bible Study, Wednesday Bible Study, and Saturday Bible Study.
• Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) Welcome process for adults interested in learning about the Catholic faith and preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and/or Eucharist, including OCIA Adapted for Children ages 7-17.
• Honduras Mission Program Summer immersion trips to Honduras for construction projects and community service, coordinated with Sociedad Amigos de los Ninos and Honduran Children's Rescue Fund. Trip cost $2,000; participants must be entering 11th grade or older.
• Service and Outreach Programs Multiple outreach committees including Angel Tree Project (200+ families), Bread Ministry, Fish Fries with EDWINS, Gesu Hunger Project, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, Red Cross Blood Drives, Service Days (500+ volunteers, 35+ projects), and St. Vincent de Paul Society.
• Pastoral Care Ministries Caregiver support, adaptive needs ministry, coffee and conversation, eucharistic visitors to homebound, and Pink Posse/healing rosary support groups for those affected by illness.
• Gesu Century Capital and Endowment Campaign $12 million capital and endowment campaign launched in 2024 focusing on endowment growth, infrastructure preservation, and outdoor campus development including the Magis Outdoor Chapel. The first major capital campaign in over 20 years.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,700 families served as active parish community
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Lenten Fish Fries partnership where EDWINS prepares and serves meals while proceeds support Gesu's Outreach Ministries. Collaboration provides culinary training opportunities while funding parish service programs.
• Honduran Children's Rescue Fund (HCRF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCRF has traveled to Honduras for over 20 years supporting Sociedad Amigos de los Ninos. Gesu coordinates immersion trips (June 9-16 annually) including construction and medical brigade volunteers. Partnership involves hundreds of Gesu participants over the years.
• Sociedad Amigos de los Ninos (SAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHonduran partner organization receiving support through mission trips and Honduran Children's Rescue Fund. Children and family support programs in Honduras.
• John Carroll UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with John Carroll University Campus Ministry Program. Parish works with university for Ignatian programs and retreats. Geographic proximity enables student involvement in parish activities.
• Jesuit Retreat Center (Parma, Ohio)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Ignatian retreats and programs. Gesu connects parishioners with Jesuit Retreat Center offerings for deeper spiritual experiences.
• Jesuits Midwest ProvincecoreOthersChurch of the Gesu is part of the Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Parish has been served by Jesuit priests since founding in 1926. Current pastor Fr. Lukas M. Laniauskas, SJ is a Jesuit priest.
• Diocese of ClevelandcoreOthersOne of 184 parishes within the Diocese of Cleveland. Parish follows diocesan guidelines for sacraments, religious education, and church operations. Bishop Malesic visited for Fr. Laniauskas' installation ceremony.
• Diocese of Cleveland Office of Catechetical FormationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level I training course (July 27 - August 1) coordinated through the Diocese Office of Catechetical Formation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Cleveland, OH): Diocese of Cleveland Catholic parish and school serving a similar East Side suburb demographic — directly comparable on operations, school, and member base.
• St. Leo the Great Parish (Cleveland Heights, OH): Adjacent Cleveland Heights Catholic parish within the same geographic catchment — directly competes for the same Catholic families and school-age children in the same East Side suburbs.
• St. Ignatius Loyola Parish (New York, NY): Major Manhattan Jesuit parish with comparable Ignatian spirituality, extensive faith formation, parish school, and large urban-suburban member base. Closely comparable mission and operating model.
• Holy Trinity Catholic Church (Washington, DC): Jesuit parish in Georgetown with parish school, extensive adult faith formation, and outreach programming — a directly comparable Catholic parish with strong educational mission.
• Gesu Church (Detroit, MI): Another Jesuit Catholic parish sharing the same historic name (after the Mother Church of the Society of Jesus in Rome), with similar parish-school model and Ignatian programming. Directly comparable on faith-formation, K-8 school, and Jesuit parish identity.
• St. Francis Xavier Parish (Cleveland, OH): Fellow Diocese of Cleveland Catholic parish serving an inner-ring Cleveland neighborhood with K-8 school and traditional parish programming — directly comparable on geography and diocesan affiliation.

Broad incumbents

• Diocese of Cleveland (Cleveland, OH): Gesu's parent ecclesial authority governing 184 parishes across Northeast Ohio. Comparable as a Catholic organizational umbrella but operates at the diocesan scale rather than the single-parish level.
• St. Ignatius College Prep (Chicago, IL): Major Jesuit college preparatory school — comparable on Jesuit educational mission and Ignatian pedagogy, though operating at secondary/high school level rather than K-8.
• John Carroll University (University Heights, OH): Neighboring Jesuit university and active Gesu partner — comparable on Jesuit identity and Ignatian programming, though operates at higher-education scale with broader regional reach.

Regional players

• St. Mary of the Falls (Brecksville, OH): Diocese of Cleveland Catholic parish and school in the southern Cleveland suburbs — comparable operating model and diocesan affiliation, but serves a different geography within Northeast Ohio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/churchofthegesu
• Instagraminstagram.com/churchofthegesu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/church-of-the-gesu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Church of the Gesu