Tradition Never Graduates - Suzanne (Openlander) Frankie ’53

Published: April 30, 2026

Did you know that there are more than 120 Catholic churches in the 19 counties that make up the Diocese of Toledo? Sue (Openlander) Frankie ’53 did – and she recently visited *ALL of them*!

Sue was inspired to make these visits upon realizing that there were many churches in Toledo alone that she had never seen. “I left Toledo when I graduated from college in 1957, and didn’t return to live here until 2015,” shares Sue. 

“Growing up, my parish was Gesu, and that was pretty much the only church I attended. So almost all of the 120+ churches we visited were new to me.”

Sue found a few new favorites during her journey. “St. John the Baptist in Glandorf was simply breathtaking, and Mother of Sorrows on Put-in-Bay was a little gem,” she reflects. 

What impressed Sue most, particularly in the smaller farm communities she visited, was the importance of these churches in the lives of the Catholic families there. 

“Everyone knew everyone – there was much meeting and greeting, pictures of school and parish events and articles in their church bulletins on the many activities occurring each week,” she explains. “I came away from these places with a great sense that America is made up of people and lives and values that are not enough seen or talked about on our televisions and in our newspapers.”

Sue hopes that anyone reading this article will be motivated to follow her footsteps and take this journey. “Start with the churches in Toledo – many of which are beautiful, with rich histories of their ethnic origins and activities over the years.

“I have five notebooks filled with church photos, bulletins, information on church architecture, the mass, and liturgical objects – and would be happy to share with anyone interested!”