Holy Family

Parish Identity & Mission

Holy Family Parish describes itself as a multicultural Catholic faith community in East Price Hill and South Fairmount. Its mission is to grow as Jesus' disciples by following his compassionate and courageous example — proclaiming the Gospel, celebrating the Sacraments, educating children in the faith, strengthening families, fostering lifelong spiritual growth, stewarding resources, and reaching out to the poor and suffering, 'welcoming all in the Spirit of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, our patrons.' The vision statement commits the parish to being a 'Beacon on East Price Hill and in South Fairmount' — a courageous, faith-filled, justice-oriented, multicultural Catholic community.

History of Holy Family Parish

Holy Family was founded in 1884 after the disastrous Ohio River/Mill Creek floods of 1883–1884 sent Catholic families up from the valley into Price Hill. About twenty men met in Mount St. Mary's Seminary Parlor on May 20, 1883, and won approval from Archbishop William Henry Elder to carve a new parish out of St. Lawrence east of Elberon Avenue. Rev. John H. Menke was appointed first pastor. The parish was named 'The Holy Family' on the second ballot of the founding meeting. The cornerstone was laid May 11, 1884, and the original church was dedicated on August 24, 1884, at a cost of $8,060.61.

• 1883 – Floods drive families from the valley; first organizing meeting at Mount St. Mary's Seminary Parlor
• 1884 – First pastor Rev. John H. Menke appointed; cornerstone laid May 11; church dedicated August 24
• 1884 – Sisters of Charity begin teaching the parish school (the first organized classes)
• 1890 – Parish outgrows the original church; planning begins for a larger building
• 1911 – School building dedicated October 22
• 1916 – New Romanesque Renaissance style church dedicated June 18 (cost $175,000)

Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes

Under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light pastoral planning initiative, Holy Family is grouped into South Deanery Family 12, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes. The family is led by Comboni Missionary priests and includes five parishes on Cincinnati's west side.

• Holy Family (Cincinnati) — pastorate
• St. Joseph (Cincinnati)
• St. Leo the Great (Cincinnati)
• St. Boniface (Cincinnati)
• St. Therese, Little Flower (Cincinnati)
• Pastor: Father Rodolfo Coaquira Hilaje, MCCJ
• Parochial Vicars: Father Samuel Langena, MCCJ; Father Miguel Torres, MCCJ

Pastor — Father Rodolfo 'Rudy' Coaquira Hilaje, MCCJ

Fr. Rudy is a Peruvian Comboni Missionary who was ordained to the priesthood in 1992. After completing theological studies, his first mission assignment was to Zambia, where in 1997 he became part of a team that started a new mission in a remote area of the Luangwa Valley among the Atumbuka people. He was later called back to Peru to help form candidates to the missionary priesthood, and in 2010 returned to Zambia to serve the rural parish of Kanyanga in the Eastern Province. He worked on improving education and health care in the region before coming to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, where he first served as parochial vicar of St. Leo and St. Boniface before being named pastor of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes.

• Ordained 1992 (Comboni Missionaries)
• Mission experience: Luangwa Valley (1997) and Kanyanga parish, Eastern Province, Zambia
• Educator of missionary candidates in Peru
• Previous assignment in Cincinnati: Parochial Vicar, St. Leo and St. Boniface

Holy Family School

Holy Family School has been educating children on East Price Hill since 1884, when the Sisters of Charity began teaching in two rooms beneath the original church. Today the school serves students in preschool through eighth grade and has an enrollment of about 226. It is a CISE-funded school and accepts the Ohio Educational Choice Voucher (K–8), the Ohio Jobs and Family Services Daycare Voucher (preschool only), and the Cincinnati Preschool Promise. The mission statement describes the school as committed to Gospel values integrated throughout a strong academic program.

• Preschool through 8th grade
• Average daily enrollment: ~226 students
• CISE-funded; accepts Ohio EdChoice, ODJFS daycare, and Cincinnati Preschool Promise
• Phone: (513) 921-8483

Latino Ministry & Bilingual Life

Holy Family has a strong Latino membership that is integral to the parish's multicultural identity. The parish regularly celebrates English/Spanish bilingual Masses (most notably the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Mass) and seeks to provide faith formation and spiritual enrichment for Spanish-speaking members. A Guatemalan community has been part of Holy Family for about 11 years as of 2014. The parish collaborates with archdiocesan and community organizations to build a fair and just society and to evangelize the Good News. Sr. Tracy Kemme, SC, coordinates the Latino Ministry ([email protected]).

• Bilingual Sunday Mass at 11:00 a.m.
• Spanish-language Saturday 6:00 p.m. and Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Masses
• Guatemalan community
• Contact: Sr. Tracy Kemme, SC — [email protected]

Faith Formation for Children — Children's Church

Children's Church is offered every Sunday during the 11:00 a.m. Mass for children ages 2 through 6. Children hear the Gospel and participate in related activities and songs that most often reflect the readings of the day. Both English and Spanish are used whenever possible. The program follows the Archdiocesan Decree on Child Protection, requiring VIRTUS training and background checks for volunteers.

• Ages 2–6
• Sundays during the 11:00 a.m. Mass
• English and Spanish
• VIRTUS-compliant volunteers

RCIA — Becoming Catholic

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is for adults who want to learn more about Jesus and the Catholic Church, including those who are unbaptized, baptized in another Christian tradition, or baptized Catholic but never having celebrated First Communion. Youth also participate in age-appropriate sessions alongside the adults. Readiness is described as a desire to learn more about Jesus and the Catholic faith, to get to know other members of the Church community, and to pray alone and with the community at Mass. Each inquirer is paired with a sponsor from the parish.

• Open to unbaptized adults, baptized Christians, and Catholics seeking First Communion
• Youth participate in age-appropriate sessions
• Sponsor pairings for each inquirer
• Contact: parish office, (513) 921-7527

Becoming a Member

Joining Holy Family is simple: pick up a registration form in the back of church, download it from the parish website, or contact the parish office. Completed forms can be dropped off, mailed, emailed, or placed in the collection basket. New members are asked to notify their previous parish so records can be updated. The parish encourages newcomers to share their time and talents.

• Registration forms available in church or online
• Mail, email, drop-off, or collection basket submission
• Parish Office: (513) 921-7527

Visit & Contact

The Parish Office at St. Anne Center is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and closed Tuesdays. The mailing address is 3006 West Eighth Street, Cincinnati, OH 45205; the church itself sits at 814 Hawthorne Avenue at the corner of Hawthorne and West 8th Street in East Price Hill.

• Parish Office: (513) 921-7527
• Parish Fax: (513) 921-6033
• School: (513) 921-8483
• Gym/Clubroom: (513) 921-9482
• San Antonio: (513) 921-6411
• Email: [email protected]