About Holy Name of Jesus · Trenton, Ohio
Holy Name of Jesus is a Roman Catholic parish in Trenton, Ohio, part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and a member of the Our Lady of Peace Family of Parishes alongside Holy Family in Middletown and Our Lady of Sorrows in Monroe. Founded in 1871 as a mission of St. Stephen Church in Hamilton, it is the oldest Catholic congregation in Trenton and one of the community's longest-standing churches. The parish offers Sunday and weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, regular confession, a parish school of religion (PSR), a Knights of Columbus council, and a wide range of lay ministries organized around faith formation, outreach, music, and service.
- Established
- 1871
- Patron
- Holy Name of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Paul L. Gebhardt
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Our Lady of Peace Family of Parishes, Central Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Name of Jesus offers a close-knit Catholic community in Trenton with Sunday and weekday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, regular confession, and a strong parish school of religion program for children. Active lay ministries — Knights of Columbus, choir, Food Pantry, Pro-Life, Rosary Makers, funeral luncheons, and the Young at Heart seniors group — give parishioners of every age a way to serve. The parish also maintains a beautiful outdoor grotto for Marian devotion and supports a sister parish in Harlan, Kentucky, extending its outreach well beyond Trenton's city limits.
Mass times at Holy Name of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays 7:30 – 8:00 am
- 2nd and 4th Wednesdays 6:30 – 7:00 pm
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursdays 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (following the 8:30 am Mass; the parish's published schedule also lists Adoration until 2:00 pm)
History of Holy Name Parish
Holy Name Parish was founded in 1871 as a mission of St. Stephen Church in Hamilton. The first Mass was celebrated in a parishioner's harness shop on North Miami Street, and the first small church (60 by 30 feet) was completed late that same year. A lot with an adjoining cemetery was purchased for $237.50. The Franciscans supplied priests from St. Stephen for more than seven decades until Fr. William Hilvert became the parish's first resident pastor in January 1944. The current church was completed in January 1961, a rectory followed in 1970, and the Parish Center — with a large hall and six classrooms — opened in spring 1993.
- 1871 — Parish founded; first Mass in a harness shop on North Miami Street
- Late 1871 — First church (60 × 30 ft) completed
- Original property (church lot + cemetery) purchased for $237.50
- January 1944 — Fr. William Hilvert named first resident pastor
- January 1961 — Current church building completed
- 1970 — Rectory built to house the resident priest
- Spring 1993 — Parish Center completed (large hall + six classrooms)
Parish Staff & Clergy
Holy Name is served by a pastor and two parochial vicars who shepherd the entire Our Lady of Peace Family of Parishes, with deacons and lay staff supporting the parish office, religious education, music, and finances. The parish office is closed on Wednesdays.
- Rev. Paul L. Gebhardt — Pastor (Family Pastor, Our Lady of Peace)
- Rev. John R. Civille — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Benjamin Mersch — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Larry Gronas — Pastoral Assistant / Pastoral Associate; also leads Devotions
- Deacon Bill Schaefer
- Rebecca Lewis — Religious Education Coordinator
- Sharon McDonough — Parish Secretary
- Connie Schenck — Accountant
- Michelle Markert — Director of Music Ministry
Our Lady of Peace Family of Parishes
Since July 1, 2022, Holy Name of Jesus has been grouped with two neighboring parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's 'Beacons of Light' initiative, sharing pastoral leadership as the Our Lady of Peace Family of Parishes in the Central Deanery. The three parishes maintain their own Mass schedules, websites, and parish life, while collaborating on priestly ministry, faith formation, and outreach.
- Holy Family Parish — 201 Clark St., Middletown, OH 45042 (513-422-0602)
- Holy Name of Jesus — 222 Hamilton Ave., Trenton, OH 45067 (513-988-6335)
- Our Lady of Sorrows — 330 Lebanon St., Monroe, OH 45050 (513-539-8061)
- Family Pastor: Rev. Paul L. Gebhardt
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. John R. Civille and Rev. Benjamin Mersch
Faith Formation & Religious Education (PSR)
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) is the parish's religious education program for children, with its own website for parents to learn more and register for classes. Children are generally prepared for First Holy Communion in second grade (around age 7), and older children may be prepared separately. Holy Name also offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) for adults seeking to become Catholic or complete their initiation, coordinated by Deacon Larry Gronas.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) with dedicated website for registration
- PSR Office line: 513-330-9849
- First Communion preparation in second grade
- OCIA / RCIA — contact the parish office or Deacon Larry Gronas (513-502-6266)
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for the full sacramental life of the Church. Baptisms require preparation; marriages must be arranged at least six months in advance; and the Anointing of the Sick and Communion to the Homebound are available through the parish office. Non-Catholics are welcomed and encouraged to attend Mass, though they are asked to refrain from receiving Holy Communion; anyone in an irregular marital situation is invited to speak with the pastor about annulment.
- Baptism — contact the parish office; baptismal preparation required
- First Eucharist — second grade, through PSR or Catholic grade school
- Confirmation — through parish faith formation
- Reconciliation — see confession schedule above; by appointment
- Marriage — contact the parish office at least 6 months in advance
- Anointing / Pastoral Care of the Sick — arranged through the parish office
- Vocations — contact a pastoral staff member or cincinnativocations.org
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Holy Name sustains a broad network of lay-led ministries, supported by an active Parish Council and Finance Council. Opportunities range from liturgical service and music to outreach to the homebound, food-insecurity relief, respect-life work, and care for the parish grounds. The parish also maintains a sister-parish relationship with a community in Harlan, Kentucky.
- Knights of Columbus — meets first Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall (Rosary at 6:30 pm)
- Choir / Music Ministry — led by Director of Music Ministry Michelle Markert
- Eucharistic Adoration — Thursday mornings
- Devotions — coordinated by Deacon Larry Gronas
- Food Pantry
- Funeral Luncheons
- Outreach Ministry
- Pro-Life / Respect Life
- Rosary Makers
- Young at Heart (senior ministry)
- Harlan, KY Sister Church
- Yard-n-Garden / Maintenance
Devotions & the Grotto
The parish maintains an outdoor Marian grotto on its grounds that serves as a gathering place for prayer. The Rosary is prayed in the grotto every Monday evening at 6:30 pm, and the Knights of Columbus pray the Rosary before their monthly meeting on the first Thursday at 6:30 pm.
- Rosary in the Grotto — Mondays 6:30 pm
- Knights of Columbus Rosary — first Thursday 6:30 pm
Parish Campus & Facilities
The parish campus at 222 Hamilton Avenue in Trenton includes the current church (completed January 1961), a rectory (built 1970), and the Parish Center (completed spring 1993) with a large hall and six classrooms that house the PSR program and other parish activities. The original 1871 property also included an adjoining cemetery.
- Current church — completed January 1961
- Rectory — built 1970
- Parish Center — large hall plus six classrooms, completed spring 1993
- Adjoining cemetery on the original 1871 lot
- Outdoor Marian grotto on the parish grounds
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach Holy Name through the parish office phone, email, or in person at 222 Hamilton Avenue in Trenton. The parish office is closed on Wednesdays; the PSR (Religious Education) office has its own dedicated line. Mass is followed periodically by a 'Welcome Weekend' with coffee and donuts in the parish hall.
- Parish Office: 513-988-6335
- PSR Office / Religious Education: 513-330-9849
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 222 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton, OH 45067
- Office closed on Wednesdays
- Welcome Weekend with coffee and donuts after Mass (monthly)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. William HilvertJanuary 1944 –
First resident pastor assigned to Holy Name by the Archdiocese; previously served as a Franciscan mission parish