About Immaculate Conception · Botkins, Ohio
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Botkins, Ohio, founded in 1865 by twenty-eight poor German immigrant families. It is one of four church buildings that together make up the merged Holy Face of Jesus Parish in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, sharing ministry with St. John in Fryburg, St. Joseph in Wapakoneta, and St. Lawrence in Rhine. The current Botkins church was dedicated on August 12, 1962, replacing an earlier 1867 brick building, and sits at 116 N. Mill Street. As part of the historic "Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches" region of western Ohio, the parish complex includes two buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Established
- 1865
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (parish patron); Holy Face of Jesus (patron of the merged parish designated by Archbishop Schnurr)
- Rector
- Fr. Sean Wilson
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception in Botkins offers the warmth of a small-town Catholic parish with deep roots in the German immigrant heritage of western Ohio, daily and weekend Masses in a modern 1962 church, and a perpetual Adoration Chapel open from noon Sunday through 8 pm Friday. As part of Holy Face of Jesus Parish, members share in a wide range of ministries including CCD and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (held in the Immaculate Conception Atrium), Life Teen youth ministry, RCIA, Alpha, small faith communities, and active community groups such as the Alliance of the Holy Family and Quo Vadis young adults.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:40 AM (before Mass)
- Monday 8:40 AM (before Mass)
- Thursday 8:40 AM (before Mass)
Adoration times
- Immaculate Conception Adoration Chapel: opens at noon on Sunday and closes at 8:00 PM on Friday
- Open Hours currently in need of adorers: Wednesdays 10:00–11:00 AM, Fridays 1:00–2:00 PM, Fridays 2:00–3:00 PM
About the Parish
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Botkins, Ohio, is one of four historic parishes that were merged on July 1, 2024, by decree of Archbishop Dennis Schnurr into the single Holy Face of Jesus Parish in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The parish's stated mission is to share the treasure of Jesus Christ so that all might seek and find the goodness, truth, and beauty of the Catholic Faith and choose to live in friendship with Christ. Within the merged parish, all four church buildings are retained under their original names, and Immaculate Conception continues to serve as a worship site at 116 N. Mill Street, Botkins.
- Sister parish buildings: Immaculate Conception (Botkins), St. John (Fryburg), St. Joseph (Wapakoneta), St. Lawrence (Rhine)
- Clustered in the Sidney Deanery of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
- Parish Office: 309 Perry Street, Wapakoneta, OH 45895
History
Immaculate Conception was organized in 1865 by twenty-eight poor German immigrant families, the fourth and final parish to spin off from the original Saints Peter and Paul settlement at Petersburg (1836). The first Mass was celebrated in a not-quite-completed brick church in 1867, and by 1883 the parish had grown to eighty-two families. Improvements followed over the decades: a remodel and embellishment by painter F.H. Hefele in 1898 and ornate stained glass windows in 1899. The present modern church replaced the 1867 building in 1961 and was dedicated August 12, 1962. The 1887 Italian Villa rectory and the 1921 school were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as part of the Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio Thematic Resources. The 1921 school was demolished in 1985, but the parish's historic cemetery on the village's northern edge remains in use from the parish's earliest years.
- 1865: Parish organized by Father Joseph Goebbels
- 1867: First brick church completed (cost ~$8,000)
- 1881: Parish school founded in former Methodist church
- 1898: Remodel by painter F.H. Hefele
- 1899: Stained glass windows installed
- 1921: New two-story brick school built
- 1961–62: Current church built and dedicated August 12, 1962
- 1979: Rectory and school listed on National Register of Historic Places
- 1985: Parish school demolished; parking lot now on site
- 1989: First shared pastor with St. Lawrence (Fr. James O'Connor)
- 2009: Fr. Patrick Sloneker leads three parishes as 'Petersburg Parishes'
- 2024 (July 1): Four parishes merged into Holy Face of Jesus Parish
Clergy and Staff
Holy Face of Jesus Parish is served by Fr. Sean Wilson as Pastor and Fr. Ethan Hoying as Parochial Vicar, both assigned by Archbishop Dennis Schnurr in June 2024. Fr. Sean was ordained May 21, 2016, served as Parochial Vicar at the cluster, and became pastor on July 1, 2018. The parish office team handles sacramental scheduling, weddings, declarations of nullity, anointing of the sick, and ongoing parish administration.
- Fr. Sean Wilson — Pastor ([email protected])
- Fr. Ethan Hoying — Parochial Vicar
- Parish office: 309 Perry Street, Wapakoneta, OH 45895
- Office hours: M–W & F 8:30 AM–5:00 PM; Th 10:30 AM–5:00 PM
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
The parish offers a full catechetical program for children and youth. CCD meets on Wednesdays from 6:45–8:00 PM for grades 1–8 at each of the four church locations, and Life Teen gathers high school students on Wednesdays from 6:30–8:30 PM at the St. Joseph Hall. The Immaculate Conception Atrium hosts Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (a Montessori method) for ages 3 through Kindergarten in four session options during the week. Angie Soules serves as Director of Evangelization.
- CCD: Wednesdays 6:45–8:00 PM (grades 1–8)
- Life Teen: Wednesdays 6:30–8:30 PM (grades 9–12)
- Edge: middle school youth program
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at the IC Atrium (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu sessions)
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation through CCD and Life Teen
- Formation Training for catechists and Core Team members each fall
Becoming Catholic and Adult Faith
Adults interested in becoming Catholic, those seeking Confirmation, those returning to the faith after time away, and lifelong Catholics wanting deeper formation are warmly invited to participate. Catholic 101 classes meet each Thursday from September through the end of Lent from 7:00–8:30 PM in St. Joseph Hall. The Alpha program begins Tuesday, September 10 at 6:30 PM at the St. Joseph Parish Life Center, offering dinner, a video, and open conversation about the Christian faith.
- Catholic 101 (RCIA / inquiry): Thursdays 7:00–8:30 PM, St. Joseph Hall
- Alpha: Tuesdays beginning Sept. 10, 6:30 PM, St. Joseph Parish Life Center
- Bible study and small faith communities
- Inquiry form on the parish website; contact Angie Soules at (419) 738-2115
Community Groups and Outreach
The merged parish supports a wide array of community groups and Catholic apostolates that members of Immaculate Conception may join. Several of these are family- or young-adult-focused, while others connect the parish to larger Catholic movements and to the nearby Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics, home to one of the largest relic collections in the United States.
- Alliance of the Holy Family – family holiness and domestic church
- Quo Vadis – Catholic young adults ages 18–29 striving for sainthood
- Domestica
- Journeys Revealed Ministries – faith formation events
- Schoenstatt of Ohio – Marian Movement founded by Fr. Joseph Kentenich
- Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics partner
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. The office coordinates Baptisms, First Communion (through CCD), Confirmation (through Life Teen), Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Reconciliation, as well as declarations of nullity. Couples should contact the parish office to begin wedding planning.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- First Eucharist
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (Confession)
Visiting and Contact
Visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office can answer questions about Mass, Reconciliation, weddings, and parish life. Messages may also be sent via the parish Facebook page. Office hours run Monday through Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and Thursday from 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
- Address: 116 N. Mill Street, Botkins, OH 45306
- Parish Office: 309 Perry Street, Wapakoneta, OH 45895
- Phone: (419) 738-2115
- Emergency Line: (937) 419-1137
- Fax: (419) 738-4525
- Email: [email protected]
Architecture and Heritage
The parish complex at Botkins is part of the 'Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches,' the historic Catholic heartland of rural western Ohio. The Italian Villa-style rectory (1887) and the 1921 parish school were listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 1979, as part of the Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio Thematic Resources — a group of 34 Catholic churches and church-related properties nominated together for their statewide architectural and historical significance.
- Rectory (1887): Italian Villa style, cost $3,000
- School (1921): two-story brick, concrete foundation, entrance pillars, demolished 1985
- Both listed on National Register of Historic Places, July 26, 1979
- Part of the Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio Thematic Resources
- Current church dedicated August 12, 1962 (modern style)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Goebbels1865 (founding)
Pastor at nearby St. John in Fryburg who helped organize the Botkins congregation in 1865.
- Fr. James O'Connor1989
First pastor over both St. Lawrence and Immaculate Conception.
- Fr. Patrick SlonekerJuly 2009
Pastor of St. Lawrence and Immaculate Conception; in 2009 also became pastor of St. Joseph; coined the term 'Petersburg Parishes.'
- Fr. Sean WilsonJuly 1, 2018 – present
Ordained May 21, 2016; served as Parochial Vicar before becoming pastor on July 1, 2018; reappointed Pastor of the merged Holy Face of Jesus Parish in June 2024.