About Mary Help of Christians · Fairborn, Ohio
Mary, Help of Christians is a Roman Catholic parish in Fairborn, Ohio, part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and one of six churches in the St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes. Founded in 1862 by a missionary priest of the Society of Mary (Marianists) and dedicated under its present patronage in 1869, the parish now serves roughly 815 families and operates about 30 ministries and organizations from its distinctive five-sided, 1,000-seat church dedicated in 1970. Located minutes from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base — whose stealth aircraft inspired the church's aerial layout — the parish combines a Marian heritage, a strong social-justice and outreach program (St. Vincent de Paul, MHC Community Garden, FISH Food Pantry) and traditional devotional life including weekly Eucharistic Adoration and a Monday Family Rosary.
- Established
- 1862
- Patron
- Mary, Help of Christians (Our Lady Help of Christians)
- Rector
- Father Jason E. Bedel (Pastor)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
Mary, Help of Christians offers the rare combination of a deeply rooted 19th-century Catholic parish — founded in 1862 and dedicated under Marian patronage in 1869 — set on a distinctive, modernist 1970s campus within an engaged Air-Force-community neighborhood. Newcomers find a full sacramental life (daily Mass, perpetual-adoration chapel, Monday Holy Hour, weekly confession, active RCIA) backed by roughly 30 ministries spanning RCIA, the Parish School of Religion, the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, the MHC Community Garden, Knights of Columbus, a thriving senior 'JOY Club,' a parish music ministry led by a director, and Bible-study/Adult Faith Formation. As part of the six-church St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes, MHC is well placed for anyone seeking both traditional Catholic devotion and hands-on outreach to the wider Fairborn community.
Mass times at Mary Help of Christians
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday after the 7:45 AM Mass (approximately 8:15–8:30 AM, or by appointment)
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Monday 7:00–8:00 PM Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration (ends with Benediction)
- The church also has a 24-hour Adoration Chapel for continuous prayer.
Parish History
Mary, Help of Christians traces its origins to 1862, when a Marianist missionary organized the Catholic families of rural Fairfield, Ohio into a formal congregation. In 1868, Father Charles Hahne built the first permanent church in nearby Osborn; it was dedicated under the Marian title on August 22, 1869. After the 1913 Great Miami Flood forced the relocation of Osborn by the Miami Conservancy District, the parish built a new 150-seat church on Pleasant Street in 1923. By 1950, when the towns of Fairfield and Osborn merged to form Fairborn, MHC had grown to about 500 families. The 1956 school, 1960s convent (St. Francis Hall) and rectory, and the present five-sided 1,000-seat church (dedicated 1970) built the modern campus; the school closed in 2008 and is now the Parish Center. A major renovation in 2018 refreshed the sanctuary, and in July 2022 MHC became part of the new St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light initiative.
Devotions & Special Services
Devotional life centers on the parish's patroness, Mary Help of Christians (feast day May 24). A Family Rosary is prayed every Monday evening at 6:00 PM, and a Rosary precedes the Saturday Vigil Mass around 3:30 PM. Eucharistic Adoration is available continuously in the dedicated chapel and is observed corporately on Monday evenings. Anointing of the Sick and home/hospital visits are arranged through the rectory office on request.
- Family Rosary — Mondays at 6:00 PM
- Pre-Vigil Rosary — Saturdays ~3:30 PM
- Monday Holy Hour with Benediction — 7:00–8:00 PM
- Continuous Eucharistic Adoration in chapel
- Anointing of the Sick on request
Parish Staff & Clergy
Mary, Help of Christians is led by Father Jason E. Bedel as Pastor and served by Parochial Vicars Fr. Ambrose T. Dobrozsi, Fr. Patrick Blenman, Fr. Matthew Lee, Fr. Michael Holloran, and Fr. Uriel Santos, with Fr. Timothy Fahey serving as chaplain to Wright State University. Deacon Max Roadruck assists at Mass and liturgies. Lay staff include Administrative Assistant Julie Sewell, Business Manager Patrick Morgan, Music Director Kristen Kosey, Michael Barclay (Associate Director of Youth, Adult & Family Evangelization and Christian Formation), and Maintenance lead Eric Rogalinski. These clergy and staff together serve MHC as part of the six-parish St. Michael the Archangel Family.
- Pastor: Fr. Jason E. Bedel
- Parochial Vicars: Fr. Ambrose T. Dobrozsi, Fr. Patrick Blenman, Fr. Matthew Lee, Fr. Michael Holloran, Fr. Uriel Santos
- Chaplain: Fr. Timothy Fahey (Wright State University)
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Max Roadruck
- Music Director: Kristen Kosey
- Business Manager: Patrick Morgan
- Administrative Assistant: Julie Sewell
- Evangelization: Michael Barclay
- Maintenance: Eric Rogalinski
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) provides religious education for children and youth from Early Childhood through High School, meeting Sundays from 9:45 to 11:00 AM in the Parish Center, September through April. Adult Faith Formation offers Bible studies, online classes, single talks, workshops, and bulletin articles throughout the year. The RCIA process welcomes inquirers and candidates through Pre-Catechumenate, Catechumenate, Candidates, and Mystagogia stages.
- PSR for Early Childhood, Elementary, and High School
- PSR meets Sundays 9:45–11:00 AM in Parish Center
- Adult Faith Formation — Bible studies, online classes, workshops
- RCIA for adults seeking full initiation
Outreach & Charity
MHC's social-outreach network is anchored by its St. Vincent de Paul Society (food, utility, medical, rent, household and furniture assistance), supported by the third-Sunday-of-the-month monetary collection and baskets of non-perishable food at the main church entrance. The MHC Community Garden grows produce for both the St. Vincent de Paul pantry and the FISH Food Pantry, and its flowers decorate the sanctuary in summer and fall. Handy Helpers provide home repairs for elderly or disabled parishioners, and Funeral Meals volunteers provide food and support to grieving families.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (helpline 937-424-0951)
- MHC Community Garden (chair: Denise Wetzel)
- Handy Helpers
- Funeral Meals ministry
Music & Liturgical Ministries
The Music Ministry, directed by Kristen Kosey, aims to foster the full, conscious, and active participation of the assembly — drawing on Scripture-based and liturgical repertoire that promotes truth, beauty, and love. Liturgical ministries include sacristans, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, servers, and ushers; volunteers may contact the parish office to serve.
- Music Director: Kristen Kosey (937-878-8092)
- Sacristans, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Servers, Ushers
Parish Life, Fellowship & Fundraising
MHC's fellowship calendar is anchored by long-running traditions. The MHC Holiday Bazaar (more than 50 years running) features a quilt raffle and gift baskets; the Mary Help Festival is the largest single fundraiser of the year; and the JOY Club (Just Older Youth) gathers parishioners 50+ for cards, games, bingo, and refreshments on the 2nd and 4th Mondays from September through June.
- MHC Holiday Bazaar (annual, 54+ years)
- Mary Help Festival
- JOY Club (seniors) — 2nd & 4th Mondays, 1:00–3:00 PM
- Knights of Columbus — Fairborn Council 3724 (934 N. Maple Ave.)
Facilities & Campus
The campus at 954 N. Maple Avenue, Fairborn, includes the 1970 five-sided church (renovated 2018) seating about 1,000 with its stealth-aircraft-shaped roof and 24-hour Adoration Chapel, the adjoining Parish Center (the converted 1956 school), St. Francis Hall (the former 1960s convent), and the rectory.
- Main church (1970; renovated 2018)
- Parish Center (former 1956 school)
- St. Francis Hall (former convent)
- Rectory
- Parking adjacent to church and Parish Center
St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes
In July 2022, Mary, Help of Christians was combined with five other Archdiocese of Cincinnati parishes — Sacred Heart (New Carlisle), St. Augustine (Jamestown), St. Brigid (Xenia), St. Luke the Evangelist (Beavercreek), and St. Paul (Yellow Springs) — into the St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes, part of the Beacons of Light pastoral-renewal initiative. Father Jason E. Bedel serves as pastor of the family, supported by associate parochial vicars and a shared family staff for evangelization, Christian formation, and communications.
- St. Michael the Archangel Family of Parishes (formed July 2022)
- Sister parishes: Sacred Heart, St. Augustine, St. Brigid, St. Luke, St. Paul
- Family Pastor: Fr. Jason E. Bedel
- Family Director of Evangelization & Christian Formation: Dr. Josh Englefield
- Family Director of Administration: Brian Sticka
- Family Coordinator of Communications: Jason Schaap
- Chaplain: Fr. Timothy Fahey (Wright State University)
Getting Involved & Contact
Anyone interested in joining Mary, Help of Christians, enrolling a child in PSR, scheduling a sacrament (baptism, marriage, anointing of the sick), joining the prayer chain, or volunteering with one of roughly 30 parish ministries can reach the parish office Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM at 937-878-8353 or by email at [email protected].
- Parish Office Phone: 937-878-8353
- Email: [email protected]
- Religious Education: 937-830-8735
- Music Director: 937-878-8092
- St. Vincent de Paul Helpline: 937-424-0951
- Office Hours: 9:30 AM–4:30 PM, Mon–Fri
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Missionary priest of the Society of Mary (Marianist)1862
Organized the Catholic population into a parish congregation in Fairfield, Ohio; name not recorded in the parish's published history.
- Father Charles Hahne1868
Led the construction of the first permanent church in Osborn; the bell he placed in that church remains in the current steeple.
- Rev. Thomas A. Nevels
Listed by external directories as a former pastor of Mary, Help of Christians before the 2022 Beacons of Light reorganization.
- Father Jason E. Bedelpresent (current pastor, St. Michael the Archangel Family)
Current pastor under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light family-parish model, serving as pastor of the family that includes MHC, St. Paul (Yellow Springs), St. Luke (Beavercreek), St. Brigid (Xenia), St. Augustine (Jamestown), and Sacred Heart (New Carlisle).