About Saint Robert Bellarmine · North Manchester, Indiana
Saint Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend located in North Manchester, Indiana. It began in 1958 as a storefront chapel served by St. Bernard Parish in Wabash and grew into a sui juris parish in 1963, with a new church building dedicated in 1965. Today the parish offers Mass in three languages — English, Spanish, and Latin (Novus Ordo) — and serves as a spiritual home for the North Manchester community and the Catholic students of Manchester University.
- Established
- 1958
- Patron
- St. Robert Bellarmine (Doctor of the Church, Jesuit defender of the faith)
- Rector
- Rev. Daniel Koehl
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
Why belong here
St. Robert Bellarmine is a small, multilingual Catholic community that offers something rare for a parish of its size: a trilingual Sunday Mass schedule (English, Spanish, and Latin Novus Ordo), daily Lauds and Vespers alongside weekday Masses, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a thriving Family Catechesis and Youth Ministry under a dedicated Director of Faith Formation. Under Father Daniel Koehl and Deacon Max Ortega, the parish combines the warmth of a close-knit community with the spiritual richness of the Traditional Latin Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, and active outreach to Manchester University students.
Mass times at Saint Robert Bellarmine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Tuesday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM (Eucharistic Adoration, followed by 6:00 PM Mass)
- First Thursday of the month — All Day Adoration, 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Parish History
Saint Robert Bellarmine traces its roots to 1958, when thirty families donated their labor to convert a Main Street storefront in North Manchester into the original chapel. The Most Reverend Leo Aloysius Pursley, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend, offered the first Mass there on August 3, 1958. Originally a mission of St. Bernard Parish in Wabash under Rev. Robert Zahn, the community was established as an independent (sui juris) parish in August 1963, with Rev. Ray Balzer as its first resident pastor. A new church building was dedicated on April 25, 1965. The parish continues to be a stable part of the North Manchester community today.
- 1958 — Original storefront chapel on Main Street, first Mass August 3, 1958 by Bishop Pursley
- Named for St. Robert Bellarmine, Doctor of the Church, in part because of Manchester University
- 1963 — Established as a sui juris parish; Rev. Ray Balzer named first resident pastor
- 1965 — Current church building dedicated April 25, 1965
Pastoral Staff
The parish is led by Father Daniel Koehl, installed as pastor on July 23, 2023 by Father Matthew Coonan, Episcopal Vicar for Clergy in the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend. Father Koehl is a Fort Wayne native, a 2011 graduate of Bishop Dwenger High School, and earned a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Theology from Mount Saint Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland in 2020. He was ordained a priest on June 5, 2021 and, in addition to St. Robert's, serves as chaplain to the Catholic students at Manchester University and at Purdue Fort Wayne. The pastoral team also includes a deacon, a parish secretary, a music director/RCIA coordinator, and a Director of Faith Formation.
- Rev. Daniel Koehl — Pastor
- Deacon Max Ortega — Spanish Ministry
- Marie Hardy — Parish Secretary (260-982-4404)
- Mark Bryant — Music Director and RCIA Coordinator (260-982-4404)
- Ben Nesler — Director of Faith Formation (260-355-5266)
Latin (Novus Ordo) Mass
Each Sunday at 2:00 PM, St. Robert Bellarmine celebrates Mass according to the Order of Mass promulgated by Pope St. Paul VI in 1969 (commonly called the "Novus Ordo"), with the Ordinary, Propers, and Order of Mass in Latin and the Readings in the vernacular. The parish cites Sacrosanctum Concilium — 'The use of the Latin Language is to be preserved in the Latin Rites' — and provides English and Spanish translation booklets in the pew.
- Sunday 2:00 PM — Latin Novus Ordo Mass
- Ordinary, Propers and Order of Mass in Latin
- Readings in the vernacular
- Translation booklets provided
Liturgy of the Hours
The parish publicly prays Morning Prayer (Lauds) most weekdays and Evening Prayer (Vespers) on Tuesdays. This makes St. Robert Bellarmine a small but notable community for those drawn to praying the Divine Office together with their parish.
- Lauds (Morning Prayer): Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 AM (after 8:00 AM Mass)
- Vespers (Evening Prayer): Tuesday at 6:30 PM (after 6:00 PM Mass)
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Faith Formation is directed by Ben Nesler and is centered on Family Catechesis — an approach that walks parents and children through the faith together. The parish also maintains an active Youth Ministry program with regular classes and gatherings for younger parishioners.
- Director of Faith Formation: Ben Nesler (260-355-5266)
- Family Catechesis — parents and children learning the faith together
- Youth Ministry classes for parish youth
- RCIA / OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) coordinated by Mark Bryant
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
Adults interested in being initiated into the Catholic Church — or simply learning more about the faith — are invited to enroll in the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA, formerly known as RCIA). Classes usually begin each September; prospective catechumens and candidates are encouraged to email or call the parish office to get started.
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) for adults
- Classes typically commence in September each year
- Contact: 260-982-4404
Spanish Ministry
Deacon Max Ortega leads the parish's Spanish Ministry, which serves the growing Hispanic Catholic community of North Manchester and the surrounding area. This ministry is reflected in the weekly 12:00 PM Spanish Mass on Sundays and the inclusion of Spanish translations of all schedules and sacramental materials on the parish website.
- Deacon Max Ortega — Spanish Ministry leader
- Weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish at 12:00 PM
- Spanish-language Mass times page on the parish website
Music Ministry
Music at St. Robert Bellarmine is led by Music Director Mark Bryant, who also serves as the parish's RCIA Coordinator. The music ministry supports the parish's diverse liturgical life — including the weekly Latin Novus Ordo Mass and the regular English and Spanish Masses.
- Music Director: Mark Bryant
- Supports English, Spanish, and Latin Novus Ordo Sunday liturgies
Sacraments
St. Robert Bellarmine celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. The parish website offers dedicated pages reflecting on the theology of each sacrament — especially the Eucharist and Matrimony — drawing on the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
- Baptism
- Eucharist (First Communion)
- Confirmation
- Penance (Reconciliation / Confession)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- Matrimony (Marriage)
Building Project — New Rectory
Following the initiative of previous pastor Father Dennis DiBenedetto, the parish broke ground on a new rectory in August 2024. On Sunday, August 18, 2024, Bishop Kevin Rhoades celebrated Mass and blessed the construction site, joined by Father Koehl and the parish building committee. The full project includes the new rectory, conversion of the existing rectory into parish offices, a new sacristy, and an eventual renovation of the church interior and sanctuary.
- Groundbreaking: Sunday, August 18, 2024, by Bishop Kevin Rhoades
- Includes new rectory, offices, sacristy, and future church interior renovation
- Construction to be enclosed before winter; completion targeted the following spring
- Project initiated under previous pastor Father Dennis DiBenedetto
Contact and Location
St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church is located on State Road 114 East in North Manchester, Indiana. The parish office can be reached by phone during regular hours; visitors are invited to call ahead for sacramental preparations and inquiries.
- Address: 1203 State Road 114 E, North Manchester, IN 46962
- Phone: 260-982-4404
- Faith Formation direct line: 260-355-5266
- Website: http://strobertsnmanchester.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Robert Zahn1958 (mission era)
Pastor of St. Bernard Parish, Wabash, who oversaw the original storefront chapel mission in North Manchester.
- Rev. Ray BalzerAugust 1963
First resident pastor when the community was established as a sui juris parish.
- Rev. Dennis DiBenedetto
Previous pastor under whom the new rectory project was initiated; now serves as pastor of St. Rose of Lima, Monroeville.
- Rev. Daniel KoehlInstalled July 23, 2023
Current pastor; native of Fort Wayne; ordained June 5, 2021; also serves as chaplain to Catholic students at Manchester University and at Purdue Fort Wayne.