Saint Rose of Lima

Welcome & Parish Mission

St. Rose of Lima Parish describes itself as a welcoming Catholic community in the southwestern corner of Allen County in Monroeville, Indiana. Its published mission is to support families 'through the sacraments, prayer and worship, education, faith groups, and service.' Father Dennis writes that he is privileged to live in what he affectionately calls 'real America,' and is impressed by parishioners' constant willingness 'to rise and lend a hand whenever there is a need.'

History of the Parish

Catholic missionaries first came to Allen County in the early 1800s; Father Stephen Badin visited the Monroeville site in 1831, and Rev. Julius Benoit, Rector of the Cathedral in Fort Wayne, soon celebrated Mass in local homes. The parish itself was established in 1868 when Fr. E. P. Walters erected a wood-frame church named for St. Rose of Lima. After an 1887 fire destroyed the original building, Bishop Joseph Dwenger laid the cornerstone of the present Gothic brick church on July 1, 1888, and it was dedicated May 12, 1889 — drawing a special fifteen-coach train of visitors from Fort Wayne. The 1889 building seats about 240, measures 35 by 95 feet, has a 102-foot steeple, and cost $9,500.

• 1868 — Land purchased; Fr. E. P. Walters builds wood-frame church
• October 1887 — Original church destroyed by fire; bell and Stations saved
• July 1, 1888 — Bishop Joseph Dwenger lays cornerstone of present church
• May 12, 1889 — New Gothic brick church dedicated; 250 families on the register
• Fall 1912 — St. Rose Academy opens (27 girls, 42 boys) under Rev. Norbert Felden
• Renamed St. Joseph's School under Rev. Charles W. Marr (pastor 1909–1922)
• 2012 — School celebrates 100th anniversary

Parish Staff

The current staff is small but covers the pastoral, business, and youth-ministry functions of the parish. Morgan Tippmann serves as Youth Minister for St. Rose of Lima and the neighboring parishes of St. John the Baptist (New Haven) and St. Louis Besancon. She graduated from Xavier University with a B.S. in Exercise Science and Theology.

• Rev. Dennis M. Di Benedetto — Pastor
• Morgan Tippmann — Youth Minister (shared with St. John the Baptist, New Haven, and St. Louis Besancon)
• Karen Castleman — Pastoral Associate & Assistant Business Manager
• Kelli Zelt — Business Manager

Parish Life & Faith Formation

The parish's own framing of parish life is that 'the heart of a parish is the Eucharist,' with the parish family as the body that makes it a vibrant community. St. Rose emphasizes that faith formation is not just for children but for all Catholics seeking a deeper relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — and points parishioners to its many ministries, the weekly bulletin, and the parish calendar to stay engaged.

• Faith formation opportunities for all ages
• Liturgical ministries (lector, altar server, Extraordinary Minister)
• Weekly bulletin and parish calendar for ongoing events

Ministries

St. Rose offers a wide slate of lay ministries, organized around liturgical service, parish governance, facility care, and prayer support. Two umbrella groups — the Altar & Rosary Sodality for women and the Men's Group — provide prayer, fellowship, and service opportunities; the Finance Committee and Pastoral Council advise the pastor on stewardship and direction.

• Altar & Rosary Sodality
• Men's Group
• Parish Pastoral Council (Steve Rennels, Tom Blauvelt, Linda Johnson, Sherry Kill, Karen Castleman)
• Finance Committee (Jim Castleman, Todd Hoffman, Gale Powelson, Mark Riley)
• Care of Church Grounds
• Cemetery Committee
• Altar Servers (contact Steve Rennels, 260-341-0589)
• Lectors
• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
• Ushers
• Choir
• Buildings and Grounds Committee
• Cleaning & Maintenance
• Laundering of Church Linens
• Clean the Rectory
• Prayer Chain / Prayer Intentions (Coordinator: Carolyn Butler)

Youth Ministry

St. Rose of Lima shares its Youth Minister, Morgan Tippmann, with two neighboring parishes — St. John the Baptist, New Haven, and St. Louis, Besancon. The combined program runs separate High School and Middle School (6th–8th grade) tracks, with summer Youth Group meetings on Wednesday nights at St. Louis Besancon from 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm. Parents complete Electronic Communication and Emergency Medical forms for each child participating.

• Shared Youth Minister: Morgan Tippmann (Xavier University, B.S. Exercise Science & Theology)
• High School Ministry — weekly summer meetings
• Middle School Ministry (6th–8th grade) — two events during the summer
• Required forms: Electronic Communication Form, Emergency Medical Form

Sacraments

The parish celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church and organizes them under the traditional headings of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation), Healing (Penance / Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick), and Vocation (Marriage, Holy Orders). Its OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) page walks inquirers through the full process from Pre-Catechumenate through Mystagogy.

• Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation
• Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation (Penance), Anointing of the Sick
• Sacraments of Vocation: Marriage, Holy Orders
• OCIA: Pre-Catechumenate · Rite of Initiation · Catechumenate · Rite of Election · Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil · Mystagogy

St. Joseph Catholic School

St. Rose of Lima Parish operates St. Joseph Catholic School — originally opened in 1912 as St. Rose Academy (27 girls, 42 boys) and renamed St. Joseph's School at the petition of Rev. Charles W. Marr. The school celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012, when the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend offered to purchase the 63,000-square-foot school building for $189,000 with a view to relocating to the Monroeville Elementary School building. The school has its own separate website and each grade attends Mass twice a week in the school chapel.

• Originally St. Rose Academy (opened 1912) → renamed St. Joseph's School
• 100th anniversary celebrated in 2012
• Diocese offered $189,000 for the 63,000-sq-ft building
• Each grade attends Mass twice a week in the school chapel
• Separate school website: strosemonroeville.org
• School phone: (260) 623-3447

Contact & Visiting

Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person at 209 Mulberry St, Monroeville, IN 46773. The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend lists a mailing address of P.O. Box 406, Monroeville, IN 46773 for parish correspondence.

• Phone: (260) 623-6439
• Email: [email protected]
• Address: 209 Mulberry St, Monroeville, IN 46773
• Mailing: P.O. Box 406, Monroeville, IN 46773
• Website: https://www.strosedelima.org/