About St. Anthony · Taylor Mill, Kentucky
St. Anthony Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Taylor Mill, Kentucky, in the Diocese of Covington, dedicated to the patronage of St. Anthony the Hermit (St. Anthony of Egypt / St. Anthony, Abbot). The parish was founded in 1878 and today gathers for weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday mornings, offers a Spanish Mass twice a month, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a small Catholic elementary school serving grades K–8. The current pastor is Rev. Ivan Kalamuzi, and the parish is supported by active St. Vincent de Paul, Pro-Life, Bereavement, RCIA, PREP/CCD, and other lay ministries rooted in the working-class Forest Hills neighborhood of Taylor Mill.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- St. Anthony the Hermit (St. Anthony of Egypt / St. Anthony, Abbot)
- Rector
- Rev. Ivan Kalamuzi
- Diocese
- Diocese of Covington
Why belong here
St. Anthony is a tight-knit parish-and-school community where the same families fill the pews, the classrooms, and the volunteer rosters. Weekend Masses in English are complemented by a twice-monthly Spanish Mass, weekly Thursday all-day Eucharistic Adoration ending in Benediction at 9:00 PM, daily Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Lenten Stations of the Cross in English and Spanish, and an active St. Vincent de Paul conference that delivers Christmas gifts and groceries to neighbors in need. With a Catholic elementary school on the same campus, ministries for every age — RCIA, PREP/CCD, lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, a Pro-Life Ministry, Bereavement Ministry, Blanket Ministry, Men's and Women's Groups, and a parish Prayer Line — visitors and newcomers can find a way to pray, serve, and belong.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
- Thursday: 9:00 PM (Benediction)
Our History
St. Anthony was founded in 1878 to serve two clusters of 'isolated Catholics' — Irish railroad workers near Spring Lake and German settlers along DeCoursey Turnpike and Taylor Mill Road — who were too far from St. Augustine in Covington to attend Mass. After Bishop Toebbe and Father William Robbers began visiting the area, a non-Catholic neighbor donated land in 1877; the cornerstone was laid in spring 1878 and the church was dedicated that autumn under the patronage of St. Anthony the Hermit. The mission was served from neighboring parishes until Father Henry Looschelders became its first resident pastor in 1902.
- 1860s: Irish and German Catholic families settle along the Kentucky Central Railroad and DeCoursey Turnpike
- 1877: J. P. Winston donates three acres on DeCoursey
- 1878: Cornerstone laid; church dedicated under St. Anthony the Hermit
- 1902: Parish school opened at DeCoursey; Fr. Henry Looschelders named first resident pastor
- 1916: L&N Railroad closes passenger stop at DeCoursey; parishioners begin leaving
- 1926–29: Under Fr. Bernard Nurre, parish relocates to Forest Hills site; cornerstone laid Sept. 9, 1928; church dedicated April 14, 1929
- 1952: Four-room permanent brick school built
- 1959: Enrollment reaches 330; current school building constructed
- 2000: Parish grows to ~450 families under Fr. Thomas Robbins
Our Patron — St. Anthony the Hermit
St. Anthony the Hermit (251–c. 356), also known as St. Anthony of Egypt, is considered the founder of Christian monasticism. Born in Coma, Egypt, to wealthy parents, he heard the Lord's command to 'sell what you have, give to the poor' and gave away his inheritance to live as a hermit on the Nile, then organized monastic life before withdrawing to the desert near the Red Sea. He is patron of Hospitallers, domestic animals, butchers, brush-makers, basket-makers, grave-diggers, and graveyards, and is invoked against pestilence, epilepsy, and skin diseases. The parish celebrates his feast on January 17.
- Patron of Hospitallers, domestic animals, butchers, brush-makers, basket-makers, grave-diggers, and graveyards
- Symbols: tau-shaped (St. Anthony's) cross, small bell, hermit, pig, book
- Feast day: January 17
St. Anthony School
St. Anthony School is a Catholic school of the Diocese of Covington serving grades K–8 on the same Grand Avenue campus as the parish church. For the 2025–2026 school year, the school enrolled 70 students with an 11:1 student-teacher ratio and a faculty whose teachers hold master's degrees and 130+ combined years of experience. School hours are 7:30 AM to 2:25 PM, with summer office hours on Tuesday–Thursday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM in June.
- Principal: Mrs. Veronica Schweitzer (Grade 4 Math, Grade 5–6 Religion)
- Grades K–8; ~70 students (2025–2026)
- Diocesan-standard curriculum with one-to-one iPads and Chromebooks
- Specials: Art K–8, Music K–8, Spanish
- Student services: Title I, school counseling (Holly Barrett-Sears)
- 95% of graduates earn high-school and college scholarships; past graduates have been Governor Scholars, Valedictorians, and Salutatorians
- Extracurriculars: Drama Club, Basketball, Volleyball, and more
- Family events: Movie Nights, Prayer Nights, Game Nights, Easter Egg Hunts
- PTO and Boosters organizations (President Mollie Fischer; Athletics/Boosters Mike Reinersman)
- School phone: (859) 431-5987; School Secretary Lisa Bottom
St. Anthony School — Mission & Vision
The school's mission statement frames education as a partnership with parents to form students spiritually, morally, and academically in a safe, caring Christian atmosphere. The vision calls the school community — students, parents, teachers, and staff — to work together to build strong, spiritual children who give witness to their faith.
- Mission: Saint Anthony Catholic School accepts the responsibility, along with the parents, to educate students spiritually, morally, and academically in a safe and caring Christian atmosphere.
- Vision: To work together as a team composed of students, parents, teachers and staff in a positive manner to build strong, spiritual children who give witness to their faith.
Parish Staff
The parish is served by a small lay staff supporting the pastor, plus an active Parish Council and Finance Council. Office hours at the Parish Center run Tuesday and Wednesday 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM (Monday and Thursday, contact [email protected]).
- Rev. Ivan Kalamuzi — Pastor ([email protected])
- Becki Walker — Administrative Secretary ([email protected])
- Mary Palmer — Books/Finance ([email protected])
- Kenna McWilliams — Music Director
- Parish Council members: Sheila Bacon, Margie Beatrice, Ben Braun, Michael Heinrichs, Patricia Jackson, Sean Kunath, Mary Ellen McDaniel, Ambrocio Mendez, Tom Rawe, Jeff Talbert
- Finance Committee: Tom Ewing, Brian Fischer, Cindy Fischer, Jim Gerhardt, Jim Scheper
- Lisa Brinkman — Deanery Council Representative
Parish Ministries & Groups
Parishioners serve the church and the wider community through a network of lay ministries. Contact information for each ministry is published in the weekly bulletin.
- Bereavement Ministry — Anita Rice, 859-581-7220
- Blanket Ministry — Sheila Overley, 859-581-3313
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — Theresa Wiechman, 859-380-8952
- Holy Communion in the home — Mary Carol Heidrich, 859-801-9030
- Lectors — Pete Manczyk, 859-802-9210
- Men's Group — Pete Manczyk, 859-802-9210
- Women's Group — Paula Westwood, 859-391-0558
- Pro-Life Ministry — Greg & Paula Westwood, 859-391-0558
- St. Vincent de Paul — 859-341-3219
- Fleming Hall Rental — Parish Office, 859-431-1773
- PREP/CCD — Parish Office, 859-431-1773
- RCIA — Parish Office, 859-431-1773
- Prayer Line — website form or [email protected]
Outreach & Charity
St. Anthony's outreach centers on the parish St. Vincent de Paul conference and a Social Action Ministry that serves meals to the homeless in Covington. Parishioners also support Catholic Christians in the Holy Land by purchasing olive wood religious items, and gather for a Jubilee 2025 'Pilgrims of Hope' pilgrimage.
- St. Vincent de Paul: monthly collection first weekend after Masses; Christmas distribution delivers gifts and groceries to neighbors in need
- Social Action Ministry: prepares and serves a meal 2nd Wednesday of each month, 5:30–7:00 PM, at Madison Avenue Christian Church; contact Cindy Fischer, 513-253-6208
- Olive Wood Carving with Louie: sales support Catholic families in the Holy Land
- Jubilee 2025 Pilgrims of Hope: pilgrimage with about 50 parishioners
Parish Life & Fellowship
Beyond Mass and ministries, the parish hosts recurring fellowship and formation opportunities for parishioners of all ages, including a monthly Coffee Hour, Men's and Women's groups, and Parish Council meetings.
- Coffee Hour — Third Sunday of each month after 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Masses in Fleming Hall
- Men's Group — 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 8:30–10:00 AM, Parish Center
- Women's Group — 1st Saturday, 9:00 AM, Fleming Hall (light breakfast; 7:30 AM Rosary and 8:00 AM Mass beforehand)
- Parish Council — 2nd Monday of each month, 6:00 PM, Parish Center
- Fr. Ivan's Birthday Party — annual parish celebration
Joining the Parish
Families and individuals can register online through the parish website. The 'Join Our Parish' form lets new families sign up or existing families update their information, and asks about special needs, interests, and skills so the parish can match newcomers with ministries.
- Online registration form on saintanthonytaylormill.org/Join-Our-Parish
- Options to register a new family or update an existing family
- Parish Office: 485 Grand Ave., Taylor Mill, KY 41015; (859) 431-1773
Giving & Stewardship
The parish offers online giving for Sunday Offertory, the St. Vincent de Paul fund, and Second Collections including Holy Days, diocesan collections, and donations for Christmas and Easter flowers. Contributions can be set up as weekly or monthly withdrawals from a bank account or credit card.
- Online giving via the Donate Now button on the parish website
- Funds: Sunday Offertory, St. Vincent de Paul fund, Second Collections
- Weekly or monthly recurring withdrawals available
- Email receipts sent to donors
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Henry Looschelders1902–1920
First resident pastor of St. Anthony Parish.
- Father Bernard J. Nurre1920–1967
Led the move from DeCoursey to the current Forest Hills site; cornerstone laid 1928, church dedicated 1929; built rectory, sisters' house, and parish school.
- Father John Mueller1968–1979
- Father Daniel Lally1979–1986
- Msgr. Stanley Fleming1986–1996
- Father Thomas Robbins1996–2008
Later returned briefly in 2018; in 2000 led the parish of about 450 families.
- Father Joe Gallenstein2008–2012
- Father Matthew Cushing2012–2017
- Father Josiah Booth2017–2018
- Father Thomas Robbins2018
Second brief tenure.
- Father Benton Clift2018–2019
- Father Eric Andriot2019–2021
- Father Conor Kunath2021
- Father Ivan Kalamuzi2021–present
Current pastor; Fr. Ivan's birthday is celebrated each year by the parish.