About St. Charles Borromeo · Milan, Indiana
St. Charles Borromeo is a small Roman Catholic parish in Milan, Indiana, within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. The parish community began in 1906 with Masses celebrated in family homes, was formally established as a mission in 1908, and grew into a full parish in 1948 under its first resident pastor, Fr. Burgert. Today the parish serves roughly 200 families from Milan and the surrounding Ripley County communities (Dillsboro, Versailles, Moores Hill, Manchester) and welcomes worshippers to weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, with weekly Faith Formation for children, youth, and adults.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- St. Charles Borromeo
- Rector
- Rev. Shaun Whittington
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Why belong here
St. Charles Borromeo offers a close-knit, traditional Catholic community in rural southeast Indiana where parishioners know one another by name. With Saturday Vigil Mass, Sunday morning Mass, Wednesday evening Mass, and the Sacrament of Confession offered twice a week, the parish fits the rhythm of working families and retirees alike. Members put faith into action through a strong outreach tradition — supporting the Milan Food Pantry, Pregnancy Care Center, Milan Christmas Project, and an annual Right to Life Chain — and gather each November for the famous Harvest Dinner, one of the parish's largest fundraisers.
Mass times at St. Charles Borromeo
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (before 6 PM Mass)
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (before 5 PM Mass)
History of St. Charles Borromeo Parish
St. Charles Borromeo's story began in 1906, when Catholic families in the Milan area gathered in their homes for Mass. In 1908 the community was formally established as a mission, and the church was dedicated on August 8, 1908 by Bishop O'Donahue of Indianapolis, with just 15 founding families. The building was erected on land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Newt Peters, and most of the labor and materials were contributed by parishioners; the altars were donated by Mrs. Rudolf of Oldenburg and the stained-glass windows came from the Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg. For forty years St. Charles remained a mission, served by neighboring pastors, until 1948 — when it became a full parish under its first resident pastor, Fr. Burgert. He built the present rectory that same year and the parish hall in 1949, when the congregation numbered roughly 50 families. A major chapter came in 2013, when Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin decreed St. Pius, Sunman into extinctive union with St. Charles Borromeo, bringing all St. Pius parishioners into the St. Charles family. Today the parish counts well over 200 registered families, drawn from Milan and surrounding communities including Dillsboro, Versailles, Moores Hill, and Manchester.
- 1906: First Masses celebrated in family homes
- August 8, 1908: Church dedicated by Bishop O'Donahue of Indianapolis
- 1948: Became a full parish under Fr. Burgert, who built the rectory and parish hall
- December 1, 2013: St. Pius, Sunman merged into St. Charles Borromeo
- Now serves ~217 registered families from across Ripley County
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Charles Borromeo is led by a small, dedicated staff supported by elected parish and finance councils. The pastor is assisted by an Office Manager, Financial Business Manager, Director of Religious Education (DRE), and Music Director, with a volunteer janitorial team keeping the parish facilities in shape.
- Pastor: Rev. Shaun Whittington (also Pastor of St. Nicholas, Sunman) — 317-750-0647
- Office Manager: Joe Prickel
- Financial Business Manager: Katie Baumer
- Director of Religious Education: Doug Bruner — 812-667-6948
- Music Director: Shari Cox
- Janitorial: Stan & Ellen Sporleder
- Parish Council Chair: CeCe Doll (meets 7 PM, 3rd Thursday of the month, except July & December)
- Finance Council Chair: Bart Gauck (meets 6 PM, 3rd Thursday of the month)
- Cemeteries Committee Chair: Stan Sporleder
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Charles spans all ages, from elementary children through high school youth and adults. Registration is held in late summer in the parish hall, and classes follow the academic year. Adult Faith Formation meets on selected Sundays from 9:00–10:15 AM with the mission of providing solid Catholic teaching and growing parishioners in relationship with the Holy Trinity. The RCIA program restores the ancient catechumenate for adults seeking full entry into the Catholic Church.
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (call 812-654-7051)
- Elementary Faith Formation (registration in August)
- High School Faith Formation (grades 8–12, Sundays at 9:30 AM after Mass)
- Adult Faith Formation (Sunday mornings 9:00–10:15 AM)
- Secretary: Vicki Seiler
Sacraments at St. Charles
The parish celebrates Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick. Infant Baptism is celebrated during Sunday Mass after parents complete a preparation session with the DRE; unbaptized adults enter the Church through RCIA. For questions about Marriage, Confirmation, First Communion, or Anointing, parishioners are invited to contact the parish office.
- Infant Baptism: contact DRE Doug Bruner at 812-584-3283
- Adult Baptism: through RCIA — contact Fr. Whittington at 317-750-0647
- Reconciliation: Wednesday 5–6 PM and Saturday 4–5 PM
- Other sacraments: contact parish office at 812-654-7051
Councils & Committees
Three main councils and committees help the pastor run the parish. The Parish Council offers guidance on parish life, the Finance Council oversees finances, and the Cemeteries Committee cares for the parish cemeteries (now including the former St. Pius Cemetery).
- Parish Council: Chair CeCe Doll; Vice Chair Jean Nichols; Secretary Ted Amberger; members Marlene Riehle, Ray Hopping, Nick Redwine, Eric Landwehr
- Finance Council: Chair Bart Gauck; Secretary Nick Bergmann; Andrew Jackson
- Cemeteries Committee: Chair Stan Sporleder; members Dave Simpkins, Joe Rennekamp, Greg Dole (St. Charles records), Jerry Volz (St. Pius records), Bereavement Gerrie Driggers
- Cemeteries Rules & Regulations available by calling the parish office
Community Outreach & Parish Ministries
St. Charles is a vital source of community service in Ripley County. Parish groups and individual volunteers actively support the Milan Food Pantry, the Safe Haven Baby Box at the Milan EMS building, the Pregnancy Care Center of Southeastern Indiana, and the Milan Christmas Project. Each October the parish hosts the St. Charles Right to Life Chain at the 4-way stop in Milan, and every November the parish hall becomes the backdrop for the annual Harvest Dinner — the parish's largest fundraiser, now in its 20th year, serving around 300 homemade pulled pork dinners plus quilts, basket raffles, country-store goods, and children's games.
- Ladies Society
- Welcome Committee
- Homebound Ministry
- Faith Friends
- Annual Right to Life Chain (October)
- Harvest Dinner fundraiser (November)
- Parish Picnic (annual)
Contact & Visit
Visitors and parishioners can reach St. Charles Borromeo by mail at P.O. Box 813, Milan, IN 47031-0813, by phone at 812-654-7051, or by email at [email protected]. The church itself is at 213 Ripley Street in Milan. With worship offered Saturday evening, Sunday morning, and Wednesday evening — plus confession before each — the parish welcomes visitors throughout the week.
- Address: 213 Ripley St., Milan, IN 47031
- Mailing: P.O. Box 813, Milan, IN 47031-0813
- Phone: 812-654-7051
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stcharlesmilan.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Burgert1948–
First resident pastor of St. Charles after it became a full parish; built the present rectory (1948) and the parish hall (1949).