About St. Clement · Saint Bernard, Ohio
St. Clement Church is a Roman Catholic parish in St. Bernard, Ohio (a small city surrounded by Cincinnati), founded in 1850 by German Catholic settlers and served continuously for 175 years by Franciscan Friars (Order of Friars Minor, OFM) of the former Province of St. John the Baptist. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and, since 2024, is part of the S-14 Family of Parishes together with St. Francis Seraph in Cincinnati. What began as a community of immigrant German families is today a bilingual, multi-ethnic parish that celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish and operates St. Clement School, a parish food pantry, and a historic Franciscan friary on Vine Street.
- Established
- 1850
- Patron
- St. Clement
- Rector
- Fr. Alan (Al) Hirt, OFM
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (S-14 Family of Parishes, with St. Francis Seraph, Cincinnati, effective August 1, 2024)
Why belong here
St. Clement is one of the oldest continuously Franciscan-served parishes in the United States, with about twenty OFM friars living in its Vine Street friary and praying alongside parishioners every day. It is a small but active bilingual community—celebrating Mass in English and Spanish, running a parish food pantry, and sending its children to St. Clement School, where teachers carry on a 'quality Catholic education in the Franciscan tradition.' Visitors are drawn by the historic Gothic church (whose 1871 nave and 170-foot tower still define the St. Bernard skyline), the warm welcome to newcomers and inquirers, and a 175-year tradition of being 'called to serve God and each other with a joyful and loving spirit.'
Mass times at St. Clement
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays: 3:00–3:30 pm (English), or by appointment (call 513-641-3176)
- Sundays: 11:30–12:00 pm (Spanish) / per older parish page, Sundays 11:00–11:30 am (Spanish), or by appointment
Adoration times
- 3rd Monday of the month: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
- 3rd Monday of the month: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
- Rosary at 7:15 pm (3rd Monday)
About St. Clement Parish
St. Clement is a Franciscan (OFM) Roman Catholic parish serving St. Bernard, Ohio—a small, largely working-class city fully encircled by Cincinnati. For 175 years the parish has been staffed by Franciscan friars, beginning with German-speaking missionaries from the Province of St. Leopold in the Austrian Tyrol. Today's parish remains bilingual, offering Mass in English and Spanish, and operates St. Clement School, a food pantry, and a friary of about twenty OFM friars who pray and minister alongside parishioners. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and, since August 1, 2024, is part of the S-14 Family of Parishes together with St. Francis Seraph, Cincinnati.
- Franciscan (OFM) parish since 1850
- Bilingual: English and Spanish
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati, S-14 Family of Parishes
- 175th anniversary celebrated in 2025
- About 20 Franciscan friars live in the Vine Street friary
History
The parish's story begins in the 1830s with German Catholic immigration to the Cincinnati area. In 1850, John Bernard Schroeder and Joseph Kleine founded the hamlet of St. Bernard and signed over land and $800 to Archbishop Purcell and the Franciscan Fathers in exchange for a brick church, a monastery, and regular services; the deed was signed August 14, 1850, and the cornerstone laid June 23, 1850. After the architect-priest Father Accursius Gaertner died before he could serve, Rev. Anselm Koch became the first resident pastor. The brick church was consecrated on November 23, 1851, the feast of St. Clement — a patron chosen because Rev. Clement Hammer of St. Mary's donated a large painting by Caspar Jele of Innsbruck on that condition.
The 1871 Gothic Church and Bells
By 1870 the original brick church was inadequate, and the present Gothic church was begun. At the cornerstone laying on November 3, 1870, some 1,800 church societies arrived by special train; Archbishop Purcell laid the cornerstone and on October 8, 1871 blessed two new Buckeye foundry bells — 'Mary Hilf' (1,400 lbs) and St. Bernard (400 lbs). The new church, 135 by 55 feet with a 170-foot tower, cost $40,000 and still forms the nave. The landmark steeple clock was installed in 1876, and the Golden Jubilee cornerstone above the main entrance bears the dates 1871–1900.
- Gothic-style church, 1871
- 170-foot tower; 135 ft long × 55 ft wide
- Two historic bells blessed October 8, 1871
- Steeple clock installed 1876
Franciscan Customs: Corpus Christi and All Souls
Two enduring parish traditions date from the early years. In 1853 the first outdoor Corpus Christi procession began, with benediction at altars set up at parishioners' homes, the cemetery, and later at Our Lady of the Angels and Roger Bacon; the procession drew thousands and was revived in 2010. For All Souls, a large cemetery cross was erected and blessed in 1857; in 1864 the Way of the Cross was added with fourteen small chapels in St. John Cemetery holding oil paintings donated by individuals and societies, with St. John, Holy Trinity, and St. Boniface joining the observance.
- Corpus Christi procession begun 1853; revived 2010
- St. John Cemetery Stations of the Cross erected 1864
- All Souls observance with neighboring parishes
School and Sisters of Oldenburg
Catholic education has been part of St. Clement from the start: Father Anselm Koch taught five students on the ground floor of the first frame church. The Franciscan Sisters of Oldenburg, Indiana, took charge of the school in 1875 and ran it for generations; the present school building was completed in 1924 at a cost of $360,000 and dedicated by Archbishop Henry Moeller. In 1936, the school was incorporated into the St. Bernard system as Vine Street Elementary, before eventually returning to parish control and resuming the name St. Clement School. Today the school offers a 'quality Catholic education in the Franciscan tradition' with all lay teachers, and celebrated its impact alongside the OFM friars at the October 19, 2025 anniversary presentation.
- First classes taught by Rev. Anselm Koch, 1850
- Franciscan Sisters of Oldenburg took charge in 1875
- Current school building completed 1924 ($360,000)
- Vine Street Elementary period: 1936 onward; returned to parish control
Sacraments and Sacramental Preparation
St. Clement prepares parishioners for the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Reconciliation, with programming in both English and Spanish. Baptisms are celebrated on the second Saturday of each month (9:30–11:30 am) and require prior registration. First Communion preparation runs January–March with celebrations during the Easter Season; Confirmation preparation runs March–May with the celebration on Pentecost Sunday. Adult inquirers are welcomed through OCIA (formerly RCIA) from September to March.
- Baptism: 2nd Saturday, 9:30–11:30 am (registration required)
- First Communion: January–March prep; celebrations in the Easter Season
- Confirmation: March–May prep; Pentecost Sunday
- OCIA / RICA: September–March (English Saturdays 3:00–4:00 pm; Spanish RICA)
Parish Staff
The parish is led by a pastoral team of Franciscan friars and lay staff. Fr. Alan (Al) Hirt, OFM, was appointed pastor of the S-14 Family of Parishes effective August 1, 2024; Fr. William 'Jud' Weiksnar, OFM, serves as Parochial Vicar; and Fr. Bill Farris, OFM, is the Friary Guardian. Deacon David Harcourt assists in pastoral ministry. The parish office team includes Amber Pavlina (Parish Secretary) and Jim Spurgin (Business Manager), with Richard Redmon as Director of Music.
- Pastor: Fr. Alan (Al) Hirt, OFM
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. William 'Jud' Weiksnar, OFM
- Friary Guardian: Fr. Bill Farris, OFM
- Deacon David Harcourt
- Parish Secretary: Amber Pavlina
- Business Manager: Jim Spurgin
- Director of Music: Richard Redmon
Franciscan Friars at St. Clement
St. Clement is home to about twenty Franciscan friars who participate in parish life and serve in ministries across the Cincinnati area. The present friary building houses both the parish priests and active or semi-active friars engaged in a variety of ministries — a daily reminder of the parish's Franciscan heritage. Mail for the friars can be sent to the St. Clement Friary, 4536 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45217. Featured friars on the parish website include Fr. Jeremy Harrington, Fr. Frank Jasper, Fr. Pat, Fr. Bryant Hausfeld, and Fr. Bill Farris.
- About 20 Franciscan friars in the parish
- Mail: St. Clement Friary, 4536 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45217
- Friar's Corner is a weekly bulletin feature
- Featured friars: Fr. Jeremy Harrington, Fr. Frank Jasper, Fr. Pat, Fr. Bryant Hausfeld, Fr. Bill Farris
St. Clement School
St. Clement School has educated children in the Franciscan tradition since 1850, when Father Anselm Koch taught the first five students. The current building dates to 1924 and now serves K–8 with a fully lay staff dedicated to nurturing each student spiritually, academically, and socially. The school celebrates the diversity of its neighborhood — Latino, African-American, Anglo, and other families — and is supported by a Latino Liaison, ESL educators, and Title I reading and intervention specialists.
- K–8, Franciscan tradition
- Current school building completed 1924
- Principal: Terri Cento
- Priest: Fr. Jud Weiksnar, OFM
- Latino Liaison and ESL staff support diverse families
Parish Ministries and Outreach
St. Clement's ministries combine spiritual formation with direct service to neighbors. The parish food pantry, run by parishioner volunteers at the Parish Center, distributes on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month from 4:30–6:30 pm. Other groups include the Knights of Columbus, Cursillo Ultreya, Bereavement ministry, Liturgical ministries, Bilingual devotions, the parish festival, and ongoing Christian Initiation / Faith Formation for children and adults.
- St. Clement Food Pantry: 2nd & 4th Mondays, 4:30–6:30 pm, Parish Center
- Accepts donations: shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant
- Knights of Columbus
- Cursillo Ultreya
- Bereavement, liturgical, bilingual, and parish festival ministries
175th Anniversary (2025)
St. Clement marked 175 years as a Franciscan parish in 2025 with a series of celebrations. On Sunday, October 19, 2025, Fr. Pat McCloskey, OFM, gave a presentation on the history of the Order of Friars Minor at St. Clement, followed by Sr. Ann Vonder Meulen, OSF, speaking on the Franciscan Sisters of Oldenburg and their influence on the school. The celebrations culminate in a Bilingual Anniversary Mass on November 23, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. — exactly 174 years after the original brick church was consecrated on the feast of St. Clement in 1851.
- Founded 1850; 175th anniversary in 2025
- Bilingual Anniversary Mass: November 23, 2025, 11:00 a.m.
- Fr. Pat McCloskey, OFM — history of the OFM friars (Oct. 19, 2025)
- Sr. Ann Vonder Meulen, OSF — Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Anselm Koch, OFM1850–
First resident pastor of St. Clement, succeeding the brief appointment of Father Accursius Gaertner, who died September 2, 1850, before he could serve. Koch lived and taught on the ground floor of the first frame church.
- Rev. Basil Henze, OFMearly 1900s
Broke ground for the major new school that replaced the two older school buildings, at a cost of $250,000.
- Fr. Fred Link, OFMserved through at least 2014
Longtime pastor described by Catholic Telegraph as 'St. Clement's pastor for nine years'; in 2011 he revived the historic Corpus Christi procession in Tyrolean style.
- Fr. E.J. Stein, OFMuntil August 1, 2024
Listed as Pastor of St. Clement in the Archdiocese's earlier S-14 assignment listing.
- Fr. Alan (Al) Hirt, OFMAugust 1, 2024–present
Appointed Pastor of the S-14 Family of Parishes (St. Clement, St. Bernard, St. Francis Seraph) by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati; Franciscan priest since 1977, born in Batesville, Indiana; also pastored St. Francis Seraph.