St. Denis - NW5 Parish of Families

History & Heritage

St. Denis Parish carries more than 180 years of French Catholic heritage in Darke County, tracing its origin to 1839. The founding log church and the bell that Fr. Louis Navarron brought from France are still remembered through the parish's surviving St. Valbert Cemetery. After the 1864 purchase of a former Baptist church, the community took the name St. Denis — honoring the 3rd-century first Bishop of Paris and martyr, whose legend is depicted in the statue at the church's south entrance. The 1962 church building continues that heritage through its stained glass windows, while a 2013 reorganization brought St. Denis together with Holy Family and Immaculate Conception as the Northwest-V Family of Parishes.

• 1839 – St. Valbert's Parish founded by Bishop Purcell; Fr. Louis Navarron first pastor
• 1864 – Versailles community purchases former Baptist church; parish renamed St. Denis
• 1888 – Land at South Center, East Wood, Second and East Ward Streets acquired
• 1893–94 – School and convent built
• 1901 – 1864 church destroyed in the Great Fire
• 1962 – Present St. Denis church dedicated in June
• 2013 – Joined Holy Family and Immaculate Conception as the Northwest-V Family of Parishes

Mass & Worship Schedule

St. Denis offers a full weekly schedule of Masses on its own and through the Family of Parishes. Weekend Masses are Saturday Vigil at 4:30 PM and Sunday at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, with Holy Family (Frenchtown) adding a 7:30 AM Sunday Mass. Weekday Masses are celebrated at St. Denis Monday 11:30 AM, Tuesday 8:10 AM, Wednesday 7:10 AM and Thursday 6:15 PM, and at Holy Family Tuesday at 7:10 AM. First Communion is usually celebrated during the Easter Season.

Parish Staff & Leadership

The parish is served by a four-priest team from the Northwest-V Family of Parishes, supported by a deacon, parish secretary, religious education and youth ministry staff, a music director, and a maintenance team. Local pastoral leadership is provided by a St. Denis Parish Council.

• Fr. Ned Brown — Pastor
• Fr. Matt Feist — Parochial Vicar
• Fr. Stephen Jones — Parochial Vicar
• Fr. James Reutter — Parochial Vicar
• Deacon Mike Meyer — Evangelization Coordinator
• Rhonda Moorman — Secretary & Bookkeeper
• Julie Meyer — Director of Religious Education (CCD), [email protected]
• Theresa Grilliot — Music Ministry Director
• Stephanie Pleiman — Digital Communications Coordinator
• Clint Wright — Groundskeeping & Maintenance (St. Denis and Holy Family)
• St. Denis Parish Council: Cyndi Bey, Stephanie Giere, Mark Pleiman, Janet Pothast, Michael Schmitmeyer, Ryan Schmitmeyer

Religious Education & Youth Ministry

CCD classes meet Wednesday evenings from September through early May for grades 1–12, with younger grades meeting 6:00–7:25 PM and grades 6–12 meeting 7:00–8:30 PM. The parish also runs a separate middle-school and high-school youth ministry program, plus seasonal programs like Totus Tuus (summer week for grades 7–12), the Steubenville Youth Conference, NOW (Night of Worship at Holy Family), Breakfast with the Lord (first Friday), and retreats. RCIA is available for adults interested in becoming Catholic.

• CCD Wednesday evenings — Grades 1–5: 6:00–7:25 PM; Grades 6–12: 7:00–8:30 PM
• Religious Education fees: 1 child $75, 2 $140, 3 $200, 4+ $250
• RCIA — call the parish office to inquire
• Middle School Youth Ministry — St. Denis Rectory during CCD weeks
• High School Youth Ministry — St. Denis Rectory during CCD weeks
• Totus Tuus (summer)
• Steubenville Youth Conference
• NOW — Night of Worship
• Breakfast with the Lord — first Friday of the month

Parish Ministries & Outreach

Adult ministries include Bible Study, the Breakfast Club, the Knights of Columbus, the St. Ann Sodality, home visits for the grieving, and clothing drives. Outreach ministries include a parish Food Pantry, St. Vincent de Paul, the Giving Tree (Christmas), Elizabeth's Blessings (pregnancy / new-mother support), and the Pregnancy Help Center. The parish also offers Natural Family Planning through the Couple-to-Couple League, a Prayer Chain, and a Bereavement / Grief Share program.

• Knights of Columbus
• St. Ann Sodality
• St. Vincent de Paul
• Giving Tree
• Elizabeth's Blessings (937-526-4664)
• Food Pantry (937-658-2117)
• Pregnancy Help Center (937-547-1112)
• Grief Share (Jean Buxton 937-467-1661; Jean Grieshop 937-459-3163)
• Natural Family Planning / Couple to Couple (Matt & Liz Schmitmeyer 937-548-4646)
• Prayer Chain (Rhonda Moorman 937-526-4945)
• Bible Study
• Breakfast Club
• Clothing Drives

Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation

The parishes celebrate all seven sacraments. Baptisms are usually celebrated on Sundays by appointment; the parish offers a Baptismal Program to help parents prepare. First Reconciliation is typically celebrated at a communal penance service in January, and First Communion during the Easter Season. Couples are asked to contact the pastor at least eight months in advance to prepare for marriage. Anointing of the Sick, Viaticum, Holy Orders, and Communion to the Sick/Home Visits are all available through the parish office.

• Baptism — Sundays by appointment, 937-526-4945
• Penance — see confession schedule; first reconciliation at January communal service
• Eucharist — First Communion during the Easter Season
• Confirmation — preparation program for youth
• Matrimony — 8-month preparation with the pastor
• Anointing of the Sick
• Holy Orders
• Viaticum / Last Rites — Sacramental Emergency line 937-709-4146
• Communion to the Sick / Home Visits

Cemetery & Facilities

The historic St. Valbert Cemetery — the very site of the 1839 log church that was the first home of the parish — continues in use and is maintained by parish volunteer Keith Didier (937-526-5707, evenings). Holy Family Cemetery is cared for by Melvin Stucke (937-423-5991). The St. Denis Undercroft is available for hall rental through the parish office, and the Immaculate Conception parish hall is rented through Dale Gade Jr. (937-657-6240).

• St. Valbert Cemetery — original 1839 site; contact Keith Didier 937-526-5707
• Holy Family Cemetery — contact Melvin Stucke 937-423-5991
• St. Denis Undercroft hall rental — parish office 937-526-4945
• Immaculate Conception hall rental — Dale Gade Jr. 937-657-6240

Visit, Register & Get Involved

Newcomers are warmly invited to register with the parish by downloading the registration form from the website, completing it, and returning it to the office at 14 East Wood Street (or emailing it to [email protected]). The parish publishes a Stewardship Directory (updated 2015) listing dozens of ministries across St. Denis, Holy Family and Immaculate Conception, and the website offers a 'How Can You Serve?' page to help parishioners find a good fit. Parishioners are also encouraged to download the free InOurParish app (search 'St. Denis-HF-IC') for bulletins, prayer requests, calendar and online giving.

• Parish office: 14 East Wood Street, Versailles, OH 45380
• Office hours: Mon/Wed/Thu 8 AM–5 PM; Tue closed; Fri 8 AM–Noon
• Newcomers registration form on bfvcatholic.org
• Free InOurParish app — search 'St. Denis-HF-IC' in your app store
• Bulletin deadline: Monday at 10:00 AM
• Parish Facebook: facebook.com/versaillescatholicparishes