About St. Francis de Sales · Lebanon, Ohio
St. Francis de Sales is a Roman Catholic parish in Lebanon, Ohio, founded in 1883 and now part of the Our Lady of Hope Catholic Family of Parishes alongside St. Philip the Apostle in Morrow. The parish serves approximately 1,300 registered households from its campus at 20 DeSales Avenue and is distinguished by its nearly round-the-clock Eucharistic Adoration, which runs from Monday at 8:00 a.m. until Saturday at 7:00 a.m. The parish operates a K-8 Catholic school, offers weekly Mass in both English and Spanish, and sits within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- St. Francis de Sales
- Rector
- Fr. Craig Best
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Francis de Sales welcomes families and individuals across Warren County into a vibrant 1,300-household Catholic community centered on the Eucharist. Members benefit from a K-8 parish school, weekly Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish, a deep offering of adult and youth faith formation, a robust music ministry, and one of the parish's most distinctive features: nearly continuous Eucharistic Adoration running Monday through Saturday mornings. As part of the Our Lady of Hope Family of Parishes, it combines the intimacy of a neighborhood parish with the collaborative strength of two linked faith communities.
Mass times at St. Francis de Sales
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 5:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday: following the 8:30 a.m. Mass
- Sunday (Spanish): 12:30 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Monday 8:00 a.m. through Saturday 7:00 a.m. — around-the-clock Eucharistic Adoration (with the exposition day rotating each week)
Parish Identity & History
St. Francis de Sales was founded in 1883 and has served Lebanon, Ohio, for over 140 years. Originally established as a mission of St. Philip the Apostle in nearby Morrow — itself an outgrowth of St. Malachy, the first Catholic church in Warren County (founded 1849) — the parish has grown into a vibrant community of approximately 1,300 registered households. The current church opened in 2012 and seats about 800, and in 2023 the parish expanded its campus with a new Parish Pastoral Center.
- Founded 1883
- Approximately 1,300 registered households
- Current church opened 2012 (seats ~800)
- Parish Pastoral Center opened 2023
- Originally a mission of St. Philip the Apostle, Morrow
Our Lady of Hope Family of Parishes
St. Francis de Sales is joined with St. Philip the Apostle (944 E. US 22 & 3, Morrow, OH 45152) in the Our Lady of Hope Catholic Family of Parishes, a collaborative model of parish life in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Fr. Craig Best serves as pastor of both parishes, with Fr. Brice Berger as Parochial Vicar.
- St. Francis de Sales — Lebanon
- St. Philip the Apostle — Morrow
- Pastor: Fr. Craig Best
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Brice Berger
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Craig Best and Parochial Vicar Fr. Brice Berger, supported by two Permanent Deacons and a broad staff of directors for worship, faith formation, evangelization, youth ministry, music, Hispanic ministry, and parish operations.
- Fr. Craig Best — Pastor
- Fr. Brice Berger — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Jay Rettig — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon John O'Maley — Permanent Deacon
- Carl Whittenburg — Executive Director
- Doug Stegeman — Director of Worship and Music
- Paul Kindt — Coordinator of Evangelization and Music Ministry
- Jerry Robinson — Director of Adult Evangelization & Faith Formation
- P.J. Ehling — Director of Youth Evangelization & Catechesis
- Herminia Torres — Coordinator for Hispanic Ministry
- Joan Prickett — Business Manager
- Tom Beckman — Business Manager
- Theresa Dearie — SFDS Secretary
- Terri Carmack — Administrative Assistant
- Joni Kube — Administrative Assistant
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers a full slate of formation opportunities for children, youth, and adults. The Religious Education program, directed by P.J. Ehling, welcomes parish youth for ongoing catechesis. Adults are served through OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation, formerly RCIA), Bible and Book Studies, Spiritual Mentoring, Life in the Spirit prayer meetings, Cursillo Ultreya gatherings, and Devotion to the Blessed Mother — including the School Mom's Rosary held every Friday at 9:00 a.m. in the St. Luke Room.
- Order of Christian Initiation (OCIA) — summer inquiry sessions July–September
- Youth Religious Education (K-8)
- Adult Faith Formation
- Bible & Book Studies
- Life in the Spirit
- Cursillo / Ultreya
- Spiritual Mentoring
- School Mom's Rosary — Fridays 9:00 a.m. in St. Luke Room
St. Francis de Sales School (K-8)
The parish operates an excellent K-8 Catholic school that worships together for weekly Mass. Located on the parish campus, the school partners with families in the education of students from Kindergarten through Eighth Grade, celebrating a long tradition of academic excellence and faith formation in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
- Grades K-8
- Weekly all-school Mass
- Roman Catholic affiliation
- On the parish campus at 20 DeSales Ave.
Worship & Music Ministries
Parishioners serve the liturgy as Altar Servers, Ushers & Greeters, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and Lectors. The Music Ministry & Choir, led by Director of Worship and Music Doug Stegeman and Coordinator of Evangelization and Music Ministry Paul Kindt, supports parish worship and is open to new participants.
- Altar Servers
- Ushers & Greeters
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Music Ministry & Choir
Hispanic Ministry
Hispanic Ministry at the parish is coordinated by Herminia Torres. The community celebrates a weekly Misa en español on Sundays at 1:30 p.m., with confessions heard at 12:30 p.m. before Mass.
- Misa en español — Sunday 1:30 p.m.
- Spanish Confessions — Sunday 12:30 p.m.
- Coordinator: Herminia Torres
Parish Governance & Leadership
Parish life is shaped by a collaborative governance structure that includes an Our Lady of Hope Leadership Team, a joint Pastoral Council, and Finance Councils for each parish.
- Our Lady of Hope Leadership Team
- Our Lady of Hope Pastoral Council
- St. Francis Finance Council (Chair: Fred Vonderhaar)
- Staff, clergy, and elected parishioner representatives
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Bernard J. Weldishofer2003–approx. 2010s
Previously Parochial Vicar at Immaculate Heart of Mary; assigned as pastor of St. Francis de Sales in Lebanon in November 2003.
- Fr. Craig Bestpresent
Current pastor; oversees both St. Francis de Sales and St. Philip the Apostle as part of the Our Lady of Hope Family of Parishes.