About St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church · Centerville, Ohio
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Centerville, Ohio, founded in 1969 as a mission of the Franciscan Friars of St. John the Baptist Province. The parish serves over 2,000 families from its 19-acre campus at 6245 Wilmington Pike and is now part of the Our Lady of Light Family of Parishes alongside the Church of the Incarnation, following the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's 2020 Beacons of Light initiative. The parish is distinguished by its rare oil-on-copper Stations of the Cross painted by a Dayton Art Institute student in 1930-31, and by a relic of St. Francis of Assisi sealed inside its altar.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Brian Phelps
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi offers a warm Franciscan heritage grounded in hospitality, simplicity and service, expressed through daily and weekend Masses, weekday and Saturday confession, an active adoration chapel, and parish-wide faith formation for more than 2,000 families. Members serve through Christian formation programs for children and youth, senior and junior high youth ministry, parish music, evangelization, and outreach supported by an active school. Joining the parish means joining a community that treasures its 1930s Dayton Art Institute Stations of the Cross, prays before a relic of St. Francis in its altar, and shares a family bond with neighboring Incarnation under Our Lady of Light.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM (St. Francis of Assisi)
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM (St. Francis of Assisi)
Adoration times
- Open church prayer: Mon–Sat 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM (St. Francis of Assisi Church + Reservation Chapel)
Our Lady of Light Family of Parishes
St. Francis of Assisi is one of two parishes — alongside the Church of the Incarnation — in the Our Lady of Light Family of Parishes. The family was formed in 2020 as part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light initiative announced by Archbishop Dennis Schnurr. A uniting pastor, currently Rev. Brian Phelps, shepherds both campuses, with Fr. Joseph Chinnabathini serving as parochial vicar. The family offices are staffed jointly and reachable at (937) 345-0101.
- Incarnation Campus – 55 Williamsburg Lane, Dayton, OH 45459
- St. Francis of Assisi Campus – 6245 Wilmington Pike, Centerville, OH 45459
- Family office hours: Mon–Fri 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM (closed Noon–1:00 PM for lunch)
- Parish offices close until 1:00 PM on Thursdays for staff development
History of St. Francis of Assisi
Founded in 1969 by Archbishop Karl J. Alter and entrusted to the Franciscan Friars of St. John the Baptist Province, St. Francis of Assisi grew from humble meetings in the undercroft of St. Leonard Seminary into a 2,000-family suburban parish. After three decades of Franciscan administration, pastoral care was returned to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 2002, and the parish completed a major expansion of its worship space in 2004.
- 1969 – Parish established by Archbishop Karl J. Alter
- 1975 – First Mass celebrated; church dedicated by Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardin
- 1978 – Friary built; pastor moves out of in-church apartment
- 1983 – Classroom/Blessed Mother wing added
- 2002 – Pastoral care transferred to the Archdiocese; Fr. Tom Schmidt becomes first non-Franciscan pastor
- 2004 – Expanded worship space dedicated by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk
- 2018 – Oil-on-copper Stations of the Cross dedicated (December 9)
- 2020 – Paired with Incarnation under Beacons of Light as Our Lady of Light
Pastoral Team and Staff
The parish is served by a pastor, a parochial vicar, two permanent deacons, and a full lay staff responsible for faith formation, evangelization, music, youth ministry, and parish operations. Deacon Chris Rauch serves as Business Manager and is a primary contact for administrative and employment matters.
- Pastor – Rev. Brian Phelps (ext. 3000)
- Parochial Vicar – Rev. Joseph Chinnabathini
- Deacon Jack Pitts
- Deacon Chris Rauch (Business Manager)
- Pastoral Associate – Mary Ellen Singer
- Coordinator of Religious Education – Sylvia Carmody
- Senior High Youth Minister – Marty McClain
- Junior High Youth Minister – Phyllis Wilemaitis
- Director of Music – Vicky Brooker
- Receptionist – Frances Obringer
- Parish Secretary – Joyce Connell
- Formation Secretary – Vicki Hume
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation is coordinated by Sylvia Carmody and supported by a separate Director of Parish Evangelization. The parish serves children, youth, young adults and adults through Christian formation, sacramental preparation and ongoing catechesis. The 2021 archdiocesan job posting described St. Francis as 'a growing parish with talented and energetic volunteers and staff serving over 2000 families.'
- Christian Formation (Religious Education) for children and youth
- Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation
- RCIA for adults
- Director of Parish Evangelization position (oversees catechesis and missionary discipleship)
- Vicki Hume, Formation Secretary
Youth Ministry
The parish maintains a two-track youth ministry program divided by age, ensuring that middle-school and high-school students each have a dedicated minister and pathway of formation.
- Senior High Youth Ministry – led by Marty McClain
- Junior High Youth Ministry – led by Phyllis Wilemaitis
- XLT evenings for teens and families
Music and Liturgy
Music ministry at St. Francis is directed by Vicky Brooker and supports weekend Masses, holy-day liturgies, weddings, funerals and devotional services. The expanded sanctuary dedicated in 2004 was designed with liturgical consultant Brother Frank Kacmarcik, O.S.B., to accommodate fuller congregational participation.
- Director of Music – Vicky Brooker
- Parish choirs for weekend Masses
- Cantors and instrumentalists for holy days
- Music for weddings, funerals, and quinceañeras
Parish School
St. Francis of Assisi operates a parish school as part of its ministry to the Centerville-Bellbrook community. The school shares the 19-acre Wilmington Pike campus and complements the religious education and youth ministry programs.
- St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School on the Wilmington Pike campus
- Faith-based curriculum integrated with parish sacramental preparation
- Coordinated with parish Christian Formation programs
Stations of the Cross and Sacred Art
St. Francis of Assisi is home to a rare and beloved set of Stations of the Cross painted in oil on copper between 1930 and 1931 by an unnamed student of the Dayton Art Institute. Originally installed at Good Samaritan Hospital, the Stations were donated to the parish when the hospital closed. The parish donated $15,000 to the Sisters of Charity in gratitude, and the Stations were framed by House of 10,000 Picture Frames and dedicated on December 9, 2018.
- Oil-on-copper Stations of the Cross (1930-1931)
- Acquired from Good Samaritan Hospital via Sister Carol Bauer and Deacon Michael Montgomery
- Dedicated December 9, 2018
- Framed by House of 10,000 Picture Frames
- Altar contains a relic of St. Francis of Assisi (sealed 2004)
- Blessed Mother devotional room (added with 1983 wing)
Visiting and Contact Information
Visitors and parishioners are welcome at the St. Francis of Assisi campus throughout the week. The church and Reservation Chapel are open for individual prayer Monday through Saturday, and the parish office is staffed weekdays (with a Thursday morning closure for staff development).
- Address: 6245 Wilmington Pike, Centerville, OH 45459
- Phone: (937) 433-1013
- Website: www.olldayton.org (Our Lady of Light Family)
- Family office phone: (937) 345-0101
- Family office hours: Mon–Fri 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Open church for prayer: Mon–Sat 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Free parking on campus; three entrances (Wilmington Pike and Clyo Road)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Francis X. Hoffer, OFM1969 – circa 1980s
First pastor; founding Franciscan chosen by the Friars Minor. Celebrated the parish's first Mass on January 4, 1975 in the newly built church.
- Fr. John Turnbull1990s
Selected Benedictine liturgical consultant Brother Frank Kacmarcik, O.S.B., to design the expanded worship space that opened in 2004.
- Rev. Tom Schmidt2002 – present
First non-Franciscan pastor; oversaw the 2004 dedication of the new worship space and the 2018-2019 installation of the oil-on-copper Stations of the Cross.
- Rev. Brian Phelps2024 – present
Current pastor of Our Lady of Light Family of Parishes.