About St. John · New Paris, Ohio
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a small Catholic parish located at 400 N Spring St. in New Paris, Ohio, in Preble County. It is one of four parishes in the C-1 Family of Parishes of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, alongside Visitation of the BVM in Eaton, St. Mary in Oxford, and St. Mary in Camden. The parish traces its roots to 1854, when the first Mass was celebrated in the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Horrigan, and the current church building was dedicated on May 15, 1960. Today it is served by Pastor Father James Romanello and Parochial Vicar Father Jedidiah Tritle.
- Established
- 1854 (first Mass); parish formally established 1870
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Father James Romanello
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cincinnati)
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist offers a small, generational Catholic community in rural Preble County, with deep roots going back to 1854 and a church building the parish has worshiped in since 1960. As part of the four-church C-1 Family of Parishes it combines the warmth of a hometown parish with broader resources — daily Mass at Visitation or St. Mary Oxford, rotating Holy Hour and Confession times, plus ministries such as the Knights of Columbus, the St. Ann Sodality (a Catholic women's group), and the parish's First Sunday Breakfast that brings members together regularly.
Mass times at St. John
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 3rd Thursday of the month, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM at St. John, New Paris
Adoration times
- 3rd Thursday of the month, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM at St. John, New Paris
Parish History
St. John the Evangelist traces its Catholic roots in New Paris to 1854, when the first Mass was offered in the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Horrigan. The faithful soon built their first church, with volunteers forming bricks from materials found in the surrounding area. GCatholic records the formal establishment of the parish as 1870. The current church — the third generation on the site — was dedicated on May 15, 1960, and continues to serve as the parish's spiritual home.
- 1854 – First Mass in the Horrigan home in New Paris
- First church built by volunteer parishioners using locally made bricks
- 1870 – Parish formally established (per GCatholic)
- May 15, 1960 – Current church building dedicated
C-1 Family of Parishes
St. John the Evangelist is one of four parishes in the C-1 Family of Parishes of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, formed under the 'Beacons of Light' pastoral initiative. The other parishes are Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Eaton), St. Mary (Oxford), and St. Mary (Camden). The Family shares clergy, faith-formation programs, ministry scheduling, and a common website. Daily Mass and the full sacramental schedule are coordinated across all four worship sites so parishioners can access Mass, Confession, and Adoration throughout the week.
- Visitation of the BVM, Eaton
- St. Mary, Oxford
- St. Mary, Camden
- St. John the Evangelist, New Paris
- Shared website: c1family.org
- Ministry scheduling handled online for all four parishes
Clergy and Staff
The parish is served by Pastor Father James Romanello and Parochial Vicar Father Jedidiah Tritle, both assigned across the C-1 Family. Father Jacob Willig serves as Chaplain at Miami University for the Family. Father Romanello has shared that he is the eleventh of fourteen children from a large Italian family, grew up serving Mass across the street from a gothic parish church under Monsignor Ferdinand Evans, and worked in the restaurant business and in computer-network systems before becoming a priest. Parish staff also includes Debbie Petitt (contact for ministry areas, 937-437-0647) and a parish secretary based at the Eaton and Oxford offices.
- Father James Romanello — Pastor, C-1 Family of Parishes
- Father Jedidiah Tritle — Parochial Vicar
- Father Jacob Willig — Chaplain, Miami University
- Debbie Petitt — Parish staff (937-437-0647)
- Parish offices: 937-456-3395 (Eaton) and 513-523-2153 (Oxford)
Parish Ministries and Fellowship
St. John's parish life centers on a small number of longstanding groups. The St. Ann Sodality is a Catholic women's sodality dedicated to serving the parish through various events and needs throughout the year; interested women of the parish are invited to contact Debbie Petitt. The Knights of Columbus council serves the parish and broader community. After Mass on the first Sunday of each month, parishioners gather for a parish breakfast — a long-standing tradition of fellowship.
- Knights of Columbus
- St. Ann Sodality (Catholic women's sodality) — contact Debbie Petitt, 937-437-0647
- First Sunday Breakfast (parish fellowship)
- Liturgical ministries: Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Ushers, Altar Servers (guidelines last renewed Nov. 30, 2019)
Visiting St. John the Evangelist
The parish warmly invites visitors and newcomers. Its central message — 'St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church welcomes you to become a part of the story for future generations' — reflects both the parish's heritage and its hope for continued growth. Visitors can find the church at 400 N Spring St. in New Paris; directions from US 40 take visitors north on State Route 320, east off 320 to Spring Street, then north. For up-to-date information, the parish encourages checking the C-1 Family website or calling (937) 456-3380.
- Address: 400 N Spring St., New Paris, OH 45347
- Phone: (937) 456-3380
- Website: c1family.org/st-john-church-new-paris
- Driving directions: US 40 → north on SR 320 → east off 320 to Spring St. → north