About St John the Baptist · Wilder, Kentucky
Saint John the Baptist is a small Roman Catholic parish in Wilder, Kentucky, perched on John's Hill overlooking the Licking River in Campbell County. It belongs to the Diocese of Covington and is the spiritual home of a tight-knit congregation whose roots reach back to 1847, when nine German immigrant families gathered to build the first log-cabin chapel. The current stone church, completed in 1858, is one of the oldest surviving ethnic churches in northern Kentucky and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1980). Today the parish is served by Fr. Michael A. Black and continues the pastoral rhythms of its founders — Saturday Vigil Mass, Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, confession, and a beloved St. John the Baptist bonfire — alongside an active St. Vincent de Paul conference serving neighbors in Wilder since 1945.
- Established
- 1847
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Michael A. Black (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Covington
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist is a small, historic Catholic parish where newcomers are welcomed into a close-knit congregation that has worshipped on John's Hill since 1847. Parishioners gather for a Saturday Vigil Mass and Sunday Mass, frequent confession, Eucharistic Adoration, and signature traditions like the annual Parish Bonfire blessing in honor of St. John the Baptist. The parish's St. Vincent de Paul Conference (formed 1945) offers a hands-on way to serve neighbors in need through rent and utility assistance, a Cold Spring food pantry partnership, and Christmas dinner outreach — giving visitors an immediate way to put faith into action alongside longtime Wilder families.
Mass times at St John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 3:45 PM
- Sunday: 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM
- Any other time reasonably requested
Parish History
Saint John the Baptist was founded in 1847 by nine German immigrant families who built a log-cabin chapel on John's Hill in Campbell County, Kentucky. The current rubblestone church, completed in 1858, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 — one of the few surviving early ethnic German Catholic churches in the Commonwealth. The parish has been served by a succession of pastors beginning with Fr. John Voll of Newport and continuing through Fr. Michael A. Black, the current Parochial Administrator.
- Founded 1847 by the Burkhardt, Koss, Lahner, Reibel, Ruschman, Seibert, Sendelbach, Weingartner, and Steffney families.
- Log church struck by lightning and burned on June 24, 1857, the feast of St. John the Baptist.
- Stone church cornerstone laid April 25, 1858 by Bishop Frederick Baraga; dedicated November 25, 1858 by Bishop Carrell.
- First resident pastor: Fr. Anthony Athmann, appointed January 1877.
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 11, 1980 (NRHP #80001495).
Parish Life & Clergy
St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic Parish in the Diocese of Covington in union with the Universal Church. Fr. Michael A. Black, ordained May 16, 2015, serves as Parochial Administrator and also teaches at Covington Latin School. The parish describes itself as 'a refuge from the business of the world; a place where the extraordinary can break into the ordinary; a place where God is rightly worshipped and souls are saved.'
- Fr. Michael A. Black — Parochial Administrator; ordained May 16, 2015; also an instructor at Covington Latin School.
- Parish phone: (859) 781-2117.
- Address: 1307 Johns Hill Rd., Wilder, KY 41076.
St. Vincent de Paul Conference
The St. John the Baptist Conference of St. Vincent de Paul was formed in 1945 and is one of 31 Catholic-church conferences comprising St. Vincent de Paul of Northern Kentucky. The Conference meets every third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM in the church undercroft and serves neighbors in Wilder through rent, utility, and voucher assistance via the Help Line, plus food support through the Cold Spring Food Pantry.
- President: Cindy Walker — [email protected]
- Vice President: Position Open
- Treasurer: Andrea Mazzocca
- Secretary: Robyn Hater
- Case Manager: Jennifer Wahoff
- Help Line for assistance requests: Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, (859) 341-3219.
- Cold Spring Food Pantry (3972 Alexandria Pike): Monday 9 AM–12 PM; Wednesday 9 AM–12 PM and 4 PM–6 PM; Saturday 9 AM–12 PM.
- Council website: www.svdpnky.org
Turkeyfoot Trot Fundraiser
Each November, St. Vincent de Paul of Northern Kentucky sponsors the Turkeyfoot Trot 5K at Thomas More University. Walkers, runners, donors, and volunteers representing the St. John the Baptist team raise money for the parish's own SVdP Conference — the 2025–2026 team raised $536.
- Annual 5K held at Thomas More University.
- Team members have included Andrea Mazzocca, Vincenzo Mazzocca, Sara Henegar, Robyn Hater, Cindy Walker, Lloyd Walker, Peggy Stortz, Rachael Shepherd, and Elliott Shepherd.
Christmas Dinners Outreach
For the past three years (as of the parish's most recent update), a generous donor has given St. Vincent de Paul of Northern KY Christmas dinners to distribute among the Conferences. St. John the Baptist has provided as many as 18 dinners to families in Wilder, with each package including a pork loin, stuffing mix, green beans, corn, brownie mixes, and candy.
Vocations & Holy Orders
The parish supports discernment to the priesthood and religious life by referring inquirers to Fr. Conor Kunath, Vocations Promoter for the Diocese of Covington. Quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church (§1536), the parish reminds visitors that 'Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time.'
- Contact Fr. Conor Kunath at 859-392-1566 or [email protected].
- Open to young men discerning the priesthood and to young men and women discerning religious life.
Parish Bonfire & Patronal Feast
The parish hosts an annual Bonfire with the traditional blessing of the bonfire in honor of its heavenly patron, St. John the Baptist — a custom long associated with the saint's Nativity on June 24. The bonfire is one of the most photographed and shared events on the parish's website.
- Annual Parish Bonfire with traditional blessing.
- Honors St. John the Baptist, patron of the parish (feast: June 24).
Architecture & Historic Designation
The present church, completed in 1858 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, is a two-story, seven-bay nave-plan structure of coursed rubblestone set on a basement. A frame bell tower caps the slightly projecting entrance pavilion, and flared eaves give the roofline a distinctive profile. A two-story brick addition was built onto the rear in the 20th century; the 1941 sanctuary modernization replaced the original wooden altar and kneeling rail with wrought iron, while the original wooden pews remain.
- Architectural style: Georgian Revival.
- NRHP reference No. 80001495; added August 11, 1980.
- Original wooden pews preserved.
- Wrought-iron communion rail installed in 1941 renovation.
Visiting & Contact
Visitors and prospective parishioners are warmly welcomed. The parish's address (1307 Johns Hill Rd., Wilder, KY 41076) sits on John's Hill in Campbell County, near Northern Kentucky University and overlooking the Licking River. Phone (859) 781-2117 reaches the parish office; the official website is sjbwilder.com.
- Parish Priest: Fr. Michael A. Black.
- Website: https://sjbwilder.com.
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Voll
Pastor of Corpus Christi, Newport; served 'Mount Saint John' (John's Hill) as a German station, offering Mass on the fourth Sunday of each month.
- Fr. Anthony Athmann1877–
First resident pastor of St. John the Baptist; ordained the previous year; a one-story brick rectory was built at the entrance to the cemetery during his tenure.
- Fr. Henry B. Gellenbeck1894–
Appointed pastor after the parish returned from mission status attached to Corpus Christi, Newport.
- Fr. Bernard Baumeister1895–1903
Built the stone wall along the Licking Pike and cemetery, frescoed the church, and had the ceiling painting of St. John the Baptist added in 1900.
- Fr. Thomas Ott1907–
Built a new parish rectory in 1907.
- Fr. Charles Diemer1908–
Directed the Golden Jubilee celebration of the 1858 church on November 26, 1908; invited the Sisters of Notre Dame of Covington to staff the school in 1909; introduced Forty Hours' Devotion.
- Fr. Walter A. Freiberg1928–1931
Acquired an eight-acre plot in the Maple Park Subdivision for future parish use.
- Fr. Francis R. Mielech1931–
Directed the Diamond Jubilee celebration on October 1, 1933, with Bishop Howard officiating.