About St. Joseph Catholic Church · Camp Springs, Kentucky
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a rural Roman Catholic parish in the Four Mile Creek valley of Campbell County, Kentucky, situated on a promontory overlooking Camp Springs at 6833 Four Mile Road. Established by German immigrant families as a mission of Corpus Christi Church in Newport, it is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in Northern Kentucky and today functions as an active parish of the Diocese of Covington, serving roughly 200 families. The parish is also the historic 'mother church' from which four surrounding parishes — St. Philip (Melbourne), St. Joseph (Cold Spring), St. Mary (Alexandria), and Ss. Peter and Paul (California) — were later carved out. Its 1865 brick church, rich interior iconography, and on-site cemetery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Established
- 1845
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Very Rev. Ryan Stenger, J.V.
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
Why belong here
St. Joseph, Camp Springs is a small, historically-rooted rural parish where the same German-settler families have worshipped continuously for 180 years — visitors often describe it as 'one of the best kept secrets of Campbell County.' Daily Mass is offered every weekday (including a 7 p.m. Wednesday Mass followed by Eucharistic Adoration), the church is on the National Register of Historic Places, and a Lourdes grotto honoring WWII parishioners anchors the grounds. With active faith formation, a women's Bible study, a parish council, festival and fish-fry traditions, a longest-running Catholic elementary school in the diocese (now a Pre-K), and an open cemetery still receiving burials of parishioners, it offers an unusually close-knit Catholic community just outside Alexandria.
Mass times at St. Joseph Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 p.m.
- Sunday 7:45 a.m. and 9:45 a.m.
- Wednesday 6:00–6:45 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00–6:50 p.m. (Eucharistic Adoration, preceding the 7 p.m. Mass)
About St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph Catholic Church, also known as 'St. Joseph in the Hills,' is a rural Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Covington serving roughly 200 families in the Four Mile Creek valley of Campbell County, Kentucky. The parish's mission statement commits it to worshiping together, sharing the Gospel by word and example, caring for one another, offering Catholic education, reaching out to the deprived and unchurched, and practicing Christian stewardship as a way of life. Parish goals include promoting sacred worship and spiritual growth, teaching Catholic beliefs and values, upholding the dignity of human life by serving the poor, deepening Christian stewardship, and fostering community development.
- Parish mission and goals — full text on official site
- Longest continuously operating Catholic elementary school in the Diocese of Covington (now St. Joseph Pre-K)
Parish History & Timeline
Founded by German Catholic immigrants as a mission of Corpus Christi, Newport in 1845, the parish grew to 109 families within its first decade and built the present brick church in 1865. Major milestones include the 1868 stone school, 1882 rectory, 1890 arrival of the Sisters of Divine Providence, the Lippert murals and stained glass (1910s–1920s), the 1944 Lourdes Grotto honoring WWII parishioners, and the 1983 listing on the National Register of Historic Places. A 1989 remodel unfortunately stripped much of the original ornament, but the parish celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1951, became the oldest Catholic church in Campbell County with the closure of Corpus Christi, and continues to mark the historic legacy of the Four Mile Creek German settlement.
- 1845 — log church built, dedicated to St. Joseph
- 1854 — parish established (NRHP)
- 1858 — 109 registered families; mission stations to Alexandria, Twelve Mile, Stepstone, Cold Spring, Melbourne
- 1863 — 1870 — daughter congregations at Alexandria, Twelve Mile and Cold Spring separate
- 1865 — present brick church dedicated by Bishop Carrell on June 15, 1865
- 1868 — stone school built; teachers' cottage in 1888
- 1890 — Sisters of Divine Providence take charge of school
- 1909–1926 — Fr. Charles Woeste beautifies the interior
- 1923 — new school building
- 1942 — Centenary of Catholicity in Four Mile Creek Valley
- 1944 — Lourdes Grotto dedicated October 28, 1944
- 1983 — added to the National Register of Historic Places (May 16)
- 1989 — interior remodel
- 2015 — K-8 school closed; Pre-K continues
- 2023 — copper steeple replaced
- 2024 — school cafeteria and kitchen renovated
Architecture, Art & the Historic Building
The 1865 church is a belfried brick structure with a low gabled roof, set on a promontory overlooking the valley. The Lippert murals (depicting the Blessed Trinity, the Agony in the Garden and the Annunciation), the 1910–1912 stained glass donated by the Ritters, Korts and other parishioners, the 1912 plaster work by Anthony Schuchter and the DeJaco Brothers, the 1926 Sorrowful Mother statue donated by Emma Ritter, and the Bert Moriconi marble (painted in the 1940s) remain the artistic heart of the building. Although a 1989 remodel covered or removed side altars, Stations of the Cross, pulpit, Communion rail and ornamental plaster, the surviving iconography and the copper-clad steeple (replaced in 2023) preserve the historic character of this National Register landmark.
- Architectural style: vernacular belfried brick church, low gabled roof, 1865
- Stained glass donated by the Ritters, Korts and others (1910–1912)
- Murals by Leon Lippert, student of Frank Duveneck
- Our Lady of Sorrows statue donated by Emma Ritter, 1926
- Marble work by Bert Moriconi, painted in the 1940s
- Copper steeple replaced in 2023
Parish Staff
The parish is led by its pastor and supported by a small staff of lay ministers in liturgy, formation, finance and administration. Contact information for each is published on the official website's Staff & Ministries page.
- Very Rev. Ryan Stenger, J.V. — Pastor ([email protected])
- Mrs. Lauren Ritter — Parish Secretary ([email protected])
- Ms. Christy Haley — Bookkeeper
- Mrs. April Kreidenweis — Pre-K Director ([email protected])
- Mrs. Lisa Roetting — Pre-K Assistant Director
- Mrs. Rebecca Wells — Director of Music Ministry ([email protected])
Ministries & Organizations
St. Joseph's ministries reflect the small, family-oriented character of the parish — liturgy is supported by lay lectors, servers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and parish life is animated by faith formation, a women's Bible study, a parish council, bereavement support, the Catholic fraternal Foresters branch, the annual Summer Festival and Lenten Fish Fries.
- Faith Formation Group (Connie DeMarrero, Jean Listerman) — Wednesdays after 7 p.m. Mass
- Women's Bible Study (Jean Listerman)
- Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Church Cleaners
- Bereavement — funeral planning (Stephanie Zink, 859-991-6969); reception planning (Pat Phillips, 859-750-9716)
- Festival Committee — Ron Heiert, Steve Rath, Mike Orth
- Fish Fries — Karen and Dave Schadler
- Parish Council — Laura Carnahan, Ann Fay, Mike Orth, Steve Rath, Jacob Ritter, Dee Dee Schubert
- Foresters #172 — Irene Ashcraft (859-635-4759)
- Music Ministry — Director: Rebecca Wells
St. Joseph Pre-K School
The parish elementary school — established in 1890 and recognized as the longest continuously operating Catholic elementary school in the Diocese of Covington — closed its K-8 program in 2015 due to declining enrollment, but the preschool (Pre-K) continues under Director April Kreidenweis and Assistant Director Lisa Roetting. The school cafeteria and kitchen were renovated and repainted in 2024.
- Director: Mrs. April Kreidenweis ([email protected])
- Assistant Director: Mrs. Lisa Roetting ([email protected])
- Longest continuously operating Catholic elementary school in the Diocese of Covington
- Pre-K only since 2015
Cemetery & Lourdes Grotto
The hilltop cemetery on which the original 1845 log church stood remains the final resting place of many of the original German Catholic settlers of Four Mile Creek and is still open for the burial of current parishioners. Down the slope stands the Lourdes Grotto, dedicated October 28, 1944 in fulfillment of a promise made to Our Lady of Lourdes when the first parish serviceman was killed in World War II; it bears the names of those who served.
- Hilltop cemetery still open for parishioner burials
- Lourdes Grotto dedicated October 28, 1944
- Names of WWII parishioners listed on the Grotto plaque
Sacraments & Devotions
Beyond the regular Mass, Confession and Eucharistic Adoration schedule, the parish offers faith formation for all ages on Wednesday evenings and conducts an annual parish mission. Holy-day and civil-holiday Masses are listed in the bulletin. Anointing of the Sick and other pastoral sacraments are arranged through the parish office.
- Eucharistic Adoration: Wednesday 6:00–6:50 p.m.
- Faith Formation: Wednesday evenings after 7 p.m. Mass
- Annual parish mission preached by visiting clergy (see bulletin)
- Holy-day and civil-holiday Masses — see bulletin
Parish Life & Annual Events
St. Joseph maintains a strong tradition of communal gathering. The annual Summer Festival — Saturday, June 13, 2026, 5:00–10:00 p.m., preceded by a Vigil Mass at 4:00 p.m. — is the parish's signature social event, alongside the Lenten Fish Fries and the Diocesan Parish Annual Appeal (2026 parish goal: $50,200, with rebates earmarked for a digital sign at the bottom of the hill).
- Summer Festival — Saturday, June 13, 2026, 5:00–10:00 p.m.
- Vigil Mass before festival at 4:00 p.m.
- Lenten Fish Fries
- 2026 Diocesan Parish Annual Appeal — goal $50,200
- Digital church sign planned for the bottom of the hill
Visiting & Contact
The parish office is open Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and can be reached by phone at (859) 635-2491 or by email at [email protected]. Visitors are welcome to attend any scheduled Mass, walk the historic cemetery, or visit the church during office hours.
- Parish Office: Monday & Tuesday, 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
- Phone: (859) 635-2491
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stjosephcampsprings.org
- Address: 6833 Four Mile Road, Camp Springs, KY 41059
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Volluntil April 18, 1853
Transferred from Four Mile to Corpus Christi Parish, Newport; St. Joseph then became a mission of Corpus Christi.
- Rev. Andrew Schweiger1855–1856 (approx.)
Appointed resident pastor by Bishop Carrell on December 20, 1855; built a 15-foot addition and choir gallery, began the stone rectory.
- Rev. Andrew Stephanmid-1850s
Successor to Schweiger; completed the rectory and purchased ten acres for the parish.
- Rev. Lawrence Spitzelberger1858–1863
Appointed June 3, 1858; oversaw 109-family parish with mission stations to Alexandria, Twelve Mile, Stepstone, Cold Spring and Melbourne.
- Rev. Eberhard Schulte1864–1865+
Appointed July 1864; built the present brick church, dedicated June 15, 1865.
- Rev. Caspaer Ostlangenbergafter March 20, 1870
Restored the church after it was struck by lightning.
- Rev. Joseph A. Blenkeby 1882
Supervised construction of the present pastoral residence in 1882.
- Rev. William Cassander1886–1888
Added an eight-foot sanctuary/sacristy extension to the church.
- Rev. William Hinssen1888
Built the teachers' cottage adjoining the school.
- Rev. Joseph Haustermann1894–1909
15-year pastorate; considered relocating the church, which the parishioners opposed.
- Rev. Charles A. WoesteJune 22, 1909 – 1926
Orchestrated the rich interior iconographic program: stained glass, plaster, Lippert murals and the Sorrowful Mother statue (donated 1926).
- Rev. Nicholas Judermanns1934–1949 (approx.)
Fifteen-year pastorate; celebrated the 1942 Centenary of Catholicity in Four Mile Creek Valley.
- Rev. Leonard Wimmers1951
Pastor at the time of the 100th anniversary of the parish's establishment.
- Fr. Walter Greskamppictured 1957
Standing next to the school in a 1957 photo on the parish history page.
- Fr. Paul Tenhundfelduntil 1997
Retired in 1997.
- Fr. Gerald Twadell1997–1999
Welcomed as pastor upon Fr. Tenhundfeld's retirement.
- Sr. Mary Kevan Seibert, SND1999 – January 2008
Appointed pastoral administrator by Bishop Robert Muench.
- Msgr. William Neuhaus2014–2017
Pastor.
- Fr. Douglas J. Lauer2017–2018
Pastor.
- Very Rev. Ryan Stenger, J.V.June 11, 2018 – present
Current pastor; member of the Jesus the Verbum (J.V.) priestly fraternity.