About St. Lawrence · Cincinnati, Ohio
St. Lawrence Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 3680 Warsaw Avenue in the Price Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1868, it was the first Catholic parish in Price Hill and grew out of the German-Catholic families who migrated to the hilltops from Cincinnati's West End. The parish is part of the Westside Catholic Family of Parishes (also called the St. John Bosco Family), together with St. Teresa of Avila, St. William, and Resurrection of Our Lord, all within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. St. Lawrence is known affectionately as the 'Beacon on the Hill,' serving the community with a large Gothic church (dedicated 1894), an attached PK-8 elementary school, and an extensive range of ministries including a renowned music program and the largest pipe organ in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- St. Lawrence (deacon and martyr, August 10 feast day)
- Rector
- Fr. Zachary Cecil
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Lawrence offers a vibrant Catholic community anchored by one of the most striking Gothic churches in the region — the 'Beacon on the Hill' — and one of the strongest parish-school partnerships in the archdiocese. Parishioners worship with a new nearly 3,500-pipe Beckerath organ, the largest in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and a choir that rehearses every Thursday and sings every Sunday between Labor Day and Corpus Christi. With a PK-8 elementary school, active Knights of Columbus council, athletic association, scouting, youth ministry, and a network of small groups coordinated through the Westside Catholic Family of Parishes, St. Lawrence is a place where families can grow in faith, serve the neighborhood, and belong to a parish with deep roots dating to 1868.
Mass times at St. Lawrence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 12:30 PM
- Thursday 3:00–5:00 PM
- First Friday 12:30 PM
- Saturday 3:00–4:00 PM
- Also: 20 minutes before Sunday 11:00 AM Mass
Adoration times
- Thursday 3:00–5:00 PM
- Sunday Cenacle of Life Holy Hour 3:00 PM (Exposition, Adoration, Benediction, two Rosaries, and Divine Mercy Chaplet)
History of St. Lawrence Parish
St. Lawrence Parish was organized at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in 1868 under the direction of Rev. J. M. Bonner, making it the first Catholic parish in Price Hill and the first offspring of St. Michael's in Lower Price Hill. A modest combined church-and-school building was dedicated June 12, 1870. As the German-Catholic population of the hilltop grew, the parish commissioned the present Gothic structure — designed by German-born architect Adolphus Druiding — laying the cornerstone October 16, 1886 and dedicating the finished building on September 30, 1894 by Archbishop William Henry Elder. By 1896 the congregation had grown to 475 families, and the church's three towers — the tallest at 189 feet — earned it the nickname the 'Beacon on the Hill.'
- 1868 — Parish organized at Mount St. Mary's Seminary by Rev. J. M. Bonner
- June 12, 1870 — First church/school building dedicated
- October 16, 1886 — Cornerstone laid for current Gothic church
- May 22, 1887 — Basement (the 'catacombs') dedicated for worship
- September 30, 1894 — New church dedicated by Archbishop William Henry Elder
- 1896 — Congregation grows to 475 families
- 2018 — 150th anniversary celebrated with Mass by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr on August 10
Architecture and the Beacon on the Hill
Designed by Adolphus Druiding, one of the most popular German-born church architects in America, St. Lawrence is an immense and elaborate Gothic structure measuring 72 by 165 feet and costing more than $100,000 when built. Its ornate exterior and richly carved interior — an elaborate marble-and-onyx high altar, marble side chapels, a gilded groined ceiling, and stained and art glass windows (the largest by Emil Frei Art Glass Company of St. Louis, 1912) — reflect the devotion of the German-Catholic families who built and paid for it.
- Architect: Adolphus Druiding
- Style: Gothic Revival
- Dimensions: 72 by 165 feet
- Original cost: about $106,000
- Three towers; tallest reaches 189 feet
- Ornate marble-and-onyx high altar; marble side chapels and communion rails
- Carved and gilded organ loft on metal pillars
- Stained-glass windows by Emil Frei Art Glass Company of St. Louis (1912)
- Diamond-paned stone floor installed 2022
Music Ministry and the New Beckerath Organ
Music has long been central to worship at St. Lawrence. The parish choir, directed by Organist/Choirmaster John Valentine, sings every Sunday from after Labor Day through Corpus Christi, with rehearsals on Thursdays at 7:00 PM. In fall 2025, the parish completed installation of a new Rudolf von Beckerath Orgelbau pipe organ — the largest pipe organ in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati — replacing the historic 1901 E. and G.G. Hook & Hastings instrument that had fallen into severe disrepair. The new organ has nearly 3,500 pipes and is used at both weekday and weekend Masses.
- Music Director / Organist-Choirmaster: John Valentine
- Choir sings every Sunday from after Labor Day through Corpus Christi
- Thursday rehearsals at 7:00 PM
- New Rudolf von Beckerath Orgelbau organ installed 2025
- Nearly 3,500 pipes — largest pipe organ in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
- Replaces the 1901 Hook & Hastings organ (nearly 3,000 pipes)
Parish School (PK-8)
St. Lawrence School, located across the street from the church at 1020 Carson Avenue, has served parish families since the original 1870 building that combined church and school. The school offers preschool through eighth grade with more than 30 faculty members and is a point of great parish pride — the 365 students were treated to a cookout in September 2018 as part of the parish's 150th anniversary.
- Address: 1020 Carson Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45205
- Phone: (513) 921-4996
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.stlpricehill.org
- Principal: Mrs. Jen Long
- Assistant Principal: Mrs. Danielle Goertemoeller
- Grades: Preschool through 8th grade
- More than 30 faculty members
- School Facebook: @StLawrenceEagles
Westside Catholic Family of Parishes (St. John Bosco)
St. Lawrence is one of four parishes that make up the Westside Catholic (St. John Bosco) Family of Parishes, alongside St. Teresa of Avila, St. William, and Resurrection of Our Lord. The parishes share clergy and collaborate on a unified Mass, Adoration and Confession schedule across the four churches. Fr. Zachary Cecil serves as Pastor of the Family, with Fr. Mark T. Watkins as Senior Parochial Vicar and Fr. Arogya Gadagotti as Parochial Vicar.
- St. Lawrence — 3680 Warsaw Ave.
- St. Teresa of Avila — 1175 Overlook Ave.
- St. William — 4108 W. 8th Street
- Resurrection of Our Lord — 1750 1st Avenue
- Pastor: Fr. Zachary Cecil
- Senior Parochial Vicar: Fr. Mark T. Watkins
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Arogya Gadagotti
Clergy and Staff
The pastoral team at St. Lawrence is led by Pastor Fr. Zachary Cecil and supported by two parochial vicars, a deacon, a pastoral minister, and a full lay staff for parish operations, school administration, communications, evangelization, youth ministry, and music.
- Fr. Zachary Cecil — Pastor
- Fr. Mark T. Watkins — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Arogya Gadagotti — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Tracy Jamison
- Sr. Helen Julia Hahn — Pastoral Minister
- Monica White — Youth Minister (513-921-9200)
- Maria Williams — Director of Communications (513-921-9200)
- Grace Yuellig — Director of Evangelization (513-921-9200)
- Jo Anne Baracka — Secretary
- Steve Burns — Director of Administration / Business Manager
- John Valentine — Music Director / Organist-Choirmaster
- Mrs. Jen Long — School Principal
- Mrs. Danielle Goertemoeller — School Assistant Principal
Parish Ministries and Organizations
St. Lawrence offers a wide range of parish ministries and organizations that serve the parish family and the wider Price Hill community. The Knights of Columbus council runs an annual Lenten Fish Fry, a Golf Outing that funds a Christmas toy drive for the cancer unit at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, and other service projects. The Athletic Association fields boys basketball and other sports and meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 8:00 PM. Scouting programs (Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts) meet on parish grounds, and the Music Ministry and Youth Ministry round out parish life for all ages.
- Athletic Association — meets 3rd Wednesday at 8:00 PM; boys basketball and more
- Knights of Columbus — meets 3rd Thursday at 7:00 PM; Fish Fry on Ash Wednesday and Lenten Fridays; weekly Bingo fundraiser; annual Golf Outing and Christmas toy drive for Cincinnati Children's Hospital
- Boy Scouts — Tuesdays 7:00–8:30 PM in Heritage Hall cafeteria
- Cub Scouts — meet by grade-level dens during the school year
- Music Ministry / Choir — rehearsals Thursdays 7:00 PM
- Youth Ministry — led by Monica White
- Pastoral Ministry — Sr. Helen Julia Hahn (513-244-7376)
- Evangelization — Grace Yuellig, including small groups and a moms group
- Communications — Maria Williams
Sacraments
The parish office at the rectory coordinates all inquiries for the sacraments. Baptisms and Marriages are arranged through the rectory; couples are asked to contact the parish at least six months before a wedding. Vocations to Holy Orders or Religious Life are coordinated with the parish and the Archdiocesan Vocation Office.
- Baptism — contact the rectory (513-921-0328)
- Marriage — contact the rectory at least 6 months in advance
- Holy Orders and Religious Vocations — rectory or Vocation Office (513-421-3131)
- Anointing of the Sick — after hours line 513-512-5805
- Holy Communion / Reconciliation for the hospitalized or homebound — contact the parish office
Contact and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Lawrence by phone, email, or in person at the rectory at 3680 Warsaw Avenue. The parish office is open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM (closed weekends). The school office, located at 1020 Carson Avenue across the street, is open during school hours.
- Parish Office: (513) 921-0328
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 3680 Warsaw Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45205
- Parish Office Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM (closed Saturday–Sunday)
- School Office: (513) 921-4996 — [email protected]
- Parish Center: (513) 921-0200
- Heritage Hall: (513) 921-4230
- Pastoral Minister: (513) 244-7376
- Anointing of the Sick (after hours): (513) 512-5805
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. M. Bonner1868
Organized the parish at Mount St. Mary's Seminary; directed the purchase of land and construction of the first building dedicated June 12, 1870.