About St. Leo the Great · Cincinnati, Ohio
St. Leo the Great Catholic Church is a vibrant, diverse, urban parish in the North Fairmount neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1886 by German Catholic immigrants and today home to a multinational community that includes Burundian, Congolese, Guatemalan, and Mexican immigrants and refugees alongside native Cincinnatians. Often described as a place 'where foreign mission meets home mission,' the parish lives the spiritual and corporal works of mercy through its acclaimed Food Pantry, which serves more than 1,500 individuals each month, and through a rich liturgical life celebrated in English, Spanish, and multiple languages. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes (formed July 1, 2022) along with Holy Family, St. Joseph, St. Boniface, and St. Therese Little Flower, and is currently served by Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) priests. Its grand Romanesque basilica church, with a 104-foot bell tower, has anchored the corner of St. Leo Place and Baltimore Avenue since 1911.
- Established
- 1886
- Patron
- St. Leo the Great (Pope St. Leo I, Doctor of the Church)
- Rector
- Rev. Rodolfo Coaquira, MCCJ (Father Rudy)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes)
Why belong here
St. Leo the Great welcomes anyone who wants to worship in a truly international Catholic community: the Sunday 10:30 a.m. Mass gathers Burundian, Congolese, Guatemalan, Mexican, and Anglo parishioners in one liturgy, with a Saturday-evening Mass in Spanish and weekday Masses in English and Spanish. The parish lives the works of mercy visibly through its Food Pantry — open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. and serving more than 1,500 people each month — and through ministries such as RCIA, Youth Ministry, the Presentation Community Garden, ESL classes, Children's Liturgy of the Word, choir, lector ministry, and the annual Hunger Walk. With a history that goes back to 1886 and a pastor and parochial vicars from the Comboni Missionaries dedicated to missionary parishes like this one, St. Leo offers a warm, faithful home for newcomers, immigrants, and longtime Cincinnatians alike.
Mass times at St. Leo the Great
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday — following the 10:30 a.m. Mass, at noon, by appointment (call 513-921-1044)
Adoration times
- First Thursday of the month — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament following the 7:00 p.m. Mass until 9:00 p.m.
History of St. Leo the Great Parish
St. Leo Parish began in November 1886 when Archbishop William Henry Elder agreed to the request of several German Catholic families to build a church in North Fairmount. Father Francis Varelman was appointed the first pastor in December 1886; the first combination church-school-rectory was completed in the spring of 1888. Over the next century the parish built a Romanesque basilica-style church (dedicated 1911), opened a school staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis from Oldenburg, Indiana, and absorbed the nearby Our Lady of Presentation congregation in 1985. Today the parish is an international Catholic community where 'foreign mission meets home mission.'
- Founded November 1886 by German Catholic immigrants in North Fairmount, Cincinnati
- First pastor: Father Francis Varelman (December 1886)
- First parish building (church-school-rectory) completed spring 1888
- Present Romanesque, basilica-style church dedicated November 26, 1911 by Archbishop Henry Moeller
- Bell tower rises 104 feet; church seats about 800
- Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg, Indiana, staffed the school for 90 years beginning in 1888
- New school dedicated May 15, 1927 by Archbishop John T. McNicholas
- Trade Street renamed St. Leo Place in 1927 in recognition of the parish
- Interior decorated in 1943 with murals by German artist Gerhard Lamers
- Merged with Our Lady of Presentation in 1985; celebrated 100th anniversary in 1986
- More than 50 priests have served the parish and 13 sons of the parish have been ordained to the priesthood
Worship Schedule, Sacraments, and Devotions
St. Leo the Great celebrates Mass in English, Spanish, and a multilingual Sunday liturgy that often includes African languages such as Kirundi, reflecting the parish's diverse community. Confessions are heard by appointment on Sundays after Mass, and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is held on the first Thursday of each month following the 7:00 p.m. Mass until 9:00 p.m. The 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass is also live-streamed via Facebook Live and YouTube for parishioners who cannot attend in person.
- Saturday 6:00 pm — Mass in Spanish
- Sunday 10:30 am — Multilingual Mass (live-streamed)
- Wednesday 11:30 am — English / Bilingual Mass
- Thursday 7:00 pm — Spanish / Bilingual Mass
- Holy Days and Vigil Masses — call 513-921-1044
- Confessions — Sundays at noon following the 10:30 am Mass, by appointment
- First Thursday — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after 7:00 pm Mass until 9:00 pm
- Baptism — call 513-921-1044 at least 3 weeks in advance
- Marriage — call 513-921-1044 at least 6 months in advance
- Sacrament of the Sick / Anointing — by appointment
Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes
Since July 1, 2022, St. Leo the Great has been part of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's 'Beacons of Light' pastoral planning initiative. The five-parish family shares clergy and collaborates on evangelization, worship, faith formation, and outreach across Cincinnati's west-side neighborhoods.
- Holy Family — Price Hill, 814 Hawthorne Ave
- St. Joseph — West End, 745 Ezzard Charles Dr.
- St. Leo the Great — North Fairmount, 2573 St. Leo Place
- St. Boniface — Northside, 1750 Chase Ave.
- St. Therese, Little Flower — Mt. Airy, 5560 Kirby Ave.
- Family pastor: Father Rodolfo Coaquira Hilaje, M.CC.J.
- Director of Evangelization: Fr. Miguel Torres, M.CC.J.
- Director of Worship: Fr. Samuel Yacob
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Leo is served by Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) priests alongside a team of lay staff and volunteers who direct faith formation, youth ministry, administration, and the food pantry.
- Rev. Rodolfo Coaquira, MCCJ — Pastor
- Fr. Miguel Torres, MCCJ — Parochial Vicar / Director of Evangelization, OLG Family of Parishes
- Fr. Samuel Yacob — Parochial Vicar / Director of Worship, OLG Family of Parishes
- Nicole Cummings — Development Director / Business Manager / Food Pantry Administrator ([email protected])
- Lauren Adams — Administrative Assistant ([email protected])
- Angela Anno — Pastoral Associate ([email protected])
- Judie Kuhlman — Youth Minister ([email protected])
- Tyrone Hunter — Maintenance
St. Leo Food Pantry
The St. Leo Food Pantry is the parish's flagship works-of-mercy ministry. It is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. and currently serves more than 1,500 individuals representing over 370 families — including 540+ children and 140+ seniors — each month. The pantry distributes healthy food sourced from the Freestore Foodbank and Cincinnati Whole Foods Market and welcomes volunteers, donors, and monthly sponsors ($2,300 covers one month of operating costs).
- Serving hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 1:00–3:30 p.m.
- Serving 1,500+ individuals / 370+ families monthly
- Service area: North Fairmount, English Woods, Roll Hill Apts, and Millvale (once every 30 days per address)
- Food sourcing: Freestore Foodbank and Whole Foods Market
- Volunteer Coordinator: Nicole Cummings, 513-921-1044, [email protected]
- Pantry address: 1860 Carll Street, Cincinnati, OH 45225
- Snow closings announced on Channels 9 & 19 and on Facebook; closes with Cincinnati Public Schools for hazardous road conditions
- Annual fundraiser: Freestore Foodbank Hunger Walk on Memorial Day weekend
Faith Formation, Youth, and RCIA
St. Leo offers faith formation for every age and stage: an RCIA process welcoming inquirers and new Catholics (usually running from one to two years, with initiation at the Easter Vigil), a Children's Liturgy of the Word during the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, and a Youth Ministry directed by Judie Kuhlman. The parish also hosts English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes to support its immigrant and refugee members.
- RCIA — weekly sessions including doctrinal, liturgical, practical, and apostolic formation; contact 513-921-1044
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — during the 10:30 am Sunday Mass (volunteer helpers needed)
- Youth Ministry — led by Judie Kuhlman ([email protected], 513-921-1044 x32)
- ESL (English as a Second Language) classes
- Lector and choir ministries
- Pastoral Care — counseling, annulments, funerals, anointing of the sick, weddings, RCIA
Outreach and Works of Mercy
The parish describes itself as 'a vibrant, diverse, urban Catholic parish community living the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.' Beyond the Food Pantry, St. Leo partners with neighboring parishes and the wider community to feed the hungry, welcome newcomers, and share resources — including a partnership with St. Ignatius of Loyola School for an annual Toy Collection near St. Leo's November 10 feast day.
- Food Pantry — see dedicated section above
- Presentation Community Garden — plots offered to participants for personal use and for the Food Pantry
- Annual Toy Collection with St. Ignatius of Loyola School
- Hunger Walk with the Freestore Foodbank each Memorial Day weekend
- Spiritual Works of Mercy — counseling, RCIA, prayer requests
- Corporal Works of Mercy — feeding the hungry, welcoming immigrants and refugees
- Stewardship giving — cash, credit card, gifts of stock, wills, planned gifts, annuities
Getting Involved
St. Leo's encourages new and longtime parishioners alike to find a ministry that fits their gifts. Current volunteer opportunities include the Food Pantry (Mondays and Fridays 1:00–3:30 p.m.), Children's Liturgy of the Word, ESL classes, the Presentation Community Garden, and liturgical ministries such as lector and choir. Interested volunteers should contact the parish office at 513-921-1044 or [email protected].
- Volunteer at the Food Pantry (contact Nicole Cummings)
- Help with Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Teach or assist with ESL classes
- Maintain the Presentation Community Garden
- Become a Lector or join the Choir
- Participate in the Freestore Foodbank Hunger Walk
- Donate canned goods and non-perishable food items
- Sponsor a month of pantry operations ($2,300)
Visit, Contact, and Stay Connected
St. Leo the Great is located at the corner of St. Leo Place and Baltimore Avenue in the North Fairmount neighborhood of Cincinnati. The parish can be reached by phone at 513-921-1044 or by email at [email protected]. The Sunday 10:30 a.m. Mass is live-streamed on Facebook Live (search 'RCC St Leo Cincinnati') and YouTube, and the parish posts regular updates on Facebook ('St. Leo the Great Catholic Church') and Instagram (@stleothegreatchurch). A monthly e-newsletter is also available by signing up through the parish website.
- Address: 2573 St. Leo Place, Cincinnati, OH 45225-1960
- Phone: 513-921-1044
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.saint-leo.org/
- Facebook: RCC St Leo Cincinnati / St. Leo the Great Catholic Church
- Instagram: @stleothegreatchurch
- YouTube live-stream of 10:30 am Sunday Mass
- Monthly e-newsletter (sign up via the website)
- Sunday Bulletin available online
- Prayer Request submissions via the parish website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Francis Varelman1886–1888
First pastor; appointed December 1886 before the first church was complete.
- Father Francis Kessing1888–
Brought the Sisters of St. Francis from Oldenburg, Indiana, to staff the school.
- Father Joseph Schmidt1901–1918
Built the church basement by 1904 and led fundraising for the present church; died April 18, 1918.
- Father Henry Grimmelsman1918 (interim)
Administered the parish between Father Schmidt's death and Father Lehman's appointment.
- Father Henry Lehman1918–
Fourth pastor; built the new school (dedicated 1927) and petitioned to rename Trade Street to St. Leo Place.
- Father Louis Evers1937–
Began the second half-century of parish history; commissioned the 1943 murals by Gerhard Lamers.
- Father Charles Hoctor1946–1957
Led parish missions for men, women, and children in the post-WWII era.
- Father William Goldschmidt1957–
Led a beautification program; received the City of Cincinnati Beautification Award in 1962.
- Father Michael Holtzleiter1964–1966
- Father Eugene Gallagher1966–1971
Reported declining Sunday collections and membership in 1967.
- Father Edward Lawler1971–1972
- Father James Shappelle1972–
Simultaneously pastor of both St. Leo and Presentation; oversaw the 1985 merger.
- Rev. Rodolfo Coaquira, MCCJpresent
Current pastor of St. Leo and of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes.