About St. Mary Church · Oxford, Ohio
St. Mary Church & Catholic Campus Ministry is a Roman Catholic parish in Oxford, Ohio, serving both the local community and the students of Miami University, for whom it functions as the Catholic Newman Center. It is one of four parishes in the C-1 Family of Parishes, organized by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati under the Beacons of Light initiative, alongside Visitation of BVM in Eaton, St. Mary in Camden, and St. John the Evangelist in New Paris. Located at 111 East High Street in the heart of Oxford, the parish traces its origins to 1852, making it one of the oldest Catholic communities in Butler County. Weekly worship includes a traditional Latin Mass on Fridays, an evening Sunday Mass during the academic year for students, and a livestream of the St. Mary Oxford Mass for the homebound.
- Established
- 1852
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father James (Jim) Romanello
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers something rare: a historic parish with deep roots in Oxford since 1852, paired with a vibrant Catholic Campus Ministry that serves Miami University. Members can worship in English at multiple Sunday Masses or in the traditional Latin Mass celebrated on Fridays, follow the parish's livestream when homebound, and grow through Religious Education for children and adults, Eucharistic Revival programming, and parish-wide family events such as the annual Oktoberfest. As part of the C-1 Family of Parishes it shares ministries and resources across four communities while remaining a neighborly Oxford parish in the heart of town.
Mass times at St. Mary Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM (per parish-published aggregator listings)
- Tuesday: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (per parish-published aggregator listings)
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Mary Church & Catholic Campus Ministry is the historic Catholic parish of Oxford, Ohio, founded in 1852 and now serving both the local community and Miami University students. The parish is a member of the C-1 Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, working alongside Visitation of BVM in Eaton, St. Mary in Camden, and St. John the Evangelist in New Paris. Its identity is rooted in a dual vocation: a parish for town residents and a Catholic Campus Ministry (Newman Center) for the Miami University community, including evening Sunday Masses while classes are in session.
- Parish and Newman Center for Miami University
- C-1 Family of Parishes — Beacons of Light initiative, Archdiocese of Cincinnati
- Office hours (Oxford): Monday–Thursday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
History of St. Mary Parish
The parish was organized in 1852 when twelve Catholic families petitioned Cincinnati Archbishop John Purcell, with help from a local Presbyterian minister, for a church of their own. Father Jeremiah O'Connor bought a house at Poplar and Collins and dedicated it to Mary. After early Masses in homes and a schoolhouse (used 1853–c. 1868), the parish built a brick church on Locust and Withrow Streets — cornerstone laid in 1867. That church burned on February 11, 1917, during Mass; only the altar survived. A pastor appointed in 1919 moved the parish into town, laying the cornerstone of today's East High Street church in 1920. A parish center was added in 1966 and reconfigured in 1988 with student input — a milestone marking St. Mary's enduring role as Oxford's Catholic parish and Miami's Catholic Campus Ministry. A 150th-anniversary history was published for the 1868–2018 sesquicentennial.
- 1852 — Parish organized; original property on Poplar and Collins
- 1853 — Worship moves to a local schoolhouse
- 1867 — Cornerstone laid for brick church at Locust & Withrow
- 1917 — Fire destroys the Locust & Withrow church during Mass; altar saved
- 1919 — New pastor assigned to build a replacement downtown
- 1920 — Cornerstone laid at today's East High Street church
- 1966 — Parish center built behind the Oxford Municipal Building
- 1988 — Parish center reconfigured with input from Miami University students
- 2018 — 150th anniversary of the parish
Clergy, Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by the pastor of the C-1 Family of Parishes, supported by a parochial vicar and a university chaplain assigned to Miami University. Lay staff cover religious education, parish administration, buildings and grounds, music, evangelization, and the family-of-parishes secretariat. The Oxford office staff coordinator and the buildings and grounds lead are based at the East High Street campus.
- Father James (Jim) Romanello — Pastor, C-1 Family of Parishes
- Father Jedidiah Tritle — Parochial Vicar
- Father Jacob Willig — Chaplain, Miami University
- Adrienne Yoches — Religious Education, Oxford Campus
- Renee Piekutowski — C-1 Family Secretary, Oxford Campus
- Joe Moran — Buildings & Grounds, Oxford Campus
- Todd Piekutowski — C-1 Family Music Coordinator, Eaton Campus
- Jeanette Geeting — Director of Evangelization and Stewardship, Eaton Campus
- Kate Andrews — C-1 Family Reception, Eaton Campus
- Savannah Herle — Associate of Religious Education, Eaton Campus
- August Prescott — Director of Administration
Catholic Campus Ministry — Miami University
St. Mary serves as the Catholic Newman Center for Miami University, branded Catholic Redhawk. Campus Ministry is integrated into the parish's weekly rhythm, including a Sunday evening Mass during the academic year and dedicated outreach for students. The 1988 reconfiguration of the parish center itself was driven in part by Miami University student plans, reflecting the long partnership between the parish and the university. Fr. Jacob Willig serves as chaplain.
- Sunday 8:30 PM student Mass while classes are in session
- Chaplaincy: Father Jacob Willig
- Catholic Redhawk branding for Miami University ministry
Formation & Sacraments
Religious Education for children and youth is coordinated for the Oxford campus by Adrienne Yoches. Adults preparing for the sacraments can be welcomed through the parish's connection to the wider Archdiocese of Cincinnati's formation programs. Confession, Anointing of the Sick, and homebound Communion are available by request through online forms on the parish site.
- Religious Education (children & youth) — Oxford Campus
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturdays and Tuesdays
- Anointing of the Sick / Last Rites — request online
- Communion visits to the homebound — request online
- Friday Mass in the Latin rite
Parish Life & Events
Beyond the sacraments, the parish life of St. Mary's includes ongoing Eucharistic Revival programming tied to the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, an annual Oktoberfest gathering for family, food, and fellowship, and a memorial program at Mt. Olivet Cemetery featuring the Christmas Angel Box. Live-streamed Mass and online bulletins help keep parishioners connected when they cannot attend in person.
- Eucharistic Revival — parish registration & programming
- National Eucharistic Pilgrimage participation (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Route)
- Oktoberfest — annual family festival
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery Christmas Angel Box
- Live-streamed Mass from Oxford
- Online weekly bulletins
The C-1 Family of Parishes
Under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light initiative, St. Mary Oxford collaborates with three neighboring parishes — Visitation of BVM (Eaton), St. Mary (Camden), and St. John the Evangelist (New Paris) — sharing clergy, staff, and programming across the four communities. The shared Mass schedule is published on the family-of-parishes website at c1family.org, allowing families in any of the four parishes to find a Mass that fits their week.
- Visitation of BVM, Eaton (phone 937-456-3395)
- St. Mary, Camden
- St. John the Evangelist, New Paris
- St. Mary, Oxford (phone 513-523-2153)
- Unified website: c1family.org
Visit, Contact & Practical Info
St. Mary is at 111 East High Street in Oxford, on US 27 (High Street), within walking distance of Miami University. The church offers a handicap-accessible ramp; handicap restrooms are not available on site. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The Eaton campus office serves the rest of the C-1 Family Monday through Thursday, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Online forms are provided to request the Sacrament of the Sick, Last Rites, or a Communion visit for the homebound.
- Address: 111 East High Street, Oxford, OH 45056
- Phone: (513) 523-2153
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours (Oxford): Mon–Thu 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Handicap access via ramp; no handicap restrooms
- Sacrament/anointing requests available via online form
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Jeremiah O'Connor1852 (organizing priest)
Organized the parish in 1852 at the request of twelve Catholic families, buying a house on Poplar and Collins and dedicating it to Mary.
- Pastor appointed 19191919–
Assigned to build a replacement for the Locust/Withrow church destroyed by fire in 1917; chose the present downtown location on East High Street; the new cornerstone was laid in 1920.