St. Mary

History of St. Mary Parish, Philothea

St. Mary's was established on September 6, 1851, when nine local men traveled to Cincinnati to ask Archbishop John Baptist Purcell for permission to build a church; those same men had earlier purchased 40 acres of land for $100 for a church and school. The Archbishop named the settlement 'Philothea,' Greek for 'God-loving.' The first log church was dedicated September 8, 1853, under the patronage of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

• 1851 (Feb) – Nine pioneers purchase 40 acres for $100 to build a church
• 1851 (Sept 6) – Parish established by permission of Archbishop Purcell
• 1853 (Sept 8) – Original log church dedicated as Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• 1862 – Weekly Sunday Mass becomes regular
• 1868 (Aug 15) – Cornerstone of larger brick church laid
• 1871 (June 11) – New church dedicated
• 1890s – Marble baptistry, stained-glass windows, and pipe organ added; ceiling painted 'Our Lady Queen of the Rosary'
• 1905 – First rectory built
• 1922 (Aug) – Major remodel: tower added and seating enlarged
• 1924 – School building added adjacent to church (used until 1959)
• 1943 – Grotto built in honor of military men
• 2001 – Parish celebrates 150th anniversary
• 2002 – Precious Blood Society returns parish to Archdiocese of Cincinnati; clustered with Holy Trinity and St. Anthony

The Church Building and Historic Features

The present church, built of brick in 1868-1871 to replace the original log structure, was substantially remodeled in August 1922 with a tower and expanded seating. Its interior features include a marble baptistry, stained-glass windows, a pipe organ, and a ceiling inscription 'Our Lady Queen of the Rosary.' The adjacent former school building, which once served as a Coldwater School District school, returned to parish ownership and is now used as a parish hall for CCD classes and community events.

Faith Formation and Religious Education

Religious education for the parish's children is coordinated at the Family of Parishes level. Stephanie Rutschilling serves as the Religious Education Coordinator for Holy Trinity, St. Anthony, and St. Mary. CCD classes meet in the parish hall (the historic former school building). The parish also hosts St. Mary Bible School each summer — an evening program of catechesis and activities for children held in early June at St. Mary Church.

• Religious Education / CCD (Stephanie Rutschilling)
• St. Mary Bible School (annual early June, 6:30–8:15 pm)
• Classes held in the parish school hall

Parish School Hall and Hall Rental

The historic former parish school — built in 1924 and used as a school until 1959 — returned to the parish and now functions as a parish hall. It hosts CCD classes, parish gatherings, and community events, and is available for rental. Hall rental inquiries go through the Coldwater Parish Office at 419-678-4802.

• Used for CCD classes
• Available for hall rental — contact the Coldwater Parish Office

Music and Liturgy

Music for Mass at St. Mary's is part of the shared Music Ministry across the Holy Cross Family of Parishes, led by Ron Johnson (Music – Coldwater). The historic pipe organ, installed in the 1890s, remains a notable liturgical feature of the church.

• Ron Johnson, Music (Coldwater)
• Historic pipe organ (installed in the 1890s)

Holy Cross Family of Parishes

St. Mary's is one of seven parishes in the Holy Cross Family of Parishes, formed from the earlier Coldwater Parish Cluster. The Family shares priests, staff, and programming across Coldwater-area and Fort Recovery-area parishes, giving the small rural church access to a wider range of ministries and personnel than a parish of its size could sustain alone.

• Holy Trinity (Coldwater)
• Mary Help of Christians (Ft. Recovery)
• St. Anthony
• St. Mary (Philothea, Coldwater)
• St. Joseph
• St. Paul
• St. Peter
• Shared Family-wide staff and ministry schedules

Parish Staff and Clergy

St. Mary's is served by the priests and deacons of the Holy Cross Family of Parishes, along with lay staff who coordinate religious education, music, youth ministry, communications, business, and bereavement care across the cluster. The Coldwater Parish Office, reached at 419-678-4802, handles day-to-day parish business.

• Rev. Alexander Witt – Pastor
• Rev. Ethan Moore – Parochial Vicar
• Rev. Joseph Pasala – Parochial Vicar
• Rev. Barry Stechschulte
• Deacon Daniel Kahlig
• Deacon Roger Kaiser
• Julie Schmitz – Administrative Assistant (Coldwater)
• Charmaine Bettinger – Business Manager (Coldwater)
• Stephanie Rutschilling – Religious Education Coordinator (HT, SA, SM)
• Harlie Metzger – Religious Education Coordinator (MHC, SJ, SPL, SPT)
• Natalie Ashbaugh – Director of Youth Ministry
• Cindy Muhlenkamp – Director of Evangelization
• Ron Johnson – Music (Coldwater)
• Ginny Fortkamp – Bereavement Ministry Coordinator
• Lisa Cowan – Director of Communications
• Rob Schmidt – Maintenance (Coldwater)

Visiting and Contact Information

St. Mary's sits in the quiet farming community of Philothea, a short drive west of the Village of Coldwater, Ohio, in Mercer County. Visitors coming from State Route 118 turn onto Philothea Road and continue about 1.5 miles west to the church. The Parish Center next door is open during visits and offers men's and women's restrooms.

• Address: 3821 Philothea Road, Coldwater, OH 45828
• Phone: 419-678-4802 (Coldwater Office)
• Directions: State Route 118 to Philothea Road, 1.5 miles west
• Parish Center next door open with restrooms
• Website: holycrossfop.org/st-mary-1-1 (formerly coldwatercluster.org)

Getting Involved

Parishioners can take part in the life of St. Mary's through CCD teaching and Bible School, the music ministry, youth ministry, evangelization efforts, the bereavement ministry, and parish-wide events held in the school hall. Many roles are shared with sister parishes in the Holy Cross Family, so getting involved is as simple as calling the Coldwater Parish Office at 419-678-4802.

• CCD and Bible School volunteers
• Music Ministry
• Youth Ministry
• Evangelization
• Bereavement Ministry
• Hall rental and parish events