About St. Mary · Dayton, Ohio
St. Mary Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Dayton, Ohio, established in 1859 by German immigrants and now part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Bread of Life / Pan de Vida Family of Parishes. Its striking Romanesque-style church, built in 1905–1906 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, dominates the Twin Towers neighborhood on the city's near east side and is famous for its twin bell towers, 1920 Austin pipe organ, stained-glass windows depicting the life of Mary, an annual two-story Christmas crèche, and a sixteen-foot electric Christmas star hoisted between the towers each Advent. After a century as a German-Irish stronghold the parish now serves Dayton's growing Hispanic community with English and Spanish Masses, faith formation, a food pantry, and a century-long tradition of devotional and charitable life.
- Established
- 1859
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Assumption (patronal title of Mary); parish named for the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Satish Joseph (pastor of Bread of Life / Pan de Vida Family of Parishes since July 1, 2021)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a richly bilingual Catholic life in one of Dayton's most historic churches — Sunday Mass in English and Spanish, vibrant Hispanic Ministry with Latin American devotions such as Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Catholic Urban Presence outreach. Parishioners gather for long-standing devotional traditions like the May crowning, a weekly Bible Study, Small Church Communities, and family events (rummage sales, the annual picnic, fish fries, and bingo), while the parish lives out its mission through the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, housing partnerships, and the historic Twin Towers neighborhood. Anyone seeking a parish with deep liturgical, architectural, and cultural roots — and an active, multi-generational community — will find a welcoming home here.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 9:15 AM (English, before 9:45 AM Mass)
- Tuesday after the 6:00 PM Mass (Spanish)
History of St. Mary Parish
Founded in 1859 by Dayton's German immigrants and led for its first half-century by pastors who built its churches, school, and devotional life, St. Mary has endured the construction of U.S. 35 through its neighborhood, the closure of its school, dramatic ethnic change, and now serves as a bilingual spiritual home for the city's Hispanic community. Its 1906 Romanesque church, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, remains the heart of the parish.
- Founded 1859; first Mass August 15, 1860 (Feast of the Assumption)
- Current Romanesque church built 1905–1906, dedicated Nov 18, 1906
- National Register of Historic Places, June 18, 1983
- Listed as the only Romanesque church in Dayton
Architecture & Sacred Art
The Romanesque Revival church was built under Fr. Charles S. Kemper from 1905 to 1906. Its twin bell towers mark the surrounding neighborhood, which is still called 'Twin Towers.' Inside, magnificent stained-glass windows illustrate the life of Mary and have been in place since 1906; the 1920 Austin pipe organ anchors the music program; and the interior was enriched with paintings and marble work during Msgr. Beckmeyer's tenure in the 1920s.
- Romanesque Revival architecture
- Twin bell towers
- Stained-glass windows of the life of Mary (1906)
- 1920 Austin pipe organ
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1983)
Parish Life & Devotions
St. Mary is known for a rich devotional and parish life. The parish sponsors an annual May crowning and Sunday rosary recitation in May and October, weekly Bible study, Small Church Communities, an annual rummage sale, weekly bingo, fish fries, and the long-running parish picnic. Two of its most beloved traditions are the two-story Christmas crèche (built every Advent since 1918) and the sixteen-foot electric Christmas Star raised between the twin bell towers (since 1951); together with the Resurrection Grotto added in 1986, they draw tens of thousands of visitors each year.
- Annual May Crowning
- Sunday Rosary in May and October
- Bible Study Group and Small Church Communities
- Annual two-story Crèche (since 1918)
- Sixteen-foot Christmas Star between the towers (since 1951)
- Resurrection Grotto (since 1986)
- Annual parish picnic (since 1973)
- Weekly bingo, rummage sales, fish fries
Hispanic Ministry & Bilingual Life
Hispanic Ministry at St. Mary began in 2011 with Sr. Maria Stacy, SND as its first Assistant Director, responding to the wave of immigrants from across the Americas who found a spiritual home in the parish. The parish now celebrates Masses and offers faith formation in Spanish, along with culturally rooted devotions such as Our Lady of Guadalupe; the Hispanic Ministry Office is open Tuesday through Friday, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM (937-258-1309). Leticia Castillo serves as Hispanic Ministry Secretary / Administrative Assistant.
- Hispanic Ministry founded 2011
- Sr. Maria Stacy, SND — first Assistant Director
- Spanish Mass Sun 12:15 PM and Mon–Thu 6:00 PM
- Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration
- Hispanic Ministry Office 937-258-1309
Outreach & Charity
St. Mary lives out its mission to the surrounding Twin Towers neighborhood through an active St. Vincent de Paul Society, a parish food pantry in the St. Mary Center, and housing-related partnerships. Fr. John Krumm's Catholic Urban Presence task force continues to explore how central-city parishes can share ministries and evangelize together. The campus also serves as a polling place and an educational center for the community.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (since 1973)
- Food Pantry open Tue/Thu 9:00–11:30 AM
- Catholic Urban Presence task force
- Parish used as polling place and educational center
Parish Organizations
Parish organizations knit the community together: the St. Ann Society (all women of the parish are members; meets second Tuesday at 7 PM in St. Mary Center), the Holy Name Society / HNS (all men of the parish; meets second Wednesday at 7 PM and runs the Fellowship of Work on Monday evenings — building the Crèche, Raising the Star, and the Holy Sepulcher each year), the Parish Council, the Finance Committee, and the Fundraising Committee.
- St. Ann Society (women) — second Tuesday, 7 PM
- Holy Name Society (men) — second Wednesday, 7 PM
- Fellowship of Work — Monday evenings
- Parish Council
- Finance Committee
- Fundraising Committee
- Coffee & Donuts fellowship — first Sundays after 9:45 AM Mass
Music & Liturgy
Music at St. Mary is led by Music Minister Jeff Hecht, with Kathy Maresca at the organ (the 1920 Austin) and Eric McIntosh on trumpet. The parish regularly hosts special liturgical and musical celebrations, including performances of works like 'Ave Maria' for its 150th anniversary.
- 1920 Austin pipe organ
- Music Minister Jeff Hecht
- Organist Kathy Maresca
- Trumpeter Eric McIntosh
- Choir sings for Sunday Masses
Education & School History
St. Mary's original school was established soon after the parish's founding and was staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame until 1893, then by the Sisters of the Precious Blood from 1893 to 1969. A parish high school was operated briefly from 1917 to 1926. The grammar school closed in 1971, but its alumni association, formed in 1993, still supports the parish and provides scholarships for St. Mary students attending other parish schools.
- Original school founded soon after 1859
- Sisters of Notre Dame taught 1859–1893
- Sisters of the Precious Blood taught 1893–1969
- Parish high school 1917–1926
- Grammar school closed 1971
- St. Mary Alumni Association founded 1993
Bread of Life / Pan de Vida Family of Parishes
Since July 1, 2022, as part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light pastoral plan, St. Mary has been paired with four neighboring parishes — St. Anthony of Padua (Linden Heights), St. Helen (Riverside), Church of the Holy Angels (South Park), and Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Belmont) — under the Bread of Life / Pan de Vida Family of Parishes. Fr. Satish Joseph serves as pastor of the family, assisted by parochial vicars Fr. Len Wenke and Fr. Jose Benitez and Deacon Carlos Soto. The weekend Saturday 4:30 PM Mass is celebrated at the Immaculate Conception campus.
- Formed July 1, 2022 under Beacons of Light
- St. Anthony of Padua, St. Helen, Holy Angels, Immaculate Conception
- Fr. Satish Joseph, pastor
- Fr. Len Wenke and Fr. Jose Benitez, parochial vicars
Staff & Contact
Parish operations are supported by Business / Facilities Manager Brian Burcham, Bookkeeper Anita Wagner (also Parish Secretary / Administrative Assistant), Leticia Castillo (Hispanic Ministry Administrative Assistant), Music Director Jeff Hecht, Liturgy Coordinator Will Marsh, and Bread of Life Communications Coordinator Sr. Emily Sandoval, FMI. The main parish office is at 310 Allen Street, Dayton, OH 45410 (937-256-5633); the Hispanic Ministry Office is at the same address (937-258-1309).
- Brian Burcham — Business / Facilities Manager
- Anita Wagner — Bookkeeper / Parish Secretary
- Leticia Castillo — Hispanic Ministry Administrative Assistant
- Jeff Hecht — Music Director
- Will Marsh — Liturgy
- Sr. Emily Sandoval — Communications (Bread of Life)
- Office 937-256-5633; Hispanic Ministry 937-258-1309
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Peter (Johann) Schiff1859–1869
Founding pastor; offered the first Mass on August 15, 1860; built the first schoolhouse.
- Fr. Henry L. Stuckenborg1869–1901
Built the rectory (1871) and the school building (1878); resigned due to ill health.
- Fr. Joseph Lutz1901–1903
Served briefly; resigned due to failing health.
- Fr. Charles S. Kemper1903–1913
Came from the chaplaincy of the National Military Home; oversaw construction of the present Romanesque church, dedicated November 18, 1906.
- Fr. Otto B. Auer1914–1917
Led the parish through WWI; oversaw establishment of a parish high school (1917).
- Msgr. Bernard J. Beckmeyer1917–1967
St. Mary's longest-serving pastor (50 years); became Monsignor in 1944; oversaw 1920 organ installation and decorative work; purchased Twin Towers Place block; eighteen parishioner sons ordained, one a bishop (Frank A. Thill); collection preserved at University of Dayton.
- Fr. Walter J. Sterwerf1969–1972
Guided parish through early Vatican II implementation.
- Fr. Kenneth Henz1972–1984
Continued Vatican II reforms; oversaw 1974 new altar; doubted parish would survive neighborhood decline.
- Fr. Thomas M. Gavin1984–1992
Pastored during continued neighborhood outreach.
- Fr. Chris Rohmiller1992–1994
Administrator after Fr. Gavin's death.
- Fr. Thomas Gaeke1994–2000
Also became pastor of Holy Family in 1995; introduced weekly bingo.
- Fr. John Krumm2000–
Inherited both St. Mary and Holy Family; led the Catholic Urban Presence task force.
- Fr. Francis Tandoh~2009
Holy Spirit Fathers; at time of parish history, Mission Coordinator for Holy Spirit Fathers.
- Rev. Satish JosephJuly 1, 2021–present
Current pastor; became pastor of the Bread of Life / Pan de Vida Family of Parishes on July 1, 2022.
