About St. Mary · Hillsboro, Ohio
St. Mary Catholic Church (formally Saint Mary of the Assumption) is a Roman Catholic parish located at 212 S. High Street in Hillsboro, Ohio, and is part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. It is the anchor parish of the "Our Lady of the Hills" family of parishes, which also includes St. Benignus in Greenfield, Holy Trinity in West Union, and St. Mary Queen of Heaven in Peebles. The parish is led by Pastor Father Michael A. "Mike" Paraniuk and offers weekend and weekday Masses in the Roman Rite in English, with regular Confession, Eucharistic Adoration, a Parish School of Religion (PreK–12), RCIA, Knights of Columbus, and a St. Vincent de Paul conference. The parish also operates its own FM Catholic radio station, WLRU 106.9 FM, which broadcasts locally and worldwide online, including the Sunday 10 a.m. Mass, a weekday rosary, and ecumenical/interfaith programming.
- Established
- 1855
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (Saint Mary of the Assumption)
- Rector
- Father Michael A. "Mike" Paraniuk
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Mary offers the full sacramental life of a small-town Catholic parish — daily and weekend Mass, weekday Confession and Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, robust faith formation for children in PSR (PreK–12), an RCIA process for adults, a parish preschool, and the usual constellation of lay apostolates (Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, Pro-Life, Ladies Auxiliary, Music). What makes it distinctive is that the parish reaches far beyond its own pews through WLRU 106.9 FM, broadcasting Mass, the rosary, benediction and Father Paraniuk's ecumenical "Church Among Us" program locally and online. Visitors are welcomed into an active, missionary community that takes seriously both the traditional devotional life and engagement with the wider Highland County community.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00–5:25 PM (before Vigil Mass)
- Sunday 7:30–8:00 AM (before 8 AM Mass)
- Thursday 6:00–6:45 PM (before Adoration)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 PM Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (following Confession)
Parish Identity and Mission
St. Mary Catholic Church of Hillsboro, formally Saint Mary of the Assumption, is a Roman Rite parish of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. It is the anchor church of the Our Lady of the Hills Family of Parishes, a multi-site Catholic community serving Adams and Highland Counties in southern Ohio.
- Patron: Blessed Virgin Mary
- Feast: Assumption (August 15)
- Roman Rite, English-language liturgy
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
WLRU 106.9 FM — St. Mary Catholic Broadcasting System
St. Mary operates WLRU 106.9 FM, a Catholic radio station launched in 2014 under Father Mike Paraniuk. From a 100-watt tower it reaches Highland, Ross, Clinton, Fayette, Brown and Adams Counties, and is streamed worldwide through SaintMaryHillsboro.org. Programming includes the Sunday 10 AM Mass, weekday rosary, Thursday benediction and Mass, and local shows including Father Paraniuk's ecumenical 'The Church Among Us,' the 'Abernathy Report' local news, a pet-adoption 'Puppy-Kitty Report' supporting the Highland County Animal Shelter, and the Saturday Night Polka Party (7–9 PM Saturdays). Some content is supplied by Boston-based CatholicTV.
- 106.9 FM (Highland, Ross, Clinton, Fayette, Brown, Adams Counties)
- Online streaming at saintmaryhillsboro.org
- Sunday 10 AM Mass broadcast
- Monday and Sunday rosary broadcast
Faith Formation — Parish School of Religion
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) serves children from PreK through 12th grade, a notably broad age range for a rural parish. It is directed by Michelle Vanzant Salyer and is contactable at [email protected] or 937-840-9932.
- Grades Pre-K through 12
- Director: Michelle Vanzant Salyer
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 937-840-9932
RCIA and Adult Initiation
Adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or full communion with the Catholic Church enter the parish's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) process, coordinated by Joyce Combs.
- Coordinator: Joyce Combs, 937-403-6708
- Inquiry, catechumenate, and Mystagogia periods
Parish Apostolates and Outreach
The parish supports the classic Catholic works of mercy through its lay organizations, including corporal works of charity (St. Vincent de Paul), a Knights of Columbus council, a Ladies Auxiliary, a parish choir, and a Pro-Life representative. It also runs a parish preschool out of the parish office.
- St. Vincent de Paul: George Sakash, 937-205-0919
- Knights of Columbus: Grand Knight Jim Hehl, 937-661-4835
- Pro-Life: Mary Tamborski, 937-205-4458
- Choir/Music Director: Lynn Turner, 937-763-8522
- Parish Preschool / Admin: Leah Salyer, 937-840-9932
- Ladies Auxiliary
Parish Staff and Contacts
Day-to-day operations are handled through the parish office, with Leah Salyer serving as administrative assistant and Beacons of Light liaison. Office hours and after-hours contact go through 937-840-9932.
- Pastor: Father Michael A. "Mike" Paraniuk
- Parochial Vicar: Father Matthew K. Lee
- Admin Assistant / Preschool: Leah Salyer ([email protected], 937-205-3038)
- Parish office: 937-840-9932; parish line: 937-393-1742
Parish Address, Phone, and Giving
The parish office and church are located at 212 S. High Street, Hillsboro, OH 45133. Donations can be given in the collection basket, mailed to the parish office, or made online through OSV.
- Address: 212 S. High Street, Hillsboro, OH 45133
- Phone: 937-840-9932 (office) / 937-393-1742
- Email: [email protected]
- Online giving: osvhub.com/stmaryhillsboro/giving/funds
Our Lady of the Hills Family of Parishes
As the lead parish of the Our Lady of the Hills Family (Beacons of Light, effective July 1, 2022), St. Mary Hillsboro shares pastoral leadership with three other Catholic worship sites in Adams and Highland Counties, all within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Father Paraniuk is pastor of the family and Father Matthew K. Lee serves as parochial vicar.
- St. Benignus — 204 S. Second St., Greenfield, OH 45123 (937-981-2785, [email protected])
- Holy Trinity — 612 E. Mulberry St., West Union, OH 45693 (937-544-2757, [email protected])
- St. Mary Queen of Heaven — 205 Wendell Ave., Peebles, OH 45660 (937-544-2757, [email protected])
Bulletin and News
A weekly parish bulletin (joint with St. Benignus) is published on the Our Lady of the Hills website and announces Mass intentions, the sick list, financial collections, parish programs, and parish events. Current bulletins include full Holy Week and Easter schedules, and the bulletins list a 170th anniversary celebration for St. Mary's Hillsboro on October 21, 2025.
- Bullets published at ourladyofthehillsoh.com
- Weekly collection and fiscal-year totals published
- Joint 'St. Mary–St. Benignus' bulletin
- 170th Anniversary — October 21, 2025
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Mike Paraniukcurrent (long-serving, pastor since at least the 2010s)
Pastor of St. Mary Hillsboro and lead pastor of the Our Lady of the Hills Family of Parishes; founder of WLRU 106.9 FM Catholic radio.