About St. Maurice · Napoleon, Indiana
St. Maurice Catholic Church is a small but thriving Roman Catholic parish in the unincorporated community of Napoleon, Ripley County, Indiana, founded in 1848 by 20 German-Catholic farming families. Today it serves 214 households within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and gathers as part of a three-parish cohort that includes St. John the Baptist in Osgood and Immaculate Conception in Millhousen, sharing pastoral coverage with neighboring mission parishes. The parish is known locally for warm liturgies, a committed religious-education program for preschool through grade 12, an active Parish Council, and a deep sense of stewardship carried forward by generations of the same families who settled the land.
- Established
- 1848
- Patron
- St. Maurice (Maurice and Companions, Martyrs of the Theban Legion)
- Rector
- Fr. Binu Mathew (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Why belong here
St. Maurice offers what many larger parishes cannot: a tight-knit Catholic community where most of the same family names found on the 19th-century church records still fill the pews today. Weekends feature a Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass with music directed by senior organist Mark Wirth, complemented by Holy Hour on Tuesday evenings and Friday-morning Adoration. The parish is small enough that any parishioner can sit on Parish Council, join the Faith Formation or Liturgy committees, teach religious education, or help with the famous annual picnic — and large enough to sustain a full Preschool–Grade 12 faith formation program and active outreach to neighbors through events like the community blood drive.
Mass times at St. Maurice
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 15 minutes before weekend Masses (Saturday 4:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM)
- By appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Tuesday Holy Hour 5:00–6:00 PM (preceding the 6:00 PM Mass)
- Friday Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Parish Identity & History
St. Maurice Catholic Church has served the small Ripley County community of Napoleon, Indiana, since 1848, when twenty families gathered around a 50' x 30' frame church and a missionary priest from Jennings County. The present brick church was begun in 1869 and dedicated in 1879 by Bishop Silas Chatard, and the surrounding campus grew to include a 1909 brick rectory, a 1911 parish school, and a 1960s Parish Hall — the latter two replaced in 2012 by today's Parish Center.
- Founded 1848 by 20 families
- First resident pastor: Fr. John Theodor Antoni (c.1866–1872)
- Present church dedicated September 22, 1879
- Rectory built 1909; School built 1911
- Parish Center dedicated September 2012
Mass & Sacramental Schedule
St. Maurice offers a Saturday Vigil Mass and a Sunday morning Mass, plus one weekly Mass on Tuesday evenings preceded by a Holy Hour. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is celebrated each Friday morning, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard fifteen minutes before each weekend Mass or by appointment.
- Saturday Vigil — 4:00 PM
- Sunday — 10:00 AM
- Tuesday — 6:00 PM (Holy Hour 5:00–6:00 PM)
- Friday Adoration — 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- Confession — 15 minutes before weekend Masses or by appointment
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments, with marriage preparation requiring at least six months and Anointing of the Sick available on request. Homebound parishioners can receive Communion by calling the parish office, and those discerning a religious vocation are pointed to the Archdiocese Vocations Office.
- Baptism — register through the parish office
- Eucharist (Communion for the sick/homebound) — by request
- Reconciliation — 15 minutes before weekend Masses or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — by request, call the parish office
- Holy Matrimony — at least six months of preparation required
- Holy Orders — vocational discernment via the Archdiocese Vocations Office
- Confirmation — through the Junior High/High School Religious Education program
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Parish Administrator Fr. Binu Mathew, who also serves cohort parishes St. John the Baptist in Osgood and Immaculate Conception in Millhousen. Fr. William (Bill) Turner continues as Sacramental Minister after his retirement, celebrating Mass and hearing confessions every weekend. Lauren Wagner serves as Office Manager, while Mark Wirth directs the Music Ministry as senior organist, joined by vocalist Abby Wilder.
- Parish Administrator: Fr. Binu Mathew
- Sacramental Minister: Fr. William Turner
- Office Manager: Lauren Wagner
- Music Director / Senior Organist: Mark Wirth
- Vocalist: Abby Wilder
Committees & Pastoral Council
Parish life is shaped by an active Parish Council that meets bi-monthly in July, September, November, January, March, and May, with all meetings open to parishioners who may submit proposals in writing at least two weeks in advance. Standing committees — Faith Formation, Maintenance, Finance, and Liturgy — each carry forward an essential piece of parish life, from budgeting and buildings to worship environment and parish-wide spiritual events.
- Parish Council Chair: Mary Bultman
- Faith Formation Committee: Carolyn Richards, Jack Ferkinhoff, Ann Dicken, Caleb Payne, Marge Thole, Rosie Newhart, Tara Johannigman
- Maintenance Committee: Brian Horan, Daniel Harlemert, Ken Harmeyer, Ken Hellmich, Nick Simon, Dennis Wagner, Mark Wagner
- Finance Committee: Mary Bultman, Jessica Bruns, Matt Hicks, Jerry Truesdell, Eric Busch
- Liturgy Committee: Sr. Shirley Gerth, Mark Wirth, Scott Simon, Jane Pictor, Dottie Hellmich, Amy Miller
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
Religious Education at St. Maurice serves the parish's children and youth from Preschool through Grade 12, with separate coordinators for the lower and upper divisions. Classes meet Wednesday evenings for Preschool–Grade 5 and Sunday mornings for Grades 6–10, with youth ministry coordinated by Joyce Muckerheide for older students. The volunteer-driven program operates under the direction of the Parish Council, with catechists and parents collaborating to pass on the Catholic faith.
- Preschool–Grade 5 coordinator: Patty Simon (with catechists)
- Grades 6–12 coordinator: Joyce Muckerheide
- Wednesday evenings — Preschool through Grade 5 classes at 6:45 PM
- Sunday mornings — Grades 6 through 10 classes at 8:30 AM
- Youth Ministry Coordinator: Joyce Muckerheide
Music & Liturgy
The parish's worship is supported by a dedicated Music Ministry under senior organist and Music Director Mark Wirth, supported by vocalist Abby Wilder. The Liturgy Committee — including Sister Shirley Gerth, Mark Wirth, Scott Simon, Jane Pictor, Dottie Hellmich, and Amy Miller — oversees the worship environment: scheduling liturgies and devotions, choosing music that complements the scripture readings, and decorating the church to reflect the seasons of the liturgical year.
- Senior Organist & Music Director: Mark Wirth
- Vocalist: Abby Wilder
- Liturgy Committee oversees worship environment, music selection, and seasonal decoration
Mary and Martha Circle
The Mary and Martha Circle is the parish women's organization at St. Maurice, named for the scriptural figures and devoted to balancing service to others with spiritual life. The group's stated aim is to serve the needs of others while also taking time to nourish members' spiritual life — striving for the balance between work, play, and prayer that the two Mary and Martha figures embody.
- President: Arlene Gehl
- Secretary: Judy Steuri
- Works for the good of the parish and community
St. Maurice Cemetery
St. Maurice Cemetery, located about one-quarter mile west of Napoleon on Millhousen Road, was laid out in 1849 when parishioner Blasius Gigos donated an acre of land as the parish graveyard. Over the years the cemetery has grown through bequests and purchases to its present size of 6.5 acres, holding more than 200 recorded burials. The first burial was Daniel Mullen on July 2, 1849; family names such as Wagner, Kohlman, Youngman, and Gilland — still represented in the parish today — appear alongside names of families who have moved on or died out, including Gigos, Ebner, Schlight, Bouchard, Feeney, and Donahue. Maintenance and records are overseen by a Cemetery Committee, with the parish honoring all those buried there as 'Ancestors-in-Faith.'
- Established 1849; original 1 acre donated by Blasius Gigos
- Current size: 6.5 acres; over 200 burials recorded
- Location: 1/4 mile west of Napoleon on Millhousen Road
- Cemetery Committee: Bill Wagner, Dennis Wagner, Kenny Fry
- First burial: Daniel Mullen, July 2, 1849
Parish Library
The parish Library, located in the St. Francis Room of the Parish Center (the corner room facing both Highway 229 and Harrison Street), is open before and after Mass and on Wednesday evenings during Elementary Religious Education hours. The collection, organized and cataloged by Kay Koppel, includes books and videos on marriage and family life, daily prayer and meditation, Scripture, the Sacraments, the saints, and Church history — all available for borrowing by signing the checkout sheet.
- Located in the St. Francis Room, Parish Center
- Organized by Kay Koppel
- Topics: marriage, family, prayer, Scripture, Sacraments, saints, Church history
Outreach & Parish Events
Beyond worship and formation, St. Maurice extends Catholic fellowship outward through community service. The parish regularly hosts Hoxworth community blood drives in the Parish Hall, and the Faith Formation Committee plans annual gatherings such as the Soup Pitch-In after Sunday Mass, parish missions, Santa visits, and Easter egg hunts. These events reflect the parish's commitment to the corporal works of mercy and to building fellowship among its 214 families.
- Community Blood Drive with Hoxworth (held in the Parish Hall)
- Faith Formation Annual Soup Pitch-In after Sunday Mass
- Santa visit and Easter egg hunt for children
- Parish missions and spiritual events (Faith Formation Committee)
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Maurice by mail at P.O. Box 17, Napoleon, IN 47034, or in person at 8874 N. Harrison Street, Napoleon, IN 47034. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and can be reached by phone at 812-852-4237 or by email at [email protected]. The St. Maurice Cemetery — about a quarter mile west of Napoleon on Millhousen Road — welcomes visitors to stop in and spend time in prayer and remembrance.
- Mailing: P.O. Box 17, Napoleon, IN 47034
- GPS: 8874 N. Harrison Street, Napoleon, IN 47034
- Phone: 812-852-4237
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Cohort Parishes
St. Maurice shares its pastoral team with two neighboring mission parishes in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, each with its own Mass schedule. Together the three form a 'cohort' under Fr. Binu Mathew's leadership.
- St. John the Baptist Catholic Church — 331 S Buckeye St, Osgood, IN 47037 — 812-689-4244 (Wednesday & Friday Holy Hour 7:00 AM; Friday Adoration 3:00–6:00 PM; Saturday 5:00 PM Mass; Sunday 7:30 AM Mass)
- Immaculate Conception Church — 2081 E Co Rd 820 S, Greensburg, IN 47240 — 812-591-2362 (Monday Rosary 10:30 AM; Thursday Holy Hour 5:00 PM, Mass 6:00 PM; Friday Adoration 12:00–3:00 PM; Sunday 9:00 AM Mass)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Alphonse Munschina1848–c.1866
Traveling missionary priest from Jennings County who served the early parish.
- Rev. John Theodor Antonic.1866–1872
First resident pastor; began construction of the present church in 1869; died at age 34 before its completion and is commemorated by a marble tablet.
- Rev. Adam Feigan1880–c.1896
Served sixteen years.
- Rev. Meinrad Toelle1879–c.1909
Longest-tenured pastor at the time; led the parish thirty years.
- Rev. John Ragerc.1909–c.1919
Served ten years; coincided with the 1909 rectory and 1911 school construction.
- Rev. Cornelius Hallc.1942–1956
Served fourteen years, until his death.
- Rev. Michael Djubszc.1957–1975
Served eighteen years.
- Msgr. Joseph Brokhage1975–1991
Served as Parish Administrator, assisted by Sister Mary Cecile Deken.
- Fr. Joe Rautenberg1991–1995
Sacramental Minister during Sister Carol Leveque's tenure as Parish Life Coordinator.
- Fr. Bill Ripperger1995–c.2001
Resident pastor for six years.
- Fr. Larry Borders2002–2004
Died in office in 2004.
- Fr. Todd Goodsonmid-2000s
- Fr. Rob Hankeemid-2000s
- Fr. Aaron Jenkinsmid-2000s
- Sister Shirley Gerth2010–
Pastoral Life Coordinator (PLC).
- Fr. John Geis2010–c.2023
Sacramental Minister; retired.
- Fr. Binu Mathew2023–present
Parish Administrator; also ministers to St. John the Baptist, Osgood and Immaculate Conception, Millhousen.