About St. Michael · Fort Loramie, Ohio
St. Michael Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of Fort Loramie, Shelby County, Ohio, founded in 1838 as the sixth-oldest parish in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Its present Tuscan-Gothic church building, completed in 1881, remains the architectural centerpiece of the village and houses an ornate carved-wood high altar, twenty-two stained-glass windows, fourteen German-imported Stations of the Cross, and a 200-foot bell tower whose original bells still call the faithful to Mass and the Angelus. The parish claims roughly 1,050 registered families in a community of fewer than 1,500 residents, and today it is partnered with neighboring Ss. Peter & Paul Parish in Newport as part of the family of parishes known as St. Joseph, Pillar of Families.
- Established
- 1838
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. John Tonkin
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Michael offers the rare combination of a small-town Catholic community and a 19th-century landmark church still very much alive in daily parish life. With about 1,050 registered families from Fort Loramie (pop. <1,500) and the surrounding Shelby County countryside, the parish is large enough to sustain daily Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, a full Religious Education program (K–12), active liturgical ministries, and a strong devotional life — including the annual 40 Hours Devotion, a weekly rosary, Apostleship of Prayer, and a rosary for persecuted Christians. As Father Shoup has put it, 'The parishioners really take great pride in their parish, church building and all the buildings on the property,' and many current families trace their membership back to the parish's earliest generation.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00–5:45 PM at St. Michael Church
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM at St. Michael Church
- Sunday 10:15–10:45 AM at St. Michael Church
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, St. Michael Church
- Annual 40 Hours Devotion, held in June at St. Michael Church (e.g. June 9–11, 2026)
History of St. Michael Parish
Catholic life at Loramie Creek reaches back to September 1749, when Father Joseph Peter Bonnecamps celebrated Mass for Pierre-Joseph Céloron's expedition — a fact that may make the parish the site of the first Mass in what is now the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The parish itself was formally organized in 1838 by the St. Michael's Church Society at the home of James M. Pilliod, with Father Louis Navarron saying the first Mass in Pilliod's storeroom. A first brick church was completed in 1851 under the first permanent pastor, Rev. Augustin Berger (1851–1857); that structure is still attached to the present church. The current Tuscan-Gothic church was begun under Rev. William Bigot in 1878, with the cornerstone laid before 2,000 witnesses in October 1879, and consecrated in 1881 by Bishop W. H. Elder. The parish celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2013 with Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr offering Mass on the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel.
- 1838 – St. Michael's Church Society organized at the home of James M. Pilliod
- 1845 – Services move to a blockhouse on the future Quinlin drug-store lot
- 1851 – First brick church completed under Rev. Augustin Berger (first permanent pastor)
- 1879 – Cornerstone of present church laid (Rev. William Bigot)
- 1881 – Church consecrated by Bishop William Henry Elder
- 2005 – Joined with Ss. Peter & Paul (Newport) as the Newport–Fort Loramie Pastoral Region
- 2013 – 175th anniversary celebrated with Archbishop Schnurr
- 2022 – Joins family of parishes 'St. Joseph, Pillar of Families' under Beacons of Light
Architecture & Sacred Spaces
The present church is a Tuscan-Gothic brick structure trimmed with sandstone, measuring 64 by 170 feet. Its 55-foot center vault and 32-foot side vaults rise above a nave that seats 800 in original pews, lit by 22 stained-glass windows and flanked by 18 statues and 14 Stations of the Cross imported from Germany. A 200-foot tower holds the original four bells (the largest 3,600 pounds) that still ring for Mass and the Angelus. The carved-wood high altar and two side altars survive from 1881, and the original 22-register pipe organ has been expanded to over 1,100 pipes. A 2007 renovation upgraded the heating system and added air conditioning. The original 1851 brick church remains attached to and used by the present building.
- Style: Tuscan-Gothic, brick with sandstone trim
- Dimensions: 64 × 170 ft; center vault 55 ft; side vaults 32 ft
- Tower: 200 ft, four original bells (largest 3,600 lbs.)
- Windows: 22 stained-glass; 18 statues; 14 German Stations of the Cross
- Altars: carved-wood high altar and two side altars (original 1881)
- Organ: expanded to 1,100+ pipes
- Heating/AC upgrade: 2007
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Michael supports a full K–12 religious education program in partnership with the Newport–Fort Loramie Pastoral Region. Elementary CCD (grades K–6) meets at St. Michael; the Regional Grades 7–12 program, using the Lifeteen curriculum and a 'Relational Ministry' model, gathers at St. Michael Hall on Wednesday evenings (Junior High 6:45–7:45 PM; High School 8:00–9:00 PM). The parish also runs the usual Sacramental preparation tracks: First Reconciliation (received in 2nd grade, typically November), First Communion, Confirmation, and marriage preparation. Adult faith formation is coordinated by Pastoral Associate Rose Meyer.
- Religious Education K–6 at St. Michael
- Pastoral Region Grades 7–12 (Lifeteen)
- First Reconciliation preparation (2nd grade, November)
- First Communion & Confirmation preparation
- RCIA / Adult Faith Formation — Rose Meyer, [email protected]
- Marriage preparation
Liturgical Ministries & Music
Parishioners serve the liturgy of St. Michael in a wide variety of roles. Schedules are published online and updated regularly (e.g. the February 28 – March 29 Ministry Schedule). The Music Ministry is directed by Brenda Schmitmeyer and supports the parish's traditional pipe-organ Masses. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during weekend Masses, and lay-led rosary and devotions supplement the liturgical schedule.
- Altar Servers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Greeters
- Lectors
- Mass Coordinators (St. Michael)
- Music Ministries (Brenda Schmitmeyer, Music Director)
- Ushers
- Rosary Leaders
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
Devotions & Community Prayer
Beyond the Mass schedule, St. Michael maintains a daily rhythm of popular Catholic devotions. A rosary is prayed after weekday Masses, before Sunday Mass, and on Friday afternoons for persecuted Christians; the Liturgy of the Hours / Morning Prayer is prayed before Friday Mass. The Apostleship of Prayer meets Sunday mornings before Mass. The annual 40 Hours Devotion, held each June, draws the parish into extended Eucharistic Adoration.
- Sun 7:25 AM — Rosary & Apostleship of Prayer
- Wed 9:00 AM — Rosary after Mass
- Thu 9:00 AM — Rosary after Mass
- Fri 8:05 AM — Liturgy of the Hours / Morning Prayer
- Fri 9:00 AM — Rosary after Mass
- Fri 3:20 PM — Rosary for Persecuted Christians
- Annual 40 Hours Devotion (June)
Parish Staff & Clergy
As part of the St. Joseph, Pillar of Families family of parishes, St. Michael is served by a regional pastoral team. The pastor of the family of parishes is Rev. John Tonkin, with three vicars — Rev. Alex Biryomumeisho, Rev. Mark Bredestege, and Rev. Steve Mondiek — and Deacon Paul Timmerman. Pastoral Associate Rose Meyer, who has served since 2005, coordinates adult faith formation and the sacramental life of the parish; Jill Mangas serves as St. Michael's sacristan and maintenance lead, and George Sholtis as facilities and maintenance manager for the region.
- Rev. John Tonkin — Pastor
- Rev. Alex Biryomumeisho — Vicar
- Rev. Mark Bredestege — Vicar
- Rev. Steve Mondiek — Vicar
- Deacon Paul Timmerman — 937-498-2307, [email protected]
- Rose Meyer — Pastoral Associate, [email protected] (since 2005)
- Brenda Schmitmeyer — Music Director (St. Michael)
- Jill Mangas — St. Michael Maintenance & Sacristan
- George Sholtis — Facilities & Maintenance Manager
Family of Parishes — St. Joseph, Pillar of Families
In July 2022, through the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light initiative, St. Michael was joined with Ss. Peter & Paul (Newport), Holy Angels (Sidney), and Sacred Heart of Jesus to form the family of parishes known as St. Joseph, Pillar of Families — the name chosen by parishioners from all four parishes in January 2023. The collaboration allows the four parishes to share priests, staff, and faith-formation resources while retaining their individual parish identities and worship sites.
- St. Michael, Fort Loramie
- Sts. Peter & Paul, Newport
- Holy Angels, Sidney
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (Shelby County)
- Sacramental emergency line: 937-947-0204
St. Michael Cemetery
St. Michael maintains its own parish cemetery, the second in the parish's history (a previous cemetery preceded the current one). The cemetery is administered through the parish office and is one of the four 'buildings' (along with the church, rectory, and parish hall) on the parish grounds that successive generations of parishioners have built up over the parish's 175+ year history.
- St. Michael Cemetery — administered by the parish
- Contact via parish office: (937) 295-2891
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
St. Michael is located at 33 Elm Street, Fort Loramie, Ohio 45845, in the heart of the village — its tower is a defining feature of the local skyline. The St. Michael / Ss. Peter & Paul parish office is open Monday mornings, 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, at (937) 295-2891. After hours, callers can reach staff via a dial-by-name directory (Option 3). For Sacramental emergencies at any time, the family of parishes maintains a 24-hour priest line at 937-947-0204.
- Address: 33 Elm Street, Fort Loramie, OH 45845
- Phone: (937) 295-2891
- Office hours (St. Michael / Ss. Peter & Paul): Mon 9 AM–12 Noon
- Sacramental Emergency: 937-947-0204
- After-hours staff: dial-by-name directory, Option 3
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Louis Navarron1838–
First priest to serve St. Michael; said the first Mass in James M. Pilliod's storeroom; also served Versailles, Russia, Minster, Maria Stein, Celina, and St. Mary's.
- Rev. Augustin (Austin) Berger1851–1857
First permanent pastor; completed the first brick church.
- Rev. William Bigot1878–
Initiated construction of the present Tuscan-Gothic church in 1878; cornerstone laid October 1879.
- Rev. Steven (Steve) Shoup1999–2023
15th pastor of St. Michael; oversaw the 2005 formation of the Newport–Fort Loramie Pastoral Region with Ss. Peter & Paul, Newport; continued as pastor of the region from 2005 to June 2023; led the parish's 175th anniversary in 2013.
- Rev. Jarred Kohn2023–
First pastor of the new family of parishes 'St. Joseph, Pillar of Families,' formed in January 2023; served with three vicars.