About St. Patrick · Oxford, Indiana
St. Patrick Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the town of Oxford in Benton County, Indiana. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana and is part of the South West Newton–Benton Copastorate (SWNBC), sharing pastoral ministry with neighboring parishes in the area. The church stands at 502 South Michigan Street, the same Michigan Road corridor on which Benton County itself was organized in 1843. Currently shepherded by Rev. Richard Weisenberger and assisted by parish secretary Nancy Brost, St. Patrick continues to gather the faithful of this rural northwest-Indiana community for weekly Eucharist, the sacraments, and the everyday work of building up the Kingdom of God.
- Established
- 1867
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Richard Weisenberger
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana
Why belong here
St. Patrick is the spiritual home of Oxford's small but devoted Catholic community in the heart of rural Benton County. As part of the South West Newton–Benton Copastorate, it offers the full rhythm of Catholic life — weekday and weekend Mass, Saturday confessions, and the wider sacramental life of the parish — under the steady care of a single pastor and a welcoming administrative team. Visitors are warmly invited to 'pray, socialize, and/or work with us in bringing about a greater degree of the Kingdom of God here and now and for all eternity.'
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (at St. Patrick's, Oxford)
History of St. Patrick Parish, Oxford
St. Patrick's is the oldest Catholic congregation in Benton County, with roots that reach back to the very first Mass celebrated in Oxford by Father Stephens, which took place in the local Christian Church — a striking act of hospitality on the 19th-century Indiana frontier. The present brick church was begun in 1863 with a cornerstone laid by Father Kilroy of Lafayette, completed under Fathers Stephens, O'Calahan, and Dinnen, and dedicated in the years following the Civil War. Materials were hauled by wagon from Lafayette because Oxford had no railroad. A frame rectory was added in 1871, and a parish cemetery was laid out on the grounds. By the early 1880s the parish numbered about 200 communicants drawn from across Benton and northern Warren Counties and supported a mission at St. Bridget's in Pine Township.
- Oldest Catholic church in Benton County, Indiana
- Cornerstone laid 1863 by Father Kilroy of Lafayette
- First resident priest: Father Stephens, 1865
- Rectory built 1871 by Father Dinnen
- Parish cemetery on the grounds near the old LE&W Railroad depot
Parish Leadership & Staff
St. Patrick's is currently served by Rev. Richard (Richard J.) Weisenberger, pastor of the South West Newton–Benton Copastorate. He is assisted in the parish office by Nancy Brost, administrative assistant. Father Weisenberger, a son of the late Vincent and Blanche Weisenberger, also serves as pastor of St. John the Baptist in Earl Park.
- Rev. Richard Weisenberger — Pastor
- Nancy Brost — Administrative Assistant
South West Newton–Benton Copastorate (SWNBC)
St. Patrick's is one of the parishes in the South West Newton–Benton Copastorate, a pastoral grouping of rural Catholic parishes in northwest Indiana led by Father Richard Weisenberger. The copastorate shares sacramental ministry, communications, and programming, and maintains a common pastoral page on Facebook at SWNBCPastoralPage where parishioners can find weekly updates and announcements.
- Shared pastoral leadership with neighboring parishes (e.g., St. John the Baptist, Earl Park)
- Common Facebook page: facebook.com/SWNBCPastoralPage
Sacraments & Devotional Life
The parish celebrates the Eucharist daily and on Sundays, hears Confessions on Saturday afternoons, and welcomes inquiries about Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and other sacraments through the parish office. As a small rural parish, St. Patrick's devotional life centers on the Sunday liturgy and the shared observances of the wider copastorate.
- Eucharistic liturgy — daily and Sunday
- Reconciliation — Saturday 4:30–5:15 PM
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick by appointment
Parish Grounds, Cemetery & Architecture
The church and the adjoining frame rectory sit together on roughly three acres near the historic Lake Erie & Western Railroad depot in Oxford. The grounds are described in 19th-century records as surrounded by an arbor vitae hedge and a natural grove of trees, 'giving the whole a most pleasing aspect.' A parish cemetery is part of the property, continuing the parish's ministry to its members beyond the walls of the church.
- Brick church, built 1863–1865
- Frame rectory, built 1871
- Parish cemetery on site
- Arbor vitae hedge and natural grove
Visiting St. Patrick's
The parish warmly invites visitors and newcomers to 'pray, socialize, and/or work with us in bringing about a greater degree of the Kingdom of God here and now and for all eternity.' Practical directions, contact information, and the weekly bulletin are available through the parish office and the copastorate website.
- Office: 502 South Michigan St., Oxford, IN 47971
- Phone: (765) 385-2587
- Email: [email protected]
- Web: swnewtonbentoncopastorate.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Stephens1865 (first resident priest)
Offered the first Mass in Oxford and oversaw much of the construction of the present church.
- Father Wintersto 1869
Served the parish from Lafayette.
- Father O'CalahanSept. 1864 – Apr. 1870
Resident pastor; supervised construction.
- Father DinnenApr. 1870 – Nov. 1875
Completed the church; built the rectory in 1871.
- Father McCartyNov. 1875 – Oct. 1877
- Father LangOct. 1877 – Apr. 1882
- Father MaujayApr. 1882 – June 1882
- Father P. J. Crossonfrom June 1882
Listed as the current priest in the 1883 county history.
- Father Fred Gschwind
Photographed at St. Patrick's altar in 1959; served the parish mid-20th century.
- Rev. Richard Weisenbergerpresent
Current pastor; also serves St. John the Baptist, Earl Park, in the SWNBC copastorate.