About St. Peter [Brookville Parishes] · Brookville, Indiana
St. Peter Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Brookville, Franklin County, Indiana, founded in 1838 by German immigrant families from Großwallstadt, Bavaria. It is one of three worship sites served by the Brookville Parishes (alongside St. Michael the Archangel in Brookville and Holy Guardian Angels Oratory in Cedar Grove), under the pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Today the parish community of about 183 families gathers for Sunday Mass, weekday liturgy, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and faith formation for children and youth. St. Peter sits on East Road on the edge of Brookville, and its grounds include the historic St. Peter Cemetery where many of the founding families are buried.
- Established
- 1838
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Santosh Yohannan (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Metropolitan Archdiocese of Indianapolis)
Why belong here
St. Peter is a small, multigenerational Catholic family of about 183 households that gathers in one of the oldest churches in southeastern Indiana for the Eucharist, Adoration, and Reconciliation every week. Children grow in faith through Wednesday-evening religious education and Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation, while teens take part in Team Jesus Youth Ministry alongside neighboring St. Michael. The parish shares its priest, staff, and faith-formation resources with sister communities St. Michael the Archangel and Holy Guardian Angels Oratory in Cedar Grove, giving parishioners a wide circle of Catholic life in rural Franklin County while keeping the intimate feel of a country parish.
Mass times at St. Peter [Brookville Parishes]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday at St. Peter — after the 5:30 PM Vigil Mass for 30 minutes (unless there is a baptism)
- Wednesday evenings at St. Peter — 30 minutes before and after the 6:00 PM Mass
- Saturday at St. Michael — 3:30–3:50 p.m.
- A priest is available 30 minutes after every weekday Mass for confessions
- A priest is available 30 minutes prior to every weekday and weekend Mass for 20 minutes
Adoration times
- St. Peter — Wednesday 5:00 PM until Mass at 6:00 PM
- St. Michael — Thursday following 8:35 AM Mass until 10:00 AM
- St. Michael — First Friday of each month following 7:30 AM Mass until 9:00 AM
- St. Michael — Saturday weekly from 3:00 PM to the start of the 4:00 PM Mass
About St. Peter Parish
St. Peter is a Catholic parish of about 183 families on the edge of Brookville, Indiana, in Franklin County. Founded in 1838 by German Catholic pioneers, it is one of three worship sites of the Brookville Parishes, sharing its pastor and staff with St. Michael the Archangel in Brookville and Holy Guardian Angels Oratory in Cedar Grove. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and welcomes new members into its faith family.
- Founded 1838 by Bavarian German immigrants in Highland Township
- Member of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Parish #140)
- One of three Brookville Parishes worship sites
- Approximately 183 registered families; church capacity 350
History of St. Peter
The story of St. Peter begins in 1833 when immigrant families from Großwallstadt, Bavaria, landed at Baltimore aboard the ship Weser and pushed west into the forests of Franklin County. They founded a settlement called Neuwaldstadt and, lacking a priest, gathered for prayer at a hollow tree decorated with religious images while making pilgrimages to New Alsace for Mass. A chance meeting along the Whitewater River with Father Joseph Ferneding in 1834 brought the sacraments into their lives, and by 1835 they were building a log church, blessed by Bishop Bruté and dedicated to St. Peter in July 1838.
- 1833 — Bavarian families arrive and settle Neuwaldstadt
- 1834 — Father Joseph Ferneding begins visiting
- 1835 — Construction of the log church begins
- 1838 — Bishop Bruté blesses and dedicates St. Peter Church
- 1844 — Father William Engeln named first resident pastor
- 1853 — Present brick church completed and dedicated by Bishop de Saint Palais
- 1859 — Father Leo Osrenkar, O.F.M., second resident pastor
- 1875 — Parish school built; Sisters of St. Francis from Oldenburg begin teaching
- 1883 — Present rectory built under Father William Kemper
- 1889–1891 — Parish temporarily closed after a dispute; members attend Oak Forest, St. Mary-of-the-Rock, and St. Leon
- 1971 — Parish school closes after nearly a century of Franciscan teaching
Founding Communities and the Hollow-Tree Shrine
Before there was a church, there was a tree. After Father Ferneding's first visits, the Neuwaldstadt settlers set up a large hollow tree as their place of prayer: it was decorated with icons and religious emblems, and a large portrait of the Blessed Virgin Mary was fastened within. Under the direction of Michael Ripperger, the community gathered there to pray and sing while waiting for the day they could build a proper house of worship.
- Founding families: Michael Ripperger, Henry William Geis, Ignatz Ripberger, Mathias Fussner, Franz Alois Bauer, and Conrad Weiler
- Shrine directed by Michael Ripperger
- Pilgrimages made to New Alsace for Mass
- Father Ferneding celebrated Mass in homes of William Geis and Adam Ripberger
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Faith and Family Formation program at St. Peter is coordinated by Susan Leffingwell and gathers on Wednesday evenings beginning with the 6:00 PM Mass. Children prepare for the Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation through the parish's two-year sacramental preparation tracks. The program is one of the ministries shared with sister parish St. Michael, where Brenda Bertsch serves as Director of Evangelization and faith-formation coordinator.
- St. Peter Faith Formation Coordinator: Susan Leffingwell (812-569-8101)
- Classes meet Wednesday evenings beginning with the 6:00 PM Mass
- First Communion preparation classes (St. Peter 2025 cohort announced)
- Confirmation preparation classes (St. Peter 2026 cohort announced)
- Shared faith formation resources with St. Michael
Youth Ministry — Team Jesus
Team Jesus Youth Ministry serves the teens of the Brookville Parishes, including St. Peter, gathering under the leadership of Kayla Jonas. The program supports young people in growing as disciples and connecting with the wider parish community.
- Team Jesus Youth Ministry led by Kayla Jonas
- Contact: 765-698-6398 / 765-547-1462
- Open to teens of St. Peter and St. Michael
Parish Staff
St. Peter is served by the Brookville Parishes staff, who care for all three worship sites. The team includes clergy, a deacon, religious-education and evangelization leaders, a music director, a business manager, and a director of communications.
- Administrator: Rev. Santosh Yohannan
- Deacon: Steve Tsuleff
- Director of Religious Education (St. Peter): Susan Leffingwell
- Director of Evangelization (St. Michael) / Faith Formation Coordinator: Brenda Bertsch
- Director of Evangelization & Faith Formation / Team Jesus Youth Ministry: Kayla Jonas
- Music Director: Theresa Back
- Director of Operations / Business Manager: Donna Weekley
- Director of Communications / Administrative Assistant: Carla Hertel
- Maintenance Director
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at the Brookville Parishes is coordinated by Theresa Back, Music Director. Live streaming of the Sunday Mass is provided via the parish YouTube channel from St. Michael; the live stream is also shared with St. Peter parishioners who cannot attend in person.
- Music Director: Theresa Back
- Sunday 10:30 AM Mass at St. Michael is live-streamed on YouTube
- Facebook live streaming has been discontinued in favor of YouTube
Sister Parish — St. Michael the Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel, located at 145 St. Michael Blvd., Brookville, is the larger sister parish of the Brookville Parishes, founded in 1845 and currently home to about 621 families with a church capacity of 500. It houses the parish office, hosts St. Michael School, and shares the same pastor and staff as St. Peter. Visitors are warmly welcomed at both Brookville sites and at Holy Guardian Angels Oratory in Cedar Grove.
- St. Michael — 145 St. Michael Blvd., Brookville, IN 47012 — founded 1845
- Hosts the parish office (765-647-5462)
- Houses St. Michael School
- Shared pastor and staff with St. Peter
Holy Guardian Angels Oratory — Cedar Grove
The third site of the Brookville Parishes is Holy Guardian Angels Oratory at 405 US Hwy 52, Cedar Grove, IN 47016. It provides additional weekday Mass opportunities and shares the same pastor and staff.
- Address: 405 US Hwy 52, Cedar Grove, IN 47016
- Wednesday and Friday 7:30 AM Mass
- Thursday 6:00 PM Mass
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
The Brookville Parishes celebrate the seven Catholic Sacraments and accompany parishioners at every stage of life. Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation is offered through the Faith and Family Formation program, and the parish office can be contacted for Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and other pastoral needs.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- First Holy Communion — through Faith and Family Formation
- Confirmation — through Faith and Family Formation
- Reconciliation — see confession schedule
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office to begin preparation
Safety & Safeguarding
The parish maintains a Safe Parish Program to ensure the protection of children, youth, and vulnerable adults in all parish activities. The program is listed among the parish's ongoing ministries and is overseen by parish leadership.
- Safe Parish Program — parish-wide child and youth protection initiative
St. Peter Cemetery
St. Peter Cemetery lies beside the church on East Road and is the resting place of many of the original founding families. Ignatz Ripberger, one of the original founders, was the first person buried there after his death on October 23, 1836. Father Leo Osrenkar, O.F.M., the second resident pastor (d. 1882), is also interred in the cemetery among his parishioners.
- Located beside St. Peter Church on East Road, Brookville
- Buries founding family members from the 1830s onward
- Father Leo Osrenkar, O.F.M., buried among his parishioners
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Ferneding (visiting)1839–1842
"The Apostle of the Germans"; served the mission from New Alsace and began regular monthly visits.
- Father Michael O'Rourkeuntil 1844
Assisted from Dover after Father Ferneding's departure.
- Father Charles Oppermanninterim
Celebrated Mass occasionally at St. Peter before the first resident pastor.
- Father William Engeln1844–1855
First resident pastor; began fundraising that produced the present brick church in 1853.
- Father Joseph Rudolph / Father Weber / Father Beerschneider / Father Henry Köring / Father Januarius Weisenberger1855–1859
Served St. Peter as a mission of neighboring parishes after Father Engeln's departure.
- Father Leo Osrenkar, O.F.M.1859–1882
Second resident pastor; added bells, high altar, and fresco; built the parish school in 1875 and welcomed the Sisters of St. Francis from Oldenburg as teachers.
- Father William Kemper1883–1886
Built the present rectory.
- Father Ferdinand Hundt1886–1889
Tenure ended after a dispute with the school board; the Bishop closed St. Peter from Easter 1889 to November 1891.
- Father Joseph Fleischmann1891–1908
Reopened the parish after the two-and-a-half-year closure.
- Father Charles Wagner1908–1912
- Father William Wack1912–1917
- Father John Kohlman1917–1938
Long-serving pastor; author of the 1919 Directory of St. Peter Church.
- Father William Knapp1938–1941
- Father Sylvester Bloemke1941–1950
- Father Joseph Laugel1950–1962
- Father Louis Schumacher1962–1968
Remembered fondly by long-time parishioners.
- Father George Saum1968–1975
- Father David Senefeld1975–unknown
Listed as the last pastor in the parish's published historical succession.
- Rev. Santosh Yohannancurrent
Current Administrator of the Brookville Parishes.