About St. Peter Catholic Church · Chillicothe, Ohio
St. Peter Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish at 118 Church Street in Chillicothe, Ohio, founded in the 1840s by German-speaking immigrants and now part of the multi-site Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles parish in the Diocese of Columbus. The cornerstone of the present church was laid on June 29, 1845, and it was dedicated on August 30, 1846; it has served the German-heritage Catholic community of Chillicothe — Ohio's first capital — for more than 175 years. Today the parish shares clergy, faith formation, and outreach with sister churches St. Mary (Chillicothe) and St. Mary (Waverly), under pastor Reverend William L. Hritsko and Deacon Reed Hauser, with Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary assisting in pastoral care.
- Established
- 1837
- Patron
- St. Peter (Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. William L. Hritsko
- Diocese
- Diocese of Columbus
Why belong here
St. Peter offers an unusual combination of deep 19th-century German-Catholic heritage and an active, contemporary parish life in the Diocese of Columbus. Visitors can attend Sunday Mass at 8:00 a.m. or weekday Masses (Monday evening, Wednesday and Thursday mornings), spend time in the parish's Adoration Chapel (open Tuesday 6:00 a.m. through Thursday 8:00 a.m., and Thursday 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. in church), and participate in parish school faith formation at Bishop Flaget School, food assistance through the St. Vincent de Paul Society (Tuesdays 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.), and sacramental preparation for First Communion, Confirmation, marriage, and RCIA. The parish is supported by the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary as pastoral assistants, and welcomes new parishioners to register through the parish office at 285 W. Water St.
Mass times at St. Peter Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 6:00 p.m. @ St. Peter
- Thursday 9:00 a.m. @ St. Peter
- Thursday 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Exceptions announced) @ St. Peter
Adoration times
- Tuesday 6:00 a.m. through Thursday 8:00 a.m. @ St. Peter Adoration Chapel
- Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. @ St. Peter Church
- Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. @ St. Mary, Chillicothe
About Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles Parish
St. Peter Church is one of three church sites that together form Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles, a unified Catholic parish serving Ross and Pike Counties in the Diocese of Columbus. The other sites are St. Mary, Chillicothe (61 S. Paint St.) and St. Mary, Waverly (403 S. Market St.). Shared clergy, faith formation, music, and outreach ministries operate across all three sites under one pastor.
- St. Peter, Chillicothe — 118 Church St.
- St. Mary, Chillicothe — 61 S. Paint St.
- St. Mary, Waverly — 403 S. Market St.
- Parish Office: 285 W. Water St., Chillicothe, OH 45601
History of St. Peter Church
St. Peter's origins go back to 1817, when German Catholic layman Martin Bauman settled in Chillicothe and hosted visiting Dominican missionaries in his tavern. In 1837, Bishop John Baptist Purcell appointed Rev. Henry D. Juncker as the first resident pastor, who dedicated the first Catholic church in Chillicothe (under the patronage of Our Lady) on the feast of her Assumption that year. As the German-speaking population grew, two lots at Church and Water streets were purchased in March 1845; the cornerstone of the new German-language St. Peter's Church was laid June 29, 1845, and the building was dedicated on August 30, 1846. In 1905 St. Peter's hosted the Ohio convention of the German Roman Catholic Society. The parish is now part of Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles.
- 1817: Martin Bauman settles in Chillicothe.
- 1837: Rev. Henry D. Juncker named first resident pastor; first church dedicated on Assumption.
- 1845-06-29: Cornerstone of St. Peter's laid.
- 1846-08-30: St. Peter's Church dedicated.
- 1851–c.1881: Rev. Edward Lieb serves for ~30 years.
- 1896: Father Windthorst publishes dual-language jubilee booklet.
- 1905: Hosts Ohio convention of the German Roman Catholic Society.
- 21st c.: Merged into Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles parish.
Parish Staff & Clergy
Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles is led by a pastor shared across the three church sites, assisted by a permanent deacon, the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and parish administrative and music staff. The pastor and deacon serve all three sites, with the Sisters providing pastoral assistance at St. Peter specifically.
- Pastor: Rev. William L. Hritsko
- Deacon: Deacon Reed Hauser
- Pastoral Assistants: Sr. Amelia Mary, Sr. Shani Mary, and Sr. Lenard Mary, Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Administrative Assistant: Donna Weisenberger
- Part-time Parish Secretary: Jenny French
- Music Director: Diane Corcoran
Ministries
Liturgical and outreach ministries operate across the parish. Liturgical ministers — lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and altar servers — are scheduled through the parish's online ministry-scheduling system, coordinated by Kymn Davis. Outreach is anchored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which distributes food assistance from the parish grounds.
- Liturgical Ministers (scheduled via olqaparish.com/ministry-schedule)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — food assistance Tuesdays 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary — pastoral assistance
- Music Ministry (Diane Corcoran, Music Director)
- Bishop Flaget School (parish elementary school)
- RCIA and sacramental preparation
- Adoration Chapel volunteers
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Schedules for Reconciliation are listed above; Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, Marriages, and Anointing of the Sick are coordinated through the parish office. A dedicated Last Rites line is staffed for emergencies.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- First Holy Communion — parish preparation
- Confirmation — parish preparation
- Marriage — contact parish office
- Reconciliation — see confession schedule
- Anointing of the Sick / Last Rites — 740-701-2552
- RCIA — parish-wide inquiry
Visiting & Contact
Parish offices are located at 285 W. Water St., Chillicothe, OH 45601, with a secondary entrance from the side door by the church at 126 Church St. (Convent). The office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The parish phone system includes separate lines for the office, convent, and 24/7 Last Rites.
- Parish Office: 740-774-1407
- Convent: 740-774-0474
- Last Rites (24/7): 740-701-2552
- St. Vincent de Paul Society: 740-772-2812
- Office hours: Mon–Thu, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Web: https://olqaparish.com
Heritage & Architecture
St. Peter Church retains much of its 19th-century character, including notable interior murals documented in the parish's own 'Mural Information & Facts' publication. A 1905 article in the Diocese of Columbus Record Society chronicles the church's early history. Visitors interested in the building's heritage should ask the parish office for the mural guide and ask about tours of the historic interior.
- Cornerstone laid June 29, 1845
- Dedicated August 30, 1846
- Notable interior murals (see parish 'Mural Information & Facts')
- 1905 Diocese of Columbus Record Society article on St. Peter Church
- Historic Adoration Chapel on parish grounds
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Henry D. Juncker1837–1845
First resident pastor of Chillicothe Catholics; laid cornerstone of St. Peter's June 29, 1845; later Bishop of Alton, Illinois.
- Rev. Amadeus Rappe1834–1845 (parish service; cornerstone-laying)
Served the parish and laid the cornerstone for St. Peter's; later first Bishop of Cleveland.
- Rev. Xavier Kalcher, S.J.1849–c.1851
Jesuit; helped divide the parish into German (St. Peter's) and English (St. Mary's) congregations.
- Rev. George Aloysius Carroll, S.J.1849–1851
Jesuit; first pastor of the revived English-speaking St. Mary's on Walnut St.
- Rev. Edward Lieb1851–c.1881
German-born; led St. Peter's for roughly thirty years through the Civil War and post-war decades.
- Rev. Windthorstlate 19th century
Produced the 1896 dual-language jubilee booklet; retained German language in parish records and school.
- Rev. William L. Hritskopresent
Current pastor of Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles, which unites St. Peter Chillicothe, St. Mary Chillicothe, and St. Mary Waverly.