About St. Peter · New Richmond, Ohio
St. Peter Catholic Church is a historic parish in New Richmond, Ohio, with Catholic roots stretching back to 1840. It is one of the four parishes of the Stella Maris Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, sharing pastoral staff with neighboring St. Mary in Bethel. Located at 1192 Bethel-New Richmond Road, St. Peter continues to serve as a small but active community anchored by weekend and weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and a strong tradition of parish ministries — most notably its local St. Vincent de Paul Conference, founded in 1969.
- Established
- 1840
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Fr. Timothy W. Ralston (Pastor of the Stella Maris Family of Parishes)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Peter is a small, history-rich parish where the Mass and the sacraments are at the center of parish life — Saturday evening, Sunday morning, and weekday Masses are offered in an intimate setting with weekly Eucharistic Adoration. The parish community is actively engaged: a long-running St. Vincent de Paul Conference (founded in 1969) cares for neighbors in need, the Men's Club supports the parish and religious-education students, the Jingle Bell Crafters host a beloved November Christmas Boutique, and adult faith formation includes both a Men's and Women's Bible study. Worshiping here means joining a tight-knit Catholic family in Clermont County with more than 180 years of roots — and now sharing pastoral life with sister parishes across the Stella Maris Family.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM (1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month)
- Saturday 4:00 PM or by appointment (call the parish priest)
Adoration times
- Monday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Parish History
St. Peter of New Richmond is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in Clermont County, founded in 1840 when parishioners first gathered at the corner of Front and Race Street. Archbishop Purcell organized the St. Peter Society, purchased lots from the McMurhy subdivision, and dedicated the original Plum and Willow Streets church in late 1850 with Rev. Michael Herzog as the first permanent pastor. The riverside parish suffered repeated Ohio River floods in 1943, 1945, 1948, and 1958, the worst of which destroyed the church floors in 1945 — leading the parish to purchase five hillside acres in November 1970 and dedicate the present church in October 1971. On September 17, 2000, Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk celebrated St. Peter's 150th Anniversary Mass with Rev. Ted Kosse and Rev. Gary Witsken assisting.
- 1840 – first worship space at Front and Race Street
- 1850 – first permanent church dedicated by Archbishop Purcell; Rev. Michael Herzog first pastor
- 1943 – Ohio River crested at 61 feet, covering half the front doors
- 1945 – 70-foot flood destroyed the church floors
- 1948 & 1958 – additional floods damaged New Richmond
- November 1970 – five hillside acres purchased for present site
- October 1971 – current church dedicated
- September 17, 2000 – 150th Anniversary Mass with Archbishop Pilarczyk; picnic shelter built
Stella Maris Family of Parishes
Since 2022, St. Peter has been part of the Stella Maris Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Southeast Deanery. The family unites four parishes under one pastor — St. Peter (New Richmond), St. Mary (Bethel), St. Bernadette (Amelia), and St. Thomas More (Withamsville). The transition began around 2010 when St. Peter and St. Mary were merged into a single pastoral region initially led by Fr. Don West, then by Fr. Michael Leshney (who helped establish the 'Christ Catholic Community' identity), and later by Fr. Pat Crone, Fr. Adam Puntel, Fr. David Howard, and Fr. James Reutter (from July 2019). The 'Beacons of Light' family model was implemented across the Archdiocese on July 1, 2022.
- St. Peter (New Richmond)
- St. Mary (Bethel)
- St. Bernadette (Amelia)
- St. Thomas More (Withamsville)
- Pastor: Fr. Timothy W. Ralston
- Parochial Vicars: Fr. William C. Wagner (Senior) and Fr. Thomas E. Dorn
Clergy & Staff
St. Peter is served by the priests of the Stella Maris Family and a dedicated team of parish staff and deacons. Fr. Timothy W. Ralston, originally from Georgetown, OH, studied Philosophy at the University of Cincinnati before attending Mt. St. Mary's Seminary and being ordained a priest on May 22, 2010; he served as Parochial Vicar in Kettering and Coldwater, was named Pastor of St. Bernadette in Amelia in 2017, and became Pastor of Stella Maris in 2022.
- Fr. Timothy W. Ralston — Pastor, Stella Maris
- Fr. William C. Wagner — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Thomas E. Dorn — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Ron Stang — Deacon at St. Peter (513-309-5340)
- Deacon Jerry Etienne
- Deacon Mike Brintzenhoff — Deacon at St. Mary
- Greg Feldkamp — Business Manager (513-335-7886)
- Marilyn Martineck — Bereavement, St. Peter
- Jerry Cahall — Bookkeeper
- Stan Kinnard — Maintenance & Grounds (513-490-2301)
Ministries & Outreach
Parish life at St. Peter is shaped by long-running lay-led ministries, particularly the St. Vincent de Paul Conference founded in 1969, which continues to assist neighbors in need with rent, utilities, and basic necessities. Parish men support the parish and religious-education students through the St. Peter Men's Club (with its famous Lenten Fish Fries), and the Jingle Bell Crafters host an annual Christmas Boutique on the first Saturday of November. A Bereavement Committee and a Grief Support Group walk alongside parishioners in times of loss.
- St. Peter's St. Vincent de Paul Conference (help line 513-525-7173)
- St. Peter Men's Club — contact Kevin Reid (513-518-8010)
- Jingle Bell Crafters — meet 3rd Wednesdays at St. Peter's; contact Mary Ann Stang (513-553-4765)
- Bereavement Committee — contact Marilyn Martineck (513-553-3369)
- Grief Support Group — 1st & 3rd Mondays at 7:00 PM
Adult Faith Formation
Two weekly Bible studies meet at St. Peter's and form the backbone of adult faith formation for the parish region. The Men's Bible Study meets Saturday mornings from 7:00 to 8:30 AM, and the Women's Bible Study meets Friday mornings from 9:15 to 10:45 AM. Liturgical ministries — including Eucharistic Minister, Lector, and Altar Server — are also encouraged as part of active parish life.
- Men's Bible Study — Saturdays 7:00–8:30 AM at St. Peter's (contact Tim Vinson)
- Women's Bible Study — Fridays 9:15–10:45 AM at St. Peter's (contact Carol Adams, 513-515-3143)
- Liturgical Ministry — Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Altar Server
St. Peter's Cemetery
St. Peter's Cemetery, located on Fagins Run Loop Road, New Richmond, OH 45157, is owned and maintained by the parish through the Cemetery Board. Lots are sold to parish families and the grounds are overseen by board members including Mike Greeson, Keith Vogelsang, Greg Feldkamp, Tim Vinson, and Ann Feldkamp.
- Location: Fagins Run Loop Road, New Richmond, OH 45157
- 1 grave — $1,200
- 2 graves — $2,200
- 3 graves — $3,200
- 4 graves — $3,800
- Perpetual care — $300 (assessed at internment)
- Contact: Mike Greeson (513-491-6633) or Greg Feldkamp (513-335-7886)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael Herzog1850
First permanent pastor; served when Archbishop Purcell dedicated the original Plum and Willow Streets church.
- Fr. Don Westearly 2000s
Administered sacraments and said Mass at both St. Peter and St. Mary at the start of the merged parish region.
- Fr. Michael Leshneycirca 2010s
Initially administrator, later pastor over both parishes; helped unite the region under the 'Christ Catholic Community' name.
- Fr. Pat Crone2017
Temporary Parochial Administrator following Fr. Leshney's retirement in October 2017.
- Fr. Adam Puntelearly 2018
Temporary Parochial Administrator.
- Fr. David Howard2018
Permanently appointed to the region; left after a chronic back injury to take a USCCB position in Washington, D.C.
- Fr. James ReutterJuly 2019 –
Came from 12 years at Our Lady of Victory on Cincinnati's west side; praised for uniting the region in faith.
- Fr. Timothy W. Ralston2022 – present
First Pastor of the Stella Maris Family of Parishes (named 2022); previously Pastor of St. Bernadette, Amelia, from 2017.