About St. Peter of the Fields · Rootstown, Ohio
St. Peter of the Fields is a Roman Catholic worship site at 3487 Old Forge Road in Rootstown, Ohio, in the rolling farmland of southern Portage County. The community traces its origins to 1866, when eighteen German Catholic families purchased a one-acre parcel for $100 and built a small church in 1868. The parish served as a mission of nearby St. Joseph for three decades before welcoming its first resident pastor, Father John J. Boyle, in 1898. In 1941, under Father Robert Delmerge, it was renamed 'St. Peter of the Fields' to emphasize its rural character and distinguish it from other St. Peter parishes. A new, much larger church was completed in 2006 alongside the original 1868 church, which became 'The Oratory.' On July 1, 2024, St. Peter of the Fields merged with St. Joseph Parish in Randolph/Mogadore to form St. John Neumann Parish within the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- St. Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Kevin Bertleff (Administrator of Saint John Neumann Parish)
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Youngstown (Portage Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Peter of the Fields is a small, rooted country parish where generations of Catholic families have worshipped since 1868. The current sanctuary, built in 2006, pairs traditional stained-glass artistry with contemporary design and an open worship space, while the St. Peter of the Fields Cemetery remains a celebrated showplace of flowers and greenery. Today the parish shares a pastor, Rev. Kevin Bertleff, and a vibrant staff — including four permanent deacons, a parish school (with Principal Miss Sarah Johnson), religious education, and choirs led by Judy Hendershot and Deacon Ted Suzelis — with sister church St. Joseph in Mogadore under the umbrella of Saint John Neumann Parish. Newcomers are warmly welcomed as the Rootstown and Brimfield communities continue to grow.
Mass times at St. Peter of the Fields
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 8:30 AM (St. Peter of the Fields Church)
- Thursday 8:30 AM (St. Peter of the Fields Church)
- Saturday 3:00 PM (St. Joseph Church, Mogadore — sister site)
History of St. Peter of the Fields
St. Peter of the Fields traces its roots to December 1, 1866, when eighteen German Catholic families in the Rootstown area purchased one acre of ground for $100. A cemetery was established on the property with the first burial in 1867, and a small frame church was built in 1868 at a cost of $1,200. For its first thirty years, St. Peter was a mission of St. Joseph in Suffield/Randolph, served by visiting priests. The parish grew steadily: a rectory was built and the church enlarged in 1898, when Father John J. Boyle became the first resident pastor; stained glass windows and stations of the cross were added between 1900 and 1910; and in 1941, Father Robert Delmerge had the parish renamed 'St. Peter of the Fields' to distinguish it from other St. Peter churches in the Cleveland Diocese and to highlight its rural character. Father Delmerge also shaped the parish cemetery into the showplace of flowers and greenery that endures today.
- 1866 — eighteen German Catholic families buy one acre for $100
- 1867 — first burial in the parish cemetery
- 1868 — original church built at a cost of $1,200
- 1898 — Father John J. Boyle becomes first resident pastor
- 1900–1910 — stained glass windows and stations of the cross installed
- June 1941 — Father Robert Delmerge renames parish 'St. Peter of the Fields'
- Early 2000s — Father Kevin Fete begins plans for a new church
- 2006 — Father David Misbrener, D.Min. completes the new sanctuary
- July 1, 2024 — merges with St. Joseph Parish to form Saint John Neumann Parish
The Oratory and the 2006 Church
When the parish outgrew its 1868 building, the original structure was slated for demolition in 2005 — but a dedicated group of parishioners saved it, and it was re-christened 'The Oratory' when the new, much larger church opened in 2006. The Oratory housed the parish's stained glass windows, stations of the cross, and other historic devotional art. In October 2025, after water damage and safety concerns, Bishop David J. Bonnar decreed that The Oratory be relegated to 'profane but not sordid use.'
- 2006 sanctuary houses the parish office, social hall, and worship space
- Combines traditional and contemporary religious art in an open layout
- The Oratory served as a chapel from 2006 until it was closed in October 2025
Parish Staff & Clergy
The merged Saint John Neumann Parish is led by a team of priests, four permanent deacons, and lay staff. Rev. Kevin Bertleff serves as pastor/administrator of the entire parish, with Rev. Scott Kopp assisting as Sacramental Minister for Portage County. Music is shared between Judy Hendershot (Music Director and Traditional Choir Director) and Deacon Ted Suzelis (Contemporary Choir Director).
- Rev. Kevin Bertleff — Pastor/Administrator
- Rev. Scott Kopp — Sacramental Minister (Portage County)
- Rev. David Misbrener, D.Min. — Parish Priest
- Rev. John Rovnak — Parish Priest, Moderator
- Deacon Ted Suzelis — Permanent Deacon & Contemporary Choir Director
- Deacon Tim DeFrange — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Chris Germak — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Eric Ruehr — Permanent Deacon
- Judy Hendershot — Music Director / Traditional Choir Director
- Tracy Ferrett, CPA — Parish Accountant
- Sandra (Sandy) Blazewick — Parish Secretary
- Diane Michalec — Records & Sacramental Secretary
- Hannah Scholles — Coordinator of Religious Education
- Eileen Edwards — Safe Environment / Faith Formation
- Fred Mathews — Cemetery Sexton
- Yuliana Kvinta — St. Joseph Music Director
- Miss Sarah Johnson — School Principal
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Music at St. John Neumann Parish draws on two complementary choirs. The Traditional Choir, directed by Music Director Judy Hendershot, anchors the parish's classical liturgical repertoire. The Contemporary Choir, directed by Permanent Deacon Ted Suzelis, leads more modern worship music.
- Traditional Choir — Judy Hendershot
- Contemporary Choir — Deacon Ted Suzelis
- Sunday 10:00 AM Mass livestreamed on neumann.church
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation for the merged parish is led by Hannah Scholles (Coordinator of Religious Education) and Eileen Edwards (Safe Environment / Faith Formation). The parish offers a Parish School of Religion, sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation, and an Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process for adults entering the Church.
- Parish School of Religion
- First Reconciliation & First Communion preparation (family-centered)
- Confirmation preparation
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Safe Environment compliance (Eileen Edwards)
Parish School
Saint John Neumann Parish operates a parish school at the St. Joseph campus in Mogadore, with Miss Sarah Johnson as Principal. The school traces its lineage to the original St. Joseph Parish School founded in 1832, which is believed to have been the first English-speaking parochial school west of the Allegheny Mountains. The Sisters of Notre Dame taught at the school from 1911 to 2001.
- Principal: Miss Sarah Johnson
- School Phone: 330-628-9555
- Roots: St. Joseph Parish School (1832) — first English-speaking parochial school west of the Alleghenies
- Former Religious Order: Sisters of Notre Dame (1911–2001)
St. Peter of the Fields Cemetery
The parish cemetery, established in 1867 on the original one-acre tract, is the oldest continuing institution of the parish. Under Father Robert Delmerge in the 1940s, it was cultivated into a showplace of flowers and greenery, a tradition parishioners continue. Burial inquiries are handled through the parish office.
- Established 1867 (first burial recorded that year)
- Developed by Father Robert Delmerge in the 1940s
- Cemetery Sexton: Fred Mathews
- Contact: Parish Office, 330-628-9941
Saint John Neumann Parish — The Merger
On July 1, 2024, Bishop David J. Bonnar of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown formally merged St. Joseph Parish (Randolph/Mogadore, founded 1831) and St. Peter of the Fields Parish (Rootstown, founded 1868) into a single parish named Saint John Neumann Parish. The new parish honors St. John Nepomucene Neumann, the Redemptorist missionary who reorganized St. Joseph in 1841 and later became the first male American saint. The merged parish retains both historic worship sites.
- Effective July 1, 2024
- Pastor: Rev. Kevin Bertleff
- Parish Office: 2643 Waterloo Rd., Mogadore, OH 44260
- Office Phone: 330-628-9941
- Two worship sites — St. Joseph (Mogadore) and St. Peter of the Fields (Rootstown)
- Deanery: Portage
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish by phone, email, or in person. The worship site at Rootstown is St. Peter of the Fields Church; the central parish office and school are at the Mogadore campus.
- St. Peter of the Fields Church — 3487 Old Forge Rd., Rootstown, OH 44272
- Worship-site phone: 330-325-7543
- Parish Office — 2643 Waterloo Rd., Mogadore, OH 44260
- Parish Office phone: 330-628-9941
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://neumann.church/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John J. Boyle1898–
First resident pastor; arrived after the rectory was built and the church was enlarged.
- Father Robert Delmerge1941–
Assigned June 1941; renamed the parish 'St. Peter of the Fields' to distinguish it from other St. Peter parishes in the Cleveland Diocese; developed the cemetery into a place of flowers and greenery.
- Father Kevin Fete
Began construction of the new, larger parish church in the early 2000s.
- Father David Misbrener, D.Min.2006–
Appointed in 2006; oversaw completion of the new church; the original 1868 building became 'The Oratory.'
- Rev. Kevin Bertleff2024–
Appointed administrator of the newly merged Saint John Neumann Parish on July 1, 2024; one of two priests ordained by Bishop David Bonnar in June 2024.