About St. Rose · Cincinnati, Ohio
St. Rose of Lima Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Cincinnati's East End neighborhood, founded in January 1867 by mostly German Catholic families who worked in the Fulton steamboat-construction district along the Ohio River. Its 190-foot spire is a well-known landmark visible from Columbia Parkway and the river, and the parish famously marks more than 60 Ohio River floods with a high-water gauge on the rear of the building. Today St. Rose is part of the Riverview Catholics Family of Parishes alongside Holy Cross–Immaculata, Our Lord Christ the King, and St. Stephen, and it remains an active, traditional parish in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
- Established
- 1867
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima (first saint of the Americas)
- Rector
- Rev. Adam Puntel (Fr. Adam)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Rose is a parish of convenience as well as tradition — parishioners come from across Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for its traditional liturgy, English-language Masses with full choir and organ, and easy-to-reach location right off Columbia Parkway. Its ministries include active liturgical roles (servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers), a Pastoral Council, Lenten soup suppers and adoration, a Catholic Young Adults group, and a strong senior community called the Joy Group. The parish also has a track record of generous charitable giving — more than $2 million donated to outside charities over a 16-year period — and an unusually warm welcome for couples who want to marry in a beautiful, historic church.
Mass times at St. Rose
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM at St. Rose of Lima
- Wednesday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM at St. Rose of Lima
- Thursday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM at St. Rose of Lima
- By appointment through the parish office
Adoration times
- Tuesday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM at St. Rose of Lima
- Wednesday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM at St. Rose of Lima
- Thursday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM at St. Rose of Lima
About St. Rose of Lima
St. Rose of Lima is a Roman Catholic parish in Cincinnati's East End neighborhood, founded in January 1867 in what was then the village of Fulton. Its 190-foot spire is a well-known landmark along Columbia Parkway and the Ohio River, and the parish is part of the Riverview Catholics Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
- Founded January 1867 in Fulton, Ohio
- Parish patron: St. Rose of Lima, first saint of the Americas
- Member of Riverview Catholics Family of Parishes (with Holy Cross–Immaculata, Our Lord Christ the King, and St. Stephen)
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
History of the Parish
The congregation was organized on January 15, 1867, by mostly German Catholic families from the Fulton steamboat-construction district; the cornerstone was laid October 6, 1867 and the church was dedicated May 21, 1869. A fire on January 31, 1894 destroyed the main altar and school, and the church was rebuilt for $30,000 — every dollar donated — numbering about 200 families by 1896. President William Howard Taft once stopped at nearby Fulton Station to address the community and visit the schoolchildren. St. Rose marked its 150th anniversary in January 2017 with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr.
- Cornerstone laid October 6, 1867
- Dedicated May 21, 1869
- Fire of January 31, 1894 destroyed church and school
- More than 60 floods marked on a rear gauge, worst in 1937
- Interior redecoration completed May 2009
- 150th anniversary Mass celebrated by Archbishop Schnurr in January 2017
Architecture and Historic Building
The church is built of brick with stone trimmings in the Roman style, measuring 57 by 127 feet with a steeple more than 190 feet tall. It is described as Italianate and Romanesque, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 1, 1982 (NRHP #82003587), and contains three ornate beechnut-wood altars, a hand-carved walnut pulpit with the four evangelists, original stained-glass windows, a solid-wood Pieta, and a revolving tabernacle. The dome over the main altar carries symbols of St. Rose and her life as a seamstress.
- Steeple: over 190 feet — Ohio River landmark
- Tower clocks: 7-foot faces used by riverboat crews
- Originally gaslit; now illuminated by 147 bulbs
- Three beechnut-wood altars; walnut pulpit
- National Register of Historic Places, listed 1982
Liturgical Ministries
St. Rose, like the other Riverview parishes, depends on volunteer liturgical ministers — altar servers, lectors, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. The need is ongoing, and new volunteers can sign up through the parish office.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Music Ministry (Choir, Cantors, Organist)
Pastoral Council and Parish Leadership
The Riverview Catholics Pastoral Council is the principal consultative body of the family of parishes, with three elected members from each parish meeting monthly with the priests and staff. The council recommends pastoral policies, sets annual goals, and evaluates parish life and programs; meetings are open to all parishioners and typically held on the third Tuesday of the month.
- Three elected members from each Riverview parish
- Meets monthly with priests and parish leadership
- Open meetings; contact [email protected]
Community Life and Special Events
St. Rose has long been known for its warm social life, including a St. Patrick party, Octoberfest, a Christmas party, and an annual parish picnic. Lenten Soup Suppers in the St. Rose Undercroft pair a simple meal with a parish talk (e.g., a Lenten reflection on the Creed), and a senior group called the 'Joy Group' meets regularly for fellowship.
- Lenten Soup Suppers in the St. Rose Undercroft
- Lenten Wednesday Adoration Hours
- St. Patrick party, Octoberfest, Christmas party, parish picnic
- Joy Group (senior parishioners)
- Riverview Catholic Young Adults
Sacraments
Reconciliation is offered Tuesday through Thursday from 11:00 AM to noon and by appointment. Marriages are celebrated for active parishioners and non-parishioners (with at least one Catholic party); non-parishioners arrange their own celebrant. Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and other sacraments are coordinated through the parish office.
- Reconciliation: Tue–Thu 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM and by appointment
- Marriage: pre-marriage preparation through the parish
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation: contact parish office
Clergy and Staff
St. Rose is served by the priests of the Riverview Catholics Family of Parishes, currently led by Fr. Adam Puntel, together with associate priests, a permanent deacon, and a team of parish and family-of-parishes staff.
- Rev. Adam Puntel — Pastor of Riverview Catholics
- Rev. Eric Roush
- Rev. Jeremy Stubbs
- Rev. Thomas Fitzsimmons
- Deacon Don Gloeckler
Visiting and Contact
St. Rose of Lima is located at 2501 Riverside Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202, right on the Ohio River in the East End. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and the parish is part of the broader Riverview Catholics website where the full family schedule of Masses, confessions, adoration, and events is posted.
- Address: 2501 Riverside Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202
- Phone: (513) 871-1162
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: strosecincinnati.org / riverviewcatholics.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph A. Meyer
Pastor at the time of the c. 1896 parish history/photo; led the rebuilt congregation after the 1894 fire.
- Father Wintermeyerabout 20 years
Provided breakfast for neighborhood children; oversaw parish through changes in the surrounding East End.
- Rev. Barry Windholtz16 years (through 2017)
Celebrated the parish's 150th anniversary in January 2017; converted the convent to apartments for retired priests, started a bereavement committee and the senior 'Joy Group,' and launched parish events including the St. Patrick party, Octoberfest, Christmas party and parish picnic.