About St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus · Covington, Ohio
St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus is a Roman Catholic parish in Covington, Ohio, situated at the corner of McMaken and U.S. Route 36, about five miles west of Piqua. Founded in 1950 as a mission of St. Mary Parish in Piqua, it serves Catholic families across Covington, Piqua, Troy, and surrounding Miami County communities. Today the parish belongs to the Our Lady of Fatima Family of Parishes within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, sharing priests and programs with sister churches St. Boniface, St. Mary, St. Patrick, and the Church of the Transfiguration. The parish describes itself as 'a place where everyone knows your name,' with a strong community life centered on weekly Mass, frequent social gatherings, an annual summer festival, fish fries, a sports complex, and outreach through the Covington Outreach Association.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)
- Rector
- Fr. Eric A. Bowman
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Our Lady of Fatima Family of Parishes)
Why belong here
St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus is a friendly, family-sized parish in rural Miami County where 'everyone knows your name,' with weekly Sunday Mass and a full sacramental life shared across the Our Lady of Fatima Family of Parishes. Parishioners of all ages are drawn in through CCD, RCIA, Bible studies, youth ministry, the new PHILIA young adult community, and an active music and liturgy program. The community also gathers for donut Sundays, fish fries, a summer festival, Christmas bazaar, and a sports complex hosting softball, baseball, soccer, and volleyball, while reaching outward through the Covington Outreach Association's food pantry and school-supply and Christmas gift drives.
Mass times at St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00–6:00 PM (St. Teresa, Covington)
Adoration times
- First Friday Adoration in the chapel (Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament has been maintained in the chapel since 1961)
Welcome & Mission
St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus describes itself as 'a guide to the Catholic faith for many families in Covington, Piqua, Troy, and surrounding communities.' Its mission statement borrows St. Francis of Assisi's well-known line, 'Preach the Gospel at all times; use words if necessary.' The parish presents itself as an extension of family — a place where 'everyone knows your name' — and welcomes all to come and experience the Catholic faith. The parish belongs to the Our Lady of Fatima Family of Parishes within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and operates under Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr's 'Beacons of Light' initiative.
- Mission Statement: 'Preach the Gospel at all times; use words if necessary.' — St. Francis of Assisi
- Sister parishes in Our Lady of Fatima Family: St. Boniface (Piqua), St. Mary (Piqua), St. Patrick (Troy), Church of the Transfiguration (West Milton)
Parish History
Catholic activity in Covington began around 1875, with Mass said in a Walnut Street residence and street preaching by priests from St. Mary, Piqua, beginning in 1944. Fr. Francis Pilliod's 1946 census led to the purchase of nearly eight acres from Alvin and Maizie Fritz at $800 per acre. Generous donations from St. Mary Piqua, Fr. John Sailer, and Mrs. Frank Vogel funded and named the new mission. After blessing on Christmas Eve 1950 and dedication by Archbishop Karl J. Alter in 1951, the parish grew steadily, marked by the Silver Jubilee (1976, Archbishop Joseph Bernardin presiding) and Golden Jubilee (2000, Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk presiding). Since July 1, 2022, St. Teresa shares priests and ministries with the other four parishes of the Our Lady of Fatima Family.
- Catholic presence in Covington dates to c. 1875
- Land purchased 1946 from Alvin & Maizie Fritz; mission name registered Oct. 25, 1950
- First Mass celebrated Christmas Eve 1950 by Fr. Andrew Hoying
- Dedication Mass Aug. 5, 1951, with Archbishop Karl J. Alter
- Silver Jubilee 1976 — celebrant Archbishop Joseph Bernardin
- Golden Jubilee Oct. 15, 2000 — celebrant Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk
- Joined Our Lady of Fatima Family of Parishes July 1, 2022
Building & Campus Improvements
Across the 50th-anniversary history, the parish recorded a long list of campus improvements — parking, the catechetical center, the rectory, an oak altar, Stations of the Cross, central air, and the multi-use sports complex.
- 1961 — Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament in chapel begins
- 1965 — Catechetical center built (kitchen, restrooms, office)
- 1974 — Outdoor shrine of St. Teresa erected on the lawn
- 1980 — Parish hall restored; front portico added
- 1982 — Rectory built under direction of parishioner Tom Grilliot ($64,000)
- 1985 — Handcrafted oak altar & podium donated in memory of the Pour family
- 1990 — Stations of the Cross donated in memory of the Vogt family
- 1993 — Handicap-accessible ramp built
- 2000 — Electrical system upgraded; central air conditioning installed
- 2005–2006 — Sports complex begun: baseball diamond, soccer fields, volleyball courts
- 2010 — Outdoor shelter completed
Our Lady of Fatima Family of Parishes
Since July 1, 2022, St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus has shared pastoral leadership and ministries with four neighboring parishes under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's 'Beacons of Light' initiative. The combined leadership team serves all five parishes from a central office structure.
- St. Boniface — 310 S. Downing St., Piqua
- St. Mary — 528 Broadway St., Piqua
- St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus — 6925 W. US 36, Covington
- St. Patrick — 409 E. Main St., Troy
- Church of the Transfiguration — 972 S. Miami St., West Milton
- Pastor: Fr. Eric A. Bowman
- Parochial Vicars: Fr. Isaiah M. Callan, Fr. Steven L. Shoup, Fr. Martin Bachman, Fr. James S. Duell
Liturgical & Sacramental Schedule
Mass is celebrated at St. Teresa on Sundays at 7:30 AM, 9:15 AM, and 11:00 AM, and on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 AM. Saturday confession is offered at the church from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. Eucharistic Benediction follows the Monday evening confession hour at the parish's sister churches (St. Patrick, Troy and Transfiguration, West Milton).
- Sunday Mass — 7:30 AM, 9:15 AM, 11:00 AM
- Weekday Mass — Wednesday 8:30 AM, Thursday 8:30 AM
- Confessions — Saturday 5:00–6:00 PM
- Eucharistic Benediction — Monday 6:00–6:45 PM at St. Patrick and Transfiguration (after confession)
- First Friday Adoration in the chapel (Blessed Sacrament reserved continuously since 1961)
Parish Staff & Contacts
Day-to-day operations at St. Teresa are led by the parish office manager, with shared Family-of-Parishes support staff handling finances, faith formation, music, and facilities. Visitors and parishioners can contact the parish office for Mass intentions, sacramental scheduling, registrations, and maintenance issues.
- Pastor: Fr. Eric A. Bowman — [email protected]
- Office Manager: Wendy Vanderhorst — [email protected] · 937-473-2970
- Facilities: Alex Moore — 937-418-8884
- Chief Financial Officer (OLF): Dennis Hile — [email protected]
- Executive Director of Pastoral Services: Natalie Rohlfs — [email protected]
- Office hours: by appointment
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education for the Family of Parishes is coordinated centrally, with programs for children (CCD), youth, young adults, and adults. RCIA is offered for those preparing to enter the Catholic Church, and Bible studies are available throughout the year.
- Religious Education / CCD — Susan Anderson, [email protected]
- Adult Faith Formation — Ron Mills, [email protected]
- RCIA — inquire through the parish office
- Bible Studies — held regularly
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
Youth ministry and a new young-adult outreach called PHILIA — Greek for 'brotherly love' — bring together parishioners in their teens through their 40s from across the Family of Parishes. PHILIA hosts events like the 'Hairmageddon' fundraiser and regular youth ministry nights, and shares activities on Instagram.
- Youth Ministry (interim coordinator) — Natalie Rohlfs, [email protected]
- Philia Young Adult Ministry (ages 18–40) — Fr. Isaiah Callan, [email protected]
- Damascus Summer Camp — 105+ OLF tweens and teens attended in 2026
- Instagram: @fatimafamily_ya
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music across the Family of Parishes is led by a central Director of Music Ministry, supported by cantors, choirs, instrumentalists, and the parish's roster of sacristans, lectors, extraordinary ministers, ushers, greeters, and altar servers.
- OLF Director of Music Ministry — Matt Wagner, [email protected]
- Volunteer cantors, choir members, and instrumentalists
- Lector, Usher, Sacristan, Altar Server, and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion ministries
Pastoral Care & Outreach
A robust set of pastoral-care ministries reaches homebound parishioners, the bereaved, and those in need. The parish also partners with the Covington Outreach Association for community giving.
- MealTrain Ministry — Amanda Unger, [email protected]
- Greeting Card Ministry for homebound (St. Teresa contact: Anne Vanderdorst, 937-207-3485)
- Homebound / Nursing Home Ministry (Covington)
- Funeral Luncheon Ministry — Mary Hensley, 937-308-7015
- GriefShare Ministry — Pat Smith, 937-287-3270
- Prayer Chain (St. Teresa) — Anne Vanderdorst, 937-207-3485
- Covington Outreach Association — school-supply, Christmas-present, and Food Pantry support
Parish Life, Festivals & Sports
Beyond the liturgy, St. Teresa's social life revolves around an annual August festival, multiple fish fries, a Christmas Bazaar & Raffle, donut Sundays, and a sports complex hosting youth baseball, softball, and soccer, plus adult men's and co-ed softball and volleyball leagues. The outdoor shelter and sports complex are also available for community rental.
- Annual Summer Festival — August (crafts, carnival rides, games of chance, raffles, cornhole, softball tournament, Texas Hold'em)
- Fish Fries — held multiple times per year
- Fort Rowdy Festival food tent (tenderloins & onion rings) each fall
- Christmas Bazaar & Raffle
- Donut Sundays
- Easter Egg Hunt with Immaculate Conception Parish (Bradford)
- Men's and co-ed softball leagues (fall) — contact Stacey Grilliot, 419-560-4234
- Outdoor Shelter & Sports Complex — available for public rental
Schools & Youth Education
While St. Teresa does not operate its own parish school, students in the Family of Parishes attend Piqua Catholic School and St. Patrick Catholic School, both overseen by a shared principal.
- Piqua Catholic School — [email protected]
- St. Patrick Catholic School (Troy) — [email protected]
- Principal of Schools (OLF): Cyndi Cathcart
Visiting & Contact
St. Teresa's parish office is open by appointment. The parish is located at the corner of McMaken and U.S. Route 36, five miles west of Piqua. Online giving and weekly bulletin materials are linked from the parish website.
- Address: 6925 W. US Route 36, Covington, OH 45318-9600
- Phone: (937) 473-2970
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Manager line: 937-238-1175
- Website: http://www.stteresacovington.org/
- Weekly bulletins available online; bulletin submission form on the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Robert VonKaenel1950–1952
Founding administrator; pastor of St. Mary, Piqua, who oversaw the purchase of land and building of the mission chapel.
- Fr. Michael Hinssen1952–1960
- Fr. Robert Monnin1960–1972
Preached at Covington Presbyterian Church in 1965, helping start local ecumenical movement; oversaw building of catechetical center.
- Fr. Eugene Vonderhaar1972–1974
- Fr. Joseph Raudabaugh1974–1978
- Fr. Raymond Kammerer1978–1988
- Fr. John Minnic1988–1993
- Fr. Gerard Hiland1993–1995
- Fr. James Duell1995–2004
- Fr. Jim Simons2004–2013
- Fr. Ron Haft2013–present (per parish history page)
Listed as pastor at the time the parish history was last updated.