About St. Teresa · Rockford, Ohio
St. Teresa Catholic Church is a small rural parish in the village of Rockford, Mercer County, Ohio, founded in 1937 under the pastoral care of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood (C.PP.S.). Since July 1, 2022 it has belonged to the St. Isidore the Farmer Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, alongside Immaculate Conception (Celina), Our Lady of Guadalupe (Montezuma), Holy Rosary (St. Marys), and St. Patrick (Glynnwood). The parish carries the patronage of St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus (St. Thérèse of Lisieux) and worships today in a former Protestant church at 4227 State Route 707 — the building it moved into in 2009 after outgrowing its original 1937 Franklin Street frame church.
- Established
- 1937
- Patron
- St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)
- Rector
- Fr. Robert (Rob) Muhlenkamp
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Teresa offers the warmth of a small rural Catholic community with deep roots — founded in 1937, tended by the Precious Blood fathers for 85 years, and now thriving as part of the St. Isidore the Farmer Family of Parishes. Parishioners can worship at a comfortable, accessible church, send their children to a robust K-12 religious education and youth ministry program with First Communion in 2nd grade and Confirmation in 10th grade, and join in family-wide outreach through stewardship, St. Vincent de Paul, the Henderson Settlement mission, the Christian Mothers Sodality, and many other ministries that knit the five parishes together.
Mass times at St. Teresa
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:30 PM – 6:55 PM
- Anytime by calling the parish office for an appointment
Our Parish History
St. Teresa's story begins in 1935 when Fr. Roman Schwieterman, C.PP.S., while pastoring St. Mary Church near Geneva, Indiana, identified the need for a Catholic mission in northern Mercer County. With permission from the Provincial of the Society of the Precious Blood and the encouragement of Archbishop John T. McNicholas, the parish was built on a Franklin Street lot in Rockford for about $6,800 and blessed by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph H. Albers on May 4, 1937, with the first Mass celebrated May 9. Eleven families made up the founding parish — the first Catholic Church in Mercer County north of Celina. Over the decades the parish grew through 15 resident pastors, the addition of a rectory, religious education by 12 C.PP.S. sisters, a 1981 basement remodel, the 50/50 Club, a 1992 accessibility ramp, and a mission statement adopted October 18, 1994. After outgrowing the original 100-seat church, the parish purchased a former Christian church on State Route 707 in 2008 and dedicated it on June 21, 2009 with Archbishop Dennis Schnurr presiding. The Missionaries of the Precious Blood celebrated a Mass of Farewell on June 26, 2022, and on July 1, 2022 St. Teresa joined the St. Isidore the Farmer Family of Parishes under Beacons of Light.
- First Catholic Church in Mercer County north of Celina
- Founded 1937 by Fr. Roman Schwieterman, C.PP.S.
- Blessed May 4, 1937 by Bishop Joseph H. Albers; first Mass May 9, 1937
- 50th Anniversary Mass with Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk, May 12, 1987
- Move to 4227 SR 707 dedicated by Archbishop Dennis Schnurr, June 21, 2009
- 75th Anniversary Mass with Archbishop Schnurr, June 3, 2012
- Missionaries of the Precious Blood farewell Mass, June 26, 2022
- Joined St. Isidore the Farmer Family of Parishes, July 1, 2022
Parish Mission Statement
Formulated by the Pastoral Council on October 18, 1994, the parish mission expresses St. Teresa's identity as a rural community of Christians sharing in the fullness of the Catholic Faith through the Sacraments and committing itself to service, worship, family religious education, and proclaiming the Good News by daily actions. The mission statement opens with the Liturgy of the Hours, gathers members and neighbors in service, offers opportunities to worship through Mass and other religious services, builds on the home's responsibility for religious education, and calls parishioners to grow in faith by healing, consoling, listening, and helping others in need.
- Formulated by Pastoral Council — October 18, 1994
- Begins with the Liturgy of the Hours (I Breviary)
- Service to members and surrounding community
- Family-based religious education for young and old
- Proclaiming the Good News through daily Christian witness
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
St. Teresa's Religious Education and Youth Ministry programs serve preschool through 12th grade on Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:15 AM in the church basement, beginning shortly after Labor Day and running through the first week of May. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are joyfully celebrated in the 2nd grade, while Confirmation is celebrated in the 10th-grade year every two years, with the retreat and ceremony combined with Immaculate Conception Church in Celina. Beginning in 5th grade, classes are combined by pairs of grades with curriculum alternating every other year to cover all coursework. The preschool program welcomes children ages 3–6 (Pre-K and Kindergarten).
- Sunday morning CCD: 9:00–10:15 AM
- Preschool (ages 3–6) and K–12 grade formation
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist in 2nd grade
- Confirmation in 10th grade every 2 years, combined with Immaculate Conception, Celina
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Cheryl Nichols — [email protected]
- Substitute teachers / CCD contact: Amy Drake — [email protected]
Sacraments
Baptisms are scheduled through the parish office, and parents are required to attend a preparation session if none has been attended in the past five years — registration for the class is handled through Immaculate Conception. Marriage preparation, Anointing of the Sick, and funeral arrangements are coordinated through the office, and the parish welcomes those seeking full initiation through the RCIA process.
- Baptism: contact the parish office
- First Communion & Reconciliation: 2nd grade
- Confirmation: 10th grade
- Marriage: call the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick: on request
- RCIA: through the Family of Parishes
Stewardship & Outreach
St. Teresa lives out its mission through 'God's Gifts in Action,' a stewardship approach rooted in gratitude for God's gifts and a desire to share them with others. The Family of Parishes reports an active year of outreach — including support for St. Vincent de Paul, CALL Ministry, Henderson Settlement mission trips in Appalachia, the Elizabeth Pregnancy Center, Rustic Hope, Agape, Christian Mothers Sodality, Mission Breakfasts, Giving Trees, and Rockford Community Days — alongside bereavement ministry, marriage preparation, infant baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, RCIA, and more than 1,500 visits to the homebound and local nursing homes. A Stewardship Commission with representatives from across the Family of Parishes helps coordinate these efforts.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Henderson Settlement mission trips (Frakes, Kentucky)
- Christian Mothers Sodality
- CALL Ministry, Agape, Rustic Hope, Elizabeth Pregnancy Center
- Adopt-A-Student program
- Giving Trees (Advent/Christmas)
- Bereavement and funeral ministry
- Vocation Cross family prayer ministry
Pastoral Staff & Family of Parishes
Since July 1, 2022 St. Teresa has been part of the St. Isidore the Farmer Family of Parishes (NorthWest Family #2) in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, led by Pastor Fr. Robert Muhlenkamp with parochial vicars Fr. Adam Berning and Fr. Prashanth Kumar Bandanadham. Deacon Charlie Salway serves as Director of Evangelization and Deacon Marty Brown assists with pastoral care. Parish office operations are coordinated by Diane Huber, Office Manager, with support from the Family's Communications Director Erik Bonilla, Pastoral Associate Melissa Fent, and Director of Worship Kelly Schmitmeyer.
- Pastor — Fr. Robert (Rob) Muhlenkamp
- Parochial Vicar — Fr. Adam Berning
- Parochial Vicar — Fr. Prashanth Kumar Bandanadham
- Deacon Charlie Salway — Director of Evangelization
- Deacon Marty Brown
- Diane Huber — St. Teresa Office Manager
- Melissa Fent — Pastoral Associate
- Erik Bonilla — Director of Communications
- Kelly Schmitmeyer — Director of Worship
Family of Parishes — St. Isidore the Farmer
St. Isidore the Farmer Family of Parishes unites five Catholic communities in western Ohio: Immaculate Conception (Celina), Our Lady of Guadalupe (Montezuma), St. Teresa (Rockford), Holy Rosary (St. Marys), and St. Patrick (Glynnwood). Each parish keeps its own identity, Mass schedule, and traditions while sharing priests, staff, ministries, and major initiatives like Vacation Bible School, the IC Festival, St. Patrick's Day Celebration, and the Family-wide stewardship report.
- Immaculate Conception — 229 W. Anthony St., Celina — (419) 586-6648
- Our Lady of Guadalupe — 6701 St. Rt. 219, Celina — (419) 268-2312
- St. Teresa — 4227 OH 707, Rockford — (419) 363-2633
- Holy Rosary — 511 E. Spring St., St. Marys — (419) 394-5050
- St. Patrick — 6959 Glynnwood Rd., St. Marys — (419) 394-5050
Visit, Contact & Bulletin
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Teresa at 4227 State Route 707, Box 445, Rockford, Ohio 45882-0445, by phone at (419) 363-2633, or by email at [email protected]. Office hours are Monday and Wednesday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM (subject to change). The parish website at stteresa-rockford.org posts weekly bulletins, Mass intentions, ministry schedules, and news, while the Family of Parishes bulletin includes announcements, prayer ministries, and outreach reports from across St. Isidore the Farmer.
- Address: 4227 State Route 707, Box 445, Rockford, OH 45882-0445
- Phone: (419) 363-2633
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stteresa-rockford.org
- Office hours: Mon & Wed 9 AM–4 PM; Fri 9 AM–1 PM
- Bulletins posted weekly at stteresa-rockford.org/bulletins
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Roman Schwieterman, C.PP.S.1937
Founder; conceived the mission church while pastor of St. Mary in the Irish Settlement near Geneva, Indiana; organized building of the original Franklin Street church and presided at its blessing.
- Fr. Alphonse Jungwirth, C.PP.S.c. 1955
Took up residence in the new rectory on the Agnes Weller property; early resident pastor after the parish moved from non-resident to resident leadership in 1947.
- Fr. Thomas Brenberger, C.PP.S.through 2009
Pastored during the move from Franklin Street; invited Archbishop Dennis Schnurr to dedicate the new church on June 21, 2009.
- Fr. Ken Schnipke, C.PP.S.July 2010
Named pastor July 2010; last resident C.PP.S. pastor before the Missionaries of the Precious Blood returned pastoral care to the Archdiocese in 2022.
- Fr. John W. Tonkin2022
First pastor of the new St. Isidore the Farmer Family of Parishes (NorthWest Family #2), effective July 1, 2022 under Beacons of Light.
- Fr. Rob Muhlenkamppresent
Current pastor of the Family of Parishes, serving St. Teresa together with parochial vicars Fr. Adam Berning and Fr. Prashanth Kumar Bandanadham.