About St. Therese Little Flower · Cincinnati, Ohio
St. Therese Little Flower Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the College Hill/Pleasant Run area of Cincinnati, Ohio, served by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Founded in 1926, the parish lives by its motto, 'A small parish with a big heart,' and is part of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes along with St. Boniface, Holy Family, St. Joseph, and St. Leo the Great. The parish community celebrates Mass in English and Spanish, runs a regional Catholic school (Our Lady of Grace), and is known regionally as a historic shrine of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux (the Little Flower)
- Rector
- Father Rudy Coaquira Hilaje, MCCJ (family pastor for the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Therese Little Flower is a tight-knit parish that warmly welcomes visitors with its motto, 'A small parish with a big heart.' It offers a simple, predictable schedule of Masses in both English and Spanish, a centuries-old devotion to St. Thérèse through its historic rose garden and Tuesday Novena, and a community that participates in a regional Catholic school (Our Lady of Grace). Belonging here means joining a Cincinnati parish rooted in nearly a century of faith, now linked through the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes for shared ministry and outreach.
Mass times at St. Therese Little Flower
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30-4:00 p.m. (most Saturdays; check calendar) and by appointment
About St. Therese Little Flower Parish
St. Therese Little Flower Parish is a Roman Catholic community in the College Hill / Pleasant Run neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, served by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The parish's motto, 'A small parish with a big heart,' reflects its warm, close-knit character and its mission 'to be a community of evangelizing disciples being transformed by the Gospel in order to transform our parish, our neighborhood and our world.' It does this by cultivating faith formation, participating in spirit-filled worship, fostering stewardship, and reaching out in the name of Jesus to those in need.
- Motto: 'A small parish with a big heart.'
- Located at 5560 Kirby Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45239
- Part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
- Member of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes (since July 1, 2022)
History
The parish was founded in 1926 in a blacksmith shop turned chapel at North Bend Road and Colerain Avenue. Archbishop John T. McNicholas approved construction in 1928; the first church and school opened in March 1929. A 1930 rose garden honoring St. Thérèse sparked a devotion that drew pilgrims nationwide, and a 1937 nine-day Novena attracted over 50,000 people. The current church was dedicated April 9, 1961. The parish helped found the regional Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in 2008 and entered the Beacons of Light Families of Parishes model in 2022.
- 1926: Parish founded in a converted blacksmith shop.
- 1929: Original church and school completed.
- 1930: Memorial rose garden dedicated; devotion to St. Thérèse begins.
- 1937: Nine-day Novena draws over 50,000 pilgrims.
- 1961: Present church dedicated April 9 by Bishop Paul F. Liebold and Archbishop Karl J. Alter.
- 1964: Junior-high wing and cafeteria enlargement.
- 1996: New school offices, meeting rooms, and parish center (gym/auditorium).
- 2006: New electronic organ installed.
- 2008: Our Lady of Grace Catholic School established with three partner parishes.
- 2010-2015: 'Embracing the Future' pastoral plan implemented.
- July 1, 2022: Joined Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes under Beacons of Light.
Mass and Sacrament Schedule
The parish offers a simple weekly schedule of weekday, weekend vigil, and Sunday Masses, including a Sunday evening Mass celebrated in Spanish. Confessions are heard most Saturdays before the vigil Mass and by appointment.
- Tuesday-Thursday: 8:30 a.m. Mass
- Saturday Vigil: 4:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 10:00 a.m. (English) and 5:00 p.m. (Spanish)
- Confessions: Saturday 3:30-4:00 p.m. and by appointment
Devotions
Devotion to St. Thérèse of Lisieux is at the heart of parish life, continuing the legacy begun with the 1930 rose garden that made the parish a regional shrine. The weekly Rosary and the Tuesday Novena to St. Therese are part of the regular schedule.
- St. Therese Novena: Tuesday after the 8:30 a.m. Mass
- Rosary: Tuesday through Thursday before the 8:30 a.m. Mass
Our Lady of Grace Catholic School (Regional School)
In 2008, St. Therese Little Flower joined St. Ann (Groesbeck), St. Margaret Mary (North College Hill), and Assumption (Mt. Healthy) parishes to establish Our Lady of Grace Catholic School (OLG), a regional school operated by the four covenant parishes. OLG is located on the St. Ann Parish campus at 2940 West Galbraith Rd. in Groesbeck and provides Catholic education to children from across the partner parishes.
- Established in 2008
- Operated by four covenant parishes: St. Therese Little Flower, St. Ann, St. Margaret Mary, and Assumption
- Located at 2940 West Galbraith Rd., Groesbeck (St. Ann campus)
Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes
Since July 1, 2022, St. Therese Little Flower has been part of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes under the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light initiative. The Family follows the Pastoral Planning Pathway to articulate how its parishes will live out the six Beacons principles and work toward becoming one canonical parish. Fr. Rudy Coaquira Hilaje, MCCJ, serves as the family pastor.
- St. Boniface — 1750 Chase Ave., Northside
- Holy Family — 3006 W 8th St., East Price Hill
- St. Joseph — 745 Ezzard Charles Dr., West End
- St. Leo the Great — 2573 St. Leo Place, Fairmount
- St. Therese Little Flower — 5560 Kirby Ave., Cincinnati
Parish Life and Ministries
Following the 'Embracing the Future' pastoral plan (2010-2015), the parish built up ministry around Parish Leadership, Faith Formation and Transformation, Stewardship and Sustainability, Community Building, Neighborhood Outreach, and Communications. The Pastoral Council, Faith Formation Commission, and Social Justice Commission were created to carry this work forward.
- Faith Formation Commission
- Social Justice Commission
- Pastoral Council
- Neighborhood Outreach
- Stewardship and Community Building initiatives
Contact and Visiting
The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and closed on Fridays. Visitors and parishioners are invited to attend any Mass; the parish maintains a presence on Facebook for community updates.
- Address: 5560 Kirby Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45239
- Phone: 513-541-5560
- Fax: 513-681-2631
- Office Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.; closed Fridays
- Facebook: 'Friend us on Facebook' (link on official site)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Albert Hagel1926-1933
First pastor, oversaw construction of original church and school (1929).
- Fr. Leo M. Schmitt1933-1950
- Fr. Francis Garrity1950-1956
- Fr. Edwin Hamann1956-1977
Longest-tenured pastor; oversaw 1950s school expansion.
- Fr. J. Thomas Rolfes1977-1979
- Fr. John Mattscheck1979-1991
- Fr. Thomas King1991-2002
- Fr. Robert Goebel2002-2016
Led the founding of Our Lady of Grace regional school in 2008.
- Fr. Patrick McMullen2016-2019
Parochial Administrator.
- Fr. Dennis Bosse, OFM2019-2021
Parochial Vicar.
- Fr. David Kobak, OFM2022
Parochial Vicar.
- Fr. Rudy Coaquira Hilaje, MCCJ2022-present
Family pastor of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Family of Parishes under Beacons of Light.