About St. Veronica · Cincinnati, Ohio
St. Veronica is a Roman Catholic parish in the Mt. Carmel-Tobasco Road area of eastern Cincinnati (Union Township), Ohio, belonging to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Founded in 1947 and formally dedicated in 1949, the parish grew rapidly with the suburban expansion of eastern Hamilton County, opening a K-8 elementary school in 1975 and a new, larger church building dedicated by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk in 1989. Today St. Veronica is one of three worship sites that make up the St. Mary Magdalene Parish Family (alongside St. Andrew in Milford and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton), pastored since 2010 by Father Del Staigers.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- Saint Veronica
- Rector
- Rev. Del Staigers
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. Veronica offers the rare combination of a half-century-old suburban Catholic community with a still-growing parish school (a designated Blue Ribbon School), three Sunday Masses, Saturday confessions, and monthly first-Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration. Active parishioners can join a wide range of ministries — RCIA, youth and young-adult ministry, G.R.O.W.S., Shawl Ministry, Families Helping Families, Performing Arts Boosters, music ministry, outreach, and a long-standing Haiti sister-school partnership — while families with children benefit from preschool through 8th-grade faith formation integrated with parish life.
Mass times at St. Veronica
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM (First Wednesday of the month only)
Parish History
St. Veronica was established in 1947 by Archbishop John T. McNicholas to serve the Mount Carmel area east of Cincinnati. The parish was formally dedicated on October 2, 1949 by Auxiliary Bishop George Rehring and grew rapidly with suburban expansion in Union Township. The original church, rectory and parish hall gave way to a much larger worship building dedicated by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk on September 20, 1989, and the parish paid off its debt during the pastorate of Fr. Michael Flaherty. The community marked its 50th anniversary in 1999–2000 and today forms one of three worship sites in the St. Mary Magdalene Parish Family.
- Founded 1947 by Archbishop McNicholas
- Dedicated October 2, 1949 by Bishop George Rehring
- First resident pastor: Fr. Joseph Wolfer (1959)
- Current church dedicated September 20, 1989 by Archbishop Pilarczyk
- 50th Anniversary celebrated 1999–2000
St. Veronica Catholic School
St. Veronica Catholic School opened on September 28, 1975 with first principal Paul DeFazio, eight teachers and 225 students; its first 8th-grade class graduated in June 1976. The school is a designated Blue Ribbon School, serves preschool through eighth grade, and offers religion, Latin, science, social studies, fine arts, library/media, technology, music, art, resource and extended-day programs. The principal is Cherry Kuntz (contact [email protected]), with Mary Jo Smith directing the preschool and admissions. School hours are 8:10 AM–3:00 PM, office hours 7:30 AM–3:30 PM, and the campus is at 4475 Mt. Carmel-Tobasco Road, phone (513) 528-0442.
- Preschool through Grade 8
- Designated Blue Ribbon School
- First principal: Paul DeFazio (1975)
- First graduating 8th-grade class: June 1976
- Current principal: Cherry Kuntz
- Preschool Director / Admissions: Mary Jo Smith
- Eight-classroom addition completed in earlier expansion era
- Computer lab relocated into old parish office space during school expansion
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Faith formation at St. Veronica spans the parish school, a Children's Faith Formation program (Coordinator), Adult Faith Formation (Elizabeth Otte), and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Small Church Communities and 'Shepherd Groups' were introduced under Fr. Del Staigers as the foundational layer of a stewardship-based parish plan. Sacramental preparation is offered for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Matrimony, with weddings and funerals scheduled through the parish office.
- Children's Faith Formation
- Adult Faith Formation (Elizabeth Otte, Coordinator)
- RCIA (Emily Besl listed as RCIA Coordinator in earlier history)
- Small Church Communities / Shepherd Groups
- Sacramental preparation: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage
Music & Liturgy
Music Ministry at St. Veronica is led by Paul Bresciani, the parish's full-time Director of Music (hired during the school expansion era), supported by Daniel Art (Music Director at St. Andrew within the parish family) and Lori Anne Fothergill as Director of Worship. The parish worships in the Roman Rite (Latin) of the Catholic Church, and the revised Roman Missal was implemented in the parish during the broader U.S. Catholic rollout.
- Director of Music: Paul Bresciani
- Director of Worship: Lori Anne Fothergill
- Roman Rite liturgy
- Revised Roman Missal implemented parish-wide
Outreach, Service & Pastoral Care
Outreach is coordinated by Michael Detzel and includes a long-running partnership with the parish's sister school, St. Veronica in Haiti — sending school supplies and tens of thousands of dollars in disaster relief (over $20,000 collected after a major hurricane; more than $15,000 raised during Fr. Tom Hagan's visit from Haiti). Carol Glaser coordinates Pastoral Care for the Bereaved. Parishioners also support parish fundraising events including the parish festival, outdoor Mass & picnic, and (historically) bingo.
- Outreach/Service Coordinator: Michael Detzel
- Haiti sister-school relationship (St. Veronica, Haiti)
- Grief Support: Carol Glaser
- Parish festival and outdoor Mass & picnic
Parish Leadership & Staff
St. Veronica is pastored since July 1, 2010 by the Rev. Del Staigers, who also serves as pastor of the wider St. Mary Magdalene Parish Family (which includes St. Andrew in Milford and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton). Parochial Vicars include Fr. Pat Crone, Fr. Chris Worland, and Fr. Tom DiFolco (retired); Fr. Ed Pratt serves as Weekend Associate. Deacons serving the family include Steve Brown, Dan Murphy, Craig Robinson, and Tim Schutte, with Walter Srode as the parish's first permanent deacon and Deacon William Krumm the first deacon assigned to the 1989 church building. Parish operations are supported by Parish Family Administrator/COO Jon Soellner, Business Manager Dusty Bowman, Director of Communications Catherine Fasano, and facilities coordinators for the St. Veronica campus.
- Pastor: Fr. Del Staigers (since 2010)
- Parochial Vicars: Fr. Pat Crone, Fr. Chris Worland, Fr. Tom DiFolco (ret.)
- Weekend Associate: Fr. Ed Pratt
- Deacons: Steve Brown, Dan Murphy, Craig Robinson, Tim Schutte
- Parish Family Administrator/COO: Jon Soellner
- Business Manager: Dusty Bowman
- Director of Communications: Catherine Fasano
- Principal, St. Veronica School: Cherry Kuntz
Parish Ministries & Small Groups
Beyond liturgy and school life, St. Veronica hosts a wide range of parish ministries and small communities for every age and interest. Youth and Young Adult Ministry, the G.R.O.W.S. program, Shawl Ministry, Families Helping Families, Performing Arts Boosters, and Parish Council with its Stewardship and Faith Formation Commissions give parishioners multiple ways to serve. Shepherd Groups form the small-church-community backbone of the parish's stewardship plan, and Carol Glaser keeps the parish database and stewardship records.
- Young Adult Ministry
- G.R.O.W.S.
- Shawl Ministry
- Families Helping Families
- Performing Arts Boosters
- Shepherd Groups / Small Church Communities
- Parish Council (Stewardship & Faith Formation Commissions)
- Marketing & Communications Committee
Visiting St. Veronica
Visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Veronica. The parish office can be reached at (513) 528-1622 for current schedules, especially around Holy Days, First Friday Masses, the school-year shift of Wednesday Mass to 9:00 AM, and First Wednesday Adoration. The church is open for the published Mass, confession and adoration times, and school visitors may tour the Blue Ribbon School campus by contacting the school office at (513) 528-0442 during office hours (7:30 AM–3:30 PM).
- Parish phone: (513) 528-1622
- School phone: (513) 528-0442
- School office hours: 7:30 AM–3:30 PM, Mon–Fri
- School day: 8:10 AM–3:00 PM, Mon–Fri
- Call ahead for Holy Day and First Friday schedules
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis J. Heider1949–1953
Pastor of St. Thomas More, Withamsville; celebrated first Masses and sacraments at the new St. Veronica mission
- Rev. Joseph M. Wolfer1953–1961
Pastor of St. John Fisher, Newtown; became St. Veronica's first resident pastor in 1959
- Rev. Philip A. Kesting1961–1974
Built the parish hall and eight classrooms; introduced Saturday catechism for ~300 children and parish bingo; oldest living former pastor as of the parish's 50th anniversary
- Rev. Francis Fritz1974–1980
Succeeded Fr. Kesting
- Rev. Francis H. Niehaus1980–1982
Associate Pastor Rev. Hans H. Gruenbauer served 1982–1989
- Rev. J. Paul Gruber1982–1989
Appointed pastor in July 1982
- Rev. Dennis J. Caylor1989–1998
Oversaw dedication of the current church by Archbishop Pilarczyk, September 20, 1989; rapid parish growth in Union Township
- Rev. Michael T. Flaherty1998–2010
Retired in 2010
- Rev. Del Staigers2010–present
Appointed July 1, 2010; also serves as Pastor of St. Andrew and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton as part of the St. Mary Magdalene Parish Family