About St. William · Cincinnati, Ohio
St. William Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Price Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in November 1909 to relieve the growing St. Lawrence Parish. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and is part of the Westside Catholic Family of Parishes (Beacons of Light), together with St. Lawrence, St. Teresa of Avila, and Resurrection of Our Lord. The parish operates St. William School (PreK–8), which is widely known for its inclusive Special Needs Program serving students with autism and learning differences. Today the parish is led by Fr. Zachary Cecil and worships in a striking 1931 Romanesque Revival church on West 8th Street, offering Mass in both English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- St. William the Abbot (also named in memory of Archbishop William H. Elder)
- Rector
- Rev. Zachary W. Cecil
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
St. William is a multigenerational Price Hill parish that welcomes English- and Spanish-speaking families and prides itself on a parish school known across the region for its inclusive Special Needs Program. As part of the Westside Catholic Family of Parishes, it shares resources and sacramental life with St. Lawrence, St. Teresa of Avila, and Resurrection of Our Lord, giving parishioners a broader community while keeping a tight-knit neighborhood feel. Whether you are drawn by the historic 1931 Romanesque Revival church, the OCIA (formerly RCIA) process, St. Vincent de Paul outreach, or the school, there are active ministries for adults, youth, engaged couples, the bereaved, and those defending life.
Mass times at St. William
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (during Holy Hour)
- Saturday 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
- By appointment — call the parish office at 513-921-0247
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction, Reconciliation also available)
Our Story: A Century in Price Hill
St. William Parish was founded in November 1909 by Father Francis Roth and a group of laymen with Archbishop Henry Moeller's permission, to relieve the growing St. Lawrence Parish in Price Hill. A temporary wooden church seating 400 was dedicated on May 22, 1910; the school followed in 1912. After fundraising delays caused by the 1929 stock market crash, Archbishop John T. McNicholas dedicated the present Romanesque Revival church on October 4, 1931. The parish celebrated its centennial with a liturgy on November 8, 2009.
- Founded November 1909; first Mass May 22, 1910
- Named for St. William the Abbot and Archbishop William H. Elder
- School opened 1912; addition added 1915
- Present church dedicated October 4, 1931
- Centennial Mass celebrated November 8, 2009
Architecture & Sacred Spaces
Designed by the Steinkamp brothers, the present St. William Church is a Romanesque Revival structure that was part of a half-million-dollar parish development program that also included the rectory and sisters' house. Among its celebrated interior features are twelve Italian marble columns, one for each of the apostles, and an 18-foot great rose stained-glass window created by the G. C. Riordan Studio and installed in 1940.
- Romanesque Revival style
- 12 Italian marble columns
- 18-foot rose window by G. C. Riordan Studio (1940)
- Designed by the Steinkamp brothers
St. William School
St. William School serves students from preschool through 8th grade in the Price Hill neighborhood and is the parish's signature ministry. The school is widely recognized for its inclusive Special Needs Program — the Autism Scholarship Program began in 2005, with the Jon Peterson Scholarship program added in 2013 to serve students with specific learning disabilities. The preschool has earned Ohio's Five-Star Step Up To Quality Award, and the school accepts the EdChoice, EdChoice Expansion, Jon Peterson, and Autism Scholarship vouchers.
- PreK–8 faith-based education
- Autism Scholarship Program (since 2005)
- Jon Peterson Scholarship Program (since 2013)
- EdChoice and EdChoice Expansion vouchers accepted
- Five-Star Step Up To Quality preschool
- Special Education Coordinator: Maria Schoeppner
Special Education & Inclusion
St. William's Special Needs Program is housed in part of a building locally known as 'the annex,' which contains four classrooms for self-contained students, a 'muscle room' with a trampoline, swing, slide, and train set, and a 'sensory room' to help students regulate. Intervention specialists and aides work with students who rotate through six stations of instruction each day, and many students are partially or fully mainstreamed into the wider school for gym, art, music, and religion.
- Four self-contained classrooms in 'the annex'
- Muscle room and sensory room
- Six-station rotation of instruction with sensory breaks
- Partial and full mainstreaming options with typical peers
Parish Outreach & Charity
St. Vincent de Paul is the parish's primary outreach arm, helping people of all races and religious backgrounds in the Price Hill area with food, rent, gas, electricity, water, and other necessities. The parish also participates in Pro-Life work, Bereavement ministry, and the Archdiocese's Retrouvaille program for marriages in difficulty.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — assistance line 513-921-0247 x 4
- Pro-Life ministry
- Bereavement Ministry
- Retrouvaille (marriage support)
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Westside Catholic OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, formerly RCIA) program is shared across St. Lawrence, St. Teresa, St. William, and Resurrection of Our Lord, offering a structured, prayerful path for adults — and children aged 14 and older — to discern and prepare for full initiation into the Catholic Church. The program also welcomes already-baptized Christians from other traditions seeking reception into the Church.
- OCIA classes open to those 14+
- Shared across all four Westside Catholic parishes
- Director of Evangelization: Grace Yuellig
- Contact: [email protected]
Westside Catholic Family of Parishes
As part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light pastoral planning initiative launched in 2021, St. William now belongs to the St. John Bosco / Westside Catholic Family of Parishes, together with St. Lawrence, St. Teresa of Avila, and Resurrection of Our Lord. Led by Fr. Zachary Cecil, the four parishes share sacramental schedules, ministries, and resources while remaining rooted in their individual neighborhoods.
- St. Lawrence
- St. Teresa of Avila
- St. William
- Resurrection of Our Lord
- Pastoral patron: St. John Bosco
Parish Leadership & Staff
The parish is led by pastor Fr. Zachary W. Cecil with assistance from a Senior Parochial Vicar, Parochial Vicar, retired assisting clergy, and three active deacons (plus one retired). A lay leadership team of directors and commission chairs supports worship, evangelization, formation, communications, music, business, plant operations, and the school.
- Pastor: Fr. Zachary W. Cecil
- Senior Parochial Vicar: Fr. Mark T. Watkins
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Jeff Stegbauer
- Retired Assisting Clergy: Rev. Robert Keller
- Pastoral Associate: Deacon George Bruce
- Music Director: Mr. David Allen
- Business Manager: Mr. Rich Messerle
- Director of Evangelization: Mrs. Grace Yuellig
- Director of Communications: Mrs. Maria Williams
- School Principal: Mr. Jack Corey
Advisory Councils & Parish Governance
St. William's governance follows the parish council model: a Westside Catholic Pastoral Council advises the pastor on mission and resources, while specialized commissions handle Education, Finance, Facilities, and Worship (coordinating Mass captains, servers, lectors, cantors, ushers, and greeters). The Finance Commission of five advises the pastor on temporal matters; the Facilities Committee meets twice a year on maintenance and capital improvements.
- Pastoral Council (Westside Catholic)
- Education Commission
- Finance Commission
- Facilities Committee
- Worship Commission
Getting Involved
Beyond the formal ministries and commissions, the parish runs an active Adult Social group, Church Environment team, Fundraisers committee (including the annual Rock the Hill Music Festival), Athletic Association, PTO, and groups dedicated to the engaged, the bereaved, and the unborn. Newcomers are warmly welcomed by Fr. Zach in his 'From the Pastor's Desk' letter.
- Adult Social
- Athletic Association
- Church Environment
- Fundraisers / Rock the Hill Festival
- Ministry to the Engaged
- PTO
- Pro-Life
Parish Office & Contact
The Parish Center office is located at the parish address and is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. The school office can be reached at 513-471-2989. Online giving, weekly bulletins, the parish calendar, and the parish registration form are all available on the parish website.
- Parish office: 513-921-0247 / [email protected]
- School office: 513-471-2989
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Online giving and bulletin archive available on saintwilliam.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis Roth1909–1929 (founding era)
Founding pastor; led parish from 1909 establishment and commissioned the Steinkamps to design the present church in 1929.
- Msgr. Francis Kennedy1970s
Led the parish during the 1970s and introduced the Christ Renews His Parish renewal program.
- Rev. Philip Seher
Former pastor; concelebrated the centennial Mass in 2009.
- Rev. Paul Bader
Former pastor; concelebrated the centennial Mass in 2009.
- Rev. Andrew Umberg2005–(present at 2009 centennial)
Pastor since 2005; led the centennial preparation and parish fundraising/renovation push.
- Rev. Michael L. BidwellReferenced as 'Pastor' on Five-Star Step Up To Quality announcement (2018)
- Rev. Zachary W. CecilCurrent
Currently leads the Westside Catholic Family of Parishes under the Beacons of Light initiative.