About Visitation of the BVM · Eaton, Ohio
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Roman Catholic parish in Eaton, Ohio, dedicated to the Marian feast of the Visitation — Elizabeth's meeting with Mary recorded in Luke's Gospel. Founded in 1853, it is one of the oldest Catholic congregations in Preble County and today belongs to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as part of the multi-parish "C-1 Family of Parishes," which also includes St. Mary in Oxford, St. Mary in Camden, and St. John the Evangelist in New Paris. The parish church sits on East Main Street in downtown Eaton and serves the Preble County Catholic community with weekend and daily Masses, weekday confessions, First Thursday adoration, and ongoing religious education.
- Established
- 1853
- Patron
- Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Jim Romanello (Pastor of the C-1 Family of Parishes)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Why belong here
Visitation of the BVM offers a small, traditional parish rooted in Preble County since 1853, with daily Mass most weekdays and a full Sunday schedule including a Saturday Vigil. As the lead parish of the C-1 Family of Parishes, it connects Eaton Catholics with neighboring communities, while still preserving Visitation's own identity and home parish office on East Main Street. Parishioners have access to weekday confessions, monthly First Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, a religious education program, music ministry, and outreach efforts coordinated across the C-1 Family.
Mass times at Visitation of the BVM
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM (Visitation of the BVM, Eaton)
- Tuesday 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM (Visitation of the BVM, Eaton)
- Wednesday 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM (Visitation of the BVM, Eaton)
- Thursday 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM (Visitation of the BVM, Eaton)
- Friday 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM (Visitation of the BVM, Eaton)
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Visitation of the BVM, Eaton)
- 1st Thursday 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Visitation of the BVM, Eaton)
Adoration times
- 1st Thursday 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Visitation of the BVM, Eaton)
Welcome to Visitation of the BVM
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Catholic parish in downtown Eaton, Ohio, and the lead parish of the C-1 Family of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The parish welcomes visitors to its historic church on East Main Street and serves as the home base for the Preble County Catholic community. The parish website, c1family.org, functions as a hub connecting Visitation's parishioners with fellow Catholics at St. Mary, Oxford; St. Mary, Camden; and St. John the Evangelist, New Paris.
- Parish office at the Visitation of the BVM Church Hall, 407 E. Main Street, Eaton
- Eaton office hours: Monday–Thursday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Parish phone: 937-456-3395
History & Heritage
Visitation Parish was established in 1853 in Eaton, Ohio, making it the first Catholic parish in Preble County. From this founding community, missions were later founded in New Paris (St. John the Evangelist, 1870) and Camden (St. Mary, 1942), with all three eventually grouped together in the modern C-1 Family of Parishes. The parish has been part of the Cincinnati Catholic see since its founding — first as part of the Diocese of Cincinnati and, after 1950, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
- Founded 1853 — first Catholic parish in Preble County
- Mother parish of St. John, New Paris (1870) and St. Mary, Camden (1942)
- Falls within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Clergy & Staff
Visitation is currently served by the clergy of the C-1 Family of Parishes, led by a Pastor and supported by a Parochial Vicar. Day-to-day parish operations at the Eaton campus are handled by a small staff based out of the Visitation parish hall.
- Rev. Jim Romanello — Pastor, C-1 Family of Parishes
- Rev. Jedidiah Trtile — Vicar, C-1 Family of Parishes
- Kate Andrews — C-1 Family Reception (Eaton Campus)
- Todd Piekutowski — C-1 Family Music Coordinator (Eaton Campus)
- Jeanette Geeting — Director of Evangelization and Stewardship (Eaton Campus)
- Renee Piekutowski — Associate of Religious Education (Eaton Campus)
Religious Education & Faith Formation
The C-1 Family's religious education program is staffed on the Eaton campus by an Associate of Religious Education. The program prepares children for the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation, and connects with the broader Faith Formation work of the C-1 Family. Adult formation, including RCIA for those preparing to enter the Church, is offered through the same office.
- Renee Piekutowski — Associate of Religious Education (Eaton Campus)
- Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation
- RCIA / adult initiation available through the parish
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Music and liturgical ministry at Visitation are coordinated at the C-1 Family level by the Music Coordinator for the Eaton campus. Lay liturgical roles (lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, ushers, sacristans, and cantors) are scheduled online through the Ministry Scheduler web terminal so that ministers at all four parish churches can sign up and request substitutes with ease.
- Todd Piekutowski — C-1 Family Music Coordinator (Eaton Campus)
- Online Ministry Scheduler for lectors, EMHCs, servers, and ushers
- Live-stream Mass available from St. Mary, Oxford for those unable to attend in person
Outreach & Evangelization
Outreach and evangelization are coordinated across the C-1 Family by the Director of Evangelization and Stewardship based at the Eaton campus. The parish also connects parishioners with Natural Family Planning providers and resources, support for couples experiencing infertility, and a grief ministry — the 'Christmas Angel Box' at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Oxford — for parents who have experienced the loss of a child.
- Jeanette Geeting — Director of Evangelization and Stewardship (Eaton Campus)
- Natural Family Planning — provider and methods directory
- Support for couples experiencing infertility
- Christmas Angel Box grief ministry at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Oxford
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Matthew Amoako-Attah, C.S.Sp.
Listed as pastor in older parish directories.
- Rev. David Doseck
Served as Pastor of Visitation of the BVM (Eaton), St. Mary (Camden), and St. John (New Paris); ordained 2017, profiled in The Catholic Telegraph.
- Rev. Jim Romanello
Current Pastor of the C-1 Family of Parishes; introduced to the parishes as pastor of the C-1 Family in a Christmas-season pastoral letter.