Since 1849, a faith community has gathered regularly in Xenia to worship the Lord in the Roman Catholic tradition and give thanks for the many gifts He has bestowed upon us. In 1999, St. Brigid Parish celebrated a milestone achievement, its 150th anniversary.
Below you will find statistics, a history of our Parish, and the patron saint to whom we are dedicated, St. Brigid of Ireland.
Brief History
St. Brigid Parish is the oldest of six Roman Catholic communities in Greene County and the only Catholic Parish in Xenia, Ohio.
Beginning in 1844, visiting priests from Dayton, Piqua and Springfield celebrated Masses on the porch of Mr. Jacob Klein’s home in downtown Xenia, and then in the basement of the old Greene County courthouse.
The growing Roman Catholic community in Xenia was organized as a formal parish under the patronage of St. Michael in the Diocese of Cincinnati on August 11, 1849. Reverend Father James Kearney became the first pastor.
In 1851, Reverend Father Thomas Blake renamed the parish in honor of St. Brigid of Ireland. He also supervised the construction of the first St. Brigid church structure in 1852.
After serving as a place of worship for 122 years, the original St. Brigid Church near downtown Xenia was destroyed by the powerful 1974 tornado, along with the rectory, West Second Street School, and the Sisters of Charity convent.
A new St. Brigid Church was constructed on Fairground Road and dedicated in 1977. Since that time, a parish campus has evolved to include the expansion of the Parish school, addition of a school lunchroom, construction of a Parish activity center, and the acquisition of residences on Purcell Drive that have served as the rectory and Parish office.
Since 1855, St. Brigid Parish has operated a parochial grade school staffed by both lay teachers and the Sisters of Charity.
St. Brigid of Ireland
St. Brigid lived from about 450 to 525 A.D. and is thought to have been born at Faughart near Dundalk, Louth, Ireland. Her father, an Irish chieftain, and her mother were baptized by St. Patrick. As a young girl Brigid displayed a strong interest in the religious life, and at an early age became a nun and lived the contemplative life with seven other nuns at Croghan Hill.
Although very few details are recorded about her life, Brigid was probably professed by St. Mel of Armagh, who is thought to have conferred abbatial authority on her. Around the year 470, she founded two monasteries at Kildare – one for men and another for women – and became abbess of the convent, the first in Ireland. These religious communities developed into a center of learning and spirituality. Brigid also found a school of art at Kildare, and its illuminated manuscripts became widely famous.
There is little doubt that Brigid was one of the most remarkable women of her times. Despite the numerous legendary, extravagant, and even fantastic miracles attributed to her, there is little doubt that her extraordinary spirituality, boundless charity, and compassion for those in distress were real. She died at Kildare on February 1, which has been established as her feast day. Accorded various titles of honor, including “Mary of Gael,” “Prophetess of Christ,” and “Queen of the South,” St. Brigid is buried at Downpatrick along with St. Columba and St. Patrick, with whom she is the patron of Ireland. St. Brigid, sometimes rendered as Bridget and Bride, is also considered the patron saint of scholars.
The enthusiasm which the memory of St. Brigid produced among those of Irish ancestry in the United States is unmistakable. Knowing of the tremendous devotion to this saint in Ireland, where many churches are dedicated to her, Reverend Father Thomas Blake sought to continue that affection with a church dedicated to her in Xenia. This was accomplished shortly after he became the first resident pastor of Xenia’s Catholic Community in August, 1851. With his own pen, he wrote the name of St. Brigid over the name of St. Michael on the Register of Baptisms. This change in the church patron’s name was apparently endorsed on October 31, 1852, when Archbishop John Purcell dedicated the first St. Brigid Church in Xenia.
St. Brigid’s Feast Day is celebrated by the Parish with a Mass in her honor, and occasionally other festivities.
Former Pastors of St. Brigid Parish
- Rev. James Kearney (1849–1850)
- Rev. Maurice Howard (1850–1851)
- Rev. Thomas Blake (1851–1885)*
- Rev. John Cunningham (1886–1887)
- Rev. Joseph Stoeppelmann (1887)
- Rev. Isaac Hocter (1887-1900)
- Rev. Clement Beckmeyer (1900-1901)
- Rev. Nicholas Kelly (1901-1908)
- Rev. Francis Quinn (1908-1913)
- Rev. James Quinn (1913-1919)
- Rev. Albert Burke (1919-1924)
- Rev. John Kuhn (1924)
- Rev. David Powers (1924-1930)
- Rev. Lawrence Wessel (1930-1937)
- Rev. Alphonse Schumacher (1937-1966)
- Rev. Erwin Bertke (1966-1970)
- Rev. Anthony Andres (1970-1971)
- Rev. Robert Von Holle (1971-1984)
- Rev. Stanley Doerger (1984-1997)
- Rev. Kenneth Schartz (1997-present)
*First resident pastor
