“We are a very active parish, with people who come from all over—about a third come from the neighborhood, and the rest drive in. The most common comment we get is that we’re a very welcoming community.” – Brother Tim Sucher, OFM, pastoral associate.

1819
Irish Catholics built Christ Church.

1822
Diocese in Cincinnati established and Dominican Father Edward Fenwick appointed its bishop. Bishop Fenwick named Christ Church the cathedral and moved it to the current site of St. Francis Xavier Church.

1858
Cornerstone laid on site of the old Christ Church cemetery.

1860
St. Francis Seraph School for boys built.

1868-1898
Ornate, German-style statues, stained glass, paintings, murals and mosaics installed.

1908
New school was built (serving both boys and girls).

1970-2000
Renovations removed the high altar and communion rail and restored original steps.

2010
The church’s inner-city ministries incorporated as a separate corporation, “St. Francis Seraph Ministries,” directed by the friars.

“With many of the changes and developments in Over- the-Rhine, the homeless people in particular aren’t welcome everywhere, but they know they’re welcome here. We’re now the gathering place for the neighborhood, especially out front. On any given day in the summer, you’ll find 30 to 40 people outside. They bring their lawn chairs, their blankets— sometimes their grills.”
– Brother Tim Sucher, OFM

Quick Facts
5 large stained glass windows behind the altar are for the cloistered friars.

A crypt beneath the church holds the remains of more than 40 people.

4 paintings from the original interior hang in the side chapels, depicting Franciscan saints.

This article appeared in the September 2023 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.