Iconic Gothic church finishes year-long celebration of building’s history By Erin Queenan Schurenberg The story begins like a legend. In 1906, a young priest, Father Anthony Mentink, arrived at St. Patrick in Troy on the saint’s feast day for a temporary assignment. He stayed 52 years working until the end, …

As Holy Family Parish in Frenchtown celebrates 170 years of its founding and 100 years in the same church, research confirmed it is the oldest church in continuous operation in Darke County. “The church was named Holy Family — Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary, his mother, and Saint Joseph, his …

By Walt Schaefer When the 40 original families built the first Queen of Peace Church in 1941 in the small hamlet of Millville on US 27 between Hamilton and Oxford, there was no indoor plumbing. These farming families brought out their horses and equipment and erected what long-time parishioner Adela …

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — When Pope Francis went out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time, he said he did not prepare what he was going to say, but “I felt deeply that a minister needs the blessing of God, but …