St. Rose Church

Phone: (419) 925-4775 Website Audio Tour

Mass Times: Sat. 19:30 (Summer); Tues. 07:30; Vigil of Holy Day: 01:00; Holy Day: 01:00

Parish Founded: 1839 Church Built: 1911

Architect: Unkown Architectural Style: Gothic

History: Once, when the Most Rev. John Purcell, Bishop of Cincinnati, was passing through the eastern part of Mercer County on one of his visitation tours, the dazzling beauty of the woodland scene enraptured him. Wild roses grew everywhere. He saw it as a garden designed and planted by the Creator. In admiration, the Bishop called the spot Rose Garden, and hence the little village that later sprang up in this section was given its name.

In 1839 the parish of St. Rose was established, and the early settlers started meeting in the home of Mr. Joseph Kleinhenz. The first pastor was Father Louis Navarron, who made a monthly trip from Versailles to serve the new parish.

The first log church was erected at Rose Garden in 1844. Unimposing, as was the architecture of that first log church, it nevertheless stood out above the other log cabins that surrounded it, for it possessed a steeple and in the steeple a bell, which was purchased for the sum of $36. In less than ten years this church was outgrown and in 1854, the second church was completed at a cost of $6,000. The Third Church (Present Church) was completed in 1911 for/or about $26,479.

Address: 7428 State Route 119, Maria Stein, Ohio, 45860 (Mercer County)

Pilgrim Pointers:

A door that sometimes may be locked on the east side of the church leads to the church basement where restrooms may be found. The steps down to the basement may also be reached by following the left side of the altar from the inside. What appears to be an old school house next door has a basketball court inside.