St. Francis of Assisi Church sits on a stretch of Wilmington Pike in southern Dayton, Ohio, where Franciscan friars established a new parish in 1969 to serve the growing suburbs of Centerville, Bellbrook, Washington Township, and Sugar Creek Township. Today the church is one of two campuses of the Our Lady of Light Family of Parishes, joined with the older Church of the Incarnation under a single pastor and staff. Together the two campuses serve thousands of families across the region with a robust sacramental life, a regional Catholic school, and a network of formation, fellowship, and outreach ministries that reaches well beyond the parish boundaries.
A parish founded by Franciscans
St. Francis of Assisi has Franciscan roots. Archbishop Karl J. Alter officially established the parish on August 26, 1969, carving it from two neighboring parishes, Incarnation and St. Charles, and asking the Franciscans of St. John the Baptist Province in Cincinnati to administer it. The first pastor was Fr. Francis X. Hoffer, OFM. Because the new community had no building of its own, the friars at the St. Leonard Seminary in Centerville shared their facility, their prayers, and their support while plans took shape.
The first Mass in the new church was celebrated on January 4, 1975, by Fr. Hoffer, and Archbishop Joseph L. Bernadine officially blessed and dedicated the building on January 26, 1975. By the end of the 1970s the parish had grown enough that the pastor needed more than the small apartment inside the church, and a Friary was built in 1978 to house him. A wing added to the church in 1983 provided classrooms and a room dedicated to the Blessed Mother.
By the late 1990s the parish had outgrown its original worship space, with many parishioners standing or sitting on folding chairs in the narthex and watching Mass through glass on a video screen. A long-range planning effort led to a campaign and the construction of a much larger worship space, including a new gathering space and library, dedicated on March 27, 2004, by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk. A relic of St. Francis of Assisi was sealed in the new altar at that dedication. In 2002 pastoral care passed from the Franciscans to the Archdiocese, and Fr. Tom Schmidt became the first non-Franciscan pastor.
The art of St. Francis
The campus carries a quiet visual program that ties the parish to St. Francis of Assisi himself. The San Damiano Cross, made in Italy by Demetz Studios, arrived in 2018. It is in icon form, and its size draws the eye: one parishioner described the moment of seeing the life-size figure of Christ lying on the floor awaiting installation as deeply stirring. The San Damiano Cross is the cross before which St. Francis was praying when he received God's commission to rebuild the Church, and the original hangs in Santa Chiara Church in Assisi.
The Stations of the Cross inside the church have their own story. The original 2002 stations were too small to see from a distance, and Fr. Tom Schmidt began searching for replacements in 2017. Through a conversation between Deacon Chris Rauch and Deacon Michael Montgomery at the Golden Jubilee Mass of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, the parish learned that Sister Carol Bauer of the Sisters of Charity was looking for a home for the sacramentals of the closing Good Samaritan Hospital. The Stations, painted between 1930 and 1931 by an unknown art student studying at the Dayton Art Institute on copper, were acquired, framed, and dedicated on December 9, 2018. St. Francis of Assisi donated $15,000 back to the Sisters of Charity in gratitude.
Other devotional pieces line the gathering space and Mary Shrine: a bronze statue of St. Francis sculpted by Linda Dabeau, dedicated in May 2008 and installed in the St. Francis Garden off the library; the Annunciation window in the Mary Shrine, designed by Deacon Mark and Regina Stasiak; a statue of Mary on a platform of wood made from a pew of the original church; a stained-glass Reservation Chapel window installed in 2013; a framed carving of Pope Francis in purple heart, maple and oak; a stained-glass piece titled "The Rebirth of Christ" by parishioner John Tesar in 2019; and the bronze "Jesus Loves the Children: The Smiling Christ Statue" by Carlo Bronti, installed March 4, 2012. Outdoors, an Eagle Scout built a Prayer Labyrinth that was dedicated on August 18, 2019, with shards of pottery chalices once used at the altar interred under the boulder at its center.
Mass times and the rhythm of the week
Weekend Masses at St. Francis of Assisi are offered Saturday at 4:30 PM, Sunday at 9:00 AM, Sunday at 11:30 AM, and Sunday at 5:30 PM. The 11:30 AM Sunday Mass includes an ASL interpreter for the deaf. Interpreters, clergy, and extraordinary ministers are trained to offer the Body and Blood of Christ in ASL, and the first two pews in the left center section are reserved for parishioners and visitors who use the interpretation. Daily Mass is offered Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 AM and Wednesday at noon.
The church and its Reservation Chapel are open for individual prayer Monday through Saturday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. A Rosary is prayed following each weekday Mass, and on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM the community gathers for an evening rosary.
A welcoming committee greets visitors at the doors. The parish guides first-time and returning guests through the same movements longtime parishioners make: bless yourself at the holy water font, genuflect or bow toward the tabernacle before entering the pew, and settle into a posture of prayer before Mass begins. The Mass follows the usual Catholic structure of Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, Communion Rite, and Concluding Rite, and the parish notes that anyone is welcome to come forward at Communion with arms crossed over their chest to receive a blessing instead.
Sacraments and the Jubilee Year
All seven sacraments are celebrated at St. Francis of Assisi. Baptisms are scheduled through the Worship team, and parents attend a Baptismal Preparation Session, offered monthly on alternating campuses, before the baptism. First Communion is celebrated in the spring of second grade, with First Reconciliation preceding it. Confirmation preparation begins in sixth grade and culminates in the fall of eighth grade. The marriage preparation process begins with a meeting with a member of the clergy and includes a mentor couple, the Fully Engaged program, and a Genesis Retreat. Anointing of the Sick is available by calling the parish offices, with an emergency line at 937-709-3033.
Confession is heard Wednesday from 12:30 to 1:30 PM and Saturday from 3:15 to 4:15 PM. In the weeks surrounding the Feast of St. Francis, the parish expands its Reconciliation schedule considerably, adding evening hours Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, a Friday noon hour, and a Sunday morning session.
St. Francis of Assisi has been named a designated pilgrimage site for the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis. Pilgrims are invited to celebrate the Eucharist, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and seek the plenary indulgence associated with the Jubilee. Special offerings during the Jubilee include expanded Confession times, Eucharistic Adoration, XLT evenings, and the Blessing of the Animals.
What to expect with children
Children are welcome throughout the church, and activity packets for ages three through ten are available at every entrance. The St. Francis campus also has a nursery off the Gathering Space, across from Friendship Hall. The nursery is equipped with toys and activities, and the Mass is livestreamed into the room so that parents can still participate while little ones play. For older children, the parish runs the Awaken faith formation program for preschool through fifth grade, including children with special needs, with weekly sessions on Sunday mornings and Wednesday afternoons on the St. Francis campus, and a homeschool option that includes quarterly in-person gatherings.
Liturgical ministries
Liturgical ministry is built into parish life. Altar servers can begin serving at age ten after First Communion; adults also serve at funeral Masses. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion begin in ninth grade with required training. Greeters welcome people at the door and serve as ushers on the St. Francis campus. Lectors proclaim the first and second readings, also with required training. Liturgical Environment teams plan and set up seasonal decorations, flowers, banners, and articles for the liturgies. Sacristans and Mass coordinators work behind the scenes with the clergy to ensure that everything is prepared. A children's choir, cantors, choirs, and instrumentalists lead the music under Michelle Nehrbass, the Director of Music for the St. Francis campus, and Kevin Samblanet, who directs music at the Incarnation campus.
Children, middle school, and high school
Three programs serve young people from preschool through high school. Awaken, for preschool through fifth grade, includes sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Reconciliation, and First Communion. EDGE, for grades six through eight, follows a Gather, Proclaim, Break, Send structure and meets Sunday evenings and Wednesday afternoons at the Incarnation campus and Sunday mornings at St. Francis. EDGE 180°, a Wednesday evening Bible study for middle schoolers, runs at the St. Francis campus. Life Teen, for grades nine through twelve, gathers Sunday evenings at St. Francis for Life Nights with dinner, games, a talk, and small groups; LT 180°, a weekly Bible study using Lectio Divina on the upcoming Sunday Mass readings, meets Wednesday evenings; the Breakfast Club meets Tuesday mornings at the 6:30 AM Mass at Incarnation; and Intentional Discipleship pairs upperclassmen with adult disciples for one-to-two-formation meetings per month. Homework Hangout meets Thursday afternoons at the Starbucks on Lyons Road.
Summer offerings for children and youth include Totus Tuus, Vacation Bible Camp, and Works of Mercy Family Days, all hosted at the St. Francis campus.
Adults, young adults, and families
Adult faith formation is built around the Discipleship Pathway, Alpha, Bible Studies, and small Community Groups. Centering Prayer meets Tuesday mornings at 9:20 AM in the All Saints Room at St. Francis. The Healing Ministry offers private, confidential prayer with trained healing ministers Monday evenings at 7:00 PM in the Chapel on the Incarnation campus. The parish has a partnership with Hallow, the prayer app, with free sign-up and a 50% parish discount.
For young adults, Verso Nights meet on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in the All Saints Room at St. Francis, with dinner, fellowship, faith formation, and small group discussion, and a nursery for young children. Pack the Chapel gathers on the first Friday of each month from 7:05 to 8:05 PM at St. Francis for an hour of prayer followed by dinner or drinks nearby.
Men and women each have their own formation tracks. The annual Men's Summit in late September at St. Francis gathers men of all ages for a weekend of worship, talks, fellowship, and Eucharistic Adoration. The Women's Summit in mid-October is a two-day retreat with small groups, Adoration, healing prayer, Confession, and reflection. Following both Summits, six-week small groups continue the conversation: the Men's Summit feeds into The Search by the Augustine Institute, and the Women's Summit is followed by a study of Walking with Purpose's Ordering Your Priorities. Wednesdays at the Well, a women's fellowship and Scripture prayer evening, meets on the third Wednesday of each month from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the St. Francis campus. Women's Enrichment meets every other Wednesday at the Incarnation PAC. Other groups include the Moms Group, TMIY (That Man Is You), K of C, Man to Man, Endow, Zelie Alliance, Keenagers, Ladies Bridge, and a Book Club.
Family and marriage ministry includes mentor couples for those preparing for marriage, marriage enrichment gatherings, and an annual Anniversary Dinner that celebrates couples married 25, 30, 40, 50, and more years with Mass and a complimentary dinner.
Music, the library, and the prayer labyrinth
The parish places a strong emphasis on beauty in worship. The St. Francis Library, located in the Gathering Space, holds more than 1,700 books, DVDs, and CDs selected to deepen Catholic faith and understanding. Materials are organized by category, with a catalog available for browsing, and a lending policy in place. Outdoors, the Prayer Labyrinth provides a quiet path for walking prayer, and at its center shards of pottery chalices once used at the altar rest under a blessed boulder.
Service and outreach
The parish is anchored by the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Conferences. The Incarnation SVdP Conference supports neighbors through utilities, rent, food, and referrals, and runs a Meals Ministry that prepares and serves food at shelters in the Dayton area. The St. Francis of Assisi Breakfast Ministry prepares and serves breakfast at the St. Vincent de Paul Shelter on the first Saturday of each month; parishioners unable to volunteer can prepare casseroles or purchase milk and juice. Two large drives each year, the Paper Goods and Personal Care Items Drive in June and the Bundle Sunday Clothing Drive in September, stock the SVdP Community Store and assist families in need.
Outreach to mothers and families runs through Mother's Day Flowers, with proceeds going to Dayton Right to Life, and Bottles for Babies, with proceeds supporting Elizabeth's New Life Center; approximately $500 funds the care needed to save one baby. Christmas in July supports ENLC through a Giving Tree and an Amazon gift registry. Incarnation Christmas Kindness provides Christmas gifts for families and individuals in need each October, with adopt-a-family tags and gift tags distributed in November. The Thanksgiving Basket Collection at St. Francis gathers food and gift cards for families in the weeks before Thanksgiving. The St. Francis Giving Tree provides Christmas gifts for local families.
The Precious Planet Ministry promotes stewardship of creation through Catholic Social Teaching, the principles of Laudato Si', and the Catholic Climate Covenant. Respect Life volunteers serve as advocates for the dignity of every human life from conception to natural death.
Other ongoing service includes a monthly breakfast casserole collection for the St. Vincent de Paul Shelter, a Third Sunday Food Collection for Catholic Social Services Miami Valley, and ongoing non-perishable donations to the SVdP food barrels at St. Francis.
Walking with those who hurt
Support ministries at Our Lady of Light accompany parishioners through the difficult chapters of life. The Bereavement Ministry at each campus supports families through funeral planning, prayer, and presence. Divorce Care, led by Marcelle Toma, combines video seminars with group discussion for those processing separation or divorce. GriefShare uses videos, discussion, and workbooks led by trained facilitators at both campuses. The Healing Ministry offers private, confidential prayer with trained ministers on Monday evenings. Lean On Me provides temporary services such as meals and light household help, along with visits to the elderly, shut-ins, those recently released from the hospital, and new mothers. Martha Ministry, with more than 100 volunteers, provides a luncheon after funeral Masses at St. Francis. The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets shawls given to those in need of being wrapped in prayer. The Ministry to the Sick and Homebound brings Holy Eucharist to those unable to attend Mass.
The Catholic school connection
Incarnation Catholic School is part of the family of parishes, an interparochial school that serves students from preschool through eighth grade under the leadership of Principal Leah Coghlan. The school has earned recognition from the U.S. Department of Education as a National School of Excellence and is described by the parish as a bright source of evangelization for the youth of the community. Athletics run through the Incarnation CYO program, and Boy Scouts Troop 116 also calls the campus home.
Giving, joining, and connecting
Online giving is available for St. Francis of Assisi through OSV Hub, and online Mass and a pastor's homily archive are accessible through the parish's YouTube channel. New parishioners are welcomed through a registration form, and the parish Welcome Team follows up with a personal call and an invitation to a new parishioner welcome event. The Stories of Light blog shares reflections from the pastor's desk, ministry stories, and updates from across the family of parishes, with archives going back several years. Weekly emails, a bulletin, the myParish app, Spotify, Instagram, and Facebook keep parishioners connected between Sundays.
Vision and mission
St. Francis of Assisi belongs to the Our Lady of Light Family of Parishes, whose vision is to make Heaven present here and now, and whose mission is to help people walk with Jesus in everyday life. The parish community describes itself as imperfect people serving a perfect God through prayer, worship, service, and testimony, and welcomes all who wish to join. Whether the door a visitor enters is the Gathering Space at St. Francis, the playground of Incarnation School, or the threshold of the Reservation Chapel for a quiet weekday visit, the same welcome awaits.