What is the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Assessment?
We’ve heard questions and concerns about the portion of our Sunday collections and capital campaign
gifts that go to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. We’d like to offer some clarity and context to help explain
why this assessment exists—and how it ultimately helps our parish.
​The parish general assessment is the main funding source for all operations of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.  The assessment funds a wide range of essential services and infrastructure that we would otherwise have to hire—and pay for—on our own, including:

• Legal Representation 
• Financial Oversight and Business Support
• Human Resources
• Insurance and Risk Management

Do all parishes pay an Assessment and what are the rates?
Yes. Every parish within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati contributes a percentage of its revenue to support the church. This practice is standard across all dioceses in the U.S.

• General Parish Revenue: Assessed at 9.5%
• Capital Campaign Contributions: Assessed at a reduced rate of 5.7%

Other dioceses in our region assess between 7% and 22%, placing the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on the lower end.  These rates have remained constant over the last decade.

Is every revenue assessed?
No. Certain types of revenue are exempt from the assessment. These include designated collections, religious education fees, program and activity fees (such as Bible Studies, Little Flowers, CYO, etc.), reimbursements, some festival proceeds, and several cemetery revenue streams.
 
What Does the Assessment Support?
While not a comprehensive list, the following highlights key services and resources provided by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. By participating in the general assessment, our parish gains cost-effective access to professional support and shared ministries—many of which would be significantly more expensive if sourced independently.
Services Supported by the Assessment Include:

• Property insurance management covering buildings, grounds, and parish vehicles.
• Comprehensive financial reviews conducted every three years.
• Ongoing research and coordination for payroll systems, parish administration tools, and accounting software—including vendor selection and fee coverage for most licenses across all Archdiocesan sites.
• Human Resources support, including guidance on employee onboarding and offboarding.
• Management of employee benefits, such as medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Administration of retirement plans for parish staff.
• Support for capital projects, including vendor evaluations, legal counsel, insurance review, and contract negotiation and execution.
• Business and financial best practices, offered through continuing education and professional development programs.
• Oversight of worker’s compensation and volunteer insurance for all parishes.
• Support for religious education, youth and family ministry, respect life initiatives, campus ministry, evangelization, and outreach programs.
• Ministry services, including hospital chaplaincy, mission outreach, and prison ministry..
• Deaconate formation, Office of Vocations, and oversight of the Athenaeum (the Archdiocesan seminary).
• Religious education collaboration through Northern Network quarterly meetings.
• Support for specialized ministries, including St. Rita School for the Deaf and St. Joseph Orphanage.
• Liturgical, worship, and music ministry support for enhancing parish celebrations and sacramental life.
• We hope this provides clarity how the assessment supports our parish. At St. John the Baptist and all our Christ Our Light parishes, we are deeply committed to being faithful stewards of the financial gifts entrusted to us, recognizing that the ability to support our facilities and parish ministries is a true blessing from God. Thank you for your continued generosity and support.

Archdiocesan Assessment on St. John Recovery Funds to Resume
One of the obvious ways the Assessment has helped St. John the Baptist Church are the staffing, resources, support and guidance the Archdiocese has been providing following the May 29, 2025 fire. Since the fire, the Archdiocese has taken the unprecedented step of not collecting a financial assessment from the funds received for the recovery of St. John the Baptist Church, while at the same time providing unparalleled guidance, support and resources. A few examples of the help and resources provided include the Archdiocese coordinating personnel and heavy equipment in the immediate aftermath of the fire, holding weekly meetings with vendors and insurers since the fire, coordinating mitigation and advocating on our behalf. They have provided gift processing services that normally would cost 10% or more of the total funds received and they have provided media relations staff to help respond to numerous inquiries from news outlets.  This generosity has been a tremendous blessing during a very difficult time in the life of our parish. As we continue to make progress and look toward the future with hope, this temporary arrangement is coming to an end. Beginning March 22, we will resume paying a financial assessment to the Archdiocese on fire recovery funds received. Insurance settlement funds will not be assessed. 
 
We are grateful to all who have continued to give faithfully and generously to our parish. Your support has sustained us in many ways. We encourage everyone to continue your stewardship support as we move forward into this important rebuilding phase for the parish.  ​

Share the Memories, the Story of St. John the Baptist Church
As we continue walking together through this season of rebuilding and renewal, we hold close the full story of our beloved parish — the joy of its beginnings, the sorrow of the fire, and the difficult but necessary steps of demolition. Every chapter has shaped us, and every moment has rested in the care of God. We warmly invite you to share any photos (along with its story) you may have from throughout the life of our church. Whether they reflect earlier parish memories, moments surrounding the fire, or images from the demolition, your contributions will help us preserve our shared story with love, honesty, and faith. Together, we can remember, rejoice, and continue healing as a community.
Your photos will be gathered into three albums and posted on MCC Facebook page and MCC's Website:

• Historical
• The Fire
• Demolition

Thank you, for the unwavering love, prayers, and support for our faith community. May the Lord bless our community as we honor where we have been and look with hope toward what He is building among us. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph — pray for us.
Google Form to Upload Photos:  https://forms.gle/irk45xWbQJr9P9f86
​

Call for Memories: Share Your Story of the Day of the Church Fire
As we continue preserving the history of our parish, we are gathering personal stories or reflections from parishioners who remember the day of the church fire. Your reflections—whether big or small—are a vital part of our shared story. We invite you to write down any memories, experiences, or stories from that day:

• Where you were when you heard the news
• What you saw or felt
• How the parish or community came together
• Any moments of faith, hope, or resilience you recall

These memories will help us honor our past and ensure that future generations understand the impact this event had on our parish family. Please submit your information to stjohnchurchmemories@gmail.com

​​​- Fr. Ken Schnipke, C.PP.S, Christ Our Light Family of Parishes

The Building and Architect Committees are happy to announce that Freytag and Associates, Inc., Sidney, Ohio https://www.freytaginc.com/ have been hired as the Architect and they in turn have contracted for the services of William Heyer https://www.heyerarchitect.com/  Columbus, Ohio as their liturgical consultant. Freytag and Associates had been closely monitoring the church fire and contacted us offering their services. Freytag and Associates are a local firm, who know and understand our local area, are familiar with local contractors and resources as well those in the larger surrounding area. They have the staffing and resources for large projects such as our future church and have renovated several local churches including IC Celina, St. Joseph Wapakoneta and Holy Angels Sidney https://www.freytaginc.com/worship Designing a new church is more extensive than renovation and so we requested that they seek out the services of a liturgical consultant who has experience in new builds.  

William Heyer is a well-known traditional/classical architecture firm that has done a lot of Catholic liturgical work in Ohio and 15 states across the country. They have a good mix of new-build and restoration/renovation with a lot of work in the Diocese of Columbus and accolades from Bishop Fernandez.  Members of the Architect committee visited two new builds by William Heyer, including Sacred Hearts Catholic Church, Cardington, Ohio and Oratory of St. Francis on the campus of St. Francis College, Ft. Wayne, IN. We are hopeful these combined services locally and nationally, will provide the best design services for our future St. John the Baptist Church. ​

​St. John the Baptist Church - Building Our Future Together
Sunday, February 22nd 6:30 PM, Marion Local High School Gym   
The St. John Building Committee invites parishioners to a parish gathering to meet Freytag and Associates and William Heyer who will be leading the design phases to prepare drawings and specifications for construction of our new St. John the Baptist Church. The February 22nd gathering will include St. John Church updates, an overview of the professional design services provided, general time lines, and updates on preliminary work underway. The gathering will also include time for parishioner input on the future church. The Building Committee has been using the QR code below to record all input on the future church, along with input mailed to the parish office and sharing that information with our architect team. Parishioners are invited to submit input using the QR code below. Freytag and Associates will develop preliminary concept for building a new church incorporating areas and spaces identified. Conceptual drawings will be shared at a future parish gathering. We look forward to coming together in hope, transparency, and shared commitment to the future of our beloved church. All are welcome to attend.  
​

​What guidelines will be followed for designing the future St. John the Baptist Church?
The design and construction of a new church follows guidelines of the Catholic Church found in the US Conference of Catholic Bishops document “Built of Living Stones: Art, Architecture, and Worship.” These guidelines are intended for use by architects, liturgical consultants, artists and contractors engaged in the design and construction of a church. They are also helpful to those who wish to understand the Catholic Church's tradition regarding church buildings, the arts, and architecture. These guidelines will be followed for the design and construction of St. John the Baptist Church. Information sessions explaining Built of Living Stones were held Nov. 25th & Dec 9th at Precious Blood Church. You can view the presentations by clicking the following  Session 1 on Living Stones   Session 2 on Living Stones
Presenter: Fr. Jeff Kemper is a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati who has served as a pastor, Dean of Mount St. Mary's Seminary & School of Theology, Cincinnati and as Director of the Office for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. Fr. Kemper was pastor during the design and construction of St. John the Baptist Church, Harrison, OH dedicated in 2019.   

​Archdiocesan Assessment on St. John Recovery Funds to Resume
As you may or may not know, since the May 29, 2025 fire, the Archdiocese has taken the unprecedented step of not collecting a financial assessment from the funds received for the recovery of St. John the Baptist Church, while at the same time providing unparalleled guidance, support and resources. A few examples of the help and resources provided include the Archdiocese holding weekly meetings with vendors and insurers since the fire, coordinating mitigation and advocating on our behalf. They have provided gift processing services that normally would cost 10% or more of the total funds received and they have provided media relations staff to help respond to numerous inquiries from news outlets.  This generosity has been a tremendous blessing during a very difficult time in the life of our parish. As we continue to make progress and look toward the future with hope, this temporary arrangement is coming to an end. Beginning next month, on March 22, we will resume paying our regular financial assessment to the Archdiocese on fire recovery funds received. 
 
We are grateful to all who have continued to give faithfully and generously to our parish. Your support has sustained us in many ways. We encourage everyone to continue your stewardship as we move forward into this important rebuilding phase for the parish.  

​​The wind blows where it wills
On December 29, 2025, seven months after fire ravaged St. John the Baptist Church, the west wall of the church collapsed due to high winds and the declining condition of the remaining structure. Over the last five months, the St. John the Baptist Building Committee had explored numerous options for protecting the remaining structure, including options for possible restoration and selective demolition to preserve parts of the remaining structure that could be used in a future church. The stained glass windows were removed and are being stored by Window Creations. Approximately 1,040 of the 1,323 organ pipes were removed and cleaned, and are being stored locally. The beautiful main entry doors, frames and stained glass transom windows were removed and are being stored locally. The inside of the remaining church structure was scanned in hopes of using elements in a future church. While several options were presented for tarping the entire church and for selective demolition, none were pursued due to concerns with the viability of utilizing the remaining structure and cost. In the beginning, God created all things and breathed new life into our world. Perhaps the wind of God is breathing new life into St. John the Baptist Church.

​​St. John the Baptist Church demolition
The collapse of the west wall and concern that the tower could also collapse and fall onto SR 119 were serious safety issues requiring immediate action. SR 119 was closed and detoured. FIRST ONSITE explored options to remove the upper portion of the tower, but structural engineers and demolition teams were concerned that could not be done safely. A team from Sunesis Environmental arrived onsite Friday, January 2nd and began controlled demolition of the remaining church. A large excavator was used to demolish the West and North walls, including the Northwest work sacristy and storage area above. They were able to preserve the original marker from the 1849 & 1889 churches.  Demolition continued on Saturday including the East wall and Northeast priest sacristy and storage area above.  While demolishing the walls, Sunesis used the brick and debris to build a platform within the church to support a much larger excavator with a boom and claw with a 120’ reach.  After several days of delays, ODOT issued the transport permit and the heavy equipment arrived January 7th. The excavator claw was used to remove the tower from the top down, while striving to preserve the sandstone façade and other decorative work around the church. 

 St. John the Baptist Church demolition and follow up
With the urgent safety concern of the falling tower mitigated, FIRST ONSITE began exploring demolition of the remaining structure and foundation and selective removal of salvable building materials including the sandstone façade, 1889 corner stone and bricks that can be used in the future as a memorial, given to parishioners and perhaps used for fundraising. They will haul off general debris, provide compacted backfill of the basement, seed and straw for storm water pollution prevention, abandon underground sewer and waterlines and coordinate EPA required oversite. It is estimated that the remaining demolition, salvaging of materials, hauling off debris and backfill would take 7 to 8 weeks, depending upon availability of the demolition team, masons for removing the sandstone façade and weather in winter months.  According to St. John history, the façade and other decorative trim is Berea sandstone, possibly from Cleveland Quarries founded in 1868, still operational and known for keeping shop drawings back into the 1800’s. This could help salvaging the sandstone and replacing pieces that may have been damaged. A lot of heavy equipment has been onsite, including the concrete parking lot which is being assessed and monitored for damage that could result in further mitigation.  The St. Isidore statue will be moved to the cemetery and the historical marker will be removed and stored in the garage. 

​​- Fr. Ken Schnipke, C.PP.S, Christ Our Light Family of Parishes​

After consultation with structural engineers and safety officials, church leadership determined that demolition of the church and removal of the bell tower was necessary to protect the surrounding area and ensure public safety. The collapse of the west wall and concerns that the bell tower could also collapse and fall onto State Route 119 were serious safety issues that required immediate action. FIRST ONSITE explored options to remove only the upper portion of the tower, but structural engineers and demolitions teams determined that this could not be done safely. Demolition crews arrived on site on Friday, January 2.


Father Ken Schnipke, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, said, “This is a difficult day for our parish. But it is also an important one in the journey of our parish into the future of St. John the Baptist Church.” Reflecting on the wind that collapsed the west wall last week he added, “In the beginning, God created all things and breathed new life into our world. Perhaps the wind of God is breathing new life into St. John the Baptist Church.”


Since the time of the fire, parish leaders have worked diligently to safeguard the church’s patrimony. Over the past four months, significant efforts have been made to preserve sacred items, artwork, furnishings, and architectural elements so they may be respectfully incorporated into a future church. These efforts include: stained glass windows that were removed and are being restored by Window Creations; approximately 1,040 of the church’s 1,323 organ pipes, which were removed, cleaned and are being safely stored; and the removal of the main front entry doors, frames and stained glass transom windows. With the demolition now underway, extensive work, carried out with intentional care, has been done to protect the façade of the front entrance and other decorative stonework around the church.


While today’s work marks the visible end of the striking bell tower that soars above the farm fields in Maria Stein, it does not mark the end of the parish community. Church leaders are grateful for the care, professionalism, and pastoral attention shown throughout this process, as well as for the continued prayers and support of the faithful.


Plans for the future worship space will focus on continuity, remembrance, and hope, honoring the legacy of the past while providing a spiritual home for generations to come.


The St. John Building and Architect Committee is in the final stage of selecting and hiring an architecture firm to help the community envision the future of St. John the Baptist Church. More information will be shared when available. 

Jennifer Schack
Director of Media Relations
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Office | 513.263.6618
Cell | 859.512.5626 
jschack@CatholicAOC.org 
 
Release Date:  January 7, 2026

St. John Bricks
FIRST ONSITE has been asked to preserve a large pile of bricks on the West parking lot that can be used in the future as a memorial, given to parishioners and perhaps used for fundraising. Bricks will be stored in the restricted area until they can be safely cleaned for use/distribution.
 
Please note: Parking lots and areas surrounding St. John Church are being blocked off for safety.
​Do not enter any restricted areas.

Site work will continue on removing other parts of the structure and site prep for the equipment into Monday. ODOT has been advised of the urgency of the situation as well as provided a letter from Chief Joe Hartings of Chickasaw FD.  FIRST ONSITE will provide updates when known. 
 
St. John Bricks
FIRST ONSITE has been asked to preserve a large pile of bricks on the West parking lot that can be used in the future as a memorial, given to parishioners and perhaps used for fundraising. Bricks will be stored in the restricted area until they can be safely cleaned for use/distribution. 
 
Please note: Parking lots and areas surrounding St. John Church are being blocked off for safety.
​Do not enter any restricted areas.     

St. John Bricks
FIRST ONSITE has been asked to preserve a large pile of bricks on the West parking lot that can be used in the future as a memorial, given to parishioners and perhaps used for fundraising. 
 
Please note: Parking lots and areas surrounding St. John Church are being blocked off for safety.
​Do not enter any restricted areas.     

A demolition team will be onsite Friday, January 2nd to assemble equipment and begin controlled demolition of the remaining church on Saturday striving to protect the limestone façade of the front entrance and other decorative stone work around the church.  It is anticipated that demolition will occur over the weekend taking two days to complete. Debris removal will occur at a later date. 
 
The church was tested for environmental hazards during the debris removal and has been approved by the EPA for demolition. There will be measures taken to control dust, but there will still be minimum dust from the demolition so neighbors in the affected area will be notified by FIRST ONSITE on Friday to use caution.
 
Please note: Parking lots and areas surrounding St. John Church are being blocked off for safety.
​Do not enter any restricted areas.

The Chickasaw Fire Department is working with ODOT and has shut down SR 119 between St. Johns Road and Kremer Road to ensure public safety.
 
This is a serious safety issue requiring immediate action. FIRST ONSITE is exploring options to remove the upper portion of the tower or demolish the remaining structure. Whether selective demolition is possible or a full demolition is required will depend on the availability of specialized demolition teams and the structural integrity of the tower.
 
Fr. Ken and the St. John Building Committee are working closely with FIRST ONSITE and the Archdiocese to determine the best course of action. Further updates will be provided as decisions are made. Please note: Parking lots and areas surrounding St. John Church are being blocked off for safety. Do not enter any restricted areas.
​

The Building Committee

• Michelle Ashman: 419-852-0784
• Eric Eyink: 419-305-9129
• Beck Fullenkamp: 567-644-2581
• Gary Hartings: 419-953-0728
• Dave Heckman: 419-953-2412
• Todd Heitkamp: 419-953-1868
• Beth Otte: 419-302-4724
• Maria Rethman: 567-644-6442
• Kent Shaner: 419-733-4403
• Jean Thobe: 419-305-6808
• Mitch Thobe: 419-305-9951
• Lynn Wolters: 419-305-9849

Share your vision for our new church by submitting your ideas on the Building Our Future Together google form.