Following the May 29th fire at St. John the Baptist Church, access to the interior of the church was limited due to safety concerns and the scope of the fire investigation. At the conclusion of the onsite fire investigation, FIRST ONSITE was given access June 23rd to remove debris from the church.
 A Prayer Service will begin at 1:30 PM in the St. John the Baptist Church South Parking lot on SR 119. Gathering follows at the Knights of St. John Hall. Please park in the Knights of St. John Hall parking lot.
We are forever grateful to the firemen, first responders, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, FIRST ONSITE and all others who came to our aid as fire ravaged our beloved St. John the Baptist Church. May God bless and protect you in your dedication and service to others.
Like so many of you, my heart sank as I watched the fire race across the roof of St. John’s church, the billowing black smoke clouding the sky and the flames of fire that leapt into the air, consuming and destroying everything in it’s path, first the roof and then the spire that eventually came crashing down in front of the church. We all know how powerful, destructive and devastating fire can be, but our faith tells us it can also be transforming.
Today is the Feast of the Ascension which marks a significant time of transition in the early church. It was a time of letting go of Jesus’ physical presence, he ascended or returned to the Father, and yet also experiencing Jesus in a whole new way. It was the beginning of the church itself, the people of God taking the initiative, taking the lead in being witnesses to all the ends of the earth. Today, we the Church, celebrate Christ’s Ascension by carrying on the mission of the first disciples, by witnessing our faith to the ends of the earth.
St. John the Church Fire Mass with Archbishop Casey and Homily by Fr. Ken Schnipke, C.PP.S.5/30/2025
You will weep and mourn – how profoundly those words resonate this day as we mourn the tragic loss of Trent Pleiman who died yesterday in the car accident and as we begin to sift through the embers of St. John’s Church that have now burned out, but not the embers of faith that have marked St. John’s since the first Mass in 1836 and the current church which was dedicated in 1891.
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On May 29, 2025, there was a devastating fire at our beloved and historic St. John the Baptist church in Maria Stein, OH. This page is where pertinent updates about the recovery efforts will be shared. We ask that you would support us with your prayers! If you would also like to financially support the recovery efforts you may do so online using the link above. 
March 2026
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