The Mother of God Family of Parishes serves the Catholic faithful of Kettering, a Dayton suburb, from three campuses: Church of the Ascension, St. Albert the Great, and St. Charles Borromeo. Together these parishes form one of the larger Catholic communities in the Dayton area, drawing more than six thousand member households who worship, learn, serve, and find fellowship across the three sites. The campuses share clergy and staff, coordinate programs for children and adults, and collaborate on outreach to the wider Kettering community.
Three Kettering Parishes, One Catholic Family
The three parishes trace their roots to three distinct eras of growth in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
St. Albert the Great is the oldest of the three. On July 13, 1939, Archbishop John T. McNicholas set in motion the creation of a parish to serve the Catholics of what was then a rural area south of Dayton. The first Mass drew fewer than fifty worshipers, but the parish grew steadily. Within a few years, eight pastors would guide the community through expansion, school construction, and renovations. Named for the Dominican scholar and Doctor of the Church, St. Albert the Great is today home to more than two thousand families.
Church of the Ascension was founded in 1955 to serve the wave of Catholic families moving into Kettering's post-World War II suburbs. Father Arnold F. Witzman received a call from Archbishop Karl J. Alter asking him to organize the new community. A month later, the first Masses were offered in the Greenmont Community Center, with Sunday attendance of 1,090 worshipers across three Masses and 131 families registered. The parish school opened in 1956, and Bishop Paul Leibold blessed the new basement church in 1963. The worship space was substantially rebuilt in 1988 when the Parish Activity Center and the new church were completed. Father Witzman retired in 1980 to become Pastor Emeritus, and a succession of pastors including Father Edward Rudemiller, Father David Brinkmoeller, Father Chris Worland, and Father Ed Pratt led Ascension through decades of growth.
St. Charles Borromeo was founded in 1959 and named for the sixteenth-century reforming bishop and cardinal. The parish's first Sunday Masses were celebrated in the fall of 1962 in the gymnasium of Alter High School, drawing more than 1,100 parishioners. Just weeks later, Monsignor Martin T. Gilligan was installed as the parish's first pastor. By 1964, a new church and a school serving more than 500 students were already in operation. The current church was dedicated in 1993, and over the years the campus grew to include a pipe organ, sacred art, and expanded gathering spaces.
In the summer of 2022, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Beacons of Light pastoral plan brought the three parishes together under one pastor as the Kettering Catholic Community. Father Ed Pratt became the first pastor of the new family, joined by Father Tom Nevels and Father Chibueze Asiegbulem. Father Tom Nevels succeeded Father Pratt as pastor in the summer of 2024. On December 1, 2024, the community adopted its present name: the Mother of God Family of Parishes. The name honors Mary as Theotokos, or God-bearer, a title proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in 431 to defend the truth that Jesus Christ is fully divine and fully human from the moment of his conception.
Daily Mass Across Three Campuses
Mass is celebrated at all three campuses throughout the week. Sunday Masses are offered at 8:30 AM at Ascension, St. Albert, and St. Charles; at 10:30 AM at St. Charles; and at 11:00 AM at Ascension and St. Albert. The Saturday vigil is offered at 4:30 PM at St. Albert and at 5:00 PM at both Ascension and St. Charles.
On Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, daily Mass is celebrated at 8:30 AM at St. Charles, 9:00 AM at Ascension, and 12:00 PM at St. Albert. Tuesdays bring Mass at 8:30 AM at St. Charles and 12:00 PM at St. Albert. On Fridays, Mass is offered at 9:00 AM at Ascension and 12:00 PM at St. Albert, with an additional 8:30 AM Mass at St. Charles on the first Friday of each month.
Each Mass is celebrated in its respective campus's main worship space. Masses are livestreamed from each campus so that parishioners who are homebound or traveling can still participate. The full presider schedule and a weekly bulletin are kept current on the parish's online calendar.
Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration
The Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as Confession, is celebrated regularly across the family. The standard weekly schedule includes Friday afternoons immediately after the noon Mass at St. Albert the Great; Saturday afternoons from 3:15 to 4:00 PM at St. Albert; Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:30 PM at St. Charles Borromeo; and Saturday afternoons from 4:00 to 4:30 PM at Church of the Ascension. Parishioners are especially encouraged to confess during Lent and Advent, or anytime they feel called to return more closely to God. Eucharistic Adoration is offered at all three campuses, with current hours listed on the parish bulletin.
Those new to the sacrament can follow along with a written Confession Guide and an Examination of Conscience, both linked from the Confession page. Catholics preparing for First Reconciliation, which is typically celebrated in second grade, follow a parish-led preparation process with parents taking an active role.
The Seven Sacraments
The seven sacraments are at the heart of parish life. Baptism of infants and young children is celebrated during weekend Masses or after the last Sunday Mass at each campus. Parents are asked to attend a Baptism Preparation Class first; classes are held quarterly at each campus, with Ascension classes after the 8:30 AM Mass on the first Sundays of February, May, August, and November, St. Albert classes at 6:30 PM on the second Wednesdays of March, June, September, and December, and St. Charles classes at 7:00 PM on the second Mondays of January, April, July, and October. Children aged seven and older who have not been baptized enter a special Christian Initiation program designed for them, with parents playing an active role throughout. Adults preparing for baptism or for full communion with the Catholic Church participate in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, called OCIA, and typically receive the sacraments at the Easter Vigil.
First Reconciliation and First Communion are typically celebrated in second grade, after a year of religious education or Catholic schooling. Confirmation is usually received in eighth grade. Both programs require that the student has been baptized and has participated in the appropriate prior year of faith formation. The Religious Education Office contacts families automatically in late May to register second graders for sacramental preparation and in late April to register eighth graders for Confirmation. For couples preparing for marriage, the parish coordinates with engaged couples on formation, planning, and celebration. Anointing of the Sick is available to anyone facing serious illness or surgery, and a communal Anointing is celebrated periodically at one of the campuses.
Catholic Schools in Kettering
The parish family is home to three parish schools that together form one of the strongest Catholic education presences in the Dayton area. St. Albert the Great School serves preschool through eighth grade, with a curriculum that integrates academic rigor and life skills such as note-taking, organization, and team-building into a comprehensive Catholic education. St. Charles Borromeo School describes its mission as building a strong foundation of Faith, fostering an unending appetite for Knowledge, instilling Honor through Christ-like actions, and providing opportunities to achieve Balance as well-rounded individuals. Ascension Catholic School welcomes students of all faiths, cultures, and economic levels, centering its spiritual, emotional, and educational formation around Christ and Baptismal promises.
All three schools are supported by parish families, welcome volunteer involvement, and accept applications for the coming school year. The parish also participates in Ohio's state scholarship program for Catholic school families. CYO athletics give students from all three schools opportunities to play on parish-sponsored sports teams.
Faith Formation for Children and Teens
Children's faith formation extends beyond school hours. Children's Liturgy of the Word gathers children ages four to ten for an age-appropriate experience of the Sunday readings during Mass. The program is offered at the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass at Ascension, at the 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM Sunday Masses at St. Charles, and on the second and fourth Sundays of each month at the 11:00 AM Mass at St. Albert. Catechists and shepherd volunteers are needed at each campus to make the program possible. Bible Camp is offered every summer for children entering kindergarten through sixth grade, and is hosted at the St. Charles campus.
Youth ministry for middle schoolers is built around two programs. Edge gathers sixth through eighth graders for faith formation, fellowship, and service, while Ignite hosts Friday-night events built around a fun activity, a shared meal, and faith sharing. Junior high students can also participate in Summer of Service days, which pair small groups of students with service opportunities in the community, with a limit of ten students per event to keep the experience meaningful. The High School youth ministry gathers on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at Walsh Hall on the St. Charles campus for Pizza and Prayer, an evening of breaking open Scripture, learning to listen for God's voice, and sharing a meal. Other offerings include Damascus Winter and Summer Camp, a Summer Mission Trip, the National Catholic Youth Conference, and Bible Camp. Altar serving is open to students from fourth grade through high school, with periodic training sessions.
Adult Faith Formation and Small Communities
Adult faith formation is a vibrant part of parish life. The Spiritual Gifts for Mission series, led by Father Tom Nevels and a rotating team of presenters, explores the biblical charisms over twelve Friday morning sessions. Bible studies include Wednesday evening sessions at St. Albert (with recent studies such as Angels in the Bible from the Little Rock Scripture Study), a four-week study of the Gospel of Mark offered both mornings at Ascension and evenings at St. Charles, and a college-age summer Bible study at St. Albert. The Young Adult Ministry welcomes Catholics in their twenties and thirties for social events, small group studies, retreats, and service projects; community dinners are held on the second Sunday of each month.
Men's fellowship opportunities include the Cor: Heart of Jesus group sponsored by the Monsignor Breslin Knights of Columbus Council, meeting on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings at St. Charles, and a Lectio: Salvation men's group that meets at Ascension. Women's ministry includes the Martha and Mary women's group, the Women's Evening of Reflection sponsored by Regnum Christi, the Women's Book Club, and Mom to Mom, a community for mothers of young children supported by mentor moms. The Dayton Catholic Women's Club, established in 1923, holds its monthly meetings at Ascension. The parish is also home to a Legion of Mary praesidium that meets weekly at the St. Albert Spirit Center.
The parish partners with two online formation platforms. Formed provides Catholic video, audio, and reading content for all ages, while the Hallow prayer app offers guided prayer challenges, including parish-wide novenas and reflections. Parishioners can join the parish's Hallow community page to share prayer intentions and pray together.
Pastoral Care and Outreach Beyond the Parish
Pastoral care and outreach ministries reach beyond the parish boundaries. The Mental Wellness Ministry, supported by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, meets on the fourth Thursday of each month to raise mental wellness awareness, provide resources, and offer emotional and spiritual support to parishioners facing anxiety, depression, grief, and other concerns. The Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers at St. Charles each month to knit and crochet shawls while praying prayers of God's love and healing into each stitch; the finished shawls are given to those in need of comfort.
The Care of God's Creation ministry organizes quarterly recycling collections of clean clamshell containers and foil-lined bags, which are sent to the Cincinnati Reuse and Recycling Center. The Freedom Tree, displayed each summer before Independence Day at all three campuses, collects household items for Catholic Social Services' Refugee Resettlement Program. The Neighbor-to-Neighbor Food Pantry, operated by Ascension together with Greenmont Oak-Park Community Church, provides food assistance to local families; parishioners can support the pantry through Meijer Simply Give campaigns and direct donations. The Summer Lunch Program provides meals to children during the summer months and is staffed in part by junior high youth volunteers. Blood drives are held periodically at Ascension, and the parish hosts occasional health and wellness events such as Pietra Fitness, a Christian exercise program that combines physical movement with prayer and meditation.
Liturgical Life and Music
Liturgical ministries are at the heart of Sunday worship. Each campus has its own music director: Stephanie Klein at Ascension, Joe Whatley at St. Albert, and Christian Cosas at St. Charles, with Dave Timpone serving as associate liturgical musician across the family. The Director of Worship, Margaret Wager, coordinates liturgical celebrations across the family and supports bereaved families through the planning and celebration of funerals.
Parishioners serve in many liturgical roles: greeters and ushers welcome visitors and assist with seating and collections, lectors proclaim the Scriptures, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion assist the priest with distribution, and altar servers (training available for students in fourth grade through high school) support the priest at the altar. The Ascension campus houses the Witzman Center, the Parish Activity Center, and the Notre Dame Center; St. Charles includes Walsh Hall (the new youth space), the Borromeo Room, and the church; and St. Albert the Great features the Spirit Center.
The parish family is home to a chapter of the Knights of Columbus (the Our Lady of the Light Council at Ascension), which sponsors the men's Cor: Heart of Jesus fellowship and supports the parish through charitable works.
What to Expect as a Visitor
First-time visitors are welcomed with a spirit of generous hospitality. There is no formal dress code, and parishioners are urged to come as they are; most worshipers dress in a way that reflects the dignity of gathering for Mass, but casual attire is entirely appropriate. There is plenty of parking at each campus.
Children are encouraged to remain with their families in the pew, and each parish has a quieting room for parents who need a few moments with a child during Mass; gathering spaces at each parish also have a collection of books and quiet toys for use during liturgy. A nursery is available at Sunday Masses at St. Charles Borromeo.
Visitors who are not Catholic are welcome to remain in their pews during Communion, or to come forward with arms crossed over their chest to receive a blessing. The Eucharist is reserved for Catholics in good standing; the parish asks non-Catholic visitors to honor this practice out of respect for Catholic belief about the sacrament.
Hearing assistance devices are available in the gathering spaces at St. Charles and Ascension; simply ask a greeter to show how to access them. Low-gluten hosts are available for those with gluten intolerance; simply ask an usher or greeter before Mass, and the priest will distribute them. The parish offers online giving for those who would like to support the family's mission but are not yet ready to become parishioners.
Leadership and Mission
The Mother of God Family of Parishes is led by a team of priests, deacons, and lay ministers. Father Tom Nevels serves as pastor, with Father Tony Sanitato, Father Jeff Stegbauer, and Father Trieu Hai Hoang serving as parochial vicars. Eight permanent deacons assist at the three campuses: Deacon Brian Campos, Deacon Vic Hildebrand, Deacon Dan Kraus, and Deacon Tom Sipniewski at Ascension; Deacon Jeff Hall and Deacon Dave Zink at St. Albert; and Deacon Jesse Fanning at St. Charles. Deacon Chris Jasek serves as Pastoral Associate at St. Charles. Kristi Gaston serves as Pastoral Associate at St. Albert. Margaret Wager directs worship, Joe Ollier directs evangelization, Tara Schumaker directs children's faith formation, Amie Herbert coordinates junior high youth ministry, Kelly Summers coordinates high school youth ministry and Edge, and Christina Kreger directs OCIA.
The family's vision is to be a joyful Catholic community who welcomes, inspires, and challenges all to be Christ-like. Its mission, rooted in sacramental life, is to be a vibrant, active, and welcoming Catholic community that encourages all to give glory and praise to God through knowing and sharing God's love in homes, in communities, and throughout the world. The parishes pray together each day under the Mother of God prayer, asking Mary to guide the family of parishes to welcome all with generous hospitality, to inspire both young and old to follow Jesus faithfully, and to point others to her Son.