St. John Paul II Catholic Parish anchors the southwest Dayton corridor with three worship campuses and a parish school, all sharing one pastor and a vision summed up in four words: "Joyful Catholics sharing Christ with everyone we encounter." The parish was brought into being through a canonical unification that joined three long-standing worship communities under a single pastor, pastorate, and pastoral council: Our Lady of Good Hope in Miamisburg, St. Mary of the Assumption in Springboro, and St. Henry in Miami Township. Each campus keeps its own sanctuary, music program, daily Mass routine, and congregation, and many of the activities that knit the parish family together still flow through the individual church offices.
Together with Bishop Leibold School, the parish reaches Catholics across the corridor from Miamisburg through Springboro and into Miami Township, with three parish offices and three distinct campus rhythms that all fall under one pastor and one Faith Formation team. The decree of unification, issued by Archbishop Casey, brought together the people of the three parishes who had discerned and shaped the new body of Christ over a season of Family Unity meetings.
Weekend Mass Schedule Across the Three Campuses
Mass is offered at all three campuses every weekend, with a vigil Mass each Saturday and Sunday morning Masses at each location.
St. Mary of the Assumption in Springboro offers the earliest vigil in the parish, with Mass at 4:00 pm Saturday and two Sunday morning Masses at 9:00 am and 11:00 am. Our Lady of Good Hope in Miamisburg celebrates the vigil at 5:00 pm Saturday and a single Sunday morning Mass at 10:00 am, preceded by the Rosary at 9:30 am. St. Henry in Miami Township offers three Sunday Masses at 8:00 am, 10:30 am, and 6:00 pm, with periodic Spanish-language Masses noted in the parish bulletin.
Confessions are heard in the parish on Saturday afternoon at St. Mary of the Assumption (2:45 to 3:45 pm) and at Our Lady of Good Hope (3:45 to 4:45 pm), on Wednesday evening at St. Mary of the Assumption (5:30 to 6:30 pm), and between the two morning Masses at St. Henry on Sunday (9:30 to 10:15 am). Confession by appointment can also be arranged with one of the parish priests through any parish office.
Weekday Mass, Adoration, and Private Prayer
Every weekday offers multiple opportunities to attend Mass, pray the rosary, sit in private prayer, or spend time in Eucharistic adoration. Mass is celebrated at all three campuses on Monday (Our Lady of Good Hope and St. Mary of the Assumption at 8:00 am), Tuesday (St. Mary of the Assumption at 8:00 am and St. Henry at 7:00 am), Wednesday (St. Henry at 9:00 am and St. Mary of the Assumption at 7:00 pm), Thursday (St. Mary of the Assumption at 8:00 am and Our Lady of Good Hope at 9:00 am), and Friday (St. Mary of the Assumption at 8:00 am and St. Henry at 9:00 am). The rosary is prayed following Monday Mass at Our Lady of Good Hope, before the 8:30 am rosary on Thursday at the same campus, after morning Masses on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at St. Henry, after the 8:00 am Mass on Tuesday and Thursday at St. Mary of the Assumption (with the Divine Mercy Chaplet), and after Friday morning Mass at St. Mary of the Assumption (with the Patriotic Rosary).
Private prayer time is offered in each church during the morning hours: Our Lady of Good Hope opens its doors for private prayer Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, and Wednesday from 12:00 to 5:00 pm. St. Mary of the Assumption is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. St. Henry is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Two additional devotional opportunities are built into the weekly rhythm. Our Lady of Good Hope holds Eucharistic Exposition from 5:30 to 6:30 pm on Monday evenings, and St. Henry offers Eucharistic Adoration on the First Friday of each month from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm, in addition to the Monday evening rosary at 6:30 pm in the same church.
The Seven Sacraments in One Parish
All seven sacraments are prepared for and celebrated across the parish, with formation programs coordinated by the Faith Formation team and directors of worship.
Baptism
Infant Baptism is celebrated after scheduled Masses at each campus. Parents are expected to participate in a preparation program during pregnancy, with classes offered bi-monthly at St. Mary of the Assumption. Adults and children older than seven who have not been baptized are typically received into the Church at the Easter Vigil through the parish's Becoming Catholic program.
First Holy Communion
Children in second grade and above prepare for First Reconciliation (in the fall) and First Holy Communion (in the spring) as one combined formation. The program begins with an introductory candle-lighting ceremony, includes two parent sessions and two parent-and-child retreats, the First Reconciliation service, and a rehearsal and First Communion Mass. Children are expected to be enrolled in an ongoing faith formation program such as Bishop Leibold, the Parish School of Religion, or a homeschool curriculum.
Confirmation
Confirmation preparation is offered for baptized teens in grades 7 through 12. The program has two components: ongoing participation in youth ministry, plus supplemental Confirmation sessions including an introductory candidate-and-parent meeting, three evening Fire Nights with Mass, a full-day retreat, a candidate-and-sponsor evening retreat, and a rehearsal and Confirmation Mass. Candidates select a sponsor who is a practicing Catholic at least sixteen years old and choose a confirmation saint whose intercession and example will guide them.
Reconciliation
In addition to the regular weekly schedule already described, confession is available by appointment through any of the three parish offices. Adults or older children who have not celebrated First Reconciliation are invited to contact the parish office to learn more about OCIA.
Anointing of the Sick
Parishioners facing serious illness or hospitalization, or families in such a crisis, are asked to call any of the three parish offices directly; an after-hours sacramental emergency line is also available for those in danger of death. Communion to the Sick is brought regularly to private homes and care facilities by commissioned Extraordinary Ministers.
Marriage
Engaged couples contact one of the parish offices at least six months before setting a wedding date. The preparation process typically includes three to six meetings with a priest or deacon, attendance at a Genesis Marriage Retreat (with one-day, weekend, and online options), an online FOCCUS inventory or equivalent, an assessment questionnaire for each spouse, and a Natural Family Planning course. Parish music policies reflect Archdiocesan guidelines.
Holy Orders
Men who feel called to the priesthood or the Permanent Diaconate are invited to contact any parish office or the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Vocations Office. The parish also prays for vocations through the Seven Sisters Apostolate.
Becoming Catholic
Becoming Catholic at St. John Paul II Parish is structured as a deliberate apprenticeship in two stages. The first stage, Basic Training, is offered three times a year (beginning in August, November, and February) and runs fourteen weeks. Participants gather in a small group to consider the deep questions of human life and to hear the Gospel explained with Father John Riccardo's video teachings.
Those who choose to continue enter Discipleship Training, which generally lasts longer than a year. During this stage, participants study the Creed, the seven sacraments, and the Mass in greater depth, complete an extensive examination of the heart, build a structured daily prayer life, attend Sunday Mass each week, take part in parish service and social events, and are paired with a sponsor who walks with them. Adults already baptized in another Christian tradition are welcomed into the same process, celebrated for them at the Easter Vigil in Confirmation and Eucharist.
For children in grades three through twelve seeking Baptism, First Communion, or First Reconciliation outside the standard year, the parish offers Kids Becoming Catholic, which mirrors the adult process in age-appropriate ways. Children ages seven and up not yet baptized typically receive Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil after formation.
Faith Formation for Children
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) is a classroom-centered program for children in PreK through sixth grade who attend non-parochial schools. Held at the St. Henry Bishop Leibold School campus, PSR meets once per week with two options during registration: Sunday morning from 9:00 to 10:15 am, or Tuesday evening from 6:15 to 7:30 pm (PreK is Sunday morning only). The curriculum is rooted in Sacred Scripture and the Catechism, and lessons emphasize prayer, hands-on activities, music, crafts, service, and Ignatian "Gospel Imagination," where children place themselves inside a Gospel scene and ask what Jesus says to them.
JPII Faith Friends is a monthly gathering for children in grades K through six who would benefit from a more relaxed, individualized, and sensory-friendly learning environment. Offered the first week of each month during Sunday and Tuesday PSR sessions, it includes prayer, Scripture stories, music, hands-on activities, and friendship-building, with parents welcome to stay or to enjoy a brief respite. Registration is part of the regular PSR sign-up with a note to the parish team.
Student textbooks are ordered directly by parents through Sadlier and the Communication Center, with a thirty-percent parish discount code available at checkout for the Christ In Us and Discovering God curricula. Sacramental preparation fees are due at the first session.
Junior High and High School Youth Groups
Youth ministry is anchored at St. Mary of the Assumption, where Junior High Youth Group meets every Wednesday from 5:15 to 6:45 pm and High School Youth Group meets every Sunday from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. The programs draw about a hundred teens from local schools including Bishop Leibold, CJ, Fenwick, Centerville, Springboro, and Carlisle, and are guided by five core values: partnerships between volunteers, parents, and teens; prayerfulness as a habit of holiness; learning by doing; being the best teammate; and giving each day one's best effort.
Annual retreats bring the youth together across campuses: an overnight Winter High School Retreat held at locations such as Camp Kern or Bergamo, and a Spring Saturday evening Jr. High Retreat with Mass, witness talks, and team activities. High school teens can apply to the Totally Yours Team, which leads one of the summer camps for younger children during the summer.
Adult Formation and Retreats
Adult formation answers a recurring question: how does a Catholic respond to what God has done in Christ? The parish's study offerings aim at both inward growth and outward witness, running throughout the year on weekday mornings and evenings.
Studies meet in parish meeting rooms with leaders, hospitality, and (in many cases) optional workbooks or guides. Recent and upcoming studies include The Letters of St. Paul on Thursday mornings at St. Mary of the Assumption, Revelation: The Kingdom Yet to Come on Thursday evenings at St. Henry, and Why We Believe and the Jewish Roots of Advent on Tuesday evenings at St. Mary of the Assumption with video lectures from Dr. Brant Pitre. The parish also offers separate Women's and Men's renewal retreats each fall, with continental breakfast, talks, prayer, reflection, and friendship.
The Rescue Project and School of Identity
Two parish-wide evangelization efforts shape the way the parish talks about its mission. The Rescue Project is an eight-week book and video experience of the Gospel that runs in small groups within parishioner homes, followed by an optional Running Rescue phase for those who want to keep moving. School of Identity is a two-day conference on the Christian life as sons and daughters of God, with sessions on identity and transformation, hearing God's voice, renewal of the mind, living a supernatural life, sustaining joy, and baptism in the Holy Spirit. Both programs are coordinated through the Faith Formation office and are open to parishioners across all three campuses.
Meals, Food, and St. Vincent de Paul
Food assistance and meal outreach are coordinated through three St. Vincent de Paul conferences, one serving each campus. The conferences provide emergency help with food, utilities, rent, and other needs for families in the area; neighbors in need may contact any parish office for assistance.
Three recurring meal programs extend the parish's reach beyond its own members. Brown Bag Meals, prepared by parishioners and dropped off the second and third Wednesdays of the month in front of the St. Henry Parish Meeting Room, supply the St. Vincent de Paul homeless shelter. Box Lunch Wednesdays meets weekly at 8:00 am in the St. Mary of the Assumption Parish Center to assemble 120 sack lunches for clients of The New Vine pantry in Franklin. Meals for the Homeless collects casseroles on the last Friday of the month from 8:00 to 9:00 am in front of the St. Henry Parish Meeting Room, with volunteers delivering them to the SVdP shelter kitchen on Edwin C. Moses Boulevard.
Blessings in a Bag is a collaboration among Miamisburg churches that fills backpacks with weekend food for children in need at Miamisburg City Schools. Packing events take place on Wednesday evenings from 5:45 to 6:45 pm at the Miamisburg Seventh-day Adventist Church on Leiter Road during the school year, and the parish collects specified food items in the vestibule of each church as well.
Each summer, the parish School Supply Drive gathers new school supplies and gift cards, which are placed in bins at the back of each church and distributed through partnerships with St. Vincent de Paul, city schools, and ministries like Hope4WestCarrollton and Hope4Miamisburg.
Catholic in Recovery, Grief, and Bereavement Care
Catholic in Recovery is a 12-Step based support ministry that pairs the sacramental and devotional life of the Catholic Church with the program developed in Alcoholics Anonymous. The parish offers a general recovery meeting every Monday at 7:00 pm at St. Mary of the Assumption, plus a Beginners Meeting on the first Monday of the month at 6:15 pm. A separate group supports family and friends of those affected by addictions.
The Bereavement Ministry gathers a team of parishioners who serve at funerals in many ways. Each campus maintains a Resurrection Choir that sings at funeral Masses; liturgical ministers serve as lectors, extraordinary ministers, and Mass coordinators; and teams help set up and clean up visitations and funeral luncheons. Funerals can be planned by contacting Deacon Terry Martin, the parish's Funeral Coordinator.
For those who are grieving, the parish offers a five-week Grief Recovery Support program using the book Grieving with the Help of Your Catholic Faith, and a 13-week journey through the GriefShare curriculum held at Incarnation Parish in Centerville.
NAIM, a national Catholic organization for widowed men and women, gathers monthly at the parish for food, fellowship, and friendship. A separate Support After Miscarriage ministry offers encouragement for those who have suffered pregnancy loss.
Care for the Sick, the Homebound, and Those With Disabilities
Commissioned Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist to private homes, nursing homes, and other care facilities for parishioners unable to attend Mass. The parish also celebrates Mass monthly or quarterly at more than a dozen area nursing homes, including Bickford of Middletown, The Courtyard at Centerville, Enclave of Springboro, Laurelwood Assisted Living, Sycamore Glen Plaza Retirement Community, Tapestry Senior Living, The Trinity Community at Miami Township, Vienna Springs Health Campus, Walnut Creek, and The Wellington at Dayton.
The Inclusion Ministry works to make every aspect of parish life accessible to parishioners with disabilities. The Parish Family Support Network links parishioners with temporary or ongoing needs (transportation, grocery delivery, household tasks) to volunteers willing to lend a hand. JPII Faith Friends offers children in grades K through six a more relaxed, individualized, and sensory-friendly learning option during PSR sessions each month. The parish points families to the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Office for Persons with Disabilities, and Formed's special-needs parenting video for further resources.
Respect Life and Walking With Moms
The parish's Respect Life efforts include Walking With Moms in Need, which surveys and shares resources for pregnant women and families in the local community; the Vineyard and Wheatland Rosary Ministry, which prays outside the local abortion facility on the First Friday of each month at 9:00 am; Support After Miscarriage for those grieving pregnancy loss; and Bottles for Babies, which collects donations for area pregnancy resource centers.
Prayer and Devotional Apostolates
A number of prayer apostolates run quietly throughout the week. The Prayer Chain forwards prayer requests through a confidential email network, with all requests coming through prayerchain@stjohnpaulii.org. The Seven Sisters Apostolate is a group of seven women who each commit to one Holy Hour a week in front of the Blessed Sacrament, currently praying for the pastor and looking to form additional groups for the parochial vicars. Rosary Makers meet every Monday from 12:00 to 2:30 pm at the St. Henry Parish Meeting Room to craft rosaries for ministries, schools, and missions around the world. The Prayer Blanket and Shawl Ministry gathers every third Tuesday morning at St. Henry to sew and knit items that are blessed and given to those suffering physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.
Bishop Leibold School
Bishop Leibold School is the parish school of St. John Paul II Parish, serving children in preschool through eighth grade on its St. Henry campus. The school shares its building with the Parish School of Religion and partners with the parish on summer camps, faith formation, and community service. Tuition assistance comes in part from an Annual Fund and from the school's participation in the Catholic Best Choice Scholarship Granting Organization, which allows Ohio taxpayers to direct a portion of their state tax liability (up to $750 for individuals and $1,500 for married couples filing jointly) to the school's tuition assistance program. The Annual Fund supports classroom resources, teacher and staff compensation, student retreat programs, classroom technology, and tuition affordability.
The school's athletic arm is the Bishop Leibold Athletic Association, which organizes intramural and Catholic Youth Organization sports with a focus on faith, character, virtue, self-confidence, communication, and leadership through athletics. Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and a Venturing Crew are chartered through the parish community.
Summer Camps
Each summer the parish offers a robust lineup of day camps led by Bishop Leibold and parish staff. Camp Soar is the parish's pilot all-in-one camp for incoming grades 1 through 8, held at the St. Henry campus. Each day combines arts (theatre, music, visual arts), science (robotics and STEM), sports (volleyball, soccer, and team activities), and faith formation. Half-day sessions run 8:30 to 11:30 am or 12:30 to 3:30 pm, and full-day sessions run 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Totally Yours is a high-energy Catholic immersion week led by high school mentors for incoming grades 1 through 8, with daily Mass, team challenges, and creative projects that bring the parish's traditions to life. The camp runs 9:00 am to 2:30 pm at St. Mary of the Assumption.
Additional summer offerings include a Robotics Camp for incoming grades 4 through 8 (with beginner and advanced tracks), a Green Team Summer Workshop for incoming grades 6 through 8 (gardening, composting, and recycling projects around the campus), a BOLD Leadership Camp for high school students who help run Camp Soar, and an "Ignite Your Summer" series of youth group evenings for grades 7 through 12 that includes a Eucharistic procession, sporting evenings, a rosary and cookout for the country, dodgeball, a Kings Island day trip, and the parish picnic.
Community Life and Fellowship
Beyond formation and care, the parish offers a wide range of social and fellowship opportunities for every stage of life. The Knights of Columbus council welcomes Catholic men and hosts regular meetings and service activities. The Mom's Group connects mothers through service, faith, and friendship. The Leisure Club is a bimonthly dinner and Bingo night for parishioners and friends over fifty. The Euchre Club meets weekly on Wednesday evenings. The Welcoming Team greets visitors and parishioners before Mass at each campus, helping create a warm first impression of the parish.
Music is anchored at every campus by a choir, with the parish's motto on participation drawn from St. Augustine: "Those who sing pray twice." Co-Music Directors lead the choirs at St. Henry, the Music Minister leads music at St. Mary of the Assumption, and the Office Manager and Music Director leads music at Our Lady of Good Hope. At each Mass, parishioners may also serve as lector, altar server, usher, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, or Mass coordinator.
Open Wide the Doors: Stewardship at the Parish
"Open Wide the Doors" is the parish's annual stewardship renewal, an invitation to every family to prayerfully review their commitment of time, talent, and treasure. Stewardship at St. John Paul II is described as "a way of life rooted in gratitude," and the renewal supports the parish's enhanced offertory, a Provision for Plant Replacement, Renewal, and Special Maintenance (PPRRSM) fund that maintains the parish's three campuses, the Bishop Leibold Annual Fund, and a legacy giving program for parishioners who wish to include the parish family in their estate planning.
Online giving is available, and the parish keeps in touch through a weekly newsletter, urgent parish communications (for those who prefer to skip the weekly email), Advent and Lent reflections, and funeral notices. A parish podcast called "Open Wide the Doors" offers reflections on the liturgical season, parish updates, and conversations that invite deeper discipleship.
SafeParish and the Protection of Children
St. John Paul II Parish Family follows the guidelines set forth in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Decree on Child Protection. All adults working or volunteering with minors (and vulnerable adults) are required to complete SafeParish training and pass a background check through SELECTiON.COM before beginning their service, and they remain current through quarterly SafeParish interactive video bulletins. The full text of the Decree, along with additional information and resources, is available through the parish.
Pastoral Leadership
St. John Paul II Parish is served by Pastor Fr. Martin Fox, joined by Parochial Vicars Fr. Chris Geiger, Fr. David Howard, and Fr. Jerome Bishop, and by Deacons Terry Martin (also the Funeral Coordinator), Bill Wakefield, Rich Hobbs, Chris Jasek, Steve Bermick, and Tom Platfoot.
The parish's staff directors shape daily life at all three campuses. Faith Formation is led by Director Chris Stier, with Associate Director for Youth and Family Formation Jeffrey Kremer, Associate Director for Sacrament Preparation Christy Kremer, Lead for Catechist Development Jen Moore, and Lead for Child Formation Megan Hilts. Worship is led by Director John Wright, with co-music directors at St. Henry (Steve Homan and Mary Ruth Shearer), a music minister at St. Mary of the Assumption (Denise Jasek), and an Office Manager and Music Director at Our Lady of Good Hope (Carol Quackenbush). Engagement is led by Director of Involvement and Engagement Rachel Prindle. Care is led by Director of Care Jennifer Zwiers. Becky Kondritz is the principal of Bishop Leibold School, the parish's preschool through eighth grade school.
Becoming Part of the Parish Family
Anyone curious about St. John Paul II Parish is invited to begin by attending Mass at any of the three campuses; the parish welcomes visitors who are simply exploring, those looking for a new parish home, and those returning to the Catholic faith. Registration is available online, and the parish encourages families to stay connected through the weekly newsletter, the parish podcast, and the rich calendar of Masses, devotions, formation programs, retreats, camps, and service opportunities that mark life at St. John Paul II.
St. John Paul II Catholic Parish serves the southwest Dayton corridor through Our Lady of Good Hope (6 S Third Street, Miamisburg, OH 45342, 937-866-1432), St. Mary of the Assumption (9579 Yankee Rd, Springboro, OH 45066, 937-557-1711), and St. Henry (6696 N Springboro Pike, Dayton, OH 45449, 937-434-9231), with Bishop Leibold School serving the same region from the St. Henry campus.