History of St. Joseph Church

St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Ohio is a direct offspring of Holy Trinity, the first national parish for German-speaking Catholics in America.

There were no Catholic churches in Cincinnati during the 18th century. The first Catholic Church, Christ Church, was established in Cincinnati in 1803 for Irish Catholic immigrants. When the Archdiocese of Cincinnati was established in 1821, Bishop Fenwick successfully lured German-speaking clergy to minister to Cincinnati's German Catholic population and established St. Mary's in 1840, still located at 13th & Clay Streets and in 1845, St. John the Baptist, at Breman and Green. In 1846, Archbishop Purcell selected Rev. William Unlerheiner, OFM, of Saint John the Baptist Church in Over-the-Rhine to organize a parish that would serve the overflow population of Holy Trinity and Saint John the Baptist. In March 1846, a 96 x 200 ft. lot of land was purchased at Linn and Laurel Streets with Rev. John Luers, OFM assigned as the church's first pastor, thus began the rich history that is St. Joseph's.

The original church basement is now the Father Clarence Rivers Hall, which houses the school cafeteria, conference, meeting, and computer rooms. Please contact the church office if you're interested in using the Hall or honoring Fr. Rivers with a contribution.