W H A T | 1-Year Anniversary Prayer Service remembering the fire at St. John the Baptist Church
W H E N | Friday, May 29, 2026, at 4:30 P.M.
W H E R E | St. John the Baptist Church parking lot south of St. Rt. 119
Release Date: May 27, 2026
1-Year Anniversary of the Fire at St. John the Baptist Church
Work continues in Maria Stein as the community heals following the devastating church fire, at St. John the Baptist Church on May 29, 2025. Friday marks the 1-year anniversary of the fire. To mark the occasion, a brief prayer service will be held in the south parking lot of St. John the Baptist Church. The prayer service will offer an opportunity for the community to come together in prayer, offering gratitude for God’s faithfulness this past year and prayers trusting in God for what lies ahead.
Fr. Ken Schnipke, C.PP.S, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, will lead the prayer service and offer concluding comments. The parish choir, clergy and Parish Council President will assist in the service and other parish and community members will be in attendance. Members of the media are invited to attend.
Upon the impending 1-year anniversary of the fire, Fr. Schnipke shared the following, “It has been a year of loss and letting go, reminiscing and reverencing, and now healing and hope. We pray that the process of designing and rebuilding St. John the Baptist Church may strengthen our faith and remind us that we are building more than brick and mortar, a sanctuary of love, hope and worship that is pleasing to God.”
Archbishop Robert G. Casey offered the following in a letter to the community to mark the occasion, “Over the last year, I have been continually impressed with the resilience, commitment and dedication of this community. You have leaned on one another with the same neighborly spirit that define this rural community. May God continue to bless this parish, and all people who call St. John the Baptist Parish home. Please know that you remain in my heart and in my prayers.”
Information about the rebuilding process following the loss of the Church can be found on the frequently updated online blog, The Recovery of St. John the Baptist Parish. At this stage, the church has been razed and most of the debris has been removed. As part of the process, the demolition team was able to salvage select sandstone pieces from the façade for use in the future church. As a sign of new life at the demolition site, new grass is being planted to help with erosion control and prepare the grounds for future construction. While the design phase for the new church has not yet begun, important planning work is underway in anticipation of the next steps. Looking ahead, the parish hopes to build a church inspired by the style of the former St. John the Baptist Church, while creating space to serve current parishioners and future growth in the community.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 45th largest Catholic diocese in the country, with more than 455,000 Catholics, and has the fifth largest Catholic school system in terms of enrollment with more than 42,000 students. The 19-county territory includes 189 canonical parishes organized into 57 Families of Parishes, and 111 Catholic primary and secondary schools.
Jennifer Schack
Director of Media Relations
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Office | 513.263.6618
Cell | 859.512.5626
