Ground was broken for a new Catholic Church in Georgetown, in May, 1902 on a lot at Apple and Plum Streets. It had been deeded on Sept. 17, 1831 by John Rooney to Father Martin Kundig who had established a parish at St. Martin. The new Church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, under the title Assumption, by Archbishop Elder on October 1, 1902. The cost of building this Church was provided by the friends and benefactors of six families: $2,488.01. This church served the Parish until 1952. It still stands and is now the Apple Street Christian Church.
For the first 52 years of the parish, the community was served by Benedictine priests:
Fr. Fridolin Meyer, O.S.B. 1902 –
Fr. Ignatius Meyer, O.S.B.1902-1905
Fr. Raphael Obermeier, O.S.B.1905-1909
Fr. Albert Hilger, O.S.B.1909-1921
Fr. Joseph Stangl, O.S.B.1921-1934
Fr. Clement Zanki, O.S.B.1934-1944
Fr. Clarence F. Meyer, O.S.B.1944-1954
On Sunday, May 18, 1952, approximately 300 people attended the cornerstone laying for a new Church to be built on Route 125 on property purchased in 1935 from Mrs. Anna Thompson. Rt. Rev. Clarence J. Issenmann, Vicar General of the Archdiocese was the celebrant.
Fr. Clarence J. Meyer, O.S.B. celebrated the first Mass in the new church on October 15, 1952. An open house was held on October 26, 1952.
More than 400 persons attended dedication services on Sunday, November 2, 1952. Archbishop Karl J. Alter consecrated the new church and dedicated it to St. George.
Father Clarence J. Meyer O.S.B. served the parish until January 15, 1954. He was the last priest of the Benedictine Order to serve a parish in Ohio. Father Vincent J. Lewis, a member of the faculty at St. Gregory Seminary became the Administrator of St. George. Father Roland E. Flinn succeeded Fr. Lewis as administrator of St.George and Pastor of St. Mary, Arnheim. A house for a rectory was bought from Mr. And Mrs. Theodore Moyer at 320 E. State Street on November 19, 1954. Father Roland E. Flinn was installed as Pastor on June 27, 1955, with residence at the new rectory. Rt. Rev. Mons. Alexander G. Koenig and Rev. Francis B. Pilliod celebrated the installation. Fr. Flinn became the first resident pastor. Father Flinn was followed by Father William Hackett. Father Hackett purchased a house on Elm Street from Robert and Lily Frodge in
October 1959 for a new rectory closer to the church. At this time about 100 families made up the parish.
Father Alfred J. Powers succeeded Fr. Hackett in July, 1965. Father Hackett died just 3 days before being transferred to his new assignment, July 25, 1965. In the light of Vatican II, the sanctuary was updated and a new altar in memory of Fr. Hackett was added.
Work began in 1983 on a new $224,000 addition to add classrooms, a social hall and a bell tower. The bell tower featured one bell taken from Old St. Mary and a second from Mt. St. Mary Seminary of the West, located on Beechmont Avenue. This addition featured a stained glass window of St. George, the patron of the Parish, designed and executed by Jerry Blum, Sr., a member of the Parish. All stained glass windows in both the old church and the new were memorial donations. Also, a memorial garden featuring a fountain was created between the Church and the new hall. Auxiliary Archbishop Nicholas T. Elko was the principal celebrant for the dedication and blessing of the new addition on April 28, 1984. About 170 families made up the Parish at that time. On February 10, 1987, Fr. Earl O. Metz became Pastor of St. George and St. Michael, Mt. Orab.
In May, 1988, the Archdiocese sold the property at 612 E. State Street which it had purchased February 21, 1955, to be used as a catechetical center for Brown County. The Glenmary order of Sisters lived there for ten years. Sisters of St. Ursula helped out with the instruction of children and were followed by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1966. Parents of the children of the Parish now teach the religion classes. The basement area of the church was converted into a baptistery.
Starting in 1954, Pastors at St. George have been:
Fr. Vincent J. Lewis1954
Fr. Roland E. Flinn1954-1958
Fr. William H. Hackett1958-1965
Fr. Alfred J. Powers1965-1987
Fr. Earl O. Metz1987-2001
Fr. John P. Fischer 2001-2007
Fr. James Schmitmeyer 2007-2009
The current Pastor of St. George (as of July 2009) is Fr. Dohrman W. Byers. He serves three parishes: St. George , Georgetown, St. Michael, Ripley and St. Mary, Arnheim.
History of St. George Parish; Georgetown, OH
The Armorial Bearings of:
Saint George Parish
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Saint Martin Deanery
Georgetown, (Brown County), Ohio
Founded 1902
Argent on a Cross voided throughout another entire Gules.
In the arms of the parish, the cross of St. George (a red cross on a white field) appears twice, the center of one red cross being cut away so that the second also may rest on the white field. One cross of St. George stands for the parish and the other for the village of Georgetown. Behind the shield is a golden medieval cross of ancient heraldry.
Dohrman W. Byers - Armorist
Saint George - Our Patron Saint
It is uncertain when Saint George was born and historians continue to debate to this day. However, his death date is estimated to be April 23 303 A.D.
The first piece of evidence of George's existance appeared within the works of the Bollandists Daniel Papebroch, Jean Bolland, and Godfrey Henschen's Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca. George was one of several names listed in the historical text, and Pope Gelasius claimed George was one of the saints "whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose actions are known only to God."
George was born to a Gerontios and Polychronia, a Roman officer and a Greek native of Lydda. Both were Christians from noble families of the Anici and George, Georgios in the original Greek, was raised to follow their faith.
When George was old enough, he was welcomed into Diocletian's army. by his late 20's, George became a Tribunus and served as an imperial guard for the Emperor at Nicomedia.
On February 24, 303 A.D., Diocletian, who hated Christians, announced that every Christian the army passed would be arrested and every other soldier should offer a sacrifice to the Roman gods.
George refused to abide by the order and told Diocletian, who was angry but greatly valued his friendship with George's father.
When George announced his beliefs before his peers, Diocletian was unable to keep the news to himself.
In an effort to save George, Diocletian attempted to convert him to believe in the Roman gods, offered him land, money and slaves in exchange for offering a sacrifice to the Roman gods, and made several other offers that George refused.
Finally, after exhausting all other options, Diocletian ordered George's execution. In preparation for his death, George gave his money to the poor and was sent for several torture sessions. He was lacerated on a wheel of swords and required resuscitation three times, but still George did not turn from God.
On April 23, 303 A.D., George was decapitated before Nicomedia's outer wall. His body was sent to Lydda for burial, and other Christians went to honor George as a martyr.
Saint George and the Dragon
There are several stories about George fighting dragons, but in the Western version, a dragon or crocodile made its nest at a spring that provided water to Silene, believed to be modern-day Lcyrene in Libya.
The people were unable to collect water and so attempted to remove the dragon from its nest on several occasions. It would temporarily leave its nest when they offered it a sheep each day, until the sheep disappeared and the people were distraught.
This was when they decided that a maiden would be just as effective as sending a sheep. The townspeople chose the victim by drawing straws. This continued until one day the princess' straw was drawn.
The monarch begged for her to be spared but the people would not have it. She was offered to the dragon, but before she could be devoured, George appeared. He faced the dragon, protected himself with the sign of the Cross, and slayed the dragon.
After saving the town, the citizens abandoned their paganism and were all converted to Christianity.
Interesting Facts
Saint George stands out among other saints and legends because he is known and revered by both Muslims and Christians.
It is said Saint George killed the dragon near the sea in Beirut, thus Saint George bay was named in his honor.
Saint George's feast day is celebrated on April 23, but if it falls before Easter, it is celebrated Easter Monday.
The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates three St. George feast days each year -April 23 as is expected, November 3, to commemorate the consecration of a cathedral dedicated to him in Lydda, and on November 26, for when a church in Kiev was dedicated to him.
In Bulgaria, his feast day is celebrated May 6 with the slaughter and roasting of a lamb.
In Egypt, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria calls St. George the "Prince of Martyrs" and celebrates on May 1. There is a second celebration November 17, in honor of the first church dedicated to him.
Saint George is the patron saint of England and Catalonia and his cross can be found throughout England.
In older works, Saint George is depicted wearing armor and holding a lance or fighting a dragon, which represents Christ's enemies.
Prayer to St. George
St. George,
Heroic Catholic soldier and defender of your Faith, you dared to criticize a tyrannical Emperor and were subjected to horrible torture. You could have occupied a high military position but you preferred to die for your Lord.
Obtain for us the great grace of heroic Christian courage that should mark soldiers of Christ. Amen
How to find St. George Catholic Church in Georgetown, Ohio:
509 East State Street, Georgetown, OH 45121
