Holy Name Catholic Church-Blanchester

Holy Name Church was founded in 1861 as a mission of St. Mary's in Hillsboro. Church services were conducted in a small, white church on East Fancy Street in Blanchester. The priest, Father Michael O'Connor, traveled from St. Mary's by horse and buggy once a month for Mass. This continued until the late 1800's when the pastor came from St. Martin Parish in St. Martin, Ohio.

During the early 1900s Holy Name grew in number. By 1931, there were about 27 families registered at Holy Name. In 1933, Mass was celebrated there once a week. Two nuns came from St. Aloysius Convent in Fayetteville to teach religion classes to the children.

By the late 1930's the Holy Name congregation had grown to about 53 families. 1944 parish records indicate there were 54 families registered. During World War II about 20 young men from the parish served in the Armed Forces. The 1950's heralded a time of significant parish growth. At this time there were 86 families registered. Even with two masses on Sunday the parish was outgrowing the church.

In 1957, land for a new church was purchased from the Moon sisters on Route 133. Later, land adjacent to the church was donated for a rectory. Holy Name Church was completed in late 1958. The first parish festival was held in August while the church was still under construction. The new church officially opened its doors for morning Mass on Christmas, 1958. On June 21, 1959, Holy Name Church was dedicated by Archbishop Karl J. Alter.

Holy Name remained a strong and vibrant faith community in the St. Martin Deanery. In the l990s it became a part of a cluster of churches which included St. Martin and St. Patrick in Fayetteville. In 2000, there were about 170 families registered in Holy Family Parish.

In 2003, the cluster of three churches was merged to become one parish, St. Angela Merici, by Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk. Each of the churches became a chapel of the parish.

In 2005, as part of the plan for fewer priests submitted to the Archbishop by the St. Martin Deanery Commission, it was suggested Holy Name become part of St. Columbkille parish. After discussions with the parishioners of Holy Name, Archbishop Pilarczyk accepted the change. On November 27, 2005, Holy Name Chapel became a chapel of St. Columbkille Parish.

Official Roster of Pastors and/or Administrators of Holy Name:
Fr. William Cheymol 1865 
Fr. Francis Dutton 1865-1869 
Fr. John Bonner 1886-1890 
Fr. Joseph Hyland 1895 
Fr. Joseph Denny 1898-1904 
Fr. John Schopp 1904-1906 
Fr. Thomas Connell 1906-1924 
Fr. Edward Sims 1924-1930 
Fr. John Harbrecht 1930-1931 
Fr. Earl Binsette 1931-1934 
Fr. Warren Hook 1934-1937 
Fr. W. Howard Bishop 1937-1940 
Fr. Edward Macke 1940-1942 
Fr. Jacob A. Dossman 1953-1961 
Fr. Walter J. Sterwerf 1961-1963 
Fr. Robert E. Hungling 1963-1966 
Fr. Norbert C. Brinkman 1966-1968 
Fr. Vincent J. Bramlage 1968-1983 
Fr. Francis J. Sahlfeld 1983-1989 
Fr. James O. Krusling 1989-1992 
Fr. David E. Fay 1992-1993 (temporary administrator) 
Fr. Brian J. Williams 1993-1996 
Fr. Michael A. Savino 1996-2003

Source: https://stcolumbkille.org/documents/2023/3/St.%20Columbkille%20History%20Book.pdf