Mass Excursions

St. Lawrence Parish in Lawrenceburg offers ‘a great sense of outreach’—and you just might ‘dig’ the area

This aerial view portrays St. Lawrence Church and school in Lawrenceburg. (Photo courtesy of 2021 Abi Bolorunduro)

First in a monthly series

By Natalie Hoefer

Around 1840, 15 German Catholic families in Lawrenceburg rented a home so Mass could be celebrated in their town along the Ohio River.

By 1842, St. Lawrence Parish was founded. It sits on property just a few blocks from the Ohio River in the southeast corner of the archdiocese, about 15 minutes from Cincinnati.

“St. Lawrence [Church] is the most visible building in Dearborn County from the river—it’s the tallest steeple, very prominent,” says Father Jonathan Meyer, who serves as pastor of the parish in solidum with Father Daniel Mahan. “It gives witness every day—even if someone doesn’t cross our threshold—that God is here.”

A ‘very community-minded parish’

The steeple is not the only sign of God’s presence in Lawrenceburg.

“The parish is very community-minded,” says Father Meyer.

For proof, he points to St. Lawrence’s Breaking Bread ministry that began in 2017, the year of the Batesville Deanery parish’s 175th anniversary.

“They’ve been serving hot, cooked breakfasts every Saturday morning to anyone in the community that might need a meal,” Father Meyer explains. “It’s really intended for families struggling or people in the local community who are not homeless, per se, but people in need.”

The ministry fits well with the patronage of the third-century saint for whom the parish is named—St. Lawrence is the patron saint of cooks and the poor.

“It’s been a joy for me as a pastor to see us literally living up to Mt 25:35, ‘I was hungry and you gave me food,’ ” said Father Meyer.

The parish is involved in the community in other ways as well, he says.

“We’re really involved with and heavily support the local pregnancy care center. We support the local food pantries. We have a sister parish in Guatemala. There’s just a great sense of outreach that’s present.”

That presence extends to St. Lawrence’s pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school. It’s a ministry that Father Meyer calls “inclusive to the local community, having several non-Catholic students. It clearly makes a difference and is there for the local community.”

Being so close to the Ohio River, the parish church, built in 1867, has been affected by major floods in 1882, 1883, 1884, 1913 and 1937—when the water rose to a depth of 26 feet in the church. Fortunately, the church’s stained-glass windows, installed in 1899, have been spared.

Father Meyer calls them “the most unique part of our church.” They cost about $60,000 in 1899, the equivalent of nearly $2 million today.

Lots to do and ‘dig’ in Lawrenceburg

The Lawrenceburg area offers plenty of day-trip opportunities that allow for worshiping at a weekend Mass at St. Lawrence Church. (Go to stlawrencecc.org or call 812-5347-3992 for Mass times.)

If you like snow skiing, go to Mass on a Saturday evening then swish, swoop or tube your way down the hills at Perfect North Slopes, located in Lawrenceburg. While it’s typically open through the end of March, go to perfectnorth.com or call 812-537-3754 for information on hours and skiing conditions.

Prefer to hold out for warmer weather? Bring the family to Lawrenceburg’s Tastes of Summer festival from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on June 18. The event includes local food vendors until 7 p.m., rides until 3 p.m. and live-music performances in the evening—perfect bookends to Saturday evening Mass. Go to cutt.ly/tastesofsummer for more information.

Don’t dig either of those options? How about digging at an archaeological site instead? According to its website, Lawrenceburg-based Archaeological Research Institute offers “carefully curated and learning-outcome-focused educational programming; hands-on archaeological experiences, tours of local and regional archaeological sites, day camps, lectures and workshops.”

Field and lab experiences range from $5-$49 and last from 1-8 hours. For more information, go to exploreari.org or call 812-290-2966.

No excursion is complete without sampling the local fare. Father Meyer recommends Strong’s Brick Oven Pizzeria and Whisky’s Restaurant, offering ribs, surf-n-turf, pasta, soups and sandwiches.

For those wanting a pick-me-up, he suggests Funny Farm Coffee House. Despite the name, this cup o’ joe joint is located in the city’s Historic District—a destination in itself if you like 19th-century architecture.

The name Lawrence means “bright or shining one.” Whatever you decide to do for your day trip, be sure to worship at Mass with the faith community of St. Lawrence—the bright, shining light of God in Lawrenceburg for 180 years. †