History of St. Peter Church

In the year 1838, the first Catholic families settled in North Ridgeville. Over the next many years, new German Catholic families moved into the area.

At first, these families needed to travel elsewhere to attend Mass. Then they organized themselves and raised enough funds to buy land and erect a church. The Bishop agreed, established a mission, and the first Mass was celebrated on Christmas Day in 1875. It was named after the person who donated the most money to the building fund, Mr. Peter Meyer. Father Jacob Heidegger was appointed the first administrator. The congregation opened its school one year after the church's dedication.

In 1879, the St. Peter community was given parochial status and Father Victor Haussner was named its first pastor. After Father Haussner's death in 1881, St. Peter's had a regular turn-over of priests. Its status also went back and forth between parochial and missionary status.

In 1909, the community was permanently given parochial status and a new pastor, Father Joseph Trapp, was appointed. A new school, which was run by the Sisters of Notre Dame, was erected the year after. Tragedy struck the community when a fire destroyed the church in 1914. The present church was built almost 10 years later under the leadership of a new pastor, Father John Rhein. It was dedicated on May 27, 1923, and the current rectory was built in 1925. Father Rhein died in 1938 and is buried in St. Peter Cemetery.

A number of Pastors have led St. Peter Parish since, including:

• Father George F. Martin (1938-1941)

• Father Francis A. Bruecker (1941-1953)

• Father John Koch (1953-1954)

• Father Charles Bechler (1954-1955)

• Father Joseph Eiringer (1955-1959)

• Father Edward Halloran (1959-1967)

• Father Nicholas Novosel (1967-1971)

• Father Liam Kitt (1971-1976)

Father Halloran arranged for the present school and the new convent (the current Parish Center) to be built along with making many Church renovations.

Father Kitt added to the school and completed the new gymnasium in 1975.

St. Peter has had only 4 pastors in the last 30+ years:

• Father Robert Duffy (1976-1980)

• Father Thomas J. Hyland (1980-2003)

• Father Stephen J. Kaminski (2003-2009)

• Father Bob Franco was appointed as the 15th pastor of St. Peter's beginning August 21, 2009.