Our collection of food for the Catholic Food Pantry at St. Mary’s for our local community will be May 24-25. The blue bins are located by the doors of the church. Thank you!
Parish News
Parish News
Office Closed
The Parish Office will be closed Monday, May 26 for the Memorial Day Holiday. The Church and Parish Life Center will also be closed. Please have a safe holiday.
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Youth REGISTRATION
The 2025 Defiance Y.E.S. project begins Thursday, June 5th at 5:30 p.m. Incoming 8th grade students through graduating seniors are encouraged to join us for this weekend service retreat. This will give you opportunities to make new friends from throughout Defiance and the surrounding area, have some great fun, grow in faith and be the hands and feet of Christ in your community! This 3-day rewarding experience will call beautiful Camp Lakota home for 3 days, and close with 5:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday, June 7th at St John’s Catholic Church. Registration forms are available through Renee Kelch @419.236.4006 or rkelch@stjohndefiance.org. Invite your friends because the opportunities are endless, and the reward is eternal!
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Are you needing some help?
The 2025 Defiance Y.E.S. project would love to help YOU! It involves high school youth and adults helping those in need with painting, cleaning, landscaping, or many other tasks that are just too difficult for you, our area residents, to do, FREE of charge! The goal is to spread the love of Christ and His message of hope to those who need it most. Most of our work consists of helping homeowners without family members nearby, or unable to maintain or improve their homes. On June 6th and June 7th teens and adults from the Defiance area parishes would love to help you! If you would like a team of youth and adults to help with jobs around inside or outside of your home, please contact Renee Kelch @419.236.4006, or rkelch@stjohndefiance.org . The deadline to submit a request is May 19th.
Day of Grace
April 9- 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Fr. Dave or Fr. Jason will be available at the beginning of each hour. Confessions will continue as long as there are penitents. A visiting priest will also be available from 6 to 7:30 pm.
Outdoor Stations of the Cross- Good Friday
Walk with Our Lord on His journey to the Cross, Friday, April 18 beginning at 3:00 pm on the front steps of St. Mary’s. We will stop periodically for each station reflecting on Jesus’s Passion, alternating between Spanish and English. We will end the journey at the front steps of St. John. Total time commitment is approximately 45 minutes.
Lent Reconciliation
Tuesdays 5:45 to 6:15 pm
Thursdays 5:45 to 6:15 pm
Fridays 8:15 to 8:45 am
Saturdays 4:00 to 4:45 pm
Sundays 9:15 to 9:45 am
Easter Baskets
Last year the Food Pantry distributed Easter baskets to children in families accessing our services. To continue this project, we need donations of candy, small stuffed animals, toys and chocolate bunnies. Thank you for your generosity.
Men’s Retreat
Click on this link to view a short video of the speaker who will be at the Men’s Retreat on March 1 & 15. https://stjohndefiance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_2915.mov
Shelly will be available
after Masses on February 15-16 to schedule Mass Intentions, register with the parish, to answer any questions you may have, etc…