A place to Encounter Jesus


Our Church

St. Boniface Parish began in 1853 with the purchase of two lots on 10th Street between Main and Ferry, to serve the needs of German-speaking Catholics in the Lafayette area. In 1865, the Church was constructed. The Order of Friars Minor (Franciscan Fathers) of the Cincinnati Province assumed pastoral responsibilities for St. Boniface from
1875-1991.

School

In 1886, the original small church on 10th Street was remodeled and a second story was added to convert it into a school. Expansion continued when a new school building for boys (the present Rectory), was established in 1883.

Since 1877, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of Olpe, Germany, assumed teaching responsibilities at St. Boniface School. Many holy vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life have resulted from Franciscan influence and direction. The Franciscan Sisters continue to have a presence in our school (grades 4-6), and with the pastor of our parish continue promote vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life and the Permanent Diaconate.

Devotions

St. Boniface offers visitors an ongoing opportunity to participate in our Masses and religious devotions, all day, every day.

The community celebration of the Mass is the most important part of our Catholic Faith, and our central focus.

A Solemn Novena to St. Anthony of Padua, an individual blessing with his relic, a popular devotion at St. Boniface since 1898, is held immediately after both Masses on Tuesday.

Every Sunday evening at 7:00 pm, we join together for a Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

In addition to our liturgies and devotions, St. Boniface offers the faithful time for silent prayer and reverent devotion. Praying and celebrating as a community are vital parts of the Catholic Faith. St. Boniface offers our visitors the chance to pray together and celebrate as a community every day throughout the week.

Ministry of Hope

St. Boniface Church finds its Hope in the Divine Presence of Jesus Christ in
His Body and Blood.

Founded in 1853, and staffed from 1875 by the Franciscan Fathers of the Cincinnati Province, St. Boniface was established to serve the needs of German-speaking immigrants in the Lafayette area. These same Franciscan Friars consistently emphasized the need for Hope found in the Sacraments, especially those of Holy Eucharist and Confession.

St. Boniface has reclaimed that primary mission: To offer Hope in difficult moments through the Presence of Jesus in the Sacraments -- especially in His Body and Blood and through frequent Reconciliation (which is offered 20 minutes before each daily Mass and on Saturdays 2-4 pm).

Encounter

To emphasize the importance of the Holy Eucharist, St. Boniface offers a Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction every Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. 

Throughout the course of the year we offer communal celebrations of Penance and Anointing of the Sick. Please consult the schedule or weekly bulletin for specifics.

"My God I Honor and Him Alone I serve"

Our History

In 1896, the cornerstone was laid for the first St. Lawrence Church & School. The hard working Germans who built St. Lawrence School wanted to give their children a good education and to pass on the Catholic Faith to them.  They also wanted to provide everything their children would need to succeed in this life as well as reach eternal life.

More than 100 households, mainly from St. Boniface, and about 20 from St. Mary made up our early parish.  They were attracted to Lafayette due to the employment opportunities at the Monon Railroad shop yards that moved from New Albany to Lafayette’s Linwood annex in 1895.

The Franciscan Fathers of the Province of St. John the Baptist of Cincinnati, Ohio were given the charge of founding the parish of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr. It was decided to erect a building that would serve as chapel, school, and residence for teachers and pastors until the congregation could build a suitable rectory.

Our free parochial school, supported by a school society to which every parishioner belonged, opened in September 1896 with Franciscan Sisters teaching its eight grades. The number of parishioners continued to increase as the Monon Shops were completed. Additional property was purchased and a rectory was constructed and a house was purchased for the Sisters of St. Francis, who also served the parish as teachers. Efforts were made to provide for the religious instruction of the children living in rural areas.

Bishop Herman Alerding dedicated St. Lawrence Church on June 17, 1923. The Romanesque brick and stone church that seats 475 succeeded the 350-seating capacity church and school edifice that Bishop Joseph Rademacher dedicated on November 8, 1896.

St. Lawrence High School filled the 1896 structure from 1923 to 1928 until St. Francis High School for Girls opened behind St. Elizabeth Hospital. St. Lawrence continued to grow primarily as a working class parish with an emphasis on education. Our parochial school and athletic programs have flourished through the years. The Franciscan Friars and Sisters continued to serve our parish until 1991 and 1992, respectively and diocesan priests were assigned.

On March 23, 1996, the church interior was damaged by a Saturday evening fire. That Saturday, Mass was held in the gym while about 100 firemen extinguished the fire. It was a coincidence that the parish’s centennial occurred with St. Lawrence in our original building.

With 972 households of 2,558  persons, St. Lawrence Parish and School continues to grow and be a community committed to worship, education and social justice. More space for our students was created with an addition to our school and new pre-school in 2002. In 2005, the parish built a new social hall to create space for parishioner programs and events. Our parish is always looking for ways to grow our school.  Faithful to our past, St. Lawrence Parish lives with a vision for our future.

Over the past 125 years, thousands of families from a variety of ethnicities have passed through our Church and school. While our campus looks very different from 1896, our goal is still the same ~ helping souls get to heaven. We are here to offer assistance to families who seek a Catholic education for their children, while creating future leaders for our Church and nation. It is truly a noble mission that we continue to support.