Staff

Rev. James M. Brockmeier, Pastor................frbrockmeier@stmaryrush.org

Debbie Spaeth, Administrative Assistant..........dspaeth@stmaryrush.org

Amaranta Kemple, Youth Minister and  Administrator Religious Ed. (ARE).........akemple@stmaryrush.org

I am Fr. James Brockmeier, the Pastor at St. Mary Parish.

I am originally from Northern Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati. My parents, Don and Norma and my brother John and his wife Natalie, and my niece Wendy still live in Northern Kentucky.

I came to Indiana to go to college at Marian University where I studied theology and philosophy. The Catholic Church felt like a second home to me as I grew up because of the love and faith modeled to me by my parents, teachers, and fellow parishioners. I knew that I wanted to work for the Church to help hand on that faith. My goal at the time was to be a high school religion teacher or to go on and study to become a professor, but it turned out God had different plans! My last year of college, I felt that God might be calling me to consider the priesthood. With the support of good mentors and friends, I decided to join the seminary.

I attended St. Meinrad Seminary, where along with my studies, I managed the seminary bar, The Unstable. So, along with learning about the Church, how to say Mass, and how to hear confessions, I learned about craft beer (we had the best selection in the county), and how to make a great pizza sauce.

I was ordained to the priesthood in June of 2016 along with five other men. In 2016-2017 I served as the associate pastor of Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi parish in Greenwood and the chaplain coordinator of Roncalli High School. I loved being able to spend so much of my time working with students, both our grade school kids at Sts. Francis and Clare, and the students at Roncalli. I am excited to be working with the school here at St. Mary. For the 2017-2018 assignment year, I was the associate pastor of St. Bartholomew in Columbus. In Columbus, I focused on coordinating young adult ministries, teaching adult faith formation programs, and spiritual direction.

I have been the pastor at St. Mary's since summer 2018. We have such a wonderful community, and I love teaching, preaching, and sharing the grace of our Lord Jesus with all of you through the Sacraments!

Debbie is a thirty-three year member of St. Mary Catholic Church.

She has been with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for fourteen years; serving St. Mary, Rushville, for eight years. As Administrative Assistant, she provides secretarial and clerical support to the parish office operations and the pastor/parish administrator. Her responsibilities include: compiling the weekly bulletin, maintaining Sacramental records and liaison to the Fall Festival. Debbie and her husband, David, are the parents of three surviving children and the grandparents of seven.

“ I am the vine, you are the branches; He who abides in Me and I

in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5