Photo of the completed Portiuncula Chapel in Ozark, Ohio
After nearly 12 years of fund raising and collecting cut sand stones, the Portiuncula Chapel was finally completed and dedicated on October 4th, 2024, on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. The cut sandstones were hand-cut by my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Johnnie Burkhard in the early 1800's for the foundations of the barn, garage, chicken coops and a tobacco house.
A special thanks goes out to Bishop Robert Daniel Conlon of Steubenville who in 2010 gave us permission to build this chapel as well as giving us permission to conduct "Come To The Quiet" Retreats on our property.
The original church was built just north of this site on October 21, 1875 after my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Johnnie Burkhard donated 5 acres to the Catholic Church for a cemetery. The church was razed on September 17, 1999 and the parishioners divided up the contents of the church at that time.
Photo of the Altar inside the Portiuncula Chapel in Ozark, Ohio
Portiuncula (the Little Portion in Italian)
The Portiuncula, located in Jerusalem, Ohio, in the Diocese of Steubenville, is home to the Franciscan Lay Apostolate. We are humbly committed to imitating the Gospel life of Christ, and observing the Sacraments. Placing ourselves under strict and holy obedience to the Bishop of Steubenville, the Magisterium, and Father Nick Ward, we follow the Medieval Penitential First Rule of the Third Order of St. Francis, dated 1221 A.D.
"Make me a channel of your peace."
~ St. Francis of Assisi
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The Altar Stone weighed over 1,000 pounds and was dropped in over the wall by using a bulldozer.
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