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St. Patrick Church history
St. Patrick Church company history timeline
George Jaffrey’s town had changed considerably by the mid-1800’s.
In 1825, the original St Mary's Church was the first Roman Catholic church to be built in Bradford.
Founded in Ireland in 1831 by [Venerable] Mother Catherine McAuley, a group headed by Mother Xavier Ware, a most remarkable woman, had been sent to America to assist the newly-arrived Irish immigrants.
1833 — April 21Parish established in Faubourg St Mary by Bishop Leo deNeckere, C.M.
At ceremonies in Old St Patrick’s Church on September 16, 1851, Archbishop Blanc was to receive his pallium to become the ecclesiastical head of the fourth archdiocese of the United States. It was appropriate that St Patrick’s was created with Bishop Blanc’s encouragement and that he blessed the cornerstone in 1838.
In 1847, when an epidemic of typhus broke out, she founded a hospital to treat its victims.
In 1852, building work started on the church.
On 13 July 1853, the church was opened by the Bishop of Beverley, John Briggs.
In 1853, he returned to Kentucky to bring his family to Pettis County to live.
As early as the building of the Missouri Pacific Railroad (1854), Father Walsh of Jefferson City came on horseback to Sedalia and held services in the section house near the present site of the Missouri Pacific Shops.
In 1855, it became its own parish.
The Sisters of Mercy have been in New Hampshire since 1858, twenty-six years before this Diocese was formed.
In 1858 she was asked by Father McDonald, a greatly respected leader, to found a school among the Irish immigrant workers.
According to Pettis County History, the first brick buildings were erected in the summer and fall of 1865.
In 1866 Father H.B. Murray took charge, and the next year built the pastoral residence in the rear of the church.
By December 23, 1869, however, the explosive growth of the Catholic population prompted Bishop Bayley to raise the mission to full parish status and name it, appropriately, St Patrick Parish.
It all began on a Sunday morning in 1869, when Rev.
The Sedalia Catholic Benevolent Society of which Father Swift was president was organized September 3, 1871.
With the extension of the railroad and its passage through East Jaffrey in 1871, this section of the township took on added prominence and population.
St Patrick Catholic Church, established in 1871 and home of 40 Irish immigrant families, was located south and west of the current church, on what is now known as County Road 58.
In 1874 a parish church was erected in Peterborough and East Jaffrey became a mission of St Peter’s.
In 1877, the Sisters of St Joseph came to Sedalia and took over the teaching of the school on Pettis Street.
Pettis County was at that time under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of St Louis, for the Kansas City, was not established until 1880.
In 1880 yet another Catholic Society, Irish Land League was formed and was composed of Irishmen and Irish-Americans.
They lived in a framed house on Jefferson Street until the purchase of the Phillips property October 21, 1881.
In 1882 he, too, immigrated to this country and established an office in Boston.
But, the setback came when Bishop Hogan made a division in the two parishes, ordering all Catholics west of Ohio Street to go to Sacred Heart, which was built in 1882, and all living east of Ohio go to St Patrick Church.
In 1883 when Bishop John Lancaster Spaulding established St Patrick Church in Merna as a separate parish from Holy Trinity in Bloomington, Masses were being held in a schoolhouse.
Nevertheless, Mother Warde went to Maine to establish a school for Abnaki Indian children at Old Town; some time afterwards, in 1884, she died.
In 1885 Father McEvoy received an appointment as parish priest of St Peter’s, Peterborough from Bishop Bradley.
The 1886 edition of Kenedy’s Directory listed Rev.
And so the empty pasture was sold the following year, 1886, by the same Mr.
The history of St Joseph dates back to 1886 when the first Church was built there.
Father McEvoy, its first pastor, invited its first bishop, Bishop Bradley, to dedicate the new church in 1888, just two years, one month and eleven days after his self-transfer to East Jaffrey.
The first Mass was celebrated on December 25, 1891, in a two-story building owned by Campbell and Powell, attorneys located at Starr Street and Tacoma Avenue.
In 1883 when Bishop John Lancaster Spaulding established St Patrick Church in Merna as a separate parish from Holy Trinity in Bloomington, Masses were being held in a schoolhouse. It was not until 1891 that a church was dedicated, which was built for $13,500.
In the spring of 1892, a small 30’ by 40’ frame church was built on the corner of Tacoma Avenue and Starr Street, on property leased from the Tacoma Land Company.
In May of 1893, the economy that had been slowing came to a stopped.
The modest wooden building also served as the first parish school starting in September 1893.
These lots had been the former sites of the Atkins Memorial Church, which had been foreclosed and torn down after the economic crash of 1893.
In May of 1899, the property upon which the church stood at Starr and G Streets was purchased from the Dominicans by the parish.
The cornerstone for the first Aquinas building was laid on June 13, 1899.
On October 13, 1901, Father Carroll laid the foundation for a school building that was to be every bit a match for his predecessor’s magnificent church.
The first tornado struck the church in Merna in 1902 and caused severe damage.
B.R. McNamee came in 1905, who together with the parishioners worked untiringly to raise money to complete the new church.
In the fall of 1905, lots were purchased for the present church at 12th and J Streets.
On December 25, 1906, Christmas Masses were celebrated in the basement of the new building, which was still in progress of being constructed.
Father Furlong died in 1906 after a period of failing health and lies buried in St Patrick Cemetery.
1908 March: Parish meeting decides to build a new church
1910 March: Parish meeting finalizes design and fundraising
1910 July: Final Mass in Old St Patrick’s and demolition
1911 October: Lower chapel is dedicated and opened
Herbert A. Hennon replaced Father Bernardin in 1912.
With the arrival of St Patrick Parish’s fourth pastor, Father Edward A. Kelly, in 1913 after Msgr.
Father Cavanaugh was transferred to the pastorate of Blessed Sacrament Church, Manchester, in 1932. It had been since 1914, when the annual town assembly and voting place had been transferred from the Meeting House in Jaffrey Center to Union Hall in East Jaffrey.
In January 1915, the Bishop divided St Patrick into two parishes due to the tremedous growth.
1915 — September 29Church is severely damaged by hurricane
Father Hennon began plans for a new church and the foundation was laid in 1915 on the west side of the rectory.
Father McGrath, celebrated his first pontifical High Mass in St Patrick Church on March 30, 1919.
Beginning in July of 1920 and continuing for many years, the Parish purchased properties adjoining the school and church in order to increase and improve the two playgrounds for the increasing number of children in the school.
His Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated on January 25, 1926 in St James Cathedral, with Bishop O’Dea presiding.
The Parish rectory underwent a complete renovation in 1928.
A.J. Knipp who was the director of the church’s choir. (The Sedalia Democrat, August 9, 1929)
The entire nation was in the throes of an industrial and financial depression which had begun in 1929.
In 1929, two manual Moller organs were purchased from the recently closed Central Presbyterian Church and installed in St Patrick Church by S.R. Payne of Kansas City, Missouri, with the assistance of Mr.
Prendergast supervised in 1930 a complete interior redecoration of the church. (The Sedalia Democrat, April 23, 1930) During this era, it was not uncommon for the ladies of the church to hold a Bazaar and Chicken Dinner.
Following the death of Bishop O’Dea on December 25, 1932, the Right Rev.
Peter J. McDonough returned to Jaffrey for the second time in 1932.
It reached a total over 1,350 students in 1933, making it the largest in the diocese.
In April 1940, St Patrick Parish purchased the home of the E. R. Gardner family to use as a convent for the Dominican Sisters teaching at the grade school.
Kelly in the Summer of 1941 brought Cornelius Corcoran to St Patrick Parish as only its fifth pastor, and the first one fated to preside over an inexorable decline in the parish’s numbers and wealth and influence, if not its zeal.
In September of 1942, subscriptions replaced the Parish Fairs, due to the uncertain conditions brought about by the war.
In 1944, after the brick convent was torn down, St Patrick parish bought a duplex apartment on the west side of Washington Street between Third and Fourth Streets for the new home for the Sisters of St Joseph.
In December 1946, the entire parish debt was liquidated.
In 1956, St Charles Borromeo Parish was formed to serve the western portion of St Patrick Church boundary.
On September 11, 1957, a new Aquinas Academy for Girls opened for classes.
A major redecoration of the church’s interior was begun in 1961.
In 1962, a modern structure was built and dedicated on November 18, 1962.
On March 17, 1963, Bishop Thomas K. Gorman established St Patrick Parish in Lake Highlands, with Monsignor Fred J. Mosman as the first pastor.
Classes meet in the church the remainder of the school year. (Sedalia Democrat May 10, 1964)
His death occurred the following year, May 15, 1964, during heart surgery.
Then interior of the church was severely damaged by the earthquake in 1965.
Thomas Joseph Pitsch celebrated the Silver Jubilee of his ordination at a reception given in his honor on May 20, 1966.
The new convent was built for the Dominican Sisters teaching at St Patrick School and it was ready for occupancy on September 24, 1967.
Father Quinn left in 1969 to assume the pastorship of St Anne’s in Manchester, his home parish.
In 1970, St Joseph Church of Clifton City was joined with St Patrick Church.
The most innovative — and by far the most controversial — of the changes that came to the parish was Patrick House, launched in 1971.
In 1972 Father Barnea left his many friends and parishioners to become the spiritual head of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Concord.
Both Father Bresnahan and Father Haller were instrumental in opening new frontiers at the parish level by their implementation of Ecumenism and the Aggiornamento of Pope John XXIII. Pastoral participation took place in a joint worship service during the Jaffrey Bicentennial Observance of 1973.
Both priests were active in the Amos Fortune Forum, delivering a lecture in 1974 on the history of local Catholicism.
Father Bresnahan and Father Haller served well in this role until 1974, when Father Haller was appointed as parish priest at St Mary Church, Hillsboro.
The consolidation of Aquinas with St Leo and Bellarmine schools occurred in the fall of 1974 to form one high school, the current Bellarmine Prepatory School.
Under the leadership of Father John Donahue, a new Church and education wing were constructed in 1976.
In 1976, the West Indian-American SocioCultural Association approached the parish about the possibility of a special Sunday mass in French or Creole that would serve as both a religious and cultural magnet for Haitian families.
In 1977 the Rectory was built by parish volunteers, whom felt strongly that Father John Donahue should have a home of his own.
After the three houses were demolished, a parking lot was prepared and available for parishioners to use in October 1978.
The official Catholic Directory published by P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1979 edition, lists the following: “Jaffrey, Cheshire County, St Patrick, Richard A. Smith (CEM), Res.
Parishioner, Marion Makarewicz, graduated from St Thomas Seminary, Hannibal, Missouri in 1979.
The first Mass was offered in the permanent church on June 11, 1981.
Also in 1981, Bishop Michael McAuliffe announced Fr.
Kraff celebrated his 45th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood in May 1982 at St Patrick.
On August 24, 1982, a second tornado destroyed the church in Merna.
Christian History Institute (CHI) is a non-profit Pennsylvania corporation founded in 1982.
The cost of the church built in 1982 was $950,000 with a capacity of 400.
The installation of the Maas-Rowe Memorial Carillon took place September 1983 as a memorial of the many families of the parishes who worked hard and long for the beloved parishes of St Patrick and St Joseph.
At the church dedication on December 1, 1985, the parish had grown to about 75 registered households.
In mid-1985, under Father Bauer’s pastorate, the cemetery was built.
Also in 1986, the first computer and printer were ordered to use in the office.
Marion Makarewicz, son of Leonard and Mary Makarewicz, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Jefferson City by Bishop Michael F. McAuliffe on Saturday, September 5, 1987, at St Patrick Church and celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, September 6th at the church.
A gymnasium, an addition to the school, a parish office building, and a rectory were completed in November 1987.
A second wave of rampant growth occurred in the late half of the 1990’s.
In the late 1990’s under the leadership of Father Michael Kennedy, discussions began on the need for more space.
In 1991 the Pastoral Planning Commission of St Patrick Church of Merna began planning for the parish’s future needs.
In 1991, St Patrick Church celebrated its 125th anniversary throughout the year.
The old St Patrick Catholic School on “J” Street was demolished in 1992 and the lot was left vacant until it was decided to purpose the property to a grotto area and a rectory for the parish priest.
Dave Dougherty served as pastor starting in 1993.
Frank L. Schneider, September 1994
The parish purchased the property at 402 E. 3rd Street in 1994.
In 1995, Father Seamus Laverty became the 11th Pastor to serve St Patrick Catholic Church.
Thus, the transition from St Patrick Church to Open Door became final in 1996.
The growth of the parish continues with the Spanish families moving into the area around 1996-97.
On January 4, 1998, Bishop John J. Myers blessed a $1.3 million addition completing the first phase of expansion.
[Christian History originally published this article in Christian History Issue #60 in 1998]
An increased number of Spanish Masses were celebrated in 1998 due to more families moving into the area to work for Tyson.
Eileen was hired full-time in 1999 to help with various ministry developments.
The base, along with a brick-encased time capsule, which was built by parishioner Gerald Wolf, was dedicated on January 2, 2000, after the 9 a.m.
Construction began in 2000 on a large addition to the east, which is now the present Church and Gather Area.
The parish started another parish directory that was completed in 2001.
Reconstructing that mission, though, has quite a bit to do with establishing Ireland's relationship to the rest of Europe, as illustrated in Marianne Elliott's 2001 book The Catholics of Ulster (Basic Books).
Father David, a Tacoma native who was a parishioner at Saint patrick Catholic Church until he attended Washington State University celebrated his first Holy Mass of Thanksgiving on June 9, 2002.
In August 2004, Father Rick Banker joined our community as pastor.
A capital campaign in 2004, “A Dwelling for God’s Family,” was successful in raising pledges and donations in excess of $5.1 million.
Father Banker eventually felt called to another parish and stayed until the end of 2005.
In August of 2006, Father Marion Makarewicz, former parishioner of the St Patrick Church, was named Monsignor by the Most Holy Pope Benedict XVI.
After fifteen months of construction, the Dedication of the new St Patrick Church of Merna took place on Sunday, November 5, 2006, with Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, presiding.
Timothy was reassigned to another parish in the Liberty area in June of 2008.
Another church pictorial directory was started and completed in 2009.
In 2009, several parishioners purchased the property to the east of the north parking lot and donated it to the church for additional parking.
In 2010, the parish saw a change in the Mass.
However, there were some changes that took place beginning with Advent 2011 that affected both the clergy and laity.
In 2011, the Saint Patrick Catholic Church & School undertook the task of creating one logo to represent the church and the school.
In 2012, special maintenance fund collections took place at the Masses to obtain sufficient funds for tuckpointing and sealing the exterior of the church as well as repairing and painting the back sanctuary wall.
St Patrick Church was blessed to celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2013!
The remaining amount of the total cost of the organ, some twelve hundred and ninety dollars [2014: $18,000] was raised through the individual contributions of resident parishioners.
The new organ came about as the result of a windfall of two thousand dollars [2014: $28,000] to Father Cavanaugh from Mrs.
Many weeks during the Depression Era of the thirties, the weekly offertory and general revenue amounted to just thirty dollars [2014: $517] Ironically, during this period of hard times, St Patrick’s, along with most churches, could be left safely unlocked both day and night.
Father Seamus Laverty was the beloved Pastor at Saint Patrick Catholic Church for 20 years— serving the pastoral and sacramental needs of the community until his retirement on June 30, 2015, at the age of 70.
In March of 2016, the bulletins for St Patrick, Sacred Heart, and St John in Bahner were merged to form the Pettis County Catholic Community bulletin.
In September 2016, Father Jim Harbaugh, S.J. temporarily join the team of priests to serve the sacramental needs of the parish while Father Tom Lamanna, S.J. respresented the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus as the General Congregation 36 in Rome, Italy.
On October 23, 2016, the church celebrated its 150th anniversary with a Mass officiated by Bishop John Gaydos, Fr.
Preliminary work was started on the 150th celebration for the church in 2016.
In July 2018, Father Jerry Graham, S.J. was appointed the parish priest serving our faith community, with the support of the Jesuit priest.
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| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Jerome Parish Community | 1860 | $31.0M | 50 | 1 |
| HOLY TRINITY | 2011 | $99,999 | 28 | 8 |
| St. Charles Borromeo | 1954 | $8.8M | 105 | - |
| Holy Trinity Catholic School | 1989 | $1.4M | 35 | - |
| Our Lady Of Mount Carmel School | - | $1.8M | 35 | - |
| Lincoln Children's Museum | 1989 | $1.6M | 20 | - |
| Living Stones Academy | 2010 | $499,999 | 12 | - |
| St. Francis Xavier School | 1933 | $12.0M | 50 | - |
| Corpus Christi Independent School District | - | $321.2M | 1,370 | 51 |
| St Judes Church | - | $460,000 | 6 | 14 |
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