St Mary High School - Marian Yearbook (Marion, OH)

Page 14 text:

ln the days when wagon trains were filing laboriously across American plains and men turned eager faces toward mountains where buried gold might be hiding, Marion, Ohio, DW was a quiet little town iust pulling out of its adolescent days and growing from 12,000 per- sons into cityhood. Tradition has it that the Faith was brought to Marion in the heart and soul of Timothy Fahey who, one can imagine, was a restless Irishman until he succeeded with I the help of others in making it possible to bow REVEREND JOHN MACKEY down his head before even a makeshift altar where bread and wine had become Body and Blood of Christ by the power of a priest of God. The celebration of the first Mass in Marion is attributed to Father Burgess in the year 1849. Once begun, the Holy Sacrifice continued to be offered by the priests from adjoining towns, but only at irregular intervals and under great hardships. Father Grogan's name has come down from those days. Though the faithful had no building in which to house their God, nevertheless, He received a warm welcome in the lowly homes of these REVEREND PETER MCMAHON first Marion Catholic families. i . ,bu fl g fri. W V ' 5' Within four years, on September 22, 1853, ' ' ' s-V', A jg to be exact, Timothy Fahey donated a plot of W K Qroundi Purchased from Eber Baker, to be used L ' Y- for a permanent church. In the meantime early ,lg ' A ' 5 ,' 5 1 A ' Catholic settlers athered re ularl in the Old W , g , 9 9 Y . 1.212 - y Huber Shop on Mill Street near Main in an attempt to give God decent worship. Into this factory room came Anthony Flaherty, John Lawrence, Nicholas Lawrence, Conrad Conners, Jeremiah Darmody, John Kelleher, Edmond 4 i

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ST. MARY CHURCH, 1937 7 1 - tg: ' A I N-. -.2 .- 'A A - J . l : HG' A A K'-,V xiii - 2 V VN-arfpilffix f-Lf W'l4b'f 'ng a i -C gn' Cl C, xfQ- , 2, J' ggl fi 1 :. 2 ' v3feQ 2'-f D ' 'n i l . I mf 5?i'i' i b'4 W w gg 1 A -N lL -Q'i '--- ' s,f ii, E.. ,. L A - ' -7 is 1' -QC -5 HTF.: 3 4' f 4-- 5' -fzfg --1221, Cg1 T.':: -E'-5' ST. MARY CHURCH 1862 nce upon a fime . . .

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REVEREND PHILIP DONOGHUE Dwyer, Thomas Dwyer, Timothy Quinlan, Pierce Keating, Patrick Kelly, James Loudrigan, David Hogan, Patrick Hogan, Thomas Hogan, William Lawrence - men who prayed and whose prayer was shot through with zeal and determination to build up a parish that would maintain a resident pastor. Dreams became reality with the appointment of Father McSweeney, though his time had to be divided between Marion and Bellefontaine. A concern more immediate to these early parishioners than a church building was the possession of consecrated ground where Catholics could be buried. Father McSweeney, on June 8, 1858, bought property worth 5337.50 from the Marion Cemetery Association. This was used until 1891. Father's pastorate came to an end in 1859 when he was replaced by Father Coppinger. The ill health of the latter forced his stay with the Marion flock to be brief. In 1860 Father Coveney was named to succeed him. Within a year he had broken ground on REVEREND JOSEPH QUATMAN Prospect Street for the long-hoped-for church. In 1862, a proud congregation knelt within its walls and, grateful of heart, thanked God as the prayers of dedication were read. ln the post Civil War year of 1866 Father John A. Mackey was appointed to live in Marion as the first full-time resident pastor. To call his flock to church, Father bought and installed a bell. Its peals brought well-wishers to pray for young brides and their tall manly husbands. It tolled in sorrow after each visit of the angel F l