Church History
(as taken from the Sixtieth Anniversary Parish Memorial, Historical and Pictorial Directory)
Early in 1938 a group of men met for the purpose of organizing a Byzantine Catholic parish. The fruit of their labor was a compilation of the names of one hundred thirty-seven families.
On August 15, 1938 the Dean, Very Reverend Edmund Tabakovich, area pastors and seventy-two families, "the founders" met. His Excellency, Bishop Basil Takach read the statutes of the new congregation which were unanimously accepted, thus a new parish was canonically founded. Reverend Dean recognized this parish as part of our diocese, under the patronage of Mary, the Dormition of the Mother of God.
The original church was a small rented wooden shop on the corner of West 35th Street and Stickney Avenue. Father Stephen Petrick was appointed temporary pastor and on September 25, 1938 Dean Father Tabakovich and area clergy blessed the new church. The parish received their first permanent pastor, Father Daniel Ivancho.
The wooden church building was purchased outright with three more additional lots and a rectory was built. A recreation hall and auditorium were built adjoining the small church continuing their growth.
After ordination in November of 1945, Father Emil Masich was sent to St. Mary parish where he assisted and guided serving as administrator and pastor with much enthusiasm throughout the years
On April 1, 1947 Father Nicholas T. Elko was appointed the new pastor of St. Mary Church and after fundraising for a new church, groundbreaking took place on October 3, 1948. On May 9, 1949, now Bishop Ivancho, returned to St. Mary parish to bless the cornerstone of the church and on April 30, 1950 he officiated at the solemn blessing and dedication of the new church. On November 15, 1952 Father Joseph Bodnar was appointed pastor where he served for twenty-five dedicated years.
On July 10, 1956, now Bishop Nicholas T. Elko gave permission to turn the old church and rectory into a school and convent which was blessed by Bishop Elko on August 19, 1956. In 1958, Father Bodnar submitted plans for a larger school and on July 15, 1958 Auxiliary Bishop Stephen Kocisko officiated the groundbreaking, on March 1, 1959 Bishop Elko blessed the cornerstone and on February 28, 1960 the school was dedicated with the Sisters of St. Basil the Great, from Uniontown, Pennsylvania coming to educate and serve at St. Mary School.
The Producers Dairy property was purchased on January 20, 1981, renovated into our Crystal Chalet hall which opened in November of 1982. The property also houses a day care program, a pre-school and two kindergarten classes of St. Mary School. On March 21, 1989 the opening of St. Mary Hospitality House was added to the building. This ministry operated by volunteers provides hot meals to our local community.
St. Mary Church celebrated their sixtieth anniversary on August 15, 1998. In sixty years much has been accomplished both spiritually and physically. St. Mary Church has produced vocations, educated children and helped people to grow in the Byzantine Catholic faith. We look forward to the new millennium, continuing to grow in our spirituality and our ministry to church and community!