Clergy
St. Mary Catholic Church
231 Washington Ave.
Urbana, OH 43078
Pastor: Rev. Father Gregory J. Konerman
Deacon: Rev. Mr. Earl Rogers
Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Sue Jenkins
Music Director: Mr. William Antoniak
Parish Office: (937) 653-1375
FAX: (937) 653-1383
E-mail: stmary@ctcn.net
Church Hall: (937) 653-1374
Catholic Central Elementary School: (937) 399-5451
Parish Activity Center (PAC): (937) 653-1370
SCHEDULE of LITURGIES
Masses for Sunday
St. Mary
Saturday 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 7:30 a.m.
Sunday 11:30 a.m.
Sacred Heart
Sunday 9:30 a.m.
For the schedule of weekday liturgies call the parish office: 653-1375
For information about registration or to request the Sacraments of Baptism or Matrimony or Anointing of the Sick, please contact the Parish Office.
St Mary Parish History
1818 Bishop Benedict J. Flaget, of Bardstown, Kentucky, then one of the four dioceses in the United States, visits Urbana and celebrates the first Mass here.
1834 John Baptist Purcell, the second bishop of Cincinnati, visits Urbana, and preaches from the steps of the old Courthouse on the Square
1850 The Catholic population of Urbana greatly increases, with the arrival of many Irish immigrants who came here as laborers for the railroads.
1853 John Purcell, now the Archbishop of Cincinnati, appoints Rev. Augustus A. Grogan as pastor of the new parish, named in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The cornerstone for the church was laid on the Feast of Corpus Christi, 1853. The first Mass was celebrated in the small, and unfinished church on Christmas Day 1853. The church building was eventually completed and dedicated in 1856, for a total cost of $14,000.
1855 St. Mary Parish School opens, with classes conducted in the church building.
1867 A new, larger and more elaborate church was constructed. A rectory and a schoolhouse were also built.
1878 The parish purchased a larger building, on Main street, to accommodate the growing number of school students. The Sisters of Mercy, from Cincinnati, arrived and began to staff the school. The student body number 360 children!
1890 The church was again enlarged, and given a more elaborate design, including stained glass windows and a bell tower.
The bell, cast in Troy, NY, was “named” St. Joseph!
1905 The current school building was constructed, and the current rectory was built. The former rectory was converted to a convent for Sisters.
1920 St. Mary School begins to offer a full High School program (prior it offered a 3 year commercial course following grade school).
1923 The pipe organ, manufactured by Teller Organ Co., of Erie, PA, was installed in the church for a cost of $4,200!
1947 The interior of the church was printed and re-decorated, the first major changes made since 1890.
1957 The closing of the High School program, due to insufficient number of students.
1965 Ground-breaking for the new church, across the street from the original campus on the property that had been Downey Park. The new church was consecrated by Archbishop Karl J. Alter on November 11, 1966
1982 The original bell, --“St. Joe”—was rehung in the new bell tower and rang out again on Christmas Day.
2000 The beautiful stained glass windows and doors, designed by Franklin Art glass Studios of Columbus were installed, in observance of the Jubilee Year.
2003 In celebration of the parish’s 150th Anniversary, redecoration of the church was done, -- including restoration of several statues and the Baptismal Font from the old church, and embellishment of the Marian Shrine.