Saint Mary Parish

A Brief History of Our Parish
(In 1967, two sisters, Bernadette Greenwood Oldemoppen and Genevive Greenwood Spafford, wrote a history of St. Mary's Parish to mark the occasion of the parish's 100th anniversary. This synopsis is taken from that history.)

In 1867, just after the Civil War, Mobile was in the process of reconstruction. In March of that year, Bishop John Quinlan, second bishop of Mobile, recognized the need for a parish in the "outlying western section of Mobile." He appointed the Rev. David O'Meara to establish the parish.

During the organizational period of the parish, the infirmary of the Old Catholic Boys' Home on Lafayette Street was used as a chapel. The original church, donated on the corner of Lafayette Street and Spring Hill Shell Road, was a white frame building, dedicated November 29, 1868.

A parish school was begun in 1871, staffed by volunteer lay teachers until the Sisters of Mercy were brought from Ireland. The hall at the rear of the sacristy was converted into two classrooms. Seven pupils enrolled in the first class: five Zimlichs and two Keegans. The school continued to grow so that by 1910 the brick school and convent were built across from the present rectory. The cost was $20,000.

Rev. O'Meara was succeeded as pastor by the famous "poet-priest," Rev. Abram Ryan (1877-1882.) One of Rev. Ryan's poems written during these years was a tribute to St. Mary's. The Rev. Michael Filan served 14 years at St. Mary's and was succeeded by Rev. Thomas Eaton. Rev. Eaton oversaw many changes and tremendous growth during his tenure at St. Mary's. By 1913, such growth had taken place in west Mobile that a mission church was built in Chrichton - St. Catherine of Siena - dedicated February 1, 1914. In 1920, another portion of St. Mary's became a parish - St. Joan of Arc.

Construction of the present church was begun in 1926 with Mr. John J. Cary as supervising architect. The old church was moved across Old Shell Road and used as a parish hall. The present St. Mary's Church was dedicated on February 5, 1928. Monsignor Eaton died September 21, 1929, and was succeeded by the Rev. Msgr. John R. O'Donoghue, V.G., P.A., who paid off the construction debt in 1945.

Ground was broken for the present school building on May 4, 1948 to include 14 classrooms and a gymnasium. The cost was $250,000. The building was opened and dedicated in 1949.

Msgr. O'Donoghue died July 1, 1962 on vacation in his native Ireland. He was succeeded by the Rev. Msgr. Thomas Cullen, P.A. who renovated the sanctuary after Vatican Council II. Following Msgr. Cullen as pastors were Rev. Msgr. Daniel Harnett (1972-1982), Rev. John Aherne, V.G. (1982-1993) and Rev. Msgr. Kenneth J. Klepac (1993-1997.) The current pastor is Rev. Peter Cunningham. Associate Pastors are Rev. Bry Shields, who is President of McGill Toolen Catholic High School and Rev. Antony Kadavil who is coming to us from St. Ignatius will be with us on June 17, 2005. Father Rick Hugli O.S.B., J.C.L. will be going to St. Ignatius as Associate Pastor and he will continue full-time as Judge and Defender of the Bond for the Metropolitan Tribunal.