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St. mary our motHer cHurcH
From its beginnings as a modest village parish,
St. Mary Our Mother has evolved over a 150-year period into
a sizable suburban community of Catholics in western Chemung County.
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The parish, originally known just as St. Mary, was founded as a mission church in 1866, with Father Peter Bede as its priest and a small church in the village. In 1879 St. Mary was accorded parish status when Father Thomas Harrick was became its
rst resident pastor.
The second church was dedicated in 1903 by Bernard J. McQuaid. Located at 408 W. Broad St., it would serve the parish community for the next six decades.
In 1957 land was purchased a mile west of St. Mary Church, and it was there that the current parish complex began taking shape. St. Mary School opened in 1959 at 811 Westlake St., with Bishop James E. Kearney presiding at the
dedication; and a temporary chapel was formed in the school to alleviate overcrowding at St. Mary Church. A new chapel opened in 1963, as did ve new classrooms.
In 1965, a new administration/rectory facility opened, and the nal Mass was celebrated in the village church. At that time “Our Mother” was added to the parish and school titles.
St. Mary Our Mother continued growing so rapidly that by the 1970s, a larger church facility was again required. The current church at 816 W. Broad St. –one of the newest in the Diocese of Rochester – was dedicated Nov. 10, 1979, by then rst-year Bishop Matthew H. Clark.