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St. mary’S cHurcH
Commonly known as St. Mary Southside,
this parish retains the distinction from its inception in 1872 of being the City of Elmira’s only Catholic church south of the Chemung River.
With Father James McManus serving as founding pastor, St. Mary’s rst church was built the same year the parish was founded. Three years later the wooden structure was replaced by a larger brick building at 224 Franklin St.., which has now served the St. Mary community for more than
140 years.
Dedication of St. Mary Church on Aug. 15, 1875 – the feast day of its patron saint’s assumption – was a grand affair. It began with a parade through the city, involving Catholics not only from St. Mary but also the rest of Elmira and surrounding communities. Presiding at the festivities was Bishop Stephen V. Ryan of the Diocese of Buffalo, to which St. Mary belonged when it was founded. Bishop Ryan also con rmed more than 100 children that day.
In 1898 the parish school was erected at 421 Fulton St., one year after St. Mary Parish became part of the Diocese of Rochester. That school continues serving Catholic students and is now known as Holy Family following the 1986 consolidation of Elmira’s Catholic schools. It serves boys and girls from throughout the city in grades prekindergarten through 6.
On March 4, 1973, St. Mary Parish observed its 100th-anniversary Mass, which was celebrated by Bishop Joseph L. Hogan.
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