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cHurcH of tHe aSSumPtion
The rst Mass for what was to become Church of the Assumption took place in 1849 around a table at a home on the towpath of the Erie Canal in Fairport.
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IIn 1854, the Fairport faith community was designated as a mission of Palmyra’s St. Anne Church. Fairport’s rst church, built at 22 High Street in 1854, was expanded to twice its original size in 1862, and still stands at that site, across the street from the current church. Father Louis J. Miller was rst pastor of the community, which became a
parish in its own right in 1866.
During the pastorate of Father John Codyre in 1882, a new church bearing the name Church of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was constructed on a plot of land that later became the parking lot for the current church. The parish and surrounding Village of Fairport continued to grow and prosper in the years that followed.
When Father James Wood arrived as pastor in 1925, the interior of the church was modernized, including the addition of a Buehl pipe organ. In 1956 under
the leadership of Father Leonard Kelly, the Fairport parish became nationally known for its School of Religion on Baumer Place, which provided religion classes for about 1,000 high school and elementary students, and also offered classes for adults.
In 1964, a parishioner deeded his land on High Street to the parish as an expression of his devotion to Mary. The current church was built on that land – with an address of 20 East Ave. – in 1981 and dedicated by Bishop Matthew H. Clark on May 15, 1983. The Stations of the Cross, some stained- glass windows and bells were brought over from the 1882 church, which was demolished. A carillon was added in 1990.
In 1991 plans were developed to expand the church building, and the School of Religion was relocated into the new parish life center in 2001.