A BRIEF HISTORY
The history of St. Mary parish spans over 200 years, 35 pastors, three church buildings, and is populated by the countless lives of its parishioners. Our parish reflects the evolution of Catholics in our county of Monroe. The parish has survived wars, the generous and hard seasons of agriculture and economy, and its own tempests.
Founded in 1788 as St. Antoine du Padua (St. Anthony of Padua) by its French-Canadian habitants (residents), it was located along the main river called the Riviere aux Raisins (the River of Grapes, named for the wild grapevines sprawling along the river.) The small parish was assigned its first pastor from Quebec in 1794, and was ministered to by pastors from Ste. Anne in Detroit whenever without a resident priest. Its early territory covered area to Sandusky, Ohio and westward into Indiana.
It might surprise some to know that these fledgling Catholic pioneer parishes were ministered to by missionary priests from Belgium and France. The first American ordination was of subdeacon Stephen Theodore Badin who was born in France and left there in 1792 during the Reign of Terror, who finished his studies and was ordained in 1793. After ministering in Kentucky, he returned to France in the 1820s, and for a brief period served in the Detroit area, including St. Antoine’s here at the River Raisin.
The early period of establishing settlement could often be a challenge, and this spilled over into church affairs. Often the priests with their strict theological education found it difficult to religiously mold their often independent thinking parishioners, who thought that the priests were there is serve them, and not interfere with their lives.
When St. Antoine parish came under the care of the Redemptorist order in 1845, the parish name was changed to St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception. Unfortunately, the order was not able to continue in Monroe (mainly for economic reasons), and the parish was placed in the diocese of Detroit, which it is in today.
In the early 1800s immigrants came first to St. Antoine/St. Mary’s- the Irish, Germans, Belgians, followed by the Italians, other Europeans, and Latinos. Other county Catholic parishes were founded along ethnic lines, but St. Mary’s could be called the “mother” parish of them all.
Several sites were used by the parish. The first location of St. Antoine’s on Private Claim 358 had a squared log French church & blessed cemetery on North Custer Road, east of the Cranbrook subdivision. Since the river was the main route of transportation (there were no real roads until the 1811 military road) was a canoe over water, the church faced the river not far from its banks. An extant building from circa 1789 shows the square log construction or horizontal logs laid between uprights, and the logs spaces filled with daub, or chinking. Typical buildings were also clapboarded, preserving and hiding the logs underneath. The roof had a steep pitch, was shake covered, and had at least one dormer to provide light to the upper story. One or a pair of chimneys were situated opposite each other, and the windows were made of small multi-panes of glass, protected by functional thick wood shutters that could be shut tight against the weather. The building sat upon a limestone foundation, often hauled from blocks cut from the river bed, or quarried nearby. Likewise, a block of stone would provide a step or two up into the house.
This first building- either newly constructed or perhaps renovated from an existing house or building- was the rectory, storeroom, and upstairs church area. It was to serve this multi-function for many decades until the new church building, on a different Private Claim farm, would be built.
The second location was in the village of Monroe on North Monroe Street at West Noble Avenue. The location was another Private Claim, No. 648, assigned to Pierre Soleau. The church was used from 1829 until 1839. The second cemetery was accessible north of Noble and the church, along North Monroe street.
This church was known as the “Fairgrounds” church since it was located on a part of a community fair grounds. The church was of brick, described as large and “barn-like” in design. Through some fault the snow and rain fell on the priest as he said Mass at the altar, wearing his outerwear and gloves!
The third and current church building is located on the same French claim farm as the second church, south of it at the intersection of West Elm Avenue and North Monroe Street.
The long front part (nave) of this church was of Gothic architectural design and started in 1834 and completed in 1839. To protect the wearing of the red brick, a cement-like stucco was applied to the exterior in the late 1800's. The nave glass windows were installed circa 1890 and are decorative in style. During the renovation the windows are redesigned as seen today.
The north part of the current church dates from 1903 and is styled red brick Romanesque. The 20th century intention was to tear down the oldest portion and match a new construction to the 1903 part. This never happened. A major renovation in 1987/88 for the parish’s 200th anniversary instead remade the 1834-39 older portion into the Romanesque.
The interior of the church needed to be brought up to modern ecclesiastic standards, therefore the interior was gutted and renovated with new pews, altar projection, disabled access, added restrooms and robing rooms, new entryways and new flooring. The exterior old brick and stucco was covered with matching modern brick reinforced by steel beams and girders, and a new roof put on. The narrow niches in the front were eliminated and after a few years two modern stylized mosaics were installed on either side of the front doorway, and to replace the colored glass windows of the lower bell tower a larger third was placed.
The apse stained glass windows are symbolic, filled with Catholic symbols and images in the life of Jesus and his mother Mary. These symbols include monograms, wheat and grapes as symbols of the bread and wine used at Mass, the fleur-de-lis and white lilies. There are 3 sizes- large, medium, and small ones around the sanctuary apse. They ranged in cost from $275 to $1,100.
Other windows can be seen: a demi-lune “St. Mary’s” over the front doorway, decorative windows on the apse wall dividing the church buildings, and plain colored glass set on point bordering the rounded walls of the interior sacristy.
Today St. Mary’s is one of the largest parishes, with many secular committees, volunteer opportunities for service both within and without the community and many social activities. Recently the 3 Monroe city parishes united resources and the St. Mary campus is home to students in the upper elementary grades.
Founded in 1788 as St. Antoine du Padua (St. Anthony of Padua) by its French-Canadian habitants (residents), it was located along the main river called the Riviere aux Raisins (the River of Grapes, named for the wild grapevines sprawling along the river.) The small parish was assigned its first pastor from Quebec in 1794, and was ministered to by pastors from Ste. Anne in Detroit whenever without a resident priest. Its early territory covered area to Sandusky, Ohio and westward into Indiana.
It might surprise some to know that these fledgling Catholic pioneer parishes were ministered to by missionary priests from Belgium and France. The first American ordination was of subdeacon Stephen Theodore Badin who was born in France and left there in 1792 during the Reign of Terror, who finished his studies and was ordained in 1793. After ministering in Kentucky, he returned to France in the 1820s, and for a brief period served in the Detroit area, including St. Antoine’s here at the River Raisin.
The early period of establishing settlement could often be a challenge, and this spilled over into church affairs. Often the priests with their strict theological education found it difficult to religiously mold their often independent thinking parishioners, who thought that the priests were there is serve them, and not interfere with their lives.
When St. Antoine parish came under the care of the Redemptorist order in 1845, the parish name was changed to St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception. Unfortunately, the order was not able to continue in Monroe (mainly for economic reasons), and the parish was placed in the diocese of Detroit, which it is in today.
In the early 1800s immigrants came first to St. Antoine/St. Mary’s- the Irish, Germans, Belgians, followed by the Italians, other Europeans, and Latinos. Other county Catholic parishes were founded along ethnic lines, but St. Mary’s could be called the “mother” parish of them all.
Several sites were used by the parish. The first location of St. Antoine’s on Private Claim 358 had a squared log French church & blessed cemetery on North Custer Road, east of the Cranbrook subdivision. Since the river was the main route of transportation (there were no real roads until the 1811 military road) was a canoe over water, the church faced the river not far from its banks. An extant building from circa 1789 shows the square log construction or horizontal logs laid between uprights, and the logs spaces filled with daub, or chinking. Typical buildings were also clapboarded, preserving and hiding the logs underneath. The roof had a steep pitch, was shake covered, and had at least one dormer to provide light to the upper story. One or a pair of chimneys were situated opposite each other, and the windows were made of small multi-panes of glass, protected by functional thick wood shutters that could be shut tight against the weather. The building sat upon a limestone foundation, often hauled from blocks cut from the river bed, or quarried nearby. Likewise, a block of stone would provide a step or two up into the house.
This first building- either newly constructed or perhaps renovated from an existing house or building- was the rectory, storeroom, and upstairs church area. It was to serve this multi-function for many decades until the new church building, on a different Private Claim farm, would be built.
The second location was in the village of Monroe on North Monroe Street at West Noble Avenue. The location was another Private Claim, No. 648, assigned to Pierre Soleau. The church was used from 1829 until 1839. The second cemetery was accessible north of Noble and the church, along North Monroe street.
This church was known as the “Fairgrounds” church since it was located on a part of a community fair grounds. The church was of brick, described as large and “barn-like” in design. Through some fault the snow and rain fell on the priest as he said Mass at the altar, wearing his outerwear and gloves!
The third and current church building is located on the same French claim farm as the second church, south of it at the intersection of West Elm Avenue and North Monroe Street.
The long front part (nave) of this church was of Gothic architectural design and started in 1834 and completed in 1839. To protect the wearing of the red brick, a cement-like stucco was applied to the exterior in the late 1800's. The nave glass windows were installed circa 1890 and are decorative in style. During the renovation the windows are redesigned as seen today.
The north part of the current church dates from 1903 and is styled red brick Romanesque. The 20th century intention was to tear down the oldest portion and match a new construction to the 1903 part. This never happened. A major renovation in 1987/88 for the parish’s 200th anniversary instead remade the 1834-39 older portion into the Romanesque.
The interior of the church needed to be brought up to modern ecclesiastic standards, therefore the interior was gutted and renovated with new pews, altar projection, disabled access, added restrooms and robing rooms, new entryways and new flooring. The exterior old brick and stucco was covered with matching modern brick reinforced by steel beams and girders, and a new roof put on. The narrow niches in the front were eliminated and after a few years two modern stylized mosaics were installed on either side of the front doorway, and to replace the colored glass windows of the lower bell tower a larger third was placed.
The apse stained glass windows are symbolic, filled with Catholic symbols and images in the life of Jesus and his mother Mary. These symbols include monograms, wheat and grapes as symbols of the bread and wine used at Mass, the fleur-de-lis and white lilies. There are 3 sizes- large, medium, and small ones around the sanctuary apse. They ranged in cost from $275 to $1,100.
Other windows can be seen: a demi-lune “St. Mary’s” over the front doorway, decorative windows on the apse wall dividing the church buildings, and plain colored glass set on point bordering the rounded walls of the interior sacristy.
Today St. Mary’s is one of the largest parishes, with many secular committees, volunteer opportunities for service both within and without the community and many social activities. Recently the 3 Monroe city parishes united resources and the St. Mary campus is home to students in the upper elementary grades.
