The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-06-03
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF
ImMACvLATEC CONCEPTION CON-
GR e ATlONs II VIENNA, POK.
TAGE COUNTg-O.- -1s54-sO.
j. d: b.

4AU6 SVONA Os-1 SO4soO'
II ..s:
eAThiel congregation was organized
November 9th. 1854, by number of
railroad employees, who removed from
Earlville, then, as now, more station
of the Cleveland. s. Pittsburgh Rail.
road Company. than a village, and six
miles west of Ravenna. AS Rev.
Father McGahan of Akron, Summit
county, had visited this small coDgre-
CATION of eight families for eighteen
months, previous to their removal
from Earlyille, the same monthly Wis
its were continued by him until the
Spring of 1856. Father Walsh, his
successor, visited monthly unit! April,
1857, when the increasing interests of
| Akron, and its nearer home missions,
rendered it necessary to have Raven
ma attended from the next available
source. 1t then became an out mission
of the Cathedral, Cleveland, and was
visited by Rey, Father O'Connor un-
til September,l857 to September, 1858 /;
then by, Father, !O'Suilivan for three
months. AS circumstances would per-
init RsvenpsIwaslvisited by the priests
of the Cathedral during 1859. In 1860
Rev. P. II. Brown was appointed pas
tor Of Hudson and it's iout-missions,
one of which was Eavehua- The in.
creasing c0ngregations6fRavenna nnaand
Kent soon required the sole attend
ance OF Father Brown, 60, in 1868 he
was appointed pastor of both places.
He remained IN charge until August,
1872, and was succeeded by Rev; Faith :,
er W. Gibbons, whose pastorate
continued until Apgust, 1874, and who
twas succeeded by tRey-,J- p. Carroll,
who. on his removal, March 9th, 1876,
ito Canton, Stark county, was succesd-
ed ION the 18th of May of the same,
year by the present pastor, J.liD.a
Bowles. fiThe growing wants of RAJ
VIENNA, and Kent requiring a pastor
respectively, Father Bowles was re-
| heved on the 9th OF July, 1873, OF Kent
and given sole charge, OF RayennR.,,s4
iu Peter. King, John ,McNamara, Ed,
ward Broderick, Michael McMshon,
George iJennirigs,n Charles M ufptiy,,
Ed ward Breen add Patrick Keen, were
theparf fiessWhofe emo yedi frouY Earl
yille, Organizad,t this congregation and
special mention. These were
soon, aided ip, the good work by Frank
Lee, James King, Patrick Bsrgin, Dan
iel Cary, Matt and Thomas McTigh,
Bernard and sThomas Kinney, Christ.
opher Jennings, George Madole, Gar
rit Her1y and, NJ. Donphpe;. The cor
sner- stone of the present Church was
laid by Bishop Rappei oip1the, l5thiof
August, 1852; and the Isermon preach
ed by ReyrT,P ThoEpe,. then attach,
ed to the Cathedral. The cost Of build;
ing The church was nom six, to eight,
Thousand dollars. 'i'7f ''i '"''''''i
Thelsehool was established Septein-
her, l87Ss While attending Ravcnnai
Rev. E. .M.tO'CaHaghan,.. now pastor
of st. Patrick, q, Cleveland, seeing tho
want Of q church for this craving con
gregation, urged fhe bui1diiig. Of one.
and while collecting subscriptions for I.
same was removed 20 the pastorate of
Youngstown The prosecution and
final completion Of, the present church
(the first and only one, e,built here), was
reserved to Father Brown, who with
energy and zeal lent himself to the
grand work. How well he succeeded
the present neat iedifice at,ests. The
church and all its surroundings
save the small frame school house
built November 1878, by the present
incumbent, are the testimonials which
make his name a household word in
Ravenna, ever to be remembered.
Before closing this ssketch honorable
mention must be made Of the liberai-
+ity and good-wiltiwith which the citi
zens OF, Rsyenna aided, in building the
church, Among the many, the Hon.
Judge Day, late Of the Supreme Bench
of Ohio. and Mr.. Isaiah Linton, hold
the first place. The former gave MAJ
teriali aid2 in procuring the; site on
which ll4staDd the church. sehOol-houses
and pastoral residences he; also sub
-scribed literally towards the erection
of the same the latter, assisted by his
.liberality of purse and cheering words
of encoiirag ement. The congregation
is in a prosperous condition, and, for
fits paying members, sec0ad TO none in
the diocese-i5,H snHgerts two schools,
besides its ,m<ny other calls; it is rap
idly getting out OF debt, while its gen.
erosity when called on toad the char
tiles OF the diocese deserve special
meution. iail A-17'i5d 81 .is1-s1!
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