St. Mary's Catholic Church, Ireland, Indiana

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St. Mary's Catholic Church, officially the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the only Catholic church in Ireland, Indiana, United States.

1 History
2 St. Mary's Church today
3 Eagle Projects
4 External links

[edit] History

St. Mary's Church was founded in 1890 when a number of Catholics, who had been affiliated with St. Joseph's Parish at Jasper, Indiana, concluded that a parish should be established in Ireland. In 1891, a small wood frame structure was completed as the first church.

The cornerstone for a new and larger brick church was laid on August 15, 1904 by the Right Reverend Athanasius Schmitt, Abbot of St. Meinrad, for the new church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The cost of the building, completed in 1905, was only $11,000, because so many members of the parish donated labor and materials. In 1907, the old wood church structure was razed and the lumber used to construct a new two-room school and parish hall.

Improvements to the church continued: steam heat was installed in 1904; new pews in 1916; new altars, expanded seating capacity, modern electric light fixtures and a distinctive belfry were added in 1930. Further remodeling was completed in 1971.

[edit] St. Mary's Church today

The parish continues to grow with refreshed facilities for many new families around the parish. Fr. John Boeglin was appointed pastor and Fr. Zach Etienne was appointed associate pastor in July 2005.

[edit] Eagle Projects

On the grounds of the church are various Boy Scout Eagle Projects. Among them are a gazebo (next to the cemetery), a garden-sized rosary (also next to the cemetery), Stations of the Cross (bordering three sides of the cemetery), and a dugout (next to the softball field).