St. Mary’s Catholic Church has had a place in the center of Independence for many years. Missionary work began in 1823 and continued until the Rev. Bernard Donnelly arrived in 1845 to establish the parish. Construction of the church began just before the Civil War and the church added a school in 1878. Through the hard work of religious Sisters, parishioners and the community, St. Mary’s stands today as the oldest established church in Jackson County. It is celebrating their 200th anniversary this year and its members planned for all to enjoy.

By: Erin Gray

The Beginning

In 1823 Catholic missionaries came to the growing area that would, a handful of years later, be known as Jackson County. And this was the official beginning of what we all know as St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Missionary work to the area continued until the mid-1840s.

As a result of the survey of the area by two members of the Vincentian order of Catholic priests, the Rev. Thomas Burke and the Rev. Joseph DeMarchi, the parish was formally organized in 1845. They felt that, as the population of Catholics grew in the area, an official parish priest was a necessity.

Father Bernard Donnelly, photo courtesy of the Jackson County Historical Society. PHM 1867

Father Bernard Donnelly accepted this position.

Father Donnelly arrived May 17, 1845 with a trunk, some books and $5, to serve the perhaps 12 Catholic families living in Independence. According to Rev. Michael Coleman, one of the authors of This Far By Faith: A Popular History of the Catholic People of West and Northwestern Missouri, Father Donnelly’s parish at the time covered roughly 18,000 square miles.

The Rev. William J. Dalton, author of Pioneer Priest: A Life of Father Bernard Donnelly wrote that “When he (Donnelly) had asked Father Burke about the conditions of Independence, he was told there was ‘no church or a house for you - that’s what you are sent here for, to build them.”

Since Father Donnelly was an Irish immigrant, he put out a call to Irish newspapers in Ireland, Boston and New York asking workers to come to Independence.

For a time, Father Donnelly lived at the “Col. Davy” home. Colonel Cornelius Davy was a Santa Fe freighter who had graciously opened his home to missionaries as they passed through the area. Mass was held here as well.

It was not long before several men in the town banded together to raise funds for Father Donnelly to purchase a set location for the parish. A wagon shop was bought in February 1848 for $750. This shop, only 24 by 36 feet, was located on the site of the present church.

The rear half of the building was converted into sleeping quarters for Father Donnelly, who continued to eat at Col. Davy’s.

The front half was converted into a chapel which was named Holy Cross. It has been stated that the name remained until the time of the Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald, who led the parish from 1875 through 1910. He changed it to St. Mary’s.

Construction

Around 1860 construction of the present church began. Although the Civil War slowed down the progress quite a bit, the church was finished before the end of the war. It was on August 20, 1864 that the cornerstone was laid and the church was completed in 1865.

The laying of the cornerstone actually happened to fall on the very same day that the rail line service opened between Kansas City and Independence. Even though his years at the parish were completed in 1857, Father Donnelly, and enough people to fill five cars of the train, came out from Kansas City to help celebrate.

The church, measuring 92 by 44 feet, was built of brick. The foundation stones were brought by parishioners by horse and wagon from the nearby farm of John Brady. The cost of the church came to about $1,000. During this time, a three-room brick parish house was also built.

The mission cross still stands in St. Mary’s today. Photo courtesy of Erin Gray.

It had a largely unadorned interior with a simple white altar and a matching altar rail. Lithograph Stations of the Cross were imported from France with the captions being in both French and Spanish, which reflected the early makeup of the church.

In late September 1867, the first parish mission was given the mission cross by the Rev. Joseph Henning and the Rev. Ferreol Girardey, members of the Redemptorist order of Catholic priests. The mission cross was stumbled upon in the early 1960s in a sealed room behind the Blessed Mother’s altar. Edith Antoine, a parishioner, had been doing research on the history of the parish when she came upon it. It was restored and replaced in the church.

St. Mary’s Academy

In 1878 the “Old St. Mary’s Academy” was built, under the direction of Father Fitzgerald. According to This Far By Faith, Father Fitzgerald was an architect, a carpenter, and a mathematician, and was destined to use all of his skills during his 35 years at the parish.

He drew the plans himself for the academy in 1876. Along with the help of Joseph Becker, a general contractor, the plans began to take shape. Even though the parishioners volunteered their time and talent, they did not have the funds to cover the building of a school.

Father Fitzgerald visited the railroad men who were building the Chicago and the Alton line and who were living nearby, to ask for funds.

The two-story brick building was finally completed. It contained an attic and a basement. Eventually this space was designated as the “front” section of the academy, which became a combination of convent and grade school.

In September 1882 the St. Mary’s Altar Society opened with six Sisters of Mercy, a Catholic religious order. At the same time, Father Fitzgerald was looking for a community of Sisters who would be willing to take the school on permanently.

In the summer of 1882, Fr. Fitzgerald met with several women to discuss the need for vestments and altar cloths for the church. Mary Dunn, Mary Glennon and Agnes Roberts were happy to help come up with a way to raise the needed funds. The women agreed to sponsor an ice cream social, thereby beginning the activities of the St. Mary’s Altar Society, the oldest continuing organization in the parish. Ice cream socials have been held ever since, the one exception being in 1949 when the Rev. John R. Hennessey celebrated his silver jubilee.

Mother Mary Jerome Shubrick

In the summer of 1884, while still searching for Sisters, Father Fitzgerald heard of Mercy Sisters who themselves were looking for a place to establish a motherhouse. They were Mother Mary Jerome Shubrick and Sisters Mary Teresa Rooney and Margaret Mary Shanahan.

After moving to Independence, Mother Mary Jerome Shubrick focused some of her attention on what was then the Jackson County Jail. Mother Mary Jerome was a pioneer in ministering to prisoners.

In addition to supplying them with reading materials, she took the time to read to them when they so desired. She wrote letters for them, so they could correspond with their families, and even brought them their food. She even stood with the chaplain during the few hangings that occurred at the jail.

Mother Mary Jerome Shubrick’s key, on display currently at the 1859 Jail Museum. Photo courtesy of Erin Gray.

Her time spent at the Jail was so great that she was eventually given her own key, so she could come and go as she pleased.

Mother Mary Jerome passed away at St. Mary’s Convent in 1894, at the age of 64. Her grave is in the old Catholic section of Woodlawn Cemetery in Independence. Her grave marker reads “The Prisoner’s Friend.”

Church and School Changes; Good and Bad

More additions were added to the church in the following years. In 1893 the steeple designed by Father Fitzgerald was placed and an addition was built onto the rear of the building. This 100-foot tall steeple was repaired as recently as 1990.

Front view of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Photo courtesy of Erin Gray.

The present church bell was made in St. Louis in 1894. It is a gift from the Preston Roberts family in memory of their families. The bell weighs 1,600 pounds and rings in F natural.

After the school was enlarged, boys were accepted as boarders. This part of the school remained in operation until 1912. As time passed, the school enrollment continued to climb. It obtained a reputation for having a good music program.

In August, 1927, the land south of the rectory was donated to Bishop Thomas Lillis, the head of the diocese, by area donors. By late December, the building had been remodeled and was called St. Mary’s High School.

A very important date in parish history was the founding of St. Mary’s Pioneer Historical Society on January 22, 1961. Its purpose was to gather and preserve authentic data pertaining to the history of the parish and to establish a museum.

In 1962 work began toward expanding the seating capacity of the church from 380 to 760 persons. New entrances were constructed on the Liberty Street side of the church and entrances were included in the addition on both the north and south sides.

According to Father Michael Coleman’s research, some changes were made in 1962 that not everyone agreed with. “A large modern style and much lower addition was added to the rear of the sanctuary…The altars, altar rails, doors, balcony, some of the stained glass windows…” and other structural details were greatly altered.

Later, the Rev. Thomas J. Ward and others in the parish attempted to do their best to restore the parish to its previous beauty. Father Ward covered the high, flat walls above the lower addition with dark walnut to soften the profile. Parishioners who had saved parts of the old altar and altar rail graciously donated them back to the church, to be incorporated in the décor.

Easter choir at 150th anniversary celebration, 1973. Photo courtesy of the Jackson County Historical Society. PHM 2951

Stained glass windows were added to the rear addition. The choir loft was removed and a baptistry was built under the bell-tower area. The choir was relocated near the altar.

Some distracting changes had taken place on the exterior but the general image of the building from the outside still gives the general impression of the old St. Mary’s, according to Father Coleman.

In time, new permanent altars were built; a communion rail, partitions for sacristy and choir, and confessionals were constructed. The entire interior was given a double coat of paint and a ceiling was built for the new addition.

Interior of the church, decorated for Easter, 1973. Photo courtesy of the Jackson County Historical Society. PHM 3015

The congregation returned to the church to celebrate the Easter vigil in April, 1963. Folding chairs had to be used and the altar was temporary.

Celebrations

August 14, 15, and 16, 1964, were set aside to celebrate the centennial of the parish church building. As plans were being made, it was discovered that many from the community at large wanted to celebrate the centennial with St. Mary’s members.

A pageant was held and the script contained 23 episodes. Background music for the episodes of the presentation were provided by choirs of various denominations. The pageant played on those three nights to some 5,000 people.

Dedication of historical marker, 1975. Photo courtesy of the Jackson County Historical Society. PHM 11576

On November 30, 1975, the Jackson County Historical Society dedicated a historical marker placed on the parish grounds near the front of the church. The marker states that the church is the oldest church building in Jackson County in continuous use.

Celebrating 200 Years

This year marks the 200th anniversary of St. Mary’s parish and the community has been invited once again to celebrate with the church. Beginning in August 2023, and every month for the next year, St. Mary’s will have a special program or event for the parishioners and the public.

The celebration began on August 15 with a Mass and Opening Celebration with Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr., followed by a dinner.

Some upcoming events include:

September 16 when there will be a Night at the Museum event. The Bicentennial Book will also be unveiled.

A visit to the Old St. Mary’s Cemetery, where Fr. Donnelly is buried, is scheduled November 1.

In January, a special movie will be shown, detailing the history of the parish.

Everyone is invited to the church choir event on March 19.

Priests and deacons who have served are invited back for a special event in April.

Interior of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 2023. Photo courtesy of Erin Gray.

Find out more about the St. Mary’s Bicentennial celebrations by visiting the church website at https://saintmarysparish.org

Erin Gray is the Director of Archives and Education for the Jackson County Historical Society.

From the first days of missionaries making their way to the area to the laying of the cornerstone of their church building. From grade schools to high schools to the Sisters of Mercy. St. Mary’s Parish has a rich history spanning the last 200 years in Independence. Stories abound about the wealth of good that St. Mary’s has been a part of in our community. We are sure there will be many more in the future.

200 Years of History - St. Mary's Catholic Church