Happy Birthday to St. Mary's in Rochester
Dear Blog Visitors: I want to take this opportunity to extend a 175th birthday greeting to the St. Mary's Church community in Rochester, New York. The older photo above was taken in 1896, when St. Mary's was only 62 years-old. At that time, the church was adjacent to a convent and school. The convent and school have since fallen victim to the wrecking ball. (Students from St. Mary's began attending Blessed Sacrament School in the 1950s.) The color photo was taken in recent years. When St. Mary's was in its infancy (built by Irish immigrants), it was one of the centerpieces of downtown Rochester, and was surrounded by thriving households. Except for its steeple, St. Mary's can barely be seen from a distance today, due to the fact that corporate office buildings now dwarf the church. St. Mary's was a huge part of my life, for I received the sacraments of initiation there. Sadly, some of the friends I had at the parish have since died. However, I have wonder...