FOUNDING HISTORY:
The history of St. Mary Church in Orwell, Ohio begins with a Catholic community in and around this immediate area. So small, prior to 1918 that no Catholic worship services were provided. Families had to travel to Warren or Jefferson for Sunday Mass and to receive the Sacraments.
In 1918, St. Mary Mission was established as an extension of St. Mary Church located in Chardon, Ohio. In light of the fact that there was no church in which to worship, families gathered in private homes for Masses. These were celebrated on Sundays by the Reverends Joseph Rojewski, John Price, J. Kasinski and John Zeglen.
By January 1922, the Catholic community had grown sufficiently that the Most Reverend Joseph Schrembs, D.D., Bishop of Cleveland, appointed Reverend Anthony J. Suwalski as the founding Pastor of St. Mary Church, Orwell. The parish was formally organized on July 1, 1922 with still no church building and needless to say, not much money. The pastor boarded with families and continued to celebrate Mass in private homes.
This small and needy parish, made up of predominately Polish families was off to a rough beginning. But, through hard work, faith, and the assistance of Polish congregations from Cleveland it wasn't long before things began to take shape. The parishioners purchased the old Orwell School for its Church in 1924 and moved it to the site where our parking lot resides today. The school was remodeled and on April 1, 1925 Bishop Schrembs dedicated this former one room school to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Within a few months the former Spellman house was also purchased and remodeled into the Parish Rectory.
The first to be baptized in the Church were Joseph Krochmal and Leo Kotas. The first couple to be married there were John Hopick and Stella Frydrychowicz.
Fr. Anthony J. Suwalski presided over the purchase of a parcel of land to be designated St. Mary Cemetery. The first person to be buried in the parish cemetery was John Gottlieb Hacker on July 16, 1925.
The history of St. Mary Church in Orwell, Ohio begins with a Catholic community in and around this immediate area. So small, prior to 1918 that no Catholic worship services were provided. Families had to travel to Warren or Jefferson for Sunday Mass and to receive the Sacraments.
In 1918, St. Mary Mission was established as an extension of St. Mary Church located in Chardon, Ohio. In light of the fact that there was no church in which to worship, families gathered in private homes for Masses. These were celebrated on Sundays by the Reverends Joseph Rojewski, John Price, J. Kasinski and John Zeglen.
By January 1922, the Catholic community had grown sufficiently that the Most Reverend Joseph Schrembs, D.D., Bishop of Cleveland, appointed Reverend Anthony J. Suwalski as the founding Pastor of St. Mary Church, Orwell. The parish was formally organized on July 1, 1922 with still no church building and needless to say, not much money. The pastor boarded with families and continued to celebrate Mass in private homes.
This small and needy parish, made up of predominately Polish families was off to a rough beginning. But, through hard work, faith, and the assistance of Polish congregations from Cleveland it wasn't long before things began to take shape. The parishioners purchased the old Orwell School for its Church in 1924 and moved it to the site where our parking lot resides today. The school was remodeled and on April 1, 1925 Bishop Schrembs dedicated this former one room school to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Within a few months the former Spellman house was also purchased and remodeled into the Parish Rectory.
The first to be baptized in the Church were Joseph Krochmal and Leo Kotas. The first couple to be married there were John Hopick and Stella Frydrychowicz.
Fr. Anthony J. Suwalski presided over the purchase of a parcel of land to be designated St. Mary Cemetery. The first person to be buried in the parish cemetery was John Gottlieb Hacker on July 16, 1925.