A Parish Profile
St. Mary’s is a community of communities: farmers, Miami
students and faculty, and Oxford and neighboring townspeople.
Area farm and village families founded St. Mary’s in 1853.
Early parishioners worshipped in a converted schoolhouse at the
corner of Poplar and Collins Streets. The first permanent church,
built northwest of Oxford in 1867, now the intersection of Locust
and Withrow Streets, was destroyed by fire in 1917.
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| To serve a growing number of urban families and students at Miami
University and Western College, parishioners built the present church
in 1920 on High Street near the center of town. The church’s
stained-glass windows were installed during construction. The three
sanctuary oil on oak triptyches were added in 1953. The main altar
motif depicts Mary’s cooperation in God’s work of redemption
through representations of the Annunciation and the Coronation of
Mary. The center crucifixion scene, side statue carvings, and vestibule
statuary of St. Isidore (patron of farmers) and St. Thomas Aquinas
(patron of scholars), were executed by Robert Keopnick of the Dayton
Art Academy. Frank Francois, a Cincinnati bronze craftsman, produced
the bronze work and chandeliers, and the simple Head of Christ stations
were carved by Ferdinando Stufflesser from Bolzano, Italy. |
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| In 1952, St. Mary’s purchased adjoining uptown property on
Poplar Street behind City Hall. The present Parish Center was built
in 1966 as a catechetical center and to serve as a weekend chapel.
The center’s additional worship space provided relief to a growing
overcrowding in church and need for a mass at the Town Hall Auditorium.
Miami students in the Housing and Interior Design program submitted
proposals for the present parish center arrangement in 1988. Parish
and area craftsmen renovated the space. |
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Whether worshipping in the church or parish center, St. Mary’s
resident and student parishioners are glad to share the spirit and
worship of the parish with you.
Click here for a pdf of our history through 1973 Part1, Part2, Part3. These are fairly large pdf files. |
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