History of St. Mary Church, Lafferty

Mass at St. Mary Parish was celebrated in a “boxcar” church from approximately 1915-21 – a little more than a mile west of the new church location. It is unclear whether the original name during the beginning years was St. Peter’s or St. Mary’s, however, it was officially known as St. Mary’s when the parish was relocated to its new site in 1921. Father John C. Matysiak served the parish from 1918 to the mid-1930s. The church recorded its largest church membership in the 1920s, when deep shaft mines in the area were very prevalent, along with the “company” houses provided for miners and their large families.

By 1945, strip mining replaced the deep shaft mines and businesses were gradually closing, changing the town of Lafferty to a residential and retirement hamlet. St. Mary Parish included not only Lafferty but also the township it was included in and parts of two others townships. In 1945, it also included Flushing and Holloways as missions. In 1947, St. Paul Parish was established in Flushing. Its founding pastor, Father Charles J. Sargus, resided at St. Mary’s for 15 months before moving to Flushing.

Many priests served St. Mary parishioners. Father Stephen Laca was the priest during the transition from the Columbus to Steubenville Diocese, serving from 1940-47. His successors were Father Joseph Wadowicz, 1947-50; Father George Voytko, 1950-51; Father George J. Adams, 1951-52; Father James Coleman, 1952-58; Father Robert Krauter, 1958-65; Father William Folsom, 1965; Father Joseph Martinkosky, 1966-68; Father Pamphilus Cafferelli, 1969; Father Carl A. Borosh, 1969-82; Father Paul D. Welton, 1982-93; Msgr. Frank P. Manieri, 1993-94; Msgr. James B. Nugent, 1994-96; Msgr. Donal O’Carroll, 1996-99; and Father Chester J. Pabin, 1999-2007.

St. Mary Parish had a grade school as early as 1921. In March 1961, under the leadership of Father Krauter, the vacant Lafferty public school building was purchased for establishing a Catholic school. St. Mary Grade School, adjacent to the church, was closed March 4, 1961, and its students and teachers moved to the first floor of the newly purchased building. The school was renamed Seton Elementary School, and the old St. Mary’s school was converted into a parish hall in May of the same year.

In September 1961, a new Catholic high school was established on the top floor of the former pubic school building. Father Francis Cronin was its first principal. The school was named Seton Central High School. Msgr. Gerald E. Calovini, pastor of Holy Family Parish, Steubenville, was part of its first graduating class of 1965. Decreasing enrollment and departure of Felician Sisters who taught at the school, necessitated its closing.

St. Mary Church was destroyed by fire May 23, 2012. Father Frederick C. Kihm was pastor. He had been pastor of St. Mary Parish since 2007. A final Mass for St. Mary parishioners was held May 27, 2012, in the nearby Lafferty Volunteer Fire Department.