Founded : 1882

Pastor: Rev. Derrick Sneyd

(Click on picture to enlarge for better viewing)

#1 #2 #3

1. St. Mary's Article 1933

2. Artist Sketch of new Church 1959

3. School 1959

Genealogy Records

LDS Records

St. Mary’s of the Assumption has been filmed by the LDS

Church records, 1880-1946

Catholic Church. St. Mary of the Assumption (South Bend, Indiana) (Main Author)

Text in English and Latin.
Microfilm of originals in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Most volumes individually indexed.
Some pages wanting, faded, etc.

Baptisms 1880, 1882-1903 marriages 1882-1928, 1946 deaths 1882-1928 miscellaneous certificates - FHL US/CAN Film [ 1617236 Item 5 ]

Confirmations 1905, 1908-1909 baptisms 1903-1928 - FHL US/CAN Film [ 1617236 Item 6 ]

First communion 1911-1928 confirmation 1911-1928 church inventory 1913 - FHL US/CAN Film [ 1617236 Item 7

South Bend Public Library

http://www.libraryforlife.org/aboutsjcpl/departments/localhistory/stjoeresources/stjresources.html

Church records are “available” on micro film in the Genealogy Center 2^nd floor

Roll 31

Item 5 Birth, death Marriage 1882-1928

Item 6 Confirmation, Baptism 1903-1928

Item 7 Communion 1911-1928

Church Web Site and Contact:

Web Under Construction

Location of the Sacramental Records

St Mary of the Assumption

(574) 287-0225
3501 S. Locust Rd. FAX (574) 287-8781
South Bend, IN 46614

Phone: (574) 287-0225

Pastor: Rev. Derrick Sneyd

Parish Office: Barbara Odynski
Music Director: Christine Gerschoffer
Faith Formation: Chad Bralick
Buildings and Maintenance: Frank Toth; John Kominkiewicz

School

3402 S. Locust Rd.,

South Bend, IN 46614 (574) 287-1472
Principal: Adele Kretchmer
100 Students/K-8
Youth Group: Louis Paiz (574) 232-5398
Masses: Sunday — 11:30 a.m.; Saturday — 4 p.m.;
Holy Day — 8 a.m.
Weekday — Tues., Th., Fri.- 8 a.m.;
Reconciliation: First Saturday — 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Also, by request;
220 Families/HH — 600 persons

A Historical Story of St Mary’s of the Assumption

SOUTH BEND. St. Joseph County.
St. Mary's of the Assumption Church.
1883.

There were some German Catholic families living in South Bend, as early as 1850. They attended Mass at Notre Dame, and later at St. Joseph's Church on the East side of St. Joseph's [367] river. When St. Patrick's Church was built on West Division street, the Germans contributed towards it and worshipped there.

The Rev. Joseph Carrier, C. S. C., was probably the first priest to preach to the German Catholics in their mother tongue, at St. Patrick's Church. Several attempts were made, at different times, to organize and form a German parish, but for various reasons these efforts were unsuccessful. While attending St. Patrick's Church, the German Catholics organized the St. John's Benevolent Society, on March 25, 1879. This society induced Bishop Dwenger, to secure for the German Catholics the services of Rev. Paul Kolopp, C. S. C., a newly ordained priest, who, having charge of the German Catholic element, resided with the pastor of St. Patrick's Church. He came as such in June 1880, but remained only for a short time.

At last, in February 1882, the Rev. Peter Johannes, C. S. C., was appointed the first regular pastor of the Germans in South Bend. The ground, on which St. Mary's Church stands, measures 99x221 feet, and was bought in July 1882, for the sum of $2,100. On August 22, 1883, the corner-stone was laid for the new church, which was given the name of the Assumption Church. The first services were held in it on Christmas, 1883, and Bishop Dwenger solemnly dedicated it, on May 11, 1884. It is a plain frame structure, 76x36 feet, with a sacristy on the rear and cost about $4,500. The cupola on the church has a small bell in it, but an extra bell tower was erected, near the sacristy, for a large bell donated by George Dotterwick. The congregation, at this time, consisted of about fifty families.

A school was opened in the sacristy of the church, in January 1884, with an attendance of twenty-seven children. The accommodations being insufficient a one-story frame building, 25x50 feet, was erected and ready for use by November, 1884. In the summer of 1891, another story was added to this building, thus affording four class-rooms, with accommodations for about 240 children. Sisters of the Holy Cross have been teaching the school, from the beginning.

In the mean time, the church had been fitted up with three Gothic altars, different statues, pews and a small gallery with a reed organ. A Redemptorist Father gave the first mission in this church in September, 1886. One night, during [368] the mission, a dreadful hail storm swept over South Bend, and destroyed every window on the north side of St. Mary's Church; and the rain fell in such torrents, that the people could not leave the church, till two o'clock in the morning. Since 1888, a number of Hungarians settled in South Bend, and Father Johannes took special interest in their spiritual welfare, until a parish of their own was organized.

Up to August 1895, Father Johannes resided with the pastor of St. Patrick's Church; but it was then determined to purchase the house and lot adjoining St. Mary's Church, for a pastoral residence. The lot measures 50x221 feet, the house is a one-story frame building, with six rooms and both cost $3,000. A kitchen and bath-room have been added since. In the course of time, a hot air furnace was put in the church, sewer connections were made for the house and school, and the streets improved. Extensive improvements however were made in 1903, in preparation for the Silver Jubilee of Father Johannes; stained glass windows, two large chandeliers, a new pipe organ, redecoration of the church, painting of all the buildings, intereior renovation of the parochial residence--all this was done and paid for.

The Silver Jubilee of the beloved pastor took place on October 12, 1903, and it was a great day ever memorable in the history of the parish. But Providence abruptly terminated the useful life of Father Johannes, for on the night of October 27, 1904, having suffered a stroke of apoplexy, he was found dead in his bed in the morning. His successor, Rev. J. M. Scherer, C. S. C., took charge of St. Mary's Church on All Saints day 1904, and has continued to be its pastor to the present time. He found the congregation indebted, to the amount of $2,600. He found also that many repairs had to be made necessitating an outlay of $300, leaving a balance at the end of 1905 of less than $2,000 indebtedness.

In 1906 the gallery of the church was enlarged, to accommodate the children. The seating capacity of the church is 425. The present debt on the church property is $1,700. The number of souls is about 800, or 190 families.
Societies of the parish are: The Sacred Heart Altar Society for Married Ladies; the Young Ladies Sodality; the Guardian Angel Society; the St. John's Benevolent Society; [369] the Catholic Knights of America; the Uniformed Rank C. K. of A.; the St. Aloysius Young Mens' Society. The aggregate membership is 346. Three boys of the parish have become priests and two girls sisters.
The parochial school is conducted by four Sisters of the Holy Cross, with an attendance of 153 pupils.

2000 update:
St. Joseph County is encompassed by the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.

Posted: 06/01/2005 03:30 pm
Last Updated: 06/01/2005 06:18 pm

South Bend Tribune

South Bend IN - A South Bend School closed its doors today for the last time.

Saint Mary of the Assumption students will need to find another school to attend now that St. Mary's is officially closed.

There was hardly a dry eye in the building as Principal Adele Kretchmer rang the final bell.

The closure means an end to over 100 years of faith-based education.

The high cost of maintaining the school building and low enrollment were two key factors in why the school closed its doors.

Only 73 students were enrolled in grades K through 8 this year.

Information submitted by: Jim Piechorowski and John Kovatch

Project Started: Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Updated: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 05:55:48 PM

Return To: Immigrations

Return To: Saint Joseph County, Indiana INGenWeb Site