History

Come with me and take a step back in time. In this time, everyone worked. The heart and soul of people in a rural area of Erie worked with a pastor to build a parish. Welcome to the beginnings of Saint Andrew Parish and School.

Let us begin with the history of the time. The struggle between the French and English for control of North America in the pioneer days of our country is significant in the formation of the early Catholic communities. Wherever the French went, the Catholic priest was with them. There is evidence that as early as 1739, French priests were in our diocese but not in the area of the city of Erie. In 1753, the French began building a fort at Presque Isle at the foot of what is now Parade Street. Because this was a French fort, Catholic priests were active in the area. There are records of baptisms and burials that took place at the fort of Presque Isle during the years of 1753-1756.

Catholicism was in its infancy in Northwestern Pennsylvania. For the next 75 years, the area became more populated. The Irish and Germans were a major part of the growth of this Northwestern Pennsylvania Catholic Community. Bishop Kenrich of Philadelphia came to the Erie Diocese in 1834 and knew of the necessity for a priest to care for the spiritual needs of the new community. Bishop Michael O’Connor was named the first bishop of the newly created Erie Diocese but quickly returned to the Pittsburgh area. Bishop Josue Young succeeded him and began to guide the growing Catholic community. Bishop Tobias Mullen followed Bishop Young and it is under his leadership that Saint Andrew begins.

The Catholic community at this time was mostly German and Irish. There was also a sizeable Portuguese community settled in the northwest area of the city. In 1870, a group of Portuguese, Irish and German Catholics headed by John M. Vincent approached Bishop Mullen and asked him to establish a parish in the northwest section of the city. Up to this time, Catholics living in this area went to Saint Patrick Church on East Fourth Street. This area was quite a distance from the west side. Bishop Mullen agreed and built a church giving it the patron of St. Andrew. St. Andrew was a fisherman and many of the people of this area worked on Lake Erie as fishermen.

The bishop purchased almost a half of a city block of real estate for the new parish. The land was located between Sixth and Seventh Streets on Raspberry. The land was bought for the sum of $3,500, which was a large sum of money at that time.

The first pastor was Rev. James A. McCabe in 1871 and he built the first church. It was a wooden frame church, 40 by 75 feet, with a seating capacity for 300 people. Three years after the church was built, Father erected the pastor’s home. This building adjoined the north side of the church and also faced Raspberry Street. This rectory was the residence for priests of Saint Andrew Parish until 1919.

Father McCabe served the parish faithfully for 17 years. The Rev. William F. Dwyer succeeded him in 1889. The people loved Father Dwyer because of his deep personal concern for his parishioners.

Once the church was built, a movement to build a parish school sprung up. As mentioned in our lectures, the people wanted another way to preserve their heritage. When the idea was brought to Father McCabe, he felt that the construction of a school would place too heavy a burden on the parishioners. Father Dwyer thought this also. During 40 Hours devotion in 1896, a fire broke out in this old frame church. The church was destroyed, but the Blessed Sacrament was rescued and taken to a neighboring church. This fire put an end to the hope of building a school for Saint Andrew Parish at this time.

Parish masses and services were held at the John M. Vincent Hall on West Sixth Street. Father Dwyer started the second church. He chose the location for the new church to be in the lot at Sixth and Raspberry. Work began, but before the main structure could be built, the parish ran out of money. This did not stop Father Dwyer. He built a roof over the cellar that had been started. Services were held here and the place was referred to as the “catacombs.” It would be 18 years before the church was built. They heated the “catacombs” with a potbelly stove. Altar boys had the job of chasing stray cats out before mass started.

As the years went by, Father Dwyer became ill and was not able to fill the demands of the pastorate. The damp church had caused him rheumatism. A newly ordained priest, Father Joseph Hurley, became Saint Andrew’s first assistant to help Father Dwyer. The people of the parish welcomed Father Hurley and soon he was working untiringly with Father Dwyer and the parishioners. In 1915, the foundation of the present church was laid at the corner of Seventh and Raspberry. The work of completing the present structure became the responsibility of Father Hurley as Father Dwyer’s health continued to fail. Father Dwyer died on May 5, 1915.

After Father Dwyer’s death, the administration of the parish was officially Father Hurley’s. A few months later, Father Michael Desmond was named the third pastor of Saint Andrew’s Parish. While Father Desmond was pastor, Father Gerald Dugan received his first appointment as a priest. He was to assist Fathers Hurley and Desmond. In 1916, while Father Desmond was pastor, the present church was completed.

Father Desmond died in 1917 and the care of the parish was again passed into the hands of Father Hurley, who was now helped by Father Dugan.

John Mark Gannon became Auxiliary Bishop of Erie in 1918. Bishop Gannon came to Saint Andrew’s as its fourth pastor. At this time, the rectory, which had been used for 45 years as a residence for the priests, was in terrible shape. The story is told that shortly after his appointment as pastor, Bishop Gannon was sitting in his rocking chair on the front porch. He enjoyed this form of relaxation and was rocking briskly back and forth, when the floor gave in. It was then that Bishop Gannon made plans for the new, and present, rectory. The rectory was completed in 1919. Bishop Gannon left Saint Andrew in 1920. He and Father Dugan went to Saint Peter’s Cathedral Rectory together. During the years of 1918-1921, Bishop Gannon’s pastorate, Fathers William Moore, Thomas McGovern and Francis Turner, helped serve the needs of the people of the parish.

The fifth pastor of the parish was Father Dennis Sheehan. He was pastor for the years 1921-1935. Father Sheehan has a special place in the history of the parish. His place of high honor is due to his 14 years of service market by his great love of the parishioners and their love for him.

As Father came to Saint Andrew from Kane, a strong desire arose to have a parish school built. Father Sheehan felt that the time was right for the construction of a school. Plans were drawn up and ground was broken for the new school in May of 1929. It was hoped that the school would be built and ready for the fall term. Unavoidable delays in construction made this impossible. However, this did not stop Father Sheehan from opening school in September of 1929. School was held for the first few months in the church. One hundred fifty children reported for the first day of classes. It has been reported that first grade was held in the sacristy so that the little ones would not disturb the older children. On November 3, 1929, Bishop Gannon returned to Saint Andrew’s Parish and laid the cornerstone of the school building. On December 3, the school was ready to be occupied. Father Sheehan and the Sisters of Saint Joseph, who staffed the school, led a procession from the church school to their classrooms in the new school. In the second semester, the enrollment jumped to two hundred thirteen; of whom ten graduated in June. In September of 1930, two hundred ninety six pupils and ten Sisters of Saint Joseph (eight classroom teachers and two music teachers) began work in the school. Finally the dream of a school was realized for the parishioners.

During Father Sheehan’s pastorate, five new priests came to serve at the parish. They were: Father Maurice Salmon, 1920; Father John Walsh, 1921; Father James O’Connor, 1925; Father John Sheehan (brother of the pastor), 1930; and Father Joseph Malloy, 1931.

After long and successful years as pastor of Saint Andrew’s, Father Sheehan died in 1935. He will always be remembered because of his role in the construction of the school.

A former assistant, Monsignor Gerald Dugan, became the sixth pastor of Saint Andrew Parish in 1936. He remained the pastor for the next thirty years. Many physical improvements of the church properties were undertaken during his pastorate. Monsignor Dugan undertook the complete redecoration of the church. One of the most beautiful features of the church was the main altar made of African marble. This work was completed in 1941. The vacant lots adjoining the school and rectory were an eyesore to the district and a disturbance for the neighborhood. The land west of the school building was made into a little park while the land west of the rectory was made a parking lot for the parishioners on Sunday and a playground for the children during the week.

The need for more classroom space in the school became more evident. It was decided to build a frame structure of four classrooms for the use of the lower grades. It was hoped that when the needs for the classroom space decreased, this building could become a meeting room for parish societies. The need for classroom space never decreased, and the “Annex” remains today. This building houses a Preschool through third grade, with five rooms as classrooms and one room for a lunchroom.

Saint Andrew’s Parish always had a great devotion to Mary, Our Blessed Mother. A shrine to Our Lady of Fatima was built while Monsignor Dugan was pastor, but under the leadership of Father Reilly. Father Reilly was a resident priest while teaching at Cathedral Prep. He was spiritual director for a group of Men of Fatima and it was through this organization that the shrine was built. The shrine was placed between the church and the rectory. The six-foot statue of Our Lady of Fatima was raised to its place in 1956. The formal dedication took place six weeks later.

The priests that served with Monsignor Dugan were: Father Jeremiah Cronin, 1932; Father John Gallagher, 1936; Father Albert Chapdelaine, 1938; Father Thomas Crowell, 1937 Father Joseph Wiley, 1944; Father Paul Olmstead, 1946; Father Robert Reilly, 1949; Father Charles Schmitt, 1959; Father Joseph Hipp, 1960; Father Richard Powers, 1960; Father Lawrence Spiece, 1961; and Father John Swoger, 1963.

Due to failing health, Monsignor Dugan had to retire. In 1966, Monsignor James Gannon became the seventh pastor of the parish. Monsignor Gannon saw a need for a library in the school as well as a need for additional classroom space. This is when two more classrooms were added to the annex and a beautiful library was constructed in the basement of the main school building. The parking lot and playground area were enlarged to take care of the increasing demands on these areas. The church was redecorated during the pastorate of Monsignor Gannon and it was found that some structural work would be necessary. Footers needed to be reinforced, the slate roof was repaired, plastering was done, new paint applied and carpeting installed. Monsignor Gannon retired on his seventy-fifth birthday in October of 1987, after twenty-three years of service.

Monsignor Gannon was assisted in his pastorate duties by: Father Charles Schmitt; Father Gerald Orbanek, 1966; Father Conrad Kraus, 1967; Father David Dobrowlski, 1969; Father John Swoger and Father Charles Drexler, 1969. Other priests also served with Monsignor Gannon. They included Father William Driscoll, 1970; Father tom Hoderny, 1984; Father Joseph Olsen and Father William Miller.

Father William Miller became Administer of the Parish until a new pastor could be named. On January 15, 1988, Father Walter Packard became the seventh pastor of Saint Andrew.

Through Father Packard’s efforts, various maintenance projects were begun on the school, church and rectory. The altar railing was removed in the church to lessen the separation of the people. Also, the carpeting was removed form the altar area and the original floor restored. Leadership was provided for the reorganization of the pastoral council, the finance council and the Saint Andrew School Board. A special focus was given to the development of the liturgy of the various ministries and programs connected with prayer and worship. Serving with Father Packard were Father William Miller, Father Thomas Dugan, Father Scott Detisch and Sister Marilyn Zimmerman as Pastoral Assistant. Father Packard left in December of 1995 and assumed the position of pastor of Saint Joseph Church in Warren. Monsignor Brugger worked with the parish until Father Richard Sullivan became Pastor in February of 1996. Father Sullivan is the current pastor. Serving with Father Sullivan is Father Scott Stroupe.

Throughout the years, the Sisters of Saint Joseph served the school well. All the principals of the school were from this congregation of Sisters until 1985. The first lay principal was Miss Marilyn Reiser in 1985. At the present time, one Sister of Saint Joseph still teaches in the school.

The neighborhood that the school is in is considered “transitional” and the enrollment has declined due to this factor and tuition rates. The last “double grade” in the school graduated in 1996. Presently, there is one of each class in grades kindergarten through grade eight. There is also a preschool for three and four year old students. The present uniform is green and blue plaid for the girls and navy blue for the boys.

I interviewed the rectory secretary, Mrs. Audrey Vieira. Her family was involved with the parish from its beginning. Mr. John Vincent, her grandfather, offered his house for masses after the fire destroyed the wooden church. The house, although in poor condition, still stands at 1022 West Sixth Street. Records indicate that mass was offered in the John Vincent Hall. This was a large room located on the second floor of his house. When questioned about the ethnic background of Saint Andrew Parish, Mrs. Vieira told the story of the “Trinity Portuguese Benevolent Society,” which was organized in 1874. This organization will always have a special place in Saint Andrew’s history because of its annual colorful Trinity Sunday Procession. In addition to meetings and supporting the parish with fundraising, this special procession brought many people of the Portuguese heritage to celebrate at their club and the church.

While Mrs. Vieira’s children attended St. Andrew’s, there was no tuition. Instead, the requirements were “book fees.” These fees were minimal. The teachers had to make the books last a long time to help keep the fees low. When tuition started, it was very low also. The children had to bring everything to school they needed, except the books. The students were involved in helping the parish by working with the church envelopes and the boys went out to the local convent to serve mass for the sisters. The students at this time wore uniforms – navy and white in color.

Saint Andrew Parish is rich in heritage and history. The needs and desires of a group of people from 1871 continues today with a parish school and loving people who are now making history for future generations.