Bishop Robert Deeley joins in celebrating the 100th anniversary of St. Mary Church in Oxford
Bishop Robert Deeley joined with members of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish on Saturday, July 29, in celebrating the 100th anniversary of St. Mary Church in Oxford.
“What a joy it is to be with you for this celebration of the centennial anniversary of the opening of this St. Mary’s Church here in Oxford,” the bishop said. “How grateful we can be that this church exists as a place in which the community is able to gather and celebrate. What we do here gives life and meaning to everything else we do.”
The first Mass at St. Mary Church was celebrated on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1923. A few years before that time, a priest from Yarmouth traveled to Oxford monthly to celebrate Mass in the home of John and Mary Quinn. As the congregation grew, Mass moved to the nearby fire house, and then, in 1922, the Quinns donated land next to their home so a new church could be built.
“The Quinns were the ones behind getting it going, and all the people, a lot of them, chipped in. They all worked together to get it going,” said Michael Quinn, a great-grandson of the Quinns.
Money to build the church was raised through events such as bazaars, concerts, and box suppers, and about a year after the foundation was dug, using a team of horses, the church opened.
At the time, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was being remodeled, and the St. Mary community benefited, receiving pews, statues, an altar, and carpeting.
St. Mary became a mission church of Christ the King Parish in Hebron until it closed in 1956, then became a mission church of Our Lady of Ransom Church in Mechanic Falls, and presently, it is part of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Norway.
Once a year-round church, St. Mary now is only open seasonally, but parishioners faithfully return each year once Memorial Day arrives.
“When it opens in the summer, it’s so nice to see your old friends who come back because there are so many people who are just summer people, who are on Thompson Lake and at the camps,” said Brenda Sturdivant, a longtime parishioner.
Just in time for its centennial, St. Mary Church underwent extensive renovations, which included new electrical wiring, new heat pumps, a new roof, a new steeple cross, repainting the tin ceiling and the walls, and ripping out old carpet to expose the original hardwood floors.
“We pulled it up and we saw these beautiful hardwood floors underneath, except there were places where there was tar paper and tar down the middle, in the back, so we had to dig that out,” said Sue Paquin, who helped guide the renovation project. “We had a lot of people who jumped in to help. Everyone was on the floor on their hands and knees down there, doing the work.”
“We were trying everything to get all that up, and we were finally able to do it,” said Bob Rose, a parishioner and local contractor. “What a pleasant surprise when they were done with all the sanding — how beautiful it was.”
The pews in the church were also replaced. The new ones, which originally came from the former St. James Church in Thomaston, are shorter than the ones the church previously had, allowing the church to now have side aisles and making it easier to get around than it used to be.
“We had to have a rhythm to go up for Communion,” recalled Patricia O’Brien, a longtime parishioner. “The traffic pattern got a little crazy, and of course, because we had our wonderful summer visitors who would come, we would have to let everyone know what the routine was.”
The renovation work was able to be done thanks to a St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish capital campaign, which also funded improvements to St. Catherine of Sienna Church in Norway and the building of the new Our Lady of Ransom Church in Mechanic Falls.
“There has been a lot of work done, and I would say it is a job well done,” Bishop Deeley said. “What is particularly striking for me is the fact that, just six weeks ago, this parish of St. Teresa of Calcutta blessed a newly configured church structure at Our Lady of Ransom Church in Mechanic Falls. The dedication and determination of those families from the beginning of the last century who wanted to see this church built in Oxford continues in the generosity and enthusiasm of the parishioners of this parish community today.”
Parishioners who filled St. Mary Church for the centennial Mass said they were pleased with all the work that has been done.
“It was absolutely breathtaking when I walked in for the first time and saw what they had done,” said Linda Jack, a parishioner. “It really makes a big difference. I just love it.”
“It’s exciting, very exciting, to have it refurbished,” said Louise Roberts, a parishioner.
During the centennial Mass, Bishop Deeley blessed a chalice and paten that were an anniversary gift to the parish from summer residents Stephen and Catherine Bravo, in memory of Catherine's parents.
Other special touches for the centennial Mass included 100 red roses, which were donated by Bob and Janis Rose, and a 1923 Ford Model T, which was used to give the bishop a ride from the church to the community center for the reception that was held following the Mass.
Historical photos of the church were on display at the reception, and parishioners related some stories from past days, often sharing a laugh about some of the difficulties they faced. For instance, O'Brien recalled how, prior to the heat pumps, they used to leave the windows open to keep the church cool but then had to battle the mosquitoes and black flies that decided to join them for Mass.
