Carol Fisher-Linn
When the shadows of history blur the hazy long-gone past, it is so easy to take for granted what we enjoy today. How often have you driven or walked down Washington Street without even giving a moment’s thought to the beautiful grounds, the statue of Mary and the stately Gothic Revival style Holy Name of Mary Church, or how it got there? It was not always there, you know. In 1850-51, the Catholics of the Ellicottville area built a wooden Catholic church with St. Philip Neri as their patron on the corners of Washington and Mill (across from present day Tops Market).
Something about an establishment surviving and remaining active for one hundred and seventy five years gives one a moment of pause. Imagine the indomitable faith our pioneer Catholics had to find a way to keep their faith burning and nourished. With the establishment of St. John’s Episcopal church 197 years ago in September 1829, Catholics could attend their services if they chose. In fact, Utica native, Nicholas Devereaux, a close friend of the first bishop of the diocese of Buffalo, Bishop Timon, who worked long and hard to bring a Catholic Church to Ellicottville, retained a pew at St. John’s for worship when he came to town. He brought a bit of the Catholic church tradition into St. John’s Episcopal by giving them a one-ton bell named Gabriel which had been cast in Malaga Spain in 1708 and served 127 years at a Spanish monastery until it was sieged and the bell left in the ruins. Ships used these old bells as ballast. Devereaux was friends with a captain and when they met in Buffalo one day, he offered to buy one of the heavy bells for St. John’s. It took several attempts to finally get it to America to a New York City port. It was then ferried up the Hudson and Erie Canal to Buffalo where a double ox cart and tenacious tough local drivers brought it to Ellicottville on rutted mud and plank roads.
That bell named Gabriel, (said to be the oldest surviving bell in America) once in place, had a certain debt to pay to Devereaux for the gift. He asked that it ring three times a day (3am, noon, 6pm) as is Catholic tradition. These bells announced the Angelus prayer – commemorating the incarnation of Christ. In many communities this ringing sanctified the holy hours (giving an opportunity for a silent moment of prayer) but also marked the passage of the day. In fact, when I lived in the village, the final of three bells – 6pm – were often a signal for my kiddoes to head home. And perhaps it was thus back in 1838 for workers to go home from their labors.
Before St. Philip Neri was built, the Catholic congregation was scattered about every corner of the region (Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Allegany) with few roads in between. Itinerant priests risked life and limb to travel the crude paths through the forests to get from one point to another to hold masses and offer the sacraments. With our winters, imagine the tough going by horse.
Alas, on April 13, 1909, St. Philip Neri Church burned to the ground. Today, many of the salvaged items still can be seen in the current church. The bell (named Mary) was one of the survivors and is now faithfully calling the Angelus from its present-day tower for 175 years.
Today, Holy Name of Mary continues to serve the local faithful as well as visitors that include, skiers, campers and individuals passing through town to enjoy what country life offers, especially now with the fall leaf season approaching. They offer non-religious classes and programs (their music is heavenly) throughout the year such as a nine-week financial course they are offering right now. An inclusive community of faith, the parish is unique in that they have both their local registered members and host Enrolled Seasonal Visitors who then can receive the sacraments of marriage and baptism of their children if they desire. The parish livestreams their weekly masses through their Facebook pages. They’ve come a long way since the circuit riders first came to town.
We often do not know, or tend to forget these things ever took place, yet it is so good to remember and more fully appreciate what we have today. Congratulations to Holy Name of Mary R.C. Church for 175 years of being a vital, serving part of the Ellicottville community. God is good.