The original St. Lawrence Church was removed in 1967. The rectory
(right) stood until the tornado in May of 1985.
Although the corner-stone of the St. Lawrence church building was laid on November 4, 1900, the Catholic community of Albion, Pa had been very alive well before 1855.
Our little farming community was served by traveling priests coming from St. Philip Church in Crossingville. There were small settlements of Catholics in Girard, Albion, North Springfield, Fairview, and Swanville.
“Once or twice a year a priest would visit these small settlements and his coming was always heralded with expressions of joy. An opportunity to attend Mass was the greatest happiness they could wish for.” (Margaret Mullaly, daughter of Nicholas Mullaly, one of the first Catholic settlers in the Albion area. Her account is taken from “History of St. Lawrence Parish”, by Rev. Ennis A. Connelly, 1956).
Father Lawrence McBride came to Albion at the end of the 1800′s and immediately he began plans to build a church. With the ground breaking ceremony came great fanfare with a ‘jubilance in the air’.
Quoting The Albion Blizzard, “The Catholic Society certainly had reason to thank Divine Providence for the perfect weather of last Sunday, the occasion of the laying of the cornerstone of their magnificent house of worship on State Street. The day was an exceptionally fine one, not a cloud being visible to keep people away from the impressive ceremonies through fear of the elements.”
“There was a bracing fall breeze blowing — just enough to keep a tine upon the cheeks of those who witnessed the ceremonies, which were held on the site of the new edifice.”
“A portion of the foundation was covered over as an improvised platform for the clergy, newspapermen, etc., from which were delivered inspiring addresses by the Catholic clergy, both in English and German.”
“A special train from the north arrived at about 2:30 bearing nearly 500 followers of the Faith from Erie, Girard, and intermediate places. Among the number were 150 Knights of St. John and members of the Knights of Columbus and C.M.B.A. Societies.”
“Hundreds of people were present at the Bessemer Depot to meet the special train, and the parade from the latter place, led by the Sacred Heart Commandery Drum Corps of Erie and the Citizens Cornet Band of Girard, was indeed an inspiring sight to the residents. It was the largest crowd in years, the throng being estimated at from 2,000 to 3,000.”
Father McBride was joined by several priests in Erie and Crossingville and Retired Rev. Bishop Fitzmaurice. The Albion Blizzard goes on to report about the “sealed box” in the cornerstone:
“The usual sealed copper box was placed in the cornerstone and contains the coins of the United States of the date 1900, from one cent to one dollar, also a five dollar bill. It contains also a history of the Albion congregation for the last 45 years. (Note. The writer would like to get into that box, not for the $6.91 contained, but for those priceless words of history.) It contains the names of the following priests who have served on that charge during that time: Fathers O’Brannigan, Burns, Adams, Tracey, McGovern, Ruddy, Lynch, Peter Cauley, Graham and McBride. Also the names of the Rt. Rev. Bishop Fitzmaurice and the ecclesiastical officers of the Erie Diocese, President McKinley, Pope Leo the Thirteenth, Cardinal Gibbons, the Albion Borough officials and the names of the oldest parishioners, among whom were Frank Ehrman, Nicholas Mullaly, James Gallagher and Dan O’Brien. The face of the cornerstone contains the inscription St. Lawrence Church, Erected 1900. The name is taken from a portion of the christened name of Father McBride.”
About the architecture:
“The new church will be a modern church in every respect, will be 66 x 38 feet with a handsome tower and slate root. It will be one of the best of the brick veneered models and will cost, when completed, $6,000.”
More than 2,000 persons participated in the dedication of the new church on Sunday, June 16, 1901.