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'''St Mark Catholic Church''' was a Catholic | '''St Mark's Catholic Church''', also known as '''St Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church''', was a Catholic church at 1010 [[16th Avenue Thomas|16th Avenue]] ([[List of renamed Birmingham streets|formerly]] [[15th Avenue West]]) in [[Thomas]]. | ||
[[St Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church (Shelby County)]] was | St Marks was founded on [[January 20]], [[1905]] by Father [[John Canepa]] of Genova, who had been sent to Alabama by Pope Pius X at the request of Bishop of Mobile Edward Allen to serve the fast growing community of Italian immigrants working in the [[Birmingham District]]. He was initially assigned as chaplain at the [[East Lake Orphanage]] and thus St Mark's, the first Italian congregation in the Diocese of Mobile, began as a mission of that institution. | ||
[[Republic Steel]] donated the land near its [[Thomas furnaces]] for the first church building, a frame structure which was dedicated on [[March 18]], [[1906]]. By [[1913]] Canepa had established another mission from St Mark's which became [[St Joseph's Catholic Church]] in [[Ensley]]. In the early 1920s, [[St John's Catholic Church]] in [[East Lake]] was also founded by Canepa. | |||
In [[1926]] the congregation of St Mark's began raising funds for a larger building, but progress was delayed by the [[Great Depression]] as well as by local labor disputes. The new church, constructed from local brick and stone, was completed in [[1939]] and dedicated by Bishop [[Thomas Toolen]] on Columbus Day, [[October 12]], of that year. Canepa died in February [[1954]]. [[Malcolm Riera]] was appointed to take his place later that year. | |||
A re-dedication mass was celebrated at St Mark's on December 11, 1977. | |||
The church was closed in [[1997]]. The stained glass windows and much of the interior decor was removed to be re-used in the new | |||
[[St Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church (Shelby County)|St Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church]] in [[Shelby County]], which was dedicated in [[1999]]. | |||
{{stub}} | {{stub}} | ||
==Pastors== | |||
* [[John Canepa]], January 20, 1905–February 14, 1954 | |||
* [[Malcolm Riera]], October 8, 1954–November 17, 1974 | |||
* [[Crescenzio DeFazio]], July 1, 1975– | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 12:27, 20 November 2023
St Mark's Catholic Church, also known as St Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, was a Catholic church at 1010 16th Avenue (formerly 15th Avenue West) in Thomas.
St Marks was founded on January 20, 1905 by Father John Canepa of Genova, who had been sent to Alabama by Pope Pius X at the request of Bishop of Mobile Edward Allen to serve the fast growing community of Italian immigrants working in the Birmingham District. He was initially assigned as chaplain at the East Lake Orphanage and thus St Mark's, the first Italian congregation in the Diocese of Mobile, began as a mission of that institution.
Republic Steel donated the land near its Thomas furnaces for the first church building, a frame structure which was dedicated on March 18, 1906. By 1913 Canepa had established another mission from St Mark's which became St Joseph's Catholic Church in Ensley. In the early 1920s, St John's Catholic Church in East Lake was also founded by Canepa.
In 1926 the congregation of St Mark's began raising funds for a larger building, but progress was delayed by the Great Depression as well as by local labor disputes. The new church, constructed from local brick and stone, was completed in 1939 and dedicated by Bishop Thomas Toolen on Columbus Day, October 12, of that year. Canepa died in February 1954. Malcolm Riera was appointed to take his place later that year.
A re-dedication mass was celebrated at St Mark's on December 11, 1977.
The church was closed in 1997. The stained glass windows and much of the interior decor was removed to be re-used in the new St Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Shelby County, which was dedicated in 1999.
Pastors
- John Canepa, January 20, 1905–February 14, 1954
- Malcolm Riera, October 8, 1954–November 17, 1974
- Crescenzio DeFazio, July 1, 1975–
External links
- Photo album at website of St Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church
References
- Lovett, Rose Gibbons (1980) The Catholic Church in the Deep South: The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama, 1540-1976 Birmingham, AL: The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama