The Story of St. Michael's
869 N. Clinton Avenue
Rochester, NY 14605

In the month of June, 1872, some members of St. Joseph's and Holy Redeemer's Catholic parishes held a meeting for the purpose of considering the advisability of building a church and forming a parish nearer their homes in the northeastern section of the city. There was no streetcar service in the section, and this fact made quite a hardship for the older people to attend the church services, especially in winter months. Several meetings of these men were held to discuss the ways and means of financing the undertaking.

Finally, the course was laid to take up voluntary subscriptions from the people of the proposed parish limits. This method was followed, and $6,000 was pledged. A committee presented their cause to Bishop McQuaid to obtain from him the necessary permission to build the new church. In compliance with their request, the Bishop authorized them to purchase two acres of land on Clinton Avenue North, near Clifford Avenue.

In January, 1873, the committee sought a pastor for the parish. The Reverend A. Pingel of St. Joseph's Church was given temporary charge over the 80 families leaving St. Joseph's and 100 families leaving Holy Redeemer parishes to form the first congregation for the new church.

On May 26, 1873, the new parish was organized. St. Michael was chosen to be the patron saint of the new church. Before the meeting was closed, plans were drawn up for a combination church and school. The architect, O. Knebel, made the plans for the building 126 feet long and 66 feet wide. Contract for the masonry work was let to Michael Henricus and for the carpenter work to Dominic Nura, totalling in amount to $16,000. For fear work might come to a standstill because of lack of funds, seven members of the new parish mortgaged their homes and gave promissory notes in the amount of $8,000.

The digging of the foundation began in July, 1873. The labor in digging the foundation was volunteer work. Men came with their teams of horses and dug the foundation without pay.

The cornerstone was laid amid great ceremony on September 14, 1873. Early in the afternoon, the societies connected with the various neighboring parishes on North Clinton Avenue paraded to the new church grounds, carrying the cornerstone. The church was to be erected 200 feet back from Clinton Avenue with the idea that the future would see a new church on Clinton Avenue itself, and this one would be used for the school. Bishop McQuaid addressed the audience and congratulated them on the great work that they had undertaken. Father Pingel preached to the people in German, acknowledging their hearty support.

On February 1, 1874, Reverend Fridolin Pascalar was appointed pastor of the parish to succeed Father Pingel. It was under his supervision that the new church of St. Michael reached its final completion and was made ready for the dedication and blessing by Bishop McQuaid.

On Sunday, March 8, 1874, the dedication ceremony took place. The Bishop was escorted from his home to the ceremony in a carriage drawn by four white horses. Both he and Father Pascalar addressed the gathered parishioners.

On Sunday, May 17, 1874, in the afternoon, a large congregation assembled in the new Church of St. Michael to witness the blessing of two new bells, destined to be hung in the belfry. They were manufactured in the foundry of Meneely and Kimberly, West Troy. The bell weighing 1,015 pounds bore the inscription, "Pio IX papa, Pontificatus anno 27; Bernafdo McAuaid, Episcopo; Fridalino Pascalar, pastor primo ecclesia Santae Michaelis; Rochester, N.Y. 1874." The small bell weighing 525 pounds was inscribed, "Sancta Maria, Ora pro nobis; St. Michael's Church, 1874."

In 1878, the parish erected a large, handsome brick rectory with stone trim adjacent to this first church/school building and fronting on Evergreen Street (now Melita House).

It was in the year 1887 that the plans were drawn up for the new St. Michael's Church. These plans provided for a magnificent gothic stone church. It was in the form of the Latin cross, in length 177 feet and 92 feet in width of transept. "The most prominent feature of the front of the church will be the grand tower, which will be 200 feet in height (the tallest in the region). Immediately above the base of the tower will be the belfry to contain at present the two bells which later will be replaced by five new ones. A clock with four dials, 14 feet in diameter, will surmount the belfry. A long, tapering spire will be surmounted by a gilded cross 10 feet high. The plans call for three front entrances, each surmounted by a gable. Directly above the front center entrances will be a copper statue of St. Michael, the patron of the church, represented as trampling on Satan and driving him into hell. Ten large windows will light the transepts. A vestry will be connected with the rectory."

The cost of the church was estimated at about $150,000. The working plans were to be completed in December of the same year so that contract might be let at the first of the year.

At this time, there were 715 families in the parish, with children under 12 years of age numbering about 1,300. The growth of the parish had been tremendous, and the necessity of the new church was growing with it.

On March 18, 1888, Bishop McQuaid made a canonical visitation to St. Michael's Church to announce the names of parties whose bids for work on the new church were accepted. They were as follows: The stone contract, including the polished granite columns, went to Whitmore, Rauber and Vicinus, who bid $39,800. The stone material was to be Lockport sandstone, rock-faced. The base walls were to be of brown Medina stone. Mason work was given to H. H. Edgerton for the sum of $40,773. The carpenter work was given to Joseph May at a cost of $24,350. The three contracts did not include the cost of excavation or the construction of the tower above the roof. The parish had on hand $40,000, and a large fair was held in August 1888, which netted another $9,042.63 in cash.

Cornerstone of the Present Church, 1888
On Sunday, May 27, 1888, the foundation stone was laid. The occasion was intended to mark the commencement of work upon the new structure, though the excavation work had been completed a few weeks previous and the foundation wall had been laid in some places almost up to the level of the ground. It was intended on completing the foundation work of the building to lay the cornerstone the following spring. The foundation stone, which was laid by the Bishop, was a large block of blue sandstone weighing about three tons. It was laid in the center of the rear wall of the church under the spot where the altar now stands.

Dedication of the New Church, 1890
Work continued rapidly on the new church. Two years later, the church was completed. The dedication day, September 29, the feast day of St. Michael, was a banner day in the history of the parish. Long before 10 o'clock, the hour appointed for the dedication ceremony, there was no room available within the new church. The procession included the Chancellor of the Diocese, Reverend H. DeRegge; students from St. Andrew's Seminary; Right Reverend Otto Zardetti of St. Cloud, Minnesota; and the Right Reverend Vinand Wigger of Neward, New Jersey.

Thousands came from the city in the weeks that followed the dedication to view the splendor of the church. All were edified by the stained-glass windows that graced the church. Ten large stained-glass windows give light to the nave and transept, five on each side. The semi-circular sanctuary contains five more stained-glass windows. They represent the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael; the angel appearing to St. Joseph; and the guardian angel protecting the child Jesus.

The New School, 1896
The pioneers of St. Michael's realized the necessity of opening a parish school with the opening of the church itself. The church and school were served by the same building. In fact, it was the home of the sisters who taught in them. March 9, 1874, the day following the dedication of the first church, marked the first session of St. Michael's school, with an attendance of 240 pupils. The rear of the church directly in back of the altar was given over to the school work The two classrooms were arranged, one for the boys and one for the girls. The care of the children was under the direction of the Sisters of the Order of the Poor School Sisters of Notre Dame.

Before long, the rapid growth of the parish necessitated the erection of a new church in 1888. In 1896, Father Hargather took charge of the parish and saw the need for a new school to satisfy the requirements of the growing community. Just two years after he began his work, ground was broken for the present St. Michael's School. That building was dedicated in 1899. It was gloriously restored to its former grandeur in the 1990s and is used as public housing.

Silver Jubilee
One September 29, 1903, Father Hargather celebrated the silver jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood. As a jubilee gift to the rector, the parishioners presented him with a check for $14,000 to be used for the installation of a chime of bells; a beautiful tower clock; and a new organ, which is a source of delight to all who have heard its tones.

Golden Jubilee
Three years after Father Hargather's silver jubilee, the priests and people of the parish celebrated the 50th anniversary of the forming of the parish. On May 11, 1924, Bishop Hickey opened the great celebration with pontifical High Mass.

<< About St. Michael's