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HISTORY OF SAINT PATRICK PARISH - NEWRY, PENNSYLVANIA

The Servant of God, Demetrius A. Gallitzin, the pioneer missionary of the Alleghenies, said Mass in Newry as early as 1789. After Father Gallitzin established his base of operation at Loretto, PA., he attended Newry at regular intervals. Loretto, joined with Bedford and Newry, formed the triangular base for Catholicity in this region. The first settlers of Newry were Patrick Cassidy and Henry McConnell, who migrated from Newry, County Down, Ireland, and laid out the town and called it Newry, after their native place, about the same time Father Gallitzin began his laborious mission at Loretto. It is a matter of public record that Patrick Cassidy in 1801 deeded property for a Catholic Church and for a Lutheran Church in Newry. THE FIRST CHURCH: In 1816, a little stone church was built in Newry and Father Gallitzin dedicated it under the title of Saint Patrick. He continued his personal care of this mission until 1821. Afterward, Father Gallitzin relinquished the eastern portion of his vast mission, including Newry, to his protégé, the Reverend Thomas Heyden, who worked out of Bedford.Bishop Henry Conwell, who came to Philadelphia in 1820, as Bishop of Philadelphia, came to Newry in 1826 for the official visitation and Confirmation. He was accompanied by a young Deacon, John Hughes, the future Archbishop of New York. In 1828, Father John Hughes, served for a brief period as pastor of Bedford with a care for the Newry mission.

Bishop Francis P. Kenrick, the third Bishop of Philadelphia wrote about his first visit to Newry, under the date of October 21, 1830: "A church was built here long ago through the care and generosity of Patrick Cassidy. But the building is very old and hardly fit for divine worship." It was on this 1830 visit that Father Heyden sought permission to build a new church in Newry. He was chagrined when Episcopal approval was denied. The reason for the denial became evident August 7, 1831, when Bishop Kenrick assigned the Reverend John O'Reilly to Newry as the first resident pastor. Bishop Kenrick wrote: "The people of Newry are rejoicing because they are to have a priest, in charge, living in the town." When Father O'Reilly came to live in Newry, he immediately began the construction of the present church. The oldest Newry parish records are dated 1828 and are signed by Father O'Reilly. The first Baptism recorded took place February 28, 1828, Mary Jane, child of Joseph and Eva (Dopp) Nightwine. The total number of Baptisms celebrated by Father O'Reilly stands at 460 (40 of them Adult Converts). He also witnessed 66 Marriages from August 10, 1928 to September 9, 1832. Father O'Reilly was transferred to Pittsburgh before the church building was completed. The Reverend James Bradley served more than 51 years as Saint Patrick's Pastor. His first task was the completion of the parish church. Bishop Kenrick blessed the church on August 11, 1833. This is the church that is still in use today.