[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 31, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CELEBRATING THE 170TH ANNIVERSARY OF OLD ST. MARY'S CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JEAN SCHMIDT

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 31, 2012

  Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the oldest standing 
church in Cincinnati, which is appropriately named Old St. Mary's.
  The church, which is listed on the National Register of Historic 
Places, was dedicated to God 170 years ago this month, on July 3, 1842.
  It was originally called St. Marien Kirche. Many of the parishioners 
were German immigrants who lived northwest of the Miami & Erie Canal, 
in a neighborhood called Over-the-Rhine.
  Parishioners who were master craftsmen built the church at the 
intersection of 13th and Clay streets. The cornerstone was laid on 
March 25, 1841--the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary.
  The clock tower of Old St. Mary's rises 170 feet, and it is the 
oldest in Cincinnati. The interior features hand-carved wooden statues, 
marvelous stained glass, and magnificent oil paintings, making the 
church one of the most beautiful in the city.
  My parents, Jeannette and Gus Hoffman, often attended worship 
services at Old St. Mary's. Peter Schmidt and I were married there, and 
our daughter, Emilie, was baptized there.
  Today, Over-the-Rhine is a thriving multicultural neighborhood, and 
Old St. Mary's has embraced this diversity. On March 25, 1988, 
parishioners established the Mary Magdalen House to help the poor and 
homeless. This nonprofit provides a place for needy people to shower, 
shave, and have their clothes laundered.
  In 2001, to help disadvantaged youths become community leaders, the 
pastor of Old St. Mary's opened the St. Peter Claver Latin School for 
Boys. The late Father Albert Lauer envisioned the school as the 
cornerstone for renewal of the neighborhood. St. Peter Claver was 
officially recognized this month as the 114th Catholic school of the 
Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
  Mr. Speaker, Cincinnatians appreciate their city's history and their 
own heritage. Many Catholics of German ancestry who live in distant 
neighborhoods travel to Over-the-Rhine to worship at Old St. Mary's. 
Sunday Mass is still offered in German--as well as in Latin and 
English.
  Today, I want to celebrate the 170th anniversary of Old St. Mary's. I 
applaud the Cincinnatians who have ensured that this landmark remains 
relevant to Over-the-Rhine. It is my hope that the church will continue 
to uplift the city's residents--in body and soul.

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