[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 11860]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


 RECOGNIZING ST. MARY OF THE ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH UPON ITS 150TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to honor St. Mary of the 
Assumption Catholic Church in the German Village neighborhood of 
Columbus, OH, as it celebrates its 150th anniversary. In 1865, St. Mary 
initially operated under the leadership of Rev. Francis S. Specht in a 
building that featured a one-room church, one-room school and second-
story rectory. In 1866, the parishioners began construction on a 
German-gothic inspired church. In 1893, the parishioners built the 
iconic steeple, which rises to 197 feet and still stands tall today.
  The parish is home to more than 500 families, with parishioners from 
5 different counties in Ohio. St. Mary also hosts more than 50 weddings 
each year and has approximately 230 students enrolled in 
prekindergarten through the eighth grade.
  The parish mission is ``to be of one mind and heart with the Church 
by loving God with all our heart, all our mind, all our strength, all 
our soul; and by loving our neighbor as ourselves.'' St. Mary fulfills 
its mission by supporting the needs of its congregation, hosting 
community activities, and educating its students. Nearly 95 percent of 
the students at St. Mary have been fortunate enough to receive tuition 
assistance.
  I am here today to honor St. Mary of the Assumption and its 
congregation. I congratulate all who were involved in making its first 
150 years a success.

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