As the oldest of the four parishes, which now comprise the Corning-Painted Post Roman Catholic Community, St. Mary’s Church was organized by Bishop John Timon of Buffalo in February, 1848 as the mission of "St. Mary, Mother of Mercy." Rev. John Sheridan, the pastor of the Catholic Church in Owego, ministered to the mission, which served Steuben and Schuyler counties. The Corning Company donated the plot of land where the church currently stands at the corner of First and State Streets. Even though all of the amenities were not yet finished (the church pews were not yet installed), St. Mary’s Church was formally dedicated July 24, 1849.

  In 1854, six years after Bishop Timon organized St. Mary’s, he no longer recognized this area as a mission, but as a parish. A newly ordained priest, the Rev. Thomas Cunningham, assigned to help Father John Boyle in the Chemung, Steuben, Wayne, and Schuyler county area, became St. Mary’s first resident pastor.

  During Father Cunningham’s six-year tenure (1854-1860), St. Mary’s School opened in the fall of 1855 in the basement of the church. Mrs. Ellen McGeary holds the honor of serving as the school’s first teacher.

  Fund raising is by no means a modern day phenomena. In fact, one of the first seeds of fund raising began during Father Cunningham’s pastorate when he helped organize a Fair and Festival Fund-Raiser in October 1860. Considered to be one of the first functions of this type, the money generated from this event was earmarked for building a new school across from the church on First Street.

  The Very Rev. Peter Colgan, VF succeeded Father Cunningham as pastor in 1860. Colgan, age 37 at the time he became pastor, was instrumental in several construction projects during his 36 year (1860-1896) administration.

  Groundbreaking for a new church, located in the middle of State Street facing east, took place in early 1866. June 12, 1870 served as the date for the first mass in the new structure. Other milestones of St. Mary’s parish community included a spire to the church (1881), the cornerstone for a new school building (1882) and a cemetery addition (1889).

  Father Colgan was not alone in his quest to build the Catholic community in Corning. The Sisters of Mercy arrived in Corning in the fall of 1867 to begin teaching in St. Mary’s School.

  When Father Colgan died on May 22, 1896 at the age of 76, the Rev. James M. Bustin was assigned St. Mary’s third pastor. Not long after assuming his duties, Pope Leo XIII issued on December 10, 1896 his papal Brief, Cum ex apostolico munere, calling for Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler and Tioga Counties to withdraw from the Diocese of Buffalo and become part of the Rochester Diocese.

  The start of the 20th Century for St. Mary’s Church mirrored the industrial revolution taking place across the country. In the spring of 1900, a major remodeling project took place at the church. The church was lengthened through apse and transepts. A sacristy and a Sisters’ Chapel flanked the apse. The sanctuary was deepened and two side altars were installed.

  Construction projects were not just confined to the church. On March 1, 1906, 17 Sisters of Mercy moved from the Old New York State Arsenal (built in 1858), into a newly built convent situated adjacent to the church. Meanwhile, in September of 1909, Father Bustin outlined his plan to raise $20,000 in order to build an addition to St. Mary’s School, as well as a new school house on the City’s Northside.

  During his 21st year as pastor of St. Mary’s, Father Bustin died on March 31, 1918 at the age of 58. With World War I capturing Corning and the world’s attention, Father John J. Gleeson assumed the duties as pastor (1918-1920). Before dying of a heart attack on July 25, 1920, Father Gleeson saw the statues of Mary and Joseph added to St. Mary’s. In 1919, he was instrumental in starting the "Children’s Mass" at 8:30 a.m. each Sunday.

  Leading the parish community through The Great Depression, was Right Rev. Monsignor James Griffin, VF (1920-1940). Known to everyone as, "The Monsignor," he saw to it that St. Mary’s interior was decorated in 1924 for recognition of the 75th anniversary of the opening of the original parish church. In June of 1940, at the age of 84, "The Monsignor," resigned from his pastorate.

  The Most Rev. James E. Kearney, Bishop of Rochester, named Rev. John A. Smith as St. Mary’s sixth pastor. Father Smith, no stranger to Corning or the St. Mary’s parish community served as an assistant pastor under "The Monsignor" in the 1920’s.

  Under Father Smith’s leadership (1940-1953), the Kindergarten department opened at St. Mary’s School on September 5, 1946. Also during that same year, the interior of St. Mary’s was redecorated in preparation for the church’s centennial celebration. On September 26, 1948, Bishop Kearney commemorated St. Mary’s 100th birthday by celebrating its Centennial Mass.

  Following Father Smith’s death in 1953, the Rev. Thomas F. Brennan was appointed pastor. During Father Brennan’s 22-year pastorate (1953-1975), St. Mary’s Parish continued to excel. There was no mistaking Father Brennan’s love of children, and in particular, his fondness for St. Mary’s School. In the late 1950’s, he spearheaded, along with General Chairman, Joseph P. Tunney, the St. Mary’s School Building Fund Appeal. The dollars raised from this fund raising project allowed a new wing to be added to the State Street school. In September of 1960, the new wing, which included at least four new classrooms, was ready for student learning.

  Nevertheless, the declining student population at Corning’s three parochial schools throughout the late 1960’s called for school consolidation. In 1971, St. Patrick’s School closed. St. Vincent de Paul’s School was renamed Corning Catholic North and the name of St. Mary’s School was changed to Corning Catholic South.

  Upon Father Brennan’s retirement as pastor in 1975, the Rev. Michael Hogan was appointed pastor (1975-1982), and served in that post for seven years.

  The early 1980’s saw another major capital construction project occur in the church. St. Mary’s Church Restoration and Renovation Project encompassed over 600 parishioners pledging nearly $413,000 to repair and update the church. Under the guidance of architect, Mark Bennett, the interior of the church was repainted and the entire altar table was moved forward. Pieces of the old altar rail were reused for the newly constructed pulpit. For a period of time during the church’s renovation, Sunday mass took place in the school’s gymnasium.

  February 6, 1982 proved to be another historic day for St. Mary’s Church. On this day the Most Rev. Matthew Clark, Bishop of Rochester, celebrated mass at St. Mary’s to commemorate the parish community’s recent renovation project.

  On April 17, 1982, Bishop Clark ordained the first class of permanent deacons for service in the Diocese of Rochester. Deacon Ray Defendorf, a St. Mary’s parishioner, was among those ordained to this newly reinstated ministry. He was assigned to serve in his home parish.

  On July 1, 1982, Father Hogan was named pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Ithaca. Changing cities with Father Hogan was the Rev. Richard Murphy, who left his post as Chaplain of Cornell University in Ithaca to serve as pastor of St. Mary’s for eight years (1982-1990). Father Murphy, a gourmet chef and gracious host, spearheaded a number of parish social events and church suppers to bring the parish community together. Father Murphy also oversaw the conversion of the former parish convent into The Brennan Center - a multipurpose administration and education facility which was rededicated on Fr. Brennan’s 80th birthday (September 30, 1984).

  The school year of 1986-87 brought another change to Catholic education in Corning. With declining student enrollment at both Corning Catholic schools, school consolidation once again became inevitable. Students from St. Mary’s, St. Vincent’s and St. Patrick’s parishes, entering kindergarten through the eighth grade, began attending St. Mary’s school in the fall of 1986. However, under the consolidation plan, the school’s name changed to All Saints Academy.

  Another transition was occurring as well with clergy. With retirements, and fewer young men entering the seminary, the number of priests serving the Rochester Diocese had been on the decline. It became necessary for the four parishes in the Corning-Painted Post community (St. Mary’s, St. Vincent’s, St. Patrick’s and Immaculate Heart of Mary) to consolidate under the leadership of one pastor. Selected for the job was the Rev. William Spilly who served as pastor of the newly created Corning-Painted Post Roman Catholic Community for six years (1990-1996).

  Not long after the consolidation of the churches, St. Mary’s embarked on another capital campaign project from 1993-1995 to renovate sections of the interior and exterior of the church.

  Campaign co-chairs, Mary Jo and Mike Searson, oversaw a fund drive which generated $438,000. This project called for the construction of the Daily Mass Chapel (later to be renamed The Brennan Chapel), the repainting of the church’s interior, and the lighting of the steeple. Also included in the project was the installation of a stained glass window in the front of the church. The "Our Lady of Grace" stained glass window was installed in memory of the Fernandez and Andrade families. At the same time, Harold Gross engraved "Golgatha", a crucifixion scene, on the glass wall between the altar and chapel.

  Meanwhile, the tide had been turned in regards to student enrollment at All Saints Academy. The former St. Patrick’s School was reopened for the 1995 school year to accommodate the increased numbers of students. The former St. Mary’s School housed grades two through eight, while the former St. Patrick’s School served as the location for the pre-school, kindergarten and first grade classes.

  On June 25, 1996, the Rev. Michael F. Conboy arrived in Corning from St. Joseph’s parish in Penfield. He succeeded Father Spilly, who was assigned to St. John the Evangelist parish in Rochester. Father Conboy continues to serve today as the second pastor of the Corning-Painted Post Roman Catholic Community.

  Not long after Father Conboy assumed the reins of the parish did Father Brennan die in July 1996. Father Brennan may have retired his pastorate in 1975, but he continued to faithfully serve the St. Mary’s parish community. The parishioners of St. Mary’s treasured Father Brennan, and recognized him many times for his numerous contributions to St. Mary’s, (e.g. The Brennan Center, The Brennan Chapel). But, the love for Father Brennan can be best portrayed by the fact that during his last months on earth, over 100 parishioners cared for their dying pastor emeritus around the clock. Father Brennan’s stamp on the St. Mary’s community will never fade or wash away.