About St. Mary · Martins Ferry, Ohio
St. Mary Catholic Church is a parish in Martins Ferry, Ohio, founded in 1875 and serving Belmont County as part of the Diocese of Steubenville's Presentation Deanery. The parish traces its roots to the 1850s, when Catholics in Martins Ferry crossed the Ohio River by ferry to attend Mass at North Wheeling Hospital, and it has maintained continuous worship, Catholic education, and community outreach ever since. The current brick church on North Fourth Street was built in 1952 on the same site as its 1889 predecessor, and it was extensively renovated in the late 1980s. St. Mary is also home to St. Mary Central School, a Pre-K through Grade 8 Catholic elementary school that continues the parish's century-old tradition of faith-based education.
- Established
- 1875
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Marut
- Diocese
- Diocese of Steubenville (Presentation Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Mary is a small but historically rich parish where the congregation has long combined worship, Catholic education, and civic engagement for 150 years. Parishioners belong to a community that laid the foundation for Catholic schooling in Martins Ferry (the parish school has run continuously since 1889) and that continues to participate in ecumenical prayer and community projects alongside its own liturgical life. With daily and weekend Mass, Saturday confessions, and a PreK–8 Catholic elementary school next door, the parish offers both a traditional devotional rhythm and a vibrant faith-formation environment for families.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Parish History
St. Mary Catholic Church was formally established in October 1875 with the appointment of its first resident pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Moroney, but Catholics had been worshipping in Martins Ferry for nearly two decades before that. As early as 1857, the faithful crossed the Ohio River by ferry boat to attend Mass at North Wheeling Hospital. By 1869 the community was large enough to be made a mission of St. John Church in Bellaire, and by 1872 it had built its own 45-by-25-foot frame church on Ohio Avenue (now First Street). The parish was incorporated as St. Mary in 1875 and has served Martins Ferry continuously ever since.
- 1857: Earliest recorded Catholics in Martins Ferry attend Mass at North Wheeling Hospital via ferry.
- 1869: Martins Ferry made a mission of St. John, Bellaire.
- 1872: Frame church built on Ohio Avenue (now First Street).
- October 1875: Rev. Jeremiah Moroney named first resident pastor — parish formally established.
- 1889: Two-story brick church/school built on Fourth Street under Rev. Samuel Mattingly; Sisters of Charity of Nazareth begin teaching.
- 1900: Rev. Charles Mulhearn purchases 15 acres in Ferryview for the parish cemetery.
- 1924: St. Mary School dedicated October 12 under Father Mulhearn.
- 1951: Old Fourth Street church razed; cornerstone of new church laid September 16.
- 1952: Present church dedicated November 5.
- 1987: Renovated church interior reconsecrated May 14; first Mass May 16 under Rev. Thomas Magary.
- 2025: Parish celebrates its 150th anniversary on October 12.
The Church Building
The present St. Mary church at 20 N 4th Street was built in 1952 on the same site as its 1889 brick predecessor, which itself replaced a small 1872 frame church. The cornerstone was laid September 16, 1951, under pastor Rev. Joseph Kloss, and the building was dedicated November 5, 1952. Between 1981 and 1987 the parish undertook a major interior renovation: two liturgical design consultants presented plans, parishioners voted on their preferred design in late 1985, and a $300,000 fund drive launched in February 1986. The final Mass in the old interior was January 4, 1987; the renovated church was reconsecrated to the Blessed Mother on May 14, 1987 with the United States Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima present, and the first Mass was celebrated May 16, 1987.
- 1952 brick church built on the site of the 1889 building
- Multi-year interior renovation completed 1987
- Reconsecrated to the Blessed Mother with the U.S. Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima (May 14, 1987)
St. Mary Central School
St. Mary Central School is the parish elementary school, located immediately adjacent to the church at 24 N 4th Street, Martins Ferry, OH 43935 (phone 740-633-5424). Founded in 1889 when the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth began teaching in the new brick building, the school is today a Pre-K through Grade 8 program serving students of all faiths in a Christ-centered environment. The school's motto is 'We model Jesus, serve others, and strive for the development of the entire individual – spirit, mind and body.' St. Mary Central is affiliated with the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and is part of the Diocese of Steubenville school system.
- Principal: Theresa Young, MS Ed
- Pastoral Administrator: Fr. Thomas Marut
- Grades served: Preschool through 8th Grade
- Mission: to foster academic excellence for students of all faiths in a Catholic, Christ-centered environment
- School motto: 'We model Jesus, serve others, and strive for the development of the entire individual – spirit, mind and body.'
- Affiliated with NCEA (National Catholic Educational Association)
Parish Cemetery
St. Mary maintains a parish cemetery in Ferryview, established in 1900 when Father Charles Mulhearn purchased 15 acres of farmland for that purpose. The cemetery continues to serve as the burial ground for St. Mary parishioners.
- 15 acres in Ferryview, purchased 1900 by Rev. Charles Mulhearn
150th Anniversary
On Sunday, October 12, 2025, St. Mary Catholic Church marked its 150th anniversary with a 3 p.m. Mass in the church followed by a buffet dinner in St. Mary Central School's auditorium. The anniversary celebration traced the parish's journey from its 1875 founding through the construction of three successive church buildings, the founding of the parish school in 1889, and the 1987 interior renovation. Through the years, the congregation has participated in parish spiritual, social, and fundraising activities as well as ecumenical prayer services and community projects.
- Anniversary Mass: October 12, 2025, 3 p.m. at St. Mary Church
- Dinner immediately following in St. Mary Central School auditorium
Diocese and Deanery
St. Mary is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville and belongs to its Presentation Deanery, which comprises 12 parishes across Jefferson and Belmont counties. The dean is Father William D. Cross. The parish is listed in the Diocese of Steubenville's official Parish Finder.
- Diocese of Steubenville
- Presentation Deanery (12 parishes across Jefferson and Belmont counties)
- Dean: Father William D. Cross
Contact and Location
St. Mary Catholic Church is located in downtown Martins Ferry, Ohio, on North Fourth Street. The parish office can be reached by phone or email; the pastor's email is listed on diocesan directories.
- Address: 20 N 4th Street, Martins Ferry, OH 43935
- Parish phone: (740) 633-1416
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stmarysmf.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jeremiah Moroney1875-1877
First resident pastor of the parish, appointed October 1875.
- Rev. Joseph Tuohy1877-1888
- Rev. Samuel Mattingly1888-1898
Built the two-story brick church/school on Fourth Street, dedicated Dec. 1, 1889; invited the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth to teach.
- Rev. Charles Mulhearn(s)1898-1941
Longest pastorate in parish history at 43 years; purchased 15 acres in Ferryview for the parish cemetery in 1900; oversaw construction of St. Mary School, dedicated Oct. 12, 1924.
- Rev. Edmund McCormick1941-1942
- Rev. Vincent Schiele1942-1945
- Rev. Joseph Kloss1945-1972
Began fundraising drives for a new church; cornerstone laid Sept. 16, 1951; new church dedicated Nov. 5, 1952.
- Rev. Frederick Pasquinelli1972-1980
- Rev. Patrick Gaughan1980-1983
Established the renovation committee in 1981 and began the multi-year interior renovation planning process.
- Rev. Thomas Magary1983-2010
Brought the interior renovation to fruition; $300,000 fund drive launched Feb. 1986; renovated church reconsecrated May 14, 1987 and first Mass May 16, 1987. Retired from active priesthood in 2010.
- Rev. Thomas Marut2010-present
Eleventh and current pastor of St. Mary; also serves as Pastoral Administrator of St. Mary Central School.