History

Immaculate Conception of Mary Parish came into being on March 23, 1923 when Fr. John Waldeisen was called upon to establish a new parish in what was then Kenmore, Ohio. During the first year of our existence, Mass was said in the old Boulevard Theater on Kenmore Boulevard near 13th Street. Shortly thereafter, an orchard consisting of 13 lots at 16th St. and Battles Avenue was purchased. The property had three houses on it; one of which became the first rectory. In November 1923 construction began on a church-school combination. The first Mass was celebrated in the basement of the newly constructed building on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924. The school, under direction of the Sisters of St. Joseph, opened that September.

In 1950 plans were made to build a new church and Msgr. Edward Conry, Dean of Akron, laid the cornerstone in November 1951. Despite unforeseen construction problems, the first Mass in our present church was celebrated at Midnight on December 25th, 1952. Archbishop Edward F. Hoban officially dedicated the church and offered Mass in April of 1953. The present church, with its Risen Christ, was renovated in 1980.

Immaculate Conception Church 1955
Church 1955

The parish school opened in September of 1958, with a convent added in 1962. In 1983, parishioners combined talents to renovate the old convent into a parish hall and school media center. The school and hall were connected and a kitchen and rest rooms were added. In 1987, the convent garage was converted into a hall, which currently houses our St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Pantry. The elementary school at Immaculate Conception  closed in 2001 when operations merged with St. Augustine school. The  building was then remodeled for a Preschool and Childcare center which closed in 2015.  Currently, the main floor and basement house the Kenmore Free Store, a social justice ministry in partnership with Park United Methodist Church.

  • 1923-1957 Rev. John Waldeisen
  • 1957-1965 Rev. Frederick Hitch
  • 1965-1976 Rev. Edward Maher
  • 1976-1982 Rev. Michael Marvett
  • 1982-1994 Rev. Thomas McCann
  • 1994-1998 Rev. Arthur Snedeker
  • 1998-present Rev. Michael B. Smith