SMETHPORT -ðThe Most Rev. Donald W. Trautman, Bishop of Erie,
will be in Smethport Sunday to celebrate a 10:30 a.m. Mass in
observance of the 100th anniversary of the cornerstone at St.
Elizabeth of Hungary Church.

A pot luck dinner will follow in the parish hall.

Early Catholic settlers of the area surrounding Smethport built
a church at Daly Brook on the Potato Creek Road. Prior to 1842, the
church was attended by priests from Philadelphia, long before the
Pittsburgh diocese was established. After about 20 years, this
church was closed and passed on to new owners.

In 1853, 10 counties of northwestern Pennsylvania were separated
from the Pittsburgh diocese and became independent. The Erie
diocese, of which Smethport was a parish, was also established in
that same year, with Smethport considered a mission of St. Mary’s
of Sartwell, the mother church for all parishes in the
vicinity.

As an organized church, St. Elizabeth was established in 1869 on
land donated by William V. Keating, a Philadelphia physician who
was president of the Keating Land Co.

Keating donated $500, a huge sum for that time, toward the
building fund for the church in Smethport and another one in
Coudersport. The Smethport church was dedicated to St. Elizabeth,
in memory of Keating’s daughter. Under terms of an agreement, the
pastor of each church was obligated to offer four Masses annually
for the intention of Keating and his family.

Historical records indicate that the Right Rev. Peter Patterson,
V.F., was named the first pastor in 1869. He was widely known as a
“Builder of Churches.” Over 21 years, he personally supervised the
construction of 20 churches in the missions, all of which
eventually became parishes.

On April 25, 1874, the Rev. Michael Flood was appointed the
first resident priest at Smethport.ð

By August of that year, construction on the original church,
located at Main and Franklin streets, had begun. Both the church
and rectory were wooden buildings, common in Smethport for that
era. Bishop Tobias Mullen, dedicated the church on April 24,
1876.

According to an article written by the late Rev. Joseph J.
Grode, pastor at St. Elizabeth’s from 1951-62, “St. Elizabeth’s
Church at that time was a spacious wooden structure with a tall
bell tower and steeple, facing Main Street. The rectory, also of
wood, was situated on Main Street to the east of the church.”

Local church records indicate that two relatives served St.
Elizabeth’s as priests. Flood was succeeded by the Rev. John F.
Smith on Dec. 20, 1876. Smith remained there until March 1882, when
his nephew, the Rev. John Galligan, was named pastor. He had served
as assistant pastor with his uncle for three years.

The original church and rectory were both completely destroyed
by fire on Christmas Eve 1904. Only part of the loss, estimated to
be $20,000, was covered by insurance.

Being left without a home, the St. Elizabeth parish made
arrangements with the Swedish Lutheran Church congregation for the
use of their church, where they held services for more than a
year.

Also in a spirit of ecumenism, other area churches sponsored
dinners and various social activities, and soon it became a
community project to rebuild the church.

Less than a year had passed, however, when the parish suffered
another tragic loss, the death of its pastor, the Rev. Patrick
Cosgrove, whose passing was undoubtedly hastened by the devastating
fire.

By November 1905, the new priest, the Rev. James Dugan, had
arrived and immediately began the task of building the present
church and rectory. Plans were drawn up and excavation started on
April 10, 1906. The cornerstone was laid on July 10, 1906.

Dugan closely supervised the construction at every stage, and he
spent countless hours at the site.

An article in the July 12, 1906, edition of the McKean County
Democrat stated, “The two buildings, it is estimated, will cost at
least $25,000. Of this amount, Fr. Dugan informs the writer that he
has in hand and in pledges about $12,000, leaving a balance of
about $13,000 to be raised.

“Judging, however, from the work that Fr. Dugan has already
performed, the Democrat has no misgivings of his ability to secure
ample funds to complete the buildings, which will certainly be an
ornament to Smethport.”

Many of the names found on the church’s stained glass windows
were people who donated their time and money to build the new
church.

During the 1930s, improvements were made to the church
basement.

By 1950, there was a need to increase the space for social
events and catechism classes, and the basement was totally
remodeled.

The Grode was a strong advocate of having nuns locate in the
parish. His efforts paid off in 1955 when, at the invitation of
Archbishop John Mark Gannon of Erie, a trio of Missionary Sisters
of Our Lady of Victory, popularly known as Victory Noll Sisters,
from Huntington, Ind., arrived in Smethport on Sept. 1. Sister
Noreen, the superior, and sisters Mary William and Therese Martin
moved into a former home at 310 Union St. which the parish had
purchased and remodeled.

These sisters, the second foundation of their order to locate in
Pennsylvania, quickly became active in the parish by teaching
catechism, caring for the altar and sanctuary, training altar boys,
and visiting the sick and shut-ins.

The convent remained a part of parish life until the 1970’s.

The late Monsignor Thomas Geddes served the parish longer than
any other priest. During his 29 years there, he was elevated to
monsignor and observed the 50th anniversary of his ordination.

The Rev. Ted Marconi was pastor from 1995-2003. He initiated a
building program which remains ongoing. A new handicap accessible
entrance and gathering space were dedicated by Trautman in November
2003.

The current pastor, the Rev. Vincent Cieslewicz Jr., arrived in
Smethport in April 2005, one of only two married priests in the
Erie Diocese.