Parish History

St. Mary of the Wood's Church, McQuady, Kentucky, is a small Catholic Community located in rural Breckinridge County. St. Mary's was established in 1870 as a mission parish under the direction of Rev. Nicholas Ryan. Among the names of the early members of St. Mary's are: Askins, Beavin, Carroll, Mattingly, Riley, Sherron, Whitehouse, and Weise. During the 1890's an addition was built to the church by adding a sanctuary to the end of the building. Many of the early parishioners are buried in the cemetery that surrounded the church.

In April 1908, the first resident pastor, Rev. John Francis Knue oversaw the construction of a rectory, at the present day church location, and in 1910, the new church was completed and dedicated on November 6.

In the fall of 1922, a school was opened and staffed by Dominican Sisters. Due to decreasing enrollment, the high school closed in 1932. In 1959 a new school building and Sister's living quarters was constructed under the directions of Rev. Henry Balster. The grade school was closed in May, 1967.

Currently, St. Mary's has 85 families and continues to grow spiritually and devotionally. We invite you and your family to come worship with our parish family.

1870-1872
1872-1874
1874-1876
1876-1881
1881-1884
1884-1885
1885-1889
1889-1891
1891-1893
1893-1894
1894-1899
1899-1907
1907-1924
1924-1926
1926-1931
1931-1936
1936-1938
1938-1943
1943-1951
1951-1958
1958-1958 6 Months
1958-1959
1959-1969
1969-1972
1972-1982
1982-1983
1983-1983 3 Months
1983-1987
1987-1990
1990-1992
1992-2002
2002-

Rev. Nicholas Ryan
Rev. James J. Crowley
Rev. Thomas J.Jenkins
Rev. Matthias Oberlinkels
Rev. Lawrence B. Ford
Rev. Charles P. Raffo
Rev. John H. Taylor
Rev. James J. Pike
Rev. Michael Dillon
Rev. Hugh O'Sullivan
Rev. William L. Gabe
Rev. John S. Henry
Rev. John F. Knue
Rev. Leo Landoll C.PP.S.
Rev. Remigius Monnin C.PP.S.
Rev. Louis Pottkoetter C.PP.S.
Rev. Albin Bauer C.PP.S.
Rev. Frederick A Stock C.PP.S.
Rev. Albert Kaiser C.PP.S.
Rev. Henry W. Wibbles C.PP.S.
Rev. Herbert R. Renner C.PP.S.
Rev. Gabriel Brenkus C.PP.S.
Rev. Henry Balster C.PP.S.
Rev. Frederick L. Koch C.PP.S.
Rev. Cornelius Fenton C.PP.S.
Rev. James McCabe C.PP.S.
Rev. Maury Riney
Rev. Leonard Reitz
Rev. Peter Hughes
Rev. John Little
Rev. Bruce Fogle
Rev. Ken Mikulcik