Parish History

SLOVAK ROSARY SOCIETY

For the sixty years of its existence, the Slovak Rosary Society of Saint Mary's left a unique imprint on the parish. Founded as a group of thirty members in 1912-1913 by Gabriel Manyak and John Gregerick, it met faithfully each Sunday afternoon at the Church for prayer service. At the time of their induction, new members agreed to remain in the Society for Life. Upon the death of a member, another assumed the prayers until a replacement could be found. One woman said the prayers for her sister for a period of five years. Once a month, each member was given a card containing the number of prayers he or she must say during the month. The cards had to be returned each month. If the required number of prayers were not said, the rosary remained incomplete until the missing prayers had been made up.

A Fiftieth Anniversary of the Slovak Rosary Society was celebrated at the old Knights of Columbus Hall on South Main Street in August, 1963. In attendance were members of the St. Mary's group as well as those of other area societies. Father Eugene Kozar, CF., celebrated a Mass that morning in the Church.

The Society continued in existence another ten years. The death of Father Kozar the previous year, 1972, following fifty faithful years of service to the Society, combined with a declining membership, brought about the demise of the organization.

Mrs. Lawrence Erha and Mrs. Thomas Dooley are the sole surviving members of the original society. During its sixty years of existence, the St. Mary's Slovak Rosary Society stood as a symbol of the dedication that has been a characteristic of a people and of a faith. It stands as an important phase in the development of the St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish.