Fr. Edward T. Calvey & the New School

History:
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Introduction
Beginnings
St. Mary, Rockport
Stone Church
Age of the Streetcar
We Become a Parish
New School
Fr. Calvey
Building Traditions
Altar & Rosary
Calvey Club
Main School Bldg
Depression Years
Youth Organizations
War Years
Post-war Years
Parish Cemetery
Building Years
Aspects of Parish Life
Pastorate of Fr. Kelly
Hunger Center
Changing Needs
R.C.I.A.
Pastoral Council
Reaching Out
Parish Staff
Year of Celebration
Parish Leaders
Daughter Parishes

Other sections:
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Scenes
School
Organizations

Fr. Edward T. Calvey served 22 years as pastor Fr. Edward T. Calvey arrived on March 18, 1915, as the next pastor of St. Patrick's, after only eight years of ordination and just one assignment.

He had been a pitcher in Cleveland sandlot baseball and chose the seminary over offers from the Cleveland Indians and the Philadelphia Athletics.

His first Sunday in the parish, March 21, had been declared World Day of Prayer for Peace by Pope Benedict XV. People gathered in the church at 3:30 for rosary, litany, special prayers and benediction. They returned that evening for the parish's annual St. Patrick's Day celebration at which they met their new pastor and said farewell to Fr. McMahon.

Fr. Calvey started working with the parish societies (the Altar Society and the Young Ladies Sodality), the ushers and the councilmen to raise funds for a school. The parish held its first car raffle at a picnic that summer, offering a 1915 REO donated by Mr. and Mrs. Louis Greif. The raffle proceeds were used to buy a two-acre lot on Puritas, the site of the present Main School Building.

Finally, in May 1916, the parish was given the go-ahead by the diocese and a brick school building was constructed with four classrooms to accommodate 125 students. To cut costs, the structure was built without indoor plumbing - for the next 14 years students used two outhouses. On Monday, October 30, students reported to their new classrooms, which were once again staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph.