Busy corner

Stone for Morgan Waters [the 'g' was inserted]. His house was the parish's home in its early years. He died in 1875, his wife, Catharine Brooks, died in the parish's first year, 1848.

St. Patrick's is an old parish in terms of the Cleveland diocese. It is only a few months younger than the diocese. Cleveland had one church, St. Mary's on-the-Flats. Some farmers in Rockport Township asked the just created first bishop of Cleveland, Louis Amadeus Rappe, for a parish. The parish had its first Mass on St. Patrick's Day 1848 [it was a Sunday that year] inside Morgan Waters' home. About once a month a priest would come to Waters' home. In 1854 the first church was dedicated on land donated by a parish family. In 1897-98 the new church was built. The old church was torn down, and the parish graveyard expanded to those grounds.

The church's congregation was evicted 30 May 2009. The parish is appealing its closure to Rome. Richard Lennon, the bishop, wants it merged with Ascension, and Annunciation, at Ascension's campus. St. Patrick's began with about 40 families, in 2009 they had about 1,100 families. On Sunday, the 30th of May 2010, the parish had its last Mass in that graveyard which had been the site of the first church building.

As time passes some events do happen. Cleveland expanded across the Cuyahoga, annexing one village, and neighborhood after another. West Park formed in 1900 from the township. St. Patrick's received a resident pastor in 1910. Horse wagons were replaced by motor cars, and street cars. West Park became a part of Cleveland in 1923. The church was expanded in the early 1950s.

St. Patrick West Park Cleveland, Ohio at Rocky River Drive & Puritas Avenue

The intersection became that of two two busy city streets. The cemetery is just a sidewalk's width from the street, and a short chain link fence is the border there. On July 20th a driver ran through the fence dislodging, and damaging some grave stones. Since the, a section of the low fence has been replaced; and the stones gathered together. Perhaps, in November they will be set in place (and duplicates? of some damaged ones).

stones gathered together