The history of a parish
lies not in its physical growth alone, but also in the hearts of those who practice their
faith and pass on their Catholic heritage and tradition to future
generations. Whether the
members are long-standing or newcomers, matters not; all are bound together in the Holy
Spirit.
Years before the parish of St. Peter's was organized,
Bishop John Neumann, (canonized a Saint in 1977) traveled to Wellsboro on horseback, His
log revealed that a small congregation of forty to fifty Catholics gathered for worship in
private homes. As the group continued to grow in number, the need for an actual church
building became inevitable. For more info about St. John Neumann's life, click here.
On
January 8, 1879, St. Peter's parish was established in a building on Pearl
Street which formerly accommodated the Wellsboro Academy for Boys, and a
home across the street was purchased for the Rectory. This Rectory was
later moved to a site next door where it remained for nearly 100 years.
St.
Peter's Pastors Page
St. Peter's had its formal beginning in 1879
but it was not until 1883 that the parish purchased eight acres of land on upper Pearl
Street for Calvary Cemetery. In 1879 the parish increased to
include St. John the Evangelist's Church in Antrim and in 1884
the Sacred Heart Mission in Morris.
Servants
of the Immaculate Heart of Mary came to Wellsboro in 1945, and a convent was organized.
The sisters provided religious instruction, music lessons and opened the first
kindergarten in Wellsboro. The convent was closed after nearly thirty years. The sisters
assigned to St. Peters left an indelible imprint on those who were associated with them
during that time
The community of St. Peter's continued to flourish, and
eventually the Church on Pearl Street no longer provided adequate space to accommodate its
congregation. On November 30, 1969, the present Church of St. Peters was dedicated and the
former Church building on Pearl Street became its Parish Center. In 1987, the old St.
Peters Church/Parish Center was purchased by the Knights of Columbus.
Ground broke in 1988 for
a new parish center on church property, which was completed and dedicated on June 25,
1989. The new building would provide a central place for parish gatherings and religious
education. Several buildings served as rectories throughout the history of St. Peter's.
The current Rectory was purchased in August of 1991 and includes office space and separate
living quarters for the Pastor.
Much of the history of St. Peter's is not
written but lives in the hearts and memories of its people. We continue to be a growing,
welcoming parish as we move in to the new millennium.
Click
here to find more information on
Wellsboro and Tioga County, PA.
