St Mary's Catholic Church

General information

Dedicated to the intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, throughout St. Mary’s almost 160 year history mighty contributions have been made to strengthen the understanding and practice of the Catholic Faith in the Sandusky area and the Diocese of Toledo. To date, eighteen men from the parish have been ordained priests for service to the People of God locally and throughout the entire world. Seventy-one women have made consecrated vows and entered into religious communities. More than 20,000 souls have been baptized and 7,000 weddings witnessed and 9,000 funerals celebrated at St. Mary’s Sandusky.

The German immigrants of the city, who had been worshiping at Holy Angels (established 1839), succeeded in founding the second Catholic parish in Sandusky in 1853. On June 20, 1855 six men signed a note to purchase property in Sandusky on the southeast corner of Jefferson and Decatur streets. In a few short months, St. Mary’s Catholic Church was built on that property. Since that day, St. Mary’s growth has been rapid and constant, building two separate churches, five school buildings, two cemeteries, two rectories, and two convents.

The current German Gothic Church was begun in 1873 and completed in 1880. The steeple reaches a height of 210’ – 6’ higher than Cedar Point’s Magnum XL-200 roller coaster!

Mission Statement: Inspiring believers to imitate Jesus Christ, receive the Holy Sacraments and live in the heart of the Catholic Faith.