About St. Mary

Bishop John J. Hogan celebrated the first Mass at Milan for Irish settlers on May 19, 1868, in the home of Dennis Ryan. Although it was the first visit of a priest since the immigrants arrived 30 years before, many children and young adults were so well instructed that they could be received into the church without delay.

In 1870, the first resident pastor at Unionville served the area, offering Mass in the Ryan home until St. Mary, a frame church in Milan was constructed and dedicated in 1882.

Franciscans from Chillicothe attended the church from 1883 to 1887. St. Mary celebrated its centennial in 1968, after the church was extensively renovated.