Sometime in 1865 a French missionary priest by the name of Father DeChant happened to stay one night at the home of James Owens on what is now Lincoln Highway.  As a result of that visit, some time later the entire family—parents and nine children—were instructed and received into the church.  For nearly a decade the Catholics scattered in the area celebrated Mass in private homes when a priest happened to be passing through.
 
During the Civil War, Paris Owens, a son of James, died of a fever.  It had been Paris’ wish that there be a church for the Catholics of the Bluffton area, and with the money received from the government after Paris’ death James Owens purchased a lot on the corner of Elm Street and Lawn Avenue.  James Owens and his wife donated an additional $200 to the building fund, and soon parishioners began on a frame building 20 X 40 feet that became St. Mary’s Catholic Church.  The church was dedicated in 1869 by Bishop Rapp of Cleveland. 
 
During the next 52 years St. Mary’s was a mission church led by priests from the area—Findlay, Fostoria, and Columbus Grove.  In 1917 Bishop Schrembs, first bishop of Toledo, transferred the care of St. Mary’s to the Redemptorists at St. Gerard’s Parish in Lima.  In 1932 Bishop Alter assigned the first diocesan priest to St. Mary’s.  Father Hebbeler was chaplain at St. Rita’s Hospital and resided at the hospital.  St. Mary’s was no longer a mission but a parish. 
 
From 1932 until 1981 St. Mary’s was served by diocesan priests from the area—the chaplain of St. Rita’s or the principal or a teacher-chaplain from Lima Central Catholic High School; the pastors or associates of Findlay St. Michael and St. Anthony, Columbus Grove.  In 1981 Bishop Hoffman appointed Father Paul Kwiakowski as the first resident pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bluffton.  For the past seventeen years St. Mary’s has been led by a Pastoral Leader with a Parish Chaplain coming again from a neighboring parish or from Lima Central Catholic High School.


 
After 103 years a new church building was built in 1967 and the original church was converted into classrooms for religious education.  In 1976 the old church was razed and permission was sought for a social hall to be added to the new church.  This project was completed in 1980.  In 2007 another addition of classrooms and a new kitchen was added so that the church itself might be expanded.  Over the years three adjacent properties have been purchased to accommodate the expansions and prepare for the future.




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