| The History of Divine Mercy Antwerp Location |
Antwerp is located in the northwest corner of Paulding County. St.
Mary parish was organized in 1864 and the first church was built
in 1867. It was constructed of wood, forty-six feet long and twenty-
six feet wide. This building remained in use until 1901 when the
present church was constructed. The first pastoral residence was
built in the early 1870s and the present brick residence was
finished in 1911. A parish school was opened in 1915 but was
discontinued in 1913 due to meager finances and the small
number of children. The school building today is used as the
parish hall.
The history of the parish and the history of the Wabash Canal are
closely connected. The canal brought Catholic families into the
district of the Black Swamp: German, Irish and French. This
parish is one of the oldest parishes in Paulding County and the
Mother parish of many of the surrounding churches which were
started originally as missions of Antwerp, St. Mary.
On July 1, 2008 St. Mary’s Parish, as well as the other parishes in
the county were suppressed and Divine Mercy Catholic Parish of
Paulding County was established. This next chapter of our story
is only now beginning to be written.
Mary parish was organized in 1864 and the first church was built
in 1867. It was constructed of wood, forty-six feet long and twenty-
six feet wide. This building remained in use until 1901 when the
present church was constructed. The first pastoral residence was
built in the early 1870s and the present brick residence was
finished in 1911. A parish school was opened in 1915 but was
discontinued in 1913 due to meager finances and the small
number of children. The school building today is used as the
parish hall.
The history of the parish and the history of the Wabash Canal are
closely connected. The canal brought Catholic families into the
district of the Black Swamp: German, Irish and French. This
parish is one of the oldest parishes in Paulding County and the
Mother parish of many of the surrounding churches which were
started originally as missions of Antwerp, St. Mary.
On July 1, 2008 St. Mary’s Parish, as well as the other parishes in
the county were suppressed and Divine Mercy Catholic Parish of
Paulding County was established. This next chapter of our story
is only now beginning to be written.
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