In the spring of 1819 Father Dominic Young, the nephew of Bishop Fenwick, celebrated Mass in an upper room of the Green Tree Tavern, in the city of Zanesville, Ohio, whose proprietor was John Dugan, an early benefactor of the Catholic community here.
From that humble celebration, a small group of faithful Catholics began to grow around the regular celebration of the Sacred Mysteries. Soon a brick warehouse was purchased to house the Holy Sacrifice. Outgrowing the warehouse chapel, Mr. Dugan soon purchased adjacent property to build a second and them a third church for the growing number of Catholics in Muskingum County. Our current church of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the third to serve our parish, was built in 1842.
From that first humble Mass until this very day the Sacrifice of Christ has been continually offered for the praise and Glory of the Most Holy Trinity.
Dominican Friars from the Province of Saint Joseph will return to this venerable parish to offer a Solemn High Mass in the Dominican Rite to commemorate this remarkable anniversary on Sunday, July 14, at 11 a.m.
A luncheon reception will follow in the Parish Activity Center.
All are welcome to attend as we commemorate the Bicentennial of the First Mass in Zanesville.
