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On September, 10, 1910, the Congregation of the Mission took its first steps in the work of reclaiming the South to the Catholic faith. They purchased the property that is now St. Mary's Mission House. The pioneer Missioners were Fr. Thomas McDonald, CM and Fr. Joseph, McKey, CM. The territory entrusted to them was larger than the state of Connecticut. There were 152 Catholics plus 20 Catholic students at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University).
The correspondence and negotiations that established the Alabama Mission and St. Mary's began early in 1910 between then Bishop Edward Allen and Provincial, Fr. Patrick McHale, CM. Fr. McHale, in a letter to the bishop said that he had heard "from at least two sources that you would be pleased to have us work in your diocese. I am eager to contribute my priests to Mission work in the south."
In a subsequent Ietter, Fr. McHale wrote, " I have called my Provincial Council and placed before them the question of taking up the work of the missions in your diocese. After giving them some idea of the situation and the difficulties, they decided that it would probably be better to fix upon Opelika as a center for missionary activity. I have written to him (Superior General) for the requisite permission. As he is constantly urging mission work, I have little misgiving about his answer."
On May 5, 1910, Fr. McHale once again wrote to the bishop "I have obtained the Superior General's approval for the establishment of a house of the Congregation in your diocese. The General highly commends the project of working among the people and thus more fully carrying out the end of our Community."
On July I, 1910, Fr. McHale sent to the bishop the names of the two Vincentians who would be coming to Alabama. "The priests whom I have chosen for the work are Fr. McDonald, a well-seasoned Missioner and Fr. McKey, a younger man, both enjoy excellent health, and both have faith and a spirit of self-sacrifice." Later in July, on the l7th of the month, Fr. McHale again wrote to bishop Allen. Fr. McKey was going to go to Eufaula for a short period while "Frs. Lennon and McDonald are now in Alabama to make arrangements for a residence in Opelika."
The men were coming in hope, but Fr. McHale knew and the two Vincentians knew that things would not necessarily go easily. He said in another letter, Fr. McDonald knows the conditions down there pretty well, so that he is prepared for disappointment.
Initially the Mission was to be dedicated to St. Vincent. In one of the earliest issues of "The Marian," a quarterly magazine that was published in and distributed from Opelika, there is a Bencfactors' Certificate for money to be donated to St. Vincent's Mission House, Alabama. Sometime that Fall, according to the House diary, Fr. McDonald thoughtfully reflected on the place that the Blessed Virgin Mary had in the establishment of this Mission. On September 8, the Birthday of Mary, the deeds for the property were received. On September, 15 the Octave of that Feast, the property was delivered. On September 18, the feast of the Seven Dolors, the first Mass in the "Opelika Territory" was said in Tallassee. On October 9, the Maternity of Mary, the first Mass was said in the chapel of the house in Opelika. As he put all of these considerations together, Fr. McDonald changed the name and incorporated the foundation as "St. Mary's Mission House."
Coming up with a name for the Mission was an easier task than actually getting a place for the Mission. From the beginning, there was an agreement that the site needed to be near the railroad station, which made Opelika the most attractive spot, but not the only one. Some consideration seems to have been given to West Point/Lanett. In the end, Opelika was chosen as the town. Other questions still loomed. Where would they live and how would that suitable place be found and purchased? This adventure would constitute the summer of 1910.
The House diary reports that in the middle of June, the Reverends Lennon and McDonald traveled to Opelika, clad in "white neckties and smiles." They went through the town looking for a suitable place to live. With a deal for a place almost complete, the two priests returned to the North. This almost proved to be a fatal error to the beginning of the Mission. On September 1, Fr. McDonald returned to Montgomery where he expected to finish the deal. But what he found was that the owners demurred on the deal and so it all fell through. Fr. McDonald began a second transaction which once again was almost completed when it too fell through. Fear was growing that the townspeople had suspected that the Catholics were trying to move in. One of the residents of Opelika, Mr. John Earle, read a clipping in a Philadelphia newspaper that Vincentian priests were going to reside in Opelika. Mr. Earle communicated with Bishop Allen, who in turn, referred him to Fr. McKey, who by that time was residing in Eufaula.
While Mr. Earle was communicating with Fr. McKey in Eufaula, Fr. McDonald was visiting Opelika to find a place to live. He came upon a homestead called "The Pines," which was the home of the Dean family. This time the confreres had an agent from the diocese of Mobile who did the negotiations. This transaction was successfully completed and the deeds were transferred. The Opelika Daily News reported that "a Mr. McDonald, a millionaire financier of New York City had secured "The Pines" because of the benefit they would confer on his sick wife."
The property cost $12,000. It was only then that Fr. McDonald and Fr. McKey traveled to Opelika, openly wearing Roman collars. Then, for the first time, did the townspeople realize that the Catholic Church had a foothold in the town. Fr. McKey wrote about their reception in the House diary. "They were very genial, not the least bigoted-why should bigotry frown, when a dollar smiles." The day after their first visit, the newspaper published the true story of the purchase of "The Pines" by these two Vincentian priests.
This strange and twisting beginning is how life began for the Vincentians in Alabama and particularly in Opelika. It is a journey that has now seen more than ninety years go by. But it has been and will continue to be a journey of great twists and turns.
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