Immaculate Conception Parish Irwin celebrates 100th anniversary of church building dedication

“The church of God is likened to an ark or ship, because she saves us from the deluge. She is the gate of heaven, because through her portal all who are redeemed must pass.”

                                                                                                 -Architect Carlton Strong, 1914

By Melissa Williams Brown
Contributing Writer

IRWIN – Looking back at the past 100 years, parishioners of Immaculate Conception Church remember those have gone before them, recalling happy times with multiple weddings, baptisms, confirmations and sad times with way too many funerals.

Immaculate Conception Church, nestled in the borough of Irwin, joins one of an elite group of intricately designed and breathtaking structures in the Diocese of Greensburg, all with God in mind and a safe harbor for the faithful, built by legendary Architect Carlton Strong. Immaculate Conception is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the church’s centennial.

Larry Leonard, an organist who was baptized at Immaculate Conception Church, and who turns 86 this coming Nov. 12, is a longtime and faithful parishioner. He attended the former Immaculate Conception School, which is now Queen of Angels. He recalls learning how to sing in Latin for funerals because “the sisters wanted the students to learn Latin.” Though there have been many changes over the years, the church has remained the staple, likened to the church where the barque, or a sailing vessel with two or three masts of this world can lead the faithful to the shores of heaven.

He talks about how the altars have changed over the years and how a marble altar was a gift to the parish from the late Rev. Edward D. Murphy, who was pastor from May 1910 until July 1937. There have been four different altars in the past 100 years. The current altar and sanctuary incudes the last supper and two angels.

Growing up in Paintertown near Irwin, Leonard never wanted to miss mass and walked to church. He now resides in West Hempfield, about 5 miles from the church. He was an organist at Immaculate Conception and neighboring St. Charles in Sutersville. He’s visited all the Carlton Strong-designed churches. He was part of a 50-voice boy’s and men’s choir with brass and strings.

He’s also been an organist at St. Mary’s Parish in Ford City and St. Mary’s Church in Export.

Leonard talks about how Rev. Murphy wanted to build a new church and came up with a Dimes at the Door campaign to pay for it.

“We didn’t have collections back then so Father Murphy sent the men of the parish out to visit parishioners and to collect dimes for a “Dimes at the Door” campaign. The church was ultimately bought and paid for when it was dedicated because of that,” recalls Leonard.    

Leonard remembers his mother, the late Elizabeth Dietrich, along with her family, were photographed at the Immaculate Conception Church cornerstone to the left of front door of the church, which was placed by Strong.

Other masterpieces completed by Strong include Sacred Heart Church in Jeannette and in the Shadyside area of Pittsburgh, St. Joseph’s Church in New Kensington, the mother house for the sisters of Baden near Pittsburgh, and other structures at Seton Hill College in Greensburg.

Bishop Larry J. Kulick explained that Strong was a great architect and that the barque of the boat without people is a ghost boat.

“If we don’t take Eucharist, we will spiritually die, The. barque of this world can lead the faithful to the shores of heaven.”