Before April 1857, the East of Bridgeport Catholics were attended by the priests of St. James Church, first parish in the city and predecessor of St. Augustine’s.

St. James was located at Washington Avenue and Arch Street and had been dedicated July 24, 1843 – 13 years after a missionary priest had first celebrated Mass in Bridgeport and several months before the Diocese of Hartford was created.

St. James had parish boundary lines at this time, including an area greater than today's Diocese of Bridgeport.

In April 1857 St. Mary receives official status of parish and is assigned its first pastor, Rev.

Rogers converts the old little white wooden frame church into a St. Mary Private School with more than 200 children at a cost of $3 per month.

Rogers brings the first order of nuns “Sisters of Mercy” to teach; they stayed as long as the school lasted.

William H. Lynch, as administrator, completed the school and convent and later opens a new church, St. Charles, and becomes its first pastor.

In the early 1900s immigrants from Italy start coming in and the church became primarily an Italian parish.

Matthew J. Traynor is appointed pastor; together they built up a fully equipped parish plant.

He founded the Holy Name teams of Basketball and Baseball, which continued until WW II.

He and the Waltersville School principal introduced the early dismissal of catholic students to attend religious classes.

Wilson and his assistants started plans for the Golden Jubilee of the parish, but the church caught fire and was destroyed on the eve of the celebration.

Michael J. Kearney came to St. Mary on March 28, 1941, as pastor and in his 13 years finishes the renovations and plans that Rev.

1953 The Diocese of Bridgeport is established and the Monsignor Lawrence Shehan from Baltimore is named Bishop.

Francis Campagnone and Victor Torres Frías to start a Hispanic Apostolate in the Diocese.

Torres- Friás was named secretary to Cardinal Aponte of Puerto Rico and Rev.

Mr. Frank Wissel is assigned to St. Mary to work as a deacon and on September 10, 1977, is ordained priest.

Cullen and the Parish Council decided in June 1975 to close the church during the day for security.

The financial position of the parish is not good; in 1979 the school building is sold to the city of Bridgeport for $155,970.12.

Before the end of the twentieth century the Church is primarily Hispanic, with most parishioners coming from Puerto Rico.

He spent nine years working in Guatemala, Panama, El Salvador and Mexico before going to the United States.

The church had financial problems, including deterioration due to lack of maintenance over the years.

After evaluation and consultation with the Parish Council it was found that building a new church was cheaper than renovating; plans are made.

This modern church dates from 1982 and was designed by Antinozzi Associates of Stamford, CT.

The exterior of the church is decorated with mosaics that reflect the Spanish culture and tradition of the parishioners.