Although Catholic missionaries first came to the upper Willamette Valley in the 1850s, St. Mary Parish was officially established in 1887, when Fr.

[2] The second St. Mary church building was built specifically for the parish at 11th & Willamette during the pastorship of Fr.

"[1] Originally, a large crucifix was mounted above the altar and backed by a dark blue and gold brocade drape.

During recent building, renovation, and restoration on the block, special attention has been given to recognizing and working within the style and tradition of the main church.

In addition to the sanctuary, the block now houses an Adoration Chapel, Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Parish Hall, Teen Center (formerly the Auxiliary Hall), offices, conference rooms, library, classrooms, nursery, and courtyards.

[3] A decree establishing the boundaries of the parish of St. Mary in the city of Eugene from the Most Reverend William Levada, Archbishop of Portland in Oregon, on July 1, 1994, states: Beginning at the northeast corner of the parish where the I-5 bridge crosses the Willamette River, south on I-5 to 30th Avenue, west on 30th Avenue to Amazon Parkway, north to 29th Avenue continuing west to Lorane Highway, southwest on Lorane Highway to the section line one section north of the line between Township 18 & 19, west to range line between 5 & 4 west, north to Highway 126, east on Highway 126 to Seneca Road, north on Seneca Road to the Coos Bay line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, east on the Coos Bay southern Pacific Railroad line to its junction with the mainline of the Southern Pacific Railroad, east on Cross Street to North Polk to the Willamette River and east on the Willamette River to the I-5 bridge.

In 1978, the school's name was changed to reflect its diverse area of service and to honor Archbishop Edwin Vincent O'Hara.

Archbishop O'Hara was instrumental in developing a strong focus on the mission of Catholic education.

Angel to run a school in Eugene from a "four-room building which faced Willamette Street.

John A. Moran's time as pastor (from 1911 to 1920), the Sisters of Mercy took over the Eugene General Hospital in College Hill, Oregon in 1912.

Edwin V. O'Hara (pastor from 1920 to 1929) would convert the two-story building at 727 West 11th (now an eye clinic) to the rectory.

The Holy Names Sisters were moved in 1921 to the house at 1116 Charnelton St. which is presently part of the Poole-Larsen Funeral Chapel.

St. Mark Catholic Church was carved out of the original St. Mary parish in the Bethel-Danebo district.

The site was purchased in 1956, and the first Mass was scheduled to be celebrated on September 15, 1961; unfortunately, a fire burned the parish hall to the ground.

Murnane, the construction of the Newman Student Center (with a chapel) on Emerald Street south of 18th Avenue was begun in 1965.

"Given the name St. Thomas More, this parish has no boundaries since its prime purpose is to serve the faculty and students of the university.

Murnane foresaw the growing needs in the south hills of Eugene so he purchased land in that area which would later become St. Jude parish which was built in 1972.

Murnane purchased a 28-acre tract of land in north Eugene and "in 1965 he began negotiations with the Marist Brothers of Poughkeepsie, New York, to administer and staff" a new high school together with Sisters of the Holy Names and lay teachers.

That same year, he organized a unit of St. Vincent de Paul Society in St. Mary Parish.

He also reorganized the St. Vincent de Paul Society and hired Harold C. McDonald to be its executive director.