St. Matthias officially became a parish on June 28, 1956, with the humble beginnings of a twenty-one acre farm, a barn, and 210 families. Father Ralph Dermody was chosen by Bishop Ready to be the pastor. The first parish Mass was celebrated at Clinton Junior High School on July 8, 1956, with an attendance of 386. Two Masses were celebrated here each Sunday and daily Mass was offered at the parish house at 4106 Karl Road where Father Dermody resided. When the men of the parish remodeled the barn, it became a chapel for daily Mass and parish devotions.
Preliminary plans for a school and parish hall were completed in April 1957, with final plans approved by the new Bishop Issenman in 1958. The Building was placed under the protection of the apostle and martyr, St. Matthias, and construction began in June.
The Sisters of Charity of Nazereth, Kentucky, accepted St. Matthias as their teaching mission. The school opened its doors to 344 children on September 15, 1958. Under the leadership of Sister Agnes Clarissa, S,C.N., four sisters and four lay teachers taught in the eight classrooms. The tuition was $20.00 per year. A convent was built facing Ferris Road and the sisters moved there in August of 1959. As the need for an adequate rectory became necessary, the property at 4089 Karl Road was acquired in 1960. Enrollment peaked at 929 during the 1963-64 school year. At this time, nineteen classrooms were staffed, five of which were on the second floor of St. Francis DeSales High School.
In 1973, the Sisters of Charity sadly informed Father Dermody that they could no longer staff the school. The Franciscan Sisters of Stella Niagara took their place and taught at St. Matthias until 1985. When the north wing was added, four of the eight planned classrooms were left without partitions to serve as a new multi purpose room. This allowed the former one to be expanded into the church to accommodate the overflow Sunday crowds. By 1976, only eight classrooms were needed due to the gradual decline in enrollment. Eventually, the vacated classrooms were converted into a parish hall and kitchen, followed by a larger Media Center, Reading Lab, Teacher's Room and Kindergarten. Vatican II and revisions in the liturgical approach brought about the planning of a redesigned and remodeled place of worship. Preliminary plans were drawn and a fund drive was launched on February 19, 1978. The renovated church that we use today was dedicated on June 1, 1979, with a seating capacity of 510.
In December of 1979, the parish was saddened when Father Dermody suffered a heart attack. Upon his recovery, he accepted a smaller parish until 1991. Father Raymond Lavelle succeeded him and served the parish until 1991. Through the efforts of both pastors, the mortgage was burned in 1984 and St. Matthias was out of debt for the first time since its founding. In In 1992, the rectory and property at 4089 Karl Road were sold and vacated convent was converted into a new rectory. The property adjoining the convent on Ferris Road was also purchased at this time.
An expansion and renovation program for St. Matthias was proposed in 1995, and a parish-wide survey met with the approval of parishioners. A fund drive begun in September, 1996 to obtain pledges to build the new Parish Center containing a gymnasium, kitchen, after-school care room, and restrooms. The plan included redesigning existing facilities to provide for a meeting room for parish activities, religious education office, nurse's station, faculty room, science/art lab, media center, and new parking areas. Groundbreaking took place on April 6, 1997 and by October 26, 1997 the completed facility was dedicated.
In 1998, the roof on the church and school were replaced. In August of 1999, new windows were installed throughout the school. There were 1,100 families, 306 students in the school, and 100 students in the Sunday Religion School in 1999. The sacrifice and dedication of its members make St. Matthias a vibrant family of faith today. The challenges of the new millennium will be met with a firm commitment to continue the Lord's work in the parish and community.
