Transfiguration Catholic School

 

Transfiguration Parish started as a mission, served by Father Gueguen, know as Murray Settlement in 1839. Mass was celebrated in private homes once a month until a log church, built on farmland donated by John Murray, was erected in 1844. The church was named St. John and stood where the current Transfiguration Parish cemetery is today. The parishioners outgrew this church quickly and a new structure was built in 1877 on the corner of Route 176 and Church Street. The building still stands today, known as The Old White Church, where many parish meetings and activities are held. Bishop Thomas Foley dedicated this new church on August 6, 1877, the Feast Day of the Transfiguration, giving the parish the name we still use today.

​

After years as a missionary community, Transfiguration welcomed Father Steven Woulfe as its first resident priest in 1903. Father Woulfe oversaw the construction of the first rectory. By 1943 the Parish of Transfiguration had once again outgrown their worship space. Under the direction of Father John Mulligan, a request was made to the Diocese to build a larger church.

​

The Diocese in turn suggested a convent and school be built before a new church. Transfiguration School opened in Septemeber 1948 with 27 students in grades one through six. The school and convent were housed in a new two story building on Mill Street. The Franciscan Sisters of Wheaton taught the children and lived upstairs. In 1949 an additional school room was built as more students enrolled and a seventh grade was needed. The school continued to prosper and another building containing four classrooms, a kitchen, and a gymnasium was built in 1950. Temporary classrooms were set up in the gym when enrollment increased from 164 to 274 between the years of 1951 and 1954. Plans were then made to build a school and church addition to the school building. Mass was celebrated in the new church on July 10, 1955. Yet another four classroom addition was built onto the school in 1960 to keep up with enrollment. School enrollment peaked in 1964 with 564 students attending. Although not made public until 1983, Charlie Krupp donated $700,000 at the time of his death in 1981 for the purpose of building a new house of worship. The Church the parish still worships in today was dedicated in May of 1985.​​