In the beginning

During the Spring of 1920, with dreams and expectations of having a church of their own, a group of 30 Catholic families, living in a community then known as Meyerville and Sunshine, approached Archbishop John T. McNicholas to petition for a church of their own. He agreed to study their needs and the territories that would be affected by such a plan. As funds were being gathered and decisions made towards purchasing the necessary properties to build a church, permission was granted to use a private residence on LaBoiteaux Ave. as their community center which was then purchased from Mr. Israel Peters under the direction of Fr. John Stein. The new building was proclaimed the parish's "Mission House".
 
The "Mission House" served as a church, clubroom, meeting hall and community center where children gathered for catechetical instruction and where social affairs were planned and conducted. The second floor was fashioned into a chapel with a temporary altar and a confessional. Vestments were donated by the Dayton Altar Society; the altar and communion rails donated by St. Bernard Parish, Winton Place.
 
St. Margaret Mary Parish went from being a dream to reality when the first Sunday Mass was celebrated on December 5, 1920 by Fr. Joseph Albers. Two Masses were celebrated that day at 7:00 and 9:30 am. The faithful of the area were grateful to no longer be obligated to make the tedious journey - most likely for many this was on foot - to attend Sunday morning Mass at Assumption, in Mt. Healthy or St. Clare, in College Hill. Mass was celebrated twice a week by visiting priest Fr. John Stein.