Early Everett

The city of Everett is built on a narrow promontory of land between the Snohomish River and Puget Sound.  For the first fifty years of the Twentieth Century, Everett was served by two parishes.  The jurisdictions of these two parishes extended well beyond the city limits through the area of South Snohomish County.  Perpetual Help Parish, founded in 1892, took care of the eastern portion commonly referred to as Riverside.  On the west, or Bay side, Catholics were members of Immaculate Conception Parish, founded in 1904.

In 1921 the growing community of Mukilteo on the Bay was designated as a Mission and Saint John Church was served by Immaculate Conception Parish.

After the war, the steady population growth south of the Everett city limits made a new parish a necessity.  In November 1957, His Excellency, Archbishop Thomas Connolly founded the new parish of Saint Mary Magdalen to serve the extensive area south of the then city limits (52nd Street) to the boundaries of Holy Rosary Parish of Edmonds, Saint Pius X of Mountlake Terrace, Saint Brendan of Bothell and Saint Michael's of Snohomish.

Due to the historical associations of the area, the Mission of Saint John was allowed to retain its status and would henceforth be served from the new parish along with the Civilian Chaplaincy of Paine Field. 

First Parish Operations

In 1957, Father William P. Lane was appointed the first pastor of the new Saint Mary Magdalen Parish.  The first Mass of the new parish was held at Madison Public School, the first Sunday of Advent 1957.  A total of 560 persons were in attendance with a census of 350 families.

Before Christmas, the new parish site was proposed and approved.  The site selection was a result of Father Lane's intensive study of the parish area assisted by Bob O'Connor and Bert Cronin.  The 11.5 acre site where Saint Mary Magdalen stands today was originally intended to become a holly farm.

Father Lane then purchased a building lot on Ninth Avenue which he donated to the parish, to provide more ready access to the neighborhood east of the parish grounds.  A temporary rectory was established through the good graces of Mr. Bert Cronin and Mr. Bob O'Connor at 8714 Ninth Avenue, S.E.  The garage was converted into a chapel for daily Masses, baptisms and other parish liturgies.  This rectory was then remodeled into a temporary convent when the Holy Names Sisters agreed to staff our school.  Father Lane rented a home at 8521 Tenth Avenue S.E. to serve as the first permanent rectory.

In May of 1958, the location of Sunday Masses was changed to Emerson School which is directly across the street from the present parish site.  Construction of the church and school began on December 6th, 1959. 

The New Church Opens

August 14, 1960, remembered as a "day of immeasurable joy", Father Lane celebrated the first Mass in the new church.  The buildings were blessed and dedicated by the Most Reverend Thomas A. Connolly, Archbishop of Seattle, on Sunday, October 23, 1960.  Father Harold Quigg, our first assistant pastor, arrived one week before the dedication.

Saint Mary Magdalen Convent

The history of the convent is tied intimately to our church and school.

It was the intention of Archbishop Connolly that new parishes like Saint Mary Magdalen should also be formed with an attached school.  As the community and parish population grew and money was pledged, the church and school were built.   The difficulty in finding a faculty for the school was a serious issue until the Sisters of Holy Names agreed with Father Lane to staff and operate it as faculty and administration. 

The school was opened in September 1960.  The Sisters of the Holy Names moved into the house (which had previously been the rectory) on Ninth Avenue on August 20, 1960.  The Sisters who moved in included Sister Mary Michael Francis, Superior, Sister Mary Nadine, Assistant, Sister Aline Marie, Economist, and Sister Isabel Mary.  The Pastor Reverend William Lane graciously welcomed the Sisters to their new home, as did the parishioners.  The men of the parish even helped the Sisters unpack and distributed the school books and cleaned the blackboards as the school was prepared for its first classes.

On September 4, 1960, the Sisters had an open house at the school and were very excited to meet and get to know the parents of the new students.  The school year officially began on September 7, 1960.  Mass was celebrated by Father Lane.  Sister Mary Michael Francis was the new Principal.  The total number of students stood at 129.

The mission of the Sisters continued to be Christian education, and they enjoyed support from the Pastor, parishioners, parents, students and other Sisters in the area.  The Sisters held a number of social events at their house on Ninth Avenue; these included social hours and dinners for the Sisters of Immaculate Conception School in Everett, and the Dominican Sisters of Perpetual Help School, also in Everett.

The Holy Names Sisters also had a gracious friendship with the Principal and teachers of Emerson School across the street from the parish.  They were visited by other Holy Names Sisters including their Provincial Superior Mother Mary Mark and Sister Ursula Maria, Provincial Secretary, and later enjoyed support from the newly appointed pastoral assistant Father Harold Quigg along with visits from the Sisters of Holy Names Academy in Seattle.

The first joyous occasion of First Holy Communion was celebrated with the second grade students on October 30, 1960.  This was the Feast of Christ the King.  Thirty-nine students received Jesus in this sacrament.  Confirmation was held on November 26, 1960 with about 100 students and 21 adults participating.  The chronicles of the Sisters' states:  "The whole ceremony was impressive, and it is hoped that the fruits of the sacrament will bear visible results."

During the first Christmas holidays together, the Sisters celebrated midnight Mass and helped the students perform a Christmas program.  They also celebrated two Masses in their own chapel.  Father Lane gave them a beautiful Irish linen tablecloth with sixteen napkins, a five pound box of candy, and four plants as a personal Christmas gift.

On February 14, 1961, the Sisters were delighted to observe "Holy Names Mission Day" in the school.  The children brought the money they would have spent on valentines for the mission.  The whole day was centered on Africa.  Mass was celebrated and prayers were offered for the missions.  A total of $48 was collected.

September 16, 1962, was a special occasion for the Sisters as the statue of Our Lady of Wisdom was erected and blessed on the front lawn. 

By October of that year, the Sisters were surprised by the gift of a car by the Men's Club.  It was a 1957 Ford Station wagon in "excellent condition". 

Parish Growth

With continuing growth in the South Everett area, it became obvious that the parish facilities needed to expand.  Permission to build the Saint Mary Magdalen Convent, Saint Mary Magdalen Parish Rectory and additional portable classrooms was given on January 22nd, 1963 by the Most Reverend Thomas A. Connolly, D.D.  Father Lane set right to work to employ an architect for the job.  Ground was broken on September 19, 1963 and the Sisters moved into their new home on March 24, 1964.  They were so happy to be able to pass one another in the hallways without squeezing against the walls!

The Sisters celebrated their first Mass in the new chapel in March that year and it was considered a great blessing on new beginnings. The dedication of the Convent took place on April 25, 1964 with the Most Reverend Thomas A. Connolly, D.D., Archbishop of Seattle officiating.  Following the ceremony Mass was celebrated in their chapel.  The Sisters were now in their new home.

This happy situation continued as the school and church grew and developed.  Many changes took place in the assignments and duties of the Sisters over the years, but their love for Jesus and Saint Mary Magdalen School and Parish was always a shining example of Christianity in action.  Due to the tremendous changes experienced by Saint Mary Magdalen Parish and the greater Church, the Convent officially closed after forty-seven years of dedicated service on June 10th, 2007.

The remaining Sisters from the Saint Mary Magdalen Convent have moved to residences in several locations including a retirement house for the Holy Names Sisters in Spokane, Washington.  While their fine work has been done, an era had passed.  The efforts of the "good Sisters of the Holy Names" to improve Saint Mary Magdalen Parish and School will remain their true legacy of faith and love.

We wish to thank the good Sisters in the convent for their memoirs, notes and writing which they so lovingly kept throughout the years.  Without those memoirs this historical account would not have been possible.