The rich, faith-filled 100-year-old Catholic history of St. Mary Parish has its’ roots in the missionary work accomplished with the Tulalip Indians and early white settlers in the Marysville area by priests, who arrived at Tulalip Bay in 1857.

The scenic Pacific Northwest wilderness of water, mountains and forests that later became known as Snohomish County, served as the base of operations for the traveling priests.

The religious and secular history of Marysville is intertwined with the Comford family: James and his wife, Maria, for whom the town was named. In 1886 – three years before Washington became a state - the first mass was celebrated in the home of the Comfords. For the next two years, masses were celebrated whenever possible. Regular services did not begin until 1888, when the Lyceum Building, Marysville’s first school, was erected. In 1895, the Catholic people of Marysville built a large framed building at the corner of Fourth and Delta on land acquired from Maria Comford. This building, St. Mary’s Church, served the Catholic community of Marysville for 70 years, before the dedication of the present church on State Avenue and 88th St NE in 1968. The first mass offered in the new church was the Nuptial Mass for Jerry R. Carlson and Margaret Anne Weber.

The church embraces its’ rich history and connections to its early beginnings. Today, the church’s first bell, donated in 1907 by James Comford, is housed within a ground-level tower near the north entrance to the church.

The church has been blessed with many dedicated priests throughout its’ 100 year history. The Rev. Horacio Yanez, who serves as the current pastor to St. Mary’s, joined the congregation in 1998. The church has experienced a tremendous growth, including the addition of a substantial Hispanic population, and numerous Filipino and Vietnamese Catholics. At present, there are more than 1,400 registered families in our parish, which is an increase of more than 600 compared to just three years ago. The growth has produced an expansion of all the ministries including: Faith Formation, Youth Ministry, and increased membership in St. Vincent de Paul and the Knights of Columbus.

The renovation of the worship space including a larger reservation chapel, and new immersion baptismal font were blessed by the Most Rev. Alex J. Brunett, Archbishop of Seattle; on December 8, 2001 to launch the parish’s celebration of its 100 years of Catholic presence in the community of Marysville.