Holy Rosary

Holy Rosary parish traces its origins to 1889, when Bishop McQuaid organized a "mission parish" under the care of St. Patrick's Cathedral in the Glenwood neighborhood of northwest Rochester. From an initial group of about 89 Catholic families, sufficient support was found to lay the cornerstone of the first church in 1890. This modest wooden structure served the first generation of parishioners until the mission was elevated to full parish status in July 1896, with Father John Van Ness appointed as the first resident pastor.

In 1904, a second church was built of stone as a combination church and school building—a model favored by Bishop McQuaid to demonstrate his commitment to Catholic education. The parish continued to grow, and in 1916 ground was broken for the third and current Holy Rosary church. The construction plans called for two buildings—a church and matching rectory—both in a Spanish Mission style unique within the Diocese, connected by a cloister-style walkway. Bishop Thomas Hickey dedicated the church on May 21, 1916.

Significant interior decoration was added in 1927, remaining until 1961-1962 when the church was remodeled with new marble altars and a bronze baldachin loosely based on a design from the Cathedral in Girona, Spain. The Holy Rosary Church Complex—including the church, rectory, convent, and garage—was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012 for its distinctive Spanish eclectic, Arts and Crafts architecture. The church features a rose window in the Mudéjar style similar to Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo.

The parish closed on March 9, 2008, but the historic church building continues to be used for special liturgies as part of Sacred Heart Cathedral.