A large church, St. Mary’s is the second-largest parish in the Spokane Diocese and the largest in Spokane County, with about 7,000 members. It is sufficiently large that it holds three Sunday Masses, at 7:30 am, 9:00 am and 11:15 am. The building itself, far from being the original, is fairly new. The parish was founded in 1913 and has a Catholic School associated with it. The school is located at 14601 E. Fourth Avenue, Spokane Valley.
In 1958, with their pastor, Father Joseph Brunner, parishioners collaborated on an ambitious construction plan for a new parish plant. What they envisioned was a school, a convent, a hall, a rectory with offices, and a church, to be built in stages over the next 10 years.
The school was built first, followed by the convent. Work began on the parish hall in 1960 and when it was finished, the parish used it for Sunday Masses until 1973 when the new church was finished and ready for occupancy. Father Walter Abel, who became pastor in 1972, guided the church’s construction. The church was dedicated at the end of May, 1973, by Bishop Bernard Topel.
The old church, judged to be unsafe, had been torn down in 1972 to make room for the new building. The entrance doors from the much-beloved old church became part of the new church’s gathering space. According to a Spokane Chronicle news clipping dated May 19, 1973, the old altar was donated to the Spokane Valley Pioneer Museum...
...In 1995 the parish undertook a renovation of the church, adding a large gathering space on the south side, changing the baptismal font to a baptismal pool, and adding several rooms, including a kitchen, library, and family room. The space gained allowed for additional seating in the church nave. The Celtic cross designed and built by Spokane artist Harold Balazs was moved from the church entrance and placed near the walkway for the parking lot.
From the Inland Register.