The Diocese of Burlington is itself only forty years old when Holy Family Parish in Essex Junction was founded. Though there were a few Catholics in the area as early as 1831, the first record of any significant Catholic activity in the village appears in 1874, when Father Peter Savoie said Mass here and preached a mission.
It would be nearly two more decades, however, before the handful of Catholics living in the Essex area would have a church of their own. By 1883, Catholics in Essex were meeting regularly and having Mass said in local buildings where ever there was space. On July 7th, 1884, Father Francis Yvinec secured the lot which would eventually become the site of Holy Family Church.
By 1892, the Catholics in Essex succeeded in getting support for the construction of their own church and on November 30th, 1893, the cornerstone was blessed. Mass was first celebrated in the completed church on Christmas Day, 1893.
St. Lawrence - the Martyr Parish was formed in March of 1966 by his Excellency, Robert F. Joyce, D.D., Bishop of Burlington. It was officially formed on March 18th with the appointment of the Rev. Vincent B. Maloney, S.S.E. as its pastor. Because of the rapid growth of Essex Junction and the increased number of Catholics coming into the area, Holy Family Church, which had served the Catholic population since 1893, could no longer meet the increased demands placed upon it.
Even before the inception of the new parish, the necessity for expansion had been foreseen, and over six acres of land on West Street had been purchased, by the diocese in 1965, from Robert Whitcomb as a site for a future Catholic Church.
The new parish of St. Lawrence was composed of three contiguous areas; the former Ethan Allen area, the St. Michael’s College area, and the Fanny Allen Hospital area. In addition, a portion of the parent parish, Holy Family, also became a part of St. Lawrence parish. The first Mass was said on Sunday, March 20, 1966, using Hiawatha School Auditorium as a temporary facility with 393 parishioners in attendance.
The solemn blessing and dedication of St. Lawrence Church took place on June 20, 1971 and was officiated by Bishop Joyce. The dedication, hard work, community spirit, and sacrifices had transformed a wooded lot into an edifice to serve Essex Junction for years to come.