75-year-old Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Layton has interesting story behind its name

Tuesday, Apr. 18, 2023

Michael Courtney

Diocese of Salt Lake City Archivist

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of Saint Rose of Lima Parish in Layton. 

With the anniversary of any parish, one often-asked question is: How did the parish get its name? In this case, how Utah’s St. Rose of Lima Parish came to be named after the patron saint of Peru is a fascinating story.

In July 1945, James B.M. McNally, an associate justice of the Appellate Division of the State of New York Supreme Court, wrote a letter to the League of Paulist Fathers, informing them of his “desire to make a formal offer to finance the building of a Roman Catholic Church in any diocese that the League sees fit, the cost not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000).”

Three stipulations accompanied the bequest: the church was to be known as St. Rose’s, in honor of McNally’s mother; 2) a plaque was to be placed in a suitable position, stating that the church was erected by the judge in memory of his parents, Michael J. McNally and Rose Hanly McNally, and his sister, Marguerite McNally; and 3) the church was to be built in accordance with plans and specifications made by Ware and McClenahan Architects.

The man making the donation to the Paulist Fathers, James B.M. McNally, was born on April 5, 1896 in Jersey City, N.J. He earned his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University, New York City in 1917 and his law degree from Fordham Law School. 

During World War I, he served in the Army. After the war, McNally worked as a trial lawyer in New York City and was a founding member of St. John University’s School of Law faculty, a position he held from 1925 through 1938. 

In 1943, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt appointed McNally United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. A year later, he won an election to the Supreme Court First Department. In 1957, New York Governor Averell Harriman named McNally a judge in the Appellate Division First Department, where he remained until his retirement in 1972. 

McNally’s most noted accomplishment was getting the motto “In God We Trust” displayed over the bench of every judge in the State of New York.

His letter regarding the building of a Catholic church was received by Fr. John Harney, CSP, then the superior general of the Paulist Fathers. Fr. Harney forwarded it for consideration to the Most Rev. Duane G. Hunt, fifth Bishop of Salt Lake City, writing, “this gift, we think, should be enough to erect the church building proper. For its equipment enough may be collected from the people who will benefit thereby. If not, I think the Paulist League will be able to make a sizable donation for the purpose.”

Replying to Fr. Harney’s letter, Bishop Hunt wrote that the money would be put toward construction of a church in Bountiful, using the specifications drawn up by Ware and McClenahan, and it would be dedicated to St. Rose. 

In a subsequent letter to another Paulist priest, Bishop Hunt reconsidered his decision to build the church in Bountiful. He penned that after talking to Fr. Henry Stark, CSP, who followed Fr. Harney as the Paulist superior general.

In his letter to Fr. Stark, Bishop Hunt noted the “problems involved in our acceptance of the $5,000.00” and concluded, “For one thing, the condition that the new Church must be dedicated to St. Rose makes it difficult if not impossible for us to place the Church in Bountiful. The present Church was dedicated to St. Olaf, this being one of the conditions contained in the subsidy from the Extension Society. Moreover, even if I could change the name of the Saint, I would be reluctant to do so. There are distinct advantages in our keeping the present name.” 

Bishop Hunt continued, “it so happens … that the people of Layton have about $2,000.00 available. Also, an adequate lot can be obtained from the prominent Catholic family there. Because of these facts it seems to me that our new Church should be built in Layton.” 

And so, on April 11, 1948, Bishop Hunt dedicated the new church in Layton to Saint Rose of Lima, following Judge James B.M. McNally’s wish to have a church named after his mother Rose.