Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, June 7, 1974 Page: 1 of 12
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Gulf Coast Register/South Texas Catholic and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries.
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■
p
■ itmto —M
fnom the Bishop’s Desk
The Feast of Corpus Christi will be
observed throughout the United States, on
Sunday, June 16. The name of Corpus Christi
(Body of Christ) was not only given to our city
by a pious layman but it was also given by
Pope Pius X to our Diocese which extends
from Tivoli to Laredo and from Three Rivers
to Falfurrias.
i a special way, we will celebrate the
Feast of Corpus Christi here in the See City by
the blessing and dedication of the newly -
constructed Chapel, known as Blessed
Sacrament Chapel of Adoration adjacent to
the Bishop’s residence at 4105 Ocean Drive.
Open House will start at 11 a.m. and continue
until 4 in the afternoon when an outdoor
* concelebrated Mass will begin. The
concelebrants will be two visiting bishops,
Most Reverend Glennon P. Flavin of Lincoln,
Nebraska and Most Reverend Joseph A.
McNicholas of St. Louis, Missouri together
with the local Bishop.
At the conclusion of the Mass, the Blessed
Sacrament will be carried in procession and
Benediction will be given at two outdoor
altars in the rear garden attached to the
Chapel. A third and final Benediction in the
new Chapel will conclude the ceremonies and
will initiate the cloister of the Sisters who are
engaged in daily adoration of Jesus present in
the most Holy Eucharist.
In the outdoor procession will be 160 altar
I boys from 16 parishes who have promised to
attend. The Bishop also expects a good
number of religious, clergy and faithful from
each of the parishes and particularly those in
and around Corpus Christi.
There are those who ask what is the real
meaning of a special Chapel of Adoration and
why is it needed. A true and sincere
appreciation of a sense of values will give us
the answer. Most Americans are intent on
success in the material struggles in which
they find themselves enmeshed. It is often
noted that some become identified with a
genuine adoration and love of God only when
difficulties arrive and more often when
tragedy strikes. To make up for these
deficiencies, we find men and women who
1 learn to give more time to God than a hurried
daily prayer or a measured hour for Mass on
Sundays and holy days. These men ind
women, both religious and lay, make and
spend time in the presence of God to offer
prayers and sacrifices for the welfare of
mankind. By their withdrawal from the world
outside and total dedication to a hidden
cloistered life, Religious Women, such as the
Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters who conduct the
devotions in our Blessed Sacrament Chapel,
make up for the rest of us. At least one of their
members is kneeling from early morning
until late at night in front of the Blessed
Sacrament exposed on the Chapel altar and
her prayers and aspirations are to adore God
for what He is in Himself and to petition Him
for the needs of mankind. The Sisters take
turn in this program each hour of the day. The
laity, also are invited and urged by their
Bishop to spend at least one hour each week in
prayer at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
Truly it can be called a “powerhouse of
prayer.”
In addition, without the expense of dues,
members of the laity have an opportunity of
being part of the Confraternity of the Blessed
Sacrament whose purpose is to participate in
the corporate prayer and good works of the
entire group.
in tne early days of the Church it was
customary to reserve the sacred species,
following the celebration of Mass, in order to
bring Holy Communion to the sick and also to
distribute Holy Communion to persons
“outside of Mass.” Out of this grew an added
custom of "adoring the heavenly food which
is preserved in Churches. This practice of
adoration has a valid and firm foundation
especially since belief in the real presence of
the Lord has as its natural consequence the
external and public manifestation of that
belief.”
It is your Bishop’s earnest wish that we
make the forthcoming feast of our Diocese
one that will be worthy of our true devotion.
Our brothers and sisters of other
denominations are entitled to the benefits of
our prayers. Certainly they are included in
the daily rememberances, around the clock,
of our Adoration Sister. They, too, will be
pleased if our faithful will invite them to visit
the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. They, too,
may wish to kneel and pray there and surely,
they are welcome to do so.
Sisters Take Up Residence
At Blessed Sacrament Chapel
The Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters will move
into the Convent at the Blessed Sacrament
Chapel of Perpetual Adoration this weekend.
They have been using a temporary chapel and
p convent since 1971.
The Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters were
founded by Father Arnold Jansse, on
December 8, 1896, in Holland, to help the
missionaries by prayer and sacrifice and to
draw down God’s graces for the salvation of
souls. Mother Mary Michael was chosen by
him as Co-Foundress. She guided the
Congregation until her death in 1934.
From the very beginning perpetual
adoration was introduced into the young
Congregation. Before the Blessed Sacrament,
the visible sign of the Triune God’s love, the
the Sisters were to praise his goodness and
mercy unceasingly and to invite all to join in
> giving homage. The first branch house was
established in 1915 in Philadelphia, Pa., by
Archbishop Prendergast. There followed
establishments in Germany, the Philip-
pines, Holland and South America. In 1928 a
second foundation was made in the States, in
St. Louis, Missouri, and a third Convent was
opened in Austin, Texas, in 1958. The
Adoration Sisters came to the Diocese of
Corpus Christi on February 2, 1971, and since
then have been using the Bishop’s residence
as a temporary Chapel and Convent. With this
little Adoration Chapel the City of Corpus
Christi has given fuller meaning to its
significant and beautiful name. The Holy
Spirit Adoration Sisters endeavor to give
glory to Christ present in the Eucharist by a
life of faith-inspired contemplation and
grateful adoration, of steadfast prayer and
selfless service for the great interests of all
the People of God, especially for Friests and
for the missions. In September, 1973, a fifth
Adoration Convent was opened in Lincoln,
Nebraska.
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is nearing
completion. It was designed by Arlin Yeager,
architect, and constructed by O. J. Beck and
Sons, contractors. Bishop Thomas J. Drury
will dedicate the chapel on June 16, the Feast
of Corpus Christi.
A tabloid souvenir supplement is included
in this issue of the Texas Gulf Coast Catholic.
St.John's Celebrates
50th Anniversary
St. John Nepocumene Catholic Church,
Robstown, will celebrate the 50th Anniver-
sary of the establishment of the parish on
Sunday, June 9, 1974. Plans include a Mass at
11:00 A.M. in the Church, a barbecue dinner
a? the Nueces County Memorial Agriculture
Center Building with serving to start at noon,
a program at the Center at 1:30 P.M,, and a
dance in the evening at Community Hall with
music by the Pavelka orchestra, starting at
7:00 P.M.
Father George and the parishioners of St.
John Nepocumene are asking former
parishioners and friends to join with them in
this celebration. Tickets to the dinner may be
purchased at the door on Jane 9th. A dinner
ticket entitles the purchaser to attend the
dance in the evening at Community Hall.
The parish of St. John Nepocumene was
officially created in 1924. The purchase of the
old Methodist church building at the corner of
E. Avenue B and 2nd Street in Robstown was
purchased shortly thereafter as the parish
church. The parish was designated a Mission
of St. Cyril & Methodius Church in Corpus
Christi and served by that Church until 1934,
when the Rev. George S. Scecina, who
recently celebrated his 40th Anniversary as a
priest, was assigned as pastor.
While the creation Of the Parish of St. John
Nepocumene officially took place in 1924, the
history of the parish actually began in the
first decade of this century when several
families of Moravian Catholics made their
homes in this area. As a group they sought the
opportunity of attending divine services and
waited six years for a priest to minister to
their religious needs. In the year 1913, the
Rev. Joseph Klobouk arrived in Corpus
Christi, Texas, and the faithful members of
this group of Catholic families called upon
and asked Father Klobouk to look after their
spiritual welfare. Frank Prochaska, Sr. set
aside one room in his home to be used for
services and for the next two years it was
here that the Sacrifice of the Mass was
celebrated, at least once a month. In the year
1916 a small church was built on the
farm of Anton Fritz, Sr. on land donajted by
him for a church building. In that same year
the little edifice was completely destroyed by
a storm.
WASHINGTON (NC) — Father Robert
Sanchez, 40, who speaks Spanish fluently, has
been named new archbishop of Santa Fe,
N.M., which includes a large number of
Spanish-speaking Catholics.
He succeeds Archbishop James P. Davis,
70, who had headed that See for the past
decade.
The appointment by Pope Paul VI was
announced here by Msgr. Renzo Frana,
charge d’affaires of the apostolic delegation
in the United States.
Archbishop-designate Sanchez, pastor of
San Felipe de Neri Parish in Albuquerque,
N.M., was born March 20, 1934, in Socorro,
N.M. He was educated at parochial and public
schools there. He went to Immaculate Heart
seminary in Santa Fe and also earned
degrees at the Gregorian University in Rome
and at the Catholic University of America
here.
He served as an instructor-counselor at St.
Pius X high school in Albuquerque, as pastor
of several New Mexico parishes, and as
From that time until 1924 the members
were again without a church of their own.
They attended Mass in various communities
and on the visits of Father John Walsh, and
Father Cerny. With the creation of St. John
Nepocumene Parish the faithful were served
by a priest from St. Cyril & Methodius in
Corpus Christi. The Rev. Father Richard, the
Rev. Father Joseph Lebey and in 1930 the
Rev. Father F. J. Kasper, all in turn came to
Robstown to say Mass during this period.
Then in 1934 came Father George Scecina, a
newly ordained priest from the Diocese of
Indiana, his first assignment and that as a
pastor. The Rev. Scecina soon became
“Father George” to his parishioners and the
community. He traveled out of Corpus
Christi, often spending the night on a couch in
the Sacristy. In 1937 the new church building
was completed in the 600 Block of N. First
Street and dedicated on October 17, 1937, by
Bishop Ledvina. The rectory building was
completed one year later and "Father
George” finally had a “home”.
In 1944 property was purchased for a school
building and convent. The school was
completed in 1945 and St. John Parochial
School became a reality with the first class on
Mother Mary Antoinette Begley, 88, the
oldest member of the Sisters of the Incarnate
Word and Blessed Sacrament in Corpus
Christi, died at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, June 2, in
the convent.
Rosary was recited Monday, June 3, at 8:00
p.m. in the Incarnate Word Convent Chapel. A
Funeral Mass was celebrated at 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday in the chapel. The Most Rev.
Thomas J. Drury, bishop of the Diocese of
Corpus Christi, celebrated the Mass and gave
the final absolution. The Rev. Richard
Shirley, convent chaplain, delivered the
homily. Burial was in the Rose Hill Memorial
Park under the direction of Maxwell P. Dunne
Funeral Service.
Mother Antoinette was born Hannah Begley
on March 13, 1886, in Knocknagree, County
Cork, Ireland. She entered Incarnate Word
director of the Extension Lay Volunteers and
chairman of the Santa Fe Archdiocesan
Priests’ Personnel Board prior to his new
appointment.
Archbishop Davis had asked for and
received permission to retire for reasons of
health while he was in Rome last October. On
his return from Rome he said:
“I’m tired. I intend to return to pastoral
ministry in Arizona, if possible, the state
where I grew up.”
The archbishop pointed to the "quite
extraordinary” civil, political, and religious
development of New Mexico in the last
decade, adding that the archdiocese has kept
pace with the state.
Since coming to New Mexico from Puerto
Rico in 1964, Archbishop Davis has taken a
leading role in bringing the Catholic Church
into ecumenical programs. He voiced
pleasure at the growing lay participation in
the archdiocese, adding that women are
taking a more important role in Church
planning and programs.
February 4, 1946. Eighty-two children were
enrolled in 8 grades. By 1951 the school was
operating four buses, running a combined
total mileage in excess of 7,000 miles per
month. In the year 1963 Knights of Columbus
Council No. 3003 donated their lodge building
to the parish for use as a high school. St. John
High School operated at this location on
Hidalgo Street until 1971 when increasing
costs of operation and difficulty in obtaining
faculty personnel forced its closing. The high
school awarded in excess of 300 diplomas
during its life. A 12-grade school system for a
parish the size of St. John is a bright chapter
in the history of the parish.
St. John Church building was renovated in
1973. Heavy stained glass windows were
installed, carpeting put on the floor, new
lighting fixtures were added, a new public
address system installed, a runway
constructed on the south side of the church to
where a new door was installed, and many
other changes made. The old concrete apron
in front of the church and the sidewalks were
replaced. Today, in the 50th year of it's
existence, there are 200 registered
parishioners, 175 students in the parochial
school in eight grades, 3 teaching sisters and 5
lay teachers.
Mother .Mary Antoinette Begley, I.W.B.S.
Convent on December 6, 1901, She received
her religious habit on August 12, 1902, and
made her final profession of vows on March
12, 1904.
From 1907 until 1962, Mother Antoinette
served her community as a teacher and as an
administrator in many different positions. As
a teacher of mathematics and bookkeeping,
she taught 36 years, 13 in elementary school
and 23 in the high school. After serving as
assistant superior of the Order from 1921 until
1927, she was elected superior. In 1930 she was
again elected assistant superior. In 1938 she
was returned to the superior’s office which
she held until 1950. From 1915 until 1938 she
also served as principal of Incarnate Word
Academy, during which time the school
became affiliated with the State Department
of Education. Other positions she held at
various times included secretary for the
religious community, bookkeeper, treasurer,
directress of novices, and counselor.
She celebrated her golden jubilee of
profession of religious vows in 1954, and in
1964 when she celebrated her
diamond jubilee she received telegrams of
congratulations from Rep. John Young,
whom she had taught in elementary school,
and from the late President Lyndon Johnson.
In recognition of more than half a century of
devoted service as a teacher and superior of
her Congregation, His Holiness, Pope Paul VI
bestowed pn her the medal Pro Ecclesia et
Pontifice, February 2, 1969.
Among her survivors are one niece, Sister
Noreen Begley, and four grand-nieces, Sister
Margaret Patrice Bradley, Sister Christina
Bradley, Sister Marian Bradley, and Sister
Camelia Herlihy, all Sisters of the Incarnate
Word. Other survivors include many nieces
and nephews in New York, England, and
Ireland.
Pallbearers were S. P. Mireur, Michael
Mireur, Dan Meaney, Jay Robinson, Walton
McCarthy, and Charles Kaler.
Mother M.Antoinette Dies at 88
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and tke <zHo[y spirit <z$doxation <Sistexi
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o^ tke new HSCeiied Sacrament CkapeC
and to participate in tke
doncetekxated dl/\aii. and doxpui dkxiiti YRxocei.i.ion
on Sunday, Q.une sixteenth, at 4.IO5 Ocean [drive
Convent Open czHouie Cexemoniei YE>eyin
IV.OOa.m. to 3:OOp.m. at 4:00p.m.
V.
New Archbishop
Named For Santa Fe
texas gulf coast
CATHOLIC
Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Corpus Christi
Vol. X No* 6__Friday, June 7, 1974 ^
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Pena, Raymond. Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, June 7, 1974, newspaper, June 7, 1974; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth835486/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .