Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 26, Ed. 1 Friday, November 8, 1974 Page: 6 of 6
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TEXAS GULF COAST CATHOLIC
Friday. November H. 1974
i
Monsignor Kasper’s
Golden Jubilee
In front of the Church he built
He drives his own car
1924 - 1974
Monsignor Francis J. Kas-
per was born in Budapest,
Hungary on May 6, 18%. He
came to the United States in
J899, attended Our L.idy Help
of Christians Elementary
School in Philadelphia, Penn-
s> Ivania.
As a child, he grew up in a
multi-lingual neighborhood in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania —
where Polish, Lithuanian,
German, Italian, Hungarian,
and English were freely
spoken, thus establishing
Monsignor’s penchant for
languages which he was to
develop so brilliantly during
the yi-.jrs of his academic
training, and later on in the
ministry.
Pontifical College
He entered the Pontifical
College Josephinum, in
Columbus, Ohio, at the age of
15, and complete his Liberal
Arts training at St. Mary's in
La Porte, Texas, where he
subsequently taught physics
and Greek, while attending
lectures m philosophy and
theology.
Monsignor Kasper was
ordained at SI Mary’s of the
Woods, West Terra Haute, on
December a, 1924.
Many Skills
During his student days, the
young Frank Kasper was an
enthusiastic athlete d
gymnist. Up to the present his
skill in the use of the solid, six-
pound Indian clubs is quite
expert. An a< ci mplished
musician, he played drums in
the Seminary Band, and
performed creditably on other
instruments as well. He is
frequently guest drummer
with the Majek Brothers
Band, at Moravian Hall,
As an indication of his drive
to experience life, on as many
points as possible, he worked
during one summer vacation
as a soft-coal miner in
Western Pennsylvania, and
narrowly escaped with his life
from a mine explosion. It was
also during his sludenl days
that he look flying lessons and
became, one of the very few
licensed pilots among the
clergy of the United States. He
continued to fly until recently.
Before taking the sub-
diaconate. he returned to live
in Philadelphia during a
period of decline in his
parents' business fortunes,
and he aided them by taking
teaching positions in
Philadelphia and North
Carolina.
The family crisis over, he
enrolled at St. Meinrad’s
seminary in Indiana, and
completed his studio for the
priesthood. He was ordained
for the Diocese of Corpus
Christi on December 8, 1924.
Conies to Texas
On January 6, .1926, the
newly ordained Father
Kasper took over his first
parish. St. John of the Cross in
Orange Grove. He describes
his arrival, "It took me three
hours to find the person with
the key to the rectory. The
rectory had one chair, a table,
bed and woodstove; and a
four-foot Texas rattler oc-
cupied the bed before I did."
Within two weeks of his
arrival he ‘ succeeded in
talking a Mr. Wilson into
giving us his ranch — barn,
tower and all. I found a
church-bell in a barn in Alice,
put it on my converted barn-
church. For less than $50, I
moved this so-called church
across plowed fields, with the
help of six jackasses and Mrs.
Sender’s telegraph poles."
Later, he served Falfurrias
and its three missions, built a
rectory in .Alice, and finally in
With children at Ss. Cyril &
Methodius Seined
1930 took over the St. Boniface
parish on Agnes ST; ,
Corpus Christi. Within a yea ,
this parish which was to serve
the Bohemian people had its
patrnnal title changed to Sts.
Cyril and Methodius.
Monsignor Kasper recalls
these d iys, "without Sisters or
assistants," when he offered
Holy Mass at Corpus Christi,
Robstown, and Agua Dulce,
preaching at all Masses,
baptizing and catechizing
afterwards, and blessing
graves. “I usually returned to
Corpus Chriti at 3 p.m. or later
on Sundays; no breakfast, no
dinner — fasting from mid-
night — with a terrific thirst.”
Builds Church
Later, Father Kasper
relocated Sts. Cyril and
Methodius par ... at Padre
Island Drive and Kostoryz. He
built the present church,
school for over 500 children
convent, and rectory. Ir
recent years, he redecoratee
and air-conditioned thi
church, and remodeled thi
sanctuary.
L is ivitimated that Mon-
signor Kafper built some ten
churches to serve all the
parishes and missions where
he worked. His linguistic
ability served him well in the
confessional during his 50
years in the pastoral ministry.
Besides English and Spanish,
he has a working knowledge of
Italian, German, French, and
all the Slavonic languages.
He has also made himself
ready and willing to offer
public Masses where his
services are needed. H'
leisure time afforded by his
retirement is occupied with
his favorite hobbies — the
study of Hebrew and
aerodynamics.
The Texas Gulif Coast
Catholic congratulates Msgr.
Francis J. Kasper on his 50th
Anniversary.
NOVEMBER 1 0 74
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CONTKIHUTt TO
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FVElOl'MfNT!
ROOSAM
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'Cf-'OtWSTATT WC
Introduction
7 O.m . Fri. - 4 p.r
Nov.
(ie«»t>ar.» -v./1 i r c F e e. * 4 ct *
of AM SainU
H-'y Day Ob/:yM‘. •»
9
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JBKSNOP FOI men
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Gvlf Catholic
Ch^nne 1 6 - 10 o,m,
Pilfjt ip*- -jpi ■ : f ... »
Father Chile
4
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Cz.ll.0lic Cha-illr.
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7-3 jj.m . - (173 No. ’.tzpit!
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Cotholic ChoFiirno' : M .. -
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Gulf Coo5» Catholic
Channel 6 - 10 a *-i.
C : fraternity of Christian O • ine
S'^er Nancy
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Catholic Charij/noiic t
Bletvea Sacrament £1 c••
Father Paul is ton
l0.r<*0 * TO**
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C C W " w:-*y
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11
12
Cotholic Chorifiei
Contumer Education F*
7-8 p.m. - 1123 No.
» * 4IJ :> * -> « a a r*:r o T a « «t ■* * ■> .> -» *
Calkif'c V irg
Cor pul C ' .»« *W»
13
14
Coltol'K. ClmrMp,
C oniunrre r / • D
7-B p.m. - i r. . S*... ’«\
C. v ' ll f. .
15
C ,Y .O . Coffee iHoute
Si. Pattick’s Parish Holl
7:30 - 10:00 p.m.
16
17
Gulf Coen* Catholic
Channel 6 - 10 o.m.
C . H . 0 - J . Foley
18
Covenant CelehrolJon for PJlgrimi
Vinton - SchoenstaH Shrine
19
Culhclit Choiiliev
7-6 p m I'.1) N»
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Cot!-. . C» - . .4
Lort^flo f i.- . v
20
21
Catholic Choiih'eJ
C*m—.• |4^i . ,
7-H pm - )1?3 No. Staple!
22
SCHOENSfATT WO
7rh 8. 8th Grar*
7:00 p.m. Fri. *hru
Nov. ?i
23
»kshc> Foi ioys
24
Cv*enant Sunday
Ta^ for Pilgrirm-2:30p.m.
C-evor«on with Benediction
3:00 p.m.
C VT - 7 00 2;30 F.r.
Vn , O r m
Cn>( vtj |w;i3.r.
CorpuiCSil ihoUc S< knc.li
- * ■»* P r C * j H a r 111 • ^
25
■
26
27
28
29
30
NOVEMBER
With Father Higgins* his successor
as pastor
Checking his mail at home
f SCHOOL ’ OFFICE
19
J^*"4**!*C
I
♦
He visits the recUtry often
iwashter
.THE PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL AGENCY
FOR YOU
arXAT Hrduu. C.P.CU
HU MAIM
iiMr
U*OV mi
(jbnte* insurance agency, me.
i*q onuwcn sro *01 n shoreline
IXAi. 41? DM till COOPUS CHRIST! TEXAS /M03
I
I
Butter Krust
Nov. 10 —- Sunday -— Take Home Barbecue from In-
carnate Word Academy Gymnasium Parking Lot —
Corner Angel Ave. & Austin St. -11 a.m. til 5p.m. - $1.75
plate. Benefit “Angels sketbali team - 3 con-
secutive years Texas Catholic Interscholastic League
Champions!!!
j
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t x.-TA.Vrv THitMi
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Pena, Raymond. Texas Gulf Coast Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 26, Ed. 1 Friday, November 8, 1974, newspaper, November 8, 1974; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth835744/m1/6/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .