The newest historical marker in Brazos County, which will be dedicated Sunday afternoon, is at Santa Teresa Catholic Church in Bryan.
Church member Dorothy Hernandez…who spent two years to get the marker…says Father Frank Urbanosky…also known as Padre Panchito…organized the worshippers and received permission to build what became the first church for the local Hispanic community.
Sunday’s program starts at four at the church, located west of downtown Bryan at 1212 Lucky Street…near the intersection of Highway 21 and William Joel Parkway.
Click below for comments from Dorothy Hernandez, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver:
News release from the Brazos County Historical Commission & Santa Teresa Catholic Church:
Santa Teresa Catholic Church and the Brazos County Historical Commission invite the public to a dedication ceremony for the newest Texas Historical Marker in Brazos County. It will be held
on Sunday, October 30th at 4:00 p.m., in front of the church at 1212 Lucky Street in Bryan.
Church and public officials will speak at the ceremony, which will be held within a few days of the 76th anniversary of the dedication of the original church building, on Nov. 1, 1940.
The roots of Santa Teresa go back over 10 years prior, to 1929.
The following text from the historical maker give a concise history of the church:
IN 1929, FATHER FRANK D. URBANOSKY, KNOWN AS PADRE PANCHITO, CAME TO BRYAN TO ASSIST THE PASTOR AT ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH. HE SOON BEGAN TO TRAVEL THE COUNTRYSIDE AND MINISTER TO THE MEXICAN AND MEXICAN AMERICANS LIVING IN BRYAN, SURROUNDING TOWNS AND SMALL, RURAL COMMUNITIES ALONG THE BRAZOS RIVER, WHERE THEY WORKED IN AGRICULTURE, RAILROADS AND SERVICE JOBS AT A&M COLLEGE.
FATHER URBANOSKY USED A TRAILER CHAPEL TO MINISTER TO THESE SETTLERS AND WITNESSED THE GROWING BAPTISMS OF MEXICAN CHILDREN AT ST. JOSEPH’S. REALIZING THE NEED FOR A PARISH IN 1934, HE ORGANIZED THE WORSHIPPERS AND OBTAINED APPROVAL FROM BISHOP REV. C.E. BYRNE OF THE DIOCESE OF GALVESTON TO BUILD A CHURCH, WHICH WAS DEDICATED AS THE FIRST CHURCH FOR THE HISPANIC CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ON NOVEMBER 1, 1940.
THE KEY FUNDRAISERS WERE THE MEN’S GROUP, SANTO NOMBRE SOCIETY, AND THE WOMEN’S GROUP, THE GUADALUPANAS. OTHER PRIESTS FROM THE FRANCISCAN ORDER FOLLOWED, AMONG THEM FATHER GUILLERMO BUADES, WHO SERVED FOR 29 YEARS. FATHER TOM FRANK ARRIVED IN 1978 AND CONTINUED THE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS OF FATHER BUADES TO BUILD A NEW CHURCH AS MEMBERSHIP GREW TO 400. IN 1979, THE NEW CHURCH BUILDING, ACROSS FROM THE ORIGINAL CHURCH, WAS DEDICATED TO SANTA TERESA.
THE CHURCH HOLDS MASS IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH, ORGANIZES CHOIRS, EDUCATION, YOUTH MINISTRIES AND BIBLE STUDY GROUPS AMONG MANY OTHER MINISTRIES. SANTA TERESA CATHOLIC CHURCH CONTINUES TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF THE PARISHONERS.