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History of SPX - 1960's
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We started off 1960 in very good spirits. The nuns were completely moved into their expanded convent building. This building eventually became our first Day Care facility before being torn down for our beautiful Communion Hall building. Father William F. Moran was assigned to the parish as an assistant pastor.
We continued to grow and in 1961, numbered 1100 families. Wow!
St. Pius X became the first parish in the Diocese to exceed its goal in the Diocesan Educational Fund Campaign. The parish contributed $172,000 to help in the building of Bishop Lynch and Bishop Dunne High Schools.
The foundation is being prepared.
Meanwhile, our own school
continued to grow with the
completion of a $58,994 stand
alone building with six classrooms,
two offices and two bathrooms.
The architect for the building is Al Salem.
The completed building!
In March of 1961 our parish and pastor were honored by the elevation of Father Weinzaphel to the office of Papal Chamberlain and he became Monsignor Weinzapfel.
Another honor was the fact that a couple from St. Pius X volunteered to become the first papal volunteers from the diocese to go to Latin America as lay missionaries. Jim and Pat Speak made a three year commitment and were sponsored by the parish.
In January of 1963, the Pilgrim Virgin Program began with a statue of Our Lady of Fatima sent from Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica in Chicago. Parishioners move the statue to a different home each Saturday. For one week it becomes the center of devotion to the Rosary.
Parting time came again in 1963 when Father Moran was replaced by Father George Curtsinger. Father Charles B. King with us since 1958 moved from the status of assistant pastor to chaplain at Bishop Lynch High School with residence at St. Pius X. From July through August we were fortunate to have Fr. Michael Irwin as a visiting priest to help during the summer. And our history is not always about parting. One of the most endearing individuals at St. Pius X was our maintenance manager, Sam Shelby. Sam was known for the cigars he smoked which always seemed to be just a stub. He also thrilled the kids at recess with his football punting skill. It seemed like a rocket ship taking off to the kids. Sam stayed with St. Pius X for many years and died on December 10th of 2004. He is buried in the Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery.
By 1964 we were 1,250 families, and a new assistant pastor, Father Bob Thames, arrived to help minister to our growing population. Jim and Pat Speak returned after three years in Bolivia, and a new parish outreach, Operation Otomi, linked our parish with the Otomi Indian villages in Mexico's Valle de Mezquital. For four years, parish families and teenagers made a 30-hour trek by bus to work among the Otomi during Holy Week and the summer months. In return, the Mexican CFM, sponsors of the project, sent their own young people and families to Dallas to work among the Spanish-speaking. Many deep and lasting friendships were made.
In 1965, Father Patrick Lynch was assigned as assistant pastor.
In August 1965, Sister Mary Attracta was named principal of St. Pius X School, replacing Sister Mary Eulalia. Sister Mary Laurence became Superior of St. Pius X Convent. Sister Attracta is shown in the photo to the side with lynchpins of the parish, school secretary Betty Jennings (standing) and church secretary/ invaluable aide to Monsignor Weinzapfel Martha Jo Kerr.
In 1966 we were blessed with the assignment of Father Anthony Monaldi. Sadly, cancer took Father Monaldi from us after two short years. In that time a bond of affection grew between him and the parishioners that even death could not break. Also this year Father Michael McLane replaced Father Lynch.
The dream of the first 192 families was beginning to come true. The "invisible" image they had seen in the muddy cotton field had become a reality. Growth had been tremendous and the church auditorium was packed each Sunday. The parishioners realized that two things were lacking: a new church and a new rectory.
In typical St. Pius X fashion, the decision about how large and how expensive a church should be built was made in 1966 by the congregation. Monsignor Weinzapfel asked all the members of the parish to vote on the amount that should be spent on a church and rectory. They decided on $800,000. Bishop Gorman gave his approval to the planning process and a building committee was appointed to select an architect and follow through on construction of the new buildings.
The renowned Dallas architectural firm of George Dahl was selected by the committee. The primary designer of the church is John Barthel . Click here for some thoughts on the project by John Barthel or here for his obituary. Preliminary plans for the church and new rectory were posted in the cafeteria so that the parishioners could see for themselves and offer suggestions.
Bishop Gorman broke ground for the new church and rectory on March 7, 1967. Pictured with the Bishop are Tony Roffino and Msgr. Weinzapfel. Two days later, Father Henry Drozd was assigned to the parish to replace Father Robert Thames.
The first parish council was elected that year by parish-wide vote. The twelve men elected, referred to by Monsignor Weinzapfel as the twelve apostles, were to evolve into the present parish council.
By 1968 we had 1510 families. Father McLane was replaced by Father Gerald Priest and in August, Sister Mary Roseanne replaced Sister Mary Laurence as Superior of the convent.
There on the hilltop the new church was materializing . When the laminated roof beams were put into place by a crane, one parishioner observed that it looked like Noah's Ark under construction--upside down.
1968 was another time of beginnings. The cornerstone was laid on May 26. The wedding of Jack and Susie Baker's son John was the first wedding Mass in the new Church on July 20. On the next day, the full complement of Sunday Masses began. Bishop Gorman dedicated the completed new church on September 3, 1968, the feast of St. Pius X. Dignitaries from the city, the diocese and other neighborhood churches all participated in the joyful dedication ceremonies.
The new Church helped solidify a pattern of participation from our parishioners. Not only did we have some great help from the leadership team during construction but we had great help from the many parishioners who provided financial support for specific items within the church. The following is a list of those that provided additional general or specific financial support.
Main Altar Ladies Society Chapel Altar Mr&Mrs Anthony Roffino Main Window Mr&Mrs George McIngvale Outside Cross Mr&Mrs Charles Roffino Grotto Mr&Mrs Bill Barrett Altar Crucifix Mr&Mrs Robert Hames Baptismal Mr&Mrs J.M Weinzapfel Tabernacle Mr&Mrs. Frank Rudolph PA System Mr&Mrs Raymond Mehan Church Sign Mr&Mrs Tom Greenan Ushers Cabinet Mr&Mrs Virgil Zipper Rose Windows Mr&Mrs Ben Nieswiadomy
Mr&Mrs Nat ComewellSide Windows Mrs William Raabe
Mr&Mrs John Nelka
Mr&Mrs Norbert MayerProcessional Cross Mr&Mrs Richard O'Malley Candlesticks Mr&Mrs Joe Benedetto Ciborium St Pius X Girl Scouts Special Memorials Mr&Mrs Norman Hughes Special Memorials Mr Jack Donlon Mr&Mrs Ben Tisinger Mr&Mrs Graham Kleckner Mr&Mrs Ray Stewart Mr&Mrs Phillip Tobin Mr&Mrs Bill Spencer Mr&Mrs Ray Landers Mr&Mrs Bob Farquharson Mr&Mrs James Fowler Windows Windows Gold Donors Mr&Mrs Manuel Durant Silver Donors Mr&Mrs Jerry Petter Clara & Gertrude Shannahan Mr&Mrs Edmund Lynch Mr&Mrs Vaughn Chadbourne Mr&Mrs John O'Brien Bronze Donors Mr&Mrs Frank Bush Bronze Donors Mr&Mrs Archy Roper Miss Juanita Isaacs Mr&Mrs John Taylor Mr Lawrence Crick Mrs Frances Vallone Mr&Mrs Andrew Prunella Mrs Theresa Doughty
With the completion of the church and rectory there was
no longer a need for a separate house for the priests. So 2736 San Vicente which was used as the rectory was sold in April of 1968. Our physical plant continued to grow to meet the needs of our parishioners. By the end of 1968 our property had a completely new look. This picture gives some idea of the development that took place over the 14 years since the parish was founded.
Closing out the decade, we bade a fond farewell to retiring Bishop T.K. Gorman, a man that meant so much for St. Pius X and did so much for the Diocese of Dallas. Bishop Gorman was a true visionary and a man for his times, dying on August 16, 1980. Bishop Thomas Tschoepe was named to succeed him and Dallas was blessed with another very fine bishop.