The first Mass at Saint Edward Catholic Church was held in a public school cafeteria. Imagine just a suitcase of altar cloths candles and vestments. That’s how humble the beginnings of Saint Edward Catholic Church in Dallas were.
Saint Edward Catholic Church wasn’t always the beautiful building we see today. It began in 1968 with about 30 families. Rev Eugene Francis of St John the Baptist Church in Hungerford Texas had the task of establishing this new parish. Sunday Masses were initially held in various homes.
Eventually they moved to Spring Elementary School. The first Mass there was in the fall of 1969. Few people knew about this makeshift church at first. But word spread. The congregation grew. By November 2 1969 they published their first bulletin. It included a parish census. Around 74 families responded.
In 1971 they purchased a beautiful wooded site. The church building we know today wasn’t built until much later. It opened in 2004. But in 1976 the first St Edward the Confessor Church was blessed. Bishop John L Morkovsky presided. Fr Eugene Francis was there. It was a memorable day for parishioners. Their dream of building their own church had been realized.
Fr Francis was the pastor from 1969 to 1981. He was followed by Fr Herndel and then Msgr Al Doga. Msgr Doga bought more land. He built a junior high school a playground a sports field a new rectory and parish offices. He died in 1999. Fr Joseph Gietl became pastor in 2000.
Fr Gietl led the effort to build a new Saint Edward Catholic Church. Archbishop Daniel DiNardo celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony in 2004. A volunteer building committee worked tirelessly. Nearly a year later the new church was finished. The last Mass in the old church was held in the morning. That evening there was a procession to the new church. It was the first night of winter. The liturgy began with Ave Maria. Nearly 800 people attended the first Mass in the new church. On Christmas Eve almost 2000 worshippers were there. It was standing room only.
So here we stand today before the magnificent Saint Edward Catholic Church. It’s a testament to faith perseverance and the dedication of a community. Let’s take a moment to appreciate this beautiful church and its rich history.