History 1960 to 1969

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Reflections on our Parish Community
 

We started 1960 in good spirits.  The nuns were completely moved into their expanded convent building.  But there was another parting, as Father Kamel, our first assistant, was reassigned to the Chancery Office to become the secretary to the Bishop.  This was not the last we would see of Father Kamel.  He played an important part later in this decade helping with the administration of contracts to build our new church.  Father Hugh Reilly replaced Father Kamel and we also were assigned Father William F. Moran.  We continued to grow and in 1961, we numbered 1100 families.   Wow!

Foundation being prepared for the new classroom building.

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. 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!

Our parish community was honored that year by the elevation of Father Weinzapfel 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 in the parish with a statue of Our Lady of Fatima sent from Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica in Chicago. Men of the parish moved the statue to a different home each Saturday, where for one week it became the center of devotion to the Rosary. Since its founding in St. Pius X, the Pilgrim Virgin Program has expanded city-wide.

Parting time came again in 1963 when Father Moran was replaced by Father George Curtsinger, and Father King moved from the status of assistant pastor to chaplain at Bishop Lynch High School with residence at St. Pius X.  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 know by his cigars which always seemed to be a stub and kicking the football at recess for the kids.  Sam stayed with St. Pius X for many years. 

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 and in 1966 Fr. Lynch was replaced by Father Michael McLane.

In August 1965, Sister Mary Attracta was named principal of St. Pius X School, replacing Sister Mary Eulalia, and Sister Mary Laurence became Superior of St. Pius X Convent. Here we see Sr. Attracta with long time employees Martha Jo Kerr (seated) and Betty Jennings.

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.  However, 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 Dallas architecture firm of George Dahl was selected by the committee.  The primary designer of the church is John Barthel.  Preliminary plans for the church and new rectory were posted in the cafeteria as the buildings were drawn 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.

Our physical plant continued to grow to meet the needs of our parishioners.  By the end of 1968 this is how our property looked.

And then to close out the decade, we bade a fond farewell to retiring Bishop T.K. Gorman, a man that did so much for the diocese of Dallas.  Bishop Thomas Tschoepe was named to succeed him, Dallas was blessed with another very fine bishop.