St. Pius X History Page

History
1980 to 1989

Priest/Deacon/Ordination History Picture Archive Founding Members

Reflections on our Parish Community

Once again in 1980, our parish boundaries were altered. St. Michael the Archangel Parish was established in Garland.

Many events marked the next few years of our parish community. Father Bradley left in 1980 to be replaced by Father Robert Cox. In 1981, Father Sean C. Martin replaced Father Leonard.

Brick and mortar expansion continued in 1981. Work began on a new Parish Center which includes a regulation size gymnasium with seating for over 700, facilities for scouts, classrooms, kitchen facilities, and a variety of meeting rooms. The Parish Center was dedicated August 29, 1982 by Bishop Tschoepe.

St. Pius X is the proud owner of an outstanding Nativity Scene that is displayed each Christmas season. How St. Pius acquired this collection epitomizes the thoughtfulness of our parishioners.

There was a large eight-story building in downtown Dallas known as Sanger Brothers Department Store which was located in the present El Centro College location. The store was owned by Isaac Sanger who was joined by his brothers in the early 1900s. Each Christmas the store’s two corner wrap-around windows featured an animated Santa and his elves scene on Main and Lamar, and the other window on Elm and Lamar displayed a life-size Nativity Scene.

Goffredo Moroder was the artist commissioned by Mr. Sanger in the early 1930's to render this Nativity scene in fourteen life-sized figures. He lived in Orlisei-Val Gardena, a tiny Tyrolean village near the Italian Swiss Alps. Each figure is carved from a solid block of pinewood and stained with fine oil colors. A single male figure weighs from 200-300 pounds and takes two-three months to carve.

When Sanger Brothers merged with A. Harris in 1961, the Nativity scene was relegated to the sub-basement of Sanger Harris before eventually being moved to a more climate controlled location where it stayed for several years. During that period of time, Frank Kickirillo who worked in Sangers’ Display Department, and his son, Jack, watched over the figures, and oiled them several times each year to help preserve them while in storage. St. Pius X Parish acquired the scene in March of 1987. It was donated in memory of our parishioners, Frank and Flo Kickirillo, at the request of Beverly Olson who was in charge of the Display Department at Sangers. Pastor Msgr. Thomas Weinzapfel accepted the gift in the name of the parish. The Kickerillo’s are cousins to our Roffino Family and one of the first deacons in the diocese was our own Tony Roffino. Jack Kickirillo, a 1969 graduate of St. Pius X School, brought the figures to St. Pius in 1989.

Parishioner Cindy Dewan used her talents with wood and painting to restore the figures to their original beauty. The Nativity has been used in our church continuously since the restoration. Maintaining the pieces is an on-going project and the talents of parishioner volunteers to help in this area is appreciated.

Father Cox left in 1982 and was replaced by Father Robert Crisp who returned to St. Pius X for a second time. Once is never enough. In 1983, Father Sean Martin was reassigned and was replaced by Father Arthur Mallinson.

Father Crisp was reassigned in 1984 and Father Mallinson was reassigned in 1985. Monsignor Joseph Erbrick, who had served as pastor and in many special ministries for the Diocese of Dallas came to St. Pius in 1984 and served the St. Pius community until his untimely death in 1996. Father Jacob Angadiath (right) came from India to St. Pius in 1984. Fr. Jacob took special delight in altar server training before becoming pastor of the St. Thomas community of Syro-Malabar Catholics. St. Pius was thrilled to learn of Fr. Jacob's elevation to Bishop in July 2001.

Both the priests and the entire parish have been blessed with the arrival of Fr. John Gambro, O.P. to our campus. Fr. Gambro began spending his summers at St. Pius X to enable the resident priests to take much needed vacations. Long time friends and former students could also enjoy the preaching of the former Bishop Lynch High School Dean of Students.

Father Jose Saldana was assigned to St. Pius X for a very short 5 months in 1985.

The Parish Prayer Groups continued to flourish with leadership provided by Victor Schell and Dean and Jan Perkins. Under the direction of Andrien Farquharson, the Office of Evangelization is located in the Spiritual Life Center. Through this ministry, a Healing Mass has been held on the first Tuesday of each month for over a decade.

Among the new and active groups in the parish are the Over 55 Club and the Ladies Mature Singles. Also active are the St. Pius Singles for the 21-35 year old group. For young people, the Youth Ministry, flourished under the direction of long-time directors Bill and Jeanne Jakubowski. The parish also sponsored the Engaged Couple Sponsor Program for those preparing for marriage, the Couple to Couple League, and the Pro Life League.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Program in St. Plus X was begun by Deacon Steve Landregan and continued by Deacon David Leersson. Mary Hoefer served for many years as Director of this ministry.

Since the beginning of the parish, we have had the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Program (CCD) for students attending public schools in grades 1 through 12. It was directed by Virginia and Bob Hemmi for more than 20 years.

In 1985, the Sisters of the Holy Ghost gave up the administration of St. Pius X School. The first lay principal was Linda Clervi.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was established in the parish in 1985 to care for those in need within our parish boundaries. Deacon George Zacek served as the original Spiritual Advisor. Darwin Hutchison was the conference's first president.

In 1987, Farmer Martin Brown, a longtime good neighbor of the parish died. His famous garden became a new parking lot and his home, the "Brownhouse", became another facility for the growing number of parish activities.

In 1987 Mr. Ron Accomando became the second lay principal of the school. Ron had great vision and was instrumental in the construction of the Media Center.

On May 28, 1988, Father Michael Dugan, whose family are longtime parishioners, was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Tschoepe here at St. Pius X. Father Page Polk, who moved into the parish in 1970, was ordained for the Franciscan Order on June 28, 1986.

After 35 years in Maryknoll Missions, Fr. Denis O'Brien came to St. Pius in 1988 as a priest in residence in order to recuperate from surgery. That short recuperative period turned into 14 years. Fr. O'Brien stayed with us until his death on August 29 of 2002.

In May of 1989, parishioner, Randy Martin, was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Tyler.