History - Page 3

Ground was broken for the new church by Monsignor Pokluda on February 24, 1941,

on the feast of Mathias the Apostle. The weather was cold and wet that day so only the

groundbreaking ceremony was held. On Ash Wednesday, digging resumed for the

foundation of the church. The men of the parish volunteered word and dug the foundations,

hauled gravel and mixed concrete for the church and rectory.

The architect for the new church was John G. Becker and the contractor was C.S. Mills.

The cornerstone of the new church was blessed on April 6, 1941, with around 300 people attending the occasion. Officiating at the cornerstone laying services were Monsignor Pokluda, Father Charles Knapp from St. Josephs parish in Rowena, Reverend G.A. Boeckman from St. Boniface in Olfen and Reverend Bartholomew O’Brien, chaplain of St. John’s Hospital of San Angelo. On January 22, 1941 Bishop Lucey had been appointed the Archbishop of the Province of San Antonio and the Amarillo diocese was vacant. Monsignor Pokluda was appointed Administrator during the interim until Most Reverend Laurence J. Fitzsimmons, D.D. took office as bishop on November 5, 1941.

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