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When Bishop Carmody arrived in the Diocese of Corpus Christi he saw a pressing need in ministering to the Catholics of the Southside of Corpus Christi. The parishes of Most Precious Blood and St. Philip the Apostle had begun to experience a surge in growth because of the recent boom in that part of the city. Most Precious Blood Parish on Saratoga Blvd. had started seeing overcrowding and the future projections saw even larger growth.
In 2001 Bishop Carmody, in The Most Reverend Edmond Carmody, D.D.responding to the needs of the rapidly growing area, founded the new mission of Most Precious Blood Church and named it St. John the Baptist Mission. With the help of the Kenedy Memorial Foundation, land was purchased on the corner of Yorktown Blvd and Everhart Road. Fr. Bob Dunn, pastor of Most Precious Blood was charged with getting the future parish off the ground and underway. (Read the South Texas Catholic story on the future parish) The parish began meeting for the celebration of Mass and other activities next door to the Circle K on the corner of Yorktown and Everhart.
On Palm Sunday, March 23, 2002, Bishop Carmody celebrated an outdoor Mass on the property and presided over the ground breaking ceremony for the new multipurpose facility that would serve the future parish.
On December 20, 2003 Bishop Carmody established and canonically erected the ecclesiastical parish of St. John the Baptist and dedicated it’s new multipurpose facility. Fr. Rafal Dopierala was appointed as the administrator of the new parish.
On March 23, 2004 Bishop Carmody appointed Fr. Paul A. Hesse as the parish’s first pastor and Fr. Rodolfo D. Vásquez as the parish's first parochial vicar. Currently, Fr. John J. Forbus is serving as the parish's parochial vicar.
Immediately the parish began working on growth and building the parish family. In the Summer of 2004 the parish acquired temporary buildings to house the parish's religious education program and provide much needed space for the growing parish. All look forward to the eventual construction of the new parish church.
On December 12, 2004 Bishop Carmody on a pastoral visit to the parish dedicated the parish's new temporary Catechetical center. The portable buildings acquired were renovated by many parish volunteers.
At the present time, the parish is pursuing the purchase of an additional temporary building to augment classroom space for our growing religious education program. Also, we have begun the process of reviewing our master plan for the future.
Fr. Paul Hesse |
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