History of the oldest Catholic
Church
in Bryan/College Station.
Church services for Catholics in Brazos
County
began well over a century ago when traveling priests from the Diocese
of Galveston began visiting the area. Beginning in 1860, Mass was
offered in private homes
at various locations around the county.
Millican was the terminus for the railroad from 1860 to 1866 - a center
for trade, and the home of a Catholic Church. By 1869 Millican had a
residential priest, a young Frenchman from Lyon, France who was
ordained on 21 December 1867 by Bishop Dubuis at St. Mary's Cathedral
in Galveston. Father Bussant was only 22 years old when ordained and
his first assignment was at Hidalgo Prairie in Washington County. He
moved north to Millican where he remained five years, then moved still
further north to Hearne.
In 1866 the railroad reached Bryan, bringing increased trade activity
to this area. A church building was erected in 1871 but was soon
destroyed by fire and not rebuilt. Mass was celebrated in a store
building until a site for a new parish could be found.
An outbreak of yellow fever in Galveston led to the migration into the
country of several young seminarians studying for the priesthood. The
influx of these students plus the continued rapid growth of Catholic
families in the area led to the founding of St. Joseph Parish of Bryan
in 1873. Father C. Clair, born 15 January 1845 at Roanne, Loirs, France
and ordained a priest at St. Mary's Cathedral in Galveston by Bishop
Dubuis on 17 December 1870, was the first full time pastor. He
established residence at St. Joseph in 1877. Mass was still celebrated
in area homes, however, until 1878 when the new parish dedicated its
first church, a remodeled two-story public school building, on one city
block. During this time Father Clair also took care of Millican, which
now is a mission.
The same block of land where St. Joseph's Church stands today,
purchased originally for $500, was the site for this first church
building. It was succeeded by a new frame-structure church in 1904; the
year Father J. B. Gleissner was appointed pastor. Father Gleissner was
born 31 October 1865 in a little town in Bavaria, Germany on the Mein
and was christened John Baptist. He was ordained a priest at St. Mary's
Cathedral in Galveston by Most Reverend
N. A. Gallagher. Later elevated to Monsignor, Father Gleissner served
the
catholic community of Brazos County and Texas A & M University for
49
years, from 1904 - 1953.
Education was viewed as a high priority in the developing Catholic
community and accordingly, the first parochial school was established
at St. Joseph's in 1894 under the leadership of Father Joseph Pelnar,
pastor. Six years later in 1901 the Villa Maria Academy was moved to
Bryan following a Galveston hurricane. The Ursuline Sisters were in
charge of the school. The Villa Maria Convent was built on St. Ursula's
Hill, a mile northeast of St. Joseph. In 1926 Villa Maria Academy was
closed after 25 years in Bryan, and the Sisters
of the Incarnate Word of Houston succeeded the Ursuline Sisters as
teachers
at St. Joseph's Parochial School. Meanwhile, at St. Joseph's parish,
the
influx of many new Catholic families highlighted the need for
additional classrooms to
the parochial school and for the building of a new church. The present
structure
at the intersection of East 26th Street and Preston was
dedicated
in 1960.
In the 1870's, a substantial number of Italian families entered the
area, actively participating in St. Joseph's Parish until a new parish
was
created in 1896 named St. Anthony's. In 1926, Father Gleissner
constructed
and dedicated St. Mary's Chapel for Catholic Aggies, which remained a
Mission of St. Joseph's Parish until the 1960's. In 1940, the Hispanic
community formed St. Theresa Church. From 1942 - 1960, African American
parishioners formed Immaculate Conception Church in Bryan. In 1980, the
families of Catholics
in College Station formed St. Thomas Aquinas Parish.
St. Joseph's Parish continues to grow and expand. The school expanded
with additional classroom space in 1985 when the two portable buildings
for four additional classes were constructed. In 1988, the two-story
addition of four classrooms was completed.
The number of parish organizations now exceeds the number of those
earlier settlers who first assembled for Mass in 1871. In terms of
numbers, St. Joseph's Parish has over 1800 registered families. Because
of the need for additional space for meetings, classrooms, and various
activities, ground was broken in June 1988 for a Parish Activity
Center, which was completed in February 1989.
The most striking feature in St. Joseph Parish's long history is the
fact that it has survived so many difficulties. It is a testament to
God's care and blessings and the dedication and determination of
faithful parishioners.
St. Joseph Parish has grown from a little frontier mission to a large,
urban parish with a church that stands tall and beautiful on the exact
bend in the road where the little Church once stood, modest and hopeful.
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