Our C at/10/ic IIeritagc in Texas
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offered a complete course of instruction from the elementary grades through the high school. A builder like Bishop Schuler, he put up in three years Sacred Heart Church at Breckenridge, St. Francis Xavier Church at Eastland, and a mission at Pioneer. This church became the first in the United States to be dedicated to the Little Flower of Lisieux before her canonization. Tireless in his efforts, he next built a parochial school for Mexicans in Ranger in 1924, and a rectory in Breckenridge the next year. It was in this year that he was made dean of-the Colorado River Deanery and consultor of the Diocese of Dallas. While in Ranger Father Gerken was appointed Bishop of Amarillo. The appointment came as a distinct surprise to the enthusiastic parish priest. Seven months later he went to Dallas for his consecration. Bishop Lynch was proud to consecrate the new bishop of Amarillo in the Sacred Heart, where ten years before the young prelate had been ordained. The ceremony took place on April 26, 1927. Bishop Lynch was assisted in the consecration by Bishops Christopher E. Byrne of Galveston and Francis C. Kelley of Oklahoma. Archbishop Drossaerts delivered the sermon in the presence of many distinguished guests.Ioo Bishop Gerken left the next day in a private railroad car which had been placed at his disposal by F. E. Clarity, vice-president and general manager of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway Company. The formal installation took place on April 28, 1927, in the Sacred Heart Cathedral church in Amarillo.IoI At the time of his installation there were 13 diocesan and 12 religious priests. Of the 44 churches in the diocese 19 had resident priests while the others were visited as missions. There were in addition to the churches and missions 31 stations and 5 chapels in different institutions. Education had already made a good beginning, there being 9 parochial schools and 3 academies with a total of 1,545 students. There were also 2 hospitals and 2 nurses' training schools. The total Catholic population was estimated at 19,450. Six years later, when Bishop Gerken was appointed Archbishop of Santa Fe on October 2, 1933, there were 24 diocesan and 13 religious priests, showing a gain of 12 priests. The churches, too, had increased from 44 to 58, and there were 33 stations where 31 had stood before. There were now 10 parochial schools, 1 boys' institute, and 3 academies, but the total enrollment had fallen from 1,545 to 1,373. There were now 1 "°Tne Southern Messenger, April 28 and May 5, 1927. 101 /bid., May 5, x 927.
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