Religious Cmmmmities of 1rfen in Texas
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706 Leal Street, which served as a school and chapel. A few years later the school was moved to a larger building in the same block and the original building continued to serve as the church. The Sisters of the Holy Ghost are in charge of the parish school. The first resident pastor was Reverend Walter Sullivan, S.S.J., who had previously served as Chaplain to Negro troops during World War II. 58 Our Mother of Mercy Parish for Negroes in Ames, Liberty County, Texas, and its missions cover an area approximately one thousand square miles. Interest in the scattered and neglected Colored Catholics in this vast area grew steadily until in August 1910, Father Michael Gumbelton, S.S.J., was assigned as the first resident pastor. He served until 1919 and through his constant endeavors succeeded in laying the foundations for cme of the most flourishing Negro parishes in the diocese. Outstanding J osephites served in this parish, such as Fathers John McKeever, S.S.J ., A. J. Fitzpatrick, S.S.J., W. J. Reichmeyer, S.S.J., Edward V. Casserly, S.S.J., who became Superior General, and Edward Clancy, S.S.J. 59 The Superior of the Josephite Fathers sent the Reverend Alexis La Plante, S.S.J., in 1915, from Louisiana to Beaumont, Texas, to take care of the growing Negro population. The original plan was for him to estab- lish his headquarters for work among the Negro in East Texas in Port Arthur. After his arrival he decided to stay in Beaumont, where there were a number of Negro Catholic families who had migrated from Louisiana. He quickly built a temporary Rectory on Irving Street where he said the first Mass early in 1915. The next year he erected a combina- tion school and church building and with the help of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, who came from Philadelphia, he opened a four room !;Chool. Father La Plante remained as pastor until 1928. Other Josephite Fathers who have served as pastors of Blessed Sacrament Parish are M. P. Morrissey, S.S.]., P. J. Walsh, S.S.J., James Finegan, S.S.J., and Michael Flaherty, S.S.J. From the Blessed Sacrament Church in Beaumont Josephite Fathers visited a small mission in Orange, Texas, as early as 1926. A group of three Catholic families had united in Orange to form St. Joseph's Social Club. From this group the Knights of Peter Claver was organized on June 19, 1924, with a Ladies Auxiliary formed in 1929 to carry on the work among the Negro. It was the Knights of Peter Claver who invited the Josephites in Beaumont to come and say Mass for them in St. Mary's
58 /bid., 140. 59 Diocese of Galveston, Ce11te1111ial, 1847-1947, p. 144.
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