Religious Conmumities of 11/ en in Texas
Saspamco, Elmendorf, Southton, Martinez, New Berlin, Laverina, Gray- town, Canada Verde and San Lorenzo. They also have the chaplaincies at the three convents of the Good Shepherd, the Carmelite Sisters, and the Mother House of the Holy Ghost Sisters. Their work is not confined to San Antonio. The Reverend Milton P. Cahill, C.SS.R., celebrated the first Mass in St. Joseph's Parish in Nixon, Texas, in 1915. The Redemptorists have continued to care for this mission, more than twenty miles from the nearest parish. The Very Reverend Patrick T. Dunne, C.SS.R., went in 1928 to Campbellton, Texas, to help care for the Sacred Heart Church. This dis- tant mission has since been placed permanently in charge of the Re- demptorists.68 Dominican Fatleers, 0 .P., 1913. Shortly after the formation, in Gal- veston, of Holy Rosary Parish in 1913, Bishop Nicholas A. Gallagher invited the Dominican Fathers to take charge of the new parish. The Provincial of St. Joseph's Province, the Very Reverend M. L. Heagan, O.P., designated Father Raphael Augustine La Plante, O.P., for the new foundation, and Bishop Gallagher appointed him the first pastor of Holy Rosary Parish on March 1, 1913. Beginning humbly in a private house, on the corner of Milam and McGregor Streets, Father La Plante, O.P., was ready to move in September of the same year to a new two-story build- ing. The first floor was used as a chapel and the six rooms in the second story as class rooms for a parish school. The development of the new parish and school was now rapid. Father La Plante, O.P., was succeeded as pastor in 1918 by Father E. J. Farmer, O.P. After one and one-half years, he gave up his work on account of sickness and Father W. G. Scanlon, O.P., became pastor in June 1919. His great interest in education resulted in the addition of a seventh grade and a _library. A drive for funds for a new church and the enlargement of the school had been carried on since the first arrival. Under Father Martin McDermot, O.P., who became pastor in 1930, the drive was revived with great zest and by 1932 had been successful enough to secure the permission of Bishop C. E. Byrne to begin the building program. Ground was broken on the Feast of St. Albert the Great, November 15, 1932, and on February 6, 1933, the Bishop blessed the altar site and laid the cornerstone. A yea1· 61 The summary of the work of the Redemptorlsts here given is taken from Arch• diocese of San Antonio, Dia,nond /11bilee, 1874-1949, pp. 189-192, 194, 221, 252, 264; and Tire Ojfi&;al Cat/10/ic Directorr, 1951.
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