HISTORY OF SAINT AGNES CHURCH
The congregation that eventually would be the founding members of Saint Agnes Church originally belonged to Saint Joseph’s church. As Saint Joseph’s parish grew, it was evident that the needs of those who did not speak Spanish were not being taken care of adequately and then requested to have services designed to meet their specific needs.
The pastor of Saint Joseph’s arranged for them to have Mass in the chapel of the former Jesuit house of studies called Saint Peter’s. This served for a time but the congregation soon outgrew this chapel and the members of the congregation pressed to have their own church.
They worked hard to raise sufficient funds. Cooking for service clubs, having chicken spaghetti dinners for the public and many other means. Finally sufficient funds were raised to begin and the original Saint Agnes church and Rectory were built at 709 North Oklahoma Street in 1953. Saint Agnes Parish continued as a mission of Saint Joseph’s for the English-speaking Catholics of Fort tockton, but before long, it had its own administrator, Fathe Francis Casey, an Edmundite Father. Fr. Casey was followed by Fatehr John F. Iorio, who was followed by Father Gerhard Stakemeier, who was followed by Father Andrew DeMuth. Each of these priests stayed about two years and they were under the direction of Father James Franchi. They provided well for the English-speaking Catholics of Fort Stockton.
In 1962, the Diocese of San Angelo was created mostly from the Diocese of Amarillo but included Pecos and Terrell counties from the El Paso Diocese. In September of 1962, Saint Agnes was officially erected as a territorial parish, totally independent from Saint Joseph’s with Father Francis X. Frey named the first pastor. Bishop Thomas Drury also asked Fr. Frey to see the completion of the church partially built in Coyanosa. After about six months, Saint Agnes was also asked to take care of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Imperial as well as the now completed Saint Isidore in Coyanosa. An associate pastor, Father German Valladeres was the first of many associate pastors at Saint Agnes, which included Fathers Alvin Wilde, Isidore Landry, Robert Dillenbeck and Peter Verguwn. Many of these associate pastors knew Spanish and encouraged the Hispanics within territorial boundaries of the parish to attend Saint Agnes.
The parish continued to grow and a building fund was established to build a new church. Father Sam Homsey, CPPS, a former missionary in South America was assigned as pastor. His knowledge of Spanish and his love for all the people changed Saint Agnes into a truly multinational parish. Mass was offered in English and in Spanish. During the ten years that Fr. Sam as pastor of Saint Agnes, the parish truly came of age with the ordination of Father Michael Goode on June 6, 1979.
Father Vincent Cowen, also a former missionary in South America succeeded Fr. Sam as pastor of Saint Agnes in 1980, but had health problems and in August 1981, Fr. Frey was returning as pastor of Saint Agnes and built a new church to accommodate the growing number of active Catholics. The new church fund was continued during the pastorate of Fr. Sam and it, with the donation of the homestead of his father by an old time Catholic family GeneRiggs, made possible to build the new Saint Agnes Church which was consecrated by Bishop Fiorenza on May 12, 1983. Fr. Frey continued his second term as pastor of Saint Agnes until October of 1988 and was succeeded by Father George Chengazhcherill.
Saint Agnes has grown more and more since then and build 12 classrooms and a family center in 1992 and has had multiple pastors, including Fr. Joe Vasquez, current bishop of the Diocese of Austin. Recently remodeling of the Eucharistic Chapel in 2005, renovations to the Parish Hall in 2009 and tiling the church and sactuary in 2013.
Saint Agnes was consolidated with Saint Josephs in June 2014 into the parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The congregation that eventually would be the founding members of Saint Agnes Church originally belonged to Saint Joseph’s church. As Saint Joseph’s parish grew, it was evident that the needs of those who did not speak Spanish were not being taken care of adequately and then requested to have services designed to meet their specific needs.
The pastor of Saint Joseph’s arranged for them to have Mass in the chapel of the former Jesuit house of studies called Saint Peter’s. This served for a time but the congregation soon outgrew this chapel and the members of the congregation pressed to have their own church.
They worked hard to raise sufficient funds. Cooking for service clubs, having chicken spaghetti dinners for the public and many other means. Finally sufficient funds were raised to begin and the original Saint Agnes church and Rectory were built at 709 North Oklahoma Street in 1953. Saint Agnes Parish continued as a mission of Saint Joseph’s for the English-speaking Catholics of Fort tockton, but before long, it had its own administrator, Fathe Francis Casey, an Edmundite Father. Fr. Casey was followed by Fatehr John F. Iorio, who was followed by Father Gerhard Stakemeier, who was followed by Father Andrew DeMuth. Each of these priests stayed about two years and they were under the direction of Father James Franchi. They provided well for the English-speaking Catholics of Fort Stockton.
In 1962, the Diocese of San Angelo was created mostly from the Diocese of Amarillo but included Pecos and Terrell counties from the El Paso Diocese. In September of 1962, Saint Agnes was officially erected as a territorial parish, totally independent from Saint Joseph’s with Father Francis X. Frey named the first pastor. Bishop Thomas Drury also asked Fr. Frey to see the completion of the church partially built in Coyanosa. After about six months, Saint Agnes was also asked to take care of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Imperial as well as the now completed Saint Isidore in Coyanosa. An associate pastor, Father German Valladeres was the first of many associate pastors at Saint Agnes, which included Fathers Alvin Wilde, Isidore Landry, Robert Dillenbeck and Peter Verguwn. Many of these associate pastors knew Spanish and encouraged the Hispanics within territorial boundaries of the parish to attend Saint Agnes.
The parish continued to grow and a building fund was established to build a new church. Father Sam Homsey, CPPS, a former missionary in South America was assigned as pastor. His knowledge of Spanish and his love for all the people changed Saint Agnes into a truly multinational parish. Mass was offered in English and in Spanish. During the ten years that Fr. Sam as pastor of Saint Agnes, the parish truly came of age with the ordination of Father Michael Goode on June 6, 1979.
Father Vincent Cowen, also a former missionary in South America succeeded Fr. Sam as pastor of Saint Agnes in 1980, but had health problems and in August 1981, Fr. Frey was returning as pastor of Saint Agnes and built a new church to accommodate the growing number of active Catholics. The new church fund was continued during the pastorate of Fr. Sam and it, with the donation of the homestead of his father by an old time Catholic family GeneRiggs, made possible to build the new Saint Agnes Church which was consecrated by Bishop Fiorenza on May 12, 1983. Fr. Frey continued his second term as pastor of Saint Agnes until October of 1988 and was succeeded by Father George Chengazhcherill.
Saint Agnes has grown more and more since then and build 12 classrooms and a family center in 1992 and has had multiple pastors, including Fr. Joe Vasquez, current bishop of the Diocese of Austin. Recently remodeling of the Eucharistic Chapel in 2005, renovations to the Parish Hall in 2009 and tiling the church and sactuary in 2013.
Saint Agnes was consolidated with Saint Josephs in June 2014 into the parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe.