Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church (Houston) facts for kids
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church is a special Roman Catholic church in Houston, Texas. It's located in the Second Ward part of the city's East End. This church is part of the larger Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
The church was first built in 1911. It was the very first Mexican-American church in Houston. It was also the first religious place in Houston to offer church services in Spanish. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church also started one of the first schools for Mexican-American children. It runs programs that help people by providing food and shelter. As of 2012, the church served about 3,500 families. Many of its services are still held in Spanish today. The area around the church is mostly Hispanic. The church also includes the Our Lady of Guadalupe School. This school is the oldest Catholic elementary school in Houston.
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History of the Church
In 1910, there were no Catholic churches just for Mexican people in Houston. Some Mexican people were not allowed to attend churches with Anglo (White) people. Those who did attend often faced unfair treatment.
In 1911, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston brought priests called the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Their job was to serve the Mexican community in Houston. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church opened in 1912. The first church service happened on August 18, 1912. It was held in a two-story building given by the Catholic Church Extension Society. Father Robert Chatillon was the first priest to lead a service there. The church was on the top floor, and the Catholic school was on the bottom floor.
The Roman Catholic Church created Our Lady of Guadalupe. This was so that White people, who were used to different groups being separate, would not be upset by Mexican people in their churches.
Building a New Church
In the 1920s, some Louisiana Creole people attended Our Lady of Guadalupe. This was because it was the closest church to the Frenchtown area. However, the church treated the Creole people unfairly. They were made to confess and take communion after others. They also had to sit in the back rows. Because of this, the Creole people decided to build their own church. They opened Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in 1929.
As more Mexican-Americans moved to Houston, many people traveled from other neighborhoods to Our Lady of Guadalupe. They came every Sunday to worship. Father Esteban de Anta, from Spain, was the first Spanish-speaking priest at the church. He arrived in 1919. In 1923, a new church building opened. It was designed by a famous architect named Leo M.J. Dielmann. The old church building was then used only for the school and social events.
The Oblate priests served the church for many years. They left in 1973. After that, priests from the Priests of the Sacred Heart began serving the Our Lady of Guadalupe parish. In the 1980s, the church became a territorial parish. This means it was given specific geographic boundaries. The church remains very important to Mexican American and Latino communities. On August 18, 2012, the church celebrated 100 years of services.
Our Lady of Guadalupe School
The Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School is the oldest Catholic elementary school in Houston. The school first opened on September 8, 1912. This was just one month after the church's first service. As of 2012, the school had over 500 students. These students came from more than 30 different ZIP codes across Greater Houston. Many elementary school classes had waiting lists at that time.
Fun Activities and Events
In the past, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church held fun bazaars. These events often featured popular bands. In the 1930s, two famous musicians from Houston, Ventura Alonzo and Lydia Mendoza, performed at church events.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Houston) para niños
