Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church |
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| Location | 4000 Sumpter St, Houston, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Religious institute | Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart |
| Website | https://www.ourmotherofmercy.net/ |
| History | |
| Founded | 1928 |
| Dedication | Virgin of Mercy |
| Dedicated | June 9, 1929 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | April 28, 1928 |
Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church is a special church for Black Catholics in a part of Houston called Frenchtown. This area is located within the Fifth Ward of Houston, Texas. It was the second church for Black Catholics in the city. It was also the first church built by Louisiana Creoles, who are people from Louisiana with a unique cultural background. This church was also the first important place created by people who didn't speak English as their main language in a Black neighborhood in Houston. It is part of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Many people, both Creole and non-Creole African Americans, have been members of this church.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
For a while, the closest church for Black Catholics to the Fifth Ward was St. Nicholas. This church was in the Third Ward, about 3 miles (4.8 km) away. In the 1920s, many Louisiana Creole people from Frenchtown went to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. This was because it was the closest church to their neighborhood.
However, the Creole people were not treated fairly at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. They were made to confess and take communion after people of other races. They also had to sit in the back pews. Because of this unfair treatment, the Creoles decided to build their own church. To raise money, Creole families held many events like dinners, dances, and parties. They cooked and sold delicious Louisiana Creole cuisine to get the funds needed for their new church.
In 1928, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston-Houston bought two city blocks on Sumpter Street. On April 28, 1928, they started building the church. The construction was finished in the spring of 1929. The Josephites, a group of priests, also helped pay for the church. On June 9, 1929, Bishop Byrne of Galveston-Houston officially blessed the new church.
The church became an official diocesan church on June 30, 1930. A few years later, a school called Our Mother of Mercy School opened. It taught students from first grade all the way to twelfth grade in the 1930s. A convent (where nuns live) and a rectory (where priests live) were also built on the church property. The school eventually closed in 2009.
In the 1930s, workers from the Works Progress Administration wrote about the church. Tyina L. Steptoe, who wrote a book called Houston Bound: Culture and Color in a Jim Crow City, said that these workers saw how important the church was to the people living nearby. By the time of World War II, more than half of Houston's Black Catholics had attended this church. Also, over 4,000 Black children, both Catholic and non-Catholic, had gone to its school.
Other Black churches in areas like Acres Homes, Sunnyside, and Trinity Gardens often looked to Our Mother of Mercy as a leading church.
Fun Activities and Community
Historically, Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church organized many fun events. They sponsored bazaars, which are like big community sales, and dances. These activities were a bit different from what some other Protestant churches in Texas did. Many Protestant communities at the time did not have dancing to popular music at church events.
Our Mother of Mercy Catholic School
| Our Mother of Mercy Catholic School | |
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Our Mother of Mercy Catholic School
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2010 Benson Street, Houston, Texas 77020
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| Coordinates | 29°46′49″N 95°19′48″W / 29.7802°N 95.3299°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Parochial, segregated |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Opened | 1930 or 1931 |
| Closed | 2009 |
| Grades | PreK-8 (initially 1-12) |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Last updated: December 29, 2017 | |
Our Mother of Mercy Catholic School opened in either the fall of 1930 or 1931. It closed its doors in the spring of 2009.
When the school first opened, it taught students from first grade through twelfth grade. The first teachers were the Sisters of the Holy Family, a group of nuns from New Orleans.
Later, this school joined with the St. Francis of Assisi School. In 2009, when Our Mother of Mercy School was teaching Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade, the yearly tuition was about $3,000. The St. Francis of Assisi School, which had merged with OMM, closed in 2020.
Famous People Connected to the Church
- Joe Sample: He was an American jazz keyboard player and composer. He helped start the band "The Jazz Crusaders" in 1960, which later became "The Crusaders." His funeral was held at Our Mother of Mercy Church.
- Illinois Jacquet: He was an American jazz tenor saxophone player. He is well-known for his solo in the song "Flying Home," which is seen as the first important R&B saxophone solo.
- Mickey Leland: He was an American politician and activist who worked to fight poverty. He served as a congressman for Texas's 18th District and led the Congressional Black Caucus. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
See Also
- History of the African-Americans in Houston
- Christianity in Houston
- Frenchy's Chicken (a restaurant chain in Houston that serves Louisiana Creole-style food)
- Percy Creuzot (the person who started Frenchy's, originally from New Orleans)
