DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker says about this site in Fort Worth, Tarrant County. Now settle in, because this is a story about a church that kept growing until it outgrew itself. Catholics in Fort Worth were meeting together for regular worship by 1875 — gathering in private homes, waiting on traveling priests to come through and tend to them.
Not a bad arrangement, but not exactly a permanent foundation either. That changed in 1876, when Bishop Claude Dubuis of the Diocese of Galveston looked around and decided Fort Worth needed something more. He assigned a young Irish priest — Father Thomas Loughrey — to go establish a parish.
In July of that same year, the Diocese purchased two lots right here at this site, and they had a name picked out already: the church would be named for Polish Jesuit Saint Stanislaus Kostka. Now, they didn't waste any time. Within three months of that purchase, on October 29, 1876, Father Loughrey said the first High Mass in that brand-new frame structure.
Three months. You have to appreciate a congregation that doesn't drag its feet. Father Loughrey stayed on, serving that church year after year, until 1884 — when Father Jean Marie Guyot came in as Pastor.
The church had also opened a Catholic school in the parish by then. Classes were taught at first by Father Loughrey himself and the Sisters of Mercy, and after 1885 the Sisters of St. Mary took over the running of it.
But 1885 brought something else too — plans were already underway for a brand-new church structure. That building was completed in 1892, and it was named for Saint Patrick. As for the original Saint Stanislaus building, it didn't disappear — it became part of the school, still useful, still standing.
It had served that parish for over three decades before it was finally removed, somewhere between 1908 and 1909, to make way for a new parish rectory. One church makes room for a school. A school makes room for another church.
Another church makes room for a rectory. Fort Worth's Catholics kept building on what came before — and it all started right here.
What the marker says
Catholics in Fort Worth began meeting together for regular worship services by 1875. They met in private homes, and were served by traveling priests. In 1876 Bishop Claude Dubuis of the Diocese of Galveston assigned a young Irish priest, Father Thomas Loughrey, to establish a parish in Fort Worth. In July 1876 the Diocese purchased two lots at this site for a church to be named for Polish Jesuit Saint Stanislaus Kostka. Within three months, on October 29, 1876, Father Laughry said the first High Mass in the frame structure. He continued to serve the church until 1884, when Father Jean Marie Guyot was assigned as Pastor. The church opened a Catholic School in the parish. Classes initially were taught by Father Loughrey and the Sisters of Mercy. After 1885 the school was operated by the Sisters of St. Mary. By 1885 plans were underway for a new church structure. Completed in 1892, it was named for Saint Patrick. The original Saint Stanislaus building became part of the school. After serving the parish for over three decades, it was removed between 1908 and 1909 to make way for a new parish rectory.