St. Joseph's Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Way down in Hidalgo County, there's a little church with a story older than most folks care to remember. St.

Joseph's Church. And the way it came to be built says just about everything you need to know about life on the old Texas ranchos. See, in those days, the early dons, the great landowners of that borderland country, they didn't just build homes for themselves.

Custom held that a don provided for his rancho and his villagers, body and soul. And one man, Florencio Saenz, took that custom seriously. He built this church.

Built it for his rancho. Built it for his people. Now picture that dedication day, July 30, 1899.

Father L. Maurel, of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, standing before that congregation. He hadn't come alone in spirit, either.

He came as delegate of the Right Reverend Peter Verdaguer, Vicar Apostolic of Brownsville, lending the full weight of his office to that moment. All of that, the faith, the obligation of a don to his villagers, the reach of the church from Brownsville out to the rancho, it all came together on one July morning. And the church is still there to tell the tale.

What the marker says

Built for his rancho and villagers, as was custom of early dons, by Florencio Saenz. Dedicated July 30, 1899, by Father L. Maurel, O.M.I., delegate of Rt. Rev. Peter Verdaguer, Vicar Apostolic, Brownsville. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1965.