DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATION OF ST. HENRY PARISH CHURCH
by Tenna Walker
St. Henry Parish will celebrate its 75th anniversary as a parish church in June 2023. From the words of Sir Francis Drake, Sic Parvis Magna, ‘Greatness from small beginnings’. St. Henry Parish started as a mission church belonging to the Parish of St. Mary in Orange until May 1948. Fr. Joe Berberich celebrated the first Mass in what is now Bridge City in 1937.
It was a common practice for a mission to get started by celebrating Masses in the homes of Catholic families in the community. With the approval from Bishop Byrne and after finding donors, Father Joe was able to build a church for the people.
The church was built in the summer through fall months of 1946. It was painted in a traditional white, had a choir loft that overlooked the congregation, and a bell tower with a cross mounted at the highest point of the church. There were no bathroom facilities. The Mission of St. Henry held its first Mass in the new church on September 8, 1938.
St. Henry was established as a parish canonically in 1948. Father Timothy Cronin who was sent by Bishop Byrne celebrated his first Mass as resident pastor on May 16, 1948. The congregation, which had numbered approximately forty (40) families at the time of the building of the church, had grown to more than one hundred (100) families. The rectory and parish hall were added within two years.
Extensive research on the history of the church began in March 2019. Newspaper articles, pictures, certificates, stories, and other related materials were gathered to present the journey of St. Henry Catholic Church.
The establishment of organizations began long before the church was built. The Ladies Auxiliary began their meeting in 1938. They helped in raising money for the church to be built in their community.
Once the church was established in 1948 with a resident pastor, the growth of St. Henry was phenomenal. As a result of the influx of people from Port Arthur, Orange, South Louisiana and other areas, the parish membership grew.
Many organizations and programs flourished including the Knights of Columbus. It was established in 1951 with forty (42) charter members. The First Communion Class in 1956, Kindergarten in 1957, the Legion of Mary in 1960, the Catholic Team Club for youth in the 1960’s and soon to follow was the Social Committee, the Parish Pastoral Council, the Bereavement Committee and the RCIA Class.
The construction of a bigger church began in 1963 to accommodate the seven hundred (700) parishioners of St. Henry! In April 1964, the octagon-shaped church was 8,900 square feet and the only round church constructed in the diocese.
In later years, the same church was remodeled in 1983. During the renovations, the church was gutted. The main arch was removed and the wall was extended. The beam was raised, and a magnificent 20 x 25-foot-stained glass window was installed behind the altar. The parishioners of St. Henry dedicated their time, talents, and skills to complete the project.
In 2008, Hurricane Ike came through Bridge City “like an angry giant” causing total devastation to the church and the small town of Bridge City.
Grateful parishioners celebrated the first Mass after the reconstruction in June of 2010. Bishop Curtis Guillory led the procession as part of a dedication ceremony to reopen the church to the community after being closed for more than a year and a half.
The parishioners of St. Henry are vibrant and close-knit community, devoted and actively participating in the organizations and celebrations in the church.
We are thankful and grateful to God for the unending grace He has bestowed on us as St. Henry Parish Church community through the years.
We are celebrating our Diamond Jubilee with the theme depicted from Hebrews 12:2 that is, ‘fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith’.
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