St. Laurence Catholic Church (Amarillo, Texas)
Encyclopedia
St. Laurence Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Amarillo
located in Amarillo, Texas
, United States
. It served as the cathedral church
of the Diocese of Amarillo from 1975 to 2011.
was named the first pastor. The parish continued to gather at St. Lucien’s until the present church was built. After a capital champaign surpassed its $100,000 goal ground was broken for a building that was meant to be a temporary church in early 1959. Bishop John L. Morkovsky
dedicated the new church on December 2, 1959. The parish continued to grow throughout the 1960s, but it was affected by the closing of Amarillo Air Force Base
in 1968. The parish lost 600 families and enrollment at the school declined as costs rose. It was able to remain viable by the families and retired military personnel who remained.
By the early 1970s Sacred Heart Cathedral
downtown Amarillo declined to 25 families and it was determined to close the parish. St. Laurence Church, which had seating for 500, was the largest church in town. It was also located on diocesan property that included the Chancery Office, the bishop’s residence, Alamo Catholic High School and St. Francis Convent. On November 10, 1974 Bishop Lawrence M. DeFalco
executed the decree from the Holy See
naming St. Laurence Church as the diocese’s new cathedral. It was decided not to build a new cathedral, but to remodel the existing structure. Fort Worth
architect Paul Deeley and Santa Fe, New Mexico
liturgical artist Andrea Bacigalupa created a new worship space in the old church. The old pews were given to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Matador
and St. Margaret Mary in Lamesa
. The renovated church was consecrated as St. Laurence Cathedral on October 5, 1975. Paul Deeley won a first-place honor in 1977 at the Design Awards Program of the American Institute of Architects
in Fort Worth for his work at St. Laurence. On March 25, 2011 St. Mary’s Church
in Amarillo, which had dedicated a new church on September 11, 2010, was named by Pope Benedict XVI
as the third cathedral for the Amarillo Diocese. St. Laurence reverted to the status of a parish church.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Amarillo is a Roman Catholic diocese in Amarillo Texas. It was founded on August 3, 1926 .The diocese's past bishops include:*Rudolph Gerken *Robert Emmet Lucey *Laurence Julius...
located in Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It served as the cathedral church
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of the Diocese of Amarillo from 1975 to 2011.
History
On June 12, 1949 public Masses on Sundays and holy days began at St. Lucien’s Chapel at Price College in Northeast Amarillo. More than 40 people attended the first Mass. These Masses led to the establishment of St. Laurence Parish in 1955. St. Laurence School began before the parish, however. Ground was broken for a three room school building on April 18, 1954. School opened in September that year with 71 students in two grades. The parish itself was started on May 16, 1955. The Rev. Leroy MatthiesenLeroy Matthiesen
Leroy Matthiesen was a theologian, political and social activist, and the retired Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Amarillo, Texas....
was named the first pastor. The parish continued to gather at St. Lucien’s until the present church was built. After a capital champaign surpassed its $100,000 goal ground was broken for a building that was meant to be a temporary church in early 1959. Bishop John L. Morkovsky
John Louis Morkovsky
John Louis Morkovsky was an Czech American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Amarillo and Bishop of Galveston-Houston .-Early life and education:...
dedicated the new church on December 2, 1959. The parish continued to grow throughout the 1960s, but it was affected by the closing of Amarillo Air Force Base
Amarillo Air Force Base
Amarillo Air Force Base, originally Amarillo Army Air Field is a former United States Air Force base located in Potter County, Texas, approximately 6 miles East of downtown Amarillo within the easternmost city limits...
in 1968. The parish lost 600 families and enrollment at the school declined as costs rose. It was able to remain viable by the families and retired military personnel who remained.
By the early 1970s Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral (Amarillo, Texas)
Sacred Heart Cathedral is a former cathedral church located in Amarillo, Texas, United States. It was the seat of the Diocese of Amarillo from 1927 to 1975.-Sacred Heart Parish:...
downtown Amarillo declined to 25 families and it was determined to close the parish. St. Laurence Church, which had seating for 500, was the largest church in town. It was also located on diocesan property that included the Chancery Office, the bishop’s residence, Alamo Catholic High School and St. Francis Convent. On November 10, 1974 Bishop Lawrence M. DeFalco
Lawrence Michael De Falco
Lawrence Michael DeFalco was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Amarillo from 1963 to 1979.-Biography:...
executed the decree from the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
naming St. Laurence Church as the diocese’s new cathedral. It was decided not to build a new cathedral, but to remodel the existing structure. Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
architect Paul Deeley and Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
liturgical artist Andrea Bacigalupa created a new worship space in the old church. The old pews were given to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Matador
Matador, Texas
Matador is a town in and the county seat of Motley County, Texas, United States. The population was 740 at the 2000 census. In 1891, it was established by and named for the Matador Ranch...
and St. Margaret Mary in Lamesa
Lamesa, Texas
Lamesa is a city in and the county seat of Dawson County, Texas, United States. The population was 9,952 at the 2000 census. Located south of Lubbock on the Llano Estacado, Lamesa was founded in 1903. Most of the economy is based on cattle ranching and cotton farming. The Preston E...
. The renovated church was consecrated as St. Laurence Cathedral on October 5, 1975. Paul Deeley won a first-place honor in 1977 at the Design Awards Program of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
in Fort Worth for his work at St. Laurence. On March 25, 2011 St. Mary’s Church
St. Mary’s Cathedral (Amarillo, Texas)
St. Mary’s Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral church located in Amarillo, Texas, United States. It has been the seat of the Diocese of Amarillo since 2011.-History:...
in Amarillo, which had dedicated a new church on September 11, 2010, was named by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
as the third cathedral for the Amarillo Diocese. St. Laurence reverted to the status of a parish church.