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The Catholic Church has been active in the area that is now La Salle County since 1833 although it was not until 1933 that there was a resident priest in Cotulla. The area now occupied by Sacred Heart Church was purchased by Bishop John Neraz in August of 1883. The first resident priest was Fr. Planchet who began (now discontinued) customs of a nightly rosary, daily lessons on the lives of the saints and catechism instruction on the weekends. He also formed the Hijas de Maria for the young women of the parish, though this group no longer exists. In 1942 Fr Michael M. Ries, CM took over the parish and was later joined by some Sisters of the Sacred Heart to assist with teaching. Fr Ries completed a stone building in 1945. Under other priests the parish began to thrive in the early 1950's which caused additional priests to be brought in, including the beloved Fr John Van Lare in 1953 (he became pastor in 1956). The current building was dedicated on December 22, 1958 by Auxiliary Bishop Stephen A. Leven.
Other priests came and went and valuable work was also done by the Sisters of the Holy Ghost and Sisters of Mary Immaculate who came in 1953. Today there are no religious serving in La Salle County. After returning from missionary work in China, Fr Van Lare resumed his post as pastor of Sacred Heart where he stayed, working mostly on his own, until 2004 when he retired to his native Holland. He was the one who took me in, instructed me in the faith, baptized and confirmed me, and he will always hold a very special place in my heart. After his retirement, Bishop James Tamayo, the first bishop of the Diocese of Laredo (in 2000), appointed Fr. Francisco Hernandez to succeed him.
I usually attend mass twice a week, most often either Tuesday or Friday evening and the vigil mass on Saturday night. Tuesday night mass is followed by a meeting of the local League of the Sacred Heart and the Madres de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe are also active in the parish. Sacred Heart is a simple parish, the most beloved icon in the Church is the small statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is very important to the predominately Hispanic population. The most important dates on the local church calendar are the feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Guadalupe. This last feast and Christmas Eve were once held at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Millett, Texas but the building has recently been condemned and will be demolished. |
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When not attending the closer Sacred Heart parish in Cotulla, I sometimes make the 30 mile drive to St Joseph parish in Dilley (Frio County) whose pastor when I first started to visit was Monsignior Pablo Sicilia (pictures above). The interior layout of the church is somewhat unusual for a Catholic parish, but while smaller than Sacred Heart it is much more well kept and furnished. St Joseph's has a number of beautiful statues including their patron St Joseph as well as Our Lady of Mt Caramel, Our Lady of San Juan, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Infant of Prague and of course Our Lady of Guadalupe. There is also a side chapel which doubles during the weekend masses as a crying room. Msgr Sicilia was assisted by Fr Marcelino T. Ugaddan of the Philippines but both have since moved on. Msgr Sicilia has retired and Fr Marcelino has been transferred. However, the parish is now in the capable hands of Fr Jose A. Villanueva of Spain and Dilley is also home to a small group of Carmelitas and a chapter of the Knights of Columbus. |
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