SR414 - Recognizing April 16, 2025, as St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Day.

          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 414          WHEREAS, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Day is being   celebrated at the State Capitol on April 16, 2025; and            WHEREAS, In 1949, Bishop Wendelin J. Nold of the Diocese of   Galveston embarked on a plan to buy property for the construction   of new parish churches; after identifying 35 Catholic families in   Houston's Sunnyside neighborhood, Bishop Nold asked Father Michael   J. Flaherty of Saint Nicholas Catholic Church to locate potential   sites in the area; in June 1951, negotiations began on a tract of   land on the southwest corner of what later became Cullen Boulevard   and Reed Road; and            WHEREAS, Construction on St. Francis Xavier was completed in   1952, with Father James Clark assigned to lead the church as its   first pastor; members later built a parish hall, which served as a   kindergarten, Sunday school classroom, and meeting space, and a   rectory was added in 1956; and            WHEREAS, Membership grew from 300 to 1,700 in the church's   first three years, necessitating the expansion of its parish hall   and catechetical center; plans to add a new building to the campus   were implemented by Father Elbert Harris, the church's first   African American pastor; the new hall was used for children's Pre-K   through grade 12 education and for parish events, and the old hall   became a senior citizen nutrition center; and            WHEREAS, A new church building was completed and dedicated   by Bishop John Morkovsky on June 19, 1975; it had a 500-seat   capacity, as well as a special chapel dedicated to the martyrs of   Uganda; in the 1990s, the old church building was renovated for use   as religious education classrooms, and it was renamed the Harris   Center in honor of Father Elbert Harris; further growth required   that the church change its address to 4600 Reed Road, and a new   Harris Center building and rectory were built shortly thereafter;   and            WHEREAS, This venerable religious institution has played a   vital role in the community, providing its members with myriad   opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship, and outreach;   its 43 ministries include programs for parishioners of all ages,   as well as vital community service initiatives; and            WHEREAS, Countless Houston residents have looked to   St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church for spiritual guidance   through the years, and it is a pleasure to join in honoring the   church's rich history; now, therefore, be it            RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th   Legislature, hereby recognize St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church   Day at the State Capitol on April 16, 2025, and extend a warm   welcome to the visiting delegation; and, be it further            RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be   prepared for the church as an expression of high regard from the   Texas Senate.     Miles     Alvarado Hagenbuch Menéndez   Bettencourt Hall Middleton   Birdwell Hancock Nichols   Blanco Hinojosa of Hidalgo Parker   Campbell Hinojosa of Nueces Paxton   Cook Huffman Perry   Creighton Hughes Schwertner   Eckhardt Johnson Sparks   Flores King West   Gutierrez Kolkhorst Zaffirini     Patrick, President of the Senate             ________________________________          President of the Senate               I hereby certify that the     above Resolution was adopted by     the Senate on April 16, 2025.             ________________________________          Secretary of the Senate             ________________________________           Member, Texas Senate