St. Agnes Catholic Parish

The early history of the St. Agnes Catholic parish is very dim before 1891. It is thought by many that the parish, either as a station or mission, must have been started at a much earlier date. The records show the only priest, whose name is mentioned as having said mass in Edna, in Billup’s home before 1891, was Father I. Aryer. The Catholic families belonging to St. Agnes Church were very nominal from 1891-1926.

The following priests have been pastors of the St. Agnes Church of Edna, Texas, since 1891: Reverends W. G. Henderson; W. G. Hefferman, G. T. Hendricks, C. J. Vossenkuhl, P. J. Schneitzer, P. Kieffer, Francis A. Havel, P. M. Baqust, P. J. Bolvin, T. J. Terradellas, J. B. Karnowski and the present pastor, John W. Smiers, who has served as its priest for the past twelve years. There is no record of how many of the priests mentioned actually resided in Edna.

There is no record when the first Catholic Church in Edna was built. It was probably built in 1891 or early 1892, because an old record of the church shows that the first church bell, by special permission of the Right Rev. John Claudius Neraz, Bishop of San Antonio, was blessed by the Rev. Father Wyer on the 24^th day of July, 1892. The sponsors of the old bell were as follows: Louis Lowery, R. Hayes, Tom Hayes, Kate Pickering, Julia Sparks, Maud Billups and Laura Driscoll.

It is a supposition that Rev. Peter J. Schneytzer built the Rectory in about 1913. It is presumed that the Rev. Schnetzer became the first Resident Pastor of the St. Agnes Catholic Parish. The Rectory at this time was a small cottage and was not exactly suitable for a priest to live in conveniently. Father John W. Smiers has had the Rectory enlarged, modernized with all city conveniences.

The old church burned down in the beginning of the year 1925. Rev. J. B. Karnowski was the Pastor at this time, and a new church was built in the year 1926 by Father Smiers, and was blessed by his Lordship, the Bishop of San Antonio, Texas.

By authority of Arthur J. Drossaerts, now His Excellency, the Archbishop of San Antonio, on the 16^th day of January, 1927, and with the permission of his Bishop, the 800-pound-bell was blessed by the Pastor, Father John W. Smiers, on the Feast of St. Willibrordus, November 7, 1926. The sponsors of the new bell were: Mrs. Leander Garrett and August Schmidlin. The bell was a gift of Father John W. Smiers, in memory of his deceased parents, Casper Smiers and Afra Sneck, with appropriate engraving on it.

Father John W. Smiers took charge of the St. Agnes Catholic Parish September 1^st, 1925. At this time the financial as well as the strong church spirit were far from encouraging. Since he has taken charge, the number of families have increased from 30 to 80; the number of children attending Catechism from 15 to 66; and the number of yearly Communions from 800 to over 5,000. This church has spent almost twenty-five thousand dollars since September 1^st, 1925, on building, furniture and other improvements. At the present time the Parish is clear of all debt. Much credit, therefore, is due to Father Smiers and the Catholic members of St. Agnes Catholic Church of Edna, Texas, for their progressive and outstanding work to make their church a prominent church of its size in this section of the state.

Father David Buckley because Pastor in 1942 and in 1949 erected the first Parish Hall and improved the Rectory.

Father Balty Janacek, associate pastor to Father Buckley, took the administration of the parish in 1955. A new Rectory was built in 1957 and a Parish School was established in 1958 under his leadership.

In 1962, Father Stanley Petru became pastor and in 1964 remodeled the School Building and supervised the building of the present church which was dedicated on May 16, 1965, by Msgr. J. L. Manning. After nine years of existence, the Parish School was closed in 1967 due to a lack of teaching sisters.

Father Thomas Flanagan served as pastor from 1969-1972. Father William Halata served as pastor from 1972-1974 and he was succeeded by Msgr. Raymond Garcia. In 1975 Bishop Hugo Gerberman assumed pastorship at St. Agnes and during his administration he built an addition to the Rectory.

Father Joseph Hybner was assigned pastor of St. Agnes in August 1977. Under his supervision the present Religious Education Center was constructed and dedicated on April 13, 1980 by Archbishop Flores.

Rev. Msgr. Michael O’Shaughnessy, the present pastor came to St. Agnes in December 1985. The Parish Rectory was destroyed by fire February 1987, but by May 6, 1988 the beautiful new Rectory was blessed by Bishop Grahmann. A new Parish Gymnasium was built in 1998 and dedicated on December 19, 1998 by Bishop David E. Fellhauer. In the Spring of 2000 the extension of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel was added, bringing the seating capacity to 40. The daily Masses are conducted in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. The plans for renovation of the Church began late 2004 and was completed in April, 2005. Remodeling included changing the whole color decorum of the Church, new roof, new ceiling and new lights and an addition of two entrance porches and a large entry foyer.

One member of the parish has been ordained to the priesthood and eight members entered the sisterhood.

Cavalcade of Jackson County, by I. T. Taylor, c 2008, pp 234-236, Courtesy of Jackson County Historical Association