Designated Pilgrim Church for Jubilee 2000

Diocese of Victoria
Bishop David Fellhauer 

Holy Cross Catholic Church
The Oldest Catholic Church in Continuous Use in Wharton County
P. O. Box 1325 -- 839 Church Street -- East Bernard, TX 77435


Spanish colonial style, apricot pink stucco Church built in 1925
Beautifully designed worked in rounded glass windows imported from
Czechoslovakia -- Artistic decorations, paintings and mosaics

 

Father Donald R. Ruppert -- Pastor
Father_Don.jpg (235897 bytes)

Patsy Krenek -- Director of Religious Education

Parish Staff
Donna Cavness - Administrative Assistant
Evelyn Vacek - Cemetery Administrator
Joel Torres - Buildings Maintenance

Mass Schedule

Weekdays: Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays at 7:00 AM
Tuesdays at 6:30 PM

Weekend Masses
Saturday Vigil - 5:00 PM
Sunday - 7:00, 9:00, 11:00 AM

Special Masses
First Fridays - Mass at 7 AM
Polka Mass - held approx. every 3 months
                            
Sacrament of Penance
Every Saturday - 4:00 to 4:30 PM

Parish Bulletin
View the Weekly Bulletin on-line 

Holy Cross Cemetery
History

Search this Cemetery
Cemetery Guidelines
Map And Directions

Email Contacts


History of Holy Cross Catholic Church

Czechoslovakian immigrants gathered to celebrate the first Mass on
January 6, 1901. In 1905 a small frame church was built on the corner of
Magnolia and Church Streets. The congregation grew and this building
was soon too small. Construction of the present church began on October
29, 1924 and the completed building was dedicated the following June.

The strong faith of the early Catholic settlers sustained them through the
hardships and joys of life and has been passed on to their descendants. For
almost a hundred years, Mass has been celebrated on a regular basis.
Marriages and baptisms are celebrated with great joy. Families also gather
in sorrow to lay loved ones to rest in the parish cemetery.

Through the years, the interior of Holy Cross was renovated a number of
times. When the Second Vatican Council mandated liturgical changes in
the 1960's, the original altar was removed to accommodate the revised
celebrations. The latest renovation in 1994 restored much of the church's
former grandeur and beauty. The original altar was returned and once again
is the central focus of the Sanctuary.

With more than 650 registered families, the parish continues to serve the
spiritual needs of the Catholic faithful in East Bernard and outlaying areas.


ANNUAL BAZAAR

2nd. Sunday of October
See the calendar of events page 
at www.riversidehall.org for more information.

 

Hispanic Ministry - Daniel & Cindy Garza Diocesan Marriage Encounter - Bobby & JoAnn Cowan
Parish Bible Study - Patricia Michulka Diocesan Engaged Encounter - Phone 361-576-6587 to register

Youth Ministry Web News
and

Generations of Faith Q & A

Natural Family Planning - Chris & Melissa Morse

 

     Seasonal Features    

American Catholic - Advent - Christmas - Epiphany Feature

How Christians Should Celebrate Advent And Christmas

Frequently Asked Questions About Lent

Send a free Catholic e-Greeting

 

LINKS

American Catholic St. Anthony Messenger

Catholic News Daily

Catholic Identity
Being Catholic is not something that happens to us overnight.

Daily Catholic Question
Daily Catholic Question answers your questions about the Catholic Church

PRAYERS

265th Pontiff of the 
Roman Catholic Church

 
His Holiness Benedict XVI

To visit the Vatican website Click HERE


Apostolic Blessing "Urbi et Orbi" 
(April 19, 2005)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

After the great Pope John Paul II, the Cardinals have elected me, a simple and humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord.

The fact that the Lord knows how to work and to act even with inadequate instruments comforts me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers.

Let us move forward in the joy of the Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help. The Lord will help us and Mary, his Most Holy Mother, will be on our side. Thank you.

BIOGRAPHY OF 
POPE BENEDICT XVI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 











NCCB/USCC - New American Bible

National Conference of Catholic Bishops/United States Catholic Conference
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000


Mass Times in the USA

Sacraments
Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification
For more information, go to .

 

Parish Office Email     
Phone: (979) 335-7551
Fax: (979) 335-7038

Email Sister Carola, 
Incarnate Word Convent
,
Victoria


For Site Information or Suggestions
Contact Webmaster
Designed by San Bernard Computer Services
Updated on
Sunday, July 20, 2008


BIOGRAPHY
OF HIS HOLINESS 
POPE BENEDICT XVI

Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) was born on 16 April 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Germany.
His father, a police officer, came from a traditional family of farmers from Lower Bavaria. He spent his adolescent years in Traunstein, a small town on the Austrian border.

It was in this context, which Pope Benedict XVI himself has described as "Mozartian", that he received his Christian, human and cultural formation.

Second World War

Joseph's days of youth were far from easy.

His faith and family upbringing prepared him for the harsh experience of the problems connected with the Nazi regime; he even remembers seeing his parish priest being beaten by Nazis before celebrating Holy Mass, and was well aware of the fiercely hostile atmosphere to the Catholic Church that existed in Germany at the time.

Towards the end of World War II, Joseph was enrolled in the auxiliary anti-aircraft service.

Priest, professor, Vatican Council

From 1946 to 1951, he studied philosophy and theology at the University of Munich and at the higher school in Freising. Together with his brother Georg, he was ordained a priest on 29 June 1951 in the Cathedral at Freising.

In 1953 Fr Ratzinger obtained a doctorate in theology with a thesis entitled: "The People and House of God in St Augustine's doctrine of the Church".

Four years later, he qualified as a university professor. He then taught dogma and fundamental theology at the higher school of philosophy and theology of Freising; then in Bonn from 1959 to 1969; in Münster from 1963 to 1966; and in Tübingen from 1966 to 1969.

Beginning in 1969, he was a professor of dogmatic theology and of the history of dogma at the University of Regensburg, where he eventually became Dean and Vice-Rector.

From 1962 to 1965 he was present during all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council as a chief theological advisor to the Archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Josef Frings.

A "theological' vocation

Fr Ratzinger's important and useful experience as a priest and an "expert" at the Second Vatican Council was immensely valuable and fundamental to his life. He lived out this experience as confirmation of his own vocation, which he defined as "theological".

The rapid succession of his numerous, detailed publications has also continued as the years have passed, serving as a reference point for Catholics and especially for those involved in advanced theological studies.

"Fellow Worker in the Truth'

On 24 March 1977, Pope Paul VI appointed him Archbishop of München und Freising (Munich and Freising).

He was ordained a Bishop on 28 May that same year and was the first diocesan priest in 80 years to take on the pastoral governance of this large Bavarian Diocese. He chose as his episcopal motto: "Fellow Worker in the Truth" (cf. III Jn 1: 8).

He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Pope Paul VI in the Consistory of 27 June 1977, of the Titles of the Suburbicarian Church of Velletri-Segni (5 April 1993) and Suburbicarian Church of Ostia (30 November 2002).

On 25 November 1981 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He also became President of the Biblical Commission and of the Pontifical International Theological Commission.

On 15 February 1982, he resigned his pastoral office as Archbishop of Munich and Freising.

"Catechism of the Catholic Church'

His role as President of the Commission for Drafting the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the six years of intense work (1986-92) behind its preparation are one of his many outstanding achievements.

On 6 November 1998, he was appointed Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals; on 30 November 2002, the Holy Father approved his election, by the order of Cardinal Bishops, as Dean of the College of Cardinals.

Within the Roman Curia

Until his election to the Chair of Peter Cardinal Ratzinger was a Member of the Council of the Second Section of the Secretariat of State; of the Congregations: for the Oriental Churches, for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, for Bishops, for the Evangelization of Peoples, for Catholic Education, as well as for the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.

As Dean of the College of Cardinals he presided over the College's deliberations during the Vacancy of the Holy See following the death of Pope John Paul II on 2 April 2005.

On Friday, 8 April, Cardinal Ratzinger presided at Holy Mass in St Peter's Square for the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

"Habemus Papam'

On Tuesday, 19 April, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the 265th Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, selecting the name Benedict XVI.


Copyright © L'Osservatore Romano