Our Lady of Guadalupe Church plans expansion

By Kathy Olivarez

After 80 years since the present church was constructed, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church is planning an expansion that will almost double the size of its seating area. Parish priest Roy Snipes said that during peak winter season the church celebrates eight masses each weekend to accommodate the number of people who come to Our Lady of Guadalupe to attend services. Average attendance at peak is 3000 to 4000 each Sunday.

“This is a happy problem to have,” said the priest, referring to the fact many churches across the nation are losing membership for various reasons. “We have many families with young children who are very active in the church and we need to plan to accommodate the needs of those families.”

Reverend Snipes illustrated this need by recounting the recent Confirmation Mass where young people are confirmed in their faith.

“We had 95 young people, mostly seniors in high school, who were confirmed,” he said.

Mercy Silva said that her family had been attending Our Lady of Guadalupe since 1969. Although they moved into the jurisdiction of another Catholic Church, the family was not made to feel welcome when they attended the other church. After being told they had taken another family’s pew, they decided to look for another church that was more welcoming. The next Sunday they came to Our Lady of Guadalupe and were warmly welcomed. Her mother had their membership transferred to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mercy was married in the church, baptized her children in the church, and is now looking forward to her son’s wedding there.

In addition to having many growing families in the church, there are up to 4000 Winter Texans who attend at one time or another during the peak season. On a given Sunday there may be as many as 2000 Winter Texans attend Our Lady of Guadalupe, which they consider to be “Texas friendly”.

During the planned renovations, every effort will be made “to keep the down home atmosphere” that the church is currently known for, said Rev. Snipes.

“People feel at home at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and we don’t want to lose that feeling. People feel comfortable in the church and have many tender memories of it.  We don’t want to destroy those qualities in the renovation,” he said.

Rey Zamora, architect with Mata, Villarreal & Garcia Design Group of McAllen, said the changes have been approved by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) because the church is a state historic site. Zamora said that architect Danny Villarreal, who does the historic renovations for the firm, submitted plans to the THC three times before getting approval for the current design. It took two years to get their approval, but the THC blessing has been received.

The front of the church will remain the same, but the seating area in the main body will be widened. A 30-foot by 80-foot addition will be built on each side, adding an additional 5000 square feet to the 7000 square feet already there. Seating capacity will increase from 512 to 976 people. New pews will replace the old ones but will be similar to those already in the church.

Zamora said the brick used on the building came from Acme Brick, which is still in business, and the brick can be replicated to match the 80-year-old brick on the outside of the church.

THC required the expanded sides to be set back far enough that it would not change the general look of the church. A letter from the commission stated, “new additions …or related construction will not destroy historical materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property…materials compatible with historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.”

Arturo Guerra, 81, who has been a member of the church for its entire 80-year existence, said he did not like the idea of adding to the sanctuary when he first heard about plans to renovate it. The church, with its Moorish architecture, is one of the most distinctive in the Rio Grande Valley. He loves the way the church looks and was concerned the planned renovation might destroy it. But when he heard the expansion would be on the sides and the front would not be changed, and the brick would be matched, he was 100 percent in favor of the project.

Rev. Snipes expects the actual expansion period, which will take up to a year, will be a headache. Plans are for the builders to work around the needs of the church so that services can continue to be held in the church on Sundays. Construction will be done on weekdays. Still, it may require some “creative adjustments.” Some girls may choose to postpone their weddings until the renovations are completed. And some funerals may have to be held in the parish hall.

Efforts are also being made to match the tile in the aisles. Zamora said the color goes all the way through the tile so that it remains strong in spite of the many years of use.

One change everyone feels is positive is the new, elevated sanctuary area. The front altar will be moved forward for better visibility and the floor in the sanctuary will be about 18 inches higher than the current floor is.

“The higher sanctuary floor will be great for our Christmas Masses and the Nativity scene where Mary rides a donkey down the aisle to the sanctuary as well as other Gospel dramas, added Father Roy.  “In the past people seated on the sides and in the back have difficulty seeing the presentation.  With the raised Sanctuary, it will be easier for everyone in the church to see the entire presentation.  It will also make it easier for those attending weddings to see the wedding party.” Another welcome change will be additional restrooms.

The Brownsville Diocese has approved the plans for the expansion. Only the bishop’s approval remains to be received before construction can begin, said Rev. Snipes. The parishoners has saved money for ten years so the church improvements could be paid for in cash, and they have all the funds necessary to complete the project.

Father Snipes and the members of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church hope the Bishop’s approval comes quickly. With a growing church, they want to be prepared to meet the needs of their growing community but still keep their reputation of having “the coldest air conditioning and the warmest welcome of any church in the Valley.”

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We the People

Support Operation Interdependence

By Jim Brunson

KURV Radio newsman Sergio Sanchez has been beating the drum, urging Valley residents to support the troops and bring in “care packages” for the servicemen and women deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations throughout the world.

I talked to Sergio the other day, letting him know that the Progress Times fully supports the project. So, here’s my plug for Operation Interdependence.

KURV Talk Radio has teamed up with IBC Banks Valleywide to provide convenient drop off locations at any IBC Bank branch for folks to drop off their donations. The Progress Times will also accept donations at our office located at 1217 N. Conway, in Mission.

Sergio says to put store-bought, packaged items in care packages. (No home-baked items permitted.) Put the items in a quart-size bag, and the items will be delivered to the Operation Interdependence office in Houston, where they will do security checks before shipping the items to the soldiers.

Suggested items include beef jerky, disposable cameras, camper style foods, candy, CDs (blank or music), Chapstick, crackers, dental floss, dried fruit, facial tissues, fast food condiment packages, flashlights, foot powder (travel size), Girl Scout cookies, gum, hand sanitizer (travel size), holiday specific greeting cards, moist wipes, nerf toys (very small footballs, etc.), nuts, odor eaters (for boots), pencils and pens, phone cards, playing cards, powdered drink mix (non-alcoholic), razors, sardines, sheets of stationery, snacks (granola bars, etc.), tea bags, coffee packets, toiletries (travel size), toothbrushes, trail mix, travel games, travel mugs, and Vienna sausages.

The Operation Interdependence Web site stresses that food items must be manufacture sealed. Items deemed unacceptable by the inspectors will be discarded, and any suspicious items will be removed.

The deadline to donate care packages is July 3. (Get any items to the Progress Times office by July 2, so we can deliver them to KURV the next day.)

Sergio said the most important thing we can do is include a note of support and encouragement. This is what the soldiers need most from the folks back home is just to know we care for and support them. 

Monetary contributions are also welcomed and should be made payable to Operation Interdependence, the national organization that processes the items and ships them. This helps pay for the shipping costs.

Edwina P. Garza has been named assistant editor of the Progress Times.

Jim Brunson, publisher and editor of the newspaper said she is a welcome addition to the Progress Times staff.

“Edwina is a resident of the area who has returned to her roots with a masters degree in journalism and excellent skills. She knows the Valley and she will do a fine job for this newspaper and for the community,” Brunson said.

Garza earned her bachelor’s degree in communications/print journalism at the University of Texas-Pan American before completing a masters degree program at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City.

She comes to the Progress Times after working at the Valley Morning Star since June 2006 covering city government, education, features, agriculture, law enforcement, border and military issues as well as general news stories.

Prior to the Valley Morning Star, she was a writer for Valley Newspaper Holdings, LP, writing articles for the Valley Town Crier and RGV Business newspaper. She has also done freelance writing and photography for Rio Grande Valley Woman and Business Times of the Rio Grande Valley.

“We are delighted to have Ms. Garza join our newspaper family,” Brunson said.

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Gov. Perry Announces Special Session for July 1

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today announced that a special session of the Texas Legislature will begin on Wednesday, July 1, at 10 a.m.

“The 81st Legislative Session was one of the most successful in recent memory, providing a tax cut to 40,000 small businesses and increasing financial aid for college students by more than 40 percent, all without touching our states Rainy Day Fund,” Gov. Perry said. “After speaking with legislators I am calling a special session to extend the operation of five critical agencies and help reduce gridlock by continuing to provide options for financing our state’s highways.”

The special session will consider the following issues:

•Legislation extending the existence of five state agencies that were subject to sunset review by the 81st Legislature that would otherwise be abolished without legislative action, and to change the review schedule for certain state agencies to balance the Sunset Advisory Commission’s workload. These agencies include the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Racing Commission, Office of Public Insurance Counsel and Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation.
•Legislation allowing the Texas Department of Transportation to issue general obligation bonds, which have already been approved by voters, for highway improvement projects, and for the creation, administration, financing and use of a Texas Transportation Revolving Fund to provide financial assistance for transportation projects.
•Legislation extending the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation and a regional mobility authority to use comprehensive development agreements to design, finance, build and maintain transportation infrastructure.

Please visit http://governor.state.tx.us/news/proclamation/12758/ to view the governor’s proclamation announcing the special session.

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