~ The History of St. Anthony Cathedral ~

In 1851, Father P.R. Parisot, O.M.I., arrived in Beaumont to serve the early settlers of the area. In 1853, Father P.M. Lacour succeeded Fr. Parisot who remained in the area until the time of the Civil War. Father J.C. Neraz, who later became Bishop of San Antonio, was the first of 13 priest who then served the people of Southeast Texas until the end of the war in 1864. Fr. Neraz was followed by: Fathers C. Pradey, P. Berther, E.M. Buford, J. Champin, J.J. Martiniere, J. Mary, F. deRue, D. Moyes, N. Crispin, J. Godard, L. Nolin, J.M. Guiot, and J. Granger.

The first priest to arrive after the Civil War was Father P.A. Livey, and Fathers S. Allen and J.S. Guillet, who served here until 1879, followed him. During these early years mass was celebrated in private homes and various business locations in the area.

In October, 1879, Beaumont welcomed Father V. Quinon who built the first Catholic Church building on the corner of Bowie and Orleans; it was given the name "Saint Louis' Catholic Church." In August 1882, Fr. Quinon set sail for France, after having earned the distinction of being the pioneer in Catholic construction in Beaumont.

During the next 10 years in the City of Beaumont (which had been incorporated in 1881), the following priests cared for the catholic population - Fathers A. Jupin, J. Grabinger, J.C. McLoy, J.B. LeHane and Tom Hennessy, H.F. Shaw, P.F. Sullivan, and J.P. Simone.

Father P.J. Kellett arrived in Beaumont in May 1892, and was to become the moving force in the spiritual, educational and social advancements of this parish. In 1895 Father Kellett bought the square block of property bounded by Forsythe, Jefferson, Wall, and Archie Streets and then moved St. Louis' Church to the it's new location. He then started to build a cottage for his rectory on the corner of Wall and Archie, on the same spot on which the present rectory now stands. Sadly, Fr. Kellett died in 1895 before the construction of the rectory was complete.

Father M.P. McSorley came to Beaumont in August 1895 and was the first "full- time" resident priest at St. Louis. He took up residence in the newly completed rectory, but only lived there a short while until September 1, 1895, when Mother Pauline and Sister Augustine of the Dominican Order came to Beaumont in response to a plea from Fr. McSorley to discuss the possibility of opening a Catholic school. One month later, on October 1, Saint Louis Parochial School was opened for classes, held in the rectory, with 13 students and 4 Sisters.

In May 1897, Father William Lee came to Beaumont and spent the remaining 21 years of his life with the people of this area. In 1901, the Lucas gusher at Spindletop started the oil boom in the United States and consequently, a larger church building was needed to accommodate the growing population of the parish. The new church is the present St. Anthony's Cathedral built on the corner of Wall and Jefferson Streets. The cornerstone of the new church was laid in June 1903, although the parish was still the parish of St. Louis' Church. On January 27, 1907, the new church building was dedicated to the honor of Saint Anthony of Padua. With this dedication formally ends the parish of Saint Louis, and there begins the history of St. Anthony's Parish.

From 1907 forward, the parish progressed steadily. The increase in the number of parishioners made it necessary the Father Lee to have an assistant priest to help him carry on the work that was to be done. Father George Duda came to St. Anthony's in 1914 as the first assistant priest in this parish.

Fr. Lee died on July 29, 1918. He was well known and well loved not only by his parishioners, but also by the whole City of Beaumont.

On February 7, 1919, Fr. E.A. Kelly arrived as pastor of St. Anthony's. Shortly after his arrival he began construction on a convent residence for the Sisters and added two assistant pastors to his staff. Fr. J.T. Fleming and Father J.T. Moriarity were the first two to serve as first and second assistant pastors in St. Anthony's Parish. The appointment of these two assistants necessitated more ample living quarters and a new, more substantial rectory was built.

Monsignor Kelly died in 1955, six months after retiring as pastor. Father George Black who served as pastor until his retirement in June 1963 followed him. When Father Black retired, Father Earnest F. Michalka, who had served as an associate pastor from 1940 to 1948, returned as pastor. Three years later, the parish was to become the cathedral parish for the new Diocese of Beaumont. In 1972, Father Marvin F. Enderle was named rector of the cathedral parish. Monsignor Enderle, who had grown up in St. Anthony's parish, saw that the guidelines of the Second Vatican Council were followed during the second renovation of the historic building. He arranged for extensive landscaping to the grounds, the exteriors repainted and the copper roof restored. The art on the sanctuary walls were restored, the pews were refinished and kneelers replaced and carpet and acoustical and lighting systems added.

St. Anthony's Cathedral continued to become the central location for worship by all members of the diocese when on April 28, 1974, Bishop Warren Boudreaux, then bishop of the Beaumont diocese, dedicated and consecrated St. Anthony as a cathedral. In 1976, Monsignor Kenneth Greig was named rector of the Cathedral, followed by Father Bennie Patillo in June 1983. During his pastorate, the parish undertook an ambitious building project and a new cathedral center and chapel-office complex was built. The complex was dedicated march 31, 1991, marking a new phase in the history and growth of St. Anthony Cathedral parish.

The significance of the cathedral to the City of Beaumont was recognized in 1975. The Beaumont Convention and Visitors' Bureau placed a Visitors' Tour marker sign at the corner of Jefferson and Wall Streets. The sign designated the cathedral as one of the seventeen interesting buildings included in a self-guided tour of the city.

Fr. Joe Daleo followed Fr. Patillo and our current rector, Father Jeremiah McGrath presently oversees the extensive renovation and liturgical renovation of the deteriorating exterior of the Cathedral. Father Chrysostom Plavunikunnathil, C.M.I, assists Fr. Jerry.

Bishop Curtis John Guillory, S.V.D., D.D. was installed as fifth bishop of Beaumont on July 28, 2000 and opened his remarks to his new diocesan family with these words: "My brothers and sisters, I am delighted to be your bishop."

"For those who love God all things work together for good"

Sources:

"The History of Saint Anthony's Parish and an Explanation of the Symbolism and Art in Saint Anthony's Church", unknown, 1944.

"The Diocese of Beaumont - The Catholic Story of Southeast Texas", Father James F. Vanderholt, Carolyn B. Martinez, Karen Gilman, 1991.