Southeast Texas Catholics will be taking a look back in time this weekend. The Diocese of Beaumont is opening a time capsule that’s been buried for at least three decades.
Opening the time capsule is just part of a celebration set for this Sunday, January 28, 2007, as St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica, Beaumont, commemorates its 100th anniversary and the diocese continues its celebrations for its Jubilee Year. "There's so much history here at St. Anthony, I've often said that if these walls could talk, I doubt they could decide on a topic," said Father Jerry McGrath, rector of St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica.
A Jubilee Pontifical Mass will begin at noon and will be celebrated by Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD. Following the Mass, the diocese will open a capsule that is buried on the church grounds, and then the Bishop will bless all the families in attendance.
The cornerstone for St. Anthony was laid in 1903, during the oil boom of Spindletop, on the foundation where a hospital and school had once stood. The property, a block bounded by Forsythe, Jefferson, Wall and Archie Streets, had been purchased in 1894 by Father P.J. Kelleth for $700. St. Louis Church, the only Catholic church in town, was moved there.
"This building was the center of life in the diocese through so much of its history -- through two world wars, hurricanes, tragedies, blessings. It's really seen a lot, and it's been there for people," Father McGrath said.
The building was named a historical site in 1981, and a Texas Historical Marker was placed on the church grounds. In August 2006, Pope Benedict XVI granted the status of minor basilica to St. Anthony Cathedral. The designation linked St. Anthony more closely to the Chair of Peter, and made it one of the many sites of pilgrimage for Catholics in the United States.
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January 26, 2007
Southeast Texas Catholics to open time capsule
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