ST. PATRICK-CANUTILLO-EST. 1938
P.O. Box 10, 7065 2nd Street
Canutillo, Texas 79835
Phone: 915-877-3997
Fax: 915-877-4150
St. Patrick Parish-Canutillo – 1938
The town of Canutillo began as a rest stop named La Salineta. When the Santa Fe Railroad reached the area in 1881, a sign was placed at a railroad station called “Canutillo.” Soon, the railroad established a telegraph office, cargo station, and loading zone for cattle and crops at Canutillo. Priests from Santa Rosalia Parish in Smeltertown began to serve the communities of Chamberino and La Union in New Mexico and Canutillo. Father José Lafón, S.J. was the first missionary priest to serve Canutillo followed by Fathers Lourdes F. Costa and Pío Arriola. The Jesuits constructed the first chapel in Canutillo under the patronage of La Purísima Concepción which served the Catholic community until 1938 when the parish of St. Patrick was created. The Canutillo cemetery dates to the early 1900s on land donated by Dr. James Bailey.
Two of the hundreds of priests who took refuge in the United States during the religious persecution in Mexico were Monsignor Salvador Uranga and Father José María Márquez from Chihuahua. In 1937, Father Uranga had successfully fought a Chihuahua law limiting the number of priests allowed to work in the Mexican state. Father José María Márquez served as the vicar for the parish of San José del Rio and assistant to Father Costa in Smeltertown. Father Uranga was named the first pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Canutillo when it was established in 1938 and was responsible for the building of the current church.
In April 1939, Monsignor Uranga called a meeting of parishioners, including Estanislao Sierra, Valetín Zambrano, Luis Porras, Juan Rocha, Eleno Rivera, Manuel López, and Gudelio M. Salas, Josefa Sierra, Margarita Salcido, Luz Barrios and Luz Macias, to propose the building of a new church. The group promised “to work without rest, with good will and harmony until the proposed grand labor was complete.” Manual López was chosen to ask everyone who owned a truck to find and bring a load of sand, gravel or dirt. The women of the parish organized bazaars, raffles, food sales, dances, and other family activities to raise cash and in-kind donations. Even though Monsignor Uranga’s health began to fail, he managed to help build the church by supervising the workers and even working as a laborer. When he died on June 21, 1939, the parishioners buried him at the site of the altar.
Bishop Schuler named Father José María Márquez as the new pastor. The church was dedicated on December 29, 1943. After Father Marquez’s death in 1946, Rev. Daniel Matson was named the administrator and served until 1950 when Father John Juodeika was appointed the pastor. Father Juodeika, a refugee from Lithuania, made many improvements to the interior of the church including adding art pieces and statuary. He also created some of the first parish ministries and served the mission church in La Union, New Mexico as well.
Today, St. Patrick remains a vibrant faith community serving 400 families. In 2005, Bishop Ochoa assigned Rev. Pablo Matta as administrator of St. Patrick Parish and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Westway. Father Matta worked with the community of Canutillo to build the Northwest Community Health Center for low-income families which opened in October 2012 next to St. Patrick Church.
Canutillo, Texas 79835
Phone: 915-877-3997
Fax: 915-877-4150
St. Patrick Parish-Canutillo – 1938
The town of Canutillo began as a rest stop named La Salineta. When the Santa Fe Railroad reached the area in 1881, a sign was placed at a railroad station called “Canutillo.” Soon, the railroad established a telegraph office, cargo station, and loading zone for cattle and crops at Canutillo. Priests from Santa Rosalia Parish in Smeltertown began to serve the communities of Chamberino and La Union in New Mexico and Canutillo. Father José Lafón, S.J. was the first missionary priest to serve Canutillo followed by Fathers Lourdes F. Costa and Pío Arriola. The Jesuits constructed the first chapel in Canutillo under the patronage of La Purísima Concepción which served the Catholic community until 1938 when the parish of St. Patrick was created. The Canutillo cemetery dates to the early 1900s on land donated by Dr. James Bailey.
Two of the hundreds of priests who took refuge in the United States during the religious persecution in Mexico were Monsignor Salvador Uranga and Father José María Márquez from Chihuahua. In 1937, Father Uranga had successfully fought a Chihuahua law limiting the number of priests allowed to work in the Mexican state. Father José María Márquez served as the vicar for the parish of San José del Rio and assistant to Father Costa in Smeltertown. Father Uranga was named the first pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Canutillo when it was established in 1938 and was responsible for the building of the current church.
In April 1939, Monsignor Uranga called a meeting of parishioners, including Estanislao Sierra, Valetín Zambrano, Luis Porras, Juan Rocha, Eleno Rivera, Manuel López, and Gudelio M. Salas, Josefa Sierra, Margarita Salcido, Luz Barrios and Luz Macias, to propose the building of a new church. The group promised “to work without rest, with good will and harmony until the proposed grand labor was complete.” Manual López was chosen to ask everyone who owned a truck to find and bring a load of sand, gravel or dirt. The women of the parish organized bazaars, raffles, food sales, dances, and other family activities to raise cash and in-kind donations. Even though Monsignor Uranga’s health began to fail, he managed to help build the church by supervising the workers and even working as a laborer. When he died on June 21, 1939, the parishioners buried him at the site of the altar.
Bishop Schuler named Father José María Márquez as the new pastor. The church was dedicated on December 29, 1943. After Father Marquez’s death in 1946, Rev. Daniel Matson was named the administrator and served until 1950 when Father John Juodeika was appointed the pastor. Father Juodeika, a refugee from Lithuania, made many improvements to the interior of the church including adding art pieces and statuary. He also created some of the first parish ministries and served the mission church in La Union, New Mexico as well.
Today, St. Patrick remains a vibrant faith community serving 400 families. In 2005, Bishop Ochoa assigned Rev. Pablo Matta as administrator of St. Patrick Parish and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Westway. Father Matta worked with the community of Canutillo to build the Northwest Community Health Center for low-income families which opened in October 2012 next to St. Patrick Church.
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Catholic Diocese of El Paso
499 St. Matthews St El Paso, TX 79907 Phone: (915) 872-8400 Fax: (915) 872-8411 info@elpasodiocese.org |
