By Galen Holley
HOUSTON – On Feb. 27, the parishioners at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church gathered around the Eucharistic table to commemorate their 70th year as a worshiping community. Bishop Joseph Kopacz was on hand to lead the congregation in their observances.
Before celebrating Mass, Bishop Kopacz reflected upon the history of Immaculate Heart.
“This is mission territory, and some of the early inroads of the church were made when the Benedictine Monks of Cullman (Alabama) built this church in 1955 with support from the Catholic Extension Society. By 1965, the Glenmary Home Missioners arrived to help these people establish a foothold and, through the years, it has spread a traditional culture and values that are part of the character of the parish.”
The Glenmary Home Missioners are a Cincinnati-based order serving the church in rural America. Father Bob Dalton was a beloved Glenmary priest who served a long tenure as the pastor at IHM. He was the last of the Glenmarians to leave Mississippi in 2014, when Immaculate Heart returned to the care of the Diocese of Jackson. Brother Terry O’Rourke was another Glenmarian who worked for the parish for years. He was a carpenter, handyman and general, all-around servant of the people. Other ministers who served the church included Father Francois Pellessier and Father Vince Burns.
Several women are invaluable to development of Immaculate Heart. Sister Nancy Schreck, a Dubuque Franciscan, was the first woman commissioned to lead a parish in the Jackson Diocese. Two Dominican women, Sister Rosemary Empen and Sister Pat Sullivan directed the construction of the parish hall, and Sheila Preszmicki and Sister Pat Hinton nurtured the growing Hispanic community. In 2022, Bishop Kopacz installed Danna Johnson as the Lay Ecclesicial Minister. She coordinates an entire range of pastoral ministries, in English and Spanish for the vibrant and growing population. Two diocesan priests, Fathers Binh Nguyen and Tim Murphy, celebrate the weekend Masses.
Dr. John Dyer was a physician and civic leader in Chickasaw County who donated the land for the church, The adjoining property was acquired from the Stewart family. Their son, Dr. Robert Stewart, a retired Delta State professor attended the Anniversary Mass. Among the parish’s most long-tenured members is Sandra Porter. Her grandparents, John and Sophie Mihelic came over as immigrants from Yugoslavia. “I remember a closeness among us,” said Porter, adding that, in the church’s infancy, a handful of Catholics met in people’s homes to celebrate Mass. “We were a bit of an oddity at the time,” said Porter, laughing good naturedly. “There was always a flicker of a flame that grew into something bigger.” She also recalled the central role of the late Ruth Agnes Carty Crosthwait. Her father was the only Catholic in Houston in the 1940’s. He then became the lead carpenter of the crew that built the church in 1955.
Gus and Diane Clark have been parishioners for a decade, and they’ve found a welcoming church home. “It’s a tightly knit parish community,” said Gus. “The people are so warm and friendly, and we really love Father Binh,” added Diane, who said she’s the “resident Catholic expert” in her bridge club. “That’s because I’m the only Catholic,” she said laughing.
Tom and Carol Byrne have been members of Immaculate Heart for nearly four decades. “The Catholic identity and soul of Immaculate Heart really shines through in a way that might not be so clear in a huge church with a lot of resources,” said Tom, adding that he is especially grateful for the variety of priests from different cultural backgrounds, like Vietnam and India, who have shepherded the parish. “It really is a rich history and it’s fantastic how these people’s stories have converged and we’ve been incredibly blessed by these priests, and they’ve been warmly received,” said Byrne. “It’s the true meaning of Catholic and universal.”
Donna Cole has been a member of Immaculate Heart since the 1970s, and over the years she’s served as a lector, Eucharistic minister and in Hispanic ministry. She remembered holding numerous fundraising dinners in order to fund expansion. “We practically built that parish center with chicken dinners,” said Cole, laughing. She added that parishioners have always stepped forward to help when needed. She fondly recalled that in the early days of the influx of Hispanic members, the church would hold services at the fire department in Calhoun City.
Cole particularly enjoyed Bishop Kopacz’s visit on the anniversary. “There was a special energy in the building tonight,” she said.
It was exemplified by well-known Mississippi author, Ralph Eubanks, who returned for the anniversary Mass. He and his sister were welcomed into Full Communion in Immaculate Heart in 1976 by Glenmary Father Bob Hare.
Cole also remembered that IHM enjoyed the service of two lay ecclesial ministers, Walter Fircowycz and Lorenzo Ajo, Another blessing to the parish, according to Cole, was a large group of youth and adults from St. John’s parish in Savage, Minnesota who, for 10 years, during the last week of June came down to conduct a Bible camp. They brought all their own supplies to feed and educate children, to the tune of more than 100 youngsters each day, from Chickasaw and Calhoun counties. “This was an exciting time for our parish and so many lasting friendships were made,” said Cole, adding that the visits started during the time of Sister Pat Sullivan’s ministry and carried over into that of Lorenzo.
Cole also said that she’s developed a heart for Hispanic Catholics at IHM. “I truly believe that we would not have a church if it were not for our flourishing Hispanic community,” said Cole. “I am so grateful for them.”
During his homily, Bishop Kopacz spoke of the symbolism of crossing the threshold of the church during the holy Jubilee Year. “The Lord is the door through which, for many years, people have entered,” said Kopacz. “Joy is a completion of hope and peace … The earliest Catholics here were pioneers in the faith, and they built the church, sometimes facing hostility and rejection. They walked by faith and not by sight. The first Mass here was a moment of grace, and tonight is as well,” said Kopacz.
(Galen Holley is a member of St. Francis of Assisi in New Albany.)
