Good Shepherd Catholic Church at 1304 Main St. in downtown Garland celebrated the dedication of its new $7.9 million church building Saturday, Feb. 11.
The mass was celebrated by the Most Reverend Greg Kelly, Auxiliary Bishop for the Diocese of Dallas, along with pastor, Reverend Jose Luis Esparza. The church hoste
d a reception following the mass.
The mass and reception were attended by Garland dignitaries including Rev. Paul Burns, pastor of Garland’s First Presbyterian Church, District 2 Council Member Anita Goebel, Mayor Douglas Athas and community leaders Elvia Flores and Louis and Kay Moore.
“The three-hour dedication was held in the handsome structure, built on an open design of wood, stone and marble,” said Kay Moore. “And there are numerous stained-glass window installations, including one depicting Christ as the good shepherd.”
The 21,712 sq
uare foot church will seat 1,340 and is three times larger than the original church which was built in 1954.
Good Shepherd Catholic Church history
An article entitled Catholic families here grow from three to 600, published by The Garland Daily News in January 1960, and now featured on the Garland Landmark Society website, provides the following information:
“There are 600 Roman Catholic families in Garland at this time—and that is a far cry from the three people of Catholic faith in Garland in 1923. Those three people attended Mass at Rowlett or Wylie.
“Garland’s rapid growth soon saw an influx of Roman Catholic families, and the need for a church for them. Father John Lavin, in 1943, arranged to use a theater building for regular Mass. In 1944 the approximately 50 persons secured a house and lot at Avenue B and South Garland Avenue and remolded it into a chapel.
Father John Morse was appointed pastor in July 1949. The debt was paid on the church property within a few years and by 1953 the 200 Catholic families were making plans to build a church school and auditorium.
Father Charles W. Smid, the present pastor, came to the Church of the Good Shepherd in 1954.In September of that year, the parochial school opened, offering six grades. An auditorium was built.”