The white plantation-era columns that adorn the front of Our Lady of the Pillar church in Corpus Christi may seem to some to be out of place in the Molina Addition of Corpus Christi, a low and middle income neighborhood with modest homes.
But to others the columns may be reminiscent of the pillar in which the Blessed Mother stood when she appeared to St. James the Greater in 40 A.D. to encourage him in his efforts to evangelize the Spanish speaking subjects of Rome.
While the apparitions of the Blessed Mother in the Valley of Mexico, Lourdes and Fatima are well known, less known–except in Spain–is her appearance in Zaragoza, Spain. Tradition has it that on Jan. 2, 40 A.D., a mere seven years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the Blessed Mother–who was still residing on Earth–was transported by angels in a cloud from Ephesus to Zaragoza where she found St. James the Greater kneeling by the Ebro River in distressed prayer over his failures to convert the natives of the Iberian Peninsula.
Our Lady appeared to St. James atop a marble pillar (in Spanish “pilar”) and assured him that the Spaniards would indeed convert to Christianity and would remain one of the most dedicated Christians. She asked him to build a church at that place and told him the Savior wished that he return to Jerusalem where four years later he became the first apostle to be martyred.
Our Lady of the Pillar, or Santa María del Pilar, was established in 1952 as a mission of Holy Family, which was under the care of the Oblates. Father Tomas Fernandez, OMI served as pastor with Father E. T. Fitzgerald, OMI as his assistant. A year later, on Oct. 12, 1953–on the Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar–Bishop Mariano S. Garriga blessed the new Church built with remains of the Kenedy home, which had once occupied the land of the new Chancery and Cathedral. The “stately columns that graced the mansion’s gallery were used also, thus preserving the colonial architecture of the building.”
Whether the name was chosen because of the Feast day in which the blessing was held or whether the Feast day was selected for the blessing because of the church’s name is not clear. Perhaps the columns themselves suggested the name, since the story of the “pilar” of Zaragoza must have been well known to the bishop and to Father Alvarez, a native of Spain.
For the next 14 years, Our Lady of the Pillar continued as a mission of Holy Family. In January 1966, Bishop Thomas J. Drury elevated the mission to a parish and named Father Tom Mc Gettrick as its first pastor; the first pastor the new bishop named. The Oblates would no longer be custodians of the parish but remained at Holy Family.
Father Mc Gettrick quickly went to work, partnering with the Episcopal Church “to do something about serving hot meals in Molina.” Our Lady of the Pillar provided the building for a cafeteria and the Episcopalians provided the food.
While working in an ecumenical spirit with the Episcopal Church, Father Mc Gettrick expressed “great concern” to his bishop over the “vigorous activity of some of the protestant evangelical groups” that were filling the people’s minds “with doubt and uncertainty about the Church.” He urged the bishop to ask the Extension Society for a grant to build a catechetical center.
Msgr. J. G. Alvarado succeeded Father Mc Gettrick in September 1967, with Father and future Bishop Raymundo Peña as his assistant. The following month the parish dedicated its religion center. Unfortunately Hurricane Celia leveled the structure three years later.
Father Peter McNamara succeeded Msgr. Alvarado and took on the task of rebuilding the religion center. Father Félix Vidiella followed Father McNamara as pastor and Msgr. Marcos Martinez, the current pastor, came to Our Lady of the Pillar in 1993.
Msgr. Martinez immediately felt at home at Our Lady of the Pillar. He grew up in Zaragoza, Spain in the shadows of Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar. His father was devoted to Our Lady of the Pillar. In June, Msgr. Martinez led a pilgrimage to Zaragoza and celebrated Mass at the Basilica for the pilgrims of Our Lady of the Pillar in Corpus Christi.
With the spirit of Nuestra Señora del Pilar as his guide, he has shepherded the parish community of Our Lady of the Pillar in Corpus Christi through nearly two decades of steady growth and improvement and has built up a strong pride in the faithful for their church and for the teachings of the Church.
The parish’s early concerns with the catechetical needs of the community are being met with a “very strong religious education program,” Msgr. Martinez said. Some 400 children attend religious education classes, which are provided in both English and Spanish, in 14 classrooms.
Religious education classes are held on Sunday, starting with a 9:30 a.m. Mass that is part of the program. The religious education program also involves providing breakfast to students and parents. After Mass, half of the students go to classrooms and the other half are treated to breakfast. The two groups change places after a while.
Msgr. Martinez tells parents “don’t drop off your children on me, they’re your responsibility.” He insists that they attend Mass with the children and be part of their religious education experience.
“On Sundays, this place looks like a college campus with people coming and going,” Msgr. Martinez said.
The parish also has an active youth group with some 100 members. The group helps out with religious education and holds two retreats annually. Other organizations, such as Charismatic Renewal and the Guadalupanas also help with religious education.
Msgr. Martinez also reminds parishioners that the church grounds and buildings are well-maintained with their contributions. “You pay for it so look out after it,” Msgr. Martinez tells his flock.
Indeed, the campus is well-maintained, starting with the sanctuary. The parish office, parish hall, classrooms and the Jamaica grounds are impeccable. On the church grounds is a Stations of the Cross that attracts several hundred worshipers every Friday of Lent. They are used for prayer and meditation year-round.
The parish Jamaica is held annually on the Sunday closest to the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Pillar, which this year will be on Oct. 14. The Jamaica, Msgr. Martinez said, is not a fundraiser, it is “a time of community,” for neighbors to come together and enjoy each other’s company.