New beginning for old parish

One hundred and ten years ago Bishop Mulvey’s predecessor, Bishop Peter Verdaguer y Prat dedicated the new sanctuary. The latest occasion marks a major restoration, which stabilized the structure and preserved its integrity. 

While the history of the parish rightfully recognizes that it is named for the last Spanish mission, Nuestra Señora Del Refugio, and that the church is built on the mission site, the current structure puts an exclamation point on the mission’s history and denotes a new beginning for the old parish. Stephen Fox, writing in “The Buildings of Texas,” said that no effort was made to stylistically recall the church’s origin in the Franciscan mission. “Yet because of its site, the clapboard-faced church building, with its Romanesque arched windows, slender centered Gothic spire and Gothic pinnacled piers, is Refugio’s identifying architectural landmark, as its predecessors have been since the end of the eighteenth century.”

The church is the design of early Texas architect James Wahrenberger.  Its Catholicity is evident in the ornate sanctuary centered by the outstanding tabernacle and sacramental spaces on either side of the nave.  Wahrenberger was a Catholic of German descent and European education. He is best known for his design of many important and Catholic buildings such as the main hall and residences at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio and the Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg.  

The builder of the church was another German, George Strauch, who owned the lumberyard in Refugio. It was up to Strauch to carry out the complex design envisioned by Wahrenberger including installing the 30-foot single sections of wood that frame the main pillars inside. 

Early photographs of the church show an exuberant turn of the century building with numerous spires reaching toward the heavens; trim and moldings are painted in vibrant accent colors; and stained glass, trefoils and Romanesque windows add to the appearance. The entire structure, which replaced the dilapidated—yet much loved—chapel that had been the community’s spiritual home for the previous 30 years.  The new church seemed to proclaim rejoice and renew. It marked a place to worship in quiet comfort and beauty.
 
The Southern Messenger newspaper, writing of the dedication in 1901, detailed construction aspects. The building was built of heart lumber, no doubt selected by Strauch.  The roof is 50 feet high and the tower rises 104 feet above the ground.  From it can be seen the Gulf of Mexico, the newspaper said. 

A modern innovation consisted of 12 louvers or ventilators, which are still visible on the roof.  These were connected with the inside by open work, which makes the church perfectly cool in summer, the article asserts.  Today the church has a new air conditioning system. 

“The altars are rich rare and costly,” the newspaper said.  “They are fine examples of German High altars. They are stamped ‘Germany’ and blend extraordinarily well with the exterior of the church.  Purchased in period when molding plaster did much decoration, these are built with carved wood ornament. They accommodate three large almost life–size statues 4 ½ feet high which adorn each side altar; while the main altar is adorned with two large adoring angels and two smaller statues. Old photographs verify that these statues were in use in the old chapel, before the new church was built.”

Much credit for the building is given to the then pastor Father G. J. Donada who as a “zealous young priest used his untiring energy in making the church of the living God such a temple of beauty and furthermore in practically paying for the building and the furnishing of it, in the space of one year’s time,” recorded one grateful parishioner. That was due in great part to the generosity of the Catholics of Refugio, who donated many, if not all of the furnishings and appointments.

Architect Mark Whitmore, supervised the latest restoration project and also served as an observer for the work of a qualified team of people doing various parts of the church restoration. 

Members of the renovation steering committee included Brad Gillespie, Betty Bauer, Mark Borglund, Morgan O’Brien, Dudley Campbell, Barry Bourshausen and Russel Sternadel.

The expensive and expertly done repairs include a new roof, a new copper gutter system, new air conditioning and new carpet. The old insect screens and polycarbonate shields, which had yellowed over time, covering the stained glass windows were replaced with a new clear Lexan covering.  This has had a dramatic effect on the clarity of the windows and interior light coming into the church.

The windows produced by noted stained glass artist Bavarian Emil Frei are a real treasure of ecclesiastical art.  They depict the mysteries of the rosary and other biblical themes. The new coverings reveal the genius of Frei’s ability to produce a beautiful window without distorting or obstructing the natural daylight.

Most importantly to the spiritual life of the church is the restoration of the original confessional and the work done to preserve the baptistery.  The newly restored confessional features a small art glass window to give light to each of the spaces.  The doors contain two glass panels each.  The glass is covered with patterned curtains that let in additional light while obscuring the penitent from view. 

“This was done for the comfort of the children who come into to make their confession,” Father Philip Panckal, the current pastor, said. “Here they are not frightened by a small scary place.” 

“We had to put a new roof and ceiling over the baptistery, the whole thing was falling down,” Father Panckal said.  

The baptistery alcove contains a newly, uncovered stained glass window. It also houses the original baptismal fount where thousands of infants and some adults have been received into the family of God through the outward sign of water flowing over their heads into the large ornately carved oak receptacle. As one architectural scholar aptly said, “the nature of good church architecture is to bring honor and reverence to the rites.”