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A Jubilee with Mass, BBQ Competition and Bingo
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May 10, 2024St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, a testament to the resilience and faith of several Czech and German families, was founded 100 years ago. Its origins can be traced back to 1907 when several families arrived in Robstown. “They were primarily farmers,” recalls John Bluntzer, a parishioner since 1946, “who seized the opportunity to buy farmland when the former Driscoll Ranch was subdivided.”
However, there was no church to shepherd these primarily Catholic families. “Whenever a priest would come, they celebrated mass in a private home.” In 1924, they were able to use an abandoned Methodist church, and a variety of priests would come to celebrate Mass—around 1-2 times a month. Shortly afterward, St. John Nepomucene became a Mission, first of St. Boniface, a parish on Agnes Street, and later of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church.
In 1934, St. John Nepomucene was officially made a Parish within the Diocese of Corpus Christi, and the current church was built in 1937. A priest of Czech origin, Fr. George Cecina, arrived and built the new parish, staying there for over three decades. “He was quite a character,” says Bluntzer, who was an altar server in the 1950s-60s. Fr. George would deliver his homily in English and then in Czech every Sunday. He also founded St. John’s School. The high school closed in 1970; the elementary school stayed open until 1986. “He put his heart and soul in the parish,” remembers Bluntzer, “he rarely took vacation days.”
The main Church was renovated in 2011. Fr. Mark Wheelan, SOLT, is the current parish administrator. “We are a small parish, but not the smallest in town,” he says. The parish has a Bible Study group that meets every Wednesday night, Altar Servers, the American Heritage Girls, adoration several times a week and confession and adoration after Monday evening Mass.
The weekend of May 18-19 is all dedicated to the 100th anniversary. On Sunday, May 19, Bishop Mulvey will celebrate the 9 am Mass. On both days, there is food, bingo, games and BBQ. “On Saturday, we’ll celebrate from 12-9 pm. There will be a BBQ competition and snack trucks.” On Sunday, BBQ plates will be offered, starting after the 9 am Mass. There will be games, arts & crafts, T-shirts for sale, and a raffle drawing. The celebration ends with the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 pm.
