H.R. No. 81
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The members of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church
in Fort Worth are celebrating the 95th anniversary of their
church's founding on January 19, 2025; and
WHEREAS, In January 1929, Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church
was established by Father Narcissus Denis of the Josephite Fathers;
masses were initially held in a private residence, and parishioners
eventually began gathering in a chapel that was converted from an
old drugstore; later that year, a new facility was built, and by
1935, the parish had grown to a membership of 150; the church served
as the first Catholic school for African American children in Fort
Worth and as a community center for Black Catholics in the area, and
in 1941 it opened the St. Veronica's mission in the city's Lake Como
area; in 1952, Our Mother of Mercy moved to its permanent location
on East Terrell Avenue; after serving for nearly eight decades, the
Josephite Fathers were later succeeded by the Society of the Divine
Word; and
WHEREAS, Known as the only African American Catholic Church
in Tarrant County and in the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, Our
Mother of Mercy is home to a multiethnic congregation, and it has
produced leaders in a number of fields, both locally and
nationally; moreover, it was designated as the principal church for
the 2015-2016 Jubilee Year of Mercy, and over the years, its members
have established a variety of commendable programs, including
music, youth, bereavement, and guardian ministries, services for
those who are homebound or ill, and the Society of St. Vincent
DePaul, which provides emergency aid to the community; and
WHEREAS, Countless Fort Worth residents have looked to Our
Mother of Mercy Catholic Church for spiritual guidance over the
years, and it is a pleasure to join in honoring the parish at this
special time in its rich history; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 95th anniversary of Our Mother
of Mercy Catholic Church and extend to its members sincere best
wishes for the future.
Collier
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 81 was adopted by the House on March
13, 2025, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House