History of St. Anthony's Cathedral in Beaumont, Texas

Amanda Vessel, "The Making of a Landmark: St.new convent for the nuns at a cost of $25,000. More
Anthony's Cathedral, Beaumont, Texas," Touchstone,building projects included a brick rectory in 1922, a high
vol. XIX (2000), 48-58.This article explores the historyschool in 1926, and an outdoor recreation area in 1928.
and symbolic and cultural significance of St. Anthony'sIn 1937, Father Kelly began restoring and decorating
Cathedral in Beaumont, Texas. Amanda Vesselthe interior of St. Anthony's. Father Kelly added oil
asserts that this Catholic Church has special meaningspaintings and stained glass windows at a cost of
for their parishioners. St. Anthony's physical$32,000. In 1953, a new grammar school was
appearance is very symbolic. The floor plan is shapedconstructed to accommodate an increasing student
like a cross and the statues and other works of artenrollment. This school cost $400,000 and is still in use
represent many tenets of the Catholic faith.Beforetoday.Monsignor Kelly retired from his position as
1897, and the coming of Father William Lee, thepastor of St. Anthony's in August 1954, and he passed
Catholic Church in Beaumont, St. Louis, was very smallaway six months later. His successor, Reverend
and Spartan. In 1901, the discovery of oil led to an influxGeorge Black, constructed a new high school and a
of people and oil-related businesses. As a result, St.new convent in 1961. In 1972, Father Marvin Enderle
Louis became too small to accommodate thebegan restoration of the church's interior, and he added
increasing Catholic population, and Father Leea parking lot for the church in 1979. In 1995, under
proposed building a new church. This church was builtFather Beenie Patillo, St. Anthony's had developed a
according to Father Lee's design, and it was dedicatedparish center.The evolution of St. Anthony's from a
in January 1907, in honor of St. Anthony of Padua.Spartan church to the beautiful structure that is an
Next Father Lee started a new grammar school andhistorical landmark in Beaumont involved many
the former school was moved to be a convent for thedifferent pastors and generations of the Catholic
nuns who taught at the schools. Father Lee did not liveparishioners. St. Anthony's is more than a place of
to see the completion of the grammar school inworship; the church is involved in numerous aspects of
September 1918; he died in July of that year and wasits parishioners' lives. Thus, St. Anthony's is very
buried in St. Anthony's at the foot of the altar.Father E.important to the Catholics in Beaumont.Mary Arnold
A. Kelly, Father Lee's successor, arrived in Beaumontgraduated from University of Houston - Clear Lake
while the city was still experiencing the economicwith a B.A. in literature and history.She is an author on
prosperity from the oil boom. He decided to build awhich is a site for Creative Writing.