On April 10^th, 1910, St. Benedict’s wooden church was blessed by the Very Rev. A. Conturler, OMI. Oblate Provincial, delegated by Bishop Peter Verdaguer as a mission of Immaculate Conception Church in Brownsville, Texas. On May 22^nd, 1910, the statue of St. Benedict was solemnly blessed and placed in the Church by Fr. Isidore Chateau, OMI., delegated by Bishop Peter Verdaguer.
 

On January 1^st, 1912, St. Benedict Church was officially made a Parish, it was now independent from Immaculate Conception in Brownsville with over 12 missions (ranches) to tend to: Rio Hondo, Carricitos, Harlingen, and Raymondville were also missions of St. Benedict Church.
 

On November 19^th, 1923, the wooden church burned down while the parish priests were ministering to the sick in the missions at their care. Nothing could be saved from the wooden church.
 

The construction of the brick church started at the beginning of April 1925. On June 2^nd, 1925, the cornerstone of the new building was blessed by Bishop Ledvina of Corpus Christi. On December 22^nd, 1925, the new building was able to be used as a place for Divine Worship, but was not dedicated yet (so, permission was granted to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass).
 

On May 23^rd 1926, the new building was blessed by the Very Rev. Theo Laboure, OMI., Provincial of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.  The Stations of The Cross were blessed on March 5^th, 1926 by The Most. Rev. E. B. Ledvina, Bishop of Corpus Christi.
 

The religious order of priests that ministered the parish since 1910 (The Oblates of Mary Immaculate) left St. Benedict Parish effective on August 31^st, 1998, the last OMI Pastor was Fr. Richard Guerra. The parish began to be administered by Diocesan Priests since September 1^st, 1998. Fr. Ignacio Luna became the first Diocesan Pastor under The Most. Rev. Raymundo Pena, DD., V Bishop of Brownsville, TX.
 

Extract taken from the 75th Anniversary Booklet

 

Fr. Yvo Tymen, O.M.I.
 

In a very special way, the story of St. Benedict is the story of Fr. Yvo Tymen, OMI. Arriving here in 1921, he served as Pastor for 16 years. During that time, he built the Parish School and arranged for the Sisters of the Sacred Heart to come and teach in 1924.

After watching the Parish Building burn to the ground, he immediately began to work on the new Church Building we honor today.

In 1933 he built the present Rectory and before his departure in 1937, he enlarged the school. 

IMPORTANT DATES IN THE HISTORY OF THE PARISH

1010 - Blessing of the First Church.

1912 – St. Benedict is made a Parish.

1917 – First Automobile Purchased.

1921 – Fr. Yvo Tymen is named pastor.

1923 – Church Burns down.

1924 – Arrival of the Sacred Heart Sisters.

1925 – Blessing of the New Church.

1933 – Building of the New Rectory.

1937 – Fr. Tymen is replaced by Fr. Fritz.

1948 – Building of New Convent.

1965 – Office Building added to the Rectory.

1967 – Catechetical Center Built.

1974-1975 – Renovation of Church Building.

1998 – Fr. Richard Guerra, OMI., last Religious Pastor, effective on August 31^st, 1998.

1998 – Fr. Ignacio Luna, first Diocesan Pastor, effective on September 1^st, 1998.

 

Fr. James Meagher, OMI.,Pastor from 1970 to 1976, and Fr. Richard Sheehan, OMI., associate pastor of the parish.