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Catholic Churches

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1900

 

1902

Contract for the NBVM Catholic Church was let to J.F. Barnes & Co. of Greenville and Biloxi for $15,558.  Brick structure 132 feet by 55 feet, 60 feet tall, and bell tower 140 feet tall.  Architect Theo Brune (1854-1932) of NOLA.  Bid did not include: overhead ceiling, plastering, and wainscoting.(The Biloxi Daily Herald, February 7, 1902, p. 1)

1903

1904
1905

 

1906

 In early January 1906, seven, large, stain glass windows arrived at Biloxi from Germany to tbe placed in the sanctuary of the Nativity B.V.M. Catholic Church.  Julia Dulion Lopez (1857-1918) had donated these windows described as 'equal to anything in the South' in memory of Lazaro Lopez, (1850-1903), her late husband.  Frederick Thornley of New York was employed to install the windows designed and built by Reis and Reis of Munich, Germany.(The Biloxi Daily Herald, January 6, 1906, p. 4 and  January 9, 1906, p. 1)

1908

Our Lady of Good Counsel on Cedar Street at Point Cadet in East Biloxi was dedicated in late January with Father Alphonse Ketels in charge. Frederick Henry McCaleb (1846-1909) donated the land for the small church to the Diocese of Natchez in February 1908.  The deed from Mr. McCaleb stated that "graves on said lot is not to be molested and reserve the right to have any of my family buried on said lot at all times."(The Biloxi Daily Herald, January 30, 1908 and Harrison Co., Mississippi Chancery Court Land Deed Bk. 102, p. 121)

 

1920

Peter Pitalo (1866-1947) donated a statue representing Our Lady of the Assumption to St. Michael's Church as a memorial to John Joseph Pitalo (1893-1918), his deceased son.(The Daily Herald, June 25, 1920)

1921

The Reverend Alphonse Ketels (1855-1921), native of St. Nicholas, Belgium and pastor of N.B.V.M. since 1897, expired at Biloxi, Mississippi on July 11th.  Father Ketels came to the Diocese of Natchez in 1886 to minister to the people of DeLisle.  In the fall of 1920, he visited his four sisters in Belgium.  In December 1921, Bishop Gunn appointed Father Peter Keenan (1873-1937) to replace Reverend Ketels at N.B.V.M.  

 
1931
Father P.J. McGlade (1893-1980) was appointed the pastor of the newly formed St. John's Parish on Biloxi's Back Bay.(The Daily Herald, September 4, 1931, p. 5)
 
 
1950
Father Patrick Scully (b. 1926), a native of Kilbeggan, County Westmeath, Eire, and a graduate of St. Patrick's College, Carlow, Ireland, assumed his duties as third assistant pastor at N.B.V.M. Catholic Cghurch at Biloxi. Kilbeggan was known for its Irish whiskey distillery.(The Daily Herald, October 11, 1950, p. 7-[photo])
 
 
1960
 
 
 
1962
In late May, Our Lady of Fatima contracted with the William Craig Company of Gulfport, Mississippi to erect a $102, 811, two-story, masonry convent school building to be situated south of the elementary class room buildng. Slaughter & Smith, Pascagoula, Mississippi architects, designed the eight-bedroom facility for the Catholic teaching nuns.(The Daily Herald, June 1, 1962, p. 1)
 
Father Paul Hession (ca 1920-1993) of Our Lady of Fatima Parish celebrated his 20th anniversary as a Roman Catholic priest in mid-June with a tea service.  Assistant Pastor, Lorenzo Diamond, and Monsignor Geoffrey T. O'Connell of N.B.V.M. were in attendance.(The Daily Herald, June 14, 1962, p. 7)
 
 
 
 

1969

Reverend Monsignor Michael J. Fox died on March 22, 1969.

1976

Reverend Monsignor Geoffrey T. O'Connell died on May 9, 1976.

1993

Reverend Monsignor Paul Hession died on September 15, 1993.

2004

Reverend Charles R. Loyacono (1923-2004) died on May 2, 2004 at Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

2008

Reverend Monsignor  James Hannon (1920-2008), native of County Galway, Ireland and ordained in June 1945 at St. Patrick's College, Carlow, Ireland, expired on March 16, 2008 at , Mississippi.  One of the founders of the St. Vincent De Paul Free Pharmacy in Biloxi  Buried Evergreen Cemetery at Ocean Springs, Mississippi.(The Mississippi Press, March 19, 2008, p. A4 and The Sun Herald, March 18, 2008, p. A2)