History

Saint Edwards Church was formed by Father Wolfe in the year 1946. Father Wolfe was sent to Athens by Bishop Lynch from Dallas. The church was formed after the first Roman Catholic Services were held at the Courthouse of Athens in Henderson County. After three services in the court house, catholic services were held in the women's building .The people met at the women's building to beg the Lord for a Catholic church. Father Wolfe and the people worked hard to build a church at this present site to the House of the Lord. It took much time and money. Thanks to the Church Extension Society, St.Edwards Catholic Church was dedicated on July 20th 1947. The parish hall was added by the succeeding priest, Father John Fowler, in May, 1972 fulfilling the need for a place of fellowship for the members of the church. St.Edwards was formerly a mission of the Immaculate Conception Church in Tyler. Many priests have since come from Tyler on weekends to say mass, baptize and officiate marriages. They could not stay here because there was no Rectory. Finally Msgr. James Tucek is sent by the Bishop of Dallas to stay and build the Rectory. In 1980 St.Edwards was raised to the status of a parish with Msgr. Tucek being its first resident Pastor. Then came Fr. Sam Metzger in the year 1984 as the second resident pastor to continue the Lord's work. In 1995 the white house next to St. Edwards was bought to convert it into a religious education building. In the spring of 1995 the building was blessed by Bishop Edmond Carmody and opened for religious education. Then in June 1998 Fr. Pancras was sent to continue the Lord's mission. Since the congregation grew to 420 families, Fr.Pancras has started many associations for the welfare of the parish community. He had activated the existing Finance Council and the Ladies Guild and Knights of Columbus and Columbian Squires. In addition to these, Fr. Pancras has also formed a Singles club ,a Parish Council, Ways and Means Committee to meet the needs of the spiritual and material welfare of this parish. The Knights of Columbus and the Ladies Guild do wonderful services throughout the year. No function is complete without these associations. It's encouraging to see the Singles Club come forward to collect food, start prayer chain for the sick and the needy and visit nursing homes to cater spritual needs of the Catholics there. So much is happening at present. The future seems bright with the presence of the Knights of Columbus, Ladies Guild, Finance Council, Parish Council, Singles Club, Religious Education Committee, Altar Servers, Columbian Squires, Lectors, Ushers, Eucharistic Ministers, and the Church choir led by Ogburns. The Guild sponsors Altar decorations , maintenance of the Sacristy, dinners, dances ,Our Lady's Garden and other activities for the parishioners. Fellowship meeting is being held every Sunday after 10:30 a.m. mass. You'll be proud to be its members. Everyone in this parish is friendy and hospitable. Since the number of the congregation has grown to a large size an expansion plan of the existing parish hall. Also our Sunday school has grown to be nearly 400 children this year. So the parish council is searching for a place in and around the Loop for a sufficint place to build a Sunday school building and a Recreational and Athletic facilities.