from the Diocesan
Black  Catholics office,(original circa 1977)

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST - A HISTORY

In 1946, the Divine Word Missionaries began St. Peter Claver Mission in Taylor, Texas. After five and a half years of rather unsuccessful attempts to interest more Black people in joining the Catholic Church, the third Pastor, Rev. Henry Marusa, S.V.D., closed the small frame cottage church and planned a fresh attempt in the larger city of Waco. Following leads supplied by personnel associated with the Union of Czech Women of Texas (K.J.Z.T.), the present site was located and purchased with a loan from K.J.Z.T.  The first purchase included 4.12 acres.  Later additions included a lot on Dallas Street, and 3.47 acres toward the Brazos River.

Father Marusa Celebrated the first Mass on February 7, 1952, with five Catholics in attendance. In the beginning, Mass was offered on the sun porch of the old brick house which had stood on the property since the 1850’s when it was built by the James E. Davis family, with bricks made on the banks of the Brazos several hundred yards away.  This original structure served as the rectory for many years.  On February 22, 1952, Father Marusa sent out the first public statement of intent for the new mission. Plans were announced to open a kindergarten by September 7th.  With the help of “Frenchie” Guenet, and others, the basement was plastered and received a cement floor. A concrete block addition was made to accommodate toilet facilities for the children.

In September 1955, Father Marusa, the founder of St. John’s, transferred to the Western Province of the S.V.D., Missionaries in California, he was succeeded by Rev. Stanley Goatee, S.V.D.  Because of the growing number of children at the school, a two-story house was rented on Dallas St., and Father Edmund J. Fleming, Chaplain at Connally Air Force Base, promised to pay the rent as long as his assignment at the nearby base would hold. This was the same Priest who gave St. John’s the oil painting of the Last Supper, which hangs on the wall at the entrance of church.

In 1957, Father Goatee broke ground for the new church, which was dedicated by Bishop Louis J. Reicher on January 12, 1958.   July 1958, Father Goatee established “St. John’s Catholic Information Center”, as another means of making St. John’s Church more known in the city of Waco

In 1961, Rev. Vance Thorne, S.V.D., became the first Black Priest to serve as Pastor of St. John’s, and served until 1971.  Father Thorne added significantly to the number of Parishioners and built a strong community of Catholics in the parish.

Rev Michael Moody, S.V.D., the second Black priest at St. John’s was pastor from 1971 to 1975.  In August of 1975, he was succeeded by Rev. Charles Leisring, S.V.D. who served until 1977.    Rev. Anthony Burgess, a Black priest, was Pastor from 1977 to 1983.  Due to the lack of a priest, the St. John The Baptist was closed from Spring, 1983 to August 1985.  Father Robert Mahoney was Pastor from August 1985 until July 1991. Alton Hithe and Ed Maddox were ordained as Deacons in 1991.  In July 1991, Deacon Alton Hithe was named Pastoral Administrator of St. John the Baptist, with Deacon Ed Maddox assisting him.  In 1996 Deacon Maddox entered a seminary to study for the priesthood.  Deacon Alton Hithe served as Pastoral Administrator until 2004.  Fr. Jim Deaconson was appointed Pastor in 2004 and Fr. Patrick Adejoh served as pastor from 2006 until 2008.