Most of you are familiar with St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Fort Worth’s oldest Catholic church, dedicated in 1892. Less well known is the equally beautiful St. Mary of the Assumption on Magnolia Avenue inaugurated 17 years later in 1909.
The original modest wooden structure burned in 1922 and was replaced by the grander Neo-Romanesque building in 1924, designed by renowned architecture firm of Sanguinet & Staats, architects of such downtown Fort Worth survivors as The Neil P. and The Flat Iron Building. The handsome structure, added to the Texas Historic Landmark register in 1979, served the then-prospering Near Southside.
A Near Southside Revival
The circumstances of the parish mirrored the fortunes of the Near Southside which began to decline during The Great Depression before the revival of this in town district beginning in the 1980’s. The mostly hispanic congregation (there is a Spanish language mass ever Sunday at 12:15) is now growing and has become an increasingly popular venue for weddings, enjoying increased popularity with the rising profile of trendy Magnolia Avenue. The building was added to the National Register in 1984.
Rendering of the restored church
To celebrate the centenary of the church an ambitious renovation and restoration will be undertaken next year. The stained glass windows, arguably the loveliest in the city, have already been restored having been removed in 2010 and shipped to Germany for refurbishment.
The current project will focus on decorative painting which will bring a unified binding to the interior, which includes new 50-inch ceiling murals representing the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary and the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary totaling 20 images in all. The decorative painting will be undertaken by the esteemed firm, Conrad Schmidt Studios, a Wisconsin workshop specializing in church interiors in business since 1889.
Fall Fun For a Cause
The St. Mary’s Fall Festival, an annual event, will take on added importance this year with an expanded roster of events with proceeds benefitting the restoration project. The festival will offer a lively mix of family fun, games, food loteria, and mariachis.
The St. Mary Fall Festival will take place this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details of the festival and tickets for the raffle may be found on St. Mary’s website.
