Commemorating the dedication of St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church in Greenwood.
WHEREAS, St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church in Greenwood
celebrated the dedication of its new building by Bishop Michael
J. Sis of the Diocese of San Angelo on March 16, 2024; and
WHEREAS, In 2018, Bishop Sis gave permission for the
establishment of the Greenwood Catholic Community; Greenwood
Elementary School generously offered its auditorium for Sunday
services, allowing the faithful in the area to begin worshipping
closer to home; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Sis issued a decree in 2020 naming the church
for Saint Rita of Cascia; born in the Italian village of
Roccaporena, near Cascia, Saint Rita lived from 1381 until 1457,
and she is regarded as the patron saint of impossible causes; the
first oil well in West Texas, Santa Rita No. 1, was named in her
honor; and
WHEREAS, St. Rita of Cascia has been a mission of San Miguel
Arcángel Parish in Midland, with Father Patrick Akpanobong as
pastor; community members worked tirelessly to raise funds for the
construction of their church, and they purchased a six-acre
property that includes the site of the earliest school in
Greenwood; they gathered for the ground breaking on September 17,
2022; deacon Bill Scarmardo served as architect and N. C. Sturgeon
was the general contractor; and
WHEREAS, The completion of this house of worship is a tribute
to the vision and perseverance of the St. Rita of Cascia community,
and the prayerful devotion of its members will ensure that the
church continues to thrive in the years to come; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby commemorate the dedication of St. Rita of Cascia Catholic
Church and extend to its clergy and parishioners sincere best
wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the church as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives and Senate.
