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• ST. JOSEPH'S PARISH--STRATFORD, TEXAS

  Early church records indicate Stratford was on the railroad route of Father David Dunn, pioneer missionary priest of the Texas Panhandle, as early as 1903. Stratford was also listed, in 1915, as a Mass station of Rev. Patrick J. Murphy, pastor of St. Anthony's in Dalhart.
  
  St. Joseph's Mission began when Rev. James E. Fitzgerald offered Mass on January 3, 1954, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Walsh. Twenty-four persons were present. Father Fitzgerald was then pastor of St. Anthony's in Dalhart, where the Catholics of Sherman County had been going to Mass until that time.
  
  After the celebration, the people discussed with the priest the plans for the future. The fledgling congregation had purchased a block of property in the southeast part of town, but had no funds with which to build a church. A main floor hotel room was rented for $35.00 a month. Everyone pitched in to raise funds. All the families made sizable donations. The ladies of the Altar Society held bake sales every month to help. Various other projects for raising money were held by the men.
  On July 20, 1959, the construction of the $26,000 church building was begun on the city block owned since 1952. A gift from the Catholic Extension Society aided in the construction of the church which seats about 150 people. Because of the delay in obtaining some of the material s, the beams and the roof stood alone in the wind for a considerable time.
  
  The first Eucharistic celebration in the new building was on January 1, 1960, with Rev. Francis X. Frey, assistant pastor of St. Anthony's in Dalhart, presiding. Rev. James Sonderman was pastor at the time. A large crucifix was donated by the Knights of Columbus of Dalhart. The corpus was hand carved in Italy, and Ray Doerfler made the wooden cross for it.
  
  School Sisters of St. Francis from Dalhart came to teach the children religious education. St. Joseph's became a parish in July, 1966. The children of the parish were confirmed by Bishop DeFalco in June, 1967, when he came to bless the new rectory built for the new pastor, Father Richard Neyer.
  
  The first wedding at St. Joseph's took place in August, 1971. At this time a new rug was bought for the sanctuary with money raised by five men of the parish who had participated in a contest to see who could raise the most money for the new carpeting.
  
  At Christmas, 1977, the large illuminated Celtic Cross was erected. In response to growth in membership in the late 1980's, the parish completed a combination education and social facility. This parish hall has enabled St. Joseph's to sponsor a variety of activities: ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for the community, Boy Scout and Girl Scout activities, dances, and Lions' Club lunches.
  
  Also serving is Deacon Willie Artho, who was ordained as a permanent deacon in 1981.
  
  St. Joseph's Parish serves 200 families and is growing. Liturgies are held in both English and Spanish. This parish also has the care of Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Cactus assigned to it. God willing, we will continue to grow and prosper in the work of our Lord.
  
  List of Pastors/ Parochial Administrators who have served this parish. 
  Fr. Richard Neyer
  Fr. Gerald Lynch
  Burke Terence*
  Fr. Clayde Gary Side
  Fr. Donald P. Rusch
  Fr. Stanley Crocchiola
  Fr. Edward Kieran
  Fr. James Gurzynski
  Fr. James D. Hutzley
  Fr. Michael Wood
  Fr. Joseph P. Tobare
  Fr. Kevin Hand
  Fr. Joseph Egan
  Msgr. Arturo Meza
  Fr. Juanito Santos de Dios
  Fr. Richard Scully
  Msgr. Michael Colwell
  Very Rev. Hector Madrigal
  Fr. David Contreras
  Fr. Darryl Birkenfeld
  Fr. Johson Vadakumchery
  Fr. William German
  Fr. Aleksy Kolwalsky
  Fr. Joseph Papaiah
  Fr. Carlos E. Castro
  Fr. Cesar Gomez
  Fr. Guadalupe Mayorga
  Christopher Schwind*
  Fr. Victor Hugo Andrade