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Pastors of Immaculate Conception Gregory+▪Father Juan Militello, M.S.F. – 1926 - 1931
The first priest assigned as pastor to Immaculate Conception Church was Father Juan Militello. Although he was Italian, Fr. Militello was fluent in Spanish, a blessing to the parishioners as most were Hispanic. Parishioners recall mass being offered every Sunday and the Rosary was recited daily in church. They also recall that during this time there were no formal church organizations, however, parishioners worked together to build and maintain the facilities. The main fundraiser at the time was the church supper, where families would bring a meal and enjoy the company of friends and neighbor for the afternoon. Father Militello is remembered as a priest who encouraged parish participation by visiting various families in their homes. In March 1931 Father Militello became ill and returned to Italy. Between March and November 1931, several visiting priests attended to the needs of the parishioners.
+▪Father Jose P. Muras, M.S.F. - 1931- 1946
From November 1931 to February 1946, Father Jose P. Muras, a Spaniard, presided at the parish. Father Muras' special contribution to the parish was the purchase of a 5 foot statue of the Sacred Heart for the Main Altar of the Church. Father Muras collected donations from the parishioners for the purchase of the statue. It was picked up from the train station and brought to the church in a horse drawn wagon. Father Muras built a convent and school and brought Hispanic nuns to the parish to teach in the Catholic School. It was recalled that the church was one of few places in Gregory that had electricity, water and gas. Most families still had water carted to their homes. Father Muras is remembered for his frequent visits to parishioners' homes and his interest in the well being of his parishioners. On Saturdays, local women and girls would gather at the church to clean the church and the men would gather to do yard work and the general maintenance of the property. At this time Father Muras also gave mass in Portland also, as Portland was a mission of Gregory. Father Muras suffered a heart attack and died in the rectory in February 1946. Between February and May of 1946 , visiting priests again attended to the needs of the parish.
+▪Father Carlos Camillo Garcia – 1946- 1950
On May 20,1946, Father Camillo Garcia was assigned as pastor to Immaculate Conception Parish. Father Garcia, a Hispanic, identified well with the parishioners and pushed for more active participation from the parishioners. Fr. Garcia, at the time was a priest from the Archdiocese of San Antonio but because of differences with the archbishop had reached out to his friend Monsignor Mariano Garriga who was the coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi helped with a letter of reccommendation to Bishop Ledvina and Archbishop Lucey and was transferred to the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Monsignor Garriga wrote of Fr. Garcia: "He has started with zeal and good will." During his time at Immaculate Conception he remodeled the Church ceiling, and had parishioners build bingo tables and benches out of one of the dormitories that had to be torn down. Father Garcia also encouraged the formation of formal church organizations to lead parish activities. Some of the organizations that were formed during this time were: Guadalupanas, Sacred Heart Society, Catholic Youth Organization, Daughters of Mary, and Celadoras. Father Garcia also introduced the Lions Club to the Gregory area. He is remembered as a very energetic and active church leader. he frequently visited parishioners in their homes, especially when he noted a decline in mass attendance. During his stay in Gregory, the church grounds has a new addition. A new school was built in 1948 and in 1949 one of the old dormitory buildings was taken to Portland to be used as a chapel building. Father Garcia brought in English speaking nuns to the new Catholic School was opened. In August 1949 Fr. Garcia requested that he be incardinated to the Diocese of Corpus Christi; with the approval from Archbishop Lucey it was granted and Fr. Garcia would now be a full-fledged member of the clergy of Corpus Christi. Father Garcia was reassigned on December 13, 1949 to St. Joseph Parish in Alamo, Texas.
Fr. Garcia is recognized as the first native born Mexican-American Priest of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, and possibly the first native born Mexican-American Priest of Texas.
+▪Father Leonard Potrykus – Jan 1950 - Feb 1950
Father Leonard Potrykus was assigned to the parish in January of 1950 after the departure of Father Garcia. He served as pastor for a duration of only two months. On the morning of February 21, 1950 a tragedy occurred in the parish rectory. Father Leonard was severly beaten by a thief. Father died later that morning in the rectory of head injuries sustained during the robbery. The suspect, who fled in the priest's car, wrecked and was hospitalized for amnesia later that morning. A parishioner recalls this as a time of great consternation and sorrow in the parish because of the murder of one of God's priests. At this time church building was reconsecrated.
+▪Father Francis J. Kunz, M.S.F. – March 1950 - Dec. 1958
Father Francis Kunz was appointed pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in March 1950. During his tenure he helped to organize the Saint Vincent de Paul Society and Altar Society. He was also responsible for building a new parish hall to accomidate bingos, church activities, and religious plays. Father Kunz also saw the need for the continuing religious education of his parishioners old and young alike, he provided a year program of education for the school-age children. During the regular school year the Sisters of the Order of the Holy Ghost taught school in the parish. In the summer months when the Sisters left, Mexican Sisters of another order would take up residence in the convent to teach the children that had attended public school during the year. He help to direct a children's choir.
Father Kunz introduced to the parish the procession in a big way. To celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1956 he organized a car procession with the statue of the Immaculate Conception to visit the church in Taft. The parish grew during this period. Father Kunz left in December 1958.
+▪Father Paul Okros, M.S.F. – 1958 - 1982
Father Paul Okros' tenure as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish lasted for a period of almost 24 years. He is remembered as the builder of the parish. When Father Paul arrived in 1958, the church was badly infested with termites and the hall, school and convent were badly in need of repair. Father Paul not only became pastor but also master capenter, gardener, and plumber of the grounds. Every summer he and a group of men would repaint and repair whatever was in need of repair. Finally in 1963 a building committee was organized to study the feasibility of building a new church and rectory. The church was completed and dedicated in 1964.
As for the other old buildings, in 1970 Hurricane Celia struck and either damaged or completely destroyed the school, convent, the hall and the old church. Father Paul asked for lonas to replace the hall and refurbish the old church into a CCD building. a new hall (presently the CCD building) was constructed at the site of the school; a new CCD building at the site of the old church. (current church)
Father Paul's longevity in the parish influenced the parish customs to a great extent. The parish Jamaica, at the time held in August, started in large extent due to his influence. The Jamaica and town procession was primarily a celebration of the Feast of the Assumption. Father Paul helped to ease the parishioners into the changes taking place in the church after the Second Vatican Council, physical structure changes within the church and changes in the receiving of the Sacraments. Confirmation for infants was held almsot yearly up until 1965. Father Paul also changed the way in which the children received their First Holy Communion. He inisisted that parents bring up their children to the altar to receive Communion with them.
Father Paul established the first Parish Council in the parish to help in the decisions of the parish and to help in the changes taking place in the Mass and the Church. Also around the time of the Vietnam War when nearly every family had a son or relative in the service the custom of reciting the Rosary before the Mass started. This custom continued up to Father Paul's departure
Father Paul is remembered as having great empathy for the children, the sick and the elderly of the parish. Within his tenure he helped to prepare a whole generation of children in their faith. He guided them in their infancy when he baptized them, through their childhood when he helped them prepare for their First Reconciliation and Communion, and through their adulthood when he taught the high-school religion classes. He performed marriage ceremonies for some of them and finally even baptizing their infants.
He is remembered for his great love and respect he had for the Blessed Sacrament. Father Paul helped the parishioners to strengthen their faith. He encouraged change when for the good of the parish. In doing this he helped the parish retain its very special identity. Father Paul resigned in 1982 due to poor health, he passed a few years later, on the Feast day of Immaculate Conception, December 8th.
As he once said,
"Now this is the only Home that I have a Parish, The Immaculate Conception."
+▪Father Gerald Appleby, M.S.F. – 1982 - Sept. 1983
Father Gerald Appleby served for a period of approximately one year. During his stay Father Appleby revived a few of the parish practices and started a series of new customs. During his stay the parish procession during the Feast of the Assumption was revived, During his time the Saint Vincent de Paul Society joined the Community Food Bank in order to distribute food basketsto the poor of the parish. The first Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion were commissioned in the parish and the preparation of the first Confirmation class began in the parish after a period of 17 years. During Father Appleby's stay the parish participated more in diocesan programs as the parish had become somewhat isolated from the rest of the dioces in previous years. In 1983 he resigned due to illness.
+▪Father Walter Schlosser – Oct. 1983 - Jan. 1984
Father Walter Schlosser, was appointed interim pastor of the parish in 1983 and had the distinction of being the oldest pastor of any parish in the diocese. He is remembered by parishioners for his kindness and patience. During his six months here the parish had a sense of tranquility, No major building projects were undertaken during Father Schlosser's stay.This was a time of transition when the order of the Missionaries of Holy Family transferred the job of spiritual guidance to the diocesan priests. Father Schlosser had the distinct honor of being the last priest from the order to serve in the parish. In 1985 he died of cancer in Corpus Christi.
•Father Parick Donohoe – Jan. 1984 - Jan. 1986
if Father Schlosser had the distinction of being the oldest pastor, then Father Patrick Donohoe had the distinction of being the youngest pastor assigned to the parish. Father Patrick was appointed pastor in January 1984. His youth, enthusiasm and his endless supply of energy help to revitalize the parish.
The church buildings had deteriorated to a great extent since their original construction. His first projects included replacing the church and rectory (current parish office) roofs. Another project was remodeling the CCD building. Among Father Pat's contributions were the parish workday where all parishioners were encouraged to help in the maintenance of the church buildings and church grounds. One of the Father Pat's other projects included a Saturday parish workshop where the societies and parishioners in general planned for the future of the parish, to help set the needs and priorities of the parish.Father Pat also worked exceedingly had to bring Sisters again to the parish. He set goals for finding and finally remodeling a place for the Sisters to stay. In the fall of 1985, Sister Therese Cunningham became the full-time director of religious education program. During Father Pat's stay the first Confirmation class in 17 years was confirmed and more Eucharistic ministers were commissioned to enable the faithful to receive communion. Father Pat left in January 1986.
•Father (Msgr.) Michael Heras – Jan. 1986 - Sept. 1993
Father Michael Heras was assigned to Immaculate Conception Church in January 1986 and with him camd a literal "flood" of ideas. Father Michael was the first native vocation to serve in Gregory as he was raised and educated in Corpus Christi. He was ordained in June 1984 and was assigned as parrochial vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe before arriving in Gregory. His initial goals included spiritual, liturgical, and administative renewal. Youth ministry and religious education were expanded during this time.
Parish renewal became more evident as the community grew closer to Christ and each other. Community spirit was effectively built, in the celebration of the Mass, more active participation was experienced as people were responding in prayer and song. He arranged for our Diocesan Telecommunication system to televise live Masses which were shown throughout the Diocese. This enhanced the dignity, self image and moral of the parish. He also, established the perpetual adoration chapel. He also commissioned for a new rectory to be built and in the process converted the old rectory into the parish office. In his final years here Father Michael was given the title Monsignor by Bishop Rene Gracida, making him the first and only Monsignor to have ever served at Immaculate Conception. Monsignor Michael left in September 1993.
•Father Robert "Bob" Dunn – Sept. 1993 - Aug. 2000
Father Bob has come to bring a profound sacredness in celebrating the Liturgy. Father Bob tring to keep firm the foundations that Monsignor Michael had established "Misa Alegria", which was a series of 10 masses held throughout the neighborhoods of Gregory. During His time Here at Immaculate Conception Father Bob took on several projects througout the parish which included: the start of the Head Start program, maintenance and adding the covering on the parish pavilion as well as planting the 20 oak trees surrounding the pavilion. Complete remodel of the interior of the church, building addition square feet onto the Saint Vincent de Paul building. And the biggest of all the projects a new church parish hall (our current parish church), and the conversion of the old parish hall into the religious education building. During this time Sister Ester F. Rodriguez, O.P. was brought into the parish as the director of the food bank. Father Bob was a visionary of the parish not only looking to the present time but looking into the future needs of the parishioners and the parish. Father Bob left in August of 2000
Father Richard Gonzales – (Transitional Deacon - ordained Jan. 1998)
1997- 1999
+•Father Jose Almazan - Aug. 2000 - April 2001
Father Jose Almazan only spent a short period of time here at Immaculate Conception. During this time there were no projects undertaken, this was a quiet time for the parish.
•Father Nicholas Perera - April 2001 - Feb. 2003
Father Nicholas Perera was assigned to Immaculate Conception in April 2001, he was the first priest from Asia to be assigned to this parish, Father Nicholas was from Sri Lanka and was also an avid musician, although Fr. Nicholas was not here long he is remembered as being a welcoming priest. Fr. Nicholas would return to Sri Lanka in 2003.
•Father Raju Thottankara – Feb. 2003 - June 2013
Father Raju was assigned to Immaculate Conception in Febrary 2003 and right away made it his priority to pay parishes debt that was owed from the previous projects undertaken in previous years, within just 4 years all debt was paid off. During his time here many other projects were also completed. throughout many years of neglect the roofs on all the parishes buildings were in need of repair, with the help of the community and much needed funding he ensured that all the roofs were replaced. In 2005 after a close call with a Hurricane it was the decision of Father Raju and the Parish council to move the annual Jamaica, from its usual August to October at which time the overall income for this festival increased substantially.
Father Raju after seeing that the community needed peaceful place to come and meditate commissioned that a prayer garden be make between the chapel and the church. The garden which contains statues of: Our lady of Guadalupe, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Conception, Saint Anthony, Saint Jude and Saint Bernadette it a welcoming enviornment for all who enter the church grounds. Father Raju aslo saw the need for a remodel of both the chapel, the church and the Saint Vincent de Paul building. Now Father Raju was not just just a builder of the physical parish but also inspired a spiritual growth for the youth of our comunity, knowing that the youth are the future of the church, encouraged them to get involved in the various organizations, even inspired the formation of the Crusaders for Christ.
While serving as pastor here Father Raju received his citizenship to the U.S. and shortly after entered the military to become a military Chaplin to all US Branches of armed service. In April of 2012 a flash flood struck the community of Gregory and completely damaged the parish office, chapel, CCD building, Saint Vincent de Paul building and Parish Church, now Father Raju was faced with the task of having to have all these buildings repaired to the former state. Also as a result of this flood it became apparent that the church that the parish had called home for almost 50 years was no longer usable in its present state with the risk of it ever flooding again. It became aparent that the need for a new church had arrived, with the blessing of the parishioners, parish council and Bishop Mulvey the parish hall that was constructed during Father Bob's time was approved to become the new parish church. Father Raju began the process of the renovation but would not get to see it through he was moved in June 2013.
Father Raju is remembered as being a pastor who allowed much growth to occur for the better of the parish, a builder of the parish and for his great love of the parishioners.
+ -Father Krystof Lenik 2004 - 2005 *
native of Poland, Father Kris came to the parish and with a vibrant energy, although his stay was short he made a definite impact on the prayer life in the parish. Fr. Kris was here til 2005 when he was assigned to Tivoli; although due to health reasons he departed back to Poland.
+-Father Francis Fernandes 2005- May 2006 *
Native of Kuwait, Father Francis was a very joyous person he had a very distinct love for the people and encouraged prayer with all. In May 2006 on his return from a visit with family members Father Francis was involved in a single car accident which resulted in his untimely death.
-Father Jose A. Ortiz - June 2006- Dec. 2014 *
Fr. Jose Ortiz was assigned as Parrochial Vicar to the parish in 2006, his joy and energy were welcoming to the parishioners, Fr. Jose encouraged prayer and even helped to bring the Crusillo Movement to the parish. While Fr. Jose was here a fourth Sunday Mass was added to the Mass schedule in an effort to make sure that there was no reason for people to not attend Sunday Mass. Fr. Jose made himself avaliable to all parishioners especially for those who were in need of hospital visits or those who were homebound.
- Father James Puthenparambil - July 2013 - June 2018
Fr. James arrived at the parish and was immediately tasked with the renovation of the parish hall to be our new house of worship. In October 2014 we moved from the temporary worship space in the parish hall (current church) and returned temporarily to the old church as construction started on the current church. Fr. James was soft spoken, he enjoyed being around the parishioners. During his time here he oversaw the renovation of the former parish hall into what is now our parish church as well as the renovation of the old church into the parish hall and some much needed maintenance to the pavilion. In August 2017 the area was hit by Hurricane Harvey, thankfully our damages were limited. In June 2018 Fr. James was called back to his native country of India.
* served as Parrochial Vicar
+ Deceased
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Deacons & Nuns
Deacon Juan L. Gomez - 1988 - 2014 (retired)
Deacon Reynaldo Rojas - 1995 - 2000 (currently serves at St. Joseph Corpus Christi)
Sister Therese Cunningham - 1985 - 2000 (currently serves the San Benito Area)
Sister Isabel Gonzales
Sister Ester F. Rodriguez - 1995-2001
Sister Rose P. Madassery 2003-2005 (Former Director of Mother Teresa Day Shelter)