Founded: 1926 Current Families: 960 the parish Former Pastors of OMOM Parish
1927-1937 Rev. Patrick Walsh and Rev. James Finegan S.S.J 1937-1939 Rev. Francis J. Tighe, S.S.J 1939-1946 Rev. Thomas Foley, S.S.J 1946-1949 Rev. James Faherty, S.S.J 1949-1955 Rev. Thomas Brophy, S.S.J 1955-1960 Rev. Charles Hanks, S.S.J 1960-1966 Rev. Charles Crowley, S.S.J 1966-1972 Rev. Cornelius J. Sexton, S.S.J 1972-1978 Rev. Eugene J. Farrell, S.S.J 1978-1987 Rev. Raymond Woodka S.S.J 1987-1991 Rev. Edward Eichman, S.S.J 1991-1992 Rev. Paul Oberg, S.S.J 1992-2001 Rev. Ray Bomberger, S.S.J 2001-2003 Rev. David Freuh, S.S.J 2003-2005 Rev. Patrick Healy, S.S.J 2005-2012 Rev. Henry J. Davis, S.S.J 2012-2017 Rev. Lowell D. Case, S.S.J 2017-2019 Rev. Noel Effiong, MSP 2019- Rev. Sam Igbafe, MSP
History of Our Mother of Mercy Parish
Early in the twentieth century in "Boom Town", Beaumont, Texas there was only one parish,
Blessed Sacrament, for black Catholics. Blessed Sacrament, located in South Beaumont,on Porter Street, was staffed by Fr. Alexis LaPlante, S.S.J., Pastor and assistants.These missionaries ministered not only to the faithful in the North and South ends of the city, but also to the rapidly growing Catholic community in the "Pear Orchard" area.
This Catholic community proudly claimed its heritage from roots in southeast Louisiana. Local
roots are in the Pear Orchard Community where much of the land was owned by five families, pear trees grew in abundance, and only two families owned automobiles which were driven on shelled streets that turned into "mud lanes" and "mini lakes" whenever it rained. Flooding occurred often because of non-existing drainage. In order to attend Mass, go to confession, or get a priest to minister to the seriously ill, Pear Orchardites had to walk for miles to ride a street car (if funds were available), or continue the walk (which more often than not happened) to Blessed Sacrament Church. By 1926, Fr. LaPlante saw the need of a Mission Church for the faithful in the Pear Orchard. Land was purchased for this in 1923. This mission was built on Broussard Street across from the Blessed Sacrament Cemetery and was called Our Mother of Mercy. In 1927, the newly established Mission Church opened a school with three lay teachers to serve the religious and academic development of 134 students. A Church Choir of approximately forty members was organized by one of the teachers and was often asked to sing in Orange, Port Arthur and China, Texas. Between 1927 and 1937, Rev. Patrick Walsh and Rev. James Finegan, both Josephites Fathers served as pastors of Our Mother Mission Church with the aid of five assistant pastors during the interim. In 1930 Fr. Matthew Morrisey, S.S.J. gave the new Mission a Church Bell. The mission era ended in July, 1937, when Fr. Francis Tighe, S.S.J. became the first resident pastor.With charitable aid of a local philanthropy, John Phelan, the first rectory for the parish was constructed. From 1937-1939, the young parish moved forward under Fr. Tighe's leadership, and the parishioners began to realize their importance and sense of belonging to the Universal Church and to the Diocese of Galveston.