Archbishop Coakley dedicates new church in Madill

MADILL – More than 600 parishioners and guests filled the new Holy Cross Catholic Church in Madill May 4 to celebrate the completion of the first phase of construction for the growing parish community.
 
Archbishop Coakley joined Father Oby Zunmas, pastor of Holy Cross, and visiting priests and deacons to bless and dedicate the new sanctuary. 
 
“You have built something beautiful, something beautiful and noble and worthy of the faith life of this Catholic community. It is a day of celebration; it is indeed a day of rejoicing,” said Archbishop Coakley during his homily. “Today, we are opening a new chapter in the history of Holy Cross Parish. … As we look forward, give hope and acknowledge the promise this new church represents for future generations of Catholics who will pass through these doors, we are also mindful of those generations and the many leaders who have gone before us and established this strong foundation upon which we are building today.” 
 
Parish leaders plans to build more buildings for religious education, offices and other ministries on the campus that sits in an open field about 20 miles north of the Oklahoma-Texas border.
 
At the outdoor lunch and celebration following Mass, parishioners spoke – in English and Spanish – about their pride in the new church and their sense of community.
 
“I joined the parish in 2008 and there were very few families – about 20 families – and since then it has exploded! We’ll have a new place where people can come and it’s awesome,” Delfania Sanchez said. “It has been amazing to see how the parish has grown and we’re very thankful for Fr. Oby. He has been the rock behind this community and has been the man who has had vision and encouragement to make this a grand place.”
 
Patti Pellerin has been at the parish for two years.
 
“It’s just everything. It’s so wonderful. It brought tears to my eyes to think that they could do all of this, a little parish like this. It’s wonderful for the community.”
 
Enrique Valles said at a table during lunch surrounded by a large group of family and friends.
 
“I feel blessed by the sacrifice that has been made here by parishioners and people from outside of the parish to grow this parish and build a new home for us. It has been by the favor of God that we have been able to do this,” he said. “I feel blessed to leave a legacy here for the new young folks coming to the parish, including my children. For them to have a home and to be able to grow this community. It’s about the future and I’m excited.”
 
The original Holy Cross Catholic Church was built in 1949 and was blessed by Bishop Eugene McGuinness in 1950. The second church building, which is about a mile from the new location, was built in 1957. On May 4, the day of the dedication of the new church, hundreds of parishioners, some on horseback, processed from the old location to the new.  
 
Diane Clay is editor of the Sooner Catholic.