ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH

The roof of the Nazareth Convent was badly damaged by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and has been in dire need of replacement. Because of this urgent need to preserve and protect the building, replacement of the roof has already begun. The new roof material is similar to the roof currently on St. Mary's Church, bringing greater unity to these two structures. Also, the roof is being insulated at this time to prepare for future interior use.

The tower of the Nazareth Convent is a stunning feature of this building; however, 120 years of wind and weather have taken its toll on this architectural element. Also, at some point in its history, the tower had been modified from its original design, removing some of its charming ornamentation. While work is being done to replace the roof, the tower above the main entrance is also being weatherproofed and restored to its original grandeur.

The grounds surrounding the Nazareth Convent and St. Mary’s Church need to be redeveloped for greater accessibility and security, as well as for an overall improvement in the block's attractiveness. Currently, the back (south) side of the property facing Convent Street has large retaining walls and is more of a back alley than a proper street or entrance into the property. In December of 2023, the three back buildings were demolished to give the opportunity to make this area into a new and attractive entrance to the convent, church, and chapel with parking to support new and more activity on this city block. 

In addition to a new roof, which is currently being constructed, the remaining exterior of the building will need to be cleaned and restored as well. This includes repairs on the brickwork, the decorative plaster banding, and removal of exterior utility lines no longer in use. 

A very special exterior space at the Nazareth Convent is the courtyard that is anchored by a great, majestic Magnolia tree and statue of Our Blessed Mother. With its arched walkways and south breezes, the courtyard will be made into a perfect place for a variety of events and gatherings. New landscaping, pavers and other hardscape will make this serene garden into a place capable of hosting gatherings both large and small.

To support events in the courtyard, the cafeteria and kitchen will be remodeled to provide an interior space to prepare and serve food. The cafeteria can also be used independently for events and meetings. New restrooms will also be added at this time. 

Behind the church and chapel stands a quaint grotto to the Blessed Mother that was decorated by artist Sister Teresa Wood. The grotto will be restored and this area will be enclosed to form a memorial garden near the entrance to the chapel where we can memorialize and pray for the dead. 

Another potential for a picturesque garden is between the church and convent. With large stained glass windows surrounded by stone on one side and the soaring decorative brick and arched windows of the convent on the other side, this area will be a beautiful place on the way to the chapel or church with new paving and landscaping.

The largest room in the convent is the Auditorium which has its own entrance near the church facing Church Street. With the ceilings raised to their original height and adorned with its original decorative metal ceiling, this room will be a stunning place to hold parish and community events and receptions. Being the very spot of the original homestead of Martin and Patricia De Leon, the founders of Victoria, this room will be restored as a place for the whole community. The successor of this room was the old St. Mary’s Hall built in the 1940s in the auditorium style which served as the city's primary gathering place for such events. Restoring the Convent Auditorium will continue the tradition of St. Mary’s having this type of space for the greater community.

With greater accessibility to the church and chapel, this hub of daily parish activity will be rounded out with the move of our parish offices to the 1st story wing of the convent next to the chapel. Having all these areas next to each other will not only be convenient for parishioners when coming to St. Mary’s to pray and speak to clergy or parish staff, it will also create greater security as the parish offices will be near the entrance to the church and chapel. Having more people present in the area will also allow for our beautiful church and chapel to be open for longer periods of time. With the parish offices moved into the convent, the rectory will become solely a residence for priests which could also include priests from the neighboring Our Lady of Sorrows parish, providing greater community for the priests and making better use of the church’s resources.

When one walks through the front doors of the convent, it is like walking back through time. Decorative tile flooring from 1904, ornate metal ceilings, and intricate woodwork give stunning character to these rooms. Retaining these rooms as windows into the past is an important goal of the convent’s restoration. They will be used as a museum with items and the deep history that has taken place on this city block beginning with Martín De León and continuing with St. Mary’s Church, the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed, and Nazareth Academy. Next to the front lobbies is a room that will be set up as a gift shop for visitors to buy religious items and commemoratives connected to the history and meaning of this place. 

On the northwest corner of the first floor is a spacious art room with plentiful natural light. This room has continuously been used as the art room for Nazareth Academy from 1904 until 2021. Since then, St. Mary’s Parish has continued the use of this room for artistic endeavors, such as teaching the art of Ukrainian Easter Egg decorating. After the renovation, this room, and the adjacent two rooms, will continue to be used for arts and crafts. St. Mary’s has an active sewing group that is temporarily housed in the Activity Center. The inclusion of a sewing room in this area will bring to life, once again, a flourishing of creative activity within these walls.

One the east wing of the second story are 5 large rooms that are ideal for classroom and meeting spaces for various parish and youth programs.

The remainder of the second floor and the entirety of the third floor will be used for various lodging and common spaces such as community rooms, kitchen, dining, and library.  

• Sister’s Quarters 

As religious sisters have lived and prayed on this property since 1866, our desire is to continue this long tradition and purpose of the convent. Currently, three sisters who work at Nazareth Academy reside at the Nazareth Convent.

• Retreats (group and individual) 

The Nazareth Convent is a place of prayer and reflection and an ideal setting for retreats, both group and individual. Rooms for lodging will allow these retreats to span longer than one day and give the retreatant the experience of following in the footsteps of the holy women that once filled this place. 

• Seminarian Housing during the Summer

During the summers, our diocesan seminarians often have assignments and programs back in the diocese. The Nazareth Convent would be an option to house the seminarians for some of these assignments, especially for those that include group programs such as the diocesan phase of the new propaedeutic year at the entrance into seminary, the annual convocation, and pastoral assignments in the area.