St. Mary's and the Nazareth Convent

Even before the official transaction of the Nazareth Convent property to St. Mary’s this past July, a committee from the church has been working on selecting an architect in order to begin the process of revitalizing this beloved building and grounds. We are pleased to announce that Fisher Heck Architects of San Antonio has been selected for this task. Fisher Heck is known across the state for their religious architecture and historic preservation work. The first phase of architectural work includes creating accurate drawings of the Nazareth Convent and a survey of the property, a thorough condition assessment of the building, and the development of a Master Plan which will help determine the phasing of the project. This detailed process is expected to take 4-6 months, and we will seek further ideas and present possibilities for feedback during this time. Thank you for your patience and support as we undertake this great endeavor for the future of our parish.

Check out the website for Fisher Heck Architects at www.fisherheck.com

December 17, 2020

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Mary’s,

We all know that the year 2020 has been a difficult and challenging year. In the midst of so many woes, I would like to deliver to you some exciting news which, I pray, will contribute to the hope and zeal we possess as we continually move forward in our mission as Christ’s Church.

I am pleased to let you know that St. Mary’s has reached an agreement with the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament to purchase the old convent which has been on the market for over five years. This building, which is actually physically connected to our church, was built in 1905 to serve as the convent for the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament as well as housing the then-named “Academy of Nazareth” and a place for boarders of the academy. This beautiful building is structurally sound and is already configured for religious use. Our intent is to preserve the religious, historical and architectural significance of this building and give it new life as a continued place of witness to the Faith in downtown Victoria. We are grateful to the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament for entrusting this beloved place of their history to St. Mary’s and for the special relationship between St. Mary’s and the sisters which dates back to their foundation in Victoria on December 21, 1866.

It is because of the dedication and support of so many parishioners and friends, as well as being the beneficiary of recent bequests, that St. Mary’s is in a financial situation to be able to make this extraordinary step forward in our efforts to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There will be a presentation on Tuesday, January 5th at 7:00 pm at St. Mary’s Parish Hall to discuss the potential uses of this property and our plans moving forward. Anyone interested in this project is welcome to attend. Masks and social distancing will be required at this meeting.

Redeveloping this property will take cooperation, hard work, patience, and dedication, but I am confident that we will rise to the challenge. First and foremost, please, pray for the success of these efforts, remembering:

If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labor.  -Psalm 127:1

May God bring you His peace and blessings.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Kristopher Fuchs

Pastor