Adventures in the Archives

It was 20 years ago in December 2002 when something happened that radically changed the expansion and renewal of our parish facilities. Here is how Pastor Rev. Patrick Johnson, CSP described this event in the January 2003 St. Austin Catholic Parish Newsletter.

“It was a week and a half before Christmas and I was dropping something off to Bishop Gregory Aymond’s secretary when the bishop called out from his office, ‘I hear you’ve bought yourself a gas station.’ 

It was on December 6th, 2002, with the strong encouragement and support of Bishop Gregory Aymond and the diocesan staff, that St. Austin Catholic Parish made an offer to purchase the property on the northwest corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and San Antonio Street, just across the street from McDonald’s.

The site was currently being used as a contract surface parking lot, but many of you will remember it as the site of the old Choate’s gas station and, later, auto repair shop. To find property that close to our campus is a break we have not had in many, many decades. If we can reach an agreement with the seller and if the property becomes ours, we have some new options and gain some flexibility. This opportunity is truly Spirit-sent!”

And truly it was Spirit-sent, because we were able to buy that property and our parish parking garage and office space were built on that corner.

2021 Archives

2022 Archives