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WHITE DEER SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH IN 1909, HENRY CZERNER AND BEN URBANCZYK, BOTH ORIGINALLY FROM THE POLISH COLONY OF PANNA MARIA, TEXAS, CAME TO THE PANHANDLE AND SECURED A BLOCK OF LAND NEAR THE TOWN OF WHITE DEER. BY 1913, TWELVE POLISH FAMILIES HAD SETTLED IN WHITE DEER. WITHOUT A CHURCH, SETTLERS OFTEN HELD PRAYER SERVICES IN INDIVIDUAL HOMES. ONCE A MONTH, A VISITING PRIEST WOULD CONDUCT MASS. FUNDS WERE RAISED AND FATHER C.J. BIER PURCHASED LAND FOR A CHURCH IN FEBRUARY 1913. WHILE MEN CONSTRUCTED THE CHURCH WOMEN AND CHILDREN WORKED IN THE FIELDS AND SACRED HEART WAS COMPLETED ON MAY 29, 1913. THE PARISH GREW AND IN 1927 FATHER M. FRENCH BECAME THE FIRST RESIDENT PASTOR. DURING THE OIL BOOM SACRED HEART GREW AND BECAUSE OF A LACK OF CATHOLIC CHURCHES, AREA RESIDENTS ATTENDED MASS IN WHITE DEER. FATHER ZIENTA ESTABLISHED THE POLISH SAUSAGE FESTIVAL IN AUGUST 1939 TO PRESERVE POLISH TRADITION, BUT DURING WORLD WAR II THE FESTIVAL WAS DISCONTINUED. THE CHURCH COMMITTEE PURCHASED A HOSPITAL UNIT FROM PAMPA AIR FORCE BASE ON MAY 5, 1948 THAT BECAME THE PARISH HALL. WHEN A TORNADO HIT WHITE DEER IN JUNE 1951, THE ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL WERE BOTH DESTROYED AND SACRED HEART BECAME THE TEMPORARY SCHOOL TO GRADES FIVE THROUGH EIGHT. THE POLISH SAUSAGE FESTIVAL WAS REVIVED IN 1957 AND PROCEEDS WERE USED TO BUILD A NEW CHURCH THAT WAS COMPLETED IN MARCH 1962. THE STATUE BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND RECTORY IS IN HONOR OF ROBERT LANE McCREARY WHO DIED AT SEA ON OCTOBER 27, 1964. CATHOLIC PRIESTS HELPED EARLY POLISH SETTLERS BECOME A PART OF THE COMMUNITY. SACRED HEART HAS CONTINUED SERVING THEIR NEIGHBORS AS A WELCOMING PLACE OF WORSHIP AND HOPE. (2012) |
