St. Lawrence Mission Statement
St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of San Antonio is a Catholic Parish Family, grounded in deep spirituality, enriched by the uniqueness of the individual members, baptized in the Lord and dedicated to continue the work of Jesus in proclaiming the Good News. As a people of Christian Hope, we strive to minister to our fellow parishioners, the poor and needy of a wider community, offering an ray of hope in today's troubled world. We endeavor to promote a sense of ministry among all members of our catholic community with the goal of evangelizing all people; to encourage our fellow parishioners to live the life of Christ on every level; to strive and fully utilize the talents and leadership within our parish; and to continue offering all our efforts for the Greater Glory of God.
Brief History of our Parish
Foundation of St. Lawrence Catholic Church
St. Lawrence Church was established in September 1959 as a daughter parish of St. Leo's and was named after the early Roman martyr and deacon, Saint Lawrence. In February of 1959 the first five acres of land for the church were acquired, and by April there were two additional acres purchased, upon which the church was eventually built. It was dedicated on July 10, 1960 by Msgr. J. L. Manning, then Archdiocesan Chancellor. The first sacraments received were in October of 1959, and in April 1965, Archbishop Robert E. Lucey signed the contract to build a new parish rectory.
Renovations and Most Recent Constructions
On June 21, 1992, Archbishop Patrick Flores officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony for the new education center to be constructed, along with Fr. Adolfo Valdivia and Deacon Jose Hernandez. This building would contain new classrooms and the parish administration center. It was dedicated on March 6, 1993. As the community of St. Lawrence continued to grow, it required a larger bulding for the church. On August 10, 1998, the feast day of Saint Lawrence the Martyr, the parish broke ground for a new church building. Only one year and eight months later, the new building was dedicated by Archbishop Patrick Flores on April 16, 2000.