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History

- When the Diocese of Galveston was established in 1847, it comprised the State of Texas east of the Colorado River. It was from Galveston that Richard Hennessy, a young missionary who was later ordained to the priesthood, came to Saint Paul (about 4 miles from Wylie) to minister to the early families of Irish immigrants: Gallagher, Miller, Neilon, Boylan, Corbitt, Cotter, Dempsey, Harnett, Howrey, Marchant, Marriott, Peace, Scanlan, Spurgin and White as early as 1856. it was in that year that Saint Paul Catholic Church was established.. A small religious group gathered in the home of James Gallagher where Father Joseph Martiniere came in 1868 and celebrated the first Mass. He was the first pastor of Saint Paul Catholic Church but also rode horseback into Dallas to say Mass at the homes of Catholic families. The first Catholic Church was built on land deeded by James Neilon in 1869 to the Bishop of Galveston, as the Dallas Diocese was not yet established. This frame church was destroyed by a cyclone in the year 1871 and rebuilt with lumber coming from Jefferson, Texas. In 1869, Andrew and Lucinda Bums donated land for a Catholic school. James Gallagher and Emily Spurgin Gallagher donated land for Saint Paul Catholic Cemetery.
  
  The first entry in the Baptismal Register of Saint Paul/Saint Anthony Catholic Church is dated in 1876.
  
  At the turn of the century, the Wylie area became the dominant place of residency for many of the Catholics. Saint Anthony Catholic Church was established in 1890 or 1900. The first church was built in 1890, but destroyed by fire in 1900 and rebuilt into the present wooden church. In 1916, Bishop Lynch of Dallas gave permission to remove the Saint Paul Church and school. The vestments, the church bell (dated 1876, presently is in the bell tower of the white church) were given to Saint Anthony Church.
  
  Over the ensuing years, Saint Anthony fluctuated between being a parish and a mission (of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Garland, Texas and Saint Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Plano, Texas).
  
  Father Pondant remodeled the old white church, purchased additional land and oversaw the construction of the present church.
  
  Over the years, a number of men and women members of the parish have entered the priesthood or religious life:
  
  Rev. Patrick F, Gallagher, Diocese of Dallas, deceased
  
  Rev. Clement V. Gallagher, Diocese of Denver, deceased
  
  Sister Helen Marie Gallagher, Ursuline Sisters, deceased
  
  Sister Theresa Claire Gallagher (Gertrude), S.S.M.N., deceased
  
  Sister Mary Philip Cotter (Regina)
  
  Sister Brendelia Corbitt (May)
  
  Sister Doloretta Housewright (Loretta)
  
  Brother Paul Corbitt, S.M.
  
  Those parishioners currently in Seminary include:
  
  Ken Geraci, Father of Mercy, Priest
  
  Paul Iverson, Priest
  
  Matthew Hawkins, Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
  
  Matthew Tadyshak
  
  Kyle Fletcher
  
  Chronology of Priests and Deacons Who Have Served Our Parish
  
  1869 Rev. Joseph Martinere - First Pastor of St. Paul's with Dallas as a Mission
  1872 Rev. Joseph Martinere & Rev. Claude Martinere
  1875 Rev. John Marie Troncy
  1879 Rev. Anthony De Flaches
  1882 Rev. Peter Garvey
  1883 St. Paul Attended from Dallas
  1890 Diocese of Dallas was established
  1891 Rev. Jeremiah B. LeHane
  1892 Rev. Philip Reagan & Rev. J.J. O'Riordan
  1893 Rev. B. M. Pujos, R.M
  1894 Rev. Anthony O'Hara - Stations: Commerce, Greenville, McKinney and Sulphur Springs; School: Lay Teacher
  1895 Rev. Frank P. McGinn - Stations: Commerce, Greenville, McKinney and Sulphur Springs and Wolfe City; School: Lay Teacher
  1897 Rev. P.H. Donaghue - McKinney as a Mission; School: Lay Teacher
  1900 Rev. J.J. Mulloy - St. Anthony's in Wylie as a Mission
  1905 Rev. P. Murphy
  1906 Rev. John N. Diebold - First Pastor of St. Anthony/St. Paul as a Mission
  1907 Rev. Christian Wiegand - St. Paul as a Mission
  1909 Rev. Lydus George Parroccin - St. Paul as a Mission
  1909 Rev. Neale - Buried at St. Paul Cemetery May 19
  1910 Rev. Christian Wiegand - St. Paul as a Mission
  1913 Rev. Donald F. McNeil, Rev. Moore, Rev. Navin, Rev. Francis J. McNaman, CM - Vincentian Fathers from the University of Dallas
  1928 Rev. Thomas Zachary – From Sacred Heart Cathedral in Dallas 1929 Rev. Philip Lewis - Rowlett as a Mission
  1933 Rev. John Chestnut - Rowlett as a Mission
  1935 Rev. James A. Abbey - Rowlett as a Mission
  1937 Rev. John J. Donnelly - Rowlett as a Mission
  1939 Rev. Ed J. Szapka - Rowlett as a Mission
  1944 Good Shepherd was established in Garland; St. Anthony became a Mission
  1946 Rev. John F. Lavin - St. Anthony as a Mission of Garland
  1949 Rev. John H. Morse - St. Anthony as a Mission of Garland
  1954 Rev. Charles W. Smid - St. Anthony as a Mission of Garland
  1966 St. Mark was established in Plano; St. Anthony became a Chapel of Ease
  1967 Rev. E.J. Ryan - St. Anthony as a Mission of Plano
  1968 Rev. Claude Smyth - St. Anthony as a Mission of Plano
  1976 St. Anthony once again becomes a Parish Church
  1976 Rev. Robert J. Sokolski - Rowlett as a Mission
  1977 Rev. Albert Cuschieri - Rowlett and Rockwall as a Mission
  1978 Deacon Pete Martinez (died 12/17/01)
  1979 Rev. Edward McDonnell - Administrator from Diocese of Chicago
  1982 Rev. Walter E. Boyter - Buried at St. Paul Cemetery
  1982 Rev. Anthony W. Pondant
  1996 Deacon Warner Washington
  1997 Rev. Loyd D. Morris
  2000 Deacon Wally Gove
  2009 Rev. Andrew Semler
  2012 Rev. Sinu Joseph
  2013 Deacon Randy Wilson
  2015 Deacon Jose Perez
  2016 Rev. Tony Densmore
  2018 Deacon Greg Hawley
  2019 Rev. Jacob Dankasa
  2020 Rev. Ramiro Alvarez
  2021 Deacon Federico Marquez
  2021 Rev. Francisco Orozco