St. Cecilia Catholic Parish - Dallas

The Story of St. Cecilia

St. Cecilia was canonically established on July 7th, 1933. The Parish literally began from scratch. Fifty-three members attended the first Mass, celebrated by Father William M. Robinson in the “Odd Fellow Hall” located on Polk and Jefferson. On February 4th, 1934, the building was officially dedicated on 635 Marycliff Road. The building housed the church, rectory, and eventually the school. By 1947, the Parish had grown to about 800 families. By 1949, Fr. Robinson saw the need for a new church and he launched a building campaign and built a new church at 1801 W. Davis. St. Cecilia became one of the first Texas churches to build an indoor shrine in honor of Our Lady of Fatima. Our Parish continued to expand with an ever-growing population. In 1968, Msgr. V.P. Micola updated the altar and erected a new rectory. In 1978, Father Weinzapfel was appointed pastor and he spearheaded the creation of “The Daily Rosary Program” and “The Perpetual Adoration of the Holy Eucharist Program”.

During the 1990s, the Parish was divided due to the overwhelming growth in the area. Two more parishes were established to serve the countless families in the area, St. Clara in 1993 and Nuestra Señora del Pilar in 2001. St. Cecilia continued to thrive throughout the years even after the other parishes were built. On a quiet Friday evening on August 17th, 2007, a strong Texas thunderstorm built up and rolled through the Dallas area. Around 6:30 p.m. a bolt of lightning hit the church. The historic 60-year-old building burned down.

“It is the people who are the church, not the building,” a gentleman stated. St. Cecilia was rebuilt with the effort of the parishioners and so many other Dallas parishes, in particular Christ the King Parish. The service of rededication, one of the greatest events in the life of St. Cecilia parish, was celebrated on November 20, 2011. It was historic in many ways. Among those attending were seventeen priests, Bishop Charles V. Grahmann, Auxiliary Bishop Mark J. Seitz, and Bishop Farrell, who presided over the ceremonies. Bishop Farrell’s vision, determination, bold leadership and the kindness of his heart is what St. Cecilia Church is today. It serves 4,000-4,500 people each weekend. This church is a beacon of faith and hope to all who pass by on West Davis St. It is a place where we serve God and through Him serve all the people that come to us. St. Cecilia has risen from the ashes of the fire. It is a visual symbol of the triumphant power of our Lord Jesus Christ to all in the community of North Oak Cliff.