Cardinals pay tribute to Garriga

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo of Galveston-Houston will celebrate the Centennial Jubilee Mass at the American Bank Center on March 26. It will not be the first time that a Prince of the Church celebrates the Eucharist in a public venue in Corpus Christi.

In fact, in 1961 five Cardinals participated in the celebration of Mass at the Memorial Coliseum. The event, like the venue, is now stored in he recesses of memory, but thanks to old newspaper archives it is preserved for history.

Bishop Mariano Simon Garriga was in a celebratory mood in 1961. He would turn 75 on May 30; on July 2, he would have been a priest 50 years; and on June 20 his episcopacy would reach the milestone of 25 years. To top it off, he was anxious to dedicate his newest achievement—the opening of Corpus Christi Minor Seminary and the Immaculate Conception Chapel that served the school.

The entire community, Catholic and non-Catholic, expressed their congratulations and well wishes to Bishop Garriga. Mayor Ben F. McDonald proclaimed May 8, 1961 as Bishop Mariano S. Garriga Day.

The Corpus Christi Caller ran a 60-page special insert on May 7, in honor of Bishop Garriga.  It included histories of the diocese and descriptions of its organizational structure.

The celebration got underway at the Immaculate Conception Chapel where the Most Rev. Egidio Vagnozzi, D.D., Apostolic Delegate to the United States, celebrated Mass and Albert Cardinal Meyer of Chicago delivered the homily. Also, participating at the Mass were James Francis Cardinal McIntyre of Los Angeles; Joseph Cardinal Rivera of Guadalajara, Mexico; and Aloysius Joseph Cardinal Muench representing the Roman Curia.

The chapel’s dedication was carried live on television over KZTV, with Msgr. G. J. O’Doherty, pastor of Sacred Heart in Rockport serving as narrator.

That evening, the celebration moved to the Memorial Coliseum for one of the few occasions in which it was filled to capacity. Francis Cardinal Spellman of New York was called on to celebrate the Mass at the coliseum with El Paso Bishop Sidney Matthew Metzger giving the homily.

As they processed into the coliseum, the cardinals, bishops and priests were greeted by a fanfare of trumpets under the supervision of Ralph Galvan Jr.  A 100-person choir was organized under the direction of Joseph W. Lane, with members coming from parishes from throughout the diocese. Seminarians from the Corpus Christi Minor Seminary rendered the propers of the Mass.

Nearly four years later, Bishop Garriga died at the age of 78 while still in office. He had the honor of being the first native Texan elevated to the episcopacy of a diocese in the state.  Indeed, he was born in Point Isabel in the future Diocese of Corpus Christi while it was the Vicariate of Brownsville.  He also served as a Council Father in the first session of the Second Vatican Council.