St. Edward

About this parish

St. Edward Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in East Dallas, Texas, founded in 1903 by Bishop Edward Joseph Dunne — who named it after his patron saint, St. Edward. Originally established on Elm and Hill Streets, the parish has served Dallas's Catholic faithful for more than 120 years and today worships primarily in Spanish alongside a bilingual Saturday vigil and an English Sunday Mass. Now led by Fr. Edison Vela, Pastoral Administrator, the parish is one of the oldest continuously operating Catholic communities in the Diocese of Dallas, with its current brick sanctuary built in 1926.

St. Edward Catholic Parish was officially founded on October 13, 1903 — the feast of St. Edward — by Bishop Edward Joseph Dunne, the second Bishop of Dallas. Dunne carved the new parish out of the city's only two existing Catholic communities at the time: Sacred Heart Cathedral and St. Patrick's. He appointed a young priest of just three years, Father Joseph P. Lynch, to lead the new mission in East Dallas. Working with layman C.T. Rowan, the parish purchased land at Elm and Hill Streets, and within three months erected a modest wooden church that was dedicated on January 3, 1904. That original wooden structure still stands on the campus, today serving as the parish hall. Under Father Lynch's leadership the parish grew quickly. In 1910, after the death of the Vicar General, Lynch was appointed to that role; later that same year, following Bishop Dunne's death, he was named the third Bishop of Dallas, being consecrated in 1911. Before departing for the episcopacy, Bishop Lynch invited the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur to establish a Catholic school in the parish. St. Edward's Academy opened its doors on September 10, 1912, anchoring the parish's long commitment to Catholic education. Father John M. Byrne, the second pastor, took up fundraising for a permanent brick church beginning in 1916, but he passed away before it could be built. His successor, Father Patrick J. O'Grady, shepherded the parish for more than 30 years and finally saw the current brick church constructed in 1926, made possible by the perseverance of the community and a diocesan loan. After Father O'Grady's passing, Father Anthony E. Daly and later Father (later Monsignor) John P. Brady continued the work. Monsignor Brady's lengthy pastorate oversaw the construction of a new convent for the teaching sisters and a campaign to build a new rectory. He was beloved in the parish and celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest at St. Edward's in 1973. Following Monsignor Brady's death, Father Francis Becker became pastor and led the acquisition of new property for religious education, which resulted in the construction of the Becker-Barrett CCD Building — still part of the parish campus today. As the surrounding neighborhood evolved, St. Edward's embraced a growing Hispanic Catholic community and continued its mission of faith, education, and service. The parish now stands as a testament to more than a century of faithful leadership, community resilience, and spiritual growth.

Founded

1903

Patron

St. Edward

Pastor

Fr. Edison Vela (Pastoral Administrator)

St. Edward is a Catholic parish in Dallas, Texas, part of the Dallas.