[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 8 (Thursday, February 3, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 3, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         ST. PAUL'S ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______


                           HON. DON SUNDQUIST

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 3, 1994

  Mr. SUNDQUIST. Mr. Speaker, while this House stood in recess, St. 
Paul Church and School in my hometown of Memphis, TN, proudly observed 
its 50th anniversary, and I wanted to take a moment to share that 
milestone with my colleagues and to urge them to join me in offering 
the congratulations of this body.
  In November 1944 Whitehaven became a mission of St. Thomas Parish in 
south Memphis--10 acres of land were purchased on Shelby Drive and the 
Catholic families of the area were organized. Special permission was 
granted for Mass to be celebrated in the Gillia Home. Father Angelo 
Lenzi was named the first pastor in March 1945, and began an enormous 
building program. A crypt and then an upper church were completed over 
the next few years and served as the place of worship.
  Construction began on the school in 1949 while students met daily in 
the crypt. Over the next 15 years the school expanded to some 22 
classrooms and a beautiful gymnasium. This adequately met the growing 
enrollment that reached into the 800 range.
  While the school and student body grew, so too did the Whitehaven and 
Catholic population. The need for a new church was a long-time dream 
that began to be realized when ground was broken in 1961. The present 
beautiful church, seating over 1,100 people, was dedicated on November 
20, 1964. The pastors of St. Paul have been: Father Angelo Lenzi, 1945-
53; Father Edward Cleary, 1954-68; Father Walter Bush, 1968-70; 
Monsignor Theron Walker, 1970-81; Father Leonard Oglesby, 1981-87; 
Father John McArthur, 1987-present.
  St. Paul has been a stable, ongoing Catholic presence in Memphis and 
Whitehaven for 50 years, growing and expanding with the community. 
Nurtured by the commitment and energy of the Catholic community in 
Memphis, St. Paul has built and sustained a school of exemplary 
academic reputation. I am proud to join in saluting its first 50 years 
and in looking forward to the continuation of its proud tradition.

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