Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church
 

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church dates back to 1939. The old church, situated near Thirteenth Street, was used by the Spanish-speaking Catholics until 1957 when the new church was erected. Father J. Shannon reports that the church was originally a mission of St. Ann's Parish in Houston. As the years went by, priests from Rosenberg and finally from Wharton serviced the little church. In 1970 the church was declared no longer a mission, and Father Joseph Shannon officially became the resident pastor of the parish.

Father Shannon has served the people of the parish for many years and he personally set the plans in motion for the construction of the new church. The church, situated at 1914 Twelfth Street, was erected by members of the parish and Father Shannon.

Many of the fixtures and art designs were brought to the church directly from Mexico. Some of the most beautiful and unusual things in the church are the stations of the cross. The Way of the Cross is set in the tile. The ceramic stations were made by an artist in Mexico and are originals. Throughout the interior of the church, various religious items brought from Mexico are displayed. A magnificent portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron of the church, hangs in a place of special honor.

Upon seeing the old church, which is sometimes used as the Guadalupe Headstart Center, and going inside the new church, one feels the love the members of the parish have for their religion. The new church was erected out of an act of love by the parishioners and their pastor.

Daily Tribune, February 1, 1973
 

Rev. Monsignor Gerard Godfrey Cernoch
October 03, 1937 - July 23, 2020

The Rev. Monsignor Gerard Godfrey Cernoch, 82, died July 23, 2020 in Bay City. He was born October 3, 1937 in San Antonio the only child of Bohumil “Jeff” and Willeymae Kainer Cernoch.

His family lived in Weimar, Corpus Christi and Praha, where he started school at St. Mary’s. In 1945, his family returned to Weimar where he attended St. Michael’s School, graduating from 8th grade in 1952. He graduated from St. John’s Seminary High School in 1956 and entered Assumption Seminary in San Antonio.

Monsignor Cernoch was ordained to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of San Antonio on May 28, 1964, by Archbishop Robert E. Lucey.

The following is a timeline of his ministry:
1964, associate pastor of St. Cornelius Church in Karnes City
1964, associate pastor, St. Philip the Apostle Church in El Campo
1967, associate pastor, St. Joseph Church in downtown San Antonio
1970, associate pastor, Our Lady of Grace Church in San Antonio
1971, associate pastor, St. Philip of Jesus Church in San Antonio
1973, pastor, St. Robert Bellarmine in El Campo
1976, pastor, Our Lady Queen of Peace, Kenedy
1982, pastor, St. Patrick Church, Bloomington
1986, pastor, St. Anthony in Palacios
1989, worked as Director of Evangelization at the Diocese of Victoria chancery office
1990, pastor, Holy Cross, East Bernard
1996, pastor, Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Shiner
2002, pastor, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bay City
He was still serving as pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Bay City when he retired on Nov. 26, 2018.

A vigil will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 30, 2020 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Bay City. The funeral will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 31, 2020 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church with Bishop Brendan Cahill as celebrant.  The family will have a private burial.

Because of the ongoing social distancing requirement, seating will be very limited, but the funeral will be live-streamed on the church's Facebook page, according to Father Gabriel Espinosa, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.

Bay City Tribune, July 29, 2020
 

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