Testimonials

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Testimonials

Friday, 05 February 2010 10:47

In spite of these tough times, our parish is asking us to support an important fund raising project. Simply put, our school’s gymnasium and other infrastructure needs to be replaced or upgraded. During the past month, at our parish meetings to discuss the need to invest in our school and our children, the point was made that over the next few years, some 10 thousand new military and civilian employees will be working at nearby Ft. Sam Houston. There could well be another 10 thousand family members joining these new employees. This influx of new people will provide our parish and our school a tremendous opportunity to carry on and expand our 50 plus year mission of Restore All Things In Christ.

In 1980, I was one of those military guys. Jeannie and I and our three children had just moved to San Antonio. There, I was to begin a new job, at Kelly Air Force Base, as editor of AIRMAN Magazine, the official magazine of the Air Force. We had purchased a home in the Eden subdivision near the airport. We knew no one. We needed to find a parish home and enroll our children in a good Catholic school. Driving a short ways from our home to Thousand Oaks Drive, we could turn right, drive four and a half miles, and pull into the parking lot of St. Marks. Or, we could turn left on Thousand Oaks, and seven and a half miles later, pull into the parking lot of St. Pius X. St. Pius had a school. St. Marks did not. The decision was easy. We enrolled our three children in St. Pius’ school, and our family in the parish.

Our children thrived in the academic and extra-curricular environment provided by the school. Our family thrived in the spiritual and community environment provided by the parish. At that time, I was a protestant—a baptized Presbyterian—while Jeannie and our three children were Catholic. Because of the spiritual environment, I was led to ask a simple question: What does it mean that Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ? I decided to take RCIA at St. Pius to find out. As a result of that instruction, I came to believe that when we partake of Holy Communion, we truly are taking into ourselves the Body, the Blood, the Soul and the Divinity of Christ. In 1982, I requested and was allowed to join the Catholic Church. Jeannie and my marriage was blessed in the Church and I received all the sacraments.

Those of us in the military come into a community, and then we leave. Some of us come back, and some of us don’t. Jeannie and I came back and rejoined the parish in 1993 after six years in Germany. Stacy was enrolled in the 6th grade. I went on to become a deacon.

Let me tell you about two of our children who did not come back. Our daughter Kim, married, with a son and daughter is living in Bel Air Maryland. Both of their children are enrolled in Catholic schools. Not only that, Kim is a kindergarten teacher in that Catholic school. Our son Steven, married, also has a son and a daughter. They also are enrolled in a Catholic school. And Steven’s wife Leslie is a teacher’s aid for the kindergarten at their Catholic school.

St. Pius X was chartered in 1957. Only a year later, in 1958, our school was chartered and up and running. Over the past 51 years, thousands and thousands of children have benefitted from their Catholic education provided by St. Pius. Some of them stayed in our community. Some left. All of them were provided an excellent faith based education. These children are now providing the faith based leaven that keeps our society glued together. This is what our fund raising efforts are all about. Is there anything more important? I don’t think so.

I ask all the members and friends of St. Pius to be generous in their support of this important endeavor.

Gene Townsend

Deacon (Ret.)

Turn Right to St. Marks, or Left to St. Pius X

Thursday, 19 November 2009 14:16

Tina Herrera

Cafeteria Manager and Parishioner

Building this building is what we can do to improve upon our parish and school. We’re standing on the shoulders of the parishioners who came before us. I’ve been a parishioner here for a long time. I remember when Maneth Hall was our Church and the current church was being built. Msgr. Maneth was the kindest, most incredible person. The current building is not a good testament to his memory. The new building just needs to be built. We have a large, strong community here but when people come for CYO basketball games or other things like that, what they see doesn’t represent us well. This new building will benefit all of our parishioners from the CYO kids to the PCCW ladies to the Knights of Columbus. Everyone stands to gain. God has blessed us and now we need to step up.

I’ve worked in the School Cafeteria for 21 years. This kitchen was never meant to be a school cafeteria. It’s been a miracle that we’ve been able to keep it working. We fed everything for 210 kids up to 447. It’s been a real balancing act because we never knew what was going to work and what wasn’t; if the refrigerators were going to work or the roof was going to leak. What would be available for use and what wouldn’t.

Dr. Richard S. Arndt

Principal

As a relatively new member, I can easily recall my first impressions upon being introduced to the St. Pius X community. My first introduction to St. Pius X happened in graduate school at St. Mary’s University, where I was fortunate enough to meet Fr. Francis. My first impression was that St. Pius was blessed to have such a pastor; a priest who was deeply committed to the Catholic faith, passionate about Catholic education, and devoted to the good of his parish.

Months later, upon learning that the principal position at St. Pius was open, I was fortunate to have my first interview with Mr. and Mrs. Peter Wickersham and Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McLoughlin. My first impression was of four wonderful Catholics who were deeply devoted to the good of the St. Pius X, of the parishioners, teachers, and students. I listened to their stories about the various people who routinely made their own contributions to the St. Pius X community, and I began to share their excitement and their love for this great parish. I was thrilled, therefore, to be invited back for a second interview, which was to be held on campus.

Sally Nordman

Former Athletic Director - SPX School

Hello Fellow Parishioners,

My name is Sally Hovorka Nordman. I have been asked to write a letter to share my opinion of why I believe our church should support the plans of a new facility. For those who don’t know me and are wondering who she is and why her opinion matters, I will give a brief bio. I am a parishioner like all of you. I am a member (since 1973) who is truly grateful for those who came before me that dreamed of a place for our community to practice and teach our Catholic faith. Now, most importantly those who dreamed of this place then acted upon it and built St. Pius X Church and School. My parents moved to San Antonio from Omaha and joined SPX. Now, we are part of that dream.

We aren’t original members, but many of my neighbors are and pride themselves for starting this church and building these beautiful buildings back in the 50’s. We must not forget these folks. And folks, you can’t forget about what you started. Just as your vision was put into action, so must this generation of families work to better our place of worship, learning, and play.

Luis Martinez

Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus are a Catholic fraternal, service organization. We support our Church, our parish and our community with the motto In service to one. In service to all.

Our assembly has used Maneth Hall for many things in the past. We host an annual Free Throw competition for kids from 10-14 using the gym. Last year we had the largest number of participants in all of San Antonio. We’ve also hosted the regional competition in past years. One thing that I like about the new building is that with the additional size, we’ll be able to host even larger functions in the future. This provides more exposure for our assembly and for St Pius X as well.