OUR HISTORY

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Van Horn originated as a stop on the Old Spanish Trail from San Antonio to El Paso but did not emerge as a town until the coming of the railroad in the 1880s.  In the early 1900s, there were about 250 Hispanic Catholics in the town but no church.  The Jesuit, Rev. Francisco Tomassini, began to serve the small community from his parish in San Elizario.  Because most couples were only civilly married, Father Tomassini provided the sacrament of marriage to many couples during those first years.  Traveling by horse to Van Horn on the second Tuesday of every month, Father Tomassini would carry in a valise everything needed to say Mass.  Initially, services were held at a school for Hispanic children but when this school was relocated and the original building destroyed, Father Tomassini used the home of Doña Tula to say Mass, hear confessions, baptize children, and hold evening services and meetings for organizations such as the Hijas de Maria and the Sacred Heart League.  Marriages also were held in Doña Tula’s home followed by dances in the patio behind her house. 

When Bishop Joseph Lynch of the Diocese of Dallas confirmed 97 children and adults in Doña Tula’s house in June 1913, he saw the need for a church.  He turned for help to the Catholic Church Extension Society which sent a check for $500 to Father Tomassini in October 1913 and Bishop Lynch contributed an additional $100.  With these funds, Father Tomassini bought two lots in the town and a local company donated two additional lots.  The church that was built in June 1914 was initially called Santiago Apóstol or St. James the Apostle.  Bishop Schuler dedicated the church two years later in June 1916.  The small, adobe church measured only 24 x 52 feet and had wooden pews and a dirt floor.   

Around 1920, the mission of Santiago Apóstol was transferred to the care of Fort Hancock.  From 1920 to 1936, several priests served the town including Fathers Joseph Wanner, Miguel Garcia, and José Quesada followed by Father Amancio Manubens until 1941.  From 1941 to 1953, Augustinian Fathers attended the churches of West Texas.  The first resident priest in Van Horn was Father Raymond R. Klumbis from Lithuanian who doubled the size of the church, added a foyer, and two turrets.  In 1953, Father Klumbis built the current church and changed the name to Our Lady of Fatima.  He also built the grotto dedicated to Our Lady between the rectory and church.  Father Klumbis chose the name because he credited Our Lady of Fatima for saving his life while he was a prisoner of both the Russians and Germans during World War II.  When the new church was built, Santiago Apóstol Church became Kenedy Hall. 

To this day, families from Van Horn gather to celebrate Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and celebrate community at various gatherings.  The priests who have served this church have each contributed to the growth of the community.  In recent years, Our Lady of Fatima has been served by Fathers Luis Acevedo, Raul Trigueros, Ralph Solis, Alfred Villanueva, Miguel Angel Sanchez, Rodolfo Lacerna,, Saul Pacheco, Antonio Jovino Martinez, Apolinar Samboni, Frank Hernandez and Sergio Legarreta.  But it is the community, the families, and the individual members who enrich with their lives the history of Our Lady of Fatima Parish.