BELL COUNTY, Texas — Nov. 19, 2022 marks the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Austin. Members from 127 parishes in the Central Texas area have gathered at the Bell County Expo Center to celebrate.
“Members from all of the dioces are coming here to celebrate mass and to be with our lord and praise the lord for his graciousness and providence for watching over us for these 75 years," Father James Misko, Vicar General for the Diocese of Austin, said.
The Diocese of Austin was established in November 1927. Members from all over Central Texas made their way to Bell County to celebrate and worship this milestone day.
"All the way from West in the North to San Marcos in the South. Brenam in the East to Mason in the West. That whole 25 county area is the Diocese of Austin and there's 127 Catholic churches in that diocese," Misko said. "Today marks the beginning of the 75th year as a diocese."
Members from all cultures and backgrounds were able to unite together.
"All of our parishes are made up of so many ethnicties. We have Anglos, Hispanics, African Americans, Asian, Indian, people from South America, big towns, rural communities and they all come together as one," Misko said. "It’s a wonderful expression of the diversity and that unity that we find in the diversity.”
When asked why it was decided to hold this large event in Bell County, Father James Misko said that this area served as the perfect middle point for the 25 counties.
One member of the Saint Williams perish in Round Rock, Texas has been a part of her Catholic church for 45 years. She is thankful for the celebration of mass with loved ones.
“That’s such a blessing to be with all of my brothers and sisters because we all are united by the Eucharist every Sunday and by the holy spirit," Gabriele Miller, pastoral council member at Saint Williams in Round Rock, said.
Seventy-five years is a special milestone, but a bigger one is yet to come.
“We celebrated a 50th anniversary 25 years ago and I suppose in 25 more we’ll have our 100th anniversary.”
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