By Constanza Morales
Special to The Texas Catholic
Since arriving in 2023 as pastoral administrator of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Dallas, Father Elmer Herrera-Guzmán had one goal in mind: “To beautify is to dignify.”
From his first day, the priest set out on a mission of motivating his parishioners to unite and carry out an ambitious improvement project, which included the transformation of the parish’s old rectory into a chapel.
On June 27, Father Herrera-Guzmán dedicated that renovated chapel to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“We are one family on a mission in Christ for the glory of God,” Father Herrera-Guzmán said. “These are statements in our new welcoming letter to parishioners. I want to make sure we continue to improve and beautify our community, so we can enjoy our journey to becoming better disciples.”
The renovation, which represented an investment of more than $80,000, included repairs to aging classrooms, updated building facades, refreshed gardens and landscaping, and the addition of religious artwork, the priest said.
For Father Herrera-Guzmán, without the support of the community, the vision that fueled his dream would never have taken off.
“I am so grateful to our community,” he said. “I may have the vision, but without faithful witnesses like them, it would be meaningless.”
Although the project could be seen as a mere aesthetic renovation, Father Herrera-Guzmán believes that the beautification of the spaces reflects an effort to help the community remain deeply tied to the Catholic faith.
“The location of these spaces is also on purpose, as we have the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Chaste Heart of St. Joseph all in the middle of our 10 acres, which truly focuses our devotion and centers our discipleship,” he said.
According to the priest, the project was funded by community contributions through the second Sunday collection held over the past several years.
Although one phase of the project is complete, Father Herrera-Guzmán said progress continues on the broader scope of work, with an estimated investment that will exceed $150,000, not including repairs to the plumbing system, air conditioning units, and gas lines.
The early fruits of the project, however, already have been met with rejoicing, both by the priest and his parish community.
“The final results show the hearts and care of our people,” Father Herrera-Guzmán said. “Their virtues are being sharpened by their labor, and I am happy they will enjoy the fruits of their labor and also a legacy to future generations.”
Full of gratitude
The demolition of the old rectory and the improvements made to the current building that houses the Sacred Heart Chapel were the heart of the first phase of the project.
Father Herrera-Guzmán said the intention was to honor those who served the Holy Cross community in the past.
“The best way to thank those who came before us is to honor their service by beautifying the space they left us to worship,” he explained. “I wanted to make that statement by starting from the wood floor: a $10K project that points to our foundation so that we can build upon it. The iconography was ordered to be a unifyer through religious art and many other improvements followed.”
As the community gathered June 27 for the dedication of the chapel, parishioners expressed their joy and gratitude.
“Like me, many of the parishioners are very pleased with the outcome and have expressed how much they enjoyed attending Mass in the chapel,” Tommy K. Benjamin, a 14-year parishioner and member of the Knights of Columbus who currently serves the parish by assisting with maintenance work, said.
Benjamin also highlighted the religious art that adorns the new chapel as a demonstration of the faith and service that Father Herrera-Guzmán sought to capture when conceiving the project.
Delicia Steib, a longtime parishioner who has served in various ministries over the past 30 years and as part of the finance team for the renovation project, felt the same way.
“The chapel is the first thing you see when you walk in,” Steib, who also served as president of the Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary Court 414, said. “It’s refreshing and gets you in the mindset of prayer. To think that is where we started and look at us now is just mind-boggling.”
Father Herrera-Guzmán said work is currently being completed on an Immaculate Heart of Mary garden adjacent to the new chapel in an effort to enhance curb appeal.The priest said he hopes to dedicate the garden in October.
“I always tell our volunteers, ‘Why should our house look better than God’s house?’ I tell them this to make sure that when people come to Holy Cross, they think of it as an extension of the domestic Church and work hard to keep up with the improvements,” he said.
Constanza Morales is the managing editor of Revista Católica Dallas, the Diocese of Dallas’ official Spanish-language magazine.
Cutline for featured image: The renovation project at Holy Cross Catholic Church, which represented an investment of more than $80,000, includes repairs to aging classrooms, updated building facades, refreshed landscaping, and the addition of religious artwork in the renovated chapel. (TACHO DIMAS/Special Contributor)
