The Birth of holy cross Parish

By the mid-1950's the Catholic community of northern Reno County and the city of Hutchinson north of 14th Street, had grown to more than 300 families. To meet the spiritual needs of this growing population, the Most Reverend Mark K. Carroll, Diocese of Wichita, created a new parish, the Church of the Holy Cross - June 14, 1957

           Appointed first pastor for Holy Cross was Father Vincent Brown who celebrated his first Mass in the 4-H building on the Kansas State fairgrounds on June 23, 1957. This sIte for Sunday Mass was used until a new church and school building could be constructed. It was decided at the outset to construct an interim church with an elementary school and defer construction of the permanent church.

           After a general meeting of parishioners, church commit­tee members were selected and parish buildings were planned. It was in early July that members of the parish chose the name of the new church. Father Brown de­scribed the voting as .. . . . “practically a unanimous choice in balloting by members of the parish."           .

           Under the direction of the pastor, Father Brown, the committee members, Joseph B. Hesse and Joseph P. O'Sullivan, Sr., mapped out strategies for the raising of funds for a temporary church and an eight-grade elemen­tary school.

           Construction began in July, 1958. The construction cost of the church was $152,307 while the school cost was approximately $62,000.

           The building committee sought pledges totaling what then was a staggering $215,000. The planners recognized the church only as a temporary structure. They planned that it would someday house additional classrooms and a gymnasium-auditorium. The vision of the permanent structure off 26th Street had already begun.

           The original structure was begun with ground breaking on July 13, 1958. The building that now serves as Holy Cross Grade School was completed and Mass was held in what now is the gymnasium of the school on April 19, 1959. Dedication and blessing of the new church and rectory was on Sunday, June 14, 1959 by Bishop Mark K. Carroll. Holy Cross Elementry School opened in the fall of 1962.