Saint Mary's Seminary

When the Rev. Nicholas Gallagher became third bishop of Galveston in 1882, most Roman Catholic priests in the diocese were natives of other states or countries. Recognizing the need for a diocesan seminary to train young Texans for the priesthood, Bishop Gallagher founded St. Mary's Seminary School for Boys, which opened in the fall of 1901 with 30 grammar school-age boys and 6 seminarians. St. Mary's Seminary occupied La Porte's Sylvan Beach Hotel at this site, a former resort center that had been heavily damaged in the 1900 hurricane, and as enrollment grew additional facilities were built. Under the leadership of the Rev. James Kirwin, president from 1911 until his death in 1926, St. Mary's became nationally known for academic excellence, and in 1926 it was granted university status with authority to confer academic degrees. Many alumni, including more than 6 who became bishops, went on to serve as prominent church leaders. In 1954 the school moved to Houston and eventually merged with St. Thomas University there, while the chapel continued serving members of St. Mary's parish in La Porte.

La Porte, Texas · United States