Holy Cross Annual Squires Mass
It takes a lot of people working together to conduct a Mass for a congregation the size of Holy Cross. You need ushers, altar servers, announcers, readers, not to mention a full choir. For the past few years, the Squires’ Circle at Holy Cross has taken on all of these roles for one Mass. The parish has affectionately christened the gathering as the Squires Mass.
For over twenty-five years Father Tim and Charles Watson have overseen Circle 3649 of the Columbian Squires, the parish’s youth organization for the Knights of Columbus Catholic Fraternal Order. Charles Watson has been the Chief Counselor of a Squires Circle for about as long as anyone else in the State of Texas. Watson has seen many of “his boys” move on to become successful men who remain followers of Christ.
This year’s Squires Mass held on May 31, 2015 was devoted to its Chief Counselor of over twenty-five years, Charles Watson. Mr. Watson was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer last year and underwent a grueling bout of cancer treatment. Watson had a bone marrow transplant in November of 2014 and was expected to be hospitalized for two weeks. However, he remained in and out of hospitals and treatment centers throughout March of 2015. There were times when things did not look bright for Mr. Watson. However, with constant prayer and faith, Watson was pronounced cancer-free shortly before the Squires Mass. At the Mass, Watson lead a choir comprised of Squires through a testimony of praise which brought many in the congregation to tears.
In attendance at the Mass were Knights of Columbus State and District representatives Roger Scott, Gary Betz and Bob Seegmiller, Texas State Squires Chairman Kevin Quinn and numerous visiting Dallas area Squires Circles and their families. In honor of Charles Watson’s miraculous medical recovery, over a dozen past members of Circle 3649 returned to participate in the Mass.
The Squires honored its Chief Squire Sean Clemmons as Squire of the Year with the 14th Annual Chris Watson Memorial Scholarship. Sean Clemmons has been the leader of Circle 3649 for two years, and is now leaving the Circle to join his older brother Kyle Clemmons at the University of Missouri. Also honored was Squire Jarren Narcisse, who received a special college scholarship award from the family of recently departed Holy Cross church member Marcus Small. Jarren Narcisse just graduated from DeSoto High School and is planning to attend college at Southern University.
Holy Cross Catholic Church is perhaps the most racially diverse Catholic parish in Dallas. Many of the families date back to the church’s beginnings when the parish was predominantly Czech and Italian-American. For the past several decades, Holy Cross has developed the most sizable African-American Catholic congregation in Dallas. Currently, the Hispanic numbers have blessed the church with an energetic growth that makes Holy Cross a role model for functional diversity. All of this is lead by Father Tim Gollob who has been the church’s pastor for over forty years.
Circle 3649 invites all to visit Holy Cross Catholic Church on any Sunday. If you make it on the fourth Sunday of the month, you will see the Squires in the kitchen serving your breakfast.
