Bishop Jose S. Vasquez led representatives from the
Austin Diocese and NAVCON construction in breaking ground for the new church building for St. Stephen Catholic Church. The new church will be built on the Holland Road property owned by the St. Stephen Catholic Church. At left, Father Aloysius Nzekwe holds holy water for Bishop Jose Vasquez as he blesses the grounds on which the new church building will be built. Work will begin in January. "By this time next year, maybe we won't be sitting outside, but inside a new church building," Father Aloy, as he is affectionately called by parishioners, told the group. After the ground was broken by the Bishop, parishioners were invited to break their own piece of ground on the outline of the church building. The new church will seat 500 congregants.
(PHOTOS SY AR Y FLEISCHER)