In the News

Historic Brownsville Chapel Being Restored at VBMC-Brownsville -- Thanks to Generous City Residents, Hospital Staff

BROWNSVILLE, August 29, 2006 -- Thanks to the generosity of Valley residents and hospital staff, patients at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville, their family members and the community at large will soon once again have a beautiful place to pray and worship through the restoration of a historic chapel built by the Sisters of Mercy.

The chapel was originally built in 1923 as part of Mercy Hospital. But when Mercy Hospital was sold to a hospital group in 1973, the chapel was turned into a bill processing center and later used for the purchasing department. It hasn’t been used for worship for the past three decades.

The relatively-large chapel -- which encompasses 2,154 square feet -- is located in a historic building which served as the convent for the Sisters of Mercy. Part of the building will be used by VBMC-Brownsville CEO Jim Wesson and other administrators.

The historic building is located just a few steps behind VBMC’s Brownsville’s main patient tower at Central Blvd. and West Jefferson Street. The structure is the only building still standing from the original hospital.

The idea of restoring the chapel was proposed by a pioneering Brownsville family shortly after Valley Baptist bought the hospital in 2004. In some ways, Brownsville’s first and largest hospital has now returned to its roots – as part of a community-based, religiously-affiliated organization.

“It makes sense that a hospital founded on religious principles would have a place of worship on site available for its patients and guests,” said Sandra Sweeney Wilson, Director of Development for Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville. “This has been a goal for many in our community who are giving generously to rebuild this chapel and make it a reality for the people of Brownsville.”

Among those generous donors are two brothers -- Danny and Richard Butler -- from one of the founding families of Brownsville. They are naming the chapel in memory of their grandparents, Herminio and Francisca E. de Yturria, whose forefathers came to the Brownsville area in 1858 and started a ranching business that has been passed down from generation to generation.

The Yturria ranching business – now spanning 60,000 acres across seven counties – is still used for hunting, farming, nature photography and other pursuits, and the Butler brothers are very thankful to have inherited the property.

“We are grateful to our family for leaving the ranch to us, and wanted to honor them,” Danny Butler said. “That is how we got involved with the chapel restoration project.”

Because of the large donation from the Butler brothers, the chapel will be named for their grandparents.

“Our family, my parents and grandparents always stressed the importance of giving back to the community,” Danny said. “We’re very grateful to the community and the city.”

The family has long been known for their generosity, their involvement with the Catholic Church, and other charitable activities in the community.

“The Butler brothers – both of whom were also born at what is now Valley Baptist-Brownsville – went above and beyond in helping make this project possible,” Ms. Wilson said.

Also answering the call to help rebuild the place of the Lord has been the 160-person-strong volunteer Auxiliary at Valley Baptist-Brownsville. The Auxiliary donated $10,000 to the Valley Baptist Foundation, which is spearheading the restoration effort.

“When we heard that Valley Baptist wanted to restore the chapel inside the old administration building to its original state, I knew we had to help,” said Carmen Cavazos, Immediate Past Auxiliary President for VBMC-Brownsville. “The beautiful thing is that the entire Auxiliary was eager to help.”

Because of their willingness and that of many others in the community, re-construction of the chapel is expected to be completed by the fall of this year. The project is extensive … a wall and part of a ceiling had to be taken down to restore the choir loft that was used by the nuns in days gone by. A marble altar is being re-built to resemble the original altar and will be located in the same location in the chapel. Stain-glass windows that had been boarded up have been uncovered. Once again the light of day passes through the window glass, providing color and light to the chapel.

“We have been given the original porcelain statues of Mary and Joseph that were made in France and were in the chapel,” Ms. Wilson added.

To prepare for the chapel’s restoration, Ms. Wilson and others have done extensive historical research across the Valley. The research has taken Ms. Wilson from the Stillman House Museum in Brownsville (James Stillman donated the land where the hospital was built) -- to El Sauz in Starr County, where some of the original furnishings of the chapel were sent after the chapel fell into disuse as a place of worship. Attention has been paid to restoring the chapel as authentically as possible while also making it an accommodating place of worship for present-day residents.

“Once completed, the chapel will hold ecumenical services, and I foresee Mass being held, in addition to the other services,” Ms. Wilson said. “The chapel will be open throughout the day. This place means a lot to many people in the community … the building has a such a wonderful old feel, and we don’t want to lose that.”

Ms. Wilson said plans also call for an exhibit area which will showcase the history of the hospital and will include historical photographs, displays of old medical instruments, and other objects of historical interest.

Those who would like more information or would like to join in the community effort to support the chapel restoration project may contact Ms. Wilson in the VBMC-Brownsville Development office, 1040 W. Jefferson, at (956) 698-5400.