About Our Lady of Good Counsel
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Our Lady of Good Counsel Church was named after the Madonna and Child which miraculously appeared on the wall of the unfinished chapel in Genazzano, Italy on April 23rd, 1667. The Image remains there today despite earthquakes, and bombings that virtually destroyed the church during World War II.
The Parish began as a mission of St. Joseph’s Church under the oblates, then the Sacred Heart Priests and brothers operated the church for the next sixteen years.
Actual construction of the Las Prietas Chapel began on April 24th, 1963, under the direction of Mr. Fernando Guerrero, a parishioner and local contractor. The church was built on a one acre tract of land donated by the family of Mr. Alejandro Werbinski Champion. The church and diocese then purchased the farmhouse and thirteen acres around the church which is now the entire property of the church.
On June 22nd, 1967, the most Rev. Humberto S. Medeiros, bishop of the Brownsville Diocese, combined the missions of San Pedro, Garden Park, and Villa Nueva, to form the Parish of Our Lady of Good Counsel. Garden Park was formerly a part of St. Joseph’s Parish. San Pedro and Villa Nueva were missions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. With a congregation of approximately 2,800 parishioners the Rev. Joseph Mosel OMI was appointed pastor.
