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Our Lady of
Guadalupe Catholic Church
Leming is a tiny cluster of homes and businesses in the middle of the South Texas Brush Country about 30 miles from San Antonio. Most of the populace are from Mexico or are descendants of the Mexican families who lived here when this was still Spanish Mission territory. Many work on local ranches or in a nearby lignite mine, while others have businesses or work in nearby towns. The community has few economic resources but is rich in family, cultural and social bonds. There has been a series of Catholic churches in this area since the early 1800s, but the current parish has been meeting since 1960 in a tiny brick church that they outgrew years ago. Finally a few years ago Archbishop Patricio Flores helped them find the financing to expand their church, and we were selected as architects. Our design kept their old church as the heart of a much larger church expansion. We added a new Gathering/Baptismal area, new seating on both sides, a larger altar platform with increased space for the Matachines traditional dances and a cry room. Outside we built a new bell tower to house the 1840 bell from the former San Agustin church.
Architecturally we have attempted to combine the languages of Spanish Missions. Contemporary Mexico and South Texas. The façade uses hand-made tiles from Guanajuato, native Texas limestone, local rough cedar and steel. The entry canopy evokes Christ’s Crown of Thorns. Inside, the stations of the cross combine simple pine crosses with hand-painted ceramic plaques in the Talavera style, designed and painted by Egan/Martinez design.
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