LATEST NEWS

Let's Get to Know F.C. Ziegler Co. and Look at Our Mary and Joseph Statues Now!

Our Heritage: A Legacy of Faith and Craftsmanship

When Frank Charles Ziegler opened his jewelry manufacturing shop in 1929 amid the Great Depression, he couldn't have foreseen how providence would transform his humble business. During World War II, local priests approached him with a special request—to craft chalices and other sacred vessels during a time of scarcity. Viewing it as both his duty to the Church and a unique business opportunity, F.C. agreed.

With this stroke of providence, F.C. Ziegler Co. grew steadily, adjusting to various changes within the Church and society. By 1965, it had become one of the country's leading manufacturers of ecclesiastical metalware. Despite industry struggles following Vatican II, which led many similar businesses to fail, F.C. Ziegler Co. persevered.

In the 1970s, the company introduced a delivery service, and soon after, branch stores opened in Wichita, Kansas, and the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Today, with our rich history spanning over 95 years, F.C. Ziegler Co. stands as the country's most comprehensive supplier, manufacturer, and distributor of products designed to meet the needs of church institutions.

"F.C." guided the company's growth until his death in the summer of 1993. Through his strong faith and simple values, he understood that a business dedicated to serving the Church exclusively could only survive—and thrive—by maintaining an uncommon degree of honesty and integrity.

Also from:  About F.C. Ziegler Co. – A Legacy of Faith, Craftsmanship & Service 

We Have Received Approval to Move Forward!

March 2026, The Diocese has given approval for St. Mary's to proceed with developing design and construction documents, soliciting bids for all phases (Church, Oratory, Office and Rectory), and to hire Martsolf Architecture.

Once the above documents are approved by Tom Ross in the Diocesan Real Estate and Construction Department, St. Mary's is allowed to begin construction on Phases I and II, as long as 100% cash is on hand to pay for those projects.

St. Mary's is to return to the Diocesan Pastoral Finance Committee to give a Capital Campaign update prior to beginning construction for Phases III and IV.

St. Mary's had received notification in July 2025 that the Diocese would immediately begin requiring 100% cash on hand before new construction projects could commence.  We had hoped we were grandfathered in under the prior 65% cash and pledge requirement, but we were not.  The Campaign Chairs feel confident that we will have sufficient cash on hand by the time construction starts this fall, for phases I and II to be completed without delay.

Cash donations and pledges are so important as we near construction that we ask if you haven't given yet, please consider doing so today!

On February 25th campaign chairs Robert Baumer and Mark Veitenheimer along with Father Michael met with the Diocesan Pastoral Finance Committee in Fort Worth.  Below are some of the documents presented to the committee. 

*All of the below is subject to change

New Way to Give!

Go to the bottom of the Ways to Give page for the current fundraising progress and the naming and sponsorship items still available.  

New giving option just established: Text GENERATION to 1-817-934-4503.

We are making great progress toward making our dream a reality!  

Where did the Mary and Joseph statues go?

Zieglers came thru town on January 6th and picked up these two statues. They will be completely stripped down and repainted. When church construction begins this summer, Zieglers will be returning to pick up all of the other statuary and brass items in Church to repaint/replate.  At that time, they will bring back the completed Mary and Joseph statues to be placed in the Parish Hall so we can enjoy them while we are moved out of Church. 

We are excited that things are starting to happen!

Receipt of Grant

The St. Mary's Capital Campaign has been awarded a $250,000 grant by the James N. McCoy Foundation.  Thank you to Ted Neeb and Carol Sales for their hard work on submitting the grant application and everyone who met with the members of the foundation to tell them about St. Mary's Parish and the town of Windthorst.  We are truly blessed to have received this generous support of our Campaign.

Letter from Father Michael Moloney OFS

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

From its very beginning, this parish has been a home where faith is planted, nourished, and passed on from one generation to the next. In 1892, faithful Catholic families settled here, built this parish with their own hands, and entrusted it to God’s providence. They sacrificed so that we might have a place to worship, to encounter Christ in the Holy Eucharist, and to hand down our Catholic heritage to our children.

Now, it is our turn to build for the future. The needs before us are real: our church building requires renovation, and we also feel called to establish a Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. This chapel is not meant to replace what we already have—it is meant to augment and deepen it. It will provide something new and vital: access to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist 24/7 every hour of every day. A place set apart for silence, prayer, and adoration where individuals, families, and future generations can come face-to-face with Our Lord whenever they are in need.

This campaign is not ultimately about bricks and mortar—it is about the salvation of souls. It is about ensuring that our parish remains a beacon of Catholic life in this community, a place where young families can grow in faith, where the elderly can find strength and comfort, and where all of us can encounter Christ more intimately and deeply.

I invite you to join us in this mission. Pray with us. Discern with us. And, if the Lord so moves your heart, give generously so that together we may strengthen the faith which is the foundation of our parish for generations to come.

With gratitude in Christ,

Father Michael Moloney OFS

Pastor

"The future starts today, not tomorrow."
— St. John Paul II