Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church & School
1228 South Carrollton Avenue
With thanks to Fred Bullinger who shared the picture above
and the article below about Mater Dolorosa Church.
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"When this young man said his first mass at Mater Dolorosa Church in Carrollton right
before World War II, he did not dream that in the '60's he would be the first Catholic
Bishop from our community.  Father Joseph Vath is seen here surrounded by the
children who attended him at that first solemn occasion.  Many of these little girls lived
in Carrollton in the '30's and '40's.  Father Vath is now Bishop Joseph Vath of the
Birmingham, Alabama diocese."  -- From Town of Carrollton News, 1976.
The names of the girls are, from left to right: Rosemary Eck, Beatrice Kleck
(Consentino), Dolly Ugulano (Dopp), Alice Chatelain (McCaskell), Ursula Bindewall
(Schaff), Valerie Benson (Hogan), Marilyn Eck (Ryan), Amanda Davenport (Bullinger),
Sylvia Guidry (McAdams).
Mater Dolorosa Church can be seen behind the
city's first electric "trolley bus," the year is 1939.
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Organized in 1847 and known as the Church of St. Mary of the Nativity, the church's
congregation was predominantly French and German.  The first church was on
Cambaronne Street in what was then the town of Carrollton.  However, divisions
occurred within the church and, in 1871, the German congregants moved across the
street and formed a church they called Mater Dolorosa (also, known as the German
Mater Dolorosa Church).  By the end of the century, however, the rifts had been
repaired and the two congregations came together under the name of Mater Dolorosa.
With many thanks to my e-friend, Yvonne, who shared this photo of
her late sister, Betty Ann Owens, and husband, Freddy Assunto,
immediately after taking their wedding vows at Mater Dolorosa Church
in 1955.  Betty Ann and Freddy were both talented and popular
musicians (a photo of the Assuntos' Dukes of Dixieland can be seen on
the Bands page of my "New Orleans & the Birth of Jazz" section).  
Among Freddy's groomsmen are famous clarenetist Pete Fountain and
Freddy's brother, Frank, also, a popular musician.  Father Whitney
stands behind the couple.  A page on Betty Ann Owens can be found
here.  Yvonne, also, sent the photo directly below.
Fred Bullinger sent the photo above of the 8th Grade Class of Mater
Dolorosa School, 1947; as well as, the photo of the class below.  His
wife, Amanda Davenport Bullinger, was a member of this class.
Mater Dolorosa Church, postcard from 1910.
Above, Mater Dolorosa School, 1930;
below, Mater Dolorosa School, today.
Kindergarten class of 1961, with Sr. Bernadette - Many thanks
to Denise Orso for sharing this picture.