ELISSA TURNS 141

Turning 141 years old seems to suit the 1877
Tall Ship ELISSA and to celebrate, #galvestonhistory
is throwing her a part that will be held on
Saturday, October 20 from 6-8 p.m. at the Texas
Seaport Museum, 2200 Harborside. Tickets are
$20 per person and available online at www.
galvestonhistory.org. Guests will enjoy access
onboard the ship, craft beer and a special presentation
from Houston’s Saint Arnold Brewing
Company, a special birthday cake, and a toast
celebrating the official Tall Ship of Texas. Attendees
who have a valid state ID showing their
first name as Elissa will receive free admission
to the party.
“ELISSA is a treasure for the island. A reminder
of our maritime history and beginnings, ELISSA
draws attention wherever she goes,” states
Dwayne Jones, Galveston Historical Foundation’s
Executive Director. “This annual birthday
celebration highlights her role in Galveston as
well as signals her future. We welcome Saint
Arnold’s and appreciate the brewery’s long support
to keep ELISSA sailing.”
Galveston Historical Foundation brought
ELISSA, an 1877 square-rigged iron barque,
from a scrap yard in Piraeus Harbor, Greece to
Galveston to begin restoration work in 1978. By
1982, GHF staff and volunteers completed restoration
and transformed this rare, historic vessel
into a floating museum that would actively
sail. Today, ELISSA is one of only three ships
of her kind in the world to still actively sail and
welcomes over 40,000 visitors annually. She
also serves as the Official Tall Ship of Texas,
a National Historic Landmark and a symbol of
the Gulf Coast’s historic beginnings as a seaport
and active waterfront.
ABOUT GALVESTON HISTORICAL
FOUNDATION
GHF was formed as the Galveston Historical
Society in 1871 and merged with a new organization
created in 1954 as a non-profit entity
devoted to historic preservation and history in
Galveston County. Over the last 60 years, GHF
has expanded its mission to encompass community
redevelopment, historic preservation advocacy,
maritime preservation, coastal resiliency
and stewardship of historic properties. GHF
embraces a broader vision of history and architecture
that encompasses advancements in environmental
and natural sciences and their intersection
with historic buildings and coastal life
and conceives of history as an engaging story
of individual lives and experiences on Galveston
Island from the 19th century to the present day.
By: Brandon Williams
OUR LADY, Queen of Peace held a memorial statue dedication to St. (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta, who is now a
part of the church located in La Marque.
The bronze statue was donated by Mary Ellen and Charles T. Doyle of First Texas Bank, completing a process that
was capped off by Monday’s ceremony. Although it rained for much of the day, the
clouds broke and offered a glimpse of the sun as the parishioners went outside.
“God put it in her heart to become the inspiration that she became,” said Father
Chacko Puthumayli.
The founder of Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa served the poor throughout
the world until her death in September 1997, by which time she had opened more
than 500 missions in over 100 countries. She received the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize
and was canonized in September 2016.
“This is a real privilege to do something like this,” said Doyle. “It’s amazing that she
lived in our lifetime. She set such an example for the world.”
Getting the statue in perfect position was a team effort.
Teresa and R.O. Hernandez of R.O. Hernandez Concrete provided the border and
sidewalk, while Therese Rochner of Jimbo’s Nursery assisted with the landscaping,
while Jim T. Cortinas led the process of installing the statue.
The Houston area chapter of the Missionaries of Charity Sisters also attended the
event and shared their experiences of working with Mother Teresa.
This past Thursday marked one year since Mother Teresa was named co-patron of
the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta, alongside St. Francis Xavier.
“We are so happy to be able to donate this,” said Doyle. “This statute recognizes
her, the way she set