The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Ex-student, Mrs. Wanda Simar, from the class of 1950 gives back to her alma mater. St. Mary Catholic School could not be more honored to display the new altar clothes made by Mrs. Simar recently. Simar did not hesitate when asked for her sewing expertise in making new altar clothes for the school. Simar says she enjoyed her time here at St. Mary and has many fond memories.

She loved all the rituals and processions, especially the Holy Thursday procession throughout the church. The altar boys started the procession with the girls all dressed in white following them and strewing real flower petals on the aisle. Father was next with the monstrance under a canopy carried by four altar boys. When asked what was her least favorite memory, she replied that she loved to talk and some-times got in trouble for it. She was smart, so she finished her work quickly…then she would talk.

All except one of her teachers were Dominican Sisters – who were all very strict. All the younger students used to think that “The Nuns” as they used to call them, were from a different planet. Her favorite subject was math. They had daily Mass and in order to receive communion, you had to fast from midnight until after Mass. This meant no breakfast so they would bring thermoses filled with hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls to eat afterwards. At Mass, everything was in Latin, and the altar boy responded – not the people in the pews like today.

She has three children who all went to St. Mary. Her husband, Roy, she met in second grade, and they were what you would call, “Childhood Sweethearts.” She believes that the biggest change between students at St. Mary now and then is the children have more freedom today. When Mrs. Simar attended St Mary, students always did what the nuns said; you would never say “no”, it was just unheard of.

Pictured is Wanda Simar with altar cloth