"Biography"

Fr. CARLOS J. DAVALOS

Father Carlos J. Davalos was born in Laredo Texas, the oldest of seven children, one brother, and five sisters, to very simple but deeply religious parents.  His father was a U. S. Navy veteran, having served after the Second World War, and worked in a wholesale grocery warehouse in Laredo.  His mother was a full time homemaker rearing the seven children.  He attended public schools in Laredo and received his early religious education from lay religious education teachers.  In high school, he enjoyed music, and played a brass instrument, the trombone, in the school band.  He was a member of the National Honor Society, and was elected as a Senior Class Officer.  He graduated from Martin High School with aspirations of working as a bookkeeper, since he had enjoyed those courses. 

          He attended St. Mary’s University for two years, where he continued his business administration education, and was a member of the Reserve Officers Training Corps, (R.O.T.C.), which was required of all students.   During this period of time, he was living “on campus”, and had a close relationship with his professors and the other Priests.  It was then, that he received his calling to the priesthood.  He applied, and was granted permission to attend the novitiate, one year, with the Dominican Order of Preachers in California. After the year, he was accepted into the House of Formation, where he received a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy from St. Albert’s College, Oakland. 

          After eight years of formation, one year of which was spent in Valencia, Spain (where he was ordained a deacon), he was ordained a Priest, March 1978.  He continued one additional year of study to complete work for his Masters of Divinity Degree from Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology, Berkeley, CA.  His first assignment was in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, as Parochial Vicar for five years.  He also served in the Dominican Order in the following Dioceses, Tucson, AZ; Oakland, CA; and the San Angelo, TX (West Texas). 

          He asked permission to leave the Dominican Order and was granted a transfer to the San Antonio Archdiocese due his mother’s health.  In 1991 he was assigned to St. Rose of Lima Church, Charlotte, TX and subsequently transferred to St. Andrew Church, June 1992.

Father Carlos tenure at St. Andrew Church

June 1, 1992 to May 31, 2006

San Antonio Archbishop Patrick Flores appointed Father Carlos J. Davalos as parish administrator effective June 1, 1992, with additional responsibility of Sacred Heart Church in Campbellton. His first major assignment was to use his influence and bring the divided St. Andrew parish community together.  He was subsequently appointed Pastor on August 1994.

Starting on Feb. 13, 1994, he was at the forefront of eliminating the paneling from the inside of the church walls (which was showing signs of termites) and restoring the appearance to an early mission style church. Seven stained glass windows and new light fixtures were installed as part of the renovation.  Archbishop Flores rededicated the church on Mar 19, 1995. 

Under Father Carlos’ leadership, a catechetical center with nine classrooms was built in 1996 and dedicated on April 9, 1997 by Archbishop Patrick Flores. The center was completely paid off by the date of the dedication.  On September 24, 1998 he was appointed Dean of the Pleasanton Deanery and assumed leadership of the six other priests in eleven parishes, to include Pleasanton, Poteet, Jourdanton, Loire, Charlotte, Von Ormy and Losoya and their mission churches.

During May 1999, the St. Andrew parish community celebrated the Golden (fiftieth) anniversary of the construction of the present church building with a Special Mass, a dinner and other festivities. A special blessing by Pope John Paul II was granted to this parish community in support of our anniversary.  Our mission church, Sacred Heart in Campbellton, also had a major milestone in 1999 with the celebration of their sixtieth anniversary. Renovations to their church, in anticipation of the anniversary, included adding 17 stained glass windows to the church and replacing the front door with traditional wood.  A community celebration was held in December 1999.

In 2003, with the concurrence of the parish community, the entire St. Andrew church was approved for renovation. Construction was started to double the seating capacity, install a baptismal font at the entrance, update the restrooms, and build a bridal room and a separate adoration chapel.  The façade of the parish hall and educational annex were changed to match the church and the catechetical center.  At the conclusion of the renovation, San Antonio Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Flanagan rededicated the church on November 28, 2004.

On June 9, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment of Father Carlos as a Monsignor, as recommended by the late Pope John Paul II.  San Antonio Archbishop Jose H. Gomez and Archbishop Emeritus Patrick Flores invested him on Sep. 8 by presenting him with a special stole.

Father Carlos completes his assignment here on May 31, 2006 with the final payment toward a loan for the renovation costs leaving the parish debt free. He has been assigned as pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Helotes TX effective June 1, 2006.