Fifty Years Serving the Parish

Happy 50th, William!

“You try it out, and if you don’t like it, we’ll find somebody else,” William Scott said founding parishioner Charlie Walden told him when he hired him fifty years ago. William gave it a try, and this year celebrates his 50th anniversary at St. Theresa Catholic Church.
 
William was only 27-years-old when he was hired in 1970 as groundskeeper and the first employee of the new church. He was on the job less than two months when the founding pastor, Monsignor Charles Elmer, was about to do a funeral and had no altar server. He recruited William for a key role.
 
“He wanted me to bring the incense. So, I put on a black robe and stayed in the
sacristy until he said a certain word.  Then I walked up and gave the incense to him,” William said. “It blew everybody’s mind when I walked up on that altar.”
 
After a few months a parish secretary was added, and in a year or two more staff came on board. The parish had only about 300 families, but William said everybody wanted to be a part of the new church in the hills of Northwest Austin. “When they built this church, everybody wanted to come to this church, everybody. It was the number one most popular church in Austin."
 
The Ladies Club was one of the first groups at the new parish. Fortunately for William they made “real food,” good home cooked comfort foods that he thoroughly enjoyed. They may not know it, but their members were instrumental in helping him through what he refers to as the “rough” times. In the early 1970’s racial integration was still fairly new. “After the Ladies Club got to know me well and got used to me, I didn’t have problems with anybody else,” William said.  “Because one or two of them would come up and hug me, and the others would see that, and think, oh, you must be alright then.”
 
“Many days William was here from dawn to dark,” said co-worker Geneva Moore. “Parishioners depended on him for any help, and he was here for them—whether it was to move things, help carry things, find things or fix things.” As a groundskeeper he mowed the grass and trimmed the trees. As a member of the maintenance staff  he keeps the bathrooms clean and well stocked, empties the trash, mops floors and does other jobs as needed. “I wish I had ten of him,” said his supervisor John Lawrence, noting that William is always on time and does his job without complaint. And he does it with heart. “Taking care of the votive candles in the chapel, has been the pride and joy of his job responsibilities,” said John. Working for seven different pastors, William witnessed the church grow from 300 families to 3000. He saw dozens of programs start up, and the school expand from a few early grades to more than 400 students. And those trees he tended, they went from saplings to the tall and sprawling oaks you see today.
 
“Sometimes I think, how did I make it – fifty years here.  It’s been real good times. I enjoyed getting the chance to meet a lot of people,” he said. “I have enjoyed working for a Catholic church, and this church in particular. It has been amazing to learn about the Catholic Faith.”
 
William, we can’t begin to thank you enough for your 50 years of service, your hard work, loyalty, patience and kindness. Congratulations on your 50th Anniversary. May we all say a prayer of thanksgiving for William Scott.