The History of San Isidro
The Good Shepherd Pastor, Reverend Thomas Gaul, on October 1999, realized how fast the
Spanish population was growing in the boundaries of his Parish. Therefore, he asked
members of the Parish Family to begin an Outreach Spanish Ministry program.
The original families were the Olivares’s, the Maisonet’s and the Henriquez’s Family. These group of
families got together with Catholic Charities, some of the Cumberland County School
Counselors and other agencies in the area to begin serving some of the population east of
our Parish. Within a year we realized, even though we were meeting their physical needs,
more was needed.
We organized Rosaries and provided some classes, but their children needed to be
baptized, couples wanted their marriages blest and many children had not received their
First Communion. There were other churches that offered Spanish Masses, but they were
20 to 30 miles away from the location we were serving. On January 6th, 2002 we began a
Parish Mission in the Stedman area.
The Pastor of Cokesbury Methodist Church opened his doors to celebrate Mass. At our first
Mass we had 28 adults and 16 children to attend. The San Isidro mission did not have an
assigned Priest to celebrate Mass, and was depended on the generosity of our Diocesan
Priests. The mass was scheduled at 2:30 PM this allowed the Cokesbury Methodist Church
to completed their services and fellowship; it also provided time for our Celebrant Priest to
conclude mass at their church and arrived at Stedman to celebrate Mass. On the first year
we average about 75 people a week and we celebrated two (2) Marriages, 12 First
Communions, eight (8) baptisms and one (1) confirmation.
We chose the name of Saint Isidore, the Farmer, since he is the Patron of the rural
communities in the United States. He was born in the 12th Century in Spain and toiled the
fields. According to tradition, as he kneeled to pray angels came down and continued his
work while he was worshiping God.
On 2004, the Most Reverend Bishop Joseph Gossman authorized the purchase of two (2)
metal buildings, which were converted one (1), into a beautiful Church and the other as the
Catechetical building and social hall. On 2005, Bishop Gossman appointed the First Pastoral
Administrator and also dedicated the Church. On Palm Sunday 2007 we began an English
Mass at 5 PM on Sundays. Around the same time The Reverend John “Jack” Kelly, after
retiring from Saint Patrick Catholic Church committed himself as our Sacramental Minister.
Since then, both Masses have been changed to Sunday mornings and today we have the
English Mass at 9 AM and the Spanish Mass at 11:45 AM. Religious education for our
children is taught in between the two (2) Masses with over 90 children registered.
Attendance to the English Mass average 75- 100 people and for the Spanish Mass is 200-
250.
When we learned that HWY 24 is going to be expanded and that our
Church was a victim of progress. On February 2011, we were contacted by the Department of
Transportation and were notified that the State of NC will be taking possession of part of
our Land and the Church on December 2011. For over 18 months we have been looking for
land to Purchase. After numerous searches and bidding for property we found and
acquired 96 acres of land and raised over $88,000 and expect to have over $150,000 by the
end of June with a Brick fund raising that now adorns the entrance of our New church
which was dedicated 12 Sep 2012.
Several years after the dedication of the church one of the parishioner children told us this
was the same land that he lived on with his parents when we visited them delivering foods
when we were just and Outreach program.
Generosity, openness to new comers and a sense of family has been the constant thread of
our small community from the first time we gather at Cokesbury Methodist Church till this
day in our new church at 4733 Macedonia Church Road.
Significant Dates:
Outreach ministry started October 1999
San Isidro Catholic Church celebrated the first mass on 7 Jan 2001 Mission was established 9 March 2004
The first church was dedicated 31 July 2005
The new Church was dedicated 12 Sep 2012
Good Shepherd Pastors:
Rev Joe Gaul Founder
Rev Thanh Nguyen
Rev T. Davis
Rev John R. Kelly
San Isidro Pastoral Administrator
DCN Juan M. Henriquez 2005 - 2020
Rev Edisson Urrego 2020 - 2021
Rev John Marvin Cyriac 2021-2021
Rev John Vedanayagam 2021- 2023
Rev Juan Andres Arturo-Gonzalez C.O 2023 - Present
San Isidro Deacon:
DCN Juan (Nay) Henriquez 1999-2020
DCN Virgilio Maisonet 2020 - Present
