Msgr. Frank visits with Patricia Moore and Linda James.

Photos by Theresa Doyle Nelson

July 9, 2025

Local pastor visits the Smithsonian in Bandera exhibits

By Theresa Doyle Nelson
​The Bandera Prophet

Msgr. Frank Kurzaj, of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, stopped by the Bandera Middle School to enjoy the Bandera history displays, an exhibition of the Smithsonian Institution’s Crossroads: Change in Rural America.

With one of the Smithsonian in Bandera organizers, Patricia Moore.

Fr. Frank contemplating how outlaws often had to be chained to trees during the Bandera Stompede years. So many unruly parties and gatherings quickly filled up the jail cells!

Fr. Frank with Linda James.

Fr. Frank found the Bandera Rodeo exhibit to be fascinating. And he was game to pose as a Rodeo Clown!

As a great baritone singer, Fr. Frank particularly enjoyed the history of music in Bandera.

Billy Mata and the Texas Tradition is a favorite Country Western group. Some years ago, Fr. Frank arranged for Billy Mata and the Texas Tradition to perform at a Silesian music festival in Poland.

Enjoying some Bandera Musician videos.

Pondering the contributions of Policarpio Rodriguez to Bandera.

At a satellite exhibit at the Bandera Library, Fr. Frank perused the American Legion book, looking for some Bandera veterans with Silesian ancestry.