The city of Tyler and the Catholic Church community grew in numbers after the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused many families to relocate to Texas. St. Gregory Cathedral School accepted students at three years of age but could not provide the care needed for those younger than three.
In 2021, the St. Gregory Cathedral School Advisory Board discussed the need for childcare under the age of three years old. Bishop Joseph Strickland offered the use of a building that the Diocese owned but was not currently using. This building, which is located at 214 West Houston Street, became the new site of the St. Gregory Early Learning Center.
Rector Fr. Hank Lanik and the St. Gregory Administration began the process of establishing the St. Gregory Early Learning Center. The Center’s name was chosen to represent the long, successful Catholic tradition of St. Gregory Cathedral School, which began in 1946. Seventy-seven years later, this tradition continues with our littlest Saints. The Center is scheduled to open in January of 2024.