THE HISTORY OF OUR MOTHER OF SORROWS PARISH

 IN THE BEGINNING

For poor Hispanics laboring in the cotton fields and on ranches, the late 1930’s were an extremely difficult time. Many made their homes in tents and lean-to structures on the western borders of Burnet. Adding to their discomfort was the lack of a Catholic Church where all might worship. 

As the 1930’s drew to a close, the needs of these Hispanics were noticed by the Rev. Frederick A. Schmidt, C.S.C., a missionary priest serving at St. Helen’s Church in Georgetown. 

Father Schmidt discovered in a survey that many Catholic Hispanics were living and working around Bertram and Burnet. Holy Cross, his religious com­munity, had built the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana and St. Edward’s University at Austin. Now Holy Cross priests, sisters, and brothers were ministering to the needs of Catholics in small towns in Central Texas. 

Father Schmidt offered the first Mass in Burnet in 1938 on a field near the present church site. Those present were members of the Castillo and Salazar families. Other Catholic families during this time were celebrating Mass in Lampasas or Llano. Soon the Mass site was moved to a Burnet County ranch where the families of Rafael Cervantes and Ildefonso Rodrigues joined in. As attendance grew, so did the need for a sheltered place - ideally, a chapel.

Father Schmidt arranged to celebrate the first Mass in a public building in the old Lions Hall on Burnet’s courthouse square in 1938. Several Anglo families, includ­ing the Bodiers and the Willhoits began attending. Abruptly, the Lions Hall was no longer available and Father Schmidt arranged for the use of the movie theater, but it too was soon closed to the little congregation. Increasingly, Father Schmidt became convinced a church must be built in Burnet.

The Rev. Louis LeBlanc, C.S.C.,  pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Lampasas, was thinking along the same lines. He believed a church in Burnet should be under the direction of St. Mary’s pastor. Accordingly, Father LeBlanc wrote to Bishop Christopher Byrne of Galve­ston, asking permission to build a church at Burnet. His successor, the Rev. William F. Roach, C.S.C. appointed administrator of the Lampasas and Burnet areas in May of 1939, came to Burnet to size up the situation on a day when all the Hispanics were out working in the cotton fields and no Anglos could be found. Even with no one around, Father Roach found he agreed with Fathers Schmidt and LeBlanc that the need for a Catholic Church in Burnet was urgent. One reason was that with the construction of Inks Dam and Buchanan Dam, the area would draw both residents and an influx of vacationers.

IF THERE’S A CHURCH, THEY WILL COME

According to historian Ann Koon, “Father Bill knew Catholics would not come unless there was a church. It must have taken great courage to undertake a church with (few) Catholics in sight to support it. Father Bill had set his heart on this project. If he could only find a way. He prayed and dreamed and one day his dream seemed to unfold. He must first find a location suitable for permanent residents and tourists.”

After careful consideration, Father Roach found just the right spot. He learned the land he sought was owned by a former resident, Mrs. Thula Cole Altman, a non-Catholic, who agreed to donate the land for the construction of the church. The deed, dated Aug.17, 1940, thus became the first donation made to the fledgling church. This was the first important step. 

The other steps were not so easy. Money was a factor. There wasn’t any.

A STONE CHURCH IN A COUNTRY PLACE

Father Roach was resourceful. He learned of a con­test to design ‘1a stone church in a country place” was being held among architectural students. The winning design, from the University of Notre Dame, was picked from the entries sent to Father Roach, who then had the drawing modified by T.G. McHaIe of Houston. Even with land acquired and a workable design, there still was no money for construction. Father Roach was so eager to begin construction that he went on a three-week speaking tour of Catholic churches all over the map. His aim was to gain enough money from dona­tions to begin the work. His enthusiasm for the “stone church in a country place” was contagious. Soon a check came from Anna B. Smith of Indiana, who sent $1000 toward the project.

With land, design and money in hand, Father Roach was ready to let bids. The Tipples of Burnet bid $1,100 on the rock, so work could begin. But weather caused delays and the project ran out of funds. To continue, Father Roach got help from some people in Lampasas and he himself performed work on the structure. Many days he could be found at the site, working atop a beam or on the roof.

Before the formal dedication on June 11, 1941, Fa­ther Roach worked day and night on the final con­struction stages. Sometimes, during this period, he was called to give last rites late at night. In addition to all the manual labor he was expending, Father Roach also cared for Lampasas parishioners and was charged with ministering to the needs of Catholic soldiers at newly constructed Camp Hood at Killeen.

June 11, 1941 dawned a typical early summer day. Bishop Byrne came to officiate at the dedication ceremonies.

“Catholics will come, now that you have a church. The great simplicity of the building, being just as Our Lord would have it since all materials are nature’s own, is rugged but beautiful,” the bishop said. He also praised the prayers and long, hard hours of work performed by Father Roach. “Only the grace of God could have carried him through this ordeal,” the bishop added.

Some of the early members of the new church be­sides the Hispanics were Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Rush, Mr. and Mrs. William Koon, Mr. and Mrs. John Lowrey, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Reed, Mrs. Donald Duncan, Par Robertson, Mrs. Fishback, the Houks and the Reibers.

HOW THE CHURCH WAS NAMED

Many prayers flew heavenward in the early days of the Burnet parish. When a missionary priest, Father Schmidt,C.S.C., dreamed of a chapel for Burnet, the name, “Our Mother of Sorrows,” became fixed in his mind. When Father Roach began to think of a name, his thoughts too began to center on “Our Mother of Sorrows.” Today the name of the church is appropri­ate, underscoring the many obstacles that were over­come in the church’s first 50 years of service.