History (1824 - 1990s)

In October of 1824, St. Mary's Church and the City of Victoria, Texas began when Don Martin De Leon brought 41 Mexican families to a point on the lower Guadalupe River to found the colony of "Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe de Jesus Victoria."  One of his first acts was to erect a Catholic Church. Standing on the Main and Church Street site of the present Post Office, the first church, was built from log and native timber.
 
Hard times came upon the church of "Our Lady of Guadalupe" following the defeat of Santa Ana in the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836.  Most of the original families abandoned their homes and land and fled to Mexico for safety.  For the next four years, the small log church was used as a place of refuge, a courthouse, an auction house and a Presbyterian Church.  On July 12, 1840, Father John Odin and three Vincentian companions landed on Lavaca Bay with a mandate to reorganize the Church in the new Republic of Texas.  Father Odin quickly reclaimed our church and installed Father Eudaldus Estany, C.M. as the first resident pastor.  Parish records show that Father Estany officiated at his first wedding on July 28, 1840 and his first baptism on July 30, 1840.
 
Father Odin, on March 6, 1842, was consecrated the first Bishop of Texas, in the St. Louis Cathedral, in New Orleans, Louisiana.  In his visitation he loved to return to St. Mary's.  Arriving in 1856 was Father Augustine Gardet, a dynamic pastor who began a 35 year ministry at our church.  Father Gardet built a new brick church at the corner of Bridge and Church Streets.  The church was dedicated on November 4, 1863.  He brought the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament from Brownsville to Victoria in 1866 and gave them his own home at Main and Church Streets for their convent and girls' school.  In 1868 Father Gardet founded St. Joseph's School for boys and in 1880 expanded it to include a seminary.  Father Gardet died on February 22, 1892 and was buried on the grounds of St. Mary's.  His tombstone is located on the west wall of the Church.
 
The present St. Mary's Church was begun in 1898.  The name of the parish was changed from "Our Lady of Guadalupe" to St. Mary's Church on September 10, 1903, when the cornerstone of the present building was laid and St. Mary's Church was dedicated on October 5th, 1904.  The church stands on the corner of Main and Church Streets and is a landmark in Victoria.  St. Mary's is one of the most impressive neo-Gothic structures in Texas.  The original plans were drawn by Nicholas Clayton.  In 1965, the edifice of St. Mary's was designated a Texas Historical Landmark and in 1988 the church received recognition from the Victoria Preservation Society.  St. Mary's has "mothered" ten other churches and missions in the Victoria area.

Parish growth was met with additions and remodeling under the direction of Monsignor Frederick O. Beck, who served as pastor from 1941 to 1967. St. Mary's Hall was built in 1949, the church was remodeled in 1954 and the parish rectory was built in 1959. Another strong growing trend came when Father Roy Rihn served as our pastor from 1971 to 1982. With the assistance of Father Casey Jarzombek, new spiritual, educational, and social activities were introduced. Bishop Bernard Popp 1966 - 1968, Rev. Clarence Leopold 1968 - 1971 and Rev. Arnold Anders 1982 - 1985 who were Pastors and gave and dedicated their life to the people. This created a closer parish family. In 1980, the parish voted to build a new parish hall. Construction began in 1982 and the new "St. Mary's Activity Center" was dedicated on February 19, 1984. On December 4, 1985, Father Joseph M. Hybner became pastor of St. Mary's and served until January 1998. He continued the liturgical, spiritual and parish family growth.

A small museum was built behind the High Altar in 1985 and we continually add parish and church memorabilia.  A new parking lot on the site of the "Old Hall" was completed on July 11, 1986.  Improvements were made in the parish home in 1986.  The Chapel of the Church was glassed in and dedicated as the "Adoration Chapel" in January 1987.
 
During our Anniversary Year of 1990, the stained glass windows, statues, the High Altar, the Stations of the Cross and pews were renovated and restored while other improvements were made throughout the church.  In 1991 - 1992 the original stained glass windows were renovated by Conrad Schmidt of New Berlin, Wisconsin.  The parish published a book titled "Jewels of Faith" in 1996, chronicling and describing the stained glass windows of St. Mary's Church.  During 1995 the central heating and air conditioning was completely replaced in the Church.  The beautiful church pipe organ was completely disassembled and renovated in 1997.
 
On August 15, 1987 A.R. (Dick) Wearden was ordained a Deacon to serve the people of St. Mary's.  In 1993 two parishioners, James Koenig and Dudley Pagel finished their internship for Deacon Ordination with the leadership of Father Joseph M. Hybner and were ordained to the permanent Diaconate in St. Mary's Parish.