In the late 1800’s some 20 Catholic families settled in Stonewall and attended services in Fredericksburg for over sixty years. World War II began on December 7, 1941 and along with it came gas rationing making it difficult to commute to Fredericksburg for mass.
In 1942 Father Thomas Coleman of St. Mary’s came to Stonewall twice a month to celebrate Mass in Weinheimer’s Dance Hall with straight benches for seating and a concrete floor for kneeling. In the summer Father Coleman and some of the nuns from St. Mary’s started a summer school for the children in Stonewall, as many as 71 children attended. The classes were held at Stonewall School and during the week Father and the nuns stayed with local families and were transported back and forth to Fredericksburg for the weekends. The Catholics in Stonewall bought Fr. Coleman a car for $200 so he could travel back and forth on his own.
With the increase in Catholic families in Stonewall, it was clear a church was needed. After a few failed attempts due to wartime, permission was granted to proceed. Ground breaking was held in May 1945 with Fr. Coleman lifting the first shovel of soil. The Cornerstone was laid on June 20, 1945 and the new church was dedicated on March 24, 1946 with seventy-four families in attendance. The church was named St. Francis Xavier in honor of Monsignor Wolf’s patron saint and stands on three acres of land donated by Mrs. Henry Burg and sons, Simon and Marcus.
In 1960 the addition of a social hall became a reality and on April 23, 1960 St. Thomas was dedicated and was named after the late Fr. Coleman’s patron saint.
In September of 1966, St. Francis Xavier Mission was established as a parish by Archbishop Robert E. Lucey. In 1968 plans for a new rectory were formulated and the new rectory was blessed on September 22, 1968. Distinguished guests included President, Lyndon B. Johnson, accompanied by the First lady, his daughter and grandson. On April 28, 1974 a new bell tower and gathering area was added to the front of the church. St. Francis Xavier Church has grown and prospered over the years into the wonderful parish that serves Stonewall Texas and the surrounding communities.