Notre Dame Catholic Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerr County. Way back in 1892, this congregation drew its first breath, organized as a mission called St. Mary of the Assumption.

A mission, mind you, not yet a full parish, just a gathering of faithful folks with roots and hopes and a name bigger than their building. That's how it started. Then came 1911, and with it a man named Father Henry Michael Kemper, and things began to move.

Under his watch, St. Mary of the Assumption became a parish church. That was just the beginning.

Father Kemper didn't stop there. He moved the church to its permanent location soon after and established a school. A man with plans, clearly.

And then in 1915, the church reached further still, sponsoring Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and School to serve Hispanic Catholics in the community. Two congregations, one mission, running side by side for decades, until 1955, when Our Lady of Guadalupe and Notre Dame merged. Now, you might be wondering when the name Notre Dame entered the picture.

That happened in 1935, when a new church was built, and with a new building came a new name. Notre Dame. A social center followed in 1979, and then a larger church building rose in 1990.

And through all of it, the people of Notre Dame have been reaching out: a jail ministry, a food pantry, a free medical clinic, and a whole host of other volunteer ministries woven into the life of Kerrville. What started as a mission in 1892 is still, today, playing a vital role in that community. Some things, it turns out, only grow.

What the marker says

Originally organized in 1892 as a mission named St. Mary of the Assumption, it became a parish church in 1911 under Father Henry Michael Kemper. He moved the church to its permanent location soon after and established a school. In 1915, the church sponsored Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and School to serve Hispanic Catholics; they merged with Notre Dame in 1955. When a new church was built in 1935, the name was changed to Notre Dame. A social center was built in 1979 and a larger church building in 1990. Members have reached out to the community through a jail ministry, food pantry, free medical clinic and a host of other volunteer ministries. Today, the church continues to play a vital role in Kerrville.