St. Peter's Catholic Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Catholic settlers had been putting down roots in this part of Matagorda County way back in the eighteen hundreds, but it took until 1912 for a mass to actually be held in the community of Blessing. That was just five years after Blessing itself was founded, so the town and its Catholic congregation were practically growing up together.

Now, in those early days, there was no church to speak of. Mass was held in people's homes, whenever a traveling priest happened to come through. You can picture it, neighbors clearing furniture, somebody's parlor becoming a sanctuary for an afternoon.

That was the arrangement for a while. Then in 1914, something changed. The Townsite Company, owned by city founder Jonathan Edwards Pierce, donated land specifically for use as a church.

Catholic residents took that gift seriously. They completed construction on a building right there on that property in 1915, and they placed it under the patronage of Saint Peter. Even so, St.

Peter's started out as a mission parish, attended only on occasion by priests coming in from Victoria, Port Lavaca, and other surrounding communities. It wasn't until 1930 that the church got its first resident priest, the Reverend A. J.

Weber. That was a milestone. The church has moved twice over its long history, and both moves say something about a congregation that wasn't just surviving, it was committin'.

In 1947, members purchased the property where the marker stands today, and the following year they opened a remodeled army chapel on the site. That structure eventually gave way to the current one, which was dedicated in 1976. Through all of it, the people of St.

Peter's have kept their eyes on the community around them. Regular meals for senior citizens. Food and donations for those in need.

Social gatherings that bring the area together, including an annual fall festival that has grown into a full-on community tradition. The marker says it plainly, and I think it earns the words: St. Peter's Catholic Church continues to be a beacon of light in the Blessing community.

From a traveling priest in somebody's living room in 1912 to a congregation still servin' folks today, that's a story with some staying power.

What the marker says

Though Catholic settlers initially arrived in this area in the 1800s, it was in 1912, just five years after the founding of blessing, that a mass was held in the community. At first, mass was held in the homes of blessing residents, whenever traveling priests were available. In 1914, the Townsite Company, owned by city founder Jonathan Edwards Pierce, donated land for use as a church. Catholic residents completed construction on a building on the property in 1915. It was placed under the patronage of Saint Peter. At first, St. Peter's Catholic Church was a mission parish attended on occasion by priests from Victoria, Port Lavaca and other surrounding communities. In 1930, the Rev. A.J. Weber became the church's first resident priest. The church has moved twice in its long history. In 1947, members purchased this property, opening a remodeled army chapel here the next year. That structure was replaced by the current one, which was dedicated in 1976. The congregation of St. Peter's Catholic Church has a long history of helping residents of the Blessing Community. They have provided regular meals to senior citizens, and have given food and other donations to the needy. The congregation has also organized area social events, including an annual fall festival which has become a community tradition. Today, St. Peter's Catholic Church continues to be a beacon of light in the blessing community, serving the needs of area residents.