History of Holy Cross Catholic Church
 

Czechoslovakian immigrants gathered to celebrate the first Mass on January 6, 1901. In 1905 a small frame church was built on the corner of Magnolia and Church Streets. The congregation grew and this building was soon too small. Construction of the present church began on October 29, 1924 and the completed building was dedicated the following June. The strong faith of the early Catholic settlers sustained them through the hardships and joys of life and has been passed on to their descendants. For almost a hundred years, Mass has been celebrated on a regular basis.  Marriages and baptisms are celebrated with great joy. Families also gather in sorrow to lay loved ones to rest in the parish cemetery. Through the years, the interior of Holy Cross was renovated a number of times. When the Second Vatican Council mandated liturgical changes in the 1960's, the original altar was removed to accommodate the revised celebrations. The latest renovation in 1994 restored much of the church's former grandeur and beauty. The original altar was returned and once again is the central focus of the Sanctuary. With more than 700 registered families, the parish continues to serve the spiritual needs of the Catholic faithful in East Bernard and outlying areas.

HISTORICAL MARKER
Erected: 1997

Marker Text: Many Catholic Czechoslovakian immigrants settled in the prairies near East Bernard in the 1880s. Visiting priests served their religious needs. In 1900 the settlers began the establishment of a parish by purchasing cemetery property in East Bernard. The first Holy Cross Church, a small frame structure, was built in 1905 by Valentine Kozelsky on two acres of land donated by Jan and Anna Vacek. A rectory was built in 1921 for the first permanent resident pastor, the Rev. Joseph C. Kunc. The Holy Cross Catholic school was organized in 1922. A new church building was constructed in 1925 by R. H. Reese of Eagle Lake. Houston architect M. J. Sullivan designed the Spanish Colonial revival structure. It featured a 70-foot belfry and imported Czechoslovakian adornments including statues, painted copper wall hangings, and 10 large, unique stained glass windows of Roundel design. A new school and convent were built in 1928 in the same architectural style. The school operated until 1967. The Pioneer Chapel, a model of the original church, was built in 1994. Holy Cross Catholic Church is now the oldest Catholic church in continuous use in Wharton County. (1997)