Founded in April of 1907 by the Congregation of Holy Cross to serve the burgeoning community of Catholic residents of Mexican descent in East Austin, Our Lady of Guadalupe was originally located on the corner of 5th and Guadalupe Streets. Direction of the parish was transferred to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1925. The church’s attendance then began to grow under Father Jose Prieto, which necessitated relocation to a larger site for the church and school. Since the majority of the congregation’s members lived in East Austin, a plot of land at the parish’s present location on East 9th Street was purchased, and on September 5, 1926 the current church building was blessed. A school was already located on the plot, but additional construction for the Father’s rectory was completed in December of 1926.

Citations:

Humphrey, D. (1985). Austin, an illustrated history (1st ed, p. 14). Northridge, Calif.: Windsor Publications.

First Church. (n.d.). Retrieved September 5, 2014, from www.olgaustin.com/history.shtml

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