St. John the Baptist History

   It was not until 1870 that the first Catholic Church was built in the Czech community of Fayetteville.  It was a small and unpretentious, but it was a Church!  It measured sixty-eight feet in length, thirty-six feet wide and eighten feet tall.  A little tower, surmounted by a cross, housed two bells (the third bell was added later).  The bell tower, still, stands today.

   Our first resident priest, Reverend Felix Dombrowski, stayed for two years.  On Christmas Eve of 1872, the "First Czech Priest to Texas" arrived.  Father Joseph Chromcik, from the small village of Repcin in Moravia, remained our pastor for thirty-eight years.

   We were blessed with a number of faithful pastors over the years.  Reverend Benedict Mazurkiewicz came to St. John in 1963 and had the longest tenure, remaining with us for thirty-nine years.  It was under Father Ben's guidance that our current Church was built in 1969.

   In 2007, Father Stephen Nesrsta became our priest, bringing with him a Czech heritage and a passion for Czech tradition.     Though he only remained until 2013, Masses are still celebrated with Czech songs on special occasions throughout the year.

   Today, Rev. Steve Sauser presides as the resident priest of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.  
 

"The Church is a very important part of any community and the residents of Fayetteville have reason to be pround and are fortunate to have this house of prayer and to have a pastor and congregation working together."

(1969 - Most Rev. Louis J. Reicher, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Austin)

• 1870   The first Catholic Church was built in Fayetteville
  • The first resident priest was appointed: Rev. Felix Dombrowski
• 1872 - 1910   Rev. Joseph Chromcik (Pastor for 38 years, until his death)
• 1875               The Chromcik School was built and opened
• 1884 - 18871965   St. John's School built and opened (Sisters of Divine Providence arrived)
• 1892               Rectory was built
• 1910 - 1911   Father J. Koerner;  left in January 1911
• 1911               New Church built
• 1911 - 1927   Father John Vanicek (passed away in 1962)
• 1915               St. John's School reopened (closed in 1965)
• 1927 - 1936   Father Joseph Klobouk (passed away in 1957)
• 1936 - 1941   Father A. W. Nesvadba (passed away in 1971)
• 1941 - 1942   Rev. Frank Dobias (passed away in 1961)
• 1942 - 1955   (Administrator) Rev. Frank Urbanovsky (passed away in 1951)
• 1945 - 1951   Rev. Frank Matustik (passed away in 1951)
• 1948               St. John the Baptist Catholic Church became a part of the Diocese of Austin
• 1951 - 1963   Father Thomas J. Matl (passed away in 1966)
• 1962 - 1965   Associate Pastor Marion Atomanczyk
• 1965               St. John's School closed
• 1963 - 2002   Msgr. Benedict (Father Ben) Mazurkiewicz (passed away in 2010)
• 1969               New Church built
• 2002 - 2006   Jack Maddox
• 2007 - 2013   Rev. Stephen (Father Stephen) Nesrta
• 2013 - 2014   Father Steve Sauser
• 2014 - 2020   (Dean) Very Rev. Nock Russell
• 2020 - Present  Father Steve Sauser

   Czech Catholics, who settled in Fayette County in the mid-1850s, were initially served by area priests.  Eventually, after years of petitioning the Bishop of Texas, Fayetteville received their own Czech priest from Europe.  

   

   In 1872, Rev. Joseph Chromcik arrived, holding his first service in Fayetteville and becoming Texas' first permanent Czech Catholic Priest.  He established the Chromcik school  and many churches.  He also played a large part in establishing the KJT, or Czech Catholic Union of Texas.
   In 1906, Rev. Joseph Chromcik proposed plans to build a new Church. Sadly, he did not live to see his plans for a new Church come to fruition.  He died in 1910 after 38 years in Fayetteville.
   He was lovingly referred to as "Taticek," meaning "Dear Little Father."





   It was under the pastorate of Father John Vanicek (1911), the new St. John the Baptist Catholic Church was built.  During Father Vanicek's stay, the KJT hall was build in 1912.





In 1984, a multipurpose school building with living quarters was built, the Sisters of Divine Providence arrived, and the school became St. John's School.  A rectory was also built in 1892.  In 1887, the school closed.




   In 1915, a two-story school building was built.  The Sisters resided on the top floor, with classrooms on the ground floor.
   St. John Parish School was  opened in 1915 ,beginning with two Sisters teaching 25 students.  By the end of the year, it had grown to  114 students .

   


   The lumber used to build the two-story school was taken from the Warrenton Church, which had been raised and replaced by a smaller Church; St. Martin's Historical "Smallest Catholic Church in the World."  Today, St. Martin continues to have a monthly Mass.



   In the following decades, several priests served the parish of St. John.  Following Father Vanicek was Rev. J. Klobouk, who served as pastor from 1927-1936.  In 1928, Father Klobouk had a frame building moved to Church property to serve as a home for the Sisters.  In1931 the rectory was moved and improvements were made to the Church.
   Rev. A. W. Nesvabda served as the pastor from 1936-1941.  It was during his stay that the old school buildings were demolished and a new one=story elementary school was built.  

   Rev. Frank Dobias was here shortly (1941-1942), followed by Rev. Frank Urbanovsky (1942-1951), and Rev. Frank Matustik (1945-1951).  During Father Matustick's stay, a new high school and recreation hall were built.  The high school opened in 1946 and 1950 marked the first graduation class from St. John.  The last graduation class was in 1965 with the closing of the school.  

St. John parish became part of the new Diocese of Austin in 1948.  Rev. Thomas J. Matl succeeded Father Matustik and served as pastor from 1951-1963.  A new rectory, the one we have today, was built in 1960.  Rev. Marion Atomanczyk served as Associate Pastor with Father Matl beginning in 1962, and continued to serve as an assistant to the next pastor, Rev. Benedict Mazurkiewicz, until 1965.

   Father Ben retired in 2002 and remained living in the Fayetteville area, continuing his service as a priest whenever and wherever he was needed until his death in May of 2010.  

   Along with Father Ben's faithful service to the parish was the service of Sister Euphrosine Honc.  She came to our parish in 1979 and remained here for 22 years until 2001.  Sister Euphrosine had the longest tenure of all the 96 Sisters who served at St. John.  Her departure marked the end of approximately 90 total years of service by the congregation of the Sisters of Divine Providence.


   After Father Ben's retirement, Rev. Jack Maddux was assigned pastor of St. John.  He served the parish from 2002-2006.  During his stay the original paintings from the 1870 Church were restored and hung in the current Church.  The Church was remodeled in 2003, the rectory in 2004, and the "Garden of the Holy Innocents" were created.


   In January of 2007, Rev. Stephen Nesrsta came to our parish.  In 2009, under Father Stephen's stewardship the roof cover connecting the pavilion to the hall was built, as well as the St. Cecilia and St. Michael the Archangel shrines were erected.  Stained glass windows were added to the Church in 2010.  Other improvements included installing new walkways, repairing the Church bells, the purchase of the Ten Commandments monument, landscaping of the grounds and a security system for the Church.
   
   Four deacons from the Austin Diocese have served with Father Stephen throughout his pastorate including Deacon Nock Russell in 2007-2008 (our current pastor), Deacon Justin Nguyen in 2008-2009, Deacon Ron Feather in 20010-2011,  Deacon Kurtis Wiedenfeld in 2011-2012, Deacon Augustine in 2012-2013, Deacon Darryl Kostihain 2014-2015, and currently Deacon Robert Jasek (ordained in 2010). 


   Father Stephen brought with him a Czech heritage and a passion for Czech tradition.  Czech Masses were celebrated on special occasions throughout the year and each summer Father Stephen would host visiting Czech transitional Deacons. In 2013, Father Stephen tranferred to another parish in 2013 and was followed by Father Steven Sauser for a short tenure of 2013-2014.  



   In 2014, Father Nock Russell arrived at our parish. During his stay, the undercovered area has been re-paved and St. John/St. Mary parishes co-hosted the Rural Life Mass.

As of July 2020, Father Steven Sauser was welcomed back to our parish as pastor.