About Saint Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church in Austin, Texas:
St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church was founded in 1937 by Fr. Patrick Duffy, C.S.C. Originally part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, it was to be named Holy Cross. The archbishop was in Rome when he became seriously ill. The sisters who cared for him told him that if he prayed to St. Ignatius of Antioch, he would recover. He did and promised to name the next parish in his diocese in honor of the saint, so that became the name of this parish.
The first Masses for the parish were celebrated at the old Wilke-Manor (Wilke-Clay) Funeral Home at 1811 South Congress Avenue. In 1939, Fr. Duffy moved to an old house in the 200 block of West Johanna Street, which he used for church services. He did this until a new church was eventually built, which served approximately 250 families.
In September 1940, the Holy Cross Sisters arrived to open an eighth grade school in the basement of the new church. For their convent, the Sisters used what had been the rectory, while Fr. Duffy lived in a store room of the church basement! He later acquired a home opposite the church to use as a rectory. The parish grew at a tremendous rate during his tenure, and in 1953, five and a half acres of land were purchased for the church from the John LaPrelle Estate, which is the present location of the church, school, annex, and Family Center.
In 1955 a new school was built on the newly acquired land to accommodate approximately 400 students. In addition to the school, a new convent was also built at this time, which was constructed by St. Ignatius church parishioners.
The planning for a new church and rectory began in May of 1962. Construction began two years later, and the first Mass was celebrated in the new church in September 1965. The church was dedicated by Bishop Louis J. Reicher, D.D. on February 6, 1966.
The Family Center, an adjunct to the St. Ignatius school, was constructed in the mid 1980’s and was formally dedicated during the Parish Golden Jubilee on October 11, 1987. In 1989, the center was officially renamed in honor of Fr. Gene Doré, and remains known as The Fr. Gene Doré Family Center. Fr. Larry LeVasseur, C.S.C. became pastor in 1987 and served until the arrival of Fr. Barry Cabell, C.S.C. in 1991.
In 1994, the parish purchased a home at the north end of the property. The house was named André House (in honor of Blessed Brother André Bessette, C.S.C.). In 1998, the parish purchased the house across the street from André House. It was named the Fr. John Payne House in honor of Fr. Payne’s dedication and service to the parish community.
The parish is served primarily by priests, brothers, and sisters of the Congregation of Holy Cross (C.S.C).
The parish emphasizes liturgy, education, service, and community outreach. It operates Saint Ignatius Martyr Catholic School (Holy Cross tradition) and offers various ministries including faith formation, social justice outreach, a food pantry, and more.
The church building dates to around the mid-1960s with magnificent stained glass windows designed by the award-winning company Emil Frei & Associates.
Traveling to Saint Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church in Austin, Texas:
Saint Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church is located 2.7 miles south of downtown in the Bouldin Creek / South Austin area.
Physical Church Address: 126 W Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704 .
Parish Office Address: 2309 Euclid Ave, Austin, TX 78704.
Phone: +1 (512) 442-3602