Holy Cross Catholic Church and Community

Holy Cross Catholic Church and Community. . , In 1936, the Reverend Francis R. Weber, CSC, met with African-American Catholics in the home of William M. Tears and celebrated the first Mass for Holy Cross Catholic Church, the first Catholic Church to serve the needs of Austin’s African Americans. In 1928, the city of Austin laid out a “Negro District,” south of the City Cemetery (Oakwood) and east of East Avenue to encourage Austin’s black citizens to move to that area. By 1932, most African Americans lived in East Austin. Parishioners constructed the Holy Cross Church building in 1937. In 1942, the church established Holy Family Catholic Church to serve African American Catholics in South Austin. , Recognizing the lack of medical facilities to serve African Americans, the church established Holy Cross Hospital in 1940, the first hospital in Austin to allow black physicians to practice. From a small facility on the church grounds, Holy Cross Hospital moved to a new building on 19th Street, serving the community until 1989. Sister Mary Celine Heitzman, M.D., one of the first Catholic nuns in the US to become a doctor, was the resident physician from 1940 to 1964. The church established Holy Cross Catholic School in 1941 and taught nursery through 8th grade until 1960. , The church community significantly supported and guided educational, social, and political issues affecting the city and state as many of its parishioners served in elected office, including the Texas Legislature’s first black Speaker Pro Tem and Austin’s first black school board member.