Caldwell, Burleson County
A number of eastern European immigrants of the Catholic faith came to Burleson County in the late 1800s. Priests from nearby towns led worship services; the first recorded mass was in August 1893, with the Rev. Jacob Lauth presiding. In 1895, residents and trustees bought land and built a sanctuary dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes. Four years later, the church, which came to be called St. Mary's Our Lady of Lourdes, bought adjacent land for use as a cemetery. The congregation has grown over the years with new facilities and programs, and, since 1908, full-time priests. (2005)