Embedded Files
Boerne came into being after early German settlers, called Freethinkers, built settlements in the area. Between the years 1845 and 1860, a large number of German Freethinkers came to Texas to get away from the political and religious control that was taking place in Germany. They came looking for freedom from forceful kings and priests.
Freethinkers enjoyed speaking in Latin and talking about literature, music, and philosophy. They believed in brotherly love and that basic human rights should be guaranteed to all. They also thought that people should be free to form their own religious beliefs based on their power of reason rather than unquestioning faith. Therefore, they were against priests, churches, and organized religion. At one time, there was a sign at the edge of town that read:
PRIESTS AND MINISTERS
DON’T LET SUNDOWN
CATCH YOU IN THIS TOWN!
Even though many people of early Boerne were Freethinkers, there were also people who wanted religious services. In the 1840s and 1850s, priests from San Antonio would occasionally travel to the Boerne area to perform such services.
Emil J. Fleury, a young French immigrant, was the first priest sent to live in Boerne. He was given the task of taking care of Boerne’s Catholic families and building a church in the area. Because of the anti-church feelings of the Freethinkers, he decided to build the church on a hill outside of town where it was safest. The first Saint Peter the Apostle Catholic Church was completed in 1867. It was 20 feet by 50 feet and had thick, rock walls.
Over the years, the congregation grew and a bigger church was needed. By 1920, about 50 families regularly attended church services there. In 1923, a larger rock building that was designed for 200 people was built. It was beautiful and had twin towers like the Spanish Missions. The altar and steeple bell from the original building were moved to the new church building. The first building was saved for meetings and storage.
The population of Boerne grew quickly in the 1980s and so did the congregation of St. Peter’s. So, in 1991, St. Peter’s began planning a new church building. Deciding whether to tear the building down completely or just partly proved to be difficult. Arguments arose within the church and the larger community of Boerne. The church decided to tear down 80% of the building to make room for an addition and put their request into the City.
The request was denied in 1993 by the Boerne Historical Landmark Commission. The church then appealed that ruling and the argument went all the way to the Supreme Court. In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Boerne Historical Landmark Commission. (Archdiocese of San Antonio v. City of Boerne)
The City of Boerne and St. Peter’s came to a compromised in 1998. Only 25% of the building was torn down and the new part of the building was added to rear and side of the old building. This saved the beautiful and historic twin towers
The first church within the city limits was St. Helena’s Episcopal Church. Worship service for Episcopalians started in 1873, but St. Helena’s congregation was formally organized in 1881 under Reverend William T. Allen. At that time, a small wooden structure was built at 410 N. Main Street. St. Helena’s continued to grow and it was clear that a newer, bigger building was needed by 1927
In 1929, the old building was torn down and this beautiful gothic style church was built. It was made of limestone. Later additions have included educational and office facilities, as well as additional space for a much larger congregation.
As more people moved into the area, more churches were established. Nowadays, it’s hard to believe that priests were once not wanted in our town. Many churches exist in Boerne today and they provide a great deal of work and support for our town.
Report abuse