Assumption Catholic Church - West, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 31° 48.022 W 097° 05.905
14R E 680017 N 3519883
This congregation originated as part of an earlier church in Martinville (now Tours). After the MKT Railroad came through the area about 1890, church members in West received permission from the bishop to erect their own sanctuary in 1892.
Waymark Code: WMW1VG
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 06/28/2017
Views: 1
Church Website
Soon, enough families had come to the area to warrant a new church in West. Land was purchased and a frame church of Gothic architecture was build in 1892.
This new building was dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the spring of 1893 by Bishop N.A. Gallagher, assisted by the Rev. Fathers J.B. Gleisner, J. Pelnar and J. Lanth. Father Gleissner continued to serve the Tours and West parishes. He was assisted by Father Joseph Pelnar, pastor of Bryan, and Father Joseph Chromcik, pastor of Fayetteville, both of whom were natives of the Czech lands.
On March 16, 1903, a fire completely destroyed the wooden church and all of its furnishings. On August 2, 1903, Bishop Gallagher blessed the foundation stone for a beautiful new brick church. In 1907 the West parish was honored by being given an “Irremovable” status.
By the early 1950’s the West parish had outgrown the brick church and the parishioners, together with their pastor, Father E.J. Polcak, decided to build a larger church.
Ground-breaking took place on December 8, 1954. Father Polcak, who had been a driving force for the new church, did not live to see its completion. He died on Dec. 28, 1955, and the new bells tolled for the first time at his requiem Mass. A brick building was erected, the first church in West was year-round climate controlled. Upon completion of the new church, the old brick church was razed.