St. Stanislaus Catholic Church - Anderson, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 30° 28.979 W 095° 59.596
15R E 212650 N 3376115
The catholic experience in Grimes County centered on the arrival of the early Polish settlers who made their homes on farms near Anderson. The early Catholic community of Anderson was formed by these first immigrants who arrived in Grimes County.
Waymark Code: WMY5B8
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/24/2018
Views: 1
Church Website
Many came later to join loved ones who had already made the journey, arriving from Poznan and Galicia. The story of the immigration of Poles to Grimes County begins in the 1860's. After the Civil War came the largest wave of Polish immigration to the state of Texas. These immigrants settled primarily in East Central Texas in the late 1860's and this is where our interest and story begins.
As the Polish communities in Texas continued to form and grow, the need for additional priests compelled the Bishop to turn to Europe in search for vocations and young priests willing to leave their native land and come to Texas. As a result of the efforts of the Bishop of Galveston during a visit to Paris in 1866, the Resurrectionists sent members of their order to Texas and the Bishop gave the Order the exclusive rights to all the Polish Parishes already in existence, as well as to any that might be created in the future.
In 1873 thirty Catholic families concluded that a building was needed for the purpose of gathering for Mass. They purchased a school building and three and one-half acres of land located three-fourths of a mile south of Anderson. Father Orzechowski traveled once a month from New Waverly to serve the little flock of Anderson. One hundred additional families arrived from Poland in 1880 and settled permanently in the surrounding area.
In 1888 Father Laski became the first resident priest. He remained until 1890. Father J. Chalcarz arrived in 1890 and was appointed as the second resident priest at St. Stanislaus. He remained until 1892.
In 1916 Father N. T. Domanski became pastor. He was ordained in 1914 and came to Anderson after serving in Chappel Hill. Noting the old church was too small for the parish family and in great need of repair, he proposed the erection of a new church in 1916. The old frame church was moved with a team of mules to make way for the construction of the new church. The faithful attended Mass in the old church until the new one was dedicated.
In 1956 the church underwent some much-needed renovation. In 1989, f a state-of-the-art sound system was installed in the church.