Ascension Catholic Church

After Texas became a republic, the Diocese of Texas was established by the Catholic Church with its center in Galveston, Texas. In 1864, A Catholic Church was formally organized in Bastrop with services being held at the courthouse and in private homes. Missionaries from St. Mary’s in Taylor, Texas had charge of the Bastrop Church from 1864 to 1892. The first Catholic Church in Bastrop, St. Martin’s, was a brick structure at the corner of Water and Chestnut built in 1870. In 1896, the brick building was replaced by a frame church on the same site and was renamed Sacred Heart. Priests from LaGrange had charge of Bastrop as a mission from 1893 to 1924. In 1925, the Church became a mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Austin, Texas and in 1938 it was a mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Taylor, Texas with services being held once a month. It wasn’t until 1957 that Sacred Heart of Bastrop became a parish with a resident priest, Rev. M.C. Deason. Over time, several properties on the block were purchased for use as the rectory and CCD classrooms. In 1963, the church in Bastrop changed its name to Ascension Church to avoid confusion with the other Sacred Heart Churches in the area. Under the guidance of Rev. Louis Wozniak (1960-1967) and Rev. Witold Paulus (1967-1972) the parish continued to grow and soon the parish owned most of the city block. When Rev. Msgr. Edward J. Dokupil, arrived in 1972, it was time for a comprehensive building program. With Father Dokupil’s enthusiastic leadership, a rectory and a multi-purpose building were built in 1974 to serve as a temporary church, parish center and classrooms. The current church and bell tower were completed in 1983. The religious education and office building was built in 1989, encompassing a metal building that had been built by parishioners in 1976. The most recent property purchase was used to add an additional parking lot. Plans for future improvements include a family recreation center. With over 850 families, Ascension Parish continues to grow and thrive in the Bastrop community.