In the year 1848 the number of Catholics living in and around the village of Lodi (now Malvern) had reached a number large enough to warrant the start of a Catholic Mission.

The Rev. H. Mankenheide, Pastor of St. Mary’s in Morges was the first priest to serve the St. Francis Xavier congregation and under his guidance a church was erected. As was typical of the time, the members of the congregation all donated their time and talents as carpenters, mason and laborers to build the red brick church.

Some parishioners had molded the bricks and built a kiln to fire them. Others helped with the pews which were built at the local lumber yard. One man, named Cylar, who fixed clocks by profession, donated the money for the Church bells.

The land for the church was donated by Frances Stoltz. She purchased it form Abraham and Mary Reed for $100.00. Astipulation of the deed states that the land "be for the use and benefit of the Roman Catholics in and around the town of Lodi, preaching to be held regularly in German by the direction of the Bishop and occasionally in French and English".

When Fr. Mankenheide left in 1854 several different priest served the parish until 1882, when the Rt. Rev. Bishop Watterson appointed Rev. Bernard Wisman as the first resident Pastor of St. Francis Xavier.

During the following years the church was enlarged by 30 feet and a parish house was erected. This work was completed in 1884.