Mission Statement

A Place, A People, A Purpose

We are a caring family of faith, celebrating Jesus in worship and service.

History

St. William Catholic Church is located in Round Rock, Texas near the Brushy Creeek that was part of the Chisholm Trail. To protect pioneers from Indian raids, some forts were established along Brushy Creek as early as 1635. The first community to be established in the area soon became known as Brushy. When the area attempted to get a post office, the US Postmaster General would not approve the name because it had already been assigned to another village in East Texas. In 1854 the local postmaster selected the name of Round Rock because of the well- known stone which marked a safe crossing over Brushy Creek.

The true beginning of Catholic life in Round Rock has its roots in the Hispanic emigration. Hispanics came to Round Rock and McNeil in the beginning of tthe 20th century to work principally in the limestone quarries. David L. Carlin, who  researched the early community wrote, "the lime plant in Round Rock has aided the settlement of the Mexican-Americans in Round Rock more than any other factor."

Francisco Carlin came to Round Rock in 1900 from San Diego de Alejandria in the State of Jalisco. To protect the faith against religious sects who conducted their services under the trees of the limestone kiln, Mr. Carlin went to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Austin and requested that a priest be sent to Round Rock once a month to say mass. He promised them protection and his home as a meeting place to spend the night and to celebrate the Mass. The first Mass was celebrated in 1916 by Father Walter O'Donnell, a Holy Cross priest. Services were held there until 1939.

In 1939, eighteen acres of land were approved to be purchased by Bishop C.E. Byrne, Bishop of Galveston. Five acres were kept for a church site and thirteen acres were sold to the Hispanics and divided into acre lots. The Catholic Church Extension Society offered $1,500.00 to help build a church if it were agreed to name it St. William's Church, in honor of Archbishop William O'Brien, head of the Society. The Hispanics did not particularly like the name since they had made a promise years ago if a church were ever built it would be called Sacred Heart. They relented when they knew that their church was to be a reality. The church was dedicated in November of 1940.