Many
of the world's great cathedrals are victimized by
the world around them. Saint Patrick's in New York,
Saint Stephan's in Vienna, and this smaller cathedral
all share the same problem: they are hemmed in by
their neighbors. The age of these holy places is demonstrated
by their central location, and the fact that glass
and steel towers surround, and loom over them. Though
it is shoulder-to-shoulder with newer structures,
Saint Mary's holds its own. It was 1851 when the people
of Austin decided they needed their own Catholic church.
They sent a letter to the Bishop of Texas, and they
were granted Saint Patrick's Church. A few years later,
the name was changed to Saint Mary's of the Immaculate
Conception. It has a stout design that helps accentuate
its rose window and bell tower. The bell tolled for
the first time on 4 July, 1886, and the stained glass
is imported from France and Germany.
