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Wilde About Texas: World's smallest active Catholic church
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Between La Grange and Round Top, on Texas Highway 237, you'll find
St. Martin’s Catholic Church.
The church was originally built in the late 1880s, but by 1915 much of the congregation had moved away so the building was dismantled to build a school in nearby Fayetteville.
“It was rebuilt with the left over lumber in 1915 so it does have a rich history,” Rev. Stephen Nesrsta said.
At 14-feet 3-inches by 18-feet 1-inch, the rebuilt church is so small it’s labeled, “The world’s smallest, active, Catholic church.”
Once a month parishioners fill the 12 tiny benches for Mass.
“We offer that Mass that month for those that visit there and for their intentions that they leave there on the altar,” Nesrsta said.
Because of the sanctuary’s size and the rustic nature, those worship services sometimes take some special planning.
“We have to arrange our services according to the temperature. So, in wintertime we have them around noon and then in the summertime we have them usually at 7 a.m.,” Nesrsta said.
Today, St. Martin’s pastoral setting is only interrupted by an occasional passing truck, making it an ideal place for personal communion.
“There are some people, in the Warrenton area, that do go there even though they don't sign in. They go in and they pray almost every day,” Nesrsta said.
Parishioners say it’s just the right size for that.
St. Martin’s Catholic Church is open for tours every day and Mass is held once a month.