William Mark Wittenburg and his wife, Augusta Sydow Wittenburg were the pioneers who laid the foundation of the Catholic Church in Lampasas County.Mr. Wittenburg would often be seen, when he thought he was alone, dismount from his horse, place his hat on the ground, make the sign of the cross and pray with clasped hands. A granddaughter, Cecilia Wittenburg Berger, recalled that she and her grandmother would recite the rosary in the afternoons before they gathered the eggs.

In their dedication to their Catholic faith a chapel was built in1880 on the Wittenburg ranch about seven miles west of Lometa. Lumber was hauled by wagon from Round Rock. When the chapel was finished, everyone was welcomed to attend the religious services whenever a priest could come from Temple. Arriving by horse or by buggy, he would notify the Wittenburgs in advance by mail and they, in turn, would spread the word throughout “the dark corner of Lampasas County,” as it was often called.

When Augusta Julianna died in 1921, she willed $1,000.00 toward the building of a Catholic church in the City of Lometa. Property was purchased on which a four-room house served to hold services until 1928. Through the efforts of the Wittenburg children and friends, a red brick building (now known as “the annex”) was built. Mack Horton of Goldthwaite was the supervisor in charge of construction. In 1957, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Father James A. Donnelley, the doors of the present church building were opened to the needs of the people in their desire to worship God. Although still a mission church, it is served by a resident priest from St Mary’s in Lampasas.

Under the pastorate of Father James Harnan, MSC the parish was encouraged to establish a local religious education program where there had previously been no organized program. Father Harnan stressed the necessity and priority of teaching children religious values. In celebration of their 75th Jubilee Anniversary, the parish dedicated the first religious education building to promote religious education for young people, the parishioners and the church of tomorrow. At this time, over 65 students attend weekly religious education classes.

Prior to Father Harnan’s pastorate, the Church of the Good Shepherd recorded only 24 families as registered parishioners. Since June 2001, Father Harnan has increased the congregation to include over 80 Catholic families.

Although still a mission church, The Church of the Good Shepherd is supported by 3rd and 4th generation Lometans, converts from other faiths, new homesteaders to the area and Catholics who may be visiting or vacationing in Lampasas and the surrounding areas.

The Church of the Good Shepherd was built with the frontier spirit of perseverance and faith, and with that same spirit, continues to grow. “Our doors and our hearts are open to all those who seek God in our “dark corner of Lampasas County,” where the Light of the Lord shines brightly.”