In the 1890s, large Catholic communities were established in north Texas, and Father J.J. O'Riordan from Henrietta traveled to Bridgeport once a month by train to hold mass, leading to the establishment of a mission. The mission of St. John the Baptizer was the first Catholic church established in Wise County. Mass was held in members' homes until money could be raised to build a church, with records indicating that collections were made from a variety of community members and businesses, Catholics and non-Catholics. In 1908, a small wooden frame church was built on a small lot on Greathouse Street on the west side of the railroad. In 1926, the church was remodeled and the walls were covered. A new church was constructed on October 1, 1967, because of growing membership. In 1969, St. John's became part of the new diocese of Fort Worth. Over the years, the church grew to more than 650 registered families, and parishioners worked to maintain a family atmosphere through frequent Sunday luncheons, parish picnics, and general social activities. Pope John Paul II recognized St. John the Baptizer Church on October 1, 1989, for serving parishioners for 100 years, and in October 2014, Pope Francis recognized the church on its 125th anniversary celebration. St. John the Baptizer Catholic Church has played an important role in the religious heritage of the area and continues to serve the community as one of only three Catholic churches in a two-county area.