The Roman Catholics had no church organization in town until the year 1859. In 1856 Bishop McGill visited Fredericksburg and preached a sermon of great ability and spiritual power, and under his influence a nucleus was formed, out of which the church was organized three years afterwards. The newly organized church went earnestly to work at once to build a house of worship, and from amounts subscribed by the members and friends in town, and the assistance they received from abroad, a neat and comfortable brick building was erected on Princess Ann street, between Charlotte and Hanover. A frame parsonage was purchased some years afterwards just below the church building, which was destroyed by fire about the year 1875, after which the present brick parsonage was erected. The church at different periods has been visited by Bishop Gibbons, now Cardinal, and Bishop Keene, by whom it was greatly strengthened. It has had for pastors since its organization Rev. Fathers Hagan, Donnelson, O'Farrell, Sears, Brady, Becker, Tiernan, Donahoe, Wilson, Kennefick, Demunych and Coleman. Rev. Father Perrig is pastor at this time. THE COLORED BAPTIST CHURCHES. In 1854, when the white Baptists occupied their new house of worship on Princess Ann street, they turned over to the colored Baptists their old house on Water street. Prior to that the white and colored members worshipped together in the same building. Separated to themselves, but under the care of the white Baptist church, the colored people had Rev. George Rowe to preach for them, which he continued to do, with success, until the Civil war came on. After the war closed the colored people, being free to act for themselves, formed separate churches and selected pastors of their own color. The colored Baptists of the town formed a church, under the name of Shiloh, and called Rev. George L. Dixon to the pastorate. His pastoral care of the church continued for several years, when he was succeeded by Rev. L. G. Walden and he by Rev. Willis M. Robinson. In 1887 the church building collapsed and a division of sentiment arose among the members as to where they should rebuild, which resulted in a division of the church and congregation and the erection of another church building. A majority of the members of the church wanted to rebuild on the old site, but a large minority preferred to sell the old site and build on Princess Ann street, near the railroad depot. The contention was sharp, the feeling was intense, satisfactory terms of separation could not be agreed upon, and finally the controversy was carried into the circuit court.