[1] The parish continued to grow, due in no small part to the increase in German Catholics.

In 1872, after Austin was made the permanent capital of the state, the parish laid the cornerstone for a new church choosing a location one block north of the original building.

It may have been through the Holy Cross fathers that the bishop connected Nicholas Clayton with St. Mary's Austin.

[3] The cathedral's bell, donated by the family of Michael Butler, is one of the largest in the State of Texas.

This included, among other work, cleaning the exterior, the replacing of some blocks and mortar,[4] and the restoration of the large rose window in the front facade.

The window's central design of the quincunx, in which four parts spin out of one, can be interpreted as a geometric representation of the four evangelists carrying the Word to the four corners of the world.