The Idea for the St. Joseph Catholic Church originated from Europe and was built in San Antonio from 1878 to 1896. Rev. John Kospiel was a Catholic missionary priest from Germany stationed in Boerne, Texas. He was in charge of missionary tours. Rev. J. Kospiel made Honey Creek, also known as Kunz Settlement, a permanent stop on his missionary tours. Soon, a log church was erected near the Kunz home. It was named St. Joseph's Catholic Church  and the first Mass there was celebrated on August 20, 1876. It was the first German speaking Catholic Church. It added German Heritage and a sense of community for the many German catholics in San Antonio.

A tragic fire destroyed the log church when it was less than a year old. Johann Adam Kneupper donated land, and a larger rock chapel was built on a hill a half mile southwest of the old Catholic Church. The new chapel had been built from limestone quarried by hand from nearby hills. It was completed in 1878. It became known as the Kneupper Chapel. It received a Texas historical marker on June 16, 1985.

In June 1892, a larger frame church, St. Joseph's Church, was rebuilt and dedicated. In 1909 a rock church was built, and the frame church was refurbished as a school taught alternately by the Sisters of Divine Providence and the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament until it was closed in 1949. The land was sold around it to Joske’s  Department Store for parking. Thus sht nickname for the church was, St. Joske's.

The building is presently being remodeled with a grant from the Federal Republic of Germany and other funding. The stained glass windows in the church are rare windows brought to San Antonio from Germany in the 19th Century. Windows of this type were destroyed in Europe in the wars. Other windows of this type may be found in the churches in Fredericksburg. The Stations of the Cross are still in German and the stained glass windows bear the names of the German founders who donated money for the windows. The church is located in the heart of downtown San Antonio on Commerce Street just behind the Menger Hotel and the Alamo.

Bibliography:
The Handbook of Texas Online: St Joseph's Catholic Church