About Diocese of Austin
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin (Latin: Dioecesis Austiniensis) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church comprising 25 counties in Central Texas. Erected by Pope Pius XII on November 15, 1947, it is a suffragan diocese within the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. It is currently home to roughly 700,000 Catholics served through about 123–127 parishes, missions, and university Catholic centers, with its mother church at St. Mary Cathedral in downtown Austin.
- Bishop
- Daniel E. Garcia
- Established
- 1947
- Cathedral
- St. Mary Cathedral (Cathedral of Saint Mary), 203 East 10th Street, Austin, Texas
- Territory
- 25 counties in Central Texas: Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Brazos, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Coryell, Falls, Fayette (the portion north of the Colorado River; the portion south of the river belongs to the Diocese of Victoria in Texas), Hamilton, Hays, Lampasas, Lee, Limestone, Llano, Mason, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Robertson, San Saba, Travis, Washington, and Williamson. The diocese stretches from West (just north of Waco) in the north to San Marcos in the south, to the Bryan/College Station area in the east, to Mason in the west.
- Parishes
- 127 parishes, missions, and university Catholic centers
- Province
- Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (Ecclesiastical Province of Galveston-Houston)
History of the Diocese of Austin
Catholic life in Central Texas predates the diocese by centuries. Spanish Franciscan missionaries established the first Catholic mission in Texas in 1690, and after the Texas Revolution, Vincentian missionaries negotiated with the Republic of Texas for the return of church lands. The Diocese of Austin was erected by Pope Pius XII on November 15, 1947, as the seventh diocese in Texas, with Msgr. Louis J. Reicher as its first bishop. Over nearly 80 years the diocese has grown from about 75,000 Catholics in 98 parishes and missions to roughly 700,000 Catholics served through 123–127 parishes, missions, and university centers across 25 counties. Key chapters include Reicher's massive building program, Vincent Harris's tenure, John McCarthy's institutional expansion, the episcopates of Gregory Aymond and Joe S. Vásquez, and the 2025 installation of Daniel E. Garcia as the sixth bishop.
- 1690: First Catholic mission in Texas (San Francisco de los Tejas) founded by Franciscan Damián Massanet
- 1839: Pope Gregory XVI erects the Prefecture Apostolic of Texas
- 1847: Diocese of Galveston erected, covering all of Texas
- November 15, 1947: Pope Pius XII erects the Diocese of Austin
- January 7, 1948: Bishop Louis J. Reicher installed as first bishop
- 1948: St. Mary Parish elevated to cathedral
- 1958: New chancery opens on Congress Avenue
- 1961: Four counties transferred to the new Diocese of San Angelo
- 1964: Reicher transfers ~$5 million to the Reichler Trust Fund
- 1960, 1988–1992: Two Synods of Austin
- February 26, 1986: John E. McCarthy installed as third bishop
- January 2, 2001: Gregory Aymond becomes fourth bishop
- March 8, 2010: Joe S. Vásquez installed as fifth bishop
- March 3, 2015: Daniel E. Garcia ordained first auxiliary bishop of Austin
- September 18, 2025: Daniel E. Garcia installed as sixth bishop of Austin
St. Mary Cathedral
St. Mary Cathedral, located at 203 East 10th Street in downtown Austin, is the mother church of the Diocese of Austin. Its origins date to the early 1850s, when Austin's largely Irish Catholic community built a small stone church named St. Patrick's at 9th and Brazos Streets. As German Catholic immigrants swelled the parish, the two communities compromised in 1866 and renamed the new church St. Mary. The cornerstone for the current Gothic Revival building — designed by Galveston architect Nicholas J. Clayton — was laid in 1872, the same year Austin became the permanent state capital; the building was finished in 1874 and formally dedicated on April 20, 1884. When the Diocese of Austin was created in 1948, St. Mary was elevated to cathedral and remodeled, with neo-Gothic altars and altar rail replaced by 20th-century marble and a baldachino depicting cactus and bluebonnets. The cathedral was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1977. The Cathedral School of Saint Mary, on the same campus, has been in continuous operation for more than 156 years.
- Address: 203 East 10th Street, Austin, Texas
- Architect: Nicholas J. Clayton (Gothic Revival)
- Original name: St. Patrick's (1852); renamed St. Mary (1866)
- Cornerstone laid: 1872; completed 1874; dedicated April 20, 1884
- Elevated to cathedral: 1948 with the founding of the diocese
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: 1973
- Designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark: 1977
- Cathedral School of Saint Mary: continuous operation for 156+ years
Diocesan Leadership & Pastoral Center
The Diocese of Austin is led by Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, the sixth bishop of Austin, who was appointed by Pope Leo XIV on July 2, 2025, and installed on September 18, 2025. He heads a diocesan curia organized into secretariats at the Pastoral Center at 6225 E. Highway 290 in Austin. The Very Rev. Thomas J. Reitmeyer serves as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, with secretariat directors overseeing formation and spirituality, stewardship and development, communications, finance, life/marriage/family, and other areas. During the sede vacante that preceded Garcia's installation, Vicar General Father James Misko served as Diocesan Administrator.
- Bishop Daniel E. Garcia (since 2025)
- Very Rev. Thomas J. Reitmeyer, JCL — Vicar General & Moderator of the Curia
- Deacon Ron Walker — Vicar for Priests
- Very Rev. Chris Downey — Judicial Vicar; Chancellor; Secretariat Director for Administration
- Alison Tate — Secretariat Director Formation and Spirituality; Director of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry
- Camille Garcia — Secretariat Director Stewardship & Development; Executive Director, Catholic Foundation
- Mary Beth Koenig — Secretariat Director for Communications, Events & IT
- Luisa de Poo — Secretariat Director Life, Charity and Justice; Director of Life, Marriage and Family
- Very Rev. Doug Jeffers — additional secretariat leadership
- Scott Whitaker — Chief Financial Officer; Secretariat Director for Finance
Offices & Ministries
The Diocese of Austin operates more than three dozen offices and ministries supporting parishes, schools, and the wider community. Major apostolates include Catholic Charities of Central Texas, Catholic Schools, the Catholic Foundation, the Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center, Vocations, Hispanic Ministry, Black Ministry, Deaf Apostolate, Diaconal Ministry, Scouting, Restorative Justice, Immigration Legal Services, and the Fine Arts Council. Diocesan support offices — Communications, Finance, Human Resources, Legal Services, Information Technology, Risk Management, Planning and Construction, Parish Business Services, and Ethics & Integrity in Ministry (EIM) — sustain parish operations across the 25-county region.
- Catholic Charities of Central Texas (Austin + Brazos Valley)
- Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Austin
- Catholic Schools Office (19 schools)
- Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center (Temple/Belton)
- Vocations; Priestly Life and Formation
- Hispanic Ministry / Pastoral Juvenil (Latino Youth and Young Adults)
- Black Ministry; Deaf Apostolate
- Diaconal Ministry; Consecrated and Apostolic Life (Religious)
- Family Counseling; Immigration Legal Services
- Restorative Justice; Social Justice and Multicultural Engagement
- Fine Arts Council; Worship
- Ethics & Integrity in Ministry (EIM); Scouting
- St. John Paul II Residence for Priests
Catholic Schools
The Diocese of Austin operates 19 Catholic schools serving more than 5,300 students with over 600 faculty and staff. The system is approximately 81% Catholic and 38% Hispanic, with families drawn from a wide geographic area. It includes four Catholic high schools — Holy Trinity (Temple), St. Dominic Savio (Austin), San Juan Diego Catholic High School (Austin), St. Joseph (Bryan), St. Louis Reicher Catholic High School (Waco), and St. Michael's Catholic Academy (Austin) — together with numerous grade schools and a K-12 school (Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School in Waco). The Cathedral School of Saint Mary, founded more than 156 years ago, is the largest ministry of St. Mary Cathedral and draws families from 35 ZIP codes.
- Cathedral School of Saint Mary (Austin) — oldest, 156+ years
- Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School (Waco) — K-12
- Holy Family Catholic School (Austin)
- Sacred Heart Catholic School (LaGrange)
- Santa Cruz Catholic School (Buda)
- St. Austin Catholic School (Austin)
- St. Gabriel's Catholic School (Austin)
- St. Helen Catholic School (Georgetown)
- St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic School (Austin)
- St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School (Bryan)
- St. Joseph Catholic School (Killeen)
- St. Louis Catholic School (Austin)
- St. Mary's Catholic School (Temple)
- St. Mary's Catholic School (Taylor) — oldest private school in Williamson County (founded 1896)
- St. Mary's Catholic School (West)
- St. Theresa's Catholic School (Austin)
- High schools: Holy Trinity (Temple), St. Dominic Savio (Austin), San Juan Diego (Austin), St. Joseph (Bryan), St. Louis Reicher (Waco), St. Michael's (Austin)
Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center
Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center is the diocesan retreat center of the Diocese of Austin, located on 75 wooded acres just 10 minutes off Interstate 35 in Temple, with a mailing address of PO Box 58, Belton, TX 76513 and a phone line at (254) 780-2436. The center offers two lodge buildings, 48 private bedrooms with individual bathrooms, a quiet hermitage, a five-bedroom group house, an 18-bed youth lodge, and St. Carlo Acutis Park, a two-acre recreational park with basketball, volleyball, and a gaga pit. The grounds include peaceful walking trails and outdoor Stations of the Cross and of the Light. Cedarbrake hosts diocesan, parish, school, and private retreats throughout the year.
- Location: 5602 Hwy 317 N, Temple, TX 76502 (mailing: PO Box 58, Belton, TX 76513)
- Phone: (254) 780-2436
- Email: [email protected]
- 75 wooded acres; outdoor Stations of the Cross and of the Light
- 48 private bedrooms with individual bathrooms
- Quiet hermitage; five-bedroom group house
- 18 youth bunk beds; St. Carlo Acutis Park (basketball, volleyball, gaga pit)
Catholic Charities of Central Texas
Catholic Charities of Central Texas is the social-services arm of the diocese, offering an overarching vision of charitable care and social advocacy intended to support the dignity of each individual. It operates from offices in Austin (1625 Rutherford Lane, Austin, TX 78754; 512-651-6100) and in the Brazos Valley (1410 Cavitt Avenue, Bryan, TX 77801; 979-822-9340). Its services include direct emergency assistance through parish social ministries, the Family Counseling Department providing individual, marriage and family counseling, Immigration Legal Services, and referrals through First Call for Help 211.
- Austin office: 1625 Rutherford Lane, Austin, TX 78754 — (512) 651-6100
- Brazos Valley office: 1410 Cavitt Avenue, Bryan, TX 77801 — (979) 822-9340
- Family Counseling Department (individual, marriage, and family counseling)
- Immigration Legal Services
- Direct emergency assistance via parish social ministries
- First Call for Help 211 referrals in the Austin area
Mass & Sacraments
The Diocese of Austin's parishes and mission churches offer the full range of Mass and sacramental schedules across its 25 counties. Mass times, Confession schedules, Eucharistic Adoration, and devotions vary by parish and can be found using the diocesan Parish Locator on austindiocese.org. The cathedral parish, St. Mary Cathedral in Austin (smcaustin.org), offers regular Mass and sacramental ministry in the heart of downtown. Six university Catholic centers also offer Mass and sacramental ministry on college campuses including the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.
- Parish Locator on austindiocese.org for Mass and Confession times
- St. Mary Cathedral — 203 East 10th Street, Austin (smcaustin.org)
- Six university Catholic centers (including UT Austin, Texas A&M, Baylor)
- Eucharistic Adoration and devotions vary by parish
- Reconciliation (Confession) available at most parishes; check local listings
Vocations, Formation & Liturgy
The diocese maintains active vocations and formation programs, including the Office of Vocations, the Office of Priestly Life and Formation, the Diaconal Ministry office, and Catechesis for parish religious education. The Worship office supports liturgical formation across the diocese, and the Fine Arts Council fosters sacred music and the visual arts in liturgical settings. Campus ministry is organized through the Secretariat for Formation and Spirituality, which also oversees Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry for the diocese's six university centers.
- Office of Vocations
- Office of Priestly Life and Formation
- Diaconal Ministry (300+ deacons serving the diocese)
- Catechesis — parish religious education
- Worship office — liturgical formation
- Fine Arts Council — sacred music and art
- Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry
Parish & Diocesan Communications
The diocese communicates with parishioners through the diocesan newspaper Catholic Spirit (austindiocese.org/catholic-spirit) and the diocesan news site austindiocese.news (Spiritus). Bishop Louis Reicher began publishing the Lone Star Catholic in 1957, which was later renamed Catholic Spirit. The Catholic Archives of Texas, transferred from Amarillo to the Austin chancery in 1959, house the historical records of the diocese and other Texas sees. The Secretariat for Communications, Events & IT oversees diocesan messaging and digital ministry.
- Catholic Spirit — diocesan newspaper
- austindiocese.news / Spiritus — diocesan news site
- Lone Star Catholic (1957–) later renamed Catholic Spirit
- Catholic Archives of Texas — housed at the Austin chancery since 1959
- Secretariat for Communications, Events & IT
Ethnic & Cultural Ministries
The Diocese of Austin reflects the rich ethnic and cultural heritage of Central Texas. Hispanic Ministry and Pastoral Juvenil serve the large Mexican-American Catholic population whose presence on Texas soil predates the diocese by more than a century. Black Ministry carries forward a Black Catholic presence that dates to 1849 in Washington-on-the-Brazos and 1936 at Holy Cross Parish in Austin (which also operated the first Black Catholic hospital in Texas). The Deaf Apostolate ministers to the deaf community, and additional ethnic and cultural apostolates serve the diverse Catholic population drawn from German, Czech, Polish, Italian, Irish, French, Vietnamese, and other heritages.
- Hispanic Ministry / Pastoral Juvenil (Latino Youth and Young Adults)
- Black Ministry — heritage dating to 1849
- Deaf Apostolate
- Social Justice and Multicultural Engagement
- Vietnamese and other ethnic apostolates
Outreach & Charitable Works
Beyond Catholic Charities, the diocese sponsors a wide range of outreach efforts. Restorative Justice ministries accompany those affected by crime and incarceration. The Diocesan Law Project, established under Bishop John McCarthy, recruits hundreds of volunteer attorneys and interpreters to provide free legal services for the needy. Immigration Legal Services offers support to immigrant families, and parish social ministries provide direct emergency assistance. The Life, Marriage and Family office supports marriage preparation, Natural Family Planning, and family ministry. Scouting and youth ministries extend the diocese's reach to young people.
- Catholic Charities of Central Texas
- Diocesan Law Project (volunteer attorneys and interpreters)
- Immigration Legal Services
- Restorative Justice
- Life, Marriage and Family
- Parish social ministries — direct emergency assistance
- Scouting
