About Christ the King · Monte Alto, Texas
Christ the King is a small Catholic mission church serving the rural community of Monte Alto, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. It is administered as a mission of Sacred Heart Parish in nearby Elsa, sharing that parish's pastor, deacons, and staff. The mission is part of the Diocese of Brownsville and celebrates a bilingual (English/Spanish) Mass for the faithful of Monte Alto and the surrounding countryside. Because Christ the King is a mission rather than an independent parish, much of its sacramental and pastoral life is coordinated through Sacred Heart in Elsa.
- Patron
- Christ the King (Jesus Christ, King of the Universe)
- Rector
- Rev. Cesar U. Partida
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
Christ the King offers the small, tight-knit community of Monte Alto a regular Catholic presence close to home, with a bilingual Mass that welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking families in the lower Rio Grande Valley. As a mission of Sacred Heart in Elsa, it connects parishioners to a wider network of faith formation (CCE), youth ministry (EDGE for 6th–8th grade, Life Night for 9th–12th grade), and sacramental preparation without requiring them to travel far. For rural Catholics west of Elsa, it is a convenient, family-sized place to worship, served by an established pastor and two permanent deacons.
Mass times at Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Overview of Christ the King Mission
Christ the King is a Catholic mission church in Monte Alto, Texas, a small rural community in Hidalgo County in the lower Rio Grande Valley. It operates as a mission of Sacred Heart Parish in nearby Elsa and shares that parish's clergy, staff, and faith-formation programs. The mission's physical address is 123 W. Valdez Rd., Monte Alto, TX 78538, and the parish office line (956) 262-1406 rings to Sacred Heart in Elsa. The Diocese of Brownsville includes Christ the King in its official parish finder under Sacred Heart's cluster of worship sites.
- Type: Catholic Mission (not an independent parish)
- Parent parish: Sacred Heart, Elsa, TX
- Diocese: Brownsville
- Mass language: Bilingual (English / Spanish)
History and Pastoral Succession
Because Christ the King is a dependent mission rather than a stand-alone parish, its recorded history is part of the larger story of Sacred Heart Parish in Elsa. Sacred Heart itself was formally recognized as a parish on May 15, 1965, with the property on which the church sits having been donated by the late Mrs. Helen Stegle. Over more than fifty years, Sacred Heart (and its missions, including Christ the King) has been shepherded by a succession of priests whose tenures are documented on the parish's "About us" page.
- 1965 — Sacred Heart officially recognized as a parish
- 1967–1994 — Fr. Matthew Jaskula (first long-tenured pastor, retired 1994)
- 1994–2006 — Fr. Emmanuel Bialoncik
- 2006–2017 — Fr. Ruben Delgado
- 2017–present — Fr. Cesar U. Partida (also oversees Christ the King Mission)
Clergy and Staff
Christ the King Mission is served by the pastor and deacons of Sacred Heart Parish, who provide pastoral care for the main church in Elsa, for Christ the King in Monte Alto, and for the second mission, Holy Cross. The Director of Religious Education and the parish secretary are based at the Sacred Heart parish office.
- Pastor: Fr. Cesar U. Partida — ordained January 28, 2012; appointed to Sacred Heart June 26, 2017
- Deacon Gerardo J. Rosa — ordained December 18, 2010
- Deacon David Carreon — ordained February 3, 2018
- Jonathan Garza — Director of Religious Education (DRE), [email protected]
- Lorena Rodriguez — Parish Secretary, [email protected]
Mass and Worship Schedule
Christ the King offers a regular weekend Mass for the Monte Alto community, listed both on the Diocese of Brownsville parish finder and on Discover Mass. The mission's Mass is celebrated bilingually in English and Spanish to serve the bilingual population of the rural Rio Grande Valley. Daily Masses, confessions, adoration, and other devotions are offered at the parent church, Sacred Heart in Elsa.
- Saturday — 4:00 PM (Bilingual) — per Diocese of Brownsville parish finder
- Sunday — 8:30 AM (Bilingual) — per Discover Mass listing
- Weekday, confession, and adoration times are handled at Sacred Heart, Elsa
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Religious education for Christ the King families is organized through Sacred Heart's CCE (Continuing Catholic Education) program in Elsa. Two dedicated youth programs — EDGE for middle-schoolers and Life Night for high-schoolers — are offered at the parish hall in Elsa. The parish also runs an Altar Server program with periodic retreats.
- CCE (Continuing Catholic Education) — Religious Education for school-age children
- EDGE Youth Ministry — 6th through 8th grade
- Life Night — 9th through 12th grade
- Altar Servers — training and retreats (contact Sylvia Nevarez)
Sacraments
Sacramental preparation for Christ the King parishioners is coordinated through Sacred Heart Parish in Elsa. Families should contact the parish office (956-262-1406) for information about scheduling baptisms, weddings, First Communion and Confirmation preparation, and Anointing of the Sick. The CCE program is the normal pathway for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- First Reconciliation / First Communion — via CCE
- Confirmation — via youth ministry / CCE
- Matrimony — marriage preparation through Sacred Heart
- Anointing of the Sick — on request
Parish Office and Contact Information
All administrative and sacramental records for Christ the King Mission are handled through the Sacred Heart Parish office in Elsa. The same phone number serves both communities, and the parish's website functions as the online hub for both the main parish and its missions.
- Address (mission): 123 W. Valdez Rd., Monte Alto, TX 78538
- Phone: (956) 262-1406
- Parent parish address: 1100 Broadway St., Elsa, TX 78543
- Website: http://sacredheartelsa.website2.me/
- Official social: Facebook page for Christ the King Mission
Community Life and Outreach
Although Christ the King is small, it participates in the wider parish life of Sacred Heart Elsa, including annual parish festivals (visited by Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville and Auxiliary Bishop Mario A. Avilés), food-and-fundraising events such as the Fish Plate Sale, and shared worship opportunities during major feasts and seasons of the liturgical year.
- Annual Sacred Heart Parish Festival with the Bishop of Brownsville
- Fish Plate Sale and other parish fundraisers
- Shared liturgical celebrations with Sacred Heart, Elsa
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Matthew Jaskula1967–1994
Appointed to Sacred Heart, Elsa in 1967 and served until his retirement in 1994.
- Fr. Emmanuel Bialoncik1994–2006
Appointed later in 1994 after Fr. Jaskula's retirement; served Sacred Heart and its missions until 2006.
- Fr. Ruben Delgado2006–2017
Succeeded Fr. Bialoncik and served Sacred Heart until 2017.
- Fr. Cesar U. Partida2017–present
Appointed June 26, 2017 as current pastor; also oversees mission churches including Christ the King in Monte Alto.