About Dolores · Austin, Texas
Dolores Catholic Church (formally Nuestra Señora de los Dolores) is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in the Montopolis neighborhood of southeast Austin, Texas, belonging to the Diocese of Austin. Its mission statement, "Where Faith and Family Come Together," reflects its strong Mexican-American Catholic identity: most weekend Masses are celebrated in Spanish, and the parish is supported by both the Congregation of Holy Cross and the Franciscanas Hijas de Misericordia religious sisters. The current church building, opened in 1953, replaced an earlier mission chapel called La Luz, and today the parish is known for its robust Religious Education program, Hispanic prayer groups, and devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (Nuestra Señora de los Dolores)
- Rector
- Fr. Miguel Duarte Duran
- Diocese
- Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
Dolores is a warm, bilingual parish where three of the four Sunday Masses are celebrated in Spanish, making it a spiritual home for Austin's Mexican-American Catholic community in Montopolis. The parish offers Religious Education for children, teens, and adults, an ongoing adult-formation program ('Franciscan at Home') on Wednesday evenings, monthly Eucharistic Adoration on First Thursdays, and an unusually rich set of lay ministries — including Divina Misericordia, Guadalupanas, Sagrado Corazón, Grupo de Oración Jesús El Buen Pastor, Encuentro Matrimonial Mundial, and Altar Servers — supported by both diocesan clergy and religious sisters of the Franciscanas Hijas de Misericordia.
Mass times at Dolores
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:30 PM to 6:15 PM (or by appointment)
- Saturday 3:30 PM to 4:45 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- First Thursday of the month (Eucharistic Adoration)
- Gran Concierto y Hora Santa (special Holy Hour event — see parish calendar)
Parish History
Dolores Parish began as a Holy Cross mission called La Luz, built around 1946 under the pastoral care of Father Alfred Mendez, C.S.C., as part of the Holy Cross Mexican Missions. The mission church outgrew itself within seven years, and the larger Dolores Church — named for Our Lady of Sorrows, patroness of the Congregation of Holy Cross — was built in 1953 at 1111 Montopolis Drive, in what was then the edge of the Montopolis neighborhood. The parish has been served by Holy Cross religious and, since 1971, by the Franciscanas Hijas de Misericordia sisters, and is today a hub for the Mexican-American Catholic community of southeast Austin.
- Mission 'La Luz' established c. 1946 near the Montopolis Bridge under Fr. Alfred Mendez, C.S.C.
- Current Dolores Church built 1953 (formally dated in diocesan records as 1953, replacing the 1946 mission)
- Holyd Cross Fathers bought 75 acres of land across the street in 1962 (under Fr. James Donnelly, C.S.C., 1960–1962) for $75,000
- Montopolis Community Center built 1963–64 across from the church, designed by O'Connell and Probst, opened Memorial Day weekend 1964
- Franciscanas Hijas de Misericordia (Franciscan Daughters of Mercy) arrived at Dolores in 1971
Clergy & Parish Staff
Dolores is currently served by Fr. Miguel Duarte Duran as pastor and Deacon Hector Rosales, supported by a small lay staff. The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
- Fr. Miguel Duarte Duran — Pastor
- Deacon Hector Rosales — Deacon
- Mary Nieves — Director of Religious Education
- Karla Ledesma — Admin
- Rene Luton — Parish Accountant
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's Religious Education program serves children, teens, and adults, rooted in Scripture, Tradition, and the teachings of the Church. An ongoing adult-formation program, Franciscan at Home / Formación Católica para Adultos, meets on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM and is open to all adults in the parish.
- Children's Religious Education
- Teen Religious Education
- Adult Religious Education
- Franciscan at Home / Formación Católica para Adultos — Wednesdays 6:30 PM
Parish Ministries
Dolores Catholic Church has a wide range of ministries under its mission statement 'Where Faith and Family Come Together,' spanning Hispanic prayer and devotional groups, marriage enrichment, liturgical service, and parish governance.
- Altar Servers
- Divina Misericordia
- Encuentro Matrimonial Mundial (EMM — Worldwide Marriage Encounter)
- Grupo de Oración — Jesús El Buen Pastor
- Guadalupanas
- Sagrado Corazón
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical ministry at Dolores centers especially on the work of Altar Servers, who assist at Masses in both English and Spanish across the full weekly schedule.
- Altar Servers
Councils & Parish Governance
Parish life is shaped by the Pastoral Council and the Finance Council, which guide the mission and stewardship of Dolores.
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
Contact & Visit
The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The church sits at 1111 Montopolis Drive in the Montopolis neighborhood of southeast Austin, directly across the street from the historic Montopolis Community Center.
- Address: 1111 Montopolis Dr, Austin, TX 78741
- Phone: (512) 385-4333
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: dolorescc.org
- Office hours: Tuesday–Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM (closed Saturday, Sunday, Monday)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Alfred Mendez, C.S.C.
Congregation of Holy Cross priest who served Dolores as one of the five Holy Cross Mexican Missions when the parish was the mission church 'La Luz.'
- Fr. James Donnelly, C.S.C.1960-1962
Purchased 75 acres of land across from the church (for $75,000) which later became home to the Montopolis Community Center.
- Fr. Fred Underwood, C.S.C.June 1962 –
World War II veteran from Indiana; led construction of the Montopolis Community Center (1963–64) with community volunteers.