About Holy Family Church · Brownsville, Texas
Holy Family Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 2308 East Tyler Street in Brownsville, Texas, in the Diocese of Brownsville. The parish was established in 1966 as a filial chapel carved out of Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish to serve the predominantly Spanish-speaking 'Los Tomates' neighborhood east of Fort Brown. It became one of the earliest parishes in the Rio Grande Valley staffed by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), who continued to minister there until 1996. Today Holy Family serves a bilingual, multicultural Catholic community along the U.S.–Mexico border, offering Masses in Spanish, English, and American Sign Language, and ministries that reflect the area's immigrant and working-class character.
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph)
- Rector
- Rev. Jorge A. Gomez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
Holy Family is a bilingual, borderland Catholic community rooted in the historic Los Tomates neighborhood of Brownsville, with a missionary heritage going back to the Oblate foundations of the 19th century. Parishioners can worship in English, Spanish, or American Sign Language, and benefit from ministries that grew out of decades of outreach to immigrant and working-class families. The parish combines traditional devotion (daily Mass, weekly confession, Eucharistic adoration, rosary) with a strong tradition of lay renewal through the Cursillo movement.
Mass times at Holy Family Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:00 AM – 8:20 AM
- Thursday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
History & Heritage
Holy Family Parish traces its origins to the missionary outreach of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), who had served Brownsville's Immaculate Conception Church since 1849. In the 1950s, as the city's Mexican-American population grew east of Fort Brown, the Oblates identified the 'Los Tomates' neighborhood as a mission priority and purchased property there in 1955, including a former Protestant church they converted into a catechetical center. With the help of the Madres Misioneras de Jesús, María y José, they built a dedicated chapel on the site in 1961. In 1966, Bishop Humbert Sousa Medeiros elevated Holy Family to an independent parish, the same day he was installed as the second Bishop of Brownsville. The Oblates continued to staff the parish until 1996, when pastoral care was transferred to diocesan clergy.
- 1955 – Oblates purchase property in Los Tomates barrio
- 1955 – Madres Misioneras de Jesús, María y José arrive as catechists
- 1961 – Filial chapel of the Holy Family built
- 1966 – Holy Family established as an independent parish (June 29)
- 1996 – Oblate ministry concludes; diocesan clergy assume pastoral care
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
Holy Family celebrates Mass in Spanish, English, and American Sign Language, reflecting the bilingual and multicultural character of the border community. Sunday Masses are offered at 8:30 AM (Spanish), 11:00 AM (English with ASL interpretation), 1:30 PM, and 7:00 PM (bilingual). A Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5:30 PM. Weekday Masses are scheduled Monday through Friday.
- Sunday: 8:30 AM (Spanish), 11:00 AM (English/ASL), 1:30 PM, 7:00 PM (bilingual)
- Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PM (bilingual)
- Weekdays: 6:00 PM Monday; 9:00 AM & 6:00 PM Tuesday–Friday
Faith Formation & RCIA
The parish continues the catechetical mission begun by the Oblates and the Madres Misioneras in the 1950s, offering religious education for children and adults who are not in Catholic schools. The RCIA / OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process prepares catechumens and candidates for full initiation into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil.
- Children's catechesis (community-based)
- RCIA / OCIA for adults
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
Cursillo & Lay Renewal
Holy Family has been a stronghold of the Cursillo movement since it arrived in Brownsville in the early 1960s, when the parish was still a filial chapel of Immaculate Conception Cathedral. Cursillo weekends and follow-up group reunions (ultreya) have shaped lay leadership at the parish for decades, complementing the sacramental and devotional life of the community.
- Cursillo weekends
- Ultreya (group reunions)
- Lay leadership formation
Bilingual & Deaf Ministry
Holy Family serves a predominantly Spanish-speaking Catholic community along the U.S.–Mexico border while also welcoming English-speaking parishioners and visitors. In a distinctive outreach, the parish offers American Sign Language interpretation at the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass, making the liturgy accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing Catholics in the Rio Grande Valley.
- Spanish and English Masses throughout the week
- ASL interpretation at the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Bilingual Vigil and evening Masses
Location & Visiting
The parish is located at 2308 East Tyler Street (TX-4) in Brownsville, Texas, in the central-east part of the city near Fort Brown and the international bridge to Matamoros, Mexico. Visitors are encouraged to confirm Mass and confession times by calling the parish office.
- Address: 2308 East Tyler St., Brownsville, TX 78520
- Phone: (956) 546-6975
- Historic Los Tomates neighborhood
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI)1966–1996
Holy Family was founded and continuously staffed by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate from its establishment in 1966 until 1996. It was carved out of the historic OMI foundation at Immaculate Conception Cathedral, which dates to 1849.
- Diocesan clergy1996–present
Pastoral care was transferred to diocesan priests in 1996 when the Oblates concluded their ministry at Holy Family.
- Rev. Jorge A. Gomez
Current pastor as listed on parish directories and the Diocese of Brownsville.