About Holy Family · Lexington, Texas
Holy Family is a Catholic mission parish located in the small town of Lexington, Texas, serving Catholics in Lee County and the surrounding rural area. Founded in 1990 under the Diocese of Austin, it is one of the newer Catholic communities in central Texas, established because local Catholics previously had to drive 19 miles to attend Mass in Rockdale, Dime Box, or Giddings. Today the parish continues its mission as a close-knit rural faith community, celebrating Sunday and weekday Masses in English and offering religious education, a youth group, Vacation Bible School, and a Parish Activity Center (PAC) for gatherings and events.
- Established
- 1990
- Patron
- Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Joy Joseph Adimakkeel
- Diocese
- Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
Holy Family is a small, family-sized rural Catholic mission where most parishioners know one another by name. Visitors are warmly welcomed at Sunday Mass (10:00 AM English) and weekday Masses (Wednesday 6:00 PM, Friday 9:30 AM), and there is room to get involved: a CCD / Christian Formation program, a youth group, Vacation Bible School, liturgical music, and a Parish Activity Center that hosts weddings, parties, and parish gatherings. It is a great fit for Catholic families in Lexington, Lee County, and the surrounding rural communities who want a close-knit parish home rather than a long drive to Mass.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM (before Mass)
- Sunday: after Mass (around 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM)
Our History
Holy Family Mission was established in 1990 in Lexington, Texas, after the Austin Diocese Mission Council met with local Catholics to address the 19-mile drive to the nearest Mass. The first Mass was celebrated October 7, 1990, in the Lexington High School cafeteria, with about 85–90 people present. From there the community moved to the American Legion building, then into a remodeled portable on FM 696, and finally into its own church (first Mass 1998), a multi-classroom education building (2007), and the Parish Activity Center next door (2012). Bishop John McCarthy was an early supporter and gifted the mission the vestments from his episcopal ordination at the Easter 1991 Mass.
- June 10, 1990 — first Mission Council meeting in the Yarbrough home
- October 7, 1990 — first Mass, Lexington High School cafeteria
- January 13, 1991 — first Mass at the American Legion building
- Easter 1991 — Bishop McCarthy celebrates Mass and gifts his ordination vestments
- Fall 1991 — Christian Formation classes begin with 15 students
- September 10, 1992 — Bishop McCarthy assigns Deacon Allen Menke as Pastoral Administrator
- April 25, 1993 — first Mass in the remodeled portable on FM 696
- 1998 — first Mass in the newly built church
- 2007 — multi-classroom education building completed
- 2012 — Parish Activity Center (PAC) purchased next door
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
The current pastor is Rev. Joy Joseph Adimakkeel. The mission has historically been served under the direction of the pastors of nearby parishes (St. Joseph's Rockdale and St. Joseph's Dime Box) and by appointed pastoral administrators.
- Rev. Joy Joseph Adimakkeel — Pastor (current)
- Fr. Tom Hanus — first Canonical Pastor (1990–1991)
- Msgr. Ray Widacki — oversaw the mission through St. Joseph's, Dime Box
- Fr. Victor Mathias — Pastor of St. Joseph's, Rockdale; oversaw the mission
- Fr. Peter McCabe — Sunday celebrant from 1992
- Deacon Allen Menke — Pastoral Administrator, appointed September 1992
- Deacon Ed Hoefling — assisted from the beginning
Religious Education & Youth
Faith formation for children has been part of Holy Family since fall 1991, when fifteen students enrolled in the first Christian Formation classes. Today the parish runs CCD classes and a youth ministry that meets regularly, with Vacation Bible School held each summer at the Parish Activity Center.
- Christian Formation / CCD classes
- Holy Family Youth Group (regular gatherings, including socials like Ice Cream Socials)
- Vacation Bible School (summer, in the PAC)
- Confirmation preparation
Parish Buildings & Facilities
What began as Mass in a high school cafeteria has grown into a small campus on FM 696. The original remodeled portable is still in use as a parish hall, the church building was completed in 1998, a multi-classroom education building was added in 2007, and the Parish Activity Center next door was acquired in 2012 for larger gatherings.
- Church building — first Mass 1998
- Remodeled portable — now parish hall / CCD building (first used 1993)
- Multi-classroom education building — completed 2007
- Parish Activity Center (PAC) — purchased 2012; home to VBS, Youth Group, weddings, parties
Community & Fundraising Life
From its earliest days Holy Family has been a community that builds itself — quite literally. Karen Wren's committee ran chicken dinners, raffles, and a Ring Toss at Homecoming to fund the move of the first portable building; today parishioners continue that tradition through parish socials, youth events, and gatherings at the PAC.
- Chicken dinners, raffles, Ring Toss at Homecoming (early fundraisers)
- Covered-dish suppers after Mass (a tradition since 1990)
- Parish socials and youth events
- Weddings, parties, and parish events held in the PAC
Visiting Holy Family
Holy Family welcomes visitors, travelers, and Catholics new to the Lexington area. The parish is a mission of the Diocese of Austin and remains intentionally close-knit and family-friendly, in the spirit of its patron, the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
- Address: 1027 FM 696, Lexington, TX 78947
- Phone: (979) 773-2500
- Located on the north side of FM 696, east of US-77
- Part of the Diocese of Austin
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Tom Hanus1990–1991
First Canonical Pastor; appointed by Bishop John McCarthy; celebrated the inaugural Mass on Oct 7, 1990; transferred to St. Monica's in Cameron in June 1991.
- Fr. Peter McCabefrom 1992
Chaplain of the State School in Giddings; became Sunday celebrant for the mission after being assigned Pastor of St. Joseph's in Dime Box upon Msgr. Widacki's retirement.