About Holy Family · Nazareth, Texas
Holy Family Catholic Church is a Roman Rite parish in the small farming community of Nazareth, Texas, in the Texas Panhandle (Castro County), belonging to the Diocese of Amarillo. Founded in 1903 by German-Catholic settlers recruited by Father Joseph Reisdorff, the parish is the only Catholic church in town and remains the focal point of community life, drawing more worshippers on weekends than the town itself has residents. Worship is offered in English, and the parish is known for its strong prayer life, daily Mass, lively ACTS retreat participation, and ongoing Benedictine heritage shaped by the Benedictine monks of Subiaco Abbey who staffed it from 1906 to 1939 and the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica who taught there from 1915 to 1990.
- Established
- 1903
- Patron
- The Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Amarillo
Why belong here
Holy Family is the spiritual heart of Nazareth — the only Catholic church in a town of about 350 people, yet one whose weekend Mass regularly fills its 375–400 seats. Parishioners describe a vibrant prayer and liturgical life: daily morning Mass, an active Bible study meeting at 6 a.m. on Thursdays, a Bible study also on Wednesdays, and the highest concentration of ACTS retreatants in the Diocese of Amarillo. As one former Benedictine sister put it, the parish is "small in size, but bigger in heart, community and love" — a place where families still make God a top priority in a tight farming community with deep German-Catholic roots and a living Benedictine heritage.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday after 7:00 AM Mass
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 7:10 AM (after the Wednesday Mass, until the Thursday Liturgy of the Word)
Parish History
The parish was founded in 1903 as part of Father Joseph Reisdorff's colonization of Nazareth, and the church's story runs parallel to the town's. After Reisdorff left in 1906, the Benedictine monks of Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas took over pastoral care, and the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica in Fort Smith began teaching in 1915 — a partnership that lasted 75 years. The parish celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2002, and a pair of bronze statues honoring St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, sculpted by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz, were blessed on the grounds in February 2008.
- 1903: Holy Family Catholic Church built by settlers
- 1902: Father Joseph Reisdorff arrived and named the town Nazareth
- 1906: Cemetery consecrated; Reisdorff departs for health reasons
- 1906–1939: Pastoral care by Benedictine monks of Subiaco Abbey, Arkansas
- 1915–1990: Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica teach in parish and local schools
- 1987: Texas Historical Commission marker (No. 2517) placed at the church
- 2002: Parish celebrates 100th anniversary
- 2008: Bronze statues of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica blessed on the grounds
Faith Formation & Devotions
The parish is known for an unusually strong devotional life. A weekly Bible study meets Thursday mornings at 6:00 AM, and another study follows the Wednesday Mass until the Thursday Liturgy of the Word. Roughly half of the parish has attended ACTS retreats sponsored by the Diocese of Amarillo. Religious-vocations culture remains strong, and parishioners credit the Benedictine heritage with shaping their prayer life and sense of community.
- Bible study — Thursday 6:00 AM
- Bible study — Wednesday after 7:00 AM Mass (continues through Thursday)
- ACTS retreats (Diocese of Amarillo)
- Vocations promotion
Benedictine Heritage
Holy Family's identity is deeply shaped by more than 80 years of Benedictine presence. Monks from Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas staffed the parish from 1906 to 1939, and Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, Arkansas, taught in the parish school and local public schools from 1915 until 1990. In gratitude for the sisters' 75 years of service, parishioners commissioned two bronze statues — by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz — of St. Benedict planting a garden and St. Scholastica at the moment her spirit flies to God. The statues were blessed Feb. 9–10, 2008, during a sisters' homecoming weekend.
- Subiaco Abbey monks, 1906–1939
- St. Scholastica Benedictine Sisters, 1915–1990 (75 years)
- St. Benedict and St. Scholastica bronze statues (Timothy Schmalz, 2008)
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments through the office and clergy. Reconciliation is offered weekly on Monday mornings after Mass and Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass, with appointments available outside those times. Marriages require parish preparation, and baptisms and anointing of the sick are arranged through the parish office.
- Baptism (parish office)
- First Communion and Confirmation (faith formation)
- Marriage (parish preparation)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation — Mon. after 7:00 AM Mass; Sat. 4:30–5:15 PM, or by appointment
Visit & Contact
Holy Family Catholic Church is at 210 St. Joseph Street in Nazareth, Texas 79063, in Castro County about an hour south of Amarillo. Travelers coming from Amarillo take I-27 South and then east about 20 miles on Highway 86 from Tulia; turning north on St. Mary's Avenue leads directly to the church, which is the only Catholic church in town. The parish office can be reached at (806) 945-2616 or [email protected], and the official website is http://www.hfpn.org/.
- Address: 210 St. Joseph St., Nazareth, TX 79063
- Phone: (806) 945-2616
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.hfpn.org/
- Directions: I-27 S from Amarillo, E 20 mi on Hwy 86 from Tulia, N on St. Mary's Ave.
Notable Landmarks & Features
The parish grounds include the original 1903 church building (seating 375–400), the consecrated cemetery (1906) — the only Catholic cemetery in the area — and the bronze sculptures of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica. A Texas Historical Commission marker (No. 2517), placed in 1987, stands on St. Joseph Street and reads: "The history of Holy Family Catholic Church parallels that of the town of Nazareth... Reisdorff named the new town Nazareth. An important part of the area's development, the church remains a focal point of community activities."
- Texas Historical Commission Marker No. 2517 (1987)
- 1903 church building (375–400 seats)
- Cemetery consecrated 1906
- Bronze statues of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica by Timothy Schmalz
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph Reisdorff1902–1906
Colonizer-priest from Canyon, TX; named the town Nazareth; recruited German-Catholic settlers via Midwest newspaper ads; built up the parish and town until leaving for health reasons.
- Benedictine monks of Subiaco Abbey (Order of Saint Benedict)1906–1939
Reisdorff arranged for the Arkansas Benedictines to staff the parish after his departure.
- Fr. Ken KellerNov. 2003 – Dec. 31, 2017
Served the Diocese of Amarillo for nearly 49 years; previously director of diocesan Christian Formation and Diocesan Youth Coordinator; previously pastor of St. Joseph and St. Mary's Cathedral, Amarillo. Died March 1, 2018.