About Holy Rosary · Houston, Texas
Holy Rosary Catholic Church is a historic Dominican parish in midtown Houston, Texas, founded in 1913 when the Dominican Friars were invited by Bishop Nicholas A. Gallagher to serve 125 families on Houston's south side. More than a century later, it remains the spiritual home from which the Dominican Friars have ministered throughout the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The parish celebrates Mass in English, Latin (Ordinary Form), and Vietnamese, with daily 12:05 PM and 5:15 PM Masses and a robust Sunday schedule of six liturgies. Holy Rosary is also known for its rich musical patrimony, including a Schola Cantorum chanting the Latin Propers and a four-voice Quartet leading the 11 AM High Mass.
- Established
- 1913
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Rosary
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Joseph Paul Albin, O.P.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Why belong here
Holy Rosary offers a rare combination in Houston: a Dominican-led parish rooted in more than a century of tradition, a full schedule of daily and Sunday Masses celebrated in English, Latin (Ordinary Form), and Vietnamese, and a vibrant liturgical music program featuring a Gregorian Schola Cantorum and a four-voice Quartet. Parishioners are nourished by frequent Confession, Eucharistic Adoration twice a week, weekday Rosary, a strong sacramental-preparation program (baptism, marriage, marriage enrichment, RCIA-style adult formation), youth ministry tied to the Archdiocesan Youth Conference, the Knights of Columbus Council 11023, the Holy Rosary Young Families group, and opportunities to give through Flocknote-driven communication. The parish is also a launching point for Dominican ministry across the city: more than 100 Friars have served from this community since 1913, and dozens of vocations have come from it.
Mass times at Holy Rosary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
- Monday–Friday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 12:45 PM – 5:00 PM (Benediction at 5:05 PM)
- Friday: 12:45 PM – 5:00 PM (Benediction at 5:05 PM)
Parish History & Founding
Holy Rosary Catholic Church was founded by the Dominican Friars in 1913 at the invitation of Bishop Nicholas A. Gallagher to serve 125 families on Houston's south side, when the city had only 82,000 citizens. William H. McCarthy donated the land and a two-story building was begun; the first Mass was actually celebrated in a private residence at 3605 Milam Street before construction was complete. The lower floor served as the church while the upper floor housed a Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart school that grew from 25 children in six classrooms to all eight grades by 1922 and remained open until 1963. Father Raphael A. LaPlante was the first pastor.
- Founded 1913 by Dominican Friars at the invitation of Bishop Nicholas A. Gallagher
- Land donated by William H. McCarthy
- First Mass held in a private residence at 3605 Milam Street
- First baptism: Joseph I. Macatee
- First funeral: George Rick
- First wedding: Charles Giraud and Mary Kittrell
- School opened 1913, closed 1963; taught by Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart
Building the Permanent Gothic Church
By 1926 the parish had retired its original debts and began saving for a permanent church. Father Martin McDermott became pastor in 1930 and engaged Maurice J. Sullivan — a Houston architect and parishioner whose credits include St. Anne Catholic Church and St. Mary's Seminary — to design a Gothic church. Ground was broken on September 15, 1932; Bishop Christopher E. Byrne laid the cornerstone on February 5, 1933; and he blessed the completed church on November 15, 1933 (the feast of St. Albert the Great).
- Architect: Maurice J. Sullivan (also designed St. Anne Catholic Church and St. Mary's Seminary)
- Construction: Standard (now Fretz) Construction Company under Edmund A. Fretz
- Groundbreaking: September 15, 1932
- Cornerstone laid by Bishop Christopher E. Byrne: February 5, 1933
- Church blessed: November 15, 1933 (Feast of St. Albert the Great)
- Total cost: $150,000 (Depression-era pricing); $71,000 debt liquidated within a few years
Architecture & Sacred Art
The Gothic church was built of Bedford stone on the outside and Texas limestone within, with a striking purple-and-green slate roof covering the open trusses. Oswald Lassig carved the altars; the main altar was quarried near McNeil, Texas and crowned with a canopy of blue velvet trimmed in gold and yellow satin. The bronze tabernacle and gilt birch candlesticks, a relief transom of Our Lady of the Rosary above the main entrance, and the original stone-and-copper font in the baptistry alcove are all signature features.
- Bedford-stone exterior, Texas-limestone interior
- Purple-and-green slate roof over open trusses
- Main altar quarried near McNeil, Texas; carving by Oswald Lassig
- Bronze tabernacle, birch candlesticks overlaid with gold leaf
- Relief transom depicting Our Lady of the Rosary
- Original stone-and-copper baptismal font retained in baptistry alcove
Dominican Identity & Heritage
Holy Rosary has been a Dominican parish since its founding in 1913. The parish's own mission statement says it is 'led by the Dominican Friars and dedicated to Our Lady's honor.' More than 100 Friars have lived and ministered from Holy Rosary over more than a century, and the parish has been the springboard for Dominican apostolic work across the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, including the formation of daughter parishes such as St. Vincent de Paul in 1940.
- Run continuously by the Dominican Friars (Order of Preachers) since 1913
- Province: St. Martin de Porres (per parish Facebook page)
- More than 100 Friars have served from Holy Rosary in 110+ years
- Daughter parish: St. Vincent de Paul (1940)
Devotions: The Holy Rosary
True to its patron, the parish prays the Rosary publicly almost every day — a quiet, traditional Dominican devotion fitting for a church dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary.
- Weekday Rosary: 4:50 PM
- Saturday Rosary: 11:35 AM and 4:35 PM
- Sunday Rosary: 4:35 PM
Music Ministry
Music is a signature ministry of Holy Rosary, anchored by two ensembles and a deep treasury of sacred music from Gregorian chant through contemporary works. Director of Music Matthew Lydick ([email protected]) oversees the program, whose mission is 'to serve the Sacred Liturgy, leading the faithful in full, conscious, and active participation through sung prayer.'
- Schola Cantorum — sings Gregorian Chant Propers and the Mass Ordinary in Latin at the 9:30 AM Solemn Mass; rehearses Thursday evenings
- Holy Rosary Quartet (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) — leads the 11:00 AM Sunday High Mass; Renaissance, Romantic and contemporary repertoire (Palestrina, Josquin, Victoria, Rheinberger, Bruckner, Vaughan-Williams, Knaggs)
- Special liturgies: Rorate Mass, Christmas Carols & Midnight Mass with strings, Holy Week Triduum, Tenebrae, Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday Festal Mass with brass, Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart, Annual Gala, Solemn Mass for Our Lady of the Rosary
- Contact: Matthew Lydick, [email protected]
Marriage Preparation & Married Couples
Holy Rosary runs a structured, multi-month marriage-preparation program for engaged couples and ongoing enrichment for those already married, in line with Archdiocesan norms.
- Inquiry: e-mail [email protected]
- $500 security deposit to reserve the date and time
- FOCCUS pre-marriage inventory and 4–6 sessions plus theology of marriage sessions
- Natural Family Planning (NFP) class required
- Music consultation with Director of Music
- Marriage license obtained 72 hours to 90 days before the wedding
- REFOCCUS Marriage Enrichment Inventory for milestone moments
- Sponsor Couples (married in the Church 5+ years, registered parishioners) walk with engaged couples
Youth & Young Families
The parish invests in its next generation through Youth Ministry and a dedicated Holy Rosary Young Families group, both emphasizing accompaniment and family life.
- Youth Ministry: relational ministry for high-school teens; participates in the Archdiocesan Youth Conference (AYC) — Houston's largest annual evangelizing event for older adolescents
- AYC 2025: $275 per teen, includes hotel at Hilton Americas, conference fee, meals; scholarships available
- Holy Rosary Young Families: a community for parents of young children; e-mail [email protected]; active Facebook group 'Holy Rosary Young Families'
Parish Organizations & Outreach
Lay faithful run a number of parish organizations rooted in traditional Catholic sodality and service, alongside a modern safety ministry.
- Knights of Columbus Council 11023 — charity, faith formation, and assistance to the sick and needy
- Safety & Secure Ministry — recruiting safety, security, and medical professionals from the parish
- Historical lineage: Holy Name Society, Blessed Virgin's Sodality, Rosary and Altar Society (1928), Rosarian Club, Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently pastored by Dominican Friars, with a parochial vicar and a chaplain serving the Vietnamese ministry. The parish office is staffed Monday through Friday.
- Pastor: Rev. Fr. Joseph Paul Albin, O.P. (ext. 100)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Fr. Thomas More Barba, O.P. (ext. 103)
- Chaplain (Vietnamese): Rev. Fr. Anthony Hung Tran, O.P.
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM (closed 1:00–2:00 PM for lunch)
- Phone: (713) 529-4854 · Fax: (713) 522-3967
Staying Connected
Parishioners can stay plugged in through the parish's Flocknote newsletter, weekly parish bulletin, and the official Facebook page.
- Flocknote: text HRCC to 84576 to receive the weekly Thursday e-newsletter and join ministry groups
- Weekly bulletin available on the parish website
- Facebook: facebook.com/HolyRosaryHouston
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Raphael A. LaPlante, O.P.1913–
Holy Rosary's first pastor; organized the Holy Name Society as one of his first acts.
- Rev. Fr. Martin McDermott, O.P.1930–
Pastor who decided the time had come to build the permanent Gothic church; engaged architect Maurice J. Sullivan.
- Rev. Fr. Damian Harris, O.P.
Listed as pastor on the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston parish directory page (older listing).