About Immaculate Conception of the BVM · Panna Maria, Texas
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church sits at the heart of Panna Maria, Texas — the oldest permanent Polish settlement in the United States, founded on Christmas Eve 1854 by Father Leopold Moczygemba and roughly 100 Silesian families from what was then Prussian Poland. The parish traces its origin to a Midnight Mass celebrated under a live oak tree on the bank of the San Antonio River; the first wooden church was built beside that tree in 1855, and the present stone church was completed in 1877 after lightning destroyed the original. It is the oldest Polish Catholic parish in the United States and is a designated Jubilee pilgrimage site in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Wieslaw Iwaniec
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Antonio
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception of the BVM is not just a parish — it is the spiritual cradle of Polish-Catholic life in America. Pilgrims and parishioners gather in the same church where their forebears celebrated Mass under an oak tree on Christmas Eve 1854, surrounded by a painted ceiling, the Black Madonna mosaic gifted by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966, and the hand-carved chairs used by Pope John Paul II in 1987. With daily Mass, weekday adoration, an active Faith Formation program, the historic St. Joseph's School site (the first Polish school in America, now a museum), and a strong network of lay societies — Altar Society, Holy Name/Men's Club, choir, lectors, eucharistic ministers, and the Panna Maria Historical Society — the parish offers both a deep sense of heritage and a living, praying community rooted in 170 years of Silesian Catholic tradition.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception of the BVM
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:20 p.m.
- Friday 4:30–4:55 p.m. (before 5 p.m. Mass)
- 30 minutes before all weekday Masses
- Any day by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursdays after 5:00 p.m. Mass
- First Fridays after 5:00 p.m. Mass
History of the Parish
Panna Maria was founded on December 24, 1854, when Father Leopold Moczygemba, a Conventual Franciscan from Upper Silesia, led about 100 families from Płużnica and surrounding villages to a site on the San Antonio River near its junction with Cibolo Creek in Karnes County, Texas. After a nine-week Atlantic voyage to Galveston and a long overland trek, the settlers celebrated their first Mass — a Midnight Christmas Mass — under a live oak tree, even before building homes. The colony took the Polish name Panna Maria ('Virgin Mary'), either to honor the Immaculate Conception dogma proclaimed by Pius IX that same year or after a vision Father Moczygemba reported of great light around St. Mary's Church in Kraków. In 1855 the colonists built their first wooden church beside that oak; it was consecrated by Father Moczygemba on September 29, 1856 — the first Polish Catholic church in America, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Lightning destroyed it in 1875, and the present stone church was completed on the same site in 1877, then remodeled and enlarged in 1935–1937. The parish endured a devastating 14-month drought beginning in 1856, Indian raids, the Civil War, and the 1863 death of its Polish-speaking priest Father Julian Przysiecki. Out of Panna Maria grew a network of Silesian daughter colonies across South Texas, making it the 'mother colony' of Texas Polonia.
- Founded: December 24, 1854
- Founder: Fr. Leopold Moczygemba, OFM Conv.
- First Mass: Christmas Eve 1854 under a live oak tree
- First church built: 1855 (destroyed by lightning 1875)
- Present church: completed 1877, enlarged 1935–1937
- 150th (Sesquicentennial) Anniversary celebrated 2004
Pastoral Leadership & Staff
The parish is currently served by Rev. Wieslaw Iwaniec, who is listed as Pastor on the Archdiocese of San Antonio's Jubilee pilgrimage directory. Debbie Pawelek serves as the parish Secretary and Bookkeeper, handling the day-to-day operations. The parish is also responsible for the Mission Church of St. Helena in nearby Karnes City (Helena), Texas.
- Pastor: Rev. Wieslaw Iwaniec
- Secretary/Bookkeeper: Debbie Pawelek
- Mission served: St. Helena Mission, 8275 Highway 81, Karnes City (Helena), TX 78118
- Parish phone: (830) 780-2748
Parish Ministries & Societies
Immaculate Conception of the BVM has a rich fabric of lay societies and ministries that have sustained parish life for generations. The Pastoral Council, Finance Committee, and Cemetery Committee guide governance, while the Altar Society, Holy Name / Men's Club, Choir, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, and Ushers support liturgy and parish upkeep. Faith Formation educators provide religious education for children and youth. The Panna Maria Historical Society operates the Visitor's Center in the old 1875 Pilarczyk Store, keeps the heritage of the colony alive, and helps welcome the steady stream of pilgrims and heritage tourists who come to the oldest Polish settlement in America.
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Committee
- Cemetery Committee
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Lectors
- Altar Servers
- Choir
- Ushers
- Faith Formation (Religious Education)
- Altar Society
- Holy Name / Men's Club
- Panna Maria Historical Society (operates the Visitor's Center)
Architecture, Art, and Sacred Treasures
The present church — a stone structure completed in 1877 and enlarged in 1935–1937 — houses an extraordinary collection of devotional art, much of it tied to the Silesian-Polish heritage of the parish. The main altar features a painting of the Immaculate Conception; the left side altar holds a mosaic of Our Lady of Częstochowa (the Black Madonna) gifted to the parish by President Lyndon B. Johnson on May 3, 1966, in honor of the Millennium of Poland's Christianity. The right side altar is dedicated to St. Ann and holds a statue whose original is enshrined on the Mount of St. Ann in Upper Silesia, a gift to the descendants of the first settlers from Archbishop Alfons Nossol, Ordinary Bishop of Opole, Poland, in 2001. The painted ceilings display religious and Polish symbols, and near the entrance hangs an 1858 painting of St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr, brought from Poland by the original settlers. Three hand-carved chairs used by Pope John Paul II during his 1987 pastoral visit to San Antonio are on display inside the church.
- Mosaic of Our Lady of Częstochowa — gift of President Lyndon B. Johnson, May 3, 1966
- Statue of St. Ann (after the original on Mount St. Ann, Upper Silesia) — gift of Archbishop Alfons Nossol, Bishop of Opole, Poland, 2001
- Painting of St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr — brought from Poland in 1858
- Three hand-carved chairs used by Pope John Paul II during his 1987 visit
- Painted ceilings with religious and Polish symbols
St. Joseph's School & the Panna Maria Heritage
The Silesian settlers of Panna Maria established St. Joseph's School, the first Polish school in America, alongside their first church. The original 1855 structure — originally built as a barn and used as a school and a place of worship while the permanent church was being constructed — still stands and today houses the local Post Office and is used for small gatherings and parties. The site is preserved as a museum and is open for tours through the Panna Maria Historical Society at the Visitor's Center in the old Pilarczyk Store (built 1875). The neighboring Polish Heritage Center at Panna Maria offers a documentary about the founding of the colony and exhibits on Polish history and the first Silesian immigrants to South Texas.
- St. Joseph's School: first Polish school in America
- Panna Maria Visitor's Center: in the 1875 Pilarczyk Store, operated by volunteers of the Panna Maria Historical Society
- Original school/church building (1855) now houses the Panna Maria Post Office
- Polish Heritage Center at Panna Maria — exhibits, documentary, and genealogy resources
Parish Succession — A Lineage of Priests
Since 1854 Immaculate Conception has been served by a long and distinguished line of clergy — Conventual Franciscans, Benedictine missionaries, Resurrectionist Fathers, Salvatorians, diocesan priests, and Polish-born pastors who kept the language, music, and customs of the original Silesian settlers alive. Pastors named in the parish's 150th anniversary book include Fr. Leopold Moczygemba, Fr. Julian Przysiecki, Fr. Felix Zwiardowski, Fr. Adolf Snigurski, Fr. Anthony Heinke, Msgr. Thomas Moczygemba (relative of the founder), Fr. Vincent Kloseck, Fr. Benjamin Kaminski (1937–1969, the long-tenured pastor who guided the parish through the post-war years), Fr. Casimir 'Casey' Jarzombek, Fr. Alphonse Padalecki, Fr. Daniel P. Kahlich, Fr. Francis 'Frank' B. Lenz, Fr. Piotr Kaplinski, Fr. Donald Hayden, Fr. Roger Hawes, and the present pastor Fr. Wieslaw Iwaniec.
- 1854–1858+: Fr. Leopold Moczygemba, OFM Conv. (founder)
- 1857–1863: Fr. Julian Przysiecki (killed in riding accident)
- 1937–1969: Fr. Benjamin Kaminski
- 1969–1974: Msgr. John Matocha
- 1996–2002: Fr. Francis 'Frank' B. Lenz
- 2006–c.2011: Fr. Roger Hawes
- Present: Fr. Wieslaw Iwaniec
Visit, Pilgrimage & Contact
Immaculate Conception of the BVM is open daily as a Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage site from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., welcoming visitors, heritage tourists, and parishioners who wish to pray at the cradle of Polish Catholic life in America. The church is located on FM 81 in Panna Maria, across from the Visitor's Center. Extended visiting hours and group tours can be arranged by calling the parish office. The parish also continues to serve the Mission Church of St. Helena at 8275 Highway 81 in Karnes City (Helena), Texas.
- Address: 13879 N. FM 81, Panna Maria, TX 78144
- Phone: (830) 780-2748
- Website: http://www.pannamariachurch.com
- Visiting hours: Daily 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (group tours by appointment)
- Diocese: Archdiocese of San Antonio (Deanery: Floresville Rural)
- Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage site
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Leopold Moczygemba, OFM Conv.1854–1858+
Founder of Panna Maria; led the Silesian settlers from Poland; consecrated the first Polish Catholic church in America at Panna Maria on Sept. 29, 1856.
- Fr. Julian Przysiecki1857–1863
Benedictine missionary priest; killed in a riding accident in 1863 and buried in the chapel cemetery.
- Fr. Felix Zwiardowski1867–1869, 1874–1877
Missionary Administrator; blessed the cornerstone of the new church in 1868.
- Fr. Adolf Snigurski1872–1877
Served during the transition to the second (1877) church.
- Fr. Anthony Heinke1877–1888
- Fr. R. Magott1888–1892
- Fr. Wolenczewicz1892–1897
- Msgr. Thomas Moczygemba1897–1912
Relative of founder Fr. Leopold Moczygemba.
- Fr. Stanislaus Przyborowski1912–1914
- Fr. John Jachtyl1914–1921
- Fr. Peter Grzesiak1921–1932
- Fr. Vincent Kloseck1932–1933
- Fr. Peter A. Vaitonis1933–1937
- Fr. Benjamin Kaminski1937–1969
Long-tenured pastor; served the 1935–1937 enlargement era through post-Vatican II years.
- Monsignor John Matocha1969–1974
- Fr. Joseph V. Hamala1974–1975
- Fr. Edward C. Bartsch1975–1982
- Fr. Casimir 'Casey' Jarzombek1982–1988
- Fr. Alphonse Padalecki1988–1992
- Fr. Daniel P. Kahlich1992–1994
- Fr. Thu Van Nguyen1994–1996
- Fr. Francis 'Frank' B. Lenz1996–2002
- Fr. Piotr Kaplinski2002–2003
- Fr. Donald Hayden2003–2006
- Fr. Roger Hawes2006–ca. 2011
- Fr. Wieslaw Iwaniecpresent
Current pastor (listed as Administrator on some directory sites; Archdiocese of San Antonio lists him as Pastor).