About Immaculate Heart Of Mary · Abbott, Texas
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church is a small Catholic parish serving the rural community of Abbott, Texas, in Hill County just south of Hillsboro. Founded in 1946 by Father Charles W. Smid, O.S.A., it grew out of 175 local farm families and was historically served by the Augustinian friars of the Midwest Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel. Today the parish is a tight-knit, faith-centered community offering daily and Sunday Mass, CCD religious education for children, and active lay ministries including the Knights of Columbus, KJZT, and Catholic Daughters of America Court #829.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Jones
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Worth
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary offers a welcoming, family-sized Catholic community in which members know one another by name, supported by a full weekly Mass schedule, a robust CCD religious education program for kindergarten through high school, and engaged lay societies — the Knights of Columbus, KJZT, and Catholic Daughters of America Court #829 — together with strong music and youth ministries. The parish has kept four generations of rural Hill County families rooted in the faith since 1946, and it continues to invite new members and visitors to share in its worship, formation, and four signature parish-wide meals held throughout the year.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart Of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Adoration times
- Saturday 3:30 – 4:30 pm (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
History of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
The parish was founded in 1946 when Father Charles W. Smid, O.S.A., arrived in Abbott on February 1 of that year. With no church property and no accommodations, he visited 175 families and formed a building committee — Eddie Hlavaty, John Pustejovsky, Ed Petter, Harry Urbis, and Joseph R. Marek — to raise funds and plan construction. Mass was first celebrated in the Abbott School gymnasium on March 3, 1946. Groundbreaking came on June 29, 1946, and the building was finished in time for Christmas Midnight Mass that year, at a cost of $40,472.74. The parish was entrusted from the start to the Augustinian friars of the Midwest Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel, who continue to be associated with the parish's heritage.
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by a pastor and a deacon, supported by a business manager and many lay coordinators for ministries, facilities, religious education, and safe environment. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
- Rev. Thomas Jones – Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Mr. Terry Timmons – Deacon (254-580-2228)
- Rachel Haferkamp – Business Manager ([email protected])
Sacraments
All seven sacraments and related rites are coordinated through the parish office. Advance notice is required for Baptism (six weeks), Matrimony (6–9 months), and RCIA. The Sick and homebound are visited on request.
- Baptism
- Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
- Communion to the Homebound
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Funerals
- Reconciliation (Confession)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a K–12 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) program coordinated by Mandy Sullins, with grade-level catechists from kindergarten through high school. The KJZT Juniors have supported the program through donations (e.g., TVs with DVD players) funded in part through People Helping People matching grants.
- CCD Coordinator: Mandy Sullins
- Kindergarten: Kali Skerik & Courtney Smithey
- 1st Grade: Tara Hejl & Paulina Salvador
- 2nd Grade: Emily Kolar & Mary Kolar
- 3rd & 4th Grade: Justin Kaska & Tammie Holecek
- 5th & 6th Grade: Shelly Burge & Katie Holcomb
- 7th & 8th Grade: Dan Hill & Shanna Hill
- High School: John Gerik, Ernie Pustejovsky, Nick Haferkamp & Anita Murphy
- Parent contact: 214-793-3353 / [email protected]
Parish Societies and Lay Ministries
Lay involvement is the backbone of parish life at Immaculate Heart of Mary. The parish hosts a Knights of Columbus council, a KJZT (Catholic women's society), a KJT (Catholic men's society), and Catholic Daughters of America Court #829, alongside choirs, sacristans, and volunteer coordinators for facilities and safe environment.
- Knights of Columbus – Ernie Pustejovsky
- KJZT – Eugene Maroul / Jeanette Urbanovsky
- KJT
- Catholic Daughters of America (CDA) Court #829
- Music Ministry – Karen Bartosh & Marsha Gerik
- Sacristans – Michael & Janet Bezdek
- Plant/Facilities Manager – Charles Beseda
- Finance Council – Charles Beseda
- Safe Environment Coordinator – Terry & Patrick Timmons
- Seniors Activities – Agnes Marak
- Volunteer Coordinator – Marsha Gerik
Parish Fundraising Meals
Four community meals serve as the parish's primary fundraisers and fellowship events each year, hosted in St. Joseph's Hall and around the parish grounds.
- February – Hamburger Supper (hosted by the Youth Religious Education Program)
- May – Barbecue Brisket and Sausage Lunch
- August – Spaghetti and Salad Bar Lunch
- November – Fried Fish and Chicken Lunch
Visiting and Getting Involved
New parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office is open Monday–Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, with the business manager working from home on Tuesdays. Visitors seeking information on becoming Catholic (RCIA), registering a child for CCD, or arranging a baptism or wedding should contact the office in advance.
- Parish office phone: 254-230-4092
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Address: 601 W. Houston St., Abbott, TX 76621
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Augustinian Heritage
Immaculate Heart of Mary is one of several central-Texas parishes historically served by the Augustinians of the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel (Midwest Augustinians). Other Augustinian-served parishes in the region include Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Penelope, Our Lady of Mercy in Hillsboro, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Morgan, Holy Angels in Clifton, St. Mary in Gainesville, St. Thomas Aquinas in Pilot Point, Sacred Heart in Muenster, and St. Peter in Lindsay.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Charles W. Smid, O.S.A.1946–
Founding pastor; arrived February 1, 1946; celebrated first Mass March 3, 1946; oversaw construction completed for Christmas Midnight Mass 1946.
- Rev. Ouseph I. Thekkumthalacirca 2015
Served as Parochial Administrator before the arrival of Fr. Keating.
- Rev. Joseph Keatingcirca 2017–2018
Listed as pastor in 2017–2018 bulletins; parish email at the time was [email protected].
- Rev. Thomas Jonescurrent (as of 2026)
Current pastor; 5th anniversary of ordination celebrated May 2026.