About Immaculate Heart of Mary · San Antonio, Texas
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (IHM) is a Roman Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas, located on South Santa Rosa Avenue on the southwest edge of downtown San Antonio. Founded in 1912 by the Claretian Missionaries (Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, C.M.F.), it served as the U.S. motherhouse for the Claretians for many years and was the mother parish from which several other San Antonio parishes, including Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. John the Evangelist, were established. The church is a designated "Historic Exceptional Landmark" of the City of San Antonio, celebrated for its Byzantine Romanesque architecture, hand-painted stencil walls, vaulted ceilings, and stained glass, and it is the spiritual home of a primarily Hispanic community that worships in both English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Benjamin Romero Arrieta, C.M.F.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Antonio
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary offers one of the most welcoming bilingual Catholic communities in central San Antonio, with daily and Sunday Masses in both English and Spanish and a long tradition of Hispanic faith and culture. Parishioners can grow in faith through Religious Education (CCD) and the RCIA process, serve the liturgy as lectors, altar servers, ushers, or choir members, and adore the Blessed Sacrament every Thursday and First Friday. The parish also opens its historic parish hall to the community for celebrations and offers a gift shop, all within a landmark church building whose hand-painted walls and 200-year-old bell are a living link to Texas Catholic history.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Every Thursday: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
- Every Thursday: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Every First Friday: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Our History
Immaculate Heart of Mary is a Claretian foundation with deep roots in both Texas and Mexican Catholic history. The first Claretian Missionaries arrived in San Antonio from Mexico on February 9, 1902, were given charge of San Fernando Cathedral, and later built the parish house on South Santa Rosa in 1904. Construction of the present church began in 1911, and Bishop John W. Shaw blessed it on August 11, 1912, establishing a distinct parish. During the religious persecutions in Mexico (1914), the parish residence sheltered exiled bishops and 42 Claretian priests who fled across the border. Over the following century the parish weathered the loss of its school (closed 1959), the construction of I-35, and a devastating 1991 arson attack, and it remains a touchstone for generations of San Antonio families.
- Founded in 1912; parish house completed September 18, 1904.
- Served as the U.S. motherhouse of the Claretian Missionaries.
- Mother parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. John the Evangelist, and (for a time) St. Alphonsus.
- Site of a parish school from 1926 until 1959; the building is now used for Religious Education and events.
Historic Church Bell
The IHM bell tower holds a bell that originally hung in San Fernando Cathedral. According to the parish, the bell was rung to announce the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, and again in 1837 from dawn until the interment of William Barrett Travis, Davy Crockett, and James Bowie. A 1927 letter from Fr. Leo Monasterio, C.M.F. records that the bell was installed at IHM shortly after the church's completion in 1911, making it possibly more than 200 years old.
The Painted Walls: Art and Restoration
The church's defining visual feature is its intricately stenciled interior. A Mexican artist known as Bartola painted the walls in 1944; by the 1980s they had begun to deteriorate, and in 1987 Fr. Alberto Domingo, C.M.F., who had studied art in Spain, spent four years restoring them, earning the nickname 'the Michelangelo of San Antonio.' After he was transferred to Los Angeles in 1989, an arsonist set fire to the sacristy on June 30, 1991, destroying much of the restoration. A second, painstaking effort was completed in 1994 and celebrated at Easter. Today the walls are protected as part of a city-designated Historic Exceptional Landmark.
The Seven Sacraments
The parish welcomes the faithful into all seven sacraments instituted by Christ: the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation), the Sacraments of Healing (Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick), and the Sacraments at the Service of Communion (Holy Orders, Holy Matrimony). The parish website presents the Church's teaching that the sacraments are 'outward efficacious signs' that confer grace, build up the body of Christ, and make the faithful holy.
- Baptism
- Holy Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- Holy Matrimony
Faith Formation
Faith formation is coordinated by Director of Religious Education Mary Salas and takes place in the historic 1926 school building, which is still in active parish use. Programs include Religious Education (CCD) and the RCIA process (Becoming Catholic) for adults preparing to enter the Church.
- Religious Education (CCD)
- Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners are invited to take an active role in the celebration of the Mass as altar servers, lectors, ushers, music ministers, and members of the Matachines — a traditional devotional dance group. Each ministry has its own page on the parish website describing its mission and responsibilities.
- Art Mission
- Altar Servers
- Matachines
- Lectors
- Music Ministry
- Ushers
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry at IHM is at the service of divine worship and supports every Mass, retreat, and parish gathering with appropriate music drawn from the directives of Vatican II and the U.S. Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy. Members of the parish are highly encouraged to join the choir of their choice.
- Sunday 8:30 AM English Mass — Charlie Lopez, (210) 840-6916
- Sunday 10:30 AM Spanish Mass — Rene Garcia, (210) 459-3541
- Sunday 12:30 PM Spanish Mass — Efrain Rodriguez, (210) 464-6242
- Sunday 4:30 PM Spanish Mass — Adan Martinez, (210) 733-0806
Parish Staff
The parish is led by two Claretian priests and supported by a team of lay staff and deacons. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (closed 1:00–2:00 PM for lunch), and on Sunday from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
- Rev. Benjamin Romero Arrieta, C.M.F. — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Malachy Osunwa, C.M.F. — Associate Pastor ([email protected])
- Mary Salas — Director of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Jose Luis Martinez — Bookkeeper ([email protected])
- LisaMarie Martinez — Administrative Assistant ([email protected])
- Deacon Salvador Rodríguez ([email protected])
- Miguel Garza — Maintenance
- Kathia Aguilar — Volunteer ([email protected])
Visit, Rentals, and Gift Shop
The parish welcomes visitors during regular business hours and offers additional services for the wider community, including a parish gift shop and the rental of the historic parish hall for events and celebrations. A parish bulletin and calendar of upcoming events are published on the website.
- Gift Shop
- Parish Hall rentals (Renting Parish Hall)
- Joining IHM (parish registration)
- Certificate Request
- Weekly Bulletin
Contact and Location
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church sits on the southwest edge of downtown San Antonio, just off South Santa Rosa Avenue. The office phone is (210) 226-8268 and the general email is [email protected].
- Address: 617 S. Santa Rosa Ave, San Antonio, TX 78204
- Phone: (210) 226-8268
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.ihmsatx.org