About Most Holy Trinity · Trinity, Texas
Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Trinity, Texas, and a member of the Diocese of Tyler. The parish first grew as a mission of St. Francis of the Tejas in Crockett, with Mass celebrated in homes, funeral homes, and mobile chapels beginning around 1974, before being formally established as its own parish on June 2, 1996. Today it serves a bilingual English-and-Spanish community in Trinity County, offering daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Confession, OCIA (RCIA) formation, and active ministries such as the Knights of Columbus Council 13136. The parish sits at 401 Prospect Drive, just north of Trinity's hospital on Hwy 19 North, and warmly welcomes full-time residents, seasonal visitors, and anyone just passing through.
- Established
- 1996 (as a parish; mission work began c. 1974)
- Patron
- Most Holy Trinity (the Blessed Trinity — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Juan Carlos Rivera (most recently listed on the parish site; per Diocese of Tyler Summer 2026 priest assignments, he has been reassigned as Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Kilgore, succeeded by Rev. Jose Kumblumkal, CMI as Parish Administrator of Most Holy Trinity in Trinity)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler
Why belong here
Most Holy Trinity is a small, bilingual parish where members know one another by name, and visitors — whether full-time residents of Trinity County, weekend visitors, or travelers — are made warmly welcome. Its daily Mass schedule, Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses (with a 1:00 p.m. Mass in Spanish), regular Eucharistic Adoration, Friday Healing/First-Friday Mass with Anointing of the Sick, Saturday Rosary, and sacramental Confession times offer rich opportunities for devotion. Active formation and fraternal life — including OCIA (RCIA) classes for adults seeking to enter or deepen life in the Catholic Church and the parish's Knights of Columbus Council 13136 — make it a place to grow in faith and serve neighbors in East Texas.
Mass times at Most Holy Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:15 PM (also reported 3:15–3:45 PM)
- Sunday: 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM and 12:30 PM – 12:50 PM
- Monday – Friday: 30 minutes before and after each Mass (per parish directory listing)
Adoration times
- Thursday: Adoration begins after 10:00 a.m. Mass and concludes with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 p.m.
Parish History
Most Holy Trinity grew out of a mission of St. Francis of the Tejas Catholic Church in Crockett, Texas, and was formally established as a parish on June 2, 1996. The community first gathered for Mass beginning around 1974 at temporary locations including the Waller Funeral Home, mobile homes, members' homes, and the Pinecrest Estates office. In 1974 the Diocese of Houston-Galveston purchased an old frame house whose living room served as the chapel — packed to standing-room only by Easter 1975. Under Fr. Reginald Nesvadba, the community grew to thirty registered families and built its first church, with the inaugural Mass celebrated on Easter Sunday, 1981. By December 1993 the mission had grown to eighty registered families, setting the stage for its elevation to parish status. The parish has continued to grow, adding bilingual ministries, the Knights of Columbus, and ongoing formation programs.
- Established as a parish: June 2, 1996
- Mission roots begin c. 1974 (Diocese of Houston-Galveston)
- First permanent church dedicated Easter Sunday, 1981
- Founding members include Centilli, Conte, Curry, Mikeska, Spearman, Todd, Toups, Evans, and Greenwell families
- Originally under Diocese of Houston-Galveston; now part of the Diocese of Tyler
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by the Diocese of Tyler's clergy, with Deacon Walter Busa assisting in liturgical and pastoral ministry (including pre-marital counseling). Fr. Joby Thomas serves as chaplain to the Knights of Columbus. Per the Diocese of Tyler's Summer 2026 priest assignments, Fr. Juan Carlos Rivera has been reassigned to Christ the King Parish in Kilgore, and Rev. Jose Kumblumkal, CMI has been appointed Parish Administrator of Most Holy Trinity. Pastoral ministry is supported by parish staff including the parish secretary.
- Rev. Fr. Juan Carlos Rivera — Pastor (per parish website)
- Rev. Jose Kumblumkal, CMI — incoming Parish Administrator (per Diocese of Tyler Summer 2026 assignments)
- Fr. Joby Thomas — Chaplain, Knights of Columbus
- Deacon Walter Busa — Deacon
- Mary Most — Secretary (per directory listing)
Faith Formation — OCIA / RCIA
Most Holy Trinity offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) as the normal pathway for adults to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. Classes are held weekly over the course of several months and welcome adults who are unbaptized, baptized but uncatechized, or seeking Confirmation and First Communion. Inquirers are welcome even if not yet committed to completing the process.
- Coordinator: Gerry deVezin
- OCIA (RCIA) class announced to begin in September 2025
- Online RCIA Inquirer Registration Form available on the parish Forms page
- Open to adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, or First Communion
Knights of Columbus Council 13136
The parish hosts the Holy Trinity Council 13136 of the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal service order of practicing Catholic men. The council meets on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 PM in the parish hall, gathering from about 6:30 PM. Its work includes blood drives, seminarian support, scholarships for Trinity High School graduates, an annual Children's Christmas Party, and outreach including Trinity Toys for Kids.
- Council chaplain: Fr. Joby Thomas
- Meets first Monday, 7:00 PM, Most Holy Trinity parish hall
- Sponsors seminarian David Bailey at Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans
- Two $2,000 scholarships awarded to Trinity High School graduates annually
- Quarterly KC Blood Drives (contact Alan Mebes, 936-581-3027)
- Trinity Toys for Kids support
- Annual Children's Christmas Party for parish children
- Contacts for membership: Steve Wright (936-594-7707), Jack Ward (713-824-5950), Hamp Burwick (936-662-9498)
Sacraments & Parish Forms
The sacraments of Baptism, Anointing of the Sick (First Friday of the month), Quinceañera presentation arrangements, and pre-marital counseling are coordinated through the parish office. Parish forms for Baptism, parish registration, Quinceañera arrangement, and RCIA inquirer registration are available online and can be submitted to the parish office or placed in the offertory basket at Mass.
- Baptism — parish registration and parish forms
- Anointing of the Sick — First Friday 10:00 AM Mass
- Quinceañera arrangements form
- Pre-marital counseling via Deacon Walter Busa and parish clergy
- OCIA Inquirer Registration (online form)
Parish Life, Calendar & Getting Involved
The parish publishes a calendar that highlights Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Daily Mass, the First Friday Healing Mass, choir practice, and Rosary devotions. Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to take part in formation, fraternal, and devotional life — from weekly OCIA classes and KC meetings to Saturday Rosary and Thursday Adoration with the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
- Saturday 3:15 PM Rosary in the church
- Saturday Vigil Mass preceded by choir practice in the parish hall
- Thursday Adoration concluding with Divine Mercy Chaplet
- First Friday Healing Mass with Anointing of the Sick
- Knights of Columbus meetings first Monday at 7:00 PM
Visit Us — Location & Contact
Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church is located at 401 Prospect Drive, Trinity, Texas 75862, on Hwy 19 North just north of Trinity's Hospital. The parish can be reached by phone at (936) 594-6664, and directions are available via the parish website.
- Address: 401 Prospect Drive, Trinity, TX 75862
- Phone: (936) 594-6664
- Website: http://mhttrinity.org/
- Located on Hwy 19 North, just north of Trinity's Hospital
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Anselm Walker
Pastor of St. Francis of the Tejas who began celebrating Mass in Trinity at temporary locations (funeral home, mobile homes, members' homes, Pinecrest Estates office); departed the Most Holy Trinity mission in 1976.
- Fr. Reginald Nesvadbafrom 1976
Succeeded Fr. Walker; oversaw the mission's growth to thirty registered families and the construction of the first permanent church, with the first Mass celebrated on Easter Sunday, 1981.
- Rev. Fr. Juan Carlos Riveraappointed Summer 2023
Appointed pastor of Most Holy Trinity in Trinity (from pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Pittsburg), per Diocese of Tyler Summer 2023 assignments. Listed on parish website as Pastor; per Summer 2026 diocesan assignments, reassigned as Pastor of Christ the King Parish in Kilgore.