About Mother Cabrini · Pharr, Texas
Mother Cabrini Parish (officially Church of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini) is a Roman Catholic parish in Pharr, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. It belongs to the Diocese of Brownsville and is a predominantly Spanish-speaking community serving the immigrant faithful of South Texas, while also welcoming the diverse families — including a Kurdish Sorani-speaking community — that make up the parish today. The parish celebrates Sunday Masses in Spanish, a monthly Charismatic Mass in English, and offers weekday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, and Confession. Mother Cabrini Parish is known locally simply as 'Madre Cabrini,' and its faithful run a large network of ministries covering youth, young adults, migrants, marriage, music, bereavement, and the Knights of Columbus.
- Established
- 1999
- Patron
- St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (Mother Cabrini)
- Rector
- Rev. Miguel Angel Ortega
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
Mother Cabrini is a Spanish-speaking Catholic home in the Rio Grande Valley that makes faith accessible through daily and Sunday Mass, weekly Confession, perpetual-style Eucharistic Adoration, and a robust set of lay ministries. It is a parish shaped by immigrants, with specific outreach to migrants, young adults, parents, and the bereaved, and it runs formation programs (LifeTeen, religious education, sacramental prep) as well as vibrant Spanish-language and bilingual choirs. If you are a Spanish-speaking family in Pharr looking for a parish where the entire rhythm of life — youth group, marriage enrichment, Knights of Columbus, charismatic prayer, migrant ministry — is built around the Eucharist and the saints, Mother Cabrini was made for you.
Mass times at Mother Cabrini
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Adoration times
- Nocturnal Adoration (monthly; see parish announcements)
Parish Identity & Patron
Mother Cabrini Parish takes its spiritual identity from St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850–1917), the Italian-born founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was the first naturalized U.S. citizen to be canonized (in 1946 by Pope Pius XII) and is honored as the patron saint of immigrants — a fitting patron for a South Texas border parish that runs an active Migrants Ministry.
- Patron: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
- Parish short name: Mother Cabrini (Madre Cabrini)
- Year established: 1999
Sacraments
Mother Cabrini celebrates the seven sacraments as a diocesan parish in the Diocese of Brownsville. Sacramental preparation is handled through the Religious Education office and the Marriage Group, while Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation are available by appointment or during scheduled confession times.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- First Communion & Confirmation — through Religious Education (Sr. Rachel MJMJ)
- Marriage — Marriage Group / Grupo de Matrimonios
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Miguel Angel Ortega (effective July 1, 2015; re-appointed July 1, 2021), assisted by Parochial Vicar Rev. Eduardo Gomez (effective August 26, 2019), Deacons Daniel Hudec and Jesus Figueroa Jr., and Parish Catechetical Leader Sr. Rachel Vallarta, MJMJ. The Office page also lists Rev. Benjamin Flores and a strong lay staff including administrative assistant, secretary, music director (Monica Heri), maintenance, custodians, and Safe Environment coordinator Aida Calderon.
- Rev. Miguel Angel Ortega — Pastor
- Rev. Eduardo Gomez — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Daniel Hudec
- Deacon Jesus Figueroa, Jr.
- Sr. Rachel Vallarta, MJMJ — Parish Catechetical Leader
- Monica Heri — Music Director
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education is coordinated by Sr. Rachel Vallarta of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MJMJ), the order Mother Cabrini herself founded. The program supports sacramental preparation and ongoing faith formation for children, youth (LifeTeen), and adults.
- Religious Education (Sr. Rachel MJMJ)
- LifeTeen Youth Group (Laura Diaz)
- Young Adults Ministry
Youth & Young Adults
LifeTeen is the parish's youth ministry program, designed to lead teenagers into a deeper relationship with Christ through fellowship, prayer, and service. The Young Adults Ministry extends this work to young adults (typically 18–30s), often working in tandem with Spanish-language evangelization efforts and the parish Charismatic Mass.
- LifeTeen Youth Group
- Young Adults Ministry
- 1st Monday Charismatic Mass (English)
Adult & Family Ministries
The parish supports family life through several small-group communities. 'That Man Is You' is an international men's program; 'Parents Helping Parents / Padres Ayudando a Padres' walks alongside families; and the Marriage Group / Grupo de Matrimonios provides enrichment for couples preparing for or living out the sacrament of Matrimony.
- That Man Is You (men's program)
- Parents Helping Parents / Padres Ayudando a Padres
- Marriage Group / Grupo de Matrimonios
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical music at Mother Cabrini is anchored by Music Director Monica Heri, who coordinates the 9:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 5:00 PM choirs. A separate 7:30 AM Coro, led by Genaro I. Delgado, supports the earliest Spanish Mass. Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, and Sacristans round out the liturgical team.
- 9:30 AM, 1:30 PM & 5 PM Choir (Monica Heri)
- 7:30 AM Coro (Genaro I. Delgado)
- Lectors / Lectores (Maria Ayala, Arturo Caraveo, Roberto Rosales)
- Ministers of Communion
- Altar Servers / Servidores del Altar
- Sacristans
Outreach & Charity
Outreach at Mother Cabrini reflects its identity as a border parish. The Migrants Ministry / Ministerio de Migrantes (Alberto & Lorena Bencomo) accompanies immigrant families, and the parish also runs a Bereavement Ministry / Ministerio de Consolación (Cristy Herrera; Nora & Alberto Cubilier) and a Bazaar Committee / Comité de Kermes that funds parish mission through the traditional annual kermés.
- Migrants Ministry / Ministerio de Migrantes
- Bereavement Ministry / Ministerio de Consolación
- Bazaar Committee / Comité de Kermes (Ralph Crouse)
- ACTS retreat community
Parish Life & Service Organizations
Two key service organizations anchor lay leadership at Mother Cabrini. The Knights of Columbus / Caballeros de Colón (Guillbert Mecias, Jose Maldonado) run programs in charity, faith formation, and fraternity; the ACTS community (Juan Delgado, Cindy Felix) hosts retreat weekends for men and women. The Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council provide governance, while the Safe Environment / Ambiente Seguro program (Aida Calderon) ensures child protection compliance.
- Knights of Columbus / Caballeros de Colón
- ACTS retreats
- Parish Pastoral Council / Concilio Pastoral
- Finance Council / Concilio de Finanzas
- Safe Environment / Ambiente Seguro
- Hospitality / Hospitalidad
Facilities & Grounds
The parish campus is located on South Cage Boulevard in Pharr and includes the church building as well as a Parish Hall completed in August 2014, registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as a pre-engineered building dedicated to religious education on the parish grounds. The parish phone, fax, and contact email are listed in the Diocese of Brownsville parish finder.
- Parish Hall dedicated 2014 (religious education building)
- Address: 8001 S. Cage Blvd., Pharr, TX 78577
- Phone: (956) 787-3554
- Fax: (956) 283-1354
- Email: [email protected]
Diocese & Canonical Status
Mother Cabrini Parish is a Roman-Latin rite parish within the Diocese of Brownsville, which covers the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The diocese lists the parish under the name 'Mother Cabrini Parish (1999)' and notes its location, liturgical schedule, and assigned clergy. The parish's official communications channels include its own website and its Facebook page, both of which mirror the diocese's published schedule.
- Diocese: Brownsville
- Rite: Roman (Latin)
- Established: 1999
- Languages: Spanish, English, Sorani
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Miguel Angel Ortegaeff. 07/01/2015 (re-appointed 07/01/2021) – present
Current pastor per Diocese of Brownsville.