About Our Lady of Consolation · Riviera, Texas
Our Lady of Consolation is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Corpus Christi that, despite its Riviera, Texas mailing address, is centered in the tiny farming hamlet of Vattmann in Kleberg County, about sixteen miles southeast of Kingsville. The parish is a multi-site community comprising the historic Our Lady of Consolation Church in Vattmann, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Riviera, and the Sacred Heart Mission in Ricardo. It is pastored by Father Andy Sensenig, OMI — a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate who also serves as Vicar Forane (Dean) of the Kingsville Deanery — and is assisted by Deacon Michael Valenzuela. The community's deep roots go back to 1909 and to the German-American Catholic settlers who founded the town of Vattmannville.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- Our Lady of Consolation (Our Blessed Mother)
- Rector
- Fr. Andy Sensenig, OMI
- Diocese
- Diocese of Corpus Christi
Why belong here
Our Lady of Consolation offers the kind of close-knit, multi-generational Catholic community that has anchored the Vattmann–Riviera–Ricardo area for more than a century. The parish runs three worship sites — the historic Vattmann church, Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Riviera, and Sacred Heart Mission in Ricardo — giving families across rural Kleberg County a regular Sunday Mass, daily Mass, weekly Confession and adoration, and a parish school of faith through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults), religious education, a youth Mass and a women's club, men's club, music ministry and craft ministry. It is also home to the famous annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner, a community fundraiser that has drawn about 2,000 visitors from across the region every year since 1913.
Mass times at Our Lady of Consolation
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Our Lady of Consolation, Vattmann)
- One half hour before Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses
- Sundays 11:30 AM – 11:50 AM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, Riviera (or by appointment)
- Thursdays 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM during the rotating parish Holy Hour (Eucharistic Adoration and Confession)
Adoration times
- Thursdays at 6:30 PM — rotating parish Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration and Confession: 1st & 5th Thursdays at OLC Vattmann; 2nd Thursday at Sacred Heart Mission, Ricardo; 3rd Thursday at OLG Sarita; 4th Thursday at OLGM Riviera
History of Our Lady of Consolation Parish
Our Lady of Consolation traces its origins to 1907, when Minnesota land developer Theodore F. Koch purchased a large tract from the King Ranch and recruited Father Edward J. Vattmann of the Catholic Colonization Society of America to settle German-American Catholic families in the area. In 1908 the first family — Edward J. May — arrived from Westphalia, Texas, and the 1909 frame church quickly followed. The community named itself 'Vattmannville' in honor of Father Vattmann; the name was later shortened to Vattmann. After the 1916 hurricane destroyed the original church, residents rebuilt together using handmade bricks from Loyola Beach sand and bricks from D'Hanis, completing the present house of worship around 1920. The annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner, begun in 1913, has continued every year except 1943 and is today the parish's signature fundraiser.
- 1907 — Koch buys King Ranch land; Riviera platted on the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway
- 1908 — First German Catholic family (Edward J. May from Westphalia, TX) settles the area
- 1909 — Koch Land Company and Catholic Colonization Society build the first frame church
- 1913 — First annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner held by parishioners
- 1916 — Hurricane destroys original church; community rebuilds
- c. 1920 — Present Our Lady of Consolation Church completed
- 1948 — Vattmann school consolidated with the Riviera school
- Today — Three-site parish under the Diocese of Corpus Christi
Parish Mission Statement
Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Vattmann, with its two missions at Our Lady of Guadalupe, Riviera, and Sacred Heart Mission, Ricardo, under the patronage of our Blessed Mother, as a united Catholic community, is committed to bringing the Triune God to people, and people to Him, through the Word of God and Sacraments, in obedience to the Church.
- Motto: 'Loving Christ, Loving Others'
- Under the patronage of Our Blessed Mother
- United community across three worship sites
Clergy and Parish Staff
The parish is led by Father Andy Sensenig, OMI, a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate who joined Our Lady of Consolation Parish on June 11, 2021 and also serves as Vicar Forane (Dean) of the Kingsville Deanery. He is assisted by Deacon Michael Valenzuela and a small staff and lay leadership team.
- Pastor: Fr. Andy Sensenig, OMI (also Vicar Forane / Dean, Kingsville Deanery)
- Deacon: Michael Valenzuela
- Director of Religious Education: Debbie Unterbrink
- Parish Secretary / Bookkeeper / Website Administrator: Barbara Grayson
- Parish Administrative Assistant: Terri Garza
- Cemetery Association: Bill Schonefeld
- Music Ministry — Organist: Goldia Hubert; Cantor: Julie Harris
- Women's Club / Craft Ministry: Gwen Rudellat / Kathy Hubert
- Men's Club: Pancho Hubert
Faith Formation and OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
The parish runs Religious Education classes for its youth and families, and welcomes adults who want to learn about or join the Catholic Church through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA — also known as RCIA). The OCIA process is a journey through the Pre-Catechumenate, Rite of Initiation, Catechumenate, Rite of Election, the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogy, supported by an OCIA team of sponsors. The parish also welcomes returning Catholics and invites newcomers to register, contact the church office, or meet with the pastor.
- Religious Education classes (Director: Debbie Unterbrink)
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation for Adults
- Returning Catholics welcome
- Newcomer registration
- OCIA Team of sponsors for inquirers, catechumens and candidates
Sacraments
Our Lady of Consolation celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church — the three Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation), the two Sacraments of Healing (Penance / Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick), and the two Sacraments of Vocation (Marriage, Holy Orders). The parish website offers catechetical pages on Baptism, the Eucharist, and Holy Orders, and the pastor and deacon can be contacted through the parish office for preparation and arrangements.
- Baptism
- Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Penance / Reconciliation (Confession)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Marriage
- Holy Orders
Parish Life, Ministries and Community
Beyond the Mass schedule, Our Lady of Consolation is sustained by a small but active network of lay ministries and parish groups. A women's club and craft ministry, a men's club, the music ministry (organist and cantor), the cemetery association, and a parish council help bind the three sites together. The parish also runs a dedicated Youth Mass every Sunday evening at OLC Vattmann to engage younger parishioners.
- Women's Club / Craft Ministry
- Men's Club
- Music Ministry (Organist Goldia Hubert; Cantor Julie Harris)
- Cemetery Association
- Youth Ministry / Sunday 5:00 PM Youth Mass
- Parish Council
The Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner
Begun in 1913 by the parishioners themselves, the Thanksgiving Day Dinner at Our Lady of Consolation in Vattmann has become one of the most beloved parish traditions in South Texas. Held every year except 1943 (when it was suspended due to World War II rationing), the home-cooked turkey dinner, bingo, skeet shooting, children's games, and a dance drew about 2,000 visitors from across the region by 1989 and remains the parish's largest annual fundraiser. Originally free, the parish began charging for the meal in the late 1940s — $1.50 a plate — and now welcomes new friends and old from across the country each Thanksgiving.
- First held in 1913
- Skipped only in 1943 (WWII rationing)
- Home-cooked turkey dinner, bingo, skeet shooting, kids' games, dance
- Drew ~2,000 visitors annually by 1989
- Parish's largest annual fundraiser
The Three Worship Sites
Our Lady of Consolation Parish is a single canonical parish in the Diocese of Corpus Christi that serves three rural communities of the Kleberg County area. The historic mother church is Our Lady of Consolation in Vattmann, with daily Mass and most parish offices; Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Riviera offers the Sunday noon Mass; and Sacred Heart Mission in Ricardo hosts the Saturday Vigil Mass. The rotating Thursday Holy Hour visits each of the parish sites on a four-week rotation.
- Our Lady of Consolation Church — Vattmann, TX (main church; FM 626 & 772)
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission — 111 S. 2nd St., Riviera, TX 78379
- Sacred Heart Mission — Ricardo, TX
- Parish office: 204 Palm Ave, Riviera, TX 78379
Visiting and Contact
The parish welcomes visitors and new members. Those interested in registering, returning to the practice of the faith, learning more about the Catholic Church, or becoming Catholic are encouraged to contact the parish office, meet with the pastor, or use the parish website's Newcomers and OCIA pages. Private Confessions can also be scheduled by appointment through the parish office.
- Parish Office: 204 Palm Ave, Riviera, TX 78379
- Phone: (361) 297-5255
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.olcvattmann.org/
- Appointments for private Confessions by request via the Parish Office