About Our Lady of Guadalupe · Austin, Texas
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in East Austin, Texas, founded in April 1907 and one of the oldest Hispanic Catholic communities in the city. Located at 1206 E 9th Street just east of downtown along the IH-35 corridor, the parish is celebrated as a vibrant, multicultural family of faith with strong Spanish-language ministry and deep devotion to its patroness, Our Lady of Guadalupe — Patroness of the Americas. The current church was built in the 1950s and seats about 700 people, and the parish continues to serve Austin's east-side community through daily and Sunday Mass (in English and Spanish), a busy food pantry, weekly Eucharistic adoration, and a rich array of lay ministries and apostolic movements.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- Our Lady of Guadalupe (Patroness of the Americas)
- Rector
- Fr. Pedro Alfonso Castillo
- Diocese
- Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of Austin's oldest Hispanic Catholic parishes, with more than a century of continuous worship and an unmistakable bilingual identity — Sunday Mass is offered in both Spanish and English every weekend, and many of the parish's lay movements (Las Guadalupanas, Las Carmelitas, MFCC, Las Matrimonios, the Legion of Mary, the Schoenstatt Movement) draw deeply on Mexican and Latin American Catholic devotional life. If you want a parish that lives its faith through service — a working food pantry, weekly Eucharistic adoration, social-justice and Gabriel Project outreach, the annual Jamaica festival, and strong family-based catechesis — OLG is a concrete, welcoming community along Austin's east-side IH-35 corridor.
Mass times at Our Lady of Guadalupe
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 p.m. (Sacrament of Reconciliation)
Adoration times
- Weekly Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Thursdays 6:00 p.m. through Friday
- First Friday of the Month: Thursday 6:00 p.m. through Saturday 11:00 a.m.
Parish History
The parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe was founded in April 1907 on the corner of 5th and Guadalupe Streets and was originally staffed by the Holy Cross Fathers until 1925, when the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate took over direction. Under successive Oblate pastors the parish relocated east to its current home (a new church was blessed on September 5, 1926), and in 1953–54 the present, much larger church was built — its cornerstone laid May 31, 1953 by Bishop Reicher, and the first Mass celebrated on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1954. In 2007 pastoral care passed to the Conventual Franciscans, in 2011 to the Franciscan Friars TOR, and since May 2024 the parish has been led by diocesan clergy.
- Founded April 1907 at 5th & Guadalupe
- Holy Cross Fathers 1907–1925
- Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate 1925–2007
- Current church dedicated August 15, 1954 by Bishop Reicher
- Conventual Franciscans 2007–2011; Franciscan Friars TOR 2011–2024
- Diocesan pastor Fr. Pedro Alfonso Castillo since May 2024
Our Patroness — Our Lady of Guadalupe
The parish takes its name from Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Blessed Virgin Mary who appeared to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill near Mexico City in December 1531, leaving her image miraculously imprinted on his tilma. She is venerated as Patroness of the Americas and Star of the New Evangelization, and her feast day is December 12. The parish and the wider Diocese of Austin celebrate her with Masses, processions, traditional music and dance — including an annual 3-mile diocesan procession from St. Mary's Cathedral to San José Parish in downtown Austin.
- Feast day: December 12
- Patroness of the Americas and Star of the New Evangelization
- Las Guadalupanas devotion society active at the parish
- Annual diocesan procession from St. Mary's Cathedral to San José Parish
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
Sunday Mass is offered three times — in Spanish at 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and in English at 10:00 a.m. — with a Saturday Vigil in English at 6:00 p.m. Weekday Masses are celebrated in the parish chapel: Monday at 6:30 a.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 6:00 p.m.; and Friday at 12:00 p.m. (Friday 6:30 p.m. during Lent). The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard every Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday Vigil: 6:00 p.m. English
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m. Spanish / 10:00 a.m. English / 6:00 p.m. Spanish
- Weekday Mass in the Chapel Mon–Fri
- Reconciliation: Saturday 4:30 p.m.
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve at the altar and throughout the liturgy in a wide range of liturgical ministries. These include care of the altar and sacred vessels, singing in the parish choirs, proclaiming Scripture as lectors and commentators, distributing Holy Communion as Eucharistic Ministers, serving as ushers, and assisting the priest as altar servers.
- Altar Flower Arranging
- Altar Linen Care
- Altar Servers
- Arts & Environment
- Choirs
- Commentators
- Eucharistic Adoration
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Lectors
- Ushers
Faith Formation & Youth
Faith formation at OLG is directed by Estela Lavorgna, the parish's Director of Evangelization, Catechesis, and Discipleship. The parish runs a Youth Ministry and a Youth/Community Development program, in addition to family-based catechesis that the parish mission statement describes as central to its identity.
- Director of Evangelization, Catechesis, and Discipleship — Estela Lavorgna
- Youth Ministry
- Youth/Community Development
- Family-based religious education (per mission statement)
Social Outreach & Charity
Our Lady of Guadalupe has a strong social-justice and outreach identity. The parish Food Pantry distributes groceries on the 1st and 2nd Tuesdays of each month (10:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m.) and on the 3rd Saturday (9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.); the pantry is closed on the last Tuesday of every month. Other outreach includes the Gabriel Project (pro-life support for mothers), a Sunday Breakfast ministry for those in need, a Welcoming Ministry, and a parish Golf Tournament fundraiser.
- Food Pantry: 1st & 2nd Tuesdays 10:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m.; 3rd Saturday 9:00–11:00 a.m. (closed last Tuesday)
- Gabriel Project
- Social Justice Ministry
- Sunday Breakfast
- Welcoming Ministry
- Golf Tournament fundraiser
Parish Societies, Movements & Councils
The parish is home to a remarkable variety of lay societies, retreat movements, Marian and sacramental groups, and councils. A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Community, Theology and Service) retreats are offered annually for men and women. The Schoenstatt Movement, Legion of Mary, Las Carmelitas (a visitation-of-the-sick society dating to about 1956), Las Guadalupanas, Matrimonios, the Men's Ministry Group, and Movimiento Familiar Cristiano Católico (MFCC) all meet regularly. The Pastoral Council and Finance Council advise the pastor on parish mission and finances.
- A.C.T.S. retreats
- Divine Mercy
- Finance Council
- Jamaica Committee (annual festival)
- Las Carmelitas (~1956)
- Las Guadalupanas
- Maintenance & Upkeep
- Matrimonios
- Men's Ministry Group
- MFCC (Movimiento Familiar Cristiano Católico)
- Pastoral Council
- Rosary Ministry Group
- Sagrado Corazón
- Santísimo Sacramento
- Schoenstatt Movement
- The Legion of Mary
Parish Staff & Pastoral Council
The parish staff is led by Pastor Fr. Pedro Alfonso Castillo, with Fr. Arturo Valadez Pizarro serving as Parochial Vicar and Deacon Mario Renteria assisting. Estela Lavorgna directs Evangelization, Catechesis and Discipleship; Carolina Cisneros serves as Business Manager/Bookkeeper; Jimmy Mojica and Evelyn Cisneros are Administrative Assistants; and David Camargo is Custodian/Maintenance. The Pastoral Council is chaired by Elsa Rivera, with Joseph Montoya as Vice Chair and Ashley Villarreal as Recorder.
- Pastor: Fr. Pedro Alfonso Castillo
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Arturo Valadez Pizarro
- Deacon Mario Renteria
- Director of Evangelization, Catechesis & Discipleship: Estela Lavorgna
- Business Manager/Bookkeeper: Carolina Cisneros
- Administrative Assistants: Jimmy Mojica, Evelyn Cisneros
- Custodian/Maintenance: David Camargo
- Pastoral Council Chair: Elsa Rivera
Facilities, Sacraments & Visiting
Parish facilities can be rented for receptions, business meetings, and private events — call the parish office at (512) 478-7955 for details and scheduling. The church hosts weddings, quinceañeras, and private baptisms. Parking is available inside the gates and on the surrounding street between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.; all gates close at 9:00 p.m. The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m.–noon.
- Office: Mon–Thu 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Fri 9 a.m.–noon
- Phone: (512) 478-7955
- Address: 1206 E 9th St, Austin, TX 78702
- Facilities available for rental (receptions, meetings, events)
- Parking: inside the gates and on street, 7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
- Convenient to downtown Austin via the IH-35 corridor
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Jose Prieto, O.M.I.1925–
First Oblate pastor; came from Pro-Cathedral of St. Augustine, Laredo; trained in Spain and France; opened with a two-week mission.
- Fr. Francis Balzola, O.M.I.
Successor to Fr. Prieto; bought the present parish land and built the 1926 church from materials of the 5th-and-Guadalupe church.
- Fr. Joseph Sammon, O.M.I.1962–1963
Began his pastorate September 13, 1962; transferred to St. Mary's, San Antonio a year later.
- Fr. Stanley Guzik, O.M.I.1963–
Appointed September 9, 1963; oversaw construction of a new parish school and beautification of the church grounds.
- Fr. Herbert Hooks, O.M.I.1956–
Arrived May 31, 1956; built a new convent in 1959 and added office space to the rectory.
- Friar Francisco Munoz-Villegas, O.F.M. Conv.August 2007 – March 2011
First Conventual Franciscan pastor when the order assumed the parish in 2007.
- Friar Guillermo Alamilla Aguilar, O.F.M. Conv.August 2010 – May 2011
Conventual Franciscan.
- Fr. Harry F. Dean (Diocesan)March 2011 – May 2011
Bridge pastor between religious orders.
- Friar Florencio Rodriguez, TORJune 1, 2011 – March 2024
Franciscan Friar TOR, led the parish for nearly 13 years.
- Friar Genaro Mayorga Reyes, TOR04/2017 – 12/2018
Franciscan TOR.
- Friar Roque Ocampo Lopez, TORJuly 2021 – March 2024
Franciscan TOR.
- Fr. Pedro Alfonso CastilloMay 2024 – Current
Current pastor; diocesan priest.
- Fr. Saji LukoseJuly 2025 – August 2025
Parochial Vicar; Syro-Malankara priest from the Diocese of Puttur, Karnataka, India.