About Our Lady of Guadalupe · Brownsville, Texas
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Brownsville, located at 1200 East Lincoln Street in Brownsville, Texas. Established in 1927–1928 as a Mexican-American mission chapel of the nearby Immaculate Conception Cathedral, it was carved out of the mother parish to serve the growing Hispanic population in the northeast of the city. The parish, which was administered by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.) for the first forty-four years of its life, today is led by Pastor Rev. Francisco Acosta with Deacon Bruno Cedillo. It is a bilingual (Spanish/English) community parish celebrated for its Marian devotion under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas.
- Established
- 1927
- Patron
- Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe)
- Rector
- Rev. Francisco Acosta
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a long-standing bilingual parish in northeast Brownsville that has served the local Mexican-American Catholic community since 1927. It offers daily and Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish, weekly Eucharetic Adoration (Thursdays 7:00–8:00 pm), Saturday confessions before the vigil Mass, and a deeply Marian devotional life centered on Our Lady of Guadalupe. Active parish ministries include the Funeral Lunch Ministry, Nursing Home visits, Bereavement support, Pastoral Care / Communion to the homebound, and Catholic Charities food drives — making it a good fit for parishioners looking for a parish with strong Hispanic devotional tradition, family-centered community life, and a tangible commitment to corporal works of mercy.
Mass times at Our Lady of Guadalupe
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (English) — or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
History of the Parish
Our Lady of Guadalupe grew out of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.) apostolate that had been based at Immaculate Conception Church in Brownsville since 1849. As the city's northeast side developed in the early 1920s, the Oblates — at the urging of the bishop of Brownsville — purchased a tract twelve blocks northeast of Immaculate Conception in 1922. While the permanent church was being funded, the salvaged chapel of Salado was moved to the site in 1924 to serve as a temporary worship space. Construction of the permanent church was completed in 1927, and Our Lady of Guadalupe was canonically erected as a separate parish on December 20, 1927. The Oblates administered the parish until 1971, when governance was transferred to the Diocese of Brownsville.
- 1922 — Land purchased for the future parish twelve blocks northeast of Immaculate Conception Church
- 1924 — Abandoned chapel of Salado moved to the property as a temporary church
- 1925 — Number of priests at Immaculate Conception increased to five, freeing one to develop the Guadalupe parish
- 1927 — Permanent church built; rectory improvised from the Salado and La Palma chapels
- December 20, 1927 — Our Lady of Guadalupe canonically erected as a separate parish
- 1927–1971 — Parish administered by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- 1971 — Diocese of Brownsville assumes direct pastoral governance
Mass and Worship Schedule
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a bilingual parish celebrating Mass in both English and Spanish every day of the week. Weekday Masses (Monday–Saturday) are celebrated in Spanish at 8:00 am. The Saturday vigil at 5:00 pm is in English, and Sunday Masses are offered at 8:00 am (Spanish), 10:00 am (English), 12:00 pm (Spanish), and 5:00 pm (English). Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons from 4:00 to 4:45 pm, and by appointment. A weekly hour of Eucharistic Adoration is held on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:00 pm.
- Daily 8:00 am Mass (Monday–Friday, Spanish)
- Saturday 8:00 am (Spanish) and 5:00 pm vigil (English)
- Sunday: 8:00 am Spanish, 10:00 am English, 12:00 pm Spanish, 5:00 pm English
- Confessions: Saturday 4:00–4:45 pm or by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration: Thursday 7:00–8:00 pm
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently led by Pastor Rev. Francisco Acosta, with Deacon Bruno Cedillo assisting in liturgical and pastoral ministry. Inquiries about any of the sacraments, parish programs, or scheduling may be directed to the parish office at (956) 542-4823.
- Rev. Francisco Acosta — Pastor
- Deacon Bruno Cedillo
Parish Ministries and Outreach
Our Lady of Guadalupe maintains a robust set of ministries rooted in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Volunteers accompany the bereaved, bring Holy Communion to the homebound, drive parishioners to Mass, visit nursing-home residents, and prepare funeral lunches for grieving families. Food drives for Catholic Charities and other local charities are organized periodically, and a Funeral Lunch Ministry gathers parishioners to feed the families of the deceased in the parish hall.
- Pastoral Care / Homebound Ministry (Communion visits, transportation, respite care)
- Bereavement Ministry
- Funeral Planning Ministry
- Funeral Lunch Ministry (coordinators: Rose Hernandez, Lonnies Valdivia, Mary Lou Escobar)
- Nursing Home Visitation
- Corporate Works of Mercy / Catholic Charities Food Drives
- Liturgical Music Ministry
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments. Families seeking Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, or assistance with a Catholic funeral are invited to call the parish office to begin preparation. Confirmation and adult-initiation formation are typically coordinated in collaboration with the Diocese of Brownsville's faith-formation programs.
- Baptism (infant and adult, through RCIA)
- First Holy Communion and Confirmation preparation
- Matrimony / Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Liturgy planning and Funeral Lunch coordination
Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe
As its very name indicates, the parish is animated by a particular devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas whose image on the tilma of St. Juan Diego in 1531 is the spiritual heart of Mexican and Mexican-American Catholic life. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12 is celebrated each year with special Masses and devotions, and Marian piety shapes the parish's daily liturgical rhythm — most Masses are offered in Spanish, the language of the original Tilma apparition account.
- Patron: Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe)
- Feast day celebrated with special Masses: December 12
- Strong Marian identity rooted in the Mexican-American Catholic tradition of the Rio Grande Valley
Visiting, Location, and Contact
The parish church is located at 1200 East Lincoln Street in northeast Brownsville, roughly twelve blocks northeast of the historic Immaculate Conception Cathedral. Visitors are welcome at any of the scheduled Masses; those wishing to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation are encouraged to arrive early on Saturday afternoon. The parish office can be reached by telephone at (956) 542-4823. The parish's most active public online presence is its Facebook page at facebook.com/OLGBrownsville, where the current Mass and event schedule is posted.
- Address: 1200 East Lincoln Street, Brownsville, TX 78521
- Phone: (956) 542-4823
- Neighborhood: Northeast Brownsville
- Diocese: Diocese of Brownsville (cdob.org)
- Official social: facebook.com/OLGBrownsville
Frequently Asked Questions
Practical information for first-time visitors and prospective parishioners.
- Where is the church? 1200 East Lincoln Street, Brownsville, TX 78521.
- What time is Mass? Weekdays 8:00 am (Spanish); Saturday 8:00 am (Spanish) and 5:00 pm (English); Sunday 8:00 am (Spanish), 10:00 am (English), 12:00 pm (Spanish), 5:00 pm (English).
- When is confession? Saturday 4:00–4:45 pm, or by appointment.
- Is there Eucharistic Adoration? Yes — Thursday evenings 7:00–8:00 pm.
- Who is the pastor? Rev. Francisco Acosta, with Deacon Bruno Cedillo assisting.
- What diocese is the parish in? The Diocese of Brownsville.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Unknown O.M.I. priest in charge of the Guadalupe chapel (1924–1925)1924-1925
The Oblate priest who, while still assigned to the outlying ranch missions from Immaculate Conception, celebrated Sunday Mass and weekday catechism in the temporary Salado chapel on the newly acquired Lincoln Street property.
- Unknown O.M.I. priest assigned to develop the projected parish (1925–1927)1925-1927
In 1925 the number of priests at Immaculate Conception was increased to five, allowing one Oblate to give his full attention to building up the Guadalupe parish and to oversee construction of the 1927 church.
- Oblate of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.) Pastors (1927–1971)1927-1971
Our Lady of Guadalupe was administered by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate from its canonical establishment on December 20, 1927, until 1971, when the Diocese of Brownsville took over direct governance. Individual Oblate pastors' names were not located in the public sources surveyed.
- Diocesan Pastors (1971–present)1971-present
From 1971 onward the parish has been led by diocesan clergy of the Diocese of Brownsville. A complete public roster of diocesan pastors was not located; the current pastor is Rev. Francisco Acosta, with Deacon Bruno Cedillo assisting.