About Our Lady of Guadalupe · De Leon, Texas
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Catholic parish in De Leon, Texas, located on the southern edge of Comanche County. It is one of four parishes served as a cluster by the Pallottine Fathers (SAC) of the Diocese of Fort Worth, alongside St. Brendan in Stephenville, St. Mary in Dublin, and Sacred Heart in Comanche. The parish offers Sunday Mass in English, weekly religious education for children, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, a Wednesday Bible Study, and Reconciliation before Mass or by appointment, serving the small rural Catholic community of De Leon and the surrounding countryside.
- Patron
- Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew Sanka, SAC
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Worth
Why belong here
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a welcoming small-town parish where the Catholic faithful of De Leon and rural Comanche County gather each Sunday for Mass and ongoing formation. Families can enroll their children in on-site religious education (with Sacramental Preparation built in), adults can grow in faith through a Wednesday-evening Bible Study, and the parish opens its doors for monthly Eucharistic Adoration on the third Wednesday of each month. Being part of the four-parish St. Brendan cluster means worshippers also benefit from the wider sacramental and pastoral support of the Pallottine Fathers and the broader Stephenville-area Catholic community.
Mass times at Our Lady of Guadalupe
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before each Mass or by appointment
Adoration times
- Third Wednesday of each month, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
About Our Lady of Guadalupe, De Leon
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Catholic parish serving the small community of De Leon, Texas, and surrounding rural areas in Comanche County. It belongs to the Diocese of Fort Worth and is one of four parishes in the St. Brendan cluster, administered by the Pallottine Fathers (SAC). The parish gathers each Sunday morning for Mass and offers ongoing faith formation for children and adults throughout the week.
- Parish of the Diocese of Fort Worth
- Part of the St. Brendan Catholic cluster (Stephenville / Dublin / Comanche / De Leon)
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 168, Dublin, TX 76446
- Physical address: 6044 Hwy 16 South, De Leon, TX 76444
Parish History and Local Heritage
The name 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' is woven into the very founding of De Leon. In 1824, Martín De León received an empresarial grant from the Mexican government and established his colony on the Guadalupe River under the name 'Nuestra Señora Guadalupe de Jesús Victoria,' honoring both the Virgin of Guadalupe and Mexico's first president. Modern Catholic life in the wider Stephenville–De Leon region traces to 1958, when St. Brendan was dedicated in Stephenville as a mission of St. Stephen in Weatherford under the Pallottine Fathers; it became a full parish on February 11, 1960. Our Lady of Guadalupe in De Leon has been served within that same Pallottine-led cluster.
- Town of De Leon founded 1824 by Martín De León as 'Nuestra Señora Guadalupe de Jesús Victoria'
- St. Brendan cluster dedicated April 13, 1958
- St. Brendan raised to full parish status February 11, 1960
- Pastoral care entrusted to the Pallottine Fathers (SAC) since the 1950s
Mass, Sacraments and Schedule
Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated in English at 10:30 AM. Reconciliation is offered 30 minutes before Mass or by appointment. The parish also takes its turn hosting the cluster's special liturgies — for example, Deacon Tommy Diaz presides at the 6:00 PM Ash Wednesday service at the De Leon location.
- Sunday Mass: 10:30 AM (English)
- Reconciliation: 30 minutes before Mass or by appointment
- Ash Wednesday service: 6:00 PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe (Deacon Tommy Diaz)
- Cluster Mass Schedule includes other parishes: Saturday 5:00 PM English at St. Brendan; Saturday 7:30 PM Spanish at St. Mary; Sunday 9:00 AM English at St. Mary; Sunday 11:30 AM Bilingual at Sacred Heart; Sunday 5:00 PM English at St. Brendan
Faith Formation and Bible Study
Children's religious education classes meet at Our Lady of Guadalupe on Sunday mornings from 9:15 AM to 10:20 AM, immediately before the parish Mass. Sacramental Preparation for First Communion and Confirmation is built into the program. Adults can attend a parish Bible Study on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM.
- Children's Religious Education: Sundays 9:15 AM – 10:20 AM
- Sacramental Preparation included in the religious education curriculum
- Adult Bible Study: Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
Clergy and Staff
Our Lady of Guadalupe is pastored by Rev. Matthew Sanka, SAC, of the Pallottine Fathers, with Rev. James Amasi, SAC, serving as Parochial Vicar for the cluster. Deacon Tommy Diaz assists the parish and is a familiar presence at the De Leon Ash Wednesday liturgy. Melissa Winborn serves as Bookkeeper. Pastoral and administrative needs are coordinated through the central St. Brendan parish office in Stephenville.
- Rev. Matthew Sanka, SAC — Pastor
- Rev. James Amasi, SAC — Parochial Vicar
- Dcn. Tommy Diaz — Deacon
- Melissa Winborn — Bookkeeper
Cluster Parishes (St. Brendan Catholic Community)
Our Lady of Guadalupe shares clergy and resources with three neighboring parishes in the Diocese of Fort Worth, forming a single pastoral community based in Stephenville.
- St. Brendan Catholic Church — 1444 W Washington St., Stephenville, TX 76401
- St. Mary Catholic Church — Dublin, TX
- Sacred Heart Catholic Church — Comanche, TX
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church — 6044 Hwy 16 South, De Leon, TX 76444
Contact, Giving and Communications
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office through the central St. Brendan number, (254) 965-5693, located at 1444 W Washington St., Stephenville, TX 76401. Mail for the De Leon parish should be addressed to P.O. Box 168, Dublin, TX 76446. The parish shares in the cluster's online giving system and weekly bulletin, and maintains a presence on Facebook.
- Main phone: (254) 965-5693
- Address: 6044 Hwy 16 South, De Leon, TX 76444
- Mail: P.O. Box 168, Dublin, TX 76446
- Online giving and weekly bulletin available via stbrendanscc.org
- Facebook: Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church (De Leon, TX)