About Our Lady of Guadalupe · Diboll, Texas
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Parish (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) is a Hispanic-majority Catholic community in Diboll, Texas, a small lumber-mill town in Angelina County. It began as a mission of St. Patrick Church in Lufkin serving 85 families in Diboll, Corrigan and Moscow after the Temple Industries company recruited Hispanic workers from the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico beginning in 1968. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Tyler (Central Deanery), and Mass is celebrated primarily in Spanish with one bilingual Sunday Mass.
- Established
- 1968
- Patron
- Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe)
- Rector
- Father Luis Fernando Arroyave
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler (previously under the Diocese of Beaumont until 1995)
Why belong here
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the natural spiritual home for Spanish-speaking Catholics in Diboll, Corrigan and Moscow who want weekday and weekend Mass in their language: Sunday Masses are celebrated at 10:00 a.m. in Spanish and 12:30 p.m. bilingually, with a Saturday evening 6:00 p.m. Spanish Mass, plus multiple weekday Spanish Masses (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday). The parish nourishes Marian devotion through the monthly First Saturday Vigil of Eucharistic Adoration until midnight, First Friday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a monthly Healing Mass for the sick, and the annual Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12 — making it a gathering place for Hispanic Catholic life in Angelina County.
Mass times at Our Lady of Guadalupe
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 PM
- By appointment (contact the parish office: 936-829-3659)
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 PM — Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with Holy Mass in Spanish
- First Friday of the month, 8:30 AM — Holy Mass in Spanish and Exposition of the Most Holy (Blessed Sacrament)
- First Saturday of the month, 6:00 PM — Holy Mass and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until Midnight
About the Parish
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) in Diboll, Texas, is a primarily Spanish-language Catholic community serving Diboll, Corrigan and Moscow in Angelina County. It belongs to the Central Deanery of the Diocese of Tyler and traces its roots to the late 1960s recruitment of Hispanic families by Temple Industries. Today the parish celebrates several Spanish Masses each week, a bilingual Sunday Mass, and a rich calendar of Eucharistic devotions, including a monthly vigil of Adoration that runs to midnight on First Saturdays.
- Founded as a mission of St. Patrick Church, Lufkin, in 1968
- Diocese of Tyler, Central Deanery (previously Diocese of Beaumont until 1995)
- Parish motto verse: 'Jesús dijo a su discípulo, he aquí a tu madre' — John 19:27
History
Our Lady of Guadalupe began in 1968 as Temple Industries brought Hispanic workers from the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico to Diboll. Catholic families met for Sunday prayer in the community and were initially ministered to by priests from St. Patrick Church in Lufkin. Katherine Sage Temple and Arthur and Lottie Temple donated half an acre of land, and Father James Jacobson organized the community to begin building a church in September 1970. The first Mass was celebrated on Easter 1971 with about 200 people, and the building was consecrated in April 1971 by Bishop Vincent M. Harris of the Diocese of Beaumont. When the Diocese of Tyler was created, the parish was reassigned to it in 1995.
- 1968: Temple Industries recruits Hispanic workers; mission begins under St. Patrick, Lufkin
- Miss Katherine Sage Temple and Arthur & Lottie Temple donate half an acre
- Founding mission priests: Fathers James Jacobson, Thomas Nolan, and Antony Morin
- September 1970: construction of the church begins
- Easter 1971: first Eucharistic celebration (~200 attendees)
- April 1971: church consecrated by Bishop Vincent M. Harris (Diocese of Beaumont)
- 1995: parish transferred to the newly created Diocese of Tyler
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments with a particular focus on Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage and Anointing of the Sick. Sacramental preparation is coordinated through the parish office and Faith Formation director.
- Baptism: pre-Baptismal classes 2nd and 4th Saturday (2:00–4:00 PM); Baptisms 1st and 3rd Saturday at 11:00 AM
- First Communion: contact Sra. Yvette de la Cruz (936-366-2829) or the parish office
- Confirmation: contact Sra. Yvette de la Cruz (936-366-2829) or the parish office
- Marriage: appointment with Father Luis Fernando Arroyave via the parish office (936-829-3659)
- Confession: Saturday 5:00 PM or by appointment
- Anointing / Mass for the Sick: First Friday of the month, 6:30 PM
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation at Our Lady of Guadalupe is offered bilingually and feeds both sacramental preparation and ongoing catechesis. It is led in coordination with Sra. Yvette de la Cruz, who handles Communion and Confirmation preparation. Weekly catechetical sessions are held in English and Spanish.
- Wednesday 6:00 PM — Faith Formation (Bilingual)
- Pre-Baptismal classes 2nd and 4th Saturday (2:00–4:00 PM)
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
- Director/contact: Sra. Yvette de la Cruz, (936) 366-2829
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
The parish has been led by a succession of priests, beginning with the three founding mission priests (Fathers James Jacobson, Thomas Nolan and Antony Morin) who served the community in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Father Jacobson is documented as still celebrating Masses at the parish as late as 1976. The current pastor is Father Luis Fernando Arroyave, who is responsible for sacramental ministry including marriage.
- Founding mission priests: Rev. James F. Jacobson, MS; Rev. Thomas Nolan; Rev. Antony Morin
- Pastoral anniversary: Fr. Ariel Cortez (officiated through at least 2016)
- Current pastor: Father Luis Fernando Arroyave
Parish Identity and Diocese
Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of three parishes of that name in the Diocese of Tyler (alongside those in Tyler and Nacogdoches, and a mission at New Summerfield). Within the diocese it sits in the Central Deanery together with St. Patrick (Lufkin), St. Andrew the Apostle (Lufkin), St. Therese (Center), and St. Pius I (Hemphill), as well as the missions of Immaculate Conception (Moral), Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nacogdoches), St. Augustine (San Augustine) and Epiphany (Timpson).
- Diocese of Tyler (since 1995)
- Central Deanery
- 100 Maynard Street, Diboll, TX 75941
- Parish office: 936-829-3659
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James F. Jacobson, MScirca 1968–1970s
Founding mission priest who organized the community and led construction of the church beginning September 1970; still celebrating Masses at the parish as of 1976 (officiated at Henry Procella funeral).
- Rev. Thomas Nolan (Pastors)early mission period (late 1960s/early 1970s)
Listed among the first three spiritual leaders of the mission.
- Rev. Antony Morinearly mission period (late 1960s/early 1970s)
Listed among the first three spiritual leaders of the mission.
- Fr. Ariel Cortezat least through 2016
Officiated at funerals at the parish (e.g., Mass of Christian Burial for Yolanda D. Hernandez, November 2016).
- Father Luis Fernando Arroyavethrough at least 2024
Current pastor. Officiated at the Mass of Christian Burial for Elvia R. Prieto in November 2024; listed on parish website for sacramental appointments including marriage.