About Our Lady of Perpetual Help - Selma · Selma, Texas
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church (OLPH) is a historic parish in Selma, Texas, situated between San Antonio and New Braunfels in the rapidly growing northeastern corridor of Bexar County. Founded in 1897 as a mission for German Catholic pioneers along Cibolo Creek, the parish has served the community for more than 125 years and now ministers to roughly 1,100+ families across Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe counties. Worship is offered in both English and Spanish, and the parish operates a parish school staffed by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. It belongs to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Antonio and is currently pastored by Fr. Jeff Pehl.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Rector
- Fr. Jeff Pehl
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Antonio (Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Antonio)
Why belong here
OLPH-Selma welcomes newcomers as part of a faith community that has served the Cibolo Creek valley for over 125 years and now spans Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe counties. The parish offers a full sacramental life — daily Mass, Saturday Vigil and five Sunday Masses including a Spanish Mass at 2:00 PM, Reconciliation on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and Eucharistic Adoration six days a week in the chapel north of the church. Families can enroll their children in the parish religious-education program, while adults can grow through RCIA, adult faith formation, and youth/young-adult ministry — all supported by a large lay staff, two parochial vicars, and six deacons.
Mass times at Our Lady of Perpetual Help - Selma
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM (church)
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (church)
- By appointment (call Parish Office 210-651-6913)
Adoration times
- Monday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
- Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
- Saturday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Adoration Chapel)
Parish History
OLPH-Selma traces its roots to 1895, when twenty-one German pioneer families along Cibolo Creek — led by Peter Hubertus, Philip Fey, Jacob Friesenhahn, Charles Lux, and William Gleitz — petitioned Bishop John A. Forest for their own church. They raised the money and hauled materials from New Braunfels, and the mission church of Saint Mary's was dedicated on July 4, 1897. In November 1909 Father John Kirch was appointed the parish's first resident pastor. After a 1918 fire destroyed the church, the surviving fire-scarred picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help gave the community its name and its spiritual identity; the rebuilt church was dedicated October 7, 1919.
- 1895 — founding families petition Bishop John A. Forest
- July 4, 1897 — Saint Mary's mission church dedicated
- November 1909 — Selma becomes a parish; Fr. John Kirch first pastor
- 1912 — larger church replaces mission church
- 1918 — church destroyed by fire; picture of OLP survives
- October 7, 1919 — rebuilt church dedicated; parish renamed Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- 1946–47 — parishioners build the parish school
- 1945 — Immaculate Conception (Schertz) established as a mission of Selma
- 1962 — present church built on site of 1912/1919 structure under Fr. Anthony Costantino
- January 6, 1981 — Fr. Patrick Cronin appointed pastor
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by Pastor Fr. Jeff Pehl and two Parochial Vicars, Fr. Ottmar Tovar-Almanza and Fr. Sebastian Rathappillil, together with six deacons (five active, one retired) — a notably large diaconate for a parish of its size. Lay ministry, formation, liturgy, music, operations, and reception are led by a deep bench of parish staff.
- Fr. Jeff Pehl — Pastor
- Fr. Ottmar Tovar-Almanza — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Sebastian Rathappillil — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Keith Arney
- Deacon Bill Hartman
- Deacon Louis Heimer
- Deacon James Nally
- Deacon Joe Marroquin
- Deacon Barry Scheel (Retired)
- Annabelle Hernandez — Parish Operations Director
- Veronica Santillan — Administrative Assistant
- Mersi Schorran — Lay Ministry Care Associate
- Patricia Kramer — Bookkeeper
- Ana McBride — Liturgist
- Melissa Durham — Music Director
- Ruth Wolff — Parish Hall Coordinator
- Gloria Velasco — Part-Time Receptionist
- Sr. Katrina Ruane, SHSp — Adult Faith Formation Director
- Gina Martin — Youth & Young Adult Director
- Emily Gualandri — Assistant Youth Minister
- Vanessa Ramirez — Coordinator of Religious Education
- Maria Sanchez — Coordinator of Religious Education
- Pete Scalise — Custodian
- Mario Garcia — Custodian
Faith Formation & Religious Education
OLPH runs formation ministries for every age: Adult Faith Formation (directed by Sr. Katrina Ruane, SHSp), general Religious Education for children (Coordinators Vanessa Ramirez and Maria Sanchez), and Youth & Young Adult Ministry (Director Gina Martin and Assistant Youth Minister Emily Gualandri).
- Adult Faith Formation
- Religious Education (children)
- Youth Ministry
- Young Adult Ministry
- RCIA-style adult initiation (through Adult Faith Formation)
Liturgy & Music
Liturgy at OLPH is coordinated by Liturgist Ana McBride and Music Director Melissa Durham, with Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, and a multi-lingual Sunday schedule all supporting a rich liturgical life.
- Daily and Sunday Mass
- Spanish-language Mass on Sundays at 2:00 PM
- Eucharistic Adoration (six days a week)
- Reconciliation schedule (see above)
- First Friday, Holy Week, and All Souls Day liturgies
Pastoral Care & Community Life
Lay Ministry Care is provided by Mersi Schorran, and the Parish Hall (coordinated by Ruth Wolff) serves as a hub for parish gatherings. The parish mission statement — articulated by Fr. Jeff Pehl — pledges to be 'a caring community where God's presence can be found, God's word can be heard, where God's love can be seen and felt, and where everyone feels welcome.'
- Lay Ministry Care
- Parish Hall hospitality
- St. Michael's Society (historical men's organization)
- Welcoming and parish registration
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual sacraments. Reconciliation has scheduled times in the church; Baptisms, Marriages, Anointing of the Sick, and other rites are arranged through the Parish Office at 210-651-6913.
- Reconciliation: Wed 5:30–8:00 PM; Sat 4:00–5:00 PM; or by appointment
- Eucharist (see Mass schedule)
- Baptism (preparation through parish office)
- Marriage (contact Parish Office)
- Anointing of the Sick and other pastoral sacraments
Visit & Contact
The parish welcomes visitors at 16075 North Evans Road, Selma, TX 78154. The Pastoral Center / Parish Office can be reached at 210-651-6913 (fax 210-651-5272) or [email protected], and is open Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
- Address: 16075 North Evans Road, Selma, TX 78154
- Phone: 210-651-6913
- Fax: 210-651-5272
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9:00–5:00; Fri 9:00–4:00
- Website: http://www.olph.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OLPHSELMATX/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Kirch1909–
First pastor when Selma was established as a parish in November 1909, after serving as a mission of Sts. Peter and Paul, New Braunfels.
- Father Anthony Costantinocirca 1962
Pastor when the earlier 1912/1919 church was razed and the present modern church was built.
- Father Patrick Cronin1981–
Appointed pastor on January 6, 1981; wrote the parish history used in the Archdiocesan Centennial History 1874-1974.