About Our Lady of Refuge · San Ygnacio, Texas
Our Lady of Refuge Mission is a small Catholic mission church in San Ygnacio, Texas, the oldest town in Zapata County, situated on the Rio Grande about thirty miles south of Laredo. The mission sits within the Diocese of Laredo and is administratively tied to its mother parish, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Zapata. It serves the historic border community of San Ygnacio — a town settled in 1830 and famous for its 19th-century sandstone architecture — and is staffed by a pastor and parochial vicar from the diocese. The parish's Spanish name, Nuestra Señora del Refugio, points to a Marian devotion that has anchored local Catholic life here for more than a century and a half.
- Established
- 1872
- Patron
- Our Lady of Refuge (Nuestra Señora del Refugio)
- Rector
- Fr. Daniel Ramirez Portugal
- Diocese
- Diocese of Laredo
Why belong here
Our Lady of Refuge Mission is the spiritual heart of San Ygnacio — the oldest settlement in Zapata County and a National Register Historic District — and it welcomes the small border community to bilingual worship (English and Spanish) each Saturday evening. It is a parish with deep roots: the church was built on land donated by the Treviño-Uribe family more than a century ago, was lovingly rebuilt by the community after the 1991 arson fire, and is still cared for by the local Association of the Sacred Heart Society. Visitors find a historic, prayerful mission church that is part of a living Texas-Mexican heritage along the Rio Grande.
Mass times at Our Lady of Refuge
Weekly Mass schedule
History of Our Lady of Refuge Mission
Our Lady of Refuge is the historic Catholic church of San Ygnacio, founded on land donated by the Treviño-Uribe family in the early 1870s and completed around 1872–1875. The parish took its name from an image of Nuestra Señora del Refugio after no statue of San Ygnacio de Loyola could be found. Modified in 1884 and 1899, the church suffered serious arson damage in 1991 and was rebuilt by the community between 1991 and 1993 under Doña Victoria Uribe, with matching funds from the Meadows Foundation. It remains a centerpiece of the San Ygnacio Historic District.
- Land deeded by Blas María Uribe in 1873 for a church and plaza
- Church completed c. 1872–1875; originally to be named San Ygnacio de Loyola
- Modifications in 1884 and 1899; further changes in the 1960s
- Arson fire in 1991 damaged altar, statues, vaulted ceiling and mesquite lintels
- Reconstruction 1991–1993 led by Doña Victoria Uribe, funded by Meadows Foundation and local fundraisers
- Maintained today by the Association of the Sacred Heart Society
The San Ygnacio Community
San Ygnacio is the oldest town in Zapata County, settled in 1830 on the Rio Grande by Jesús Treviño and families relocating from Revilla (now Guerrero, Tamaulipas). The town's founder built a thick-sandstone rancho that became the fortified Treviño-Uribe compound, designated a National Historic Landmark. The community's 36 historic sandstone buildings — built in the same vernacular style as old Revilla before it was flooded by Falcon Dam — earned the town a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
- Founded 1830 by Jesús Treviño on land from the Borrego/Hacienda de Dolores grant
- Named for San Ignacio de Loyola, patron saint of Guerrero
- Home to the Treviño-Uribe compound with its famous 1851 sandstone sundial
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972
Clergy and Staff
Our Lady of Refuge Mission is staffed by the Diocese of Laredo. The current pastor is Fr. Daniel Ramirez Portugal, assisted by Parochial Vicar Fr. Noel Davis. As a mission of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Zapata, the mission shares pastoral leadership with the mother parish.
- Pastor: Fr. Daniel Ramirez Portugal
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Noel Davis
- Mother parish: Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Zapata
Mass and Worship Schedule
The mission celebrates Mass bilingually in English and Spanish. According to the Diocese of Laredo parish directory, Mass is offered on Saturday evening. Visitors and parishioners are encouraged to confirm times with the parish office.
- Saturday – 6:00 PM (English/Spanish)
Parish Building and Architecture
The church is built of native sandstone in the Spanish vernacular style typical of the lower Rio Grande, and faces a central plaza laid out by Blas María Uribe in the 1870s. Its original mesquite lintels, vaulted ceiling, and historic statues were all damaged in the 1991 arson fire and subsequently restored. Modifications in 1884, 1899, and the 1960s each left their mark on the building before the 1990s restoration returned key features.
- Native sandstone construction in Spanish vernacular style
- Vaulted ceiling and mesquite lintels over windows
- Faces the historic Plaza Blas María Uribe
- Reconstructed after 1991 arson fire, preserving historic features
Diocese and Jurisdiction
Our Lady of Refuge Mission belongs to the Diocese of Laredo and is administered as a mission of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Zapata. The diocese's parish directory lists the mission's clergy, contact information, and bilingual Mass schedule, and serves as the parish's official online presence.
- Diocese of Laredo
- Mother parish: Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Zapata, TX