About Our Lady of Sorrows · Jacksonville, Texas
Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Jacksonville, Texas, in the East Texas region, belonging to the Diocese of Tyler. The parish was founded by the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette, and Mass has been celebrated in the community on a regular basis since 1910, with the parish formally organized in 1955. Today it serves over 1,200 registered families (more than 4,000 parishioners) with about 1,200 people attending weekend Masses, and it oversees three mission churches: Sacred Heart in Rusk, Our Lady of Guadalupe in New Summerfield, and Venerable Margil Catholic Mission in Alto.
- Established
- 1910
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows
- Rector
- Fr. Jay Lucas
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler
Why belong here
Our Lady of Sorrows offers a multi-generational community rooted in deep East Texas Catholic tradition, with daily and Sunday Masses in both English and Spanish to serve a bilingual congregation of more than 4,000 parishioners and over 1,200 families. The parish is anchored by its devotional life (daily Mass, Friday Adoration, and regular Confession) and a Pastoral Council-led structure that promotes prayer, study, generosity, and evangelization. It also reaches beyond Jacksonville through three mission churches in Rusk, New Summerfield, and Alto, making it a regional center of Catholic life in northern Cherokee County.
Mass times at Our Lady of Sorrows
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
- Saturday: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Adoration times
- Friday: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
About Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church
Our Lady of Sorrows is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler serving Jacksonville, Texas, and northern Cherokee County. The parish is organized as a Texas not-for-profit corporation and recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable entity. Its motto is "Bringing Christ to all. Bringing all to Christ." The parish reaches beyond Jacksonville through three mission churches: Sacred Heart in Rusk, Our Lady of Guadalupe in New Summerfield, and Venerable Margil Catholic Mission in Alto.
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler
- Motto: "Bringing Christ to all. Bringing all to Christ."
- Address: 1023 Corinth Road, Jacksonville, Texas 75766
- Phone: (903) 586-4538
- Email: [email protected]
Parish Staff
The parish is currently led by Fr. Jay Lucas as Pastor, with Rev. Mr. Juventino Torres serving as Permanent Deacon and Ana Decious as Personal Assistant to the Pastor. Office hours are Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
- Fr. Jay Lucas – Pastor
- Rev. Mr. Juventino Torres – Permanent Deacon
- Ana Decious – Personal Assistant to Pastor
- Office Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Emergency Phone: 903-258-3911 or 903-204-9134
Pastoral Council
The Pastoral Council represents the parish body and works in concert with the Pastor on parish facilities, programs, and community outreach, promoting unity among parish groups.
- Council Chair: Santos Rodriguez
- Members: Clara Torres, Alejandra Fout, Blake Stephens, Alicia Rincon, Jose Carmona, Leigh Meza, Martha Juarez, Rev. Mr. Juventino Torres, Yesenia ZG
Parish Life
Parish Life encompasses the groups, ministries, events, and organizations that build the community into the living Body of Christ. The parish focuses on four key areas: Prayer (spiritual health), Study (faith formation), Generosity (time, talents, and treasures), and Evangelization (carrying the Gospel into the world).
- Prayer: deepening spiritual health
- Study: continued faith education and exploration
- Generosity: sharing time, talents, and treasures
- Evangelization: bringing the Gospel into the community
Mission Churches
Our Lady of Sorrows oversees three mission churches that extend Catholic presence across Cherokee County and surrounding areas in East Texas.
- Sacred Heart – Rusk, Texas
- Our Lady of Guadalupe – New Summerfield, Texas
- Venerable Margil Catholic Mission – Alto, Texas
History of the Parish
Catholic missionary activity in northeast Texas long predates the formal parish. Mass was first celebrated in the Jacksonville area on a regular basis beginning in 1910. Decades later, the Catholic Church Extension Society assisted local Catholics in purchasing a former Presbyterian church and relocating it to a new site, where it was consecrated and renamed Our Lady of Sorrows. The parish was formally founded by the Missionaries of Our Lady of LaSalette (M.S.) in 1955, and has since grown to serve more than 1,200 registered families with an average of 1,200 people attending Mass each weekend.
- 1910: Regular celebration of Mass begins in Jacksonville
- Extension Society helps relocate and rename a former Presbyterian church as Our Lady of Sorrows
- 1955: Parish formally founded by the Missionaries of LaSalette
- Today: 1,200+ families registered, ~4,000+ parishioners