About Our Lady of the Assumption · Harlingen, Texas
Our Lady of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish in Harlingen, Texas, belonging to the Diocese of Brownsville. Established in 1958, it serves the Catholic community of Harlingen and the surrounding Lower Rio Grande Valley with a bilingual (English and Spanish) liturgical life. The parish operates a mission church, San Felipe Neri, in nearby Rangerville. Its interior is distinguished by four large wall murals, each representing one of the four sets of mysteries of the rosary (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous).
- Established
- 1958
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Assumption (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Horacio Chavarria
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Assumption offers a warm, bilingual Catholic home in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, with Masses celebrated in English, Spanish, and bilingual form nearly every day of the week. The parish feeds the spiritual life of its members through daily Mass, a Thursday evening Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration, regular confession, First Friday devotion to the Sacred Heart, and First Saturday devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. A St. Vincent de Paul ministry extends the parish's care to those in need, including the homebound and elderly, and live-streamed Masses on Facebook and YouTube keep shut-ins and traveling parishioners connected.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:45 AM – 8:00 AM at San Felipe Neri Mission
- Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM by appointment (call the parish office)
- Wednesday 5:45 PM – 6:00 PM at San Felipe Neri (June–September at Our Lady of the Assumption)
- Thursday 5:40 PM – 6:40 PM during the Holy Hour at Our Lady of the Assumption
Adoration times
- Thursday 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM (Holy Hour / Adoration of the Holy Eucharist, preceding the 7:00 PM Spanish Mass)
About Our Lady of the Assumption
Our Lady of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish in Harlingen, Texas, within the Diocese of Brownsville. The parish welcomes the faithful to 'believe, belong, and become' as a community of disciples sharing the Gospel through learning, listening, praying, and serving. Its mission extends to the San Felipe Neri Mission in Rangerville, and the parish offers a bilingual liturgical schedule that serves the diverse Catholic population of the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
- Parish established 1958 (Diocese of Brownsville timeline)
- Part of the Diocese of Brownsville
- Pastor: Rev. Horacio Chavarria
- Masses in English, Spanish, and bilingual formats
History
Founded in 1958, Our Lady of the Assumption was created during a wave of parish foundings across the Diocese of Brownsville, reflecting the rapid growth of the Catholic faithful in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in the mid-twentieth century. Over the decades the parish has remained a bilingual community, celebrating Mass in both English and Spanish to serve the multicultural makeup of Harlingen and the surrounding region. The parish later expanded its reach by taking on pastoral responsibility for the San Felipe Neri Mission in Rangerville.
- Founded 1958
- Diocese of Brownsville
- Bilingual heritage (English/Spanish)
- San Felipe Neri Mission in Rangerville
Architecture & Art
The most distinctive artistic feature of the church is a set of four large interior murals. Each mural corresponds to one of the four sets of mysteries of the rosary: the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, the Glorious Mysteries, and the Luminous Mysteries, surrounding worshippers with the prayer life of the Church as they attend Mass.
- Four large interior murals
- Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary
Devotions
The parish maintains two classic Catholic devotions, both on First Fridays and First Saturdays. These are the Sacred Heart of Jesus devotion and the Immaculate Heart of Mary devotion, celebrated with dedicated English-language Masses.
- First Friday: 6:00 PM English Mass — Sacred Heart of Jesus
- First Saturday: 7:00 AM English Mass — Immaculate Heart of Mary
San Felipe Neri Mission
Our Lady of the Assumption shepherds the San Felipe Neri Mission in Rangerville, a second worship site that hosts its own Mass and confession schedule, including a Sunday morning Spanish Mass and Wednesday evening Spanish Mass (moved to the main church in June–September).
- Address: 1706 Rangerville Rd., Harlingen, TX 78552
- Sunday 8:00 AM Spanish Mass
- Wednesday 6:00 PM Spanish Mass (June–Sept at OLA)
- Sunday confessions 7:45–8:00 AM
- Wednesday confessions 5:45–6:00 PM
Ministries & Outreach
The parish lives out its call to service through parish-based ministries. The St. Vincent de Paul Ministry provides practical assistance—such as utility help when funds are available—and reaches out to the homebound and elderly through visits, telephone calls, and communion. A live-stream ministry on Facebook and YouTube extends the parish's worship to those who cannot be present in person.
- St. Vincent de Paul Ministry — utility assistance, outreach to homebound and elderly
- Eucharistic Adoration / Holy Hour
- Live-stream Masses via Facebook and YouTube
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by its pastor, who is assisted by parish staff and office contacts. Inquiries, appointments, and sacramental requests can be directed to the parish office during business hours.
- Pastor: Rev. Horacio Chavarria
- Parish office phone: (956) 423-4670
- Email: [email protected]
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly invited to attend Mass, spend time in Adoration on Thursday evenings, or arrange confession by appointment. The parish is located on West Buchanan Street in Harlingen, with the San Felipe Neri Mission in Rangerville as a second worship site.
- Main church: 1313 W. Buchanan St., Harlingen, TX 78550
- Mission: 1706 Rangerville Rd., Harlingen, TX 78552
- Phone: (956) 423-4670
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://ladyofassumption.org/