About Our Lady Queen of Angels · Overton, Texas
Our Lady Queen of Angels is a Roman Catholic mission church in Overton, Texas, administered as a satellite of Christ the King Parish in Kilgore within the Diocese of Tyler. Founded in 1946 (per nonprofit formation records), it serves the small Catholic community of Overton and surrounding Rusk and Smith counties, providing Sunday Mass, confession, and seasonal devotions including Stations of the Cross, Lenten fish fries, and Las Posadas. The mission is pastored by Very Rev. Francis O'Dowd, who also shepherds Holy Spirit Parish at Holly Lake Ranch. Parish life includes RCIA, youth activities, food pantry outreach, and Eucharistic Adoration, with a focus on a tight-knit, bilingual-friendly rural community.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- Our Lady, Queen of Angels (Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Queen of Angels)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Francis O'Dowd (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler
Why belong here
Our Lady Queen of Angels is a warm, tight-knit rural Catholic mission in East Texas where every member of the small flock is known and valued. Visitors and parishioners encounter a deeply traditional parish life — Sunday Mass, weekly Confession, Lenten fish fries and Stations of the Cross, Advent Las Posadas, and a Holy Week rich with liturgy — alongside genuine outreach through the New London food pantry and youth events like teen pizza-and-movie nights. As a mission of Christ the King in Kilgore, it offers a rare Catholic presence in a small town, supported by a Very Reverend pastor who also serves Holly Lake Ranch.
Mass times at Our Lady Queen of Angels
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Holy Day evenings (as scheduled in the bulletin)
About Our Lady Queen of Angels Mission
Our Lady Queen of Angels is a small Roman Catholic mission church located at 707 South Bradford Street in Overton, Texas. As a 'mission' in the canonical sense, it is dependent upon Christ the King Parish in Kilgore for sacramental and pastoral support. The mission is part of the Diocese of Tyler, established December 12, 1986, and serves the Catholics of Overton and surrounding rural East Texas. Its official online home is a WordPress site maintained by parish volunteers, where bulletins, Mass times, and announcements are posted.
- Founded 1946 (per IRS formation records)
- Mission of Christ the King Parish, Kilgore
- Diocese of Tyler
Lenten & Advent Devotions
Parish life is rich with traditional Catholic devotions across the liturgical year. During Lent, the mission gathers every Friday for a community Fish Fry (4:00–6:00 PM) followed by Stations of the Cross (around 6:30 or 7:00 PM), and an annual parish retreat in early April. During Advent, the community prays Las Posadas each evening at 6:00 PM, and from December 16–24 a Christmas Novena is observed. These devotions draw families together and reflect the mission's strong traditional Catholic identity in a rural setting.
- Lenten Fish Fry every Friday, 4:00–6:00 PM
- Stations of the Cross every Friday of Lent
- Annual Lenten / Holy Week parish retreat
- Las Posadas each evening of the Advent novena
- Christmas Novena December 16–24
Ministries & Outreach
The mission runs a small but active set of ministries rooted in the corporal works of mercy and formation. The parish partners with the New London Methodist Church to operate a food pantry from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, an example of local ecumenical cooperation. Youth ministry takes the form of monthly Teen Pizza and Movie Nights. Adult formation is offered through the RCIA program, with catechumen practices scheduled after evening Mass during Lent. Parishioners also volunteer to run the Lenten Fish Fry and to provide desserts for the meal.
- RCIA (Catechumen formation, after evening Mass during Lent)
- Youth Ministry / Teen Pizza and Movie Nights
- Food Pantry at New London Methodist Church, 10 AM–12 PM
- Lenten Fish Fry volunteer team (coordinator: 'Sean')
- Parish Retreat team
Parish Staff & Clergy
The mission is presently administered by Very Rev. Francis O'Dowd, who also serves as pastor of St. Theresa Parish in Gladewater and pastor of Holy Spirit Parish at Holly Lake Ranch — a tri-parish assignment reflecting the rural nature of East Texas Catholic ministry. Before Father O'Dowd, the mission was served by Rev. John Robinson Thason, an extern priest, who held the role of priest-in-charge from June 2020 through August 2021 before leaving to undertake Clinical Pastoral Education at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler.
- Very Rev. Francis O'Dowd — Administrator (since September 2021)
- Rev. John Robinson Thason — former priest-in-charge (June 2020 – August 2021)
Parish Identity & Administration
The mission operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (EIN 75-2662686), originally formed in March 1946, and is a subordinate in the USCCB group ruling. Its mailing address is PO Box 322, Overton, TX 75684, while its worship site is 707 South Bradford Street. The parish falls within the Diocese of Tyler and uses the Roman-Latin Rite.
- EIN 75-2662686, organized March 1946
- 501(c)(3) tax-exempt; subordinate in USCCB group ruling
- Roman-Latin Rite
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Robinson ThasonJune 2020 – August 2021
Assigned as parochial administrator of St. Theresa Parish in Gladewater while continuing as priest-in-charge of Our Lady, Queen of Angels Mission in Overton (effective June 2020). Departed August 15, 2021 to enter the clinical pastoral education program at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital.
- Very Rev. Francis O'DowdSeptember 2021 – present
Assigned as pastor of St. Theresa in Gladewater and administrator of Our Lady Queen of Angels Mission in Overton, effective September 2021 (transferred from pastor of Our Lady of Fatima in Daingerfield). Also serves Holy Spirit Parish at Holly Lake Ranch.