About Our Lady Queen of the Universe · San Benito, Texas
Our Lady Queen of the Universe is a Roman Catholic parish in San Benito, Texas, in the Diocese of Brownsville. Established in 1966 under Bishop Humbert Sousa Medeiros, the parish serves the Catholic community of San Benito and the surrounding Lower Rio Grande Valley from its church on North Sam Houston Boulevard. Its companion worship site is St. Joseph Mission, also in San Benito, which is why the parish's Facebook page is titled 'Our Lady Queen of the Universe & St. Joseph.' The parish offers weekend and weekday Masses in English, weekly Friday adoration, and a Sunday Holy Hour and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- Our Lady Queen of the Universe (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Genaro Henriquez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
Our Lady Queen of the Universe is a welcoming San Benito parish with daily and weekly Mass in English, a weekly Friday Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration, and a Sunday Holy Hour and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament — making it easy to fit a visit to Christ in the Eucharist into a busy week. As a parish of the Diocese of Brownsville and partner with St. Joseph Mission, it provides a stable, established Catholic presence in the city, with the convenience of a central North Sam Houston Boulevard location.
Mass times at Our Lady Queen of the Universe
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Friday 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
- Sunday 3:00 PM (Holy Hour and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament)
Identity & Mission
Our Lady Queen of the Universe is a parish of the Diocese of Brownsville dedicated to Mary under her title 'Queen of the Universe.' The parish is partnered with St. Joseph Mission in San Benito, and the two communities share the parish's Facebook presence. The patroness's feast day is celebrated on August 22 in the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Patron: Our Lady Queen of the Universe (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Feast day: August 22 — Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Mission: St. Joseph Mission, San Benito
History
The parish was founded in 1966, a year after the Diocese of Brownsville was erected from the Diocese of Corpus Christi. It was one of multiple new parishes established that year under the diocese's second bishop, Humbert Sousa Medeiros, who expanded the diocese from 35 to 58 parishes during his tenure.
- Founded: 1966
- Diocese of Brownsville timeline note: 'Our Lady Queen of the Universe Parish and St. Theresa Parish established in San Benito' under Bishop Medeiros (installed June 29, 1966).
Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by its pastor, Rev. Genaro Henriquez, who was appointed effective October 12, 2018, according to the Diocese of Brownsville parish finder. The Diocese of Brownsville has historically assigned diocesan priests to the parish.
- Pastor: Rev. Genaro Henriquez (eff. 10/12/2018)
Mass & Liturgy
Mass is celebrated in English four times a week. The weekend schedule combines a Saturday Vigil with a Sunday morning Mass, and there are weekday Masses on Wednesday evening and Friday morning.
- Saturday (Vigil) – 4:00 PM, English (Diocese of Brownsville parish finder)
- Sunday – 10:00 AM, English
- Wednesday – 5:30 PM, English
- Friday – 8:00 AM, English
Contact & Communications
Because the parish maintains only a Facebook page rather than a dedicated website, the parish uses its Facebook account to publish temporary schedule changes. Email and phone are listed through the Diocese of Brownsville parish directory.
- Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/queenandjoseph/ ('Our Lady Queen of the Universe & St. Joseph')
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (956) 399-2865 | Fax: (956) 399-2045
- Mail to: 121 Garrison Dr., San Benito, TX 78586