About Our Lady, Star of the Sea · Port Isabel, Texas
Our Lady, Star of the Sea is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in Port Isabel, Texas, belonging to the Diocese of Brownsville. Founded on December 2, 1849 by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, it is one of the oldest Catholic communities on the South Texas Gulf Coast and serves worshippers in English, Spanish, and bilingual liturgies. The parish operates from its main church at 705 S Longoria Street and ministers to the wider Laguna Heights area through the mission chapel Capilla San José (131 Garfield Ave.). Daily and Sunday Masses, the sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation for children and youth, and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) are all part of parish life.
- Established
- 1927
- Patron
- Our Lady, Star of the Sea
- Rector
- Rev. Jesus Mauricio Rodriguez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
Our Lady, Star of the Sea is a bilingual parish family that welcomes English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics on the Texas Gulf Coast, with four Sunday Masses (one of them bilingual) and a full weekly schedule of daily Masses. Parishioners are supported by an active faith-formation program for children and youth, OCIA for adults and youth seeking initiation, lay liturgical ministries (lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion), and devotions including weekly Eucharistic Adoration and the celebration of Memorials such as Our Lady of Fatima and Divine Mercy Sunday. The parish also reaches out to neighboring Laguna Heights through the mission chapel Capilla San José, making it a gathering point for the broader coastal Catholic community.
Mass times at Our Lady, Star of the Sea
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Wednesday 5:00 PM (per the parish's Spanish-language schedule)
- Or by appointment / o por cita
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Adoración al Santísimo Sacramento, before 6 PM Spanish Mass)
- Friday 8:00 PM – 12:00 AM (per parish Spanish-language schedule)
Welcome / Bienvenidos
The parish's welcome message greets visitors in both English and Spanish and frames Our Lady, Star of the Sea as 'a community where we gather together as a family of faith, to celebrate the Sacred mysteries of Our Lord Jesus Christ.' It invites newcomers to 'come and experience the beauty of the Sacrifice of the Mass at our beautiful parish.'
- Founded on December 2, 1849
- Bilingual community (English/Spanish)
Our Staff
Our Lady, Star of the Sea is led by Father Jesus Mauricio Rodriguez, who serves as Parish Administrator. He is supported by a full team of lay staff handling parish administration, accounting, faith formation, secretarial work, sacristy, and maintenance.
- Rev. Jesus Mauricio Rodriguez — Parish Administrator
- Ms. Georgina Fletcher — Parish Bookkeeper
- Mrs. Lorena Hernandez-Gonzalez — Parish Catechetical Leader (PCL)
- Mrs. Daisy P. Martinez — Assistant to the PCL
- Ms. Celia Avalos — Sacristan/Housekeeper
- Mrs. Eugenia Torres — Parish Secretary
- Mr. Pedro Vela — Maintenance
- Mr. Gilberto Medina — Maintenance
Lay Liturgical Ministries
The parish supports an active lay liturgical ministry program for lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMC/MEC), with bilingual guidelines published on the website so that English- and Spanish-speaking ministers can serve the parish's multilingual Mass schedule.
- General Information About Lay Ministry
- Información General Sobre el Ministerio Laico
- OLSS Brief Guidelines for Lectors and EMCs
- OLSS Breve Guía para Lectores y MECs
Faith Formation & Sacraments of Initiation
Faith formation at OLSS includes Catholic Faith Formation (CCE) classes for children and teens preparing for First Communion and Confirmation, plus the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) for both adults and youth. The parish's news page encourages families to register their children and teens each program year and provides downloadable registration forms and information flyers.
- Faith Formation Info 2025-26
- CCE Registration Form 2025-26
- OCIA Adults Registration Form
- OCIA Youth Registration Form
- OCIA 2025 Information Flyer
OLSS Youth Ministry
The parish maintains a dedicated Youth Ministry page that publishes reflections and faith articles aimed at teens and young adults, including seasonal pieces for Lent and reflections on feast days throughout the liturgical year.
- Reflections on the liturgical year
- Lenten-season content
- Feast-day and saint memorials
Online Giving & Special Collections
The parish uses an online giving portal that allows parishioners to support a wide variety of funds — from regular and second collections to specific parish projects, charity, faith formation, and novena offerings — with the option of one-time or recurring (weekly/monthly) donations.
- Regular Collection / Colecta Regular
- Second Collection / Segunda Colecta (OLSS and Laguna Heights)
- Building and Maintenance / Mantenimiento
- OLSS Charity Fund / Fondo de Caridad
- Catholic Faith Formation / Evangelization
- Altar Flowers and Decorations
- Mother's Day, Father's Day, and All Souls Day Novenas
- Laguna Heights / SPI New Church funds
- Bazaar and Spring/Fall Festival Raffles
Lauds and Vespers
The parish's Liturgy of the Hours page links to the iBreviary app so parishioners can pray Morning Prayer (Lauds) and Evening Prayer (Vespers) along with the Church's daily prayer.
- Link to iBreviary App for the Liturgy of the Hours
Contact Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or Facebook. The office is open Monday through Friday with a midday break, and the parish encourages visitors to follow its Facebook page for updates and announcements.
- Address: 705 S Longoria St., Port Isabel, TX 78578
- Phone: (956) 943-1297
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–12:30 PM and 1:30 PM–5:30 PM
- Facebook page (linked from website)