About Sacred Heart · Elgin, Texas
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a multicultural Roman Catholic parish in Elgin, Texas (Bastrop County), belonging to the Diocese of Austin. The parish serves a richly bilingual community, offering four Sunday Masses — two in English and two in Spanish — along with daily weekday Masses and a Thursday evening Spanish Mass. Catholic worship in Elgin dates back to around 1870, and Sacred Heart has been at the center of the community's spiritual life ever since, currently pastored by Father Paul Hudson and housed in a newly dedicated sanctuary built to seat 650 worshipers.
- Established
- 1870 (community began gathering for worship); elevated to parish status 1951
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Father Paul Hudson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a multicultural, bilingual parish that has served Elgin's Catholics since the 1870s — a community where longtime Hispanic-Catholic families sit alongside growing numbers of young families. The parish offers Mass four times on Sundays in both English and Spanish, a daily Mass schedule, Eucharistic Adoration three days a week, the sacraments, religious education for all ages, and active lay societies including the Knights of Columbus, the Sacred Heart Society, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and a Guadalupanas group. With its brand-new sanctuary consecrated by Bishop Daniel Garcia, Sacred Heart is both deeply rooted in tradition and looking forward.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 5:00 PM – 5:50 PM
- Thursday: 5:00 PM – 5:50 PM
- Saturday: 2:45 PM – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
- Friday: 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday: 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM (begins after Mass)
About Sacred Heart Parish
Sacred Heart Catholic Church describes itself as 'a multicultural Christian community dedicated to loving and serving Christ through the guidance and love of God, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.' The parish is committed to respecting all human life and nurturing the spiritual growth of all through worship, education, and service. Located at 302 West 11th Street in Elgin, it is part of the Diocese of Austin and serves Catholics in Bastrop County and the surrounding central Texas area.
Parish History
Catholic worship in the Elgin area began around 1870, making Sacred Heart one of central Texas's older Catholic communities. The first formal church was built in the early 1900s by carpenter Pablo Rosas and his neighbors, mostly Mexican American families who worked the ranches, brick factories, and coal mines. After WWII, a chapel from Camp Swift was relocated to 11th Street in 1948, and Sacred Heart was elevated to parish status in 1951. That chapel burned in 1955, a new church was built and consecrated in 1956, and on December 13 Bishop Daniel Garcia dedicated a brand-new 650-seat sanctuary — the fourth church built for this community.
- c. 1870 — Catholic community begins gathering for worship in the Elgin area
- 1906 — Pablo Rosas and family arrive; first church built on Third Street
- 1948 — WWII-era chapel from Camp Swift moved to West 11th Street
- 1951 — Sacred Heart elevated to parish status
- 1955 — Chapel destroyed by fire
- 1956 — New church built and consecrated
- December 13 — Bishop Daniel Garcia dedicates the new sanctuary (seats 650)
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Father Paul Hudson as pastor, with a team of lay staff supporting liturgy, religious education, and bilingual parish communications. Office staff provide both English and Spanish assistance to parishioners, and the Director of Religious Education coordinates the parish's faith-formation programs for children and youth.
- Father Paul Hudson — Pastor
- Father George Joseph — Pastor Emeritus / former pastor
- Rosie Owens — Director of Religious Education
- Brenda Piña — Office Manager / Administrative Assistant to the Pastor
- Rosalinda Escalón — Senior Spanish Translator / Administrative Assistant
- Gloria Rodriguez — Spanish Translator / Admin Assistant / Bulletin Coordinator
Ministries and Organizations
Sacred Heart's life is sustained by a wide array of lay organizations. The Knights of Columbus, the Sacred Heart Society, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Catholic Union of Texas (KJT), and the Guadalupanas Society all played important roles in fundraising for and supporting the new church. The parish also runs Religious Education and a Youth Ministry centered on the 1:30 PM Sunday Youth Mass.
- Knights of Columbus
- Sacred Heart Society
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (outreach to the poor)
- Catholic Union of Texas (KJT)
- Guadalupanas Society (devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe)
- Parish Building Committee
- Religious Education (all ages)
- Youth Ministry (Sunday 1:30 PM Youth Mass)
The New Sanctuary
The new Sacred Heart church — the fourth built for this community since 1870 — was dedicated by Bishop Daniel Garcia in December. It seats 650 worshipers and was filled to standing-room-only at the dedication Mass, with more than 20 priests concelebrating. A reconditioned statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, originally placed in front of the 1956 church, now greets visitors at the new sanctuary.
- Dedicated by Bishop Daniel Garcia on December 13
- Capacity: 650 worshipers
- First church consecration for Bishop Garcia after his installation
- Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus restored and placed at the entrance
Vocations from Sacred Heart
Father Zack Rodriguez, the only priestly vocation to come from Sacred Heart in the parish's long history, was recognized by Father Paul Hudson during the dedication Mass. Father Rodriguez now serves as pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Temple and as a tribunal judge for the Diocese of Austin. Father Hudson used the occasion to urge young men in the parish to consider the priesthood.
- Father Zack Rodriguez — parish vocation; pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Temple; tribunal judge, Diocese of Austin
Getting Involved
Parishioners can get involved at Sacred Heart through one of its many lay organizations, through Religious Education as catechists or parents, through liturgical ministries at any of the four Sunday Masses, or by joining the Guadalupanas, Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Society, or the Sacred Heart Society. The parish warmly welcomes new members — its stated mission is that 'At Sacred Heart, All Are Welcome!'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Boiko
Former pastor; concelebrated the new-church dedication in December
- Father Albert Ruiz
Former pastor; concelebrated the new-church dedication
- Father George Joseph
Provided the momentum behind the new church building project
- Father Paul Hudson
Current pastor at the time of the new church dedication; led the project to completion