About Sacred Heart · Elsa, Texas
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish serving the small community of Elsa, Texas, in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley. Recognized as a parish on May 15, 1965, on land donated by the late Mrs. Helen Stegle, Sacred Heart is one of the Catholic faith communities of the Diocese of Brownsville. The parish celebrates the Eucharist in both English and Spanish, with multiple Sunday Masses and a weekday schedule that reflects the predominantly Hispanic character of the surrounding Lower Rio Grande Valley. Under the pastoral care of Father Cesar U. Partida, alongside two permanent deacons and lay ministers in the Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, lectors, ushers, altar servers, and youth programs, Sacred Heart continues to serve as a spiritual home for families of Elsa.
- Established
- 1965
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Cesar U. Partida
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers a warm, bilingual faith home in the Rio Grande Valley where families can worship together in English and Spanish across three Sunday Masses. The parish invests deeply in the next generation through its CCE religious education program, LifeTeen for high schoolers, and EDGE for middle-schoolers, while adult parishioners can serve through the Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, lectors, ushers, and altar servers. With weekday and Saturday Masses, Thursday confessions, and regular Eucharistic Adoration, Sacred Heart provides a full sacramental and devotional life rooted in over 50 years of Catholic witness in Elsa.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Adoration times
- Monday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM
About Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic parish in Elsa, Texas, recognized on May 15, 1965, and now part of the Diocese of Brownsville. The parish serves a bilingual community in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and is led by Father Cesar U. Partida alongside two permanent deacons and an active lay staff. Worship, faith formation, and outreach are offered in both English and Spanish, reflecting the heritage of the surrounding community.
- Founded as a parish: May 15, 1965
- Diocese: Brownsville
- Property donated by the late Mrs. Helen Stegle
Parish History
Sacred Heart has been shaped by four pastors of record since its founding. After Father Matthew Jaskula's long tenure (1967–1994), the parish was led by Father Emmanuel Bialoncik (1994–2006) and Father Ruben Delgado (2006–2017), before Father Cesar U. Partida was appointed in 2017. Through more than 50 years the parish has continued to grow as a center of Catholic life in Elsa, supported by permanent deacons and lay leaders.
- 1967–1994: Father Matthew Jaskula
- 1994–2006: Father Emmanuel Bialoncik
- 2006–2017: Father Ruben Delgado
- 2017–present: Father Cesar U. Partida
Clergy & Staff
Sacred Heart is served by its pastor and two permanent deacons, supported by a parish secretary and a Director of Religious Education. Together they coordinate the spiritual and administrative life of the parish.
- Fr. Cesar U. Partida — Pastor; ordained January 28, 2012; appointed to Sacred Heart June 26, 2017
- Deacon Gerardo J. Rosa — ordained December 18, 2010
- Deacon David Carreon — ordained February 3, 2018
- Lorena Rodriguez — Parish Secretary ([email protected])
- Jonathan Garza — Director of Religious Education ([email protected])
Mass & Worship Schedule
The parish offers a regular weekly Mass schedule in both English and Spanish, plus additional mission Masses for Christ the King and Holy Cross. Holy days and special celebrations are announced on the parish website and Facebook page.
- Tuesday–Thursday: 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 6:00 PM (parish); 4:00 PM (Missions: Christ the King & Holy Cross)
- Sunday: 7:00 AM (Spanish), 10:00 AM (English), 12:00 PM (Spanish)
Faith Formation & Religious Education (CCE)
Sacred Heart runs a Continuing Catholic Education (CCE) program to catechize parish children, with a calendar that prepares students for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Students are scheduled for confession evenings by the Director of Religious Education.
- CCE Office: separate hours posted on the parish website
- First Communion typically celebrated in May (e.g., 10:00 AM & 12:30 PM Masses)
- Confirmation typically celebrated in June (e.g., 6:00 PM)
- First Holy Communion Confessions scheduled evenings in April and May
- Registration opens annually (registration link posted on the website)
Youth Ministry — EDGE & LifeTeen
Sacred Heart offers two parallel youth ministry tracks: EDGE for middle-school students (6th–8th grade) and LifeTeen for high schoolers (9th–12th grade). Both meet on monthly evenings, with Confirmation students required to attend Life Night.
- EDGE: 6th–8th graders, e.g., 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM monthly evenings
- LifeTeen / Life Night: 9th–12th graders, e.g., 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM or 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM monthly evenings
- All high schoolers and middle schoolers invited
Parish Ministries & Lay Service
Lay faithful at Sacred Heart support the parish through a variety of liturgical and devotional ministries. Each ministry has a designated parish contact for anyone interested in joining.
- Altar Servers — contact: Silvia/Sylvia Nevarez
- Legion of Mary — contact: Maribel Cavazos
- Knights of Columbus — contact: Rick Lopez
- Ushers — contact: Rick Lopez
- Lectors — contact: Dalia Rodriguez
Sacraments
Sacred Heart celebrates the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. While the parish website focuses on preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation through the CCE program, parishioners are encouraged to contact the parish office for Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and other sacramental needs.
- Baptism — by arrangement with the parish office
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — via CCE, celebrated in May
- Confirmation — via CCE, celebrated in June
- Reconciliation — Thursday 6:30–7:30 PM (and by appointment)
- Eucharist — per weekly Mass schedule
- Anointing of the Sick — on request
Contact, Office & Location
Parishioners and visitors can reach Sacred Heart by phone or email, visit during posted office hours, or follow the parish on its official Facebook page for announcements and updates.
- Address: 1100 N Broadway St., Elsa, TX 78543
- Phone: (956) 262-1406
- Parish email: [email protected]
- DRE email: [email protected]
- Website: sacredheartelsa.website2.me
- Facebook: facebook.com/SacredHeartCatholicChurchElsa
- Office hours: Monday closed; Tuesday–Thursday with lunch 12:00–1:00 PM (see site for full hours)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Matthew Jaskula1967–1994
Appointed 1967, retired 1994
- Rev. Emmanuel Bialoncik1994–2006
Appointed later in 1994, served until 2006
- Rev. Ruben Delgado2006–2017
Appointed 2006, served until 2017
- Rev. Cesar U. Partida2017–present
Appointed June 26, 2017; ordained January 28, 2012