About Sacred Heart of Jesus · Odem, Texas
Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish is a bilingual Catholic community in the small town of Odem, Texas (San Patricio County), in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. The parish worships in both English and Spanish and ministers to roughly 600 Catholic families, also overseeing Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in neighboring Edroy. Mass is celebrated daily and Sundays, with confession on Saturday afternoons and weekday adoration, while parish ministries span liturgy, faith formation, outreach (food pantry, homebound visits) and traditional parish organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters, Guadalupanas, and Cursillistas.
- Established
- 1934 (parish; mission established 1919-1920, GCatholic lists 1917)
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Father George
- Diocese
- Diocese of Corpus Christi
Why belong here
Sacred Heart of Jesus in Odem is a warm, bilingual Catholic family that literally built its own church — parishioners did much of the construction work on the present building in 1960, and they continue that hands-on tradition through organizations like the Guadalupanas, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters, Cursillistas, altar servers, a youth program and a Works of Mercy outreach. With daily and Sunday Mass in English, Spanish and bilingual form, Saturday confessions, weekday adoration, a CCD program for grades K–12, a food pantry and a homebound ministry, the parish offers a full Catholic life in a small-town setting and welcomes new families to register.
Mass times at Sacred Heart of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 pm – 5:45 pm (Sacred Heart Church)
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:30 am – 8:00 am
- First Wednesday of the month 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Parish History
Catholic life in Odem goes back to the 1830s, when priests from San Patricio rode out to serve the area; Father Miguel Pulg (Puig) is remembered for traveling by horseback to offer Mass. The first church, named Sacred Heart Mission, was built 1919–1920, and in 1934 the mission was elevated to a parish with Father Pulg as first pastor. The present church was built by the parishioners in 1960 under Father Hubert Adam, and the rectory (1982), parish hall (1983) and Religious Education Center (1985) followed under Monsignor Joseph Alverado, the last with help from the Kennedy Memorial Foundation.
Welcome & Parish Mission
The parish describes itself as 'a community of believers who commit ourselves to grow together as a faith community and help each other progress in our discovery of Our Lord Jesus Christ through our Catholic experience.' Diverse in age, ethnic background and language, the community unites 'as one in prayers of praise and thanksgiving,' centering life on the Eucharistic Liturgy and on proclaiming the Word of God in everyday life.
- Register Today (parish registration)
- Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
- Parish Family welcome
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by Father George (Pastor/Administrator) and Deacon Flores, alongside parish office staff.
- Father George — Pastor/Administrator
- Deacon Flores
- Parish Office staff
Liturgical Ministries
A range of liturgical roles support Sacred Heart's bilingual Masses, especially given the children's and youth participation.
- Altar Servers
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Lectors
- Liturgy Committee
Service & Outreach
The parish runs a food pantry and takes the Eucharist to those who cannot attend Mass, embodying the corporal Works of Mercy in the Odem community.
- Homebound Ministry
- Food Pantry
- Volunteers needed (contact parish office)
Community & Fellowship Organizations
Sacred Heart is home to several long-standing Catholic organizations that knit the parish together across generations and language groups.
- Guadalupanas
- Knights of Columbus
- Catholic Daughters
- Cursillistas
- Youth Program
- Pastoral Council
- Works of Mercy
Faith Formation & CCD
The Religious Education Center, completed in 1985 with assistance from the Kennedy Memorial Foundation, still serves as the home for the parish's CCD program. It provides religious education for elementary, junior high and high school youth, with about 340 students enrolled.
- CCD Office: (361) 738-2158
- Elementary, junior-high and high-school CCD classes
- Becoming Catholic (OCIA/RCIA preparation)
Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, Edroy
Sacred Heart's sister mission in nearby Edroy, Our Lady of Guadalupe, is served by the same pastor and deacon. Its Sunday Mass is celebrated bilingually at 9:30 am and is listed alongside Sacred Heart on the parish's Mass schedule.
- Sunday 9:30 am — Bilingual Mass
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at 401 W Willis St., Odem, TX 78370, by phone Monday–Thursday (9:00 am to 1:00 pm, plus Tuesday–Friday), or by email at [email protected]. The CCD Office has its own line for faith-formation inquiries.
- Parish Office: (361) 368-9156
- CCD Office: (361) 738-2158
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 401 W Willis St., Odem, TX 78370
Pastor's Corner
The parish website's Pastor's Corner highlights notable visits and events. In March 2025, Sacred Heart parishioners and the Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission community, together with Pastor George and Deacon Flores, welcomed Most Rev. Augustine Madathikunnel, Administrator of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
- A Blessed Visit — March 2025 welcome to Bishop Augustine Madathikunnel
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Miguel Pulg (Puig)1934 –
First pastor of Sacred Heart, having earlier served the Odem mission from San Patricio; reportedly traveled by horseback to offer Mass in the area.
- Father Hubert Adam
Directed construction of the present church building in 1960; much of the labor was done by parishioners.
- Monsignor Joseph Alverado (Alvarado)1982 –
Oversaw construction of the rectory (1982), parish hall (1983) and Religious Education Center (1985, partly funded by the Kennedy Memorial Foundation).