About San Agustin · Laredo, Texas
San Agustín Cathedral is the historic Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Laredo in Texas, situated on the city's original founding plaza (San Agustín Plaza) at 201 San Agustín Avenue in the heart of downtown Laredo. The parish traces its origins to 1755–1760, when the first settlers of Laredo petitioned Bishop Francisco de San Buena Ventura of Guadalajara for a resident priest, making it one of the oldest continuously active Catholic congregations in the United States. The present sandstone church, the third built on the site, was completed and dedicated in 1872, and in 2000 it was designated the cathedral of the newly erected Diocese of Laredo. It is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and a contributing property within the San Agustín de Laredo National Register Historic District, and it remains a center of Hispanic Catholic devotion along the U.S.–Mexico border.
- Established
- 1760
- Patron
- Saint Augustine of Hippo
- Rector
- Very Rev. Iden J. Bello M., J.C.L. (Rector)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Laredo (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
San Agustín Cathedral is the historic Mother Church of the Diocese of Laredo and the spiritual center of a deeply rooted borderland Catholic community that has worshipped on the same plaza since the city's founding in 1755. Daily Mass is celebrated in Spanish during the week, with English and additional Spanish Masses on Sunday, and a bilingual devotional life built around Eucharistic Adoration, the Neocatechumenal Way, ACTS retreats, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters of America, Marriage Encounter, hospital and sick-call ministries, and a robust Life Teen program for young people. Visitors are also drawn by its remarkable 1872 sandstone sanctuary—one of the oldest active parish churches in Texas—newly rehabilitated with restored stained glass, an enlarged altar for the diocesan Chrism Mass, and an expanded choir loft. To belong is to take part in a continuous 270-year tradition of Hispanic Catholic faith on the Rio Grande.
Mass times at San Agustin
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday 11:30 a.m.–12:00 noon (30 minutes before daily Mass, except Wednesdays)
- Saturday 4:30 p.m.–5:15 p.m. (one hour before Mass)
- By appointment with one day's notice through the parish office
Adoration times
- Thursday 11:00 a.m.–12:00 noon (Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- Thursday 7:00 p.m. (Holy Hour)
About San Agustín Cathedral
San Agustín Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Laredo, located on San Agustín Plaza at the historic founding site of the city. The parish traces its roots to 1760, when the first resident pastor arrived to serve the families who had founded Laredo in 1755. The present sandstone church, the third on the site, was completed in 1872 and, in 2000, was designated the cathedral of the newly created Diocese of Laredo. The cathedral remains a cultural, spiritual, and architectural anchor for a vibrant borderland community along the Rio Grande.
- Founded: 1760 (parish); 1872 (present building dedicated)
- Designated Cathedral: 2000
- Diocese: Laredo (erected August 9, 2000 by Pope John Paul II)
- Patron: Saint Augustine of Hippo (feast day August 28)
History
San Agustín's history stretches back to the founding of Laredo in 1755 and the arrival of the parish's first resident pastor in 1760. Over more than two and a half centuries, the parish has been served by secular clergy, the Passionists, and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate; survived Apache and Comanche raids, two Mexican wars, the Texas annexation, the Mexican Revolution, the Calles persecution, and the construction of an international border through its own plaza; and has welcomed generations of Mexican, European, and Anglo-American faithful. The third church on the site, completed in 1872 by 'Padre Alfonso' Souchon, has witnessed every major era of Laredo's history and was chosen in 2000 as the cathedral of the new diocese. Its most recent rehabilitation, completed in 2021, ensures its survival for generations to come.
- 1760: First resident pastor arrives; palisade chapel built.
- 1767: Townsite measured; east side of plaza reserved for church.
- 1768: Construction of second sandstone church begins.
- 1777: Parish becomes part of new Diocese of Linares (Nuevo León).
- 1850: Transferred to new U.S. Diocese of Galveston.
- 1857–1902: Fr. Alfonso Souchon's pastorate.
- 1866–1872: Present church built under Souchon.
- 1874: Falls within Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville.
- 1890–1912: Bishop Verdaguer resides at San Agustín; functions as his cathedral.
- 1922–1985: Care entrusted to Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
- 1945–46: Church enlarged eastward; baptistry/chapel built west.
- 1963: Receives Official Texas Historical Marker.
- 1985: Returned to diocesan clergy.
- 1994: Preservation Society renovations completed.
- 2000: Becomes Cathedral of the new Diocese of Laredo (Aug. 9).
- 2016–2021: $9.9 million rehabilitation by Able City / J.C. Stoddard Construction; reopens July 2021.
Architecture and 2016–2021 Rehabilitation
The cathedral's thick sandstone walls, built from Rio Grande quarried stone by the labor of Laredo settlers and hauled to the plaza, enclose a sanctuary expanded and adapted several times over 150 years. The 2016–2021 rehabilitation by Able City was deliberately classified a 'rehabilitation' (rather than a renovation) so that, while restoring original character, the building could still meet active-cathedral needs. Non-historic 1950s additions were removed; the five-story bell tower was structurally reinforced; stained glass was restored and protected with exterior glazing (Cavallini Studios); the choir loft was enlarged; new accessible restrooms and ramps were added; and mechanical systems were reworked with a chilled-water plant bored beneath the public street. An iconographic program directed with art historian Annie Labatt (Yale PhD, Byzantine art history) introduced symbolic stencils—grapes, wheat, the waters of the Rio Grande, and a rose for the Virgin of Guadalupe—into the sanctuary as a 'time capsule' of the cathedral's present-day identity.
- Style: vernacular sandstone church, simple masonry nave-and-apse plan, raised bell/clock tower
- Materials: locally quarried sandstone (walls), brick additions (1940s enlargements)
- Architect (rehabilitation): Able City (Mario Peña, AIA, partner/principal)
- Contractor: J.C. Stoddard Construction (begun 2016)
- Stained Glass: Cavallini Studios (restoration + protective glazing + reclaimed longleaf pine frames)
- Cost: $9.9 million (Diocese-funded; used Texas 25% historic preservation tax credit)
- Awards: Preservation Texas Honor Award (January 25, 2024)
- Tower: structurally reinforced five-story bell tower enlarged in Passionist era
Sacramental Life
Reconciliation is offered daily before weekday Mass and on Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass, as well as by appointment. The parish's Sacrament Preparation ministry, directed by Deacon Leonard Aguillon, prepares candidates for First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage. The Anointing of the Sick is offered on request, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring Communion to the sick and homebound through the hospital and pastoral care ministry.
- Confessions: Mon–Fri 11:30 a.m.–11:55 a.m. (not Wednesdays); Sat 4:30–5:15 p.m.
- Adoration / Holy Hour: Thursdays 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage: contact the parish office
Faith Formation and Youth
Faith formation at the cathedral is led by a team of catechists under coordinator María Cervantes, with a separate Sacrament Preparation track under Deacon Leonard Aguillon. Edge serves middle-school youth; Life Teen, directed by Cesar and Paty Faz, ministers to high-school teens; and the Neocatechumenal Way community walks adults through a renewed catechumenate.
- Faith Formation Catechists (María Cervantes)
- Sacrament Preparation (Deacon Leonard Aguillon)
- Edge (middle school) – Alexa and Juan Ruiz
- Life Teen (high school) – Cesar and Paty Faz
- Neocatechumenal Way – Dominic Sanchez
Liturgical Ministries
The cathedral depends on a wide range of lay liturgical ministries to serve its daily and Sunday schedule, including altar servers, lectors, ushers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the altar guild, and the Cathedral Mass Choir, whose loft was enlarged during the 2021 rehabilitation to accommodate the full ensemble.
- Altar Servers (Monaguillos) – Deacon Leonard Aguillon
- Lectors – Víctor Salazar
- Cathedral Mass Choir – Ricardo Ahumada
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion – Deacon Sergio López
- Ushers (Ujieres) – Yazmín Salas
- Altar Guild (Damas del Altar) – Flor Godínez
Service and Outreach
Service to the wider community is organized through several apostolates. Knights of Columbus Council and Catholic Daughters (Hijas Católicas de América) represent the cathedral in civic and parish life. Marriage Encounter groups (ENS, MFCC of Laredo Sur) accompany engaged and married couples, while AMSIF supports a migrant ministry. The pastoral-care team brings the Eucharist to the homebound and visits the sick in hospitals and care facilities.
- Knights of Columbus – Héctor Chapa
- Catholic Daughters of America – Monserrat Jiménez
- Marriage Encounter (ENS) – Deacon Sergio and Sari López
- MFCC of Laredo Sur – Mario and Laura Orozco
- Hospital & Pastoral Care – Lily González
- Net (post-baptismal accompaniment) – Raquel V. González
- AMSIF – Ana Paola Bocanegra
Spiritual Movements and Retreats
The cathedral is home to several lay Catholic movements. The Neocatechumenal Way is an ongoing faith community of adult disciples; the Holy Hour and Adoration ministry, led by Gabriel and Carmen Vielma, animates the Thursday devotions. ACTS Core, Men's ACTS, and Women's ACTS (Coordinators: Ludy González, Haroeel Godínez, Cristina Lozoya) provide annual weekend retreats in the Spanish-speaking ACTS tradition.
- Neocatechumenal Way – Dominic Sanchez
- ACTS Core – Ludy González
- Men's ACTS – Haroeel Godínez
- Women's ACTS – Cristina Lozoya
- Holy Hour & Adoration – Gabriel and Carmen Vielma
Clergy and Staff
San Agustín Cathedral is currently served by Rector Very Rev. Iden J. Bello M., J.C.L., and Permanent Deacons Rev. Mr. Leonard Aguillon and Rev. Mr. Sergio Lopez. Deacon Sergio Lopez was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate on August 24, 2024, at San Agustín Cathedral; Deacon Aguillon began diaconal studies with the Archdiocese of San Antonio. The parish office can be reached at (956) 722-1382 or [email protected].
- Rector: Very Rev. Iden J. Bello M., J.C.L.
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Leonard Aguillon
- Deacon: Rev. Mr. Sergio Lopez
Visit, Tours, and Historic District
The cathedral is open for prayer and Mass during its regular schedule and welcomes visitors to one of the oldest continuously used Catholic sanctuaries in Texas. As a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark and a contributing building within the San Agustín de Laredo National Register Historic District, the cathedral sits on the same San Agustín Plaza laid out in 1767 and is surrounded by monuments commemorating the city's founding and the Rio Grande. A 1963 Official Texas Historical Marker stands on the property.
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (marker 1963)
- San Agustín de Laredo National Register Historic District (1973)
- Original founding plaza, downtown Laredo
- Reopened after rehabilitation: July 2021
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Juan José de Lafita y Verri1760–
First resident pastor, sent by the Bishop of Guadalajara to Laredo's settlers.
- Padre Alfonso Souchon1857–1902
French secular priest; built the present church (1866–1872) and supervised the convent school for girls.
- Jean Claude Neraz1850s
Contemporary of Souchon at San Agustín; later second Bishop of San Antonio.
- Peter VerdaguerBishop, 1890–1912
Catalan bishop of the Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville; resided at San Agustín, which functioned as his cathedral until 1912; built the present priests' residence in 1905.
