About Santa Rita · Tornillo, Texas
Santa Rita Mission is a small Catholic mission church serving the rural community of Tornillo, Texas, a farming town on the Rio Grande about 35 miles southeast of El Paso. Part of the Diocese of El Paso, it is listed by the diocese among the parish communities paired with Our Lady of Guadalupe in Fabens, sharing pastoral staff. The mission is located at 19211 Cobb Avenue in Tornillo (ZIP 79853), and welcomes a bilingual community of worshippers along the U.S.–Mexico border.
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- St. Rita of Cascia (Santa Rita de Cascia)
- Diocese
- Diocese of El Paso
Why belong here
Santa Rita Mission serves as the spiritual and social heart of Tornillo, a small Rio Grande farming community. As the town's only church for decades, it has historically hosted civic and social gatherings in Rivas Hall alongside worship services. The bilingual Mass schedule welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking families in one of the most traditional Catholic borderland communities of the El Paso valley.
Mass times at Santa Rita
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish Identity & History
Santa Rita Mission was organized in 1966 in Tornillo, a small agricultural community on the Rio Grande about 35 miles southeast of El Paso in southeastern El Paso County. The mission takes its name from St. Rita of Cascia, a widely venerated saint whose feast day is May 22, and by 1991 it was the only church in town. The Texas State Historical Association notes that Santa Rita 'maintained its sanctuary, a recreational area, and Rivas Hall, which served as a community center for local civic and social activities,' making it a true center of both spiritual and civic life in the rural borderland town.
- Founded 1966
- Named for St. Rita of Cascia
- Located in Tornillo, El Paso County
- Only church in Tornillo by 1991
Pastoral Leadership
As a diocesan mission rather than a self-standing parish, Santa Rita is administered by the Diocese of El Paso. Diocesan reassignment notices from 2014 listed Santa Rita jointly with Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in Fabens under a single pastor.
- Rev. Celimo Osorio — Pastor (assigned June 20, 2014, paired with Our Lady of Guadalupe, Fabens)
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
The mission offers bilingual Sunday Masses at three times, reflecting its borderland community of both English and Spanish speakers. The mass schedule is published by the Diocese of El Paso parish directory.
- Sunday 8:00 AM — Bilingual
- Sunday 10:00 AM — Bilingual
- Sunday 12:00 PM — Bilingual
- Saturday 6:00 PM Bilingual Mass available at paired parish Our Lady of Guadalupe, Fabens
Parish Facilities
Beyond its sanctuary, the mission grounds include a recreational area and Rivas Hall, a multi-purpose building that has long served as a hub for civic and social activities in Tornillo.
- Sanctuary
- Recreational area
- Rivas Hall (community center)
Community & Town Context
Tornillo is a Rio Grande farming town about 35 miles southeast of El Paso, settled in 1909 with the coming of the Rio Grande Irrigation Project. Cotton and pecans have long been its main crops; the largest cotton gin in Texas operated there in 1990. Santa Rita Mission is the only church in town and continues to play an anchoring role in civic life.
- Located on U.S.–Mexico border (Rio Grande two miles south)
- Interstate Highway 10 two miles north
- Long-time host of community gatherings and funeral services
Getting Involved
As a tight-knit rural mission, Santa Rita welcomes worshippers from across the lower El Paso valley. Inquiries about parish life, sacraments, and volunteering are typically directed through the nearby Our Lady of Guadalupe parish office in Fabens.
- Contact phone: (915) 764-3942
- Paired parish office: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Fabens (127 W. Main, Fabens, TX 79838)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Celimo Osorio2014
Assigned effective June 20, 2014 as pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Fabens y Santa Rita, Tornillo (per Diocese of El Paso priest reassignments).