About St. Andrew the Apostle · Lufkin, Texas
St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church is a Roman Rite parish in Lufkin, Texas, belonging to the Diocese of Tyler. The parish was founded in 1998 by some 46 Catholic families seeking a new spiritual home in southwest Lufkin, and today it serves a bilingual community with Masses celebrated in both English and Spanish. Situated on a 12-acre campus at 1611 Feagin Drive just off Loop 287, St. Andrew's offers weekend Masses (one Vigil and three on Sunday), weekday daily Masses, First Friday Adoration, regular Reconciliation, and an extensive formation program for children, youth, and adults. The parish is guided by its mission to form 'fellowship of disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and a spiritual family,' with ministries spanning Hispanic evangelization, charity, prayer groups, the Knights of Columbus, and the Ladies Guild.
- Established
- 1998
- Patron
- Saint Andrew the Apostle
- Rector
- Father Guillermo Gabriel-Maisonet
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler
Why belong here
St. Andrew the Apostle offers a vibrant bilingual Catholic community in southwest Lufkin with Mass in both English and Spanish every Sunday, a full sacramental life (daily Mass, regular Reconciliation, First Friday Adoration), and formation for every age — Children's Faith Formation (grades 1–10), Edge and Life Teen youth ministry, Sacramental Prep, and RCIA / RICA for adults. Parishioners can also join a wide range of active groups, including St. Andrew Charity, two Rosary groups, Bible studies, the Ladies Guild, Knights of Columbus, Respect Life Ministry, the Come Lord Jesus apostolate, and Hispanic ministries such as Grupo de Oración Misioneros de Cristo and Coro San Andres.
Mass times at St. Andrew the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM
- Wednesday: 11:30 AM – 12:00 noon
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday of every month: 9:00 AM
About St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church
St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church of Lufkin, Texas, is a parish of the Diocese of Tyler whose mission is to follow the way of the Lord Jesus Christ as faithful disciples. Pastor Father Guillermo Gabriel-Maisonet describes the parish as 'a fellowship of disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and a spiritual family,' inviting every man, woman, and child to move from being a church member to a fully formed Christian disciple by conviction. With Jesus Christ and the sacraments at the center, the parish encourages serious discipleship formation, spiritual growth, and Christian community.
History of the Parish (1998–2020)
The parish was founded in late 1997 when 46 families met under Bishop Edmond Carmody and Monsignor James Young to consider the need for a new Catholic presence in southwest Lufkin. They purchased a 12-acre site off Loop 287 on Feagin Drive that included a former pre-school, named the parish for Saint Andrew the Apostle, and celebrated an inaugural Mass on October 18, 1998. Under founding pastor Fr. James Farfaglia (arriving May 1999) and subsequent pastors including Fr. Jose Kannampuzha (twelve years of building and renovation) and Fr. Hank Lanik, the parish grew from 98 families to over 950 families and roughly 3,400 members by 2018.
- 1997 — 46 families meet under Bishop Edmond Carmody and Msgr. James Young
- Oct 18, 1998 — Inaugural Mass celebrated in the remodeled former pre-school
- May 1999 — Fr. James Farfaglia arrives as first pastor (~98 families)
- Sep 26, 1999 — Bishop Carmody breaks ground for new church and rectory
- April 9, 2000 — First Mass in the temporary 7,500 sq ft steel church, Mayor of Lufkin present
- Mid-August 2000 — Rectory completed; three youth groups started that fall
- 2001 — Former pre-school adapted as the Education Building
- 2017–2018 — 50 child and 12 adult Confirmands; 47 baptisms
- Oct 18, 2018 — 20th Anniversary Celebration Mass
Parish Staff and Volunteers
In addition to the pastor and deacon, St. Andrew's is served by a team of volunteer and staff coordinators handling religious education, youth ministry, music, media, communications, bookkeeping, and ethics & integrity.
- Mary Jo Stiles — Parish Operations & Communications Coordinator
- Kay Krisko — Bookkeeper
- Sandra Ortega — Secretary
- Alec Reyes — Youth Minister
- Bridget Grubb — Director of Religious Education (Volunteer)
- Brian Buchanan — Music Director (Volunteer)
- Allison Guse — Media Director (Volunteer)
- Glenda Wynne — Ethics and Integrity Coordinator (Volunteer)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Formation for every age is offered on the parish campus, with classes held in the Education Building and Parish Hall.
- Children's Faith Formation — grades 1–5, Wednesday 6–7 PM (Sept–April)
- Sacramental Preparation Classes — First Tuesdays 6–7:30 PM (Sept–May)
- Edge Youth Ministry — grades 6–8, Wednesday 6:30–8 PM
- Life Teen Youth Ministry — grades 9–12, Wednesday 6:30–8 PM
- RCIA — Monday 6–8 PM, Parish Hall (Sept–May)
- RICA Español — Monday 7–8:30 PM (Sept–May)
Hispanic Ministries
Hispanic ministry is a central part of parish life, coordinated through Deacon Jesus Reyes, with prayer groups, leadership formation, choirs, and Spanish-language sacramental preparation.
- Escuela de Dirigentes — bi-weekly Sunday 4 PM, Education Building
- RICA Español — Monday 7–8:30 PM, Education Building
- Reunión Grupo de Cursillo — bi-weekly Sunday 4–5:30 PM, Education Building
- Grupo de Oración Misioneros de Cristo — Thursday 7:30–9:30 PM, Parish Hall
- Coro San Andres — Hispanic choir
- Coro La Esperanza — Hispanic choir
- Communion Service (Spanish) — Thursday 6:45 PM, Chapel
Prayer and Devotions
Beyond the Mass schedule, parishioners gather for several ongoing prayer and devotion opportunities, including a Spanish prayer group, a Wednesday-evening Rosary, a Saturday-afternoon Rosary before Mass, a Divine Mercy Cenacle, and a Prayer Shawl Ministry that delivers blessed shawls to the sick and injured.
- Grupo de Oración (Hispanic Prayer Group) — Thursday 7:30–9:30 PM, Parish Hall
- Rosary Group — Wednesday 7:00 PM
- Rosary Group — Saturday 4:00 PM, Church
- Divine Mercy Cenacle — Friday 11:00 AM, Education Building (Sept–May)
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — available by request through the parish office
Parish Organizations and Outreach
St. Andrew's is supported by a broad network of parish organizations and ministries that serve the congregation and the wider Lufkin community, including the parish's own charitable arm, St. Andrew Charity.
- St. Andrew Charity (meeting First Wednesday 5:45 PM)
- Knights of Columbus
- Ladies Guild
- Respect Life Ministry
- Bible studies (multiple groups)
- Come Lord Jesus — Tuesday 6:30–8 PM, Education Building
Visiting and Contact Information
St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church is located at 1611 Feagin Drive, Lufkin, TX 75904, on a 12-acre campus just off Loop 287. The Church Office is open Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and can be reached at 936-632-9100. Mass times, confession times, adoration, and ministry schedules are kept current on the parish website at standrewlufkin.org.
- Address: 1611 Feagin Drive, Lufkin, TX 75904
- Phone: 936-632-9100
- Website: https://standrewlufkin.org/
- Church Office Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James FarfagliaMay 1999 –
First pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle; arrived to lead a community of ~98 families. Oversaw groundbreaking for the temporary church, the rectory build, and the first Mass in the new building on April 9, 2000.
- Father Jose Kannampuzhaapprox. 12 years
Led the parish through all building and major renovations during his twelve-year tenure; subsequently reassigned.
- Father Hank Lanikserved through 2018 anniversary period
Guided continued substantial growth; pastor at the parish's 20th Anniversary Celebration Mass on October 18, 2018.
- Father Guillermo Gabriel-Maisonetcurrent
Current pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church.