About St. Anthony · Anton, Texas
Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church is a small Catholic parish serving the rural community of Anton, Texas, a town in Hockley County on the South Plains of West Texas. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Lubbock and, according to diocesan records, is a mission church served from Saint Philip Benizi Church in Shallowater. Sunday Mass is celebrated, with Father Ernesto Lopez serving as pastor and Father Robert Williams assisting as Sacramental Minister (also serving Saint Ann in Morton and Saint Philip Neri in Pep). The parish maintains an active website sharing Catholic news from the Vatican and diocese, parish events, and reflections for its rural faithful.
- Established
- 1966
- Patron
- Saint Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Father Ernesto Lopez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lubbock
Why belong here
Saint Anthony of Padua offers the small-town Catholic faithful of Anton, Texas a place to worship, receive the sacraments, and stay connected to the wider Catholic world through regular Vatican and diocesan news updates. As a rural parish in the Diocese of Lubbock, it brings the Mass and sacraments to a farming community that might otherwise lack regular Catholic ministry. The parish celebrates traditional devotions like the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe with early morning Mass, singing of Las Mañanitas, and a menudo breakfast afterward.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM
Parish Identity & Diocese
Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church is identified on its own website as 'A Diocese of Lubbock Church in Anton, Texas.' The Diocese of Lubbock's official deanery directory places Saint Anthony within the Lubbock Deanery, with Father Ernesto Lopez listed as Dean of that deanery (term through June 30, 2026). GCatholic likewise lists the parish under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Lubbock and notes its relationship as a mission of Saint Philip Benizi Church in Shallowater.
- Diocese: Lubbock
- Deanery: Lubbock Deanery
- Dean: Very Rev. Ernesto Lopez (through June 30, 2026)
- Parish mailing: PO Box 545, Anton, TX 79313
- Pastor and Administrator: Father Ernesto Lopez
Clergy & Pastoral Care
Father Ernesto Lopez serves as Pastor and Administrator of the parish, while Father Robert Williams was welcomed in July 2021 as Sacramental Minister. Father Williams simultaneously serves as Sacramental Minister of Saint Ann Church in Morton and Saint Philip Neri Church in Pep — a common arrangement for rural South Plains parishes needing to share priestly ministry across multiple small communities.
- Father Ernesto Lopez — Pastor and Administrator
- Father Robert Williams — Sacramental Minister (since July 18, 2021); also serves Saint Ann, Morton, and Saint Philip Neri, Pep
Parish Devotions & Celebrations
The parish celebrates the annual Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12 with a beloved bilingual tradition. Parishioners gather at 5:00 AM to sing Las Mañanitas to the Blessed Mother, followed by Mass at 6:00 AM celebrated by Father Ernesto Lopez, and a menudo breakfast in the parish hall. This celebration reflects the Hispanic Catholic heritage present in the Anton community.
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast — December 12
- 5:00 AM: Las Mañanitas
- 6:00 AM: Mass (Father Ernesto Lopez)
- Menudo breakfast following Mass
Catholic News & Diocesan Connection
The parish website carries an active Catholic News section featuring Vatican News updates and Diocese of Lubbock announcements. Recent coverage has included the 2025 election of Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Robert Coerver's Memorial Mass for Pope Francis, the annual Rural Life Mass, and reflections on praying the Rosary as a family for the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
- News from the Vatican
- Diocese of Lubbock – SPC Connection newsletter
- Catholic Link reflections
- Coverage of Pope Leo XIV's election (May 2025)
Liturgy
The parish website includes a Liturgy section that connects to weekly Mass resources. As a small mission-style parish in the Diocese of Lubbock, Saint Anthony relies on priests traveling from neighboring parishes to celebrate Mass and administer sacraments on a limited weekly schedule.
Contact & Location
Saint Anthony Catholic Church is located at the corner of Fourth Street and Lawrence Avenue in Anton, Texas (Hockley County), with a mailing address of PO Box 545, Anton, TX 79313. The parish can be reached by phone at 806.832.4088 and by email at [email protected].
- Address: Fourth & Lawrence, Anton, TX 79313
- Mailing: PO Box 545, 79313
- Phone: 806.832.4088
- Email: [email protected]
- County: Hockley County, Texas