About St. Anthony · Longview, Texas
St. Anthony Catholic Church is the oldest Catholic parish in Longview, Texas, founded as a mission in 1880 under the Diocese of Galveston. Located in downtown Longview at 508 N. 6th Street, the parish serves nearly 900 families — about 600 of them Hispanic — and is often referred to as the 'mother church' of Longview-area Catholicism, having given rise to St. Mary's parish and St. Mary's Catholic School. Today it is a bilingual community offering Mass in English and Spanish, with ministries spanning faith formation, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters, Cursillo, Danza, youth ministry, and outreach to the wider East Texas community.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Rev. José Luis Vidarte
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler
Why belong here
St. Anthony is the historic 'mother church' of Longview-area Catholicism, welcoming nearly 900 families — including a strong Hispanic community — through five weekend Masses in English and Spanish, daily Mass Tuesday through Friday, perpetual adoration on Thursdays, and a full sacramental life from infant Baptism through Matrimony. Members serve through active ministries such as Knights of Columbus Council 2771 (chartered 1936), Catholic Daughters of America, Cursillo, Danza, Altar Society, Youth Ministry, Faith Formation, and the Pro-life and Bereavement Committees. The parish also runs RCIA, faith enrichment conferences, and bilingual faith formation for children, making it a welcoming place both for lifelong Catholics and for those inquiring into the faith.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday & Friday: 8:00 AM – 8:40 AM
- Wednesday: 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- By appointment — contact the Parish Office at (903) 758-0116
Adoration times
- Thursday: 9:30 AM – 6:45 PM
- Last Thursday of the month: 24-Hour Adoration beginning 9:30 AM
- First Friday: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM and 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
History of St. Anthony Parish
St. Anthony began as a Catholic mission in 1880 under the Diocese of Galveston, with circuit-riding priests saying Mass in local homes. A frame church was built in 1884 on land purchased from J. C. Turner for $125, and the Catholic Community Sisters of the Incarnate Word from San Antonio briefly ran a parish school. The parish passed into the new Diocese of Dallas when it was formed in 1890, and has since been transferred to the Diocese of Tyler. The first resident pastor, Father Callahan, was assigned in 1932; under his leadership and the post-1931 oil boom, a new sanctuary was completed in 1940 and a parish school staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame was finished in 1949. As the school outgrew its facilities, parishioners expanded and renamed it St. Mary's in 1965; ten years later they completed a new church, St. Mary Church, in 1979 to mark the centennial of the original parish.
- Founded 1880 as a mission under Galveston
- First frame church built 1884
- Became part of the Diocese of Dallas in 1890
- Now in the Diocese of Tyler
- New sanctuary completed 1940
- School completed 1949 (Sisters of Notre Dame)
- School renamed St. Mary's in 1965
- St. Mary Church completed in 1979
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Anthony is led by Pastor Rev. José Luis Vidarte and is supported by three deacons, two seminarians, a parish secretary, and a bookkeeper. Office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM, and the parish can be reached at (903) 758-0116.
- Rev. José Luis Vidarte — Pastor
- Deacon Manuel Villalobos
- Deacon Gregorio Sánchez
- Deacon Gonzalo Rojas
- Edwin Mireles — Seminarian
- Patrick Cook — Seminarian
- Stephen Ondrick — Seminarian
- Monica Cruz — Parish Secretary
- Deniese Scott — Bookkeeper
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Anthony's ministries are rooted in the catechism's teaching that lay Christians share in the Church's mission through Baptism and Confirmation. Parishioners can serve at the altar, in formation, in outreach, and in cultural and devotional groups — including long-standing fraternal and women's organizations.
- Altar Society
- Altar Servers (Children) & Acolytes
- Bereavement Committee
- Catholic Daughters of America — meets 2nd Tuesday, 6:00 PM, in the school building
- Cursillo
- Danza (Hispanic liturgical dance)
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
- Faith Formation
- Grupo de Oración (Spanish prayer group)
- Knights of Columbus Council 2771
- Lectors
- Music Ministry
- Pro-life Ministry
- Ushers
- Youth Ministry
Knights of Columbus — Council 2771
The first meeting of Longview Council 2771 was called to order by District Deputy J. M. Dillon on December 21, 1936, with 40 charter members — all from St. Anthony Church. Today the council has 135 Brothers on its roster, drawn from St. Anthony's, St. Matthew's, St. Teresa's, and St. Francis parishes, and has remained in good standing since its founding.
- Chartered December 21, 1936 with 40 charter members
- Currently ~135 Brothers from four parishes
- Business meetings: 2nd Monday of each month, 6:30 PM, Shopka Center
- Officers' meetings: 1st Monday of each month, 6:30 PM, Shopka Center
- Assembly 1103 business meetings: 3rd Sunday of each month, 3:00 PM, St. Mary's Parish Hall
Catholic Daughters of America
The Catholic Daughters of the Americas is one of the oldest and largest organizations of Catholic women in the Americas, with some 70,000 members in 1,250 courts across 45 states plus Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. The local court invites all ladies of the parish to its monthly meetings on the 2nd Tuesday at 6:00 PM in the school building, supporting charities and scholarships under the motto 'Unity and Charity.'
- Meets 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM in the school building
- Contact: Sue Todd, 903-806-3859
- Motto: Unity and Charity
- Focuses on charity, scholarships, and feminine spirituality
Faith Formation & RCIA
St. Anthony provides catechesis for children and a Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process for adults seeking to enter or return to the Catholic Church. The parish also hosts periodic 'I Call You Friends' Year of Faith Enrichment conferences and supports adults and youth in deepening their faith.
- Faith Formation classes for children — contact (903) 758-0116
- RCIA for unbaptized adults and uncatechized Catholics
- Year of Faith Enrichment conferences ('I Call You Friends')
- Youth Ministry for adolescents
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments. Infant Baptism (ages 0–7) requires a registration form and attendance at a Baptism class by parents and godparents; older children of catechetical age must be enrolled in Faith Formation. First Communion, Confirmation, Confession, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony are all prepared for and celebrated at St. Anthony. Engaged couples preparing for marriage participate in the Three to Get Married formation retreat.
- Baptism — registration and class required; paperwork must be turned in before a date is scheduled
- First Communion / Confirmation — typically part of Faith Formation
- Confession — regular schedule plus by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the parish office
- Matrimony — 'Three to Get Married' formation retreat for engaged couples
Becoming a Catholic (RCIA)
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the process by which adults are received into the Catholic Church. The focus of the RCIA program at St. Anthony is to instruct adults on the beliefs and teachings of the Church while furthering the spiritual development of candidates and catechumens. Both the non-Catholic and the baptized-but-uncatechized are welcome, and participants may elect to prepare for and finalize initiation after several months of informational sessions.
- Open to non-Catholics and uncatechized Catholic adults
- Friendly, informational sessions over several months
- Registration through the parish office at (903) 758-0116
Visit & Contact
St. Anthony Catholic Church is located in downtown Longview at 508 N. 6th Street and is the historic 'mother church' of Longview-area Catholicism. The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM, and can be reached at (903) 758-0116. Five weekend Masses are offered in English and Spanish, with confession before daily Mass and on Saturday, and adoration every Thursday plus the last Thursday of the month and First Friday.
- Address: 508 N. 6th St., Longview, TX 75601
- Phone: (903) 758-0116
- Office Hours: Tue–Fri 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM
- Parish email contacts on the website include [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Callahan1932–mid-1940s (approx.)
First resident pastor assigned to St. Anthony; purchased the 49-acre school site in the mid-1940s.