About St. Anthony · Penitas, Texas
St. Anthony is a Catholic mission parish serving the small Rio Grande Valley community of Peñitas, Texas, in Hidalgo County. It operates as a mission church of Our Lady, Queen of Angels Parish in neighboring La Joya, under the Diocese of Brownsville. The faithful gather for a bilingual Sunday Mass and a Spanish weekly Mass, with confessions and Eucharistic Adoration offered before the Tuesday evening liturgy. Like most of the Valley's smaller Spanish-language missions, it shares its pastor, phone line, and pastoral staff with the parent parish in La Joya.
- Patron
- St. Anthony (referred to in the parent parish's Mass schedule as 'St. Anthony of Padua')
- Rector
- Fr. Jaime V. Torres (Pastor of Our Lady, Queen of Angels, La Joya, which administers St. Anthony Mission)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
St. Anthony Mission offers Peñitas Catholics the chance to worship close to home in both English and Spanish, with a convenient Sunday bilingual Mass and a Tuesday evening Spanish Mass that fits working family schedules. The mission is cared for by the priests and staff of Our Lady, Queen of Angels Parish in La Joya, so worshippers benefit from the larger parish's faith-formation and sacramental programs while keeping a tight-knit local community in Peñitas. Confession and Eucharistic Adoration are also available on Tuesday afternoons before Mass, making it easy to grow in devotion throughout the week.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (before the 6:00 PM Spanish Mass)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
About St. Anthony Mission
St. Anthony is a Catholic mission church serving the community of Peñitas, Texas, in Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande Valley. It is administered as a mission of Our Lady, Queen of Angels Parish in La Joya, and falls under the Diocese of Brownsville. The mission offers a bilingual Sunday Mass and a Spanish weekday Mass, together with the sacraments of Confession and Eucharistic Adoration before the Tuesday liturgy.
- Type: Mission (under Our Lady, Queen of Angels, La Joya)
- Rite: Roman (Latin)
- Languages: Spanish, English
- Diocese: Brownsville
- Patron: St. Anthony (of Padua)
History & Community Context
The Diocese of Brownsville was established on July 10, 1965, by Pope Paul VI, when the four lower Rio Grande Valley counties — Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo and Starr — were separated from the Diocese of Corpus Christi. The Diocese of Brownsville notes that, although the diocese itself is young, the Catholic faith is deeply rooted in the Valley's history and culture. According to the Diocese's official timeline, the town of Peñitas itself was founded by Fray Zamora, a member of the Narváez Expedition into Mexico.
- Diocese of Brownsville established 1965 by Pope Paul VI
- Peñitas founded by Fray Zamora of the Narváez Expedition
- St. Anthony is one of several rural missions of Our Lady, Queen of Angels, La Joya
Parent Parish: Our Lady, Queen of Angels, La Joya
St. Anthony Mission is one of four mission communities attached to Our Lady, Queen of Angels Parish in La Joya, which serves as the parent parish. The parish was established in 1960 according to GCatholic, and is located at 916 South Leo Avenue, La Joya, TX 78560. Its other missions include St. Mary Magdalene in Abram, St. Michael in Los Ebanos, and St. William in Sullivan City.
- Parent parish established 1960
- Address: 916 S. Leo Ave., La Joya, TX 78560
- Phone: (956) 585-5223
- Other missions: St. Mary Magdalene (Abram), St. Michael (Los Ebanos), St. William (Sullivan City)
Visit, Contact & Directions
St. Anthony Mission is located at 1102 S. Main St., Peñitas, TX 78576. From US Expressway 83, travelers head approximately one mile south on Peñitas to reach the church. Because the mission shares its phone line with Our Lady, Queen of Angels in La Joya, parishioners can call (956) 585-5223 for information about Mass times, sacraments, or faith-formation programs. The parent parish's Facebook page is the main online presence at facebook.com/olqalajoya.
- Address: 1102 S. Main St., Peñitas, TX 78576
- Phone: (956) 585-5223
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: facebook.com/olqalajoya
- Directions: From US-83, one mile south on Peñitas