About St. Brigid · San Antonio, Texas
St. Brigid Catholic Church is a medium-sized parish of approximately 2,800 households in northwest San Antonio, Texas, in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Founded in 1972, it was the first parish in the archdiocese to be officially designated a 'Collaborative Ministries' parish (in 1985), sharing leadership between an ordained pastor and a lay pastoral administrator — a model the parish continues to embrace as a Stewardship-centered faith community. Today the parish offers Mass in both English and Spanish, a full faith formation program for children and adults, vibrant music and youth ministries, and outreach through St. Vincent de Paul and other parish organizations.
- Established
- 1972
- Patron
- St. Brigid of Ireland
- Rector
- Rev. Gilberto Vallejo
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Antonio
Why belong here
St. Brigid offers a genuinely bilingual (English and Spanish) Catholic community in northwest San Antonio where the same families attend together across generations. Parishioners are welcomed into a TOTAL Stewardship vision of giving time, talent, and treasure — with over a dozen active ministries ranging from choirs and faith formation to St. Vincent de Paul outreach and Matachines. With daily noon Mass Tuesday–Friday, two Sunday English Masses, a Spanish Mass, daily Eucharistic Adoration, and a deep tradition of lay leadership as the archdiocese's first Collaborative Ministries parish, St. Brigid is a stable, service-oriented faith family.
Mass times at St. Brigid
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday at 5:00 pm (with Father Gilberto in the Church)
- Thursday at 5:00 pm (with Father Gilberto in the Church)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel: 6:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
Who We Are
St. Brigid Catholic Parish is a bilingual, lay-led faith community of approximately 2,746 households in northwest San Antonio. The parish population includes many professionals, military personnel, young families, and retirees — a mobile population that finds at St. Brigid 'a stable oasis.' Parishioners are called to share in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly office of Christ through Collaborative Ministries and TOTAL Stewardship of time, talent, and treasure.
- Approximately 2,746 households
- Total Stewardship parish since founding
- First Collaborative Ministries parish in the Archdiocese of San Antonio (1985)
History of St. Brigid
Founded in September 1972 by Father Pete McKenna, St. Brigid quickly became known for its Stewardship-based vision. In 1985, under a new archdiocesan tenure policy, Fr. McKenna departed and the parish was designated the first Collaborative Ministries parish in the Archdiocese, with Monsignor Tom Flanagan as pastor and Sr. Dorothea O'Meara, DC, as Pastoral Administrator. Growth and a new sanctuary followed, with the building dedicated on August 25, 2002, and the parish celebrating its 40th Anniversary in October 2012.
- 1972 — Parish founded by Fr. Pete McKenna
- 1985 — Fr. Tom Flanagan installed; first Collaborative Ministries designation
- 2000 — Sanctuary groundbreaking (August 26)
- 2002 — New sanctuary dedicated (August 25)
- 2010 — Fr. Stuart Juleen installed as fourth pastor
- 2012 — 40th Anniversary celebrated
- 2019 — Fr. Gilberto Vallejo becomes fifth pastor
St. Brigid of Ireland — Patron
Renowned for her charitable acts of love, St. Brigid once nursed a pagan chieftain back to health and, while he slept, made a cross of rushes — the same rushes used as floor coverings in 5th-century Ireland — and shared the story of Calvary with him. The chieftain converted. The making of St. Brigid's Cross is a centuries-old Irish custom still practiced today, and the parish community traditionally commemorates her feast day (February 1) with a parish-wide celebration and distributes crosses made by parishioners.
- Feast Day: February 1
- St. Brigid Crosses placed in homes each year on the eve of the feast
- Door plaques available for $15 from the parish gift store in the Narthex
Sacramental Life
Confessions are heard on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5:00 pm with Father Gilberto in the Church. The parish prepares children for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation through its Faith Formation program, and supports unbaptized children age 7 and over through a two-year OCIA Adapted to Children and Youth process. Couples meet with the Pastor to begin marriage preparation. The parish also fosters vocations to the priesthood and diaconate, with Father Gilberto available to counsel those discerning the diaconate.
- Confession: Wednesday & Thursday at 5:00 pm
- Baptism (infants & OCIA for older children)
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Marriage preparation with Pastor
- Holy Orders — contact vocation office 210-734-2620
Pastoral Team & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Gilberto Vallejo and supported by four active deacons (Dn. Juan Espinosa, Dn. Enrique Villegas, Dn. Ruben Davila, and Dn. Sam Salinas), three retired deacons (Dn. Don Bradley, Dn. Tom Billimek, Dn. Harold Decuir), and a full lay pastoral team. Notable staff include Sonia Vallejo (Administrative Assistant), Taylor Baca (Director of Liturgy), Dorothy Ybarra (Director of Music), Debra Schneider and Juan Serros (Faith Formation Coordinators for Adults and K–12), Dannel Rodriguez (Youth Ministry & Social Media), Mary Ann Skilling (Bookkeeper), Rosie Chavez (Kids Day Out Director), and Charlie Perez (Maintenance). Ed Boyle chairs the Building Committee and Chris Wennermark chairs the Pastoral Council.
- Pastor: Rev. Gilberto Vallejo ([email protected])
- Active Deacons: Dn. Juan Espinosa, Dn. Enrique Villegas, Dn. Ruben Davila, Dn. Sam Salinas
- Retired Deacons: Dn. Don Bradley, Dn. Tom Billimek, Dn. Harold Decuir
- Director of Liturgy: Taylor Baca (210-455-4023)
- Director of Music: Dorothy Ybarra (210-549-0647)
- Faith Formation K–12: Juan Serros (210-455-4026)
- Faith Formation Adults: Debra Schneider (210-455-4029)
- Youth Ministry / Social Media: Dannel Rodriguez (210-455-4028)
Liturgy Ministry
The Liturgy Office supports a wide array of liturgical ministries that bring the Mass to life and extend the parish's reach to those who cannot physically attend. Pastoral Care Ministers bring the Eucharist to the homebound, hospitalized, and elderly; Altar Care ministers prepare the Day Chapel, Blessed Sacrament Chapel, and Sanctuary; Lectors proclaim the Word of God; Greeters welcome parishioners; Altar Servers assist the priest; Eucharistic Ministers distribute Communion; Sacristans prepare vessels and linens; and Art & Environment and Linen Care volunteers maintain the sacred space. For more information, contact the Liturgy Office at 210-455-4027.
- Pastoral Care Ministry (Eucharist to the sick)
- Altar Care, Sacristans, Linen Care
- Lectors, Greeters, Altar Servers
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Art & Environment
Music Ministry
Director of Music Dorothy Ybarra leads multiple ensembles that reflect St. Brigid's bilingual and intergenerational life. The Adult Choir forms the backbone of parish Christmas and Easter musicals. Young Voices (children with at least basic reading skills through age 18) rehearses Thursdays 6:00–7:30 pm and sings at the 10:30 Mass on the last Sunday, special Masses, and the Children's Christmas Eve Mass. The Contemporary Choir rehearses Wednesdays at 7:00 pm and ministers at the Mass of the singer's choosing. The Bilingual (Spanish) Choir rehearses Tuesdays at 7:00 pm and ministers at the 8:00 am Sunday Mass and feast days such as Our Lady of Guadalupe and Christmas Eve. A Bereavement Choir serves at funerals, and the Orchestra rehearses on Tuesdays for parish musicals.
- Choir (Adult) — Christmas and Easter musicals
- Young Voices (children's choir, ages 6–18)
- Contemporary Choir (Wednesday 7:00 pm rehearsal)
- Bilingual (Spanish) Choir (Tuesday 7:00 pm rehearsal)
- Bereavement Choir
- Orchestra
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Brigid offers catechesis for children and youth (PreK–8th) in a loving and safe environment. Catechetical sessions follow the school calendar (September through May), and families are encouraged to take part in adult faith formation during the children's sessions. Unbaptized children age 7+ enter a two-year OCIA Adapted to Children/Youth process, while children in joint custody may have arrangements made for their continued formation.
- PreK–8th Faith Formation — Sunday 9:15–10:15 am or Tuesday 6:30–7:30 pm
- Spanish Faith Formation — Sunday 10:30–11:30 am (grades 1st–4th)
- OCIA Adapted to Children/Youth (two-year process)
- Confirmation, First Eucharist & First Reconciliation preparation
- Special-needs sacrament information via Juan Serros, 210-696-0896 ext. 206
Adult Faith Formation & OCIA
Adult faith formation is coordinated by Debra Schneider (210-455-4029). The parish also supports an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for unbaptized adults or those seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church, with adults preparing during parish sessions and celebrating Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.
- Adult Faith Formation Coordinator: Debra Schneider
- OCIA for adults — inquiry through Easter Vigil
Youth Ministry
Youth ministry at St. Brigid seeks to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ, draw them to responsible participation in the life and mission of the Catholic faith community, and foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person. Opportunities range from social events and retreats to social justice and faith-formation service, including Teen events and Teen ALPHA. Coordinator: Dannel Rodriguez, 210-455-4028.
- Teen events
- Teen ALPHA
- Retreats and social justice opportunities
- Coordinator: Dannel Rodriguez (210-455-4028)
Social Ministries & Outreach
St. Brigid's social ministries connect the parish to the wider San Antonio community through direct service, fellowship, and devotion. The St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVDP) — meeting on the first Monday of each month and reached at 210-455-4032 — provides food, clothing, and financial assistance in emergencies and runs the Thanksgiving food drive, the Advent Sharing Tree (Christmas gifts for children), the annual Baby Shower Drive for unwed mothers choosing life, and a summer school supply drive. Other organizations include the Catholic Ladies' Society, Guadalupana (devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe), Coffee Fellowship, Young at Heart (a senior community), the Matachines (Hispanic devotional dance tradition), the Catholic Youth Organization, and the Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan Knights of Columbus Council 11596.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — 210-455-4032
- Catholic Ladies' Society
- Guadalupana
- Coffee Fellowship
- Young at Heart (seniors)
- Matachines
- Catholic Youth Organization (CYO)
- Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan Knights of Columbus Council 11596
Kids Day Out
St. Brigid's Kids Day Out program is a parish preschool/childcare ministry run by director Rosie Chavez, supporting families in the parish and broader community alongside the parish's faith formation offerings.
- Director: Rosie Chavez
Visit Us, Contact & Giving
Newcomers are warmly invited to attend any Mass — Tuesday–Friday at 12 noon, Saturday at 5:00 pm, or Sunday at 8 am (Spanish), 10:30 am, or 12:30 pm — and to introduce themselves at the Parish Office at 6907 Kitchener St., San Antonio, TX 78240. Office hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (closed 12:45 – 1:45 pm) and Friday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Phone 210-696-0896; email [email protected]. Online giving and donations are available through the parish website, and Masses are livestreamed on Facebook and recorded on YouTube.
- Address: 6907 Kitchener St., San Antonio, TX 78240
- Phone: 210-696-0896
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9–5 (closed 12:45–1:45); Fri 9–1
- Online giving through stbrigidcc.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Pete (W. J.) McKenna1972–1985
Founding pastor; established St. Brigid's TOTAL Stewardship mission.
- Father Tom Flanagan1985–1998
Installed first pastor of the Collaborative Ministries model with Sr. Dorothea O'Meara, DC, as Pastoral Administrator; made Monsignor in 1990; later ordained Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio.
- Father Leslie A. Vance1998–2010
Ordained 1976; previously served as a pastor at several parishes and as a judge on the Appellate Court for the Dioceses in Texas.
- Father Stuart Juleen2010–2019
Born and raised in California; ordained 1977 in the Priests and Brothers of the Sacred Heart; incardinated in the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 1983; long-time minister to the hearing-impaired.
- Rev. Gilberto Vallejo2019–present
Born in Nueva Rosita, Mexico; entered seminary in 1989; became a U.S. citizen in 2010; previously pastor of St. Andrew in Pleasanton; holds a Canon Law degree from the Pontifical University of Mexico.