About St. Catherine of Siena · Austin, Texas
St. Catherine of Siena is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Austin, Texas, located at 4800 Convict Hill Road in southwest Austin. Founded in 1979 by roughly 200 families and now served by three priests, it offers a robust schedule of weekend and daily Masses (live-streamed), a family-oriented Religious Education program, a Preschool for 2–5 year olds, an RCIA process, a Senior Ministry, and a wide array of community and liturgical ministries. Its mission is grounded in the Great Commandments and Great Commission, and its parish motto is to "act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our Lord."
- Established
- 1979
- Patron
- St. Catherine of Siena
- Rector
- Father Pat Coakley, M.S.C.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
St. Catherine of Siena is a welcoming south-Austin parish that lives its motto to "act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our Lord" through deeply engaged worship and service. With five Sunday Masses, daily noon Mass, and a live-stream option, parishioners can worship flexibly; then they can plug into family faith formation (the parish pioneered a family-oriented Religious Education model in the Diocese), an on-site Preschool, RCIA, Senior Ministry, Family Life parenting programs, and outreach partners like Drive a Senior, Mobile Loaves and Fishes, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. After Mass, parishioners are invited to the Pomegranate Café in the Parish Center — a unique parish amenity run by volunteer baristas.
Mass times at St. Catherine of Siena
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
Adoration times
- Adoration is currently suspended until the church's HVAC-related construction is complete.
About St. Catherine of Siena
St. Catherine of Siena is a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Austin, Texas, located at 4800 Convict Hill Road in southwest Austin. It was founded in 1979 by about 200 families and today is served by three priests. The parish lives by its motto — to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our Lord — and welcomes those becoming Catholic, returning to the faith, or simply looking for a new parish home.
- Five Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil
- Daily noon Mass (live-streamed) and a Tuesday evening Mass
- Family-oriented Religious Education program (first of its kind in the Diocese)
- On-site Preschool for children ages 2–5
- RCIA, Senior Ministry, and Family Life programs
- Community outreach including Drive a Senior and Mobile Loaves and Fishes
- Pomegranate Café in the Parish Center, open weekdays after noon Mass
Parish History
The parish traces its roots to 1979, when Bishop Vincent Harris sent Father Oliver Johnson, M.S.C., to gather a community of about 200 families. Their first Mass was at Lakehills Cinema Four, and before long, neighboring Protestant congregations opened their sanctuaries for Catholic worship. Ground was broken for a permanent church on June 11, 1981, and the building opened on December 6, 1981. Early clergy included Father Jerry Smith, Father Jim Chamberlain, Father Daniel Garcia (now Bishop of Austin), Father George Tzanakas, Father Dick Hudson, M.S.C., and Father Pat Coakley, M.S.C., who arrived in 2004 and became pastor in 2008.
- 1979 – Parish founded; Father Oliver Johnson, M.S.C., named first pastor
- First organizational meeting held at St. Ignatius Catholic School
- First Mass celebrated at Lakehills Cinema Four
- June 11, 1981 – Groundbreaking for new sanctuary
- December 6, 1981 – Church opens its doors
- 1982 – Knights of Columbus Council 8156 chartered
- 2004 – Father Pat Coakley, M.S.C., arrives
- 2008 – Father Pat Coakley becomes Pastor
Mission Statement
The parish mission statement is rooted in Mark 12:29–31 (the Great Commandments) and Matthew 28:19–20 (the Great Commission). The parish commits to creating an atmosphere for spiritual growth through liturgy, affirming and nurturing each other as Christ would, witnessing gospel values within the parish and beyond, and emphasizing Catholic Christian education.
- Love God and love neighbor as ourselves
- Create an atmosphere for spiritual growth through liturgy
- Affirm and nurture each other as Christ would
- Witness gospel values within the parish and the larger community
- Emphasize Catholic Christian education to share the faith
Clergy & Staff
Father Pat Coakley, M.S.C., has served as pastor since 2008. The parish is currently served by three priests and a deep bench of lay staff who lead faith formation, youth ministry, family life, the preschool, community ministries, and administration.
- Father Pat Coakley, M.S.C. — Pastor (Missionary of the Sacred Heart, Irish Province, from Cork)
- Father Barry Cubas — referenced on the parish website in connection with his ordination
- Pam Neumann — Pastoral Associate (RCIA contact)
- Marti Salas — Director of Religious Education for Children and Youth
- Kendall Antosh — Family Life Ministry contact
- Rhonda Smith — Community Ministries Office contact
- Camille Parker — Preschool registration contact
- Heather Riley — Director of St. Catherine's Preschool
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Catherine's Religious Education program is described by the parish as "second to none" and claims to be the first in the Diocese of Austin — and possibly the first in the nation — to adopt a family-oriented model, in which children are formed in the faith with the loving, continual direction of their parents. The parish also runs a dedicated Youth Ministry for middle and high school students.
- Family-oriented Religious Education model (a Diocese first)
- Ongoing parent formation for at-home faith education
- Middle school and high school Youth Ministry
- Director of Religious Education for Children and Youth: Marti Salas
St. Catherine's Preschool
The Preschool is a ministry of the parish serving children ages 2–5 with small classes (two teachers per class) and an emergent curriculum. The teacher-to-student ratio is smaller than Texas standards, weekly Chapel is part of the program, and the spiritual foundation is rooted in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Hours are 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Tuesday through Thursday, with two- or three-day options.
- Ages 2–5; Tuesday–Thursday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Emergent, play-based curriculum
- Weekly Chapel
- Rooted in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Director: Heather Riley; registration: Camille Parker
Family Life Ministries
Family Life Ministries offer parenting enrichment and marriage programming, including P.E.P. Talks for Parents of Elementary and Preschoolers. The parish says its parenting classes have run for decades and that it is "one of only a handful of churches nationwide that offer parenting classes on a regular basis."
- P.E.P. Talks (Parents of Elementary and Preschoolers)
- Marriage enrichment offerings
- Long-running parenting classes
- Contact: Kendall Antosh
RCIA & Becoming Catholic
Adults desiring to become Catholic are invited to join the parish's RCIA program, which offers an inviting and rich formation and educational process. Inquiries are directed to the pastor's Pastoral Associate.
- RCIA program for adults
- Contact: Pam Neumann, Pastoral Associate
Senior Ministry
The Senior Ministry offers programs tailored to older parishioners, with specific offerings highlighted in the parish bulletin as they arise.
- Senior-focused programs and events
- Details published in the weekly bulletin
Community Ministries & Outreach
The Community Ministries Office coordinates an array of programs serving the parish and the wider Austin community, including outreach to the poor and vulnerable, caregiver support, parish hospitality, and the Pomegranate Café in the Parish Center.
- Drive a Senior
- Mobile Loaves and Fishes
- Caregiver support programming
- Other programs serving the poor and vulnerable in Austin and beyond
- Hospitality events
- Pomegranate Café (parish coffee bar; open weekdays after noon Mass)
- Contact: Rhonda Smith
Society of St. Vincent de Paul & Knights of Columbus
The parish hosts both the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Knights of Columbus Council 8156 (chartered at the parish in 1982). The Knights' Ladies Auxiliary (KOCA) is also active. In partnership with We Are Blood, the Knights have hosted more than 20 years of parish blood drives, supporting over 40 Central Texas hospitals.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- Knights of Columbus Council #8156 (chartered 1982)
- Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary (KOCA)
- We Are Blood blood drives (20+ years)
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical life at St. Catherine of Siena is supported by a large team of lay parishioners who serve alongside the priests at every Mass.
- Ushers
- Greeters
- Mass Coordinators
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers
- Music Ministry
Parish Groups & Fellowship
Beyond its ministries, the parish supports several fellowship and craft-oriented groups that build community among parishioners.
- ACTS Retreats (Core Team, retreat opportunities)
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Cross Stitch Group
- Living Rosary
- Donut Sunday
- Pancake Breakfast
- Lenten Meals
Visiting & Worship Notes
First-time visitors and families with young children are warmly welcomed. A Cry Room — with a large TV monitor projecting a live feed of the Mass — is available in the Choir Room (or its temporary equivalent in Johnson Hall during construction). The 9:30 AM Sunday Mass and the daily noon Mass are live-streamed on the parish website.
- Cry Room available for families with young children
- Live-streamed Sunday 9:30 AM and weekday noon Masses
- Funeral broadcasts posted on the parish website
- All Masses, Confessions, and daily Rosaries currently in Johnson Hall during HVAC construction
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Oliver Johnson, M.S.C.1979–
Founding pastor; sent by Bishop Vincent Harris to establish the parish.
- Father Jerry Smith
Assisted in the early years of the parish.
- Father Jim Chamberlain
Assisted in the early years.
- Father Daniel Garcia
Recently ordained when he served; later became Bishop of Austin.
- Father George Tzanakas
Early priest of the parish.
- Father Dick Hudson, M.S.C.
Missionary of the Sacred Heart; early priest.
- Father Pat Coakley, M.S.C.2004–present
Arrived in 2004; became Pastor in 2008; Missionary of the Sacred Heart from Cork, Ireland.