About St. Elizabeth of Hungary · Alice, Texas
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church is a Roman Latin-rite parish in Alice, Texas, the seat of Jim Wells County in South Texas. Founded in 1918 and belonging to the Diocese of Corpus Christi, the parish sits at 603 East 5th Street and serves the surrounding ranching and oil-country community. It operates an attached parish school — St. Elizabeth Catholic School (PreK-3 through 6th grade) — and offers daily and Sunday Mass, perpetual adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and a wide range of lay ministries including the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Daughters of America (Court 2584), an ACTS retreat community, an Altar Society, and a faith formation program for children.
- Established
- 1918
- Patron
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary
- Rector
- Rev. Dennis P. Zerr
- Diocese
- Diocese of Corpus Christi
Why belong here
St. Elizabeth of Hungary offers the full rhythm of Catholic life for Alice and Jim Wells County: two Sunday Masses, a Saturday vigil, weekday Masses, perpetual adoration, Saturday confessions, and a school Mass on Fridays during the school year. Parishioners can plug into time-tested ministries — Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters Court 2584 (chartered 2006), Altar Society, ACTS retreats, religious education, and an active music ministry — and the parish priest, Father Dennis Zerr, is closely involved with the parish school, teaching the older students and hearing the children's confessions each week.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 4:50 PM (during Holy Rosary before Vigil Mass)
- Thursday during the school day (Fr. Zerr hears confessions of the school children)
Adoration times
- Monday Adoration Chapel 12:00 PM
- Wednesday Adoration Chapel 8:00 AM
- Thursday Adoration Chapel 12:00 PM
- Friday (First Fridays) 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM in the Chapel
- Perpetual adoration in the Chapel (call the parish office for the access code)
History of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church was established in 1918 in Alice, Texas, and is part of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. The parish takes its name from the 13th-century Hungarian princess renowned for her care of the poor and sick. It grew alongside the ranching and oil communities of Jim Wells County and today stands at 603 East 5th Street. A long-tenured former pastor, Monsignor Leonard Pivonka, served the parish for many years and is remembered in the parish's photo archives alongside celebrations, anniversaries, and priest-appreciation events. In 2006 the parish hosted the chartering of Catholic Daughters Court 2584, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in December 2011.
- Founded 1918 (per GCatholic)
- Designated a Jubilee Church in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
- Long-serving former pastor: Monsignor Leonard Pivonka, JCD
- Catholic Daughters Court 2584 chartered December 10, 2006
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Rev. Dennis P. Zerr, ordained June 14, 2003, who previously served as assistant at St. Patrick's in Corpus Christi and pastor of Holy Family in Taft and Sacred Heart in Falfurrias. He is assisted by three permanent deacons and a lay staff that runs the parish office, music ministry, altar servers, and religious education.
- Rev. Dennis P. Zerr — Pastor
- Deacon James Carlisle
- Deacon Ernest Gutierrez (also teaches 4th grade at the parish school)
- Deacon Bobby Bourlon
- Ebony Garcia — Altar Server Coordinator (and Regent of CDA Court 2584)
- Arcadia Salazar, Miguel Cabrera, Baldo Cantu — Music Ministry
- Teresa Carrillo (T.C.) — Administrative Assistant
- Bonnie Garcia — Receptionist & Bulletin Editor
- Amber Hinojosa — Director of Religious Education
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education for parish children is coordinated by the Director of Religious Education, and the parish prepares children for First Communion, Confirmation, and ongoing faith formation. Father Zerr himself teaches religion classes to the older students at the parish school each week and hears their confessions on Thursdays.
- Director of Religious Education: Amber Hinojosa
- Father Zerr teaches 3rd–6th grade religion at the school
- School children attend Mass each Friday
- First Communion, Confirmation, and ongoing formation through the parish
St. Elizabeth Catholic School
The parish operates St. Elizabeth Catholic School (PreK-3 through 6th grade) at 615 E. 5th Street, Alice — on the same block as the church. The school is accredited through the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department, with its most recent accreditation completed in fall 2017. The mascot is the Bobcat, the school colors are navy and red, and the motto is "Building Tomorrow Today, Through Catholic Education." Father Zerr serves as the school's spiritual director; the principal, faculty, and staff teach the whole child — spiritual, academic, physical, and emotional.
- Address: 615 E. 5th Street, Alice, TX 78332
- Phone: (361) 664-6271
- Website: https://www.sesalice.org/
- Grades: PreK-3 through 6th grade
- Mascot: Bobcat; Colors: Navy and Red
- Motto: Building Tomorrow Today, Through Catholic Education
- Accredited by the Texas Education Agency and Texas Catholic Conference Education Department
- Pastoral involvement: weekly school Mass, confessions, and religion instruction by Father Zerr
Parish Ministries & Organizations
The parish runs an active mix of spiritual, fraternal, and service organizations. Several of these — most notably the Catholic Daughters of America — have a published history on the parish website.
- Catholic Daughters of America — Court Daughters of St. Elizabeth of Hungary #2584 (chartered Dec. 10, 2006; meets 3rd Tuesday, Sept.–May, 6:30 PM)
- Knights of Columbus council
- Altar Society
- ACTS Retreats
- Music Ministry (cantors and choir)
- Altar Servers
- Religious Education program
- Habitat for Humanity partnership and other outreach
Catholic Daughters of America — Court 2584
Court Daughters of St. Elizabeth of Hungary #2584 was chartered at the parish on December 10, 2006, thanks to the pioneering work of its first Regent, Rebecca A. Schmidt. The court celebrated its 5th anniversary in December 2011 with a Corporate Communion and luncheon. Court chaplain is Rev. Dennis P. Zerr; the current Regent is Ebony Garcia.
- Chartered December 10, 2006
- First Regent: Rebecca A. Schmidt
- Meets third Tuesday of the month, September through May, at 6:30 PM
- Open to Catholic women ages 18 and older
- Contact: Court Regent Ebony Garcia (361) 664-6481
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments on a regular schedule, and the website provides downloadable Baptism forms and a New Parishioner Form to help families register and request sacraments.
- Baptism — Baptism Forms available online; contact parish office
- First Communion & Confirmation — through Religious Education and the parish school
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–4:00 PM or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — First Fridays at the noon Mass
Visit, Contact & Location
St. Elizabeth of Hungary is located in central Alice, Texas. The parish office can be reached by phone; visitors coming from US Highway 44 turn south onto Cameron Street and then left onto East 5th Street.
- Address: 603 East 5th Street, Alice, TX 78332
- Phone: (361) 664-6481
- Directions from Hwy. 44: south on Cameron St., left on 5th St.
- New Parishioner Form available on the website
- Office email: [email protected] (listed on catholicmasstime.org directory)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Leonard Pivonka, JCD
Long-serving former pastor; served as spiritual director of St. Elizabeth Catholic School; appears in parish photo albums across many years.
- Rev. Dennis P. Zerr
Current pastor (ordained June 14, 2003); previously assistant at St. Patrick's Corpus Christi and pastor of Holy Family, Taft and Sacred Heart, Falfurrias.