About St. Eugene de Mazenod · Brownsville, Texas
St. Eugene de Mazenod is a Roman Catholic parish in Brownsville, Texas, part of the Diocese of Brownsville. Founded in 1996 and named for the French founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the parish is staffed by Oblate priests and serves a predominantly Spanish-speaking community at 5409 Austin Road. Weekly Masses are celebrated in Spanish, English, and bilingually, with weekday evening Masses, Saturday Vigil in English, and three Sunday Masses.
- Established
- 1996
- Patron
- St. Eugene de Mazenod, founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Rector
- Rev. Kevin A. Collins, O.M.I.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
St. Eugene de Mazenod offers a welcoming, predominantly Spanish-language Catholic community with three Sunday Masses (including a bilingual liturgy), a Saturday Vigil in English, and evening weekday Masses to fit working families' schedules. The parish is rooted in the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate tradition of evangelization to the poor and immigrants, and works actively with Valley Interfaith on social-justice initiatives, including a Parish ID program for parishioners without government-issued identification. Weekly Thursday Holy Hour and Saturday confessions round out a parish life shaped by Eucharistic devotion and outreach to the border community.
Mass times at St. Eugene de Mazenod
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Bilingual: English / Spanish)
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Hora Santa después de la Misa)
About St. Eugene de Mazenod Parish
St. Eugene de Mazenod is a Roman Catholic parish in Brownsville, Texas, established in 1996 within the Diocese of Brownsville. It is named for Saint Eugene de Mazenod, founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and is staffed by Oblate priests of the O.M.I. congregation. The parish serves a predominantly Spanish-speaking community on Austin Road, offering Mass in Spanish, English, and bilingually.
- Founded 1996
- Diocese of Brownsville
- Staffed by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.)
- Located at 5409 Austin Rd., Brownsville, TX 78521
History & Oblate Heritage
The parish's founding in 1996 falls in the immediate aftermath of Bishop Mazenod's canonization (December 3, 1995) and continues a Rio Grande Valley Oblate tradition stretching back to 1849. That year, at the invitation of Bishop Jean Marie Odin, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate landed in Brownsville and were entrusted with a vast mission territory along the Rio Grande, eventually establishing headquarters, schools, and chapels including the historic La Lomita Mission. Early Oblate missionaries, sometimes called the "Cavalry of Christ," served the territory on horseback in circuits that could take them more than 100 miles into the interior.
- Oblates arrived in Brownsville December 8, 1849 — the Feast of the Immaculate Conception
- Eight Oblates died of yellow fever between 1853 and 1862, prompting Mazenod's lament: "Those cruel missions of Texas!"
- The Oblates established schools in Galveston (1855) and Brownsville (1865)
- St. Eugene de Mazenod was canonized December 3, 1995; the parish was established the following year
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by members of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.), the religious congregation founded by the parish's patron saint. Two O.M.I. priests currently serve the community.
- Rev. Kevin A. Collins, O.M.I. — Pastor (effective July 15, 2015)
- Rev. Paul F. Hughes, O.M.I. — Parochial Priest (effective October 21, 2020)
Ministries & Outreach
The parish carries forward the Oblate charism of evangelization to the poor through ministries focused on its Spanish-speaking and immigrant community. Its signature outreach is a Parish ID program developed with Valley Interfaith and the Diocese of Brownsville Bishop's Immigration Task Force, providing parishioners without government-issued identification a recognized parish identity card. The parish also publishes photo albums from annual celebrations such as the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Blessing of the Animals.
- Parish ID program (in partnership with Valley Interfaith and the Bishop's Immigration Task Force)
- Our Lady of Guadalupe annual celebration
- Blessing of the Animals
- Bilingual liturgical ministry
Devotions & Prayer Resources
The parish publishes prayer resources online, including a weekly novena for Oblate vocations and a novena in preparation for the ordination of Bishop Avilés. A Spanish-language edition of the same novena is also posted. The parish also links to the diocesan newspaper, The Valley Catholic, and shares Pope Francis's Sunday Angelus.
- Novena for Oblate Vocations (Novena por las Vocaciones Oblatas)
- Novena for the Ordination of Bishop Avilés (English & Spanish)
- Thursday Holy Hour (Hora Santa)
- The Valley Catholic (diocesan publication linked from the parish site)
- Papa Francisco Ángelus (Spanish)
Visit & Contact
The parish welcomes visitors at its Austin Road location in Brownsville. It can be reached by phone, fax, and diocesan email.
- Address: 5409 Austin Rd., Brownsville, TX 78521
- Phone: (956) 831-9923
- Fax: (956) 831-3110
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Diocese of Brownsville
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Tim Paulsen, O.M.I.through ~2018
Served as pastor in 2018; attended blessing of the Oblate Memorial Prayer Garden in Port Isabel that year.