About St. Francis of Tejas · Crockett, Texas
St. Francis of the Tejas Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located in the piney woods and rolling hills of Houston County, Texas, in the city of Crockett. The parish traces its spiritual heritage to a 1690 Franciscan mission established among the Caddo Indian Nation — the very mission widely regarded as the cradle of Catholicism in Texas — and was formally organized as a parish in 1931. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Tyler and offers Mass in both English and Spanish, along with weekly confession, Eucharistic adoration, faith formation for children and adults, and outreach to the wider Houston County community through its Loaves & Fishes food pantry.
- Established
- 1931
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi (parish is named for the Franciscan mission tradition; 'of the Tejas' refers to the Caddo name for the region)
- Rector
- Rev. Father Peter McGrath
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler
Why belong here
St. Francis of the Tejas offers a bilingual Catholic home in rural East Texas, with both English and Spanish Masses every weekend, daily weekday Masses, Saturday and Wednesday confession, Eucharistic adoration on First Fridays, and a full faith-formation program for children and adults. The parish is also deeply woven into the wider community through St. Francis Loaves & Fishes, a partnership with the East Texas Food Bank that provides groceries to Houston County neighbors in need four Wednesdays a month. Whether you are a lifelong Catholic, a returning parishioner, considering becoming Catholic through RCIA, or simply passing through Crockett, you will find a small, welcoming parish with deep local roots and a clear mission of teaching Christ and his love for humankind.
Mass times at St. Francis of Tejas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:30 PM – 5:20 PM
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 6:20 PM
Adoration times
- 1st Friday: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM (Eucharistic Exposition, following 8:30 AM Mass)
- Wednesday: 5:00 PM – 6:20 PM (Eucharistic Exposition, before the 6:30 PM Spanish Mass)
About St. Francis of the Tejas
St. Francis of the Tejas Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Tyler, located in the piney woods and gently rolling hills of Houston County, Texas. Its mission statement reads: 'Our Mission is to enrich the history of our Parish as testimony to the willingness of our parish families to embrace the future. Our Mission is clear: teaching Christ and his love for humankind.' The parish extends a warm welcome to all searching for a deeper relationship with God — whether a lifelong Catholic, a returning parishioner, new to the area, or just passing through Crockett.
Parish History & the 1690 Mission Legacy
The parish identifies itself as the direct institutional descendant of a 1690 Franciscan mission established among the Caddo Indian Nation in Houston County — the same San Francisco de los Tejas mission founded by Father Damián Massanet that historians call the cradle of Catholicism in Texas. After the Spanish abandoned the area in 1693, the Franciscans returned to East Texas more than two decades later and reestablished the mission in a new location near present-day Alto under the name Nuestro Padre San Francisco de los Tejas, celebrating Mass there in 1716. The present Crockett parish was formally organized in 1931 (per GCatholic), roughly 147 years after the original mission, making it one of the historic Catholic outposts of East Texas.
- 1690: Original San Francisco de los Tejas mission founded by Franciscan priests among the Caddo.
- 1693: Spanish temporarily abandon the East Texas missions.
- 1716: Franciscans return and reestablish the mission near present-day Alto.
- 1931: St. Francis of the Tejas formally established in Crockett.
Devotions & Prayer Life
Outside of Mass, the parish nurtures a traditional Catholic prayer life through the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and Eucharistic Adoration. The Rosary is prayed before Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM and before the Wednesday evening Spanish Mass at 6:00 PM. Beginning January 3, 2021, the Rosary is said before Sunday Mass on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays, and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on the 2nd and 4th Sundays.
- Sunday Rosary at 8:00 AM
- Wednesday Rosary at 6:00 PM
- Divine Mercy Chaplet on 2nd & 4th Sundays before Mass
- First Friday Mass at 8:30 AM followed by Adoration
Mass Intentions
Because the Mass is the highest form of worship on Earth, the parish encourages the faithful to request Mass intentions for thanksgivings, celebrations, or memorials for deceased loved ones. Intention envelopes are available in the church office and can be placed in the offering basket or returned to the office; the suggested donation is $5.00, with formal guidelines published on the parish site.
Faith Formation & RCIA
St. Francis of the Tejas runs a Family Faith Formation program for children (registration for the 2024–2025 school year was held in June 2024) and an RCIA process for adults considering becoming Catholic. A Faith Formation Guide is distributed in the Church foyer and office for parents to read before registering their children. Those interested in RCIA may contact the Parish Office or complete the RCIA Inquiry Form online; the RCIA Coordinator will follow up personally.
- Family Faith Formation for children — fees: $25 first child, $50 family maximum
- Registration on designated Sundays in the Church Hall
- RCIA Inquiry Form available via the parish website
- Project Rachel Ministry for post-abortion healing
St. Francis Ladies Guild
The Ladies Guild is a women's ministry of the parish that fosters fellowship and spiritual growth. It hosts an annual retreat — the 2024 retreat was titled 'Return from Emmaus' and was held on Saturday, October 5, 2024, in the St. Francis Parish Hall. All women of the parish and beyond are welcome.
Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry
St. Francis Loaves & Fishes is the parish's signature outreach ministry, run in partnership with the East Texas Food Bank to assist the people of Houston County with groceries once every 30 days. Distribution takes place on the first four Wednesdays of each month from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon at the parish. Those wishing to donate may write a check to the East Texas Food Bank and note 'Agency #601P' in the memo line.
- Distribution: 1st–4th Wednesdays, 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon
- Partner: East Texas Food Bank (Agency #601P)
- Serving all of Houston County
Contact, Location & Visiting
St. Francis of the Tejas is conveniently located on Hwy. 19 (also North 4th Street), about half a mile north of the Crockett city square. The mailing address, phone, and email are all listed on the parish website, and visitors are warmly welcomed at any Mass or devotion.
- Address: 609 N. Fourth Street, Crockett, TX 75835
- Phone: (936) 544-5338
- Fax: 866-591-9583
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stfranciscrockett.com/
- On Hwy. 19 / N. 4th St., ~½ mile north of the Crockett city square