About St. Ignatius · San Benito, Texas
St. Ignatius of Loyola (Spanish: Parroquia San Ignacio de Loyola) is a Roman Catholic parish serving the El Ranchito / El Calaboz rural community west of Brownsville, in the San Benito area of Cameron County, Texas. It belongs to the Diocese of Brownsville and was established in 1967 during the major growth years of the diocese under Bishop Humbert Sousa Medeiros. The parish is a primarily Spanish-speaking mission community along the historic trail once served by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.), who ministered in this part of the Rio Grande Valley from 1849 to 1949.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- St. Ignatius of Loyola
- Rector
- Rev. Salvador Ramirez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
St. Ignatius of Loyola offers a warm, Spanish-speaking Catholic community deeply rooted in the Rio Grande Valley's mission-church tradition. Families who live in the El Ranchito / El Calaboz area west of Brownsville find here a bilingual Saturday vigil Mass, two Sunday Spanish Masses, weekday evening Masses, daily Confession times, and extended Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays and Thursdays — a level of devotional life uncommon for a parish of its size. It is a small, mission-style parish that still functions much like the chapels the Oblate Fathers built along this stretch of U.S. Highway 281 a century ago.
Mass times at St. Ignatius
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (English/Spanish)
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- Monday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
About St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish
St. Ignatius of Loyola is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Brownsville, located at 24380 W. U.S. Highway 281 in the El Ranchito community west of Brownsville, Texas (mailing address San Benito, TX 78586). The parish was established in 1967 and serves the ranching and small-farm communities of El Ranchito, El Calaboz, and surrounding areas along the lower Rio Grande Valley. Its Spanish-language liturgical life and modest, mission-style setting connect it to the century of Oblate missionary work that preceded it.
- Founded: 1967
- Diocese: Brownsville
- Primary language: Spanish
- Patron: St. Ignatius of Loyola (feast day July 31)
History of the Parish
The lower Rio Grande Valley west of Brownsville was Catholic mission territory from 1849 to 1949, when the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.) built and staffed chapels through what is now Cameron County. Local historians refer to the chain of these chapels as the 'Oblate Fathers' trail.' After the Oblates handed the missions over to the Diocese of Brownsville, Bishop Humbert Sousa Medeiros established St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in 1967 to serve the families of El Ranchito and El Calaboz. It is now one of two Catholic parishes serving San Benito (along with Our Lady Queen of the Universe and St. Theresa, both established in 1966).
- 1849–1949: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.) serve the lower Rio Grande Valley
- 1967: St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish established by the Diocese of Brownsville
- June 17, 2019: Rev. Salvador Ramirez assigned as pastor
- March 7, 2021: Rev. Gerardo Sanchez, M.C.M. assigned
- February 15, 2022: Rev. Hugo D. Sanchez, M.C.M. assigned
Other Devotions and Services
The parish maintains the traditional Hispanic devotional practice of the Sabatina, a Saturday devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated weekly and combined with Mass on the first Saturday of each month.
- Saturday 7:00 AM: Sabatina prayer
- First Saturday of the month 8:00 AM: Sabatina y Misa
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The parish is currently served by a pastor and two parochial vicars from the Misioneros Combonianos M.C.M. (Comboni Missionaries), an order that serves much of the diocese's border-region ministry. Assignments are recorded on the Diocese of Brownsville parish finder.
- Rev. Salvador Ramirez – Pastor (effective 06/17/2019)
- Rev. Gerardo Sanchez, M.C.M. (effective 03/07/2021)
- Rev. Hugo D. Sanchez, M.C.M. (effective 02/15/2022)
Visit, Location, and Contact
The parish offices and church are at 24380 W. U.S. Highway 281, El Ranchito, San Benito, Texas 78586, on the westbound side of the highway northwest of its intersection with FM 1577. The mailing address uses the San Benito post office. Telephone, fax, and a diocesan email address are listed in the Diocese of Brownsville parish finder.
- Address: 24380 W. U.S. Hwy. 281, El Ranchito, San Benito, TX 78586
- Phone: (956) 399-2022
- Fax: (956) 399-1213
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese website: www.cdob.org