About St. John of the Cross · Orange Grove, Texas
St. John of the Cross Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Orange Grove, Texas, in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, currently pastored by Rev. Patrick K. Donohoe. The faith community worships at 200 S. Metz St. and also serves the nearby mission of St. Francis of Assisi in Lagarto. The parish describes itself as a welcoming Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service, with the mission of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ to its local community in word, deed, and truth. The church marked its centennial in 2025, commemorating 100 years since becoming a full parish in 1925.
- Established
- 1925
- Patron
- St. John of the Cross
- Rector
- Rev. Patrick K. Donohoe
- Diocese
- Diocese of Corpus Christi
Why belong here
St. John of the Cross offers a deeply rooted small-town Catholic community with a full schedule of liturgies in both English and Spanish, vibrant lay ministries — Knights of Columbus, Altar Society, Sociedad de Las Guadalupanas, Music Ministry, a quilting prayer ministry, and LifeTeen/Edge youth ministry — plus Religious Education from kindergarten through Confirmation. Mass times that fit working families (Saturday Vigil plus three Sunday Masses including one in Spanish), weekly Eucharistic Adoration in Spanish, and a long tradition of parish fellowship going back to 1913 make it both accessible and connected to its neighbors. New parishioners are welcomed into a community that has been proclaiming the Gospel of Christ in Orange Grove for over a century.
Mass times at St. John of the Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Spanish Holy Hour)
Parish History
The Catholic community in Orange Grove began on June 15, 1913, when five families gathered at the home of Henry and Mrs. Diersing for the first Mass celebrated by Father Michael Puig of San Patricio. After Bishop Paul Nussbaum's 1914 mission foundation, the community progressed through dependent status on St. Isidore (Falfurrias) and St. Elizabeth (Alice) before becoming a full parish on January 1, 1925 under Father Frank Kasper. The current church — dedicated in 1951, renovated in 1974, and accompanied by a new $460,000 rectory/office complex blessed in 2013 — represents more than a century of perseverance through hurricanes, drought, and even anti-Catholic bigotry from the Ku Klux Klan in its early decades.
- June 15, 1913: First Mass at the Henry Diersing home
- November 8, 1914: Bishop Nussbaum blesses the first mission church
- January 1, 1925: Becomes a full parish under Father Frank Kasper
- June 10, 1951: Current church dedicated under Msgr. Hoellmann
- 1974: Sanctuary remodeled for Vatican II liturgy
- March 10, 2013: New rectory/offices blessed by Msgr. Louis Kihneman III
- 2025: Centennial celebrated
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious Education runs September through May for grades K–12, with a $40 per-child fee (capped at $120 per family). Junior high and high school students (and a parent) must attend an in-person orientation; K–5 registration is arranged by appointment with Father Patrick. Confirmation candidates must actively participate in two years of Youth Ministry (LifeTeen/Edge) and complete a separate preparation track.
- Religious Education K–5 (by appointment with Fr. Patrick)
- Religious Education 6th–12th (orientation required)
- Confirmation preparation (two years of Youth Ministry)
- Registration begins each September
Youth Ministry (Edge & LifeTeen)
St. John of the Cross uses the LifeTeen 'Purpose' program to reach junior high and high school youth. Edge serves 6th–8th graders and LifeTeen serves 9th–12th graders, with the goal of fostering an encounter with Christ that transforms parish, community, and culture.
- Edge: grades 6–8
- LifeTeen: grades 9–12
- Back-to-School Bash kickoff events
- Wednesday evening sessions in the Parish Hall
Parish Ministries and Organizations
The parish has long thrived through a wide array of lay ministries that serve both the liturgy and the local community. Outreach ministries like the Knights of Columbus and Sociedad de Las Guadalupanas keep the Mexican-American faith tradition visible, while liturgical roles like Altar Servers, Lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers keep Sunday Mass running. Spiritual and pastoral councils advise the pastor.
- Knights of Columbus (1st Tuesday, rosary 6:40 PM, meeting 7 PM)
- Altar Society (4th Monday, Parish Hall, all parish women)
- Sociedad de Las Guadalupanas (Corporate Communion 3rd Sunday, 7:30 AM)
- Casa de Lucy Helping Hand Quilting Ministry
- Music Ministry (Thu 7:30 PM rehearsals)
- Parish Pastoral Council (1st Monday, 6 PM, Parish Hall)
- Finance Council
Liturgical Service Ministries
Lay men and women of the parish assist at every Mass in a range of practical and spiritual roles. Children in grade 3 and above (post-First Communion) may serve as altar servers, and adults are needed as Extraordinary Ministers of Communion (to also bring the Eucharist to the sick and homebound), Lectors, Sacristans, Ushers, and Offertory Counters.
- Altar Servers (grades 3+ with First Communion)
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
- Lectors
- Sacristans
- Ushers
- Offertory Counters (Monday mornings)
- Flowers and Grounds volunteers
St. Francis of Assisi Mission, Lagarto
St. John of the Cross also serves the rural mission of St. Francis of Assisi in Lagarto, Texas, sharing the parish's clergy and staff. The mission hosts a Sunday Mass at 9:15 AM, and the contact phone is the main parish office line.
- Sunday Mass: 9:15 AM
- Pastored by Fr. Patrick Donohoe
- Deacon Armando Cavada serves the mission
Parish Staff
The parish team is led by Pastor Rev. Patrick K. Donohoe (ordained September 17, 1982) and includes a part-time maintenance and office staff at 200 S. Metz St. Office hours are Monday through Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, closed for lunch 12:00–1:00 PM; the office is closed on Friday.
- Rev. Patrick K. Donohoe — Pastor ([email protected]; 361-739-6853)
- Deacon Armando Cavada
- Terrie Silva — Executive Assistant
- Laura Adams — Part-Time Data Entry Clerk & Editor
- Maria Miller — Part-Time Maintenance
- Gloria Pena — Part-Time Maintenance
- Parish Office: [email protected] / 361-384-2795
Contact, Location & Visiting
St. John of the Cross sits in the heart of Orange Grove at 200 S. Metz St., at the corner of W. Pundt Avenue. The parish office shares its main phone (361-384-2795) and main email ([email protected]) across the parish and the Lagarto mission; the pastor can also be reached directly at [email protected] or 361-739-6853.
- Physical: 200 S. Metz St., Orange Grove, TX 78372
- Mailing: PO Box 329, Orange Grove, TX 78372
- Phone: 361-384-2795
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (lunch 12:00–1:00 PM); closed Friday
Centennial Celebration
2025 marks the 100-year anniversary of St. John of the Cross becoming a full parish (January 1, 1925), and the home page of the parish website prominently announces 'St. John of the Cross Centennial Celebration — 100 years of St. John of the Cross.' The centennial commemorates more than a century of Catholic life in Orange Grove and the surrounding ranching communities.
- Founded as a full parish January 1, 1925
- Centennial celebrated in 2025
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Michael Puig of San Patricio1913–1914
Celebrated the first Mass at the Diersing home on June 15, 1913; later established a mission at Orange Grove under Bishop Nussbaum
- Fr. Erasmo Gloeckner, CP1914–
Asked by Bishop Nussbaum in January 1914 to establish the Orange Grove mission
- Fr. Frank Kasper1925–
First resident pastor when the community became a full parish on January 1, 1925
- Fr. Joseph J. Hoellmann (later Monsignor)1929–1955
Broke ground for the new church in 1948, dedicated 1951; served until retirement at age 86
- Fr. Stanley C. Brach1956–1962
Remodeled the rectory
- Fr. Charles M. McNaboe1962–
Retired parish debt in under four years, organized famous Monday night bingo, installed central heat/air (1965)
- Fr. Celestine Murray1966–
Built Catholic Civic Center in 1971 after Hurricane Celia; 1974 sanctuary renovation for Vatican II
- Fr. Seamus McGowan1977–1993 (approx.)
Served 16 years; continued campus renovations
- Fr. Prince Kuruvila
Oversaw completion of the new $460,000 rectory/office complex dedicated in March 2013
- Rev. Patrick K. Donohoepresent
Ordained September 17, 1982; current pastor