About St. John the Apostle · West Columbia, Texas
St. John the Apostle is a Roman Catholic mission church in West Columbia, Texas, serving Brazoria County as the sister mission of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in nearby Sweeny. The two worship sites share a single pastor, one parish office, one bulletin, and one Faith Formation program, but St. John the Apostle keeps its own schedule of weekend and weekday Masses, including a Saturday vigil, Sunday morning Mass, and a Thursday morning liturgy with Eucharistic Adoration. Founded in 1955 and part of the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston, the mission is led today by Fr. Preston Quintela and supported by a tight network of parish ministries — from the Knights of Columbus and St. Vincent de Paul to a youth ministry, faith formation program, and the Ladies Altar Guild.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- St. John the Apostle
- Rector
- Father Preston Quintela
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston
Why belong here
St. John the Apostle is a small, family-sized Catholic community rooted in Brazoria County that welcomes new members with a simple family registration form and a clear mission: to be 'the family of God, united by the Eucharist, rooted in Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.' Worshippers find a full schedule of weekend and weekday Masses, a Thursday Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, weekly confession before Saturday Mass, and the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet prayed before every weekend liturgy. Members also have access to a robust Faith Formation program, OCIA (formerly RCIA), a Youth Ministry, the Ladies Altar Guild, Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Spanish-speaking outreach — all under the pastoral care of Fr. Preston Quintela.
Mass times at St. John the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (before the 5:00 PM vigil Mass at SJA)
- Tuesday 4:45 PM – 4:55 PM (or after Mass)
- Thursday 8:15 AM – 8:25 AM (or after Mass)
- By appointment — call the parish office at 979-548-2020 ext. 4
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM at St. John the Apostle, ending with Benediction
Welcome & Parish Mission
The official site greets visitors with the words 'Welcome to Our Lady of Perpetual Help & St. John the Apostle Catholic Churches' and immediately invites them to download a Family Registration Form. The two linked communities describe themselves as 'the family of God, united by the Eucharist, rooted in Truth, Beauty, and Goodness to help spread the Light of Christ in Brazoria County.' A published mission statement lists five commitments: providing for the worship needs and spiritual growth of the Catholic community, fostering unity and cooperation within the parish family, providing lifelong faith formation and a deeper relationship with the Lord, amplifying the Kingdom of God through Prayer, Participation and Generosity, and promoting Truth, Peace, Justice, Charity and Sanctity of life in the parish and community.
- Family Registration Form available for download, to be returned in person, by email ([email protected]), or placed in the collection basket
- Five-point parish mission statement rooted in the Eucharist and evangelization of Brazoria County
Our Locations & Parish Office
Although the mailing and physical parish office is at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Sweeny, St. John the Apostle is a fully separate worship site in West Columbia. The two sites together form one pastoral family under Fr. Preston Quintela. Office hours run Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM and Friday 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM.
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help — 310 N. McKinney St., Sweeny, TX 77480
- St. John the Apostle — 807 Loggins Drive, West Columbia, TX 77486
- Parish office: 979-548-2020 ext. 4 • Fax 979-548-4253 • [email protected]
Clergy & Staff
The mission is led by Fr. Preston Quintela, who serves as Administrator of both Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. John the Apostle under the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston. Trish Speers is the parish Business Manager. The parish also relies on volunteer ministry coordinators for Youth Ministry, Faith Formation, Music, Sacraments and more.
- Pastor: Father Preston Quintela (Administrator per Archdiocesan appointment effective May 1)
- Business Manager: Trish Speers
- Youth Ministry Coordinator (SJA): Ellaina Madera — 210-749-3134
- Youth Ministry Coordinator (OLPH): Bianca Heinroth — 979-709-9138
- Sacraments / Faith Formation contact: Rebecca Giles — 832-212-4988
Sacraments
The parish's sacraments page offers formation and contact information for all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptism, First Eucharist, First Reconciliation, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation are all prepared and celebrated through the parish. Baptismal preparation classes are required for parents and godparents, offered quarterly in both English and Spanish, with the next class typically scheduled in the SJA hall. The parish also publishes resources on how to make a good confession, including an Examination of Conscience handout, instructional videos, and a podcast.
- Baptism — quarterly preparation classes in English and Spanish; contact Rebecca Giles at 832-212-4988
- First Eucharist / First Reconciliation — two-year preparation beginning in 1st grade
- Confirmation — High School (two-year) and Adult tracks
- Reconciliation — Saturday 4:00–5:00 PM, also Tuesday and Thursday before Mass, and by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — call the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- O.C.I.A. (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) — year-round for those entering the Church or refreshing their faith
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith Formation (formerly called CCE) and Youth Ministry are the parish's catechetical engine, described on the site as 'a sacred journey passing the light of Jesus Christ to one soul at a time.' Classes meet on Wednesday nights at both worship sites, with West Columbia Elementary pickup available for SJA students. The Junior and Senior High Youth Ministry program includes food, fellowship and fun alongside formation, and the parish uses a BAND app to keep registered parents and youth informed of the year-round calendar.
- Elementary (Kinder – 5th Grade): Wednesdays 4:15–5:45 PM at SJA (and OLPH)
- Junior High & High School (6th–12th Grade): Wednesdays 6:45–8:00 PM (OLPH in fall, SJA in spring)
- Registration: $40 for the first registered student, $30 for the second, $20 each additional; non-parishioners $45 / $35 / $25
- OLPH coordinator: Bianca Heinroth (979-709-9138); SJA coordinator: Ellaina Madera (210-749-3134)
- Family communication via the BAND app
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. John the Apostle and Our Lady of Perpetual Help share a broad network of parish ministries spanning service, faith, fellowship, and liturgy. The site lists a dozen active groups, with named contact persons for most. The ministries reflect the parish's small-town, family character: a senior social club, a thrift-minded St. Vincent de Paul conference, an active Knights of Columbus council, and a thriving Hispanic Ministry and Legion of Mary.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — Susan, 979-345-4999
- Knights of Columbus — Felix, 979-215-1299
- Ladies Altar Guild (SJA) — Linda, 979-345-5288; Ladies Altar Society (OLPH) — Angie Cummings, 979-548-2883
- Music Ministry — Mary, 979-548-2020 ext. 7 or [email protected]
- Knights of the Altar (altar servers) — five-rank program
- Lectors — Mary, 979-548-2020 ext. 7 (English); Yolanda, 979-240-9312 (Spanish at OLPH)
- S.O.A.R. (Seniors On A Roll, 55+) — Annabel, 979-665-9060
- Hispanic Ministry — Rosario, 979-548-3614
- Legion of Mary — Linda or Rosario
- Our Lady of Guadalupe group — Adela Gutierrez
- Sacred and Safe Environment — parish office, 979-548-2020 ext. 4
Parish History & Archdiocesan Status
GCatholic dates the founding of St. John the Apostle to 1955, and the mission remains a recognized Church of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston. The Archdiocese's official Pastoral Appointments page records that Fr. Preston Quintela was named Administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sweeny, and St. John the Apostle, West Columbia, effective May 1 — formalizing the long-standing arrangement in which one pastor serves both the Sweeny parish and the West Columbia mission.
- Founded 1955 (per GCatholic directory)
- Jurisdiction: Metropolitan Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston
- Fr. Preston Quintela appointed Administrator of both OLPH and SJA effective May 1 (Archdiocesan appointment)
- GCatholic Church ID: 20506
Safe Environment & Scam Awareness
The parish publishes a clear warning about scams: parishioners should be aware of any email, text message, or phone call impersonating Father Preston to solicit donations. 'He will never contact you personally asking for money or if you have time to chat!' The parish also coordinates with the Archdiocese's Office of Safe Environment, implementing the USCCB's Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People — including background checks and abuse-prevention training for all who minister to children and youth.
- Scam warning posted on homepage: Fr. Preston will never personally solicit money by text or email
- Safe Environment program — background checks and training for ministry volunteers
- USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People compliance
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Daniel S. Baguio
Listed as pastor of St. John the Apostle Mission on the third-party directory JoinMyChurch.com; no longer listed as current pastor on the official parish site or Archdiocese appointments page.
- Rev. Preston QuintelaEffective May 1 (per archdiocesan appointments)
Appointed Administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sweeny, and St. John the Apostle, West Columbia, by the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston. Previously served as Parochial Vicar at St. Cecilia Parish.