About St. John the Baptist · Corpus Christi, Texas
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish on the southside of Corpus Christi, Texas, in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Founded in the early 2000s as one of the diocese's newest parishes, it grew out of a mission of Most Precious Blood parish and was formally established as a parish on December 20, 2003. The community describes itself as a growing Roman Catholic family faithful to the Magisterium and centered in Christ, offering weekend and daily Mass in English, religious education for children and youth, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), and a wide range of ministries serving parishioners in body and soul.
- Established
- 2003
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Fr. Richard Gonzales
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist is a young, growing southside Corpus Christi parish where the community prides itself on being a place where "everybody knows your name and everybody is glad you came." It offers daily and weekend Mass, a robust children's catechetical program (Little Flock, PreK4–5th grade), youth and young-adult formation (Moving Mountains, Quo Vadis), OCIA for adults entering the Church, a strong music ministry, a Meal Train for parishioners in need, and a Vocations ministry that actively supports its own seminarian, Brian Pendleton. Newcomers, returning Catholics, and those curious about the faith are personally welcomed by the pastor, staff, and ministry leaders.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Our Parish
St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, located on the southside of Corpus Christi, Texas. The parish describes itself as a growing Roman Catholic community, faithful to the Magisterium and centered in Christ. Its story is a young one: conceived in 2001, born as a mission in 2002, and formally established as a parish in 2003.
- Founded under Bishop Edmund Carmody of the Diocese of Corpus Christi
- First grew as a mission of Most Precious Blood parish
- Current pastor: Fr. Richard Gonzales (arrived July 5, 2023)
History
In early 2001 the Diocese of Corpus Christi, led by Bishop Edmund Carmody, began planning several new parishes to serve the city's fast-growing neighborhoods — it had been more than ten years since a new parish had been formed in Corpus Christi. St. John the Baptist was among them. The mission's master plan and fund-raising plan appeared in the South Texas Catholic on June 15, 2001, with Fr. Bob Dunn of Most Precious Blood coordinating initial planning. Bishop Carmody broke ground on the new church on March 23, 2002, and Fr. Rafael Dopierala blessed the construction equipment on August 11, 2002. While the permanent church was being built, the mission congregation met in an office in a shopping center across from the future church site. The first Mass of St. John the Baptist Mission was celebrated on June 1, 2002 by Bishop Carmody, assisted by Fr. Dopierala, with about 100 people in attendance; Fr. Dopierala was appointed priest-in-charge. Less than two years later, on December 20, 2003, Bishop Carmody dedicated and blessed the new church and altar, and the mission was elevated to a full parish. The community still echoes the bishop's description of the ideal parish as a place where "everybody knows your name and everybody is glad you came."
- 2001 — Diocese planning begins under Bishop Edmund Carmody
- June 1, 2002 — First Mass of St. John the Baptist Mission (~100 attendees)
- August 11, 2002 — Construction equipment blessed by Fr. Rafael Dopierala
- December 20, 2003 — Mission elevated to a parish; church dedicated by Bishop Carmody
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. John the Baptist offers a full weekly Mass schedule with three Sunday Masses (plus a vigil), and daily Mass Monday through Saturday. All published Masses are celebrated in English. The parish office can be reached at (361) 991-4400 for the latest Holy Day and holiday schedule, which is also published in the weekly bulletin.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM (English)
- Sunday: 8:00 AM, 10:15 AM, 12:15 PM (all English)
- Monday & Tuesday: 6:00 PM
- Wednesday–Saturday: 8:00 AM
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Fr. Richard Gonzales, supported by two permanent deacons and a lay staff handling music, faith formation, youth ministry, and parish administration. The parish directory lists contact emails by role so parishioners can reach the right person directly.
- Fr. Richard Gonzales — Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Julio Dimas — Parish Deacon / Knights of Columbus Council Chaplain ([email protected])
- Deacon Jesse Hinojosa — Parish Deacon ([email protected])
- Susan Etzler — Director of Music Ministry ([email protected])
- Jackie Hein — OCIA Coordinator ([email protected])
- Stephanie Rivera — Administrative Assistant ([email protected])
- Nga Duong — Bookkeeper ([email protected])
- Yvonne Wright — Little Flock Coordinator ([email protected])
- James Gilbert — Quo Vadis Coordinator ([email protected])
- Benjamin Nye — Moving Mountains Coordinator ([email protected])
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. John the Baptist runs a family-focused faith formation program organized by age and stage. Little Flock serves children PreK4 through 5th grade on Sunday mornings between 9:15 and 10:00 AM, and includes preparation for First Communion and First Penance. Older youth and young adults are served by the Moving Mountains and Quo Vadis programs. Adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church — or to complete their initiation — are welcomed through OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults).
- Little Flock — PreK4 through 5th grade catechesis & evangelization
- First Communion and First Penance preparation through Little Flock
- Moving Mountains — youth ministry
- Quo Vadis — young adult / vocational discernment
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
Music Ministry
Music at St. John the Baptist is led by Susan Etzler, Director of Music Ministry. The ministry supports the parish's weekend and daily liturgies and helps build the worship life of the community.
- Director of Music Ministry: Susan Etzler ([email protected])
Parish Life & Outreach
The parish offers several ministries that support parishioners in practical, everyday ways and that build community beyond the sanctuary.
- Meal Train Ministry — coordinates delivered meals for parishioners during illness, surgery, after childbirth or miscarriage, or other special situations (Coordinator: Alexis Keister, [email protected])
- Vocations Ministry — promotes and prays for vocations to the priesthood and religious life; supports the parish's own seminarian, Brian Pendleton (Coordinator: Rachel Dimas, [email protected])
- Knights of Columbus Council — chaplainced by Deacon Julio Dimas
Sacraments
Information about the sacraments is handled through the parish office and through the appropriate formation ministry. Little Flock prepares children for First Communion and First Penance, while OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) coordinates Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist for adults and older children entering the faith.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- First Penance and First Communion — preparation through Little Flock
- Adult initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) — through OCIA
- For emergency needs outside office hours call (361) 271-4483
Contact & Visiting
The parish office is the hub for registration, giving, bulletins, and inquiries. Office hours are Tuesday through Thursday 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, and Friday 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The office is closed Monday, Saturday, and Sunday, and closed for lunch from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM daily. An emergency line is available outside office hours.
- Parish Office: (361) 991-4400
- Emergency line: (361) 271-4483
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sjbcctx.org
- Bulletin submissions due by 12 PM Friday for the following Sunday
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Rafael Dopierala2002–2003 (priest-in-charge of mission, then through dedication)
Appointed priest-in-charge of St. John the Baptist Mission; assisted Bishop Carmody at the first Mass on June 1, 2002 and at the dedication on December 20, 2003.
- Fr. Richard Gonzales2023–present
Current pastor; arrived at the parish on July 5, 2023.