About St. Joseph · Brownsville, Texas
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish located at 555 W. St. Francis St. in Brownsville, Texas, founded in 1953 and entrusted to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.) for nearly its entire first half-century. Today it is part of the Diocese of Brownsville and serves one of the most bicultural communities in the Rio Grande Valley, offering Sunday Masses in both Spanish and English, a bilingual Saturday vigil, and weekday Masses throughout the week. Under the leadership of Fr. Oscar O. Siordia (pastor since 2011) and associate Fr. Eusebio Martinez (since 2016), the parish is known for its powerful preaching, warm community life, and devotional life that includes weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Oscar O. Siordia
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
St. Joseph is one of the most welcoming bilingual parishes in the Rio Grande Valley, with four Sunday Masses (one in English, three in Spanish), a bilingual Saturday vigil, daily weekday Masses, and a full confession schedule nearly every day. The parish combines a deeply devotional Eucharistic life — including Thursday evening Adoration — with the warm, family-centered culture typical of Brownsville's West Side, and is led by a long-tenured pastor celebrated for his preaching. A lay staff and a Dominican sister in social services keep the parish office running and the community cared for throughout the week.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 12:00 PM – 12:25 PM
- Sunday 7:00 PM – 7:20 PM
- Monday 6:00 PM – 6:20 PM
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- Wednesday 6:00 AM – 6:20 AM
- Thursday 6:00 PM – 6:20 PM
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (per parish directory listing) / 5:30 PM – 5:50 PM (per third-party listings)
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration, per Diocese of Brownsville Parish Finder)
History of St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph's story begins in 1929, when the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate — who had been ministering in Brownsville since 1849 — purchased property in the West Brownsville addition with the plan to build a new parish church. Construction was canceled in 1930 because of the Great Depression and the cost of running the local Catholic schools, and the project lay dormant for nearly two decades. In 1949 an old army chapel from Fort Brown was moved onto the site and served as a filial chapel of Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish. In 1953 Bishop of the new Brownsville vicariate formally erected St. Joseph as an independent national parish for the Spanish-speaking faithful of northwest Brownsville, and the Oblates staffed it until 1998.
- 1929 — Oblates buy property in the West Brownsville town addition
- 1930 — Church construction plans shelved due to the Depression
- 1949 — Army chapel from Fort Brown is moved onto the site
- 1953 — St. Joseph established as an independent national parish staffed by the O.M.I.
- 1965 — Comes under the newly erected Diocese of Brownsville (Oblates remain until 1998)
- 1998 — Pastoral care passes to diocesan clergy
Mass and Worship Schedule
St. Joseph is one of the most bilingual parishes in the Rio Grande Valley, with daily Mass opportunities and multiple weekend options. The Diocese of Brownsville Parish Finder and parish directory listings both confirm a Saturday vigil, four Sunday Masses (one English, three Spanish), and Monday-through-Friday evening services. The 7:30 PM Sunday evening Mass is especially popular among working families.
- Saturday 6:00 PM Vigil (Spanish / bilingual)
- Sunday 8:30 AM (Spanish), 10:30 AM (English), 12:30 PM (Spanish), 7:30 PM (Spanish)
- Monday–Thursday 6:30 PM (Spanish / bilingual)
- Friday 6:30 PM (English, sometimes listed as a Communion Service)
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Joseph is led by two diocesan priests supported by a deacon, a Dominican sister in social services, and a small lay staff. Fr. Oscar O. Siordia has been pastor since 2011 and is widely known in Brownsville for his preaching, particularly at the Spanish Masses.
- Pastor: Rev. Oscar O. Siordia (effective 02/16/2011; reappointed 02/16/2017)
- Associate: Rev. Eusebio Martinez (effective 07/15/2016)
- Deacon: Mario Rodriguez
- Social Services: Sister Tulia Giraldo, OP
- Bookkeeper: Mrs. Patricia Nuñez
- Secretary: Mrs. Laura Sanchez
- Housekeeper: Mrs. Hermelinda Torres
Parish Office and Contact
The parish office can be reached by phone, fax, or email during regular business hours. The mailing and physical address is the same, on West St. Francis Street just west of downtown Brownsville.
- Address: 555 W. St. Francis St., Brownsville, TX 78520
- Phone: (956) 542-2709
- Fax: (956) 542-2275
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stjoseph-church.org/
Oblate Heritage and Diocese
Although the parish is now under diocesan administration, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate shaped St. Joseph's identity for its first 45 years. The Oblates arrived in Brownsville at the invitation of Bishop Jean Marie Odin in 1849 and founded a chain of parishes and mission chapels along the Rio Grande. When the Diocese of Brownsville was erected in 1965, St. Joseph came under the new diocese but kept its Oblate pastors until 1998.
- Founded by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.) in 1953
- Originally carved out of Immaculate Conception Cathedral Parish
- Came under the Diocese of Brownsville when it was erected in 1965
- Pastoral care transferred to diocesan clergy in 1998
Languages and Bicultural Identity
St. Joseph reflects the deeply bicultural character of Brownsville and the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Three of the four Sunday Masses are celebrated in Spanish, one is in English, and most weekday Masses are bilingual or Spanish, making the parish accessible to English-speakers, Spanish-speakers, and bilingual families alike.
- Spanish — primary liturgical language for most Masses
- English — Sunday 10:30 AM Mass and Friday evening service
- Bilingual celebrations on weekday evenings and Saturday vigil
Pastoral Care and Sacraments
Beyond Mass and Confession, the parish offers the full range of Catholic sacraments by appointment through the parish office. Sister Tulia Giraldo, OP, coordinates social services for parishioners in need, and the priests and deacon assist with pastoral care, baptisms, weddings, anointing of the sick, and faith formation.
- Baptism — by appointment through the parish office
- Marriage — preparation and celebration coordinated with the priests
- Anointing of the Sick — on request and for the homebound
- Funerals — pastoral support for grieving families
- Social Services outreach via Sister Tulia Giraldo, OP
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.)1953–1998
St. Joseph was founded and run as a national parish for the Spanish-speaking by the Oblates, who had purchased the West Brownsville property in 1929 and built up the chapel from 1949 onward.
- Diocesan clergy (Diocese of Brownsville)1998–present
Pastoral administration transferred from the Oblates to the diocese; today the parish is led by diocesan priests.
- Rev. Oscar O. Siordia2011–present
Appointed pastor effective 02/16/2011; reappointed 02/16/2017. Known for powerful, emotional preaching, especially at the Spanish Masses.
- Rev. Eusebio Martinez2016–present
Associate priest since 07/15/2016.