About St. Joseph · Clarksville, Texas
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish located in the heart of Clarksville, Texas (the seat of Red River County), in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler. According to GCatholic, the parish traces its origins to 1870, making it one of the older Catholic communities in northeast Texas, and it continues to serve a diverse congregation with Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish. The parish is led by Fr. Gavin N. Vaverek, JCL (Pastor) and Fr. Raymundo García (Parochial Vicar), under Bishop Gregory Kelly of Tyler, and operates a parish cemetery, faith-formation program, weekly prayer group, and a Friday Holy Hour with bilingual Mass.
- Established
- 1870
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Gavin N. Vaverek, JCL
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a small, bilingual parish in the heart of Clarksville where parishioners are known by name and the liturgy is offered in both English and Spanish — with a Sunday English Mass, a Sunday Spanish Mass, and a Friday bilingual Mass preceded by a Holy Hour. The parish offers the full sacramental life (Sunday and by-appointment Confession, monthly Baptisms, a marriage-preparation program requiring a year's notice, and Anointing/Sacramental Emergency coverage) plus Faith Formation for children and a weekly Prayer Group. As part of the Diocese of Tyler and sharing the long Catholic heritage of Red River County — including an active parish cemetery where generations of local Catholic families are buried — St. Joseph offers an intimate, family-oriented community rooted in the Gospel and visibly serving both longtime and new immigrant Catholics in northeast Texas.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 8:30 AM – 8:45 AM (before 9:00 AM English Mass)
- Sunday: 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM (before 11:00 AM Spanish Mass)
- By appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Friday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Hora Santa / Holy Hour, preceding the bilingual Mass)
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Joseph Catholic Church presents itself as 'a community of disciples dedicated to following our Lord Jesus Christ,' 'located in the heart of Clarksville' with a mission to 'proclaim the Gospel and share the love of God with our neighbors.' The parish is bilingual (English and Spanish) and belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler under Bishop Most Rev. Gregory Kelly.
Parish Leadership
The parish is served by two priests in residence, plus the Diocesan Bishop.
- Rev. Gavin N. Vaverek, JCL — Pastor / Párroco
- Rev. Raymundo García — Parochial Vicar / Vicario Parroquial
- Most Rev. Gregory Kelly — Bishop of Tyler / Obispo de Tyler
History
According to GCatholic, St. Joseph Parish was organized in 1870, growing out of the Catholic missionary effort to Polish and other European Catholic immigrants in northeast Texas that was anchored by Fr. Felix Orzechowski from 1866 onward. The parish has operated continuously since, sustaining multi-generational Catholic families in Clarksville and maintaining an active parish cemetery. In more recent decades it has developed a strong bilingual character, adding a Spanish Mass, Spanish-language faith formation, and a Friday bilingual Mass to accompany the long-standing English Sunday liturgy.
- Founded 1870 (per GCatholic)
- Mission territory historically served from the old Diocese of Galveston
- Multi-generational parish: lifetime-member families documented in local obituaries
- St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery maintained by the parish
Sacraments
St. Joseph celebrates the full normal range of Catholic sacraments, with parish-specific policies published on the website.
- Baptism — celebrated on the 4th Saturday of each month; contact the parish office to schedule
- Reconciliation (Confession) — every Sunday 30 minutes before Mass, or by appointment
- Matrimony — couples must contact the parish office at least 1 year in advance
- Anointing / Sacramental Emergency — 936-404-8182 or 903-571-7069
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation / Formación de Fe meets Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM — between the English and Spanish Masses — making it convenient for bilingual parish families. The parish has also offered classes in the Spanish language for the Hispanic community, and continues to invest in formation as a key ministry.
- Faith Formation — Sundays at 10:00 AM
- Spanish-language catechesis offered
- Children's sacramental preparation in coordination with the parish office
Prayer & Devotions
Beyond Mass and Confession, St. Joseph maintains an active devotional life, including a weekly Spanish-language Prayer Group on Sunday evenings, a Friday Holy Hour, and a published monthly Rosary schedule ('Horario Mensual del Rosario').
- Prayer Group / Grupo de Oración — Sundays at 5:00 PM
- Holy Hour / Hora Santa — Fridays at 5:00 PM
- Monthly Rosary — see parish bulletin / website
- First Friday and other traditional devotions as announced
Bilingual & Hispanic Ministry
St. Joseph is one of the more visibly bilingual Catholic parishes in Red River County. The Sunday schedule alternates English and Spanish Masses; the Friday evening Holy Hour and Mass are explicitly bilingual ('Hora Santa' / 'Holy Hour' and 'Misa Bilingüe'). Spanish-language faith formation and a Spanish-language Prayer Group round out the parish's Hispanic ministry.
- Spanish Mass — Sundays at 11:00 AM
- Bilingual Mass — Fridays at 6:00 PM
- Spanish Prayer Group — Sundays at 5:00 PM
- Spanish-language Faith Formation
Communications & Giving
Parishioners are invited to 'keep in touch via email and text' through the parish's Flocknote system, part of the broader Our Lady of the Victory parish network. Online giving ('Give & Grow / Dar y Crecer') is also offered through the parish website.
- Flocknote: olvparistx.flocknote.com/stjoseph (text SAINTJOSEPHS to 84576)
- Online giving via sjclarksville.org
Parish Cemetery
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery is the parish's burial ground, located within the parish community in Clarksville. It is an active cemetery and is regularly referenced in local funeral notices for St. Joseph parishioners.
- Active parish cemetery in Clarksville, TX
- Referenced in parish funeral Masses and burials
- Inquiries directed to the parish office: (903) 427-5044
Visit, Contact & Practical Info
Practical information for visiting or contacting the parish.
- Address: 500 E. Broadway St., Clarksville, TX 75426-3110 (rectory at 406 E Broadway St.)
- Phone: (903) 427-5044
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler (Bishop Most Rev. Gregory Kelly)
- Website: https://sjclarksville.org/
- Sacramental Emergency: 936-404-8182 / 903-571-7069
- Location: downtown Clarksville, seat of Red River County, northeast Texas
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Tony Stoeptelat least through 2013
Officiated funeral Masses at St. Joseph, Clarksville, per local obituaries (e.g. August 2013).
- Rev. Gavin N. Vaverek, JCLpresent
Current Pastor; has celebrated parish funeral Masses as recently as 2025 (per Clarksville Funeral Home obituary for Marion Lowe, March 2025).