About St. Joseph · Cleburne, Texas
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in Cleburne, Texas, the county seat of Johnson County. Established in 1888, it is one of the oldest parishes in what is now the Diocese of Fort Worth and serves both English- and Spanish-speaking faithful, with most Sunday and weekday Masses celebrated in Spanish. The parish church sits at 807 N. Anglin Street, where its current structure was built on a foundation that incorporates an engraved block from Mission San José in San Antonio dating to 1741 — a tangible link to the Hispanic mission roots of Catholicism in Texas. The parish is pastored by Rev. Sergio Rizo, who has served the community for roughly three decades.
- Established
- 1888
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Sergio Rizo
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Worth
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers a welcoming bilingual Catholic community in the heart of Johnson County, with three Sunday Masses (English and Spanish) and a full week of devotions. The parish has served Cleburne continuously since 1888 and is anchored by a historic church built on a foundation stone from Mission San José in San Antonio — a literal link to the mission roots of Texas Catholicism. Active CCD religious education (English and Spanish), regular Eucharistic Adoration (including an overnight monthly watch from 9 PM Saturday to 6 AM Sunday), and Saturday confessions make it easy to practice the faith fully as a parishioner or visitor.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM (per Diocese of Fort Worth parish page)
- Saturday 3:30 PM–4:30 PM in fall through spring (per Discover Mass listing)
- Saturday 4:30 PM–5:00 PM in spring through fall (per Discover Mass listing)
Adoration times
- 1st Friday of the month: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 PM – 11:00 AM (overnight)
- 2nd Saturday of the month: 9:00 PM – 6:00 AM
- Sunday 6 AM (per aggregated listing)
- Saturday 6 AM (per aggregated listing)
History of St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph Catholic Parish in Cleburne was founded in 1888, the same year the cornerstone of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Fort Worth was laid and just two years before Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Dallas in 1890. Cleburne was one of the first seven parishes organized in what would eventually become the Diocese of Fort Worth (separated from Dallas in 1969). The church was dedicated on November 17, 1888, at a cost of $15,000 and was described at the time as 'quite a large one for a county church,' measuring 80 by 125 feet. After a fire destroyed an earlier church building, the present structure was rebuilt on a tight $8,000 budget with no insurance, and through the ensuing years was gradually furnished with statues, stations of the cross and other appointments as the congregation grew to roughly 120 families. In 1896 the parish also opened a Catholic school, and by 1900 St. Joseph was one of 17 parishes inside the territory of today's Diocese of Fort Worth.
- Founded 1888; cornerstone laid and dedicated November 17, 1888
- Reported cost: $15,000; original size 80 × 125 ft
- Reconstruction after fire c. 1886 on an $8,000 budget, no insurance
- Catholic school opened 1896
- Among the seven founding parishes of the present Diocese of Fort Worth (1969)
The Mission San José Cornerstone
A defining architectural and historical detail of St. Joseph Church is its cornerstone: an engraved block that was once part of Mission San José in San Antonio, founded in 1741. Incorporated into the present church's foundation, this single stone creates a tangible physical link between the Cleburne parish and the Spanish mission era of Texas Catholicism. Diocesan historian Father Sergio Rizo has highlighted this fact as evidence that Hispanic Catholic roots in Texas predate the later waves of Mexican immigration by many generations.
- Engraved stone from Mission San José, San Antonio (1741)
- Set into the foundation of the present church building
- Symbol of deep Hispanic Catholic roots in Texas, predating 20th-century Mexican migration
Faith Formation & CCD
St. Joseph offers a parish-based religious education program (CCD) for children, with bilingual registration and instruction. The program is coordinated by Tatiana Quintero. CCD registration for 2025 has ended, and registration for 2026 is pending — the parish encourages families to check the parish website or Facebook page for updates, with announcements posted in both English and Spanish.
- CCD / Religious Education for children
- Coordinator: Tatiana Quintero
- Bilingual registration (English & Spanish)
- 2026 registration TBD — check parish site or Facebook for updates
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Joseph is pastored by Rev. Sergio Rizo, who has served the parish community for roughly 28 years (as of 2025), making him one of the longest-serving pastors in the Diocese of Fort Worth. He was featured in North Texas Catholic discussing Hispanic Catholic heritage in the diocese. Parish operations are supported by parish secretary Linda Villagran and CCD coordinator Tatiana Quintero.
- Pastor: Rev. Sergio Rizo (28+ years)
- Secretary: Linda Villagran
- CCD Coordinator: Tatiana Quintero
Contact & Location
St. Joseph Catholic Church is located at 807 N. Anglin Street, Cleburne, TX 76031, in Johnson County, Texas. The parish office can be reached by phone at (817) 645-4478 and by email at [email protected]. The parish website is stjosephcleburne.com, and the parish maintains a Facebook presence for ongoing announcements.
- Address: 807 N. Anglin Street, Cleburne, TX 76031
- Phone: (817) 645-4478
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stjosephcleburne.com/
- Diocese: Diocese of Fort Worth (fwdioc.org)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Sergio Rizoc. 1997–present (28+ years as of 2025)
Pastor of St. Joseph, Cleburne. Has served the parish for roughly 28 years per a 2025 diocesan article. He was interviewed by North Texas Catholic about Hispanic Catholic roots in the diocese.