About St. Joseph - Devine · Devine, Texas
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Devine, Texas is a historic parish founded in 1897 by Father Mathias Metzinger and now part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Antonio. The parish worships at 108 South Washington Drive and also serves as the anchor of a multi-site cluster that includes Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Bigfoot and St. Augustine in Moore. A bilingual (English/Spanish) Roman Catholic community, St. Joseph offers daily Mass, weekend Masses in both languages, perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, faith formation for children through high school, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), and a variety of lay ministries including Guadalupanas, Christian Mothers, ACTS retreats, Kingdom Builders, and Cradled in Christ.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Father Antonio Xavier Hernandez-Peraza
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Antonio
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a bilingual (English and Spanish) Catholic home for families across Medina County, with three worship sites, a perpetual adoration chapel, and ministries for every age and stage of life. Children from first grade through high school can grow in faith through a structured Faith Formation program, while adults are welcomed into OCIA, ACTS retreats, Guadalupanas, Christian Mothers, Kingdom Builders, and the Cradled in Christ miscarriage/infant-loss ministry. With a pastor and a long-tenured, named staff ready to walk with you, joining St. Joseph means joining a community that has been praying together in Devine since 1897.
Mass times at St. Joseph - Devine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before every Mass at all locations
- By appointment if needed (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Monday: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM
History of St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph Catholic Parish was established in 1897 by Father Mathias Metzinger, who gathered eight founding families to build the original wood-frame church on the present Washington Drive property. Within a generation the parish had outgrown the wooden structure, and in November 1921 construction began on a much larger white-limestone church trimmed with red brick. The cornerstone was laid by the bishop in February 1922, and the new church was nearing completion by late June of that year. Local men — many hauling stone with horse and buggy — quarried and laid the limestone under the direction of N.E. Rhodes, with only two or three stone masons brought in from outside. The 1897 bell was re-hung in the new steeple. That church served Devine Catholics for 98 years until it was demolished on August 2, 2020 after being condemned as unsafe; the original bell was preserved and now stands on the grounds of the current church, where plans call for a replica and prayer garden memorial. A Texas historical marker was unveiled and dedicated on the property on October 5, 1997, the parish's centennial.
- Established 1897 by Father Mathias Metzinger
- Original wood-frame church built for eight founding families
- Limestone church begun November 1921, completed summer 1922
- Cornerstone laid by the bishop in February 1922
- Original 1897 bell preserved and displayed on current church grounds
- Limestone church demolished August 2, 2020 after being condemned
- Historical marker dedicated October 5, 1997 (centennial)
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Father Antonio Xavier Hernandez-Peraza and supported by a named administrative staff and ministry directors who handle everything from liturgy and music to communications and facility care. Many of the same staff have served St. Joseph for decades, including Director of Adult Education and OCIA Pat West, who has taught faith formation at the parish for more than 42 years.
- Father Antonio Xavier Hernandez-Peraza — Pastor/Administrator
- Andrea Riojas — Business & Office Manager
- Pat West — Director of Adult Education & OCIA Faith Formation; Choir Director
- Bertha Haass — Director of Youth Education and Faith Formation, 1st Grade – High School
- Adrian Reyes — Music Director
- Laura Holder — Director of Lectors
- Sandra Guardiola — Communications Director, Facebook & Website Coordinator, Office & Faith Formation Secretary, Director of Eucharistic Ministers
- Matthew Balderrama — Director of Technology
- Candace De Jesus — Web Design and Archbishop's Appeal Director
- Juan Billalobos — Director of Facilities and Funeral Services
Faith Formation & OCIA
Faith formation at St. Joseph spans childhood through adulthood. The parish runs a graded Faith Formation program for students from first grade through high school, alongside an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for adults seeking baptism, Eucharist, or confirmation. The program draws on the vision of Pope John Paul II's Catechesi Tradendae — putting people 'in communion, and in intimacy, with Jesus Christ.'
- Youth Faith Formation: Grades 1 through High School (Director: Bertha Haass)
- Adult Faith Formation & OCIA (Director: Pat West)
- Faith Formation Office phone: (830) 663-2244
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Joseph supports a wide range of lay-led ministries that serve the spiritual, social, and pastoral needs of the community. From Marian devotion to bereavement support, these groups are open to parishioners looking to grow in faith and fellowship.
- Guadalupanas — devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe (President: Lydia Benavidez)
- Christian Mothers — Confraternity of Christian Women and Mothers (President: Emily Covarrubia)
- ACTS Retreats — parish-based retreat program (Facilitator: Michael Perez)
- Kingdom Builders — women's ministry of Scripture, Adoration, and planning (Leaders: Amanda Aguilar and Emily Morales)
- Cradled in Christ — ministry for families experiencing miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss; offers spiritual support, care packages, meal trains, and an annual Remembrance Mass
- Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Choir, Music Ministry
Parish Life & Fundraisers
Beyond the sanctuary, St. Joseph builds community through an annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser held at the Devine Golf Course, online giving, and a weekly bulletin that lists Mass intentions, lectors, eucharistic ministers, and current announcements. The parish office also publishes forms, registration documents, and downloadable bulletins through its website.
- Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser at the Devine Golf Course
- Online donations via the parish website
- Weekly bulletin (PDF) with Mass intentions, lectors, and announcements
- Forms and registration documents available on the parish website
Visit & Contact
The parish office is located on the church grounds behind the chapel at 108 South Washington Drive in Devine, Texas. Office hours run Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with the office closed Wednesdays and weekends.
- Address: 108 South Washington Drive, Devine, TX 78016
- Phone: (830) 663-2244
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon & Tue 9 AM–4 PM; Wed closed; Thu 9 AM–4 PM; Fri 8 AM–12 PM; Sat & Sun closed
- Cluster sites: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Bigfoot) and St. Augustine (Moore)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Mathias Metzinger1897
Founded the parish in 1897 with eight founding families; oversaw construction of the original wood-frame church.