St. Joseph

History of St. Joseph Parish

St. Joseph traces its origin to 1906, when four local Catholic laymen — William Glass, Mike Feist, Frank Schwertner, and John Jansa — organized the building of a church for their small community of German and Czech dry-farming settlers. After a year of construction, the first Mass was celebrated on November 20, 1907, at a wedding. The parish has remained continuously active for more than a century, weathering the lean years of rural West Texas and remaining the religious and social anchor of Rowena.

• First Mass celebrated November 20, 1907 at a wedding
• Founded by German and Czech immigrant settlers of West Texas
• Placed under the patronage of St. Joseph
• Marked 50th anniversary in 1957 and centennial in 2007
• Honored with a tribute in the U.S. Congressional Record in 2007 by Rep. Mike Conaway

The 1924 Gothic Revival Church and Painted-Church Heritage

The original 1907 structure was replaced by the present sanctuary in 1924 — a Gothic Revival church of brick dressed with limestone, lit by stained-glass Gothic windows and topped by a tall spire. The ornate altar is original. Between 2012 and 2016 the church was painstakingly renovated; a centerpiece is a mural of angels in the apse, painted with the artist's own grandnieces and grandnephews — descendants of the parish's founding families — as models. St. Joseph is recognized among the celebrated "painted churches" of Texas.

• Built 1924 in the Gothic Revival style
• Brick with limestone trim and stained-glass Gothic windows
• Original ornate altar preserved
• Renovated 2012–2016, including the apse angels mural
• Recognized as a Texas "painted church"

Parish School: Sisters of Divine Providence (1916–1981)

In 1916, the parish opened St. Joseph's School, staffed by the Sisters of Divine Providence, who provided religious and academic instruction to local children. The school grew into a K–12 Catholic system that served Rowena for decades. As Rowena's population declined, the high school closed in 1975 and the elementary school in 1981. The former school buildings still stand south of the sanctuary and remain well-maintained by the parish.

• School opened 1916, staffed by the Sisters of Divine Providence
• Served as a K–12 Catholic school for many years
• High school closed 1975; elementary school closed 1981
• Former school buildings preserved south of the sacristy

Parish Organizations and Community Life

Throughout the 20th century, St. Joseph's hosted an array of Catholic fraternal and devotional organizations that became the social backbone of the parish and of Rowena itself. Members led the community through the Great Depression and World War II, and groups like the Knights of Columbus, the Altar Society, the Catholic Daughters of America, and the Czech-heritage KJT and KJZT societies organized both religious and charitable works.

• Knights of Columbus
• St. Ann's Altar Society
• Catholic Daughters of America
• KJT (Czech Catholic Union of Texas)
• KJZT
• Immaculate Conception Society

Annual Fall Festival

The parish's signature community event, the Annual Fall Festival, was begun in 1924 — the same year the present Gothic Revival church was dedicated — to support the parish. More than a century later, it remains a beloved Rowena tradition that brings parishioners, neighbors, and former residents home each year.

• Begun in 1924 alongside the dedication of the new gothic church
• Still celebrated each year
• A signature fundraiser and reunion for the parish and town

RCIA / OCIA — Becoming Catholic

Adults interested in becoming Catholic are welcomed into the parish's RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) / OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process, preparing them to receive the sacraments of initiation.

Clergy and Staff

The parish is currently served by Fr. Ariel Lagunilla as pastor and Deacon Alan Pelzel. The parish office can be reached at (325) 442-3521 or [email protected].

• Pastor: Rev. Ariel Lagunilla
• Deacon: Alan Pelzel

Parish Cluster with St. Boniface (Olfen) and St. Thomas (Miles)

St. Joseph is clustered with two neighboring rural parishes — St. Boniface in Olfen (also shown as Olfen/Rowena) and St. Thomas in Miles — sharing clergy and a single weekly bulletin. Each parish maintains its own on-site office, but with reduced hours. The clustering is a practical arrangement that preserves a Catholic presence across the small communities of southern Runnels County.

• St. Boniface Parish, Olfen/Rowena
• St. Thomas Parish, Miles
• Shared clergy and weekly bulletin
• Each parish retains its own on-site office

Diocese and Ecclesiastical History

St. Joseph has been served by three different Catholic jurisdictions over its lifetime, reflecting the growth and reorganization of the Church across Texas. It began under the Archdiocese of San Antonio, later passed to the Diocese of Amarillo, and has belonged to the Diocese of San Angelo since that diocese's creation in 1961.

• Originally part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio
• Later part of the Diocese of Amarillo
• Currently part of the Diocese of San Angelo (since 1961)

Visiting St. Joseph

The church sits at the corner of Bennie and Edward Streets in Rowena, a small West Texas town of fewer than 500 people in southern Runnels County. The mailing address is PO Box 96, Rowena, TX 76875-0096. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead at (325) 442-3521 to confirm current schedules and parish office hours.

• Located at the corner of Bennie and Edward Streets
• Mailing: PO Box 96, Rowena, TX 76875-0096
• Phone: (325) 442-3521
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://sanangelodiocese.org/rowena
• Facebook: facebook.com/stjosephchurchrowena