About St. Joseph the Worker · McAllen, Texas
St. Joseph the Worker (San José Obrero) is a Roman Catholic parish in McAllen, Texas, situated in the Diocese of Brownsville and serving a large, predominantly Hispanic community of roughly 5,000 families in the Rio Grande Valley. The parish traces its roots to a 1954 mission of Sacred Heart Church in McAllen and was formally decreed a parish in 1967, with its current church building designed by pioneering Valley architect Julio Rafael Guerra. Most Masses are celebrated in Spanish, with one Sunday Mass in English, and the parish is known for its bilingual liturgical life — including a 1 PM Sunday Mariachi Mass — strong lay-led small communities, and active outreach such as a food pantry.
- Established
- 1954 (as mission); 1967 (decreed a parish)
- Patron
- St. Joseph the Worker (San José Obrero)
- Rector
- Rev. Edouard Atangana (mentioned on the parish homepage as author of daily reflections; unconfirmed as current pastor beyond that reference — see clergy list)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
St. Joseph the Worker is one of McAllen's largest Hispanic parishes, around 5,000 families worshiping at the historic 1967 church on the city's west side. Bilingual families will feel at home — Sunday Masses are offered in Spanish (9 AM and the 1 PM Mariachi Mass), with an 11 AM English Mass and a Saturday 6 PM Spanish Vigil, plus daily 8 AM Spanish Mass Tuesday through Friday. The parish is known for its small Christian communities and was honored with the National Pastoral Life Center's 2000 'Communion and Mission Award' for tying personal faith to social outreach; it also runs a food pantry serving neighbors in need. Confession, weekday Adoration, and a Wednesday evening Holy Hour round out a full sacramental life.
Mass times at St. Joseph the Worker
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (per discovermass.com)
- Thursday: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (per catholicchurchtimes.com)
- Wednesday: during Adoration (per catholicmasstime.org), or by appointment
Adoration times
- Monday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Chapel)
- Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Chapel)
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Chapel)
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Holy Hour (main church)
- Thursday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Chapel)
- Friday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Chapel)
About St. Joseph the Worker
St. Joseph the Worker (San José Obrero) is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Brownsville located on the west side of McAllen, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. The parish's bilingual community — about 5,000 Hispanic families, according to the Diocese of Brownsville's published history — celebrates the Mass with deep cultural traditions, including a popular Sunday Mariachi Mass. The parish's 'About Us' page centers on a 'Welcoming You Home' message, weekly community notices, and ongoing reflections from the pastor.
- Bilingual parish: Spanish and English
- Approx. 5,000 families (per diocese history)
- Welcoming message central to parish identity
Parish History
St. Joseph the Worker traces its origin to 1954, when it began as a mission of Sacred Heart Church in McAllen to serve the growing west-side community. In 1967 the Diocese of Brownsville decreed the mission an independent parish, and the new parish was placed under the spiritual guidance of the Oratorian Fathers (Congregation of the Oratory), a community of priests under direct papal authority. In its early years the parish inherited a piece of Rio Grande Valley heritage: the 400-pound bell called 'Bessie,' purchased from the steamboat Bessie — the last steamboat to navigate the Rio Grande before its final voyage in 1926. The bell was moved from Sacred Heart to the new St. Joseph the Worker in 1967 and was recognized with an official Texas Historical Marker in 1975. The parish's strong lay leadership was recognized in 2000, when it received the National Pastoral Life Center's 'Communion and Mission Award' for being 'a parish whose communion with Jesus, small communities of disciples and community organizing for justice link personal conversion with social transformation.'
- 1954 — Founded as a mission of Sacred Heart Church, McAllen
- 1967 — Decreed an independent parish; church building completed
- 1967 — Bell 'Bessie' (last Rio Grande steamboat bell) moved from Sacred Heart to the parish
- Originally served by the Oratorian Fathers
- 1975 — Texas Historical Marker issued for the 'Bessie' bell
- 2000 — 'Communion and Mission Award' from National Pastoral Life Center
Architecture & the Historic 'Bessie' Bell
The 1967 church is the major independent work of McAllen architect Julio Rafael Guerra, AIA — in the 1950s and '60s, the only registered Mexican American architect practicing in the Rio Grande Valley. Architectural writers describe the design as 'solemn and straightforward' and influenced by Nordic/Lutheran mid-century modern church prototypes. Inside, the parish treasures the 400-pound bronze 'Bessie' bell, originally mounted on the steamboat Bessie that made the final steamboat voyage on the Rio Grande in 1926. The bell was bought by Sacred Heart Church and moved to St. Joseph the Worker in 1967; it received a Texas Historical Marker in 1975.
- Architect: Julio Rafael Guerra, AIA (1967)
- Style: Nordic-influenced mid-century modern
- Bessie bell: 400 lb; steamboat Bessie, final Rio Grande steamboat trip 1926
- Texas Historical Marker: 1975
Parish Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by Fr. Edouard Atangana, who authors the parish's bilingual daily 'Reflexiones' reflections featured on the homepage. Rev. Alfonso M. Guevara served the parish as pastor before his death on February 10, 2023; Fr. Alfonso was a long-time Diocese of Brownsville priest (ordained 1977), pastored several Valley parishes, and served as Vicar General of the diocese from 2012 to 2018. Deacon Alejandro Gamboa is listed on parish directories as part of the parish staff.
- Rev. Edouard Atangana — current parish priest; author of daily Reflexiones
- Deacon Alejandro Gamboa
- Rev. Alfonso M. Guevara (1947–2023) — former pastor; also Vicar General of the Diocese of Brownsville, 2012–2018
Parish Ministries & Small Communities
The spiritual backbone of St. Joseph the Worker is its network of small Christian communities (comunidades pequeñas), central to the parish's 2000 'Communion and Mission Award' from the National Pastoral Life Center. Pastoral ministries span the liturgical — bilingual Mass and Mariachi Mass ministries — and the social, including faith-based emotional support, youth sports and formation, and a robust hospitality/welcoming ministry under the banner 'Welcoming You Home.' The parish also publishes a newsletter, La Voz de San José, and a daily online reflections ministry.
- Small Christian Communities (Comunidades Pequeñas)
- Mariachi Mass ministry (Sunday 1 PM)
- Bilingual Liturgy
- Welcoming / Hospitality ('Welcoming You Home')
- Faith-based emotional support
- Youth sports & formation
- La Voz de San José — parish newsletter
- Reflexiones — daily reflections
Outreach: Food Pantry & Community Service
Faith-based social outreach is a core part of parish identity. Per Navigate Life Texas, St. Joseph the Worker provides faith-based emotional support, emergency food assistance, and youth sports activities to community members of all ages. The parish Food Pantry — a recognized community safety net — operates from 2322 Jordan Road in McAllen and can be reached directly at (956) 994-0809. The parish has been recognized for linking personal conversion with social transformation, an expression of its 2000 Communion and Mission Award.
- Food Pantry — 2322 Jordan Road, McAllen — (956) 994-0809
- Emergency food assistance
- Faith-based emotional support
- Youth sports & recreation
- All ages served (Navigate Life Texas listing)
Sacraments
St. Joseph the Worker celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments. Daily Mass and a full Adoration schedule support Eucharistic devotion, and confession is widely available. Couples are encouraged to contact the parish office to begin marriage preparation; families register their children for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation through the parish's faith-formation program.
- Baptism (Bautismo)
- First Communion / First Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Matrimony (Marriage)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation / Confession
- Holy Orders (via Diocese of Brownsville vocations)
Practical Information: Office, Contact & Address
Parish office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM; the office is closed on weekends. The mailing/street address on the parish's own contact page is 900 S 23rd Street, McAllen, TX (some older directories list 2315 Ithaca St. as well). The main phone line is (956) 682-1351. Email inquiries are handled at [email protected]. The parish website is sjwmcallen.org, and the parish publishes community notices and weekly bulletins via its 'Comunidad' / 'La Voz de San José' pages.
- Address: 900 S 23rd Street, McAllen, TX 78501
- Phone: (956) 682-1351
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://sjwmcallen.org/
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–12 PM & 1 PM–5 PM
Diocese of Brownsville
St. Joseph the Worker is one of the parishes of the Diocese of Brownsville, which covers the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The diocese's Clergy Disclosure List includes St. Joseph the Worker as a parish assignment. The parish also uses the Diocese of Brownsville's Vocations Office and sacramental prep resources.
- Diocese: Brownsville
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Diocese site: cdob.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Oratorian Fathers (Congregation of the Oratory)from 1967 founding
Originally placed under the spiritual care of the Oratorian Fathers, a community of priests under direct papal authority, when the mission became a parish in 1967.
- Rev. Alfonso M. Guevaraserved as pastor (deceased Feb. 10, 2023)
Ordained May 28, 1977 by Bishop John J. Fitzpatrick for the Diocese of Brownsville; also served Sacred Heart (Escobares), St. Margaret Mary (Pharr), Christ the King (Brownsville), and St. John the Baptist (San Juan); served as Vicar General 2012–2018 and later as Episcopal Vicar for Apostolic Movements and Pastoral Initiatives.
- Rev. Edouard Atangana
Currently authoring the parish's daily 'Reflexiones' reflections and listed on the parish homepage.