About St. Laurence · Amarillo, Texas
St. Laurence Catholic Church is a parish church in the Diocese of Amarillo located in the Northeast neighborhood of Amarillo, Texas, at 2300 N. Spring Street. Founded in 1955 and dedicated on December 2, 1959, the parish served as the cathedral church (mother church) of the Diocese of Amarillo from 1975 to 2011, when it was succeeded by St. Mary's Cathedral. St. Laurence is a bilingual (English and Spanish) Catholic community with a strong Hispanic ministry, offering daily and Sunday Masses in both languages, active youth ministry, and various devotional and outreach programs rooted in the Texas Panhandle since the mid-20th century.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- Saint Lawrence (deacon and martyr)
- Rector
- Not explicitly named on the verified sources found; the parish's main listed contact is its office at 806-383-2261.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Amarillo
Why belong here
St. Laurence is one of the largest and most historically significant Catholic parishes in the Texas Panhandle, with deep roots in Northeast Amarillo since 1949 and a century of Catholic life celebrated by the Diocese of Amarillo (2025–2026). Worship is bilingual — five Spanish Masses each week alongside Sunday English Mass — making it a natural home for English- and Spanish-speaking families. Active programs include a Sunday youth group, a Singles Young Adults group (ages 16–39+), World Youth Day pilgrimage formation (Seoul 2027), Matrimonios para Cristo marriage catechesis, parish-wide devotions such as the upcoming Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and an annual parish Jamaica in August — all signs of a lively, family-oriented parish community.
Mass times at St. Laurence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 7:00 PM
- Saturday 4:00 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday Holy Hour 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Parish Identity and Heritage
St. Laurence Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) parish of the Diocese of Amarillo located at 2300 N. Spring Street in Northeast Amarillo. Founded in 1955 and dedicated in 1959, the parish served as the Diocese of Amarillo's cathedral from 1975 to 2011 and remains a centerpiece of Catholic life in the Texas Panhandle. The parish is participating in the Diocese of Amarillo's Centennial Celebration (December 5, 2025 – August 22, 2026) and the parish-wide Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, joining the USCCB-approved national consecration that accompanies the United States' 250th anniversary in 2026.
- Founded: May 16, 1955 (Bishop Laurence J. FitzSimon)
- Church dedicated: December 2, 1959 (Bishop John L. Morkovsky)
- Cathedral: October 5, 1975 – March 24, 2011
- Patron: Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr (feast August 10)
History
The Catholic community that became St. Laurence began on June 12, 1949, when public Sunday and holy day Masses were first offered at St. Lucien's Chapel on the campus of Price College in Northeast Amarillo. The parish school opened in September 1954 with 71 pupils in two grades, before the parish itself was formally erected on May 16, 1955. Bishop John L. Morkovsky dedicated the completed church on December 2, 1959. The parish grew through the 1960s before the closure of Amarillo Air Force Base in 1968 cost it about 600 families. In 1974 the diocese named St. Laurence as its new cathedral, and a major renovation by architect Paul Deeley and liturgical artist Andrea Bacigalupa transformed the interior; the renovated cathedral was consecrated on October 5, 1975. St. Laurence served as cathedral until 2011, when St. Mary's Church in Amarillo was named the third cathedral of the diocese.
- June 12, 1949: First Sunday Mass at St. Lucien's Chapel, Price College
- April 18, 1954: Groundbreaking for a three-room school (Easter Sunday)
- September 1954: St. Laurence School opens with 71 students
- May 16, 1955: Parish established by Bishop FitzSimon; Father Leroy Matthiesen named first pastor
- December 2, 1959: Church dedicated by Bishop Morkovsky
- December 31, 1968: Amarillo Air Force Base closes; parish loses ~600 families
- November 10, 1974: Bishop DeFalco executes Holy See decree making St. Laurence the cathedral
- October 5, 1975: Cathedral consecrated; seven bishops present
- 1977: AIA Fort Worth first-place design honor for architect Paul Deeley
- March 25, 2011: Pope Benedict XVI names St. Mary's Amarillo the third cathedral; St. Laurence reverts to parish status
Architecture and Art
The 1959 building was constructed as an auditorium/gymnasium intended to serve as a temporary church until a permanent sanctuary could be built. When the church was elevated to cathedral status in the mid-1970s, the diocese chose to remodel rather than replace it. Fort Worth architect Paul Deeley and Santa Fe liturgical artist Andrea "Drew" Bacigalupa softened the rectangular lines of the original structure and created a worship space suitable for the cathedral liturgy. The original pews were donated to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Matador and St. Margaret Mary in Lamesa. Deeley's design earned a first-place honor at the 1977 Design Awards Program of the American Institute of Architects in Fort Worth, and the cathedral has been featured in writings on contemporary Catholic church architecture and furnishings.
- Architect: Paul Deeley (Fort Worth)
- Liturgical artist: Andrea "Drew" Bacigalupa (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
- Style: Modern
- Material: Brick
- Capacity: 500
- Award: AIA Fort Worth first place, 1977
Ministries and Faith Formation
St. Laurence maintains a vibrant ministry life, with a particular strength in Hispanic ministry and youth formation. The parish runs a Sunday youth group, a Singles Young Adults group for ages 16 to 39+, marriage catechesis (Matrimonios para Cristo) led by Deacon Miguel Tovar, and World Youth Day formation for the 2027 Seoul pilgrimage. The parish has also embraced the diocese's centennial and the national Sacred Heart of Jesus consecration.
- Pastoral Juvenil / Youth Ministry — Oscar Guzman, 806-383-2243 ext. 118
- St. Laurence Youth Group — Sundays 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- Single Young Adults / Adultos Jóvenes Solteros — bimonthly, beginning with 6:30 PM Mass
- Matrimonios para Cristo — marriage catechesis, Mondays 7:00–8:30 PM
- WYD 2027 (Seoul) Pilgrimage formation — June 14, 2026
- Centennial Celebration — Dec 5, 2025 – Aug 22, 2026
- Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus — June 14, during Mass
Parish Life and Devotions
Beyond Mass and the sacraments, St. Laurence gathers the community around the patron's feast with its annual Jamaica, around the diocese's centennial year, and around the national Sacred Heart of Jesus consecration. Thursday Holy Hour from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM is a regular devotional anchor for parishioners. Marriage preparation (Matrimonios para Cristo) and the Singles Young Adults group round out a year-round calendar of formation and fellowship.
- Annual Jamaica (parish feast) — Saturday Aug 8 and Sunday Aug 9
- Thursday Holy Hour — 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Diocesan Centennial Mass — Aug 22, 2026, 10:00 AM at St. Mary's Cathedral
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Consecration of parish and families — June 14, during Mass
Clergy and Staff
Five permanent deacons of the Diocese of Amarillo are assigned to St. Laurence according to the diocese's roster. The first pastor was Father Leroy T. Matthiesen (1955); Father Norbert Kuehler was pastor during the 1975 cathedral renovation. The current pastor's name was not verified on publicly searched sources.
- Deacon Bryan Adams
- Deacon Alfredo Alarcon
- Deacon David Dueñes
- Deacon Pablo Morales
- Deacon Miguel Tovar (Matrimonios para Cristo)
- Rev. Leroy T. Matthiesen — founding pastor (1955)
- Rev. Norbert Kuehler — pastor at time of cathedral renovation (1975)
Visit, Contact, and Centennial Year
The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Visitors and parishioners are warmly invited to join the parish's Centennial Celebration running December 5, 2025 through August 22, 2026, which culminates in the Diocesan Centennial Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral on August 22, 2026. As a former cathedral and AIA award-winning interior, St. Laurence is also of interest to visitors of contemporary Catholic architecture in the Texas Panhandle.
- Address: 2300 N. Spring Street, Amarillo, TX 79107
- Phone: 806-383-2261
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Website: stlaurenceamarillotx.com
- Diocese: Diocese of Amarillo (amarillodiocese.org)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Leroy T. Matthiesen1955 (founding) onward
First pastor of St. Laurence Parish, appointed by Bishop FitzSimon; previously editor of the diocesan newspaper and diocesan vocation director.
- Rev. Norbert Kuehlerby 1975
Pastor of St. Laurence at the time of the cathedral renovation and consecration on October 5, 1975; worked closely with architect Paul Deeley and liturgical artist Andrea Bacigalupa.