About St. Leo the Great · Centerville, Texas
St. Leo the Great is a small Catholic parish serving Centerville, the seat of Leon County in East Texas, and the surrounding rural communities. A member of the Diocese of Tyler, it was established as a parish on February 8, 1969, and worships at 549 South Commerce Street. The parish is bilingual, offering Mass in both English and Spanish, and is currently led by Rev. Joseph Lourdusamy. It also serves as the home base from which the same pastor ministers to St. Thomas More Mission in nearby Hilltop Lakes.
- Established
- 1969
- Patron
- St. Leo the Great (Pope Leo I)
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Lourdusamy (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler
Why belong here
St. Leo the Great is the Catholic home for Leon County — a small, bilingual parish where English- and Spanish-speaking families worship side by side. The community offers a steady weekly schedule of weekday and weekend Masses, Saturday confessions, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary (especially during October, the month of the Rosary), and serves as a hub of sacramental life for Centerville and the surrounding mission at Hilltop Lakes. Worshippers looking for an intimate, faith-centered parish where the priest knows the community by name will find a welcoming home here.
Mass times at St. Leo the Great
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:45–3:45 PM
About St. Leo the Great Catholic Church
St. Leo the Great is a small bilingual Catholic parish in Centerville, Texas, the county seat of Leon County in East Texas. Erected as a parish on February 8, 1969, it is part of the Diocese of Tyler and belongs to the Southwest Deanery. The parish serves Centerville and is twinned pastorally with St. Thomas More Mission in Hilltop Lakes, both under Rev. Joseph Lourdusamy. Worship is offered in both English and Spanish, with Mass celebrated daily during the week and twice on Sundays.
- Diocese: Tyler
- Deanery: Southwest
- Established: 1969-02-08
- Languages: English, Spanish
Clergy and Leadership
The current Parochial Administrator is Rev. Joseph Lourdusamy, who was assigned to the parish in the Diocese of Tyler's September 2018 announcement of priest assignments, effective October 1, 2018. He simultaneously serves as Priest-in-Charge of St. Thomas More Mission in Hilltop Lakes. Before him, Rev. Kevin Young served as Administrator of the parish until his reassignment as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Palestine.
- Rev. Joseph Lourdusamy — Parochial Administrator (since October 2018); also Priest-in-Charge of St. Thomas More Mission, Hilltop Lakes.
- Rev. Kevin Young — previous Administrator; now Pastor of Sacred Heart, Palestine (since September 2018).
History and Identity
The parish was canonically erected on February 8, 1969. Although the parish itself dates to 1969, IRS records show the underlying Catholic body has been tax-exempt as a religious organization since March 1946, indicating a Catholic presence in Leon County that long predates the formal parish structure. St. Leo the Great sits within the Diocese of Tyler's Southwest Deanery, alongside neighboring parishes in Crockett, Fairfield, Palestine, Madisonville, Trinity, Buffalo, and Frankston.
- Canonical erection: 8 February 1969 (GCatholic).
- Deanery: Southwest (Anderson, Freestone, Houston, Leon, Madison, Trinity counties).
- Patron: St. Leo the Great, Pope (feast day November 10).
- Sister mission: St. Thomas More, Hilltop Lakes.
Devotions and Liturgical Life
The parish actively promotes Marian devotion, especially during October, the month of the Rosary. The parish website highlights the October 7 feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, instituted by Pope St. Pius V after the Christian victory at Lepanto in 1571, and invites parishioners to keep the Blessed Virgin Mary's intercession central to their prayer lives. The parish also participates in the wider Diocese of Tyler Jubilee observances, including the 'Pilgrims of Hope' Jubilee Year running December 24, 2024 through January 6, 2026.
- Monthly Rosary devotion, with special emphasis in October.
- Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7) celebrated in the parish.
- Participation in the Diocese of Tyler 2025 Jubilee Year 'Pilgrims of Hope'.
Diocese of Tyler and Pilgrimage Sites
As a parish of the Diocese of Tyler, St. Leo the Great shares in the diocesan Jubilee Year pilgrimage network. The diocese has highlighted several pilgrimage sites where the faithful can obtain a plenary indulgence during the 2025 Jubilee, including the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler (site of the Jubilee Opening Mass on December 29, 2024), the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tyler, Sacred Heart Church in Nacogdoches (linked to the history of early missionaries), St. William of Vercelli Church in Carthage (known for its collection of relics), St. Francis of the Tejas in Crockett (near the first East Texas missions), Sacred Heart in Palestine (designed by Nicholas Clayton), and Immaculate Conception in Jefferson (built on the site of one of the oldest parishes).
- Jubilee Year theme: 'Pilgrims of Hope' (Dec 24, 2024 – Jan 6, 2026).
- Jubilee Opening Mass: December 29, 2024, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Tyler.
- Diocesan-wide observance: '24 Hours for the Lord,' March 28, 2025.
Contact and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email, and the parish shares news and announcements through its website. The mailing address is a P.O. Box, while the church itself is located on South Commerce Street in Centerville.
- Church address: 549 S. Commerce St., Centerville, TX 75833.
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 356, Centerville, TX 75833.
- Phone: (903) 536-5012.
- Email: [email protected].
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Kevin Youngthrough September 2018
Administrator of St. Leo the Great and Priest-in-Charge of St. Thomas More Mission in Hilltop Lakes; reassigned as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Palestine in September 2018.
- Rev. Joseph Lourdusamyfrom October 2018
Assigned as Parochial Administrator of St. Leo the Great and Priest-in-Charge of St. Thomas More Mission in Hilltop Lakes; previously Priest-in-Charge of Our Lady of Lourdes Mission in Chireno and Immaculate Conception Mission in Moral.