About St. Luke · San Antonio, Texas
St. Luke Catholic Church is a bilingual parish on San Antonio's west side in the 78228 ZIP code, at 4603 Manitou Drive. Founded in 1959, it has been staffed since its early days by the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), the same religious order as the former Archbishop of San Antonio. The parish operates St. Luke Catholic School (PreK3 through 8th grade), a robust Faith Formation program for all ages (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, EDGE, Life Teen), an active Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, a Padre Pio Adoration Chapel, and ministries to seniors, the homebound, and the bereaved. Mass is celebrated in English and Spanish, with one of the largest Sunday schedules in the area (five Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil).
- Established
- 1959
- Patron
- St. Luke (the Evangelist)
- Rector
- Fr. Jim Barlow, M.S.P. (Missionaries of the Holy Spirit) — pastor as listed on the parish's 2010 bulletin; current website refers to the parish being staffed by priests and brothers of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Antonio
Why belong here
St. Luke offers a rare combination of a large, well-rounded parish life and the personal feel of a Spiritan community. A parishioner can attend daily Mass at noon, spend an hour in the Padre Pio Adoration Chapel (open six days a week), enroll children in the parish school or in faith formation from PreK through high school, send teens to EDGE, Life Teen, and an annual ACTS retreat, help the local poor through the St. Vincent de Paul conference, visit the homebound, join the choir (English or Spanish), play bingo or line-dance with the seniors, or serve as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion or sacristan. With Mass offered in both English and Spanish every Sunday and a five-Mass Sunday schedule, it is also a place where the whole family can worship together in their heart language.
Mass times at St. Luke
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:30 PM (during/after the Spanish Mass)
- Saturday 4:00–5:15 PM
- 7:00–8:00 PM after the 6:30 PM Tuesday Mass (Lenten schedule and other seasons; see bulletin)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Padre Pio Adoration Chapel: Monday–Saturday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Padre Pio Adoration Chapel: Sunday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM (please check calendar for changes)
- Tuesday after the 6:30 PM Mass — Holy Hour
- Thursday after the 6:30 PM Spanish Mass — Holy Hour (Bilingual)
- First Friday Bilingual Holy Hour 7:00–8:00 PM
Parish History and Identity
St. Luke Catholic Church was canonically established on November 15, 1959, on San Antonio's northwest side, and was entrusted to the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit (the Spiritans), a missionary religious congregation known for parish evangelization and the formation of priests and brothers worldwide. From its founding, the parish has paired worship with Catholic schooling: St. Luke Catholic School opened the same year and remains a ministry of the parish. Over more than six decades the community has grown into a bilingual, multigenerational parish that runs an Adoration Chapel, a school, a full Faith Formation program, and a Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference.
- Founded November 15, 1959
- Entrusted to the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans)
- School founded the same year (1959) as a parish ministry
- Part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The parish is served by priests and brothers of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit. The September 19, 2010 parish bulletin lists Fr. Jim Barlow, M.S.P. as Pastor and Fr. Jesus Gerardo Anguiano Rivera as Parochial Vicar. The current parish website continues to identify the parish as staffed by the Spiritans and lists Fr. Jim Barlow as pastor alongside other Spiritan priests and deacons.
- Fr. Jim Barlow, M.S.P. — Pastor
- Fr. Jesus Gerardo Anguiano Rivera — Parochial Vicar
- Additional priests and brothers from the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit
- Pastoral Staff, Faith Formation Staff, Business Manager, Office Manager (Marty Vermales), Facility Manager, and School Principal/Vice Principal support the clergy
Mass and Sacraments Schedule
St. Luke runs one of the larger Mass schedules on San Antonio's west side, with a Saturday Vigil, five Sunday Masses (one in Spanish), a daily noon Mass Monday through Friday, additional evening Masses on Tuesday (English) and Thursday (Spanish), and a First Saturday morning Mass. Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons, after the Thursday Spanish Mass, and seasonally during Lent and on Holy Days. The parish livestreams Mass on its Facebook page and posts recordings afterward on its YouTube channel; the website reminds viewers that watching online does not fulfill the Sunday obligation.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PM English
- Sunday: 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 4:00 PM English; 2:00 PM Spanish
- Daily: Mon–Fri 12:00 PM (Wednesday Bilingual)
- Tuesday 6:30 PM English, followed by Holy Hour
- Thursday 6:30 PM Spanish, followed by Holy Hour and Confession
- 1st Saturday 9:00 AM English
- Confession: Saturday 4:00–5:15 PM, Thursday after Spanish Mass, and by appointment
St. Luke Catholic School
St. Luke Catholic School is the parish school, founded in 1959, and serves students from PreK3 through 8th grade on the same Manitou Drive campus as the church. Its mission is to educate students to excel in high school and in life, and to inspire them to live as faith-filled Catholics. The school is accredited through the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and is a long-standing ministry of the parish.
- Grades: PreK3 through 8th
- Founded 1959 as a ministry of St. Luke Parish
- Accredited through the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
- Website: stlukecatholic.org
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The Faith Formation Office (open Monday–Thursday 9 AM–5 PM) walks children and teens through every stage of catechesis. Younger children experience the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium. Middle-schoolers participate in EDGE, and high-schoolers are served by Life Teen — both with catechesis, games, small groups, retreats, and summer camps. High-school Confirmation is prepared within Life Teen; only one registration covers both. A Vacation Bible School week is offered every summer for children entering Kinder through 5th grade using the Cat Chat curriculum.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (children)
- EDGE — middle-school youth ministry
- Life Teen — high-school youth ministry, Sundays 5:15–7:30 PM in the Parish Hall after the 4 PM Mass
- High School Confirmation preparation
- Vacation Bible School (Cat Chat) — K through 5th grade
- Faith Formation Office contact: ext. 138, Marsha Whitener-Valdez
Youth Ministry and Retreats
Teen ministry is anchored by EDGE (middle school) and Life Teen (high school), both coordinated by Trent Gutierrez ([email protected], ext. 119). A signature event each summer is the Teen ACTS Retreat, a three- or four-day, faith-filled encounter for incoming freshmen through outgoing seniors held at Mo Ranch in Hunt, TX, or at Cordi-Marian retreat center in San Antonio. The Life Teen Retreat is offered each November.
- Life Teen Sundays after the 4 PM Mass, Parish Hall
- EDGE middle-school program
- Teen ACTS Retreat — Mo Ranch (Hunt, TX) or Cordi-Marian (San Antonio)
- November Life Teen Retreat
- Volunteer chaperones needed (background check + VIRTUS required)
Parish Outreach and Service
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference at St. Luke operates its own office on campus (210-431-7794, Monday–Friday 10 AM–2 PM) to assist the poor and vulnerable in the surrounding neighborhoods. The parish also runs a Homebound Ministry Core Team that brings Eucharist and companionship to parishioners who can no longer attend Mass, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who distribute the Eucharist at Sunday liturgies and to the sick, hospitalized, and homebound (contact Wayne Romo, ext. 140).
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — 210-431-7794, Mon–Fri 10 AM–2 PM
- Homebound Ministry Core Team
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Bereavement / Funeral Ministry (contact Sandra Perez, ext. 144)
Liturgical Ministries
Lay faithful play a vital role in the liturgies celebrated by the Spiritan priests. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist at Mass once every three weeks and visit the sick. Sacristans prepare the sanctuary for Mass and other liturgical celebrations. The parish supports both an English choir and a Spanish choir (Spanish choir practices are scheduled on the parish calendar).
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (English and Spanish)
- Sacristans
- English Choir
- Spanish Choir (scheduled practice times)
- Funeral Liturgy team
Senior Adult Ministry
St. Luke has a dedicated Senior Adult Ministry. The Oldies but Goodies Senior Adult Ministry meets in the Parish Hall every Monday for Bingo, and a Senior Line Dance class (beginner to intermediate) is held weekly as well — both promoted by the parish as good exercise for mind, body, and spirit.
- Oldies but Goodies Senior Adult Ministry — Bingo every Monday in the Parish Hall
- Senior Line Dance — beginner to intermediate, weekly
Adult Faith Renewal
Beyond children's catechesis, the parish hosts Adult Faith Renewal & Enrichment opportunities, including seasonal book studies (a Fall Book study is featured on the parish website). The parish encourages adults to keep growing in their faith throughout their lives.
- Adult Faith Renewal & Enrichment
- Seasonal book studies (Fall Book Study featured on site)
Funerals and Bereavement
St. Luke welcomes families — even those who were not previously parishioners — to contact the parish office to begin planning a funeral Mass. Funeral Masses are currently offered Monday through Friday at 10:00 AM. All scheduling questions are directed to Sandra Perez at extension 144. The parish draws on the Order of Christian Funerals, praying that 'death is not the end' and accompanying families with the comforting Word of God and the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
- Funeral Masses Mon–Fri at 10:00 AM
- Coordinator: Sandra Perez, ext. 144
- Open to families not previously registered in the parish
Facilities and Giving
Beyond the church, the parish campus includes the Parish Hall (marketed as 'The Venue at St. Luke' and available for rental), Faith Formation offices, the parish school, the Padre Pio Adoration Chapel, and the St. Vincent de Paul conference office. The parish offers online one-time and recurring giving through its website and has called recently for Maintenance Funds to cover the cost of a new roof. The Church Office is open Monday–Thursday 9 AM–6 PM and Friday 9 AM–4 PM.
- The Venue at St. Luke (Parish Hall rental)
- Padre Pio Adoration Chapel
- Online one-time and recurring giving
- Maintenance Fund appeal (new roof)
- Church Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–6 PM; Fri 9 AM–4 PM
Contact and Visit
St. Luke Catholic Church is at 4603 Manitou Drive, San Antonio, TX 78228-1899. The main parish phone is (210) 433-2777 and the office email is [email protected]. The St. Vincent de Paul office can be reached at 210-431-7794. Mass is livestreamed on the parish Facebook page and recorded afterward on the parish YouTube channel.
- Address: 4603 Manitou Drive, San Antonio, TX 78228-1899
- Phone: 210-433-2777
- Email: [email protected]
- St. Vincent de Paul: 210-431-7794
- Website: saintlukeparish.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Jim Barlow, M.S.P.at least 2010–present
Listed as Pastor on the parish bulletin of September 19, 2010.