About St. Luke the Evangelist · Houston, Texas
St. Luke the Evangelist is a Roman Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston, located at 11011 Hall Road in southeast Houston near the Sam Houston Parkway (Beltway 8) and Interstate 45 South. Founded in 1975 as a 'split' from the rapidly growing St. Frances Cabrini Parish, it was created to serve the Catholic families of the Sagemont and Kirkwood South neighborhoods built around the Johnson Space Center. The parish is bilingual (English and Spanish), was honored as the International Catholic Stewardship Council's '2004 Stewardship Parish of the Year,' and is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary with major capital-campaign construction of a new Family Life Center on its Riverstone Ranch Drive campus in Pearland.
- Established
- 1975
- Patron
- St. Luke the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Douglas J. Guthrie
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston
Why belong here
St. Luke the Evangelist is one of southeast Houston's largest bilingual parishes, offering daily Mass in English and a robust 1:00 p.m. Sunday Mass in Spanish, alongside faith formation for children, youth, and adults, multiple choirs (Unity Choir, Alabanza Coral, The Mix, Children's Choir), RCIA for children and adults, and a youth ministry that hosts the annual 'Brave the Wilderness' summer camp. The parish is nationally recognized for its stewardship way of life, and as a 50-year-old community currently building a new Family Life Center at its Riverstone Ranch (Pearland) campus, it is a stable, family-oriented parish with deep NASA-era roots in the Sagemont and Kirkwood South neighborhoods.
Mass times at St. Luke the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–5:30 PM (parish-wide listing)
- Wednesday 6:30–7:30 PM (parish-wide listing)
Adoration times
- Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Chapel)
- Friday 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM (Chapel)
- First Friday youth adoration, monthly, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM in the Main Sanctuary on Hall Road
Parish Identity and Mission
St. Luke the Evangelist identifies itself as a Stewardship Parish whose mission is to 'proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in our community through the Celebration of the Sacraments where all are welcome.' Its bilingual vision statement reads 'To be all things in Christ / Ser todo en Cristo Jesús.' The parish's identity is rooted in the southeast Houston growth that followed NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center and in its 1975 founding as a mission-driven split from St. Frances Cabrini.
- Mission: 'We at St. Luke proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in our community through the Celebration of the Sacraments where all are welcome.'
- Vision: 'To be all things in Christ / Ser todo en Cristo Jesús'
- Identity: recognized Stewardship Parish (ICSC '2004 Stewardship Parish of the Year')
- Bilingual English/Spanish community
History
The parish's 'Our Story' page, written by the parish itself, ties its origin to NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center (est. 1961) and the Sagemont residential boom of 1964. The Diocese of Galveston–Houston purchased five acres in Kirkwood South in anticipation of a parish split, and on June 17, 1975 — after months of committee work and the appointment of Fr. Jesse Judice as founding pastor — more than 500 families gathered at St. Frances Cabrini for the 'birthday party' that officially launched St. Luke the Evangelist. Early liturgies were held at Thompson Intermediate School.
- 1961: Manned Spacecraft Center established
- 1964: Sagemont subdivision opens
- 1975 (June 17): parish founded from split with St. Frances Cabrini
- 1975: First liturgies at Thompson Intermediate School
- 1977: Diocese of Galveston–Houston era; parish grows through 1980s
- 2004: Named ICSC 'Stewardship Parish of the Year'
- 2014: First building blessed on Riverstone Ranch campus (May 24)
- 2014: Fr. Douglas J. Guthrie assigned as pastor
- 2025: Golden Jubilee (50th Anniversary) celebrated; Family Life Center groundbreaking April 5
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently led by pastor Fr. Douglas J. Guthrie (assigned 2014), with Fr. Antonio Cisneros serving as Parochial Vicar (assigned 2024). Three permanent deacons minister at the parish: Deacon Jesse Tollett, Deacon Filiberto Cervantes, and Deacon John Rapacki. The 2014–2015 Ministry Booklet (under then-pastor Fr. James Burkart) additionally lists a parish administrator, parish secretary, bookkeeper, stewardship director, director of social services, facilities supervisor, custodian, and directors of liturgy/music, faith formation, youth ministry, adult ministry, and the Early Childhood Center.
- Pastor: Rev. Douglas J. Guthrie
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Antonio Cisneros
- Deacon Jesse Tollett
- Deacon Filiberto Cervantes
- Deacon John Rapacki
- Director of Liturgy & Music: Cristina Garcia-Luense
- Youth Ministry Coordinator: Josselyn Alvarez
- Founding Pastor (1975): Rev. Jesse Judice
- Long-tenured Pastor (c.1981–c.2014): Rev. James Burkart
- Past Parochial Vicars: Rev. Desmond Daniels (2014), Rev. Alvaro J. Interiano (2015)
Mass and Sacraments
St. Luke offers daily Mass: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 AM; Tuesday and Thursday at 7:00 PM; Saturday at 8:00 AM, with an additional 5:30 PM Mass on the First Saturday. Sunday Masses are 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM in English, and 1:00 PM in Spanish. Confessions are heard Saturday 4:00–5:30 PM and Wednesday 6:30–7:30 PM. The parish prepares children, youth, and adults for the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist), provides RCIA for adults and for children ages 7–17, and offers Marriage preparation and Anointing of the Sick.
- Sunday Masses: 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM (English); 1:00 PM (Spanish)
- Weekday Masses: M/W/F 9:00 AM; T/Th 7:00 PM; Sat 8:00 AM; 1st Sat also 5:30 PM
- Confessions: Sat 4:00–5:30 PM; Wed 6:30–7:30 PM
- Adoration: M–Th 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- First Friday youth adoration: monthly 6:00–7:00 PM (Main Sanctuary)
- RCIA for adults and for children (bilingual)
- Adult Confirmation classes (Deacon Al Birsinger)
- Youth Confirmation (2-year process)
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Luke spans the whole parish family. Children's ministry (under Marilynn Kiel in 2014–2015) provides sacramental preparation for Eucharist and Reconciliation. The youth ministry runs two weekly tracks — 'The Gathering' for 7th–8th graders (Sundays 4:30–6:00 PM) and 'Sunday Night LIVE' for Senior High 9th–12th (Sundays 6:45–8:15 PM). Adult faith formation includes RCIA (under Erin Eifert), Adult Confirmation, and ongoing Bible study. Adult ministry was led by Jose Valdez in the 2014–2015 booklet.
- RCIA for Adults (Erin Eifert, 2014–2015)
- RCIA for Children, ages 7–17 (Alma Cervantes, bilingual)
- Adult Confirmation (Deacon Al Birsinger)
- Youth Faith Formation (elementary)
- The Gathering: 7th–8th grade, Sundays 4:30–6:00 PM
- Sunday Night LIVE: Senior High, Sundays 6:45–8:15 PM
- Youth Confirmation (2-year process)
- Adult Bible study and ongoing formation
Music and Liturgy
The parish's Office of Worship oversees a robust music program led by Director Cristina Garcia-Luense, with multiple choirs serving different Masses and languages. The parish's published philosophy echoes 'Music in Catholic Worship' (US Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy, 1972): music should help the assembly 'express and share the gift of faith' and 'unveil a dimension of meaning and feeling which words alone cannot yield.'
- Unity Choir — most Mondays 5:00 PM in the Church; serves 10:00 AM Mass; open to youth 7th grade+ and adults
- Alabanza Coral (Spanish) — most Thursdays 7:30 PM in the Education Building; serves 1:00 PM Spanish Mass; open to youth 7th grade+ and adults
- The Mix — contemporary ensemble for the 11:15 AM Mass, Wed 7:30 PM, Room 8 (per 2014 booklet)
- Chancel Choir — serves 9:15 AM Mass, Thu 7:45 PM in the Church
- Children's Choir — seasonal (Easter, Christmas); open to elementary and middle-school singers
- Orchestra and contemporary ensemble opportunities
- Liturgical minister training sessions year-round
Youth Ministry
The youth ministry (currently coordinated by Josselyn Alvarez) ministers to teens both inside and outside parish life, with weekly faith formation tracks, First Friday youth adoration, retreats, lock-ins, and large archdiocesan events. The annual 'Brave the Wilderness' overnight summer camp, co-hosted with other parishes at Forest Glen in Huntsville, TX, includes ziplining, rockwall, swimming, nightly talks, prayer experiences, Adoration, and daily Mass. The parish also sends youth to the Archdiocese Youth Conference (AYC) and the Steubenville Conference.
- Weekly: The Gathering (7th–8th); Sunday Night LIVE (9th–12th)
- Monthly: First Friday Adoration, 6:00–7:00 PM in the Main Sanctuary
- Annual: Freshman Retreat, Lock-Ins, Summer Impact, Pray and Play
- Brave the Wilderness summer camp (Forest Glen, Huntsville)
- Steubenville Conference and AYC (Archdiocese Youth Conference)
Stewardship and Outreach
St. Luke is recognized as a 'Stewardship Parish' and was honored with the International Catholic Stewardship Council's Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy '2004 Stewardship Parish of the Year' award for its long-term commitment to 'Stewardship as a Way of Life.' Outreach is coordinated through the parish's Director of Social Services (Maria Palacios in 2014–2015) and includes support for families in need, a 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign, and ministry to elders of the parish.
- ICSC '2004 Stewardship Parish of the Year' award
- Director of Social Services (2014: Maria Palacios)
- Parish Social Services ministry
- Stewardship Director (2014: Coni Perez)
- Capital Campaign for Family Life Center (51% of $3M+ goal reached, 2025)
- Golden Jubilee Gala (October 11, 2025) honoring parish elders
Facilities and Capital Projects
St. Luke operates two campuses. The Main Campus at 11011 Hall Rd., Houston, TX 77089 includes the church, education building, chapel, and offices, and is the historic home of the parish. In 2014 the parish blessed its first building on a second property at 1750 Riverstone Ranch Dr. in Pearland (called the 'Cenacle'), and on April 5, 2025 it broke ground for the St. Luke Family Life Center at that address to serve its growing membership.
- Main Campus: 11011 Hall Rd., Houston, TX 77089
- Cenacle / Family Life Center site: 1750 Riverstone Ranch Dr., Pearland, TX 77089
- Bronze statue of St. Luke the Evangelist (7+ feet, half-ton, reinforced steel core)
- Chapel with extended Eucharistic Adoration hours
- Family Life Center groundbreaking — April 5, 2025
Getting Involved
New members are invited to register through the parish's Breeze parish management system (linked from the Parish Registration page) and to indicate their areas of ministry interest — a tradition begun at the parish's June 17, 1975 'birthday party.' Ongoing volunteer opportunities include liturgical ministries (lector, EMHC, usher, altar server), choirs, youth ministry, faith-formation catechists, social services, stewardship council, and the Capital Campaign / Family Life Center building committee.
- Parish registration via Breeze online system
- Liturgical ministries: Lectors, EMHC, Ushers, Altar Servers
- Music ministries: choirs, ensembles, orchestra
- Faith formation catechists
- Youth ministry volunteers and chaperones
- Social Services / outreach volunteers
- Capital Campaign / building committee
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jesse Judice1975–c.1981
Founding pastor; appointed by the diocese in spring 1975 to lead the new parish split off from St. Frances Cabrini; organized the June 17, 1975 'birthday party' that launched the parish and oversaw the build-out of the Kirkwood South campus.
- Rev. James Burkartc.1981–c.2014
Long-tenured pastor (named in the parish's 2014–2015 Ministry Information Booklet); under his leadership the parish became a 'Stewardship Parish' and received the International Catholic Stewardship Council's Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy '2004 Stewardship Parish of the Year' award.
- Rev. Douglas J. Guthrie2014–present
Ordained in 1977 for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston at St. Christopher, Houston. Earlier assignments: St. Francis de Sales (assistant), pastor of Queen of Peace (La Marque) and St. Joseph (Baytown); 22 years on diocesan leave as a Registered Nurse at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center; parochial vicar at St. Michael, Houston; assigned pastor of St. Luke the Evangelist in 2014.
- Rev. Alvaro J. Interiano2015–
Assigned Parochial Vicar of St. Luke the Evangelist effective July 6, 2015, in the Archdiocesan pastoral appointments.
- Rev. Antonio Cisneros2024–present
Assigned Parochial Vicar of St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in the 2024 Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston pastoral appointments.