About St. Martin De Porres · Barrett Station, Texas
St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church is a family-oriented, bilingual (English and Spanish) Roman Catholic parish located in the Barrett Station community of Crosby, Texas, within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The parish traces its origins to 1938, when it was founded as a mission church by the Josephite Society (SSJ) for African American Catholics who had settled in the historic Barrett Settlement. It became an independent parish in 1944 and, since 1992, has been entrusted to the Missionary Society of St. Paul (MSP), a Nigerian religious institute whose priests serve many parishes in the Houston area. Today the parish is pastored by Rev. Anthony Chukwudumueme Mbanefo, MSP, and is recognized by the Archdiocese as a predominantly African American Catholic community under the Ministry to Catholics of African Descent.
- Established
- 1938 (mission); 1944 (parish)
- Patron
- St. Martin de Porres
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony Chukwudumueme Mbanefo, MSP
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Why belong here
St. Martin de Porres is a small, welcoming bilingual parish with deep historical roots in the Barrett Settlement community — the first integrated Catholic church in Barrett Station, dating back to 1938. Worshippers can attend Mass in English or Spanish every day of the week, with weekday morning Masses Tuesday–Friday at 6:30 AM, a Tuesday evening Spanish Mass with Adoration, and Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Masses, plus a 12 PM Spanish Mass on Sunday. The parish is known as a tight-knit family of faith served by the Missionary Society of St. Paul, and offers regular Adoration, Confession before weekend Masses, and devotion to the patron St. Martin de Porres — patron saint of mixed-race peoples, public health workers and the disadvantaged. For anyone seeking a faithful, community-rooted Catholic home in eastern Harris County, St. Martin de Porres offers a warm welcome.
Mass times at St. Martin De Porres
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:30 PM – 4:50 PM
- Sunday: 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM
- Sunday: 11:30 AM – 11:50 AM (Spanish, before the 12 PM Mass)
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM (Spanish, following the 6 PM Spanish Mass)
- Friday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (Holy Hour, following the 6:30 AM Mass)
About St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church
St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church is a family-oriented, bilingual (English and Spanish) parish located in the Barrett Station area of Crosby, Texas. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and has been managed by the Missionary Society of St. Paul (MSP), a Nigerian missionary society, since 1992. The parish describes itself as 'one family in Christ with a welcoming heart' and is one of the parishes recognized by the Archdiocese as a predominantly African American Catholic community.
- Located in Barrett Station, Crosby, TX
- Within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
- Managed by the Missionary Society of St. Paul (MSP), founded in Nigeria
- Bilingual parish: English and Spanish
Parish History
The parish traces its roots to the arrival of Black Catholic families displaced by the Great Flood of 1927 who settled in Barrett Settlement. Father Carl Schappert, SSJ of St. Nicholas Church in Houston began saying Mass in local homes in 1934, and the mission church was dedicated to Blessed Martin de Porres on January 29, 1938. It became an independent parish of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in 1944 under Father John Wilson, SSJ.
- 1927 – Great Flood displaces Black Catholic families from Louisiana to Barrett Settlement
- 1934 – Father Carl Schappert, SSJ begins saying Mass in the home of Samuel Goudeau
- 1936 – Land acquired from the Barrett family; Bishop Byrne approves the site on February 29, 1936
- 1938 – Original 30' x 80' church built and dedicated to Blessed Martin de Porres on January 29, 1938
- 1944 – Becomes an independent parish of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
- 1949 – Parish hall built for CCD and social events
- 1954 – Three-room classroom building dedicated November 21, 1954
- 1958 – Church extended by 30' under Father John Hardman
- 1962 – Parish renamed 'St.' Martin de Porres upon his canonization by Pope John XXIII
- 1963–1964 – Additional land purchased (2.5 acres parish use, 5 acres cemetery/burial use)
- 1967 – Church air-conditioned
- 1988 – First Mass in the new (current) church on Pentecost Saturday, May 28, 1988
- 1990 – Bell tower installed in honor of Ernest Duffy
- 1992 – First U.S. parish entrusted to the Missionary Society of St. Paul (Oct. 1, 1992)
- 1993 – First MSP priest (Father Afangide) assigned
The Patron Saint: St. Martin de Porres
The parish is named after St. Martin de Porres, who was born in Lima, Peru on December 9, 1579 — the son of a Spanish gentleman and a freed slave from Panama of African and Native American descent. He was beatified by Pope Gregory XVI on October 29, 1837 and canonized by Pope John XXIII on May 6, 1962. He is the patron saint of people of mixed race, innkeepers, barbers, public health workers, and others. His feast day is celebrated on November 3.
- Born Lima, Peru — December 9, 1579
- Beatified by Pope Gregory XVI — October 29, 1837
- Canonized by Pope John XXIII — May 6, 1962
- Feast Day: November 3
- Patron of: people of mixed race, innkeepers, barbers, public health workers
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is served by priests of the Missionary Society of St. Paul (MSP), a religious congregation founded in Nigeria. The current pastor is Rev. Anthony Chukwudumueme Mbanefo, MSP, who became pastor in 2019. The Archdiocese's Vicar for Catholics of African Descent, Fr. Reginald Samuels, also has pastoral oversight of predominantly African American parishes in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, including St. Martin de Porres.
- Pastor: Rev. Anthony Chukwudumueme Mbanefo, MSP
- Vicar for Catholics of African Descent: Fr. Reginald Samuels
Sacraments
The parish prepares Catholics for the full sacramental life of the Church, with religious education (CCD) classes historically housed in its parish hall.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Communion for the homebound
Parish Identity & Community Role
St. Martin de Porres is recognized by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston as a predominantly African American Catholic parish ('+++') within the Ministry to Catholics of African Descent. It continues to serve as a historic and spiritual focal point for Catholics in eastern Harris County and the Crosby area, more than 85 years after its founding.
- Parish mission statement: 'Inviting All to Become One In Christ'
- Recognized by Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston under the Ministry to Catholics of African Descent
- Long-standing bilingual character (English / Spanish)
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email, follow the parish on Facebook, or view livestreamed Masses on YouTube.
- Address: 12606 Crosby Lynchburg Rd., Barrett Station, TX 77532-8628
- Phone: (281) 328-4451
- Fax: (281) 328-7306
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stmartinbarrett.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmartinbarrett/
- YouTube (livestream): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeLl29piJ5A
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Carl Schappert, SSJ1934–1944
Founding Josephite pastor; began saying Mass in local homes and procured land; supervised building of the original 30' x 80' mission church dedicated 1938.
- Father John Wilson, SSJ1944–
Instructed to prepare the congregation to become a parish of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston; built the first small rectory with a Josephite Society donation.
- Father Charles Hanks, SSJfrom 1949
Built a 30' x 60' parish hall for CCD classes and social events.
- Father John Hardman, SSJ1958
Extended the church building by 30' to accommodate the growing population.
- Father Donald Butler, SSJfrom 1963
Purchased 2½ acres of additional land in 1963 and 5 more acres in 1964 for burial use; enlarged the rectory.
- Father Donald Fest, SSJ1986–1988
Directed construction of the new (current) church; first Mass in the new church celebrated May 28, 1988.
- Father Afangide (MSP)1993
First MSP priest to serve at St. Martin de Porres, following the parish's 1992 handover to the Missionary Society of St. Paul.
- Fr. Uko, Fr. Ekanem, Fr. Enelichi, Fr. Umouyo1996–2013
Successive MSP pastors listed in parish history.
- Rev. Anthony Chukwudumueme Mbanefo, MSPfrom 2019
Current pastor.