St. Martin de Porres

Parish Identity and Mission

St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church describes itself as 'the Catholic Church Community of St. Martin de Porres in Dripping Springs – dedicated to worshiping God and living out our faith in fulfillment of the mission of Jesus Christ as His disciples.' The parish mission statement lists four pillars: glorifying God in Word and Sacrament; learning, understanding, teaching, and living the Word of God; growing in holiness; and developing a loving and caring faith community following the parish's patron saint by serving the needs of others — mind, body, and spirit. The parish takes its name from St. Martin de Porres (1579–1639), the Dominican lay brother from Lima, Peru, known as the patron saint of mixed-race people, barbers, innkeepers, and social justice, whose feast is November 3.

History and Growth

St. Martin de Porres was incorporated in Texas as a Domestic Nonprofit Corporation on October 8, 2007 and serves the booming Dripping Springs area of Hays County. From its early years the parish grew rapidly with the surrounding Hill Country communities along the US-290 / Ranch Road 12 corridor. Under Father Charlie Garza, the parish launched the St. Dymphna Center for mental health. Under current pastor Fr. Justin Nguyen, the parish entered a major building campaign for a permanent 1,000+ seat sanctuary, with feasibility studies completed in 2023, a 2nd Campaign Appeal launched in May 2024, and construction scheduled to begin in July 2026.

• October 8, 2007 — Incorporated in Texas
• February 2018 — St. Dymphna Center dedicated
• May 12, 2023 — Fr. Justin's Feasibility Study Letter to Parishioners
• 2024 — Construction manager selected; 2nd Campaign Appeal
• January 30, 2026 — TDLR Project TABS2026011306 registered
• July 1, 2026 — Projected groundbreaking
• January 31, 2028 — Projected completion

St. Dymphna Center for Mental Health

The St. Dymphna Center is a multipurpose building on the parish campus named for St. Dymphna, the patron saint of those suffering from mental illness or disorders. The Center provides space for free counseling and access to mental-health resources for anyone in the community regardless of religious affiliation, addressing the severe shortage of professional mental-health providers in the rural Hill Country. It was created under the leadership of Father Charlie Garza in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Central Texas, which provided training for volunteer counselors. The Center also hosts parish ministries including the Grief Sharing Support Group (first Thursdays, 6:30pm–8:00pm in Room 1) and currently houses the Sunday 10:00am English Mass and 1:30pm Latin Mass while the new church is being built.

• Named for St. Dymphna, patron saint of those with mental illness
• Partnered with NAMI Central Texas
• Open to all, regardless of faith
• Hosts Grief Sharing Support Group
• Currently site of 10:00am English and 1:30pm Latin Sunday Masses

New Church Building Project

The parish is in the design and pre-construction phase of a new permanent church to replace its current temporary worship space. According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation project filing (TABS2026011306), the building will be a two-story, 22,000-square-foot new church at 230 Post Oak Drive, Dripping Springs, with seating area, sanctuary with altar, restrooms, sacristies, and choir loft. The estimated project cost is $17,000,000, privately funded on parish-owned land. The owner of record is the Catholic Diocese of Austin. Design is by Brown Reynolds Watford Architects, Inc. of College Station, Texas, with sacred-arts and liturgical design by Studio io. Updated exterior renderings (with and without bell tower), August 2025 master site plan, and 2025 interior conceptual designs have been released to the parish.

• Project: TABS2026011306 (TDLR)
• Architect: Brown Reynolds Watford Architects, Inc.
• Sacred Arts / Liturgical Design: Studio io
• Capacity: 1,000+ seats
• Square footage: 22,000 sq ft
• Estimated cost: $17,000,000
• Groundbreaking: July 1, 2026
• Completion: January 31, 2028

Liturgy of the Hours

In addition to the Mass schedule, the parish prays the Liturgy of the Hours. Morning Prayer is prayed Tuesday through Friday from 8:00am to 8:30am via Zoom (password: smdp). Evening Prayer is prayed in person at 5:00pm on Thursdays before Mass in the church. Parishioners are encouraged to download the iBreviary app to follow along.

• Morning Prayer Tue–Fri, 8:00am–8:30am via Zoom
• Evening Prayer Thursdays, 5:00pm in person
• Follow along via iBreviary app

Ministries and Groups

The parish offers a wide range of ministries rooted in its three stewardship pillars of Time, Talent, and Treasure. Outreach and welcome ministries are emphasized, along with Liturgy of the Hours, Grief Sharing, Knights of Columbus (Bishop McCarthy Assembly), and the parish's signature St. Dymphna Center mental-health ministry.

• Welcome Ministry (Jennie Reeder, [email protected])
• Lectors (Jason Schindler, [email protected])
• Pastoral Care
• Faith Formation
• Grief Sharing Support Group
• Bishop McCarthy Assembly (Knights of Columbus)
• Mary & Martha Coffee Wednesday
• Stewardship Council / Finance Council
• Building Committee for new church

Communications and Parish Life

Parish communications include a weekly bulletin, electronic forms, and a parish calendar, all accessible from the parish website. Pastor Letters (including the annual Christmas Letter) are published online, and periodic Parish Presentations document the parish's finances, building project progress, and long-term vision. The parish also maintains a feasibility study page with a Conceptual Design Brochure and Feasibility Study Results for the new church project.

• Weekly bulletin (online)
• Electronic forms and parish calendar
• Pastor Letters / Christmas Letter
• Parish Presentations (2011–present)
• Feasibility Study materials and 2nd Campaign Appeal

Visiting Dripping Springs and the Texas Hill Country

The parish is located in Dripping Springs — the 'Gateway to the Hill Country' — about 25 miles west of Austin along Ranch Road 12 and US-290. The town is known for its historic downtown, breweries, distilleries, wedding venues, and natural springs (including the original 'dripping springs' that gave the city its name). From the parish campus, visitors can easily reach Hamilton Pool Preserve, Pedernales Falls State Park, and the many vineyards of the Driftwood/Dripping Springs American Viticultural Area.