About St. Mary Church of the Assumption · Waco, Texas
St. Mary Church of the Assumption is the oldest Catholic parish in Waco, Texas, founded in 1870 by French missionary Father J. L. Bussant. Originally known simply as Assumption Parish, it has served the Catholic faithful of central Texas for more than 150 years and is the mother parish from which nearly every other Catholic church in the Waco area was eventually formed. Today it is a medium-sized downtown parish in the Diocese of Austin, pastored by Father Joseph F. Geleney Jr., offering daily and Sunday Mass in English, Eucharistic adoration, confessions, and a homebound ministry to its largely elderly congregation.
- Established
- 1870
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (under the title of the Assumption)
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph F. Geleney Jr.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Assumption offers the rare combination of a deep, 150-year-old Catholic heritage and an intimate, family-sized parish in the heart of downtown Waco. Father Geleney and the parish team keep the doors open with daily Mass, three Sunday Masses (including a Saturday Vigil), weekly confession times, regularly scheduled Eucharistic adoration, and a dedicated homebound ministry that brings Communion to elderly parishioners in nursing homes and hospitals. With livestreamed Sunday Mass on Facebook, a Flocknote email/text network, and a 150-year legacy of forming Catholics in central Texas, it is a welcoming place for anyone seeking the oldest Catholic community in Waco.
Mass times at St. Mary Church of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Advent & Lent only)
- Friday: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Also by appointment — contact the parish office at (254) 753-0146
Adoration times
- Monday: 5:40 PM to 7:00 PM (follows the Communion Service)
- 1st Friday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- 1st Saturday: 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM (follows the 9:00 AM Mass)
History of St. Mary Parish
St. Mary's Parish was established in 1870 and was originally known as Assumption Parish. The cornerstone for the first church, located at 6th Street and Washington Avenue, was laid on July 24, 1870. Although the church was not completed, services began to be held there in 1872. The church was completed and dedicated on March 3, 1873 — a two-story building with the church on the first floor and living quarters for the priest above. As the parish grew, more space was needed, so in January 1880 property was purchased at Ninth Street and Washington Avenue and the second church, a small brick building fronting on Ninth Street, was built. The cornerstone for the third church was laid on April 8, 1883, at the corner of Washington and Ninth Street. It was completed and dedicated in 1886; its bell was purchased in France and donated in 1900. In November 1904, a rectory was built at the corner of Columbus and Ninth Streets at the Bishop's request, and on March 6, 1910, remodeling of the third church was completed and it was re-dedicated by the bishop. The parish history was compiled by Dr. Jean L. Berres, Ph.D.
- 1849 — Catholics first arrive in the new town of Waco
- 1855 — First Mass in Waco celebrated at the Bower home
- 1870 — Parish founded by French missionary Father J. L. Bussant
- July 24, 1870 — Cornerstone of first church laid at 6th and Washington
- 1873 — First church dedicated (March 3)
- 1880 — Property purchased at Ninth and Washington for a second, brick church
- 1883 — Cornerstone laid for the third church (April 8)
- 1886 — Third church completed and dedicated
- 1900 — Bell for the third church donated (purchased in France)
- 1904 — Rectory built at Columbus and Ninth Streets
- 1910 — Third church remodeled and re-dedicated (March 6)
The 1942 Church and Parish Expansion
On September 13, 1942, the fourth church, located at the corner of Fourteenth Street and Washington Avenue, was dedicated and the parish became known as the Church of St. Mary of the Assumption. The mansion at 1401 Washington Street had been purchased for a church rectory in 1941. In 1947 St. Mary's School, located at Thirteenth and Washington, opened; in 1950 the property at Fourteenth Street and Columbus Avenue was added and used as a day school, parish youth center and convent; and in 1960 the residence at Fifteenth and Columbus was purchased and remodeled for a Parish Hall. This expansion was guided primarily by Msgr. J. J. Kearns, whose 36-year tenure (1934–1970) shaped the modern parish.
- 1941 — Mansion at 1401 Washington purchased as rectory
- 1942 — Fourth church (current building) dedicated September 13, built of Texas limestone in Gothic style
- 1947 — St. Mary's School reopened at Thirteenth and Washington
- 1950 — Parish youth center and convent added at Fourteenth and Columbus
- 1954 — Reicher Catholic High School constructed under Msgr. Kearns
- 1960 — Parish Hall created at Fifteenth and Columbus
Parishes and Missions Founded from St. Mary's
For the first 50 years of its history, St. Mary's was the only Catholic church in a mostly Protestant region and experienced steady growth, including a significant Spanish-surnamed population. As the Diocese of Austin grew, new parishes were carved out of St. Mary's territory, and St. Mary's also oversaw rural missions and the Catholic Student Center at Baylor University.
- St. Francis on the Brazos Parish (1924) — for the Mexican Catholic population
- St. Joseph's Parish in Bellmead (1951)
- St. John's Parish in East Waco (1953)
- Sacred Heart Parish in South Waco (1957)
- St. Louis Parish in Waco (1968)
- St. Jerome's Parish in Hewitt (1983)
- St. Eugene's in McGregor (mission)
- St. Joseph's in Elk (mission)
- Catholic Student Center at Baylor University (until it became St. Peter Catholic Student Center)
Parish Ministries and Outreach
St. Mary's supports a focused set of ministries shaped by its character as a historic downtown parish with a largely older congregation. The homebound ministry is one of the most active: Father Geleney and Eucharistic ministers regularly visit nursing homes and hospitals and bring Communion to those unable to attend Mass. Other ministries include faith formation for children, a Respect Life group, and engagement through digital tools like Flocknote and livestreamed Sunday Mass.
- Homebound Ministry — Communion visits to sick and elderly
- Faith Formation / Religious Education for children
- RED-C Ministries Family Retreat (held at Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School)
- Respect Life ministry
- Livestreamed Sunday Mass on Facebook
- Flocknote parish email and text messaging
- Parish tuition assistance for Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School
Sacraments at St. Mary's
The parish celebrates the sacraments at a steady but modest pace. As of the 150th anniversary report, the parish was averaging three to five baptisms annually, two to three confirmations annually, and had not witnessed a sacramental marriage in the previous three years. Sacramental information and scheduling is handled through the parish office.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Marriage (Holy Matrimony)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Communion brought to the homebound and hospitalized
- First Communion / Religious Education for children
St. Mary's School and Catholic Education
Catholic education has been part of St. Mary's history since Father Bussant invited the Sisters of Mary Namur to open a school, which closed in 1915. The parish school was reopened in 1947 under Msgr. Kearns, operated for decades, and then closed again in 2001. The parish continues to support Catholic education by providing tuition assistance for St. Mary's families and for students at what is now Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School in Waco.
- Original Sisters of Mary Namur school — closed 1915
- St. Mary's School reopened 1947 at Thirteenth and Washington
- St. Mary's School closed again in 2001
- Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School — parish provides tuition assistance
Visit, Directions, and Contact
The parish church is located at 205 N 14th Street, Waco, Texas 76701, in the heart of downtown. Driving directions from IH-35: take the 17th/18th Street Exit, follow 17th Street (one-way toward downtown) to Columbus Avenue, turn right, continue to 14th Street, turn right, and the church is the second building on the left — a white Austin-stone church. The parish office can be reached at (254) 753-0146, with appointments available for confession outside the posted schedule.
- Address: 205 N 14th Street, Waco, TX 76701
- Phone: (254) 753-0146
- Website: stmarys-waco.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/St.Marys.Catholic.Church.Waco
- From IH-35: take 17th/18th St Exit → 17th St (one-way downtown) → Columbus Ave (right) → 14th St (right) → church on left
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. L. Bussant1870–1880
French missionary who founded the parish and laid the cornerstone of the first church on July 24, 1870. Also invited the Sisters of Mary Namur to open a school.
- Rev. A. Badelon1880–1896
- Rev. P. J. Clancy1896–1910
- Rev. E. A. Kelly1910–1919
- Rev. P. A. Heckman1919–1926
- Rev. J. P. O'Leary1926–1932
- Rev. Thomas F. Hogan1932–1934
- Msgr. J. J. Kearns1934–1970
Longest-serving pastor (36 years). Oversaw construction of the 1942 Gothic-style limestone church, reopening of St. Mary's School (1947), the parish youth center and convent (1950), and the parish hall (1960). Supervised construction of Reicher Catholic High School in 1954.
- Msgr. Edward A. Rabroker1970–1988
- Msgr. John E. Driscoll1988–1990
Pastor when the Texas Historical Commission marker was installed in 1990.
- Rev. William Barrow (Administrator)1990–1991
Served as Administrator during the transition between monsignors.
- Rev. Angelo Bertini1991–2006
- Rev. Irudayaraj Nelapati Thomas2006–2010
- Rev. Joseph F. Geleney Jr.2010–Present
Current pastor; led the parish through its 150th anniversary in 2020 and oversees the homebound ministry.