About St. Mary Immaculate Conception · Brenham, Texas
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish (commonly known as St. Mary's Catholic Church) is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Brenham, Texas, serving Washington County in the Diocese of Austin. The faith community traces its origins to 1870, when the Bassett brothers deeded an acre of land for a new parish; today it serves more than 1,000 families with Mass offered in English, Spanish, and the Extraordinary Form (Latin). The 1935 Renaissance Revival church at 701 Church Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and remains the spiritual and architectural heart of the parish.
- Established
- 1870
- Patron
- Mary, Mother of Jesus (under the title of the Immaculate Conception)
- Rector
- Rev. Edwin Kagoo
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
St. Mary's is one of the oldest parishes in Washington County, with a deep pioneer heritage and a landmark 1935 Renaissance Revival church listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The parish welcomes more than 1,000 families and offers a rich liturgical life — daily Mass, a Saturday Vigil, a Spanish Mass, and the Extraordinary Form Latin Mass — along with 24/7 perpetual adoration in the Cornerstone Adoration Chapel. With bilingual ministries, religious education, a St. Teresa of Calcutta Society for those in need, a prayer line, a parish activity center (the PAC), and a retreat center at Pax Christi, St. Mary's combines small-town warmth with the full life of a large Catholic parish.
Mass times at St. Mary Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Weekdays: 30 minutes before the 12:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Masses
- Saturdays: 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the Adoration Chapel in the Cornerstone building
About St. Mary's Catholic Parish in Brenham
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish — known locally as St. Mary's Catholic Church — is a historic Roman Catholic parish serving Brenham and Washington County in central Texas. It belongs to the Diocese of Austin and gathers more than 1,000 families for worship, formation, and outreach. The parish's current worship site is the 1935 Renaissance Revival church at 701 Church Street, a building added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Mass is offered in English, Spanish, and the Extraordinary Form (Latin), with daily and weekend schedules posted on the parish website.
- Founded November 19, 1870 — second Catholic parish in Washington County
- Diocese of Austin
- Address: 701 Church Street, Brenham, TX 77833
- Phone: (979) 836-4441 — Email: [email protected]
- Website: brenhamcatholic.org
History of the Parish
On November 19, 1870, brothers Benjamin Harrison Bassett and Thomas Jefferson Bassett deeded an acre of land to Bishop Claude Marie Dubuis of Galveston for the purpose of establishing a Catholic parish in Brenham. The Rev. William McSweeny — then pastor of Sacred Heart in Nacogdoches — was given charge of the new mission and is credited as the parish's first resident pastor, with sacramental entries in early 1871. The first church was built in late 1871 or early 1872; founding member Thomas Dwyer helped finance it with a $654 loan at 10 percent interest. The parish grew steadily under missionary and resident priests, and by the late twentieth century had grown into a congregation of more than 1,000 families. The current Renaissance Revival church, completed in 1935, was designed by architects Leo M. J. Dielmann and Alex Griffen, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1990. In 2021 the parish celebrated its 150th Jubilee Year.
- 1870 — land deeded by the Bassett brothers; mission established
- 1871–1872 — first church built, financed in part by founding member Thomas Dwyer
- 1935 — present Renaissance Revival church completed
- 1990 — added to the National Register of Historic Places
- 2021 — 150th Jubilee Year celebrated
The Church Building & Architecture
The parish church is a Renaissance Revival style building completed in 1935 and designed by the San Antonio architectural firm of Leo M. J. Dielmann and Alex Griffen. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1990 (NRHP #90000452), it is recognized for its architectural significance as part of the 'Historic and Architectural Resources of Brenham' multiple property submission. The historic church remains in active liturgical use and is the visual and spiritual focal point of the parish.
- Style: Renaissance Revival
- Architects: Leo M. J. Dielmann and Alex Griffen
- Completed: 1935
- NRHP listed: March 29, 1990
Clergy, Deacons & Parish Staff
The parish is currently led by Rev. Edwin Kagoo as Pastor, with Rev. Raphael Ezeh serving as Parochial Vicar. Four permanent deacons assist at Mass and with parish ministry: Deacon Steve Medina, Deacon Allen (Al) Prescott, Deacon John Pelletier, and Deacon Brian McNaughton. Sister Teresa Diaz is part of the parish team. Earlier bulletins also list Fr. Everardo Cazares as Pastor (as of mid-2023), with Fr. Johannes Gorremuchu then serving as Parochial Vicar — reflecting a normal pastoral transition. Lay staff include a Business Administrator, Bookkeeper, Religious Education Secretary, Director of Religious Education, Secretary, and housekeeping team.
- Pastor — Rev. Edwin Kagoo
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Raphael Ezeh
- Sister Teresa Diaz
- Deacon Steve Medina
- Deacon Allen (Al) Prescott
- Deacon John Pelletier
- Deacon Brian McNaughton
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs an active Religious Education program for children, with online registration offered through the parish website. A Director of Religious Education and a Religious Education Secretary coordinate sacramental preparation, ongoing faith formation, and the annual registration cycle. Sign-ups and class information are promoted through the parish website and weekly bulletin.
- Religious Education Registration (online sign-up available)
- Sacramental preparation for children
- Confirmation preparation (parish bulletin tracks confirmandi each year)
Parish Ministries & Outreach
St. Mary's supports a wide network of ministries. The St. Teresa of Calcutta Society provides confidential assistance to neighbors in need. The Prayer Line connects the sick and homebound with a network of 'Prayer Warriors' who lift up intentions daily. The parish's Wellness Ministry gathers in the Cornerstone Room / Adoration Chapel for support and fellowship. Perpetual Adoration is itself a major parish ministry, with hundreds of weekly holy hours signed up by parishioners.
- St. Teresa of Calcutta Society — confidential assistance line 979-525-0099
- St. Mary's Prayer Line — contact Shirley Rowan at 979-421-3332 or [email protected]
- Wellness Ministry — Cornerstone Room / Adoration Chapel (RSVP Kathy at 713-501-0663)
- Perpetual Adoration Ministry — Sister Arcelia, 979-530-2031
- Marriage Banns & Sacramental preparation
Pregnancy & Family Support
The parish website highlights the Brenham Pregnancy Center, a free local resource for women facing an unexpected pregnancy. The parish actively connects families in need with this ministry as part of its outreach to life.
- Referral to Brenham Pregnancy Center (free, confidential)
- Parish website features 'Are you facing an unexpected pregnancy?' call-out
Parish Facilities: Cornerstone, PAC & Pax Christi
Beyond the historic 1935 church, the parish campus includes the Cornerstone building — home to the 24/7 Adoration Chapel and rooms used by ministries such as the Wellness Ministry — and the Parish Activity Center (the 'PAC'), open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. as a community gathering space. The Latin Extraordinary Form Mass is celebrated at the Pax Christi Retreat Center, 9300 Hwy 105, Brenham, extending the parish's footprint beyond the main Church Street campus.
- Cornerstone building — Adoration Chapel (24/7), ministry rooms
- Parish Activity Center (PAC) — open Mon–Thu, 8:00 a.m.
- Pax Christi Retreat Center — 9300 Hwy 105, Brenham (Latin Mass site)
Office Hours & Emergency Contact
The parish office is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For after-hours pastoral emergencies (such as anointing of the sick or last rites), parishioners may call the dedicated emergency line published in the bulletin.
- Monday: closed
- Tuesday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- After-hours emergency: (979) 451-9824
Giving & Stewardship
The parish website highlights '3 Ways to Give' — online giving, envelope giving, and other stewardship opportunities — to support the parish's worship, formation, and outreach ministries.
- Online giving
- Envelope giving
- Other stewardship opportunities listed on brenhamcatholic.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. William McSweeny1870–1871 (approx.)
Past of Sacred Heart, Nacogdoches; first resident pastor credited with the founding of the Brenham mission and the baptisms in early 1871.
- Rev. Everardo Cazaresas of June 2023 bulletin
Listed as Pastor in 2023 parish bulletin.
- Rev. Johannes Gorremuchuas of June 2023 bulletin
Served as Parochial Vicar in 2023.
- Deacon Matthew Jewellas of June 2023 bulletin
Deacon listed on 2023 parish staff bulletin.