About St. Mary · League City, Texas
St. Mary of the Expectation Catholic Church is a historic parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in League City, Texas, founded in 1910 as a mission of the Texas City Missions. Now in its third church building on East Walker Street, the parish serves a large congregation drawn from the NASA Johnson Space Center community with weekly Masses in English, an attached parish school (St. Mary Catholic School, established 1966), a robust OCIA/RCIA program, and deep lay ministry life including ACTS retreats, the Belles of St. Mary, Knights of Columbus Council #9310, and Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (under the title "Our Lady of the Expectation")
- Rector
- Rev. John Rooney, O.P. (Pastor, since November 3, 2020)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Expectation is a large, active parish with a uniquely deep local history (the 1910 Gothic Revival mission church on Main Street is still standing and open to the public) and a strong, NASA-connected Catholic community. Weekends offer three Sunday Masses plus a Saturday Vigil, daily Mass Monday through Friday, Tuesday and Thursday confession, and First Friday Adoration — plus adult faith studies, an annual Women's Conference, a strong men's ACTS retreat ministry, a year-round OCIA process for adults and OCIA-C for children, and an attached K-8 Catholic school. The parish also has a robust service arm (Knights of Columbus Council #9310, Belles of St. Mary, parish food outreach) and a committed permanent diaconate.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM (Church)
- Thursday: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Church)
- Lent / Advent: Area Evenings of Reconciliation (see seasonal schedule)
- Also by appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday of each month: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Chapel). No First Friday Adoration in July (and none on Good Friday).
Welcome & Parish Identity
St. Mary of the Expectation Catholic Church (often called simply "St. Mary's" or "saintmcc.org") is the historic Catholic parish in the heart of League City, Texas, in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The parish's name comes from the Marian feast of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 18). The community gathers for worship in English at the church located at 1612 E. Walker Street, and is also home to St. Mary Catholic School and Knights of Columbus Council #9310.
- Sacramental life centered on the Eucharist, with three Sunday Masses and a Saturday Vigil
- Strong lay leadership through parish staff, deacons and dozens of ministries
- Tight connection with NASA Johnson Space Center families in the Bay Area
History of St. Mary Church
Catholic life on the Texas mainland near League City goes back to the late 1800s, when families hosted Mass in their homes and Father Jerome A. Rapp traveled from LaPorte Seminary. In 1908 Mr. J.C. League donated a tract of land to the Diocese of Galveston, and parishioners erected a white Gothic Revival mission church in 1909 that was dedicated by Bishop Gallagher on December 19, 1910. A second church was dedicated by Bishop Morkovsky on June 5, 1966 to accommodate the area's growth, and the current third church on Walker Street followed after Monsignor Eugene Cargill launched a full restoration of the original mission church in the 1990s. The restored 1910 building, "Old St. Mary," is now a centerpiece of League City's historic downtown on East Main Street.
- 1908 — Land deeded to Diocese of Galveston by J.C. League
- 1910, December 19 — First mission church dedicated by Bishop Gallagher; Fr. Jerome A. Rapp is first pastor
- 1960, December 21 — 50th Anniversary of St. Mary observed
- 1966, June 5 — Second church dedicated by Bishop John L. Morkovsky; Msgr. Dexter L. George appointed pastor August 6, 1966
- 1991 — Fr. Eugene Cargill appointed pastor; launches restoration of Old St. Mary
- 1994 — Old St. Mary featured on first League City Historical Site Tour; restoration work formally begins
- 1997–2000 — Construction of the current (third) church on Walker Street coincides with the Old St. Mary restoration
- 2020 — Fr. John Rooney, O.P. appointed pastor (November 3)
- 2025 — Fr. Simon Daudet Kipiti joins as Parochial Vicar (July); Deacon Steve Stich ordained (February 15)
Old St. Mary — The 1910 Mission Church
Old St. Mary Church is the restored 1910 white Gothic Revival mission church — the only surviving original mainland mission church in the area — located today on East Main Street in League City's Historic District. It was moved from its original location, given a new foundation, roof, electrical, heating and air conditioning, and returned to period-correct wallpaper and furnishings. It hosts the parish's First Saturday Rosary at times and is featured on the League City Historical Society's annual holiday tour.
- Style: white wood-frame Gothic Revival / Gothic Mission
- Original donated features: St. Anthony statue, stained glass window, holy water font, tabernacle, organ
- Restoration completed c. 2001 under Fr. Eugene Cargill
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is pastored by Rev. John Rooney, O.P. (professed member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Dominic), with Fr. Simon Daudet Kipiti serving as Parochial Vicar and three permanent deacons (Deacon Steve Stich, Deacon Russell G. Carroll and Deacon Andy DeYoung) supporting sacramental life and outreach. A full parish staff handles faith formation for children, youth and adults, OCIA/OCIA-C, music, safe environment, communications, and bookkeeping.
- Pastor: Fr. John Rooney, O.P. (Nov. 3, 2020 — present)
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Simon Daudet Kipiti (July 2025 — present)
- Deacon Steve Stich (ordained Feb. 15, 2025; NASA Flight Director)
- Deacon Russell G. Carroll (ordained Jan. 31, 2015; Boeing retiree)
- Deacon Andy DeYoung (ordained Jan. 31, 2015; UTMB retiree)
- Director of Adult Faith Formation: Terri Ryan
- Director of Youth Ministry: David Harley
- Director of Elementary Faith Formation: Hannah Richardson
- OCIA-C Coordinator: Tina Fogleman
- Music Ministry coordinator; Bookkeeper; Maintenance Facilitator; Parish Administrator
Mass & Sacraments
All Masses are celebrated in English. The parish offers a Saturday Vigil at 4:30 PM, three Sunday Masses (8:30 AM, 10:15 AM and 12:00 PM), and a full daily Mass schedule Tuesday through Friday at 8:30 AM with one Monday evening Mass at 7:00 PM. Confessions are heard Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings, with additional area-wide evenings during Advent and Lent.
- Baptism: through OCIA-C (children 7–17) or OCIA (adults)
- First Eucharist and First Reconciliation: grades 2+; classes Tuesdays/Thursdays 6:00–7:30 PM (Jan.–Apr.)
- Confirmation: grades 7–12, coordinated by the Director of Youth Ministry
- Marriage: contact parish office for preparation
- Anointing of the Sick and Funeral liturgies celebrated in the Church
Faith Formation & OCIA
Faith formation at St. Mary covers cradle-to-adult. Children in grades K–5 attend weekly Elementary Faith Formation classes; sacramental preparation for First Eucharist, Reconciliation and Confirmation runs January through April with weekly evening classes. Youth in grades 7–12 are served by the parish Youth Ministry. Adults interested in becoming Catholic (or completing initiation) walk the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process, and children aged 7–17 participate in the two-year OCIA-C program.
- OCIA (adults): inquiry through full initiation into the Catholic Church
- OCIA-C (children/teens 7–17): two-year preparation for Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation
- Elementary Faith Formation (K–5) and Youth Ministry (7–12)
- Adult study: Tuesday–Thursday Ascension Press series (e.g., Life Everlasting)
- Young Adult Ministry / EDGE for college-age and young professionals
St. Mary Catholic School
St. Mary Catholic School shares the Walker Street campus and has educated League City-area students in a Catholic environment since the 1966 dedication of the second church building. The school's mission is to develop the whole child's spiritual, moral and intellectual growth, with daily prayer, weekly liturgy and sacramental preparation as part of the academic program.
- Address: 1612 E. Walker Street, League City, TX 77573
- Phone: 281-332-4014; Fax: 281-554-5148
- Website: https://www.stmarylc.org
- Five reasons to be a 'Bobcat': faith-based community, spiritual formation, service, gifts-and-talents development, accelerated academics
Ministries, Organizations & Outreach
Lay ministry is at the heart of parish life at St. Mary. The Knights of Columbus Council #9310 supports the pastor, parochial vicar and school, while the Belles of St. Mary — a women's fellowship and service organization that has been part of the parish for decades — fundraises, organizes the annual church cleaning, provides Christmas boxes for seafarers at the Port of Galveston and underwrites needs like sound systems and hearing devices. Other ministries include lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion (including nursing-home and homebound teams), altar servers, acolytes, music ministry, ACTS retreat teams, and parish outreach.
- Knights of Columbus Council #9310 (supports Fr. Rooney and the school)
- Belles of St. Mary (2nd Tuesday evenings, Sept.–May, Annunciation Hall)
- ACTS Retreats (Men's and Women's)
- Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers, Acolytes
- Music Ministry and Young Adult Ministry / EDGE
- OCIA, OCIA-C, Elementary and Adult Faith Formation
- Safe Environment program
- Parish outreach and Vincent de Paul–style social ministry initiatives
Visit, Contact & Getting Involved
Visitors are warmly welcomed at every Mass. The Saturday Vigil Mass is livestreamed weekly on the parish website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 8 AM–5 PM and Friday 8 AM–12 PM; the Ministry Building is open Monday–Thursday 9 AM–5 PM. To register as a parishioner or volunteer in any of the ministries listed above, contact the parish office at 281-332-3031 or [email protected].
- Main campus: 1612 E. Walker Street, League City, TX 77573
- Phone: 281-332-3031
- Email: [email protected]
- Livestream: saintmcc.org/livestream and YouTube/ Facebook (@StMaryExpectation)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jerome A. Rapp (1881–1952)c. 1908–1910 as visiting priest; appointed first pastor c. 1910 (until death in 1952)
Came from LaPorte Seminary before the church existed; helped secure the land donation from J.C. League in 1908 and oversaw the construction and 1910 dedication of the mission church. Served multiple mainland missions as part of the Texas City Missions.
- Monsignor Dexter L. GeorgeAppointed pastor August 6, 1966
First pastor of the second (1966) St. Mary Church; served during the period that included NASA's expansion and the preparation for the third church building.
- Monsignor Eugene (Gene) CargillAppointed pastor 1991; retired August 2015 (served until his death-related retirement)
Initiated the restoration of Old St. Mary Church; oversaw construction of the current (third) church on Walker Street. Earlier in his priesthood, served as chaplain for NASA astronauts during the 1960s and performed the annual Blessing of the Fleet in Galveston. Died in 2016 at age 76.
- Rev. John Rooney, O.P.Effective November 3, 2020 — present
Dominican Diocesan Priest, professed member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Dominic; previously Director of Spiritual Direction at St. Mary Seminary (2014–2020) and founding pastor of St. Angela Merici (2007–2014).
 "St. Mary")
 "St. Mary")