About St. Mary of the Cenacle · New Boston, Texas
St. Mary of the Cenacle is a small Roman Catholic parish in New Boston, Texas, a community in Bowie County in the northeastern corner of the state near Texarkana. It belongs to the Diocese of Tyler and was canonically established on June 30, 1918, making it more than a century old. The parish describes itself as "a compassionate, evangelizing, worshiping Catholic community which is called to holiness by continuous faith formation and sharing and caring for others." It serves Catholics across the rural Northeast Texas region and is a member of the Diocese of Tyler's Northeast Deanery alongside Sacred Heart in Texarkana, Holy Cross in Pittsburg, Our Lady of Fatima in Daingerfield, and others.
- Established
- 1918
- Patron
- St. Mary of the Cenacle (referring to Our Lady and the Cenacle/Upper Room of the Last Supper)
- Rector
- Fr. William E. "Bill" Palmer (Parish Administrator/Pastor 2021–2026; deceased June 2, 2026 — parish currently awaiting new pastoral assignment)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler (Texas); parish is part of the Northeast Deanery
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Cenacle is a faithful small Catholic community where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass — celebrated daily Monday through Thursday at 9:00 AM, Saturday at 5:00 PM, and Sunday at 9:00 AM — anchors parish life. Families can grow in the faith together through the Sunday Family Faith Formation program (10:30–11:45 AM), while adults exploring or returning to the Church are welcomed into the Monday-evening Introduction to Catholicism sessions and have free access to the FORMED digital platform. A Thursday Holy Hour with Benediction, daily confession opportunities, and an active parish calendar (including Corpus Christi processions and parish potlucks) make this a warm, approachable place for Catholics in the New Boston area to belong.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Cenacle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 10:45–11:15 AM
- Tuesday: 10:45–11:15 AM
- Wednesday: 10:45–11:15 AM
- Thursday: 11:00–11:30 AM (also reported 11:15–11:45 AM)
- Saturday: 3:30–4:30 PM
- Also by appointment: 903-556-3744
Adoration times
- Thursday: After 9:00 AM Mass until 11:00 AM (with Benediction)
- Saturday: 3:25–4:25 PM
About St. Mary of the Cenacle
St. Mary of the Cenacle is a Roman Catholic parish in New Boston, Texas, established on June 30, 1918, and now part of the Diocese of Tyler. The parish's stated mission is to be a "compassionate, evangelizing, worshiping Catholic community which is called to holiness by continuous faith formation and sharing and caring for others." It serves Catholics from New Boston and surrounding Bowie County communities in Northeast Texas, including those drawn from nearby Texarkana.
- Established June 30, 1918
- Diocese of Tyler, Northeast Deanery
- Mission: compassionate, evangelizing, worshiping community
Our History
The parish was canonically founded on June 30, 1918, in what was then the Diocese of Dallas, and became part of the Diocese of Tyler when that diocese was separately erected in 1987. The parish has ministered continuously to the Catholics of New Boston and the surrounding rural area for more than a century. In 2021, Father William E. "Bill" Palmer was appointed Parish Administrator and continued as pastor until his death on June 2, 2026.
- Founded: June 30, 1918
- Part of the Diocese of Tyler since 1987
- Father Palmer served 2021–2026
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
Mass is the center of life at St. Mary of the Cenacle. Daily Mass is offered Monday through Thursday at 9:00 AM; there is no Mass on Friday. The Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5:00 PM (preceded by Adoration from 3:25–4:25 PM and Confessions from 3:30–4:30 PM), and the Sunday Mass is at 9:00 AM.
- Daily Mass: Monday–Thursday, 9:00 AM
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 PM
- Sunday Mass: 9:00 AM
- Friday: No Mass
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Mary of the Cenacle runs a Family Faith Formation program for children and families on Sundays from 10:30 to 11:45 AM. Catechists are coordinated through Chris Goodsell, who invites interested parishioners to volunteer as catechists. The parish also offers an Introduction to Catholicism program for adults — those seeking full communion, Catholics returning to the faith, and anyone wanting a deeper formation — held on Mondays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. All parishioners receive free access to the FORMED digital Catholic media platform at www.formed.org.
- Family Faith Formation: Sundays 10:30–11:45 AM
- Catechist contact: Chris Goodsell
- Introduction to Catholicism (adults): Mondays 6:30–8:00 PM
- FORMED subscription: free to all parishioners
Pastoral Staff
The parish has been served by Father William E. "Bill" Palmer since 2021, who served as Parish Administrator and then Pastor until his unexpected death on June 2, 2026. The Very Rev. Francis O'Dowd, Dean of the Northeast Deanery, helped lead the parish in mourning and presided at Father Palmer's Vigil at the church on June 14, 2026. The Diocese of Tyler bishop is the Most Rev. Gregory Kelly.
- Fr. William E. "Bill" Palmer — Pastor (2021–2026)
- Very Rev. Francis O'Dowd — Dean, Northeast Deanery
- Most Rev. Gregory Kelly — Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler
Diocese & Deanery
St. Mary of the Cenacle belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Tyler, which covers East Texas. Within the diocese, the parish is grouped in the Northeast Deanery alongside Sacred Heart in Texarkana, Holy Cross in Pittsburg, Our Lady of Fatima in Daingerfield, St. Francis of Assisi in Gilmer, St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus in Gladewater, St. Michael in Mt. Pleasant, and St. Catherine of Siena in Atlanta. The dean is Very Rev. Francis O'Dowd.
- Diocese: Tyler, Texas
- Deanery: Northeast (Bowie, Camp, Cass, Morris, Titus, Upshur counties)
- Dean: Very Rev. Francis O'Dowd
Special Events & Parish Life
The parish maintains an active liturgical and community calendar. Notable recurring events include the annual Corpus Christi Procession and the Father's Day parish potluck, both of which bring the small community together. The parish publishes a monthly Church Calendar on its website and shares an "Extended Morning Offering" devotion resource.
- Corpus Christi Procession
- Father's Day Parish Potluck
- Monthly Church Calendar published on parish website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Msgr. Ronald L. Diegel
Listed as pastor on older parish records
- Rev. William E. "Bill" Palmer2021–2026
Appointed Parish Administrator in 2021; previously ordained June 21, 2003; served at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Tyler), Our Lady Queen of Angels Mission (Overton), Mary Queen of Heaven Parish (Malakoff), and Immaculate Conception Parish (Jefferson); also served as Parochial Vicar at St. Mary Parish in Eugene, Oregon; member of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission; passed away June 2, 2026 at age 65