About St. Mary · Plantersville, Texas
St. Mary Catholic Church (officially the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is a historic German-Russian Catholic parish serving Plantersville, Texas, and the surrounding Grimes County countryside, alongside its mission church St. Joseph in nearby Stoneham. Founded in 1894 during a wave of Polish and German-Russian Catholic immigration, the parish is one of the celebrated Painted Churches of Texas and is listed as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Today it offers six Sunday Masses between its two worship sites, a robust cluster of lay ministries from St. Vincent de Paul to the Gabriel Project, and a long-running restoration of its 1917 'country gothic' sanctuary under the leadership of Fr. Edward C. Kucera, Jr.
- Established
- 1894
- Patron
- The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mary, Mother of God)
- Rector
- Father Edward C. Kucera, Jr.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (pastoral care under Archbishop Joe S. Vasquez, as listed in the parish bulletin)
Why belong here
St. Mary's welcomes visitors into a worshipping community that has gathered around the Eucharist on this same Grimes County hill since 1894. The parish is unusually active for its size: families can enroll children in CCE religious education and youth confirmation, adults can journey through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) or join an adult Bible study, and there are dozens of lay-led ministries — St. Vincent de Paul, the Gabriel Project 'Walking with Moms in Need,' Altar Society, Men's Club, Knights of Columbus, GriefShare, Guardian Angels senior group, Little Lambs playgroup, ACTS retreats, and the famous Rummage Sale — that make it easy to find a place to serve. Six Sunday Masses between the Plantersville church and the Stoneham mission, weekday daily Mass, and a twice-monthly confession schedule keep sacramental life very accessible.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 1st & 3rd Wednesday: 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 5:00–6:00 p.m. (subject to change)
- By appointment — please call the parish office (936) 894-2223
History & Heritage
Catholic worship in Plantersville dates to a visiting priest's Mass in the summer of 1860; Mass was celebrated intermittently in private homes until a simple church was built in 1873. The arrival of Polish and German-Russian (Catholic Ukrainian of German descent) immigrants in the late 1800s prompted Bishop Nicholas Gallagher of the Diocese of Galveston to appoint the Rev. Joseph Klein as Plantersville's first resident pastor in 1894. Cordelia Baker donated ten acres of land that year, and a small frame church was dedicated as the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After Fr. Klein's departure in 1907, the parish split culturally and the Polish families founded St. Joseph's in Stoneham. In 1917 the original Plantersville church was destroyed by lightning and rebuilt the same year by the Rev. George Apel in the Gothic Revival style locally called 'country gothic.' The Texas Historical Commission designated the building a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 2001, and current pastor Fr. Edward C. Kucera, Jr. has led a painstaking interior restoration since 2002.
- First recorded Catholic Mass in Plantersville: summer of 1860
- First church building: 1873
- Parish founded under the title 'Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary': 1894
- Land for the parish donated by Cordelia (Codella) Baker; deed signed by Bishop Nicholas A. Gallagher on Feb. 2, 1894
- Polish families found St. Joseph's Church in Stoneham in 1907
- Lightning destroys the 1894 church; current Gothic Revival church built the same year under Fr. George Apel
- Designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark by the Texas Historical Commission in 2001
- Interior restoration in progress under Fr. Edward C. Kucera, Jr. since 2002
The Building: 'Country Gothic' Sanctuary
Built in 1917 to replace the burned 1894 structure, the present church is a Gothic Revival sanctuary that the parish affectionately calls 'country gothic.' It features lancet windows, buttresses, and a crenellated bell-tower silhouette; because the original bell tower was lost to lightning, the rebuilt church was deliberately constructed without one. The interior is richly adorned: vibrant stenciled patterns cover the beadboard walls, stained-glass windows cast jewel-toned light across the sanctuary, and the altar and statuary reflect both the German heritage of the founders and the broader tradition of Central Texas painted churches. Most of the original 1917 pews remain, with the last two on each side rescued from the 1894 church after the fire.
- Architectural style: Gothic Revival ('country gothic')
- Year built: 1917, replacing the 1894 Nativity BVM church destroyed by lightning
- Stained-glass windows reflecting the German heritage of the founders
- Stenciled beadboard walls and Victorian-era painted decoration
- Original 1917 pews; last two on each side recovered from the 1894 fire
- Statues of the Sacred Heart and Adoring Angels (1917); statues of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph believed to have survived from the 1894 church
- Inscription above the entrance: 'Come to me, all ye who work hard and have a burden, and I will give you rest' (painted over during WWII, now restored)
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Fr. Edward C. Kucera, Jr., pastor, with Fr. Paul Lockey serving as visiting priest. Three permanent deacons — Deacon David G. Garvis, Deacon Anthony Olivieri, and Deacon Frank Ashley — assist with liturgy, marriage preparation, and outreach. The lay staff includes a parish administrator, business manager, secretary, clerk, music coordinator, and maintenance, all of whom keep the parish office and grounds running for both the Plantersville church and the Stoneham mission.
- Pastor: Fr. Edward C. Kucera, Jr.
- Visiting Priest: Fr. Paul Lockey
- Permanent Deacons: David G. Garvis, Anthony Olivieri, Frank Ashley
- Parish Administrator: Bob Daves
- Parish Business Manager / Bookkeeper: Julie Delahoussaye
- Parish Secretary: Karen Molina
- Clerk: Sandy Ballard
- Music Ministry Coordinator: Meara O'Neill
- Maintenance: Mike Waszak
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
St. Mary offers a full life-long faith formation program. Children in K through grade 6 are served by the CCE (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) Religious Education program; older youth prepare for Confirmation through a separate Youth Confirmation track. Adults enter the Church or complete their sacraments through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), Adult Confirmation classes, and Adult Bible Study & Spiritual Enrichment. Marriage Preparation is led by Deacon Anthony Olivieri and Cindy Olivieri, and Baptism Preparation for infants through age 6 includes quarterly information sessions in the Family Life Center.
- CCE / Religious Education (K–6): Nicci Potter, [email protected]
- Youth Confirmation: [email protected]
- OCIA / Adult Faith Formation: Thomas Johnson, 936-697-2821
- Adult Confirmation: Sharon Skeans
- Adult Bible Study & Spiritual Enrichment: Suiki Boardman
- Marriage Preparation: Deacon Anthony Olivieri & Cindy Olivieri
- Baptism Preparation (infants to 6): [email protected]
Parish Organizations & Ministries
The parish supports a striking breadth of lay-led groups for every age and stage of life. Liturgical roles are filled by Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Sacristans, Altar Servers, Music Ministry, and Art & Environment. Parish life groups include the Guardian Angels Senior Group, Little Lambs Playgroup, Young Catholic Married Couples (YCMC, ages 21–49), Stitchin' Sisters, and the Men's Club, Altar Society, and Corner Shoppe at both St. Mary's and St. Joseph Mission. Outreach is anchored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society (help line 936-894-2362) and the Gabriel Project / Walking with Moms in Need program. The famous annual Rummage Sale is a signature fundraiser and community event.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (help line: 936-894-2362)
- Gabriel Project / Walking with Moms in Need (USCCB partnership)
- Pro-Life Outreach — Baby Bottle Blessings
- Guardian Angels Senior Group
- Homebound Ministry (Bobby Williams)
- Knights of Columbus
- St. Mary Altar Society, Men's Club, Corner Shoppe, Cemetery
- St. Joseph Altar Society, Men's Club, Cemetery
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion & Sacristans
- Music Ministry (Meara O'Neill) and Resurrection Choir
- Rummage Sale (Lauren Twining) and Stitchin' Sisters
- Young Catholic Married Couples (YCMC)
- Little Lambs Playgroup
- GriefShare (Mondays 10 a.m.–noon, Kelly House)
- AA, ACTS Retreats, Medical Equipment Loaner Program
St. Joseph Catholic Mission, Stoneham
St. Joseph is the parish mission in Stoneham, Texas, founded by the Polish families of the original Plantersville congregation after the 1907 cultural split. It remains served by the priests and deacons of St. Mary's and offers a single Sunday Mass at 7:30 a.m. St. Joseph maintains its own Altar Society, Men's Club, and Cemetery, all of which are coordinated with the main parish office in Plantersville.
- Address: 11323 County Road 304, Stoneham, TX 77868
- Sunday Mass: 7:30 a.m.
- St. Joseph Altar Society (Marcy Pavlock)
- St. Joseph Men's Club (Donovan Pavlock)
- St. Joseph Cemetery (Justin Mock)
Locations, Office & Contact
St. Mary Catholic Church is set on the original ten-acre Baker donation off FM 1774 in Plantersville, with a separate mailing address at PO Box 388, Plantersville, TX 77363. The parish office, in the Family Life Center, is open Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (closed 12:00–1:00 p.m. for lunch). Phone and fax are answered at (936) 894-2223 / (936) 894-3613, and the general inbox is [email protected].
- St. Mary Catholic Church: 8227 County Road 205, Plantersville, TX 77363
- Mailing address: PO Box 388, Plantersville, TX 77363
- St. Joseph Catholic Mission: 11323 County Road 304, Stoneham, TX 77868
- Phone: (936) 894-2223
- Fax: (936) 894-3613
- Email: [email protected] (general); [email protected] (bulletin)
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Fri 8 a.m.–12 p.m. (lunch 12–1)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph Klein1894–c. 1907
Plantersville's first resident pastor, sent by Bishop Nicholas Gallagher of the Diocese of Galveston. Oversaw the 1894 dedication of the original Nativity BVM church on the land donated by Cordelia Baker.
- Rev. George Wilhelmfrom 1907
Succeeded Fr. Klein and presided over the split of the parish into Polish and German congregations; Polish families founded St. Joseph's Church in Stoneham under his pastorate.
- Rev. George Apelaround 1917
Led the rebuilding of the church the same year the original was destroyed by lightning, producing the present Gothic Revival sanctuary in what parishioners call 'country gothic.'
- Father Edward C. Kucera, Jr.current
Current pastor; began a multi-decade interior restoration in 2002 that has recovered much of the church's original 1917 stenciling, stained glass, and furnishings.