About St. Mary · San Saba, Texas
St. Mary Catholic Church is a small parish located near the geographical center of Texas in San Saba, San Saba County, where it serves all of San Saba County. Founded in 1860 when Catholic worship was first organized in the home of Ed Campbell, the parish is now pastored by Father Joe Polisetty and belongs to the Diocese of Austin, having previously been part of the Diocese of San Antonio from 1860 to 1946. The parish offers Mass in both English and Spanish, runs a youth religious education program (CCD), Adult Study groups, and a range of lay ministries including the Knights of Columbus, the Ladies of St. Mary's, and a Hispanic Ministry. It also shepherds its mission church, St. Peter in Goldthwaite (Mills County).
- Established
- 1860
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Joe Polisetty
- Diocese
- Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
St. Mary is a welcoming, bilingual rural parish at the heart of Texas that has shepherded Catholic families in San Saba County for more than 160 years. Faith formation is a priority — with weekly CCD classes on Wednesdays, Confirmation preparation, RCIA offered each fall, and a Thursday Adult Study group — and lay involvement is strong through the Knights of Columbus, Ladies of St. Mary's, Hispanic Ministry, pastoral council, choir, and outreach to the homebound and hospitalized. Worship is offered in both English and Spanish, with weekly adoration and confession, and the parish actively cares for its mission church in nearby Goldthwaite.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday (St. Mary's, San Saba): After Mass
- Thursday (St. Mary's, San Saba): Upon request after Mass
- Sunday (St. Mary's, San Saba): Upon request after Mass
Adoration times
- Tuesday (St. Mary's, San Saba): After Mass
- Thursday and Sunday (St. Mary's, San Saba): Upon request after Mass
About St. Mary Catholic Church
St. Mary Catholic Church is a rural, bilingual parish at the heart of Texas, serving all of San Saba County from its campus at 504 W. Wallace, San Saba. Father Joe Polisetty is the pastor. The parish's identity is rooted in more than 160 years of Catholic life on the San Saba frontier and in its ministry to a mission community in Goldthwaite.
- Diocese of Austin (since 1946; previously San Antonio, 1860–1946)
- Pastored by Father Joe Polisetty
- Bilingual: English and Spanish Masses
- Mothers the mission of St. Peter, Goldthwaite
Parish History
Catholic life in San Saba began in early 1860 when the community first gathered for Mass in the home of Ed Campbell; in those years a priest made the trip only once a year, on horseback. The first church was built in 1891 and served as the parish church until the current church was built in 1967, after which the older church became the parish hall.
- 1860: First Masses celebrated in Ed Campbell's home
- 1891: First church built
- 1967: Present church built; 1891 church repurposed as parish hall
- 2019: Parish Life Center completed (classrooms, offices, fellowship hall) after Capital Campaign
- The old hall, offices, and rectory were removed; the area is now parking and green space
- The Hedberg CCD Center has been converted into the pastor's residence
St. Peter Mission — Goldthwaite
Since 1967, St. Peter Catholic Church in Goldthwaite (Mills County) has been a mission of St. Mary Catholic Church in San Saba and is served from the parish. Goldthwaite's Catholic roots go back to 1885.
- Sunday — 8:00 AM (English)
- Sunday — 5:00 PM (Spanish)
- Wednesday — 6:00 PM DST (English) / 5:00 PM Winter (English)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a weekly CCD program for youth and provides ongoing formation for adults, including RCIA each fall and a Thursday Adult Study group held in the Parish Life Center. Sacramental preparation is offered for Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick.
- Youth Religious Education: Wednesdays 5:30–6:30 PM
- Confirmation Class — times to be announced
- RCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — beginning September 2025; call the parish office to enroll
- Adult Study — Thursdays 1:00–2:30 PM, Parish Life Center (all invited, drop-in welcome)
- Sacraments prepared for: Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage Preparation, Anointing of the Sick
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Lay involvement is central to the life of St. Mary's, with liturgical and parish-wide ministries spanning music, hospitality, formation, outreach, and pastoral leadership.
- Liturgical: Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Ushers/Greeters, Lectors, Choir / Spanish Choir
- Formation: CCD, Confirmation, First Communion (Adult), RCIA
- Pastoral Council (meets every other month)
- Outreach
- Hispanic Ministry
- Visits to the homebound, nursing homes, and hospitals
- Ladies of St. Mary's
- Knights of Columbus
- Funeral Meals — Ladies of St. Mary's
Parish Life Center & Facilities
Completed in 2019 after a successful Capital Campaign and with the support of the Bishop of the Austin Diocese, the Parish Life Center houses the parish's religious education classrooms, parish offices, and a fellowship hall. After its construction, the old hall, offices, and rectory were removed to create additional parking and green space on the campus.
- Parish Life Center: classrooms, offices, fellowship hall (2019)
- Hedberg CCD Center: now serves as the pastor's residence
- Cleared former hall/office/rectory footprint now used for parking and green space
Visit, Contact & Stay Connected
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person, and follow news and announcements through the parish bulletin and Facebook page.
- Address: 504 W. Wallace, San Saba, Texas 76877
- Phone: 325-372-3679
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stmaryssansaba.org/
- Bulletin & News page on the parish website
- Facebook: St. Mary's Catholic Church — San Saba TX