About St. Mary · Santa Rosa, Texas
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin rite parish in the Diocese of Brownsville located at 101 San Antonio Avenue in Santa Rosa, Texas, a small community in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. Established in 1967, the parish was historically a mission of St. Francis Xavier Parish in La Feria and serves a culturally and economically diverse, predominantly bilingual Catholic community along US-83 west of Harlingen. The parish's own mission statement describes it as 'a vibrant ecclesial beacon' united in love and faith with Jesus Christ and Mary as model, proclaiming the Gospel through vibrant liturgical celebrations, religious education rooted in Catholic doctrine, and outreach to the spiritual and corporal needs of the faithful.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (the parish's name is 'St. Mary's')
- Rector
- Rev. Mishael J. Koday (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brownsville
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a welcoming, bilingual parish in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley where parishioners can worship in English, Spanish, or bilingual liturgies, with daily morning Mass Tuesday through Friday, two Sunday Masses, and a Saturday Vigil. The parish offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation every Saturday afternoon, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, monthly devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a monthly Mass for the Sick, all of which make it easy to build a regular sacramental life. It is also home to the historic 'Shining Star of Hope' Wayside Shrine — the second Schoenstatt MTA shrine erected in the Diocese of Brownsville — and a community with deep Marian roots reaching back to the parish's beginnings as a mission of St. Francis Xavier in La Feria.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Also available before Mass and by appointment (call the office at 956-636-1211)
Adoration times
- Thursday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Holy Hour)
- Extended Hour during Lent: Thursday 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Mission & Identity
The parish describes itself as 'a vibrant ecclesial beacon, serving a culturally and economically diverse community.' Its stated mission is to be united in love and faith with Jesus Christ as guide and Mary as model, proclaiming, teaching, and sharing the Gospel through vibrant liturgical celebrations and worship. Its religious education program is firmly rooted in Catholic doctrines and traditions, and the parish responds actively to both the spiritual and corporal needs of the faithful.
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) parish in the Diocese of Brownsville
- Mission: proclaim, teach, and share the Gospel
- Religious education rooted in Catholic doctrine and tradition
- Active response to spiritual and corporal needs of the faithful
Parish History & Schoenstatt Heritage
St. Mary's grew out of a mission of St. Francis Xavier Parish in La Feria, Texas. In 1959, Fr. Herbert Bockholt, pastor of both communities, invited the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary to work there, planting the seeds of the Schoenstatt Movement in the Rio Grande Valley. The first MTA Wayside Shrine in the Diocese of Brownsville was erected in La Feria on October 18, 1964, and on May 30, 1966 the second — named 'Shining Star of Hope' — was erected on the grounds of St. Mary's. The parish itself was formally established in 1967 during a wave of new parish foundations under Bishop Humberto Medeiros.
- Former mission of St. Francis Xavier Parish, La Feria (~6 miles away)
- 1959: Fr. Herbert Bockholt invites Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary to the parish and its mission
- May 30, 1966: 'Shining Star of Hope' MTA Wayside Shrine erected at St. Mary's (2nd in Diocese of Brownsville)
- 1967: St. Mary's Parish formally established in Santa Rosa
- Jubilee of the Shining Star of Hope shrine celebrated in 2016 (50th anniversary)
Devotions & Special Masses
Beyond the regular weekly schedule, St. Mary's maintains two special monthly devotions. On the first Saturday of each month the parish gathers for a bilingual Mass and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in keeping with the parish's deep Marian identity. On the last Friday of each month a bilingual Mass for the Sick is celebrated in the evening, allowing parishioners to bring forward those in need of healing prayer.
- First Saturday 8:00 AM: Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary (Bilingual)
- Last Friday 7:00 PM: Mass for the Sick (Bilingual)
Marian & Schoenstatt Shrine
St. Mary's is home to the 'Shining Star of Hope' MTA Wayside Shrine, the second MTA Wayside Shrine erected in the Diocese of Brownsville and one of two parishes in the Rio Grande Valley where the Schoenstatt Movement began. Erected May 30, 1966 on the parish grounds, the shrine is 'always beautifully decorated and is visited often — not only by Schoenstatters, but many parishioners as well,' according to the international Schoenstatt community.
- MTA Wayside Shrine named 'Shining Star of Hope'
- Erected May 30, 1966 — 50th anniversary celebrated in 2016
- Located on the parish grounds; frequently decorated and visited
Religious Education
The parish's religious education program is described in its mission statement as 'firmly rooted in Catholic doctrines and traditions,' with the goal of teaching and sharing the Gospel with both children and adults in this culturally and economically diverse community.
- Religious education firmly rooted in Catholic doctrine and tradition
- Programs serve children and adults
- Parish catechetical work carried out in bilingual (English/Spanish) format
Clergy & Leadership
The parish is currently served by Rev. Mishael J. Koday as Parish Administrator. He is listed on the parish's diocesan directory entry and on the Diocese of Brownsville's parish roster. Parishioners may contact the parish office at (956) 636-1211 to reach the office or to schedule appointments such as confession outside the regular times.
- Rev. Mishael J. Koday — Parish Administrator
- Parish office phone: (956) 636-1211
- Parish office fax: (956) 636-2941
Visit & Contact
St. Mary's Catholic Church is located at 101 San Antonio Avenue in Santa Rosa, Texas 78593, in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. The parish office can be reached by phone at (956) 636-1211, with the official diocesan email listed as [email protected] and the parish website at stmarysantarosa.org.
- Address: 101 San Antonio Ave., Santa Rosa, TX 78593
- Phone: (956) 636-1211
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmarysantarosa.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Mishael J. Koday
Current Parish Administrator per parish listings and Diocese of Brownsville clergy roster.