About St. Mary · Sealy, Texas
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a small, predominantly Czech-heritage parish serving the rural community of Frydek, just outside Sealy in southeastern Austin County, Texas. Founded in 1908 by Czech-Moravian Catholic families who named their town after Frýdek-Místek in the old country, the parish is part of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and is currently pastored by Father Thuy Nguyen, who also serves nearby Guardian Angel Parish in Wallis. The parish is best known for its striking outdoor Grotto — built of reinforced concrete and limestone in thanksgiving for 65 (later 67) young men who returned safely from World War II — and for the annual Grotto Celebration (Parish Bazaar) held the last Sunday in April, famous for polka music, kolaches, and barbecue.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Thuy Nguyen
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Why belong here
St. Mary's in Frydek is a small, tightly-knit Catholic community with deep Czech-Texas roots, where parishioners know one another by name across generations. It offers the full rhythm of Catholic life — weekend and weekday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, regular confessions, Confirmation preparation, a Life Teen youth program for grades 9–12, and children's faith formation — all under the steady care of Father Thuy Nguyen. Visitors and parishioners alike are drawn by the parish's beloved Grotto and the legendary annual Grotto Celebration, a heritage tradition that still fills the grounds each April with polka music, kolaches, and prayer.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Saturday 4:00 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday following 8:00 AM Mass until 9:30 AM
Parish History
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Frydek traces its origins to the Czech and Moravian Catholic families who settled near San Felipe around 1852 and gave their community the name Frydek — after the Moravian city of Frýdek-Místek. Mass was first celebrated in private homes in 1883, and a parish cemetery was formally laid out in 1890 on land donated by John Pavlicek. The parish came into being on May 20, 1908, when Bishop N. A. Gallagher blessed the new school-church that Father Frank Machan (pastor of Immaculate Conception, Sealy) had commissioned, making St. Mary's a mission of Immaculate Conception. It became an independent parish on July 7, 1917 with Father Paul Nemec as its first resident pastor. Over more than a century the parish has been served by a succession of Czech-named priests, survived the closure of its parish school in 1964, built a new church in 1972, and become one of the most beloved Czech-heritage parishes in Texas.
- Founded 1908
- Independent parish since July 7, 1917
- Present church built 1972
- Parish school closed 1964
Czech Heritage & the Founders
The first Catholic settlers in the area were Czech Moravians and Silesians who arrived about 1852, originally burying their dead at San Felipe and worshipping in private homes. They chose the name Frydek — after the county seat of their home district in Moravia — when the community was formally named about 1895. The Sisters of the Order of the Divine Providence of San Antonio served as the first parish school teachers, and the parish grew rapidly under Czech-born priests through the first half of the 20th century.
- Czech and Moravian settlers from Silesia and Moravia
- Named for Frýdek-Místek, Moravia
- Sisters of the Divine Providence — first teachers
The Grotto of Our Lady
The Grotto is the spiritual and cultural heart of St. Mary's. After World War II, Father Lad Klimicek and more than a dozen parishioners traveled to a ranch near Georgetown, Texas, where they picked weather-eroded limestone and hauled it back to Frydek; for months afterward many came daily to build the Grotto of reinforced concrete and stone with an outdoor altar. It was blessed on Sunday, May 1, 1949, in thanksgiving for the men of Frydek who served in the war and all returned home safely — a feat the parish still calls miraculous.
- Blessed May 1, 1949
- Built by Father Lad Klimicek and parishioners
- Limestone from a Georgetown, Texas ranch
- Commemorates 65 (later 67) WWII servicemen
The Grotto Celebration (Annual Parish Bazaar)
What began as Father Klimicek's parish bazaar has become a regional tradition. Held each year on the last Sunday in April around the Grotto, the celebration features live polka bands, racks of homemade kolaches, traditional Czech and Texas barbecue, and a live auction. As the Archdiocese's Texas Catholic Herald has reported, generations of Frydek families — including descendants of the WWII 'Frydek 65' — return home each spring to give thanks at the Grotto, a gathering that current pastor Father Thuy Nguyen has tied to the Gospel story of the Road to Emmaus.
- Held the last Sunday in April
- Polka music, kolaches, BBQ, live auction
- Recognized across the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Although the parish school closed in 1964, St. Mary's continues to pass on the faith through its Children's Faith Formation program (CCD) and a robust high-school youth ministry. The Life Teen Program serves students in grades 9 through 12 and is required for all Confirmation candidates; it is led by Cori and Matt Vahalik ([email protected]). Confirmation registration forms, an Archdiocese medical form, and a copy of the candidate's baptismal certificate (front and back, if not baptized at St. Mary's) are required and can be returned to the parish office or emailed to [email protected].
- Children's Faith Formation (CCD)
- Confirmation Preparation (grades 9–12)
- Life Teen Program — Director: Cori & Matt Vahalik, [email protected]
- Registration forms available online and at the parish office
Sacraments
St. Mary's celebrates the normal sacraments of a Roman Catholic parish. Confirmation is prepared through the parish youth program; baptismal certificates are issued for those baptized at St. Mary's; and weddings are scheduled through the parish office in the usual way. Practical details (registration forms, required documents) are listed on the parish website and can be obtained from the office.
- Confirmation
- Baptism
- Marriage (contact parish office)
Clergy & Staff
St. Mary's has been served since November 5, 2007 by Father Thuy Nguyen, a Vietnamese-born priest who was assigned to the parish by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and who also serves as pastor of Guardian Angel Catholic Church in Wallis. Father Thuy came to the United States as a boat person after his father was killed by the Viet Cong; he spent two years in a Thai refugee camp before coming to Houston and being ordained. Parish office staff can be reached at (979) 885-3131 or [email protected].
- Pastor: Father Thuy Nguyen (since November 5, 2007)
- Also Pastor of Guardian Angel Parish, Wallis (since December 1, 2007)
- Life Teen Directors: Cori & Matt Vahalik
Our Pastor's Story — Father Thuy Nguyen
Father Thuy was born in Vietnam. After his father was killed by the Viet Cong, he escaped the country by fishing boat and spent two years in a refugee camp in Thailand before eventually making his way to Houston, where he was eventually ordained for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. He has been pastor of St. Mary's in Frydek since November 5, 2007, and was assigned concurrently to Guardian Angel in Wallis on December 1, 2007. As he told the Grotto Celebration in his April 30 homily: 'I would not think 32 years later after leaving Vietnam in a fishing boat, I would be here with you at this Grotto celebration.' He has also drawn the parish's attention to ongoing impostor-priest email and gift-card scams, warning that he would never solicit money in such a way.
- Vietnamese-born, ordained for Galveston-Houston
- Refugee from Vietnam by fishing boat
- Pastor of St. Mary's since November 2007
Frydek Cemetery
The Frydek Catholic Cemetery, on land donated by John Pavlicek in 1890 and blessed by Father Weimar that same year, is older than the parish itself and remains an active parish cemetery. It received an official Texas State Historical Marker in 1991 and continues to be cared for by the parish.
- Established March 31, 1890
- Texas State Historical Marker, 1991
Giving & Online Donations
Parishioners and visitors can support St. Mary's by mail, in the offertory basket, or online through the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston website (archgh.org > 'Ways to Give' > 'Parish Offering Support' > select 'St. Mary's Frydek / Parish Offering' or 'Guardian Angel Wallis / Parish Offering'). The parish is also participating in the IGNITE parish campaign, which has received pledges from 9 parish families totaling $30,900.
- Mail: St. Mary's Catholic Church, 10471 Grotto Rd., Sealy, TX 77474
- Online via archgh.org (Ways to Give → Parish Offering Support)
- IGNITE Campaign: 9 families pledged $30,900
Visiting & Contact
St. Mary's is located at 10471 Grotto Road in the small community of Frydek, Texas — about three miles east of Sealy and three miles south of San Felipe in southeastern Austin County. The parish office is open during the week at (979) 885-3131 (fax 979-885-4555) and reaches by email at [email protected]. The Grotto itself is open to the public, and visitors are warmly welcomed.
- Address: 10471 Grotto Rd., Sealy (Frydek), TX 77474
- Parish Office: (979) 885-3131 — Fax: 979-885-4555
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stmarysfrydek.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/StMarysFrydekTX
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend William Skocek1908–fall 1911
First pastor of Immaculate Conception (Sealy) to oversee the new Frydek school-church blessed May 20, 1908.
- Reverend M. A. Dombrowskiuntil spring 1912
- Monsignor Joseph A. Valentauntil September 5, 1912
Attended the mission from St. Mary's Seminary.
- Reverend Paul Nemec1917–June 1922 (pastor of Sealy from 1916)
First resident pastor of Frydek, July 7, 1917; oversaw the 1916 move of the church into town.
- Reverend John KalasJune 1922–
Built the second St. Mary's church for $14,000, dedicated by Bishop C. E. Byrne on July 29, 1924.
- Reverend A. W. Nesvadba1927–1936
Parish grew to 100+ families, 120 children, three Sisters; new Sisters' home built 1930.
- Reverend F. J. Kloboukuntil 1937
- Reverend F. Klinkacekafter 1937
- Reverend Lad Klimicek1944–February 13, 1970 (death)
Built the Grotto (blessed May 1, 1949) and founded the Grotto Celebration (Parish Bazaar).
- Reverend George Bonhardafter Father Klimicek (brief tenure)
Also served St. Roch's parish in Mentz.
- Reverend Bernard SnockJuly 1970–August 2007
37-year pastorate; built the current 1972 church, religious education building, and parish hall pavilion.
- Reverend Thuy NguyenNovember 5, 2007–present
Assigned by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo; also pastor of Guardian Angel Parish in Wallis.