About St. Mary · Windthorst, Texas
St. Mary Catholic Church is a historic German-American parish perched on a hilltop in Windthorst, Texas, in eastern Archer County. Founded in 1891–92 by German Catholic settlers and supported by Bishop Thomas F. Brennan of the Diocese of Dallas, it is the parish that literally gave the town of Windthorst its name. Today, served by Father Michael Moloney, OFS, alongside the mission parish of St. Boniface in Scotland, St. Mary remains the spiritual heart of the community with roughly 880 registered parishioners and weekend Masses celebrated in both English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Moloney, OFS
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Worth
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a small-town Catholic community rooted in 130+ years of Texas-German heritage, with daily and weekend Masses in English (plus a Spanish Vigil Mass), Wednesday adoration before the 7:00 p.m. Mass, and regular confession times. The parish welcomes new members and registered parishioners through Faith Direct online giving, an ongoing parish school of religion, and frequent community events such as the recent Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast supporting grotto repairs — making it easy to find faith, family, and service in one place.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 6:45 PM (until the last person waiting has gone)
- Saturday: 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM at St. Mary's
- 1st Saturday: 7:00 AM – 7:50 AM
- Thursday: 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM at St. Boniface on the last Thursday of the month
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 6:00 PM (before the 7:00 PM Mass)
Parish History
St. Mary Catholic Church was planted in 1891 by German-American Catholic pioneers who staked a cross on a hill in eastern Archer County, naming the new town for the German Catholic statesman Baron Ludwig Windthorst. With the backing of Bishop Thomas F. Brennan of Dallas and land developers Derr Clark and Duncan C. Plumb, the founders held their first Mass on January 1, 1892, with Father Joseph Reisdorff in the attic of an unfinished home before about ten people. The parish built its first two churches — both later lost to fire — before constructing the present red Romanesque church in 1925. In 1974 the Texas Historical Commission recognized the church's central role in Windthorst's founding, and on January 1, 2017, the parish celebrated its 125th anniversary with Bishop Michael F. Olson of the Diocese of Fort Worth.
- Wooden cross planted on the hill: summer 1891
- First Mass: January 1, 1892, with Father Joseph Reisdorff
- First church dedicated: February 2, 1893 (36 × 72 ft, two stories)
- First church destroyed by fire: 1904 (rebuilt that year)
- School dedicated: 1919 (Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word)
- Second church destroyed by fire: 1924
- Present Romanesque church completed: 1925
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grotto begun: 1942
- 75th anniversary festival: 1967
- Texas Historical Commission marker: 1974
- 125th anniversary Mass: January 1, 2017
The Grotto of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Begun in 1942 after the U.S. entered World War II, the Grotto of Our Lady of Perpetual Help sits near the front of the church and is one of the parish's most beloved landmarks. Sixty-four St. Mary parishioners served in every theater of the war, and they sent their pay home to fund the $4,000 project. The structure is built from native stone and Wichita Mountain granite and surrounds a five-foot statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary imported from Italy. Returning servicemen credited the grotto with protecting them through harrowing experiences abroad, and it remains a focus of parish devotion — and of ongoing Knights of Columbus repair fundraisers.
- Named: Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Construction: 1942 onward
- Materials: native stone, Wichita Mountain granite
- Centerpiece: 5-foot statue of Mary imported from Italy
- Funded by WWII-era military pay allotments
Architecture of the Present Church
The current St. Mary church, completed in 1925 after a 1924 fire destroyed its predecessor, is described in the parish history as a beautiful red Romanesque building. It features a distinctive clock steeple visible for miles across eastern Archer County and vibrant stained glass windows inside. Set high on the original 1891 rise, the church serves as both a spiritual landmark and a literal beacon — 'like a beacon to faithful for miles around,' as the parish's own history describes it.
- Style: Romanesque
- Color: red brick
- Features: clock steeple, stained glass windows
- Setting: hilltop overlooking eastern Archer County
Parish Staff
St. Mary is pastored by Rev. Michael Moloney, OFS, who also serves the mission parish of St. Boniface in Scotland, Texas. The parish office is managed by Margaret Beaman, and the parish office is the main point of contact for registration, Faith Direct enrollment, and sacramental inquiries.
- Rev. Michael Moloney, OFS — Pastor (St. Mary, Windthorst and St. Boniface, Scotland)
- Margaret Beaman — Office Manager
- Parish office phone: (940) 423-6687
- Parish email: [email protected]
Parish Office & Visiting
The St. Mary parish office, located at 101 Church Street in Windthorst (mailing PO Box 230, Windthorst, TX 76389), is the hub for registration, scheduling, and pastoral needs. Visitors and newcomers are warmly invited to call ahead or to enroll online through Faith Direct.
- Office hours: Monday and Wednesday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (closed Tuesdays)
- Phone: (940) 423-6687
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmarysstboniface.com
Diocese & Mission Parishes
St. Mary is a parish of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth (originally part of the Diocese of Dallas). It shares its pastor, Father Michael Moloney, OFS, with nearby St. Boniface Catholic Church in Scotland, Texas — a smaller mission community whose Sunday 8:00 AM and Thursday 6:00 PM Masses are listed alongside St. Mary's schedule.
- Diocese: Diocese of Fort Worth
- Sharing pastor with St. Boniface, Scotland, TX
- Daily Mass schedule also includes Thursday evening Mass at St. Boniface
Capital Campaign & Parish Life
St. Mary's is currently engaged in a multi-phase capital campaign titled 'For Generations to Come,' supporting renovations of church facilities, grotto repairs, parish office updates, and ongoing improvements to the small parish campus. Through iGiveCatholic and other giving channels, parishioners and friends of the parish can contribute to these projects. Recent parish activities include a Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast benefiting grotto repairs and Corpus Christi processions.
- Capital Campaign: 'For Generations to Come'
- Recent fundraiser: Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast for grotto repairs
- Online giving: Faith Direct
- Featured giving day: iGiveCatholic
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Reisdorff1892–
Celebrated the first Mass in Windthorst on January 1, 1892, in the attic of an unfinished home before about ten faithful. Later helped start several Texas Catholic communities, including Rhineland.
- Rev. Michael Moloney, OFS2017–present
Co-celebrated the parish's 125th anniversary Mass on January 1, 2017, with Bishop Michael F. Olson; serves as pastor of St. Mary, Windthorst, and St. Boniface, Scotland.