About St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of Holy Family Parish · Galveston, Texas
St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica in Galveston, Texas is the mother church of the Catholic Church in Texas and one of two cathedrals of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (alongside the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston). Originally a small wooden-frame church dedicated in 1842 by Bishop Jean Marie Odin, it was replaced by the current Gothic Revival brick structure designed by architect Theodore E. Giraud and dedicated by Bishop John Timon on November 26, 1848. In 1979, Pope John Paul II elevated it to the status of a minor basilica, and since 2009 it has served as the principal worship site of the merged Holy Family Parish, which now brings together the historic Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula Catholic communities.
- Established
- 1842
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Very Reverend Jude Ekenedilchukwu Ezuma (Pastor/Rector)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Why belong here
Holy Family Parish offers an unusually rich Catholic experience for anyone in the Galveston-Bolivar area: the spiritual heritage of the mother church of Catholicism in Texas set in a 175-year-old basilica, six worship sites spanning the island and peninsula (including St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica, Sacred Heart, St. Patrick, Holy Rosary, Mary Star of the Sea, and Our Lady by the Sea), Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish, a robust OCIA/RCIA program for adults, family-life and faith-formation ministries, a perpetual-adoration chapel (Our Lady of Guadalupe), and direct outreach through monthly food distribution with the Galveston County Food Bank — all under a unified pastoral team and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
Mass times at St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of Holy Family Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 4:30–5:30 PM at Ursuline Chapel
- Saturday: 3:30–4:30 PM at St. Patrick
- Saturday: 5:30 PM at Our Lady by the Sea (Bolivar)
- Saturday: 6:30 PM at Mary Star of the Sea (Jamaica Beach)
- Sunday: 8:30 AM at Holy Rosary
- Sunday: 10:30 AM at Sacred Heart
- By appointment: 409-762-9646
Adoration times
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Perpetual Adoration Chapel — adoration 24/7, located at the Parish Life Center off the 25th Street parking lot (access code required from parish office)
- Exposition begins Tuesday mornings after the 7:00 AM Mass; Benediction on Wednesdays at 5:30 PM (alternate chapel)
Parish History & Heritage
Holy Family Parish of Galveston & Bolivar is the merged successor of ten historic Galveston-area parishes, formed on August 15, 2009 in the wake of Hurricane Ike's devastation. Its flagship worship site, St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica at 2011 Church St., traces its lineage back to a small wooden-framed church dedicated on February 6, 1842 by Fr. Jean Marie Odin, C.M. — just one month before Odin was consecrated the first bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Galveston (May 4, 1847). The current Gothic Revival brick basilica, designed by Theodore E. Giraud and built with 500,000 Belgian bricks, was dedicated November 26, 1848. It became Texas' first Catholic cathedral, a Texas State Historic Landmark in 1968, a National Historic Landmark in 1973, and a minor basilica in 1979 under Pope John Paul II.
- Ten predecessor parishes merged in 2009
- St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica rededicated March 25, 2014 after Hurricane Ike restoration
- Mary, Star of the Sea statue restored and reinstalled 2020
Predecessor Parishes
Bishop Nicholas A. Gallagher established Sacred Heart in 1884 to serve Galveston's east end; it grew out of an 1854 Jesuit-run university chapel. Bishop Claude Dubuis created St. Patrick Parish in 1870 for Galveston's west end; its rebuilt 1907 edifice is celebrated as architecturally outstanding. Gallagher also founded Holy Rosary in 1889 as Texas' first Black Catholic parish. Our Mother of Mercy on the Bolivar Peninsula was raised by community fundraisers in the 1950s; St. Theresa of Lisieux Mission (Crystal Beach) was added in 1994; St. Peter the Apostle (1964, dedicated 1967) and Mary Star of the Sea (1980) served the expanding west end and Jamaica Beach, with Reina de la Paz added in 1979 by Fr. Danek.
- St. Patrick (1870)
- Sacred Heart (1884)
- Holy Rosary (1889 — first Black Catholic parish in Texas)
- Our Mother of Mercy (1950s Bolivar)
- St. Peter the Apostle (1964)
- Mary Star of the Sea (1980, Jamaica Beach)
- Reina de la Paz (1979)
- St. Theresa of Lisieux Mission (1994, Crystal Beach)
Six Worship Sites of Holy Family Parish
Holy Family Parish today consists of six churches across Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula, providing diversity of worship locations and fellowship opportunities: St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica, St. Patrick, Sacred Heart, Holy Rosary, Mary Star of the Sea, and Our Lady by the Sea. Mass is celebrated at all sites; weekend and weekday Masses, confessions, and devotions are distributed geographically to serve the broader community.
- St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica — 2011 Church St., Galveston
- St. Patrick Church
- Sacred Heart Church
- Holy Rosary Church
- Mary Star of the Sea Church
- Our Lady by the Sea Church (Bolivar Peninsula)
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Holy Family Parish runs a comprehensive religious-education program directed by a Director of Religious Education with support from a Faith Formation Assistant and dedicated religious sisters. Adult initiation is served by OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults — the current name for the RCIA process), running September through May and designed for adults seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, including discernment interviews and systematic teaching. Adult Confirmation preparation is offered, with a required recently issued baptism certificate upon registration. Family Life and Pastoral Ministries, under Sr. Emilia Ogar, HHCJ, coordinates sacramental information, OCIA, annulment information, and adult confirmation.
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) — September to May
- Adult Confirmation
- Annulment Information
- Sacrament Information (Baptism, Marriage, etc.)
Outreach: Food Distribution
In partnership with the Galveston County Food Bank, the parish operates a Food Distribution ministry — sorting, bagging, and placing food items in vehicles for neighbors in need. Volunteers gather on the first Thursday of every month from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM. The ministry is coordinated through the Coordinator of Family Life and Pastoral Ministries.
- First Thursday of each month, 8:30 AM–12:00 PM
- Galveston County Food Bank partner
- Contact: 409-762-9646 ext. 202
Clergy, Religious & Staff
Pastoral care is provided by a pastor/rector, two parochial vicars, five deacons, and several religious sisters from the HHCJ (Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus) congregation, supported by an office staff, a Director of Liturgical Music, religious-education staff, and a maintenance department. The parish team is listed under 'Our Team' on holyfamilygb.com with individual extensions and emails.
- Pastor/Rector: Very Rev. Jude Ekenedilchukwu Ezuma
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. Stephen Payne and Rev. J Serrato
- Deacons: Kimble Nobles, Robert 'Buzz' Standridge, Jeff Willard, John Pistone, Doug Matthews, Sam Dell'Olio
- Religious sisters of HHCJ: Sr. Emilia Ogar, Sr. Betty Kalu, Sr. Solange Uzoigwe
- Director of Liturgical Music: Jonathan Wright
Architecture of St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica
Designed in 1847–1848 by Theodore E. Giraud in a Gothic Revival plan reportedly inspired by King's College Chapel, Cambridge. The original brick walls (500,000 Belgian bricks) were stuccoed in 1922. Nicholas J. Clayton added the rear transept tower in 1876 and raised the twin front spires to 80 feet with crosses in 1886. The interior features a vast open nave achieved through coupled wooden columns and a system of wooden purlins, struts and braces; a 3,000-pipe organ in the choir loft; a large crucifix inside the south entrance; a Pietà opposite; a bishop's chair and tall inscribed panel in the sanctuary; and a round Sacred Heart stained-glass window over the crossing.
- Architect: Theodore E. Giraud (1847–1848)
- Alterations by Nicholas J. Clayton (1876, 1878, 1886, 1890)
- Stuccoed brick walls (1922); nave bleached (1976)
- Texas State Historic Landmark (1968); National Historic Landmark (1973)
- Documented by Historic American Buildings Survey (1967)
Visiting, History & Hurricane Ike
An obelisk topped with a cross stands on the cathedral grounds commemorating the yellow fever victims of Galveston in 1853. The cathedral survived the 1900 Storm — one of the few Galveston landmarks to do so — but was severely damaged by five feet of storm surge during Hurricane Ike in September 2008. Major repairs continued through 2014; the Mary, Star of the Sea statue and spires received further restoration in 2019–2020 and the tower bell, inoperable since 2010, was repaired during the 2019 work.
- 1853 yellow fever obelisk
- Survived 1900 Great Storm
- Closed 2008–2014 after Hurricane Ike
- Mary, Star of the Sea statue restored and reinstalled 2020
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Bishop Jean Marie Odin, C.M.1842-1861
Founder and first parish priest/bishop; built the original wooden church and began the brick cathedral
- Bishop John Timon, C.M.1847-1867
Apostolic Prefect of Texas who laid the cornerstone (1847) and dedicated the cathedral (1848)