About St. Michael · San Antonio, Texas
St. Michael Catholic Church is a historic parish on the near south side of San Antonio, Texas, at 418 Indiana Street in the 78210 ZIP code. Founded in 1866 by Polish Silesian immigrants under the care of Resurrectionist Father Vincent Barzynski, it was the third Catholic parish established in San Antonio (after San Fernando Cathedral and St. Mary's) and the third Polish Catholic church in Texas. Today it serves a bilingual community with weekend Masses in Spanish and English, weekday evening Masses, Eucharistic adoration, and outreach through the Archdiocese of San Antonio, where it is currently pastored by Vincentian Father Kevin Fausz, C.M., who also leads nearby Holy Redeemer and Our Lady of Perpetual Help parishes.
- Established
- 1866
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Very Rev. Kevin P. Fausz, C.M., V.U.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Antonio
Why belong here
St. Michael's offers a warm, bilingual (Spanish–English) community rooted in 159 years of San Antonio history, with two Sunday Masses (9 AM Spanish, 11:30 AM English), four weekday evening Masses, and weekly Eucharistic adoration on Wednesdays. As part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio's Central Urban Deanery under Father Kevin Fausz, the parish participates in city-wide outreach including food distributions, ACTS-HIV Ministry support, and Society of St. Vincent de Paul works serving the East Side — making it a small but mission-driven parish with deep immigrant roots and a contemporary urban ministry.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment (call the parish office at (210) 532-3707)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (followed by 6:00 PM Spanish Mass)
History of St. Michael Parish
St. Michael's was founded on 8 November 1866 when Resurrectionist Father Vincent Barzynski arrived from Rome to serve the Polish families who had been attending Mass at San Fernando Cathedral since arriving in San Antonio about ten years earlier. The first Mass was celebrated at San Fernando; shortly afterward Father Vincent rented a small stone building at Matagorda and Goliad from Emanuel Rzeppa, then organized the construction of a permanent stone church-school-rectory at South Street and Indianola, blessed on 5 January 1868. The parish grew from about 40 founding families to roughly 200 within months, and a school opened five years later. St. Michael's remained a national Polish parish until 1947, when it became a territorial parish for the surrounding neighborhood. The original downtown church was replaced by a larger white-brick edifice in 1922 under Father Thomas Moczygemba; that building and its property were sold in 1965 for $370,000 to clear land for HemisFair '68, and the present church was built at 418 Indiana Street.
- Founded 8 November 1866 by Father Vincent Barzynski, C.R.
- Third Catholic parish in San Antonio and third Polish Catholic parish in Texas
- Original stone church-school-rectory blessed 5 January 1868 at South St. & Indianola
- School opened 1873; St. Michael's Cemetery established 1878
- 1922 white-brick church built under Father Thomas Moczygemba ($48,000)
- Became a territorial parish in 1947
- Original site sold 1965 for HemisFair '68; current church built at 418 Indiana St.
Mass and Worship Schedule
St. Michael's celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish. Sunday Masses are at 9:00 AM (Spanish) and 11:30 AM (English). Weekday Masses are offered Tuesday through Friday at 6:00 PM, all in Spanish. On Holy Days a 7:00 PM bilingual Mass is celebrated. Confessions are heard by appointment through the parish office.
- Sunday 9:00 AM — Spanish
- Sunday 11:30 AM — English
- Tuesday 6:00 PM — Spanish
- Wednesday 6:00 PM — Spanish
- Thursday 6:00 PM — Spanish
- Friday 6:00 PM — Spanish
- Holy Day 7:00 PM — Bilingual
- Confession: by appointment
Parish Identity & Patron
St. Michael the Archangel is the patron of the parish because the first Polish colony arrived in San Antonio within the octave of his feast day (29 September). The Polish founders chose him as the patron of the immigrants, and the church was named for him. The feast of St. Michael is celebrated 29 September.
- Patron: St. Michael the Archangel
- Feast Day: September 29
Parish Outreach and Ministries
As one of three parishes pastored by Father Kevin Fausz in San Antonio's Central Urban Deanery, St. Michael's participates in a network of East Side outreach that includes the Archbishop's Appeal for Ministries, the Archdiocesan Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (Father Fausz serves as Spiritual Advisor), and the ACTS-HIV Ministry that provides retreats, support groups and spiritual care for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Father Fausz is also Texas State Chaplain for the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver, a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and a Golden Life Member of the NAACP. Online giving is available through GiveCentral.
- Archbishop's Appeal for Ministries
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul (Archdiocesan Council)
- ACTS-HIV Ministry
- Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver (Texas State Chaplaincy)
- Knights of Columbus (Fourth Degree)
- GiveCentral online giving
Architecture and the HemisFair '68 Move
The 1868 stone church at South Street and Indianola was enlarged twice before being demolished in 1922 to make way for a larger white-brick church whose cornerstone was laid 4 July 1922 and dedicated by Bishop Arthur J. Drossaerts on 25 October 1922. Its stained-glass windows were blessed 2 December 1923. In 1965 the 1922 building and its property were sold to the San Antonio Urban Renewal Agency for $370,000 to clear land for HemisFair '68; the marble altars, communion rail and stained-glass windows were carefully relocated to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (617 S. Santa Rosa Blvd.), where they remain. The present, more modest St. Michael's Church was built new at 418 Indiana Street, southeast of the original site. The Tower of the Americas stands near where the 1922 church once stood.
- 1868 — original stone church-school-rectory at South St. & Indianola
- 1922 — white-brick church built under Fr. Thomas Moczygemba; cornerstone 4 July 1922, dedicated 25 October 1922
- 1923 — stained-glass windows blessed 2 December 1923
- 1965 — property sold for $370,000 to San Antonio Urban Renewal Agency for HemisFair '68
- Stained glass, marble altars and communion rail moved to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church
St. Michael's Cemetery
In early 1878 the San Antonio City Council deeded property in the East Side Cemetery District to the congregation for use as St. Michael's Cemetery. It is still intact roughly a mile or so from the current church and contains the graves of most early parishioners and several former pastors of the parish, including Father Louis Dombrowski.
- Deeded by the City of San Antonio in 1878
- Located in the East Side Cemetery District
- Burial site of most early parishioners and of Father Louis Dombrowski
Visit, Contact and Directions
St. Michael's is located at 418 Indiana Street, San Antonio, TX 78210, at the corner of Indiana and Cherry Streets. From I-37, take Exit 140A toward Florida St., continue on the I-37 access road to Florida St., turn east toward Cherry Street, then turn left (north) onto Cherry St. and go two blocks to Indiana Street. The parish office can be reached at (210) 532-3707; email inquiries may be sent to [email protected]. The official website is http://www.stmichaelsa.com.
- Address: 418 Indiana Street, San Antonio, TX 78210
- Phone: (210) 532-3707
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stmichaelsa.com
- Directions: I-37 Exit 140A → Florida St. → Cherry St. → Indiana St.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Vincent Barzynski, C.R.1866–1873
Resurrectionist founder of the parish, arrived from Rome 8 November 1866; organized the Society of the Immaculate Conception and St. Adalbert Society; built the first stone church (1868).
- Rev. Joseph Barzynski1873 onward
Brother of Vincent, succeeded him and helped build up the parish school.
- Rev. Stanislaus Wojciechowski
Early pastor.
- Rev. Felix Zwiardowski
Early pastor.
- Rev. Adelbertus Pelizar
Early pastor.
- Rev. Louis Dombrowski
Early pastor; buried in St. Michael's Cemetery.
- Rev. Bernard Zmijewski
Early pastor.
- Rev. Thomas Moczygemba1912–1950
First native Texan priest ordained in the Archdiocese of San Antonio; personally funded and oversaw the 1922 white-brick church ($48,000 building / $70,000 furnished); also paid for a $5,000 pipe organ and an automatic bell ringer.
- Very Rev. Kevin P. Fausz, C.M., V.U.July 2018–present
Vincentian priest assigned in July 2018; simultaneously pastor of Holy Redeemer and Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Dean of the Central Urban Deanery.