About St. Philip of Jesus · San Antonio, Texas
St. Philip of Jesus is a Roman Catholic parish on San Antonio's southside, founded in 1914 to serve the Mexican American Catholic community of the neighborhood. It belongs to the Archdiocese of San Antonio and offers weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, a rich sacramental life, and a broad network of lay ministries led by three deacons. The parish is pastored by Fr. Sean Stilson of the Brotherhood of the Blessed Diversity (BBD) and supported by a long-tenured Director of Religious Education, parish staff, and dozens of lay-led groups ranging from ACTS retreats to the Guadalupanos society.
- Established
- 1914
- Patron
- St. Philip of Jesus (Philip of Jesus / Felipe de Jesús, OFM), a Mexican-born Franciscan missionary and one of the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan, crucified at Nagasaki in 1597 and canonized in 1862; he is the first Mexican Catholic saint and patron of Mexico City.
- Rector
- Fr. Sean Stilson, BBD
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Antonio
Why belong here
St. Philip of Jesus is a welcoming bilingual parish with deep roots on San Antonio's southside and a century-old mission to serve the Mexican American Catholic community. Worshippers can attend Saturday Vigil Mass in English (5:00 pm), Sunday Mass in Spanish (9:30 am) or English (11:30 am), and spend time in Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday afternoon. Families can enroll children in Saturday-morning CCD classes, prepare teens and adults for Confirmation and First Communion, and parishioners of every age can join one of dozens of lay ministries — ACTS retreats, Guadalupanos, St. Vincent de Paul food ministry, the Spanish-language Grupo de Oración, the Marriage Ministry, choirs, lectors, altar servers, the Seniors group, and more.
Mass times at St. Philip of Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30–4:30 pm
Adoration times
- Thursday 3:00–6:30 pm (Eucharistic Adoration)
About the Parish
St. Philip of Jesus was established as a parish in 1914 to serve the needs of Mexican American Catholics on the southside of San Antonio. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of San Antonio and is led by Fr. Sean Stilson, BBD, assisted by three deacons, a Director of Religious Education, and dozens of lay-led ministries. It is a bilingual, community-rooted parish with weekly Mass in English and Spanish, Thursday Eucharistic Adoration, and an extensive Faith Formation program for children, teens, and adults.
- Established 1914
- Southside San Antonio
- Archdiocese of San Antonio
- Bilingual English/Spanish
Parish History
St. Philip of Jesus was established as a parish in 1914 to serve the needs of Mexican American Catholics on the southside of San Antonio. Fr. Sean Stilson is currently researching the parish's history in order to add more detail to the website. One well-documented chapter is the Guadalupanos society, which has been meeting at the parish since 1963 and is a member of the Federation of Guadalupanos of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
- Founded 1914 for Mexican American Catholics on San Antonio's southside
- Guadalupanos society established at the parish in 1963
- Member of the Federation of Guadalupanos of the Archdiocese of San Antonio
- Parish actively researches and documents its own history
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Philip of Jesus offers faith formation for every age, coordinated by Mary Toscano, Director of Religious Education. Children's CCD (grades K–6) meets Saturday mornings; youth Confirmation and adult religious education meet on Wednesday evenings. Specialized tracks prepare children for First Communion (in English and Spanish), teens and adults for Confirmation, adults entering the Church through RCIA (Become Catholic), and engaged couples for Marriage.
- Children's CCD (K–6): Saturday mornings 10:00–11:30 am (parish schedule) / 10:30 am–12:30 pm (per children's classes page)
- Youth Confirmation: Wednesday 6:30–8:00 pm
- Adult Religious Education: Wednesday 6:00–8:00 pm
- First Communion Class — English and Spanish tracks
- Confirmation Class — teen and adult
- Become Catholic (RCIA)
- Adult Confirmation
- Vacation Bible School
- Marriage Preparation
- ACTS Retreats (men's, women's, and teen/Confirmation)
Ministries
The parish runs an unusually wide range of lay-led ministries, organized on the website into Liturgical, Faith Formation, Service, and Temporalities/Environment categories. Every ministry has a parish contact who can be reached through the parish office.
- Liturgical (during Mass): Altar Servers, Choirs, Lectors, Altar Society
- Faith Formation: Catechists, Bible Study, Marriage Ministry
- Service: St. Vincent de Paul (free food Thursdays 12–2 pm), Homebound visits, COPS/Metro, Social Concerns Committee
- Temporalities/Environment: Money Counters, Yardwork
- Community: Guadalupanos (since 1963), Grupo de Oración (Spanish prayer, Thursdays 7–9 pm), Peers (teens), Seniors, Social Club
- Formation/Retreats: ACTS Retreats (men, women, teen)
ACTS Retreats
ACTS retreats have become very popular throughout San Antonio since they started in 1987. The retreats generally start on a Thursday evening and go until Sunday morning Mass, and involve talks, testimonies, small group discussions, praise and worship music, other prayer services, and various activities. The four themes are Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service (ACTS). Retreats are single-sex, and many participants go on to serve on team for the next retreat. The parish also offers a Teen ACTS-style retreat for teens preparing for Confirmation.
- Men's and women's retreats plus a teen retreat
- Adoration, Community, Theology, Service — the four ACTS themes
- Started in San Antonio in 1987
- Contact: Michael Martinez via parish office
Guadalupanos & Spanish-Language Devotion
The Guadalupanos were established in 1963 at St. Philip of Jesus and are members of the Federation of Guadalupanos of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. They meet the first Sunday of each month at 8:45 am to recite the Rosary and gather for Mass, with their major annual celebration on December 12 — the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe — when they decorate the church with flowers and host a morning serenade, Mass, and community reception. The society is open to all women and men who desire to grow in their Catholic faith and service. The parish also hosts the Grupo de Oración, a Spanish-speaking prayer group that meets Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 pm in the church.
- Guadalupanos established at the parish in 1963
- Federation of Guadalupanos of the Archdiocese of San Antonio member
- Monthly meeting: first Sunday, 8:45 am Rosary, followed by Mass
- Annual December 12 feast with flowers, serenade, Mass, and reception
- Grupo de Oración: Thursdays 7:00–9:00 pm in the church
- Contact: Maria Elena Cepeda (Guadalupanos) via parish office
St. Vincent de Paul Food Ministry
The St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP) is a national organization with a chapter at St. Philip of Jesus. SVdP volunteers give away free food to those in need on Thursdays from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, operating out of a parish building next to the hall.
- Free food distribution: Thursdays 12:00–2:00 pm
- Operates from a parish building next to the hall
COPS/Metro & Community Organizing
COPS/Metro is a partnership of local churches that engages in community organizing. Members promote justice in the city of San Antonio and advocate especially for the material needs of their neighborhoods. COPS/Metro is a member of the Industrial Areas Foundation.
- Parish partner in COPS/Metro
- Member of the Industrial Areas Foundation
- Contact: Rose Araujo Iracheta via parish office
Sacraments
The parish website devotes a full page to the seven sacraments — Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist (First Communion), Confession (Penance), Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Holy Matrimony — with explanations and contact information. Sacramental preparation is coordinated by Mary Toscano, Director of Religious Education.
- Baptism — contact parish office for infants or adults
- First Communion — classes in English and Spanish; coordinator Mary Toscano
- Confirmation — teen and adult classes
- Confession — Saturdays 3:30–4:30 pm
- Anointing of the Sick — for seriously ill; contact Fr. Sean or a deacon
- Holy Matrimony — Marriage Preparation provided
- Holy Orders — vocational inquiry through Fr. Sean or a deacon
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Fr. Sean Stilson, BBD (Administrator of the Parish), with three deacons — Deacon Gilbert de la Portilla, Deacon Héctor Sandoval, and retired Deacon José Sanchez — and a small lay staff. Parish staff can be reached by phone at (210) 226-5024 or by email at [email protected].
- Fr. Sean Stilson, BBD — Administrator of the Parish, Priest
- Deacon Gilbert de la Portilla
- Deacon Héctor Sandoval
- Deacon José Sanchez (retired)
- Bill Michael — Maintenance, Groundskeeper
- Michelle Sandoval — Office Manager, Bookkeeper
- Mary Toscano — Director of Religious Education, Sacrament Records
Visit, Office Hours, and Contact
The parish church is at 142 E Lambert St, San Antonio, TX 78204, and the parish office is at 131 Bank St, San Antonio, TX 78204. The office phone is (210) 226-5024 and the general email is [email protected]. Standard office hours are Tuesday–Friday 9:00 am–1:00 pm and 2:00–4:00 pm; summer office hours are Tuesday–Friday 10:00 am–2:00 pm.
- Church: 142 E Lambert St, San Antonio, TX 78204
- Office: 131 Bank St, San Antonio, TX 78204
- Phone: (210) 226-5024
- Email: [email protected]
- Faith Formation: [email protected]
- Standard hours: Tue–Fri 9:00 am–1:00 pm and 2:00–4:00 pm
- Summer hours: Tue–Fri 10:00 am–2:00 pm
The Patron: St. Philip of Jesus
The parish takes its name from St. Philip of Jesus (Felipe de Jesús, OFM, 1572–1597), a Mexican-born Franciscan missionary and one of the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan. He was crucified with a spear and a cross at Nagasaki on 5 February 1597, beatified in 1627 by Pope Urban VIII, and canonized in 1862 by Pope Pius IX. He is venerated as the first Mexican-born Catholic saint and as patron of Mexico City. His feast day is February 5.
- Born 1572 in Mexico City (Viceroyalty of New Spain)
- Died 5 February 1597 in Nagasaki, Japan (asphyxia/spear)
- Franciscan (OFM); one of the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan
- Beatified 1627 (Urban VIII); canonized 1862 (Pius IX)
- Feast day: February 5
- Patron: Mexico City