About St. Pius X · Beaumont, Texas
St. Pius X Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Beaumont serving the northwest side of Beaumont, Texas. The parish was established in 1954, carved out of St. Anne Parish under Bishop W. J. Nold, with Father Nicholas J. Perusina as founding pastor and an initial membership of about 450 families. The current pastor is Rev. Gnanavoli (Fr. Oli) Arulsamy, S.V.D. Today it is a long-integrated, multicultural and racially diverse community known for an early adoption of Vatican II reforms, an architecturally striking Spanish-mission church built in 1980, and the largest mosaic of the Risen Christ west of the Mississippi River at the time of its installation in 1983.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- St. Pius X
- Rector
- Rev. Gnanavoli (Oli) Arulsamy, S.V.D.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Beaumont
Why belong here
St. Pius X is one of Southeast Texas's historically integrated parishes and is widely noted in the Diocese of Beaumont for early adoption of Vatican II reforms. Visitors will find a weekday Mass schedule (Tuesday evening and Wednesday–Friday noon), Sunday Masses at 8:30 and 11:00 AM with a Saturday vigil at 4:00 PM, regular novena and rosary devotions, and Reconciliation on Saturday afternoons. The parish is home to a nationally significant mosaic of the Risen Christ and an Italian-carved marble altar; it runs Whole Community Catechesis, Youth Ministry, Stewardship, Homebound Visitations, Marriage and Baptismal Preparation, RENEW small faith sharing, and outreach through Some Other Place, Habitat for Humanity, C.R.O.P. Walk, and the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver — a place that welcomes families seeking a small, multicultural, long-tenured Catholic community in the Golden Triangle.
Mass times at St. Pius X
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Tuesday Novena 6:30 PM (per 2019 diocesan directory)
- Rosary: Tuesday 5:40 PM, Thursday 12:30 PM, Saturday 3:20 PM
History of St. Pius X Parish
Planning for the parish began in 1952 when land was purchased on Bigner Road; on August 21, 1954 Bishop W. J. Nold formally carved St. Pius X out of St. Anne Parish and appointed Father Nicholas J. Perusina as founding pastor. The first Mass was celebrated September 5, 1954 at James Bowie Junior High School while the church was under construction; the completed building hosted Mass from November 1955, and regular daily services began March 1956. Father Perusina led the parish for nearly a quarter-century before being reassigned to St. Elizabeth in Port Neches in 1978.
- 1952 — land purchased on Bigner Road
- 1954 — parish established (August 21); Father N. J. Perusina named founding pastor
- 1954 — first Mass at James Bowie Junior High School (September 5)
- 1955 — groundbreaking on Easter Sunday; first Mass in completed church (November)
- 1956 — regular services begin (March); rectory open house (March)
- 1959 — parish school opens, staffed by Dominican sisters and lay teachers
- 1964 — Vatican II interior renovation; new altar facing the people
- 1968 — parish school closes amid rising costs
- 1975 — first full-time VESS volunteer in the Diocese of Beaumont
- 1978 — Father Perusina reassigned; Father John DiStefano becomes second pastor
- 1979 — parish celebrates 25th anniversary; old church remodeled
- 1980 (October 19) — Bishop Bernard J. Ganter dedicates the new Spanish-mission church
- 1980 — St. Pius X rejoins parochial education as part of the Saint Anne Tri-Parish School
- 1983 — mosaic of the Risen Christ installed behind the altar
Architecture & Sacred Art
The present sanctuary was built in 1980 in a contemporary, modified Spanish-mission style, replacing the original 1955–56 clapboard mission-style building (now the parish hall). Father John DiStefano, during whose pastorate the church was constructed, described the faceted stained glass as a visual symbol of the parish's racial blending. The interior is dominated by two pieces of commissioned religious art: the marble altar and the wall-size mosaic of the Risen Christ.
- 1980 dedication by Bishop Bernard J. Ganter (October 19)
- Three-ton marble 'Table of the Lord' by Dolfi and Simoncini Studio (Pietra Santa, Italy)
- Faceted stained-glass windows symbolizing the parish's racial blending
- Mosaic of the Risen Christ designed by Louis Tango, installed 1983 by Italian mosaicists — millions of tiles in 360 sections; at the time, the largest such mosaic west of the Mississippi River
- Earlier 1955–56 clapboard mission-style church retained and repurposed as the parish hall
Parish Clergy & Staff
St. Pius X is staffed by a Society of the Divine Word (S.V.D.) pastor and a deacon. The 2019 diocesan directory listed 494 registered families.
- Pastor: Rev. Gnanavoli (Oli) Arulsamy, S.V.D.
- Deacon: Anthony Goudeau
- Parish Secretary: Felicia Fontenett (per 2019 directory)
- Parish office: 5075 Bigner Road, Beaumont, TX 77708; (409) 892-3316; fax (409) 892-8916
Devotions & Other Services
Parish devotions include a weekly novena and several rosary times, as listed in the Diocese of Beaumont directory.
- Tuesday Novena — 6:30 PM
- Rosary — Tuesday 5:40 PM
- Rosary — Thursday 12:30 PM
- Rosary — Saturday 3:20 PM
- Holy Day Masses — schedule varies
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Pius X has a broad parish-ministry structure that grew significantly under Father Francis Conroy's tenure, with both internal (council, finance, formation, stewardship) and outreach arms.
- Parish Council
- Finance Ministry / Stewardship Ministry
- Whole Community Catechesis
- Religious Education Commission
- Youth Ministry
- Marriage Preparation
- Baptismal Preparation
- Homebound Visitations
- RENEW Small Faith Sharing
- Liturgical Ministries (Eucharistic Ministers)
- St. Pius X Ladies
- Catholic Daughters of America
- Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver
- Outreach: H.O.W., Some Other Place, Habitat for Humanity, C.R.O.P. Walk
- VESS volunteer program (since 1975)
School & Religious Education
A parish grade school opened in 1959 staffed by Dominican sisters and lay teachers; high operating costs led to its closure in 1968. In 1980 St. Pius X rejoined parochial education by joining with St. Anne and St. Jude Thaddeus parishes to form the Saint Anne Tri-Parish School. Faith formation continues today under the parish's Whole Community Catechesis and Religious Education Commission.
- 1959 — parish school opens with Dominican sisters and lay teachers
- 1968 — school closes
- 1980 — Saint Anne Tri-Parish School formed with St. Anne and St. Jude Thaddeus parishes
- Whole Community Catechesis
- Religious Education Commission
Pastoral Successions & Significant Innovations
The parish has had six pastors since its founding (Father Perusina, DiStefano, Culotta, Conroy, Dang S.V.D., Wall S.V.D.) and is currently served by Fr. Gnanavoli Arulsamy, S.V.D. Three of the last four pastors have been Divine Word Missionaries. The parish's history includes several 'firsts' in the Diocese of Beaumont.
- First in the diocese to adopt Vatican II changes (1964)
- First in the diocese to have a married deacon
- First in the diocese to employ a full-time VESS volunteer (1975)
- Pastors: N. J. Perusina (1954–78), John DiStefano, Salvador Culotta, Francis X. Conroy (Jan. 2000–), Joseph O. Dang S.V.D. (Sept. 2009–2014), Augustine 'Gus' Wall S.V.D. (Aug. 2014–), and the current pastor Gnanavoli 'Oli' Arulsamy S.V.D.
Visiting & Contact
Parish office hours, contact details, and sacramental-request protocols as listed in the Diocese of Beaumont directory.
- Address: 5075 Bigner Road, Beaumont, TX 77708-5202
- Phone: (409) 892-3316
- Fax: (409) 892-8916
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. (closed for lunch 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.)
- Emergency line: (337) 308-3677 (per 2019 diocesan directory)
- Website: stpiusxbmt.net
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Nicholas J. (N. J.) Perusina1954–1978
Founding pastor; oversaw land clearing, temporary worship at James Bowie Junior High School, construction of the clapboard church and rectory, brick-facing, the parish school (opened 1959 with Dominican sisters and lay teachers), and Vatican II interior renovation (new altar facing the people, 1964). Reassigned to St. Elizabeth Church, Port Neches, in 1978.
- Rev. John Di Stefano (DiStefano)1978–c.1980s
Second pastor; oversaw construction and Oct. 19, 1980 dedication of the new Spanish-mission church; wrote about the symbolism of the stained glass. Continued under his successor.
- Rev. Salvador Culotta
Listed in parish history as one of the five pastors after Father Perusina.
- Rev. Francis X. ConroyJanuary 2000–retirement (c. 2009)
Former USAF chaplain, son of Irish immigrants; launched Parish Council, Finance Ministry, Homebound Visitations, Whole Community Catechesis, Youth Ministry, Religious Education Commission, Marriage and Baptismal Preparation, RENEW Small Faith Sharing, and Stewardship Ministry; made the church handicapped-accessible and remodeled the rectory.
- Rev. Joseph O. Dang, S.V.D.September 2009–2014
Vietnamese-born, Divine Word Missionary, ordained March 1993; previously at Divine Word College Seminary, Fordham, parish ministry in Woodbridge NJ, and Miramar Retreat Center, Duxbury MA. Built the parish prayer garden and a small chapel for daily use.
- Rev. Augustine ('Gus') Wall, S.V.D.August 2014–
Divine Word Missionary; born Hornell, NY; Catholic Theological Union, ordained 1991 at Techny, IL; previously served in Kenya, the West Indies, and Chicago. Administrator/advisor following Father Dang.
- Rev. Gnanavoli ('Oli') Arulsamy, S.V.D.present
Current pastor (Diocese of Beaumont priest directory).