About St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus · Premont, Texas
St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in the small South Texas town of Premont (Jim Wells County), serving the Catholic faithful of Premont and the surrounding rural communities of the Coastal Bend. Established first as a mission in 1912 and elevated to parish status in 1958, the church sits at 235 SW 4th Street and operates as the mother parish for two mission chapels: Mission of the Immaculate Conception in Concepcion and Mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Ramirez. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Corpus Christi, and its weekend Mass schedule (Saturday bilingual vigil at 4:30 pm and two Sunday Masses) reflects the heavily bilingual character of the region, with the Rosary prayed before each Sunday Mass.
- Established
- 1912 (mission); 1958 (parish)
- Patron
- St. Thérèse of the Infant Jesus (of Lisieux, 'The Little Flower')
- Rector
- Fr. Sanish Mathew
- Diocese
- Diocese of Corpus Christi
Why belong here
St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus is a small, bilingual South Texas parish where the Catholic faith is lived out across generations — weekend Mass in English and Spanish, the Rosary prayed together before each Sunday Mass, First Communion and Confirmation celebrated with the whole community, a Youth Group and Knights of Columbus Day of Service, monthly Spanish confessions, and First Friday Adoration. As the mother parish of the Mission of the Immaculate Conception in Concepcion and the Mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Ramirez, it serves a wide rural area of Jim Wells County and warmly welcomes visitors, returning Catholics, and seasonal residents who wish to worship in the heart of the Coastal Bend.
Mass times at St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm (English) — or by appointment
- Saturday 6:00 pm (Spanish — once a month; check bulletin for date)
- Anointing of the Sick — please contact the parish office
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month: 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Adoration, following the 6:00 pm Mass
About St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus
St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish serving Premont, Texas, and the surrounding rural communities of Jim Wells County in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Founded in 1912 as a mission and established as a parish in 1958, it is the spiritual home of a multi-generational Catholic community and the mother church of two mission chapels in Concepcion and Ramirez. Weekend worship is offered in English and Spanish, daily Mass is celebrated in the adoration chapel, and the parish publishes a regular bulletin with announcements and seasonal schedules.
History and Legacy of Faith
The parish traces its roots to 1912, the same year the railroad-era town of Premont was growing along the Seeligson Ranch. According to local and county histories, ranch foreman Charles Premont donated the funds to build Santa Theresa Catholic Church, anchoring the Mexican-American section of town east of the railroad and around Hidalgo Park. The parish website preserves this heritage under the heading 'Our Legacy of Faith — The Altar of Our Original Church,' keeping the original altar as a visible link to the mission-era beginnings. The mission was formally elevated to a parish in 1958.
- 1912 — Mission established
- 1958 — Mission elevated to parish status
- Original altar from the mission chapel preserved in the present church
- Serves Missions of Immaculate Conception (Concepcion) and Our Lady of Guadalupe (Ramirez)
- 2023 — Church carpet renovation completed
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor and a parochial vicar, assisted by two deacons and an office manager. The pastor, Fr. Sanish Mathew, regularly writes the pastor's letter in the parish bulletin and on the website, sharing reflections for Holy Week and other seasons.
- Fr. Sanish Mathew — Pastor
- Fr. Angel Montana — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Rueben Maldonado
- Deacon Ramiro Davila
- Mory Perez — Office Manager (361-348-2202)
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
Religious Education is offered for children, youth, and teens at the parish. Two visible program tracks on the parish website — Levels 1–5 and Junior High / High School — prepare students for the sacraments of initiation and ongoing catechesis. First Communion and Confirmation classes are celebrated each year with the wider parish community.
- Religious Education — Levels 1–5
- Religious Education — Junior High and High School
- First Communion preparation and celebration
- Confirmation preparation and celebration
- Anointing of the Sick visits
Youth, Knights of Columbus, and Parish Life
The parish maintains a visible Youth Group for the parish's young people, supported by adult parishioners. The Knights of Columbus council hosts an annual Day of Service that brings the parish together for works of charity in the community. Parish-life photos published on the website document Palm Sunday, First Communion, Confirmation, the KC Day of Service, and a Father Praying at a Baseball Game — evidence of a parish that celebrates its Catholic identity both inside and outside the church walls.
- Youth Group (active)
- Knights of Columbus — KC Day of Service
- Seasonal parish celebrations (Palm Sunday, First Communion, Confirmation)
- Parish bulletin with announcements and pastoral reflections
Devotions and Prayer Life
Prayer is woven into the rhythm of the parish week. The Holy Rosary is prayed publicly 20 minutes before every weekend Mass. During Lent the Friday schedule shifts to the Stations of the Cross (no morning Mass on those Fridays). On First Fridays, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows the evening Mass.
- Holy Rosary — Saturday 4:00 pm, Sunday 9:30 am and 11:00 am
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays during Lent
- First Friday Adoration — 6:30 pm–7:30 pm
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
Mission Churches
St. Theresa Parish is the mother church of two mission chapels serving nearby rural communities. These missions extend the parish's pastoral reach across Jim Wells County and neighboring areas.
- Mission of the Immaculate Conception — Concepcion, TX
- Mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe — Ramirez, TX (Sunday Mass 8:00 am; confessions at St. Theresa Parish in Premont on Saturdays)
Visit, Contact, and Directions
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office is open during posted hours and can be reached by phone or email for sacramental scheduling, bulletin requests, or general information. The physical address places the church at the corner of S. Bernice and SW 4th Streets in Premont.
- Address — 235 SW 4th St., Premont, TX 78375
- Mailing — P.O. Box 569, Premont, TX 78375
- Phone — (361) 348-2202
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — https://sttheresaij.org/
- Office Manager — Mory Perez