About St.Peter Claver Pariah · Tyler, Texas
St. Peter Claver Catholic Church is a vibrant parish in North Tyler, Texas, rooted in outreach to the local community and enriched by both English- and Spanish-speaking parishioners. Founded (reopened) in 1998 under the Missionary Franciscans of the Eucharist, the parish grew from 14 people to roughly 500 families and is also home to the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The parish is named for St. Peter Claver, the Spanish Jesuit missionary who served enslaved Africans in Colombia.
- Established
- 1998
- Patron
- St. Peter Claver
- Rector
- Father Luis Larrea
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tyler
Why belong here
A welcoming, multicultural Franciscan parish that combines historic roots with active neighborhood outreach and the spiritual richness of a Diocesan Marian shrine.
Mass times at St.Peter Claver Pariah
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
History and Heritage
St. Peter Claver's story begins in 1936 with the Society of St. Joseph's ministry to African Americans in Tyler. After decades of vacancy, the Missionary Franciscans of the Eucharist restored the property and reopened the church in 1998, later adding a new church and Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
In 2006 the new church was elevated as a Diocesan Shrine and named the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the parish of St. Peter Claver, with relics placed beneath the altar.
Community and Culture
The parish embraces East Texas's growing Hispanic community and in 2021 introduced the region's first Señor de Los Milagros procession.