Our Story

Front view of a modern church building with a large gold cross on the facade, surrounded by lush green plants and two no parking signs.
Inside a church during a Catholic mass, with priests in white robes seated at the altar, congregation sitting on wooden pews, and religious statues and artwork adorning the walls.

Back in the early 1900s the only place in Mission to attend Mass was the Mission Chapel of La Lomita in south Mission. Those in the area wishing to fulfil their Sunday obligations of Holy Mass had to travel there.

By 1911 newcomers recruited through the active efforts of realtors asked to build a church for themselves on the north side of town. All the sermons and instructions at La Lomita were delivered in Spanish, and they felt that they needed a service which they could understand. In 1913 the cornerstone for the new church, Saint Paul, was put in place.

In 1960, under the direction of Monsignor Dan Laning, the new buildings were constructed. Bishop Garriaga dedicated the new church and rectory on December 7, 1960. The church is an outstanding example of contemporary art that has caused much favorable comment from those who know and understand Liturgy. The building is an effort to convert in building materials the Apostles' Creed.
 

An excerpt from The Diocese of Brownsville Catholic Church in the Rio Grande Valley: A Journey of Faith (2002) by Brenda Nettles Riojas

Learn more about the Church Architecture
Church or community hall event with multiple tables occupied by people, some standing and chatting, others seated and eating, with a religious setting featuring a cross and religious images on the stage.
A white marble statue of an angel with wings standing outdoors on a pedestal, holding a small object in one hand and a cloth in the other, surrounded by trees and grassy area.