Catholic Churches in San Antonio, TX?

[OutinChgoburbs]

At Randolph they used to have masses on base. We either attended on base or the one in Schertz. Can’t remember the name of it. Good Shepherd. Of course you may want to check out some of the older churches there especilally the ones down town, very beautiful.

By the way you have to get to Chester’s hamburger place just off base if they are still open. The best Hamburger’s I’ve ever had. For a good big steak you can’t beat the Hungry Farmer up the street. And you have to try Bill Miller’s Barbeque. The day Bill Miller BBQ closes will be a sad, sad day in Texas history!! The flags will be at half-staff, and there will be mourning and weeping in stomachs all over the world! But no guarantee any of those places are still in business, I haven’t been there for a long time.

 

[bluerose]

Oh, my, yes, Bill Miller’s is GREAT!!! And I don’t think it’s going anywhere, I think there are like 20 locations in the SA area. Try Rudy’s also (touted as “the worst barbecue in Texas”… after all, with so many “bests”, how bad can the “worst” be???)

 

[gloria97000]

The Catholic churches in San Antonio all have very different styles and strengths. Take a good look around! We attended several and found great community, orthodoxy, and welcome of children at St George Maronite. The traditios are different but beautiful.

 

[arielsima]

St. Pius X, located just north of Fort Sam Houston, and inside Loop 410, has a Latin Mass on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. I believe that at the present time it is the only parish in the diocese of San Antonio that has the Tridentine Latin Mass .

 

[ianraygor]

Hello,

Hopefully you’ve already found a parish, but I thought I’d give my 2 cents…but really just confirming things which have already been posted. I moved to SAT in Aug 08, work on RAFB, and have had time to visit a few parishes. Fr Kloster offers the Mass at Pt Pius X on Wed (0700), Sat (0800), & Sun (1200) and is closer than Our Lady of the Atonement (OLA). The Mass at OLA is nice, but it’s not the Tridentine, it is an Anglican rite (1115?) in communion with the Church. They do offer the Novus Ordo in Latin at 1800. Most of the Masses I’ve attended outside these have made me cringe. I’ve heard of other more orthodox Masses available, but haven’t had a chance to check them out for myself. Hope you find this useful. Always looking to meet faithful Catholic families if you all ever have the time: ianraygor.net

In Christ,

Ian

 

[Trick]

Schertz, Texas is not far from Randolph. There is a new high school opening up in August of this year (2009).
It looks like it is going to be a great school .
Check out their website :

John Paul II Catholic High School
Schertz,Texas

www.johnpaul2chs.org

Trick

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I am posting this here because most of the thread members seem to in the SA area.

I am need of some help, at the moment. Please PM me regarding the issue. Danke.

 

[DebChris]

Although I was born in San Antonio, I left when I was thirteen months old. My father was in the Army.
When my mother died, I sent part of my unexpected inheritance to The Church of the Little Flower. In a conversation about what she would do if she ever won the lottery (which she never played), she had replied that she would use the winnings to sandblast the statue of St. Therese of Liseux that is a part of the church. The congregation is mostly Hispanic.
During the last years of her life, she lived a couple of blocks from St. Gregory’s.
St. Fredrick’s is an old German church near the Alamo.
My brother took me to some of the old missions the last time I visited.

 

[benedictgal]

Actually, the German Church next to the Alamo is St. Joseph’s, commonly referred to as St. Joske’s because the parish refused to sell the church to the Riverwalk developers. The mall wraps around the Church. I’ve been to daily Mass there and I enjoyed it.

St. Francesco di Paola, the littlte Italian church to the north of downtown San Antonio is lovely. My father and I went to Mass there on our way back to Laredo on a Saturday evening. Needless to say, the parish is still very much Italian and we felt at home.

The Cathedral is okay, but, there are some liturgical quirks I was not too keen when they had the piano playing during the Eucharistic prayer.

Our Lady of the Atonement does have one very interesting feature. Mother Angelica’s Poor Clares are down there now.

One great restaurant whose fate I am uncertain about is Malik’s Phamous Philly Sandwiches. Malik Rose, a former Spur (now a New Orleans Hornet) owned the restaurant. It served the best Philly subs.

I agree with the Bill Miller observation. It will be a sad day when that place close. Laredo is still in mourning, but, we got Rudy’s. To the OP, you are close to New Braunfels. If you want a real treat, go to Gruene (exit 190) and eat at the Gristmill. You will really enjoy the experience.

 

[DebChris]

Actually, the German Church next to the Alamo is St. Joseph’s, commonly referred to as St. Joske’s because the parish refused to sell the church to the Riverwalk developers. The mall wraps around the Church. I’ve been to daily Mass there and I enjoyed it.

St. Francesco di Paola, the littlte Italian church to the north of downtown San Antonio is lovely. My father and I went to Mass there on our way back to Laredo on a Saturday evening. Needless to say, the parish is still very much Italian and we felt at home.

The Cathedral is okay, but, there are some liturgical quirks I was not too keen when they had the piano playing during the Eucharistic prayer.

Our Lady of the Atonement does have one very interesting feature. Mother Angelica’s Poor Clares are down there now.

One great restaurant whose fate I am uncertain about is Malik’s Phamous Philly Sandwiches. Malik Rose, a former Spur (now a New Orleans Hornet) owned the restaurant. It served the best Philly subs.

I agree with the Bill Miller observation. It will be a sad day when that place close. Laredo is still in mourning, but, we got Rudy’s. To the OP, you are close to New Braunfels. If you want a real treat, go to Gruene (exit 190) and eat at the Gristmill. You will really enjoy the experience.

Thanks for the correction. Having the wrong name shows how often I was able to visit. I am familiar with the nickname and the story. A visit to the Alamo meant going to the German church as well.
The last time I visited, my brother took me to the other old missions instead.
I was baptized in St. Cecilia’s. My cousin attended St. Mary’s College which is two blocks from the last place that my grandmother lived.

 

[pnewton]

When my mother died, I sent part of my unexpected inheritance to The Church of the Little Flower. .

A beautiful shrine. Well worth the visit, though I know little of the parish. It was my in-laws parish.

Schertz, Texas is not far from Randolph. There is a new high school opening up in August of this year (2009).

Also, let me add a shameless plug for OLPH in Selma, minutes from Randolph. They got the greatest deacon. If you see Jacques, tell him you heard about it first here.

archsa.org/Gallery/images/class08temp/Abat.asp

 

[Trick]

Just a little update on the new Catholic high school in the Randolf AFB area,
John Paul II Catholic is now entering it’s 3rd year, it’s a great school, check out it’s web-site www.johnpaul2chs.org

The school’s mascot is the Guardians.
In 2010 George Weigel received the school’s first annual Guardian award for his devotion and support of our Catholic faith.
This September 2011, Karl Keating will receive this prestigeos honor.

If you know of child in the area have them check out the school and possbly enroll.

 

[pnewton]

Just a little update on the new Catholic high school in the Randolf AFB area,
John Paul II Catholic is now entering it’s 3rd year, it’s a great school, check out it’s web-site www.johnpaul2chs.org

The school’s mascot is the Guardians.
In 2010 George Weigel received the school’s first annual Guardian award for his devotion and support of our Catholic faith.
This September 2011, Karl Keating will receive this prestigeos honor.

If you know of child in the area have them check out the school and possbly enroll.

It sounds great. Thank you for the link. My wife went to OLQP down the street, but that was a long time ago. Their choice of speakers bodes well for this new school.

FYI - My FIL is now serving St. John Newman just a little SW of Schertz, closer to San Antonio. He actually was able to serve as deacon at St. Peter’s (Rome) last month for AB Sartan.

 

[Trick]

OLPH school in Selma is one of the prime feeder schools to JPII along with Sts. Peter & Paul (New Braunfels),St. James (Seguin) and St. Monica (Converse) .
The school I believe has several students from St.John Newman parish also.

 

[Trick]

Congratulations to Karl Keeting for receiving the 2nd Annual Guardian award ,last night, succeeding George Weigel, from John Paul II Catholic High School (San Antonio Area). Well Deserved !

Trick

 

[hwriggles4]

It’s been a long time since I lived in San Antonio, but from what I have heard, I would highly recommend Our Lady of the Atonement.

I would recommend attending the base chapel at Randolph AFB, but off base you would probably have to “shop” a little. I once attended a parish not far from Lackland AFB, and it was somewhat watered down, but I can’t remember the name. Back in those days, I was a “one hour Catholic”.

I would have to ask around to see what is available by the Medical Center, near Babcock and I-10. Years ago, I had a girlfriend who attended St. Luke’s, close to Callaghan Road and I-410. I had a college friend who attended Prince of Peace (he worked at SWRI), which I believe is not very far from Helotes.

When I went to St. Mary’s University (I’m old - mid to late 1980’s I was there), we had three Sunday Masses on campus. A more traditional Mass was in Assumption Chapel (building was built circa 1906) at 11:00 a.m. There was a 10 p.m. Sunday night Mass that the students dubbed “the Gucci Mass” to see what everyone was wearing. We also stood during the consecration, and did our share of “huggy-kissy” at the sign of peace (nowadays, I think why? - I didn’t know any better back then). Also, I don’t know if a 10 p.m. Sunday evening Mass is a valid time, but that’s another issue. I do know a Saturday Vigil cannot take place until after 4 p.m.

I always felt San Antonio people were very friendly, and I did enjoy my social time at St. Mary’s University.

 

[djforce888]

I am moving to Randolph AFB next month and I can’t believe this old thread popped up. What I am gathering is that San Antonio has a fairly strong Catholic community and there are plenty of Churches to choose. Now to find one for single 22 year olds…

 

[Nanny_PK]

I am moving to Randolph AFB next month and I can’t believe this old thread popped up. What I am gathering is that San Antonio has a fairly strong Catholic community and there are plenty of Churches to choose. Now to find one for single 22 year olds…

My sister and her family live at Randolph, and I will say their base priest is fabulous!!! (Right now he’s deployed so might have to wait a bit for him to get back.) I’ve been to Mass on base several times, and it was great. One Saturday evening we had to go off base because Father Sean was doing some pre-deployment paperwork and they weren’t offering the Saturday vigil Mass (and I was “kidnapping” my niece for a birthday date on Sunday morning) and we attended the church near base, and I really enjoyed the priest there as well – cannot remember the name of the parish, but it was about 20 minutes off base.

Hope that little two cents helps

 

[pnewton]

My FIL has is a deacon and moved to the parish in Schertz a year ago. If you bump into him, make sure to let him know you are an Aggie. He is a solidly orthodox Catholic and all around great guy.

He is hard to miss, not because he is a little rotund, but he is the only one with a French accent. His wife is so thick with Tennessee that I often wonder how they ever understood each other.

 

[hwriggles4]

Now then, froggie- This is more than a questor who can’t use a search engine. Some parishes look great on a web site, but hey, I can look great on a web site, too. There is NOTHING like first-hand knowledge of a region, maybe a PM with a name or two of somebody someplace new, to make a person feel at home.

It’s called being hospitable. It esp. applies to military families, who DESERVE all the help we can give them. Those of us who took the time to serve our country (be it USA, Canada, Australia) KNOW the base chapel does not always have best program.

There are several parishes of which I know in San Antonio, as Uncle Sam thought it was a good place to place me. And I can tell you that, while I will not name those parishes out in the open (anybody can PM me, though, and I will be happy to “out” them privately), there are some really good parishes that should be recommended for their fine work.

Honestly, this is something I am picky about too, mostly when I travel. MassTimes.org or a hotel clerk can give you an address and a location, but that’s about it. In a larger city, it’s more feasible to do a 20 minute drive (or walk or take the bus) to a different parish where you will find more orthodoxy. When I stay in downtown Philadelphia, I have quite a few choices, and I’ve been there so many times I know where to go. Arlington (Virginia), as well as Houston (TX) and Dallas (TX) are other places where there are many choices.

In Kansas City, I drove to Our Lady of Good Counsel, and it was worth the 30 minutes it took to get there. I was glad I knew a little about the parish ahead of time.

Smaller places it’s a little different. I was pleasantly surprised when a hotel clerk directed my mom and I to a 9:00 a.m. Mass in Asheville, North Carolina. A very reverent Mass. Other times though, you end up fulfilling your Sunday obligation, but you get the “watered down” (I attended a watered down Mass in Honolulu years ago on vacation).

There are times if I go with a relative it’s more of a “take what you can get”. If an aunt goes to a “watered down” church, well, you can stand it one or two Sundays as a visitor.

I have two brothers who attend a parish where the congregation has transformed for the better. I attribute much of the positive transformation over the past 10 years to the church leadership, the ACTS retreat, a new director of Adult Faith Formation, a new pastor, and a new sanctuary.

I’ll have to check out St. Pius X and Our Lady of the Atonement the next time I visit San Antonio. There’s also a parish close to the Riverwalk.