By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
More than 150 people attended an open Mass at the San Felipe Golf Course on Friday in
honor of the 350th anniversary of the first recorded Catholic Mass in Texas.
The event was held near the tee box of hole number six at the golf course. Priests from several
local churches were invited to help celebrate the Mass, and Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller of
San Antonio, Texas, traveled to Del Rio to lead the Mass.
Father Jose Manuel Otaolaurruchi from Sacred Heart Catholic
Friday’s Mass in honor of the 350th anniversary of the first recorded Mass in Texas. Garcia-
Siller traveled from San Antonio to be a part of the anniversary and officiate the Mass. Garcia-
Siller said, “It was beautiful to see how the faith has been shaping the believers’ lives in (Del
Rio), Texas.”
Church was part of the Mass and
said it was put together by all local churches with the leadership of St. Joseph Church, led by
Rev. Michael Coronado.
Michael Diaz, director of the Whitehead Memorial Museum, said it was a “great turnout.”
The first recorded Mass in Texas was celebrated in 1675 on the banks of the San Felipe Creek,
near present-day Del Rio. Diaz gave a brief summary of the history of the Mass, saying that the
first recorded Mass in Texas was conducted by two key figures: the Spanish solider Fernando
del Bosque and Franciscan missionary Fray Juan Larios.
Diaz said the mass of 1675 was “the beginning of a long and transformative journey for both the
Catholic faith and the people of Texas.”
“It was on these banks that Larios with the support of Del Bosque and the local indigenous
groups, celebrated the first recorded Catholic Mass in Texas. The ceremony was not only a
religious service, but also a moment of cultural exchange, blending of Spanish, indigenous and
Christian traditions that would shape the history of the region for centuries,” Diaz said.
Local leaders, including Mayor Al Arreola, Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez and Councilman
Randy Quiñones were also in attendance. Arreola said he felt honored to be at the Mass and
announced a proclamation designating May 16, 2025, as the “350th Anniversary of the
Recorded Mass in the State of Texas.”
Garcia-Siller spoke with The 830 Times after the Mass concluded to express the joy he had
seeing people of all ages attend the Mass. He said the first recorded Mass in Texas was an
entry for many people who immigrated to the United States and many refugees who traveled to
Del Rio’s side of the border.
“Here the community is alive. The church is alive. Faith is vibrant,” Garcia-Siller said.
