A heartwarming community on the outskirts of our diocese

This pilgrimage has been the longest one yet. After leaving I-37, the road leads through meadows where cows and their calves rest peacefully in the grass. After several miles, a small settlement comes into view: Pawnee, Texas. In the center of it, just past the Elementary School, stands the Catholic Church.
 
Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission was established in 1950. The small church is beautiful and well-maintained. Originally part of Our Lady of Victory in Beeville, it is now part of Sacred Heart Parish in Three Rivers. Jose Gonzales and Sam Belyeu open the doors; both are dedicated parishioners of the Mission Church and know a lot about its history. “In the early 1920s, Mexican workers arrived here seeking Sunday Mass.” At that time, Panee was the most productive farming community, growing cotton. For many years, priests of German heritage from the Missionaries of the Holy Family, an order based in St. Louis, cared for Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1967, when farming was still thriving, the Mission had 658 registered members; today, there are around 250.
 
Fr. Ryszard Zielinski celebrates Mass every Sunday at 8:30 am. Sam Belyeu serves as the music minister. Jose Gonzales, who was born and raised in Pawnee and returned here for his retirement, crafted the ambo and altar of the church. There are only a few families with small children; religious education is provided in Three Rivers. However, the mission hosts a large Jamaica fundraiser every year in late September.
 
Pawnee, named after arrows from the Pawnee tribe found near the river, borders the Diocese of San Antonio. Kenedy, the next town to the east, is already part of the Archdiocese. The small church is well-maintained, and the parishioners put a lot of work into it. The doors are handmade with cross motifs, and new benches were installed a few years ago.
 
The parishioners are proud that their church was chosen as a Holy Site. So far, a few visitors pass by every Sunday. In February, pilgrims came for a Rosary Gathering, filling the church to the last seat.
 
If you plan your pilgrimage, you can attend the 8:30 a.m. Mass on Sundays (confessions start at 8 am). The church’s address is 14414 TX-72, Pawnee, TX 78145. You can also arrange visits by calling the parish office (361-786-3398, open on Wednesday and Thursday).
 
If you are in Pawnee, you can visit Three Rivers with its Sacred Heart Church or Choke Canyon State Park. You can also plan a stop on the way in Beeville or Mathis or at Lake Corpus Christi.