The Mother Church of the Diocese of Tyler
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception stands at the corner of South Broadway in downtown Tyler, Texas, where it has been the Catholic anchor of East Texas since its dedication on St. Patrick's Day, 1935. The parish itself is older than the building: it was established in 1878 as part of the Diocese of Galveston, when a small band of Catholics who had arrived with the railroads pooled their resources to build a wooden frame church near West Locust and North College. By 1987, with the creation of the Diocese of Tyler, the parish was designated the chief church of the new diocese and took on the title of Cathedral.
Today the parish is a community of about 4,000 families spread across two worship sites. The Cathedral itself, a Spanish-style structure reminiscent of the Catholic heritage of Texas, sits in the heart of the city, while the Chapel of Sts. Peter & Paul, dedicated by Bishop Alvaro Corrada on December 8, 2011, serves the growing Catholic population on the east side at 1435 ESE Loop 323.
Mass Across Three Languages
The Cathedral parish is unusually multilingual. At the Cathedral on South Broadway, the weekend schedule begins with the Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:30 p.m. and continues on Sunday with Masses at 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and a 12 p.m. Mass in Spanish. A Vietnamese Mass is celebrated at 5 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month. Daily Masses at the Cathedral run Monday through Friday at 7 a.m., with an additional Spanish Mass on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m., and a Saturday morning Mass at 8:30 a.m.
At the Chapel of Sts. Peter & Paul, a daily Mass is offered Monday through Friday at 12:05 p.m. The Saturday Vigil is at 4:30 p.m., and three Sunday Masses follow at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 6 p.m.
Confession and Adoration
The sacrament of Reconciliation is heard at the Cathedral on Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays at three sessions: 9 to 10 a.m., 4 to 5:15 p.m., and 6:30 to 7 p.m. At the Chapel of Sts. Peter & Paul, confessions are heard on Fridays from 11 to 11:45 a.m. Priests are also available by appointment through the parish office for emergencies; the after-hours sacramental emergency line is 903-279-7886.
Eucharistic Adoration is a daily rhythm at the Chapel of Sts. Peter & Paul, with the Blessed Sacrament exposed Sunday from 7 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday from 4 a.m. to midnight, and Saturday from 6 a.m. to noon. Once a month, on the third Friday, a Candlelight Rosary draws the community together before the Blessed Sacrament, with sacred music, the opportunity for confession during Exposition, and Compline at the close.
Sacraments of Initiation and Marriage
The Cathedral prepares children, youth, and adults for each of the seven sacraments. For children under seven, Infant Baptism is scheduled once families are registered, complete a baptism class, and submit the baptism and godparent forms. The Diocese of Tyler practices the restored order of the sacraments of initiation, meaning that Confirmation and First Eucharist are typically celebrated together for children age seven and up, after systematic faith formation and sacramental workshops.
Adults who have never been baptized, those baptized in another Christian tradition, and fully initiated Catholics looking to deepen their faith are welcomed into the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA), which meets in English on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Cathedral Center, and in Spanish on Thursday evenings in the Cathedral Center as RICA.
Marriage preparation is laid out as a nine-to-twelve-month process. Engaged couples meet with the priest, complete a Prepare Enrich or FOCCUS assessment, choose a mentor couple through the Witness to Love program, plan their wedding liturgy with the parish's music directors, attend a Three to Get Married retreat, and complete a Natural Family Planning course through the St. Philip Institute before the final meeting and rehearsal.
Faith Formation for Children and Teens
Family Catechesis meets every Wednesday evening from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. In addition to the weekly classes, families attend monthly Sacramental Workshops together, since the Diocese teaches that formal catechesis is only effective when the Catholic faith is lived at home.
Unbaptized children and youth ages 7 to 17 prepare for Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation, and First Eucharist through the Christian Initiation for Children track, which combines the Wednesday Family Catechesis sessions with the same monthly sacramental workshops.
Youth and College
Immaculate Conception Youth Ministry, or ICY, is the parish's outreach to middle and high school students. Middle school students in sixth grade and above gather as Edge on Wednesday nights in Samperi Hall in the Cathedral basement, while high school students gather as Life Teen, also in Samperi Hall. The program pairs Scripture study with a focus on the Eucharist, social nights, and service opportunities, welcoming students of any faith from any school.
For Catholic college students in Tyler, the St. John Paul II Catholic College Campus Ministry, or JP2, hosts weekly and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Bible studies, Sunday social dinners, retreats, conferences, and service opportunities. The JP2 community is open to students of all faiths from colleges across the Tyler area.
Troops of St. George, a fraternal apostolate for priests, men, and boys, has a local chapter that combines outdoor adventure with formation in virtue.
Hispanic Ministries
The Spanish-speaking life of the parish is rich and varied. Lectors proclaim the Word at the Thursday evening 7 p.m. Mass and at the Sunday noon Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist serve at the same liturgies and meet monthly for formation. Altar servers, called monaguillos, are children who have received their First Communion and Confirmation and are invited to serve alongside the priests.
Three choirs form the musical heart of the Hispanic community: the Coro Hispano rehearses on Mondays from 6:30 to 8 p.m., the Coro de Colores gathers on Tuesday evenings (with the exception of the second Tuesday) from 7 to 8 p.m. in the basement, and the Coro San Juan rehearses on Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m. in the basement. A separate Cursillo de Cristiandad community meets on Thursdays beginning with the 7 p.m. Mass and continuing with a gathering in the basement. The Ministerio Marian coordinates Marian activities of the parish, including the annual feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Forty-Six Rosaries, and a Charismatic Renewal group, Grupo de Oración Cristo Rey, meets on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. in Cathedral Center Room 3. The Danza Azteca Nonatzin Coatlaxopeuh evangelizes through traditional dance, presenting each dance as a prayer.
Music at the Cathedral and the Chapel
Two distinct music programs serve the two worship sites. At the Cathedral, the choir rehearses on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and sings primarily at the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass, with cantors and instrumentalists serving other liturgies throughout the year. At the Chapel of Sts. Peter & Paul, the musicians rehearse on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and gather before each Mass, with a separate 6 p.m. Mass Ensemble that meets at 5 p.m. on Sundays. Both programs are open to new members and to those who would like to be considered as cantors.
Scripture Study, Prayer, and Faith Life
Scripture study is a regular offering for adults. A Women's Scripture Study meets on Tuesday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon in the Cathedral Center, and an open Scripture Study gathers on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. A Young Adult Bible Study, for those ages 21 to 35, meets on Wednesdays: the men at the Foundry Coffee House at 6:30 p.m. and the women at 7 p.m. at a member's home.
Two parish-based apostolates extend the reach of the parish. Kindling the Catholic Faith is an online Catholic book club hosted on Facebook, with reading assignments, written discussions, and live videos chosen by the group. St. Paul Street Evangelization goes out into public spaces around Tyler, handing out rosaries, holy cards, and medals and listening, talking, and praying with those they meet. The Legion of Mary meets every Friday from 10 a.m. to noon in the Cathedral Center and is open to Catholic men and women who want to serve the parish and those in need in the spirit of Our Lady.
Two family-focused groups round out the parish's adult life. Mothers in Christ supports women in every stage and age of motherhood through faith formation, social events, and acts of charitable service. Teams of Our Lady enriches married couples through prayer, friendship, and mutual support in the vocation of marriage.
Reaching Out to Those in Need
The Cathedral's social mission is anchored in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The parish's SVdP chapter operates a Food Pantry at 410 South College Avenue that distributes a month of groceries and free clothing to more than 650 families (almost 3,000 individuals) every month. The pantry is open Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon, on the first Monday of the month from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and on the third Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. The SVdP Thrift Store at 2001 West Erwin Street funds the food and service work, and a Wednesday Community Soup Kitchen called Feed My Lambs serves a full midday meal from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Cathedral Center.
Beyond SVdP, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Tyler, headquartered on West Front Street, brings hunger relief, disaster relief, immigration legal services, infant safe sleep education, and GED classes to East Texas. The parish's Mission of Love sends two volunteer groups a year: one to a sister parish in Saltillo, Mexico, and Casa Belen Immigrant House, in June, and another to the Dominican Republic in February to provide medical assistance, build simple homes, repair mission churches, and offer catechesis.
For those facing specific crises, the Gabriel Project East Texas provides confidential help to women in need during pregnancy, the Jail Ministry visits incarcerated men and women, the Maria Goretti Network offers support to survivors of abuse and their families on the third Saturday of each month at 7 p.m., Project Rachel provides confidential post-abortion healing, and a Ministry to the Sick and Homebound brings Holy Communion to those who cannot attend Mass. The Parish Nurse Ministry integrates faith and health through education, screenings, and referrals. St. Veronica's Compassionate Sewers make cloth articles for those in need, an apostolate that does not require sewing experience.
Schools and Formation of the Young
The Cathedral parish supports three schools. St. Gregory Cathedral School is the parish's own K-8 school, sharing its name with the adjacent St. Gregory Early Learning Center for the youngest students. Bishop Gorman Catholic School in Tyler is the other diocesan elementary and secondary school in the area, and Cathedral families are part of its community as well.
Giving, Registering, and Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to register with the parish through the parish office. Online giving is available for the General Revenue Fund, and a separate annual Commitment form is offered each year to support the parish's ministries, schools, and outreach.
The Cathedral and the Chapel of Sts. Peter & Paul are both staffed by the same team of two priests, five deacons, and a parish staff, with the Cathedral office open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.). The Cathedral building itself is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and the Chapel from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Clergy and Staff Who Lead the Parish
Very Rev. Hank Lanik serves as Rector of the Cathedral and is supported by two parochial vicars, Fr. Christopher Orajiaka and Fr. Christian Corona, and five deacons: Fred Arrambidez, Rufino Cortez, Steve Curry, Ramiro Martinez, and Hal Williams. The parish staff is led by Patrick Cunningham in business and operations, with ministry coordinators for liturgy, evangelization, baptism, marriage formation, faith formation, and music. Brian Braquet directs music at the Cathedral, and Suzanne Liles directs music at the Chapel. Trinidad Garcia leads the youth groups, and Erin Mone directs the JP2 Catholic College Campus Ministry.
From a small wooden frame church in 1878 to two worship sites serving four thousand families a century and a half later, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception remains the heart of Catholic life in East Texas, a parish shaped by its Irish, German, Lebanese, and other immigrant founders, marked by the Spanish style of its 1935 church, and fed by daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and a mission that reaches well beyond its own walls.