At 6907 Kitchener Street in northwest San Antonio, St. Brigid Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish centered on bilingual worship, collaborative leadership and service. Founded in 1972, it is known for its Saturday vigil, Spanish and English Sunday Masses, noon Mass from Tuesday through Friday, and many ministries for prayer, formation and charitable work.
Saturday Vigil, Sunday Mass and Midweek Worship
St. Brigid's weekend pattern begins with the 5:00 p.m. Saturday vigil. Sunday worship continues at 8:00 a.m. in Spanish, followed by English Masses at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Daily Mass is celebrated in the sanctuary at noon from Tuesday through Friday. Confessions are offered Wednesday and Thursday from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m., with Father Gilberto meeting worshippers in the church.
The Saturday Mass is livestreamed through St. Brigid's Facebook livestream and remains available afterward. Recorded Masses can also be watched through the church's YouTube channel without a YouTube account.
St. Brigid understands each liturgical celebration as a time for the community to worship, give praise and thanksgiving, and be nourished by the Word of God and the Body of Christ. The Eucharist is described as the source of strength and the center of parish life. The bilingual choir ministers at the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass, while a contemporary choir serves the parish's other principal Masses.
Hospitality continues after the 8:00 a.m. liturgy at Café y Pan Dulce, a bilingual gathering for reflections on the Sunday readings, Catholic traditions and fellowship. Participants may share a favorite dish or tradition. Coffee Fellowship also gathers in the Narthex after the 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday Masses under the motto There are no strangers here, only friends we have not met.
Prayer and Adoration Around the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is open Monday through Friday for personal prayer and Eucharistic adoration. Its worship space includes eight chairs and two kneelers. Visitors may draw on the prayers of the Church, spend time in meditation or listen to music with earphones. The parish library provides additional resources for prayer and reflection.
Family Holy Hour is held Thursday at 7:00 p.m. with song, prayer, adoration and Benediction. Weekly perpetual adorers can devote one hour to prayer in the chapel. The Divine Mercy Ministry meets there on the first Thursday of each month from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. On the second Sunday of each month, the Guadalupana Society prays the rosary after the 8:00 a.m. Mass. Dedications may also mark a birthday, anniversary, baptism or the memory of a loved person through altar flowers, candles, the Presence Lamp or a Mass intention.
From St. Luke Parish Annex to a Sanctuary of Its Own
St. Brigid began on September 13, 1972, when Father Peter McKenna was appointed pastor of a community then known as St. Luke Parish Annex. A house on Stable Street became the first rectory. The first Mass was celebrated at John Marshall High School and drew 175 people. On November 1, Archbishop Francis J. Furey officially established St. Brigid as the Archdiocese of San Antonio's 155th parish. It counted 120 families by Christmas Eve. Weekly Sunday Mass was initially celebrated at Methodist Mission Home until the Community Worship Center was completed in May 1976.
Father McKenna's original vision emphasized broad involvement, ownership by the people and service rather than buildings alone. The first parishioners also established a strong tradition of stewardship, supporting the parish through tithing rather than relying primarily on fundraisers. In October 1985, St. Brigid became the first parish officially designated for Collaborative Ministries. Father Tom Flanagan became pastor and Sister Dorothea O'Meara served as pastoral administrator. A Vision Committee initiated in 1987 brought the parish community together in an assembly that concluded the process in 1988.
Monsignor Tom Flanagan became an auxiliary bishop in 1998 and remained pastor through May of that year, after which Father Leslie A. Vance succeeded him. Groundbreaking for a new sanctuary took place in 2000, and the completed sanctuary was dedicated with a special Mass in 2002. St. Brigid marked its 40th anniversary in October 2012 with many ministries serving both parishioners and the wider San Antonio community. Father Stuart Juleen, the fourth pastor, was installed in 2010 and brought an emphasis on service to people who are hearing-impaired.
Father Gilberto Vallejo arrived in July 2019. Born in Nueva Rosita, Mexico, he was ordained in 2002, served as pastor of St. Andrew in Pleasanton for 12 years and earned a degree in canon law from the Pontifical University of Mexico. He emphasizes the Church as the Body of Christ, with structure, shared leadership and a place for the gifts of every baptized person. Stewardship, he explains, includes the use of time and talents as well as financial support.
Collaborative Ministry and a Shared Sense of Mission
St. Brigid sees itself as a priestly and prophetic people willing to accept change in order to witness Christ in the modern world. Its identity is not limited to the parish itself but includes a responsibility to reach beyond its boundaries as a servant to God's people. The community understands itself as a pilgrim people whose worship and gatherings deepen its life in the Gospel.
Pastoral leadership follows a Collaborative Ministries, or Team Ministry, model. The pastoral team shares responsibility and accountability with parishioners who are called to use their individual gifts in the life of the Church. This shared mission is rooted in loving God, neighbors and oneself, while also recognizing people as stewards of creation and of the time, talents and treasure entrusted to them.
The parish directs five percent of every collection to an Outreach Program serving people in need within the parish family and the larger community. Parish finances are likewise understood as part of stewardship, and online giving is available for that support.
Faith Formation from Pre-K Through Adult Discipleship
Children in Pre-K through 8th grade meet for faith formation on Sunday from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m., with Mass available before or after class. A Spanish session for grades 1 through 4 meets Sunday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Another Pre-K through 8th grade class meets Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. High school faith formation and Confirmation preparation meet Sunday from 2:00 to 3:15 p.m. Catechetical sessions follow the September through May school year and are taught by volunteer catechists using materials required by the Archdiocese.
Faith formation scholarships are available on request for children from Pre-K 4 through 12th grade. Vacation Bible School is a weeklong June program for parish families and guests, combining educational and recreational activities with Catholic faith content. Children preparing for sacraments are invited to participate during their second registered year in faith formation, with parents and guardians sharing responsibility for sacramental preparation at home.
St. Brigid seeks to include children with disabilities in regular classroom, liturgical and social settings whenever possible. Adaptive materials are available for home preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist, and additional Confirmation materials can be provided. The Greater Needs Program offers comprehensive formation and sacramental preparation for people who cannot receive traditional instruction.
Adult formation extends through several continuing rhythms:
- Faith Circles meet Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in McKenna Room 206 to reflect on Sunday Scripture and nurture faith relationships. Spanish-language circles are also offered.
- Small Christian Communities bring together six to 12 people in homes for Scripture, fellowship and discussion of responding to Christian life in the small community, the parish and the wider Church.
- The Learning Well offers Wednesday evening and Thursday morning classes during the spring and fall, using Catholic Bible materials and the Great Adventure series to place weekly readings within the larger story of Scripture.
- Tuesday Morning Bible Study generally meets from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. for shared discussion of the upcoming Sunday readings.
- Writing With Angels gathers Wednesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for creative writing, faith sharing and supportive feedback.
OCIA is offered for adults and children. The adult process serves unbaptized people, baptized Christians seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, and baptized Catholics needing Confirmation or Eucharist. Inquiry begins with an informal interview, followed by catechesis, periodic reflection and rites that mark progress. The yearly cycle begins in late August or early September, with Sunday classes and several Saturday reflections. Children not baptized Catholic who are at least seven years old follow a two-year OCIA process that leads to Baptism or Profession of Catholic Faith, Confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.
Alpha is a 12-week course built around video presentations and small-group discussions of life and faith. Dinner and childcare are provided, and there is no fee. ACTS retreats offer a weekend focused on Adoration, Community, Theology and Service, while retreat and days of reflection are also offered for individuals and families.
Sacramental Life and Parish Celebrations
Sacramental preparation at St. Brigid is connected to worship, family life and service in the wider community.
- Infant Baptism: The church welcomes children from birth through age six. Baptism is generally celebrated after the second Sunday 12:30 p.m. Mass. Parents, godparents or sponsors attend a preparation session, godparents must be at least 16 and have received the sacraments of Christian initiation, and families ordinarily baptize within parish boundaries.
- First Reconciliation: Preparation is for baptized children in second grade or above. Community penance services are also held during Advent and Lent, while individual Reconciliation is offered Wednesday and Thursday each week.
- First Eucharist: Children in second grade or above prepare during their second year of faith formation after receiving First Reconciliation. The Eucharist is also celebrated for Quinceañeras, weddings, funerals, memorial Masses, retreats and organizational events.
- Confirmation: Youth generally begin preparation in 10th grade or above after Baptism, First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Adults already baptized and receiving First Eucharist can participate in spring Confirmation sessions.
- Matrimony: Both people must be 18, and pastoral preparation begins at least six months before the planned wedding. The priest or deacon works with couples on readings, music and ceremonial arrangements. Flower petals, rice, confetti and bird seed are not permitted on parish property.
- Anointing and Holy Orders: The Anointing of the Sick, Communion and Reconciliation are available through the parish's care ministries. Deacons assist bishops and priests in ministry, service and charity, while the Church also welcomes people considering priestly or diaconal vocation.
Children and Youth Take Part in the Parish Mission
Kids Day Out serves children ages 2 through 5 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during the school year, with a similar program during July. Qualified teachers and helpers lead educational, recreational, creative, musical, religious and quiet-time activities in a Christian setting designed to support children and their families.
J.A.M., Jesus and Mission, meets weekly and gives junior and senior high school youth a place for talks, dynamic music, mini-retreats, monthly Friday gatherings and lock-ins. A weeklong summer mission project combines social justice learning with community service across San Antonio. Teen ACTS retreats focus on Adoration, Community, Theology and Service, while Teen Alpha uses the 12-week video and discussion format. Youth Night gathers every Wednesday for conversation, activities and faith. An annual Vocations Mass on a Sunday evening gives youth and young adults an opportunity to question religious brothers and sisters from the Archdiocese.
The Catholic Youth Organization offers sports for children ages 4 through 14. Baseball, basketball, soccer, t-ball, volleyball and track emphasize friendly competition, good sportsmanship, Catholic values and adult role models. The youth ministry also works with the parish's broader social and service efforts.
Young adults ages 18 through 29 meet every other Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. They take part in Small Christian Communities, parish events, Homecoming, youth functions and Habitat for Humanity. Their Alpha course uses the same 12-week format of presentations, conversations, dinner and childcare offered to adults and teens.
Music for Every Age, From Young Voices to the Orchestra
Music is an important part of St. Brigid's worship, and participation does not depend on formal audition or the ability to read music. The bilingual choir rehearses Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. and ministers at the 8:00 a.m. Mass, Christmas Eve and other solemnities. The contemporary choir rehearses Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. and serves the Saturday and English Sunday Masses as well as Christmas, Easter and special liturgies.
Other ensembles include Legacy Hand Bells for musicians age 10 and older, the St. Brigid Orchestra for experienced string, wind and percussion players, and Young Voices for singers ages 6 through 18 with basic reading skills. Young Voices sing at the 10:30 Mass on the final Sunday of each month, while the orchestra and choirs also supply music for parish musicals and special occasions.
Performing Arts invites children, teens and adults to act, sing, dance or work behind the scenes on Christmas and Easter musicals. Parishioners may also serve as greeters, readers, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, sound operators, sacristans, altar-care ministers, linen-care volunteers or art and environment ministers. These roles make the work of preparing and celebrating the weekly and special liturgies a shared responsibility.
Service That Extends Beyond Sunday Worship
The St. Vincent de Paul Society provides emergency food, clothing and financial assistance through person-to-person service. Its annual activities include a Thanksgiving food drive, an Advent Sharing Tree, a baby-shower drive for young unwed mothers choosing life for their unborn children and a summer school-supply drive. The conference meets monthly, and its assistance office is open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan Knights of Columbus Council 11596 funds parish youth scholarships and supports youth and parish projects through fundraisers, archdiocesan and national charities, and events such as Homecoming. The Catholic Ladies' Society supports spiritual and charitable growth, awards high school scholarships and sponsors the parish pancake breakfast and baked-good sales. Its membership is open to women over 18.
Other longstanding groups add a social dimension to parish life. Young at Heart welcomes people over 50 for games, fellowship and a noon potluck on the first Thursday of each month. Matachines adults and youth perform traditional religious dance at major feast days and parish celebrations. The Guadalupana Society builds devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe through the bilingual 8:00 a.m. Mass, the monthly rosary, adoration and special activities.
Support ministries are open to parishioners and the wider community. Alcoholics Anonymous meets Monday nights at 8:00 p.m.; bereavement education and support can be arranged as needs arise; Career Transformation Ministry uses Scripture-informed guidance for resumes, networking and interviews; and Disability Advocacy Ministry works to keep people with disabilities included in parish formation and community life.
St. Brigid's Laudato Si' Ministry focuses on ecological stewardship, environmental justice and sustainable action. Its goals include reducing fossil-fuel use, protecting biodiversity, defending vulnerable communities, encouraging ethical consumption and simpler lifestyles, expanding ecological education and connecting care for creation with prayer and action. The ministry encourages participation in local and global efforts for the environment.
Bilingual worship, team leadership, lifelong formation and practical service remain connected at St. Brigid Catholic Church. Its Saturday and Sunday Masses, weekday prayer, youth programs, adult faith communities, sacramental life and outreach ministries form one parish life centered on prayer, shared responsibility and service to God and neighbor.