Parish History

St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Community can trace its beginnings to the Missionary Labors of Traveling Priests, now known as the Oblate Fathers of Mary Immaculate.  The Oblates made their home in Dickinson and served Dickinson, League City, Hitchcock, and Texas City.  Depending on the weather and the health of their horse, they would ride to these communities to say Mass on occasional Sundays.

The first Mass in Texas City was said by Fr. Edward Kelly in the home of John A. Seibert. Mass was also offered at the Tarpey, Quinn, and Craig homes and in the International Longshoreman's Hall.  Over the next 10 years, Texas City's population grew in the number of citizens and in the number of Catholic families.  The hall and private homes soon became inadequate to hold Mass.

First St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal Church Building

The first church building on Eighth Avenue North was dedicated by Bishop Gallagher in 1911. The 1,320 square foot wood frame building served parishioners of St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal until it was demolished by a hurricane in 1943. Soon after, construction began on a new church. Meanwhile, parishioners attended Our Lady of the Snows which had been serving Hispanic Catholics. On March 18, 1945, Bishop Byrne dedicated the new St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal church building, a grand, Spanish-style white stucco building at the Eighth Avenue North location.
Tragedy struck in 1947 with the massive Texas City explosion during which our Lady of the Snows was severely damaged. The new church also received some damage and was repaired. Now the tables were turned and Hispanic Catholics came to celebrate Mass at the new church. Eventually they were united as one Catholic Church for Texas City-- St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal. The current St. Mary's Church building was dedicated in 2010.