St. Matthew Parish was first known as Holy Apostles Mission, an outreach of St. Patrick Cathedral. The first mass was held in the Fire Station. Each Sunday morning parishioners had to push the fire truck out of the fire house, go to Cathedral, load up chairs and all sacred vessels, set up for mass and after mass, while enjoying coffee and doughnuts, load up and make the return trip to Cathedral. In 1953, Mr. and Mrs. Arturo Ortiz, Sr. offered the use of an air-cooled room in their cotton brokerage office for mass where furnishings did not have to be moved each Sunday. This was the first semi-permanent home for the community of Holy Apostles. In September, 1953, the Diocese purchased property at 4647 Emory. Col. Chester Rowland, father of Fr. Roland, made all the sanctuary furniture. Bishop Harold Henry, friend of the Rowland family from Columbia, blessed the chapel. Eileen Blake, wife of Robert Blake, the Baptist agent through whom the Emory property was purchased, made all the vestments. Tom Love, owner of the local baseball team, the El Paso Texans, became involved and put together a choir. Between 1956 and 1961, the property on Emory was sold and the present seven acres on Sunset belonging to Arturo and Maureen Ortiz became the home of Holy Apostles, newly named St. Matthew Parish. Fr. James Payne was the first official pastor and under his leadership the original church and parish hall were built with the understanding that a school would soon be constructed. The first mass in St. Matthew church was celebrated by Fr. Payne on Easter Sunday, 1960. St. Matthew Parish is now under the direction of Msgr. David G. Fierro and continues to serve the spiritual needs of El Paso’s Upper Valley and West Side. Please contact the parish office (915) 584-3461 for more information.
MASS TIMES
Sunday Liturgy
Saturday – 4:30 p.m.
Sunday – 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. (English)
12:00 p.m. (Spanish)
1:30 p.m. (English)
Weekday Liturgy
Monday-Friday: 6:30 a.m. During Lent and Advent Only
Mass - Monday - Friday; 9:00 A.M.
RECONCILIATION:
Saturday: 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Children’s School Mass
Thursday – 9:00 a.m.
Recitation of the Rosary
Weekly (see monthly calendar)
Adoration
First Friday of the Month
Stations of the Cross
Fridays during Lent
6:00-7:00 p.m.
Parish Website