Mission, Texas

MISSION, Texas Then and now This page is sponsored by (click to find out)

Hidden away in the Texas mesquite, a few miles south of Mission on Conway, is the tiny La Lomita chapel. Within it's silent walls are tales ripe with excitement and adventure....and legends filled with all the flame of the fabulous Southwest and her Oblate missionaries, those men of God who rode so hard and so far for Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

So, saddle up, stranger, as we ride back through time, and trace the saga of the Oblate Fathers and a little chapel.

Back in 1849, in the glittering, maddening days of the God Rush, the first Oblates of Mary Immaculate landed in Texas. With sleeves rolled up, they immediately set to work to search out and care for the poor of the poor. God's forgotten people along the Rio Grande and across Texas and Mexico. They brought the loving fire of their Founder's message: 'Preach the Gospel to the poorest and most abandoned souls'. this they did - so much so that today it is largely due to the apostolic work of the Oblates that the spark of Faith has been kept glowing in the formerly spiritual arid Southwest.

About the turn of the century the Oblate Fathers had organized the Cavalry of Christ posse, and had established headquarters in Brownsville and Roma. The rendezvous spot where the priests would frequently meet was in a small hill near the Rio Grande, called by the old-timers "La Lomita" - the little Hill. It it was decided to build an outpost at that picturesque spot. A hard riding priest, Father F. Bugnard, the horseman who "never opened a fence, but took them all jumping" began to build this little Oblate mission, erected with stones hewn from the hill itself. He was aided by Father R. Pescheur and two Oblate Lay Brothers. The La Lomita chapel was on the main artery of the missions. After riding for perhaps weeks, with many nights of sleeping in the open, the tired missionary priest would arrive at this haven.

Other buildings were added and a tiny mission village soon nestled near the chapel. But when the newly-arrived railroad by-passed the Mission of La Lomita, the golden era of the little chapel faded.....The iron Horse established a station about three miles away, and out of deference to the brave mission and it's Oblate Missionaries, the new town was called Mission, Texas.

Today Mission is one of the most popular destinations for retirees from all over the USA and Canada and an excellent gateway for tours to Mexico.

Other Rio Grande Valley towns and Cities Alamo · Brownsville · Donna · Edinburg · Harlingen · Los Fresnos · McAllen · Pharr Port Isabel · Port Mansfield · Raymondville · Rio Hondo · San Benito · San Juan South Padre Island · Weslaco Towns across the Border Matamoros · Progresso · Reynosa