St Anthony Mary Claret Catholic Church — Local services in Castroville

This really is a beautiful parish, and the fact that they offer confession on Sundays is a huge plus as it's hard to find that. However, I do have three main critiques.

First, this statue really bothers me. Why is Christ depicted as praying to an empty cross? As Catholics, we don’t pray to the cross itself, we pray to Christ crucified. The cross, on its own, is nothing more than a historical instrument of punishment. What gives it meaning is Christ's sacrifice and His obedience to the Father. So, why would Jesus be worshipping a bare wooden cross? While I’m sure there was no malicious intent behind the design, it comes across as theologically confusing, if not outright contradictory to Catholic teaching. Frankly, it comes off extremely silly and reminiscent of Protestant beliefs.

Second, the choirs (at least at the Masses I’ve attended) tend to really draw out the music. At times, it feels more like a concert showcasing the choir than a celebration centered on the Eucharist. It’s not uncommon for the priest to be left waiting at the altar while the choir finishes a song. You'll often find yourself thinking a hymn is ending, only to be surprised when yet another verse begins. While the choirs themselves are talented, it might be worth reflecting on the purpose of liturgical music and its role in supporting, not overshadowing, the Mass.

Finally, the end of Mass announcements can often times feel like second homilies at this parish, as there is commonly multiple speakers lined up and they each have a life story to tell. I can't say this happens all the time but it happens enough that it's never a surprise.

TL;DR: Parish is great, they provide confession on Sundays, statue in the front lawn is confusing and silly, choirs tend to do too much, announcements can...

I've been going to this church for 17 years now, lots of wonderful memories, and an absolutely beautiful church. The community tends to be nice, and the services itself is very traditional, and it uses the Roman Rite.

Sometimes the priests that we have can be a little difficult to understand, as they may be from different dialects, but the homilies are very powerful, and the longer you stay, the easier it is to understand the priests.

This church does not have a crying room, so during the Mass, it can get a little loud, some of the parents do not take their children into the narthex which makes it more quiet for those participating in the Mass, but this is not a fault of the church so I do not take it as a bad thing towards them.

In Summary: It is a beautiful church, and a wonderful place that I am very proud to call my home. There are ways that we could grow, and ways that we can definitely do better. But its my home and I've been very pleased to...

This is a growing parish, that like San Antonio itself, still maintains a small town feel. The pastor is great and he takes the time to meet every new parishioner. We have watched our kids grow up at this parish's events and it is great to see it still thriving.

There are a lot of visitors to this parish and all are welcome. It is right next door to The National Shooting Complex, so on event weekends there are a lot of new faces. It is such a neat parish with a great welcoming vibe. We went in just to visit almost 20 years ago and we officially joined the parish shortly thereafter.

So, if you are just in town for a few and are looking for somewhere to attend mass, look no further and come on out. Or, if you are looking for a more permanent place to worship, then this is also a wonderful place...