- St. Mary's University, founded in 1852 by Marianist brothers and priests, is the oldest and the largest Catholic University in Texas and the Southwest. St. Mary's is a liberal arts institution with an enrollment of just under 4, 200 and a student faculty ratio of 17 to 1. Degree programs are offered from three undergraduate schools and two graduate level schools. The University houses the only ...www.stmarytx.edu/athletics