About Holy Trinity · Dallas, Texas
Holy Trinity Catholic Parish is a Vincentian-staffed Roman Catholic parish in the Oak Lawn / Uptown neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, at 3826 Gilbert Avenue. Founded in 1905 when Bishop Edward J. Dunne invited the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian Fathers) to open a parish and a college in North Texas, it is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Dallas. The parish runs Holy Trinity Catholic School (Pre-K through 8th), a busy Food Pantry, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, faith-formation programs, and a thriving Spanish-language Mass, drawing families from across the city under the banner 'All Are Welcome.'
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
- Rector
- Fr. Milton Ryan, C.M. (since 2018)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dallas
Why belong here
Holy Trinity is one of the oldest parishes in Dallas and the spiritual home of a diverse, citywide Catholic community — from long-time Oak Lawn families to recent converts and young adults. Daily Mass and weekday confession make it a rare 'door-is-open' urban parish, while its Spanish Mass at 1 PM Sunday keeps it accessible to the Latino community of North Texas. The parish's Vincentian DNA shows up in concrete service: a busy client-choice Food Pantry that fed thousands during and after the pandemic, a robust St. Vincent de Paul conference helping neighbors with rent and utilities, and Holy Trinity Catholic School, the oldest continuously operating Catholic elementary school in the Diocese of Dallas. Add Thursday evening adoration, a strong youth ministry, an active 'Illuminate' young-adult community (ages 25–35), and a warmly welcoming pulpit, and you have a parish people drive across town to be part of.
Mass times at Holy Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Friday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- 1st Saturday of the Month — after 5:00 PM Mass
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
History & Heritage of Holy Trinity
Holy Trinity began in 1905 when Bishop Edward J. Dunne invited the Vincentian Fathers (Congregation of the Mission) to found a Catholic college and a parish on the then-rural edge of Dallas. A small frame church was built alongside Holy Trinity College, designed by architect H. A. Overbeck and completed in 1907. The Vincentians ran the University of Dallas until economic reverses forced its closure in 1926–1928, after which the college building passed to St. Joseph Orphanage for Girls and then to the Jesuits (1941), who operated Jesuit High School on the site until the early 1960s. Through it all the Vincentians have stayed, fanning out across North Texas to staff mission parishes and — once the missions matured — turning inward to serve Dallas itself. Today the parish is widely recognized as one of the oldest continuously active Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Dallas.
- 1905 – Parish founded; Fr. Patrick A. Finney, C.M., first pastor
- 1907 – H. A. Overbeck's Holy Trinity College building completed at Oak Lawn & Blackburn
- 1913 – State charters the institution as the University of Dallas
- 1926–1928 – Vincentian University of Dallas closes; campus reused
- 1939 – Parish records 800 registered families
- 1941 – Jesuits buy the campus and open Jesuit High School
- 2018 – Fr. Milton Ryan, C.M., installed as pastor
Parish Staff & Clergy
Holy Trinity is led by Vincentian priests of the Congregation of the Mission. Fr. Milton Ryan, C.M., has served as pastor since 2018; he is supported by a parochial vicar (Fr. Bemnet Melaku, C.M., reassigned outside the diocese in April 2026), Deacon Roberto Loera, and a pastoral associate for pastoral care. The parish also maintains a parish business manager, director of facilities, director of parish administration, and parish liturgy staff.
- Fr. Milton Ryan, C.M. — Pastor (since 2018)
- Fr. Bemnet Melaku, C.M. — Parochial Vicar (through April 2026)
- Fr. Michael Walsh, C.M. — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Roberto Loera — Diaconal Minister
- Elia Meyers — Pastoral Associate for Pastoral Care
Vincentian Identity & Outreach
Holy Trinity's ministries are rooted in the charism of St. Vincent de Paul and the Vincentian vow to serve the poor. The Holy Trinity Center Food Pantry operates a dignified, client-choice model three days a week, and the parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference provides direct financial assistance — rent, utilities, car payments, motel stays, even a mini-loan program for payday/title loan refugees. The parish partners with Housing Forward and other Dallas agencies to stabilize neighbors facing homelessness, mental illness or addiction.
- Holy Trinity Center Food Pantry — Tue/Thu/Sat 9 AM – noon; client-choice shopping; bilingual volunteers needed
- St. Vincent de Paul — Holy Trinity Conference; help line 214-559-0276; meetings Tuesdays 6 PM in CLC 203
- Partnership with Housing Forward and other Dallas-area service agencies
Holy Trinity Catholic School
Holy Trinity Catholic School, located at 3815 Oak Lawn Avenue, is a Pre-K through 8th-grade Catholic school and the oldest continuously operating Catholic elementary school in the Diocese of Dallas. Its mission centers on 'academic excellence focused on love, prayer, service, and leadership,' explicitly carrying the parish's Vincentian values into the classroom. The school is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Pre-K through 8th grade
- Founded in the early life of the parish; oldest continuously operating Catholic elementary school in the Diocese of Dallas
- Located at 3815 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas, TX 75219
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's School of Religious Education provides catechesis for parish children not enrolled in Holy Trinity Catholic School, walking them through Scripture, doctrine, prayer and sacrament preparation. The parish continues its long tradition of welcoming adult converts and inquirers — the parish's own history cites 50–60 conversions per year in the 1950s and 60s.
- Catechesis for children preparing for First Communion, Confirmation
- RCIA / adult initiation referenced in parish history
- Faith-based adult programs and studies
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
Holy Trinity runs a dynamic youth ministry for school-age children as well as 'Illuminate,' a young-adult community for adults aged 25–35 focused on spiritual growth, family and career development. A companion program called '17|17' builds community among young adults. The ministry frames its work around Ephesians 5:8 — 'For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.'
- Youth Programs — events nurturing young faith and Christian values
- Illuminate — ages 25–35, focused on faith, family, career
- 17|17 — community-building track for young adults
Liturgical Ministries & Pastoral Care
The parish welcomes volunteers into liturgical roles — ushers, lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, music ministers, and altar servers — as well as into pastoral-care ministries that visit the sick and homebound, accompany families through funerals, and bring the Eucharist to those who cannot attend Mass.
- Liturgical Ministries — ushers, lectors, EMHCs, music
- Pastoral Care — visits to sick and homebound, funeral ministry
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
Sacraments & Sacramental Records
Holy Trinity celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms, weddings, First Communions, confirmations, anointing of the sick and funerals are arranged through the parish office. Requests for sacrament certificates (e.g., for those already baptized) are handled by calling 214-526-8555. Funeral arrangements are coordinated through the dedicated line 214-526-6356.
- Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist (First Communion)
- Matrimony — preparation through the parish
- Reconciliation — see confession schedule
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
- Funerals — 214-526-6356
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Patrick A. Finney, C.M.1905 –
First pastor; Greek scholar who organized Holy Trinity College and the parish for Bishop Edward J. Dunne.
- Vincentian pastors (names not all publicly listed)1905–present
Holy Trinity has been continuously staffed by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian Fathers) since its founding in 1905. Successors of Fr. Finney served while the Vincentians ran Holy Trinity College (1905–1926) and staffed mission parishes across North Texas.
- Fr. Michael Walsh, C.M.pre-2018
Listed as Parochial Vicar in parish directory; details of tenure not publicly stated.
- Fr. Milton Ryan, C.M.2018 – present
Current pastor; his own conversion story began when he wandered into Holy Trinity for a weekday Mass while a non-Catholic graduate student in Dallas; ordained in Perryville, MO, 1991; previously served in Missouri, Illinois and Colorado.