About St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church · Grapevine, Texas
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is a large parish of the Diocese of Fort Worth, located at 861 Wildwood Lane in Grapevine, Texas. The parish's stated mission is 'building a church of missionary disciples in Grapevine, TX, by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and reaching the poor,' echoing the call of its patron saint to 'rebuild my Church.' Today the parish serves approximately 3,700 families and offers Mass in both English and Spanish, a robust Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, youth ministry, perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, and the parish-supported Holy Trinity Catholic School. It is led by Fr. Sojan George (appointed 2019), four deacons, and a staff that coordinates ministries from birth through adulthood.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Sojan George Puthiyaparampil
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Worth
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi offers one of the most complete parish lives in the Diocese of Fort Worth: a Sunday schedule with five Masses (including a Spanish Mass and an ASL-interpreted 10 a.m. Mass), daily Mass Monday through Friday, and perpetual Eucharistic Adoration open 6 a.m.–10 p.m. without a code. Families with children can plug into Traditional Catechesis, the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium (offered for more than 15 years and now extended to toddlers), Confirmation preparation, EDGE and high-school youth ministry, and the parish-supported Holy Trinity Catholic School. Adults can join Welcome Retreat, Stephen Ministry, Small Faith Groups, the St. Francis Outreach pantry, and ongoing formation offerings led by long-tenured staff who know the community well — a parish that still sees itself as missionary and family-oriented after 75 years.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (parish website)
- Saturday 3:30 PM (Diocese of Fort Worth parish-finder listing)
Adoration times
- Sunday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Monday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Tuesday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Wednesday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Thursday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Friday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Perpetual Adoration Oratory: open 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM without a code; overnight access (10:00 PM – 6:00 AM) requires registration as a committed adorer
History of St. Francis of Assisi Parish
St. Francis was born in 1949 from the bake sales and vision of about a dozen founding families in Grapevine, who pooled $10,000 to build the original church on Northwest Highway. After serving as a mission church staffed by a rotating roster of priests from Dallas, the parish received its first resident pastor, Fr. Charles Mulholland, in 1958. The defining chapter came in 1961 when Fr. Baltasar Szarka, O.Cist. — 'Fr. B' — was assigned as pastor and would serve for 35 years, guiding St. Francis through the Second Vatican Council, a 1983 capital campaign, and the 1985 move to the present Wildwood Lane campus.
- First Mass: last Sunday of July 1949
- Dedicated Jan. 29, 1950 by Bishop Joseph Lynch (Diocese of Dallas)
- West and east wings added to original church in 1957
- New Wildwood Lane church built 1985, dedicated by Bishop Joseph Delaney
- 75th anniversary celebrated Oct. 5, 2024 with Mass and dinner attended by 650+
Parish Mission and Patron
The parish's mission statement — 'building a church of missionary disciples by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and reaching the poor' — directly echoes St. Francis of Assisi's call from the cross at San Damiano: 'Rebuild my Church.' The parish's outreach arm, St. Francis Outreach, assists families with food, clothing, and other needs, while parish leadership emphasizes that 'missionary disciples are sent to bring the Gospel of Jesus to those who are spiritually and materially poor.'
- Patron: St. Francis of Assisi
- Feast Day: October 4
- Mission focus: missionary discipleship and service to the poor
Clergy, Deacons, and Staff
The pastoral team is led by Fr. Sojan George, a native of Kerala, India ordained in 2000 who has served in the Diocese of Fort Worth since 2002. He is assisted by four permanent deacons and a team of lay staff. Deacon Tom Bates has academic credentials spanning electrical engineering (Louisiana Tech), MBA and computer science (Texas A&M), and theology (University of Dallas); he assists with marriage preparation. Byanka Peffers serves as Business Manager.
- Rev. Sojan George Puthiyaparampil — Pastor ([email protected], ext. 226)
- Deacon Tom Bates — Marriage & Family Life ([email protected], ext. 237)
- Deacon Paul Mahoney
- Deacon Bill Johnson
- Deacon José Mateo
- Byanka Peffers — Business Manager
- Jennifer Proctor — Coordinator of Adult Faith Formation ([email protected], ext. 243)
- Sister Laura Martinez, MCSH — Hispanic Ministry & Catechesis ([email protected])
Children's Catechesis and Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Francis begins in infancy. The parish has offered the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd method for more than 15 years and recently expanded it to toddlers. Older children are served through the Traditional Classroom method in both English and Spanish (Grades 1–6), while middle and high school youth gather for age-appropriate catechesis and the Living Saints Discipleship Nights.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — atriums for infants, toddlers, and homeschoolers (Tuesdays 10:00 AM for homeschoolers)
- Traditional Catechesis (English & Spanish), Grades 1–6
- 7th & 8th grade Catechesis (English) — meets at 4:30 PM Mass, formation 5:30–7:00 PM
- 9th–12th grade Catechesis (English) — Sundays 11:15 AM – 12:45 PM
- Spanish Catequesis Buen Pastor (ages 3–6) Wednesdays 6:00–8:00 PM
- Spanish Traditional Catequesis Grades 1–6 Wednesdays 6:45–8:00 PM
- RICA for children Sundays 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Living Saints Discipleship Nights — Grades 7–12, Wed 6:00 PM Mass, 6:30–8:30 PM activities
Youth, Young Adult, and Sacramental Prep
Teen ministry at St. Francis is anchored by Confirmation preparation and the Living Saints Discipleship series, with an annual Spirit Retreat (e.g., Retreat 44, Feb. 20–22, 2026) recommended especially for those receiving Confirmation. A young-adult outreach invites 18+ parishioners into parish life and formation.
- Confirmation preparation (teen)
- Spirit Retreats (open to all high-schoolers)
- Young Adult outreach
- Contact: Marybeth Johnson, 817-481-2685 ext. 236
Adult Faith Formation and Small Groups
Adult formation is led by Jennifer Proctor, a 25-year parishioner and Nolan Catholic / UT Austin alumna. The parish offers Adult Confirmation, ongoing Bible study, small faith groups (with a Spanish-language Pequeños Grupos de Fe track), Advent and Lent missions, the Hallow app, the Word on Fire 'Catholicism' series, and the Stephen Ministry lay-caring program.
- Adult Confirmation
- Adults Bible Study
- Small Faith Groups (English) / Pequeños Grupos de Fe (Spanish)
- Advent & Lent Missions
- Stephen Ministry
- Hallow app parish access
- Catholicism by Word on Fire
- Parousia Tour, Seek, Pentecost Mission, Eucharistic Revival & Parish Renewal
Marriage and Family Life
Deacon Tom Bates and his wife Diane coordinate Marriage Preparation and parish family-life ministry. Resources include Date Night, marriage enrichment, and support for young couples preparing for the sacrament.
- Marriage Preparation
- Date Night
- Family Life resources
Outreach and Charity
The parish's social mission is centered in St. Francis Outreach, which assists families with food, clothing, and other material needs. This is paired with a Respect Life Ministry and ongoing parish fundraising efforts (such as the Knights of Columbus Cafe Italia partnership) that benefit youth ministry and other programs.
- St. Francis Outreach — food, clothing, and assistance for families in need
- Respect Life Ministry
- Knights of Columbus partnerships (e.g., Cafe Italia fundraiser for Youth Ministries)
Holy Trinity Catholic School
St. Francis of Assisi is one of three sponsoring parishes of Holy Trinity Catholic School in Grapevine, alongside St. Michael in Bedford and Good Shepherd in Colleyville. The school markets itself as 'The School of 3 Catholic Parishes' and welcomes children from parish families as well as other faith traditions.
- Tri-parish school: St. Francis (Grapevine), St. Michael (Bedford), Good Shepherd (Colleyville)
- Website: holytcs.org
Parish Office and Practical Information
The parish office is open wide hours Monday through Sunday, closed for lunch midday, and observes closures around Christmas and New Year's. The parish publishes a live events calendar and offers online registration for Children's & Youth Catechesis each year.
- Address: 861 Wildwood Lane, Grapevine, TX 76051
- Phone: 817-481-2685
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:30 AM – 8:30 PM (closed 12:00–1:30 PM); Fri 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM; Sat closed; Sun 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Office closures: Dec 24–26 and Dec 31 – Jan 1
- Online and in-person Catechesis registration sessions each spring
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Charles Mulholland1958–1961
First resident pastor of St. Francis of Assisi.
- Rev. Baltasar Szarka, O.Cist. ('Fr. B')1961–1997
Hungarian-born Cistercian monk; shaped the parish for 35 years, oversaw the move from the Northwest Highway church to the current Wildwood Lane site in 1985; remembered for guiding the community through the Second Vatican Council and decades of growth.
- Rev. Ken Robinson
Succeeded Fr. B as pastor.
- Rev. Anh Tran
Served as pastor after Fr. Robinson.
- Rev. James Flynn
Served as pastor before Fr. Sojan George.
- Rev. Sojan George Puthiyaparampil2019–present
Born in Kerala, India; ordained January 1, 2000; has served in the Diocese of Fort Worth since 2002, including as pastor in Decatur/Bridgeport/Jacksboro, Our Lady Queen of Peace (Wichita Falls), and Rector of St. Patrick Cathedral; appointed pastor of St. Francis of Assisi on Feb. 14, 2019.