About St. Francis of Assisi · Whitesboro, Texas
St. Francis of Assisi is a Roman Catholic quasi-parish (mission) in Whitesboro, Texas, established in 1985 and serving the Catholic faithful of Grayson and Cooke Counties. The community is administered as a mission of St. Mary Catholic Parish in Sherman, sharing office staff, sacramental preparation, and the parochial vicar with the larger parish. Two Sunday Masses — one in English at 9:00 AM and one bilingual (English/Spanish) at 11:30 AM — form the heart of parish life, complemented by faith formation for children and youth, RCIA, a Catholic charity food pantry, and a busy calendar of liturgical and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1985
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Fr. Martin Castañeda
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dallas
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi is a warm bilingual mission parish where two Sunday Masses (English and English/Spanish) gather Catholics from across Grayson and Cooke Counties. Registered parishioners are supported with faith formation for children and teens, RCIA, and sacramental preparation coordinated through St. Mary's in Sherman — including preferred admission to St. Mary's Catholic School. Active ministries span the liturgy (sacristans, lectors, altar servers, music, ushers/greeters), outreach (Catholic Charity Food Pantry, bereavement, community outreach), and a high-school youth program that meets every other Wednesday. Registration gives you sacramental sponsorship, year-round communication, and a clear path to belong and serve.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Whitesboro, Texas, was established in 1985 as a quasi-parish (mission) serving Catholics in Grayson and Cooke Counties under the Diocese of Dallas. It functions as a mission of St. Mary Catholic Parish in Sherman, sharing clergy, office staff, and sacramental preparation, while keeping its own pastoral identity at 807 North Union Street. The parish mission statement reads: 'We come as a family to honor the Father, To Learn from the Son, To be inspired by the Holy Spirit.' Its vision is 'To Worship in joy and share the good news. To Respond to God's call. To Serve the needs of others in body & spirit.'
- Established 1985
- Quasi-Parish in the Diocese of Dallas
- Mission of St. Mary Catholic Parish, Sherman
- Bilingual: English / Español
Our Team — Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by a small team drawn from St. Mary Catholic Parish in Sherman. Liturgical, faith-formation, and sacramental-preparation staff serve both parishes together, with Spanish-speaking staff available for Hispanic ministry.
- Fr. Martin Castañeda — Pastor
- Fr. Merlito Abiog — Parochial Vicar
- Dawn Purcell — Faith Formation, [email protected]
- Steven Thompson — Youth Ministry / Young Adult, [email protected]
- Margaret Pack — Pre-Baptism Instruction (English), [email protected]
- Juana Breidenstein — Pre-Baptism Instruction (Hispanos), [email protected]
- Sandra Salas — Sacramental prep (Hablo español), [email protected]
- Nancy Dobbs — Parish registration, [email protected], 903-893-5148
Parish History
Founded in 1985 to serve Catholics in rural Grayson and Cooke Counties, St. Francis of Assisi has long been administered as a mission of St. Mary Catholic Parish in Sherman. The community grew around two Sunday Masses in English and Spanish, faith-formation classes, and a network of lay ministries. Father Jeremy Myers served the congregation for roughly 25 years, preaching at Whitesboro at least twice a month, before resigning in October 2018 following the Diocese of Dallas' release of a list of priests accused of abuse; his faculties were suspended in connection with a decades-old allegation from the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas. Today the parish continues under new pastoral leadership while retaining its bilingual, mission character.
- 1985 — Mission established under the Diocese of Dallas
- c. 1993–2018 — Fr. Jeremy Myers serves Whitesboro ~25 years
- October 2018 — Fr. Myers resigns; faculties suspended
- Current pastor — Fr. Martin Castañeda
Becoming a Registered Parishioner
Registration at St. Francis of Assisi is straightforward and is the gateway to fuller participation. Registered parishioners receive ongoing parish communication, preference when scheduling weddings and baptisms, preferential admittance to St. Mary's Catholic School in Sherman, and sacramental-sponsor verification when needed by other parishes. The parish pledges to never share registration information outside the parish or the Diocese of Dallas. To register, contact Nancy Dobbs at 903-893-5148 or [email protected], or use the online registration form on the parish website.
- Year-round parish communications
- Preference for wedding and baptism dates
- Preferential admittance to St. Mary's Catholic School, Sherman
- Sponsor/Godparent verification for other parishes
- Confidential donation records for tax purposes
- Required for participation in lay ministry
Sacraments
Sacramental preparation is coordinated through St. Mary's in Sherman. Pre-Baptism instruction is required before a child is baptized and is offered in both English and Spanish. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) welcomes adults into the Catholic faith through inquiry, catechesis, and the sacraments of initiation. Couples preparing for marriage and families arranging funerals are supported through the parish office.
- Baptism — pre-baptism instruction required
- RCIA — Judy Henley, [email protected]
- Marriage — contact parish office
- Funerals / Bereavement — Bereavement Ministry
- Sacramental prep contacts — Dawn Purcell ([email protected]), Sandra Salas (Hablo español, [email protected]), 903-893-5148 Ext 204
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Faith formation (Catequesis) for children and youth is coordinated by Dawn Purcell with registration available through the parish website. The high-school youth ministry, led by Steven Thompson, meets every other Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the St. Claire portable building on the parish grounds. Youth nights include dynamic talks, small groups, prayer, games, and food, and are supported by a Core Team of adult volunteers. Teens are also encouraged to serve in the liturgy (music, altar servers, hospitality, lectors), help with parish events like the Fall Festival and Food Distribution, and participate in larger events such as the Dallas Catholic Youth Conference, LifeTeen Camp Covecrest, and retreats.
- Faith Formation (Catequesis) — Dawn Purcell
- Youth Ministry — Steven Thompson
- Youth nights every other Wednesday, 7:00–8:30 PM, St. Claire portable building
- Events: Dallas Catholic Youth Conference, LifeTeen Camp Covecrest, retreats
- Liturgical service opportunities for teens: music, altar servers, lectors, hospitality
Parish Ministries and Outreach
St. Francis of Assisi is sustained by a large bench of lay volunteers. Liturgical ministers — sacristans, lectors, altar servers, ushers/greeters, and music directors — serve at both Sunday Masses, while outreach ministries extend the parish's mission into the wider Whitesboro community. The Bereavement Ministry supports grieving families, the Catholic Charity Food Pantry feeds those in need, and the Community Outreach/'Your Neighbor' ministry responds to local needs. RCIA accompanies adults seeking to become Catholic.
- Sacristans — Jaqueline Arellano & Dariana Pantoja
- Lectors, Altar Servers, Ushers/Greeters
- Music Directors — Jane (9:00 AM); Jeff Sheridan (11:30 AM)
- Bereavement Ministry
- Catholic Charity Food Pantry — Mike & Pat Crone
- Community Outreach / Your Neighbor
- RCIA — Judy Henley
- Hispanic ministry contact — Luis Chavez
Bulletin and Parish Communication
A weekly parish bulletin is published through St. Mary's Sherman and is available on the parish website under 'Newsletter / Bulletin.' It carries the Sunday readings, ministry schedules, registration and faith-formation information, and announcements for both parishes. To receive the bulletin by email, parishioners can sign up via the Discover Mass integration on the parish site.
- Weekly bulletin available online at stfachurch.org
- Bulletin-by-email subscription via Discover Mass
Visit and Contact Information
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is located at 807 North Union Street in Whitesboro, Texas 76273. The mailing address and main parish office are handled through the mother parish, St. Mary Catholic Parish, at 727 South Travis Street, Sherman, TX 75090. The shared parish phone line is 903-893-5148. Visitors are warmly welcomed and encouraged to register as parishioners upon attending.
- Physical address: 807 N Union St., Whitesboro, TX 76273
- Mailing / office: 727 South Travis St., Sherman, TX 75090
- Phone: 903-893-5148
- Website: stfachurch.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Jeremy Myersc. 1993 – 2018
Long-served priest based at St. Mary's in Sherman who preached at St. Francis of Assisi at least twice a month for about 25 years; resigned in October 2018 after the Diocese of Dallas released a list of accused priests; faculties suspended in connection with an allegation from the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas.
- Fr. Martin Castañeda
Current pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, Whitesboro.