About St. John the Baptizer · Bridgeport, Texas
St. John the Baptizer is a Roman Catholic parish in Bridgeport, Texas, and the first Catholic church established in Wise County. Today it is part of a tri-parish grouping with Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Decatur and St. Mary in Jacksboro, sharing clergy from the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottine Fathers, SAC). The parish celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish, serves more than 650 registered families, and draws over 450 worshippers each weekend. It is also notable for being personally recognized by both Pope John Paul II (1989, on its 100th anniversary) and Pope Francis (2014, on its 125th).
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Anto Vijayan Carloose, SAC
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth
Why belong here
St. John the Baptizer is a welcoming bilingual parish with deep roots in Wise County — the first Catholic church in the area, founded in 1889 and now serving more than 650 registered families. Weekend Mass is offered in both English and Spanish, with weekday Masses Monday through Friday and a strong tradition of Eucharistic Adoration, including a monthly First Friday vigil. Active lay ministries — Knights of Columbus Council 9644, Catholic Daughters of America, Adult Formation, Youth Ministry, RCIA, Quinceañera preparation, and Outreach — give parishioners of every age a place to serve, while a long-running Bob Gasper Scholarship supports Catholic students continuing their education.
Mass times at St. John the Baptizer
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:45 AM
- Saturday: 6:30 PM
Adoration times
- Monday: 7:00 PM – 7:30 PM
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
- 1st Friday (Monthly): 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
- 1st Friday (Monthly): 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Parish History
The Catholic mission of Bridgeport was established in 1889 by Rev. J.J. O'Reordan, pastor of St. Mary's in Henrietta, who traveled by train once a month to celebrate Mass in the homes of coal-mining families. Early house Masses near East Mound and Willow Point used dressers as altars, Irish linen, and pewter candleholders. In 1908, the Fury, Boaz, Bordner, Conner, Byrnes, Grill, Koeninger, Hvezdos, Roth, and Cunningham families helped raise about $1,200 to build the first 25-by-50-foot wood-frame church on Greathouse Street, dedicated under Father Goessens. The building was remodeled in 1926 and, with attendance continuing to grow, construction began on a new 5,500-square-foot church on a four-acre tract on Irvin Street donated by Miss Rosie Boaz. The first Mass in the new church was offered on Mother's Day, May 12, 1968, and Bishop Thomas K. Gorman of Dallas formally blessed and dedicated it on June 9, 1968.
- 1889: Mission established by Rev. J.J. O'Reordan
- 1908: First frame church built on Greathouse Street
- 1926: Original church remodeled
- 1967: Construction of new church begins (Oct. 1)
- 1968: New church opens May 12; dedicated June 9 by Bishop Thomas K. Gorman
- Nov. 15, 1976: Mission elevated to parish under Bishop Cassata in the new Diocese of Fort Worth
- 1989: Pope John Paul II recognition, 100th anniversary
- 2014: Pope Francis recognition, 125th anniversary
- 2015: Texas Historical Commission marker erected
Clergy & Staff
The parish is staffed by Pallottine Fathers (Society of the Catholic Apostolate, SAC) and is assisted by three permanent deacons. Faith formation for the Bridgeport site is led by two Directors of Religious Education — one for grades PK/K through 5 and another for grades 6 through 12 — and a bookkeeper handles parish finances. The parish is part of a tri-parish grouping with Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Decatur and St. Mary in Jacksboro.
- Pastor: Rev. Anto Vijayan Carloose, SAC
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. David Amal Raj Maria, SAC
- Deacon Mauricio Hernandez
- Deacon Eldon Gray
- Deacon Myles Jacob Miller, Jr.
- Bookkeeper: Oscar Tovar
- DRE (PK/K–5th): Mr. Daniel Mancilla — 940-255-7332
- DRE (6th–12th): Mrs. Cindy Tovar — 940-395-2848
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Lay involvement is at the heart of St. John the Baptizer. The parish runs formation programs for every age — from RCIA for adults seeking initiation, to Adult Formation in English and Spanish, to a bilingual Youth Ministry for grades 7–12. Long-standing organizations include the Catholic Daughters of America, Knights of Columbus Council 9644 (Grand Knight Aaron Anderle), and the Hispanic ministry of Las Guadalupanas. Liturgical service is provided by trained Altar Servers (open to any boy or girl after First Communion), and the parish also prepares young women for the Quinceañera celebration. Outreach and Parish Life ministries coordinate hospitality, welcoming of new parishioners, and broader community service.
- RCIA for Adults
- Adult Formation / Formación de Adultos (Bible study in Spanish and English; 'No Greater Love' Biblical Walk through Christ's Passion)
- Youth Ministry (grades 7–12, English and Spanish)
- Altar Servers
- Catholic Daughters of America
- Knights of Columbus Council 9644 (Grand Knight: Aaron Anderle)
- Outreach Ministry
- Parish Life / Hospitality
- Quinceañera preparation
- Las Guadalupanas
- Bob Gasper Scholarship for parishioners continuing their education
- Safe Environment training (Empowering God's Children PK/K–12; Protecting God's Children for adults)
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Faith formation at St. John the Baptizer is structured by grade level and reaches across the tri-parish community. Children in PK/K through 5th grade are served by DRE Daniel Mancilla, and youth in 6th through 12th grade by DRE Cindy Tovar. The parish follows the diocesan Safe Environment program, 'Empowering God's Children' for students and 'Protecting God’s Children' for adult volunteers, with separate Teen Leader Training (ages 13–17) for youth volunteers. Adults seeking to become Catholic, or those who were baptized Catholic and still need First Communion or Confirmation, are invited to the parish RCIA process, which meets on Sundays at Assumption Church in Decatur under the direction of Deacon Myles. Spanish-language Bible study (Estudio de la Biblia) is offered Sunday and Wednesday evenings.
- DRE (PK/K–5th): Mr. Daniel Mancilla, 940-255-7332
- DRE (6th–12th): Mrs. Cindy Tovar, 940-395-2848
- RCIA for Adults (Deacon Myles Miller; contact Luly Duran, 940-683-2743, [email protected])
- Adult Bible study: Sundays 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM at Assumption (ABVM); Wednesdays 6:30–7:30 PM at ABVM — leader Lilly Jimenez
- No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk Through Christ's Passion — Thursdays 9:30–11:00 AM and 6:30–8:00 PM at ABVM — contact Howard Biel, [email protected], 940-255-8317
- Empowering God's Children (PK/K–12th) and Protecting God's Children (adult volunteers) Safe Environment training per Diocese of Fort Worth
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, with preparation programs connected to Faith Formation. Families preparing children for First Reconciliation and First Communion, and teens for Confirmation, work directly with the parish DREs. Adults enter the Church or complete their sacraments through the RCIA process, and the parish supports marriage preparation, Quinceañera blessings, and anointing of the sick through the parish office.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- First Reconciliation and First Communion — through the Faith Formation program
- Confirmation — parish confirmation preparation available
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
- Quinceañera — blessing and preparation program offered
- RCIA for adults seeking initiation
Tri-Parish Community
Since 1993, St. John the Baptizer in Bridgeport has shared clergy and a central office with Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Decatur and St. Mary in Jacksboro. The Bridgeport rectory serves as the central office for all three parishes, and the Pallottine Fathers (SAC) and lay staff coordinate formation, RCIA, and other programs across the grouping. The Spanish-language Masses at St. John the Baptizer reflect the strong Hispanic presence in the broader tri-parish community.
- Tri-parish central office and rectory: 1801 Irvin Street, Bridgeport, TX 76426
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Decatur
- St. Mary, Jacksboro
- Main office email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father S.J. Sullivan1969
Mission-era priest before parish status
- Father Richard Judge1969–1970
- Father Michael Irwin1970–1972
- Father Edward Richard1972–1973
- Father Philip Johnson1973–1975
- Father James Miller1975–1977
First pastor of the newly established parish
- Father Albert Nienart1977–1981
- Father Bill Winaski1981–1983
- Father Robert Wilson1983–1993
- Father Raul Garza1993–1994
- Father Gonzalo Morales1994–2002
Under his tenure the parish joined the tri-parish grouping with Decatur and Jacksboro
- Father Gilberto Pansza2002–2006
- Father Sojan George2006–2011
- Father Jacob Peter Alvares2011–2013
- Father Thomas D'Souza2013–2018
- Father Reehan S. Antony, SAC2018–
Pallottine Father from India who joined in July 2018
- Rev. Anto Vijayan Carloose, SAC
Current pastor per the parish and diocesan websites (Pallottine, SAC)