About St. Matthew · Arlington, Texas
St. Matthew Catholic Church is a multi-ethnic, bilingual Roman Catholic parish in Arlington, Texas, belonging to the Diocese of Fort Worth. Founded in 1964 and originally built as a school whose auditorium served as a church for 450 people, the parish has grown into a vibrant community that draws worshippers from sixteen nations, celebrating Mass in English and Spanish. Weekend Mass attendance now exceeds 5,000 and the parish serves more than 1,700 children in religious education each year. Since 2012 the parish has been served by priests of the Confraternidad Operarios del Reino de Cristo (CORC), the Workers of the Kingdom of Christ, a religious society founded in Mexico in 1963 by Father Enrique Amezcua Medina.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- St. Matthew the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Ariel Muñoz Sánchez, CORC (Parochial Administrator, per Diocese of Fort Worth listing)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Worth
Why belong here
St. Matthew welcomes families from sixteen nations into one worshipping community, with three English and five Spanish weekend Masses that together draw more than 5,000 people each week. Parishioners benefit from a robust religious education program enrolling over 1,700 children, a Friday Eucharistic Adoration hour, Saturday confessions, and a wide range of lay ministries including liturgical service, music, youth ministry, St. Vincent de Paul outreach, and stewardship. The parish is also the home of a thriving Hispanic Catholic community in east Arlington and a pioneer of the area's ministry to immigrant families.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM (English/Spanish, until 5:00 PM)
Adoration times
- Friday 10:00 AM – 6:45 PM
History of St. Matthew Parish
St. Matthew was founded in 1964 in the Diocese of Fort Worth to serve east Arlington. The school came first — its auditorium served as the original church for about 450 people — before a permanent church seating nearly 1,000 was built. Later projects added parish offices, conference rooms, a large hall, and a cafeteria. The parish became a pioneer of Hispanic ministry in the Arlington area and hosted the launch of the region's national Amnesty Program for undocumented immigrants, eventually growing into a multi-ethnic community of sixteen nations.
- Founded 1964
- First building: parish school; auditorium used as church for 450
- Permanent church seats ~1,000
- Pioneer of Hispanic ministry in Arlington
- Launch site for the Arlington area's national Amnesty Program
- Sixteen nations represented in the parish
The CORC Community at St. Matthew
Since 2012 St. Matthew has been served by priests of the Confraternidad Operarios del Reino de Cristo (Workers of the Kingdom of Christ, or CORC), a religious society founded in Mexico in 1963 by Father Enrique Amezcua Medina. The Diocese of Fort Worth has welcomed CORC priests for about a decade, with the order now serving Holy Name, Immaculate Heart of Mary (both in Fort Worth), and St. Matthew in Arlington. The parish's CORC priests live on site and serve together with the deacons and laity.
- Confraternidad Operarios del Reino de Cristo (CORC)
- Founded in Mexico in 1963 by Fr. Enrique Amezcua Medina
- Serving St. Matthew since 2012
- CORC also serves Holy Name and Immaculate Heart of Mary parishes in Fort Worth
Clergy and Staff
St. Matthew is led by a Parochial Administrator and a Parochial Vicar, both members of the CORC, working alongside two permanent deacons. Pastoral care is bilingual, reflecting the parish's English- and Spanish-speaking congregations.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Ariel Muñoz Sánchez, CORC
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Victor Manuel Contreras Juárez, CORC
- Deacon Gustavo Garcia
- Deacon Sergio Vera
- Past pastors include Fr. Alejandro Hernández García, CORC (2015–2021) and Fr. Ariel Sánchez, CORC
Religious Education and Faith Formation
St. Matthew runs one of the largest parish religious education programs in the Diocese of Fort Worth, enrolling more than 1,700 children each school year in grades 1 through 12. Enrollment is held in mid-June each year, with parents required to register their children in person. The parish also invites those interested in becoming Catholic to explore the faith through its RCIA / 'Why become a Catholic?' ministry.
- Religious Education for grades 1–12
- 1,700+ students enrolled annually
- Annual enrollment held in mid-June (e.g., June 15–18, 2026)
- RCIA / Inquiry for adults ('Why become a Catholic?')
Liturgical Ministries and Music
The parish offers a wide range of lay liturgical roles and supports a robust music ministry that serves both the English and Spanish Masses. The parish's profile lists Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers/acolytes, music and choir, and stewardship among its core ministries.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers / Acolytes
- Music and Choir (English and Spanish)
- Liturgical coordinators
Youth, Family and Outreach
Beyond the sanctuary, St. Matthew operates youth ministry and a 'Confirmed into Action' stewardship pathway that channels newly confirmed young adults into parish service. Hispanic Ministry is a central outreach, reflecting the parish's role as a pioneer of bilingual Catholic life in east Arlington. Charity and service work, including through St. Vincent de Paul, forms part of the parish's mission of binding families together 'as One Family through the power of the Holy Spirit.'
- Youth Ministry
- Confirmed into Action (stewardship track)
- Hispanic Ministry
- St. Vincent de Paul outreach
- Family and community-building ministries
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments. Baptisms are scheduled with required preparation; First Communion and Confirmation are coordinated through the Religious Education program; Matrimony requires marriage preparation; Reconciliation is heard Saturday afternoons; and the Anointing of the Sick is available for the homebound and hospitalized. Adults seeking full initiation are welcomed through the RCIA process.
- Baptism (with preparation)
- First Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- RCIA for adults
Visit, Contact and Office Hours
St. Matthew's parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed to any of the weekend Masses, and parish staff can be reached by phone or email for registration, sacramental inquiries, or general information.
- Address: 2021 New York Avenue, Arlington, TX 76010
- Phone: (817) 860-0130
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stmattcc.org/
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Eliseo Hernández Villarreal, CORC2012–c.2015
First CORC priest assigned to St. Matthew; remembered for kindness, simplicity, and his love of guitar and accordion. Died in a car accident in Querétaro, Mexico, on March 1, 2024, at age 76.
- Rev. Alejandro Hernández García, CORC2015–2021
Born in Córdoba, Veracruz, Mexico (1972); ordained 1999. Served also as Local Director of the CORC community at St. Matthew and Moderator Delegate of the San Juan Pablo II Zone. Died of COVID-19 on February 3, 2021, at age 48.
- Rev. Ariel Sánchez Muñoz, CORCc.2021–c.2024
Born in Jalpan de Serra, Querétaro; ordained September 26, 1997. Celebrated his 25th priestly anniversary with the parish in September 2022. Previously parochial vicar at St. Matthew.
- Rev. Ariel Muñoz Sánchez, CORC2024–present
Listed by the Diocese of Fort Worth as current Parochial Administrator.