About St. Matthias the Apostle · Magnolia, Texas
St. Matthias the Apostle is a Roman Catholic parish in Magnolia, Texas, serving the northwest Houston suburbs within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The parish was established in 1978 to serve the growing Catholic community in Magnolia, and on February 11, 2022, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo dedicated a brand-new church on the property that seats approximately 1,000 worshippers. Under the pastoral leadership of Father Christopher Nguyen, the parish offers Mass in both English and Spanish, a full sacramental and faith formation program for children and adults, Eucharistic Adoration, and outreach through a local St. Vincent de Paul pantry.
- Established
- 1978
- Patron
- St. Matthias the Apostle (the 13th apostle, chosen to replace Judas Iscariot)
- Rector
- Rev. J. Christopher Nguyen (Father Christopher Nguyen)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Why belong here
St. Matthias offers a full Catholic life in a fast-growing corner of northwest Houston: weekend Mass in both English and Spanish, daily Mass Tuesday through Friday, regular confession six days a week, and Eucharistic Adoration several times a week (including Thursday evenings and a First-Saturday vigil). Families are served by the parish school (PreK-3 through 8th grade), the GIFT intergenerational religious education program, sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation, plus a robust youth ministry (SMYLE for grades 6-12, NeXt Level youth initiative, altar servers, lectors, and choirs). A parish St. Vincent de Paul pantry and other outreach ministries bring the faith to those in need in the broader Magnolia community.
Mass times at St. Matthias the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Chapel Confessional)
- Wednesday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Chapel Confessional)
- Thursday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Chapel Confessional)
- Friday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Chapel Confessional)
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (Church Confessional)
- Additional times available by appointment — contact the parish office
Adoration times
- Wednesday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Chapel)
- Thursday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Chapel)
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Chapel)
- Friday 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Chapel)
- First Saturday 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (Church)
Parish History
The St. Matthias community began informally in 1972, when two local residents approached a priest about creating a Catholic presence in Magnolia for the estimated 150 Catholic families then living in the area. The parish was officially established in 1978, with a church dedicated in 1989 that held about 285 people. As Magnolia boomed with the extension of Texas 249 and the Grand Parkway, the parish launched a three-year capital campaign in 2017 that ultimately raised more than $3.2 million. Construction on a new church, additional storage, a new pavilion, and a larger St. Vincent de Paul pantry began in February 2020. On February 11, 2022, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo dedicated the new altar and church, with roughly 22 priests concelebrating. The 1989 church is being repurposed for meeting rooms and classrooms.
- Origins: 1972 (informal), parish established 1978
- First dedicated church: 1989 (seating ~285)
- New church dedicated February 11, 2022 (seating ~1,000)
- Capital campaign raised over $3.2 million
- Cardinal Daniel DiNardo presided at the dedication
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Matthias runs an intergenerational religious-education program called GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) for families with children in kindergarten through 8th grade. Public-school children in those grades must be registered in GIFT to be eligible for immediate sacramental preparation. Sessions meet once a month from October through April, beginning with 12:00 noon Mass, an intergenerational opening, and then grade-level classes in the school building while parents remain in the church for their own session.
- GIFT — Growing in Faith Together (K–8)
- Sessions once a month, October through April
- Begins with 12:00 noon Mass; parents and students split for sessions
- Registration required yearly; Baptism certificates required for new registrants not baptized at St. Matthias
- First Reconciliation/First Communion and Confirmation prep flow through GIFT or St. Matthias School
Sacraments of Initiation
Children in second grade and older typically prepare for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist through about eight catechetical sessions beginning each October. First Reconciliation is celebrated on a Saturday in January or February, and First Communions are typically celebrated on two Saturdays in May. Teens and adults seeking these sacraments are directed to OCIA.
- First Reconciliation: Saturday morning in January/February
- First Eucharist: typically two Saturdays in May
- Confirmation for youth and adults
- Baptism preparation for infants and children
OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
Adults and teens interested in becoming Catholic or completing their initiation (including Confirmation) join the parish's OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults — program. Interested inquirers are invited to contact the parish office to begin the journey.
- OCIA / RCIA for adults and teens
- Full Communion and Confirmation preparation
- Contact the Parish Office to register
St. Matthias School
St. Matthias Parish operates a parish school serving children from PreK-3 through 8th grade. The school cafeteria is also used for youth ministry gatherings such as SMYLE on Sunday evenings. Students attending the school are eligible for the parish's sacramental preparation programs.
- PreK-3 through 8th grade
- Faith-based Catholic education
- School cafeteria used as a gathering space for youth ministry events
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
Parish youth ministry serves students from 2nd grade through young adulthood. SMYLE (St. Matthias Youth Living Evangelization) is the main youth group for grades 6–12 and meets on Sunday evenings in the St. Matthias School cafeteria with games, food, and faith formation. The parish also participates in the NeXt Level Youth Initiative, designing youth-led parish-wide campaigns of service and justice, and partners with Focus Missions (supporting a parish missionary, Grace Matocha).
- SMYLE Youth Group — grades 6–12, Sunday evenings
- NeXt Level Youth Initiative / Project
- Confirmation preparation for teens
- Teen Lectors, Altar Servers
- Youth Choir and Youth Hand Bell Choir
- Summer Youth Nights
- Summer SONdays
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Director of Youth Ministry: Sylvia A. Perez (ext. 29, [email protected])
Adult Formation
Adult parishioners can grow in faith through ongoing Bible and faith studies offered on the parish campus, and through the free Catholic streaming service FORMED, which the parish makes available to parishioners and their families.
- Adult Bible & Faith Studies (offered on the parish campus)
- Free FORMED Catholic streaming subscription for parishioners
- OCIA for adults entering the Church
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve the Mass as lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, choir members, and in other liturgical roles. Ministers are asked to arrive 15 minutes before Mass, with final substitute arrangements made 10 minutes before Mass begins.
- Lectors (including Teen Lectors)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar Servers
- Choir and Hand Bell Choir
- Scheduling contact: Amy Menke (Ministry Scheduling)
Outreach & Charity
The parish runs a local chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which operates a pantry providing food and financial assistance (including help with mortgage or electric bills) to those in need in the broader Magnolia community. The pantry is being expanded as part of the recent capital campaign so it can serve many more individuals each week.
- St. Vincent de Paul Pantry on the parish campus
- Food assistance and limited financial assistance (e.g., mortgage/electric bills)
- New, larger pantry constructed alongside the new church
Parish Life & Devotional Events
Beyond weekly liturgy, the parish gathers for First Saturday devotional vigils, Vacation Bible School, Fellowship Sundays, crawfish boils and other fundraisers that support building projects, and the annual Our Lady of Guadalupe Caballgata — a cavalcade of Mexican dancing horses that processes 7 miles from Mass to the parish, where riders are blessed by the pastor and a Horse Parade Queen is crowned.
- Vacation Bible School (annual)
- Fellowship Sundays
- Crawfish Boil and other capital-campaign fundraisers
- Communal First Saturdays
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Caballgata & Charro horse parade
Staff & Leadership
St. Matthias is led by Pastor Father Christopher Nguyen, supported by deacons, parish staff, and ministry coordinators. The Director of Youth Ministry oversees youth programming, and a Ministry Scheduling coordinator organizes liturgical ministers month-to-month.
- Pastor: Rev. J. Christopher Nguyen
- Deacon Bush Prewitt
- Director of Youth Ministry: Sylvia A. Perez (281-356-2000 x29, [email protected])
- Ministry Scheduling: Amy Menke
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Christopher Nguyenthrough present (pastor at time of 2022 dedication)
Vietnamese refugee welcomed to the U.S. in 1989 under President George H.W. Bush's administration; led the parish through construction and February 2022 dedication of the new church.