About St. Philip the Apostle · Dallas, Texas
St. Philip the Apostle is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood of southeast Dallas, Texas, belonging to the Diocese of Dallas. Founded in 1954, the parish serves a vibrant, predominantly Hispanic Catholic community and celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish, with several Spanish-language Sunday Masses held in the parish gym. Its mission statement emphasizes building bridges across cultures to see the 'many faces of God,' and the parish is well known for ministries such as Quinceañeras, Matlachines, and a combined parish school that now serves both St. Philip and St. Augustine communities.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- St. Philip the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. Martin Santiago Moreno
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dallas
Why belong here
St. Philip the Apostle is a richly bilingual parish where Mass is celebrated in both English and Spanish almost every day, with weekday Spanish Masses on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and multiple Sunday Masses — including three Spanish Masses celebrated in the parish gym. The parish walks with families through Quinceañeras, the Presentación de tres años, Matlachines, OCIA/RICA, youth ministry, Legion de Maria, and the longstanding St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy. Rooted in a 1954 founding community and guided by a vision of building bridges across cultural richness, it is a place where worship, faith formation, and family life come together as one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Mass times at St. Philip the Apostle
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00 PM (parish asks visitors to arrive between 4:30–4:45 PM)
- Wednesday 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM
- Thursday 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Spanish)
- Saturday 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (2nd Saturday of the month)
Parish Overview and Mission
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish located in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood of southeast Dallas, Texas. The parish describes itself as a community called to build bridges across cultural richness, rooted in faith, love, and trust in God. Its vision, drawn from the spirit of Vatican II, is to transform its community into disciples and leaders who enflesh Christ in the world through love, kindness, and compassion.
- Bilingual parish: English and Spanish
- Located in Pleasant Grove, southeast Dallas
- Member of the Diocese of Dallas
- Mission: 'With faith, love, and trust in God, we are able to build bridges among our diversity of cultural richness…'
- Vision: guided by the Spirit of Vatican II to form disciples and leaders for Christ
History of the Church and School
The Diocese of Dallas purchased the parish site in 1953 and Father Patrick Gallagher became St. Philip's first pastor on February 26, 1954. The 235 founding families initially worshipped in temporary spaces before the school was completed in 1955 and dedicated by Bishop Thomas K. Gorman. Over the following decades the parish added a Parish Hall (1967), a school annex (1969), a sanctuary redesign (1974), a new rectory (1979), a major school expansion (1987), and a day care center (1988). The sanctuary was again remodeled in 2012, and in 2014 Bishop Kevin J. Farrell announced the unification of St. Philip's and St. Augustine's schools into St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy, which opened in 2015–16 on the St. Philip campus.
- 1953 — Diocese of Dallas purchases 9.79-acre site
- February 26, 1954 — Father Patrick Gallagher appointed first pastor
- 1955 — School opens, dedicated by Bishop Thomas K. Gorman on September 18
- 1967 — Parish Hall opens (October 1)
- 1974 — Sanctuary redesigned; later Altar of Resurrection and Baptismal Font dedicated in memory of Father Lucien Burque (d. 1976)
- 1979 — New rectory blessed by Bishop Thomas Tschoepe (September 16)
- 1987 — School east wing opens with cafeteria, gym, library, computer lab, science lab
- 1988 — St. Philip Christian Learning Center (day care) opens
- 1993 — Playground dedicated in honor of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit
- 2012 — Sanctuary renovation: new tile, altar, ambo, chairs, pews, baptismal font
- 2014–2015 — St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy opens on St. Philip campus
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Martin Santiago Moreno and served by two deacons, Asuncion Gloria and Pedro Esquivel. A bilingual office staff supports faith formation, sacramental coordination, business administration, and facility maintenance, reflecting the parish's strong bilingual character — every role is listed in both English and Spanish on the parish website.
- Fr. Martin Santiago Moreno — Pastor
- Deacon Asuncion Gloria
- Deacon Pedro Esquivel
- Yenefa Nino — Business Administrator
- Rosemary Vazquez — Clergy Assistant
- Jenny Garcia — Faith Formation Assistant
- Lucero Ezquivel — Secretary / Baptism, Wedding, and Quinceañera Coordinator
- Carmelo Ojeda — Maintenance Supervisor
- Pablo Guevara — Weekday Maintenance
- Enrique Medina — Night & Weekend Maintenance
Faith Formation and OCIA / RICA
Faith Formation at St. Philip the Apostle is a lifelong process for children and adults, coordinated by parish catechists who are certified through the Diocese of Dallas. The English-language program uses the modern name OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), while the equivalent Spanish process is called RICA. Both processes welcome unbaptized adults, baptized Christians preparing for full communion, and Catholics who have not yet received First Communion or Confirmation. Separate tracks exist for children ages 7–13 (unbaptized only), youth 14–17, and adults 18 and older.
- OCIA (English) for adults, youth, and unbaptized children 7–13
- RICA (Spanish) parallel process
- Baptized Catholic children register in regular Faith Formation / Catechesis Familiar
- Registration available during church office business hours
- Catechists certified through the Diocese of Dallas
Youth Ministry and Community Groups
Beyond the Sunday liturgy, the parish hosts ongoing gatherings that knit the community together. The Youth Group meets in the gym on Friday evenings, and the Legion de Maria meets in Room 401 on Fridays at 6:30 PM. The parish also celebrates deeply rooted Hispanic Catholic traditions including Quinceañeras, the Presentación de tres años, the Matlachines, and the CRESP retreat movement, and has an active Women's Guild.
- Youth Group — Fridays, 7:00 PM in the Gym
- Legión de María — Fridays, 6:30 PM in Room 401
- Quinceañera celebrations (coordinated through the parish office)
- Presentación de tres años
- Matlachines
- CRESP retreat movement
- Women's Guild
St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy
In 2014 Bishop Kevin J. Farrell announced the unification of St. Philip the Apostle School and St. Augustine Catholic School into a single academy-model institution. St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy opened for the 2015–16 school year in newly renovated and expanded facilities on the St. Philip campus at 8151 Military Parkway, and continues to serve lower and middle school students in Pleasant Grove.
- Combined academy-model school serving lower and middle school students
- Located at 8151 Military Parkway (St. Philip campus)
- Opened for the 2015–16 school year
- Successor to St. Philip the Apostle Catholic School (est. 1955) and St. Augustine Catholic School (est. 1957)
- Both founding schools were originally staffed by the Sisters of the Holy Spirit
Sacraments and Sacramental Coordination
Baptisms, weddings, and Quinceañeras at St. Philip the Apostle are coordinated centrally by the parish secretary, Lucero Ezquivel. First Communion and Confirmation are normally received through the Faith Formation program or the OCIA/RICA process. The pastor and deacons remain available for anointing of the sick and other pastoral needs.
- Baptism
- Wedding / Marriage
- Quinceañera
- First Communion and Confirmation (via Faith Formation / OCIA-RICA)
- Anointing of the Sick (through pastor and deacons)
Diocesan Life and Outreach
As part of the Diocese of Dallas, St. Philip the Apostle participates in diocesan-wide initiatives. The parish promotes the Bishop's Annual Appeal under Bishop Edward J. Burns, supporting shared ministries across the diocese's nine counties — including faith formation for youth and young adults, priestly and diaconate vocations, immigrant legal services, and Catholic schools. The parish also hosted diocesan Synod catechetical sessions as part of the multi-year synodal process called for by Pope Francis.
- Bishop's Annual Appeal in support of diocesan ministries
- Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry supported by the Appeal
- Diocesan Synod catechetical sessions hosted at St. Philip
- North Texas Giving Day — scholarships for Faith Formation students
- Outreach to the growing Latino community in Pleasant Grove
Visit, Contact, and Connect
The parish office is open during regular business hours and can be reached by phone, fax, or email. Sunday liturgy is also broadcast on the parish YouTube channel (9:00 AM English, 11:00 AM Spanish), and parishioners can stay informed through the parish's Flocknote network and Facebook page. Newcomers are warmly welcomed in both English and Spanish.
- Address: 8131 Military Parkway, Dallas, TX 75227
- Phone: (214) 388-5464
- Fax: (214) 388-2842
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stphilipcatholicchurch.org/
- Flocknote: stphilipcatholic.flocknote.com
- YouTube: Sunday 9:00 AM English Mass and 11:00 AM Spanish Mass livestreamed
- Facebook: linked from the parish website header
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Patrick Gallagher1954–
Founding pastor; appointed February 26, 1954 when the Diocese of Dallas established the parish.
- Father Lucien Burque
Remembered in loving memory after his death in March 1976; the 1974 Altar of Resurrection and Baptismal Font were later dedicated in his memory.