About St. Thomas Aquinas · Pilot Point, Texas
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish serving Pilot Point, Texas — the oldest town in Denton County — in the Diocese of Fort Worth. Founded by German-Catholic immigrants in 1891–92, the parish today worships in both English and Spanish, with roughly 550 families drawn from Pilot Point and surrounding communities including Tioga, Gunter, Collinsville, Aubrey, and Little Elm. The current church building (dedicated September 23, 1950) sits on a campus that still includes the renovated 1926 parish offices — originally built as a Catholic school — along with a rectory, parish center, St. Thomas Cemetery, and classrooms for religious education. Under the current pastor, Rev. Jason Allan, the parish continues a legacy of community engagement that dates back more than 130 years.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Rector
- Rev. Jason Allan
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fort Worth
Why belong here
St. Thomas Aquinas is a welcoming bilingual parish with a long, documented history of integrating into the life of Pilot Point — its members have served as mayor, city council members, and Chamber of Commerce leaders. Worshippers enjoy a full schedule of devotional life: daily Mass, two languages on most days, weekly Eucharistic Adoration (including Spanish-language Holy Hours), Saturday confessions, and the long-running CYO/Youth Ministry tradition started by Fr. Charcut in the 1930s. The parish remains one of the largest contributors to Pilot Point's Shepherd's Store House food and clothing pantry, so joining means joining a faith community that actively serves its neighbors across northeast Denton County.
Mass times at St. Thomas Aquinas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:30 PM – 6:15 PM (during Advent and Lent only)
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
- Wednesday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (en español)
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- First Monday of the Month 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Parish History & Heritage
St. Thomas Aquinas traces its origins to 1891, when Bishop Thomas J. Brennan sent Fr. John F. Coffey to assess the spiritual needs of 63 Catholic families scattered across the Pilot Point countryside. The first Mass was celebrated in a public hall on November 4, 1891, and the church was consecrated on March 7, 1892 — the feast of the parish's patron and Bishop Brennan's name day. Largely founded by German-Catholic immigrants drawn by Flusche-Sullivan land-development pamphlets, the parish built a school in 1893 (run by the Sisters of Divine Providence from San Antonio), consecrated St. Thomas Cemetery in 1893, and rebuilt the sanctuary in 1904 and again in 1950 under Fr. Paul Charcut's leadership.
- First Mass: November 4, 1891 (public hall)
- Church consecrated: March 7, 1892
- Original sanctuary: 28 × 60 ft, cost $1,682
- Current sanctuary dedicated: September 23, 1950
- St. Thomas Cemetery established: January 27, 1893
- Parish school closed: 1972
Pastorate & Clergy
The parish is currently led by Rev. Jason Allan, who was appointed pastor in May 2023 after serving as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in Denton. Fr. Allan was ordained for the Diocese of Fort Worth from Theological College (Class of 2021). He succeeded Fr. John Martin, a late-career vocation whose story of being baptized as a U.S. Marine in Okinawa in 1988, working twenty years in Bell Helicopter quality assurance, and being ordained at St. Patrick Cathedral in 2017 was featured in North Texas Catholic's 'Take 5 with Father' column in January 2022. The parish's most celebrated 20th-century pastor remains Fr. Paul Charcut (1936–1968), whose civic engagement reshaped both the parish and the town.
- Current pastor: Rev. Jason Allan (since May 2023)
- Prior pastor: Rev. John Martin
- Fr. Paul Charcut (1908–1968): CYO founder, Texas K of C State Chaplain
- Charcut Street (Pilot Point) named for Fr. Charcut
Liturgy of the Hours & Devotions
Morning Prayer (Lauds) is prayed publicly before the Sunday 7:30 AM gathering and the Tuesday 8:30 AM Mass; Evening Prayer (Vísperas) is prayed as part of each Spanish-language weekday Mass during the week. The parish also recites the Rosary immediately before Mass (a tradition carried on by pastors including Fr. John Martin).
- Morning Prayer (Lauds): Sunday 7:30 AM; Tuesday 8:30 AM
- Evening Prayer (Vísperas): Wed 7:00 PM, Thu 8:30 PM, Fri 7:00 PM (all Spanish)
- Rosary before Mass
Faith Formation, Youth & School
Religious education is held in the renovated first floor of the former 1926 Catholic school (closed in 1972), which now houses parish offices and classrooms. The parish has a strong youth ministry tradition, continuing the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) that Fr. Paul Charcut founded in the 1930s and brought into the Catholic State League. The bilingual youth program serves both English- and Spanish-speaking teens of middle and high school age from across northeast Denton County.
- Faith Formation / Religious Education classes (K–12)
- Youth Ministry (CYO / S.T.A.Y.) — teens
- Former parochial school (1893–1972); current offices and classrooms
- RCIA / adult initiation available — contact parish office
Parish Life, Outreach & Community
St. Thomas Aquinas describes itself as 'one Faith Family, united in the Body of Christ through the Sacraments.' Parishioners are deeply woven into Pilot Point civic life — a member served as mayor for twelve years (the second-longest mayoral tenure in town history), and others have led the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, the local Boy Scouts, and Pilot Point National Bank. The parish is one of the largest contributors to Pilot Point's Shepherd's Store House, a food pantry, clothing closet, and financial-assistance ministry that serves the broader Pilot Point community.
- Shepherd's Store House (food, clothing, financial assistance) — flagship outreach
- Parish welcome: 'one Faith Family'
- Civic integration (mayors, council, Chamber of Commerce, K of C)
- Weekly bulletin and Flocknote email/text updates
- Pilot Point Chamber of Commerce member parish
Spanish-Speaking Community & Bilingual Mission
The Spanish-speaking community at St. Thomas Aquinas draws Catholic families from Pilot Point and the surrounding towns of Tioga, Gunter, Collinsville, Aubrey, and Little Elm. In addition to the Sunday 12:30 PM Spanish Mass, the parish offers Spanish-language weekday Masses on Wednesday (7:00 PM), Thursday (8:30 PM), and Friday (7:00 PM), plus a Spanish Holy Hour on Wednesday evenings. Children of Spanish-speaking families participate in bilingual religious education classes held on the parish campus.
- Sunday Mass 12:30 PM (Spanish)
- Wednesday/Thursday/Friday Spanish Masses with Vísperas
- Wednesday Spanish Holy Hour 7–8 PM
- Religious education for Hispanic children
- Welcoming community from five nearby towns
Facilities & Grounds
The roughly 7.75-acre parish campus includes the 1950 sanctuary, a new rectory, a parish center, the renovated 1926 school building (now parish offices and religious-education classrooms), and St. Thomas Cemetery (established 1893). The offices sit at 925 N. Charcut St., and the church itself is addressed at 400 St. Thomas Aquinas Avenue. The office phone is (940) 686-2088 and the parish email is [email protected].
- 1950 church (current sanctuary)
- 1926 former school, now parish offices (1st floor classrooms, 2nd floor meeting rooms)
- New rectory and parish center
- St. Thomas Cemetery (established 1893)
- Approx. 7.75 acres total
Getting Involved & Sacraments
New parishioners are invited to contact the parish office by phone (940-686-2088) or email ([email protected]) for information on registration, sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick), youth ministry, RCIA, and liturgical volunteer roles. The parish communicates weekly through its bulletin and through Flocknote text/email updates.
- Contact: [email protected] / 940-686-2088
- Sacramental preparation for Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage
- RCIA / adult inquiry welcomed
- Liturgical ministries (lectors, EMHC, servers, music)
- Flocknote + weekly bulletin
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John F. Coffey1891
Chancellor of the Diocese of Dallas; celebrated the first Mass in Pilot Point on November 4, 1891, in a public hall.
- Rev. Hugo Bardenhewer1892–
Early pastor who opened the parish school (1893, 50 children, Sisters of Divine Providence) and secured land for St. Thomas Cemetery (Jan 27, 1893).
- Rev. Paul Charcut1936–1968
Chicago-born pastor who rescued the parish from Depression-era debt, founded the CYO and was named State Chaplain of the Texas Knights of Columbus (1945). Announced the new church on Christmas 1949; sanctuary dedicated Sept. 23, 1950. Charcut Street is named in his honor.
- Rev. John Martinc. 2019–2023
Prior pastor; late-career vocation — baptized as an adult in 1988 while a U.S. Marine in Okinawa, later ordained May 20, 2017 at St. Patrick Cathedral after working 20+ years in Bell Helicopter quality assurance. Featured in North Texas Catholic's "Take 5 with Father" in January 2022.
- Rev. Jason AllanMay 2023–present
Appointed pastor from Immaculate Conception Parish in Denton; ordained from Theological College (Class of 2021) for the Diocese of Fort Worth.