Our community began at a meeting of a small group of North Carrollton residents in April 1977. In the following year, CCD classes began with 7 students using facilities at Holy Covenant Methodist church. The Women’s Club was organized for fundraising activities to support the CCD program. From May 1978, regular Holy Mass was scheduled for the community. The community grew as a mission of St. Philips church, Lewisville. 1979 brought about the purchase of the land on which we built our present education and fellowship buildings.
Fr. Bob Whitfill was appointed as the first Pastor in 1981, and our Parish was officially named St. Catherine of Siena. The Community Center was completed in 1984, and in the same year, the preschool program started. Our membership increased from 140 people to 1,500 families. The youth programs and the Music Ministry were rejuvenated in the following year.
Fr. Richard Weaver succeeded as the new Pastor in 1986. In the following year, the first pictorial directory of the parish was published. Our annual tradition of “Autumnfest” had its origin in the same year. As Fr. Weaver returned to the Dallas Diocese in 1989, Fr. Tom Craig became our new Pastor, and Fr. Jovian Lang was the priest in residence. In the same year, the Youth Center was built.
Under the leadership of Fr. Tom Craig, funds were raised to expand our facilities and the work started in the spring of 1997. On August 20, 1997, Franciscan TOR priests, Fr. George Thennattil and Fr. Thomas Panickaruparampil, joined our community. Our new building was dedicated on January 16, 1998, by Bishop Joseph Delaney of Fort Worth. The long cherished dream of the community came true with the opening of the Family Center, which provides facility for more classrooms, Siena Hall, Kiva, kitchen storage and three office rooms.
In 2000, the parish decided to look even more toward the future, and began planning to build a larger and more permanent sanctuary. After meeting diocesan contribution requirements, we broke ground in May 2002. Our new sanctuary was completed and dedicated on November 16, 2003 by Bishop Joseph Delaney.
Our sanctuary is the most important place for our spiritual life, and Assisi Hall has become the social center of our Community. On various weekends throughout the year, the Community gathers after Mass in Assisi Hall for socializing over coffee and pancake breakfasts provided by the Knights of Columbus, and it is used by various ministries for gatherings and other activities.
In July 2004, Fr. Mathew Kavipurayidam, T.O.R. was appointed pastor. After serving the parish for two years, he initiated a Parish Renewal process and formed a new leadership structure consisting of Commissions of Worship, Community Life, Administration, Formation, and Outreach. From the members of the Commissions, he also formed the Pastoral Council. The new leadership came out with a vision plan to expand the existing facilities to meet the needs of the parishioners. The current capital campaign “Sharing our Gifts, Building Our Community” aims to realize this vision plan.
In September 2014, Fr. Mathew transferred to another parish and our Parochial Vicar Fr. Augustine was appointed as our pastor until he was made Provincial of the South Indian Province of TOR’s in November of 2017.
Our current Pastor, Fr. Sushil Tudu, T.O.R was appointed pastor in December of 2017.