Founding families honored at St. Vincent de Paul's 50th anniversary Jubilee Mass
Parishioners pray during a Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael Olson at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Arlington on Feb. 28, 2026. The church celebrated its 50th Anniversary in February. (NTC/Andy Viganas)
ARLINGTON — A February 28 Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael Olson recounted Arlington's St. Vincent de Paul Parish's humble beginnings half a century ago as well as the parish's original families and subsequent growth into a dynamic community outreach resource.
Bishop Olson chuckled over that fact that the first Mass celebrated in the new parish occurred on Feb. 29, 1976, a leap year.
“Today we celebrate the same eternal sacrifices in this beautiful church, made beautiful in no small measure because of the beauty of the parishioners within,” Bishop Olson said. “With gratitude for God's many blessings that have passed through the ministry of your pastors, deacons, and lay leadership through these past 50 years.”
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, during the reception after Mass, summed up the parish as a source of “such loving outreach to the community.” Ross noted that Arlington celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.
“So your church has been serving this community for one-third of our city's life,” Ross said.
Through that time, Ross added, St. Vincent de Paul ministry and outreach efforts aided more than 40,000 community members and supplied more than $3 million worth of food, clothing, and other items.
Such was always the goal, Bishop Olson said.
“This parish community goes beyond simply being Catholics,” Bishop Olson said. “Our mission and service to God guides us to serve others in the community, not because they are Catholic or not, but because we are Catholic. This is the heart of our faith.”
Uncommon start
The parish began not in its current location but in an Arkansas Lane warehouse then leased by the Knights of Columbus.
“I can remember having Mass next to the beer tab and popcorn machine,” said Jennifer Brett, one of the original parishioners.
The building's pool table area served as the nursery and parishioners helped set chairs out for Mass, said Ray and Pru Brett, Jennifer's parents.
“Sundays, we took up the entire front on one side,” Pru Brett said. “Jennifer was 7. Her brother was 5 and, right before the parish opened, we had twin boys, so they were 2 months old. Then we had another son, and he got baptized here.”
They named their last son Nolan.
“I was pregnant with our number five,” Pru Brett said. “We drove by Nolan High School and I thought, 'That's a good name.'”
Original parishioner Marilyn Dietrich joked that the disco ball hung from the ceiling left her unsure what to expect when she attended that first Mass.
“The nursery was in the bar,” Dietrich said. “It was a little crazy.”
A situation original parishioners John and Nicki Pearson confirmed.
“People used to bring toys from home so the kids had something other than pool balls to play with,” Nicki Pearson said with a laugh.
Initial misgivings aside, Dietrich said she quickly felt at home.
“Despite starting out in a warehouse, the spirit was there from the beginning,” Dietrich said. “The people, the music, liturgy was so good and so welcoming.”
Members of all three families spoke of how everyone joined in to do what needed doing to get the parish up and running. All praised the parish's first priest, Monsignor Phillip L. Johnson for leading the way.
All became and have remained involved in numerous ministries and projects through the years and met lifelong friends along the way.
“John joined the choir immediately,” Nicki Pearson said. “Six months later he joined the Catholic Church. That came as quite a surprise to Fr. Johnson as he'd been singing in our choir all that time.”
From the warehouse, the parish soon moved to its current location, experiencing several renovations and expansions most notably in 1977, 1984, and 2024. It was overseen by Father Thomas J. Craig, Father J. Michael Holmberg, and currently Father Philip Brembah.
Flourishing at 50
From its original 40 or so families, the parish has grown to more than 3,000 parishioners.
Members spoke of St. Vincent's ongoing spirit of outreach both among fellow parishioners and beyond the church's walls, including parishioner participation with Meals on Wheels, area retirement homes, and other organizations.
“Early on, it was easy to get plugged in because we were a small parish,” John Pearson said. “People would see a need and jump in to fill it.”
That spirit remains, Nicki Pearson said, even though St. Vincent is now one of the Diocese of Fort Worth's larger parishes.
“We're much larger now,” Nicki Pearson said. “But we're definitely not a get-lost-in-the-shuffle parish. People are engaged and know each other and care. But we keep growing. I think there's over 60 ministries now.”
Bishop Olson expressed gratitude for the parishioner's outreach, ministries, and witness through the decades as well as the importance of their continuing example to the larger Arlington and surrounding community.
“In these challenging times, society very much needs us to be the Church,” Bishop Olson said. “A parish that speaks truth to charity especially in a society right now that seems to be intoxicated with rage, anger, and fear.
“The Lord has given us this time, and the Gospel. It's our responsibility to carry that with dignity and confidence into a world that so needs to hear and see that.”