Pilgrims of hope visit Flower Mound church during Jubilee Year
Bishop Michael Olson named St. Philip the Apostle Church in Flower Mound as one of five pilgrimage sites for the Diocese of Fort Worth during the Jubilee Year 2025. NTC photographer Scott Wagner took photos during an October 5, 2025, Mass.
FLOWER MOUND — Pilgrims began arriving shortly after St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Flower Mound was designated a Jubilee Church by Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson in early February.
Some came quietly, participating in Mass, Reconciliation, and prayer as part of a personal, solitary journey to earn the indulgences granted during this Jubilee year. Others came in groups eager to share the spirituality of this once-every-25-year tradition.
Denise Koch, communications coordinator for St. Philip, was part of the team that prepared to welcome them. “The first thing we did was create a prayer card with the Jubilee prayer on the back and a picture of our church, so we would have prayer cards available for them to commemorate their visit,” Koch said.
The parish also developed an informational piece about the Jubilee and a tour to help pilgrims get the most from their experience. The tour gives visitors the opportunity to pray, and depending on the day, participate in the sacrament of reconciliation and Adoration of the Eucharist.
Koch estimated the parish has hosted more than 1,000 pilgrims visit, including those who attended a special event for the veneration of a relic of St. Pio of Pietrelcina in July. Many groups, ranging from as few as 10 to as many as 700, attended a Mass celebrated by their parish clergy.
Dedicated in 2022, St. Philip is a relatively new church. Its towering spire and English Gothic architecture provide a striking contrast to the suburban landscape. Visitors’ curiosity around the church led Communications Director Sarah Fritcher to incorporate background on St. Philip into the Jubilee tour.
“I like to go through the reasons why we chose this architecture because it hearkens back to an age of faith. It really shows people that this is an important place,” Fritcher said.
Regarding the Jubilee, she added, “I also encourage people to avail themselves of the grace that the Holy Father has offered — being intentional about accessing this means of deepening their faith and drawing closer to God.”
From parish pastor Father Raymond McDaniel’s perspective, “We are grateful that the bishop designated St. Philip as a Jubilee site during this Holy Year. Numerous pilgrims have spoken of the graces they have received from encountering Our Lord in the Mass in prayer. This Jubilee Year seems to have accomplished exactly what the Holy Father envisioned when he inaugurated it, helping us to become ‘pilgrims of hope’ in the One who is the greatest source of hope, Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In addition to St. Philip, Bishop Olson decreed four other pilgrimage sites in the diocese:
- St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth
- Immaculate Conception of Mary Parish in Wichita Falls
- Sacred Heart Parish in Comanche
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Fort Worth.
The Jubilee Year closes December 28, 2025.
A woman prays at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, a designated pilgrimage site for the 2025 Jubilee Year. (NTC/Scott Wagner)