A Large Parish at the Heart of Coppell
St. Ann Catholic Parish sits at 180 Samuel Boulevard in Coppell, on the north side of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Over the last thirty-five years the community has grown from a small mission church into one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Dallas, drawing Catholics from Coppell, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Grapevine, and across the wider region. A staff of clergy, religious educators, musicians, and ministry coordinators oversees a full range of programs in English and Spanish, with a calendar that fills every day of the week.
The parish's vision statement sums up its reach: St. Ann Catholic Parish brings people to Jesus, forms disciples, and sends them to transform the world. The phrase Transcend - the name of a recent church-wide renovation and giving campaign - has become a kind of shorthand for the parish's culture. The values that shape everything from the weekly bulletin to the food pantry are Grace-Filled Humility, Boundless Mission, Holy Boldness, Authentic Vulnerability, Abundant Hospitality, Empowering Leaders, and Glory to Glory.
Mass Schedule and the Sunday Rhythm
Daily Mass is offered every weekday morning. Monday through Friday there are Masses at 7:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Thursday adds a 6:30 PM Mass in Spanish, and Saturday morning Mass is at 8:00 AM. On weekends the parish opens wide: a Saturday vigil at 5:00 PM and six Sunday Masses at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM (Spanish), 4:30 PM, and 7:00 PM (Spanish). The 10:00 AM English Mass and the 2:00 PM Spanish Mass are both live streamed on the parish's Media Hub and YouTube channel, so homebound parishioners and those traveling can follow along. Masses marked with an asterisk in the schedule are non-incense.
Confession is heard Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12:00 PM; Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM; and Saturday at 8:00 AM. Priests continue hearing confessions until the last person leaves the line. To request the Anointing of the Sick or communion for someone who is homebound, the front office can be reached at 972-393-5544.
Office hours run Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (the office closes briefly for a Monday morning staff meeting from 11:00 to 11:45 AM and for lunch 12:45 to 1:45 PM) and Friday 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration
Across the parking lot from the Main Church stands the PEA Chapel, dedicated to Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. The chapel is open for prayer from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day. From 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM it is accessible only to scheduled weekly adorers, who keep vigil through the night. Parishioners interested in taking a holy hour can sign up through the parish office. The chapel anchors the parish's life of prayer, and the adoration ministry is one of the most active volunteer teams at St. Ann.
The Seven Sacraments, From Cradle to Marriage to Last Rites
The parish frames the seven sacraments as a lifelong journey of discipleship rather than a checklist. Infant baptism is offered for children under seven, with a four-step preparation process that includes a baptism class, registration, godparent paperwork, and date selection. Older children and teenagers (first grade through twelfth) receive the three sacraments of initiation - Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation - through the Children and Youth ministry programs, with monthly meetings for both the child and the parents.
Adults who want to become Catholic, or Catholic adults who have not yet been fully initiated, walk through the Christian Initiation process (formerly RCIA, now OCIA) led by Sefanit Stefanos and a team of sponsors, exploring Catholic teaching and receiving the sacraments at the Easter Vigil. Marriage preparation typically takes six months to a year, and the parish encourages couples to begin early - Carlie Berthelot coordinates the process on the English side and Glorymar Miranda on the Spanish side. The parish also oversees funerals, the Anointing of the Sick, and a lay Communion-for-the-Sick-and-Homebound team that brings the Eucharist to homes, memory-care centers, nursing homes, and rehab facilities across the area. A bilingual Mass of Remembrance is held every All Souls Day.
The School of Spirituality: Ignatian Formation for Adults
One of the most distinctive ministries at St. Ann is the School of Spirituality, a formation ministry built around Ignatian spirituality and trained at Our Lady of Divine Providence in Florida, affiliated with Franciscan University. The team of seven spiritual directors (Barbara Sanders, Roberta Ward, Edna Ramos, Beth Sargent, Joy Parsons, Sue Webb, and Tina Beier, with two more in formation) meets with individuals for spiritual direction and co-facilitates group retreats and courses.
The current slate of courses illustrates the range of the program. Our Covenant of Reconciliation walks through Old and New Testament passages on alienation and healing over eight Monday evenings. Inner Healing blends theology and psychology in an eight-week Wednesday course. Love: A Guide for Ignatian Prayer runs six weeks as an Ignatian prayer retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Prayer: Friendship with Jesus is a six-month monthly course on Lectio Divina, discernment, and the writings of St. Therese of Avila. Courses cost $20 per person. Beyond the structured courses, the school offers one-on-one spiritual direction for parishioners who want ongoing accompaniment.
For Catholics who want a more general introduction to the faith, St. Ann runs Alpha (a ten-week course with dinner, a video, and small-group discussion), the Foundations course on the Catholic faith, and a one-day Salvation History class that traces the covenants of Scripture from Genesis to Jesus. Walking With Purpose, a Catholic women's Bible study with at-home Scripture work and weekly small-group discussion, meets on Wednesday and Thursday mornings and Thursday evenings. A long-format Thursday-evening Bible study works through the Catechism of the Catholic Church from September through March.
Christ Renews His Parish, Ignite, and the Men's and Women's Summits
St. Ann runs two Christ Renews His Parish weekends each year - one for women in September and one for men in October. Led entirely by parishioner teams who have previously made the retreat, the thirty-hour weekend combines Scripture reflection, small-group sharing, and quiet time for prayer, and is followed by a longer formation process.
Ignite, a day-and-a-half retreat, focuses on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and is open to anyone looking to grow in the spiritual life. The parish also hosts a Women's Summit each spring and a Men's Summit each fall; the 2026 Men's Summit is a Friday-evening fireside chat followed by a Saturday program.
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
Children's ministry at St. Ann begins with St. Ann Kids, a Sunday morning program for the youngest parishioners, and the bilingual religious education classes for children preparing for First Communion. The Nursery serves children aged six months to four years during the Saturday 5:00 PM Mass and the Sunday 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 4:30 PM Masses, using the KidCheck electronic check-in system. Parents are required to remain on parish property while their children are in the nursery.
Middle School Ministry (MSM) and High School Ministry (HSM) form the core of the youth program. Both gather weekly for community rooted in Christ, with small groups, retreats, service projects, and the annual kick-off retreat at Camp Sweeney. Older teens also have a strong service tradition: the parish sends a High School Ministry team to the Diocese of Laredo each year for physical and spiritual service. Special Needs Ministry, led by Hannah Klement, walks alongside families with children and adults of all abilities and hosts regular community nights.
St. Ann Young Adults (SAYA) is the umbrella for everyone in their twenties and thirties. Declare - the most visible young-adult event - is held every second and fourth Monday at 7:00 PM in the chapel, with adoration, worship, and confession. Venture and the bilingual JASA (Jóvenes Adultos de Santa Ana) meet for fellowship, sports nights, and seasonal socials like Flannel Fest. Amy Kitzman coordinates SAYA on the English side and David Penoli on the outreach and discipleship side.
A Whole Parish Life in Spanish
Spanish is woven into the parish at every level, not added on. One of the three Sunday Masses is celebrated entirely in Spanish (2:00 PM), as is a second late Mass (7:00 PM) and the Thursday evening 6:30 PM daily Mass. The 2:00 PM Spanish Mass is live streamed to the parish's Spanish YouTube channel and WhatsApp channel, and the parish publishes a parallel set of Spanish-language web pages under CASA (Conoce a Santa Ana).
Bilingual coordinators handle sacramental preparation, religious education, baptism classes, marriage preparation, youth ministry, and outreach. Spanish-speaking staff include Fr. Luis Sierra (Vicario Parroquial), Deacon Eduardo Barajas, Deacon Manny Rendon, Marly Castillo, Brisa Leung, Ruth Rivadeneyra, Diego Lozano, Yolanda Lua, Yadira Arellano, Glorymar Miranda, Andrea Guerra, and Chris Vaughan. The parish publishes a Spanish-language bulletin and keeps a dedicated WhatsApp channel for time-sensitive announcements.
Mission Tracks: The Path Into the Parish
For newcomers, St. Ann runs Mission Tracks, the formal pathway to becoming a registered parishioner. Three sessions - two in-person Sunday gatherings after the 10:00 AM Mass and one virtual appointment during the week - cover the parish's story, mission, and vision; help each person identify their gifts; and connect them with a Mission Tracks advisor who points them toward ministries that fit their season of life. Mission Tracks meets monthly (with a break in December) in the Cenacle under the clocktower in the St. Ann Center. Nursery care is available for parents who register a KidCheck account.
The parish's vision is summed up by the word Transcend, which is also the name of the renovation and giving campaign that has funded the building's beautification. Sponsorship opportunities for ceiling stars and sacred elements remain open.
Outreach Beyond the Walls
Service is built into the parish's identity. The Men's Club has organized Thanksgiving Baskets since 1994; in recent years the parish has distributed more than 1,700 baskets and 200 turkeys in a single weekend to families in Coppell, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Dallas, and beyond. The Magi Ministry, started in 1991 with gifts for 100 people, now provides Christmas gifts to more than 3,800 children, seniors, seminarians, and the ill each year.
The CCD Food Ministry hosts a mobile food pantry truck on the parish parking lot on the second Wednesday and fourth Saturday of every month. Parenting classes are offered on the second and fourth Wednesdays; diapers are distributed after class. Canned meat, chili, stew, soup, peanut butter, and jelly (no glass jars) are collected on the first weekend of each month. St. Vincent de Paul donation drives are held monthly across Samuel Road at the Korean Church parking lot, with a published list of accepted and unaccepted items.
The Respect Life Ministry upholds the Church's teaching on the dignity of life from conception to natural death, with pregnancy education and support. Be the Church Outreach offers short-term financial help to registered parishioners facing housing, utility, or transportation crises. Stephen Ministry matches trained lay caregivers with people going through grief, divorce, job loss, illness, or other difficulties for one-to-one Christian care. The Ministry of Consolation runs the New Day Grief Support Group (eight Thursday evenings each fall) and the Divorce Recovery Support Group (eight Thursday evenings in the fall), and supports families through pregnancy loss and infant loss through MILSS within the Mom's Ministry.
Two international mission trips round out the outreach calendar. Each year, parishioners travel to Piura, Peru, to serve alongside Fr. Joseph Uhen and his staff at Santisimo Sacramento Parish. High School Ministry builds up the Diocese of Laredo annually with a service mission.
Women's Ministry and Men's Ministry
The parish runs a constellation of women's groups. Walking With Purpose is the flagship Bible study for women, meeting Wednesday and Thursday mornings and Thursday evenings. Mom's Ministry gathers mothers of children from infancy through high school, with the annual Moms Restore Retreat held at Montserrat Retreat Center in Lake Dallas. Equipped, part of Mom's Ministry, is a seven-week series for new mothers with babies under twelve months. She Shall Be Called Woman (SHE), the Women's Morning Ministry, meets Saturdays at 6:45 AM in Room 341. The Prayer Shawl Ministry gathers on the first Tuesday of each month in Room 323 to knit and crochet shawls that are blessed by clergy and given to anyone in need, regardless of church affiliation. Catholic Daughters of the Americas (Our Lady of Light Court) focuses on spiritual growth, service, and fellowship; its annual Holiday Market in November funds a scholarship for graduating high school seniors.
The Men's Club, with monthly meetings on the second Monday at 7:00 PM, is the parish's service backbone - it runs the annual Carnival, two golf tournaments, Easter Egg Hunt, Bingo nights, and the Thanksgiving Basket drive. The Knights of Columbus council meets on the parish grounds. Men's Morning Ministry gathers on Tuesday mornings for That Man Is You, with breakfast and video-based discussion in the St. Martha Room at 5:30 AM and a virtual option at 6:00 AM.
Faith and Money, and Stewardship
The Faith and Finance Ministry takes the 2,500 Bible verses on money and possessions and turns them into a practical curriculum. Set Your House in Order is a five-session estate-planning and Bible study. Faith and Money Matters is a six-week Compass-issued course on earning, spending, giving, debt, investing, and crisis. One-on-one money coaching is available from trained parishioner coaches.
Giving happens through online stewardship, one-time and recurring gifts, the Sunday collection, the Transcend campaign, the Building Hope capital campaign, and special collections like the diocesan Collection for Central America supporting the Diocese of Trujillo. The Be the Church Fund, the Missionary Institute, Thanksgiving Baskets, and Magi Ministry each have dedicated giving pages. Combined Financial Statements are published twice yearly.
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
Pastor Fr. Edwin Leonard leads the parish alongside parochial vicars Fr. Allen-Michael Muench and Fr. Luis Sierra, and five deacons: Dcn. Pete Markwald, Dcn. Kory Killgo, Dcn. Eduardo Barajas, Dcn. Ron Blanton, and Dcn. Manny Rendon. Fr. Edwin leads an annual pilgrimage (most recently to Portugal and Spain with Kim Zember and Jackie and Bobby Angel) and is a frequent teacher at parish retreats.
The senior leadership team includes Joey Scancella as Chief of Staff; Curtis Stephan as Director of Music and Liturgy; Marly Castillo as Director of Children Ministry and Youth Sacraments; Tim Thomas as Director of Operations; and Pat Quinn as Director of Marketing. The Music and Liturgy department is rounded out by Associate Director Max Durkin and office manager Kathy McCallum, with Patty Hernandez coordinating Spanish liturgy and Lynne Ryan and LuAnn Kamstra handling hospitality, the funeral corps, and the MSP/VSP program. The parish is one of the larger employers in the Coppell area and posts open positions on its website.
Year by Year: The Parish Calendar
The rhythm of the year fills the parish bulletin. The annual St. Ann Carnival opens the fall in September, followed by the High School Ministry kick-off retreat, the Blessing of the Pets on the feast of St. Francis, the parish 5K and Fun Run, Trunk or Treat, and the Catholic Daughters Holiday Market. Advent brings the new Franciscan University partnership and the daylong Franciscan Revival. Lent and Easter fill with Christ Renews His Parish weekends, the Anointing Mass, and the diocesan Chrism Mass. Summer includes Vacation Bible School, Vacation Bible School registration, and family camping events. Weekly bulletins, the Media Hub, the parish app, and a Spanish-language WhatsApp channel keep parishioners current.
Getting Connected
Visitors and newcomers are welcome at any Mass; there is no dress code beyond ordinary respect, and the Saturday vigil and Sunday morning Masses tend to draw the largest crowds. The best on-ramp for getting involved is Mission Tracks, which meets monthly after the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass in the Cenacle. For sacraments, the front office can route families to the right coordinator - Andrea Guerra and Katherine Bernasconi handle baptisms, Ruth Rivadeneyra coordinates bilingual children and youth sacraments, and Glorymar Miranda handles Spanish-language marriage preparation. Prayer requests can be submitted online, and the parish's podcast and homily archive live on the Media Hub.