St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, NRH

09/08/2026

Today we celebrate the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Happy Birthday Blessed Mother! 💐🎂 - and Saturday is the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary...so it's only fitting to talk about baby names.
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For Catholics, names help connect us to the communion of saints and help us find inspiration for living a faith-filled life. We have many parishioners named Paul, Catherine, Joseph, Theresa, John, and Mary (of course!). And these are lovely, classic names - from strong examples of the faith!
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But if you're curious, here are a few unique Catholic-inspired names:
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BOYS:
Crispin - a 3rd-century martyr and the patron of cobblers and leather workers.
Augustine - an all-time-great theologian and Pope Leo XIV's favorite saint!
Fulton - pays homage to the great American evangelist Fulton Sheen, who's about to be beatified (Sep 24)!
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GIRLS:
Eulalia - a brave martyr from Roman times and such a lyrical name!
Colette - vintage appeal, with ties to a humble religious sister and miracle worker!
Seraphina - a heavenly name inspired by the highest-ranking angels.
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Of course, there are so many more - what saint(s) has inspired names in your family?

09/05/2026

Join us at the Annual Red Mass - all are invited! The Mass is a tradition within the Catholic Church dating back to the 13th century to invoke God’s blessing upon lawyers, judges, and public servants.
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In the Diocese of Fort Worth, the Mass is celebrated by Bishop Michael F. Olson, STD, MA, to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for all attorneys, judges, public officials, law students, their staff, and their families.
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Following the Mass, a seated dinner will be held at the Fort Worth Club. Please register for the dinner by Sept 19: https://www.stmsfw.org/red-mass

09/05/2026

It's World Beard Day! And what better way to celebrate than taking a look at what Sacred Scripture has to say about facial hair?
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In the Bible, beards are a sign of dignity and maturity. In fact, Jewish priests were instructed to let their facial hair grow.
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"They shall not shave their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor lacerate their bodies." -- Leviticus 21:5
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And the Psalms reference beards in connection with the priesthood and blessing.
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"Like precious ointment on the head, running down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, upon the collar of his robes." -- Psalm 133:2
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Shaving one's beard could be an expression of shame or lamentation. After the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon, Jeremiah noted the following:
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"Everyone has shaved his beard, torn his garments, and gashed himself..." -- Jeremiah 41:5
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The Bible doesn't explicitly say that Jesus had a beard, but it was the norm among Jewish men in the 1st century. Nonetheless, the New Testament shifts the focus away from external appearance to what's on the inside.
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"Your adornment should not be an external one...but rather the hidden character of the heart." -- 1 Peter 3:3-4
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So should Catholic men have beards today? It's increasingly more common. But while it can be a symbol of wisdom and maturity, one's character and virtue are truly what count.

09/04/2026

This year, $325,000 was awarded in school operating grants for safe learning and specialized learning - and St. John the Apostle Catholic School, NRH was one of the recipients!

Each year the Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA) makes a difference across the diocese from healing poverty to tending to keeping the lights on (and the AC running) to securing an education for our seminarians...and so much more!

As we get ready for the 2027 appeal, please take a look at how the 2026 ADA touched those around the diocese and especially in our parish. Thank you to everyone in our St. John the Apostle community for continuing to be generous stewards 💙💛

Impact report: https://www.advancementfoundation.org/annual-diocesan-appeal-annual-report
Grant lists: https://www.advancementfoundation.org/grants

Este año se otorgaron $325,000 en subvenciones operativas escolares destinadas a entornos de aprendizaje seguros y especializados, ¡y la Escuela Católica St. John the Apostle de NRH fue una de las beneficiarias!

Cada año, la Campaña Diocesana Anual (ADA) marca la diferencia en toda la diócesis: desde aliviar la pobreza y cubrir gastos básicos —como mantener la iluminación y el aire acondicionado en funcionamiento— hasta garantizar la formación de nuestros seminaristas... ¡y mucho más!

Mientras nos preparamos para la campaña de 2027, les invitamos a conocer cómo la ADA de 2026 impactó a las personas de toda la diócesis y, en particular, a nuestra parroquia. Gracias a todos los miembros de la comunidad de St. John the Apostle por seguir siendo administradores generosos 💙💛

Informe de impacto: https://www.advancementfoundation.org/annual-diocesan-appeal-annual-report
Listado de subvenciones: https://www.advancementfoundation.org/grants

09/03/2026

Ever wonder how "Gregorian Chant," the unaccompanied, monophonic singing of sacred songs in Latin, got its name? The style was formalized and promoted by St. Gregory the Great, a 7th-century pope whose feast day we celebrate today.
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Its unique ambience has found popularity throughout the world, that even with its sacred roots, Gregorian Chant has found its way into secular society, and is regularly used in movies and video games.
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Read the accompanying article to learn more about this style of sacred music and how you can "sing with the Pope": https://www.ncregister.com/features/lets-sing-with-the-pope-gregorian-chant

08/31/2026

Registration is OPEN for the NTX Catholic Women Women’s Conference!
Spend a day with women from across North Texas as they grow in faith, deepen authentic friendships, and discover how Truth, Beauty, and Goodness lead us closer to Christ and to one another.

https://www.ntxcw.org/conference

The North Texas Catholic Women’s Conference is coming up on October 17! 💕 Join women from across North Texas for a beautiful day of faith, fellowship, inspiration, and renewal.

💗 Don’t wait—register today and invite a friend to join you!

📅 October 17
🙏 North Texas Catholic Women’s Conference

We can’t wait to see you there! ✨

08/29/2026

Today, we remember the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist, who courageously prepared a way for Christ’s ministry. His life reminds us to place God at the center of all that we do, especially as we look to the future.
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By including St. John the Apostle Parish in your estate plan, you join us in preparing a way for the future of our faith community.
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🤍 Contact our Dir. of Planned Giving, attorney Lydia Springer, to get started and share your intentions or learn more about our Legacy Society here: advancementfoundation.planmygift.org/legacy-society

08/27/2026

St. Monica's story hits home for many of us at St. John's.
She prayed for years that Augustine would come to the faith, and after many tears and travails, God accomplished this in him.
If one of your loved ones has left the faith, consider praying this litany for them today: https://ewtn.co.uk/chpop-the-mom-who-never-gave-up-on-augustine-a-powerful-litany-to-saint-monica/
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Feeling called to pray for those who have fallen away from the faith? Even if none of your loved ones have left the church, we invite you to join our St. Monica prayer group, which meets every Wednesday morning from 8:45 am - 9:25 am.
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Join us as we read about and pray with St. Monica, whose prayers. tears, and witness eventually led to the conversions of her husband and son, St. Augustine. Come every week or just when you can - we gather to follow her example and pray especially for those who have fallen away from the faith.

08/25/2026

What's got your mouth proclaiming praise?

08/22/2026

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary — but her crown isn't a symbol of distance; it's a sign of just how close she wants to draw us to her Son.
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She's our Mediatrix of Grace, our spiritual Mother, and our surest pathway to holiness 🤍
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