Special to The Texas Catholic
WYLIE — St. Anthony Catholic Parish dedicated its 2025 Angel Tree project to residents of St. Joseph Residence in Dallas, delivering gifts and holiday cheer to more than 70 seniors.
The parish collected wish lists from individual residents and filled the tree with tags, each representing a senior. Parishioners flocked to the tree, selected tags, and purchased gifts, which were later loaded onto a truck and hand-delivered by St. Anthony staff during a service day at the residence. The Bethlemite Sisters, clergy, and Don Thompson, business manager of St. Joseph Residence, joined the effort.
The project grew beyond expectations, with additional gifts arriving through an Amazon wish list open to the public. Items included dishware, silverware, bath towels, large-print word search books and favorite snacks, filling a truck and trailer with donations.
St. Joseph Residence, part of the Diocese of Dallas, opened Jan. 23, 1955, after Bishop Thomas Gorman invited the Bethlemite Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to establish a ministry for the elderly. The sisters have staffed the facility since its founding.
The success of this year’s Angel Tree has St. Anthony staff eager to continue the tradition in 2026. Organizers said the event was a heartfelt way to bring joy to seniors, a group often overlooked during the holidays.
