Father Mitch Pacwa ---Respected Scripture Scholar, Author, and popular EWTN Television and Radio Host, as well as the founder and President of IGNATIUS PRODUCTIONS, a teaching and media apostolate. He received his B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from the University of Detroit, summa cum laude.

He was ordained a Jesuit Catholic priest in 1976 with the Society of Jesus and then continued his studies. He received his Master of Divinity and S.T.B. from the Jesuit School of Theology of Loyola University, magna cum laude. At Vanderbilt University, he received his Master of Arts, Ph.D. in Old Testament.

Father Pacwa has taught at the high school, university, and seminary levels. He has lectured at hundreds of conferences and churches around the world and is best known for his appearances on EWTN - Global Catholic Television Network. Father Pacwa is fluent in twelve languages and has a unique understanding of the peoples and cultures of the Middle East and is respected for his knowledge on Islam and the Qur'an. Father Pacwa serves as Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and has led thousands of pilgrims to holy sites around the world. He is also has the privilege of being bi-ritual, which means he can also celebrate the Maronite Mass of the Eastern Catholic Church. Father Pacwa is also the author of over twenty books.

Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale

Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale is a Texas-grown phenomenon who knows how to “Save You Money, TODAY!”

In 1981, Mack and his wife, Linda, started Gallery Furniture with five thousand dollars and a dream. Mack began television advertising with his motto of “early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise,” he quickly became a household name. With three locations, Gallery Furniture has been top in the nation for many years selling the most furniture and mattresses per square foot.

Over the years Mack has received countless awards, most notably the volunteer service award “Points of Light” awarded personally by former President George H.W. Bush. Mack’s strong work ethic is matched only by his philanthropy and believes “we all have the responsibility for the well-being of our community.”  

Past charitable contributions include: providing shelter for hundreds displaced by Hurricane Harvey and hosting countless relief efforts following the disaster; as well as supplying Houstonians with cleaning materials, clothing, water and food. Mack hosts the Annual Christmas Giveaways furnishing hundreds of homes for 30+ years. McIngvale has also donated $4+ million to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. He has a passion for supporting health innovations, including sponsoring the nation’s first Mobile Stroke Unit with The University of Texas Health Science Center in partnership with Memorial Hermann, Texas Heart Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and co-founded the Peace of Mind Foundation for those affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. McIngvale has donated millions of dollars of furniture to teacher lounges in Houston-area schools, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, United Way, hurricane victims, and more. He helped to raise over $13 million dollars for the Bush/Clinton fund to aid those affected by the Tsunami in Southeast Asia and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and other disasters such as the deadly flooding that occurred in Kentucky. Jim McIngvale and Gallery Furniture also fed 25,000+ people celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter for countless years. Despite these efforts, Mack believes that being at Gallery Furniture every day providing hope to the community is his most important and significant way to contribute to the community and stay at the heart of it all.

Mack and Linda also own and operate Club Westside; and enjoy spending time with their children James, Laura, Elizabeth and Regina, and their wonderful grandchildren.

Mack has been a proud parishioner at The Church of the Annunciation since 2020.