Fr. Braun was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Tyler on June 9, 2012. He's served as Director of Vocations, Chaplain of Campus and Youth ministry, and parochial vicar at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and at Sacred Heart in Texarkana. He has served as Pastor at Sacred Heart since November 1, 2020. He's uncle to 9 nephews and nieces, brother to two sisters, and son to Terry and Helen Braun of Longview. Fr. Braun's interests include hiking, golfing, reading, and most importantly, leading others to love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

I was born and raised in San Diego, California by a single parent, my mother. I am a cradle Catholic although my mother was a convert to Catholicism in her twenty’s. I attended catholic school from the fourth grade through high school. I come from a very small family. I had one sister who I grew up with, who was seven years younger than I. I have another half sister from my dad’s remarriage, but didn’t grow up with her. 

I left San Diego and moved to Killeen, TX, and lived with my aunt & uncle, while I waited for my fiancée to finish his studies at Trinity University for his Master of Science degree in Hospital Administration. We were married at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Selma, TX, a suburb of San Antonio, on December 18, 1972. We then moved to Irving, TX where my husband, Tom did a year residency at Parkland Hospital. From there we moved here to Texarkana. The first year here, 1974, we attended Sacred Heart Catholic church and even taught a class. In 1977, we built our first home on the Arkansas side, so we then started attending St. Edward’s. We lived in that same house for 30 years and two of our daughters were married at St. Edward’s. I worked at St. Edward’s as the receptionist from 1988 until 2001, about thirteen years.

As a family we were very involved in the happenings of our church. Choir, CCD catechist, lector, started the Jr. Youth group (7th & 8th graders), altar society member, parish life committee, renew co-coordinators, Little Rock scripture study, Cursillo, ESL teacher, where just some of the activities I was involved in. My husband was still with St. Michael Hospital in Administration. After about 20 years later, the decision was made to build a new hospital on the Texas side which is the Christus St. Michael campus. He was the CEO at that time and was instrumental in the relocation and building of the new hospital. What a great accomplishment for him. He retired several months after it opened. Since he retired, and he started having health issues, we decided to downsize from our Arkansas home and moved to the Spring Lake Park area, which put us minutes away from Sacred Heart church.

We were married 36 years until my husband passed in September of 2009. I started attending the daily early morning mass at 7:00 am when Msgr. Pappu was still here. He mentioned to me one morning that he was looking for a new secretary and asked if I would be interested. I was, and that’s how I ended up here as church secretary in November of 2011. Neither of my three daughters live here in Texarkana, nor do any other relatives of mine or my deceased husband. So, my church family is my bond to Texarkana. I love working here and am blessed to be a part of both our Catholic churches in Texarkana. Yes, I still claim St. Edwards, I have a history with my family there, but I am happy to be a part of my catholic family here at Sacred Heart.

Nancy has enjoyed serving the Sacred Heart community since 1987 when she moved to Texarkana. She became Faith Formation leader for the parish in 2002. Nancy received her theology degree from St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee, Oklahoma in 2012.

Nancy and her husband Vic have three children and eight wonderful grandchildren. Her family brings her great joy!