A North Texas mother orchestrated a lighthearted prank that united nearly 200 fathers at a church in Coppell, creating a viral moment that spread joy well beyond the pews.
The event took place on Father’s Day at Saint Ann’s Catholic Parish, where hundreds of unsuspecting dads arrived wearing the exact same bright blue polo shirt. The shirts had been purchased by their spouses from an online Catholic store called Sock Religious, under the guidance of Kristen Combo, the mom behind the idea.
Combo described the plan as a spontaneous inspiration. “I had this, what I like to call, a ‘Holy Spirit idea,’” she said in an interview with CBS News Texas. Initially intended as a simple joke on a small group of dads, the plan quickly grew as word spread among parish families.
The result was a coordinated surprise that left the congregation laughing and delighted. Combo shared a video of the moment on Instagram, where it was viewed millions of times within a single day.
“I think people just want wholesome content,” she said. “And seeing men being really amazing fathers – it just brought joy.”
One of the dads, Jake Coffman, realized the prank as soon as he arrived at church. “I was like, ‘I think we all have the same shirt. We just got pranked by our wives,’” he said, laughing. “It brought that little bit of joy we needed for Father’s Day.”
Combo reflected on the joyful outcome of the prank, saying it was divinely inspired. “It’s blessed and brought joy to so many people across the world. It’s just so cool to see how the Lord works – and how He works with a sense of humor.”
