Saint Mary Knanaya [Syro-Malabar]

History of the Parish

The Houston Knanaya Catholic Mission was founded in 1994, when Fr. Joseph Meledath arrived on November 27 of that year to pastor Knanaya families in Houston and Dallas. Bishop Joseph Fiorenza of the Galveston-Houston diocese formally recognized him as mission director in 1996. Successive mission directors — Fr. Joseph Manappurath (1998), Fr. James Cheruvil (2007) and Fr. Jose Illikunnumpurath (December 2010) — built up the community until, on August 25, 2011, it acquired its own church building from a Baptist congregation. On October 29, 2003 the mission had already been formally recognized by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath as part of the (then-newly erected) St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago. The new church on W. Fuqua Drive was consecrated on November 5, 2011, and Bishop Angadiath elevated the mission to a full parish that same day, naming Fr. Illikunnumpurath as its first vicar. On February 18, 2015, St. Mary's was declared a Forane Parish — one of the original five Knanaya Catholic foranes in the United States. Today the parish serves about 860 families in Houston, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Stafford and southeast Texas.

Clergy, Trustees & Parish Council

• Pastor / Vicar: Rev. Fr. Abraham Mutholath — 773-412-6254, [email protected]
• Associate Pastor: Rev. Fr. Joshy Valiyaveettil — 224-775-8039, [email protected]
• Trustees: Saji Marangattil (Coordinator, 832-428-6303), James Vadakkekkara, Sabu Karukapparambil, Nidhin Vattamattathil (Youth Trustee, 346-219-3451)
• Pastoral Coordinator: Biby Thekkanatt — 248-974-5100, [email protected]
• Parish Secretary: Sr. Regi SJC — 832-679-3702
• Director of Religious Education (DRE): Johnson Vattamattathil — 201-270-9360, [email protected]
• Projects Manager: Jassim Jacob (Jayachan) Thayilputhenpurayil — 713-498-0604
• Facility Management: Mathew Thekkethil — 832-661-6305
• Bulletin / PRO: Alvin Mukalel — 346-702-9498, [email protected]

Novenas, Devotions & Other Liturgies

The parish keeps a rich calendar of regular novenas after Qurbana — St. Anthony of Padua on Tuesdays, St. Jude on Thursdays, Our Lady of Perpetual Help / B.V. Mary on Saturdays, and the Sacred Heart Novena on First Fridays. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed every day, fifteen minutes before Holy Qurbana, and the Legion of Mary meets every Saturday after Qurbana. Annual highlights include the Lenten Adult Retreat (begins Thursday at 6:00 P.M.), Parish Day & Catechism Fest (April), the Holy Land Pilgrimage, and the main feast in October, prepared by a nine-day novena that begins on October 9 and includes the Solemn Main Feast on the Friday of that week.

Religious Education (Catechism)

The parish runs a Sunday catechism school that draws 560 students and is served by 45 catechetical staff, making it one of the largest religious-education programs in the Knanaya Region of the diocese. Classes meet on Sundays from 10:30 A.M. to 11:45 A.M., in between the English Qurbana and the late Malayalam Qurbana. The Director of Religious Education is Johnson Vattamattathil (201-270-9360, [email protected]). The year culminates in the Parish Day & Catechism Fest in April.

Ministries & Pious Associations

St. Mary's Knanaya fosters a vibrant guild of ministries that covers every age and walk of life. The Men, Women, Youth, Teens and Senior Citizens' Ministries each have their own coordinators and meet regularly. The parish hosts the Legion of Mary (with weekly Saturday prayer meetings and elected leadership), the Little Flower Mission League (LFML), the St. Vincent de Paul Society (under the Sisters of St. Joseph), and the Holy Childhood Association. Fifteen koodara yogams (geographic ward prayer groups) keep the entire Houston-area Knanaya community connected through neighborhood-based prayer, and supporting liturgical works are done by the Ushers, Eucharistic Ministers and Funeral Ministry.

Calendar Highlights & Annual Events

• Annual Retreat (Lenten): Adults begin Thursday at 6:00 P.M.; Children & Youth Retreat in English follows.
• Parish Day & Catechism Fest — April (e.g. April 19).
• St. Anthony Novena leading to his feast on June 14.
• Feast of St. Thomas — July 3, with First Friday Adoration after 9:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. Qurbanas.
• Holy Land Pilgrimage — departs in October.
• Main Feast in October — Novena begins October 9; Solemn Feast on Friday of that week.
• St. Jude Feast in October.
• Pre-Marriage Course — begins May 1; region-level hosted at St. Mary's November 7–9, 2018.
• Teen Zone — monthly on Friday at 5:30 P.M., followed by adoration after the 7:00 P.M. Qurbana.

Getting Involved & Contact

Parishioners can serve in any of the dozen-plus ministries listed above or in liturgical roles (Eucharistic Minister, Usher, Funeral). Office hours are Monday – Friday 10:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. and 4:30 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Zelle payments are directed to [email protected] (with family name and purpose in the memo). The official web editor is Fr. Abraham Mutholath.

• Address: 6400 W. Fuqua Dr., Missouri City, TX 77489
• Rectory: 2303 Brett Ct., Missouri City, TX 77459-1923
• Phone: 1-281-957-5264
• Website: https://smkchouston.org
• Bulletins (Angel Voice) published as downloadable PDFs on the parish site

Houston Knanaya Forane (Deanery)

Since February 18, 2015, St. Mary's has served as the Forane (deanery) parish for the greater Houston area, with three parishes under its care: St. Mary's Knanaya Catholic Parish (Houston), Christ the King Knanaya Catholic Parish (Dallas), and St. Anthony's Knanaya Catholic Parish (San Antonio). The forane was inaugurated on March 15, 2015 by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath, with Auxiliary Bishop Mar Joy Alappatt leading the inaugural liturgy. Fr. Saji Pinarkayil was the first forane vicar; subsequent forane vicars have been Fr. Suni Padinjarekkara and the present vicar Fr. Abraham Mutholath. The region-level Vicar General and Region Director is Rev. Fr. Thomas Mulavanal (Elmhurst, IL).