About St. Monica Catholic Church · Houston, Texas
St. Monica Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the Acres Homes community of north Houston, Texas, in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Founded in 1960 and raised from mission to parish status in 1964, it has long served as a spiritual home for Black Catholic families in the area. The parish offers Mass in English and Spanish, with a mission statement centered on prayer, evangelization, Catholic education, and service to those in need. It is currently pastored by Rev. Martins C. Emeh, J.C.L., Ph.D.
- Established
- 1960
- Patron
- St. Monica
- Rector
- Rev. Martins C. Emeh, J.C.L., Ph.D.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Why belong here
St. Monica is a long-established Black Catholic parish in Acres Homes that welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking families and offers a full sacramental life — daily and weekend Mass, confession, Eucharistic adoration, RCIA and CCD religious education, a food pantry through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, a Gospel Choir, Bible study, and bilingual fellowship. It is a parish that takes seriously its mission 'to pray and worship, teach and share Christ's saving message as we evangelize, build up, and nurture communities of faith,' with a visible commitment to serving the poor of north Houston.
Mass times at St. Monica Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday (Jueves) 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
- Saturday (Sábado) 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Adoration times
- Thursday (Jueves) after 9:00 a.m. Mass – 12:00 p.m.
Welcome from Father Martins Emeh
Rev. Martins C. Emeh, J.C.L., Ph.D., the parish's current pastor, greets visitors with a bilingual welcome: 'Welcome to our parish website! Thank you for checking in. I would also cherish the opportunity to personally welcome you to our beautiful church!' He describes St. Monica as 'a community of saints and sinners seeking closeness with the Lord and being nourished by His body and blood,' and invites newcomers to come pray with the parish.
Mission Statement
The parish formally states: 'We, the people of St. Monica Catholic Church, recognize ourselves as a community of God's children called to holiness through Baptism and the Eucharist, to share the love of Christ through the message of the Gospel. Our mission is to pray and worship, teach and share Christ's saving message as we evangelize, build up, and nurture communities of faith; serving in Christ's name as we journey with each other to the fullness of eternal life.'
- Live the life of Christ the Priest through prayer and worship.
- Live the life of Christ the Teacher through Catholic education and ongoing conversion.
- Live the life of Christ the Shepherd through evangelization.
- Live the life of Christ the Servant through works of charity for all.
Our History
St. Monica traces its roots to Catholic families who migrated from southwestern Louisiana to the Acres Homes area in the early 1940s. The parish was founded in 1960, became an independent parish in 1964, and celebrated the dedication of a brand-new church on September 18, 1999. See the History section above for the full story.
- 1960 — First Mass celebrated May 8, 1960.
- 1964 — St. Monica becomes a separate parish under Father William Hogan.
- 1966 — New hall and CCD center dedicated May 4, 1966.
- 1999 — New 600-seat church dedicated by Bishop Fiorenza.
Clergy & Staff
- Rev. Martins C. Emeh, J.C.L., Ph.D. — Pastor
- Deacon John Lane — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Luis Hernandez — Permanent Deacon
- Marilyn Adams — Parish Secretary & Bookkeeper
- Linda Arceneaux — Gospel Choir / Choir Director
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education at St. Monica has been part of parish life since Father Hogan began CCD classes in the rear of the original church in 1960. Today the parish continues CCD classes for children and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for those seeking to enter the Church.
- CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) for children
- RCIA for adults
- Bible Study
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
The parish's Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) food pantry has been serving the Acres Homes community since 1969, originally out of an 8-by-8-foot room behind the altar of the old church. After the new church was built in the late 1990s, the pantry moved to a 10-by-20-foot room in the church hall and has grown into a major distribution outlet for one of Houston's historically African-American neighborhoods. It is also featured on its own dedicated site at stmonicafoodpantry.com.
- In continuous service since 1969
- Major food distribution outlet for Acres Homes
- Operated through the parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference
Music & Liturgy
Music ministry at St. Monica is led by Linda Arceneaux, who directs the Gospel Choir and parish choir. The parish's musical tradition reflects its deep Black Catholic heritage in the Acres Homes community.
- Gospel Choir / Parish Choir (Linda Arceneaux, Director)
Visit Us / Contact
St. Monica Catholic Church is located at 8421 West Montgomery Road, Houston, TX 77088, on the corner of West Montgomery Road and South Victory Street in the Acres Homes community. The parish office can be reached at 281-447-5837 or by email.
- Address: 8421 West Montgomery Road, Houston, TX 77088
- Phone: 281-447-5837
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmonicahouston.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John Conlon1959–1960
Pastor of St. Anne de Beaupre who organized the fundraising and groundbreaking for St. Monica.
- Father William Hogan1960–
First assistant pastor (1960) and first resident pastor when St. Monica became a parish in 1964.
- Father John C. Crottyfrom September 25, 1970
Known for his motto 'I do not work alone'; built up parish life and community.
- Father Alphonsus Bakyil1990s
Led the planning committee for the new church and presided over its 1999 dedication.