HISTORY OF THE PARISH

Fr. Joseph Meledath came to Houston on November 27, 1994 to take care of pastoral needs of the Knanaya community in Houston and Dallas. Bishop Joseph Fiorenza of the Galveston-Houston diocese officially appointed Fr. Meledath as the mission director in 1996. Rev. Fr. Joseph Manappurath was appointed as the mission director on September 1, 1998. Mar Jacob Angadiath officially recognized the Knanaya Catholic Mission of Houston on October 29, 2003, along with nine other Knanaya Catholic Missions in the USA, as a mission of the St. Thomas Diocese of Chicago. He also confirmed the appointment of Fr. Joseph Manapurath as the director of this mission. Fr. James Cheruvil took charge as the director of this mission on January 1, 2007. Rev. Fr. Jose Illikunnumpurath was appointed as the mission director with effect from December 28, 2010.

This mission bought a new church from a Baptist community on August 25, 2011and was consecrated on November 5, 2011 by His Excellency Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath. Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkatt was the main celebrant of the first Holy Mass and Bishop Mar Joseph Pandarasseril was concelebrant. Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath elevated this mission as a parish and appointed Fr. Jose Illikunnumpurath as the first vicar (pastor) of this parish during the Holy Mass. Fr. Mathew Meledath was appointed as the second from May 6, 2013. Fr. Saji Pinarkayil served as pastor of this parish from October 18, 2014 to April 30, 2018. Fr. Suni Padijarekkara was the pastor from May 1, 2018 to September 14, 2023. Fr. Abraham Mutholath, the present pastor, took charge on September 15, 2023.

This parish was declared as a Forane Parish of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago on February 18, 2015 by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath. The official establishment of the forane was held on March 15, 2015 by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath and inaugurated by Auxiliary Bishop Mar Joy Alappatt at Mary’s Church in Houston.

Fr. Joby Puchookandathil served as the first associate pastor from June 15, 2022 to July 30, 2022. Fr. Joseph Thachara is the present associate pastor from July 30, 2022.

St. Joseph’s Congregation sent three sisters (Sr. Reji, Sr. Joice and Sr. Jossy), to start a new convent in Houston, TX. They arrived in Houston on August 5, 2017. The parish hosted a pre-marriage course of Knanaya Region from November 7-9, 2018.

This Parish serves around 860 families in Houston, Sugarland, Missouri city, Stafford and Southeastern part of Texas.