The St. Joseph Syro Malabar Forane Catholic Church is a Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Parish in Missouri City, Texas serving the community of Houston. It is a Forane Parish for the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of St. Thomas of Chicago.
Priest The current vicar of the Forane Parish is Reverend Fr. Sebastian Valiyaparambil. Prior to his tenure in Houston, Fr. Sebastian served as the Vicar of St. Chavara Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission in Bakersfield, CA.
Importance in the Eparchy The Eparchy is the second-largest parish in the eparchy and the largest in the Texas region. Due to its size and importance, It has been granted an assistant vicar. It also hosted the 2019 Syro Malabar National Convention
Forane Church In April 2014 Mar Jacob Angadiath announced that the Houston Parish would be elevated to a Forane Church, one of the 9 due to the eparchy's geographical vastness and for better co-ordination.
There are three Syro Malabar Churches and Missions under the St. Joseph Forane, Houston. No.Church/Mission NameCity1St. Thomas Syro Malabar ChurchSan Antonio, Texas2Divine Mercy Syro Malabar ChurchEdinburg, Texas3St. Mary Syro Malabar ChurchPearland, Texas
See also
Syro-Malabar Church Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of St. Thomas of Chicago
References