ALIEF — Catholics from across the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will gather Nov. 8 for the 30th annual Asian Mass, a celebration of faith, culture and unity among the region’s diverse Asian Catholic communities.

The Mass will begin at 2 p.m. at Christ the Incarnate Word Catholic Church in southwest Houston and will bring together Catholics from Burmese, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Korean, Sri Lankan and Vietnamese communities.

The principal celebrant for the liturgy will be Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, C.R.S., a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs.
This year’s celebration will highlight the lives of Asian saints from Filipino and Sri Lankan cultures whose witness continues to inspire Catholics around the world. Featured saints include St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint and a martyr for the faith; St. Pedro Calungsod, a young Filipino catechist who was martyred while serving as a missionary; and St. Joseph Vaz, known as the “Apostle of Ceylon” for his efforts to sustain the Catholic faith in present-day Sri Lanka during a period of persecution.

The annual Mass offers an opportunity for Asian Catholics to worship together while celebrating the traditions and heritage that enrich the local Church. Organizers say the event reflects the unity of the Catholic faith across cultures and generations.

The celebration also echoes recent calls from Pope Leo XIV for Catholics in Asia to be "builders of communion" and "bridge-builders" who strengthen the bonds between local churches through faith and shared mission. In messages to Asian bishops this year, the pope encouraged the Church in Asia to foster unity rooted in the Eucharist and to serve as a sign of God's presence across the continent's many cultures and nations.

Following the Mass, guests are invited to attend cultural performances presented by the Vietnamese, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Korean and Filipino communities in the nearby parish hall.

Now in its 30th year, the Asian Mass remains one of the archdiocese’s largest multicultural celebrations, bringing together Catholics from across Houston and beyond in a shared expression of faith and thanksgiving.