JARRELL: We are Galveston-Houston

St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in Galveston (Photo by James Ramos/Herald)“Not many people know this, but…” I love that phrase. As the Parish Programs manager for the Office of Vocations, I don’t think I can ever know all there is to know about our beautiful Archdiocesan family. All 146 parishes. All 1.7 million Catholics. All 8,800 square miles (bigger than the state of New Jersey).

My job with the chancery tasks me with bringing the Office of Vocations programs to our parishes. This gives me a unique opportunity to peek into our local churches. And, let me tell you, we are a beautiful family with parallels and contrasts that illuminate the merciful, while the overarching love of our Creator covers us as we stumble through our work and desire to grow His kingdom.

A perfect example of this is the seven churches in our Archdiocese dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: our co-cathedral in downtown, as well as the local churches in Conroe, Crosby, Galveston, Manvel, Pattison and Richmond. If you map them, I pray you will see how our Savior has covered the entire Archdiocese in His holy love.

Fun Facts: While our soaring co-cathedral in downtown is central geographically, the Mother Church of our Archdiocese is actually St. Mary Cathedral Basilica in Galveston. Sacred Heart church in Galveston is part of Holy Family Parish, which consists of five churches. And, Sacred Heart, Conroe, is the largest of this group with over 7,000 registered households, while Sacred Heart in Pattison is the smallest at around 350 registered households.
As I travel around, I love observing the sister parishes. It’s likely that most of the members, and even the pastors of these communities, have not had the opportunity to see their counterparts and experience the visual comparisons. 

One of these sets is the two of our parishes dedicated to St. Jerome: one in Houston and one in Clute. Since the one in Houston is convenient to my office, I have been able to visit them frequently, and they are a vibrant, loving community. When I arrived at my first visit in Clute, however, my initial sight was not only of aesthetically beautiful grounds, but also of their devoted pastor mowing their lawn. (I didn’t know it was him at first, as he was wearing work clothes, but he joined us for our meeting.) This warm, devoted parish reminded me of its sister parish in Houston. I wished they could meet each other.

If the opportunity ever presents itself, browse the family of churches God has blessed us with here in the Archdiocese. Some are sprawling land-wise, while others are locked in by surrounding structures. Some are historic, while some are traditionally built, and others are modern. Many are buzzing with meetings of little children, veteran parishioners and young adult ministries, even on a random Tuesday. Often, I arrive while a funeral is being prepared, reminding me of the great need for our priests and their supporters. It is interesting to see how the needs of the parish are illustrated by the accommodations for confession and Mass schedules, language offerings and events.

I recently saw a bulletin with a “Recipe Corner.”  What a great idea during Lent! The aliveness of our local Church is so evident in these initiatives, as well as the fact that our newest parish, St. Mary Faustina Kowalska in Fulshear, is but a mere 12 years old, while our eldest parish, St. Joseph in Brazoria, was established nearly 200 years ago, the year that the Mexican-American War ended.

Now in the Easter season, I hope reflecting on the amazing Archdiocese God has brought about in Galveston-Houston will renew your peace and devotion to your local Church family. My hope is that by discovering more about all our local parishes, you feel connected and inspired by what God is building here. And, if you ever see me stopping by, please say hello, and teach me something about your parish. ​

Ashley Jarrell is the parish programs manager of the Office of Vocations.