2019

To return to the photo gallery home page or see photos of prior years, please click here.

Quick links to the photo albums that supplement this page are provided below.

Spring 2019
 

May Crowning
May 5, 2019

"O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today, 
Queen of the angels, Quieen of the May."
                           ~  Refrain, "Bring Flowers of the Rarest"

May 5, Good Shepherd Sunday, was also the first Sunday in May and the first Sunday in May is always the day of the May Crowning! As in the past, First Communicants led in the presenting of flowers. Faithful joined the long procession line, patiently waiting to offer their personal gift of flowers to Our Blessed Mother. Once the last flower was presented, a little girl helped by her father, crowned her Queen of Heaven.

Each year, many aspects of the May Crowning remain the same, but there are differences. For the first time, the Tower of David Children’s Choir participated and their strong voices added to the beauty of the devotion. An unusually large number of First Communicant boys relative to girls resulted in a vibrant sea of blue flags by the statue.

After the Mass, the parish honored the First Communicants with a delicious lunch reception. Because of the large number of children receiving, First Communion was offered at both morning Masses on Mother’s Day, May 12. In honor of mothers, our parish KC gave each a red carnation as they entered the building and a Tower of David art exhibit in the large meeting room added to the joy of the day.

Congratulations to First Communicants: Antonio, Brittaney, Canon, Dillon, Evelyn, Genevieve, James, Katarina, Landon, Lincoln, Logan, Luke, Mercedes, Noah, Reyansh, Robert, Thomas, Tyler, and Zachary!

At the top of the page under Photo Albums:
2019 May Crowning


Holy Week
Palm Sunday - Easter Sunday
April 14-21, 2019

"O God, Who hast bestowed on the faithful 
the fire of Thy brightness by The Son ...."
                           ~  Blessing of the New Fire, Easter Vigil

Easter came late this year and the mild April days and spring flowers perfectly heralded this highest feast day of Mother Church. Membership in our parish has grown and for many of our newest members and visiting faithful, it was their first Holy Week to experience in the Traditional rite. Reverend Mr. Javier Ruiz Velasco Aguilar, FSSP joined us mid-week, which allowed the Triduum Masses to be Solemn High Masses. Rev. Mr. Javier hails from Jalisco, Mexico and was ordained a deacon at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Lincoln, Nebraska, two weeks prior to coming here. This was his first trip to Houston. He gave a powerful sermon on Easter Sunday at the High Mass, stating that belief in the Resurrected Christ is our Hope. He reminded us not to despair (there had been church bombing in Sri Lanka on Easter) because Hope is with us, in the tabernacle and in our hearts at communion.

This was our second year to participate in a Lenten Food Drive, which benefited St. Maximilian Kolbe Food Pantry. Faithful donated over 1,200 items, double the amount of last year. In addition, many children in the parish participated in a Lenten almsgiving project, raising over $850 for the capital campaign. Deo gratias!

Two additional firsts this year: The Way of the Cross prayed on Fridays during Lent was held outside unless inclement weather and our first Children's Easter Egg Hunt, on Low Sunday, following the 10 a.m. Mass.

At the top of the page under Photo Albums:
2019 Palm Sunday
2019 Maundy Thursday
2019 Good Friday
2019 Easter Vigil
2019 Easter Egg Hunt
 

Winter 2019

St. Joseph Altar and Reception
March 17, 2019




New Look at Our Entrance: the Marian Project
February 15 - March 17, 2019

In January, Patrick Pham (upper right photo), approached Fr. Van Vliet about a possible Eagle Scout project to beautify the entrance onto the property. With Father on board, Patrick raised the funds, got the materials and supervised the installation. Primarily completed by February 16, the project could not be finalized until weather conditions allowed for a protective coating to be painted on the statue. Blessing of the statue and site occurred on Sunday, March 17, after the 7:30 a.m. Mass.

Another group of parishioners tackled a separate task that was equally important, but of a more utilitarian purpose. In the early years, when the parish operated out of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a carport was installed at the property and used as a staging ground for various activities. Since it was open on all sides, planned activities were subject to weather conditions. Parishioners volunteered funds and labor to enclose the carport.

Special thanks to all who contributed to these great projects!

End of Season of Septuagesima
Beginning of Lent

On March 3, the parish held overnight adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The vigil, offered each year on Quinquagesima Sunday, began at the end of Vespers and concluded the next morning before the 6:30 a.m. Mass. Ash Wednesday that followed reminded the faithful that to dust we return, and keeping that in our thoughts, to use Lent as a time of profound spiritual growth. Already, many in the parish chose to participate in a 33-day spiritual exercise that started February 20 and ends March 25 with the public Consecration of Jesus through Mary. On Fridays during Lent, the Way of the Cross is prayed at 6:30 p.m.
 

Altar & Sacristy Tour
February 24 & 26, 2019

Fr. Van Vliet grants a private tour to First Communicants
in the Tower of David and CCD classes.

Trail Riders Spend Night
En Route to Houston Rodeo
February 20, 2019

Visit from Fr. Alfaro Rivero, FSSP
February 17, 2019

Fr. Alfaro Rivera from Spain heads the FSSP Mission in Anolaima, Columbia, where he has worked to spread the Faith since the apostolate was formed in 2004. As Fr. Rivera explained, the apostolate has a three-fold mission: spiritual, educational and agricultural. The farm sustains the apostolate and teaches skills to the locals, the school educates the children, and the spiritual draws the faithful back to the Church. Many grandparents have a strong faith, but it has been lost in the younger generations. The apostolate draws these souls back to the sacraments and the Mass. Demand is great and the priests often travel long distances to attend to the spiritual needs of the community and surrounding areas. The fruits of their labors have blessed the Mission: one of the former students is now a Fraternity priest, who heads the school.

To learn more about the Columbian Mission, please click here.



Candlemas
February 2, 2019

"... pour forth Thy blessings upon these candles
and sanctify them with the light of Thy grace ...."
                           ~  Third Prayer, Blessing of the Candles

February 2 was both First Saturday and the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Vigin Mary, which marks the end of Christmastide. The Low Mass at 7:30 a.m. included the customary First Saturday devotion offered by the parish each month. A High Candlemas followed with a blessing of the candles used in the liturgical year and a procession. Faithful also brought their own candles to be blessed and these candles will be used in devotions at home and during times of danger.

The next day, throat blessings were offered after the Sunday Masses in honor of St. Blaise. Having been enriched by the Mass and received throat blessings, the faithful stepped outside to a tamale sale offered by the Knights of Columbus. The parish really loves tamales for the entire inventory was sold out after the first Mass!

At the top of the page under Photo Albums:
2019 First Saturday & Candlemas


Epiphany
Blessing of the Water, Jan. 5, 2019
Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6, 2019

"Non ultra audeas, serpens callidissime, decipere humanum genus ...."
                           ~  Exorcism, Rite of Blessing of the Epiphany Water

"The Catholic Church takes the existence of the devil seriously." So began Fr. Van Vliet in explaining the exorcism prayers recited in the blessing ceremony. He further stated that exorcisms of salt and water make use of Epiphany water a powerful sacramental against demons and the strife they cause in families. Some of the faithful who were familiar with the rite brought their own salt and water to be blessed. The parish provided blessed chalk and booklets for families who want to bless their homes during the octave of Epiphany. In addition, Frs. Van Vliet and Kodet visited the homes of those families who had never had an Epiphany blessing of their homes by a priest. With only two priests, the sign up sheet was limited to about fifty homes. On Epiphany Sunday, some of the ladies surprised the parish with an El Dia de los Reyes celebration after the High Mass. Children and adults both enjoyed eating the King Cake and learning who had found the Baby Jesus hidden inside.

At the top of the page under Photo Albums:
2019 Epiphany

To read about the Blessing of the Epiphany Water, click here.