St. John Vianney

Catholic Church

Phase I of Reopening to Begin May 4th

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Christ is risen! Alleluia! He is truly risen. Alleluia!

Even during this most trying time, we continue to proclaim the power of God’s love for us in Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I would like to thank you again for your countless prayers and wonderful support during these days. Please be assured of my continued prayers and the prayers of the clergy and staff of the parish for you and your families. With Governor Abbott’s Executive Order on April 28 re-opening Texas, we enter into a new period in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. Cardinal DiNardo has also given instructions in how the Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston are to proceed.

After consulting with our parish staff and our Pastoral Council, I am pleased to announce that we will begin the process of re-opening our beloved parish and resuming the public celebration of the sacraments. This is NOT going to be all at once. It is going to take time and will be in phases. We are limited and restricted by numerous factors in trying to serve the needs of our many parishioners during this time. There are physical limitations in addition to the guidelines and timelines established by the civil authorities and by our archbishop. It is important to remember that these guidelines are intended for the health and safety of all. Not every parish is in the same situation. We are not all able to do all of the same things at the same time. Patience and understanding are required.

In compliance with Governor Abbott’s order and Cardinal DiNardo’s instruction, St. John Vianney Parish will once again be open beginning Monday, May 4, 2020.

  • The Adoration Chapel will continue to remain open 24/7.
  • The church and the chapel will continue to be open from 7:00 am until 8:00 pm.
  • Regular office hours will resume May 4, (Mon – Fri 8:30 am – 5:00 pm).
  • Weekday Masses will resume on Monday, May 4, 2020.
  • Weekday Masses will follow the Lenten schedule (Mon – Fri 9:00 am, 12:10 pm, 7:00 pm) through the month of May.
  • Confessions will be heard 20 minutes preceding the weekday Masses and on Saturdays at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm in the Cry Rooms.
  • All Masses will be held in the Church.
  • Social distancing is to be observed (6 ft separation for non-family members).
  • Every other pew will be roped off.
  • During Phase I there is a maximum limit of 25% of capacity (400 persons).
  • During Phase II there is a maximum limit of 50% of capacity (800 persons).
  • Regular Sunday Masses at SJV will resume in Phase II of the Governor’s guidelines.
  • The obligation to attend Sunday Mass is temporarily dispensed, there is no sin in missing Mass on Sunday although we are to keep the Lord’s Day holy.
  • People who can, are encouraged to attend a weekday mass instead of on Sunday until we can have full use of the church.
  • Per the Cardinal’s directive, only priests may distribute Holy Communion.
  • There is to be no passing of the offertory baskets. People are asked to place their offerings in the baskets before or after Mass or use electronic giving or mail them to the parish.
  • Those in “at risk” categories are encouraged to remain at home until it is safe.
  • All those who are ill are asked to stay home until they are well.
  • All are asked to follow health protocols.
  • Baptisms and weddings will resume on May 9.
  • Funerals will resume on May 4.
  • All appropriate protocols are to be followed for weddings, baptisms and funerals.
  • Eucharistic Adoration will continue as is with the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle.
  • Liturgy of the Hours and the Novena of Our Mother of Perpetual Help may resume in the chapel after May 4.

Due to the size of our parish (15,000 people), it is not feasible to re-open for Sunday Masses prior to the completion of Phase I. Were we to do so, we would be turning away more people than could possibly attend. This will be a challenge even during Phase II as most of our regular Sunday Masses are usually at or near capacity (1600 persons). While I would very much desire to return our normal routine immediately, for the health and safety of our parishioners, it is best to be prudent and follow the guidelines. During this time when we cannot accommodate all of the people who regularly attend our Sunday Masses, I would like to strongly encourage you and your family to attend one of the 15 weekday Masses.

We are all aware of the immense stress, pain, anger, fear and anxiety that so many people have suffered. Being deprived of the greatest resource that we possess, the sacraments, has been a hardship that is beyond description for many. This is only the beginning of our road back. It is not going to happen as fast or as complete as any of us would like. However this is also a time of opportunity. It is a time to grow in our faith, to give witness to our faith and to share our faith. The cross of Jesus is and remains our only hope! It is the cross of Jesus that has saved us. As Catholics, we live in the sure and certain faith that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Rm 8:39

In pace Christi,
Fr. Troy

Renewing the Consecration of the United States to the Care of Our Blessed Mother

As the world continues to face the ongoing effects of the global pandemic of the coronavirus, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and president of the USCCB has announced that the U.S. bishops will join the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops on May 1 in renewing the consecrations of the two nations to the care of our Blessed Mother.

Archbishop Gomez will lead a brief liturgy with the prayer of re-consecration on Friday, May 1 at 3:00 pm EDT  (2:00 pm CST).

Visit the USCCB site for more information on how to join in prayer.

Postponement Announcement: Jeff Cavins Presentation

The Activated Disciple

The May 1 & 2 presentation by Jeff Cavins has been postponed. When restrictions to gather in large groups have been lifted a new date will be set and announced with the hope that current ticket holders will be able to attend. If you are unable to attend you can, at that time, request a refund.

Thank you for your understanding, flexibility, and resolve, to be an Activated Disciple!

Yvonne Gill
Director of Adult Formation

Emergency Preparation

Supplies Sales Tax Holiday

April 25 – 27, 2020

Natural disasters will continue to happen, even while we battle COVID-19. Prepare yourself during the 2020 Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday for emergencies that can cause physical damage like hurricanes, flash floods and wildfires. You can purchase certain emergency preparation supplies tax free during the sales tax holiday. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items you can purchase, and you do not need to give an exemption certificate to claim the exemption.

This year’s holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, and ends at midnight on Monday, April 27.

To encourage social distancing, the sale of emergency preparation supplies purchased online or by telephone, mail, custom order, or any other means other than in person qualifies for sales tax exemption. For additional details and to view the complete list of emergency preparation supplies that qualify for tax exemption, visit the Texas Comptroller’s website.

Jesus Remains Our Hope

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Christ is risen! Alleluia! He is truly risen. Alleluia!

As we continue to navigate our way through this most challenging time, we do not forget the power of God’s love for us in Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I would like to thank you again for your prayers and support during this time and to assure you of my continued prayers and the prayers of the clergy and staff of the parish for you and your families. This past week, the Pastoral Council and Finance Council of the parish were able to teleconference. The councils were updated on the status of the parish and how we were doing Pastorally, Financially and Administratively. Early on, plans were made and initiated for how our parish was going to deal with the impact of the pandemic and the subsequent Stay Home/Work Safe orders by the government. In summary, we continue to serve the parishioners as best we can under the circumstances. Formation for youth and adults is continuing electronically, outreach to those in need is continuing through phone calls and e-mails and referrals for social services are taking place. Spiritual resources are being provided and updated on our parish webpage and through social media. Because of the immediate actions of ceasing all discretionary spending and reducing all other spending and deferring the bills that we could, the parish has so far avoided furloughs or layoffs of our full time staff even though we had to furlough 91 part time workers. To date, we are making payroll for our employees who are working from home and we have been able to pay our obligatory bills (insurance, taxes, utilities, etc.). We continue to monitor the situation daily. This is thanks to you, the parishioners of St. John Vianney and your continued financial support of our parish even during this unprecedented experience.

It is important to note that some of the decisions for the parish are not made by the parish administration. Some decisions are by government officials and by the Chancery (Administration) of the Archdiocese. That is true for us at SJV and for all Catholic parishes, schools and entities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. That remains the case as we move through this situation. With the announcement by President Trump on the phasing of the re-opening of the country and the announcement by Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, people are already asking about when public masses will resume here at the parish. This is not a call that the pastors have been granted to make. Cardinal DiNardo will instruct the pastors when he and his advisors believe it will be safe and appropriate for the public to once again gather in large numbers.

As we move forward, planning is already underway to prepare for when we can “open” the parish once again. Some of the most significant items on the “to do” list include: the Baptism and reception into the Church of those in the RCIA (Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults) who were unable to participate in the Easter Vigil, the First Holy Communion Masses for nearly 300 children, the Sacrament of Confirmation for our youth and adults, and the re-scheduling of marriages for those couples who had their weddings postponed. We are currently working on preparations for our Summer Youth Camp, religious formation programs for our children and teens for next fall, summer programs for children and teens and exploring how to bring back our social service ministries. Each of these face their own unique set of challenges. Administratively, we are working on budgets and finances for the fourth quarter of this fiscal year and trying to gauge the financial impact of this pandemic on next fiscal year’s budget. In the midst of all this, we are also trying to monitor, examine and evaluate our response to this situation. This will be ongoing.

Spiritually, emotionally, and pastorally, we are acutely aware of the immense stress, pain, anger, fear and anxiety that people have suffered. In the best of circumstances, dealing with 15,000 parishioners is not easy. Dealing with so many people facing so many serious issues in a time of crisis is particularly difficult. Being deprived of the greatest resource that we possess, the sacraments, has been a hardship that is beyond description. For some, this has been a spiritual crisis and for others the real test is yet to come. But for all of us, the cross of Jesus is and remains our only hope! In some ways, facing COVID-19 during Lent and Holy Week was a blessing. We are reminded in a special way this year that the cross of Jesus has already saved us unto life eternal. This terrible cross of the coronavirus that we and the rest of the world carries has already been carried for us by Jesus. We are reminded that the strength that we need to endure this time of suffering has already been afforded us by Jesus who carried his cross for love of us and for the whole world. As Catholics, we live in the sure and certain faith and hope that every Good Friday is followed by an Easter Sunday.

We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!

In pace Christi,
Fr. Troy

Remembrances from the Poland Pilgrimage

Saturday, October 19th, 2019
Divine Mercy Shrine in Lagiewniki. 
 
“We left all of our prayer petitions and celebrated mass at the foot of the Jesus Divine Mercy painting. This is where St. Faustina Kowalska lived and died. Her strong message on Jesus’ mercy resonated in my heart.”
~ Mollie Delouche
 
“Our pilgrimage to Poland was marked by great Saints, one being St. Faustina.  Her message from Jesus about His Divine Mercy is especially true now as we are in this pandemic which has overtaken the world in such a short period of time.   The image of Divine Mercy and the words on it, “Jesus, I trust in You”, should be words we pray in the midst of the fear that surrounds us.”
~ Kathy Behrendt
 
“I was privileged to read at the Divine Mercy Shrine for our Mass. I was very moved. Father Troy spoke in the homily of this unusual day -that afternoon we would be visiting Auschwitz. He said today we will be aware of Man’s inhumanity and God’s loving mercy for us. I hope especially these days, that I never forget to Trust in his Mercy.”
~Patricia Hoffman

Wait for it, wait for it…

In preparation for our Easter Celebration in this unprecedented time, Fr. Troy prepares to send a video greeting. Special thanks to Charlie Moger and his team, Richard Fairly, and the Music Ministry for their beautiful recordings.

The Holiest Days of the Year

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We are entering the holiest days of the year. While concern for each other due to the coronavirus is keeping us apart and from celebrating the liturgies together, it cannot keep us from praying and keeping these days holy. I ask that every family observe these holy days with a reverence and seriousness as you perhaps have not done before. Not being able to come together is indeed a great sadness and wound to our hearts. There are some who fear that many will lose their faith during this time or their faith may be weakened by the absence of the sacraments and their participation at the liturgy. While this concern cannot be dismissed out of hand, we must also live in hope and in faith.

The suspension of public masses here at St. John Vianney and indeed throughout the world is a test of faith. However, our inability to celebrate the liturgies of the Sacred Triduum together can also serve as an opportunity for all of us:

  • to strengthen our faith
  • to increase our desire for God
  • to deepen our understanding of what we celebrate
  • to cherish even more the sacraments that we receive
  • to grow in our appreciation of the gift of being part of God’s Church

As we observe these holy days, I beg you to stop and pray. Come together as a family and spiritually unite yourself with all of our parishioners and with the Church throughout the world as we commemorate the events of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.

Take time on Thursday night to recall the institution of the Eucharist. Think of what the Eucharist means to you. Thank Jesus for this gift of himself. Ask Jesus again to forgive you for all the times that you missed Mass out of laziness, by putting other things before him or for no reason whatsoever. Ask forgiveness for all of the times that you received Communion unworthily. Express your sorrow to our Lord for all the times you took the great gift of Our Lord in the Eucharist for granted. Read again the discourse of the Last Supper in John’s Gospel and of course, John Chapter 6!!! In your charity, please pray for me, Frs. Chuck and Richard and for all priests on this night of the institution of the priesthood. Make a Spiritual Communion and if you can, spend one hour in silent prayer as with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

On Good Friday, I ask that we spend this day in somber reflection. Unplug devices – TV’s, radios, phones and computers. Observe in your own home from 12:00 noon until 3:00 a Grand Silence if you can, ceasing all ordinary activity in commemoration of the three hours Jesus spent dying on the Cross. Together read in your bibles the Passion of Jesus. Take some time, reflect and meditate on the crucifixion of Jesus. Think of his pain and suffering but even more his immense love for us. Unite your sufferings and your love to Jesus on the cross. Pray the Stations of the Cross. On this day, we remember to pray for Pope Francis, the bishops and all the faithful, our Jewish brothers and sisters as they celebrate Passover, our government leaders, the sick and the suffering. We also pray for all those who do not know God and for all who are troubled.

Let Holy Saturday be a time of preparation for Easter, not just for the Easter brunch or the egg hunt, but also spiritually. Keep a vigil in your home. Spend some time uniting yourself with Jesus. Read some of the readings of the Solemn Vigil. Pray especially for all those who because of this pandemic cannot be received into the church through Baptism and Profession of Faith this night. Pray for those whose faith has grown cold not just during this crisis but even long before. Pray for all of us that this may not be just a time of deliverance from COVID-19, but a time of renewal in our faith and love of God.

On Easter Sunday, rejoice! We are still an Easter people and Alleluia remains our song!

Jesus is truly risen and we cannot forget to lift up our hearts in prayer and in praise. Let your joy and praise be known. Post on your Facebook, send a tweet or put a sign outside your door or on your lawn. Jesus lives! Alleluia! He is Risen from the dead! Praise God! But most of all pray in thanksgiving for so wonderful a savior. Pray the Liturgy of the Word and make a Spiritual Communion. This Easter, please remember to pray for all of those in the world who are suffering. Pray for our country and city. Pray that God will continue to help us meet the challenges that we face during this time. Pray for the protection of, and in thanksgiving for, all of those who are serving us during this pandemic; our healthcare professionals and those performing essential services. Pray for those who are out of work or who are facing financial problems. In your great charity, pray for your fellow parishioners that all of us may be strengthened and renewed in our faith in the Risen Lord this Easter like no other.

In Pace Christi,
Fr. Troy

Living our Faith

Our community of St. John Vianney shows an outward expression of our beautiful Catholic Faith. These are some of the Palm Sunday pictures our parishioners have shared with us.

Our Location

625 Nottingham Oaks Trail
Houston TX 77079

Phone: 281.497.1500
Email: sjv@stjohnvianney.org

Office Hours: Monday - Friday | 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Mass Times:

Weekday: 9:00am (Mon-Fri) | 7:00pm (Tue & Thur)

Saturday: 5:30pm
Sunday: 8:00am, 9:30am, 11:00am, 12:30pm, 2:00pm (Spanish), 5:30pm