This article originally appeared in the Summer 2005 issue of Glenmary Challenge

50 Years of Catholic Presence in Houston, Miss.
By Fabvienen Taylor

LOCAL GIFTS: An offering of sweet potatoes is a symbol of the work of many of the Houston, Miss., parishioners gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their church. Glenmary Fathers (from left) Tim Murphy, François Pellissier and Bob Hare join main celebrant Father Elvin Sunds, vicar general of the Diocese of Jackson.

Parishioners and guests attending the 50th anniversary of Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission in Houston, Miss., had a lot to celebrate Feb. 27.

“We are not here just to celebrate a church building,” said Father Elvin Sunds, representing Bishop Joseph Latino of the Jackson diocese. “We are here to celebrate all the people who’ve been part of the history of this church.”

Those people included Benedictine priests, Glenmary priests and brothers, religious sisters and the laity who date back to before the first Mass on Dec. 8, 1954. The church building was dedicated Feb. 20, 1955.

“Before that first Mass we had Mass in the homes of two families,” says Ruth Agnes Crosthwait whose family were the only Catholics in the area for years after they moved to Houston. Prior to the home Masses, the Crosthwaits drove their Model A along gravel roads to Okolona for Sunday Mass.

About 40 people attended the dedication of the church, she says. “Since then we’ve had people come in and out. Now we have the Hispanics and our numbers have grown. The important thing is we have remained Catholic.”

“Today we have about 150 families,” says Sister Rosemary Empen who, along with Sister Pat Sullivan, serves as pastoral associate.

Sister Kris Vorenkamp, a Glenmary multicultural worker, concentrates on the needs of the Spanish-speaking community in nearby Vardaman, the sweet potato capital of the nation. And Glenmary Father Tim Murphy, the pastor, is based in Aberdeen in the next county.

“With the small church building, worship (in English and Spanish) is separate, but with the new parish center (set to begin construction later this year) we hope to have more things together,” Sister Rosemary says.

In addition to the mission subsidy from Glenmary (which has operated the mission since 1965), the parish raises funds through a parish dinner every other month; Mexican food booths at annual fairs in Houston and Vardaman; house-to-house solicitations in the Hispanic community; and help from a sister parish, St. John the Baptist in Savage, Minn.

Reprinted with permission of the Mississippi Catholic.

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