St. Joseph Syro Malabar

People from all over India began to migrate to United States in 1960s. Keralites, especially Syro-Malabar Catholics arrived in U. S. only in the early seventies and settled down throughout the country. Appealing weather conditions and oil boom in eighties that created immense job opportunities prompted a substantial number of Syrian Catholics to move to Houston from other parts of the country.

For spiritual sustenance, the pietistic Syrian Catholics became members of the local Latin parishes. They utilized the services of local parishes for attending Holy Mass, children's catechism classes and other spiritual needs. By the end of eighties, there were hundreds of Syrian Catholics successfully settled down in Houston metropolitan area.

In 1980, Rev. Fr. K. K. Joseph, who was working as a parish priest with Galveston-Houston diocese took initiative and tried to bring all Catholics from India together and began celebrating Holy Mass for them. It was gladly received and provided occasion for the elated catholic families to get together and meet their spiritual needs. It provided ample opportunities for social interaction among the Syro-Malabar Catholics. In 1983 Indian Catholics joined together and formed an organization, India Catholics of Houston. All the Indian Catholics regardless of their affiliations (Syro-Malabar, Malankara, Kanaya, and Latin) frequented the Holy Mass Every first Sunday of every month. In 1987, a group of fifty families left the I.C.H and forged a new group called St Thomas Kerala Catholic Community. In 1991, they acquired a plot with a building at 1622 Staffordshire, Stafford, Texas. His Excellency Mar Joseph Pallickaparambil, Bishop of Palai, who was the chairman of the committee of bishops who looked after the immigrants in North America and Europe, consecrated the building.

Syro-Malabar catholic priests visited every Sunday and celebrated Malayalam Mass in the new community center. Mar Jacob Angadiath, then parish priest in Dallas, visited the community center a number of times and celebrated the Holy Mass. He supported this community in its infant stage for its existence and growth.