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St. Francis of Assisi Announces a Syro-Malabar Mass in the Chapel Each Saturday, 6:30 PM – Beginning October 28th.
The St. Francis of Assisi Community is blessed to have a rich diversity of members from all over the world. One specific group are the Syro-Malabar Catholics. Syro-Malabar Catholics represent a large, fast growing, and active membership within our community. However, the closest Syro-Malabar Church to Frisco is all the way in Coppell: St. Alphonsa Catholic Church.
Recently, the leadership of St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church approached St. Francis to request the use of our Chapel to celebrate a Sunday Vigil Mass, to be held each Saturday evening at 6:30. We are excited to announce that we can accommodate their request. Starting on Saturday, October 28th, the Syro-Malabar community will begin their weekly Vigil Mass in our Chapel.
The St. Alphonsa pastor, Fr. Matthews Kurian Munjanath, will celebrate the Vigil Mass each Saturday. The Mass is open: everyone is welcome to attend.
What is the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church?
Each week in Mass, right after the homily, we profess our faith by praying the Nicene Creed. One line reads: “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.” The word “catholic,” according to the English Oxford Dictionary, comes from a Greek work meaning “regarding the whole” or, more simply stated, “universal.”
The “universal” Catholic Church consists of about 99% Roman Catholics worldwide (over 1.36 billion people). The remaining 1%, or about 17 million people, belong to more than 20 Eastern Catholic churches, or “Rites.” Each of the Eastern Catholic churches is considered fully equal to the Latin tradition (a.k.a. “Roman Catholicism”). Additionally, all the Eastern Catholics recognize the authority and accept the leadership of the Pope.
One of the Eastern Catholic rites, the Syro Malabar Catholic Church, dates way back to 52 AD and was started by St. Thomas the Apostle. Who, after Pentecost, traveled to India to evangelize and spread the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. He spent 20 years in Malabar (modern day Kerala, India) before he was martyred.
Fast forward, and on March 13, 2001, Pope St. John Paul II established the Syro Malabar Catholic Diocese in Chicago, which oversees the Syro Malabar faithful here in North Texas. Bishop Joy Alappatt is the current Bishop. Currently, there are nearly 100,000 Syro-Malabar Catholics in the United States with over 50 parishes in 28 states. It is the second fastest growing Eastern Catholics Church in the world.