HISTORY

The Knanaya Catholic Society of San Antonio, under the leadership of Stephen Mattathil and Tojo Chorath arranged Holy Mass and invited Vicar General and Region Director Fr. Abraham Mutholath to make a presentation on the relevance of establishing a Knanaya Catholic Mission in San Antonio. Though the participants signed an application to Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath for establishing the mission, the association did not proceed with the application. The vicar general, along with the mission director of Houston Fr. James Cheruvil, convened a meeting of the 28 Knanaya Catholic families in San Antonio again in 2009 to reconsider the proposal to start the mission. Only half of the families participated in the meeting and agreed to start the mission.

Based on the application of the 14 families in San Antonio, Mar Jacob Angadiath established the mission on May 16, 2009 with Rev. Fr. James Cheruvil as the mission director. Fr. Abraham Mutholath inaugurated this mission on the same day.

Monthly Holy Qurbana was arranged with the mission director coming from Houston. The members of the mission, with the approval of the mission director and initiative of Bijo Karakkatt, attempted to buy a church for the mission. They made contract to buy an Assembly Hall Building from Yahweh Witness that costed around $145,000. Since the small community could not afford to raise so much fund, Fr. Abraham Mutholath invited their representatives to Chicago. Bijo Karakkatt, John Mathew Vemmelil and Sheejo Kurian Pazhyampally approached Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic parishioners and members of the St. Mary’s Unit in Chicago. Fr. Abraham Mutholath and some parishioners offered them donation and some others gave them loan that came to a total of $110,000.  The 14 families in San Antonio contributed the rest and bought the building on June 7, 2010 and converted it as a church.

Since the city is in the name of St. Antony, Vicar General Fr. Abraham Mutholath suggested to selected the same saint as the patron of the parish. The general body accepted it and Mar Jacob Angadiath approved it.

The consecration of this church and the elevation of the mission as a parish with Fr. James Cheruvil as its first pastor, was held on July 21, 2010 by His Excellency Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath. His Grace Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, Archbishop of Kottayam was the main celebrant of the First Mass offered in this Church immediately after the consecration. His Excellency Mar Joseph Pandarasseril, the Auxiliary Bishop of Kottayam was concelebrant and gave homily during the Holy Mass.

Rev. Fr. Jose Illikunnumpurath has been pastor with effect from December 28, 2010. Fr. Dominic Madathilkalathil became the fulltime pastor from May 14, 2011. Fr. Siju Mudakkodiyil took charge of the parish on December 3, 2011. Fr. Benoy Naramangalath was pastor of the parish from August 1, 2012. Fr. Boban Vattampurath was appointed as the pastor from March 7, 2021.

The parish bought a building at 9345 Oakland Road, San Antonio under the leadership of Fr. Benoy Naramangalath and relocated the church and pastor’s residence here. This new church was consecrated on Sunday, May 26, 2015 by His Grace Mar Mathew Moolakkatt. His Excellency Mar Joy Alappatt blessed the newly installed cross on the same day.

This parish serves around 30 Knanaya Catholics families living in Southwest Texas, in and around San Antonio including the cities of Austin, Corpus Christi, McAllen, Laredo and Del Rio.