Houston Parish Outreach Provides ‘A Pleasant Way to Meet the Lord’
For more than two years a small group of Catholic women (and now one man!) has been coming together every Wednesday night in their apartment complex, Kingwood Senior Village in Kingwood, Texas, to study God’s word – as an outreach from St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church in Houston, Texas. Ably led by St. John’s parishioner Susan Parada (who is a resident too) this unlikely mix has turned into a beautiful, cohesive group with ages spanning from 62 to 90!
“I have read parts of the Bible over the years,” says group member Mary, “but never gave it much thought. It has been good to be able to discuss the readings with others.” Sharon says that she “was raised as a Catholic but had no Catholic schooling. I’m excited to read and learn more about my faith and the Bible. I also enjoy being with the interesting group of people.” Mark, the most recent addition to the group when he moved into the complex, acknowledges that his “formal Catholic education ended 40 years ago. Catholic education is a life-long process. This group fills the void that my soul needed.” He adds that “this class has made me think about things in a way that was opposed to my normal thinking and has made me a better informed Catholic.”
But don’t let the title “Bible Study” fool you. A more appropriate term might be “Catholic Hour,” for everything Catholic has been up for discussion as the group
has studied its way through the Old Testament. Susan also has managed to weave into the discussion the unique Byzantine Christian view that often helps in clarifying and making the application of biblical texts more practical. Topics have ranged from such things as how could God get his point across to such unruly Israelites to the position of the USCCB [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops] on various present-day
issues. When refugees were fleeing Central America and coming across the border, the
group even wrote and signed a letter to President Obama, motivated by their study of the Bible. To the delight of the group, he answered!
The most recent activity has been the study of Catholic Social Teaching, which is based on Scripture, and which dovetailed nicely with Pope Francis’ visit to America and his address before Congress. Each meeting of the “Bible Study” has been filled with lively discussion linking Pope Francis’ statements with both the Old and the New Testaments and learning about how Catholic Social teaching developed. Mark says that “after attending these weekly sessions, I can honestly say that I have had to spend time reflecting interiorly and coming to grips and changing some of my previously held beliefs.”
From time to time, Father Elias Rafaj, pastor of St. John Chrysostom Church, joins the group for “all things Catholic” and adds a dash of Byzantine Christian perspective to the discussion. Questions that the group members have had in mind are put out on the table and Father Elias addresses anything and everything. Everyone in the group brings goodies and coffee for a very nice round-table evening.
To sum it all up, group member Laura says that “Bible Study is a pleasant way to meet the Lord. He talks to me through the Bible. We share God’s word and [the group] makes it easy to comprehend.” But perhaps the best way to sum up the experience comes from Carmela, who has just turned 90: “The Bible shows God’s love for us.”
