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From Fr. Felix

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From the Desk of the Pastor, Fr. Felix

"Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae et concepit de Spiritu Sancto"
"The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary and she conceived by the Holy Spirit"

 

Dear Friends,

God is so good to us in bringing us all together here at our beautiful and historic Annunciation. Annunciation is the oldest church, of any faith, in continuous use in Houston and the Mother church of Houston, from which all other Catholic parishes are descended. Our parish was founded in 1869, and the church was built in 1871. The parish hired the famous architect, Nicholas Clayton to enlarge and embellish our church in the early 1880’s.

We are heirs to a wonderful legacy of faith and a most important historic building (and campus) in all of Houston, soon to be the 3rd largest city in the nation. Additionally, the architectural and aesthetic beauty of our church both, inside and out, is breath-taking. And the sacred significance of this church’s constant witness to the loving presence and action of God, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ in majestic beauty, and the long legacy of our clergy’s and our parishioners’ expressions of Faith, Hope, and Love over a period of 153 years is profoundly inspiring.

All of these considerations motivate us to be good stewards of what has been passed down to our generation. And we have the privilege of benefitting ourselves, our families, and our neighbors – mostly by the sacrifices that previous generations have made.

Our church is in constant need of repairs and upgrades. And it is incumbent on us to do our best to see to it that subsequent generations have the same opportunities to benefit from Annunciation as our generation has.

I want to make you aware of some of the items we are working on to repair and upgrade important elements in our church.

Our church has two low steeples and one central steeple on top of the bell tower that rises to approximately 200 feet. For many years it was the tallest structure in Houston. Over time, we have noticed the emergence of streaks of rust on the metal roof surface. A recent inspection using a drone captured photos of some troubling patches of rust. Close inspection reveals some of the rust has eaten all the way through the steel roofing. It is certain that water is getting inside the steeples’ attic spaces and could be causing wood to rot. It could also be providing hydration to colonies of termites. We are currently conducting inspections to assess how severe any damage may be, and determine the best course of action to make reliable repairs.

Electrical wiring repairs and upgrades:

The cotton insulation on our old electrical wiring in the church has deteriorated to the degree that it disintegrates upon being touched. This has posed an acute threat of electrocution and electrical fire in the church. For several years we have been gradually replacing old original wiring, and we have been upgrading to low-voltage LED lighting. Over time, we want to enhance the lighting for our beautiful church both inside and outside. Whether they were due to severe freezes with ice and snow, or the damages caused by hurricanes in warmer seasons, the severe power outages we have had over recent years have broken down the electrical grid leaving us at risk of potentially severe damages to the church and other buildings as well as potentially life-threatening conditions. Consequently, we are currently in the process of installing an emergency backup generator that should provide essential power for the church and other buildings on our campus.

Security video cameras and electronic door security access and locking systems:

Some of you will remember when someone jumped our fence, broke into the Foley House, vandalized it and stole some items. He made numerous attempts to break into the church. He severely damaged our round-top door leading into the church from the plaza but didn’t get in. We had recently installed impact resistant protective glass over our beautiful stained glass windows. The intruder attempted to make entry into the church by trying to break the protective glass. While he damaged the protective glass, the stained glass was not harmed. The protective glass proved to be a good investment and security measure. Since then, we have been gradually working to install security cameras around our church and campus, inside and outside. This will help us to monitor and notify us if it identifies intruders in the night and during times if there were to be unscheduled-unauthorized movements and activities in our church and campus.

There are so many people coming and going on our campus at various times throughout the daytime and evenings that makes it difficult to be sure doors are locked and the church and other buildings are secure at all times. These measures are important for protecting our people and safeguarding our church and other buildings. We are working to install an electronic system that will control scheduled access to doors and ensure doors are locked when not in scheduled authorized use.

These are just a few of the projects we are pursuing on an ongoing basis. When we discover problems in need of repair and/or upgrades in our church and on our campus the repairs are usually very expensive. My team of staff and dedicated volunteers maintain a disposition of vigilance. We conduct multiple inspections annually and on an ongoing basis. We always seek to find the most economical and effective solutions that provide us with the most bang for the buck. You would be amazed to know how much time and attention all these issues are required of me and our team that works to research solutions, secure bids, and assist in seeing to it that we make progress toward getting the projects done.

The care of our church and campus is a shared privilege and responsibility among all of us. As Pastor, I need and appreciate your support in keeping our beloved Church of the Annunciation in sound condition both, physically and spiritually. Thank you for your support in prayer and sacrificial giving!

Click here to support the care and repair of the church

Oremus pro invincem (Let us pray for each other), 

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Paul Felix
Pastor
Church of the Annunciation