St. Mary parishioners worship inside their church for first time since Harvey

“Let our friends and neighbors know that the church is here and has been here,” said Father Jim McClintock at the Dec. 1 Rededication Mass for St. Mary Church in Fannett. “This is a building. But you are the church.”

The Mass marked the first time in more than a year since Hurricane Harvey that parishioners celebrated Mass inside their church building.

“All of us can rejoice. It’s great moment, a happy moment,” Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD, said at the Mass.

All the buildings at St. Mary received damage when Harvey dumped rain that caused devastating flooding over Southeast Texas in August 2017. Much of the Fannett community was under water during the storm. St. Mary parishioners were welcomed and attended Mass at St. Martin de Porres, Cheek. The St. Mary Parish Hall was restored well enough that Mass was celebrated there for Christmas 2017.