After renting for eight years, St. Peter finally has a new home

When Hurricane Harvey struck Rockport, St. Peter in Fulton was one of the hardest-hit buildings. The church, with most of its stained-glass windows shattered, was torn open, and boats were piled up in front of the hall. With help from nearby and far away, the small parish with mostly Vietnamese members cleaned up the debris, celebrated outdoor Mass for several weeks in a tent, and temporarily used a former gymnasium as a new space.
 
Little did they know that this temporary space would serve them for eight years, until now, when they will finally have their own church building. Bishop Mulvey will celebrate the dedication of their church on November 1^st at 5 pm, coinciding with the vigil for All Souls’ Day. After the Mass, a reception will take place to mark this historic, long-awaited day.
 
Fr. Tung Tran has served as the pastor of St. Peter since 2020, following his active duty as a Navy Chaplain. “We were renting this warehouse that was used as a gym, and it would always be for one year, another year, until now.” The new church is located at a slightly different spot, about a quarter mile down FM 1781; the land was downsized from 5 acreThe pastor, Fr. Tung Tran, in the new buildings to 1 acre. The parish rebuilt an existing hall that previously served different purposes – initially as a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall, then as a quilt shop. 
 However, the reconstruction improved the building: “We raised the ceiling to 10 feet. And there were no windows, so we added several windows and doors,” says Fr. Tran. There will be a room serving as an office for teaching and gatherings inside the building, and four small buildings in the back where the parish can store things or hold small meetings. The Church can accommodate around 160 people, like a small mission church. 
 
The parish looks forward to its new home. Mass on Sundays is bilingual, and besides the Vietnamese community, locals, travelers, and retirees also attend.