A Parish Built for Settegast
St. Peter Claver Catholic Church has stood at 6005 North Wayside Drive in Houston's Settegast community since 1964. The neighborhood grew in the late 1940s, but for years Catholic residents had to travel to Our Mother of Mercy Church for Sunday Mass, while early catechism classes gathered in local homes and stores under the guidance of Josephite Fathers Charles Tobin, Cornelius S. Sullivan, and Ralph U. McLane. When Bishop Nold secured a substantial piece of land for the Diocese, the mission could finally evolve into a territorial parish.
The new church was named for Saint Peter Claver, the Jesuit missionary remembered as the "slave of slaves" for his decades of service to enslaved Africans. Its frame structure was completed in June 1964, and on July 27, 1964, Bishop Morkovsky, then co-adjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, blessed the building. Parish status followed in November of that same year, with Father Henry Harper, SSJ, as the first pastor and a founding community of 125 families. A rectory was added in 1967, and a parish hall rounds out the property that has served Settegast for more than sixty years.
One of the most significant moments in the parish's history came on February 8, 1969, when Father Elbert F. Harris, SSJ, became the first African American pastor in the then Diocese of Galveston-Houston. The milestone marked a new chapter for the diocese and for the Settegast community that had shaped the parish from the beginning. The church is also recognized as the seventh parish established by the Josephite Fathers and Brothers in Houston.
A Shelter Through Storms and Pandemic
St. Peter Claver has long been more than a place of Sunday worship. When severe weather has swept through Houston, the parish hall and sanctuary have opened as shelters for displaced neighbors, most memorably during Hurricane Rita in 2005, Hurricane Ike in 2008, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Parishioners describe those weeks as times when the building simply became what it was always meant to be: a refuge of hope, faith, and love.
When COVID-19 shut church doors in early 2020, Masses moved online and the parish kept reaching out with visits to the sick and elderly. As doors reopened, neighboring parishes Saint Rose of Lima and Saint John Vianney stepped in to lend steady support during the long recovery. The parish marked its sixtieth anniversary in 2024 with a Diamond Jubilee celebration, looking back on six decades shaped by Josephite priests - among them Rev. Roland Ennette, Rev. Romanus Muoneke, Rev. Kenneth J. Howard, Rev. Kingsley Ogbuji, and Rev. Thomas Frank - and by the laypeople who have carried the community through every chapter.
Mass, Confession, and Adoration
The parish celebrates the Eucharist in two languages. Weekend Masses are offered on Saturday at 4:30 pm in English and on Sunday at 9:00 am in English and 11:00 am in Spanish. The Sunday 9:00 am Mass is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel, with recorded Masses posted afterward for those who cannot attend in person.
Weekday Masses are celebrated Tuesday at 6:45 am in English and 7:30 pm in Spanish, Wednesday at 6:45 am in English, and Thursday at 6:45 am in English. Holy Day and Holiday Masses are scheduled at 7:00 am.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm and on Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:00 pm, with additional appointments available on request. Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament fills the church on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 pm and on the first Friday of every month from 5:00 to 6:00 pm.
A Bilingual Community That Grew with the Neighborhood
St. Peter Claver has always reflected the families around it. Spanish-language worship was added in 2013 to welcome the growing Hispanic population in Settegast, and the parish has more than doubled in size since its founding, growing from 125 families to over 300 households by its Diamond Jubilee. The parish's vision is to be a vibrant, welcoming, and growing Catholic community where all generations encounter Christ, grow in faith, discover a place to belong, and are empowered to serve others.
That bilingual identity shapes much of parish life. From the Sunday homilies to the Spanish-language Mass Intentions, the parish seeks to make the church feel like home for every family in the surrounding blocks. The pastor, Rev. Augustine Adetola, leads the community in both English and Spanish settings, supported by bilingual staff and volunteer ministries.
The Seven Sacraments
Like every Catholic parish, St. Peter Claver prepares the faithful for the seven sacraments of Christian initiation and life. Baptism of infants and children under seven years old is scheduled on the first Friday and Saturday of each month after a baptismal class. There is no fee, though donations are accepted, and an original birth certificate is required for documentation. Children aged seven and older who have not yet been baptized are first enrolled in the parish's Catechism Program (CCE).
Parents seeking a godparent should look for a confirmed, practicing Catholic at least sixteen years of age who, if married, was wed within the Catholic Church. The baptism itself calls for a white garment, a candle, a shell, and a small white cloth - many of which the parish can provide on request. Letters from another Catholic parish are accepted for those who have taken a baptismal class elsewhere.
Reconciliation, the Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick are all prepared at the parish, and Mass Intentions may be requested through the office for a recommended donation of $5. The parish also hosts an Annulment Committee that assists individuals through the paperwork and petition process with compassion and confidentiality.
Faith Formation for Every Age
Faith Formation at St. Peter Claver is described as an invitation to grow closer to Jesus Christ through prayer, study, and shared experience. Children, teens, and adults gather at the parish to deepen their faith and live out a Christ-centered life.
Continuing Christian Education (CCE) classes meet on Saturdays from 9:00 to 10:30 am, following the Houston Independent School District calendar and beginning the Saturday after Labor Day. New students are asked to bring a birth certificate, baptismal certificate, and First Communion certificate where applicable. Registration is $20 per student and $10 for each additional student in the same household, with reductions available for families experiencing financial hardship.
For adults considering the Catholic faith, the parish offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), a step-by-step process for the unbaptized and for Christians baptized in another tradition who now feel called to full communion with Rome. The parish describes the process as pressure-free, with no fixed timeline beyond the readiness of each inquirer.
Each summer, Vacation Bible School brings children in kindergarten through sixth grade together for a week of games, music, and hands-on activities centered on a Catholic theme. The next VBS, called Rainforest Falls, runs July 6-10, 2026, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Adult and teen volunteers are signed up through dedicated online forms.
Social Ministries: Food, Navigation, and the Gabriel Project
St. Peter Claver's Social Ministries walk with families facing difficult times. Through referrals and direct service, the parish connects neighbors with resources for food, utilities, health insurance, and other vital needs. Two programs anchor this outreach.
The Food Pantry and Navigation Services program provides more than groceries. Trained Navigators walk alongside families to find a family doctor, guide the uninsured through health program enrollment, and assist with applications for SNAP benefits. Qualifying families can also access one-time bill payment support and home repair and food assistance for seniors. Navigation Services are offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; emergency food assistance is available through Target Hunger - Denver Harbor at 281-300-1914.
The Gabriel Project is a faith-based support network serving women and families in crisis pregnancies within the 77028 and 77078 ZIP codes. Services include medical care assistance, baby needs, partnerships with other archdiocesan ministries, care for minor mothers, options such as adoption and foster care, and support for returning to school or seeking employment. Help within the local ZIP codes is reached through the parish office at (713) 674-3338; outside those codes, callers are referred to the nearest parish through the main Gabriel Project line at (713) 225-5826.
Liturgical Ministries and the Knights of Peter Claver
Parishioners carry the liturgy through a wide range of liturgical ministries. Altar Servers assist the celebrant and deacon at Mass and special liturgies. Lectors proclaim the Word of God clearly so that all who hear may respond. The Ministry of Music provides music for weekend Masses, holy days, weddings, funerals, and Reconciliation services, inviting parishioners to share their vocal and instrumental gifts.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist to parishioners in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and private homes, and they assist the priest at Mass when needed. Ushers, sometimes called greeters, are the first face of the parish - welcoming visitors, assisting those in need, distributing bulletins, and taking up the collection. Sacristans prepare the sanctuary and coordinate the work of the other liturgical ministries so that every celebration flows smoothly.
The Knights of Peter Claver, the largest historically Black Catholic fraternal organization in the United States, maintain a council at the parish. Rooted in faith and brotherhood, the Knights serve the church and community through worship, charitable works, and the promotion of unity and justice.
Stay Connected
Beyond the regular schedule, St. Peter Claver offers several ways to stay in touch throughout the week. The parish publishes homilies and reflections online as Letters and Homilies, sharing the pastor's preaching on the Sunday readings. Daily Mass readings are available through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
A Wednesday Holy Rosary and Bible Sharing call gathers parishioners by phone each week at 6:00 pm, with no video required. To join, parishioners dial 425-436-6368 and enter access code 579466. Flocknote text and email notifications keep families informed about parish news; signing up is available through the parish, and parishioners can also text SPCH to 84576 to opt in.
Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel, with recordings available afterward for anyone unable to attend in person. Weekly bulletins are posted online as downloadable PDFs, and donations can be made through the parish's secure online giving portal, by mail, by bank direct debit, or by dropping envelopes in the mail slot at the office door.
Clergy, Staff, and Pastoral Council
The parish is served by Rev. Augustine Adetola as pastor, with Dellanira Silva as secretary and Irma Tello as Director of Religious Education. Tyronne Rosemond oversees maintenance, and Jo Punch serves as facilities care coordinator. The Parish Pastoral Council is chaired by Pat Maxwell and includes Marshal Dupas, Irma Tello, Daniel Leyva, Benjamin Sampson, Anthony Freddie, and the pastor. The Finance Council is made up of Lawrence Sellers, Nina Johnson, Dolores Casas, Daine Patton, and the pastor.
St. Peter Claver is part of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston under His Excellency Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez, whose see includes more than two million Catholics across 146 parishes. The parish finds its wider home in a multicultural local Church that prays and celebrates in over fourteen languages and carries out works of social justice, education, and faith formation in the name of Jesus Christ.
The parish office sits at 6005 N Wayside Drive and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, closing briefly for lunch from 12:00 to 12:30 pm. Visitors and parishioners can reach the office at (713) 674-3338 or by email at parishoffice@stpeterclaverhouston.com.