An Episcopal priest's first Catholic Mass

One of the Fort Worth Six was ordained with his father


By Mary Ann Mueller
Special Correspondent

HOUSTON, TX: He's tall, he's slender, he's young and now he is a Catholic priest.

In my 40-plus years as a religion writer, I have covered a wide variety of religious events: the ordination of deacons and priests - Episcopal and Catholic; the consecration of a Catholic bishop; the installation of Episcopal rectors; the enthronement of an Anglican archbishop and an Ordinariate's founding Ordinary; the veilings of Catholic nuns; the creation of an Episcopal diocese; the elevation of a Catholic diocese to an archdiocese; the craziness of several Episcopal General Conventions - even as another gets underway; and one United Methodist General Conference. However, I have never been to a priest's first Mass ... until Sunday.

On Saturday, June 30, the Rev. Charles Hough IV, formerly rector St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Gainesville, Texas, was ordained a Roman Catholic priest along with five other former Episcopal priests, all of whom are a part of the ACNA Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, including his own father, Charles the Third, who was at one time the Canon to the Ordinary.

The calendar page turns. On Sunday, July 1, wearing green and gold brocade vestments, Fr. Hough was officially installed as the first Ordinariate rector of Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church in Houston, even before he stepped up to the altar to offer his first Mass as a Catholic priest. His first Mass as an Episcopal priest was celebrated when he was ordained in September 2007. Since then, he has served at two Texas Episcopal churches, one in Arlington and the other in Gainesville.

The entrance procession included several acolytes - torch bearers, a crucifer, a thurifer - two deacons and two priests, all in matching vestments, as well as the Ordinary of the Ordinariate wearing his golden-colored mitre. The orders of clergy processed in to the lusty singing of Hosanna to the Living Lord.

As the final note sounded, Our Lady of Walsingham's deacon, the Rev. Mr. James Barnett, stepped forward, faced the Rt. Rev. Monsignor Jeffrey Steenson, and said, "Reverend Father in God, I present to you Fr. Charles Hough, who you as Ordinary have appointed to serve as the rector of this Principal Church of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, Our Lady of Walsingham, and here this day by your to be installed and admitted to the cure of souls in this parish."

Monsignor Steenson replied, "Dearly beloved in the Lord - In the Name of God and in the presence of this congregation, as the Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, I hereby institute our well-beloved in Christ, Fr. Charles Hough as rector of this Principal Church, and with all the parishioners of Our Lady of Walsingham, I welcome him to this sacred ministry ..."

The congregation exploded in applause.

When the applause died down and following a prayer the Monsignor asked the new rector if he would "steadfastly serve this parish, duly ministering God's Word and Sacraments, for the benefit of the faithful ..."

The new priest's first words as rector were, "I will, God being my helper."

Monsignor Steenson turned to the congregation and inquired of the parishioners if they would support Fr. Hough in his new ministry as a Catholic priest and their new rector.

"We will, with God's help," came the solid reply...

Read the rest of Mary Ann's story at Virtue Online.

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;

pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. (Matt 9:37-38)

The newly ordained priests of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter in Texas

Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, who of thy divine
providence hast appointed various orders in thy Church:
Give thy grace, we humbly beseech thee, to all who are
now called to any office and ministry for thy people; and
so fill them with the truth of thy doctrine and clothe them
with holiness of life, that they may faithfully serve before
thee, to the glory of thy great Name and for the benefit of
thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth
and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and for ever. Amen.

from the Book of Divine Worship

Rare father and son priest ordination set for this Saturday

Six former Episcopal priests from the Fort Worth area, including a father and son, will become part of history when they are ordained Catholic priests together on June 30.

The six are part of the first ordination class for the new Catholic Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. Based in Houston, the ordinariate is equivalent to a diocese, but national in scope. It was created earlier this year by Pope Benedict XVI for Anglican groups and clergy in the United States seeking to become Catholic while retaining elements of their Anglican heritage.

Fort Worth Bishop Kevin Vann will ordain the men as Catholic priests on Saturday, June 30, 9 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2016 Willis Lane, Keller, TX 76248. Msgr. Jeffrey N. Steenson, head of the 0rdinariate, will participate.

And regarding the father and son:

Among those being ordained are Charles Hough, III, and his son, Charles Hough, IV. They will be among a handful of father-son Catholic priests in U.S. history. A special exception has been given for the former Anglican priests who are married to be ordained Catholic priests for the Ordinariate.

Charles Hough, III

Charles Hough, III, 57, of Granbury, was an Episcopal priest for 31 years, including 18 years as Canon to the Ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth before he stepped down in September 2011 to become Catholic. A graduate of the University of Texas and Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin, he was rector of two parishes in the Fort Worth area from 1982 to 1993. He currently leads St. John Vianney Catholic Ordinariate Community, which meets at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church in Granbury, and is online at stjohnvianneycleburne.org. Married for 39 years, he and his wife, Marilyn, have two children and two grandchildren. Their son, Charles IV, also is being ordained.

Charles Hough, IV

Charles Hough, IV, 30, of Keller, was ordained an Episcopal priest in 2007 and was rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church until entering the Catholic Church in June 2011. He is a graduate of Texas A&M and received a Master of Divinity from Nashotah House Seminary. He served on the adult religious education staff at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Keller, Texas and, starting July 1, will be pastor of Our Lady of Walsingham Ordinariate Parish in Houston, Texas. Married for eight years, he and his wife Lindsay have two young sons.

from Deacon Greg Kandra's blog The Deacon's Bench.