Diocese of Saint Michael the Archangel
A Diocese of Worship, Sacramental Life, and Pastoral Care in Texas
The Diocese of Saint Michael the Archangel serves the Church in Texas through reverent worship, apostolic ministry, pastoral charity, and the strengthening of parish and friary life under the leadership of the Right Rev. Ben Williams, OSFoc.
All are welcome here.
The Life of the Diocese
The Diocese of Saint Michael the Archangel stands within the life of the Old Catholic Churches International as a local church ordered to prayer, sacramental faithfulness, pastoral care, and the proclamation of the Gospel. Its purpose is not simply administrative, but spiritual: to gather the faithful, strengthen the Church’s common life, and support ministry rooted in worship, charity, and truth.
In this calling, the diocese serves clergy, parish life, and the wider mission of the Church in Texas. It seeks to make visible a catholic witness that is ancient in faith, apostolic in ministry, sacramental in life, and pastoral in spirit.
The Work of the Diocese
Worship and Sacramental Life
The diocese supports the public worship of the Church through reverent liturgy, the proclamation of Holy Scripture, and the faithful celebration of the sacraments in the life of its parish and friary community.
Pastoral Care
The work of the diocese includes the care of souls, the encouragement of the faithful, and the support of a church life marked by compassion, steadiness, and a true welcome in Christ’s name.
Parish and Friary Life
The diocesan witness is made concrete in Holy Cross Parish and Friary, where the faithful gather for worship, ministry, formation, and the shared life of an Old Catholic community in Texas.
A Diocese Rooted in the Church’s Ancient Faith
The life of this diocese is grounded in the ancient faith of the Church and expressed through apostolic ministry, sacramental life, and pastoral service. In this way, the Diocese of Saint Michael the Archangel participates in the wider witness of OCCI as catholic in faith, apostolic in order, and pastoral in spirit.
Its calling is to strengthen a visible, local expression of the Church in Texas where worship is offered with reverence, the sacraments are celebrated faithfully, and the faithful are received with dignity, clarity, and care.
The purpose of the diocese is to glorify God, care for souls, strengthen the Church’s common life, and sustain a faithful catholic witness in Texas.
Holy Cross Parish and Friary
The sole parish of the diocese is Holy Cross Parish and Friary in The Woodlands, Texas. As the principal local expression of diocesan life, it stands as a community of worship, sacramental ministry, pastoral care, and parish fellowship.
Holy Cross publicly describes itself as an Old Catholic community rooted in the ancient faith of the Church, apostolic in ministry, sacramental in life, and pastoral in spirit. That language gives the right tone for the diocesan homepage as well, because it reflects the actual life and witness of the diocese on the ground.
Leadership and Contact
The Diocese of Saint Michael the Archangel is under the care of the Right Rev. Ben Williams, OSFoc, Bishop Ordinary. The diocesan life of prayer, worship, parish ministry, and pastoral oversight is centered in Holy Cross Parish and Friary in The Woodlands, Texas.
Diocese of Saint Michael the Archangel
Bishop Ordinary: The Right Rev. Ben Williams, OSFoc
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Phone: (832) 900-0304
Email: bishop.ben@myocci.org
Begin Here
Whether you are seeking a parish home, exploring the life of the Old Catholic Churches International in Texas, or simply looking for a community where worship, sacramental life, and pastoral welcome are taken seriously, you are welcome here.