Office Hours

Monday - Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm 

Saturday: 10:00am - 2:00pm

Staff

Photos coming soon for:

Olivia Santoyo, Bulletin Editor

Christine McWilliams, Website & Facebook Coordinator

St. John Berchmans Church traces its origin to a chapel that was built on three acres of land on the corner of Zarzamora and Brady Streets that were donated by Stephanie Hooge in 1903. This land was donated for the purpose of building a chapel for the Catholic Belgians who settled in the San Antonio area. There was a definite need to have a priest who could speak their national Flemish language. Plans were made and the Belgian community began to build its chapel. But, not without difficulties since some had to travel 15 to 30 miles by horse and wagon to offer their labor and skills. They had to bring their own lunches and whatever tools of their trade they had.

With Rev. Richard Vershaffelt, a Belgian priest, as pastor and 152 members, the church was completed in 1910. The chapel had been incorporated as the sanctuary of the new building. The church building had no bell, bell tower or money. However, a bell was needed and through the ingenuity of a farmer, a plowshare was placed in a tree striking it with a pipe made a loud sound that could be heard from afar and summoned people to worship. Six months elapsed before a bell tower could be erected. The bell was dedicated and christened August 28, 1912, by Bishop Shaw and there was a joyous celebration on that day.

It was in the mid 40′s that the growth of the parish bloomed and the church became too small to hold all the parishioners who were attending. At the same time Bishop Lucey approached Monsignor John Dubourgel, the parish priest, about the need for a school in this district. There was very little money available for such a project. However, a family in the parish donated three and one-half acres on Harriman and Kirk Place. The new church and school had begun.

Until 1965 the buildings on West Harriman Place served the people of St. John Berchmans. The school, which opened in September 1949, became a source of pride for the parishioners. St. John Berchmans achieved recognition as one of the outstanding elementary schools in the city in both scholastics and sports. The CCD program started while the church was on West Harriman, and many of the eighth grade students, after attending special classes, became teachers in this program.

In early 1962, word was received by the pastor, Father Michael Cattaert, that a right of way for the new Kelly Access Road (later renamed General Hudnell Drive) would necessitate another relocation of our parish plant. Consultations were held, property was purchased, and on August 23, 1964 ground was broken at Cupples Road and Weir Avenue for the erection of a new church, school, rectory and convent.

The remarkable story of the beginnings of St. John Berchmans has left a lasting mark on this community of faith. Most parishes start because the bishop decides to set up a new parish in a growing neighborhood. The early parishioners of SJB took the initiative themselves. They built a chapel, they went looking for a priest and they decided on a suitable name for the parish. Finally they got the official approval of their Bishop. When one looks at our parish today, one would still find the same spirit of initiative and enthusiasm in our midst.

Father Fidèle Okitembo Dikete was born in Kananga, Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa on September 18, 1970 the youngest of nine children, comprised of three girls and six boys, to Albert Okitokonda Dikete and Henriette Ekoko Otshumba.

He attended Mumianini Elementary School at Katoka in Kananga. He then commenced his high school academics at the Institute de Beaux Arts, College St. Pius, Minor Seminary, a boarding school, and completed his studies at St. Louis College in the city of Kananga. At the age of 20, he enrolled with the congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and a year later left his family to live in the capital city of Kinshasa where he embarked with the Missionhurst, CICM order. He began his noviciate and pronounced his vows on October 7, 1992. He entered the University of St. Augustine and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy in June 2005. Another bachelor’s degree was earned in Philosophy from the Urbanian University in Rome, Italy. During his academic year of 1993-1994, he was elected President of the student body by his students. This same year he was a co-founder of the student body philosophy magazine “Pensée Agissante”, which translates from French to ”Thought that Acts”.

In 1995 he was assigned to the United States to continue his religious missionary formation and on October 10, 1995, he departed the Democratic Republic of Congo. Having arrived at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D. C., he proceeded to Arlington, Virginia for a period of three months. During this time, he learned the English language at Van Ness International Institute of Languages.

He arrived in San Antonio, Texas in January 1996 and continued with his English studies. In the summer of 1996, he worked with Christian Ministry Center in the city of Shreveport, Louisiana. In October 1996, with a limited knowledge of the English language, he began his theological studies at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Theology (Master of Divinity) in May of 2000. During his theological studies, he was involved with different ministries: math tutor at Healy Murphy School, participated in the RCIA program at St. Anthony of Padua, spent a year’s internship at Christ the King Parish in Brownsville, Texas, spent the summer of 1999 at St. Martin de Porres Parish in Mission, Texas, worked with the refugees through Catholic Charities in San Antonio, flew to Puerto Rico to learn the Spanish language in the summer of 1997, attended a Clinical Pastoral Education at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas during the summer of 1999 and ultimately became a chaplain with one unit credit.

After his graduation from the Oblate School of Theology in 2000, he relocated in Arlington, Virginia and involved himself with advocacy work in Washington, D.C. with the African Faith and Justice Network thru 2002. He was ordained Deacon in November 2001 at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, Texas and returned to continue his advocacy work and diaconate ministry at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Falls Church, Virginia. A year later on June 1, 2002, he was ordained a priest at St. John Berchmans Parish in San Antonio, Texas by Bishop Patrick Zurek.

He returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo to celebrate his first mass with his family and friends. In October 2002, he was appointed Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in San Antonio, Texas. After an interval of one year and six months, he succeeded Msgr. Dennis Darilek as Pastoral Administrator for the following four years. Father Fidèle proudly became an American citizen in the year 2006. In addition to his ministry as pastoral administrator and pastor he also worked as a chaplain at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas from 2007 thru 2009. He completed his incardination process with the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 2008 and was appointed Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in June 2008. He started Dikete Education Opportunity Foundation in March 2006 to assist children with educational tuition in his childhood school of Mumianini Elementary School in the Congo and also in two additional elementary schools for girls:  Disangayi and Muoyo Mupeluke. He has successfully planned, organized and been Spiritual Director to 12 pilgrimages to Italy:  Rome, Assisi, Venice, Florence, Padua; Israel/Holy Land, Greece, Portugal/Fatima, Spain, France/Lourdes and Paris. In May 2009, he was elected Dean of the West Urban Deanery by his fellow pastors and was appointed by Archbishop José Gómez to be a member of the Presbyteral Council to the Archbishop and the Personnel Board. He initiated in 2010 a support group for fellow African priests in San Antonio, Texas. In August of 2011, he organized and led Youth Group members to the World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, the first time in the history of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish that this has been accomplished.  In the summer of 2012 he led a group of young girls and boys, members of the English choir and altar servers to Washington, DC.

The following are articles written by Father Fidèle:

“A Missioner’s Experience in the United States, People, Culture and Missionhurst Congregation-Key to Successful Experience” written for Mission Update Magazine, United States Catholic Mission Association, Volume 11, No. 2, Summer 2002.

“La Démocratie et ses Implications au Zaire” which translates into English “Democracy and its Implications in Zaire” written in 1994 for Pensée Agissante Magazine which translates into “Thoughts that Acts”.

Father Fidèle has traveled extensively to 35 countries, some of which are the following: Asia- Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines, China and India; Europe- Belgium, France, Greece, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Spain, United Kingdom; South and Central America- Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Brazil, Haiti and Dominican Republic; Africa- Burkina Fasso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia; Middle East- Israel, Palestine and Dubai; North America- Canada and the United States.

Father Fidèle is fluent in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Tetela, Tshiluba, Lingala and has some knowledge of Latin.

Father Fidèle has worked professionally with the following Archbishops of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas: Archbishop Patrick Flores, Archbishop José Gómez and the current Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller. He has been a member of the Presbyteral Council and Personnel Board for Archbishop’s José Gómez and Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller.

On November 2013, after serving for five years as the Dean of West Urban Deanery, he resigned and he is currently serving as Pastor of St. John Berchmans.

Father Fidèle Okitembo Dikete, Pastor

Born at Diest in Brabant, 13 March, 1599; died at Rome, 13 August, 1621. His parents watched with the greatest solicitude over the formation of his character. He was naturally kind, gentle, and affectionate towards them, a favourite with his playmates, brave and open, attractive in manner, and with a bright, joyful disposition. Yet he was also, by natural disposition, impetuous and fickle. Still, when John was but seven years of age, M. Emmerick, his parish priest, already remarked with pleasure that the Lord would work wonders in the soul of the child. Many are the details that reveal him to us as he was in the Society of Jesus. He was but nine years of old when his mother was stricken with a long and serious illness. John would pass several hours each day by her bedside, and console her with his affectionate though serious, words. Later, when he lived with some other boys at M. Emmerick’s house, he would undertake more than his share of the domestic work, selecting by preference the more difficult occupations. If he was loved by his comrades, he repaid their affection by his kindness, without, however, deviating from the dictates of his conscience. It was noticed even that he availed himself discreetly of his influence over them to correct their negligence and to restrain their frivolous conversation. Eager to learn, and naturally endowed with a bright intellect and a retentive memory, he enhanced the effect of these gifts by devoting to study whatever time he could legitimately take from his ordinary recreation.

What, however, distinguished him most from his companions was his piety. When he was hardly seven years old, he was accustomed to rise early and serve two or three Masses with the greatest fervour. He attended religious instructions and listened to Sunday sermons with the deepest recollection, and made pilgrimages to the sanctuary of Montaigu, a few miles from Diest, reciting the rosary as he went, or absorbed in meditation. As soon as he entered the Jesuit college at Mechlin, he was enrolled in the Society of the Blessed Virgin, and made a resolution to recite her Office daily. He would, moreover, ask the director of the sodality every month to prescribe for him some special acts of devotion to Mary. On Fridays, at nightfall, he would go out barefooted and make the Stations of the Cross in the town. Such fervent, filial piety won for him the grace of a religious vocation. Towards the end of his rhetoric course, he felt a distinct call to the Society of Jesus. His family was decidedly opposed to this, and on 24 September, 1616, he was received into the novitiate at Mechlin. After two years passed in Mechlin he made his simple vows, and was sent to Antwerp to begin the study of philosophy. Remaining there only a few weeks, he set out for Rome, where he was to continue the same study. After the journeying three hundred leagues on foot, carrying a wallet on his back, he arrived at the Roman College, he studied for two years and passed on to the third year class in philosophy in the year 1621. One day early in August of that same year he was selected by the prefect of studies to take part in a philosophical disputation at the Greek College, at that time under the charge of the Dominicans. He opened the discussion with great perspicuity and erudition, but, on returning to his own college, he was seized with a violent fever of which he died, on 13 August, at the age of twenty-two years and five months.

During the second part of his life, John offered the type of the saint who performs ordinary actions with extraordinary perfection. In his purity, obedience, and admirable charity he resembled many religious, but he surpassed them all by his intense love for the rules of his order. The Constitutions of the Society of Jesus lead those who observe them exactly to the highest degree of sanctity, as has been declared by Pope Julius III and his successors. The attainment of that ideal was what John proposed to himself. “If I do not become a saint when I am young”, he used to say “I shall never become one”. That is why he displayed such wisdom in conforming his will to that of his superiors and to the rules. He would have preferred death to the violation of the least of the rules of his order. “My penance”, he would say, “is to live the common life… I will pay the greatest attention to the least inspiration of God.” He observed this fidelity in the performance of all his duties till the last day of his life, as is attested by Fathers Bauters, Cepari, Ceccoti, Massucci, and Piccolomini, his spiritual directors. When he died, a large multitude crowded for several days to see him and to invoke his intercession. The same year, Phillip, Duke of Aerschot, had a petition presented to Pope Gregory XV for the taking of information with a view to his beatification . John Berchmans was declared Blessed in 1865, and was canonized in 1888. His statues represent him with hands clasped, holding his crucifix, his book of rules, and his rosary.

St. John Berchmans Catholic Church is a welcoming and liturgical community, celebrating the spiritual needs of God’s people in the Spirit of St. John Berchmans.

“My penance is to live the common life…I will pay the greatest attention to the least inspiration of God.” - St. John Berchmans

Weekend Masses
Saturday: 5:00pm (English)

Sunday: 9:00am (Bilingual)

Sunday: 11:00am (English)

School Mass - During School Year
Wednesday: 8:15am (School Calendar)

Weekday Mass 

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:  12 Noon

Holy Days Of Obligation  See Bulletin

Reconciliaton In The Church
Saturday 4:00pm

CCD (School Calendar)
Sunday: 9:00am