In Memoria

We remember and share these obituaries of the priests and women and men religious who have served in our Archdiocese and died this year.

Prayers for Death and Dying  |  Prayers for Mourners

Father Vincent Chacko

KERALA, India — Father Vincent Chacko, former parochial vicar of Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church in Katy, died May 27 in Kerala, India. He was 73 years old. He served at Epiphany of the Lord from 2020 to 2025.
A funeral Mass was celebrated in Kerala, India, on June 2 at St. Xavier’s Knanaya Catholic Church. A memorial Mass was celebrated May 31 at Epiphany of the Lord in Katy.

Sister Cecile Roeger, O.P.

HOUSTON — Sister Cecile Roeger, O.P., died April 24. She was 83 years old. She entered the Dominican Sisters in 1990. She served as the administrator for the Dominican Sisters’ retirement home, St. Dominic Villa. In 2005, she was appointed the community’s promoter of Justice, Peace, and Care of Creation.

In this role, she collaborated with countless individuals and organizations to address issues such as human trafficking, systemic racism, environmental justice, the abolition of the death penalty and immigration reform on local and national levels. Her congregational service also included her ministry as the internal communications director and a member of several committees, including the Laudato Si Action Platform and Mission Giving committees. A funeral Mass was held at St. Dominic Villa Chapel on April 30. Interment is in Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery. 

Father James Joseph Gaunt, CSB

HOUSTON — Father James Joseph Gaunt, CSB, died on Feb. 8 at St. Dominic Village. He was 90.
He was a member of the Congregation of St. Basil (Basilian Fathers) for 70 years and a priest for 60 years. He was a high school teacher at St. Thomas High School, then served as its principal from 1976 to 1981. He taught science at the University of St. Thomas from 1985 to 1990, after which he served the Basilian Fathers as novice master until 1993. He then became pastor at Sacred Heart parish in Manvel until 2007.
A funeral Mass was held on Thursday, Feb. 13, at St. Anne Church in Houston. Interment is at the Basilian plot in Forest Park Cemetery Lawndale. 

Sister Jill Jaeb, OSU

KIRKWOOD, MISSOURI — Sister Jill Jaeb, OSU, also known as Sister Lauren, who served many years in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, died on Jan. 16 in Eureka, Missouri. She was 82.
She taught at O’Connell High School in Galveston from 1973 to 1977, and taught music to elementary grades at Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Galveston from 1978 to 1980.
A memorial Mass is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, March 22, at Ursuline Academy Chapel in Kirkwood, Missouri. A private burial was held on Jan. 22 at St. Peter Cemetery in Kirkwood. 

Father Jones Jayaraj

HOUSTON — Father Jones Jayaraj, who was a hospital chaplain in The Woodlands area and in the Texas Medical Center, died on Thursday, Dec. 26. He was 69 years old.
He was ordained a Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore in India on July 7, 1983. He was granted incardination into the presbyterate of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston on March 27, 2017. Most recently, Father Jayaraj was living as a priest in residence at Annunciation Catholic Church.
Celebrated by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, a funeral Mass was held on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Annunciation Catholic Church. Interment is in Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.