Cafe Connect Discussion Groups
Cafe Connect Groups 2024
We invite all young adults (ages 18-39) to sign up for a Café Connect Discussion Group. These groups will meet in person once a week during the month of July in conjunction with the main Café Catholica program. We will have more than 20 groups available, so young adults can sign up for a time/location that works with their schedule. You do not have to attend the Monday night programs to join a Connect group. Registration will open in June 2024.
Registration is limited. Please only sign up for ONE group to participate in this summer. This is to ensure that there are enough spaces for all who are interested to participate.
Please click below to join the Cafe Connect Interest List for 2024. By signing up on this list, you are saying that you are interested in participating in the Cafe Connect program. We will reach out via email when the full list of facilitators, times, and locations are available! Thank you for your patience!
Click here to Register for a Connect group!
Cafe Connect Facilitators/Groups
Tuesday at 7:00 pm: Hope Murphy & Sharon Padamada
Location: Sts. Simon and Jude, 26777 Glen Loch Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77381
Description: Hope and Sharon are the leaders for Sts. Simon and Jude’s young adult group, SSJ Young Professionals. Hope was born and raised in Upstate New York. Sharon was born and raised in Hawaii. Both leaders learned about our catholic faith growing up and continue to deepen our faith life by learning more about the church teachings, participating in small group and Bible studies, and growing in my relationship with Jesus.
Tuesdays at 7:00 pm: Patrick Whalen and Kelli McBee
Location: Black Walnut on Memorial Drive
Description: If you’re looking to make meaningful connections with interesting people while exploring your faith, join Patrick Whalen and Kelli McBee’s Café Connect group! Patrick, a parishioner at St. Joseph's and a member of the Knights of Columbus, and Kelli, a parishioner and lector at St. Michael the Archangel who enjoys volunteering, are eager to share God’s love and help fellow young adults grow in faith and community. We look forward to engaging in Café topics with you over delicious food at Black Walnut on Memorial Drive, every Tuesday at 7pm!
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm: PJ Arienza and Julianna Richard
Location: Black Walnut in Rice Village
Description: Howdy, This is PJ Arienza and Julianna Richard, We both serve the young adults at our parish St Vincent De Paul, and are avid two steppers. We met a little over a year ago, and have been good friends since, we even share a birth month! Throughout the week you can find us playing ultimate frisbee on Mondays or leading the SVdP YA on Tuesday nights.
Wednesdays at 7:00 pm: Luke Heffernan and Matthew
Location: All Saints Church Upper Room (215 E 10th St, Houston, TX 77008)
Description: Hi, my Name is Luke Heffernan, and I'll be helping lead the group at All Saints. Not some Saints- All Saints! Come join seminarian Matthew and I to discuss the weeks Cafe group. We will reach out about location details, and we have contingency plans if the group gets too large. Will be a great way to meet more young adults from the Heights area and All Saints. Peace.
Wednesdays at 7:00 pm: Daniel Ayala and Jasmin Dipasupil
Location: Black Walnut Memorial (5512 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77007)
Description: Hello! We are Daniel and Jasmin. We met at the Catholic Center at UT Austin in 2010 where Daniel went to the wrong room at the UCC, ended up meeting Jasmin, and we have been friends since. Daniel is a parishioner at Regina Caeli, and Jasmin is a parishioner at Holy Rosary and frequents St. Vincent de Paul as well. Daniel works in the financial services industry, and enjoys off-roading. Daniel has special devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows. Jasmin works as a physical therapist in the hospital where she was born. Jasmin enjoys dojo-ing, crocheting, and hiking. Jasmin has special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We look forward to meeting you!
Wednesdays at 7:00 pm: Colleen Anater and Kat Nguyen
Location: Black Walnut, Rice Village
Description: Hello there! My name is Colleen and I am so excited and happy you said yes to this opportunity for Catholic fellowship and growth! This is my third year as a facilitator and every year I get to see firsthand what God does when we give Him our time and hearts. I’ve been a nurse for 9 years and have a dog named Waldo who is my steadfast companion and joy. I love sunshine and being outside, secretly want to audition for Survivor, and think a margarita or a glass of wine is always a good idea. My saint of the year is Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and his quote “holiness is within reach” has been inspiring me a lot lately. And another Hello friends, from Kat! I’m so excited to serve alongside Colleen as one of your facilitators. I currently work as a legal assistant and I love reading in my spare time. I also teach Sunday School and Confirmation at my parish, St. Hyacinth. I am also a huge fan of Theology of the Body and St. John Paul II. I can’t wait to dive deeper into the Cafe topics this year with you!
Wednesdays at 7:00 pm: Cris Ramos Martinez
Location: St. Leo the great Catholic Church (2131 Lauder Rd, Houston)
Description: I am From the Parish of St. Leo the great Catholic Church. Some hobbies that I like to do is make stickers for fun and like to draw and design things. I also like to help in my parish and like to just go out and have fun and maybe even try some new coffee shops and read. What I love the most about the Catholic Church is that we are in a religion that forgives and accepts people the way they are. The best thing about our religion is the Eucharist and how amazing it is.
Wednesdays at 7:00 pm: Khanh Nguyen and Aaron Trevino (Men’s Group)
Location: St. Joseph Catholic Church (1505 Kane St, Houston)
Description: We are part of the St. Joseph’s Young Adults Men group. Our group’s main mission is to see how God is showing up in the daily struggles that men are facing these days. In July, we’ll be attending Cafe Catholica and meet at St. Joseph’s classroom 3 at 7pm on Wednesdays to have follow-up discussion. Please join us!
Wednesdays at 7:30 pm: Andrew Maynard and Erika Heitkamp
Location: Epiphany Catholic Church-Katy
Description: We are Andrew Maynard and Erika Heitkamp. Andy is from the west side of Houston and Erika is from southwest Houston. They and their spouses became good friends through the Epiphany Young Adults in Katy. Andy is a Texas Ex who graduated in 2019 and Erika graduated from LSU in 2014. Both Andy’s and Erika’s favorite thing about the Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ, the Eucharistic community that binds us together.
Wednesdays at 8:00 pm: Alex Burns and Dennehy Mason
Location: St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (1505 Kane St, Houston, TX 77007)
Description: Alex and Denneghy are both seminarians for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. We met each other this past year attending St Mary’s Seminary in Houston. Alex, a Woodlands native just completed his first year in Seminary, Denneghy, a Tomball native just completed his fifth year. We are both the same age, 23 going on 24, and love ministering to young adults. Alex enjoys being active, with hobbies such as running and playing cornhole. Denneghy enjoys reading and writing and studying history. Both enjoy praying often and are excited to devote their lives to God whole and entire. We love young adult ministry because we are young adults and encountering our peers encountering God is wonderful.
Thursdays at 6:30 pm: Wayne Wang and Jonathan Ma - Men’s Group
Location: Ascension Chinese Mission
Description: The men's group at Ascension Chinese Mission has been meeting weekly since St. Michael's Lent 2022. Wayne is newly married and works as a software developer. Jonathan recently graduated from UST with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Thursdays at 7:00 pm: Jithesh Augustine and Amy Bauschlicher
Location: Panera Bread (3151 W Holcombe Blvd Suite A Houston, TX 77025)
Description: Amy and Jithesh met at the Sam Houston Race Park and have known each other for almost 3 months now. Through their careers as a scientist devoted to developing medical interventions for cancer and a speech-language therapist, Jithesh and Amy, respectively, endeavor to attest to the power of Christ's resurrection and redemption in their effort to bring the healing light of Christ to patients and work communities. They both enjoy hiking, exploring nature, watching movies, and growing in the faith. We're looking forward to spearheading the small group discussions and gaining insights from the sharing.
Thursdays at 7:00 pm: Juanita Harris and Shane Suico
Location: Black Walnut, Vintage Park near Spring
Description: Juanita and Shane both love the Catholic faith and are really excited to meet new people. Juanita has participated in World Youth Day, and Shane volunteers for the Archdiocese of Galveston Houston. Both of us met each other in Cafe Catholica. Fun Fact: Juanita has been to almost all of the 50 United States. Except Main, Alaska, the Dakotas, Hawaii and Florida (the airport doesn't count) Shane can do Graffiti, but has never tagged anything in her life! Hope to see and meet you soon!
Thursdays at 7:00 pm: Chris Wolfe and Emma Straten
Location: Baileson Brewing Co. (2322 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005)
Description: Howdy! I’m Emma! A native Texan and a Houston transplant. I enjoy the endless opportunities the city has to offer. From picnics and concerts at Miller Outdoor, exploring the ample choices of cultural cuisines and fun local breweries, to the many amazing Mass and adoration options within the loop! I also enjoy traveling, especially to National Parks and experiencing God in nature. My favorite foods are ice cream and pizza (not together nor pizza flavored ice cream), and my new favorite saint is Teresa of Jesus! Chris and I met when the St. Vincent de Paul young adult group was re-established and have been friends ever since. We both enjoy Jesus and beer!
Thursdays at 7:00 pm: Brian and Carmel De Los Santos
Location: Black Walnut Cafe (23233 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy, TX)
Description: Brian and Carmel De Los Santos found love during the height of the pandemic in 2020, and they entered the Sacrament of Marriage in 2022. Brian, a healthcare IT analyst, and Carmel, a nonprofit fundraiser and real estate agent, are avid travelers and recipe testers. They are actively involved in various ministries and deeply connected to their families. They reside in Richmond and are proud parents to a lively, almost one-year-old son, MJ.
Thursdays at 7:00 pm: Rocio Enriquez and Kassandra Barrientos (Español)
Location: Radio Maria, 7115 W Tidwell Rd suite k-105, Houston
Description: Mi nombre es Rocio Enriquez, yo pertenezco a la Iglesia Asuncion. Amo leer, desde pequeña me ha gustado leer. Me encanta pasar tiempo en la naturaleza y disfruto mucho hacer ejercicio. No tengo shows de TV favoritos ya que no miro televisión (muy mínimo). Lo que me encanta de nuestra Iglesia Católica por que en ella aprendí todo lo que se de Jesus. Todos los seres humanos somos una obra maravillosa de Dios. Somos seres racionales, pero no nos quedamos en la mera razón, y en mi fe Católica sin duda encontré el valor tradicional de la espiritualidad cristiana.
Thursdays at 7:30 pm: Luis Del Cid, Lorena Calderon, and Jose Ramos (Español)
Location: St. Vincent de Paul Family Center, room 200, 2nd floor (6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX 77025)
Description: ¡Hola! Somos Lorena Calderon, Luis Del Cid y José Ramos y somos un grupo de amigos del grupo de jóvenes adultos de San Vicente de Paúl, Jóvenes de Luz. ¡Nuestra amistad floreció a través de nuestro amor compartido por la fe, el compañerismo y la diversión! Estamos emocionados de compartir Café Connect, un espacio seguro para conversaciones y conexiones significativas. Únase a nosotros todos los jueves a las 7:30 p.m. en el Centro Familiar, habitación 200, segundo piso, en San Vicente de Paul (6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX 77025)mientras exploramos nuestras pasiones, compartimos nuestras historias y crecemos juntos en la fe. Nota: Nuestras reuniones se llevarán a cabo en español. ¡Ven y únete a la conversación! ¡Ven a tomar un cafecito, y quédate por la comunidad!
Saturdays at 3:00 pm: Sophia Suico and Yarlin Paz
Location: St. Ignatius of Loyola, Faber Building RM 8 (7810 Cypresswood Dr, Spring, TX 77379)
Description: Hi we're Yarlin and Sophia! We're both greatly in love with our faith prioritizing daily mass and adoration on our off days. Yarlin's an engineer and enjoys playing tennis, reading books, and spending time with family. Sophia is a NICU nurse and on her off days enjoys running, Catholic photography, and being with friends and family. We're excited to be your Cafe Connect Facilitators and build community with you all this summer :)
Saturdays at 6:00 pm: Sergio Trejo (Español)
Location: Radio María, 7115 W Tidwell Rd suite k-105, Houston
Description: Mi nombre es Sergio Trejo, tengo 35 años y soy de Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. Me encanta el futbol y la música. He estado involucrado en los grupos juveniles desde el 2013 y he tenido la oportunidad de coordinar el retiro y el grupo juvenil de Maranatha, en la iglesia de Santa Cecilia. También he participado en el grupo de voluntarios llamado Pascon, que trabaja bajo la oficina de jóvenes adultos de la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston, he estado como servidor en los retiros Charis y también he sido el coordinador de Pascon. He sido voluntario en Radio María y tuve la oportunidad de ir a la Jornada Mundial de la juventud en Panamá en el 2019 en representación también de Radio María. Gracias por tu interés y que Dios te siga bendiciendo a ti y a tus seres queridos como lo ha hecho hasta ahora.
Sundays at 6:00 pm: Juan Alvarez and Gregory Blazek
Location: Holy Rosary Catholic Church (3617 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002)
Description: Juan is from Colombia and is a cradle Catholic. He moved to the USA in 2009 for a college scholarship and decided to stay! He works as a robotics engineer. Gregory is from Dallas and came to live in Houston after attending college in North Carolina! He has been studying and working in the healthcare field for over 5 years now. He is excited to meet everyone and grow in our faiths together!
Cafe Connect Facilitator Sign-ups
Are you interested in helping make the Café Connect groups possible to more young adults? Are you a leader of a young adult ministry and want to host a group at your parish? Then, please join us as a Café Connect Facilitator!
Café Connect Facilitators are young adults who volunteer to help lead the discussions for the Café Connect groups. In order to become a facilitator you must:
- Commit to attending 1 training session offered online in June (Date TBD).
- Commit to leading 4 Café Connect sessions in July.
- Discussion Guides will be provided in advance.
- Each Café Connect group will include 3-10 young adult participants.
- Facilitators can choose their date/time/location.
- The day of the week/time should stay consistent for all 4 weeks.
- Plan to recruit young adults to attend their Connect group.
Sign-ups for 2024 Connect Facilitators has closed.
We ask all facilitators to work in pairs. If you know someone who could be your co-facilitator, please let us know. If you don’t have anyone in mind, we can help pair you with another facilitator.
For more information contact the Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry at www.archgh.org/cafecatholica or yacm@archgh.org or 713-741-8778.
