Our Priests and Deacons
Priests and Deacons
Rev. Drew Wood, Pastor
Ordination: April 28, 1973
Raised in St. Theresa parish in Memorial Park, Fr. Drew Wood is a graduate of St. Thomas High School and the University of St. Thomas. He entered St. Mary's Seminary and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston on April 28, 1973. He served at many parishes throughout the Houston area, in addition to filling the roles of Vocations Director and Vice Chancellor for the diocese and Spiritual Director at St. Mary’s Seminary before being assigned to St. Laurence in 1998. He became pastor in 2002. Fr. Drew has a special affinity for the Life Teen Mass and each summer, he accompanies over 250 teens and chaperones to the Steubenville Conference in Houma, LA. It was this experience which led him to create the Heart of Worship, an annual, day-long spiritual event held at St. Laurence, which features nationally recognized speakers, praise & worship music, Mass and Adoration.
Rev. Drew Wood, PastorOrdination: April 28, 1973
Raised in St. Theresa parish in Memorial Park, Fr. Drew Wood is a graduate of St. Thomas High School and the University of St. Thomas. He entered St. Mary's Seminary and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston on April 28, 1973. He served at many parishes throughout the Houston area, in addition to filling the roles of Vocations Director and Vice Chancellor for the diocese and Spiritual Director at St. Mary’s Seminary before being assigned to St. Laurence in 1998. He became pastor in 2002. Fr. Drew has a special affinity for the Life Teen Mass and each summer, he accompanies over 250 teens and chaperones to the Steubenville Conference in Houma, LA. It was this experience which led him to create the Heart of Worship, an annual, day-long spiritual event held at St. Laurence, which features nationally recognized speakers, praise & worship music, Mass and Adoration.
Rev. Santy Kurian, M.S.F.S., Parochial Vicarskurian@stlaurence.org
Ordination: May 2, 1995
Fr. Santy likes to “bloom where he’s planted” and joined our parish in November 2007. Originally from Kerala, South India, he is part of the religious order of priests known as the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales. He holds four masters degrees – in Sociology, Education, Human Resource Management and English Literature, but it was a desire to “help save humanity” that led him to the priesthood. Before being sent to our archdiocese, Fr. Santy served as principal for a Catholic school of over 1,000 students. He has a great love for the Eucharist and insists that “the priesthood is meaningful only when rooted in the Eucharist.”
Rev. Tom Hawxhurst, Parochial Vicarthawxhurst@stlaurence.org
Ordination: January 14, 2012
Born in New Orleans, Fr. Tom earned an undergraduate degree in History from University of St. Thomas and masters in History from Auburn. For 14 years, he was a teacher and coach at Incarnate Word Academy in Houston and served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. It was a growing awareness of “just how good God has been to me, all these little, providential moments, so completely unmerited” and that he was not the solution to the problems he saw around him, that drew him to the seminary. St. Laurence is Fr. Tom's first assignment; he came to our parish in February 2012.
Deacon Renato (Rey) ArellanoDeacon.Rey@comcast.net
Ordination: February 3, 2007
Wife: Dianita
Message to Parish Family: God loves us and provides for us more than we can ever realize. Let us totally trust in His love and providence.
Deacon Albert Botheabothe@comcast.net
Ordination: July 11, 1994
Wife: Rosemary
Message to Parish Family: Love God, love your family, and love whatever you do in life, and those you do it for.
Deacon Don Burnsdon@donburns.com
Ordination: May 7, 1987
Wife: Sherry
Message to Parish Family: Being there to share in your times of celebration… and to pray with you when you are sick or grieving… blesses me greatly; thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives.
Deacon Charles Plantstlaurencedeacon@aol.com
Ordination: February 3, 2007
Wife: Marianne
Message to Parish Family: You are an inspiration as "Rivers of Grace". Thank you for sharing your love, patience, and kindness with me and my family, and may the Light of Christ enflame your hearts always. "Jesus, I Trust in You."