January 2014 - Catholic Diocese of Brownsville
Transcripción
January 2014 - Catholic Diocese of Brownsville
Volume 5, Issue 7 Serving More Than A Million Catholics in the Diocese of Brownsville Baptized in the Holy Spirit January 2014 For more photos on new churches, renovations, see page 8 Charismatic Renewal Conference Jan. 17-18 By ROSE YBARRA The Valley Catholic SAN JUAN —“I am an Andrew,” said Irma Gomez, a parishioner at Holy Spirit Church in McAllen. “Just like Andrew introduced his brother Peter to Jesus, we want to introduce our brothers and sisters to Jesus.” Gomez said that is the mission of the second annual Charismatic Renewal Conference, set for Jan. 17-18 at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine. The theme of the event is, “The New Pentecost” and it will feature speakers, workshops, music, liturgy and prayer. The conference will kick off on Friday, Jan. 17 with registration and check-in from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The events will begin at 7 p.m. with praise and worship and a keynote address by Msgr. Juan Nicolau, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in McAllen. On Saturday, Jan. 18, the day will begin at 8 a.m. with registration and check-in, followed by prayer and worship and a variety of breakouts sessions and speakers. Bishop Daniel E. Flores will be among the presenters. He is scheduled to speak about Mary, Our Blessed Mother as an evangelizer. The bishop will also celebrate Mass at 5:30 p.m. More than 300 attended the inaugural Charismatic Renewal Conference at the University of TexasPan American in Edinburg in 2013. Deacon Alex Gamboa of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in McAllen said the basilica was selected as the event venue in 2014 because of its centralized location. He and the other organizers hope the conference will be accessible for all who wish to attend. “The ultimate goal of the conference is to promote formation and ministry for the participants within their parishes,” he said. “We » Please see Charismatic, p.13 Eric Sanchez/The Valley Catholic Bishop Daniel E. Flores anoints the walls of the new St. John the Baptist Church in San Juan on Nov. 24, 2013. St. John the Baptist Parish dedicates new sanctuary By ROSE YBARRA The Valley Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is not seeking fame or accolades, but being named Time magazine’s Person of the Year will make him happy if it helps attract people to the hope of the Gospel, said the Vatican spokesman. “It’s a positive sign that one of the most prestigious recognitions in the international press” goes to a person who “proclaims to the world spiritual, religious and moral values and speaks effectively in favor of peace and greater justice,” said the spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi. The choice of Pope Francis “is not surprising, given the wide appeal and huge attention” to his pontificate so far, Father Lombardi said in a written statement Dec. 11, shortly after Time announced it had named the pope for the annual feature. “Rarely has a new player on the SAN JUAN — “This is the work of the Church,” Bishop Daniel E. Flores said. “We have to be thinking of who is not here, people who maybe feel they have no place and invite them to come. The only reason we need bigger churches is so that we can invite more people, because the work of the Church is the building up of the people.” Bishop Flores blessed and dedicated a new 10,000-square-foot sanctuary for St. John the Baptist Parish on Nov. 24, replacing the 38-year-old church that was filled with standing-room-only crowds on most Sundays. Rows of sturdy wood pews with comfortable kneelers have taken the place of the maize colored plastic and metal chairs that the parishioners once sat in for Mass. The new church, which was designed by Richard Moore & Associates of San Antonio, seats more than 900. The total cost of the project was $1.75 million. Plans for the new church included the bell tower from the original San Juan Shrine, which was dedicated in 1954. Bishop Flores celebrated three dedication Masses in as many weeks. A week after the festivities at St. John the Baptist Church, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Mis- » Please see Person of the Year, p.5 » Please see Blessing, p.14 PRO-LIFE MARCH DIVINE MERCY THOSE WHO SERVE Time’s choice not surprising Pope Francis is third pope to win Person of the Year honor By CAROL GLATZ Catholic News Service EN EN ESPAÑOL ESPAÑOL Artículos sobre la Jornada Mundial de la Paz, y una marcha en contra del aborto “VERBUM MITTITUR SPIRANS AMOREM” (“The WORD is sent breathing love.”) Event set for Jan. 11 Page 3 Conference to be held in Weslaco Page 4 Brother André LeMay, OFM Page 9 Paginas 11-13 2 DIOCESE Familia Mas Alla de las Fronteras Obispos Católicos de la frontera Texas-México publicaron una carta pastoral titulada, “Familia más allá de las fronteras,” tratando las profundamente humanas tragedias familiares que se sufren bajo el sistema migratorio actual. Los Obispos Fronterizos representando a la diócesis y arquidiócesis; de México (Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez, Matamoros, Nuevo Casas Grandes, Nuevo Laredo y Piedras Negras), Texas (Brownsville, El Paso, Laredo y San Antonio) y Nuevo México (Diócesis de Las Cruces); explican que se sintieron obligados a escribir este documento, “Notamos especialmente la cultura de incremente violencia afectando muchos países de origen, los peligros de la migración, y la extensa pobreza y desempleo afectando especialmente a los jóvenes de familias inmigrantes. El sistema de inmigración actual en los Estados Unidos agrava estas difíciles condiciones crónicas que afectan a las familias.” “Familias más allá de las fronteras” fue enviado al Presidente Barack Obama y también será distribuido a los Senadores de Texas y los miembros de la Cámara de representantes como también a una serie de líderes civiles y de fe. A continuación una sección de la carta. Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo: Desde su elección como Pontífice Romano, el Papa Francisco ha declarado frecuentemente que nuestros esfuerzos en la renovación de la Iglesia tendrán credibilidad solamente cuando nos convirtamos en cristianos valientes y procuremos servir aquellos que más nos necesitan. El Santo Padre ha reconocido el drama trágico de millones de inmigrantes en todos los continentes como también la seria y gran responsabilidad de la Iglesia al respecto: La Iglesia es madre y su atención maternal se expresa con especial ternura y cercanía para aquellos que se ven obligados a dejar su propio país y existir entre el desarraigo y la integración. Esta The Valley Catholic - January 2014 Family Beyond Borders “Catholic Bishops of the Texas-Mexican border published a joint pastoral letter titled, “Family Beyond Borders,” addressing the profoundly human tragedies families are suffering under the current immigration system. The Border Bishops representing dioceses and archdiocese; From Mexico (Chihuaha, Ciudad Juárez, Matamoros, Nuevo Casas Grandes, Nuevo Laredo, and Piedras Negras), Texas (Brownsville, El Paso, Laredo, and San Antonio) and New Mexico (Diocese of Las Cruces); explain they felt compelled to write this document, “We note especially the culture of increasing violence affecting many countries of origin, the dangers of migration itself, and the widespread poverty and unemployment especially affecting the youth from immigrant families. The current immigration system in the United States exacerbates these chronically difficult conditions affecting families.” “Family Beyond Borders” was sent to President Barack Obama and will also be distributed to the Texas Senators and members of the House of Representatives as well as a number of civic and faith leaders. An excerpt of the letter follows. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: Since his election as Roman Pontiff, Pope Francis has often stated that our efforts to renew the Church will only have credibility when we become courageous Christians and seek out those on the margins who are most in need. The Holy Father has recognized the tragedy that involves millions of migrants on every continent; and the Holy Father has given expression to the Church’s responsibilities in their regard: The Church is mother and her motherly attention is expressed with special tenderness and closeness to those who are obliged to flee their own country and exist between rootlessness and integration. This tension destroys people. Christian compassion, “suffering with compassion”- is expressed first of all in the commitment to obtain knowledge of the events that force people to leave their homeland, and, where necessary, to give voice to those who cannot manage to make their cry of distress and oppression heard.1 As bishops of the border region, we write to you because of the urgency of the Church’s task to serve the suffering Christ whose image we see in the suffering people we encounter daily in streets and in our neighborhoods. This suffering is present throughout our dioceses, in our parishes, our health care and tensión destruye a las personas. La compasión cristiana -este «sufrir con», con-pasión-se expresa 700 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd., San Juan, TX 78589-3042 Telephone: 956/781-5323 • Fax: 956/784-5082 Bishop Daniel E. Flores Publisher Brenda Nettles Riojas Editor Rose Ybarra Assistant Editor The Valley Catholic email: [email protected] Follow us on facebook Catholic Diocese of Brownsville www.cdob.org Subscription rate ZBG Studio/Graphic Design $15 per year • $17 outside of Texas $25 out of U.S. Terry De Leon South Texas Circulation The Valley Catholic, Circulation Advertising (956) 784-5055 Gustavo Morales Lower Valley (956) 266-1527 Gilbert Saenz Upper Valley (956) 451-5416 a publication of the Diocese of Brownsville, is published monthly Member of the Catholic Press Assocition MOST REVEREND DANIEL E. FLORES BISHOP OF BROWNSVILLE social service institutions, and in our youth groups. PRINCIPLES AND PERSPECTIVES: The Church bases her teaching on immigration in the Sacred Scripture and in the tradition of Catholic Social teaching. In 2003, the Catholic Bishops of Mexico and the United States published a pastoral letter, “Strangers No Longer,” which expressed anew this teaching; in it the bishops spoke of five principles that should guide our views on immigration? 1. All people have the right to find opportunities for a decent life in their homeland. 2. All people have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families. 3. Nations have the right to control their borders. 4. Refugees and asylum seekers have the right to safety and protection. 5. Undocumented migrants have human rights, which include dignity and the right to participate in civil society. Since the publication of this letter, our greatest concern as pastors and bishops on the Mexico U.S. border has been, and continues to be, the difficult conditions faced by migrants and their families. The majority of immigrants today are of Latin-American descent. Many perceive that immigration is merely a one-way movement of needy people from Latin America in search of a more prosperous life in the United States. They tend to see immigrants as masses of poor people endlessly on the move, willing to live beyond the borders of their homeland without their families. It is also said that immigrants and their families do not contribute to American society and culture, that they simply come to take advantage of the welfare system. Such perspectives lack realism, and do not perceive the demanding conditions affecting immigrants and their families; and they fail to acknowledge the contributions of immigrants to our society. principalmente en el compromiso de obtener el conocimiento de los eventos que obligan a las personas a dejar su patria, y, cuando sea necesario, darles voz a aquellos que no logran que su llanto de angustia y opresión sean escuchados. 1 Los obispos de la zona fronteriza les escribimos debido a la urgente tarea de la Iglesia para servir a los que sufren. Vemos la imagen de Cristo en las personas que sufren y en aquellas con las que nos encontramos diariamente en nuestras calles y en nuestros vecindarios. Este sufrimiento se encuentra presente en nuestra diócesis, en nuestras parroquias, en nuestras instituciones del cuidado de salud y servicio social y en nuestros grupos de jóvenes. PRINCIPIOS Y PERSPECTIVAS: La Iglesia basa su enseñanza sobre inmigración en la Sagrada Escritura y en la tradición de la The nuclear and extended family are essential to the very fabric of life in any society; this is as true of in modem American society, as it is in traditional Latino cultures. As the place where life and human relationships are first nourished, family life deserves attentive pastoral care from the Church, and the support of the wider social community. This is particularly true in situations where in the family structure must bear the great strain of destabilizing social, political, and economic forces. Today, immigrant families face many serious threats. Among these threats, we note especially the culture of increasing violence affecting many countries of origin, the dangers of migration itself, and the widespread poverty and unemployment especially affecting the youth in immigrant families. The current immigration system in the United States exacerbates these chronically difficult conditions affecting families. As pastors, we are challenged to increase our outreach to defend families and to show special concern for their children. As a Church we must all work together to defend the family against the evils that threaten to undermine this cherished and vulnerable source of our Catholic and cultural identity. As shepherds serving in both the United States and in Mexico, we urge all to remember how the virtues and values of family life have historically sustained the growth and greatness of both our great nations. Looking to the future, respecting and preserving family life is the indispensable condition for building a safer, more secure life for our children. There are many misperceptions concerning undocumented immigrants and their contribution to society in the United States. For example, immigrants do pay taxes; between one half and three quarters of undocumented immigrants pay state and federal taxes. They also contribute to Medicare and provide as much as $7 billion annually to the Social Security Fund, even though they are not eligible for Social Security benefits. Undocumented immigrants have a net benefit, not a drain, on the U.S. economy. The American Farm Bureau reports that without guest workers the U.S. economy would lose nearly $9 billion a year in agricultural production.3 The complete letter is available both in English and Spanish online at www.cdob.org enseñanza social católica. En el 2003, los Obispos Católicos de México y de los Estados Unidos publicaron una carta pastoral, “Ya no somos Extranjeros,” la cual expresa esta enseñanza, en ella los obispos hablaron sobre cinco principios que deberían guiar nuestro punto de vista sobre inmigración:2 1. Todas las personas tienen el derecho de encontrar oportunidades de tener una vida decente en su patria. 2. Todas las personas tienen el derecho de inmigrar para mantenerse a sí mismos y a sus familias. 3. Las naciones tienen el derecho de controlar sus fronteras. 4. Los refugiados y los que buscan asilo tienen el derecho de seguridad y protección. 5. Los inmigrantes indocumentados tienen derechos humanos, los cuales incluyen la dignidad y el derecho de participar en una sociedad civil. Desde la publicación de esta Bishop Flores’ Schedule Jan. 2 10 a.m. San Juan Talk for 2nd Annual Diocesan Stewardship Conference Jan. 4 11:30 a.m. San Juan Mass for 2nd Annual Diocesan Stewardship Conference Jan. 18 4:30 p.m. Basilica Talk & Mass for Charismatic Movements Jan. 19 10 a.m. San Juan Mass for Deacon’s Annual Retreat carta, nuestra mayor preocupación como pastores y obispos en la frontera de México y Estados Unidos ha sido, y continua siendo, las condiciones difíciles que enfrentan los inmigrantes y sus familias. Hoy en día, la mayoría de los inmigrantes son de descendencia latinoamericana. Muchos perciben que la inmigración es simplemente un movimiento de individuos en extrema necesidad procediendo de América Latina en busca de una vida próspera en los Estados Unidos. Ordinariamente se ve a los inmigrantes hispanos como una masa de gente pobre, dispuestos a vivir más allá de las fronteras de su patria sin arraigo de la vida familiar. También se dice que los inmigrantes y sus familias no contribuyen a la sociedad y cultura americana, que simplemente vienen a tomar ventaja del sistema de bienestar público. Dichas perspectivas no son realistas y no » Por favor lea Carta de los obispos, p.13 January Jan. 24 6 p.m. Spirit Award Banquet Jan. 25 8:20 a.m. 4th Annual Divine Mercy Conference Jan. 25 10:30 a.m. La Posada Providencia 25th Anniversary McAllen Weslaco Harlingen DIOCESE January 2014- The Valley Catholic 3 BUILDING AND PROPERTY OFFICE Para servirles The Valley Catholic The Building and Property Office oversees all construction projects, property managment, real estate matters and property insurance claims in the Diocese of Brownsville. The office works conscientiously at applying good stewardship practices to care for the diocese’s blessings and resources. This department is responsible for assisting the parishes, schools and other diocesan entities in matters related to new construction, renovations and maintenance, which includes maintenance of building walls, roof integrity, the upkeep of electrical, plumbing and air conditioning systems and parking areas. The department is responsible for preparation of bid process and presenting plans and specifications of all construction to the building committee and for advising the bishop and pastors in matters related to the purchasing or selling of property. The office is located in the John J. Fitzpatrick Building of the Upper Valley Pastoral Center and is headed by director Javier Solis, who has served the diocese for more than 11 years. He is assisted by Rey Rivera. They are both members of the the Conference for Catholic Facility Management, a national network. The year 2013 was a busy year for the Building and Property Office. Three new sanctuaries were blessed and dedicated: St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus Parish in Edcouch, St. John the Baptist Church in San Juan and St. Eugene de Mazenod Church in Brownsville. Three more churches completed major renovations, St. Anne Church in Pharr, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Mission and the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville. Other major projects included the completion of the new gymnasium and classrooms at St. Joseph School in Edinburg, a new religious education center/parish hall at Sacred Heart Parish in Escobares and a bell tower renovation project at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Mercedes. Projects expected to be completed in 2014 include a new sanctuary for Our Lady of Holy Rosary Parish in Mission, a new religious education center for Our Lady of Perperual Help Parish in McAllen, a new multi-purpose building for San Cristobal Magallanes in Mission, a new parish hall for Santa Monica Mission Church, a new gymnasium and classrooms for St. Anthony Parish in Harlingen and the renovation of the old Sacred Heart Church in Edinburg to a parish hall and religious education center. Office: Building and Property Director: Javier Solis Phone: (956) 781-5323 Honoring religious priests, brothers, sisters The Valley Catholic The Valley Catholic Pro-lifers of all faiths are invited to participate in a march set for Jan. 11, which will process through the streets of downtown McAllen. More than 1,000 attended the event last year, which commemorates the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. Marching for Life Organizers aim to raise awareness in the public square The Valley Catholic The Respect Life Apostolate is organizing a march in McAllen on Saturday, Jan. 11. The event will begin with opening prayers at 9 a.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, 900 S. 23rd St. continue into downtown where it will pass by the local abortion clinic and end at Sacred Heart Parish, 306 S. 15th St. with closing prayers. The march is held in reparation for the more than 55 million babies who have been killed in the United States since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling on Jan. 22, 1973 that legalized abortion. Pro-life activists across the nation are observing the anniversary with events of prayer and action. In 2013, the march was held in downtown McAllen for the first time and drew more than a 1,000 pro-life warriors. “We want to raise awareness in the public square,” said Cecilia Batungbacal, one of the event’s organizers. “We need to send the message that we are not going to stay in our houses and churches praying for the end of abortion. We are going to stand up for God’s commandments publicly.” The abortion facilities in McAllen and Harlingen are among the clinics in Texas that can no longer legally offer abortions after new legislation took effect. The law requires that all medical providers who perform abortions have admitting privileges at local hospitals. The McAllen facility, however, is offering referrals to other abortion clinics around the state, said Diamantina Barba, a counselor at McAllen Pregnancy Center, a Catholic, pro-life facility. Calls and visits to the McAl- len Pregnancy Center have also increased since the new laws went into effect. The center is located about two blocks away from the abortion clinic. “We have many women calling us, desperate to have an abortion,” Barba said. “They are frantic because they can’t find a place to have an abortion. We have been very busy. Please continue to pray for us, these women and their babies. “We are the only voice these babies have,” Barba added. Even though abortions are no longer performed there, Barba and other pro-lifers have continued to visit the sidewalk outside of the abortion clinic to pray and counsel the women going in and out of the facility. In Harlingen, the owner of the abortion clinic has been very vocal about his intent to assist women seeking abortions and refers women to Mexico buy abortifacient » Please see Life, p.15 Welcoming the stranger Shelter marks silver anniversary, plans fundraiser Special to The Valley Catholic HARLINGEN— La Posada Providencia will host its annual Hands & Hearts brunch and auction event at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Cultural Arts Center of Texas State Technical College in Harlingen. Tickets are $35 per person and may be purchased by contacting La Posada Providencia at (956)399-3826, or agonzalez@ lppshelter.org, or in person by visiting the shelter, 30094 Marydale Road in San Benito. In 2014, La Posada will be celebrating its 25th anniversary of “welcoming the stranger” to the Rio Grande Valley. Since 1989, the emergency shelter has helped more than 7,000 people from more than 70 different countries who have suffered displacement Courtesy photo Esperanza carried her daughter, Ana, to the U.S. for a better life. from their native lands due to war, famine, natural disaster, poverty or oppressive governments. A ministry of the Sisters of the Divine Providence, La Posada provides clients with safe shelter, food, clean clothes, local transportation and supportive services, including English classes and life skills lessons to help them take the necessary steps to achieving selfsufficiency and responsible integration into U.S. culture. La Posada has assisted people like Esperanza and her family, who sought help from the shelter in August 2013. Esperanza’s nineyear-old daughter, Ana, was born with a birth defect and is unable to walk. Until they arrived at La Posada, Esperanza still carried Ana in her arms everywhere she went. Esperanza’s husband—the father of her children—died soon after Ana was born. The family had no money for medical treatment or a wheelchair for Ana. When the family’s house was destroyed by a tornado two years ago, the impoverished family made the decision to leave Guatemala. Accompanied by her 11 year-old son José and 14 year old daughter Maria, Esperanza carried Ana in her arms to the United States in hopes of finding a better life—and possibly medical care for Ana. Esperanza with Ana in her arms and accompanied by José and Maria, arrived at La Posada on August 14. Thanks to the La Posada staff, who put a call out to their supporters, a local medical supply company donated a wheelchair for Ana that very afternoon. SAN JUAN — On Sunday, Feb. 2, Bishop Daniel E. Flores will celebrate a Mass in honor of World Day for Consecrated Life at 3 p.m. at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine. All religious priests, brothers and sisters serving in the Diocese of Brownsville are invited to attend the Mass. The faithful are also encouraged to attend the public Mass to express their support and gratitude for the men and women religious who serve our community. There are more than 150 in religious life in our diocese serving in a variety of ministries. They are Catholic school and public school educators, social workers, hospital chaplains, nurses, catechists and much more. Most serve in multiple ministries within the Church and in the secular world, using their talents and abilities to serve God and our society. Sister Leticia Benavides of the Missionaries of Jesus, one of the event’s organizers, said it is wonderful to share this celebration with the people of God. “It is important to have some visibility of the religious serving in our community,” she said. “We are called to be a sign of God’s kingdom here on earth and this Mass is a moment to remember that.” In 1997, Pope John Paul II called for the men and women in religious Life — those serving in Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life — to be recognized throughout the Church. World Day for Consecrated Life is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on Feb. 2. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day, the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops asks the faithful to please pray for all those who have made commitments in the consecrated and apostolic life, and be sure to thank them on their special day. May they continue to be inspired by Jesus Christ and respond generously to God’s gift of their vocation. Prayer for Religious Life God our Father, we thank you for calling men and women to serve in your Son’s Kingdom as sisters, brothers, religious priests, consecrated virgins, hermits, as well as members of Secular Institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life. Renew their knowledge and love of you, and send your Holy Spirit to help them respond generously and courageously to your will. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. DIOCESE 4 The Valley Catholic - January 2014 »Family Life »Women speak for themselves en el Valle Lydia Pesina Director, Family Life Office Family spiritual plan for the new year A s we begin a new year, the Year 2014 A.D. (Ano domini) 2014 In the Year of Our Lord, we are reminded that the Church has a long and beautiful history. As Christians we believe that the most important and significant event in the history of mankind, is the coming of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That is why we began a new calendar 2,014 years ago which we use to the present. We just celebrated the virgin birth of the baby Jesus from December 25th through Epiphany, The Feast of The Three Kings. Many of us celebrated this great commemoration with wonderful cultural and seasonal foods such as tamales, ham, and lots of Christmas sweets. And then we begin to make New Year’s resolutions, or at least New Year Plans: diet plans, home improvement plans, exercise plans, financial plans, vacation plans, etc. Perhaps it is also a good time to make a “Family Spiritual Plan”. As Christian families, perhaps that is one of our most important roles; to assist our family in whatever shape or stage it finds itself in, to continue to grow spiritually; to continue to nourish our spiritual life so as to become the person God has so uniquely created us to be. Recently, I was reviewing some of the Church’s documents that we highlight in a course entitled “Ministry with Families 101: a Ministry Formation Experience for All Whose Efforts Impact Families”. It is a joy to read some of the beautiful words that have been written by our Church leaders over the years about our role as Christian families. I would like to share a few excerpts from some of these documents that remind us of that role. • Lumen Gentium, #11( Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 1965) “…the parents, by word and example, are the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children. • Gaudium et Spes, #48, 50, & 52 (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 1963) The family is, in a sense, a school for human enrichment… • Apostolicam Acutositatem, #11( Decree on the Apostalate of the Laity, 1965) the family has received from God its mission to be the first and vital cell of society. It will fulfill this mission if it shows itself to be the domestic sanctuary of the Church through the mutual affection of its members and the common prayer they offer to God, if the whole family is caught up in the liturgical worship of the Church and if it provides active hospitality and promotes justice and other good works for the service of all their brethren in need. • Evangelii Nuntiandi, #71 (Evangelization in the Modern World , 1975) in a family, which » Please see Spiritual Plan, p.15 Brenda Nettles Riojas Bishop Daniel E. Flores Father Anthony Gramlich, MIC Divine Mercy for Souls Annual Conference set for Jan. 25 The Valley Catholic Fountain of Mercy Ministries, a local apostolate, is hosting its fourth annual Divine Mercy Conference on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Weslaco ISD Performing Arts Center, 506 E. 6th St. Organzers said that they hope, that through this conference, God’s children will become zealous for the salvation of souls. Keynote speakers: Bishop Daniel E. Flores — The title of his presentation is, “I Thirst ...” The bishop endorsed the conference in a letter to the priests of the diocese. “May this serve as a reminder to prepare ourselves for the holy season of Lent, which will come one short month after the conference,” the letter reads. Father Anthony Gramlich, MIC — He serves at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass. One of the missions of his religious community, the Marians of Immaculate Conception, is to spread the message and devotion of Divine Mercy. He will make two presentations titled, “St. Faustina and the Salvation of Souls,” and “Empty Purgatory.” Father Jose Maniyangat — A missionary priest from Orange Park, Fla., Father Maniyangat is an advocate of Eucharistic healing for those seeking spritual, mental and physical relief. Father Maniyangat will share his life after death experience which took place in 1985 on the Feast of Divine Mercy. How much is it? Early registration is $25. Continental breakfast and lunch are included. Organizers said that cost should not deter those interested in attending from registering as scholarships are available. Admission is free for priests, deacons and religious brothers and sisters. How do I register? Organizers ask that everyone complete the registration process, even those attending at no cost, for planning purposes. Preregistration is available online at www.fomm.us or contact Triny (956) 472-0119 or Yolanda (956) 454-2103. The Valley Catholic Far right, Bishop Daniel E. Flores and Father Joaquin Zermeño, parish administrator of St. Isidore Church in San Isidro and Immaculate Conception Church in McCook chat before the bishop’s presentation on Heaven, Hell and Purgatory at the Thirsty Monkey in Edinburg on Nov. 4. Heaven, Hell and Purgatory The Valley Catholic The following questions were posed to Bishop Daniel E. Flores following his talk on “Heaven, Hell, & Purgatory” during a Theology on Tap session Nov. 4, 2013 in Edinburg. He addresses the “devil’s end game of despair” and the importance of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. You can listen to the bishop’s answers online at www.cdob. org. 1. Why do we need the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick? 2. What if you confess your mortal sins to God but not to a priest, will you go to heaven or hell? 3. When in purgatory is physical pain infected? 4. Is it a mortal sin to desire to die, so I can meet the presence of Jesus already? Sometimes I don’t want to deal with the heartaches of this life and just be with Jesus? 5. What can we do to help souls in purgatory; purify our souls now so our time in purgatory will be less? Are there some prayers that we can say? 6. Does anyone escape purgatory? 7. Could you clarify the reason for wearing a scapular? 8. It is said that the souls that go to hell do not belong to the mystical body of Christ; that they are no longer part of the same; in turn does this isolation affect the essence of the human spirit? What can we expect happens to the soul after spending time in hell? 9. I was once told that heaven Editor of The Valley Catholic Father Jose Maniyangat is not an actual physical place but rather a state of the human soul? 10. If we get to be blessed to go to heaven, will we get to see our godparents and our spouses only; in other words only the people who were present during our lives? 11. What is the Church’s view on spreading ashes? 12. Is it wrong to assume that a child with severe brain damage who is bed bound will go straight to heaven? 13. Why are kids born with diseases? 14. What do you think about organ donation? Does the Church approve? 15. Who is an angel? 16. If one commits suicide, will God forgive? Do they go to purgatory or hell? Peacemakers: You and I C an one person make a difference in the world? We can look to the saints and their examples for the answer; we can look to the two blessed popes, Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II, who will be canonized April 27; we can look to Pope Francis, Time Magazine’s 2013 Person of the Year, who is calling on each of us to be revolutionaries and leave the comfort of our homes and parishes to go out into the streets and share the good news with others; we can look to men and women in our own community. In this New Year, Pope Francis calls us to be peacemakers. He believes each of us can make a difference. In his message for World Day for Peace, for which he chose the theme, “Fraternity, the foundation and pathway to peace,” he writes, “A lively awareness of our relatedness helps us to look upon and to treat each person as a true sister or brother.” He cautions against a ‘globalization of indifference’ which makes us slowly inured to the suffering of others and closed in on ourselves.” I think this ‘globalization of indifference’ he refers to happens when we stop listening to God’s direction and lose sight of how connected we are in this world. Recently I reviewed the book Let the Great World Spin by Column McCann. The author weaves in and out of 11 different characters’ lives. He illustrates how people connect and each character in some way has touched another’s life. In the closing chapter, there is a line that sums up what some days feel like – “The world spins. We stumble on.” We can become dizzy, disoriented, disillusioned, with the speed in which our days run and with the unrest that persists in the world, along our border, in our communities, sometimes in our own homes. Daily headlines about violence along our borders in Texas and Mexico and about the unrest in other parts of the world, point to the desperate need for peace. The struggle for peace always leaves me distressed and without answers. Sometimes self doubt derails me and I begin to lose hope. The task seems daunting from my vantage point and I wonder how I, living here in the Rio Grande Valley, can work for peace in the world? Pope Francis, writes in his message for World Day for Peace, “We Christians believe that in the Church we are all members of a single body, all mutually necessary, because each has been given a grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, for the common good (cf. Eph 4:7,25; 1 Cor 12:7).” Jesus Christ says – “I am » Please see Peacemakers, p.13 FAITH January 2014 - The Valley Catholic »Sunday Readings The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church JANUARY 5 (Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord) Reading I IS 60:1-6 Responsorial Psalm PS 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 Reading II EPH 3:2-3A, 5-6 Gospel MT 2:1-12 JANUARY 12 (Feast of the Baptism of the Lord) Reading I IS 42:1-4, 6-7 Responsorial Psalm PS 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 Reading II ACTS 10:34-38 Gospel MT 3:13-17 JANUARY 19 (Second Sunday in Ordinary Time) Reading I IS 49:3, 5-6 Responsorial Psalm PS 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 Reading II Gospel 1 COR 1:1-3 JN 1:29-34 JANUARY 26 (Third Sunday in Ordinary Time) Reading I IS 8:23-9:3 Responsorial Psalm PS 27:1, 4, 13-14 Reading II 1 COR 1:10-13, 17 Gospel MT 4:12-23 Person of the Year, continued from pg. 1 world stage captured so much attention so quickly -- young and old, faithful and cynical -- as has Pope Francis,” Time said on its website. “With a focus on compassion, the leader of the Catholic Church has become a new voice of conscience.” Blessed John Paul II was named Person of the Year in 1994 and Blessed John XXIII in 1962. Other past honorees include several U.S. Presidents, Mahatma Gandhi, Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin and Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. The magazine says the title goes to the person or idea that “for better or worse ... has done the most to influence events of the year.” The pope “does not seek fame and success, because he serves to proclaim the Gospel and God’s love for everyone,” Father Lombardi said. But if the recognition “attracts women and men and gives them hope, the pope is happy.” The spokesman added that Pope Francis would also be pleased if the magazine’s decision “means that many have understood, at least implicitly, this message” of hope. 5 »Making Sense of Bioethics Ethical Directives in Catholic Hospitals A t the beginning of December, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a sweeping federal lawsuit against the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops over its Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic hospitals, alleging that the Directives, with their prohibition against direct abortion, resulted in negligent care of a pregnant woman named Tamesha Means. Ms. Means’ water broke at 18 weeks, leading to infection of the amniotic membranes, followed by spontaneous labor and delivery of her child. The child lived only a few hours. During the course of these events, Ms. Means went a Catholic hospital in Michigan several times, and, according to the lawsuit, was sent home even as contractions were starting. The lawsuit not only suggests that she should have been given a drug to induce labor early on but claims this wasn’t possible precisely because the hospital was Catholic and bound by the Directives. It further asserts that Catholic hospitals are not able to terminate a woman’s pregnancy by inducing premature labor “even if necessary for her health,” because to do so would be “prohibited” by the Directives. In point of fact, however, the Directives would not prevent the early induction of labor for these cases. Not infrequently, labor is induced in Catholic hospitals in complete conformity with the Directives. Directive #47 (never mentioned in the lawsuit) is very clear: “Operations, treatments, and medications that have as their direct purpose the cure of a Tadeusz Pacholczyk Priest of the Diocese of Fall River proportionately serious pathological condition of a pregnant woman are permitted when they cannot be safely postponed until the unborn child is viable, even if they will result in the death of the unborn child.” Deciding about whether to induce labor involves the recognition that there are two patients involved, the mother and her in utero child, and that the interests of the two can sometimes be in conflict. In certain situations — for example, when the child is very close to the point of viability and the pregnancy is at risk — it may be recommended to delay early induction of labor in the hope that the child can grow further and the pregnancy can be safely shuttled to a point beyond viability, allowing both mother and child to be saved. Sometimes expectant management of this kind is not possible. Each case will require its own assessment of the risks, benefits, and likely outcomes before deciding whether it would be appropriate to induce labor. When a woman’s water breaks many weeks prior to viability and infection arises, long term expectant management of a pregnancy is often not possible. In such cases, induction of labor becomes medically indicated in order to expel the infected membranes, and prevent the infection from spreading and causing maternal death. Early induction in these cases is carried out with the foreseen but unintended consequence that the child will die following delivery, due to his or her extreme prematurity. Such early induction of labor would be allowable because the act itself, i.e. the action of inducing labor, is a good act (expelling the infected amniotic membranes), and is not directed towards harming the body-person of the child, as it would be in the case of a direct abortion, when the child is targeted for saline injection or dismemberment. The medical intervention, in other words, is directed towards the body-person of the mother, using a drug to induce contractions in her uterus. One reluctantly tolerates the unintended loss of life that occurs secondary to the primary action of treating her life-threatening infection. On the other hand, direct killing of a human being through abortion, even if it were to provide benefit for the mother, cannot be construed as valid health care, but rather as a betrayal of the healing purposes of medicine at its most fundamental level. Such an action invariably fails to respect both the human dignity of the unborn patient and his or her human rights. It also gravely violates a mother’s innate desire and duty to protect her unborn baby. If she finds herself in the unfortunate situation of having a severe uterine infection during pregnancy, she, too, would appreciate the physician’s » Please see Ethical directives, p.15 Pope Francis offers map and guide in apostolic exhortation on the Joy of the Gospel O n the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, which also marked the end of the Year of Faith this past Nov. 24, 2013, Pope Francis issued his first apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” (The Joy of the Gospel). He addressed the apostolic exhortation on the Proclamation of the gospel in today’s world to all the bishops, clergy, consecrated persons and the lay faithful. The complete document is available in different languages online at vatican.va. Usually apostolic exhortations are written to make recommendations after a Synod of Bishops. A Synod of Bishops is a gathering of selected bishops from around the world to discuss a particular subject or issue the Church is facing. In October 2012, the Synod of Bishops gathered to discuss “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” This apostolic exhortation: Evangelii Gaudium is the result of the contribution of such gathering encouraging the Christian Faithful to embark on this new chapter of Evangelization. This was in an effort to propose news ways to promote the new evangelization resulting with the approval of 58 propositions and the establishment of a Pontifical Commission for the New Evangelization to monitor religious freedom, develop guidelines for training evangelizers and ensure Deacon Luis Zuniga Director, Office for Pastoral Planning & San Juan Diego Ministry Institute. there is a church in every diocese where confession is always available. According to Vatican Radio, Phillippa Hitchen, who reports on the latest apsotolic exhortation Evangelli Gaudium, mentions that “Pope Francis speaks on numerous themes, including evangelization, peace, homiletics, social justice, the family, respect for creation, faith and politics, ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, and the role of women and of the laity in the Church. Putting down in print the joyous spirit of encounter with Christ that characterizes every public appearance he has made so far. The man who has constantly kept the media’s attention with his desire to embrace and share his faith with everyone he meets, now urges us to do exactly the same. To “recover the original freshness of the Gospel”, as he puts it, through a thorough renewal of the Church’s structures and vision. Including what he calls “a conversion of the papacy” to make it better able to serve the mission of evangelization in the modern world. The Church, he says, should not be afraid to re-examine “customs not directly connected to the heart of the Gospel” even if they may have deep historical roots.” (official vatican network: news.va) Archbishop Rino Fisichella (President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization) presented the document at a Vatican press conference on Nov. 26. He said, “If we were to sum up Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium in a few words, we could say that it is an apostolic exhortation written around the theme of Christian joy in order that the Church may rediscover the original source of evangelization in the contemporary world. Pope Francis offers this document to the Church as a map and guide to her pastoral mission in the near future. It is an invitation to recover a prophetic and positive vision of reality without ignoring the current challenges. Pope Francis instills courage and urges us to look ahead despite the present crisis, making the cross and the resurrection of Christ once again our ‘the victory banner’.” He also offered a summary of the seven main themes gathered in the five chapters of the 51,000word apostolic exhortation. “It constitutes the fundamental pillars of Pope Francis’ vision of the new evangelization: 1) the reform of the Church in a missionary key, 2) » Please see Joy of the Gospel, p.15 Catholic News Service St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesian order, is seen in a historical image from the Salesian Central Archives. »Feast Day - January 31 Spotlight on St. John Bosco Catholic News Agency/EWTN On Jan. 31, the Roman Catholic Church honors St. John Bosco (or “Don Bosco”), a 19th century Italian priest who reached out to young people to remedy their lack of education, opportunities, and faith. John Bosco was born in August of 1815 into a family of peasant farmers in Castelnuovo d’Asti – a place which would one day be renamed in the saint’s honor as “Castelnuovo Don Bosco.” John’s father died when he was two years old, but he drew strength from his mother Margherita’s deep faith in God. Margherita also taught her son the importance of charity, using portions of her own modest means to support those in even greater need. At age nine, he had a prophetic dream in which a number of unruly young boys were uttering words of blasphemy. Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary appeared to John in the dream, saying he would bring such youths to God through the virtues of humility and charity. In 1841, John Bosco was ordained a priest. From that time, John was known as “Don” Bosco, a traditional Italian title of honor for priests. In the city of Turin, he began ministering to boys and young men who lived on the streets, many of whom were without work or education. The priest was determined to save as many young people as he could from a life of degradation. He established a group known as the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales, and became a kindly spiritual father to boys in need. His aging mother helped support the project in its early years. St. John Bosco died in the early hours of Jan. 31, 1888, after conveying a message: “Tell the boys that I shall be waiting for them all in Paradise.” He was canonized on Easter Sunday of 1934, and is a patron saint of young people, apprentices, and Catholic publishers and editors. 6 DIOCESE The Valley Catholic - January 2014 Catholic schools recognize volunteers SPIRIT awards diocese Of brownsville 2014 The Spirit Awards banquet will be held on Friday, Jan. 24 at Msgr. Ralph Hall at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish and School in McAllen. The event raises funds for the diocesan tuition assistance program and recognizes those who have made a difference in our Catholic schools. The Diocese of Brownsville has awarded Amy Kawaguchi, president of Business Development for Arrowhead Holdings, with the diocesan Spirit Award. Kawaguchi assists private schools to ensure that they receive equitable participation in federal programs. An honoree or honorees from each of the 13 Catholic schools in the diocese will also be recognized at the banquet. The event kicks off the annual observance of Catholic Schools Week, which runs Jan. 26 to Feb. 1. The 2014 theme selected by the National Catholic Educational Association is, “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.” George V. Diaz Maricela Izkra Diaz Julio Cesar & Jessica Rodriguez Dora Rogers Immaculate Conception School, Rio Grande City Oratory Schools of St. Philip Neri Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School, Mission St. Joseph Catholic School, Edinburg Trolena & Francisco Loya St. Anthony Catholic School, Harlingen Executive Council of OLSS Parent/Teacher Organization Our Lady of Sorrows School, McAllen Brownsville Foundation for Health and Education Miriam Casarez Sr. Marcela Ewers, D.C. Lindsay Irwin Elsa Ibarra Guadalupe Regional Middle School, Brownsville Incarnate Word Academy, Brownsville Juan Diego Academy, Mission St. Joseph Academy, Brownsville St. Luke Catholic School, Brownsville Amy Kawaguchi Diocese of Brownsville Honoree An educator and advocate for children, Kawaguchi is president of Business Development for Arrowhead Holdings, LLC. She currently serves as a consultant to dioceses and private school consortiums on equitable participation in federally funded program, innovative technology services, and proven instructional practices. Mr. & Mrs John Ortiz Dr. Benjamin Salinas St. Mary’s Catholic School, Brownsville St. Martin De Porres School, Weslaco catholic Schools Week, Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2014 “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.” DIOCESE January 2014 - The Valley Catholic »Hope in Action: A Spotlight on Youth High school senior a parish asset Special to the Valley Catholic BROWNSVILLE — Richard “Ricky” Hernandez is a high school senior at Hanna High School and a parishioner at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in Brownsville. He is a leader on the ACTS Core Team and a catechist for the middle school EDGE program on Wednesdays and high school LifeTeen program on Sundays. He also serves as Eucharistic Minister for the LifeTeen Mass. He has been involved in the parish for about six years. He also serves the community at large as a part of the soup kitchen crew, feeding the homeless, making food baskets for the needy during Thanksgiving, collecting and handing out Christmas gifts, and Christmas caroling at local nursing homes. “More than anything, Ricky has created a safe and loving environment for his fellow youth leaders and students and is an asset to our parish,” said Kimberly Garza, youth ministry coordinator at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish. “He continues to grow in his faith and has an admirable hunger for Our Lord and Savior. He’s a great example of what obedience and love for our God should look like as he continues to give his time helping our parish and caring for our youth, the present and future of our Church.” Name: Richard Troy Hernandez School/Grade: Hanna High School/Senior What I do at (local Catholic parish): I’m a youth Leader/ Catechist, Eucharistic Minister, I help with Bible Camp and many service projects throughout the year. Diaper Drive Courtesy From Nov. 4-8, I led a project to help mothers who rely on the services of the Baby Boutique at Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in San Juan. I have always known that there are mothers in need of help, but I had never really done anything to contribute to the cause. One day, Mrs. Janie Perales, the Office Manager at Juan Diego Academy, asked me if I wanted to help Catholic Charities with a diaper drive. I was excited about the opportunity to help mothers in need. I had never hosted a diaper drive on my own, but I knew that my JDA community would gladly assist me in my efforts. It was amazing to see how our community came together to help me collect diapers. I am proud to say we exceeded our goal of collecting 75 packages of diapers. As a Catholic, this experience has made me more aware of the needs of people who are less fortunate than I am. I can’t wait to plan my next project. (Story by Shelsie Ramirez, sophomore at Juan Diego Academy in Mission) Pennies for Pasta Courtesy photo This month’s Hope in Action youth Richard “Ricky” Hernandez from Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in Brownsville, said, coming to church and helping youths are a part of his life. Talents/Gifts: I’d say I’m a math whiz. Best Movie Ever: The Harry Potter Series and Lord of the Rings Most Listened to Song on My iPod?: Naive by the Kooks TV Show I Never Miss: The series is over now, but Breaking Bad was a great show. Book I’d Read Again (and Again): The Giver by Louise Lowry Future Plans: I have a few plans, but ultimately it’s where God leads me that I want to be. I’d like to be successful with a good paying career in physics engineering so that I can give back to the church and make some sort of positive change in the world. Meaningful Quote: Romans 8:31 says “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” and “Life is short, eternity is forever” these quotes give me hope, it’s good to know I have nothing to fear because God is with me and I will hopefully be with Him someday for eternity. Who has made an influence in their lives or who they admire and why? Danny Lucio has been a positive influence in my life. He made coming to church fun and enjoyable while still learning about my faith. He made coming to church and helping the youth part of my life. — If you would like to nominate a student to be featured in “Hope in Action: A Spotlight on Youth,” please email Angel Barrera, director of Youth Ministry, at [email protected]. Two new Texas bishops named WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope Francis has named the vicar general of the Diocese of Austin to be bishop of San Angelo and the rector of Holy Trinity Seminary at the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas, to head the Bishop-designate Sis Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas. Bishop-designate Olson, 47, is a Fort Worth diocesan priest. He succeeds Bishop Kevin W. Vann, who was named bishop of the Diocese of Orange, Calif., in September 2012. The appointment was announced Nov. 19 in Washington by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States. The pope appointed Msgr. Michael J. Sis, 53, an Austin diocesan priest who has been vicar general since 2010, to succeed San Angelo Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer, 76, of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and a native of Alamo. The changes were announced in Washington Dec. 12 by Archbishop Vigano. 7 Bishop-designate Olson, who has been Holy Trinity’s rector since 2008, will be ordained and installed Jan. 29 at a Mass to be celebrated in the Fort Worth Convention Center. He will become the second youngest bishop in the United States to lead a diocese. The youngest bishop is fellow seminary classmate Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, N.M. Both are graduates of the St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston. “I am very humbled and deeply moved by Pope Francis’ appointment of me to serve as the bishop of Fort Worth,” the newly named bishop said at a news conference at the Fort Worth diocesan Catholic Center. “In a very special way, I am delighted to return Bishop-designate Olson home to the Diocese of Fort Worth to serve the priests, deacons, religious, and all of the faithful as their bishop.” He is the first priest of the Diocese of Fort Worth to be named a bishop. He will lead a fast-growing diocese of an estimated 710,000 Catholics in 90 parishes in the 28-county north Texas region. Bishop-designate Sis will be ordained and installed at a Jan. 27 Mass at the McNease Convention Center in San Angelo. At a news conference in San Angelo, Bishop-designate Sis called his appointment “a joy and an honor and an undeserved privilege.” The new bishop made some remarks in Spanish, saying, “The Church belongs to all.” Bishop Pfeifer told him: “We welcome you. We open our hearts to you, and our hands.” Bishop Pfeifer has been San Angelo’s bishop since he was ordained and installed to head the diocese July 26, 1985. Born in Alamo, he was ordained a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate in 1964. He served various assignments, including many years as a missionary in Mexico. He was elected provincial of his order’s Southern province, and while in that position, Blessed John Paul II named him fifth bishop of San Angelo May 31, 1985. The San Angelo Diocese covers more than 37,000 square miles spread across 29 counties in central and west Texas. Catholics number 77,000 out of a total population of about 860,000. The diocese has 47 parishes and 22 missions. Courtesy On Nov. 1, 2013, the Pharr Oratory Schools of St. Philip Neri participated in the 13th annual Pennies for Pasta national fundraising campaign sponsored by Olive Garden Restaurant in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The Oratory Schools of St. Philip Neri raised more than $4,500. »News Briefs Third public dialogue set for bishop, rabbi Bishop Daniel E. Flores and McAllen Rabbi Claudio J. Kogan will once again model the art of conversation during a public dialogue on Monday, Feb. 3 at the University of Texas-Pan American Student Union Building in Edinburg. The event is free and open to the public. Ora et Labora weekend The Benedictine Sisters of the Monastery of the Good Shepherd, welcome single Catholic women ages 18-50 years young for an Ora et Labora Discernment Weekend which starts on Monday, Dec. 30, 2013 at 7 p.m. and concludes on Wednesday Jan. 1, 2014 at 4 p.m. For more information, email [email protected] or call (956) 486-2680 Mother-Daughter event set for Jan. 26 Every year, the Family Life Office sponsors a Mother-Daughter Program, which explores God’s special gift of human fertility and the wonder of growing up and becoming a woman. The event is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 26 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Refuge Church, 4 St. Eugene de Mazenod Rd., in Roma. The program, which is designed for mothers and their daughters, ages 10-12, will encourage girls to appreciate their femininity, as well as their changing bodies and personalities. The presentations emphasize respect and appreciation for God’s gifts. The cost of the program is $10 per family and reservations are required. The deadline for registration is Jan. 20. For more information, call the Family Life Office at (956) 7845012. McAllen Pregnancy Center gala The date for the 2014 McAllen Pregnancy Center gala has been set for Friday, April 25. The festivities will open with a Mass at St. Margaret Mary Church in Pharr followed by the gala at Valencia Events Center. The keynote speaker will be Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kan. The archbishop is a member of the Committee on Pro-Life and the Committee of Marriage and Family Life of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The center is also accepting nominations for two awards that will presented at the gala. The awards are named for two of the center’s late benefactors. The Carmen Adelina Guerra Award honors a woman who demonstrates her love for family and community. The Dr. Lauro Guerra Award honors a humanitarian and leader in the community. Last year, Berta Guerra received the Carmen Adelina Guerra Award and Dr. Lawrence Gelman was given the Dr. Lauro Guerra Award. Submit nominations to [email protected] by March 1. 8 DIOCESE The Valley Catholic -January 2014 New churches, renovations Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission Photos by Eric Sanchez/The Valley Catholic Bishop Daniel E. Flores blessed and dedicated an expanded and renovated Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Mission on Dec. 1, 2013. The church, which was built in 1927, is designated as a Texas Historical Landmark. Brownsville St. Eugene de Mazenod Photos by Amber Donaldson, Mobile Journalist /The Valley Catholic St. Eugene de Mazenod Parish, the first in the world named for St. Eugene de Mazenod, who founded the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in southern France in 1816, has a new home. Bishop Daniel E. Flores blessed and dedicated a new sanctuary for the parish on Dec. 7, 2013. The new, 8,854-square-foot, Spanish colonial-style church, seats about 550. A relic of St. Eugene de Mazenod’s heart was placed beneath the altar. St. John the Baptist San Juan Photos by Eric Sanchez/The Valley Catholic Community members joined Bishop Daniel E. Flores on Nov. 24 as he celebrated a blessing and dedication Mass for the new St. John the Baptist Church in San Juan. The 10,000-square-foot sanctuary seats more than 900. DIOCESE January 2014 - The Valley Catholic Those Who Serve: 9 Brother André LeMay, OFM Friar concocts heavenly treats Homemade chocolate teaches lesson in patience By ROSE YBARRA The Valley Catholic Franciscan Brother André LeMay, who is in ministry at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen and Holy Family Church in Edinburg, makes and sells treats under the label Brother Andy’s Candies during his spare time. His motto is, “Homemade Chocolates With That Heavenly Taste.” “I find that it is a nice pastime,” Brother LeMay said. “I find it challenging, creative and a blessing from God.” Using recipes he learned from his mother, Brother LeMay first delved into making chocolate as a way to express his gratitude. That was more than 20 years ago. “Other than saying, ‘I’m praying for you, which I do,’ I gave the chocolate away as gifts,” he said. “It’s a way of thanking people with something and almost everybody really likes chocolate.” Brother LeMay, 64, who arrived in the Rio Grande Valley in August 2012, took about a year off from the chocolate business to settle into his new ministries. He leads the praying of the Rosary at the Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veterans Home in McAllen, takes Communion to the homebound and infirmed, ministers to the newly established Knights of Columbus circle at Holy Family Church and the Altar Society at both Sacred Heart Church and Holy Family Church, among many other ministries, “wherever I can be of help,” he said. Brother Le May makes dark, milk and white chocolate in small batches in the kitchen at Sacred Heart Parish. His chocolate treats, which contain additions such as nuts, raisins, cranberries, M&M’s and Oreo cookies, start at just 50 cents for a large piece. Each piece of candy is fresh and individually wrapped. “The key to good chocolate is melting it slowly,” he said. “You can’t be in a rush.” The staff at Holy Family Church in Edinburg regularly enjoys samples from Brother LeMay’s kitchen. “I think we have become his official taste testers,” said Susie De la Garza, director of religious education at Holy Family Church, who named the white chocolate with pecans as her favorite. “I would describe his chocolate as delectable. We know how much work he puts into it. He prides himself in making chocolate that looks good and tastes good.” Brother LeMay also offers caramel popcorn and snack mix with his own special blend of seasonings. Aside from bringing people joy Photos by Eric Sanchez/The Valley Catholic “The key to good chocolate is melting it slowly,” said Franciscan Brother André LeMay, who makes white, dark and milk chocolate candies under the label Brother Andy’s Candies. He also makes party mix and caramel corn, pictured, upper left. with his chocolate and other treats, Brother LeMay has also made a positive impact on the people he serves in the Valley, said Father Thomas Luczak, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in McAllen and Holy Family Church in Edinburg. “He is a people person,” said Father Luczak, who has known Brother LeMay for more than 40 years. “He can very easily can relate to people and listen to their cares and concerns.” Father Luczak said that Brother LeMay has also been a welcome addition to the McAllen/Edinburg Friary. “He’s a fun person to be with,” Father Luczak said. “There is a great sense of humor and levity to him.” Brother LeMay was born and raised in Appleton, Wisc. He was drawn to religious life by the witness of the Franciscan Sisters who taught him in school and by two of his cousins. One was a Franciscan Sister and the other an Alexian Brother. “I wanted to go right after eighth grade but my family want- ed me to experience life,” he said. “My junior year is when I kind of questioned my vocation, but by my senior year in high school, I knew I had to give it a try. I went after I graduated from high school and I loved it.” In 1966, Brother LeMay entered the Wisconsin-based Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Province of the Franciscan Friars. He arrived in the Valley by way of Las Vegas, where he was in ministry for 23 years as a school » Please see Brother LeMay, p.15 10 IN THE NEWS The Valley Catholic -January 2014 World Day of Peace Pope Francis promotes fraternity on 47th observance Archdiocese of the Military Services, USA By CAROL GLATZ Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — An overemphasis on “personal well-being” and general indifference have eroded any sense of responsibility toward others, especially toward the poor, said a note from the Vatican announcing Pope Francis’ choice of a theme for World Peace Day 2014. For the first peace day message of his pontificate, the pope chose the theme: “Fraternity, the foundation and pathway to peace,” said a Vatican communique. Announcing the theme for the Jan. 1, 2014, celebration, the Vatican said Pope Francis’ message will stress “the need to combat the ‘throwaway culture’ and to promote instead a ‘culture of encounter,’ in order to build a more just and peaceful world.” As children of one Father, all human beings are linked to one another in fraternity, and only efforts that are born from a sense of fraternity can overcome the poverty, conflict, inequality, crime, fundamentalism and other ills ‘It’s like finally being home’ Photo by Paul Haring/Catholic News Service Young people hold up letters spelling out “shalom,” the Hebrew greeting meaning peace, during the World Youth Day vigil on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on July 27, 2013. World Day of Peace was introduced by Pope Paul VI and first observed on Jan. 1, 1968. facing the world today, the Vatican note said. “The culture of personal wellbeing leads to a loss of the sense of responsibility and fraternal relationship,” it said. When people don’t see others as “being like us,” then they are often seen as competitors or enemies and treated like objects, it said. “Not uncommonly, the poor and the needy are regarded as a ‘burden,’ a hindrance to development. At most, they are considered as recipients of aid or compassionate assistance,” the note said. Fraternity is both a gift and a responsibility each human being receives from God the Father, who calls people to fight against “inequality and poverty that undermine the social fabric, to take care of every person, especially the weakest and most defenseless, to love him or her as oneself with the very heart of Jesus Christ,” the Vatican communique said. As the world becomes more and more interdependent, mutual responsibility becomes more essential in every field, “including the economy, finance, civil society, politics, research, development, and public and cultural institutions,” it said. “The globalization of indifference must give way to a globalization of fraternity,” it said. The Vatican added that Pope Francis’ message is “in continuity with that of his predecessors,” and “proposes to everyone the pathway of fraternity, in order to give the world a more human face.” Pope encourages interrelgious dialogue Preplanning your funeral or cemetery arrangements gives you and your loved ones peace of mind. Don’t wait. Call now, and make your plan today. VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In societies increasingly made up of people of different cultures and religions, people must learn the art of dialogue and reach out to others with respect and friendship, Pope Francis said. “Dialogue does not mean renouncing your identity” or “accepting compromises on faith and Catholic morals,” the pope told members of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Pope Francis said true dialogue is not a negotiation, but requires participants to share who they really are and ask others to do likewise. “Interreligious dialogue and evangelization are not mutually exclusive,” the pope said, but they actually strengthen each other. “We don’t impose anything, we don’t use some subtle strategy to attract the faithful, but rather we give witness to what we believe in and who we are with joy and simplicity.” A relationship in which people put aside what they believe or pretend to believe differently would not be authentic and would help no one, the pope said. Pope Francis said modern societies are demonstrating fear of other religions, but also fear of any religion, which is another reason why followers of different faiths should meet, dialogue and work together to promote the common good and show others that faith makes positive contributions to society. Religion, he said, is often seen as “something useless or even dangerous,” and in some countries some Christians are asked to set aside their religious convictions if they want to exercise their professions. “The idea that peaceful coexistence is possible only by hiding one’s religious affiliation is widespread,” Pope Francis said. There again, he said, what society is left with is something fake, which cannot benefit anyone. “Certainly, it’s necessary that everything be done with respect for the convictions of others, including those who do not believe,” the pope said, “but we must have the courage and patience to encounter others, bringing who we are.” A future of peace for everyone, he said, will require “a coexistence that is respectful of diversity, not the homogenization of a theoretically neutral” way of thinking. Full religious freedom is an essential part of that respectful diversity, he said. The Catholic Church will continue to press for religious freedom and it will continue to denounce the many situations of political and economic tension where the unscrupulous use religious or cultural differences to exacerbate fears, Pope Francis said. WASHINGTON, D.C. – Father Jerry Sherbourne, an active-duty U.S. Army Chaplain, and former Anglican priest, was ordained a Catholic priest on Dec. 8 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception by the Most Rev. Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop of the Military Services, USA. Father Sherbourne becomes a Catholic priest, incardinated in Father Sherbourne the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, a special Church jurisdiction established by Pope Benedict XVI for those of the Anglican heritage entering full communion with the Catholic Church while maintaining distinctive elements of their theological, spiritual, and liturgical patrimony. More than 120 former Anglican priests have been ordained Catholic priests. In preparation for his transition from Anglican to Catholic, Father Sherbourne underwent a two-year formation program approved by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Holy See, a process that included his ordination as a transitional Catholic deacon. A married father of six, he also received a dispensation from Pope Francis to be a priest without embracing celibacy. Father Sherbourne and his wife Heather live with their family in north Alabama where he currently serves as deputy Garrison chaplain at Redstone Arsenal. Originally from Massachusetts, Father Sherbourne, was ordained an Anglican priest in 2000 and has been a U.S. Army chaplain since 2005. He served on deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Father Sherbourne says he decided to become Catholic following a conversion experience during his deployment to Afghanistan in 2011. He told The Redstone Rocket that he and a fellow serviceman were talking with a Catholic priest when the serviceman asked the priest to explain the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, the Catholic teaching that the Virgin Mary was conceived free from original sin. Sherbourne said he “groaned inwardly,” wishing his comrade had asked “anything but that, a concept he thought he understood well and did not believe in.” But to his surprise, the priest replied, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s all very biblical. What does “Hail Mary, full of grace mean?” Father Sherbourne told The Rocket it was like a light went off in his head. “All of a sudden I realized, ‘Wow, that could be true.’” Of his ordination to the Catholic priesthood, Father Sherbourne said: “All these years I’ve been waiting for this. It’s just wonderful for me, even as a deacon, to be up around the altar. It’s my environment. It’s what God made me to do. It’s like being finally home, like a fish in the water I was meant to swim in for the first time.” NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL 11 Enero 2014 - The Valley Catholic Una marcha en contra del aborto El Apostolado del Respeto a la Vida: “Queremos hacer conciencia en la esfera pública” The Valley Catholic El Apostolado del Respeto a la Vida está organizando una marcha en McAllen el domingo 11 de enero. El evento comenzará con oraciones de apertura a las 9 a.m. en la parroquia de San José Obrero, 900 S. 23rd St., continuará en el centro donde pasará por la clínica local de aborto y terminará en la parroquia del Sagrado Corazón, 306 S. 5th St. con una oración final. La marcha se llevará a cabo como indemnización por los más de 55 millones de bebés que han sido asesinados en los Estados Unidos desde el fallo de la corte Roe v. Wade el 22 de enero de 1973, el cual legalizó el aborto. Activistas pro-vida alrededor de la nación están esperando el aniversario con eventos de oración y acción. En el 2013, la marcha se llevó a cabo en el centro de McAllen por primera vez y reunió más de 1,000 guerreros pro-vida. “Queremos hacer conciencia en la esfera pública,” dijo Cecilia Batungbacal, una organizadora del evento. “Debemos llevar el mensaje que no nos vamos a quedar en nuestras casas e iglesias orando para el fin del aborto. Nos vamos a The Valley Catholic Cientos en el Valle del Río Grande están asiendo planes para caminar en una marcha en McAllen el domingo 11 de enero declarando el apoyo por todas las vidas, incluyendo a los niños que aún no nacen y sus madres. poner de pie ante los mandamientos de Dios públicamente.” Las instalaciones de aborto en McAllen y Harlingen se encuentran entre las clínicas en Texas que ya no pueden ofrecer abortos legalmente después de la nueva legislación. La ley requiere que los proveedores de servicios médicos que llevan a cabo abortos tengan privilegios de admisión en hospitales locales. La instalación de McAllen, sin embargo, está ofreciendo referencias a otras clínicas de aborto alrededor del estado, comentó Diamantina Barba, una consejera en el Centro de Embarazo en McAllen, una instalación Católica pro-vida. Las llamadas y visitas al Centro de Embarazo en McAllen también han incrementado desde que la nueva legislación tuvo efecto. El centro se encuentra como a dos cuadras de la clínica de aborto. “Tenemos muchas mujeres que nos llaman, ansiosas de tener un aborto,” dijo Barba. “Desesperadas porque no encuentran un lugar para abortar. Hemos estado muy ocupados. Por favor continúen orando por nosotros, estas mujeres y sus bebés.” “Somos las únicas voces que tienen estos bebés,” agregó Barba. Aunque los abortos ya no se llevan a cabo ahí, Barbara y otras personas pro-vida continúan visitando la banqueta afuera de la clínica de aborto para orar y dar consejo a las mujeres que entran y salen de la instalación. En Harlingen, el dueño de la clínica de aborto ha sido muy claro sobre su intención de continuar asistiendo a las mujeres que buscan abortos y refiere a las mujeres a México para comprar medicamento abortivo, según una entrevista en la revista Slate. Patty Edwards, una consejera de banqueta y guerrera de oración, continua visitando la banqueta afuera de la clínica de aborto en Harlingen. “Esta batalla está lejos de terminarse,” comentó Edwards. “Necesitamos continuar orando.” Para más información sobre la marcha, llame al (956) 566-1999 o al (956) 878-2836. »Birthday & Anniversary Wishes The list of birthdays and ordination anniversaries is provided so that parishioners may remember the priests, deacons and religious in their prayers and send them a note or a card. January » Birthdays 1 Rev. Leo Francis Daniels, CO 3 Rev. Donald Kelley – retired 4 Rev. Rigobert Poulang Mot 6 Rev. Msgr. Louis Brum 9 Rev. Julian Becerril O de M 10 Rev. Eusebio Martinez 13 Rev. Alejandro Flores 22 Rev. Roberto Charlton, SS.CC 22 Rev. Horacio Chavarria 22 Rev. James Erving, OMI 22 Rev. Oscar Siordia 24 Rev. Ignacio Tapia 28 Rev. Robert Davola – retired 28 Rev. Bill Penderghest, SS.CC 2 Deacon John P. Kinch 4 Deacon Al Crixell 14 Deacon Paulo Escobar 18 Deacon Ramon G. Leal 19 Deacon Salvador G. Saldivar 23 Deacon Reynaldo I. Flores 23 DeaconRodolfo Sepulveda Jr. 24 Deacon Juan Valenzuela 28 Deacon Alejandro Flores 3 Brother Hoss A. Alvarez 4 Sister Emily Jocson, ICM 23 Sister Dianne Maresha » Anniversaries 4 Rev.Thomas Kulleck 4 Rev. Manoj K. Nayak, SS.CC 16 Rev. Robert Charlton 28 Rev. Cesar Partida 30 Bishop Daniel Flores as priest 30 Msgr. A. S. Pacheco – Retired 25 Deacon Francisco D. Pon February » Birthdays 2 Rev. Mishael Koday 3 Rev. Thomas Pincelli 3 Rev. Alejandro Fajardo, SS.CC 11 Rev. Gustavo Obando 11 Msgr. Robert Davola - retired 16 Rev. James Pfeifer, OMI 19 Bishop Emeritus Raymundo J. Peña - retired 26 Rev. Juan Victor Heredia 26 Rev. Thomas G. Kulleck 2 Sister Mary N. Vincelli, CSJ 2 Sister Esther Rodriguez, O.P. 3 Sister Anita Jennissen, OSF 14 Brother David Concannon 20 Sister Rosalia Fink, OSB 20 Sister Frances Salinas, OSB 20 Sister Denise Sausville, RSM 8 Deacon Amando Peña Jr. 11 Deacon Gilberto Perez 13 Deacon Hugo De la Cruz 15 Deacon Jose R. Castro 15 Deacon George M. Terrazas 17 Deacon Hector Perez 18 Deacon Luis F. Amador(Temp) 18 Deacon Pedro Sanchez 22 Deacon Alvino Olvera » Anniversaries 2 Rev. Juan Victor Heredia 8 Rev. Gnanaraj Michael 11 Msgr. Robert Davola – Retired 15 Rev. Patrick Seitz 25 Rev. Marco Antonio Reynoso NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL 12 The Valley Catholic - Enero 2014 »La Alegría de Vivir Después de la infidelidad E n mis cincuenta años de sacerdocio, como consejero y psicoterapeuta, he escuchado de todo, pero un tema recurrente es el de la infidelidad. Muchos hombres y mujeres se dejan llevar por la lujuria y en un momento de locura se involucran sexualmente con algún compañero de trabajo, un conocido, o a veces con un desconocido. Empiezan a vivir una doble vida, escondiéndose y huyendo de su pareja y su matrimonio. A veces llegan a pasar por desgarradores divorcios, e inevitablemente dañan a sus hijos en el camino. Otras veces tratan de aferrarse a su vida familiar aunque ya la hayan hecho pedazos, lloran y se desesperan por recuperar la confianza de su cónyuge, aunque eso es poco menos que imposible. Ellos dicen que fueron infieles por dejarse llevar por la adrenalina que les produce el hacer algo prohibido, que no pensaron en las consecuencias, que no recuerdan haber tomado la decisión de desgarrar su vida matrimonial por un momento furtivo de placer sexual. En muchos casos es cierto que la primera vez que alguien es infiel es por accidente, tal vez habían tomado mucho, habían tenido una gran pelea con su pareja, estaban deprimidos, o simplemente se dejaron llevar por la emoción del momento y no supieron parar, pero también es cierto que hay personas más propensas a los “accidentes” que otras, y que a veces las personas propician las ocasiones para tener sus “accidentes”. Después de la infidelidad queda un sentimiento de culpa, a veces el infractor confiesa su falta para poder sentirse mejor él mismo, sin considerar el daño que le hará a su pareja. Otros tratan de justificar su acción echándole la culpa al cónyuge, que si ya no les ponían atención, que si estaban demasiado dedicados a sus hijos, etc., etc.. Son pocos los que se dan cuenta del error que cometieron, lo ven como lo que fue, un accidente que no volverá a pasar, y deciden enmendar su error y comenzar una nueva vida con su pareja, esforzándose cada día por ser un mejor esposo(a) y un mejor padre que pueda servir de Msgr. Juan Nicolau Pastor, Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro modelo a seguir para sus hijos. Otro tipo de infidelidad es el romance extramarital, esto es más peligroso, pues el infiel está convencido que ha conocido a alguien maravilloso (lo cual es falso porque los seres maravillosos no se enredan con personas casadas) y se dejan llevar por la euforia de sentirse “enamorados” llevándose entre las patas toda una vida que han construido durante años, y hacen daño a sus hijos y a veces sus nietos, pues muchas veces el objeto de su deseo es alguien 30 o 40 años menor que ellos. Generalmente sus nuevas parejas están llenas de problemas y ellos son los héroes que resuelven todas las situaciones, lo cual les levanta el ego y muchas veces los amarra a esa situación por más tiempo, pues se sienten indispensables. Lo cierto es que pronto esa emoción de “enamoramiento” acaba y ahí es cuando el infiel se da cuenta de todo lo que ha perdido y de todo el daño que ha hecho. Es muy cierto aquello de que nadie sabe lo que tiene hasta que lo ve perdido. Si alguien se siente incapaz de sentir o expresar amor por su cónyuge, no es una justificación para ser infiel, pues si hay problemas en la pareja seguramente habrá más si se involucra a terceros en la relación. La traición puede perdonarse pero es algo dificilísimo de olvidar. Tomemos el ejemplo de la Sagrada Familia, y que Jesús, María y José sean ejemplo de autoridad, fidelidad, obediencia y respeto en nuestra familia. Y recuerda lo que Jesús le dijo a aquella mujer adúltera: “Estás perdonada, vete y no peques más”. — Mons. Juan Nicolau, Ph.D. STL, es el pastor de la iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro en McAllen. Es psicoterapeuta familiar y consejero profesional con licencias. ACI Prensa/EWTN Noticias “La fraternidad, fundamento y camino para la paz” es el título elegido por el Papa Francisco en su primer Mensaje para la 47 Jornada Mundial de la Paz que se celebra el 1 de enero de 2014. Jornada Mundial de la Paz ‘La fraternidad es una dimensión esencial del hombre’ ACI Prensa/EWTN Noticias VATICANO — La Sala de Prensa de la Santa Sede informó que el Papa Francisco eligió “la fraternidad” como tema para la próxima 47º Jornada Mundial de la Paz, la primera de su pontificado, y con el cual reitera su llamado a superar una “cultura del descarte” y promover la “cultura del encuentro” para avanzar en la consecución de un mundo más justo y pacífico. La Jornada Mundial de la Paz se celebra el 1 de enero de 2014. “La fraternidad es una dote que todo hombre y mujer lleva consigo en cuanto ser humano, hijo de un mismo Padre. Frente a los múltiples dramas que afectan a la familia de los pueblos — pobreza, hambre, subdesarrollo, conflictos bélicos, migraciones, c o n t a m i n a c i ó n , desigualdad, injusticia, crimen organizado, fundamentalismos El Papa: Dejen la comodidad y atrévanse a llevar el Evangelio a todas las periferias ACI Prensa/EWTN Noticias VATICANO — Con motivo del octavo centenario de la muerte del Fundador de la Orden de los Trinitarios, San Juan de Mata, y el cuatrocientos aniversario de la muerte de san Juan Bautista de la Concepción, reformador de la misma Orden, el Papa Francisco ha enviado una carta al Ministro General, Padre José Narlaly. De esta forma, el Santo Padre se une a ellos en su acción de gracias a Dios y les hace llegar “este sencillo mensaje de aliento y cercanía espiritual, con el deseo de que les sirva de estímulo y compañía para avanzar con entusiasmo y decisión por el camino espiritual que ellos trazaron para gloria del que es tres veces Santo y bien de los que pasan por pruebas diversas”. El Papa ha recordado la vida ejemplar de los santos que, al recibir la llamada de Dios, lo dejaron todo por los más necesitados. “Todos estamos llamados a experimentar la alegría que brota del encuentro con Jesús, para vencer nuestro egoísmo, para salir de nuestra propia comodidad y atrevernos a llegar a todas las periferias que necesitan la luz del Evangelio”. “Los Trinitarios tienen claro, y de ello debemos aprender todos – continúa el Papa-, que en la Iglesia toda responsabilidad o autoridad debe ser vivida como servicio”. “De ahí que nuestra acción ha de estar despojada de cualquier deseo de lucro o promoción personal y tiene que buscar siempre poner en común todos los talentos recibi- dos de Dios, para dirigirlos, como buenos administradores, al fin para el que se nos han concedido; esto es, para aliviar a los más desfavorecidos. Ése es el interés de Cristo, y por ello las casas de vuestra Familia tienen la ‘puerta siempre abierta” para la acogida fraterna’. El Papa anima en su carta a “no dejar de imitar nunca a Cristo y, con la fuerza de su Espíritu, entréguense con humildad a servir al pobre y al cautivo. Hoy hay muchos”. “No busquen, por tanto, para sus obras e iniciativas apostólicas otro fundamento que no sea ‘la raíz de la caridad’ y ‘el interés de Cristo’, que mi predecesor, Inocencio III, consideró como los quicios esenciales de este modo nuevo de vida que aprobaba con su autoridad apostólica”. —, la fraternidad es fundamento y camino para la paz”, señala la Santa Sede en una nota. El texto advierte que “la cultura del bienestar lleva a la pérdida del sentido de la responsabilidad y de la relación fraterna. Los demás, en lugar de ser nuestros ‘semejantes’, se convierten en antagonistas o enemigos, y frecuentemente son cosificados. No es extraño que los pobres sean considerados un ‘lastre’, un impedimento para el desarrollo”. “A lo sumo -denunció-, son objeto de una ayuda asistencialista o compasiva. No son vistos como hermanos, llamados a compartir los dones de la creación, los bienes del progreso y de la cultura, a participar en la misma mesa de la vida en plenitud, a ser protagonistas del desarrollo integral e inclusivo”. Por ello, “la fraternidad, don y tarea que viene de Dios Padre, nos convoca a ser solidarios contra la desigualdad y la pobreza que debilitan la vida social, a atender a cada persona, en especial de los más pequeños e indefensos, a amarlos como a uno mismo, con el mismo corazón de Jesucristo”. “En un mundo cada vez más interdependiente, no puede faltar el bien de la fraternidad, que vence la difusión de esa globalización de la indiferencia, a la cual se ha referido en repetidas ocasiones el Papa Francisco. La globalización de la indiferencia debe ser sustituida por una globalización de la fraternidad”. Finalmente, recuerda que “la fraternidad toca todos los aspectos de la vida, incluida la economía, las finanzas, la sociedad civil, la política, la investigación, el desarrollo, las instituciones públicas y culturales. El Papa Francisco, al inicio de su ministerio, con un Mensaje que está en continuidad con el de sus Predecesores, propone a todos el camino de la fraternidad, para dar un rostro más humano al mundo”. La Jornada Mundial de la Paz fue iniciada por el Papa Pablo VI y se celebra el primer día de cada año. El mensaje elegido se envía a las Iglesias particulares y a las cancillerías del todo el mundo “para destacar el valor esencial de la paz y la necesidad de trabajar incansablemente para lograrla”. Protegiendo al pueblo de Dios, reporte malas conductas Como el pueblo de Dios, cada uno de nosotros está llamado a celebrar, promover, y, si es necesario, defender la vida y la dignidad de todas personas. Tenemos que tratar a cada persona con respecto, y hacer lo posible para asegurar que nunca se dañe a los demás. Una sospecha de mala conducta con los menores de edad, cometida por el personal laico de la iglesia, deberá reportarse al párroco de la iglesia, al director de la escuela, o al encargado de la institución católica en cuestión. Una sospecha de mala conducta con los menores de edad cometida por un sacerdote, diácono, o religioso deberá reportarse directamente al Señor Obispo o al Vicario General al (P.O. Box 2279, Brownsville, TX 785222279; 956-542-2501). Una for- ma para un Aviso Confidencial de Inquietud (Confidential Notice of Concern) puede obtenerse a través del párroco local, del director de la escuela, del encargado de la institución, de la Diócesis, o puede bajarse de la página oficial de Internet de la Diócesis de Brownsville (www.cdob.org). Por favor recuerde que hay una ley estatal que cualquier persona que sospeche el abuso o la negligencia hacia un menor de edad debe reportarlo a las autoridades oficiales locales o al Departamento de Servicios Familiares y Protectores de Texas (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services) al 1-800-252-5400. Nuestra fe nos asegura que el mal no nos vencerá, pero que venceremos al mal con el bien (cf. Rm 12:21). NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL 13 Enero 2014 - The Valley Catholic Carta de los obispos, continúa de la pág. 2 perciben las condiciones exigentes que afectan a los inmigrantes y sus familias, ni siquiera reconocen las contribuciones que los inmigrantes aportan a nuestra sociedad. El núcleo familiar es esencial en la vida de cualquier sociedad; esto es verdad en la sociedad moderna americana, así como en las culturas de tradición latinas. Siendo el lugar donde la vida y las relaciones humanas se nutren, la vida familiar merece un cuidado pastoral especial de parte de la Iglesia y el apoyo de la comunidad social. Esto es cierto especialmente en situaciones donde la estructura familiar debe sobrellevar la gran presión de las fuerzas desestabilizadoras sociales, políticas y económicas. Hoy, las familias hispanas enfrentan serias amenazas. Entre ellas, el incremento de violencia en sus países de origen, los Charismatic, continued from pg. 1 hope the participants are inspired to share the Good News with others.” According to Catholic News Service, the Charismatic movement began 46 years ago, when a dozen or so Catholic students and teachers at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh came away from a retreat saying their lives had been changed. Msgr. Joseph Malagreca, a Brooklyn, N.Y, pastor who serves as diocesan coordinator of the Charismatic Renewal for Hispanics and Haitians, explained to Catholic News Service that about half of the two dozen Duquesne retreatants felt a call in the middle of the night to go to the chapel. There they had an overwhelming spiritual experience that they came to describe as having been “baptized in the Holy Spirit.” Peacemakers, continued from pg. 4 among you as one who serves” (Lk 22:26-27). Every activity therefore must be distinguished by an attitude of service to persons, especially those furthest away and less known. Service is the soul of that fraternity that builds up peace.” Bishop Daniel E. Flores reminds us often, “We are a people of service.” As a people of service, every encounter is an opportunity for building peace. However, we must begin with ourselves and with our families. Blessed Mother Teresa of Culcutta provided a basic starting point for each of us to consider when she asked, “What can we do to promote world peace?” Her answer: “Go home and love your family.” Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI reminded us as well during his peligros de la propia inmigración, una pobreza generalizada y el desempleo que principalmente afecta a la juventud. A nosotros como pastores, nos confronta la realidad de nuestros inmigrantes, especialmente en los lugares fronterizos, y queremos defender y ayudar a las familias mostrando, especialmente, una preocupación por sus hijos. Como Iglesia debemos trabajar juntos para defender a la familia contra los males que amenazan con socavar la preciada y vulnerable fuente de nuestra identidad católica e hispana, la cual está arraigada en el valor de la vida familiar como en la solidaridad que expresa la comunidad familiar. Como pastores sirviendo tanto en México como en Estados Unidos, les pedimos que recuerden como las virtudes y los valores de la vida familiar históricamente han ayudado al crecimiento y la grandeza de ambas naciones. El mirar hacia el futuro, respetar y preservar la vida familiar es indispensable para construir una vida más segura para nuestros niños. Existen muchas percepciones erróneas sobre los inmigrantes indocumentados y su contribución a la sociedad de Estados Unidos. Por ejemplo, se dice que no pagan impuestos; los estudios indican que casi tres cuartos de los inmigrantes indocumentados pagan impuestos tanto estatales como federales. Además, contribuyen a Medicare y proporcionan aproximadamente $7 billones anualmente al fondo del Seguro Social a pesar de que no cualifican con los requisitos para recibir los beneficios. Los inmigrantes indocumentados contribuyen a la economía de los Estados Unidos y de ninguna manera agotan los recursos socioeconómicos del país. La Agencia Agrícola Americana reportó que sin estos trabajadores la economía estadounidense perdería cerca de $9 billones al año en producción agrícola. 3 Their enthusiasm soon spread to other U.S. college campuses, parishes and around the world. The Council on Faith in Action, a Latino evangelical organization, estimates there are more than three million charismatic Catholics in the United States involved in a wide range of ethnic, national, community-based and program-based organizations. The Cursillo movement, Life in the Spirit seminars, ACTS, the Kerygma and healing ministries are among the tendrils of the Charismatic Renewal. “Another goal of the conference is to foster and promote unity among all parish groups, especially the Catholic Charismatic Renewal groups throughout the diocese,” Deacon Gamboa said. Gomez, who is involved in ACTS, jail ministry and many other ministries, said the Holy Spirit motivates her to serve the Church and her community with vitality and enthusiasm. She added that she has always been a person of faith but through Charismatic Renewal she now has a personal relationship with Jesus. “My life has been blessed in many different and wonderful ways,” Gomez said. “It’s the difference between going to Mass because it’s part of the Sunday routine and looking forward to Sunday and longing to go to Mass, longing for the Eucharist.” Deacon Gamboa attributes his vocation to the permanent diaconate to Charismatic Renewal. “I believe it happened by participating in the events that the Church offers, like retreats and Cursillos,” he said. “I attended these retreats to grow in my spiritual life and to be a better parent and parishioner and my vocation grew from there.” For more information on the conference, call St. Joseph the Worker Parish at (956) 683-1351. papacy, we must be a people of prayer and live according to God’s will. In his homily on New Year’s Day 2013, he talked about inner peace. He said, “It is peace with God through a life lived according to his will. It is interior peace with oneself, and exterior peace with our neighbors and all creation.” McCann writes in his author’s note for Let the Great World Spin, “Literature can remind us that not all life is already written down; there are still so many stories to be told.” Thus, the violence does not have to continue, new stories of people making a difference wait. Our own stories wait. In our October 2013 edition of The Valley Catholic, we included a story about a religious sister in the Congo who helped an estimated 2,000 women including women who have been forced to leave their homes in the northeastern Congo because of the civil strife. Sister Angelique Namaika, La carta completa se puede encontrar en inglés y español en línea en www.cdob.org a member of the Augustine Sisters of Dungu and Doruma, is making difference. She received the 2013 Nansen Refugee Award from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. In each issue of our newspaper, we share stories of people in our parishes who are making a difference. This month in Our Catholic Family feature, we learn about Elisa Garza from Sacred Heart Parish in Hidalgo, who learned from her grandmother’s example and is doing her share now to pass on the faith to her children and others. Our team at The Valley Catholic will continue to share more stories in the months ahead. I look forward to this New Year and the encounters that wait. I pray that no matter how busy the hours tick and how the deadline pressures push us forward, that we remember people are God’s graces in our lives. Plan espiritual familiar para el año nuevo M ientras comenzamos el año nuevo, el año 2014 dC (Ano domini) el año de Nuestro Señor, se nos recuerda que la Iglesia tiene una larga y hermosa historia. Como cristianos creemos que el evento más importante y significante en la historia de la humanidad es la llegada de Nuestro Señor y Salvador, Jesucristo. Por eso es que comenzamos un nuevo calendario hace 2,014 años que usamos hasta el día hoy. Acabamos de celebrar el nacimiento virgen del niño Jesús desde diciembre 25 hasta Epifanía, la celebración de los Tres Reyes Magos. Muchos de nosotros celebramos esta gran conmemoración con maravillosa comida cultural como tamales, jamón, y muchos dulces navideños. Y después empezamos a hacer resoluciones de año nuevo, o por lo menos planes para el año nuevo: plan de dieta, planes para el hogar, planes financieros, planes de vacaciones, etc. Tal vez sea un buen momento para hacer un “plan espiritual familiar”. Como familias Cristianas, tal vez ese sea uno de nuestros roles más importantes; ayudar a nuestra familia en cualquier etapa que se encuentre, continuar creciendo espiritualmente; continuar nutriendo nuestra vida espiritual para poder ser la persona que Dios quiere que seamos. Recientemente, estaba revisando algunos documentos de la Iglesia que enfatizamos en un curso titulado “Ministerio con familias 101: una formación de experiencia ministerial, cuyos esfuerzos benefician a familias”. Es una alegría leer algunas palabras hermosas que han sido escritas por nuestros líderes de la Iglesia a lo largo de los años sobre nuestro rol como familias Cristianas. Me gustaría compartir algunos extractos de algunos de estos documentos que nos recuerdan de este rol. • Lumen Gentium, #11 (Constitución dogmática sobre la Iglesia, 1965) “…los padres de familia, con su palabra y su ejemplo, son los primeros anunciadores de la fe con respecto a sus hijos. • Gaudium et Spes, 48, 50, & 52 (Constitución pastoral de la Iglesia en el mundo moderno, 1963) La familia es, en cierto sentido, una escuela del más rico humanismo… • Apostolicam Acutositatem, #11 (Decreto sobre el apostolado de los laicos, 1965) la familia ha recibido su misión de Dios de ser la primera célula vital de la sociedad. Llevará a cabo su misión si demuestra ser el santuario domestico de la Iglesia a través del afecto mutuo entre sus miembros y la Lydia Pesina Directora, Oficina de Vida Familiar oración en común que le ofrecen a Dios, si toda la familia se encuentra en la adoración litúrgica de la Iglesia y si provee una hospitalidad activa y promueve justicia y otras buenas obras para el servicio de todos los hermanos necesitados. • Evangelii Nuntiandi, #71 (Evangelización en el mundo moderno, 1975) en una familia, que está consiente de esta misión, todos los miembros evangelizan y son evangelizados. • Familiaris Consortio, #17 (Exhortación apostólica sobre la familia) Y dado que en el plan de Dios se ha establecido como una “comunidad intima de vida y amor”, la familia tiene la misión de ser más y más lo que es, es decir, una comunidad de vida y amor en un esfuerzo que encontrará plenitud en el Reino de Dios… Por lo tanto, la familia tiene la misión de proteger, revelar y comunicar amor, y esto es el reflejo vivo de y un compartimiento real en el amor de Dios para la humanidad y el amor de Cristo nuestro señor hacia la Iglesia. • Familiaris Consortio, #49 … la familia Cristiana constituye una revelación especial y una realización de la comunión eclesiástica, y también por esta razón puede y debe ser llamada “iglesia doméstica”. Nos recuerdan que es nuestro rol como miembros de familia ayudarnos unos a los otros en nuestra jornada de vida. Hace algunos años, Fray Matthias, quien estaba dando servicio en la Basílica mencionó que frecuentemente le pregunta a las parejas comprometidas si tienen un Plan Espiritual, así que él y yo preparamos un formulario simple para compartir con las parejas comprometidas como una guía para que ellos escribas un Plan Espiritual para su Matrimonio. Nuestra oficina de Vida Familiar la ha adoptado para distintos formularios, así que comparto con ustedes un ejemplo condensado sobre algunos de los elementos que usted tal vez quiera considerar al crear su Plan Espiritual Familiar. Nosotros, la familia _______________, reconocemos que Dios nuestro Padre quien creo nuestra familia ha mandado » Por favor lea Año Nuevo, p.15 Libreria Católica J. C. Enterprise www.jcenterprise.biz [email protected] MATERIALES SOBRE: Evangelización, Catequesis para adultos y niños, Bíblico, Litúrgico, Teología, Filosofía, Moral, Biblias Temáticas, Vida de Santos en DVD’S Libros sobre Matrimonio, Familia, Educación a los hijos, Dinámicas, Camisetas, Rosarios, Imagenes, Materiales para Bautismo, Confirmación, Primera Comunión, Pro-Vida y Juegos Didácticos EDITORIALES: DESCLEE DE BROUWER, PATMOS, EUNSA, HERDER, EDIBESA, MONTE CARMELO, SAN PABLO, RIALP, DABAR, COBEL, GOYA…. Algunos títulos Bilingues, Inglés, Español y Portugués VENTAS: Brownsville, Texas Enrique de la Cruz (956) 371-3923 Mary 465-9830 Nancy 459-3360 http://bishopflores.blogspot.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 14 DIOCESE Blessing, continued from pg. 1 sion unveiled its newly renovated and expanded sanctuary on Dec. 1. On Dec. 7, St. Eugene de Mazenod Parish in Brownsville opened its new church. At St. John the Baptist Church, the ambo, altar, stand for the tabernacle, credence table and other woodwork was crafted in a dark mahogany by Juan Cantu, a carpenter from Weslaco. The baptismal font is one of the most prominent features of the new church. Father Gerald W. Frank, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church, said it is modeled after the fonts he read about in a book about ancient baptismal fonts. The font is six feet-long and three feet wide and is in the shape of a coffin. The font is large enough and deep enough to perform baptisms by immersion. “The shape of the font symbolizes that baptism celebrates our triumph over death,” Father Frank said. During the homily, Bishop Flores recalled visiting the new sanctuary a few days earlier. “There were things all over the place,” the bishop said. “There were many workers here laboring to get ready for today.” The bishop said that Father Frank was, “a little nervous,” that some of the finishing touches would not be completed in time for the blessing and dedication Mass. But the bishop noted that the work of the Church is never done. “We will never finish in this life, building up the temple of God,” he said. “… We never finish building the kingdom of God and if it is true -- and it certainly is -- that the Church is the presence of God amongst his people, and in his The Valley Catholic - January 2014 people and through his people, it is that temple that we must keep building and that means the great work of the Church, the great work of St. John the Baptist Parish that has gone on since 1949. “We’re just passing on the faith to our children, teaching adults who come to us to seek to know more about Christ, to give testimony to the presence of the risen Christ Jesus amongst us -that’s the work that continues to grow.” San Juan urgently needed a larger church to better serve the community of San Juan said Father Frank, pointing to the latest U.S. Census estimates. “San Juan has a population of more than 35,000 and only one parish,” Father Frank said. “If you take the total population of any city in the Valley and divide by the number of churches, our parish serves more people than any other parish. With these numbers, we could actually use two parishes in this area.” St. John the Baptist Parish provides pastoral needs, such as religious education, weddings and funerals, for the people of San Juan. The nearby Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del ValleNational Shrine is a pilgrimage site and does not offer those services. The San Juan community of faith dates back to 1908 when a chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist was built on the riverbank of the Rio Grande. A small wooden chapel was built in San Juan in 1925 and the church was a mission of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Pharr, according to the book The Catholic Church in the Rio Grande Valley: A Journey of Faith. In 1940, Father Jose Azpiazu The Feast of the Epiphany Photo by Amber Donalldson/Mobile Journalist Three men dressed as the Magi hand out toys in the streets of Nuevo Progreso, Mexico on Jan. 6, 2013. The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek word epiphainen, a verb that means “to shine upon” or “to make known.” Thus, the feast celebrates the many ways that Christ has made Himself known to the world, mainly the three events that manifested the mission and divinity of Christ: the visit of the Magi (Mt 2:1-12), the baptism of Jesus (Mk 1:9-11), and the miracle at Cana (Jn 2:1-11). of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, became the pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish and St. John the Baptist Mission Church and promoted a devotion to the Virgen de San Juan. With the bishop’s blessing, Father Azpiazu commissioned an artist in Guadalajara, Mexico to create a reproduction of the image venerated at San Juan de los Lagos in Jalisco, Mexico. St. John the Baptist Church was established as a parish in 1949. As the devotion to Our Lady of San Juan grew, so did the need for a larger church. The shrine was dedicated in 1954 before an estimated crowd of 55,000, according to A Journey of Faith. After a plane crash destroyed the shrine in 1970, the decision was made to separate the shrine from the parish. A parish church was dedicated in 1975 and the new shrine, now the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine, was dedicated in 1980. “This community has seen many beautiful days and many difficult days and there’s no need to recount the details of the difficult days because this is a day to recognize that God has continued to walk with this community and will continue to do so,” Bishop Flores said. “It is amazing what God can do when we open ourselves to his grace as we work together as a people.” Immaculate Conception Cathedral Gift Shop and Museum 1158 East Jefferson Street Brownsville, Texas, 78520 Tel: 956-546-9927 OPEN 10AM-5PM Monday - Saturday The source for Catholic Religious Articles sure to enhance your spiritual journey! Books &DVD’s Rosaries Prayer cards Statues 20% discount thru Jan 31, 2014 DIOCESE 15 January 2014 - The Valley Catholic »Media Resource Center » Calendar of Events January Recommended by SISTER MAUREEN CROSBY, SSD Coordinator of the Media Resource Center - Diocese of Brownsville »From the Bookshelf »Worth Watching The Other Wise Man The Fourth Wise Man Bible Stories: God’s Special People Making the Eucharist Matter 1 New Year’s Day Diocesan Offices Closed 1 Mary Mother of God 3-5 Catholic Engaged Encounter (Family Life Office) 9 Advisory Team (Office of Catechesis) Format:DVD also in VHS Production: Paulist Press 1985 Length:72 minutes The facts: The ripping story of one man’s unstoppable search for the true meaning of life. Artaban takes with him three precious gifts to present to the Messiah. Along the way, Artaban uses his gifts to help people in dire need. He now has nothing to present to the Messiah when he finds Him. Spiritual plan, continued from pg. 4 is conscious of this mission, all the members evangelize and are evangelized. • Familiaris Consortio , #17 (Apostolic Exhortation on the Family) And since in God’s plan it has been established as an “intimate community of life and love”, the family has the mission to become more and more what it is, that is to say, a community of life and love in an effort that will find fulfillment in the Kingdom of God…Hence the family has the mission to guard, reveal and communicate love, and this is a living reflection of and a real sharing in God’s love for humanity and the love of Christ the Lord for his bride. • Familiaris Consortio, # 49 … the Christian family constitutes a special revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason too it can and should be called the “domestic church”. They remind us that it is our role as family members to assist one another in our journey in life. A few years ago, Fr. Matthias, who was serving at the Format: VHS Production:animation 1989 Original Story by: Henry Van Dyke Length:30 minutes The facts:Spend an evening with your children and THE OTHER WISE MAN and something good will happen. Younger children will enjoy the excitement and drama of Artaban’s search through the desert, through Egypt and throughout Judea. Older children and adults will be inspired by the deep spiritual message of the true meaning of Christmas Basilica mentioned that he often asked engaged couples if they had a Spiritual Plan, so he and I prepared a simple form to share with engaged couples as a guide for them to write a Spiritual Plan for their Marriage. Our Family Life Office has adapted it in different forms, so I share with you a condensed example of some of the elements you might want to consider in developing your Family Spiritual Plan. We, the __________Family, acknowledging that God our Father who created our family has sent us Jesus Christ to redeem us, ask the Holy Spirit to guide us on our spiritual path. We plan to do the following daily:_____We plan to do the following weekly:_____We plan to do the following yearly:_____Signatures: ________Date: _______ Examples: pray individually, go to confession, pray as a family, go to Mass, pray before meals, serve the poor and the needy as a family, pray the rosary, pray together at night, give one another a blessing ,read a few minutes of the Gospels May the Holy Spirit continue to lead our family as we strive to become the people he created us to be. Bishop Emeritus Raymundo J. Peña’s Jan. 3 7 p.m. Talk at St. Frances Cabrini Pharr Jan. 5 9 a.m. Mass @ Evins Juvenile Center Edinburg Jan. 6-9 All day Region X Bishops’ Retreat San Antonio Jan. 12 9 a.m. Mass @ Evins Juvenile Center Edinburg Jan. 29 2 p.m. Ordination of Bishop Olsen Fort Worth On going: Mass at St. Joseph Chapel of Perpetual Adoration, 727 Bowie St., Alamo 8 a.m. & 4 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph Chapel of Perpetual Adoration, 727 Bowie St., Alamo Holy Hour will be held Weekly every Thursday at 7 p.m., 727 Bowie St., Alamo Every Sunday: 6 p.m. & 9 p.m. Confessions/Mass at UTPAEdinburg 1st: Vocations to the Consecrated Life (active and contemplative) and for the Sisters and Brothers in our diocese and the success of their mission 2nd: Vocations to the Permanent Diaconate the deacons (permanent and transitional) of the diocese and their families 3rd : Vocation to Married Life: for the welfare and sanctification of all the families in the diocese and for building up the Kingdom in our domestic churches 4th: Vocations to the priesthood and the priests of the diocese for the success of their ministry 5th: Vocations to the Pro-Life Intentions Format: Hardcover Length:317 pages Author: Benziger Publication: Benziger Publishing Company, 1980 The facts: thousands of years ago, in an out-of-the-way corner of the world, God chose a small group of people to be is special friends. Throughout the centuries, God selected leaders, kings, and prophets to guide his people and to help them remember that he – the only God - was their God and they were his favored ones. Joy of the Gospel, continued from pg.5 the temptations of pastoral agents, 3) the Church understood as the totality of the People of God which evangelizes, 4) the homily and its preparation, 5) the social inclusion of the poor, 6) peace and social dialogue, 7) and the spiritual motivations for the Church’s missionary action.” (official vatican network news.va). In the final chapter, the Holy Father dedicates it to the “spirit filled evangelizers” whom he calls “fearlessly open to the working of the Holy Spirit” and who have “the courage to proclaim the newness of the Gospel with boldness in every time and place, even when it meets with opposition” (EG, 259); “Only the person who feels happiness in seeking the good of others, in desiring their happiness, can be a missionary” (EG, 272). The apostolic exhortation Año nuevo, continúa de la pág.13 a Jesucristo para redimirnos, pedimos al Espíritu Santo que nos guie en nuestro sendero espiritual. Planeamos hacer lo siguiente diariamente: __________ Planeamos hacer lo siguiente cada semana: __________ Planeamos hacer lo siguiente cada año: _____________ Firmas: __________ Fecha: ___________ Ethical directives, continued from pg.5 efforts to treat her without desiring to kill her child, even if the child may end up dying as an unintended consequence of treating the pathology. The application of Catholic moral teaching to this issue is therefore directed toward two important and specific ends: first, the complete avoidance of directly killing the child, and, second, the preservation of the lives of both mother and child to the extent possible under the circumstances. Life, continued from pg.3 drugs, according to an interview in Slate magazine. Length:143 pages Author: Frank Anderson, M.S.C. Publication:Ave Maria Press, 1999 The facts: “Despite the best of intentions and the hard work of many, the bulk of people in Sunday congregations are not particularly involved in the ritual that is going on around them.” MAKING THE EUCHARIST MATTER is ideal reading for anyone who longs for a deep, rich experience of the Eucharist. 10 Sponsor Couple Training - I (Family Life Office) 18 Convalidation Conference (Family Life Office) 14 Professional Day (Office of Catechesis) 23 Theology Class (Office of Catechesis) 24 Clases de Teologia (Office of Catechesis) February ends with the Holy Father asking us to rely on the intercession of our Blessed Mother, Mary the Star of the New Evangelization. “Contemplating Mary, we realize that she who praised God for “bringing down the mighty from their thrones” and “sending the rich away empty” (Lk 1:52-53) is also the one who brings a homely warmth to our pursuit of justice. She is also the one who carefully keeps “all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk 2:19). Mary is able to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small. She constantly contemplates the mystery of God in our world, in human history and in our daily lives. She is the woman of prayer and work in Nazareth, and she is also Our Lady of Help, who sets out from her town “with haste” (Lk 1:39) to be of service to others (EG, 288). May the joy of the gospel fill our hearts and lives every day until the Lord comes again. Ejemplos: orar individualmente, ir a confesión, orar en familia, ir a Misa, orar antes de comer, servir a los pobres y necesitados en familia, rezar el rosario, orar juntos en las noches, darnos bendiciones unos a los otros, leer el evangelio unos minutos Que el Espíritu Santo continúe guiando nuestra familia mientras nos esforzamos ser las personas que él quiere que seamos. Based upon these ends, the Ethical and Religious Directives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops provide important ethical parameters for framing the appropriate treatment of both mother and unborn child in high-risk pregnancies, while simultaneously safeguarding the fundamental integrity of medical practice in these complex obstetrical situations. — Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the diocese of Fall River, MA, and serves as the Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. “This battle is far from over,” said Patty Edwards, a sidewalk counselor and prayer warrior at the Harlingen abortion clinic. For more information about the march call (956) 566-1999. 1 Believe and Be Free (OLS KC Youth Conference) 1 Continuing Ed Session - Eng (Family Life Office) 2 Continuing Ed Session - Sp (Family Life Office) 7-9 Teen Sexuality and Relationship Retreat (Youth Ministry) 9 Catholic Committee on Scouting Dinner (Youth Ministry) 13 Professional Day (Office of Catechesis) 14 Valentine’s Day 17 Theology Class (Office of Catechesis) 18 Clases de Teologia (Office of Catechesis) 21 TOB for Teens Training (Youth Ministry) Please submit your schedule to be published in The Valley Catholic by the first Friday of each month by email at [email protected] or fax: (956) 784-5082. Brother LeMay, continued from pg. 9 teacher and as the designated “casino chip redeemer” at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer. The shrine is located a block away from the Las Vegas Strip. Casino chips often appear in the shrine’s collection baskets and they are also used as currency in the shrine gift shop. It was Brother LeMay’s task to cash them in, which earned him the nickname, “the chip monk,” from the shrine’s rector. Brother LeMay also sold his chocolates at the shrine gift shop to rave reviews. His candy and ministry as the shrine’s “casino chip redeemer” garnered the attention of the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper, which published an article about him. “People have been very responsive about the chocolate wherever I’ve gone,” he said. “I think a lot of it is that a friar is making it.” For more information on Brother Andy’s Candies, please call Sacred Heart Parish at (956) 6867711. 16 DIOCESE Our Catholic Family The Valley Catholic - January 2014 A legacy of faith and service Longtime catechist inspires daughters to teach the Good News By ROSE YBARRA The Valley Catholic HIDALGO — “My grandmother always used to say, “Nada vale la pena mas que servir a Dios,” said Elisa Garza, director of religious education at Sacred Heart Parish in Hidalgo. “She was my example from the time I was born.” Her grandmother, Guadalupe Castro, often organized retreats for her faith community in Guanajuato, inviting religious sisters to lead them. Castro was, “very religious,” praying Rosaries, novenas and attending Mass faithfully. More importantly, Garza said, her grandmother proclaimed the Good News of Christ Jesus with her actions, living her life at service to others. “I always saw her work for the Church and for the Gospel,” Garza said of her maternal grandmother. “After God, she was my pillar, my strength. She provided the foundation for my faith life. She put me on this path with the Lord.” Father Mario Avilés, procurator general of the Confederation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri and pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Hidalgo, said he was a seminarian when he first met Garza and her “faithful and dedicated” family. “She has been working with the Fathers of the Oratory for many, many years,” he said. “She has been a member of the lay Oratory for more than 30 years. She has always been working for the Church in some capacity whether it is as a catechist or a church volunteer. “She helped me build the religious education program in Hidalgo, which now has about 500 students. She is very humble in her way of treating the students, the parents and the other catechists. I believe that is why she has been successful as a catechist and as a director.” Garza, who has served as a catechist for 18 years, has instilled the same strong faith and spirit of service in her own children. All three of her daughters serve as catechists alongside her at Sacred Heart Parish. “Her daughters learned to serve by her example,” Father Avilés said. “When they were small, they were always with her, helping her, accompanying her at the church. By looking at their mother’s work and To subscribe Name __________________________________ Address _________________________________ City _____________ State ________Zip ________ E-mail address ____________________________ For more information call (956) 781-5323 Courtesy photo Elisa Garza, far left, director of religious education at Sacred Heart Church in Hidalgo and her daughters, Elizabeth, Genesis and Crystal all serve their parish as catechists. dedication for the Church, they are always willing to help.” “My mother passed the faith down to us,” said her daughter, Elizabeth Garza, who has been a catechist for 10 years. She also serves as the secretary for the Family Life Office of the diocese. “If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t know the Lord, we wouldn’t be catechists. I grew up in a family where the Catholic faith was the center of our lives. Now, I’m trying to do the same with my children.” To receive a copy at home each month mail your payment with your contact information to: 700 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd. San Juan, TX 78589-3042 $15 per year / $17 outside of Texas When Elisa Garza heard the Lord’s call to serve as a catechist, she, “didn’t think it was my time.” “I wanted to be a catechist, but I decided I would wait until my baby at the time was in school, but God had a different plan,” she said. “Just when I was sure I should wait, the director of religious education at the time invited me to teach a class and I accepted the invitation.” Elisa Garza began her ministry as a catechist in 1995 at Capilla de Nuestro Señor del Sagrado Corazón, which has since become the parish of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. From 1997-2002, she served as coordinator of religious education there before moving to Sacred Heart Parish. She and Ismael, her husband of 35 years, have five children and nine grandchildren “I am thankful and humbled to serve our Lord,” Elisa Garza said. “I am honored that he has called me to serve as a catechist, in such a beautiful ministry.”