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January 2011 - The Valley Catholic
Volume 2, Issue 8
Serving over 900,000 Catholics In The Diocese of Brownsville
Called to serve
Posada
Providencia
Where immigrants come
for refuge
January 2011
4
Retablo
Religious Sister paints
saints for church in
Weslaco
SPECIAL COVERAGE
Ordination Mass
Deacons profiles
Exclusive photos
» Please see p.15
5
ONLINE
Slide show
Audio of homily
www.cdob.org
Cesar RiojasThe Valley Catholic
The new permanent deacons prostrate around the altar during their ordination Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine on Dec. 18 as the Litany of
Saints is sung.
Spirit Awards
Catholic schools recognize
those who serve
7
New deacons commit
to lifelong ministry
of Word, service
The Valley Catholic
S
AN JUAN — As 23 men were
ordained as new permanent
deacons of the Diocese of
Those Who Serve
Learn where some
seminarians start their
training
9
En Español
Artículos sobre los nuevos
diáconos permanentes y
la beatificación de Juan
Pablo II
11-13
“VERBUM MITTITUR
SPIRANS AMOREM”
(“The WORD is sent
breathing love.”)
Brownsville on Dec. 18, Bishop
Daniel E. Flores advised them to
be “men of the Gospel.”
“The Gospel should be the important part of how you think,”
the bishop said. “Think the words
of Jesus, think the heart of Jesus.
Let His words be so much a part
of you because you read them so
frequently. They will be the natural response you give to life, in the
good times and the bad.”
As the candidates entered the
Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan
del Valle - National Shrine, they
were greeted by a standing room
only crowd. The basilica was filled
by family, friends, fellow parishioners, brother deacons and priests
of the diocese.
The ordination Mass topped off
more than four years prayer, study
and practice. Permanent deacons,
who can be married, are ministers
New church dedicated
The Valley Catholic
WESLACO — St. Pius X
Church in Weslaco opened another chapter in its history, dedicating a brand-new sanctuary
and celebrating 55 years as a faith
community.
The three-hour dedication
Mass was held on Dec. 9 and officially began at the old church
building next door. Bishop Daniel
E. Flores, Bishop Emeritus Raymundo J. Peña, Patrick K. Seitz,
pastor of St. Pius X Church and
numerous other priests of the
diocese filed in procession to the
new $3.5 million church, followed
by hundreds of parishioners. The
parish’s elderly and handicapped
parishioners were placed in the
front of the procession and were
» Please see Deacons, p.27
Events around
US, Valley
show support
for the unborn
From staff and wire reports
» Please see New Church, p.28
FROM HOBBY TO ARTFORM
On page 5, read about the religious
sister who created the decorative
santos adorning the new retablo at
St. Pius X Church in Weslaco.
of the Word, which means they can
proclaim the Gospel during Mass
and preach and teach in the name
of the Church. Their sacramental
ministry includes baptizing, conducting prayer services, serving as
an official Church witness to marriage and conducting funerals and
quinceañeras.
The new deacons are: Gerardo
The Valley Catholic
A longtime dream became a reality on Dec. 9 when the new St. Pius X Church was
dedicated. Discussions about constructing a new sanctuary began more than 15
years ago. The baroque-style church seats about 890.
Pro-life groups across the nation
will host events marking the Jan. 22
anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the
1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision
that legalized abortion.
Here in the Rio Grande Valley, a Rosary will be prayed for the
conversion of hearts at 8:30 a.m. on
Jan. 22 at the abortion clinic located
behind the Whataburger, 613 N. Ed
Carey Dr. in Harlingen.
A Mass will be celebrated by
Father Greg Labus at 10:30 a.m. at
Our Mother of Mercy Church, 322
S. Vermont Ave. in Mercedes.
Father Labus encourages the
faithful of the Valley to attend both
events. Wear red to show respect for
» Please see Cherish Life, p.27
DIOCESE
2
Un llamado
a participar
en la misión
A
l comenzar este nuevo
año, quiero desear a
todos un muy feliz Año
Nuevo, y asegurarles de
mis oraciones por ustedes, por sus
seres queridos estén donde estén,
y por todos los que vivimos aquí
en la Diócesis de Brownsville, la
Iglesia Católica que habita en el
Valle del Río Grande.
Me gustaría comenzar este
año con el anuncio de que pronto
iniciaré la Campaña Anual del
Obispo a favor de la misión de la
Iglesia en el Valle. ¿Qué es esta
recaudación de fondos? Es, ante
todo, una oportunidad para que
todos en la Iglesia participen en
la labor de la Iglesia. Somos una
Iglesia, compuesta de muchos
miembros, muchas parroquias,
muchas capillas misioneras,
viviendo nuestra fe en situaciones muy diferentes. Algunos
de nosotros estamos en parroquias establecidas desde antaño
mientras que otros estamos en
comunidades recientemente
establecidas. Algunos de nosotros
estamos luchando económicamente mientras que otros estamos
bendecidos con una abundancia
de recursos materiales. Lo importante es darse cuenta de que todos
tenemos algo que ofrecer al Señor
por la misión que nos ha confiado
como católicos.
En febrero, a los feligreses se
les pedirá que se comprometan a
apoyar la misión total de la diócesis, haciendo una promesa de
ayuda monetaria. Si un niño en la
escuela primaria puede prometer
cincuenta centavos, y un padre en
Río Grande City puede prometer
50 dólares, y un banquero o un
abogado en Brownsville o McAllen puede aportar 5,000 dólares
a este esfuerzo, compromiso, el
buen resultado será que todos
sabremos que estamos ofreciendo
algo JUNTOS, por el trabajo que
pide el Señor a su Iglesia. En este
sentido, es más importante para
el Señor que todos le ofrezcamos
algo, que lo que se reunirá a fin
de cuentas. Nuestro regalo lo
hacemos al Señor, es administrado por su Iglesia, y es una señal
de que estamos todos unidos en
Él para promover el crecimiento
del reino de la gracia en todas
nuestras comunidades locales.
Pero, ¿a qué fin se realiza esta
campaña? ¿Acaso las parroquias
no envían dinero a la Diócesis? Sí,
a cada parroquia de la diócesis se
le impone una cierta cantidad, que
se les pide como su contribución a
la labor general de la Iglesia. Esta
evaluación se basa en el ingreso
anual de la parroquia. Estos
The Valley Catholic - January
An appeal to share in the mission
A
s this new year begins I want to
wish all of you a very happy New
Year, and assure you of my prayers
for you, your loved ones wherever
they may be, and for all of us living here in the
Diocese of Brownsville, the Catholic Church
dwelling in the Rio Grande Valley.
I would like to begin this year by announcing that soon I will initiate the Bishop’s Annual Appeal for the mission of the Church in
the Valley. What is this appeal? It is, first of all,
an opportunity for everyone in the Church
to participate in the work of the Church. We
are one Church, made up of many members,
many parishes, many missionary chapels, living our faith in very different situations. Some
of us are in long established parishes, some
of us are in newly established communities,
some of us are struggling economically, others
of us are blessed with an abundance of material resources. The important thing to realize
is that we all have something to offer to the
Lord for the mission he has entrusted to us as
Catholics.
In February, parishioners will be asked to
make a commitment to support the mission
of the whole diocese by making a pledge of
monetary support. If a child in grade school
can pledge fifty cents, a parent in Rio Grande
City can pledge 50 dollars, and a banker or
lawyer in Brownsville or McAllen can pledge
5,000 dollars, the good result will be that we
all know we are all offering something TOGETHER, for the work that the Lord asks of
his Church. In this sense, it is more important
to the Lord that we all offer Him something,
than it is how much the appeal actually raises.
Our gift is to the Lord, it is administered by
his Church, and it is a sign that we are all
united in Him to promote the growth of the
reign of grace in all of our local communities.
But, what is this appeal for? Don’t the
parishes already send money to the Diocese?
Yes, every parish in the Diocese is assessed a
certain amount, which they are asked to contribute to the overall work of the Church. This
assessment is based on the yearly income of
the parish. And these funds contribute to the
operation of the Diocesan budget to provide
services and support to the parishes and to
our many charitable organizations such as
Catholic Charities and the Guadalupe Health
Clinic. The Bishop’s Annual Appeal, however,
will be a direct appeal to the people of the
Diocese to support projects aimed specifically
fondos contribuyan a la operación
del presupuesto diocesano para
proporcionar servicios y apoyo a
las parroquias y a las numerosas
organizaciones de caridad como
Caridades Católicas y la Clínica
Guadalupe. La Campaña Anual
del Obispo, sin embargo, será una
apelación directa al pueblo de la
diócesis para apoyar proyectos
destinados específicamente a ir
más allá del nivel de nuestros
servicios diocesanos actuales, y
establecer la base para el futuro.
He designado cuatro áreas específicas que serán apoyadas por
la Campaña Anual del Obispo.
MOST REVEREND
DANIEL E. FLORES
BISHOP OF BROWNSVILLE
at going beyond the level of our current diocesan services, and setting the groundwork for
the future.
I have designated four specific areas that
will be supported by the Bishop’s Appeal.
1: Support of parish ministries aimed at
building up family life and youth formation.
I believe we should have resources set aside
to support parishes in the diocese who may
not have the resources, by themselves, to set
up programming that supports family life and
youth activities. So, I would ask all the faithful
in the Diocese to contribute so that parishes
most in need can receive grants to help them
serve families and youth most at risk. We
know that in areas of poverty, the risks to
our youth are greatest. All of us need to pull
together to help form our young people in the
Christian life.
2: Support of Emergency Aid for Catholic
Charities. We know that almost every year,
weather and other emergencies place families
in the Valley in dangerous and desperate
situations. Hurricanes, flooding, and similar disasters are always a possibility. Funds
from the appeal will be set aside to prepare
for such happenings. We need to have some
resources built up to deal with emergency
aid that might be needed quickly by our own
people in the Valley. And, I might add, such
emergency assistance is not just for Catholics.
The Church has a responsibility to serve all
those in need, regardless of religion or place
of origin. Because the Lord came for all, the
Church must give of herself to serve all.
3: Support for Spiritual Formation. One of
the things I realized almost immediately upon
becoming the Bishop of the Diocese, is the
great need we have for retreat facilities. Part of
the funds raised by the appeal will go toward
long term planning for the construction of a
Catholic Retreat Center in the Lower Valley.
1: Apoyo a los ministerios parroquiales enfocados en la edificación de la vida familiar y la formación de los jóvenes. Creo que
deberíamos tener los recursos destinados a apoyar a las parroquias
en la diócesis que no cuentan con
tales medios, por sí mismos, para
establecer programas que apoyan
la vida familiar y actividades con
jóvenes. Por lo tanto, pido a todos
los fieles en la Diócesis que contribuyan para que las parroquias
más necesitadas puedan recibir
subvenciones para ayudarles a
servir a las familias y a los jóvenes
en riesgo. Sabemos que en las
zonas de pobreza, los riesgos para
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
The Valley Catholic e-mail:
[email protected]
Brenda Nettles Riojas
Editor
The Valley Catholic, a publication
Terry De Leon
Circulation
of the Diocese of Brownsville,
is published monthly.
Subscription rate:
$15 per year • $17 outside of Texas
$25 out of U.S.
January 3-7
All day
Texas Bishops’ Retreat
January 9
12:30 p.m.
Mass for Feast of Santo Niño
January 10
1:30 p.m.
Bishop’s Administrative Council Meeting
January 12
9:30 a.m.
Presbyteral Council Meeting
January 13
10 a.m.
Religious Council Meeting
January 13
7 p.m.
Preside Mass at Holy Hour for Vocations
January 15
10 a.m.
Mass for SCJ’s Farewell Celebration
Eventually, such a facility will complement the
work already being done at the Retreat Center
in San Juan, and in other smaller facilities
throughout the diocese. We are blessed to
have so many active lay movements, such as
ACTS, Cursillo, la Renovacíon Carismatica,
el Movimiento Familiar Cristiano, and many
others. What we need is more space to make
participation in retreats for youth and for the
movements more accessible and affordable. It
may take us a while to identify the property
and build the facility, but I think we need to
start gathering the resources and making the
plans now.
And, 4: Part of the funds raised by the
Bishop’s Appeal will be used for the education
of seminarians, and the continuing education of the clergy. It is vital that we invest in
the best possible training for our seminarians and for those priests already serving in
the diocese. I anticipate the number of our
seminarians will continue to increase in the
coming years, and we must make sure we
have the funds needed to educate and form
them in the best seminaries available, so that
the Valley will never lack for priests formed
after the image of Christ the Good Shepherd,
priests who will make sure that our people
always have access to the greatest treasure
the Church has in her possession. What is
that treasure? The mystery of the Most Holy
Eucharist. Through this Mystery, the Lord
Himself who comes to feed and strengthen
his people for the mission entrusted to us.
At the end of the appeal, the Diocese will
report in the Diocesan Newspaper, the Valley
Catholic, how much has been pledged, and at
the end of the year, I will publish a report on
how the money has been used, so that all may
know how their contribution has made a difference in the life of people in the Valley.
The goals I have identified are goals that I
believe are worthy of our long-term support as Catholics in the Valley. I ask you to
consider how you can support this appeal,
and, when the appeal is announced in your
parishes, that you give what you can. Remember, it is more important that everyone give
something, even if it is a small amount, than
it is how much we raise. The Lord will see to it
that our gift to Him bears fruit in the lives of
those whom He calls us to serve.
May God bless your generosity,
Amen.
nuestros jóvenes son mayores.
Todos nosotros tenemos que unir
esfuerzos para ayudar a formar
a nuestros jóvenes en la vida
cristiana.
2: Apoyo a la Ayuda de Emergencia de Caridades Católicas.
Sabemos que casi cada año,
el clima y otras situaciones de
emergencia conducen a familias
en el Valle a situaciones peligrosas y desesperadas. Huracanes,
inundaciones y catástrofes de ese
tipo son siempre una posibilidad.
Se reservarán fondos de esta campaña para tales acontecimientos.
Tenemos que contar con algunos
recursos locales para hacer frente
Bishop Flores’ Schedule
Rose Ybarra
Assistant Editor
2011
San Antonio
Weslaco
Brownsville
San Juan
San Juan
Alamo
Raymondville
a las circunstancias de emergencia
de forma rápida a favor de nuestra
propia gente en el Valle. Y, por
cierto, la asistencia de emergencia
no es sólo para los católicos. La
Iglesia tiene la responsabilidad de
servir a todos los necesitados, independientemente de su religión
o lugar de origen. Puesto que el
Señor vino para salvar a todos, la
Iglesia tiene que dar de sí misma
para servir a todos.
3: Apoyo a la Formación
Espiritual. Una de las cosas que
me di cuenta casi inmediatamente
después de aceptar el encargo de
» Por favor lea Un Llamado, pág. 13
January
January 17-January 21
All Day
Diocesan Priest Retreat
January 22
10 a.m.
Rededication of Guadalupe Health Center
January 24
1:30 p.m.
Bishop’s Administrative Council Meeting
January 26
10:30 a.m.
Recording of Diocesan Insight
January 26
6:30 pm
San Juan
Finance Council Meeting
January 29
9:30 am
Basilica
San Juan Diego Institute Mass
January 30-31
All Day
28th Annual Aquinas Lecture
San Juan
Brownsville
Brownsville
Harlingen
St. Louis
DIOCESE
3
Marriage
Building
The Valley Catholic
Detainees receive blessing
Bishop celebrates
Mass behind bars,
offers Bible, prayers
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
LOS FRESNOS — Answering
a call by Jesus to visit those behind bars, Bishop Daniel E. Flores
stopped by the Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) Port
Isabel Processing Center on Dec.
17 to celebrate Mass and to offer
his prayers and well-wishes to the
detainees in person.
The center houses about 800
people awaiting immigration
hearings or deportation.
The detainees hail from all
over the world but most are originally from Mexico or Central
American countries. About 40
percent of them are also Catholic.
“I think of you often,” Bishop
Flores said during the Mass. “My
thoughts and prayers are always
with you.”
Bishop Flores also encouraged
Photos by The Valley Catholic
On his first trip to the facility, Bishop Daniel E. Flores was a welcome visitor at
the ICE Port Isabel Processing Center on Dec. 17.
the detainees to pray for their
families, a message that moved
many of them to tears.
After the Mass, Bishop Flores
greeted them one by one, offering
each a Bible, rosary and prayer
card.
Under the watchful eyes of the
guards, the bishop along with Father George Gonzalez, chaplain
of the jail ministry of the Diocese
of Brownsville and Father Jorge
Gomez, pastor of Holy Family
Church in Brownsville also heard
confessions from detainees.
The detainees were greeted
cheerfully with Christmas music provided by the diocesan jail
ministry before and after the
Mass. Members of the jail ministry visit the center three times a
week hosting Communion Services, Masses and services of the
Word.
Jaime Gomez, director of
the diocesan jail ministry, said
the detainees really enjoyed the
Christmas celebration with the
bishop.
“Many of them feel abandoned,” Gomez said. “They feel
as if they don’t have the support
of anyone. To have someone important like the bishop visit them
meant a lot to them.”
Learning about God’s plan
Mothers, daughters
given chance to talk
about growing up
The Valley Catholic
Courtesy Photo
Mothers and their daughters ages 10-12 spend some quality time together
at the Mother-Daughter Program while exploring God’s plan for women.
Sponsored by the diocesan Family Life Office, this year’s event is scheduled for
Sunday, Jan. 23.
Mothers and their daughters,
ages 10-12, are invited to spend an
afternoon exploring the splendor of
God’s plan for growing up and becoming a woman.
The Family Life Office is hosting its annual Mother-Daughter
Program on Sunday, Jan. 23 from
2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Bishop
Adolph Marx Auditorium in San
Juan, located behind the Upper Valley Catholic Pastoral Center on the
grounds of the Basilica of Our Lady
of San Juan del Valle - National
Shrine.
The program is designed to help
the girls appreciate their femininity
and become comfortable with their
changing bodies and personalities.
They will also learn about God’s
plan for women through the gift of
fertility and sexuality and the beauty
of chastity in a loving and supportive environment.
“This is the time when girls
should begin to appreciate that the
changes that are going on in their
bodies are for a special purpose, that
when they grow up and get married
they will have the possibility of cocreating with God and creating new
life,” said Lydia Pesina, Director of
the Family Life Office.
Emphasis is placed on the physical and emotional changes that occur as a girl evolves into a woman.
The presenters will also underscore
that each girl is different and that every girl changes and develops at different times and in different ways.
The girls will also learn that
they are precious and unique. They
will learn that they need to respect
themselves and demand respect
from others.
While the program is very informative and enriching, it is not an
end all and it is not designed to replace good conversations between
mother and daughter, Pesina said.
The topics presented in the program are ongoing subjects as a girl
grows up.
“For those who haven’t talked
about it, it is a good starting point,”
she said. “For the moms who have
talked to their daughters, it reinforces what they have already discussed
and opens the door for further discussion.”
The cost of the program is $10
per family and reservations are required. For more information, call
the Family Life Office at (956) 7845012.
Married couples interested
in continuing to build a stronger
marriage are invited to participate
in a new program that begins in
February.
The Diocese of Brownsville
Family Life Office is offering a
four-session program which will
include sixteen different topics
over four Saturday morning sessions.
The four Marriage Building
Program sessions will take place
at the San Juan Diego Institute in
San Juan, Texas on the following
Saturdays: Feb. 5; March 5; April
2; and April 30 from 8 a.m. to 1
p.m.
The cost for this four session
program is $20 per couple. For information and registration please
contact Lydia Pesina or Mary
Magdaline Valle at the Family Life
Office: (956) 784-5012 or (956)
542-2501 ext. 412.
Guadalupe
Health Center
Rededication
The Valley Catholic
The Guadalupe Health Center
will be rededicated at its new location, 955 W. Price Rd. in Brownsville, by Bishop Daniel E. Flores at
10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 22.
The center, which was previously located in Harlingen, serves
patients who have fallen through
the cracks, so to speak. The center is designed for those who do
not have health insurance and do
not qualify for government health
programs.
The Guadalupe Health Center
opened its doors in May 2007 and
completes almost 3,000 medical
visits a year.
Benefit basketball
game rescheduled
The Valley Catholic
The Respect Life Apostolate
of the Diocese of Brownsville has
moved the date for its benefit basketball game featuring the NBA
Development League champion
Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Friday,
March 18.
A pre-game conference featuring information booths and speakers promoting the pro-life cause will
be held at 4 p.m., followed by the
game at 7 p.m. The Vipers will take
on the Austin Toros.
A portion of the proceeds from
each ticket sold will benefit the Respect Life Apostolate. Tickets are
$15 and include admission to the
game and pre-game conference.
Five dollars from each ticket will
benefit the Respect Life Apostolate.
The mission of the Respect Life
Apostolate is to protect and nurture human life from conception to
natural death. The Apostolate also
works to educate youth and young
adults about the benefits of chastity
and offers post-abortion retreats at
little or no cost.
For more information contact
Tom Oaks at (956) 648-0463.
4
DIOCESE
Lydia Pesina
Director, Family
Life Office
Family as
domestic
church: Holy
Family as
our model
L
et us remember that as
families we are a Domestic
Church! In the Apostolic Exhortation on the Family
(Familiaris Consortio),21, Pope
John Paul II states: “The family
constitutes a special revelation
and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason, too,
can and should be called “the
domestic church”.
In this beautiful Church document, the Holy Father lovingly
reminds us that what happens in
everyday family life is holy; that
the sacredness of life lies in the
ordinary events of life.
When family members wash
dishes, go to work, change diapers, fix meals, tend to a sick partner, make sacrifices for the good
of the family, or show affection to
one another, they are involved in
sacred actions.
We hear in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 verses 34-36, 40:
“Come, you who are blessed
by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world. For I
was hungry and you gave me
food, I was thirsty and you gave
me drink, a stranger and you
welcomed me, ill and you cared
for me… Amen, I say to you,
whatever you did for one of these
least brothers of mine, you did
for me.”
That is why what we do for
our family members and those
persons in need in our community is holy. And in a special way
what we do around our family
table is sacred.
In today’s schedule-filled
world, it is not always possible for
families to eat dinner around the
table every evening as was more
normative in previous generations.
Many parents work evening
shifts at restaurants, retail stores,
and other jobs with varying
schedules. However, as many
nights as possible, whenever
families can have evening meals
together, it is healthy and holy for
families to share a meal together
preferably without TV, phones or
electronics during the meal.
The family table is sacred,
because it is around the table that
we have an opportunity to prepare together, pray together, eat,
share about our day, laugh, disagree, reconcile, worry about bills,
help children with homework,
etc. And what we experience
around our family table is what
we bring to the table of the Lord
for Sunday liturgy where we are
nourished by the Word of God
in the Scriptural Readings and
nourished by the body and blood
of Jesus in the Eucharist. So in a
sense, our life is about going from
» Please see Domestic Church, p.14
2011
Finding posada
Where strangers
come, seek
emergency shelter
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
SAN BENITO — Jesus arrived at La Posada Providencia
on Christmas Day.
Jesus is an 18-year-old immigrant from Guatemala. Sister Zita
Telkamp of the Sisters of Divine
Providence says that his chance
arrival on Christmas was a reminder that Christ Jesus is truly
present in the stranger, in the immigrant.
La Posada Providencia is an
emergency shelter for immigrants, asylum seekers and asylees recently processed by U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Located in San Benito,
La Posada Providencia provides
clients with safe, clean shelter,
local transportation and many
other services.
Since opening in 1989, La
Posada Providencia has assisted
more than 5,000 people from 72
countries who are seeking legal
refuge. Many clients are actually
referred to La Posada Providencia
by attorneys and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Founded and sponsored by
Sisters of Divine Providence, La
Posada Providencia consists of
three houses, one for women and
children; a men’s dorm and a main
house for meals and lessons. The
roster of clients usually includes
women with young children and
very young adults. There are currently six young adults under the
age of 24 there.
“We depend on God’s providence,” Sister Telkamp said. “Our
goal is to make God’s providence,
God’s love visible. We hope to do
that by being hospitable and taking care of their needs.”
Many of those arriving at La
Posada Providencia have survived
unspeakable hardships including
violence, separation from family,
torture and unjust imprisonment.
Some have suffered displacement from their native countries
due to war, famine, natural disas-
The Valley Catholic
Above: Residents of La Posada
Providencia take a quick break from
their studies to pose for a photo. Left:
Sister Zita Telkamp, CDP, right, shares
a warm hug with a client.
ter, extreme poverty, abuse or oppressive governments.
One young woman who arrived the night before The Valley
Catholic visited La Posada Providencia escaped from her native
Guatemala where her mother
and sister forced her to work as a
prostitute.
“They turned our home into
a brothel,” she said. “It was horrible. It was degrading.”
She emigrated to the United
States in hopes of reuniting with
her father, who lives and works in
Oklahoma.
The vast majority of clients
turn a corner while at La Posada Providencia. It is where they
compose themselves and take the
next step in attaining legal residency in the U.S.
For Sister Telkamp, seeing the
clients blossom after the trauma
they have endured is the most
rewarding aspect of her ministry.
“When they arrive here, they
are so fearful and emotional,” she
said. “They don’t know what they
are doing, where they are going.
This is where they rest and collect
themselves emotionally, psychologically and physically.
La Posada Providencia provides a warm, loving and homelike environment with very few
rules beyond respect for oneself
and others. Every client, however,
is expected to make the most of
their time there, whether they are
there for two days or two months.
Everyone has chores to complete
and everyone is expected to study
four hours a day. Subjects include
English as a Second Language,
U.S. history and civics and other
topics that help them to acculturate to life in the United States.
Within a couple of days of arriving at La Posada Providencia,
most know basic English phrases,
such as, “Hello, my name is,” “I
am from,” and “Very nice to meet
you.”
The success stories of former
clients are countless. On Christmas Day, La Posada Providencia
received several calls from grateful former clients, calling “home”
to offer their well-wishes to the
staff and current residents.
One of the most remarkable
stories is that of Yoanki Hernandez, who emigrated from Cuba in
2006. He is currently in his last
year of college and returns to La
Posada Providencia every summer and during breaks to give
back to the place that gave him
a hand up when he needed it the
most.
On the day The Valley Catholic visited, he was trimming the
trees on the property.
The clients also break bread
together for lunch and dinner. On
any given day, there are at least
10 different nations represented
around the table. It was during
one of these meals that Gilbert
Barrera of the Sunburst Rotary
Club in Harlingen was inspired to
serve at La Posada Providencia.
“I always thought about volunteering in a third-world country when I retired,” said Barrera,
who serves on the board of La
Posada Providencia. “One day at
lunch, I was looking around the
table and I thought, ‘Why do I
need to go anywhere else? Everyone here is from a Third World
country.’”
Barrera said he has met many
fascinating people from around
the world at La Posada Providencia. He said he is inspired by their
courage, their determination and
their stories.
As a young girl, board president Debbie Grayson said she
always dreamed of being a missionary. College, then marriage,
then children dashed those plans
but then she discovered La Posada Providencia through the Sunburst Rotary Club.
“The rest as they say is history,” Grayson said. “I fell in love.”
La Posada Providencia’s yearly
operating costs top $250,000,
which is raised through grants
and the generosity of the community.
Hand-in-Hand ... A Reason
for Hope, a fundraiser to support
the ministry, is planned for Saturday, Jan. 29.
The champagne brunch and
auction will be held from 9:30
a.m. to noon at the Texas State
Technical College Cultural Arts
Center, 1902 North Loop 499 in
Harlingen.
Tickets are $25 per person. Silent auction items are also needed
to help. For more information on
how to help La Posada Providencia, call (956) 399-3826.
Resolve to advocate – free personal training provided
By MARIA HUEMMER
Texas Catholic Conference
Happy New Year!
Depending on your circumstances, this declaration can be
interpreted multiple ways.
Is it 2011 already? Half of the
school year is over! What’s my
New Year’s resolution? Have I
kept it or have I already slipped
up?
Whether you have a resolution
already or not, I’d like to offer one
additional goal for your New Year.
Participate in this year’s Texas
Catholic Conference Advocacy
Day - Catholic Faith in Action:
Promoting Life, Justice, and Peace
- which is set for April 6, 2011 at
the Texas Capitol.
The Catholic Faith in Action
Advocacy Day is an opportunity to voice your support for the
legislative priorities of the Texas
Bishops – priorities that promote
the respect and dignity of human
life and protect the poor and most
vulnerable among us. Already
scheduled to attend are Cardinal
DiNardo, Archbishop GarcíaSiller, and Bishops Flores, Mulvey,
Vann, and Vásquez.
There are many ways to participate. Everyone can pray for the
success of the day and for the legislators and advocates who work
tirelessly for the good of all. If you
are unable to come for the Advocacy Day, you can call your legislators on April 5, the day before
Advocacy Day, and let them know
that as a constituent you support
the group of Catholics who will be
visiting their office the next day.
You can also come to the Capitol and participate in the Day. To
get involved, contact your dioce-
san coordinator, listed on the Advocacy Day web site at www.TXcatholic.org/AdvocacyDay.asp.
As part of a year-round Faithful Citizenship promotion, TCC
offers free personal training for
the Advocacy Day. To keep the
focus on you, we provide a free
email newsletter, the Texas Catholic Voice, that we use to provide
news updates and action alerts
straight to your inbox. You can
sign up by clicking the “Get Involved” banner at www.TXcatholic.org or by texting your email
address to 512-537-9882. You can
also find us on Facebook (www.
facebook.com/TXcatholic) and
on Twitter (www.twitter.com/TXcatholic).
To help you stretch your heart
and soul as you warm-up for being an advocate, we are producing
a new email supplement to the
Voice - Faith in Action - to provide you with spiritual “pep talks”
throughout the legislative session.
To sign up, simply check the box
next to this subscription when
you sign up for the Texas Catholic
Voice on our web site, or you can
update your account settings once
subscribed.
On our web site, you can “bulk
up” on the “meat” of the Advocacy Day – our legislative issues,
by reading the Bishops’ Legislative Agenda, policy papers, and
bill reports.
And finally, we provide you
with opportunities to “test run”
your advocacy skills via our email
action alerts on state and federal
issues prior to the Advocacy Day.
As the New Year begins, we
hear the following words from the
» Please see Advocate, p.14
DIOCESE
Painted saints
Weslaco parish
features reredos
created by sister
WESLACO — The 18 decorative santos adorning the reredos
at the newly dedicated St. Pius X
Catholic Church in Weslaco, are
the creation of Sister of Charity
Roberta Westrick. Although Sister Westrick resides in Colorado
Springs, Colo., she came highly
recommended by St. Pius X parishioners Sister Anne Darlene
Wojtowicz and Associate Viola
Elizondo.
“It was a most awesome event
for me to see the saints that I had
painted here in Colorado Springs,
some 1,500 miles away from their
eventual home, finally arriving
and being so honored when they
were installed in the church’s absolutely beautiful altar screen,”
Sister Westrick said.
Sister Wojtowicz, who served
on the building committee at
St. Pius X Church, asked Sister
Westrick if she would be interested in the project. She sent her
samples to the committee, and
was approved immediately.
“The process is somewhat
labor intensive,” said Sister
Westrick, who worked on the
project for 18 months.
Sister Westrick explained she
Courtesy of the Sisters of Charity
Sister Roberta Westrick of Colorado Springs, Colo. created the decorative santos
adorning the reredos at the newly dedicated St. Pius X Catholic Church in Weslaco.
chose ½-inch plywood for the
project, and drew the figures sized
to the boards. She then primed
the boards with a warm gesso (a
preparation of plaster of Paris and
glue used as a surface for painting), sanded, and applied the
gesso three more times for a nice
» Please see Painted Saints, p.14
Priests say goodbye
SCJs serve faithful
in Willacy County
for 42 years
The Valley Catholic
The Priests of the Sacred
Heart will complete 42 years of
service to Willacy County and the
surrounding areas on February 1.
Due to the declining number of priests in the United States
province, the Priests of the Sacred
Heart no longer have priests available to serve in the Rio Grande
Valley. The priests had a strong
presence at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Raymondville and
its mission churches in Hargill,
Lasara and San Perlita.
In the past, they also served
St. Anthony Church in Raymondville, Prince of Peace Church in
Lyford and missions St. Martin
of Tours Church in Sebastian and
Santa Monica Church in Santa
Monica.
“They’ve married us, baptized our children and buried our
loved ones,” said Maria Guerra,
a parishioner and part-time secretary at Our Lady of Guadalupe
Church in Raymondville. “They
know us and love us. We will miss
them.”
A farewell Mass will be held at
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church,
693 N. 3rd St. in Raymondville
at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 15, followed
by a luncheon. Bishop Daniel
E. Flores will celebrate the Mass
along with
special guests
Father Thomas Cassidy,
SCJ, provincial superior
of the United
States Province of the
CASSIDY
Priests of the
Sacred Heart;
Father Richard McDonald, SCJ,
outgoing pastor of Our Lady of
Guadalupe Church and Father
Peter Mastrobuono, SCJ and Father Frank Clancy, SCJ, who were
among the first group of Priests of
the Sacred Heart to serve in the
area.
Bishop Flores will also bless
the grotto that was built in honor
of Our Lady of Guadalupe and
the Priests of the Sacred Heart.
Volunteer of the Year named
The Valley Catholic
Hector Ramirez was named
Volunteer of the Year by the staff
and administration of the Willacy County State Unit, a prison
facility located in Raymondville.
Mr. Ramirez, 76, has been
volunteering at the jail since it
opened in 1996 and was the first
Catholic volunteer there. Since
then, Mr. Ramirez has faithfully
visited the jail at least twice a
week, bringing the Gospel mes-
National Certification
in Youth Ministry Studies
B
sage to the inmates.
Mr. Ramirez conducts Eucharistic services, assists priests
during Holy Mass and prays the
Rosary with the inmates. He
also assembles rosaries for the
inmates that meet the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s
strict regulations.
Mr. Ramirez and his wife Julia, reside in Raymondville. They
have seven daughters, Celia, Maria Esther, Viola, Grace, Norma,
Elena and Lupita.
5
eginning in February the
Diocese of Brownsville will
offer the Catholic faithful the
opportunity to participate in the
National Certificate in Youth
Ministry Studies facilitated by
the Center for Ministry Development.
Since 1979, the Certificate in
Youth Ministry Studies program
has educated thousands of leaders for the Catholic Church in
the United States for dynamic
and effective youth ministry in
Catholic parishes and schools. It
is specially designed for professional and volunteer leaders
in parish and Catholic school
ministry with young and older
adolescents; youth ministers,
religious educators, clergy,
chaplains, campus ministers and
school teachers.
The certification process
for Youth Ministry Studies is a
combined effort of the San Juan
Diego Ministry Institute and
the Office for Youth and Young
Adult Ministry. Bishop Daniel
Flores asked for the implementation of such a program given
that Youth and Young Adult
ministry is a top priority for the
diocese. Because we have such
a young population in the Rio
Grande Valley, the Office for
Pastoral Planning has studied
the demographics in the diocese
and has identified that 48
percent of our population is 25
years and younger.
The First Diocesan Synod
which concluded in 2004 identified the Certification of Youth
Ministers a high priority as well.
The Diocesan Pastoral Council
which will meet officially in February of 2011 will assist Bishop
Flores in identifying needs
through the pastoral planning
efforts of the council as well
as hear the recommendations
of the Youth and Young Adult
Commission.
Individuals who enroll in
the process will be certified at
the Diocesan level as well as the
national level and will be in a
two year program (consisting
of eight weekends throughout 2011-2012) subsidized by
scholarships thanks to a grant
for those who qualify.
The Certificate in Youth
Ministry Studies Program will
equip leaders in the knowledge,
skills, practical tools and techniques needed for creative and
comprehensive ministry with
youth in parish and Catholic
school settings. It also nurtures
the personal, spiritual and
ministerial growth of leaders
for ministry in today’s Church
and develops the confidence,
competence and credibility of
leaders for effective ministry
with youth.
The Courses for Year One
include: Principles of Youth
Ministry (Feb. 19-20, 2011)
presents the vision and principles for comprehensive youth
ministry and a model for youth
ministry which incorporates
developmentally-appropriate
youth programming, strengthens family life, involves young
people as integral members
of the faith community, and
collaborates with the wider
community in a common effort
to promote faith growth.
Practices of Youth Ministry
(April 9-10, 2011) - Rooted in a
theological and pastoral vision
Deacon
Luis Zuniga
Director, Office for
Pastoral Planning
& San Juan Diego
Ministry Institute
of community life, this course
develops foundational understandings that will assist leaders
in setting and implementing
a vision for dynamic ministry
with youth.
Foundations for Ministry
Leadership (Sept. 24-25, 2011)
- Participants explore current
leadership concepts and approaches, as well as Christian
perspectives on leadership. Participants learn how to empower
individuals and teams of leaders
for ministry with youth.
Skills for Christian Leadership (Nov. 12-13, 2011) - Addresses the theories and skills
needed for principle-centered
leadership in ministry. Participants develop a practical,
working understanding of
leadership process and skills and
the experiential ability to use the
skills.
The Courses for Year Two
include: Evangelization and
Catechesis (February 11-12,
2012) - Participants are exposed
to a variety of ways to promote a
living relationship with Jesus in
the lives of adolescents, examine
a contemporary approach to
developing Catholic identity and
Catholic practices in the lives of
adolescents today and experience and analyze the “postmodern” culture.
Justice and Service (April 2122, 2012) - Explores the foundations for fostering a justice
and service consciousness and
spirituality in youth drawn from
Scripture, Catholic Social Teaching, adolescent development,
and contemporary catechetical
principles. It develops skills
for creating integrated, actionlearning models for the justice
and service component of a
comprehensive youth ministry.
Pastoral Care (Sept. 22-23,
2012) - Explores the principles
and methods of caring for
young people from various cultures and for their families. The
goal is two-fold: (a) to promote
healthy adolescent development
from a pastoral care perspective,
and (b) to develop preventative
interventions for families with
adolescents.
Prayer and Worship (November 17-18, 2012) - Investigates the foundational role
that prayer and worship have in
fostering the spiritual growth
of youth. Participants develop
understandings and practical
skills for: (a) promoting youth
participation in liturgy, (b)
fostering the prayer life of youth
and preparing prayer services,
and (c) understanding spiritual practices that support the
development of spirituality in
adolescents.
The Certificate in Youth
Ministry Studies is one of the
many opportunities the San
Juan Diego Ministry Institute
offers for lay leadership formation. The Diocesan Institute is
implementing Co-Workers in
» Please see Youth Ministry, p.14
6
DIOCESE
No person is a disposable object
J
an. 22 marks the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade
Supreme Court decision, the
date abortion on demand became legal in the United States.
Today, Roe v. Wade is just one
of many attacks on human life.
After the frenzy to legitimize
abortion as a woman’s civil right,
there is an increasing awareness of the inviolability of the
unborn child’s right to life. No
one any longer is surprised by
the scientific fact that the life
of a human being begins at the
moment the ovum is fertilized.
In vitro fertilization has made
an important contribution in
this regard, enabling scientists
to ascertain all the processes of
human generation.
At this stage in the understanding or greater understanding of unborn life, it is nevertheless possible to run other risks
which, although not as serious
as those associated with the destruction of newborn life, are still
worrying from the moral point
of view and, it would be right to
add, from the human point of
view.
We are referring to the
proposal made by an expert in
assisted procreation who claims
that it is possible and thus feasible to remove the already fertilized ovum from the woman’s
body and freeze it in order to
postpone maternity to a period
more convenient for the woman
and her family.
“It is an alternative to the
morning-after pill”, the gynecologist stated, “which prevents pregnancy from developing, causing
a very early abortion”. And “all in
all”, he added, “it is a hope for the
future”. The gynecologist also explained the technique to be used
to complete the operation: the
setting up of an egg-bank, where
fertilized ova could be stored,
obviously by freezing.
It is worth analyzing each
part of this proposal. The first
is of notable ethical and legal
import. It is recognized that the
Msgr. Juan
Nicolau
Pastor Our Lady
of Perpetual Help
Catholic Church
use of the morning-after pill
interrupts pregnancy and that is
intervention causes a very early
abortion.
On the basis, the Catholic
Church and Christian culture
have always maintained that the
unborn child is already human.
In order to avoid encouraging incorrect information and
doubts in matter of abortion or
the interruption of the generative
process, she has always declared
illicit any intervention that aims
at destroying unborn life.
The second part, concerning the removal of the fertilized
ovum and its preservation by
freezing, can only force us to dissent. This operation is unjustifiable, even in view of subsequent
re-implantation in the same
woman. The congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith has
expressed itself along these lines
in its fundamental document
on bioethics, Donum vitae. It is
worth citing the passage concerning this issue: “The freezing
of embryos, even when carried
out in order to preserve the life
of an embryo—cryopreservation—constitutes an offense
against the respect due to human
beings by exposing them to grave
risks of death or harm to their
physical integrity and depriving them, at least temporarily, of
maternal shelter and gestation,
thus placing them in a situation
in which further offenses and
manipulation are possible.”
The extraction of the embryo
would be permissible only for the
sake of a therapeutic intervention on the embryo itself in order
to improve its physical state
of health in the case of serious
illness, on condition that there
is risk of death or disfigurement
and only for the time strictly
necessary. John Paul II stated: “a
strictly therapeutic manipulation whose explicit objective is
the healing of various maladies
such as those stemming from
deficiencies of chromosomes
will, in principle, be considered
desirable, provided it is directed
to the true promotion of the
personal well-being of man and
does not infringe on his integrity
or worsen his conditions of life.
Such an intervention indeed
would fall within the logic of the
Christian moral tradition (Address to Participants in the 35th
General Assembly of the World
Medical Association, October 29,
1983)
The embryo is already a human being with dignity and all
its rights. It cannot be subordinated to even understandable
motives on the part of women
who desire to postpone pregnancy. It is as if a person were
told: just now you are in my way;
excuse me but I will put you in
a large refrigerator, and wait for
me there; I will come and get you
when I think the time is right.
No one would accept this
reasoning as sound. What is
valid for the adult person is
also valid for a human being of
microscopic dimensions. The
former is a person and the latter
is a person. Discrimination is
repellent to conscience and pollutes civilization. The alternative
to abortion should thus be found
in other ways compatible with
the demands of Christian morality. However, no one can use
another person as an object to be
disposed of at will even with the
intention of respecting his right
to life and dignity as a person.
—
Msgr. Juan Nicolau, PhD., STL, is
pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual
Help Catholic Church and is a
licensed professional counselor
and licensed marriage and family
therapist
»Priest assignments
New members serving on Presbyteral Council
Presbyteral Council is a diverse
body of priests who assist the
bishop in an consultative capacity in governing the diocese.
Through prayer and reflection, the council collaborates
with the bishop to give voice to
the concerns and aspirations of
the community.
Council members are representative of all priests in the diocese and include priests elected
by fellow priests, priests included
by virtue of the offices they hold
(ex-officio) and priests appointed by the bishop.
Effective July 1, 2010
- Rev. Martin de la Cruz, appointed member of the Presbyteral Council
- Rev. Alejandro F. Flores, appointed member of the Presbyteral Council
- Rev. Jose Luis Garcia, appointed member of the Presbyteral
Council
- Rev. Amador Garza, appointed
member of the Presbyteral
Council
- Rev. Alfonso M. Guevara, appointed member of the Presbyteral Council
- Rev. Aglayde R. Vega, appointed member of the Presbyteral
Council
- Rev. Samuel Arizpe, elected
Council
- Very Rev. Ricardo Garcia, JCL,
elected member of the Presbyteral Council
- Rev. Gregory T. Labus, elected
Council
- Rev. Richard Lifrak, S.S.C.C.,
elected member of the Presbyteral Council
- Msgr. Juan Nicolau, Ph.D.,
STL, elected member of the
Presbyteral Council
- Rev. William T. Penderghest,
SS.CC., elected member of the
Presbyteral Council
- Rev. Jean Olivier M. Sambu,
elected member of the Presby-
teral Council
- Msgr. Heberto M. Diaz, Jr., ExOfficio member of the Presbyteral Council
- Msgr. Robert E. Maher, ExOfficio member of the Presbyteral Council
Effective November 11, 2010
- Rev. Jorge A. Gomez, ViceChancellor for the Diocese of
Brownsville
- Rev. Patrick K. Seitz, Vicar for
Priests
- Rev. Thomas Luczak, OFM,
Vicar for Religious
Effective November 28, 2010
- Rev. Gerald W. Frank, Pastor
of Saint John the Baptist Parish
in San Juan
- Rev. Thomas Kulleck, Parish
Administrator of Saint Joseph
Parish in Brownsville
Effective December 15, 2010
- Rev. Paul Roman, F.S.S.P.,
Parochial Vicar of Saint Luke
Parish in Brownsville
2011
Humans in “Frozen Orphanages”
A
key argument in the
embryonic stem cell
debate — widely
invoked by scientists, patient
advocacy groups, and politicians
— involves the fate of frozen
embryos. Barack Obama put
it this way in 2008: “If we are
going to discard those embryos,
and we know there is potential
research that could lead to
curing debilitating diseases
- Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s
disease - if that possibility
presents itself, then I think
that we should, in a careful
way, go ahead and pursue that
research.” The head of the
National Institutes of Health,
Dr. Francis Collins, embraced
this same line of reasoning by
asking a rhetorical question
during a recent CNN interview:
“Ethically, isn’t it more
justifiable, if those embryos
have been created, to use them
for a purpose that might help
somebody with a disease as
opposed to simply discarding
them?”
This argument sounds
reasonable on first hearing. We
prefer to recycle aluminum cans,
rather than uselessly tossing
them into landfills. It seems as if
we should handle surplus frozen
embryos in a similar way, getting
some benefit out of them rather
than discarding them.
Yet this argument has
a deceptive, even seductive
character because of the way
it sets up a false dichotomy:
either one discards the embryos
or one destroys them in the
laboratory to obtain miraculous
cures for diseases. An important
third option is often not even
mentioned: namely, that we
continue to store the embryos in
their current, frozen state as part
of our moral duty to care for our
own offspring. They could be
cryopreserved until a morally
acceptable option for rescuing
them presents itself (if such an
option, in fact, exists), or until
they eventually die of their own
accord in the deep freeze.
Discarding an embryo, it is
important to be clear, means
ending the life of a young human
being, the tiny life that each of
us once was at an earlier time.
The embryos to be discarded are
usually first thawed, and many
do not survive this first step;
those that do are summarily
discarded as medical waste. A
few years ago, Cardinal Sean
O’Malley described the reality
of what happens in the fertility
clinic this way: “In discarding
these embryos, the medical
staff become their unwilling
executioners, but executioners
nonetheless.”
Perhaps an analogy can
help us better visualize why we
should not discard embryos
or sacrifice them for research.
Imagine a typical fertility clinic
with a large room where several
tanks filled with liquid nitrogen
were holding a few hundred
cryo-preserved human embryos,
a kind of “frozen orphanage,”
as these tanks are sometimes
called.
»Making Sense
Out of Bioethics
Tadeusz
Pacholczyk
Priest of the
Diocese of Fall
River
In the building next door
there happens to be a real
orphanage filled with toddlers
between the ages of 1 and 3
years old who are awaiting
adoption. Suppose that the
owner of the orphanage happens
to be a shady character who has
recently decided to take some
of the “unadoptable” infants
and clandestinely discard them
into the dumpster behind the
orphanage where they eventually
die. Suppose also that when
the local mayor learned about
the children being put into the
dumpster, he had the gall to
suggest that since they were
going to be thrown out anyway,
we should start sacrificing
them for scientific research
and harvesting their organs
for transplantation into sick
patients.
Our first instinct would be
to recoil with abhorrence at the
proposal. We might prosecute
the orphanage owner (and drum
the mayor out of office as well).
We would insist that each infant
in the orphanage deserves full
protection. Our children in
frozen orphanages deserve the
same protection and care.
Most of us, upon reflection,
have a practical awareness that
embryos ought not be discarded.
A few years ago, the New York
Times ran a piece entitled, “The
Job Nobody at the Fertility
Clinic Wants.” That job was the
destruction of spare embryos.
Medical staff members, when
interviewed, said they dreaded
being picked to carry out the
discarding of embryos when
patients requested it. A clinic
director in Chicago described
how often he had to destroy
the embryos himself because
his staff found the task so
distasteful. The staff understood
and had seen firsthand how
these same embryos, when
implanted, would yield
beautiful, bubbly babies who
brought joy and happiness to
their parents. They seemed
to appreciate instinctively, as
each of us should, how living
human embryos, even in the
deep freeze, should never be
discarded down the chute into
the biohazard disposal or used
as “raw material” for possible
medical advances.
—
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. See www.ncbcenter.org
DIOCESE/CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
7
Toys for Tots
Spirit Awards
Catholic schools
honor volunteers
for their service
The Valley Catholic
McALLEN — All are invited to
join Bishop Daniel E. Flores and
Catholic school educators, parents,
friends and alumni to celebrate the
contribution of Catholic schools at
the 14th annual Spirit Awards banquet.
The Catholic Schools Office
extends a special invitation to the
Catholic faithful of the Rio Grande
Valley.
The event is set for 6 p.m. on
Friday, Jan. 28 at the Our Lady of
Sorrows School gymnasium, 1100
Gumwood Avenue in McAllen.
The Spirit Awards honor individuals for their service and dedication to Catholic education in the
Diocese of Brownsville.
Deacon Luis Zuniga will be honored with the diocesan Spirit Award
for his extensive working relationship with the Diocese of Brownsville
and the Catholic Schools Office.
Each of the 13 schools in the diocese will also recognize an honoree
or a pair of honorees with a Spirit
Award.
The goal of the Spirit Awards is
to increase awareness about all the
Catholic schools in the diocese and
to raise funds for the tuition assistance program. During the 2010-11
academic year, 17 families in the diocese benefitted from the program.
“We strive to make Catholic
education available to all families,”
said Lisette Allen, Superintendent of
Schools for the Diocese of Brownsville.
Allen added that Catholic
schools instill values that last a lifetime, values such as scholarship,
character, spirituality, citizenship
and service to others.
The Spirit Awards banquet
initiates the annual nationwide
celebration of Catholic Schools
Week, which highlights the good
work done by the nation’s Catholic
schools. This year, Catholic Schools
Week is January 30 - February 5. The
2011 theme is, “Catholic Schools:
A+ For America.”
Courtesy Photo
BROWNSVILLE
MISSION
McALLEN
Brother Leo Shea
Kay and Jim Moffit
Carlos Garza
Guadalupe Regional
Middle School
Juan Diego Academy
Our Lady of Sorrows School
Day at the Hill
MISSION
BROWNSVILLE
Joann Sullivan
Celia Torres
Lita Ortiz
Our Lady of Guadalupe School
St. Joseph Academy
St. Joseph Academy
BROWNSVILLE
Courtesy Photo
Prospective students visited the grounds of Juan Diego Academy,
a new regional Catholic high school in Mission on Dec. 15 for an
event called, “A Day at the Hill.”
WESLACO
HARLINGEN
PHARR
Sujey Salinas
Leo Araguz
Roy and Caroline Robles
San Martin De Porres School
St. Anthony School
Oratory Schools of St. Philip Neri
BROWNSVILLE
BROWNSVILLE
Azra Dervisevic
Aurelia Mata
RIO GRANDE CITY
John Jeffrey Perez
St. Luke Catholic School
St. Mary’s Catholic School
Immaculate Conception School
BROWNSVILLE
EDINBURG
Dr. Jose S. and Paula
Cisneros
Dr. Allan and Dr. Gladys
Mercado
Incarnate Word Academy
St. Joseph Catholic School
Teacher laces up her running
shoes for Catholic education
Courtesy of Guadalupe
Regional Middle School
BROWNSVILLE – Miss Laura Cassel,
English teacher at Guadalupe Regional
Middle School (GRMS), ran with the
ACE Marathon group at the Mississippi
Blues Marathon in Jackson, Mississippi
on Jan. 8.
Cassel ran to help raise awareness for
underserved Catholic schools around
the country, especially those served by
the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance
for Catholic Education (ACE) program,
like her current host school Guadalupe
Regional Middle School in Brownsville.
ACE is a two-year service program
Juan Diego Academy
accepting applications
The Valley Catholic
LEARN MORE
To read about the Diocesan Spirit Award
honoree, Deacon Luis Zuniga, see Our
Catholic Family on page 28.
In the spirit of holiday giving, Incarnate Word Academy students
engaged in Christmas service projects. The National Elementary
Honor Society collected teddy bears for the Driscoll Children’s
Hospital and the National Junior Honor Society collected new,
unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots.
offering college graduates the opportunity to serve as full-time teachers
in under-resourced Catholic schools
across the southern United States. ACE
prepares its teachers in an innovative
Master of Education program at Notre
Dame.
Cassel has participated in four previous marathons, this being her first with
ACE Marathon.
“Marathons are such a great means
of building solidarity and awareness,”
said Cassel. “I’ve kept doing them because of the contagious enthusiasm I’ve
found there. I can think of no better way
to raise awareness for what ACE is doing and support a needy and deserving
school!”
Courtesy Photo
Cassel in her classroom at Guadalupe
Regional Middle School
MISSION — Juan
Diego Academy, a
new regional Catholic
high school in Mission, is now accepting applications from
current eighth grade
students for the 201112 academic year. Admissions applications
are available online at
www.juandiegoacademy.org or by contacting the school office at (956)
287-3260.
A placement test for prospective Juan Diego Academy students will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan.
29 in the parish conference room at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. The fee for the test is $25. Students are
asked bring a completed application for admission to
the testing site.
Eighth grade students from St. Joseph School in
Edinburg, Immaculate Conception School in Rio
Grande City and Our Lady of Sorrows School in
McAllen will be administered the placement test at
their respective schools at a different date and time;
check with the school for more information.
Prospective students visited the grounds of the
school on Dec. 15 for an event called, “A Day at the
Hill.”
The eighth-graders from St. Joseph School in Edinburg, Immaculate Conception School in Rio Grande
City and Our Lady of Sorrows School in McAllen
toured the grounds and learned more about the property’s long history as a place where young minds are
developed spiritually and academically.
These students also learned more about the school’s
mission and about each other — their potential future
classmates. The students also offered input on school
activities and clubs and viewed a fashion show featuring the school’s uniform.
The historic first freshman class of Juan Diego
Academy will be welcomed in the Fall. A grade level
will be added each school year thereafter until it becomes a four-year high school.
8
FAITH
»Sunday
Readings
The Word of God in the Life
and Mission of the Church
JANUARY 2
(Solemnity of the Epiphany of the
Lord)
“They were overjoyed at seeing
the star, and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his
mother.”
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 9
(The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord)
“This is my beloved Son, with
whom I am well pleased..”
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 16
(Second Sunday in Ordinary Time)
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who
takes away the sin of the world.”
Reading I Is 49:3, 5-6
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
Countdown Begins
T
en, nine, eight, seven, six,
five, four, three, two, one,
Houston we have lift off.
How I remember the excitement
of watching every Apollo mission
blast off into space in the late sixties
and early seventies. That’s a bit
the way I feel now as we begin
the new year. We have begun the
countdown for the implementation
of the revised translation of the
third edition of the Roman Missal
set for the first Sunday of Advent,
2011.
The newly translated texts of
the Roman Missal are spurring
interest throughout the Church
to deepen our understanding
and love for the sacred liturgy.
As more and more people are
becoming aware of our “liturgical
countdown” let us take some time
to examine the entire structure
of the Eucharistic liturgy. In this
issue, I will offer a brief catecheses
on the Introductory Rites of the
Mass.
The Mass forms “one single
act of worship.” (Sacrosanctum
Concilium #56) However, “it
displays two great parts that form a
fundamental unity:
%
the gathering, the liturgy
of the Word, with readings, homily,
and general intercessions;
%
the liturgy of the
Eucharist, with the presentation
of the bread and wine, the
consecratory thanksgiving, and
Reading II 1 Cor 1:1-3
Gospel Jn 1:29-34
JANUARY 23
(Third Sunday in Ordinary Time)
“Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand.”
Reading I Is 8:23-9:3-1
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14
Reading II 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17
Gospel Mt 4:12-23
JANUARY 30
(Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
“Rejoice and be glad, for your
reward will be great in heaven.”
Reading I Zep 2:3; 3:12-13
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
Reading II 1 Cor 1:26-31
Gospel Mt 5:1-12a
The Liturgy of the Word has
as its main part readings from
Sacred Scripture. In these
readings God is speaking to
his people, opening up to them
the mystery of redemption and
salvation, offering them spiritual
nourishment to enable them
to be Christ’s living witnesses
before the world. (GIRM, 55).
The Church confidently teaches
that in the word proclaimed,
Christ himself is truly present.
(Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7).
Disciples in Mission: Six Weeks
with the Bible
Get Involved!
2011
E
Father Greg
Labus
Coordinator,
Office of Liturgy
& Worship
communion.” (Catechism of the
Catholic Church #1346)
The Liturgy begins with
Introductory Rites. These rites
help us “ensure that the faithful
who come together as one
establish communion and dispose
themselves to listen properly to
God’s word and to celebrate the
Eucharist worthily.” (General
Instruction to the Roman Missal
#46)
In the usual Sunday liturgy,
the Introductory Rites consists
of the Entrance, Greeting, Act of
Penitence, Kyrie, Gloria, (outside
Advent and Lent) and Collect
The entrance procession is
formed with servers carrying the
cross, candles and possibly incense.
In many parishes the lector carries
the Book of the Gospels (but never
the lectionary) when there is no
deacon present. (GIRM #120d)
Finally, the priest-celebrant comes
at the end of the procession. This
procession is a reminder to the
entire assembly that we are on
a pilgrimage in this life and our
intended destination is eternal life
with God in heaven.
During the procession the
Entrance chant begins. There are
many musical possibilities at this
moment. Typically, a hymn is sung
or some other “suitable liturgical
song.” (GIRM #48) Sadly, this is
the last option provided by the
General Instruction to the Roman
Missal but is the option most
frequently chosen. This is the
case largely because the Church
has not encouraged composers
to set to music the proper Introit
text from the Roman or Simple
Gradual.(see GIRM #48) With the
new translations there is hope that
there will be renewed interest by
composers to set the proper texts
of the entrance in various musical
styles.
After bowing to the altar and
venerating it with a kiss, the priest
goes to the chair where he presides
over the assembly making the Sign
of the Cross when the entrance
chant is concluded. He then
“signifies the presence of the Lord
to the community gathered there
by means of the Greeting.” (GIRM
#50) It is here that the first major
translation change for the assembly
occurs. Currently, we answer “And
also with you” when the priest says
“The Lord be with you.” Beginning
next Advent we will respond “And
with your spirit.”
The Act of Penitence follows.
» Please see Countdown, p.14
A better you
very New Year brings
with it the popular practice of making resolutions
to change our habits and
become better persons. Underlying this is dissatisfaction with ourselves and a desire to achieve the
self-fulfillment that comes with
becoming our best selves.
What is necessary to achieve
this self-fulfillment? In the past,
people founded their lives on selfsacrifice, obedience to moral law,
respect for authority, the maintenance of social order, and the
subordination of self to the needs
of family, church, and community.
Today, though, what reigns seems
to be an ethic of self-gratification.
“Me first!”
How does God regard our
quest for self-fulfillment? Well, he
is surely not glorified by persons
of stunted self-development. No.
“The glory of God,” said St. Irenaeus, “is man fully alive!” God
indeed wants our fulfillment. The
crucial question is: what does it
consist of, and what will bring it
about? Are people’s self-improvement strategies today succeeding,
or leaving them disillusioned and
unhappy?
It should be easy to see that
today’s search for self-realization
is riddled with contradictions and
flaws. Here are a few:
Autonomy and freedom from
long-term commitments is highly
valued, but this only leads to terrible loneliness. Communion with
others becomes impossible.
The idea that the greatest happiness can be attained by saying
“yes” to every appetite and desire
overlooks the fact that our desires
often conflict with one other, so
that gratifying some requires denying others. There’s no way of
Msgr. Robert
Maher
Vicar General
for the Diocese
of Brownsville
fulfilling all desires. Chasing after
all our desires only makes us slaves
to them.
Confusion and doubt over
what we really need to be happy
is universal. It is common to chase
a dream, only to realize afterward
that achieving it leaves us empty
and disillusioned, not happy or
fulfilled.
Independence of thought and
decision is an illusion. Our desires
are always shaped in unconscious
ways by our family upbringing and
numerous other social influences.
Many desires are unattainable
for any number of reasons. Other
people are seizing our objects of
desire before us, or our desires are
too costly, or because political or
other conditions make realizing
them impossible, etc.
Force of habit makes introducing beneficial change in our
lives very difficult. Many people
conclude that some desires are too
costly to attain, and are better left
as mere dreams.
So, the laws of life carry their
own built-in system of rewards
and punishments. Ignoring them
results in self-defeating and sometimes self-destructive strategies for
fulfillment and happiness. The bad
fruits of putting “me first” are evident today in many ways, including infidelity and a massive breakdown of family life, the neglect and
abuse of children, the extremes
of individualism, the rebellion
against institutional authority, corporate and individual greed, exaggerated rights claims, the explosion of litigation, the lowering of
educational standards, the plague
of substance abuse, abortion, the
loss of a work ethic, the empty
politicization of issues of moral
import, the impulse to turn all of
life into entertainment, the incivility that so often sabotages social
interaction, the tangible sense of
a loss of honor, virtue, reverence,
and innocence, and a general feeling of superficiality overshadowing daily life.
The fundamental trap is the
belief that mortal human beings,
in all the contingency and finiteness of their frail existence, can
be all things to themselves. Yet, by
displacing God with the self as the
focus of the search for fulfillment,
a self-destructive dynamic is set in
motion.
The key insight is that human
beings are not just biological but
also spiritual beings, having God
as their origin and transcendent
destiny. So our search for self-realization cannot help but be spiritual, whether we realize it or not. It
is actually God himself who awakens in each of us the longing for
a fulfillment which can be found
ultimately in himself alone. Anyone wishing to make a New Year’s
resolution can do no better than
to adopt Jesus’ admonition: “Seek
first God’s kingship over you, his
way of holiness, and everything
else will be given you besides” (Mt
6:33).
—
Msgr. Robert Maher is Vicar General of the Diocese of Brownsville
and pastor of St. Joseph parish in
Edinburg.
CNS photo
St. Thomas Aquinas is depicted in a painting at the Dominican House of Studies in
Washington. The Dominican philosopher
and theologian’s writings set the standard
for Catholic theologians.
»Feast Day
- January 28
Spotlight on
St. Thomas
Aquinas
Catholic News Agency
The Church celebrates on January 28 the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, a Doctor of the Church who was
nicknamed “the Dumb Ox” because
of his silence and size.
When most people think of St.
Thomas Aquinas, they think of the
Summa Theologica, however the
saint wrote much more than the one
thick book in his short lifetime.
Thomas was born in Italy to
a well-connected, wealthy family
who sent him to be educated by the
monks at the abbey of Monte Cassino. The boy was quite astute, and
surprised his preceptor by asking,
“What is God?”
Eventually the young Aquinas
chose to enter the Dominican order.
His family, however, did not approve
of his action, and took such drastic
steps such as having him detained
by relatives who were soldiers and
sending an impure woman to tempt
him. The saint was able to overcome
the temptation and was eventually
able to pursue his vocation.
He made his profession and was
sent to Cologne to study and it was
there where he was ordained a priest.
His tutor and mentor was Albert the
Great, but despite Albert’s greatness,
Aquinas surpassed him in wisdom
and knowledge. It was also during
this time that Thomas earned his
nickname the “Dumb Ox” because
he was rather silent, and also quite
large.
Aquinas was then sent to Paris,
where he earned his doctorate at the
age of 31. He spent the rest of his life
studying, praying, teaching, writing
and traveling. Aquinas is said to have
been able to dictate to more than
one scribe at a time. Thus, of all the
works attributed to him, not all of
them were written in his own, which
explains the 60 works he produced
in less than 50 years.
He died on March 7, 1274 and
was canonized by John XXII on July
18, 1323 - less than 50 years after his
death.
St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron
saint of Catholic universities, colleges, and schools.
Prayer
God, our Father, You made
Thomas Aquinas known for his holiness and learning. Help us to grow
in wisdom by his teaching, and in
holiness by his faith. Amen.
PARISHES
Those Who Serve:
The House of Studies
Future priests get new home
House of Studies
preprares
seminarians
for next step
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
BROWNSVILLE — The
future priests of the Diocese of
Brownsville have found a new
home in the House of Studies,
located in the community of San
Pedro just off of Military Highway
281.
Three of the four young men
living there previously resided at
what was known as the St. Joseph
and St. Peter Seminary in Mission.
The seminary closed during the
summer of 2010 and the House of
Studies has taken its place as the
house where young men begin
their seminary formation on the
road to becoming priests for the
The vast Mission property
is now the future home of Juan
Diego Academy, a new Catholic
high school that is scheduled to
open for the 2011-12 academic
year.
With the move east to
Brownsville, the seminarians have
inherited a new spiritual leader in
House of Studies director Father
Eduardo Gomez, a more homelike atmosphere and best of all,
the tight-knit community of San
Pedro, who have welcomed all the
men with open arms.
Father Gomez is also the
pastor of San Pedro Church,
an independent mission that
serves 130 families. The church
is located next door to the House
of Studies. While serving the
faithful, Father Gomez also gives a
strong example and witness to the
priestly vocation that cannot be
taught in the classroom.
“We’ve learned a lot from
The Valley Catholic
For many future priests of the Diocese of Brownsville, the House of Studies in San
Pedro is the first stop on the journey towards priestly ministry. Seated, from left,
seminarians Edgar Montejano, Victor Fabela and David Yañez. Standing, from left,
seminarian Ricardo Chavez and House of Studies director Father Eduardo Gomez.
him by watching him interact
with the community,” said
seminarian David Yañez, a native
of Guadalajara, Mexico.
Kika Lopez, 70, a resident of
San Pedro and a catechist at the
church, said Father Gomez and
the seminarians have energized
the community. Since arriving
in the area in the autumn, Father
Gomez has made a full-time
commitment to the church and
is kind and accessible to his flock,
Lopez added.
New mission church
blessed in Sullivan City
Father Gomez and the
seminarians have also organized
many
community
events,
including celebrations for Dia
de los Muertos, the feast day
of Our Lady of Guadalupe and
posadas throughout Advent. The
men have even done community
outreach, going door-to-door to
invite residents to Mass and other
church events.
Lopez said many local
residents who had left to attend
other churches have returned to
San Pedro Church.
“Everybody is so happy and
the proof is in the number of
people attending Mass,” she said.
“Everything has changed in San
Pedro for the better. We are so
blessed.”
In addition to assisting
Father Gomez at the church, the
seminarians also attend school.
Victor Fabela, a native of McAllen,
is a student at the University of
Texas at Brownsville and Texas
Southmost College. The other
three seminarians, Monterrey,
Mexico native Edgar Montejano,
Ricardo Chavez of Los Mochis,
Mexico and Yañez, are students at
Villa Maria Institute, where they
are learning English as a second
language.
All four seminarians are also
receiving instruction from Father
Gomez at the House of Studies, a
curriculum that includes classes
on cultural integration and insight
on the personal, intellectual,
spiritual pastoral and community
life of a priest.
On a typical weekday, the
seminarians have morning prayer,
Mass, classes, evening prayer,
study time and night prayer
with meals and chores between
activities. On the weekends and
some weeknights, they spend time
at the church.
“This is more than a house,”
said Father Gomez. “This is their
home and they take care of it.
They are a part of this home, they
feel welcome here. It has been a
good environment for all of us.”
The mission of the House
of Studies is to prepare the
seminarians for the next step in
becoming a priest, which is to
begin their formal education of
philosophy, pre-theology and
theology at other seminaries
around the country.
» Please see Seminarians, p. 14
9
»Birthday
Wishes
The list of birthdays and
ordination anniversaries is
provided so that parishioners
may remember the priests in
their prayers and send them a
note or a card.
January
» Birthdays
1 Rev. Leo Francis Daniels
4 Rev. Rigobert Poulang Mot
6 Rev. Msgr. Louis Brum
9 Rev. Julian Becerril
10 Rev. Eusebio Martinez
13 Rev. Alejandro Flores
14 Rev. Gerard Barret
22 Rev. Roberto Charlton
22 Rev. Horacio Chavarria
24 Rev. Oscar Siordia
24 Rev. Ignacio Tapia
28 Rev. William Penderghest
» Anniversaries
4 Rev. Thomas Kulleck
16 Rev. Robert Charlton
30 Bishop Daniel Flores as priest
February
» Birthdays
2 Rev. Mishael Koday
3 Rev. Thomas Pincelli
16 Rev. James Pfeifer
19 Bishop Emeritus
Raymundo J. Pena
26 Rev. Juan Victor Heredia
26 Rev. Thomas G. Kulleck
» Anniversaries
2 Rev. Juan Victor Heredia
8 Rev. Gnanaraj Michael
15 Rev. Patrick Seitz
23 Rev. Gerard Barrett
Discovering ways to serve others
Catholic Charities
meets with ACTS,
Cursillo movement
The Valley Catholic
Courtesy Photo
Bishop Daniel E. Flores blessed a new church in Sullivan City on Dec. 12, the
Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The church, named Nuestra Señora de
Guadalupe, is a mission of Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in La Joya.
SAN JUAN — Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley hosted
an ACTS and Cursillo Movement
reunion on Friday, Dec. 10 at the
Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del
Valle - National Shrine.
The more than 1,500 people who
attended the event were informed
about the many volunteer opportunities that exist within Catholic
Charities. Serving others is central to
both ACTS and the Cursillo Movement.
“The response of our ACTS and
Cursillo brothers and sisters was extraordinary,” said Sister Norma Pimentel of the Missionaries of Jesus
and executive director of Catholic
The Valley Catholic
The faithful sing “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” during an ACTS and Cursillo Movement
reunion at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine on Dec. 10.
Charities of the Rio Grande Valley.
“Their commitment to service to
God and to the Church was so evident in their response by coming together in such great numbers to this
convocation.”
The event yielded new volunteers for Catholic Charities, which
responds to the needs of families and
individuals who are the most vulnerable including the poor, the elderly,
the disabled, the infirmed, immigrants and those behind bars.
To learn about volunteer opportunities within Catholic Charities,
call (956) 702-4088.
10
IN THE NEWS
What music
expresses:
joy, mystery
of God’s love
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — When
words are not enough, beautiful music can express the joy and
mystery of God’s love, Pope Benedict XVI said.
“It is hard to find words to
convey the sheer joy of the soul’s
loving encounter with God; indeed, the great mystics could only
remain silent before the mystery,”
he told about 4,500 young choir
singers, their family members,
friends and choirmasters from
dozens of countries.
“Yet beautiful music is able to
express something of the mystery
of God’s love for us and ours for
him,” he said in an audience with
the choristers in the Vatican’s Paul
VI hall Dec. 30. The singers were
taking part in the Dec. 28-Jan. 1
International Congress of Pueri
Cantores in Rome. They were
scheduled to sing in St. Peter’s Basilica for the papal Mass on New
Year’s Day.
Pope Benedict reminded the
young people that their singing
was a service to God, to fellow
worshippers and to the whole
church. Using their musical talents for the liturgy gave God “the
praise that is due” and helped parishioners “raise their hearts and
minds to the Lord in prayer,” said
the pope.
Pope baptizes
21 infants,
says faith
formation is
crucial task
VATICAN CITY — Pope
Benedict XVI baptized 21 infants
and told their parents and godparents that educating them in
the faith will not be easy in today’s
society.
The liturgy Jan. 9 in the Sistine Chapel, enlivened by the cries
of the newly baptized and their
siblings, marked the feast of the
Baptism of the Lord — an event
depicted in one of the splendid
Renaissance frescoes that adorn
the walls of the chapel.
In his homily, the pope said
the church encourages the baptism of newborns as the “beginning of a path of holiness and
conformity to Christ.”
He compared it to the planting of a seed that will one day turn
into a magnificent tree.
Naturally, he added, at a later
age each of the baptized will need
to give their free and conscious assent to the faith. That presupposes
that, as children, they will receive
formation in Scripture and in
church teachings, he said.
This educational path is something the church, the parents and
the godparents need to work together to provide, he said.
2011
May 1: Beatification set
for Pope John Paul II
Pope
approves
miracle
By JOHN THAVIS
VATICAN CITY — Pope
Benedict XVI approved a miracle
attributed to Pope John Paul
II’s intercession, clearing the
way for the
late pope’s
beatification
on
May
1,
Divine
M e r c y
Sunday.
P o p e
SISTER MARIE- B e n e d i c t ’s
SIMON-PIERRE action Jan.
14 followed
more than five years of
investigation into the life and
writings of the Polish pontiff, who
died in April 2005 after more than
26 years as pope.
The Vatican said it took
special care with verification of
the miracle, the spontaneous cure
of a French nun from Parkinson’s
disease -- the same illness that
afflicted Pope John Paul in his
final years. Three separate Vatican
panels approved the miracle,
including medical and theological
experts, before Pope Benedict
signed the official decree.
“There were no concessions
CNS photo/Alessia Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo
Pope John Paul II prays during Mass marking World Day of Peace in St. Peter’s
Basilica at the Vatican in this Jan. 1, 2005, photo.
given here in procedural severity
and thoroughness,” said Cardinal
Angelo Amato, head of the
Congregation for Saints’ Causes.
On the contrary, he said, Pope
John Paul’s cause was subject to
“particularly careful scrutiny, to
remove any doubt.”
The Vatican said it would begin
looking at logistical arrangements
for the massive crowds expected
for the beatification liturgy,
which will be celebrated by
Pope Benedict at the Vatican.
Divine Mercy Sunday had special
significance for Pope John Paul,
who made it a church-wide feast
day to be celebrated a week after
Easter. The pope died on the vigil
of Divine Mercy Sunday in 2005.
With beatification, Pope John
Paul will be declared “blessed”
and thus worthy of restricted
liturgical honor. Another miracle
is needed for canonization, by
which the church declares a
person to be a saint and worthy of
universal veneration.
The Vatican spokesman,
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi,
summed up much of the
sentiment in Rome when he said
Pope John Paul would be beatified
primarily for the spiritual gifts of
faith, hope and charity that were
the source of his papal activity.
The world witnessed that
spirituality when the pope prayed,
when he spent time with the sick
and suffering, in his visits to the
impoverished countries of the
world and in his own illness “lived
out in faith, before God and all of
us,” Father Lombardi said.
Brigida Jones, a 26-year-old
Australian Catholic visiting the
Vatican from Melbourne, echoed
the spokesman’s sentiments: “I
think he did so much while he
was alive, and you’d just see him
on television and get this sense of
peace - obviously he was holy.”
Father Lombardi said the
Vatican was preparing to move
Pope John Paul’s body from the
crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica to the
Chapel of St. Sebastian in the
basilica’s upper level at the time
of beatification. The chapel, on
the right hand side of the church
just after Michelangelo’s Pieta, is
easily accessible and spacious, an
important factor given the steady
stream of pilgrims who come to
see the pope’s tomb.
Hold on tight to God during
times of trouble, temptation
By CAROL GLATZ
VATICAN CITY — In times
of trouble, doubt or deep spiritual crisis, never let go of believing in God, because he will help
lead people out of darkness, Pope
Benedict XVI said.
“Let us always be led by God,
carry out his will every day even
if often it doesn’t correspond to
our plans, and trust in his providence that he never leaves us
on our own,” he said during his
weekly general audience in the
Vatican’s Paul VI hall Dec. 29.
In his catechesis, the pope
described the life of St. Catherine
of Bologna, an abbess of the Poor
Clares and “a woman of great
wisdom and culture” who lived
in the 15th century.
Despite the many centuries
that separate her time and today,
St. Catherine still speaks to modern men and women, said the
pope.
“Like us, she suffered from
many temptations -- the temptations of disbelief and sensuality,
she suffered from a difficult spiritual battle, she felt abandoned by
God and she found herself in the
darkness” of doubting her faith,
he said.
However, throughout all of
her struggles, St. Catherine “always held onto the Lord’s hand,”
he said.
Because she never let go of
trusting in God’s will and let
herself always be guided by him,
“she went along the right path
and found the road leading to the
light,” he said.
“In this way, she is also telling us ‘Have courage’ even when
struggling with one’s faith or
when feeling doubt” or uncertainty, he added.
“Don’t let go of the Lord’s
hand, believe in God’s goodness
and that way we will go along the
right road,” said the pope.
St. Catherine of Bologna
wrote the “Treatise on the Seven
Spiritual Weapons” in which she
describes “the many graces she
received and lists the most effective means of resisting the temptations of the devil,” he said.
Seven spiritual weapons
The pope listed the seven spiritual weapons as the following:
1. Take great care to always work for the good.
2. Know that nothing truly good can ever be done by oneself.
3. Trust in God and never be afraid of the battle against evil
either in the world or inside oneself.
4. Reflect often on the words and life of Jesus, especially on his
passion and death.
5. Remember that everyone must die.
6. Keep firmly in mind the rewards of paradise.
7. Be familiar with sacred Scripture so that it can guide all
thoughts and actions.
NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL
11
Hombres del Evangelio
Nuevos diáconos
ordenados para
la Diócesis
The Valley Catholic
SAN JUAN — Cuando 23
hombres fueron ordenados
nuevos diáconos permanentes
de la Diócesis de Brownsville
el 18 de diciembre, el Obispo
Daniel E. Flores les aconsejó
que fueran “hombres del Evangelio.”
“El Evangelio debe ser parte
importante en su manera de
pensar,” dijo el Obispo. “Piensen en las palabras de Jesús,
piensen el corazón de Jesús.
Dejen que las palabras de Jesús
sean una parte grande de ustedes porque las leen frecuentemente. Ellas serán la respuesta
natural que ustedes den a la
vida, en los buenos momentos y
en los malos momentos.”
Al entrar los candidatos en
la Basílica de Nuestra Señora de
San Juan del Valle – Santuario
Nacional, fueron saludados por
los presentes que llenaban el
Santuario con solo espacio para
estar de pie. La basílica estaba
repleta de familiares, amigos, y
feligreses compañeros, diáconos hermanos y sacerdotes de
la diócesis.
La Misa de ordenación fue la
culminación de más de cuatro
años de oración, estudio y práctica. Los diáconos permanentes, que pueden ser casados, son
ministros de la Palabra, lo que
significa que pueden proclamar
el Evangelio durante la Misa y
predicar y enseñar en el nombre de la Iglesia. Su ministerio
sacramental incluye bautizar,
conducir servicios de oración,
servir como oficiales de la Iglesia testigos en el matrimonio y
conducir funerales y quinceañeras.
Los nuevos diáconos son:
Gerardo Aguilar, Martin Arteaga, Mitch Chavez, Ramiro
Davila, Paul Escobar, David
Espinoza, Francisco Flores,
Reynaldo Flores, Javier Garcia,
Oscar Garcia, Silvestre Garcia,
Jose Gonzalez, Gilbert Guardiola, Crawford Higgins, Amando
Peña, Rudy Sepulveda, Graciano Rodriguez, Gerardo Rosa,
Ray Thomas, Nicolas Trujillo,
Catarino Villanueva, Armandin
Villarreal y Luis Zuniga.
Fotos: Cesar Riojas/
The Valley Catholic
El Obispo Daniel E.
Flores presenta a cada
diácono con el Libro de
Los Evangelios durante
la misa de ordenación
el 18 de diciembre en
la Basílica de Nuestra
Señora de San Juan del
Valle.
Futuros sacerdotes tienen casa nueva
Por ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
Los futuros sacerdotes de la Diócesis de
Brownsville, han encontrado una casa nueva en la Casa de Estudios, ubicada en la comunidad de San Pedro, saliendo de Military
Highway 281.
Tres de los cuatro jóvenes que viven allí
anteriormente residían en lo se conocía
como el Seminario St. Joseph and St. Peter, en Mission. El seminario cerró durante
el verano del 2010 y la Casa de Estudios ha
tomado su lugar como la casa donde los
hombres jóvenes inician su formación en el
seminario, en camino a convertirse en sacerdotes para la Diócesis de Brownsville.
La extensa propiedad de Mission es
ahora el futuro hogar de la Academia Juan
Diego, una nueva preparatoria Católica que
está programada para abrir para el año escolar 2011-12.
Con este cambio hacia el este a Brownsville, los seminaristas han heredado un nuevo líder espiritual en la Casa de Estudios, el
Padre Director Eduardo Gómez, en una atmósfera más parecida a un hogar y lo mejor
de todo, la unida comunidad de San Pedro,
que los ha recibido a todos con los brazos
abiertos.
El Padre Gómez también es el pastor de
la iglesia San Pedro, una misión independiente que sirve a 130 familias. La iglesia está
ubicada a un lado de la Casa de Estudios.
Sirviendo a los fieles, el Padre Gómez también es un sólido ejemplo y testimonio para
la vocación sacerdotal que no se puede enseñar en un salón de clases.
“Hemos aprendido mucho de él observándolo interactuar con la comunidad”,
dijo el seminarista David Yáñez, originario
de Guadalajara, México.
Kika López, de 70 años de edad, residente de San Pedro y catequista en la iglesia,
dijo que el Padre Gómez y los seminaristas han llenado de energía a la comunidad.
Desde que llegaron al área en el otoño, el Padre Gómez se ha comprometido de tiempo
completo con la iglesia y es bondadoso y accesible a su rebaño, agregó López.
El Padre Gómez y los seminaristas también han organizado muchos eventos comunitarios, incluyendo las celebraciones para
el Día de los Muertos, para la festividad de
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe y las posadas
a través del Adviento. Los hombres han salido a invitar a la comunidad, de puerta en
puerta invitando a los residentes a la Iglesia
y a otros eventos en la comunidad.
López dijo que muchos residentes de la
localidad que se habían ido para asistir a
otras iglesias han regresado a la iglesia de
San Pedro.
“Todos están tan contentos y la prueba
está en el número de personas que están
asistiendo a Misa”, dijo ella. “Todo ha cambiado en San Pedro para mejor. Es una gran
bendición”.
Adicionalmente de ayudar al Padre Gómez en la iglesia, los seminaristas también
asisten a la escuela. Víctor Fabela, oriundo
de McAllen es estudiante en la Universidad
de Texas en Brownsville y Texas Southmost
College. Los otros tres seminaristas, Edgar
Montejano, originario de Monterrey, México, Ricardo Chávez de Los Mochis, México
y Yáñez son estudiantes en el Instituto Villa
María, donde están aprendiendo inglés
como segundo idioma.
Los cuatro seminaristas también están
recibiendo instrucción del Padre Gómez en
la Casa de Estudios, con un plan de estudios
que incluye clases sobre integración cultural
y discernimiento sobre la vida personal, intelectual, espiritual pastoral y comunitaria
de un sacerdote.
En un típico día de la semana, los seminaristas tienen oraciones matutinas, Misa,
clases, oraciones vespertinas, tiempo de estudio y oraciones nocturnas con comidas
y quehaceres entre actividades. En los fines
de semana y algunas noches de la semana,
pasan tiempo en la iglesia.
“Esto es más que una casa”, dijo el Padre
Gómez. “Esta es su hogar y ellos cuidan de
el. Ellos son parte de este hogar, se sienten
bienvenidos aquí. Tiene un buen medio ambiente para todos nosotros”.
La misión de la Casa de Estudios es preparar a los seminaristas para el siguiente
paso en camino a convertirse en sacerdotes,
que es comenzar su educación formal de filosofía, pre teología y teología en otros seminarios alrededor del país.
Los seminaristas de la Diócesis de
Brownsville asisten a seminarios tales como
el Pontifical College Josephinum en Columbus, Ohio; Mundelein Seminary en Mundelein, Ill.; Assumption Seminary en San
Antonio y Holy Trinity Seminary en Irving,
Texas, entre otros. El Padre Gómez, quien
fue ordenado hace tres años, dijo que quedó
sorprendido cuando el Obispo Daniel E.
Flores y el Consejo Presbiteral lo nombraron
director de la Casa de Estudios.
“Estaba tan nervioso, pero estoy contento de servir al Señor de esta manera porque
sé que el Señor me envió aquí”, dijo el Padre
Gómez, oriundo de Colima, México. “Es
una responsabilidad tan importante guiar
y dar un buen ejemplo a estos hombres
jóvenes”.
El Padre Gómez es uno de tres sacerdotes en su familia, junto con sus hermanos,
el Padre Miguel Ángel Ortega, vicario parroquial de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en
Raymondville y el Padre Eduardo Ortega,
pastor de la iglesia Sacred Heart en Mercedes. Cuando se le pregunta la fórmula de
su familia para producir sacerdotes, el Padre
Gómez dice que el apoyo de sus padres y el
ejemplo fueron clave”.
Ellos eran muy fieles a la Iglesia y nos
mostraron la manera de caminar por esta
vida”, dijo el Padre Gómez. “Había buena
comunicación y mucho respeto en nuestra
casa. Nuestros padres pasaban tiempo con
nosotros, tiempo de gran calidad, sin televisión, sin distracciones. Nosotros, los siete
hermanos y hermanas, teníamos diferentes
caminos en la vida pero nuestros padres nos
apoyaron al 100 por ciento.
12
Redescubran la belleza
de ser bautizados
El Sacramento
del Bautismo
“es el inicio de la
vida espiritual”
ACI Prensa
VATICANO — Al presidir
el Ángelus dominical, el Papa
Benedicto XVI alentó a los fieles
católicos de todo el mundo a redescubrir la belleza de ser bautizados y pertenecer a la Iglesia,
para así dar testimonio del Amor
de Dios con alegría.
Luego de la Misa que presidió en la Capilla Sixtina en la
que bautizó a 21 niños en la fiesta
del Bautismo del Señor, el Papa
dijo a los miles de fieles presentes en la Plaza de San Pedro que
cuando se bautiza a un niño “los
padres y padrinos se esfuerzan
por acoger al neo-bautizado
sosteniéndolo en la formación y
educación cristiana. ¡Esta es una
gran responsabilidad que deriva
de un gran don!”
Por ello, “deseo alentar a
todos los fieles a redescubrir
la belleza de ser bautizados y
pertenecer a la gran familia de
Dios, y dar testimonio alegre de
la propia fe, para que ella genere
frutos de bien y concordia”.
Benedicto
XVI
indicó
además que el sacramento del
Bautismo “es el inicio de la vida
espiritual, que encuentra su
plenitud por medio de la Iglesia”.
El Papa hizo votos para que
la Virgen María, ayuda de los
cristianos, acompañe a “los padres que se están preparando
para el Bautismo de sus niños,
como también los catequistas.
¡Que toda la comunidad participe de la alegría del nacimiento
del agua y del Espíritu Santo!”
En su saludo en español, el
Santo Padre explicó que “en este
domingo, que sigue a la Fiesta de
la Epifanía, celebramos el Bautismo del Señor, concluyendo así el
tiempo litúrgico de la Navidad”.
Foto: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters
El Papa Benedicto XVI baptiza uno de los 21 bebes durante la Misa que presidió en la
Capilla Sixtina en la fiesta del Bautismo del Señor en el Vaticano el 9 de enero.
“El Padre manifiesta en el
Jordán a Jesús, como su Hijo
amado, ungido por el Espíritu,
revelando también así el misterio
del nuevo bautismo por el que
llegamos a ser en verdad hijos
suyos. Que la intercesión de la
Santísima Virgen María os ayude
a ser imagen de aquel que hemos
conocido semejante a nosotros
en la carne y renueve en todos
la vocación a la santidad a la que
se está llamado por el bautismo.
Feliz domingo”, concluyó.
“Aférrense firmemente a Dios”
Benedicto
enumera las siete
armas espirituales
Por CAROL GLATZ
CIUDAD DEL VATICANO
— En tiempos de problemas,
dudas o profunda crisis espiritual nunca dejen de creer en Dios
porque él ayudará a guiar a la
gente para salir de la oscuridad,
dijo el papa Benedicto XVI.
“Que siempre seamos liderados por Dios, hagamos su voluntad todos los días aunque a
menudo ésta no corresponda con
nuestros planes y confiemos en
su providencia que él nunca nos
dejará solos”, él dijo durante su
audiencia general semanal en la
sala Paulo VI del Vaticano el 29
de diciembre.
El papa describió en su catequesis la vida de Santa Catalina
de Bolonia, abadesa de las Clarisas Pobres y “una mujer de gran
sabiduría y cultura” que vivió en
el siglo 15.
A pesar de los muchos siglos
que separan sus tiempos y hoy
día, Santa Catalina todavía le
habla a los hombres y las mujeres
modernos, dijo el papa.
“Como nosotros, ella sufrió
muchas tentaciones: las tentaciones de incredulidad y sensualidad, ella sufrió una batalla
espiritual difícil, ella se sentía
abandonada por Dios y ella se
encontraba en la oscuridad” de
dudar de su fe, él dijo.
Sin embargo, a través de todas
sus luchas, Santa Catalina “siem-
pre se aferró a la mano del Señor”,
él dijo.
Ya que ella nunca soltó su
confianza en la voluntad de Dios
y siempre se dejó ser dirigida por
él, “ella fue a lo largo del sendero
correcto y encontró el camino
que lleva a la luz”, él dijo.
“De esta manera ella también
nos está diciendo ‘tengan valentía’
aun cuando luchamos con la propia fe de uno o cuando sentimos
duda” o incertidumbre, él añadió.
“No suelten la mano del Señor, crean en el bien de Dios y de
ese modo iremos a lo largo del
camino correcto”, dijo el papa.
Santa Catalina de Bolonia escribió el “Tratado sobre las siete
armas espirituales”, en el cual describe “las muchas gentilezas que
ella recibió y enumera los medios
más eficaces para resistir las tentaciones del Diablo”, él dijo.
El papa enumeró las siete
armas espirituales como las
siguientes:
-- Tener gran cuidado de trabajar siempre para el bien.
-- Saber que nada verdaderamente bueno puede jamás ser
hecho por uno solo.
-- Confiar en Dios y nunca temerle a la batalla contra mal en el
mundo o dentro de uno mismo.
-- Reflexionar a menudo sobre las palabras y la vida de Jesús,
especialmente sobre su pasión y
muerte.
-- Recordar que todos tenemos que morir.
-- Mantener firmemente presente las recompensas del paraíso.
-- Familiarizarse con las Sagradas Escrituras de modo que éstas puedan dirigir todos nuestros
pensamientos y acciones.
Arquidiócesis pide a mexicanos alejarse
de culto diabólico a la “Santa Muerte”
Por DENNIS SADOWSKI
El vocero de la Arquidiócesis
de México, P. Hugo Valdemar,
pidió a los mexicanos alejarse del
culto a la llamada “Santa Muerte”
porque es una devoción contraria
al cristianismo y se está convirtiendo en la preferida del crimen organizado.
Al declarar a ACI Prensa sobre la detención del líder de esta
secta, David Romo (a) “el párroco”, acusado de participar en
el secuestro de tres personas, el
sacerdote dijo esperar que la justicia mexicana determine la culpabilidad o inocencia de Romo.
”Seríamos injustos el declararlo
culpable cuando todavía le espera
un juicio”, explicó.
Sin embargo, el sacerdote reiteró su llamado a los fieles para
que se alejen de esta devoción,
que tiene miles de seguidores
en todo México, porque se trata
de una creencia “supersticiosa y
con connotaciones diabólicas”
que lucra con la ignorancia de la
gente y “se está convirtiendo en la
advocación preferida del crimen
organizado, de los narcotraficantes, secuestradores”.
El P. Valdemar recordó que
Cristo vino a vencer al pecado y a
la muerte, que “es signo del poder
del maligno y su destrucción”.
Dijo que la secta que lidera Romo
“personaliza al mismo demonio,
lo cual es muy peligroso”.
Indicó además que mucha
gente cayó en esta secta por falta
de un mayor compromiso evangelizador de la Iglesia. Advirtió
que muchos creen que la “Santa
Muerte” es un santo más, cuando
“ni siquiera es una persona”.
El vocero de la Arquidiócesis de México pidió a los fieles
destruir las imágenes de la Santa
Muerte y no temer una venganza
porque “el poder de Dios es más
grande que el maligno”.
David Romo fue detenido el
4 de enero junto con otras ocho
personas en el DF, acusados de
secuestrar a un matrimonio de
ancianos y un hombre. Según la
policía, este grupo se hacía pasar
por una facción del cártel de “Los
Zetas” para atemorizar a las familias de sus víctimas y acelerar
el pago del rescate.
La Santa Muerte es una falsa
devoción difundida en distintos
lugares de México. Es representada con una calavera adornada
según el gusto personal de los
adeptos. Narcotraficantes, delincuentes, ex convictos o secuestradores se acercan a esta controvertida imagen para pedir por el
éxito de sus delitos.
Este culto, que ha generado
gran controversia en México, está
vinculado a prácticas de brujería
y se intensifica en la fiesta de los
Fieles Difuntos.
2011
Obispos de EEUU
abogan por mayor
respeto a la vida
ACI Prensa
WASHINGTON — La Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos (USCCB) abogan por el
respeto a la vida y dignidad de toda
persona, tras la masacre ocurrida el
8 de enero en Tucson, estado de Arizona, en la que murieron seis personas y 14 resultaron heridas, entre
ellas una congresista que lideraba
una manifestación.
En un comunicado publicado el
lunes 10 de enero y firmado por su
presidente, Mons. Timothy Dolan,
los obispos se solidarizan con los familiares y amigos de los dos católicos que murieron en el trÃ¡gico
evento: la niña Taylor Green, de
solo 9 años de edad, y el juez federal
John Roll.
“Nuestras oraciones y preocupaciones están con aquellos más
afectados por esta violencia. Encomendamos a Dios a todos los que
fallecieron y rezamos por las familias que han perdido a sus seres queridos y también por quienes sufren
con sus heridos”, señala el texto.
Mons. Dolan asegura que los
obispos “rezamos además por la
persona que ha cometido estos actos y por quienes son responsables
de su cuidado”, en referencia a Jared
Lee Loughner, autor de los disparos
contra la congresista demócrata
Gabrielle Giffords y las demás víctimas. Giffords salvan de morir, su
estado aún es delicado pero muestra algunos signos de recuperación.
“Como obispos estamos preocupados por las implicancias del
incidente de Tucson pero llamamos
a la cautela ante cualquier tipo de
conclusiÃ³n sobre los motivos del
atacante hasta que sepamos más
por parte de las autoridades competentes”, pide el comunicado.
La violencia de cualquier tipo
“debe ser condenada. Cuando el
objetivo de un acto violento es una
autoridad publica queda afectada
la confianza de la nación en su capacidad de proteger a sus líderes y
aquellos que quieren participar en
el proceso democrático”.
Finalmente, los obispos reiteran
su “llamado al respeto a la vida y
la dignidad de toda persona mientras seguimos en nuestra labor de
trabajar juntos por el bien común,
buscando responder a los distintos desafíos que afrontamos como
nación”.
Para
más
noticias
sobre la iglesia
en el Valle
visítenos en la
página web de
la Diócesis de
Brownsville
www.cdob.org
El Papa Benedicto XVI
beatificará a Juan Pablo II
ACI Prensa
CIUDAD DEL VATICANO
— El Papa Benedicto XVI beatificará a Juan Pablo II el próximo
1 de mayo, Domingo de Pascua
de la Divina Misericordia, según
informó el Director de la Oficina
de Prensa de la Santa Sede, P. Federico Lombardi.
Sobre la beatificación de Juan
Pablo II se publicó hoy un comunicado en el que se señala que
este viernes 14 de enero “durante
la audiencia concedida al Cardenal Angelo Amato, prefecto de la
Congregación para las Causas de
los Santos, el Papa ha autorizado a
este dicasterio a promulgar el Decreto sobre el milagro atribuido a
la intercesión del Venerable Siervo
de Dios Juan Pablo II (Karol Wojtyla). Este acto pone fin al proceso
que precede al rito de beatificación”.
El texto explica luego que la
causa de Juan Pablo II se inició
antes de los cinco años después de
la muerte que exigen las normas
vigentes, gracias a una dispensa
pontificia, debido a “la imponente fama de santidad de la que
gozó Juan Pablo II en su vida, en
la muerte y después de la muerte.
Por lo demás, se observaron en su
totalidad las disposiciones canónicas comunes acerca de las causas
de beatificación y canonización”.
El comunicado señala además
que entre junio de 2005 y abril de
2007 se realizó la investigación
principal romana y las rogatoriales en diferentes diócesis sobre la
vida, virtudes, fama de santidad y
de milagros.
“La validez jurídica de los procesos canónicos fue reconocida
por la Congregación para las Cau-
CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec
El Papa Juan Pablo II durante una Misa en St. Louis durante su última visita a los
Estados Unidos in enero de 1999. El Papa Benedicto XVI beatificará a Juan Pablo II el
próximo 1 de mayo, Domingo de Pascua de la Divina Misericordia.
sas de los Santos con el Decreto
del 4 de mayo de 2007. En junio de
2009, examinada la ‘Positio’ (expediente de la causa), nueve consultores teólogos de la Congregación
dieron su parecer positivo sobre
la heroicidad de las virtudes del
Siervo de Dios”.
“En noviembre, siguiendo el
procedimiento habitual, la misma
‘Positio’ fue sometida al juicio
de los cardenales y obispos de la
Congregación para las Causas de
los Santos, que se expresaron con
sentencia afirmativa”.
Tras esa investigación el Papa
Benedicto XVI autorizó la promulgación del decreto sobre la
heroicidad de virtudes el 19 de
diciembre de 2009.
El texto señala luego que la
postulación de la causa de Juan
Pablo II “presentó al examen de
la Congregación para las Cau-
sas de los Santos la curación de
la ‘enfermedad de Parkinson’ de
la hermana Marie Simon Pierre
Normand, religiosa del Institut
des Petites Soeurs des Maternités
Catholiques”.
“Como es habitual, las numerosas actas de la investigación
canónica, regularmente instruida,
junto con los detallados exámenes
médico-legales, se sometieron al
examen científico de la Consulta
Médica de la Congregación para
las Causas de los Santos, el 21 de
octubre de 2010”.
Los expertos, indica el texto,
“tras haber estudiado con la habitual minuciosidad los testimonios
procesales y toda la documentación, se expresaron a favor de que
la curación era científicamente inexplicable”.
“Los consultores teólogos, tras
haber revisado las conclusiones
médicas, el 14 de diciembre de
2010 procedieron a la valoración
teológica del caso y reconocieron
por unanimidad la unicidad, la
antecedencia y la invocación coral
dirigida al Siervo de Dios Juan
Pablo II, cuya intercesión había
sido eficaz para la curación milagrosa”.
El comunicado concluye indicando que el 11 de enero de 2011
se celebró la Sesión Ordinaria de
cardenales y obispos de la Congregación para las Causas de los
Santos que “emitió un fallo unánime y afirmativo, considerando
milagrosa la curación de la hermana Marie Simon Pierre, en cuanto
realizada por Dios de modo científicamente inexplicable, después de
interceder al Papa Juan Pablo II,
invocado con confianza tanto por
la misma persona curada como
por muchos otros fieles”.
Detenidos celebran con el obispo
Indocumentados
esperan proceso
de deportación
The Valley Catholic
Respondiendo al llamado de
Jesús de visitar a quienes están
tras las rejas, el Obispo Daniel E.
Flores visitó el Centro de Procesamiento en Port Isabel de Inmigración y Aduanas o ICE por sus
siglas en inglés, el 17 de diciembre
a celebrar Misa y a ofrecer personalmente sus oraciones y buenos
deseos a los allí detenidos.
El centro alberga alrededor de
800 personas que esperan audiencias de inmigración o deportación.
Los detenidos vienen de todo
el mundo, pero en su mayoría
son originarios de México o Centroamérica. Alrededor del 40 por
ciento de ellos también son Católicos.
“Pienso en ustedes a menudo”,
dijo el Obispo Flores, durante la
Misa. “Mis pensamientos y oraciones siempre están con ustedes”.
El Obispo Flores también animó a los detenidos a pedir por
sus familias, un mensaje que conmovió a muchos de ellos hasta las
lágrimas.
Después de la Misa, el Obispo
Flores saludó a cada uno de ellos individualmente, ofreciendo
a cada uno de ellos una Biblia,
un rosario y una tarjeta con una
oración.
Bajo los vigilantes ojos de los
guardias, el obispo junto con el
Padre George González, capellán
del ministerio de la cárcel de la
Diócesis de Brownsville y el Padre
Jorge Gómez, pastor de la iglesia
Holy Family en Brownsville también escuchó confesiones de los
detenidos.
Los detenidos fueron saludados alegremente con música
Navideña proporcionada por el
ministerio de la cárcel diocesana
antes y después de la Misa. Integrantes del ministerio de la cárcel
visitan el centro tres veces por semana llevando a cabo Servicios de
Comunión, Misas y servicios de
la Palabra. Algunos del ministerio
diocesano de la cárcel, dijeron que
los detenidos realmente disfrutaron de la celebración de Navidad
con el obispo.
“Muchos de ellos se sienten
abandonados”, dijo Gómez. “Sienten que no tienen el apoyo de
nadie. Tener a alguien importante
como el obispo visitándolos significo mucho para ellos”.
Gómez dijo que fue gratificante para el ministerio de la cárcel extender un poco de alegría
The Valley Catholic
Obispo Daniel E. Flores saludó a cada uno de los detenidos, ofreciendo a cada uno de
ellos una Biblia, un rosario y una tarjeta con una oración.
Navideña en el centro. “Es difícil
para ellos aquí, separados de sus
familias como en cualquier momento, pero es especialmente do-
loroso alrededor de la Navidad”,
dijo Gómez. “La ausencia de sus
familias es abrumador durante
este tiempo del año”.
13
Un Llamado,
continuación de la pág. 2
Obispo de la Diócesis, es la gran
necesidad que tenemos para
las instalaciones de retiro. Parte
de los fondos recaudados por
esta campaña se destinará a la
planificación a largo plazo para
la construcción de un Centro
Católico de Retiros en el bajo
Valle. Eventualmente, este
centro complementará el trabajo
ya realizado en el Centro de
Retiros en San Juan, y en otras
instalaciones más pequeñas a
lo largo de la diócesis. Estamos
bendecidos con la presencia de
tantos movimientos laicos como
A.C.T.S., Cursillos de Cristiandad, la Renovación Carismática,
el Movimiento Familiar Cristiano, y muchos otros. Lo que
necesitamos es más espacio para
que la participación en retiros
de jóvenes y de los movimientos
sea más accesible y económica.
Puede que se lleve un tiempo
para identificar la propiedad y
construir las instalaciones, pero
creo que tenemos que empezar
a reunir los recursos y hacer los
planes desde ahora.
Y, 4: Parte de los fondos
recaudados por la Apelación del
Obispo se utilizará para la educación de los seminaristas y la
formación permanente del clero.
Es vital que hagamos esta inversión en la mejor formación posible para nuestros seminaristas
y sacerdotes actualmente sirviendo en la diócesis. Anticipo que
el número de nuestros seminaristas seguirá aumentando en los
próximos años, por tanto debemos asegurar que tendremos los
fondos necesarios para educarlos
y formarlos en los mejores
seminarios disponibles, para que
al Valle nunca le falte sacerdotes
formados a la imagen de Cristo
el Buen Pastor, sacerdotes que
asegurarán que nuestro pueblo
siempre tendrá acceso al mayor
tesoro que la Iglesia posee. ¿Cuál
es ese tesoro? El misterio de la
Sagrada Eucaristía. A través de
este misterio, el mismo Señor es
quien viene a alimentar y fortalecer a su pueblo para la misión
que nos ha sido confiada.
Al final de la campaña,
la Diócesis informará en el
periódico diocesano, el Católico
del Valle, cuánto se ha comprometido, y al final del año,
publicaré un informe sobre
cómo el dinero se ha utilizado,
para que todos puedan saber
cómo su contribución ha hecho
una diferencia en la vida de sus
semejantes en el Valle.
Los objetivos que he identificado son objetivos que creo son
dignos de nuestro apoyo a largo
plazo como católicos en el Valle.
Les pido que consideren cómo
pueden apoyar este llamado a
la misión de la Iglesia, y que al
anunciarse la Campaña Anual
del Obispo en sus parroquias,
sean generosos. Recuerden que
es más importante contar con la
participación de todos, aunque
sea una pequeña cantidad, que
lo que se reunirá a fin de cuentas. El Señor hará que nuestro
regalo para él dé fruto en las
vidas de aquellos a quien él nos
llama a servir.
Que Dios bendiga su generosidad,
Amen.
14
DIOCESE
Painted Saints,
continued from pg. 5
finish. The figures stenciled to the
boards were painted with watercolors. Two coats of varnish were
applied, and each panel was then
waxed to preserve the varnish.
A working artist in this art
form, Sister Westrick’s passion for
creating santos or saints/holy images began more than 15 years ago.
While serving as pastoral associate
at a parish in Colorado Springs,
Colo., Sister Westrick realized she
needed a diversion from her work.
She was given the book “Christian
Images in Hispanic New Mexico”
by William Wroth and quickly realized she had found what she was
looking for.
“The history of the saints as
seen and loved by early settlers of
New Mexico was touching and
very appealing to my spirit,” Sister
Westrick said. “I knew that I could
draw and decided that this would
be a great hobby – and would give
me something to do after work.”
She could never imagine, however, where her hobby would take
her. Major projects have been pouring in, one after the other.
Sister Westrick retired from
active ministry in May 2008, and
is currently the manager and caretaker of Congregational properties
in Cascade, Colo., while continuing
to pursue her art commissions.
“Creativity, I believe, is an expression of my soul, thus various
hobbies have always been part of
my life,” Sister Westrick said. “Being
a santera (saint maker) is an activity that fills my soul with rest, grace
and life. Being creative is a very
profound spiritual activity for me
filled with God. I’m surrounded in
the holy with Our Lady, the angels
and saints.”
“The Gloria is a very ancient
and venerable hymn in which
the Church, gathered together
in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and
entreats God the Father and the
Lamb.” (GIRM #53) The church
proposes that there are many ways
this hymn may be sung. It may
be “sung by everyone together,
or by the people alternately with
the choir, or by the choir alone.”
(GIRM #53) Of all the parts of
the Introductory Rites, the new
translation of the Gloria is the most
drastically different. Our current
translation is more of a paraphrase
of the original Latin text. With the
new translation we will pray this
prayer with greater fidelity to the
original. Interestingly, those who
know this prayer in Spanish will
notice that it parallels very closely.
The Introductory Rites
conclude with the Collect or
opening prayer. After the priest
says “Let us pray” we observe a
brief silence so that we may be
conscious of the fact that we are in
God’s presence and may formulate
our petitions mentally. (GIRM
#54) This prayer “collects” all our
individual petitions and presents
them as one. Through this prayer,
usually offered to the Father,
the character of the celebration
is expressed. (GIRM #54) The
assembly makes this prayer their
own when they answer with a
strong “Amen.”
Our “liturgical countdown”
will continue in the next issue with
catechesis on the Liturgy of the
Word.
—
Father Greg Labus serves as Coordinator of Liturgy & Worship in the
Diocese of Brownsville and is pastor
of Our Lady of Mercy in Mercedes.
the House of Studies.
“I was so nervous, but I am
happy to serve the Lord in this way
because I know the Lord sent me
here,” said Father Gomez, a native
of Colima, Mexico. “It is such an
important responsibility to guide
and to give a good example to
these young men.”
Father Gomez is one of three
priests in his family, along with
his brothers, Father Miguel
Angel Ortega, parochial vicar at
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
in Raymondville and Father
Eduardo Ortega, pastor of Sacred
Heart Church in Mercedes.
When asked about his family’s
formula for producing priests,
Father Gomez said his parents’
support and example were the
keys.
“They were very faithful to
the Church and they showed
us the way to walk in this life,”
Father Gomez said. “There was
good communication and a lot of
respect in our home. Our parents
spent time with us, real quality
time, without the television,
without distractions. We, all seven
of us (siblings), had different
journeys in life but our parents
supported us 100 percent.”
2011
CNS photo/Debbie Hill
Countdown,
There are several options for this
part of the liturgy. This general
confession can be expressed
through the praying of the
Confiteor (I confess…) or a short
dialogue invoking God’s mercy
or a series of tropes that include
the Kyrie eleison (Lord, have
mercy). The new translation of
the Confiteor will be noticeably
different. My generation and
older will recognize the striking
of the breast three times in sorrow
for our sins when we will say …
through my fault, through my
fault, through my most grievous
fault. The Kyrie follows the Act of
Penitence.
The Greater Doxology, that is
the Gloria, then is sung or recited.
Seminarians,
The seminarians of the
Diocese of Brownsville attend
seminaries such as the Pontifical
College Josephinum in Columbus,
Ohio; Mundelein Seminary in
Mundelein, Ill.; Assumption
Seminary in San Antonio and
Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving,
Texas, among others.
Father Gomez, who was
ordained three years ago, said he
was surprised when Bishop Daniel
E. Flores and the Presbyteral
Council appointed him director of
Programming TV/Radio Schedule
by
Msgr. Juan Nicolau, PhD., STL
Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, McAllen
Every Sunday
6 a.m. Misa Televisada - Telemundo Ch. 40
9 a.m. Las Verdades – 38.3 KMBH Digital
1 p.m. Misa en la Radio - 1530 AM KGBT
Every Wednesday
7 p.m. Las Verdades - 38.3 KMBH Digital
Every Saturday
6:30 a.m. Renovación Espiritual - Telemundo Ch. 40
Column every Sunday in El Nuevo Heraldo and El Mañana
Mary and Joseph kneel at the crib of the infant Christ in this detail of an icon from the
Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
Domestic
Church,
table to table : from the Domestic
Church family table to the Table of
the Lord and back.
Recently, we celebrated Holy
Family Sunday where we are
reminded that we have the Holy
Family as our model. Mary who
gave her whole hearted “yes” in the
Magnificat is a great role model
for us women as wives and/or
Advocate,
Psalmist: “I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not
restrain my lips, as you, O LORD,
know (Ps 40:10).”
Our response is: “Here am I,
Lord; I come to do your will (Ps 40:
Youth Ministry,
the Vineyard of the Lord: A Resource for Guiding the Development of Lay Ecclesial Ministry by
the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops as the framework for designing a shared formation vision which will integrate
the four elements of formation
(human, spiritual, intellectual and
pastoral).
mothers. We are called to say “yes”
in all our roles of disciplining,
cleaning, listening, guiding, supporting, redirecting, playing with
and praying for our family. Joseph
is a great model of an obedient son
and nurturing father. And Jesus
so clearly teaches us through the
Pascal Mystery; through his suffering, death, and resurrection that
as families, we too live that Pascal
Mystery daily, when we die to our
own self centeredness and live to
serve one another especially in our
family.
8a and 9a).”
Make it your goal to do God’s
will by announcing God’s justice
to your legislators in the Texas assembly. We pray that achieving this
goal will be only a stepping stone
for you in a life of advocacy and
unrestrained lips on behalf of all
God’s children.
More information on the plans
of the Diocesan Institute will be
offered through The Valley Catholic as well as the Diocesan website:
(www.cdob.org). The San Juan
Diego Diocesan Ministry Institute
is located at the Catholic Pastoral
Center in San Juan, Texas.
—
Deacon Luis Zuniga serves as
Director for the Office of Pastoral
Planning and the San Juan Diego
Ministry Institute in the Diocese of
Brownsville.
DIOCESE
Amando Peña Jr.
Antonio Arteaga
Armandin Villarreal
Catarino Villanueva III
Crawford Higgins
15
David Espinoza
CLASS OF 2010
Rodolfo Sepulveda
Francisco R. Flores
Reynaldo Flores
Gerardo Aguilar
Raymond Thomas
Gerardo J. Rosa
Ramiro Davila
Graciano A. Rodriguez
Diaconate Ordination
Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine
December 18, 2010
R. Mitchell Chavez
Silvestre J. Garcia
Paul Escobar
Oscar Garcia
Gilbert Guardiola
Nicolas Trujillo
Luis Zuñiga
Jose Gonzalez
Javier A. Garcia
16
DIOCESE
Amando Peña
Our Lady of Refuge, Roma
Date of Birth: February 8, 1960
Wife: Dalinda Peña
Children: 3
Grandchildren: 2
Profession: Businessman/ Rancher
Hobbies/Organizations:
Bass fishing
Antonio
Martin
Arteaga
San Martin de
Porres, Alton
Favorite Saint & Why?
Saint Joseph is my favorite saint. Saint Joseph
was obedient, he worked hard, and he was a devoted husband and father. He quietly performed
his ministry without calling attention to himself.
Tell us about your calling/journey to become
a permanent deacon?
God called me over a forty year span. I knew
since childhood that God had a mission for me. I
2011
still don’t know where God will lead me but I will
try to remain obedient to God’s will.
What was the most challenging part of the fouryear preparation for becoming a deacon?
During four year formation it was a challenge for
me to manage my time between my family, business demands, and formation tasks and studies.
Ordination Mass
Every moment has a meaning
Date of Birth: June 23, 1963
Wife: Karina Arteaga
Children: Karina Margarita (21 yrs.), Angelica
(19 yrs.), Victoria (17 yrs.)
Profession: Certified Financial Planner /
Financial Advisor
I like to read and spend time with my family
and friends. Sometimes I play golf and chess.
San Martin de Porres. My mother told me that
when I was about to die at birth she prayed to
San Martin for me and promised him that if I
lived, she would name me after him. I survived
and that is why my middle name is Martin.
All my friends and family call me Martin, not
Antonio. I prefer to be called Martin too.
Tell us about your calling/journey to become a permanent deacon?
I have always been close to the Church.
When I was a child, I use to travel by city bus
in Monterrey, Mexico, to the closest parish to
home to help as an altar server. I participated
in many different ministries throughout my
life and attended different retreats. It was not
until I met a group of missionary priests from
CICM in Alton that I realized that if they left
their country, their families, their culture to
evangelize and bring the Word of God to other
people across the world without even knowing
us, I have no excuse to try to help my own
community. They are an inspiration to me and
one of the experiences that placed me on this
journey.
Photos by Cesar Riojas, The Valley Catholic
Here Bishop Daniel E. Flores lays hands upon the head of the ordinand, and prays “Therefore, Father, through Jesus Christ your Son, give your Holy Spirit to
(Candidate Name); fill him with grace and power, and make him a deacon in your Church.”
A promise
of obedience
What was the most challenging part of
the four-year preparation for becoming a
deacon?
Balancing work, family life and studying for
classes was always a challenge. But with
help of the Holy Spirit we managed it. A lot
of things happened during those four years:
I lost my job due to the economy, my youngest brother was killed in Mexico, my oldest
daughter got married, etc. I truly believe that
only because of the Grace of God I made it to
this day.
Armandin Villarreal
Each candidate approached the bishop
and promised obedience to him and his
successors.
San Martin de Porres Church, Alton
My hobbies run from working around the house
to spending as much time as possible with my
family and grandchildren.
Date of Birth: July 3, 1955
Wife: Ernestina Villarreal
Children: 3
Granchildren: 3
Profession: Bookkeeping at Lone Star National
Bank
My favorite saint is San Francisco de Asis
because of his way of life and how he sacrificed
himself for the well being of others.
a permanent deacon?
Upon my conversion to the Church God revealed
the suffering of his people and this is one of
the main reasons that inspired me to become a
deacon.
What was the most challenging part of the
four-year preparation for becoming a deacon?
The most challenging part of the four-year preparation for becoming a deacon would most definitely be my difficulty with the English language.
DIOCESE
Catarino Villanueva III
Our Lady of the Assumption, Harlingen
Date of Birth: November 10, 1961
Wife: Rosalva Villanueva
Children: 4
Grandchildren: 6
Profession: Our Lady of the Assumption
Honey – Do professional and collecting Eagles,
3rd degree Knight of Columbus and an Oblate of
Saint Benedict.
I have several Saints that I can call to mind,
Saints’ Anthony, Jude, Therese of Avila, Maximillion Kolbe and a number of others, but number
one would be St. Benedict…the reason I favor
this Saint most of all is because I admire his life
and he was the founder of Monastic Life and the
Monastic Rule or the Rule of Saint Benedict. A
Rule of Life that may also be adapted to our own
public life.
Tell us about your calling/journey to become a
permanent deacon?
My journey to becoming a permanent deacon
began of all places in Afghanistan. I was stationed
in Ghazni Afghanistan for one year in the United
States Army from 2005 to 2006. This is where
I met Deacon Paul from Round Rock, Texas.
17
He instructed me on the life of a deacon, being
a servant of the Lord and the people, and daily
prayer for the people of the world through he
Liturgy of the Hours, which we must pray morning
and evening.
I believe the most challenging part was transitioning from one class to another. Since we were
meeting every other Saturday and most classes
were four Saturday’s long (or two months), during
the week of class we were already getting our
reading/homework assignment for the next class
while we were still preparing for our final examination for our current class, so this transition was
a little stressful.
Crawford
A. Higgins
Presenting the Gospel book
Holy
Spirit,
McAllen
Date of Birth: December 31, 1958
Wife: Teresa L. Higgins
Children: 5
Grandchildren: 5, (#6 on the way)
Profession: Businessman
Knights of Columbus, Youth Group, Board
member- San Juan Nursing Home;
Hobbies- Hunting, Fishing, Carpentry
Padre Pio- He exemplifies what a true servant
of the Lord is who gave of himself completely
for the greater good.
Photos by Cesar Riojas/The Valley Catholic
Bishop Daniel E. Flores presented each new deacon with the Book of Gospels. During his homily, the bishop said, “The first sign that I think we should meditate
upon briefly this morning that indicates what gift God gives you in the ordination is the sign of my handing you the Gospel book. Hombres del Evangelio, principalmente. Teach what you read, believe what you read, you’re called to be a man of the Gospel — that is perhaps the principal sign after the Imposition of Hands of
the meaning of your life. Mediate the Gospel daily, not just to prepare for a homily but as I mentioned to you on the retreat, your most important homilies are the
ones you are giving when you are not at the pulpit and people are asking you to give testimony to your faith by the way you live and by the way you speak. The Gospel
should be the most important part of how you think. Think the words of Jesus. Think the heart of Jesus. Let His words be so much a part of you because you read
them so frequently. They will be the natural response you give to life, in the good times and the bad.”
After making his promise of obedience, deacon candidate Crawford Higgins prepares for the vesting. The candidates were vested with
the stole and dalmatic, assisted by a priest and deacon. The vestments, which signify the completion of their transformation, covered
the simple white albs they wore at the beginning of the Mass.
My call to serve others started many years ago
through different organizations and events.
Today I look at this as “On the job training” for
a call to serve the people of God.
deacon?
Being able to balance family life, work, church
responsibilities and academic requirements
were most challenging.
18
DIOCESE
David Espinoza
and love My mother taught me how to pray and
have a conversation with Jesus. As an adult in
dark times, I often am able to focus on Jesus by
remembering that moment with my mother and
transferring that moment into the arms of the
Blessed Mother. I allow myself to be held by the
Blessed Mother’s arms (the Rosary) while I have
a conversation with Jesus.
Holy Spirit, McAllen
Date of Birth: October 20, 1954
Wife: Toni Espinoza
Children: 2
Profession: Salesman
Family, Ministry
Mary – one of my oldest and dearest memories
is learning to pray the Our Father in the arms
of my mother with much patience, compassion
»Did you
know?
a permanent deacon?
The smartest person in the world that I know is
my wife. As the subject of the Diaconate came up
she said, “Trust God, if he wants you to become
a Deacon, he will show you the way and he will
open the doors for it to happen?” As we encountered each door (challenge), it became obvious
that there were no obstacles but instead only
opportunities to grow in faith and love in our Lord,
Jesus Christ.
The greatest challenge was balancing family,
work, existing ministry responsibilities with the
requirements of the formation program. However,
a very good gift came from the challenge. The
bond that developed between the 23 candidates
as we journeyed together can only be described
as “a gift from God”.
They come to serve
14 percent of permanent deacons in the U.S. are Hispanic
or Latino
Source: Center for Applied
Research in the Apostolate
(CARA) at Georgetown University
“At the heart of the Ordination
of a deacon or a priest is the
invocation of the Holy Spirit and
the prayer of consecration…It
is a work of God as he gives the
gift that changes a man on the
inside to prepare him for the
work that Gods has in store in
the future.”
-Bishop Daniel E. Flores
Ordination Mass Homily
Dec. 18, 2010
The Archdiocese of Chicago
has the most permanent deacons in the U.S. with 646
Congratulations!
¡Felicidades!
Deacon Javier Garcia, our newly ordained deacon.
May
2011
your ministry be guided by a spirit of faithfulness and hope and may our Heavenly Father continue to bless you and your fam-
Congratulations!
ily.
¡Felicidades!
Deacon Javier Garcia,
our newly ordained deacon
May your ministry be guided by a spirit of faithfulness
and hope and may our Heavenly Father continue to
bless you and your family.
St. Luke
Catholic Church
Msgr. Heberto M. Diaz, Jr., Pastor
2800 Rockwell Drive Phone: 956-541-1480
Brownsville, TX 78521 Fax: 956-542-8043
Website: www.stlukecc.org
DIOCESE
Francisco R. Flores
American Water Works Association, Cursillista
Saint Lawrence. His courage in standing up for
the poor and marginalized, he was also martyred
for his love of his faith.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mission
Date of Birth: October 6, 1955
Wife: Edna Flores
Children: 3, Mario, Marisela and Alejandro
Grandchildren: 4, Xavian, Noah , Anaya and
Daniel.
19
servant.
Finding quality time for work, family and prayer,
then you discover time for prayer, family and
work.
a permanent deacon?
All through our Christian history, God has called
on those that least expected to be called. God
has a plan and I am his humble and obedient
Profession: Water Utility General Manager.
No longer laymen
Gerardo
Aguilar
St. Mary,
Santa Rosa
Date of Birth: August 21, 1956
Wife: Rosa M. Aguilar
Children: 3
Grandchildren: 3
Profession: Truck driver for HEB Transportation in Weslaco.
RCIA, Baptismal Catechist, Coordinator of
Altar Servers, and the grupo de hombres de
John Paul II.
St. Pius X because he is my patron saint.
Deacons, like priests and bishops, belong to the clergy. They are ordained ministers of the Church.
»Did you
know?
There are 16,649 permanent
deacons in the U.S.
Source: USCCB
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My calling started with a sermon, which affected me personally. It was an enlightening
experience, which helped me strengthen my
Catholic faith.
deacon?
My challenge was that after 33 years out
of high school, I had to familiarize myself in
making time to develop good study habits.
This also includes working a full time job and
devoting time for my family.
Friends for life
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Deacon Amando Peña of Our Lady of Refuge Church in Roma, left, and Deacon Rodolfo
Sepulveda of St. Joseph the Worker Church in McAllen were all smiles before the
Ordination Mass on Dec. 18. The new deacons built a network of friendship and support
through the four-year diaconate formation program.
20
DIOCESE
Gerardo J. Rosa
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Date of Birth: March 2, 1966
Wife: Maria Claudia Rosa
Children: 3, Gerardo Jr., Lee, Demilee
Profession: Office Assistant
I enjoy bay and deep sea fishing. A little bit of
hunting and summertime camping.
Saint Lawrence, I was deeply impressed with his
life and humility. He was a champion of the poor,
and also his devotion to the church.
a permanent deacon?
Prior to being self-employed I was a funeral
director for 15 years, and in the course of my job
I frequently spoke and engaged with permanent
deacons. I was always moved by their demeanor
to the point of asking how does one apply to the
Diaconate. I met none of the criteria back then.
The opportunity came again for me and this time
I did meet the basic requirements and my wife
and I prayed about it and here I am.
2011
This past four years was challenging for me
because there were difficult obstacles in my life.
I was self-employed and struggling with my business and taking care and providing for my family,
and also studying for this program; I learned to
maintain balance with my personal life (wife and
kids) and the Deacon formation program. I know
now that the challenging part was when my ministry in my parish went public, it was quite unnerving. Being a life-long member of the community
people and friends came by to ask if it was really
me, because they could not believe what they
heard or saw.
Prayer before ordination
Gilbert
Guardiola
Jr.
San Martin
de Porres
Weslaco
Date of Birth: April 17,1964
Wife: Nora Molina Guardiola
Children: 1, Gilbert Guardiola III (Trey)
Profession: Campus Technology Coordinator/Beatriz Garza Middle School at W.I.S.D.
Collecting Coca Cola products is a past time
hobby as well as watching classic movies.
Currently, I am involved with the following
organization: A.T.P.E. Representative.
Above: Deacon candidates assembled before the altar
as Bishop Flores leads the prayer before ordination.
Left: A senior deacon outfits the newly-ordained Deacon Gerardo Rosa of Sacred Heart Church in Elsa with
a stole, which is worn on the left shoulder and angled
across the chest.
San Martin de Porres is my favorite Saint
because as a child I was called by my grandmother “my little Martinsito” and my curiousity
about this nickname made me learn more
about this saint. Since then I have become
closer to San Martin de Porres.
One Sunday after Mass I picked up the
church bulletin and read the announcement
about the diaconate program being started
and my curiosity made me ponder the announcement. This made me call to seek for
more information. The response on the other
end was “what took you so long?” So that was
the beginning of my journey in becoming a
permanent deacon.
deacon?
The most challenging part was managing my
time between family, work and the diaconate
program. I was not able to spend a lot of time
on weekends with my family, friends, parents,
brother and sisters.
»Did you
know?
There are 36,539 permanent
deacons worldwide
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Sacred Heart Church-Elsa, Texas
DIOCESE
Graciano A. Rodriguez
St. John the Baptist Parish, San Juan
Date of Birth: November 30, 1961
Profession: Elementary Education Teacher
Serving our Lord and His people, listen to music
of all genres and watching, super hero movies.
Saint Andrew the Apostle because I was born
on St. Andrew’s Day and Saint Francis of Assisi
because I love nature, animals and working with
the poor.
a permanent deacon?
I have always felt a calling to ministry and even
tried the seminary for three years. Even though
I did not finish the seminary Our Lord kept calling
21
me and this was the direction that He led me to.
The most challenging part of my Diaconate
preparation was preparing for both my Diaconate
classes and my classes for my students at work
but with God’s help I was able to accomplish
everything. Praise God.
Answering the call to the permanent diaconate
Javier A.
Garcia
St. Luke
Catholic
Church,
Brownsville
Date of Birth: April 6, 1957
Wife: Delia G. Garcia
Children: 2 daughters, Rebecca Denise Garcia
and Amanda Leticia Garcia
Profession: CMV Inspector for the Texas
Department of Public Safety.
Golfing and any outdoor activities.
St. Francis of Assisi. Quoted a saying that I
adhere to daily “preach the Gospel daily, and
if you absolutely need to use words”.
Above: Deacon Jose Gonzalez
of St. Francis Xavier Church
in La Feria, left, and Deacon
Silvestre Garcia of St. Joseph
Church in Edinburg processed
into the Basilica of Our Lady of
San Juan del Valle - National
Shrine for the Ordination Mass
on Dec. 18.
Left: A senior deacon assisted
the newly-ordained Deacon
Graciano A. Rodriguez of St.
John the Baptist Church in
San Juan.
In answering the call to the diaconate I
thought it would be a personal journey I would
be under taking. Little did I know that it would
involve the prayers and good intentions of not
only my parish, but also family, friends and
loved ones. The journey was not only mine to
undertake; it would also involve everyone who
supported me during my formation.
deacon?
Studying and more studying. After being out of
the academic environment for 30 years it was
hard to reacquire the proper study habits and
time management skills required to be successful in all of our formation classes.
»Did you know?
All but one U.S. Diocese – Salina, Kan. –
now have permanent deacons.
Source: Center for Applied Research in
the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown
University
Jose G. Gonzalez
St. Francis Xavier, La Feria
Date of Birth: December 9
Wife: Yolanda S. Gonzalez
Children: +Marcos Orlando
Grandchildren: 1, Tristan Marc
Profession: Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Painting, writing, exercising and reading
San Juan Diego patron saint and for his humility
a permanent deacon?
While serving as an ACTS team director, I
was approached by my priest, who posed the
question. He said I would have to go home and
speak to your wife because the deadline was in
four days. God sends his messengers and we
respond in faith, hope, and love.
The most challenging was taking up the cross
daily and going into the desert to meet Him in the
quiet while the chaos of the world’s wind circled
around.
22
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic - January 2011
Luis Zuñiga
Mary, Mother of the Church, Brownsville
Date of Birth: April 15, 1965
Family: One of four brothers; Father Carlos
Zuniga, Martin Magallan and Cesar Magallan
Wife: Carmen Perez
Children: 2, Danielle Zuniga (17 years old), Luis
Arturo Zuniga (12 years old)
Profession: Director of Pastoral Planning and
San Juan Diego Ministry Institute, Diocese of
Brownsville.
Nicolas
E. Trujillo
MD
I enjoy reading, going to the movies, journaling,
calligraphy, gardening (when I have time) and
walking in the evenings with Carmen, Danielle
and Luis Arturo.
I am a School Council member for St. Luke
Catholic School and serve as well on the Board
for Cunningham Apartments in Brownsville.
Saint Francis of Assisi has always been my
favorite saint because he was a simple man who
preached the gospel by his actions.
permanent deacon?
My calling began when I was an altar boy, I felt
the Lord calling me to serve him and his Church.
I feel privileged that I can now serve God as a
deacon in the Church and still be able to be a
husband and a dad. It is powerful to be able to
respond: “Speak Lord, your servant is listening”
The most challenging was keeping up with all
the reading and assignments throughout the four
years of study, looking back it has been well worth
it, not to mention the drives from Brownsville to
San Juan early in the mornings and then back in
the late afternoons.
Ministers of the Word, Sacrament and charity
Our Lady of
San Juan,
Basílica,
San Juan
Date of Birth: July 6, 1959
Wife: Rut
Children: 5
Profession: Medical Doctor / Pediatrician
Outdoors, target shooting, hunting.
The “Little Flower” due to the simplicity and
beauty of her Spirituality.
You feel the call on your heart and then you
start discerning and looking for possibilities.
When the program re-opened in the Valley
that was a seal of confirmation.
deacon?
To accommodate my schedule as a physician with my academicals obligations during
Diaconate formation.
Deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach, and teach in the name of the Church. As ministers of Sacrament, deacons baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct funeral services. As ministers of Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying and meeting the needs of others.
Congratulations
Deacon Amando Peña, Jr.
from
Our Lady of Refuge Church, Roma
and its Missions Holy Family, Holy Trinity,
St. Jude & St. Joseph and Lamb of God
December 18, 2010
Deacon candidates wait for their big moment before the start of the Ordination Mass.
DIOCESE
Oscar Garcia
St. Luke Catholic Church, Brownsville
Date of Birth: October 22,1964
Wife: Martha S. Garcia
Children: 3, Amanda, Bianca, Oscar Jr.
Grandchildren: 1, Krisalynn Rayne
Profession: Print shop Warehouse Clerk
St. Francis of Assisi is my favorite saint. He left
everything to serve the poor. His prayer “Make
me an instrument of your peace” is a model for
me to follow. He was very in love with our Lord,
just as I am.
permanent deacon?
My calling came in a retreat in Louisiana called
Steubenville South, in the exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament. Since then I have been
23
following that calling, and it has led me to my
ordination, along with prayers of the community.
Praise God!
The most challenging part for me was to organize
myself and getting the paperwork together for
class. Also, the sacrifice of not being with my
family and friends at times, but I know God loves
sacrifice. Phil. 4:13 says I can do everything
through God who strengthens me.
The deacon elevates the chalice
Paul
Escobar
St. Anthony,
Harlingen
Date of Birth: January14, 1964
Wife: Maria G. (Lupita)
Profession:Computer Programmer/Analyst.
Sing and play guitar
Padre Pio. Obedient to God and His Church.
God has given me so much, and it’s time for
me to give back to him.
Photos by Cesar Riojas/The Valley Catholic
Deacons are ministers of the chalice used at Mass which holds the precious Blood of Christ. Assisting Bishop Daniel E. Flores is newly ordained Deacon Mitch
Chavez.
deacon?
For me, being blind, the most challenging part
of the Diaconate is being on the altar. It’s still
a challenge.
Top: Senior deacons congratulate the newly ordained deacons.
Left: Paul Escobar and Catarino Villanueva III enter in procession with other deacon
candidates for the Ordination Mass on Dec. 18 at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del
Valle-National Shrine.
R. Mitch Chavez
San Cristóbal Magallanes y
Compañeros - Mission
Profession: Educator/Principal
Traveling to religious sites and going on pilgrimages. District Deputy – Knights of Columbus, 4th
degree member as well
St. Peter – rock; anyone who denies Jesus (3
times) and makes up for it is a real person and a
hero to me.
St. John Bosco – a true minister to the youth; a
great role model
permanent deacon?
I have a passion to serve the others, especially
my Brothers and Sisters in Christ- the faithful of
the Diocese of Brownsville and to proclaim and
preach the Good News of salvation. I love to
teach and work with youth and young adults and I
truly look forward to this ministry.
Time management
24
DIOCESE
Ramiro Davila
St Joseph’s Church, Edinburg
Date of Birth: September 19, 1954
Wife: Lupita
Children: 3
Profession:Education Diagnostician with McAllen
I.S.D.
Ray
Tomas
Reading, geneology, collecting old soda bottles
from the valley and playing guitar.
Padre Pio. He is a recent saint who possed the
stigmetas on his hands and was sought for his
pastoral care in the confessional.
permanent deacon?
I think the most difficult part was making the decision to apply and then overcoming the feeling of
unworthiness as we went through the program.
Juggling the assignments, home life and my job.
One by one
Our Lady
of Sorrows
Church,
McAllen
Wife: Sandra
Children: 2 , Laura Alejandra and Raymond Luis
Profession: Lawyer with Kittleman, Thomas &
Gonzales, LLP, McAllen.
Gospa Records, a Catholic record label and
recording studio dedicated to helping artists
spread the Gospel through inspiring music,
video and television programming.
Vannie Cook Children’s Cancer Foundation,
a non-profit dedicated to ensuring that local
children who suffer from cancer and blood
diseases receive the best care and treatment
regardless of ability to pay.
Cooking, Ranching, fishing and the outdoors.
This is hard. I love St. Francis because he was
a deacon who taught by example more than by
word. I love St. Thomas Aquinas because he
taught us to find truth through reason and faith.
But if I am forced to choose a favorite saint, it
would be St. Thomas More, because he is proof
that a lawyer can become a great saint!
Cesar Riojas/The Valley Catholic
Deacon candidates wait in line for the bishop’s imposition of hands, which signifies ordination.
Acolyte Installation
a permanent deacon?
My journey was far from straight, but a couple
of events caused me to re-evaluate where I was
headed. The first was the loss of our second
child, an experience which drew our family
closer to God. Then, another lawyer began to
challenge the basic tenets of our faith. Because I was spiritually ignorant, I was unable to
defend. So I started studying and researching,
and the more I learned, the more I fell in love
with the Catholic Church.
Courtesy Photo
Deacon candidates were
installed by then Bishop
Raymundo J. Peña as
acolytes on Jan. 9, 2010
during a Mass at the
Immaculate Conception
Cathedral in Brownsville.
It’s tough to be an active courtroom lawyer and
a good father and have time for the formation
program. But many of my fellow candidates
had challenges greater than mine. Their
strength and the support of my family and parish inspired me to continue.
Reynaldo I. Flores
Holy Spirit Parish, McAllen
Date of Birth: January 23, 1957
Wife: Anna Maria
Children: 2, Reynaldo Jr. and Matthew
Profession: Chaplain.
Associate to: Sisters of Incarnate Word and
Blessed Sacrament, Coat of Color Health Ministry
Association, Knights of Columbus, St. Michael
Spiritual Warfare Academy, St. Padre Pio Center
for Deliverance Counseling, San Juan Diego
Ministry Institute and C.P.S.P. Counseling.
Padre Pio is my favorite saint because he patiently waited for me to become his friend. I love
his courage and sufferings He attained to help
those that are afflicted. He helps me in times of
crisis by encouraging others to deepen their faith,
and prayers bringing peace in their sufferings.
permanent deacon?
It was quite a surprise for me. I never would have
expected to be called to become a deacon. At
the moment of my calling my heart was filled with
love for the ministry without my knowledge of
what it consisted of. My love grew even greater
as I found out that the life of a deacon is one of
service, it is more of an identity than one of title.
Letting go and focusing on the will of God was my
main goal, and still is today.
After getting over the part of not being worthy, it
was apparent for me that returning to intensive
studying would be a great challenge.
DIOCESE
Rodolfo Sepulveda
St. Joseph the Worker, McAllen
Date of Birth: January 23, 1956
Wife: Maria de Jesus
Children: 2, 1 daughter and 1 adopted son
Grandchildren: 3 in heaven and 2 living
Profession: Parts department coordinator of
Hobart South Texas.
25
Reading, playing guitar, 4th degree Knights of
Columbus Council 13876 out of San Cristobal
Magallanes and Companions in South Mission,
Candidate Benedictine Oblate.
I feel God has always been close to me in varying
degrees. In the last 20 years, though, I realize
through God’s grace and at the suggestions of a
couple of people to look into becoming a deacon,
I did just that. And so here I am. Thank God.
St. Joseph, model of virtue and builder of faith,
and St. Benedict, prayer and work to combat the
evil one.
The most challenging for me were the great
classes on the making of Catholic Theology and
Philosophy. I had to make time to study and that
takes discipline
permanent deacon?
Newly ordained
Silvestre
J. Garcia
St. Joseph
Church,
Edinburg
Wife: Lucille Ramirez Garcia
Children: 3, Teresa Marie (9yrs.), Carolina Eva
(7yrs.), and Anna Lucille(3yrs.)
Profession: PE/Athletic Coach at St. Joseph’s
Catholic School Edinburg
My first love is music, I’ve been playing the guitar as a music minister for most of my life. I am
a member of the “Knights of Columbus” and a
special group for men called “That Man is You”.
The Deacon Class of 2010 joined Bishop Daniel E. Flores on the front steps of the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-Nationl Shrine following the ordination Mass on Dec. 18, 2010.
St. Joseph has been the most influential and
most important Saint in my life. I was named
after St. Joseph by the Sisters of Mercy in the
Brownsville Hospital because of a difficult and
risky pregnancy my mother went through. God
has also placed me to attend school as well
as to serve and teach at St. Joseph for some
reason.
a permanent deacon?
I’m just following the footsteps of my father, who
was a deacon, and who had passed away 4 yrs
ago. Actually, I was discerning long before he
started his diaconate preparation. I searched
and prayed about the priesthood back when
I was a 7th and 8th grader. In time, God has
given me different opportunities to serve his
Church in various ways. I had no idea that he
was preparing me to serve in the sacramental
life of the church.
The staff and parish of
OUR LADY OF MERCY
MERCEDES
Congratulates
the new permanent
deacons of our diocese
Ray Thomas and Rodolfo Sepulveda enter in procession as deacon candidates at the start of the Ordination Mass on Dec. 18 at the Basilica of
Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine.
I would have to say it was the time sacrificed
away from my young family. I could not have
lived through it without the support of my beautiful wife Lucy, as well as my supportive Mom
and wonderful in-laws. Also, the prayers of so
many family and friends throughout the years of
preparation.
»Did you know?
REV. GREGORY T. LABUS, Pastor
DEACON ROBERTO CANTU
2 percent of permanent deacons in the
U.S. have never been married
Source: Center for Applied Research in
the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown
University
26
DIOCESE
On retreat in Rome
The Diaconate candidates traveled to Rome and the Vatican for a retreat in 2007.
Congratulations!
Class of 2010
San Juan Diego Ministry Institute
for lay leadership formation
congratulates the newly ordained
permanent deacons
For more information or to register call (956)784-5011 or (956)784-5059
DIOCESE
» Calendar of Events
Recommended by SISTER MAUREEN CROSBY, SSD
Coordinator of the Media Resource Center - Diocese of Brownsville
»Worth Watching
The Story of
the Other Wise
Man
Format: VHS
Producer: David Benware
Production: Brownlow Publishing (1989)
Length: 30 minutes
A child’s tale, based on the book “The
Story of the Other Wise Man” by Henry
Van Dyke. This one is an oldie but a
goodie. It reminds children that the wise
man and the shepherds were the very
first evangelists, taking the message of
Jesus back to their respective, faraway
villages.
Cherish Life,
life.
“This will be an opportunity
for Catholics and all people of
good will to witness to the community the need to deepen our
respect for life in our society,”
Father Labus said. “In particular, on this anniversary of Roe v.
Wade, the Rosary and the Mass
will be offered for an end to the
horrendous practice of killing
unborn children who are the
most defenseless members of
our society. Abortion denies
these children their right to
life. Many have been deceived
by pro-abortion forces with the
argument that this is about a
woman’s right to choose. Murder is never a choice for anyone
— men or women.”
Catholics in the Brownsville
Diocese and all Valley residents
took a prayerful stand against
abortion by gathering on the
grounds of the Basilica of Our
Lady of San Juan del Valle in San
Juan on Jan. 16 to pray for an end
to abortion.
A special Eucharistic Procession, Living Rosary, and “Cherish Life” Mass celebrated by
Bishop Daniel E. Flores declared
support of all life, including unborn children and their mothers.
John Covell, event coordinator for the Pro-Life Apostolate
Deacons,
Aguilar, Martin Arteaga, Mitch
Chavez, Ramiro Davila, Paul Escobar, David Espinoza, Francisco
Flores, Reynaldo Flores, Javier
Garcia, Oscar Garcia, Silvestre
»From the Bookshelf
The Fourth
Wise Man
Format: VHS/DVD
Starring: Martin Sheen, Alan Arkin
Director: Michael Ray Rhodes
Production: Paulist Productions (1985)
Length: 72 minutes
Like the other three, well-known magi,
Artaban (Martin Sheen) has a strong pull
to follow the bright star to the birthplace of
the newborn King. Artaban sets off on the
journey to join the caravan of the other
three wise men, carrying precious jewels
to give to the baby Messiah. Artaban and
his companions miss the caravan but a
resolute Artaban continues to search for
the Messiah. Will Artaban finally meet
Jesus?
noted, “Each year, hundreds of
people participate in this March
for Life in the Valley as they join
with hundreds of thousands nationwide who pray on the anniversary of the Jan. 22, 1973,
Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court
decision that legalized abortion
through all nine months of pregnancy. This event is a prayerful
effort to end the plague of abortion.”
Since 1973 more than 50 million preborn babies have died
by abortion – including partial
birth abortion. Statistics show
approximately 2500 abortions
are performed in the Rio Grande
Valley yearly.
Tens of thousands of prolifers from all over the United
States are expected to travel to
the nation’s capital for events
marking the Jan. 22 anniversary
of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973
Roe v. Wade decision legalizing
abortion.
The same day the high court
ruled on the Roe case, it also
handed down the companion
decision Doe v. Bolton. Together,
Roe and Doe defined abortion as
a constitutional right and overturned most state laws banning
the procedure.
This year’s March for Life in
Washington will be Jan. 24. The
theme is: “Thou shalt protect the
equal right to life of each innocent born and pre-born human
in existence at fertilization -- no
exception, no compromise.”
Garcia, Jose Gonzalez, Gilbert
Guardiola, Crawford Higgins,
Amando Peña, Rudy Sepulveda,
Graciano Rodriguez, Gerardo
Rosa, Ray Thomas, Nicolas
Trujillo, Catarino Villanueva,
Armandin Villarreal and Luis
Zuniga.
Bishop Emeritus Raymundo J. Peña’s Calendar
Jan. 3-7
Jan. 9
12:30 p.m.
Jan. 15 10 a.m.
Jan. 26- Feb.
Texas Bishops’ Retreat
Feast of El Santo Nino
Weslaco
Feast of El Santo Nino
McAllen
Neocat Convivence at Domus Galilaeae
On going:
Mass at St. Joseph Chapel of Perpetual Adoration, 727 Bowie St., Alamo
8 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays
4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays
Breaking Down
the Wall of
Anger
What’s
Happening to
Home?
Balancing Work,
Life and Refuge
in the Information
Age
Author: Esther Williams, M.Ed. LPC
Publisher: Youthlight Inc. (April 2001)
Length: 256 pages, paperback
Author: Maggie Johnson
Publisher: Ave Maria Press (2002)
Length: 192 pages, hardcover
Children, like everyone else, get
angry at times. This book provides
solutions for addressing anger in
students grades 5 to 8. It provides
practical advice for school teachers,
catechists, caregivers and parents to
teach these youths new and healthy
ways to deal with their anger. The
topics are divided into three sections:
Anger Educational Model, Anger
Skills, and Interpersonal Skills.
For some of us, even when we
are home with our families, we are
one beep away from work thanks
to computers, 4G cell phones, the
iPad and the like. We literally carry
our work with us everywhere we go.
Thanks to technology, work, family
and communication have been forever
altered. This book offers advice on
how to respond to these changes in a
positive way.
January
1 Mary, Mother of God
6 Epiphany
7-9 Catholic Engaged Encounter
(Family Life Office)
9-15
»January listings
9. BULLYING, THE INTERNET AND
YOU: Indicated in title: Grades 5-9
DVD
10. FLYIN’ RYAN: 12-year-old Ryan
Maguire is moving again…this time
with his crazy Aunt Rita. But it’s
always the same story…strange town,
no friends, and the local bully doesn’t
like him. But Ryan’s luck is about to
change… PG VHS
AUDIO BOOKS
1. THE LAST SECRET OF FATIMA:
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. My
Conversations with Sister Lucia. The
Apparitions of Mary, the mother of
Christ, to three children in Fatima,
Portugal, in 1917 has long fascinated
Roman Catholics and others intrigued
by the vision’s prophetic messages,
particularly the so-called “Third
Secret.” Adults 5 cds
2. HISTORY OF WOMEN
RELIGIOUS IN THE UNITED
STATES: Margaret Susan Thompson,
Ph.D. Explore the remarkable
personal stories and historic impact
of women religious in the United
States. Based on extensive research
and untold numbers of interviews,
Professor Thompson illuminates this
vital history. Adults 6 cds
3. THE CHRISTIAN MYSTICS AND
WHAT THEY TELL US OF GOD: Fr.
Murray Bodo, O.F.M., Ph.D – Mary,
the First Christian Mystic, Francis of
Assisi, The Mirror of Christ, Julian of
Norwich, Anchoress and Visionary of
God’s Goodness, Jacopone da Todi,
Poet of the Madness of God and
others. Adults 4 cds
4. BECOMING THE EUCHARIST WE
CELEBRATE: Fr. Dan Crosby, O.F.M.
Cap., L.Th. Need for conversion to
full meaning of Eucharist, Fullness
revealed in Early Church Fathers and
Doctors, Liturgy as Action and the
Amen of the Entire People of God,
Take, Bless: the first two steps to
becoming Eucharist, Be Broken, the
3rd step toward becoming Eucharist…
Adults
4 cds.
5. ADAM, GOD’S BELOVED: Henri
J.M. Nouwen- “I am a witness to
Adam’s truth. I know that I couldn’t
have told Adam’s story if I hadn’t
known Jesus’ story Jesus’ story gave
me eyes to seen and ears to hear the
story of Adam’s life and death.”
Henri Nouwen High School/Adults
3 cds.
National Vocations
Awareness Week
(Office of Catechesis)
13
Touching Safety Training –PGC
15
Touching Safety Training –PGC
15
Convalidation Conference
17
Martin Lurther King Day
20
Advisory Team Meeting
20
Principals’ Meeting
(Catholic Schools Office)
23
Mother/Daughter Retreat
24-25
VIDEOS/DVDs
1. BIG AL: Vol 1. Are you looking for
a way to help faith come alive? Each
DVD in this exciting series presents
ten different gospel values. These
brief and engaging presentations
includes a short scripture reading,
a reflection from Father Joe, a
discussion with Big Al and a prayer.
For kids ages 2 -102. DVD
2. DON BOSCO: The government
wanted him out of the way, the
archbishop tried to silence him, the
revolution put a price on his head.
But nothing could stop Don Bosco
from rescuing the homeless children
of Turin. True story. All VHS
3. MATT TALBOT: Mat Talbot work in
a Dublin timber yard at the turn of the
century. At an early age, he became
addicted to alcohol. He experienced
a conversion and went on to lead a
life of asceticism and sanctity. Youth/
Adults VHS
4. SAINT IN THE MAKING: PIERRE
TOUSSAINT – Born a slave in Haiti,
Pierre was brought to New York in
1787 and trained as a hairdresser.
Known for his dignity and warm
charity, especially toward the
impoverished family that enslaved
him, Pierre was finally freed in 1807.
Attending daily, Pierre worked hard to
provide for his family and homeless
boys. Youth/Adults VHS
5. TIME FOR MIRACLES: ST
ELIZABETH ANN SETON: America’s
first native born saint, Elizabeth
Bayley Seton, overcame the tragic
deaths of her young husband and two
children along with the persecution
and loss of family which followed
her conversion to Catholicism prior
to founding the American Sisters of
Charity. Youth/Adults VHS
6. BEING CATHOLIC: SEASONS
AND FEASTS: This program provides
a comprehensive presentation of
the special days and seasons of
the Church year so that students
and parents will be better able
to participate in the liturgy with
understanding. Youth/Adults DVD
7. JOHN THE BAPTIST: This is
a moving story of courage and
conviction seen through the life of one
of God’s greatest prophets who gave
everything to prepare the way for the
Lord. Children VHS
8. SAINTS IN THE MAKING: EDEL
QUINN: Unable to enter the convent
because of poor health, this lively
young Irish woman eventually realized
that she had already received her
calling in the Legion of Mary, a lay
group that prays and ministers to the
parish’s spiritual needs. Youth/Adults
VHS
27
Superintendent’s Meeting
27
Meeting for World Youth Day
2011 (Youth & YoungAdults)
28
Spirit Awards Banquet
29
Sponsor Couple Training I(E)
30- Feb 5 Catholic
Schools Week
February
1
Diocesan Council
Meeting
2
Candlemass –
The Presentation of the
Lord Feast
3
Touching Safety Training –
PGC (Office of Catechesis)
5
Touching Safety Training – PGC
6
Mass, Day for Consecrated Life
3 p.m., Basilica of Our Lady of
San Juan del Valle
9
Spelling Bee – IWA
12
Train the Trainer-PGC
12
World Marriage Day
14
14
Valentine’s Day
15
18
President’s Day
Counselors’ Meeting
Principals’ Retreat
19-20
The NewLife Retreat:
Remarriage
26-27
Retiro Pre-Matrimonal (S)
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.
DIOCESE
28
2011
Our Catholic Family
A Champion of Catholic education
Spirit Award
honoree living out
his baptismal call
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
W
hile he is honored to
be this year’s diocesan
Spirit Award recipient
Deacon Luis Zuniga doesn’t
think he has done anything
extraordinary.
“I really don’t believe that
anyone who is living out his or
her Baptismal call should receive
recognition for the work that we
are called to do,” he said. “But it is
humbling when people recognize
your work, the fruits of your
labor.”
The 14th annual Spirit Awards
will be held on Friday, Jan. 28 at
the Our Lady of Sorrows School
gymnasium, 1100 Gumwood
Avenue in McAllen. The Spirit
Awards honor individuals for
their service and dedication to
Catholic education in the Diocese
of Brownsville
The freshly-minted deacon is
a longtime champion of Catholic
education both at the school and
parish levels. Deacon Zuniga was
ordained a permanent deacon
for the Diocese of Brownsville
on Dec. 18, 2010 and currently
serves as Director of San Juan
Diego Ministry Institute, a lay
ecclesial ministry formation
program that prepares the laity to
offer their gifts in service to the
local Church.
Before
beginning
his
New Church,
later seated in the front row of
the new church, which seats 890
people.
Gathered around the sturdy mahogany doors of the
15,000-square-foot,
baroquestyle structure, the parishioners
watched as Bishop Flores opened
the doors with the keys to the new
church as evening fell.
During the Mass, Bishop Flores
dedicated the church to God,
blessing the parishioners by walking around the church sprinkling
them with holy water. Later, the
bishop anointed the walls and the
altar of the new church with the
oil of chrism. The bishop also incensed the altar and the church
employment with the Diocese of
Brownsville more than 25 years
ago, he was a longtime youth
minister and director of religious
education.
When asked to summarize
his dedication to Catholic
education, Deacon Zuniga said,
“To me, Catholic education, is
about nurturing one another, in
faith and prayer. What else do
we have in life, ultimately? It is
faith that keeps us going. Faith
is the only thing that helps us
make sense of life, whether it is
joy, laughter, successes, failures or
our struggles. It is what sustains
us. When you have a relationship
with God, life makes sense.”
Deacon Zuniga has furthered
the cause of Catholic education
both behind the scenes and
directly with educators and
students. He has also been
involved in Catholic education
at the local, diocesan and
national levels, said Lisette Allen,
Superintendent of Schools for the
Allen said she had some divine
inspiration when she selected
Deacon Zuniga for the honor.
Last fall, she was sitting in
church and reflecting on the
difficult charge of selecting the
diocesan Spirit Award recipient.
“I was praying, please let me
find the right person to honor,”
Allen said. “You want to choose
wisely, you want to make sure that
you are doing the right thing....
And I clearly remember hearing a
voice saying, ‘Luis Zuniga.’”
At the local level, Deacon
Zuniga has served on the school
council at St. Luke School in
Brownsville, where his son, Luis
Arturo is in the sixth grade. He also
facilitates meetings for parents
with children in Sacramental
preparation programs.
Deacon Zuniga also supported
the addition of the middle school
grades at St. Luke School.
Mary Beth Martin, facilitator
at St. Luke School praised
Deacon Zuniga for his, “unselfish
dedication” and deemed him
a very worthy recipient of the
diocesan Spirit Award.
“He really gives of himself,
of his time and talents,” Martin
said. “He puts his money where
his mouth is and always comes
through with a willing and
generous spirit.”
Allen said Deacon Zuniga
is always willing to lend his
expertise in strategic and pastoral
and finally, lit the candles on the
altar.
Bishop Flores congratulated
the parishioners for making their
longtime dream of a new church
a reality. Discussions about constructing a new sanctuary began
more than 15 years ago. Ground
was broken for the new structure
on Feb. 1, 2009.
The new church building was
constructed thanks to a true collaborative effort from the parishioners, Father Seitz said. The funds
for the new church were amassed
through donations, large and
small, from a capital campaign and
countless fundraisers.
“As a community, we decided
that there would be no names attached to anything in the sanctuary,” he said. “We are very pleased
and grateful for all the families
who worked so hard.”
The church has what Father
Seitz called a “Franciscan style.”
“While traveling through Europe and Mexico, I liked the traditional look of the churches,” Father
Seitz said. “We wanted our church
to have a traditional look and feel
since we are a very traditional
community.”
Highlights of the new church
include the spectacular boat ceiling, crafted out of Spanish cedar
and the exquisite retablo from
Monterrey, Mexico made of light
concrete and covered with 22-karat gold.
The retablo features 18 decorative santos created by artist Sister
Roberta Westrick of the Sisters
of Charity, of Colorado Springs,
Colo. Sister Westrick is from the
same community as Sister Anne
Darlene Wojtowicz, a parishioner
and member of the building com-
mittee at St. Pius X Church.
Sister Westrick completed the
pieces from her home and then the
santos were carefully transported
almost 1,000 miles to Weslaco
where they were installed in the
retablo.
St. Pius X Church held on to
few pieces of history. A statue of
the parish’s namesake, St. Pius X,
from the old church stands in the
vestibule. The Stations of the Cross
also made the journey next door to
the new church.
Sister Wojtowicz said the new
church not only provides more
seating but it also accommodates
the needs of the parish. Extra restrooms, water fountains, a brides
changing room, a music practice
room are just some of the added
extras.
But above all, the new church
provides a holy, prayerful place for
the parishioners to come and worship, Sister Wojtowicz said.
“The first few times I attended Mass in the new sanctuary I
kept thinking, ‘is this really our
church?’” she said. “It is amazing,
it is absolutely beautiful.”
History
After St. Joan of Arc Church,
the only Catholic church in Weslaco at that time, grew to 16,000
parishioners, local Catholics and
Father Frank Kilday, a priest of the
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, decided it was time for
a new church.
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The Valley Catholic
Deacon Luis Zuniga is this year’s diocesan Spirit Award recipient. He believes Catholic
schools provide an environment in which students are encouraged to develop a personal relationship with the Lord through learning, worship and prayer. “When you have
a relationship with God, life makes sense,” Deacon Zuniga said.
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planning for the benefit of the
Catholic schools.
Some of Deacon Zuniga’s
many
accomplishments
at
the diocesan level include the
development of the certification
program for religion teachers,
facilitating retreats for the school
principals, staff and diocesan
school council and serving as the
“voice of the Spirit Awards,” by
providing narration for the videos
presented at past Spirit Awards
banquets.
Deacon Zuniga also worked as
a national consultant for Hispanic
ministry for publishing company
Silver Burdett Ginn, now under
the RCL Benzinger umbrella.
He served as a contributor and
catechetical advisor for 18 years,
helping develop books such as the
popular Blessed Are We series,
which is used in Catholic schools
across the nation.
Born and raised in McAllen,
Deacon Zuniga and his wife,
Carmen, reside in Brownsville,
with their two children, Danielle
and Luis Arturo. Deacon Zuniga
is a parishioner and serves at St.
Mary Church in Brownsville.
His twin brother, Father Carlos
Zuniga, serves as pastor at San
Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin
Church in McAllen.
Though his accomplishments
are many and varied, Deacon
Zuniga’s has focused on a singular
goal throughout the journey.
“I want to believe that
whatever I’ve done in the last 25
years of my ministry, that I have
brought others to Christ in one
way or another, whether I have
done it as a Confirmation teacher,
as an altar server, as a diocesan
employee, as a deacon or as a
school council member,” he said.
Some 26 to 30 families stepped
forward to raise $20,000 in cash
and the rest of the funds were borrowed. Ground was broken and
the site consecrated on Nov. 7,
1954.
On July 31, 1955, the Most Rev.
Mariano Garriga, Bishop of the
Diocese of Corpus Christi, which
then included the Rio Grande
Valley, celebrated the first solemn
Mass at the new St. Pius X Church.
St. Pius X Church was a mission of St. Joan of Arc Parish until
the mid-1960s, around the same
time the Diocese of Brownsville
was formed and the changes from
Vatican II were unfolding.
In 1969, diocesan priest Father
Leo J. Ferreira was appointed pastor of St. Pius X Church. He continued to incorporate the liturgical reforms of Vatican II and also
oversaw the completion of the
parish hall and classrooms. Father
Ferreira served the parish until
1977.
In 1988, under the auspices
of Father Louis Brum, additional
classrooms were built and a Eucharistic Adoration chapel was established. Historians from St. Pius
X Church believe it was the only
Perpetual Adoration chapel in the
diocese at that time.
Father Seitz was welcomed as
pastor in February 2002 and under
his leadership, the new church was
built.

View - Catholic Diocese of Brownsville

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