Many head to the Capitol in support of life

Transcripción

JULY/AUGUST 2013
T H E
V O L U M E 3 1, N U M B E R 7
O F F I C I A L
P U B L I C A T I O N
O F
T H E
D I O C E S E
O F
A U S T I N
Many head to the Capitol in support of life
BY ENEDELIA J. OBREGÓN
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT
The drama in Texas over
abortion that drew national and
international attention came to
an end for the moment after the
state House of Representative
then the State Senate voted to
adopt tougher abortion regulations. Gov. Rick Perry promised
to sign the bill into law soon.
The law prohibits abortions
in the 20th week of pregnancy,
requires abortion clinics to be
certiÀed as surgical centers and
increases regulations on doctors
and abortion-inducing drugs.
Jeff Patterson, executive director of the Texas Catholic
Conference (TCC), said the law
protects life by requiring no
termination of pregnancies after
the Àrst 20 weeks and it improves
standards for abortion facilities.
The TCC is the statewide association of the Catholic dioceses
in Texas and the public policy
arm of the conference’s board of
directors – the bishops – before
the Texas Legislature, the Texas
delegation in Congress and state
agencies.
“Twenty weeks is five
months –– that’s late term and a
point where babies can feel pain,”
Patterson said. “The higher standards for abortion clinics are in
case there are complications or
problems that occur when providing abortions.”
The stricter regulations for
doctors and the abortion-inducing drugs such as RU486 are to
ensure they follow Food and
Drug Administration guidelines.
“A lot of doctors don’t follow the prescription guidelines,”
Patterson said. “It means two
separate visits, but that’s to make
sure there are no problems.”
The law also requires that
doctors performing abortions
Periodical
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at Austin, Texas
PRO-LIFE ADVOCATES from across the state participated in a Eucharistic Procession
from St. Mary Cathedral to the State Capitol on July 9. (Photo by Arlen Nydam)
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Page 21
have hospital privileges within 30
miles of the facility in which the
abortion is performed.
“About 20 percent of the
time there are complications,”
Patterson said. “In case there’s a
problem they can get the woman
to a hospital to care for her.”
According to the Texas Department of Health there were
Àve deaths out of 937,818 abortions performed between 2000
and 2011. The last time a woman
died from an abortion complication was in 2008.
For pro-life groups, the legislation is another incremental
step in ending abortion. In 2011,
Texas legislators passed a bill requiring a woman seeking an abortion to receive a sonogram from
the doctor who is to perform
the procedure at least 24 hours
before the abortion.
This year’s legislation garnered national and international
attention during a Àlibuster by
State Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort
Worth on June 25, the last day
of the Àrst special session, thus
killing the proposed bill.
Perry then called a second
special session and added abortion to the agenda. The Texas
Constitution calls for the Legislature to meet biennially in oddnumbered years for 140 days
beginning the Tuesday after the
Àrst Monday in January. Under
the Constitution, the governor
can separately call special sessions
on subjects of his choice that may
last up to 30 days.
When anti-abortion legislation failed to gain traction during
the regular session as lawmakers
focused on the state budget and
other matters, Perry decided to
add abortion to the call of a special session that began hours after
the regular session adjourned.
The legislation died after a
series of delays allowed Davis
to engage in a Àlibuster in the
waning hours of the session that
killed the measure despite clear
majority support. Perry called a
second special session and again
added the abortion legislation as
an agenda item.
Marie Seale, director of the
Diocese of Austin OfÀce of ProLife Activities and Chaste Living,
said the Àlibuster got the attention of pro-life supporters and
brought them out to the Capitol
in large numbers for the second
special session.
“People were wildly upset
about what Wendy Davis did to
legislation in the Àrst special session,” she said. “When pro-lifers
saw the vote being taken from
them they riled up.”
Seale said that pro-life supporters realized their presence
was needed in large numbers and
they were moved to take action.
“It means being inconvenienced, packing lunches and
See PRO-LIFE on Page 6
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STAFF
Publisher: Most Rev. Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of Austin
Editor: Shelley Metcalf; (512) 949-2400,
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VOICES
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
Relegating myself to the lost and found
BY SHELLEY METCALF
CATHOLIC SPIRIT STAFF
My 9-year-old son loses things a lot. Or maybe I
should say he thinks he loses things. At least once a
day he asks, “Mom, where is my (insert lost object of
the day here)?” I try to be patient, ask him questions
about when he last had the object and help him retrace his steps. And the funny thing is that whatever
he is looking for is never really lost, it’s just moved
or hidden beneath something else. The standing joke
around our house is that nothing is lost until mom
can’t Ànd it (granted there are some things I purposefully will never be able to Ànd –– noise makers and
sharp objects included).
I had to employ my ability to Ànd things a few
weeks ago, but this time I wasn’t looking for something my son lost, I was looking for myself. This
summer, as he has for the last several summers, my
dad graciously agreed to keep my children for a few
weeks. And this time in the Àrst few days that my
kids were gone, I was lost. I didn’t know what to
make for dinner because the kids weren’t there to tell
me what they wanted. I didn’t know what to watch
on television because they weren’t there to snatch
the remote. I didn’t know what to read because my
books were buried beneath their elementary books.
I love my children dearly and I missed them terribly
when they were gone, but I needed some time away
from them to do some digging and rearranging to
Ànd myself again.
First, I tweaked my schedule; instead of waking
up super-early to work out, I got on the treadmill or
went to the gym as soon as I got home from work.
For me, having a few more minutes of sleep means
being more alert and nice all day long.
Second, I spent an exorbitant amount of time in
the grocery store and in the kitchen. I took the time
to try some new recipes with vegetables and spices
that we don’t typically eat. I remembered how much
I love leftovers (there’s rarely any when the kids are
home) and how much I enjoy cooking when I am
not in a rush to get food on the table in 15 minutes
or less.
Third, I left the TV off for days. I found my
books beneath the kids’ piles of books, and I read
until I Ànished what I had in my stack. Then I went
to Half-Price Books and bought some more!
Finally, I remembered how to have a two-way
conversation with God. Too often for the last
several months, my prayer life has consisted of me
spewing things at God: I need this, please bless so
and so, help me with this problem, etc., but during
the days that my kids were gone, I started listening
to him again. I made the time each day to journal
and pray with intention, which made a huge difference in my attitude.
In the end, I have realized that it wasn’t me I lost,
but it was my sense of balance that went missing. As
a mom, I must remember to balance the needs of
my children with my own. I can exercise with them
in the house; heck, they actually enjoy exercising with
me! I can try new recipes with them; there’s always
peanut butter if they don’t like what I Àx. I can read
every night when they go to bed rather than watching mindless shows I’ve already seen. And of course
I can pray with intention when they are home too,
I just have to put forth the effort and not resort to
laziness (which I struggle with constantly).
I thank God every day for entrusting me with
two beautiful children. Finding balance between their
needs and mine is not easy, but it is worth the search!
SHELLEY METCALF and her
family are parishioners of
St. Margaret Mary Parish in
Cedar Park. She has been
editor of the Catholic Spirit
since 2007.
EIM workshops in August
The Ethics and Integrity in Ministry policies of the Austin Diocese were established in 2002 to
educate Catholics on how to help prevent sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults. According
to the policies, all employees and those volunteers who minister to youth or vulnerable adults in
the diocese are required to complete an Application for Ministry, which permits the diocese to run a
criminal background check. Additionally, all new applicants are required to attend a three-hour EIM
workshop for adults within 60 days of their EIM application submission. Every three years employees
and volunteers must attend an EIM refresher course or the three-hour EIM workshop.
Upcoming EIM workshops are listed below. Please call the location you would like to attend at
the phone number listed so that enough materials are available. For more information regarding the
diocesan EIM policies, visit www.austindiocese.org or call (512) 949-2400.
Three-hour courses
Aug. 10 from 9 a.m. to noon at St. Mary Parish in Caldwell; (979) 567-3667
Aug. 10 from 9 a.m. to noon at St. William Parish in Round Rock; (512) 255-4473
Aug. 10 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at St. Paul Parish in Smithville; (512) 237-3299
Aug. 11 from 2 to 5 p.m. at St. Mary in San Saba; (325) 372-3679
Aug. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at St. Jerome Parish in Waco; (254) 666-7722
Aug. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at St. Joseph Parish in Bryan; (979) 822-2721
Aug. 17 from 9 a.m. to noon EN ESPANOL at St. Helen Parish in Georgetown; (512) 863-3041
Aug. 17 from 9 a.m. to noon at St. Helen Parish in Georgetown; (512) 863-3041
Aug. 17 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. EN ESPANOL at St. William Parish in Round Rock; (512) 255-4473
Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. to noon at Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange; (979) 968-3430
Aug. 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. at St. Mary Parish in Mexia; (254) 562-3619
Aug. 27 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at St. Gabriel Catholic School in Austin; (512) 327-7755
Refresher courses
Aug. 3 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Parish in Austin; (512) 834-8483
Aug. 7 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Parish in Smithville; (512) 237-3299
Aug. 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Austin; (512) 892-2420
Aug. 10 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at St. William Parish in Round Rock; (512) 255-4473
Aug. 15 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Bryan; (979) 822-2721
Aug. 18 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Marlin; (254) 803-8888
Aug. 22 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Jerome Parish in Waco; (254) 666-7722
Aug. 22 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Helen Parish in Georgetown; (512) 863-3041
Aug. 28 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange; (979) 968-3430
Aug. 28 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Taylor; (512) 365-1431
Aug. 29 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at St. John Neumann Parish in Austin; (512) 328-3220
Aug. 24 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Parish in Caldwell; (979) 567-3667
July/August 2013
CENTRAL TEXAS
Five priests ordained for the Austin Diocese
BISHOP JOE VÁSQUEZ ordained (from left) Ventura “Alex” Caudillo, Jason Bonifazi, Barry Cuba, Augustine Ariwaodo and Timothy
Nolt to the priesthood on June 8 at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in
Austin. Father Caudillo was appointed as the associate pastor of
St. William Parish in Round Rock. Father Bonifazi was appointed as
the associate pastor of St. Anthony Marie de Claret Parish in Kyle.
Father Cuba was appointed as the associate pastor of St. Mary
Catholic Center in College Station. Father Ariwaodo was appointed
as the associate pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Austin. Father
Nolt was appointed as the associate pastor of St. Helen Parish in
Georgetown. (Photos by Adriana Waldbusser and Shelley Metcalf)
3
CENTRAL TEXAS
4
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
Procession brings Christ to the streets of Austin
BY MICHELE CHAN SANTOS
CORRESPONDENT
On a bright, warm Sunday
morning in June, hundreds
of Catholics knelt before the
Blessed Sacrament at an altar
on the front steps of the Texas
Capitol.
“We pray today for a deeper
faith in our Holy Eucharist,”
said Father Albert Laforet Jr.,
the rector of St. Mary Cathedral.
“Our church throughout the
world today celebrates the feast
that brings us unity.”
The third annual Corpus
Christi procession was held
June 2, the Solemnity of the
Most Holy Body and Blood
of Christ.
Worshipers gathered for the
9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Mary Cathedral, and then proceeded to
walk to the Capitol, going down
Brazos and on to 11th Street. It
was the Àrst time the celebrants
were allowed to have an altar on
the south steps of the Capitol.
Texas State Senator Eddie
Lucio Jr. from Brownsville reserved the front steps for the
Corpus Christi procession, Father Laforet said. Frank Fuentes, a catechist at St. Mary, is a
friend of Senator Lucio’s and
asked him to make the location
possible.
“It was so beautiful that we
are willing to demonstrate our
faith. We are living the Word
of God outside in the world,”
Fuentes said.
Father Laforet said the procession was part of the Year of
Faith. “We wanted to publicly
profess our faith, to respond to
the Holy Father’s call,” he said.
Father David Trahan, associate pastor of the Cathedral,
carried the host in a monstrance
under a guarded canopy. Father
Trahan, Father Laforet, Father
Eugene Nyong, Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez and several
others, including members of the
choir, led the procession. The
people sang and prayed along
the route.
The crowd was made up of
300 to 400 people. Parishioners
from St. Mary and from other
parishes and groups marched in
the procession, some carrying
banners.
Phyllis Patrick, a Cathedral
parishioner, has attended all
three Corpus Christi processions. She makes a point of
attending “because I think it
shows unity with our parish
and the bigger church,” Patrick
said. “It’s another way to adore
HUNDREDS
processed from
St. Mary Cathedral to the State
Capitol for the
third annual
Corpus Christi
procession.
(Photo by Arlen
Nydam)
the Body of Christ, which is so
essential to our faith and to our
lives. It’s a wonderful thing to
worship the Blessed Sacrament
in a group. It just buoys you up.
We are all one Body of Christ.”
L.J. Smith carried the banner
for the Catholic Scripture Study
Group, which has met at St. Mary
at 7 p.m. every Thursday for the
last 12 years.
The Corpus Christi procession “is a beautiful Catholic
tradition. It’s so beautiful to
see it done more in the United
States now,” Smith said. Around
the world, Catholics celebrate
the Solemnity of the Most Holy
Body and Blood of Christ with
processions, prayers and hymns.
JOE WOLF
JODY SUPAK
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Brenham, Caldwell
TED PATAKI
DWAYNE DUNGEN
512-983-6303
theodore.pataki@
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Cedar Park, Taylor,
West Austin
979-732-1557
dwayne.dungen@
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Fayetteville, Columbus
LOUIS BARRON
CLINT HAJOVSKY
512-750-7491
louis.barron@
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Pflugerville, Hutto,
Elgin
254-295-0430
clinton.hajovsky@
kofc.org
Temple, Rockdale,
Hearne, Mexia
PETE PEREZ
RICKY ADAMS
512-743-2315
[email protected]
Central Austin
254-644-2802
ricky.adams@
kofc.org
Waco, West
PHILIP REYNA
CHARLES GUENAT
210-789-9683
philip.reyna@
kofc.org
Round Rock, North
Austin
254-939-1981
charles.guenat@
kofc.org
Temple, Belton
DOUG DEGROOT
WILLIAM JENSEN
512-294-2406
douglas.degroot@
kofc.org
Georgetown, Marble
Falls, Burnet
512-282-2656
william.jensen@
kofc.org
Dripping Springs,
South Austin
Particularly in Europe and Latin
America, there is a long history
of processions on this day.
“It’s a way to show our faith
in public as the apostles did,”
said Dr. Mike Murphy, who
also belongs to the Catholic
Scripture Study group.
In his homily, during the
Mass before the procession, Father Trahan said, “The reason we
have the procession on this day
is to help us confront reality. In
here, we are removed from the
world around us. All of the sights
and smells of our church make
us aware of God. We have to be
unafraid to go out into the world.
People who look at us from the
outside may not understand,
may think we look funny. We are
bringing Christ out into the world
to remind the world that God is
the creator, God is the king.”
Later in the day, Father Trahan explained further, “We have
to own up to our faith. We can’t
hide from it. When we receive
the Eucharist, we are making a
public statement that we believe
that this is God.”
Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez organized the event, which
he considers “very special.”
“We are doing it just for
Jesus. St. Theresa of Avila said
we should protect Jesus by
proclaiming him to the world.
That’s what we are doing,” Deacon Rodriguez said.
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July/August 2013
5
CENTRAL TEXAS
Austin parish reaches out to those with special needs
BY MICHELE CHAN SANTOS
CORRESPONDENT
The Open Hearts Special
Needs ministry at St. Catherine
of Siena Parish in Southwest
Austin brings together children
and adults with developmental
disabilities, their families and
members of the parish.
It is the Àrst group in Texas to be recognized as a Faith
and Light community. Based
in France, Faith and Light is an
international organization that
connects people with intellectual
disabilities, their families and
members of the community,
with a particular emphasis on
young people.
More signiÀcantly, for the
families who participate in it,
Open Hearts means feeling welcome and part of a larger whole;
it means being a crucial part of
parish life at St. Catherine of
Siena, instead of hovering on
the fringes.
Lucy and Michael McCown
are part of the Open Hearts
group. Their daughter Kelly, 18,
has Down syndrome. The McCowns are one of the founding
families of Open Hearts.
When the McCowns first
moved to the Austin area several years ago, they came from
a parish in Colorado that had
been very welcoming to families
with special needs children. But
when they first moved here,
Lucy McCown didn’t see the
same number of families she
was expecting.
“I knew there were other
Catholic families who had kids
with disabilities,” Lucy McCown
said. “I wondered why I didn’t
see more individuals with special
needs. About 10 percent of the
population has special needs.”
She approached Father Pat
Coakley, the pastor of St. Catherine of Siena. Father Coakley
launched the initiative that became the Open Hearts group.
“I listened to parents of children with special needs telling
me how hard it was to integrate
and take part. I noticed that
they often were absent from the
parish activity,” Father Coakley
said. “We realized very quickly
that this cannot be a parish
boundary kind of group.”
He said the parish welcomes
anyone from other parishes who
is looking for support as well.
Today, the Open Hearts
Special Needs Ministry meets
once a month on Sunday afternoons. They gather and share
a meal with families in the
Generations of Faith program.
(Generations of Faith is an intergenerational program at St.
Catherine where families meet
monthly for religious education,
fellowship, a meal and volunteer
activities.)
After lunch, when the Generations of Faith participants
break out into different classrooms, the Open Hearts participants also go to a classroom,
where they sing, pray, act in
skits, play games and do arts and
crafts. The international organization Faith and Light provides
MEMBERS
OF THE
OPEN
HEARTS
community of
St. Catherine
of Siena Parish in Austin reenact
parables from
Scripture during a recent
gathering
(Photo courtesy Misty
Carreiro)
material and curriculum for the
meetings. The Open Hearts
group has been meeting once
a month for two years. Each
meeting is about two and a half
hours long. About 10 families
currently participate.
“We might do a skit or
read a Bible story,” said Diane
Zbasnik, director of community
ministries at St. Catherine of Siena. “The whole family attends,
brothers and sisters and mom
and dad. Being a part of Open
Hearts means your child can be
who they are. They don’t have
to conform to the classroom. “
One of the most rewarding
parts of coordinating the group
is seeing relationships develop
between the families, Zbasnik
said. “For people with developmental disabilities, the primary
goal is being integrated into the
community,” she said.
Explained Lucy McCown,
“We gather as families. I like
the family component of it.
Parental support is really necessary. At one meeting a mom was
talking about a medical issue
her daughter was having and
another mom was a physician
and could address it.
“This is a group for families
who have a child with special
needs,” McCown continued.
“It has a fun element. It has a
faith element. Kelly very much
looks forward to it. She always
wants to know who is going to
be there.”
Through the Open Hearts
program, children with developmental disabilities receive
sacramental preparation. Zbasnik said she works one-on-one
with the families to develop an
appropriate program for each
child.
Open Hearts members participate in other aspects of par-
ish life too. Kelly McCown, who
recently graduated from Bowie
High School, is an altar server
for the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass.
The group is open to any
family, not just those within the
St. Catherine of Siena Parish.
“We are open to any family who
wants to join,” Zbasnik said.
Although Zbasnik is leaving
soon (she and her husband are
moving to Cleveland, Ohio due
to a job change), the new community ministries coordinator,
Misty Carreiro, is a strong supporter of the Open Hearts ministry. A core group of families
and volunteers will ensure that
the program remains strong,
McCown said.
For more information
about joining or volunteering
with the Open Hearts program,
contact Misty Carreiro at (512)
892-2433, ext. 34, or e-mail misty.
[email protected].
Cedarbrake Retreat Center seeks to expand
BY CATHOLIC SPIRIT STAFF
Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton welcomes
more than 7,000 people each
year for a variety of retreats. As
the Catholic population continues to grow and the retreat
center serves more people, there
is a need for more facilities. The
greatest need is for more indoor
space, especially on the weekends, said Brian Egan, director
of Cedarbrake.
The Cedarbrake board of directors met last September and
began discussing the best way
to add indoor meeting space to
meet the growing population of
the diocese. The board agreed
the best solution involved enclosing the Msgr. Driscoll pavilion, which could seat up to
60 people. The pavilion already
has a solid foundation, steel
beams and a metal roof. The
recommendation was to enclose
three sides with glass to capture
the beauty of the surrounding
nature, and to add a kitchen and
restrooms to the west end of the
pavilion and an access road to
the kitchen that would also assist
any handicap needs.
The board presented these
ideas to Bishop Joe Vásquez
and his advisory council and
received permission to go forward. The board adopted Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord
with all your heart, on your own
intelligence do not rely” as a
daily prayer to place this project
in God’s hands.
“We are not trying to build
a physical building in as much
as we are trying to build up
the Kingdom of God.
Every retreat center
exists to bring people
closer to God so the
faithful in turn can
bring God to the
people,” Egan said.
The board hired
an architect, consulted with the diocesan
Stewardship and Development
Office, priests and laity, and
began reaching out for support.
Many people from the Austin Diocese and beyond have
committed to supporting this
project. Bishop Emeritus John
McCarthy has also been a great
supporter of this project, Egan
said.
The
estimated
cost to
renovate
t h e
pavilion,
add restrooms, a kitchen, access
road, furniture and landscaping
is $300,000. To date more than
$215,000 has been pledged to
support the building.
Egan said the board and
staff are truly humbled and
grateful for the many who have
already made a pledge.
Cedarbrake began
with prayer. In 1973,
Msgr. John Driscoll,
pastor of St. Luke Parish in Temple, met
with several parishioners to study and pray
about the best use of 32
acres offered by Arthur
and Irene O’Connor.
Guided by the Holy
Spirit, the committee
decided that the land
would best beneÀt the
Catholic Church by being transformed into
a retreat center. The
offer was extended to
Bishop Vincent Harris,
who graciously accepted
the deed in November 1973.
Forty years later a wonderful
retreat center has grown from
the Lodge as the Àrst building
to a pavilion named after Msgr.
Driscoll, a chapel and library,
48 private bedrooms and a new
conference center.
When Bishop Harris retired
in 1985 he wrote, “And now as
I prepare to leave, I am pleased
to know that so many people are
using Cedarbrake. It is evident
that we must keep building so
that more and more people may
be served.” Two years ago the
Diocese of Austin purchased
12 acres adjacent to the current
property. Seven of these acres
have been developed into prayer
paths with beautiful scenery and
reflective Scripture passages
abounding.
To support this project,
visit www.austindiocese.org
and click on the red “Donate”
button, then select “Cedarbrake Light of Christ Campaign” and proceed.
6
CENTRAL TEXAS
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
West recovery continues, will take years, some say
Long after the news cameras
left the disaster sight and outsiders have stopped thinking about
the devastation, the survivors in
West still need help.
In West on the northern
edge of the Diocese of Austin,
long-term help is coming from
the Society of St. Vincent de Paul,
Catholic Charities of Central
Texas, and the Ladies of Charity
of Austin as well as the diocese
under the umbrella of the UniÀed
Catholic Response.
The community of about
2,800 –– at least half of whom are
parishioners at St. Mary, Church
of the Assumption Parish –– was
rocked by an explosion on April
17 at the West Fertilizer Co.
The explosion killed 15 people,
injured 200, and destroyed a
37-block area –– including two
schools, an apartment complex
and a nursing home.
In the days after the explosion, St. Mary served as the staging area for Àrst responders and
law enforcement. Parishioners
used St. Joseph Hall to provide
hot meals and the Knights of
Columbus opened its hall for
relief efforts, funeral meals and
town hall meetings. St. Mary also
was the site for interfaith services,
and most of the funerals for the
victims were held at the parish.
Karen Bernsen, who is heading the West Long Term Recovery Center, said residents are
now beyond needing the basics
such as food and water. They are
now in recovery mode, which she
estimates will take three to Àve
years. Insurance estimates place
the losses at $150 million.
After working in the initial
disaster response, the Catholic
agencies provided a “House in a
Box” to 237 families. Each family got a unit of items valued at
about $1,200; it included a couch,
mattress and box springs, a kitchen table and chairs, linens, towels,
dishes, Áatware, pots and pans.
Families picked up their items
from a warehouse in Elm-Mott.
Among those waiting to pick
up items the Àrst day was María
Cortez, a parishioner from St.
Mary who lives two blocks from
the blast site.
“I lost everything,” she said in
Spanish. “All I took with me was
my papers and two parrots, two
canaries and three dogs.”
Everything else was either
shattered or covered with shards
of glass or fertilizer dust. While
their house is standing, it was
lifted off its foundation and
landed crooked.
“I don’t know when we’ll get
that Àxed,” she said.
As Vickie McCreary waited
for her household items to be
loaded, she said that St. Vincent de Paul as well as Lutheran groups had put the most
thought into disaster response.
She was there with her sister,
Vivian Green, who lives about
four blocks from the blast site.
Accompanying Green was her
daughter, Shamala Johnson, who
lives with her.
“St. Vincent de Paul is number one,” McCreary said. “It’s
not just about items. They make
you feel that you’re going to get
through this and they comfort
you.”
Families were given all new
furnishings because promoting the dignity of each person
served is paramount, said Stacy
Ehrlich, executive director of the
Diocesan Society of St. Vincent
de Paul.
Too often, the donated items
from well-meaning people are
not what people need. Nonprofits can stretch donated dollars
as they purchase items in bulk,
which is cheaper than having
crews sort and organize donated
items and distribute them, she
said.
“The biggest misconception
is that people need clothes,” Ehrlich said. “But where are people
“Many women came forth
with post-abortion stories,”
she said. “They felt called to
share how abortion affected
them. That means Project Rachel has to grow. I’m hoping to pull people who are
now on Àre and get them involved.” Project Rachel is a
diocesan pro-life ministry for
those who are suffering from
the spiritual and emotional
trauma of abortion.
As more babies are born as
a result of the legislation, Seale
said that the Gabriel Project,
which is a diocesan ministry for
women in crisis pregnancies,
will also need to grow to meet
the needs of the mothers and
their babies.
She said that many pro-life
people who had not been politically active before now realize
the challenge of getting legislation passed. The next legislative
session is in 2015, and Patterson
said pro-life groups want an end
to judicial bypass, which allows
girls under age 17 to forgo parental consent for abortions by
getting approval from a district
judge.
“As it now stands, it doesn’t
even have to be in your county
or region,” he said. “We think
parents should be involved.
That’s the responsibility of the
parents.”
Pro-life groups also want
expansion and funding of crisis
pregnancy centers and an end
to the imposition of regulatory
requirements that prevent the
centers from providing options
other than abortion, as well as
social services that will allow the
woman to keep the child.
For more information
about Pro-Life Activities,
call (512) 949-2486 or visit
www.centraltexasprolife.org.
PAUL KLEYPAS (right), store director for the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Austin,
and volunteers unload mattresses and box springs for the House in a Box program for the
people of West. (Photo by Enedelia J. Obregón)
PRO-LIFE
Continued from Page 1
getting at line early in the morning,” she said. “That’s what
really what Christian life is supposed to be: a call to action.”
Although the church, the
TCC and other pro-life groups
regularly ask people to make
their presence known, this was
a grassroots effort to get as
many pro-life supporters to the
Capitol as possible. Lay people
got on Facebook and called on
friends and other pro-life people
they knew to show up dressed in
blue at the Capitol.
“I’ve never been so impressed,” Seale said. “It’s a
grassroots movement, but at
the same time I’ve never seen
the laity really answer the call …
This is our faith in action. I’m in
awe and praying it doesn’t end.”
The challenge is now to keep
the momentum going and Seale
said the events made her realize how
much work her ofÀce has to do.
going to put them if they’ve lost
their homes?
Currently the city of West has
a warehouse Àlled with donated
items stored at Texas State Technical Institute in Waco.
Paul Kleypas, store director for the St. Vincent de Paul
Thrift Store in Austin, said his
store welcomes donations of
items that are in good, used
condition. They can be sold at
the store to generate revenue for
SVDP services.
“Some people collect items
and spend $60 on gas to bring
it to the disaster site,” he said.
“It’s better to use that money to
donate.”
Monetary donations can also
be used by clients to purchase
items in the community from
merchants affected by a disaster
and thus help the economy get
back on its feet.
As of July 8, the Unified
Catholic Response had received
more than $1 million in contributions for West through donations to Catholic Charities, the
Society for St. Vincent de Paul
and diocesan collections. The
Knights of Columbus have also
donated more than $180,000 to
relief efforts.
The city has received about
$7 million in federal aid and
about $100 million in damages is
covered by insurance, according
to the City of West, the Insurance Council of Texas, FEMA
and the Governor’s OfÀce. That
still leaves almost $35 million in
unreimbursed losses.
Bernsen said about half of
the cases they are managing are
among people living below the
poverty line.
“We didn’t even know we
had that problem,” she said.
“About 135 households are in
that boat … Because we are
so family centered, everyone
pinched pennies and had a good
quality of life,” she said. “But
then they lose everything and
they’re without insurance and
they’re stuck.”
The loss of West Rest Haven nursing home meant that
many families now have an elderly person in their household.
“When a disaster occurs,
people invite others to move
in,” she said. “There is no assisted living facility or elderly
care facility.”
Christine Reyes-Paiz, interim
executive director at Catholic
Charities of Central Texas, said
the cooperative response between the nonproÀts began with
the Bastrop wildÀres in September and October 2011 and has
proven to be an efÀcient way of
providing services.
The groups work together
to help anyone who is in need
–– regardless of legal status ––
and not just Catholics, she said.
People who seek aid are vetted by case workers, which may
seem to be long and bureaucratic, said Amelia Erickson, associate director for development
with the Diocesan Society of St.
Vincent de Paul. But there’s a
reason for that.
“That way we don’t duplicate
efforts,” she said. “We also want
to be good stewards of the donations people make to us.”
To donate to the West relief
efforts through Catholic Charities of Central Texas, go to www.
ccctx.org. To donate to the Diocesan Society of St. Vincent de
Paul, go to www.ssvdp.org.
July/August 2013
7
CENTRAL TEXAS
St. Monica celebrates 130 year history at festival
BY MARY P. WALKER
St. Monica Parish in Cameron will celebrate their 130th anniversary with prayer, thanksgiving
and fellowship at its annual festival on Aug. 18. Throughout its
history, the parish has overcome
many challenges, and today looks
toward the future with optimism
and the perseverance that has
lasted more than a century.
The celebration will kick off
with a rosary led by the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of
the Eucharist at 9:30 a.m. on
Aug. 18. The intention of the
rosary is for the New Evangelization, promoted by Blessed John
Paul II and embraced by the
community. A Mass of Thanks-
giving with music honoring the
Czech and German roots of the
parish follows at 10 a.m. Father
Dimitrij Colankin, the current
pastor, and former pastors will
concelebrate. After Mass, all
are invited to a festival of food,
games, music and fun.
With a proud history of fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life, the parish
was the spiritual home to seven
priests, one brother, and 16 sisters, including Father Danny
Garcia, pastor of St. Vincent de
Paul Parish in Austin. Father
Garcia attended the parish school
and is returning to concelebrate
the Mass.
The founding of the parish
can be traced to the trek of European immigrants, who made
their way inland from the Port of
FATHER DIMITRIJ COLANKIN, pastor of St. Monica
Parish in Cameron, addresses the ¿rst holy Communion
recipients at the parish. (Photo courtesy Tomas and
Teresa Ortiz)
Galveston, settling in and around
Cameron. Although they did not
have a church or regular access
to Mass and the sacraments, they
were determined to live their
Catholic faith as best they could.
In 1883, a priest from Austin
celebrated Mass for the Catholic community in the home of
Mr. and Mrs. David Meyer.
Afterwards, the Meyers donated
5 acres of land; and in 1889,
the community built a mission
church under the patronage of
St. Anthony of Padua. Seven
years later, two Sisters of Divine
Providence came and established
a Catholic school, holding classes
in the church until the school
building was completed in 1904.
With a spirit of enthusiasm
and pride, the community committed to hosting the Katholischer Staats-Verband von Texas (the
Catholic State League of Texas)
convention in 1905. They needed
a larger church to accommodate
the visitors and growth, so they
mustered their resources and
built one. For reasons lost to
history, the new church was dedicated under the patronage of St.
Monica, rather than St. Anthony.
In 1927, a fire destroyed
this church, which provided the
motivation for the parish to rally
together and build an even larger
one to accommodate the growing
immigrant population. Throughout the years, St. Monica’s faithful
and friends have repeatedly risen
to embrace opportunities to further Christ’s mission, and sponsored many other building and
improvement projects, including
a new school building in 1935.
The parish history is also
a celebration of the church’s
universal nature. Prior to World
War I, the school enrollment had
increased with children of Czech
and German immigrants. To ease
the discord that developed during
the war, the sisters emphasized
their American identity.
Another opportunity for
cultural unity occurred in 1976.
Blessed Sacrament Church, located a few blocks away, burned
down. This mission served Catholics of Mexican descent. Instead
of rebuilding that church, Bishop
Vincent Harris asked the two
communities to become one.
Today, St. Monica Parish is enriched by families of Mexican,
Asian and European heritages,
and celebrates weekly Masses in
English and Spanish.
Derek Brazeal, age 23, is a
Àfth generation member of the
parish. He praised the volunteer
spirit of the community, especially in the area of youth formation.
He also explained that one of the
challenges facing the parish is the
need to reach out to those who
have fallen away from the church.
Recognizing that many Catholics are comfortable using new
media to communicate and receive information, the parish
is embracing technology for
evangelization during this Year
of Faith. There is an active Facebook page with posts on spiritual topics, as well as parish news.
Subscribers receive a daily e-mail
message with an excerpt from
the Catechism of the Catholic
Church, the Sunday Mass readings and bulletin information.
In recent years, the parish has
faced Ànancial challenges. Yet,
the parishioners have responded
with the spirit of sacriÀce. As a
result, St. Monica’s has strengthened its Ànancial position, and
recently conducted a successful
stewardship campaign.
This generosity has allowed
the parish to renovate the St.
Anthony School building. In
1971, economics and the lack of
religious sisters forced the parish
to close the school. During the
last three years, the building had
fallen into such disrepair that it
could no longer be used.
In the meantime, the religious education program was
scattered across different locations, making it difficult to
manage and eventually causing
the cancellation of some classes.
Monica Schiller, a committee
chair for the renovation, said
that $150,000 in cash and inkind donations were raised from
gifts, fundraisers and outreach
to St. Anthony School alumni.
The parish is also grateful to the
Diocese of Austin for a $50,000
grant toward this project.
Honoring their historic ties
with Blessed Sacrament Church,
a bell salvaged from there will be
used in the landscaping.
“The school now accommodates all religious education
classes, the church ofÀce, parish
library, and a religious articles
store,” Schiller said.
Father Colankin is proud
of the initiative that the community showed in renovating St.
Anthony Center, stating, “The
parish had the idea and motivation to restore the center. The
parishioners continue to love
this parish and community.”
Gala beneÀts Schoenstatt shrine
Pro-Life volunteers invited to day of reÁection
Open house at CCCTX in Bryan is Sept. 6
Retreats coming to Cedarbrake
The Schoenstatt Movement of Austin will host the annual Seeds of Grace Gala
Sept. 26 at the Chateau Bellevue in Austin. Enjoy a catered meal, silent auction, video
presentation about the shrine, and a keynote speech by Msgr. Michael Sis. Tickets
are $100 per person. Proceeds will go to support the building of the Àrst Marian
Shrine in Austin. Visit http://seedsofgrace.eventbrite.com/ or schoenstatt.us for
more information about the gala and to purchase tickets.
Gospel of Life, a Day of ReÁection for pro-life volunteers, will be held Aug. 10
from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Parish in Corn Hill. This day is designed
to help refresh participants’ spirits and to allow them time to reÁect on their ministries. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided free of charge. For more
information or to register, contact the diocesan OfÀce of Pro-Life Activities and
Chaste Living at (512) 949-2486 or [email protected].
“Healing Hearts” is a retreat designed to help bring about healing for women
Bishop Joe Vásquez will bless the new Catholic Charities of Central Texas building in Bryan on Sept. 6 at 1:30 p.m. This is an opportunity to tour the facility and who have suffered any type of sexual abuse. The retreat will be held Aug. 2-4 at
meet the staff and learn about the services offered in the Brazos Valley. For more Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. The retreat leaders strive to provide
a safe, comfortable, loving and supportive environment so that participants are able
information, contact CCCTX at (512) 651-6100.
to begin or to continue their healing process. The cost for the weekend retreat is
$125 per person. A limited number of scholarships (discounted price) are available.
Married couples who are looking for a getaway and time to reconnect with one To register for this retreat, call (254) 780-2436 and ask for Beverly.
A Woman’s Perspective on the Spiritual Life, a day of reÁection, will be held
another are invited to a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Aug. 9-11 at St. John Neumann Parish in Austin and Sept. 6-8 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. Aug. 10 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton.
The weekend begins Friday at 7:30 p.m. and ends Sunday around 4 p.m. This is an From St. Catherine of Siena, Joan of Arc, and Elizabeth Seton, to Edith Stein, the
opportunity for husbands and wives to escape the daily distractions of life and focus four women martyred in Salvador in 1981 and Mother Teresa, the extraordinary
on each other. For more information or to apply to attend, contact Anh and Greg faith and spirituality of these women have led the way for our own spiritual growth.
The day will explore their gifts and how they lived their faith. The cost is $35, which
Thomas at (512) 677-WWME (9963) or [email protected].
includes lunch. For more information, contact Cedarbrake at (254) 780-2436 or
[email protected].
Writing Your Story, a weekend retreat with Maria Scaperlanda, will be held
The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist will host a Housewarming Celebration and Blessing Sept. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. Everyone is invited to Sept. 13-15 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. The weekend will
celebrate the completion of the Àrst Texas facility on the priory site, a temporary explore writing as a tool for fostering intimate prayer. No writing skills are remission convent. Join the sisters as well as Bishop Joe Vásquez and Bishop Wm. quired, only a willingness to ponder and listen with pen in hand. This retreat is
Michael Mulvey for a tour of the convent, barbecue, and an update on the progress open to both men and women. The cost is $155 for a shared room and $185 for
of the larger planned priory. For more information and for directions to the site, a private room. For more information, contact Cedarbrake at (254) 780-2436 or
[email protected].
visit www.sistersofmary.org/Housewarming.
Retreats coming up for married couples
Housewarming for Dominican Sisters of Mary
CENTRAL TEXAS
8
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
Priests help people of West mourn, recover
BY AMY MORACZEWSKI
CORRESPONDENT
It is often said that tragedy
brings out the best in people.
Nowhere is this more evident
than in the Czech community
of West over the course of
the last few months. While
many families remain devastated by the April 17 explosion that claimed their school,
jobs, homes and neighbors,
they have rallied around one
another to rebuild. St. Mary,
Church of the Assumption
Parish has played a central
role in the West community
and continues to thrive under
the care of Father Ed Karasek
and Father Boniface Onjefu.
When Bishop John McCarthy asked the recently ordained Father Karasek to help
out at St. Mary in West, he estimated it would be for about
two weeks but perhaps up
to two months. That was 24
years ago! But Father Karasek
is not complaining. Among
his parish family, he has found
a second home approximately
100 miles northwest of his
childhood home in Caldwell,
where his dad, brother and
sister-in-law still live.
As a child, Father Karasek
attended Holy Rosary Parish,
where he taught religious education. He later obtained a job
cleaning the local cemetery,
which led him to consider a
career as a funeral director.
He even visited the funeral
home during high school to
tour it with the director, but
his visit to the seminary in
Houston as an eighth grader
continued to prevail in the
back of his mind. Ultimately,
priesthood won out. However, his sense of respect for
funerals has proven to be an
invaluable asset in his chosen
vocation, never more so than
following the plant explosion
when he pastored the community in the initial steps toward
healing.
Father Karasek‘s love of
the people of West appears to
be mutual. He gave a few examples of the numerous acts
of generosity shown to their
pastor over the years.
Father Karasek is also
known for his own generosity.
Every two weeks, he makes a
habit of giving platelets and
has donated more than 40 gallons of blood throughout his
life. Never has there been a
greater demand for these donations so close to home than
now. While he believes a full
recovery from the explosion
may take another Àve or 10
years, Father Karasek said the
town is healing as they move
through the stages of grief.
Fortunately, the parishioners have an associate pastor
who is equally eager to lend a
hand. In fact, Father Onjefu is
a self-proclaimed “compulsive
helper.” He is quick to point
out that the common goal of
both priests, “is to provide for
the West residents, not just
Catholics.”
On assignment from his
home diocese in Nigeria for
the past year and a half, Father Onjefu has quickly adapted to life in the U.S., and
more speciÀcally, in West. He
has even adopted a love of
country music. He credits the
parishioners with the smooth
transition, saying that they immediately accepted him and
were patient with him as he
learned the language and culture.
“I’m really blessed to be-
FATHER ED
KARASEK
(right) and
Father Boniface
Onjefu serve as
the pastor and
associate pastor of St. Mary,
Church of the
Assumption
Parish in West.
(Photo by Amy
Moraczewski)
gin my ministry in the United
States in West. They love their
priests,” Father Onjefu said.
Unlike Father Karasek,
who can travel home to see
family on his day off each
week, Father Onjefu is anxiously awaiting his upcoming
6,500 mile journey to reunite
with his parents and seven
siblings for the Àrst time since
he came to the U.S. His parents are both members of the
Knights of Mulumbra, which
is similar to the Knights of
Columbus, and raised their
children in the Catholic faith.
As a boy, Father Onjefu loved
being on the altar to serve
during Mass, and after graduating from a Catholic high
school, decided to enter the
seminary. Fifteen years after
ordination, his love for the
priesthood is more passionate
than ever.
Back home in Africa, Father Onjefu used to assist in
the care of HIV/AIDS patients, but one of his favorite
forms of service has always
been marriage counseling. He
thrives on the opportunity to
mediate through a couple’s
problems and help save the
marriage before it ends in divorce. He hopes to eventually continue his education
by earning a degree in clinical
psychology, with a focus on
marriage counseling.
Most recently his “compulsive helping” has taken the
form of ministering to the displaced nursing home residents
of West. After the explosion,
he helped identify parishioners in 13 different nursing
homes spread across neighboring towns. Many of these
homes do not offer any type
of spiritual care from priests,
so Father Onjefu organized a
group of volunteers, who visit
the various nursing homes,
spending time in conversation
and prayer with the residents,
and bringing them the Eucharist.
Unfortunately, due to the
trauma of the blast and subsequent relocation, many of
them died shortly thereafter.
Father Onjefu and his team
of volunteers strive to bring
Christ to each of the elderly
victims in their time of need.
While the effects of the
tragic explosion continue to
reverberate throughout the
town of West, there is another
message that is felt in an even
more powerful way. It is a
message of hope, communicated through loving, selfless service. As Father Onjefu
said, it is all about being with
the people.
“Pray with them. Sympathize with them. Be humble,
and be with them at all times,”
he said.
In the midst of their recovery, there is also a prevalence of gratitude. Father
Karasek expressed his appreciation saying, “Thank you
to everybody, all the priests
and communities, who have
prayed for us. Thanks for all
the contributions and second
collections and prayers. Know
that we pray for you, too.”
Pastoral support for victims of sexual abuse
The Diocese of Austin is committed to providing con¿dential and compassionate care to victims of sexual abuse, particularly if the abuse was
committed by clergy or a church representative. If you have experienced abuse by someone representing the Catholic Church, please contact
the diocesan coordinator of pastoral care at (512) 949-2400.
Apoyo pastoral a las víctimas de abuso sexual
La Diócesis de Austin se compromete a proporcionar ayuda con¿dencial y compasiva a las víctimas de abuso sexual, especialmente si el
abuso fue cometido por el clero o un representante de la iglesia. Si usted ha sufrido abusos por parte de alguien que representa la Iglesia
Católica, por favor comuníquese con el coordinador diocesano del cuidado pastoral al (512) 949-2400.
How to report an incident of concern
The Diocese of Austin is committed to preventing harm from happening to any of our children or vulnerable adults. If you are aware of sexual
or physical abuse and/or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult, state law requires you to report that information to local law enforcement or
the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services at (800) 252-5400 or www.dfps.state.tx.us. Additionally, if the suspected abuse is by
clergy or an employee or volunteer of any diocesan parish, school or agency, a Notice of Concern should be submitted to the diocesan Ethics
and Integrity in Ministry Of¿ce at (512) 949-2400. The Notice of Concern can be found at www.austindiocese.org (click on the link HOW TO
REPORT ABUSE). Reports may be made anonymously.
Cómo reportar un caso de abuso
La Diócesis de Austin está comprometida a la prevención del daño que se cause a cualquier niño o adulto vulnerable. Si usted está enterado
del abuso sexual o físico y/o abandono de un niño o adulto vulnerable, la ley estatal requiere que se reporte esa información a la policía local
o el Departamento de Servicios Familiares y de Protección del Estado de Texas al (800) 252-5400 o al sitio: www.dfps.state.tx.us y además,
si la sospecha de abuso es por parte del clero, empleado o voluntario de cualquier parroquia, escuela u organización de la diócesis, se debe
enviar un Reporte de Abuso y debe ser presentado a la O¿cina de Ética e Integridad en el Ministerio de la diócesis al (512) 949-2400. El Reporte de Abuso se encuentra en nuestra página de Internet diocesana: www.austindiocese.org (Haga click en la liga COMO REPORTAR UN
CASO DE ABUSO). Estos reportes pueden ser hechos de manera anónima.
July/August 2013
9
CENTRAL TEXAS
Spanish conference focuses on increasing faith
Just as the boy’s father in
Mark 9:24 cried out “I do believe, help my unbelief!,” about
1,500 people sought strength
in the Holy Spirit at the second
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
Conference, which was held in
Spanish on June 8. The theme
was “I believe, Lord, but increase
my faith!”
The event, sponsored by
the diocesan OfÀce of Hispanic
Ministry, featured music, a healing service, reconciliation and
guest speakers. Eudist Father
John Mario Montoya, from Colombia, celebrated the opening
Mass, where his homily focused
on the conference theme. His
second presentation was titled,
“Come Holy Spirit and Light the
Fire of your Love in Me.”
Also addressing the faithful was Marangely González
of Buffalo, N.Y., a renowned
Catholic Charistmatic speaker,
who led a healing service after
sharing her life story and focusing on the theme “By Your
Faith, You Have Been Healed”
and “In the World, Witnesses
to Christ.”
The decibel level of the music and preaching were high at
the 12-hour event, and no one
looked askance when participants shouted “Amen!” or “Alleluia!” during the homily and
presentations by the speakers.
The faithful, many whom
brought their families, formed
long lines to receive the sacrament of reconciliation and
rushed the food vendors during
breaks for a physical nourishment before returning for spiritual food.
Luminosa Álvarez of St.
Elizabeth Parish in PÁugerville
was one of those in the front
row who was brought to tears
at the healing service.
“I came for my health,” said
Álvarez, who lost a leg to diabetes and is on kidney dialysis.
“I feel a little different, a little
better.”
Arturo and Luz García of
St. Francis on the Brazos Parish
in Waco, have been to similar
conferences in Dallas. This was
their Àrst in Austin.
“The Lord invited us and
here we are,” Arturo García
said.
Sofía Rodríguez of San José
Parish in Austin brought her
three children, including Stephanie, 11.
“There are not a lot of
things like this,” the young girl
said shyly. “It helps my faith.
Sometimes people bully me. I
can pray.”
Sofía Rodríguez said she
brought her children because
there are not many religious
events in which the entire family
can participate.
“I want them to continue
in the faith,” she said. “It was
instilled in me since I was a child
and I want the same for them.”
During the homily, Father
Montoya focused on the Gospel
from Luke 7:11-15, in which Jesus and his disciples and followers are walking to Nain. Jesus
had just raised the centurion’s
slave from the dead and was
marveling at the faith shown.
Along the way they encounter a
funeral procession for the only
son of a widow. Jesus commands the dead son to rise and
gives him back to his mother.
At that time, he explained,
women didn’t work outside the
home and depended on husbands and sons to care for them.
Thus, the widowed woman in
the funeral procession was destined to poverty and perhaps a
life of begging.
“This was a procession of
sadness and pain, poverty, anguish and desperation,” he said.
“She had no hope. She was
condemned to poverty.”
“These are two groups of
people –– two processions,”
said the priest. “One is a procession of hope and life and
the other is of despair and
death. To which group do we
belong? In which procession
do we want to be?”
Father Montoya said that
Jesus did not just physically
raise the widow’s son from the
dead. He also gave new life to
the woman by giving her hope.
Too often, he said, people
stay focused on their losses and
pain and overlook the hope
given to us by Jesus Christ.
“When he meets the widow
he tells her ‘Do not weep’ even
though she had every reason to
weep,” he said. “He then tells
the dead man ‘Arise!’ Those are
words of power.”
Father Montoya said that
power is present in the Eucharist.
“Every time you take Communion he comes to tell you,
‘Arise! You are dead! Arise!’”
he said. “Jesus has the power to
save. So don’t just sit there! He
can save you from vice, poverty
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and depression. Arise and don’t
let anything keep you from the
peace and joy that the Lord is
giving you!”
González, who is coordinator of the Charismatic Renewal
Committee for the Diocese
of Buffalo and serves on the
national committee, shared her
story of sexual abuse and her
search for peace in other religious denominations.
Physical and spiritual healing, she said, are only available
through faith, and nurturing and
strengthening faith begins with
the Word.
“Faith enters through the
sense of hearing,” she said.
“Words have power. But it’s
easy to be distracted when you
don’t listen.”
St. Paul tells us in 2 Corrinthians that “we walk by faith,
not by sight,” she noted.
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The theme was “I believe, Lord, but increase my faith!”
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cowards, she said.
“Catholics need to be brave
and get up from death and enter
into new life!” González said.
“You should be able to see faith
in Catholics. We are mobile
tabernacles.”
When things go wrong or
we face pain, we often think
God has abandoned us, she said.
“With Christ you are a giant next to those problems,”
she said. “We need to learn to
recognize God amid all that is
happening.”
Referring to the procession
in the day’s Gospel, González
said many people remain on
the sidelines instead of joining
the procession of life offered by
Jesus Christ.
“Stop begging and complaining about things,” she said.
“God has a lot to offer. But we
can’t just sit on the side of the
road. We need to do our part.”
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If you have journalism experience and are interested in writing about Catholic events and
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10
IN OUR WORLD
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
Pope prepares to return to his ‘homeland’ for WYD
BY FRANCIS X. ROCCA
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
When Pope Francis met
Brazil President Dilma Rousseff
at the Vatican in March, just
after his Mass of inauguration as
pope, he reportedly started their
conversation by saying, “I’d like
to thank you for everything you
have done for the poor.”
According to someone who
was present, the pope also commended the president for having
cut short a January trip to Chile
to travel the central Brazilian
city of Santa Maria, where she
consoled survivors and families
of victims of a disastrous nightclub Àre.
Pope Francis assured Rousseff that he would be traveling to Brazil in July, fulÀlling a
commitment by his predecessor
Pope Benedict XVI to attend
World Youth Day in Rio de
Janeiro. Adding that his visit
would include a pilgrimage to
the national shrine of Our Lady
of Aparecida, the pope gave the
president a copy of a document
adopted by Latin American
bishops who met at Aparecida
in 2007.
As the Àrst Latin American
pontiff prepares to travel to his
native continent on his Àrst international trip as pope, July 2229, his remarks to the Brazilian
leader suggest that his approach
to the region and its challenges
will exemplify the commitment
to social action and evangelization that he has made a deÀning
feature of his young pontiÀcate.
With his emphasis on the
promotion of earthly justice and
peace, Pope Francis has made
clear that the church values
humanitarian efforts by those,
such as Rousseff, who do not
identify themselves as religious
believers, let alone Christians.
As he said in a homily in May,
“the possibility of doing good
is something we all have ... even
the atheists.”
Pope Francis also favors
swift and direct attention to
critical social problems, such
his own visit to the southern
Mediterranean island of Lampedusa July 8, which he said was
inspired by the deaths of African
migrants who had drowned trying to reach Europe in the preceding weeks. The pope called
those deaths a “thorn in the
heart” for him, and denounced
richer nations’ indifference to
such suffering.
So the protest movement
that broke out in Brazilian cities
last month, which some observers have feared could distract
from the papal visit, may prove
to have been a Àtting prelude
to it.
Whether Pope Francis explicitly mentions the massive
demonstrations –– whose targets have included the high cost
of transportation, government
corruption and public spending on sports events instead of
education and health services
–– his words will surely resonate
with their driving concerns,
particularly when he addresses
the residents of a Rio slum July
25 and, two days later, what the
ofÀcial Vatican schedule refers
to as the “ruling class of Brazil.”
No event on the pope’s
itinerary will be richer in signiÀcance than his pilgrimage to
Aparecida July 24. For someone
so devoted to the mother of Jesus –– he started his Àrst full day
as pope with a visit to Rome’s
Basilica of St. Mary Major, and
later asked the bishops of Portugal to dedicate his pontiÀcate
to Our Lady of Fatima –– the
place holds personal importance
by virtue of its status as Brazil’s
foremost Marian shrine.
But Aparecida also matters
to Pope Francis as the site in
2007 of the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin
America and the Caribbean,
who approved a concluding
document of which the pope
himself, then known as Cardinal
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was a
principal author.
That document, which the
pope will likely refer to during
his visit to the shrine and then in
his meeting with Latin American
bishops July 28, includes strong
language about the “building of
a just and fraternal society” that
ensures “health, food, education, housing and work for all,”
within the context of an evangelizing mission in which all the
baptized are “called to proclaim
the Gospel.”
For Pope Francis, the pursuit of social justice is inseparable from faith in Christ, and
ultimately impossible without it.
“Confess Jesus,” he told the
College of Cardinals in his Àrst
homily as pope. “If we don’t do
that, we will be a compassionate NGO (nongovernmental
organization).”
As the pope writes in his
Àrst encyclical, “Lumen Fidei,”
released July 5, modern secular
ideologies have failed to bring
justice and peace because they
“sought to build a universal
brotherhood based on equality,
yet we gradually came to realize
that this brotherhood, lacking
a common reference to a common father as its ultimate foundation, cannot endure.”
Pope Francis celebrates social action as laudable in itself
not because he considers it a
good separate from evangelization, but because he considers it
a form of evangelization.
He writes in his encyclical that St. Francis of Assisi
and Blessed Teresa of Kolkata,
iconic exemplars of charity, both
“found mediators of light in
those who suffer.”
“Christians know that suffering cannot be eliminated,”
Pope Francis writes, “yet it can
have meaning and become an
act of love and entrustment into
the hands of God who does not
abandon us; in this way it can
serve as a moment of growth in
faith and love.”
As he brings his message of
social justice to Latin America
and beyond, Pope Francis manifestly does so in the belief that
as the church draws closer to
the poor, the poor draw it closer
to God.
YOUNG PEOPLE carry the World Youth Day cross during a visit to the Christ the Redeemer
statue in Rio de Janeiro July 12. Young people from around the globe with join Pope Francis
for the celebration in Rio July 23-28. (CNS photo/Ricardo Moraes, Reuters)
World Youth Day by the numbers
BY LISE ALVES
As hundreds of thousands
of young Catholic pilgrims descend on Brazil, World Youth
Day coordinators in Rio de
Janeiro are putting the Ànishing
touches on preparations for up
to 2.5 million people.
By July 15, more than
320,000 people had registered
for the event. Media coordinator
Carol Castro said many pilgrims
will register when they arrive,
and many will participate in the
events without being registered.
The countries with the greatest numbers of pilgrims registered are Brazil, Argentina and
the United States, but young people are coming from as far away
as the Philippines and Slovakia.
More than 8,400 priests from
all over the globe requested credentials for the event. Approximately 5,500 journalists have been
given credentials to cover Pope
Francis’ Àrst international trip.
Castro said 55 percent of
registered pilgrims are women
and 60 percent of those coming
are ages 19-34. About 300,000
beds were made available in
family homes, sports centers and
schools in Rio.
OfÀcials said more than 270
locations are available for catechetical session in 26 languages,
including Polish, Latvian, Mandarin and Flemish.
They said 60,000 volunteers,
of whom 7,000 are foreigners,
will be on hand during the week
to help and direct pilgrims to the
events in Rio. Nearly 800 singers, dancers, actors and musicians will be participating in the
main events.
Catholic ofÀcials will have 4
million hosts for consecration,
and 100 confessionals will be at
hand for pilgrims.
Pope Francis will greet pilgrims on a stage overlooking
Copacabana beach July 25. For
those unable to get to the main
stage, organizers have set up two
large and 16 smaller screens and
26 sound towers.
The July 27 vigil will be outside the city at a site equal to
approximately 150 soccer Àelds.
The venue has been dubbed
Campus Fidei, Latin for Field
of Faith. This is also the site for
Pope Francis’ July 28 Mass with
young people, who can watch
on 33 large outdoor screens if
they cannot see the altar.
To make things more comfortable for pilgrims spending
the night, the area will have
4,673 portable bathrooms, 270
of which were adapted for people with disabilities.
More than 12 million liters
of water will be at hand for
pilgrims, distributed in 177 locations throughout the area.
The Brazilian armed forces
have been put in charge of guaranteeing the security of pilgrims
at Campus Fidei. The army will
have 1,500 people stationed
inside Campus Fidei while the
national security force will have
1,300 people patrolling both
inside and outside the vigil area.
For the entire event, security for pilgrims will count on
more than 10,200 military units.
The number of members of
the armed forces to be used to
guarantee security for pilgrims
was increased from 8,500 after
the recent socio-political protests in several cities in Brazil.
Pope Francis will be guarded by
600 military personnel as well as
80 people from Brazil’s federal
police and Vatican police who
accompany Pope Francis on
his visit.
July/August 2013
11
IN OUR WORLD
Bishop Seitz welcomed to the El Paso Diocese
BY ANDY SPARKE
Bishop Mark J. Seitz
promised to lead his Áock into
a new century characterized
by the new evangelization as
he was installed as bishop of
the nearly 100-year-old Diocese of El Paso.
In a homily presented in
both English and Spanish,
Bishop Seitz addressed more
than 4,000 people who attended the installation Mass in
the grand hall of the El Paso
Convention and Performing
Arts Center July 9.
He promised to listen for
the voice of the Lord in the
words of the priests, the deacons, the laity “and the voices
of the poor, for I am sure he
will speak through them.”
“I will have confidence
in the voice of Holy Father
Francis and the magisterium
of the church,” he said.
Msgr. Jean-Francois
Lantheaume, charge d’affaires
at the apostolic nunciature in
Washington, read the message from Pope Francis relieving Bishop Seitz of his duties
as auxiliary bishop of Dallas
and appointing him the sixth
bishop of the El Paso Diocese. His appointment was announced May 6.
San Antonio Archbishop
Gustavo Garcia-Siller conducted the installation rite,
which was attended by Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the retired archbishop of
Washington, and 22 archbishops and bishops from Texas,
New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, California, Louisiana,
Wyoming, Illinois and Nebraska.
In his homily, Bishop Seitz
recounted his visits to parts of
the El Paso Diocese in the time
since his appointment was announced and said, “I can see the
diocese is deeply committed to
the Catholic faith.”
Noting that the city of El
Paso derives its name from El
Paso del Norte, “the pass of
the north” traveled by early
Spanish explorers and missionaries, he said it has long
been a beacon for “refugees
and immigrants, people so
dear to the Lord.”
Next March, the Diocese
of El Paso will mark the 100th
anniversary of its founding
by Pope Pius X. Made up of
10 counties covering 26,700
square miles in the western
tip of Texas between New
Mexico and Mexico, the diocese has a Catholic population
of more than 650,000.
Bishop Seitz told those
gathered for his installation,
“I will call you to open a new
chapter in the history of the
diocese in this new century.”
“The world needs the testimony of faith now more than
ever,” he said. “This is the time
for the new evangelization.”
More than 800 Catholics
from the diocese faithful Àlled
St. Patrick Cathedral to overÁowing for the vespers service
the evening before the installation of the new bishop.
Bishop Armando X.
Ochoa of Fresno, Calif., apostolic administrator of El
BISHOP MARK
J. SEITZ is greeted by migrants
during his installation Mass as
the sixth bishop
of the Diocese of
El Paso on July 9.
More than 4,000
people attended
the Mass for the
former auxiliary
bishop of Dallas.
(CNS photo by
Christ Chavez,
Rio Grande
Cathollic)
Paso and former bishop of
the diocese, met Bishop Seitz
at the door of the cathedral
and led him toward the altar amid long applause from
those in attendance. Bishop
Ochoa was named to Fresno
in December 2011.
The diocesan choir led an
enthusiastic congregation in
singing the psalms and hymns
for the service.
In his homily, Bishop Seitz
said his appointment as new
bishop of El Paso was both a
“great surprise and great joy.”
He told the gathering he
was ambitious to be a saint
“like Father Pedro de Jesus
Maldonado who was ordained
in this cathedral.” Father Maldonado was martyred in the
Mexican state of Chihuahua
in the 1930s and canonized by
Pope John Paul II.
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began,” he said, referring to
the early Spanish missionaries
who established the missions
in the diocese in the 1600s;
missions which are still active
parishes today.
Earlier in the day, Bishop
Seitz and members of his family were guests of honor at a
luncheon hosted by the Native
American Tigua Tribe, whose
home parish is the Ysleta Mission in El Paso’s Lower Valley.
The bishop was greeted by
members of the tribal council, honored with a presentation of the Eagle Dance,
and joined tribal members and
guests in dancing a community round dance.
“I want every Catholic in
El Paso to be an evangelizer,”
the bishop said. “Together we
will announce a new path that
leads us to God.”
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Noting that he would become shepherd of the El Paso
Diocese on the following day,
Bishop Seitz said any shepherd cannot reach his goal
alone, but must be accompanied by this Áock.
“We are going to be connected in the pilgrimage”
toward holiness, he said. “I
hope that I can help you with
the model of my life and
preaching.”
He said, “I hope to help
you to work through this
life with more joy and more
peace.”
Bishop Seitz promised “all
I have received in the service
of God here in the Diocese of
El Paso.”
“It is a great honor,” he
said, “to be here in this great
Diocese of El Paso where
the evangelization of Texas
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12
IN OUR WORLD
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
Bosnian war victims Ànd solace in CRS project
and kill us (and) they forced us cally about his ordeal.
international relief and developto make the sign of the cross
“It helps a lot, I am not going ment agency.
before letting (us) go to the to the doctor as much as before
Under the CRS project,
bathroom,” he said.
and I am helping others now,” “Choosing Peace Together,”
In July 1995, the Bosnian
Omerspahic said he and said Omerspahic, who currently former war prisoners like Omercity of Zepa fell to invading Ser- about 800 Muslims were kept receives counseling for trauma spahic are provided spaces where
bian troops and Amir Omer- for six months in two sepa- and training in public speaking they can meet to share their difspahic, then 21, Áed along with
the city’s other Muslim men.
They hid in forests and Àelds Under the CRS project, “Choosing Peace Together,” former
by day and ran under cover
war prisoners like Omerspahic are provided spaces where
of darkness at night until their
pursuers ultimately captured they can meet to share their different pasts.
them, Àve days later.
“They singled out one man
and accused him of being an rate camps made up of small through a peacebuilding project ferent pasts. For those among
ofÀcer. They shot him on the wooden huts “with 30 people that has given a voice to victims them interested in addressing
spot and threw him over the per room (and) concrete Áoors.” of the 1992-95 war in Bosnia- a wider audience, the project
mountain. They beat my head Their captors, he said, routine- Herzegovina.
schedules public meetings with
severely and took us to camps,” ly “put our hands behind our
“I speak to schools and mostly young audiences who
Omerspahic recalled in an in- heads and beat us (and) called universities, especially to the have little Àrst-hand knowledge
terview with the Catholic News us ‘Turks.’”
younger generation, in order of their country’s violent past
Service, 18 years later.
Such scars of war, he told that this war isn’t repeated. I like or who even reject outright that
“We’d heard that at Sre- CNS, had left him “shocked, it when children are listening to their particular communities
brenica they had already killed traumatized” and unable to us,” Omerspahic said in an in- share any blame for the ethnic
so many (Muslims), so we were sleep or hold a regular job since, terview earlier this summer from conÁict that killed an estimated
panicked. They threatened to but he said he finally found the Sarajevo ofÀces of Catholic 97,000 people and displaced alput wires through our heads some solace in speaking publi- Relief Services, the U.S. bishops’ most 2 million others.
BY JAMES MARTONE
A BOSNIAN
WOMAN cries
over the grave
of a relative at
the site where
hundreds of
newly identi¿ed
victims of the
1995 Srebrenica massacre
were to be
buried July 11.
Eighteen years
later, a Catholic
Relief Services
program is helping Bosnians
still traumatized
by the war.
(CNS photo/
Dado Ruvic,
Reuters)
“We are making human connections,” said Goran Bubalo,
who directs the peacebuilding
project for CRS in Sarajevo. He
said the project had involved
more than 200 former war prisoners from among the region’s
Muslim, Catholic and Orthodox
communities, but that only about
60 were ready to speak publically.
“Many are still heavily traumatized. Often when they speak
about their experiences, they start
crying,” he said.
Omerspahic said that,
through the peace project, he had
met others like himself, who also
had suffered long detainments,
beatings, torture and loss of family members during the Bosnian
war, and that he had become
good friends with some of them,
including a Catholic Croat and an
Orthodox Serb.
“One of our fellow speakers,
a Serb, died suddenly last year,
and all of us collected money for
his family and the funeral service,” Omerspahic said.
Omerspahic said one of the
best things the project had done
was to reunite him with a Serbian
doctor who had shown him kindness during his time in the prison
camp.
Omerspahic said his arm had
become infected due to continuous beatings, and the pain
became so unbearable that he
begged camp guards to take him
to a doctor.
“There were good guards
and bad guards and the nice
guards took me to a doctor, who
was also Serb. I was scared but
the doctor told me ‘Do not be
afraid. Your arm is poisoned but
I will save it,’ and for the very Àrst
time since entering the camp, I
got a feeling of hopefulness,”
recounted Omerspahic.
“When we were united two
years ago, we hugged and I started to cry,” he said, adding “that’s
all I remember.”
Many protest Israel’s plan to build Cremisan Valley barrier
BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
A U.S. bishop is upset
with Israel’s decision to build
a separation barrier along a
route that will nearly surround
a convent and its primary
school and conÀscate most of
their land on the outskirts of
a Palestinian West Bank community.
Bishop Richard E. Pates
of Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice
and Peace, protested the Is-
raeli plan to build the barrier
near Beit Jalla in a May 6 letter to Secretary of State John
Kerry.
“In solidarity with our
brother bishops in the Holy
Land, we oppose rerouting
the separation wall in the
Cremisan Valley,” the letter
said, referencing arguments
that Holy Land bishops made
to the Israeli government in a
letter opposing the barrier.
The barrier’s route will
separate a Salesian monastery
from a Salesian convent and
surround both on three sides
while separating both from
land they own. It would also
cut off 58 Christian families
from agricultural and recreational land they own, hurting
their livelihood, Bishop Pates
said.
The barrier, which would
serve to connect to Israeli
West Bank settlements, has
been the subject of six years
of legal proceedings. The Israeli Special Appeals Committee for Land Seizure ruled in
favor of construction under
emergency law in late April.
Bishop Pates urged Kerry
to address the concerns raised
by Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch
Fouad Twal, who reminded
“Israeli decision-makers that the
expropriation of lands does not
serve the cause of peace.”
“The Cremisan Valley is
a microcosm of a protracted pattern that has serious
implications for the ongoing
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As the wall moves and constricts more communities in
the West Bank, the possibility
of a future two-state resolution becomes less likely,” the
letter said.
“Moving the wall and disassociating Palestinian families
from their lands and liveli-
hoods will incite more resentment against the state of Israel
among residents of the West
Bank, not less, increasing the
frustrations that can lead to
violence. Such policies put Israeli citizens at risk and weaken initiatives for reconciliation
and peace,” Bishop Pates continued.
The letter is a reiteration of
the same stance Bishop Pates
and the committee took in a late
2012 letter for former Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton.
The full text of Bishop
Pates’ letter can be read online
at http://bit.ly/13d7SQK.
July/August 2013
13
IN OUR WORLD
John Paul II, John XXIII will be canonized soon
BY CINDY WOODEN
Pope Francis signed a decree
clearing the way for the canonization of Blessed John Paul II
and has decided also to ask the
world’s cardinals to vote on the
canonization of Blessed John
XXIII, even in the absence of
a miracle.
After Pope Francis met July
5 with Cardinal Angelo Amato,
prefect of the Congregation for
Saints’ Causes, the Vatican published a list of decrees the pope
approved related to Blessed
John Paul’s canonization and 11
other sainthood causes.
Publishing the decrees, the
Vatican also said, “The supreme
pontiff approved the favorable
votes of the ordinary session of
FLORIBETH MORA DIAZ, the Costa Rican woman whose
inexplicable cure has been attributed to the intercession of
Blessed John Paul II, displays a magazine cover as she
gives her testimony to the media in San Jose, Costa Rica,
July 5. (CNS photo/Juan Carlos Ulate, Reuters)
the cardinal- and bishop-fathers
regarding the canonization of
Blessed John XXIII (Angelo
Giuseppe Roncalli) and has
decided to convoke a consistory
that will also involve the canonization of Blessed John Paul II.”
After a pope signs a decree
recognizing the miracle needed
for a canonization, the pope
consults with cardinals around
the world and calls a consistory
–– a gathering attended by any
cardinal who wants and is able
to attend –– where those present voice their support for the
pope’s decision to proclaim a
new saint.
A date for a canonization
ceremony is announced formally
only during or immediately after
the consistory.
The cardinals and archbishops who are members of the
saints’ congregation met at the
Vatican July 2 and voted in
favor of the pope recognizing
as a miracle the healing of Floribeth Mora Diaz, a Costa Rican
who was suffering from a brain
aneurysm and recovered after
prayers through the intercession
of Blessed John Paul.
The congregation members,
according to news reports, also
looked at the cause of Blessed
John and voted to ask Pope
Francis to canonize him without
requiring a miracle. According
to church rules –– established by
the pope and subject to changes
by him –– a miracle is needed
after beatiÀcation to make a can-
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didate eligible for canonization.
Jesuit Father Paolo Molinari,
the longtime head of the College
of Postulators –– or promoters of sainthood causes –– has
explained that in the sainthood
process, miracles are “the conÀrmation by God of a judgment
made by human beings” that the
candidate really is in heaven.
But, Father Molinari also
has said that for decades theologians have explored the possibility that such a conÀrmation
could come by means other than
someone experiencing a physical
healing. For instance, Blessed
John Paul beatiÀed Victoire Rasoamanarivo in Madagascar in
1989 after accepting as a miracle
the case of a wind-swept brush
Àre stopping at the edge of a village whose inhabitants invoked
her intercession.
Announcing the decision
about Blessed John’s cause,
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said
the discussions about the need
for miracles and what can be
deÀned as an acceptable miracle
continue. However, he said, the
movement in the late pope’s
cause does not indicate a general
change in church policy.
The members of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes
“have expressed their hope, and
the Holy Father has accepted
it,” Father Lombardi said. If
Pope Francis “had any doubts,
we wouldn’t be here” announcing the consistory to approve
Blessed John’s canonization.
“As we all know very well,
John XXIII is a person beloved
in the church. We are in the 50th
anniversary year of the opening
of the Second Vatican Council, which he convoked. And I
think none of us has any doubts
about John XXIII’s virtues,” the
spokesman said. “So, the Holy
Father is looking toward his
canonization.”
Father Lombardi also noted
that no date for a canonization
ceremony was announced, but it
is likely that the two popes will
be canonized together, possibly
“by the end of the year.”
The other decrees approved
by Pope Francis July 5 recognized:
• The miracle needed for
beatiÀcation of Spanish Bishop
Alvaro del Portillo, who in 1975
succeeded St. Jose Maria Escriva
as head of Opus Dei. Bishop del
Portillo died in 1994.
• The miracle needed for
the beatiÀcation of Maria Josefa
Alhama Valera, also known as
Mother Esperanza, the Spanish
founder of the Handmaids of
Merciful Love and the Sons of
Merciful Love. She died in Italy
in 1983.
• The martyrdom of four
groups of priests and nuns killed
during the Spanish Civil War in
1936-1939.
• The heroic virtues of
three founders of religious orders; an Italian priest; and an
Italian layman.
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C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
IN OUR WORLD
Immigration reform goes beyond politics, bishop says
BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
Catholics need to put aside
“any partisan differences”
they have on the immigration
issue and come together to
pray for the welfare of their
brother and sister immigrants
and for Congress to pass
much-hoped-for comprehensive immigration reform, said
Bishop David M. O’Connell
of Trenton.
Immigration reform in the
United States is “a moral imperative” that goes beyond
politics, the bishop said in a
pastoral statement he issued
for the Trenton Diocese’s Justice for Immigrants Sunday,
observed July 14.
“Whatever we, as Catholics, can do to foster the hopes
and dreams of those who see
our country as their potential
home is an imperative of the
Gospel and of the Catholic
social teaching based upon it,
not of our political persuasion,” Bishop O’Connell said.
“Prayer is a powerful prerogative and something that
all of us can do. I believe that
with all my heart and soul,” he
added.
The bishop designated Justice for Immigrants Sunday as
a day in which Catholics at all
parishes in the diocese prayed
for concrete action “on fair
immigration policies.”
Special prayer petitions
were read, homilies delivered
and materials distributed to
inform the Catholic community of the U.S. bishops’ support for comprehensive reform as outlined in their 2003
pastoral letter titled “Strangers
No Longer: Together on the
Journey of Hope.”
The principles enunciated
in that letter –– among them
a path to citizenship for the
undocumented, provisions
to keep families together and
various types of worker visas –– were echoed in a recent pastoral statement on
immigration from the Catholic bishops of New Jersey,
advocating the reform of “a
badly broken system in our
country.”
“That something significant and substantial needs to
be done is hardly arguable,”
A GROUP OF IMMIGRANTS AND ACTIVISTS for immigration reform chant as they march
on Capitol Hill in Washington June 26 to urge Congress to act on immigration reform. The
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill June 27.
(CNS/Jonathan Ernst, Reuters)
Bishop O’Connell said in his
statement. “How best to accomplish that goal continues
to be a source of debate, even
division within our nation.
“Sadly, people are quick to
paint the issues involved with
political and partisan brushes,
thereby adding to the polarization and the delay in resolution.”
Comprehensive immigration reform “is not Washington’s problem,” he continued.
“It is a concern for all citizens
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15
LUMEN GENTIUM
Bishop Joe S. Vásquez presented the 2013 Lumen Gentium awards to the following
individuals in recognition of their service and faithfulness. Recipients were nominated by their
pastor or diocesan staff.
“Gathered together in the people of God and established in the one body of Christ under one head, the laity –– no maƩer who they
are –– have, as living members, the vocaƟon of applying to the building up of the church and to its conƟnual sancƟĮcaƟon all the powers
which they have received from the goodness of the Creator and from the grace of the Redeemer.
“The apostolate of the laity is a sharing in the salviĮc mission of the church. Through bapƟsm and conĮrmaƟon all are appointed to
this apostolate by the Lord himself. Moreover, by the sacraments, and especially by the Eucharist, that love of God and man which is the
soul of the apostolate is communicated and nourished. The laity, however, are given this special vocaƟon: to make the church present
and fruiƞul in those places and circumstances where it is only through them that she can become the salt of the earth. Thus, every lay
person, through those giŌs given to him, is at once the witness and the living instrument of the mission of the church itself “according to
the measure of Christ’s bestowal” (Eph. 4:7) ...
— No. 33, The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium), Second Vatican Council, November 21, 1964
Manuela Albiter
Anthony Befi
Morris & Peachie Burlin
St. Mary Parish in Lampasas
St. Patrick Parish in Hutto
St. Ann Parish in Somerville
Charles & Rose Baily
Henry Berger
Noel & Mari Caballero
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Taylor
St. Joseph Parish in Bryan
St. Anthony Parish in Kyle
Shayne Baker
Norm & Claire Blanchard
Vidal Camacho
St. Thomas More Parish in Austin
St. Charles Borromeo Parish in
Kingsland
Sacred Heart Parish in Waco
Joe Banda
Joe Brezina
Jesse & Hortencia Castro
St. Joseph Parish in Manor
St. Joseph Parish in Elk
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Austin
Albert Bedia
Joan Brown
Daniel & Rose Cernoch
University Catholic Center in Austin
Emmaus Parish in Lakeway
Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange
16
LUMEN GENTIUM
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
Jim & Janie Coy
Don & Barbara Fowler
Mark & Monica Guenat
Christopher Kennedy
Santa Cruz Parish in Buda
St. Mary Parish in San Saba
St. Mary Parish in Temple
St. Austin Parish in Austin
Betty Ross Crook
Dodie Frost
Jeanette “Netty” Hartmann
Yong & Sun (not pictured) Ko
St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Waco
St. Mary, Our Lady of the Lake Parish
in Lago Vista
St. Ignatius Martyr Parish in Austin
St. Paul Chong Hasang Parish
in Harker Heights
Norma Dale
Dianna Furlan
Lambert & Sue Havelka
Tracy Lake
St. Martin De Porres Parish
in Dripping Springs
Good Shepherd Parish in Lometa
St. Eugene Parish in McGregor
St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Austin
Nghiep Dang
Bill Gee
David & Esmeralda Henriquez
Joe Lopez
Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Parish in Austin
St. Elizabeth Parish in Pflugerville
Santa Teresa Parish in Bryan
Dolores Parish in Austin
Mike DeRosa
Jaime T. Gomez
Isabel Hernandez
Santiago & Laura Lopez
St. Louis Parish in Waco
Sts. Cyril & Methodius Parish in Granger
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Temple
Sacred Heart Parish in Austin
Jesse & Patsy Eckelkamp
Guadalupe Gonzales Jr.
Victoria Hinojosa
Dennis & Mary Lynch
St. Theresa Parish in Austin
St. William Parish in Round Rock
Our Lady of Wisdom Parish in San Marcos
St. Luke Parish in Temple
Betsy Foarde
Reuben & Gladys Grebe
Andrew & Theresa Keilers
Vence Margoitta
St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin
St. Mary Parish in Brenham
St. John Parish in Fayetteville
St. Joseph Parish in Marlin
July/August 2013
17
LUMEN GENTIUM
Dolores Masiel
Charlene O’Connell
Ben (not pictured) & Connie Portillo
Theresa Joan Shafford
St. Joseph Parish in Rockdale
Diocese of Austin
St. Ann Parish in Rosebud
Good Shepherd Parish in Johnson City
Ed McDonald
Don & Dolores O’ Toole
Joseph Quintero
Raynard Shaw
St. Mary Catholic Center in College Station
St. Jerome Parish in Waco
St. John Parish in San Marcos
St. Mary Parish in Caldwell
Francis & Kathleen McNamara
Alfred & Margaret Omelchuck
Eric & Carol Ramberg
Nancy Solano
Sts. Peter & Paul Parish in Kovar
St. Mary Parish in Wimberley
St. John Neumann Parish in Austin
St. Margaret Mary Parish in Cedar Park
Hector & Maribel Medrano
Leonardo & Saturnina Orocio
Vince Reisner Jr.
Emily Stiles
St. Paul Parish in Smithville
St. Margaret Parish in Giddings
St. Monica Parish in Cameron
Our Lady of the Lake Parish
in Sunrise Beach
Celedonio & Juanita Mendoza
Perry & Connie Petru
Mary Jo Roberts
Margareta Svjagintsev
St. Michael Parish in Uhland
Visitation Parish in Westphalia
St. Stephen Parish in Salado
Diocese of Austin
M. Guadalupe Morales
Anton & Beverly Polansky
Sarah Schwind
James & Keum Ja Thomas
St. Joseph Parish in Mason
St. Martin Parish in Tours
St. Thomas Aquinas Parish
in College Station
St. Joseph Parish in Killeen
Bill Noonan
Margaret Polansky
Ramiro & Celia Segura
Michael Triolo
St. Ferdinand Parish in Blanco
Holy Rosary Parish in Frenstat
St. Paul Parish in Austin
St. Anthony Parish in Bryan
18
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
LUMEN GENTIUM
Henry Ursua
Dr. Steve Vitucci
Ann Welch
St. Francis on the Brazos Parish in Waco
Holy Family Parish in Copperas Cove
St. John Vianney Parish in Round Rock
Bob Vallilee
Anton Vrazel
Carole Williams
Diocese of Austin
Sts. Cyril & Methodius Parish in Marak
Holy Trinity Parish in Llano
Ela Varela
Diane Waite
Ofelia Zapata
St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Austin
Christ the King Parish in Belton
San José Parish in Austin
Robert & Carolyn Vasquez
St. Peter Parish in Goldthwaite
Photos of the following recipients were unavailable:
Polo & Lety Mora
St. Mary Parish in Mexia
Leon & Patricia Roberts
Holy Cross Parish in Austin
Zenaida Vega
Our Lady of San Juan Parish in Moody
Cresencio & Martha Vega
Ascension Parish in Bastrop
About the Lumen Gentium awards
The Lumen Gentium awards were established in 2004 by Bishop Greg Aymond and the Presbyteral Council to “to honor lay Catholics who live their baptismal call in an extraordinary way through stewardship and
leadership” in the Diocese of Austin.
“The intent is to provide a way for us to recognize some of the “unsung heroes” of our parishes who provide a good example to others, invite others into good stewardship and promote the Gospel message in their
everyday lives. It also offers a way to help people realize the nature of the local church, the diocese, and to
raise awareness of everyone’s baptismal call to service,” Bishop Aymond wrote in his initial letter to pastors
regarding the awards.
Since 2004, more than 800 Lumen Gentium awards have been given to Catholics throughout the Diocese
of Austin. Since 2005 the Lumen Gentium Ceremony has been held at the Mayborn Center in Temple. The
ceremony consists the Liturgy of the Word, an address by the bishop and the opportunity for each recipient
to receive their award from the bishop. Each year about 900 people from throughout Central Texas attend the
ceremony in support of the Lumen Gentium recipients and in recognition of the gifts they bring to the church.
“You shine with the light of Christ,” Bishop Joe Vásquez told the 2013 Lumen Gentium recipients. “Thank
you for sharing the light of Christ with others, especially during the Year of Faith.”
Earlier this year, the Presbyteral Council decided the Lumen Gentium awards will be given out every other
year; therefore, the next ceremony will be held in the summer of 2015.
July/August 2013
19
IN OUR WORLD
Pope celebrates faith in his Àrst encyclical
BY FRANCIS X. ROCCA
Pope Francis’ Àrst encyclical,
“Lumen Fidei” (“The Light of
Faith”), is a celebration of Christian faith as the guiding light of
a “successful and fruitful life,”
inspiring social action as well
as devotion to God, and illuminating “every aspect of human
existence,” including philosophy
and the natural sciences.
The document, released July
5, completes a papal trilogy on
the three “theological virtues,”
following Pope Benedict XVI’s
encyclicals “Deus Caritas Est”
(2005) on charity and “Spe Salvi”
(2007) on hope. Publication of
the encyclical was one of the
most awaited events of the Year
of Faith which began in October
2012.
Pope Benedict “had almost
completed a first draft of an
encyclical on faith” before his
retirement in February 2013,
Pope Francis writes, adding that
“I have taken up his Àne work
and added a few contributions of
my own.”
Commentators will likely
differ in attributing speciÀc passages, but the document clearly
recalls the writings of Pope Benedict in its extensive treatment of
the dialogue between faith and
reason and its many citations of
St. Augustine, not to mention
references to Friedrich Nietzsche
and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
On other hand, warnings of
the dangers of idolatry, Gnosticism and Pharisaism, a closing
prayer to Mary as the “perfect
icon of faith,” and an entire section on the relevance of faith to
earthly justice and peace echo
themes that Pope Francis has
already made signatures of his
young pontiÀcate.
“Lumen Fidei” begins with
a brief survey of the biblical history of faith, starting with God’s
call to Abraham to leave his land
–– “the beginning of an exodus
which points him to an uncertain
future” –– and God’s promise
that Abraham will be “father of a
great nation.”
The Bible also illustrates how
men and women break faith with
God by worshipping substitutes
for him.
“Idols exist, we begin to see,
as a pretext for setting ourselves
at the center of reality and worshipping the work of our own
hands,” the pope writes. “Once
man has lost the fundamental
orientation which unifies his
existence, he breaks down into
the multiplicity of his desires ...
Idolatry, then, is always polytheism, an aimless passing from one
lord to another.”
Pope Francis sees another
way of turning from God in the
Pharisees’ belief that salvation
is possible through good works
alone.
“Those who live this way,
who want to be the source of
their own righteousness, Ànd that
the latter is soon depleted and
that they are unable even to keep
the law,” the pope writes. “Salvation by faith means recognizing
the primacy of God’s gift.”
Faith Ànds its fulÀllment in
the life, death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ, the pope writes.
By virtue of his humanity, Jesus
is both the object of faith and the
ultimate model and mediator for
all believers.
“Christ is not simply the one
in whom we believe, the supreme
manifestation of God’s love,”
Pope Francis writes. “He is also
the one with whom we are united
precisely in order to believe. Faith
does not merely gaze at Jesus,
but sees things as Jesus himself
sees them, with his own eyes: it
is a participation in his way of
seeing.”
This participation means that
faith inevitably makes a Christian
part of Christ’s mystical body,
the church.
“It is impossible to believe on
our own,” the pope writes. “By
its very nature, faith is open to the
‘we’ of the church; it always takes
place within her communion.”
The church transmits the
faith across time “through an
unbroken chain of witnesses,”
allowing us to “see the face of
Jesus,” Pope Francis writes. “As
a service to the unity of faith
and its integral transmission, the
Lord gave his church the gift of
apostolic succession. Through
this means, the continuity of
the church’s memory is ensured
and certain access can be had to
the wellspring from which faith
Áows.”
Accordingly, members of
the hierarchy stand as the authoritative teachers of the contents of Christian faith.
The “magisterium of the
pope and the bishops in communion with him,” the pope
writes, “ensures our contact
with the primordial source and
THE WORDS FAITH, LOVE, LIGHT AND GOD appear most frequently in the encyclical
“Lumen Fidei” (“The Light of Faith”) by Pope Francis. The size of the words in this display
are proportionate to the number of times they were used in the papal letter. The word cloud
was created using Tagxedo. (CNS)
THIS ENGLISH EDITION OF “LUMEN FIDEI” (“The
Light of Faith”), the ¿rst encyclical from Pope Francis,
will be available from the USCCB by July 23. It can be
ordered at www.usccbpublishing.org. (CNS photo/courtesy of USCCB)
thus provides the certainty of
attaining to the word of Christ
in all its integrity.”
Yet faith in its fullness is
more than doctrine, Pope Francis writes; it is “the new light
born of an encounter with the
true God, a light which touches
us at the core of our being and
engages our minds, wills and
emotions, opening us to relationships lived in communion.”
Thus the primary means of
transmitting faith is not a book
or a homily, but the sacraments,
especially baptism and the Eucharist, which “communicate
an incarnate memory, linked to
the times and places of our lives,
linked to all our senses; in them
the whole person is engaged as
a member of a living subject and
part of a network of communitarian relationships.”
The belief that the “Son of
God took on our flesh” and
“entered our human history”
also leads Christians “to live
our lives in this world with ever
greater commitment and intensity,” the pope writes, arguing
that faith inspires both the use
of human reason and pursuit of
the common good.
For faith, Pope Francis
writes, truth is not attainable
through autonomous reason
alone but requires love, a “relational way of viewing the world,
which then becomes a form
of shared knowledge, vision
through the eyes of another and
a shared vision of all that exists.”
By afÀrming the “inherent
order” and harmony of the material world, and “by stimulating
wonder before the profound
mystery of creation,” Christian faith encourages scientiÀc
research, while dispelling the
philosophical relativism that
has produced a “crisis of truth
in our age.”
Faith also inspires respect
for the natural environment, by
allowing believers to “discern
in it a grammar written by the
hand of God and a dwelling
place entrusted to our protection and care.”
According to Pope Francis,
faith has proven itself essential
to the promotion of “justice,
law and peace,” by contrast with
failed modern ideologies that
also claimed those goals.
“Modernity sought to build
a universal brotherhood based
on equality,” he writes, “yet we
gradually came to realize that
this brotherhood, lacking a common reference to a common
father as its ultimate foundation,
cannot endure.
“We need to return to the
true basis of brotherhood,” the
pope writes. “Faith teaches us to
see that every man and woman
represents a blessing for me,
that the light of God’s face
shines on me through the faces
of my brothers and sisters.”
20
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
IN OUR WORLD
Pope gives guide to secrets of a ‘happy’ vocation
BY CAROL GLATZ
Be joyous, authentic and loving while resisting Áy-by-night
commitments, catty gossip and
sleek cars, Pope Francis told
future priests, brothers and nuns.
Vocations don’t come from
catchy campaigns or pursuing
personal goals; the consecrated
life is the result of prayer and
answering an “unsettling” yet loving invitation from God, he told
some 6,000 seminarians and men
and women who were considering religious life.
Men and women from 66
nations came to Rome on a fourday pilgrimage as part of the Year
of Faith celebrations.
The pope spent more than
45 minutes speaking off-the-cuff
on the secrets of a successful
vocation.
Some of the greatest dangers
standing in the way of a happy
religious life are materialism and
a culture that believes nothing is
forever, he said.
Even religious men and
women have to avoid the temptation of thinking “the latest
smartphone, the fastest moped
and a car that turns heads” will
make them happy, he said.
He said it pains him when
he sees a nun or priest driving an
expensive car, and he praised the
beauty of the bicycle, noting his
54-year-old personal secretary,
Msgr. Alfred Xuereb, gets around
on a bike.
However, with all the work
to be done and distances to be
covered, cars are a necessity, he
said. Just “get a humbler one,”
and if the flashier model still
looks tempting, “think about
how many children are dying of
hunger,” he said.
True joy doesn’t come from
things or “living on the edge,”
having wild, Áeeting experiences,
he said.
“It springs from an encounter, a relation with others, it
comes from feeling accepted,
understood and loved, and from
accepting, understanding and loving” others, he said.
Jesus is telling people: “You
are important to me, I love you
and I’m counting on you,” the
pope said.
Opening up to this love and
divine call is “the secret of our
joy,” he said. “Don’t be afraid
of showing the joy of having
answered the Lord’s call,” he
said, “and of giving witness to his
Gospel in service to the church.”
Joy is contagious, he said,
and attracts people to learn more
about the source of that happiness.
“Please, no nuns or priests
with the face of a pickled pepper,” he insisted. “There is no
holiness in sadness.”
The source of that dissatisfaction and sadness is not celibacy, the pope said; it’s living
a consecrated life that is sterile
and lifeless. Nuns and priests are
called to be spiritual and pastoral
mothers and fathers, bringing life,
healing and love to all they meet.
The pope pointed to a petite,
elderly nun whom he had spared
from the crush of an overexuberant crowd pressing down on
her as they sought to shake the
pope’s hand before the audience.
The pope had told a guard to
lift her from the fray and give her
a front-row seat, safe from the
scrum. He said in his talk that he
was struck by the sister’s bright
eyes and smiling face, despite
the difÀculties of being squeezed
against the barricade, and said
she was a beautiful example for
everyone.
The pope also told everyone
to always be clear and honest with
their confessors. Jesus already
knows people’s sins, defects and
limits, “he just wants you to tell
him what he already knows.”
Truth and transparency “do
good because they make us humble.”
Don’t be hypocrites, and practice what is preached, he added.
“In this world in which wealth
does harm, it’s necessary we
priests, we nuns, all of us are consistent with our poverty,” he said.
Midway through his talk,
the pope told the event’s main
organizer, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the PontiÀcal
Council for Promoting New
Evangelization, that he could go
on all night, but that someone
had better bring everyone “a
sandwich and Coca Cola if it goes
until tomorrow.”
The pope then highlighted
the importance of living as a
community and avoiding petty
gossip and rivalries.
The pope said he was guilty
and ashamed of being caught up
in gossip and complaining. He
said ideally he preferred speaking
directly to the people he has a
problem with or with someone
who can resolve the issue, never
talking behind people’s backs “to
smear them.”
He urged everyone to be contemplative, pray the rosary and be
a missionary, reaching out to the
outcast and disadvantaged.
The next day, Mass in St.
Peter’s Basilica, the pope used
his homily to offer additional
encouragement and wisdom for
a happy vocation.
“The paschal mystery” of
death and resurrection help shelter
religious men and women “from
a worldly and triumphalistic view”
of their mission and “from the discouragement that can result from
trials and failures.”
Effective evangelization can’t
be measured by the human notions of success and failure, but
only “by becoming conformed
to the logic of the Cross of Jesus”
of giving oneself totally and completely with love, he said.
Vocations come from prayer
because it is God who chooses
his disciples, not “advertising
campaigns or appeals of service
and generosity.”
And Ànally, the pope said,
never see one’s vocation as a
job. It’s a relationship with God
that requires constant cultivation, being united with Christ,
especially “amid the whirlwind
of more urgent and heavy duties,” he said.
“What counts is to be permeated by the love of Christ, to
let oneself be led by the Holy
Spirit and to graft one’s own life
onto the tree of life,” the Lord’s
cross, he said.
OUR LADY OF THE
ROSARY CEMETERY
AND PRAYER
GARDENS
Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery serves Catholics from around
our Diocese. Read what Rev. Dean E. Wilhelm from St. William
Parish in Round Rock has to say about his experience.
OPEN HOUSE
You are invited to see the new home of Catholic Charities of
Central Texas in the Brazos Valley. Bishop Joe S. Vásquez will
bless the building at our open house on September 6. Our new
center will house the Good Samaritan Gabriel Project Life Center,
Family Assistance and Referral, and Immigration Legal Services.
Friday, September 6 | 1:30-3:30 p.m.
1410 Cavitt Avenue | Bryan, Texas 77801
“
As Pastor of St. William Parish, I have counseled many families who have
lost loved ones. This has given me the unique opportunity to become united
with them in Christ, just as
we become one with Jesus
as we receive the Eucharist.
We believe in the resurrection of the body and life in
Christ everlasting. In that
capacity, Our Lady of the
Rosary Cemetery provides a
unique, peaceful and reﬂective atmosphere for celebrating the life of a loved one.
The consecrated grounds remind us that our loved ones
are never far from us and
will always be with us in the
Body of Christ. As a priest,
I am comforted to know that my fellow religious brothers and sisters in
Christ, as well as myself, will be resting on blessed ground until we are once
again reunited at the end of days.
”
330 Berry Lane, Georgetown, Texas 78626
XXXPMPUSDPNt
July/August 2013
GOOD NEWS
21
Praying for and inviting more vocations
BISHOP JOE S.
VÁSQUEZ is the ¿fth
bishop of the Austin
Diocese. He shepherds more than
530,000 Catholics in 25 Central
Texas counties.
Editor: Bishop, you have just
ordained Àve new priests so it is a
good time to talk about vocations.
How is the Diocese of Austin doing
as far as vocations to the priesthood
are concerned?
Bishop Vásquez: We are very
blessed in the Diocese of Austin. Since
I arrived here three years ago, I have
been very impressed with the way that
we as a diocese have worked to create
a culture of vocations. We currently
have more than 40 seminarians. Father
Brian McMaster, our diocesan vocation
director, is an excellent recruiter and he
works very well with our seminarians.
We are blessed to have someone of his
caliber to be the Àrst person that many
young people meet as they begin to
think about a vocation.
Father McMaster has built upon
the good work of Father David
Konderla and Msgr. Michael Sis, who
were the previous vocation directors.
All of these men have worked hard
at promoting vocations and creating
a culture of vocations in the Austin
Diocese. We are now reaping the fruits
of their dedicated work! This year we
were blessed to ordain Àve new priests.
Next year will be a small ordination
class of one, but after that, we expect
the ordination numbers to rise. I need
to say that as a church we will probably
never get to the point where we have
more than enough priests. The diocese
continues to grow, and we will always
need more priests to take care of the
needs of the people. Therefore, we
must continue to encourage and pray
for vocations to the priesthood and
religious life.
Editor: Our diocesan Vocation OfÀce encourages everyone to
invite more people to consider the
priesthood. How do we go about
doing this?
Bishop Vásquez: First of all, we
must be aware that God has a plan
for each one of us, and each of us
must discover that plan for ourselves.
When we discover that plan, we will
Ànd happiness, joy and peace as we
discover who God wants us to be.
God calls certain people to be of
service to the church in a unique and
particular way. For some men, that
means being called to the priesthood or to the diaconate. For some
women, that means being called as
religious sisters or nuns. Therefore,
the church is asking all of us to help
those who feel so inclined to discover
their particular vocation.
We can begin this process with
prayer. We have to ask God send
more people to serve in the church.
Remember in Matthew’s Gospel
when Jesus himself sees the great
needs of the people and what does he
say? “The harvest is abundant but the
laborers are few; so ask the master of
the harvest to send out laborers for
his harvest.” Every one of us has to
be praying for vocations, no matter if
we are young or old, male or female,
single or married, we should be praying for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
We can also take an active role in
our parishes. Some of our parishes
have established vocations teams that
are committed to praying for voca-
FATHER ALEX CAUDILLO, one of the ¿ve new priests Bishop Joe
Vásquez ordained on June 8, smiles just after he blesses his family
members and friends during the Ordination Mass. A native of Mexico
who came to the U.S. at the age of 15, Father Caudillo is now the associate pastor of St. William Parish in Round Rock. (Photo by Shelley
Metcalf)
tions before the Blessed Sacrament
or who help organize activities that
promote vocations, such as presentations and retreats. The diocese also
hosts a variety of programs to invite
young men and women to think
about a vocation to the church. There
is plenty of activity, but we must
always remember that the primary
work is always God’s. God is the one
who gives the vocation; God plants
the seeds in the hearts of young men
and young women to give themselves
to God, to serve the church and to
love the church as Christ does. We, in
collaboration with God, can mention, suggest or encourage others to
consider their calling from God.
Our part in helping a young person
discern the call to a vocation is very
simple. All we have to say to the person is that we see something in them
that says to us they would make an
excellent priest or an excellent sister.
That is all we have to do. God does
the rest!
Here are some examples of how
we might invite someone to consider
a vocation: “I notice that you spend
a lot of time in church, have you ever
thought about being a priest?” “Have
you ever thought about going to a religious community?” “I see how you really enjoy working with young people,
and that you really have a special gift
to give to these people, have you ever
considered a vocation?” “I see that
you have certain gifts that remind me
of Father X or remind me of Sister X,
have you thought about such a vocation?”
Often we complicate our approach
too much and we are afraid, but all we
have to do is offer a simple invitation and open the door so that young
people will begin to ask God what he
intends for them.
Editor: What are some of the
qualities that make a young person
a good candidate for a vocation to
the priesthood or religious life?
Bishop Vásquez: First of all, one
must be a person of prayer. Is this person prayerful, not that they have to be
in church every day, but do they show
a spirit of prayer when they are at
Mass? Is there a spirit of reverence and
of love for the Eucharist? Are there
times in which this person simply prays
by themselves or with others? Prayerfulness is essential to religious life.
Another aspect is joyfulness. I say
this with all sincerity that joy has to be
part of every vocation. I truly believe
that once we start following Christ and
we give ourselves to him, especially
as priests and religious, there is a joy
that we just cannot contain. Someone
who obviously enjoys life and the
blessings that God has given them is a
good candidate for the priesthood or
religious life.
The other element that I look for
is service –– I look for someone who
can put themselves at the service of
others. Can they accept not always
having to be Àrst? Are they willing to
help? Do they enjoy spending time
with the elderly or with someone who
is sick? Do they serve in the choir or as
an altar server or as a catechist? These
are types of service. In Matthew’s
Gospel, Jesus says he “did not come
to be served but to serve.” Priests and
religious must Ànd joy and fulÀllment
in serving others, just as Christ did.
Editor: How can parishes support vocations within their community?
Bishop Vásquez: One way is to
organize vocation teams or vocation
committees, which consist of clergy
and laity who seek to help with vocations. A priest or deacon might be part
of the team, but for the most part it
consists of laity who come together
to pray for vocations and to encourage vocations within the parish. As I
mentioned before, prayer is essential,
but then there are other activities
the committee can publicize to help
young people become aware of the
discernment process. For instance,
the vocation committee can promote
the activities of the diocesan Vocation OfÀce in their own parish. Also,
they create times when young people
who are thinking about a vocation can
come together –– maybe for a meal
or for a discussion. They can invite a
priest or religious sister to talk about
their vocations.
I would like to see more vocation
teams created in our parishes. Sometimes these committees don’t know
where to start or what to do. However, it’s not about how many events
are offered, but it’s about the quality
of the events that are put forth. There
does not have to be an event every
week, but perhaps the committee
plans an event one or two times year.
We need more activities that help
promote vocations at the parish level.
For instance, introducing seminarians
to the parish when they are home
for summer or on break from the
seminary is a good way to help raise
the level of awareness for vocations.
Again, this is not complicated and it
doesn’t take a lot of money or time,
it is about helping others pray for
vocations and helping young people
discern the will of God.
Editor: What is your prayer for
vocations in the diocese and for the
greater church?
Bishop Vásquez: My prayer
is that God will indeed send more
workers into the Àeld. We need
good, holy priests; we need good,
holy sisters who are dedicated, who
love the Church, who have a passion
for Christ, and who have a passion
for his work and want to give of
themselves. My prayer is that there
will be many young people in our
diocese –– men and women –– who
will respond and say, “Here I am
Lord. Send me.”
GOOD NEWS
22
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
Sex and sacramental marriage are integrally connected
BY REV. TADEUSZ PACHOLCZYK, PH.D.
COLUMNIST
Many of us have probably heard
single women talking among themselves about men, where one of them
ends up saying, “That guy, he’s just a
pervert –– he’s only interested in sex.”
When women detect that a man’s focus has become the pursuit of pleasure,
and that unbridled sex has become an
end in itself, they tend instinctively to
back away. Women often intuitively
understand that sex can’t be reduced
to mere pleasure without hurting both
individuals involved, and negating
other important goods, like love, family, children and marriage.
It becomes a “perversion” when we
attempt to redirect sex into something
of our own speciÀcations, refocusing it
into a form of worldly pleasure-seeking
and self-satisfaction. Sigmund Freud,
whom no one could accuse of prudery, recognized the basic features of a
perversion in the sexual realm when he
declared, “The common characteristic
of all perversions … is that they have
abandoned reproduction as their aim.
We term sexual activity perverse when it
has renounced the aim of reproduction
and follows the pursuit of pleasure as an
independent goal.”
No age has ever sought to abandon the reproductive aim of sexual
activity as much as our own. This is
particularly manifested as our society
yields to the seductive siren call of
contraception, broadly encouraging
the separation of sexual intimacy from
procreation.
A 2013 Gallup poll reported that
91 percent believed birth control to be
morally acceptable. Professor Robert George of Princeton University
has noted that marriage is increasingly coming to be understood as “an
emotional union for the sake of adult
satisfaction that is served by mutually agreeable sexual play.” Without
the self-sacriÀcing dimension of sex
(involving the acceptance of new life),
individuals are left in the position of
amiably using one another.
If seeking sex while blocking the
possibility of reproduction is a form of
sexual perversion, perhaps it is unsurprising that other forms of inherently
non-procreative sex, that is to say,
other sexual perversions, are rapidly
expanding alongside the practice of
contraception. In recent times, we have
witnessed an unparalleled countermanding of the life-giving dimension
of the sexual act through the acceptance of non-complementary forms
of bodily union including homosexual
and lesbian sex, oral sex, and anal sex.
A very signiÀcant jump of 19 percent
in approval over the past 12 years for
“gay or lesbian relations” was highlighted in the same 2013 Gallup poll.
Culturally, sex is subtly changing
into a casual encounter subject to one’s
own manipulation and determination,
with pleasure serving as its central
engine and rationale. Put simply, it is
degenerating into a new reality before
our eyes, cut out of the whole cloth
of perversion, with the promotion of
sexual activity in ways that are powerfully at odds with its proper context
and purpose.
Sex has a unique bonding or
cementing power between a man and
a woman, because the sexual instinct
is clearly bound up with the whole
emotional, affective and interpersonal
life of man and woman. Given this
fact, real interpersonal harms and signiÀcant possibilities for selÀshness and
exploitation arise whenever individuals choose to act on this instinct in a
context apart from marriage.
Indeed, sex is never a reasonable
choice in the absence of commitment,
particularly a permanent commitment, between a man and a woman.
This Áows in part from the fact that
it brings new lives into the world, and
those lives are vulnerable and dependent, necessitating a mother and a father who are committed to each other
and to the children arising from their
permanent union.
It is remarkable how much consternation it causes today to point out
what has long been obvious, namely,
that sex and marriage must be integrally connected, and that in the Ànal
analysis, marriage must remain the
unique and exclusive setting for human
sexual activity. Through matrimonial
consent, man and woman deliver and
accept the exclusive and perpetual
bond that allows them to carry out acts
apt in themselves for the procreation
of offspring.
The obvious corollary is that sexual
relations of any kind in a non-marital
context will invariably be immoral, including forms of pre- and extra-marital
sex and the use of pornography and
masturbation.
Indeed, it is imperative today that
we work to re-connect the gratiÀcation
of the sexual urge with the beautiful sharing of life between man and
woman in matrimony. The deep-seated
sex instinct moves men and women
to embrace great sacriÀces, such as are
required in marriage and procreation,
for the fulÀllment of this remarkable
human drive. We are challenged today,
like never before, to step away courageously from sexual perversions in all
their destructive and ever-expanding
forms, and to return to an ordered
vision of sexuality within marriage,
directed to the authentic good of individuals and society.
FATHER TADEUSZ PACHOLCZYK,
PH.D. earned his
doctorate in neuroscience from Yale.
He is a priest of
the Diocese of Fall
River, Mass., and
serves as the Director of Education
at The National
Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. For more information, visit
www.ncbcenter.org.
Collection for World and Home Missions
The special collection World and Home Missions was taken up Feb. 13. If your parish Ànds an error, call the diocesan Finance OfÀce at (512) 949-2400. For more
information about this collection, visit www.usccb.org/catholic-giving/opportunities-for-giving/catholic-home-missions-appeal/.
Parish
Totals
Austin Central Deanery
Austin, Our Lady of Guadalupe
$2,086.15
Austin, St. Austin
$1,603.86
Austin, St. Ignatius
$3,432.50
Austin, St. Julia
$476.38
Austin, St. Mary Cathedral
$1,664.63
Austin, San Jose
$2,300.50
Austin Central Deanery Totals
$11,564.02
Austin North Deanery
Austin, Holy Vietnamese Martyrs
$1,900.00
Austin, Sacred Heart
$2,361.00
Austin, St. Albert the Great
$3,017.14
Austin, St. Louis
$3,703.10
Austin, St. Theresa
$3,205.00
Austin, St. Thomas More
$1,912.00
Austin, St. Vincent de Paul
$5,346.41
Cedar Park, St. Margaret Mary
$2,832.42
Lago Vista, Our Lady of the Lake
$1,246.80
Austin North Deanery Totals
$25,523.87
Austin South Deanery
Austin, St. Catherine of Siena
$3,905.09
Austin, St. John Neumann
$7,386.76
Austin, St. Paul
$1,893.51
Austin, St. Peter the Apostle
$2,052.00
Austin, San Francisco Javier
$106.00
Lakeway, Emmaus
$2,850.00
Austin South Deanery Totals
$18,193.36
Brenham/La Grange Deanery
Brenham, St. Mary
$1,829.25
Chappell Hill, St. Stanislaus
$232.00
Dime Box, St. Joseph
$125.00
Ellinger/Hostyn Hill, St. Mary
$369.00
Fayetteville, St. John
$1,062.00
Giddings, St. Margaret
$1,040.00
Parish
Totals
La Grange, Sacred Heart
$1,402.00
Lexington, Holy Family
$262.87
Old Washington on the Brazos, St. Mary $69.31
Pin Oak, St. Mary
$420.00
Rockdale, St. Joseph
$451.55
Somerville, St. Ann
$360.92
Brenham/La Grange Deanery Totals $7,623.90
Bastrop/Lockhart Deanery
Bastrop, Ascension
$1,640.00
Elgin, Sacred Heart
$571.84
Lockhart, St. Mary of the Visitation
$2,070.33
Luling, St. John
$277.51
Martindale, Immaculate Heart
$411.50
Rockne, Sacred Heart
$290.00
Smithville, St. Paul
$771.00
String Prairie, Assumption
$137.00
Uhland, St.Michael
$344.10
Bastrop/Lockhart Deanery Totals
$6,513.28
Bryan/College Station Deanery
Bremond, St. Mary
$725.00
Bryan, St. Anthony
$884.94
Bryan, St. Joseph
$3,769.00
Bryan, Santa Teresa
$1,300.00
Caldwell, St. Mary
$752.16
College Station, St. Mary
$3,899.15
College Station, St. Thomas Aquinas $3,647.96
Frenstat, Holy Rosary
$406.00
Hearne, St. Mary
$1,045.11
$16,429.32
Georgetown/Round Rock Deanery
Andice, Santa Rosa
$991.00
Corn Hill, Holy Trinity
$818.00
Georgetown, St. Helen
$4,265.35
Granger, Sts. Cyril and Methodius
$1,060.98
Parish
Totals
Hutto, St. Patrick
$173.00
Manor, St. Joseph
$855.35
PÀugerville, St. Elizabeth
$1,458.55
Round Rock, St. John Vianney
$3,558.57
Round Rock, St. William
$11,647.00
Taylor, Our Lady of Guadalupe
$364.85
Taylor, St. Mary of the Assumption
$1,088.80
Georgetown/Round Rock Deanery $26,281.45
Killeen/Temple Deanery
Belton, Christ the King
$3,094.00
Cameron, St. Monica
$334.00
Copperas Cove, Holy Family
$4,181.00
Cyclone, St. Joseph
$211.00
Harker Heights, St. Paul Chong Hasang $4,390.00
Killeen, St. Joseph
$4,684.33
Marak, Sts. Cyril and Methodius
$281.00
Rogers, St. Matthew
$318.83
Rosebud, St. Ann
$44.00
Salado, St. Stephen
$1,238.00
Temple, Our Lady of Guadalupe
$1,694.00
Temple, St. Luke
$2,818.00
Temple, St. Mary
$2,776.36
Westphalia, Visitation
$581.00
Killeen/Temple Deanery Totals
$26,645.52
Lampasas/Marble Falls Deanery
Bertram, Holy Cross
$267.70
Burnet, Our Mother of Sorrows
$822.86
Goldthwaite, St. Peter
$88.00
Horseshoe Bay, St. Paul the Apostle $1,183.00
Kingsland, St. Charles Borromeo
$508.67
Lampasas, St. Mary
$332.29
Llano, Holy Trinity
$637.73
Lometa, Good Shepherd
$368.00
Marble Falls, St. John
$545.00
Parish
Totals
Mason, St. Joseph
$520.37
San Saba, St. Mary
$432.76
Sunrise Beach, Our Lady of the Lake $241.00
$5,947.38
San Marcos Deanery
Blanco, St. Ferdinand
$267.00
Buda, Santa Cruz
$3,419.86
Dripping Springs, St. Martin de Porres $745.00
Johnson City, Good Shepherd
$382.82
Kyle, St. Anthony Marie de Claret
$3,912.70
San Marcos, Our Lady of Wisdom
$190.00
San Marcos, St. John
$3,678.50
Wimberley, St. Mary
$884.04
San Marcos Deanery Totals
$13,479.92
Waco Deanery
China Spring, St. Phillip
$235.37
Elk, St. Joseph
$429.00
Gatesville, Our Lady of Lourdes
$202.00
Hamilton, St. Thomas
$87.00
McGregor, St. Eugene
$211.00
Marlin, St. Joseph
$354.00
Mexia, St. Mary
$866.99
Tours, St. Martin
$861.71
Waco, Sacred Heart
$740.00
Waco, St. Francis on the Brazos
$781.78
Waco (Hewitt), St. Jerome
$2,065.23
Waco, St. John the Baptist
$50.00
Waco, St. Louis
$2,123.41
Waco, St. Mary of the Assumption
$1,598.88
Waco, St. Peter Catholic Center
$260.33
West, Church of the Assumption
$690.00
Waco Deanery Totals
$11,556.70
Grand Totals
$169,758.72
GOOD NEWS
July/August 2013
23
From the doubting to the purest of heart
BY MARY LOU GIBSON
COLUMNIST
The people that Jesus chose for his
inner circle each had a special place in his
public ministry and were given a unique
role in spreading the Gospel. Two such
people with feast days in July and August
are Thomas, the Apostle, and Mary, the
Blessed Mother.
Thomas will always and ever be
known as the apostle who doubted the
reports of Jesus’ resurrection. Hence the
name of “doubting Thomas” has been
attributed to him because he refused to
believe that Jesus had truly risen. He was
not with the apostles when Our Lord
appeared to them. His famous quote
lives on: “Unless I see the mark of the
nails in his hands and put my Ànger into
the nail marks and put my hand into his
side, I will not believe.”
Some eight days later, Thomas was
with the other apostles when Jesus
suddenly appeared in their midst. When
Thomas acknowledges the Lord as the
risen Christ, he addresses Jesus as “My
Lord and my God.” Author Richard
McBrien writes in “Lives of the Saints”
that this confession of faith is the only
instance in the New Testament where
Jesus is explicitly addressed as God. Paul
Burns reports in “Butler’s Lives of the
Saints” that Thomas’s full confession
of faith in Christ’s divinity is one of vital
importance.
Thomas was a Jew and probably a
Galilean. He was called Didymus, the
Greek equivalent of Thomas.
After Pentecost, there is much
uncertainty about Thomas’s missionary
activities. One tradition has him preaching to the Parthians in what is now Iran.
Burns writes that the most persistent
tradition is that he went to the Malabar
coast in southwest India. The Syrian
Christians of Malabar claim they were
evangelized by him.
Pope Paul VI declared Thomas the
Apostle of India in 1972. He is also the
patron saint of the East Indies, Pakistan
and architects. His feast day is kept on
July 3, the date of his death in the year
72, by the Syrian churches and in Malabar. His name became one of the most
popular Christian names in the West.
Mary is described by Malcolm Day
in “A Treasury of Saints” as supreme
among the saints and not tainted by
“original sin.” Devotion to Mary as the
Mother of God began in the second
century. She is always depicted as a loving and responsible mother. She is the
patron of far more conditions, causes
and countries than any other.
From early times, Christians have
believed that Mary remained a virgin
throughout her life. After the birth of Je-
MEDICAL SERVICES
DIRECTORY
sus in Bethlehem, little is known of her.
Rodney Castleden writes in “The Book
of Saints” that there is no mention of
her death in ofÀcial church documents.
From about the 6th century, the church
doctrine that she was taken up to heaven
in body and soul was widely accepted.
Still, much of what we know about her
life comes from pious tradition and the
revelations of mystics. Sarah Gallick
writes in “The Big Book of Women
Saints” that our belief in Mary’s assumption into heaven comes from a vision of
St. Elizabeth of Schönau. She saw Mary
soaring to heaven surrounded by angels.
Burns writes that for ages the church
has believed that the body of Mary was
preserved from corruption and taken
into heaven to be reunited to her soul. In
1950, Pope Pius XII deÀned this belief
as a truth revealed by God that Mary,
See SAINTS on Page 24
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with the teachings of the Catholic Church in conformity with the
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Examination & Treatment
of Eye Disease
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Contact Lenses & Optical
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Monday through Friday
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(512) 288-0444
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Michael Dillingham, D.D.S.
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schedule a complimentary consultation
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GOOD NEWS
24
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
A few lessons from the 2013 Texas legislative session
BY BARBARA BUDDE
COLUMNIST
Usually by this point in the summer
we would have closed the book on the
bi-annual Texas legislative session, but
not this year. By the time most of us
get this summer edition of the Catholic Spirit, the second special session
will be done or in its Ànal days. Let’s
review what did and did not happen in
this 83rd legislature thus far.
The bishops of Texas identiÀed
seven key areas of legislation and
tracked them throughout the session:
Protecting Human Life; Children
and Families, Justice for Immigrants;
the Poor and Vulnerable; Health and
Human Services; Criminal Justice;
and Religious Liberty. By April, they
had identiÀed some legislation on
issues of particular concern to them.
Our bishops invited all Catholics to
participate in the political process by
advocating with them on these issues:
protecting patients’ rights and lives
in end-of-life-care; stopping pay day
lenders’ exploitation of working Texas
families; protecting women’s health
and the lives of unborn children; giving
Texas families a choice in educating
their children; and supporting Medicaid expansion. Unfortunately when
SAINTS
Continued from Page 23
when the course of her life on earth was
Ànished, was taken up body and soul
into heaven. This was published in the
bull “MuniÀcentissimus Deus.” The
doctrine of the Assumption was not only
unopposed but testiÀed to in sermons
and numerous works of art, according to
David Farmer in the “Oxford Dictionary of Saints.”
Author Rosa Giorgi writes in “Saints
– A Year in Faith and Art” that the Assumption of Mary bears her to a higher
dimension. The Assumption presents a
particular involvement in the Resurrection of Jesus and anticipates the resurrection of all Christians, Giorgi reports.
Farmer reports that Mary had the
unique privilege of being the mother of
one who was both God and Man and
that this is at the heart of the special
honor paid to Mary.
The feast of the Assumption is on
the General Roman Calendar on Aug.
15 and is one of the four Solemnities
devoted to Mary. The others are: Mary,
Mother of God – Jan. 1; Annunciation – March 25; and the Immaculate
Conception – Dec. 8.
MARY LOU GIBSON is
a member of St. Austin Parish in Austin.
She is a retired state
employee.
the regular session ended, none of the
legislation that the bishop’s supported
had passed. However, the bishops
were not the only ones unsatisÀed with
the regular session. As soon as the
session ended, Governor Rick Perry
called a special session to address the
questions of redistricting, which was to
begin the very next day.
After that special session began,
the governor included additional issues to the call for the special session,
including one of the bishops’ issues
above –– protecting women’s health
and the lives of unborn children. In
May the Texas Catholic Conference
on behalf of the bishops wrote Governor Perry asking that the special
session include important pro-life
legislations which had not passed
during the regular session. They
reasoned that the legislation had the
votes to pass with the additional time
and with the limited scope allowed in
special sessions. Within a few days,
Senate Bill 5 and House Bill 60 were
before the legislature. Unfortunately,
the vote came on the last day and
Senator Wendy Davis began her
Àlibuster. As most of you probably
know, it was not that her Àlibuster
succeeded, but that crowds in the gallery so disrupted the business of the
Senate that a vote could not be taken
before midnight.
By the time this issue is mailed, the
pro-life legislation supported by our
bishops will be passed and signed by
the governor.
This 83rd legislature has taught us
some important lessons. The second
special session became necessary because people came to the Capitol. We
completely disagree with them on this
issue and with the way they behaved,
but by showing up in large numbers,
they made an impact. We can do that,
too! We need to learn from this experience that participation matters.
Please resolve now to step up your
participation. If you are not registered
to vote, do so. Because of the Supreme
Court decision regarding the Voting
Rights act, we will all need to show
valid identiÀcation to vote in the next
election, so if you need an ID get
one. If you vote all the time, but don’t
regularly contact your legislators, begin
forming a relationship with those who
represent you. Showing up matters,
making your voice heard matters, participation matters –– we have seen this
and now we need to learn from it!
For more information on Faithful
Citizenship, visit www.austindiocese.
org/ofÀces-ministries/ofÀces/socialconcerns-ofÀce/faithful-citizenship.
To sign-up for Action Alerts from the
Texas Catholic Conference visit www.
txcatholic.org/texas-catholic-network.
BARBARA BUDDE
is the diocesan
director of social
concerns. She
can be reached at
(512) 949-2471 or
barbara-budde@
austindiocese.org.
Collection for Catholic Higher Education
The special collection for Catholic Higher Education was taken up Feb. 9-10. If your parish Ànds an error, call the diocesan Finance OfÀce at (512) 949-2400. Funds
collected beneÀt Catholic campus ministry programs throughout the Austin Diocese.
Parish
Totals
Austin Central Deanery
Austin, Our Lady of Guadalupe
$1,320.85
Austin, St. Austin
$1,487.08
Austin, St. Ignatius
$1,050.20
Austin, St. Julia
$471.32
Austin, St. Mary Cathedral
$2,049.28
Austin, San Jose
$2,752.00
Austin Central Deanery Totals
$9,130.73
Austin North Deanery
Austin, Holy Vietnamese Martyrs
$1,500.00
Austin, Sacred Heart
$2,269.00
Austin, St. Albert the Great
$1,395.01
Austin, St. Louis
$1,769.10
Austin, St. Theresa
$2,084.00
Austin, St. Thomas More
$4,306.91
Austin, St. Vincent de Paul
$1,192.00
Cedar Park, St. Margaret Mary
$3,083.97
Lago Vista, Our Lady of the Lake
$1,489.00
Austin North Deanery Totals
$19,088.99
Austin South Deanery
Austin, St. Andrew Kim
$222.00
Austin, St. Catherine of Siena
$3,781.04
Austin, St. John Neumann
$4,796.63
Austin, St. Paul
$2,458.37
Austin, St. Peter the Apostle
$1,057.00
Austin, San Francisco Javier
$459.00
Lakeway, Emmaus
$1,060.00
Austin South Deanery Totals
$13,834.04
Brenham/La Grange Deanery
Brenham, St. Mary
$221.00
Chappell Hill, St. Stanislaus
$233.00
Dime Box, St. Joseph
$335.00
Ellinger/Hostyn Hill, St. Mary
$277.00
Fayetteville, St. John
$827.00
Giddings, St. Margaret
$1,177.15
Parish
Totals
La Grange, Sacred Heart
$1,331.00
Lexington, Holy Family
$120.00
Old Washington on the Brazos, St. Mary $44.00
Pin Oak, St. Mary
$243.00
Rockdale, St. Joseph
$433.90
Somerville, St. Ann
$293.00
Brenham/La Grange Deanery Totals $5,535.05
Bastrop/Lockhart Deanery
Bastrop, Ascension
$1,825.48
Elgin, Sacred Heart
$544.00
Lockhart, St. Mary of the Visitation
$1,269.53
Luling, St. John
$371.39
Martindale, Immaculate Heart
$351.00
Rockne, Sacred Heart
$818.00
Smithville, St. Paul
$684.00
String Prairie, Assumption
$506.00
Uhland, St.Michael
$258.91
Bastrop/Lockhart Deanery Totals
$6,628.31
Bremond, St. Mary
$530.00
Bryan, St. Anthony
$468.94
Bryan, St. Joseph
$736.00
Bryan, Santa Teresa
$547.00
Caldwell, St. Mary
$490.00
College Station, St. Mary
$1,842.54
College Station, St. Thomas Aquinas $2,299.22
Franklin, St. Francis of Assisi
$340.81
Frenstat, Holy Rosary
$299.00
Hearne, St. Mary
$415.00
Bryan/College Station Deanery Totals $7,968.51
Georgetown/Round Rock Deanery
Andice, Santa Rosa
$345.00
Corn Hill, Holy Trinity
$715.00
Georgetown, St. Helen
$4,318.80
Granger, Sts. Cyril and Methodius
$792.00
Parish
Totals
Hutto, St. Patrick
$364.00
Manor, St. Joseph
$427.56
PÀugerville, St. Elizabeth
$2,598.28
Round Rock, St. John Vianney
$3,639.75
Round Rock, St. William
$9,476.50
Taylor, Our Lady of Guadalupe
$542.26
Taylor, St. Mary of the Assumption
$1,201.47
Georgetown/Round Rock Totals
$24,420.62
Killeen/Temple Deanery
Belton, Christ the King
$1,987.00
Burlington, St. Michael
$137.00
Cameron, St. Monica
$377.00
Copperas Cove, Holy Family
$2,837.00
Cyclone, St. Joseph
$208.00
Harker Heights, St. Paul Chong Hasang $3,431.00
Killeen, St. Joseph
$2,527.29
Marak, Sts. Cyril and Methodius
$120.00
Rogers, St. Matthew
$270.00
Rosebud, St. Ann
$177.03
Salado, St. Stephen
$621.00
Temple, Our Lady of Guadalupe
$919.00
Temple, St. Luke
$1,414.00
Temple, St. Mary
$1,685.00
Westphalia, Visitation
$463.00
Killeen/Temple Deanery Totals
$17,173.32
Bertram, Holy Cross
$140.00
Burnet, Our Mother of Sorrows
$398.00
Goldthwaite, St. Peter
$78.00
Horseshoe Bay, St. Paul the Apostle $1,339.50
Kingsland, St. Charles Borromeo
$384.00
Lampasas, St. Mary
$440.60
Llano, Holy Trinity
$334.00
Lometa, Good Shepherd
$199.00
Marble Falls, St. John
$534.00
Mason, St. Joseph
$280.17
Parish
Totals
San Saba, St. Mary
$253.37
Sunrise Beach, Our Lady of the Lake $182.00
Lampasas/Marble Falls Deanery Totals $4,562.64
San Marcos Deanery
Blanco, St. Ferdinand
$329.75
Buda, Santa Cruz
$2,499.67
Dripping Springs, St. Martin de Porres $954.41
Johnson City, Good Shepherd
$310.50
Kyle, St. Anthony Marie de Claret
$833.10
San Marcos, Our Lady of Wisdom
$345.00
San Marcos, St. John
$2,511.24
Wimberley, St. Mary
$796.00
San Marcos Deanery Totals
$8,579.67
Waco Deanery
Elk, St. Joseph
$193.00
Gatesville, Our Lady of Lourdes
$340.50
Hamilton, St. Thomas
$169.75
Lott, Sacred Heart
$40.00
McGregor, St. Eugene
$561.74
Marlin, St. Joseph
$263.50
Mexia, St. Mary
$430.25
Tours, St. Martin
$335.46
Waco, Sacred Heart
$420.00
Waco, St. Francis on the Brazos
$592.62
Waco (Hewitt), St. Jerome
$2,641.60
Waco, St. John the Baptist
$53.75
Waco (Bellmead), St. Joseph
$627.53
Waco, St. Louis
$3,177.74
Waco, St. Mary of the Assumption
$806.50
Waco, St. Peter Catholic Center
$253.44
West, Church of the Assumption
$961.00
Waco Deanery Totals
$11,868.38
Miscellaneous
Grand Totals
$3.00
$128,793.26
July/August 2013
BULLETIN BOARD
NFP classes....................
25
For Your
Information
An in-service for new Catholic
school principals will be held Aug. 1 at
9:30 a.m. at the diocesan Pastoral Center
in Austin. For more information, contact
the Catholic Schools OfÀce at (512) 9492497 or [email protected].
An in-service for new Catholic
school teachers will be held Aug. 2 at
9 a.m. at the diocesan Pastoral Center in
Austin. For more information, contact the
Catholic Schools OfÀce at (512) 949-2497
or [email protected].
Gospel of Life, a day of reÁection
for pro-life volunteers, will be held Aug.
10 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Holy
Trinity Parish in Corn Hill. This day is designed to help refresh participants’ spirits
and to allow them time to reÁect on their
ministries. A continental breakfast and
lunch will be provided free of charge. For
more information or to register, contact
the diocesan OfÀce of Pro-Life Activities
and Chaste Living at (512) 949-2486 or
[email protected].
The feast of the Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary is Aug. 15. This is
a holy day of obligation. Diocesan ofÀces
will be closed.
A Summer Fun Concert will be held
Aug. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Catherine
of Siena Parish in Austin. Local parishioners will provide music. Games, face
painting and food will be for sale.
Pax Christi Austin meets the third
Sunday of every month at 7 p.m. at the
Father John Payne House at St. Ignatius,
Martyr Parish in Austin. Everyone is welcome. Pax Christi Austin is a member of
Pax Christi International and Pax Christi
USA, the Catholic peace and justice
movement that works and prays to create
a world that reÁects the peace of Christ.
For more information, contact Bob
Rankin at [email protected].
An Advocacy Training Workshop
will be held Aug. 23 and 24 at Cedarbrake
Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. Father
Roger Keeler, the Judicial Vicar of the
Court of Second Instance in San Antonio,
will be one of the featured speakers. This
workshop is for advocates representing
petitioners seeking an annulment. It will
provide hands-on exposure to the various
grounds for nullity and the Canon Law
that supports those grounds. The cost is
$100 per person, which includes materials
and meals. Rooms at the Retreat Center
are an additional $50 per night. For more
information, go to www.austindiocese.
org, Canonical and Tribunal Services,
Training and Workshops or contact Tom
Howard at [email protected].
Diocesan ofÀces will be closed Sept.
2 in observance of Labor Day.
Bishop Joe Vásquez will bless the
new Catholic Charities of Central Texas
building in Bryan on Sept. 6 at 1:30 p.m.
This is an opportunity to tour the facility
and meet the staff and learn about the
services offered in the Brazos Valley. For
more information, contact CCCTX at
(512) 651-6100.
St. Helen Parish in Georgetown
will host a Women’s Catholic Scripture
Study on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30
a.m. in the St. Rita Activity Center. This
year’s study will be on “David and The
Psalms.” It offers opportunities for deepening relationships with God, for group
discussions and for making friendships
with women from around the diocese.
Classes begin Sept. 10. Register as soon
as possible so that books can be ordered.
For more information, call (512) 8647660.
Catholic Scripture Study of Austin
will begin meeting again Sept. 11 at 9:30
a.m. at St. Louis Parish in Austin. The
weekly two-hour Bible study consists of
prayer, small group discussion and guest
lecturers. This year the course will study
Joshua and James. The class meets on
Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and
the schedule follows the Austin Independent School District calendar for holidays,
including Christmas break. Register online
at www.cssaustin.org. For more information, contact Rosemary Howard at (512)
345-3687.
Catholic Scripture Study of Cedar
Park will begin meeting Sept. 18 from
6:30 to 8 p.m. at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Cedar Park. The course will also
be offered on Thursdays from 9:30 to 11
a.m. beginning Sept. 19. The weekly Bible
study consists for prayer, small group discussion and guest lecturers. This year the
course will study Joshua and James. The
schedule will follow the Leander Independent School District calendar. For more
information, contact Bob Gorski at (512)
636-2927 or [email protected].
Catholic Charities of Central Texas
will host the Àfth Annual Angels of Hope
Brazos Valley Golf Tournament Sept. 20
beginning at 9 a.m. at the Briarcrest Country Club in Bryan. For more information,
contact Vancy Mayes at (979) 822-9340 or
[email protected].
The Dominican Sisters of Mary,
Mother of the Eucharist will host a
Housewarming Celebration and Blessing Sept. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. Everyone
is invited to celebrate the completion of
the Àrst Texas facility on the priory site,
a temporary mission convent. Join the
sisters for a tour of the convent, barbecue, and an update on the progress of the
larger planned priory. For more information and for directions to the site, visit
www.sistersofmary.org/Housewarming.
Married couples who feel alone,
or who are frustrated and angry with
one another are invited to Retrouvaille
(pronounced retro-vi). This is a ministry
designed to help couples through difÀcult
times in their marriages. For conÀdential
information about Retrouvaille or how to
register for the program beginning with a
weekend on Oct. 4-6, call 1-800-470-2230
or visit www.helpourmarriage.com.
A series of classes on the SymptoThermal Method of natural family planning will be held beginning Aug. 4 at
2 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in
Austin. The classes are spaced about one
month apart and will help couples learn
how to identify the three common signs
of fertility and infertility. To register or for
more information, visit http://register.
ccli.org.
An introductory session on natural
family planning will be held Aug. 14 at
7:30 p.m. at St. Thomas More Parish in
Austin. To register contact Amanda or
Ryan Ransom at ransomsnfp@gmail.
com.
A series of classes on the SymptoThermal Method of natural family planning will be held beginning Aug. 18 at
3:30 p.m. at St. Jerome Parish in Waco.
The classes are spaced about one month
apart and will help couples learn how to
identify the three common signs of fertility and infertility. To register or for more
information, visit http://register.ccli.org.
A series of classes on the Billings
Ovulation Method of natural family planning will begin Aug. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at St.
Thomas More Parish in Austin. Subsequent classes will be held Sept. 4 and Sept.
18. To register e-mail Amanda and Ryan
Ransom at [email protected].
A series of classes on the SymptoThermal Method of natural family planning will be held beginning Aug. 24 at 2
p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in
Austin. The classes are spaced about one
month apart and will help couples learn
how to identify the three common signs
of fertility and infertility. To register or for
more information, visit http://register.
ccli.org.
Retreats.........................
The third annual day of reÁection
for parish staff members will be held Aug.
1 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center
in Belton. Pastors are encouraged to
bring their staff to reÁect, share and pray.
The Cedarbrake staff will present. Cost is
$20 per person with lunch included. For
more information, contact Cedarbrake at
at (254) 780-2436 or [email protected].
“Healing Hearts” is a retreat designed to help bring about healing for
women who have suffered any type of
sexual abuse. The retreat will be held Aug.
2-4 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center
in Belton. The retreat leaders strive to
provide a safe, comfortable, loving and
supportive environment so that participants are able to begin or to continue their
healing process. The cost for the weekend
retreat is $125 per person. A limited number of scholarships (discounted price) are
available. To register, call (254) 780-2436
and ask for Beverly.
A Woman’s Perspective on the
Spiritual Life, a day of reÁection, will
be held Aug. 10 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center
in Belton. From St. Catherine of Siena,
Joan of Arc, and Elizabeth Seton, to
Edith Stein, the four women martyred in
Salvador in 1981 and Mother Teresa, the
extraordinary faith and spirituality of these
women have led the way for our own
spiritual growth. The cost is $35, which
includes lunch. For more information,
contact Cedarbrake at (254) 780-2436 or
[email protected].
Married couples who are looking
for a getaway and time to reconnect with
one another are invited to a Worldwide
Marriage Encounter Aug. 9-11 at St. John
Neumann Parish in Austin and Sept. 6-8
at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center
in Belton. The weekend begins Friday
at 7:30 p.m. and ends Sunday around 4
p.m. This is an opportunity for husbands
and wives to escape the daily distractions of life and focus on each other. For
more information or to apply to attend,
contact Anh and Greg Thomas at (512)
677-WWME (9963) or wwmeaustin@
gmail.com.
Together Encounter Christ or
TEC, an inter-generational retreat movement, will host a retreat, Aug. 31-Sept. 1,
at Eagle’s Wings Retreat Center in Burnet.
This retreat is open to all who are 17 or
older (those in high school must be in at
least their junior year). The cost for the
weekend is $100; scholarships are available for those who need assistance. Visit
www.tec-ctx.org for more information.
Writing Your Story, a weekend
retreat with Maria Scaperlanda, will be
held Sept. 13-15 at Cedarbrake Catholic
Retreat Center in Belton. The weekend
will explore writing as a tool for fostering intimate prayer. No writing skills are
required, only a willingness to ponder
and listen with pen in hand. This retreat is
open to both men and women. The cost
is $155 for a shared room and $185 for
a private room. For more information,
contact Cedarbrake at (254) 780-2436 or
[email protected].
Send in your items!
CATHOLIC SPIRIT offers this page, “For Your
Information,” as a “community bulletin board.”
Items of general interest of upcoming parish and
diocesan events, including parish social events,
will be printed at no charge at the discretion of
the editor. The deadline for material is the 10th
of the month, with publication occurring the
łrst week of the following month. Material may
be e-mailed to catholic-spirit@austindiocese.
org or faxed to (512) 949-2523.
BULLETIN BOARD
Parish and community events................................
26
St. William Parish in Round Rock
will celebrate Father Dean Wilhelm’s 25th
anniversary as a priest with a night at the
ballpark on July 29 at the Dell Diamond
– United Heritage Center in Round Rock.
The reception begins at 5 p.m., Father
Dean Wilhelm will throw out the Àrst
pitch at 6:30 p.m. and the evening concludes with the baseball game between the
Round Rock Express and the Memphis
Redbirds. Sponsorship and advertisement opportunities are available. For
more information or to sponsor, contact
Ana-Cristina Gonzalez at (512) 255-4473
Burse
The Diocesan Council of Catholic
Women has completed a burse for
the Clerical Endowment Fund (CEF)
in honor of Father Jose Luis Azcona.
The totals for the burse as of May
31, 2013, are listed below by council.
Austin Council
$953.00
Brazos Valley Council
$670.00
Central Council
$276.00
Eastern Council
$1,107.00
Northern Council
$2,903.00
Southern Council
$1,660.00
Temple Council
$693.00
Previous Balance
$3,658.71
Total
$11,920.71
The Clerical Endowment Fund provides low-cost loans to parishes. Interest
from the loans is used to educate diocesan
seminarians. For information, contact either Father Ed Karasek at (254) 826-3705
or Mary Ann Till at (512) 353-4943.
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
or [email protected], or visit
www.saintwilliams.org/25ordination.
The Ladies’ Club of St. Elizabeth
Parish in PÁugerville will host its annual Rummage Sale Aug. 10 from 7 a.m.
to noon in the parish hall. Rummage sale
items will include clothing, shoes, household goods, small appliances, baby items,
collectibles, toys, linens and treasures for
all. All sales are Ànal. A preview sale will
be held Aug. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. with a
$2 entry fee or the contribution of three
canned goods. For more information,
contact Alice Duerr at (512) 990-1019.
St. Thomas More Parish in Austin
will present “Surge of the Heart,” a threeday multigenerational parish mission,
Aug. 12-14. The mission will be led by
Jon Leonetti, an international Catholic
speaker, author and radio host who
conveys a message of lasting fulÀllment
in Jesus Christ. The topic for each day
is Monday – “God’s Yes to Us, Tuesday
– “Our Response,” and Wednesday –
“With Great Love.”
“A Quick Journey Through the
Bible” will be offered Aug. 17 from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. in the parish hall at Sts. Cyril
and Methodius Parish in Granger. This
is an eight-part introduction to the Bible
Timeline learning system and is designed
to give participants a brief overview of the
history of salvation. Jeff Cavins, a writer
and presenter who is known for his love
of the Bible, presents the DVD segments
with interest and understandable language.
The cost is $30 per person, which includes
workbook and lunch. For information or
to register, contact Joanne Selucky at (512)
859-2223 or [email protected] or
visit www.sscmchurch.org.
St. Monica Parish in Cameron will
host its Homecoming Festival Aug. 18
on the parish grounds. This year’s festival
celebrates 130 years of Catholicism in the
town of Cameron. Barbecue plates will be
served starting at 10:30 a.m.; plates are $8
each. The day will begin with Mass at 10
a.m. Activities include live entertainment
by The Majeks, bingo, a horseshoe tournament, a live country auction, games for
all ages and variety of food booths.
Austin Catholic Singles group
invites all singles to a Àeld trip to the Fullness of Truth Conference Aug. 24-25 in
San Antonio. Don’t miss the opportunity
to hear dynamic international speakers
and grow in the Catholic faith. Registration for the conference is $55. Hotel
rooms start at $109. Register at www.
fullnessoftruth.org/. It is the responsibility
of all attendees to pre-register themselves
for the conference and hotel. Austin
Catholic Singles is providing transportation for those interested in attending as
a group. Transportation fee is $10. Bus
reservations must be made by Aug. 21.
For bus reservations, e-mail [email protected].
Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish in
Marak will host its annual Homecoming
Picnic Aug. 25 on the parish grounds.
Home-fried chicken and sausage plates
will be served beginning at 11 a.m. Activi-
ties include live music, games for all ages,
and an auction at 3:30 p.m.
St. John Parish in Fayetteville wll
host its annual Church Picnic Sept. 1 on
the parish grounds. A Polka Mass will be
celebrated at 10 a.m. A beef, pork and
sausage barbecue dinner will begin at
11 a.m. A country auction will begin at
1:30 p.m. and activities throughout the
afternoon will include bingo, music and
games for all ages. For more information,
call (979) 378-2244.
Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish
in Granger will host their annual Bazaar
Sept. 1 on the parish grounds. Barbecue,
fried chicken, dressing and trimmings
will be served beginning at 11 a.m. An
auction will begin at 1:30 p.m.; activities
will include food, games during the afternoon and a dance at 7 p.m. featuring Fritz
Hodde & Fabulous Six. For more information, call the parish at (512) 859-2223.
St. Elizabeth Parish in Pflugerville will host its annual Fiesta Sept. 29
from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the parish
grounds. Activities include food booths,
entertainment, games for all ages, face
painting, a petting zoo and more. Fiesta
festivities will kick off with dinner and
bingo after the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday.
San Francisco Javier Parish in
Austin will host its annual Jamaica Sept.
29 from noon to 10 p.m. on the parish
grounds. Activities include games for all
ages, bingo, cake walk, entertainment,
a live auction, live music and more. For
more information, visit www.sfjcc.org.
Diocesan
Census
Help us update our database
Have you recently moved? Has your e-mail address changed? Have you
recently been married? Have you moved to a different parish? Or, have
there been any new additions to your family? If so, please update your
contact information at www.austindiocese.org/censusform or by
contacting the Stewardship and Development Office at the Diocese of
Austin at (512) 949-2400.
You can also Àll out the form below and mail it to:
Diocese of Austin, Stewardship Office, 6225 Hwy 290 E, Austin, TX 78723.
Full Name:__________________________________________________
Spouse’s Full Name:__________________________________________
Primary Parish (name & city):____________________________________
Mailing Address:______________________________________________
City: ___________________ State: _________ZIP: ___________________
Home Phone #:_______________________________________________
Cell Phone #:________________________________________________
E-mail address:_______________________________________________
Spouse’s e-mail address:_______________________________________
Do you receive more than one copy of the Catholic Spirit each month?_______
If yes, under what name does each copy come?_____________________
___________________________________________________________
Previous Address (within last 3 years)
Street Address: ______________________________________________
City: ___________________ State: _________ZIP: ___________________
**The Diocese of Austin does not sell or share information from our mailing lists. Thank you
for helping us update our database. If your information changes in the future, please call
(512) 949-2400 to let us know.
July/August 2013
ESPAÑOL
27
Invitando más vocaciones y orando por ellas
E L O BISPO J OE S.
VÁSQUEZ es el quinto
obispo de la Diócesis
de Austin. Es pastor
para casi 500,000
católicos en 25
condados en el
Centro de Texas.
Editora: Señor Obispo, usted
acaba de ordenar a 5 nuevos sacerdotes, así que es un buen momento
para hablar sobre las vocaciones.
¿Qué hace la Diócesis de Austin
respecto a las vocaciones para el
sacerdocio?
Obispo Vásquez: Estamos muy
bendecidos en la Diócesis de Austin.
Desde que llegué aquí, hace tres años,
he estado muy impresionado con la
manera en que la diócesis ha trabajado
para crear una cultura de vocaciones.
En la actualidad tenemos más de 40
seminaristas. El Padre Brian McMaster,
nuestro Director diocesano de Vocaciones, es un excelente reclutador y trabaja
muy bien con nuestros seminaristas.
Estamos bendecidos al tener a alguien
de su calibre como la primera persona
con la que muchos jóvenes se encuentran cuando comienzan a pensar sobre
una vocación.
El Padre McMaster ha construido,
basado en el buen trabajo del Padre
David Konderla y de Monseñor Michael Sis, quienes fueron los directores
de vocaciones previos. Todos estos
hombres han trabajado muy duro para
promover las vocaciones y crear una
cultura de vocaciones en la Diócesis
de Austin. ¡Estamos ahora recogiendo
los frutos de su dedicado trabajo! Este
año fuimos bendecidos al ordenar cinco
nuevos sacerdotes. El próximo año
habrá una pequeña clase de ordenación
de uno, pero después de eso, esperamos que aumente el número de las
ordenaciones.
Necesito decir que como iglesia,
tal vez nunca lleguemos al punto en el
que podamos decir que tenemos más
que suÀciente sacerdotes. La diócesis
continúa creciendo, y siempre necesitaEL PADRE
ALEX CAUDILLO, uno
de los cinco
nuevos sacerdotes que el
Obispo José
Vasquez ordenó el 8 de
Junio, sonríe
justo después
de bendecir
a miembros
de su familia
y amigos durante la Misa
de Ordenación. (Foto
por Shelley
Metcalf)
remos más sacerdotes que cuiden de las
necesidades de la gente. Por lo tanto,
debemos continuar fomentándolas y
orando por vocaciones al sacerdocio y
la vida religiosa.
Editora: Nuestra OÀcina Diocesana de Vocaciones alienta a todos a
invitar a más personas a considerar
el sacerdocio. ¿Cómo hacemos ésto?
Obispo Vásquez: Antes que nada,
debemos estar conscientes de que Dios
tiene un plan para cada uno de nosotros y cada quien debe descubrir ese
plan para sí mismo. Cuando descubrimos ese plan, encontramos felicidad,
alegría y paz al descubrir quién quiere
Dios que seamos. Dios llama a ciertas
personas a servir a la iglesia de una
manera única y particular. Para algunos
hombres, eso signiÀca ser llamados al
sacerdocio o al diaconado. Para algunas
mujeres, eso signiÀca ser llamadas a
la vida religiosa como hermanas o
monjas. Por lo tanto, la Iglesia nos pide
a todos ayudar a quienes sienten esta
inclinación para descubrir su vocación
particular.
Podemos empezar este proceso
con oración. Tenemos que pedirle a
Dios que envíe más gente a servir en
la Iglesia. Recordemos el Evangelio de
San Mateo donde Jesús mismo ve la
gran necesidad de la gente ¿y qué es lo
que dice? “ La cosecha es abundante,
pero los trabajadores son pocos; así
que pidan al Señor de la cosecha, que
envíe más obreros para su cosecha“.
Cada uno de nosotros debe orar por
las vocaciones, no importa si usted es
joven, viejo, hombre o mujer, soltero o
casado, debemos estar orando por más
vocaciones sacerdotales y religiosas.
Podemos también tomar un rol
activo en nuestras parroquias. Algunas
de nuestras parroquias han establecido equipos de vocaciones que están
comprometidos a orar por las vocaciones frente al Santísimo Sacramento o
quienes ayudan a organizar actividades
que promueven las vocaciones, tales
como presentaciones y retiros. La
diócesis también ofrece una variedad
de programas para invitar a hombres y
mujeres jóvenes a pensar sobre una vocación religiosa. Hay mucha actividad,
pero debemos siempre recordar que el
trabajo principal siempre es de Dios.
Dios es el que da la vocación; Dios
planta la semilla en los corazones de
hombres y mujeres jóvenes para darse
a sí mismos a Dios, para servir a la
Iglesia como Cristo lo hace. Nosotros,
en colaboración con Dios, podemos
mencionar, sugerir o fomentar en otros
el considerar el llamado de Dios.
Nuestra parte al ayudar a una persona joven a discernir el llamado a una
vocación es muy simple. Todo lo que
tenemos que decir a la persona es que
vemos algo en ella que nos dice que él
o ella sería un excelente sacerdote o una
excelente hermana. Eso es todo lo que
tenemos que hacer ¡Dios hace el resto!
Aquí hay algunos ejemplos de cómo
podemos invitar a alguien a considerar
su vocación: “ Noto que pasas mucho
tiempo en la Iglesia ¿has pensado alguna vez en ser un sacerdote?“ ”¿Alguna
vez has pensado en ir a una comunidad
religiosa?” ”Veo que realmente disfrutas trabajando con gente joven, y que
realmente tienes un don especial de
dar a estas personas ¿Has considerado
alguna vez una vocación?” “Veo que
tienes ciertos dones que me recuerdan
al Padre X o la Hermana X ¿has pensado en esa vocación?”
Con frecuencia complicamos nuestra aproximación demasiado y tenemos
miedo, pero todo lo que tenemos que
hacer es ofrecer una simple invitación
y abrir la puerta de manera que los
jóvenes comiencen a preguntar a Dios
qué es lo que pretende de ellos.
Editora: ¿Cuáles son algunas de
las cualidades que hacen a un(a)
joven un(a) buen(a) candidato(a)
para una vocación al sacerdocio o la
vida religiosa?
Obispo Vásquez: Antes que nada,
uno debe ser una persona de oración.
¿Es ésta una persona de oración? No
que tengan que estar en la iglesia todos
los días, pero ¿muestra un espíritu de
oración cuando están en Misa? ¿Hay
un espíritu de reverencia y amor por la
Eucaristía? ¿Hay ocasiones en que ésta
persona simplemente ora por sí misma
o con otros? La oración es esencial para
la vida religiosa.
Otro aspecto es la alegría. Digo
esto con toda sinceridad, que la alegría
tiene que ser parte de cada vocación.
Verdaderamente creo que una vez que
empezamos a seguir a Cristo y nos
damos a nosotros mismos a Él, especialmente como sacerdotes y religiosas,
existe una alegría que simplemente no
podemos contener. Alguien que es
obvio que disfruta la vida y las bendiciones que Dios le ha dado, es un
buen candidato para el sacerdocio o la
vida religiosa.
El otro elemento que busco es el
servicio – busco a alguien que pueda
ponerse a sí mismo al servicio de otros
¿Pueden aceptar no ser siempre los
primeros? ¿Están dispuestos a ayudar?
¿Disfrutan pasar tiempo con los viejos
o alguien que está enfermo? ¿Sirven
en el coro o como servidores del altar
o como catequistas? Estos son tipos
de servicio. En el Evangelio de Mateo,
Jesús dice que Él “no vino a ser servido, sino a servir “. Los sacerdotes y
religiosas deben encontrar la alegría y la
satisfacción en el servicio a otros, como
lo hizo Cristo.
Editora: ¿Cómo pueden las parroquias apoyar a las vocaciones en
sus comunidades?
Obispo Vásquez: Una manera es
organizando equipos de vocación o comités de vocación, los cuales consisten
de clero y laicos que buscan ayudar con
las vocaciones. Un sacerdote o diácono
puede ser parte del equipo, pero en su
mayoría consiste de personas laicas que
se juntan para orar por las vocaciones
y para fomentar vocaciones dentro de
la parroquia. Como mencioné antes,
la oración es esencial, pero hay otras
actividades que los comités pueden
promocionar para ayudar a los jóvenes
a tomar consciencia del proceso de
discernimiento. Por ejemplo, el comité de vocación puede promover las
actividades de la OÀcina diocesana de
Vocaciones en su propia parroquia.
También, ellos crean momentos en los
que jóvenes que están pensando sobre
una vocación se juntan – tal vez para
una comida o una discusión. Pueden invitar a un sacerdote o religiosa a hablar
sobre su vocación.
Me gustaría ver más equipos de
vocaciones creados en nuestras parroquias. A veces estos comités no
saben por dónde empezar o qué hacer.
De cualquier manera, no se trata de
cuántos eventos sean ofrecidos pero
de la calidad de los eventos que se
ofrecen. No tiene que haber un evento
cada semana, pero tal vez el comité
planea un evento una o dos veces al
año. Necesitamos más actividades que
ayuden a promover las vocaciones a
nivel parroquial. Por ejemplo, presentar a los seminaristas a la parroquia
cuando están en casa por el verano o en
un receso del seminario, es una buena
manera de ayudar a elevar el nivel de
consciencia sobre las vocaciones. De
nuevo, ésto no es complicado y no requiere mucho dinero o tiempo, se trata
de ayudar a otros, orar por las vocaciones y ayudar a los jóvenes a discernir la
voluntad de Dios.
Editora: ¿Cuál es su oración por
las vocaciones en la diócesis de Austin y en la Iglesia en general?
Obispo Vásquez: Mi oración es
por que Dios envié más trabajadores al
campo. Necesitamos sacerdotes buenos
y santos; necesitamos hermanas santas
dedicadas, que amen a la Iglesia, que
tengan pasión por Cristo, y que tengan
pasión por su trabajo y quieran entregarse a sí mismas. Mi oración es por
que haya mucha gente joven en nuestra
diócesis – hombres y mujeres – que
respondan diciendo, “Aquí estoy Señor.
Envíame”.
ESPAÑOL
28
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
Santa Mónica celebra su 130mo año de historia con un festival
POR MARY P. WALKER
CORRESPONSAL
La Parroquia de Santa Mónica en Cameron celebrará su
centésimo trigésimo aniversario
con oración, acción de gracias
y compañerismo en su festival
anual el 18 de agosto. A través
de su historia, la parroquia ha
superado muchos retos, y hoy
mira hacia el futuro con optimismo y la perseverancia que
ha durado por más de un siglo.
La celebración empezará
con un rosario dirigido por las
Hermanas Dominicanas de
María, Madre de la Eucaristía
a las 9:30 de la mañana el 18 de
agosto. La intención del rosario
será por la Nueva Evangelización promovida por el Beato
Juan Pablo II y recibida por
la comunidad. Una Misa de
Acción de Gracias con música
honrando las raíces checas y
alemanas de la parroquia seguirá
a las 10:00 a.m. El Padre Dimitrij Colankin, el actual pastor, y
antiguos pastores concelebrarán.
Después de la Misa, todos están
invitados al festival de comida,
juegos, música y diversión.
Con una orgullosa historia
de promoción de las vocaciones
al sacerdocio y la vida religiosa,
la parroquia fue el hogar espiritual de siete sacerdotes, un
hermano y 16 hermanas, incluyendo al Padre Danny García,
pastor de la parroquia de St.
Vincent de Paul en Austin. El
Padre García atendió la escuela
parroquial y regresará a concelebrar la Misa.
La fundación de la parroquia
se puede remontar a la caminata
de inmigrantes europeos quienes
llegaron tierra adentro desde el
puerto de Galvestón, asentándose en Cameron y sus alrededores. Aunque ellos no tenían
una iglesia o acceso regular a la
Misa y los sacramentos, estaban determinados a vivir su fue
Católica lo mejor que pudieran.
En 1883, un sacerdote de
Austin celebró Misa para la comunidad Católica en el hogar de
el Sr. David Meyer y su esposa.
Después, los Meyers donaron
cinco acres de tierra, y en 1889,
la comunidad construyó una
iglesia misionera bajo el patrocinio de San Antonio de Padua.
Siete años más tarde, dos Hermanas de la Divina Providencia
llegaron y establecieron una
escuela Católica, dando clases en
la iglesia hasta que el ediÀcio de
la escuela se completó en 1904.
Con un espíritu de entusiasmo y orgullo, la comunidad
se comprometió a organizar
la convención del Katholisher
Staat-Verband von Texas, (la
Liga del Estado Católico de
Texas) en 1905. Ellos necesita-
ron una iglesia más grande para
acomodar a los visitantes y su
crecimiento, así que reunieron
sus recursos y construyeron una.
Por razones que se perdieron
en la historia, la nueva iglesia
fue dedicada al patrocinio de
Santa Mónica, en lugar del de
San Antonio.
En 1927, un incendio
destruyó la iglesia, lo que motivó
a la parroquia a unirse y construir una iglesia aún más grande
para acomodar a la población
inmigrante creciente. A través de
los años, los feligreses de Santa
Mónica y amigos han repetidamente tomado oportunidades
para seguir la misión de Cristo y
han patrocinado muchos otros
ediÀcios y proyectos de mejora,
incluyendo una escuela nueva
construida en 1935.
La historia de la parroquia
también es una celebración de
la naturaleza universal de la iglesia. Antes de la Primera Guerra
Mundial, la inscripción a la escuela había aumentando con los
hijos de inmigrantes alemanes y
checos. Para disminuir la discordia que se desarrolló durante la
guerra, las hermanas enfatizaron
la identidad americana.
Otra oportunidad para la
unidad cultural ocurrió en 1976.
La iglesia del Santísimo Sacramento, localizada a unas cuadras
de distancia, se quemó. Esta
misión servía a Católicos de
origen mexicano. En lugar de
reconstruir esa iglesia, el Obispo
Vincent Harris pidió a las dos
comunidades convertirse en
una. Hoy, Santa Mónica se enriquece con familias de herencia
mexicana, asiática y europea,
y celebra Misas semanales en
inglés y español.
Derek Brazeal, de 23 años,
es miembro de la quinta generación de la parroquia. Él alabó
el espíritu voluntario de la comunidad, especialmente en el
área de la formación juvenil. El
también explicó que uno de los
retos que enfrenta la parroquia
es la necesidad de alcanzar a
aquellos que han dejado la iglesia.
Reconociendo que muchos
Católicos se sienten cómodos
usando nuevos medios para comunicarse y recibir información,
la parroquia está integrando la
tecnología para la evangelización
durante este Año de la Fe.
Existe una página de Facebook activa con publicaciones
sobre tópicos espirituales y noticias de la parroquia.
Los suscriptores reciben
un mensaje semanal de correo
electrónico con un extracto del
Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica,
las lecturas de la Misa Dominical
e información del boletín.
En años recientes, la parroquia ha enfrentado retos Ànancieros. Aun así, los feligreses
EL PADRE
DIMITRIJ
COLANKIN,
pastor de la
Parroquia de
Santa Mónica
en Cameron,
se dirige a los
que reciben
la Primera
Sagrada
Comunión en
la parroquia.
(Foto cortesía
de Tomás y
Teresa Ortíz)
han respondido con un espíritu
de sacriÀcio. Como resultado,
la parroquia de Santa Mónica
ha fortalecido su posición financiera y recientemente ha
conducido una campaña exitosa
de administración.
Esta generosidad ha permitido a la parroquia renovar
el ediÀcio de la escuela de St.
Anthony. En 1971, la economía
y la falta de religiosas obligó a
la parroquia a cerrar la escuela.
Durante los últimos tres años, el
ediÀcio había caído en tal descuido que no podía ya ser usado.
Mientra tanto, el programa
de educación religiosa fue repar-
tido en diferentes locaciones,
diÀcultando su administración
y causando eventualmente la
cancelación de algunas clases.
Mónica Schiller, presidente
del comité para la renovación,
dijo que $150,000 dólares en
efectivo y donaciones en especie
fueron juntados a través de regalos, recaudaciones de fondos
y relaciones con exalumnos de
la escuela de St. Anthony. La
parroquia también está agradecida con la Diócesis de Austin por
una donación de $50,000 que
ésta les hizo para este proyecto.
Honrando sus lazos históricos con la Iglesia del Santísimo
Sacramento, una campana conservada de esa iglesia será usada
en el diseño del paisaje.
“La escuela ahora acomoda
todas las clases de educación religiosa, la oÀcina de la iglesia, la
biblioteca de la parroquia y una
tienda de artículos religiosas”
dijo Schiller.
El Padre Colankin está orgulloso de la iniciativa que la
comunidad mostró en la renovación del centro St. Anthony,
“La parroquia tuvo la idea y
la motivación de restaurar el
centro. Los parroquianos continúan amando esta parroquia y
la comunidad”.

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nuevas adiciones a su familia? De ser así, por favor actualice su información de contacto
en www.austindiocese.org/censusform o contactando a la Oficina de Corresponsabilidad y Desarrollo en la Diócesis de Austin al (512) 949-2400.
También puede llenar la forma que se encuentra a continuación y enviarla a: Diocese of Austin, Stewardship Office, 6225 Hwy 290 E, Austin,TX 78723.
Nombre Completo:__________________________________________________
Nombre Completo de su Esposa(o):______________________________________
Parroquia (nombre & ciudad):__________________________________________
Dirección de correo normal:____________________________________________
Ciudad: _________________________ Estado: _________Zip: _______________
Teléfono de casa #:__________________________________________________
Teléfono celular #:__________________________________________________
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¿Recibe más de una copia del Catholic Spirit por mes?_________________________
De ser así, ¿a qué nombre llega cada copia?_____________________________
Dirección previa (dentro de los pasados tres años)
Calle: ____________________________________________________________
Ciudad: _________________________ Estado: _________Zip: _______________
**La Diócesis de Austin no vende ni comparte información de nuestras listas de correo. Gracias por ayudarnos a
actualizar nuestra base de datos. Si su información cambia en el futuro, por favor llame al (512) 949-2400 para
comunicárnoslo.
July/August 2013
ESPAÑOL
Conferencia Carismática se enfoca en incrementar la fe
POR ENEDELIA J. OBREGÓN
CORRESPONSAL
Tal como el padre del niño
en Marcos 9:24 dijo en voz alta
“ Creo, ayuda mi incredulidad ,“
Cerca de 1,500 personas buscaron fuerza en el Espíritu Santo en
la Segunda Conferencia Católica
de Renovación Carismática. El
tema fue “¡Creo Señor pero
aumenta mi fe!”
El evento, patrocinado por la
OÀcina diocesana del Ministerio
Hispano, contó con música,
un servicio de curación, reconciliación y oradores invitados. El
Sacerdote Eudista John Mario
Montoya de Colombia, celebró
la Misa de apertura, donde su
homilía se enfocó en el tema de la
conferencia. Su segunda presentación fue titulada “Ven Espíritu
Santo y Enciende el Fuego de tu
Amor en Mí”.
También se dirigió a los Àeles
Marangely González de Buffalo, NY, una oradora Católica
Carismática de renombre quien
lidereó un servicio de curación
después de compartir la historia
de su vida, enfocándose en el
tema “ Por tu Fe, Has Sido Curado“ y “ En el Mundo, Testigos
de Cristo”.
El nivel de decibeles de la
música y la oración fue alto durante el evento de 12 horas, y
nadie miró de reojo cuando los
participantes gritaron “¡Amén!”
o “¡Aleluya!” durante la homilía
y las presentaciones de los oradores.
Los Àeles, muchos de los cuales habían traído a sus familias,
formaron largas líneas para recibir
el sacramento de la reconciliación
y apresuraron a los vendedores
de comida durante los recesos
en busca de alimento físico antes
de volver por alimento espiritual.
Luminosa Álvarez de la
Parroquia de St. Elizabeth en
PÁugerville fue una de las per-
29
sonas en primera fila que fue
movida hasta las lágrimas durante
el servicio de curación.
“Vine por mi salud, “dijo
Álvarez, quien perdió una pierna
debido a la diabetes y quien se
encuentra en diálisis renal. “Me
siento un poco diferente, un poco
mejor”.
Arturo y Luz García de la
Parroquia de St. Francis on the
Brazos en Waco, han ido a conferencias similiares en Dallas.
Esta fue su primera en Austin.
“El Señor nos invitó y aquí
estamos,” Dijo Arturo García.
Sofía Rodríguez de la Parroquia de San José en Austin
trajo a sus tres hijos, incluyendo
a Stephanie de 11 años.
“No hay muchas cosas como
ésta, “la joven dijo tímidamente.
“Ayuda a mi fe. A veces algunas
personas me molestan. Puedo
rezar”.
Sofía Rodríguez dijo que
trajo a sus hijos por que no hay
muchos eventos religiosos en
los que la familia entera pueda
participar.
“Quiero que continúen en la
fe,” dijo. “Me fue inculcada desde
que era niña y quiero hacer lo
mismo por ellos”.
Durante la homilía, el Padre
Montoya se enfocó en el Evangelio de Lucas 7:11-15, en el cual
Jesús y sus discípulos y seguidores
van caminando hacia Naín. Jesús
acaba de resucitar al esclavo del
centurión de la muerte y se maravillaba de la fe mostrada. En el
camino, encuentran la procesión
funeraria del hijo único de una
viuda. Jesús ordena al hijo que se
levante y lo devuelve a su madre.
En ese momento, él explicó,
las mujeres no trabajaban fuera
del hogar y dependían de sus
maridos e hijos. Por lo tanto,
la mujer viuda en la procession
funeraria estaba destinada a la
pobreza y quizás a una vida pidiendo limosna.
“Ésta era una procesión de
CERCA DE 1,500 PERSONAS atendieron la segunda Conferencia de Renovación Carismática el 8 de junio. El tema fue “¡Creo Señor pero aumenta mi fe!” (Foto por Enedelia
J. Obregón)
tristeza y dolor, pobreza, angustia
y desesperación,” dijo. “Ella no
tenía esperanza, estaba condenada a la pobreza”.
“Éstos son dos grupos de
personas – dos procesiones”,
dijo el sacerdote. “Una es una
procesión de esperanza y vida
y la otra es de desesperación y
muerte. ¿A cuál grupo pertenecemos? ¿En qué procesión queremos estar?”
El Padre Montoya dijo que
Jesús no sólo físicamente alzó
al hijo de la viuda de la muerte.
También le dió nueva vida a la
mujer al darle esperanza.
Con frecuencia, dijo, la gente
se enfoca en sus pérdidas y dolor
y pasan por alto la esperanza que
nos da Cristo Jesús.
“Cuando conoce a la viuda
le dice ‘no llores’ aunque ella
tiene todas la razones para llorar,” dijo. “Él entonces le dice
al hombre muerto ‘¡Levántate!
¡Tú que estás muerto! !Levántate!’” dijo. “Jesús tiene el poder
de salvar. ¡Así que no solo te
sientes ahí! Él puede salvarte del
vicio, de la pobreza y depresión.
¡Levántate y no dejes que nada
te aparte de la paz y el gozo que
Dios te está dando!”
González, quien es coordinadora del Comité de la Renovación Carismática de la Diócesis
de Buffalo y sirve en el comité
nacional, compartió su historia
de abuso sexual y su búsqueda
de paz en otras denominaciones
religiosas.
La curación física y espiritual, dijo, están disponibles sólo
a través de la fe, y la nutrición de
la misma y el fortalecimiento de
la fe comienzan con la Palabra.
“La fe entra por el sentido
del oído,” dijo. “Las palabras
tienen poder. Pero es fácil distraerse cuando uno no escucha”.
San Pablo nos dice en 2 de
Corintios que “caminamos guiados por la fe, no por la vista,” ella
notó. Los Católicos de hoy no
pueden ser cobardes (gallinas), dijo.
“¡Los Católicos necesitan ser
valientes y levantarse de la muerte
y entrar en una nueva vida!” dijo
González. “Debes poder ver la
fe en los Católicos. Somos tabernáculos móbiles”.
Cuando las cosas salen mal
o nos enfrentamos al dolor, con
frecuencia pensamos que Dios
nos abandonó, dijo. “Con Cristo
tu eres un gigante junto a esos
problemas”, dijo. “Necesitamos
aprender a reconocer a Dios
en medio de todo lo que está
pasando”.
ReÀriéndose a la procesión
en el Evangelio del día, González
dijo que mucha gente permance
a un lado en lugar de unirse a la
procesión de la vida ofrecida por
Jesucristo.
“Deja de mendigar y de
quejarte de las cosas”, dijo.
“Dios tiene mucho que ofrecerte. Pero no podemos quedarnos sentados al lado del
camino. Necesitamos hacer
nuestra parte”.
Llorosa costarricense detalla milagro atribuido a beato JPII
POR CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
Después de que los médicos
le dijeron a Floribeth Mora Díaz
que su aneurisma cerebral le
dejaba días de vida ella se retiró a
su hogar costarricense y le rezó al
beato Juan Pablo II.
Mora dijo que desde su alcoba en un pequeño pueblo de la
provincia Cartago de Costa Rica
ella escuchó su voz: “¡Levántate!
No temas”.
Ella se levantó de su cama,
causando que su esposo le preguntara: “Mi amor, ¿qué estás
haciendo aquí?”. Según la llorosa
Mora recordó durante una con-
ferencia de prensa del 5 de julio,
ella le contestó a su esposo: “Me
siento mejor”.
Eso fue en mayo del 2011.
Los médicos no pudieron explicar la rápida mejora y Mora se
convirtió en el segundo milagro
atribuido al beato Juan Pablo,
quien murió en el 2005. El primer
milagro fue una monja francesa
curada de la enfermedad de Parkinson ese mismo año.
El 5 de julio el papa Francisco
firmó el decreto permitiendo
la canonización del beato Juan
Pablo y el beato Juan XXIII.
Más tarde ese día Mora se
dirigió a la prensa desde la capital costarricense, San José. Con
un retrato del beato Juan Pablo
colgado detrás de ella, Mora le
dijo a los reporteros que había
enfrentado muerte inminente.
Ella comenzó a sufrir de intensa jaqueca en abril del 2011 y
fue diagnosticada con aneurisma.
Su vida peligraba, dijo su médico,
el Dr. Alejandro Vargas, después
de la conferencia de prensa. La
familia de Mora había montado
un altar al beato Juan Pablo y ella
había recibido como regalo una
revista con la fotografía de él en
la portada.
Mora dijo que mientras miraba Àjamente la fotografía el beato
Juan Pablo comenzó a hablarle.
“Estaba sorprendida. Seguía
mirando la revista. Dije: ‘Sí,
Señor’, y me levanté”, ella dijo a
una televisora mexicana durante
una entrevista.
FLORIBETH
MORA DÍAZ
relata la
inexplicable
curación
que ha sido
atribuída a la
intercesión
del Beato
Juan Pablo
II. (Foto por
CNS/Juan
Carlos Ulate,
Reuters)
ESPAÑOL
30
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
El nuevo obispo de El Paso ve a la diócesis ‘comprometida profundamente con la fe católica’
POR ANDY SPARKE
El obispo Mark J. Seitz
prometió guiar a su rebaño
dentro de un nuevo siglo que
se caracterice por la nueva
evangelización en los momentos de toma de posesión como
obispo para la diócesis de El
Paso, que cuenta ya con cerca
de 100 años de existencia.
En una homilía presentada tanto en inglés como en
español, el obispo Seitz se
dirigió a unas 4,000 personas
que habían asistido a la Misa
de toma de posesión en la
gran sala de El Paso Convention and Performing Arts
Center, el 9 de julio.
Y prometió escuchar la
voz del Señor en las palabras
de los sacerdotes, diáconos,
seglares “y en la voz de los
pobres, pues estoy seguro que
el Señor hablará por medio de
todos ellos”.
“Tengo confianza en la
voz del Santo Padre Francisco
y en el magisterio de la iglesia”, dijo.
El arzobispo de San Antonio, Gustavo García-Siller, encabezó la ceremonia de toma
de posesión, a la que asistió
el cardenal Theodore E. McCarrick, arzobispo jubilado
de Washington, más 22 arzobispos y obispos de Texas,
New México, Arizona, Oklahoma, California, Luisiana,
Wyoming, Illinois y Nebraska.
En su homilía, el obispo
Seitz compartió sus impresiones de visitas hechas a algunas localidades de la diócesis
de El Paso, en el lapso de
tiempo posterior a su nombramiento y dijo: “Puedo ver
que la diócesis está comprometida profundamente con la
fe Católica”.
Y haciendo notar que el
nombre de la ciudad de El
Paso se deriva de El Paso del
Norte, camino transitado por
los primeros exploradores españoles y misioneros, dijo que
ese territorio ha sido desde
hace mucho tiempo faro para
“refugiados e inmigrantes,
personas tan amadas por el
Señor”.
El próximo mes de marzo,
en la diócesis de El Paso se
celebrarán los 100 años de
aniversario de su fundación
declarada por el papa Pío X.
La diócesis está conformada
por 10 condados que abarcan
unas 26,700 millas cuadradas
en el extremo occidental de
Texas, entre Nuevo México y
el país de México, y cuentan
con una población católica de
más de 650,000 personas.
El obispo Seitz les dijo
a las personas que se habían
congregado para la toma de
posesión: “Les haré un llama-
EL OBISPO MARK J. SEITZ es saludado por inmigrantes de la Casa de la Anunciación,
durante la ceremonia de toma de posesión, en una Misa, como el sexto obispo de la
diócesis de El Paso, Texas, el 9 de julio. (Foto CNS/Christ Chávez, Río Grande Catholic)
do para que se abra un nuevo
capítulo en la historia de la
diócesis en este nuevo siglo”.
“El mundo necesita el testimonio de la fe ahora más
que nunca”, dijo. “Este es
el momento para una nueva
evangelización”.
Más de 800 Católicos de
la diócesis Àelmente se congregaron en la catedral de San
Patricio, casi en su lleno total,
para la ceremonia de Vísperas,
la noche anterior de la toma
de posesión del nuevo obispo.
El obispo Armando X.
Ochoa de Fresno, California,
administrador apostólico de
El Paso y antiguo obispo de
la diócesis, se reunió con el
obispo Seitz a las puertas de la
catedral y lo acompañó hasta
el altar en medio de aplausos
por parte de los Àeles. El obispo Ochoa fue nombrado para
Fresno en el mes de diciembre
del 2011.
El coro de la diócesis dirigió
a los entusiastas asistentes en
cánticos de los salmos e himnos
de la ceremonia.
En su homilía, el obispo
Seitz dijo que su nombramiento como nuevo obispo de
El Paso había sido al mismo
tiempo “una gran sorpresa y
gran alegría”.
Y dijo que tenía la ambición legítima de ser santo
“como el padre Pedro de
Jesús Maldonado que fue
ordenado en esta catedral”.
El padre Maldonado murió
siendo mártir en el estado
mexicano de Chihuahua en la
década del 1930 y fue canonizado por el papa Juan Pablo
II.
Algunas lecciones de la Sesión Legislativa de Texas
POR BÁRBARA BUDDE
COLUMNISTA
Usualmente, en este punto
del verano, ya hemos cerrado
el libro de la bianual sesión
Legislativa de Texas, pero no
este año. Para el tiempo en que
a la mayoría de nosotros nos
llegue esta edición de verano del
Catholic Spirit, la segunda sesión
especial habrá concluido o estará
en sus últimos días. Revisemos
qué pasó y que no pasó en esta
octogésima tercera legislatura
hasta ahora.
Los obispos de Texas identiÀcaron siete áreas claves de legislación y las siguieron durante
la sesión: Proteger la Vida Humana; Niños y Familias; Justicia
para Inmigrantes; Los Pobres y
Vulnerables; Servicios de Salud
y Humanos; Justicia Criminal;
y Libertad Religiosa. En abril,
habían ya identiÀcado algo de
legislación sobre tópicos de
particular preocupación para
ellos. Nuestros obispos invitaron a todos los Católicos a
participar en el proceso político
al abogar con ellos por estos
temas: La Protección de los
Derechos de los Pacientes y
las Vidas en Cuidados del Fin
de la Vida; parar la explotación
de las familias trabajadoras de
Texas por parte de prestamistas
inmediatos; Proteger la Salud de
las Mujeres y las vidas de niños
no-natos; Dar a las Familias de
Texas una opción en la Educación de sus Hijos; y apoyar
la expansión de Medicaid. Desafortunadamente cuando la
sesión regular terminó, ninguna
de las legislaciones que los obispos apoyaban había pasado. Tan
pronto como la sesión terminó,
el Gobernador Rick Perry llamó
a una sesión especial para hacer
frente a las cuestiones de la
re-distribución de los distritos,
lo que había de comenzar el
siguiente día.
Después de que esa sesión
especial comenzó, el gobernador
incluyó asuntos adicionales al
llamado por la sesión especial,
incluyendo algunos de los asuntos de los obispos mencionados anteriormente –Proteger la
Salud de las Mujeres y la vida
de niños no natos. En Mayo, la
Conferencia Católica de Texas
en representación de los obispos, escribió al Gobernador
Perry pidiéndole que la sesión
especial incluyera legislaciones
pro-vida importantes las cuales
no habían pasado durante la sesión regular. Ellos argumentaron
que la legislación tenía los votos
para pasar con el tiempo adicional y con el limitado alcance
permitido en sesiones especiales.
En unos días, la Propuesta de
Ley del Senado 5 y la Propuesta
de Ley del Congreso 60 fueron
presentadas ante la legislatura.
Desafortunadamente, el voto
vino en los últimos días y la
Senadora Wendy Davis comenzó su Àlibusterismo. Como la
mayoría de ustedes saben, no
fue que su Àlibusterismo triun-
fó, sino que las personas en la
galería interrumpieron de tal
manera la labor del Senado que
la votación no pudo ser llevada
a cabo antes de la media noche.
Ahora estamos en nuestra
segunda sesión especial y no
hay garantías, pero esperamos
que para el momento en que
esta edición sea enviada por
correo, la legislación pro-vida
apoyada por nuestros obispos
haya pasado y haya sido Àrmada
por el gobernador.
Esta octogésima tercera legislatura nos ha enseñado algunas lecciones importantes. La
sesión especial se volvió necesaria
por que la gente vino al Capitolio. Nosotros estamos completamente en desacuerdo con ellos
en este tema y con la manera
en que se comportaron, pero al
llegar en grupos grandes tuvieron
un impacto. !Nosotros también
podemos hacer eso! Necesitamos
aprender de esta experiencia que
la participación importa.
Por favor decida acelerar
su participación. Si no está registrado para votar, regístrese.
Por la decisión de la Suprema Corte sobre la Ley de los
Derechos Electorales, todos
necesitaremos mostrar una
identiÀcación válida para votar
en la próxima elección, así que
si necesita una identiÀcación,
consiga una. Si vota todo el
tiempo pero no contacta regularmente a sus legisladores,
comience a formar una relación
con aquellos que lo representan.
Aparecer importa, hacer que
su voz sea escuchada, importa,
la participación importa -– !lo
hemos visto y ahora necesitamos aprender de ello!
Para mayor información
en Ciudadanía Fiel, visite www.
austindiocese.org/ofÀces-ministries/ofÀces/social-concernsofÀce/faithful-citizenship. Para
inscribirse para recibir alertas
de acción de la Conferencia
Católica de Texas, visite www.
txcatholic.org/texas-catholicnetwork.
SITINGS
July/August 2013
31
THE KNIGHTS
OF COLUMBUS Council
1834 of Bryan
presented their
Special Education Scholarship to Jose
Cruz. (Photo
courtesy Anthony Restivo)
THE KNIGHTS OF
COLUMBUS at
St. Jerome Parish
in Waco awarded
scholarships to
local youth. (Photo
courtesy Dave
Hargrave)
PRIESTS from across the diocese gathered for fellowship and relaxation in Horseshoe Bay June 3-5. (Photo courtesy Father Joe Geleney)
THE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH of St. Joseph
Parish in Killeen presented $1,130 along with
canned goods to the Society of St. Vincent
De Paul. (Photo courtesy Shirley Saiz)
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
PARISH in Temple awarded
scholarships to local teens
for their educational pursuits.
(Photo courtesy Sue Ellen
Galvan-Alejandro)
ST. MATTHEW in Rogers also
gave $2,000 worth of scholarships to local youth. (Photo
courtesy Sue Ellen GalvanAlejandro)
THE 83RD ANNUAL TEXAS
STATE CONFERENCE of the
Knights of Peter Claver was held
May 3-5 in Houston. Holy Cross
Knights of Peter Claver & Ladies
Auxiliary Court and Auxiliary
Council #284 received several
awards. (Photos courtesy Johnnie Dorsey)
ST. MARTIN
DE PORRES
Parish in Dripping Springs
honored graduating seniors
with Mass on
May 26. (Photo
courtesy Allison
Rice)
ST. JOHN VIANNEY PARISH in
Round Rock honored those in the
military during Mass on May 26.
(Photos courtesy Rilla Chaka)
A GRADUATION CEREMONY for
the sixth graders at Sacred Heart
School in La Grange was held May
23. Students from the school also
made a banner for the tornado victims in Moore, Okla. (Photos courtesy Wendy Becka and Lee Burleson)
BISHOP JOE VÁSQUEZ celebrated the sacrament of con¿rmation
at St. Mary Parish in Lampasas. (Photo courtesy Cynthia Cobb)
Send photos by the 10th of the month to [email protected].
SITINGS
32
C ATHOLIC S PIRIT
THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS of St. Thomas
More Parish in Austin awarded eight scholarships
to local youth. The funds were raised with Lenten
¿sh fry dinners. (Photo courtesy Peter Pang)
MSGR. LONNIE URBAN, pastor of St.
Mary Parish in Taylor, celebrated the anniversary of his ordination to the
priesthood and the seventh graders
celebrated their graduation. (Photos courtesy Tabby Darilek )
SAN JOSE PARISH
in Austin honored
the graduating class
of 2013 at Mass.
(Photo courtesy Erik
R. Diaz)
HOLY TRINITY PARISH in Corn
Hill holds an annual fundraiser in
June consisting of a Polka Mass
followed by a Fried Chicken and
Sausage Meal. This year instead of
going to the parish building fund, the
proceeds of $12,000 were donated
to the CCCTX West Relief Fund.
(Photo courtesy Jennifer Klepac)
ST. VINCENT DE
PAUL PARISH in
Austin held Vacation
Bible School June 1014. (Photo by Renee
Blood)
MIDDLE SCHOOLERS from
Holy Family Catholic School
in Austin created a montage
of prayers for the people of
West. Each prayer is differentiated by a different color.
(Photo courtesy Alpa Brannam)
SISTER NICOLE TRAHAN will profess her perpetual vows as a Marianist Sister on Aug. 3. She
graduated from Texas A&M University, where she
was involved on the parish council at St. Mary
Catholic Center, served on retreat teams and as
a Mass coordinator and a member of the choir.
(Photo courtesy Nicole Trahan)
SISTER MARY PATRICK
(TISH) MORONE made
her simple profession of
vows with the Contemplative Sisters of St. John in
Princeville, Ill. on June 2.
She was a parishioner at
St. William Parish in Round
Rock before entering the
novitiate. (Photo courtesy
Tony Morone)
THE KNIGHTS OF
COLUMBUS and the
Catholic Daughters
of the Americas at St.
Mary Parish in Taylor
honored high school
seniors with scholarships and a brunch.
(Photo courtesy Tim
Vanecek)
ST. JOHN NEUMANN PARISH in
Austin hosted the
Conspirare Company of Voices and the Victoria Bach Festival string orchestra on
May 31. The choir reprised Robert Kyr’s “Songs of the Soul” and premiered Kyr’s
“The Cloud of Unknowing.” (Photo courtesy Paul A. Juarez)
PRAYER AND LIFE
WORKSHOPS (Talleres de Oración y Vida)
¿nished in eight parishes
in the diocese.
More of these
workshops (held in
Spanish and English)
will begin in the second week of August.
(Photos courtesy Aida
Calderon)
Send photos by the 10th of the month to [email protected].

Many head to the Capitol in support of life

Transcripción

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