View - Catholic Diocese of Brownsville

View - Catholic Diocese of Brownsville

Volume 6, Issue 1
Payday loans
‘cripple’ our
community
By NYDIA O.TAPIA-GONZALES
The Valley Catholic
BROWNSVILLE — Jennifer
Carr Allmon, associate director
with the Texas Catholic Conference, visited Brownsville June 3 to
listen and document stories from
the local community about their
experiences with payday or auto
title loan companies.
Over 10.6 million dollars are
drained from the Cameron County
economy each year because of the
excessive – and unregulated – fees
charged by these loan companies.
Installment loan borrowers pay
about $140 in fees per $100 borrowed, and 420 cars were repossessed last year by auto title lenders
in Cameron County.
What is a payday or auto title
loan? They are loans from companies who provide small cash advances with high interest rates and
no limit on managing fees. Payday
loan companies are unsecured, but
require postdated checks or electronic access to debit accounts as
collateral.
A car title serves as collateral for auto title loan companies,
and loans typically extend for one
month. If a borrower defaults, the
company will take the car usually
with no prior notice. Allmon said,
“we are talking about 500 percent
to 1,000 percent average percentage rates (APR).
Fees for an auto title loan of
$4,000 are over $1,000 per month,
and payday loan fees are often paid
month after month without reducing the loan amount. It is estimated
that 64 percent of all loans in the
Brownsville area are refinances. On
average, Texans pay $22 per $100
borrowed because there is no regulation in the state.
“These loan companies cripple
our communities, and appallingly
so, it is like the wild, wild west of
lending, for under current state law
there are no limits on fees, interest rates, the size of loans, rollovers
or refinances, and no limits on the
ability to repay based on income,”
Allmon said. “The lack of regulation has also allowed for tremendous growth of these businesses especially in economically vulnerable
» Please see Loans p.15
Serving More Than A Million Catholics in the Diocese of Brownsville
Welcoming
the
Stranger
Church responds to
immigrants’ needs,
humanitarian crisis
Editor’s note: The story in our
July issue offers a glimpse of the
initial days of outreach to the
stream of immigrants arriving in
the Rio Grande Valley. The story
keeps evolving and at press time it
was estimated the situation could
continue into September.
By BRENDA NETTLES RIOJAS
The Valley Catholic
McALLEN — Scared, tired,
hungry, immigrants, mostly
mothers with their children, arrive at the McAllen or Brownsville bus station at odd hours
with hopes of traveling further
to see family members who are
waiting for them.
Hundreds of immigrants
mostly from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and other areas
of Central America are arriving
daily, dropped off by U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE)
agents after being detained and
processed. They are given permission to travel on to their final destination with instructions
to report to ICE and appear in
court. Hundreds of unaccompanied minors are arriving as well
in unprecedented numbers.
(“The WORD is sent
breathing love.”)
Photos by Amber Donaldson/The Valley Catholic
In response to the influx of immigrants arriving in
our area from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala
and other areas of Central America, Catholic
Charities of the Rio Grande Valley has opened two
assistance centers in McAllen and Brownsville.
The centers are staffed with volunteers who offer
food, clothing, toiletries, baby supplies and travel
packets, which include supplies for their journey.
The immigrants, mostly women and children, received permission from Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) to continue to their destinations outside of the Rio Grande Valley.
» Please see Welcoming p.2
NEWS IN PHOTOS
“VERBUM MITTITUR
SPIRANS AMOREM”
July 2014
Catholic Charities coordinates
summer food program
Page 6
NEW PRIEST
Father Jose Garza ordained
for Diocese of Brownsville
Page 8
THOSE WHO SERVE
Father Joe Villalon
Page 9
EN ESPAÑOL
Artículos sobre como la
Iglesia está respondiendo
a las necesidades de
inmigrantes y la crisis
humanitaria, los menores
sin acompañamiento en
los Estados Unidos, y una
entrega de amor a Dios
Paginas 11-13
2
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic -
July 2014
Alone in the United States
Number of
unaccompanied
minors growing,
volunteers needed
By BRENDA NETTLES RIOJAS
The Valley Catholic
McALLEN — A sixteen-yearold from Sensambra, Morazon, El
Salvador spent four days lost in the
Rio Grande Valley, drinking dirty
water and eating oranges to survive
before he found help. He was left
by coyotes who were paid $3,000
to cross him into the United States.
The oldest of five children,
Juan (his last name is withheld for
his safety), was sent by his parents
who wanted him to get an education. As the youngest of the 11 boys
and young men who were traveling
with him in an enclosed truck, he
said he was hit and teased by the
others. He had not had anything to
eat or drink while they were being
transported.
After the others went in their
own directions, Juan did not know
Welcoming,
continued from pg. 2
For two months volunteers
by their own prompting have met
the immigrants at the bus station
to give them something to eat and
help them navigate their bus travels.
As the numbers escalated, Catholic
Charities of the Rio Grande Valley
responded by opening two assistance centers.
When they arrive at the bus
station, “they are scared, they’re
hungry, they’re tired,” said Sister
Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio
Grande Valley. “They don’t know
who to trust. They fear someone
will take advantage of them,” she
added.
Sister Pimentel said she went
to the bus station herself to talk to
immigrants to ease their fears and
let them know the volunteers were
there to help, “Somos de la iglesia.
Estamos aquí para ayudar.” (We are
where to go or where to ask for help.
Someone found him on the side of
the road and brought him to the assistance center opened by Catholic
Charities of the Rio Grande Valley
at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen, where after a 19-day journey,
he contemplated turning himself
in to ICE or finding a way to get to
New York to see his uncle who was
waiting for him.
Juan is among the thousands
of unaccompanied minors to cross
into the United States without
their parents. Some children are as
young as two and three years old.
In a news release, Secretary of
Homeland Security Jeh Johnson
referred to the situation as “a problem of humanitarian proportions
in the Rio Grande Valley Sector.”
President Obama on June 2 issued
a presidential memorandum directing the secretary of Homeland
Security to establish an interagency
“Unified Coordination Group,” to
address the situation.
According to the Administration for Children and Families
(ACF), “the number of children
crossing the border without parents or guardians has been growing
over the last few years. Last year,
close to 25,000 unaccompanied minors crossed the southwest border.
By the end of this fiscal year, ACF
projects that 60,000 unaccompanied minors are expected to arrive in the U.S. These children are
particularly vulnerable to human
trafficking, exploitation and abuse.
They are young, separated from
their families and have survived a
hazardous journey.”
Ofelia De Los Santos, who coordinates Jail Ministry for the Diocese, said she is in need of volunteers to reach out to children and
teens who are housed at the centers
in the Rio Grande Valley.
“These children are here alone.
They have no one,” De Los Santos
said. Many of them don’t know
when they will see their parents
again.
The need for volunteers has
grown and the number of centers
has increased from four a year ago
to 13 this year, and plans are underway to open another five centers in
the area. One of the centers houses
children under the age of 10. Some
house from 25 to 300 children and
teens.
Bishop Daniel E. Flores has
continually addressed his concern
for the children and the immigration problems in the United States.
He wrote a letter to United States
Secretary of State John Kerry in
May to give him “an idea of what
conditions are like for many, especially the immigrant poor in South
Texas, as a result of the violence afflicting Northern Mexico.”
In a talk to bishops and theologians on Sept. 14, 2013, he shared a
story of a child he met.
“I recently spoke to, and looked
into the eyes of an eight-year-old
little girl who by some miracle of
with the Church. We are here to
help.)
The first center opened June 10
at Sacred Heart Church in downtown McAllen, which is located
near the bus station. Volunteers
helped approximately 200 people
the first day, and continue to help
as new immigrants arrive each day.
A second center opened June 13 in
the gymnasium across the street
from Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville, and a third
is planned in Harlingen.
Sister Pimentel said, “The assistance centers are an immediate and
temporary response to the need. A
long-term solution is needed.” It is
uncertain how long the assistance
centers will remain open.
Bishop Daniel E. Flores wrote
a letter to United States Secretary
of State John Kerry in May to give
him “an idea of what conditions
are like for many, especially the immigrant poor in South Texas.” The
bishop wrote, “The Church will do
all that we can to address the immediate needs of the women and
children. We must stay focused on
the needs of the children and those
mothers who are with them. They
are frightened, in need of food,
water, clothing, and in some cases
medical attention.”
The bishop said he is grateful
for what Catholic Charities has
been able to do to help coordinate
a Church and community response
to a rapidly developing human crisis. “I am also grateful for so many
volunteers, Catholics and nonCatholics who have responded
with compassion and seek to offer
what help they can.”
He added, “Obviously it is important that local government, as
well as state and federal jurisdictions act responsibly in addressing
the current situation, and it is vital
that a spirit of cooperation prevail
so that the human needs can be addressed in a way that upholds and
respects the human dignity of the
immigrant population.”
False information circulating in their native countries led to
the growing influx of immigrants.
Some of the immigrants are under
the false impression that they will
receive asylum if they cross into
United States with their children.
“They (immigrants) think
they are being offered amnesty,”
said Sister Pimentel, but in reality ICE “is giving themselves space
to breathe.” She said ICE does not
have facilities to house families and
are overwhelmed by the number of
people who are crossing. Many of
the women with children are allowing ICE to detain them.
Officials from both the Guatemala and Honduras embassies
predicted the recent phenomena.
They said the coyotes, those who
smuggle immigrants into the United States, are misleading the people
and making false promises. They
especially concerned about the
dangers immigrants confront during their journey.
One young man in his early
twenties from Guatemala arrived
with his infant child. His wife had
been kidnapped in Mexico and he
was forced to continue without her.
Roger (his last name is withheld for his safety), 14, who is a U.S.
citizen was living with his aunt in
Miami, Florida and flew to Honduras in order to cross back with his
mother into the United States. It
took them four tries before finally
crossing the Rio Bravo in the dark.
He said he would do it again.
“A crisis brings out the best and
the worst in people,” Sister Pimentel said, adding that she and the
volunteers are inspired by the response from the community. The
minute the call for donations was
made via the telephone and social
media, people started bringing
needed items to the center. One
business donated 600 new shoes,
and others have since stepped in to
provide portable showers.
Some immigrants, who have
been traveling for days, sometimes
between seven to 20 days without a
shower or a change of clothing are
relieved to have a place to clean up
before they continue on their journey to see a family member they
have not seen in years.
The centers are staffed with volunteers who offer food, clothing,
toiletries, baby supplies and travel
packets, which include supplies for
their journey.
Sister Pimentel said she is
pleased by the hundreds of volunteers who have come forward to
help. One group stays until 1 a.m.
cleaning and preparing for the next
day. Some volunteers who come
with their parents are as young as
eight-year-old.
Ivania Molina Melendez, a parishioner at Our Lady of Perpetual
Help Church in McAllen, said she
was exhausted by the end of the
day, but she was filled with joy from
serving the women and their children who came to the center.
She said she and other volunteers are overwhelmed by the stories the women share about their
journey. They see them arrive hungry and grateful for a place to rest,
grateful for a bag of supplies, grateful for the prayers from strangers
before their bus leaves, some in
route to Boston, New York City,
Houston, San Antonio, Chicago.
Sister Pimentel said, “They
come with so many hopes.” It is difficult to know what waits for them,
and how long they will remain.
To help with local efforts, Catholic Charities USA is sending additional volunteers and resources
from other parts of the country to
help with this national crisis. Media from all over the world have
descended upon the Rio Grande
Valley to cover the story. Sister Pimentel is also making counselors
available at the different sites.
Catholic Charities of the Rio
Grande Valley is accepting donations of food, bottled water, toiletries, diapers, formula, plain plastic
baby bottles, baby juices, Pedialyte,
diaper rash cream, gift cards and
phone cards.
700 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd., San Juan, TX 78589-3042
Telephone: 956/781-5323 • Fax: 956/784-5082
Bishop Daniel E. Flores
Publisher
Brenda Nettles Riojas
Editor
Rose Ybarra
Assistant Editor
The Valley Catholic email:
[email protected]
Follow us on facebook
Catholic Diocese of Brownsville
www.cdob.org
ZBG Studio/Graphic Design
Terry De Leon
South Texas Circulation
The Valley Catholic,
Advertising
Evana Zamora
(956) 784-5055
Gustavo Morales
(956) 266-1527
Gilbert Saenz
(956) 451-5416
» Please see Unaccompanied p.7
Subscription rate
$15 per year • $17 outside of Texas
$25 out of U.S.
Circulation
The Valley Catholic
Juan, 16, of El Salvador is one of many unaccompanied minors who have made the
treacherous journey to the United States without the assistance of their parents.
a publication of the
Diocese of Brownsville,
is published monthly
Member of
the Catholic Press Assocition
Bishop Flores’ Schedule June 2014
July 6
8 a.m.
Mass at St. Mary Church
July 6
10 a.m.
Mass at St. Mary Church
July 19
Noon
Mass for Catholic Conference Concert
Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa
Brownsville
July 26
11 a.m.
Mass at St. Anne Quasi-Parish
July 26
5 p.m.
Valley Awakening
Peñitas
San Juan
July 2014
DIOCESE
- The Valley Catholic
YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
Para
servirles
The Valley Catholic
The Campus and Young
Adult Ministry Office (CYAM)
supports single and married
young adults to live the Gospel
message through prayer, community and service.
They do this by working
closely together with campus
ministers, diocesan and parish
leaders, and other ministry
volunteers to connect and
empower young adults to live
as Disciples of Christ.
The goal of the CYAM Office is to connect young adults
to God, the Church, the mission of the Church in the world
and deepen their relationships
through family, friends, school
and work.
As highlighted in Sons
& Daughters of the Light, a
Pastoral Plan for Ministry with
Young Adults, through this
ministry, young adults can
answer God’s call to holiness,
nourishing their faith and living out their faith in this world,
The office coordinates
multiple programs such as
Theology on Tap, Bishop’s
Young Adult Ambassadors and
campus ministry.
Theology on Tap (ToT) is
a speaker series for people in
their 20s and 30s, married or
single. It’s an opportunity to
meet together in the relaxed
setting of a local pub. The topics focus on faith and contemporary issues that directly
affect the lives of today’s young
adults.
Bishop Daniel E. Flores
commissioned the creation of
a group of young adults, who
will serve as his ambassadors
throughout the diocese. This
group will include 16 young
adults with two representing
each deanery. Bishop Flores
said, “My goal is to listen to
and learn from them - identifying first-hand their spiritual needs and how we can be
more responsive to them as a
Church.”
The Young Adult Ambassadors meet with Bishop
Flores and collaborate with the
CYAM office in discussing,
planning, and implementing Young Adult programs
throughout the diocese.
Catholic Campus Ministry
exists to provide college students with enriching spiritual,
social, and civic activities, as
well opportunities that will
enable the students to grow
in these areas while attending
classes. They believe that the
university years are important
formative years that will have a
lasting effect upon the students’
character. The CYAM office
currently has campus ministry
in UTB, TSTC, UTPA, and
STC-McAllen.
Office: Campus & Young Adult
Ministry
Director: Miguel Santos
Email: [email protected]
Taking care of each other
SPECIAL REPORT:
Caring for Our Elders
Resources available
for caregivers to
help them cope
By NYDIA TAPIA-GONZALES
The Valley Catholic
V
ietnam Veteran Max
Henry, 77, and his wife
Teona Henry, 72, made
the decision to relocate
permanently to the Rio Grande
Valley after 11 years of visiting as
Winter Texans. Originally from
Gilman, Ill., the couple found a
second family in one of Weslaco’s
senior communities — Ranchero
Village Mobile Home Park. In
2012, the Henrys sold their home,
The Valley Catholic
gave their family some treasured
items, and discarded everything Max and Teona Henry, who are both dealing with health issues, take care of each
else; today they are proud to be other and gather support from neighbors whom they consider a second family. The
full time Texan retirees living far Henrys also volunteer at the Iwo Jima Memorial & Museum in Harlingen.
away from family, and relying on
each other for care.
degeneration a few years ago and
EIGHT SIGNS THAT A CAREGIVER
Max Henry was an Army requires monthly treatments.
NEEDS A BREAK
Specialist 4 Class who served in
Max Henry applied for health • a short (and shortening) fuse
Germany in the early 1960s and insurance with the local Veter- • emotional outbursts
worked for Henkel North Amer- ans Health Administration (VA) • problems sleeping
ica. Teona Henry worked at the Clinic only to be turned down • gaining or losing weight
local post office. The Henrys dis- for reasons that were not made • ambivalence and sluggishness
covered senior living in the Valley clear, but both assume it was due • aches, pains & ailments
in 1986 when they visited Teona to their income. For Henry, recent • increased isolation
Henry’s sister who was already upsetting news about the Veterans • complaints from friends and
enjoying retirement in our area.
Administration are no surprise, family
“We really love the warm for he has heard countless stories
From liftcaregiving.com
weather” Max Henry said, but from neighbors and friends who
it was Teona Henry’s health that have not received assistance from volunteering at the Iwo Jima Meprompted the permanent move. the VA.
morial & Museum in Harlingen
“I did not want to go back home
“In reality, all he really wanted where once a week – and for the
and look for a new doctor – a ret- was a VA picture ID,” said Teona past five years - the Henrys greet
ina specialist – because I love my Henry.
visitors and share the story of this
local doctor,” Teona Henry said.
But nothing deters this couple mournful event in American hisShe was diagnosed with macular from loving their country and tory. Meeting fellow veterans and
talking to people is what Max
Henry enjoys the most, especially
during the winter months when
the number of visitors increases.
Taking care of each other is
what these couples do when living
far away from family. They also
gather support from neighbors
whom they consider a second
family.
“Here at the park, we all help
each other with whatever is needed. Most of our families do not
visit much because they are too
busy, but we have each other,” said
Teona Henry, who firmly believes
this support system is typical at local retirement communities.
The Henrys are not alone. As
the population ages and community-based care of elderly, ill, and
disabled persons escalates, relatives and friends increasingly find
themselves responsible for inhome care of relatives and friends,
and this can trigger tremendous
stress according to Program Manager Gloria Miranda, BA of the
local Caregiver Services & Operations and Caregiver SOS.
Research performed by Caregiver SOS shows that 20-30 percent of family caregivers fare
poorly under the strain of caregiving, leading to high levels of stress,
frustration, mental health problems, suppressed immune system
functioning, diabetes, stroke, and
premature mortality among several other symptoms.
According to a 2009 study by
the National Alliance for Caregiving in collaboration with AARP,
29 percent of the U.S. adult population, or 65.7 million people, are
caregivers, including 31 percent
of all households. Some say that
the need for family caregiving is a
societal challenge of crisis propor» Please see Elders, p.15
Nine celebrating jubilees
Sisters spread
the Good News
through education
Special to the Valley Catholic
BROWNSVILLE — Nine
Sisters of the Incarnate Word
and Blessed Sacrament will
commemorate their jubilee of
religious profession on Saturday,
Aug. 2. A Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Daniel E. Flores at
10:30 a.m. at Mary, Mother of
the Parish Church, followed by
a reception in the gymnasium at
Incarnate Word Academy.
The Sisters being honored all
served in Brownsville at some
point in their ministry.
Sister Anselm Till celebrated
75 years of religious profession
in 2014; she made her first vows
on February 25, 1939 having
entered the congregation on August 2, 1937. In over 53 years of
ministry in Catholic education,
Sister Till taught in elementary schools throughout South
Texas, in Corpus Christi, Alice, Beeville, Kingsville, Goliad,
Brownsville and Sinton.
Sister Mary Lelia Aguilar,
born in Port Isabel to Hilario
and Herlinda Pena Aguilar, attended Washington Park and
Immaculate Conception el» Please see Jubilee, p.14
3
Sister Evelyn Morales
Sister Anselm Till
Sister Mary Lelia Aguilar
Sister Colette Brehony
Sister Mary Camelia Herlihy
Sister Teresita Rodriguez
Sister Martha Ann Snapka
Sister Mary Vianney Uyeno
Sister Elizabeth Close
4
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic -
»Family Life
Diminishing
violence
V
iolence and resentment
have been around since
Cain slew Abel. Genesis
7:6-8 states “So the Lord said to
Cain: “Why are you so resentful
and crestfallen? If you do well,
you can hold up your head; but if
not, sin is a demon lurking at the
door; his urge is toward you, yet
you can be his master.” Cain said
to his brother Abel, “let us go
out in the field.” When they were
in the field, Cain attacked his
brother Abel and killed him.”
One would think that after
several millennium, as human
beings we would have learned
that we can master the urge
for violence and build up the
power of peace in our hearts, in
our homes, and in our society. I
rarely watch the local TV news
simply because I do not relish
the thought of receiving the latest
litany of violence: how many
people were beaten, stabbed,
or killed. Surely there are other
news worthy stories to report:
perhaps stories about how people
suffer; perhaps stories about
the many civic and religious
organizations who work tirelessly
to feed the poor and educate the
young.
Do we as human beings in
the 21st century have such a fascination with violence that we accept as normal that 75-80 percent
of “family time” television programs are centered on violence?
What happened to the days when
TV favorites included Gilligan’s
Island and Carol Burnett?
In 1994 the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops
wrote a Pastoral Letter entitled
“Confronting a Culture of Violence”. Twenty years later, their
words are perhaps even more
fitting. In this pastoral letter, they
state: “Our families are torn by
violence. Our communities are
destroyed by violence. Our faith
is tested by violence.
We have an obligation to
respond. Violence — in our
homes, our schools and streets,
our nation and world — is
destroying the lives, dignity and
hopes of millions of our sisters
and brothers. Fear of violence is
paralyzing and polarizing our
communities. The celebration of
violence in much of our media,
music and even video games is
»Women speak for themselves en la Frontera
Lydia Pesina
Director, Family
Life Office
poisoning our children. Beyond
the violence in our streets is the
violence in our hearts. Hostility,
hatred, despair and indifference
are at the heart of a growing culture of violence. Verbal violence
in our families, communications
and talk shows contribute to this
culture of violence. Pornography
assaults the dignity of women
and contributes to violence
against them. Our social fabric is
being torn apart by a culture of
violence that leaves children dead
on our streets and families afraid
in our homes.
Our society seems to be
growing numb to human loss
and suffering. A nation born in
a commitment to “life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness” is
haunted by death, imprisoned by
fear and caught up in the elusive
pursuit of protection rather than
happiness. A world moving
beyond the Cold War is caught
up in bloody ethnic, tribal and
political conflict. It doesn’t have
to be this way. It wasn’t always
this way. We can turn away from
violence; we can build communities of greater peace. It begins
with a clear conviction: respect
for life.”
There is always something
that individually or as a community we can do: monitor our language: diminish violent words;
pray for peace; provide programs
that promote dialogue between
parents and youth; teach basic
values of respect and conflict
resolution; assist parents in setting boundaries for their children
on TV, internet, and cell phone
use; support local organizations
such as Mujeres Unidas; reflect
on our own tendencies/ urges
towards violence.
“Parenting for Peace and Justice”, active since 1981 includes
A Family Pledge of Nonviolence
on their website. Perhaps it can
serve as a reminder that each of
us can do at least one thing to
diminish violence and promote peace. “…my Savior, from
violence you keep me safe.” 2
Samuel 22:3
FAMILY PLEDGE OF NON VIOLENCE
To view or download a copy
of the Family Pledge of Non
Violence, visit www.cdob.org
What is Ordinary Time?
Special to The Valley Catholic
There’s often excitement and
interest linked with some feasts
and seasons of the church year:
Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter.
By comparison, “Ordinary Time”
could sound pretty dull, uninteresting and commonplace. But
is it?
Ordinary Time occurs between Christmas and Lent, and
later in the year links Pentecost
and Advent. “Ordinary Time”
is not simply “time in between”
nor “ordinary” in contrast to
“extraordinary”. Ordinary is the
same as ordinal, meaning (time)
counted in order and relationship. There are 33 or 34 Ordinary
Time weeks, numbered sequentially, beginning after Epiphany,
and ending with the feast of
July 2014
Christ the King.
Another name for Ordinary
Time could be “Sundays of the
Year.” The special focus of this six
month period is the celebration
of life, death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ: grappling with its
mystery and how to live it in our
daily lives. As this is what every
Sunday is really about.
Here are some ways to make
Ordinary Time less “ordinary.”
• Give one percent of each
day (15 minutes) to an oasis time
for prayer/reflection
• At the end of each day and
towards the end of the year,
thank God for your blessings
and others for their kindness and
love
• Give something of yourself
(time, talent, treasure/money) to
someone who needs you
You can be Catholic and a feminist
M
y son’s girlfriend, who
is in her early twenties, considers herself a
feminist, but questioned how her
support of equality for women fit
with her role as a young Catholic
woman.
Is it possible to be both? Yes.
Feminism, “the belief that
men and women should have
equal rights and opportunities,”
(Merriam-Webster.com), corresponds to values the Church
promotes.
For years the Catholic Church
has been a strong advocate for the
freedom and dignity of women.
Mary Ann Glendon, a former
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy
See, provided an overview of the
Church’s long history of serving
as a proponent for women. The
Church, she said, has not been a
“passive observer.”
Glendon writes, “She (the
Catholic Church) has been a
tireless advocate for those whose
voices are seldom heard in the
corridors of power –refugee
women, migrant women, and
mothers everywhere. Often she
has stood practically alone in
insisting that there can be no authentic progress without respect
for women’s roles in the family.
That concern for women’s family
roles is in no way inconsistent
with her full support of women’s
aspirations for participation in
economic, social and political
life.”
Writings by secular feminists would have one believe
the Church looks at women as
second-class citizens and that
their roles are undermined by the
male hierarchy.
One only has to read the
Gospels and study Church history
Brenda
Nettles Riojas
Editor, The Valley
Catholic
to see how women are valued and
work in collaboration with men,
not in competition. Men and
women share a common dignity
and vocation in the call to holiness, and in our call to service.
Yes, men and women are
different, but difference is not
inequality. We must also remember that it was a woman to whom
God entrusted salvation. Mary is
the Theotokos, the one who gave
birth to God.
It is unfortunate the word
feminist in the secular world is
often associated with being ‘prochoice’ and advocating for reproductive rights. This is a point
of divergence between secular
feminists and Catholic feminists.
As Catholics we stand in defense
of a culture of life.
St. John Paul II called for
a “new feminism” in his 1995
encyclical Evangelium Vitae (the
Gospel of Life). “In transforming culture so that it supports
life, women occupy a place, in
thought and action, which is
unique and decisive,” he wrote.
“It depends on them to promote a
‘new feminism’ which rejects the
temptation of imitating models
of ‘male domination,’ in order to
acknowledge and affirm the true
genius of women in every aspect
of the life of society, and overcome all discrimination, violence
and exploitation.”
Through the lens of the
Gospel and not the lens of secular
thought, feminism takes a holistic
approach, one that goes counter
the “isms” dominating our culture – individualism, materialism,
relativism.
While it is tempting to listen
“to the ancient whisper in the
Garden: ‘You shall be like gods”
and wield control, free to do as we
choose, we know better. Freedom
comes in responding to God’s
call.
Susan J. Stabile, in an article
for the University of St. Thomas
Law Journal, notes, “Part of the
difficulty many religious women
have with feminism is the tension
‘between feminism’s emphasis
on women’s individual goals and
the collective goals of family and
community.”
Stabile writes, “From the
Catholic perspective, we live in
a world that is not ours to do
with what we please; we live in a
universe not designed by us for
our own goals and purposes. It is
for us to choose whether to live
in accordance with God’s plan,
and thus to fulfill who we were
intended by God to become.”
She adds, “The idea that the
end or goal of our existence is
determined by God and not ourselves is quite countercultural.”
In the diverse world in which
we live, there are different types of
feminists, and we will not always
agree on every point. One point
is clear, being Catholic does not
preclude me or any woman from
being a feminist.
I stand firm in advocating for
the human rights of my sisters in
the world, for justice, nondiscrimination and nonviolence, remembering that I am a woman “in the
world, but not of the world.”
What the Church says about Sacramental records
The Valley Catholic
Q: I live in Dallas and I need
a copy of my baptismal certificate. I called the church in the
Rio Grande Valley where I was
baptized and they won’t mail it
to me directly. Why not?
A: “We ask people to pick up
sacramental records in person,”
said Father Tom Kulleck, archivist
for the Diocese of Brownsville.
“If they live far away from us, we
send it to their local parish. We
want to make sure we are giving
the information to the person who
has the right to it and protect the
confidentiality of the information.”
In some instances, baptismal
certificates can be used as secondary forms of identification in
civil and legal matters because the
record can help establish age and
place of birth; therefore the information must be protected.
“These protocols were not
put in place to create a burden,”
said Father Oliver Angel, judicial
vicar for the diocese. “We want to
ensure that the person has a valid
interest in the documents. We
have a responsibility to protect the
documents to avoid the possibility
of misuse.”
Information from the
Manual for Sacramental Record
Keeping
• Any member of the Christian faithful has a right to obtain
a certificate of a sacrament he
or she has received and which
The Valley Catholic
The parish priest is to take care that Sacramental records, which are confidential, do
not fall into unauthorized hands.
was recorded in a sacramental
register. But only that person, the
parents of a minor, someone with
legal guardianship of another
and a bona fide pastoral minister
at another Catholic parish have
this right. When the parents of a
child are separated or divorced,
both parents, regardless of legal
custody, are presumed to have the
right to a certificate.
• No information from sacramental registers should be provided by telephone or other electronic
means except to another Catholic
parish or other Catholic agency.
Even then care for the privacy of
persons is to be exercised.
• Certificates should have an
official appearance and should
be issued in a consistent format.
Parishes may obtain blank certifi-
cates from commercial vendors
or may have them printed locally.
All certificates must bear the name
and address of the parish.
• Certificates must be typed,
printed by computer or handprinted in ink. They are to be
signed by the pastor or his
delegate and impressed with the
parish seal. Photostatic and facsimile copies of certificates are not
considered authentic documents.
• Sacramental registers should
never be made available to genealogical researchers. The pastor or
other regularly designated person
may research information as
requested and as time permits and
make the information available
on separate paper. Care must be
taken not to disclose confidential
information.
July 2014
DIOCESE
- The Valley Catholic
»Sunday
Readings
The Word of God in the Life
and Mission of the Church
JULY 6, 2014
( Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary
Time)
Reading1
Zec 9:9-10
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14
Reading 2
Rom 8:9, 11-13
Gospel
Mt 11:25-30
JULY 13, 2014
(Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Reading 1
Is 55:10-11
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14
Reading 2
Rom 8:18-23
Gospel
Mt 13:1-23
JULY 20, 2014
(Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Reading 1
Wis 12:13, 16-19
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Reading 2
Rom 8:26-27
Gospel
Mt 13:24-43
JULY 27, 2014
(Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary
Time)
Reading 1
1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128,
129-130
Reading 2
Rom 8:28-30
Gospel
Mt 13:44-52
Or
Mt 13:44-46
The word of the Lord abides for ever.
This word is the Gospel which was
preached to you” (1 Pet 1:25; cf. Is
40:8).
With this assertion from the First
Letter of Saint Peter, which takes up
the words of the Prophet Isaiah, we
find ourselves before the mystery of
God, who has made himself known
through the gift of his word.
This word, which abides for ever,
entered into time. God spoke his
eternal Word humanly; his Word
“became flesh” (Jn 1:14).
This is the Good News. This is the
proclamation which has come down
the centuries to us today.
5
»Making Sense of Bioethics
Clearing the air about marijuana use
A
June 2014 article in the
New England Journal
of Medicine (NEJM),
written by researchers from the National Institute
on Drug Abuse and the National
Institutes of Health, points out
that marijuana is not the harmless
drug that many imagine. Rather,
it is associated with “substantial
adverse effects, some of which
have been determined with a high
level of confidence.”
These negative outcomes
include the risk of addiction,
symptoms of chronic bronchitis,
an elevated incidence of fatal and
non-fatal motor vehicle accidents,
and diminished lifetime achievement and school performance in
cases of long term use, especially
beginning in adolescence. We can
add that the decision to use a drug
recreationally for the purposes of
dissociating ourselves from reality
through induced euphoria raises
significant moral concerns, and,
like all unethical human choices,
can be expected to correlate with
significant adverse ramifications.
Part of the unethical character of drug abuse flows from
the fact that we are treating
something good, namely our
personal, conscious experience
as if it were an evil to be avoided.
Recreational drug users seek to
escape or otherwise suppress their
lived conscious experience, and
instead pursue chemically-altered
states of mind, or drug-induced
pseudo-experiences. Any time
we act in such a way that we treat
something objectively good as if
it were an evil by acting directly
against it, we act in a disordered
and immoral manner.
The decision to pursue in-
Tadeusz
Pacholczyk
Priest of the
Diocese of Fall
River
ebriation and drunkenness, similarly, is a choice directed against
the good of our human conscious
experience that raises serious
moral concerns. The responsible
enjoyment of alcohol, meanwhile,
presupposes that a moderate
use of the fruit of the vine can
aid us in the pursuit of certain
aspects of friendship and interaction by stimulating conversation
with others, and by diminishing
the hesitations that people may
have when they interact with
each other. The moderate use
of alcohol also appears to offer
positive physiological effects on
health. The notion of the “responsible enjoyment of marijuana
and other mind-altering drugs,”
meanwhile, is a dubious concept,
given that the more powerful and
varied neurological effects of these
substances readily take us across a
line into alternate states of mind,
detachment from reality, “getting
stoned,” etc.
Whenever we look at alcohol, marijuana, or other more
powerful drugs, additional moral
concerns arise due to the risk
of addiction, which threatens
authentic freedom and constitutes
a serious form of human bondage. Alcohol, of course, poses a
significant risk of addiction for
some people, and the responsible
use of alcohol may become nearly
impossible for them, necessitating
complete abstinence to maintain
their freedom. Marijuana, despite
some contentious debates about
the matter, similarly has a significant addictive potential, as noted
in the NEJM article:
“Approximately 9 percent of
those who experiment with marijuana will become addicted… The
number goes up to about 1 in 6
among those who start using marijuana as teenagers and to 25 to 50
percent among those who smoke
marijuana daily. According to the
2012 National Survey on Drug
Use and Health, an estimated 2.7
million people 12 years of age and
older met the DSM-IV criteria for
dependence on marijuana, and
5.1 million people met the criteria
for dependence on any illicit drug
(8.6 million met the criteria for
dependence on alcohol)… Indeed,
early and regular marijuana use
predicts an increased risk of marijuana addiction, which in turn
predicts an increased risk of the
use of other illicit drugs.”
The NEJM article also notes
that adults who smoke marijuana
regularly during adolescence have
decreased neural connectivity
(abnormal brain development
and fewer fibers) in specific brain
regions. Although some experts
have disputed a cause-effect
relationship for this phenomenon,
studies of brain development in
animals strongly suggest a causal
effect. The authors surmise that
the effects of marijuana on brain
development may help to explain
the association between frequent
marijuana use among adolescents
and significant declines in IQ,
as well as poor academic perfor» Please see Bioethics, p.14
»What’s your testimony?
Take time to renew your spirit
Special to the Valley Catholic
Name: Jesus Garza
Age: 19
Status: Single; lifelong Catholic
Hometown: Laredo, Texas
Attends Mass at: Newman Center, Edinburg
When you grow up as a cradle
Catholic, it feels as if almost
everything you do is the same as
everyone else. Your faith kind of
becomes a habit, but I have had
experiences in my life that provided spiritual uplifting, experiences that have created a sense
of renewal, a feeling that this is
something more than just going
through the motions.
I have to keep in mind that I
must take the time to renew my
faith and my spirit.
I attended a Salesian school
in Laredo from Pre-K3 through
eighth grade called Mary Helper
of Christians. The school solidified my foundation in my faith
and while there, I discovered a
talent for audio-visual production, which I continue to use for
God’s glory.
When I attended public
school for the first time as a high
school freshman, it was a culture
shock for me – no more morning
prayer, no more Mass. I realized
what a gift our faith is. When
it came time for my confirmation, my faith made sense. It just
Courtesy Photo
Jesus Garza, a sophomore at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, said
his faith “just clicked” at his confirmation.
The joy of the gospel fills the
hearts and lives of all who
encounter Jesus. Those who
accept his offer of salvation
are set free from sin, sorrow,
inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is
constantly born anew.
–Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium
clicked. I had this inner desire to
learn more. It consumed me and I
dove right into my faith.
I was already involved at my
parish, I was an altar server since
first grade, but I decided to start a
youth ministry and little by little,
it grew.
In summer 2013, I had the
opportunity to attend World
Youth Day in Brazil, which really
gave my faith yet another boost.
I started my freshman year here
at UTPA with a solid foundation in my faith. I got involved in
Campus Ministry and had an opportunity to kick start a pro-life
student organization on campus.
I am also an altar server at the
Newman Center where I am
blessed to serve with our chaplain, Bishop Emeritus Raymundo
J. Peña.
To share your testimony email
[email protected].
Courtesy photc
An oil painting by artist David Lindsley
titled, “Sisters in Faith,” depicts St.
Martha with Jesus and her sister Mary.
»Feast Day
- July 29
Spotlight on
St. Martha
Catholic News Agency
St. Martha is mentioned in
three Gospel passages: Luke
10:38-42, John 11:1-53, and John
12:1-9, and the type of friendship
between her and her siblings,
Mary and Lazarus, with the Lord
Jesus is evident in these passages.
In the gospel of Luke, Martha receives Jesus into her home
and worries herself with serving Him, a worry that her sister
Mary, who sat beside the Lord’s
feet “listening to Him speak,”
doesn’t share. Her complaint that
her sister is not helping her serve
draws a reply from the Lord who
says to her, “Martha, Martha, you
are anxious and worried about
many things. There is need of
only one thing. Mary has chosen
the better part and it will not be
taken from her.”
The over-anxiousness she
displays in serving is put into the
right context by Jesus who emphasizes the importance of contemplating Him before all things.
Yet she is seen next in John,
outside the tomb of her brother
Lazarus who had died four days
earlier, as the one who receives
the Revelation from the Lord
that “I am the resurrection and
the life; whoever believes in me,
even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in
me will never die.”
When asked by the Lord if
she believed this she said to Him,
“Yes, Lord. I have come to believe
that you are the Messiah, the Son
of God, the one who is coming
into the world,” displaying her
great faith which is confirmed by
Jesus’ subsequent raising of her
brother Lazarus from the grave.
In the third and last instance,
we see Martha, again in John, at
a house in Bethany where Jesus
was reclining at table with her
brother Lazarus after he had
raised him from the dead. During dinner, John’s Gospel tells us,
“Martha served.” She is revealed
here performing the same task
as when we first saw her, but
now her service is infused with
her faith, and the brevity of the
description suggests the silence
and peace in which she serves as
opposed to the nervous anxiety
she displayed earlier. Martha,
whom we have seen serving, in
Luke, and then believing, earlier
in John, is now seen expressing
her belief in the action of serving
the Lord. “Martha served,” and
in doing so teaches us the way of
Christian life.
St. Martha is the patron of
housewives, servants, waiters
and cooks.
6
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic - July 2014
»The News: In Photos
Parish Anniversary
Courtesy Photo
St. Joan of Arc Parish in Weslaco recently commemorated the church’s 85th Anniversary. (See August issue for story and more photos.) Gilberto Velasquez, who
was the first baby baptized at the church in 1929, attended the anniversary Mass
celebrated by Bishop Daniel E. Flores.
Confirmations
Photo by Eric Sánchez/The Valley Catholic
Bishop Daniel E. Flores conferred
the Sacrament of Confirmation
on 82 candidates at Holy Family
Church in Edinburg on May 21.
Summer food program
Photos by Evana Zamora/The Valley Catholic
Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley kicked off its
summer food program on June 27 in San Juan. Bishop Daniel
E. Flores, State Sen. Eddie Lucio and Sister Norma Pimentel,
executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande
Valley and spoke to IDEA Academy students about the importance of eating nutrious meals.
During the kick off, Catholic Charities staff organized activities for the children.
July 2014
DIOCESE
- The Valley Catholic
»Hope in Action:
A Spotlight on Youth
Teen makes time to serve
Special to The Valley Catholic
Jennifer Hernandez volunteers
at St. John the Baptist Parish in San
Juan in a variety of ways.
She serves the community
as an altar server and visits the
elderly and infirmed at the San
Juan Nursing Home. She especially
enjoys playing bingo with the
residents and getting to know them.
Hernandez also helps prepare
and set up for Lifeteen and youth
ministry events and the parish’s
annual jamaica (festival).
During the two-day festival,
Hernandez is on the grounds from
opening to closing and is on the go
the whole time, assisting in any way
she can.
Hernandez just completed her
junior year at the Science Academy
and despite the demanding
curriculum, she always makes time
to serve.
“Jennifer is a hard worker and
very dependable,” said Maricela
Sosa, youth ministry coordinator
at St. John the Baptist Parish. “She
is always punctual and ready to
help. Even when she has personal
problems at home, she comes to
church and might be down for a bit,
but she tends to lighten the room
with her smile.
“This young lady is out to seek
the very best that Christ has in
store for her. She trusts in God and
we are grateful to have her in our
parish.”
Name: Jennifer Hernandez
School/Grade:
Science Academy of South
Texas, senior
Activities: Youth group,softball
team, Lifeteen
Talents/Gifts: Fast reader,
dancing , singing
Best Movie Ever: Lone Survivor
Most Listened to Song on My
Unaccompanied,
continued from pg. 2
providence survived a trek with a
small band of Hondurans through
central Mexico to the United States.
Some strangers, she has learned,
will help you with food and water
along the way; some will kill you
for the fun of it. ‘Is life a journey to
something better, or is it a constant
escape from people who want to
hurt you?’ This is the question in
her eyes even before any word is on
her lips.”
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the National
Latino Evangelical Coalition and
the National Immigration Forum
have been paying close attention to
this urgent situation.
Reacting to the surge in unaccompanied children crossing the
border, Bishop Eusebio Elizondo,
auxiliary bishop of Seattle and
chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration called upon the
Administration and Congress to
protect unaccompanied children
from Mexico and Central America
crossing the border.
“This is a very complicated
problem, but its roots must be addressed, both by our government
and governments in the region,”
Bishop Elizondo said.
He said the announcement by
7
Changes coming to
St. Joseph School
New principal, new
educational model
infused with music
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
Courtesy
Jennifer Hernandez, an incoming senior at
the Science Academy, volunteers her time
and talent at St. John the Baptist Church
in San Juan.
iPod: “Best I Ever Had,” by Drake;
“How He Loves Us,” by David
Crowder Band
TV Show I Never Miss:
“SpongeBob SquarePants”
Book I’d Read Again (and
Again): “Dark Secrets 2” by
Elizabeth Chandler
Future Plans: Go to college and
earn a master’s degree in computer
engineering
Meaningful Quote: “The only
source of knowledge is experience.”
-Albert Einstein
Who has made a difference in
her life?: The person who I admire
is my dad because he works hard to
provide for our family and still has
time for his family.
—
If you would like to nominate a
student to be featured in “Hope in
Action: A Spotlight on Youth,” please
email Angel Barrera, director of
Youth Ministry, at abarrera@cdob.
org.
the Administration of an interagency task force headed by the
Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) was a “good first
step.”
Here in the Rio Grande Valley, Sister Norma Pimentel, director of Catholic Charities of the Rio
Grande Valley, said she is in talks
with FEMA to look at the possibility of opening a temporary shelter
to house unaccompanied children.
Sister Pimentel, said she and
volunteers wish they could do more
for the children who are here in the
United States without their parents.
She said they, like the immigrants,
have to place their faith in God.
“We have to trust in God’s mercy,”
she said.
She added the Church will continue to assist where possible and
to work with the different agencies and consulates to try to help
parents who call looking for their
children. Volunteer Rosa Pallais,
a parishioner at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in McAllen, was successful in contacting Juan’s parents
in El Salvador. “It broke my heart
that I could not do more for him,”
she said. “His mother asked me to
take care of him, to make sure he
was safe. ‘Ayuden a mi hijo.’”
Individuals who are interested
in helping at the centers that house
unaccompanied children may call
De Los Santos as (956) 207-9261.
EDINBURG — “Catholic
schools work towards forming the
whole person as opposed to simply
worrying about academics,” said
Joseph O’Brien, the new principal
at St. Joseph School in Edinburg.
“The academic level is there
because that is obviously what
schools
are created
for, but I
learned a
lot more
in
terms
of morals,
values and
my
own
personal
beliefs
O’Brien
through my
experience
with Catholic education.
“I think that is the best
component of it, that you
can work outside of simply
curriculum in order to make sure
that the children are becoming
quality young men and women.”
A native of New York City,
O’Brien, who officially begins his
tenure as principal on July 1, was
called to study education while
attending a Jesuit high school in
Manhattan.
“I had a wonderful series of
teachers and they really opened
my eyes to the role that you can
play for a child, so it made me
want to study education,” he said.
“I decided then and there that
I would do whatever it took to
become an educator.”
O’Brien, who has a strong
background in math and history,
most recently served as assistant
principal of Our Lady of Sorrows
School in McAllen. He was also
the curriculum chair for the
Diocesan Math Curriculum
Standards committee, which
established new criteria for
excellence in math across the
entire diocese.
O’Brien moved to the Rio
Grande Valley to serve as a
teacher through the University
of Notre Dame’s Alliance for
Catholic Education (ACE), a
graduate program that sends
well-prepared teachers to underresourced schools across the
country for two years. He has two
degrees from the University of
Notre Dame — a master’s degree
in education and a bachelor of
arts in history.
O’Brien opted to stay in the
Courtesy
Students at St. Joseph School in Edinburg , which is adopting a “choir school”
educational model, will provide additional musical training to its students starting
in kindergarten.
Valley after falling in love with his
wife and the area. The couple has
a two-year-old daughter.
As principal of St. Joseph
School, O’Brien aims to, “promote
academic excellence at the
school and raise the rigor of the
education that the students are
receiving,” at the 60-year-old
school, which serves grades Pre-K
through 8. He will also promote
greater involvement at the parish
and in the community at large.
O’Brien and his staff will be
implementing a “choir school
model,” at St. Joseph School,
which infuses music into the
curriculum and fosters a love for
the arts and the liturgy.
Father Gregory T. Labus,
pastor of St. Joseph Church and
School, was inspired by a visit to
a choir school in Utah. The Utah
school’s model will be adapted to
fit the needs of St. Joseph School.
“The musical formation of
our youth is important to the life
of the Church,” Father Labus said.
“The benefits of a choir school
model, we hope, will include
more active participation in the
music of the liturgy. The Church
is calling for a new evangelization.
We are called to bring the Gospel
message to people in a new and
different way.”
One of the goals is to have
a well-formed choir – and
ultimately multiple choirs –
comprised of students to sing at
Mass and other events.
Lei Ray Yu, a native of China,
was recently hired as the music
director for St. Joseph School.
She was most recently the music
director at St. Paul Cathedral in
Worcester, Mass. and her areas
of expertise are choral and organ
music.
O’Brien, who plays guitar and
trumpet and has been involved
in many stage productions, was
actively involved in a recent
musical theater presentation at
Our Lady of Sorrows School,
which included more than 200
students.
“I saw the impact that
performance and music had on
just the group that we worked
with, so I can imagine how
wonderful it’s going to be when
we can apply it to a large scale
school,” he said.
8
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic - July 2014
Newly Ordained: Father Jose Garza
Bishop Daniel E. Flores ordained Father Jose Garza for
service in the Diocese of Brownsville on June 14 at Holy
Family Church in Brownsville.
Father Garza will begin his priestly service at St. Joseph
the Worker Church in McAllen.
Bishop Flores said the priesthood is a three-fold gift. “It
is first of all a gift from the Lord Jesus to the Church... a
gift of a community of believers given to the Lord for his
service... and, finally, it is a personal gift from the man
who presents himself to the Lord through the Church.
The bishop anoints the palms of the new priest with the oil of
chrism. “The Father anointed our Lord Jesus Christ through the
power of the Holy Spirit. May Jesus preserve you to sanctify the
Christian people and to offer sacrifice to God.”
After the anointing with the oil, the priest’s hands are wrapped
with a linen cloth.
For more photos visit the Catholic
Diocese of Brownsville Facebook page.
Photos by Cesar Riojas/The Valley Catholic
During the chanting of the Litany, the ordinand lies prostrate before the altar.
The newly ordained priest, Father Jose Garza, gave his first
blessing as a priest to Bishop Daniel E. Flores following
the Ordination Mass at Holy Family Church in Brownsville.
July 2014
DIOCESE
- The Valley Catholic
Those Who Serve:
Father Joe Villalon
Priest celebrates silver jubilee
» Please see Father Joe p.15
»Birthday & Anniversary Wishes
Father Villalon with his baptimal Godparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ciro
Ochoa of Mission.
THE VALLEY’S
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
The list of birthdays and ordination anniversaries is provided so that
parishioners may remember the priests, deacons and religious in their prayers
and send them a note or a card.
2 Deacon Jose Luis Mendoza
3 Deacon Armandin Villarreal
6 Deacon Nicolas E. Trujillo
10 Deacon Augusto Chapa Jr.
10 Deacon Rodolfo C. Salinas
15 Deacon Enrique Saldaña
17 Deacon Gilberto Guardiola Jr.
18 Deacon Francisco D. Pon
19 Deacon Peter Requeñez
23 Deacon Rene Villalon
30 Deacon Felipe F. Treviño
1 Sister Norma Pimentel, MJ
1 Sister Maureen Crosby, SSD
21 Sister Maria Santana, MEF
26 Sister Luz Cardenas, OP
27 Sister Julia B. Onukjaro, DMMM
31 Sister Ninfa Garza, MJ
» Anniversaries
5 Rev. Daniel H. Oyama
5 Rev. Julian Becerril
9 Rev. Horacio Chavarria
APPLY NOW
3 Deacon Juan Barbosa
August
» Birthdays
2
13
19
21
28
Rev. Alfonso Guevara
Rev. George Kerketta
Rev. Patrick Sietz
Rev. Miguel Angel Ortega
Rev. Aglayde Vega
6
11
14
17
Sister Armida Rangel, MJ
Sister Monica Garza, OP
Sister Jeannine Spain, OSB
Sister Elena Maldonado, RSM
10
18
21
26
26
28
29
Deacon Jesse E. Aguayo
Deacon Raymond Thomas Jr.
Deacon Gerardo Aguilar
Deacon Silvestre J. Garcia
Deacon Carlos Treviño
DeaconHeriberto Treviño
Deacon Reynaldo Q. Merino
» Anniversaries
1
12
14
24
26
28
Rev. Raymond Nwachukwu
Rev. Alejandro Fajardo, SS.CC
Rev. Jose Cruz
Rev. Jose J. Ortiz, CO
Rev. Msgr. Heberto Diaz
Rev. Luis Javier Garcia, JCL
15 Deacon Genaro Ibarra
PhD in Leadership Studies
MBA in Healthcare Management
MBA in Management
MS in Organizational Leadership
BAS in Computer Information
Systems and Security
ÊTOÊBE
UD
IN
Classes offered every other weekend to
accommodate working adults
ÊT H EÊR
ÊTOÊBE
D
U
LEARN MORE
www.ollusa.edu/Valley
V Ê!
2 Rev. Genaro Henriquez
4 Rev. Gabriel Ezeh
8 Rev. Juan Pablo Picazo Davalos
12 Rev. Jose Cruz
17 Rev. Luis Roberto Tinajero
18 Rev. Ernesto Magallon
18 Rev. Jesus Paredes
19 Rev. Joaquin Zermeno
20 Rev. Amador Garza
21 Rev. Francisco Castillo
22 Rev. Terrence Gorski, OFM
27 Rev. Jose R. Torres, III, OMI
29 Rev. Richard Philion, OMI
V Ê!
» Birthdays
Offering PhD, Master’s and Bachelor’s
16 Rev. Eka Yuantoro, MSF
16 Rev. Hector J. Cruz, SM
16 Rev. Michael Montoya, MJ
17 Rev. Isaac Erondu
21 Rev. Mario Aviles, CO
23 Rev. Gabriel Ezeh
27 Rev. Emmanuel Kwofie
PRO
July
Father Villalon with his mother, Margarita (seated) and
his aunts, from left, Clarita Zimmerer; Oralia Eusebio and
Manuela Vela.
IN
CALL 956-277-0146
OR EMAIL [email protected]
G
SAN JUAN —“My mother
taught me that you cannot just go
to church on Sunday and sit down,”
said Father Joe Villalon, parochial
vicar of St. John the Baptist Parish
in San Juan. “She used to say, ‘you
have to get involved, you are not a
benchwarmer.’”
Father Villalon, 57, believes
that spirit of service he learned
from his family played a role in his
vocation. He recently marked 25
years as a priest and celebrated the
milestone on June 6 with a Mass
at St. John the Baptist Church and
a gathering at the Catholic War
Veterans Hall in Weslaco.
The oldest child of Margarita
and the late Jose Maria Villalon,
Father Villalon was born in
Harlingen and grew up half a block
from St. Francis Xavier Parish in
La Feria where he served as an
altar server, lector, catechist and
minister of music. He is adept at
piano, guitar and bass guitar.
“I was at the church all the
time,” he said. “It became my
second home. I never really
thought of being a priest. I just
liked working in the church.”
Father Villalon was in his early
20s and attending what is now the
University of Texas-Pan American
in Edinburg. He was in a fraternity
and he and his girlfriend at the time
Courtesy
Father Joe Villalon
celebrates a
Mass on June 6 in
honor of his 25th
anniversary as a
priest at St. John
the Baptist Church
in San Juan. From
left, Father Jerry
Frank; Father Juan
Pablo Robles;
Deacon Eduardo
Reyna; Father
Villalon; Father
Ignacio Luna
and Father Luis
Roberto Tinajero.
G
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
talked about becoming engaged. In
spite of all the trappings, Father
Villalon felt unfulfilled.
“I jumped from major to major
at Pan Am and could never find a
field of study that really interested
me,” he said. “I didn’t have a zeal for
that, but when it came to studying
about God, about philosophy
and theology, that really got my
attention.”
After completing his studies at
Pontifical College Josephinum in
Columbus, Ohio, he was ordained
on June 3, 1989 by Bishop John J.
Fitzpatrick at the Basilica of Our
Lady of San Juan del Valle-National
Shrine.
“He is a great asset because he
is one of the few priests that is from
here, myself included,” said Msgr.
Gustavo Barrera, who was director
for seminarians for the diocese
from 1980-1992. “The majority of
our priests come from outside the
Valley – and we’re very grateful
to them – but he’s one of the few
native vocations.
“He’s a great example to others,
to see him and know that he is
from the Valley, home grown from
La Feria.”
Reflecting on the last 25 years,
Father Villalon said the mark
of his priesthood has been his
commitment to be there for the
people he serves.
In his priestly ministry, he has
been assigned to St. Paul Church
in Mission; Mary, Mother of the
Church Parish in Brownsville; St.
Isidore Church in San Isidro; Our
Lady of Guadalupe Church in
Brownsville; St. Ignatius Church
PRO
He aims to create
sense of ‘familia’
wherever he goes
9
ÊT H EÊR
w w w. o l l u s a . e d u
Catholic higher education and service,
sponsored by the Sisters of Divine Providence, since 1895
10
IN THE NEWS
The Valley Catholic - July 2014
U.S. bishops urged to
promote, support families
By CAROL ZIMMEMANN
Catholic News Service
NEW ORLEANS — The U.S.
bishops, gathered in New Orleans
for their spring general assembly
June 11-13, were urged to promote and support Catholic families.
At the close of the morning’s
session June 11, the bishops were
advised to pay close attention to
the Vatican’s extraordinary Synod
of Bishops on the family Oct. 5-19
and to promote the World Meeting of Families September 2015 in
Philadelphia.
The bishops, by their applause,
also showed support for a letter to
be sent to Pope Francis, inviting
him to the Philadelphia meeting.
Read by Archbishop Joseph
E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky,
president of the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops, the letter said
that the pope’s presence would
“add significance” to the gathering and “deepen the bonds of affection” many Catholics feel for
the Holy Father.
Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia,
president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, described the
Philadelphia gathering as a key
factor in promoting family life,
which he said is currently in crisis.
“The family today is living out
a paradox,” he told the bishops.
“On the one hand, great value is
given to the bonds of family, everywhere in the world,” but today’s families are weakened and
often “lose their way.”
The archbishop said he hoped
the Philadelphia gathering would
provide a “new spring” for families.
“Please believe and preach to
your flocks” the importance of
families, he added.
Pope invites charismatics
to Vatican in 2017
By CINDY WOODEN
Catholic News Service
ROME — Meeting more than
50,000 Catholic charismatics in
Rome’s Olympic Stadium, Pope
Francis admitted he was not always comfortable with the way
they prayed, but he knelt onstage
as they prayed for him and over
him by singing and speaking in
tongues.
“In the early years of the charismatic renewal in Buenos Aires, I
did not have much love for charismatics,” the pope said June 1.
“I said of them: They seem like a
samba school.”
Little by little, though, he came
to see how much good the movement was doing for Catholics and
for the church, he told a gathering
organized by the International
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
Services and the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant
Communities and Fellowships.
Pope Francis invited the
crowd, which included charismatics from 55 countries, to come to
St. Peter’s Square for Pentecost
in 2017 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the movement. The
Catholic charismatic movement
traces its origins to a retreat held
in 1967 with students and staff
from Duquesne University in
Pittsburgh.
“I expected all of you, charismatics from around the world, to
celebrate your great jubilee with
the pope at Pentecost 2017 in St.
Peter’s Square,” the pope said.
The celebration in Rome’s
Olympic Stadium began with the
song, “Vive Jesus, El Senor,” (“Jesus, the Lord, Lives”) a Spanishlanguage song which Pope Francis -- who claims he is tone deaf
-- joined in singing with his hands
open like many in the crowd. The
pope said he likes the song, which
charismatics in Argentina also
sing.
“When I celebrated the holy
Mass with the charismatic renewal in the Buenos Aires cathedral, after the consecration and
after a few seconds of adoration
in tongues, we sang this song with
such joy and strength,” he said.
Love,
hope,
success,
family,
security.
Daniel Reza, Agent
1221 S 77 Sunshine Strip
Harlingen, TX 78550
Bus: 956-425-3276
www.danielreza.com
Some things we all
have in common.
There’s nobody like me to
protect the things we all value.
Like a good neighbor,
State Farm is there.
CALL ME TODAY.
®
1101019.1
State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL
Photos by CNS/ Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters
Pope Francis waves as he arrives to lead his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican June 4.
Pope: Piety is
embracing God
By CAROL GLATZ
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — Being pious is not squeezing one’s eyes shut
to the world and putting on a sweet
little angel face, Pope Francis said.
Piety is opening up one’s heart
to God and one’s arms to embrace
everyone as brothers and sisters,
he said June 4 at his weekly general
audience.
“The gift of piety that the Holy
Spirit gives us makes us meek; it
makes us peaceful, patient and at
peace with God in gentle service to
others,” he said.
Under a cloudless bright sunny
sky in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis continued a series of audience
talks about the seven gifts of the
Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge,
piety and fear of the Lord.
Focusing on the gift of piety,
the pope said he wanted to clarify
its meaning right away “because
some people think that being pious
is closing your eyes, putting on a
sweet angel face, isn’t that right?
To pretend to be a saint” and holier
than thou.
But piety is recognizing “our
belonging to God, our deep bond
with him, a relationship that gives
meaning to our whole life and
keeps us resolute, in communion
with him, even during the most
difficult and troubled moments” in
life, he said.
This personal bond with the
Lord is not created out of obligation
or force, he said; it is “a relationship
lived from the heart,” a friendship
that “changes our life and fills us
with enthusiasm and joy,” gratitude,
praise and “authentic worship of
God.”
“When the Holy Spirit helps us
sense the presence of the Lord and
all of his love for us, it warms our
heart and drives us almost naturally
to prayer and celebration,” the pope
said.
Once people experience the
loving relationship of God as
father, “it helps us pour out this
love onto others and recognize
them as brothers and sisters,” Pope
Francis said.
Piety is about identity and
belonging, he said, that is why it
renders people “truly capable of
being joyful with those who are
happy; to cry with those who weep;
to be near those who are alone or
in distress; to correct those in error;
to console the afflicted; to welcome
and come to the aid of those in
need.”
Citing a verse from St. Paul’s
Letter to the Romans (8:14-15), the
pope said the spirit of God is about
kinship — a spirit of adoption, not
“a spirit of slavery to fall back on
into fear.”
“Let us ask the Lord that the
gift of his Spirit overcome our fears
and uncertainties, our restless and
impatient spirit, too, and that it
may make us joyous witnesses of
God and his love.”
The pope asked that people
pray they could adore God in a
genuine, not forced or fake, way,
and to be in service to others “with
gentleness and also a smile.”
ONLINE
For videos and photos of
some of the milestones in
the life of the Church in the
Rio Grande Valley, visit
the Diocese of Brownsville
website.
www.cdob.org
July 2014
NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL 11
- The Valley Catholic
» La Alegría de Vivir
La inteligencia
y las emociones
Msgr. Juan
Nicolau
Pastor, Parroquia
de Nuestra Señora
del Perpetuo
Socorro en McAllen
D
urante las ceremonias de
graduación se distinguen
a los alumnos con mas
alta puntuación en sus exámenes,
se considera que estos alumnos
tienen un alto IQ, o coeficiente
intelectual que indica la capacidad
que tienen de razonar, comprender y analizar, estos individuos
se supone son capaces de llevar a
cabo cualquier tarea, ya sea en el
campo profesional o académico, y
se supone que serán personas más
exitosas.
Sin embargo no siempre es así,
puede haber personas con gran
cantidad de conocimientos dentro
de su cabeza, pero que no tienen
la habilidad para comunicarlo
a los demás y que no necesariamente son exitosas en el campo
de los negocios o en sus relaciones
interpersonales. Los psicólogos
han comenzado a manejar un
nuevo concepto al que le llaman
inteligencia emocional, para tomar en cuenta no solo la cantidad
de conocimientos que pueda tener
un individuo, sino también la
capacidad que tiene de conocer y
manejar sus emociones.
Algunos psicólogos consideran que el manejo correcto de las
emociones puede ser una herramienta muy útil en la toma de
decisiones, tanto en los negocios
como en la vida diaria. Muchas
veces el éxito de una empresa
depende más de la motivación que
tengan sus empleados que de sus
calificaciones académicas. Y para
poder motivar a un equipo de
trabajo, o a los miembros de una
familia, se necesita tener en cuenta
que cada uno de los miembros del
equipo es un ser humano, que reacciona emocionalmente, a veces
sin estar consciente del porque
de sus emociones, pero que ve
afectada su funcionalidad de acuerdo con su estado de ánimo.
Un buen líder debe tomar en
cuenta no solo los sentimientos
de las personas que lo rodean,
también los propios, pues muchas
veces el orgullo, la ira, los celos,
etc., pueden llevarlo a tomar
decisiones erróneas. Lo mismo
puede suceder si se deja llevar por
la simpatía, el cariño, y hasta la
compasión que pueda sentir hacia
alguna situación particular. Un
buen líder debe siempre sopesar
los pros y contras antes de tomar
cualquier decisión, tomando en
cuenta los hechos y las emociones, aunque a veces tenga que
hacer algo que no le plazca, si se
está consciente que es conveniente
y que lograra resolver un problema, debe hacerlo.
Las mujeres, por lo general,
son mejores en reconocer las
emociones en los demás, lo que
les permite tomar las mejores
decisiones en el hogar, a veces
conciliando entre los hermanos,
o incluso entre los padres y los
hijos, para lograr concordia y
harmonía en su familia. Todos
podemos aprender a controlar
» Por favor lea La inteligencia p.13
Albergando al extraño
La Iglesia responde
a las necesidades de
inmigrantes, crisis
humanitaria
Por BRENDA NETTLES RIOJAS
The Valley Catholic
McALLEN — Asustados,
cansados, hambrientos,
inmigrantes, en su mayoría
madres con sus hijos, llegan a la
central de autobuses en McAllen o
Brownsville a horas extrañas con
la esperanza de ver a familiares
que los esperan.
Cientos de inmigrantes, la
mayoría de Honduras, El Salvador,
Guatemala y otras áreas de Centro
América, llegan diariamente,
traídos por agentes de inmigración
de USA y aduana (ICE) después
de ser detenidos y procesados. Se
les da permiso de viajar hacia su
destino final con instrucciones
de reportarse con ICE y asistir
a la corte. Cientos de menores
sin acompañante también están
llegando en cifras sin precedente.
Por dos meses los voluntarios,
por sus propios medios, han
recibido a los inmigrantes en las
paradas de autobús para darles
algo de comer y ayudarlos a dirigir
sus viajes. Con forme escalan los
números, Las Caridades Católicas
de Valle del Río Grande han
respondido abriendo dos centros
de atención.
Cuando llegan a la central
de autobús, “ellos tienen miedo,
tienen hambre y están cansados,”
dijo la Hermana Norma Pimentel,
The Valley Catholic
“Somos de la iglesia. Estamos aquí para ayudar.”
directora ejecutiva de las
Caridades Católicas del Valle del
Río Grande. “No saben en quién
confiar. Temen que alguien abuse
de ellos,” añadió.
La Hermana Pimentel dijo
que ella misma fue a la estación
para hablar con inmigrantes y
calmar sus miedos y dejarles saber
que los voluntarios estaban aquí
para ayudar, “Somos de la iglesia.
Estamos aquí para ayudar.”
El primer centro se abrió el
10 de junio en la Iglesia Sagrado
Corazón en el centro de McAllen,
la cual está localizada cerca de la
central de autobús. Los voluntarios
ayudaron a aproximadamente
200 personas el primer día, y
continúan ayudando con forme
llegan nuevos inmigrantes. Un
segundo centro abrió el 13 de junio
en el gimnasio en la calle frente a la
Catedral Inmaculada Concepción
en Brownsville, y se planea un
tercer centro en Harlingen.
La Hermana Pimentel dijo,
“Los centros de asistencia son una
respuesta inmediata y temporal
a la necesidad. Se necesita una
solución a largo plazo.” No se sabe
por cuánto tiempo permanecerán
abiertos los centros de asistencia.
El Obispo Daniel E. Flores,
quien escribió una carta al
Secretario de los Estados Unidos
John Kerry en mayo para darle
“una idea de las condiciones
de muchos, especialmente los
inmigrantes pobres en el Sur de
Texas,” dijo, “La Iglesia va a hacer
todo lo que se pueda para tratar
las necesidades inmediatas de
las mujeres y niños. Nosotros
debemos permanecer enfocados
en las necesidades de los niños
y esas madres que están con
ellos. Están asustados, necesitan
comida, agua, ropa, y en algunos
casos atención médica.”
El obispo dijo sentirse
agradecido por lo que han hecho
las Caridades Católicas para
ayudar a coordinar a la Iglesia y
comunidad para responder a una
crisis que avanza rápidamente.
“Estoy tan agradecido con tantos
voluntarios, Católicos y noCatólicos quienes han respondido
con compasión y buscan ofrecer la
ayuda que pueden.”
Añadió, “Obviamente es
importante que el gobierno local,
igual que el estado y la jurisdicción
federal actúen responsablemente y
enfrenten la situación actual, y es
vital que el espíritu de cooperación
prevalezca
para
que
las
necesidades humanas puedan ser
tratadas de forma que respete la
dignidad humana de la población
inmigrante.”
La falsa información que
circula en sus países de origen
ha llevado al creciente influjo
de inmigrantes. Algunos de los
inmigrantes se encuentran bajo la
falsa impresión de que recibirán
asilo si cruzan a los Estados
Unidos con sus hijos.
“Ellos
(los
inmigrantes)
piensan que se les está ofreciendo
amnistía,” dijo la Hermana
Pimentel, pero en realidad ICE
“está dándose un espacio para
respirar.” Ella dijo que ICE no tiene
las instalaciones para albergar a las
familias y están abrumados por
el número de personas que están
cruzando. Muchas de las mujeres
con hijos están permitiendo que
ICE las detenga.
Oficiales de las embajadas de
Guatemala y Honduras predijeron
el reciente fenómeno. Ellos dijeron
que los coyotes, esos que pasan a
inmigrantes a USA de contrabando,
están engañando a las personas
» Por favor lea Inmigrantes p.12
Una historia de amor en el camino de Dios
Está en formación
para el diaconado
permanente
Por ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
BROWNSVILLE — “La fe es
como una relación romántica,”
dijo José Luis Revelo, un parroquiano en la Iglesia Nuestra Señora
del Buen Consejo en Brownsville.
“Con forme llegas a conocer tu fe
mejor, te enamoras aún más. Si te
entregas al amor y el compromiso,
te llevará a lugares inimaginables
y te dará una paz que sobrepasa
todo entendimiento.”
Revelo ha sido Católico toda
su vida, pero hace 10 años su fe se
amplificó después de asistir a un
retiro de Renovación Carismática
y grupos de oración. El y su esposa, Zulema fueron inspirados
a volverse más involucrados en su
parroquia, la cual está localizada
en la parte suroeste de Brownsville en el barrio Las Prietas.
Actualmente, son lectores,
guían un grupo de oración en su
parroquia y ayudan en dondequiera que son necesitados. Además,
son parte de un grupo de oración
en la Iglesia San Juan Bautista en
San Juan.
Revelo también se encuentra en formación para el diaco-
Eric Sánchez/The Valley Catholic
José Luis Revelo y su esposa, Zulema, son parroquianos activos en la Iglesia Nuestra
Señora del Buen Consejo en Brownsville. Además, el se encuentra en formación para
el diaconado permanente, el cual está disponible por primera vez en español.
nado permanente, el cual está
disponible por primera vez en
español. El riguroso programa,
el cual comenzó hace diez meses, prepara a hombres espiritualmente, pastoralmente y académicamente para la ordenación.
Diáconos permanentes pueden
oficiar bodas, bautizos y funerales.
Ellos también pueden proclamar
el evangelio e impartir la homilía,
entre muchos otros llamados.
En caso de ser casado, un hombre debe de contar con el apoyo de
su esposa para entrar al programa
de formación. Las esposas son invitadas a asistir a las clases y otros
eventos a través del programa de
cuatro años. Ambos, formación y
servicio diaconal, requieren ajustes por parte de la esposa y otros
miembros de la familia.
“Hemos estado en el camino
de Dios por algo de tiempo y no
hemos tenido dudas ni reservas,”
dijo Zulema Revelo. “Ambos lo
vemos como un gran privilegio y
la voluntad de Dios – no es nuestra decisión.”
“Es un largo camino y gracias
a Dios, hemos tenido el apoyo
de nuestra parroquia,” dijo Revelo, quien también trabaja como
chofer de autobús para el Distrito
Escolar de Brownsville. “Nuestro
pastor y la comunidad siempre
están orando por nosotros y lo
podemos sentir.”
“Él tiene un estilo muy cortés,”
dijo el Padre Thomas Pincelli, pastor de la Iglesia Nuestra Señora del
Buen Consejo. “A él le gusta ser de
servicio y extiende sus manos de
muchas formas. Hay cierta humildad en él cuando hace todas esas
cosas. Él no está buscando ningún
tipo de reconocimiento.”
“Él hace lo mejor que puede
para servir a las personas a su alrededor y yo pienso que él trabaja
bien para todos nosotros padres y
diáconos. Queremos que las personas se den cuenta de que estamos con ellos y para ellos y él hace
un muy buen trabajo obteniendo
ese tipo de reacciones de las personas.”
Los Revelos se conocieron en
la niñez en Tapachula, Chiapas,
México, localizado cerca de la
frontera de Guatemala y el Océano Pacifico.
“Recuerdo que era un monaguillo,” dijo Zulema Revelo. “Dios
lo estaba llamando a Su servicio
desde entonces.”
Zulema Revelo se mudó al
Valle del Río Grande con su familia cuando era niña pero regresó a
Tapachula para visitar después de
graduarse de la preparatoria. Fue
entonces que la pareja empezó su
cortejo.
Ellos celebraron 35 años de
matrimonio el 12 de febrero y
tienen cuatro hijos y un nieto.
12
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic - July 2014
Solo en los Estados Unidos
Número de menores cruzando solos sigue creciendo
Por BRENDA NETTLES RIOJAS
The Valley Catholic
McALLEN — Un muchacho
de dieciséis, de Sensambra,
Morazón, El Salvador, pasó
cuatro días perdido en el Valle
del Río Grande, tomando agua
sucia y comiendo naranjas para
sobrevivir antes de encontrar
ayuda. Fue abandonado por los
coyotes, a quienes pagaron $3,000
para cruzarlo a USA.
El mayor de cinco hijos,
Juan (su apellido es omitido por
su seguridad), fue enviado por
sus padres quienes querían que
obtuviera una educación. Como
el menor de los 11 muchachos y
jóvenes adultos que viajaban con
él en una camioneta cerrada, dijo
que fue golpeado y maltratado
por los otros. No tuvo nada para
comer o beber mientras eran
transportados.
Después de que los otros
tomaran sus propios caminos,
Juan no supo a donde ir o en dónde
pedir ayuda. Alguien lo encontró
a orilla del camino y lo trajo a
la asistencia del centro abierto
por las Caridades Católicas del
Valle del Río Grande en la Iglesia
Sagrado Corazón en McAllen, en
donde después de una jornada
de 19 días, contempló entregarse
a ICE o encontrar una forma de
llegar a Nueva York en donde lo
espera su tío.
Juan se encuentra entre
The Valley Catholic
Juan, 16, de El Salvador fue enviado a los Estados Unidos por sus padres quienes
querían que obtuviera una educación.
los miles de menores sin
acompañamiento que cruzan a
USA sin sus padres.
En un comunicado de prensa,
el Secretario de Seguridad
Nacional Jeh Johnson se refirió a
la situación como “un problema
de proporciones humanitarias
en el sector del Valle del Río
Grande.” En junio 2, el presidente
Obama emitió un memorándum
presidencial dirigido al secretario
de Seguridad Nacional para
establecer
una inter-agencia
“Grupo
de
Coordinación
Unificado,” para abordar la
situación.
De
acuerdo
con
la
Administración para Niños y
Familias (ACF), “el número
de niños cruzando la frontera
sin padres o tutores ha estado
creciendo en los últimos años.
El año pasado, cerca de 25,000
1158 East Jefferson Street
Brownsville, Texas 78520
Tel: 956-546-9927
OPEN 10 AM – 5 PM
Monday – Saturday
The source for Catholic Religious articles
sure to enhance your spiritual journey!
Come see
our large
selection
of statues!
Bibles & Missals
Spiritual Reading
Rosaries, Prayer
Cards & DVDs
menores sin acompañamiento
cruzaron la frontera suroeste. Para
el final de este año fiscal, ACF
proyecta que 60,000 menores sin
acompañamiento se espera que
lleguen a USA. Estos niños son
particularmente vulnerables al
tráfico humano, explotación y
abuso. Son jóvenes, separados de
sus familias y han sobrevivido a
un peligroso viaje.”
Ofelia De Los Santos, quien
coordina el Ministerio de Cárcel
de la Diócesis, dijo que necesita
voluntarios para tratar a los niños
y adolescentes que son abusados
en los centros en el Valle del Río
Grande.
“Estos niños están solos. No
tienen a nadie,” dijo De Los Santos.
La necesidad de voluntarios
ha crecido y el número de centros
ha incrementado de cuatro hace
un año a 13 éste año, y se están
haciendo planes para abrir otros
cinco centros en el área. Uno de los
centros alberga niños de menos de
10 años. Algunos albergan de 25 a
300 niños y adolescentes.
El Obispo Daniel E. Flores
ha externado continuamente su
preocupación por los niños y
los problemas de inmigración
en USA. Él escribió una carta al
Secretario de Estado John Kerry
en mayo para darle “una idea
de lo que son las condiciones
para muchos, especialmente los
inmigrantes pobres en el Sur
de Texas, como resultado de la
violencia que aflige el Norte de
México.”
En una plática de obispos y
teólogos el 14 de septiembre del
2013, él compartió la historia de
una niña que conoció.
“Recientemente hablé, y vi
los ojos de una niña de ocho
años quien por algún milagro
de la providencia sobrevivió un
viaje con un pequeño grupo de
hondureños a través del centro de
México a USA. Algunos extraños,
ella aprendió, te ayudaran con
comida y agua durante el camino,
algunos te matarán solo por
diversión. ‘¿Es la vida un viaje
hacia algo mejor, o es un escape
constante de las personas que te
quieren hacer daño?” Ésta es la
pregunta en sus ojos, incluso antes
de que alguna palabra esté en sus
labios.”
La Conferencia de Obispos
Católicos USA (USCCB), la
Coalición Nacional de Latinos
Evangélicos y el Foro Nacional de
Inmigración han estado poniendo
cuidadosa atención a ésta urgente
situación.
En reacción a la oleada de
niños
sin
acompañamiento
cruzando la frontera, el Obispo
Eusebio Elizondo, obispo auxiliar
de Seattle y presidente del Comité
en Inmigración del USCCB,
exhortó a la Administración y el
Congreso a proteger a los niños
sin acompañamiento de México
y Centro América que cruzan la
frontera.
“Este es un problema muy
complicado, pero sus raíces deben
» Por favor lea Solo p.13
Inmigrantes,
continua de la pág. 11
y haciendo falsas promesas. Ellos
están especialmente preocupados
de los peligros que enfrentan los
inmigrantes durante su viaje.
Un joven adulto en sus veintes,
de Guatemala, llegó con su hijo
infante. Su esposa había sido
secuestrada en México y él había
sido forzado a continuar sin ella.
Roger (su nombre es omitido
por su seguridad), 14, quien es un
ciudadano de USA estaba viviendo
con su tía en Miami, Florida y voló
a Honduras para cruzar de regreso
a USA con su madre. Les tomó
cuatro intentos antes de poder
cruzar finalmente el Río Bravo en
la oscuridad. Dijo que lo haría de
nuevo.
“Las crisis sacan lo mejor y
lo peor en las personas,” dijo la
Hermana Pimentel, añadiendo que
ella y los voluntarios se inspiran
con la respuesta de la comunidad.
El minuto en el que se hizo el
llamado para donaciones por
teléfono o las redes sociales, las
personas empezaron a traer los
artículos necesitados al centro. Un
negocio donó 600 zapatos nuevos,
y otros han estado auxiliando al
proveer baños portátiles.
Algunos inmigrantes que han
estado viajando por días y algunas
veces pasan entre siete y veinte días
sin bañarse o cambiarse la ropa, se
sienten aliviados de tener un lugar
en donde puedan limpiarse antes
de continuar con su trayecto para
ver a un miembro de su familia que
no han visto en años.
Los centros son atendidos por
voluntarios que ofrecen comida,
vestimenta, artículos de aseo,
suministros para bebés y paquetes
de viaje que incluyen artículos para
el camino.
La Hermana Pimentel dijo que
está complacida por los cientos
de voluntarios que han llegado a
ayudar. Un grupo se queda hasta
la 1 a.m. limpiando y preparándose
para el siguiente día. Algunos
voluntarios que vienen con sus
padres tienen tan solo ocho años.
Ivania Molina Meléndez,
feligrés de la Iglesia Our Lady of
Perpetual Help en McAllen, dijo
que estaba exhausta al final del día,
pero que estaba llena de alegría por
haber servido a las mujeres y sus
hijos que habían llegado al centro.
Ella dijo que ella y otros
voluntarios estaban conmovidos
con las historias que las mujeres
compartían sobre su viaje. Ellos
las ven llegan con hambre y
agradecidas por tener un lugar
de descanso y por una bolsa de
suministros, agradecidas por las
oraciones de extraños antes de que
su autobús se vaya, algunos en ruta
a Boston, Nueva York, Houston,
San Antonio, Chicago.
La Hermana Pimentel dijo,
“Ellos llegan con tantos anhelos.”
Es difícil saber lo que les espera, o
cuánto tiempo se quedarán.”
July 2014
DIOCESE 13
- The Valley Catholic
»Vida Familiar
Disminuyendo la
violencia familiar
L
a violencia y el resentimiento han existido
desde que Caín asesinó
a Abel. Génesis 4:6-8
dice “Yavé le dijo: ‘¿Por qué andas
enojado y con la cabeza baja? Si
obras bien, andarás con la cabeza
levantada. En cambio si obras
mal, el pecado está a las puertas
como fiera al acecho: ¡Tú debes
dominarlo!’ Caín dijo después
a su hermano Abel: ‘Vamos al
campo.’ Y cuando estaban en el
campo, Caín se lanzó contra su
hermano Abel y lo mató.
Uno pensaría que después
de varios milenios, como seres
humanos habríamos aprendido
que podemos dominar el impulso
de la violencia y cultivar el poder
de la paz en nuestros corazones,
en nuestros hogares y en nuestra sociedad. Raramente veo las
TV-noticias locales simplemente
porque no me gusta recibir la
letanía de violencia más reciente; cuantas personas fueron
golpeadas, apuñaladas o asesinadas. Seguramente hay otras
noticias dignas de reportar: quizá
historias sobre como las personas sufren, incluso menores no
acompañados que viajan a esta
parte del mundo escapando la
violencia que azota sus países;
quizá historias sobre las muchas
organizaciones civiles y religiosas
que trabajan sin descanso para
alimentar a los pobres y educar a
los jóvenes.
¿Nosotros, como seres humanos en el siglo XXI, tenemos tal
fascinación con la violencia que
aceptamos como algo normal que
el 75-80% del “tiempo familiar”
en los programas de televisión
se centren en la violencia? ¿Qué
le pasó a los días en los que
nuestros programas de TV favoritos incluían la Isla de Gilligan
y Carol Burnett?
En 1994 la Conferencia de
Obispos Católicos en Estados
Unidos escribió una Carta
Pastoral titulada “Enfrentando
una Cultura de Violencia”. Veinte
años después, sus palabras son
quizá más adecuadas. En esta
carta pastoral, ellos señalan:
“Nuestras familias están desgarradas por la violencia. Nuestras
comunidades destruidas por la
violencia. Nuestra fe es puesta a
prueba por la violencia. Tenemos
la obligación de responder. La
violencia – en nuestros hogares,
nuestras escuelas y nuestras
calles, nuestra nación y mundo
– está destruyendo las vidas, dignidad y esperanza de millones de
nuestras hermanas y hermanos.
El miedo a la violencia paraliza y
polariza nuestras comunidades.
La inteligencia,
continua de la pág. 11
nuestras emociones y a utilizar
incluso el coraje, la frustración, la
preocupación, como herramientas
de comunicación efectiva, no para
gritar o insultar, sino para dejar
claro como nos sentimos frente a
una situación, y pedir un receso,
lo que evitara que los conflictos
Lydia Pesina
Directora, Oficina
de Vida Familiar
La celebración de la violencia en
tantos medios, música e incluso
video juegos, envenena a nuestros
niños. Más allá de la violencia
en las calles está la violencia en
nuestros corazones. La hostilidad, odio, desesperación e indiferencia están en el corazón de una
creciente cultura de violencia. La
pornografía asalta la dignidad de
las mujeres y contribuye a la violencia en contra de ellas. Nuestra
estructura social está siendo
desgarrada por una cultura de
violencia que deja a niños muertos en nuestras calles y a familias
con miedo en sus hogares.
Nuestra sociedad parece estar
entumiéndose a la perdida y
sufrimiento humano. Una nación
nacida en el compromiso con la
“Vida, libertad y la búsqueda de
la felicidad” es perseguida por la
muerte, encarcelada por el miedo
y atrapados en la ilusa búsqueda
de la protección en lugar de la
felicidad. Un mundo avanzando
más allá de la Guerra Fría, atrapado en un sangriento conflicto
étnico, tribal y político. No tiene
que ser de este modo. No siempre
fue de este modo. Podemos alejarnos de la violencia; podemos
construir comunidades de mayor
paz. Esto empieza con una clara
convicción: respeto a la vida.”
Siempre hay algo que podemos hacer individualmente o como
comunidad: cuidar nuestro
lenguaje: disminuir palabras violentas; rezar por la paz; proveer
programas que promuevan el
dialogo entre padres y jóvenes;
enseñar valores básicos de respeto y resolución de conflicto;
asistir a los padres para poner
límites en la TV, internet y uso
del teléfono; apoyar a las organizaciones locales como Mujeres
Unidas; reflexionar en nuestras
propias tendencias/ impulsos
hacia la violencia.
“Padres por la Paz y Justicia”,
activos desde 1981 incluye un
Juramento Familiar de No-violencia en su página de internet.
Quizá pueda servir como un
recordatorio que cada uno de
nosotros puede hacer por lo
menos una cosa para disminuir la
violencia y promover la paz. “…
mi salvación, mi ciudadela y mi
refugio: mi salvador me salva de
la violencia.” 2 Samuel 22:3
escalen.
Cuando se expresa claramente
un desacuerdo es el primer paso
para encontrar una solución satisfactoria para todos los involucrados. La inteligencia emocional es
algo que todos tenemos al alcance
para lograr el éxito, en nuestros
estudios, en nuestra familia, en
nuestro trabajo, saquemos provecho de todos nuestros recursos, intelectuales y emocionales,
para lograr ser mejores personas.
Remedio rápido paraliza
nuestras comunidades
La letra pequeña
detrás de los
préstamos de salario
Por NYDIA TAPIA-GONZALEZ
The Valley Catholic
BROWNSVILLE — Jennifer
Carr Allmon, directora asociada
con la Conferencia Católica en
Texas, visitó Brownsville el 3 de
junio para escuchar y documentar las historias de la comunidad
sobre sus experiencias con compañías de préstamos de salario o
título de auto.
Más de 10.6 millones de
dólares son drenados de la
economía del Condado de Cameron cada año debido a las cuotas
excesivas- y sin regular- cobradas
por estas compañías de préstamo.
Los deudores de préstamos a
plazos pagan cerca de $140 en tasas por cada $100 prestados, y 420
fueron embargados el año pasado
por los prestatarios de títulos de
auto en el Condado Cameron.
¿Qué son los préstamos de salario o título de auto? Son préstamos de compañías que proveen
pequeños avances monetarios con
altas tasas de interés y sin límite en
cargos por manejo. Las compañías
de préstamos de salario no son
seguras, pero requieren cheques
con fecha posterior o acceso electrónico a cuentas de débito como
colateral.
Un título de carro sirve como
colateral para las compañías de
préstamos de titilo de carros, y los
prestamos típicamente se extienden por un mes. En caso de insolvencia de un deudor, la compañía
quita el carro usualmente sin previo aviso. Allmon dijo, “estamos
hablando de un 500 por ciento a
un 1,000 porciento de promedio
en tasas de porcentaje (APR).”
Los cargos por un préstamo de
título de auto de $4, 000 son más
de $1, 000 por mes, y los cargos
por un préstamo de salario son
pagadas mes a mes sin reducir el
monto del préstamo. Se estima
que 64 por ciento de todos los
préstamos del área de Brownsville
son refinanciados. En promedio,
los tejanos pagan $22 por $100
prestados porque no hay una regulación en el estado.
“Estas compañías de préstamos paralizan nuestras comunidades, y espantosamente es como
Solo,
continua de la pág. 12
de ser abordadas, tanto por
nuestro gobierno y gobiernos en
la región,” dijo el Obispo Elizondo.
Él dijo que el anuncio de la
Administración por un grupo
especial en una inter-agencia
dirigida por la Agencia Federal de
Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA)
era un “buen primer paso.”
Aquí en el Valle del Río
Grande, la Hermana Norma
Pimentel, directora de las
Caridades Católicas del Valle
Cortesía
Un alto porcentaje (75-80 por ciento) de los residentes del Condado de Cameron
han adquirido un préstamo de salario o título.
el salvaje oeste del préstamo, ya
que bajo la ley estatal actual no
hay límites en cargos, tasas de
interés, tamaño de préstamos,
renovaciones o refinanciamientos,
y no límites en la habilidad para
pagar basados en el salario,” dijo
Allmon. “La falta de regulación
ha permitido un tremendo crecimiento de estos negocios especialmente en áreas económicamente
vulnerables de nuestro estado.
“Estamos sorprendidos de
encontrar que un alto porcentaje
(75-80 por ciento) de los residentes del Condado de Cameron han
adquirido un préstamo de salario
o título – esto es mucho más de lo
que esperábamos,” Allmon dijo,
añadiendo que se sentía alentada
al ver el liderazgo de Brownsville
y su deseo por atacar y cambiar el
problema.
Representantes de Local United Way y Affordable Housing ven
este problema de primera mano
y ofrecen los recursos y asistencia de la Conferencia Católica de
Texas necesarios para su esfuerzo.
“Todo lo que necesitamos ahora
es que la Legislatura Estatal haga
el cambio,” dijo Allmon.
Los Obispos Católicos en todo
el estado de Texas han expresado
su preocupación y están pidiéndole a las comunidades que se
levanten y aprueben decretos que
protejan al consumidor. Austin,
San Antonio, Houston y El Paso
están entre las ciudades que ya
han aprobado decretos. A la fecha, un total de 17 municipios han
adoptado el modelo del decreto
de préstamo de salario y título de
auto, pero ninguno en el Valle del
Río Grande.
Los líderes locales pueden
proponer recursos alternativos
como el Centro de Prestamos Co-
del Río Grande, dijo que está en
pláticas con FEMA para ver la
posibilidad de abrir un centro
temporal para albergar a niños sin
acompañamiento.
La Hermana Pimentel dijo
que ella y los voluntarios desean
poder hacer más por los niños
que están en USA sin sus padres.
Ella dijo que ellos, como los
inmigrantes, tienen que poner su
fe en Dios. “Tenemos confianza
en la misericordia de Dios.” Dijo
ella.
Ella añadió que la Iglesia
continua
asistiendo
tanto
es posible y trabajando con
ALTERNATIVAS A LAS PRÉSTAMOS DE
ALTOS INTERESES
• Familia y amigos
• Anticipos de parte del empleador
• Programas de asistencia de
utilidades
• Plan de pago con los
acreedores
• Anticipo en efectivo en tarjetas de crédito
• Prestamos de parte de prestamistas de consumo con licencia
tales como uniones y bancos
• Para herramientas en como
crear ahorros de emergencia
visite www.texassaves.org
munitarios, fundado en 1995 por
seis bancos inversores accionistas
que cubren el área inversionista del Condado de Cameron. Su
misión es mejorar las condiciones
económicas de las personas del
RGV al administrar el Programa
de Prestamos Accesibles Small
Dollar.
Allmon incita a los líderes
comunitarios a empezar la conversación con el clérigo para conseguir impacto en los clientes y
obtener el apoyo para la aprobación de decretos locales.
Ella dijo que llenar quejas personales es importante, ya que los
líderes estatales pueden no aprobar algo si los problemas y situaciones no están documentadas.
Para dar una queja, visite www.
consumerfinance.gov/complaint;
el ministro de justicia de Texas,
www.oag.state.tx.us/consumer/
complain.shtml; o la Oficina del
Comisionado de Texas del Crédito al Consumidor. Para más sobre
el Centro de Prestamos Comunitarios visite www.rgvcommunityloancenter.org
diferentes agencias y consulados
para tratar de ayudar a los padres
que llaman buscando a sus hijos.
Una voluntaria en McAllen tuvo
éxito en contactar a los padres de
Juan en El Salvador. “Me rompió
el corazón no poder hacer más
por él,” dijo ella. “Su madre me
pidió que lo cuidara, que me
asegurara de que estuviera a salvo.
‘Ayuden a mi hijo.’”
Individuos
que
estén
interesados en ayudar en los
centros que albergan niños sin
acompañamiento pueden llamar
a De Los Santos al (956) 207-9261.
14
DIOCESE
Jubilee
continued from pg. 3
ementary schools and received her
high school education from Villa
Maria High School. That same year
on September 2, 1952, she was accepted as a candidate of the Sisters
of the Incarnate Word and Blessed
Sacrament in Corpus Christi.
Sister Aguilar taught and was
principal in parochial and private
schools in the Archdiocese of San
Antonio and the dioceses of Corpus Christi and Brownsville.
For several years, Sister Aguilar
served as director of the annual A
Little Bit of Mexico program and
of the Villa Maria Alumni Association in Brownsville. She was also
appointed director of Villa Maria
Language Institute in Brownsville,
and she held that position for many
years.
Sister Aguilar will be honored
by Villa Maria Language Institute
on August 1, 2014, at the 25th anniversary celebration of the language
summer program which she initiated.
Sister Colette Brehony the seventh child of John and Catherine
Anne McDonagh Brehony, was
born in Riverstown, County Sligo,
Ireland. On September 2, 1952,
The Valley Catholic Sister Brehony entered Incarnate
Word Convent where she joined
her three sisters, Sisters Catherine,
Rita, and Maria Elizabeth, two
aunts and three cousins who were
members of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament.
Ministry experience in the Catholic School system includes Sister
Brehony’s work in Corpus Christi,
Brownsville, Laredo and Goliad.
Sister Mary Camelia Herlihy,
daughter of the late Cornelius and
Mary Herlihy of New York City,
had a number of relatives who were
Incarnate Word Sisters, including
her aunt, Mother Antoinette Begley, her cousins, Sister Noreen Begley and Sisters Margaret Patrice,
Christina, and Marian Bradley.
Sister Herlihy taught in Catholic
schools in Corpus Christi, Kingsville, and Brownsville and served
as principal at St. Gertrude School,
Kingsville and at Villa Maria High
School in Brownsville. While in
Brownsville, Sister Camelia also
worked at the Newman Center at
Texas Southmost College.
Sister Mary Evelyn Morales
was born in Brownsville, Texas,
the daughter of the late Francisco
S. Morales and Emilia Garcia Morales. She graduated from Brownsville High School, where she was an
honor student and a member of the
Golden Eagle Band. She entered
the Congregation of the Sisters of
the Incarnate Word and Blessed
Sacrament on September 13, 1952.
Sister Morales taught in Brownsville, Beeville and Corpus Christi.
Sister Teresita Rodriguez was
born in San Benito, Texas, the
daughter of Manuel Rodriguez
and Marina Garcia Rodriguez.
From the time Sister Rodriguez
was old enough to understand the
importance of attending and participating in church services, she
knew that her calling was to a life
of serving Christ. Sister Rodriguez
graduated from Incarnate Word
Academy in Corpus Christi, and
entered the Congregation of the
Sisters of the Incarnate Word and
Blessed Sacrament September 9,
1952. Sister Rodriguez’s ministry in
Catholic schools includes teaching
and administration in Alice, Beeville, Corpus Christi, Brownsville,
Goliad, Laredo and Port Isabel. In
2012, the Diocese of Brownsville’s
Spirit Award for exemplary dedication and commitment to Catholic
education was presented to Sister
Rodriguez. Summarizing her experience as a vowed religious, living
in South Texas, she stated, “God
has blessed me with wonderful experiences, many happy days, time
to sit in silence in contemplation
of God and His beautiful world, to
thank Him for friends and my second family, and the opportunity to
serve Him in others. Thank you,
God, for the past 60 years.”
Sister Martha Ann Snapka,
daughter of Roman Snapka and
Sophie Bezdek Snapka, was born
in Abbott, Texas.
Her family
moved to Corpus Christi when she
was in the first grade. She entered
the Congregation of the Sisters of
the Incarnate Word and Blessed
Sacrament in August of 1952. She
was elected Superior General from
1976 to 1984. Although she never
taught in the Brownsville schools,
during her time in office as Superior General, she worked closely
with the Villa Maria/Incarnate
Word Academy School Advisory
Council.
Sister Mary Vianney Uyeno,
the daughter of Rokuro Uyeno and
Haru Hishinuma Uyeno, was born
in Waipahu, Oahu, Hawaii. From
1985 to 1989, Sister Uyeno ministered at the House of Prayer in
Brownsville, and later engaged in
host ministry, a ministry in which
she continues to work.
Sister Elizabeth Close, daughter of the late Dominic Hugh Close
and Claire O’Byrne Close, was born
in Dublin, Ireland. Sister Close’s
initial contact with Incarnate
Word Sisters of Corpus Christi,
took place when she was a seventh
grader at Iona National School in
Dublin. Sister Kathleen McDonagh
and Sister Barbara Cashell, during
a visit to their homeland, gave a
vocation talk to the seventh grade
class at the school. Sister Close
continued to correspond with the
Sisters and entered the Sisters of the
Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Congregation on August 7,
1961. She taught in the special education program in the Brownsville
public schools.
The Sisters of the Incarnate
Word first came to Texas in 1853,
planting roots in Brownsville.
Since then, their means of evangelization has been education. From
Brownsville they branched out to
Victoria, Corpus Christi, Houston,
and Mexico. From the Brownsville/
Corpus Christi group, more than
400 Sisters have taught and ministered in the dioceses of Brownsville, Beaumont, Corpus Christi,
Houston, and San Antonio. Some
have served in Europe, Africa, and
Mexico.
July 2014
Bioethics
continued from pg. 5
mance and an increased risk
of dropping out of school.
These deleterious effects speak
to us of the fundamentally
unethical character of inhaling, injecting or otherwise
ingesting harmful chemical
substances into our bodies.
The litany of marijuana’s
adverse health effects raises
major doubts about the wisdom of promoting its legalization for recreational purposes. The authors note that
the health effects of a drug
(whether legal or illegal) are
related to its “availability and
social acceptability.” They conclude, “In this respect, legal
drugs (alcohol and tobacco)
offer a sobering perspective,
accounting for the greatest
burden of disease associated
with drugs not because they
are more dangerous than illegal drugs but because their
legal status allows for more
widespread exposure,” leading to more abuse and more
harmful effects. It’s critical
for us to acknowledge these
negative effects rather than
seeking, like drug addicts, to
dissociate ourselves from this
reality.
—
Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk,
Ph.D. earned his doctorate in
neuroscience from Yale and did
post-doctoral work at Harvard.
He is a priest of the diocese of
Fall River, MA, and serves as
the Director of Education at
The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See
www.ncbcenter.org
July 2014
DIOCESE 15
- The Valley Catholic
»Media Resource Center
» Calendar of Events
Recommended by SISTER MAUREEN CROSBY, SSD
Coordinator of the Media Resource Center - Diocese of Brownsville
»Worth Watching
THE GOOD,
THE BAD AND
THE EGGLY!
CHURCH AND
MINISTRY
with Greer
Gordon.
Format:VHS
Publisher: Tabor Publishing
Format: Video Cassette
Length:30 minutes
Format:DVD
Year of production: 2003
The facts:The program: The Church
The facts: Larryboy – From the
creators of VEGGIETALES. Kids will
discover just how much more you can
accomplish when you work together
in this all new cartoon adventure. Oh,
no! A diabolical team of Larryboy’s
archenemies has spawned a sinister
plot to turn all of Bumblyburg into ...
eggs over-easy!?! And to make matters
stickier, the Dark Crow - the Fabio of
fruit - is elbowing in on our hero’s home
turf.
and Ministry presents an explanation
of models of the Church and an
examination of which ones best support
each person’s call to ministry. Six Video
Cassettes – 1. The Church: An Image of
Herself, 2. Models of the Church (Part
One) 3. Models of the Church (Part
Two), 4. Ministry: A Historical Overview,
5. Mission & 6. The Future of Ministry
Elders,
Format: Animated
Length:30 minutes
TEN TIPS FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS
continued from pg. 3
tion that will only get worse.
The Valley has resources for
caregivers like the Henrys, such
as those found at the Harlingen
Senior Community Center and
Caregiver SOS. They provide a
range of services to support family caregivers at no cost, thanks to
the WellMed Charitable Foundation.
Membership to the Senior
Community Center is free of
charge for those 60 years of age
or older. Arts and crafts, support
groups, bingo, movie days, computer labs, cardio exercise equipment and health education classes
are available Monday through
Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to
3 p.m. There is also a Caregiver
SOS center in McAllen.
Under Miranda’s leadership
Caregiver SOS conducts six-week
programs designed by Stanford
University. These include “Living
Healthy with Diabetes” and “Bet-
Loans,
continued from pg. 1
areas of our state.
• Seek Support from other caregivers. You are not alone1
• Take care of your own health.
• Accept offers of help and suggest specific things people can
do to help you.
• Learn how to communicate effectively with doctors
• Caregiving is hard work so take
respite breaks often.
• Watch out for signs of depression and don’t delay in getting
professional help when needed.
• Be open to new technologies
that can help you care for your
loved one.
• Organize medical information
so it’s up to date and easy to find.
• Make sure legal documents are
in order.
• Give yourself credit for doing
the best you can in one of the
toughest jobs there is!
From caregiveraction.org
From liftcaregiving.com
ter Choices, Better Health.”
Miranda is introducing a
nine-week program called the
“We were surprised to find
that a high percentage (75-80 percent) of Cameron County residents
have acquired payday and or Title
Loans – this was much higher than
we expected,” Allmon said, adding
Bishop Emeritus Raymundo J. Peña’s Calendar
July 6
11 a.m.
Mass at Sacred Heart
Mercedes
July 9
6 p.m.
Ministry at Evins Regional Youth Center
Edinburg
July 13
11 a.m.
Mass at Sacred Heart
Mercedes
July 19
5:30 p.m. Mass at St. Paul’s
Mission
July 20
11 a.m.
Mercedes
July 26
5:30 p.m. Mass at St. Paul’s
Mass at Sacred Heart
Mission
July 27 11 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart
On going:
8 a.m. Mass Monday - Saturday at St.
Joseph Chapel of Perpetual Adoration, 727 Bowie St., Alamo
Mercedes
2nd: Vocations to the Permanent
Diaconate the deacons (permanent
and transitional) of the diocese and
their families
3 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph Chapel of
Perpetual Adoration, 727 Bowie St.,
Alamo
3rd : Vocation to Married Life: for
the welfare and sanctification of all
the families in the diocese and for
building up the Kingdom in our
domestic churches
7 p.m. Holy Hour Weekly every
Thursday at 727 Bowie St., Alamo
1st: Vocations to the Consecrated
Life (active and contemplative) and
for the Sisters and Brothers in our
diocese and the success of their
mission
»From the Bookshelf
4th: Vocations to the priesthood
and the priests of the diocese for the
success of their ministry
5th: Vocations to the Pro-Life
Intentions
SOMETIMES
LIFE IS JUST
NOT FAIR –
Hope for Kids
through Grief
and Loss.
Format: hardcover
Length: 64 pages
Author:Fr. Joe Kempf
Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor (2012)
The facts: God understands and will
always be there to help us find a way. For
everyone, life can be really hard sometimes.
But never fear: Fr. Joe Kempf and his furry
friends, Big Al and Annie, are back with
plenty of support. When the heartaches
come, these reflections, prayers, and
activities will help every child find their way
forward to God. In the back of the book,
parents, grandparents, and teachers will find
the coaching they need to love their children
Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers.
“We want people who will
commit to completing this program because it will provide tremendous help for them and their
families,” Miranda said.
She added it only takes one
90-minute class per week, and all
materials are included. Those who
complete the program are awarded a certificate during a “graduation” ceremony.
Another new service is the
Caregiver Teleconnection program using the telephone to
connect family caregivers with
trusted professionals and other
caregivers. To find out more visit
caregiverteleconnection.org.
Just like the Henrys, many
couples who are taking care of
each other have to determine
which one is the primary provider, meaning which one of the
two is providing the most care,
so they can make the best of the
resources available in the Valley.
This includes services provided by
Caregiver SOS.
For more information visit
www.caregiversos.org.
she was encouraged to see Brownsville’s leadership and their desire to
tackle and change the problem.
Local United Way and Affordable Housing representatives see
this problem first hand, and offer
the Texas Catholic Conference resources and assistance needed in
their effort. “All we need now is for
the State Legislature to make the
change,” Allmon said.
Catholic bishops throughout
the State of Texas have expressed
their concern and are asking communities to step up and approve ordinances that protect the consumer.
Austin, San Antonio, Houston and
El Paso are among the cities that
have already passed ordinances.
To date, a total of 17 municipalities
have enacted the model payday and
auto title loan ordinance, but none
of them in the Rio Grande Valley.
Local leaders can spearhead
alternative resources like the Community Loan Center founded in
1995 by six investing stockholder
banks which cover the investment
area of Cameron County. Their
mission is to improve the economic
conditions of people in the RGV by
administering the Affordable Small
Dollar Loan Program.
Allmon encouraged commu-
TREASURE IN
CLAY – THE
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF FULTON J.
SHEEN
July
4 Independence Day
Diocesan Offices Closed
8-12 Youth Serve
(Youth Ministry)
August
Format: Audiobook (2010)
Length: 10 hours 42 minutes
Author: George Martin
Publisher: St. Anthony Messenger
Press 2008
The facts: Classic now on CD! Fulton
J. Sheen (1895-1979) was one of the
most prominent of Catholic leaders
in American history. He was Bishop
of Rochester, national director of the
Society of the Propagation of the
Faith, a participant in the Second
Vatican Council and television’s first
religious broadcaster. He was author of
numerous books, including Life of Christ.
Father Joe,
continued from pg. 9
in El Ranchito; Our Lady of Good
Counsel Church in Brownsville;
Holy Family Church in Brownsville;
St. Cecilia Church in Los Fresnos
and San Martin de Porres Church
in Weslaco.
“The greatest gift my family
gave me was the sense of ‘familia,’”
Father Villalon said. “So when I go
to a parish, I want to create familia.
The best way to be there for them
is to know them and for them
to know you. The goal is to be a
blessing to them spiritually.
“Every parish has good,
wonderful people. Through the
people, I have gotten to know a little
more about the mystery of God.
Every person is a little treasure, that
if you take time to know them, pray
with them and to love them, God
reveals another part of himself.”
“He gets to the hearts of the
people,” said Manuela Vela, Father
Villalon’s maternal aunt. “I have
been to every party parishioners
have made for him over the years
and you can tell that they really do
care for him.”
ALTERNATIVES TO
HIGH INTEREST LOANS
• Family and friends
• Advances from employers
• Utility assistance programs
• Request a payment plan with
creditors
• Cash advance on credit cards
• Loans from licensed consumer
lenders such as credit unions
and banks
• For tools to build emergency
savings, visit www.texassaves.org
nity leaders to start the conversation with the clergy to access client
impact and garner support for the
approval of local ordinances.
She said filing personal complaints is important, as state leaders may not approve something if
the problems and or issues are not
documented.
To file a complaint visit www.
consumerfinance.gov/complaint;
the Texas Attorney General, www.
oag.state.tx.us/consumer/complain.shtml; or the Texas Office of
Consumer Credit Commissioner.
For more on the Community
Loan Center visit www.rgvcommunityloancenter.org.
7 Advisory Team
(Office of Catechesis)
9-10 Retiro-Pre Matrimonial
(Family Life Office)
12 Orientation for New
Catechetical Leaders
(Office of Catechesis)
11-15 Back to School for
Catholic Schools
(Catholic Schools Office)
15 Assumption of Mary
(Diocesan Offices Closed)
19 In-Service
(Office of Catechesis)
29 Service Award Deadline
(Office of Catechesis)
23 Sponsor Couple Training
(Family Life Office)
Please submit your schedule to be
published in The Valley Catholic by the
first Friday of each month by email at
[email protected] or fax: (956) 784-5082.
Retreat for
young adults
Special to the Valley Catholic
Valley Awakening #3 is a
diocese-wide retreat for young
adults ages 21-35 who are seeking to deepen their faith and
grow spiritually through prayer,
community and service.
The weekend retreat will
take place July 25-27 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in San
Juan. Visit cyam.net to download an application and for more
information.
Plans for
WYD 2016
Special to the Valley Catholic
World Youth Day 2016 is set
for July 25-31, 2016 in Krakow,
Poland and Catholic Campus
and Young Adult Ministry plan
to partner with the Office of
Youth Ministry to take a diocesan contingent.
The package under consideration includes accommodations at hostels (or university
dorms) and costs about $3,300
to $3,500/per person.
For more information and to
see how you can start budgeting
today, please e-mail info@cyam.
net.
World Youth Day is not just
a day or an experience, but an
ongoing pilgrimage of faith for
young people. These special days
and celebrations are meant to
rejuvenate and reinvigorate the
spiritual life of youth and young
adults along their pilgrim journey, which ultimately leads to
Christ Jesus.
16
DIOCESE
Our Catholic Family
The Valley Catholic - July 2014
A love story on God’s journey
Eric Sánchez/The Valley
Catholic
Charismatic Renewal
sparks personal call to
permanent diaconate
Jose Luis and
Zulema Revelo are
active parishioners
at Our Lady of Good
Counsel Church in
Brownsville. Jose
Luis Revelo is also
in the diaconate
formation program
for the Diocese of
Brownsville, which is
being offered for the
first time in Spanish.
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
BROWNSVILLE — “Faith is
like a romantic relationship,” said
Jose Luis Revelo, a parishioner
at Our Lady of Good Counsel
Church in Brownsville. “As you get
to know your faith better, you fall
even deeper in love. If you give it
love and commitment, it will take
you places you never imagined and
bring you a peace that surpasses all
understanding.”
Revelo has been Catholic all of
his life, but about 10 years ago his
faith was amplified after attending
Charismatic Renewal retreats and
prayer groups. He and his wife,
Zulema were inspired to become
more involved at their parish,
which is located on the southwest
edge of Brownsville in the Las
Prietas neighborhood.
Today, they are lectors, lead a
prayer group at their parish and
help wherever they are needed.
Additionally, they are part of a
prayer group at St. John the Baptist
Parish in San Juan.
Revelo is also in formation for
the permanent diaconate, which
is available for the first time in
Spanish. The rigorous program,
which began about 10 months ago,
prepares men spiritually, pastorally
and academically for ordination.
Permanent deacons can officiate at
weddings, baptisms and funerals.
They may also proclaim the gospel
and deliver the homily, among
many other callings.
If married, a man must have
the support of his wife to enter
the formation program. Wives
are invited to attend classes and
other events throughout the fouryear program. Both formation
and diaconal service require
adjustments on the part of the wife
and other family members.
“We have been on God’s
journey for some time and I’ve had
no doubts or reservations,” Zulema
Revelo said. “We both see this as a
great privilege and as God’s will –
it’s not really our decision.”
“It’s a long journey and thanks
be to God, we have the support
of our parish,” said Revelo, who
also works as a bus driver for the
Brownville Independent School
District. “Our pastor and the
community are always praying for
us and you can feel it.”
“He has a very complimentary
style,” said Father Thomas Pincelli,
pastor of Our Lady of Good
Counsel Church. “He just likes to
be of service and he reaches out in
a variety of ways. There is a certain
humility about him when he does
all of these things. He’s not looking
for any kind of pats on the back.
“He does the very best he
can to be of service to the people
around him and I think that
works well for all of us priests and
deacons. We want people to realize
we are there with them and for
them and he does a real good job
of eliciting that kind of a response
from people.”
The Revelos first met as
children in Tapachula, Chiapas,
Mexico, which is located near the
Guatemalan border and the Pacific
Ocean.
“I remember that he was an
altar server,” Zulema Revelo said.
“God was calling him to His
service even back then.”
Zulema Revelo moved to
the Rio Grande Valley with her
family as a child but went back
to Tapachula for a visit after
graduating from high school. It
was then that the couple began
their courtship. They celebrated
35 years of marriage on Feb. 12
and have four children and a
grandchild.
2LMDJ6JK5DBL15558
• BLIS® with Cross-Traffic Alert
• Rearview Camera
• AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control"
(RSC® )
0.0
3,250
Competitive Conquest Bonus
Cash or Owner Loyalty
60
43,150
3,894
Boggus Lincoln $2,144, Lincoln Discount $1,750 good until 2/28/2014
Disclaimer
3LN6L2GK7DR829072
Boggus Lincoln
1400 East Hwy 83
Mcallen, TX 78501
1-888-875-1034
[email protected]
*Disclaimer on Lincoln MKX 2013 0.0% with approved credit from Lincoln AFS, Lincoln Owner Loyalty or competitive conquest bonus cash $3,250. Good until 3/31/2014