South Texas Catholic - August/September 2016

SERV I NG T HE CHU RCH I N T HE DIOCESE OF COR PUS CHR IS T I

South Texas

Catholic W WW. S O UTHTE X ASCATHOLIC.COM • A UGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016

2  South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

ON THE

VOL. 51 NO. 8 Publisher Most Rev. Wm. Michael Mulvey, STL DD

COVER worldwide publicity and prayers.

Editor Alfredo E. Cárdenas ACardenas@diocesecc.org Theological Consultant Ben Nguyen, JD/JCL. Editorial Staff Mary E. Cottingham MCottingham@diocesecc.org Adel Rivera ARivera@diocesecc.org Madelyn Calvert MCalvert@diocesecc.org Correspondents Luisa Buttler, Rebecca Esparza, Jessica Morrison, Luisa Scolari, Dayna Mazzei Worchel

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Conjoined twins Scarlett and Ximena Torres after their separation surgery. The twins were separated after a historic 12-hour surgical procedure performed on April 15, which prompted Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

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Transitional Deacon Eric Chapa lays prostrate on the altar of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles as a sign of his unworthiness of the office and his dependence upon God and the prayers of the Christian community. He was ordained July 1.

Monica Cardenas for South Texas Catholic

INSIDE

VIDA CATÓLICA 4 VIEWPOINTS 25 El movimiento de cursillo en la Applying Catholic social teaching to major issues

diócesis implementa un plan pastoral

EDUCATION 11 St.CATHOLIC Pius X School,

NATIONAL 29 Sheltering the homeless

LIFE 15 PARISH Telephone ministry reconnects

32 VATICAN Memories of a saint

looking back 50 years

includes refugees

homebound

OUR FAITH NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE 17 Catholic 34 Forgive offenses willingly Higher Ed in Corpus Christi gives students flexibility, choices, spirituality

August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 3

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Applying Catholic social teaching to major issues Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

P

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

olitics is a noble mission to promote the common good. As such, it is about ethics and principles as well as issues, candidates and officeholders. To engage in “politics,” then, is more than getting involved in current polemics and debates; it is about acting with others and through institutions for the benefit of all.

The fact that much of our political rhetoric has become very negative and that political polarization seems to have grown should not dissuade us from the high calling to work for a world that allows everyone to thrive, a world in which all persons, all families, have what they need to fulfill their God-given destiny.

In our democracy, one aspect of this task for all of us requires that we weigh issues and related policies. As bishops we call attention to issues with significant moral dimensions that should be carefully considered in each campaign and as policy decisions are made in the years to come.

Some issues involve principles that can never be abandoned, such as the fundamental right to life and marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Others reflect our judgment about the best way to apply Catholic principles to policy issues. No summary could fully reflect the depth and details of the positions taken through the work of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

While people of good will may sometimes choose different ways to apply and act on some of our principles, Catholics cannot ignore their inescapable moral challenges or simply dismiss the Church’s guidance or policy directions that flow from these

principles.

Human Life

Our 1998 statement, Living the Gospel of Life, declares, “Abortion and euthanasia have become preeminent threats to human life and dignity because they directly attack life itself, the most fundamental good and the condition for all others.” Abortion, the deliberate killing of a human being before birth, is never morally acceptable and must always be opposed.

Cloning and destruction of human embryos for research or even for potential cures are always wrong.

The purposeful taking of human life by assisted suicide and euthanasia is not an act of mercy, but an unjustifiable assault on human life. Genocide, torture and the direct and intentional targeting of noncombatants in war or terrorist attacks are always wrong.

Laws that legitimize any of these practices are profoundly unjust and immoral. We support laws and policies to protect human life to the maximum degree possible, including constitutional protection for the unborn and legislative efforts to end abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia. We also promote a culture of life by supporting laws and programs that encourage childbirth and adoption over abortion and by addressing poverty, providing health care and offering other assistance to pregnant women, children and families.

We call for greater assistance for those who are sick and dying, through health care for all and effective and compassionate palliative care and hospice care. The end of life is a holy moment, a moment that marks a preparation for life with God, and it is to be treated with reverence

4 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

and accompaniment. The end of life is as sacred as the beginning of life and requires treatment that honors the true dignity of the human person as created in the image of the living God. We recognize that addressing this complex issue effectively will require collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors and across party lines. Policies and decisions regarding biotechnology and human experimentation should respect the inherent dignity of human life from its very beginning, regardless of the circumstances of its origin.

Respect for human life and dignity is also the foundation for essential efforts to address and overcome the hunger, disease, poverty and violence that take the lives of so many innocent people.

Society has a duty to defend life against violence and to reach out to victims of crime. The Catholic Church has accepted the death penalty in the past for particularly egregious crimes when there was a serious continuing threat to society and no alternative was available. But our nation’s continued reliance on the death penalty cannot be justified. Because we have other ways to protect society that are more respectful of human life, we support efforts to end the use of the death penalty and in the meantime to restrain its use through broader use of DNA evidence, access to effective counsel and efforts to address unfairness and injustice related to application of the death penalty.

Promoting Peace

Catholics must also work to avoid war and to promote peace. This is of particular importance, as there is a

a focus on the roots of terror and fair distribution of the burdens of responding to terror.

The use of torture must be rejected as fundamentally incompatible with the dignity of the human person and ultimately counterproductive in the effort to combat terrorism.

The Church has raised fundamental moral concerns about preventive use of military force. Our Church honors the commitment and sacrifice of those who serve in our nation’s armed forces, and also recognizes the moral right to conscientious objection to war in general, a particular war or a military procedure.

Even when military force can be justified as a last resort, it should not be indiscriminate or disproportionate. Direct and intentional attacks on noncombatants in war and terrorist acts are never morally acceptable. The use of weapons of mass destruction or other means of warfare that do not distinguish between civilians and soldiers is fundamentally immoral.

The United States has a responsibility to work to reverse the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and to reduce its own

reliance on weapons of mass destruction by pursuing progressive nuclear disarmament. It also must end its use of anti- personnel landmines and reduce its predominant role in the global arms trade.

The use of military force confronts us with urgent moral choices. We support the proportionate and discriminate use of military force to protect civilians in a way that recognizes the continuing threat of fanatical extremism and global terror, minimizes the loss of life and addresses the humanitarian and refugee crises in war-torn regions and the need to protect human rights, especially religious freedom.

Though we recognize the justifiable use of military force, we encourage the reallocation of resources from armed conflict to the urgent needs of the poor and the root causes of violence. Further, we support policies and actions that protect refugees of war and violence, at home and abroad, and all people suffering religious persecution throughout the world, many of whom are our fellow Christians.

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danger in the present time of becoming indifferent to war because of the number of armed conflicts. War is never a reflection of what ought to be but a sign that something more true to human dignity has failed.

The Catholic tradition recognizes the legitimacy of just war teaching when defending the innocent in the face of grave evil, but we must never lose sight of the cost of war and its harm to human life. Nations should protect the dignity of the human person and the right to life by finding more effective ways to prevent conflicts, to resolve them by peaceful means and to promote reconstruction and reconciliation in the wake of conflicts. Nations have a right and obligation to defend human life and the common good against terrorism, aggression and similar threats, such as the targeting of persons for persecution because of their religion, including Christians.

Indeed, the duty of nations to defend human life and the common good demands effective responses to terror, moral assessment of and restraint in the means used, respect for ethical limits on the use of force,

†† VIEWPOINTS

Four principles of Catholic social teaching Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

R

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

ecent papal teaching has identified four major principles of Catholic social teaching…These four principles can provide a moral framework for decisions in public life.

The Dignity of the Human Person

Human life is sacred. The dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Direct attacks on innocent persons are never morally acceptable, at any stage or in any condition.

In our society, human life is especially under direct attack from abortion, which some political actors mischaracterize as an issue of “women’s health.” Other direct threats to the sanctity of human life include euthanasia and assisted suicide (sometimes falsely labeled as “death with dignity”), human cloning, in vitro fertilization and the destruction of human embryos for research.

Catholic teaching about the dignity of life calls us to oppose torture, unjust war and the indiscriminate use of drones for violent purposes; to prevent genocide and attacks against noncombatants; to oppose racism; to oppose human trafficking; and to overcome poverty and suffering.

Nations are called to protect the right to life by seeking effective ways to combat evil and terror without resorting to armed conflicts except as a last resort after all peaceful means have failed, and to end the use of the death penalty as a means of

protecting society from violent crime.

We revere the lives of children in the womb, the lives of persons dying in war and from starvation and indeed the lives of all human beings as children of God. We stand opposed to these and all activities that contribute to what Pope Francis has called “a throwaway culture.”

Subsidiarity

It is impossible to promote the dignity of the person without showing concern for the family, groups, associations, local territorial realities; in short, for that aggregate of economic, social, cultural, sports-oriented, recreational, professional and political expressions to which people spontaneously give life and which make it possible for them to achieve effective social growth.

The human person is not only sacred but also social. Full human development takes place in relationship with others. The family—based on marriage between a man and a woman—is the first and fundamental unit of society and is a sanctuary for the creation and nurturing of children.

It should be defended and strengthened, not redefined, undermined or further distorted.

Respect for the family should be reflected in every policy and program.

It is important to uphold parents’ rights and responsibilities to care for their children, including the right to choose their children’s education.

How we organize our society—in economics and politics, in law and policy—directly affects the common

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good and the capacity of individuals to develop their full potential. Every person and association has a right and a duty to participate actively in shaping society and to promote the well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

The principle of subsidiarity reminds us that larger institutions in society should not overwhelm or interfere with smaller or local institutions, yet larger institutions have essential responsibilities when the more local institutions cannot adequately protect human dignity, meet human needs and advance the common good.

The Common Good

Human dignity is respected and the common good is fostered only if human rights are protected and basic responsibilities are met. Every human being has a right to life, the fundamental right that makes all other rights possible, and a right to access those things required for human decency—food and shelter, education and employment, health care and housing, freedom of religion and family life.

The right to exercise religious freedom publicly and privately by individuals and institutions along with freedom of conscience needs to be constantly defended. In a fundamental way, the right to free expression of religious beliefs protects all other rights. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities—to one another, to our families and to the larger society. Rights should be understood and exercised in a moral

†† VIEWPOINTS

framework rooted in the dignity of the human person.

The economy must serve people, not the other way around. It is therefore necessary that an economic system serve the dignity of the human person and the common good by respecting the dignity of work and protecting the rights of workers.

A “growth in justice,” according to Pope Francis, “requires more than economic growth…it requires decisions, programs, mechanisms and processes specifically geared to a better distribution of income, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality.”

Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. Employers contribute to the common good through the services or products they provide and by creating jobs that uphold the dignity and rights of workers—to productive work, to decent and just wages, to adequate benefits and security in their old age, to the choice of whether to organize and join unions, to the opportunity for legal status for immigrant workers, to private property and to economic initiative.

Workers also have responsibilities—to provide a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay, to treat employers and co-workers with respect and to carry out their work in ways that contribute to the common good. Workers, employers and unions should not only advance their own interests but also work together to advance economic justice and the well-being of all.

We have a duty to care for God’s creation, or as Pope Francis refers to it in Laudato Si’, “our common home.”

We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of God’s creation because “every creature is…the object of the Father’s tenderness, who gives it its place in the world.” Care for creation is a duty of our faith and a sign of our concern for all people, especially the poor, who “both everyday experience and scientific research show” suffer “the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment.”

We have a moral obligation to protect the planet on which we live—to respect God’s creation and to ensure a safe and hospitable environment for human beings, especially children at their most vulnerable stages of development. As stewards called by God to share the responsibility for the future of the earth, we should work for a world in which people respect and protect all of creation and seek to live simply in harmony with it for the sake of future generations.

Solidarity

Solidarity highlights in a particular way the intrinsic social nature of the human person, the equality of all in dignity and rights and the common path of individuals and peoples towards an ever more committed unity…Solidarity must be seen above all in its value as a moral virtue that determines the order of institutions.

On the basis of this principle the “structures of sin” that dominate relationships between individuals and peoples must be overcome.

We are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions and requires us to eradicate racism and

address the extreme poverty and disease plaguing so much of the world.

Solidarity also includes the scriptural call to welcome the stranger among us—including immigrants seeking work—by ensuring that they have opportunities for a safe home, education for their children and a decent life for their families and by ending the practice of separating families through deportation.

In light of the Gospel’s invitation to be peacemakers, our commitment to solidarity with our neighbors—at home and abroad—also demands that we promote peace and pursue justice in a world marred by terrible violence and conflict.

In reference to solidarity, a special emphasis must be given to the Church’s preferential option for the poor. While the common good embraces all, those who are weak, vulnerable and most in need deserve preferential concern. A basic moral test for any society is how it treats those who are most vulnerable. In a society marred by deepening disparities between rich and poor, Sacred Scripture gives us the story of the Last Judgment (see Mt 25:31- 46) and reminds us that we will be judged by our response to the “least among us.”

These four principles and related themes from Catholic social teaching provide a moral framework that does not easily fit ideologies of “right” or “left,” “liberal” or “conservative,” or the platform of any political party. They are not partisan or sectarian, but reflect fundamental ethical principles that are common to all people.

(Applying Catholic social teaching to major issues will be continued in our October issue.)

❝ Every creature is . . . the object of the Father’s tenderness, who gives it its place in the world ❞

– Pope Francis in Laudato Si August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 7

† VOCATIONS

Father Joseph Lopez, JCL, is Vocations Director for the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

Your Vocation: destiny or free choice?

Father Joseph Lopez

T Contributor

ake a moment to consider some big questions: Did God make you for a definite purpose, or can you be happy choosing any number of courses for your life? If God already knows your future, do you really have free will? If you were ordained a priest, would it be because you chose the priesthood, or because God destined you for that vocation?

How can we reconcile these two profound ideas—God’s call and our own free will?

As Americans, we are taught that with hard work and perseverance we can achieve anything, and we are perfectly free to choose any kind of life we desire.

As Catholics, on the other hand, we have a strong sense of God’s will. We believe each person is called for some definite purpose. St. Paul recognized this when he wrote “God, who from my mother’s womb, set me apart and called me through his grace (Gal 1:15).”

The beauty—and agony—of having a vocation is that the Creator of the Universe has a plan for your life, but it is up to you to discover his call and freely respond to it.

Discerning your vocation, then, is particularly important, because it is possible to make a mistake and run from God’s will. In other words, God has a “Plan A” for you. If you make a mistake, of course he will continue to love you unconditionally, and he will show you the way to heaven via Plan B or even Plan C. But you may not be as happy as you would have been should you have chosen path A. As a general rule, people flourish in their correct vocations. But how do you find yours?

Take the advice of St. Bonaventure: “If you ask how such a thing can occur, seek the answer in God’s grace, not in doctrine; in the sighs of prayer, not in research; seek the bridegroom,

8 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

➤The beauty—and agony—of having a vocation is that the Creator of the Universe has a plan for your life, but it is up to you to discover his call and freely respond to it. not the teacher; God and not man; darkness, not daylight; and look not to the light but rather the raging fire that carries the soul to God with intense fervor and glowing fire.”

Or in simpler terms, as St. Augustine put it: “Love and then do what you will!”

When we love God above all else, he will reveal his plan for us.

Remember, the best way to discern is to pray and be open to God’s will in your life.

Mary Cottingham South Texas Catholic

E

ric Chapa remembers working at the Mother Teresa Shelter the summer before he entered the seminary.

“It taught me that God is everywhere and in anybody.

I saw people in terrible circumstances or going through such pain, but they still had joy,” he said. “It was an interesting lesson.”

After several years studying in seminary in Rome, Bishop Michael Mulvey ordained Deacon Chapa to the sacred order of deacons on July 1 at St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles. Unlike the permanent diaconate where men are not planning to be ordained priests, a transitional deacon is on his last step to becoming a priest; he is in the transitioning phase of his formation to the priesthood.

Deacon Chapa said that, while growing up, his family always talked about God. Over the years his family, his parish family at St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles and friends from school had—through their faith—influenced his call to the priesthood.

It seemed to him that he spent as much time at church as he did with his family, which included his parents Gabriel and Priscilla Chapa, his two sisters, Vanessa and Roxanne. Although Roxanne died at birth, she is still very much a part of his prayer life. He feels very strongly that Roxanne has been with him, helping him.

“As well as my life has gone—I had to have had some heavenly help—from someone or several someone’s. I don’t necessarily feel it all the time—sometimes it’s an act

of faith—it has to be,” he said.

He was always curious about the priesthood ever since he was a child. He remembers his pastor Msgr. Morgan Rowsome who had been the earliest and greatest inspiration to him. “I just saw how happy and how joyful he was. That was real attractive to me,” he said.

After graduating from Tuloso-Midway High School in Corpus Christi, Deacon Chapa enrolled at St. Edward’s University in Austin where he earned a bachelor’s degree and then was sent to Rome for his seminary training at the Pontifical North American College, whose slogan is “Forming priests for Jesus Christ in the heart of His Church.”

Being assigned to Rome presented a new set of challenges to Deacon Chapa.

Besides learning new languages—Latin and Italian—he had to broaden himself, make new friends and acquire a new support system. He had to reach out to his classmates, who were as homesick as he was. When he did reach out he realized he was not alone.

Like most seminarians, he has had some doubts but never about God. “I had doubts about if I have the strength, patience or endurance to give myself to God in the Church as fully as I knew I wanted or needed to. I knew I could do what needed to be done academically.

I only doubted myself,” he said. “I would question whether I could give up marriage, having a family and a certain bit of freedom when you take the vow of obedience. It was the human side of entering into a life

Deacon Eric Chapa prepares the altar after his ordination at St. Peter, Prince of the Apostle on July 1.

Monica Cardenas for South Texas Catholic

of sacrifice.”

To others who may be discerning a call to religious life or the priesthood, Deacon Chapa says that, “if you are open to the possibility—God’s not going to make you something you’re not.” Even if the individual confronts a life of sacrifice, God is not going to take away who he or she is. “He’s not going to change you into something you’re not. You’re still you. Whatever it is that makes you…will only be enhanced.

Don’t put limits on what God can make happen,” Deacon Chapa said.

Now that the promise to celibacy is actually a reality in his life he realizes that

August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 9

†† VOCATIONS

Deacon Chapa, happy in parishes and families

† VOCATIONS

as far as the church is concerned and as far as he is concerned he is “a married man, a spouse of the Church.”

“I still have to keep reminding myself in my heart—it’s a whole new reality. On the human level—not much is different. I don’t feel that much different, but I’m not a bachelor—I’m married to the church.”

When his parish ministry got started, once he got involved in people’s lives, he found it very rewarding—he did not feel lonely. It was not until he was assigned to parishes, during his seminary years, that he knew for sure that this was where God was going to make him happy. He served one summer at St. Joseph in Beeville and his pastoral year at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Corpus Christi.

The parish “is a joyful place for me–its like being with family.”

Last summer he worked at Scott and White Hospital in Temple for his Clinical Pastoral Education. For two-months he was in contact with the daily sufferings of people.

He said the experience reinforced what he learned at the parish, which was the value of just being a very simple presence to people—just a reassurance that we are all in it together—through the good times and through the suffering.

“I learned that you cannot solve people’s problems, you can just be there with them through it. And I think that if that’s true with physical problems, it’s just as true with more spiritual and emotional things that people in the parish would have. You may not be able to solve their problems, but you can be a companion on their journey for them. That’s always what I try to do with anybody,” Deacon Chapa said.

Deacon Chapa has been assigned to St. Pius X Parish and he is happy to be back in a parish and family environment once again.

To see more photos of this event go to:

South Texas

Catholic

SERVING THE CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF CORPUS CHRISTI

southtexascatholic.com/news/chapa

Bishop Mulvey lays hands on seminarian Eric Chapa during his ordination to the sacred order of deacons .

Mary Cottingham, South Texas Catholic August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 10

†† CATHOLIC EDUCATION

From left Auxiliary Bishop Adolph Marx, Mother Mary Benedict May, IWBS Superior of the Incarnate Word Convent and Msgr.

Michael J. Adams break ground for the new St. Pius X School.

Contributed photo

St. Pius X School, looking back 50 years Mary Cottingham South Texas Catholic

I

t was the fall of 1966 when St. Pius X Catholic School first opened its doors to 209 students.

Eight teachers taught in eight classrooms, one each for first through eighth grades. There were four Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament sisters and four lay teachers with Sister Aloysius Young, IWBS as school principal. Students learned the basics—reading, writing and arithmetic.

On Friday Aug. 19, the Corpus Christi school will celebrate its 50th anniversary beginning with Mass at 5:30 p.m. at St. Pius X Church, followed by a meal and entertainment at the parish’s Youth Center. All alumni are invited and are asked to wear royal blue.

Attending St. Pius X School had a profound impact

on Father Paul Hesse, current pastor of the parish and school.

“It made me a better student–intellectually and mentally. It’s one of the reasons I am a priest,” he said.

Father Hesse attended first-sixth grades at St. Pius X School in the 1970s. He remembers attending Mass at least three times a week. Those early years followed him into public school—it helped him try to be a good person and carry on the values he learned from grade school.

In the beginning, the older children—whose teams were known as the Fighting Blue Jays—played intramural sports with other parochial schools. In 1967, the press club created a newsletter called the St. Pius August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 11

†† CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Gazette, which was renamed the St. Pius Peek-A-Boo. The newsletter reported on milestones, seasonal trivia, games, science fairs and spelling bees, first Communions, confirmations, Masses for Catholic liturgical celebrations and graduations.

In the fall of 1970, Hurricane Celia damaged the school and classes were postponed for a few days so maintenance crews could repair the damage. A kindergarten class was added that year and seventh and eighth grade classes were dropped.

Today, St. Pius X School has 173 students in grades K3-sixth grade. While many things have changed, the basics remain the same.

Sister Jude Janocek, IWBS, taught at St. Pius X in the early years and in 1974-76 became the second principal of the school. The bonds she established with families and children in those years are strong even today. Their shared memories and the knowledge that these same students and families are still practicing their faith make seeing them all the more rewarding, she said.

Catholic schools today, Sister Jude said, have fewer religious and are staffed mostly by lay teachers and administrators. “They are very dedicated and could

12 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

receive a larger salary anywhere else, but they stay in Catholic schools to help children grow in their faith.

It’s a good thing,” Sister Jude said.

“Catholic schools are places of evangelization,” she said. “Sometimes parents who are not Catholic want their child to go to a Catholic elementary school, because they think their child will receive a better education and once in a while whole families come into the RCIA program, because their child wants to receive first Communion with their classmates.”

Sister Patrice Floyd, IWBS began teaching eighth grade when St. Pius X School first opened in 1966 and served as principal from 1976-82. She appreciated that the parents really respected the teachers and the teachers really admired the parents. The children knew that when they got into trouble in school, they would get in trouble at home—“the old fashioned way.”

Once, when Sister Patrice asked the children to pray for a mother who was very ill, a first grader almost beating her to class the next morning, announced that he had prayed all night and hoped she was better. She remembered teaching her students to dance—first it was all the girls who wanted to be indoors with the air

St. Pius X School's first graduating class appears with Msgr. Adams, Sister Aloysius Young, IWBS at left and Sister Patrice Floyd, IWBS at right.

Contributed Photo

† CATHOLIC EDUCATION

conditioner, instead of playing basketball on the uncovered outside court. Then one boy came in and soon all the rest followed.

“They were wonderful years—the best years, the best kids—that’s where I left my heart,” she said. “To this day I have great friends at St. Pius X.” In 1988, the sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament informed the school that due to a decline in vocations they would no longer be able to staff the school.

Following Sister Patrice as principal were Sister Dorothy Salazar, IWBS from 198283, Dr. Frank Lucido from 1983-88, Rene Gonzalez from 1988-96, Patricia Stegall from 1996-2003, Kathy Clark from 200313 and Bryan Krnavek from 2013 to the present.

Although the school has all the basic elements as when he went to school, Father Hesse said there are some changes in teaching. It is more technology-based.

“One of the things Principal Bryan

Krnavek will be implementing is the STEM program. It will probably involve robotics, active and hands on learning. I think a lot of it has to do with developing engineering skills. Public education is going that way.

It’s a big endeavor and we need to be on the cutting edge of that too,” Father Hesse said.

As pastor, he wants the school to thrive and touch the hearts of people.

“One of the beauties of having a school is that it adds a whole lot of life to the parish.

I always considered the school as an extension of the ministry of the parish—what we try to do is proclaim the Gospel—and the school is one of the ways we do that.

We touch a lot of young minds and hearts that way and help to form them and help them grow in their faith and hopefully that faith will carry on throughout their years,” Father Hesse said.

He said the school likes to tout the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in the atrium—it is their favorite. It is more

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Montessori-type religious education. “The students get a lot out of it and I have been impressed with how they incorporate the faith in their life. We teach Gospel values, moral of the month and virtue of the month,” Father Hesse said.

When he has time, Father Hesse loves to go into the classrooms and talk with students. He will ask them about their faith, what they are learning and sometimes they ask him what it is like being a priest.

“Not all of the students are Catholic, but I would say the bulk of them are. Nowadays we draw people from various parishes,” he said.

“I look at our kids and I say they’re just good kids. They really care for each other and they show a lot of heart for each other.

They look out for each other and they really want to see each other succeed. They are well-behaved and reverent. The same mindset and values are there and the parents are really involved in the school,” he said.

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Cathedral Sunday Mass, La Santa Misa, Our Shepherd’s View, Simmillas De Experanza, Labors of Love, and Con Permiso

For H-D Radio Information: KLUX.org August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 13

❝ The majority of them have given so much to the parish, and now it is their turn for us to let them know that we care. The homebound don’t ask for help, but when you speak to them and become aware of their situation, you feel compassion.❞ – Lillian Narvaez

I’m OK, You’re OK program director Lillian Narvaez places a call to a homebound parishioner.

Jessica Morrison for South Texas Catholic

14 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

Jessica Morrison Correspondent

I

n the Year of Mercy, and beyond, the faithful are called to perform corporal works of mercy, including visiting the sick and homebound. St. Patrick’s Parish in Corpus Christi has initiated a program called “I’m OK, You’re OK” that puts into action this call to service in a real and meaningful way.

With a background in serving both youth and seniors for more than 20 years, Lillian Narvaez has a strong desire for outreach wherever it is needed to keep families and the parish community together.

So when she began noticing that elderly parishioners were not able to attend Mass and church events due to illness or similar reasons, she posed the question, “Who stays in touch with them?”

Realizing that the homebound’s sole connection with the parish was holy Communion, Narvaez requested and received approval from pastor Msgr. Roger Smith to form a telephone ministry.

“I wanted to call them to ask if they were OK, so that’s where the idea came from,” Narvaez said. Beginning in November 2015, with help from volunteers in the parish—including the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion—the I’m OK, You’re OK program was formed.

Currently serving approximately 20 parishioners, the telephone ministry reaches out to elderly or homebound with weekly phone calls to provide information, pray together and most of all to listen. Through friendly conversation, ministry members update the homebound on upcoming events in the parish and answer any questions they may have.

Seeking to lift their spirits, the ministry keeps a written call log on each parishioner with the prior week’s discussions, needs and notes in order to effectively attend to each

situation with personal care.

“They are delightful and just want to talk,” Narvaez said. “They love to see the parish contacting them, so I make it a point to call from the rectory phone. In this way they are able to stay connected with the church and they appreciate it very much.”

Some are well-provided for and just want to know about the parish and to chat, while some are bedridden so their loved ones put them on speaker phone and sometimes interpret for them.

“I love talking with them, hoping to make a difference, even if just a little. Once you become ill and find yourself having to stay home, you feel disconnected from everyone. Our goal is to keep in contact so that the homebound do not lose touch or hope. The calls provide them with such joy, and it is so satisfying to know that you put a smile on their face that day,” Narvaez said.

Another benefit of this regular communication, is that the homebound feel comfortable in expressing their needs in terms of illnesses, recent or upcoming surgeries and appointments. Volunteers of the program and the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion help to run errands, facilitate home repairs, and deliver food for the homebound.

“By speaking with them, we find out where they need help and assist in picking up medication, scheduling bill payments, etc. Even if it’s a small deed that may seem menial, to the family it is large,” Narvaez said. “During the recent water boil, they were the first ones we thought of, so we called to inform them, and then through the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and our volunteers, we were able to deliver water to them on Sundays with their holy Communion.”

St. Patrick’s ministries such as the ACTS men and women, CCD program,

parish teen volunteers and schoolchildren work together to serve, including the homebound.

“The Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are a big part of our success,” Narvaez said. “Every month since our inception, we’ve been able to do something for the homebound, through a combination of good deeds via monetary and food donations in the parish.”

Additionally the ministry acts as a go-between to help communicate the need for priest visits for anointing of the sick and reconciliation for the homebound. St. Patrick’s also has a healing prayer group that includes the homebound in its service, and with prayer being among the greatest needs, those visited receive blessings.

“They greatly appreciate the prayers at their time of need to help them heal,” Narvaez said. “The majority of them have given so much to the parish, and now it is their turn for us to let them know that we care.

The homebound don’t ask for help, but when you speak to them and become aware of their situation, you feel compassion.”

Narvaez points out that during the Year of Mercy, the faithful should pray and do for those in need. But it should not stop when the Year of Mercy ends, it is an ongoing need.

Some people have a lot of family support, some have none. The basic needs are the same, something as simple as having someone listen to you. It is not that people are asking for a handout, just a hand.

“Today you called and I feel like I belong again to the church and I’m not forgotten,” a parishioner recently said to Narvaez.

It starts at the church, where Christ is the center, Narvaez said. People should not expect to come to church only to receive; they should also come to give. Helping the parish stay connected is important.

August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 15

† PARISH LIFE

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†† NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Corpus Christi Police Chief Michael Markle gave the commencement address to 46 local graduates at St. Leo University on June 24.

Contributed photo

Catholic Higher Ed offers flexibility, choices, spirituality Dayna Mazzei Worchel Correspondent

C

orpus Christi Police Chief Michael Markle said he was working nights at Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in 1988 after he finished his service as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy when he decided he wanted to become a police officer. He credits the Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice he earned from St. Leo University in 2010 with helping him to

advance through the ranks in his police career, eventually to the chief position.

St. Leo University, the third largest Catholic University in the United States with its main campus located in St. Leo, Florida, is one of two nationally known Catholic universities that offer classes in Corpus Christi and have helped a number of local professionals achieve success in their careers. The University of the Incarnate Word, based in San Antonio, also has a local campus.

Markle’s classes were accelerated and available at night. He finished the program at St. Leo’s local campus—located at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi—in 18-months and says that the university helped grow his values.

“At face value, the degree served me well.

I learned how to learn, write, communicate and complete tasks. A college education helps tremendously in those aspects,” Markle said.

August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 17

✝ NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Because it is a mandatory part of the degree program, he also took six hours of religion classes.

“This is important. We should stay grounded and shouldn’t learn just to learn, but learn with an objective and core values.

St. Leo does a great job of instilling those values,” he said.

Markle gave his very first commencement address to St. Leo’s 46 local graduates on June 24. Several of his officers were in the audience. He told the graduates to know and understand their values going into their professional lives. He told them “to know where they stand going in with their virtues. Life presents challenges and your virtues will guide you and give you a good base,” he said.

For Priscilla Johnson, the flexible accelerated programs at the University of the Incarnate Word’s Corpus Christi Center were a Godsend as she raised a family and worked full-time.

Johnson, now the academic counselor at the UIW Corpus Christi campus located at 5350 S. Staples Street, worked full time at the school’s campus as a clerk in the front office when it was located on the Del Mar College campus. She started out taking one class at a time after she finished working at 8 p.m.

“I was in my thirties and I was watching people graduate very quickly at UIW,” she said.

She earned both a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Information Systems in 2003 and a Master’s degree in Business Administration in 2006. Johnson

said she really loves her job, advising undergraduates on classes and curriculum.

“I like to watch students grow and blossom from start to finish. They reach a totally different level at the Priscilla Johnson. end and it’s awesome to watch,” she said.

She is quick to say that when a student makes a commitment to attend classes at UIW, it sometimes means foregoing family events and even children’s functions because of study or class time or projects.

She had to explain to her children she would often be very busy for a few years.

But the struggle was worth it in the end.

“When I graduated with my BBA, I could hear my son whistle,” Johnson said.

Both Coeta Montgomery, Director of Operations for the Corpus Christi Center of the UIW and Sarah Heydon, who is the Director for the Corpus Christi Education Center for the St. Leo University, say their schools offer flexible schedules and accelerated degree plans designed for working adults who have other commitments in their lives.

“Our students are mainly veterans and Corpus Christi Army Depot workers,” Heydon said. Civilians may attend, but must be cleared through base security, she said.

18 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

The classes at St. Leo University incorporate six core values: excellence, community, respect, personal development, responsible stewardship and integrity. “Our faculty and staff are expected to uphold these,” Heydon said.

The University students and staff perform community service and work with several local nonprofit associations, including Mission 911, a homeless organization.

Both schools offer eight-week terms instead of the traditional 16-week semester and have smaller class sizes so the instructors and students get to know each other well. Both also say that the costs are comparable to attending a public university.

“There are no fees and no costs for books. We subtract $85 off the total tuition cost and e-textbooks are offered to students for free,” Montgomery said.

The $85 comes off the top of each tuition bill from a scholarship provided

by UIW. The textbooks are free because administrators approached publishers and bought the electronic textbooks to give to students, Montgomery said.

At St. Leo University, while students do not pay the extra fees, they do pay for their books.

Markle said he is proud of his degree from St. Leo University and that they are a good school.

“We are very blessed to have the University of the Incarnate Word, St. Leo and TAMUCC here,” he said.

St. Leo Class of 2016 on June 24.

Contributed photo

† NEWS BRIEFS

For the good of the people of God in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Bishop Michael Mulvey has appointed Father John Tran Nguyen, OFM parochial administrator of St. Peter Parish in Fulton, effective July 1.

Bishop Mulvey also announced that newly ordained Transitional Deacon Eric Chapa would serve at St. Pius X Parish in Corpus Christi, Father John Tran Deacon Eric Chapa beginning on July 1. Nguuyen, OFM

Graduating class (undetermined year) at Santa Rosa de Lima School.

Contributed photo

Santa Rosa De Lima School to be honored at annual fiesta

Santa Rosa de Lima in Benavides will hold its 23rd Annual parish fiesta on Saturday, Aug. 20, beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Parish Hall and City of Benavides Park. This year the parish will recognize its school, which operated between 1951 and 1967.

Bishop Michael Mulvey will join the parish community in the celebration.

Santa Rosa de Lima School served students from kindergarten through the eighth grade. The school was under the direction of Dominican parish priests, the sisters from Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament in Corpus Christi as well as lay teachers.

The event is free and open to the public.

Site of proposed family detention center in San Diego.

Bishop calls for counties to abandon plans for family detention facility During the summer months, Bishop Michael Mulvey urged the Jim Wells and Duval County Commissioners Courts not to pursue the creation of a family detention facility in Jim Wells County with Australian for-profit contractor Serco and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Bishop Mulvey was responding to reports that the counties, Jim Wells in June and Duval in July, had been in discussion with DHS about converting La Hacienda Nursing Home in San Diego, closed for a number of years, into a secure detention facility in order to house women and children.

"Family detention, particularly the detention of children, is contrary to the tenets of Catholic social teaching and…will not better our community,” Bishop Mulvey said.

Since 2014, the state of Texas has been the site of the two largest family detention facilities in the country, in Dilley and in Karnes City. The facilities are operated by for profit contractors and incarcerate immigrant mothers and children arriving primarily from Central America.

The bishop added that the Duval County Commissioners actions bypassed the people of San Diego, which is contrary to another Catholic Social Teaching, that of subsidiarity, which holds that human affairs are best handled at the most local level possible, thus providing solutions closest to those affected.

The proposed facility would actually be located in Jim Wells County and the people in Jim Wells County rejected the facility through strong public opposition and a vote of the Jim Wells County Commissioners.

"Now, Duval County is acting against the will of the people of Jim Wells in their own county. As a faith leader, I believe strongly that local communities and local people often hold the keys to local solutions and that we must let community voices lead us in discussions on what we want our communities to look like and what values we want them to reflect," Bishop Mulvey said.

August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 19

† NEWS FROM

Rebecca Esparza

A

Correspondent

lmost two years ago, Silvia Torres— just 21-years-old at the time—was three-months pregnant when her doctors in her home of Brownsville suggested terminating her pregnancy. Two of the three children in her womb were conjoined. Conjoined twins, doctors warned her, had a low chance of making it to full term and even if they survived delivery somehow, their chances of surviving an operation to separate them were grim.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the birth of conjoined twins is rare. Approximately 40-60 percent arrive stillborn. Thirty-five percent survive only one day. The Center estimates the overall survival rate is between 5 and 25 percent.

“I remember thinking, this is not your call,” Torres said, with tears in her eyes. “I remember thinking, we are nobody to take a life, especially three unborn babies. This is God’s will. I refused to listen to the doctors, even though they warned me my own life was also at risk.”

Since Torres, a Catholic, refused to abort her children, doctors sent her to Corpus Christi, where she spent the next five-months admitted at Bay Area Medical Center. When the babies were born, they were immediately transferred to Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

“From the very beginning, I had faith that God would bring us through this,” she said. “Once they were born, I was prepared to accept God’s will, even if that meant God wanted these children back. It would have been heartbreaking and I cried so much, because I am human, but I was prepared to accept God’s will and decision.”

Torres, who is now a single mother, is also mother to three-year-old Raul. The triplets, Scarlett, Ximena and Catalina were born on May 16, 2015. Catalina was born without any complications. Scarlett and Ximena were born conjoined at the pelvis and shared a colon and bladder.

Soon after their arrival at Driscoll, a team of doctors, surgeons and nurses who cared for the conjoined twins, immediately began to assess how to separate the girls with a landmark surgery that had never been performed at the hospital before. They spent months studying the girls before deciding on how to approach the complex separation surgery.

20 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

The Torres triplets recently celebrated their first birthday with family.

Pictured from left, maternal grandmother, Norma Almaguer, holding Scarlett, mom Silvia Torres carrying Raul, Catalina is sitting in a highchair in front of them and Pilar Torres, paternal grandmother, is carrying Ximena.

Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

M THE DIOCESE

August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 21

✝ NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Driscoll Children’s Hospital physicians Angelina Bhandari, Jane Lyon, Vanessa Dimas, Karl Maher, Omar Cruz-Diaz and Miguel DeLeon say goodbye to former conjoined twins Scarlett and Ximena Hernandez-Torres, who left the hospital on May 18, five weeks after their separation surgery April 15.

Contributed photo

They held bi-weekly meetings so that surgeons could review x-rays together. Each surgeon shared their game plan for their part of the surgery.

Dr. Kevin S. Hopkins, craniomaxillofacial, plastic and re-constructive surgeon at Driscoll Children’s Hospital said CT scans were done of the twins so doctors could visualize what they needed to do during surgery.

"Using 3-D models made to the exact specifications of the twins was useful for orthopedics, for all the surgeons, so we could see where we needed to make cuts. Just to be able to visualize it with the model was a great help,” Dr. Hopkins said.

Dr. Hopkins, who was born and raised a Catholic, said his faith in God played a huge role in his caring for the conjoined twins.

“I always pray before every surgery, but I think I prayed more than one time for these kids,” he said.

“Having the community and people from around the world praying for us meant a lot. You could sense a positive force that helped guide us.”

Dr. Haroon Patel, pediatric surgeon and team leader at Driscoll Children’s Hospital said most surgeons in this country would never come across a case like this in their lifetime. He said the odds of a triplet birth involving conjoined twins is 1 in 50 million.

“I’m a person of faith. I’m Muslim, but just because we don’t all subscribe to the same faith, we all believe in something. I believe these conjoined twins were designed for a purpose. I don’t believe there was a flaw in the design, but from my faith, I believe for whatever 22 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

reason, God determined these kids should be put here, in this form,” Dr. Patel explained.

He said there were many different ways the twins’ story could have played out, not all of them positive.

“I firmly believe their fate was in God’s hands.

As doctors, we are given the know-how and ability to take care of them, but their fate ultimately sits in another super-being’s hands. We fix things and God heals them,” he said.

Before the operation was performed, the family asked that the twins be baptized. Father Chris Becerra came over from nearby St. Patrick Parish to administer the sacrament.

The historic 12-hour surgical procedure to separate the conjoined-twins performed on April 15 prompted worldwide publicity and prayers. The surgery was deemed a success and the twins were released from the hospital one-month later.

The twins are seen at the hospital almost daily for doctor’s appointments, physical therapy sessions and other medical appointments.

Torres is thankful to the support not only from the South Texas community, but also from people around the world. Gifts have been dropped off and mailed to the Ronald McDonald House—which has been the family’s home throughout the ordeal—for the girls, including handmade blankets, clothing, toys and even special Catholic medallions blessed by Pope Francis.

“God has sent me a lot of angels, from the doctors, surgeons, nurses who care for the girls, to everyone

† NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Father Chris Becerra from nearby St. Patrick Parish baptizes Scarlett and Ximena, before their surgery.

Contributed photo

who has prayed for them around the world. People love them and I truly appreciate all the love, support and prayers. I think the fighting spirit of the girls have given us all a reminder to never give up,” Torres said.

She has already been thinking about the future and goals for her family.

“Eventually, I would like to become an Army nurse.

Thanks to the daily medical needs of Scarlett and Ximena, I’m getting hands-on training for a career in the medical field,” she said with a smile. “I might as well make it official!”

Scarlett and Ximena will both need surgeries in the future. Today, they both have feeding and colostomy bags. Eventually, doctors hope to remove the bags, as they grow older.

Just one month after being released from the hospital, one of the girls had a major milestone: eating applesauce from a spoon. Torres said she is thankful for the milestones, however small.

Michelle Horine, executive director at the Ronald McDonald House, is also Godmother to one of the triplets. The entire staff at the House as well as other families staying there lent their support to Torres during the weeks leading up to the surgery, as well as afterwards.

“While we were in the waiting room during the surgery, I was as nervous as if it was one of my own children,” Horine said. “The hospital did a great job of giving the family an isolated area to wait during the surgery. Before the surgery started, we all gathered

in prayer with the hospital chaplain. Every hour on the hour the doctors came and gave us updates. They started at 8:30 a.m. and by 11:30 a.m. Scarlett and Ximena were already separated.”

Horine said it was a day she will remember in great detail for the rest of her life.

“It was a family effort, between the hospital, the staff and families at the Ronald McDonald House.

This experience changed my faith for the better. I want to give these girls a role model of a life dedicated to Christ,” Horine said.

Today, Torres said her faith in God is helping her through the tough days.

“I’ve learned to live life to its fullest, everyday. And everyday I give thanks to God for seeing Ximena and Scarlett through their grueling surgery,” she said, stumbling and speaking through her tears. “Someday I hope my daughters will walk. Right now, the doctors are not sure they will walk. If not, that’s OK. I will be here for them every single day, for the rest of my life. But I just have to remind myself God has the final say.”

To see more photos of this event go to:

South Texas

Catholic

SERVING THE CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF CORPUS CHRISTI

southtexascatholic.com/news/twins August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 23

Help Us Prevent Financial Abuse The Diocese of Corpus Christi at the recommendation of the Diocesan Financial Council and Presbyteral Council have furthered their commitment to good stewardship and nancial accountability on behalf of generous donors by instituting a nancial abuse hotline.

The Diocese of Corpus Christi has selected an independent third party, The Network, to provide you with a new way to anonymously and condently report nancial abuse and fraud. Employees, parishioners, volunteers, vendors and other interested parties will be encouraged to report concerns they have regarding nancial misconduct within the Diocese of Corpus Christi. All inquiries will be treated promptly and discreetly. Callers will have the right to remain anonymous.

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The Singing For Christ Ministry is looking for a guitarist to join us in bringing a little touch of Jesus to our brothers and sisters in Christ in nursing homes. Visits are once a week to a nursing home singing English and Spanish songs.

†

“Well done good and Faithfull Servant your faithful Service is an offering to God.” –Matthew 25:21

Juan Olivares (361) 739-5364 Juan5Olivares@gmail.com 24 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

Bishop Michael Mulvey and the staff of the Office for Safe Environment and Child and Family Resources are committed to assisting in the healing process for victims and survivors of abuse.

If you or someone you know is in need of such services, call Stephanie Bonilla, Director of the Office for Safe Environment and Child and Family Resources at: (361) 693-6686 (office) or (361) 658-8652 (cell) for immediate assistance.

Office for Safe Environment and Child and Family Resources

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Pick up your copies at the Chancery Office: 620 Lipan, Corpus Christi or call Adel Rivera at (361) 693-6605 and reserve your copies now!

†† VIDA CATÓLICA

Cursillistas presentes en la ultima ultreya ínter parroquial que se celebro la primer semana de junio en la parroquia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús en Odem. Las ultreyas parroquiales siempre tienen mucho animo y han tenido mucho éxito.

Foto contribuido

El movimiento de cursillo en la diócesis implementa un plan pastoral Consuelo Martínez Contribuidor

L

a Escuela de Lideres de el Movimiento de Cursillos de Cristiandad esta ejecutando un plan pastoral con lideres de las localidades en la diócesis de Corpus Christi participando. Muchos Cursillistas que han completado un Cursillo se encuentran involucrados en múltiples ministerios en sus parroquias ayudando las a crecer su comunidad cristiana.

El Movimiento de Cursillos de habla español buscan servir a muchos ambientes de familia hispano que son lideres y quieren servir en la iglesia. Ellos, en practicando

su fe, están dedicándose al trabajo en sus parroquias y sus ambientes. Por esta razón la Escuela de Dirigentes promueve el nuevo plan pastoral utilizando el método que ofrece el Movimiento de Cursillos de Cristiandad.

La objetiva es de poner en practica en la vivienda lo fundamental cristiano con su manera de vivir la gracia manteniendo el ánimo y perseverando con ultreyas y reuniones a través de sus localidades en toda la diócesis. Las ultreyas de las localidades rurales apoyan a la Escuela de Dirigentes hospedando cada mes ultreyas inter parroquiales donde se reúnen cursillistas hispanos

de toda la diócesis.

La mayoría del liderazgo laical se encuentra comprometido dando vida a la iglesia en sus ambientes. El desarrollo del plan pastoral esta logrando vertebrar cristiandad. El esfuerzo de los lideres comprometidos están trabajando unidos, integrando sus fuerzas para evangelizar donde Dios los ha plantado.

La Escuela de Dirigentes bajo la dirección espiritual del padre Ángel Montana y los lideres vocales compuestos por el director laico Manuel Rangel, y los vocales del Pre, Cuy, y Post de la escuela es decir Fidel García, María Mendoza, Beatriz Espinosa, María

August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 25

† VIDA CATÓLICA

Castillo están facilitando un continuo esfuerzo de mantener integrado las partes del plan pastoral uniendo la escuela y el liderazgo de las localidades, haciendo todo

lo que puede dar a través del Movimiento de Cursillos de Cristiandad en la iglesia.

Este año, el próximo Cursillo para hombres será el 20 a 23 de octubre y para mujeres el 3

a 6 de noviembre. Para información llame a Fidel Garcia en el (361) 343-0019, a María Mendoza en el (361) 668- 3933 o a María Castillo en el (361) 368-8187.

Lideres y representantes que están trabajando con la Escuela de Dirigentes ofreciendo información para unir el trabajo y éxito de la evangelización del movimiento, son (de izquierda) Fidel García de Mathis, Esperanza Duran de Alice, María Pacheco de Alice, Rosario Cruz de Beeville, Moisés Romero de Sinton y Marisela Nevarez de Odem.

Foto contribuido

Ayudenos a Prevenir el Abuso Financiero La Diócesis de Corpus Christi por medio de la recomendación del Concilio Diocesano de Finanzas y el Concilio Presbiteral han llevado su dedicación mas allá para la buena administración y responsabilidad nanciera en nombre de donantes generosos al instituir un “hotline” para reportar el abuso nanciero.

La Diócesis de Corpus Christi ha seleccionado un tercer partido independiente, La Red, para proporcionarle a usted con una manera para reportar anónima y condencialmente el abuso nanciero e fraude. Los empleados, los parroquianos, los voluntarios, los vendedores, y otros partidos interesados estan impulsados para reportar las preocupaciones que tengan respeto a la conducta de påca ética nanciera dentro de la Diócese de Corpus Christi.

Todas las investigaciones serán tradas inmediatamente y discretamente.

Personas que llamen tienen el derecho de mantenerse anónimas.

Llamada 1-877-571-9748

Obispo Michael Mulvey y el personal de la Oficina de un Ambiente Seguro y de Servicios para Niños y Familia se comprometen a ayudar en el proceso de curación de las víctimas y sobrevivientes de abuso.

Si usted o alguien que usted conoce está en necesidad de estos servicios, llame a Stephanie Bonilla, Director de la Oficina de un Ambiente Seguro y de Servicios para Niños y Familia: (361) 693-6686 (oficina) ó (361) 658-8652 (celular) para asistencia inmediata.

Oficina de un Ambiente Seguro y de Servicios para Niños y Familia

26 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

“Con Permiso”

Programa de Radio en Español en KLUX 89.5 HD-1 y “Listen Live” en KLUX.org Domingos a las 7:30 a.m. con el P. Julian Cabrera y Gloria Romero

†† VIDA CATÓLICA

Escuelas católicas tienen tres pilares: fe, conocimiento, y servicio Luisa Scolari Corresponsal

L

a educación en escuelas católicas es de gran importancia para los hogares católicos, ya que los padres buscan educar a sus hijos congruentemente a los valores que se viven en casa. En la Diócesis de Corpus Christi hay 14 escuelas primarias, dos escuelas secundarias, y dos preparatorias; esparcidas entre las ciudades de Alice, Kingsville, Rockport, Robstown y Corpus Christi.

La Oficina de Educación Católica en la diócesis supervisa estas escuelas, bajo la dirección de superintendente Rosemary Henry, quien tiene mas de 20 años de experiencia en educación en escuelas católicas, inclusivo mas recientemente como maestra de ingles en Ecuador. Henry tiene un título de doctorado de Texas Women’s University en estudios de la familia, con énfasis en el matrimonio y terapia familiar.

Henry tiene experiencia en elaboración e

implementación de programas curriculares y desarrollo de programas educativos de preescolar hasta universitarios. También tiene experiencia en mejoramiento de procesos de acreditación, planeación estratégica, y mejoramiento de instituciones.

“Las escuelas católicas ponen a Cristo como centro de la educación, es por eso

que se enseñan, además de las materias académicas requeridas por el distrito escolar, las materias de religión y teología”, Henry dijo.

Las escuelas también se imparten las materias de arte, música, teatro, coro, deportes y un programa de atletismo. Los estudiantes también participan en programas de ayuda a la comunidad, recolectando ropa y alimentos

Rosemary Henry, superintendente de las escuelas católicas de la diócesis de Corpus Christi, inicio un programa nuevo para educar al pueblo de la importancia de una educación católica.

Luisa Scolari para el South Texas Catholic August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 27

† VIDA CATÓLICA

para los mas necesitados. Se les estimula y promueve el liderazgo escolar, la amistad, el compañerismo y el pensamiento creativo.

Las escuelas católicas tienen tres pilares: fe, conocimiento, y servicio.

“Lo mas importante que ofrece la educación católica a sus estudiantes es la oportunidad de crecer en la fe y desarrollar su relación con Jesús para construir un carácter integro y sean lideres de nuestra iglesia y entiendan y respeten la dignidad de todas las personas”, Henry dijo. “Que sean capaces de tomar buenas decisiones basadas en sus valores morales, siendo grandes pensadores y servidores a nuestra comunidad. Pero sobre todo, lo mas importante es que los alumnos estudian en un ambiente en el que se viven los valores católicos.”

Los alumnos en las escuelas católicas tienen la oportunidad de asistir a misa una vez por semana, y en preparatoria diariamente si así lo desean. Los alumnos de primaria y secundaria reciben clases de religión diariamente y los de preparatoria reciben clases en teología.

Se ofrece también consejería estudiantil de acorde a los valores católicos y orientación y consejería. En caso de que la escuela donde el estudiante esta matriculado no cuenta con ese servicio, se canaliza a donde se ofrece.

La Diócesis de Corpus Christi actualmente tiene inscritos en sus escuelas 3.600 alumnos que son atendidos por 218 maestros.

Las escuelas católicas en todos sus niveles proveen un excelente medida académico. Todos titulados son preparados y atendidos con capacitaciones continuas de actualización. El 99 porciento de los graduados asistan al colegio.

“El buen resultado que obtenemos en nuestros estudiantes, en

gran parte se debe a que trabajamos junto con sus familias, unidos padres y maestros, para el bien del estudiante”, Henry dijo. “Es por eso que se promueven actividades de convivencia como ir a comer el almuerzo con los hijos, competencias deportivas, y algunos viajes de convivencia, ya que valoramos la importancia de que los padres estén involucrados en la escuela de sus hijos”.

La superintendente invita a todas las familias interesadas a que soliciten una visita a las escuela católica en su comunidad o vecindad.

Dijo ella que todos los estudiantes son importantes sin importar su estatus económico. La diócesis cuenta con un sistema de becas para ayudar a las familias que lo necesiten.

Cada aula cuenta con una población de 15 a 20 estudiantes al cual asisten uniformados. El uso de uniforme evita la distracción y competencia de los estudiantes y resulta mas practico y económico para los padres.

El próximo ciclo escolar, la diócesis implementara en todas sus escuelas un nuevo sistema llamado STEM por sus siglas en ingles para: ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas. Maestros están asistiendo a sesiones de capacitación para este nuevo programa. El nuevo programa se aplicara en cada salón, trabajando por proyectos en los que se incorporan las ciencias y las artes, procedimientos ordenados para que el salón de clases sea seguro.

“El objetivo de las escuelas católicas es formar estudiantes para actuar éticamente, de una manera respetuosa, tomando buenas decisiones de acuerdo a su fe incluyéndola en su vida para ser exitosos en su familia, negocios, y en su iglesia, siendo unos dignos embajadores de Dios”, Henry dijo.

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Luisa Buttler Correspondent

C

arlos Cesar Uria Trello and his wife Liset Uria Lopez arrived in Texas as refugees in 2006, after political unrest in Cuba. They brought their two daughters and a dream of a better life. They did not know the language or the culture of the country that took them in and they had

no money.

“We didn’t know how to use a phone or take the bus. We had never even driven a car before. All we had was our family and the strength God gave us,” Carlos Uria said. “When we came here from Cuba, we were scared and faced many challenges.”

Fortunately for the Uria family, Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi helps individuals and families—who are escaping war and persecution in their own country—to resettle in the United States. It assists refugees with housing, employment, language and assimilation into their new American surroundings and culture.

According to the most recent statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly 34,000 people are forcibly displaced from their homes everyday as a result of conflict or persecution. Approximately 14 percent of the displaced are being resettled in the Americas, including in South Texas.

Many of the refugees who are helped by the Immigration Services Department of Catholic Charities, in conjunction with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, are Burmese and are relocated to Port Lavaca in the Diocese of Victoria where there is a company willing to provide them employment, said Kim Seger head of Catholic Charities’ immigration and refugee services.

The Urias were first assisted by Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of San Antonio, and were then referred to Corpus Christi and assisted by Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi.

“This strange country welcomed us with open arms, support, compassion and generosity,” Carlos Uria said. “The people at Catholic Charities guided us through our challenges, and we will remember and rejoice in that for the rest of our lives.”

Speaking through a Spanish to English translator, Carlos and Liset Uria gave their refugee testimonial at a lunchtime meeting hosted by the Immigration Services Department at the Catholic Charities office on June 28. The meeting was open to the public

Liset Uria Lopez and her husband Carlos Cesar Uria Trello, Cuban refugees, are grateful to Catholic Charities for helping them resettle in Corpus Christi.

Luisa Buttler for the South Texas Catholic

and welcomed anyone with a specific interest in immigration and refugee programs.

“We hope that Catholic Charities will continue this refugee program,” Liset Uria said. “It gives those fleeing their country peace of mind that life can be better.”

This year, the Urias celebrate 27-years of marriage and they now have three children. Their oldest daughter graduated with honors from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and was recently married. Their middle daughter will enter the 11th August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 29

†† NATIONAL NEWS

Sheltering the homeless includes refugees

† NATIONAL NEWS

grade at Roy Miller High School and is a passionate violin player. Their eight-year-old boy is enrolled in a gifted and talented magnet program at Windsor Park Elementary.

“My children are more American than most Americans,” Carlos Uria said jokingly. “They are proud, yet humble.”

In this Holy Year of Mercy, Pope Francis calls on all Christians to shelter the homeless, including those in their backyard and beyond. The Holy Father has petitioned on behalf of immigrants and refugees from the first days of his papacy.

“Faced with the tragedy of tens of thousands of refugees fleeing death on account of war and hunger, and who are traveling toward a hope for life, the

Gospel calls us to be ‘neighbors’ to the smallest and abandoned, (and) to give them a concrete hope,” Pope Francis said. “Therefore, in the imminence of the Year of Mercy, I make an appeal to the parishes, to religious communities, to monasteries and sanctuaries…to express the concreteness of the Gospel, and to welcome a family of refugees.”

Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi plans to host quarterly meetings on the topic of immigration and refugee resettlement. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 4. For more information, call Seger, immigration attorney and director of immigration services at Catholic Charities, at (361) 884-0651, ext. 228 or email her at KSeger@diocesecc.org.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York visits a displacement center in Dawodiya, Iraq on April 10. The center holds refugees displaced from Mosul when ISIS attacked in June 2014, with about 60-70 percent Yazidi refugees.

Others are Christians, Muslims and a few other small minority religions.

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†† VATICAN

Father Prince Kuruvila's sister, Sister Alphonsa with and Mother Theresa.

Memories of a saint

A

s the canonization of Mother Teresa nears, Father Prince Kuruvila, pastor of St. John of the Cross in Orange Grove, is overcome by memories of his family’s personal relationship with the future saint. Growing up in India, Father Kuruvila had the privilege of meeting Mother Teresa on numerous occasions.

“I remember when Mother Teresa would come to the parish she would give us candies,” Father Kuruvila said. “Of course she wasn’t well known or famous back then. It was only after she received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 people became aware of her. “ In May 1964, Mother Teresa came to the state of Kerala—Father Kuruvila’s home—to establish a new house for her Missionaries of Charity. It so happened that a man who worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta recommended she contact Father Anthony Manipadam, a Jesuit priest and Father Kuruvila’s uncle, for help and she stayed at his home.

It was the beginning of a longstanding relationship between the Kuruvila family and Mother Teresa.

Mother Teresa was born on Aug. 26, 1910 in Skopje in modern Macedonia. At the age of 18, she moved to Ireland and 32 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

Contributed photo

then to India, where she lived for most of her life. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in India to operate hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis; soup kitchen; dispensaries; mobile clinics; children’s family counseling programs; orphanages; and schools Two of Father Kuruvila’s aunts from Kerala had gone to Calcutta in 1954 to join Mother Teresa’s congregation. In 1961, his sister also entered the convent for the Missionaries of Charity. Later 10 other local girls joined the congregation.

“So Mother Teresa came often to my home parish visiting the families of the girls who joined,” Father Kuruvila said.

“When my sister wanted to join the convent of Mother Teresa, my dad didn’t want my sister to leave the family. She was the first-born and he loved her very much. He asked her to wait and consider and pray. About a year later, she still wanted to enter Mother Teresa’s order.”

Their father recognized that “It must be God’s Plan” and he took his daughter to Calcutta. Mother Teresa met them at the train station and christened her Sister Alphonsa, which pleased her father greatly because that was the name of the first saint from India. St. Alphonsa actually taught Father Kuruvila’s mother in elementary school. So his parents had a

When Father Kuruvila’s father died, Mother Teresa sent this handwritten letter to his mother. Sister Alphonsa was in the novitiate in Calcutta and could not come home. A few years later when Mother Theresa visited the area, she went to the family’s home to console the family.

Contributed photo

heart towards the Hindu priest, the Hindus said that Mother Teresa must be the incarnation of their Goddess Kali. After that Hindu people in Calcutta honored Mother Teresa and her nuns as they honored their Goddess Kali, the Hindu Goddess of Time and Change.

“Mother Teresa was the human icon of the Divine Mercy.” Father Kuruvila said. “She loved the poorest of the poor, and was always compassionate to the needy. She saw Jesus in everyone even in people who belonged to other religions. She surrendered her life to Jesus and the poor. She loved the Blessed Virgin Mary. The blue border on her sari is the symbol of her love for the Blessed Mother. Whenever Mother Teresa met someone she would make the sign of the cross on their forehead saying, ‘May God Bless You.’ She greeted everyone this way and gave them a miraculous medal of Blessed Virgin Mary. It is with very tender feelings that I remember her blessings to me.”

On Oct. 19, 2003, Mather Teresa was beatified as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. In December 2015, Pope Francis accepted a second miracle resulting from her intercession, paving the way for her to be recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.

Her canonization is scheduled for Sept. 4.

Father Prince Kuruvila with Mother Teresa.

Contributed photo August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 33

† VATICAN

great devotion to St. Alphonsa. Her father died before Sister Alphonsa made her vows.

“My sister, who later became the superior of the novices in Calcutta, was a very outspoken person,” Father Kuruvila said. “After being there for quite sometime she missed all our siblings. There were eight of us, five boys and three girls, and of course she missed our mother. She wanted to come home for a visit, but the congregation’s rule was one visit every 10-years.”

The high-spirited Sister Alphonsa wrote to Mother Teresa questioning that rule to which Mother Teresa replied, “I too miss my family and desire to see them, but it has been over 40-years since I have seen them. Remember, Sister Alphonsa, we both committed our lives to Jesus.”

After becoming a Jesuit priest, Father Kuruvila was studying for his masters in theology in Rome. He often celebrated Mass at Mother Teresa’s convent. When Mother Teresa was there she expected no special treatment, no special seat at Mass. She took the Eucharist in line with all the other nuns.

“It was only because I already knew her that I was aware of her presence. I recall an occasion after Mass while having breakfast, Mother Teresa sent a nun to me to make sure that I was comfortable and had everything I needed. Such was her concern and thoughtfulness towards priests,” he said.

Once, while visiting his sister in Calcutta, he announced his departure after having celebrated Mass. Mother Teresa said, “Father, you must bless us before you leave.”

“For her a priest’s blessing was Jesus’ blessing. It was a great honor for me to have blessed Mother Teresa,” Father Kuruvila said.

In the town of Kalight near Calcutta there is a hospice for the sick, destitute and the dying started by Mother Teresa in 1952. Before Mother Teresa sought permission to use it, the building was an old abandoned Hindu temple. The Hindus, under the leadership of a Hindu priest, protested because they feared Mother Teresa would convert all the Hindus to Christianity. Mother Teresa did not respond. She continued her service to the poor.

Later the Hindu priest who had protested was infected with leprosy. He was rejected by his Hindu community.

Then Mother Teresa accepted him to her hospice and took care of him. By seeing her compassionate and forgiving

† OUR FAITH

Forgive offenses willingly Father J. Patrick Serna Father J. Patrick Serna is pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Sinton.

I

Contributor

t has been said that the three most difficult challenges for Christians are Christ’s command for us to carry our crosses and follow in his footsteps, to love our enemies and to forgive offenses not once, but many times.

The biblical basis for the fifth spiritual work of mercy is found, in a preeminent way, in the words of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew, when Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times (Mt 18:21-22).”

The number seven is considered one of the “perfect numbers” in the Bible. Add a zero to the number seven (which is 70), and you have a “more perfect” number. What Jesus tells Peter, in effect, is, to forgive a perfect number of times.

There is an old saying, and we would all do well to remember it. The saying goes like this: “What offends us, was usually not meant to offend us.” Think about the times people have been offended by something you said or did. Did you really mean for your action to be received offensively? Probably not. In the same way, the people who offended you, probably did not intend to offend you.

I am reminded of a time that I tried to find another priest to celebrate a Funeral Mass for me, since I was taking medicine which required me to take frequent “breaks.” I could not find a priest, and sure enough, halfway through the Funeral Mass, I had to take a serious “break.”

When Mass was over I bypassed the shaking of hands and did not say farewells, I simply felt like the world would end if I did not visit the men’s room as quickly as possible. Sure enough, family members were offended and let it be known that I disliked their family and would not shake their hands, and so on. Whether I meant to offend or not, I did indeed offend them. What offended them was not meant to offend them, however.

It is so tempting to try to forgive only when

34 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

the other asks for forgiveness, or only when enough explanations and apologies have been given will we try to forgive. But, we are expected to forgive willingly, even if forgiveness is not requested.

To forgive willingly means that we do our best to cut loose the strings of unforgiveness.

We should all remember the sobering words of Jesus, when he said: “For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you (Mt 7:2).”

In other words, if you were generous with giving forgiveness, then you can expect to receive much forgiveness on Judgment Day. If you were not generous, or willing, in giving out forgiveness, then do not expect generous forgiveness on your Judgment Day. These are sobering words, and should temper our demands for justice, they should squash our temptations of ill will or revenge.

The word “willingly” calls us to something more than to do the right thing because of “what goes around comes around.” To forgive “willingly” calls us to giving forgiveness simply because it is a good thing, not just because we want to be forgiven more generously on Judgment Day. To forgive willingly heals the soul, it heals the heart, it brings one closer to God and to others, and it allows us to rid ourselves of a burden. In short, there are unlimited benefits to forgiving others willingly!

Here is an interesting insight which can give us needed help, when it feels too difficult to forgive someone willingly. When one forgives another, the one receiving forgiveness is frequently unaffected by the forgiveness, and sometimes they are not even aware that they needed to be forgiven! However, the one who forgives is totally affected and freed of a toxic burden that previously was a source of very damaging and unnecessary negativity.

In other words, forgiving someone else has more to do with giving freedom to the one who forgives, than to the one who receives

† OUR FAITH

forgiveness. Pause, and think about that for a little while.

There is a common misunderstanding to the whole forgiveness issue, and it is a misunderstanding which frequently creates much damage. The misunderstanding I speak of pertains to the allowing of bad boundaries or toxic relationships, predicated on the false notion that Christian forgiveness is tantamount to bad boundaries.

Such is not the case! If a business partner cheats another business partner, then by all means forgiveness should be granted, but healthy boundaries should be put into place so that a recurrence will be less likely or not likely at all.

If two people historically fight when in the same room, which then leads to new sins, new family divisions and argumentation, then the two should work on forgiving each other and then give serious consideration to keeping healthy boundaries for the sake of the peace and good of all.

Saints Peter and Paul were known to lock horns whenever in the same room together. These two saints forgave and made peace with each other, but they had the common sense to make good boundaries, which removed the danger of new sins of fighting or divisions.

To forgive willingly does not mean that we should put ourselves into toxic situations, living agreements or gatherings. Which is more loving, to forgive a drug addict and lovingly give him a room in a home with little children, or to love and protect children from a person with drug addiction who could hurt them or be a bad influence?

The command for us to forgive willingly is a command to love. Granting forgiveness to one might look one way, granting forgiveness to another might look a different way, and this is where the virtue of prudence comes in.

“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you (Jn 15:12).”

AUGUST LITURGICAL CALENDAR Aug. 1 | Mon | Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church | white | Memorial | Jer 28:117/Mt 14:13-21 (407) Aug. 2 | Tue | Weekday | green/ white/white [Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop; Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Priest] Jer 30:1-2, 12-15, 1822/Mt 14:22-36 or 15:1-2, 10-14 (408) Aug. 3 | Wed | Weekday | green | Jer 31:1-7/Mt 15:21-28 (409) Aug. 4 | Thu | Saint John Vianney, Priest | white | Memorial | Jer 31:3134/Mt 16:13-23 (410) Aug. 5 | Fri | Weekday | green/white [The Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major] Na 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7/Mt 16:24-28 (411) Aug. 6 | Sat | The Transfiguration of the Lord | white | Feast | Dn 7:9-10, 13-14/2 Pt 1:16-19/Lk 9:28b-36 (614) Pss Prop Aug. 7 | SUN | NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME | green Wis 18:6-9/Heb 11:1-2, 8-19 or 11:1-2, 8-12/Lk 12:32-48 or 12:35-40 (117) Pss III Aug. 8 | Mon | Saint Dominic, Priest

| white | Memorial | Ez 1:2-5, 24-28c/ Mt 17:22-27 (413) Aug. 9 | Tue | Weekday | green/red [Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr] | Ez 2:8—3:4/Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 (414) Aug. 10 | Wed | Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr | red | Feast | 2 Cor 9:6-10/Jn 12:24-26 (618) Pss Prop Aug. 11 | Thu | Saint Clare, Virgin | white | Memorial | Ez 12:1-12/Mt 18:21—19:1 (416) Aug. 12 | Fri | Weekday | green/white [Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, Religious] Ez 16:1-15, 60, 63 or 16:5963/Mt 19:3-12 (417) Aug. 13 | Sat | Weekday | green/red/ white [Saints Pontian, Pope, and Hippolytus, Priest, Martyrs; BVM] Ez 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32/Mt 19:13-15 (418) Aug. 14 | SUN | TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME | green Jer 38:4-6, 8-10/Heb 12:1-4/Lk 12:4953 (120) Pss IV Aug. 15 | Mon | THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY | white | Solemnity | [not a Holyday of

Obligation] Vigil: 1 Chr 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2/1 Cor 15:54b-57/Lk 11:27-28 (621) Day: Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab/1 Cor 15:20-27/Lk 1:39-56 (622) Pss Prop Aug. 16 | Tue | Weekday | green/ white [Saint Stephen of Hungary] Ez 28:1-10/Mt 19:23-30 (420)

Aug. 23 | Tue | Weekday | green/ white [Saint Rose of Lima, Virgin] 2 Thes 2:1-3a, 14-17/Mt 23:23-26 (426) Aug. 24 | Wed | Saint Bartholomew, Apostle | red | Feast | Rv 21:9b-14/Jn 1:45-51 (629) Pss Prop

Aug. 17 | Wed | Weekday | green | Ez 34:1-11/Mt 20:1-16 (421)

Aug. 25 | Thu | Weekday | green/ white/white [Saint Louis; Saint Joseph Calasanz, Priest] 1 Cor 1:1-9/ Mt 24:42-51 (428)

Aug. 18 | Thu | Weekday | green | Ez 36:23-28/Mt 22:1-14 (422)

Aug. 26 | Fri | Weekday | green | 1 Cor 1:17-25/Mt 25:1-13 (429)

Aug. 19 | Fri | Weekday | green/white [Saint John Eudes, Priest] Ez 37:1-14/ Mt 22:34-40 (423)

Aug. 27 | Sat | Saint Monica | white | Memorial | 1 Cor 1:26-31/Mt 25:14-30 (430)

Aug. 20 | Sat | Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church | white | Memorial | Ez 43:1-7a/Mt 23:1-12 (424)

Aug. 28 | SUN | TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME | green Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29/Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a/Lk 14:1, 7-14 (126) Pss II

Aug. 21 | SUN | TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME | green Is 66:18-21/Heb 12:5-7, 11-13/Lk 13:22-30 (123) Pss I

Aug. 29 | Mon | The Passion of Saint John the Baptist | red | Memorial | 1 Cor 2:1-5 (431)/Mk 6:17-29 (634) Pss Prop

Aug. 22 | Mon | The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary | white | Memorial | 2 Thes 1:1-5, 11-12/Mt 23:13-22 (425)

Aug. 31 | Wed | Weekday | green | 1 Cor 3:1-9/Lk 4:38-44 (433)

Aug. 30 | Tue | Weekday | green | 1 Cor 2:10b-16/Lk 4:31-37 (432)

August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 35

† AUGUST–SEPTEMBER CALENDAR

SEPTEMBER LITURGICAL CALENDAR Sept. 1 | Thu | Weekday | green 1 Cor 3:18-23/Lk 5:1-11 (434) Sept. 2 | Fri | Weekday | green | 1 Cor 4:1-5/Lk 5:33-39 (435) Sept. 3 | Sat | Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church | white | Memorial | 1 Cor 4:6b-15/Lk 6:1-5 (436) Sept. 4 | SUN | TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME | green Wis 9:13-18b/Phlm 9-10, 12-17/Lk 14:25-33 (129) Pss III Sept. 5 | Mon | Weekday | green 1 Cor 5:1-8/Lk 6:6-11 (437) Sept. 6 | Tue | Weekday | green | 1 Cor 6:1-11/Lk 6:12-19 (438) Sept. 7 | Wed | Weekday | green | 1 Cor 7:25-31/Lk 6:20-26 (439) Sept. 8 | Thu | The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary | white | Feast | Mi 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30/Mt 1:1-16, 18-23 or 1:18-23 (636) Pss Prop Sept. 9 | Fri | USA: Saint Peter Claver, Priest | white | Memorial | 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27/Lk 6:39-42 (441) Sept. 10 | Sat | Weekday | green/white [BVM] 1 Cor 10:14-22/Lk 6:43-49 (442) Sept. 11 | SUN | TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME | green Ex 32:7-11, 13-14/1 Tm 1:12-17/Lk 15:1-32 or 15:1-10 (132) Pss IV Sept. 12 | Mon | Weekday | green/white [The Most Holy Name of Mary] 1 Cor 11:17-26, 33/Lk 7:1-10 (443) Sept. 13 | Tue | Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church | white | Memorial | 1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a/Lk 7:11-17 (444)

Sept. 17 | Sat | Weekday | green/white/ white [Saint Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church; BVM] 1 Cor 15:35-37, 42-49/Lk 8:4-15 (448) Sept. 18 | SUN | TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME | green Am 8:4-7/1 Tm 2:1-8/Lk 16:1-13 or 16:10-13 (135) Pss I Sept. 19 | Mon | Weekday | green/red [Saint Januarius, Bishop and Martyr] Prv 3:27-34/Lk 8:16-18 (449) Sept. 20 | Tue | Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Hasang, | red | and Companions, Martyrs | Memorial | Prv 21:1-6, 10-13/Lk 8:19-21 (450) Sept. 21 | Wed | Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist | red | Feast | Eph 4:1-7, 11-13/Mt 9:9-13 (643) Pss Prop Sept. 22 | Thu | Weekday | green | Eccl 1:2-11/Lk 9:7-9 (452) Sept. 23 | Fri | Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest | white | Memorial | Eccl 3:1-11/Lk 9:18-22 (453) Sept. 24 | Sat | Weekday | green/white [BVM] Eccl 11:9—12:8/Lk 9:43b-45 (454) Sept. 25 | SUN | TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME | green Am 6:1a, 4-7/1 Tm 6:11-16/Lk 16:19-31 (138) | Pss II Sept. 26 | Mon | Weekday | green/red [Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs] Jb 1:6-22/Lk 9:46-50 (455) Sept. 27 | Tue | Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest | white | Memorial | Jb 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23/Lk 9:51-56 (456)

Sept. 15 | Thu | Our Lady of Sorrows | white | Memorial | 1 Cor 15:1-11 (446)/Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35 (639) Pss Prop

Sept. 28 | Wed | Weekday | green/ red/red [Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr; Saint Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs] Jb 9:1-12, 14-16/Lk 9:57-62 (457) Sept. 29 | Thu | Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels | white | Feast | Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 or Rv 12:7-12a/Jn 1:4751 (647) Pss Prop

Sept. 16 | Fri | Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs | red | Memorial | 1 Cor 15:12-20/Lk 8:1-3 (447)

Sept. 30 | Fri | Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church | white | Memorial | Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5/Lk 10:13-16 (459)

Sept. 14 | Wed | The Exaltation of the Holy Cross | red | Feast | Nm 21:4b-9/ Phil 2:6-11/Jn 3:13-17 (638) Pss Prop

36 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

Bible Study at St. Patrick

Every Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. at St. Patrick Church, Our Lady of Knock Hall (the corner of S. Alameda and Rossiter Street.) For more information call the parish office at (361) 855-7391.

Holy Hour for Vocations

Aug. 4 from 6-7 p.m. at St. Joseph (609 East Gramman Street) in Beeville. For more information call (361) 334-2781 or email vocations@diocesecc.org.

Holy Hour at Sacred Heart

Aug. 4 and first Thursday of the month from 5-6 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church (422 North Alameda Street) in Corpus Christi. For more information: sacredheartcorpus.org.

Holy Hour for Vocations

Aug. 4 and first Thursday of the month from 7-8 p.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church (204 Dunne St.) in Robstown.

Men's Retreat at OLCC

Aug. 11-14. Begins Thursday at 4:30 p.m. and ends Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Register at ourladyofcc.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

Retrouvaille In Victoria

Aug. 12-14 at the Diocese of Victoria Spiritual Renewal Center (718 Gussie Schmidt Rd.) in Victoria. Retreat begins on Friday at 8 a.m. and ends Sunday at 5 p.m. Pre-registration is required.

For more information or to register, call 1-800-470-2230 or visit www.retrouvaille.org. You may also contact Community Coordinators John and Jennifer Vincent at (361) 580-2770 or at jbvjov@sbcglobal.net.

Diocesan Marriage Preparation

Aug. 13-14 at Pax Christi Liturgical Retreat Center. The Diocesan Marriage Preparation Program is a two-day overnight event for the engaged. It is designed to inform couples of the spiritual and practical aspects of Catholic marriage and facilitate dialogue between them. For more information go to diocesecc.org/nfp.

Rummage Sale at Santa Rosa de Lima Church

Aug. 13-19 at Santa Rosa de Lima Church. Begins on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 6-9 p.m. then continues Sunday-Friday, Aug. 14-19 from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Nocturnal Adoration

Aug. 13 and every 2nd Saturday/Sabado del mes tendremos Nocturnal Adoration empezando con la misa a las 8 de la noche y terminando a las 5 de la manana. Beginning with Mass at 8 p.m. and ending with Benediction at 5 a.m. in the morning. For more information go to sacredheartcorpus.org.

Novena for Saint Rose De Lima

Aug. 15-Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m. at Santa Rosa de Lima Church in Benavides.

Mass for the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother

Aug. 15 at 6 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church (422 North Alameda Street) in Corpus Christi.

Bible Study at St. Patrick Church

Aug. 16-Sept.19 every Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. at St. Patrick Church, Our Lady of Knock Hall (the corner of S. Alameda and Rossiter

Tuesday Tea with the Saints

Aug. 16 and every third Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the Pax Christi Liturgical Retreat Center's St. Joseph Hall. Includes introduction to a saint, a complimentary pamphlet with quotes and suggested reading. Cost is free, but donations welcome. RSVP at (361) 241-2833. If you have not RSVP'd, don't worry, you are still welcome.

A Covenant of Love with Mary Information Classes

Aug. 18 and every 3rd Thursday of the month from 6-8 p.m. at Schoenstatt Movement Center (4343 Gaines Street) in Corpus Christi. For more information call the office at (361) 992-9841 or email schcc@sbcglobal.net.

New DRE Training

Aug. 24 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. in the Chancery conference room.

New DRE Training. Orientation for new Parish Catechetical Leaders and those parsih catechetical leaders that have not had an opportunity to attend orientation. There will be a repeat from 5:30 -8:30 p.m. Should only attend one. To register go online at diocesecc.org/dretraining.

Women's English Cursillo

Aug. 25-28 begins on Thursday at 6 p.m. and ends Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Bishop Drury Cursillo Center (1200 Lantana).

Come grow in your faith. All Catholic women over 18 who are seeking a closer encounter with Christ are welcome. For more information call Alma Ruiz at (361) 947-3572 or email alma8004@sbcglobal.net.

J.A.M.

Aug .19 from 5-10:30 p.m. at the Jim Wells County Fairgrounds.

J.A.M. (Jubilee.Adoration.Mercy) is an event in conjunction with the “Year of Mercy” to help people in need, specifically those who are hungry. Live music, food, booths and more.

Cost is a $5 donation to support the Alice Food Group Project.

For more information go to diocesecc.org/jam.

Healing Retreat at OLCC

Aug. 19-21. Begins Friday at 4:30 p.m. and ends Sunday at 2 p.m. Weekend consists of a series of talks on healing, periods of silent reflection asking God to reveal where healing is needed and concludes with a healing service. Register at www.ourladyofcc.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

Natural Family Planning Class

Holy Hour First Thursday of the Month

Sept. 1 and every first Thursday of the month from 5-6 at Sacred Heart Church (422 North Alameda Street) in Corpus Christi. For more information: sacredheartcorpus.org.

St. Anthony's Holy Hour for Vocations

Sept. 1 and every first Thursday of the month from 7-8 p.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church (204 Dunne St.) in Robstown.

Holy Hour for Vocations

Sept. 1 from 6-7 p.m. at Sacred Heart (304 South Caldwell Street) in Falfurrias.

Aug. 20 from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at 1426 Baldwin in Corpus Christi. Natural Family Planning allows couples to plan pregnancies while following the teachings of the Church and respecting the gift of their married love. For more information go to diocesecc.org/nfp.

Bible Study at St. Patrick Church

Annual Santa Rosa De Lima Church Fiesta

Birthright Free "Sew Easy" Classes

Aug. 20 beginning at 7:30 a.m. at Santa Rosa de Lima Parish Hall and City of Benavides Park. The event is free and open to the public. There will be lots of food, silent auction, games, drinks, music, dance contest, Grito and Youth Singing Contest.

Grounded in Truth at Cafe Veritas-OLCC

Aug. 20, and every third Saturday of the month. An hour of Adoration with Praise and Worship in the OLCC Perpetual Adoration Chapel 7-8 p.m., followed by music and fellowship in the newly renovated Cafe Veritas (attached to Our Lady of Corpus Christi's Bookstore) from 8-9:30 p.m. Call (361) 2890807 for more information.

Curso de biblia del evangelio de San Lucas en espanol Agosto 22 - El Padre Angel Montana tendra el curso del evangelio San Lucas a las 7 de la noche en la cafeteria en Sacred Heart (422 North Alameda Street).

RCIA Coordinator and Team Training

Aug. 23 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 6-9 p.m. and Aug. 25 from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Chancery (620 Lipan street) in Corpus Christi partcipants have the option of registering for the day or evening training. A meal is provided. Pre-registration required. To register go online at diocesecc.org/rciatraining.

For more information contact Dr. Therese Recinella Director of Catechesis trecinella@diocesecc.org.

Sept. 6 and every Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. at St. Patrick Church, Our Lady of Knock Hall (the corner of S. Alameda and Rossiter Street.) For more information call the parish office at (361) 855-7391.

Sept. 7 and every Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. at 1422 Baldwin.

Since everything is provided, Birthright is in need of sewing machines, fabric, sewing notions, extension cords and folding tables. Birthright is also in need of volunteers to teach sewing and volunteers to care for young children while their mothers sew. Call Sharon Longoria at (361) 960-6050.

Women's Retreat at OLCC

Sept. 8-11. Begins Thursday 4:30 p.m. and ends Sunday 1:30 p.m. Register at www.ourladyofcc.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

Sabado del mes tendremos Nocturnal Adoration

Sept. 10 and every 2nd Saturday/Sabado del mes tendremos Nocturnal Adoration empezando con la misa a las 8 de la noche y terminando a las 5 de la manana. Beginning with Mass at 8 p.m. and ending with Benediction at 5 a.m. in the morning. For more information go to sacredheartcorpus.org.

Diocesan Marriage Preparation

Sept. 10-11 at Pax Christi Liturgical Retreat Center. The Diocesan Marriage Preparation Program is a two-day overnight event for the engaged. It is designed to inform couples of the spiritual and practical aspects of Catholic marriage and facilitate couple dialogue on these important issues. For more information go to diocesecc.org/nfp.

August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 37

†† AUGUST–SEPTEMBER CALENDAR

Street.) Presenter is Dr. Edward Sri. For more information call the parish office at (361) 855-7391.

† AUGUST–SEPTEMBER CALENDAR

St. Joseph's prayer group day trip to San Antonio On Sept. 10 join St. Joseph Prayer group on a day trip to San Antonio to visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower. There will be some shopping and lunch at Market Square. Departure from St. Joseph Church (710 South 19th street in Corpus Christi) is at 6:45 a.m. and return at 7 p.m. cost is $35 per person. For more information call Rosalinda Herrera coordinator (361) 883-7590.

A Covenant of Love with Mary Information Classes

Sept. 15 and every 3rd Thursday of the month from 6 p.m-8 p.m. at Schoenstatt Movement Center (4343 Gaines Street) in Corpus Christi. For more information call the office at (361) 992-9841 or email schcc@sbcglobal.net.

Healing Retreat at OLCC

Hall. Includes introduction to a saint, a complimentary pamphlet with quotes and suggested reading. Cost is free, but donations welcome. RSVP at (361) 241-2833. If you have not RSVP'd, don't worry, you are still welcome.

27th Annual Celebration for Life Fund-raising Banquet

Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. VIP reception at 6:15 p.m. at the Mansion Royal. Proceeds will benefit Corpus Christi Hope House, the Gabriel Project and Birthright of Corpus Christi. Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood abortion clinic director and now a prolife convert, author, speaker and activist will be our honored guest speaker. Please contact Hope House at (361) 852-2273 or hopehousecc@mygrande.net for table reservations, tickets, sponsorship and additional information. Individual tickets are $60, tables of 10 range from $1,000 through $25,000 and program advertisements are available.

Sept. 16-18. Begins Friday at 4:30 p.m. ends Sunday at 2 p.m. Weekend consists of a series of talks on healing, periods of silent reflection asking God to reveal where we need healing, and concludes with a Healing Service.

Register at ourladyofcc.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext.

321.

Women with Cancer Retreat at OLCC

Come and See

Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds (1213 Terry Shamsie Blvd.) in Robstown.

KIII-TV-3 news anchor Joe Gazin will be master of ceremonies. Victor Rivas Rivers, an advocate for violence prevention, author, actor and Cuban-born football player to land a tryout with the Miami Dolphins, will be keynote speaker. For more information call (361) 241-6566.

Sept. 17 at 9:30 a.m. at 6050 Tarafaya Dr. in Corpus Christi.

Come meet a community of sisters in the diocese. Single women between the ages of 18 and 35 are invited to meet the Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Call ahead at (361) 444-6609.

Faith Educators’ Workshop

This workshop is beneficial for all those in catechetical ministry. Cost is $5 per person. Register online at diocesecc.org/educators and choose from: • Sept. 17 from 8:30-12 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (5830 Williams Drive ) in Corpus Christi.

• Sept. 24 from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. at St Joseph(1400 Brookshire) in Kingsville.

• Sept. 24 from 2–5:30 p.m. at Our Lady Guadalupe (725 Sodville Avenue) in Sinton.

Grounded in Truth at Cafe Veritas-OLCC

Sept. 17 and every third Saturday of the month. An hour of Adoration with praise and worship in the OLCC Perpetual Adoration Chapel 7-8 p.m., followed by music and fellowship in the newly renovated Cafe Veritas (attached to Our Lady of Corpus Christi's Bookstore) from 8-9:30 p.m. Call (361) 289-0807 for more information.

Natural Family Planning Class

Sept. 17 from 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. at 1426 Baldwin in Corpus Christi. Natural Family Planning allows couples to plan pregnancies while following the teachings of the Church and respecting the gift of their married love. For more information go to diocesecc.org/nfp.

Tuesday Tea with the Saints

Sept. 20 and every third Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the Pax Christi Liturgical Retreat Center's St. Joseph 38 South Texas Catholic | August-September 2016

Sept. 22-25 begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday evening and ends Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Register at www.ourladyofcc.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

The Ark Gala

St. Andrew KOC Golf Tournament

Sept. 23 at 11:30 a.m. at Oso Beach Golf Course.

All proceeds benefit Timons Ministries & Other KOC Council #10677 Charities. For more information call Bo Rimar at (210) 379-2705 or go to www.southtexascatholic.com/events/kocgolf.

Middle School Youth Spectacular

Middle School Youth Spectacular, Sept. 24 at the American Bank Center. For more information visit diocesecc.org/ys16.

To see more calendar events go to:

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August-September 2016 | South Texas Catholic 39

Aug./Sept. 2016 Issue SOUTH TEXAS CATHOLIC P.O. Box 2620 Corpus Christi, TX 78403 (361) 882-6191

Sept. 10-11

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