Texas Catholic Herald - Feb. 13, 2024

FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

NEW LEADERS

FRIDAY IDEAS

A WITNESS FOR LIFE

▪ SEE PAGE 2

▪ SEE PAGE 3

▪ SEE PAGES 14 - 15

Archdiocese taps two new leaders as superintendent, CFO

Catholics trek to Austin and Washington, D.C. as a public call to protect life

Try a new recipe from CRS for Fridays in Lent

FEBRUARY 13, 2024

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Proclaiming the Good News to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 1964

VOL. 60, NO. 16

Through ashes, we proclaim our witness to Christ Special to the Herald

CNS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA

Mauro Cardinal Piacenza, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, sprinkles ashes on the head of Pope Francis during Ash Wednesday Mass at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome Feb. 22, 2023. This year, Ash Wednesday falls on Feb. 14.

A SHEPHERD’S MESSAGE

Lent is ‘a time to pause’

where “all the Churches agreed that (OSV News) — Among the beautiful, Easter, the Christian Passover, should be meaningful and solemn ceremonies of celebrated on the Sunday following the the Catholic Church is the gathering of first full moon (14 Nisan) after the vernal the faithful on Ash Wednesday. equinox” (Catechism of the Catholic This special day begins our Lenten Church, No. 1170). The vernal (spring) journey. It is the start of 40 equinox generally falls on days of prayer, penance and March 21. Thus, the date of almsgiving as we prepare Easter in the Western Church EMBRACING ourselves to celebrate the can occur anytime between LENT resurrection of our Lord Jesus March 22 and April 25.

Christ on Easter Sunday. But The word “Lent” is from an why does Lent begin on a Old English term meaning Wednesday, and what is the “springtime,” and by the significance of ashes? second century the term was Ash Wednesday was being used to describe the added to the liturgical period of individual fasting, calendar well after the 40almsgiving and prayer in day penitential season of Lent became preparation for Easter. Among the the norm throughout the Latin Church. Christians of the first three centuries, Lent, in turn, was universally established only those aspiring for Baptism — the only after the early Church sorted out catechumens — observed a defined the date of Easter. The issue was clarified See LENT, page 4 at the famous Council of Nicaea in 325

EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL

MINISTRIES

This Lent, show love for our global family with CRS Rice Bowl

BY DANIEL CARDINAL DINARDO Archbishop of Galveston-Houston “Renewed now with heavenly bread, by which faith is nourished, hope increased and charity strengthened, we pray, O Lord, that we may learn to hunger for Christ, the true and living bread, and strive to live by every word which proceeds from your mouth.

Through Christ our Lord.”

In this beautiful prayer after Communion on the First Sunday of Lent, we hear in the Gospel about Jesus’s journey of fasting in the desert for 40 days. We also hear His calm reply to Satan about turning stones into bread, that is, to make a display and entertainment of his Divine Sonship. “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes

A SHEPHERD’S MESSAGE

See MESSAGE, page 2

THE FIRST WORD † 3

Special to the Herald

and faced unexpected obstacles in leading both.

In Houston for a Jan. 23 event previewing the upcoming Eucharistic celebrations set for this summer, Bishop Cozzens said the Eucharistic Congress would be a “generational moment.”

“The Eucharist is the linchpin of

HOUSTON — This Lent, Catholic Relief Services is calling on Catholics across the country to show their love for sisters and brothers around the world by participating in the annual Lenten program, CRS Rice Bowl.

“Ash Wednesday always marks the beginning of CRS Rice Bowl,” said Beth Martin, CRS director of Formation and Mobilization. “And this year, Ash Wednesday falls on Feb. 14, or St. Valentine’s Day, and we think CRS Rice Bowl is the perfect way to celebrate the love we have for our global family.”

In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”When we receive Jesus through the Eucharist, our hearts are filled with his love and the call to share that love, Martin said.

“During Lent, we are meant to express the love that we feel when we receive the Eucharist through prayer, fasting and

See CONGRESS, page 6

See RICE BOWL, page 5

OSV NEWS PHOTO

Pope Francis blesses a four-foot-tall monstrance, a chalice and a paten that will be used during the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis July 17 to 21 as Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens, who leads the Eucharistic Revival, looks on during an audience at the Vatican last summer.

Preparations for local pilgrimage to National Eucharistic Congress underway HOUSTON (OSV News) — For three years, Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, has been the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) point person for its threeyear National Eucharistic Revival and the National Eucharistic Congress (NEC), which will be held July 17 to 21 this year in Indianapolis.

As chairman of the NEC Inc., he has experienced many inspiring moments

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COLUMNISTS † 11 - 12

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ESPAÑOL † 16

| AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE † 18

2 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • FEBRUARY 13, 2024

El Cardenal Daniel DiNardo comparte su columna en línea en español.

Visite www.archgh.org para leer su artículo en línea.

A Shepherd’s Message

By Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

Publishing since 1964 (USPS 936-480) THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON-HOUSTON

EDITORIAL

713-652-8215 • Fax: 713-659-3444 tch@archgh.org • archgh.org/tch MESSAGE, from page 1 from the mouth of God!”The prayer notes that Jesus is the true and living bread and that we have just received Him. The effect of receiving Christ in the Eucharist is a remarkable transformation of our lives of faith, hope and charity, which “plug” us directly into the Lord and His grace. In this year of Eucharistic Revival, this prayer is a great synthesis of the meaning of the Eucharist in our daily lives and the lives of others. Our very mouths become vehicles pouring forth the word of the Lord.

We are entering Lent of 2024 and a genuine time to pause. Pope Francis, in his own Lenten letter this year, speaks of Lent as a time to welcome conversion, a season of freedom against the slavery of forces that try to dominate and paralyze us like the pharaoh of ancient Egypt oppressing the Israelites.

Lent enables us, by great traditional practices of prayer, fasting, almsgiving and new acts of justice, to recognize that we are sons and daughters and not slaves. Many people become slaves of the idols, entertainments and compulsions that hold them bound. Lent and its practices begin to break those enticing but anesthetizing ways of life. Lent proclaims: “Wake up and be converted.”

The Lenten observances are for all: For the catechumens preparing for Baptism, for those who are distant from God and the Church by renewed Penance, for the inquirers who wander about seeking meaning in life and joy in the desert of much contemporary life, for the faithful who need a renewal and a rededication to the Lord. Let us make this Lent a careful and joyful hearing of God’s word in Mass, and other devotions, and a more intense receiving of Jesus, the true and living bread.

The Church asks everyone to observe a day of fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstinence from meat on the Fridays

CIRCULATION

tdieli@archgh.org • 713-652-4444 ADVERTISING

ads@archgh.org • 713-652-4407

PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo greets Mass-goers after Ash Wednesday Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston last year. Feb. 14 starts off the Lenten season for Catholics around the world.

“Lent enables us to recognize that we are sons and daughters and not slaves... Lent proclaims: ‘Wake up and be converted.’”

LENTEN RESOURCES Want to grow in faith this Lent? Visit our website for resources and links to videos, stories, prayers, virtual retreats and more online at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/LENT. of Lent. In addition to being attentive to these days as a common practice of the whole Church please find individual days of Lent for fasting, and prayer about the Eucharist-about Jesus the Bread of Life.

May the Stations of the Cross this year help us see Jesus Himself in all the wounded and oppressed people around us. May this devotion stir us into some

actions on behalf of the poor and those unjustly bearing great burdens. Pope Francis wants this year of Lent to be a burst of new creativity and new hope done by us , individually and collectively, to heed and act on behalf of those pleading for our assistance.

At the beginning of this letter, I mentioned the faith, hope, and charity that are graciously nourished by the Lord in Holy Communion. Pope Francis ends his Lenten letter with a beautiful quote from French author Charles Péguy: “For faith and charity take hope, this small child by the hand. They teach her to walk, and at the same time, she leads them forward.”

A blessed Lent to all! †

IN BRIEF

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop, President & Publisher Jonah Dycus Communications Director & Executive Editor Rebecca Torrellas Managing Editor James Ramos Designer & Photo-Journalist Catherine Viola Advertising Manager Annette Baird, Kerry McGuire and Jo Ann Zuñiga Contributors

An award-winning member of The Catholic Media Association The Texas Catholic Herald is published semi-monthly on Tuesdays, with one issue in June, July and August, by The Texas Catholic Herald Publishing Co., Inc., 1700 San Jacinto St., Houston, TX 77002.

Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX and other distribution points.

Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 907, Houston, TX 77001 Subscription rate: $15 per year; $20 outside Texas; $35 out of U.S. TCH publishing schedule Issue date: February 27 Deadline: Noon on February 6 Issue date: March 12 Deadline: Noon on February 20 Editorial deadlines are no later than Tuesday at noon, 21 days prior to the issue date.

Archdiocese taps new Catholic schools, CFO leadership HOUSTON — The Archdiocese of GalvestonHouston recently announced that two new leaders were chosen as superintendent of Catholic Schools and as chief financial officer of the Archdiocese.

On Jan. 29, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo named Dr. Mazie McCoy as the next superintendent of Catholic schools. McCoy, currently the assistant superintendent of Governance and Leadership in the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office, has DR. MAZIE more than 30 years of educational experience.

MCCOY She served 11 years as a public school teacher before joining the Archdiocesan school system.

She previously served as principal of St. Mary of the Purification Catholic School from 2003-2014 and Corpus Christi Catholic School from 2014-2022.

McCoy will succeed the current superintendent, Dr. Debra Haney, on June 30. McCoy holds a bachelor of Science, Interdisciplinary Students from Sam Houston State University, a master of Education,

Administration and Supervision from the University of Houston, Victoria, as well as a doctorate of Education, Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Southern University. She is a parishioner and volunteer at St. Angela Merici Church in Missouri City.

Following consultation with the Archdiocesan Finance Council and the College of Consultors, Cardinal DiNardo appointed Rose Michalec to serve as chief financial officer of the Archdiocese ROSE effective Feb. 1.

MICHALEC Michalec has served as controller for the Archdiocese since 2013. She has more than 30 years of experience in accounting and finance. She holds a BBA in accounting from the University of Houston and is a certified public accountant.

Michalec is an parishioner of Corpus Christi Church in Houston. Prior to joining the Archdiocese, she was the manager of Financial Reporting and General Accounting for the law firm Vinson & Elkins. †

St. Mary’s Seminary 9845 Memorial Dr. Houston, TX 77024 www.smseminary.com SUPPORTING OUR SEMINARIANS

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FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

THE FIRST WORD A Lenten Culinary Tour: Meatless meals from around the globe With the start of Lent, we’re excited to bring you again a series that features different easy-to-make meatless recipes from around the world during the Lenten season.

This week, the Catholic Relief Service’s (CRS) Rice Bowl program highlights a popular dish from El Salvador, a Central American country that is home to 6.6 million people. Rellenos de Coliflor — or cauliflower fritters in tomato sauce — is a traditional dish from El Salvador. It is a vegetarian dish where cauliflower is battered and fried until golden and crispy, then served with tomato sauce.

As we abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent, journey with us around the world and incorporate these Lenten recipes into your meatless Fridays. Give the money you saved each week by not eating meat — about $3 per person per meal — to your CRS Rice Bowl to feed those in need around the world.

For more information and other free recipes, including videos, visit www.crsricebowl.org/recipe. †

Rellenos de Colifor - Cauliflower Fritters

INGREDIENTS • 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets • 3-4 large eggs, separated • 1 teaspoon flour • Vegetable oil for frying, enough to cover the cauliflower pieces • 1 cup of water • 3 medium tomatoes, diced • 1 green chili pepper, finely chopped • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped • 1/2 tablespoon vegetable bouillon powder • Salt to taste

25 MINUTES

Effective January 29 Father Augustine Asante Hospital Chaplain of the Catholic Chaplain Corps Effective January 30 Father Paul Ofoha, MSP Parochial Vicar, Epiphany of the Lord - Katy Effective February 12 Father Christopher Plant Parochial Vicar, St. Thomas More - Houston Father Ricardo Arriola Administrator, Shrine of the True Cross - Dickinson

4 - 6 SERVINGS

BRIEFS

METHOD

In a large pot, boil cauliflower until tender, about 2 minutes.

Remove and drain.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add flour to the egg yolks and mix until just blended. In a large bowl, fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Add the cauliflower and coat entirely.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil until very hot. Add the pieces of coated cauliflower and fry until golden brown all over. Remove and set aside.

In a large pot, add water, tomatoes, chili pepper and onion and stir to combine. Add the vegetable bouillon powder. Heat to a simmer.

Add the cauliflower and continue simmering for 3 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately.

A STORY OF HOPE FROM EL SALVADOR In Sandra Amaya’s home in Morazán, El Salvador, everyone helps with the chores. Early in the morning, Sandra lights the firewood to cook, prepares coffee and sweeps the chicken coop. Oscar, her eldest son, helps make breakfast before walking nearly two hours to his high school.

Nine-year-old Gamaliel grinds corn and, after having breakfast, goes to school accompanied by his father, Santos, and his little brother, Caleb.

Santos, Sandra’s husband, is a farmer, but longer droughts and unpredictable rains have reduced his harvests and, therefore, his income. Seeking to earn extra money, Sandra began selling bread, tamales and empanadas. When she heard about a Catholic Relief Services project on raising chickens, Sandra didn’t hesitate to join. She learned about preparing food for chickens and that they eat better if they are in a pen. She also learned how to vaccinate and take care of them if they get sick.

As soon as Sandra received some chickens from the project, she began to apply her knowledge. Now, her family has access to their own eggs, which saves them money on food, especially now that prices are so high. In addition, her family eats healthier because they can eat a variety of foods, instead of just beans or tortillas with salt.

Sandra wants to keep learning, and Santos supports her. “I made the decision to be a promoter because I wanted to have new knowledge; no one can take knowledge away from you,” she says. “I discussed it with my husband and he agreed.” When she travels far to attend a training, Santos takes care of the children. Upon her return, Sandra enjoys supporting other families by teaching them everything she learned.

Our Catholic faith teaches us how important it is to live in community for our growth and fulfillment. We believe that all people should participate in society, seeking the well-being of all, especially that of our sisters and brothers in need, just as Sandra does. †

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PASTORAL APPOINTMENTS

Café Catholica Lite returns Feb. 15 with the Sisters of Life

HOUSTON — The Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry will host the next Café Catholica Lite at St. Theresa in Memorial Park, located at 6622 Haskell St. in Houston, on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m.

The talk titled “Let Love Show You Who You Are” will be given by the Sisters of Life from New York. The Sisters of Life are a religious community of women who take a fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life. The night begins with Mass at 6:30 p.m., light dinner at 7 p.m., and the talk from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.

The Café Catholica program helps young adults ages 18 to 39 encounter Christ and His Church. For more information, contact the Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry at yacm@archgh.org or 713-741-8778 or visit www.archgh.org/cafecatholica. †

Bishop Rizzotto Golf Classic set for March 20 at Wildcat Golf Club

HOUSTON — The 20th Annual Bishop Rizzotto Memorial Golf Tournament, which supports the retired priests, religious and elders of St. Dominic Village, is set for Wednesday, March 20. Registration is at 11 a.m. The tournament is at the Wildcat Golf Club, 12000 Almeda Rd., in Houston. All proceeds directly benefit the residents of St. Dominic Village. Price per player is $300.

To register to play or sponsor-a-priest, visit www. stdominicvillage.org. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Kimberly Elliott at 713-741-8722 or email kelliott@stdominicvillage.org. †

Catholic Charities’ food distributions continue at three locations

CRS PHOTO

The Sorto Amaya family show hens they received from CRS’ Prospera project, which focuses on food security in Morazán, Ahuachapán and Sonsonate in El Salvador.

Save some trees and get the Texas Catholic Herald sent straight to your inbox with The Digest, our free email newsletter. For free features, exclusive content and more, sign up at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/TCHDIGEST.

GO PAPERLESS!

HOUSTON — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston continues offering food assistance at three locations.

In Houston, food distributions at the Guadalupe Center (326 S. Jensen St.) are Tuesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. (drive-thru) and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (food distribution bags). New clients should bring a photo ID and bill with a confirming address. The next two Saturday community food fairs are set for 9 a.m. on Feb. 24 and March 9. No appointment is necessary, carts and bags recommended. Call 713-874-6781 for more information.

The Beacon of Hope Isle Market in Galveston (4700 Broadway, Suite F-103) is open Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. To make an appointment, which is required, call 409-762-2064.

In Fort Bend County, the Mamie George Community Center (1111 Collins Rd., Richmond) hosts drive-thru food distributions and in-person shopping. Drive-thru distributions with the Houston Food Bank are on Tuesdays, from 5 to 7 p.m., and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Clients should visit the pantry by appointment only on Mondays, 12 to 2 p.m.; Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For help, call 281-202-6200.

For more information, visit www.catholiccharities.org/ food or call 713-526-4611. †

4 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

LOCAL

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • FEBRUARY 13, 2024

It’s Fish Fry Season!

See what parishes are offering fish frys on Fridays in the Around the Archdiocese section. ▪ SEE PAGE 18

Through ashes, we proclaim our witness to Christ LENT, from page 1

what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes” (42:6). Daniel “turned to the Lord period of preparation, and that time God, to seek help, in prayer and petition, lasted only two or three days. with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” (Dn 9:3).

The idea of Lent being 40 days in length Jonah preached conversion and evolved over the next few centuries, and repentance to the people of Nineveh: Lent continues through Good Friday, March 29, which is a day of fast and it is difficult to establish the precise time “When the news reached the king of abstinence. Abstinence from meat is obligatory for all who have reached their as to when it began. Among the canons Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid 14th year. Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence. issued by the Council of Nicaea, the aside his robe, covered himself with According to the U.S. bishops, fasting is obligatory for all who have Church leaders, in Canon Five, referred sackcloth, and sat in the ashes” (Jon 3:6). to Lent: “and let these synods be held, the And the Maccabees army prepared for completed their 18th year and have not yet reached their 60th year. Fasting one before Lent that the pure gift may battle: “That day they fasted and wore allows a person to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may be taken, not to equal be offered to God after all bitterness has sackcloth; they sprinkled ashes on their one full meal. Through works of fasting, prayer and abstinence, we heed the been put away, and let the second be held heads and tore their garments”(1 Mc 3:47).

Prophet Joel’s exhortation to “return to God with our whole heart” (2:12). about autumn.”

Ashes were imposed on the early Lent is a penitential season and practices such as daily Mass, reception of the This canon’s language seems to catechumens when they began their validate that Lent, in some way, had by preparation time for Baptism. Confessed Sacrament of Reconciliation, works of charity and justice and acts of self-denial the fourth century been established and sinners of that era were also marked with are highly encouraged. For more resources, visit www.archgh.org/lent. accepted by the Church. While the exact ashes as part of the public penitential timing and extent of Lent both before and process. Other baptized Christians began after the Nicaea council is unclear, what Noah and his entourage were on the Ark There is evidence that by the end asking to receive ashes in a manner is clear from historical documents is that waiting for the rains to end for 40 days of the fourth century Christians were similar to catechumens and penitents.

Christians did celebrate a season of Lent and 40 nights (Gn 7:4); and Elijah “walked participating in a 40-day Lent before Christian men had ashes sprinkled to prepare themselves for Resurrection 40 days and 40 nights to the mountain of Easter. The dilemma now became how to on their heads, while ashes were used Sunday and used a variety of ways to do God, Horeb” (1 Kgs 19:8). count the 40 days. In the Latin Church, to trace the cross on the forehead of so.

Mostly, though, the 40 days of Lent six weeks were used to identify the women. Thus, the use of ashes as the sign That Lent evolved into a period of 40 identify with the time our Lord Jesus Lenten period, but one doesn’t fast on of penance, in readiness for Easter, was days in length is not surprising, as there spent in the desert fasting, praying and Sundays, so six Sundays were subtracted, becoming a Churchwide practice. are numerous biblical events that also being tempted by the devil (Mt 4:1-11).“By and there remained only 36 fasting days.

During the papacy of St. Gregory the involved 40 days. Moses was on Mount the solemn 40 days of Lent the Church In the early seventh century, St. Pope Great, the practice was further expanded Sinai receiving instructions from God unites herself each year to the mystery of Gregory I the Great (pope from 590-604) and is mentioned in the sixth-century for that number of days (see Ex 24:18); Jesus in the desert” (Catechism, No. 540). resolved this situation by adding as fast Gregorian Sacramentary. days the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Around the year 1000, Abbot Aelfric and Saturday before the first Sunday of of the monastery of Eynsham, England, Lent. Thus, the Lenten 40-day fast, or the wrote, “We read in the books both in the Great Fast as it was known, Old Law and in the new that would begin on a Wednesday. men who repented of their EMBRACING Initially, people fasted sins bestowed on themselves all 40 days of Lent. They ate with ashes and clothed their LENT one meal a day and only an bodies with sackcloth. Now amount of food that would let us do this little at the sustain survival. But the beginning of our Lent, that we Church taught, and people strew ashes upon our heads, believed (then as now), to signify that we ought to that fasting is not about repent of our sins during the what we eat; it is about Lenten feast.” This same rite changing hearts, interior conversion and of distributing ashes on the Wednesday reconciliation with God and others. It’s that begins Lent was recommended for about living in an austere way, giving universal use by Pope Urban II at the from our abundance to the poor. St. John Synod of Benevento in 1091.

Chrysostom (347-407) explained it this So when we go to that early Mass on way: “Do you fast? Give me proof of it Ash Wednesday morning and receive by your works! … If you see a poor man, the blessed ashes on our forehead, we take pity on him! If you see an enemy, are repeating a somber, pious act that be reconciled to him! If you see a friend Catholics have been undergoing for gaining honor, envy him not! If you see a over 1,500 years. As “The Liturgical handsome woman, pass her by!” (Homily Year, Septuagesima,” by the Benedictine on the Statutes, III.11).

Abbot Gueranger, written in the middle The Church has long used ashes as an decades of the 1800s, puts it: “We are outward sign of grief, a mark of humility, entering, today, upon a long campaign mourning, penance, and morality. The Old of the warfare spoke of by the apostles: Testament is filled with stories describing 40 days of battle, 40 days of penance. We the use of ashes. In the Book of Job, Job shall not turn cowards if our souls can repented before God: “Therefore, I disown but be impressed with the conviction that A DAY WITH DR. SCOTT HAHN & DR. JOHN BERGSMA the battle and the penance must be gone through. Let us listen to the eloquence of the solemn rite which opens our Lent. Let DATE us go whither our mother leads us, that is, Saturday, March 2, 2024 to the scene of the fall.”

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Like all those before us, we unhesitatingly embrace this invitation PRICE to sanctity, this time to turn away from $35 DR. SCOTT HAHN DR. JOHN BERGSMA sin. We are part of that great cloud of witnesses who, through all the LOCATION ages, have donned the ashes, publicly Sacred Heart Catholic Church acknowledging that we are Christians, 109 N Frazier St Christians who have sinned and seek Conroe, TX 77301 TO REGISTER, VISIT: to repent. We acknowledge that “we are StPaulCenter.com/Conroe2024 dust, and to dust we shall return.” † — By D.D. Emmons

LENTEN GUIDELINES

Traducción Simultánea

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FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald 5

Rice Bowl helps understand poverty near and far RICE BOWL, from page 1 almsgiving,” Martin said. “CRS Rice Bowl gives us the means to do that — to put our love into action. Even through a small act such as giving up your daily cup of coffee and, instead, donating that money to CRS Rice Bowl. That small sacrifice — that small act of love — can change the lives of so many people.”

Alms gathered through CRS Rice Bowl primarily go toward hunger and poverty alleviation programs in countries where CRS operates.

However, 25% of those funds stay in the diocese where they are collected.

CRS Rice Bowl grants are given to local organizations that prioritize ending hunger and poverty in their communities, according to Hilda Ochoa, director of the Mission Office of the Archdiocese.

In the past, funds have supported local ministries in Galveston-Houston, such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul programs, as well as parish-based groups.

Inspired by the Stations of the Cross, Ochoa said, “We are invited to reach out in compassion like Veronica. Like Simon, we can help others carry the heavy cross of hunger through our donations.”

Catholic Relief Services believes that the 25% of CRS Rice Bowl contributions remaining in the dioceses illustrates the importance of our global responsibility as Christians to assist those in need in

the United States and other countries.

The 25% enables participants to understand the plight of those most in need around the world through the experience of poverty in their own communities.

Catholics in Galveston-Houston are set to join nearly 13,000 faith communities in 180 dioceses across the U.S. in practicing the traditional Lenten pillars of spirituality to help our global family.

Together, the Church can support our sisters and brothers around the world while forming families and faith communities to be missionary disciples.

A STORY FROM UGANDA Among the many supported by CRS Rice Bowl are Adolf and his wife, Florence, who are farmers in Akwangagwel, Uganda.

The couple is dedicated to fighting hunger so that their family and others in their community can build thriving lives.

They do this by farming, which helps their family to eat three nutritious meals a day, and by assisting others in their community to grow successful crops.

Each member of their household has a key role, like gardening, cleaning, preparing meals and caring for the animals. In the evenings, they enjoy spending time together as a family.

Adolf is thankful for the free time with

his children. In the area where they live, the climate is very dry. Lately, the rainy season has been coming later than it used to. And sometimes, it rains too much all at once and causes flooding.

“It rains so heavily and destroys things,” Adolf said. “So, the goodness of rain is taken away.”

To overcome these obstacles, Adolf and Florence joined a Catholic Relief Services program where they learned new farming methods to grow crops even when it is hot and dry. They planted seeds that grow quickly so that they can still have vegetables to harvest, even in a drought. This provides enough food to eat and to sell at the market for extra income.

“I have seen my children are happy because they are well-fed,” Adolf said.

Because of the successful life that he and Florence have built, they share their new knowledge with their neighbors. As a leader in his community, Adolf works with others to increase their harvests, improve the land, and build a safe and thriving community.

Contact local Catholic schools or parishes to see if in-person or online collections will occur. Direct donations to CRS are accepted online, by phone, or by mail.

To learn more and to order your own CRS Rice Bowl materials, visit crsricebowl.org. †

Time to Roll

Call an agent to get started today!

WWW.CRSRICEBOWL.ORG

ABOUT CRS RICE BOWL

CRS Rice Bowl is the Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services, the official relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

CRS Rice Bowl invites Catholics and faith communities in the United States to encounter God and our global family throughout Lent by practicing the pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Lenten alms donated through CRS Rice Bowl support the work of CRS in more than 120 different countries each year, with 25% of CRS Rice Bowl donations staying in the local diocese, supporting hunger and poverty alleviation efforts.

Since 1975, CRS Rice Bowl has raised more than $330 million. For more information, visit www.crsricebowl.org. †

HOUSTON EUGENE N. SMART FIC, CLU, MBA (713) 721-8262

ANGLETON TJ SBRUSCH (979) 345-7364

HOUSTON BILL MAUTNER (281) 413-4558

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EAST BERNARD LAURA DOROTIK (979) 257-9866

RICHMOND TARA DURBIN (832) 759-9619

KATY CHERYL DREW (281) 788-3972

RICHMOND LYNNELL STIEBER (281) 451-6492

MAGNOLIA DEBORA SLAVINSKY (281) 748-0866

SUGAR LAND RICHARD VACEK (281) 545-9868

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Bishop Cozzens hopes to see ‘hearts set on fire’ with Eucharistic love at 2024 congress CONGRESS, from page 1 evangelization,” Bishop Cozzens said.

“When someone comes to meet and encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, it changes their life. I believe that this is part of God’s work to strengthen the Church in our day: That the Holy Spirit’s about strengthening the Church through the Eucharistic Revival, the Eucharistic Congress.”

Bishop Cozzens said he was inspired by writings of past popes, including an encyclical by Pope Leo XIII that encouraged the faithful to carry the world’s problems in prayer with resolve to strengthen faith in the Eucharist.

In the encyclical, Pope Leo XIII wrote that: “If the Church is strong in her Eucharistic faith, then she will be strong to stand against the evil that’s in the world.”

Understanding what difficult times the Church exists in today, Bishop Cozzens said, “If Catholics have a strong Eucharistic faith, they’ll be strengthened to live their faith. If their Eucharistic faith is weak, they won’t be able to do it. This is the real mission of the Eucharist. We like to say of the Eucharistic Revival and Congress, ‘We don’t want to stop until every Catholic has had an experience of the living presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

WANT TO GO?

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS When: July 17 - 21 Where: Indianapolis, Indiana Register: archgh.org/congress24 Cost: $1,049 - $1,759 Pilgrimage costs reflect occupancy and do not include optional airfare.

Limited availability and will sell out.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/SEAN GALLAGHER, THE CRITERION

Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, Minn., elevates a chalice during the Nov. 18, 2023, closing Mass of the National Catholic Youth Conference at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Bishop Cozzens is leading the National Eucharistic Revival effort, which culminates this summer with a National Pilgrimage and Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July, also at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Because we know that’s what it takes to strengthen us to be who God’s calling us to be in the world.’”

REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN FOR JULY EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS Registrations are now open for

INFO: www.archgh.org/congress24

an Archdiocesan pilgrimage to the NEC July 17 to 21 in Indianapolis. The delegation from the Archdiocese will be led by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, and is expected to host parishioners, ministry leaders and clergy.

Limited registrations, which range from $1,049 to $1,759, include a five-day Congress pass, four nights of housing in Indianapolis, continental breakfast, and motorcoach transportation to and from the Indianapolis Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, as well as gratuities for drivers. Costs reflect hotel accommodation choices, including triple, quadruple, double, and single occupancy registrations.

For those interested in bringing children and teenagers on the pilgrimage, family pricing includes a $200 discount on prices for children ages 3 to 18.

Infants and two-yearold lap children are free with two paying adults in double occupancy.

Registrants also have the option to purchase package roundtrip airfare from Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport and Indianapolis International Airport, as well as airport transfers in Indianapolis, for $775.

For more information or to register and join the Archdiocesan pilgrimage, visit www.archgh.org/congress24.

Once the pilgrimage reaches its maximum capacity, those interested in attending the Congress can register separately via the NEC website, www. eucharisticcongress.org.

Standard passes for the five-day congress are $299 to $375 for adults and $99 for children ages 2 to 18 traveling with their families. The cost covers admission for congress events at Lucas Oil Stadium, which include general sessions, breakout sessions, Liturgies, the vendor hall and unique congress tracks. The cost does not include housing, transportation or meals related to the congress.

Registration is open for standard

For full registration details for the Archdiocesan Pilgrimage to the Eucharistic Congress, visit WWW. ARCHGH.ORG/CONGRESS24. passes, which also include access to premium seating and digital access to congress content.

The single-day passes will range from $49 to $95 depending on the day, and weekend passes will be $125.

Registration for day and weekend passes will open in January. A limited number of discounted single-day passes will be available for early registrants.

Organizers have said they expect the event to draw 80,000 Catholics to Indianapolis. By November of 2023, officials said more than 30,000 congress passses had been reserved so far.

In Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium, with a capacity of nearly 70,000, is the hub of the five-day celebration. Additional events within walking distance will be held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana Convention Center and other venues. Registration, which includes a “Congress Pass,” offers participants entrance to all Congress programming, such as general sessions, catechetical sessions, and breakouts, along with arena seating at Mass, evening concerts, and all entertainment.

St. John the Evangelist Parish, located directly across from the convention center, will host perpetual adoration.

Additionally, registrants are welcome at Congress Central, with a vendor hall located in the Indiana Convention Center, which is open daily and features more than 200 Catholic organizations and artisans. The large-scale event will feature personalized track experiences based on one’s individual ministry journey.

A PINNACLE MOMENT The NEC is the pinnacle of the National Eucharistic Revival, a threeyear initiative the USCCB launched in 2022 to renew and strengthen Catholics’ understanding of and love for Jesus in the Eucharist. The revival’s first year focused on diocesan leadership. Its second year, now underway, focuses on See CONGRESS, next page

FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

LOCAL

texas catholic herald 7

Texas’ first Catholic career, technical high school hosts open house event Feb. 17

BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — St. Peter Catholic High School, a career and technical school featured both on local TV as well as a national news story, is celebrating its first Open House for a newly renovated multimillion-dollar building.

Archdiocesan officials are inviting the public and interested families to tour the campus at 6220 La Salette St. and Old Spanish Trail in Houston on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 1 to 3 p.m.

“We are combining the Archdiocese’s academic excellence with the latest in technological trends to prepare students both academically and for the workforce,” said founding principal Dr. Marc Martinez.

The 10-acre campus is welcoming its first class of incoming freshmen who will graduate as the Class of 2027. The school has a goal of 50 or more students to begin with.

Catholic School Superintendent Dr. Debra Haney said that, in 2018, she spoke with the only other four-year coeducational, vocational Catholic high school in the U.S. when St. Peter was being planned. Information provided by staff at Mercy Career & Technical School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, served as part of the strategic plan for the local business model.

“Since January 2022, the Archdiocesan Catholic School Office has been working with the St. Peter Board of Trustees to raise up to $12 million to renovate, furnish and equip the former St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School, upgrading it from an elementary and middle school to a state-of-the-art high school,” she said.

CONGRESS, from previous page parish life, with its final year focused on missionary discipleship.

The revival includes a National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, which will include pilgrims walking across the country along four designated pilgrimage routes with the Eucharist, converging in Indianapolis for the congress.

The pilgrimage routes begin in Brownsville; New Haven, Connecticut; northern Minnesota; and San Francisco May 17 to 19, the weekend of Pentecost.

The walking pilgrimage will be in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston May 31 to June 2. Catholics are invited to join the routes’ “perpetual pilgrims” — young adult Catholics walking the entire route — for daily Mass and processions or join the “Eucharistic caravans” for hours or days.

The congress will be the first national Eucharistic gathering in the U.S. in 83 years, with the last being the ninth NEC held in St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1941.

In Houston, then-Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza hosted a two-day local Eucharistic Congress at the University of Houston’s Hofheinz Pavilion in November of the Great Jubilee Year 2000. The event included several gatherings, prayer services and Masses for ethnic and language groups, youth and young adults, clergy and Catholic school students.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE

Univision community program host Grace Olivares interviews Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office Director of Student Support Services Benita Gonzales and student Max Guevara, member of the first class of St. Peter Catholic High School, in January. They discussed family financial assistance available for all Catholic schools and the Feb. 17 Open House at the new school.

Both Mercy Career & Technical as well as St. Peter were highlighted in a recent national Catholic news story on how vocational training and technical certifications in construction and other businesses are resurging.

Dr. Martinez said rising costs in college, which may not be suitable for everyone, and shortages of skilled workers in the labor market, have educators reviewing what students want to train for. Several generous donors have helped St. Peter from the start, including the Scanlan Foundation and Shea Homes, a national home-build construction company.

Now, the two-story brick building is being turned into a state-of-the-art high school, focusing on information technology and web development; business, marketing, and finance; architecture and construction; education and training; and other major subjects.

The school is designed to accommodate up to 200 students during Phase 1,

The 41st International Eucharistic Congress was held in Philadelphia in 1976, drawing an estimated 1.5 million people.

St. Teresa of Kolkata and Catholic Worker co-founder Dorothy Day, now a servant of God, were panelists on the topic of “Women and the Eucharist”; St. John Paul II — then Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, the archbishop of Krakow, Poland — gave a homily on justice; and sitting U.S. President Gerald Ford delivered an address on freedom and peace.

The Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses continues to organize international gatherings, with the 53rd International Eucharist Congress planned Sept. 8-15 in Quito, Ecuador.

Bishop Cozzens called the congress “an opportunity for us to come together and as a Church to gather and be renewed.”

“Whether participants attend for one day or five days, they will be invited to a profound experience of renewal by the Holy Spirit, and they’ll be invited, we hope, to be set on fire with that missionary desire,” he said. “I just pray that as we gather together in Indianapolis, this might be a moment of great renewal and great revival for our Church.”

The NEC website, www. eucharisticcongress.org, features a complete schedule, including speaker biographies and more. † - By James Ramos

beginning with an incoming first-year class of 50 students.

As enrollment grows, Phase 2 will add a transportation, distribution, and logistics career path. Phase 3 would add health, science, and pharmacy technology.

Project-based learning and handson experience with industry-standard software and technology will be available for students to be professionally competent in their chosen career paths, said St. Peter school board chair Mark Letsos. Students can choose to go on to associate degree programs or four-year colleges, or they can go directly into the workforce with certifications to do jobs

that are needed by industry, Letsos said, an operations manager at Johnston, LLC, business, engineering, and architectural consultants.

Two eighth graders from St. Christopher Catholic School were among the first students accepted to St. Peter Catholic, and they participated in the high school’s groundbreaking last March.

Arturo Alonso, 14, said he plans to study architecture and construction, and wants to earn a certification in HVAC. Logan Whitley, 13, is interested in the business, marketing, and finance career path. Whitley said, “I want to be an accountant and own my own business.”

Possible partnerships with interested businesses can offer internships to students. Companies can have opportunities for their own experts to be specialized instructors at the school to train students for the workplace.

St. Peter Catholic High School was designed by the Archdiocese and community partners to be affordable to all students and families who are seeking a Catholic secondary education.

The school will not only serve Houston’s Catholic community students but will be available to all students and families seeking an alternative to public high school, high-cost private school, or charter school. For additional information, including how to apply to the school, visit stpeterhs.org. †

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ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • FEBRUARY 13, 2024

St. Cecilia organ restoration to breathe new life into old sets of musical pipes Parish seeks support for organ project

BY ANNETTE BAIRD Herald Correspondent HOUSTON — The organs that once played in three different places of worship going back almost 100 years will be brought back to life at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in west Houston thanks to the vision of its pastor.

The pipes from St. Cecilia’s existing organ, which came from the old CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart, along with pipes from the organs at St. Mary’s Seminary and the now-shuttered Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist in Montrose, are being incorporated into a renovated hybrid organ, expected to be completed for this year’s Advent celebrations.

“It will have the ability to accompany the singing of the congregation and allow for mood-setting in which to create a total musical environment that will lift up the spirit of the people and at the same time allow them to really enter into the Liturgy, which is what it’s supposed to do,” said Father Francis Macatangay, pastor of St. Cecilia and the force behind the project. “St. Augustine said, ‘When you sing, you pray twice.’ In this space, it will really lift up your soul.”

The organ from St. Mary’s was originally installed at the site in La Porte, where the seminary was founded in the 1920s. When the seminary was relocated in the 1950s to its current site on Memorial, the organ came with it. The organ was refurbished and rededicated in the early 1990s during Bridget Wenk’s 17-year stint as director of music there.

RENDERING COURTESY OF ST. CECILIA CATHOLIC CHURCH

A rendering depicts the proposed façade of a new organ at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Houston. The organ will be comprised of history and renovated organ pipes from St. Mary’s Seminary and the old CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston.

St. Mary’s Seminary is currently installing a new organ in their chapel, which provided the opportunity for the pipes to be available to St. Cecilia.

Wenk said, “It’s cool” that new life is being breathed into the 100-year-old pipes that have led hundreds of seminarians and guests in the St. Mary’s community for prayers and Masses on a daily basis.

“What a beautiful connection with the past and our traditions,” Wenk, now director of music at Christ the Redeemer Parish in Houston, said. “Our Liturgical documents tell us that the pipe organ has pride and place in our Liturgy, and part

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of that is its timelessness.”

Father Macatangay bought the organ from the old Co-Cathedral with the idea of having it installed at St. Joseph’s, where he was pastor. With no concrete plans for it at St. Joseph Parish in Houston, Father Macatangay had the organ installed at St. Cecilia after being transferred there in 2014. When he acquired the pipes from St. Mary’s and the church in Montrose, Father Macatangay and his staff started looking into ways to use the pipes from all three organs to build a new organ that would create the right sound for St. Cecilia.

The Tennessee-based R.A. Colby was commissioned for the project, which involves renovating the pipes from the

three old organs, augmenting them with new pipes and mechanics, and incorporating digital pipes and stops to create a new instrument. The restored organ will have some 1,740 individual pipes in addition to the pipes for a façade.

“Technically, it’s a hybrid organ with digital stops as well,” said Dr. Michael Ging, a consultant on the project and principal organist at St. John Vianney.

Ging described the project as timeconsuming and complicated but said it helps that all three organs were built by Henry Pilcher’s Sons Organ Company and are of similar vintage — the 1920s.

Pilcher’s closed in the 1940s.

“We had the benefit of not having to build a Mustang with Toyota parts,” Ging said. In addition to the complexity of using old pipes for the project, Ging said they had to consider the space for the new instrument. The organ will sit at the back of the church, while a façade of pipes in front of it will appear to be suspended for dramatic effect.

“A larger organ at the back of the church will allow us to add more color and a greater variety of sounds to the music and give us more flexibility,” said Andrew Meinen, director of Liturgy and music at St. Cecilia.

Shawn Sanders, owner of Pipe Organ Technicians, who maintained the St. Mary’s and the Co-Cathedral organs, will help dismantle St. Cecilia’s organ after Easter and help install the new instrument after work is completed. He also will maintain it thereafter.

“The craftsmen who built these old organs would be very pleased to know they are still working,” Sanders said. “It should be very nice when it’s completed.”

To learn more, contact Tonia Candelario at tcandelario@saintcecilia.org. †

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FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

EDUCATION

Recognizing a good habit: St. Pius X High School ‘Nunsense’ musical earns 18 nominations HOUSTON — The Tommy Tune Awards program has nominated St. Pius X High School for 18 award recognitions for “Nunsense,” a musical production presented by the Veritas Theatre in November 2023.

Production nominations include outstanding musical, outstanding ensemble and outstanding technical achievement. Individual nominations include outstanding lead for the full cast of five members, outstanding supporting, outstanding singer for two cast members, outstanding dancer, outstanding actor, outstanding director, outstanding music director, outstanding choreographer for two production members, outstanding lighting director for two production members, outstanding sound designer, outstanding scenic designer for two production members, and outstanding stage manager for the full stage production team.

“We have a very talented group of thespians both on and off the stage that mostly led this production, so it’s a student-centered achievement,” said John Magalhaes, director of fine arts at St.

Pius X. “They deserve these recognitions not only for their talent but also for their endless dedication, commitment and love for the arts.”

“Nunsense” tells the tale of the Little Sisters of Hoboken and their need to raise funds for burial services because the convent cook, Sister Julia, has accidentally poisoned a group of nuns.

The sisters decide to put on a variety show and take over the auditorium of the school — currently set up for “Grease” — to entertain the audience for the fundraiser. This “habit-forming” musical comedy has won international acclaim for its hilarious script, quirky choreography and vivacious music.

The Tommy Tune Awards program is part of the Theatre Under The Stars musical theatre non-profit organization and celebrates the educational value, artistry and community of high school musical theatre in the Greater Houston area.

Nominations are adjudicated by local volunteers from October to March, and finalists participate in the awards ceremony on Thursday, March 28. †

2022 DSF_14x4.625_generic final.pdf

1

1/10/22

1:43 PM

PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. PIUS X HIGH SCHOOL

The Fine Arts department at St. Pius X High School announced that the Tommy Tune Awards program has nominated St. Pius X High School for 18 award recognitions for “Nunsense,” a musical production presented by the Veritas Theatre in November 2023.

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HOUSTON — National Catholic Schools Week, celebrated across the country and in the Archdiocese from Jan. 28 to Feb. 3, united 1.6 million students nationwide with the 17,500-plus in the Archdiocese in an annual celebration of Catholic education.

Sponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Secretariat of Catholic Education, the week is

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ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • FEBRUARY 13, 2024

an opportunity for schools to celebrate their faith and showcase their school spirit.

Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese celebrated their school and Catholic education with different events and theme days. Many marked the 100th day of school and held events to honor parents, families, veterans, vocations, family cultures, their Catholic faith, school spirit and more.

To see more photos, visit www.archgh.org/csw24. †

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FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

YOUTH Middle schoolers living the faith As a former middle school teacher, one of the favorite sayings I would hear from my students was, “How am I ever going to use this in real life?”

From algebraic equations to the use of onomatopoeia (a word that sounds like the noise it describes like “cuckoo” or “sizzle”) in language arts, today’s youth sometimes need help in coordinating how these items fit into their lives. Faith formation is no exception. It doesn’t end at the doors of the church but is integral to our daily lives if we want to grow as Disciples of Christ.

Today’s Gen Alpha teens are constantly exposed to social media.

TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat have become the most popular platforms for influencers to tell our teens what they think they should know to enhance their lives.

Today’s 12- to 14-year-olds are well-versed in social media but may not be in their faith. If we want our young people to know the importance of their faith, we must become the influencers and show them what it means to live a life in Christ. We must provide them with the tools, programs and accompany them on this journey.

With the support of parents, pastors and youth leaders, the Office of Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization (OACE) is dedicated to assisting parish communities in achieving this goal. We offer programs that encourage youth to interact within their community and the larger church community. The largest of these programs is the Archdiocesan Junior High Youth Rally.

The Archdiocesan Junior High Youth Rally is an annual day for younger adolescents in grades sixth to eighth to gather in community to pray, share, learn and celebrate with the larger Archdiocesan family their Catholic faith.

This is a high-energy one-day event that provides younger adolescents from throughout the Archdiocese exposure to top keynote presenters, workshops, hands-on activities and Liturgy, which builds their own sense of Catholic community, evangelization and deeper relationship with Christ. The day also features the Grand Midway, which includes games, crafts and service opportunities. Each year, a new theme is selected, which focuses on issues that affect junior high youth.

The 2024 Archdiocesan Junior High

Rally will be held on Feb. 24 from 10:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. at St. Helen Catholic Church in Pearland.

This year’s theme is “Through God’s Eyes,” which is based on Isaiah by 43:4: “Because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love RANDY you…” All youth need to ADAMS know that they are loved

by God, who gave them life, who created them in His image, and who is always loving and forgiving.

We will break open our theme through keynotes, service experiences, workshops, challenging community building, prayer experiences and the celebration of the Mass. A keynote will be given by national speaker Maggie Craig. Craig’s enthusiastic style and thought-provoking stories assist youth in applying the Gospel to their daily lives.

OACE also offers additional programs to help younger adolescents grow personally and as young leaders. These include: The Quest – A one-day leadership program designed for youth in grades sixth to eighth. The program introduces youth to the servant-leadership model by providing them with the building blocks needed for peer ministry. Through skits, community-building games, activities, workshops, and prayer, youth will discover their gifts and learn how to plan and implement junior high activities and programs for their parish.

It will be held March 23 at St. Dominic Archdiocesan Center (2403 Holcombe, Houston).

Peacemakers – A one-day workshop for youth in grades sixth to eighth to explore issues that impact junior high youth and understanding Catholic response to all these issues as Children of God. It will be held on June 15 at St. Dominic Archdiocesan Center (2403 Holcombe, Houston).

For more information about programs, contact your parish youth leaders or Randy Adams at OACE, radams@archgh.org. †

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ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • FEBRUARY 13, 2024

COLUMNIST

Living with a docile heart

Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday share a date this year — an interesting combination but a great way to begin Lent. What will I give up this Lent? I won’t give up, but I’ll give all my heart to Jesus — a docile, open and undivided heart.

What does docile mean? Some of the definitions have a more negative connotation, which is passivity or being submissive. But the word docile really means “easily taught” and “open to learn” to be guided.

The idea of “being guided” reminds me of the image of clay in the hands of the potter (Jer 18:1-6). A piece of clay allows itself to be “guided” by the potter, to be shaped and reshaped again. As “clay in the potter’s hands,” there is a sense of flexibility on our part to be in the hands of God. There is also a sense of “no matter what happens” when we feel that we

messed up, but if we still want to do His will, the potter will take care of reshaping us back to what will fulfill our lives.

Sometimes, we may be hardheaded, which can move us out of the by hands of the potter, but there is hope that God JOELMA will reshape us again.

REGIS God never forces us to do something. He guides us, but He gives us the freedom to choose what we want in our lives, and he allows things to happen.

As I studied art, I worked with clay for many years, and for me, it was always a surprise to see how my art pieces turned out. The ceramics did not always turn out exactly the way I planned — even when everything went

well while I worked on the wet clay, but because of “external” reasons, things could change.

For example, if the room was hot and the ceramic piece was not covered well with plastic, the clay dried out too quickly, and it cracked even before going to the kiln. If the glaze that I used didn’t go well with that kind of clay or the temperature of the kiln was not right, the clay coming out of the kiln was different than I had planned.

I always looked forward to seeing the outcome, and I often thought of God allowing things to happen like that in our lives. I believe that He has a plan of love for each one of us, and if we respond to His love by doing His will and by loving people around us, He leads everything toward good.

Even if there are external circumstances and we sometimes get distracted and end up not doing God’s

will, He uses everything, every circumstance to reshape us and make us grow if we turn back to Him. This is how I want to live this Lent and invite you to join me. Being docile and open to listening to God’s voice, which is necessary for discernment in our daily activities but also for major decisions in life.

Having that docile, open and undivided heart for Jesus will also help us to know when we should make small sacrifices by limiting social media, TV, eating out, etc. Keeping in mind that to love our brothers and sisters “is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mk 12:33). †

Joelma Regis is an associate director for the Office of Vocations.

FEBRUARY 18

First Reading: Gen 9:8-15

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 25:4-9

Second Reading: 1 Pet 3:18-22

Gospel: Mk 1:12-15

FEBRUARY 25

First Reading: Gen 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 116:10, 15-19

Second Reading: Rom 8:31-34

Gospel: Mk 9:2-10

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FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

WORLD

Human fraternity: Pope marks text’s anniversary with plea for dialogue VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Dialogue, solidarity and recognizing each other as brothers and sisters are key to defeating “the dark shadows of injustice, hatred and war,” Pope Francis said.

The pope made the remarks in a message read Feb. 4 at a ceremony to confer the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, an award created to honor people who live the values promoted in the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” which he and Egyptian Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar, signed Feb. 4, 2019.

On behalf of Catholics and Muslims, the document pledged “the adoption of a culture of dialogue as the path; mutual cooperation as the code of conduct; reciprocal understanding as the method and standard” for relations between the two communities.

The pope and the sheikh, the leader of the most prestigious center of learning for Sunni Muslims, said that believing in one God, creator of all, also means recognizing that all people are brothers and sisters.

In an unusual letter addressed to “my Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel” Feb. 2, Pope Francis made a similar point.

He quoted remarks he had made in 2014 at a gathering to pray for peace in the Holy Land when he told Christians, Muslims and Jews that the only way to break cycles of violence is to see each other as a brother or sister but to do that they must “lift our eyes to heaven and acknowledge one another as children of one Father.”

In 2020, the U.N. General Assembly proclaimed an annual International Day of Human Fraternity to be celebrated every Feb. 4, the anniversary of the pope and the sheikh signing their document.

In his message for the 2024 celebration, António Guterres, U.N. secretary-general, said the day is an occasion to “celebrate the spirit of mutual respect and solidarity that binds us together as one human family.”

“Discrimination is running rampant,” Guterres said. “We must come together to

protect and uphold human rights, combat hate speech and violent extremism, and push back against those who profit from fear.”

While tensions, terrorism and war continue to afflict the world, there are also many signs of hope inspired by the document, said Miguel Cardinal Guixot, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

The cardinal, writing in the Vatican newspaper, called the document a “parenthesis of hope”in a world of conflict and prayed that the fifth anniversary of the document would see a renewed commitment to “transforming our world through dialogue that leads to true and lasting peace.”

One concrete sign he cited was the opening last year of the Abrahamic Family House, a compound in Abu Dhabi that includes a conference center and the Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque, St. Francis Church and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue. Pope Francis also marked the anniversary of the document by sending a message to participants in the International Congress of PLURIEL, the University Platform for Research on Islam, who were meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where the document was signed.

The European Federation of Catholic Universities created PLURIEL in 2014 to foster links between researchers focusing on Islam and on ChristianMuslim dialogue.

Pope Francis thanked the group for their efforts “at a time when fraternity and living together are being called into question by injustices and wars which — I would remind you — are always defeats of humanity. The roots of these evils are threefold: a lack of understanding of others, a failure to listen and a lack of intellectual flexibility.”

The Zayed Award recipients are Sister Nelly León Correa, a Chilean nun working with prisoners; Sir Magdi Yacoub, an Egyptian cardiothoracic surgeon; and, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, two leading Indonesian Islamic organizations. †

IN BRIEF 300 parish priests to participate in Vatican synod meeting, meet with pope VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Three hundred parish priests from all over the world will come to Rome and make their contribution to the ongoing Synod of Bishops on synodality by sharing their experiences of parish life, the Vatican said.

The priests, selected by bishops’ conferences and Eastern Catholic churches, also will have the chance to dialogue with Pope Francis during the April 28 to May 2 meeting.

A statement released Feb. 3 by the General Secretariat of the Synod said the initiative responds to the outcomes from the first assembly of the Synod of Bishops on synodality held at the Vatican last October, which highlighted in its synthesis report the need to “develop ways for a more active involvement of deacons, priests and bishops in the synodal process during the coming year.”

Pope Francis launched the synod process in October 2021, seeking input from all baptized Catholics on building a listening Church. After the local, national and continental phases of the synod, more than 400 people participated in its universal phase at the first synod assembly held at the Vatican in October 2023; 370 participants were eligible to vote in synod proceedings, of which 70 were non-bishops. The second synod assembly will take place in October 2024. †

CNS PHOTO

Pope Francis greets Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar mosque and university, during the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022.

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ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NATION

Educators, students of nation’s first Black Catholic school honors foundress Mother Lange BALTIMORE (OSV News) — The oneand-only known photograph ever taken of Mother Mary Lange held a place of prominence during a special Jan. 30 Mass celebrated by Archbishop William E. Lori at St. Frances Academy in East Baltimore.

Resting at the foot of an altar set up inside the school’s gymnasium, the more than 140-year-old black-and-white image seemed to stare stoically at a congregation of more than 300 that had gathered to celebrate Mother Lange’s recent advancement along the path to canonization.

Pope Francis declared the foundress of St. Frances Academy “venerable” June 22, 2023 — recognizing Mother Lange’s heroic virtues. Mother Lange is one of six Black Catholics in the U.S. who are candidates for sainthood, four of whom have been declared “venerable.”

Archbishop Lori, who called St. Frances Academy“holy ground” during his homily, elicited applause when he said the recognition of Mother Lange as venerable is “something of great importance, not

racism” among them. Yet he insisted that God is calling people to lead lives of heroic virtue, lives that can change the world.

“Looking around at all of you today, I am full of tremendous hope because I think about all that God has yet to do in your lives,” he said.

Sister Rita Michelle Proctor, the 20th superior general of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, urged those attending the Liturgy to commit themselves to carrying out Mother Lange’s admonition to “do all you can for the glory and honor of God.” “Like her, we can be a voice for the voiceless, a light in the darkness, a beacon of hope still there for those who have no hope,” Sister Rita Michelle said.

“And there are plenty of folks around us OSV NEWS PHOTO like that — offering ourselves, as she did, Students sing “Oh Happy Day” at the conclusion of a Jan. 30 Mass at St. Frances Academy in East (in) selfless service to the people of God.” Baltimore that honored its foundress, Mother Mary Lange, who is one of six Black Catholics who are The Liturgy, held during Catholic candidates for sainthood. Pope Francis declared Mother Lange “venerable” June 22, 2023, recognizing Schools Week, was attended by St. Frances her heroic virtues. students and faculty, representatives of a only for this school and not only for the St. Frances Academy was founded variety of women’s and men’s religious Archdiocese of Baltimore, but for the in 1828 as the first Catholic school in communities and area educators.

Catholic Church throughout the U.S.” the country to educate Black students.

Moments after the last notes of a Mother Lange co-founded the Oblate spirited rendition of “Oh Happy Day” Sisters of Providence one echoed inside the gym, several ST. MARY’S SEMINARIANS HEAD TO DC FOR MARCH FOR LIFE year later as the world’s first St. Frances students said they BLACK sustained women’s religious look to Mother Lange as a congregation for Blacks. She role model.

HISTORY twice served as the order’s “She’s the entire reason this superior general. school exists,”said Laila Fisher, MONTH “We honor the courage of an 18-year-old senior. “The fact her conviction,” Archbishop that she’s making this next Lori said. “We honor the depth chapter toward sainthood is a of her faith. In her life and in great accomplishment for the her witness, we know and see school and for everyone who what God can do when we allow God to goes here — so other people can learn who come into our hearts — when we follow she is and what she built.”

His calling and embrace His plan for us.”

Deacon B. Curtis Turner, head of The archbishop highlighted Mother school at St. Frances Academy, said he is Lange’s trust in divine providence. He humbled to have the same job once held encouraged young people to recognize by Mother Mary Lange.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL TORREGOSA/ST. MARY’S SEMINARY God at work in their lives today and to “She was the first head of school, and Seven seminarians from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Dioceses of Austin and Victoria who atfollow in Mother Lange’s footsteps in I’m number 15,” he said. “Whenever I feel tend St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston traveled to the National March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 19. The seminarians also attended the Opening Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica becoming agents of change for tomorrow. like I’m having a bad day or can’t get The archbishop acknowledged that there through something, she whispers into of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Jan. 18, which was celebrated by Bishop Michael are many seemingly insurmountable my ear about how much tougher it was F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia. challenges facing today’s generation — for her. She literally had the Confederate poverty, loneliness, isolation, ongoing Army 40 miles away at one point. She’s divisions in society and the “terrible sin of my inspiration to this day.” †

IN BRIEF Catholic school reaps success with liberal arts, technology and Montessori mix

• In Ground Burial Sites • Mausoleum Crypts • Cremation Niches • Cremation Garden • Monuments • Markers

Catholic Cemeteries

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WINCHESTER, Ky. (OSV News) — Catholic schools in the U.S. often walk a fine line between keeping their doors open or shutting down forever. Shrinking enrollment — and sometimes shrinking parishes — are key causes of their demise, making children the tragic losers. But Deacon Ron Allen, now in his sixth year as principal of St. Agatha’s Academy in Winchester, believes the Kentucky school, founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1919, has a unique model for pre-K to eighth-grade Catholic education flourishing under today’s conditions.

A deacon for the past 15 years, Deacon Allen was with IBM as an information technology program manager and later spent 10 years with Lockheed Martin. St. Agatha’s boasts a Montessori-style pre-K and kindergarten program that transitions into an elementary program for grades first to fifth, followed by a middle school program for grades sixth to eighth, adjacent to St. Joseph Catholic Church. The result of this approach, Deacon Allen explained, is a program built around the child that allows each one to think for themselves.

Every day, Catholic faith permeates St. Agatha’s, where prayer begins and ends the day.

The Angelus is recited daily at noon, and the students attend Mass every Friday. Deacon Allen himself assists with Mass twice a month. †

texas catholic herald 15

FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

STATE OSV NEWS PHOTO

Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, is seen Feb. 26, 2019, at the U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Bishop Seitz is currently the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration.

El Paso bishop: End human trafficking by tackling root causes collectively (OSV News) — Ending human trafficking requires collective action in addressing the conditions that cause it, said a U.S. bishop.

“It is incumbent upon all of us to unite in promoting efforts that prevent the evil of human trafficking,” said Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, in a statement released Feb. 1.

On Feb. 8, the Catholic Church marked the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking.

The observance coincided with the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, who was born into slavery in 19th-century Sudan and eventually gained her freedom in Italy, where she became a Canossian sister.

Since her canonization by St. John Paul II in 2000, she has become the patron saint of human trafficking survivors.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) collaborated with the Catholic University of America in celebrating a Feb. 8 Mass for the occasion, as well as an ecumenical prayer service as a panel discussion on the issue.

The USCCB Committee on Migration

also has supported legislation and policies to protect victims and prevent trafficking and has urged Congress to pass the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023. Named for the internationally renowned U.S. abolitionist who himself had escaped slavery, the act would allocate $241 million annually from 2024 to 2028 for domestic and international antitrafficking measures and victim support.

“We … recognize the important role of governments in addressing the conditions that lead to trafficking, and we remain committed to working with our own government and fellow members of civil society to develop and implement anti-trafficking efforts,” said Bishop Seitz in his statement.

In 2021 alone, some 50 million individuals worldwide were in a form of modern slavery, according to the United Nations’ International Labor Organization.

The two most common types of human trafficking are forced labor (including sex trafficking) and forced marriage. †

COURTESY PHOTO

Wearing red hats, 195 parishioners from St. Katharine Drexel march in the Texas Rally for Life in Austin on Jan 27.

Thousands rally for life in Austin at State Capitol

AUSTIN — With the largest contingent from any one parish — 195 from Hempstead’s St. Katharine Drexel Parish — hundreds of Catholics from parishes around the Archdiocese made the trip to Austin for the Texas Rally for Life on Jan. 27.

Joining Father Xavier Bilavendiran, pastor of St. Katharine Drexel, parishioners from Christ the Good Shepherd in Spring, Prince of Peace, St. Mary Magdalene in Humble, St. Anthony of Padua in The Woodlands, St. Clare of Assisi in Clear Lake, St. Faustina in Fulshear, St. Laurence in Sugar Land, Sts. Simon and Jude in The Woodlands, and others, went to Austin to advocate for life and mark the overturning of Roe v. Wade, passed 50 years ago, and echo a continued call to end abortion and support life.

Among the speakers at the Texas Rally for Life was Austin’s Bishop Joe S. Vásquez.

Attendees also hosted a statewide diaper drive, collecting hundreds of boxes of diapers to support mothers and families in need.

The Austin Diocese hosted several Masses for Life that same day, offering Catholics a place to pray and worship before heading to the streets of downtown Austin and the Texas State Capitol. Bishop Vásquez celebrated a bilingual Mass at San José Catholic Church, and Bishop Michael Sis of San Angelo celebrated a Mass at the University Catholic Center, while Bishop William Michael Mulvey of Corpus Christi celebrated a Mass at St. Louis King of France. Each Liturgy was preceded by a Rosary of Mercy and Healing. †

For full descriptions of each position, visit ARCHGH.ORG/EMPLOYMENT

Catholic Schools Office: Temporary Records Assistant Development Department: Development Coordinator Family Life Ministry: Associate Director of Innovation Finance: Staff Accountant Human Resources: Pension Specialist, Payroll Coordinator Information Services: Systems Administrator II Internal Audit: Senior Internal Auditor, Staff Internal Auditor I Parish Accounting Services: Staff Accountant I, Staff Accountant II Special Youth Services: Pastoral Minister Tribunal: Secretary/Notary Young Adult & Campus Ministry: Associate Director of Outreach Interested candidates may send a cover letter, with salary requirement, and resume to resume@archgh.org with the job title on the subject line. *Submissions that do not include the salary requirement will not be moved forward for consideration.

16 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • FEBRUARY 13, 2024

MUNDO CATÓLICO La Persona del Catequista: Parte 2 Continuamos explorando el papel esencial del catequista. En mi articulo anterior publicado en este periódico hablaba de que cuando la persona del catequista experimenta este encuentro con el Señor Jesucristo, reconoce que la fe es un don, reconoce que no es dueño del Evangelio.

Por lo tanto, una de las primeras cualidades que la persona del catequista tendrá que aprender es ser humilde y no orgulloso, “sean pues, precavidos como la serpiente, pero sencillos como la paloma” (Mt 10, 16b).

Ser catequista es una tarea esencial y fundamental dentro de la misión de la Iglesia. Es tan fuerte este vinculo que la persona del catequista tiene que prepararse y formarse en las enseñanzas de la Iglesia, pero antes de prepararse el/la catequista debería de hacerse esta pregunta como punto de reflexión: ¿Cómo llegó usted a ser catequista?

Es muy probable que la persona del catequista conteste que había necesidad en la parroquia de tener catequistas, o el sacerdote le hizo una invitación personal, o posiblemente buscaba maneras de dar servicio y sentirse útil en la parroquia.

Todas estas razones son justificables pero incompletas.

La persona del catequista es catequista ¡porque el Señor lo ha llamado! Si, así es, en pocas palabras, por virtud del Bautismo que la persona ha recibido ha sido “incorporado a la Iglesia y hechos by participes de su misión” (Catecismo de la Iglesia ADRIAN Católica, n.

1213).

ALBERTO Razonablemente, este HERRERA llamado es en sí una vocación y es el deseo de emprender, buscar el Reino de Dios y dirigir la persona hacia la voluntad de Dios y no la propia.

“Es necesario que él crezca y que yo disminuya” (Jn 3, 30).

Consecuentemente, la persona del catequista hace conciencia de que ha recibido la fe de la Iglesia y que tiene un deber de “participar en la actividad apostólica y misionera del pueblo de Dios” (Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica, n.

1270). Cuando la persona del catequista reconoce y afirma que tiene un llamado por Dios y que está haciendo invitado para que viva, trabaje y edifique en su viña, es muy poco pensable que pueda

hacer oídos sordos. “La cosecha es abundante, pero los obreros son pocos.

Rueguen, pues, al dueño de la cosecha que envíe obreros a su cosecha” (Lc 10,2).

La persona del catequista entonces reconoce que su llamado nace en una comunidad de creyentes, de que no esta solo, de que poco a poco aprenderá a descubrir el sentir de la Iglesia.

En pocas palabras, asimilará que todo esfuerzo de evangelización y formación no se puede hacer afuera de la Iglesia excluyendo a la autoridad de la Iglesia, al contrario, nace desde el seno de la Iglesia. Y esto es importantísimo para el papel que la persona del catequista

tendrá que desempeñar, que primero hay que instruirse a ser humildes y no orgullosos.

La mejor escuela de formación para ser humildes es la oración cristiana, pero para esto hablaré en otra ocasión.

La formación de la persona debe ser permanente, intensa y orientada hacia la maduración cristiana del catequista, no se estudia para saber más, se estudia para servir mejor. † Adrian Alberto Herrera es actualmente director asociado para la Oficina de Evangelización y Catequesis.

FOTO OSV NEWS/CORTESÍA DE CATHOLIC EXTENSION

Las tres Hermanas Dominicas de la Doctrina Cristiana que sirven a la Diócesis de Birmingham, Alabama, vienen de México como parte de la última cohorte del Programa de Intercambio de Hermanas entre Estados Unidos y América Latina de Catholic Extension, patrocinado por la Fundación Hilton. En una foto del 10 de noviembre del 2023.

Programas de radio hispano

de la Arquidiócesis de Galveston-Houston La estación de radio KYST 920 AM Transmite los domingos 6 a.m – 7 a.m. & 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.

APOYO PASTORAL A VÍCTIMAS DE ABUSO SEXUAL DEL CLERO

www.archgh.org/congreso24

En un continuo esfuerzo por facilitar atención pastoral a las victimas de abuso sexual del clero o del personal de la Iglesia, el Cardenal DiNardo gustaría recordar a los fieles de la Arquidiócesis la disponibilidad del Coordinador de Ayuda a Víctimas. Si alguien ha sido victim de abuso sexual del clero o del personal de la Iglesia, se les anima llamar a la Diane Vines al 713-654-5799. Por favor rece por la sanación de las víctimas del abuso y por todos los que sufren de alguna manera.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

WITHIN THE ARTS

Michigan teacher’s mural features 37 diverse saints, artists, poets, civil rights leaders DETROIT (OSV News) — Kim Redigan used to look out the window of Detroit Cristo Rey High School’s small chapel as she prayed.

Last summer, however, industrialsized air-conditioning units were installed outside the window, and just like that, the view of the southwest Detroit neighborhood where many of the school’s students lived was obstructed.

Redigan, director of campus ministry at Cristo Rey, was distraught that the chapel had lost some of its beauty. It needed color and vibrancy — something to give it the warmth that the view of the neighborhood had always provided.

Enter Jeremy Alexander, a second-year Cristo Rey theology teacher who had taught himself the art of iconography. Alexander agreed with Redigan’s assessment, and the two decided a mural would help restore an atmosphere conducive to prayer and reflection in the space.

After discussing the project with the

school’s leadership, the two bounced their ideas. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to depict saints and others who represent Black and Mexican American students at Cristo Rey? And to portray artists, poets and civil rights leaders who are sometimes forgotten? And wouldn’t it be a blessing to have the mural completed

by All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1?

It was already mid-July, so Alexander got to work. He began with a drawing of Our Lady of Guadalupe and added St. Juan Diego directly beneath. Then, one by one, he added more figures in his signature Byzantine style.

“I wanted to portray an image of the communion of saints,” Alexander told Detroit Catholic, the archdiocese’s digital news outlet. “Once I got into it, it grew from there.”

A few Cristo Rey teachers suggested other figures for Alexander to include. A Jesuit friend pointed out that a Catholic mural in Detroit couldn’t omit Ste. Anne

OSV NEWS

A mural covering a wall of the small chapel at Detroit Cristo Rey High School is seen Dec. 18, 2023. Created by Jeremy Alexander, an iconographer and second-year theology teacher at Cristo Rey, the mural features 37 diverse saints, artists, poets, civil rights leaders and human rights activists, including Dorothy Day, center, who co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement.

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• Night Swim (PG-13) • Origin (PG-13) • The Boys in the Boat (PG-13) • L – LIMITED MATURE AUDIENCE • The Color Purple (PG-13) • The Iron Claw (R)

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de Detroit, so he added her.

In the end, the mural included 37 men and women, including St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Franciscan Father Mychal Judge, Blessed Solanus Casey, Father Augustus Tolton, Trappist Father Thomas Merton, St. Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day and Cesar Chavez.

“We have canonized saints in the mural and people whom I would describe

A LENTEN VALENTINE

as canonized in our hearts,” Redigan said.

“It ranges the gamut and includes some of our Black saints whom we hope will be canonized.”

As Alexander painted in the chapel, students stopped by to pray during the school day or after classes ended. He found the process to be cathartic. Some nights when he was engrossed in the project, he would work until 10 p.m.

“In my mind, it’s a gift from the heart for this community,” Alexander said. †

18 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • FEBRUARY 13, 2024

AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE ► FOR SUBMISSION DETAILS AND MORE LISTINGS, VISIT WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ATA.

FRIDAYS OF LENT

CHRIST THE KING, noon to 6 p.m. (4419 N. Main, Houston). Fish fry from $12 to $15 per plate.

SACRED HEART, 4 to 7:30 p.m. (507 Fourth St., Richmond). $12 plate includes fried or grilled fish, green beans, coleslaw, French fries and hush puppies. Desserts are also available. Dine in, carry out or drive thru.

SACRED HEART OF JESUS, 5 to 7 p.m. (Columbus Hall, 129 CR 146, Alvin). KofC #6403 host a fish fry with $12 dinner plates.

ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA, 5:30 to 8 p.m. (10503 Westheimer Rd., Houston). KofC #8024 host a fish fry with fried or baked fish plates with sides.

Desserts by Women of St. Cyril Group. Plates are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for children.

ST. MARY MAGDALENE, 5 to 7 p.m. (527 S Houston Ave., Humble). $12 meal includes fried fish, French fries, coleslaw and hushpuppies. Dine in, carry out or drive thru.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (6800 Buffalo Speedway). KofC #10390 host a fish fry with $10 meal of fish (fried or baked), two sides (rice, green beans or coleslaw) and corn bread.

Drive-thru available.

FEB. 14

CATFISH DINNER, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Our Mother of Mercy - Father Chester Ball Social Center (4000 Sumpter St., Houston). $15 plates with two

fried catfish filets, potato salad, green beans, bread and cake. $8 fish sandwiches also for sale.

Delivery available for orders of five or more. To order: 832-971-3456 or 713-447-1465.

FEB. 15-18

ACTS RETREAT, Christian Renewal Center (1515 Hughes Rd., Dickinson). St. Hyacinth’s Men’s ACTS host a retreat focuses on entering into a new or deeper relationship with the Lord. juanm_dp@hotmail.com.

FEB. 16-17

COUPLES CONFERENCE, Friday, 7 to 10 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Angela Merici (9009 Sienna Ranch Rd., Missouri City). Mark Gungor, a love and marriage speaker, explores the dynamics of male/female relationships. Cost: $35. 281-778-0400; adultff@stamericigh.com.

FEB. 17

CURSILLO, 9 a.m., Our Lady of Lavang (12320 Old Foltin Rd., Houston). Latino, Vietnamese and English Cursillo communities host Cursillo’s Grand Ultreya. Event begins with 9 a.m. Mass.

LENTEN REFLECTION, 9:30 a.m. to noon, St. Mary of the Purification (3006 Rosedale, Houston).

Archdiocesan Catechetical offices and the Office of Vicar for Catholics of African Descent host “Songs of Our Hearts, Meditation of Our Souls,” a Lenten morning of reflection in the African-American Catholic tradition with the Catholic African American Ministry Choir. Light brunch follows. aauzenne@archgh.org.

FEB. 17-18

VINTAGE MARKET, Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. and

Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., St. Anne (2140 Westheimer Rd., Houston). Household goods, collectibles, furniture, sports equipment, books, jewelry and more. 713-526-3276; saintanne. org/news-events/596-vintage-values.

PARISH LENTEN MISSION, Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (1111 St. Joseph Pkwy., Houston).

Embracing Lent’s call to prayer, fasting and almsgiving with the Sisters of Life. Saturday, in English, 2 p.m. Mission, 5 p.m. Mass; Sunday, in Spanish, 9 a.m. Mission, 1 p.m. Mass; Sunday, in Vietnamese, 9 a.m. Mass, 10:30 a.m. Mission. sacredhearthouston.org/lent.

FEB. 17-21

LENTEN MISSION, Prince of Peace (19222 Tomball Pkwy., Houston). Father Cedric Pisegna, C.P., will preach at all English weekend Masses, and 9 a.m. Masses on Monday through Wednesday, with a 7 p.m. evening service. frcedric.org.

FEB. 21

LENTEN REFLECTION, 9:30 a.m. to noon, St. Mary of the Expectation Catholic Church (1612 E. Walker, Houston). The Bay Area Council Catholic of Women host a Morning of Reflection with light breakfast and speaker Diana Pombier, “The 7 Deadly Sins and the 7 Lively Virtues.” yodainoz@comcast.net.

FEB. 23-25

WEEKEND RETREAT, 5 p.m. Friday to 11 a.m.

Sunday, Mother of Perpetual Help Retreat Center (3417 W. Little York, Houston). Marian Servants of the Incarnate Wisdom host “Healing Through the Power of Jesus Christ” with Father Greg Bramlage, founder of the Missionaries of the New Evangelization. Cost: $250 per person. info@marianservantshouston.org.

FEB. 24

WOMEN'S CONFERENCE, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., St. Michael the Archangel (1801 Sage Rd., Houston). Houston Catholic Women’s Conference features keynote speaker Kathleen Beckman, Mass, confession and fellowship with other Catholic women from Houston.

Cost: $60, $70 at the door, includes lunch.

Register: houstoncwc.net. 281-948-6256; houstoncwc01@gmail.com.

DAY OF SERVICE, 8 a.m. to noon, Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (1111 St. Joseph Pkwy., Houston). Lenten day of service begins with Mass followed by pre-selected service projects benefiting 10-plus local charities, ends with lunch. Free. outreach@sacredhearthouston. org; sacredhearthouston.org/caritasday.

FILM SCREENING & WORKSHOP, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Dominican Center for Spirituality (6501 Almeda Rd., Houston). Dominican Sisters of Houston and Center for the Healing of Racism and host Lotte Lieb Dula and Briayna Cuffie of Reparations4Slavery for film screening and workshop. www.centerhealingracism.org/ event/the-cost-of-inheritance.

GALA, 6 to 9 p.m., Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (10114 Hwy 6, Hitchcock). Marking its 60th anniversary, event includes steak dinner, entertainment and dancing and complimentary drink; live entertainment by Crooner Rob Silver, and an opportunity to bid on delicious desserts as well as silent auction prizes. OLOLchurch.org/2024-gala.

MARCH 1-3

WEEKEND SPANISH RETREAT, 3 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m.

Sunday, Mount Carmel House of Prayer (9600 Deer Trail Dr., Houston). Spanish silent retreat for young adults and adults, men and women, provides a space to find God deep within. Cost: $200, which includes private room, shared bathroom and all meals. Text: 281-799-0902.

SILENT LENTEN RETREAT, 7 p.m. Friday to 11 a.m. Sunday, Christian Renewal Center (1515 Hughes Rd., Dickinson). Spiritual Director Kim Brown leads meditative retreat with daily Mass, confession and individual spiritual direction.

Cost: $259 for single, $429 for shared room. reatreatcentercrc.org/events.

MARCH 2

THEOLOGY CONFERENCE, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sacred Heart (109 N Frazier St., Conroe).

Conference on the Eucharist includes Mass, confessions, Adoration, fellowship and presentations by Scott Hahn and John Bergsma. Cost: $35. stpaulcenter.com/ conroe2024.

MARCH 16

ST. JOSEPH ALTAR, 6:30 p.m., St. Ignatius Loyola Christus Center (7810 Cypresswood Dr., Spring).

Event begins following 5:15 p.m. Mass with traditional children’s saints procession to Christus Center. Meal includes Sicilian pasta dinner, with homemade Italian treats by St. Joseph’s Altar Guild available for purchase.

Raffle drawings conclude the night. Free, open to the public. stjosephaltarguild@silcc.org; 713-825-4576.

ST. JOSEPH ALTAR, after 5 p.m. Mass, St. Helen (2209 Old Alvin Rd., Pearland). Procession from See CALENDAR, next page

SUBMIT EVENTS FOR AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE

Around the Archdiocese

E-mail event details to tch@archgh.org for possible inclusion in the Around the Archdiocese calendar or scan the QR code and fill out the form online at www.archgh.org/ata.

There is no charge for listings but space is limited.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2024 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

MILESTONES FAITHFUL SERVANTS

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Send it to Around the Archdiocese!

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DEACON JAMES H. MESHELL

Diaconate class celebrates silver anniversary

The deacon class of 1999, ordained by the late Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, celebrated its 25th anniversary of ordination at a luncheon on Jan. 27 at the Cathedral Centre. Speakers for the event included Deacon Phillip Jackson, director of the Permanent Diaconate, and Deacon Dale Steffes, member of the first class of deacons ordained in 1972. Pictured, left to right, are George Blanford, James and Ivana Meshell, Genevieve and Abner Brown, Miriam and Louis Dell’Olio, Vita and Louis Provenzano, Ben and Maria Munguia, Frank and Helen Ostrowski, Luis Rodriguez, Carlito and Marie Buhay, John and Beverly Benoit, William Garrett, Cheryl and Jerome Losack Sr., Mary Jo Butler, Robert and Karen Rumford, David and Kathleen Bowman, Jesse and Linda Tollett, Linda and Bob MacFarlane and Mary and Michael St. Julian.

CALENDAR, from previous page Mass for the traditional “Tupa-Tupa” to a pasta dinner served in Helena Hall. Donate via Venmo: @Kaylin-Olson. 281-485-2421.

MARCH 17

ST. JOSEPH ALTAR, Christ the Redeemer (11507 Huffmeister Rd., Houston).

Proceeds of 15th annual St. Joseph Altar benefit Cypress Assistance Ministries. Free admission. Meal tickets cost: $10 per adult, $5 per child

10 and under. gomaryannrowell@gmail.com; ctrcc.com/st-joseph-altar.

MARCH 21

PRESENTATION, St. Helen (2209 Old Alvin Rd., Pearland). “Made for More” features a blend of teaching, live music and art by Christopher West and Mike Mangione, offering a vision of the Gospel through St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. Cost: $25. Tickets: M4MTX.eventbrite.com. paul@ sthelenchurch.org.

For additional listings, visit WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ATA

Lenten Silent Retreat March 1 - 3 at the Christian Renewal Center with Kim Brown, M.Ed, M.Th.

Register at retreactcentercrc.org/events

20 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

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ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • FEBRUARY 13, 2024