Texas Catholic Herald - March 26, 2024

SICILIAN FAITH St. Joseph Altar devotions highlight

faithful tradition

▪ SEE PAGE 10

BORDER PILGRIMAGE

Sisters see Stations of the Cross in witness to migrants’ hardships at border

▪ SEE PAGE 15

A SPIRITUAL GUIDE TO HOLY WEEK

BY LORENE HANLEY DUQUIN Special to the Herald

HOUSTON (OSV News) — What are you doing for Holy Week?

It’s OK if your Holy Week list includes coloring eggs, cleaning and baking for Easter, shopping for new outfits, traveling to a relative’s home or going on a spring vacation. There’s nothing wrong with secular Easter activities.

But it’s important to keep in mind that there is also a profound spiritual basis for the holiday celebration.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday and ends at sundown on Easter Sunday. Our remembrance of the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus makes Holy Week the most sacred time of the year for Catholics.

EMBRACING HOLY WEEK

How will you balance the sacred part of Holy Week with all of the other things you will be doing? All of it is important in your life and in the lives of your family members. But keeping a balance between the spiritual and the secular will require a little planning on your part.

Start by making a list of everything that needs to be done during Holy Week. Then block out time in your busy calendar for attending Holy Week Liturgies. Be sure to set aside specific times every day during the week for

Lenten devotions, quiet prayer, Scripture reading and meditation.

Your greatest temptation will be scrimping on your spiritual needs because there is so much going on! If you let that happen, your Easter celebration may look perfect on the surface, but will feel spiritually unsatisfying.

PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, the Sixth Sunday of Lent, marks the beginning of Holy Week. The Mass on this day commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem when people waved palm branches and

shouted “Hosanna.”

Before Mass begins, palms are blessed, and there is a procession that symbolizes the beginning of the spiritual journey into the Paschal Mystery that will unfold throughout Holy Week.

During the Mass, the full Gospel account of the passion and death of Jesus is read. The priest usually takes the lines attributed to Jesus. Several lectors take other parts. The people in the pews read the lines attributed to the crowd.

The Mass continues with the See HOLY WEEK, page 5

A SHEPHERD’S

BY DANIEL CARDINAL DINARDO Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

Christ is Risen! Alleluia! He is truly Risen! Alleluia!

In my last article, I reflected on Holy Week and the liturgical celebrations that mark those important days, especially Thursday night through Sunday night — the Sacred Triduum.

A SHEPHERD’S MESSAGE

The Triduum revivifies and renews the action of Jesus Christ in His suffering, dying and rising for us and our salvation. The Triduum makes real the complete obedience of Jesus Christ, the Son, to the will and plan of His Father, and in accordance with the action of the Holy Spirit.

The resurrection of Christ occurred at a point in history, but it is an event “once

See

MINISTRY Easter ‘with great hope’

Aging conference unpacks challenges, gifts of old age

BY JAMES RAMOS Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — Among the many messages and presentations at a recent two-day conference on aging, Monsignor Chester Borski stood tall to echo Pope Francis’ understanding of the importance of listening to the elderly and meeting their spiritual needs.

The Office of Aging Ministry held the conference from Jan. 26 to 27. It drew together ministry and catechetical leaders, as well as families and loved ones of elderly people living in the Archdiocese.

Monsignor Borski shared a personal story about his own mother, who experienced a fall and her subsequent health issues that led to her needing care

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

“We make our pilgrimage with great hope with all the faithful of the Church, living and deceased, and with all the Saints in heaven — beginning with the Mother of God. ”

and for all.” Because Christ has conquered death by dying, the resurrection is a reality of today. It is always today! In the death of Christ before His Father and for us, our relationship to God has changed.

We live in a new friendship and intimacy. Even time changes! It no longer “passes.” It is caught up in Christ’s salvation. It reveals God the Father’s constant and eternal plan to seek out all human beings in their hiding places and bring them home. God’s love is everlasting. The Gospels emphasize this by calling the death and resurrection of Christ His “hour.” Now has the hour come for the Son of Man to be glorified is the way the Gospel of St. John beautifully expresses this reality.

So, it can be said, with the whole of the New Testament, that the death and glory of Christ have ushered in “the last times” (which may last for millennia). The power of Christ grows more intense as those who come to the Father through Him and in the Holy Spirit are received into His Church. In coming to Him, they receive power through witnessing and boldness of action, through which they reveal ever more God’s love for the world.

At the same time, the forces of those opposed to the Lord and His goodness keep up their carnival of death. This situation will remain in place until the final coming of Christ in glory, in a time known only by the Father. We make our pilgrimage with great hope with all the faithful of the Church, living and deceased, and with all the Saints in heaven — beginning with the Mother of God. Pope Francis has called this “living in a synodal way,” a way of accompaniment with others, especially the little ones.

In living our Christian way of life, we give joy to the Father. This should fill us all with wonder that such an event has come to us and rests with us always.

Christ is Risen! Alleluia! †

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COVER ART • Stations of the Cross stained glass windows at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Humble

PHOTO BY PHILIPPE LISSAC / GODONG

An icon at the Albanian Orthodox Resurrection Cathedral in Tirana, Albania, depicts Jesus descending into hell to raise up Adam, at left, and Eve, at right, from their graves.

SHEPHERD, from page 1

THE FIRST WORD

A Lenten Culinary Tour: Meatless meals from around the globe

We’ve reached the conclusion of this series, which featured 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 Timor-Leste, a southeast Asian island nation home to more than 1.4 million people

Batar Da’an, or boiled corn in Tetum, the language of the southeast Asian country of, brings a delicious Timorese vegetable medley stew to your dining table. Perfect over a bowl of rice, this dish is uses what’s already in your pantry, including that long-forgotten butternut squash that might be hiding in the back. The recipe also calls for 5 cloves of garlic, so garlic-lovers, this one’s for you! 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. †

35 MINUTES

4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

Bataar Da’an - Squash, Bean and Corn Stew METHOD

• 1 large onion, diced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tbsp fair trade olive oil

• 3 cups water

• 1 butternut squash, cut into small pieces

• 1 10-oz. bag frozen corn

• 1 15-oz. can red kidney beans, drained

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 cups cooked rice

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add water and squash, and increase heat until water is simmering. Add corn and kidney beans, reduce to medium heat, and cook stirring occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes until squash is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice.

The fruit of our Lenten Sacrifice

CRS PHOTO Margret is the youngest child of Adolf Omara and Achen Florence. During the holidays, she supports her family with household activities like working

Christ, the bread of life, fed the multitudes while on earth and today continues to nourish us spiritually through the Eucharist. This Lent, we reflected on how the Eucharist unites us with God and one another as members of the same body of Christ, and how the Lord invites us to see him in our global family.

We saw Christ in Uganda, through Adolf and Florence, who learned new farming methods, so they can provide food for their family and help their neighbors grow better crops. We can imagine how much Jesus rejoiced when Adolf said, “I have seen my children happy because they are well fed.”

Thank you!

Your Lenten sacrifices helped families around the world overcome the challenges of hunger and poor nutrition. Turn in your CRS Rice Bowl today.

crsricebowl.org/give

We saw Christ in El Salvador, in Sandra and Santos Amaya’s family. Like the body of Christ — which, though one body, has many members — each family member contributes their unique gifts to support the household. We saw Christ in Sandra’s sacrifices to ensure her family and community can thrive, from learning how to keep chickens to traveling long distances for training that helps her and her neighbors. We saw Christ in Indonesia, through Evita and her disaster preparedness group. Together, they have helped keep their community safe during natural disasters, which have increased and become more destructive due to climate change. We saw Christ again in the group’s communal vegetable garden, which ensures their families have nutritious food even in emergencies.

Lastly, we have seen Christ in you during this holy season — in your prayers, sacrifices and almsgiving. As we near Holy Week, we reflect on the Eucharist as the sacrament of unity that ignites in us the desire to get out of our comfort zone and become Jesus’ hands to care for our neighbors. Let us continue to imitate Christ in how he offers himself for us on the Cross and in the Eucharist. In this way, may we generously give of ourselves to honor and uphold the dignity of our sisters and brothers around the world. Be sure to donate your savings online at www.crsricebowl.org. †

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BRIEFS

Ticket sales continue for annual priests vs. seminarians basketball game

HOUSTON — The seventh annual Priests vs. Seminarians Basketball Game is set for 7 p.m. on April 19 at Rice University-Tudor Fieldhouse, located at 6100 Main St. in Houston near the Texas Medical Center.

The seminarians’ Saints will face off against the priests’ Martyrs. Tickets range from $4 to $95, with all proceeds going to the seminarians at St. Mary’s Seminary. Tickets are limited, and the event is expected to sell out. To purchase, visit www.houstonvocations.com/ events. †

Magnify is set for April 13

HOUSTON — Magnify, formerly known as the Archdiocesan Young Adult Day, is set for Saturday, April 13, from noon to 8 p.m. at St. Mary’s Seminary, located at 9845 Memorial Dr. in Houston. The event features a keynote speaker, workshops, Mass and time for social activities.

The bilingual event’s theme is “Who do you say that I am?” (Mt 16:15-16). Early Bird registration is $40 until March 18, then $50 until April 12. At the door, registration is $60.

For more information and to register, visit www.archgh. org/magnify. †

Embracing Faith: Lenten guidelines

Lent continues through Good Friday, March 29, which is a day of fast and abstinence. Abstinence from meat is obligatory for all who have reached their 14th year. Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence.

According to the U.S. bishops, fasting is obligatory for all who have completed their 18th year and have not yet reached their 60th year. Fasting allows a person to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may be taken, not to equal one full meal. Through works of fasting, prayer and abstinence, we heed the Prophet Joel’s exhortation to “return to God with our whole heart” (2:12). Lent is a penitential season and practices such as daily Mass, reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, works of charity and justice and acts of self-denial are highly encouraged. For more resources, including prayer guides, videos and links to stories, visit www.archgh.org/lent.

LOCAL

at Holy Week and Easter

BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — As Lent ends, the Church locally and around the world begins its most sacred time of Holy Week from the celebration of Palm Sunday March 24 this year through Easter Sunday March 31.

Each parish offers many special celebrations, from the Biblical washing of feet as servants of God and the institution of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday to following the Way of the Cross on Good Friday with the Passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

An abbreviated list below shows the variety of celebrations planned among the more than 140 parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The annual Chrism Mass at the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart, to be celebrated by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo on Tuesday, March 26 at 7 p.m., blesses gallons of sacred oils to serve all area parishes.

At the highly attended Mass, Cardinal DiNardo will bless huge vessels of the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick

and the Sacred Chrism used throughout the year at all the Archdiocesan Catholic churches for the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders. Priests also renew their vows during the Mass.

On Good Friday, March 29, churches will stage live re-enactments of Jesus’ Passion on the Cross, vividly observing the last hours of Our Lord, with costumes, props and drama of the events along the Way of the Cross (Stations of the Cross). This allows Catholics to meditate deeply on Christ’s Passion, from His trial to His crucifixion, death and resurrection.

Among those churches, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, at 7539 Ave. K, in Houston, will begin a traditional outdoor procession at 5 p.m. in Spanish from its parking area on Ave. L proceeding through 75th Street, down Canal, and back to the church.

The neighboring Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 7250 Harrisburg, will start earlier, with parish artists beginning to draw at 9 a.m. throughout the day to create religious designs using carpets of colored sawdust. Then, a 5 p.m. live re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross with Confirmation candidates will begin. In a symbolic gesture, the carpets and hours of work are destroyed as people walk over them in the procession.

In English, the University of St.

Thomas “Way of the Cross” procession begins Friday at 10:15 a.m. with hundreds of people led by the cross traveling a two-mile procession that ends at the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

An even earlier open-air dramatization of the Passion of Christ is scheduled at 10 a.m. with St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 501 Tidwell, having a Spanishspeaking young adult group leading the live open-air dramatization.

On Saturday night’s candlelight Easter Vigil on March 30, more than 2,300 new Catholics at churches throughout the Archdiocese this year will be confirmed in one of the longest Masses of the year, way beyond the average one hour. Beginning at sunset and lasting for several hours, at times up to midnight, the vigil is a touching connection as believers await Christ’s return.

At the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Cardinal DiNardo will celebrate Easter Vigil on March 30, starting at 8:30 p.m. for Mass in English.

Easter Sunday Masses at the CoCathedral on March 31 are as scheduled: 7 a.m. English Mass; 9 a.m. Vietnamese Mass; 11 a.m. English Mass; and 1 p.m. Spanish Mass with Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS.

Cardinal DiNardo will also celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at noon in Galveston at St. Mary Cathedral Basilica, 2011 Church St.

Priests will share the joyous news celebrated at Easter with the traditional greeting “Christ is risen!” and their parishioners will respond, “He is risen, indeed!” †

FILE PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD Actors do a live re-enactment March 30, 2018, of the Stations of the Cross during a mile-long procession in Houston on Good

Finding faith in the days of Holy Week

celebration of the Eucharist.

People are encouraged to take the blessed palm branches home, where they can be fashioned into crosses or placed behind a crucifix.

The blessed palms that are left in the church are burned and used for ashes the following year on Ash Wednesday.

MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK

The Gospel reading this day, John 12:1-11, recalls the woman who anointed Jesus with oil.

TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK

Today’s Gospel — John 13:21-33, 3638 — offers a hint of the events to come as Jesus predicts the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter.

WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK

This day is traditionally referred to as “Spy Wednesday” because it recalls the decision of Judas to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

THE CHRISM MASS

During Holy Week, the bishop blesses sacred oils in the cathedral at a special Liturgy known as the Chrism Mass.

The oil of chrism is used during Baptisms, Confirmations, ordination and the consecration of altars. The oil of catechumens is used at the Easter Vigil. The oil of the sick is used to anoint people during the sacrament of the anointing of the sick.

The oils are then distributed to the parishes for sacramental celebrations throughout the year.

As part of the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, the renewal of priestly promises was incorporated into the chrism Mass.

The Chrism Mass is an ancient celebration that traditionally takes place on Holy Thursday morning. But many dioceses, including Houston, celebrate the Chrism Mass on Tuesday evening earlier in Holy Week so that more people can attend.

HOLY THURSDAY MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper commemorates the Passover meal that Jesus shared in the Upper Room with the apostles on the night before He died. Before the meal, He washed their feet to impress upon them the call to serve others. The Church recognizes the Last Supper as the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

During the meal, Jesus also instituted the Eucharist by transforming bread and wine into His own Body and Blood.

After the meal, Jesus went to Gethsemane where He suffered the agony in the garden, the betrayal of Judas and the brutality of being arrested.

The Mass of the Last Supper is a dramatic Liturgy with the priest washing the feet of 12 parishioners.

After Communion, the altar and sanctuary are stripped and there is a procession with the Blessed Sacrament, which is taken to a separate altar of repose, usually located on a side altar or in a chapel. There is no dismissal or final blessing. It is the last time the Eucharist will be celebrated until the Easter Vigil.

People leave in silence but continue to keep a vigil with Jesus in their hearts in anticipation of the events that will take place on the next day.

GOOD FRIDAY

The Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday is a somber service that commemorates the crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus. Because it is considered a continuation from the night before, the Liturgy begins in silence. The priest enters and lies prostrate at the foot of the altar.

The service begins with the Liturgy of the Word, which includes a reading about the suffering servant in Isaiah, a psalm, a reading from the book of Hebrews, and the account of the passion and death of Jesus from the Gospel of John. During this part of the Liturgy there are special prayers for all the people in the world.

The second part of the Liturgy is the veneration of the cross, an ancient practice that allows each person to touch or kiss the instrument of torture that leads to salvation.

The third part of the Liturgy is a Communion service with hosts that were consecrated the night before. Afterward, the tabernacle is left empty and open. The lamp or candle usually situated next to the tabernacle, denoting the presence of Christ, is extinguished.

People leave the church in silence but continue to keep a vigil with Jesus, who has entered the tomb and will rise on the third day.

GOOD FRIDAY FASTING GUIDELINES

Only one full meal is permitted on Good Friday for Catholics between 18 and 59. Two smaller meals are allowed, but they should not equal a second full meal. Drinking coffee, tea and water between meals is allowed, but eating snacks between meals is not.

All Catholics who have reached the age of 14 must abstain from meat on Good Friday.

EASTER VIGIL

In the first century, the early Christians celebrated every Sunday in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus. By the second century, they established a particular day for the celebration of the resurrection, which was connected to the Jewish Passover.

Their observance began at sundown on Saturday evening. They called it the Night of the Great Vigil, a time of remembrance and expectation that lasted throughout the night so they could sing “alleluia” at dawn on Easter

Great Week. Over time, the practice of observing Holy Week spread throughout the Christian world with prayers, historical re-enactments and special Liturgies. During the Middle Ages, the celebration of the Easter Vigil gradually fell out of practice. The important days of the week were Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

In 1955, the Vatican reestablished the Easter Vigil as an important part of Holy Week observances.

During the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the bishops called for the restoration of the early Christian rituals for receiving new Christians into the Church at the Easter Vigil. In 1988, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults was issued.

morning. It was during the Night of the Great Vigil that new Christians were received into the Church.

By the fourth century, it became customary for people to make pilgrimages to Jerusalem to celebrate what was called the “Great Week,” which included Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. The diary of a woman named Egeria in 381 contains the first accounts of the special rites, prayers and devotions that took place in Jerusalem during the

Today, the Easter Vigil begins the Easter fire, the lighting of the paschal candle, the reading of salvation history, the celebration of the Sacraments of initiation for catechumens and renewal of baptismal promises for the faithful is once again an integral part of Holy Week celebrations.

As with Good Friday, the celebration begins in silence with people waiting in darkness.

The first part of the Vigil is the Light Service, which begins outdoors with the Easter fire and the lighting of the paschal candle. The candle is carried into the dark church as a symbol of the Light of Christ, a powerful reminder that Jesus is light in the darkness.

See HOLY WEEK, page 6

Traveling exhibit highlights foster children’s stories

BY SISTER MAUREEN O’CONNELL, OP Special to the Herald

HOUSTON — In his letter announcing World Children’s Day in May, Pope Francis invited children to make the world a better place through prayer and small acts of kindness.

He added that children remind everyone of the need and desire “to grow and flourish.”

Pope Francis said that all people are someone’s sons and daughters and are our brothers and sisters, “we would not be alive unless others brought us into this world, nor could we grow without having others to love and from whom to receive love.”

When Pope Francis commented on the gift of family, it is difficult not to recognize the situation within the wider community. Each day, over 3,000 children are awaiting adoption in Harris County. We have an opportunity to increase community awareness and educate ourselves and others about the plight of children in the foster care system.

On average, children will move seven separate times before leaving foster care. The statistics of what happens to children who age out of foster care are grim.

A May 2017 study from the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI) reported if

children are not adopted and age out of the system, here is what happens:

- 40% will become homeless within the first year.

- 60% are in jail within the first year.

- 50% battle with substance abuse.

- 70% are pregnant or parenting by the age of 21.

BEAR… BE A Resource was founded

in 1997 to provide emergency items and resources to abused, neglected and atrisk services to children in need in our community who are under the care of Children’s Protective Services in the Greater Houston Area.

Harris County, the third largest county in the nation and the largest county in Texas, recently welcomed Heart Gallery of Houston to its BEAR program. This program is a traveling photographic exhibit created to help find forever homes for children in foster care awaiting adoption. With the help of professional photographers who volunteer their time and local businesses as well as

HOLY WEEK, from page 5

The individual candles, held by people in the pews, are lit from the paschal candle. By the time the procession reaches the altar, the church is bathed in candlelight.

The Exultet, an ancient song of proclamation that gives thanks and praise to God, is sung.

During the Liturgy of the Word, Scripture readings and psalms help people reflect on all of the wonderful things God has done throughout salvation history.

Then the baptismal water is blessed, the candidates and catechumens receive the Sacraments of initiation, and the congregation renews baptismal vows.

During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, people share in the body and blood of Christ.

The mystery and ritual of the Easter Vigil touch the deepest part of people’s souls with elements of darkness, light, silence, music, fire, water and oil, along with bread and wine that become the

community partners, these heartfelt canvas photos bring life to the faces of children who long to find a forever family with a life of stability and love.

Studies show that in communities that have an established Heart Gallery, the hardest-to-place children go from a 1% chance of being adopted to a more than 60% chance of adoption — and that number continues to grow!

These statistics clearly illustrate the need for partnerships of local churches, businesses and individuals. These children deserve and need loving homes. If they do not find one, this could directly affect their future as well as our city’s.

These traveling exhibits can be set up in any location for any amount of time with no effort for the host. The exhibit can be small, consisting of just a few canvas photos or as big as one would like, featuring all the children available for adoption. Each canvas photo is 20x24. These photos can be arranged on floor easels, table easels, hung on the wall, or any combination of these. There is no work for the host or venue. BEAR staff and/or volunteers will come in on the pre-designated date/time to set up and return on the pre-designated date/time to remove.

To learn more about this critical program and to see some of the children available for adoption, visit www. heartgalleryhouston.org.

Many children in our community yearn to be part of a loving, supportive family. There are so many ways to get involved. Please consider supporting this critical ministry. †

body and blood of the risen Lord. They are reminded that new life in Christ can never be overcome by darkness or death.

EASTER SUNDAY

For the early Christians, the celebration of Masses on Easter morning developed as a way to accommodate people who were unable to attend the Easter Vigil.

Today, Easter Sunday Masses are joyfilled celebrations of the risen Lord with the singing of the Gloria and alleluias, the renewal of baptismal vows, and a sprinkling with Easter water. After sharing in the Eucharist, people go forth strengthened in faith to serve the Lord and one another.

Easter Sunday marks the beginning of the Easter season, which will last the next 50 days and include the celebration of Jesus’ ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. †

Lorene Hanley Duquin is a Catholic author and lecturer who has worked in parishes and on a diocesan level.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE AND PEACE Harris County recently welcomed Heart Gallery of Houston, a traveling photographic exhibit created to help find forever homes for children in foster care awaiting adoption with the help of professional photographers who volunteer their time.

Francis gestures as he touches his pectoral cross while he greets people during his general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican in 2022. Since the beginning of his papacy, Pope Francis has echoed the message of pastoral care and accompaniement of people with same-sex attraction shared by his predecessors. A local ministry focuses on that effort in Houston.

Ministry offers same-sex attracted people a place to journey in faith

HOUSTON — As political and Church discourse continues around marriage and family life, a ministry in the Archdiocese is working to accompany same-sex attracted men and women living and worshiping in parishes around the region.

A local Houston-based chapter of Courage International carries a mission of “mercy” and understanding that “every person, regardless of who they are, was made in the image and likeness of God” and has “an inherent dignity,” according to Father Richard Lucien “Luke” Millette.

The priest, who is the judicial vicar for the Archdiocese, assisted in bringing the ministry to the Archdiocese and shared about the importance and need for this ministry in a recent episode of the “Around the Archdiocese” podcast.

COURAGE AND ENCOURAGE

Courage International is a Catholic apostolate that supports same-sex attracted men and women living chastely according to Church teaching.

Founded in 1980 by Oblate Father John Harvey — at the suggestion of Terence Cardinal Cooke of New York — the Connecticut-based Courage organization has 340 chapters worldwide and 236 priest chaplains. The EnCourage apostolate was established in 1987 to provide pastoral care to families of loved ones with same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria. Both Courage and EnCourage have significantly expanded into Latin America in recent years, creating more than 40 chapters for Spanish and Portuguese speakers.

In November 2016, the Courage apostolate received canonical status in the Catholic Church as a diocesan public association of the faithful, making it the only canonically approved apostolate of its kind.

Through prayer and fellowship, both apostolates assist members in living out Catholic doctrine, which holds that humans are created as a profound unity of body and soul.

In Houston, Courage meets weekly while EnCourage meets once a month.

DOCTRINE REMAINS THE SAME

The Church teaches that “men and women with homosexual tendencies ‘must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided,’” according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It also teaches that sexual love is reserved for marriage between a man and woman.

Father Millette said that even though people may have “disordered attractions,” that “does not mean that we ourselves are bad people ... or that we’re outside God’s mercy or grace. All it means is that we have a cross that we have to work through, a suffering, a struggle that we have to bring to God so that He can help

us to carry that cross so that through it we can come to experience His salvation.”

Despite the loud and often distracting back-and-forth seen in the media that often builds up an “us versus them” mentality, “the Church is teaching us that... we shouldn’t be reducing people to just their basic attractions,” Father Millette said.“There is more to the human being than just who they’re sexually attracted to.”

PASTORAL CHARITY

“The Church has a very clear understanding of marriage: an exclusive, stable, and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to procreation,” Pope Francis said in October 2023. “The Church avoids any type of rite or sacramental that might contradict this conviction and suggest that something that is not marriage is recognized as marriage.”

Pope Francis cautioned that “in our relationships with people, we must not lose the pastoral charity, which should permeate all our decisions and attitudes.”

According to its website, Courage “understands the complexity of same-sex attraction” and describes itself as a “prochastity ministry” rather than one that attempts to “pray away the gay.”

“Conversion therapy... is not something the Church teaches nor preaches,” Father Millette said. “The goal is so that the individual can live their life in accord with Christ and to live out their faith.”

Courage participants focus on five key goals developed by the apostolate’s founding generation: To live chaste lives; dedicate themselves to Christ and others through the Sacraments, prayer and service; foster a spirit of fellowship; cultivate chaste friendships; and set good examples for others.

SPIRITUAL SUPPORT

According to the U.S. bishops conference, “As baptized members of the Catholic community, persons with a homosexual inclination continue to look to the Church for a place where they may live in authentic human integrity and holiness of life. Being welcomed into and participating in their local faith community is the foundation of spiritual support that the Church offers to them. Full and active participation is encouraged. Participation in a worshiping Catholic community is a support for living a life of chastity and integrity and an encouragement to an ongoing personal conversion.”

For more information about the two ministries, including contact information for Courage and Encourage, visit www. archgh.org/courage and www.archgh. org/encourage. To listen to the full podcast with Father Millette, visit www. archgh.org/podcasts. †

OSV News contributed to this story.

CNS PHOTO

Pope

in a nursing home. The experience drew him deeper into the experience of the elderly and brought to light what the pope has emphasized in his recent catechesis shared in 2022 on the spirituality of old age that expressed the need to value and cherish the elderly.

Monsignor Borski also mentioned the need for the elderly to have meaningful lives, loving relationships, continued learning and growth, gratitude and forgiveness, and preparation for dying and death.

“One of the functions of aging is to become comfortable with who we are instead of mourning who we’re not,” Monsignor Borski said.

Before his retirement in 2018, he said he realized that “one of the beautiful experiences I’ve had personally, not just when I retired, but towards the end of my life, is to recognize my experience of God is sacred and special.”

Only by reaching decades of life experience, did he understand that there were events in his life that astounded him, of how God seemed so close and spoke so clearly to him.

“To treasure your own experience and to know that God has been part of your life and to speak out of that experience is one of the gifts that the elderly can offer to our community,” he said. “Lifelong learning makes a huge difference in the quality of life for the individual and for the community and how they can contribute to the life of the community. In our older years, learning and growth have the possibility to be expansive. Not so much getting new facts, but learning to deal with diversity, learning to integrate what we have experienced in life.”

That learning is what Christine Dunn, former director of religious education at St. Laurence Parish in Sugar Land, is focused on.

“We are [part of the] Church, from the cradle to the grave,” she said. “With a framework of lifelong learning, we need to remember that. There’s a lot of generational divide happening in our larger culture. It’s important for us to understand young people and middle-

aged people and old people and realize that we all need each other.”

No matter their age, everyone is called to be a part of, and involved in, a parish where they feel welcomed and loved, she said.

That welcoming can start at Sunday Mass, and doesn’t have to be a grand gesture or exhaustive effort: simply saying hi to someone nearby after Mass, a greeting to recognize them and thank them for being there.

“We see them week after week, but we don’t know their name,” she said, also noting the need to greet or welcome someone who may seem new to the parish or Mass.

“I think people have a deep need for a sense of belonging and to tap into that and just be inviting and encouraging. There’s a place for everybody,” she said.

Throughout her ministry, she recognizes the same need in everyone, especially older Catholics.

“What still keeps me motivated and excited about my ministry is when people see God working in their life and they can

articulate that. The more that they see it, the more they look for it,” she said.

To learn more about the Office of Aging Ministry, visit www.archgh.org/aging or call 713-741-8712.

VATICAN ANNOUNCES THEME FOR WORLD DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has chosen a line from Psalm 71 - “Do not cast me off in my old age” — as the theme for the 2024 celebration of the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

In a note announcing the theme for the day, which will be celebrated July 28, the Vatican said the choice was “meant to call attention to the fact that, sadly, loneliness is the bitter lot in life of many elderly persons, so often the victims of the throwaway culture.”

Pope Francis celebrated the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly in 2021 and decreed that it be observed each year on the Sunday closest to the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents.

As the Catholic Church prepares for the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis has asked Catholics to focus on prayer, which is why he chose the prayer of an elderly person from the Psalms for the theme, the Vatican said in a statement released Feb. 15.

“By cherishing the charisms of grandparents and the elderly, and the contribution they make to the life of the Church, the World Day seeks to support the efforts of every ecclesial community to forge bonds between the generations and to combat loneliness,” the statement said.

Kevin Cardinal Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, said the theme is a reminder “that, unfortunately, loneliness is a widespread reality, which afflicts many elderly people, often victims of the throwaway culture and considered a burden to society.”

Families and parishes, he said, “are called to be at the forefront in promoting a culture of encounter, to create spaces for sharing, listening, to offer support and affection: thus, the love of Gospel becomes concrete.”

“Our communities, with their tenderness and affectionate attention that does not forget its most fragile members, are called to manifest the love of God, who never abandons anyone,” Cardinal Farrell said. †

‘It could have been me’:

Nurturing compassion, understanding at Angela House

BY KERRY MCGUIRE Herald Correspondent

HOUSTON — At Angela House, staff and volunteers offer compassionate support to women transitioning from incarceration back into society. Guided by the profound acknowledgment that “It could have been me,” they recognize the potential for anyone to be in a similar position given different life experiences and opportunities.

Valencia Lewis, director of Angela House, witnesses firsthand the major impact the ministry has on all those who encounter the women in residence. She finds it awe-inspiring to see lives transformed as the women regain their self-dignity and work toward selfsufficiency and empowerment in a supportive community.

“Many of our ladies come to us broken and filled with doubt, so being able to help restore their self-dignity is one of the most important aspects of our ministry,” Lewis said. “Whether you’re a staff member, a volunteer, or an intern, it’s crucial that we express compassion, love and forgiveness when our residents face challenges.”

At Angela House, up to 16 residents can find refuge in a therapeutic environment structured for the unique needs of each woman, providing trauma-informed rehabilitative services in a safe, homelike atmosphere.

The ministry, featuring rent-free housing, nutritious meals, counseling and vocational training, provides personalized services catering to emotional, spiritual and educational needs, empowering each woman to recognize her strengths, set personal goals and impact meaningful changes.

“We have a lot of groups and amazing community partners that provide assistance, which is what makes Angela House so unique,” Lewis said. “Showing love, forgiveness and compassion is the most important aspects of our work. Every day, we strive to demonstrate these qualities, not only benefiting others but also bringing ourselves personal fulfillment.”

The impactful story of Angela House began in 2002 with its establishment by founder Sister Maureen O’Connell, OP, who served as director until 2018. Initially contemplating a mentoring program, Sister O’Connell recognized the pressing need for a safe residence providing essential tools and skills for women trapped in cycles of recidivism. Serving close to 500 women over two decades, 87% who have spent at least four months in the program have successfully transitioned into society after incarceration.

Reflecting a profound belief in God’s unconditional love and forgiveness, Sister O’Connell’s vision continues to offer hope and support to those in need, highlighting Angela House’s commitment to serving its community with loving guidance and effectiveness.

“Working with the women at Angela House and helping them to see that, regardless of their past experiences and history, God is always going to be there and not turn His back on them,”

“I am enjoying every moment now that I’m not under the influence... I should have been dead, but God saved me for a reason.”

VICTORIA SHOCKLEY

Angela House resident

said Sister O’Connell. “For me, my work is a reminder of the gratitude I have as a Catholic Christian. I am thankful for the opportunity to provide care for one another and work in ways that will be helpful to those suffering.”

Victoria Shockley, a new resident at Angela’s House who recently completed a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, is working toward breaking the cycle of dysfunction within her family and starting her life anew.

“I am enjoying every moment now that I’m not under the influence, so Angela House is good for me,” Shockley said. “It’s better than where I was three and a half years ago; I should have been dead, but God saved me for a reason. I’m trying to find a purpose, and I’m very thankful for this program because there are a lot of opportunities here.”

Reflecting on programs focusing on shame resilience and facing childhood traumas, Shockley acknowledges the damaging influence of her own father’s inconsistency — a pattern she unfortunately repeated with her own children. Determined to break free from this dysfunctional behavior, she actively participates in Angela House’s offerings, seeking healing and personal growth.

“I’m working on changing my whole life around ... and to be there for my kids,” said Shockley. “I lost a lot of time being selfish in my addiction, and I regret it deeply. I am grateful for this opportunity, and I thank you, Jesus, for giving me my

life back and allowing me to take back what the devil stole from me.”

Monique Bennett, a resident since May 2023, reflects on her transformative journey with profound gratitude. Angela House has been instrumental in her emotional growth, teaching her to better understand and accept her feelings instead of avoiding them. Through the support and resources provided, she has also learned essential life skills and acquired a new sense of independence and maturity she once thought unattainable.

“Angela House has helped me get back into the community,” Bennett said. “I’m just so grateful for everything they’ve done for me, teaching me new tools and skills that I never thought I would acquire. Now I know how to go to meetings, how to take the bus in downtown Houston,

archgh.org/dsf

The 2024 Diocesan Services Fund theme is “We are the Lord’s.” DSF operates in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston each year to help the Church carry out the ministries of teaching and sanctifying. DSF brings the needed financial resources to carry out 64 ministries.

DSF IN ACTION

SCAN TO WATCH

This new video series brings to life the ministry featured in this story. Hear from people personally impacted by God’s grace through these DSF ministries and from leaders themselves who remind others that, no matter what happens, “We are the Lord’s.”

ARCHGH.ORG/ DSFINACTION

keep a job — I feel so grown up.”

Bennett also believes Angela House has empowered her to become a positive influence in her community. She now leads meetings in Alcoholics Anonymous,

See ANGELA HOUSE, page 11

PHOTO BY MARCUS NORWOOD/HERALD

The mission of Angela House is to help transition women into society after incarceration.

Father Robert Crossmyer, CP

DETROIT — Father Robert Crossmyer, CP, who served on the retreat preaching team at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center from 1988 to 1994, died March 16. He led the various 12-Step Recovery Programs at Holy Name.

A funeral Mass was held at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Michigan, on March 26. Interment is in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Detroit. †

Michael Richard Earthman

HOUSTON — Michael Richard Earthman, the father of Father Michael Earthman, died March 17. He was 79 years old.

A funeral Mass was held at St. Anne Catholic Church in Houston on March 22. Interment is in Forest Park Lawndale. †

Suellen F. Pometto

ANDERSON, South Carolina — Suellen F. Pometto, mother of Angela Pometto, director of the Young Adult and Campus Ministry, died Feb. 26. She was 70 years old.

A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Anderson, South Carolina, on March 7. †

IN MEMORIA

Pray for the following priests whose anniversaries of death are during the month of April.

April 1, 1874 Rev. Matthew Sarry

April 1, 1950 Bishop Christopher E. Byrne

April 2, 1965 Rev. Terenciano Montero, OMI

April 3, 1996 Msgr. William L. Tinney

April 3, 2011 Rev. Harold V. O’Leary, CSB

April 3, 2013 Rev. Henry C. Rachunek

April 4, 1983 Rev. John Hannaher, SVD

April 5, 1850 Rev. J.A. Jacobs

April 5, 1926 Rev. J.J. Gallagher

April 5, 1992 Msgr. John E. Kukral

April 6, 1989 Rev. Eugene Heyck, CSB

April 7, 1991 Rev. George A. Harcar, CSSp

April 7, 1995 Rev. Francis E. Monaghan, CSB

April 7, 2009 Msgr. T. Joseph Culver

April 8, 1912 Rev. C.M. Thion

April 8, 1980 Rev. Eugene J. Farrell, SSJ

April 9, 1890 Rev. V. Gury

April 9, 2002 Rev. Christopher Bang Le, CSSR

April 10, 1892 Rev. James Giraudon

April 12, 1931 Rev. Simon Spinneweber

April 15, 1935 Rev. Otto Bauer

April 16, 1867 Bishop John Timon, CM

April 16, 1947 Rev. William Roach

April 16, 1994 Rev. Edward Rehkopf, SJ

April 18, 2003 Rev. Francis Strafalace, SCJ

April 18, 2019 Rev. William Kelly

April 19, 1958 Msgr. Jacob Schnetzer

April 19, 2013 Msgr. Donald J. Fruge

April 24, 1976 Rev. Edward G. Lee, CSB

April 26, 1916 Rev. Peter Bienemann

April 26, 2007 Rev. Isaac O. Francis

April 27, 1900 Rev. Antoine Borias

April 30, 1992 Msgr. Dexter L. George

April 30, 2016 Rev. J. Donald Schwarting

Intricate handmade baked goods are seen in front of a recent St. Joseph Altar at St. Joseph Church off Kane Street near downtown Houston. The St. Joseph Altar, a Sicilian tradition that honors the patron saint of the poor, features dozens of baked goods fashioned in Christian shapes like fish, crosses, wreaths and other symbols. For more photos, visit WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/JOSEPHALTAR24

Sicilian altar devotions put spotlight on St. Joseph

HOUSTON — Green, white and yellow ribbon tassels fluttered over the courtyard of St. Joseph Catholic Church off Kane Street near downtown Houston as parishioners gathered to celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19 with a Mass and St. Joseph altar devotion.

Following Mass, presided by parish pastor Father Victor Perez, faithful circled a towering multi-tiered altar dedicated to St. Joseph to witness its blessing and pray for the intercession of the saint. This year, the altar was built atop the original Sicilian wood altar built for St. Joseph before the parish received a new one. A statue of St. Joseph was surrounded by red, white and yellow roses. The gathering, which included a Sicilian spaghetti meal, at St. Joseph was one of the dozens of St. Joseph Altars held around the Archdiocese honoring the earthly father of Jesus.

While no meat is ever used in the altar, or the meal, since the March 19 Solemnity of St. Joseph is during Lent, dozens of baked breads, cakes and hundreds of treats — many in symbolic Christian shapes like monstrances, chalices, crosses, fish and wreaths — fill the different levels.

The tradition is carried on from Sicily. The story holds that, during the Middle Ages, a famine struck the island of Sicily, who, in turn, sought help from St. Joseph to end their starvation and death, promising a feast in his honor if he did save them. The famine soon ended, and altars were prepared throughout the island. To honor St. Joseph, the food was given to the poor. †

IN BRIEF

Walk the Way of the Cross on Good Friday, March 29

HOUSTON — On Good Friday, March 29, join more than 400 fellow pilgrims and walk a 2.2-mile long procession of the “Way of the Cross” beginning at 10:15 a.m. at the University of St. Thomas-Houston’s (UST) Chapel of St. Basil, 3802 Yoakum Blvd. in Houston. UST Campus Ministry and Communion and Liberation host this devotion, which features five stations where participants hear the Gospel, a reading from classical literature and a priest’s reflection relating to Christ. The Communion and Liberation choir will sing “Passion” and other choral pieces. From each station to the next, participants will walk in silence, following the cross and guided safely by bicycle police officers.

UST Houston chaplain, Father Eduardo Rivera, CSB, will lead with a reflection to commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.The five stations include:

• First Station: University of St. Thomas-Houston Chapel of St. Basil, 3802 Yoakum Blvd.

• Second Station: Edward P. White Memorial Plaza at the corner of West Alabama and Montrose Blvd., 3800 Montrose Blvd.

• Third Station: Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 3617 Milam St.

• Fourth Station: Catholic Charities, 2900 Louisiana St.

• Fifth Station: Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy.

At the Co-Cathedral, Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, will greet and welcome participants and offer a closing blessing. A shuttle bus return trip to UST is available for those who parked at UST for a $3 per person donation. For information, email secretarycltx@gmail.com. †

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

Thousands venerate major relic of St. Jude Thaddeus as the ‘Apostle of the Impossible’ visits Houston

HOUSTON — Thousands of Catholics encountered the story of St. Jude Thaddeus, the faithful apostle, martyr and saint as his relic bone fragments from an arm believed to be his left Italy for the first time in 2023, for a five-stop tour in the Archdiocese.

The relic visited five parishes, where there was veneration and special Masses, including St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Houston, Epiphany of the Lord in Katy, the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston, St. Anthony of Padua in The Woodlands and St. Theresa in Sugar Land.

St. Jude was a first cousin of Jesus Christ the son of Mary of Clopas (Cleophas), a relation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Along with St. Bartholomew, he is one of the patron saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The last Jewish bishop of Jerusalem, Judah Kyriakos,

inspiring others to stay focused and optimistic amidst their struggles.

“Angela House is the start of your foundation to stay on the right path, and I recommend it to anyone,” Bennett said. “Giving back is how I show my gratitude, and I wish I could do more. It’s just so neat to see women come and grow, and just live their life out as the better version of themselves; and that’s what you get out of here — a better version of yourself.”

Lewis invites newcomers to Angela House to contribute their time and skills to make a difference in the lives of women, families and the community. She expresses profound appreciation for the faithful support of the annual Diocesan Services Fund (DSF), which sustains critical services like shelter, meals, therapy and programs.

“I am sincerely thankful for the support that Angela House receives because it enables us to offer a safe place for our residents to sleep and access full meals and services they may have lacked before,” said Lewis. “This support not only benefits the residents directly but also impacts their families and the

was the great-grandson of St. Jude.

Following his martyrdom around 65 AD, when St. Jude was killed with an ax, his body was buried in Beirut, where he was slain. According to tradition, the apostle’s remains were transferred to Rome during the reign of the Roman emperor Constantine, and his tomb rests directly below the main altar of the left transept of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The arm was separated from St. Jude’s remains several centuries ago and placed in a wooden reliquary carved in the shape of an upright arm in the gesture of imparting a blessing. It bears the seals of Francesco Cardinal Marchetti Selvaggiani, who was vicar general of Rome from 1931 to 1951.

For more information about the relic and St. Jude, including links to prayer intentions and videos, visit www.archgh.org/juderelics24. †

community at large, as they gain skills and lessons that empower them to make a positive contribution.”

Sister O’Connell reflects on the blessings that have stemmed from the support of the DSF and the commitment of numerous volunteers who generously offer their time, talents and resources to further the mission of the ministry.

“I witness women who have gone through the program years ago who are still working hard to maintain their sobriety and a healthy lifestyle,” said Sister O’Connell. “It is a great delight to see these women who I know were served because of Angela House and are willing to do the work it takes for them to be able to maintain a healthy position in the community.”

To learn about Angela House, visit www.angelahouse.org. To donate to the Archdiocese DSF’s annual appeal, visit www.archgh.org/DSF.

The DSF supports Angela House and 60-plus additional ministries, whether direct service or education, which require this critical funding to remain in operation. Out of each gift given to DSF, 100% of every dollar goes directly to supporting these ministries. †

We asked college students at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville:

HOW HAS YOUR FAITH PLAYED A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN YOUR COLLEGE JOURNEY?

“It has helped me find peace and comfort during periods of high stress and has helped me grow closer to those around me.”

- Carlos T., Senior - Computer Science major

“My faith has been my guiding light through the tough situations I’ve endured during college. In times of uncertainty, trusting in God has helped me overcome those obstacles and become mentally and spiritually stronger.”

- Kasey S., Senior - Cybersecurity major

ANGELA HOUSE, from page 9

ARCHGH.ORG/YACM

PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

A man prays in front of a glass-encased reliquary containing bone from the arm of St. Jude the Apostle at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Houston on March 15. The relic toured five parishes in the Archdiocese in March.

EDUCATION

SPIRITUALITY

Sisters visit schools to speak about vocations

On March 5, Sister Anna Riordan and Sister Stacey Donovan of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother spoke to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School students and Incarnate Word Academy students about the vocation to become a sister. To the older students, they also spoke about Sister Clare Crockett, a sister from Ireland who was in their order who died in April 16, 2016, in an Earthquake in Ecuador. She worked there doing pastoral care duties, hospital chaplaincy, teaching and missionary outreach. She was playing guitar and singing with her companions when the house she was staying in collapsed. Her life is depicted in the movie “All or Nothing.”

Assumption student chime choir leads worship during school Lent services

The Christian Renewal Center

Hiring Full-Time Live-On Missionaries

If you are passionately Catholic, desire to serve the Lord with a servant’s heart, and are willing to commit at least one year (option to extend and promote), then the job of CRC Missionary might be for you!

CRC Missionaries help fulfill the mission of the CRC, which is to draw people into a relationship with Jesus Christ through retreat ministry. Daily tasks are based on your skills, talents and abilities. Missionaries live in a community and share a communal prayer life that is opened to the laity. Missionaries help build the Kingdom of God through hidden areas of work such as housekeeping, food service, grounds, giving retreats and office work.

CRC Missionaries receive free housing, utilities, health, dental, vision, a 401K 10% match, as well as an annual salary.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE

PHOTO BY ALICE SIMMS/ASSUMPTION SCHOOL Six Assumption Catholic School students, under the direction of Music Director Natalia Gutierrez, help lead worship during a Stations of the Cross service at Assumption Catholic Church on March 8 in Houston. The chime choir played “Were You There?” between each Station.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. HELEN CATHOLIC SCHOOL Aydee Ramos, a St. Helen Catholic School pre-kindergarten teacher, leads a group of prekindergartners through Mary’s Garden during a Stations of the Cross meditation and reading walk on Feb. 22 at St. Helen Catholic Church in Pearland.

THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS

A guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation

When was the last time you went to confession? Has it been a while? Perhaps Holy Week and Easter is a good time to go back.

The Sacrament of Penance, also known as reconciliation or confession, may seem intimidating at first, but with some simple preparation, it can be a peaceful healing encounter with Christ and His Church. Take this guide with you to confession as a way of reflection and rediscover the Sacrament of Penance.

Reconciliation is a Sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ in His love and mercy to offer sinners forgiveness for offenses

THE FOUR PARTS OF CONFESSION

committed against God. At the same time, sinners reconcile with the Church because it is also wounded by our sins. Every time we sin, we hurt ourselves, other people and God. In Reconciliation, we acknowledge our sins before God and His Church. We express our sorrow in a meaningful way, receive the forgiveness of Christ and His Church, make reparation for what we have done, and resolve to do better in the future.

Not only does it [the Sacrament of Penance] free us from our sins but it also challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us. We are liberated to be forgivers. We obtain new insight into the

• CONTRITION: A sincere sorrow for having offended God, and the most important act of the penitent. There can be no forgiveness of sin if we do not have sorrow and a firm resolve not to repeat our sin.

• CONFESSION: Confronting our sins in a profound way to God by speaking about them — aloud — to the priest.

• PENANCE: An important part of our healing is the “penance” the priest imposes in reparation for our sins.

• ABSOLUTION: The priest says the words by which “God, the Father of Mercies” reconciles a sinner to Himself through the merits of the Cross.

RITE OF RECONCILIATION STEPS

Reconciliation may be face-to-face or anonymous, with a screen between you and the priest. Choose the option that is the most comfortable for you.

▪ Quick tip: If it has been a while, let the priest know and he can help guide you through the steps for a good confession

1. To begin, the priest gives a blessing or greeting.

2. Make the Sign of the Cross and say, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was [length of time, days, weeks, months, etc.] ago.”

3. Confess all of your sins to the priest. (Tip: If you feel unsure or uneasy, let him know and ask for help)

4. Say, “I am sorry for these and all of my sins.”

5. The priest gives a penance and offers advice to help you be a better Catholic.

6. Say an Act of Contrition, expressing your sorrow for your sins. The priest, acting in the person of Christ, then absolves you from your sins.

words of the Prayer of St. Francis: “It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.”

Jesus entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church. The Sacrament of Penance is God’s gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven. In confession we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which we place ourselves in his presence and honestly acknowledge our sins, especially mortal sins. With absolution, we are reconciled to God and the Church. The Sacrament helps us stay close to the truth that we cannot live without God. “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). †

A BRIEF EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

▪ Adapted from an Examination of Conscience based on the Ten Commandments Before confession, prayerfully ask yourself what you have done and reflect on how sin has damaged your relationships.

Have I treated people, events or things as more important than God? Have my words, actively or passively, put down God, the Church, or people?

Do I ‘keep Holy the Sabbath’? Do I go to Mass every Sunday (or Saturday Vigil) and on Holy Days of Obligation, as is possible? Do I avoid, when possible, work that impedes worship to God, joy for the Lord’s Day, and proper relaxation of mind and body? Do I look for ways to spend time with family or in service on Sunday?

Do I show my parents and familiy due respect? Do I seek to maintain good communication with them where possible? Do I criticize them for lacking skills I think they should have?

Have I harmed another through physical, verbal or emotional means, including gossip or manipulation of any kind?

Have I respected the physical and sexual dignity of others/myself?

Have I taken or wasted time or resources that belonged to another? How do I protect and care for God’s creation, including my family, the environment and those around me?

AN ACT OF CONTRITION

God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace to confess my sins, do penance and to amend my life. Amen.

▪ Quick tip: If it has been a while since your last confession, remember, “Do not fear” (Is 41:10). The priest will help guide you. Feel free to take this guide with you.

COLUMNISTS

The Holy Triduum: A continuous Liturgy that transcends all time

For Christians, Easter is the summit of the entire liturgical year. All other feasts and solemnities in the Church’s calendar work toward the primacy of Easter.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Easter is… “the ‘Feast of feasts,’ the ‘Solemnity of solemnities,’ just as the Eucharist is the ‘Sacrament of Sacraments.’ St. Athanasius calls Easter ‘the Great Sunday’ and the Eastern Churches call Holy Week ‘the Great Week’” (CCC 1169).

Liturgically, we enter into Holy Week on Palm Sunday, which inevitably leads way to the climax of the liturgical year: the Holy Triduum — also called the Paschal Triduum or the Easter Triduum — which includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday.

It may appear as if these consecutive liturgies are distinct and separate from one another; however, they function as one continuous celebration to commemorate Jesus Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Each is rich with symbolism, yet together, they flow seamlessly in concert in order for us to

by SISTER MARIA GORETTI THUY NGUYEN, OP

remain focused on the central mystery of our faith. With the Sign of the Cross at the opening of Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday to the Final Blessing at the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, Christians are reminded of God’s greatest gift… His Son.

When the Holy Triduum is celebrated, Jesus’ salvific act is reenacted to save us from the bondage of sin. The Paschal Triduum is Jesus’ Passover, foreshadowed by the Jewish Passover when the people were rescued from the bondage of slavery from the Egyptians. St. John Chrysostom teaches that as the blood of the unblemished lamb at the first Passover was smeared on doorposts of the Israelites’ houses to save them from being destroyed by the angel of death, so does the Blood of Christ we receive at Eucharist save us from the

wages of our sin which is death (Rom 6:23). Our mouth and our lips become the doors of the temple of Christ.

At every Mass, bread and wine are consecrated separately, signifying Jesus’ death as His blood is separated from His body. Next, however, the priest puts a tiny piece of bread back into the chalice, denoting the unity of Jesus’ body and blood, which declares His resurrection. Our belief is then affirmed as we respond to the great “Mystery of Faith,” the Memorial Acclamation: “We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your resurrection, until you come again.” Liturgy transcends all time and place.

Most historical events happen once and are quickly forgotten. Not so with the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus! The Easter Triduum is real and unique and cannot remain in the past. Indeed, Jesus participated in the divine eternity, which transcends all time while being made present at each and every Mass.

As we are in the second year of the Eucharistic Revival, let us be resolved, as our Mother Church earnestly desires

The seeds of vocation

Being from Houston, many people ask me how I ended up in Canada. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect when I moved to the Great White North — a new country and into a religious community. In hindsight, I believe that it was probably best that I came with no expectations. It allowed me to give myself fully and embrace what God had in store for me.

So, when people ask me how I ended up in Canada, I tell them that the Lord called, and I simply said “Yes.” In August 2016, I left my home in Houston to move to Canada. I knew in my heart that the Lord was calling me to the Servants of

the Cross, to grow closer to Him, to serve Him and the Church. Seven years later, on Dec. 13, 2023, the feast of St. Lucy and my 50th birthday, I knelt before God and the Archbishop of Ottawa-Cornwall in Ontario, Canada. I made my lifetime promises of chastity, poverty and obedience to the community.

Over the past few months since my Final Promises, I have been reflecting on my journey and the seeds in my life that got me here.

As I look back, I can see where the seeds of my vocation were planted along the way. These were key moments and encounters for me. My family, especially

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my parents, taught me about the love of God. At World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia, I encountered the Holy Spirit powerfully, which propelled me to get more involved in the Church.

A fire was ignited in my heart, and I hungered for more of Him. I became a lay associate with the Companions of the Cross, where I met the Servants of the Cross. I knew deep down when we met that they would be a part of my life. And through the support and guidance of the Houston Vocations Office, I began to seek God and discern my vocation. And it can’t go unnoticed that it was through the prayers of family, friends and the entire Church that helped keep me on this amazing journey with the Lord.

Living life in community is so rewarding, even with its “growth” challenges. Through our formation program, the sisters have really helped me grow as a daughter to a loving Father, growing spiritually and emotionally.

Today, I’m growing in my leadership capacity, forming and mentoring our

“Indeed, Jesus participated in the divine eternity, which transcends all time while being made present at each and every Mass.”

(SC 14), to participate fully, consciously and actively every time we attend Mass. May we be more cognizant, especially at the one continuous Liturgy of the Holy Triduum/Easter Triduum to enter more deeply into Jesus’ passion and death with profound gratitude and fervent love for Him. With great joy and hope, may we continue in our faith, believing that we shall rise with Him to new life. †

Sister Maria Goretti Thuy Nguyen, OP, is an associate director with the Archdiocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.

young and bright applicants. Often, when we gather for communal prayer, I ponder as I look across the room and thank the Lord for my vocation and for bringing these women into my life. I praise God, knowing that I will be spending the rest of my life with them. And just as my father said about me the day before I left to join the community, “I have found the happiness I was always looking for.”

There is one piece of wisdom that I received from Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, while he was a parish priest early on in my discernment that has stuck with me throughout all these years that I want to pass on to anyone who may be discerning God’s call for his or her own life: “We do not need any more perpetual discerners. We need people to move and follow the vocation our Lord is calling them to.”

I pray for each of your hearts that you may give your “Yes,” your fiat, to His call on your lives. †

Sister Alison Weber, a longtime member of the Catholic Charismatic Center, just took her final vows with the Servants of the Cross. She writes at the invitation of the Office of Vocations to honor National Catholic Sisters Week, which takes place during the month of March.

WORLD Border pilgrimage like Stations of the Cross for sisters as they learn of migrants’ hardships

MEXICO (OSV News) — Congress’s latest attempt at immigration reform in early February was going down in flames.

The sisters were keeping tabs on it. But their focus Feb. 5 to 9 was the road from San Diego via the cold desert toward Mexico to see what the landscape, migrants and the Holy Spirit had to say to them during a five-day “border pilgrimage.”

“This wasn’t just nuns crossing the border and feeling good,” said Sister Suzanne Cooke, provincial of the U.S.Canada province of the Society of the Sacred Heart, who was one of about two dozen sisters from various congregations who participated.

It was an opportunity to contemplate “What is God saying? What’s my responsibility?” she told Global Sisters Report (GSR) Feb. 9 about the pilgrimage.

What spoke to her and others were the stories from those they met on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, including a family of 10 from Afghanistan running from the Taliban’s treatment of women; a Peruvian family of seven who left after threats from criminal elements; and a young Chechen escaping Russia.

Though silent, landmarks that sisters visited in the desert also told of the tragedies and ignominy people on the move are increasingly facing, such as “a potter’s field with a fence,” as one sister said of a dirt plot where unidentified remains — believed to be of migrants — are buried and kept behind a chain link fence in a cemetery. Or a group of feeble tents, the only shelter that protected recent border crossers from the winter’s cold rain and snow that have pummeled the desert south of San Diego this season.

“We were talking ‘pilgrimage,’ but it seems almost like the Stations of the Cross,” Sister Suzanne Jabro, a sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, said of the tales of hardship along the way.

Sister Jabro, along with Sacred Heart Sister Lisa Buscher, Mercy Sister Mary Waskowiak and Franciscan Friar Keith Warner — all from California’s San Diego and Palm Desert area — organized the pilgrimage. It began and ended with a reflection at the Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego.

The organizers billed this on the theology school’s website as an opportunity for congregations to think about “next steps in ministry to migrants, whether direct service, pastoral care, education or advocacy.” But the pilgrimage also provided the opportunity to network and discern, as religious, what is happening at the border beyond the headlines and how to respond, Sister Jabro said.

The pilgrimage sought to go beyond a border immersion experience, Sister Buscher said, and attempted to engage sisters in looking at the situation “with the eyes of the heart.”

At times, it was an exercise that produced pain and tears.

Sister Clara Malo Castrillón, provincial of Mexico’s Society of the Sacred Heart, wept as she rested her

head against a fence that separated the migrant remains buried at Terrace Park Cemetery in Holtville, California, during a Feb. 7 pilgrimage stop.

Unable to enter the area, which has a locked gate, she and other sisters threw flowers over the fence that landed near the bricks marked “John Doe” that serve as tombstones for the unknown. They prayed for those buried there, some who drowned or died of exposure. They also prayed for the families who may never know what happened to their loved ones.

Sister Phyllis Sellner of the Sisters of St. Francis of Rochester, Minnesota, said she couldn’t help but think of the Holy Family as she looked at the cold landscape of another pilgrimage stop, an abandoned camp near Jacumba Hot Springs, an unincorporated community south of San Diego.

The spot, until recently, served as an unofficial outdoor detention site for migrants turning themselves into border authorities. Volunteers had been taking water, food and other necessities to those at the desolate spot in the wilderness after crossing the nearby border to the U.S. side.

Some sisters in the group prayed, others looked inside the tents and at the objects left behind: wet sleeping bags, shoes, a small cooking pot with a large piece of wood that looked as if it had been used to stir food.

“It was very disheartening for me. I kept thinking about Mary and Joseph traveling over the rocks and the desert, probably meeting with people who didn’t want them there. It came flooding over in my mind,” Sister Sellner said in a reflection at the end of the pilgrimage.

But sisters also shared smiles, candy and helped crack open Valentine’s-Daythemed piñatas with children and adults at the Cobina Posada del Migrante shelter in Mexicali, Mexico, Feb. 8. In return, the women at the shelter made pozole, a popular Mexican soup of hominy, to share with the sisters.

Still, the enormity of the humanitarian plight was never far behind. During the celebration, a Honduran woman, whose husband, a diabetic, was facing renal failure, entered the shelter with a wound on the man’s leg.

those they came into contact with found themselves in, including many fleeing “a violence that no one can stop,” such as corruption and other ailments.

“Life could be good for most of these people” if governments made an effort to solve problems, she said, and it was sad that “the only answer they (migrants) can think of is ‘Let’s go to the U.S.,’” because they see no solutions at home.

Sister Anne Carrabino, a member of the Sisters of Social Service, said she thought of how U.S. Cold War policy and its past interference in Latin America had much to do with creating “push factors” that have led people to leave their native countries.

And yet leaving homelands in turbulence isn’t always the cure-all, given the difficulties and sometimes hostility that people on the move encounter even if they’re successful entering a more stable country — legally or otherwise. †

Sister Castrillón reflected the following day that it was hard to see the difficulties

OSV NEWS PHOTO

A group of migrants attempt to go through a razor wire fence on the banks of the Rio Grande as members of U.S. National Guards stand guard on the other side of the fence in Eagle Pass, Texas, Feb. 27.

NATION & STATE Experts: Historic rise of ‘never-marrieds’ calls Church to act on marriage’s ‘three-alarm fire’

(OSV News) — A recently released study from the Institute for Family Studies (IFS), a Charlottesville, Virginia-based think tank dedicated to strengthening marriage and family life, reveals that a record number of young adults are predicted to never marry.

The research brief by IFS research fellow Lyman Stone found that based on current marriage data, “plausibly, onethird of men and women who turn 45 in 2050 (those who are about 18 or 19 today) will not have married.”

Stone’s research indicates the percentage of never-married adults is at a historic high in the U.S., and because marriage is coming later in life, a growing share of Americans will never marry at all.

According to Stone’s figures, 61% of 35-year-old men were ever married in 2023, down from 90% in 1980; 70% of 35-year-old women were ever married in 2023, down from 93% in 1980.

“I think economic factors delaying the life course are the dominant force shaping

declining marriage, alongside marriage penalties in tax and welfare policies,” Stone told OSV News. “Overwhelming majorities of young people still report a strong desire to marry, and at younger ages than the current median age of marriage.”

Stone said, “The long delay between adulthood and economic independence is the main cause of declining marriage.”

Asked if individualism plays a role, Stone replied that something more fundamental is going on.

“Highly individualistic societies often still have high marriage rates,” he said. “The bigger values shift is about marriage as a ‘capstone’ to personal success rather than marriage as a ‘foundation’ for couple success.”

The best way to deal with these outcomes, Stone said, “is to try and help people get into good marriages earlier in life. There is no societal substitute for marriage.”

IFS’ collected data is “a rather bleak portrait of where marriage is now, and where it’s heading,” said Julia Dezelski, associate director of marriage and family life at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth.

“Unfortunately, I would say I’m not so surprised,” she told OSV News

Changes in social attitudes have made a major impact upon marriage, Dezelski reflected. “The promiscuity, the cohabitation, and all the so-called ‘perks’ that come with this kind of lifestyle obviously do not lend themselves to encouraging couples to marry if they can reap the benefits of just cohabiting at a lower cost — and without the risks of pregnancy, thanks to contraception.

“And then, why not delay if IVF would allow them to have children later on, too?” she asked rhetorically, referring to in vitro fertilization. The Church opposes the artificial reproduction method on the grounds that it treats the child as a product, divorces sex from procreation, and the process often involves the destruction of human embryos in order to achieve pregnancy resulting in birth.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that marriage as a vocation “is written in the very nature of man and

woman as they came from the hand of the Creator.”

But Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate notes that in 1965, U.S. Catholic sacramental marriages reported from the previous year numbered 347,179. In 2022, the figure was 98,354.

A 2020 Pew Research Center study of millennials — the generation usually defined as anyone born between 1981 and 1996 — also gave cause for concern, stating, “Millennials are much less likely to be living with a family of their own than previous generations when they were the same age.” Pew found that in 2019, 55% of millennials lived with their spouse, their own child or both, noting, “This compares with 66% of Gen Xers in 2003, 69% of Boomers in 1987 and 85% of members of the Silent Generation in 1968.”

The marriage shift, said J.P. De Gance, founder and president of Communio, a Virginia-based nonprofit ministry that trains and equips churches to renew healthy relationships, marriages and the family, is nothing short of seismic.

“Too frequently, our Catholic pastors do not see the revolutionary moment that we now live in — or at least if they see it, they’re not altering their pastoral practices given this revolutionary moment,” De Gance told OSV News “Whatever pastoral steps that we’ve been taking — given where we are in the free-fall of marriage — we didn’t make a change.”

And that conversion, De Gance said, must happen now.

“A lot of faithful Christian parents, faithful Catholic parents, will simply repeat what the culture has to say about it — like, ‘You’re too young to get married; why don’t you make sure to get that advanced degree; make sure to land a great job; make sure to have these great life experiences; and then — later on — then you could consider getting married,’” De Gance said. Parish-level accompaniment, De Gance emphasized, is essential.

“My question for every priest, pastor, and bishop is: How much longer do we have to continue to see the annual, yearover-year decline of marriage before we start becoming effective and strategic about actually promoting the vocation of marriage? Eighty-two percent of all Catholic parishes spend zero dollars on marriage ministry each year,” he said. “It may be nice that there’s somebody who’s compensated by the diocese to be the Marriage and Family Life director — but life change doesn’t happen in a diocesan office.”

De Gance spared no words to urge collective responsibility by the Church.

De Gance explained that this illustrates how the church is “part of the problem” — and indicated the Church’s leadership needs to actively address these issues to be part of the solution.

“We’re long past the time for polite concern,” he said. “We’re at a point where marriage is in a three-alarm fire.” †

OSV NEWS PHOTO

A file photo shows a young couple kissing while they enjoy a sunny afternoon at Governors Island in New York City. Results of a new study released Feb. 26 by the Institute for Family Studies, a Virginia think tank, shows the percentage of never-married adults is at a historic high in the U.S.

MUNDO CATÓLICO

En la lucha contra trata de personas, se considera ‘esencial’ educar a migrantes sobre los riesgos que enfrentan

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Si se les pregunta a las líderes religiosas que están en primera línea en la lucha contra la trata de seres humanos y la explotación de mano de obra barata de los inmigrantes, se oirá menos hablar de programas gubernamentales y más de educar a los inmigrantes.

“Le puede pasar a cualquiera en cualquier lugar”, dijo la hermana Maryknoll Abby Avelino en un webinar patrocinado por el Instituto de Pensamiento Católico y Vida Pública de la Universidad de Georgetown el 6 de marzo. Es coordinadora internacional de Talitha Kum, una red internacional contra la trata de personas.

“Es horrendo, un gran crimen contra la humanidad”, dijo la hermana Patricia Ebegbulem, religiosa de San Luis, que dirige un albergue para víctimas de la trata en Nigeria.

La hermana Licia Joseph, de la congregación de María Inmaculada, que ha formado parte del Consejo de Derecho Canónico de la Unión Internacional de Superioras Generales (UISG por sus siglas en inglés), lo calificó de una “forma moderna de esclavitud”.

Observó que en el sur de la India hay jóvenes a los que “se entrena para que se enamoren de una chica católica” y se fugan. “La siguiente acción”, dijo, es que el hombre cambie la religión de ella por la suya o “permita que otra persona se case con ella, y de nuevo la venda, la revenda en casas de prostitución. Eso es lo más triste”.

Tampoco se trata de adolescentes ingenuas, añadió.“Son mujeres educadas,

chicas con estudios”.

La mayor parte de la mano de obra de migrantes víctimas de la trata, explotados en fábricas, se dedica a la fabricación de productos electrónicos, incluidos los teléfonos móviles.

Es difícil conseguir que los ciudadanos se den cuenta de la situación y actúen, dijo Katie Boller Gosewsich, directora ejecutiva de la Alianza para Acabar con la Trata de Seres Humanos. Su grupo es una red nacional de colaboración religiosa que ofrece educación y acceso a servicios para sobrevivientes.

“Si algo parece fuera de lugar o no está del todo bien... Creo que la gente duda a la hora de acercarse a las fuerzas del orden u organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro que puedan ayudar, porque les preocupa equivocarse”, añadió. “Creo que es súper importante que todo el mundo entienda que la educación es increíblemente poderosa”.

“La trata de personas es realmente

FOTO DE CNS La hermana Maryknoll Abby Avelino posa para una fotografía en la céntrica plaza Santa María en Trastevere de Roma el 6 de febrero. Ella es la coordinadora internacional de Talitha Kum, una red internacional de religiosos que trabajan contra la trata de personas, y habló en un seminario web sobre la trata de personas el 6 de marzo. que fue patrocinado por el Instituto sobre Pensamiento Católico y Vida Pública de la Universidad de Georgetown.

un proceso”, dijo la hermana Abby. Puso como ejemplo a una mujer que conoció y que tenía un trabajo mal pagado en Filipinas, pero que acabó siendo explotada en la prostitución cuando se la llevaron a otro país. “Ellas nunca saben dónde están”.

“La gente se traslada porque le gustaría encontrar una vida mejor, porque su vida se siente amenazada” por los conflictos políticos, explicó. “A veces, con suerte podrás localizar a esta persona”. Uno de

cada cuatro, observó, son niños.

“La migración no tiene nada de malo”, dijo la hermana Patricia. “La mayoría de nosotros estamos emigrando todo el tiempo”.

Aconsejó a los posibles emigrantes: “Asegúrate de que emigras adecuadamente con los documentos correctos para que la gente no se aproveche de tu vulnerabilidad. Asegúrate de saber exactamente adónde vas. Los traficantes son muy, muy astutos. Son criminalmente astutos”.

La hermana Licia dijo que los migrantes jóvenes y analfabetos en busca de más dinero suelen caer presa de la promesa de un traficante de “dinero fácil, mejor paga y una vida cómoda” y ofertas de tan sólo 100 dólares.

Dijo que los agentes de los traficantes les prometen a las madres el equivalente a una dote con tal que permitan que sus hijas se casen. “Pero luego las pobres niñas son vendidas en prostíbulos”. †

WITHIN THE ARTS

Acclaimed tenor Andrea Bocelli says faith is believing in the power of good

BALTIMORE (OSV News) — For one brief moment at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, the hopes of the world seemed concentrated on a single man standing alone outside the massive Duomo di Milano in Italy.

Andrea Bocelli, one of the most acclaimed tenors of his time, kept his arms at his sides and remained motionless as his powerful voice filled the cathedral’s empty square with the familiar strains of “Amazing Grace.”

Online, more than 2.8 million peak concurrent viewers around the globe watched the live Easter performance via YouTube in what would become the largest simultaneous audience for a classical music livestream in YouTube history.

Afterward, the video would receive more than 28 million views in the first 24 hours. Four years later, the Catholic singer’s performance has garnered more

than 44 million views and counting.

Bocelli — who sang “Panis Angelicus,” “Ave Maria,”“Sancta Maria” and “Domine Deus” inside the cathedral prior to the event’s dramatic outdoor conclusion — had promoted the nearly half-hour performance as “Music for Hope” at a time when cities were shut down and many people were losing their lives to the illness every day.

“I didn’t actually feel it as a concert performance,” Bocelli said. “It was an occasion to pray together at such a painful time, and thus reaffirmed the redeeming strength of the Christian message. It was very touching to be able to feel during the forced distancing so much unity and brotherhood — a truly unforgettable experience.”

Bocelli, who on March 10 performed with his son Matteo and two-time Oscarwinning composer Hans Zimmer at the Academy Awards, made the comments in an email interview with the Catholic Review, Baltimore’s archdiocesan news outlet, with comments translated from Italian. The interview was ahead of his scheduled Baltimore debut Feb. 20 at CFG Bank Arena.

He said faith is at the heart of who he is as a person and a performer. He described his faith as a “priceless gift,” which he said helps drive the selection of his musical repertoire and his charitable outreach.

“Whoever has this same gift improves their own life and the world around them,” he explained. “I believe that having faith means believing in the power of good, and at every crossroad choosing the road that leads to it.”

Music itself is a potential expression of the sacred and of faith in the transcendent, Bocelli said.

“When we touch our spiritual chords, we create a bridge across which to access, at any time and in all simplicity, what is hidden behind the veil of everyday life,”he said. “Personally, when I interpret a holy song or one that is spiritually elevated, I experience it as a form of prayer.”

Bocelli was not always so devoted to his faith. Although he found inspiration as a child worshipping in a small Catholic

MOVIE RATINGS By OSV News

A-I – SUITABLE FOR ALL

• Kung Fu Panda 4 (PG)

A-II – SUITABLE FOR OLDER CHILDREN

• Cabrini (PG-13)

• Guadalupe: Mother of Humanity (NR)

A-III – ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS

• The American Society of Magical Negroes (PG-13)

• Argylle (PG-13)

• Arthur the King (PG-13)

church in the Tuscan village where he was born and raised, he became agnostic as a teen — a decision he attributed to the “arrogance of youth.”

“Later, however, at the first fundamental turning point in my adult life (that is, the moment I decided to believe or not to believe because there clearly isn’t a third option), I chose the way that seemed the most logical — that my intellect, for however limited, saw as the path to follow without alternatives,” he said. “My work as a musician, like that of a philanthropist that I carry out through the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, reflects this choice, a choice that is old as it is fundamental, which I could sum up as the will to pay homage to beauty and saying ‘yes’ to all that is good.”

Bocelli was born with congenital glaucoma. When a soccer ball struck him in the head at age 12, he lost all vision completely.

Fourteen years ago, Bocelli appeared in a YouTube video outlining his thankfulness to his mother for choosing life. Seated at a piano, he recalled how his mother’s doctor suggested an abortion in anticipation of her son’s disability.

“But the young brave wife decided not to abort, and the child was born,” Bocelli said in the video. “That woman was my mother, and I was the child. Maybe I’m partisan, but I can say that it was the right choice.”

He added that he hoped sharing the story would encourage “many mothers who sometimes find themselves in difficult situations” but who want to “save the life of their baby.”

Although he is a busy virtuoso opera singer who tours the world and has sold more than 90 million records, Bocelli told the Catholic Review he makes time for solitude and silence.

“Doing good for others, I believe, is a natural desire,” Bocelli said. “Being a philanthropist, taking care of people (and thus making a difference in the lives of others) does not simply mean being generous, and it is not only a moral duty. It’s an act of intelligence, a path that all of us — each as much as we can — should perceive as the only path to follow.” †

► For more full movie reviews online, visit www.osvnews.com/category/reviews

• Bob Marley: One Love (PG-13)

• Dune: Part Two (PG-13)

• Imaginary (PG-13)

• Madame Web (PG-13)

• Mean Girls (PG-13)

• One Life (PG)

L – LIMITED MATURE AUDIENCE

• The Iron Claw (R)

O – MORALLY OFFENSIVE

• The Beekeeper (R)

CNS PHOTO

Andrea Bocelli performs during the World Meeting on Human Fraternity in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican June 10, 2023. Ahead of his Feb. 20, 2024, debut in Baltimore, the acclaimed Catholic tenor said faith is believing in the power of good.

AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE

LENTEN FISH FRYS

Contact parishes for latest information as some may not host fish frys on Good Friday.

FRIDAYS OF LENT

CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD, 5 to 7 p.m. (18511 Klein Church Rd., Spring). Plates include fried pollock fish, French fries, hush puppies, green beans, coleslaw, tea and lemonade. Desserts offered. Cost is $15 for adults, $6 for children under 12.

HOLY ROSARY, after 5:15 p.m. Mass (3617 Milam St., Houston). $10 plate includes fried fish, hush puppies and coleslaw.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (7250 Harrisburg, Houston). $13 plates include fried fish, French fries, hush puppies, salad and corn. 713-921-1261.

MARY QUEEN, 5:30 to 7 p.m. (606 Cedarwood Dr., Friendswood). $12 adults, $7 children. Dine in or carry out. maryqueencatholicchurch.org.

OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (1401 Fidelity St., Houston). $15 fish fry or crawfish etouffee plates with green beans and potato salad and $20 crawfish etouffee and fish combos. Dine in or carry out. Delivery available for 10 orders or more. 713-674-9206.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA SCHOOL, 5:30 to 8 p.m. (1705 8th St, Galena Park). $12 fried fish plates.

RESURRECTION, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (915 Zoe St., Houston). $12 plate includes fried catfish or $10 plate of fried tilapia. Both plates include hush puppies, green salad, corn and French fries. Can add fried shrimp for $4. Also available are $7 baked potatoes with toppings, $5 nachos, $3 dessert cake, $8 funnel cake. Dine in or carry out. 832-971-4230.

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. ANTHONY OF PADUA, 5 to 7 p.m. (7801 Bay Branch Dr., The Woodlands). KofC #12327 fish fry with $14 fried catfish, French fries, hush puppies, coleslaw and tartar sauce. Desserts available for purchase.

ST. CECILIA, 5:30 to 8 p.m. (11720 Joan of Arc Dr., Houston). KofC fish fry with fried or baked fish plates (Adults: $12; Seniors: $10; Kids under 10: $7) with French fries, hush puppies, coleslaw and macaroni and cheese for kids. Drinks and desserts also available. Add shrimp for $3. Dine in or drive thru. saintcecilia.org.

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (4600 Reed Rd., Houston). $20 plate includes fried catfish or trout, bread, tartar sauce, ketchup and a choice of two sides: green beans, corn or potato salad. Cake and drinks are available for $1. Will deliver orders of 10 or more with at least two hours notice.

ST. HYACINTH, 5 to 7 p.m. (2921 Center St., Deer Park). Drive-thru $15 plate of fried catfish, macaroni and cheese. hush puppies and coleslaw. Bake sale for $2 each.

ST. LAURENCE, 5 to 8 p.m. (3100 Sweetwater

Blvd., Sugar Land). KofC fish fry plates (Adults: $15, Kids: $8) with hush puppies, French fries, tater tots, green beans and coleslaw. $56 togo family four-pack meal includes fish, hush puppies, French fries, tater tots, green beans, and coleslaw, pre-order only. stlaurence.org/ fish-fry.

ST. MARTIN DE PORRES, 10:30 a.m. (12606 Crosby Lynchburg Rd., Crosby). $15 plates with fried fish, potato salad, green beans, or $17 Coubian plates. Tickets available from bazaar committee.

ST. MARY OF THE PURIFICATION, 11 a.m. (3006 Rosedale, Houston). Fish dinners will be sold in the center.

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

ST. MARY STAR OF THE SEA, 5 p.m. (1019 W 6th St., Freeport). $12 plates served in the parish hall followed by Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m.

ST. MONICA, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (8421 West Montgomery Rd., Houston). $15 fried fish or $18 baked fish dinners with green beans, potato salad, bread and cake; $8 fried fish sandwiches with chip; $5 garden salads. Sweets also for sale. Dine in or carry out. Delivery available for 10-plus orders. 832-567-8539.

ST. PETER CLAVER, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (6005 N. Wayside Dr., Houston). KPC and Ladies Auxiliary fish fry with $15 fried fish or crawfish etouffee, or $20 combos, all served with green beans, potato salad, bread, cake and soda or water. Pre-Order: 713-674-3338. Day of: 832-786-0668.

ST. PHILIP NERI, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (10960 Martin Luther King Blvd., Houston). $15 plate includes fried or stewed fish over rice with two sides: potato salad, green beans or French fries. Fish sandwiches also available. 713-882-1134

STS. SIMON AND JUDE, 5 to 7 p.m. (26777 Glen Loch Dr., The Woodlands). $12 for adults, $6 for kids. Plates include fried fish, French fries, hush puppies and coleslaw. Bake sale accepting donations.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston). KofC #10390 fish fry with $10 fish meals (fried or baked), two sides (rice, green beans or coleslaw) and corn bread. Drive-thru available.

More listings at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ATA.

CALENDAR LISTINGS

MARCH 29

WAY OF THE CROSS PROCESSION, 10:15 a.m., Chapel of St. Basil, University of St. Thomas (3802 Yoakum Blvd., Houston). Communion & Liberation and UST Campus Ministry host 2.2 mile-long Stations of the Cross procession with choir, starting at Chapel of St. Basil, with stops at Holy Rosary, Catholic Charities, and ending at Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, with prayer service with Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS. $3 return bus ride available from Co-Cathedral.

DIVINE MERCY NOVENA AND CHAPLET, Mary Queen (606 Cedarwood Dr., Friendswood). Novena and Chaplet begins in the St. Joseph Chapel after the 3 p.m. Stations of the Cross held in the Church. Each remaining day of the Novena, March 30 to April 6, continues at 3 p.m. in the St. Joseph Chapel, including Easter Sunday. On

Divine Mercy Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m. prayers include Divine Mercy Chaplet, Adoration and Benediction in the St. Joseph Chapel.

APRIL 6

FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTION & BREAKFAST, Church of the Annunciation (1618 Texas Ave., Houston). Confession, Mass, Rosary and Prayers of Reparation and a free light breakfast after prayers for all participants. annunciationcc.org.

SACRED ART LIVE, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Cathedral High School (7726 Westview Dr., Houston). Sacred artists and iconographers from across North and South America will exhibit their work from 2 to 4 p.m. for the afternoon show and from 6 to 8 p.m. for the evening show. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Tickets: www.sacredartlive.org.

APRIL 7

SPRING FESTIVAL, St. Gregory the Great (10500 Nold Dr., Houston). Crawfish boil, shrimp and more. Beverages and live music. Free entry.

APRIL 12

CHOCOLATE FEAST, 7 to 10 p.m., St. Rose of Lima (3600 Brinkman St., Houston). “Chocoholic Feast” features a light dinner, decadent desserts, games and silent auction. Tickets: $15. stroselima.org/events.

APRIL 14

CRAWFISH FESTIVAL, noon to 8 p.m., St. Francis of Assisi (5100 Dabney, Houston). Annual festival featuring Step Rideau and Sounds by DJ Jammin J; Bingo from 2 to 6 p.m., food-raffles, kids’ games. $5 Admission; kids 3 and under are free.

APRIL 19

FAITH NIGHT, 6:30 p.m., St. Rose of Lima (3600 Brinkman St., Houston). Praise and worship, Adoration, and a talk by a clergy member. All are welcome. Free.

APRIL 20

GALA, 5:30 p.m., University of Houston’s Hilton Hotel (4450 University Dr., Houston). Benefiting Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School, the Mardi Gras-style masquerade-themed event includes three-course meal, silent and live auction and dancing. Tickets: $150. Sponsorships and underwriting opportunities available. olgschoolhouston.org/annual-gala.

APRIL 21

FUN DAY, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., St. Peter the Apostle (6220 LaSalette Dr., Houston). Features red beans, rice and fried chicken, Bingo, dominoes, Bid Whist, cards, door prizes, board games and more. Admission: $20. 832-419-2075.

APRIL 27-28

FESTIVAL, 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Christ the Redeemer (11507 Huffmeister Rd., Houston ). Annual spring festival includes food, music, kids’ games, auctions and Bingo. ctrcc.com/festival.

MAY 5

BAZAAR, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Our Lady of Lourdes (10114 Hwy. 6, Hitchcock). Annual bazaar featuring fried chicken dinners, Mexican enchilada dinners, with silent and live auctions. Kids’ games with cake, plant and grocery booths, live music and much more. ololchurch. org/bazaar.

retreat for young adults

MILESTONES

Charity Guild of Catholic Women awards $764,200 to Houston-area charities

HOUSTON — The Charity Guild of Catholic Women awarded a record $764,200 to 63 nonprofit charities benefiting children in need in the Greater Houston area at its recent Children’s Charities Grant Presentation.

Grant money is funded from proceeds from its volunteer-run Charity Guild Shop and is given to organizations that provide food, safe housing, affordable health care, clothing, educational support, mental health assistance, and supportive recreation or enrichment services to children, regardless of race or creed. The partnership of volunteers, consignors, customers, and the community makes this significant contribution possible. Chairperson Claire Rabalais led the Children’s Charities committee in reviewing more than 70 grant request applications.

A few of this year’s grant recipients were Bo’s Place, Cy-Fair Helping Hands, Harrison’s Heroes, Camp for All, Palmer Drug Abuse Program-Houston and Target Hunger, among others. Grants received are used in various ways to

serve Houston’s children.

Houston Coalition for Life, a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging and empowering women in crisis pregnancies to choose life for their preborn babies, will use its grant to support its Maternal Assistance Program for new and expectant mothers.

Grant recipient Houston Furniture Bank will use its grant for its No Kids on the Floor program, which will provide new twin mattress sets and bed frames

The Charity Guild of Catholic Women awarded a record $764,200 to 63 nonprofit charities benefiting children in need in the Greater Houston area.

for 48 children who would otherwise go without.

Nora’s Home, an organization that serves transplant patients by providing them and their families an affordable long-term place to stay in the Texas Medical Center during treatment, will use its grant to provide 100-night stays for pediatric transplant patients and their families.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will use its grant to provide five months of diapers/wipes and supplies for its Blessed Beginnings Pregnancy & Parenting Education program.

The Council on Recovery, a nonprofit

organization that helps individuals and families find a path to freedom from substance abuse and related issues, will apply its grant to Mindful Choices, a prevention education course for high-risk middle school students and their parents.

The mission of the Charity Guild of Catholic Women is the sanctification of its members under the patronage of the Immaculate Heart of Mary through the practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy and the practice of charity by rendering assistance to children in need in the greater Houston area, regardless of race or creed. To that end, Charity Guild has donated more than $8 million to 198 nonprofit organizations that have served Houston children since 1996. With more than 600 volunteer members from parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the Charity Guild is very proud of its 101 years of service to the community and is looking forward to its future of continuing to assist children in need.

For more information, visit charityguildshop.org. †

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Strake Jesuit opens new theological library, college counseling center

HOUSTON — Strake Jesuit College Preparatory’s Moran Hall re-opened on March 5, unveiling its expanded college counseling center and theological library. The college counseling center occupies the entire ground floor and will support every student’s search for a college where they can continue to answer God’s call for their lives as the theological library and expanded theology office suite contextualize their discernment about college from the floor above.

Undergoing its first major renovation since its opening in 1988, the new renovation was its first complete overhaul. Alumni from virtually every generation will have differing memories of the former layouts of Moran Hall. Altered more than any other building on campus over the years, it has been indispensable in flexing with the needs of the school as it has grown every decade in response to increasing demand for a Catholic and Jesuit education.

The original construction of Moran Hall provided over 13,000 square feet of classroom space to support the school’s blossoming enrollment. Every few years, minor construction projects altered the functionality of the building, but its latest iteration was used for floor administrative offices on the first floor, with the theology, college counseling and admissions departments sharing the upstairs.

Now to be used primarily for theology and college counseling departments, the new dedication of Moran Hall is deeply essential to the core mission of the Strake Jesuit, which is to be a college preparatory school that executes the formation of young men into servant leaders and Men for Others in the Jesuit and Catholic tradition.

The path to renovation for Moran Hall was paved by the completion of Loyola Hall in 2021, which brought nearly 80,000 square feet of classroom and administrative space to the Strake Jesuit campus. Loyola Hall freed up space for development in Moran Hall by giving a new home to the admissions office at the new front entrance of the campus. †

PHOTO BY CHARITY GUILD OF CATHOLIC WOMEN

PHOTO BY STRAKE JESUIT COLLEGE PREPARATORY

A green ribbon is cut during a March 5 dedication ceremony of Strake Jesuit College Preparatory’s newly renovated Moran Hall in Houston. The renovation gives new space to a new library and college counseling center.