HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Diocesan Services Fund
2022 Impact Report
▪ SEE CENTER SECTION
FAITH IN COLLEGE
Newman Centers look to boost evangelization, aid efforts on campus
▪ SEE PAGES 6
MAY CROWNING
Catholic school students embrace annual Marian tradition in faith
▪ SEE PAGE 8
Proclaiming
HOUSTON — The alluring scent of roses, orchids and other fresh flowers seemed to be just as noticeable as the flourishing bouquets of greenery and petals that towered over hundreds of Vietnamese Catholics at Our Lady of Lavang Church in northwest Houston.
TURNING TO THE BLESSED MOTHER
Gathered for a massive Marian festival that featured special prayers, youth events and speakers on May 5 through May 7, hundreds attended outdoor Masses and prayed the Rosary while joining a long Marian procession to honor Mary, Queen of Peace.
A bright statue of the Blessed Mother surrounded by flowers followed the procession, with other floats covered with flowers honoring the Holy Family, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Image of Divine Mercy, as well as a mobile
HOUSTON — Of the three young men about to be ordained as priests in June, two went to public schools all their lives, and one attended Catholic schools. But all three began considering the priesthood during their childhood as altar servers.
deacons said they most likely would not have thought of priesthood if they had not spent years serving at the altar as children.
A JOURNEY OF VOCATIONS
“After I received my First Communion, I was invited to be an altar server. I distinctly remember thinking, ‘If I have to go to Mass, I might as well do something,’” said Deacon Zachary Muldrow. “It certainly wasn’t the most pious response, but God works with what we can give Him.”
He and his two fellow transitional
Deacon J Serrato said, “I was about nine years old when I was ‘voluntold’ to become an altar server” by his parents. “After I felt confident assisting the priest at Mass, I began to enjoy my role.”
Serrato said he served in a small mission church belonging to the parish of Our Lady of the Assumption in Michoacan, Mexico. His family moved to the United States when he was still a boy, but religion remained first at their home, he said.
“My mother was our first pastor. Home was the micro-ecclesia for us. It
was where she taught me how to pray, the importance of religion and Christian values,” Serrato said.
Deacon Matthew Krusleski said, “When I was an altar server as a kid, I went with a group of servers to the seminary for an ‘Altar Server Appreciation Day’ run by the local Serra Clubs.”
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Daniel Cardinal DiNardo celebrated the Closing Mass to mark the end of the Archdiocese’s 175th anniversary celebration
▪ SEE PAGE 16
‘TUNG HÔ MẸ MARIA!’ - HAIL MARY!PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus is lit with a glowing white halo while young women from the Vietnamese Catholic community dance to honor the Blessed Mother during a Marian festival at Our Lady of Lavang Parish in Houston on May 6. Catholic schools and parishes around the Archdiocese held May crownings and other special services to celebrate Our Lady. FOR MORE PHOTOS, SEE PAGES 3 AND 8. DEACON MATTHEW KRUSLESKI DEACON ZACHARY MULDROW DEACON J SERRATO
MARIAN, from page 1
reliquary with relics of the Vietnamese Martyrs.
Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, who is a member of the U.S. Bishops Conference’s subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs on the committee on cultural diversity in the Church, presided over the bilingual Mass on May 7.
Despite rain showers, hundreds still attended the Mass, which was concelebrated by visiting Vietnamese Bishop Joseph Đang Đuc Ngân of Da Nang, Vietnam.
Bishop Ngân presided over a Mass on Saturday, May 6, following the lengthy Marian procession, which was joined by the Vietnamese Dominican priests and Dominican Sisters of the Mary Immaculate Province.
In his homily, Bishop Dell’Oro encouraged the attendees to “bridge all the gaps” so that “no widows, no orphans and no strangers” are left unattended or not cared for in the Archdiocese. He said to cross barriers of language and culture and bring the gift of charity and mercy.
He said to turn to Mary, who molded the human heart of Jesus to become compassionate, merciful and gentle, so that the Blessed Virgin Mary might mold our hearts just like Jesus’.
He told a similar message to the Legion of Mary Senatus gathering on May 7 at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, drawn together for their annual May Crowning.
There, he incensed a statue of Our Lady of Fatima that he also crowned. He encouraged the hundreds of women and their families, attending from parishes all over the Archdiocese, to turn to the Blessed Mother in faith and in prayer.
Bishop Dell’Oro set three men onto their next step toward the priesthood when he ordained seminarians Luis Armas, Viet Nguyen and David Ramirez as transitional deacons on May 13.
In his homily, Bishop Dell’Oro reminded the congregation to be filled with joy, just as the three new deacons were filled with joy because of their relationship with Jesus.
“As we recognize Jesus who calls us first, we also acknowledge that, in our very life, choosing good means to make sure that ... we live a life of charity,” he said. †
Auxiliary Bishop
Italo
Publishing since 1964 (USPS 936-480)
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON-HOUSTON
NEWSDESK
713-652-8215 • Fax: 713-659-3444 tch@archgh.org • archgh.org/tch
CIRCULATION
tdieli@archgh.org • 713-652-4444
ADVERTISING ads@archgh.org • 713-652-4407
Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop, President & Publisher
Jonah Dycus Communications Director & Executive Editor
Rebecca Torrellas
Managing Editor
James Ramos Designer & Photo-Journalist
Catherine Viola
Advertising Manager
Jo Ann Zuñiga Contributor
Nearly 50 men are currently in formation to become the next generations of priests at St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston. These men spend anywhere from 5 to 7 years preparing for their Ordination to the Priesthood.
To read more about our seminarians and how you can support them, scan the QR code, at left, with your phone’s camera or visit www.archgh.org/smseminary.
The Texas Catholic Herald, an awardwinning member of The Catholic Media Association, is published semi-monthly on Tuesdays, with one issue in June, July and August, by The Texas Catholic Herald Publishing Co., Inc., 1700 San Jacinto St., Houston, TX 77002.
Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX, and other distribution points.
Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 907, Houston, TX 77001
Subscription rate: $15 per year; $20 outside Texas; $35 out of U.S.
TCH publishing schedule
Issue date: June 13
Deadline: Noon on May 23
Issue date: July 11
Deadline: Noon on June 20
ON THE COVER
May Crowning: Photo by Araceli Gomez/St. Ambrose School
‘CAUSE OF JOY TO ALL BELOW’
Effective May 8
Father Christian Christopher,
At
For Texas residents send $15 yearly, for residents outside of Texas, send $20 yearly; and for residents outside of the U.S., send $35 yearly.
1 Free with any contribution to the Diocesan Services Fund
Name: ________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________
City: _______________________ State: ____________ Zip: __________
Make checks payable to: Texas Catholic Herald, 1700 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77002
Priesthood ordinations set for June 3
HOUSTON — Catholics across the Archdiocese are invited to attend the ordinations of three priests.
The priestly ordination is set for Saturday, June 3, at 10 a.m. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will ordain Deacon Matthew Krusleski, Deacon Zachary Muldrow and Deacon J Serrato to the priesthood.
The ordination will take place at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, located at 1111 St. Joseph Parkway in downtown Houston, and will be livestreamed online at www.archgh.org/live. †
Inaugural choral festival set for June 16 to 17
HOUSTON — Join church choir members of all denominations for a weekend of fellowship and rehearsal on Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17.
The festival will culminate with an ecumenical concert performance set for 7 p.m. Saturday at the Houston Christian University Dunham Theater, located at 7502 Fondren Rd. in Houston.
For more information, schedule and ticket purchase, visit www.archgh.org/choralfestival. †
HOUSTON — Café Catholica, the annual young adult summer gathering presented by the Archdiocesan Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry, is set for three Mondays in July at St. Anne Church, located at 2140 Westheimer Rd. in Houston. The theme for the summer series is “Rise Up!”
Open to young adults aged 18 to 39, Café Catholica offers opportunities to gather with nearly a thousand fellow young Catholics for Mass, dinner and talks. The event will be held on Mondays during July: July 10, July 17 and July 24. It begins at 5:15 p.m. with Confession, followed by Mass at 6:15 p.m., dinner at 7:15 p.m. and the keynote speaker at 8:15 p.m. Keynote speakers include Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Brian Butler and Paul George.
No registration is needed to attend. Donations are accepted. For more information, visit www.archgh.org/ cafecatholica or call 713-741-8778. †
HOUSTON — The 2023 Archdiocesan Youth Conference, set for July 28 to 31 at the Hilton Americas Hotel, gathers more than 1,000 participants and is one of the Office of Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization’s largest evangelizing events for youth of high school age.
Through this event, under the theme “Gift Received, Gift Shared,” young people will gather on a journey to rejuvenate their faith life, to help them get serious about life in Christ and His Church. For more information on how to register, visit archgh.swoogo.com/AYC-2023 or speak to your parish youth minister. †
He added, “I really fell in love with the place, especially the chapel. The Serra Club gave me a T-shirt that said, ‘Yes, you can combat evil; No, you don’t get to wear a cape.’”
Deacon Krusleski said, “I also noticed the good work my pastor did, including the way he helped everyone to feel welcome in the church and his work behind the scenes, visiting the hospitals.”
Deacon Muldrow said another sign from God came when “I was wandering around the school library and happened upon a copy of Dante’s Inferno and John Henry Newman’s Apologia pro Vita Sua .”
“I had never heard of either author, but I was drawn to them for some reason,” he said. “Each in their own way spoke of the need to know and love God with our entire being. Reading those two works began the intellectual side of my spiritual life.”
Their church assignments as
transitional deacons had Deacon Muldrow at St. Thomas More assisting at the parish and visiting the school;
Deacon Serrato was assigned to St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal in Texas City, working with pastor Father Clint Ressler; and Deacon Krusleski served at St. Frances Cabrini in southeast Houston assisting at Masses, helping with funerals and Baptisms and faith formation for high school students.
Deacon Muldrow said, “Mostly, I assisted at various Liturgies and helped train the altar servers, but I also met with the RCIA candidates, cleaned the church, had fun at parish parties and prayed with parishioners. There is never a dull moment in parish life.”
In looking forward to ordination, Deacon Serrato said, “The priesthood is an amazing gift from Christ. There is much gratitude and joy within me. Certainly, what I have and feel within me is not just for my own sake, but for the sake of others.”
Deacon Krusleski shared, “I felt called to this life of heroic virtue, not necessarily receiving recognition for my work for God, but still being the presence of God to the people whom I would meet.”
WHEN June 3 at 10 a.m.
WHERE Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Ave., Downtown Houston
WHO Celebrant: Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Deacons Matthew Krusleski, Zachary Muldrow and J Serrato STREAM www.archgh.org/live
Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of our priests. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of your divine grace. Amen.
Daniel Cardinal DiNardo is set to preside over the Mass of Ordination to the Priesthood on June 3., which is expected to be livestreamed from the Co-Cathedral on the Archdiocesan website at www.archgh.org/live starting at 10 a.m. †
HOUSTON — With the reversal of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, the Gabriel Project has seen in influx of pregnant women seeking assistance.
Niki Sikinger, co-coordinator of the Gabriel Project ministry at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, said that, before the ruling, the program would average around 40 women annually. Last year, the ministry helped more than 100 women, most of them migrants from South America.
“Our mission is to bring them closer to God and help them navigate the government red tape,” to access assistance and healthcare, she said. “When they come here they usually have nothing, and that is the main contributing factor to their ‘crisis’ pregnancy.”
While most mothers are often looking for immediate assistance, Sikinger said when a longer relationship grows between the two, it’s a “huge blessing.”
“Our most inspiring stories are when the moms keep in touch with us after the baby is born,” she said. “We’ve had a couple of our moms baptize their children in the Catholic faith, and we helped one mom send her two older daughters to CCE and they had their First Communion at St. Thomas More. It is a huge blessing when we get moms who want to have a relationship with us, but more importantly, a good relationship with God.”
The Gabriel Project is a pro-life parish-based ministry of the Archdiocese supporting women experiencing difficulty during pregnancy. Gabriel Project volunteers provide advice and help, as well as spiritual support.
Sikinger said their first mom, Mirielle, came from Haiti, pregnant and afraid. She went to an abortion clinic, and on her way in she saw someone from St. Thomas More’s Gabriel Project praying outside. She went over and asked her why she was praying and what was she praying for.
“The woman praying was our leader at the time, and she said, ‘I am praying for you and your baby,’” she said. Mirielle didn’t follow through with the abortion and had a baby girl who recently graduated from college and works in New York City’s financial industry.
Sikinger said they have a great support system through St. Thomas More and their Knights of Columbus, and a group of Strake Jesuit students gathered diapers and wipes.
“We couldn’t help all the women we do without our parish support,” she said.
“The Gabriel Project is a very important pro-life mission, and it’s especially relevant today because it actively works to help and support pregnant mothers in
need,” Father Clark Sample, pastor of St. Thomas More said. “It can and does bring these mothers a sense of hope.”
The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24, 2022, ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Other abortion legislation is pending.
According to Julie Fritsch Dumalet, JD, director of the Office of Pro-Life Activities, said for now the abortion pill can still be used in states that do not prohibit abortion outright (states may still ban abortion generally).
“Texas, and similar states still prohibit the abortion pill, although we believe Texas women are still accessing the pill via internet sites,” she said. The legal proceedings concerning the abortion pill involved concerns about the way the FDA extended its use, while not following its own administrative procedures, which are designed to adequately evaluate drug safety.
“One example involves FDA’s extension of the period of ‘safe’ use of the drug from seven weeks gestation to 10 weeks gestation,” Dumalet said.
“In another instance, the FDA allowed prescriptions of the pill via telemedicine; without a physical exam, accurate estimate of gestational age, evaluation for ectopic pregnancy, etc, becomes more difficult. As a result, it appears emergency room visits are four times as likely following use of the abortion pill than with a surgical abortion, often for bleeding and infection issues.”
Dumalet said she’s following recent legislation that would extend postpartum Medicaid coverage for low-income mothers
from two months to a year postpartum.
“This will help vulnerable moms... and hopefully contribute to better outcomes for them and for their kids,” she said.
In the middle of the legislation are mothers seeking resources to help answer questions about pregnancy, childcare and parenting. The Gabriel Project works to fill that need.
Cathie Lobpries, co-coordinatorTHE GABRIEL PROJECT
A Catholic network supporting women in crisis pregnancies
PHONE 713-440-3443
WEB www.archgh.org/gabrielproject
of the Gabriel Project ministry at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Katy, said they also saw an increase in pregnant mothers seeking car seats, strollers and bedding and other assistance that their ministry provides.
The group’s volunteers invite the families to Mass, as well as meet and pray with them and to include them and offer a caring community at the parish.
“We encourage them to return to the church and also to have their babies baptized. Most of our (volunteers) have formed a long-term friendship with the mothers they have assisted,” she said.
Lobpries said the stories of moms coming from Mexico and other countries are inspiring to her.
“Their struggle from leaving their home country, the difficulty getting here, having nothing when they get here, in many cases they have very little hope,” she said. “Then, we are able to provide them with all the material needs for their baby, and the friendship of their Angel.
It is wonderful to see renewed hope and faith in the Lord.” †
HOUSTON — A statistic shared in USA Today states more than 70% of college students will fall away from their faith if not supported during their first year. The Catholic Newman Centers provide support at colleges and universities in the Archdiocese to help decrease that statistic. However, without financial support, the Newman Centers risk not being able to reach enough students to make a dent in that current trend.
Archdiocesan campus ministers at the University of Houston (UH), Texas Southern University (TSU), Rice University, Sam Houston State University and the Galveston Catholic Newman Center say they remain busy yearround providing support for students. This support includes not only spiritual nourishment but also physical.
Through a collaborative fundraising project, the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry and the Archdiocesan Development Office seek to engage parish communities and individuals
who have witnessed firsthand the work carried out by the Newman Centers.
“With the help of alumni support
with your support, Catholic Charities provides help and hope to people in need, especially the poor and vulnerable. Our network of life-changing programs work together to alleviate poverty.
Guided by the Catholic Faith, we serve people of all beliefs. Learn
and donations from philanthropic Catholics who want to make a lasting and positive impact on the future leaders of our Church, the Newman Centers’ vital ministry will continue to help these remarkable student-focused faith communities flourish for years to come,” said Angie Pometto, director, Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry.
Pometto said campus ministry is a place where students go to be fed spiritually by gathering for Mass, confession, Eucharistic adoration, as well as opportunities for spiritual growth and sense of community. It is also important that they are fed physically with a meal.
“Among the campuses in the Archdiocese, just a few of those events like the Sunday Supper, Thursday Lunch and Learns, and Feed Your Faith programs include both spiritual and physical nourishment for students,” she said.
Pometto said while it is true that many young people are falling away from their faith during their college years, it is also “such a beautiful reality of our faith that something as a simple as a community meal with fellowship can be the initial invitation that helps someone connect to faith and their campus’ spiritual community in a new way in college.”
UH Campus Minister Salisha Miller said their Newman Center is actively building an intentional community where students, staff and faculty can pray together, learn more about the Catholic faith, take steps to become a Catholic and find a spiritual family that will support them wherever they might be on their faith journey. During Easter, four young men visiting the center who
TEXT TO SUPPORT
Text keyword to 41444
• University of HoustonCATHOLICCOOGS
• Texas Southern UniversityTXSUCATHOLIC
• Sam Houston State UniversityBEARKATHOLIC
• Galveston Newman CenterISLANDCATHOLICS
www.archgh.org/campusministry
completed RCIA at the UH center were welcomed into the Catholic Church.
“On any given day, we have, on average, 30 to 50 students that find rest and refuge here at the Newman Center,” she said.
Miller said the center is constantly bustling with students praying, studying together, and even using their time between classes to prepare community meals in the center’s galley kitchen.
The Newman Centers welcome both financial gifts and physical donations of food and meals to help support their outreach work.
“Campus ministry challenges my missionary heart to go out, encounter and engage students who may or may not be grounded in the faith,” said Doris Barrow, campus minister at TSU. “I have learned that God invites me daily to engage the students and treat every encounter as holy and sacred.”
Barrow said Mass is celebrated on Wednesdays at noon for students, faculty and staff at TSU.
“While we do not have a priest chaplain, the generosity of local priests in the Archdiocese to celebrate Mass on campus has been a blessing,” he said, adding there is lunch afterward for those attending.
Galveston Newman Center minister Carl Erikson, who works with Catholic Sea Aggies, College of the Mainland and other Galveston Island-area universities, said they are always in need of volunteers, leaders and donations to continue and increase their outreach.
“Musicians are welcome, as well as those who want to serve in Liturgy. There are also café-style Bible studies and doctrine discussions along with retreats and trips,” Erikson said.
To support the campus ministries, textto-give keywords above and follow the prompts to make a donation. For more information, call the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry at 713-7418778, email yacm@archgh.org or visit www.archgh.org/campusministry. †
HOUSTON — Deacon Ernest “Eddie” Abadejos died May 11. He was 86 years old. He served in ministry at Notre Dame parish in Houston and at St. Faustina Catholic Church in Fulshear. A funeral Mass will be held Friday, May 26, at 10 a.m. at St. Faustina Catholic Church. Interment is at 2 p.m. in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Houston. †
ROSHARON — M. Elois Cooper, mother of Patrina Frederick, a member of the Accounting Department of the Archdiocese, died May 7.
A funeral service was held May 13 at Restoration City Life Center in Rosharon. †
HOUSTON — Kelly Herbeck, brother of Kirk Herbeck, property manager at Circle Lake Retreat Center, died May 11. He was 61 years old. †
SAN ANTONIO — Sister Barbara Tovar, MCDP, who organized the first Archdiocesan celebration for Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Archdiocese, died April 20. She was 79 years old.
She was an associate director and diocesan director of religious education, member of the faculty of St. Mary’s Seminary, pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Church in Conroe and at St. Ambrose Church in Houston, and led marriage preparation at Resurrection Church and at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Manvel.
For 21 years, Sister Tovar assisted in the Cultural Formation of seminarians at St. Mary’s Seminary.
A funeral Mass was held May 3 at Our Lady of the Lake University Sacred Heart Conventual Chapel in San Antonio. †
LIBERTY — Monsignor Patrick Wells, died May 11. He was 92 years old. Prior to seminary formation and his priestly ordination in 1993, Msgr. Wells was the dean of Texas Southern University’s Pharmacy College.
He served in ministry at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Houston for 13 years. In 2000, Pope John Paul II named him a prelate of honor with the title of monsignor.
A funeral Mass was celebrated May 20 at Our Mother of Mercy Church in Liberty. Interment is in Wells Memorial Cemetery in Liberty. †
Sister Theresa Macey, O.P.
HOUSTON — Sister Theresa “Antonietta” Macey, O.P., died May 13. She was 88 years old. She served in education ministry at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School and Sacred Heart Catholic School in Houston, and Dominican High School in Galveston.
Sister Macey was the first recipient of the University of St. Thomas Father Vincent J. Guinan Distinguished Alumni Award. A funeral Mass was held May 17 at 10 a.m. at St. Dominic Villa Chapel. Interment is in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Houston. †
Pray for the following priests whose anniversaries of death are during the month of June.
June 1911 Rev. Anthony Maury
June 1, 1949 Rev. James P. McCarthy
June 1, 1974 Rev. William Creamer, O’Carm
June 1, 1981 Rev. Francis Dynan, SSJ
June 2, 1999 Rev. Norbert Reuss, CSB
June 2, 2005 Rev. Kevin C. Thissen, OP
June 2, 2014 Rev. Rivers Patout
June 4, 1920 Rev. Joseph Ignatius Klein
June 4, 1950 Rev. Lawrence B. Kramer
June 6, 1957 Rev. Hugh Kearns
June 7, 1947 Rev. J.T. Moriarty
June 7, 1982 Rev. James L. Moore
June 8, 1972 Msgr. Thomas J. Prendergast
June 9, 1952 Rev. Francis A. Walsh, CSB
June 9, 1988 Rev. James J. White, CSSp
June 10, 1959 Rev. Ralph J. Diefenbach
June 10, 2021 Rev. Peter Ferguson
June 11, 1964 Rev. Dunstan McGuigan, OCarm
June 11, 1979 Rev. Bernard J. O’Neill
June 12, 1985 Rev. Richard Gieselman, CM
June 12, 2011 Rev. Gabriel Camilo Morales, m.j.
June 13, 1938 Rev. John J. Lyons, SSJ
June 14, 1964 Rev. Francis Plavcan, MS
June 14, 1982 Rev. Mark M. Barron, OP
June 14, 1993 Rev. James E. Daley, CSB
June 15, 1938 Rev. David M. Ortez
June 16, 1989 Rev. Robert Hall, CSB
June 16, 2009 Rev. Victor B. Brezik, CSB
June 16, 2016 Rev. Patrick Braden, CSB
June 17, 1936 Rev. Martin F. Collins
June 18, 1999 Rev. Larry Leonard, CM
June 20, 1977 Rev. Louis Hahn, SJ
June 20, 1991 Rev. Paul F. Kent, OCSO
June 21, 1892 Rev. Claude Jacquet
June 21, 2021 Rev. Ryan Stawaisz
June 22, 2003 Rev. Charles Banet, CPPS
June 23, 1939 Rev. George Apel
June 23, 1990 Rev. Joseph Kennelly, OMI
June 24, 1986 Rev. Joseph K. Schneider
June 24, 2008 Rev. Alfred E. Greenwald
June 24, 2012 Rev. John “Jack” R. Whitley, CSB
June 25, 1873 Rev. John B. Bellaclos
June 26, 1961 Msgr. Frank J. Dubias
June 26, 1965 Rev. Joseph Schmultz, SSJ
June 27, 1999 Rev. Michael J. Fritzen, SVD
June 27, 2008 Rev. John J. Walsh, CSSP
June 27, 2016 Rev. Kenneth E. Mikulik
June 29, 2004 Rev. Ladislav Danek
June 30, 1952 Rev. Manuel F. Munive, OMI
In 1847, with the founding of what was then the Diocese of Galveston, God filled Bishop Jean-Marie Odin, C.M., the first bishop in Texas, with the strength to face the challenges of preaching the Gospel and bringing the sacraments to those living in the frontier land of Texas. Accompanying Bishop Odin were the Ursuline Sisters who made it their mission to educate Catholic children and to form them in the faith. Together, they built upon the foundation laid by Franciscan missionaries and others who had been ministering in Texas since the 17th century.
While we celebrate and honor our past, the work of this local Church continues.
Today, the Archdiocese of GalvestonHouston continues to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to a flock of more than 1.7 million faithful in ten counties. My hope is that this milestone provided us a time to reflect on our history and look ahead to the journey that awaits. During the past year this local Church helped to serve thousands of people spiritually and physically with love and compassion.
On behalf of the many ministries in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston which depend on your support through the DSF, thank you for your kind contributions and generosity of spirit. Your commitment to our ministries allowed the hungry to be fed, the naked to be clothed, the homeless to be sheltered,
and the forgotten to be found. As your shepherd, I am constantly encouraged by your great generosity, your trust, and your fervor for the faith. I invite you now to learn more about the 64 ministries you made possible last year and the lives you changed along the way in this year’s DSF Impact Report.
Once again, thank you for your continued prayers and support of this local Church, and be assured of my ongoing prayers for you and your family. With every good wish in the Lord, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
+Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop of Galveston-Houston
The mission of the Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) is to provide essential support for the 64 ministries that serve those in need throughout the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston that no one parish can deliver on their own.
“DSF makes possible our office offering formation classes in pastoral care for older adults targeted to deacons and parish leaders. In addition, it enables our office to offer families webpage resources as they plan the care of aging family members.”
- Mark Ciesielski, LMSW Director, Office of Aging Ministry
DSF supports the formation of our future priests; serves the poor, feeds the hungry, and supports those in need; provides a strong Catholic education to more than 17,500 students; and forms the next generation of Catholics through youth and adult faith formation.
Through DSF, we can serve one another and fully live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our thoughts and actions every day.
million GOAL RAISED
*$2.16 million raised was returned to parishes through rebates.
31%
“DSF funding allows the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis to offer catechist formation and catechetical leadership training in three languages. We also offer support for those who minister with persons with disabilities, early childcare centers, and sacrament preparation teams. In short, DSF support allows us to form the people, who form God’s people!”
- Amy Auzenne Director, Office of Evangelization and CatechesisTeaching, Evangelizing and Worship
23%
Nurturing and Strengthening Families
15%
Ministering to the Poor, the Sick, and the Incarcerated
14%
Promoting, Preparing and Supporting Clergy
3%
Rebates to Parishes
14% Special Grants and Aid to Poor Parishes
NOTES:
These numbers reflect donations received as of December 31, 2022. Parishes that have not met their goal by December 31, 2022, are billed for any DSF deficit, which is not reflected in this report.
16.1%
$15,215,496
As an Asian American Catholic, I am part of a long and rich history of resilience, cleverness and pure grit.
Our community has overcome incredible obstacles, from the first wave of Asian immigration in the 1850s to the Vietnam War. Despite the challenges, we have always maintained a strong sense of sacrifice and silent determination, which has become the foundation of my life and the lives of other Asian Americans.
Reconciling my Asian American identity has been a journey of understanding the distinct generational differences.
Growing up in the U.S., I had a level of independence and ownership that was different from the traditional Vietnamese family structure. In Vietnam, everything in the household belongs to the family, and guests are always given priority, even if it means sacrificing your own comfort. But here, we learn agency and ownership from a young age, and it grows as we gain more things.
However, despite this sense of independence, I still struggled with feeling like an outsider, especially at school. My lunches and snacks were different, and it took a long time to come to terms with my own otherness. But I found solace in my faith. As a child of God, I am beloved and unique, and that is all that truly matters.
by LOUIS LE
The Catholic faith has also helped me marry my culture and my faith. One example of this is lion dancing, a beautiful display of ferocious-looking lions that ward off evil spirits. It is a celebration of life and new beginnings, and it is often performed at important events like weddings and New Year’s celebrations. These traditions honor our ancestors while also reminding us of who we are and where we come from. Now, our faith teaches that God is the one that has true control over evil spirits. In this acknowledgment, we concede that these traditions don’t have power over anything. The power that they have is so much greater.
All these things that we do, like lion dancing and ancestor veneration, remind us of who we are and where we come from. They allow us to heal from the invisible wounds of our history. For me, these traditions bring back memories of spending time with my parents at these celebrations. Yearly, I am reminded of their sacrifice and love for me. As a child, I didn’t fully understand the significance of these traditions, but as I grew older, I began to
appreciate the importance of honoring our ancestors and preserving our culture.
I feel a deep sense of connection to my heritage and my faith through these traditions. And as an Asian American Catholic, I find peace in knowing that Jesus Christ brings healing to my home and my community. I find peace in knowing that I have a home and a place to belong. This peace I gained through years of understanding where I came
from. As advice from someone who still works through my identities, I think the biggest one is to understand the one that God gave us first. One of them is this: we are His sons and daughters.
Understanding that love and grace flows from Jesus will lead us to start piecing together the good from our Asian American and Catholic upbringing.
Another piece of advice that helped me was to learn how to authentically love and meet my family with where they are in their lives and beliefs. Even in disagreements or difficult gaps in knowledge, it is still quite important to learn to walk with our families.
In the end, being an Asian American Catholic means embracing the richness of our culture and the beauty of our faith. We can celebrate our traditions while also recognizing the power that Jesus has over them.
Our communities have overcome so much, and through our faith, we find peace and a sense of belonging. †
Louis Le is a youth minister at Ascension Chinese Mission.
“All these things that we do, like lion dancing and ancestor veneration, remind us of who we are and where we come
How’s your Easter going? Have you been asked that lately? Probably not. These kinds of questions are usually reserved for Lent when we are checking on that friend who gave up caffeine.
At a Mass I attended during the Easter Octave, the priest explained that he was “on a one-man mission to get people to celebrate Easter.” He went on to say that it is his experience that we tend to put so much time into Lent, discerning what we will give up or take on as penance. We ask each other what we are doing for Lent, and we check on each other.
For Easter, we do not plan as much and never do we ask what another person is doing, except for maybe Easter Sunday. Being that Easter is crucial and as a season lasts longer than Lent (Eastertide), the priest felt this needed to change.
The priest’s guidelines for what to do for Easter? “Do what you love and what will help you praise and give glory to God.” As a retreat director, he had a group that he would guide through Lent, encouraging them in their sacrifices. Once it was Easter, he invited them to consider what they could do for Easter. They decided to go for a camping trip, so
they could be close to God’s creation, walking among the new wildflowers and lying under a sky of stars at night.
Beginning on June 19, 2022, (the Feast of Corpus Christi), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) began a nationwide Eucharistic Revival that will last for three years until June 2025, with a National Eucharistic Congress from July 17 to 21, 2024. Their goal was to reawaken our understanding and devotion to the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.
Now, the second phase, the parish level, of our National Eucharistic Revival begins this June 2023. The USCCB requests that each parish across America consider specific ways to foster in every parishioner the genuine love and fervent devotion to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.
Throughout history, the Church’s firm belief in the real presence of Jesus has been expressed by Catholics in various ways, both in and outside of the Holy Mass. In previous issues of the Catholic Herald, I shared my reflections on both: Knowing the Living Christ in the Holy Mass (Sept. 27, 2022) and Sweet Jesus, We Adore You (Dec. 13, 2022). Here, in this article, is another devotion to consider — the Eucharistic procession — a more communal way to
by CLAIRE MCMULLINThis got me thinking. What am I doing for Easter? On the one hand, of course, we get to eat the foods and look at our phones again. We sing “Alleluia” and “Glory to God” at Mass. These actions are different from Lent. As I sat with it some more, I began to wonder if I really do celebrate Easter. How does my life now look different from Ordinary Time? There’s the reciting of the “Gloria” at daily Mass during the Octave, which is special, but what else could I be doing?
Just as we set aside specific penitential acts for Lent, maybe we should set aside specific celebratory acts for Easter outside of the Liturgy. A camping trip is a good idea because it could be a celebration of community and God’s creation. If you can’t take a full camping trip, perhaps you could take friends or family for a hike through
nature. A quick visit to the Internet brought a few more: Read the resurrection passages from Scripture or read the book of Acts and reflect on the transformation that took place in the Apostles. There was also the idea of adding white to the crucifixes in our homes and placing floral arrangements or new plants around the home. This all connects to the fact that we live in seasons. As Catholics, we do live liturgically, and what we do, say, and see enhances that, helping us to tune into God, our creator and redeemer.
worship and deepen your love for the real presence of Christ.
Blessing for the world. May the ray of His blessing extend to us all!” (Corpus Christi 2005).
I wonder if we find it difficult to be joyful because we cannot imagine beyond what we see. In a daily Gospel recently, Jesus chastises the crowd that comes looking for Him because they “ate the loaves and were filled.” He warns them and us not to work for the food that perishes but for the food that endures. They were accepting a lesser good. We do, too.
Applying that to Easter: if we are just fine with getting social media back and eating cake again, we are missing the opportunity for even great joy.
Instead of seeking more of the same, we are invited to seek Jesus. Perhaps a good Easter practice would be for us to remember when we ourselves were experiencing a Good Friday, and then God came through with an Easter and sharing that with someone. We could also spend more time with the Eucharist or attend daily Mass. Whatever we decide to do, let’s check in on each other because we may have forgotten that we are “Easter people.” †
Claire McMullin is the vocations volunteers training manager with the Office of Vocations.
crowds shout for joy and praise Him on that first Palm Sunday.
by SISTER MARIA GORETTI NGUYEN, OPThe purpose of a Eucharistic procession is to give public witness to the faith. Pope Francis, in his homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (June 2021), asserted, “The procession with the Blessed Sacrament… reminds us that we are called to go out and bring Jesus to others...”
The late Pope Benedict also affirmed, “We bring Christ, present under the sign of bread, onto the streets of our city. We entrust these streets, these homes, our daily life, to his goodness. May our streets be streets of Jesus! May our houses be homes for Him! May our life every day be penetrated by His presence. With this gesture, let us place under His eyes the sufferings of the sick, the solitude of young people and the elderly, temptations, fears — our entire life. The procession represents an immense and public blessing for our city: Christ is, in person, the Divine
Eucharistic processions first became a popular practice in the life of the Church in the 13th century during the celebration of Corpus Christi and are attributed to St. Juliana. Later, the Council of Trent (16th century) solemnly approved and recommended it as a public profession of the Catholic faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
In recent decades, we have seen papal celebrations through the streets of Rome to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. There were even Eucharistic processions conducted in dioceses around the world amid the COVID-19 pandemic to invoke God’s protection.
A Eucharistic procession symbolizes our earthly pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem, our true home.
In the Old Testament, we read of the procession with the Ark of the Covenant, as well as numerous other festal pilgrimages to Jerusalem, praising God with music and dance or reciting the Psalms. Likewise, in the New Testament, we learn of the procession of Jesus into Jerusalem as
Perhaps, the first Eucharistic procession was Mother Mary’s journey on foot over the hill country in Judea (Lk 1:39-56) to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. She traveled approximately 80 miles on rocky desert terrain while consciously carrying the word made flesh in her womb with great care. Mary’s sacred womb was the first Luna — the name today is used to refer to the circular receptacle with glass sides, metal circled with gold or gilded metal that holds the Sacred Host upright in the monstrance for Eucharistic Adoration and procession.
So, let us heed the USCCB’s call, anticipating one or more Eucharistic processions as the revival moves to the parish phase (June 2023 to June 2024). Like Mary, let us publicly proclaim the real presence of Christ to reaffirm our faith to all and to deepen our love of the Blessed Sacrament. Go out and bring Jesus to others! †
Sister Maria Goretti Thuy Nguyen, OP, is an associate director with the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.
“Just as we set aside specific penitential acts for Lent, maybe we should set aside specific celebratory acts for Easter outside of the Liturgy.”
You are not alone if talking about end-of-life planning feels a bit awkward or uncomfortable. Jesus Himself experienced a sense of frustration when He encountered His disciples’ repeated resistance to announcing His going to Jerusalem to suffer and die.
Peter boldly responded, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” Jesus, in turn, rebuked Peter saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (Matthew 16:21-23). Jesus persisted in repeating this truth because He wanted to prepare those He loved for the reality that they would soon face.
Jesus offers us the perspective that end-of-life planning and conversations are more about living than dying. Jesus essentially did what we are tasked with doing in planning end-of-life care. Jesus appointed Peter and His disciples as “powers of attorney” while He was still living and as “executors of His will” after His death and resurrection to carry out His saving mission: to teach, heal, baptize, forgive sins and celebrate Eucharist (Mt 10:1, Jn 20:23, Lk 22:19). He communicated to His disciples
by MARK CIESIELSKI“advance directives” about His end-of-life care by commanding them not to create extraordinary interventions by way of violence (Lk 22:49-51; Jn 18: 10-11). And Jesus, as He hung dying on the cross, empowered His beloved friend, John, as an “executor of His will” to care for His mother (Jn 19:26-27).
A chapter from my own family history might offer an additional perspective on end-of-life planning. For the past 10 years, my two brothers and I helped my parents navigate the challenges of aging. As their power of attorney, I helped manage their financial affairs and medical care. Through ongoing conversations with my parents, my brothers and I did our best to support their wishes to remain autonomous.
Their end-of-life healthcare wishes were recorded in advance directives, which later served to ensure that they received the type of medical care that
The Church often gets a bad rap because it sometimes tells people not to have sex. The Church encourages teenagers to practice abstinence and wait for marriage. The Church tells individuals struggling with same-sex attraction that they should not act on those inclinations. In the world’s view, these messages seem harsh or “judgey,” and many people believe that the Church is then sentencing these individuals to a life of sorrow and loneliness.
As a single woman in my 40s, I need to set the record straight. I firmly believe that embracing chastity and living it well leads to a life full of joy!
Both the Church and the world would probably agree that the secret to finding fulfillment and joy in life comes down to one word: Love. “All you need is love,” sang the Beatles. “So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love,” wrote St. Paul to the Corinthians. All people are seeking to find love in life. The problem is that the world forgets that love means so much more than just sex! True love — the love that Christ calls us to — is so much deeper and richer than the world’s narrow definition.
In my own life, I have experienced love in so many ways. Love is found in my family — parents, siblings, nephews and nieces. Love is found in my community — friends that God placed in my life to both challenge me and support me along the journey. Love is also found in those whom I serve, the young adults of the Archdiocese.
As a single woman, I have a level of freedom to follow where God leads each day and encounter each of these loves as opportunities arise. This could mean planning a spur-of-the-moment trip to Wisconsin to visit my brothers and their families. It means I can easily shift dinner plans to eat with friends after
by ANGELA E. POMETTOSunday Mass. It also means I have time to visit the young adults at a recent Charis retreat and hear the stories of how God is working in their lives. Christ has filled my life with so many people and so many ways to love that it overwhelms me at times.
St. Paul writes that “an unmarried woman … is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit” (1 Corinthians 7:34). As an unmarried woman, my one main purpose in life is to stay connected to Christ and follow where He leads me. He continues to lead me on a grand adventure that has been beyond anything I could have imagined for myself.
We are all called to live in love. The whole of our lives is meant to be situated “in relation to the God who loves us,” writes Pope Francis in Christus Vivit (248). “The salvation that God offers us is an invitation to be part of a love story” (252). No matter what your current state in life may be, God is calling us to a life full of love and full of joy.
If the Church is inviting you to live in chastity — either permanently or for a brief time — do not be afraid! Instead, be on the lookout to find love entering your life in ways beyond romance.
If we say “yes” to God’s call to follow in this way, He is faithful, and He will lead us to the life of love that is promised to all those who follow Him. †
they had specified. After my father and older brother died five years ago, my younger brother and I served as longdistance caregivers for my mother, whose care transitioned to an assisted living facility. Last year my mother announced to us that “our work was over” as she entered hospice care. We shifted our focus to her spiritual care by savoring shared positive memories, especially those in which she loved as Jesus loved.
Our prayers for strength and trust in God’s care culminated on the day before she died when she simply prayed, “Lord, take my hand and lead me home to
Paradise.”This process, which enabled our family to live life fully and transition our loved ones peacefully into eternal life, can be similarly adapted to your circumstances.
Even as Jesus promised that He would never leave His disciples alone (Mt. 28:20; Jn 14:18-20), the Office of Aging, along with your community of faith, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, stands ready to accompany you on your own “journey to Jerusalem.”
Our ministry offers end-of-life education, webpage resources and appropriate referrals to help support and communicate your wishes with loved ones. In this way, you and your loved ones can be consoled with the words of Jesus: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live” (John 11:25).
You can view the Office of Aging webpage for end-of-life video, audio and written planning resources at www. archgh.org/aging. †
Mark Ciesielski is the director of the Office of Aging Ministry.
“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”
- John 11:25Angela E. Pometto serves as the director of the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Peace is urgently needed in today’s world, and women should be more greatly appreciated, Pope Francis told hundreds of Catholic women.
“In addition to peace, the anthropological identity of women is also in danger as they are used as tools, as the subject of political disputes and cultural ideologies that ignore the beauty with which they were created,” he said.
The pope made his remarks during an audience in the Paul VI hall on May 13 with the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO), which was holding its general assembly in Assisi from May 14 to 20. The assembly’s theme was “Women of WUCWO: Artisans of human fraternity for world peace.”
In his talk, the pope said, “Nowadays there is an urgent need to find peace in the world, a peace that begins, above all, within the heart, an ailing heart, lacerated by the division of hatred and rancor.”
and hearts open to the world, to listen to the lament of so many women in the world who suffer injustice, abandonment, discrimination, poverty or inhuman treatment since childhood in some cases.”
The organization’s new “World Women’s Observatory,” he said, will provide ways “to identify the needs and thus be able to be ‘Samaritans,’ fellow travelers, who instill hope and serenity in hearts, helping and enabling others to help alleviate the many corporal and spiritual needs of humanity.”
He said women have a “gift” and “task” of making lonely people and places feel less lonely.
“Humanity without women is alone. A culture without women is lonely,” the pope said. “Where there is no woman, there is loneliness, arid loneliness that breeds sadness and all manner of harm to humanity.”
“Mary teaches us to generate life and to protect it always, relating with others with tenderness and compassion,” he said.
nizations, during an audience with the group in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican on May 13 before it opened its general assembly in Assisi May 14 to 20. In his talk, the pope said, “There is an urgent need to find peace in the world, a peace that begins, above all, within the heart.”
Women, too, should receive “greater appreciation of their capacity for relationship and giving,” he said, and men must “better understand the richness of the reciprocity they receive from women, in order to recover those anthropological elements that characterize human identity and, with it, that of women and their role in the family and society, where they never cease to be a beating heart.”
He encouraged the assembly’s delegates “to renew your missionary impulse” and “look to the future with eyes
The San Jose Clinic is offering an outstanding opportunity for a qualified Chief Exeutive Officer. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will be responsible for the overall leadership and management, technical aspects, daily operations, and all functions of San José Clinic (SJC). The CEO will assure the Ministry is in compliance with all regulatory agency rules and regulations and the Clinic’s organizational policies, mission, vision and values. San José Clinic is the leading charity care provider of healthcare services for the underserved in Houston. Since 1922, the Clinic has worked to provide a health home for the most vulnerable in the Greater Houston area. Its mission is to provide healing through quality healthcare and education with respect and compassion for those with limited access to care.
The San Jose Clinic is offering an outstanding opportunity for a qualified Medical Director. We seek physician candidates interested in utilizing their proven experience providing quality health care and solid operational leadership in a setting that enables them to make a real difference.
For full descriptions and qualifications, visit sanjoseclinic.org/careers
Qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to inquire about these positions by contacting our Chief Human Resources Officer Enjoli Marchand at enjoli.marchand@sanjoseclinic.org or 713-286-6412
Look to Mary, he said, to see where she drew the strength to be an authentic witness of the
of the Gospel.
“Dear sisters, the secret of all discipleship and readiness for mission lies in cultivating this union, a union from within, with the ‘sweet host of the soul’ that accompanies us always: the love of God and staying joined to him,” he said. †
JERUSALEM (CNS) — Even before the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad had been called on the evening of May 13 after five days of fighting, Father Gabriel Romanelli of Gaza Holy Family Parish was already tentatively going over travel details for a trip to Egypt with some of the Catholic Scouts youth leaders, which had been long in the making.
There had been concern that they would need to cancel the much anticipated trip, he said. After the death in prison May 2 of prominent hunger-striking Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan, a leader in the Islamic Jihad militant group, the group launched a barrage of missiles into southern Israel. On May 9, Israel retaliated with an early morning airstrike into Gaza, killing three senior Islamic Jihad militants and 10 civilians, including their wives and some children and neighbors.
Continued attempts by Egypt to broker an agreement finally succeeded and the ceasefire was called for 10 p.m. May 13.
“We know from experience the one thing (we want to do) is to (reduce) the trauma,” said Father Romanelli in a phone conversation with OSV News a few hours before the ceasefire. “The people are tired. They want peace.”
In addition to providing spiritual support to the community members during the five days of hostilities, Romanelli said he and the nine nuns currently in Gaza worked to find ways to offer psychological and emotional support.
“In the parish, we are always busy providing them with activities and events so life can be as normal as possible,” said Father Romanelli, who is originally from Argentina. “We have games and events and bingo and horseback riding. We take them to the beach.”
The 10-day trip to Egypt with the youth had been planned after failing for four years to get permits from Israel for the young people to travel to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, said Father Romanelli. Most of the Gaza population is made up of youth, most of them have never been involved in violent acts, and the large majority have never been outside of Gaza, he said.
“The young people ask me what fault it is that they were born here. That is trauma.”
The only year there has not been a war in Gaza since 2017 was 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Father Romanelli noted. During current hostilities, Father Romanelli livestreamed nightly from his Facebook page a Rosary of peace, including May 13, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, and a blessing of the Sacraments. †
WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Human trafficking survivors who testified at the Capitol about U.S. efforts to combat the practice detailed their experiences, saying they hope sharing their stories can help prevent others from similar situations.
Gina Cavallo told lawmakers on May 12 that “force, fraud and coercion were all used by someone who pretended to be my friend, but ultimately abducted me into being trafficked.”
Cavallo said that for nearly two years, starting at age 18, she was prostituted and raped.
expiration of Title 42, which granted the federal government some authority to implement emergency action to prevent the spread of contagious diseases by prohibiting some migrants from entry. It was scheduled to expire in tandem with the end of the federal public health emergency declared in 2020 for COVID-19.
Ave Maria law graduate and family killed in Allen mall shooting, leaving young son a sole survivor
A key complement of U.S. efforts, Smith said, should be the accuracy of that annual report as well as holding both the United States and other nations accountable, even if those nations are allies or if the U.S. is navigating complex relations with a nation on other issues.
ALLEN (OSV News) — A graduate of a Florida Catholic law school and two of his family members were among the eight victims slain in a May 6 mass shooting at Dallas-area outdoor shopping mall.
“I became a commodity to be used for others’ gain,” she said at a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations chaired by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.
Survivor Bella Hounakey said that despite what traffickers and abusers often tell their victims, “you are not disposable.”
“You’re not broken, you’re not made of glass, you can heal,” she said. “I invite you to have a sense of belief.”
The hearing came the day after the
Smith, who authored the Trafficking Victims Protect Act of 2000, requiring an annual report on human trafficking and creating a whole-of-government initiative to combat it around the world, questioned Cindy Dyer, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, about the potential impact of the expiration of Title 42 on trafficking.
“Last year’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report issued by the State Department pointed out that the United States continues not to mandate human trafficking screening for all foreign national adults in immigration detention or custody and did not screen for trafficking indicators among the people it removed,” Smith said.
Witnesses argued that lawmakers should pass the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Protection and Prevention Reauthorization Act. Smith, who authored the legislation, said he plans to reintroduce it after it stalled in the Senate. The bill would grant additional funds for resources such as shelters, mental health care, education, life skills and job training, as well as “ageappropriate programs” for trafficking prevention education.
In addition to detailing what they experienced at the hands of traffickers, survivors discussed resources that helped them after they escaped, such as skilled therapists and faith.
“I can say with certainty that all who have survived human trafficking, how they are living today, and are able to tell their stories is the embodiment of the strength of the human will and human spirit,” Hounakey said in her testimony. †
In a May 10 tweet, Ave Maria School of Law in Naples, Florida, said chaplain Monsignor Frank McGrath would offer a May 17 Mass for alumnus Kyu Cho, his wife and two young sons, one of whom survived the shooting.
Cho, a Texas native, and his family were at the Allen Premium Outlets Mall 35 miles north of Dallas when a gunman opened fire. Killed in the attack were Cho; his wife, Cindy; and their 3-year-old son James. The family’s sole survivor, 6-year-old William Cho, was among the seven individuals wounded. According to a GoFundMe account set up for him, he was released from intensive care and is currently “recovering well.”
The shooter was killed at the scene by an Allen police officer. As of May 10, the U.S. has seen 210 mass shootings — attacks with four or more shot or killed, not including the shooter — in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. †
ROMA (CNS) — Los organismos multilaterales que han sido despojados de poder necesitan una “profunda reforma” para garantizar la paz y la seguridad entre las naciones, escribió el Papa Francisco.
“No basta con proclamar la paz si no se es capaz de actuar concretamente, el riesgo es ser instrumentos partidistas y dejar de ser herramientas para alcanzar el bien común”, dijo.
En un mensaje dirigido el 11 de mayo a los participantes en una conferencia académica sobre la encíclica de San Juan XXIII de 1963 en la que pedía la prohibición de las armas nucleares, “Pacem in Terris”, o “Paz en la Tierra”, el Papa Francisco escribió que la guerra nunca ha contribuido a resolver los conflictos, sino que sólo ha creado “víctimas, destrucción, pérdida de humanidad, intolerancia” y ha socavado la fe en el futuro.
“La paz, en cambio”, dijo, “permanece en el alma y en las aspiraciones de toda la familia humana”.
Incluso 60 años después de la publicación de “Pacem in Terris”, dijo el Papa, “la humanidad no parece haber comprendido cuán necesaria es la paz”.
“Una mirada a nuestra realidad cotidiana nos muestra hasta qué punto el egoísmo de unos pocos y los intereses cada vez más estrechos llevan a algunos a pensar que pueden encontrar en las
armas la solución a tantos problemas y necesidades emergentes, y a los conflictos que surgen en las realidades de las naciones”, dijo.
El Papa lamentó la creciente práctica del almacenamiento de armas, que, según dijo, se ha convertido de nuevo en un grave factor en las relaciones internacionales y que “genera miedo y terror y corre el riesgo de aplastar la seguridad”.
Al inaugurar la conferencia en la Pontificia Universidad Lateranense de
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Hispanic Radio Programs
KYST Radio Station 920 AM
Sunday broadcasts
6 a.m – 7 a.m. & 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
En un continuo esfuerzo por facilitar atención pastoral a las victimas de abuso sexual del clero o del personal de la Iglesia, el Cardenal DiNardo gustaría recordar a los fieles de la Arquidiócesis la disponibilidad del Coordinador de Ayuda a Víctimas. Si alguien ha sido victim de abuso sexual del clero o del personal de la Iglesia, se les anima llamar a la Diane Vines al 713-654-5799. Por favor rece por la sanación de las víctimas del abuso y por todos los que sufren de alguna manera.
El Papa Juan XXIII firma su encíclica “Paz en la Tierra” (“Pacem in Terris”) en el Vaticano en esta foto de archivo de 1963. Considerada un hito en la doctrina social católica, la encíclica aborda los derechos universales y las relaciones entre los Estados.
Roma, el cardenal Angelo De Donatis, vicario papal para Roma, dijo que la encíclica de San Juan XXIII llama a los cristianos a encontrar la paz que Dios hace presente en cada persona y en toda la creación.
“‘Pacem in Terris’ nos dice que sólo desarrollando una actitud en la que confluyan los propios derechos y deberes, en la que reconozcamos las necesidades del otro y las instituciones adquieran el sentido de cómo servir a sus propias comunidades, sólo entonces habremos
creado las condiciones necesarias para la paz”, dijo el cardenal.
La hermana salesiana Alessandra Smerilli, secretaria del Dicasterio para el Servicio del Desarrollo Humano Integral que promovió la conferencia, explicó que el magisterio social del Papa Francisco sigue el espíritu de “Pacem in Terris”, que enmarca la enseñanza social de la iglesia en términos de dignidad humana en lugar de aclarar estrictamente la doctrina católica.
“Lo más sorprendente de cómo el Papa Francisco lee ‘Pacem in Terris’ es lo que él entiende que es la función de la doctrina social de la Iglesia”, dijo.
“‘Pacem in Terris’ no pretendía afirmar que es función de la Iglesia dar recomendaciones concretas sobre temas que, por su complejidad, deben dejarse a la discusión abierta”, dijo la hermana Smerilli, citando un discurso pronunciado en 2013 por el Papa Francisco con motivo del 50 aniversario de la encíclica.
“En cuestiones políticas, económicas y sociales, no es el dogma el que ofrecerá soluciones prácticas, sino el diálogo, la escucha, la paciencia, el respeto por el otro, la sinceridad y la voluntad de considerar la propia opinión”, citó.
El Papa concluyó su mensaje expresando su esperanza de que los jóvenes que asistan a la conferencia construyan una “cultura del encuentro”, que según él es la base sobre la que se puede edificar la paz. †
Padres, madres son más propensos a priorizar la transmisión de sus opiniones religiosas a sus hijos por encima de sus opiniones políticas
WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Los padres en Estados Unidos son más propensos a dar prioridad a la transmisión de sus puntos de vista religiosos a sus hijos en lugar de sus puntos de vista políticos, según un análisis de datos del Centro de Investigación Pew.
Un nuevo análisis de varias encuestas del Centro de Investigación Pew descubrió que la mayoría de los padres transmiten ambos tipos de afiliación a sus hijos.
Una encuesta del centro reveló que el 35% de los padres en EE.UU. consideraba “extremadamente o muy importante” que sus hijos compartieran sus ideas religiosas, mientras que menos de la mitad, el 16%, decía lo mismo de sus ideas políticas. Sin embargo, la encuesta reveló que los padres consideraban que transmitir las opiniones religiosas y políticas era menos importante que transmitir otros valores, “como ser honesto y ético, trabajador y ambicioso”.
A continuación, Pew comparó esos datos con los de una encuesta realizada en 2019 a más de 1,800 adolescentes, de entre 13 y 17 años, a los que los investigadores entrevistaron junto a uno de sus padres o tutores. Esa encuesta encontró que las altas mayorías de figuras parentales republicanas y demócratas — 81% y 89% respectivamente — tenían adolescentes que se describían a sí mismos ya sea como teniendo la misma afiliación o inclinándose de esa manera.
Los porcentajes también eran elevados en el caso de las opiniones religiosas: el 82% de los padres protestantes tenían adolescentes que también se identificaban como protestantes, mientras que el 81% de los padres católicos tenían adolescentes católicos. Mientras tanto, el 86% de los padres sin afiliación religiosa, que según Pew eran los que se describían a sí mismos como “ateos, agnósticos o nada en particular”, tenían adolescentes que expresaban opiniones similares. Pew señaló que la muestra de la encuesta “no era lo suficientemente grande como para estimar las tasas de transmisión entre los padres que pertenecen a grupos religiosos no cristianos, como judíos y musulmanes”.
A continuación, Pew comparó esos datos con los de otra encuesta de 2015, según la cual la mayoría de las personas criadas en una sola religión — ya sea por dos padres de la misma confesión o por un solo progenitor — seguían identificándose como adeptos a esa religión. Entre los criados en hogares protestantes, el 79% seguía siendo protestante, mientras que, entre los criados como católicos, el 62% se describía como tal. †
Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Married couples retreat from the distractions of life and reconnect and revitalize marriage by to communicate more effectively in a private, positive atmosphere. $200 application fee. Apply at www.houstonme.org. 713-482-1791; flores@welovewwme.com.
Center (12211 Memorial Dr., Houston). “Resurrection in Moment, Resurrection in Movement” will deepen understandings of Easter and Pentecost as God’s resurrection moment. 281-241-9678; emmausspiritualitycenter.com.
Houston). Festival with live music, games and food.
noon on Sunday, Circle Lake Retreat Center (19000 Circle Lake Dr., Pinehurst). St. Rose of Lima (3600 Brinkman St., Houston) hosts a ACTS retreat for men 18 years old and older. Cost: $250, $50 deposit required and includes www.stroselima.org/acts. 832-291-0679.
Spirituality Center. Mike Gemignani explores the dynamics of being human in the spiritual life. Cost: $35. www.emmausspiritualitycenter.com.
a.m., Sacred Heart (109 N Frazier St., Conroe). Eucharistic Procession through downtown Conroe on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Procession will Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the church follows the procession.
University, Dunham Theater (7502 Fondren Rd., Houston). Join church choir members of all denominations for a weekend of fellowship and rehearsal on Friday from 7 to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 for rehearsal. Singers are $25 donation. Performance of Requiem for the Living begins at 7 p.m. www. archgh.org/choralfestival.
12:30 p.m., Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Three-day “A Father’s Heart: Abide in Me” retreat for young adults ages 18 to 30. Early Bird Registration $150 before May 13, $265 after. Scholarship available. 713-464-0211 ext. 10; www.
On May 6, 200 local young adults, teens, and families walked a five-mile mini pilgrimage in Houston in preparation for the upcoming World Youth Day with Pope Francis in Lisbon, Portugal held in August. The pilgrimage was led by Father Christopher Meyer, parochial vicar from St. Faustina in Katy, who is joining the young adults on their trip to Lisbon this summer, and other priests like Father Miguel Perez, CC, and Father Rodrigo Ulloa Chavarry, MM, as well as two women religious, Sister Maria Frassati Jakupcak, OP, and Sister. Albert Marie Surmanski, OP, and Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS. The group met at St. Joseph Church near downtown Houston for Mass and confession and then walked more than five miles to St. Anne Church on Westheimer Road. A delegation of 103 young adult pilgrims from the Archdiocese will represent Houston in Portugal. Participants come from 30 parishes in the Archdiocese, both English and Spanish speakers, as well as college students and faculty mostly from the University of St.
Houston). "Summer Sacred Music Choral Festival
Parterre Seating: $20 donation; Balcony Seating: the 50th jubilee of his priesthood. 346-812-3467.
Houston). “Choices” features Joan McGovern on
Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Threeday silent retreat with Father Sebastine Okoye.
includes Mass, Reconciliation, conferences and prayer. $265. 713-464-0211 ext. 10; www. holynameretreatcenter.com.
RETROUVAILLE WEEKEND, Retrouvaille is for marriages in crisis or couples struggling to rebuild relationships. The weekend is not a spiritual retreat, a marriage encounter or a marriage seminar. Confidential registration is required. Register: HelpOurMarriage.com; houstonretrouvaille@gmail.com; 713-529-6242
JULY 20-22
SPIRITUAL SPA WEEKEND, Emmaus Spirituality Center (12211 Memorial Dr., Houston). Renew body and spirit with a three-day retreat of relaxation, fun and rejuvenation. Cost: $75 to $280, includes snacks and lunch. www. emmausspiritualitycenter.com.
JULY 27-29
GARAGE SALE, July 27: Early Bird 4 to 7 p.m.; July 28: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; July 29: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., Sacred Heart of Jesus (6502 County Rd. 48, Manvel). CDA Court #2073 hosts a garage sale. Donations will be accepted at the Parish Hall only on July 25 from 9 to 11 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. idascsr@gmail.com.
•••
To find additional listings online, visit the website at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ATA.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
10:31
Do you have a photo you’d like to share? To submit a photo of a place, group or event that you would like to see in the Herald, email it to tch@archgh.org
HOUSTON — What began in Galveston ended in Houston.
Often leaning on a golden crosier that belonged to Bishop Nicholas Gallagher, the third bishop of Galveston, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo celebrated the 175th anniversary closing Mass on May 3 at the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston.The Mass drew the yearlong anniversary celebration to a prayerful end.
While the Opening Mass, which Cardinal DiNardo celebrated at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Galveston on May 23, 2022, with hundreds of priests of the Archdiocese, may have felt like a distant memory, historic faith was made present at the Closing Mass. In addition
to using Bishop Gallagher’s golden metal crosier, Cardinal DiNardo also celebrated the Mass while using a chalice belonging to Bishop Jean-Marie Odin, C.M. Bishop
Odin, the first bishop of Texas in 1851, received the chalice as a gift from Pope Pius IX.
“We have much, much to give thanks for,” Cardinal DiNardo said at the Closing Mass.
With the roots of the Catholic Church in Texas deeply planted on Galveston Island and throughout the Texas frontier, both Catholics and non-Catholics alike have gained from the efforts of those who served the Church since the Diocese of Galveston was founded.
The Closing Mass celebrated the 175th anniversary of the diocese’s founding almost to the day: May 4, 1847.
That is the official date the Vatican established the new diocese “when the number of souls” grew in the Texas frontier. Bishop Odin, along with the Ursuline Sisters, made it their mission to form Catholics in Texas in their faith and to educate Catholic children. Together they built upon the foundation laid by Franciscan missionaries in Texas since the 17th century.
In his homily, Cardinal DiNardo recognized how the Archdiocese has “blossomed, grown, and born fruit for the past 175 years.”
He lauded the “expansive vision” of the early women religious such as the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, who persevered in faith to evangelize Texas in the face of war, sickness and persecution.
Cardinal DiNardo noted a hallmark of the local Church: to “love and care for the poor.” The history of the Archdiocese was founded in the efforts of the early religious communities who came to care for and educate the sick and poor, he said.
These efforts would grow and eventually become Catholic schools that “have been a brilliant example of what it means to give the handing on of the message of Jesus to all the little ones,” Cardinal DiNardo said.
Looking to the upcoming Eucharistic Revival that continues through 2024, Cardinal DiNardo exhorted the congregation to take what has been the beautiful past, the wonderful present and bring it into the future because “Jesus, in His Body and Blood, is always ahead of us, inviting us and welcoming us to be close to Him.” In sending off the last 175 years and welcoming 176 and beyond, Cardinal DiNardo said, “Jesus wants us to abide with Him.”
He continued, “He has been so faithful to the Church of Galveston-Houston for 175 years that we have watched people from every language, tongue and nation come here and be nurtured and nourished at the word, a beautiful faith, cultural institutions and ultimately by the Lord’s Body and Blood each time we celebrate the Eucharist.”
At the conclusion of the Closing Mass, Cardinal DiNardo also blessed and dedicated a plaque that honored the faith and service of the more than 2,000 priests, both diocesan and religious, who were “essential to the work” of the Church, especially in the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, he said.
The plaque is on permanent display in the Co-Cathedral narthex.
With dramatic population growth, the diocese was re-designated as the Diocese of Galveston-Houston in 1959, and Sacred Heart Church in downtown Houston was named a co-cathedral.
Now Cardinal DiNardo leads Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, home to more than 1.7 million Catholics in 10 counties, served by its 146 parishes, seven missions, 43 Catholic schools and many ministries providing healthcare and other services for those in need.
Other celebrations during the Archdiocesan 175th anniversary included a gala on April 20 with more than 1,000 attending. †
