Texas Catholic Herald - Aug. 15, 2023

DECATS

The

▪ PAGE 12

▪ PAGE 18 Annual youth conference focuses

Catholic schools open school year embracing change

BY REBECCA TORRELLAS Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — School is back in session for the 12 Catholic high schools and 45 Catholic primary schools in the Archdiocese. As the start of the school year brings new beginnings, this school year is the twilight year for Superintendent of Catholic Schools Dr. Debra Haney.

“My leaving is certainly bittersweet,” Haney said. “In my final year in the Catholic Schools Office (CSO), I hope to get some projects completed that have been ongoing for a little while. There are too many to articulate, but I will certainly leave the CSO in great shape with an excellent team in place and with things in good order for the next superintendent.”

While Haney is not retiring, she and her family are moving to Iola in the College Station area to “enjoy a slower pace in life and enjoy God’s creation in the country.”

“We are looking forward to enjoying the nature preserve in our neighborhood, the lakes, and the stars at night,” she said.

Professionally, Haney said she is open to whatever God has planned for her life.

“He has always guided me, and when I have followed His

See BACK TO SCHOOL, page 4

Event invites youth to return to the source and summit of their faith in the celebration of the Eucharist as the National Eucharistic Revival focuses to restore understanding and devotion to this great mystery.

▪ PAGES 10-11

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE Students at Holy Rosary Catholic School in Rosenberg learn science. The school is one of 17 implementing the new “Smart Families Shaping Souls” initiative that encourages parents to wait until after eighth grade to give their children a smartphone.

intensive academic enrichment program offers challenging courses for the summer.

‘The Miracle Club’

The film follows close friends who win a pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Pope’s peace day message to focus on ethical concerns over AI

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Signaling the Vatican’s growing engagement in efforts to ensure the ethical development of new technologies, the Vatican has announced that “Artificial Intelligence and Peace” will be the theme for the next World Day of Peace, which is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2024.

“The remarkable advances made in the field of artificial intelligence are having a rapidly increasing impact on human activity, personal and social life, politics and the economy,” the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development said in a statement released Aug. 8.

“Pope Francis calls for an open dialogue on the meaning of these new technologies, endowed with disruptive possibilities and ambivalent effects,” the statement said.

The pope, it continued, “recalls the need to be vigilant and to work so that a logic of violence and discrimination does not take root in the production and use of such devices, at the expense of the most fragile and excluded; injustice and inequalities fuel conflicts and antagonisms.”

The World Day of Peace was inaugurated by St. Paul VI in 1968 and is celebrated every Jan. 1, the feast of Mary, Mother of God. In recent editions, Pope Francis has used the world day to call for inclusive ways of overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, creating dialogue between generations, promoting a culture of care and ecological conversion.

In March, the pope met with tech industry leaders, ethicists and theologians at the Vatican to consider the ethical development of AI, and in January, he addressed industry leaders from companies such as Microsoft and IBM as well as members of the Jewish and Muslim communities during a Vatican conference on ethics in AI.

At the end of the conference, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim representatives signed a declaration calling on AI researchers to engage with ethicists and religious leaders to develop a framework for the ethical use of AI.

The Vatican’s Aug. 8 statement underscored that “the urgent need to orient the concept and use of artificial intelligence in a responsible way, so that it may be at the service of humanity

and the protection of our common home, requires that ethical reflection be extended to the sphere of education and law.”

It added that human dignity and a concern for fraternity are “indispensable conditions for technological development to help contribute to the promotion of justice and peace in the world.”

In an interview with the Spanish magazine Vida Nueva released Aug. 5, the pope said, “All these issues of Artificial Intelligence go over my head because of the complexity they are reaching,” but said he is being “guided” by officials and experts working with the Dicastery for Culture and Education. Yet, he added that “new technologies have great potential; they are a gift from God and can give good fruits, but they need to have heart, they need to be humanized.” †

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Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

Archbishop, President & Publisher

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Managing Editor

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Designer & Photo-Journalist

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Advertising Manager

Kerry McGuire and Jo Ann Zuñiga

Contributors

Watch

for coverage of World Youth Day in the next edition!

The 2023 World Youth Day, an event for young people organized by the Catholic Church that was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985, was held in Lisbon, Portugal on Aug. 1 to 6. The event saw 1.5 million people gather for a prayer vigil and for Mass.

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TCH publishing schedule

Issue date: September 12

Deadline: Noon on August 22

Issue date: September 26

Deadline: Noon on September 5

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.

You make the ministry of our future Priests possible.

CNS PHOTO

Pope Francis meets leaders from the tech industry at the Vatican March 27, 2023. The pope called for an “ethical and responsible” development of artificial intelligence.

CNS PHOTO Pope Francis greets young people as he arrives in the popemobile for the World Youth Day welcome ceremony at Eduardo VII Park in Lisbon, Portugal on Aug. 3.

THE FIRST WORD

A Summer of Saints

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and conclude this “Summer of Saints” series, we recall the catechesis of St. John Paul II, who said 25 years ago today:

“Mary, glorified in her body, appears today as the star of hope for the Church and for humanity on its way towards the third Christian millennium. Her sublime exaltation does not distance her from her people or from the world’s problems, on the contrary, it enables her to watch effectively over human affairs with that attentive concern with which she obtained the first miracle from Jesus at the wedding in Cana.

Revelation says that the woman clothed with the sun “was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery” (12:2). This calls to mind a text of the Apostle Paul which has fundamental importance for the Christian theology of hope. “We know”, we read in his Letter to the Romans, “that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved” (8:22-24).

As we celebrate her Assumption into heaven in body and soul, we pray to Mary to help the men and women of our time to live in this world with faith and hope, seeking God’s kingdom in all things; may she help believers to be open to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit, the Creator and Renewer Spirit, who can transform hearts; may she enlighten our minds on the destiny that awaits us, the dignity of every person and the nobility of the human body.

Mary, taken up into heaven, show yourself to everyone as Mother of hope! Show yourself to everyone as Queen of the civilization of love!”

PASTORAL APPOINTMENTS

Effective July 1

Father Paul English, CSB

Parochial Vicar, St. Anne Parish, Houston

Father Eduardo Rivera, CSB

Chaplain, University of St. Thomas

Effective August 1

Father Chad Henry

Administrator, St. Matthew the Evangelist Parish

BRIEFS

Mass for the Care of Creation, Oct. 3

HOUSTON — A Mass for the Care of Creation will be held at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 6622 Haskell St., at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 — on the eve of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The Mass is sponsored by the Secretariat for Social Concerns of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the Sisters of Charity of Incarnate Word and the Houston Dominican Sisters.

Organizers encourage participants to watch “The Letter - A Message for Our Earth” before attending the Oct. 3 celebration. Go to the Around the Archdiocese section (p. 19) or visit www.archgh.org/ata for screening dates, times and locations. For more information, email bcruz@archgh.org or call 713-741-8769. †

Blue Mass set for Sept. 24

HOUSTON — Blue Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, at St. Jerome Catholic Church, located at 8825 Kempwood Dr. in Houston. The color guard line up will be at 9:30 a.m. Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, will be the celebrant.

The annual Mass is celebrated on behalf of civilian and classified law enforcement employees, police officers, their families and public supporters.

Officers are encouraged to wear dress uniforms without the hat. Agencies are encouraged to bring equipment for the public to see and to be blessed after the Mass. For more information, email Deacon Alvin Lovelady at alovelady@archgh.org or call 713-741-8745. †

Registration open for gold, silver anniversary Masses

HOUSTON — The 2023 Wedding Anniversary Jubilee Masses honoring couples celebrating their Silver (25th) and Gold (50th) Anniversary of marriage in the Catholic Church are open for registration.

The Gold Anniversary Mass is set for Sunday, Sept. 24, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, located at 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in downtown Houston, at 3 p.m. Couples are eligible to receive a special recognition whether they attend the ceremony or not. The Silver Anniversary Mass is set for Sunday, Oct. 29, also at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart at 3 p.m.

Early registration for the Silver Anniversary Mass is $25 per couple until Aug. 28. After that date, the rate increases to $40. Registration for the Gold Anniversary Mass is $40 per couple. The price includes an Archdiocesan certificate for each anniversary, a special issue worship aid and a commemorative pin. For more information and to register, visit www.archgh.org/flmevents. †

Annual Firefighter Mass honors firefighters lost in the line of duty

HOUSTON — The annual Firefighter Mass honoring and blessing firefighters will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 15, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in downtown Houston. In addition, during the Mass, a special tribute is given to firefighters who have passed away during the previous year. It is open to active and retired firefighters, their families and the general public. †

GIOVANNI BATTISTA TIEPOLO, I NMACULADA CONCEPCIÓN . (1767-1768, MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO).

LOCAL

BACK TO SCHOOL, from page 1

plan, things have turned out way better than any plans I could have made,” she said. “I am praying for discernment and wisdom as I seek my next professional role.”

During the week of Aug. 14, more than 18,000 Catholic school students will start back on differing dates. The school year also welcomes eight new principals to the Archdiocese.

Haney said the theme for this school year is “This is Jesus” based on sacred Scripture from Mt 26:26. The Eucharistic Revival inspired the theme, something Haney says they will focus on throughout the year.

“We have two Eucharistic preachers speaking to our groups this year, Father Victor Perez, pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church, and Father Miguel Solorzano, St. Bartholomew the Apostle Catholic Church in Katy,” she said. “We have asked each school to increase opportunities for the entire Catholic school community to worship the Lord in the Eucharist.”

This year, 17 schools have been chosen to start a new initiative called “Smart Families Shaping Souls.” The initiative encourages parents to pledge to wait until after eighth grade to give their children a smartphone.

Partnering with The Kuzma Foundation, whose mission is to honor the dignity of the human person, the organization feels that keeping kids off of a smartphone keeps children away from the evils of the Internet and having inappropriate content available to them 24/7.

Daniel J. Courtney, principal at Christ the Redeemer Catholic School, said he came to know of the program this summer through a presentation by Dr. Crystal Collier, a therapist, educator and award-winning author of “The NeuroWhereAbouts Guide: A Neurodevelopmental Guide for Parents and Families Who Want to Prevent Youth High-Risk Behavior.”

“The focus of her presentation was on the reality of smartphone usage on brain development in adolescents. To put it mildly, it was eye-opening,” he said.

Courtney said getting involved in the program was a “no-brainer.”

Aggie Catholics Rejoice!

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, witness the blessing of a brand new church building in College Station. ▪ SEE PAGE 16

Collaborations

HOUSTON — Angela M. Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Mission and Catholic Identity for the Archdiocese, gave a presentation called “Building Mathematics Instructional Capacities and Maximizing Growth” at the Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP) 37th annual summer campus program. The RUSMP’s Colloquium series catered to the professional and academic needs of the 2023 summer participants and attendees.

Johnson will also be an instructor in Graduate Certificate in Catholic Teacher Development program, a collaboration between the University of St. Thomas and the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops’ Education Department (TCCB ED) in response to a requirement that K-12 teachers in Catholic schools complete such continuing education.

Director of Catholic Studies Dr. Kevin Stuart, said, “By collaborating with the TCCB ED to create an affordable certificate program that is easy to get into, easy to complete, and delivered through online live evening classes dedicated to Texas Catholic school teachers, we believe we’ve solved problems in the Catholic school community.”

Four courses totaling 12 credit hours and designed to be completed in a year or longer make up the program: Educating the Human Person, Classroom Management, The Catholic School, and Curriculum and Assessment. The entire program can be finished for less than $5,000, and the first class begins in the fall of 2023. †

girls, who are at a greater risk of depression.

4. There are many dangers with sexual predators on social media.

5. Dangerous risk-taking trends on social media have caused suicide and self-harm amongst individuals.

BACK TO SCHOOL 2023

“We have seen the effects of cellphone usage on our students’ attention spans and behaviors in school,” he said. “Through their financial support, they help us deliver research-based content to our families, provide guest speakers, and empower parent leaders to truly make this a community initiative; the program seems like it will make a true impact.”

The initiative believes delaying cellphones is the right choice for families today for many reasons, including:

1. Smartphones, apps, and social media are designed to be addictive, which doesn’t respect our God-given human dignity.

2. Neurologically, children at this age are still developing the ability to empathize with others; this is why cyberbullying is such a huge problem with middle schoolers.

3. The surgeon general recently issued an advisory warning of the dangers of social media, especially among teenage

6. FOMO — fear of missing out. Being overly connected to social media has increased anxiety and poor mental health.

7. Use it or lose it. At a time when children are supposed to be developing neurological connections for executive functions, such as selfregulation, task initiation, and emotional regulation, they are instead developing those connections using the smartphone. So, they don’t grow in leadership skills, social, and communication skills.

Other Catholic schools implementing this program in the Archdiocese include: Corpus Christi, Epiphany of The Lord in Katy, Holy Family in Galveston, Holy Ghost, Holy Rosary in Rosenberg, Our Lady of Fatima in Galena Park, Sacred Heart in Crosby, St. Anne in Tomball, St. Cecilia, St. Clare, St. Edward in Spring, St. Francis de Sales, St. John Paul II, St. Mary Magdalene in Humble, St. Theresa in Sugar Land and St. Thomas More.

Anne Quatrini, principal at St. Francis de Sales Catholic School, said the school has “a lot of great things happening” in addition to the new initiative. Recently, the school broke ground on a new open-air pavilion. A project the late Diane Wooten

initiated, the new space on campus will be used for outdoor church and school gatherings. The school also got new desks and chairs from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade, new cafeteria tables and a new Spanish curriculum.

“Some of the most important things that we’ve done for the school are safetyrelated,” she said. “We put in new keyless access, controlled gates and a new PA system. We also have new internet infrastructure.”

Other schools are in the process of upgrading or acquiring new equipment. Haney said all eight CROSS Academies have updates or are in the process of updating their PA systems, and Holy Family Catholic School in Galveston is adding a campus studio for video announcements.

Jeanna Porter, principal at Holy Family Catholic School, said the video lab will have cameras, lights, a green screen, a teleprompter, and tablets and laptops

loaded with software so that students can control the equipment and edit the videos. Students will also use their writing skills to write scripts for the videos.

“They will use their knowledge from classes such as science and social studies to create documentaries to share what they have learned,” she said. “Creativity will be encouraged as students create videos in innovative ways as they also hone their collaborative skills.”

Porter said the new learning environment will form their students into better digital citizens and help them to use technology to “increase their productivity as we prepare them for jobs that have not even been invented yet.”

“This new lab will set us apart from other schools and give our students a technological and creative edge,” she said.

For information on enrolling or teaching in a Catholic school, visit ChooseCatholicSchools.org.

PHOTO BY JONAH DYCUS/HERALD

The 2023-2024 school year welcomes eight new principals and two interim principals taking on the formal role this year. Pictured in the front row, left to right, are Sister Maureen Nwajiobi at St. Joseph Regional in Baytown, Dr. Mary Mack at Assumption, Marissa Morales at Our Lady of Lourdes in Hitchcock and Sister Mary Thecla Akubue at St. Christopher. Back row, left to right, are Dr. Mazie McCoy, Assistant Superintendent of Governance and Leadership, Jennifer Sen at St. Vincent de Paul, Deena Wolf at St. Mary of the Purification, Christopher Dickson at St. Martha in Kingwood and Deann Rzasnicki at St. Jerome. Not pictured are Erica Paras at St. Augustine and Claudia Cavazos at St. Clare of Assisi. Also not pictured are new presidents Hillary Feerick-Hillenbrand at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart and John William Bates V at St. Pius X High School.

PHOTO BY JONAH DYCUS/HERALD

The St. Rose of Lima Catholic School Advisory School Council received the Archdiocesan Outstanding Advisory School Council Award for their hardwork and continued efforts to support the school. Pictured, from left to right are Dr. Mark B. Amelang, Archdiocesan Schools Council President; Dr. Debra Haney, Superintendent of Catholic Schools; Erica Falcomata, President of the St. Rose School Advisory Committee; Bernadette Drabek, Principal of St. Rose of Lima Catholic School; Jamie Bartula, Vice President of the St. Rose School Advisory Committee; and Father Linh Nguyen, Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.

New Catholic career and technical high school prepares for first-year students

BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — The very first teacher hired for the new St. Peter Catholic Career and Technical High School is excited to be part of this innovative academic project combining college preparation and workforce career-ready skills.

“My official title is ‘Inaugural Teacher,’ and I am so anticipating being part of this start-up. I believe in this mission to provide both character formation and an excellent academic education,” said Steve Liparulo, Ph.D. in English literature and creative writing.

“Our students will not just be a number. They will have a real part to play. They will have a voice in the decisionmaking. For the first few months, the best recruiting for the school will come from the students participating,” said Liparulo.

The military veteran also taught at Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory for six years, where he won a prestigious Kinder Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award. A second teacher, Brian Scott, has also joined the faculty with an extensive business background and a Masters of Science in Financial Markets and Trading from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Scott, who taught in the Houston Independent School District, will teach courses in Algebra and

Computer Sciences at St. Peter Catholic.

St. Peter will be located on a 10-acre campus off Old Spanish Trail near the 610 Freeway and theTexas Medical Center.The two-story brick building is undergoing multi-million-dollar renovations to offer an education that prepares students for careers in information technology and web development; business, marketing, and finance; education and training; and architecture and construction.

While students are still being recruited, new student orientation was held Aug. 10 and 11, and the first day of school was Aug. 14 at the St. Dominic Center, 2403 Holcombe, said principal Marc Martinez, Ed.D.

“We will be meeting in classrooms at St. Dominic until the school renovations are complete, which is currently scheduled for January 2024,” Martinez said.

“I look forward to welcoming the inaugural faculty and students to St. Peter Catholic and am excited about the future of this school,” he said.

Dr. Debra Haney, superintendent of Catholic schools, said, “I am thrilled that St. Peter Catholic High School will be opening very soon, and the first students and staff will benefit from the hard work of so many in making this school a reality.”

She added, “The strength of a Catholic school-educated employee is

the excellent formation in their Catholic faith, their commitment to service for others, their impressive work ethic, and their dedication to excellence.”

Martinez said Phase 1 can handle a student body of up to 200 students. As enrollment grows, Phase 2 would add a transportation, distribution, and logistics career path. Phase 3 would add health, science, and pharmacy technology.

Martinez said that the school is designed to ensure all students have access to for-credit career preparation, workintegrated learning, internships and mentoring.

Classes are scheduled into 90-minute periods with four classes a day throughout the 5-day week.

While teaching at Cristo Rey, Liparulo said he worked with Paul Posoli, the former head of Houston’s Jesuit school, who has now founded the online CareerSpring. Highlighting the importance of networking, the site is an open network of virtual career advisors to first-generation college students, as well as job placement services. The

service is also addressing how firstgeneration college students can convert their hard-earned degrees into higher earnings post-graduation.

“Some of my former students have been able to access that network. Contacts do help. My great-grandfather headed up his local carpenters’ union, so he was my working-class role model,” Liparulo said.

A parishioner at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, he said, “College prep is important, but it doesn’t make sense for everybody. There is a danger of going to college without a plan or a degree in mind and going into debt. We want to help students develop, to become good people and good workers. It’s a ministry.”

Students will be equipped to enter the workforce after earning professional certifications in trades and having handson experience with industry-standard software and technology.

“They will be secure to enter the workforce after high school graduation — skilled, educated and certified, if they so choose, or continue on to college,” Martinez said.

“We are still accepting applications and have tuition assistance available. Families can contact us at 713-652-4440 for more information, or they can visit the school website at stpeterhs.org to learn more about St. Peter Catholic,” Martinez said. †

STEVE LIPARULO, Ph.D.

Father Clark Sample appointed vicar for Clergy in Archdiocese

HOUSTON — On July 1, Father Clark Sample was appointed episcopal vicar for Clergy and director of the Secretariat for Clergy Formation and Chaplaincy Services for the Archdiocese. His office is in the Downtown Chancery.

He is succeeding Father Tom Rafferty, who was recently appointed Ministry to Priests director.

Father Sample’s previous assignments in the Archdiocese included serving as parochial vicar at Sts. Simon and Jude Church in The Woodlands and St. John Vianney Church, and as pastor at St. Thomas More Church.

A Houston native, Father Sample attended St. Michael Catholic School and St. Thomas High School in Houston, and the University of Texas in Austin.

“After college, I moved to Fort Worth and worked in the oil and gas industry,” he said. “While in Fort Worth, I started to feel a call to the priesthood and, after discernment and guidance, I decided to enter the seminary.”

Father Sample attended Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas and the North American College in Rome, receiving a Licentiate in Sacred Theology with a focus on Dogmatic Theology. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese in 2016.

The Secretariat for Clergy Formation and Chaplaincy Services offers oversight,

Black Catholics in Archdiocese attend national congress

coordination and support to the departments engaged in the initial and ongoing formation of clergy: Office of Vocations for Priesthood and Religious Life and Department of Seminarians, St. Mary Seminary, the Permanent Diaconate and Ministry to Priests.

It offers similar assistance to chaplaincy ministry in hospitals through the Catholic Chaplain Corps, Correctional Ministries in prisons, Seafarer and Seamen Ministries in the ports of Houston and Galveston and Airport Chaplaincy at the Intercontinental Houston Airport, the Mission Office, Ongoing Formation of Priests, Ethnic Affairs, the Office of Ecumenism and Ministry to the Deaf.

“In our Archdiocese, the vicar for Clergy Office oversees most of the activity of our priests,” Father Sample said. “As a priest and former pastor, I understand what many of our priests may be going through. My main goal is to try to observe and learn as much as possible in these early days so that I can better understand my role in the Archdiocese, evaluate the needs of our priests and form a plan for the future.”

In the meantime, Father Sample asks the faithful to “continue to pray and support all of our priests in the Archdiocese.” †

The National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC) convenes a national congress every five years. Held July 20 to 23 this year at the Gaylord National in National Harbor, Maryland, the event joins Black Catholics and those who minister to Black Catholics in the United States together for a celebration of faith and culture. Each congress renews and develops its mission with a pastoral plan.

Father Reginald Samuels, pastor of St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in Deer Park and vicar for Catholics of African Descent, “I called upon the Catholic leaders in the African American community from throughout the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston to gather to reflect on

topics to present to the NBCC for discussion during the Congress meeting in July 2023.”

Father Samuels said that, with the announcement of the congress, they were encouraged to have a local gathering to discuss the theme of the event: “Write the Vision: A Prophetic Call to Thrive.”

The Archdiocesan group who attended the congress also met for A Day of Reflection and Preparation held at St. Hyacinth Catholic Church on June 17.

About 85 participants from around the Archdiocese attended the national congress in Maryland. †

FATHER CLARK SAMPLE

PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHOLICS OF AFRICAN DESCENT

Fostering spiritual growth through sacred Liturgy, faithful participation

BY KERRY MCGUIRE Herald Correspondent

HOUSTON — The Catholic Church places great importance on sacred Liturgy as the central act of worship, where the faithful have a personal encounter with God and participate in the mysteries of their faith.

The Office of Worship in the Archdiocese has a mission to ensure that the sacred Liturgy remains the primary source of spiritual growth, development of the Church, and encounters with Christ for all faithful.

To fulfill this mission, the Office of Worship serves as a resource center that provides ministry formation opportunities, liturgical materials and guidelines, and parish consultations that support the entire life of faith. The ministry also promotes divine worship and liturgical music in line with Church directives, assists in preparing enriching liturgical celebrations, and fosters sacred art and architecture for worship.

guiding the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in their respective parishes.

Karina Herrera-Inzunza, who has been involved with the Office of Worship for close to 30 years, first attended training for choirs, lectors and other liturgical roles and remains a devoted volunteer.

“If we want to serve God and our Church, we cannot just give halfway,” said Herrera-Inzunza. “In order to give our very best to the Lord, we need to be properly trained and informed. The Office of Worship is key in instructing our liturgical ministers, which I feel is of utmost importance so every minister in every parish is properly trained.”

DIOCESAN SERVICES FUND

According to the director of the Office of Worship, Adam Brill, assisting parishes with forming their liturgical ministers encourages well-celebrated Liturgies where the faithful can experience an intimate encounter with Christ. “The largest benefit of the Office of Worship is that we help with all the behind-the-scenes details — the ins and outs of Liturgy — to avoid any confusion caused by rubrics and options,” said Brill. “This allows the clergy of our Archdiocese, especially our episcopal leaders, to be less concerned about these details, but rather, to lead us in prayer with devotion and joy.”

Brill said the Office of Worship conducts workshops that offer comprehensive formation and continuing education opportunities to parish liturgical ministers in both English and Spanish. Additionally, dedicated support is extended to those

As one of 64 ministries supported by the Diocesan Services Fund (DSF), the Office of Worship is an important resource for pastors and parish staff in the Galveston-Houston area. Brill said giving to the annual DSF appeal presents an opportunity for every Catholic to contribute to this crucial ministry and uphold the significance of well-prepared liturgical celebrations in their parish.

“I encourage people to give to the 2023 DSF appeal so that essential ministries like the Office of Worship in the Archdiocese can thrive,” said Brill. “These Archdiocesan offices are a support for parishes, to provide insight from experiences, guidance in times of doubt, and serve as another set of hands to assist those who need it.”

Herrera-Inzunza agrees it is important for the faithful to give to the DSF to ensure parishes have proper Liturgies and ministers that can serve with humility, reverence, and in a uniform manner across the Archdiocese.

“The Office of Worship provides these important resources and guidance for all of our parishes,” said Herrera-Inzunza. “Thanks to the office, we also have such beautiful celebrations with the cardinal and our bishop.”

Brill said to support the growing

Sunday, Sept. 24, 12 noon to 6 p.m.

Northside Columbus Club, 607 E. Whitney Drive

~ Sponsored by the Slavic Alliance of Houston ~ (Croatians, Czechs, Poles and Ukrainians of Houston)

Festival will include ethnic foods, singing and dancing, cultural booths, vendors, and more!

For more information visit us on the web: www.houstonslavicheritagefestival.com

Slavic Heritage Mass will be celebrated the evening before the Festival Saturday, Sept. 23 at St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church, 13350 Ashford Point Dr., Houston, TX 77082 at 5:30 p.m.

needs of the faithful in the Archdiocese, the ministry would like to expand and enrich its programs and services. However, it faces challenges due to limited funding and resources.

“Our formation opportunities are limited by the manpower we currently have,” said Brill. “With increased DSF funding, we could allocate resources to further develop formation materials and expand our programs, ultimately creating a comprehensive deep liturgical curriculum to actively involve more people.”

Brill said the Office of Worship also strives to remain aware of emerging needs and changing dynamics that have prompted a shift in the ministry’s approach to serving.

“Due to the vast geographic size of our Archdiocese and multicultural demographics, we have found there is a need for more support and formation opportunities on the ground regionally rather than more centralized programs,” said Brill. “We are hoping to develop more online and hybrid programs to allow us to be present more effectively in individual communities rather than expecting them to come to us.”

To learn more about the Office of Worship and to attend a workshop or training opportunity, go to archgh.org/ offices-ministries/pastoral-educationalministries/office-of-worship.

archgh.org/dsf

To donate to the DSF, go to www. archgh.org/DSF. The DSF supports each of these 64 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. †

The 2023 Diocesan Services Fund theme is “God is the Strength of My Heart.” 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.

CAFÉ CATHOLICA WITH CARDINAL DINARDO

OBITUARIES

Joseph Dinh Quan Ean

TOMBALL — Joseph Dinh Quan Ean, father of Father Joseph Ban Xuan Dinh, C.Ss.R,, parochial vicar of St. Ambrose Catholic Church, died June 29.

Funeral services were private. †

Charles ‘Charlie’ Herbeck

SEABROOK — Charles “Charlie” Herbeck, father of Kirk Herbeck, facility manager at Circle Lake Retreat Center, died July 30.

Graveside services were held at the Seabrook Cemetery on Aug. 8. †

Father Roy Oggero, CSB

HOUSTON — Father Roy Oggero, CSB, who taught at St. Thomas High School for nine years, died July 20. He was 91 years old.

After teaching at St. Thomas, he began working in parish ministry for 40 years, including in Angleton and Sugar Land.

A funeral Mass was held at St. Anne Catholic Church on July 25. Interment is in the Basilian plot at Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale. †

Rey Martinez

HOUSTON — Rey Martinez, who worked at the Tribunal from 1999 to 2016, has died.

A funeral Mass was held at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church on Aug. 2. †

Carl

Marcellus Sims

HOUSTON — Carl Marcellus Sims, husband of Alisa Sims, executive assistant of the Catholic Schools Office, died Aug. 2. He was 55 years old.

A funeral Mass was held Aug. 12 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Baytown. †

IN MEMORIA

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

Sept. 1, 1847 Rev. Matthew Chazelle

Sept. 1, 1920 Rev. Louis Chaland

Sept. 1, 1962 Rev. Peter A. Keane, OMI

Sept. 2, 1982 Msgr. A.W. Raye

Sept. 2, 1986 Rev. Anthony C. Herndel

Sept. 3, 1938 Rev. Thomas Joseph Banfield

Sept. 4, 1853 Rev. Joshua Dixon

Sept. 4, 2011 Rev. Charles W. Elmer

Sept. 4, 2018 Rev. Jack Solarski, OD

Sept. 5, 1987 Rev. David Leonard

Kurt F. Metyko

Newly Elected President of Serra International

Serrans are Catholic lay men and women who vigorously respond to the call to promote and support vocations to the ministerial priesthood and consecrated life in the Catholic Church. serrainternational.org

Sept. 5, 1995 Msgr. Ismael Teste

Sept. 7, 1867 Rev. John Gonnard

Sept. 7, 1922 Rev. James H. Moran

Sept. 8, 1900 Rev. T. Keany

Sept. 9, 1948 Rev. John C. Bauer, CSR

Sept. 9, 1958 Rev. John F. Onorato, CSB

Sept. 10, 1985 Rev. Joseph Szymczak

Sept. 10, 2017 Rev. James T. Moore

Sept. 11, 1863 Rev. Sebastian Augageur

Sept. 11, 1965 Rev. Gordian Lewis, CP

Sept. 11, 1997 Rev. Patrick Gillgannon

Sept. 12, 1969 Msgr. Paul Pieri

Sept. 12, 2018 Rev. John W. Kellick

Sept. 13, 1926 Rev. P.A. Heckman, VF

Sept. 13, 1988 Rev. Walter W. Scott, CSB

Sept. 15, 2000 Rev. John C. DeForke

Sept. 16, 1990 Rev. Juan Escalante

Sept. 16, 2007 Rev. Edward A. Bader, CSB

Sept. 16, 2012 Rev. Ronald Groschen, MS

Sept. 17, 1973 Msgr. Joseph A. Valenta

Sept. 17, 1993 Msgr. Joseph P. O’Sullivan

Sept. 17, 2017 Rev. Frederico Ablog, SSS

Sept. 18, 1849 Rev. Anthony Chanrion

Sept. 18, 1853 Rev. William Metton

Sept. 18, 1974 Rev. Charles J. McQuillan

Sept. 18, 1996 Rev. Michael Krol

Sept. 18, 2012 Rev. Luis P. Chia

Sept. 19, 2020 Rev. Laurence Connolly

Sept. 20, 1964 Rev. J.K. Reybaud

Sept. 22, 1952 Msgr. J.A. Rapp

Sept. 22, 1979 Rev. Joseph W. Pope, CSB

Sept. 22, 2001 Rev. James D. Steffes, SCJ

Sept. 23, 1956 Rev. Floyd J. Crowley, CSB

Sept. 23, 1995 Rev. Donald T. Cooper, CSB

Sept. 24, 1966 Rev. John J. Conroy, SSJ

Sept. 26, 1955 Rev. Carl J. Kermiet

Sept. 26, 1991 Rev. John Walter Caverly, OP

Sept. 26, 1992 Rev. Eugene R. Flaherty, OCARM

Sept. 26, 2005 Rev. John Nguyen, CSsR

Sept. 27, 1999 Rev. Reginald F. Petrash

Sept. 27, 2006 Rev. Enrique Bravo, CSB

Sept. 28, 1955 Rev. Timothy J. Sullivan, SSJ

Sept. 29, 1853 Rev. Denis O’Driscol

Sept. 29, 1966 Msgr. Daniel P. O’Connell

Sept. 29, 1995 Msgr. Leo J. Price

Sept. 29, 2007 Rev. Robert Power, CSB

Sept. 30, 1911 Rev. John Weimer

Sept. 30, 1958 Rev. John F. Lane

Sept. 30, 2003 Rev. Joseph B. Courtney, CSB

PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo speaks during a keynote session at Café Catholica at St. Anne Catholic Church in Houston on July 10. Cardinal DiNardo opened the annual young adult summer speaker series with a question-and-answer session, candidly responding to young adults about several themes, including evangelization, diversity, the Eucharist, marriage and vocations. Other speakers at Café Catholica this summer included Paul George and Brian Butler. The summer event draws thousands of young adults each year for liturgies and fellowship.

All Summer Long: Uniting Faith and Fun

Clergy, parish staff, women religous and volunteers worked across the Archdiocese to educate their parish youth about the Catholic faith, the Bible and the life of Christ. Vacation Bible schools and camps were held at numerous parishes to allow children a chance to build community and live out their faith in a fun atmosphere. Below are some photos of the summer fun. All photos courtesy of local parishes. †

PRINCE OF PEACE ST. MARY MAGDALENE, HUMBLE

REGINA CAELI

GIFTS RECEIVED...

Annual youth conference reveals Jesus, spiritual gifts to 1,400-plus teens from Archdiocese

BY JAMES RAMOS AND JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — Led by the commanding yet humble and endearing voice of Father Houston Okonma, more than 1,000 teens joined their chaperones in a solemn Eucharistic Procession around the HiltonAmericas Houston hotel in downtown Houston during the 2023 Archdiocesan Youth Conference on July 29.

Carried by Father Okonma, who was assisted by Deacon Joe Wright of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Spring, the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance often glimmered in the downtown lights as it moved slowly around the hotel with nearby Astros fans streaming from the ballpark directly encountering Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

A number were Catholic, sporting

First-ever Eucharistic Procession proclaims God’s True Presence to downtown with youth witness

bright orange jerseys, pausing to genuflect and pray, genuinely surprised with the blessed encounter. A few snapped photos and video-chatted loved ones at home. Crews of others on bikes, scooters and trikes zoomed by as loud music boomed from speakers.

The city noise would come and go as hundreds of teens continued praying the Rosary while waiting at eight stations spread through the hotel and the two city-square blocks. As the procession continued, the presiders would stop and place the monstrance on an altar, pause for silence, read a reflection and sing a

song of worship before continuing while incense wafted through the crowds.

At one point, a man across the street kneeled when he saw the Eucharist and fully bowed as it went by him.

Eventually, the procession returned to the conference’s main gathering space, where Adoration concluded with Benediction and the Divine Praises.

Father Houston, who served as the Archdiocesan Youth Conference’s chaplain, prayed with the teens and said, “Loving and gracious God, keep us ever mindful of Your presence, not only before us now but with us at all times.

Mold our hearts so we may bring Your loving presence to all those we meet and, by doing so, share the Gospel with the world.”

The call of evangelization, for teens to go out and proclaim the good news to the world, was the consistent message throughout the many talks and workshops, which included addresses from Meg Hunter-Kilmer, Father Casey Cole, OFM, and Paul J. Kim. Throughout the weekend, Josh Blakesley led the conference with music and worship. The youths ranged from a large group of 73 boys and girls wearing purple T-shirts from St. Helen Catholic Church in Pearland waving a big purple flag to a small group of half-dozen girls from Immaculate Conception coming in from Sealy with their adult female chaperone Marcie Chapman.

Father who “Breaking million address overflowing

The “It’s not tabernacle light to He Share have to, David at Strake spent impromptu the Sisters Word. secular and popularity

...GIFTS SHARED RECEIVED...

Father Cole, a young Franciscan friar runs a YouTube channel called “Breaking in the Habit” with about 30 million views, delivered the keynote address on July 29 to an energetic, overflowing ballroom of teens.

The priest told the at-capacity crowd, not just me and my Jesus. Be a tabernacle yourself. You are a shining to the world.” added, “You are a gift to the world. what you have, not because you to, but because you get to!”

David Calderon, a high school junior Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, a break between speakers to impromptu sing hymns at a booth with Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate

But afterward, he confessed the secular world’s emphasis on social media popularity gives him anxiety. “But

when I sing in a church choir, it’s a lot more peaceful, and I feel a lot more close to God because there’s no competition there. You’re just singing to praise Him.”

On July 30, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo presided over the closing Mass, which included commissioning the new members of the Archdiocesan Youth Council.

At the Mass, which saw more than 1,800 in attendance, Cardinal DiNardo encouraged the teens to embrace the “special gifts” they have been given and be inspired by the Blessed Virgin Mary.

He called them to be “active agents” in their faith and not to be passive in the life of the Church.

“Go witness! Go witness,” Cardinal DiNardo said in his homily. “In Jesus’ kingdom, no one is unemployed.”

He continued: “If you ask of Jesus’

wisdom in his Kingdom, He’ll give you stability in the search; it’s one of the gifts... Stability comes as a gift, and the more you share it in the Kingdom of God, the more there is. That’s the discovery of the surprise. God never ceases to be generous to you. God is always generous.”

The youth also turned to Our Lady of Confidence throughout the weekend, seeking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“Never, never forget that the Virgin Mary, who bore Jesus in her womb and in her heart, she’s always going to direct you right back to Him,” he said. “Whenever you think you’re strained, speak to the Virgin Mary so you can go right back to Jesus.”

Cardinal DiNardo echoed Pope Francis’ call for young people to create a “happy chaos.”The pope, he said, has spurred the

MORE ONLINE

For more about AYC, visit the Archdiocesan YouTube Channel: youtube.com/ArchGH or scan the QR code

young people to share their faith and to walk with others in the faith.

“Jesus loves you. Jesus gives Himself to you,” he said. “Let’s ask Jesus that He will make us more, and more, like Him.”

In closing, Cardinal DiNardo again turned to the Eucharist, “[Jesus] is our Bread of Life. His body and blood, His soul and divinity, are brought to us so that we can indeed accompany others in the gift that has been shared with us.” †

PHOTOS BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

EDUCATION

DECATS: Diving deeper to provide summer enrichment

HOUSTON AND TOMBALL — For the 29th summer, rising third through sixth graders were given the unique opportunity to spend three weeks of their summer in an intensive academic enrichment program at The DeBusk Enrichment Center for Academically Talented Scholars (DECATS Houston), offered through a grant from the DeBusk Foundation.

An underwater “Diving Deeper” theme led participants through challenging courses in fine and performing arts, science, mathematics, language arts, history, team building and leadership. Students — called scholars — choose from a variety of courses, including electives like CSI: DECATS, LEGO Robotics, Mix it Up, Passion for Fashion, Blood and Guts, Kitchen Chemistry, Short Circuit, Did you Myth Me, Slime Time and more. Scholars also focused on manners, self-organization, time management, wellness or values and morals, according to their grade level.

The summer enrichment program began to operate locally in the summer of 1995 with 40 scholars and eight faculty. The program now operates at three campuses: Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, St. Anne Catholic School in Tomball and Corpus Christi School in Houston, with 800 scholars and 120 faculty, staff and administrators. Since 1994, more than 8,500 attendees have been through the program.

The DeBusk Foundation was created in 1979 in the Dallas area by Manuel and Edith DeBusk with the goal to enrich gifted and talented scholars. From there, the program grew and spread across Texas. For more information, visit www. debuskfoundation.org or www.decats.org. †

– Herald staff report

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF DECATS

Scholars at St. Anne in Tomball, left, Strake Jesuit, top, and Corpus Christi Catholic School, above, participate in various courses this June.

“Lord, teach us to contemplate you in the beauty of creation and reawaken our gratitude and sense of responsibility.”

– Pope Francis

When transitions bring fear, Jesus brings peace

Working as a campus minister at Rice University, the start of a new school year is exciting as the older students return and the freshmen arrive to start orientation week. Although for many students the start of a new semester can be very exciting, for others, this transition can be difficult. Going to college means accepting changes in a challenging environment, and that can sometimes be stressful.

Even if you are no longer affected by the transitions brought about by the beginning of a new school year, we all must face changes in our lives. New jobs, moving to another city, sending your youngest child to college — so many transitions require an adjustment to new surroundings or circumstances. And change often brings about resistance and fear.

On Sunday, Aug. 13, our Gospel reading was from Mt 14:22-33, in which the disciples found themselves unexpectedly caught in the middle of a storm. Jesus was not in the boat with them, as he had stayed behind in order

to go up a mountain to pray. They were caught unaware and tossed about by the waves. Suddenly, Jesus comes to them, walking on water. Jesus comes to them in their distress, but still they are terrified, thinking he is a ghost. He reaches out and comforts them with the words, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

When reflecting upon this same story in the Gospel of Mark, Pope Francis explains how “Faith begins when we realize we are in need of salvation. We are not self-sufficient; by ourselves we flounder, we need the Lord, like ancient navigators needed the stars. Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives. Let us hand over our fears to Him so that he can conquer them. Like the disciples, we will experience that with Him on board there will be no shipwreck. Because this is God’s strength: turning to the good everything that happens to us, even the bad things. He brings serenity into our storms, because with God, life never dies” (Extraordinary Moment of Prayer, St. Peter’s Square, March 27, 2020).

There will most certainly be changes in our lives that are even more difficult than the start of a new school year. The death of a loved one, being laid off from a job, caring for an elderly parent who no longer can care for themselves — all these transitions challenge us at many levels, and sometimes they even challenge our faith.

by MARY IMPELMAN

In the midst of the storm in last Sunday’s Gospel, Peter tries by himself to walk across the water but becomes afraid and begins to sink. He cries out “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter.

Preaching about this part of Sunday’s Gospel, Pope Francis reflects how “Jesus is the Father’s hand who never abandons us, the strong and faithful hand of the Father, who always and only wants what is good for us... Having faith means

keeping your heart turned to God, to His love, to His Fatherly tenderness, amid the storm. Jesus wanted to teach this to Peter and the disciples, and also to us today” (Angelus, St Peter’s Square, Sept. 8, 2020). Pope Francis wants us to remember that Jesus is always there to offer his outstretched hand in the transitions and storms of life. Despite changes and challenges, we can be confident that God will never forsake us or abandon us.

Part of my job as a Catholic campus minister is to help students grow in their desire to invite Jesus into the boat of their lives. And to remind them that when they try to walk on water and feel like they are starting to sink, Jesus is always stretching out his hand to catch them and surround them with his love. My prayer for you is that you, too, will always remember these truths. †

Mary Impelman serves as the campus minister for service at the Rice Catholic Student Center.

On Mission from Africa to Texas: The M.S.P. serve our community

The Archdiocese has several religious orders that serve throughout the Archdiocese. To name just a few, The Basilian Fathers, Companions of the Cross, Dominican Friars, Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Jesuit Fathers, Somascan Fathers, Missionaries of La Salette and the Redemptorist Fathers are all religious orders that serve our Archdiocese. There is one religious order, The Missionary Society of St. Paul of Nigeria (M.S.P.), that has a unique charism for America from the heart of Africa.

The M.S.P. is a Catholic religious congregation based in Nigeria, serving parishes in Africa, North America, Europe and the Caribbean. Dominic Cardinal Ekandem founded the M.S.P. in 1976 in Nigeria.

In 1986, the members of the M.S.P. were sent on foreign missions for the first time to Cameroon, Liberia and the United States. Their presence in the United States for nearly 40 years started as a partnership with the American St. Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites), a community of priests and brothers established in 1871 to serve the African American Catholic Community.

Today the M.S.P. work throughout the world in countries like Botswana,

Gambia, Malawi, Chad, South Africa, South Sudan, Liberia, Kenya, Central Africa Republic, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Grenada, the Bahamas and Canada.

Neri, St. Anne De Beaupre, St. Gregory the Great, St. Nicholas, St. Peter the Apostle, St. Martin De Porres, Sacred Heart Crosby and St. Mary Magdalene.

Archdiocese and come together every quarter to share their language in Mass, worship and fellowship.

by REV. REGINALD SAMUELS

The priest members of the society are incorporated into it by an Oath of Permanent Membership and are dedicated to the society’s Missionary Apostolate. By the missionary society’s Oath of Permanent Membership, members undertake the observance of the evangelical counsels of chastity, evangelical poverty (simplicity of life) and obedience, all for and in imitation of Christ.

Most M.S.P. in our Archdiocese work and live in parish settings. One member, Father Christian Mary Anosike Alimji, M.S.P., affectionally known as Father Chris, is the pastor of St. Philip Neri. Father Chris said of the M.S.P. that, like the charisma of St. Paul, the members of M.S.P. are driven by the love of Christ to “be all things to all people.”

Currently, the M.S.P. serve and operate in several parishes throughout the Archdiocese, including St. Philip

Father Felix Osasona, M.S.P., not only serves as the pastor of St. Mary Magdalene in Humble, but he also serves as the chaplain and provides spiritual support for the African Yoruba Catholic Community of Houston. The Nigerian Catholic community of the Yoruba speaks the Yoruba language and is mainly from the southwestern part of Nigeria. Many of the Yoruba Catholic community members in Houston belong to various parishes throughout the

To hear and understand more about the M.S.P., I invite you to a special episode of “In His Light Podcast with Father Reginald Samuels” that features Father Chris and his thoughts on the religious order. The podcast can be found on Spotify and Apple podcasts. †

Father Reginald Samuels is the vicar for Catholics of African Descent and pastor at St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in Deer Park.

Theology of Rest: Grace in the present moment

This summer, a homily struck me, “Do I really know what it means to rest?”The priest reflected on our “talent” of making our lives busy. There is pressure to move on to the next task, to constantly be “doing” something, and the need to occupy our time. Occasionally the way we utilize our time is productive: mowing the lawn, washing dishes or tending a garden. Other times the business is not productive: bingewatching a tv series, scrolling through social media or playing games on our phones. We also rush from a project or task to the next one on an endless to-do list.

This recalled when my wife and I were engaged. There was a temptation to rush through the engagement process to get to our marriage. Yet there is grace in every moment. Being engaged offered us an opportunity to be patient, learn about ourselves, and build habits that we would need later as a married couple. Without this grace, our marriage would not be successful. Rushing to the end

would have negated many important life experiences and God’s grace.

I imagine it works the same way for you. For example, we can look back and ask ourselves, where did this summer go? How did it pass so quickly? Do you wish for more summertime? Well, the homily also challenged us; what would we do if we had more time? Would we attend to the important things, or would this time become more of a distraction, luring us into a false sense of security about our ability to complete tasks?

by MATT KIERNAN

conversation, we hear, “It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality, our best work is done by keeping things out.” This tactic described by the demon is to occupy human beings with so much that they become consumed by the concerns of the world, and the voice of God begins to fade.

This homily also drew to my mind a section from CS Lewis’ work “The Screwtape Letters,” a book containing conversations between an experienced demon and demons in training on how to win over human souls. In one

What is the remedy for this? The homily answered in a way that is cloyingly simple, astutely profound, yet extraordinarily difficult — rest. So, what exactly is rest? Rest can take many forms: reading a book, listening to music, playing a board game with your children, going on a walk with your spouse, or zooming with a friend. However, the theology of rest is deeper. Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and there you can find rest.” At first, this seems counterintuitive because an ox that is yoked meant toil and labor. However, taking Jesus’ yoke means walking alongside Jesus and learning to see the world from His perspective.

Doing so transforms our earthly perspective into God’s own perspective, allowing us to focus on what is truly important. In this grace, we find authentic rest. The only way this can be accomplished is to make some time for silence and prayer. We desperately need an opportunity to decompress, find solace in the stillness, and connect back to God without any distractions. This can be a prayerful reading of Scripture, spending time in adoration, meditating upon the mysteries of the Rosary, or a quiet stroll through the neighborhood.

As the beginning of school approaches, the temptation to become even busier will grow exponentially. How has your summer been? Did you find the rest you need? If yes, wonderful — how can this pattern continue? If not, there is still time. Don’t give up! †

Matt Kiernan is an associate director with the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.

Social Ministry and the Diaconate: Where the rubber meets the road

Every day, in Harris County alone, several hundred youths ages 10 to 17 reside in juvenile detention centers. Lost in despair and hopelessness, these youth turn to volunteers of Special Youth Services (SYS) who offer an encouraging word, inspiring Scripture and comforting prayer to see them through their difficulties. Coming from all walks of life, laypersons, religious, and clergy, all work in the vineyard together, serving some of the most vulnerable youth.

And whether it’s offering weekly Bible studies or pastoral visits, it is the Holy Spirit continuously at work in the hearts of the youth, and just as equally in the hearts of the volunteers, no matter how experienced or seasoned they are, myself included.

During my diaconate formation years, I, along with several other candidates for the diaconate, entered the vineyard as SYS volunteers.

Assigned as our social ministry, it was our opportunity to practice what we learned through formation, where the “rubber meets the road,” as some would say. For me, that road would eventually lead me to work as a pastoral minister for SYS.

However, whether as a volunteer or pastoral minister, I saw what they meant in the diaconate program that we are never done being formed.

I recall one day in particular that seemed like so many others spent in the facilities, filled with God’s teachings through individual prayer, pastoral listening and a lot of catechesis. As the conversation with one young man was winding down, he asked about my plans for the evening. I said I was attending the vigil for my friend’s mother, who passed away. We finished our conversation and concluded with prayer, lifting up his petitions to God. As we stood up and shook hands, he said in a solemn voice, “I’m sorry about your

friend, sir.”

Here I stood before a young man who was at a loss. Without his freedom, his family, friends and home. Having lost so much in the middle of his chaos, he stood there comforting me! The rubber had met the road as my years of learning were tested, and I was found wanting.

How often had I allowed my own chaos to blind me from the pain and suffering of others, diminishing the gravity of their situation based on my own situation? Humbled by the young man’s empathy for me while still dealing with his situation, it was I who had been taught the lesson — a lesson that is still not forgotten.

Recently I returned to the diaconate formation program; however, now in the role of director of Admissions and Scrutiny for the Office of the Permanent Diaconate.

While I still found opportunities to stay connected and serve SYS, I have a greater understanding and appreciation for the value of social ministries assigned to the candidates to the diaconate.

Whether its visiting detention centers, prisons, hospitals or other facilities, social ministries like SYS continue to offer candidates to the diaconate an opportunity to practice what they’ve learned, but more importantly, they offer continuous learning opportunities for them, helping in the formation process and refining the skills of the potential deacon. †

Deacon Fernando Garcia is the director of Admissions and Scrutiny of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate.

by DCN. FERNANDO GARCIA

NATION

Beatified teen’s Eucharistic miracles display inspires devotion in Tennessee youths, adults

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (OSV News) — “I’m happy to die because I’ve lived my life without wasting even a minute of it doing things that wouldn’t have pleased God.”

Blessed Carlo Acutis, who said these famous words, was known as a teenager of our time with an extraordinary devotion to the gift of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

As part of the U.S. bishops’ National Eucharistic Revival’s Year of the Parish, Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksville brought Blessed Carlo Acutis’ international “Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles of the World” to parishioners after all Masses on a recent July weekend in hopes of bringing his inspirational devotion to youth and adults alike.

Blessed Acutis “was just an ordinary guy who loved Jesus,” Marcia Sundberg, Immaculate Conception’s point-person for the Eucharistic revival, told the Tennessee Register, newspaper of the Nashville Diocese. “His example, his life is such a good example for all of us, but especially for young people.”

Father Jacob Dio, pastor of Immaculate Conception, agreed.

“We have a lot of youth here,” Father Dio said. “Not a lot of people know about Carlo Acutis, but he’s really just a modern youth who wore jeans and a T-shirt but who had a deep devotion to Jesus, so we definitely thought this would inspire a lot of young people.”

The exhibition, created and designed by Blessed Acutis himself, explains every eucharistic miracle ever documented around the world. The 156-poster display is currently being shown on five different continents and has miracles listed across 20 countries and witnessed by multiple saints and beatified individuals.

Blessed Acutis, an Italian teen who died of leukemia in 2006 and was beatified in 2020, is entombed in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi. The 15-year-old’s use of technology to spread devotion to the Eucharist prompted Pope Francis to hail him as a role model for young people today.

Born May 3, 1991, and raised in a wealthy Italian family by parents who were not extremely religious, Carlo was 4 when his late maternal grandfather

appeared to his grandson in a dream and asked that he pray for him.

From there, Carlo’s interest in religious practice was sparked. Upon receiving his first Communion at age 7, he soon became a regular attendee of Mass and confession.

Throughout his youth, he was considered a friend to all, standing up for those being bullied, and engaged in the same activities as any modern boy would, such as video games and watching films. But he remained devoted to his faith, using his reputation as a “computer geek” to create a website cataloging every Eucharistic miracle ever reported and approved by the Vatican.

“To always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan,” Carlo Acutis once said. “Our destination must be what is infinite, not what is finite. Infinity is our homeland. We have been expected in Heaven since time immemorial.”

On Oct. 2, 2006, he fell ill with what seemed to be an ordinary flu. One week later, after things did not improve, he was diagnosed with M3 acute leukemia. Considered to be in critical condition, he received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and holy Communion on Oct. 10, 2006, and fell into a coma on Oct. 11, 2006, due to a brain hemorrhage caused by the leukemia. Carlo died at 6:45 a.m. on Oct. 12, 2006. He was 15.

Carlo’s funeral was attended by so many people that several had to remain outside. He is buried at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi, Italy, in accordance with his wishes.

It took five years for Carlo’s sainthood cause to be officially opened, and he was declared a “Servant of God” on Oct. 12, 2012.

By 2013, the Vatican had approved the petition for his canonization, and a diocesan investigation opened on Feb.

Blessed Carlo Acutis, an Italian teen who was beatified in 2020, had a great love of the Eucharist and used his technology skills to build an online database of Eucharistic miracles that have been recognized around the world. Currently his work self-designed and created physical exhibition of these miracles is being shown on five different continents. He is pictured in an undated photo.

15, 2013, and was concluded on Nov. 24, 2016.

Pope Francis confirmed Carlo’s life was one of heroic virtue and declared him “Venerable” on July 5, 2018.

Early in 2020, the pope approved a miracle attributed to Carlo: the healing of a young Brazilian boy from a rare congenital disease of the pancreas after he touched a photo of Carlo. On Oct. 10, 2020, Carlo was proclaimed “Blessed” at Assisi, where he is buried. A second

miracle confirmed as occurring through the teen’s intercession is needed for his canonization.

In Clarksville, among those taking in the Eucharistic miracles exhibit was 11-year-old Nathan Kent, an upcoming sixth-grade student at Immaculate Conception School, who said he enjoyed looking through and reading about the various miracles with his father, Jeffrey Kent, a member of Knights of Columbus Council 3537.

“It was really cool seeing all the stuff (Blessed Carlo Acutis) did,” Nathan said, noting some of the most surprising miracles in the exhibit, such as those that talked about witnessing bleeding hosts and Jesus extending his hand from the crucifix to grab the chalice from the priest.

“The priest just fell to his knees and asked for forgiveness,” Nathan explained. “Then Jesus returned the chalice.”

“It’s really cool that since (Carlo Acutis) did all that work” to gather the Eucharistic miracles, “God made him an incorruptible,” he added.

And it wasn’t just the youth who were enamored with the display. Monice Ntatin, a parishioner of Immaculate Conception, called it terrific and powerful.

“In the world of today, even within the Catholics, I think this is very powerful because people should know more about the power of Jesus in the most holy Sacrament. It’s been neglected,” Ntatin said. “There is a lot we can learn from Blessed Carlo Acutis in our everyday life and our prayer life, and if he could do all this, that means there is a lot we could do as well.”

Immaculate Conception is planning to share the exhibit with different organizations, schools and parishes across the diocese once a team is put together. †

OSV NEWS

Whoop! Aggie Catholics say ‘Howdy’ to their new parish

COLLEGE STATION — Aggie

Catholics have a new church to call their spiritual home.

Located in the area known as Northgate across from Texas A&M University in College Station, St. Mary Catholic Church was crowded in recent years, having “standing room only” during their nine weekend Masses. Originally built in 1958 (the original St. Mary was built in 1927 at a different location), it was evident the parish was going through another growth spurt.

After a decade of fundraising, the new church, which has nearly double the seating capacity as its predecessor across the street at 1,500, was dedicated on Saturday, July 29. Bishop Joe Vásquez of Austin was the main celebrant of the dedication Mass. Concelebrating was Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, as well as Bishop of San Angelo Michael Sis and Bishop of Tulsa David Konderla, both of whom were former pastors of St. Mary’s before they were ordained bishops. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Father Jeff Bame, pastor of the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart, were in attendance.

On July 28, Bishop Sis celebrated Vespers in the old church.

The new church features a domed apse that houses the tabernacle, an arch

over the sanctuary and a dome-on-cube design. A rose window with an image of Christ in the center can be seen from both the inside and outside, and a gold-

colored, 9-foot statue of Our Lady of Victoria sits atop a cupola. The Baptismal font is configured for both pouring and full-body immersion with a gold-painted statue atop the font depicting John the

Baptist’s Baptism of Christ.

The new church is located at 603 Church Ave. in College Station. For more information, visit aggiecatholic. com. †

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ST. MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH IN COLLEGE STATION

The new church, blessed on July 29, is located at 603 Church Ave. in College Station. It features a domed apse that houses the tabernacle, an arch over the sanctuary and a dome-on-cube design.

The Baptismal font is configured for both pouring and full-body immersion with a gold-painted statue atop depicting John the Baptist’s Baptism of Christ. At right, Bishop Joe Vásquez of Austin was the main celebrant of the dedication Mass on July 29.

MUNDO CATÓLICO

Se honrará a los cristianos modernos que murieron por la fe

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS)

— Cuando San Juan Pablo II inició los preparativos para el Año Santo 2000, creía que “la Iglesia, en todas las partes de la tierra, debe permanecer firme en su testimonio y defender celosamente su memoria” para poder caminar con fe, esperanza y confianza hacia el tercer milenio.

Los mártires “han anunciado el Evangelio dando su vida por amor”, reflejando las palabras de Cristo en la cruz: “Padre, perdónales, porque no saben lo que hacen”, escribió el Papa en su bula de 1998 proclamando oficialmente el jubileo.

Para reconocer, honrar y ofrecer mejor como inspiración a los mártires del siglo XX, San Juan Pablo estableció una Comisión especial del Jubileo del Vaticano para los Nuevos Mártires en 1996 para recopilar los nombres e historias de los últimos testigos de fe y caridad.

El comité le entregó a San Juan Pablo ocho volúmenes que contienen más de 13.400 nombres de hombres y mujeres que dieron su vida por Cristo o al servicio del Evangelio desde el 1 de enero de 1900 hasta 1999.

De cara al próximo jubileo de 2025, el Papa Francisco quiere continuar esta investigación histórica, comenzando por los “testigos de la fe” de hoy del siglo XXI. Con una carta publicada en julio, ha instituido una nueva “Comisión de los Nuevos mártires, testigos de la fe” para elaborar un nuevo catálogo de nombres.

“En un mundo en el que a veces parece que el mal prevalece, estoy seguro de que la elaboración de este Catálogo, también en el contexto del ya próximo Jubileo, ayudará a los creyentes a leer también nuestro tiempo a la luz de la Pascua, sacando del cofre de tan generosa fidelidad a Cristo las razones de la vida y del bien”, escribió.

La hermana Danielangela Sorti de la Congregación de las Hermanas de los Pobres alimenta a un niño en Tumikia, Congo, en 1992. Ella estaba entre los seis miembros de su congregación que murieron después de contraer el ébola mientras cuidaban a otros que sufrían del virus en Kikwit, Congo, en 1995.

Mucho de lo que el Papa Francisco ha creado con la nueva iniciativa refleja el mismo proyecto de su predecesor: producir una investigación tan vasta y amplia como sea posible con la ayuda de la Iglesia universal; incluyendo cristianos no católicos que murieron para reflejar lo que el Papa Francisco llama “el ecumenismo de la sangre” y San Juan Pablo llamó el “ecumenismo del sufrimiento”, y reunir a representantes de iglesias y comunidades cristianas de todo el mundo con el Papa en el Coliseo de Roma para conmemorar a estos “nuevos mártires”.

Lo que es diferente es que la nueva comisión no será temporal, sino que ahora formará parte del Dicasterio para las Causas de los Santos, dijo el padre Boguslaw Turek, subsecretario del dicasterio.

APOYO PASTORAL A VÍCTIMAS DE ABUSO SEXUAL DEL CLERO

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.

La hermana Annelvira Ossoli, a la izquierda, es fotografiada en Kinshasa, Congo, en 1985. Ella estaba entre los seis miembros de su congregación que murieron después de contraer el ébola mientras cuidaban a otros que sufrían del virus en Kikwit, Congo, en 1995.

La primera tarea de la comisión para el Año Santo 2025 “es solo el punto de partida” que se unirá al trabajo realizado por la antigua comisión y continuará su trabajo en el futuro, dijo a Catholic News Service el 5 de julio.

“No es un catálogo de hechos terribles del pasado, sino de esperanza que conduce a mejores horizontes” hoy y mañana, dijo el sacerdote de la Congregación de San Miguel Arcángel.

Sin embargo, algo que podría resurgir es la misma confusión o desacuerdo sobre el término “nuevos mártires”.

De hecho, allá por el año 2000, el entonces arzobispo José Saraiva Martins, prefecto de la en aquel tiempo Congregación para las Causas de la Santidad, dijo que, para la Iglesia Católica, el término mártir “en el sentido canónico propio” es para alguien que murió por Cristo o para su iglesia y ya ha sido beatificado o canonizado.

El arzobispo dijo que se prefería el “testigo de la fe” para los católicos cuyo proceso de beatificación no se ha completado o para otros cristianos que fueron asesinados a causa de su fe o la promoción de los valores cristianos.

El Papa Francisco dijo en su carta que la nueva comisión “no se pretenden establecer nuevos criterios para la valoración canónica del martirio, sino continuar el seguimiento iniciado de cuantos hoy día siguen siendo asesinados solo por ser cristianos”.

Monseñor Marco Gnavi se desempeñó como secretario de la comisión “Nuevos Mártires” del Año Santo 2000 y ahora es secretario de la nueva Comisión de Nuevos Mártires - Testigos de la Fe establecida por el Papa Francisco en julio de 2023.

Indicó a CNS el 5 de julio que su objetivo será “tomar una instantánea del fenómeno del martirio” desde una perspectiva histórica y detallar el contexto y las condiciones de las que surgieron las personas que se enfrentaron a una elección: “¿huir o quedarse? ¿Negar a Cristo o ser un testigo para él?”

“Nuestra tarea es ante todo no olvidar a estos hombres y mujeres” con los que todo el pueblo de Dios tiene una gran deuda, dijo.

Dependerá de la diócesis local, la orden religiosa y los postuladores presentar a un individuo como candidato a la santidad,

no a la comisión del Vaticano, dijo. Su trabajo podría llamar la atención sobre posibles candidatos como sucedió en 2000, agregó, ya que algunos fueron posteriormente beatificados y canonizados.

Pero, Mons. Gnavi dijo que la comisión también documentará “mártires que tal vez no sean modelos universales porque tienen las mismas contradicciones que tenemos nosotros, sin embargo, no abandonaron la primera línea de la batalla entre la vida y la muerte”.

Monseñor dijo que mucho ha cambiado en la forma en que los cristianos son perseguidos hoy.

San Juan Pablo vivió bajo el totalitarismo y vio un mundo sufriendo bajo los horrores del nazismo y el comunismo. De hecho, Mons. Gnavi dijo que la idea del Papa polaco de recopilar y atesorar los nombres de estos mártires “nuevos” o modernos surgió cuando era obispo auxiliar de Cracovia en la década de 1950.

Hoy, dijo, los cristianos podrían ser asesinados en un acto terrorista simplemente celebrando Misa en una nación libre y democrática, como el padre Jacques Hamel, quien fue asesinado en 2016 en Normandía, Francia.

La gente también dio su vida ayudando a los demás, como los seis miembros de la Congregación de las Hermanas de los Pobres que murieron después de contraer ébola mientras cuidaban a otros que padecían el virus en Kikwit, Congo, en 1995, agregó.

Mucha gente hoy ve demasiado “nihilismo” o negatividad, y hay una sensación generalizada de muerte o callejones sin salida, y “no saben cómo amar y proteger la vida”, dijo. “Los mártires morían amando la vida”.

“Los cristianos no tenemos respuestas duras como una roca (para todo), pero estamos absolutamente seguros de que somos amados por Dios, vemos el rostro de Jesús (en los demás) y confiamos en el poder del Espíritu Santo”, Mons. dijo Gnavi.

Con fe, los cristianos pueden capear cualquier tormenta, dijo. “Aunque tengas miedo como todos, tienes un guía”, que calma las aguas, calma el corazón y ofrece esperanza. †

FOTO DE CNS

FOTO DE CNS

WITHIN THE ARTS

‘The Miracle Club’ highlights healing in many ways

BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — The recent release of “The Miracle Club” movie brings a trifecta of award-winning actresses, which even has one of its stars fangirling over working with Grande Dame Maggie Smith and industry legend Kathy Bates.

Laura Linney, herself an Emmy Award-winning actor, said in interviews before the July 14 theater openings, “Honestly, I would’ve done anything to work with them. I was just lucky that it also involved a story that was charming and had a big heart.”

Set in 1967, each of the main characters has a reason to need a miracle in their Irish working-class neighborhood near Dublin. Smith plays Lily, whose son drowned decades before at the age of 19, which she sadly believes was her punishment from God.

Bates is Eileen, married to an unappreciative husband and is the mother of a large family, who has just found a lump in her breast. A generation younger, Dolly (Agnes O’Casey) is the mother of a young son who is five years old and still doesn’t speak.

Linney’s character, Chrissie, returns to Ireland for the first time in decades, looking sophisticated and polished after being “banished” 40 years before to the United States. She visits her mother’s closed casket alone at the local church after failing to see her before she passed, a beloved friend of the other women.

But all the parishioners are busy in the church hall participating in a talent contest, with the top prize being tickets to a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lourdes, the famous Basilica of healing in France. The 21-hour bus trip, including a ferry ride, from Ireland to the sanctuary in the south of France is glossed over, showing their arrival at the Hotel de Bernadette. Intermittent portrait-like visions of the main Basilica in Lourdes sitting atop a hill with the rushing river and grotto below show the sacred beauty of the place

Full descriptions for each open position are available online: www.archgh.org/ employment

Archives and Records: Digitization Technician

Development Department: Development Coordinator

Legal Department: Legal Counsel

Internal Audit: Senior Internal Auditor

Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization: Associate Director

Family Life Ministry: Administrative Assistant

Special Youth Services: Pastoral Minister

Circle Lake Retreat Center: Facility Coordinator

St. Dominic Village Retirement Home: Support Specialist to Retired Priests

Interested candidates may send a cover letter, with salary requirement, and resume to resume@archgh.org with the job title on the subject line.

*Submissions that do not include the salary requirement will not be moved forward for consideration.

tucked below the Pyrenees Mountains. But there is also a nod recognizing the commercialization of the site, at times called “the Catholic Disney Land,” that draws more than three million pilgrims every year, more than travel to Mecca or Jerusalem.

The holy site began its renown in 1858 when a 14-year-old peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous, reported to Church officials that she spoke to a mysterious woman several times. The woman described herself as “the

A-I – SUITABLE FOR ALL

• The Little Mermaid (PG)

A-II – SUITABLE FOR OLDER CHILDREN

• Barbie (PG-13)

• Mission: ImpossibleDead Reckoning Part One (PG-13)

• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (PG-13)

• Teenage Mutant Ninja

Immaculate Conception,” otherwise known as the Virgin Mary.

Since then, there have been 70 medical miracles recognized at Lourdes, including a recent healing of Sister Bernadette Moriau featured on the news program “60 Minutes” last year. She was freed from needing a wheelchair caused by a Cauda Equina diagnosis, a disorder of nerves and lower spine that eventually leads to total paralysis.

But as the news show pointed out, with just 70 medical miracles recognized in more than 160 years,“you’d have better odds playing the lotto.”Yet thousands of faithful line up at the baths and grotto where the first miracle is said to have occurred.

Smith and Linney have one of the film’s best scenes together when Lily visits the baths filled with holy water at the shrine. Chrissie dismisses what she calls “all the hocus pocus.” Lily gently responds, “There’s always hope, isn’t there, even when you don’t completely believe.” It’s a lovely, delicate scene despite the chaos of people desperately seeking cures.

The parish priest, Father Byrne (Mark O’Halloran), delivers the film’s message in responding to Bates’ character, who calls the site “a bloody gimmick.” The pastor says softly, “You don’t come to Lourdes for a miracle, Eileen; you come for the strength to go on when there is no miracle.”

The Miracle Club is rated PG-13 for some language and thematic elements. †

Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (PG)

A-III – ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS

• Asteroid City (PG-13)

• Insidious: The Red Door (PG-13)

• Meg 2: The Trench (PG-13)

• Oppenheimer (R)

• Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (PG)

• Sound of Freedom (PG-13)

• The Blackening (R)

• The Miracle Club (PG-13)

L – LIMITED MATURE AUDIENCE

• Talk to Me (R)

O – MORALLY OFFENSIVE

• Joy Ride (R)

• No Hard Feelings (R)

For more reviews, visit osvnews.com/category/reviews

PASTORAL SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

In a continuing effort to provide pastoral care to victims of sexual abuse by clergy or Church personnel, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo would like to remind the faithful of the Archdiocese of the availability of the Victims Assistance Coordinator. Anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse by clergy or Church personnel is encouraged to call Diane Vines at 713-654-5799. Please keep in daily prayers the healing of victims of abuse and all who suffer in any way.

MOVIE RATINGS By OSV News

OSV PHOTO

Laura Linney and Mark O’Halloran star in a scene from the movie “The Miracle Club.”

AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE

For ATA submission details and additional listings, visit WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ATA.

AUG. 19-20

GARAGE SALE, Saturday at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday at 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Peter the Apostle (6220 La Salette Dr., Houston). Adult and children’s clothing, shoes and accessories, unique finds, keepsakes, furniture, toys and more. Food also available for purchase. 713738-4817; Span. 832-668-6802.

AUG. 23

BUS TRIP, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., St. Bernadette (15500 El Camino Real, Houston). Bay Area Deanery Council of Catholic Women host a bus trip to the George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum. Adults 50 years or older are welcome. Cost: $20 per person. Food not included. 832-605-8360; gretchenmitchell@ gmail.com.

AUG. 24

CZECH CATHOLIC HERITAGE MASS, 4:30 p.m., St. Bartholomew (5356 11th St., Katy). 4:30 p.m. youth visit with Czech transitional deacons, 6 p.m. Czech Holy Mass at the church, 7 p.m. reception Czech Cover Dish.

AUG. 26

COUPLES RETREAT, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart (1111 St. Joseph Pkwy., Houston). Engaged or married couples are invited to The Wedding Feast: Yours and the Lord’s retreat. Guest speakers include Jackie and Bobby Angel and Mark and Katie Hartfiel. Tickets are $50 per couple and lunch is included. sacredhearthouston.org/ rectorscorner.

AUG. 26-27

GARAGE SALE, Saturday at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday at 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Peter the Apostle (6220 La Salette Dr., Houston). Adult and children’s clothing, shoes and accessories, unique finds, keepsakes, furniture, toys and more. Food also available for purchase. 713738-4817; Span. 832-668-6802.

SEPT. 2-3

SILENT AUCTION AND GARAGE SALE, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church (10114 Hwy 6, Hitchcock). Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in-person

Around the Archdiocese

AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE:

Archdiocesan Youth Conference

Scan the QR code above to learn more about AYC weekend, where over 1,400 youth gathered in faith and fellowship.

silent auction includes restaurant gift cards, homemade crafts, jewelry, gift baskets, handmade items and more. Also Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., garage sale, held in the adjacent pavilion includes housewares, furniture, tools, sports equipment, toys and deals for everyone (no clothes or electronics). Credit cards accepted. All proceeds support our parish school. Free, open to the public. 409-925-3224; ololcs.org.

SEPT. 6

MOVIE SCREENING, 7:30 p.m., Sts. Simon and Jude (26777 Glen Loch Dr., The Woodlands). “The Letter Movie - A Message For Our Earth” will be screened as part of the global movement for the Season of Creation, an annual month-long season when Christian communities pray and act to protect creation.

SEPT. 9

MOVIE SCREENING, 6:30 p.m., St. Anthony of Padua (7801 Bay Branch Dr., The Woodlands).

“The Letter Movie - A Message For Our Earth” will be screened as part of the global movement for the Season of Creation, an annual month-long season when Christian communities pray and act to protect creation.

WORKSHOP, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Emmaus Spirituality Center (12211 Memorial Dr., Houston). “Autumn Splendor” explores how to discern, implement and sustain this collection of spiritual provisions throughout all of life’s gusts of winds. Cost: $40.

SAVE THE DATE:

Red Mass & dINNeR

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Red Mass

Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart – 6:15 p.m.

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Main Celebrant & Homilist

Optional Red Mass Dinner Following Mass Cathedral Centre – 7:30 p.m.

Additional dinner information and registration will be available soon.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Need to change your Herald mailing address? Call 713-652-4444 or email TDIELI@ARCHGH.ORG for assistance.

emmausspiritualitycenter.com.

FIESTA, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., K.C. Hall Pavilion (2007 K.C. Hall Dr., Rosenberg). Event includes live music, food, drinks, kid’s games, Bingo, arts and crafts, and a raffle. stjohnfisher.info.

ONLINE PRESENTATIONS, 7 p.m. Catholic Literary Arts presents author Dr. Larry Allums discussing “Penetrating the Veil Between Sacred and Secular: Southern Short Stories.” Four virtual classes via Zoom on Sept. 12, 19, 26 and Oct. 3, will cover O’Connor, Welty, and Porter. catholicliteraryarts.org; 713-331-9342.

SEPT. 14

MOVIE SCREENING, 6:45 p.m., St. Laurence (3100 Sweetwater Blvd., Sugar Land). “The Letter Movie - A Message For Our Earth” will be screened as part of the global movement for the Season of Creation, an annual month-long season when Christian communities pray and act to protect creation.

SEPT. 17

FEAST AND FESTIVAL , 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Our Lady of Sorrows (3006 Kashmere St., Houston). Mass at 10 a.m. followed by a procession. A festival will follow at noon with live music, food, games and a raffle. 713-6735600; ourladyhouston.org; facebook.com/ OurLadyHouston.

BAZAAR , 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Cyril and Methodius (603 Parrot Ave., Damon). Serving barbecue beef and sausage with all the trimmings. Plates are $15. Auction begins at noon under the pavilion. Event also includes games, Bingo, patries, silent auction, homemaker’s market and more. 832-4199060; 979-742-3383.

SEPT. 23

MOVIE SCREENING, 6:45 p.m., Mary Queen (606 Cedarwood Dr., Friendswood). “The Letter Movie - A Message For Our Earth” will be screened as part of the global movement for the Season of Creation, an annual month-long season when Christian communities pray and act to protect creation.

SEPT. 24

FESTIVAL, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., St. Jerome (8825 Kempwood Dr., Houston). Live music, food, games and rides for all ages. bookkeeping@ stjeromehou.org; stjeromehou.org/fall-festival.

SLAVIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL, noon to 6 p.m., Northside Columbus Club (607 E. Whitney Dr., Houston). Festival will feature ethnic foods, music and dancing, vendors and more. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to humanitarian aid for Ukraine. houstonslavicheritagefestival.com.

How to submit events for Around the Archdiocese

E-mail the event details (see below) to tch@archgh.org for possible inclusion in Around the Archdiocese. There is no charge for listings but space is limited

• Include the name of your event along with date, time, location (with full address) and a brief description of your event

• If the event is for charity, include the benefiting group or organization; Include the cost

MILESTONES

San José Clinic announces new president, CEO

HOUSTON — Margo MelchorHernandez, RDH, MEd, EdD, is the new president and CEO of San José Clinic.

Melchor-Hernandez brings over 25 years of experience in healthcare services and administration, emphasizing community outreach, particularly to underserved communities.

She and her husband, John, are devout Catholics, parishioners of the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart, and long-time volunteers and donors to the clinic. She has served in leadership roles as a clinic board member, program committee member and currently nominating committee chair. Her relationship with the clinic began over 30 years ago through the positions she held within the Greater Houston Dental Hygienists’ Society, Houston Hispanic Dental Association and as a student at UTHealth School of Dentistry.

Previously, Melchor-Hernandez was a professor and director of Community Outreach at UTHealth Houston, School of Dentistry, where she served as an

educator and community advocate supporting Greater Houston and the surrounding areas. She also managed clinical volunteers, taught multiple predoctoral, dental hygiene and postgraduate courses, and launched a variety of community outreach programs.

One of her proudest accomplishments was the implementation of Give Vets A Smile, a collaboration created with the School of Nursing Veteran program in 2015. The program was created to provide palliative, urgent and therapeutic dental services to veterans, a population often encountering barriers to governmental resources/assistance after serving. Following that program launch, Melchor-Hernandez also implemented and led Give Kids A Smile, a national outreach event implemented in Houston, which provides oral health promotion to underserved children with community partners, such as San José Clinic, CHRISTUS Healthcare Foundation, Communities in Schools-Houston and Mission of Yahweh. †

San José Clinic Back to School event accepting donations

HOUSTON — In partnership with the Charity Guild of Catholic Women, San José Clinic will be hosting a Back to School Event on Aug. 19. San José Clinic is currently accepting donations to help underserved patient’s children who are entering pre-k through sixth grade. These children will receive a backpack, school supplies and other necessary items for a successful school year. To donate, visit sanjoseclinic.org/ backtoschool2023 (or scan QR code). †

MELCHORHERNANDEZ

HERALD FILE PHOTO