Texas Catholic Herald - Oct. 26, 2021

CHARITY GUILD Longtime philanthropy group kicks off 100-year anniversary celebrations

▪ SEE PAGE 6

A THOUSAND THANKS Catholic schools handwrite gratitude cards to frontline healthcare workers

▪ SEE PAGE 11

FIND THE SYNOD PRAYER, READ POPE FRANCIS’S MESSAGE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SYNOD IN THIS GUIDE

▪ SEE PAGE 2 & 3

More than 70 priests and religious sisters celebrate Jubilees with Cardinal DiNardo

BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — Dedicated religious sisters and priests come from all around the world, but many are right in the neighborhood celebrating years of service to God like Sister Mary Alice Carbajal, originally from El Paso and Sister Carmen Sanchez from San Antonio.

Now celebrating her 75th anniversary since taking her vows, Sister Mary Alice is 96 years old and retired living at St. Placidus, which is located on the Villa de Matel campus in Houston. But she remembers her years of teaching scores of students in schools in California, Guatemala and at the local St. Mary the Purification Catholic School.

“I always wanted to be a sister since I was in second grade. I would tag along

St. Joseph parish offers meals, clothing, and now a shower

New ministry arrives at parish near Downtown with a new offering: a mobile shower

BY JAMES RAMOS Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — It all starts with a clean and refreshing shower.

Since Sept. 15, people experiencing homelessness have found a place of refuge from the late summer heat at St. Joseph Catholic Church near downtown Houston.

The parish, located at 1505 Kane St., has been hosting a mobile shower trailer from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Wednesday, in coordination with Moving Waters, a

Houston-area-based ministry focused on “restoring dignity one shower at a time.”

The mobile showers offer people the chance to take a hot shower and receive a clean set of clothes, free of charge.

St. Joseph is Moving Waters’ third shower location and first inside the 610 Loop. This new partnership allows Moving Waters to further its mission and provide dignity-restoring showers and hygiene services to even more individuals.

The partnership complements and expands St. Joseph’s existing social ministry, which offers sack lunches for the homeless every Monday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and also operates an active food pantry.

Since the onset of the pandemic,

See

including Spring, Cypress and now Houston.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH AND MOVING WATERS

Father Victor Perez, pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church off Kane Street, stands in front of the Moving Waters shower trailer, a new ministry the parish is offering to bring clean showers to people experiencing homelessness.

Every session of the Second Vatican Council began with the prayer Adsumus Sancte Spiritus, the first word of the Latin original meaning, “We stand before You, Holy Spirit,” which has been historically used at Councils, Synods and other Church gatherings for hundreds of years, being attributed to St. Isidore of Seville (c. 560 - 4 April 636).

As we are called to embrace this synodal path of the Synod 20212023, this prayer invites the Holy Spirit to operate within us so that we may be a community and a people of grace. For the Synod 2021 - 2023, we offer this simplified version for any group or liturgical assembly to pray together:

ADSUMUS, SANCTE SPIRITUS

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.

With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.

We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.

Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.

Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.

All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time,in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

A SYNODAL EXPLAINER

WHAT IS THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS?

The Synod of Bishops is a permanent institution of the Catholic Church.

It was established by St. Paul VI in 1965, shortly after the close of the Second Vatican Council, to continue the spirit of collegiality and communion that was present at the Council.

The Synod is an assembly of bishops from around the world who assist the Holy Father by providing counsel on important questions facing the Church in a manner that preserves the Church’s teaching and strengthens her internal discipline.

WHAT ARE THE MEETINGS OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS CALLED?

The Synod of Bishops can meet in a General Assembly (or Session) on topics that pertain to the entire Church; these kinds of sessions can be either Ordinary or Extraordinary.

The Synod of Bishops can also meet in a Special Assembly (or Session) on topics that pertain to a limited geographical area. For example, Special Assemblies have been held in recent years on topics

ONLINE RESOURCES

For more information and additional resources about the Synod process in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, visit the official online website at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/SYNOD

concerning the Middle East and Africa.

WHEN DOES THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS MEET?

The Synod of Bishops meets at the request of the Holy Father, when he considers it necessary or opportune to consult with the world’s bishops and the People of God.

WHAT IS AN ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS?

A General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops is called “Ordinary” if its topic is “for the good of the universal Church” and seems to require the “learning, prudence and counsel” of all the world’s

bishops ( Ordo Synodi Episcoporum , 4).

Recent examples include evangelization, the Bible, and marriage and family.

WHAT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS?

A General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops is called “Extraordinary” when it is convened to deal with matters “which require a speedy solution” (Code of Canon Law, cannon 346 §2) and which demand “immediate attention for the good of the entire Church” (OSE, 4).

One recent example was the Synod on the Amazon, focusing on the geographical regions around the Amazon River in South America.

WHO ARE THE HEADS OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS?

The President of the Synod is the current Holy Father, Pope Francis.

The Synod also has a General Secretary, who is currently Mario Cardinal Grech; during the 2016-2019 XV Synod on young people, the General Secretary was Lorenzo Cardinal Baldisseri. †

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THE FIRST WORD

ENCOUNTER, LISTEN & REFLECT

VATICAN CITY — “And so, brothers and sisters, let us experience this moment of encounter, listening and reflection as a season of grace that, in the joy of the Gospel, allows us to recognize at least three opportunities.

First, that of moving not occasionally but structurally towards a synodal Church, an open square where all can feel at home and participate.

The Synod then offers us the opportunity to become a listening Church, to break out of our routine and pause from our pastoral concerns in order to stop and listen. To listen to the Spirit in adoration and prayer.

Today how much we miss the prayer of adoration; so many people have lost not only the habit but also the very notion of what it means to worship God!

To listen to our brothers and sisters speak of their hopes and of the crises of faith present in different parts of the world, of the need for a renewed pastoral life and of the signals we are receiving from those on the ground.

Finally, it offers us the opportunity to become a Church of closeness. Let us keep going

back to God’s own “style”, which is closeness, compassion and tender love.

God has always operated that way. If we do not become this Church of closeness with attitudes of compassion and tender love, we will not be the Lord’s Church. Not only with words, but by a presence that can weave greater bonds of friendship with society and the world.

A Church that does not stand aloof from life, but immerses herself in today’s problems and needs, bandaging wounds and healing broken hearts with the balm of God. Let us not forget God’s style, which must help us: closeness, compassion and tender love.

Dear brothers and sisters, may this Synod be a true season of the Spirit! For we need the Spirit, the ever new breath of God, who sets us free from every form of self-absorption, revives what is moribund, loosens shackles and spreads joy. The Holy Spirit guides us where God wants us to be, not to where our own ideas and personal tastes would lead us. Father Congar, of blessed memory, once said: “There is no need to create another Church, but to create a different Church”

CATHOLIC CEMETERIES

All Souls Day Mass Schedule

Mt. Olivet, Dickinson 10 a.m. Mass

Monsignor James B. Anderson

Officiating

Calvary, Galveston 10 a.m. Mass

Priest To Be Announced from Holy Family Parish

Holy Cross, North Main Houston 10 a.m. Mass

Father Thomas Hawxhurst

Officiating

Mt. Olivet Candle Light Ceremony 7 p.m. Mass

Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, and Father Larry Wilson

Co-Officiating

(True and False Reform in the Church).

That is the challenge. For a “different Church”, a Church open to the newness that God wants to suggest, let us with greater fervour and frequency invoke the Holy Spirit and humbly listen to him, journeying together as he, the source of communion and mission, desires: with docility and courage.

Come, Holy Spirit! You inspire new tongues and place words of life on our lips: keep us from becoming a “museum Church”, beautiful but mute, with much past and little future.

Come among us, so that in this synodal experience we will not lose our enthusiasm, dilute the power of prophecy, or descend into useless and unproductive discussions.

Come, Spirit of love, open our hearts to hear your voice!

Come, Holy Spirit of holiness, renew the holy and faithful People of God!

Come, Creator Spirit, renew the face of the earth! Amen.” †

For more Synod resources and information, visit the website at www.archgh.org/synod.

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Effective October 1

Father Ambrose Akinwande, MSP Pastor, St. Nicholas

Father Emmanuel Mbuk, MSP Administrator, St. Anne de Beaupre

Effective October 11

Father Tu Thanh Dinh, CSsR Parochial Vicar, St. Ambrose

Effective October 21

Father Clifford Oyati, MSP In Residence, St. Nicholas

Father Valentine Ugochukwu, MSP Vice Mission Director of MSP Mission Development Office

PASTORAL APPOINTMENTS IN BRIEF

Asian Mass set for Oct. 31

HOUSTON — The Annual Archdiocesan Asian Mass will be held on Sunday, Oct. 32 at 2:30 p.m., at Christ the Incarnate Word Parish, located at 8503 S Kirkwood Rd. in Houston.

The annual Mass celebrates diverse Asian cultures †

Café Catholica Lite set for November

HOUSTON — The Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry will host the next Café Catholica Lite at St. Frances Cabrini Church, located at 10727 Hartsook St. in Houston, on Nov. 4, from 7 to 8:45 p.m.

The speaker for the in-person event is Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese. His topic will be “The Diverse Face of the Church in Houston: Heaven is Here!”

The night will include light snacks, the talk, a Q&A and communal prayer. The talk will be available to view online as well at www.archgh.org/cafecatholica.

For more information, contact the Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry at yacm@archgh.org or 713-741-8778. †

Food assistance distributions continue

HOUSTON — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston continues to offer food assistance with drive-through distribution at three locations: the Guadalupe Center in Houston, appointments required; Mamie George Community Center (MGCC) in Richmond, appointments required; and Beacon of Hope in Galveston, a Galveston County super distribution site.

In Galveston, distribution is on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 4700 Broadway, Ste. F-103, in Galveston. The next distributions are on Oct. 27 and Nov. 10, starting at 9 a.m. No appointments required. Call 409-762-2064 for more information.

In Fort Bend, the MGCC is a Houston Food Bank super distribution site, and appointments are required.

Distributions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The next monthly food fair is scheduled for Oct. 30. For assistance, call 281-202-6200.

At the Guadalupe Center in Houston, drive-through distributions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, appointment not required. For addresses, times and to make an appointment, visit www.catholiccharities.org/ food or call 713-874-6521. †

On Oct. 9, Pope Francis formally opened the Synod with a message greeting the faithful, clergy and bishops attending. The following is an excerpt of his message:

LOCAL

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLAR SEMIFINALISTS

High schools in the Archdiocese celebrate the success of 23 of their students.

Caring for the poor and homeless is an ‘act of mercy’

WATERS, from page 1

reports suggest that at least 74.7 million people have lost work, with most having jobs in industries that pay below-average wages, said Human Rights Watch (HRW). Most of these people who lost work said that they were running out of money and savings, putting them at risk for eviction or homelessness.

In January, some 24 million adults reported experiencing hunger, and more than six million said they feared eviction or foreclosure that spring due to their inability to make housing payments, according to HRW. By contrast, higher-income people have been relatively unscathed financially.

and sanitize between showers.”

Father Perez said between 17 to 20 people visit with the showers each Wednesday.

“It is an honor for us to serve Christ in the poor and homeless,” he said. “It is great to see volunteers come up from our parish to help out,” noting that volunteers also come from outside the parish community.

IN SERVICE TO OTHERS

According to a January 2021 report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, more people were homeless in Texas last year, with 9.4 out of every 10,000 people having experienced homelessness at some point throughout the year.

The report included include an increase in homelessness by 27,220 people or 5.3% over 2019, and a 2.2% increase, or 580,466 people in the nation, who experienced homelessness in the United States on a single night.

Of the people documented as homeless, 51.5% were sheltered, while 48.5% were not.

In Houston specifically, a 2021 count and survey by the Houston Coalition for the Homeless found that one in seven people experiencing unsheltered homelessness cited the Coronavirus as the reason for their homelessness. Many cited job loss or reduction in hours as the triggering event.

These struggles are where St. Joseph and Moving Waters hope to step in to help. The relationship between Moving Waters and St. Joseph began when someone connected Father Perez with the ministry.

And

Guided by the Catholic Faith, we serve people of all beliefs.

People of Faith. Helping People in Need.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this new opportunity to serve our homeless sisters and brothers and expand our reach,” said Jennifer Park, Moving Waters founder and executive director. “We look forward to creating and fostering a community of volunteers and guests as we have done at our other shower locations in northwest Houston.”

Father Perez lauded Park’s efforts in spearheading the ministry, noting she has been at the parish each Wednesday. Moving Waters also provides showers on Mondays in Spring and on Saturdays in Tomball. The organization welcomed volunteers needing to greet visitors and to clean shower stalls after each use. The group is also collecting men’s and women’s socks and underwear.

Part of Father Perez’s vision for the parish is to follow Jesus’s teaching to care for the poor and homeless, which he called “an act of mercy.”

This often includes visiting with them in the parish park, during food service and social ministry efforts. Despite challenges with homeless ministry, Father Perez finds inspiration in the new joint effort and the support coming from parishioners.

“I love seeing how parishioners leave food and soap for them or even order food for them to be delivered to them. We are all poor in God’s eyes and brothers and sisters. I am grateful that they also respect the church, and we are able to leave it open.”

Near downtown Houston, St. Joseph is a prime location to serve the homeless. Father Perez had already seen a need for such services, having considered building showers on church property.

“It costs us nothing. What a gift of God,” he said. “The trailer is beautiful, and they really want to restore the dignity of the homeless. Inside there are messages on the wall like “You are loved. We have volunteers who spray

Though not formally a Catholic organization, sources shared that four of the five board members are parishioners at Catholic parishes in Houston. Founded in 2019, the nonprofit has received support from the Cameron and Scanlan foundations. It also had a verbal agreement to serve the Magnificat House in Houston during the summer.

To learn more or to volunteer, visit movingwaters-houston.org. †

with your support, Catholic Charities provides help and hope to people in need, especially the poor and vulnerable. Our network of life-changing programs work together to alleviate poverty.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HOUSTON Volunteers prepare the shower trailers at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Houston.

Jubilee time a chance to understand how God has been ‘present and guiding’ life ‘all the way’

with my mother and aunts when they would help the Dominican sisters at church,” Carbajal said.

Sister Carmen Sanchez, celebrating her 50th anniversary, is now directing St. Martha’s Kitchen. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her staff fed more than 200 people a day with hot to-go meals from its pantry and kitchen off Navigation and Jensen Drive.

“About 65% are homeless, and the rest are poor families and elderly. Some even come in wheelchairs. But I receive as much from them in spirit as I give,” Sanchez said.

Because of COVID-19, this year was the first time in the past two years that Daniel Cardinal DiNardo celebrated a Jubilee Mass this Oct. 10 at St. Anne Catholic Church, along with retired Auxiliary Bishop George A. Sheltz, celebrating his own 50th anniversary, and more than 70 sisters and priests who reached milestone anniversaries during both 2020 and 2021.

Monsignor Bill Young, 77, pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on Buffalo Speedway for the past 12 years, celebrated his 51st anniversary this year. But he truly celebrated his 50th last year with family, Monsignor Young said.

The church put together a 51st anniversary video on its website showing photos of Monsignor from childhood through ordination in 1970, as a teacher and principal, to his current work in the parish.

Feeling God’s call since he was an altar server in sixth grade, Monsignor Young said, “First of all, I would do the same path. I would walk myself to church. I just felt God’s presence — there were no falling stars.”

After surviving several heart surgeries, Monsignor said, “I came to the realization that every day is a treasure. You can’t wait for everything to be just right before you allow yourself to be happy. Every day

is a treasure.”

Sister Francisca Faseemo, S.S.M.A., feels that same joy and celebrated her 25th anniversary last December by returning to her native Nigeria to share with family and friends.

“This has been a beautiful way to give my life to God and to serve others. I attended Catholic high school and this gave me the inspiration to share the joy of giving your life and being in union with God through prayer,” said Sister Francisca, who came to Houston in 2015.

Father Chacko Puthumayil, who recently retired as pastor of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in La Marque, is celebrating his 50th anniversary this year after being ordained Dec. 14, 1971, in India.

He started his priestly ministry in the Vijayawada Diocese and was also a teacher of spiritual theology in seminary

before coming to Houston in 1997 and acting as parochial vicar at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land.

“I helped serve in 27 to 30 different communities plus studied in Rome

and traveled to the Holy Land,” Father Puthumayil. “I feel happy,” he said, en route to Chicago to visit family and then on to India.

Vicar for Religious Sister Francesca Kearns, CCVI, helping to organize the Jubilarian celebration and celebrating her own Diamond Jubilee after taking vows at Villa de Matel 60 years ago, said, “Jubilee time is… a time to ponder the mystery of how God has been present and guiding us all the way, even when we were unaware of his guidance. It’s a time of gratitude for the people we have served with and ministered to.”

She added, “It’s a time of humility to recognize how the people whom we served taught us so much and revealed to us the deeper meaning of our vocation and our next best step in ministry. Graced by a grateful pause, we are renewed to live the present with passion and to embrace the future with hope. As Cardinal DiNardo reminded us in his homily, our lives and communities have prepared us to enter fully into the Synod of 2023.” †

PHOTO BY MEGAN DOHERTY

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo celebrated a Jubilee Mass Oct. 10 at St. Anne Catholic Church to celebrate the jubilees of more than 70 sisters and priests who reached milestone anniversaries during both 2020 and 2021.

Charity Guild of Catholic Women kick off centennial of sisterhood with year of celebration

Special Mass brings together members and founder’s descendants

By ANNETTE BAIRD herald Correspondent

HOUSTON — The Charity Guild of Catholic Women kicked off its 100thanniversary celebrations with a special Mass on Oct. 13 at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. More than 350 people turned out for the event, at which Daniel Cardinal DiNardo paid tribute to Kate Carroll, who founded the guild in 1922.

Cardinal DiNardo described how the guild and San José Clinic, which the guild helped birth around the same time, were like two diamonds woven into the thread of the Catholic faith in Houston.

“Because they are brilliant, and they are important to the city,” he said. “It’s a beautiful indication of how superb the faith of women is and what they can do. Each member of the guild plays a role.”

Among those in attendance were several of Carroll’s descendants, who had come in from Austin. Garret Goeters said though he’d never met his greatgrandmother, he’d learned she was a devout Catholic who said the Rosary every morning and evening and was all about service.

“It’s humbling to see what she did — it inspires you to leave your own legacy if you can,” Goeters said.

Carroll brought a group of almost 60 women together to her home with the mission to help disadvantaged children in Houston, with each donating $1 as seed money. Shortly after, Monsignor George Walsh of Annunciation Church asked the group for help in starting a free clinic for a growing Mexican population, and what is now known as the San José Clinic was born. The group also began sewing layettes to distribute to immigrant families who came to the clinic, an activity that the guild’s sewing

IN BRIEF

Founded in 1922 to help disadvantaged children in Houston, the Charity Guild of Catholic Women is celebrating its centennial with various events that started with a special Mass on Oct. 13 and will culminate with a Mass in November 2022 at the Church of the Annunciation. The Charity Guild Shop, the guild’s main source of income for its philanthropy, will host monthly themes and client appreciations. Also planned are a family event at the zoo next April in collaboration with San José Clinic and a gala in October 2022. The guild is also making a centennial book.

To become a member, women need a sponsor and should be a practicing Catholic. Would-be members can request a sponsor if they don’t have one. The guild accepts a new class of members once a year in the spring. New members go through a year of training at the consignment shop and are required to work 100 hours a year there. Charities that want to apply for a grant should be a charity that helps children and have a sponsor from the guild. For more information, visit charityguildshop.org.

committee continues to this day.

“She must have been a high-energy woman,” guild President Ginger Niemann said.

The group of women held fundraising events and put in volunteer hours at the clinic. In 1940, the guild adopted a formal name and elected its first president. Seeking a reliable income, the guild opened the consignment shop in 1952 in the 1600 block of Westheimer. By 1960, the guild had generated enough funds to buy its current property on Lovett Boulevard.

Since then, the guild has been able to build a larger facility for retail, office and meeting space and more recently added more retail and parking space. Most importantly, the shop, staffed solely by volunteers, has enabled the guild to raise millions of dollars over the decades for the San José Clinic, the largest recipient, and more than 150 charities that support children in need in all aspects of their lives, from education and recreation to healthcare and housing.

“I’m in awe of the vision and foresight the guild had to buy the building in Montrose back in 1960 and the subsequent new construction in 2010, which doubled the size of the building,” Niemann said.

Niemann said last year’s COVID-19 restrictions put a large dent in income for the shop, which was closed from March to August. However, she said since the shop reopened, albeit with a shorter week, a different consignment process

and a diminished volunteer base, and the business has bounced back.

“It’s amazing how our members stepped up — they were willing to work a little harder and do more things than they did before,” Niemann said.

Today, the guild counts almost 600 members, and the consignment shop is a $2 million a year business. The guild keeps a percentage of the sales, which amounts to around $500,000. The rest goes back to the consigners. The guild has set a goal to give away $1 million over the two-year period during the centennial celebrations.

While the guild’s main mission is to raise funds to assist children in need, Niemann said the guild members also support each other through their works of mercy, their faith and their friendship. As well as putting in volunteer hours at the shop, required of active members, there are the various committees to serve on — from Liturgy and capital improvements to sewing and crafts.

“The guild is really like a sisterhood,” Niemann said. “You get to know a lot of people, and there is a lot of prayer and support provided.”

Barbara Montalbano, a member since 1985, can vouch for that.

Though Montalbano no longer is an active member, she values the friendships she made and enrichment received in her spiritual life. Diana Fraustro, a member since 2013, also enjoys the friendship and the opportunity to do something good for children.

“I like the feeling that you are part of something bigger than yourself,” Fraustro said. †

Photos courtesy of c harity Guild of c atholic Women

a photo of past presidents of the charity Guild of catholic Women of long ago, and a photo of past presidents of the organization today.

Archdiocesan ministries collaborate to provide formation, evangelization programs for parishes

By KERRy McGuIRE herald Correspondent

HOUSTON — The call of the faithful to reflect the light of Christ and proclaim the Gospel to build up the Kingdom of God today and for future generations is fundamental to the missionary role of the Church. This requires a well-formed faith and focus on evangelization efforts from leadership at all levels of parish life. Responsible for these efforts in the Archdiocese is the Secretariat for Pastoral and Educational Ministries, which assists 146 parishes across 10 counties.

The 2021 Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) provides funding for the programs and staffing of 13 ministries that collaborate to provide parish leaders with comprehensive pastoral ministry formation and evangelization initiatives through the Pastoral and Educational Ministries.

The Archdiocesan Evangelization Commission assists parishes with the development, oversight and evaluation of various evangelization initiatives. This includes fostering discussions between parish leaders and the Pastoral and Educational Ministries on how to maintain an evangelizing focus in all efforts.

Pastors and parish pastoral councils also receive help with discernment of new council members, council development and planning, and retreats that are provided by secretariat staff and volunteers.

“The commission has sponsored many initiatives for parishes, including ‘Disciples in Mission’ and ‘Renew,’ both for small-group evangelization, and ‘Faith Comes by Hearing,’ an audioBible listening program,” said Jim Barrette, director of the Evangelization Commission and the Secretariat for Pastoral and Educational Ministries.

“We regularly review a number of programs, organizations and movements related to evangelization, and once the reviews are complete, recommendations are made to Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. Once approved, these programs are offered and promoted as an additional resource to our parishes to maintain an evangelizing focus in all efforts.”

Another ministry provided through Pastoral and Educational Ministries is the Office of Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization (OACE). It provides leadership, formation and resources in comprehensive youth ministry for parishes to effectively form adolescents into lifelong disciples in the Catholic tradition.

One of its popular events is the annual Archdiocesan Youth Conference (AYC), designed to give youth an opportunity to celebrate their faith, learn about their role in the local Church, lead them into a deeper relationship with Christ and challenge them to live out their faith as Disciples of Christ when they return home.

Participants encounter Jesus Christ through their peers, youth ministry leaders, priests, local and national speakers, workshops, and in the Eucharist and the Sacraments of the Church.

The Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry (YACM) provides worship, formation, retreats and fellowship

opportunities for young adults in their late teens, 20s and 30s. Within the Archdiocese, the ministry is active in more than 50 parishes in English and 40 parishes in Spanish (or bilingual).

The YACM Office provides support and formation for all parish-based young adult ministry leaders, including events and retreats to gather all young adults together throughout the year. One of these key programs is Café Catholica, an annual summer series that features dynamic speakers, prayer, and socializing. Café Catholica Lite takes the excitement of the summer event and offers the program throughout the year at different parishes.

Through the Family Life Ministry, the Pastoral and Educational Ministries also provides individuals and couples preparing for the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage with extensive support and resources offered in both English and Spanish. Programs include marriage discernment, couple’s assessments, marriage preparation programs, a marriage timeline, and other useful marriage preparation information.

“’Transformados en el Amor,’a marriage preparation program for our Spanishspeaking members of the community, is a modern and sacramentally rich perspective of marriage that encourages many couples to elevate their love to our Lord,” said Ricardo Medina, director of the Family Life Ministry.

“We also offer ‘Before the Vows,’ our newest marriage preparation program created in Houston, especially for our Millennial, college-educated couples. We feel that it offers an undiluted, engaging and vibrant Catholicism preparing our couples for a lifelong journey of love.”

The Office of Evangelization and Catechesis (OEC) offers families a new infant baptismal preparation program, “Springs of Faith,” that was co-developed by Loyola Press and the Archdiocese.

Juan Carlos Moreno, associate director of the OEC, said the program is innovative because it has three different components aimed at evangelizing family members according to where they are in their faith walk.

“For those that may be seeking or have questions about the Catholic faith, the program includes a ‘Discover’ phase

The 2021 Diocesan Services Fund theme draws from a hope: “Walk in the Light of Christ.” 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 60-plus ministries.

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

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

Downtown Chancery | 1700 San Jacinto | Houston, TX 77002

Development

Associate Director of Development

Development Coordinator

Parish Accounting Services

Staff Accountant

Metropolitan Tribunal

Secretary/Notary

St. Dominic Chancery | 2403 Holcombe Blvd. | Houston, TX 77021

Construction and Preventive Maintenance

Associate Director - Construction Project Manager

Pastoral Minister Special Youth Services

Huntsville, Sam Houston State University

Director of Catholic Campus Ministry

Sam Houston State University

Dickinson

Director of Catholic Cemeteries

Mt. Olivet Cemetery

Plantersville

Instructor/Summer Programming Team Member

Camp Kappe School of Environmental Education (S.E.E.)

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.

Photo courtesy of r icardo m edina “transformados en el amor,” a marriage preparation program for spanish-speaking members of the community, was held at cameron retreat center.

IN mEmoRIa

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

Nov. 1, 1915 Rev. Anthony Truchard

Nov. 1, 1950 Msgr. Thomas A. Carney

Nov. 1, 1977 Rev. Joseph I. Reardon, OP

Nov. 4, 1967 Rev. Henry T. Schroeder

Nov. 7, 1957 Rev. F.B. Hardy

Nov. 8, 1907 Rev. Anthony Kripajitis

Nov. 10, 1940 Rev. Daniel Leahy

Nov. 10, 1967 Rev.William A. Sheehan,CSB

Nov. 10, 2002 Rev. Henry J. Planinsek, CSSp

Nov. 10, 2015 Rev. Nils F. Thompson, OFM

Nov. 14, 1983 Msgr. A.L. O’Connell

Nov. 14, 2003 Rev. Richard J. Schiefen, CSB

Nov. 17, 1963 Msgr. James T. Fleming

Nov. 17, 1969 Msgr. John J. Ruddy

Nov. 17, 1982 Msgr. Anton J. Frank

Nov. 17, 1989 Msgr. Teodoro de la Torre

Nov. 18, 1957 Msgr. Marius S. Chataignon

Nov. 18, 1987 Msgr. J.J. Roach

Nov. 19, 1913 Rev. Thomas Hennessy

Nov. 19, 1966 Rev. George B. Black

Nov. 20, 1967 Rev. Edward J. Sullivan,CSB

oBItuaRy

DSF, from page 7

where families are engaged to openly discuss faith concepts while learning about Catholic beliefs and practices,” said Moreno. “The ‘Encounter’ phase is the traditional part of baptismal preparation and is aimed at fully preparing parents for the holy and joyous sacramental celebration by covering the entire Rite of Baptism. Finally, the ‘Share’ phase is designed to lay the foundation for a meaningful, lifelong practice of their baptismal call in the parish.”

Jerome’s Hope, offered by the Office of Pro-Life Activities (PLA), provides healing support for parents and families that experience a miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss or

St.

prenatal diagnosis.

“Jerome’s Hope serves as a support to families during a time of grief when many parents feel alone and unsure where to turn,” said Julie Fritsch Dumalet, JD, director of PLA. “The ministry team works with families suffering miscarriage and infant loss and those receiving prenatal diagnosis. Our team provides accompaniment, answers to practical questions about burial and memorial rites, retreats for parents, opportunities for spiritual direction, counseling and much more.”

For additional information and a comprehensive list of ministries offered through the Pastoral and Educational Ministries, visit https:// www.archgh.org/pem. †

Michael the Archangel Catholic Church

1801 Sage Road, Houston, Texas 77056, 713-621-4370

CURRENT OPENING FOR COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

The Coordinator for Communications creates and delivers St. Michael’s communications strategy. Working with parish clergy, ministerial staff, Pastoral Associates and volunteers to promote purpose and mission of St. Michael through bulletins, website and special projects as deemed necessary by the Pastor. Interested applicants can visit the parish website (https://stmichaelchurch.net/) for the full job description and details on how to apply. Send resumes via email to Bob Bayse at: bbasye@stmichaelchurch.net

WISH TO ADVERTISE IN the Texas Catholic Herald?

visit us online to download a media kit www.archgh.org/TCH

Nov. 20, 1976 Rev. William H. Wood, MM

Nov. 20, 2006 Rev. David J. Cardenas

Nov. 22, 1969 Rev. L.A. Sampson

Nov. 22, 1985 Rev. Francis Knobloch

Nov. 22, 2002 Rev. John J. Ward, OMI

Nov. 23, 1935 Rev. Patrick J. Walsh, SSJ

Nov. 23, 2004 Msgr. Thomas A. Donovan

Nov. 24, 1992 Rev. Lionel LaCasse, MS

Nov. 25, 1858 Rev. Edward Clare

Nov. 25, 1933 Msgr. George T. Walsh

Nov. 25, 1982 Msgr. John D. Connolly

Nov. 25, 1992 Rev. Joseph G. Alvarez

Nov. 25, 2007 Msgr. William P. Robertson

Nov. 26, 1934 Rev. Henry F. Rops

Nov. 27, 1967 Rev. Francis Duffy, OMI

Nov. 27, 2009 Msgr. Lawrence Lee

Nov. 28, 2002 Rev. Daniel McKenna, OMI

Nov. 28, 2014 Rev. Antonio T.J. Martinez SJ

Nov. 29, 1934 Rev. Paul Puigserver, TOR

Nov. 30, 1941 Rev. Joseph F. Hanek

Nov. 30, 1947 Rev. Narcise P. Denis, SSJ

Deacon Frederick Joseph Kossegi

HOUSTON — Deacon Frederick Joseph Kossegi, a deacon at St. John Vianney Catholic Church since 1999, died Sept. 30. He was 93.

The funeral Mass was celebrated Oct. 11 at St. John Vianney Catholic Church. Interment is in the VA Houston National Cemetery. †

Expand and deepen our hearts

Please pray for all victims of violence everywhere and their families. Pray for those being executed in Texas and their families:

November 10: Kosoul Chanthakoummane

November 17: Ramiro Gonzales

Bayou Awakening returns in November

HOUSTON — Any young adults ages 18 to 25 are invited to the Bayou Awakening #30 Retreat. Awakening seeks to bring young adults to a personal encounter with Christ, provide an opportunity for spiritual renewal and connect young adults to the Catholic Church. The retreat will be held Nov. 12 to 14 at Cameron Retreat Center, located at 2403 Holcombe Blvd. in Houston. The cost is $80 per person, and there are scholarships available. To request a scholarship, contact the Young Adult and Campus Ministry office at yacm@archgh.org or 713-741-8778.

Deadline to register is Oct. 29. For more information and to register go to www.archgh.org/ bayouawakening. †

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Photo by Gabriel c ouriel Cafe Catholica was held in person this past summer, hosted by the Office of Young Adult and Campus ministry.

P hoto courtesy of st. vincent de Paul catholic church monsignor bill young, pastor of st. vincent de Paul catholic church in houston, blessed a pet during the parish’s annual pet blessing on oct. 2.

P hoto courtesy of e P i P hany catholic church on oct. 2, epiphany of the lord catholic church hosted its annual blessing of the Pets. father tom lam, parish pastor, said a special blessing and sprinkled the animals with holy water.

eduCAtion

23 seniors named National Merit semifinalists

HOUSTON — Twenty-three high school seniors in the Archdiocese of GalvestonHouston were named semifinalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship program (NMSC), based on scores on last year’s Preliminary SAT college-entrance tests.

The mission of NMSC is to recognize and honor the academically talented students of the United States. NMSC accomplishes its mission by conducting nationwide academic scholarship programs.

The students recognized are Anna E. Lackner and Ashlyn G. Miller of Frassati Catholic High School in Spring; Nicole M. Cross and Emily C. Quin of Incarnate Word Academy; Nicole M. Ahlgren, Kate K. Litton, Juliana M. Pratt, Kaeden R. Reese and Karis R. Williams of St. Agnes Academy; Janice H. Lin, Gray A. Podolak and Mary Margaret E. Speed of St. John XXIII College Preparatory in Katy; Thanh-Vinh McColloster and Elijah W. Phillips of St. Thomas High School; and Mason M. Abrell, Jackson A. Berger, Vail A. Chen, Christopher J. Demoor, Andrew W. Hung, Grigoriy Y. Nikulin, Kile R. Stenoien, Jonathan S. Taffet and Jarvis Y. Xie of Strake Jesuit

College Preparatory.

The prestigious competition identifies top students from around the country who’ve excelled academically based on their scores on the 2020 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Less than 1% of high school students achieve this honor.

These students now have the opportunity to continue in the scholarship competition to be among the 7,500 high school students who will earn National Merit Scholarships. The program expects to award nearly $30 million to students around the country.

In order for the semifinalists to become National Merit Finalists, they must submit a detailed scholarship application, providing information about their academic record, their involvement in school and community activities, their leadership abilities and other honors received.

The National Merit Scholarship Program estimates that 15,000 students will advance to the finalist level. National Merit Scholars will be named on the basis of their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in college. †

ANNA LACKNER ASHLYN MILLER NICOLE CROSS EMILY QUIN JANICE LIN

GRAY PODALAK

MARY MARGARET SPEED NICOLE AHLGREN KATE LITTON JULIANA PRATT

ELIJAH PHILLIPS MASON ABRELL

HUNG GRIGORIY NIKULIN

Archdiocesan schools show appreciation to healthcare workers ‘in quantity’ with 1,000 cards

By REBEccA ToRRELLAs

Texas Catholic herald

HOUSTON — Students at several Catholic schools around the Archdiocese made cards to show their appreciation for area healthcare workers, including nurses, doctors and staff at St. Luke’s hospitals.

Joel James, Texas division senior vice president of Mission Integration at St. Luke’s Health, said a risk manager came up with the idea of getting the healthcare workers cards to lift their spirits during the long battle with COVID-19.

“We were brainstorming with each other in the executive team on how can we encourage these brave caregivers that are just relentlessly tending to people,” he said.

Cards, posters and drawings poured in from schools in the Archdiocese. Over a thousand cards were received, and even a video was made by one of the schools. Many included handwritten messages of gratitude, with one from a 7-year-old student: “Please do not give up because my uncle died from COVID-19... I want to be a doctor when I grow up I love you guys so much you are the best ever!!!”

“It will make you cry because the children are so sweet,” he said. “It is the cutest thing you ever saw. We’re using (parts of the video) in our town hall meetings.”

James said they asked as many people in the community as they could, and it was the Catholic schools who responded “Fast and in quantity.”

He said the cards were uplifting for a group of workers who are dealing with very difficult circumstances.

cso updatE

“We went through one surge, and then we had a second surge come through, and Delta... We actually peaked at a higher level of people being sick (this time) than we did at the peak of the first surge,” James said.

He added that the entire Texas Medical Center lost staff, which means the healthcare workers are doing 100% of the work that the COVID-19 pandemic demanded but with only 75% of the staff they had in January 2021.

“If you can imagine going through a very traumatizing, very difficult task, getting through it, huffing and thinking, ‘well, we got through that,’ and looking up and somebody saying, ‘Well, I got another one for you, and it’s going to be a little harder,” he said. “It’s unbelievable. The people who are left are true heroes. They’re the toughest people that, I think, God made.”

James says that while the healthcare workers and staff are heroes to all of us, they almost reject the word “hero.”

“They don’t want to be seen as extraordinary, but they do want to be seen,” he said. “One of the greatest rewards they can get right now is just being understood. They just want people to know. And that’s what these cards have been doing.”

James said banners were created so that, eventually, the 18 St. Luke’s hospital locations in his division would get a banner and some cards. Cards were also available virtually through a shared drive in the hospital’s system.

“I don’t know how to say ‘thank you’ enough,” he said. “I’m really struggling. This kind of appreciation from the pure hearts of the children is the kind of thing they need.” †

NWEA MAP Growth assessment helps students take ownership of their learning

By LEsLIE BARRERA special to the herald

HOUSTON — As the academic year is in full swing for the students of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese, it has become increasingly apparent that the quick response from schools in last year’s shift to virtual learning and the implementation of their ‘Returning to Learning’ plans has helped to increase learning retention and start off the year at higher than anticipated levels of growth.

Like their public-school counterparts, Catholic school students are given standardized assessments throughout the year. Their results help educators assess the best ways to help guide and improve student performance.

The Archdiocese has implemented a standardized assessment program that aligns with the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools (NSBECS) and the requirements of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Education Department (TCCB ED). One of the main differences between Catholic school and public school standardized testing is that while public school districts in Texas administer the state-referenced STAAR assessment, the network of Catholic

schools has used the nationally normed National Catholic Educational Association’s ACRE (Assessment of Children Religious Education) exam and also the IOWA assessment in the past.

The 2021-2022 academic year has welcomed the NWEA MAP Growth assessment, a computer adaptive test, to Archdiocesan Catholic schools. Assistant Superintendent of Academic Excellence Renee’ Nunez said it’s going very well.

The program helps teachers monitor students’ and class progress, she said. The results help guide instruction and content.

“Data can also be used to help individual students to set their own goals, understand what they need to learn, and take ownership of their learning,” she said.

The introduction of the new assessment tool is expected to strengthen a teacher’s ability to work with students building on the results received in math, reading, language and science. As the year progresses, the Catholic Schools Office looks forward to tracking the student growth and positive progress across the system of schools.

For more information and for a copy of the Parents’ Guide on the Assessment data for Archdiocesan Catholic Schools, visit ChooseCatholicSchools.org/assessmentdata. †

holy G host school st. ed Ward school

duchesne academy of the sacred heart

Open Position Director of Liturgy

St. Bartholomew the Apostle Catholic Church

St. Bartholomew the Apostle Catholic Church exists to spread the good news that God loved us first, so we seek to do His will. We believe that ultimately His will is the salvation of our souls, to live in perfect beatitude. We are sent , therefore, to make intentional sacramental disciples.

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION

The Director of Liturgy for St. Bartholomew the Apostle Catholic Church serves the role of directing all liturgical activities of the paris h. This involves coordinating ministers and volunteers and continuing to advance the dignity, beauty, and integrity of the liturgy.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES

LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISION: Supervises, collaborates with, and supports Liturgy Task Force at regular meetings for liturgies throughout the year. Recruits, trains, and supports the liturgical volunteers and ministers in their respective roles. Acts as a resource to the staff on matters relating to the liturgy. Updates staff on developments in the liturgy and how these affect their areas of responsibility. Determines the liturgical needs of the parish in cooperation with the pastor. Prepares and submits a liturgy budget annually.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT: Assists parish staff in liturgical and sacramental preparation. Assists clergy and Director of Music in funeral planning and in preparing worship aids for funerals. Schedules and implements training for all liturgical volunteers and ministers. Maintains current knowledge of liturgical norms and documents.

FACILITATION AND COORDINATION: Coordinates rites and liturgical services in conjunction with RCIA team, Office of Ev angelization and Catechesis, and other parish organizations as deemed necessary by the pas tor. Serves as liaison between parish and funeral homes and/or families to schedule times for relevant liturgies. Meets with family members and/or friends of deceased to assist with preparations for relevant liturgies. Coordinates with wedding coordinator for nuptial liturgies. Meets with wedding couples to assist with preparation for liturgical celebrations. Facilitates the worship life of the parish and prepares Mass scripts for Masses and other liturgies, particularly the Triduum. Coordinates the scheduling and preparation of special activities when needed.

ADMINISTRATION: Ensures an adequate supply of liturgical items (altar bread, wine, incense, etc.). Ensures timely ordering of liturgical books. Ensures there is an adequate supply of clean liturgical linen. Orders and purchases all necessary liturgical materials within planned budget. Requests maintenance/repair of parish sound and video systems.

OPPORTUNITY FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH: Supports and empowers the spiritual growth of volunteers and ministers.

MINOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Attends and contributes at regular staff meetin gs. Participates in staff events, such as workshops, retreats, lunches, and planning. Participates in calendar planning. Follows policies and procedures of the parish and archdiocese. Under supervision of and in collaboration with the pastor, performs other tasks and responsibilities as assigned by the pastor or his delegate. Engages proactively in professional development and spiritual growth to strive towards excellence and service.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE JOB

EDUCATION: Must hold at least a bachelor's degree in Catholic theology and/or a degree related to Catholic theology and/or liturgy. Must be knowledgeable of Catholic liturgy, including liturgical documents and music resources.

EXPERIENCE: Must have 5+ years of experience leading liturgical ministry in a Catholic parish.

OTHER: Must be knowledgeable of Roman Missal, Lectionary, General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Sacrosanctum Concilium, and Musicam Sacram. Must be enthusiastically motivated to promote a liturgy that truly follows the teachings and liturgical norms of the Catholic Church as written by the father s of Vatican II, following the "hermeneutic of continuity" as taught and promoted by Pope Benedict XVI.

Must demonstrate the ability of serving collabor atively with other members of parish staff. Must have exemplary communication skills, working well with adults and children, coordinating with the whole community, in cluding Spanish-speaking Hispanics. Fluency in Spanish is recommended though not required.

KEY COMPETENCIES

Effective communication with ministers.

Ability to recruit & train ministers.

Ability to relate to people of various cultures and points of view.

CONTACT: For further information please contact or submit resume & cover letter to Fr. Christopher Plant at: cplant@st-bart.org.

Walk in the LIGHT CHRIST

Your gift allows Christ’s light to shine brightly through the 60 plus DSF ministries. Please join us this year as we come together as Catholics to serve the community. Your support is needed now more than ever. As always, each of you are in my prayers.

D aniel C ardinal D i N ardo Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

YOUTH

Have you ever wondered if you have the ability to become a saint? COVID-19 impacted all our lives, so I decided to spend my COVID-19 isolation researching on the internet about that question.

Why? Because in Matthew 28:19 (NAB), Jesus instructs the 11 to “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations,” and it has been the mission of the Church through the commissioning of the Apostles to continue “….teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.”

This instruction was applied to the whole world; not one nation or a certain group of people. Acts tells us that the 11 Apostles began following the instructions given by Christ, and through the Church, they continue today. Those instructions continue through the actions of the followers of Christ and are exemplified through the lives of saints.

Have you ever wondered if you were saint material? Do you know what a saint is? According to the Glossary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a Saint is defined as: “The ‘holy one’ who

Are you saint material?

leads a life in union with God through the grace of Christ and receives the reward of eternal life.”

Another way to say it is that a saint is a person who, during their life, was an example of God’s love for people as they followed Christ’s instructions as found in the Gospels and elaborated on in the other books of the Old Testament. That’s basically it.

by DAPHINE H. SANDS

Not all saints were priests, nuns or religious. They were bankers, authors, hairdressers, clerks, notaries, philanthropists, school teachers, parents or teens and people who, by their lives, showed the love of Christ to others. Saints come from every country in the world, like Ireland, Vietnam, Peru, Malaysia, Columbia, China and the United States. They are Native Americans, like Kateri Tekakwitha or of

CRC Annual Golf Tournament

Monday, November 15 at South Shore Harbour Golf Course

The CRC is the largest capacity Catholic retreat center in the Archdiocese. The CRC is owned by the Archdiocese and 100% financed by the laity. The Golf Tournament is our only event-based fundraiser.

Currently accepting sponsors, range $175 - $10,000

Currently accepting teams of four Details and registration information: retreatcentercrc.org

African descent like Josephine Bakhita; like Felicity and Perpetua during the reign of Nero, or living their faith through wars like Felipe de Jesus in the late 1500s, Maximillian Kolbe in a WWII concentration camp, and Oscar Romero in El Salvador in 1980. Some began their journey of service to our Lord like Carlo Acutis, who at the age of 11 in 2002, created a website dedicated to cataloging every reported Eucharistic miracle in the world and completing it in 2005.

Some, like Nicholas Black Elk, did not become a Catholic until he was well into his 40s, then became an active Catechist. Faustina established the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Teresa of Calcutta founded a congregation whose members adhere to the vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and to give “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.”

The Roman Catholic Church has a process for certifying a person as a saint. The process of achieving and receiving sainthood in the Catholic Church is called canonization. If you are

interested, detailed information of all of the steps are found online at www.usccb. org and in several YouTube channels. But to answer my question: Of course you are and yes you can! †

Daphine H. Sands, a retired City of Houston employee, is a member of St. Mary of the Purification where she is the coordinator for youth ministry and Assistant DRE.

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.

The Texas Catholic Herald is always looking for new stories! However, since the TCH staff cannot or cover all of the news in the Archdiocese, those in the community are a great resource for news stories and tips. Email story ideas to tCh@arChGh orG for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue.

For information on what to submit and issue deadline dates, visit the website at www.arChGh.orG/submissions

“The Great Commission continues through the actions of the followers of Christ and are exemplified through the lives of saints.”

c OlUmnisT A Wake-up Call: Growth in the senior population

As we look back on the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the greatest concerns of our Church leadership was the possibility of losing a significant number of parishioners, including their spiritual and financial support.

The pandemic and the creation of protocols and attendance guidelines resulted in large numbers of Catholics not attending Mass or receiving the Sacraments. When all protocols are lifted, the lingering question is, “Will they come back?”

I was particularly interested in what impact the protocols would have on senior adults since this age segment was identified as the most vulnerable group.

When my parish re-opened with new seating guidelines, it didn’t take long to see that the majority of returning churchgoers were senior adults, at least in the services I attended. Just looking around the church, it was obvious that the gray hairs were the majority. Then I asked myself why?

Without conducting exhaustive research, I would venture three key reasons why more senior adults attend Mass in person than other age segments.

Are there more senior adults?

First, there are now more senior adults in all parishes simply because adults are living longer than prior generations. According to U.S. Census data, the average life expectancy for men and women combined in 1950 was about 65.6 years. Today it is 78.9 years. As a result, there are more senior adults on average in all parishes.

Second, the U.S. is in the midst of absorbing the Baby Boomer generation into the U.S. population, some 78 million

births between 1946 and 1964. The oldest of the Boomers turned 65 in 2011. This is the largest number of births in any generation in the history of the U.S. About 10,000 Boomers turn age 65 every day and will continue the trend through 2030.

Third, according to ABC News, 60% of people age 65 and older report attending religious services at least once a week compared to 28% of 18- to 30-year-olds. Research has found that religious beliefs and practices increase with age.

Senior adult characteristics

According to sociologist Dean Hoge of the Catholic University of America, “Today’s maturing adults are different from those who came before. They are more motivated by a desire for personal purpose; also, they tend to be more participatory, more interested in active involvement with issues that matter.

Continuing… “Yet maturing adults are perhaps the least understood of any group within churches today. They are also the group that receives the least amount of focus on faith formation.”

Over the past 30 years, the birth rate in the U.S. has been steadily declining (Statista Research Jan. 2021), while the senior population is rapidly expanding.Yet many parishes continue to place more emphasis and resources on programs for children, youth and young adults while the faith formation needs of the fastestgrowing segment in the parish, senior adults, receive less attention.

A timely wake-up

The changing demographics should send an urgent wake-up call to the

Need Help?

If you or a loved one is in need of help, contact these Archdiocesan social services:

Catholic Charities

Food, clothing, emergency financial assistance, counseling, immigration assistance, veterans assistance, disaster recovery, refugees services, senior services and more. catholiccharities.org/need-help or 713-526-4611

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Home visits, food network, disaster relief, clothing and furniture. svdphouston.org/get-help or 713-741-8234

San José Clinic

Primary and specialty health care services, counseling and mental health services, dental and vision. sanjoseclinic.org or 713-228-9411

Church and all parishes. The senior adult population is not a temporary blip on the screen. The trend will continue expanding faster than all other age segments, with the 85 and older group being the fastest-growing segment. (Sex and Age Statistics Branch of the U.S. Census Bureau).

Many of the senior adult ministries in parishes have provided much-needed opportunities to gather in a wholesome and supportive environment to socialize and build relationships, an important need for all senior adults. Yet, as Paul Harvey, the noted journalist and commentator, used to say …” and the rest of the story”… is that senior adults have unique spiritual and practical needs that come with navigating the challenges and opportunities in the second half of life.

I do not suggest that a parish should reduce the religious and sacramental preparation programs for the youth; rather, there is a need to include an enhanced and relevant senior adult faith

sunday mass readinGs

O C tO b E r 31

First reading: Deut 6:2-6

responsorial Psalm: Ps 18:2-4, 47, 51

Second reading: Heb 7:23-28

Gospel: Mk 12:28-34

formation ministry in the overall parish faith formation plan. There is much to be gained by encouraging intergenerational involvement and sharing with existing formation ministries.

What should parishes do?

The first step is to recognize the senior adult population growth as an important and rapidly expanding opportunity to provide pastoral care to the fastest-growing segment in most parishes.

Second, the grand vision would be to eventually have an experienced and dedicated senior adult minister and team in all parishes. In the interim, there are numerous options a parish can consider in reaching out to seniors, including Bible study groups, adult education, fellowship gatherings, exercise programs and specialized programs for caregivers, the widowed, grandparents, tours, etc.

In closing, Richard P. Johnson, Ph.D., author of “Parish Ministry for Maturing Adults,” states, “Churches see the need for faith formation efforts at every phase and stage of life and are willing to make room for these efforts in budgets. Additionally, we are beginning to see curricular materials and resources targeted at the needs of maturing adults. All of this points to the need for a new vision of faith formation for maturing adults.” †

N OVE mb E r 7

First reading:

Bill Clarke is an associate director in the Office of Formation and Discipleship in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Permission has been granted to reprint this article.

”

Recognizing miracle, Pope Francis clears way for John Paul i’s beatification

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has signed a decree recognizing a miracle attributed to the intercession of Pope John Paul I, clearing the way for his beatification.

The Italian pope served only 33 days as pontiff; he died in the papal apartments Sept. 28, 1978, at the age of 65, shocking the world and a Church that had just mourned the death of St. Paul VI.

The Vatican announced Pope Francis’s decision along with a number of other sainthood decrees on Oct. 13.

In the sainthood cause of Pope John Paul I, the approved miracle involved a young girl in Buenos Aires, Argentina, who developed a severe case of acute encephalitis and uncontrollable and life-threatening brain seizures, and eventually entered septic shock.

After doctors told family members her death was “imminent,” the local priest encouraged the family, nurses and others to pray to the late pope for his intercession, according to the website of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. A panel of experts studying the cause determined there was no scientific explanation for her complete recovery in 2011 and that it could be attributed to the late pope’s intercession.

The Vatican did not immediately announce a date for the beatification ceremony.

Although his was one of the shortest papacies in history, Pope John Paul I left a lasting impression on the Church that fondly remembers him as “the smiling pope.”

His papal motto, “Humilitas” (“Humility”) not only emphasized a Christian virtue but also reflected his down-to-earth personality and humble beginnings.

Born Albino Luciani in the small Italian mountain town of Canale D’Agordo on Oct. 17, 1912, the future pope and his two brothers and one sister lived in poverty and sometimes went to bed hungry.

Despite his weak health and poverty, his father encouraged him to enter the minor seminary. He did so but would return to his hometown in the summers and often was seen working in the fields in his black cassock.

He was ordained a priest in 1935 and was appointed bishop of Vittorio Veneto in December 1958 by St. John XXIII. More than 10 years later, he was named patriarch of Venice by St. Paul VI and was created a cardinal in 1973.

During his time as patriarch of Venice, then-Cardinal Luciani was known for his dedication to the poor and the disabled, once calling on priests in his diocese to sell gold and silver objects for a center for people with disabilities. Leading by example, he started the fund drive by putting up for auction a pectoral cross

and gold chain — given to him by St. John XXIII — that had once belonged to Pope Pius XII.

His surprise election, after St. Paul VI’s death, did not sway him from continuing his humble manner of living, such as rejecting the use of the traditional papal tiara and calling his first Mass as pope the “inauguration” of his papal ministry rather than a coronation.

“Let us try to improve the Church by becoming better ourselves,” he said Sept. 13, 1978.“Each of us and the whole Church could recite the prayer I am accustomed to reciting: ‘Lord, take me as I am, with my defects, with my shortcomings, but make me become as you want me to be.’”

Among the other decrees signed Oct. 13, the pope recognized the martyrdom of Argentine Father Pedro Ortiz de Zárate and Italian Jesuit Father Giovanni Antonio Solinas, who were killed Oct. 27, 1683, in Abra de Zenta, Argentina.

They were evangelizing the mountainous area of northern Argentina with 10 laypeople, including local Indigenous people. The two priests were tortured and killed by members of two local Indigenous communities. The recognition of their martyrdom clears the way for their beatification, while the approval of a miracle would be needed for their canonization.

The other decrees approved by Pope Francis recognized:

• A miracle attributed to the intercession of Sister Ana Julia Duque Hencker, the Colombian founder of the Sisters of the Annunciation, who died in 1993. A date for her beatification was not announced.

• The heroic virtues of Spanish Father Diego Hernández González, who survived forced labor during the persecution of the Spanish Civil War and went on to dedicate his life to the sick and to establish a school to teach young women to read and write. He was born in 1915 and died in 1976.

• The heroic virtues of Italian Franciscan Father Giuseppe Spoletini, who was particularly dedicated to showing God’s mercy when administering the sacrament of reconciliation. He helped hide people being sought by German Nazis and Italian fascists during the Second World War in Italy. He was born in 1870 and died in 1951.

• The heroic virtues of French Sister Magdeleine Hutin, who was inspired by the life and writings of Blessed Charles de Foucauld and founded the Little Sisters of Jesus in Algeria. She was born in 1898 and died in 1989.

• The heroic virtues of Italian Sister Elisabetta Martinez, founder of the congregation of the Daughters of St. Mary of Leuca. She was born in 1905 and died in 1991. †

CNS Photo

Pope John Paul I, who served as pope for 33 days in 1978, is seen in this photo released by the Vatican Dec. 7, 2010, to highlight the restoration of its photo archive. Pope Francis has recognized a miracle attributed to the intercession of Pope John Paul I, clearing the way for his beatification.

nATiOn & sTATE

Debate, vote on proposed eucharistic document will top U.s. bishops’ agenda

WASHINGTON (CNS) — When the U.S. bishops gather for their fall assembly in Baltimore from Nov. 15 to 18, it will be the first in-person meeting of the full body of bishops since November 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the bishops’ June 2020 spring meeting, and their November 2020 fall assembly and June 2021 spring meeting were both held in a virtual format.

Topping the meeting’s agenda will be debate and votes on a proposed document on the Eucharist, “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” and on a eucharistic revival initiative.

During their spring meeting this past June, 75% of the U.S. bishops approved the drafting of a document addressed to all Catholic faithful on eucharistic coherence.

Part of the impetus for the bishops’ work on this document and a eucharistic revival to increase Catholics’ understanding and awareness of the Eucharist was a Pew study in the fall of 2019 that showed just 30% of Catholics “have what we might call a proper understanding of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist.”

2022. The three-year effort will include events on the diocesan level, such as eucharistic processions around the country, along with adoration and prayer.

In 2023, the emphasis will be on parishes with resources available at the parish level to increase Catholics’ understanding of what the Eucharist really means. This would culminate in a National Eucharistic Congress in the summer of 2024.

usccb general asssembly 2021

The Baltimore assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will begin with an address by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the U.S.

the bishops from the National Advisory Council, a group created by the USCCB that is comprised of religious and laypeople primarily for consultation on action items and information reports presented to the bishops’ Administrative Committee.

Life and Youth; and Migration.

The bishops elected will serve for one year as “elect” before beginning their three-year terms in their respective posts at the conclusion of the 2022 fall general assembly.

There also will be voting for board members for Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the U.S. bishops’ overseas relief and development agency, and the election of a new USCCB general secretary.

Father Michael J.K. Fuller, who was an associate general secretary, is currently interim general secretary. Archbishop Gomez named him to the post in July when Monsignor Jeffrey D. Burrill resigned.

Also scheduled to take place will be a consultation of the bishops on the sainthood causes of Charlene Marie Richard and Auguste Robert “Nonco” Pelafigue. Both have the title of “Servant of God” and were from the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, where Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel has officially opened their sainthood causes.

The eucharistic revival would launch on the feast of Corpus Christi in June

The bishops also will hear from Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the USCCB.

The agenda also includes a report to

Other action items on the agenda requiring debate and a vote will be an update of the “Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines;” a proposal to add St. Teresa of Kolkata to the “Proper Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States” as an optional memorial on Sept. 5; a resolution on diocesan financial reporting; new English and Spanish versions of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults; a translation of “Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery Outside Mass;”“National Statutes for the Catechumenate” in English and Spanish; and the USCCB’s 2022 budget.

During the assembly, the bishops also will vote for a treasurer-elect for the USCCB, as well as chairmen-elect of five standing committees: Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations; Divine Worship; Domestic Justice and Human Development; Laity, Marriage, Family

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Charlene, a young Cajun girl who died of leukemia in 1959 at age 12, is regarded by many in south Louisiana and beyond as a saint, saying her intercession has resulted in miracles in their lives. She is known as “The little Cajun saint.”

The 2007 Vatican document “Sanctorum Mater” requires the diocesan bishop promoting a sainthood cause to consult with the body of bishops on the advisability of pursuing the cause.

Public sessions of general assembly discussions and votes will be livestreamed at www.usccb.org/meetings. News updates, vote totals, texts of addresses, and presentations and other materials will be posted to this page.

Those wishing to follow the meeting on social media can use the hashtag #USCCB21 and follow it on Twitter, @ USCCB, as well as on Facebook, www. facebook.com/usccb, and Instagram, https://instagram.com/usccb. †

Panel explores how to answer encyclical’s call to care for one another

WASHINGTON (CNS) — In a dialogue that hinted at the themes of the 2023 Synod of Bishops, a panel of young leaders and Wilton Cardinal Gregory of Washington looked at the scriptural call that forms the central thesis of Pope Francis’ 2020 encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti.”

It’s the question asked of Jesus by His followers, “Who is my neighbor?” Cardinal Gregory said the encyclical is a road map by Pope Francis for how to engage in the most critical social issues of our time, and that begins with dialogue, he said Oct. 7 in the first of three gatherings this fall on how “Fratelli Tutti” calls young people to aid “our wounded Church and broken world.” The series is a joint project of the Archdiocese of Washington and the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University.

Scholas Occurrentes — a project of the pope’s aimed at developing young adults’ commitment to the common good that launched a Washington headquarters in May — also assisted with the arrangements for the program. Subsequent sessions will be held on Nov. 4 and Dec. 2. In his opening remarks, Cardinal Gregory said young people, especially during the pandemic, have shown how to reach out for the common good across differences of nationality, faith and beliefs. That shows the rest of the world the way forward through dialogue and relationship, he said. But he added, “Dialogue is not a one-and-done conversation. It is a process. That process includes discernment, accompaniment, listening and exchange.” †

CNS Photo

Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, Calif., speaks from the floor during the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore Nov. 12, 2019.

multifaceted approach needed to combat, end sex trafficking, says speaker

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Joyce McCauley-Benner said when she was growing up, she had “no notions or dreams” that one day she would become an advocate for victims of sex trafficking.

Nor did she ever dream she would manage a domestic violence shelter or a utility assistance program or the many other things she has done for 20plus years as an advocate for vulnerable populations, including domestic violence victims and low-income families.

Her “why” for doing this — as she was once asked to explain — comes from her own trauma of being raped years ago and from the stories of victim-survivors of sex trafficking she has met and helped in her work, she told an audience at The Catholic University of America in an address the evening of Oct. 13.

Her appearance was sponsored by Cardinals for Life, the campus pro-life group.

McCauley-Benner, a speaker with Feminists for Life, told the audience that “there isn’t one magical solution” to end sex trafficking.“It will take a multifaceted approach.”

“We have to address the drug epidemic that often causes broken homes. We have to end the over-sexualization of our children, teen’s and women’s bodies,” she said. “We must address why the demand is so high — and realize that this may implicate those in power who we seemingly want to trust but equally implicates loved ones we may actually know. This is a hard pill to swallow.”

Her “why” for her advocacy “became a combination of many life events, but one night stands out,” she said.

“I was working two jobs to support myself during college. One of my jobs was at a restaurant,” she recalled. “One night, seemingly out of the blue to me, the cook started to make sexual advances toward me. He would push me inside the cooler.

“No matter the number of times I broke free, it would happen again. I didn’t know how to cope with my fear, so I ignored it.”

He would grab her, and when he wasn’t doing that, he harassed her verbally, she said. He somehow knew things about her she said she had never shared with coworkers — he knew her neighborhood, where she went to school, her struggles. He promised her things, she said, which

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she refused. Then one night he raped her.

“My perpetrator wasn’t a trafficker, but he was a dealer with money,” McCauleyBenner said. “My one horrific night ended. But for so many more women, one night becomes a thousand nights. One perpetrator becomes many more.”

“It became easy for me to understand how the trafficking cycle worked,” she added, noting though that it was many years later when she took the job as a case manager and advocate for women involved in prostitution and trafficking.

“Walking side by side with these women and girls opened my eyes to a world few have seen, and no one wants to,” she said.

“Those on the outside think that the boundaries of what defines trafficking and when trafficking starts are clear,” McCauley-Benner said. “(They think) street-based prostitution is illegal, and those women are ‘whores’; dancers in a strip club are just trying to make extra money; trafficking is illegal, and those involved should be prosecuted; actors in porn are doing it by choice.”

“The reality,” McCauley-Benner continued, “is that those lines are much more blurred.”

A young girl could be lured into a trafficking ring, and “if she is never

Catholic Charities, other groups partner to help Afghans in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) — Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Nashville and three other organizations have launched the Welcoming Nashville Fund to help resettle more than 300 Afghans who will arrive in Nashville in the coming months.

United Way of Greater Nashville is partnering with Catholic Charities, the Nashville International Center for Empowerment and the American Muslim Advisory Council to create the fund, which was officially launched at a news conference Oct. 13 on the steps of the Historic Metro Courthouse in downtown Nashville.

“This is hard work, but the work we do as a resettlement agency is really simple,” said Judy Orr, Catholic Charities executive director. “We help them get settled and with basic needs. We help them navigate the city and learn how to live and work successfully, and we make sure that they have the job skills needed so that we can connect them to employers so that they can be productive citizens.” Catholic Charities and the Nashville International Center for Empowerment, known as NICE, are the main agencies in charge of resettling the Afghans. They have already welcomed more than 20 Afghans to Nashville.

“This is important work,” Orr said. “So many of us came from other countries, or our ancestors came from other countries.” This process is often estimated to take six to eight months, which is where the Welcoming Nashville Fund comes into play. †

helped” to get out of it, “she will grow up in it,” she explained. This girl could end up being prosecuted with the pimp if the ring is busted, or she could be kicked out by the pimp, “and having no intervention, may turn to street-based prostitution, which may lead to a life of jail and drugs.”

Or maybe the pimp puts her in a

strip club where prostitution “could be occurring in the back,” she said. Or if “she tries to break out on her own, she may turn to porn movies.”

“The industry is a masterful web that entangles many people,” McCauleyBenner said. “Once in, it’s hard to get completely out, and nothing is ever what it seems.”

The International Labor Organization estimates that 4.5 million people are trapped in forced sexual exploitation globally, she said.

“Buyers fuel the market, traffickers/ pimps exploit, manipulate and control victims, and victims stay caught in a vicious trap,” she said, adding that “social injustice issues are often connected,” and “trafficking and abortion are magnified examples of this.”

Trafficking victims are misidentified for drug abuse, runaway, theft, and other criminal activity, and in the U. S., if there are no “trafficking-specific shelters” in an area, she said, underage victims are kept in juvenile jail for safety’s sake. †

CNS Photo In this courtroom sketch, India oxenberg gives a victim impact statement inside the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse in New York City oct 27, 2020, during the sentencing hearing of the sex trafficking and racketeering case against NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere.

mUnDO cATÓlicO

Resonar su Pascua en el corazón de cada hombre

Hace un año y medio atrás, el Vaticano promulgo y publico su nuevo Directorio para la Catequesis. Este evento fue y es significativo, ya que la última vez que se había publicado un Directorio General para la Catequesis fue en 1997 (veintitrés años atrás).

¿Por qué un nuevo Directorio? Esto se debe a los contextos actuales que la Iglesia esta viviendo como el fenómeno de la cultura digital y la globalización de la cultura. Ambas producen cambios radicales en la existencia de la persona y la Iglesia quiere responder ante tales desafíos con una renovación dentro del campo de la evangelización y catequesis con una visión clara donde la cultura pueda tener contacto con la Buena Nueva.

¿Pero que hay de nuevo en este Directorio? Leyendo el Directorio, hay varias frases que posiblemente en su contenido no sean nuevas, pero en su expresión si lo son. Y estas expresiones son ricas porque puede ayudar a todos aquellos responsables de la evangelización, formación y/o catequesis

por ADrIAN HErrErA

buscar nuevos métodos de compartir el Evangelio de manera creativa. También, encontramos en este Directorio un énfasis especial en una catequesis kerigmatica donde estaré hablando más sobre esto en otro artículo, y una dimensión constitutiva misionera en el modo de presentar el Evangelio. Les comparto una de estas frases:

“Evangelizar no es, en primer lugar, llevar una doctrina: es, ante todo, hacer presente y anunciar a Jesucristo.” Directorio Para la Catequesis, n.29

Esta frase es rica en su expresión porque fácilmente podemos caer en la rutina y monotonía al pensar que la catequesis es impartir toda una serie de doctrinas, credos y formulas que grupos de distintas edades tienen que aprender, conocer y memorizar, pero nos damos cuenta con este pasaje que la esencia y

el núcleo de nuestra fe es Jesucristo.

El Directorio, por lo cual, nos invita a presentar de distintas formas y maneras variadas el amor de Jesucristo, anunciar su persona, anunciar su Reino. Tenemos que recordar que nuestra fe tiene rostro, es la persona de Jesucristo. Pero no solo es presentar a Jesucristo, sino que se viva una verdadera transformación en la persona que recibe la buena nueva para que se convierta en su discípulo, que viva en santidad, pero la misma exigencia es hecha para el propio interlocutor.

“Hacer que el anuncio de su Pascua resuene continuamente en el corazón de cada persona, para que su vida se transforme” DPC, n.55

Resonar continuamente es en otras palabras lo que es catequesis, es formación. Por lo tanto, todo evangelizador, formador y catequista debe de tener muy clara la meta. La meta no es hacer soldados de Cristo, ni teólogos para Cristo, sino discípulos y llevar a cabo el mandato evangélico:

“Vayan, pues, y hagan que todos los

pueblos sean mis discípulos. Bautícenlos en el Nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo, y enséñenles a cumplir todo lo que yo les he encomendado a ustedes.” Mateo 28, 19-20a

El Directorio recoge lo que la exhortación apostólica Catechesi Tradendae definió como la finalidad de la catequesis:

“es poner a uno no solo en contacto sino en comunión, en intimidad con Jesucristo: solo El puede conducirnos al amor del Padre en el Espíritu y hacernos participes de la vida de la Santísima Trinidad” Directorio para la Catequesis, n. 75

Este Directorio es una gran riqueza para el bien de toda la Iglesia donde se presenta una frescura del evangelio a partir de un encuentro personal con Jesucristo. †

Adrian Alberto Herrera es director asociado para la Oficina de Evangelización y Catequesis.

Papa: la iglesia sufre la tentación del retroceso, mirar hacia el pasado

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — La Iglesia Católica sufre la tentación de intentar volver a las actitudes y prácticas del pasado, una actitud que bloquea el alcance pastoral de muchos de los marginados, dijo el papa Francisco a los jesuitas en Eslovaquia.

“Estamos sufriendo esto hoy en la iglesia: la ideología del retroceso. Es una ideología que coloniza las mentes. Es una forma de colonización ideológica”, dijo el papa a sus hermanos jesuitas el 12 de septiembre durante un encuentro en la nunciatura apostólica en Bratislava.

También dijo que el propósito del Sínodo de los Obispos de 2015 sobre la familia era “hacer entender que las parejas en segundas uniones no están ya condenadas al infierno”.

Hoy, dijo, muchos en la iglesia tienen miedo de acompañar a personas “con diversidad sexual”.

“No sabía que había tantos jesuitas aquí en Eslovaquia. La ‘plaga’ se está extendiendo por todas partes”, dijo el papa en broma.

Cuando se le preguntó cómo se sentía un mes después de someterse a una cirugía intestinal, el papa dijo “Vi:vo todavía. Aunque algunos me querrían muerto”.

“Sé que hubo incluso reuniones entre prelados, que pensaban que el Papa estaba más grave de lo que se decía. Preparaban el cónclave. ¡Paciencia! Gracias a Dios, estoy bien”, dijo.

El papa Francisco habla con miembros de la Compañía de Jesús en la nunciatura apostólica en Bratislava, Eslovaquia, el 12 de septiembre. Durante una reunión privada, el papa habló con los jesuitas sobre su salud, el trabajo pastoral de los jesuitas en Eslovaquia y cómo maneja sospechas o críticas.

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.

“Por eso hoy miramos hacia el pasado: para buscar seguridad. Nos da miedo celebrar ante el pueblo de Dios que nos mira a la cara y nos dice la verdad. Nos da miedo seguir adelante en las experiencias pastorales”, dijo. dijo el papa.

“Este es el mal de este momento: es decir, buscar el camino en la rigidez y el clericalismo, que son dos perversiones”, dijo. Como es habitual cuando el papa se reúne con jesuitas durante un viaje al extranjero, semanas después la revista jesuita La Civiltà Cattolica publicó una transcripción de sus comentarios.

Según el texto publicado el 21 de septiembre, el papa Francisco saludó a los 53 jesuitas eslovacos y expresó su sorpresa por la cantidad de personas presentes en el país.

Cuando se le preguntó cuál debería ser el centro del trabajo pastoral de los jesuitas en Eslovaquia, el papa dijo que la palabra “cercanía” le llegó, a la mente; La cercanía a Dios en la oración, a los demás y al pueblo de Dios es crucial en su misión. También enfatizó la necesidad de que estén cerca de sus obispos, incluso con aquellos “que no nos quieren”.

“Si un jesuita piensa diferente al obispo y tiene valor, entonces déjelo ir al obispo y decirle lo que está pensando. Y cuando digo obispo, también me refiero al papa”, dijo.

Otro jesuita le preguntó al papa sobre sus palabras con respecto a la “colonización ideológica diabólica”, específicamente su crítica a la teoría de género.

El papa advirtió que “la ideología siempre tiene un atractivo diabólico”, que debe ser expuesto, y dijo que la teoría de género es peligrosa porque “es abstracta con respecto a la vida concreta de una persona, como si una persona pudiera decidir abstractamente a voluntad si y cuándo ser hombre o mujer”. †

CNS Photo

WiTHin THE ART s

st. Dominic Village author Bea cunningham releases new book ‘Waiting for Jesus’

By ReBecca ToRRellas texas catholic herald

HOUSTON — St. Dominic Village resident, Beatrice “Bea” Cunningham has released “Waiting for Jesus,” a 130-page paperback book published by Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc.

Whether at school or in a church setting, “Waiting for Jesus” can help adults and children alike prepare for the coming of Jesus while reflecting on Scripture from Proverbs. It has singing, praying and a simple technique to help them memorize Scripture.

Cunningham hopes whoever reads the book and participates in the activities therein will grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man.

“This book may help someone to know that waiting is not passive but very active as we prepare for the coming of Jesus,” she said.

Cunningham grew up in Beaumont and graduated from Charlton-Pollard High School. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Prairie View A&M University, and later graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a Master’s Degree in religious education. She also completed formation training for Spiritual Directors/ Companions from the Cenacle Retreat House.

She worked as a teacher in schools in the Archdiocese for 16 years, then served as an associate director in the Catechetical Office of the Archdiocese for another 16 years before retiring.

She said her experience of working in the OEC/CCE office was a time of grace for her.

“I have always wanted to be a teacher and I taught in Catholic Schools before going to the OEC/CCE office,” she said.

“My working in the Archdiocese has been and is a positive influence on my life and all that I do. I wrote articles and learned a lot and was an excellent example of being a witness of God’s love and presence.” She said that without these experiences she doesn’t think she could have written her book.

“The book is written for adults and children, to help them prepare for the coming of Jesus, while reflecting on Scripture from the book of Proverbs,” she said. “It has singing, praying and a simple technique to help them memorize Scripture.”

Cunningham now resides at St. Dominic Village, where she went with her husband, who was ill, and he died immediately after they arrived. She decided to stay because of the peaceful environment in Warren Chapel, where she was when she received the inspiration for this book during Advent of 2019. “Waiting for Jesus” was completed in 2020 during the pandemic.

“It’s about Advent, how to actively prepare for the coming of Jesus,” she said. “Warren Chapel is a very holy place and is one of the reasons why I stay at St. Dominic Village. Not only can one go to Mass daily but the grounds are spacious and gives one the freedom to walk and pray and just be with the Lord.

She is the mother of three children — one son who is deceased and two adult daughters. She has five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and the count keeps on growing.

“My husband’s words to our children and grandchildren about coming to St. Dominic Village were, ‘We are going to St. Dominic so that I can be close to the medical center and Bea can go to Mass every day,’” she said. “I stay because my spiritual life is strengthened and I feel

mOVie raTinGs By Catholic News Service

a -i – General PatronaGe

• PAW Patrol: The Movie (G)

a -ii – adults and adolesCents

• Mass (PG-13)

• Resurrection (PG-13)

• The Addams Family 2 (PG)

a -iii – adults

• Cinderella (PG)

• Cry Macho (PG-13)

• Dark Waters (PG-13)

• Dear Evan Hansen (PG-13)

• No Time to Die (PG-13)

• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (PG-13)

• The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (R)

• Venom: Let There Be Carnage (PG-13)

l – limited adult audienCe

• Copshop (R)

• Queenpins (R)

• The Last Duel (R)

o – morally offensive

• Candyman (R)

• Halloween Kills (R)

• Malignant (R)

• The Many Saints of Newark (R)

Published author, former Catechetical Office associate director and St.

safe, with the ability to be creative and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.”

She loves reading, singing, and praying for her family and others and considers herself a prayer warrior.

To buy “Waiting for Jesus,” visit https://bookstore.dorrancepublishing. com/waiting-for-jesus. It is also available on Amazon. †

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BEA CUNNINGHAM

“This book may help someone to know that waiting is not passive but very active as we prepare for the coming of Jesus.”

BEA CUNNINGHAM

Dominic Village resident

milEsTOnEs Pope names UsT theologian Emilce cuda as first woman in Pontifical commission role

HOUSTON — University of St. Thomas - Houston (UST) lecturer, theologian Emilce Cuda, is now the first woman to serve as head of the office for the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

The appointment was made by Pope Francis, who, like Cuda, is Argentinian. Her significant new assignment recognizes Cuda’s contributions as a moral theologian working on behalf of laborers and the poor in Latin America.

Dr. Gerardo “Lalo” Salazar, director of UST’s Center Semillero, is a good friend of Cuda and said, “We are very glad about the news of her appointment from Pope Francis. We’re also pleased that out of her collaborations with multiple universities in the U.S., she chose to mention only her affiliation with UST because of our

Pope Francis appointed Argentine theologian Emilce Cuda as the new head of office of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, a position she began Sept. 1. Cuda is pictured with the pope at the Vatican March 17, 2017.

pioneer initiative to provide graduate — and eventually doctoral — theological programs in Spanish.”

The Pontifical Commission for Latin America was created in 1958 to reflect the Holy See’s deep appreciation of The Continent of Hope and its unique challenges. The authority studies the principal questions of Catholic life in Latin America, encouraging collaboration between the Vatican and the Latin American Bishops’ Conference. “Emilce will work with the Church’s structure in Latin America to keep the Holy See informed of the region’s needs,” Salazar said. “She also will interface with the various dicasteries at the Vatican to help them identify ways to support those countries.”

Professor Cuda, who also lectures in her home country at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, will relocate for her new full-time position in Vatican City. She started her new role early September. †

arounD The archDioceSe

Editor’s Note: Contact event organizers for the latest updates and information. For deadline/submission details and other listing, visit www.archgh.org/ata.

OCTOBER 26

www.archgh.org/DigiTaleDiTionS

Want

Houston). Vicar for Catholics of African Descent presents “Black Catholic History Month - On The Road To Sainthood.”

Registration required for lunch count. Register: Rsamuels@sthyacinth.org.

nOVE m BER 13

G

at Sugar Creek Country Club (420 Sugar Creek Blvd., Sugar Land). 26th annual Tuition Assistance Golf Tournament benefits St. Laurence Catholic School. 9 a.m. Shotgun start. Player fees $200+, various sponsorships available. Food and drinks also available. More info: https:// one.bidpal.net/slcsgolf2020/welcome; kgoff@stlaurence.org.

OCTOBER 31

a sian m ass, 2:30 p.m., Christ the Incarnate Word Church (8503 S Kirkwood Rd., Houston). Mass celebrates Asian cultures.

H allOWEE n f E s T i V al, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (10114 Hwy 6, Hitchcock). Costume contest, Trickor-Treat alley with free candy, games, prizes, haunted house, teenager chill zone, giant turkey legs, caramel apples, cake wheel, and more. Open to the public, free parking. Social distancing protocols will be observed. More info: 409-925-3224; ololcs.org.

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KRis KRinGlE CRafT sHOW & fOOD TRuCKs, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (10114 Hwy 6, Hitchcock). Shop handmade arts, crafts, home decor gifts and more in an open-air pavilion. Vendor and food trucks space available. Free parking. Social distancing protocols observed. 409-925-3224; ololcs.org.

BlaCK CaTHOliC HisTORy mOnTH, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Anne De Beaupre (2810 Link Rd.,

anni VER sa R y CE l EBR aT i O n, 8 a.m., New Waverly City Hall (200 Gibbs St., City Hall). The Polish American Council of Texas celebrates their 10th anniversary at the 152-year-old Polish, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in New Waverly. Procession from City Hall to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (101 Elmore St.) for Mass Celebration at 11 a.m, with barbecue lunch and Polish dancers and entertainment following. Public welcome.

BlaCK CaTHOliC HisTORy mOnTH, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Mary of the Purification Parish, (3006 Rosedale Ave., Houston). Vicar for Catholics of African Descent presents “Black Catholic History Month - On The Road To Sainthood.” Registration required for a lunch count. Register: Rsamuels@sthyacinth.org.

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la D i E s B un CO, 9:30 a.m. to Noon, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception (816 Park Dr., La Porte). Sponsored by Bay Area Deanery of Catholic Women. $5 per person. Prizes, raffles and snacks. RSVP by Nov. 15: terrykelley91@ hotmail.com or 281-827-4232.

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BlaCK CaTHOliC HisTORy mOnTH, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. Francis Xavier Parish (4600 Reed Rd., Houston). Vicar for Catholics of African Descent presents “Black Catholic History Month - On The Road To Sainthood.” Register: Rsamuels@sthyacinth.org.

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