Texas Catholic Herald - Dec. 26, 2023

DECEMBER 26, 2023 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

CARDINAL DINARDO’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

2023: A YEAR IN REVIEW

▪ SEE PAGE 2

▪ SEE PAGE 9 - 11

texas catholic herald 1

THE STORY OF JESUS

A look back at the biggest stories that impacted the local Church

All Saints Parish hosts a room-sized miniature Nativity scene and beyond ▪ SEE PAGE 19

Join Us in Completing the Walk “We haven’t completed the walk yet. The journey is still going on, but we’ve made progress… we can’t stop now; we have to keep going.”

— Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza Proclaiming the Good News to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 1964

DECEMBER 26, 2023

VOL. 60, NO. 13

‘FOR TODAY A GREAT LIGHT HAS COME UPON THE EARTH’

CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIRS

SUZANNE O’NEIL and NICHOLAS D. SAWICKI

Campaign Priorities DEO GRATIAS! ($2,500,000)

+ Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza Plaza + Demolition of the old Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart + Creation of 100 additional parking spaces (from 44 to 144) + Fully gated parking lot and green space for gathering + Covered pavilion + Creation of a tribute wall

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO! ($9,800,000) A R CHB ISHOP J OS EPH A . FIOR EN Z A P L A Z A A MOMENTOUS OCCASION ( $ 2,500,000) Dignitaries and faithful turnout for

E ND O W M E NT F O R P R E S E RVAT I O N ($5,000,000) + The building of the Co-Cathedral was accomplished through the generosity of many individuals across the Archdiocese.

The operation of the Co-Cathedral has been left to a small group of parishioners to maintain it over these last 15 years and requires a larger effort. + Archbishop Fiorenza had initially planned an endowment, but due to Hurricane Ike funding priorities were committed to relief efforts and other more pressing needs. + The creation of an endowment fund will ensure that the Co-Cathedral will be able to meet the needs of the larger Houston community for years to come.

groundbreaking of the Archbishop C O -Joseph CATHEDRAL CA A. Fiorenza Plaza atPITA the L PR O JEC T S Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart ( $ 1,470,000) ▪ SEE PAGE ALLELUIA! ($15,000,000+) + Installation of 20 a new sound system and LED lighting CNS PHOTO While the campaign provides for the beginning of an upgrades Hundreds attend the unveiling of the Nativity scene and the Christmas tree is lighted in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Dec. 9. The Vatican’s Nativity scene million), theinCo-Cathedral estimated pays tribute to the first Nativityendowment scene set up by($5 St. Francis of Assisi Greccio some 800 is years ago, in 1223. The colorful Christmas tree is a 28-meter tall + Replacement of Cathedral doors FAITH spruce that comes from Macra in the Piedmont region of Italy. After Christmas, the tree will be used to produce wooden toys for children in need via Caritas. to need a substantially larger endowment to be financially + Roof work, exterior cleaning, and maintenance + Additional handicap accessible parking spots in the U-Drive secure in the long-term future. All gifts in excess of our $9.8 million goal will be applied to the endowment created in the initial case elements.

C ATHEDRAL CEN T R E C A PITA L PR O J E C T S

Eucharistic processions open ( $ Liturgical 830,000) New Year

THE GIFT OF HOPE IN CHRISTMAS

BY DANIEL CARDINAL DINARDO

Archbishop of Galveston-Houston + Cameron Hall A/V & 4th floor patio upgrades __________________________________________________ Adoration is a simple + Cameron Hall flooring, windows and paint repairs “The Lord is the eternal God, creator of the ends of the earth. He not nor Cdoes OM Mfaint EM O R AT IV E BRICKS way embrace Jesus for efficiency + HVAC andtolighting improvements grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond Eachtodonor who contributes $250 or more will receive scrutiny. the fainting” + Expansion and resurfacing of existing parking lot He gives strength in prayer in 2024

behind the Centre

BY JAMES RAMOS Texas Catholic Herald SPRING — In the face of rainy, windy and wintery weather and even traffic, Catholics from four different parishes and a nearby Catholic high school came out in force to worship and adore Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament in Eucharistic Adoration.

Moving from one Spring-area parish to another, a four-day Eucharistic procession was accompanied by devotional prayer services, Masses and confession lines to mark the feast of Christ the King and

(Is 40:28). a brick from the original Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart These are exquisite words while supplies last. of hope and anticipation by one of Israel’s most sublime and important prophets, Isaiah. We read the words in the second week of Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Advent, in the time 1701 San of immediate preparation for Jacinto Christmas.

God is eternal, everlasting, Houston, TXknowing 77002 all things simultaneously beyond our own completingthewalk.org human scrutiny!

Yet God does not grow weary, faint or bored either with creation or

A SHEPHERD’S MESSAGE

See MESSAGE, page 2

See ADORATION, page 5

THE FIRST WORD † 3

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COLUMNISTS † 14

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PHOTO BY PHILIPPE LISSAC / GODONG

A stained glass window depicts the shepherds visiting the Baby Jesus in a manger scene at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia.

ESPAÑOL † 17

| AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE † 19

2 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

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

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

Publishing since 1964 (USPS 936-480)

A Shepherd’s Message

THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON-HOUSTON

By Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

NEWSDESK

713-652-8215 • Fax: 713-659-3444 tch@archgh.org • archgh.org/tch

“Mary is the first disciple to show faith and to bring human beings a living hope so they would not grow weary and seek Jesus.”

MESSAGE, from page 1 with us! He loves all He has made and is generous and intimately concerned with his creatures. Most especially, he looks with kindness and mercy upon human beings and their hopes and anxieties. God the Father does not grow faint but is always alert and generous with human needs. Human beings tend to think too much of their own minds and frequently despair that they

cannot do anything to change their lot. But the Lord is always ahead of human beings. In the mysterious plan He unfolded for our benefit, He sent His only begotten Son, whose name is Jesus. The plan, the divine household management, involved human beings in receiving and giving hope, a sheer gift of energy that the Spirit of the Lord poured out on the Earth.

The gift of hope truly made its appearance first in the Virgin Mary

POPE FRANCIS MARKS 87TH BIRTHDAY WITH CAKE

VATICAN MEDIA PHOTO

Pope Francis blows out the candles on his birthday cake during an audience with children assisted by the Vatican’s pediatric clinic in the Paul VI Hall Dec. 17, which was his 87th birthday. The children held up signs wishing Pope Francis happy birthday in Italian, sang to him and watched performers pull off acrobatic stunts, twirl plates and do tricks with hula hoops as the pope watched along laughing and applauding. A white cake decorated with an illustration of Pope Francis and children was then rolled out to the pope. After the children gathered around the cake and sang “Happy Birthday,” the pope blew out the lone candle and encouraged the children to steal a bit of icing with their finger.

CIRCULATION

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of Nazareth. Humble but readily available to do God’s will, to assent to the angel’s message of joy and question of decision, bearing the Son of the Most High. Mary spoke once to the angel her creaturely “word” and conceived and bore the Eternal Word. Her “yes” was, in effect, always ratified by her joyful life of praise, her dutiful life of right counsel for others, her sorrowful life of being at Calvary, and her joyful life at experiencing the Resurrection.

The hope that Mary expressed is a sign of her deep faith in God, her being enveloped by God’s love so that she could respond so willingly. Her Son Jesus always had the living vision of His Father and the Father’s presence with Him. He did not need faith but became the very source for faith in all His disciples. Mary is the first disciple to show faith and to bring human beings a living hope so they would not grow weary and seek Jesus. The gentle Mary pushes all the disciples of Jesus to fall into the arms of the gentle Jesus, always feeding and always nurturing his flock. His yoke is easy!

Christmas celebrates the divine plan, the exquisite work of the Holy Spirit to move the “yes” of Mary, the wondrous scene of angels singing “Gloria” silently over Bethlehem, the journey of Shepherds and Magi to the oxen stall — where all may feed and begin to know the One, the Messiah, who challenges and comforts His people so they will not grow faint and weary, but be strengthened!

Merry Christmas! †

You make the ministry of our future Priests possible.

Nearly 50 men are currently in formation to become the next generations of priests at St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston. These men spend anywhere from 5 to 7 years preparing for their Ordination to the Priesthood.

St. Mary’s Seminary 9845 Memorial Dr. Houston, TX 77024

To read more about our seminarians and how you can support them, visit www.smseminary.com.

ads@archgh.org • 713-652-4407 Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop, President & Publisher Jonah Dycus Communications Director & Executive Editor Rebecca Torrellas Managing Editor James Ramos Designer & Photo-Journalist Catherine Viola Advertising Manager Jo Ann Zuñiga Contributor

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

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DECEMBER 26, 2023 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

THE FIRST WORD Editor’s Note: Delivery of the Texas Catholic Herald was delayed due to the Nativity of the Lord Christmas holy day. To find the latest news, visit the Herald website online at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/TCH.

BRIEFS

Archdiocesan Mass celebrates the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

HOUSTON — The Archdiocese will honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and remember his call to achieve peace through service to one another at its annual Mass at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy., in Houston.

Catholics from all 10 counties of the Archdiocese will celebrate King’s legacy at the 39th annual Archdiocesan Mass honoring his birthday, which will be celebrated by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo as principal celebrant and Father Martins C. Emeh, J.C.L., pastor at St. Monica Catholic Church in Houston, as homilist. A reception will follow in the Cathedral Centre. †

Registration for Steps for Students race continues PHOTO BY VATICAN MEDIA

Pope Francis prays in front of a Nativity scene in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican Dec. 9 after meeting with donors, artists and local officials responsible for the Christmas decorations at the Vatican. The scene is a mosaic of Venetian glass tiles created by Alessandro Serena and features St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi in celebration of the 800th anniversary of St. Francis staging the first Nativity scene.

‘THE GREAT GIFT OF THE CHILD OF BETHLEHEM’ An Christmas reflection from Pope Francis “The reason for our hope is this: God is with us, and God still trusts us! God the Father is generous. He comes to abide with mankind; He chooses earth as His dwelling place to remain with people and to be found where man passes his days in joy or in sorrow. Therefore, earth is no longer only ‘a valley of tears’; rather, it is the place where God Himself has pitched His tent; it is the meeting place of God with man, of God’s solidarity with men.

God willed to share in our human condition to the point of becoming one with us in the Person of Jesus, who is true Man and true God. However, there is something even more surprising. The presence of EMBRACING God among men did not take CHRISTMAS place in a perfect, idyllic world but rather in this real world, which is marked by so many things, both good and bad, by division, wickedness, poverty, arrogance and war. He chose to live in our history as it is, with all the weight of its limitations and of its tragedies. In doing so, He has demonstrated in an unequaled manner His merciful and truly loving disposition toward the human creature. He is God-with-us. Jesus is God-with-us. Do you believe this? Together, let us profess: Jesus is God with us! Jesus is God with us always and forever with us in history’s suffering and sorrow. The Birth of Jesus reveals that God ‘sided’ with man once and for all to save us, to raise us from the dust of our misery, from our difficulty, from our sins.

Hence the great ‘gift’ of the Child of Bethlehem: He brings us a spiritual energy, an energy which helps us

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not to despair in our struggle, in our hopelessness, in our sadness, for it is an energy that warms and transforms the heart. Indeed, the Birth of Jesus brings us the good news that we are loved immensely and uniquely by God, and He not only enables us to know this love, He also gives it to us, He communicates it to us!

We may draw two considerations from the joyous contemplation of the mystery of the Son of God born for us.

The first is that if God, in the Christmas mystery, reveals Himself not as One who remains on high and dominates the universe but as the One who bends down and descends to the little and poor earth. To be like Him, we should not put ourselves above others but, indeed, lower ourselves, place ourselves at the service of others, and become small with the small and poor with the poor. Let us be sure that our brothers and sisters do not feel alone!

The second consequence: if God, through Jesus, involved Himself with man to the point of becoming one of us, it means that whatever we have done to a brother or a sister, we have done to Him. Jesus Himself reminded us of this: whoever has fed, welcomed, visited, loved one of the least and poorest of men will have done it to the Son of God. Let us entrust ourselves to the maternal intercession of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother, that she may help us this holy Christmastide, which is already close at hand, to see in the face of our neighbor, especially the weakest and most marginalized people, the image of the Son of God made man. † — An excerpt from the Dec. 18, 2013, general audience given by Pope Francis.

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

GO PAPERLESS!

HOUSTON — More than 12,000 participants are expected to gather downtown on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart for the 19th Annual Steps for Students 5K Run/Walk. The event raises funds and awareness for the network of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese.

The event will start with Mass at 7 a.m., followed by the presentation of the David Guite Spirit Award. The timed 5K race will begin at 8:30 a.m.; a post-race party will follow the event along with the Catholic School Village. To register, visit www.steps4students.org. †

Holy Hour for Life set for Jan. 18

HOUSTON — A Eucharistic Adoration vigil will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, located at 6800 Buffalo Spwy., Houston, on Jan. 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. to unite with the U.S. bishops and Catholics across the nation on the vigil of the National March for Life in Washington, D.C. The public is invited to attend one or both hours of the vigil. While not required, registration ensures adequate seating and parking for the event.

Register at archgh.swoogo.com/holyhour2024.

For additional information, contact the Office of Pro-Life Activities at 713-440-3443. †

Catholic Charities’ food distributions continue at three locations

HOUSTON — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston offers food assistance at three locations. In Houston, food distributions at the Guadalupe Center (326 S. Jensen St.) are Tuesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. (drive-thru), Wednesdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. New clients should bring a photo ID and bill with a confirming address. Call 713-874-6781 for more information.

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

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

4 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

LOCAL

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

Vatican Museums launch new digital project

Visitors at the Vatican Museums — online and in person — get a “backstage” peek into the secrets, curiosities and insights discovered by their art restorers. ▪ SEE PAGE 18

Merry Christmas from the Texas Catholic Herald!

N

ow there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.

The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.

And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

— Luke 2:8-14

DECEMBER 26, 2023 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

LOCAL

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and charity. Tell God how you believe, trust and love Him. Ask for more faith, hope and love.

Quick tip: There are great prayers to the Holy Spirit and Acts of Faith, Hope and Love in the Compendium.

O come let us adore Him

• 0:05 - 0:15 – ADORATION

Next 10 Minutes: Adore God. He holds the universe like a seed in the palm of His hand. He is all powerful, all good, more beautiful than we can imagine, and more real than the small things that we grasp so easily. Imagine Christ sitting with you.

Tell Him: “Oh my God, I adore your divine greatness from the depths of my littleness; you are so great, and I am so small.” or “Glory be …” Repeat as long as necessary.

Quick tip: Try the Te Deum in the Compendium. Scriptural helps for adoration — Ex 33:18-23; Songs 2:8-17; Mt 2:1-11; Jn 1:1-18; Col 1:15-20; Phil 2:6-11.

• 0:15 - 0:25 – CONTRITION

Next 10 Minutes: Offer reparation. It’s not your love for God, but His for you that saves. Examine your conscience. Offer reparation for the sins of the world. Pray: “Oh my Jesus, I am so sorry. Forgive me.”

(Imagine Jesus on the cross; kiss each wound.)

Quick tip: Scriptures for contrition—1 Cor 13:4-7; Col 3:5-10; 1 Tim 1:12-17.

• 0:25 - 0:40 – MEDITATION

PHOTOS BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD AND MICHELLE EISTERHOLD

At far top, Father James Burkart, pastor of Christ the Good Shepherd Parish in Spring, prays with the congregation before the Blessed Sacrament in Eucharistic Adoration on Nov. 29. Above, at left, Father Burkart blesses a group of young children during a Eucharistic procession for the Feast of Christ the King. Above, at right, students and faculty at Frassati Catholic High School kneel and pray in Eucharistic adoration. FOR MORE RESOURCES ON EUCHARISTIC ADORATION AND PRAYER, VISIT WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/REVIVAL.

ADORATION, from page 1 embrace a Eucharistic spirituality as inspired by the Eucharistic Revival.

From Nov. 27 to Nov. 30, clergy, parish leaders and laity at Prince of Peace, St. Ignatius of Loyola, Christ the Good Shepherd and St. Edward parishes joined women religious, students and faculty at St. Edward School and Frassati Catholic High School for a daily driving procession complete with Vatican flags.

The Blessed Sacrament was processed in a secured mini-bus, visible to the public, from parish to parish. St. Edward students welcomed the procession with a path of rose petals. At each parish, faithful spent hours in Eucharistic adoration, prayer and worship.

EMBRACING ADORATION As the year winds down, spending time in Eucharistic Adoration with the Blessed Sacrament can be a simple, and sometimes new way to embrace Christ through prayer. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. The term “Eucharist” originates from the Greek word eucharistia, meaning thanksgiving.

In the celebration of the Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit and the instrumentality of the priest. The whole Christ is truly present — body, blood, soul, and divinity — under the appearances of bread and wine, the glorified Christ who rose from the dead. This is what the Church means when she speaks of the “Real Presence” of Christ in the Eucharist.

The importance of Eucharistic Adoration is shown in the fact that the Church has a ritual that regulates it: the Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction.

This is an extension of the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which occurs in every Mass: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and the rest of the Church.

The Rite concludes with the ordained minister blessing the faithful with the Blessed Sacrament.

Some important prayers that are used during this rite include the Anima Christi and the Tantum Ergo. Holy hours are the Roman Catholic devotional tradition of spending an hour in Eucharistic Adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, according to the U.S. bishops’ conference.

The bishops have created a variety of holy hours that focus our prayer to Jesus Christ on peace, life, vocations and other topics that are at the heart of the life of the Church and the world.

WHAT IS A HOLY HOUR? (OSV) — While a holy hour can be spent in a nearly limitless number of ways, here is a simple guide on one way to spend a holy hour.

To pray a holy hour of Adoration of the Eucharist, all you need is a tabernacle with a lit sanctuary lamp, a Bible, a spiritual imagination, and perhaps a Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church or a book of prayers.

Many churches and chapels have books available for use during prayer.

THREE RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Be silent. Don’t rattle prayers or silently review stresses. Be still exteriorly and interiorly.

2. Be attentive. It’s not simply a reading hour — reading should be an entry point to prayer.

3.

Be alert. Sit, stand or kneel respectfully. Quick tip: If you get sleepy, try standing up!

A MINUTE-BY-MINUTE GUIDE There is no one way to pray a holy hour.

The following might help if you get lost in the hour, but feel free to reconfigure it to suit your needs.

• 0:00 - 0:05 – BEGIN

Next 15 Minutes: Contemplate God’s action.You may wish to meditatively pray the Stations of the Cross or a Rosary. Or consider these...

Scriptural meditation: Read a brief Gospel passage. Imagine the scene.

Notice Christ’s reactions. Think of three ways the passage applies to your own life. Meditate on each line.

Doctrinal meditation: Read Scripture or Catechism passages that apply to a doctrine of the Church. Appreciate God’s plan and find ways it applies to you.

(Perhaps: Sunday, Resurrection; Monday, Incarnation; Tuesday, Mercy/con­fession; Wednesday, Holy Spirit; Thursday, Eucharist; Friday, Passion; Saturday, Mary).

Life meditation: Or, deepening your examination of conscience, look at your own life. Which kind of pride do you most fall into? Selfishness (valuing yourself most), Vanity (valuing others opinions most), Sensuality (valuing comforts most). Pray for the opposite virtues: Charity (serving others first), Fidelity (putting Christ’s opinion first), Discipline

First 5 Minutes: Ask the Holy Spirit to help you, then make acts of faith, hope

S t .

M a r y ’ s

See ADORATION, page 8

U n i v e r s i t y

Join our Catholic community We are excited to invite junior and senior Catholic high school students and their families in the Houston area to our beautiful campus in San Antonio, Texas. Join us on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, for a Catholic Mass followed by lunch with University President Thomas M. Mengler and members of our campus community. Experience the University firsthand and meet faculty, staff and fellow students to learn more about the unique St. Mary’s community spirit founded in the Catholic and Marianist traditions.

For more information, scan the QR code.

6 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD LOCAL

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

Celebrations for Our Lady of Guadalupe abound in December throughout Archdiocese

BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, in his homily celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe feast day at an Archdiocesan-wide Mass on Dec. 9, said Mother Mary will always come looking even if people try to avoid their faith.

Bishop Dell’Oro preached to a filled Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart that included hundreds of matachines and Azteca dancers in native dress after they had processed and swirled more than a mile in downtown Houston showing their devotion.

Concelebrating Mass with Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Bishop Dell’Oro said in Spanish, “Remember when Juan Diego tried to avoid seeing the Virgen de Guadalupe for a fourth time because his uncle was sick? She intercepted Juan Diego. No matter how we try to avoid God and Mary, they are there for us.”

Juan Diego had told Archbishop Zumárraga in December 1531 that a woman speaking in his native Nahautl language appeared to him wanting a church built on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City, but he was not believed.

To avoid being delayed by the virgin and ashamed of having failed to meet her again after their first encounter on Dec. 9, Juan Diego chose another route around Tepeyac Hill, yet the virgin appeared and asked where he was going.

In the words that have become the most famous phrase of the Guadalupe apparitions, she asked, “¿No estoy yo aquí que soy tu madre?” (“Am I not here, I who am your mother?”).

She assured him that his uncle had now recovered and told him to gather flowers from the summit of Tepeyac Hill, normally barren in the cold of December.

Juan Diego obeyed her instruction and he found Castilian roses, not native to Mexico, blooming there.

According to the story, the virgin Dec. 12 arranged the flowers in Juan Diego’s tilma or cloak, and when Juan Diego opened his cloak later that day in front of Archbishop Zumárraga, the flowers fell

PHOTOS BY JAMES RAMOS AND MARCUS NORWOOD/HERALD AND CARRIE TAYLOR/CHRIST THE REDEEMER PARISH

At left, a woman places flowers at a shrine at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Houston. At far top, Father Sean Horrigan leads a prayer service at Christ the Redeemer Parish in Houston at the parish’s Guadalupe grotto. Above, young girls beat on drums during the Archdiocesan celebration Dec. 9.

to the floor, revealing on the fabric the image of the virgin.

The tale converted millions of the indigenous to Catholicism brought by the Spaniards. That tilma remains on display at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, one of the most visited religious sites in the world.

Now, millions of Catholics celebrate her feast day on Dec. 12 worldwide, and dozens of Houston churches had their own individual celebrations for their parishioners but were also flooded with visitors.

Her namesake, Our Lady of Guadalupe

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Catholic Church on Navigation, served as the epicenter of multiple Masses and mariachi serenades, with a Spanish television station broadcasting its newscasts from there.

The interviews covered touching stories on why so many of the Hispanic families have a loving devotion to la Virgen de Guadalupe. One older woman talked about how her adult son had been in pain and suffering from heart problems, and she prayed to Our Lady.

Her husband, standing beside her with his head bowed and wearing a cowboy hat, quietly wiped tears from his cheeks.

“Our son passed away, but he died peacefully without pain. I thank La Virgen so much for that,” she said.

A young woman was praying for the health of her newborn baby clinging to life. Candles and flowers overflowed

► TO SEE A VIDEO ABOUT THE ARCHDIOCESAN CELEBRATION, VISIT WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ ATAVIDEO OR SCAN THIS QR CODE

SCAN CODE TO WATCH

to accompany the many prayers. Even in the days after the Masses and ‘round the clock devotions, faithful continued streaming in to visit the Guadalupe grotto at the East End parish.

Thousands of roses, carnations and flowers piled high, reaching up towards the statue of the Blessed Mother, making St. Juan Diego nearly a hidden figure among the flowers of all colors. Families See GUADALUPE, page 8

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DECEMBER 26, 2023 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

GOD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART

MINISTRY What we cannot do as individuals, we can do through the big heart of the Archdiocese in our DSF-supported ministries.

SERVICE

EDUCATION

– Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

Give online at give.archgh.org or scan here to give:

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ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

IN MEMORIA

OBITUARIES

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

Father John Devlin, LC

THE WOODLANDS — Father John Devlin, LC, died Nov. 25 in Cancún, Mexico. He was 80 years old.

He was a chaplain for Regnum Christi and Familia and serving in Hispanic ministry at St. Anthony of Padua and Sts. Simon and Jude parishes in The Woodlands. Father Devlin had been part of the Houston community for over 11 years, where he was the chaplain of the men and women groups, a spiritual director with the Hispanic ministry of St. Anthony of Padua, Sts. Simon and Jude, St. James and several other parishes.

Masses in his name were held at both St. Anthony of Padua and Sts. Simon and Jude parishes. †

Deanna Gildon

TEXARKANA — Deanna Gildon, mother of Jeanna Porter, principal at Holy Family Catholic School in Galveston, died Dec. 9. She was 75 years old.

A funeral service was held Dec. 18 at Texarkana Funeral Home. Interment is in Hillcrest Memorial Park in Texarkana. †

Fabiola Parparcen

HOUSTON — Fabiola Parparcen, wife of Ramon Parparcen, aide to the Retired Clergy/ driver for the Clergy Pastoral Outreach Ministry, died Dec. 11.

A funeral Mass was held Dec. 19 at Warren Chapel in St. Dominic Village. †

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GUADALUPE, from page 6 bundled up in the chilly December temperatures came with more flowers and candles, placing them at the foot of the grotto.

The scent of the flowers and warmth of the candlelight made for an inviting and comfortable environment, conducive to prayer and devotion. Among the flowers were handwritten messages and notes, including a hand-drawn card featuring purple flowers and hearts from a young child who wished Our Lady of Guadalupe ADORATION, from page 5 (accepting your crosses).

•0:40 - 0:50 – THANKSGIVING

Next 10 Minutes: Express gratitude for all God’s gifts. He didn’t just create you, He sustains your existence out of love in every moment.

Thank Him for literally everything, and be specific: food, shelter, clothing, health, family, friends, teachers, coworkers, home, and most of all spiritual gifts — faith, hope, love, this time of prayer, the Catholic faith, the disciples who reached you. Thank God for answers to prayer. Thank Him for the crosses. Thank Him for creating you and caring so much for you that He died for you.

Quick tip: Scriptures for thanksgiving – Gen 1; Gen 8:15-22; Job 1:13-22.

•0:50 - 0:55 – PETITION GOD

Next 5 Minutes: Ask God for what you and others need. He is the king of the universe. He’s in control, even when it isn’t obvious.

Pray for: The Church, the pope’s

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“Feliz Cumple,” or “Happy Birthday.” A second grotto, adjacent to Navigation Boulevard, was also adorned with flowers and candles.

This scene played out repeatedly at parishes across the Archdiocese. From Holy Family Parish in Galveston to Sacred Heart Parish Conroe and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Rosenberg, faithful turned out to honor and pray with Our Lady of Guadalupe at Masses, Rosaries, processional dances and song. † — James Ramos contributed to this report. intentions, for those who are suffering, for priests and bishops, for religious, for vocations, for the country, your family, for what you need most in the spiritual life. Pray for peace, for the family and for those who have asked for prayers.

• 0:55 - 1:00 – THE FUTURE

Final 5 Minutes: Make a resolution to act on a light of the Holy Spirit you received: something doable and checkable. Ask the Blessed Mother to help you, perhaps with Marian prayers.

These are just a few of the ways to spend a holy hour with the Blessed Sacrament. Don’t forget that Eucharistic exposition and benediction are part of the Church’s official Liturgy.

Contact your parish office to find out Adoration times at your church, and consider making time for Adoration in the New Year. Some chapels are open as the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31.

For more resources and prayers on Eucharistic Adoration, visit www.archgh. org/revival. †

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Jan. 16, 2005 Jan. 17, 2004 Jan. 17, 2011 Jan. 17, 2021 Jan. 18, 1975 Jan. 18, 2005 Jan. 19, 1955 Jan. 19, 1996 Jan. 19, 1997 Jan. 19, 1997 Jan. 21, 1918 Jan. 22, 2006 Jan. 24, 1926 Jan. 25, 1967 Jan. 25, 1976 Jan. 25, 1978 Jan. 25, 2002 Jan. 26, 1882 Jan. 28, 1917 Jan. 29, 2000 Jan. 30, 1929 Jan. 30, 1993 Jan. 31, 1969

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texas catholic herald 9

YEAR IN REVIEW

2023: A YEAR in REVIEW A look back at some of the biggest stories of the year HOUSTON — As 2023 began, Catholics around the world were mourning the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. As Lent and Easter gave way to spring, the Archdiocese concluded its celebration of its 175th anniversary with a gala and special Mass.

In the summer, parishes continued to encourage the faithful to turn to the Source and Summit of the Church — the Eucharist — as ongoing celebrations of the Eucharistic Revival remained 2023 in focus for many.

Then, in August, A YEAR Texans trekked to Lisbon for World IN REVIEW Youth Day, the triennial youth celebration with the pope, which saw 311 Texans meet with 1.5 million other pilgrims in Portugal.

Just days after the Oct. 4 feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who prayed to be an “instrument of peace,” war erupted in the Holy Land as violence, prompting prayers and calls for peace.

See REVIEW, page 10

PHOTOS BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

At left, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo receives the first priestly blessing from newly ordained Father J Serrato on June 4. At right, Cardinal DiNardo dedicates a new mural painting outside the downtown chancery honoring the Archdiocese’s 175th anniversary and marking the National Eucharistic Revival.

2023 BY THE NUMBERS

3

MEN ORDAINED TO THE PRIESTHOOD IN 2023

1,400+

ATTENDEES AT THE 2023 ARCHDIOCESAN YOUTH CONFERENCE IN JULY

1,820

1,565

311

48

16:18

6

CANDIDATES AND CATECHUMENS WHO JOINED OR ENTERED THE CHURCH AT EASTER

MEN IN PRIESTLY FORMATION AT ST. MARY’S SEMINARY

TOTAL YEARS OF SERVICE FROM MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS HONORED AT JUBILEE MASS

WINNING 5K RACE TIME AT STEPS FOR STUDENTS

NUMBER OF GALVESTONHOUSTON PILGRIMS AT WORLD YOUTH DAY IN LISBON

TRIPS MADE BY POPE FRANCIS TO COUNTRIES OUTSIDE ITALY

10 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD YEAR IN REVIEW

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

REVIEW, from previous page

Pope Benedict XVI dies as the New Year rang VATICAN CITY — Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who surprised the world by announcing he would retire as pope, died on Dec. 31, 2022. He was 95 years old.

“From 2005 to 2013, the late Holy Father shepherded the Church with great love,” Daniel Cardinal DiNardo said.

“His keen intellect invigorated the new evangelization by drawing hearts and minds into the mystery of our redemption in Christ and inspiring countless men and women to spread the Gospel by the example of their lives.”

Before leaving for Rome to attend the late pope’s funeral events, Cardinal DiNardo said in his Jan. 1 homily at a Mass at the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart that the former pope was a first-rate theologian.

“Someday, they’ll put together all of his homilies from Christmas, Epiphany, Holy Week and Easter, and they’ll combine them together — just like they do those same homilies of Leo the Great and Pope Gregory the Great — and when they read them 100 years POPE from now, they’ll say, ‘Wow, this guy BENEDICT XVI was first-rate.’”

(1927-2022) Pope Benedict XVI elevated Cardinal DiNardo to the College of Cardinals on Nov. 24, 2007 — the first and so far only cardinal in Texas and the southern U.S. “Every time I saw him after that... he’d go, ‘Ah Ha! Texas is here!’” the cardinal recalled.

At Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Dec. 31, Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, said, “Pope Benedict has given us an immense, profound and absolute truthful reflection of God. He will be known as among the Fathers of the Church. A thousand years from now, even 10,000 years from now, people will not likely remember us, but they will remember Pope Benedict the XVI and his teachings.”

Tearful parishioners celebrate return to Mass at tornado-damaged St. Hyacinth parish DEER PARK — A wild winter storm blew through Houston on Jan. 24, bringing with it a rain-wrapped tornado that began in southeast Houston and moved through Pasadena, Deer Park and the outskirts of Baytown before dissipating, directly hitting St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in Deer Park.

It caused major damage to the religious education building, parish offices, rectory and Guyot Hall. The least amount of damage was to the main church, which had roof and window damage.

Father Reginald Samuels, pastor of the church, said they all received severe weather warnings on their phones.

“The alerts were becoming more and more ominous with two tornado warnings with tornadoes in the city of Deer Park,” he said. “When we recognized that the weather was getting extreme outside, we all sheltered in place in the hallway of the offices, and then the tornado hit, and we

REMEMBERING POP

prayed through it.”

While everyone in the building was not injured, the employees’ vehicles in the parking lots were damaged by all the debris, Father Samuels said.

“The outpouring of support from the community and the church members has been tremendous,” Father Samuels said. “We have had many people from the community coming by the church complex to see how they can help clean up the property.”

St. Peter Catholic breaks ground, welcomes first batch of students HOUSTON — Celebrating the creation of Texas’ first Catholic career and technical school, Cardinal DiNardo welcomed the first admitted students to the school along with donors and members of the school’s board of trustees March 7.

“We are historic,” Cardinal DiNardo told the crowd attending the groundbreaking ceremony at St. Peter Catholic High School. “But it will succeed in relation to

PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL

Father Houston Okonma, parochial vicar at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Houston and chaplain for the 2023 Archdiocesan Youth Conference, follows the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance during a Eucharistic procession he presided over at the annual youth event. The procession was the first of its kind ever held at the conference.

how much we are investing in our youth and Catholic community.”

The 10-acre campus at 6220 La Salette St. and Old Spanish Trail welcomed its first class of incoming freshmen August 2023, which will graduate as the Class of 2027, said the founding principal, Dr. Marc Martinez. The new school is one of the only two four-year co-educational Catholic vocational high schools in the U.S. “We are combining the Archdiocese’s academic excellence with the latest in technological trends to prepare students both academically and for the workforce,” Dr. Martinez said.

The Archdiocesan Catholic School Office has been working with the St. Peter Board of Trustees to raise up to $11 million to renovate, furnish and equip the former St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School, which closed in 2019.

“With God behind us and the Holy Spirit, we know we will make it,” Catholic School Superintendent Dr. Debra Haney said.

Eucharistic Revival efforts continue in Galveston-Houston HOUSTON — Throughout the year, parishes and ministries in the Archdiocese have continued to celebrate and embrace the Eucharistic Revival, which entered its second year when the movement shifted its focus to parish renewal.

Launched as an initiative of the U.S. Catholic bishops in June 2022, the National Eucharistic Revival is a threeyear movement that aims to deepen Catholics’ love for Jesus through encountering Him in the Eucharist.

The revival’s second year leads up to a National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.

The revival’s first year was titled “The Year of Diocesan Revival,” and efforts focused on formation for diocesan leadership and diocesanwide events. The revival’s second year, “The Year of Parish Revival,” aims to reach Catholics in their parishes through renewed attention to the “art” of the Mass, Eucharistic devotions, and small-group faith sharing and formation.

In the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, a local committee continued working with parish and clergy leaders on implementing this next phase. Eucharistic processions — which consist of the Eucharist, typically

DECEMBER 26, 2023 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald 11

YEAR IN REVIEW

WORLD YOUTH DAY

WORLD YOUTH DAY

PHOTOS BY VATICAN MEDIA AND JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

Above, Pope Francis hears the confession of a World Youth Day pilgrim in Vasco da Gama Garden in Lisbon, Portugal, Aug. 4. Above, at right, Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, meets with Galveston-Houston pilgrims during a Houston pilgrim gathering at World Youth Day.

CNS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA

PE BENEDICT XVI

At left, the face of Pope Benedict XVI is covered after his body was placed into a cypress coffin in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Jan. 4, 2023. Placing the cloth were Monsignor Diego Giovanni Ravelli, Pope Francis’ master of papal liturgical ceremonies, and Archbishop Georg Gänswein, private secretary to Pope Benedict.

displayed in a monstrance, followed by the faithful for any length of distance inside or outside of a church — became common forms of public devotion for Catholics at points in the Church’s history when the teaching on the Real Presence was questioned. Catholics believe the Eucharist truly is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, who instituted this Sacrament at the Last Supper.

Parishes around the Archdiocese hosted celebrations for the feasts of Corpus Christi and Christ the King focused on the Eucharist, which featured processions and special prayer nights.

To learn more about the Eucharistic Revival, visit www. archgh.org/revival.

PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/ HERALD

At right, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo pours chrism oil into a large container during Chrism Mass on April 4 at the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart.

Chrism consecrated at the Mass is used in Sacraments throughout the year.

HOLY LAND

The Redemptorists are a religious congregation of Catholic priests and brothers founded in 1732 by St. Alphonsus Liguori in Naples, Italy. About 4,000 Redemptorists are currently working for the poor and abandoned in every part of the world, with more than 130 Redemptorist priests, brothers and students representing the Denver Province in the U.S. The Congregation of the Holy Spirit, also known as the Spiritans, assumed responsibility for the parish on July 2. The new pastoral team includes Father Binh T. Quach, C.S.Sp., pastor; Father Daniel Abba, C.S.Sp., parochial vicar; and Father Neil McQuillan, C.S.Sp., parochial vicar.

Galveston-Houston pilgrims trek to Lisbon for WYD

Holy Land’s leaders tell Christians to ‘stand strong’ amidst war JERUSALEM (OSV News) — Two months after deadly fighting began in the Holy Land, patriarchs and heads of the churches in Jerusalem called upon the faithful to forgo any “unnecessarily festive activities” during the Christmas season this year and to “stand strong” with those facing the afflictions of war, focusing more on the spiritual meaning of Christmas.

“Since the start of the war, there has been an atmosphere of sadness and pain. Thousands of innocent civilians, including women and children, have died or suffered serious injuries,” they said in a Nov. 10 statement.

“Many more grieve over the loss of their homes, their loved ones, or 2023 the uncertain fate of those dear to them. Throughout the region, even A YEAR more have lost their work and are suffering from serious economic IN REVIEW challenges.”

Israel launched a military assault on Hamas after Hamas terrorists from Gaza breached the southern border with Israel Oct. 7.

Thousands of heavily armed terrorists infiltrated the border and attacked some 22 civilian agricultural communities and cities inside Israel. Israel estimated about 1,200 people died in the attack. Almost 240 people, including babies and elderly, were kidnapped into Gaza.

Israel has continued with its military incursion against Hamas targets both on land and by air.

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, which is governed by Hamas, more than 11,100 Palestinians have

CHRISM MASS

been killed since Oct. 7. Although there is no breakdown available distinguishing between Hamas members and civilians, the World Health Organization has said that most of the dead are women and children. Israel charges that Hamas uses civilians as human shields. By Nov. 13, 4,609 children had been killed in Gaza.

Despite their repeated calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence, the war has continued, said the Church leaders.

Redemptorists who founded Holy Ghost parish in 1946 transition parish leadership to Spiritans

HOUSTON — This year, the Redemptorist Missionaries of the Denver Province announced they were leaving Houston July 1.

A well-known Redemptorist priest, Father Len Broniak, C.Ss.R., who has been the director of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministry for 20 years, will remain in Houston through February 2024 after the National Catholic Office for the Deaf conference meets in Houston and his position that requires unique skills is filled.

“I am trilingual,” Father Broniak said, “I have offered many Baptisms and weddings in English, Spanish and American Sign Language so the whole family could participate in the celebrations.”

LISBON — On the streets of Lisbon, a bright Texas flag flapped in the air, joining hundreds of other national flags as a delegation of 311 pilgrims from the Archdiocese made the great adventure to Portugal’s capital city of Lisbon for World Youth Day (WYD).

There on the Iberian Peninsula, surrounded by Portugal’s ancient churches and buildings, they trekked miles across Lisbon’s iconic cobblestone pathways in search of the Sacraments, prayer, faith, Pastéis de Nata — the famous egg custard tart dessert — and possibly a glimpse of Pope Francis.

Led by Angela Pometto, director of the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry for the Archdiocese (YACM), and Thalia Romero, YACM associate director, the Archdiocesan group was one of more than 1,300 groups comprised of more than 28,600 pilgrims from across the U.S. that attended WYD in Lisbon. Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, also joined the young people, hosting special catechesis and gatherings to meet with them.

The U.S. was among the five largest delegations participating in WYD, which took place Aug. 1 to 6 in Lisbon, Portugal. The theme of WYD was “Mary arose and went with haste.” Youth from all countries of the world except from Maldives arrived in Lisbon for the event. WYD and government organizers estimated that more than 1.5 million attended the international celebration.

A variety of groups comprised the delegation from Galveston-Houston, some from parishes, young adult groups, mission organizations and colleges like the University of St. Thomas and Texas A&M University at Galveston. †

12 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

Spirit of the Season HOUSTON — Catholics at parishes, schools and ministries across the Archdiocese embraced the Advent and Christmas season in a variety of manners, hosting service projects and toy drives, community meals, Christmas concerts, living nativity scenes, devotional Masses and more. Each gathering brought to life the ‘Spirit of the Season’ and made incarnate the love of God in joy.

ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA

ST. IGNATUS OF LOYOLA

ST. EDWARD PHOTOS BY MICHELLE EISTERHOLD

ST. ANGELA MERICI - YOUTH

Saturday, Feb. 10 ST. DOMINIC VILLAGE

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.



DECEMBER 26, 2023 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

SPIRIT OF THE SEASON

EDUCATION

texas catholic herald 13

Cardinal DiNardo celebrates Mass at high school

ST. ROSE OF LIMA SCHOOL

PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. PIUS X HIGH SCHOOL

On Dec. 8, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo celebrated a Mass for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception at St. Pius X High School, followed by a candlelight procession to bless the school nativity scene.

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14 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

COLUMNISTS The invaluable gift of Presence Presents have been opened, wrapping papers and bows discarded and decorations stored. While celebrations in the secular world end on Dec. 25, Catholic Christians begin the Christmas season that continues for a couple of weeks through the Baptism of the Lord. Indeed, Jesus’ birth marks this holy season.

Baby Jesus — the Messiah, the ruler of Israel — is the greatest gift given to us by God the Father. Jesus takes on human flesh and is born of a virgin to dwell among us as the profound sign heralded (Is 7:14 and Mic 5:2) and later fulfilled (Lk 2:7) to make known the love of the invisible God to the world.

This humble birth occurred in Bethlehem, a poor, small but prominent town where our Savior was born (Mt 2:1,5-8; Lk 2:4,15; Jn 7:42). “Bethlehem” itself translates to the “House of Bread” (Hebrew) and the “House of Meat” (Aramaic). No further explanations are needed. The significance of Jesus as the Bread of Life is explicitly declared, “I

am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51). In fact, by no other food has the power to give us everlasting life; only SISTER those who feast on this MARIA bread will never be GORETTI NGUYEN, OP hungry again (Jn 6:51).

The manger is a sure sign of invitation and openness, not just for the shepherds but to all. Imagine if Jesus had been born in a royal palace; the poor shepherds would not have had access to Him. If Jesus were born in a family home, the shepherds, as strangers, probably would not even be allowed to enter. But Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in a cave in the shepherds’ field, so that He might be accessible to

everyone who seeks Him. Still, now, this gift of Presence rests in every tabernacle, beckoning us to come to the “trough” and feed on Him, especially during this time of Eucharistic Revival.

Just as animals are fed on food and drink from the trough or manger, so are we to be nourished on the Eucharist, the spiritual food and drink for our souls. This precious food was freely given at the first Christmas, the incarnation, and continues being unreservedly given at every Mass in a mysterious and sacramental way.

Certainly, God has fulfilled His promise to be with us until the end of time through the Word made flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14) – the Emmanuel (Mt 1:23), the Eucharist — to strengthen and to accompany each of us on our earthly journey towards heaven, our true home.

For our New Year’s resolution in 2024, perhaps we need to rediscover the invaluable gift that lies hidden in the nativity scene. Let us respond with earnest love to God’s invitation, “All you who are thirsty, come buy grain and eat without money, wine and milk without cost!” (Is

55:1).

During the entire Christmas season of our liturgical year, I pray that you continue to take time to reflect upon the important foundations of the Christian faith: that the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, is God’s gift of Presence and love for the world. This is the true meaning of Christmas. †

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

God is our vocation consultant When was the first time you heard the word vocation? Did you immediately think of priesthood/religious life? Or did the word discernment pop into your head?

Sadly, sometimes the word vocation can be an automatic turn-off for young people. Some are so dedicated to the plan that they have made for themselves

or what their parents have planned for them that inviting God into discernment of their vocation is unheard of. How detrimental to each person’s soul! With each decision we make, whether large or small, we must consult our Creator and our Judge, the One who made us in His image. He will guide us and help us choose what is beneficial to us and build

His kingdom here on earth.

By definition, vocation is “a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action; a divine call to the religious life; the work in which a person is employed.” For some, especially the young, their current vocation is student.

For others, their current vocation is wife, husband, mother or father. In others, their vocation may have moved from student to employee to grandparent, etc.

The time is now to change the negative stigma behind the word vocation. Just because we may have once heard a grumpy priest give a “vocations talk” about joining the priesthood, there is more to our vocation.

We must take seriously our current vocation and discern how we can use the calling God has given to us (our vocation) to spread the Good News daily and be Christ to others. Often, in the Office of Vocations, we use the word mission instead of vocation. We ask young adults, “What is God’s mission for you?”This helps ease the tension when being scared away from the term vocation.

Wouldn’t it be great if each of us helped to create a culture of vocations where everyone not only acknowledges their vocation but bears fruit in their vocation daily? I’d say we can do this best by helping those we are most in

contact with cultivate a personal relationship with God. From there stems the question, “What does God want me to do with the life he has given me?” and “How can I use the gifts God has given me to by serve the Church?”

I believe if we start JOHANNA within our own families, KLOESEL we will see a positive STEPHENS shift in how the young and old respond to the things God is calling us to. Next time you are with your grandson, don’t be afraid to ask him what his relationship with God is like! Or, if you have the opportunity, talk with a high school senior and ask if they’ve consulted God when making decisions about what college they are going to or what their next steps are in life. Wouldn’t it be great if all of us made decisions that we were confident Christ was leading us towards?

We would most likely have a lot less stress and a more faith-filled society, creating a culture where each person vivaciously pursued their vocation. † Johanna Kloesel Stephens is the parish vocations programs manager at the Office of Vocations.

DEC. 31

First Reading: Sir 3:2-7, 12-14

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 128:1-5

Second Reading: Col 3:12-21 or Col 3:12-17

Gospel: Lk 2:22-40 or Lk 2:22, 39-40

JAN. 7, 2024

First Reading: Is 60:1-6

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13

Second Reading: Eph 3:2-3, 5-6

Gospel: Mt 2:1-12

texas catholic herald 15

DECEMBER 26, 2023 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

WORLD IN BRIEF Doctrinal dicastery explains how, when gay couples can be blessed

CNS PHOTO

Raniero Cardinal Cantalamessa, preacher of the papal household, leads a prayer before presenting an Advent meditation for Pope Francis, officials of the Roman Curia and Vatican employees in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican Dec. 15.

Jesus helps sinners by welcoming, not banishing them, papal preacher says VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Jesus does not wait for sinners to change their lives before He welcomes them, said the preacher of the papal household.

“He welcomes them, and this leads sinners to change their lives,” Raniero Cardinal Cantalamessa told Pope Francis, top Vatican officials and Vatican employees in the Paul VI Audience Hall.

“God’s mercy, in fact, is without conditions, but it is not without consequences!” he said.

Cardinal Cantalamessa, preacher of the papal household, gave the first of his 2023 Advent reflections to the pope and his aides on Dec. 15, focusing on St. John the Baptist and the new evangelization.

No Friday meditations were given the first two weeks of Advent as the pope had been scheduled to be in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 1 and Dec. 8 was the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

“At the basis of the baptist’s preaching is the statement: ‘Repent and thus the kingdom of God will come to you!’ At the basis of Jesus’ preaching is the statement: ‘Repent because the kingdom of God has come to you!’” the cardinal said.

“It is not the observance of the commandments that allows the kingdom of God to come, but it is the coming of the kingdom of God that allows the observance of the commandments,” he said.

“People did not suddenly change and become better so that the kingdom could come to them. No, they are the same as always, but it is God who, in the fullness of time, sent His Son, thus giving them the possibility of changing and living a new life,” he said.

The “newness of Christ is reflected in the different attitude of the baptist and Jesus toward the so-called ‘sinners.’ John, we have seen, attacks sinners who come to him with fiery words” while Jesus speaks and eats “with tax collectors and sinners.”

“Jesus does not wait for the Samaritan woman to put her private life in order

before spending time with her and even asking her to give Him something to drink. But in doing so, He changed the heart of that woman who became an evangelizer among her people,” Cardinal Cantalamessa said, noting that the same thing happened with Zacchaeus, Matthew the publican and the adulteress.

“We cannot draw an absolute norm from these examples,” he said because Jesus could read people’s hearts. “We are not Jesus,” but “the Church cannot ignore, however, the style of Jesus or place it on the same level” as that of St. John the Baptist.

“Jesus disapproves of sin infinitely more than the most rigid moralists could do, but He proposed a new remedy in the Gospel: not distancing, but acceptance,” he said.

“Changing one’s life is not the condition for approaching Jesus in the Gospel; however, it must be the result — or at least the purpose — after approaching Him,” he said.

The cardinal said the Catholic Church “has much to learn from today’s mothers and fathers” who continue to respect and love their children even when they “destroy themselves” with addictions, abuse or bad choices. “We are called to choose between the model of John the Baptist and the model of Jesus, between giving pre-eminence to the law, or giving it to grace and mercy.”

St. John the Baptist is not just a moralist and a preacher of penance, the cardinal said, he is a special prophet who points to the savior who has already come.

This is “the new Christian prophecy, which does not consist in announcing a future salvation, but in revealing the hidden presence of Christ in the world,” he said.

Jesus said, “I am with you always until the end of the world,” and He continues to be among humanity, but the world, even today, after two thousand years, still does not recognize Him, the cardinal said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A Catholic priest can bless a gay or other unmarried couple as long as it is not a formal liturgical blessing and does not give the impression that the Catholic Church is blessing the union as if it were a marriage, the Vatican doctrinal office said.

The request for a blessing can express and nurture “openness to the transcendence, mercy and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live. It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered,” the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith said in a formal declaration published Dec. 18. The document “Fiducia Supplicans” (“Supplicating Trust”) was subtitled, “On the pastoral meaning of blessings,” and was approved by Pope Francis during an audience with Víctor Cardinal Fernández, dicastery prefect, Dec. 18.

Cardinal Fernández said the declaration “remains firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage, not allowing any type of liturgical rite or blessing similar to a liturgical rite that can create confusion,” but it also explores the “pastoral meaning of blessings” in a way that opens “the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples without officially validating their status or changing in any way the Church’s perennial teaching on marriage.”

The Church “remains firm” in teaching that marriage can be contracted only between one woman and one man, he said, and continues to insist that “rites and prayers that could create confusion” about a marriage and another form of relationship “are inadmissible.”

But in Catholic tradition blessings go well beyond the formal ritual used in marriage and other Sacraments.

“Blessings are among the most widespread and evolving sacramentals. Indeed, they lead us to grasp God’s presence in all the events of life and remind us that, even in the use of created things, human beings are invited to seek God, to love Him, and to serve Him faithfully,” the declaration said. That is why people, meals, rosaries, homes, pets and myriad other things can be and are blessed on various occasions. †

At Christmas, God remains with us through war and poverty, pope says VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Christmas season is a reminder to Christians that despite hardships, God chose to join Himself to humanity and still remains by its side, Pope Francis said.

“Christmas is a reminder that God loves us and wants to be with us,” the pope told a group of children at the Vatican on Dec. 15 during a meeting with representatives from the Italian Catholic Action movement. The incarnation, he said, “is a stupendous gift, and it brings with it another: that we may also love one another as brothers and sisters.” He added that such love is needed today when “so many people, so many children suffer because of war.” †

16 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

NATION & STATE

5 years after catechism update, pro-life leaders see ‘renewed momentum’ to end death penalty WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Five years after Pope Francis updated the catechism to clarify the Catholic Church’s teaching on the death penalty, there is “renewed momentum” in the U.S. to end the practice, a leading Catholic activist said.

Pope Francis revised the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 2267) in 2018 to reflect that capital punishment is morally “inadmissible” in the modern world and that the Church works with determination for its abolishment worldwide.

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network, which advocates for ending the death penalty, told OSV News that “in the past five years, we’ve seen three states formally abolish the death penalty, including the first and only Southern state to do so: New Hampshire (2019), Colorado (2020) and Virginia (2021).

There have also been a number of states that have paused executions under a governor-imposed moratorium, including Arizona, California, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.”

“We’ve seen an impressive and growing number of Catholics come out

PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

A protestor holds an anti-death penalty sign during a rally for Catholic Advocacy Day at the Texas State Capitol in Austin March 21. Texas is one of just five states that carried out executions in 2023.

in full force with consistent opposition to scheduled executions, faithful advocacy for legislation that would limit or eliminate the death penalty, and fervent prayer that the dignity of life will be upheld for all people, even those among us who have committed grave harm,” she said. “This kind of faithful advocacy to abolish the death penalty has been inspiring.”

Vaillancourt Murphy said Pope Francis’ revision “followed a long history of the Catholic Church’s opposition to the death penalty.” She pointed out that many

Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston 39th Observance of the Annual Celebration

"A Mass of Remembrance" Honoring the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart 1111 St. Joseph Parkway Houston, Texas 77002

SUNDAY AFTERNOON January 14, 2024 Most Rev. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop

PRINCIPAL CELEBRANT

3:00PM Reception to Follow in the Cathedral Centre.

Rev. Martins C. Emeh, J.C.L. Pastor, Saint Monica Parish

HOMILIST

often overlook that the catechism was previously adapted in 1997 to include St. John Paul II’s words from his 1995 encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”).

“It stated that the death penalty could be defended when it was the only possible way to protect society, but acknowledged that such instances were rare, if not ‘practically nonexistent,’” she said.

In his 2020 encyclical “Fratelli Tutti,” Pope Francis cited the writings of St. John Paul, writing that his predecessor “stated clearly and firmly that the death penalty is inadequate from a moral standpoint and no longer necessary from that of penal justice.”

“There can be no stepping back from this position,” Pope Francis wrote. “Today we state clearly that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible’ and the Church is firmly committed to calling for its abolition worldwide.”

Vaillancourt Murphy said the catechism’s 1997 revision “conveyed a strong opposition to the inhumane practice of capital punishment;” however, “it left some room for confusion at best, and gross misinterpretation at worst.”

“The 2018 revision was monumental because it provided crystal clarity regarding the Catholic stance on capital punishment,” she said. “In practical terms, prior to the catechism revision in 2018, the confusion on the Church’s position on the death penalty created an impression of an inconsistent ethic around the value of life. Since the revision, there are no more ‘rare cases,’ no more loopholes.

The death penalty is inadmissible in all instances, full stop.”

She also said that in the last five years, the U.S. bishops have made very clear “Catholic opposition to the death penalty.”

“The bishops vocally and publicly opposed the string of federal executions carried out by the Trump administration in the last six months of his presidency,” she said. “Local bishops regularly advocate on behalf of those facing executions in their state.”

Vaillancourt Murphy also highlighted how the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops even included the issue of the death penalty in their address to the Holy Father at their 2023 summer gathering in Orlando, Florida, hosted on the same day that Duane Owen was executed in that state.

“They said, ‘We share in your opposition to the death penalty. Capital punishment is indeed a false answer that does not solve the problem for which it

is invoked and introduces new elements of destruction. We pray for the victims of heinous crimes and for the protection of the inalienable dignity of every human being.’”

The revision, Vaillancourt Murphy added, “was not the beginning of Catholic opposition to the death penalty — far from it.”

“But when I look back at these past five years, I see it as a source of renewed momentum, determination and faithful commitment to this critical life issue,” she said.

According to the Death Penalty Information Center’s 2023 annual report, just five states — Alabama, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas — carried out executions in 2023, while a majority of U.S. states have banned or paused the practice by executive order.

A Dec. 14 report by the Texas Coalition Against the Death Penalty (TCADP) said Texas led the nation in executions in 2023 and that six of the eight men put to death in Texas this year had significant mental impairments.

“It is obvious that many of these executed individuals never would have received a death sentence if they were tried today,” said Kristin Houlé Cuellar, TCADP executive director.

However, there was an increase in executions in 2023 from the previous year: 24 people were executed in 2023, while 18 were executed in 2022. This year, the report said, was the ninth consecutive year with fewer than 30 executions.

Texas and Florida are both currently led by Catholic governors, with the report singling out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican currently seeking his party’s presidential nomination, as behind that uptick.

According to the TCADP, there are currently 180 people on Texas death row, including seven women. This is the smallest Texas death row population since 1985 when there were 188 people on death row. Vaillancourt Murphy said that Americans in general, not only Catholics, are increasingly turning against the practice.

“Even as we face the challenges of these regressive steps by a handful of states, there is a clear movement away from the death penalty that can be seen widely across the U.S.,” she said.

Several decades of Gallup surveys have shown that more Americans say they favor the death penalty for a person convicted of murder. But a Nov. 14 Gallup survey found support for the death penalty was at 55% last year, a significant decline from 1994 when the survey recorded its all-time high of 80%.

For the first time, the poll found that more Americans say it is applied unfairly (50%) than fairly (47%).

“All the indicators we use to assess the death penalty’s grip on the U.S. unequivocally indicate that the practice is on its way out in this country,” Vaillancourt Murphy said. † — James Ramos contributed to this report.

texas catholic herald 17

DECEMBER 26, 2023 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

MUNDO CATÓLICO

Arzobispo es premiado por ‘pastorear’ al pueblo de Puerto Rico tras huracán, en medio de una recesión económica NUEVA YORK (OSV News) — El arzobispo de San Juan de Puerto Rico, Roberto González Nieves, “posee un corazón apasionado que late con el amor de un pastor por su pueblo, por el crecimiento y el bienestar del pueblo, y por el futuro del pueblo de Dios en Puerto Rico”, dijo el padre Jack Wall, presidente de Catholic Extension.

El sacerdote dijo esto al presentar el Premio Espíritu de Francisco de Catholic Extension al arzobispo, quien es “verdaderamente un buen pastor que guía, nutre, fortalece y da su propia vida todos los días para que el pueblo de Dios en Puerto Rico pueda seguir construyendo comunidades de fe católica vibrantes y transformadoras, especialmente entre los más pobres de los pobres en la isla”.

El arzobispo González recibió el premio en la ciudad de Nueva York en la novena cena anual del Premio Espíritu de Francisco de Catholic Extension el 28 de noviembre. La organización sin ánimo de lucro con sede en Chicago concede el premio anualmente a un individuo o grupo que ha tenido un impacto significativo en la misión de la Iglesia Católica en los EE.UU. a través del servicio o la filantropía.

Cinco cardenales asistieron a la cena, entre ellos el cardenal Blase J. Cupich de Chicago, que es canciller de Catholic Extension; el cardenal Wilton D. Gregory de Washington D.C.; el cardenal Christophe Pierre, nuncio apostólico en los Estados Unidos; el cardenal Daniel N. DiNardo de Galveston-Houston, Texas; y el cardenal Timothy M. Dolan de Nueva York. También asistieron dos obispos de Puerto Rico, Mons. Luis Francisco Miranda Rivera de Fajardo-Humacao y Mons. Ángel Luis Ríos Matos, de Mayagüez.

El arzobispo González“ha sido un líder vital para la comunidad puertorriqueña, pastoreando y abogando por Puerto Rico a través de la larga y continua recuperación después del huracán María, otros desastres naturales, la pandemia y la recesión económica”, dijo Catholic Extension al anunciar el premio, que está inspirado en San Francisco de Asís, el Papa Francisco y su fundador, el padre Francis Clement Kelley.

En su discurso, el arzobispo González dijo que es un honor que “no soy digno de recibir”.

“Lo acepto como un llamado y una gracia para renovar mis votos de servicio al Señor, a su pueblo y a su iglesia”, dijo, agradeciendo a Catholic Extension “por apoyar financiera y espiritualmente a la iglesia en Puerto Rico desde 1905 hasta el presente”.

“Extension ha ayudado a reparar y reconstruir estructuras eclesiásticas dañadas, y nos ha ayudado a conseguir la financiación necesaria, que de otra manera no habríamos podido conseguir”, dijo el arzobispo González. “Esta es una extraordinaria expresión de solidaridad y amor eclesial y misionero”.

El prelado, que creció en Nueva York y se describe a sí mismo como “hijo de la diáspora puertorriqueña”, dirige la Arquidiócesis de San Juan desde 1999.

La referencia del arzobispo a 1905 en sus comentarios es el año en que se fundó Catholic Extension para construir comunidades de fe católicas en regiones desatendidas, incluido Puerto Rico.

Desde 2017, el huracán María y una serie de terremotos paralizaron la economía y la infraestructura del territorio insular estadounidense, dañando más de 600 instalaciones, muchas de las cuales incluyen iglesias católicas históricas y centenarias, escuelas católicas y capillas misioneras que sirven a las comunidades más remotas de la isla, en cinco diócesis puertorriqueñas afectadas por los desastres naturales. La mayoría de las iglesias y escuelas católicas dañadas se encuentran en San Juan, según Catholic Extension.

La Agencia Federal de Gestión de Emergencias (FEMA por sus siglas en inglés) “tardó” en responder, pero “la Iglesia católica no”, según Catholic Extension. Durante los últimos seis años, Catholic Extension ha organizado y dirigido el programa de recuperación de catástrofes para cinco diócesis católicas de Puerto Rico, “que colectivamente tratan de reconstruir instalaciones en todo el archipiélago de Puerto Rico, convirtiéndolo quizás en el mayor proyecto de reconstrucción de la cristiandad estadounidense”.

Hasta la fecha, 332,2 millones de dólares de los 400 millones de dólares estimados en daños “han sido comprometidos por FEMA a las diócesis de Puerto Rico”, lo que les permite “comenzar la tan esperada reparación de las instalaciones”. †

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.

FOTO CORTESÍA DE CATHOLIC EXTENSION

Catholic Extension honró al Arzobispo Roberto O. González Nieves de Puerto Rico con el Premio Espíritu de Francisco de Nueva York 2023 por guiar a Puerto Rico a través del proyecto de reconstrucción más grande del cristianismo estadounidense después de que la isla sufriera daños después del huracán María y varios terremotos. En la foto, de izquierda a derecha, están Christophe Cardenal Pierre, nuncio apostólico en los Estados Unidos; Daniel Cardenal DiNardo; el arzobispo Roberto Octavio González; Blase Cardenal Cupich, Arquidiócesis de Chicago; y Wilton Cardenal Gregory, Arquidiócesis de Washington.

18 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

WITHIN THE ARTS

Vatican Museums share hidden images, details found by art restorers VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican Museums has launched an initiative to give visitors — online and in person — a “backstage” peek into the secrets, curiosities and insights discovered by their art restorers.

When cleaning, repairing and analyzing major works of art up close or with X-rays or infrared radiation, experts often find unexpected and hidden details.

The new yearlong initiative lets visitors learn more about some of the discoveries and view details concealed or hard to see in some 36 masterpieces.

The new digital initiative, “Beyond the surface. Through the eyes of the restorer,” was inaugurated at the Vatican Museums on Dec. 11.

Wherever museum visitors see a selfstanding placard with a QR code in front of a masterpiece, they can scan it with a smartphone to access about a dozen or more other images and explanations about the artwork that would otherwise be impossible to see. The exhibit is also accessible online as one of its “featured galleries” at catalogo.museivaticani.va.

For example, with Leonardo da Vinci’s St. Jerome in the Wilderness, there are closeups of the painting’s light blue sky, revealing the Florentine artist’s fingerprints from when he blended and spread the fresh pigments on the surface with his hand to blur the line between earth and sky, as it appears when seeing a distant landscape.

With Raffaello Sanzio’s The Coronation of the Virgin, images show the dull grayish color of Mary’s mantle caused by oxidation of the paints used during a restoration in the 1950s.

More images show the stunning bright blue Raffaello had used from lapis lazuli after restorers removed the oxidized paints in 2019.

The initiative celebrates the 100th year anniversary of the establishment of the museums’ first restoration laboratory, which is dedicated to the conservation of all paintings, frescoes and artworks made with wood materials belonging to the Holy See. That’s about 5,300 paintings and hundreds of thousands of square

CNS PHOTO

A small crowd looks at paintings by Raffaello Sanzio in the Vatican Museums at the Vatican Dec. 11. From the left can be seen Madonna of Foligno, The Transfiguration and The Crowning of the Virgin.

feet of wall paintings and frescoes, said Francesca Persegati, chief restorer of the Vatican Museums.

With an in-house staff of 26 restorers and an additional 10 external collaborators, the laboratory is responsible for wood and painted pieces from every era, from ancient wooden Egyptian sarcophagi and Imperial Roman necropolis to a modern-day Matisse.

Among its most notable achievements, the lab was responsible for the massive “restoration of the century” with the Sistine Chapel, which started in 1980 and was unveiled by St. John Paul II in 1994; the Raphael Rooms and the Borgia Apartment in the Apostolic Palace; the Holy Stairs near St. John Lateran; and the Marian icon of “Salus Populi Romani” (health of the Roman people), much venerated by Pope Francis.

Persegati said the museums’ restorers wanted to celebrate their lab’s anniversary by sharing their most cherished discoveries and methods of restoration with visitors who are so often overwhelmed by so much to see around them.

She said the restorers wanted to highlight their craft, defined by the first director of the museums’ laboratory, Biagio Biagetti, as “custodians of the most sublime pictorial poetry in the world.” †

MOVIE RATINGS By OSV News

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

A-I – SUITABLE FOR ALL • Journey to Bethlehem (PG) • Wish (PG)

• The Boys in the Boat (PG-13) • The Holdovers (R) • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (PG-13) • The Marvels (PG-13) • Wonka (PG)

A-II – SUITABLE FOR OLDER CHILDREN • Trolls Band Together (PG) A-III – ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS • Five Nights at Freddy’s (PG-13) • Freelance (R) • Freud’s Last Session (PG-13) • Priscilla (R) • Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé (NR)

L – LIMITED MATURE AUDIENCE • May December (R) • Napoleon (R) O – MORALLY OFFENSIVE • Silent Night (R) • Thanksgiving (R)

texas catholic herald 19

DECEMBER 26, 2023 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE

FEB. 17-18, 2024

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PRINCE OF PEACE CATHOLIC CHURCH (St. Andrew Discipleship Center) 19222 Tomball Parkway Houston, TX 77070

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ONLINE VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: A MINIATURE NATIVITY

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To find additional listings online, visit the website at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ATA.

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A CATHOLIC CONFERENCE TO HONOR AND SUPPORT AGING

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

Sunday, Mother of Perpetual Help Retreat Center (3417 W. Little York, Houston).

Marian Servants of the Incarnate Wisdom present “Healing Through the Power of Jesus Christ” with speaker Father Greg Bramlage, founder of the Missionaries of the New Evangelization. Cost: $250 per person. info@ MarianServantsHouston.org.

NURTURING THE ROOTS OF OUR COMMUNAL TREE

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FEB. 23-25, 2024

The Office of Aging Presents:

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VINTAGE MARKET, Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., St. Anne (2140 Westheimer Rd., Houston). Household goods, collectibles, furniture, sports equipment, books, jewelry and more for sale. Free, open to the public. 713-526-3276; saintanne.org/ rotator/627-vintage-values.

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FEB. 1-3, 2024

GARAGE SALE, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, St.

Around the Archdiocese

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AGING CONFERENCE, Friday and Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Prince of Peace - St. Andrew Discipleship Center (19222 Tomball Pkwy., Houston). Office of Aging hosts “Nurturing The Roots of Our Communal Tree: A Catholic Conference to Honor and Support Aging,” a two-day event with presentations and vendors that support pastoral and practical care for families with older adults. Friday’s sessions are geared for parish leaders; Saturday is for older adults and family members. View agenda and register at archgh.org/aging.

E-mail event details to tch@archgh.org for possible inclusion in the Around the Archdiocese calendar or scan the QR code and fill out the form online at www.archgh.org/ata. There is no charge for listings but space is limited.

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JAN. 26-27, 2024

FEB. 15-18, 2024

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

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WORKSHOP, 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays, Emmaus Spirituality Center (12211 Memorial Dr., Houston). “Success: Full Living” six-week workshop (through March 3) on life skills with lectures, meditation, music, exercise, goal and life planning in small groups. Cost: $175 per person, $30 for SFL graduate. You must attend all six sessions to get a graduate certificate. info@emmausspiritualitycenter.com; 281-2419678; emmausspiritualitycenter.com.

SUBMIT EVENTS FOR AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE

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JAN. 21, 2024

DINNER & DANCE, 6 p.m., St. Anne (1122 South Cherry St., Tomball). Knights of Columbus host dinner and dance with catered meal, music and auction. Proceeds benefit religious vocations.

Cost: $50 per person. 346-645-3100, kc-11472. org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT

About 725 people enjoyed the combination of music and Scripture readings Dec. 14 at the Lessons & Carols event at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. The event prepares attendees for Christmas.

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JAN. 19, 2024

SUPER BINGO, 7 to 11 p.m., St. Francis of Assisi (5102 Dabney St., Houston). Ten games. Cost: Tickets $20 presale; $25 at the door. elizabethkindle01@gmail.com; stfrancisofhouston.org.

FEB. 10, 2024

HEART OF WORSHIP, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., St. Laurence (3100 Sweetwater Blvd., Sugar Land). Conference with talks on the Eucharist by speakers Patty Schneier and Father David Michael Moses, praise and worship, dinner, Mass and Adoration. Catered dinner from Carrabba’s. Registration open to age 12 and older. Cost: $30 early bird registration by Jan. 22, 2024, $50 after. sehrenkranz@stlaurence. org; stlaurence.org/how.

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JAN. 17, 2024

SPEAKER, 9:30 a.m., Mary Queen (606 Cedarwood Dr., Friendswood). Bay Area Deanery Council of Catholic Women host speaker ChristyAnne Collins with raffle and diaper drive to assist Bay Area deanery Gabriel Projects. Bring diaper sizes 3, 4 and 5 and toiletries.

LESSONS & CAROLS PREPARES ATTENDEES FOR CHRISTMAS

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JAN. 15, 2024

HUMAN TRAFFICKING NIGHT OF AWARENESS, 6 p.m., Christ the Redeemer (11507 Huffmeister Rd., Houston). Street Grace’s educational presentations teach people to the warning signs of child sexual abuse and exploitation, how to report suspicious activity and get involved in the cause. Free. 281-469-5533; kerry. chu@ctrcc.com; streetgrace.org.

Ignatius of Loyola (7810 Cypresswood Dr., Spring). Garage sale with furniture, household items, clothing, jewelry, baby items, toys, books and more. Rain or shine. Early bird pre-sale ($25 per person) Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday to Saturday is free. garagesale@ silcc.org; ignatiusloyola.org/garage-sale.

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

The Conference features presentations and vendors that support pastoral and practical care for families with older adults.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2024 8:30 AM -12:30 PM FOR: PARISH LEADERS OPENING REMARKS: Most Reverend Daniel Cardinal DiNardo KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Monsignor Chester L. Borski

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2024 8:30 AM -12:30 PM FOR: OLDER ADULTS & FAMILY MEMBERS

PRESENTATIONS FEATURING: PRESENTATIONS FEATURING: Support for In-Home Care Making Intergenerational Connections Essential Legal Planning Memory Care Support for Families Pre-Planning Funerals Pastoral Care for the End-of-Life Aging with a Healthier Lifestyle Community Providers to Support Aging Spiritual Care for Aging Nurturing the Faith of Older Adults Senior Care Housing Options Engaging the Gifts of Older Adults Community Providers to Support Aging

REGISTRATION REQUIRED FREE EVENT SEATING IS LIMITED FOR QUESTIONS/ASSISTANCE WITH REGISTRATION, CALL 713-741-8712

VISIT: ARCHGH.ORG/AGING

PHOTO BY MARCUS NORWOOD/OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

A Nativity scene is seen in a room-sized diorama of the Holy Family and the story of the Paschal Mystery starting from the birth of Jesus through the Resurrection.

The impressive scene, hosted by All Saints Catholic Church in The Heights (215 E. 10th St., Houston), is on display through January 2024. SCAN THE CODE AT RIGHT TO WATCH AN ‘AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE’ VIDEO ABOUT THE DISPLAY.

REGISTER NOW

20 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

MILESTONES

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • DECEMBER 26, 2023

Do you have a photo you’d like to share? To submit a photo of a place, group or event that you would like to see in the Herald, email it to tch@archgh.org.

Cardinal DiNardo, Houston Mayor praise Archbishop Fiorenza at groundbreaking of plaza Set to open this spring, new plaza to feature greenspace on Co-Cathedral campus HOUSTON — As Daniel Cardinal DiNardo began to bless the downtown Houston site on Dec. 18 with holy water, a white-tailed hawk with brown-tipped wings soared over the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Landing on the very top of the gold cross above the bell tower, the observant bird appeared to watch the crowd below.

The groundbreaking of the Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza Plaza honored the Archdiocese’s shepherd for decades of service, physically culminating in the construction of the new Co-Cathedral before he passed away last year at 91.

A group of dignitaries, including Archbishop ARCHBISHOP Fiorenza’s nephew JOSEPH A. Mark Fiorenza, put FIORENZA on their ceremonial (1931-2022) hardhats and held gleaming shovels for an official photo. A drone buzzed overhead to capture the moment, and the

“Archbishop Fiorenza was a living example of the Gospel message to love your neighbor as yourself.”

SYLVESTER TURNER Mayor of Houston

PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, fourth from left, lifts a shovel alongside Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, fifth from left, during a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza Plaza on Dec. 18 in Houston. The new construction will complete the vision the late Archbishop had for the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart. Joining Cardinal DiNardo and Mayor Turner are (left to right) Houston City Councilman Robert Gallegos; Nicholas Sawicki of the Office of Development; Father Jeff Bame, rector and pastor of the Co-Cathedral; Auxilary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS; and Lisa and Mark Fiorenza.

hawk disappeared into the clear blue sky.

“It was meant to be a place that beautified our downtown community, that welcomed our Archdiocesan family and provided a gathering space for

prayer, events and service,” Cardinal DiNardo said. “It is, therefore, only fitting that this plaza be established in his honor and in his memory.”

In one of his last official acts before leaving City Hall in his final term this month, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner praised Fiorenza and his legacy of social justice.

“Whether it was helping out with policing reform, addressing housing issues, speaking out on behalf of immigrants and the homeless, helping to desegregate our schools and businesses, or highlighting and marshaling resources for the underserved, Archbishop Fiorenza was a living example of the

Gospel message to love your neighbor as yourself,”Turner said.

The 60,000-square-foot memorial plaza includes a gathering space and pavilion along with 140 new parking spaces. Expected to be completed next spring, the plaza sits across the street from the Co-Cathedral on St. Joseph Parkway and San Jacinto Street on the former location of the old Co-Cathedral, which was recently demolished.

After leading the Archdiocese as bishop and archbishop from 1985 to 2006, Archbishop Fiorenza was granted retirement by Pope Benedict XVI on Feb. 28, 2006. He continued as a community leader, especially on social justice issues against poverty and the death penalty.

A native of Beaumont, Archbishop Fiorenza died Sept. 19, 2022, and was laid to rest at the Forest Park Cemetery in Houston.

The upcoming plaza joins several Houston monuments that honor Archbishop Fiorenza, including a nearly 400-acre city park in west Houston along Brays Bayou and the Three Pillars of Light at a plaza at Interfaith Ministries in Midtown.

Details completed on the Completing “We haven’t the walk ye the Walk campaign can be found at www. we can’t stop now; we have to keep completingthewalk.org. † - By Jo Ann Zuñiga

Join Us in

archgh.org Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph December 30 Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God Sunday, January 1 Epiphany of the Lord & First Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday, January 8 Ash Wednesday Wednesday, February 14

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Cam WWW.COMPLETINGTHEWALK.ORG

DEO GRATIAS! ($2,500,000)

+ Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza Plaza + Demolition of the old Co-Cathedral of the Sacr + Creation of 100 additional parking spaces (from + Fully gated parking lot and green space for gat + Covered pavilion + Creation of a tribute wall

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO! ($9,80

ARCHB I S HOP JOS E P H A. FI ORE NZ ( $ 2 ,5 0 0 ,0 0 0 )

CO-CAT HE DRAL CAP I TAL PROJ E CT ( $ 1 ,4 7 0 ,0 0 0 ) + Installation of a new sound system and LED li