AUGUST 17, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH
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AVE MARIA IN MUSIC
Teens turned out in force to celebrate their faith at annual youth conference ▪ SEE PAGE 12
September concerts celebrate Divine Mercy message ▪ SEE PAGE 19
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AUGUST 17, 2021
IGNITE
Donors help make Catholic education a reality for many
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VOL. 58, NO. 6
WHOEVER RECEIVES ONE CHILD LIKE THIS...
BY REBECCA TORRELLAS Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — The IGNITE campaign was established to build funding for individual parish needs, infrastructure and housing at St. Mary’s Seminary, strengthen faith formation, rebuild and fortify parishes and schools that suffered damage during Harvey, build a future disaster recovery fund, and provide assistance to families who wish to send their children to Catholic primary schools. “The IGNITE campaign helps to ensure that families who wish to send their children to a Catholic school can afford to do so with the help of tuition assistance, while also helping to form See IGNITE, page 6
MINISTRIES
New parish guide tackles racism, promotes inclusion Parishes urged to use guide at all levels BY ANNETTE BAIRD Herald Correspondent
CNS PHOTO
Pope Francis greets a child during his general audience in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall Aug. 11. The pope continued his series of audience talks focused on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians and reflected on what role God’s law to Moses plays in helping people encounter Christ.
As pandemic resurges, CSO, Catholic schools look to the future Just like in 2020, flexibility is the name of the game
HOUSTON — In the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council’s (APC) June 26 meeting about inclusion and racism, Family Life Ministry Director Ricardo Medina used the analogy of an iceberg to highlight how people relate to each other. He said people are like icebergs in that there are the visual markers — part of the iceberg above the water, and hidden markers — the larger part below the water. Medina, who led the virtual meeting, said while age, race and gender are the visual markers, the more meaningful markers are often hidden. See PASTORAL, page 8
BY REBECCA TORRELLAS Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — As summer comes to a close, the 11 Catholic high schools and 45 Catholic primary schools in the Archdiocese have begun the 2021-2022 school year. Due to the surge of COVID-19, especially the Delta variant, Debra Haney, superintendent of Catholic schools said in a Aug. 10 letter, “in an effort to ensure maximum learning time for students in the classroom, our Catholic schools will be requiring masks while indoors for all students in grades
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K to 12, staff and visitors.” “Decisions regarding other mitigation protocols will remain with the pastor/ president and the principal at each campus,” she said. “We believe this to be a temporary measure, and the pastor/president and principal will continue to monitor the status of COVID-19 and the variants; these reviews will occur frequently.” Haney said one of the big projects this year is the implementation of a new formative assessment program for all of
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the parochial schools. “We had about 10 schools pilot the use of the NWEA Map (Measures of Academic Progress) Assessment over the past two years, and we have decided to implement the program now in all of our schools,” she said. “The biggest change is that this assessment occurs over the course of the year multiple times rather than just once at the end of the academic year.” Haney said that in 2019, the Archdiocese began to look at academic progress in a different way,
BACK TO SCHOOL
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See SCHOOLS, page 4
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Back-to-school Mass blesses Catholic teachers, students and staff
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BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — Opening up the new school year, Catholic school teachers, staff and students in the Archdiocese celebrated Mass Aug. 5 with Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. With the fourth surge of COVID-19, this time a stronger Delta variant, Cardinal DiNardo told the teachers and principals, “You’ve come through many challenges as our leadership.” He asked God to bless “those who offered themselves as teachers, principals and catechists” among the 300 in attendance, most wearing masks, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston. Another 235 people watched through livestream on the Archdiocese’s website. After Mass, Catholic School Superintendent Debra Haney spoke from the church ambo to the staff, reminding them of this year’s theme “Open Wide the Doors to Christ.” “We’ve been opening many new doors. Our parent conferences have been through Zoom — who ever heard of Zoom a few years ago?” she said. “As we go through another year together with the pandemic, every day we must open a new door for our children.” Haney said, in addition to academics, teachers need to teach students how to love, how to understand what character and values are needed to build harmony, and how to build relationships. She referred to “The Chosen,” a free first-ever multi-season series
PRAYERS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR A Prayer for Students
Lord our God, in your wisdom and love You surround us with the mysteries of the universe. Send your Spirit upon our students and fill them with Your wisdom and blessings. Grant that they may devote themselves to their studies and draw ever closer to You, the source of all knowledge. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
online about the life of Christ and His Apostles, produced only by donations. “It shows Jesus’s ministry behind the scenes. You know how the teachers are the ones behind the scenes helping to put together children’s productions of our Christmas plays. It’s the legacy of how ordinary people like you and me do the work of Jesus Christ,” she said. “It’s insightful of how the Apostles thought and acted supported by Scripture. You are like those Apostles chosen by God,” Haney said. Awards were given out for those with 45 years teaching at Catholic schools, 25 years and down through five years. The Sts. Peter and Paul Award, given to a team of pastor and principal
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A Prayer for Teachers and Staff
Lord God, Your spirit of wisdom fills the earth and teaches us Your ways. Look upon these teachers. Let them strive to share their knowledge with gentle patience and endeavor always to bring the truth to eager minds. Grant that they may follow Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life, forever and ever. Amen.
working well together for the good of the school, went to Our Lady of Guadalupe School principal Irazema Ortiz, M.Ed, and pastor Father Wojciech Adamczyk, SCJ. The prestigious Sally Landram Excellence in Education Award, named after a dedicated school teacher and superintendent in 2004, honored early education Pre-K teacher Denise Sterner of St. Francis de Sales Catholic School. Sterner said she would share the award of $1,500 given through the John and Alida Considine Foundation by purchasing statues of Our Blessed Mother Mary for each of the classrooms at school. “I’m so incredibly blessed to see God’s creation through the innocent eyes of young children,” she said. †
Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop, President & Publisher Jonah Dycus Communications Director & Executive Editor Rebecca Torrellas Managing Editor James Ramos Designer & Reporter Catherine Viola Graphic Designer & Advertising Manager Kerry McGuire and Jo Ann Zuñiga Contributors The Texas Catholic Herald, an awardwinning member of The Catholic Media Association, is published semi-monthly on Tuesdays, with one issue in June, July and August by The Texas Catholic Herald Publishing Co., Inc., 1700 San Jacinto St., Houston, TX 77002. Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX and other distribution points. Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 907, Houston, TX 77001 Subscription rate: $15 per year; $20 outside Texas; $35 out of U.S. TCH publishing schedule Issue date: September 14 Deadline: Noon on August 24 Issue date: September 28 Deadline: Noon on September 7
THE HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS — FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST FOR THE CHURCH, Let us pray for the Church, that she may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace and strength to reform herself in the light of the Gospel. “Let us begin reforming the Church with a reform of ourselves, without prefabricated ideas, without ideological prejudices, without rigidity, but rather by moving forward based on spiritual experience — an experience of prayer, an experience of charity, an experience of service.” — Pope Francis
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THE FIRST WORD AN ITALIAN CELEBRATION
PASTORAL APPOINTMENTS Effective July 20 Father Peter Toung Parochial Vicar – Corpus Christi Father RaviEarnest Sebastin Catholic Chaplain Corps Effective July 27 Bishop Italo Dell’Oro Chancellor and Moderator of the Curia Effective August 1 Father William Rock, FSSP Parochial Vicar – Regina Caeli Effective August 8 Father Thomas “Tom” Rafferty Episcopal Vicar for Clergy and Director of the Secretariat for Clergy Formation and Chaplaincy Services Effective September 1 Father Mariano Veliz, OP Parochial Vicar – Holy Rosary, Houston
IN BRIEF Sept. 25 Liturgy honors law enforcement officers, personnel PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PARISH OF ST. ANTHONY THE ABBOT, DIOCESE OF MILAN
After his ordination as the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s newest auxiliary bishop, Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, returned to Italy to celebrate with his family, friends and brother clergy. He presided over a special mass concelebrated with his brother Somascan priests, bishops and other clergy. His friends and family participated in the Liturgy, including the presentation of a special pectoral cross. A friendly confetti cannon salute on the steps of the church capped off the once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
HOUSTON — Blue Mass will be celebrated on behalf of civilian and classified law enforcement employees, police officers and their families and public supporters. It will be held Saturday, Sept. 25, at 5 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in downtown. Officers are encouraged to wear dress uniforms without the hat. Agencies are encouraged to bring equipment for the public to see and to be blessed after the Mass. For more information, email BlueMass@archgh.org or call 713-741-8745. †
DSF annual appeal to support Archdiocesan ministries continues HOUSTON — This year, the theme of the annual Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) appeal is “Walk in the Light of Christ.” The annual campaign to support more than 60 Archdiocese-wide ministries is under way and the local Church is asking parishioners to continue their generous giving to DSF. The fund supports a variety of ministries, such as those forming youth in Catholic faith; providing support and preparation for clergy; teaching, evangelizing, worshipping, and outreach to the incarcerated, aging, poor and sick; and programming to strengthen Christian families, among many others. A full list of the ministries supported can be found at www.archgh.org/dsf. The Archdiocese counts on DSF funds to help meet the needs of people struggling throughout our region. To pledge online, visit www.archgh.org/dsf. For more information about DSF and the ministries it supports, call 713-652-4417. †
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HERALD RECOGNIZED
The Texas Catholic Herald wins multiple Catholic Press awards. ▪ SEE PAGE 20
New programs, efforts work to support all students SCHOOLS, from page 1 intentionally moving the focus from student achievement to student growth. “Reality tells us that all students cannot attain the same levels of academic achievement. Not every child is a straight A student, not every student can achieve above-average performance on classroom or standardized assessments, and not every student can cross the same finish line in an academic year,” she said. Haney said a focus on end-of-year achievement does not consider where a student begins and has goals that are “one-size fits all.” Further, it does not account for individual strengths and weaknesses. “As Catholic schools fulfilling our mission to educate all, we are acting upon our belief that every student can grow in their learning and academic success regardless of their academic abilities and past experiences,” she said. Beginning this school year, Haney said students in grades first through eighth will take the MAP Growth assessments each fall, winter and spring in place of IOWA Assessments. MAP is a computer adaptive test that over 11 million students
FILE PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD
A young student working on a coloring page during her Pre-school class. Catholic schools across the Archdiocese began the new semester.
take nationwide, including students in many Catholic elementary schools. Haney said a second project is working to support the sustainability of InnerCity Catholic Schools (ICCS). A third is the implementation of the new guidance
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program for Catholic schools. “The counselors worked with the CSO to create this new curriculum guide for teachers and counselors to use in our classrooms to develop a student’s social and emotional health as well as their self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship and responsible decision-making skills,” she said. Haney said all of the parochial schools have updated their technology and are learning about their new curriculum guidebooks. A new effort updates, revises and creates resources for the nextgeneration of schools in the Archdiocese. She said the ongoing process guarantees “our Catholicity, raises the bar through rigor and incorporates 21st Century Skills in our classrooms across the Archdiocese,” adding that Archdiocesan curriculum documents are “the foundation that each individual school builds upon to develop their unique programs geared to the learning communities they serve.” Haney said St. Francis de Sales Catholic School will be implementing a new computer lab and a STREAM (STEM with Religion and the Arts) lab. Anne Quatrini, principal at St. Francis de Sales, said the school is pushing towards STEM education and STEM careers. Because of this, she said it is important to give students the opportunity to take what they are learning in the classroom and turn what can sometimes be an abstract concept and make it tangible with hands-on activities in the
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STREAM Lab. She said the rotating use of the STREAM lab for all students supports different learning styles. Robots, circuits and coding kits are engaging new learning methods for the 21st century. Quatrini said that working as part of a team is a key component of the STREAM Lab and “we use the “Think - Make Improve” model of instruction.” Miguel Sanchez, principal at Our Lady of Fatima in Galena Park, said the school is partnering with Boston College University as a TWIN-CS school. This is a Two-Way Immersion Network for Catholic Schools that supports students in not only becoming bilingual, but bicultural and biliterate in a secondary language while continuing to practice their Catholic faith. He said the secondary language that the school will incorporate is Spanish, beginning with the pre-kindergarten students this school year, and will follow the students through eighth grade. Looking ahead, Haney said St. Peter Catholic (SPC), a career and technical high school, is in its final planning stages and will plan to open in the fall of 2023. It will be the first Catholic career and technical school in Texas and one of the few in the country. She said the vision of the school is to offer a Catholic-centered, technical and secondary education for students wanting to develop skills that will help them enter the workforce right from high school. The programming areas the school plans to open with are information technology; business, marketing and finance; education and training; and architecture and construction. It will be a state-of-the-art educational training facility, emulating the business/industry and college environments. Students will use business- and industry-standard technology, software, hardware and equipment. They will also be able to continue their education and training at a two- or four-year college after high school. “Students will gain interpersonal skills necessary in the workspace including good communication, time-management, goal setting, problem-solving and team building,” Haney said. “SPC will support student activities such as career and technical education student organizations (CTSOs), which engage students in occupational content application. These organizations are another platform to develop students’ leadership skills and put learnings into practice.” †
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Catholic high schools welcome Class of 2025 BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — Ahead of the upcoming fall semester, Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory in southeast Houston held its usual new student orientation in July for 126 students as an introduction to student life and academics, said Dana Morrison, Cristo Rey’s associate communications director. Jesuit Father Randy Gibbens and interim principal Drew Hudson welcomed the students. Hudson told the students, “I love this school… Please know that my door is always open to you.” During the two-week orientation, students attended math, English and writing classes as well as enrichment activities like college readiness, athletics and campus ministry. Others participated in corporate work-study program job training in preparations for their corporate job internships. Cristo Rey Jesuit students work one day a week to gain workplace experience and help pay half of the costs of their Catholic education. St. Thomas High School also continued its summer Camp Aquinas, named for the institution’s patron St. Thomas Aquinas, who combined scholarship and sanctity. The five-day immersion for freshmen happened at Camp Cho-Yeh, outside of Livingston. Faculty members Grover Green, class of 2004, and Andrew Quittenton were the chief architects behind Camp Aquinas.
11 CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOLS • • • • • • • • • • •
PHOTO BY DESIREE RODRIGUEZ
Kristan Siegal welcomes students to Incarnate Word Academy’s honors geometry class.
Quittenton said, “Camp Aquinas is all about establishing what it means to be a man of St. Thomas… to be a man of God.” Green said, “My formation at St. Thomas was quintessential to becoming an adult. As we continue to develop as a campus community, our students face more and more complex challenges.” At Incarnate Word Academy in downtown Houston, a message in Kristan Siegal’s honors geometry classroom encouarged her students to “BE BRAVE.”
The words were surrounded by colorful paper flowers, each unique geometric shapes and sizes. Keith Calkins, St. Thomas High School spokesman, said the school “is planning a full academic year.” But he acknowledged, the possibility of changes to schedules, school facilities and events to ensure the health of everyone. “St. Thomas pledges to build on the successes and lessons of the 2020-
Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart Frassati Catholic High School Incarnate Word Academy O’Connell College Preparatory School St. Agnes Academy St. Catherine’s Montessori School St. John XXIII College Preparatory St. Pius X High School St. Thomas High School Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
21 academic year, ensuring a safe environment — in the classroom and beyond — to offer the dynamic, welcoming and unique spirit that defines the St. Thomas experience,” he said. At St. John XXIII College Preparatory in Katy, the school is moving forward with its 2021-2025 strategic plan, said Keith Myers, director of advancement. Its board president, Bill Neeson, in a statement on the school’s website, said, “We know that history will remember this school year for the public health crisis, elections and social unrest, but those external factors will not define us at St. John XXIII College Preparatory.” As the fourth wave of COVID-19 surged at the start of school, Catholic high school officials were continuing to monitor the Center for Disease Control and local health organizations’ recommendations in light of the Delta variant. †
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Supporting Catholic schools is an ‘investment in the future’ IGNITE, from page 1
Thank for yo suppo
catechists who serve in our parish faith formation programs,” Daniel Cardinal DiNardo said. For this upcoming school year, as in all years, the number of applicants for tuition assistance far exceeds the amount of available funding. In the eight InnerCity Catholic schools (ICCS) 1,185 have applied and 890 have received tuition assistance. Although more than $2 million is available for the year, the total need is more than $5.7 million. $1.5 million has already been awarded, and the all remaining funds will be awarded in the final round. For non-ICCS, 1,262 people have applied for tuition assistance, and 300 have received awards. The $394,872 available for this year has already been awarded and more than $4.4 million is still needed. Laura Halbardier, principal at St. Mary Catholic School (SMCS) in League City, said that, as a Catholic ministry, all are called to “Open Wide the Doors” to Christ. This belief applies to all families in all economic situations. “My goal is to make a Catholic education available to families that desire to attend, and financial need should not be an obstacle keeping families from enrolling in our Catholic schools,” she said. “Archdiocesan tuition assistance along with support from donors supports the mission of SMCS by filling the tuition needs of families that believe Catholic education is the best option for their
FILE PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD
A small cat plush is seen in a student’s backpack at St. Mary Catholic School in League City. St. Mary Catholic School Principal Laura Halbardier said tuition assistance supports the school’s efforts to support families who desire a Catholic education.
families. It is not only a calling but a duty embedded in our faith to offer Catholic education to families and work with them to ensure they can attend school with the support they need.” Halbardier said she believes it is imperative to offer Catholic education to all families that want to enroll their children. The need for tuition assistance supports families that would like to make that a reality. “Supporting your local Catholic school is an investment in the future,” she said. “Students are challenged to think using a Catholic lens so they can grow in mind,
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heart and spirit.” Jan Krametbauer, principal at St. Jerome Catholic School, said tuition assistance enables the school to reach out and offer assistance to additional families, thereby broadening the scope of students who are able to receive a Catholic education. “There are many students who do not qualify for inner-city tuition assistance benefits and have family situations that keep them from being able to pay tuition in full,” she said. “Thanks to generous donors and benefactors to the Archdiocesan Tuition Assistance Fund, these students
can get a Catholic education.” Lucy Barbosa, who has three children who attend St. Jerome and one in public high school, said that before receiving tuition assistance, she was faced with deciding which children would go to public school and which ones would receive a Catholic education. “Because the reality is I could not afford tuition for all of them,” she said. “Having received this assistance has given me the support to equally provide them a rich Catholic education that otherwise would not be possible.” Barbosa said having this assistance available allows her and her kids to know that there are people and organizations that value Catholic education and are willing to donate for this purpose so other families can also share in Catholic education. “It means the world to me! It also means community. For every family receiving, there is another one giving,” she said. “With this knowledge and gift, we are able to in turn give our time and talents in gratitude.” †
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Efforts draw focus to parish dialogue, community PASTORAL, from page 1 As participants found out during the break-out exercises, being a parent, a migrant, dismissed from the seminary or retired, for example, are life-defining experiences that require more than a visual inspection. Such experiences require dialogue, and it is dialogue that should be the starting point to encourage inclusion and combat racism, according to Medina. “It’s more about seeing the other person as they truly are,” he said. “It doesn’t mean we have to forget they are male or female or black or white, but it’s about understanding there are other things that are more important.” The APC has put together what’s called the Inclusion Advocate Guide for parishes, ministries and families to use to help them address racism and promote inclusion, which Medina acknowledged could be both “daunting” and “boring.” He said the task now is to have champions at the parish level who can use the guide to take tangible measures to promote human encounter, respect and anti-racism, and ensure those measures continue. Medina said one of the activities in the guide that parishes can do is to look at who is in the pews, and if it’s not reflective of the wider Catholic community, then try to figure out why and be more intentional about welcoming people from diverse backgrounds and giving them a voice. “You can tell if a parish is fully embracing everyone,” Medina said. “I am saying, ‘go and check.’” Jim Barrette, secretariat director of Pastoral and Educational Ministries, said
IN BRIEF
CNS PHOTO
Marchers in Seattle walk by a mural of Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar March 13, 2021, during a protest against anti-Asian hate crimes. A recent June 26 meeting gathered faith and ministry leaders to encourage dialogue and inclusion efforts at the parish level.
it’s an ongoing process of awareness, acceptance and action. “We are still in awareness, although sometimes all three are going at the same time,” he said. “We want to keep the conversation going.” Jackie Burkhalter, APC vice chair, acknowledged the difficulty of talking about racism but said resources like the Inclusion Advocate Guide are helpful in starting a dialogue about biases, awkwardness and racism with open
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hearts. A good conversation, Medina said, would be about appreciating each other and not going on the defensive. He stressed that the conversation should be in the right context and actively incorporate Scripture and the voice of Christ. Other participants in the meeting offered their thoughts. Patty Sobelman likened racism to living in the darkness, a reference to John 2. “That darkness makes you less open to discovering new things,” Sobelman said. “We each have the opportunity to bring lightness. It’s our call to see each other as the child of God in the darkness.” Burkhalter, who represents her home parish of St. Angela Merici in Missouri City, pointed to the prayer practice of Lectio Divina as a good way to have a
The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council is rolling out a guide to help parishes address racism and promote inclusion. Created by a task force in response to the USCCB’s Open Wide Our Hearts pastoral letter against racism, the Inclusion Advocate Guide proposes specific measures that can be taken in an ongoing basis to improve inclusiveness in parishes, communities and ministries in the Archdiocese. The task force, made up of representatives from parishes and Archdiocesan staff, has been meeting about once a quarter for the past three years to explore racism in the Archdiocese. The group put together a comprehensive guide that encompasses its findings and includes different exercises that parishes, ministries and families can do to engage in conversation and find ways to address racism and promote respect and inclusion. † dialogue about racism — the idea being to think deeply and respond thoughtfully while adhering to the Scriptures. “We know racism exists in some form or other in our people, in our parishes and in ourselves,” said Daniel Cardinal DiNardo in summation. “If we do some of these exercises and move it to Lectio Divina, we have to look at the responses, and there are some areas here that we’re going to have to look at — and that can only be good.” Cardinal DiNardo said there is a way to interest people without smashing them on their heads into seeing some of their biases and biases that may be in the parish. Doing so doesn’t look as though they are being manipulated. “If we can do this, it will be of great help for furthering and deepening communion in the parish,” he said. †
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IN BRIEF Food assistance distributions continue
HOUSTON — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston continues to offer food assistance with drive-through distribution at three locations: the Guadalupe Center in Houston, appointments required; Mamie George Community Center (MGCC) in Richmond, appointments required; and Beacon of Hope in Galveston, a Galveston County super distribution site. In Galveston, distribution is on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The next distributions are on July 14 and 28, starting at 9 a.m. No appointments required. Call 409-762-2064 for more information. In Fort Bend, The MGCC is a Houston Food Bank super distribution site, and appointments are required. Distributions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The next monthly food fair is scheduled for August 28. For assistance, call 281-202-6289. At the Guadalupe Center in Houston, distributions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only. For addresses, times and to make an appointment, visit www. catholiccharities.org/food or call 713-874-6521. †
YACM begins formation program Date: Speaker:
October 21, 2021 • 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Dr. Stephen M. Hahn, Former Commissioner of Food and Drugs at the FDA Moderator: David Leebron, Rice University President Location: Westin Houston Medical Center, 1709 Dryden Road For more information, contact Jill Reese at jillreese@sanjoseclinic.org or 713-490-2620
sanjoseclinic.org/2021fallspeakerseries Founded in 1922, San José Clinic is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, a United Way Agency, a Texas Medical Center member institution, and a ministry of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
HOUSTON — Apostles on Mission is a 10-week formation program in leadership and evangelization for young adults in their 20s and 30s. The sessions in English will be held at the St. Dominic Chancery, located at 2403 Holcombe Blvd., on Mondays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. starting on Sept. 13 and ending on Nov. 15. The deadline to sign up is Sept. 7 at 11:59 p.m. The Spanish sessions will be Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. starting Sept. 8 and ending on Nov. 10. The deadline to sign up is Sept. 1 at 11:59 p.m. The cost for either session is $35 per person. For more information go to www.archgh.org/apostlesonmission or contact the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry at 713-741-8778 or yacm@archgh.org. †
AUGUST 17, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH
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Catholics address climate change, enact carbon legislation BY ELESKA AUBESPIN Herald Correspondent HOUSTON — More Catholics are openly supporting an action they believe can effectively combat the negative impact of global warming — a price on carbon dioxide emissions. Their growing support comes on the heels of Pope Francis’s plea for all Catholics to acknowledge the environmental challenges faced by today’s world. A recent virtual conference on climate change further explored the idea of a carbon tax in hopes of bringing it one step closer to reality. The May 15 online event marked the sixth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home, a 2015 letter to Catholic bishops that was the first to focus on the planet, its destruction and global warming. In it, the pope urges people to take “swift and unified global action.” “We believe that coming together we can make a difference, an impact on our environment. We can create a more just society that is at the same time more sustainable,” said guest speaker Bishop CC_FEST John Stowe,2021 who leads706_3_r2.pdf the Diocese 1of Lexington. “Pope Francis refers to the earth as home, our common home, and he lists the company of scientists, philosophers, theologians and civic groups among those who recognize the need to do something about the destruction of the planet,” Bishop Stowe continued. With that in mind, conference attendees, including laymen, Catholic bishops and environmental leaders, took the time to tout the specific climate change solution they believe is“eminently doable,” said Bishop Robert McElroy, who leads the Diocese of San Diego. “And to bring to our public officials the demand that a real program addressing climate change and the expectation of our natural resources go forward. The carbon tax is a central element of that. It’s a way of ensuring, in an economically sound manner, that the carbon that we put in our atmosphere is reduced in the years to come,” added Bishop McElroy, who also is an outspoken proponent of the urgent need for the Catholic Church to address climate change. “In our understanding, we must act. We cannot be passive in this fight because this is the fight of the future of humanity.” CC_FEST 1 Putting a2021 price on 706_3_r2.pdf carbon dioxide emissions is an effective way of bringing
CNS PHOTO
A street is flooded following heavy rainfalls in Erftstadt, Germany, on July 16. The region saw recordbreaking flooding, causing at least 180 deaths.
action that will have an impact, but only if Congress passes it as a bill. So non-partisan advocacy groups such 2/11/21 3:01 PM as Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) are working to do just that. “CCL’s focus is to convince Congress to enact carbon legislation, and our conference’s purpose was to show Catholic support for a price on carbon,” said Roger Ingersoll, a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in The Woodlands and CCL member. “And what better way to do that than to have a couple of bishops speak forcibly and eloquently about the need to put a price on carbon,” Ingersoll said. “People of faith need to raise the alarm.” Ingersoll noted that a Catholic Action team, to urge support among Catholics, is among the 50 various action teams that fall under the CCL umbrella. “We are all focused on one goal, and that is to enact carbon legislation action,” he said. “We are all working towards the same thing but have different ways to achieve that.” About 800 people registered for the May conference. Since it was virtual, it allowed over 400 people from across the country to participate in the four-hour online platform. There were breakout sessions and several keynote speakers, including Bishops McElroy and Stowe. 2/11/21 3:01 of PM carbon pricing is one very “The idea concrete and effective way of bringing
action that will have an impact. The pope says we can’t ask the poor to pay for the solutions caused by the industrialized
giants,” Bishop Stowe said. “Concrete action is necessary, and something everyone can do is to be engaged in promoting legislation for carbon pricing — a fair way of placing the burden on those who are responsible as well as offering incentives for changes to a more green economy,” Bishop Stowe added. At a glance, Ingersoll explained the proposed legislation like this: Someone who has a 20,000 square-foot home has a high-carbon footprint, but someone with a bicycle has a low-carbon footprint. The tax (really a fee) creates an incentive to change behavior because it’s more expensive to burn more gas and electricity (such as inside the large house). “Economists will tell you that if you want less of something, then tax it, and this is the best way to equitably spread the burden,” Ingersoll said. The proposed bill, called the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, has about 80 co-sponsors. Ingersoll and other proponents said climate control is a dire situation that must be addressed See CLIMATE, page 13
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Faithful remain united in call to ‘Walk in the Light of Christ’ BY KERRY MCGUIRE Herald Correspondent HOUSTON — The faithful in the Archdiocese remain united in support of the local Church through the 2021 Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) annual campaign, “Walk in the Light of Christ.” In its 55th year, the DSF directly supports over 60 essential ministries that provide for the needs of thousands of people in 146 parishes and eight missions across 10 counties in the Archdiocese. Diverse programs and services provide for the needs of the poor, elderly, sick and those in crisis, as well as those that foster teaching, evangelization and worship. All donations to the DSF go directly to the 60-plus ministries, and no funds are spent on the administration of the Chancery. Three DSF ministries featured in the 2021 campaign assist families, youth and adult populations, and those seeking a vocation to the priesthood or religious life to remain connected and growing in their faith lives, and serving the local Church however they are called. Debra Haney, superintendent of Catholic Schools, said she is proud of the work of the various school communities that came together during the coronavirus global pandemic, which continues to be especially important due to the prolonged effects that still exist. “We were pressed into a situation that necessitated technology to be as advanced as possible on every single campus so that virtual learning could take place effectively, and our students scored better than expected on our standardized tests due to the amazing work of their teachers and parents, working together for their success,” said Haney. “Parent conferences, increased trainings and meetings have occurred over ZOOM or other portals, opening up the opportunities for increased learning and communication. Collegiality between teachers and principals has increased as we set out into unchartered waters and had to keep the ships afloat and moving; this was only possible with the support they gained from one another and
The 2021 Diocesan Services Fund theme draws from a hope: “Walk in the Light of Christ.” DSF operates in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston each year to help the Church carry out the ministries of teaching and sanctifying. DSF brings the needed financial resources to carry out 60-plus ministries. PHOTO COURTESY OF EPIPHANY OF THE LORD CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Epiphany of the Lord Catholic School students ended last year in STEM with a custom, student-built Hot Wheels track that featured the teacher’s Hot Wheels Bugatti car in a race around the classroom.
through our office.” Haney said the DSF directly supports operational expenses related to the work of the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) to support the 45 elementary schools and 11 high schools with approximately 2,200 employees and 17,500 students in the elementary and high schools in the Archdiocese. This includes tuition assistance to families in need that choose to provide a Catholic education to their children and make ongoing faith development a priority in their lives. The CSO also works with other Archdiocesan offices, Catholic Charities, Christus Foundation, San Jose Clinic and the University of St. Thomas, among other entities, to bring forth its mission. “Our mission is to form disciples of Jesus Christ that will transform the world, and research shows that Catholic school students are more likely to stay connected to their faith as adults and are the more active parishioners that engage in parish ministries into adulthood,” Haney said. “By staying connected to their faith communities and sharing in
Need Help? If you or a loved one is in need of help, contact these Archdiocesan social services:
Catholic Charities
Food, clothing, emergency financial assistance, counseling, immigration assistance, veterans assistance, disaster recovery, refugees services, senior services and more.
catholiccharities.org/need-help or 713-526-4611
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Home visits, food network, disaster relief, clothing and furniture.
svdphouston.org/get-help or 713-741-8234
San José Clinic
Primary and specialty health care services, counseling and mental health services, dental and vision.
sanjoseclinic.org or 713-228-9411
the ministry of the Church throughout their lives, Catholic school students are impelling significant changes in the lives of others and are certainly achieving our mission of transforming the world, one person at a time.” A second ministry supported by the DSF, the Office of Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization (OACE), brings the light of Christ to approximately 3,500 young people and their adult leaders each year. By accompanying them on their journey of discipleship, various OACE programs provide dynamic speakers, powerful prayer and Liturgy experiences, and profound encounters with Christ in the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration. Despite challenges associated with the pandemic, Timothy Colbert, director of OACE, said the ministry received many blessings over the year that have moved the ministry forward in its ability to serve the local Church. “OACE has been able to put more focus this past year on providing for the whole family unit rather than each person individually,” said Colbert. “Our ministry is moving forward with a renewed partnership with the Family Life Ministry ensuring that we continue to witness to the whole family rather than having youth in isolation from their parents.” Colbert said meeting virtually provided the ability for staff and parish leaders to utilize technology in ministry as foundational rather than as an add-on. He also emphasized the continued need for in-person interaction that technology cannot provide. “Our goal is discipleship, and discipleship ultimately is best served by face-to-face relationships — both with young people and their adult leaders. So the ability to gather once again in person will allow greater opportunities for accompaniment,” Colbert said. “We’ll still continue maintaining a much stronger online presence since the frequency of encounter is foundational to discipleship. We have a large and congested Archdiocese, so the ability to gather online opens up a whole new world of opportunity if utilized judiciously.” Colbert said the DSF is instrumental in supporting the ministry work of the OACE by providing the necessary resources to maintain an Archdiocesan See DSF, page 11
MINISTRIES SUPPORTED BY THE DIOCESAN SERVICES FUND INCLUDE TEACHING, EVANGELIZING AND WORSHIP
Apostleship of the Sea Catholic Schools Office Chapels (Holy Cross and Warren) Communications Office Ecumenism Commission Office of Evangelization and Catechesis Office of Worship Pastoral and Educational Ministry
MINISTERING TO THE POOR, THE SICK AND THE INCARCERATED
Angela House Catholic Chaplain Corps Catholic Charities Correctional Ministries Foreign Missions Office of Justice & Peace/Catholic Campaign for Human Development Our Daily Bread San José Clinic St. Dominic Center for the Deaf
PROMOTING, PREPARING AND SUPPORTING THE CLERGY
Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza Priest Retirement Residence Clergy Formation and Chaplaincy Services Clergy Pastoral Outreach Department of Seminarians Good Leaders, Good Shepherds Ministry to Priests Office of Permanent Diaconate Ministry Office of Vocations for Priesthood & Religious Life
NURTURING AND STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
Aging Ministry Camp Kappe Ethnic Ministries Family Life Ministry Family Retreat Center at Circle Lake Office of Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization Office of Hispanic Ministry Pro-Life Activities Special Youth Services St. Dominic Village Vicar for Judicial Affairs (Metropolitan Tribunal) Young Adult and Campus Ministry
To donate and learn more, visit www.archgh.org/dsf
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AUGUST 17, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH
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OBITUARIES Elizabeth Marie Cahoon
FRIENDSWOOD — Elizabeth Marie Cahoon, mother of Father John Cahoon, pastor of St. Angela Merici Catholic Church in Missouri City, died July 10. She was 88 years old. Cahoon was a librarian at St. Francis de Sales Catholic School and later worked, and retired, as a librarian at St. John Paul II Catholic School. A funeral Mass was held on July 16 at Mary Queen Catholic Church. †
Catherine Anne Rogan
HOUSTON — Catherine Anne Rogan, former media relations manager for the Office of Communications for the Archdiocese, died July 31. She was 49 years old. Rogan worked closely with local news media from 2012 until 2017 and wrote numerous articles for the Texas Catholic Herald. A funeral Mass was celebrated Aug. 4 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church. †
Father Ryan Stawaisz
HOUSTON — Father Ryan Stawaisz, parochial vicar at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, died June 21 after a long battle with cancer. He was 31 years old. He attended St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, Louisiana, and later St. Mary’s Seminary. As a transitional deacon, he was assigned to St. Faustina Catholic Church in Fulshear. He was ordained into the priesthood June 1, 2019, by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and assigned to Prince of Peace, where he served until his death. A funeral Mass was held June 29 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. †
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IN MEMORIA Pray for the following priests whose anniversaries of death are during the month of September. Sept. 1, 1847 Rev. Matthew Chazelle Sept. 1, 1920 Rev. Louis Chaland Sept. 1, 1962 Rev. Peter A. Keane, OMI Sept. 2, 1982 Msgr. A.W. Raye Sept. 2, 1986 Rev. Anthony C. Herndel Sept. 3, 1938 Rev. Thomas Joseph Banfield Sept. 4, 1853 Rev. Joshua Dixon Sept. 4, 2011 Rev. Charles W. Elmer Sept. 5, 1987 Rev. David Leonard Sept. 5, 1995 Msgr. Ismael Teste Sept. 7, 1867 Rev. John Gonnard Sept. 7, 1922 Rev. James H. Moran Sept. 8, 1900 Rev. T. Keany Sept. 9, 1948 Rev. John C. Bauer, CSR Sept. 9, 1958 Rev. John F. Onorato, CSB Sept. 10, 1985 Rev. Joseph Szymczak Sept. 10, 2017 Rev. James T. Moore Sept. 11, 1863 Rev. Sebastian Augageur Sept. 11, 1965 Rev. Gordian Lewis, CP Sept. 11, 1997 Rev. Patrick Gillgannon Sept. 12, 1969 Msgr. Paul Pieri Sept. 12, 2018 Rev. John W. Kellick Sept. 13, 1926 Rev. P.A. Heckman, VF Sept. 13, 1988 Rev. Walter W. Scott, CSB Sept. 15, 2000 Rev. John C. DeForke Sept. 16, 1990 Rev. Juan Escalante Sept. 16, 2007 Rev. Edward A. Bader, CSB Sept. 16, 2012 Rev. Ronald Groschen, MS
Sept. 17, 1973 Msgr. Joseph A. Valenta Sept. 17, 1993 Msgr. Joseph P. O’Sullivan Sept. 17, 2017 Rev. Frederico Ablog, SSS Sept. 18, 1849 Rev. Anthony Chanrion Sept. 18, 1853 Rev. William Metton Sept. 18, 1974 Rev. Charles J. McQuillan Sept. 18, 2012 Rev. Luis P. Chia Sept. 20, 1964 Rev. J.K. Reybaud Sept. 22, 1952 Msgr. J.A. Rapp Sept. 22, 1979 Rev. Joseph W. Pope, CSB Sept. 22, 2001 Rev. James D. Steffes, SCJ Sept. 23, 1956 Rev. Floyd J. Crowley, CSB Sept. 23, 1995 Rev. Donald T. Cooper, CSB Sept. 24, 1966 Rev. John J. Conroy, SSJ Sept. 26, 1955 Rev. Carl J. Kermiet Sept. 26, 1991 Rev. John Walter Caverly, OP Sept. 26, 1992 Rev. Eugene R. Flaherty, OCARM Sept. 27, 1999 Rev. Reginald F. Petrash Sept. 27, 2006 Rev. Enrique Bravo, CSB Sept. 28, 1955 Rev. Timothy J. Sullivan, SSJ Sept. 29, 1853 Rev. Denis O’Driscol Sept. 29, 1966 Msgr. Daniel P. O’Connell Sept. 29, 1995 Msgr. Leo J. Price Sept. 30, 1911 Rev. John Weimer Sept. 30, 1958 Rev. John F. Lane Sept. 30, 2003 Rev. Joseph B. Courtney, CSB
DSF, from page 10
DSF, which is the lifeline for its ability to foster vocations in the Archdiocese through providing the personal, spiritual, academic and pastoral preparation of men in discernment. He said this helps them to become effective pastoral leaders that desire to serve the Church. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo said he continues to be grateful for the gifts of the faithful through the DSF that allow the 60-plus important ministries in the Archdiocese to work together in carrying out the mission of the local Church. “I thank the people of this local Church for extending our Savior’s love to those around them, and I encourage everyone to bring the light of Christ to others through their participation in the DSF,” said Cardinal DiNardo. †
Youth Council of well over 100 youth, as well as critical ministry formation for parish leadership and evangelistic programing for youth and adults. The Office of Vocations is the third featured ministry that also benefits directly from the support of the faithful through the DSF. Director of Vocations, Father Richard McNeillie, said the Office of Vocations works with St. Mary’s Seminary to care for each seminarian while in formation, which also serves as a location for diocesan meetings, workshops and seminars to provide continuing theological education for all clergy. Father McNeillie said he is grateful for supporters that contribute to the
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12 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD LOCAL
Shining lights of faith PHOTOS BY SEAN O’DRISCOLL/HERALD AND MICHELLE EISTERHOLD
Archdiocesan Youth Conference returns brighter than ever before HOUSTON — Faith, joy and hope radiated at the 2021 Archdiocesan Youth Conference, held at the Hilton Americas-Houston in downtown Houston for a whole weekend. From July 30 to August 1, more than 800 teens, their ministry leaders and conference staff gathered for the annual youth event. Keynote addresses and other talks reflected a host of national speakers, like Joel Stepanek, Cynthia Psencik, Father Agustino Torres, C.F.R, as well as local voices like Father Jude Ezuma and other Archdiocesan clergy, each providing a diverse perspective from vocations, ministries and backgrounds. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo presided over the closing Mass on Sunday, with worship the entire weekend led by Matt Lewis and band. Each year the event draws together teens from all across the Archdiocese for a special weekend of prayer, worship, Sacraments and community fellowship. †
ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • AUGUST 17, 2021
AUGUST 17, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH
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YOUTH Immaculate Heart of Mary — A gift for all Over the years, I have met and talked to youth who have a devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In sharing their devotion, these youth serve as a wonderful example and blessing. I, too, have experienced great love and relationship with the Blessed Mother. Through intercessory prayer, she has helped me gain great strength and growth in my faith. It is in prayer with Mary that I have found comfort, peace and joy. The love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is offered to all of us. So, what does it mean to have a devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary? As a young girl, Mary loved God so much that she followed and lived God’s will for her. During God’s call to Mary, she responds, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). After the events of Jesus’ birth, the Gospel tells us Mary kept her longing for God’s will in her heart: “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19). We also know Mary was born without sin. Therefore, her heart is immaculate; she has an unfailing love for all of God’s people because they are God’s people. The heart of Mary’s mission is to lead all people to her Son’s Sacred Heart. Therefore, a person devoted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a person who appeals to Mary’s loving heart for
intercessory prayer to her Son and strives to follow the example of the first disciple, the Mother of Jesus. Mary’s participation in God’s longing to reconcile the whole world to Himself can be seen in NORMA her birth to the Son. Her TOROK “yes” is the action of that profound love. Her constant prayer and trust in God is an indication of her wholehearted love for God. This is a prime implication for holding a devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This devotion is an act of striving to be the disciple Mary models for us as well as sharing in her love of God with others. In Luke’s Gospel, Simeon refers to Mary’s heart being pierced with a sword. St. Augustine says Mary was not passive: “She cooperated through charity. She suffered the pain and joys of her Son’s life, death and resurrection.” She leads us to her Son’s perfect and redeeming love. A simple way to express our devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary today is to begin by loving everyone as Mary and Jesus do. Perhaps we can avoid temptations to judge and instead look for the goodness God created in each one of us and
CLIMATE, from page 9
grassroots project,” she said.“It didn’t come from a cardinal or bishop. These are all lay people who are mobilizing the Catholic community to put the spotlight on the care of creation and make it one of the priorities of the Catholic Church. We are in a very good position to be doing this. “I think one in every five Americans is Catholic, and we have roughly 67.6 million Catholics in the U.S., and I think about 1.7 billion in the world. Can you imagine if every one of those Catholics would make a commitment to stop buying plastic water bottles? That’s a lot of clout for the Church.” All agree that there is a definite connection between God and the preservation of the earth. Considering that, environmental issues should be front and center, even for the faithful. “I truly believe that if we believe that we are created out of love, then whenever we show our love for creation and each other, then we are really honoring God, and we see God in every creation,” Sister Dimalibot said. “If we lose our intimacy with creation, then we are denying our love of God because what God created is just being taken for granted. Like not buying the water bottle, all of those little things are an expression of love.” †
immediately, and they are fighting for a change. “I became a grandfather, a scuba diver and also worked in the Arctic and all those three things are being impacted by climate change significantly,” added Ingersoll, a retired engineer with ExxonMobil. The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in Houston is known to be climate champions locally. Sister Ricca Dimalibot, also a conference guest speaker, explained how faith and the need to care for creation go hand in hand. “The Sisters of Charity made a commitment for the next four years to focus on care for creation, among other chapter directions, when the chapter was convened in 2018,” Sister Dimalibot said. “But even since the ’70s and ’80s, we’ve had a lot of initiatives at the convent to recycle and to conserve energy. We use energy-efficient products, so we’ve always been mindful of caring for the creation, and that is very compatible with our vows.” Sister Dimalibot agrees that support for a carbon tax is growing, especially at the grassroots level. “What’s amazing about it is that this is a
praying for each other’s continued conversion in Christ. By showing love, we cooperate in God’s divine plan for reparation, reconciling ourselves to Christ through love. If we live in God’s love, it will be a love between God and me, but it will also be a sharing of God’s love with others. Mary is a perfect example of that solidarity with all of God’s people. We, too, can emulate that
love for all. We can conclude that the Immaculate Heart of Mary began as a gift to God, who became a gift for all. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us. † Norma Torok is a retired associate director of the Office of Adolescent Catechesis and Evangelization.
†
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Full job descriptions for each position are available online: www.archgh.org/employment Downtown Chancery | 1700 San Jacinto | Houston, TX 77002
Development Associate Director of Development Development Coordinator Office of Vocations Program Coordinator Parish Accounting Services Staff Accountant St. Dominic Chancery | 2403 Holcombe Blvd. | Houston, TX 77021
Family Life Ministry Hospitality Manager, Circle Lake Retreat Center Office of Evangelization and Catechesis Associate Director of Catechetical Formation for Persons with Disabilities Office of Worship Associate Director for Liturgical Formation Young Adult and Campus Ministry Associate Director University of Houston
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14 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD
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COLUMNISTS Hidden figures in the Catholic Church “As Christians, we are called to listen and know the stories of our brothers and sisters. We must create opportunities to hear, with open hearts, the tragic stories that are deeply imprinted on the lives of our brothers and sisters if we are to be moved with empathy to promote justice” (From ‘Open Wide Our Hearts. The Enduring Call to Love - A Pastoral Letter Against Racism’). The stories of our African-American women religious is an important story to hear, especially during this time of recognizing the importance of a Catholic education in our community. Catholic education has played an important role in shaping our nation since the first parochial schools were established in the 19th century, and our African-American religious sisters and nuns have played a unique role in providing religious support for the various church communities throughout the country. For this exercise, I will examine three such organizations of African-American women’s religious orders. One such organization is the Oblate Sisters of Providence, a Roman Catholic women’s religious institute founded by Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, OSP, and Father James Nicholas Joubert, SS, in 1828 in Baltimore, Maryland for the
education of children of African descent. Oblate Sisters of Providence was the first permanent community of Roman Catholic sisters of African descent in the U.S. The Oblate Sisters continue to provide by education and religious FATHER REGINALD support services in Baltimore; Miami; SAMUELS Buffalo, New York; and Alajuela and Siquirres, Costa Rica. Next are The Sisters of the Holy Family, a Catholic religious order of African-American nuns based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Sisters of the Holy Family were founded in 1837 as the Congregation of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Henriette DeLille, adopting the current name in 1842. Currently, The Sisters of the Holy Family ministries include St. Mary’s Academy, St. Paul the Apostle Church and School, the House of the Holy Family, Delille Inn, Lafon Day Care Center, Lafon Nursing Facility of the Holy Family, and the present Motherhouse all in the Louisiana community.
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“African-American religious sisters and nuns have played a unique role in providing religious support for the various church communities throughout the country.” Furthermore, the Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary is a predominantly AfricanAmerican religious congregation of Roman Catholic women founded by Elizabeth Williams (Mother Mary Theodore) in 1916. Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary’s primary mission is in education, primarily the education of children of the African-American community. Currently, there is an estimated 400 African-American women religious in the United States, which can be found in both the historically African-American
congregations and in the predominantly white congregations from which they were previously banned. However, African-American women make up less than 1% of the nation’s vowed women religious. Dr. Shannan Dee Williams, assistant professor of history at Villanova University, specializes in studying the African-American experience and focusing on women’s and religious issues. “Black sisters understood the subversive power of Black history in the face of rampant discrimination, misrepresentation and erasure,” Dr. Williams said at a presentation in March. “Many of the women who joined the nation’s historically Black sisterhoods were the descendants of the free and enslaved Black people whose labor, sale, and thankfulness built the early American church. They understood how essential teaching Black and Black Catholic history was in the fight against racism in their church and in the wider American society.” †
Father Reginald Samuels is the vicar for the Ministry for Catholics of African Descent.
Faith is the key Have you ever met your great, great, great, great grandparents? Of course not, but we know and believe that they once lived and walked on this earth. We are certain because we have grandparents who gave birth to our parents. If we have grandparents, there must be greatgrandparents, and so on. In the same manner, we come to believe and have faith in God. Not only have we seen the existence of plants, animals and humans in this world, but, more importantly, we have witnessed faith in others when they shared personal stories illustrating how they strengthened their friendship with God, which, in turn, enriched their lives. In this article, we will rediscover the dimensions of faith and how we respond to them. The two-fold dimension of faith According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, faith is both a gift from God (fides quae) and a human act (fides qua) (CCC# 150, 153). This distinction does not imply that there are two forms of faith, nor that each can exist without the other. On the contrary, they are like
two sides of the same coin. One side depicts faith as a gift from God, which refers to Divine Revelation or the content of faith that has been handed down to us through the Church. The other side of the coin, a by SR. MARIA human act, reveals our response to God’s gift. As GORETTI we respond to the Giver, THUY we deepen our personal NGUYEN relationship with Him. This relationship is indeed necessary for our justification and salvation. St. James (2:26) declares this necessity: “For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”
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Our response to God’s gift So how might we respond to God’s great gift? True faith in God only comes by the grace of God, so let us: (1) Recite the Act of Faith prayer daily. We need “the interior helps of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and
“As we respond to the Giver, we deepen our personal relationship with Him.” converts it to God, who opens the eyes of the mind and makes it easy for all to accept and believe the truth” (CCC#153). (2) Reread and reflect on the Gospel passages that recount the many miracles intervened by faith; for example, the woman with the hemorrhage when Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you” (Mark 5:34); the blind man, “Your faith has healed you” (Mark 10:52); one of the 10 lepers who returned and thanked God, “Rise and go, your faith has healed you” (Luke 17:19); and the Canaanite woman whose daughter was tormented by a demon, “O woman, great is your faith!” (Mt. 15:28). (3) Become a living, breathing disciple for Christ in our daily life. Decide how
we can share our faith and love of the Gospel with people we know and strangers we meet. (4) Pray for those who are serving in parish faith formation throughout our Archdiocese. Pray that their personal encounters with Christ are shared as they hand down the treasure of faith to others. Truly, the unicity of both the doctrine of faith and the personal act of faith is the key to our salvation. Faith saves. This gift of grace is freely given to all, particularly demonstrated on the cross to the repentant thief when he expressed his personal act of faith to Jesus. Jesus, in return, assured him, “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43). This assurance is also ours, as long as we give our assent of faith in God, accept His gracious gift and share it throughout our lives, as did our ancestors. † Sister Maria Goretti Thuy Nguyen, OP, is an associate director with the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.
SUNDAY MASS READINGS AUGUST 22 AUGUST 29 SEPTEMBER 5 SEPTEMBER 12
First Reading: Josh 24:1-2,15-18 First Reading: Deut 4:1-2, 6-8 First Reading: Is 35:4-7 First Reading: Is 50:5-9
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 34:2-3, 16-21 Responsorial Psalm: Ps 15:2-5 Responsorial Psalm: Ps 146: 7-10 Responsorial Psalm: Ps 116: 1-6, 8-9
Second Reading: Eph 5:21-32 or Eph 5:2, 25-32 Second Reading: Jm 1:17-18, 21-22, 27 Second Reading: Jm 2:1-5 Second Reading: Jm 2:14-18
Gospel: Jn 6:60-69 Gospel: Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Gospel: Mk 7:31-37 Gospel: Mk 8:27-35
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Resurrection in community As a student, there was always something so exciting about the start of the academic year. A new classroom, schedule, set of writing utensils brought the sense of a fresh start. And this particular start of the semester brings with it an entirely new dimension of beginning with the opportunity of resuming full(er) in-person operations. The suffering wrought by the coronavirus pandemic has been experienced in sickness, death and deep loneliness. Illness has a way of increasing isolation in a way that feels quite unnatural to us as human beings. Created in the image and likeness of a God who is relationship, we crave connection and intimacy with others. Put simply: We are made for community. The first six weeks of the school year are vital in helping students feel welcome and get a sense of belonging. One of the key ways in which campus ministries do this is through small
groups. There is a saying in the profession of social work that “relationships are the vehicle of change.” The first step in helping another person to meet their goals is establishing a relationship of trust and by support. NICOLE The same holds true in LABADIE the Church’s mission of evangelization. The first step of conversion is trust. Only from a relationship of trust might someone become curious and open to learning about the person of Jesus and seeking the life in abundance that he offers. The Scriptures tell us that the spiritual life is one we do together. From the Garden of Eden, through the desert, promised land and years of exile, God revealed Himself in and through community. We see the centrality of communal life present in Jesus’s public
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“The Scriptures tell us that the spiritual life is one we do together.” ministry in numerous ways. Jesus intentionally sought out those rejected by society: tax collectors, prostitutes, those deemed unclean. He sat and dined with them. He was present with them. He loved them and challenged them to grow in holiness. He invited conversion in the context of relationship. During Jesus’s public ministry, physical healing often went hand in hand with communal reconciliation. The sick were often alienated, and individuals were healed by being brought back into the heart of the community. Jesus revealed His glory to a
few on Mount Tabor, to a small group walking to Emmaus. Jesus prepared and sent a group of 12 to minister in his place, sending them out two by two. Jesus is known through community. To this day, we experience the source and summit of our faith when we are gathered at the table to celebrate the Eucharist. The spiritual life is one we do together. This new school year, I challenge you to go out of your comfort zone to welcome someone new. As the Basilian Fathers like to say, ministry is “loitering with intent.” Invite that person to grab a cup of coffee and share your stories. Invite one or two more to join you and open up the Scriptures together. In doing so, you will meet Christ. † Nicole Labadie, MDiv., is the director of campus ministry at the University of St. Thomas.
Bringing God’s love to juvenile detention facilities during pandemic In the midst of challenging times, we find comfort in knowing our Father is always with us and Jesus Christ is ever-present in the Holy Eucharist. How empty our lives would be without this constant company. We, too, are called to be present in the lives of others through listening, empathizing and loving. The pandemic may have brought obstacles to this calling, but we have found ways to continue our mission with the use of technology. Last September, my family started a virtual Bible study so we could meet safely and allow out-of-town family members to join us. We discuss the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel and study topics such as Mass and the Rosary. We help each other understand God’s message and how we can apply it to our lives. These gatherings have led us to cherish each other’s presence in a way that we had not before. One member shared that the time we canceled affected his entire week. He needed to talk about the Word of God in a safe, supportive setting and to receive the God-centered advice we all share. Bible study has helped us grow together spiritually and has become a valuable activity in our lives. At Special Youth Services (SYS), we understand the value of breaking open God’s Word and sharing the Good News with others, so Bible study is a staple service we provide to our youth who are in juvenile detention facilities. Our volunteers make weekly visits to facilities to share Sunday readings with youth who choose to join the group. Like my relative, some kids feel an absence when there is no Bible study that week because that is their only time to have respectful conversations about God and how He works in their lives. The
volunteers provide a consistent presence in the chaotic life of a young person, and the youth value that. The pandemic has unfortunately stopped us from being physically by present in the facilities. ALEJANDRA So, SYS got creative with how to remind the youth MAYA of God’s constant GARZA presence in their lives. Our wonderful volunteers came up with Bible study handouts that contain reflections on the readings and word activities. We organized virtual events for the youth: Saintly Saturday, a day of praise and worship; an ecumenical Christmas party, including crafts and donated Chinese food; and a facility staff talent show, which we used to inspire the kids to use their own talents for the good of God’s kingdom. Our youth are thankful for these distractions from their time in the facility, but they tell us they really appreciate that people care about and pray for them. In a time of advanced technology and with a determined spirit, we can overcome any obstacle in order to be present in the lives of others. Our hard-working volunteers and your DSF contributions have allowed our ministry to do just that. If you feel a calling to, or would like more information about SYS, please visit us at www.archgh.org/sys , our Facebook page www.facebook.com/ specialyouthservicesarchgh, or email us at sys@archgh.org. †
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Alejandra Maya Garza is an associate director for Special Youth Services.
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WORLD
Blessed Acutis devotion shines at Australian outback school named for teen on way to sainthood SYDNEY (CNS) — An Australian outback diocese has announced what is believed to be the world’s first high school to be named after a teenage computer programmer beatified by Pope Francis last year. Blessed Carlo Acutis College will have a liberal arts focus, and Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green of the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes hopes to build it in Moama, a fast-growing Riverina town in the southern part of his vast sprawling New South Wales diocese. “It is an honor to name our school after such an inspiring young person who showed that children and teenagers can live lives devoted to God and to caring for those around them,” Bishop MacbethGreen said of the new college designed by ClarkeHopkinsClarke Architects. “All the students will be proud of their school name knowing that they, too, can live inspiring lives for others.” He said he
CNS PHOTO
Anthony Gordon, director of Catholic Education for the Australian outback Diocese of WilcanniaForbes, and Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green are pictured in a Dec. 3, 2020, photo. The diocese has announced the planned construction of what it believes will be the world’s first Catholic school named for Blessed Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who died in 2006 and was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020.
knows of only one other school named after the young saint-in-the-making, an online school based in Canada. Anthony Gordon, diocesan director of Catholic education, said the college
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would serve the community of Moama and surrounding areas, beginning as a small school with highly personalized pastoral care and tuition for students in state-of-the-art facilities. “Our demographic research suggests that Blessed Carlo will grow to a mediumsize college over the next 20 years, capable of maintaining this level of personalized approach,” he told The Catholic Weekly, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Sydney. “The learning will have a ‘liberal arts’ feel about it due to the choice of texts and content, which will immerse our students into the beauty of Catholic life and culture.” COVID-19 outbreaks in New South Wales and Victoria had postponed face-to-face consultations planned with Catholic families in Moama and surrounding areas, so feedback from these communities is being sought online. The college will be the only systemic Catholic senior education offering in the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes, which covers more than 160,000 square miles with 19 parishes.
The diocese is also served by Red Bend Catholic College, a year seven to 12 school in Forbes established by the Marist Brothers; it is more than five hours by car from the newly planned school. In a letter announcing the college, Bishop Macbeth-Green said he hoped that since Blessed Carlo was known for using technology to spread the Gospel, he would show today’s young people how media can be used for the good of society. He said the college would be“have at its heart” a daily life of prayer and devotion to the Eucharist, and all students would have the opportunity to build a deep friendship with Jesus. “I couldn’t think of a more uplifting or relevant model for the young people of Moama,” the bishop said. Blessed Carlo Acutis was only 15 when he died of leukemia in 2006. The boy from Milan has been called the first millennial saint and “God’s influencer.” He was devoted to the Eucharist from the day of his first Communion and used his gifts to promote the world’s eucharistic miracles and the Catholic faith. Well-liked among his peers, he enjoyed computer games and sports, especially soccer. He was devoted to daily Mass and the praying of the Rosary, encouraged his mother to return to the practice of her faith, and said he was happy to die “because I lived my life without wasting even a minute of it on anything unpleasing to God.” †
IN BRIEF Jesus is life-giving bread, not just ‘side dish,’ pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Jesus wants to nourish the souls of those who are spiritually famished from the loneliness and anguish that come from life’s difficulties, Pope Francis said. “What does he not want? To be relegated to being considered a side dish — he who is bread — to be overlooked and set aside, or called on only when we need him,” the pope told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square Aug. 8 during his Sunday Angelus address. The pope reflected on the Sunday Gospel reading from St. John in which Jesus responded to those who doubted that he was the “bread that came down from heaven.” “I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die,” Jesus said. Commenting on the passage, Pope Francis said bread is a basic necessity needed for survival, especially by the hungry who “do not ask for refined and expensive food, they ask for bread.” “Jesus reveals Himself as bread, that is, the essential, what is necessary for everyday life; without Him nothing works,” the pope said. “He is not one bread among many others, but the bread of life,” he said. †
Police investigating source of letter containing bullets addressed to pope
ROME (CNS) — Italian police have launched an investigation after postal workers discovered an envelope containing three bullets and addressed to “the pope.” News reports said the stamp on the envelope indicated it came from France, and the bullets were 9mm Flobert-round bullets. Reportedly, there was a message inside making reference to the Vatican’s financial operations. The envelope had written on it in pen and with poor handwriting: “The pope. Vatican City. St. Peter’s Square in Rome.” The envelope was flagged by employees at a mail sorting facility near Milan in the early hours of Aug. 9 and was handed over to Italy’s military police as authorities coordinated their investigation. According to Wikipedia, 9mm Flobert shotguns are most often used for pest control and face very little to no restriction in Europe, even in countries with strict gun laws, due to their limited power and short range. †
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NATION & STATE
Team crafts roof truss that could help guide rebuilding of Paris cathedral WASHINGTON (CNS) — The world watched in shock in April 2019 as flames devoured the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Eventually, burned roof sections collapsed in the Gothic landmark that was finally completed in 1345 after nearly 200 years of construction. A little more than two years after the disaster, in the shadow of a landmark Catholic shrine in the nation’s capital, teams of architects, carpenters, artisans and students — joined by one cardinal — slowly and gently pulled on rope lines to raise a painstakingly crafted roof truss that may help guide the builders who will replace Notre Dame’s roof. The event Aug. 3 at The Catholic University of America, with the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception as a backdrop, was part of a collaboration to research, model and build a historically accurate full-scale version of Truss No. 6 from Notre Dame. After months of preparation, the campus played host for two weeks to a 75-person crew that took logs transported from the mountains of Virginia, cut them
into timbers and assembled the truss using tools and techniques employed nearly a millennium ago. The project was modeled after a similar effort by the organization Charpentiers sans Frontières, or Carpenters Without Borders, which built a version of Truss No. 7 in 2020 to demonstrate that the traditional methods of carpentry are possible today as the cathedral is rebuilt. Twenty-five primary trusses support the main section of the cathedral’s roof. Wilton Cardinal Gregory of Washington and Catholic University’s chancellor wore a hardhat as he joined the raising ceremony. He first blessed the crew and then lined up with them to help hoist the 35-foot-high truss into its upright position on the lawn. During a brief program afterward, Cardinal Gregory offered his gratitude to the people who came from across the country to volunteer on the project. In his prayer, he asked the gathered crowd to focus not just on the burned structure in Paris but to remember the people “who make up the living Church.” †
CNS PHOTO
A team of students, carpenters, architects and crafts people gently pull a truss into its vertical position on the lawn of the mall at The Catholic University of America during an Aug. 3 ceremony. The truss was designed to replicate one that was destroyed when Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris went up in flames in April 2019.
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MUNDO CATÓLICO Llevando el amor de Dios a los centros de detención juvenil En medio de tiempos difíciles, encontramos consuelo en que nuestro Padre está siempre con nosotros y que Jesucristo está siempre presente en la Santa Eucaristía. Qué tan vacía estaría nuestra vida sin esta compañía constante. Nosotros también estamos llamados a estar presente en la vida de otros por medio de escuchar, empatizar y amar. Puede que la pandemia haya traído varios obstáculos a este llamado, pero hemos encontrado maneras de continuar con nuestra misión con el uso de la tecnología. El septiembre pasado, mi familia empezó un estudio bíblico virtual para convivir sin riesgo y permitir que nos acompañen parientes que viven fuera de la ciudad. Hablamos sobre el Evangelio del próximo domingo y estudiamos temas como la Misa y el Rosario. Nos ayudamos a entender el mensaje de Dios y cómo aplicarlo a nuestra vida. Estas reuniones nos han llevado a apreciar la presencia del uno al otro de una manera
que no habíamos hecho antes. Un pariente compartió que la vez que cancelamos le afectó toda la semana. Necesitaba hablar sobre la Palabra de Dios en un ambiente seguro y comprensivo y por recibir los consejos ALEJANDRA centrados en Dios que compartimos. MAYA El estudio bíblico nos GARZA ha ayudado a crecer espiritualmente y se ha convertido en una actividad valiosa en nuestra vida. En Special Youth Services (SYS), entendemos el valor de abrir la Palabra de Dios y compartir la Buena Nueva con los demás, por lo tanto el estudio bíblico es un servicio esencial que les ofrecemos a nuestros jóvenes que están en instalaciones de detención juvenil. Nuestros voluntarios les hacen visitas semanales para compartir las lecturas
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del domingo con jóvenes que eligen formar parte del grupo. Como mi pariente, algunos jóvenes sienten una ausencia cuando no hay estudio esa semana porque es el único tiempo que tienen para conversar respetuosamente sobre Dios y cómo Él trabaja en la vida de ellos. Los voluntarios proveen una presencia constante en la vida caótica de un joven y los jóvenes valoran eso. Desafortunadamente, la pandemia nos ha prevenido el estar presente físicamente en las instalaciones, así que SYS se puso creativo con cómo recordarles a los jóvenes de la presencia constante de Dios en su vida. Nuestros voluntarios maravillosos elaboraron hojas de estudio bíblico que contienen reflexiones de las lecturas y actividades de palabras. Organizamos eventos virtuales para los jóvenes: Saintly Saturday, un día de adoración y alabanza; una fiesta navideña ecuménica, incluyendo manualidades y comida china donada; y una presentación de talentos del personal de
las instalaciones, que usamos para inspirar a los jóvenes a usar sus propios talentos para el bien del reino de Dios. Nuestros jóvenes agradecen estas distracciones de su tiempo en la instalación, pero nos dicen que verdaderamente aprecian que gente se preocupan y rezan por ellos. En tiempos de tecnología avanzada y con un espíritu decidido, podemos vencer cualquier obstáculo para estar presente en la vida de otros. Nuestros voluntarios trabajadores y las contribuciones de DSF de ustedes han permitido que nuestro ministerio justamente haga eso. Si siente un llamado a o quisiera más información sobre SYS, favor de visitarnos en www. archgh.org/sys, nuestra página de Facebook www.facebook.com/ specialyouthservicesarchgh, o por correo electrónico a sys@archgh.org. † Alejandra Maya Garza es directora asociada de Special Youth Services.
Papa: Jesús es pan que da vida, no solo ‘un pan entre muchos otros’
FOTO DE CNS
El papa Francisco reza el Ángelus desde la ventana de su estudio mientras personas se reúnen en la Plaza de San Pedro en el Vaticano el 8 de agosto. En su mensaje del Ángelus, el papa dijo que Jesús es el “pan esencial de vida”, el que “nos hace sentir amados aunque todos nos decepcionen, solo Él nos da la fuerza de amar”.
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.
CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Jesús quiere nutrir las almas de aquellos que están espiritualmente hambrientos, personas experimentando soledad y la angustia que surgen de las dificultades de la vida, dijo el papa Francisco. “¿Qué no desea? Ser relegado a segundo plano — Él que es el pan — ser descuidado y dejado de lado, o llamado solo cuando tenemos necesidad”, dijo el papa a los peregrinos reunidos en la Plaza de San Pedro el 8 de agosto durante su discurso dominical del Ángelus. El papa reflexionó sobre la lectura dominical del Evangelio de San Juan en la que Jesús respondió a los que dudaban de que él fuera el pan que bajo del cielo. “Los antepasados de ustedes comieron el maná en el desierto, y aun así murieron. Pero yo soy el pan que baja del cielo; el que come de él, no muere”, dijo Jesús. Al comentar sobre el pasaje, el papa Francisco dijo que el pan es una necesidad básica necesaria para la supervivencia, especialmente para el hambriento que “no pide comidas refinadas y caras, pide pan”. “Jesús se revela como el pan, es decir lo esencial, lo necesario para la vida de cada día, sin Él no funciona”, dijo el papa. “No un pan entre muchos otros, sino el pan de la vida”. Sin Cristo, agregó, los cristianos solo podrían “arreglárselas” porque él es el
único que puede alimentar sus almas y solo él “perdona de ese mal que solos no conseguimos superar”. “Solo Él nos hace sentir amados aunque todos nos decepcionen, solo Él nos da la fuerza de amar, solo Él nos da la fuerza de perdonar en las dificultades; solo Él da al corazón esa paz que busca, solo Él da la vida para siempre cuando la vida aquí en la tierra se acaba”, dijo el papa. La culminación de la misión de Jesús como pan para todos se revela en la Última Cena, cuando Jesús sabe que Dios “le pide no solo dar de comer a la gente, sino darse a sí mismo, partirse a sí mismo, la propia vida, la propia carne, el propio corazón para que nosotros podamos tener la vida”, continuó el papa. La Eucaristía, dijo el papa Francisco, debe despertar en los cristianos el asombro del amor de Dios por la humanidad y debe expresarse a través de la adoración del Santísimo Sacramento. Y, dijo, que antes de las comidas, “sería bonito, antes de partir el pan, invitar a Jesús, pan de vida, pidiéndole con sencillez que bendiga lo que hemos hecho y lo que no hemos conseguido hacer. Invitémosle a casa, recemos de forma ‘doméstica’. Jesús estará en la mesa con nosotros y seremos alimentados por un amor más grande”. †
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WITHIN THE ARTS Composer with Houston ties returns for another world premiere concert at Annunciation HOUSTON — In 2019, the Church of the Annunciation celebrated 150 years since the laying of the cornerstone at 1618 Texas Avenue. The festivities commemorated a well-documented 1869 event that was carried out with pomp and ceremony. As part of the festivities, composer Daniel Knaggs was commissioned to add a new “Ave Maria” to his 50-Year Ave Maria Project to celebrate the occasion and add to the beautiful legacy established by Annunciation many generations ago. The concert is set for Thursday, Sept. 9, at 7:30 p.m., followed by a second performance at South Main Baptist Church on Friday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m. Four renowned soloists featured are Sasha Cooke, Mark Diamond, Chris Bozeka and Caitlin Aloia. The University of Houston Concert Chorale gave this new song a magnificent premiere performance under Dr. Betsy Cook Weber at a special concert held at Annunciation in April 2019. Now in 2021, the Church of the
Annunciation is celebrating 150 years since the dedication of the small basilicastyle church in downtown Houston. This time, Annunciation will continue the festivities by hosting a rare and special world premiere concert of Daniel Knaggs’s major new work,“Two Streams.” This new composition is a concert-length cantata for choir, soloists and string orchestra, drawing on Scripture and the diary of St. Faustina Kowalska. Knaggs said, “‘Two Streams’ explores the timeless message of mercy as proclaimed through the hidden (but meaningful) life of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska.” The new composition also has a deeply personal significance to the composer, as it is dedicated to the memory of his father, Charles Knaggs, who died in 2019, whom Knaggs described as “undoubtedly the individual most supportive of me and my music.” Knaggs decided to compose versions in both Polish and English simultaneously. He was originally approached by the
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WHEN THURSDAY, SEPT. 9 AT 7:30 P.M. WHERE ANNUNCIATION CATHOLIC CHURCH 1618 TEXAS AVE., HOUSTON REGISTER WWW.ACCHTX.ORG organizers of the Musica Vera Festival in Torun, Poland, where plans were set to premiere “Two Streams” in Polish in October 2020. Because of pandemicrelated cancellations, the scheduled Polish premiere was postponed until October 2021, where Knaggs will conduct. In discussions about possible anniversary events, Father Paul Felix, pastor of Annunciation, was immediately drawn to the idea of holding the English premiere (and now world premiere) of “Two Streams” at the church. Performing forces for the premiere of “Two Streams” include the 2020 Grammy Award-winning Houston Chamber Choir, under the direction of Bob Simpson, Kinetic, a string ensemble under the leadership of Natalie Lin Douglas, and four world-class soloists. All have ties to the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where Knaggs completed his doctorate in Music Composition. As a freelance composer, Knaggs pursues a wide variety of compositional projects for many types of occasions. Recently, Knaggs has been invited to serve as a panelist in events held by the
Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship in San Francisco.This institute, under the spiritual direction of Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, describes its unique mission as “opening the door of Beauty to God.”The institute’s core vision states that “the greatest art, the greatest Liturgy the Catholic Church has ever produced is yet to come.” Knaggs was one of four composers commissioned by the institute to write a new work for a 2022 Lenten service to be presided over by Archbishop Cordileone. A native of Michigan, Knaggs remembers fondly his time as director of music at St. Martha’s in Kingwood from 2016 to 2019). During that time, Knaggs also organized and directed the Serransponsored Adoration by Candlelight series at St. Mary’s Seminary and directed music for several Masses at Café Catholica. Currently serving as visiting assistant professor of Composition and Theory at the College of Wooster in Ohio, Knaggs now makes a special return to Houston for the premiere of “Two Streams.” Funds are being raised to make this concert a reality with the help of many underwriters, particularly the Scanlan Foundation, with its mission to provide the world a Catholic experience of the Beauty of God through the arts. Tickets are available for the premiere. To view a short preview trailer for the concert, visit acchtx.org. All are welcome to underwrite or purchase guest tickets online. †
September 24 - 26: Discipleship Silent Retreat at the Christian Renewal Center Theme: Imaginative Prayer by Kim Brown
WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/DIGITALEDITIONS MOVIE RATINGS By Catholic News Service A-I – GENERAL PATRONAGE • Luca (PG)
A-II – ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS
• Resurrection (PG-13) • Space Jam: A New Legacy (PG) • The Boss Baby: Family Business (PG)
A-III – ADULTS • • • • • • • • • •
Black Widow (PG-13) CODA (PG-13) Dark Waters (PG-13) Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (PG-13) F9: The Fast Saga (PG-13) Free Guy (PG-13) Jungle Cruise (PG-13) Old (PG-13) Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (PG-13) Stillwater (R)
• The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (R) • The Green Knight (R)
L – LIMITED ADULT AUDIENCE
Early registration ends August 24! Weekend Silent Retreat includes: • Two nights lodging in private room with linens • Friday dinner - Sunday breakfast • Sacraments • Guided meditations throughout the day (every four hours) • Meeting for spiritual direction w/ Kim Brown • Spiritual Director, Kim Brown, M.Th, M.Ed will be the retreat facilitator. Kim is also the CRC Director, a Catholic speaker and author. Her book, Spiritual Lessons along the Camino, has been featured on EWTN Radio, Relevant Radio, Ave Maria Radio, as well as numerous local Catholic programs.
• Joe Bell (R)
O – MORALLY OFFENSIVE
• The Forever Purge (R) • The Suicide Squad (R) • Zola (R)
Register online at
www.retreatcentercrc.org
20 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD
ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • AUGUST 17, 2021
MILESTONES
Texas Catholic Herald wins 8 international press awards HOUSTON — The Texas Catholic Herald won several journalism awards at the 2021 Catholic Media Conference in June, including two first-place awards and a third-place “Writer of the Year” award, at the Catholic Media Association (CMA) 2021 Press Awards Ceremony. The CMA gave the Herald an honorable mention as “Best Diocesan Newspaper,” a competitive category that includes all eligible diocesan newspaper publications from across the world. Staff photo-journalist and designer James Ramos received two individual excellence awards, with honorable mentions in the “Writer of the Year” and “Photographer of the Year” categories for his coverage and photography of the COVID-19 pandemic, vocations, racism and culture, among other stories. The Texas Catholic Herald team was also awarded first-place for “Best Reporting on Vocations to Priesthood, Religious Life or Diaconate.” The series was praised because “the intersectionality of the subjects in this series made it stand out from the rest” and that the stories were “well crafted” and “articulately written,” giving readers “not only insight into different perspectives related to prison but with the emotions of those involved as well.” The series, written by Jo Ann Zuñiga and Ramos, explored then-seminarian Joey White and Father Michael Earthman’s encounter with Pope Francis during Daniel Cardinal
DiNardo and Auxiliary Bishop George A. Sheltz’s ad limina visit in January 2020. The series also profiled Sister Maureen O’Connell, OP, and her quest to lead the Archdiocese’s social justice efforts, and the lifetime journey and often hidden but crucial ministry of Father Ron Cloutier, the former longtime Office of Correctional Ministries director. The Herald staff also was awarded third-place for its series “A Living Church of Pachal Joy” that covered the inital impacts of the pandemic. “The reporting is detailed, human and comprehensive,” judges said. “An incredible effort to report on all areas affected by COVID-19 in the church, and how the church community responded from a local to a global level.” Advertising Manager Catherine Viola and Ramos’s collaboration netted a third-place award for “Best Promotional House Ad.” The full page ad, which encouraged continued stewardship, was an “impressionable call to action,” according to judges. The ad featured a photograph of a stained glass window, seen at St. Anne Catholic Church in Houston, depicting Jesus calming the seas. Judges said the “colorful, vibrant stain glass” was “reminiscent of church windows” and evoked “feelings of attending Mass.” The Herald staff also garnered an honorable mention for coverage of a disaster or crises, as seen in the series “Hurricane Laura: Too Much, Too Close, Too Soon.” The series unpacked the visible and invisible
AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE Editor’s Note: Contact event organizers for the latest updates and information. For deadline/submission details and other listing, visit www.archgh.org/ata.
AUGUST 21-22
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. St. Hyacinth (2921 Center St., Deer Park). Weekend of parish prayer, remembrance and celebration. Saturday begins at 9 a.m. with prayer and Adoration. Events culminate on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. with food, activities, silent auction and raffle. Tickets/info: info@ sthyacinth.org, StHyacinth.org.
SEPTEMBER 5
BAZAAR. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., 70th Homecoming Bazaar Anniversary in St. Joseph Church (101 Elmore St., New Waverly). There will be afternoon tours of the 152-year-old historic church, a live auction at 1 p.m. and a silent auction. Raffle, homemade jams and jellies, plant/flower booth, cakewalk, grocery booth, toy booth and more. Lunch includes a variety of ethnic foods, including Vietnamese, Hispanic and Polish.
SEPTEMBER 9
GALA. 6:30 p.m., “Mission of Love Gala” benefiting Mamie George Community Center of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston at Safari Texas Ranch (11627 FM 1464, Richmond). To purchase tables and tickets, visit www. CatholicCharities.org/MissionOfLove. Info: Matt Johns, mjohns@CatholicCharities.org, 713-874-6659.
SEPTEMBER 11
SPAGHETTI DINNER. 5 to 8 p.m., St. Theresa Community Center (705 St. Theresa Blvd., Sugar Land). Sugar Land Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court St. Theresa of Lisieux #2211 host annual spaghetti dinner. Plates include spaghetti with homemade sauce, meatballs, salad, garlic bread, dessert and drink. Raffle tickets for sale. Adults: $10. Children under 10: $5. Dinner tickets available at door. Proceeds benefit scholarships and charitable donations. ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. 2 p.m., The Legion of Mary Mater Ecclesiae Senatus of Houston in the Archdiocese 100-year anniversary Thanksgiving Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (1111 St Joseph Pkwy., Houston). Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will be celebrant and co-celebrated by Legion of Mary Mater Ecclesiae Senatus of Houston Spiritual Director, Father Victor C. Perez, pastor of St. Joseph and St. Stephen Catholic parishes.
SEPTEMBER 12
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church (3006 Kashmere St., Houston). Mass at 10 a.m. followed by a procession. The festival includes live music, food, games, and a raffle will follow from noon to 7 p.m. All are welcome. 713-673-5600; ourladyhouston.org; facebook.com/ OurLadyHouston.
effects of the major hurricane that hit southeast Texas and Louisiana. Ramos also received another honorable mention for his feature photograph from the Archdiocese’s 25th annual wedding jubilee celebration. The Catholic Media Association has nearly 250 publication members and 600 individual
members worldwide. Its mission is to build and strengthen the value and worth of the Catholic press by facilitating the professional, economic and spiritual growth of its members. The CMA awards program allows Catholic journalists, authors, publishers and media professionals to showcase their hard work from the previous year. †
Restored Sacred Heart of Jesus statue finds new permanent home HOUSTON — The Art Department of St. John XXIII College Preparatory School (SJ23) has restored a Sacred Heart of Jesus statue that will soon take a permanent place on campus. Principal Joe Noonan, who has a history with the statue, brought it to art teacher, Carol Szymanski, earlier this year, hoping it could be repaired. However, with school’s decision to go fully remote for several days early in the second semester, followed closely by a winter freeze, the project was put on hold. During the Easter season, the time was right for Szymanski, along with three upper-level art students, to begin the work that would span several weeks. Their enthusiasm for the project went well beyond the needed repairs, and a beautiful restoration was completed just before classes dismissed for the summer. While Noonan was serving as Principal at Calvert High School in Tiffin, Ohio, his good friend, Charlie Letterhos, came into possession of the statue when he rescued it from storage at St. Joseph’s Church. Removed during renovations in the 1970s, he found it in very poor condition, which he painstakingly restored. Letterhos presented it to Noonan as a gift in 1991, celebrating a successful capital campaign at Calvert. The statue stood in the main office, and later in the renovated school chapel. In late 1999, Noonan’s vocation led him to Texas, and Letterhos insisted that he bring the statue with him. Unfortunately, it was damaged in shipment. The right hand was broken, losing several fingers. The elbow was cracked and chipped significantly, and one toe was broken. Since then, the Noonan family has kept the statue, hoping for a second restoration and permanent home — a place where it would help lead the faithful to prayer. Soon after arriving at SJ23, it became clear to the new principal that
this campus would be the perfect place. The school’s patron, St. John XXIII, held a deep devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which he speaks of throughout his autobiography, “Journal of a Soul.” Szymanski and art students, Claire Cohen, Robert Wells, and Vincent Tran repaired the hand, shoulder and toe; and repainted the statue in the traditional colors of deep red and blue, symbolizing Christ’s humanity and divinity. As a final touch, they gilded the halo and trim of the garment with gold leaf. During restoration, a plaque which was previously covered by paint was discovered, revealing the statue was originally crafted in Munich, Germany and marketed in New York City. The statue will be blessed and displayed at an appropriate time following the start of the 2021-22 school year. †
IN BRIEF Local Knights of Columbus help Holy Name Parish after fire
HOUSTON — Sir Knights Rick Daigneault, Patrick Callaghan, Richard Egan and Robert Rexer recently presented Holy Name Parish with a check for $1,200. A fire during the winter storm in February destroyed the parish rectory. K of C Council #10872 initially provided Holy Name with a check of $500 to assist with immediate needs following the fire. Prior to Easter, the Council sold “He is Risen” magnets at the church with all proceeds going to Holy Name Parish. The church is within 20 feet of the rectory. The only damage to the church was smoke damage that forced the celebration of the Mass to the Parish Hall for a short period of time. K of C Council #10872 is associated with Christ the Good Shepherd in Spring with Pastor James Burkart and Parochial Vicar Father Innocent Okhifo. †