June 2019 - Vol. 54 No. 6 by South Texas Catholic

SERVING THE CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF CORPUS CHRISTI

South Texas

Catholic J U N E 2 019

W W W. S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C .C OM

2â&#x20AC;&#x201A; South Texas Catholic | June 2019

ON THE

VOL. 54 NO. 6 Publisher Bishop Michael Mulvey, STL DD

COVER

Eucharistic Procession of the 2018 Celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Archived photo

Director of Communications Margie Rivera mrivera@diocesecc.org Communications Board Father Jose A. Salazar, Sister Rosa Maria Ortiz, IWBS, David Campa, Regina Garcia, Zach Everett, Shannette Hoelscher, Deacon Richard Longoria, Elizabeth Nguyen and Benjamin Nye Managing Editor Mary Cottingham MCottingham@diocesecc.org

For Deacon Fino Palacios every day is Father’s Day.

Theological Consultant Ben Nguyen, JD/JCL. BNguyen@diocesecc.org

Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

Office Manager Adel Rivera Sauceda ARivera@diocesecc.org STC Support Staff Jennifer Branson and Madelyn Galindo Correspondents Rebecca Esparza Translator Gloria Romero Photographers Ervey Martinez and David Mendez

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FROM THE BISHOP 4 MESSAGE Bishop Michael Mulvey on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

VOCATIONS 7 God writes straight with crooked lines NEWS BRIEFS 9 Deacons to be ordained priests CATHOLIC EDUCATION 15 Class of 2019 valedictorians and salutatorians receive honors

25 Let’s walk with Jesus

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

VIEWPOINTS 31 Witnessing to Religious Liberty NATIONAL NEWS 33 Alabama outlaws abortion, setting up Supreme Court Roe v. Wade challenge

VATICAN NEWS 34 Pope Francis tells medical professionals to defend life

Keep up with the faith at www.SouthTexasCatholic.com

June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 3

MESSAGE FROM THE BISHOP

une 20, 2019 marks the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as the Feast of Corpus Christi, which translates from Latin to “Body of Christ.” This feast celebrates the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, a central mystery of the Catholic Faith. The feast points to the love of God for all of us. We see this love fully expressed in Jesus who gave his body and blood for us as the memorial of his sacrifice on the cross. The gift of his love transforms us into his body – the Church. The feast celebrates, therefore, both Christ’s gift of himself in the Eucharist and us who are his body – the Church. The Church gives us a rich treasury of wisdom to help us understand the meaning of the Eucharist. In Luke’s Gospel we read: “When the hour came, Jesus took his place at table and the apostles with him. And he said to them, ‘I was eager to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ … Jesus also took bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to them saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And he did the same with the cup after eating, ‘This cup is the new covenant, sealed in my blood which is poured out for you.’” (Lk 22:14-20) Thomas Aquinas writes that “the Eucharist is the greatest of Jesus Christ’s miracles.” St. Peter Julian Eymard said, “the Eucharist…is the permanent incarnation, the perpetual sacrifice of Jesus, the burning bush that is always on fire on the altar, the true bread of life that daily descends from heaven.” And the Second Vatican Council affirms that “the most Holy Eucharist contains the Church’s entire spiritual wealth: Christ himself, our Passover and living bread. Through his own flesh, now made living and life-giving by the Holy Spirit, he offers life to all people.” John has his own way of speaking about Jesus in the Eucharist. He narrates that Jesus presents himself as “bread of life” and explains how he can be the bread of life: “The bread I shall give is my flesh and I will give it for the life of the world …” (Jn 6:51b). St. John Chrysostom comments on this: “We are his very body. In fact, what is the bread? The body of Christ. And what becomes of those who eat of this bread? They become the body of Christ, not several bodies, but one sole body. In fact, just as the bread is made of many grains (of wheat) but are so united that you no longer see the grains .., in the same way we are closely joined together with one another and with Christ.” God in his immense love remained with us in the Eucharist to give us life. We, in turn, are called to be his witness to others individually and as his body – the Church. We do so by celebrating his memorial of sacrificial love in the Mass, by adoring him in the tabernacle and by sharing with others our faith through witness to His words. These are all important elements. And yet, God asks of us even more. God wants us to love one another with his same measure, which brings the presence of Christ among us, Christ living in us - his mystical body. Let us aim to live like this. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to accompany us in this journey so that the world might believe.

4 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

MENSAJE DEL OBISPO

l 20 de junio de 2019 marca la solemnidad del Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo. Esta fiesta celebra la presencia real de Cristo en la sagrada Eucaristía y señala el amor de Dios hacia nosotros. Esta fiesta señala el amor de Dios hacia nosotros. Vemos este amor plenamente expresado en Jesús que dio su cuerpo y sangre por nosotros, en un memoria de su sacrificio en la Cruz. El don de su amor nos transforma en su cuerpo – la Iglesia. Esta solemnidad celebra, el don de Cristo, de sí mismo en la Eucaristía, y a nosotros que somos su cuerpo – la Iglesia. La Iglesia nos ofrece un patrimonio inmenso de sabiduría para ayudarnos a comprender el significado de la Eucaristía. En el Evangelio de Lucas leemos: “cuando llegó la hora, Jesús se sentó en la mesa y con el los apóstoles. Y les dijo: he deseado intensamente comer esta Pascua con ustedes antes de padecer; porque, les digo, nunca más volveré a comerla hasta que se cumpla el Reino de Dios. Jesús también tomó pan, y después de dar gracias, lo partió y se los dio diciendo: este es mi cuerpo que será entregado por ustedes. Hagan esto en memoria mía. De la misma manera tomó el vino dando gracias lo bendijo y se los dio diciendo: Esta es mi sangre, sangre de la nueva alianza que será entregada por ustedes.” (LC 22:14-20) Tomas de Aquino escribe que “la Eucaristía es el más grande milagro de Jesucristo. San Pedro Julián Eymard dice: “la Eucaristía... es la encarnación permanente, el sacrificio perpetuo de Jesús, la zarza ardiente que siempre arde en el altar, el verdadero pan de vida que diariamente desciende del cielo. “ Y el Concilio Vaticano II afirma que “la Santísima Eucaristía contiene toda la riqueza espiritual de la iglesia: Cristo mismo, nuestra Pascua y pan viviente. A través de su propia carne, que ahora es vida y da la vida por el Espíritu Santo, el ofrece vida a todas las personas.” Juan tiene su propio modo de hablar sobre la presencia de Jesús en la Eucaristía. Narra que Jesús se presenta como “pan de vida” y explica cómo puede ser que El es pan de vida: “el pan que les daré es mi carne y la daré por la vida del mundo...” (Jn 6, 51b). San Juan Crisóstomo comenta sobre esto: “somos su propio cuerpo. De hecho, ¿qué es el pan? El cuerpo de Cristo. ¿Y qué pasa con los que comen este pan? Se convierten en el cuerpo de Cristo, no en varios cuerpos, sino en un único cuerpo. De hecho, así como el pan está hecho de muchos granos (de trigo) pero están tan unidos que ya no se ven los granos..., de la misma manera estamos estrechamente unidos entre nosotros y con Cristo.” Dios en su inmenso amor permaneció con nosotros en la Eucaristía para darnos vida. Nosotros, a su vez, estamos llamados a ser sus testigos fuente a los demás, individualmente así como su cuerpo, su Iglesia. Lo hacemos cuando celebramos su conmemoración, el amor sacrificial en la Misa, cuando lo adoramos en el tabernáculo y compartimos nuestra fe mediante el testimonio de sus palabras. Todos estos son elementos importantes. Y, sin embargo, Dios nos pide aún más. Dios quiere que nos amemos unos a otros de la misma manera en que el nos amó, que hagamos viva la presencia de Cristo entre nosotros, que sea Cristo quien vive en nosotros-su cuerpo místico. Tratemos de vivir así. Pidámosle al Espíritu Santo que nos acompañe en el camino para que el mundo a nuestro alrededor nos pueda creer.

+Most Rev. Michael Mulvey, STL, DD Bishop of Corpus Christi

June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 5

2 0 19 B i s h o p’s Stewa rd s h i p A p p e a l My brothers and sisters in Christ, Each of us is called by name and sent as a missionary disciple to bear witness to Jesus. This is our mission, the very nature of what it means to be Catholic. According to Pope Francis, “We are all missionary disciples with the power of the Spirit.” The Diocese of Corpus Christi is a family of faithful disciples and a community that is defined by our very name, the Body of Christ. This name expresses who we are and the responsibility it gives us. Being partners in ministry to change the lives of individuals and enrich our community is our mission. Our stewardship to time, talent, and treasure does remarkable things when it is transformed into ministry and mission. I am especially grateful for all that we have accomplished through the student centers built throughout the Diocese, most recently our new chapel and renovated student center located at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, which gives our young adults a dedicated place to grow in their faith, to worship, and gather together. Our diocesan Appeal goal this year is $2.1 million dollars. Every dollar a parish raises over their goal will be returned 100% back to the parish. This will provide an excellent opportunity for parishes to partner with the Appeal and raise funds for special parish projects or needs. As the Body of Christ, please share in the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal so that together we can continue to advance God’s love through charity. The individuals, agencies and initiatives supported through the Appeal provide the means to respond to the spiritual, educational, and physical needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s take up the mission together as missionary disciples and continue to move the Church forward. Your leadership in generosity contributes to the long-standing success of our community of faith. Because of your commitment to the Diocese of Corpus Christi we are an ever-increasing effective witness to Jesus Christ. I am grateful to you, and for your example in what it means to be a faithful steward.

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Rev. Wm. Michael Mulvey, STL, DD Bishop of Corpus Christi

†† VOCATIONS †† VOCATIONS

God writes straight with crooked lines By Deacon Loni Lugo

M Contributor

Deacon Loni Lugo is a Deacon at St. Pius X Parish.

y path to the Diaconate was not a straight one, to say the least. I was born and raised in the Bay Area of California. My parents were devout Jehovah’s Witnesses and raised me to be the same. I attended services several times a week from the time I was born until I left my parents’ house to go to school and work in Texas. In Texas I managed a store for a large retail conglomerate in San Antonio, and it was there that I met Delpha Gonzalez, the woman who would later become my wife. At the time, she was the union representative for my employees, so we naturally fought – regularly at first, but that regular communication also deepened my respect for her. We began a relationship outside of work, but it quickly became quite clear that she was not willing to commit to a future with someone who wasn’t Catholic. I was conflicted about this. On the one hand, I was a devout Jehovah’s Witness, as I had been taught. I was brought up believing that the Catholic faith was full of lies and falsehoods that trapped and manipulated its followers. On the other hand, I had a deep respect and love for Delpha and her family, and their Catholic faith was lived out in a way that I hadn’t seen in a Jehovah’s Witness community. They didn’t just know their faith; they lived it with sincere love and devotion. I decided to start reading more about Catholicism and was given a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to study. I decided to become Catholic and asked Delpha to marry me. Entering the RCIA program as a 22-year-old man looking to be married, it seems to me now that I was more looking to check a box than to let the faith permeate my heart. I also had equated faith with knowledge, so I did what came naturally and learned the information. I joined the Catholic Church and shortly after was married at St. Francis De Paula in San Diego, Delpha’s hometown. Shortly after the marriage, I started a new job in Corpus Christi which required quite a bit of travel. I still hadn’t figured out that the Catholic faith required a deeper love and sacrifice, so I used my travel as an excuse to miss Sunday Masses. My dear wife, with the patience of a saint, spent many hours in prayer asking God to strengthen my faith.

Her prayers were answered after another move which led us to Dallas. There, at Holy Spirit Church in Duncanville, we became friends with a deacon who encouraged me to get more involved. It started with one small sacrifice, being a lector on Sunday. Then I started singing in the choir. As I gave more, I began to understand the beauty and richness of the Catholic faith, a faith in a God that is worthy of every sacrifice I had to give. I became an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, then even volunteered to be an altar server along with our two sons, Joseph and William. With every small sacrifice, my love for Christ and his Church grew. At this point, a good friend invited me to come with him and another friend on a Cursillo retreat. It was at this retreat that I had my “metanoia.” I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to make a full commitment to Jesus Christ and his Church, to give him everything and to encourage others to do the same. I had the opportunity to answer this prompting by answering the call from the Diocese of Dallas for deacon candidates. I applied with a friend from the same Cursillo retreat and soon we began our studies. Unfortunately, my company transferred me to Northbrook, Illinois during my studies, and I could not continue with my friend. But by the grace of God, I was able to continue my studies in the Archdiocese of Chicago with very little trouble. On April 25, 1987, I was ordained a deacon in the Holy Name Cathedral. The essence of the role of the deacon is service. During my studies, I felt especially called to serve the forgotten, those in nursing homes and the incarcerated. During my past 31 years of being ordained, I have worked with inmates at five different institutions. In this way I see myself fulfilling the scripture from Matthew 25:44-45, which says, “Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’” Looking back at my journey, I see that even though the road wasn’t a straight one, I am immensely grateful that Jesus led me as he did. I have never regretted giving my life to him fully and letting him change it forever. June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 7

†† VOCATIONS

Lugo felt called to seminary at his first EXPLORE retreat By Mary Cottingham

South Texas Catholic

raternity, adventure and prayer were initial reasons seminarian Aaron Matthew Lugo attended his first Explore Retreat at Camp Aranzazu. He liked playing sports and being outdoors, so fishing, archery and ziplining with a bunch of guys his age sounded fun. Explore delivered that and more. It was while praying the Liturgy of the Hours at his first Explore Retreat that he fell in love with God and felt led to seminary. The first time he prayed with his brother retreatants – it excited him. Lugo was no stranger to praying, or so he thought. Before the retreat, he would say a quick prayer in the morning and at night. He was a member of his parish youth group and a running back for his high school football team, so he would often lead prayers before a game or event, but Liturgy of the Hours was different. “I’m a physical guy and an extrovert, so it’s hard for me to be quiet, sit still and spend quality time with the Lord in [meditative] prayer. Liturgy of the Hours was the perfect way for me to do that,” he said. “I could see myself doing this every day.” Lugo had hopes of getting a college scholarship playing football. He did get the

scholarship his senior year, but by then he had already attended his second Explore Retreat. “It was kind of tough discerning both playing football and discerning the priesthood. I just kind of really opened up and let myself spend time at the retreat – just opening up myself to the call,” Lugo said. “The retreat really helped me discern more what God wanted for me in my life and the more I was open, the more I received from it.” After the retreat, he began to consider the priesthood seriously. “It was just like a big boost into the way of life I now live at the seminary,” he said. “We pray the same Liturgy of the Hours we prayed during the retreats, and I have incorporated it into my lifestyle now as a seminarian.” He still plays football, but for the Ravens at St. Joseph Seminary College and has a dietician and workout schedule. “I thought I would be leaving football for good, but somehow God provided the opportunity to bring my talents here.” His team will be playing against the deacons from Notre Dame Seminary College in the fall. Lugo said the priests, seminarians and lay people on the Explore staff do an amazing

job. “I encourage every young man within the high school ages to go to the Explore retreat, just to kind of open themselves up to it. See what God is calling them to do. It may be married life or religious life, priesthood or consecrated life or single. I feel like it’s more a perfect place to discern because it’s quiet. “You spend time alone in prayer and it’s peaceful. It’s a great way to get away from the distractions of the world, and it’s out in the open,” he said. “There’s so much violence, drugs and bad opportunities out there, but taking the time out to discern what God has in store for you is a good opportunity and a brave step for any young man to take.” Lugo has just completed his first year in college at St. Joseph Seminary and is enjoying it. “I’m having fun. I’m prayerful. Just finishing up the year pretty strong,” he said. He continues to grow in love and faith in Jesus Christi through his classes, communal prayer, and the fraternal life of the seminary – a fulfillment of the very retreat that sparked that love so many years ago. The next Explore retreat is July 22-26. Registration Deadline is July 8. For more information, contact the Office of Vocations at (361) 882-6191 or go to ccpriest.org/exploreweek.

Aaron Lugo (front and center, in the gray t-shirt), seminarians and high school age young men at Explore Retreat in 2018. Contributed photo

8 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

Deacon Richard Gutierrez

Deacon Ramiro “RJ” Regalado, Jr.

Bishop Michael Mulvey will ordain Deacons Richard Gutierrez and Ramiro “RJ” Regalado, Jr. at Corpus Christi Cathedral on June 8 at 10 a.m. Deacon Gutierrez has completed his studies at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio and Deacon Regalado completed his seminarian studies at Theological College in Washington DC. Father Gutierrez will celebrate his first Mass at Holy Family Church in Corpus Christi on June 9 at 10:30 a.m. and Father Regalado at St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus in Premont June 8 at 6 p.m. Please pray for them both and come welcome them as new priests of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

Knights Shine at Texas convention Representatives from the Texas Knights of Columbus Councils gathered at the American Bank Center for the 115th Annual State Convention on April 26-28. The theme for the 2019 convention hosted by Corpus Christi Knights was, “Let your light shine.” This year the convention was dedicated to past and present bishops of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. The annual convention is held in Corpus Christi every third year because “everybody loves Corpus Christi,” said Ron Alonzo, State Charities Chairperson. In years past, he and his wife have been program directors for the conference in Corpus Christi.

According to Alonzo, some 400-500 Texas councils were represented at the convention and each council sent two delegates. The purpose of the convention is to bring forward issues, approve or revise organizational bylaws, re-elect officers and present awards. Tables and booths are set up prior to the convention. The booths feature directors that oversee programs: Council Growth, Star Council, Program Director, Education and Training, Charity and the Knights of Columbus Insurance. “Texas once again leads the Order in charity dollars and volunteer hours of service,” wrote Mark Evans, Knights of Columbus Texas State Deputy in an

invitation letter to his brother knights and their wives. For years, the Knights of Columbus have been assisting the Church and their communities. They began as an order to meet the needs of the poor, widows and orphans, and have since blossomed to protect and defend the unborn, minister to those in prison, and come to the aid of people affected by natural disasters. They tirelessly devote their time and talents to their parishes and the many programs that have been initiated by their predecessors. See story and photos of this event at SouthTexasCatholic.com/ news/2019KOC.

In Memoriam: Deacon George Joseph Wiest Sept. 12, 1936 ~ May 14, 2019 Deacon George Joseph Wiest, 82, a deacon in the Diocese of Corpus Christi who served at Sacred Heart parish in Rockport died on Tuesday, May 14. Deacon Wiest was born on Sept. 12, 1936, in Smithville where he grew up. He later married Dorthy Carole Wiest at Corpus Christi Cathedral in August of 1957 and joined the U.S. Air Force where he served his full four-year term. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Church in Rockport, a Fourth-degree knight of the Knights of Columbus, and an outreach coordinator for the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Ordained on Sept. 24, 1988 and in his almost 31 years of service to the Church as a deacon he proved to be a true and humble servant of God. With several diocesan assignments over the years, Wiest could be found serving his parish community and reaching out to others at Shoreline Treatment facility in Taft (1991), the Jail Ministry Commission (1993) and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (1999 and 2002). He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Dorothy Carole Wiest, and two brothers. Left to cherish his memory is his son, Jim (Suzy) Wiest of Wimberley and two grandchildren. June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 9

†† NEWS BRIEFS

Deacons to be ordained priests

†† NEWS BRIEFS

Fathers and sons join the Schoenstatt pilgrimage, July 13-14 The 50th Annual Schoenstatt Boys Walk will begin on Saturday, July 13 at 5 a.m. at Wayside Shrine, located at 2309 Marguerite in Corpus Christi. On the first stop of our journey we arrive at approximately 3 p.m. at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, located at 342 S. Rife Street in Aransas Pass. Recreational time is approximately from 3:30-5:15 p.m. at Aransas Pass Aquatic Center, located at 400 East Johnson Ave in Aransas Pass. We return to St. Mary Star of the Sea for Mass at approximately 6 p.m., followed by dinner. The second day of our journey begins Sunday promptly at 5 a.m. at St. Mary Church. We continue our journey towards The Schoenstatt Confidentia Shrine and Retreat Center, located at 134 Front St. in Rockport, arriving approximately 3 p.m. We conclude our annual pilgrimage/walk with Mass followed by dinner. The Schoenstatt Boys Walk was founded 49 years ago by four boys set out to commemorate Father Kentenich’s (Founder of Schoenstatt Movement) ordination into the priesthood. The purpose of the walk is to encourage young men to consider a life of ministry. In this two day pilgrimage, we offer our sacrifices, our prayers, and petitions to our Blessed Mother Thrice Admirable Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt. To register go to: http://bit.ly/2KVUsam, download and fill out the form. Email form to schoenstattboyswalk@yahoo.com. Items to bring on your journey: Two days of comfortable attire suitable for hot weather: t-shirts, shorts, socks, ‘broken in’ athletic shoes, etc. (Jeans are highly discouraged); travel size toiletries, shampoo, soap, etc.; hat, sunscreen, sunglasses (optional); swim wear, sandals; two large bath towels; a third set of clothing for Mass on Sunday (a commemorative t-shirt will be distributed on Sunday at no charge); reflective wear and or flashlights recommended; pillow, blanket, sleeping bag, air mattress; no electronic devices or other distractions allowed

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(Cell Phones allowed for designated “call-home time” only). Notify staff of any medications or medical conditions that need to be addressed. For more information call Abel Gonzalez (361) 442-4776 or email mmars1201@gmail.com or call Primo Garcia at (361) 548-8250 or email Primogarcia77@gmail.com.

Bishop Michael Mulvey and the staff of the Office for Safe Environment and Child and Family Resources are committed to assisting in the healing process for victims and survivors of abuse. If you or someone you know is in need of such services, call Stephanie Bonilla, Director of the Office for Safe Environment and Child and Family Resources at: (361) 882-6191 for immediate assistance.

Office for Safe Environment and Child and Family Resources

†† NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Lisa Cervantes (left) and Anna Adrian review paperwork during a team meeting for the next Women’s Journey to Damascus, scheduled for July 25-28. Both women’s and men’s Journey retreats are held at the Pax Christi Retreat Center in Calallen.

Journey to Damascus: A Weekend of Renewal

Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

By Rebecca Esparza

Correspondent

hen Anna Adrian’s husband Marty was diagnosed with cancer in March of 2006, the last thing he was thinking about was attending a weekend religious retreat. But dear friends of theirs recommended Journey to Damascus and just five days after his first chemotherapy treatment, he participated in the three-day retreat. “When I picked Marty up at the end, I didn’t recognize him. He was literally glowing,” recalled Anna. “I had never seen him so happy or healthy looking. Tears of joy were streaming down his face. His smile

was the biggest I’d ever seen.” Journey to Damascus is an ecumenical retreat joining Christians from various religions for a rekindling of their core spiritual values. “When I saw the huge change in him, I couldn’t wait to go on mine,” Anna said. “Marty came back a completely changed man and I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for me. It was after I left the weekend, that it dawned on me: we truly are all just one big family. We all were created the same, and regardless of what our view and beliefs are, we’re still His creation.” Anna went on her retreat in October of 2006 and experienced the same life-changing weekend as her husband.

“The Journey to me was a representation of what faith, hope and love truly mean,” she explained. “Marty and I got involved right away and to this day I still commit a big portion of my time to this community because I know that we all need each other. We all learn from each other. There’s no other community that I have found where I can talk and cry freely with others and not be judged.” David Walsh, president of the board of trustees for Journey to Damascus, said the retreat started with four men who attended a retreat operated by the Methodist church. “The men wanted their spouses to experience this retreat, but they knew the ladies would not be interested in June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 11

✝ NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

attending a Protestant weekend. The men went to the Bishop, with Monsignor Richard Shirley, to obtain permission to create and begin the Journey to Damascus,” he explained. The Journey to Damascus Board of Trustees oversees three communities of faithful: Corpus Christi, Central Texas and Houston. Walsh explained that he also experienced a life-altering Journey, adding it is difficult to describe because it is such a personal experience. “Before my Journey to Damascus weekend I thought I was a good Catholic. I was clueless. During my weekend, I learned of and fully experienced the Holy Spirit. Although I had received the Holy Spirit at Baptism and Confirmation, the fire was burning. My Journey to Damascus experience turned that little flame into a raging inferno,” he said. Although the weekend is fully Catholic, the mission is to be ecumenical and to emphasize the 95% of the faith shared by all Christian faiths, Walsh explained. “Our spiritual team is lead by a Catholic

priest but the team includes Protestant clergy. The weekend’s process breaks down years of misunderstandings between Catholics and non-Catholics,” Walsh said. “Finally, the weekends are so successful because it combines a tremendously fun experience while learning and sharing our faith. It is an extremely powerful experience.” “We continue to be blessed that Bishop Mulvey has been very supportive of our ministry,” he added. Lisa Cervantes, a fourth grade teacher at London Elementary, is currently the Lay Director for the upcoming Women’s Journey to Damascus in July. She and her husband Marc, parishioners at St. Philip the Apostle, have sponsored close to a dozen pilgrims over the years because they want to share the love, healing and encouragement felt during a Journey weekend. “Journey is about leaving your burdens at the foot of Christ. It’s about knowing others may be experiencing the same things you are going through, making things seem less impossible. It’s a time for soul searching and learning to rely on

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your faith to get you through life’s challenges,” she said. Anna Adrian’s husband Marty died on September 21, 2014, after a courageous eight-year battle against pancreatic cancer. Today, Anna is still actively involved with Journey to Damascus, serving as the registrar. “I get phone calls, emails, text messages from pilgrims stating they can’t be away from work or home for three days. Most want to know if it is possible to leave to check on work or home. Some are concerned about being around total strangers. I always tell them they will be waited on hand and foot: no cooking, no dishes, no cleaning...how can you possibly say no,” she chuckled. “I also mention they will leave with a group of friends that will pray for nothing but the best for them.” The next Journey to Damascus for Men will be held June 20-23 and the next Journey to Damascus for Women is July 25-28. For more information, visit JourneyToDamascus.org or email j2damascus@yahoo.com. Scholarships are available.

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†† CATHOLIC EDUCATION

A sculpture is displayed in the Grades 4-6 category at the inaugural Diocese of Corpus Christi Catholic Schools Elementary and Middle Level Art Show on April 27. The show contained art from Catholic schools across the diocese in a variety of mediums. See more photos of this event at SouthTexasCatholic.com/news/ArtShow. Jennifer Branson, South Texas Catholic

Art exhibit showcases student talent from elementary to middle school By Jennifer Branson South Texas Catholic

“This world in which we live needs beauty in order not to sink into despair. It is beauty, like truth, which brings joy to the heart of man and is that precious fruit which resists the wear and tear of time, which unites generations and makes them share things in admiration.”

ister Marilyn Springs, sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament and principal at Holy Family Catholic School, could spend days wandering the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, finding inspiration. She has spent her life admiring the works of great artists like Salvador Dali and Vincent Van Gogh and let their art influence her own paintings, but on April 27 she brought her muse a little closer to home at the inaugural Diocese of Corpus Christi

– Pope Saint Paul VI address to artists at the end of the Second Vatican Council

Catholic Schools Elementary and Middle Level Art Show. The show itself was born of her imagination. Sister Springs, IWBS said she felt that Catholic elementary and middle school did not have an outlet to express their fine arts talent. “I wanted all of the Catholic schools in our diocese to have the opportunity to showcase their talents in art,” she said. An art show seemed like the perfect setting to display the art without the pressure of competition. Art was displayed according to grade

level and medium, covering the bleachers, walls, and tables of the Incarnate Word Academy Elementary gymnasium. There were pieces in pencil, both color and black and white, paintings, sculpture, and mixed media art. Each piece showcased the creativity and unique view of the student that created it – some were funny, others warm and friendly, and yet others the product of contemplation of God and nature. Families streamed in steadily to view the artwork. Andrew Gibson, a fourth grader at Incarnate Word Academy, was especially June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 13

†† CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Genevieve Gibson and her son, Andrew Gibson, a fourth grader at Incarnate Word Academy, highlight his colored pencil drawing of a shark, his favorite animal. The Elementary and Middle Level Art Show, held in the Incarnate Word Academy elementary gymnasium, drew families from all over the diocese to see student art on display. Jennifer Branson, South Texas Catholic

excited to see his colored pencil rendition of a shark on display. In fact, he couldn’t get there fast enough after his baseball game. His mother, Genevieve Gibson, related that when she told him that he was going to have his artwork in a show, he exclaimed, “Are you serious?” She is grateful for the confidence the art show has given her son, who has been drawing since he could pick up a pencil. “I am very proud – this will keep him going,” she said. Rosemary Henry, Superintendent of Schools for the diocese, stopped by

14 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

the show as well. She was excited to see the great work of the students, as she understands the importance of the arts in Catholic education. “I’m grateful to Sister Marilyn for the opportunity to have this show,” she said. “The fine arts are so important in the development of the whole child.” The enthusiasm of the children and the dedication of the educators certainly came through in the art displayed at the show. Dominique Damian, middle school Art teacher at Incarnate Word Academy,

said that she could definitely see a lot of future artists. “I’m excited because this is the first time the elementary and middle school art has been showcased,” she said. “I would like to see this grow.” Pope Saint John Paul II, in his “Letter to Artists” concludes that beauty “is an invitation to savor life and to dream of the future.” A mid-afternoon spent in an elementary school gym may have done just that for those able to attend the show and perhaps Sister Springs even found her new favorite place to admire art.

†† CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Class of 2019 valedictorians and salutatorians receive honors By Jennifer Branson and Mary Cottingham

South Texas Catholic

he top-ranking graduates from St. John Paul II and Incarnate Word Academy High Schools have worked hard to achieve their goals and they know that through hard work and perseverance they can become a registered nurse, a doctor, an epidemiologist or a mechanical engineer for NASA.

VICTORIA FUENTES

Victoria Fuentes, the valedictorian at St. John Paul II, says her goal is to become a certified registered nurse, anesthetist or a nurse practitioner. She credits her interest in the nursing field to anatomy and physiology teacher Norma Trevino, “instilled in me a new interest that challenged me to look further into the medical field,” Fuentes said. Not only is she graduating from high school, but she has also earned an associate degree from Del Mar College. Fuentes plans on attending Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in the fall to major in pre-nursing and minor in biology. Because she was able to acquire 69 hours of college credit through the dual credit program, she will enter college as a sophomore. Besides her mother, Norma Martinez, who has always encouraged her to “dream big,” Fuentes recalls that her academic counselor, Ted Garcia, has always been like a father figure to her, “giving me advice and including me in school activities.” Her service and extracurricular activities while at St. John Paul II include National Honor Society, English National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, St. Francis Garden Club, Interact Club, Health Careers Club, Habitat for Humanity, KEDT Challenge Team, and Legati Circle. She also participated in the Rotary Youth Leadership Award Camp for two years and volunteered to feed the homeless at Good Samaritan. “I feel blessed beyond measure because

Victoria Fuentes, the valedictorian at St. John Paul II also earned an associate degree by taking dual credit courses at Del Mar College. She will be attending Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as a sophomore. Adel Sauceda, South Texas Catholic June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 15

†† CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Salutatorian Rachel LeeSang from St. John Paul II High School wants to become a family practice doctor, like her father. Adel Sauceda, South Texas Catholic

God has granted me wonderful gifts and talents that I can now pass on to others,” she said.

RACHEL LEESANG

Rachel LeeSang, the salutatorian at St. John Paul II High School, hopes to go on and become a family practice doctor. “My dad is a doctor, and I have been inspired by the way he helps people. I want to imitate that in my life because I see all of the good, he does for those around him,” she said. She plans to attend Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio in the fall where she will major in biology in pursuit of this goal. LeeSang is grateful for all her teachers at St. John Paul II, especially her theology teacher John McFarland. “He is a great Catholic role model that truly inspires me to bear witness to Christ in my everyday life 16 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

and to radiate God’s love to those around me through my actions,” she said. Her extracurricular and service activities include National Honor Society, Interact Club, Voices that Care, KEDT Challenge Team, swim team, St. Francis Garden Club, and volunteering to work at class retreats. She has also been a volunteer at the Gregory Food Pantry. She credits time management skills, perseverance and family support as the secret to her success. “My parents have always encouraged and supported me, and my siblings have done the same. Without their love and encouragement, I don’t think I could have accomplished this,” LeeSang said. She advises that a good circle of friends and supporters makes all the difference. “With God and the support of others, I can accomplish anything that I set my mind to,” she said.

JOSEPH AFUSO

For Joseph Afuso earning valedictorian at Incarnate Word Academy was a great way to finish up his high school academic career. He plans on studying biology at the University of Notre Dame and attending medical school. His dream is to work in a developing country as an epidemiologist. He has been involved in many on and off campus activities. He was on the Missions Team, Academics Team, French Club and Angels for Life Club. He was an altar server, a boy scout and a runner on the cross-country and track team. He wasn’t a slouch in coursework either; he took Calculus and French. He says IWA helped him develop a work ethic which will help him stay focused in college and his future career. Afuso says his teachers always

†† CATHOLIC EDUCATION

From left, salutatorian Mia Moore and valedictorian Joseph Afuso from Incarnate Word Academy learned valuable life lessons from their cross-country training. Marco Lopez for South Texas Catholic

encouraged him to try harder and look deeper into the topics that he studied. He credits his cross-country coach, Donald Patterson, as the one person who had the most influence on him throughout his high school years, “because he constantly pushes my teammates and me to work harder than we think we are capable of.” Working in Vidor on the school’s Mission Team was a great experience for him. “It helped shape my character by teaching me the importance of working with different kinds of people,” he said. “I define success as being able to take care of both your own needs and the needs of those who need your help.”

MIA MOORE

Being awarded salutatorian is a very gratifying experience says Mia Moore, Incarnate Word Academy graduate.

“There have been many times when I have been jealous of my peers who didn’t try as hard in school and were generally less sleep deprived than I was, so it’s nice to be receiving this reward that’s more tangible than high numbers on a progress report,” she said. She plans on attending the University of Texas in Austin this fall to study Mechanical Engineering and hopefully double-major or minor in Mathematics or Computer Science. “I can see myself working for a space program such as NASA or an environmentally-minded tech firm,” Moore said. She credits her parents, her math teacher, Theresa Mader and like Afuso, coach Patterson for persevering through high school and graduating with distinction. They were instrumental in teaching her how to work hard when she had to and

push herself to learn something, “even if I don’t necessarily want to have to store that information in my brain,” Moore said. “Running cross-country really helped to sculpt my character, in that it taught me how to work hard while having fun at the same time. I had to endure many grueling early morning workouts, but I learned that experiences as tough as these are usually the most rewarding should you muster up the willpower to endure them,” Moore said. “Now that I’m going off into the world, this experience will hopefully translate into me being able to push through anything, all while having a good attitude.” Bishop Michael Mulvey celebrated the Baccalaureate Masses on May 24 and 25 for graduating seniors from Incarnate Word Academy and St. John Paul II High Schools. June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 17

L II HI

S T. J O H

Congratulatio

OOL ✠

✠ x

pu i, s Christ

Victoria Adame

Melissa Alaniz

Mia Alvarado

Ashley Arteaga

Florent Atanga

Nathan Avila

Amy Ayala

Fernando Babiak

Madysun Barrera

Nathaniel Barrera

Vincent Beanes

Alexander Beato

Milton Beato

Zach Bonds

James Bourque

Samuel Broll

Romeo Buhidar

Miroslava Canales

Zach Castillo

Arriana Cavazos

Soo Cho

Joshua Conde

Katherine Cortinas

Justin De Los Santos

Noah De Los Santos

Alexis Deeb

Bianca Del Toro

Tyler Edholm

Andrea Fernandez

Emilee Flores

Naaman Luc Foster

Victoria Fuentes

Clarissa Garcia

Edward Garcia

Valerie Garza

Haylie Godoy

Jacquelyn Gomez

Justin Gomez

Michaela Gonzalez

Nia Gonzalez

18 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

ons Graduates Bosung Han

Rachel LeeSang

Keion Lewis

Dequaashie (D’Q) Andy Liu O’Mari Lindsey

Vivian Lyle

Justin Mai

Celeste Martinez

David Trey Mendoza

Dexter Miranda

Jonathyn Molinar

William Moore

Luis Mortera

Danielle Muniz

Diem Nguyen

John-Ryan Oliveira

Clarissa Ortiz

Kaitlin Owen

Brandon Owens

Isabella Palmatier

Darienne Parris

Americus Pena

Vy Phan

Irma Pimentel

Lee Roy Quintanilla

Jessica Rodriguez

Jeanette Rosario Cumba

Marjorie Ruiz

Aleyda Sanchez

Ariana Santos

Jordan Scott

Hayden Seidenberg

Alex Soliz

Justin Swetish

Casey Thornburgh

Abigail Trevino

Victoria Vela

Langston Whiting

Bri Wilhelm

Caleb Ybarra

Maya Zamarron June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 19

Congratulatio S I N C E

1 8 7 1

Joseph Afuso

Hillary Aguilar

Caitlyn Biggins

Alejandro Carreño

Matthew Charles

Tega Diejomaoh

Justin Douglas

Pilar Elena Avalos

Andrew Garcia

Melanie Garcia

Sarina Garza

Rachel Gayle

Gabrielle Guernsey

Joseph Hall

Douglas Harley

Chloe Heilman

Nicholas Hein

Brett Herbst

Lydia Jimenez

Victoria Lugo

Joshua Maldonado

David Malouf

Andrew Martinez

Kensey McCain

Santiago Mendizabál

Alyssa Milligan

Devon Molina

Mia Moore

Taren Moore

Travis Moore

Francisco Moreida

20 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

ons Graduates Braden Nesheim

Elizabeth Nicholson

Joseph Nicholson

Hannah Nornberg

Caroline Pekar

Vasavi Peruru

William Pettus

Haley Ramos

Daniel Rock

Destiny Rowland Zachary Rumley

Theresa Salazar

Kathryn Skrobarczyk

Taylor Skrobarczyk

Khelsey Smith

Alexandra Soliz

Samuel Stallings

Olivia Stanton Moretzsohn

Acadia Tamez

Carly Teichman

Jose Torres

Luke Treviño

Abigail Turner

Charles Uecker

Jon-Daved Vasquez

Payton Vicknair

Madeline Villa

Grace Walsh

Haoyu Wang

Kyle Wendel

Caleb Williamson June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 21

Ayudenos a Prevenir el Abuso Financiero La Diócesis de Corpus Christi por medio de la recomendación del Concilio Diocesano de Finanzas y el Concilio Presbiteral han llevado su dedicación mas allá para la buena administración y responsabilidad nanciera en nombre de donantes generosos al instituir un “hotline” para reportar el abuso nanciero. La Diócesis de Corpus Christi ha seleccionado un tercer partido independiente, La Red, para proporcionarle a usted con una manera para reportar anónima y condencialmente el abuso nanciero e fraude. Los empleados, los parroquianos, los voluntarios, los vendedores, y otros partidos interesados estan impulsados para reportar las preocupaciones que tengan respeto a la conducta de påca ética nanciera dentro de la Diócese de Corpus Christi. Todas las investigaciones serán tradas inmediatamente y discretamente. Personas que llamen tienen el derecho de mantenerse anónimas.

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†† NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Daughters, Adria Vasquez (left) and Annalia Palacios Matthews work with dad, Deacon Fino Palacios, at the family business, Palacios & Palacios. The accounting firm recently moved from an office building in downtown Corpus Christi to a larger office building near the intersection of Morgan and Staples. Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic

Father’s Day is every day for this deacon By Rebecca Esparza

D Correspondent

eacon Fino Palacios met his future wife Rebecca in seventh-grade science class at Wynne Seale Junior High. He can still remember where she was sitting in class. “I was a shy kid. I heard about how impressed she was at some other guy in class who made good grades, so I made sure I made ‘A’ Honor Roll just for her,” he laughed. “It worked, and we began dating by ninth grade!” By high school, they attended different schools, so being together was tough. The young couple eventually broke up, and Rebecca spent a summer studying in Europe. When she returned, Palacios noticed her at Mass while he was an altar

server. “When you are seated next to the priest, you can see the whole congregation,” recalled Palacios. “The priest talked about love during his homily, and how sometimes we are afraid to tell people we love them because we are afraid of the risk, but it’s worth it. I called her the next day, and we’ve been together ever since.” While his wife Rebecca was in Europe, she purchased something special and gave it to Palacios after they had been dating one year. “She gave me this St. Christopher medal from the Vatican,” he said, proudly displaying it. “We’ve been married since 1975, and I still wear it to this day. We have five beautiful children: Adria, Alexia, Adelfino, Alyssia and Annalia.”

Obviously, fatherhood doesn’t come with a set of instructions, Palacios said. “You have an idea of what it might be like from your parents, but there is no way of knowing until you have your first one. “I think we tried to plant seeds in our children because we are not always going to be with them, all the time. We wanted to make sure they have good morals and do the right thing.” Palacios added that he and his wife supported the varied interests of their children while they were growing up, never pushing them into a specific career. Today, each of their children has found their own path. Palacios has always had a love of numbers, graduating from the University of Texas in Austin with a degree in June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 23

✝ NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

mathematics. After graduating, he returned to Corpus Christi and thought he would start teaching, but instead, he began working as a general manager for Corpus Christi based Boat and Net Restaurants. “After a year there, I decided to pursue a life-long career of working with numbers and started working for a local CPA,” he said. He worked at the CPA firm for six years when a colleague at Del Mar College asked him to join the college as a professor in 1981. “It’s funny how the good Lord works. One of my biggest fears was public speaking, but teaching has helped me overcome that fear,” he laughed. “I started doing bookkeeping on the side, and one thing led to another.” Today, Palacios operates a CPA firm, Palacios & Palacios with his business partner, who also happens to be his oldest daughter, Adria. The father and daughter duo just recently moved their thriving CPA practice from a small office in downtown Corpus Christi to an entire building near the intersection of Morgan and Staples. Their youngest daughter, Annalia Palacios Matthews, works part-time at the family business as a Senior Administrative Assistant. She also works at the Texas State Aquarium in the Animal Care Department and is planning a career in the agriculture sector. Annalia said her father is one of the kindest human beings you will ever meet. “He leads by example, always conveying compassion, benevolence and respect to all individuals,” she said. “If a person would ever get upset or angry, lashing out verbally for any reason, he

wouldn’t get defensive. He would tell us perhaps that person must be going through a hard time and is just trying to cope. Every time, dad would be right.” Annalia said that she and her siblings were all involved in the Church as altar servers before their father became a deacon. “Even now my husband and I are extraordinary ministers of holy Communion. Dad has always been a guide and a splendid example of what embodies Christianity,” she said. “I feel deeply rooted in my faith due to the wonderful foundation my parents have laid for me. I can only build and grow stronger. To love God and to love each other is everything.” His favorite memories of being a deacon include baptizing all of his grandchildren and marrying all his children. Having just recently lost his mom, he also had the honor of serving at her Mass and rosary. Although it was tough, his faith in God carried him through one of the worst times in his life. “We go forward. That’s our faith. I know she is in a better place. My whole philosophy has always been God, family and work. I try to instill that with my employees, with my kids and grandchildren. If you put God first, everything else falls into place,” he said. “When you put God at the center of your marriage, you put your faith in something more than just each other. You want to be happy in life, but God never told us we would be happy. What he did promise is peace,” Palacios said. “You want to have peace in your marriage; you want peace in your family. The devil is working overtime to try and divide families, so we must rely on God and prayer to get us through the tough times.”

Semillas de Esperanza

JUNE 29-30

Programa de Radio en Español en KLUX 89.5 HD-1 y “Listen Live” en KLUX.org Domingos a las 7 a.m. con los Padres Juan Fernando Gámez y José Naúl Ordóñez 24 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

†† NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Eucharistic Procession of the 2018 celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

Let’s walk with Jesus

Archived photo

By Gloria Romero Correspondent

“I will be with you until the end of time” (Matthew 28:20).

he Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, “is how we can renew ourselves and be part of the responsibility to live the Gospel,” said Jaime Reyna, Director of the Offices of Multicultural and Social Ministry for the Diocese of Corpus Christi commissioned by the bishop for coordinating this year’s celebration. The Eucharist is also the sacrament of unity. The celebration is an opportunity to show unity, as a sign of common faith in adoration and worship of the sacrament of the Eucharist. This sense of unity has found a deep echo in the ideals of Bishop Michael Mulvey who often quotes, “Father, may they be one, as you and I are one” (John 13:34). “By saying that we are Catholics, we are saying that we are part of a very large family – not only of Catholics, but of a family where we are all connected, and that is the dream of the bishop, that we can be one,”

Reyna said. “That’s why we have to have a big celebration representing different cultures, languages and traditions. It’s important to recognize that we are not only Alice, Robstown or Refugio,” Reyna said. “But we are a big family, that includes us all.” “When I was investigating how the Feast of Corpus Christi is celebrated in other countries in the world, I realized that they do it in a big way, that they close streets and shops and everybody walks behind the priest carrying the monstrance containing the Body of Christ, thus manifesting a living community that goes out to the streets to celebrate the presence of Jesus. “That is why I encourage parishioners to ask themselves during this entire week, ‘How can we celebrate? How can we be Christ’s hands and feet? How can we renew ourselves and be part of the responsibility to live the Gospel?’” Reyna said. Msgr. Marcos Martinez, the pastor at Our Lady of Pilar Parish, remembers with

joy the processions in Spain. “...walking in procession with the Blessed Sacrament, we could think and feel the emotion of walking with Jesus, living the joy of sharing in community. In Spain, it’s a very big day.” Even in the small town where he grew up, Almonacid de la Cuba in the province of Zaragoza, they had a spectacular celebration on the Feast of Corpus Christi. The whole town went out into the streets and walked in the procession. As a boy he remembered when other boys and girls dressed in their first Communion clothes, heading the procession, throwing flowers and rose petals from baskets held by their mothers to ready the streets for the passage of Jesus. Everyone prepares for this procession. In January, Msgr. Marcos went to visit his hometown; he heard young people rehearsing their drums. “They do it because they believe that Jesus will soon be passing by. “The Church is a divine institution, not only human, and Jesus did not come to June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 25

✝ NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

condemn, but to forgive. The Feast of Corpus Christi encourages us to feel the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist,” said Msgr. Marcos. “God is here with us, but in the Eucharist, he is more present. “As we talk about him, we get closer to him. When we share his presence, we get closer to him. The only condition Jesus asked of us was to go with him in faith. Jesus said, ‘He who believes in me will never die,’” Msgr. Marcos added. For Reyna, coordinating and preparing for the Feast of Corpus Christi is an opportunity to encourage people not only to be a part of the procession, but also to fall in love with Jesus Christ. “Sharing that experience of worship is sharing a treasure so that others can feel that fire the Lord gives you, and perhaps discover what Jesus wants from each one of us,” he said. The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ will begin in Corpus Christi Cathedral at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 20 and will conclude in the parking lot of the cathedral where food will be offered for free. This year the procession will be done in a traditional way; the children who have just made their first Communion, as well as those recently confirmed, will lead the procession and open the door to the presence of Christ in the monstrance held by Bishop Mulvey who will walk with two newly ordained priests under a canopy. They will travel one and a half miles, stopping at three places, where they will pray, sing and Bishop Mulvey will bless all who frequent these places. The group will stop first at the Mother Teresa Day Shelter, then at Sacred Heart Church and finally outside the county jail, where the procession will be visible to prisoners looking from their windows. “We will be multicultural, united also in the richness of our diverse cultures, as some parishioners will wear the clothes representative of their native country,” Reyna said. There will be three choirs, singing in three different languages: Vietnamese, Filipino and Spanish.” Let us celebrate the privilege of living and being part of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, the only diocese with the name ‘Body of Christ’ that invites us all to live the experience of walking with Jesus. 26 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

Caminemos con Jesús Por Gloria Romero Corresponsal

“Estaré contigo hasta el fin de los tiempos” (Mateo 28:20).

a solemnidad del Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo “es como podemos renovarnos y ser parte de la responsabilidad de vivir el Evangelio”, Dijo Jaime Reyna, director de las Oficinas del Ministerio Multicultural y Social de la Diócesis de Corpus Christi encargado por el obispo para coordinar la celebración de este año. La Eucaristía es también el Sacramento de la Unidad. La celebración es una oportunidad para mostrar la unidad, como un signo de fe común en la adoración y la adoración del sacramento de la Eucaristía. Este sentido de unidad ha encontrado un profundo eco en los ideales del obispo Michael Mulvey, quien a menudo cita: “Padre, que sean uno, como tú y yo somos uno” (Juan 13:34). “Los invito a todos en la Diócesis de Corpus Christi a esta oración”, dijo el Obispo Mulvey. “Al decir que somos católicos, estamos diciendo que somos parte de una familia muy grande, no solo de católicos, sino de una familia en la que todos estamos conectados, y ese es el sueño del obispo, que podemos ser uno”, dio Reyna. “Es por eso por lo que tenemos que tener una gran celebración que represente diferentes culturas, idiomas y tradiciones. “Es importante reconocer que no solo somos Alice, Robstown o Refugio”, dijo Reyna. “Pero somos una gran familia, eso nos incluye a todos”. “Cuando estaba investigando cómo se celebra la Fiesta de Corpus Christi en otros países del mundo, me di cuenta de que lo hacen a lo grande, que cierran calles y tiendas y todos caminan detrás del sacerdote que lleva la custodia que contiene el Cuerpo de Cristo, manifestando así una comunidad viva que sale a las calles para celebrar la presencia de Jesús. “Es por eso por lo que animo a los feligreses a preguntarse durante toda la semana, ‘¿Cómo podemos celebrar? ¿Cómo podemos ser las manos y los pies de Cristo? “¿Cómo podemos renovarnos y ser parte

de la responsabilidad de vivir el Evangelio?”, Dijo Reyna. Mons. Marcos Martínez, el pastor de la parroquia Nuestra Señora del Pilar, recuerda con alegría las procesiones en España. “... caminando en procesión con el Santísimo Sacramento, podríamos pensar y sentir la emoción de caminar con Jesús, vivir la alegría de compartir en comunidad. En España, es un día muy grande”. Incluso en la pequeña ciudad donde creció, Almonacid de la Cuba en la provincia de Zaragoza, tuvieron una celebración espectacular en la fiesta del Corpus Christi. Todo el pueblo salió a las calles y caminó en la procesión. Cuando era niño, recordó cuando otros niños y niñas se vistieron con su primera ropa de comunión, encabezando la procesión, arrojando flores y pétalos de rosa de las canastas que sostenían sus madres, para preparar las calles para el paso de Jesús. Todos se preparan para esta procesión. En enero, Msgr. Marcos fue a visitar su ciudad natal; Oyó a los jóvenes ensayando sus tambores. “Lo hacen porque creen que Jesús pronto pasará. “La Iglesia es una institución divina, no solo humana, y Jesús no vino a condenar, sino a perdonar. “La Fiesta de Corpus Christi nos anima a sentir la presencia de Jesús en la Eucaristía”, dijo Mons. Marcos. “Dios está aquí con nosotros, pero en la Eucaristía está más presente. “Cuando hablamos de el, nos acercamos más a el. Cuando compartimos su presencia, nos acercamos más a el. La única condición que Jesús nos pidió fue ir con el con fe. Jesús dijo: ‘El que cree en mí nunca morirá’”, Mons. Marcos agregó. Para Reyna, coordinar y prepararse para la Fiesta de Corpus Christi es una oportunidad para alentar a las personas no solo a ser parte de la procesión, sino también a enamorarse de Jesucristo. “Compartir esa experiencia de adoración es compartir un tesoro para que otros puedan sentir el fuego que el Señor te da y quizás descubrir lo que

†† NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Jesús quiere de cada uno de nosotros”, dijo. La Solemnidad del Santísimo Cuerpo y la Sangre de Cristo comenzará en la catedral de Corpus Christi a las 6:30 p.m. el jueves 20 de junio y concluirá en el estacionamiento de la catedral, donde se ofrecerán refrigerios de forma gratuita. Este año la procesión se realizará de forma tradicional; Los niños y las niñas que acaban de hacer su primera comunión, así como los confirmados recientemente, dirigirán la procesión y abrirán la puerta a la presencia de Cristo en la custodia del obispo Mulvey, quien caminará con dos sacerdotes recién ordenados bajo un dosel. Ellos viajarán una milla y media, parando

en tres lugares, donde rezarán, cantarán y el Obispo Mulvey bendecirá a todos los que frecuentan estos lugares. El grupo se detendrá primero en el Refugio del Día de la Madre Teresa, luego en la Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón y finalmente afuera de la cárcel del condado, donde la procesión será visible para los prisioneros que miran desde sus ventanas. “Seremos multiculturales, unidos también en la riqueza de nuestras diversas culturas, ya que algunos feligreses llevarán la ropa representativa de su país natal”, dijo Reyna. Habrá tres coros, que cantarán en tres idiomas diferentes: vietnamita, filipino y español “.

Celebremos el privilegio de vivir y ser parte de la Diócesis de Corpus Christi, la única diócesis con el nombre de ‘Cuerpo de Cristo’ que nos invita a todos a vivir la experiencia de caminar con Jesús.

Procesión eucarística de 2018 celebración de la Solemnidad del Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo. Foto archivada June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 27

✝ NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

P y R con el obispo Mulvey: La Solemnidad del Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo P R

¿Qué significa para usted la solemnidad del Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo?

La fiesta realmente apunta al amor de Dios para todos nosotros. Vemos este amor plenamente expresado en la acción de Jesús en la Última Cena cuando nos dio su cuerpo y sangre. Este sacramento es el recuerdo vivo de su sacrificio en la cruz. Al centrar nuestras vidas en participar en este acto perfecto de Dios, somos transformados por la gracia de Dios en quienes somos, tanto individualmente, como juntos en Cristo: su cuerpo - su Iglesia. De manera que la fiesta celebra tanto el amor total de Cristo por nosotros como lo que somos; su cuerpo.

¿Por qué es importante contar con la participación de todas las parroquias y comunidades religiosas con sus expresiones culturales?

corazón nuevo para que podamos ser una Iglesia que sea testigo de ser su cuerpo y su presencia en todas partes.

P R

¿Tiene una oración especial cuando está ante el Cuerpo de Cristo?

No puedo dejar de recordar constantemente las palabras del mismo Jesús: “Este es mi cuerpo, entregado por ti”. Encuentro un gran consuelo como hijo de Dios que me ama de esta manera personal. También estoy cautivado con las dos últimas palabras “para ti”. Como sacerdote y obispo, también experimento la misión de ser Eucaristía para los demás, sacrificarme por los demás, mi vida dada por ti, por cada persona que conozco a diario. Estas simples pero profundas palabras me llaman constantemente, tan imperfecto como soy, para vivir el amor que celebro.

P R

La Iglesia es católica [universal] en su naturaleza. Profesamos esto todos los domingos en Misa, en el Credo de Nicea: … “Iglesia santa, apostólica, católica [universal].” Debido a que el cuerpo de Cristo está presente universalmente, nuestra sencilla expresión de naturaleza universal como Iglesia puede manifestarse reuniendo a personas de toda la diócesis con la diversidad y el colorido, de nuestras culturas. Esta es una verdadera expresión de la belleza del cuerpo de Cristo. ¿Qué significa para usted, personalmente, ser obispo de la Diócesis de Corpus Christi?

Como Obispo de Corpus Christi, la única diócesis en el mundo que lleva este nombre, me hace recordar diariamente la fuente de mi identidad y misión en la Iglesia: la Eucaristía. En segundo lugar, recuerdo constantemente el llamado a ser el cuerpo de Cristo, a ser lo que debemos ser. Aunque se me ha confiado esta parte del cuerpo de Cristo, el nombre Corpus Christi me recuerda constantemente que toda la Iglesia está a nuestro cuidado y preocupación. ¿Podría compartir con nosotros sus pensamientos cuando lleva el Cuerpo de Cristo durante esta procesión?

Soy particularmente consciente de esto: llevo en mis manos el cuerpo de Cristo que está presente entre nosotros sacramentalmente. En la procesión o mientras ofrezco la bendición con la custodia, reconozco que estoy rodeado por el pueblo de Dios que es su cuerpo. Sé que yo también soy miembro de su cuerpo con mis hermanos y hermanas y tengo una responsabilidad hacia ellos y por ellos. Al tenerlo en mis manos, ya sea en el altar o en procesión, le pido al Espíritu Santo que cree en nosotros un 28 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

Como nuestro pastor, ¿cuál debe ser nuestra oración?

La Eucaristía es también el Sacramento de la Unidad. Mi oración, y les invito a todos a esta misma plegaria, son las palabras de Jesús dirigidas al Padre antes de ir al Calvario. “Padre, que todos sean uno, como tú y yo somos uno”. Como cuerpo de Cristo, los invito a todos a repetir cada día y a usar constantemente las palabras de Jesús: “Padre, que todos seamos uno en tu Hijo.”

¿Cree usted, que hay una conexión entre la celebración del Día del Padre y la Solemnidad del Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo?

Típicamente, la figura del padre nos hace pensar en estabilidad, seguridad, amor y apoyo. Dios es representado en las Escrituras principalmente como Padre. Y así como un padre está dispuesto a hacer lo imposible para mantener seguros a sus hijos, también en la celebración del cuerpo y la sangre de Jesús, vemos que Dios nos ama con el don de su propia vida.

¿Le gustaría compartir una experiencia espiritual con respecto al Sacramento de la Eucaristía o la Solemnidad del Cuerpo de Cristo?

Personalmente, cuando celebro la misa, sé que estoy en la eternidad. Estoy “en” Dios que es pasado, presente y futuro. Siento que toco lo que está más allá de mí; Toco el amor Junto, con esto, sé que estoy en la presencia de Dios, Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo, y que soy parte de la Iglesia que no puedo ver, pero en Jesús puedo disfrutar. Es decir, la Comunión de los santos que comienza con María, los santos que admiro y los santos que he conocido personalmente. La Eucaristía es “hogar” para mí.

June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 29

✝ NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Q & A with Bishop Mulvey: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Q A

What does the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ mean to you?

The feast really points to the love of God for all of us. We see this love fully expressed in Jesus’ action at the Last Supper when he gave us his body and blood. This sacrament is the living memorial of his sacrifice on the cross. In centering our lives on participating in this perfect act of God, we are transformed by God’s grace into who we are individually and who we are together in Christ: his body – the Church. So, the feast celebrates both Christ’s total love for us and us who are his body.

Why is it important to have participation from all the parishes and religious communities with expressions of their various cultures?

The Church is catholic (universal) in nature. We profess this each Sunday in the Nicene Creed – “one, holy, catholic [universal], apostolic Church.” Because the body of Christ is present universally, our simple expression of this nature of the Church can be expressed by bringing together people from throughout the diocese and those of us who are of various cultures. This is a true expression of the beauty of the body of Christ.

Q A

What does it mean to you, personally, to be Bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi?

As Bishop of Corpus Christi, the only diocese in the world that bears the name, I am reminded daily of the source of the Church’s identity and mission – the Eucharist. Secondly, I am reminded constantly of the call to be the Body of Christ – to be who we are meant to be. Although I am entrusted with this portion of the Body of Christ, the name Corpus Christi reminds me constantly that the entire Church is in our care and concern.

Q A

Could you share with us your thoughts when you carry the Body of Christ, during this procession?

I am particularly aware of this – I carry in my hands the body of Christ who is present among us sacramentally. In the procession or while offering the blessing with the monstrance, I recognize that I am surrounded by the people of God who are his body. I know that I too am a member of his body with my brothers and sisters and have a responsibility to and for them. Having him in my hands either at the altar or in procession, I ask the Holy Spirit to

30 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

create in us a new heart so that we may be a Church that witnesses to being his body and his presence everywhere.

Q A

Do you have a special prayer or incantation when you are before the Body of Christ?

What do you recommend we pray?

I cannot but recall constantly the words of Jesus himself: “This is my body, given up for you.” I find great solace as a child of God that he loves me in this personal way. I am also enthralled with the last two words “for you.” As a priest and bishop, I also experience the mission of being Eucharist for others – to sacrifice myself for others – my life given for you, for every person I meet daily. These simple yet, profound words, call me constantly, as imperfect as I am, to live the love I celebrate.

The Eucharist is also the sacrament of unity. My prayer, and I invite all of us in the Diocese of Corpus Christi to this prayer, is the words of Jesus addressed to the Father before he went to Calvary. “Father, may they all be one as you and I are one.” As the body of Christ, I invite all of us to repeat each day and constantly using Jesus’ words: “Father, may we all be one in your Son.”

Do you think there is a connection between the celebration of Father’s Day and the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ?

Typically, the figure of the father makes us think of stability, safety, love, and support. God is depicted in Scriptures mostly as Father. And just as a father is willing to do the impossible to keep his children safe, so in the celebration of the body and blood of Jesus, we see that God loves us with the gift of his own life.

Would you like to share a spiritual experience regarding the Sacrament of the Eucharist or the Solemnity of the Body of Christ?

Personally, when I celebrate the Mass, I know that I stand in eternity. I am “in” God who is past, present and future. I feel that I touch what is beyond me; I touch love. Together with this, I know that I am in the presence of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and I am part of the Church that I cannot see, but in Jesus, I can enjoy. That is, the Communion of saints beginning with Mary, the saints I admire, and saints that I have personally known. The Eucharist is “home” for me.

†† VIEWPOINTS

Witnessing to Religious Liberty By Benedict Nguyen, MTS, JD/JCL

E Contributor

Benedict Nguyen, MTS, JD/JCL is Chancellor Diocese of Corpus Christi.

very year, the days leading up to the celebration of Independence Day in the United States affords the opportunity to reflect ever more deeply on what true liberty is and the blessings of being able to live in a free society. Providentially in the Church’s liturgical calendar, the two weeks leading up to the 4th of July are peppered with celebrations of several saints who gave their lives for religious liberty against societies that vigorously, and even violently, sought not only to restrict liberty, but also to impose their notions of religion and freedom on the people. These include notable martyrs such as St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher (June 22), who refused to recognize the secular, civil power – King Henry VIII – as having the ability to redefine marriage; St. John the Baptist (June 24) who also spoke out strongly in defense of traditional marriage against the civil authority of the adulterous King Herod and his paramour; and apostles Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29) and St. Thomas (July 3), who gave their lives to bring the Faith to societies and regimes that could not tolerate the religious freedom of some to worship Jesus Christ as Lord and not their political power. And this year, we have the privilege to celebrate within the fortnight before the 4th of July, the glorious Solemnity of Corpus Christi wherein we know that the True Presence of Jesus Christ – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – dwells with us and remains with us even amid so many attacks and prejudices against Christians and people of faith. These feasts call us to reflect deeply and to realize that true liberty is not merely “license.” Our contemporary society dangerously confuses “license” as liberty. “License” is the ability to do whatever you want to do. True “liberty,” on the other hand, is the freedom to do what is right – to live in accord with the truth of how God has designed us and the world around us to be. “License” mistakenly believes that the truth about ourselves and our happiness is based on our desires and wants. It entices us with the lie that I cannot be happy unless I can do what I want to do. True “liberty,” however, calls us to a more profound truth – that true happiness lies in being free to live in accord with the truth about

ourselves, our dignity, and respecting that of others, oftentimes despite our inordinate desires. A society based on the pursuit of “license” quickly devolves into a society where those with societal or political influence seek to impose their desires and values upon others or to view others as inconveniences to the desires of their lifestyles, whether economic, sexual, or otherwise. The laws and actions of a society should never be based on someone’s will – whether an individual or group of individuals. Rather, the values of a society must be based on reason and truth – the truth about the human person and the world around us. Legislators, judges, politicians, and political parties, in fulfilling their noble calling of public service, must seek to serve not so much the “will of the people” but rather to seek, recognize, and protect the truth of all human persons and their dignity. This necessarily means basing our laws and actions not on “license” nor on our individual or even collective wills, but rather on the truth that is greater than ourselves and our desires. Said another way, if I believe myself to be the center of the universe and the ultimate arbiter of what is right and wrong based simply on what I want to do (“license”), it is impossible to live in relationships, in family, or in community, since other persons will constantly be seen as limitations to my “license” or what I want to do. Yet, sadly, this is how our contemporary society seems to be pressuring us to live. Rather, true freedom – true “liberty” – is the ability to do what is right, the ability to live according to the truth about ourselves and the world that God has created around us. God has made us with a desire for perfect and eternal happiness. In a word, God has made us to desire Him, since He is the only thing that is perfect and eternal love. This is why no amount of “license,” no amount of “self-actualization” or redefinition of realities such as marriage, gender, or sex based on our desires or power can ever truly satisfy our restless hearts, individually or as a society. St. Augustine rightly observes that “our hearts are restless until they come to rest in you (God).” True freedom consists in the ability to pursue God and to live our lives in a way that is free from coercion to act against this truth. True liberty also June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 31

†† VIEWPOINTS

necessarily consists in being free to live according to that truth, not just on Sunday mornings inside the walls of our churches, but every day and in every way of our lives. Thus we can say that true freedom consists first and foremost in “religious liberty,” that is, the freedom to pursue, recognize, and believe in God according to our well-formed consciences. But very importantly, this also includes the freedom to be able to live that belief in God in everything that we do outside of church as well. All other types of freedoms that we hold dear are secondary and are dependent on this first freedom. If this first freedom that is inherent in the human person – that is, religious liberty – is not protected, then it is only a matter of time before all other freedoms becomes subject to the raw will of those who are most powerful and

influential. Society then becomes a basin of political and popularity power struggles. This is not what God intended for the human community nor should it be desirable even for those who do not believe in God. Rather, religious liberty assures that all human dignity is respected, and all are free to choose the ultimate good, and to live accordingly. This is why the true calling of a civil society and its government should always include as its most important duty the recognition and protection of religious liberty, since it is the first and most important freedom of its people. This is, in part, the reality that the saints mentioned above gave witness to and gave their lives to defend. This should be the reality that we also recognize, protect, and defend in our own society today, as we celebrate and thank God for the liberty that we have been blessed with in our country.

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†† NATIONAL NEWS

Alabama outlaws abortion, setting up Supreme Court Roe v. Wade challenge

labama Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law Wednesday a bill that will outlaw nearly all abortion in the state. The bill, which was passed by the Alabama Senate Tuesday night, is intended to be a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that declared unconstitutional state measures prohibiting abortion. The Human Life Protection Act (HB314) will make attempting or performing an abortion a felony offense. Doctors who perform abortion could be charged with a Class A felony and could face between 10 years and life in prison. The penalty applies only to doctors, not to mothers, who, according to the bill’s sponsors, will not face criminal penalties for undergoing abortions. The state Senate engaged in fierce debate last week, which ultimately erupted in a shouting match on the Senate floor, over whether an exemption for cases of rape or incest should be included in the bill. A vote scheduled for May 10 was delayed after exemption was removed from the Senate’s bill following a voice vote May 9. The measure does include a provision that would allow abortions “in cases where abortion is necessary in order to prevent a serious health risk to the unborn child’s mother.” The bill defines a serious health risk as a condition requiring an abortion “to avert [the mother’s] death or to avert serious risk of substantial physical impairment of a major bodily function.” Opponents pledged months ago to challenge the legislation in court. This is exactly what the bill’s sponsors expected. Supporters say court challenges could lead to a reversal the Roe v. Wade decision. Bishop Robert Baker of Birmingham said in April that the

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legislation reflects “the strong commitment that the people of Alabama have to life.” In an April 3 statement, the bishop praised the lawmakers’ efforts. “I strongly support these bills and stand behind the efforts of these legislators to promote life and to, hopefully in the near future, eliminate this evil we know as abortion from within the boundaries of the State of Alabama; and, eventually, to make the killing of unborn children in our country something that is no longer viewed as anything but the horrendous and inhumane killing of the most innocent among us that it is,” he said. Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur), sponsor of the House bill, said the bill passed Thursday is designed to “confront a decision that was made by the courts in 1973 that said the baby in a womb is not a person,” Collins added. “This bill addresses that one issue. Is that baby in the womb a person? I believe our law says it is.” “It is meant to actually use some of the same language that is addressed in Roe vs. Wade. So, hopefully it just completely takes it all the way to the Supreme Court eventually to overturn.”

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June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 33

†† VATICAN

Pope Francis tells medical professionals to defend life By Courtney Grogan

Catholic News Agency

ope Francis encouraged medical professionals on May 17 to defend and promote life, highlighting the practice of conscientious objection in today’s healthcare environment. “Defend and promote life, starting from those who are most defenseless or in need of assistance because they are sick, or elderly, or marginalized,” Pope Francis said. The pope met with the Italian Catholic Association of Healthcare Workers in Vatican’s apostolic palace and encouraged their commitment to pro-life healthcare. The pope stressed that just because a medical technique is technologically possible does not mean it is necessarily ethical. “Any medical practice or intervention on the human being must first be evaluated carefully to see if it actually respects life and human dignity,” he said. “The practice of conscientious objection … can be a sign for the healthcare environment in which we find ourselves, as well as for the patients and their families,” he explained. Francis said that in extreme cases where human life is endangered, conscientious objection based on one’s ethical convictions should be sought with respect and humility in order to prevent understandings.

34 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

“Always seek dialogue, especially with those who have different positions, listening to their point of view and trying to transmit yours,” he advised. Pope Francis critiqued the “corporatization” of healthcare systems today, commenting that healthcare workers must treat patients as people, not numbers. “Its corporatization … has fundamentally changed the approach to illness and to the patient himself with its preference for efficiency often preceding attention to the person, who needs to be understood, listened to and accompanied, as much as he needs a correct diagnosis and effective treatment,” Francis said. He said that this corporatization also has an effect on medical workers leading to “burnout,” with many struggling to cope with long work shifts and a stressful working environment. To guard against these pressures, Francis emphasized the importance of prayer and prioritizing one’s own spiritual life, commenting that this is what sustained the many dedicated saints who served the sick with love. “To keep your spirit alive, I urge you to be faithful to prayer and to nourish yourselves with the Word of God: always with the Gospel in your pocket,” the pope advised. “Healing, among other things, passes not only from the body, but also from the spirit.”

†† OUR FAITH

A father’s calling By Father Bob Dunn

E Contributor

Father Bob Dunn is Pastor at Most Precious Blood Parish.

very year in early summer, we celebrate our fathers. We pause for a day to focus on the impact our fathers have on our lives. This day is not just a celebration of who our fathers are. It is, instead, a clarion call for fathers to be who they can be; a challenge to live out their vocation to the fullest possible expression. From the beginning, God revealed to humanity an essential truth about what it means to be human. We read in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he created him; male and female, he created them.” The essential root of both masculine and feminine natures reflect the image of God. They are equal in dignity, value and worth. However, they are also different in kind. This complementary difference between men and women is best reflected in the unique gifts that both men and women have to offer in the different roles that they play in their families and in the world. For Father’s Day, I would like to reflect upon some of the unique gifts that fathers have to offer their wives and children. The effect fathers have upon the spiritual lives of their children is often greatly underestimated. In their 1996 book, “Becoming Spiritual Soul Mates With Your Child,” Robert and Debra Bruce detail the powerful effect fathers have upon their children’s spiritual lives. If passing on the faith to his children and helping them get them to Heaven is a father’s goal, then taking a leadership role in this endeavor is the greatest gift to offer his children. In their book, the Bruces reveal a study showing that when only the mother of a family attends church regularly, and not the father, children will end up being faithful in their adult lives only 15% of the time. However, if only the father is a regular churchgoer and not the mother, the percentage of children who live out their faith jumps to 55%. Finally, if both parents attend church regularly, 72% of children remain faithful when they grow up. Children are almost four times more likely to stay faithful to God if they were raised by a single churchgoing father as opposed to being raised by a single church

going mother. Again, if raising faithful children is your goal, the father’s active participation in his own faith life is the single greatest contributing factor in seeing this goal come to fruition. These findings stated above are not to denigrate the mother’s role in her children’s spiritual lives - it is certainly not to say that fathers are better than mothers, or vice versa. However, just as mothers are blessed to carry life in their womb for nine months and share an intimate, emotional, spiritual and physical bond with their children throughout their lives, fathers have a special role to play in their children’s lives as well. Living out this vocation to the fullest is the call to men we recognize on Father’s Day. Fathers are called to be a great many things to their wives and children: encouragers, protectors, spiritual leaders, providers, teachers and servant leaders. They show the example of taking ownership and responsibility – the list goes on and on when detailing the charges of fatherhood. Perhaps most importantly, fathers are called to the realization that is at the heart of Christian life; that despite all our wants, desires, dreams, goals and needs, our lives are not about us. Fathers are called to live out this truth in a manner and fashion specific to manhood. Women are called to the same thing but in their own particular way. This is the manner of the complementary vocations of parenthood. Living out the vocational call of fatherhood to the fullest is not an easy goal for a man to achieve. The strongest man is he who recognizes that he is weak. Like every aspect of spiritual life, living out fatherhood can only be achieved by a man relying on God’s grace, instead of relying upon his own strengths. It is only through God’s grace that men can be the men God calls them to be. By learning to rely upon our Heavenly Father, fathers can learn to take integrity as their guide, humility as their teacher, vigilance as their watchword, virtue as their standard and repentance for their sins before God as their healing grace. This Father’s Day let us both remember our own fathers and make a pledge to be the fathers that God calls us to be. June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 35

June Liturgical Calendar

Rom 8:22-27/Jn 7:37-39 (62) or, for the Extended Vigil: Gn 11:1-9/Ex 19:3-8a, 16-20b/Ez 37:1-14/Jl 3:1-5/Rom 8:2227/ Jn 7:37-39 (Lectionary for Mass Supplement, 62) Day: Acts 2:1-11/1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Rom 8:8-17/Jn 20:1923 or Jn 14:15-16, 23b-26 (63) Pss Prop

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36 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

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WHOLE FAMILY

June 1 from 12-2 p.m. at Brewsters Street Ice House (1724 N Tancahua St.) For a $25 donation bring the family for fun, delicious food, great music, and dancing. German Cuisine, silent auction, entertainment by Tanzgruppe (German folk dancers) and Hearts Aflame (musical group.) Proceeds benefit the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary Hurricane Harvey Recovery and the Schoenstatt Movement Center. For more information call Roseanne (361) 813-5608.

8 Priestly Ordinations

June 8 at 10 a.m. at Corpus Christi Cathedral. Bishop Michael Mulvey will ordain Deacons Richard Gutierrez and Ramiro “RJ” Regalado, Jr. Please pray for them and we welcome them as new priests of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

Father Walsh’s Annual Summer Camp

June 11-12 from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Our Lady of Corpus Christi. Hosted by Catholic Charities Ministry & Life Enrichment for Persons with Disabilities welcomes adults with intellectual disabilities. The theme this year is ROAR, Life is Wild – GOD IS GOOD! We are still in need of 7-10 youth volunteers. For more information please call our office at (361) 884-0651.

& Son 14 Father Retreat at OLCC

June 14-16 at Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center (1200 Lantana) in Corpus Christi. Begins Friday at 5:30 p.m. and ends Sunday 1:30 p.m. This retreat is intended to help build up your relationship, give you time to pray and have some fun together. Register ourladyofcorpuschristi.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

15 Diocesan NFP Class

June 15 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at 1426 Baldwin in Corpus Christi.

Learn to recognize the natural cycles of fertility and infertility that occur naturally in every woman. Natural Family Planning allows couples to plan pregnancies while following the teachings of the Church and respecting the gift of their married love. For more information email enguyen@diocesecc.org or visit diocesecc.org/natural-family-planning.

Marian Devotion Retreat at OLCC

June 20-23 at Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center (1200 Lantana) in Corpus Christi. Begins on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and ends on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Spend a quiet weekend praying with Our Lady, coming to know who she is. Discover how she can bring us closer to Jesus. Register at deepprayer.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

8:30 p.m. refrescos 8:30-9:30 p.m. Le invitamos a vestirse con ropa tradicional para indicar su identidad nacional o cultural y también puede traer la bandera de su parroquia o grupo de ministerio para nuestra procesión. Para más información, visite la Oficina de Ministerio Multicultural en diocesecc.org/ CorpusChristi.

22 Religious Freedom Week

June 22-29. Join Catholics across the country to pray and act for the freedom to serve faithfully and with integrity. Learn more at usccb.org/ReligiousFreedomWeek.

Theresa’s Annual Chicken Fried 23 St. Steak Dinner

June 23 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. A donation of $10 is requested. Know your donation will go towards scholarships for students, educational programs, supporting various service organizations in our city and state, our yearly women’s conference for women from throughout the Diocese of Corpus Christi and parish activities. For more information or to purchase a ticket text or call Irma Rodriguez at (361) 774-6660.

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

June 20 at Corpus Christi Cathedral. Doors open at 6 p.m., Liturgy of the Word 6:30 p.m., procession and blessing to follow and end at 8:30 p.m., refreshments and fellowship at 8:30-9:30 p.m. We invite you to dress in traditional clothing to indicate your national or cultural identity and you can also bring the banner of your parish or ministry group for our procession. For more information, visit the Office of Multicultural Ministry at diocesecc.org/CorpusChristi.

Eucarística de la Solemnidad Del Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre De Cristo

Todos están invitados al procesión Eucarística de la Solemnidad del Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo. Jueves, 20 de junio en el Corpus Christi Cathedral. Llegar 6:00 pm, la Liturgia de la Palabra 6:30 p.m., procesión y bendición a terminar

Mercy Retreat at OLCC 28 Divine

June 28-30 at Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center (1200 Lantana). Begins Friday at 5:30 p.m. and ends Sunday 1:30 p.m. Register deepprayer.org or call (361) 2899095, ext. 321.

Silent Retreat

June 30 - July 6 The Pax Christi Retreat Center is offering a 7-Day Silent Retreat for all Women Religious, Consecrated to the Lord as a way of refocusing our lives back to Christ. Cost is $400 per person. Accommodations include a private room and bath, all meals and snacks. For more information or to register call (361) 241-2833 or (361) 241-5479.

Ongoing Calendar Events

Q&A about the Extraordinary Form of the Mass

June 1 and every First Saturday of the month Q&A about the Extraordinary Form of the Mass at St. John the Baptist Church Catholic Church (7522 Everhart Rd) beginning after the 8 a.m. Mass. Please join St. Michael the Archangel Latin Mass Apostolate for light refreshments and Q&A about the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Latin Mass Missals are provided. For more information call Jackie Hein at (361) 443-1945.

Secular Franciscans in Corpus Christi Monthly Gathering

June 1 and every first Saturday of each month from 9:30 p.m.-12 p.m. at Corpus Christi Cathedral Room 4. For more information contact Liz Conces at (936) 344-1353.

Blue Army Mass

June 1 and every first Saturday of the month in the Jesus Nazareno Chapel at Sacred Heart in Corpus Christi. For more information call the church at (361) 883-6082 or email sacredheartchurch001@stx.rr.com.

St. Peregrine Healing Mass

June 2 and every first Sunday of each month from 5-6 p.m. at Our Lady of Corpus Christi (1200 Lantana St.) in Corpus Christi. St. Peregrine is the patron saint of people suffering from cancer, AIDS and other illnesses.

Tea Time and Book Study: Father Joseph Kentenich’s Life

Mondays from 12:30-2 p.m. at Schoenstatt Movement Center in Corpus Christi. “Brushstrokes of a Father” Reading: Volume

June 2019 | South Texas Catholic 37

†† JUNE CALENDAR

German Festival

†† JUNE CALENDAR

2 Reading about Father Joseph Kentenich, Founder of the Schoenstatt Movement.

Christ the King Prayer Group

Mondays from 7-8:30 p.m. at Christ the King (3423 Rojo). Come join our prayer group for a more in-depth understanding of what God wants us to do after he heals our hearts and souls. Spanish and English. For more information call (361) 510-5802.

Alzheimer’s & General Support Group

• June 4 and every first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at Elan Assisted Living & Memory Care (5441 Lipes) in Corpus Christi. • June 5 and every first Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. at SCC River Ridge Nursing Rehab Center located at 3922 West River Dr. (off FM 624) in Corpus Christi. • June 6 and every first Thursday of the month at 10:30 a.m. at Gulf Point Plaza (1008 Enterprise Blvd.) in Rockport. • June 11 and every second Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Woodridge Nursing & Rehab Center located at 600 So. Hillside Dr. in Beeville. • June 12 and every second Wednesday of the month at 12 p.m. at Lindale Center/Caregiver SOS located on 3133 Swantner St. in Corpus Christi. • June 13 and every second Thursday of the month at 3 p.m. at Mirador Plaza (back side of facility) located at 5857 Timbergate Drive in Corpus Christi. • June 18 and every third Tuesday of the month at 9:30 a.m. at Brookdale (formerly Homewood Residence) located at 6410 Meadow Vista in Corpus Christi. • June 19 and every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Woodridge Nursing & Rehab. Center (600 So. Hillside Dr) in Beeville. • June 20 and every third Thursday of the month at 10:30 a.m. at Ed & Hazel Richmond Public Library, located on 110 N. Lamont Street in Aransas Pass. • June 25 and every fourth Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m. at Alice Public Library (401 E. Third Street) in Alice. • June 27 and every fourth Thursday of the month at 4:30 p.m. at Kleberg County Nursing & Rehab located on 316 General Cavazos Blvd. in Kingsville. • June 28 and the last Friday of the month at 2 p.m. at The Viera Senior Living located at 3010 Airline Road in Corpus Christi. We offer a professionally led group for family, caregivers and other supporting people living with Alzheimer’s.

OLPH Bereavement & Grief Support Ministry

Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the St. John Paul II Conference Room at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Rectory (5830 Williams Drive). These sessions are intended for adults who have experienced the death of a loved one. For more information call Chaplain Ray Claveria at (361) 215-4395.

El Grupo De Oracion/ Prayer Group

Todos los miércoles de 6:30-8:30 p.m. en la Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón en Corpus Christi. El Grupo de Oracion se juntan cada Miercoles en el salon de la parroquia at 1322 Comanche St. En frente de la escuela George Evans. Todos estan invitados.

Catholic Charities is offering Immigration Services

Thursdays starting at 7:30 a.m. at Catholic Charities (615 Oliver Court) to discuss client eligibility according to USCIS qualifications. The first 15 people who sign in will be seen in order of arrival; there is a $25 consultation fee. Information on government and legal fees as well as needed documents are given to persons who qualify for an immigration process.

Holy Hour & Healing Mass

June 6 and every first Thursday of the month at 5-6:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Jesus Nazareno Chapel at Sacred Heart Church in Corpus Christi. For more information call Mary Rangel at the parish office (361) 883-6082 or email sacredheartchurch001@stx.rr.com.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Fridays from 7 a.m.-12 p.m. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Helena of the True Cross of Jesus (7634 Wooldridge Rd.) in Corpus Christi.

Family Rosary

June 8 and every second Saturday of the month in the Emmanuel Chapel (505 N Upper Broadway) after 12:05 Mass. Cathedral Knights of Columbus Council #11107, is inviting all Parish Families and community to participate in the Family Rosary. All participants are encouraged to bring their own rosaries. For those who do not have one, the Knights will provide finger rosaries, along with instructions on how to properly pray the rosary. For more information call faith director Awin Bau at (530) 518-7615 or email matmet32@gmail.com.

Healing Mass and Prayer Service

June 14 and every second Friday of the month at 6 p.m. at Our Lady of the Rosary Church (1123 Main Drive) in Corpus Christi. Call Parish office with questions (361) 241-2004.

Grounded in Truth at OLCC

June 15 and every third Saturday of the month. An hour of Adoration with Praise and Worship in the OLCC Perpetual Adoration Chapel 7-8 p.m., followed by music and fellowship in Cafe Veritas (attached to Our Lady of Corpus Christi’s Bookstore) from 8-9:30 p.m. All music led by talented local musicians. Call (361) 289-0807 for more information.

The Helpers of God’s Precious Infants Pro-Life Mass

June 15 and every third Saturday from 8-10 a.m. the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants Pro-Life Mass will be held at St. Joseph Church (710 19th Street) in Corpus Christi.

Meeting of lay apostolates of St. Dominic

June 15 and every third Saturday of each month at 3:45 p.m. at Our Lady of the Rosary School (next to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church), located on 2233 Waldron Road in Flour Bluff. The group is under the spiritual guidance of Sister Claudia Ongpin, O.P., of the Religious Missionary Sisters of St. Dominic.

Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children Support Group • June 25 and the last Tuesday of each month from 10-11 a.m. at Greenwood Senior Center (4040 Greenwood Drive). For more information call (361) 826-1368. • June 27 and the last Thursday of each month from 6-7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church (900 South Shoreline Blvd.) in Corpus Christi (2nd floor–Rm #216 / parking and entrance behind church). Facilitated and presented by MCH Family Outreach. Please call if you bring your grandchild(ren). Classes for all ages. For more information call (361) 334-2255.

Face to Face: Alzheimer’s Education and Support Program

June 26 and every fourth Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Conference Center located behind the Doctor’s Regional Hospital Emergency Room, 3315 S. Alameda. Nestor H. Praderio, MD hosts an interactive learning experience for Caregivers of loved ones Alzheimer’s Disease and other related Dementia. Complimentary refreshments are sponsored by our trusted community partners.

Parent Café Support Group

June 27 and every fourth Thursday from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi (615 Oliver Court). For more information call (361) 884-0651, ext. 287. Please RSVP. Open to all parents, grandparents and caregivers raising children.

To see more calendar events go to: SouthTexasCatholic.com/events 38 South Texas Catholic | June 2019

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June 2019 Issue SOUTH TEXAS CATHOLIC 555 N Carancahua St, Ste 750 Corpus Christi, TX 78401-0824 (361) 882-6191

On June 1-2