February 2020 - Vol. 55 No. 2 by South Texas Catholic

SERVING THE CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF CORPUS CHRISTI

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2â&#x20AC;&#x201A; South Texas Catholic | February 2020

ON THE

VOL. 55 NO. 2 Publisher Bishop Michael Mulvey, STL DD Director of Communications Julie Stark jstark@diocesecc.org

Some of the dedicated professionals at KLUX 89.5 HD radio station who continue to deliver the good news through their unique ministry include, from left, Richard Luna, Irene Menchaca, Jesse De Leon, Russ Martin and Marty Wind. Not pictured is weekend operator, Greg Waller.

COVER

Patricia Roeser | for STC

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 Theological Consultant Ben Nguyen, JD/JCL. BNguyen@diocesecc.org Office Manager Adel Sauceda ARivera@diocesecc.org

FROM THE BISHOP 4 MESSAGE Love: The DNA of the Church FAITH 9 OUR Do not be afraid to have the best Lenten season ever

STC Support Staff Madelyn Galindo and Elizabeth Morales Correspondents Jesse De Leon and Rebecca Esparza Translator Gloria Romero Photographers Ervey Martinez and David Mendez

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Submit your announcements by using our online form, e-mail, mail or drop it off at the Chancery office. Only announcements for the month of publication will be included in the print edition, if space permits. All other calendar items will appear on the magazine or diocesan websites. The South Texas Catholic is not liable or in any way responsible for the content of any advertisement appearing within these pages. All claims, offers guarantees, statements, etc. made by advertisers are solely the responsibility of the advertiser. Deceptive or misleading advertising is never knowingly accepted. Complaints regarding advertising should be made directly to the advertiser or to the Better Business Bureau.

(USPSN 540-860) Published monthly, excluding September, by the Diocese of Corpus Christi for $25 per year. Periodical postage paid in Corpus Christi, Texas, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to South Texas Catholic, 555 N Carancahua St, Ste 750, Corpus Christi, TX 78401-0824. Keep up with the faith at www.SouthTexasCatholic.com

13 St.VOCATIONS Joseph, ‘Terror of Demons’ NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE 14 Walking the Schoenstatt Marriage Camino

21 EVANGELIZATION ‘God’s work, our hands’ ISSUES 23 LIFE House in a Box program helping the marginalized FAITH 25 OUR Elders shape the future NEWS 27 NATIONAL Disability group welcomes ruling against right to assisted suicide

NEWS 29 VATICAN Pope Francis: The Church never tires of announcing God’s love

February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 3

MESSAGE FROM THE BISHOP

Love: The DNA of the Church (Below is an excerpt from “I Am with You Always Until the End of the Age: A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Michael Mulvey.”)

he characteristics of divine love help us recognize that God’s love points us toward our neighbors to build a rapport of unity with every person we encounter. Pope Francis speaks of accompanying people rather than merely doing a kind act. He calls for us to be close to people and offer them friendship. It is of utmost importance for parishes and all of us to create welcoming environments for God’s love. “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Love then is our great call and vocation. It is the DNA of the Church. As your bishop, I want to recommit myself first and then ask the same of every Catholic in the diocese, every parish, community, and Catholic organization in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Please join me in this renewed focus on what is the “heart” and “life blood” of the Body of Christ. To love as God loves is something we humans must learn. Jesus is the teacher and the one who has revealed love to us by his words and actions. Recalling his actions and teachings in the Gospels, we can put together a “handbook” of what characterizes divine love. And how we can live divine love in each circumstance each day.

4 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

We identify the first characteristic of divine love by the fact that God loves everyone. Jesus did not show partiality or “hang out” only with his friends or people who were like-minded with him. He gave himself and spent time with all those he met. Think of his encounters with Zacchaeus in Jericho, the tax collectors that people scorned, the sinful woman who people wished to stone, and the Samaritan woman at the well. The second distinctive mark of divine love shows that God takes the first step. St. Paul reminds the Romans, “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). While we were sinners, God made his move toward us. Love takes the initiative and is first to reach out. Love does not expect or wait for others to reach out to us. Jesus never waited for a person to be perfect before reaching out to them. Love always acts first. A third mark is how God sees us. The Father sees us through the eyes of his Son. St. Matthew in Chapter 25 speaks of the filter through which Jesus instructs us to look into the soul of every person. “...whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). The grace to see Jesus in every person is the key to finding the presence of Jesus each day in those we meet. The people we

MENSAJE DEL OBISPO

Amor: el ADN de la Iglesia (A continuación se muestra un extracto de Yo estoy contigo siempre hasta el final de la era: una carta pastoral del obispo Michael Mulvey).

as características del amor divino nos ayudan a reconocer que el amor de Dios nos dirige hacia nuestro prójimo para construir una relación de unidad con cada persona que encontramos. El Papa Francisco habla de acompañar a la gente en lugar de hacer un acto amable solamente. Él nos llama a estar cerca de las personas y ofrecerles amistad. Es de suma importancia para las parroquias y para todos nosotros crear ambientes acogedores de bienvenida, para el amor de Dios. “Les doy un mandamiento nuevo: que se amen los unos a los otros, para que así como Yo les he amado, ustedes también se amen unos a otros. En esto, todos reconocerán que son mis discípulos, si tienen amor unos para otros.”(Juan 13: 34-35). El amor es nuestro gran llamado y vocación. Es el ADN de la Iglesia. Como su obispo, quiero primero, volver a comprometerme y luego pedir lo mismo a todos los católicos en la diócesis, a cada parroquia, comunidad y organización católica en la Diócesis de Corpus Christi. Únanse a mí en este renovado enfoque en lo que es el “corazón” y la “sangre vital” del Cuerpo de Cristo. Amar como Dios ama es algo que los humanos

debemos aprender. Jesús es el maestro y el que nos ha revelado su amor hacia nosotros con sus palabras y sus acciones. Recordando sus enseñanzas y sus acciones en los Evangelios, podemos armar un “manual” de lo que caracteriza el amor divino. Y cómo podemos vivir el amor divino en la circunstancia de cada día. Identificamos la primera característica del amor divino por el hecho de que Dios ama a todos. Jesús no mostró parcialidad o “pasó el rato” solo con sus amigos o personas que tenían ideas afines con él. Se entregó y pasó tiempo con todos los que conoció. Piense en sus encuentros con Zaqueo en Jericó, los recaudadores de impuestos que la gente despreciaba, la mujer pecadora a la que la gente deseaba apedrear y aquel encuentro con la mujer samaritana en el pozo. La segunda caracteristica distintiva del amor divino, muestra que Dios da el primer paso. San Pablo les recuerda a los romanos: “Pero Dios prueba su amor por nosotros en que aún siendo pecadores, Cristo murió por nosotros” (Romanos 5: 8). Mientras éramos pecadores, Dios hizo su movimiento hacia nosotros. El amor toma la iniciativa y es el primero en alcanzarnos. El amor February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 5

† MESSAGE FROM THE BISHOP

encounter is an opportunity to love Jesus in him or her. so that I too may have a share in it” (1 Corinthians The words of Jesus are clear. Are we to doubt his words, 9:19-23). dispute them, or rationalize that such a meeting of the These four characteristics of divine love can revoludivine is utterly impossible? tionize our Christian life. Loving daily in this way can Jesus called for the ultimate test of love by calling transform the Church and bring her to witness love us to love our enemies. Again, he tells us, “You have before the world, yearning for a witness. We must not heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor imagine love as something superficial or romantic. Love and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your ene- is a commitment to step beyond ourselves beyond our mies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you comfort and convenience. Love puts “others” first in may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes contrast to a society that proclaims “me” first. St. Paul his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain encouraged the Philippians, “Do nothing out of selfishto fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those ness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as who love you, what recompense will you have? Do more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48). Jesus himself gave the supreme example of mercy on the cross when he asked the Father to forgive those who crucified him. We discover a fourth characteristic of God’s love in the fact that love accompanies people and shares in their situation. Love makes room for everyone. St. Paul best describes this aspect of God’s love in his first letter to the Corinthians. “Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew to win over Jews; to those under the law I became like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law—to win over those under the law. To those outside the law I became like one outside the law—though I am not outside God’s law but within the law of Christ—to win over those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become The South Texas Catholic March issue will include a hard copy letter. See all things to all, to save at least some. Bishop Michael Mulvey’s pastoral letter entitled, “I Am With You Always All this I do for the sake of the Gospel, Until the End of the Age” at diocesecc.org/ec2022. Spanish coming soon. 6 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

† MENSAJE DEL OBISPO

no tiene expectativas, ni espera por otros para alcanzarnos. Jesús nunca esperó hasta que una persona fuera perfecta antes de llegar a ella. El amor siempre actúa primero. Una tercera característica, es cómo nos ve Dios. El Padre nos ve a través de los ojos de su Hijo. San Mateo en el Capítulo 25 habla del filtro a través del cual Jesús nos instruye a mirar dentro del alma de cada persona. “... lo que hiciste por uno de estos hermanos menores, lo hiciste por mí” (Mateo 25:40). La gracia de ver a Jesús en cada persona es la clave para encontrar la presencia de Jesús cada día en aquellos que nos encontramos. Cada persona que nos encontramos, es una oportunidad para amar a Jesús en él o ella. Las palabras de Jesús son claras. ¿o es que podemos ponerlas en duda?, ¿disputarlas o racionalizar que tal reunión de lo divino es completamente imposible? Jesús pidió la suprema prueba del amor, al llamarnos a amar a nuestros enemigos. De nuevo nos dice: “Oíste que fue dicho: ‘Amarás a tu prójimo y odiarás a tu enemigo’. Mas Yo les digo, amen a sus enemigos y rueguen por los que les persiguen a fin de que sean hijos de su Padre celestial, que hace levantar su sol, sobre malos y buenos, y descender su lluvia sobre justos e injustos. Porque si amas a los que te aman, ¿qué recompensa tendrás? ¿No hacen lo mismo los recaudadores de impuestos? Y si solo saludan a sus hermanos, ¿qué tiene eso de particular? ¿No hacen los paganos lo mismo? Sean pues perfectos, así como su Padre celestial es perfecto”. (Mateo 5: 43-48). Jesús mismo dio el ejemplo supremo de la misericordia en la cruz cuando le pidió al Padre que perdonara a los que

lo crucificaron. Descubrimos una cuarta característica del amor de Dios en el hecho de que el amor acompaña a las personas y comparte su situación. El amor hace espacio para todos. San Pablo describe mejor este aspecto del amor de Dios en su primera carta a los Corintios. “Porque libre de todos, a todos, me esclavicé, por ganar un mayor número. Y me hice: para los judíos me convertí en un judío para ganar a los judíos; para los que están bajo la ley como sometido a la ley, aunque yo no estoy bajo la ley, para ganar a los que están bajo la ley. Para los que están fuera de la ley, me convertí como alguien fuera de la ley, aunque no estoy fuera de la ley de Dios sino dentro de la ley de Cristo, por ganar a los que están sin ley. Con los débiles me hice débil, por ganar a los débiles. Me he convertido en todo para todos, para salvar al menos a algunos. Todo esto lo hago por el bien del Evangelio, para tener parte en él” (1 Corintios 9: 19-23). Estas cuatro características del amor divino pueden revolucionar nuestra vida cristiana. Amar a diario de esta manera puede transformar a la Iglesia y llevarla a dar testimonio del amor ante el mundo, anhelando ese testigo. No debemos imaginar el amor como algo superficial o romántico. El amor es un compromiso de ir más allá de nosotros mismos más allá de nuestra comodidad y conveniencia. El amor pone a “los demás” primero en contraste con una sociedad que proclama --primero yo- o “a mí” primero. San Pablo alentó a los filipenses: “No hagan nada por egoísmo o por vanagloria; más bien, consideren humildemente a los demás como más importantes que ustedes mismos” (Filipenses 2: 3).

Sincerely your brother in Christ, Sinceramente tu hermano en Cristo, +Most Rev. Michael Mulvey, STL, DD Bishop of Corpus Christi February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 7

Semillas de Esperanza

La Liturgia Católica en Español se transmite por Internet todos los domingos por la mañana a las 11 a.m. en vivo, desde la Catedral de Corpus Christi, y disponible para todo el mundo en: goccn.org.

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

La santa misa se retransmite a traves de los sistemas de cable de Corpus Christi (public access cable) los martes a las 10 a.m. y los jueves a las 7 p.m. Todas las transmisiones en vivo y grabadas son producciones de CCN “Catholic Communications Network”. Ver transmisiones por cable en bit.ly/cathedral-tv-schedule-2019-2020

Patrocinado por la Oficina del Ministerio Multicultural 8 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

Zachary Everett

L Contributor

ent provides an excellent opportunity for all of us to deepen our faith. Some of us choose to give up just one item for Lent, more commonly a “luxury” such as chocolate or sweets. A few years ago, I participated in a spiritual exercise program called Exodus 90. The program is not for everyone. There are many sacrifices made each day, as well as a strict regimen of prayer. Yet, in this, I saw a transformation in myself. The goal of the program is to give up sin and take on spiritual disciplines. So often, there are things like sins that keep us far from God. It may be that we know that we ought to work on them to grow in holiness, but we are unsure as to how. I learned that with help from an honest community who held me accountable, and with the discipline of prayer and sacrifice, I was able to give up sinful habits and take on holy ones. Often people think that young people are not capable of taking on such strict disciplines. Yet last Lent, I gave a group of teens a challenge to do components of Exodus 90 each week with me. The main parts of our exercises were prayer, asceticism or self-denial and community. You may not be able to do all the practices at once, but perhaps taking on one or two a week and changing them each week can help you to enter more fully into the season of Lent. Below are some ideas that you could use to challenge yourself or invite others to do with you.

PRAYER • • • • • •

Set aside 20-60 minutes a day for worship. Pray the rosary. Meditate on daily Scripture readings. Attend daily Holy Hour. Attend daily Mass. Read a spiritually enriching and challenging book.

ASCETICISM • • • • •

Take cold-short showers. Practice regular, intense exercise. Get a full night’s sleep. Abstain from desserts and sweets. Abstain from eating between meals.

• Abstain from soda or sweet drinks. • Abstain from video games. • Abstain from nonessential purchases. • Only listen to music that lifts the soul to God. • Only use the computer for work, school, or essential tasks. • Only use mobile devices for necessary communication. • Practice fasting days on Wednesdays and Fridays (abstain from meat and only eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal.)

COMMUNITY

• Meet weekly with a group of people that you can discuss how you are doing on your spiritual journey and admit if you failed in any way. • Encourage each other throughout the week to keep up your spiritual disciplines. • Meet during the week to pray together. Each week we came together to discuss how we were doing and to encourage each other even if we did not keep the discipline the entire week. It may seem crazy, but it is possible to do all these things for even longer than the 40 days of Lent but also 90 days. The fantastic thing about taking on these practices for a season in your life is that it helps you realize what is essential and what is not. Try to pick at least one component from each category to practice each week and then change it up each week. For example, one week, read a book of the Bible together. Pray the rosary every day and abstain from all social media. The most crucial part about Lent to remember is that even if you take on something and then fail, remember that Christ fell three times carrying the cross. Also, though he fell, he got back up to continue his journey. So, though you and I may fall, we should get back up as soon as we can and continue our journey towards holiness. So, I challenge you; no matter what stage in life you are, give up some sin in your life, and take on prayer and asceticism this Lent with a few close friends who will help you grow in holiness. (Zachary Everett is Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Corpus Christi.)

February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 9

† FORMATION

Do not be afraid to have the best Lenten season ever

Mary Cottingham | STC

â&#x20AC; FORMATION

Norma Jean Songer, a nurse at the Corpus Christi State Living Center, receives ashes from Catholic Charities staff member, Sister Letiza Lo-Re, SSA on March 6, 2019. Every year Catholic Charities distributes ashes to both staff and residents at the center. Ash Wednesday on Feb. 26 marks the 2020 season of Lent. 10â&#x20AC;&#x201A; South Texas Catholic | February 2020

† FORMACIÓN

No tengas miedo de tener la mejor Cuaresma que hayas tenido Zachary Everett

L Contribuyente

a Cuaresma nos brinda una excelente oportunidad para profundizar en nuestra fe. Algunos de nosotros elegimos renunciar a alguna cosa durante la Cuaresma, muy comúnmente a un “lujo” como al chocolate o a los dulces. Hace unos años, participé en un programa llamado Exodus 90. El programa no es para todos. Se hacen muchos sacrificios cada día, y se lleva un estricto régimen de oración. Pero viviendo todo esto, vi una transformación en mí mismo. El objetivo del programa es dejar de pecar y a cambio de ello, asumir una serie de disciplinas espirituales. Muy a menudo, hay cosas como los pecados que nos alejan de Dios. Puede ser que sepamos que debemos trabajar en ellos para crecer en santidad, pero no estamos seguros de cómo hacerlo. Aprendí que con la ayuda de una comunidad honesta que me hizo ser responsable, aunado a una disciplina de oración y sacrificio, pude abandonar los hábitos pecaminosos y adoptar los santos. Con frecuencia la gente piensa que los jóvenes no son capaces de asumir disciplinas tan estrictas. Sin embargo, en la Cuaresma pasada, le di a un grupo de adolescentes un desafío, cada semana para hacer componentes de Exodus 90, conmigo. Las partes principales de nuestros ejercicios fueron oración, ascetismo o abnegación (olvido de uno mismo) y comunidad. Quizás no puedan hacer todas las prácticas a la vez, pero si realizar una o dos por semana e ir cambiando éstas, cada semana, puede ayudar a entrar más plenamente en el espíritu de la Cuaresma. A continuación les doy algunas ideas que podrían utilizar para desafiarse a sí mismo o invitar a otros a que lo hagan con usted.

ORACIÓN

• Reservar 20-60 minutos al día para la adoración. • Rezar el rosario. • Meditar en las lecturas diarias de las Escrituras. • Asistir diariamente a la Hora Santa. • Asistir a misa diaria. • Leer un libro espiritualmente enriquecedor y desafiante.

ASCETISMO

• Tomar duchas cortas y frías. • Practicar ejercicio regularmente e intenso. • Dormir toda la noche. • Abstenerse de postres y dulces. • Abstenerse de comer entre comidas. • Abstenerse de refrescos o bebidas dulces.

• Abstenerse de los videojuegos. • Abstenerse de compras no esenciales. • Escuchar solamente música que eleve el alma a Dios. • Usar solamente la computadora para el trabajo, la escuela o tareas esenciales. • Utilizar solo dispositivos móviles para la comunicación necesaria. • Practicar los días de ayuno: los miércoles y viernes (abstenerse de comer carne y solo comer una comida completa, así como dos comidas más pequeñas que juntas no son iguales a una comida completa).

COMUNIDAD

• Reunirse semanalmente con un grupo de personas para hablar sobre cómo le está yendo en su viaje espiritual y admitir si fracasó de alguna manera. • Alentarse mutuamente durante la semana para mantener sus disciplinas espirituales. • Reunirse durante la semana para rezar juntos. Cada semana nos reuníamos para discutir cómo estábamos y alentarnos mutuamente, incluso si no manteníamos la disciplina durante toda la semana. Puede parecer una locura, pero es posible hacer todas estas cosas, aún durante más tiempo que los 40 días de Cuaresma, se puede hacer también por 90 días. Lo fantástico de tomar estas prácticas durante una temporada en tu vida es que te ayuda a darte cuenta de lo que es esencial y de lo que no lo es. La idea es que trates de elegir al menos un componente de cada categoría para practicar cada semana y luego cámbialo cada semana. Por ejemplo, una semana, lean juntos un libro de la Biblia. Recen el rosario diariamente y absténganse de todas las redes sociales. La parte crucial sobre la Cuaresma es recordar, que incluso si fallas en alguno de los propósitos, recuerda que Cristo cayó tres veces cargando la cruz. Pero aunque cayó, volvió a levantarse para continuar su viaje. Entonces, aunque usted y yo podamos caer, debemos volver a levantarnos lo antes posible y continuar nuestro viaje hacia la santidad. Por lo tanto, le desafío; no importa en qué etapa de la vida se encuentre, renuncie a algún pecado en su vida y decídase por la oración y el ascetismo en esta Cuaresma con algunos amigos cercanos, que le ayudarán a crecer en santidad.

(Zachary Everett es Director del Ministerio de Jóvenes y Jóvenes Adultos de la Diócesis de Corpus Christi). February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 11

† VOCATIONS

12 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

Michael Golla Jr.

Contributor

s I discerned my vocation over the years, I asked myself, “Who could I learn from to be a good man?” In my pursuit of the answer, I joined the Marines, but did not find it there. So, I turned to academia to find the answer. In college, I learned much about the Church and our glorious history as Catholics. The Church dedicates the month of February to the Holy Family. As I considered this, one member of the Holy Family stands out to me as an example of a good man – Saint Joseph. He was the earthly adoptive father and protector of Jesus and the virtuous husband to Mary. Although he remains silent in sacred Scriptures, he has accumulated many titles. One day when I was praying the Litany of St. Joseph, I considered what kind of a person one would need to be to earn the title “Terror of Demons” as St. Joseph has? He would need to be a righteous man and a good man, one who protects his family from the evils of the world and would not allow sinful actions in his home. I can only imagine the frustrations of the devil once he knew that it was St. Joseph who would be defending the baby Jesus from the dangers of the world. He obeyed the angel when he was told to accept Mary as his wife, and when he was told to flee to Egypt. Most people would not have put as much faith in their dreams, but St. Joseph’s faith allowed him to understand that these messages were more than dreams. Imagine a street of houses, and every house has a family living inside. The father of the family guards the gate to the home where the family resides. Now imagine a demon walking down this street looking for a family to corrupt with sin and pain. Upon coming to the Holy Family, this demon would confront the “Terror of Demons” at the gate. The devil would tell himself, “I dare not go into this gate for the guardian of it would have me facing all the powers of Heaven, and I would never enter.” For me, this is the kind of man St. Joseph is and the kind of man I want to be in my vocation. The search I began as a child has led me to this understanding, that a man who loves Christ as St. Joseph does will be the good man we all should strive to be. (Michael Golla, Jr. is a seminarian with the Diocese of Corpus Christi. He is currently in his second year at Theological College in Washington D. C.) “Sagrada Familia del pajarito” (Holy Family with bird) c. 1650, by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 13

† VOCATIONS

St. Joseph, ‘Terror of Demons’

✝ NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Walking the Schoenstatt Marriage Camino Doug and Roseanne Norman

O Contributors

n a mild Saturday evening in 2018, at the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center, some eight couples (one celebrating an anniversary) gathered for a light dinner and the opportunity to explore their marriages more deeply through the unique lens of the Schoenstatt Marriage Camino. The only obstacles were a chance of thunderstorms, which never materialized, and some hungry mosquitoes that amounted to only a slight distraction. Otherwise, it was a beautiful, refreshing evening. The gardens were colorful and well kept. Periodically flocks of migrating birds flew overhead, and butterflies danced along a portion of the path. It was what life rarely is for the modern married-with-children couple–quiet and peaceful, which it was supposed to be to encourage reflection and discussion. Abel and Donna Canales, a couple who participated in the 2018 Marriage Camino, said their experience attending was most fulfilling. “We were able to share, meditate, and grow as a couple. The stations we visited provided us the opportunity to see God’s continued blessings in our marriage,” Donna Canales said. “The stations were not a coincidence but prompted by God’s revelation of what we needed to embrace in our marriage to grow in union with him. May God bless all marriages and those discerning married life.” Initially developed by Schoenstatt couples in Hungary, the Marriage Camino consists of a series of 15 stations along a pathway that a couple walks together, alone with each other. Each station includes a general theme relating to some aspects of marriage, such as the romance of how the couple first met. Another station considered how things changed when children come along. Others addressed what to do when difficulties arise; prayer; readings; and a unique visual symbol that may help stir emotions and questions

14 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

for discussion. As a couple moves from station to station in no particular order, they have time to reflect upon and discuss these readings and questions or whatever else may need to address about their marriage. There are no leaders of the Marriage Camino. Each couple receives a short explanation and a book, and then they are sent off to choose for themselves which stations to visit and how long to stay at each station. The goal is not to complete all fifteen stations, or even a majority of those stations, but to visit and reflect on particular ones God may be calling the couple to explore. Another couple who attended the Marriage Camino, Roger and Elisa Cavazos, agreed that their experience was fruitful and divine. “The Marriage Camino was God’s providence for us through the Blessed Mother. We loved it. Thank you to all the couples for their love and guidance,” Roger Cavazos said. Rather than merely a one-time experience, the local Schoenstatt community. The local Schoenstatt Movement hopes to present the Marriage Camino regularly and has already prepared materials that are available for any parish or organization wanting to use them to conduct their own Marriage Camino. In this time of crisis and confusion for the family, married couples need tools like this to remain faithful to the ideal of a Catholic marriage. The Schoenstatt Marriage Camino once again invites married and engaged couples to follow the pilgrim pathway of their marriage together through a series of stations in the prayerful setting of the South Texas Botanical Gardens, 8545 South Staples in Corpus Christi on Saturday, March 28 from 6-8 p.m. The event is free and includes a light meal. Childcare for children older than three years of age is also available. Donations are gratefully accepted. To register or for more information, call (361) 991-7653.

Jasmine Wallace Carter from Pexels

† NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE

Camino para el matrimonio de Schoenstatt Doug y Roseanne Norman

E Contribuyentes

ra una tarde tranquila de sábado en el 2018, en que teniendo como marco el Jardín Botánico y Centro de la Naturaleza del Sur de Texas, unas ocho parejas (una de ellas celebraba su aniversario) se reunieron para compartir una cena ligera

y tener la oportunidad de explorar sus matrimonios más profundamente a través de la lente única del Camino del Matrimonio de Schoenstatt. Los únicos obstáculos eran la posibilidad de tormentas eléctricas, que nunca se materializaron, y algunos mosquitos hambrientos que solo representaban una ligera distracción.

February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 15

✝ NOTICIAS DE LA DIOCESIS

De lo contrario, fue una noche hermosa y refrescante. Los jardines estaban coloridos y bien cuidados. Periódicamente sobrevolaban bandadas de aves migratorias, y las mariposas bailaban a lo largo de una parte del camino. Era una rara ocasión que la vida ofrece a las parejas modernas de casados con hijos, para estar tranquilos y pacíficos, lo cual favorece la reflexión y la discusión. Abel y Donna Canales, una pareja que participó en el retiro llamado “Marriage Camino” 2018, dijeron que asistir al Camino Matrimonial fue una experiencia muy satisfactoria. “Pudimos compartir, meditar y crecer como pareja. Las estaciones que visitamos nos dieron la oportunidad de ver las continuas bendiciones de Dios en nuestro matrimonio”, dijo Donna Canales. “Las estaciones no fueron una coincidencia sino que fueron impulsadas por la revelación de Dios, a cerca de lo que necesitábamos abrazar en nuestro matrimonio para crecer en unión con él. Que Dios bendiga a todos los matrimonios y aquellos que están discerniendo sobre la vida matrimonial”. Desarrollado inicialmente por las parejas de Schoenstatt en Hungría, el Camino del matrimonio consiste en una serie de 15 estaciones a lo largo de un camino que una pareja camina junta y a solas entre sí. Cada estación incluye un tema general relacionado con algunos aspectos del matrimonio, como el romance o cómo fue que se conoció la pareja. Otra estación consideró cómo cambiaron las cosas cuando llegaron los niños. En otra estación se abordaron temas sobre qué hacer cuando surgen dificultades; oración; lecturas y un símbolo visual único que puede ayudar a despertar emociones y preguntas para la discusión. A medida que una pareja se mueve de una estación a otra sin ningún orden en particular, tienen tiempo para reflexionar y discutir estas lecturas y preguntas o cualquier

Ayudenos a Prevenir el Abuso Financiero

Obispo Michael Mulvey y el personal de la Oficina de un Ambiente Seguro y de Servicios para Niños y Familia se comprometen a ayudar en el proceso de curación de las víctimas y sobrevivientes de abuso. Si usted o alguien que usted conoce está en necesidad de estos servicios, llame a Stephanie Bonilla, Directora de la Oficina de un Ambiente Seguro y de Servicios para Niños y Familia: (361) 882-6191 para asistencia inmediata.

otra cosa que necesite ser tratada en su matrimonio. No hay líderes del Camino del matrimonio. Cada pareja recibe una breve explicación y un libro, y luego se les envía fuera para que ellos elijan por si mismos qué estaciones visitar y cuánto tiempo desean permanecer en cada estación. El objetivo no es completar las quince estaciones, ni siquiera la mayoría de ellas, sino solo visitar y reflexionar sobre algunas en particular, Dios puede estar llamando a la pareja a explorar. Otra pareja que asistió al Camino del matrimonio, fue la de Roger y Elisa Cavazos, ellos coincidieron en que su experiencia fue fructífera y divina. “El Camino del matrimonio fue la providencia de Dios para nosotros a través de su Santísima Madre. Nos encantó. Gracias a todas las parejas por su amor y orientación “, dijo Roger Cavazos. En lugar de una experiencia única, la comunidad local del Movimiento Schoenstatt espera presentar regularmente, el Camino del matrimonio y ya ha preparado materiales que están disponibles para cualquier parroquia y organización que desee utilizarlos para llevar a cabo su propio Camino del matrimonio. En este momento de crisis y confusión para la familia, las parejas necesitan herramientas como esta para mantenerse fieles al ideal de un matrimonio católico. El Camino del matrimonio de Schoenstatt, una vez más, invita a las parejas casadas y a los novios comprometidos a seguir el camino de peregrinación de su matrimonio o relación a través de una serie de estaciones en el entorno de oración del Jardín Botánico del Sur de Texas, 8545 South Staples en Corpus Christi el sábado 28 de marzo de 6 a 8 pm. El evento es gratuito e incluye una comida ligera. También se ofrece cuidado de niños para niños mayores de tres años. Se aceptan donaciones con gratitud. Para registrarse o para obtener más información, llame al (361) 991-7653.

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.

Oficina de un Ambiente Seguro y de Servicios para Niños y Familia

16 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

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.

Llamada 1-877-571-9748

Contributed photo

† EVANGELIZATION

The staff at KLUX strive to deliver the best in Catholic radio to those living in south Texas and in the 11 county areas they serve. KLUX also ministers online to every corner of the world and to those who have not yet been touched by the Word of God. Pictured, from left, are some staff members at KLUX, Russ Martin, Greg Waller, Irene Menchaca and Marty Wind.

KLUX Radio evangelizes, offering news, spirituality, and music with a light touch Mary Cottingham

South Texas Catholic

eople are listening – did you hear? They are ages 35 on up, and they are hearing the Word of God in their cars, at work, in dentist offices, or streaming online from every corner of the world. A Catholic radio station is providing a commercial-free line-up of easy listening music and a positive message format that uplifts and transforms over a million people every year. That station is KLUX 89.5 H-D, and they need help. Every year, KLUX holds two on-air fundraisers to cover operating expenses, and for five long 13-hour days, they will be asking listeners to open up their hearts once again

and give. One of their biggest hits is the reading of the Gospel by Bishop Michael Mulvey, which airs four-five times a day. “We edit it, pace it, put great music behind it, provide sound effects, and make it come alive. It’s great storytelling, and it’s almost done before someone figures out it’s Scripture. They got the message. We’ve introduced them. Then the next time they hear it, they understand a little bit more,” said Marty Wind, general manager of KLUX. “We strive to inspire, inform, entertain and serve.” “KLUX is a unique tool of evangelization, we reach those who otherwise would not normally have been February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 17

† EVANGELIZATION

“ What makes me passionate about this radio station is that it combines all the things that are most meaningful to me: technology, the Church and success. I’m getting to places you would never expect: Australia and Tel Aviv, but it’s what’s happening in the diocese of Corpus Christi in the coastal bend in south Texas and the eleven-county area here that we serve – it’s ministering to those who have not been touched and it works!” – Marty Wind, General Manager

“ After I spent 25 years in commercial radio, I believe the Lord felt it was time I spend my time using whatever skills and talents I was given for his glory. So here I am and it’s been another 25 years since I started working for KLUX. It’s a totally different animal. It’s like somebody once said,’the pay for working for the Lord doesn’t pay that well, but his retirement plan is out of this world.’” – Russ Martin, Director of Broadcast Operations

touched, and Scripture is very clear – the Lord walked among the sinners and the tax collectors,” Wind said. “We are like a lightning rod – it attracts people. You can see from the feedback of emails we get every week.” In a year, the station delivers over 40,000 public service announcements for the community – copy written and edited by Russ Martin, director of broadcast operations. Martin has been with the station for 25 years. The station promotes diocesan schools and parishes, the Corpus Christi Symphony, colleges, diocesan events and much more. KLUX airs more than 30,000 spiritual messages, including the Angelus and the Word of Life each year. Also, the religious program schedule includes “Our Shepherd’s View,” “The Catholic Café,” “Personally Speaking,” “Ask the Padre,” “Catholic Answers,” the Cathedral Sunday Mass (live), and many more. The station reaches out to evangelize the Spanish speaking population with programs such as “Semillas de Esperanza,” “Con Permiso” and “Jesus En Mi Vida Diaria.” KLUX 89.5 has added an HD2 channel (89.5-2), which is available to anyone with an HD radio receiver. It’s Relevant Radio, Catholic talk and news programming

Listen Live

AND download your

FREE KLUX SmartphoneApp at klux.org

KLUX 89.5 HD-1

DIGITAL

SUNDAY MORNING PROGRAMMING

“ When Marty first interviewed

me, I came in blind. I had no idea what to expect, because I came from fundraising for the March of Dimes. It was completely different, but once I started learning everything and saw how everything worked I was amazed and watching Marty here – is amazing. He is like the jack of all trades. Also the calming music is very inspiring. I am Catholic and it has brought me even closer to God. It’s just beautiful.” – Irene Menchaca, Office Manager and Administrative Assistant

18 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

5:00 - 6:00 6:00 - 6:30 6:30 - 7:00 7:00 - 7:30 7:30 - 8:00 8:00 - 8:30 8:30 - 9:00 9:00 - 9:30 9:30 - 10:30 10:30 - 11:00 11:00 - 11:30

Sacred Music Jesus En Mi Vida Diaria Spanish Rosary Semillas De Esperanza Con Permiso The Catholic Cafe Personally Speaking Our Shepherd’s View Cathedral Sun Mass Live Christopher Close-Up Catholic Answers Live

Good Company For 35 years! Call us at 361-289-2487

† EVANGELIZATION

24 hours a day. Relevant Radio Network is the largest Catholic talk radio network in the United States and is endorsed by United States Catholic Conference of Bishops. One click to the right from KLUX 89.5-1 on your HD radio receiver brings you this outstanding Catholic programming. Locally, KLUX is in the top six or seven stations in a market of 43 stations in listenership. They were the only local station on-air during Hurricane Harvey, earning them the Texas Association of Broadcasters 2018 Bonner McLane Public Service Award. In 2016 they won the Gabriel Award for “uplifting the human spirit.” “We have twice received the outstanding media award from the Emergency Managers Association (EMAD) of Texas one in 2006, and one in 2016. We won Proclaim Awards, given by the Catholic Communications Campaign for Father Tom’s ‘Today in the Church,’ which is a collection of 300, 60-second announcements, one for every liturgical day of the year,” Wind said. Father “Tom” Thomas Goodwin is the parochial administrator of Immaculate Conception Parish in Taft. Wind said his dream is to one day add an HD3 channel – specifically to reach out to youth. “I’d love to air

CCN RADIO 89.5 HD-2

Catholic talk, news and information 24/7.

CATHOLIC Programming on RADIO, TV and INTERNET Cathedral Sunday Mass: LIVE BROADCAST at 9:30 a.m.

KLUX-HD 89.5, KLUX.ORG AND KDF-TV (cable subscribers should consult their cable guide)

MASS VIDEO REPLAYS on local public access channels Cathedral Sunday Mass: Tuesday-7 p.m.; and Thursday-10 a.m. La Misa en Español: Tuesday-10 a.m.; Thursday-7 p.m.

“ At KLUX we are family. I think it’s just the atmosphere. It’s not always about the bottom line. We take care of each other and watch over each other. And it’s just good to get that occasional phone call, how we made a difference in someone’s life – like the passing of somebody who was listening to the radio station, it kept them calm, and they were at peace.” – Richard Luna, Production Manager for Diocesan Telecommunications and KLUX

“ I think it’s the fact that I’m able to use the talents that I learned in a previous career, working in commercial radio, for something a whole lot higher and a whole lot more fulfilling – knowing that I’m doing something that touches people in a different kind of way. It isn’t seen as disposable as commercial radio. People are very connected to the station and they pay attention to what we’re doing. They listen differently. It’s a different kind of presentation. Commercial radio is more of a product. I think what we do at KLUX is more a labor of love.” – Jesse De Leon, Morning Host and Development Director

“ I just get a good feeling that I’m really helping out, bringing the Word of the Lord out over the Sunday airwaves. Then the real topper is I sit in the control room and bring in the cathedral Mass on Sunday mornings, so we can get it out to the people on the Internet and radio. – Greg Waller, Weekend Operations

INTERNET PODCASTS & VIDEO AT GOCCN.ORG Cathedral Sunday Mass, Our Shepherd’s View, Semillas de Esperanza and Con Permiso

La Misa en Español: WEBCAST LIVE Sunday 11 a.m.

For H-D Radio Information: KLUX.org February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 19

† EVANGELIZATION

contemporary Christian music,” he said. “The thing is, it’s going to take another set of licensing fees and more staff. Right now, I think what’s more important than anything else is for us to eliminate the need for diocesan subsidy. We’re not here to be a burden.” Wind is quick to address the success of the station wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of the John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, the Ed Rachal Foundation, the Dr.

and Mrs. Hugh A. Kennedy Foundation, CHRISTUS Spohn and the many loyal listeners and supporters of the station. The radio station is a not-for-profit corporation licensed by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) as a non-commercial educational station. Board members are appointed by the vicar general, the chancellor and the chief fiscal officer of the diocese. KLUX volunteers include staff announcers: Pete Lutz, Melissa Goonan,

Laura Simank, Macie Gold, Marylynn Wesson, and “Our Shepherd’s View” Host Barbara Little. Spanish programming includes “Con Permiso” Producer Gloria Romero, Jaime Reyna and Father José Salazar; “Semillas de Esperanza” includes diocesan priests Fathers Juan Fernando Gámez and José Naúl Ordéñez. KLUX will be airing its fiveday fundraiser on March 2-6. To donate call (361) 289-6437 or go to klux.org/support-up/donate-now.

Here is what KLUX listeners are saying (Below are a collection of some listener comments from the KLUX mailbag.) See more comments at klux.org/about-us/listener-comments.)

“I continuously enjoy your great pro-

Fort Worth. As many stations as this area has, we have nothing that compares with KLUX. – M. Doyle

“We love your station! Just wish we

“I truly enjoy this radio station...I love the messages. They really make a difference. Thank you. – Ana Briseno

“I lived in Corpus Christ for 30 years. I listened to your station from the time it went on the air. Since I have moved, I have not found a station in the Houston metro area that comes even close to your station. Every time we visited Corpus Christi, we would set our radio to your station. Now that your on the internet, I can now listen to your station again and I do a lot. Keep up the good service and ministry. – Larry Herron, Spring, TX.

“I have long been a fan of your format and have slowly watched the number of stations playing this music dwindle from the hundreds down to about 15. I loyally love radio, and I loyally love this format. I especially like your presentation, however, of inspiration and beautiful music. It’s a special combo. Please don’t ever change. – Mike, Pennsylvania

“I now can get KLUX on my computer and am so thrilled!!! We learned to love KLUX many years ago while on vacation in Corpus and set our dial there every time we come to town. Now I can listen to it in Waco, Texas! Thank you for your thoughtful programming and beautiful music. You are the BEST! – Ann Lindsey

“I recently visited family in Kingsville.

“You played a major role in the success of St. Paul’s Ethnic Festival. I want to thank you and your staff for doing such an excellent job in advertising our event. More power to you and KLUX, but most of all may God bless you always. – Luz V. Garcia, Corpus Christi

gramming, music and all the inspirational messages. Thanks. – Sarah Vergara, Corpus Christi could take you back to Illinois with us. I’ll ask the Diocese of Saint Louis to start up a station just like yours. – Paul and Jenny Golden, St. Louis, MO

I enjoyed the music so much I decided to check the internet…and was pleasantly surprised to discover the streaming audio. Now I can listen to your music and inspirational messages at home and work in

20 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

“Thank you so much for your Good Friday programming. I am listening by internet at the State House in Annapolis, MD. While I work, your God-honoring music is helping me to keep my mind on the goodness of our Lord. Truly He was the sacrificial Lamb who died to pay the penalty for sins of the world. Thank you for lifting His name in our every day work world. – Barbara Moyer “Just a quick note from Santa Rosa, CA. I listen to your station while at work and find it a very relaxing background to my hectic day. I am not a Catholic, but I am a brother in Christ and thank you very much for your commitment to our Lord. –Jerry Sanden “I was amazed to find your station. I had been a real fan of Jones college radio that played easy listening instrumentals like you. However, being a Catholic I was overjoyed to find a Catholic Station that played easy listening. It is indeed ‘Good Company.’ Can one pay donations from other countries? I am in Brisbane Australia. –Robert Prinzen-Wood “Sounds very nice here in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. All the best. S. Hagerty, Newfoundland

Richard Longoria | for STC

† EVANGELIZATION

Led by Father David Roman, parochial vicar at St. Aloysius Parish in New Canaan, Connecticut, young adults help Hurricane Harvey victims in Rockport, Refugio and Mother Teresa Shelter. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Jacqueline Sweeney, Nancy Levine, Devanya Randall and Mary Kross. Pictured in the back row, from left, are Sea O’Neil, Alexander DiFiore, Sam Capello, Nolan Fitzpatrick, Seminarian Carlos De La Rosa, Hector Ares and Father David Roman

‘God’s work, our hands’ Richard Longoria,

Contributor

“

od’s work, our hands” is the motto used by 10 young adults from St. Aloysius Parish in New Canaan, Connecticut, who traveled to the Diocese of Corpus Christi on Jan. 2-6 to work for Hurricane Harvey victims and the homeless. They came here at the urging of Corpus Christi seminarian Carlos De La Rosa, a good friend of Father Roman, the parochial vicar at St. Aloysius. Led by Father Roman, the group spent a day painting the exterior of a refurbished home outside of Refugio, and another

day working on three houses in the Rockport area. One of the homes needed all its walls taken out, and the young adults performed this work with great vigor using sledgehammers. The group also worked two days at the Mother Teresa Shelter in Corpus Christi, where they sorted out the warehouse, arranged various clothing items donated to Mother Teresa for the homeless, and prepared and served lunch to the Shelter’s clientele. These young adults, the youngest age 18 and the oldest age 26, left the comfort of their homes in Connecticut to travel to south Texas to be the hands and feet of the Lord, to February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 21

† EVANGELIZATION

extend Christian charity to strangers and, in return, receive the grace that comes from new friendships. They attended Mass every day. They

made a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan in the Rio Grande Valley. And they had time to enjoy Tex-Mex cuisine and South Texas barbecue.

Richard Longoria | for STC

Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body. – St.Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582)

The folks at the Refugio Volunteer Center, at the Hands of Hope in Rockport, and the Mother Teresa Shelter and their clients, will not soon forget these enthusiastic, dedicated, and faithful young men and women who dedicated their time to travel to the Coastal Bend for the benefit of God’s people. Pray for them that their lives be successful and that they will continue to do great things for the Lord and his people. May their work here be an inspiration to the south Texas community as it continues efforts to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Call or text Deacon Richard Longoria at (361) 446-2291 or email him at rlongoria@diocesecc.org to organize a volunteer group in your parish.

Young adults from St. Aloysius Parish in New Canaan, Connecticut, take down walls in a home in the Rockport area. The work was done with great gusto using sledgehammers and pry bars. 22 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

Contributed phogo

† LIFE ISSUES

On Dec. 14, 2019, Bishop Michael Mulvey joined Society of St. Vincent de Paul officials to dedicate their House in a Box Program warehouse. Pictured, from left, are Frank Kiolbassa, Extension Chair for the South Central Region; Patrick Ebarb, president of the Sacred Heart Conference in Rockport; Bishop Michael Mulvey; Jeannine DuPont, Secretary, South Central Region; Ray DuPont, National Vice President for the South Central Region of the Society; Valerie Finley, Executive Director for the Archdiocesan Council of San Antonio; and Cathy Garcia, Disaster Services Corporation coordinator disaster response for Hurricane Harvey.

House in a Box program helping the marginalized

M South Texas Catholic

ore than two years after Hurricane Harvey cut a path of destruction through the Coastal Bend, the need to help victims of the storm still exists. In the Diocese of Corpus Christi, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul continues to assist families in getting back on their feet. Through the House in a Box Program (HIB), the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides new furniture and furnishings to families who have lost everything because of the disaster. Cathy Garcia, with the Disaster Services Corporation, is coordinating the response.

Garcia said many families who live in what Pope Francis has described as the fringes of society remain unserved. Many were afraid to come out of the shadows for help. Others did not know where to go for help or got lost in the shuffle. Still, others did not have insurance. On Dec. 14, 2019, Bishop Michael Mulvey dedicated a warehouse, located at 4614 Baldwin in Corpus Christi, that has been serving the needs of this population. After going through an application process with a social service agency authorized to approve those in need, such as Catholic Charities, they can go to the warehouse to pick up their “House in a Box.” February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 23

Contributed photo

† LIFE ISSUES

Bishop Mulvey shakes hands with Patrick Ebarb, president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Sacred Heart Conference in Rockport before the dedication of their House in a Box Program warehouse.

The goal of the program is to provide new furniture and household items for families who have lost everything as a result of natural disasters and find themselves in “situational poverty.” Every approved family receives the same new furniture and household articles, such as beds, linens, dishes, pots and pans, dressers, silverware, bathroom setup, dinette, and a couch. Before opening the Baldwin location, the program met with clients in area parking lots to deliver the furniture. Garcia said the warehouse provided a much-needed service to those in need. The challenge to getting a local warehouse was cost. Also, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has only one chapter in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, located at Sacred Heart in Rockport. Fortunately, Garcia noted, the Knights of Columbus in the diocese have been a tremendous help to the House in a Box Program. Bishop Mulvey hopes to grow the Society of Vincent de Paul’s presence in the diocese and has tasked Jaime Reyna, 24 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

Director of the Offices of Multicultural and Social Ministry, to work with regional Society officials. Anyone interested in organizing a Society of St. Vincent de Paul in their parish should contact Reyna at (361) 882-6191. Ext. 637. Some 224 families have received a House in a Box in the diocese, including seven in Bee County, 60 in Refugio County, 42 in San Patricio County, 80 in Aransas County, and 35 in Nueces County. Of these, program staff have delivered 172; 42 are still pending delivery, and four applications are under consideration. At this time, the program is not accepting additional applications. “The HIB program is only available when donations, grants, foundations, etc are received. The grant we are working off of right now is the American Red Cross grant and we are coming to an end with that grant,” Garcia said. “We are diligently seeking other funds to continue the HIB in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.”

† OUR FAITH

Elders shape the future Sister Constance Veit, LSP

D Contributor

Sister Constance Veit is director of communications for the Little Sisters of the Poor in the United States.

uring February my thoughts turn to two of my favorite biblical figures, Simeon and Anna. Simeon is described in St. Luke’s Gospel simply as “a man in Jerusalem” and Anna as an 84-year-old “prophetess.” These two elders greet Mary and Joseph as they bring their newborn infant to the Temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. We celebrate this moment in Jesus’ life, referred to as the Presentation in the Temple, on Feb. 2. Simeon and Anna are not just two pious old people making a fuss over a baby. Each one had been waiting for the coming of the Lord for many years. Their whole lives were defined by their patient, prayerful waiting. When the moment came, they recognized Jesus as the Messiah and testified on his behalf before all the people. Pope Francis wrote, “When Mary and Joseph reached the temple to fulfill the law, Simeon and Anna jumped to their feet. They were moved by the Holy Spirit. This elderly couple recognized the child and discovered a new inner strength that allowed them to bear witness.” Simeon and Anna have an important message for our time. They represent the crucial role of older people who “have the courage to dream,” as Pope Francis said. “Only if our grandparents have the courage to dream and our young people imagine great things will our society go on.” Francis believes that older people who dream are able to move forward creatively as they envision a future. “Without the witness of their elders’ lives, the

plans of young people will have neither roots nor wisdom,” he said. “Today more than ever, the future generates anxiety, insecurity, mistrust and fear. Only the testimony of elders will help young people look above the horizon to see the stars. Just learning that it is worth fighting for something will help young people face the future with hope.” We Little Sisters are privileged to share our lives with many successors of Simeon and Anna – older people who have persevered in their faith through the years as they sought a better life for themselves and their loved ones. Among them is a woman I know who poured her life-savings into the rehabilitation of a child stuck in the cycle of drug addiction, and who later sacrificed her own comfort to support three generations of her family members who were displaced after a hurricane ravaged their island home. Another resident, a tiny woman in her mid80’s, divides her time between helping in our chapel and working in the parish founded by her priest-brother – the only Vietnamese parish in our diocese – helping with sundry tasks and taking Holy Communion to the sick. I recently attended Mass at this Vietnamese parish as part of our annual fund raising appeal and enjoyed seeing our resident in action. While she and many of the women of the parish wore their traditional Vietnamese tunics and flowing pants in bright hues and varied designs, most of the young people came to church in the jeans, yoga pants and baggy sweatshirts typical of American youth.

more than ever, the testimony of elders will help young “Today people look above the horizon to see the stars. Just learning

that it is worth fighting for something will help young people face the future with hope.” – Pope Francis February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 25

† OUR FAITH

The liturgy was completely in Vietnamese. I saw what a fine line these young people walk – with one foot planted firmly in the land of their parents and grandparents and the other in America. I was touched to see that even the young people venerated our resident. As she scurried around the church attending to many details, she would give the young people a quick word of direction in Vietnamese or a charming smile of encouragement.

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Our residents embody Pope Francis’ dream of elders as “a choir of a great spiritual sanctuary, where prayers of supplication and songs of praise support the larger community that works and struggles in the field of life.” Although I am not yet a senior it won’t be long before I am, and I am grateful for the example of our residents who, like Simeon and Anna, are teaching me how to assume the mantle of a wise elder in the believing community.

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The Diocese of Corpus Christi at the recommendation of the Diocesan Financial Council and Presbyteral Council have furthered their commitment to good stewardship and nancial accountability on behalf of generous donors by instituting a nancial abuse hotline. The Diocese of Corpus Christi has selected an independent third party, The Network, to provide you with a new way to anonymously and condently report nancial abuse and fraud. Employees, parishioners, volunteers, vendors and other interested parties will be encouraged to report concerns they have regarding nancial misconduct within the Diocese of Corpus Christi. All inquiries will be treated promptly and discreetly. Callers will have the right to remain anonymous. Call 1-877-571-9748

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econd Thoughts Massachusetts, a disability rights group, has praised a recent ruling that there is not a right to assisted suicide in the state’s law or its constitution. In a decision dated Dec. 31, 2019, Justice Mary Ames of the Suffolk Superior Court ruled that physicians who prescribe lethal medication for assisted suicide in Massachusetts can be prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter, but that physicians may provide information and advice on assisted suicide to terminally ill, competent adults. “We are gratified that the court reaffirmed the law against assisted suicide, and referred the matter to the legislature where lawmaking belongs. Disability rights advocates will continue to press the legislature that assisted suicide is just too dangerous,” John Kelly, director of Second Thoughts, commented Jan. 13. The case on which Ames ruled was brought by Dr. Roger Kligler, who has prostate cancer, and Dr. Alan Steinbach, who treats patients considering end-of-life problems. Among the arguments Kligler and Steinbach made were that prosecution of a physician for manslaughter who prescribes medication for assisted suicide “impermissibly restricts a patient’s constitutional right to privacy” and their “fundamental liberty interests.” They also argued that the prosecution of such physicians “violates the constitutional right to the equal protection of law by treating differently terminally ill adults who wish to receive [assisted suicide] and terminally ill adults who wish to hasten death by the voluntarily stopping of eating and drinking (VSED), withdrawal of life support, or palliative sedation.” Ames wrote in her decision that “any physician is free to provide information on the jurisdictions where [assisted suicide] is legal, guidance and information on the procedures and requirements in those jurisdictions, and referrals to physicians who can provide [assisted suicide] in those jurisdictions. Such conduct, without more, does not constitute involuntary manslaughter.” She also wrote that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court had taken pains “to preserve what it viewed as a meaningful distinction between death that results naturally from the withdrawal of medical equipment and death that results from affirmative human efforts,” and that it had said the law “does not permit suicide” or “unlimited self-determination.” Ames said that neither of two relevant SJC decisions suggest “that the principles that underlie the right to refuse medical treatment apply to the affirmative act of taking one’s own life with the assistance of a willing physician,” and that the SJC would likely maintain “a strong distinction between [assisted suicide], and the withdrawal of treatment and palliative care.” Compassion & Choices, an assisted suicide advocacy group, has said they plan to appeal the ruling, WBUR reported Jan 10.

Ames wrote that the state legislature could “conclude that difficulty in determining and ensuring that a patient is ‘mentally competent’ warrants the continued prohibition” of assisted suicide. She added that the legislature could conclude that “predicting when a patient has six months to live is too difficult and risky for the purposes of” assisted suicide. She noted that the state “put forward expert testimony that while doctors may be able to accurately predict death within two or three weeks of its occurrence, predictions of death beyond that time frame are likely to be inaccurate.” Moreover, Ames said the legislature could also conclude that “a general medical standard of care is not sufficient to protect those seeking” assisted suicide, noting that the state provided testimony that assisted suicide “is neither a medical treatment nore a medical procedure and thus there can be no applicable medical standard of care” and that the legalization of assisted suicide “is an attempt to carve out a special case outside of the norms of medical practice.” The legislature could, too, conclude that assisted suicide “is not equivalent to permissible alternatives,” citing the difference between assisted suicide and voluntary cessation of nutrition and hydration, withdrawal of life support, or palliative sedation. Ames concluded that “there appears to be a broad consensus that this issue is not best addressed by the judiciary,” and that there are strong arguments for prohibiting assisted suicide or ensuring it “occurs in an environment in which clear, thoughtful, and mandatory standards are in place to protect terminally ill patients who wish to make an irreversible decision. The Legislature, not the Court, is ideally positioned to weigh those arguments and determine whether and if so, under what restrictions, [assisted suicide] should be legally authorized.” There are bills in both houses of the state legislature to legalize assisted suicide. The bills are due to be considered by the Joint Committee on Public Health next week. Ruthie Pool, president of MPOWER, a group of people who have experienced mental health diagnosis, trauma, or addiction, commented Jan. 13 that “as someone who has been suicidal in the past, I can relate to the desire for ‘a painless and easy way out.’ However, depression is treatable and reversible. Suicide is not. The current bill in the legislature pretends otherwise.” In 2012, Massachusetts voters narrowly rejected a ballot initiatve that would have legalized assisted suicide. At the time, Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston commented that “it is my hope and prayer that the defeat of Question 2 will help all people to understand that for our brothers and sisters confronted with terminal illness we can do better than offering them the means to end their lives.” The 2012 initiative was opposed by both the Massachusetts Medical Association and the Boston Herald. February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 27

† NATIONAL NEWS

Disability group welcomes ruling against right to assisted suicide

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† VATICAN

Pope Francis at the general audience Jan. 15, 2020 in Paul VI Hall.

Pope Francis: The Church never tires of announcing God’s love Courtney Mares

Catholic News Agency

hile often persecuted and misunderstood, the Church never tires of announcing the love of God made present in Jesus Christ, Pope Francis said Wednesday. With this reflection, the pope completed an eight-month long series of weekly Biblical meditations on every chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. “Dear brothers and sisters, at the end of this journey, lived together following the race of the Gospel in the world, the Holy Spirit revives in each of us the call to be courageous and joyful evangelizers,” Pope Francis said Jan. 15 in the Pope Paul VI Hall. The Acts of the Apostles expresses the “dynamism of the Word of God,” the pope said. He called God’s Word

“an active yeast” in history that is “capable of transforming situations and opening new paths.” Paul’s journey in the book of Acts, the pope said, is “proof that the routes of men, if lived in faith, can become a transit space for the salvation of God.” Upon his arrival in Rome, Paul, a prisoner under house arrest, told the leaders of the Jews, “it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear these chains.” Pope Francis noted that the Acts of the Apostles does not end with Paul’s martyrdom, but with “the abundant sowing of the Word.” The last verses of the Acts of the Apostles records Paul “bearing witness to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus from the law of Moses and the prophets.” February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 29

† VATICAN

“Paul recognizes himself as deeply Jewish and sees in the Gospel that he preaches, that is, in the proclamation of the dead and risen Christ, the fulfillment of the promises made to the chosen people,” Pope Francis said. The last line of the book of Acts concludes: “He [Paul] remained for two full years in his lodgings. He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance and without hindrance he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”

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.

Pope Francis said that this “house open to all hearts” is an image of the Church, which “although persecuted, misunderstood and chained, never tires of welcoming every man and woman with a motherly heart to announce to them the love of the Father who has made himself visible in Jesus.” “Make us, like Paul, capable of filling our houses with the Gospel and making them cenacles of fraternity, where we can welcome the living Christ, who comes to meet us in every man and in every age,” he prayed.

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ourladyofcorpuschristi.org 30 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

Vatican Media

† VATICAN

Pope Francis baptizes a child in the Sistine Chapel on Jan. 12.

Pope Francis: It is beautiful when babies cry at Mass By Courtney Mares

Catholic News Agency

ope Francis baptized 32 babies in the Sistine Chapel Sunday, telling parents not to worry if their children cry at Mass. “Let the children cry,” the pope said. “It is a beautiful homily when a child cries in church, a beautiful homily.” On the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Jan. 12 with the parents and godparents of 17 boys and 15 girls, who were baptized surrounded by Michelangelo’s frescoes. “Just as Jesus went to receive baptism, you bring your children,” Francis said. “The power of the Holy Spirit comes to defend them for the rest of their lives.” “This is why it is so important to baptize them as babies because they grow with the power of the Holy Spirit,” the pope added.

Pope Francis said that he wanted to keep his homily short because the babies might not feel comfortable in their baptism gowns and in a new environment. “Babies are not used to coming to the Sistine Chapel,” he joked. The pope reminded the parents that their personal example at home will help their child to grow in faith. He said that baptizing a child is an act of justice because the child receives the pledge of the Holy Spirit through the sacrament. Each of the 32 baptized infants are children of Vatican employees born in 2019. St. John Paul II began the papal tradition of baptizing children in the Sistine Chapel on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Following the Mass, Pope Francis prayed the Angelus prayer from the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace with pilgrims

gathered in St. Peter’s Square. “As soon as Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove, while a voice rang out from above saying: ‘This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,’” he said. The pope said that it is important for each Catholic to know and remember the date of their own baptism. This is a date to be celebrated, he said, because it is when we received the Holy Spirit that remains with us. “On the feast of the Baptism of Jesus we rediscover our baptism. As Jesus is the beloved Son of the Father, we too, born of water and the Holy Spirit, know that we are beloved children … invested in a great mission to testify and announce to all men the boundless love of the Father,” Pope Francis said. February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 31

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2020 Black and Gold Casino Night

Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. at L&F Distributors (8761 State Hwy 44) in Corpus Christi. The fundraising event will feature dinner, casino, a silent and live auction, Dinner begins at 7:15 p.m. Attire is Texas casual. The funds will benefit St. John Paul II High School. For more information visit jpiihighschool.org/black-gold.

Immaculee Ilibagiza tells her story of hope and forgiveness.

Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. at Most Precious Blood Church (3502 Saratoga Blvd.) Come hear Immaculee Ilibagiza’s story of hope and forgiveness. In 1994, Immaculee survived the Rwandan genocide by hiding with seven other women for 92 days in a 3 foot by 4 foot bathroom. Captured in her best-selling book, “Left to Tell,” the story of how she overcame her deep anger and was able to forgive the people who killed her family is both inspiring and unforgettable. Tickets are $10 for age 19 and up and free for kids age 12-18 (need a student ticket for entrance). Age 11 and under not recommended.

‘Live Well with Diabetes,’ a Diabetes SelfManagement Education Feb. 8 at 9 a.m. at St. Joseph Parish Hall (801 S. Reynolds) in Alice. After completing this class, you are eligible to enroll in a FREE 12-week physical activity program. To enroll: (866) 5241408. For more information go to https://bit.ly/2ZyI6eo

Mardi Gras 8 OLPH Casino Night

Feb. 8 from 6-11 p.m. at Mansion Royal (8001 S.P.I.D.) in Corpus Christi. Ticket price is $50, which includes dinner, 5k gaming voucher, silent and live auction. Music provided by Primetime Entertainment. Proceeds benefit OLPH Academy.

St. Theresa Altar Society Annual Valentine Waffle Breakfast

Feb. 9 at 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at St. Theresa Parish Hall (1302 Lantana) in Corpus Christi. They will be serving all you can eat waffles with all the fixings. Breakfast includes syrup, powdered sugar, strawberries, little Smokie sausages, coffee and orange juice. There will be a raffle for two Valentine’s Day prizes. Bring your sweetheart

and join us for food, fun and fellowship.

Schoenstatt Family Day - Loteria

Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. at Schoenstatt Movement Center (4343 Gaines St.) in Corpus Christi. There will be food, prizes and fun. For more information call Olivia Botello at (361) 992-9841 or email schcc@mygrande.net.

Weekend Healing Retreat

Diocesan STREAM Fair

Defending the Faith Conference at OLCC

Marian Devotion Retreat

Our Lady Star of the Sea Annual BBQ Fundraiser

Feb. 14-16. The retreat begins on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and ends Sunday at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center (1200 Lantana). Register ourladyofcorpuschristi.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

Feb.15. at John Paul II High School Campus from 8 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. All 15 diocesan schools will participate with teams that will represent their school. These grade-level teams will be assigned different projects which they will develop that morning. The teams will then present their projects to the general public for viewing from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Feb. 15 from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Corpus Christi (1200 Lantana St.) There will be 4 dynamic talks on "Apologetics 101," “Scriptural Truth,” “Mary Our Mother,” “Coming Back Home.” To learn more and register go to ourladyofcorpuschristi.org. Feb. 20 from 5:30 p.m. on Thursday to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center (1200 Lantana). Register at ourladyofcorpuschristi.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

Feb. 23 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea (3110 E. Causeway Blvd) in Corpus Christi. The parish will serve beef barbecue plate for a donation of $10 per plate. The plate includes barbecue beef, potato salad, bread, dessert, coffee or tea. Eat-in or take out.

February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 33

† FEBRUARY CALENDAR

FEBRUARY

† FEBRUARY/ MARCH CALENDAR

There will be a raffle with tickets at $1 per ticket with over $3500 in prizes and a live auction. Fundraising efforts needed to maintain this historic church built in 1882 and renovations to our new parish hall. For more information call (361) 883-4507.

OLPH Annual Fish Fry

Starts Ash Wednesday, ends April 3 and held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish (5830 Williams Drive) in Corpus Christi. For a donation of $8.75 per plate choose between the fish plate, which includes two fish fillets, french fries, hush puppies, coleslaw and tea; or the shrimp plate, which includes five shrimp, french fries, hush puppies, coleslaw and tea. Add ons include 3 shrimp for $2 more and 2 crab cakes for $3 more. Dine-in or carryout. Drive-thru is available. All proceeds benefit OLPH Academy. • Ash Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. • Friday, Feb. 28 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m • Every Friday from March 6-April 3 from 3-7 p.m.

Jail/ Prison/Detention Center Volunteer Reflection and Training

March 2-6. Each of the 5 days of the campaign will contain 3 major segments from 7-9 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m.

MASH BASH 2020

March 6 at American Bank Center. The event will feature country artist Tracy Byrd. Dress as your favorite Mash Character. Sponsorships start at $1,500 or $250 per couple. There will be dinner, dancing, silent auction, games, costume contest, raffle and more. For more information, contact Sherry Bowers, Executive Director at (361) 883-5500, ext. 104 or at sbowers@amissionofmercy.org.

‘Live Well with Diabetes,’ a Diabetes SelfManagement Education

Men and Women Spiritual Exercises Retreat

March 12-15. The retreat begins on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and ends on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center (1200 Lantana). Register ourladyofcorpuschristi.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

MARCH KLUX 89.5 H-D On-Air Campaign 2020

March 7 from 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. at St. Patrick Parish (3350 South Alameda St.) in Corpus Christi. Cost is $150 ($175 for couples outside the diocese). The Diocesan Marriage Preparation Program is designed to inform couples of the spiritual and practical aspects of Catholic marriage and facilitate couple dialogue. Registrations are due one week prior to the seminar. To register go to diocesecc.org/ onedayworkshop.

March 7 at 9 a.m. at Holy Family School (2526 Soledad Street) in the Cafeteria. After completing this class, you are eligible to enroll in a FREE 12-week physical activity program. To enroll: (866) 5241408. For more information go to https://bit.ly/2ZyI6eo

Feb. 29 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Sacred Heart Parish (1322 Comanche St.) in Corpus Christi.

2 6 6

Diocesan Marriage Prep – One Day Workshop

Schoenstatt Lenten Mission

March 13 from 5-8 p.m. at Schoenstatt Movement Center (4343 Gaines St.) in Corpus Christi. There will be confessions and Stations of the Cross with Mary at 5:30 p.m. Presentation by Father Francisco Rojas at 6 p.m. Holy Mass followed by Lenten fellowship. For more information call Olivia Botello at (361) 992-9841 or email schcc@mygrande.net.

6th Annual Shamrock Shuffle – St. Patrick School 2020

March 14 beginning at 9 a.m. meet at Cassidy's (601 North Water Street. The 6th Annual Shamrock Shuffle 5k Run/Walk and

1K Leprechaun Chase will be the official kick-off for the Annual St. Paddy's Day Festival. Please join us to WALK, RUN or even SHUFFLE!

20 Weekend Healing Retreat It begins Friday, March 20 at 5:30 p.m. and ends Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center. Register ourladyofcorpuschristi.org or call (361) 289-9095, ext. 321.

Rummage Sale 27 Schoenstatt

March 27-28 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Schoenstatt Movement Center (4343 Gaines St.) in Corpus Christi. Accepting donations beginning March 16-25. For more information call Olivia Botello at (361) 992-9841 or email schcc@mygrande.net.

27 Marriage Retreat

March 27-29. This retreat offers tools based on the Theology of the Body for discovering your spouse anew, the opportunity to meet with a marriage counselor, Spend time together in Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, and a romantic evening of dinner and dancing. A member of our team is a priest who specializes in marriage ministry and a licensed marriage counselor. Register at ourladyofcorpuschristi.org or call (361) 289-9095 ext. 321.

28 Marriage Camino Schoenstatt

March 28 from 6-8 p.m. in the prayerful setting of the South Texas Botanical Gardens (8545 South Staples) in Corpus Christi. The Schoenstatt Marriage Camino invites married and engaged couples to follow the pilgrim pathway of your marriage together through a series of 15 stations.

Cyril and Methodius 15th Annual Gala 28 Ss.

March 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Mansion Royal (8001 SPID) in Corpus Christi. There will be a Western Casino Night. For more information call the parish office at (361) 853-7371.

To see more calendar events go to:

SouthTexasCatholic.com/events and click on Ongoing

34 South Texas Catholic | February 2020

February 2020 | South Texas Catholic 35

February 2020 Issue SOUTH TEXAS CATHOLIC 555 N Carancahua St, Ste 750 Corpus Christi, TX 78401-0824 (361) 882-6191

FEB. 25-26

RESTORE THE CHURCH

BUILD THE FUTURE

Support the Collection for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe Copyright © 2019, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Photo: © Mr Aleksandr Aliseyko, Adoration of the Cross on Good Friday in the still unfinished chapel.

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