Winter 2022- Vol. 57 No. 4

South Texas

A Christmas Sonnet

BY FATHER RICHARD LIBBY

To Bethlehem the holy couple came, Unnoticed, unobserved, in no one’s sight.

Who could have known that Bethl’em’s lasting fame Would change forever on that very night?

For once the pair found lodging in a cave (None could be had in town, none at the inn), A Child was born, a Child Who soon would save

The world from its captivity to sin. Some shepherds, keeping night watch in the field

Heard from the angels of the newborn King, By Whom the rift ‘tween God and man is healed; With joy the Heav’nly throng began to sing!

The Child was born to neither wealth nor fame, But since His birth, the world’s not been the same.

Merry Christmas from the staff at South Texas Catholic

This poem was published in the November-December 2021 issue of the St. Austin Review.

SOUTH TEXAS CATHOLIC | WINTER 2022 | WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST

Keep up with the faith at southtexascatholic.com

VOL. 57 NO. 4

Publisher Bishop Michael Mulvey, STL DD

Director of Communications and Public Relations

Katia Uriarte Philipello kuriarte@diocesecc.org

Assistant Director of Communications and Public Relations Jesse DeLeon jdeleon@diocesecc.org

Managing Editor Mary Cottingham mcottingham@diocesecc.org

Theological Consultant

Father Richard Libby, Chancellor rlibby@diocesecc.org

Communications Specialist Adel Sauceda asauceda@diocesecc.org

Social Media Coordinator and Videographer Elizabeth Morales emorales@diocesecc.org

Broadcast Technical Director Richard Luna rluna@diocesecc.org

Correspondents Rebecca Esparza Translator/Correspondent Gloria Romero

Contributors: Thank you! Rev. Brady Williams SOLT, Very Rev. Libby Sister Mary Claire Strasser SOLT, Debbie Burnett

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INSIDE

4 |

BISHOP’S

MESSAGE, This year, let us take a different approach to the tradition of gift giving.

6 | SPREADING THE LIGHT, State of the Diocese proves insightful and captivating for those in attendance.

10 | JESUS SAYS, Explaining the Gospel Message: Father Brady Williams, SOLT, explains the parable of the talents and how it relates to gift giving.

15 | VOCATIONS, Sister Mary Claire Strasser, SOLT shares a Christmas memory.

16 | SAINTLY GIFTS, Our Lady Star of the Sea is home to over 300 sacred relics.

20 | NEWS OF THE DIOCESE , Lessons and Carols provide a traditional prelude to Midnight Mass;

22 | Homenaje a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en La Sagrada Familia. Organizado por las Guadalupanas el 11 de diciembre.

25 | MARRIAGE, Rudy Jr. Ortiz, his wife Bertha and his son Rudy III are on a mission.

28 | WOMAN OF STRENGTH, St. Lucy’s bravery is an example of a fearless love of God.

31 | NATIONAL NEWS, Three women the U.S. bishops are considering for sainthood.

33 | A WORD, Pope Francis says, ‘Perseverance is a reflection of God’s love.’

COVER ILLUSTRATION

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

A dancer from the Folklórico Viva Mexico in Corpus Christi.

A LETTER FROM THE BISHOP

Stewardship Gives Meaning to Christmas

My sisters and brothers,

This time of year, we can quite easily get caught up in the many prepa rations for Christmas. Whether it is readying your home for the arrival of family and friends, making sure all the decorations are in place, or ensuring you have all the ingredients to prepare that big meal, there is indeed much to do as the Nativity of our Lord draws near.

And of course, there is the sometimes overwhelming task of choosing gifts for loved ones. This year let us take a different approach to the tradition of gift giving. By focusing on being better stewards, we can approach gift-giving in a new and inspired way. Amid the flurry of preparations and nonstop activity, let us find some quiet time to acknowledge the gifts God has first given us, how we have used them, and how these special gifts can serve others. Before we give our gifts, let us reflect on what it takes to be a good steward.

The truest sense of stewardship begins with the first gift of all, and that is God’s gift of his Son to the world. Without that, stewardship in our sense does not exist. God’s gift of his only Son is the model of stewardship we are called to emulate. God has given us everything through his Son, Jesus Christ.

When we fashion our giving based on this ultimate gift, what exactly are we offering? If the fruit of our giving leads to or inspires peace, we are being good stewards of our gifts. For example, offering the gift of forgiveness to end a longstanding disagreement with someone might be the salve that brings new healing to an old wound. Consider a selfless act of charity that involves volunteering time to help someone in dire need. Or being available for a loved one or friend who is burdened and needs to express their feelings to a caring and sympathetic listener.

Giving these kinds of gifts fortifies our spirit of stewardship and allows us the grace of truly expressing and experiencing who we really are. While we may not realize it, we are in the beautiful reflection of God who offers himself as the ultimate gift through the birth of Jesus. When we take time to truly absorb how we are imitating God’s way of giving, we see that stewardship is not just about something that goes from the pocket to the plate, but it is about being who we are and offering that in service to God and his people.

God gives of Himself through the incarnation of Jesus, and we must aspire to give as deeply when we give our gifts to others.

Being a good steward is our truth. It is not a matter of choice. If we are in God’s image, we are stewards. I present this as a call to self-realization. To be self-realized as a Catholic Christian, we must answer the call to stewardship. Stewardship is not a bargaining point. It is intentional without conditions.

Stewardship gives meaning to Christmas. God gave us his only Son, and his Son is the embodiment of peace, the ultimate gift. Jesus calls us to share that peace with others, even in the face of a violent, fractured world rife with division and hatred.

This can only happen when we first examine our own stewardship and how the Holy Spirit moves us to a more profound understanding of giving our gifts in terms of time, talent, and treasure and how these gifts can bring peace to those who are around us.

Merry ChristMas

& happy New year!

+Wm. Michael Mulvey Bishop of Corpus Christi

Mis hermanas y hermanos,

En esta época del año, es muy fácil quedarse atrapado en los múltiples preparativos para la celebración de la Navidad. Bien sea que se ponga atención en los arreglos de casa para recibir a familiares y amigos, asegurándose de que todas las decoraciones estén en su lugar o de tomar en cuenta los ingredientes necesarios para la preparación de la gran comida. El que hacer se acentúa a medida que se acerca la Natividad de nuestro Señor.

Por otra parte, está la tarea, a veces abrumadora, de elegir regalos para cada uno de nuestros seres queridos. Hagamos algo diferente, este año, con respecto a la tradición de dar regalos. Podemos centrarnos en ser mejores administradores y abordar la entrega de obsequios de una manera nueva y más inspirada. En medio de la agitación y la actividad incesante, de preparativos y fiestas, busquemos primero, un momento de tranquilidad para reconocer los dones que Dios nos ha dado, cómo los hemos usado y cómo estos dones especiales pueden servir a los demás. Antes de dar nuestros dones, reflexionemos sobre lo que es necesario para ser un buen anfitrión y administrador.

El verdadero sentido del administrador, del dar y compartir, comienza al conducirnos hacia el primero y más importante regalo de todos; el regalo que Dios nos da, al enviar a su Hijo al mundo. Sin esa clara orientación por parte del administrador la ocasión no tiene sentido, no existe.

El regalo que Dios nos hace al darnos a su único Hijo, es el modelo de servicio que estamos llamados a emular. Dios nos ha dado todo a través de su Hijo, Jesucristo.

Cuando modelamos nuestro dar, nuestra entrega en base al ‘Regalo Supremo’, ¿qué es lo que estamos ofreciendo exactamente? Si el fruto de nuestro dar conduce e inspira paz, estamos siendo buenos administradores de nuestros dones. Por ejemplo, ofrecer el regalo del perdón para poner fin a un antiguo desacuerdo con alguien, podría ser el bálsamo que traiga curación a una vieja herida. Considerar prestar ayuda

desinteresada, en un acto de caridad que implique donación de tiempo voluntario para asistir a alguien en extrema necesidad. O simplemente, estar disponible para un amigo o ser querido que se siente agobiado y necesita expresar sus emociones a un oyente cariñoso y comprensivo.

Dar este tipo de regalos fortalece nuestro espíritu de servicio y nos permite la gracia de expresar y experimentar verdaderamente quiénes somos en realidad. Aunque no nos demos cuenta, al actuar así, estamos siendo ese hermoso reflejo de Dios que se ofrece a sí mismo como el regalo supremo a través del nacimiento de Jesús. Cuando tomamos el tiempo pare absorber realmente, en cómo estamos imitando la forma de dar de Dios, vemos que la administración de los dones no es precisamente algo que va del bolsillo al plato, sino que más bien, se trata de ser quienes somos y ofrecernos en servicio a Dios y a su pueblo.

Dios se da a sí mismo a través de la encarnación de Jesús, y nosotros debemos aspirar a dar con esa profundidad, cuando compartimos o entregamos nuestros dones a los demás.

Ser un buen administrador, es nuestra verdad. No es una cuestión de elección. Si somos a la imagen de Dios, somos administradores. Presento esto como un llamado a la autorrealización. Para ser auto-realizados como Cristianos Católicos, debemos responder al llamado de la corresponsabilidad. La administración no es un punto de negociación. Es intencional y sin condiciones.

La corresponsabilidad administrativa le da sentido a la Navidad. Dios nos dio a su único Hijo, y su Hijo es la encarnación de la paz, el regalo supremo. Jesús nos llama a compartir esa paz con los demás, incluso frente a un mundo violento y fracturado, plagado de división y odio.

Esto solo puede suceder cuando examinamos primero, nuestra propia administración de servicio y cómo el Espíritu Santo nos motiva a una comprensión más profunda de entrega de nuestros dones en términos de tiempo, talento y tesoro y de cómo estos dones, pueden traer paz a aquellos, quienes nos rodean.

¡Feliz Navidad

y próspero año Nuevo!

+ Wm. Michael Mulvey Obispo de Corpus Christi

“Thank you, Bishop Mulvey, for an inspirational talk. Feeling what others verbalize may be the most important way to evangelize.”

“I really enjoyed this evening. It was definitely a new experience and I really like when the bishop talked about the priest and the pro-abortion girl and how he was able to still talk to her despite their differences and hopefully was able to change her mind.”

“’Peter, do you love me?’ ‘Peter, do you love me?’ Peter, do you love me?’ Bringing us back to think about how we show our love in every moment of our daily life. This question ‘do you love me’ needs to be first and foremost on my mind every day. In doing so I can, and we all can be reaching out and touching so many lives. This was truly an inspirational gathering, and I will look forward to this again next year.”

“I was inspired and got my answer to how I can talk to those who have an opposing viewpoint and what I can do to get to their level where they don’t feel judged and shut down. Where they can’t hear the Good News of Christ. What inspired me also was that we are here to love like Jesus did and we shouldn’t be a barrier between someone finding Christ. As a Catholic I shouldn’t look at taking the Eucharist as a requirement but look at it as how it can help me grow so the Lord can use me to feed his sheep.”

“We are the diocese. It’s not just a building. We need to be welcoming to everyone. We should invite everyone to sit at the empty chair. We need to see Jesus in everyone we meet. Start a dialogue. Don’t judge.”

“First, I am so happy to be part of this beautiful gathering. This was an eyeopening event to me. I did not realize how many organizations our diocese has. I live in my little world and help where I can. I really whole heartedly agree that our parish is part of the ‘Big Picture.’ I love the concept that ‘we’ must go out and reach out to others. I Look forward to next year!”

“Thank you, bishop, for sharing the story of your friend on the airplane. I’ve had a lot of family that I disagree with, but it made me understand that I don’t have to agree, but I can listen and not push them away.” “I don’t agree, but I understand.”

“Slow down. Listen. Welcome.”

6 SOUTH TEXAS CATHOLIC | WINTER 2022 | WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST

The quotes below are a few takeaway notes from those who participated in a short Synodal session directed by Father Peter Marsalek, SOLT at the State of the Diocese.

Addressing over 600 people, Bishop Mulvey gives his State of the Diocese address.

Holy friendships

‘We need to move from maintenance to mission’

BY MARY COTTINGHAM South Texas Catholic

The voices of youth from St. John Paul II High School choir and the Cathedral Youth Chorale set the stage for the first State of the Diocese on Oct. 26. They sang of unity in Christ through Word and Eucharist and of sending forth the gathered believers. Director of Music Alex Oldroyd from Corpus Christi Cathedral led them on piano with the musical arrangement, “We Are One in Christ,” by James J. Chepponis (originally Gustav Holst’s “Thaxted”).

More than 600 people attended this singular event, held at the Richard Borchard Fairgrounds, and attendees felt it was a memorable night. Bishop Michael Mulvey spoke of evangelizing through listening, mission, and a purposeful change of heart.

Bishop Mulvey spoke of being on the cusp of change —a change that will address the needs of our youth. “Think back 30-50 years ago, when you were a catechist, did you ever hear these words in the sense of reaching out to people: belonging; discernment; accompaniment; relational ministry; spiritual direction; discipleship training; going on pilgrimage; how to pray; walking with; listening; nonjudgmental; integral formation from the head to the heart —this is where our youth are taking us.”

He talked of rebuilding and restoring structures as well as our faith. He announced that FEMA had approved all damages incurred from Hurricane Harvey and that rebuilding would proceed soon.

“Evangelization is not a personal matter. It’s a matter that we can do together. We have to be a Church united, a faith united. So, they, ‘see how they love one another,’ becomes our strength and our force,” Bishop Mulvey said. “We need to move from maintenance to mission.” Then he addressed “the how” of it: “If we’re going to evangelize in a confused, divided, modern world, we have to be patient. We have to be pastoral.”

“We also need to learn —to pray better, to be silent in intimate prayer. We have to be more in touch with the

Word of God in our homes. The Eucharist, Mass, and Sacraments are there for us to enrich ourselves. They’re not things we have to do. They’re there for us so that God can feed us, so we can become the evangelizers that He wants us to be,” Bishop Mulvey said.

Citing the Gospel of John (Jn 21:15), Bishop Mulvey reminded the audience that Jesus asked Peter three times, “‘Do you love me?’ and Peter said, ‘Yes.’ ‘Feed my lambs [Jesus].’ And a second time, ‘Do you love me?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Tend my sheep [Jesus].’ And then a third time, and Peter was hurt, ‘Do you love me?’ ‘Yes. You know I love you.’ ‘Feed my sheep [Jesus].’ Sisters and brothers. You and I are Peter standing in front of Jesus tonight. ‘Do you love me?’ It’s a simple question. It’s an intimate question, but it’s a real question for each one of us. ‘Do you love me?’”

There was never a dull moment. Director of Communications and Public Relations Katia Uriarte Philipello and Assistant Director of Communications and Public Relations Jesse De Leon, III, welcomed attendees, announced the speakers, and kept the momentum moving. Every single speaker shared valuable insights about their ministry.

The first talk by Director Lisa McKelvey, from the Office of Stewardship and Development was on giving. “The four pillars of stewardship also include prayer, formation and service. One of the ways you can serve is by giving of your treasure through the Bishop Stewardship Appeal. Our Church is in a time of growth, and we need to be moving from maintenance to mission,” she said, echoing Bishop Mulveys address. “And your gifts are making mission possible.”

McKelvey introduced diocesan ministries that make the mission of the Church in Corpus Christi possible. Talks and presentations included: Director Dr. Michele Johnston of Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi and the Mother Teresa Shelter; Campus Minister Amy Barragree of the Newman Center at TAMUCC and Del Mar College; Director Siobhan O’Connor of Young Adults; and Youth

SPREADING THE LIGHT

Holy friendships

The voices of youth from St. John Paul II High School choir and the Cathedral Youth Chorale set the stage for the first State of the Diocese on Oct. 26. They sang of unity in Christ through Word and Eucharist and of sending forth the gathered believers. Director of Music Alex Oldroyd from Corpus Christi Cathedral led them on piano.

Minister Bea Romo from Holy Family Connect and “Let’s Color the Community.”

Parochial Vicar Father Carlos De La Rosa from St. Pius X Parish gave the invocation, and the fairgrounds staff served dinner.

Ladies from Our Lady of Victory in Beeville, Mary Arredondo, Susie Musquez, Annette Puga and Laly Arteaga, although delayed by a flat tire, served as greeters, while attendees perused the resource tables staffed by employees from each diocesan department and organization.

Some of the audience, mostly youth, shared their insights from bishop’s talk. Senior Nicolas Urbina from St. John Paul High School said he was moved by the bishop’s story about his friend who encountered a woman he didn’t agree with and he liked what bishop said about those who have different opinions. “As a Church we have to be willing to listen and reach our hand to those who

are most in need,” Nicolas said.

General Priest Servant from the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, Father Peter Marsalek, directed a short synodal session, which included listening to the Holy Spirit in silent prayer. Youth and adults wrote down valuable insights — they either shared or would quietly take with them as they go forth, to evangelize with love.

Attendees left hundreds of insights for the staff of the Communications Department, who spearheaded the event. Interviews with people slowly making their way home reflected on the power of the night.

Natasha Medina, a young adult with Let’s Color Our Community, and a parishioner of Holy Family, St. Pius X and the Newman Center said what most stood out to her was the message of loving one another. “Loving the people that are new to our community. Taking that first step and inviting them to our parish.”

Mother and daughter, Cecilia Black and Tita Perez,

MARY COTTINGHAM | SOUTH TEXAS CATHOLIC

from Immaculate Conception Mission in Concepcion said the evening was very special, “It was a message of inclusion and love. And to hear directly from our bishop was very special,” Cecilia said. “We come from the ranching community and a lot of times the message gets lost in translation by the time it comes from the diocese all the way down to the mission, so to hear directly from our bishop was very enlightening.”

Fr. Peter Elizardo said it was a magnificent night. “It was a beautiful spirit of love and peace, and there was such an openness in people. I think this was something they were looking forward to, and Bishop Mulvey encouraged all of

SPREADING THE LIGHT

Holy friendships

us to see the beauty of what we can accomplish together. I think that’s what we are all going to take with us and work hard at accomplishing.”

Steve and Mary Ellen Galvan, who teach Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at Corpus Christi Cathedral were most affected by the youth who were present and engaged. “It’s very affirming to us that kids are being reached,” Mary Ellen said. “If we have the kids engaged, then we have a future,” Steve said. “We believe that’s our future as a Church.”

“It was a great time for us to come together… after the pandemic. To see that people are coming together and sharing the same message. We need to be more compassionate and bring more people back to the church,” said Sylvia Garcia, Director of the Pax Christi Retreat Center. The bishop was very clear on that – we don’t need an empty chair. We need to fill it with deeds and actions.”

Superior Sister Annette Wagner from the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament said, “This was an amazing event. I think it brought us together as the family we are supposed to be. It was energizing, hopeful… it was positive. We are coming away with purpose and with the understanding that we are not on maintenance —we are on mission. I think that Vatican II still has a lot to teach us. This world is new, and we have to adjust our process not our message to be able to touch those who need to hear the good news of God’s love.”

The night ended with the beautiful voice of Dr. Cynthia Longoria, who sang “Ave Maria” by Franz Schubert. Dr. Longoria is a Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at Del Mar College.

A recording of the event is available on the Diocese of Corpus Christi YouTube channel at YouTube.com/DioceseofCorpusChristi.

Senior Nicolas Urbina from St. John Paul High School said he was moved by the bishop’s story about his friend who encountered a woman he didn’t agree with.

JESUS SAYS

Explaining the Gospel message

Receive your Master’s joy

THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS

BY FATHER BRADY WILLIAMS, SOLT Contributor

Some people are excellent gift givers. If you have ever been the recipient of such a gift you will immediately feel all the thoughtfulness and attention that has gone into picking this gift just for you. We are touched by the gift itself but even more so by the giver. In fact, something of the giver has been given to us beyond the gift itself. In a more perfect way, when God gives a gift, He gives more than something; He gives Himself.

In this season of gift giving, we can be lured into forgetting that Christ is the most important gift at Christmas. That sounds cliché or maybe too commonplace. The Parable of the Talents in the Gospel of Matthew 25:14-30 will help shake things up like a snow globe. Jesus says:

It will be as when a man going on a journey, called his servants and entrusted to them his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one —to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. (Mt 25:15 – 17).

We can easily identify the journeyman as Jesus, the Giver, who has ascended to the Father and gave gifts to men (c.f. Eph 4:8). From these initial verses we can sketch three significant qualities of the Giver as they are reflected in at least two recipients.

The first quality is that the Giver is trusting;

he entrusts what is His to His servants. God trusts us; he considers us trustworthy! That alone should fill us with great confidence … and also reverence.

The second quality is the Giver’s generosity His generosity provokes a generous response. In His gifts we feel a need to give. The parable gives the sense that the whole time the master was away the servants generously spent themselves trying to augment their master’s gifts. We should note here, that the Master gives “to each according to his ability.” The more fruitful we are with His gifts, the greater our capacity will be to receive more: “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (v. 29).

The third quality is excitement and energy. When God gives, the gift engenders great excitement and we have lots of energy to make the gift fruitful. Interestingly, the master doesn’t seem to give any instructions concerning the talents, and yet immediately the two servants set out industriously to double the investment.

These qualities of being trustworthy, generous, and energetic have their source in the Giver and are engendered in the gifts. Yet, God does not just give us something, He gives us Himself. The servants have been given more than just a talent by the reply of the master upon his return: “Well done, good and faithful servant … Come, share your master’s joy” (v. 21). Above and beyond returning their investment to the rightful owner, these two servants share their master’s joy, that is, His presence! Wouldn’t we want to hear the Lord say that to us when we

JESUS SAYS

Explaining the Gospel message

present the gift of our life to Him at the end of our days here on earth?

Of course, there is that servant who buried/ hid his master’s gift. He is the original Scrooge, exhibiting all the contrary qualities: distrustful, miserly, fearful, and slothful. By burying the gift, he didn’t actually receive it. Unfortunately, when the day came for the master to make good his investment, that servant would hear the harsh words: “And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth” (v. 30).

“An ox knows its owner, and an ass, its master’s manger” (Is 1:3). What happens when we recognize and fully accept the gift of Christ at Christmas? We become a gift ourselves! The Father gifted us with His Son at Christmas who gifts himself back to the Father. We too are ‘caught up through him in love’ and the qualities of the Giver are reflected in us as we give back our life to Him. The reward of a trustworthy, generous, and energetic self-gift to God will be to hear the words of the Giver: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come! Share your Master’s joy!”

In this season of gift giving, we can be lured into forgetting that Christ is the most important gift at Christmas.

JESUS DICE

Explicando el mensaje del evangelio

Recibe la alegría de tu Maestro LA PARÁBOLA DE LOS TALENTOS

POR: PADRE BRADY WILLIAMS, SOLT Contribuyente

Algunas personas son excelentes dadoras de regalos. Si alguna vez ha recibido un regalo muy significativo, sentirá inmediatamente, toda la consideración y atención que esa persona ha dedicado al elegir ese regalo especialmente para usted. Nos conmueve el regalo en sí, pero más aún la persona que nos lo dio. De hecho, algo del dador nos ha sido dado más allá del obsequio mismo. De manera más perfecta, cuando Dios nos da un don, nos da más que ese don o ese regalo; Él se nos da a sí mismo.

En esta temporada de dar regalos, podemos caer en la tentación de olvidar que Cristo es el regalo más importante de la Navidad. Quizás eso suena a cliché o a un concepto demasiado común. La parábola de los talentos en el Evangelio de Mateo 25:14-30 nos ayudará a sacudir las cosas y ponerlas en su lugar, como quien voltea uno de esos globos de nieve. Jesús dice:

-Es como cuando un hombre que va hacer un largo viaje, llama a sus siervos y les confía sus bienes. A uno le dio cinco talentos; a otro, dos; y a un tercero, uno, a cada cual según su capacidad. Luego partió. En seguida, el que había recibido cinco talentos se fue a negociar con ellos, e hizo otros cinco. Igualmente, el que recibió dos ganó otros dos…- (Mt 25, 15-17).

Podemos identificar fácilmente al hombre que va de viaje como Jesús, el Dador, que ha ascendido al Padre y ha dado dones a los hombres (cf. Ef 4, 8). A partir de estos versículos iniciales podemos esbozar tres cualidades significativas del Dador tal como se reflejan en al menos dos de sus siervos.

La primera cualidad es que el Dador confía; confía lo que es Suyo a sus siervos. Dios confía en nosotros;

¡Él nos considera dignos de confianza! Tan solo eso debería llenarnos de gran confianza… y también de reverencia.

La segunda cualidad es la generosidad del Dador. Su generosidad provoca una respuesta generosa. En Sus dones, sentimos la necesidad de dar. La parábola da la sensación de que todo el tiempo que el amo estuvo fuera, los sirvientes generosamente se dedicaron a tratar de aumentar los regalos de su amo. Debemos notar aquí que el Maestro da “a cada uno según su capacidad”. Cuanto más fructíferos seamos con sus dones, mayor será nuestra capacidad para recibir más: “Porque a todo el que tiene, se le dará más y se enriquecerá; pero al que no tiene, aun lo que tiene se le quitará” (v. 29).

Padre Brady Williams, SOLT

La tercera cualidad es la emoción y la energía; el entusiasmo. Cuando Dios da, el don genera una gran emoción y tenemos mucha energía para hacer que el don sea fecundo. Curiosamente, el amo no parece dar ninguna instrucción con respecto a los talentos y, sin embargo, inmediatamente los dos sirvientes se dispusieron diligentemente a duplicar la inversión.

Estas cualidades de ser digno de confianza, generoso y entusiasta, tienen su fuente en el Dador y se reprodujeron en los dones. Sin embargo, Dios no solo nos da algo, El se da a sí mismo.

A los siervos se les ha dado más allá de un talento y lo reconocemos por la respuesta que da el amo a su regreso: “Bien!, siervo bueno y fiel… Ven, comparte la alegría de tu señor” (v. 21). Más allá de devolver su inversión al propietario

JESUS DICE

Explicando el mensaje del evangelio

legítimo, estos dos sirvientes comparten la alegría de su amo, es decir, ¡Su presencia! ¿Acaso no nos gustaría escuchar al Señor decirnos eso cuando le presentemos el regalo de nuestra vida al final de nuestros días aquí en la tierra?

Por supuesto, también está ese sirviente que enterró/escondió el regalo de su amo. Es el Scrooge original, exhibiendo todas las cualidades contrarias: desconfiado, avaro, temeroso y perezoso. Al enterrar el regalo, es como si en realidad no lo recibiera. Desgraciadamente, cuando llegaba el día en que el amo resarcía su inversión, aquel siervo oía las duras palabras: “Y a ese siervo inútil echadlo a las tinieblas de afuera. Allí será el llanto y el rechinar

de dientes”. (v. 30).

“El buey conoce a su dueño, y el asno el pesebre de su amo” (Is 1,3). ¿Qué sucede cuando reconocemos y aceptamos plenamente el regalo de Cristo en Navidad? ¡Nos convertimos en un regalo para nosotros mismos! El Padre nos regaló a Su Hijo en Navidad, quien se regala de nuevo a Su Padre. Nosotros también somos ‘recogidos en El, a través de Su amor’ y las cualidades del Dador se reflejan en nosotros cuando Le devolvemos nuestra vida. La recompensa de una entrega a Dios digna de confianza, generosa y entusiasta será escuchar las palabras del Dador: “Bien, siervo bueno y fiel. ¡Venid! ¡Comparte la alegría de tu Maestro!”

Diocese of Corpus Christi to Hold Collection to Aid Catholic Aging Religious

The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) announces that on Dec. 10-11, 2022, the Diocese of Corpus Christi will hold the annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection in parishes throughout the diocese.

Last year, the parishioners of the diocese donated $50,353.28 to the collection. In 2022, the Congregation of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament; Missionary Daughters of the Most Pure Virgin Mary; Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic, Inc.; Sisters of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity; and Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity received a combined total of $395,540.69 in financial support made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious.

About the upcoming collection, NRRO Executive Director Sister Stephanie Still, a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of San Francisco, said, “The care of our aging religious presents an enormous financial responsibility.

It is our privilege to care for those who gave a lifetime of tireless service, and I feel we are deeply blessed by all the U.S. Catholic donors who have steadfastly contributed to this fund.”

Historically, Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests—known collectively as women and men religious— served for little to no pay. With rising health-care expenses, hundreds of U.S. religious communities face a large gap between the needs of their older members and the funds available to support their care. As a result, many now lack adequate retirement savings.

The 2021 appeal raised nearly $28.5 million, and the NRRO distributed funding to 271 U.S. religious communities. Donations also underwrite resources that help religious communities improve elder care and plan for long-term retirement needs.

Bishop Michael Mulvey and the staff of the Office for Safe Environment and Child and Family Resources are committed to assisting those who have faced abuse of any kind. For immediate assistance, support and referral information, please call Victim Assistance Coordinator Stephanie Bonilla at (361) 693-6686.

Missionary Daughters of the Most Pure Virgin live at St. Martin’s Convent in Kingsville. From Left to right, Sister Maria Reyna Marcial, Sister Lupita Osorio, Sister Lucia Hinojosa, Sister Agueda Durazo, Sister Maria Delia ZapataBenavidez, Sister Maximina Cruz, Sister Ricarda Garza and Sister Salome Suarez.

A Christmas story

BY SISTER MARY CLAIRE STRASSER, SOLT Contributor

One of my favorite Christmas memories was from when I was eleven. The summer before, my dad, mom and I had been wandering around an antique shop, and mom showed me a doll she had loved as a little girl. She still had the original trunk, but the doll had disappeared over time.

As Christmas came closer, I talked my dad into driving back across town to that antique store and buying the doll for my mom as a surprise. Wrapping the gift and anticipating my mom’s reaction filled my little girl’s heart with joy. Eyeing her present under the tree as the days drew closer was a secret burning in the delight it would bring. Seeing her open her gift was priceless. The doll is on prominent display in our house, not because of the package but because of the process.

Gifts are a process —thinking, shopping, wrapping, giving, unwrapping, and thanking. When we receive a gift, we also receive a reflection of the gift giver —their love, kindness, thoughtfulness, their memory of our preciousness to them.

God, too, loves this process; He is the best gift-giver. He gives us our intellect, will, talents, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and grace received in the sacraments. He has thought and planned each of our gifts to be unwrapped for a particular time and place. His gifts to each of us are unique and unrepeatable; the combination of your heart, talents and grace were delighted in as the “Lord knit you together in your mother’s womb”

(Psalm 139:13).

Not only does He give us precious gifts within, but He also entrusts others to us as gifts. John Paul II writes of this entrustment: “to entrust means that God believes in you, trusts that you are capable of receiving the gift, that you are capable of embracing it with your heart, that you have the capacity to respond to it with a gift of yourself.”

Jesus even entrusts His very self to us through the Eucharist. He knows, to paraphrase St. John Paul II, that our hearts are capable of embracing and receiving Him in the Eucharist, and that we have the capacity to respond in thanksgiving to Him with a sincere gift of ourselves. How will we thank the Lord for all that He has given us? In this season of Advent, we can do as Pope Francis reminds us in his letter to young people for World Youth Day 2023: “Mary is our model; she shows us how to welcome this immense gift into our lives, to share it with others, and thus to bring Christ, His compassionate love and His generous service to our deeply wounded humanity.”

Sister Mary Claire Strasser, SOLT Director of Consecrated Life & Women’s Vocations diocesecc.org/ consecratedlife

SAINTLY GIFTS

From Our Lady Star of the Sea

Our Lady Star of the Sea is home to over 300 sacred relics

BY DEBBIE BURNETT Contributor

Father Roy Kalayil, the pastor at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, said he feels a powerful pres ence in the sanctuary when he prays there. He is convinced it is due to the extensive collection of relics near the altar. Our Lady Star of the Sea is blessed to have over 300 sacred relics —most of them are first class relics.

The relics in the church were amassed by the late Msgr. Vincent Patrizi, who had been the pastor of OLSS for many years. No one knows precisely how Msgr. Patrizi obtained many them. However, he was born and raised in Rome and made several trips to his home.

Although the sacred relics have been on display at Our Lady Star of the Sea for many years, most parishioners are unaware of the blessing in their midst. Father Kalayil was amazed at the seemingly untapped beauty of the collection of relics and wanted to make everyone aware of these saintly gifts.

Beginning last March, one sacred relic has been featured each week in the parish bulletin and Facebook page. The feature includes a history and picture of the saint, a picture of the relic, and a prayer of intercession the congregation reads aloud at the end of Mass.

Father Kalayil purchased a special container to pray to the saint of the week. It is on display on a table at the front of the church, off to the side of the altar, so it will draw even more attention to the relic and the saint of that week.

Catholic relics are as old as the Church. Martyrdom was a frequent, if not typical cause of a Christian death. The martyr’s remains were collected, often in pieces, for secret burial in places like catacombs. When available, the instrument of death was taken along with clothing and other items. Many relics are encased in the altars of parish churches, especially cathedrals, or preserved in reliquaries to be venerated by believers. The tradition of venerating relics began before Jesus, and the practice is based in Scripture and centuries of Church teaching.

Relics are reminders that our saints are not simply names in a book or make-believe people. They were real people

like us who struggled with many of the same difficulties and doubts we live with every day. Relics are physical, tangible, concrete reminders that heaven is obtainable, so long as we recognize what made the saints holy and work to apply those qualities to our lives.

When venerating relics, we express gratitude to God for those members of our spiritual family. We recall their holy lives and pray for the grace to achieve —eternity with God in heaven.

The word relic comes from the Latin “relinquo,” meaning “I leave” or “I abandon.” A relic usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangible memorial.

There are three classes of sacred relics. First-class relics include items that have physically touched the body of Jesus, such as a sliver of the cross or a thorn from His crown, or were parts of the saint’s body, such as a fragment of bone, flesh or hair. Second-class relics are pieces of the saint’s clothing or something used by the saint. A thirdclass relic is an object which has touched an actual first or second-class relic.

Authentic relics have a process by which they have been verified. There are wax seals that mark and secure the back of the teca (the little container the relic is encased in) and official documentation. Our Lady Star of the Sea has two relics from the Holy Cross, a relic from the Holy Sepulcher, a relic of a thorn, and a relic from the veil of Veronica.

It’s important to understand that relics are meant to be honored and venerated, not worshiped. We don’t worship a sacred relic and don’t think it will do something for us that God cannot do. We pray for the saint’s intercession in asking God to provide for us what we need. It may be a particular intercessor —like St. Anthony when we seek something lost or call on a particular saint in a time of

Father Roy Kalayil, pastor at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish and Debbie Burnett want everyone to be aware of the saintly gifts on display at the church.

MARY COTTINGHAM | SOUTH TEXAS CATHOLIC

SAINTLY GIFTS

From Our Lady Star of the Sea

information, go to olsscc.org.

illness. It’s an action of the heart to say that we trust that they are with God, that their work is still very powerful, and that they can go before God on our behalf.

Sacred relics offer Catholics a way to personally connect with the communion of saints, which is a great aspect of our faith in the Church. We have a “cloud of

More about Our Lady Star of the Sea

Our Lady Star of the Sea is a beautiful church with a rich history.

It was originally dedicated in 1882 as St. Patrick’s on North Carancahua, and it became the Cathedral of the Diocese of Corpus Christi when the Diocese was formed in 1912. After it caught fire in 1951, it was dismantled and the sanctuary, nave and chapel were moved to the current location on North Beach. OLSS is blessed to have the original altar, statues, and stainedglass windows from the Cathedral which were reinstalled

witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) who are constantly working on our behalf so that we might be counted among them. Saints are not just spectators to the race we run; they are cheering us on to the same victory in the life of faith they obtained. By honoring their memories, bodies, and belongings, we thank God for the saint’s holy witness.

after its relocation.

The church serves as a memorial to the pioneers of Corpus Christi and is home to families who seek a small “country church” atmosphere of worship and fellowship.

Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish is located on North Beach (across from the USS Lexington) at 3110 E. Causeway Boulevard, Corpus Christi, TX, 78402. We would love to have you visit our beautiful parish and welcome you to participate in the holy Mass. Be sure to allow time to venerate the sacred relics on display.

MARY COTTINGHAM | SOUTH TEXAS CATHOLIC

Debbie Burnett, a parishioner at Our Lady Star of the Sea is researching every relic in the church, compiling a spreadsheet, and creating binders of the official documents related to each relic. She also writes up a short article about the saint and features it in the church’s bulletin, website and Facebook page. For more

A relic of one the Saint of the week on display on the altar at Our Lady Star of the Sea.

DEBBIE BURNETT | FOR STC

NEWS OF THE DIOCESE Upcoming Events

Lessons and Carols Provide a Traditional Prelude to Midnight

BY JESSE DE LEON III South Texas Catholic

The tradition of Lessons and Carols dates to the late 1800s, and it continues at the Cor pus Christi Cathedral this Christmas. It is a dramatic interplay of scripture passages and music that balances familiar melodies which swell to dramatic crescendos, building a sense of expectation and anticipation of the birth of Jesus.

Knowing the history of Lessons and Carols helps create a deeper appreciation and understanding of its liturgical role. The lessons, also known as Nine Lessons or the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, are scripture passages that tell the story of the fall of humanity and the coming of the Messiah. These readings include excerpts from the book of Genesis, prophetic books, and Gospels from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Between the reading of these scriptures, the carols are sung, usually by a choir that features different soloists. But regardless of whether it is the spoken word, or a musical performance, Lessons and Carols lead up to a moment that is unexpectedly quiet but unmistakably powerful.

“The majesty of the lessons and carols all build up to the moment Midnight Mass begins,” says Alex Oldroyd, Director of Music at the Corpus Christi Cathedral. “At midnight, when the first few notes of ‘Silent Night’ are heard, they let everyone know our Savior is about to be born.”

Oldroyd says that he and the members of the Corpus Christi Cathedral Choir rehearse tirelessly on vocal and musical arrangements to present these pieces as they were originally performed. Oldroyd acknowledges his choir’s commitment to excellence and how that focus works to infuse each performance with earnest spirituality. The 25-member choir spends approximately sixteen hours rehearsing for Lessons and Carols, with each singer devoting 2 to 4 hours to individual practicing. Oldroyd himself logs many hours not only as the director but also as the organist. He estimates he spends approximately 6 to 10 hours setting up the organ and coordinating rehearsal schedules. The estimated total preparation time is over

450 hours.

The original Lessons and Carols comprise nine scripture passages and accompanying music, but what will be heard on Christmas Eve at the Corpus Christi Cathedral will be modified out of a practical concern of timing.

“We don’t have time to do that long of a service,” says Oldroyd. “The passages we eventually use are a result of reflecting on some of the things that Bishop Mulvey talked about in recent homilies or an Advent message, and those are the kinds of things that usually guide me in choosing the theme upon which our performance will focus.”

Nativity scene on the altar at Corpus Christi Cathedral.

ARCHIVED

PHOTO

NEWS OF THE DIOCESE Upcoming Events

Midnight Mass

Oldroyd adds that he also strives to select the scripture passages and melodies that will underscore the season of Advent’s joyful anticipation that leads to the birth of the Savior. He says he considers selections that fit in as either beginning, ending or anchor pieces that help tell the story

The television, internet and radio broadcasts of The Service of Lessons and Carols and the Midnight Mass at Corpus Christi Cathedral on Dec. 24 at 11:30 p.m. are presented live thanks to a generous gift from

Alex Oldroyd Director of Music at the Corpus Christi Cathedral

H-E-B and its partners desire that everyone remembers the true meaning of Christmas.

KDF-TV (Check cable guide for ch. #)

Audio: KLUX-HD 89.5 & klux.org

most effectively as it all leads up to the start of Midnight Mass.

“The carols frame the spiritual content of the lessons, and this the narrative which leads up to the moment when Advent finally ends, and Christmas joyously begins.”

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Upcoming Events

Homenaje a Nuestra Señora de Familia, organizado por las Guadalupanas

POR REBECCA ESPARZA Corresponsal

Elena y Roberto Medina han sido feligreses de la Parroquia de La Sagrada Familia, (situada al oeste de Corpus Christi) desde hace 55 años. Y por la mayor parte de esos años, Elena ha sido fiel miembro de las Guadalupanas. Un día, Roberto que anhelaba no solo estar más cerca de su esposa, sino también mostrar su amor y reverencia por la Santísima Madre, dijo: “Siento un gran amor y devoción por la Virgen de Guadalupe, entonces, cuando fue sugerido, sin ninguna duda, me hice miembro de las Guadalupanas junto a mi esposa. Me encantó la idea”.

Hoy en día, la membresía de las Guadalupanas es de alrededor de 52 damas, pero cada vez se unen más parejas, señaló Silvia Hernández-Salazar, líder del capítulo de Guadalupanas de la Sagrada Familia.

“Ha sido maravilloso contemplar a esposos y esposas

participar juntos de esta devoción. Ayuda a los hombres a venir a Misa más regularmente. No solo les ayuda a crecer como pareja, sino también como personas cristianas y católicas”, dijo.

Cada año, durante los últimos 20 años, las Guadalupanas de la parroquia de La Sagrada Familia se han reunido para planificar, ejecutar y presentar; un hermoso evento que rinde homenaje a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, el cual culmina en el día de la celebración de su fiesta, el 12 de diciembre. La tradición mexicana incluye tantas partes emotivas, que sería imposible coordinarlas sin el amor y la pasión de toda la comunidad eclesiástica, dirigida por las Guadalupanas.

“Un homenaje es una forma especial de rendir tributo a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe”, dijo Hernández-Salazar, feligrés de ‘Holy Family’ desde hace 28 años y una de las organizadoras del evento anual. “Todo comienza con una

Guadalupe en La Sagrada Guadalupanas el 11 de diciembre

novena, a partir del 4 al 12 de diciembre. El homenaje en sí, se realiza desde el 11 de diciembre a las 7 de la noche y la semana y media de festividades concluye cantando las tradicionales ‘Mañanitas’ el 12 de diciembre, a las 6:30 de la mañana, seguida por la Santa Misa y desayuno, inmediatamente después”.

Un homenaje no es solo una celebración para honrar a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, sino que es un evento que une a la comunidad en la fe.

“Tenemos una amplia variedad de grupos que actúan, incluyendo mariachis, matachines (danzantes religiosos tradicionales que datan de hace varios siglos), coros de niños y un grupo de jóvenes/adultos jóvenes, que presentan una obra de teatro”, dijo. “También tenemos varios grupos folclóricos que bailan en honor a Nuestra Señora”.

Los matachines visten atuendos tradicionales, aztecas o mayas y tienen una actuación inicial en las afueras de la iglesia que dan principio a la celebración interior.

Los matachines no solo rinden homenaje a la Virgen de Guadalupe a través de la danza, sino que también presentan sus respetos a la Iglesia orando a través de su baile con coloridos atuendos.

“Organizar este evento es mucho trabajo para nosotros, pero vale la pena cuando vemos cómo se une la comunidad de nuestra iglesia. Atrae a muchas personas que podrían haberse ido de la Iglesia, también acerca y reúne a las familias. Nos sentimos honrados al poder hacer esto y continuaremos haciéndolo por el mayor del tiempo posible”, dijo Hernández-Salazar.

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe es la Santa Patrona de la Diócesis de Corpus Christi.

Las Guadalupanas de La Sagrada Familia invitan a la comunidad a experimentar el homenaje de este año, que está programado para el 11 de diciembre a las 7 p.m. Visite holyfamilycc.net para mantenerse actualizado sobre las festividades.

Holy Family Homenaje to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 11

BY REBECCA ESPARZA Correspondent

Elena and Roberto Medina have been parishioners at Holy Family on Corpus Christi’s Westside for 55 years. And for most of those years, Elena has been a faithful member of the Guadalupanas. But one day, Roberto yearned to not only become closer to his wife, but also show his love and devotion for the Blessed Mother.

“I have a great love of La Virgen de Guadalupe,” said Roberto Medina. “So, when it was suggested, I join the Guadualupanas with my wife, I loved the idea and joined without hesitation.”

Today, membership of the Guadalupanas is around 52 ladies, but more and more couples are joining, noted Silvia Hernandez-Salazar, a leader with the Holy Family chapter of the Guadalupanas.

“It has been awesome seeing husbands and wives participating together. It helps men come to Mass more regularly. It not only helps them grow as a couple, but as a person, as a Christian and a Catholic,” she said.

Every year for the last 15-20 years, the Guadalupanas from Holy Family parish have gathered to plan, execute and stage a beautiful event to pay homage to Our Lady of Guadalupe, with the last day culminating in the celebration of her feast day on Dec. 12. The Mexican tradition includes so many moving parts, that it would be impossible to coordinate without the love and passion of the entire church community, with the Guadalupanas leading the way.

“An homenaje is a special way to honor Our Lady of

Guadalupe,” said Hernandez-Salazar, a 28-year parishioner at Holy Family and one of the organizers of the yearly event. “Everything starts with a novena, from Dec. 4-12. The homenaje is held on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. and the week and a half of festivities concludes with the singing of ‘Las Mananitas’ on the last day, Dec. 12, at 6:30 a.m., concluding with a Mass and breakfast immediately afterwards.”

An homenaje is not only a celebration to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, but it’s an event that brings a community together in faith.

“We have a wide variety of groups that perform, including mariachis, matachines (traditional religious dancers dating back centuries), children’s choir and a youth/young adult group that will perform a play,” she said. “We also have several folklorico groups that dance to honor Our Lady.”

The matachines dress in traditional Aztec or Mayan costumes and have a special performance outside to kick off the festivities inside the church. Matachines not only pay tribute to La Virgen de Guadalupe through dance, but they also pay respect to the Church via their interpretive dance and colorful costumes.

“Organizing this event is a lot of work for us, but it’s worth it when we see how our church community comes together. It brings a lot of people back to church that might have left and brings families closer together. We are honored to do this and will continue for as long as possible,” Hernandez-Salazar said.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patron saint of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. All are invited.

The board of directors of the Guadalupanas holding a meeting after Mass at Holy Family. They are from left Manuel Vela, Jacinta Vela María Hernández, Elena Medina, Sîlvia Hernández Salazar, Ana Amaro and Maria Hernandez. The Guadalupanas of Holy Family invite the community to experience this year’s homenaje, which is scheduled for Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. Visit holyfamilycc.net to stay up to date on the festivities.

ROBERTO MEDINA

Witnessing God’s love to one another

Family feels blessed to be the hands and feet of Jesus

BY MARY COTTINGHAM South Texas Catholic

CORRECTION: It is with sincere regret that in an earlier version of this story, the South Texas Catholic mistakenly reported that Hurricane Celia slammed into Corpus Christi in 1961. That date was incorrect. It should have read, “Hurricane Celia slammed into Corpus Christi on Aug. 3, 1970.”

udy Jr. Ortiz said, “I feel my family —my son Rudy, my wife Bertha and I have been chosen. We’re on a mission, and that’s to help as many people as we can and help wherever we are needed and be there for whatever He puts in

our way,” he said. “I love to help people. And I guess it’s because of the love in our family —we want to share that everywhere we go.”

Whereas Rudy Jr. has the heart of a volunteer, Bertha has been steadfast in allowing her husband to do what he loves

The Ortiz family, from left, is Rudy Jr., Rudy III and Bertha. at the Clergy and Religious Appreciation Banquet on Oct. 13, 2022.

MARY

MARRIAGE

Witnessing God’s love to one another

while she takes care of the home front. Five years ago, she began volunteering with her husband. “Bertha is my rock,” Rudy Jr. says. “I thank God for sending her into my life.”

Helping others is second nature to Rudy Jr. His earliest memory was aiding the Red Cross, giving out food and water after Hurricane Celia slammed into Corpus Christi in 1970 and he was just 14 when he started working with the police department neighborhood programs.

God has blessed the couple with two children —now grown, a daughter, Priscilla Ortiz-Alejandre and a son, Rudy III. Priscilla works for a local school district and has a daughter, Emily. Their 42-year-old son, Rudy III, has been a blessing to his parents since birth. Born with down syndrome, Rudy III continues to be a positive force in their marriage. For Rudy Jr. and Bertha, it’s almost impossible to talk about their marriage without mentioning their son.

As a young boy, Rudy III made friends with people he knew in the neighborhood and at school. He played Little League baseball, football, basketball, and swimming. He played with Bertha’s nephews, and his father coached it all. “I mean, he’s done everything,” his father said.

When Rudy III attended Miller High School, he played football, golf, and the cymbals in the band. He lettered in both band and golf. He still maintains contact with his band friends to this day. “The only thing that affects him a little bit is his speech,” Bertha said.

Rudy Jr. and Bertha have had more than their share of trials and tribulations. In two unrelated incidents, Rudy Jr. broke his back and knees. In both cases, it was a long road back to recovery. Rudy Jr. now has titanium in both his back and knees. Incidentally, Rudy III also had to have a titanium plate in his neck and hip from a football injury. “We’re called the titanium family,” Rudy Jr. said.

Bertha has had two near-death experiences. Once after she gave birth to her first child she began to hemorrhage after the doctor had sewn her up. Apparently he accidentally nicked an artery. They said she died on the table and was brought back to life.

Another time she is convinced she died during a heart procedure. “It was beautiful. I saw a bright light and clouds,” Bertha said. She now has a pacemaker and defibrillator (also titanium), so whether or not she volunteers depends on how she feels that day. Sometimes when she is not feeling well, she will ask Rudy III to stay home with her and he’ll say, “Mom, the poor gotta eat.”

“I thank God for my health and for giving me my life,” Bertha said. “I want to always be there for my son.”

Rudy III is the household “CNA.” He oversees his parents’

medicines, occasionally giving his mother a shot and giving them both their eye drops. Sometimes he tries to hurry his father along. “He stands in the hall looking at me working on my computer and impatiently says, ‘My dad’s not ready to go?’ Because he knows that when I hit the pillow, I’ll be asleep in no time. When I’m ready, he’ll click his fingers for Bertha to go to bed so he can tend to us both,” Rudy Jr. said.

The Ortiz family does a lot of praying and they like attending Mass. After Mass, they feel rejuvenated because of all the hustle and bustle during the week.

The Ortiz family is involved with the Knights of Columbus (KOCs). Rudy Jr. and Rudy III are both fourth-degree knight

and charter members of the KOCs for Corpus Christi Cathedral Council 11107. Rudy Jr. is the Diocesan Deputy for the Corpus Christi KOC (Assembly 1097). Rudy III is healthy and strong and volunteers alongside other knights.

The knights volunteer at Catholic Charities Ministry & Life Enrichment for Persons with Disabilities program. They cook, serve, and clean. “We like to serve the community, those in need and our special needs,” Rudy Jr. said. The Ortiz

Rudy Ortiz, III is awarded the Knights of Columbus Cardinal Medeiros Fellow award at the KOC State Convention 2022.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MARRIAGE

Witnessing God’s love to one another

family also serves Catholic Charities during Thanksgiving and Christmas. They help pack the food boxes and Toys for Tots and deliver food from the Food Bank. “It’s an us thing,” Rudy Jr. said.

“It’s an honor to do the Lord’s work,” Bertha added.

The two Rudy’s and other brother knights sometimes devote their time to keeping up the grounds at Corpus Christi Cathedral Parish. They also assemble tables and chairs for rummage sales while Bertha helps organize. As a family, they also help at diocesan events. Recently, they brought colossal ice chests full of drinks for the 100th Anniversary of the Diocese reception.

In 2017 the local emergency response team contacted Rudy Jr., and enlisted his help to communicate with all the councils. In many ways, Hurricane Harvey and the subsequent freeze mobilized the knights to come together to confront the needs of the people in the Coastal Bend.

He distributed forms for $100 gift cards so people could buy gas, water, or other things shortly after the hurricane. The knights went to Ingleside, Aransas Pass, Rockport, and

Fulton. “St. Peter’s looked like a bomb hit it,” the senior Rudy said. “Very sad.”

They cut down fallen trees, cleaned debris, and barbecued for those working at the sites. “It was hard work,” Rudy Jr. said. His son seasoned two cases of chicken. “Rudy thought he was done after seasoning those two cases, but then they brought him two more. He looked at me like he was saying, … ‘make it stop, dad.’”

They adopted the sisters at Schoenstatt and worked on their property every two weeks until it was cleared. Then at the cemetery across the street. They removed trees on top of tombstones, making a trail by moving them to one side for the sisters to walk. And when the sisters mentioned that they didn’t have a place to sit, they started clearing the cemetery. “We left some of the stumps, and the sisters loved it because they could sit down and pray the rosary,” Rudy Jr. said.

During the freeze, Rudy Jr. got a call from Red Cross and FEMA to help set up warming centers in and around Alice. The knights once again united to keep people from freezing. They activated eight councils in that area and the surrounding areas to set up warming centers for the elderly.

SS. CYRIL & METHODIUS

CATHOLIC CHRUCH

3210 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND DR. CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 78415 AGAPE

“I’m in charge of 60 counties and 50 district deputies and almost 5000 men. Wow. I don’t even feel it,” Rudy Jr. said. “I lead by example. I’m all about doing the Lord’s work; He knows my payday. He knows what I do, and I always share with my brother knights what Bishop Mulvey tells me: ‘Rudy tell your brother nights that I thank them for everything that they do.’”

“I tell my brother knights: we’re here to serve. We’re not here to be served. I tell them that God has a plan for them, and brother, you’re not going to feel tired. You’re going to have the strength to help you go the distance. You’re going to have the words. You’re going to know how to handle things and how to talk to people. And you will be amazed at what you’ve just done for that person. There’s more work to be done,” he said. My goal is to promote as many knights as possible in this diocese and show them that we have a lot of work to do for the Lord. And if you believe you’re doing the Lord’s work, you’ll never get tired.”

Rudy Jr. said of his son, “Rudy has been a knight for 22 years, and I’ve never left him behind. The guys at the church say, ‘The apple doesn’t fall from the tree.’ And I’ll try to correct them. You mean the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?” And they say, “No, this apple hasn’t fallen. He is an extended limb.”

3210 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND DR. CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 78415

If interested in becoming a member of the Knights of Columbus contact Rudy Ortiz, Diocesan Deputy Diocese of Corpus Christ at (361) 549-9528 or email rudyortiz57@gmail.com.

WOMAN OF STRENGTH

St. Lucy

A brave young woman’s fearless

BY ELIZABETH MORALES South Texas Catholic

How can a young person understand any thing about life? They have not yet lived. What can they possibly share that is not known to anyone older? Perhaps that is why devotion to Saint Lucy (Santa Lucia) spread immediately following her death in 304 A.D. Some times, a young person’s witness can teach anyone about a fearless love for God.

Traditionally, the story of St. Lucy has been handed down through; Acts of the Martyrs; inscriptions from the Catacombs of St. John of Syracuse built between the fourth and sixth century; and Jacobus de Voragine’s medieval text Golden Legend, originally titled Readings of the Saints. Historical attributes of St. Lucy also exist in archeological museums in Syracuse, Sicily.

Lucy was born in 283 A.D. to wealthy parents. Her father, who was of Roman descent, passed away during her adolescent years. Her mother, Eutychia (a Greek name), raised her young daughter alone. Eutychia’s health was failing, so she sought to arrange a marriage for her daughter to provide her with financial stability.

Lucy, however, had other plans. She had already vowed to consecrate her virginity to God, and she intended to keep that promise. Having lived in the centuries immediately succeeding the life and death of Christ, Lucy was familiar with the repercussions of choosing to follow Christ. Despite torture and death as a real risk, Lucy faced the consequence of her decision head-on.

Soon after the two visited the tomb of Saint Agatha of Sicily (martyred in 251 A.D.) to request healing for her mother, Lucy saw St. Agatha in a dream. St. Agatha told Lucy that her mother would be healed. Eventually, her mother did heal.

Truly thankful for her mother’s improved health, Lucy gave her dowry to the poor. The news angered her betrothed, and he reported her as a Christian to governor Paschasius.

After having just visited St. Agatha’s final resting place in Catania, Sicily and receiving a message from her in a dream, Lucy remained true to her vow of virginity and walked toward her death. Lucy had St. Agatha’s example of martyrdom an estimated fifty years prior during the Decian

persecution of Christians.

Legend has it that for her persecution, the governor’s first attempt was to force Lucy into life at a brothel, yet her body became too heavy for the guards to move, even when hitched to a team of oxen. Next, she was ordered to be burned alive at the stake, but the wood would not catch fire. Ultimately, she was executed by sword.

Artwork often depicts Lucy holding her eyes on a plate. One account is that she removed her eyes to dissuade admirers. Another is that it came as a directive from the governor when she warned him that he would be punished for his actions. However, those who buried Lucy later revealed that her eyes were miraculously still in place. The legends of her eyes led to Lucy becoming the patron saint of eyesight, eye afflictions and the blind.

Her body was kept untouched in Sicily for four hundred years after her death. Subsequent monarchs who came into power transferred her remains to multiple locations. They now remain as relics in Italian cities, such as Rome, Milan, Naples and the countries of Sweden, France and Germany.

St. Lucy’s feast day is Dec. 13. Throughout centuries, festivities are celebrated around the world in her honor. In Sweden, her feast day begins their Christmas celebrations where the eldest daughter of a family wears a white robe and crown of evergreen and candles, intending to symbolize bringing forth hope and light during the darkest time of the year —winter.

Tradition also holds that Lucy wore a crown of candles to liberate her hands while carrying food to the poor in the dark. In Olón, Ecuador, she is the patron saint, and the coastal town commemorates her with a week-long festival, which concludes on her feast day.

The name “Lucy” is derived from the Latin word “lux” meaning “light,” further connecting to her patronage of eyesight.

Elizabeth Morales

WOMAN OF STRENGTH St. Lucy

fearless love of God

The irony of St. Lucy’s martyrdom at such a young age is the assumption she would have been forgotten, having died so young, but the opposite is true. Lucy’s brief yet brave life was far from forgotten. Since Pope Gregory I, she has been mentioned by name in the Canon of the Mass, displaying how her heroism made its way around the early Church. Furthermore, she, along with St. Agatha and St. Cecilia, are well-remembered virgin martyrs until this day. Even hundreds of years after her martyrdom, the name Lucy can be found in texts, such as Dante’s Inferno, C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and a Beatles’ song. Her witness, though short-lived, imparts how faithfulness to God from a very young age can impact individuals for immeasurable eras to come.

The National Gallery. Lucia of Syracuse or St Lucy. Valentin Metzinger. 1741. Ljubljana. Slovenia.

PHOTO BY GODONGPHOTO | DEPOSIT PHOTOS

Plata y Oro

Misa de Celebración de Aniversario de Bodas

Las parejas bendecidas por celebrar en el año 2023, 25 o 50 años de matrimonio sacramental, están invitadas a una Misa especial de aniversario de bodas de plata y oro, precedida por el Obispo Michel Mulvey.

DOMINGO 12 DE FEBRERO DE 2023, A LA 9:30 A.M. Catedral de Corpus Christi | 505 N. Upper Broadway

A continuación se ofrecerá una pequeña recepción en el Salón San José de la Catedral. Las parejas que se registren antes de la fecha limite recibirán un certificado (de manos) del Obispo Mulvey del Obispo Mulvey reconociendo su aniversario de plata o de oro. La inscripción está abierta a cualquier pareja válidamente casada que celebre 25 o 50 años de matrimonio en 2023. Para recibir un Certificado de aniversario, envíe el registro antes del 3 de febrero de 2023

Registro en línea: diocesecc.org/anniversarymassregistration o RSVP antes del 3 de febrero a Heath García al (361) 882-6191 ext. 687

HD-1 DIGITAL

Highlights, upcoming events and briefs

Meet the 3 women the U.S. bishops are considering for sainthood

KATIE YODER Catholic News Agency

The U.S. Catholic bishops are preparing to vote on whether to advance the causes for sainthood for three American women: a mother and Catholic convert considered to be a mystic, a young campus missionary who struggled with cancer, and a religious sister who ministered to the poor and the African American community.

During their upcoming fall general assembly Nov. 14–17 in Baltimore, the U.S. bishops will consider whether to advance on the local level the causes of beatification and canonization for Cora Evans, Michelle Duppong, and Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy.

Under Church law, diocesan bishops promoting a sainthood cause must consult with the regional bishops before the cause can advance.

Here is a look at the new candidates for sainthood.

CORA EVANS

Born in 1904, Cora Evans was raised a Mormon in Utah. Her first of many mystical experiences — an apparition of the Blessed Mother — came when she was only 3 years old, according to the website promoting her cause. But her search for the Catholic faith began on her wedding day.

“I was without a God and religion but had gained a very wonderful husband,” she said after her marriage ceremony, according to the site. “As I looked at him and learned to love him more and more, I resolved to help find a God for him. After 10 years of searching, we found the One True God in the Roman Catholic Church.”

During that search, Cora and her husband, Mack, welcomed three children: two daughters, LaVonne and Dorothy, and one son, Bobby, who died when he was a baby.

Cora encountered Catholicism in a new way one day

after listening to a Catholic program on the radio while lying sick in bed. This led her to visit the local Catholic church and ask the parish priest questions about the faith.

Less than a year later, in 1935, Cora was baptized and received her first Holy Communion. Her husband and daughters did the same soon after.

The parish priest, Father Edward Vaughn, later wrote that Cora’s efforts inspired hundreds of Mormons to convert to the Catholic faith.

Still, in 1941, the family decided to move to California because her husband faced religious and cultural prejudices while trying to hold a job, the website reads. Five years later, in 1946, Cora said that Jesus asked her to promulgate the mystical humanity of Christ, or, as the website for her cause describes, “a way of prayer that encourages people to live with a heightened awareness of the indwelling presence of Jesus in their daily lives.”

In addition to her mystical experiences, Cora is considered to have had the ability to bilocate — to appear in two places at once — and to have suffered from the stigmata, Christ’s wounds on the cross present in her own flesh.

She died exactly 22 years after her baptism, on March 30, 1957, in Boulder Creek, California. Before her death, she hoped, as St. Thérèse of Lisieux did, to spend her life in heaven doing good on earth.

MICHELLE DUPPONG

Michelle Duppong dedicated her life to God, serving as a Catholic campus missionary for six years before becoming the director of adult faith formation for the Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota.

During a surgery in 2014 intended to remove ovarian cysts, the surgeon discovered something else: stage 4 cancer.

“Upon hearing this, I knew that this was God’s will and

Cora Evans

QUO VADIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL SCREEN SHOT

Michelle Duppong UNIVERSITY OF MARY

NATIONAL NEWS

Highlights, Upcoming Events and Briefs

that he would be with me in the midst of whatever would happen,” she wrote in one of her columns published by the Dakota Catholic Action newspaper. “God also allowed me to know that this cross was an invitation to me to help bring others closer in their relationship with him.”

She had two months to live, doctors said, but she lived another 12 — until Christmas Day in 2015. She was 31.

Born in Colorado in 1984, Michelle was one of six kids and grew up on her family’s farm in Haymarsh, North Dakota. She went on to study horticulture at North Dakota State University in Fargo, where she graduated in 2006, before serving as a student missionary for FOCUS at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, and the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.

According to her obituary, she loved farm life, working in the gardens and vineyards, and taking part in campfire singalongs.

In another column, she addressed sainthood and “seeking holiness in the ordinary.”

“You were made to be a saint. Do you believe that? Do you think you can do it?” she wrote. “I want to remind you that there’s no doubt in God’s mind that you CAN do it!”

Before dying, Michelle consoled her Aunt Jean, who was dying of brain cancer, Michelle’s mother told the National Catholic Register.

“They cried and held each other,” Mary Ann remembered. “Jean told her that sometimes she didn’t feel Jesus with her. Michelle told her, ‘Sometimes, I don’t feel him either. Tell Jesus how you feel. He wants to know everything. Just turn to him.’”

“That’s what Michelle did,” her mother said. “She told Jesus everything.”

Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy

More than 100 years ago, in 1893, Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy founded the first order of women religious in Texas: the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate. She began the order after spending years as a laywoman ministering to the poor, African Americans, and Mexican Americans.

Born in Ireland in 1833, Margaret Mary emigrated to the United States in 1845, according to her order’s website.

For a time, she lived in Mexico, where she met her future husband, John Bernard Murphy.

The couple married in 1849 and later moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, where her husband worked as a lawyer and served as mayor. According to the Black Catholic Messenger, the well-to-do couple owned slaves there. While they had no biological children, the couple adopted three young girls who needed a home — two of whom later entered religious life.

In 1884, John died, leaving Margaret Mary a widow. Her life dramatically changed again, three years later, when she moved to San Antonio and heard a letter from the U.S. bishops read from the pulpit. In that letter, the bishops called on Catholics in the South to minister to the post-Civil War African American population, her order’s website details.

Margaret Mary decided to answer that call. That same year, she funded construction for the first Catholic free school and church for African Americans in San Antonio. It was dedicated a year later.

Facing constant criticism and racial prejudice, she struggled to maintain a teaching staff, and the local bishop suggested that she start a religious congregation to help. That’s when, in 1892, she and three other women became novices with the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, the website details. A year later, the four made their first vows and the Sisters of the Holy Ghost and Mary Immaculate began.

By the time of her death, the order had grown to 15 sisters and two postulants. She died in 1907 at age 74.

In the spirit of proper stewardship, the Diocese of Corpus Christi encourages the reporting of any financial abuse concerns or related issues. Report confidentially to: financialconcerns@diocesecc.org En el espíritu de una administración adecuada, la Diócesis de Corpus Christi alienta a informar cualquier inquietud de abuso financiero o problemas relacionados. Informe confidencialmente a: financialconcerns@diocesecc.org

Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy

SISTERS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND MARY

Perseverance is a reflection of God’s love, Pope Francis says

HANNAH BROCKHAUS Catholic News Agency

The virtue of perseverance reflects to the world the unchanging love of God, Pope Francis said in his Angelus message Sunday. After celebrating Mass for the World Day of the Poor, the pope led the Angelus, a traditional Marian prayer, from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

“Perseverance is the reflection in the world of God’s love, because God’s love is faithful, it never changes,” Francis said Nov. 13 in a short message.

He referenced the day’s Gospel, in which Jesus tells those gathered to hear him that “in history almost everything collapses: there will be, he says, revolutions and wars, earthquakes and famines, pestilence and persecution, and so on.”

It is as if Jesus is saying “one should not place too much trust in earthly realities, which pass,” the pope said. “They are wise words…”

He said Jesus is trying to teach us the virtue of perseverance.

Francis explained that perseverance indicates a high level of strictness, but Jesus did not mean being inflexible and rigid with our own standards.

“Jesus asks us to be ‘strict,’ uncompromising, persistent in what he has at heart, in what counts,” he underlined.

“Because, what truly counts, very often does not coincide with what attracts our interest,” he said. “We prioritize the works of our hands, our successes, our religious and

civil traditions, our sacred and social symbols. They are important things, but they pass away.”

The pope said Jesus wants us to focus on building “on his word, on love, on goodness.”

“Here, then, is perseverance: it is building goodness every day,” he said. “To persevere is to remain constant in goodness, especially when the reality around us urges us to do otherwise.”

Francis gave a few examples of what it means to not persevere in goodness: putting off prayer because you have a lot to do; not following the rules because you see others dodging them; discontinuing your service to the Church, community, and poor because others use their free time for pleasure; not seeing results; and boredom.

“Let us ask ourselves: how is my perseverance? Am I constant, or do I live faith, justice, and charity according to the moment?” he said. “In short, do my prayer and service depend on circumstances or on a heart that is steadfast in the Lord?”

The pope quoted a line from “The Brothers Karamazov” by Fyodor Dostoevsky, which says: “Have no fear of men’s sin. Love a man even in his sin, for that is the semblance of Divine Love and is the highest love on earth.”

“If we persevere — Jesus reminds us — we have nothing to fear, even in the sad and ugly events of life, not even in the evil we see around us, because we remain grounded in the good,” the pope said.

From our Holy Father

Pope Francis at the Angelus on Nov. 13, 2022.

VATICAN MEDIA

A WORD

From our Holy Father

Pope Francis shares meal with the poor

BY HANNAH BROCKHAUS Catholic News Agency

Pope Francis had lunch with around 1,300 poor from Rome on Sunday.

The meal was part of several Vaticansponsored initiatives marking the sixth annual World Day of the Poor, including a free mobile medical clinic in St. Peter’s Square.

After two years off due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the free lunch was again offered in the Paul VI Hall for people in Rome living in poverty.

Pope Francis has always joined the meal — which began in 2017 during the first World Day of the Poor; he spends time in conversation with those at his table and he greets others who approach him.

Throughout his pontificate, Francis has placed a strong emphasis on concrete outreach to those in need.

He has spoken often about those at the margins of society and condemned what he has called a “throwaway culture” that neglects people it finds inconvenient or a burden.

At Mass on Nov. 13, the pope said: “We should always repeat this to ourselves, especially at times of greatest trouble: God is a Father, and he is at my side. He knows and loves me; he does not sleep, but watches over me and cares for me. If I stay close to him, not a hair of my head will perish.”

“And how do I respond to this?” he added. “By looking at our brothers and sisters in need; by looking at the throwaway culture that discards the poor and people with few possibilities; a culture that discards the old and unborn … by looking at all of them; as a Christian, what should I do in this moment?”

Pope Francis receives a hug from a child during lunch on the World Day of the Poor Nov. 13, 2022.

DANIEL IBÁÑEZ

WINTER 2022 ISSUE

South Texas Catholic 555 N Carancahua St, Ste 750 Corpus Christi, TX 78401-0824 (361) 882-6191

Silver & Gold

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS CELEBRATION

Those blessed with celebrating 25 or 50 years of Sacramental Marriage are invited to attend a special Silver & Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael Mulvey

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2023 AT 9:30 A.M. Corpus Christi Cathedral | 505 N. Upper Broadway

A light reception will follow in St. Joseph’s Hall at the Cathedral

Couples that register before the deadline will receive a certificate from Bishop Mulvey recognizing their Silver or Golden Anniversary. Registration is open to any validly married couple celebrating 25 or 50 years of marriage in 2023. To receive an Anniversary Certificate please submit registration by February 3, 2023

Online Registration: diocesecc.org/anniversarymassregistration or RSVP by Feb. 3 to Heath Garcia at (361) 882-6191 ext. 687