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

MARRIAGE

Witnessing God’s love to one another

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

Family feels blessed to be the hands and feet of Jesus

BY MARY COTTINGHAM

South Texas Catholic

Rudy 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,” Rudy Jr. 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 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

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Witnessing God’s love to one another

water after Hurricane Celia slammed into Corpus Christi in 1961 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 the 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 CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

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

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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 SS. CYRIL & METHODIUS the elderly. CATHOLIC CHRUCH “I’m in charge of 60 counties and 50 district deputies and almost 5000 men. Wow. I don’t even feel it,” Rudy Jr. 3210 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND DR. said. “I lead by example. I’m all about doing the Lord’s CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 78415 work; He knows my payday. He knows what I do, and I always share with my brother knights what Bishop AGAPE 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 RELIGIOUS ARTICLE STORE (361)854-1853AGAPE going to have the strength to help you go the distance. You’re going to have the words. You’re going to know OPEN ALL WEEKRELIGIOUS ARTICLE STORE (361) 854-1853 OPEN ALL WEEK how to handle things and how to talk to people. And you will be amazed at what you’ve just done for that 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. person. There’s more work to be done,” he said. My goal is to promote as many knights as possible in this diocese 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. 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.”

SS. CYRIL & METHODIUS Rudy Jr. said of his son, “Rudy has been a knight for CATHOLIC CHURCH 22 years, and I’ve never left him behind. The guys at the 3210 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND DR. church say, ‘The apple doesn’t fall from the tree.’ And I’ll try to correct them. You mean the apple doesn’t fall CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 78415 far from the tree?” And they say, “No, this apple hasn’t fallen. He is an extended limb.”