Catholic hospital opens in Harker Heights
Transcription
Catholic hospital opens in Harker Heights
JULY/AUGUST 2012 T H E V O L U M E 3 0, N U M B E R 7 O F F I C I A L P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E D I O C E S E O F A U S T I N Catholic hospital opens in Harker Heights BY ENEDELIA J. OBREGÓN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT With the opening of Seton Medical Center Harker Heights, Bell County now has a Catholic hospital. Bishop Joe Vásquez blessed the chapel and the hospital –– from its doors to its emergency rooms –– at the June 8 dedication. Staff and members of the Seton Healthcare Family and LHP Hospital Group, the corporation with which Seton partnered to build the facility, attended the blessing. Daughter of Charity Sis- ter Helen Brewer, chair of the Seton Healthcare Family, welcomed Bishop Vásquez, noting that the bishop would bless the doors to the lobby in recognition that “when people come to us for service and for care they will receive the care that they need and … they will be treated with the greatest of respect, with the greatest of dignity for who they are.” The bishop said God showers his love and blessing in a particular way on those who are in distress and who are sick, and on those who assist and minister to the sick. “The sick and the hurting are a special reection of Christ himself. Did he not say that whatsoever you do to for one of them you do for him?” Bishop Vásquez asked. In partnering with LHP the Seton Healthcare Family required that the joint venture adopt, implement and maintain Seton’s uncompensated care policies that are part of its mission to serve the poor and vulnerable. Also, the joint venture is required to be organized and operated according to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) as approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Austin Diocese 6225 Hwy. 290 East Austin, Texas 78723 Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, Texas SETON MEDICAL CENTER HARKER HEIGHTS opened its doors in June. Seton Healthcare Family partnered with LHP Hospital Group to build the only Catholic hospital in Bell County. (Photo courtesy Melissa Purl/Seton) All associates, medical staff and volunteers will be educated to support the hospital’s Catholic mission and values, comply with the ERDs and provide reverent and holistic care to patients and families, with a special concern for the poor and vulnerable. Because this partnership is between the Seton Healthcare Family and LHP, the partners sought and received permission from Bishop Vásquez to pursue the Catholic identity. The three-story acute care hospital is 192,400 square feet and situated on a 23-acre site. It has 83 licensed beds and a total capacity of 138 beds. It has an intensive care unit and a women’s center for labor, delivery and recovery with its own dedicated entrance. It has specialists in 20 elds, including cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, intensive and critical care, oncology and pain management. The emergency room is staffed at all times by boardcertied staff and has a helipad. The hospital also has a referral relationship with Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin. The hospital partners estimate the facility will have an economic impact of $1.5 billion in the Harker Heights community. FORTNIGHT FOR FREEDOM See SETON on Page 5 GIRL SCOUTS GSUSA faces criticisms and seeks to clarify misconceptions. Page 9 Catholics pray and learn more about defending our religious liberty. Page 4 BISHOP’S ESPAÑOL INTERVIEW Las parroquias ayudan a inmigrantes a aprender Inglés. Página 29 Celebrating the legacy of Vatican II and the New Evangelization Page 19 After the blessing, the bishop praised the Daughters of Charity for their commitment to providing health care for Central Texans, especially for the poor. “Caring for the sick is part of who we are as a Catholic Church,” Bishop Vásquez said. “Christ asked us to care for the sick and poor.” He said the Daughters of Charity are following in the tradition of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, founders of the Daughters of Charity in 1655 in France. The Catholic Identity Covenant agreement with the Diocese of Austin to have the new hospital have a Catholic identify and Seton’s role as a minority partner with LHP “speak well” of the Daughters of Charity and the Catholic Church. “It’s an excellent example of cooperation ... We are serving the needs of the community and the common good,” the bishop said. Sister Brewer said the new medical center is the 12th health care ministry afliated with Seton in Central Texas. This does not include clinics and other services. She said the Seton leadership, which consists mainly of lay people, looked at responding to the needs in certain areas of 2 THE MISSION OF THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT As the ofcial newspaper for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin, the CATHOLIC SPIRIT is dedicated to providing information, education and formation for the Catholic community of Central Texas. This mission calls for the newspaper: • to provide readers with an understanding of our Catholic faith and traditions; • to be a primary source of information on Catholic issues relevant to the community; • to be a unifying element for faith communities, both rural and urban, throughout Central Texas; • to show respect for and appreciation of all cultural groups and traditions; • to emphasize topics afrming the Catholic community and life, while acknowledging the humanity of the community and examining, with courage, topics that challenge and encourage growth in the faith; • to carry a commitment to social justice that will support the renewal of the church in Central Texas. HOW TO SUBMIT INFORMATION Deadline for submission of articles or information for the CATHOLIC SPIRIT is the 10th of the month for publication in the following month’s edition. Deadline for the September issue is Aug. 10. You can submit material in any of the following ways: • E-mail to [email protected]. • Mail to CATHOLIC SPIRIT, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX 78723. For additional information, call (512) 949-2443 or e-mail us at [email protected]. CATHOLIC SPIRIT has unrestricted editing rights. HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR Readers are encouraged to express their opinions on articles published in CATHOLIC SPIRIT. Letters to the editor provide a forum of discussion for the local Catholic community. The views expressed in the letters do not necessarily represent those of the editor or the publisher of CATHOLIC SPIRIT. Letters to the editor should be limited to 250 words. Name and full address of the writer must be provided, though name will be withheld from publication on request. We reserve the right to edit or withhold all letters. Please e-mail to [email protected] or mail to Editor, Catholic Spirit, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX 78723. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE Subscription rates are $12 for one year. To subscribe, send check payable to Catholic Spirit to CATHOLIC SPIRIT, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX 78723. Members of a parish in the Austin Diocese may receive the newspaper for a reduced rate. Contact your parish staff for more information. ADDRESS CHANGES OR DUPLICATE MAILINGS Send all address changes to CATHOLIC SPIRIT, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX 78723. Please include your parish’s name and city. If receiving duplicate copies of the CATHOLIC SPIRIT, call (512) 949-2443 or e-mail [email protected]. STAFF Publisher: Most Rev. Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of Austin Editor: Shelley Metcalf; (512) 949-2400, [email protected] Assistant Editor: Christian R. González; (512) 949-2400, [email protected] Advertising: Shelley Metcalf; (512) 949-2400, [email protected] Spanish translation: Beatriz Ferrer Welsh Columnists: Barbara Budde, Mary Lou Gibson and Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. Correspondents: Cristina Lopez, Amy Moraczewski, Enedelia Obregón, Michele Chan Santos and Mary P. Walker Catholic Spirit subscribes to Catholic News Service (CNS) and is a member of the Catholic Press Association. Copyright 2012 by the Austin Diocese. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any editorial content, photograph, art or design is prohibited without written permission of the publisher CATHOLIC SPIRIT (ISSN 0896-2715) is published 11 times annually (monthly except one issue in July/August) by the Austin Diocese. Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, publisher, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, TX 78723. Periodicals Postage Paid at Austin, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Catholic Spirit, 6225 Hwy. 290 E., Austin, Texas 78723. VOICES C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Father Scott makes his nal ‘good stop’ Paulist Father Robert “Bob” Scott died July 16 at St. Joseph’s Home for the Elderly in Totowa, N.J. He was 90. Born in East Orange, N.J., in 1921, Father Scott studied at St. Paul’s College in Washington, D.C. He made his rst promise with the Paulist community in 1943 and was ordained to the priesthood on May 3, 1949. Father Scott’s rst pastoral assignment was at the Paulist Center in Boston. He served various parishes and campus ministry programs in the Northeast and as vocation director for the Paulists throughout the rst three decades of his priestly life. He loved sports and was the chaplain for the football team at Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va. The team perished in a plane crash in November 1970. He was also known for his homilies, in which he referred to Mass as a “good stop.” He served at campus ministry programs in Ohio, California, Tennessee and North Carolina before he came to Austin in 1981. He served at St. Austin Parish in Austin from 1981 to 1986, and he served as chaplain to Baylor University in Waco and Southwestern University in Georgetown. He then semi-retired but came back to Central Texas in 1999 to serve at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Horseshoe Bay. He was in residence at St. Austin Parish in Austin until May 2011. The Mass of Christian burial was celebrated July 19 and Father Scott was buried in the Paulist Fathers section of St. Thomas the Apostle Cemetery in Oak Ridge, N.J. EIM workshops for end of July and August The Ethics and Integrity in Ministry policies of the Austin Diocese were established in 2002 to educate Catholics on how to help prevent sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults. According to the policies, all employees and those volunteers who minister to youth or vulnerable adults in the diocese are required to complete an Application for Ministry, which permits the diocese to run a criminal background check. Additionally, all new applicants are required to attend a three-hour EIM workshop for adults within 60 days of their EIM application submission. Every three years employees and volunteers must attend an EIM refresher course or the three-hour EIM workshop. Upcoming EIM workshops are listed below. Please call the location you would like to attend at the phone number listed so that enough materials are available. For more information regarding the diocesan EIM policies, visit www.austindiocese.org or call (512) 949-2400. Three-hour courses July 28, 9 a.m. to noon at San Jose Parish in Austin - IN SPANISH; (512) 444-7587 July 28, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at St. Helen Parish in Georgetown - IN SPANISH; (512) 863-3041 July 29, 1 to 4 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Mason; (325) 347-5327 Aug. 2, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at St. Martin de Porres Parish in Dripping Springs; (512) 858-5667 Aug. 6, 6 to 9 p.m. at St. Julia Parish in Austin; (512) 926-4186 Aug. 11, 1 to 4 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Parish in San Marcos; (512) 353-8969 Aug. 14, 9 a.m. to noon St. Joseph Parish in Bryan; (979) 822-2721 Aug. 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Comanche Chapel at Fort Hood; (254) 287-1541 Aug. 18, 1 to 4 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist in San Marcos - IN SPANISH; (512) 353-8969 Aug. 19, 2 to 5 p.m. at Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Burnet; (512) 756-4410 Aug. 22, 6 to 9 p.m. at St. Mary Parish in Hearne; (979) 279-2233 Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to noon at Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange; (979) 968-3430 Aug. 25, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Mary Parish in Lampasas; (512) 556-5544 Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to noon at St. Theresa Parish in Austin; (512) 451-5121 Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to noon at St. Helen Parish in Georgetown; (512) 863-3041 Aug. 25, 9 a.m. to noon at Holy Family Parish in Copperas Cove; (254) 547-3735 Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to noon at St. John Parish in Marble Falls - IN SPANISH; (830) 693-5134 Aug. 28, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at St. Gabriel Catholic School in Austin; (512) 327-7755 Aug. 29, 6 to 9 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Austin; (512) 892-2420 Refresher courses Aug. 5, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Parish in Llano; (325) 247-4481 Aug. 6, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Mary Cathedral Parish in Austin; (512) 476-6182 Aug. 9, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Martin de Porres Parish in Dripping Springs; (512) 858-5667 Aug. 10, 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange; (979) 968-3430 Aug. 13, 6 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary, Church of the Assumption in Waco; (254) 753-0146 Aug. 14, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Bryan; (979) 822-2721 Aug. 14, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at St. Mary Parish in Brenham; (979) 836-4441 Aug. 16, 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange; (979) 968-3430 Aug. 18, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at San Jose Parish in Austin; (512) 444-7587 Aug. 18, 10 to 11:30 a.m. at St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin; (512) 837-7825 Aug. 19, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Mason; (325) 347-5327 Aug. 22, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Burnet; (512) 756-4410 Aug. 25, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary, Church of the Assumption in West; (254) 826-3705 Aug. 25, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at St. Theresa Parish in Austin; (512) 451-5121 Aug. 25, 1 to 2:30 p.m. at St. Helen Parish in Georgetown; (512) 863-3041 Aug. 25, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Ascension Parish in Bastrop; (512) 321-3552 Aug. 27, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Comanche Chapel at Fort Hood; (254) 287-1541 Aug. 28, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Austin Parish in Austin; (512) 477-9471 July/August 2012 CENTRAL TEXAS Bishop McCarthy ordained four priests June 9 BISHOP EMERITUS JOHN MCCARTHY ordained (from left) Kurtis Wiedenfeld, David Trahan, Uche Andeh and Ryan Higdon to the priesthood on June 9 at St. William Parish in Round Rock. Due to illness, Bishop Joe Vásquez was not able to celebrate the Mass. As of July 2, the new priests have been given the following assignments: • Father Uche Andeh as parochial vicar (associate pastor) of St. William Parish in Round Rock. • Father Ryan Higdon as parochial vicar (associate pastor) of St. Joseph Parish in Bryan. • Father David Trahan II as parochial vicar (associate pastor) of St. Mary Cathedral in Austin. • Father Kurtis Wiedenfeld as parochial vicar (associate pastor) of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in College Station. (Photos by Adriana Waldbusser and Shelley Metcalf) 3 CENTRAL TEXAS 4 C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Catholics observe Fortnight for Freedom B Y M ARY P. W ALKER MICHELE CHAN SANTOS CORRESPONDENTS AND As a response to threats against religious liberty, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) designated June 21 to July 4 as the Fortnight for Freedom. The Fortnight encompassed the feast days of great martyrs to the faith, who suffered death at the hands of civil authorities rather than compromise their religious convictions: St. John Fisher, St. Thomas More, St. John the Baptist, St. Peter and St. Paul. During this time, Catholics were asked to pray, fast, learn more about the heritage of religious liberty in our country and take action to preserve this liberty. Specic U.S. threats to religious liberty cited by the bishops include the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which includes the HHS mandate and threats to Catholic foster care and adoption services and unjust state immigration laws. The U.S. bishops ultimately opposed nal passage of the Affordable Care Act for three main reasons: • It allows the use of federal funds to pay for elective abortions and for plans that cover such abortions. • It fails to include necessary language to provide essential conscience protection, both within and beyond the abortion context, as illustrated by the HHS mandate to force religious and other employers to cover sterilization and contraception. • It fails to treat undocumented immigrant workers and their families fairly, leaving them worse off by not allowing them to purchase health coverage in the new exchanges created under the law, even if they use their own money. “The nation needs affordable health care reform that ensures universal access to health care, protects human life and dignity and respects the rights of conscience of all,” said Bishop Joe Vásquez. “Now that the Supreme Court has upheld the ACA, we hope that Congress and the president will consider amending the law to include conscience protection, options for immigrants and to exclude coverage for elective abortions.” In the Bryan/College Station area, the Fortnight’s kickoff began with Mass at St. Mary Catholic Center, followed by a presentation on the domestic threats to religious freedom by Arland Nichols, the National Director of Human Life International (HLI) America. The mission of HLI is to promote the culture of life throughout the world. “When you stand up for religious liberty, you do so as a good Catholic, good Christian, and good American,” Nichols told the 400 attendees. He emphasized that this liberty is not a partisan issue, but one that is fundamental to who we are as Americans. Religious freedom encompasses much more than the right to worship, Nichols explained. It is the freedom to live out our faith in the totality of our lives. During a Mass at St. Mary Cathedral on July 1, Bishop Vásquez said Catholics must ght for religious freedom. “As Catholics, we care for the poor, the sick, the immigrant, the orphan, the expectant mother, because of our faith,” Bishop Vasquez said. “This is what is at stake.” In response to a question, Nichols explained that exemptions have been granted to other organizations for provisions in the law. However, he believes that the abortion and contraception lobby prevented religious organizations from fair consideration. Another injustice is that there is no conscience protection for individuals and business owners. They will be required to purchase insurance to cover these drugs and procedures even if they morally object. “The bishops have been clear that this is an unjust law, which is no law at all,” Nichols said. The bishops are united in standing against this injustice, even to the point of civil disobedience, if necessary. Bishop Vásquez said prayer is the best weapon in this quest to uphold our religious liberty. The Fortnight was “a special time when all Catholics were praying to be more conscious and aware of our religious freedom, and to exercise our freedom,” he said. However, now that the Fortnight has concluded, the bishop asked Catholics “to continue to pray for the administration and the church, that we can come to a solution that works.” St. Joseph Parish and St. Anthony Parish in Bryan called on their members to pray the Patriotic Rosary during the Fortnight. The rosary includes readings from our Founding Fathers on the importance of God, virtue and religion for the future of our nation. The “Our Father” in each decade is a prayer for a different branch of government, and each “Glory Be” is for the conversion of America. The 50 “Hail Marys” are dedicated prayers for a particular state, and each decade THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS called for the Fortnight for Freedom June 21–July 4 as a response to recent threats against religious freedom. During the twoweek period, Catholics were called to prayer, education and action on preserving religious freedom in the U.S. The bishops continue to encourage Catholics to pray and act on this issue. (CNS photo) concludes with a patriotic song or hymn. There are more than 40 other religious liberty and conscience protection challenges by dio- ceses and Catholic organizations making their way through the judicial system. Nichols said the bishops are courageously united in standing up for this intrusion on our liberty, and called on us to do the same. For information about the ght for religious freedom, visit www.fortnight4freedom.org. A message from Bishop Joe Vásquez As shepherd of the Diocese of Austin, I want to express my appreciation to all those who participated in the Fortnight for Freedom. I especially want to thank our priests for being so united and supportive in our commitment to speak out on religious freedom. I also thank our deacons and men and women religious for their support. And, I am grateful to you, the laity, for having made many efforts in unison with your pastors and parish leaders to educate yourselves on the importance of religious freedom through your sacrices and most especially through your prayers. The Fortnight for Freedom, the two-week period from June 21 to July 4, was dedicated as a time of prayer, catechesis and peaceful action. This has been a special time of grace and blessing to our country and to our diocese. In our diocese, the Fortnight for Freedom was observed in many ways. Special Masses were celebrated. Rosaries and litanies were prayed, along with fasting and various catechetical programs that provided education on the issue of religious liberty. In addition, on the Fourth of July our church bells rang in unison with bells across the country in support of our religious freedom. The ght and struggle to protect our religious liberty continues. For current information you may receive messages via your cell phone. If interested, simply text the word “Freedom” (for Spanish text “Libertad”) to 377377 and you will be provided with news and other developments on this important issue by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Let us continue to pray that a just resolution on this issue of religious freedom will be achieved. As Catholics we will continue to be faithful to the mission entrusted to the church. Un Mensaje del Sr. Obispo Vásquez Como pastor de la Diócesis de Austin, quiero expresar mi agradecimiento a todos aquellos que participaron en La Quincena para la Libertad (Fortnight for Freedom). Quiero agradecer especialmente a nuestros sacerdotes por ser tan solidarios y unidos en nuestro compromiso de hablar sobre la libertad religiosa. También les doy las gracias a nuestros diáconos y a los religiosos y religiosas por su apoyo. Y, estoy agradecido con ustedes, laicos, por haber hecho tantos esfuerzos al unísono de sus párrocos y líderes parroquiales para educarse a sí mismos en la importancia de la libertad religiosa, por medio de sacricios y, muy especialmente, con sus oraciones. La Quincena para la Libertad (Fortnight for Freedom), el periodo de las dos semanas del 21 de junio al 4 de Julio, fue dedicado como un tiempo de oración, catequesis y acción pacíca. Este ha sido un período especial de gracia y bendiciones para nuestro país y para nuestra diócesis. En nuestra diócesis, La Quincena para la Libertad (Fortnight for Freedom) fué observada en muchas formas. Celebramos Misas especiales. Se rezaron rosarios y letanías, con ayunos y programas catequéticos que proporcionaron educación en el aspecto de la libertad religiosa. Además, en el 4 de Julio las campanas en nuestras Iglesias tocaron al unísono, con las campanas de otras Iglesias en el país, apoyando la libertad religiosa. La lucha y dicultad para proteger nuestra libertad religiosa continúa. Usted puede recibir información vigente por medio de mensajes a su teléfono celular. Si le interesa, simplemente envíe la palabra “Libertad” al 377377 y se le proporcionarán noticias y otras novedades sobre este importante asunto de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos (USCCB por sus siglas en inglés). Continuemos orando para alcanzar una resolución justa respecto a la libertad religiosa. Como católicos, continuaremos siendo eles a la misión encomendada a la iglesia. July/August 2012 CENTRAL TEXAS 5 Bishop blesses new Catholic hospital in Bell County SETON Continued from Page 1 the community when it was approached by LHP to embark on the joint venture. “It’s amazing how quickly everything came together” regarding negotiations, Sister Brewer said. “We were able to build [Seton Harker Heights] in less than two years after negotiations.” Having a hospital with a Catholic identify provides an opportunity to offer a comprehensive approach to people’s needs, she said. “We believe we need to and want to care for the whole person,” she said. That includes spiritual needs of all people, no matter their faith tradition. “We don’t deny care because they have a different faith tradition. And you don’t have to be Catholic to work here,” Sister Helen said. “But because of our ethical and religious directives we don’t provide certain services.” Father Richard O’Rourke, pastor at St. Paul Chong Hasang Parish in Harker Heights and dean of the Killeen/Temple Deanery, said there is “a certain amount of pride” in having a Catholic hospital in the area. He is especially happy to see a hospital with a Catholic chapel, where Mass or Eucharistic services will be offered. The hospital will have a permanent chaplain to minister to patients, families, and staff of all faith traditions. “Part of the whole healing process is healing the spirit, not just the body,” he said. “They need to be fed spiritually.” Father O’Rourke said patients are not the only ones who need to be fed spiritually; physicians and hospital staff need it as well. One of those who will be nourished spiritually is Matt Maxeld, CEO of Seton Medical Center Harker Heights who was born and raised in Temple. Maxeld said this is the only time LHP has requested Catholic identify through a diocese rather than a Catholic hospital group such as Ascension Health, the national hospital group with which Seton is afliated. It was the joint venture partnership board of directors who decided to request Catholic identity, he said. Negotiations took only about 90 days. “We felt it was very important,” Maxeld said. “Seton has a long-term commitment and tradition of service in Central Texas. We felt the best way to serve this region was with a Catholic hospital.” James Davis, is director of Catholic Health Care Ethics for the Seton Healthcare Family. He said Seton has become a dominant health care provider in Central Texas because of the quality of care and its dedication to serving the poor and vulnerable. In fiscal year 2010, Seton provided $303 million in charity care and $219 million in community benet to improve community health. The Vincentian 450-year history continues into the 21st century with the laity even as the presence of the Daughters of Charity is reduced, he said, and the commitment to Catholic ethics continues a well. “New technology to ensure patient safety and how to use information systems for better patient care are important,” he said. “We add the recognition of the importance of the spiritual and holistic aspects of healing. With Seton, you get the full package.” BISHOP JOE VÁSQUEZ blessed Seton Medical Center Harker Heights on June 8. Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Father Richard O’Rourke (right), pastor of St. Paul Chong Hasang Parish in Harker Heights, is proud to have a Catholic hospital in Bell County. (Photo courtesy Seton) CENTRAL TEXAS 6 C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Parishes offer English classes for immigrants BY ENEDELIA J. OBREGÓN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT Scene 1: A couple walks into a restaurant. “Welcome to Morales’ Restaurant,” says the hostess. “How long is the wait?” asks the man. “There is no wait,” replies the hostess. “Would you like to sit inside or outside?” “Inside,” the woman replies. “Would you like a booth or a table?” the hostess asks. “A booth,” the couple replies. After the couple is seated, a waiter appears with menus and asks, “May I take your order?” and the couple proceeds to order. It’s an everyday scene in many places except this one. This is not a restaurant. It’s a corner of the parish activity center at St. Elizabeth Parish in Pugerville and there is a full house watching the skit. This is part of the graduation program for the English as a Second Language ministry. The intermediate and advanced students chose to do skits about everyday scenes such as going to a restaurant or to the doctor to show their progress to their families. The students are a variety of ages and from different countries. Among them were Kiem V. Nguyen, 69, and his wife, Hoa Thi Pham, 72; who were in the primary level class. “I want to learn English because I want to communicate when I go to a doctor or do things,” Nguyen said, through a friend who translated from Vietnamese. “So I go to school.” Carmen Cardona, 57, wants to learn English so she can become a U.S. citizen. Her granddaughter, Nohemi Ramírez, is one of the ESL teachers. Cardona had to wait eight years to be allowed into the U.S. from Mexico, and she wants to be able to communicate with her great-granddaughter. “It’s necessary to speak English,” said Cardona, who is in the intermediate level. “I want to become a citizen because the laws may change and I might not be able to later.” Laura Beury, 30, had tears in her eyes as she carefully searched for the words in English to express her feelings. “I want to be a good citizen for this country,” said Beury, an intermediate student. “I have a daughter. She’s 5. She speaks English and Spanish and will be in Kindergarten this year. I want her to be proud of her mom. It’s hard. I am alone in this country except for my husband. He stays home so I can come to class.” Another intermediate student, Elizabeth Pérez, read aloud a special thank you she wrote for teachers. Celinda Martínez, ESL coordinator at St. Elizabeth, noted proudly after the ceremonies that Pérez had learned enough English to get her driver’s license. Pérez said in Spanish that when she first arrived in this country, she felt her lips “were sealed.” “Three years ago I began to study,” she said between bites of food from different countries the students brought to celebrate their graduation. “I didn’t know the numbers or what to say if asked ‘What is your name?’ I didn’t understand anything.” Three years have made a huge difference. “Now my ears are open and my lips can give thanks and express what I feel,” she said. “If I didn’t know English, I would remain in a dark hole. Upon learning you can see a light.” She thanked her teachers for giving her the opportunity to be involved in her children’s education. Her children are 9 and 4. “My children are very proud,” she said, beaming. “They correct me and help me with words I don’t know. I can understand what they say. I can communicate with their friends. I don’t have enough words of gratitude.” Father Pedro GarcíaRamírez, the pastor of St. Elizabeth, can relate. “I am the product of ESL,” the priest told his congregation when the program was started three years ago. So when Martínez approached him about starting the ESL ministry, “How could I say no?” he said. Father García-Ramírez was born in Nuevo Laredo and his family moved to Austin when he was a child. He learned English through a Catholic Charities program at St. Edward’s University from the VESS (Volunteers for Education and Social Services) program. “I still remember her name –– Maureen Dillon,” he said. “She was the daughter of a judge in Redford, Mich., and was a student at St. Edward’s. I owe her what I became.” ESL, the priest said, “changed my life.” Learning English enabled him to enter seminary when he was 30. Martínez said the program also offers students an opportunity to learn about the American culture so they can become participants rather than outsiders looking in. “They don’t know about Thanksgiving,” Martínez said, citing an example. “Some classes have a traditional feast and learn about the American tradition that they can do at home.” The ministry is a collaborative partnership between the ESL program and the parishes, said Alejandra Hamlet, liaison between the parish ministries and the ESL program. She and Angie Beckham, a parishioner at St. Ignatius, Martyr Parish are volunteer mentors for the parish ministries throughout the diocese. Hamlet, a pre-Kindergarten teacher at St. Louis Parish in Austin who was born in Mexico, said that reaching out to immigrants is a reality the church has to face since many are Catholic. “The reality in the church is that immigrants are majority Catholic and need a safe place they can relate to from their experience growing up,” she said. “That’s the church.” Learning English opens the door for immigrants into the wider community as well as their faith community, she noted. Learning English also strength- ens their families, Beckham said. “The kids are learning English and their parents depend on them to translate,” she said. “It puts the kids in a position of power. That’s a position parents should have.” Hamlet said that disparity can destroy families. If parents can communicate with teachers, the children are more likely to stay in school. Martínez said the program started with 60 students. This year there were 138 students from numerous countries. Classes follow the public school calendar. Training for volunteer teachers is held in the summer. The program at St. Elizabeth had 19 volunteers this past school year. There is no cost to volunteer. Students pay a $35 fee and materials are provided by the ESL program at a very low cost since they buy the books in bulk, Hamlet said. “Even that $35 is a struggle for some,” Martínez said. “That’s grocery money for some people. I’ve paid for some when I saw how hard they worked but just didn’t have the money.” Martínez said it takes “great courage” to relocate from a native country and the ministry helps make the transition easier. Other Austin parishes with ESL ministries are Cristo Rey, Holy Vietnamese Martyrs, St. Ignatius, Martyr and San José. St. William Parish in Round Rock is in the process of restarting its ESL ministry. For information or to volunteer, contact Celinda Martínez at (512) 554-3313. Programs prepare lay ministers to serve as leaders DURING A MASS ON JUNE 21 at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin (left), Bishop Joe Vásquez recognized lay ministry graduates of the Diocesan Institute Ecclesial Ministry Program. Many of these lay people currently serve in leadership positions in their parishes and will use what they have learned through the program to continue ministering in their respective parishes. (Photo by Charlene O’Connell) ALSO DURING THE MASS on June 21, Bishop Vásquez recognized those individuals who have completed the requirements to serve as spiritual directors in the Austin Diocese through the Diocesan Institute of Spiritual Direction. The three-year program is run by the Austin Diocese and is designed to prepare people for the ministry of spiritual direction. (Photo by Charlene O’Connell) CENTRAL TEXAS July/August 2012 7 Body of Christ processes through Austin streets steps of the Capitol. There the B Y D E A C O N G U A D A L U P E crowd knelt and prayed espeRODRIGUEZ cially for the U.S. GUEST CORRESPONDENT Father Albert Laforet, rector of the Cathedral, led the St. Mary Cathedral in Aus- crowd in praying the Our Fatin held its second annual ther, Hail Mary and Glory Be Corpus Christi procession on for our country and religious June 10, the Solemnity of the freedom. Body and Blood of Christ. Father Laforet, carrying Hundreds of Catholics from the monstrance, and 13 altar throughout the Austin Dio- servers, two seminarians, two cese processed from the Ca- deacons, three priests and the thedral to the State Capitol. rest of the crowd then proFather John Kim, associate cessed back to the Cathedral pastor of the Cathedral, car- for benediction and the Diried the monstrance holding vine Praises. the Body of Christ as many This year on the Feast of groups and organizations car- Corpus Christi, Pope Beneried their banners in a public dict XVI reminded everyone display of faith. of the beauty of adoration of The police closed three Blessed Sacrament. streets so that the EucharisSpending time in protic procession safely reached longed silence before the Euits destination at 11th and charist “is one of the most Congress where the rst altar authentic experiences of our was located. There the faith- being church,” and it finds ful knelt, prayed and sang as its complement at Mass when Jesus was enthroned as King Catholics “celebrate the Euof the City. Cantors from the charist, listening to the word Scola Cantorum Choir led the of God, singing, approaching crowd in song. together the table of the bread Father Biju Antony, also of life,” the pope said. an associate pastor at the CaTruly entering into comthedral, then led the proces- munion with someone, he sion to the second altar at the said, is accompanied by “ex- changing glances and intense, eloquent silences full of respect and veneration. “If this dimension is missing, even sacramental communion can become a supercial gesture on our part,” the pope said. He went on to explain how Mass and Eucharist adoration go hand in hand. “Communion and contemplation cannot be separated, they go together. To really communicate with another person I must know him, I must be able to be in silence close to him, to hear him and to look at him with love,” he said. Join Our Winning Team. Do you have what it takes to be a success helping Catholic families plan for their future? Professional level income TOM SUPAK AGENCY potential. Create your own schedule. 979-968-9800 ST. MARY CATHEDRAL in Austin hosted its second annual Corpus Christi procession from the Cathedral to the steps of the State Capitol on June 10. 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Additional State information can be found at www.prepaidfunerals.state.tx.us. Trips to Scotland, France, Ireland, Shrines of Europe and much more... ranging from $3,599—$4,699 for 2012. Prices are ALL-INCLUSIVE W/ Airfare from anywhere in the continental USA Italy/Switzerland: Sept. 8-20, Sept. 15-27, Sept. 22-Oct. 4, Sept. 24-Oct. 6 … Italy Regular: Sept. 1-9, Sept. 8-16, Sept. 15-23, Sept. 22-30, Sept. 29-Oct. 7 … Holy Land: Sept. 3-13, Sept. 10-20, Sept. 17-27, Sept. 24-Oct. 4, Oct. 1-11, Oct. 8-18... Holy Land/Italy: Sept. 3-16, Sept. 10-23, Sept. 17-30, Sept. 24-Oct. 7, Oct. 1-14 … France: Sept. 25-Oct. 7, Oct. 9-21, Oct. 23-Nov. 4 Greece/Turkey: Sept. 8-20 Italy South: Sept. 8-20, Sept. 22-Oct. 4, Sept. 29-Oct. 11, Oct. 6-18, Oct. 13-25 … www.proximotravel.com email: [email protected] 855-842-8001 Carmela A. Dupuis | Executive Director 8 CENTRAL TEXAS C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Former atheist shares her conversion story BY MARY P. WALKER SENIOR CORRESPONDENT On the day before Mother’s Day, approximately 250 mothers, daughters, grandmothers and godmothers from parishes in the Bryan/College Station area attended a brunch celebrating motherhood in the Catholic tradition. The brunch was sponsored by St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and Regnum Christi, and included prayer, music and a May crowning. The theme was “Walking in Mary’s Footsteps: Becoming Women of Virtue,” and each of the 34 tables was dedicated to Our Lady under one of her titles. The keynote speaker, Jennifer Fulwiler, an Austin wife, mother of ve, writer and blogger, chronicled her journey from atheism to Catholicism. This journey was long and took some surprising turns. Prior to adulthood, Fulwiler has no memory of believing in God, and thought that those who did were indulging in fairytale thinking. However, Fulwiler said that through the example of her father, she was blessed with a questioning mind, which ultimately drove her to search for the truth. After college, she met her future husband, Joe. In many ways they were the perfect couple. Although not attending any church, Joe was raised Baptist and believed in God. Intelligent and accomplished, Joe made her wonder how such a rational person could hold such beliefs. Amused at her unbelief, he remarked, “You’re too smart to be an atheist. It won’t last.” Fulwiler said the only religious value they shared was being anti-Catholic. They were married in a ceremony where religion and tradition were deliberately excluded. A year later, the birth of their son and the experience of motherhood caused Fulwiler to question her tightly held nonbelief. One of the questions that atheists have to deal with is the value of life. If you do not believe in God or in his moral order, why is a newborn’s life more valuable than those of animals whose mental processes are more complex? Also, she could not accept that her love for her son was merely the result of chemical reactions in her brain. Fulwiler believes that this questioning allowed God to reveal himself to her as a force of love in the world, and she began a quest to discover this force, stating, “I knew it was real. I knew it was personal. I knew it wanted me to nd it.” In her research, she was helped by a book written by a former atheist who had become a Christian. The author argued the case for Christianity with the ABOUT 250 WOMEN and girls attended a Mother’s Day brunch sponsored by St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in College Station and Regnum Christi. (Photo by Mary P. Walker) vocabulary and arguments that she understood. She also read the Bible. However, she was uncomfortable with the sad fact that Christianity is not unied in beliefs or morality. “To have different denitions of what is good is to have different denitions of what is God,” Fulwiler said. As a result, she considered “giving up” on Christianity. Yet, she persevered and not only came to believe that God existed, but also that God became man through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The question then became “How would she and her family live the Christian life?” Through the Internet, Fulwiler observed that Catholic bloggers were the most reasoned debaters with atheists. Although still anti-Catholic, she studied the church fathers and more contemporary authors. Believing that God was inspiring her efforts, Fulwiler realized that the only important question was whether the Catholic Church was guided by God in her teachings. If so, she must believe. For her, the sexual abuse scandal, as terrible as it was, highlighted that in spite of the sins of the members, the Catholic Church has continued since the time of Christ. When she and her husband began to live in accordance with Catholic teachings, Fulwiler felt as if her life had started anew. In 2007, they joined the Catholic Church and are practicing Catholics. Fulwiler knew the source of the love she was seeking is Jesus Christ and that throughout the ages, Catholics have looked to Mary to bring them into a closer communion with Jesus. When Fulwiler felt herself to be spiritually “stuck,” she asked God to give her a relationship with his mother and she believes Mary moved her relationship with God from intellectual acceptance to an all-consuming commitment. Fulwiler blogs at www.conversiondiary.com. Retreats sponsored by Cedarbrake Conference offered for liturgical leaders Finding the Sacred in Depression, a weekend retreat, will be held Aug. 17-19 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. This retreat is designed to help those struggling with depression. Certain spiritual practices can guide the pathway to God’s peace and comfort. Sharon Highberger, MPM, will be the presenter. The cost is $155 for a double room, $185 for a private room and $75 for commuters. For more information, contact Cedarbrake at (254) 780-2436 or [email protected]. “Growing in Holiness,” a day of reection, will be held Sept. 13 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin. Franciscan Father Albert Haase from Relevant Radio will discuss true self and false self. The cost is $30, which includes lunch. For more information or to register, contact Cedarbrake Retreat Center at (254) 780-2436 or [email protected]. “The Lord’s Prayer,” a weekend retreat, will be held Sept. 14-16 at Cedarbrake Retreat Center in Belton. Franciscan Father Albert Haase from Relevant Radio will reect upon the words of the Lord’s prayer and highlight how they are a summary of all that Jesus taught and lived. The cost is $155 for a double room and $185 for a private. For more information or to register, contact Cedarbrake Retreat Center at (254) 780-2436 or [email protected]. The diocesan ofces of Worship and Hispanic Ministry will host a conference entitled “Preparing the Banquet” Sept. 8 at the Norris Conference Center in Austin. The day is for clergy and those who serve in any type of liturgical ministry. Workshops will be presented in English and Spanish, and the keynote address will be bilingual. To register, visit www.austindiocese.org or contact Kathy Thomas at (512) 949-2429 or [email protected]. Rosary Crusade offers retreat on Aug. 18 The Austin Rosary Crusade will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary with a retreat in Spanish on Aug. 18 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Ignatius Martyr Parish in Austin. The day will include a procession with matachines, the rosary, the sacrament of reconciliation, Mass and live music. Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez from St. Mary Cathedral will be the presenter and Bishop Joe Vásquez will celebrate Mass at noon. For more information, contact Ignacio Moreno at (512) 443-4111 or (512) 940-0698. Young adults invited to TEC weekend A Together Encounter Christ (TEC) weekend will be held Sept. 1-3 at Eagle’s Wings Retreat Center in Burnet. TEC is a movement of spirituality for young adults ages 17 to 24 and is founded and unfolds within the living traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. For more information, contact the Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry Ofce at (512) 949-2464 or [email protected]. “Living the Good News” Conference is Sept. 15 The Charity and Justice Secretariat of the Austin Diocese will present a conference entitled “Living the Good News” Sept. 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Austin. This conference will address the Gospel call to promote the life and dignity of every person from conception, throughout their lives until natural death. Jack Jezreel, the founder and executive director of JustFaith Ministries, will be the English keynote speaker. Arturo Chavez, president of the Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio, will be the Spanish keynote speaker. For more information or to register, visit www.austindiocese.org or contact Yvonne Saldaña at (512) 949-2486 or [email protected]. Trainings for marriage prep facilitators Training sessions for those who would like to offer the diocesan marriage preparation program, Together in God’s Love, in their parish or deanery will be held Sept. 13 and Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Austin. To register or for more information contact Rick Bologna at (512) 949-2495 or [email protected]. Couples encouraged to get away together Married couples who are looking for a getaway and time to reconnect with one another are invited to a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Sept. 28-30 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. The weekend allows couples to escape the daily distractions of life and focus on each other. The retreat begins Friday at 7:30 p.m. and ends Sunday afternoon. For more information or to register, contact Kenny and Anne Roberts at (512) 522-8409 or [email protected]. July/August 2012 IN OUR WORLD 9 Girl Scouts address criticism, correct rumors BY CHRISTIE L. CHICOINE CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Tina Kent credits the Girl Scouts for teaching her skills in leadership, conict resolution and critical thinking and for giving her an appreciation for the outdoors and opportunities to travel. Kent became a Brownie at age 8 in her native Vermillion, S.D., and remained a Scout until she was a teenager in Waco, Texas. Now a wife and mother of ve, Kent lives in the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa., and is a Girl Scout troop leader in York, Pa., where her troop meets at St. Joseph Catholic School. Her daughter Maggie, 7, a rst-grader at the school, is a Girl Scout Daisy. Kent hopes daughter Ruth, 3, will one day join her sister in the Scouts. Among other projects, her troop makes Christmas and Valentine’s Day cards for the elderly and this year donated 46 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to the local Catholic food pantry and sent 85 boxes to a girls’ school in Afghanistan. “As Catholics, we are called to be serving other people, to be reaching out, to be trying to do good in this world,” said Kent, 44, who became a Catholic at Easter 2003 when she was 35. Kent is well aware of claims by some that the Girl Scouts of the USA promotes Planned Parenthood and its advocacy of birth control and abortion. Others have complained that some printed material distributed to Scouts contained references that countered the Catholic Church’s teachings. After looking into the criticism herself, she told Catholic News Service, “I just don’t buy that it’s happening.” Kent acknowledged, however, the organization on occasion may end up “associating with people who are associating with people who are not who the Catholic Church would choose to be associating with.” The Girl Scouts of the USA, known as GSUSA, is marking its 100th anniversary this year. It has 3.2 million girl and adult members. An estimated 500,000 Catholic girls and adults in the U.S. are involved in Girl Scouts. Criticism of the Girl Scouts as an organization has surfaced off and on over the last several years and earlier this year made the rounds again on the Internet. In response GSUSA has strongly stated it “does not have a relationship or partnership with Planned Parenthood and does not plan to create one” and takes no position on abortion or birth control. “Parents and volunteer troop leaders in Catholic churches,” it said, “have total control of the Girl Scout programming their girls receive.” Given the large number of Catholics involved in Girl Scouts, such concerns prompted the bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth at its mid-March meeting to discuss GSUSA’s “possible problematic relationships with other organizations” and questions about some of its materials and resources. In a March 28 letter to his fellow bishops, committee chairman Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of South Bend-Fort Wayne, Ind., said some questions may need to be answered at the national level and others at the local level. Among other actions, he said the committee wants to develop a resource bishops can share with priests, youth ministers, pro-life directors, educators and others in their diocese on Catholic identity for troops and guidance for parents. Bishop Rhoades said the committee “afrmed the good service” Catholic Girl Scouts have provided and continue to provide to their communities and to the church. “Catholic Girl Scout troops have served girls and young women for many years, and the committee is grateful for this service,” he said. The bishop invited Robert McCarty, executive director of the Washington-based National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry in Washington, and Kathleen Carver, the federation’s associate director and communications director, to the meeting to give committee members their perspective on the claims made about the Girl Scouts. The federation’s website, www.nfcym.org, has a question-and-answer section on the issue, and according to McCarty, dialogue between the national Girl Scouts ofce in New York and the federation has been ongoing. McCarty told CNS that the bishops’ Secretariat for Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth would convene a group soon to discuss what resources and tools would help create dialogue among church and Girl Scout leaders “more in- CATHOLIC GIRL SCOUTS with Troop 508 sell Girl Scout cookies in late February at a shopping plaza in Great Neck, N.Y. Some claim the Girl Scouts promotes Planned Parenthood and its advocacy of birth control and abortion, but the organization strongly denies such accusations. A U.S. bishops’ committee plans to develop a resource bishops can share with priests, youth ministers, pro-life directors, educators and others in their diocese on Catholic identity for Catholic Scout troops and guidance for parents.(CNS photo by Gregory A. Shemitz) tentionally” and provide clear guidelines for predominantly Catholic troops where “Catholic teaching is honored and at the forefront.” Beyond the church’s relationship with Girl Scouts is the bigger issue of “how does the church engage secular organizations?” McCarty stated. “We advocate for church teaching through direct engagement and honest respectful dialogue.” In an earlier interview with CNS, McCarty said he has met with Girl Scout leaders in New York to convey concerns the federation has heard from the field, though he rejected the claim that Girl Scouts promotes Planned Parenthood. In January, Anna Maria Chavez, a Catholic who has been the Girl Scouts CEO since last November, came to Washington from New York, along with the chair of GSUSA’s board of directors, to meet with McCarty. “For nearly 100 years, we have partnered with the Catholic Church to support the growth and development of millions of girls,” Chavez told CNS. “It is a wonderful legacy and we’re grateful for the opportunity to participate in the process that will only enhance our partnership.” She said her organization has had meetings with Catholic dioceses around the country and said “those conversations have been very valuable in strengthening that relationship.” “Working closely together, we will continue to provide girls with the courage, confidence and character they will need to make our world a better place.” McCarty said the assertion Girls Scouts has a relationship with Planned Parenthood arose from a statement the previous CEO made in 2004 on broadcast television in which she listed the organization as one group among many with whom the Scouts maintained a relationship. “That,” he stressed, “was eight years ago, and, that has changed.” Other criticism has been directed at the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, known as WAGGGS, which, for example, has advocated for emergency contraception for women in Third World countries, McCarty said. GSUSA is one of WAGGS’ 145 member organizations. In the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Deacon Dana Allen Nearmyer, a consultant for evangelization and Catholic formation in the archdiocese, said Catholic leaders are concerned by the fact the GSUSA sends money to WAGGGS. “We’ve said that’s not acceptable,” Deacon Nearmyer said. “Our recommendation would be that they would stop funding the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.” No Scouts’ dues or registration fees go to WAGGGS, but GSUSA sends investment earnings to the international group. McCarty likened the relationship between the Girl Scouts and WAGGS to that between the United States and the United Nations. That association, he said, does not imply that the U.S. is aligned with everything the U.N. advocates. “The Vatican has a role at the U.N. I don’t see the Vatican walking away from the U.N.,” he added. “The Vatican is there to engage the U.N. through the lens of Catholic social teaching and church teaching.” Another criticism arose over Girl Scout material that included a link to a play written by a girl who questioned her parents and the Catholic Church, McCarty said. “When we raised that issue with the Girl Scouts, they took it out. They reprinted their books.” “We’re certainly not looking at banning Girl Scouts, unless that’s a directive,” Deacon Nearmyer told CNS. “We appreciate being part of the conversation and moving the curriculum of Girl Scouting to its more traditional, original roots –– protecting families. We also value their national connection and notoriety,” he said. “But ... at some point, if parishes are looking for something that’s a more substantial faith organization, Girl Scouts is only going to be able to carry them so far because they’re a secular organization.” For more information about Scouts in the Austin Diocese, visit http://scouting. austindiocese.org/. IN OUR WORLD 10 C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Taking stock of Pope Benedict XVI’s work year BY FRANCIS X. ROCCA CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Every year about this time, American legal journalists review the recently ended Supreme Court term, trying to identify trends and themes that cut across the court’s most important rulings. As it happens, the court’s October-through-June term coincides almost exactly with what we might call the papal year, which starts when the pope returns to the Vatican each fall and ends when he leaves for the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo (where he relocated this year July 3). Almost all of the Vatican’s important business gets done in this span, making it the most relevant unit of time to use when analyzing the papacy’s activity and its implications for the church as a whole. So what can the 2011-12 papal “term” tell us about where Pope Benedict XVI is leading the church? If there was one message that the Vatican’s agenda and statements this year seemed designed to convey, it was that the world needs the Catholic Church’s help to solve its most urgent social and economic problems. In five speeches over the course of six months to U.S. bishops on their “ad limina” visits to Rome, Pope Benedict said that the health and prosperity of American society as a whole require the engagement of its Catholic citizens, in delity to the church’s teaching on contentious matters, including marriage, abortion, euthanasia, immigration and education. On a November visit to the West African country of Benin, the pope said that a “church reconciled within itself can become a prophetic sign of reconciliation in society,” on a continent divided by often violent ethnic and religious conicts. Conceding no realm of human activity as beyond the church’s scope, the Vatican delved into the highly technical field of international finance with a controversial October document blaming the world’s economic crisis on a “liberalism that spurns rules and controls” and proposing global regulation of the nancial industry and international money supply. Pope Benedict made it clear that the church’s appeals to secular society should be made not in terms of faith but in terms of the “natural moral law” accessible to all through the use of reason. He notably included prominent agnostic “seekers of the truth” alongside religious leaders at an October meeting to promote peace and justice in Assisi, Italy. Yet the pope also insisted that the church’s commitment to social justice must never be separated from a faith that transcends this world. During a trip to Mexico and Cuba in March, the pope said that the “church is not a political power, it is not a party,” and told a crowd of more than 600,000 at an outdoor Mass that “human strategies will not sufce to save us” from war and injustice. The following month, the Vatican published a “doctrinal assessment” of the U.S. Leadership Conference of Women Religious. The document, which had been expressly approved by Pope Benedict, recognized the LCWR’s adherence to Catholic teaching in its promotion of social justice, but concluded that the group’s neglect of the church’s doctrine on a number of important moral issues, including abortion and euthanasia, reected a crisis “characterized by a diminution of the fundamental Christological center and focus of religious consecration.” Pope Benedict also emphasized a link between the church’s contributions to society and its right to freedom of religion, which he championed against varying degrees of restriction in communist Cuba, Mexico with its legacy of anti-clericalism, and the U.S., where the Obama administration seeks to make private Catholic institutions provide insurance covering sterilizations and contraception, in violation of the church’s moral teaching. As always, of course, the Vatican made some of its biggest news this year in ways that it had not planned at all. The biggest such story was undoubtedly the so-called “VatiLeaks” affair, the publication of dozens of condential correspondence and reports, including letters to Pope Benedict himself, and the subsequent arrest of the pope’s butler on charges of “aggravated theft.” While the documents themselves fuel an image of the Vatican as plagued by infighting, Pope Benedict has said that he expects his collaborators to work together as a family. In October, the pope removed Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, author of several leaked letters accusing specific Vatican ofcials of corruption and incompetence, from his job as secretary-general of the governor’s ofce of Vatican City. In an apparent sign of esteem for the archbishop’s ability and integrity, however, the pope appointed him to the key post of nuncio to the U.S. After months of furor over the leaks, in July, Pope Benedict defended Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, against “unjust criticism” in the Italian media, thus showing his appreciation for his longtime lieutenant, who had served under the future pope as secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, when then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was the congregation’s prefect. The papal “term” marked another chapter in the ongoing narrative of the Vatican’s relationship with the breakaway traditionalists of the Society of St. Pius X, who reject some teachings of the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council and subsequent modernizing changes to the church. In September, the Vatican presented the traditionalists with a “doctrinal preamble” outlining certain teachings, presumably including those of Vatican II, which the breakaway group would have to accept as a condition for reconciliation. In June, the Vatican presented them with a draft document proposing that a reintegrated society would hold the canonical status of a personal prelature, in effect an international diocese under the direct authority of the pope. As the Vatican awaited the traditionalists’ final response to these overtures, in late June, Pope Benedict named U.S. Archbishop Augustine Di Noia to focus personally on the SSPX negotiations. The appointment of Archbishop Di Noia, a distinguished theologian and longtime collaborator of the pope, underscores Pope Benedict’s extraordinary determination to bring a group of separated brethren back into the Catholic family. Join us no h w in The Year of Fait HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGES Holy Land and Mt. Sinai Holy Land Holy Land Holy Land and Jordan Holy Land !" #!$ Easter Pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Turkey #!$ %&' Join Father David Wathen, OFM, An experienced pilgrimage leader CAll 1-800-566-7499 Holy Land Franciscan Pilgrimages Bringing pilgrims to the Holy Land for over 100 years www.HolyLandPilgrimages.org “Receive the Holy Spirit, Proclaim the Gospel, Live Out the New Evangelization” National Leaders’ & Ministries Conference Nov. 2-4 in San Antonio If your parish or prayer group or you are seeking growth in the Holy Spirit, please join us. Friday afternoon for priests, deacons & seminarians • common times of praise and worship • Eucharistic celebrations on Saturday and Sunday • Workshops and General Sessions • Spanish Language Track on Saturday • Young Adult Track on Saturday • Service praying for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit For more information or to register, visit www.nsc-chariscenter.org or call 800-338-2445. July/August 2012 IN OUR WORLD 11 Bishops discuss charter, religious liberty, more BY CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE During the public sessions of their spring meeting in Atlanta, the U.S. bishops received a 10-year progress report on their abuse charter, voted to draft a message on work and the economy, and heard reports about religious liberty issues in the U.S. and abroad. They also listened as an Iraqi bishop made an impassioned plea on behalf of Iraq’s dwindling Christian population and called on the U.S. prelates to press the Obama administration to take steps to protect religious rights in the Middle Eastern country. The meeting was June 13-15, with public sessions the rst day and a half; the rest of the time was scheduled for executive session and not open to media coverage. On the opening day, the bishops voted 171-26 to move ahead with a draft of a message on work and the economy as a way to raise the prole of growing poverty and the struggles that unemployed people are experiencing. It is expected to be ready in time for a nal vote at the bishops’ fall meeting in November. Titled “Catholic Reections on Work, Poverty and a Broken Economy,” the message would advance the bishops’ priority of human life and dignity to demonstrate the new evangelization in action, explained Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, Calif., chairman of the Com- mittee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. It would be a follow-up to a Sept. 15, 2011, letter by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, in which he urged bishops and priests across the country to preach about “the terrible toll the current economic turmoil is taking on families and communities.” Al J. Notzon III, chairman of the lay-led National Review Board, presented a report marking the 10th anniversary of the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.” The charter was part of the U.S. bishops’ response to the clergy abuse scandal that was a major concern when they met in Dallas in 2002. While the Catholic Church has taken major steps in addressing allegations of clergy sexual abuse, it must continue to be vigilant in assuring that victims and their families will receive the attention and care they deserve, Notzon told the bishops. Meeting that transparency remains a crucial component of building and maintaining credibility among the Catholic faithful as well as the general public, he said. Despite the successes, Notzon said the church’s credibility continues to suffer because many Catholics and the broader community not only believe clergy sexual abuse remains at a high level but also think that local bishops continue to cover up the problem by not reporting allega- tions of abuse to local authorities. “This suggests a trust problem and must be met with scrupulous adherence to the charter,” he said. In a presentation on religious liberty issues, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore ,chairman of the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Freedom, acknowledged the U.S. bishops’ “fortnight for freedom” campaign has come under heavy criticism in the secular media, in the blogosphere and by some Catholics as being a partisan political effort. But the two-week period was meant to be free of politics and will emphasize church teaching on religious freedom, he said. “Already we realize that defending religious freedom is not a walk in the park,” he said. “We’ve seen some reaction to our work that is sometimes hostile, sometimes unfair and inaccurate and sometimes derisive.” At the end of the discussion on religious freedom in the U.S., the bishops afrmed by a unanimous voice vote a recent statement of the USCCB Administrative Committee regarding the HHS mandate titled “United for Religious Freedom.” In his remarks to the assembly, Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad made an impassioned plea on behalf of Iraq’s dwindling Christian population, and called upon the U.S. bishops to press the Obama administration to take steps to protect religious rights in the Middle Eastern country. He said the country’s Christians are being targeted by Muslim extremists bent on ridding the country of all religious minorities. He said in the session presented by the bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace that the difculties Christians face emerged only after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. “As leaders of the church in the United States,” he told the bishops, “you bear a special responsibility toward the people and Christians of Iraq. In 2003 your government led the war that brought some terrible consequences. The U.S. government can and must do all it can to encourage tolerance and respect in Iraq, to help Iraq strengthen the rule of law and to provide assistance that helps create jobs for Iraqis, especially those on the margins.” In a report on the Year of Faith, set to begin in October, Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wis., chairman of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, said the 2012-13 church-wide observance stems from Pope Benedict XVI’s call for a new evangelization. He said it will incorporate television, radio, social media and numerous online resources to better connect –– or reconnect –– Catholics with their faith. In a presentation June 14, Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Com- munications, said the new evangelization calls for using new forms of media to reach people in their everyday lives. From electronic books to social media to traditional forms of print and broadcast, the church is rethinking how to carry its teachings and its stances on public policy issues to broader audiences, including Catholics, he said. Serious questions revolve around how to effectively communicate the church’s work while remaining true to authentic church teaching, Bishop Wester said. The spring assembly opened with Mass celebrated by Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory at Sacred Heart of Jesus Basilica, who urged his fellow bishops to recall the life of St. Anthony of Padua to help them renew religious life. The saint –– whose feast day was June 13 –– demonstrated a deep devotion to Christ through his preaching. “Certainly here our contemporary church ought to seek his assistance since we seem to have lost something of our condence and vitality in proclaiming the Gospel,” Archbishop Gregory said in a brief homily. “Unfortunately, we may also have occasionally misplaced clerical integrity and the facility of announcing the good news of Jesus Christ with conviction. Religious life has suffered confusion and needs serious renewal. That, perhaps, St. Anthony can once again help us to rediscover,” he said. Investigation of Vatican leaks continues BY CAROL GLATZ CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE The father of the pope’s personal assistant, who is under arrest in connection with the so-called “VatiLeaks” scandal, described his son as an honest, faithful Catholic and said he hoped his son’s “sacrice” would help the church rid itself of corruption. Paolo Gabriele, the pope’s personal assistant, is a person of “absolute honesty ... great generosity and moral integrity,” who is deeply devoted to the church and the pope, Andrea Gabriele said in a letter sent to the Italian television station Tgcom 24. The letter was published on the broadcaster’s website July 15. Paolo Gabriele was arrested May 23 after condential letters and documents addressed to the pope and others within the Vatican administration were allegedly found in his Vatican apartment. Similar documents had been published in Italian media over the past several months warning of corruption, abuse of power and a lack of nancial transparency at the Vatican. Gabriele was being detained in a security cell on the Vatican grounds on charges of aggravated theft. The 46-year-old father of three is the only person charged so far after a nearly twomonth Vatican-led investigation. “As a father and a Christian, I hope the whole truth comes out to the benecial advantage of the church,” the detainee’s father wrote. His son “is personally paying the price of a situation that still isn’t easy to understand,” and won’t be until the motive has been made public, he said. “I hope above all that this tremendous sacrifice carries spiritual fruit” not only for those in a position of responsibility within the church, but for furthering the repeated desire of Pope Benedict XVI for the “necessary cleaning of the church,” Andrea Gabriele said. In his letter, the father sought to defend the younger Gabriele against the “distorted and often false and offensive” accusations being made in the media, which have accused the assistant of trying to harm the reputation of the church and pope. The letter came after a Vatican prosecutor decided to keep Gabriele detained beyond the usual 50 days according to Vatican law. The Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, told reporters July 12 that Gabriele would probably stay in custody for another 10 days to allow the Vatican court to gather more evidence. The Vatican court has ques- tioned a number of witnesses, but none of them has been held or charged with anything, Father Lombardi has said. The investigating judge, Piero Antonio Bonnet, is expected to wrap up the formal questioning process, which began June 5, and reach a conclusion by the end of July, the Vatican spokesman said. The judge can decide whether to dismiss the case or have Gabriele stand in a Vatican trial that would be open to the public. If Gabriele is ordered to stand trial, which would not begin before the end of September, he might be allowed to leave the Vatican detention cell for house arrest, Father Lombardi said. Meanwhile, a commission of three cardinals recently wrapped up its parallel inquiry of the leaks and was due to meet with the pope in mid-July to report its ndings. The papal commission, led by Cardinal Julian Herranz, 82, was established in March to investigate the leaked letters and documents; it reports directly to the pope. Father Lombardi said the commission, which includes 88-year-old retired Slovak Cardinal Jozef Tomko and 81-yearold retired archbishop of Palermo, Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi, spoke with numerous members of the Roman Curia and other Vatican ofcials. While the Vatican tribunal was to look into taking legal action against those who gave the documents to reporters, the cardinal commission was meant to help the pope understand fully the reasons behind the leaks and the problems they appear to indicate. The Vatican Secretariat of State was to carry out an administrative review of every Vatican ofce. IN OUR WORLD 12 C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Archbishop Sheen is a step closer to sainthood BY FRANCIS X. ROCCA CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Pope Benedict XVI has approved the heroic virtues of U.S. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the Vatican announced June 28, clearing the way for the advancement of his sainthood cause. Among the others honored in decrees announced the same day were rst prelate of Opus Dei, the Canadian and IrishAmerican founders of two orders of religious women, a priest murdered by the Sicilian Maa, and 154 martyrs killed during the Spanish Civil War. Archbishop Sheen heroically lived Christian virtues and should be considered “venerable,” said a decree issued by the Congregation for Saints’ Causes and signed by Pope Benedict. Before the archbishop can be beatified, the Vatican must recognize that a miracle has occurred through his intercession. The decree came just more than 13 months after Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria, Ill., presented Pope Benedict with two thick volumes about the life of Archbishop Sheen, whose home diocese was Peoria. Archbishop Sheen, who was born in Illinois in 1895 and died in New York in 1979, was an Emmy-winning televangelist. His program, “Life is Worth Living,” aired in the United States from 1951 to 1957. Last September, a tribunal of inquiry was sworn in to investigate the allegedly miraculous healing of a newborn whose parents had prayed to the archbishop’s intercession. The Vatican also announced papal decrees approving the beatification of 158 men and women, including 156 martyrs, all but two of them Spaniards, killed during their country’s 1936-39 Civil War. Father Giuseppe Puglisi, a Sicilian priest and activist against organized crime who was killed by the Mafia in 1993, was another of the martyrs recognized. Martyrs do not need a miracle attributed to their intercession in order to be beatified. However, miracles must be recognized by the Vatican in order for martyrs to be canonized. Other decrees recognized the heroic virtues of eight men and women, including: • Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, the rst prelate of Opus Dei. • Mother Marie-Josephte Fitzbach, founder of the Good Shepherd Sisters of Quebec. • Mother Mary Angeline Teresa McCrory, the Irish-born founder of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Inrm, who died in New York state in 1984. ARCHBISHOP Fulton Sheen (CNS photo) Massachusetts Priest Hosts Rose Parade, Palm Springs & San Diego Tour +PTIVB/BUJPOBM1BSLt5FNFDVMB8JOF5BTUJOH 9 Days from $1348* Departing December 29, 2012 Get away from the colder weather during the first week in January and enjoy the best New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day you have had in years! Start in Los Angeles (4 nights) with a city tour of L.A., Hollywood and Beverly Hills. You may also decide to join others on a YMT optional tour to the Getty Museum or Reagan Library. Then enjoy an exclusive, pre-parade, after public hours, float building and viewing at the Rosemont Pavilion with included dinner. Watch the artists put the “finishing touches” on the floats unencumbered by public crowds! On Tuesday, January 1, 2013, enjoy your reserved grandstand seats at the Rose Parade! On Wednesday, January 2, depart for the resort town of Palm Springs (2 nights). Along the way you will visit the beautiful desert landscape in Joshua Tree National Park and the famous Joshua Tree. While in Palm Springs you may wish to take an optional tour to The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens or an excersion aboard the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which boasts the world’s largest rotating tramcar and experience a breathtaking journey up the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon. Then head to San Diego (2 nights). En route you will travel through the wine region of Temecula county where you will enjoy a tour and wine tasting at a local winery. In San Diego see Coronado Island, Seaport Village and Balboa Park on your included city tour or join one of our optional tours to the San Diego Zoo or a Whale Watching Cruise. Mass will be celebrated some days on tour. Your YMT chaplain is Fr. George Almeida, taking is 12th trip with YMT as a Catholic Chaplain. He is retired after serving as pastor of Our Lady of Fatima in Swansea, MA, in the Fall River Diocese. Is there an abortion in your past? We can help you nd healing and peace. Call Project Rachel 1-877-We Care 2 Travel with Chaplain Fr. Gerres! Hawaiian Kings Tour The Best 2-Week, 4-Island Vacation Available At The Most Affordable Price! 15 Days from $2048* Departing February 18, 2013 Homosexuality and Hope “Carefree” best describes your vacation starting with your Polynesian tour director meeting you at the Honolulu airport. Spend 5 nights in Waikiki Beach (Honolulu) on Oahu; 3 nights on Kauai; 2 on Maui; 1 night in Hilo and 3 in Kona, on Hawaii (“the-bigisland”). Escorted sightseeing includes a city tour of Honolulu, Punchbowl Crater and Pearl Harbor, the Wailua River Boat Cruise, The Old Whaling Capital of Lahaina, the Iao Valley, Hilo Orchid Gardens, Rainbow Falls, Black Sand Beaches, Volcanoes National Park and more. Includes: hotel accommodations, taxes, inter-island flights, baggage handling, escort, & sightseeing. YMT Specializes in Hawaii and has had its own office in Honolulu since 1967. Mass will be celebrated some days on tour. Your YMT chaplain JT'S(FSSFTIFJT4FOJPS1SJFTUBU4U&MJ[BCFUIT$IVSDIJO8JMNJOHUPO%&5IJT will be his seventh trip as YMT’s chaplain. Call Fr. Becker: (512) 863-3041 *Price per person, based on double occupancy. Airfare is extra. [email protected] www.austindiocese.org/projectrachel Ofce of Pro-Life Activities~Catholic Diocese of Austin Project Rachel Retreats are for anyone seeking reconciliation and peace after abortion. All calls are condential. COURAGE OF AUSTIN (must dial area code from Austin) [email protected] [email protected] www.couragerc.net For details, itinerary, reservations & letter from YMT’s chaplain with his phone number call 7 days a week: 1-800-736-7300 IN OUR WORLD July/August 2012 13 ‘Icons’ collected from Vietnam Veterans Memorial BY NANCY FRAZIER O’BRIEN CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Duery Felton Jr. calls them “icons.” The religious articles gathered up each day at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington are just a small part of the estimated 400,000 items left in honor of a veteran and collected twice daily by National Park Service employees since the memorial opened 30 years ago. But for Felton, curator of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection held at the Museum Resource Center in Landover, many of the items represent a mystery that will never be solved. He holds up a small cross on a pedestal. A piece of paper afxed to the bottom says the cross was made from square nails used to build the original St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Kasson, Minn., in 1873. But that doesn’t answer Felton’s many questions: Who left the item and for whom? What did the church mean to the veteran or the person who left the cross? “Most of the three-dimensional objects in the collection come with no explanation of what it is or what it means,” he said. There is even a box of rocks left at the memorial on the National Mall. Felton isn’t sure, but he thinks some veterans bring the rocks as a symbol that they have “put their burdens down” and left their bad memories of Vietnam at the memorial. “This is a collection unlike any other,” Felton said. It is the only collection in which the public decides what will be included, the only one made up of items left by the living for the dead and the only one in which “the bias of what is worthy is taken out” of the curator’s hands, he said. But Felton believes that is more than appropriate for a memorial to those who served in “a completely different kind of war” –– the only U.S. war that was never ofcially declared. “It’s Vietnam, so you can leave logic out the door,” he said. With the exception of plant matter, food and unaltered U.S. ags, every item left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is preserved and cataloged. The ags are given to veterans’ hospitals, visitors to the memorial or civic groups such as the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts. The collection started almost by accident when a park ranger who thought the items had been left inadvertently started a kind of lost and found, thinking those who had left the items would return for them one day. When no one came back for the items –– and more were donated each day –– the collection was born. The most popular items left at the memorial are notes or letters, many of which are not addressed to a specic veteran. Thousands of metal bracelets commemorating a specic Vietnam prisoner of war or missing in action also have been left behind. The largest item held in the collection is believed to be a painting on a 9-foot-by-5-foot sliding glass door that shows a scene in Vietnam and displays the names of all those who were POWs or listed as missing in action. Donated with the door is a full-size reproduction of a tiger cage, like the ones that held POWs during the war. The cage is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History. There is a Harley-Davidson motorcycle bearing a Wisconsin license plate with the word HERO. The group of Wisconsin THIS YEAR marks the 30th anniversary of completion of The Wall, which was dedicated Nov. 13, 1982. About 4 million visitors a year walk past its black granite panels inscribed with the names of 58,267 men and women killed or missing in action. (CNS photo by Nancy Phelan Wiechec) veterans that donated it has asked that no one be allowed to sit on the motorcycle until all those MIA in Vietnam have been accounted for. According to the Department of Defense, 1,664 veterans are still missing in action in Vietnam. Those items indicate a great deal of pre-planning, but other donations are spontaneous. “It’s not unusual to see children go through their backpacks and leave whatever the popular toy of the day is,” Felton said. “Every item is precious,” he A Permanent Place to Visit Offers Healing Our Lady of Guadalupe Garden, located within the grounds of Cook-Walden Memorial Hill Cemetery, offers a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe with a kneeling Juan Diego. This garden offers a wide selection of monument and memorialization options. Our Lady of Guadalupe Garden was recently blessed according to Catholic tradition. WE ARE OFFERING A SUMMER SPECIAL. Valid through August 31st, 2012 Receive a 50% discount in Our Lady of Guadalupe Garden at Cook-Walden Memorial Hill Cemetery when you purchase two spaces. Please call us for details and to take advantage of this limited time offer. www.cook-walden.com GREATER AUSTIN AREA DIGNITY MEMORIAL ® PROVIDERS INCLUDE: Cook-Walden Capital Parks Funeral Home & Cemetery | 512-251-4118 Cook-Walden Lamar Funeral Home | 512-454-5611 Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home | 512-335-1155 Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home | 512-863-2564 Cook-Walden Forest Oaks Funeral Home & Memorial Park | 512-892-1172 *50% savings does not include the statutorily required 15% Endowment Care Fee. Price of two interments is $5,208.70 ($2,604.35 each), less the 50% savings of $2,604.35, plus the $390.65 endowment care fee equals 2,995.00 for the two interment rights and the endowment care fee. www.prepaidfunerals.texas.gov added. “It might be a fourthplace karate medal, but for a person to leave it ennobles this offering.” Religious items –– medals, Bibles, rosaries, crosses and similar articles –– make up a signicant part of the collection. Among the most popular medals are those dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, patron saint of paratroopers; St. Anthony of Padua and St. Nicholas, both considered the patron of sailors; and St. Therese of Lisieux, patron of pilots and air crews. 14 IN OUR WORLD C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Native Americans eager for Kateri’s canonization BY CHAZ MUTH CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE With the beat of a drum sounding and the scent of burning sage and sweet grass permeating the hot, humid air, Native American Catholics honored a woman they already consider a saint July 14, her feast day. This year’s celebration was special, because in October the Algonquin-Mohawk woman who died more than 400 years ago will at long last become a saint. That jubilant feeling was demonstrated as pilgrims from as far away as Georgia and Quebec stepped off the buses they took for their journey to the National Shrine of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha in Fonda, N.Y. Many kneeled before the many statues of the Native American woman who devoted herself to the Catholic faith. “I wanted to be in the place where she lived, where she was baptized and where she is still honored,” said Eddie Ryder of Bay Shore, a town on Long Island. “I’m part Native American and I’ve always wanted to come here and really feel Kateri’s presence.” Kateri’s sainthood cause was opened in 1932, and she was declared venerable in 1943. In June 1980, she became the rst Native American to be beatied, giving her the title “Blessed.” In December, Pope Benedict XVI advanced her sainthood cause by signing the decree recognizing the miracle needed for her to become a saint. On Feb. 18, the pope announced she would be canonized at the Vatican Oct. 21, along with six others. As Franciscan Father Mark Steed prepared to celebrate the feast day Mass in a rustic pavilion on the shrine’s 200 acres of wooded land on the north bank of the Mohawk River, he thought about how important it is for North American Catholics with an indigenous background to nally have a saint of their own. “It authenticates who they are as a people, and who she was as an individual living all of those numbers of years ago,” Father Steed told Catholic News Service. “It gathers them in now to the whole church. So, they are not sitting on the fringe. Now they are part of the inner circle.” The recognition and acceptance is very important to Native American Catholics in both Canada and the U.S., he said. “It’s not a fairy story. We see in Blessed Kateri what part she played in bringing God and Jesus into her world,” Father Steed continued. “This young maiden of Jesus took her part in the ongoing proclamation of the word of God. “We cannot re-create her relationship with God. That was hers. She was a person lled with the love of Jesus. We, too, must step into our world of ministry. We celebrate today this role model of holiness and we strive to see that we are holy, too,” he said. Theresa Steele told CNS she felt an enriched sense of pride in both her heritage and Catholicism as she participated in the Mass. She is over the moon that Kateri will be canonized in October, but she said for herself the ceremony is merely a formality. “Growing up back home and for many natives my age or older, we were raised believing she was already a saint,” she told CNS. “We didn’t know she wasn’t already a saint. We didn’t know what canonization meant. We were told she was our saint in heaven.” Blessed Kateri, known as “the Lily of the Mohawks,” was born to a Christian Algonquin mother and a Mohawk father in 1656 along the Hudson River in what is today upstate New York. A Jesuit missionary baptized her in 1676 when she was 20. A year later she ed to Canada and died there in 1680. She astounded the Jesuits with her deep spirituality and her devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She took a private vow of chastity and devoted herself to prayer and to teaching prayers to the children and helping the sick and elderly. MICHELLE SHERLOCK of August, Ga., prays in front of a statue of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha on her July 14 feast day in Fonda, N.Y. Blessed Kateri will be canonized Oct. 21. (CNS photo by Nancy Phelan Wiechec) LUMEN GENTIUM July/August 2012 15 Bishop Joe S. Vásquez presented the 2012 Lumen Gentium awards to the following individuals in recognition of their service and faithfulness. Recipients were nominated by their pastor or diocesan staff. “Gathered together in the people of God and established in the one body of Christ under one head, the laity –– no maer who they are –– have, as living members, the vocaon of applying to the building up of the church and to its connual sanccaon all the powers which they have received from the goodness of the Creator and from the grace of the Redeemer. “The apostolate of the laity is a sharing in the salvic mission of the church. Through bapsm and conrmaon all are appointed to this apostolate by the Lord himself. Moreover, by the sacraments, and especially by the Eucharist, that love of God and man which is the soul of the apostolate is communicated and nourished. The laity, however, are given this special vocaon: to make the church present and fruiul in those places and circumstances where it is only through them that she can become the salt of the earth. Thus, every lay person, through those gis given to him, is at once the witness and the living instrument of the mission of the church itself “according to the measure of Christ’s bestowal” (Eph. 4:7) ... — No. 33, The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium), Second Vatican Council, November 21, 1964 Tommy and Shirley Adanandus Margaret Arney José † and Victoria Campos St. Joseph Parish, Killeen St. Ann Parish, Rosebud San José Parish, Austin Mark Alvarez Santiago Arredondo Norma Cavanaugh St. Joseph Parish, Rockdale St. Ann Parish, Somerville Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish, Granger Troy and Mary Anthony Jack Buckley Jr. Holy Cross Parish, Austin St. Mary Catholic Center, College Station Jose Gaudencio Porrio and Maria Guadalupe Cazares Sacred Heart Parish, Austin Maria Arenas and Paula Gonzales Liz Burton-Garcia Manuel and Blanca Cazares Santa Teresa Parish, Bryan St. William Parish, Round Rock St. Monica Parish, Cameron Julie Arensman Krystle Cagandahan Rudolph “Rudy” J. Cepak St. Joseph Parish, Elk University Catholic Center, Austin Holy Trinity Parish, Corn Hill LUMEN GENTIUM 16 C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Mary Cortez Michael and Danielle Devault Enrique “Henry” Hernandez Gerry and Lisa Kasberg St. Mary, Hearne St. Mary, Church of the Assumption, Waco Sacred Heart Parish, Elgin St. Martin Parish, Tours Teresa Crable Jim and Liz DiSimoni Lola Hohn Melissa Kelly Emmaus Parish, Lakeway Holy Family Parish, Copperas Cove St. Joseph Parish, Mason St. Martin de Porres Parish, Dripping Springs Jeannette R. Cunningham Joe and Mae Fazzino Joe and Denise Huerta Lynwood and Jeanette Kleypas Sacred Heart Parish, Waco St. Joseph Parish, Bryan St. Louis Parish, Austin Church of the Visitation, Westphalia Mary Cunningham Larry and Waldine Frugé Michael and Ana Jackoskie Roque and Carmen Lavalle St. Jerome Parish, Waco St. John the Baptist Parish, Fayetteville St. Paul Parish, Austin Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Taylor Dan and Lita Daniel Debra Green Rita G. Jonse Bryan and Jennifer Leasure Christ the King Parish, Belton St. Thomas More Parish, Austin St. Joseph Parish, Manor St. Ignatius, Martyr Parish, Austin Rudy and Terri Delgado Peter and Terry Gruning Lloyd and Ernestine Jordan Margaret “Peg” Maher St. Austin Parish, Austin H.L. Grant Catholic Center, San Marcos Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Sunrise Beach St. Mary Parish, Wimberley Paul and Denice Detzel Dannie and Terry Hefner Elizabeth Junek Bruce McAtee St. Elizabeth Parish, Pugerville St. Paul Chong Hasang Parish, Harker Heights St. Mary Parish, Caldwell St. Mary Parish, Temple July/August 2012 LUMEN GENTIUM 17 Pablo and Margarita Mendez Anh and Lien Pham M. Eugenia “Jeannie” Rodriguez Charlotte A. Spence St. Mary Parish, Lampasas Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Parish, Austin St. Mary Parish, Brenham St. Mary Parish, San Saba Marie Muñiz LaVerne Pick Jose “Joe” Sanchez Maryrae Stein St. Margaret Parish, Giddings St. Luke Parish, Temple Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Austin St. Anthony Marie de Claret Parish, Kyle Bob and Ileana Napoles Bernard A. Pivonka Morag Sell Gary Strodtbeck St. Patrick Parish, Hutto Holy Rosary Parish, Frenstat Diocese of Austin: Ofce of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry St. Ferdinand Parish, Blanco Mario and Maria Olivarez Vernon and Candy Pohlmeier Ilario “Larry” Simonette Ocia Sweed Sr. St. Eugene Parish, McGregor St. John Neumann Parish, Austin St. Stephen Parish, Salado Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Washington Lucy Perez Daniel Pokluda Bennie and Waldine Skutca Robert and Kelly Tavarez Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Temple St. Mary, Church of the Assumption, West St. Mary Parish, Ellinger/Hostyn Hill St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Austin Mary Lou Pesina Nancy Posvar Merlene Slavik Louis and Genevieve Tepera St. Francis On The Brazos Parish, Waco St. Joseph Parish, Cyclone Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish, Marak St. Matthew Parish, Rogers Mary Jane Pfeifer Tommy and Sherry Rodgers Regina South Charmiel Teresi St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Kingsland St. Mary, Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Lago Vista St. Anthony Parish, Bryan St. John Vianney Parish, Round Rock LUMEN GENTIUM 18 C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Ben and Mary Ulcak Mary Williams Walter and Kathleen Yucikas St. John the Evangelist Parish, San Marcos St. Mary Parish, Lockhart St. Margaret Mary Parish, Cedar Park Stephen and Kathleen Venzon Larry and Ruth † Wisneski Edwin and Donna Zimmerhanzel Ascension Parish, Bastrop St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, College Station Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Kovar Photos of the following recipients were unavailable: Arthur and Elzena Ambrose St. Paul Parish, Smithville Delia Villarreal and Esperanza Campos St. Albert the Great Parish, Austin Roel and Mary Buegeler St. Michael Parish, Burlington Richard G. Cernosek Sacred Heart Parish, La Grange Elvira Gonzales Our Lady of San Juan Parish, Moody Michael Horsley Charles Walden St. Theresa Parish, Austin St. Peter Catholic Student Center, Waco Kristin Elizabeth Kinald Santa Rosa Parish, Andice Sean McGuire † Diocese of Austin: Ofce of Social Concerns Gary and Milly Summy St. Peter Parish, Goldthwaite Louise Willett St. Mary Parish, Mexia Marjorie Tellez Good Shepherd, Johnson City Sponsor of the 2012 Lumen Gentium Ceremony July/August 2012 GOOD NEWS 19 Renewing and refreshing the message of Christ BISHOP JOE S. VÁSQUEZ is the fth bishop of the Austin Diocese. He shepherds more than 500,000 Catholics in 25 Central Texas counties. Editor: Bishop, in the fall in the Catholic Church will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council opening. Tell us about the Council and why it is so important in our Church history? Bishop Vásquez: The Second Vatican Council is one of the most signicant events of the 20th century that effected the Catholic Church. In many ways, the Council brought about a renewal of our church. When the Council was convened in 1962 by Pope John XXIII, he wanted an “aggiornamento,” which is Italian for “make new” or “up to date.” Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Council came together not to deal with doctrinal controversies as other councils had, but it came together with the intent to renew and refresh the church’s teachings and the Catholic faith. The Council sought to make the faith real and present and to make it credible for people in modern society. Vatican II produced a rich set of documents from apostolic constitutions, declarations and decrees and the Council particularly affected the liturgy. Because of Vatican II, the language for the Mass changed; Catholics went from Mass celebrated strictly in Latin to being able to celebrate the Eucharist in the vernacular of the people. This meant people could understand and participate in the Mass in their own particular language. The Council also renewed the liturgy itself and Masses became more vibrant and encouraged the laity to participate more than they had previously. “In the restoration and promotion of the sacred liturgy, this full and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else,” says the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (“Sacrosanctum Concilium”), which was promulgated by the Second Vatican Council. Vatican II also instigated many other important documents, including four apostolic constitutions. The Apostolic Constitution on the Modern World (“Gaudium et Spes”) reected on how the church did not see the world as being an enemy but rather how we were sent into the world to evangelize. Therefore, we were not to be afraid, we were to go forth and proclaim Christ to all the nations. The Council also helped us understand how we can form relationships with other religions, especially those with our Muslim and Jewish brothers and sisters. Vatican II’s Declaration on the Relation of the Church with NonChristian Religions (“Nostra Aetate”) points out that all humans are made in the image and likeness of God; therefore, there is no room for hatred based on religion, color or culture. “Lumen Gentium,” the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, helps us understand that the church is rst and foremost a mystery founded by Christ for the purpose of inviting all of humanity to salvation. Therefore, the church herself is a pilgrim people where the ordained and the laity have a vital role to play. All the documents produced by Vati- can II exemplied how the church sees herself and how we understand the message entrusted to her to bring hope and joy to the world. Editor: In many ways Vatican II helped people better understand their faith. Pope Benedict XVI hopes to once again bring people closer to Christ with the New Evangelization. Will you tell us more about that? Bishop Vásquez: Yes, the Holy Father has declared this new synod, which will take place Oct. 7-28 at the Vatican. The synod’s theme is “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” The Holy Father sees evangelization as a priority for the church. He is very concerned that though much of the world sees itself as Christian and says it believes in God, secularization, individualism and materialism are serious threats to humanity and to Christianity. Extreme secularization sees the church as having little or nothing to contribute to society. Secularization means God is being kept out of the public place; that is to say, it is acceptable to worship and pray to God in church, but it is not acceptable to bring God into the workplace, into our public schools and into society in general. With the New Evangelization, the pope wants people to understand that our Catholic faith demands that we bring God wherever we go. We can’t separate God from our lives – he is always with us! When we go to Mass on Sunday, when we go to work or when we go to school or when we go out to do our shopping or to a movie, God is with us. POPE JOHN XXIII (left) signed the bull convoking the Second Vatican Council Dec. 25, 1961. He wrote that he would convene the council so that the church would contribute positively to the solution of modern problems. The council assembled for its rst session Oct. 11, 1962. (CNS photos) Individualism means the person becomes the ultimate decider and judge for all of his actions. Thus morality becomes subjective as the individual is the decider of truth and becomes his own god. We know this is prevalent in society today. However, Christianity tells us there is ultimate truth and morality that we should abide by and as Jesus taught us, we should love God above all else and love our neighbor as ourselves. The Holy Father wants us to better understand this concept and share it with others through the New Evangelization. Materialism is also another threat to Christianity. People seem to be so absorbed with consumption and spending money. We obviously need money to be able to live and we need a good economy so that people can thrive, but when money and things become more important than people and God, then our faith is threatened. With the New Evangelization, Pope Benedict XVI does not want to distribute a new or different message. However, he wants to reintroduce people to the message of Jesus Christ, our Savior. He wants to bring Christ to people who have already heard of Christ and may be Christian but aren’t living out their faith and aren’t connected to the church. He wants to make the message of salvation alive and real for everyone who believes. Christ is the hope of the world. The church has one primary purpose and that is to go out into the world and tell others about Christ. That was the great commission of Jesus at the end of the Gospel of Matthew. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” As Catholics, we are sent into the world. The Holy Father has taken the New Evangelization as one of his primary themes for his papacy, and this is why he has called for the synod. Editor: What is your prayer for the diocese as we move forward with this? Bishop Vásquez: My prayer for the diocese is that all of us will deepen our faith in Jesus. You and I are Catholic because Jesus has come into our lives and we have experienced him personally; we nd him in each other and we nd him in the community that we call the Catholic Church. I pray that we may all experience Christ, not only personally but communally; that is, when we come to Eucharist and when we celebrate the Mass and the Sacraments, we will nd Christ. He is there! He is alive! He is not a memory. Christ is real. He is here for you and for me. This is what gives us hope. This is what gives us life. This is what gives us purpose and meaning. To nd Christ is to nd life, purpose and meaning. I pray that we will all experience Christ more fully. GOOD NEWS 20 C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Five steps to strengthening the sacrament of matrimony BY LUPE GARCIA, LPC-S, LMFT-S GUEST COLUMNIST The diocesan Ofce of Family Counseling and Family Life seeks to help couples fulll their vocation to married life. Here are ve ways to build and maintain a strong marriage. 1. Make time for each other The biggest reason that people lose their connection and grow apart is that they don’t make time for each other. We get so involved in life’s obligations that we forget to make time for the most important people in our lives. We prioritize jobs, friends, bills and children before our spouse. If we viewed marriage as a paying job, some of us might have been red for slacking or worse yet, not even showing up. We encourage couples to make their relationship a priority by scheduling a date night every week or at least twice a month. Dates don’t have to be extravagant –– enjoy a cup of coffee together, take a walk in the park, or go dancing; the goal is to be together. 2. Have meaningful communication Most couples in counseling cite “communication problems” as the major reason for their visit. Ultimately, most of them are communicating; they just aren’t communicating effectively or profoundly. They communicate supercially: “What time are you getting home?,” “The kids’ game is at six o’clock,” etc. Therefore, when couples schedule time with each other, we want them to communicate intentionally and with meaning. Take the time to get to know each other and reconnect. Don’t just make plans and coordinate schedules, but nd out about each other’s goals, hopes, dreams and desires. Talk about what is going well in the relationship as well as what needs work. In order to communicate effectively, it is important to share openly and clearly, but it is more important to listen and try to understand what the other is sharing. 3. Create a connection The difference between being alone and being lonely is the presence or lack of a connection. We can feel lonely in the presence of people. Spending time with one’s spouse isn’t just about being in the same room; it is about making an emotional, physical or spiritual connection. A big factor in making a connection is acknowledging the other person and genuinely being interested in who they are and what they have to say. People forget the importance of greeting each other and saying goodbye. Even more so, the connection is strengthened by participating in activities that couples mutually enjoy, by sharing laughter, by having lunch together, by sending each other notes and by hugging and kissing. Every now and then, we encourage couples to take a trip down memory lane and remind each other why they committed to spending their lives together. 4. Don’t be so kid-centric When a couple receives the blessing of co-creating with God, their lives and marriage are changed forever. The parental vocation calls us to be a good steward and provide nancially and spiritually for our children. However, prioritizing children over one’s marriage is a great disservice to the children’s education and livelihood. They need a loving mother and father who support them, but more so than that, they need a mother and father who love and respect each other. The parents are their blueprint for marriage and parenting. Couples who are not living a sacramental marriage or disagreeing constantly about parenting are teaching those behaviors to their children. We recommend that parents try not to over schedule their children and not to allow their children to take all of their time to the point that there is no time to be together as a couple. Also, try not to allow the children to overtake the marriage bed. Couples who make their marriage a pri- ority are setting a great example of what a healthy family should look like. 5. Invite God into the marriage This is probably the most important piece of advice that we can give. It may seem obvious, but we have seen many couples forget that they actively need to invite God to participate in their marriage. We rely on each other so much that we put too much pressure on the other person. It is impossible for any human being to meet another human being’s every want and need. Turn to the Holy Family for help! We have a heavenly father and mother who are always here for us. Use the sacraments as a means to get closer to God as an individual, as a couple and as a family. We encourage couples to pray together and attend Mass together and participate in parish activities as a family. This not only strengthens a marriage, but it also strengthens the individuals’ relationships with God. The diocesan Ofce of Family Counseling and Family Life provides counseling for married couples in English and Spanish. LUPE GARCIA is a licensed counselor and the director of the diocesan Office of Family Life and Family Counseling. She can be contacted at (512) 949-2495 or lupe-garcia@ austindiocese.org. Ǧ йΎ Ǧ Wz Ƭ Ύ/ŶĐůƵĚĞƐƵƌƌĞŶƚzŝĞůĚн ǫ ϭ͘ϬϬй&ŝƌƐƚzĞĂƌĚĚŝƟŽŶĂů/ŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ z OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CEMETERY & PRAYER GARDENS Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery serves Catholics from around our Diocese. Read Msgr. Louis Pavlicek’s reflection. “ A Catholic cemetery is Holy Ground. With reverence we have the opportunity to visit the sacred shrine where the body of our loved one has been placed in the womb of the earth to await the final day of glory with the resurrection. It is a place of silence, prayer and reflection. We read the name and dates on the marker stone and ponder in our hearts the flame of love alive within our hearts. Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery in Georgetown offers this kind of peaceful environment. The beauty of creation that surrounds the graves with its trees, flowers, grass, birds and many artistic markers draws us into contemplation. We are affirmed in our Catholic belief that life is transformed into new life. Some quiet time at Our Lady of the Rosary enables us to make that spiritual connection with our loved one recalling the times shared together and we carry that treasure in our hearts as we continue to be faithful to our calling. ” 330 Berry Lane, Georgetown, Texas 78626 XXXPMPUSDPNt z ϯ͘ϱϬ 123 &56 85*9; 0<=>=<?=@ 2 9&I;9 !;;H 9 =0<=FF<D@?F *&A B 0D<?F<00D= B9; I 0D<F00<?== KK *8; 0D<@><=@= PQ2&K; & 0<0=<D?D> H!;; I ??<0< 6JK 3 I 0D<0<== NF>>O@??<0FD JSA%; A9Q;; ??<=F<0=F &;6K; I 8; 0D<FD<D 6HFXULQJ)DPLOLHV¶/LYHV6LQFH !"#$%& '*+-&%/0 Are you looking for a JOB? Are you interested in working for the Diocese of Austin, Catholic Charities of Central Texas or a local parish or Catholic school? If so, visit www.austindiocese.org and click on “Employment.” Job postings have a link to the application for employment, which can be mailed or submitted electronically. GOOD NEWS July/August 2012 21 The tales of two ‘Marys’ who were devoted to Jesus BY MARY LOU GIBSON COLUMNIST St. María de Jesús Sacramentado The Mexican Constitution of 1917 strengthened existing bans on public religious practice, clerical participation in Mexican political affairs and limited the rights of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Mexican citizens reacted to these changes by staging rallies and marches during a long period of peaceful resistance. But when the once peaceful anti-government rallies and marches became more violent, a few skirmishes took place in 1926. The violence escalated in January 1927 when the Cristeros, the rebels, attempted a full scale revolt against the Mexican government. During these years of political unrest and instability (1917-1926), a group of nuns known as the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus worked at a charity hospital in Guadalajara. At the heart of this dedicated group was their superior, María de Jesús Sacramentado, also known as Madre Nati. Madre Nati was born María Natividad Venegas de la Torre in Jalisco, Mexico on Sept. 6, 1868. She was the youngest of 12 children. Her mother died when she was very young and her father, an attorney, gave up his career to work for charity. Sarah Gallick writes in “The Big Book of Women Saints” that the family suffered nancial hardships as a result. María was a deeply pious child and spent her free time giving religious instruction to her neighbors and caring for the poor. She entered the Daughters of Mary, a well known Catholic youth group, when she was 15. After serving for years with a lay group at the hospital as nurse, pharmacist and bookkeeper, Maria entered MEDICAL SERVICES DIRECTORY To advertise in the Catholic Spirit Medical Services Directory, call (512) 949-2443, or e-mail [email protected]. FAMILY DENTISTRY family dentistry tim tischler, d.d.s. 3821 Juniper Trace, Suite 201 Austin, TX 78738 phone (512) 402-1955 www.drtimtischler.com religious life in 1905 when she was 37 years old. She took her vows in 1910 and was appointed vicar in 1912 and elected superior in 1921. Under her leadership the Daughters became a religious order. Madre Nati worked to get donations to build a residence for the sisters in 1922. By 1925, the Mexican government had conscated the property of church schools and hospitals including the seminary in Guadalajara. These actions drove the church underground. Violence spread and the Cristero Rebellion was underway. Guadalajara was the scene of much bloodshed. Gallick reported that priests were hunted down and arrested and executed by ring squad. Others were stabbed with bayonets or hanged. Madre Nati and her sisters continued to operate Sacred Heart Hospital throughout the years of rebellion OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY The Vitae Clinic Jeremy Kalamarides, D.O. The Jefferson Building 1600 W. 38th St, Ste 115 Austin, TX 78731 512-458-6060 The Vitae Clinic, Inc., provides wellness, prenatal, delivery and postnatal care for women, expectant mothers and babies in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church in conformity with the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare services. and guerilla warfare. Writer Ann Ball credits Madre Nati with strengthening her religious order during these years. She especially cared for priests, Ball writes, and prayed for them and helped seminarians. Although some churches reopened in 1929, violent conicts continued sporadically for years in Mexico. Madre Nati spent her last days in prayer and meditation and died on July 30, 1959. She was canonized in 2000 along with 25 Mexican priests martyred during the Cristero Rebellion. St. María de Jesús Sacramentado is Mexico’s rst female saint and her feast day is observed on July 31. Mariam of Jesus Crucied Mariam Baouardy’s childhood was a disaster. She was born on Jan. 5, 1846, in Abelin, modern Israel, the See SAINTS on Page 22 WEIGHT LOSS Ideal Weight Loss Medical Clinics This will be your LAST Diet No drugs 100% natural Medically monitored Lose ONLY fat Preserve lean muscle Anthony Hicks, MD, MPH 4100 Duval Rd., Bldg IV, Ste 202, Austin (512) 577-6187 12912 Hill Country Blvd, Bldg F, Ste 238, Austin (512) 470-9470 OPTOMETRY ORTHODONTICS Oak Hill Eye Care Braces for Children and Adults Examination & Treatment of Eye Disease Lasik Surgery Contact Lenses & Optical David W. Tybor, O.D. Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (512) 288-0444 6000 W. 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Suite 102 Austin,TX 78729-6802 THYROID & ENDOCRINOLOGY 22 GOOD NEWS C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Working as a team to fulll the mission of the diocese BY CARMEN CORTES-HARMS GUEST COLUMNIST Accomplishing the mission of the Diocese of Austin is an undertaking that requires the work of many. Numerous faithful clergy, laity and volunteers work together to assist Bishop Joe Vásquez as the shepherd of the Austin Diocese. The mission statement, “We, the Diocese of Austin, through the Word and Eucharist, prayer, formation and education, social ministries and advocacy, embrace diverse cultures throughout the diocese so that together, as the Catholic Church, we may continue the mission of Christ in the world today,“ can only be accomplished with a team of dedicated and committed professionals. The Diocese of Austin extends its services throughout 25 counties in Central Texas, to 127 parishes, 23 schools, and more than 500,000 Catholics. The diocesan staff members are the extra hands that Bishop Vásquez needs to fulll his mission. Nearly 90 lay employees, volunteers and more than a dozen clergy (priests and deacons) and religious sisters make up the staff of the Austin Diocese. Presuming that every clergy and employee works 40 hours per week (50 or 60 hour work weeks are not out of the ordinary), the diocesan staff contributes approximately 200,000 hours of labor per year. The diocesan staff is a devoted and dedicated group working as one in the pursuit of the same objective. Every staff member in their own particular way works and contributes toward the accomplishment of the Diocese of Austin’s mission. On July 1, 2011, the Austin Diocese adopted the Secretariat Model as its primary structure (see the organizational chart below). In the last year this new model has helped increase the efciency, accountability and communications of the diocesan ofces and ministries. Guided by Bishop Vásquez and inspired by the Holy Spirit, the diocesan staff works diligently for the Catholic community of Central Texas. CARMEN CORTES-HARMS is the Human Resources Coordinator for the Austin Diocese. She can be contacted at (512) 949-2451 or [email protected]. For a larger version, visit www.austindiocese.org/resources/general/5162.pdf. SAINTS Continued from Page 21 13th child and only surviving offspring of the family. Her 12 brothers all died in infancy. Her family was Catholic of the Melkite Greek-Catholic Rite. Matthew Bunson writes in “John Paul II’s Book of Saints” that after she was orphaned at the age of 3, she was adopted by an uncle and taken to Alexandria, Egypt where she was trained as a domestic servant. When she was 13, she experienced a severe physical and emotional setback. According to Bunson, she was working for a Muslim family and was treated kindly. But, later, when she refused to convert, she was brutally attacked by one of the family members. She recovered and went on to serve as a domestic in other families. Sarah Gallick describes another account of what happened to Mariam and caused her physical injuries. She writes that Marian ran away at age 13 to avoid an arranged marriage and was befriended by a sympathetic Muslim. But when she refused to convert to Islam, he ew into a rage, cut her throat and left her for dead. She believed that she was brought back to life by the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her story was so fantastic that few people believed it, but doctors could not explain the livid scar on her neck and the damage to her vocal chords. After she recovered, she went to work for the Nadjar family who took her to France where she was drawn to the religious life. She spent two years as a postulant in a convent in Mar- seilles. It was then, Gallick writes, that she began to have mystical experiences. During these ecstasies she prayed, “I am in God, and God is in me ... I no longer have a will, it belongs to God.” She also experienced the stigmata, and was seen levitating at prayer and having visions. These scenes disturbed the other nuns so that they asked her to leave. She returned to the Carmelite convent at Pau where she made her novitiate. In 1870, she went with a delegation to found a Carmel convent in Mangalore, India. She took her nal vows there and chose the name Mariam of Jesus Crucied. She then began a series of journeys back to Pau and later to Bethlehem to found a Carmel convent there. It was while she was working to open a second foundation in Nazareth that she fell while carrying water to the workers. She broke her arm and it became infected with gangrene. She died of the infection in Bethlehem on Aug. 26, 1878. She was beatied by Pope John Paul II in 1983. Blessed Mariam Baouardy (Mariam of Jesus Crucied) is sometimes called the “Little Arab” and is considered the patron of peace for the Holy Land. She is commemorated by the Carmelites on Aug. 26. MARY LOU GIBSON is a member of St. Austin Parish in Austin. She is a retired state employee. GOOD NEWS July/August 2012 23 Reections on ‘Our First, Most Cherished Liberty’ BY BARBARA BUDDE COLUMNIST The Fortnight for Freedom has passed, but our prayer, study and action in support of religious liberty must continue. The statement “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty” from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ ad hoc Committee on Religious Liberty gives much guidance in these endeavors. The bishops’ insistence on religious liberty is not focused on the defeat or election of any candidates for any ofce in the upcoming election. Rather the efforts of the bishops through the Fortnight for Freedom and our continuing advocacy are to change the hearts and minds of any and all that create laws or policies that prevent any person from living their values and practicing their religion. Throughout the bishops’ statement they refer to the call of our faith to work for the common good. For us, this is a matter of faithful citizenship. How can we serve one another, especially the poor and vulnerable in ways that do not violate our religious beliefs and our consciences? Catholic Charities USA traces its history back to the work of the Ursuline Sisters who opened schools, hospitals and services for the poor in New Orleans in 1727. By the early 19th century the Catholic Church was under attack in France and Louisiana was a territory of the young U.S. The superior of the Ursulines in New Orleans wrote to President Thomas Jefferson seeking assurances that the government would not infringe upon their work and they received it. Today we ask for those same assurances. The bishops quote Archbishop Thomas Rodi of the Archdiocese of Mobile, Ala. who with other religious leaders led suit against the state of Alabama because the immigration legislation passed there would prevent the church from serving the undocumented. That legislation would make it illegal for priests to celebrate the sacraments with undocumented persons, for catechists to teach undocumented children, for food pantries to serve hungry undocumented persons, or for neighbors to give rides to church to an undocumented person on their street. Similar legislation has been proposed in Texas and thankfully it has been defeated. Similarly, Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson and Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix have both vigorously opposed anti-immigrant legislation in Arizona. Parts of those laws have been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Catholic Charities agencies have been providing foster care and adoption services for decades. Now agencies from coast to coast are being forced to close these programs because they will not place children in homes of same sex couples or opposite sex couples who are not married but cohabitating. Contracts offered by states no longer allow these Catholic Charities agencies to follow their religious convictions thus programs are closing. These examples point to the fact that the insistence of the bishops on religious liberty is not a partisan issue. Both political parties in different states and in different ways have passed legislation that infringes on religious liberty and puts the work of the church in jeopardy. The HHS mandate is particularly important because it is an issue that affects every state and every diocese. That is why the Fortnight for Freedom was so important and why we need to continue to pray, study and act. Few people knew about the Alabama law outlawing such Christian activity, but the HHS mandate made us all aware that there are multiple threats to which we need to attend. What can we do? Become a Faithful Citizen. Study the issues and not just what is best for you and your family, but as the bishops say, what policies will support the common good. Stay informed through Catholic news sources –– the diocesan web site (www.austindiocese.org), the Texas Catholic Conference (www.txcatholic. org) and Catholic News Service (www. catholicnews.com). These sources alert viewers to issues that may not surface in the secular press. Also register to vote and vote in November. Form relationships with elected ofcials and communicate with them about for religious liberty concerns as well as other topics. Take time to pray, to study and then act so that together we can work to protect religious freedom across this great land of ours. BARBARA BUDDE is the diocesan director of social concerns. She can be reached at (512) 949-2471 or barbara-budde@ austindiocese.org. The Legion Of Mary in the Austin Diocese www.legionofmaryaustin.org invites everyone to Mass with Bishop Joe Vásquez on Friday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin to commemorate the close of the 90th anniversary year of the Legion of Mary and to answer the call of Pope Benedict XVI for the “Year of Faith.” “To rediscover the content of the faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed, and to reect on the act of faith, is a task that every believer must make his own, especially in the course of this Year.” (Pope Benedict XVI) Vengan a celebrar la Santa Misa con nuestro Obispo Joe Vásquez Viernes, Septiembre 7, 2012 a las 6 p.m. en la Catedral de St. Mary’s en Austin Para conmemorar el 90 Aniversario de la Legion de Maria y respondiendo la llamada del Papa Benedicto XVI para “El Año de la Fe.” “Para redescubrir los contenidos de la fe profesada, celebrada, vivida y rezada, y reexionar sobre el mismo acto con el que se cree, es un compromiso que todo creyente debe de hacer propio, sobre todo en este Año.” (Papa Benedicto XVI) For more information on the Legion of Mary e-mail Lynda Villasana at [email protected] or call (512) 269-0023. GOOD NEWS 24 C ATHOLIC S PIRIT The ‘ordinary’ or ‘extraordinary’ in terms of ventilators BY REV. TADEUSZ PACHOLCZYK, PH.D. COLUMNIST The use of ventilators can pose particularly challenging problems during end-of-life situations for families. When should we place a loved one on a ventilator? If somebody is on a ventilator, can we ever “pull the plug?” Understanding our moral duty depends upon whether the use of a ventilator in a particular case can be considered “ordinary” or “extraordinary.” Ordinary interventions can be understood as those medicines, operations and treatments that offer a reasonable hope of benet for the patient and that can be obtained and used without excessive pain, expense, or other signicant burden. Use of a ventilator will sometimes satisfy these criteria, and other times it will not, depending on the specics of the patient’s situation. Consider a young woman with serious pneumonia who is having difculty breathing and is placed on a ventilator. The physicians treating her believe the pneumonia eventually can be controlled so that she can be weaned off the ventilator and breathe on her own in a few days or a week. They believe the device will be needed mostly as a temporary “bridge to healing,” that it will be effective while in use, and that it will not impose much burden on her. In such circumstances, the use of the ventilator could reason- ably be considered “ordinary” and thus morally obligatory. Whenever there is a considerable hope of recovery from the illness by making use of a particular means (a ventilator, in this case), and when the patient can employ the means without much difculty or burden, it is likely to be “ordinary” treatment. Thus, in the experienced hands of a well-trained physician, in a developed country with access to proper medication and equipment, intubation and ventilation of a patient can be a low-burden intervention. The difculties associated with using a ventilator, however, can become notable depending on the details of a patient’s situation. Dr. Stephen Hannan, a pulmonary and critical care specialist in Fort Myers, Fla. recently summarized some of the burdens associated with ventilation, noting particularly “…the physical discomfort of the endotracheal tube going from the mouth, traversing the oropharynx, crossing the larynx, and reaching the trachea. Sedation, analgesics, and physical restraints are often necessary. The patient cannot talk while ventilator support is in use. The ventilator exposes the patient to greater risks of infection and barotrauma [damage to the lung tissue from the pressure of ventilation]. Even an untrained observer will recognize that the burden imposed by a ventilator with a standard endotracheal tube is much greater than the burden of a feeding tube.” We can consider an example that highlights these burdens: an 85 year old grandfather is placed on a ventilator after suffering several serious strokes that damaged his brainstem so that he cannot breathe on his own. The physicians treating him are convinced that the damage from his most recent stroke will continue to get worse, with the nearly-certain outcome that he will die in a few hours or days. Assuming that he is unconscious, and that other matters have been taken care of (last sacraments, opportunities for loved ones to say goodbye, etc.), the family could reasonably conclude that continued ventilation would be “extraordinary” and decide to have the ventilator disconnected, even though it would mean their grandfather would be expected to die in a matter of minutes without it. Such an act of withdrawing the ventilator would not be an act of euthanasia, because he would be dying due to the underlying condition. It would be a recognition of the burdensomeness of continued ventilation and an acknowledgement that heroics are not required, especially when death is imminent. Occasionally ventilators may end up being part of a long-term solution for a patient. Christopher Reeve, who played Clark Kent in the movie “Superman,” for example, was able to live for several years with a tracheostomy and a ventilator following an equestrian accident that severely damaged his spinal cord. The ventilator, while clearly a burden, offered many benets to his situation as well, and in the nal analysis, seemed to be a reasonable and proportionate intervention for his particular set of circumstances. Other cases with ventilators can be more difcult to decide, because a prognosis may be uncertain or debated. Sometimes the expense of providing long-term ventilation and critical care may need to be factored into the judgment about whether ventilation is ordinary or extraordinary. Determining whether there will be a “reasonable hope of benet” to a particular patient by using a ventilator can be challenging. Each case must be considered on its own merits, as we seek to make a good prudential judgment, and to provide for our loved ones in a way that corresponds to their real medical needs, so that we neither neglect nor overburden them in the face of powerful medical technology. FATHER TADEUSZ PACHOLCZYK, PH.D. earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale. He is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass., and serves as the Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. For more information, visit www.ncbcenter.org. Collection for Catholic higher education The special collection Catholic higher education was taken up Feb. 11-12. If your parish nds an error, call the diocesan Finance Ofce at (512) 949-2400. For more information about this collection, visit www.austindiocese.org/dept/religious_ed/masters_theology.php. Parish Totals Austin Central Deanery Austin, Cristo Rey $1,247.93 Austin, Our Lady of Guadalupe $1,198.54 Austin, St. Austin $2,717.05 Austin, St. Ignatius $1,056.69 Austin, St. Julia $598.55 Austin, St. Mary Cathedral $1,799.49 Austin, San Jose $2,567.50 Austin Central Deanery $11,185.75 Austin North Deanery Austin, Holy Vietnamese Martyrs $1,590.00 Austin, Sacred Heart $1,589.00 Austin, St. Albert the Great $2,010.98 Austin, St. Louis $2,925.00 Austin, St. Theresa $3,228.00 Austin, St. Thomas More $4,362.46 Austin, St. Vincent de Paul $1,146.00 Cedar Park, St. Margaret Mary $2,931.85 Lago Vista, Our Lady of the Lake $757.05 Austin North Deanery $20,540.34 Austin South Deanery Austin, St. Andrew Kim $200.00 Austin, St. Catherine of Siena $4,372.13 Austin, St. John Neumann $4,942.47 Austin, St. Paul $2,122.76 Austin, St. Peter the Apostle $1,171.00 Austin, San Francisco Javier $411.00 Austin, Santa Barbara $443.57 Lakeway, Emmaus $1,894.00 Austin South Deanery $15,556.93 Brenham/La Grange Deanery Brenham, St. Mary $936.62 Chappell Hill, St. Stanislaus $467.00 Dime Box, St. Joseph $224.00 Ellinger/Hostyn Hill, St. Mary $205.00 Parish Totals Fayetteville, St. John $562.00 Giddings, St. Margaret $1,375.56 La Grange, Sacred Heart $929.03 Lexington, Holy Family $164.00 Pin Oak, St. Mary $197.00 Rockdale, St. Joseph $468.80 Somerville, St. Ann $270.00 Washington on the Brazos, St. Mary $33.00 Brenham/La Grange Deanery $5,832.01 Bastrop/Lockhart Deanery Bastrop, Ascension $1,251.09 Elgin, Sacred Heart $803.68 Lockhart, St. Mary of the Visitation $2,343.83 Luling, St. John $357.04 Martindale, Immaculate Heart $335.00 Rockne, Sacred Heart $1,011.00 Smithville, St. Paul $762.00 String Prairie, Assumption $434.00 Uhland, St.Michael $188.26 Bastrop/Lockhart Deanery $7,485.90 Bryan/College Station Deanery Bremond, St. Mary $450.00 Bryan, St. Anthony $849.64 Bryan, St. Joseph $588.00 Bryan, Santa Teresa $192.75 Caldwell, St. Mary $819.90 College Station, St. Mary $3,692.43 College Station, St. Thomas Aquinas $2,120.48 Franklin, St. Francis of Assisi $1,116.00 Frenstat, Holy Rosary $258.00 Hearne, St. Mary $528.00 Bryan/College Station Deanery $10,615.20 Georgetown/Round Rock Deanery Andice, Santa Rosa $1,331.00 Corn Hill, Holy Trinity $1,440.00 Parish Totals Georgetown, St. Helen $3,208.61 Granger, Sts. Cyril and Methodius $702.00 Hutto, St. Patrick $196.00 Manor, St. Joseph $490.83 Pugerville, St. Elizabeth $2,292.52 Round Rock, St. John Vianney $180.00 Round Rock, St. William $7,304.50 Taylor, Our Lady of Guadalupe $511.36 Taylor, St. Mary of the Assumption $1,223.05 Georgetown/Round Rock Deanery $18,879.87 Killeen/Temple Deanery Belton, Christ the King $1,724.00 Burlington, St. Michael $107.00 Cameron, St. Monica $451.00 Copperas Cove, Holy Family $3,422.50 Cyclone, St. Joseph $208.00 Harker Heights, St. Paul $3,381.00 Killeen, St. Joseph $2,622.80 Marak, Sts. Cyril and Methodius $108.00 Rogers, St. Matthew $300.93 Rosebud, St. Ann $182.51 Salado, St. Stephen $383.00 Temple, Our Lady of Guadalupe $843.00 Temple, St. Luke $2,181.00 Temple, St. Mary $1,573.00 Westphalia, Visitation $580.00 Killeen/Temple Deanery $18,067.74 Lampasas/Marble Falls Deanery Bertram, Holy Cross $294.00 Burnet, Our Mother of Sorrows $367.00 Goldthwaite, St. Peter $73.00 Horseshoe Bay, St. Paul the Apostle $1,208.00 Kingsland, St. Charles Borromeo $448.63 Lampasas, St. Mary $424.33 Llano, Holy Trinity $214.58 Lometa, Good Shepherd $177.00 Parish Totals Marble Falls, St. John $439.66 Mason, St. Joseph $203.98 San Saba, St. Mary $252.01 Sunrise Beach, Our Lady of the Lake $107.00 Lampasas/Marble Falls Deanery $4,209.19 San Marcos Deanery Blanco, St. Ferdinand $384.96 Buda, Santa Cruz $2,655.82 Dripping Springs, St. Martin de Porres $976.22 Johnson City, Good Shepherd $221.95 Kyle, St. Anthony Marie de Claret $1,389.13 San Marcos, H.L. Grant Center $389.00 San Marcos, St. John $2,586.50 Wimberley, St. Mary $694.48 San Marcos Deanery $9,298.06 Waco Deanery China Spring, St. Phillip $161.25 Elk, St. Joseph $150.00 Gatesville, Our Lady of Lourdes $237.28 Hamilton, St. Thomas $214.00 Lott, Sacred Heart $147.00 McGregor, St. Eugene $463.26 Marlin, St. Joseph $333.35 Mexia, St. Mary $262.00 Tours, St. Martin $505.00 Waco, Sacred Heart $300.00 Waco, St. Francis on the Brazos $590.16 Waco (Hewitt), St. Jerome $2,959.32 Waco, St. John the Baptist $154.65 Waco (Bellmead), St. Joseph $546.00 Waco, St. Louis $3,629.02 Waco, St. Mary of the Assumption $914.00 Waco, St. Peter Catholic Center $206.30 Waco Deanery $11,772.59 Grand Total $133,443.58 July/August 2012 BULLETIN BOARD Retreats......................... 25 For Your Information Killeen Prayer Vigils for Life will be held July 28 and Aug. 25 and will begin with Mass at 8:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Parish in Killeen. After Mass, a caravan and procession to pray the rosary at Killeen Women’s Health Center will be held at 9:45 a.m. All will return to St. Joseph for closing and fellowship at 11:15 a.m. For more information, contact Karen Hinze at (254) 986-1134. The diocesan Pro-Life and Chaste Living Ofce will host a Volunteer Appreciation Day July 28 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Mel’s Lonestar Lanes in Georgetown. Bowling will begin at noon and pizza will be served on the lanes at 1 p.m. All those involved in pro-life activities of any kind and those interested in getting involved are invited to attend. Register at centraltexasprolife.org, or call (512) 9492486 to ensure enough lanes are available. Theology on Tap, a ministry for young adults, will be held Aug. 1; live music begins at 6 p.m. and the presentation will start at 7 p.m. Alison Tate, the diocesan director of Youth, Young Adults and Campus Ministry, will lead a discussion on the Year of Faith. For more information, contact Jennifer Kodysz at (512) 949-2467 or [email protected]. Sarah’s Hope is a free spiritual support program for couples struggling with fertility problems or pregnancy loss. The next women’s support group meeting is Aug. 1; the rosary will be prayed at 6:45 p.m. and discussion begins at 7 p.m. at the Vitae Clinic in Austin, 1600 W. 38th St., suite 115. For questions or to sign up, contact SarahsHopeAustin@gmail. com or (512) 736-7334. Sarah’s Hope is not a ministry of the Austin Diocese. A Prepare-Enrich premarital assessment training session for priests, deacons and other lay ministers will be held Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. William Parish in Round Rock. The fee is reduced for priests and deacons. For more information or to register, contact Brenda Bible, LCSW, at (512) 769-4430. The Cursillo Community of the Austin Diocese invites everyone to its rst Intra Diocesan Ultreya on Aug. 12 at 1 p.m. at the Cursillo Center in Jarrell. The Ultreya will be comprised of all three language groups Spanish, English and Vietnamese and will feature testimonies and fellowship with other Cursillistas. For information, contact Adolfo “Doc” Alvarez at (512) 784-7964 or [email protected]. Join the Byzantine Catholic Community of Austin for the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom every second and fourth Sunday at 5 p.m. at Our Lady’s Maronite Catholic Church in Austin. For more information, e-mail Father Daniel Forsythe at [email protected]. The English Cursillo Movement of the Austin Diocese hosts School of Leaders meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at the Cursillo Center at 250 W FM 487 in Jarrell. The meetings are from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on the second Tuesday and from 7 to 9 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday. Cursillistas are invited to learn more about the movement in the diocese. For more information, contact Robin Spencer at (254) 5183609 or [email protected]. Diocesan ofces will be closed in observance of the feast of Assumption of Mary on Aug. 15. The Austin Prayer Vigil for Life is scheduled for Aug. 18 at St. Helen Parish in Georgetown. Mass will begin at 7 a.m. Following the Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be in the church and a caravan will travel to Whole Women’s Health on N. IH 35 where the rosary will be prayed at the site from 8:20 to 9:50 a.m. Benediction will follow at St. Helen at 10:30 a.m. Refreshments will be served at 10:40 a.m. All are invited to attend. For more information, contact Bob Christiansen at (512) 255-8551. The Austin Rosary Crusade will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary with a retreat in Spanish on Aug. 18 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Ignatius, Martyr Parish in Austin. The day will include a procession with matachines, the rosary, the sacrament of reconciliation, Mass and live music. Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez from St. Mary Cathedral will be the presenter and Bishop Joe Vásquez will celebrate Mass at noon. For more information, contact Ignacio Moreno at (512) 443-4111 or (512) 940-0698. Pax Christi Austin will meet Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Father John Payne House at St. Ignatius, Martyr Parish in Austin. Pax Christi Austin, which meets the third Sunday of every month, is a member of Pax Christi International and Pax Christi USA, the Catholic peace and justice movement that works and prays to create a world that reects the peace of Christ. For more information, contact Bob Rankin at [email protected]. Diocesan offices will be closed Sept. 3 in observance of Labor Day. Catholic Scripture Study of Austin will begin Sept. 12 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Louis Parish in Austin. The weekly two-hour Bible study consists of prayer and discussion, and is open to everyone. This year’s focus is on the book of Genesis. Register online at www.cssaustin.org or contact Rosemary Howard at (512) 345-3687. Wednesday evening Catholic Scripture Study will begin Sept. 19 at 6:30 p.m. and Thursday morning Catholic Scripture Study will begin Sept. 20 at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Cedar Park. The weekly Bible study consists of prayer and discussion, and is open to everyone. This year’s focus is on the book of Genesis. For more information, contact Bob Gorski at (512) 636-2927 or [email protected]. Married couples who are looking for a getaway and time to reconnect with one another are invited to a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Aug. 3-5 or Sept. 28-30 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. The weekend begins Friday at 7:30 p.m. and ends Sunday around 4 p.m. This is an opportunity for husbands and wives to escape the daily distractions of life and focus on each other. For more information or to apply to attend, contact Anh and Greg Thomas at (512) 677-WWME (9963) or [email protected]. A day of reection for Scouts will be held Aug. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at St. Anthony Parish in Kyle. For more information, visit http://scouting. austindiocese.org/. Finding the Sacred in Depression, a weekend retreat, will be held Aug. 17-19 at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. This retreat is designed to help those struggling with depression. Certain spiritual practices can guide the pathway to God’s peace and comfort. Sharon Highberger will be the presenter. The cost is $155 for a double room, $185 for a private room and $75 for commuter. For more information, contact Cedarbrake at (254) 780-2436 or cedarbrake@ austindiocese.org. A Marriage Encounter weekend will be held in Spanish Aug. 31Sept. 2. Married couples are invited to spent 44 hours focusing on one another and the reasons why they are married. The weekend will focus on communication techniques that will help any marriage. For more information, contact Rodrigo and Claudia García at (512) 844-0785 or (512) 406-4183. A Together Encounter Christ (TEC) weekend will be held Sept. 1-3 at Eagle’s Wings Retreat Center in Burnet. TEC is a movement of spirituality for young adults ages 17 to 24 and is founded and unfolds within the living traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. For more information, contact the Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry Ofce at (512) 949-2464 or [email protected]. “Growing in Holiness,” a day of reection, will be held Sept. 13 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin. Franciscan Father Albert Haase from Relevant Radio will discuss true self and false self. The cost is $30, which includes lunch. For more information or to register, contact Cedarbrake Retreat Center at (254) 7802436 or [email protected]. “The Lord’s Prayer,” a weekend retreat, will be held Sept. 14-16 at Cedarbrake Retreat Center in Belton. Franciscan Father Albert Haase from Relevant Radio will reect upon the words of the Lord’s prayer and highlight how they are a summary of all that Jesus taught and lived. The cost is $155 for a double room and $185 for a private. For more information or to register, contact Cedarbrake Retreat Center at (254) 780-2436 or [email protected]. “The Spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi,” a day of reection, will be held Oct. 4 from 9:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Cedarbrake Retreat Center in Belton. Dr. Manuel Cortez, a spiritual director and retired psychologist, will share his love for St. Francis and his message to share the Gospel. For more information, contact Cedarbrake at (254) 780-2436 or [email protected]. Retrouvaille (pronounced retrovi) has helped thousands of couples at all stages of disillusionment or misery in their marriage. For condential information about Retrouvaille or how to register for the program beginning with a weekend on Oct. 5-7, call 1-800-470-2230 or visit www.helpourmarriage.com. Burse The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women has completed a burse for the Clerical Endowment Fund (CEF) in honor of Father Matt Iwuji. The totals for the burse as of May 31, 2012, are listed below by council. Austin Council $1,234.00 Brazos Valley Council $2,028.00 Central Council $132.00 Eastern Council $1,355.00 Northern Council $1,188.00 Southern Council $1,550.00 Temple Council $538.00 Western Council $141.00 Previous Balance $404.52 Total $8,570.52 The Clerical Endowment Fund provides low-cost loans to parishes. Interest from the loans is used to educate diocesan seminarians. For information, contact either Father Ed Karasek at (254) 826-3705 or Mary Ann Till at (512) 353-4943. Send in your items! CATHOLIC SPIRIT offers this page, “For Your Information,” as a “community bulletin board.” Items of general interest of upcoming parish and diocesan events, including parish social events, will be printed at no charge at the discretion of the editor. The deadline for material is the 10th of the month, with publication occurring the rst week of the following month. Material may be e-mailed to catholic-spirit@austindiocese. org or faxed to (512) 949-2523. BULLETIN BOARD Parish and community events................................ 26 The Guadalupanas of Santa Cruz Parish in Buda will host a retreat Aug. 4 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Deane Hall. Father Charlie Garza will present “Sin and Forgiveness,” and Father John Kim will present “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” The cost is $20, which includes lunch. For information, contact Teresa Morales at (512) 773-4768 or [email protected]. The Ladies’ Club from St. Elizabeth Parish in Pugerville will host its annual Rummage Sale Aug. 11 from 7 a.m. to noon in the parish hall. Items will include clothing, shoes, household goods, small appliances, baby items and treasures for all. A preview sale will be available Aug. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m.; entrance fee is $2 or three canned goods. For more information, contact Alice Duerr at (512) 990-1019. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Austin (CCRA) will host its monthly Mass Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. at St. Helen Parish in Georgetown. A healing service will follow the Mass. These joyful Spirit-lled Masses offer the opportunity to experience and rediscover the power Jesus promised us through the Holy Spirit. For information, contact Sabrina Perez at (512) 466-7669 or visit www. ccraustin.org. St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Austin will host a Garage Sale Aug. 18 in the parish parking lot. The sale will run from 7 a.m. to noon. For more information, contact Sandra Soto at (512) 921-2740 or Mary Guzman at (512) 588-9844. St. Monica Parish in Cameron will host a Homecoming Festival Aug. 19 on the parish grounds. Spanish Mass will be celebrated at 7 a.m. and a polka Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. featuring the Taylor Czech Chorus. Barbecue beef and sausage will be served beginning at 10:30 a.m. for $8 per plate. A live country auction will begin at 3 p.m. Activities include a horseshoe tournament, bingo and games for all ages. St. William Parish in Round Rock will host a night with the Round Rock Express Aug. 20 at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock. Father Dean Wilhelm will throw out the first pitch. C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Families are invited to the game. It is also $1 soda and hotdog night. Visit www.saintwilliams.org to print the order form or order online. St. Ignatius, Martyr Parish in Austin will host its fourth annual Dinner, Dance and Auction Aug. 25 in the Father Gene Dore Family Center on the parish grounds. This year’s theme is “Deep in the Heart of Texas.” A hearty southern meal will be served and live music will be provided. There will also be live and silent auctions. Tickets are $40 each and can be purchased by calling the parish ofce at (512) 442-3602. Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Marak will host its annual Homecoming Picnic Aug. 26 on the parish grounds. Home-fried chicken and sausage will be served beginning at 11 a.m.; tickets are $9 each. Entertainment by the Praha Brothers will go from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. An auction will begin at 3 p.m. Games and entertainment for all ages will be available throughout the day. St. Louis Parish in Austin will host the Alpha Course beginning with a kick-off dinner Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. in Wozniak Hall. The course will be offered on Sundays from Sept. 9 through Nov. 18 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Father Larry Covington and the pastoral team will lead the course. Each session will include a meal and learning about the basics of Christian faith and Jesus’ teachings. Childcare is available with advance registration. For more information, contact Coral Migoni-Ryan at (512) 454-0384 or [email protected]. Hispanic young adults are invited to Mass (in Spanish) Aug. 31 at 9 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Austin. Participants will pray the rosary beginning at 8:30 p.m. For more information, contact Juan Torres at (512) 415-5908 or Lily Morales at (512) 3633609 or [email protected]. Hispanic young adults are invited to attend an interparish reunion on Sept. 1 at 5:30 p.m. at San Francisco Javier Parish in Austin. For more information, contact Juan Torres at (512) 415-5908 or Lily Morales at (512) 363-3609 or [email protected] Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Granger will host its annual Bazaar Sept. 2 on the parish grounds. A meal of barbecue, fried chicken, dressing and all of the trimmings will be served at 11 a.m. Activities include an auction at 1:30 p.m., games for all ages and a dance at 7 p.m. St. John Parish in Fayetteville will host its annual Picnic Sept. 2. The day will begin with a polka Mass at 10 a.m. Barbecue beef, pork and sausage will be served at St. John’s Recreation Hall beginning at 11 a.m. Other activities include a country auction at 1:30 p.m., bingo, music and activities for all ages. St. Helen Parish in Georgetown will host a Women’s Catholic Scripture Study Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. beginning Sept. 4 in the St. Rita Activity Center. This year’s study will be of The Synoptic Gospels. It offers opportunities for deepening relationships with God, for group discussions and for making Catholic friendships. To register and for more information, contact Birdie at (512) 864-9881. ENDOW presents classes for women on “Aquinas for Beginners, Part I: A Tour of the Summa Theologiae” on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. from Sept. 5 through Nov. 7 at St. Michael’s Catholic Academy in Austin. ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) is dedicated to the promotion of a “new feminism” based on the teachings of Blessed John Paul II. The cost is $80, and scholarships are available. To register, visit www.endowonline.org. For more information, call DeeAnn Smith at (512) 789-7699. The diocesan ofces of Worship and Hispanic Ministry will host a conference entitled “Preparing the Banquet” Sept. 8 at the Norris Conference Center in Austin. The day is for clergy and those who serve in any type of liturgical ministry. Workshops will be presented in English and Spanish, and the keynote address will be bilingual. To register, visit www.austindiocese.org or contact Kathy Thomas at (512) 949-2429 or [email protected]. St. Joseph Parish in Marlin will host a Fall Festival Sept. 9 on the parish grounds. Fajita plates will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; plates are $8 each. Activities include a live auction and games for all ages. Holy Trinity Parish in Llano will host is 23rd annual Fried Chicken Dinner Sept. 9 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Hall, which is next to the church. Tickets are $9 in advance and $10 at the door. Dinner includes fried chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, green beans, a roll, dessert and iced tea. Plates are available via drive-through, take-out or dine-in. Training sessions for those who would like to offer the diocesan marriage preparation program, Together in God’s Love, in their parish or deanery will be held Sept. 13 and Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Austin. To register or for more information, contact Rick Bologna at (512) 949-2495 or rick-bologna@ austindiocese.org. St. Stephen Parish in Salado will host a golf tournament Sept. 15 at Mill Creek Golf Course in Salado. The day will begin with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. The format is a four-person scramble. For more information, contact Gene Martinka at (254) 535-4036. The Charity and Justice Secretariat of the Austin Diocese will present a conference entitled “Living the Good News” Sept. 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Austin. This conference will address the Gospel call to promote the life and dignity of every person from conception, throughout their lives until natural death. Jack Jezreel, the founder and executive director of JustFaith Ministries, will be the English keynote speaker. Arturo Chavez, president of the Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio, will be the Spanish keynote speaker. For more information or to register, visit www.austindiocese.org or contact Yvonne Saldaña at (512) 949-2486 or [email protected]. St. Joseph Parish in Cyclone will host its 67th annual Picnic Sept. 23 on the parish grounds. Home-fried chicken and sausage will be served beginning at 11 a.m. Activities include live music, bingo, games for all ages and a live auction beginning at 2 p.m. NFP classes.............................................................. Introductory sessions on the Creighton Model of natural family planning will be held Aug. 4 and Sept. 1 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Seton Williamson, Room 3 in Round Rock. The cost to attend is $30. Individuals may register by e-mailing austinfcc@gmail. com or by calling (512) 474-2757 and leaving a message (provide your name, address, phone and the date you would like to attend). The Sympto-Thermal Method of natural family planning is 99 percent effective at postponing pregnancy and is approved by the Catholic Church. The Sympto-Thermal Method Class consists of three classes spaced about one month apart and is for engaged or married couples. Classes will begin Aug. 11 at 2 p.m. at St. William Parish in Round Rock. To register, visit http://register. ccli.org. A series of classes on the SymptoThermal Method of natural family planning will begin Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Austin. The classes are spaced about one month apart and will help couples learn how to identify the three common signs of fertility and infertility. To register or for more information, visit http://register. ccli.org. An introductory session on the Creighton Model of natural family planning will be held Aug. 16 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Seton Medical Center in the Main Conference Room in Austin. The cost to attend is $30. Individuals may register by e-mail at austinfcc@ gmail.com or calling (512) 474-2757 and leaving a message (provide your name, address, phone and the date you would like to attend plus who referred you). The Austin Fertility Care Center will present an informational session on natural family planning Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. at St. Austin Parish in Austin. The cost is $20. Couples will receive a certicate of attendance. Couples may register for classes by e-mailing austinfcc@gmail. com or by calling (512) 474-2757 and leaving a message (provide names, an address and phone number, wedding date, and referring parish or priest). The Austin Couple to Couple League will offer a natural family planning Introduction Seminar Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. at St. Thomas More Parish in Austin. The class will satisfy the Austin Diocese requirement for marriage. To register, call Nick and Monica Warren at (512) 257-0857 or e-mail [email protected]. A series of classes on the SymptoThermal Method of natural family planning will begin Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin. The classes are spaced about one month apart and will help couples learn how to identify the three common signs of fertility and infertility. To register or for more information, visit http://register.ccli.org. July/August 2012 ESPAÑOL 27 Renovando y actualizando el mensaje de Cristo E L O BISPO J OE S. VÁSQUEZ es el quinto obispo de la Diócesis de Austin. Es pastor para casi 500,000 católicos en 25 condados en el Centro de Texas. Editora: Señor Obispo, en el otoño, la Iglesia Católica celebra el 50 aniversario de la apertura del Concilio Vaticano II. Cuéntenos sobre el Concilio y, ¿por qué es tan importante en nuestra historia de la Iglesia? Obispo Vásquez: El Concilio Vaticano II fué uno de los eventos más importantes del siglo XX que marcaron a la Iglesia Católica. En muchos sentidos, el Concilio llevó a cabo una renovación de nuestra iglesia. Cuando el Concilio fue convocado por el Papa Juan XXIII en 1962, el quería un “aggiornamento”, que es el italiano para “hacer nuevo” o “actualizar”. Bajo la guía del Espíritu Santo, el Concilio se reunió, no para hacer frente a controversias doctrinales como otros concilios habían hecho, sino con la intención de renovar y refrescar las enseñanzas de la iglesia y la fe católica. El Concilio buscaba hacer la fe real y presente, haciéndola creíble para la gente de la sociedad moderna. El Concilio Vaticano II produjo un amplio conjunto de documentos, de constituciones apostólicas, declaraciones y decretos y el Concilio afectó particularmente la liturgia. Gracias al Concilio Vaticano II, se cambió el idioma de la misa, los católicos pasaron de celebrar la misa estrictamente en latín a poder celebrar la Eucaristía en la lengua vernácula del pueblo. Esto signicó que la gente podía entender y participar en la misa en su idioma particular. El Concilio también renovó la liturgia misma y la misa se hizo más vibrante y alentó a los laicos a participar más de lo que habían hecho anteriormente. “Al reformar y fomentar la sagrada Liturgia hay que tener muy en cuenta la activa participación de todo el pueblo”, dice la Constitución sobre la Sagrada Liturgia (“Sacrosanctum Concilium”), que fue promulgada por el Concilio Vaticano II. El Concilio Vaticano II también instigó muchos otros documentos importantes, entre ellos cuatro constituciones apostólicas. La Constitución Apostólica sobre el Mundo Moderno (“Gaudium et Spes”) reexionó sobre cómo la iglesia no ve al mundo como un enemigo, sino más bien la forma en que fuimos enviados al mundo para evangelizar. Por lo tanto, no deberíamos tener miedo, sino ir adelante a proclamar a Cristo a todas las naciones. El Concilio también nos ayudó a entender cómo podemos establecer relaciones con otras religiones, especialmente aquéllas con nuestros hermanos y hermanas musulmanes y judíos. La declaración del Concilio Vaticano II sobre la relación de la Iglesia con las religiones no cristianas (“Nostra Aetate”) señala que todos los seres humanos están hechos a imagen y semejanza de Dios, por lo tanto, no hay lugar para el odio por motivos de religión, color o cultura . “Lumen Gentium”, la Constitución dogmática sobre la Iglesia, nos ayuda a comprender que la Iglesia es ante todo un misterio fundada por Cristo con el propósito de invitar a toda la humanidad a la salvación. Por lo tanto, la Iglesia misma es un pueblo peregrino, donde los ordenados y los laicos tienen un papel vital que desempeñar. En todos los documentos producidos por el Concilio Vaticano II se ejemplica cómo la iglesia se ve a sí misma y la forma en que entendemos el mensaje que se le ha conado para llevar esperanza y alegría al mundo. Editora: En muchos sentidos, el Concilio Vaticano II ayudó al pueblo a entender mejor su fe. El Papa Benedicto XVI espera llevar una vez más a la gente más cerca de Cristo con la Nueva Evangelización. ¿Puede decirnos más sobre eso? Obispo Vásquez: Sí, el Santo Padre ha convocado este nuevo Sínodo, que tendrá lugar del 7 al 28 octubre en el Vaticano. El tema del Sínodo es “La nueva evangelización para la transmisión de la fe cristiana.” El Santo Padre considera que la evangelización es una prioridad para la iglesia. Él está muy preocupado de que, aunque gran parte del mundo se ve a sí mismo como cristiano y dice creer en Dios, la secularización, el individualismo y el materialismo son serias amenazas para la humanidad y el cristianismo. La secularización extrema ve a la iglesia como si tuviera poco o nada que aportar a la sociedad. La secularización signica que Dios se mantiene fuera del lugar público, es decir, es aceptable adorar y orar a Dios en la iglesia, pero no es aceptable introducir a Dios en el lugar de trabajo, en nuestras escuelas públicas y en la sociedad en general. Con la Nueva Evangelización, el Papa quiere que la gente entienda que nuestra fe católica nos exige llevar a Dios a dondequiera que vayamos. No podemos separar a Dios de nuestras vidas— ¡El está siempre con nosotros! Cuando vamos a misa los domingos, cuando vamos al trabajo o cuando vamos a la escuela o cuando salimos a hacer nuestras compras o al cine, Dios está con nosotros. Individualismo signica que la persona toma decisiones y jusga por sí mismo todas sus acciones. Así, la moralidad se hace subjetiva ya que el individuo es el que decide la verdad y se convierte en su propio dios. Sabemos que esto es frecuente en la sociedad actual. Sin embargo, el cristianismo nos EL PAPA JUAN XXIII (a la izquierda) rmó la Bula que convocó el Concilio Vaticano II, el 25 de diciembre de 1961. Él escribió que iba a convocar al Concilio para que la iglesia hiciera una contribución positiva a la solución de los problemas modernos. El Concilio se reunió para su primer período de sesiones el 11 de octubre de 1962. El 50 aniversario del inicio del Concilio es este año. (Fotos de CNS) dice cuál es la última verdad y la moralidad que debemos acatar. Como Jesús nos enseñó, debemos amar a Dios sobre todas las cosas y amar a nuestro prójimo como a nosotros mismos. El Santo Padre quiere que entendamos mejor este concepto y lo compartamos con otros a través de la Nueva Evangelización. El materialismo es también una amenaza para el cristianismo. La gente parece estar absorta en el consumo y en gastar dinero. Obviamente necesitamos dinero para vivir y necesitamos una buena economía para que la gente pueda progresar, pero cuando el dinero y las cosas con más importantes que la gente y Dios, entonces nuestra fe está amenazada. Con la Nueva Evangelización, El Papa Benedicto XVI no busca distribuír un mensaje nuevo o diferente. Sin embargo, él quiere volver a introducir a la gente al mensaje de Jesucristo, nuestro Salvador. Él quiere llevar a Cristo a las personas que ya han oído hablar de Cristo y quienes pueden ser cristianos, pero no viven su fe y no están conectados a la iglesia. Él quiere que el mensaje de la salvación viva y sea real para todo aquel que creé. Cristo es la esperanza del mundo. La iglesia tiene un objetivo primordial y ese es salir al mundo y hablarles a otros acerca de Cristo. Esa fue la gran comisión de Jesús al nal del Evangelio de Mateo. “vayan, pues, a hacer discípulos a todas las naciones, bautizándolos en el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo, y enseñándoles a observar todo cuanto yo les he mandado. Y he aquí, yo estoy con ustedes todos los días hasta el n del mundo. “Como católicos, somos enviados al mundo. El Santo Padre ha tomado la Nueva Evangelización, como uno de los temas principales de su ponticado y es por ello que ha convocado el Sínodo. Editora: Entonces, ¿cuál es la oración de la diócesis a medida que avancemos con este llamado? Obispo Vásquez: Mi oración por la diócesis es que todos profundizemos nuestra fe en Jesús. Usted y yo somos católicos, porque Jesús ha entrado en nuestras vidas y lo hemos experimentado personalmente, lo encontramos en el otro y lo encontramos en la comunidad que llamamos la Iglesia Católica. Rezo para que todos podamos experimentar a Cristo, no sólo personalmente, sino en comunidad, es decir, cuando vamos a la Eucaristía y cuando celebramos la Misa y los Sacramentos, vamos a encontrar a Cristo. Él está allí, ¡Él está vivo! Él no es un recuerdo. Cristo es real. Él está aquí para usted y para mí. Esto es lo que nos da esperanza. Esto es lo que nos da la vida. Esto es lo que nos da sentido y signicado. Encontrar a Cristo es encontrar la vida, el propósito y el signicado. Rezo para que todos experimentemos a Cristo más plenamente. 28 ESPAÑOL C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Cinco maneras de fortalecer un matrimonio POR LUPE GARCÍA, LPC-S, S-LMFT COLUMNISTA INVITADA A medida que ayudamos a preparar a las parejas para el matrimonio y damos consejo a las parejas que están luchando para permanecer juntos, la Ocina Diocesana de Consejería y Vida Familiar tiene por objetivo ayudar a las parejas a llevar a cabo su vocación a la vida matrimonial. Aquí hay cinco maneras de construir y mantener un matrimonio fuerte. Hagan tiempo para estar juntos La razón más importante por la cual las personas pierden su conexión y se distancian es que no hacen tiempo para estar juntos. Estamos tan involucrados en las obligaciones de la vida que nos olvidamos de hacer tiempo para las personas más importantes en nuestras vidas. Damos prioridad a nuestros puestos de trabajo, a los amigos, a las cuentas y a los niños antes de nuestro cónyuge. Si se considerara el matrimonio como un trabajo bien remunerado, algunos de nosotros podríamos haber sido despedidos por desatender el trabajo, o peor aún, por ni siquiera estar presentes. Nosotros alentamos a las parejas a hacer de su relación una prioridad programando una cita a la semana o por lo menos dos veces al mes. Las citas no tienen que ser extravagantes — disfrutar de una taza de café juntos, dar un paseo por el parque, o ir a bailar; el objetivo es estar juntos. Comunicación signicativa La mayoría de las parejas en consejería citan “los problemas de comunicación” como la razón principal de su visita. En última instancia, la mayoría de ellos se comunican pero simplemente no se comunican ecaz o profundamente. Se comunican supercialmente: “¿A qué hora te vas a casa?”, “El juego de los niños es a las seis”, etc. Cuando las parejas programan el tiempo entre sí, queremos que se comuniquen intencionalmente y con signicado. Se tomen el tiempo para llegar a conocerse y volver a conectar uno con otro. No se limite a hacer planes y coordinar horarios, pero conozca las metas, esperanzas, sueños y deseos de su pareja. Hable acerca de lo que va bien en la relación, así como lo que se necesita mejorar. Con el n de comunicarse de manera efectiva, es importante compartir abierta y claramente, pero es más importante escuchar y tratar de entender lo que el otro está compartiendo. Establezca una conexión La diferencia entre estar solo y sentirse solo es la presencia o ausencia de una conexión. Podemos sentirnos solos en la presencia de personas. El pasar tiempo con su cónyuge, no se trata sólo de estar en la misma habitación, sino que se trata de hacer una conexión emocional, física o espiritual. Un factor importante en hacer una conexión es reconocer a la otra persona y realmente estar interesado(a) en quienes son y lo que tienen que decir. La gente se olvida de la importancia de saludarse y despedirse. Más aún, la conexión se fortalece mediante la participación en las actividades que las parejas disfrutan mutuamente, compartiendo la risa, comiendo juntos, enviándose uno al otro notas y por abrazos y besos. De vez en cuando, alentamos a las parejas a tomar un viaje al pasado y recordar la razón por la que se comprometieron a pasar sus vidas juntos. No se centren en los niños Cuando una pareja recibe la bendición de la co-creación con Dios, sus vidas y el matrimonio cambian para siempre. La vocación de los padres nos llama a ser buenos administradores y proveer económica y espiritualmente para nuestros hijos. Sin embargo, dando prioridad a los niños sobre el propio matrimonio es un gran perjuicio a la educación de los niños y a los medios de subsistencia. Ellos necesitan una madre amorosa y un padre que los apoyan, pero más que eso, necesitan una madre y un padre que se aman y se respetan mutuamente. Los padres son su modelo para el matrimonio y la crianza de los hijos. Las parejas que no viven un matrimonio sacramental o no están de acuerdo constantemente en cómo ser padres están enseñando sus comportamientos a sus hijos. Recomendamos que los padres no traten de sobreprogramar a sus hijos y no les permitan que sus hijos tomen todo su tiempo al punto de que no hay tiempo para estar juntos como pareja. Además, traten de no permitir a los niños invadir la cama matrimonial. Las parejas que hacen que su matrimonio sea una prioridad están dando un gran ejemplo de cómo debe de ser una familia sana. Invite a Dios en el matrimonio Este es probablemente el consejo más importante que podemos dar. Puede parecer obvio, pero hemos visto que muchas parejas se olvidan de que activamente necesitan invitar a Dios a participar en su matrimonio. Nos apoyamos el uno en el otro tanto que ponemos demasiada presión sobre la otra persona. Es imposible para cualquier ser humano llenar todos los deseos y necesidades de otro ser humano. ¡Acuda a la Sagrada Familia en busca de ayuda! Tenemos un Padre Celestial y una madre que siempre están aquí para nosotros. Haga uso de los sacramentos como un medio para acercarse a Dios como persona, como pareja y como familia. Alentamos a las parejas a rezar juntos y a asistir a Misa y participar en las actividades de la parroquia como una familia. Esto no sólo fortalece un matrimonio, sino que también fortalece las relaciones de cada individuo con Dios. La Ocina Diocesana de Consejería y Vida Familiar ofrece asesoramiento en inglés y español para las parejas casadas. Para obtener más información, llame al (512) 949-2495. no es la fe, pero si el comienzo y parte fundamental. Dios se ha manifestado de varias formas y en diferentes culturas, pero la más grandiosa manifestación fue a través de la persona de Cristo Jesús. En la persona de Jesús el rostro amoroso de Dios se nos fue revelado, junto con la invitación de ser parte del Reino aquí en la tierra y después de la muerte. Jesús nos invitó a vivir amando al prójimo, al enemigo, a perdonar al que nos ofende, a denunciar las injusticias, a trabajar por paz, a ser luz para el mundo, a amar a Dios por sobre todas las cosas, y a compartir con él la vida eterna. Como respondemos a esta invitación es la fe. La fe es un don, que más ahora que nunca nuestra sociedad necesita, especialmente nuestras nuevas generaciones. Las nuevas generaciones creen que las cosas en el mundo no mejorarán, que se les está heredando un mundo en caos, sin respuestas, sin rumbo. Y cuando se hacen esas preguntas sobre su origen, destino y razón de ser, no encuentran más que silencio, pues Dios no ha sido introducido a su vida por sus padres y comunidades. Tienen en sus corazones esa búsqueda divina, pero las respuestas que encuentran son vacías, sin luz, sin esperanza. La fe es la respuesta que le damos a esa búsqueda divina. Dios es nuestro destino y origen; ¿qué signica esto para usted? ¿Qué quiere Dios de usted, qué le pide? ¿Qué le responde usted a Dios al escuchar su palabra? ¿Qué celebraremos en el año de la fe? Ha habido muchos momentos en mi vida donde mi fe en Jesucristo, en su presencia sanadora, su amor compasivo y su protección me sostuvieron rme. He visto las maravillas de Dios en mi vida y en los demás. Soy testigo de cómo Dios sana, libera, anima, ama, perdona y salva. ¡Y eso hay que celebrarlo! Usted también ha visto las bendiciones que la fe en Cristo Jesus le ha traído a su vida, a sus seres queridos, a un amigo, a su comunidad. Estoy hablando de esas historias de fe donde Dios se manifestó sanando, limpiando, amando, de forma extraordinaria. Le invito a compartir su historia conmigo, con nuestra comunidad. Las historias seleccionadas serán publicadas en el periódico como parte de nuestra celebración como Diócesis ¿Cuál es su historia de fe? Edgar Ramirez es el Director del Ministerio Hispano para la Diócesis de Austin. Se le puede llamar al (512) 949-2468 o por correo electrónico a [email protected]. Celebrando nuestra fe POR EDGAR RAMIREZ DIRECTOR DEL MINISTERIO HISPANO El próximo 11 de octubre celebraremos en toda la Iglesia Católica el año de la fe. El Papa Benedicto XVI nos invita a que de Octubre 2012 a Octubre 2013 celebremos, compartamos y conozcamos nuestra fe. Nuestra Diócesis tendrá una variedad de celebraciones, talleres, y conferencias en español para que celebremos nuestra fe. Cualquiera que sea su fe, sea poca o mucha, ¡celébrela!, ¡conózcala! Nuestras futuras generaciones necesitan saber que es la fe, celebrarla y vivirla. Nuestras sociedades necesitan en este momento reexionar sobre la fe y la dimensión espiritual del ser humano, su llamado y destino. Esta invitación del Papa Benedicto XVI me parece especialmente importante en estos momentos en que nuestras sociedades están luchando por balancear un secularismo agresivo que pretende olvidar un hecho inevitable: los seres humanos pertenecemos a una realidad más grande que la material. Pero por otro lado también está ese discurso que utiliza la fe para convertirla en una serie de reglamentos, leyes, status quo, y discurso político que alejan de Dios a los suyos; y esta reali- dad la podemos observar en sociedades no solo cristianas. Este llamado de S.S. Benedicto XVI puede ser un soplo divino para encender la fe de todos los católicos y así mostrarle al mundo los frutos de nuestra fe e inspirarlo a seguir buscando esas respuestas reconociendo su naturaleza divina y destino divino. ¿Qué es la fe? Observando la perfección en naturaleza y la complejidad del ser humano, los hombres no podemos más que preguntarnos: ¿Por qué este mundo? ¿De dónde venimos? ¿Cuál es la razón de nuestra existencia? ¿Por qué el mal? ¿Cuál es nuestro destino después de la muerte? Desde el comienzo de las civilizaciones, los seres humanos hemos buscado estas respuestas. Lo invito a tomar unos minutos de silencio para que recuerde o haga consciente ese momento en su vida donde estas preguntas surgieron. Algunas veces estas preguntas nos surgen en medio de tragedias, o en momentos de felicidad también. Le comparto que estas preguntas llegaron a mí a los 8 años. Ahí por primera vez me pregunté el por qué y para qué de mi ser. “Por eso nos viene incluso el deseo de salir de este cuerpo para ir a vivir con el Señor,” 2 Cor. 5:8. Este anhelo de Dios fue sembrado en nosotros. Este llamado ESPAÑOL Las parroquias ayudan a inmigrantes a aprender Inglés July/August 2012 POR ENEDELIA J. OBREGÓN CORRESPONSAL PRINCIPAL Escena 1: Una pareja entra en un restaurante. “Bienvenido al Restaurante de Morales”, dice la antriona. “¿Cuánto tiempo hay que esperar?”, Pregunta el señor. “No hay espera”, responde la antriona. “¿Le gustaría sentarse adentro o afuera?” “Adentro, contesta la señora”. ¿Quiere una banca o una mesa?”, pregunta la antriona, “una banca”, contesta la pareja. Después de que la pareja está sentada y con menús, aparece un mesero y pregunta: “¿Puedo tomar su orden?” Y la pareja procede a ordenar. Es una escena cotidiana en muchos lugares, excepto éste. No se trata de un restaurante. Se trata de una esquina del centro de actividades parroquiales en la Parroquia St. Elizabeth en Pugerville donde hay casa llena viendo el sketch, que es parte del programa de graduación del ministerio de Inglés como Segundo Idioma. Los estudiantes de nivel intermedio y avanzado optaron por hacer parodias de escenas cotidianas, como ir a un restaurante o al médico para mostrar su progreso a sus familiares. Los estudiantes son una variedad de edades y de diferentes países. Carmen Cardona, de 57 años, quiere aprender Inglés para poder convertirse en ciudadana de los EE.UU. Su nieta, Noemí Ramírez, es una de las maestras de ESL. Cardona tuvo que esperar ocho años para ser admitida en los EE.UU. de México, y quiere ser capaz de comunicarse con su bisnieta. “Es necesario hablar Inglés”, dijo Cardona, quien se encuentra en el nivel intermedio. “Quiero convertirme en ciudadana, porque las leyes pueden cambiar y quizás no pueda hacerlo más adelante”. Laura Beury, de 30 años, tenía lágrimas en sus ojos mientras buscaba cuidadosamente las palabras en Inglés para expresar sus sentimientos. “Quiero ser una buena ciudadana de este país”, dijo Beury, una estudiante de nivel intermedio. “Tengo una hija. Ella tiene cinco años. Habla inglés y español y estará en Kindergarden este año. Yo quiero que ella esté orgullosa de su mamá. Es difícil, estoy sola en este país, excepto por mi marido. Él se queda en casa para que yo pueda ir a la clase”. 29 LOS ESTUDIANTES de Inglés practican ordenar comida en un restaurante durante una clase de ESL en la Parroquia St. Elizabeth en Pugerville. (Foto de Enedelia J. Obregón) Celinda Martínez, coordinadora de ESL (inglés como segunda lengua, por sus siglas en inglés) en St. Elizabeth, después de las ceremonias, con orgullo tomó nota de que Isabel Pérez había aprendido el suciente inglés para poder obtener su licencia de manejo. Pérez dijo que cuando llegó por primera vez a los EE.UU., sintió que sus labios estaban “sellados”. “Hace tres años empecé a estudiar”, dijo entre bocado y bocado de comida de diferentes países, que para celebrar, los estudiantes trajeron a su graduación. “No sabía los números ni qué decir si me preguntaban: “¿Cuál es su nombre? “Yo no entendía nada.” Tres años han Noticias y eventos El Encuentro Matrimonial Mundial en Español les hace una atenta invitación a todos los matrimonios a vivir un n de semana de 44 horas de trabajo enfocados uno en el otro, alejados de sus diferentes tareas y con la única nalidad de reforzar y rearmar la razón por la cual unieron sus vidas. En el n de semana aprenderán una técnica de comunicación para ayudarles a tener una mejor relación; esto no quiere decir que estén mal, sino que siempre podemos estar mejor. Todos los que estén interesados para recibir más información pueden comunicarse con Rodrigo o Claudia García a los teléfonos (512) 8440785 y (512) 406-4183. Los próximos nes de semana de encuentro son Agosto 31 y Septiembre 1 y 2. La Ultreya Intra Diocesana de Cursillos de la Diócesis de Austin invita a todos a su Primera Ultreya Intra Diocesana el 12 de agosto a la 1:00 p.m. el Centro de Cursillos de Cristiandad en Jarrell. La Ultreya estará compuesta por los tres grupos en español, vietnamita e inglés, y contará con testimonios y compañerismo con otros cursillistas. Para más información, póngase en contacto con Adolphus “Doc” Álvarez al (512) 784-7964 o [email protected]. La Cruzada del Rosario de Austin celebrará la esta de la Asunción de María con un retiro en español el 18 de agosto de 8 AM a 4 PM en la Parroquia de St. Ignatius Martyr, en Austin. El día incluirá una procesión con matachines, el rosario, el sacramento de la reconciliación, la Misa y música en vivo. El diácono Guadalupe Rodríguez, de la Catedral de St. Mary será el presentador y el Señor Obispo José Vásquez celebrará la Santa Misa al mediodía. Para obtener más información, llame a Ignacio Moreno al (512) 443-4111 o (512) 940-0698. La Ocina de Culto Divino y la Ocina de Ministerio Hispano ofrecerán una conferencia llamada “Preparando el Banquete” el 8 de Septiembre en el Centro de Conferencias “Norris Conference Center” en Austin. Este evento es para los clérigos y todos aquellos lideres de ministerios litúrgicos parroquiales. Habrá talleres en inglés y en español y tendremos presentaciones bilingües también. Para registrarse en español o inglés por favor vaya al sitio de internet de la Diócesis de Austin www.austindiocese.org o contacte a Katty Thomas al 512-949-2429 o por correo electrónico [email protected]. Para preguntas en español sobre la conferencia puede contactar a Edgar Ramirez, Director del Ministerio Hispano, al 512-949-2468 o por correo electrónico [email protected]. La secretaría de Caridad y Justicia de la Diócesis de Austin ofrecerá una conferencia titulada “Viviendo la Buena Noticia” el 15 de septiembre de las 8:30 a.m. a las 4:00 p.m. en la parroquia St. Catherine of Siena en Austin (4800 Convict Hill Rd. Austin, TX 78749). En esta conferencia reexionaremos y aprenderemos sobre el llamado del Evangelio para promover la vida y dignidad de todo ser humano desde su concepción, el transcurso de su vida y hasta su muerte natural. Jack Jezreel, fundador y director ejecutivo de JustFaith Ministries será el presentador principal en inglés. Arturo Chavez, presidente del Mexican American Catholic College en San Antonio será el presentador principal en español. También tendremos varios talleres en inglés y español. Para registrarse en inglés o español por favor visite el sitio de internet de la Diócesis www.austindiocese.org o contacte a Yvonne Saldaña al 512-949-2486 o por correo electrónico: [email protected]. Para preguntas sobre la conferencia en español por favor llame a Edgar Ramirez, Director del Ministerio Hispano, al 512-949-2468 o por correo electrónico: [email protected]. hecho una gran diferencia. “Ahora mis oídos están abiertos y mis labios pueden dar gracias y expresar lo que siento”, dijo. “Si yo no aprendiera inglés, me quedaría en un agujero obscuro. Al aprender usted puede ver una luz”. Agradeció a sus maestros por darle la oportunidad de participar en la educación de sus hijos. Sus hijos tienen 9 y 4 años de edad. “Mis hijos están muy orgullosos”, dijo, sonriendo. “Ellos me corrigen y me ayudan con las palabras que no conozco. Puedo entender lo que dicen. Me puedo comunicar con sus amigos. No tengo palabras sucientes de agradecimiento”. Padre Pedro García Ramírez, párroco de St. Elizabeth, puede comprenderlo. “Yo soy producto de ESL”, dijo el sacerdote a su congregación cuando el programa se inició hace tres años. Cuando Martínez se acercó a él para iniciar el ministerio de ESL, “¿cómo podría yo decir que no?”, dijo. Padre García Ramírez nació en Nuevo Laredo y su familia se mudó a Austin cuando él era un niño. Aprendió inglés a través de un programa de Caridades Católicas, en la Universidad St. Edward’s, de VESS (Voluntarios para la Educación y Servicios Sociales, por sus siglas en inglés). ESL, el sacerdote dijo, “cambió mi vida”. El aprendizaje de Inglés le ayudó a entrar en el seminario cuando tenía 30 años. Martínez dijo que el programa ofrece a los estudiantes la oportunidad de aprender también sobre la cultura estadounidense para que puedan ser participantes en vez de solo mirar a los demás. El ministerio es una colaboración entre el programa de ESL y de las parroquias, dijo Alejandra Hamlet, enlace entre los ministerios de la parroquia y el programa de ESL. Ella y Angie Beckham, una feligrés de la parroquia St. Ignatius, Martyr en Austin, son mentores voluntarias para el ministerio parroquial en toda la diócesis. Hamlet, quien es maestra de Pre-Kinder en la Parroquia St., Louis en Austin, nació en México, y dijo que alcanzar a los inmigrantes es una realidad que la Iglesia tiene que afrontar, ya que muchos son católicos. “La realidad de la Iglesia es que los inmigrantes son en su mayoría católicos y necesitan un lugar seguro con el que puedan identicarse mientras crecen”, dijo. “Esa es la iglesia”. El aprendizaje del inglés abre la puerta a los inmigrantes en la comunidad en general, así como en su comunidad de fe, señaló. El aprendizaje del inglés también fortalece sus familiares, dijo Beckham. “Los niños están aprendiendo inglés y sus padres dependen de ellos para interpretar”, dijo. “Pone a los niños en una posición de poder. Esa es una posición que los padres deben tener”. Hamlet dijo que esa disparidad puede destruir familias. Si los padres pueden comunicarse con los maestros, los niños tienen más probabilidades de permanecer en la escuela. Martínez dijo que el programa comenzó con 60 estudiantes. Este año hubo 138 estudiantes de numerosos países. Las clases siguen el calendario de la escuela pública. La formación de maestros voluntarios se lleva a cabo en el verano. El programa en St. Elizabeth tuvo 19 voluntarios este pasado año escolar. Los estudiantes pagan una cuota de $35 y los materiales son proporcionados por el programa de ESL a un costo muy bajo, ya que compran los libros al por mayor, dijo Hamlet. Martínez dijo que requiere “gran valor” dejar su país de origen y este ministerio ayuda a hacer la transición más fácil. Otras parroquias en Austin con ministerios de ESL son Cristo Rey, Holy Vietnamese Martyrs, St. Ignatius Martyr y San José. La parroquia St. William en Round Rock se encuentra en el proceso de reiniciar su Ministerio de ESL. Para más información o para ser voluntario, comuníquese con Celinda Martínez al (512) 554-3313. 30 ESPAÑOL C ATHOLIC S PIRIT Trabajando en equipo para cumplir con la misión de la diócesis POR CARMEN CORTES-HARMS COLUMNISTA INVITADA El cumplimiento de la misión de la Diócesis de Austin es una empresa que requiere el trabajo de muchos. Numerosos clérigos eles, laicos y voluntarios trabajan juntos para ayudar al Sr. Obispo Joe Vásquez como el pastor de la Diócesis de Austin. La declaración de nuestra misión: “Nosotros, la Diócesis de Austin, por medio de la Palabra y la Eucaristía, la oración, la formación y la educación, los ministerios sociales y la promoción, abrazamos a las diversas culturas en toda la diócesis, para que juntos, como la Iglesia Católica, podamos continuar la misión de Cristo en el mundo de hoy”, sólo se puede lograr con un equipo de profesionales dedicados y comprometidos. La Diócesis de Austin extiende sus servicios a lo largo de 25 condados en el centro de Texas, a 127 parroquias, y 23 escuelas católicas, más de 500,000 católicos. Los miembros del personal diocesano son las manos adicionales que el Sr. Obispo Vásquez necesita para cumplir su misión. Casi 90 empleados laicos y más de una docena de clérigos (sacerdotes y diáconos) y religiosas forman el personal de la Diócesis de Austin. Suponiendo que cada clérigo y empleados trabaja 40 horas a la semana (50 o 60 horas semanales no están fuera de lo normal), el personal de la diócesis contribuye aproximadamente 200,000 horas de trabajo por año. El personal de la diócesis es un grupo dedicado y especializado, de corazones y almas, trabajando como uno en la búsqueda del mismo objetivo y cada miembro del personal en su particular forma trabaja y contribuye hacia el logro de la misión de la Diócesis de Austin. El 1o. de julio de 2011, la Diócesis de Austin adoptó el Modelo de la Secretaría como su estructura primaria (véase el cuadro a continuación). En el último año este nuevo modelo ha ayudado a aumentar la eciencia, la responsabilidad y las comunicaciones de las ocinas diocesanas y de los ministerios. Guiados por el Sr. Obispo Vásquez e inspirados por el Espíritu Santo, el personal de la diócesis trabaja diligentemente para la comunidad católica del centro de Texas. Carmen Cortés-Harms es la Coordinadora de Recursos Humanos de la Diócesis de Austin. Ella puede ser contactada en el (512) 949-2451 o [email protected]. Pastoral support for victims of sexual abuse The Diocese of Austin is committed to providing condential and compassionate care to victims of sexual abuse, particularly if the abuse was committed by clergy or a church representative. If you have experienced abuse by someone representing the Catholic Church, please contact the diocesan coordinator of pastoral care at (512) 949-2400. Apoyo pastoral a las víctimas de abuso sexual La Diócesis de Austin se compromete a proporcionar ayuda condencial y compasiva a las víctimas de abuso sexual, especialmente si el abuso fue cometido por el clero o un representante de la iglesia. Si usted ha sufrido abusos por parte de alguien que representa la Iglesia Católica, por favor comuníquese con el coordinador diocesano del cuidado pastoral al (512) 949-2400. How to report an incident of concern The Diocese of Austin is committed to preventing harm from happening to any of our children or vulnerable adults. If you are aware of sexual or physical abuse and/or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult, state law requires you to report that information to local law enforcement or the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services at (800) 252-5400 or www.dfps.state.tx.us. Additionally, if the suspected abuse is by clergy or an employee or volunteer of any diocesan parish, school or agency, a Notice of Concern should be submitted to the diocesan Ethics and Integrity in Ministry Ofce at (512) 949-2400. The l Notice of Concern can be found at www.austindiocese.org (click on the link HOW TO REPORT ABUSE). Reports may be made anonymously. Cómo reportar un caso de abuso La Diócesis de Austin está comprometida a la prevención del daño que se cause a cualquier niño o adulto vulnerable. Si usted está enterado del abuso sexual o físico y/o abandono de un niño o adulto vulnerable, la ley estatal requiere que se reporte esa información a la policía local o el Departamento de Servicios Familiares y de Protección del Estado de Texas al (800) 252-5400 o al sitio: www.dfps.state.tx.us y además, si la sospecha de abuso es por parte del clero, empleado o voluntario de cualquier parroquia, escuela u organización de la diócesis, se debe enviar un Reporte de Abuso y debe ser presentado a la Ocina de Ética e Integridad en el Ministerio de la diócesis al (512) 949-2400. El Reporte de Abuso se encuentra en nuestra página de Internet diocesana: www.austindiocese.org ( Haga click en la liga COMO REPORTAR UN CASO DE ABUSO). Estos reportes pueden ser hechos de manera anónima. SITINGS July/August 2012 31 PASTORAL JUVENIL HISPANA held Marian Masses during the month of May, where young adults offered roses to Mary. The group also had their annual Corpus Christi procession from St. Ignatius, Martyr Parish to St. Mary Cathedral in Austin. (Photos courtesy Lily Morales) ST. VINCENT DE PAUL PARISH IN AUSTIN held Vacation Bible School June 11-15. More than 100 volunteers hosted 231 children and teens for the week. (Photos courtesy St. Vincent de Paul Parish) COLUMBIAN SQUIRES from St. Paul Chong Hasang Parish in Harker Heights completed a service project at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton. (Photos courtesy Brian Egan) YOUTH from Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Old Washington recently made their rst Holy Communion. (Photos courtesy Peachie Burlin) THREE MEN made their nal vows and one made his rst profession to the Dominican Missionaries for the Deaf Apostolate community at the Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in San Antonio. The religious vows ceremony was held entirely in American Sign Language. The brothers serve in several dioceses, including the Austin Diocese at St. Ignatius, Martyr Parish in Austin. (Photo courtesy Father Tom Coughlin, OP Miss.) FATHER KURTIS WIEDENFELD led a youth “adventure” to Lake Whitney State Park for teens from St. John Parish in Fayetteville and St. Mary Parish in Ellinger. (Photo courtesy Amy Babin) THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS of St. Monica Parish in Cameron hosted a social after Mass. Parishioners enjoyed donuts, kolaches, coffee and juice. (Photos courtesy Frank Klecka) THE FIRST SEMESTER of Prayer and Life workshops has concluded at several parishes in the Austin area. More parishes are planning to begin the Spanish workshops in the fall. (Photos courtesy Aida Calderon) FATHER BRIAN EILERS celebrated Mass at the Baptistery of St. Lydia near Philippi in Greece. He and Deacon Jerry Klement led a group of Central Texans on a pilgrimage to Greece and Turkey in May. (Photo courtesy Linda Burke) Send photos by the 10th of the month to [email protected]. SITINGS 32 C ATHOLIC S PIRIT ST. THOMAS AQUINAS PARISH in College Station held a procession on the feast of Corpus Christi. More than 500 people attended Mass and the procession, which concluded with benediction and commissioning of 126 extraordinary ministers of holy Communion. (Photos courtesy St. Thomas Aquinas Parish) HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL won the Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA) AA Overall rst place academic title. They are the second Catholic school to win the Overall Championship in the 15-year history of PSIA. (Photo courtesy Kelly Hagemeier) THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS of St. Jerome Parish in Waco awarded $500 scholarships to three graduating seniors this year. (Photo courtesy Angie Chancellor) THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS from St. John Neumann Parish in Austin hosted a golf tournament May 14 that beneted the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and other charities. (Photo courtesy Jen Crowley) THE KJZT OF LA GRANGE (left) presented a donation of $562.50 to Sacred Heart Catholic School in La Grange. It will be used for technology needs at the school. (Photo courtesy Amy Foster) THE CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAS of Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange presented scholarships to four local seniors on May 28. (Photo courtesy Elizabeth Kallus) THE EIGHTH GRADE CLASS from St. Joseph Catholic School in Bryan traveled to Washington, D.C. in June. They visited historical sites and The Basilica of the National Shrine of The Immaculate Conception. (Photo by Liz Smith) THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS spearheaded a fundraising campaign to raise money so CareNet could purchase an ultrasound machine. Carl London of the St. Jerome Council #13005 and Tony Raineri the District 111 Deputy presented a check for $62,462 to Deborah McGregor of CareNet Pregnancy Center of Central Texas on June 18. (Photo courtesy Dave Hargrave) ST. MATTHEW IN ROGERS has created a prayer garden with the help of the parish community. It includes the Stations of the Cross, a rosary garden and an Advent garden, which features a re pit and four benches that symbolize the four weeks of Advent. The garden brought together many parishioners to create art, lay rock, dig holes, plant trees and plants and create a place of worship and prayer. (Photos courtesy Alisa Furman) BISHOP JOE VÁSQUEZ conrmed 240 students at St. William Parish in Round Rock. He said it was the most he had ever conrmed in one service. He also conrmed 200 students in June at St. William Parish. (Photo courtesy Chris Bartlett) ABOUT 60 PEOPLE attended a three-week study on “The Origin of the Bible” hosted by St. Margaret Mary Parish in Cedar Park. The study focused on the Catholic Church’s role in the formation of the canon of the Bible. (Photo courtesy Gina Simmons) Send photos by the 10th of the month to [email protected].