View - Catholic Diocese of Brownsville

Volume 7, Issue 1
»Encyclical
Serving More Than A Million Catholics in the Diocese of Brownsville
JULY 2015
‘We are in dire need of help, prayers ...’
The battle for life
Appeals court rules
to keep McAllen
abortion clinic open
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
Practical tips
for helping the
environment
By CAROL GLATZ
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — The earth,
which was created to support life
and give praise to God, is crying
out with pain because human activity is destroying it, Pope Francis
says in his long-awaited encyclical,
“Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.”
All who believe in God and all
people of good will have an obligation to take steps to mitigate
climate change, clean the land and
the seas, and start treating all of
creation — including poor people
— with respect and concern, he
says in the document released at
the Vatican June 18.
The encyclical is a call for global action as well as an appeal for
deep inner conversion.
Pope Francis points to numerous ways world organizations, nations and communities must move
forward and the way individuals —
believers and people of good will
— should see, think, feel and act.
Here are some of the pope’s
suggestions, with references in parentheses to their location in the
encyclical:
• Do not give in to denial, indifference, resignation, blind confidence in technical solutions. (14,
59)
» Please see Encyclical p.3
McALLEN — The Fifth U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on
June 9 that the provisions of Texas
House Bill 2 may be enforced. The
bill requires Texas abortion facilities to meet hospital safety standards.
The mandate will effectively
shut down all but eight of the
abortion clinics in Texas. Prior to
House Bill 2, there were about 40
abortion facilities in the state.
The court ruling, however,
exempted the last open abortion
facility in the Rio Grande Valley,
Whole Women’s Health, located
in downtown McAllen. Abortion
supporters claimed the law placed
an “undue burden” on Valley
women as well as undocumented
women seeking an abortion, forcing them to drive hundreds of
miles to clinics in Houston or San
Antonio. Undocumented women
are deterred from traveling outside
of the Valley because of the U.S.
Border Patrol checkpoints.
This most recent court ruling
served, “as a wake-up call for sure,”
for pro-life advocates in the Valley, said Yolanda Chapa, founder
of the McAllen Pregnancy Center, a Catholic, pro-life facility that
serves more than 1,400 abortionminded women annually.
“We need to do everything we
can to get organized again and to
organize even more strongly than
we have in the past,” said Chapa,
who also serves as a sidewalk
counselor outside of the McAllen
abortion clinic. “We are in dire
need of help, of prayers and support.”
The McAllen abortion clinic
closed in March 2014 because it
did not meet the requirements of
House Bill 2, but the U.S. Supreme
Court allowed it and other clinics
to reopen in September 2014.
While the clinic was closed,
the once-vibrant sidewalk ministry lost momentum.
“When the clinic closed, peo-
FATHER BALLI
The Valley Catholic
Left, top: Sister Julia Onunkwo of
the Daughters of Mary Mother of
Mercy holds twins who were saved
from abortion. Left, bottom: A men’s
prayer group, Los Caballeros de San
Miguel of San Cristobal Magallanes
and Companions Parish Church in
Mission, pray outside the abortion clinic
on June 11. Above: Diamantina Barba,
a counselor at the pro-life McAllen
Pregnancy Center prepares her “armor,”
— a rosary and literature about the
realities of abortion — for a morning on
the sidewalk outside the abortion clinic.
A MOTHER’S TESTIMONY
A woman from Edinburg credits a
sidewalk counselor for saving her
son’s life. See page 5 for her story.
ple kind of went to different ministries,” Chapa said. “Now it’s time
to get them back.”
The sidewalk ministry provides a peaceful and prayerful
presence outside of the abortion
clinic. Volunteers keep vigil not
only for the babies whose lives
are at risk but also for the mothers – and fathers and other family
members and friends – who may
believe that abortion is the woman’s only choice.
Pro-life advocates also pray for
the clinic staff and volunteers.
Individuals, couples, families
and church groups come to the
sidewalk to pray.
A men’s prayer and fellowship group, Los Caballeros de
‘FLAME’ OF LOVE
San Miguel of San Cristobal Magallanes and Companions Parish
Church in Mission, gathers outside
of the abortion clinic on Thursday
and Saturday mornings to pray the
Rosary. The group displays images
of St. Michael the Archangel and
Our Blessed Mother as they pray
in a circle, providing witness to the
sanctity of life.
» Please see Life p.11
WAYS TO PROMOTE THE PRO-LIFE CAUSE
• Pray the Rosary at home alone, as a couple or as a family for the
end to abortion
• Offer Mass intentions for pro-life causes
• Organize a group at your church to pray a Rosary or novena for
the end to abortion
• Volunteer as a sidewalk counselor or prayer warrior
• Organize your family, friends or church group to come to the
sidewalk and be a witness for life
• Donate time and/or resources to pro-life centers such as the
McAllen Pregnancy Center or the Gift of Life Pregnancy Center
in Brownsville
ORDINATION
ENESPAÑOL
ESPAÑOL
EN
EN
ESPAÑOL
Artículos sobre cómo ayudar
a la causa pro-vida y la nueva
encíclica sobre la creación
“VERBUM MITTITUR
SPIRANS AMOREM”
(“The WORD is sent
breathing love.”)
South Padre Island named for
local missionary priest
Page 3
Marriage Encounter weekend
set for Aug. 21-23
Page 4
Bishop Daniel E. Flores
ordains two new priests
Page 6
Páginas 9-10
2
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic - JULY 2015
Affecting the human environment
Here below is the address I
gave to the first graduating class of
Juan Diego Academy, in Mission.
We are all very proud of the graduates, and grateful to their families.
Sociologists and anthropologists define culture in many ways.
So do theologians.
I am hoping by keeping it
simple tonight, we can avoid
much unnecessary confusion.
Culture is the environment of
human relationality.
You are in it even as you affect
it.
It’s quality upon receipt affects you, and your quality upon
receipt affects it.
Various cultures coexist at
the same time, in the same place.
They can inter-penetrate and yet
remain remarkably distinct
This is true everywhere, but
it is very clearly true in the Rio
Grande Valley.
It is possible to speak of a
dominant American culture, one
that derives its formative force
from history, law and media
expression. There is here in the
Valley also an enduring presence
of Mexican culture, largely transmitted by local customs, language
forms, and also media expression.
There are others: Texas culture, y la cultura norteña.
Cultures do not make you
who you are, rather they specify
how you receive a call to be who
you are.
Certain cultures you are born
into. As we get older, they can
be something we choose to enter
into.
Back to my simple definition: the environment of human
relationality.
The first culture we know
in this world is our immediate family culture. All the other
more national cultures reach us
through it. I remember as a little
boy we watched the Ed Sullivan
show as a family. Then one night
the Beatles appeared on the show.
My Dad decided we weren’t going
to watch Ed Sullivan anymore.
That lasted about a month, then
we were watching it again.
My point is that national
cultures are received first through
family culture.
Family culture has to do with
how we are received into the
world of human living. No family culture is perfect, but it can
be largely affirming and joyful
or it can be the opposite. Family culture is where we learn (or
not) what it is like to be loved
and cared for, for no other reason
than that we are here, and our
families are glad we are here.
If we can speak of a breakdown in family culture, it is at this
basic point that the dysfunction
is most devastating: when a child
is not in a human environment
where he or she learns what it is
like to be loved.
Human abilities to relate well
to others get off to a good or a
bad start first in a family culture.
The second great cultural
world we encounter is the school
culture. Here is where we learn
how to be received and how to
receive others into a community
where what it means to belong is
less clear. I cried my first day of
first grade because I didn’t think I
would be “at home there”. In other
words, I didn’t think I would
belong.
School culture, from first
grade all the way to post-graduate
school, can be cliquish or it
can be hospitable to newcomers; it can be self-centered or it
can be service centered. It can
be energetic or lethargic. It can
consciously try to uphold a high
standard of excellence, or it can
barely skim above mediocrity.
It can feed envy and jealousy
or it can promote gratitude and
respect for the good in others.
Our national and local cultures, understood as environmental conditions affecting the quality
of human relations, are fed by the
streams of water that flow from
the human environment of the
family and school cultures we belong to and that we try to sustain.
If families and schools do not
teach the more basic excellence of
relating generously with one another, then neither will the wider
cultures to which we belong.
In the end this is why the
Church must invest her best efforts on the family and in schools.
It is Christ Jesus who asks us to
affect the culture for the better, to
make the culture of human relating more humane, more merciful,
more compassionate.
The graduating class of JDA
was asked, almost without their
knowing it, to set the trajectory
for a Catholic School Culture.
You were given a task you could
not have fully appreciated at the
time you started as freshmen, the
task of setting up an atmosphere
of human relation that would be
either welcoming or not, generous or not, excellent or not.
With each new class entering you were to be the leaders in
MOST REVEREND
DANIEL E. FLORES
BISHOP OF
BROWNSVILLE
making a people-friendly school
culture.
And now as each of you go to
a new place to continue your education in the mystery of human
relating, you will for the most
part be entering places of cultures
already established. Perhaps that
is a bit intimidating. You ask
yourself, “will I fit in?”
But do not be afraid. Look
at what you have already done,
you have affected the culture of
this school for the better. Indeed,
as the first graduating class, you
have been the agents of creating a
culture where the goodness of life
is affirmed, and the excellence of
study does not eclipse the goodness of hearts.
If your next chapter leads you
to a place that is cliquish, you can
make it less so. Or if you go to a
place where honesty and generosity are lacking, you can make
these virtues more present in the
environment you find yourself in.
If you go to a place where
competition and getting what you
want at any cost is the atmosphere
you breathe, you can affect the
culture by being who you are, a
man or woman of integrity, mercy
and compassion.
You can affect the culture,
because now, after 4 years of creating a good one you know what
the task entails. It entails putting
people before things and putting
God before all else.
Be aware that the grace of
your time at JDA, has been a
grace for us all, in the fullest sense
of the term: something given to
us by God to make us better able
to live and love.
You have had the frequent
celebration of the sacraments,
prayer and lots of activities meant
to engender a truly humane human community where all are
welcome, and none disrespected.
My hope is that as you leave
here, you can say honestly, that
“there at that school, I know I
was loved”. And because you have
had that experience at home and
at school, you can go out to help
others be loved too.
I ask you especially to be
agents of hospitality and welcome
to those many you will encounter
who do not know as well as you
about what a gift it is to be loved.
Our world culture is not so
hospitable to life. In fact it is
often hostile to children and to
the very old. You must show that
the world, as God intends it, is
not just for the strong, it is home
also to the weak, the poor, the
children and the old. Be someone
who shows gracious hospitality to
everyone, and not just the strong,
and those favored by the powerful.
That is how you can take what
you were given at home and at
school, and make the environment of human relations better,
more humane, more compassionate and merciful.
Stay close to the source of this
grace, Christ and his Church.
With the gifts he gives through
her, and the gift that you can be in
her, you can make the wider culture we live in a more hospitable
and generous one.
My thanks to your parents for
the family culture that formed
your coming, and for their willingness to take a chance on a new
school,
Thanks also to your teachers and the generous staff, and
administration for their kindness and hard work, and for their
trusting that a risk for something
good is blessed by God no matter
what the outcome.
And thanks to God, who is
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who
has shown us how his ways can
surprise many an expert by making something good flourish in
unexpected places.
God bless you always.
‘For this is my Body ...’
Courtesy photo
Bishop Daniel E. Flores celebrated Mass for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12 at Sacred Heart
Church in Edinburg.
700 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd., San Juan, TX 78589-3042
Telephone: 956/781-5323 • Fax: 956/784-5082
Bishop Daniel E. Flores
Publisher
Brenda Nettles Riojas
Editor
Rose Ybarra
Assistant Editor
Zulema Baez
Graphic Design
South Texas Circulation
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Evana A. Zamora
(956) 784-5038
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Bishop Flores’ Schedule - July 2015
July 1
6 p.m.
Escobares
Confirmations at Sacred Heart Parish
July 5
9 a.m.
Brownsville
Mass to celebrate 70th Anniversary of St. Thomas Church
July 19
8 a.m.
Brownsville
Mass at Immaculate Conception Cathedral
July 19
Noon
McAllen
Mass & Blessing, Youth Retreat Center at Holy Spirit Parish
July 22
7 p.m.
Abram
Mass at St. Mary Magdalene Church
July 25
10 a.m.
San Juan
Valley Awakening
Bishop Marx Conference Center
July 25
5 p.m.
La Rosita
Closing Mass, Starr County Youth Day, Santa Rosa de Lima Church
JULY 2015
DIOCESE
- The Valley Catholic
Editor’s note: Join us each month as we take a glimpse back in time and review the
history of the Diocese of Brownsville.
»Father Juan Nicolas Balli
Island named for local missionary
Aristocrat answered
call to the holy
priesthood
The Valley Catholic
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND
— One of the first evangelizers
in the Rio Grande Valley was Father Jose Nicolas Balli, or “Padre
Balli” as he was known, a secular
priest who lived and served in
Matamoros.
South Padre Island received
its name from Padre Balli, who
established a ranch on the island in 1804. King Carlos III of
Spain granted the island along
with other land grants to Padre
Balli’s grandfather, Nicolas Balli,
in 1759.
In addition to the ranch, Padre Balli built a church on the
island to convert the Karankawa
Indians to Christianity and the
inhabitants began to call it “the
Padre’s island.”
The son of Jose Maria BalliGuerra and Rosa Maria Hinojosa
de Balli, Padre Balli was born in
Reynosa. His year of birth is uncertain, but several historians be-
Valley, Reynosa and Matamoros.
Padre Balli followed a different
career path and answered a call
to the priesthood. He studied at
the University of Salamanca in
Spain and was ordained a priest
in 1790 or 1791.
Padre Balli spent a significant
amount of time on the island but
was devoted to his priestly ministry south of the Rio Grande River. He was a missionary priest for
five villages – Matamoros, Camargo, Reynosa, Mier and Revilla. Padre Balli left the day-to-day
operations of the island ranch to
his nephew, Juan Jose Balli II.
Padre Balli designed and
planned Our Lady of Refuge
Church in Matamoros, which
today serves as the Cathedral
The Valley Catholic of Matamoros. The church was
A bronze statue of Father Juan Nicolas
completed in 1833. It remains
Balli greets visitors as they enter the
one of the city’s most historical
island from the Queen Isabella Memorial sites.
Padre Balli died on April 16,
Causeway in South Padre Island.
1829 in Matamoros. His nephew
operated the ranch for another
lieve he was born in 1768.
15 years and left the island after a
Padre Balli was a member of hurricane hit in Aug. 4, 1844.
the Mexican aristocracy. His famSince then, the island propily was wealthy and laden with erty has exchanged hands several
dignitaries and politicians. The times and there have been nufamily owned tracts of land all merous disputes over its ownerover what is now the Rio Grande ship.
Encyclical,
continued from pg. 1
• Have forthright and honest
debates and policies; issues cannot be dealt with once and for
all, but will need to be “reframed
and enriched again and again” by
everyone with plenty of different
proposals because there is no one
way to solve problems. (16, 60,
185)
• Reduce, reuse, recycle. Preserve resources, use them more
efficiently, moderate consumption and limit use of non-renewable resources. (22, 192)
• Slash pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. Transition
to cleaner and renewable energies
and replace fossil fuels “without
delay.” (26, 165)
• Promote green construction with energy efficient homes
and buildings. (26, 180)
• Protect clean, safe drinking
water and don’t privatize it with
market-based fees for the poor.
(27-29, 164)
• Keep oceans and waterways
clean and safe from pollutants;
use biodegradable detergents at
home and business. (30, 174)
• Be aware that synthetic pesticides and herbicides will hurt
birds and insects that are helpful
for agriculture. (34)
• Leave room for wandering
and migrating species by creating
“biological corridors;” don’t let
dams, highways and construction
lead to their extinction. (35)
• Protect biodiversity, especially wild forests, wetlands,
coastal areas, mangrove swamps.
(39)
• Put an end to “mental pol-
Nancy Wiechec/Catholic News Service
An evening sky is reflected on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park
in this September 2014 photo. The river is a critical resource, supplying water
to 30 million people and thousands of acres of farmland. Pope Francis’ longanticipated encycl ical on the environment was released at the Vatican June 18.
lution.” Think deeply, live wisely,
love generously. (47)
• End the tyranny of the
screen, information overload
and distractions. Watch out for
media-induced melancholy and
isolation. Cultivate real relationships with others. (47)
• Stop blaming problems
on population growth. The real
threat is excessive consumerism
and waste. (50)
• For genuine change, put the
common good first. Special interests manipulate information, offer “superficial rhetoric, sporadic
acts of philanthropy and perfunctory expressions of concern.” (54)
• Get back to nature — “the
caress of God” — to recharge. Be
more attentive to its beauty and
wonder and revisit places that left
you with happy memories. (84,
97, 215, 233)
• Be consistent. Pro-life, en-
vironmental and social justice
movements are all connected.
Protecting vulnerable species
must include the unborn, endangered animals and the exploited.
(91, 120)
• Less is more. Stop needless
consumption. (193, 203, 222, 211
• Plant a tree. Take mass transit. Car pool. Turn off the lights
when you leave the room. Chilly?
Wear a sweater. Little things add
up. (211)
• Believe in a happy future, a
better tomorrow. Slow down, recover values and the meaning of
life. Putting the brakes on “unrestrained delusions of grandeur” is
not a call to go back to the Stone
Age. (113-114, 225)
• Use technology to solve
real problems and serve people,
helping them have more dignity,
less suffering and healthier lives.
(112)
3
Gov. Abbott
signs Clergy
Protection Act
Texas Catholic Conference
AUSTIN — Texas Governor
Greg Abbott signed the Clergy Protection Act into law, affirming that
religious leaders must be secure in
knowing that religious freedom is
beyond government’s reach.
The signing ceremony at the
Governor’s Mansion on June 11,
drew dozens of clergy from around
the State, including the Most Rev.
Raymundo J. Peña, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Brownsville,
and Dr. Jeff Patterson, executive director of the Texas Catholic Conference.
During the 84th Texas Legislative Session, the Texas Catholic Conference supported for the
Clergy Protection Act as a means
to ensure that the government
may not force a pastor, clergy
member, or a religious institution
to perform a marriage or related
ceremony that would violate their
sincerely held religious beliefs. One
of the foundations of Catholicism
is that marriage is a faithful, exclusive, and lifelong union between
one man and one woman, joined
as husband and wife in an intimate
partnership of life and love.
“For years we have been told
by the promoters of same-sex
marriage that those who have religious objections need not worry,”
noted Patterson. “However, we can
point to numerous times in recent
years where the Catholic Church’s
charitable efforts for the poor and
vulnerable—whether it be adoption services, foster care programs,
immigration relief, school policies, medical services, government
contracts and grants—have been
coerced to either violate our beliefs
or risk losing our ability to provide
such care and services.”
“The signing of the Pastor/
Clergy Protection Act is an important step in protecting the important American principles of freedom of religion and the dignity of
conscience,” said Patterson.
Texas is one of 13 states that
ban same-sex marriage.
Advance
directives
reform passed
Texas Catholic Conference
AUSTIN — Governor Greg
Abbott capped off several years of
public advocacy by Texas Catholics
with his signing House Bill 3074
into law. The measure requires the
provision of artificial nutrition and
hydration for patients who wish it,
unless the provision of food and
water causes harm to the patient.
The signing ceremony on
June 12 culminated over a decade
of efforts by the Catholic Bishops
of Texas to reform advance directives legislation in the Lone Star
State so it recognizes the dignity of
a natural death and prioritizes the
patient, while also acknowledging
the emotional and ethical concerns
of families, health care providers,
and communities that want to provide the most compassionate care
possible.
4
DIOCESE
»Women speak for themselves en la Frontera
“
Women are the glue of the
Church,” said Dr. Carolyn
Y. Woo, president and CEO
of Catholic Relief Services
(CRS), the official humanitarian
agency of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops.
In their role in bringing about
the Kingdom of God, they operate
on two dimensions – as doers, as
the hands and feet of Christ, and
the other as a focus on development. Dr. Woo shared her insight
on these two roles, among other
points, during her keynote address at the Women’s Conference
in McAllen this past May.
She asked women to think of
the labor and talent of women,
paid and unpaid. Women, whether as volunteers or staff, populate
parish life, Catholic education,
Catholic social services and
health. “Women keep the Church
going,” she said.
She reminds us, “In a journey
from word to flesh, Mary was the
very first person God engaged to
bring about the plan.”
During her keynote, Dr. Woo
also talked about Pope Francis
and the women who influenced
his life; she talked about the
feminine genius, and about what
the Holy Father is doing as he calls
for women to have a bigger role
and influence in the Church. (An
audio of her keynote is available
online on the Diocese of Brownsville website.)
Speaking about the feminine
genius, she pointed out the word
‘feminine’ is an adjective and not
a noun that describes attributes
more frequently identified with
women but that are not exclusive
to women or exclude men.
Investing in Women
Brenda
Nettles Riojas
Editor of The
Valley Catholic
Some of the words which have
been linked with the “feminine
genius,” a term used by St. John
Paul II, she said, refer to the “brilliance of women in caring for the
intrinsic dignity of everyone and
for nurturing the gifts of other
people,” include sensitivity and
intuition.
Dr. Woo talked about the
head, heart and hands of women
– the gift of intuition, caring and
tender touch. Beyond these are
also other qualities the pope witnessed in women he worked with
over the years, women like Esther
Balestrino de Careaga, who was
his boss prior to his entering the
priesthood. He witnessed women
who were intelligent, competent
and courageous and “willing to
raise their voice.”
In our own lives, we have
known women who inspire us,
women who remind us by their
example, of the courage we too
must find to raise our voices for
justice. So that women are in a position to raise their voice, Dr. Woo
talked about the importance of attending to women as the focus of
economic and social development.
“If you educate women you
can actually deal with a lot of bad
social problems,” she said. Education helps address the issues of
nutrition, sanitation habits, and of
not engaging in early child mar-
riage. …If you educate a woman,
her children will be better off.”
She added, “If you give women
literacy…women will have a voice
in society.”
In her book “Working for a
Better World,” Dr. Woo shares her
journey to becoming the president
and CEO of CRS which operates
in approximately 100 countries
and reaches 100 million people.
She shared her joys and fears. Her
journey, one guided by faith and
her trust in God, is inspiring.
Dr. Woo, born in 1954 the fifth
child in a family of six children,
grew up in Hong Kong at a time
when it was not well established
if you should invest in a daughter.
“I’m only here because my parents
wanted a second son and it took
six children to have two sons.”
When she came to the United
States, she only had enough for
one year of tuition. She went on to
earn a scholarship and eventually
to earn her doctorate and later to
serve as dean of the University of
Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of
Business.
In her book she writes, “It is
a joyous journey, but not always
an easy one.” She notes, “Working at CRS was leading me to the
understanding that, actually, it
is not that God has a part in my
work, but that I have a part in his
work – a liberating sense of who is
in charge and who is the helper.”
In learning to surrender to
God, something I myself struggle
with, Dr. Woo’s section “Untying the Knots” resonates with
practical wisdom. We don’t have
to have all the answers, and when
problems stand before us, “our
personal and collective salva-
The Valley Catholic - JULY 2015
tion comes not from avoiding
these obstacles, but from how we
engage them.”
Sometimes we sabotage the
work we are capable of doing and
the contributions we can make in
our homes and in our communities because we feel overwhelmed
by all that needs to be done. Dr.
Woo stands as an exemplar of
how we can each work for a better
world no matter the obstacles. To
do so, we need to let God lead the
way.
But as we proceed we also
need to take responsibility. We
need to ask ourselves, ‘What are
we doing to invest in ourselves,
our daughters, friends, co-workers?’
Education is important, as is
our faith life, in allowing the Holy
Spirit to guide us in finding ways
to grow and to use the unique
gifts God has given to each of us.
The path will vary for each one
and will present its own unique
challenges.
We need to invest in our
families, our relationships and
in ourselves. Sometimes we also
need to invest in time for rest. Dr.
Woo suggests in her book that
when we take a time out it should
be a time “of gathering the physical and spiritual strength we will
need for resuming active duty in
service to God and neighbors.”
This summer I pray we are
each blessed with some personal retreat time. I know the
brief escape I took away from
home and work helped refuel me
for whatever the days ahead may
bring. I pray this includes finding
more ways to invest in the people
in my life.
»Family Life
Light in a dark world: World Meeting of Families
T
he seventh of ten themes
of the Preparatory
Catechesis for the World
Meeting of Families
which will take place in Philadelphia Sept. 22-25, 2015 is “Light in
a Dark World”. In the preparatory
document entitled “Love is Our
Mission: The Family Fully Alive”
the authors remind us that “At
its best, the family is a school of
love, justice, compassion, forgiveness, mutual respect, patience,
and humility in the midst of a
world darkened by selfishness
and conflict. In these ways, the
family teaches what it means to be
human. However, many temptations arise which try to coax us
into forgetting that male and
female are created for covenant
and communion. For example,
poverty, affluence, pornography,
contraception, philosophical and
other intellectual mistakes can all
create contexts that challenge or
threaten healthy family life. The
Church resists these things for the
sake of protecting the family.”
Four of the issues that the
Preparatory Catechesis highlights
are (1) Economic issues and
contexts, (2) Pornography, (3) The
benefits of Natural Family Planning, (4) The philosophical, legal,
and political context for marriage
today. I would like to offer four
family lessons that can be taught/
highlighted in our homes in connection with these issues.
In regard to (1) Economic
issues and contexts, the preparatory catechesis writers note that
“poverty and economic hardship
Lydia Pesina
Director, Family
Life Office
undermine marriage and family
life around the world.” It is said
Pope Francis pointed to a sign in
the crowd one day at St. Peter’s
Square and said: “I read there,
in large print: “The poor cannot
wait.” It is beautiful! And this
makes me think of Jesus born in a
stable, he was not born in a home.
Afterwards he had to flee, to go
to Egypt to save his life. Then he
returned to his home in Nazareth.
And I think today, also in reading
what is written there, of the many
families who do not have a home,
either because they never had
one or because they lost if for any
number of reasons. Family and
home go together. It is very difficult to bring up a family without
living in a house… I invite everyone- persons, social institutions,
authorities- to do everything possible so that every family might
have a home.” “In other words, if
we say we care about the family,
we need to care for the poor. If we
care for the poor, we will be serving families……life in a perpetual
marketplace may tempt us to
think that if we desire something,
if it is consensual and we can
afford it financially, then we are
entitled to it. That sense of entitlement is a destructive illusion, a
type of slavery to the appetites, diminishing our freedom for living
virtuously. Our failure to embrace
limits, our stubborn insistence on
our appetites, fuels many spiritual
and material problems in the
world today.”
Family lesson # 1: The Gospel
impels us to assist the poor and
care for those who cannot care for
themselves. As a family, we can
live simply so others can simply
live.
The second issue is (2) Pornography. The catechesis authors
remind us “Commodifying sex
always entails commodifying
persons. Pornography- often
linked to and fed by the cruelty
of human trafficking – is now
pandemic, not just among men,
but increasingly among women.
This lucrative global industry can
invade any home with a computer
or cable television.
Pornography catechizes its
consumers in selfishness, teaching
its users to see other people as
objects to satisfy our appetites.”
Family lesson # 2: Sex is
sacred and has a place; in marriage, not before or outside of
marriage. God is the author of sex
and he created it for two reasons
which both begin with the letter
P: procreation and pleasure of
husband and wife. The P that does
not belong in sexual intimacy is
pornography which is a form of
infidelity.
Thirdly, (3) the benefits of
Natural Family Planning. The
Preparatory Catechesis states
“NFP is premised upon the
beauty and necessity of marital
sexual intimacy. Because it also
relies on occasional abstinence for
the sake of spacing births, NFP
summons couples to communication and self-mastery.”
Family Lesson # 3: Couples
preparing for marriage as well as
married couples benefit greatly
from learning a Natural Family
Planning Method together. They
can learn about their unique
fertility from a trained instructor
and be guided by the Holy Spirit
to the amount of children God
calls them to have and when.
And lastly, (4) the philosophical, legal, and political context for
marriage today are addressed by
this catechesis: “Debates about
redefining marriage, including
questions of same-sex marriage,
raise legal and political questions.
In political theory and theology,
Catholics speak of the family as a
pre-political institution. (CSDC
214) To put it another way, the
family is legally “antecedent”
to civil society, the community,
and the political state, since the
family is “founded more immediately in nature.” (RN 13)
Society does not invent or found
the family; rather, the family is
the foundation of society: “The
family, in which the various
generations come together and
help one another grow wiser and
harmonize personal rights with
the other requirements of social
life, is the foundation of society.”
(GS128) Public authority thus has
» Please see Families p.11
Courtesy photo
Rio Grande Valley natives Dora and Raul
A. Gonzalez said a Marriage Encounter
weekend brought the ‘spark’ back to
their relationship. A Marriage Encounter
weekend is set for Aug. 21-23 in San Juan.
»Marriage Encounter
Rekindling
that ‘flame’
of love
By RAUL A. GONZALEZ
Special to the Valley Catholic
“You are just like your mother!”
or “You are just like your father!”
While this may be true, when we
got married, little did we know that
remarks like that fuel the fire. On
our wedding day, we did not know
that we had come to our marriage
with certain expectations and how
we get disillusioned when we don’t
experience the love and attention
we expect.
Neither did we know that comments like “marriage is a 50-50
proposition” and “there is love and
then there is marriage” had influenced our views of marriage, and
that the way we view the world is
the way we live our lives.
After being married a few
years, putting our relationship on
“auto-pilot” began to take a toll; the
glow and the fun of the early years
started to wear off. “Falling out of
love” did not happen overnight; it
happened to us gradually, and then
it hit us like a thick fog.
When we “fell out of love” we
started acting as if we were a single
person, and looked for ways to
seek affirmation from other sources – our jobs, school, clubs, friends
or children. In our busy lifestyles,
Dora and I started taking each
other for granted. Small slights
led to arguments; sarcasm replaced
compliments. We put distance between us, and in order to cope, we
developed an attitude of peace at
any price; we stuffed our anger, and
then exploded when our spouse
least expected.
When we say “falling out of
love” we mean that, our love began to flicker; like a pilot light in
a water heater. We knew we loved
each other, we were committed to
our wedding vows, but we did not
know how to get out of our “ho
hum” existence. We entered the
disillusionment stage and did not
know how to get out of it.
When we “fall out of love, ”we
can decide to try to just get along,
stay miserable, or do something
about rekindling that ‘flame’ of
love which can burn so powerfully
within us. We believe that this is
what God desires for our Sacrament.
» Please see Marriage p.11
JULY 2015
- The Valley Catholic
»Sunday
Readings
The Word of God in the Life
and Mission of the Church
A mother’s testimony
Sidewalk counselor
‘saved my son’s life’
JULY 5
(Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary
Time)
Reading 1
EZ 2:2-5
Responsorial Psalm
PS 123:1-2, 2, 3-4
Reading 2
2 COR 12:7-10
Alleluia
CF. LUKE 4:18
Gospel
MK 6:1-6
JULY 12
(Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary
Time)
Reading 1
AM 7:12-15
Responsorial Psalm
PS 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
Reading 2
EPH 1:3-14 OR EPH 1:3-10
Alleluia
CF. EPH 1:17-18
Gospel
MK 6:7-13
JULY 19
(Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary
Time)
Reading 1
JER 23:1-6
Responsorial Psalm
PS 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
Reading 2
EPH 2:13-18
Alleluia
JN 10:27
Gospel
MK 6:30-34
JULY 26
(Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary
Time)
Reading 1
2 KGS 4:42-44
Responsorial Psalm
PS 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
Reading 2
EPH 4:1-6
Alleluia
LK 7:16
Gospel
JN 6:1-15
The word of the Lord abides for
ever. This word is the Gospel
which was preached to you. (1 Pet
1:25; cf. Is 40:8).
With this assertion from the
First Letter of Saint Peter, which
takes up the words of the Prophet
Isaiah, we find ourselves before
the mystery of God, who has
made himself known through the
gift of his word.
This word, which abides for ever,
entered into time. God spoke his
eternal Word humanly; his Word
“became flesh.” (Jn 1:14).
This is the good news. This is the
proclamation which has come
down the centuries to us today.
Disciples in Mission: Six
Weeks with the Bible
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
McALLEN — Linda (her last
name is omitted to protect her privacy) was 24, pregnant and unmarried.
“I was afraid of what my family
would think, what everyone would
think,” she said. “So I decided that I
would terminate my pregnancy.”
Linda went to an abortion clinic
in McAllen for a consultation. Once
there, she was surprised to see that
the waiting room was packed.
“There were girls there who
looked as young as 15,” she said. “It
was very sad.”
The abortion clinic staff recommended Linda take the “abortion
pill,” two medicines — mifepristone
and misoprostol — which are prescribed to end an early pregnancy.
“They told me that it was just
an embryo and didn’t even have a
heartbeat,” Linda said. “They said
after I took the pills I would get my
period. They said I would bleed for
few days, but that it was no big deal.”
Linda was told to come back the
next day so the abortion pill could
be administered.
When she returned, Ruben Rosales, a pro-life sidewalk counselor
The Valley Catholic
A volunteer prays outside of the abortion
clinic in McAllen. Dozens of babies are
saved from the clutches of abortion through
the sidewalk ministry.
approached her before she walked
into the abortion clinic.
“I don’t even remember what I
said to her,” said Rosales, a parishioner at St. Jude Thaddeus Church
in Pharr. “You have so little time to
speak with them and you have to
constantly pray and ask the Lord for
the right words. We try to understand what they are feeling. Many
feel that abortion is the only option
and that her whole world is closing
in around her, but we show them
another way.”
“I felt a sense of peace when Mr.
Ruben came up to me,” Linda said.
“My head was saying one thing
about having an abortion, but my
heart said another. I knew in my
heart that it was taking a life.
“Mr. Ruben invited me to go to
the McAllen Pregnancy Center a
few blocks away and that very day, I
heard my son’s heartbeat for the first
time.”
The McAllen Pregnancy Center, a
Catholic, pro-life facility, offers free,
confidential services for women facing a crisis pregnancy.
Today, her son is, “a happy,
healthy, beautiful three-year-old.”
“And my family adores him!”
Linda said. “I can’t believe that crazy
thought (abortion) ever crossed my
mind.”
Whenever Linda is in the downtown McAllen area, she stops and
says, “hello” to the sidewalk counselors.
“I want them to know that their
ministry is effective and that it is
worth it,” Linda said. “Thanks be to
God they were there for me that day.
They saved my son’s life.
“If I would have gone through
with the abortion, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. Having my son is the best decision I have
ever made.”
»Making Sense of Bioethics
Banking sperm, eggs before cancer treatment
B
oth chemotherapy and radiation can affect sexual organs
and how they work. The
American Cancer Society addresses
the potential effects on male fertility this way: “Chemo may lower the
number of sperm cells, reduce their
ability to move, or cause other changes…. Because permanent sterility
(infertility) may occur, it’s important
to discuss this issue with your doctor
BEFORE you start chemo. You might
want to think about banking your
sperm for future use.”
Various moral concerns arise
in the wake of the proposal to freeze
reproductive cells like eggs or sperm.
Catholic teaching has always stressed
the importance of the marital act in
bringing about new human life. Even
if sperm were procured in a morallyacceptable way — i.e. not through
withdrawal or masturbation — the
subsequent use of the sperm sample
would involve techniques that were
either directly immoral (such as in
vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic
sperm injection), or at least of a dubious moral character (such as Gamete
Intrafallopian Transfer [GIFT] or
intrauterine insemination [IUI]).
These latter two techniques, GIFT
and IUI, have never been directly
mentioned in official Church documents, so the question of whether
they might be morally allowable continues to be discussed among Catholic moral theologians. GIFT involves
collecting sperm after the marital act,
placing it near an egg — but separated by an air bubble — within a thin,
flexible tube called a catheter. After
insertion into a woman’s reproductive
tract, the sex cells are injected into
her fallopian tube so fertilization can
occur inside her body, rather than
in a petri dish. Meanwhile, IUI (also
known as artificial insemination or
AI) involves the placement of sperm
into a woman’s uterus by a catheter
or a means other than a natural act of
or diseased fallopian tubes, LTOT
re-locates her egg, placing it into
the fallopian tube below the point
Tadeusz
of damage so that her husband’s
Pacholczyk
Priest of the Diocese sperm, introduced into her body by
the marital act, can reach the egg
of Fall River, Mass.
and bring about fertilization. LTOT,
however, is performed only rarely,
and it can be challenging to find a
reproductive specialist who routinely
intercourse.
does the technique.
An important Vatican document
There are, moreover, safety
known as Donum Vitae (On the
concerns about the process of egg
Gift of Life) emphasizes that morally
retrieval from a woman’s body,
acceptable interventions used in
about the high-dose hormones used,
procreation cannot be a substitute for and about cryopreservation of the
the marital act but should serve to
eggs. Strong chemicals are used in
facilitate that act to attain its natural
the freezing process, and no one
purpose. Even when sperm is colknows how much the eggs might
lected in an acceptable manner, by
absorb. Moreover, there has been
using a silastic sheath during marital
little systematic follow-up of children
relations (i.e. a perforated condom
born from frozen eggs, so it remains
without any spermicide), it still apunclear whether they face increased
pears that the subsequent steps of
health risks when they arise from an
GIFT and IUI involve a substitution/
egg that has been frozen and thawed.
replacement of the conjugal act by inIn principle, nevertheless, if the
jecting the sex cells into the woman’s
egg harvesting step could be carried
body via a cannula. In other words,
out with low risk to women, if the egg
the marital act does not itself cause
freezing process would not cause any
a future pregnancy but only enables
deleterious effects on children who
the collection of sperm, which is
might later come into being, and if
then used for another procedure that
the eggs were only used for morally
brings about the pregnancy.
legitimate purposes like LTOT, freezFor these reasons, GIFT and
ing a woman’s eggs would appear to
IUI do not appear to be morally
be morally allowable.
acceptable, and I generally discourAnother emerging method of
age married men undergoing cancer
preserving fertility for cancer patients
treatments from banking their sperm, relies on the removal and freezing of
since there do not appear to be any
sections of the ovary (rather than inlegitimate procreative uses once the
dividual eggs). This ovarian tissue can
sample has been stored.
later be grafted back into a woman’s
The situation is more nuanced
body following chemotherapy allowwhen it comes to the question of
ing her to again ovulate naturally and,
banking a woman’s eggs or ova. We
in some cases, conceive naturally. A
can identify at least one technique for number of babies have been born as
assisting procreation called LTOT,
a result of this technique, and insofar
or Low Tubal Ovum Transfer, that
as a woman were enabled to conceive
would be morally acceptable and
a child through marital acts with her
could be carried out using previously- husband, this approach also would
frozen eggs. Originally designed
not seem to raise any fundamental
for women with blocked, damaged,
moral concerns.
FAITH
5
Nancy Wiechec/Catholic News Service
The upper portion of the sculpture “St.
Ignatius Loyola,” by Juan Martinez
Montanes and Francisco Pacheco.
»Feast Day
July 31
Spotlight on
St. Ignatius
EWTN News
On July 31, the Universal
Church marks the feast day of
St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Spanish saint is known for founding
the Society of Jesus, also known
as the Jesuits, as well as for creating the “Spiritual Exercises”
often used today for retreats and
individual discernment.
The exercises, said Pope Francis, who is the first Jesuit pontiff,
are designed to remind Jesuits that Christ and the Church
must be at the center of all they
do; that they must allow themselves to be conquered by Christ
in order to serve; and that they
must feel shame in order to be
humble before God and other
people.
Every Christian and every Jesuit, Pope Francis said, should
ask himself regularly “’Is Christ
the center of my life?’ because
there is always the temptation
to place ourselves at the center.”
And, he said, one cannot
serve Christ without being in
harmony with and serving the
church. “There are no parallel
or isolated paths.”
“To serve Christ is to love this
concrete church and to serve it
with generosity and obedience,”
he said.
St. Ignatius was born into a
noble family in 1491 in Guipuzcoa, Spain. He served as a page
in the Spanish court of Ferdinand and Isabella.
He then became a soldier in
the Spanish army and wounded
his leg during the siege of Pamplona in 1521. During his recuperation, he read “Lives of the
Saints.” The experience led him
to undergo a profound conversion, and he dedicated himself
to the Catholic faith.
After making a general confession in a monastery in Montserrat, St. Ignatius proceeded to
spend almost a year in solitude.
He wrote his famous “Spiritual
Exercises” and then made a pilgrimage to Rome and the Holy
Land, where he worked to convert Muslims.
St. Ignatius returned to complete his studies in Spain and
then France, where he received
his theology degree. While
many held him in contempt
because of his holy lifestyle, his
wisdom and virtue attracted
some followers, and the Society
of Jesus was born. The Society
was approved by Pope Paul III
in 1540, and it grew rapidly.
St. Ignatius died peacefully on
July 31, 1556. He was canonized
by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.
6
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic - JULY 2015
»Two new priests
Preachers of the gospel
Photos by Eric Sánchez/The Valley Catholic
Bishop Daniel E. Flores ordained two
men to the priesthood on May 30 at the
Immaculate Conception Cathedral in
Brownsville.
Father Rene Gaytan, 29, a native of
Magdalena in the Mexican state of
Jalisco, was assigned parochial vicar of
Sacred Heart Church in Elsa.
A native of Mission, Father Jesus G. Garza,
42, has been assigned parochial vicar of
Immaculate Conception Church in Rio
Grande City.
“We should know for a modern priest, in
the world we are living in today, it is not
easy to be a preacher of the Gospel,”
Bishop Flores said in his homily. “It’s not
easy precisely because the world wants to
hear about mercy but not so much about
justice.
“The world doesn’t always want to hear
that we have to start with ourselves if we
want to make the world more just, but you
have to announce that, too.”
The rite of ordination to the priesthood
makes clear, in terms of the work of the
Holy Spirit, the connection between the
new priest and the faithful he is to guide
and empower.
The prayer of ordination of a presbyter
reads in part, “May they be worthy
co-workers with the Order of Bishops, so
that by their preaching and through the
grace of the Holy Spirit the words of the
Gospel may bear fruit in human hearts
and reach even to the ends of the earth.”
Bishop Flores spoke about the role of the
Holy Spirit in the priesthood in his homily.
“A good priest
knows his people.”
- Bishop Daniel E. Flores
“It would be too much for us to approach
ordination if we only trusted in ourselves
and in our own power and in our ability,”
he said. “We have to trust in that power of
the spirit which Jesus unleashes on you
today in the ordination, to be a bearer
of his mercy and a teacher of his justice,
because God is a living God and he does
not like to be ignored.”
A total of 32 men were recently ordained
to the Sacred Order of the priesthood
throughout the state, according to the
Texas Catholic Conference.
JULY 2015
DIOCESE
- The Valley Catholic
7
Our Catholic Family
Blessed Mother kept him safe overseas
Army Reservist
spends lifetime
caring for the basilica
By ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
SAN JUAN — MSgt. Pablo
H. Villescas was serving with the
Army Reserve in Afghanistan
when that country held its firstever free, direct elections in 2004.
More than three-quarters of
Afghanistan’s registered voters
cast ballots in the election.
“The people were so happy
to finally have a voice, to finally
have a say in which direction their
country should go,” Villescas said.
He added that some Afghans
were also killed so they couldn’t
vote.
Here in the United States,
where there are few, if any, barriers
to the polls, voter registration and
voter turnout is low.
In the 2012 U.S. Presidential
election, only 53.6 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot, according
to the Pew Research Center.
“It really bothers me when
people don’t vote,” Villescas said.
“A lot of people have given their
lives so that we can have that opportunity and it is not appreciated.”
The Fourth of July is a day of
celebration but it is also an ideal
time to reflect on our freedoms
Courtesy photo
MSgt. Pablo H. Villescas, far left, while
serving a tour in Eastern Afghanistan
in 2004. Villescas, the administrator
for the Basilica of Our Lady of San
Juan del Valle-National Shrine, was in
the U.S. Army Reserve for more than
35 years.
and the sacrifices our service men
and women have made to sustain
them – men like Villescas.
Villescas, 60, serves as the administrator of the Basilica of Our
Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine, where he has been employed for 45 years.
“I started working here in August of 1970,” Villescas said. “I was
in high school and my first job was
as a dishwasher in the cafeteria.”
From there, Villescas was promoted to cashier and then worked
in the gift shop, the mailroom and
the hotel, just to name a few of his
posts. Later, he began learning the
administrative side and was re-
sponsible for purchasing and acquisitions.
“Even before he stared working here, he was an altar server
at the church and a student at the
school so that means he has spent
his whole life here,” said Father
Amador Garza, rector of the basilica. “He’s an invaluable resource
because he is the institutional
memory for the basilica after all
these years here.
“When Bishop (Daniel E.
Flores) asked me to be the rector,
I knew right off the bat I wanted
Pablo to be the administrator.”
Villescas was named administrator in 2010, after his last over-
seas tour with the Army Reserve.
He manages a staff of 95. The basilica welcomes more than 25,000
pilgrims a week.
Villescas’ family was instrumental in establishing a shrine to
la Virgen de San Juan in the Rio
Grande Valley. In the 1940s, Villescas’ grandparents, Bernardino
and Bernadina Villescas, petitioned Father José María Azpiazu,
a priest of the Missionary Oblates
of Mary Immaculate, to build a
shrine for those who could not
travel to Mexico.
Villescas said he believes Our
Blessed Mother kept him safe during his overseas tours.
“There were times when I
thought I was going to die,” he said.
“Through all of those incidents, I
was able to come back home. I feel
like la Virgen protected me. She
has always been our family’s patron saint.”
A native of San Juan, Villescas
is the fifth of Fortino and Ninfa
Villescas’ 10 children. He and his
wife, Olga, have been together for
20 years. He also has three daughters, a son and eight grandchildren.
Villescas joined the Army Reserve in 1977 and has served four
tours overseas. In 1992, he served
in Operation Desert Shield/Desert
Storm in Kuwait. In 2000-01, he
served in Operation Noble Eagle
in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Villescas served a tour in
Afghanistan in 2003-04, spent
2005-06 at Darnall Army Medi-
cal Center at Fort Hood working
with wounded and ill soldiers and
served another tour in Afghanistan in 2009-10 before retiring
from the Army Reserve in June
2013.
It was his father who inspired
him to retire.
Through his father, Villescas
learned how much heartache the
family members of those who
serve in the military endure.
“My father was sick and in the
hospital and he asked me, ‘when
are you are going to get out?’” Villescas recalled. “’Well, I’m tired,’
my father said. ‘I’m tired of worrying about you, I’m tired of lighting
candles for you.’
“It was painful for me to leave
the Reserves, but the way it was
requested, I couldn’t say no to
my father. This applies to all service men and women … all your
loved ones are worried until you
get home safely. More than 10,000
candles are lit at the basilica on
any given weekend and I know
many of those are for our military.”
His experience with the
Church and the military have impacted his life’s work.
“In large measure, he owes
his life to the Church and to the
Army,” Father Garza said. “They
were the ones that shaped him
and have molded him into who
he has become. His whole life has
been at the service of these two institutions, which have given him
the sense of commitment and the
sense of discipline that he has.”
8
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic - JULY 2015
St. Joseph Academy president dies
Courtesy photo
Brother Richard J. Sharpe, FMS
Sept. 17, 1947 - May 27, 2015
Brother Richard
J. Sharpe, FMS,
served in the field of
Catholic education
for 40 years.
Submitted by St. Joseph Academy
BROWNSVILLE — Brother
Richard J. Sharpe of the Marist
Brothers, president of St. Joseph
Academy, died on May 27, 2015 at
McAllen Heart Hospital. He was 67.
Brother Richard had a lifelong
calling to Catholic education along
with a special love for young people. You could see that welcoming
smile and distinctive twinkle in his
eyes when he was with the students
at St. Joe; which is where he felt
most at home.
The son of Mayme and Frank
Sharpe, Brother Richard grew up
in Wheeling, West Virginia with his
brothers and sisters. He was raised
in Catholic schools and attended
Marist College in Poughkeepsie,
NY where he earned his BA degree
in Social Studies. He received his
Master’s Degree in Government in
International Studies from Notre
Dame University. Brother Richard started his career as a teacher
at Marist High School in Chicago
and later served in administrative roles at Bishop Carroll High
School, in Ebensburg, PA, Mount
Saint Michael Academy in Bronx,
NY, St. Elizabeth High School in
Oakland, California, and Our Lady
of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie, NY.
In 2002, Brother Richard came
to Saint Joseph Academy as Assistant Principal to direct the Cur-
riculum and Instruction for faculty.
Brother was an excellent mentor
and facilitator to the faculty and
continued to be responsible for the
supervision and orientation of new
faculty and the direction of curriculum with SJA department chairs
and Administration throughout
his years at SJA. In 2011, Brother
Richard was appointed the Interim
President & CEO, and soon after,
was asked to permanently lead the
direction of Saint Joseph Academy.
Being a quiet man, Brother Richard
led by example and with clear direction to bring the school through the
challenges of preserving a Marist
Catholic school presence in difficult
economic times.
In his role as President & CEO,
Brother Richard used his extensive
experiences in all phases of educating and guiding young students
and leading dedicated educators
to live out their lives in the true
Marist spirit of the Marist founder,
St. Marcellin Champagnat. Brother Richard loved all the students
equally and especially as they are
right now; knowing they are all on
a journey of discovery and growth.
He always saw the potential in every student.
Brother Richard was an accomplished cook, favoring his Italian
heritage, and often took full charge
of the kitchen for the Marist Brothers’ meals. He loved music and his
favorites spread extended from opera, to disco, and even rock & roll.
In September 2013, a very special addition came into Brother’s
life when a small, very timid rescue dog, named Missy joined the
Brothers’ community. Missy was
extremely shy, but Brother Richard’s
patience and loving care won her
trust very quickly. Missy became a
constant and comforting companion to Brother Richard during his
illness; right up to the end of his life.
Brother Richard was laid to rest
in the Brothers Cemetery at Marist
Brothers Center, Esopus, NY.
Memorial contributions may
be made in his name to: St. Joseph
Academy, 101 St. Joseph Drive,
Brownsville, TX., 78520.
»Birthday & Anniversary Wishes
The list of birthdays and ordination anniversaries is provided so that
parishioners may remember the priests, deacons and religious in their
prayers and send them a note or a card.
JULY
» Birthdays
2 Rev. Genaro Henriquez
4 Rev. Gabriel Ezeh
8 Rev. Juan Pablo Davalos
12 Rev. Jose Cruz
17 Rev. Luis Roberto Tinajero
18 Rev. Ernesto Magallon
18 Rev. Jesus Paredes
19 Rev. Joaquin Zermeño
20 Rev. Amador Garza
21 Rev. Francisco Castillo
22 Rev. Terrence Gorski, OFM
27 Rev. Jose R. Torres, III, OMI
29 Rev. Richard Philion, OMI
1 Sister Norma Pimentel, MJ
1 Sister Maureen Crosby, SSD
21 Sister Maria Santana, MEF
26 Sister Luz Cardenas, OP
27 Sister Julia Onunkwo, DMMM
31 Sister Ninfa Garza, MJ
2 Deacon Jose Luis Mendoza
3 Deacon Armandin Villarreal
6 Deacon Nicolas E. Trujillo
10 Deacon Augusto Chapa Jr.
10 Deacon Rodolfo C. Salinas
15 Deacon Enrique Saldaña
17 Deacon Gilbert Guardiola Jr.
18 Deacon Francisco D. Pon
19 Deacon Peter Requeñez
23 Deacon Rene Villalon
30 Deacon Felipe F. Treviño
» Anniversaries
1 Rev. Tony O’Conner, SM
4 Rev. Daniel H. Oyama
5 Rev. Julian Becerril
Year of Consecrated Life
Religious communities serving in our diocese
Society of Mary
Founder: Rev. Jean Claude Colin, S.M.
When and where was the community
founded? 1836 in France
How long has your community served the
diocese? 30 years
Charism(s): To serve with the spirit of Mary,
the mother of Jesus.
Apostolate(s): San Felipe de Jesus Parish
in Cameron Park and Our Heavenly Father
Parish in Olmito are under the pastoral care of
the Society of Mary.
Contact information: Rev. Paul Frechette,
S.M. email: [email protected]; Rev.
Hector Cruz, S.M. (956) 832-3303 or Rev.
Courtesy photo
Anthony O’Conner, S.M. (956) 518-1420
From left, Father Anthony O’Connor, S.M., pastor of San Felipe de Jesus
Website: www.societyofmaryusa.org
Parish in Cameron Park and Father Hector Cruz, S.M., pastor of Our Heavenly
Father Parish in Olmito.
Misioneras Eucarísticas Franciscanas
Fundadora: Hermana María Gema de Jesus Aranda
Fundación: 17 de septiembre 1943 en México, D.F.
¿Cuando llegaron a la Diócesis de Brownsville? Llegamos a la
diócesis el año 1988 a la cuidad de La Feria
Carisma: Crear comunidades fraternas en torno a Jesus
Eucaristía
Apostolados: La evangelización y catequesis con los más pobres
en pueblos indigenas, grupos hispanos en los Estados Unidos,
marginados en las cuidades y en el campo con la juventud
Contacto en los Estados Unidos: Hermana María Guadalupe
Villaseñor (delegada), correo electrónico: lupevilla720@hotmail.
com; Hermana María del Carmen Rodríguez Valdés (superiora de
misión), correo electrónico: [email protected]
Foto de cortesía
Las Hermanas Misioneras Eucarísticas Franciscanas,
(izq-der) Hermana María del Carmen Rodriguez; Hermana
María Estela Salazar y la Hermana María Santana.
We are featuring religious communities serving
in our diocese every month throughout the Year of Consecrated Life.
9 Rev. Horacio Chavarria
16 Rev. Arturo Cardenas
16 Rev. Eka Yuantoro, MSF
16 Rev. Hector J. Cruz, SM
16 Rev. Michael Montoya, MJ
17 Rev. Isaac Erondu
21 Rev. Mario Aviles, CO
23 Rev. Gabriel Ezeh
27 Rev. Emmanuel Kowfie
3 Deacon Juan Barbosa
AUGUST
» Birthdays
2 Rev. Alfonso Guevara
13 Rev. George Kerketta
19 Rev. Patrick Sietz
19 Rev. Artemio J. Jacob
21 Rev. Miguel Angel Ortega
26 Rev. Craig Carolan
28 Rev. Aglayde Vega
28 Bishop Daniel E. Flores
6 Sister Armida Rangel, MJ
11 Sister Monica Garza, OP
14 Sister Jeannine T. Spain, OSB
10
18
21
26
26
28
29
Deacon Jesse E. Aguayo
Deacon Raymond Thomas Jr.
Deacon Gerardo Aguilar
Deacon Silvestre J. Garcia
Deacon Carlos Treviño
Deacon Heriberto Treviño
Deacon Reynaldo Q. Merino
» Anniversaries
1 Rev. Raymond Nwachukwu
14 Rev. Jose Cruz
24 Rev. Jose J. Ortiz, CO
26 Rev. Msgr. Heberto Diaz
28 Rev. Msgr. Luis J. Garcia, JCL
JULIO 2015
NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL
- The Valley Catholic
‘Tenemos una gran necesidad de ayuda, oraciones …’
9
La batalla por la vida
Defensores pro-vida
regresan a la
banqueta en McAllen
Por ROSE YBARRA
The Valley Catholic
McALLEN — El Quinto Circuito de la Corte de Apelaciones
de Estados Unidos dictaminó el 9
de junio que las disposiciones del
Proyecto de Ley 2 de Texas pueden ser aplicadas. La disposición
requiere que las instalaciones de
aborto de Texas cumplan con los
estándares de seguridad de un hospital.
El mandato cerrará eficazmente todas menos ocho clínicas de aborto en Texas. Antes del
Proyecto de Ley 2, había alrededor
de 40 instalaciones de aborto en el
estado.
El fallo del tribunal, sin embargo, exentó a la última instalación
de aborto abierta en el Valle del Río
Grande, Whole Women’s Health,
localizada en el centro de McAllen.
Partidarios del aborto afirmaron
que la ley colocaba una “carga excesiva” a las mujeres del Valle, así
como a mujeres indocumentadas
que buscan abortar, al forzarlas a
manejar cientos de millas a clínicas en Houston o San Antonio. Las
mujeres indocumentadas son disuadidas de viajar afuera del Valle
debido a los retenes de la Patrulla
Fronteriza de USA.
El reciente dictamen de la
corte sirvió, “como una llamada
de alerta, por supuesto, para los
defensores pro-vida en el Valle,”
dijo Yolanda Chapa, fundadora del
McAllen Pregnancy Center, una
instalación Católica, pro-vida que
sirve anualmente a más de 1, 400
mujeres que piensan en el aborto.
“Debemos hacer todo lo que
podamos para organizarnos de
nuevo, y organizarnos aún con
más fuerza que en el pasado,” dijo
Chapa, quien también sirve como
una consejera de banqueta afuera
de la clínica de aborto en McAllen.
“Tenemos una gran necesidad de
ayuda, de oraciones y apoyo.”
La clínica de aborto en McAllen cerró en marzo del 2014 por
no cumplir con los requisitos del
Proyecto de Ley 2 pero la Corte Suprema de U.S. le permitió a ésta y
otras clínicas reabrir en septiembre
2014.
Mientras la clínica estuvo cerrada, el que fuera un vibrante ministerio de banqueta, perdió su impulso.
“Cuando la clínica cerró, las
personas como que se fueron a
diferentes ministerios,” dijo Chapa.
“Ahora es tiempo de traerlos de regreso.”
El ministerio de banqueta
provee una presencia pacífica y
de oración afuera de la clínica de
aborto. Los voluntarios mantienen
vigilia no solamente por los bebés cuya vida está en riesgo pero
también por las madres – y padres, y otros miembros de familia
y amigos – que puedan creer que
el aborto es la única opción de la
mujer.
Defensores pro-vida también
rezan por los trabajadores de las
clínicas y voluntarios.
Individuos, parejas, familias
y grupos de la iglesia vienen a la
banqueta a orar.
Un grupo de hombres de
oración y compañerismo, Los
Caballeros de San Migues de San
Cristóbal Magallanes y Compañeros de Iglesia Parroquial en Mission, se reúnen afuera de la clínica
de aborto los jueves y sábados en
la mañana para rezar el Rosario.
El grupo muestra imágenes de San
Miguel el Arcángel y Nuestra Santa
Madre mientras rezan en círculo,
dando testimonio de la santidad de
la vida.
“Necesitamos a más personas
para rezar con nosotros y por nosotros,” dijo Eric Treviño, miembro del grupo. “Invitamos a otros
grupos y familias a unírsenos. Nos
encantaría ver más parroquias participando en este ministerio.”
Para mayor información sobre
el ministerio de banqueta, contacte
a Rubén Rosales al (956) 605-4242
o al McAllen Pregnancy Center
(956) 631-4585.
The Valley Catholic
Los Caballeros de San Miguel de la Parroquia San Cristóbal Magallanes y Compañeros
en Mission se reúnen afuera de la clínica de aborto los jueves y sábados en la mañana
para rezar el Rosario.
CÓMO AYUDAR A LA CAUSA PRO-VIDA
• Rece el Rosario en casa, solo, como pareja o como familia para el
fin al aborto
• Ofrezca menciones en Misa para causas pro-vida
• Organice un grupo en su iglesia para rezar el Rosario o novena
para el fin al aborto.
• Sea voluntario para ser consejero de banqueta o guerrero de
oración
• Organice a su familia, amigos o grupo feligrés para venir a la
banqueta y ser testigo a favor de la vida.
• Done tiempo y/o recursos a los centros pro-vida como el
McAllen Pregnancy Center o el Gift of Life Pregnancy Center en
Brownsville.
10
NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL
The Valley Catholic - JULIO 2015
»Encíclica
Más que cuidar el planeta
Cinco cambios de
vida que pide el
Papa en Laudato Sí
ACI Prensa
CIUDAD DEL VATICANO
— La nueva encíclica del Papa
Francisco Laudato Si’ publicada
el 18 de junio, va más allá de exponer algunos problemas actuales
que afectan al planeta e incluye un
claro llamado a cambiar hábitos y
tendencias negativas en la vida de
cada persona.
El Pontífice propone cinco
formas concretas para el cambio
de vida. En el capítulo sexto, el
último del documento, señala que
“ante todo la humanidad necesita
cambiar”.
Para el Papa, “no todo está
perdido” ya que los seres humanos “también pueden sobreponerse, volver a optar por el bien y
regenerarse, más allá de todos
los condicionamientos mentales
y sociales que les impongan”. En
definitiva, son capaces de “iniciar
caminos nuevos hacia la verdadera libertad”.
Estas son las cinco claves de
cambio que propone en Laudato
Si’:
1. Ser agradecido y practicar la
gratuidad: El Papa pide que todo
cristiano reconozca el mundo (lo
creado) “como un don recibido
del amor del Padre”, algo que implica “actitudes de renuncia y gestos generosos”.
Es importante convencerse
de que “menos es más” y que se
debe crecer en la sobriedad y en
Catholic News Service
En su nueva encíclica sobre la creación,
Laudato Si’, el Papa Francisco recuerda
que “Dios, que quiere actuar con nosotros
y contar con nuestra cooperación,
también es capaz de sacar algún bien
de los males que nosotros realizamos,
porque ‘el Espíritu Santo posee una
inventiva infinita, propia de la mente
divina, que provee a desatar los nudos
de los sucesos humanos, incluso los más
complejos e impenetrables’”.
la capacidad de gozar con poco.
“La sobriedad que se vive con libertad y conciencia es liberadora”
puesto que “quienes disfrutan más
y viven mejor cada momento son
los que dejan de picotear aquí y
allá, buscando siempre lo que no
tienen, y experimentan lo que es
valorar cada persona y cada cosa,
aprenden a tomar contacto y saben gozar con lo más simple”.
Francisco invita también a
“dar gracias a Dios antes y después
de las comidas” porque ese momento “nos recuerda nuestra dependencia de Dios para la vida”
y “fortalece nuestro sentido de
gratitud”.
2. Educar en los diversos ámbitos: El Pontífice pide no educar
sólo desde el punto de vista científico, con leyes y normas como se
ha hecho hasta ahora, sino ir más
allá. Solicita realizar “pequeñas
acciones cotidianas” como “evitar el uso del material plástico y
de papel, reducir el consumo de
agua, separar los residuos, cocinar sólo lo que razonablemente se
podrá comer, tratar con cuidado
a los demás seres vivos, utilizar
transporte público o compartir un
mismo vehículo entre varias personas, plantar árboles, apagar las
luces innecesarias”.
La educación se puede desarrollar en la escuela, en los medios
de comunicación, la catequesis y
sobre todo en la familia.
3. Destierro del consumismo
compulsivo: Las personas que se
dejan “apresar” por los mercados,
son sumergidas en la “vorágine” de
las compras y los gastos innecesarios. “El consumismo obsesivo es
el reflejo subjetivo del paradigma
tecnoeconómico. Ocurre lo que
ya señalaba Romano Guardini:
el ser humano ‘acepta los objetos
y las formas de vida, tal como le
son impuestos por la planificación
y por los productos fabricados en
serie y, después de todo, actúa así
con el sentimiento de que eso es lo
racional y lo acertado’”.
“Tal paradigma hace creer
» Por favor lea Encíclica p.12
»La Alegría de Vivir
Ministerio de sanación y misericordia
P
ara quienes son devotos
a la Divina Misericordia,
diariamente a las 3 de la
tarde le dedican coronillas a la
Divina Misericordia, y justo una
semana después de la pascua de
resurrección, una novena donde
los devotos de la Santa María
Faustina Kowalska invitan a
unirse a la devoción al Señor de
la Misericordia, que no es otro
que Jesucristo resucitado representado emanando luz, específicamente a través de sus heridas
en las palmas de las manos.
El diario que llevo María
Faustina, quien vivió en Polonia de 1905 a 1938, es una gran
fuente de conocimiento de las
etapas después de la muerte,
describe el cielo, el infierno y el
purgatorio como le fue revelado
a ella, y como a través de la
infinita misericordia de nuestro
Señor todos podemos salvarnos.
En el año 2000, el Papa Juan
Pablo II, instituyo la fiesta de la
Divina Misericordia con estas
palabras: «En todo el mundo, el
segundo Domingo de Pascua recibirá el nombre de Domingo de
la Divina Misericordia. Una invitación perenne para el mundo
cristiano a afrontar, con confianza en la benevolencia divina,
las dificultades y las pruebas que
esperan al género humano en los
años venideros».
Ahora el Papa Francisco
ha propuesto un Jubileo de la
Misericordia, esto es que la fiesta
Msgr. Juan
Nicolau
Sacerdote jubilado
de la Diócesis de
Brownsville
de la Misericordia ha de ser no
sólo un día de particular veneración de Dios en este misterio,
ahora no solo tendremos este día
para reconciliarnos con Dios y
apelar a su infinita misericordia,
tendremos además todo un año
que comenzara con la apertura
de la Puerta Santa en la Basílica
Vaticana el día 8 de diciembre,
día solemne de la Inmaculada
Concepción y terminara hasta
el 20 de noviembre del 2016 con
la solemnidad de Cristo Rey del
Universo.
En nuestro limitado conocimiento y entender podemos
trabajar diariamente en las obras
corporales de misericordia, que
son las acciones que ponemos en
práctica para ayudar a nuestros
semejantes, los buenos cristianos debemos estar atentos a
cualquier oportunidad que nos
permita alimentar al hambriento, vestir al que carezca de
ropa o calzado, brindar un techo
al desvalido, visitar al enfermo
y aquel que ha caído en desgracia y está preso, así como
dar apropiada sepultura a los
que han fallecido. Puede ser
que tu situación económica no
te permita dar dinero para dar
sustento a alguien necesitado,
pero puedes dar una sonrisa y
alegrar el día de alguien que está
deprimido, puedes hablarle a alguien afectuosamente y hacerlo
sentir importante, o puedes orar
con mucho fervor para que el
problema o la enfermedad que
aqueja a tu prójimo se resuelva
de la mejor manera. Siempre hay
alguien necesitado de lo que tú
puedas dar.
La paz interna se consigue
haciendo algo por los demás, la
satisfacción de ayudar a alguien
desinteresadamente, es inmensa,
pues nos permite ver el reflejo
de las bendiciones de Dios que
los demás reciben a través de
nuestras acciones. Hasta el peso
más grande de nuestra conciencia puede aligerarse al contemplar la inmensa e infinita Misericordia de Dios, y el permitir
perdonarnos a nosotros mismos
es el primer paso para perdonar
a todos los que nos han dañado
alguna vez, y es a través de ese
perdón que se inicia el proceso
de sanación a través de la misericordia.
Recordemos que la fórmula
de sanación es: EUCARISTIA
mas ALABAR mas perdonar
iguala a sanar. Sin perdonar no
hay sanación. Sanacion y misericordia van juntos. Dios siempre
perdona, el hombre algunas
veces y la naturaleza nunca.
JULY 2015
DIOCESE 11
- The Valley Catholic
»Media
Resource
Center
Learning in a faith-filled environment
July
Recommended by SISTER
MAUREEN CROSBY, SSD
Coordinator of the Media Resource
Center - Diocese of Brownsville
3
»From the
Bookshelf
150 NORTH
AMERICAN
MARTYRS
YOU SHOULD
KNOW
Format: Paperback Length: 190 pgs
Audience: Youth/Adults
Author: Brian O’Neel
Publication:Servant Books 1st edition,
2014
This fascinating look at the lives of
martyrs associated with North America
introduces courageous souls who died
in their attempts to spread the faith
on this continent as well as those who
hailed from North America but died doing
missionary work in other lands. All have
the power to inspire.
SAINTS
OF THE
AMERICAS
Format: Paperback Length: 32 pgs
Audience: ages 4-10
Author: Rev, Jude Winkler, OFM
Publication:Conv. 1st edition, 2006
The faith arrives in America. Saints
included are St. Juan Diego, St. Rose
of Lima and St. Martin de Porres, St.
Peter Claver, St. Isaac Joques, Bl. Kateri
Tekawitha,(now St.Kateri), Bl. Junipero
Serra (soon to be proclaimed a saint).
»Worth Watching
ST. THERESE
OF LISIEUX
Format: DVD Length: 30 minutes
Audience: Children ages 4-12
Production: My Catholic Family, 2008
Thomas and his wife, Helen, help their
children, Alex and Sarah, learn about
virtue through the lives of the saints. In
this episode, learn about the Little Way
of St. Therese.
THERESE
Heralded as one of the most inspiring
filmsinrecentyears,THERESE
recounts the lie of Therese of Lisieux,
the most popular saint of modern times.
A bourgeois girl from a Victorian French
family, Therese journeyed to Rome
to beg Pope Leo XIII for permission
to enter the Carmelite Monastery at
the unheard of age 15. Through the
rigors of monastic life, she made the
surprising yet simple discovery that
holiness can be achieved by small acts
of love and compassion-a spiritual path
she called her “Little Way.”
Independence Day
Observed
DiocesanOfficesClosed
4
Independence Day
5
70th Anniversary celebration
of St. Thomas Church in
Brownsville
10 50th Anniversary of the
Diocese of Brownsville
24-26 Valley Awakening
(Campus and Young Adult
Ministry)
25 Starr County Youth Rally
(Santa Rosa de Lima Church,
La Rosita, Texas)
August
Courtesy photo
Spaces are still available in the 13 Catholic schools of the Diocese of Brownsville for the 2015-16 academic year. Catholic schools
provide a holistic, well-rounded education, caring for the intellectual, spiritual, social, emotional and physical development of each
student. For more information, contact the Catholic Schools Office at (956) 784-5051. In the photo, students from San Martin de
Porres Catholic School in Weslaco attend Mass.
Life,
continued from pg. 1
“We need more people to pray
with us and for us,” said Eric Treviño, a member of the group. “We
invite other groups and families to
join us. We would love to see more
parishes participate in this ministry.”
Those who are trained as
sidewalk counselors stand on the
public sidewalk leading up to the
abortion clinic and give out lifesaving information with a loving,
non-judgmental approach. The
Marriage,
continued from pg. 4
It is normal to reach the stage
of disillusionment at one time or
another in our relationship. Fortunately, for us, we decided to do
something about it. We attended
a Marriage Encounter Weekend.
I did not want to attend, I did
not think we needed it, but Dora
wanted better communication
and the old spark back, and that
is the best thing we’ve ever done
for our marriage. We learned
new tools that rekindled our love,
romance and passion. This is why
we are having a love affair with
each other after 51 years of marriage; like newlyweds, but much
ultimate goal is to invite abortionminded mothers to the McAllen
Pregnancy Center, which is located two blocks away.
Since the abortion clinic reopened in September, it has provided escorts to serve as buffer between the women and the pro-life
sidewalk counselors.
The sidewalk counselors offer
literature on the realities of abortion as well as contact information
for the McAllen Pregnancy Center.
The escorts, most of whom are
college-age, wear colorful vests
with the words “Pro-Choice Escort” emblazoned on the back.
“We smile, we greet them, we
bless them and we pray for them,”
Chapa said of the escorts. “We
accomplish so much more with
prayer than by battling it out.
“I’ve always said that the sidewalk is Calvary and it’s such a
privilege to be at the foot of Jesus’
cross, if for nothing else just to
console him and to give dignity to
the death of these innocent children.”
For more information on the
sidewalk ministry, contact Ruben Rosales, sidewalk ministry
coordinator at (956) 605-4242 or
the McAllen Pregnancy Center at
(956) 631-4585.
richer.
If you have been married for
many years, the Weekend can
help you enhance communication, renew commitment, and
rekindle romance. If you have
been married for a short time,
you can learn the skills you will
need to stay close through the ups
and downs of life. Don’t wait to
invest in your marriage when the
payoff can be so great.
We cordially invite you
to attend the next Worldwide
Marriage Encounter (WWME)
weekend; this is where married
couples can get away from jobs,
children, chores, computers, iPad,
and phones-and learn new tools
to better live their Sacrament of
Matrimony. If you’d like greater
depth, growth, and enrichment
in your relationship, you’ll like
the difference a WWME weekend
can make.
The next WWME weekend is
Aug. 21-23, 2015 at St. Eugene De
Mazenod Renewal Center, in San
Juan. Space is limited; apply early,
and avoid waiting lists. Apply
online at: www.RioGrandeValleyME.org or for more information, call (956) 998-3963.
—
A native of Weslaco, Raul A. Gonzalez is a retired Texas Supreme
Court Justice. He and his wife,
Dora, a Progreso native, have been
married for more than 51 years
and are active in the Marriage
Encounter ministry. The couple
resides in Austin.
Bishop Emeritus Raymundo J. Peña’s Calendar
Format: DVD Length: 96 mins
Audience: PG
Director: St. Luke Films 2006
» Calendar of
Events
July 5
July 12
July 18
July 19
July 22
July 25
July 26
July 27-31
11 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
4:30 p.m.
11 a.m.
6:30 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
11.a.m.
All Day
Mass at Sacred Heart Church
Bishop Pfeifer’s 50th Anniversary at Resurrection Parish
Mass at St. Paul Church
Mass at Sacred Heart Church
Evins Ministry
Mass at St. Paul Church
Mass at Sacred Heart Church
Vacation
Mercedes
Alamo
Mission
Mercedes
Edinburg
Mission
Mercedes
On going:
8 a.m. Mass Monday - Saturday at St. Joseph Chapel of Perpetual Adoration, 727 Bowie St., Alamo
3 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph Chapel of Perpetual Adoration, 727 Bowie St., Alamo
7-8 p.m. Holy Hour Weekly every Thursday at 727 Bowie St., Alamo
1st: Intention to the Consecrated Life (active and contemplative) and for the Sisters and Brothers in our diocese and the
success of their mission
2nd: Intention to the Permanent Diaconate the deacons (permanent and transitional) of the diocese and their families
3rd : Intention to Married Life: for the welfare and sanctification of all the families in the diocese and for building up the
Kingdom in our domestic churches
4th: Intention to the priesthood and the priests of the diocese for the success of their ministry
5th: Intention to Pope Francis
1
Pilgrimage Historical
Tour
DiocseanOffices
2
Mass for children with
Special Needs and families
(Holy Family, Brownsville)
8
Transitional Deacon Ordination
(Our Lady St John of the
Fields, Mission)
15 Assumption of Mary
15 Strong Catholic Families,
Strong Catholic Youth (Youth
Ministry)
Please submit your schedule to be
published in The Valley Catholic by the
first Friday of each month by email at
[email protected] or fax: (956) 784-5082.
Starr County
Youth Rally
set for July 25
The Valley Catholic
Incoming eighth graders to
high school seniors from Starr
County are invited to attend a
youth rally from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
on Saturday, July 25 at Santa
Rosa de Lima Church in La
Rosita.
Bishop Daniel E. Flores will
serve as the keynote speaker
for the event, which will feature
faith, friends, food, fun and fellowship in our Catholic identity.
There is no cost to attend. Tshirts may be purchased for $5.
For more information, contact Elias Alanis at (956) 8441190; Amanda Garcia at (361)
542-9930 or Alejandra Salinas at
(956) 844-0027.
Families,
continued from pg. 4
a duty to protect and serve the
family.” Family lesson # 4: The
Catholic Church teaches God
is the author of marriage and
that the essential elements of a
Sacramental Marriage are “Free,
Faithful, Fruitful, and Forever”.
May the Holy Spirit continue to teach us to understand,
uplift, and strengthen family life
in every aspect of society and
truly be a light in a dark world.
12
DIOCESE
The Valley Catholic - JULY 2015
Sharing our history, celebrating 50 years +
The Valley Catholic
The Diocese of Brownsville was
officially established on July 10,
1965 by Pope Paul VI.
Prior to being established as
a diocese, the area was part of the
Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville
from 1874 to 1912.
The ninth diocese in Texas was
formed by detaching four counties
– Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo and
Starr – from the Diocese of Corpus
Christi.
To
mark
the
Golden
Anniversary of the diocese, Bishop
The Valley Catholic
Here is a sampling of the graphic novel about the history of the Diocese of Brownsville
which has been produced for the 50th Anniversary of the diocese. For a copy of the
book, please check with your parish or call The Valley Catholic at (956) 784-5055.
Encíclica,
continua de la pág. 10
a todos que son libres mientras
tengan una supuesta libertad para
consumir, cuando quienes en realidad poseen la libertad son los que
integran la minoría que detenta el
poder económico y financiero”.
En esta confusión, afirma Francisco, “la humanidad posmoderna
no encontró una nueva comprensión de sí misma que pueda orientarla, y esta falta de identidad
se vive con angustia. Tenemos demasiados medios para unos escasos y raquíticos fines”.
4. Olvido del egoísmo: El Papa
Francisco sostiene que la situación
actual del mundo favorece distintas
formas de egoísmo. Así, las personas se vuelven autorreferenciales y
se aíslan en sí mismas. “Mientras
más vacío está el corazón de la
persona, más necesita objetos para
comprar, poseer y consumir”. Por
tanto, pide “salir hacia el otro” y superar el “individualismo”.
5. Conversión interior: El Santo Padre recuerda la necesidad de
‘convertirse’, es decir, encontrarse
realmente con Jesucristo e iniciar
una vida nueva. El cristiano, asegura, debe vivir su vocación admirando la belleza de la obra de Dios
y protegiéndola.
Así, el Papa propone “una sana
relación con lo creado” como parte
de la “conversión íntegra de la persona” y tomando de modelo a San
Francisco de Asís. Esto implica
“reconocer los propios errores, pecados, vicios o negligencias, y arrepentirse de corazón, cambiar desde
dentro”.
Gregory A. Shemitz/Catholic News Service
Una pareja caminando cerca del océano atlántico en la Playa Race Point en Provincetown,
Massachusetts. La nueva encíclica del papa Francisco, Laudato Sí, presentada el 18 de
junio en Roma, promueve enfáticamente el cuidado del medioambiente.
Daniel E. Flores will celebrate
an open air Mass at 7 p.m. on
Wednesday, Sept. 2 in front of the
mosaic at the Basilica of Our Lady
of San Juan del Valle-National
Shrine.
The event is open to the public
and will serve as the principal event
of the Jubilee Year.
Sept. 2 marks the date the Most
Rev. Adolph Marx was installed as
the first bishop of the Diocese of
Brownsville.
Vespers for clergy and religious
will be prayed at 6 p.m. on Friday,
Sept. 18 at the Immaculate
Conception
Cathedral
in
Brownsville.
The Valley Catholic editorial
team is planning to publish a
special edition of the newspaper to
highlight the history of the diocese.
Please share any historical
photos by emailing a scanned
image to [email protected] or by
calling (956) 784-5055 to make
arrangements.
For more history on the
diocese or information about local
pilgrimages, visit
http://www.
cdob.org/50th-anniversary/50thanniversary-home