Welcome to the digital edition of La Fe Magazine.

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The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Laredo
Most Reverend James A. Tamayo, DD
PUBLISHER
Bennett McBride
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
March/April 2008
Volume 6: Issue 1
Gregorio M. “Goyo” López
EDITOR
Rev. Toribio Guerrero
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Horchata Design
WEB DESIGN
Blas Gibler
Robert Ottke
TRANSLATIONS
FAITH Publishing Ser vice
Rev. Dwight Ezop
CHAIRMAN
Patrick M. O’Brien
PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Elizabeth Solsburg
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Patrick Dally
ART DIRECTOR/WEB DESIGNER
Lynne Ridenour
Matthew Tiller
Abby Wieber
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Jillane Job
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Patricia Oliver
SECRETARY
Rev. William Ashbaugh
Elizabeth Johnson
Rev. Joseph Krupp
Deb McCormack
Cathleen McGreal
Tim Ryan
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Derek Melot
Margaret Perrone
PROOFREADING
Tom Gennara
Christine Jones
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Inner Workings
PRINTER
FAITHPublishingService.com
La Fe is a membership publication of the Catholic
Diocese of Laredo, 1901 Corpus Christi, Laredo,
Texas 78043. Published bimonthly. Subscriptions
are $15 per year. Individual issues are $4.50. Send
all subscription information and address changes
to 1901 Corpus Christi, Laredo, Texas 78043;
956.722.4167; fax 956.722.4464 or e-mail glopez@
dioceseoflaredo.org. Catholic Diocese of Laredo.
To obtain permission to reprint any portion of La Fe,
please call 956.722.4167.
Liturgical Calendar: St. Katharine Drexel, Virgin Mar
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i n s i d e
t h i s
i s s u e
C o v e r
S t o r y
Learn how love
led to conversion
– Born into a binational,
bicultural and bilingual
family, Blas Gibler
shares his story of
service, conversion
and love.
inside
what you’ll get
out of this issue
in the know with Father Joe
6 What does the church teach about
yoga? – Father Joseph Krupp
theology 101
8 What does it mean
for God to create?
– Elizabeth Solsburg
from the bishop
8 Let us rejoice this Easter Season!
- Most Rev. James A. Tamayo
15
12
spot light
Carissa’s Christmas gift to the world–For the second consecutive
year, a St. Augustine Elementary student garners a national award.
– Goyo López
culture
23 Frame of faith – worth more than
a thousand words. – Fr. Bill Ashbaugh
spiritual fitness
24 Freedom in forgiveness – how
letting go helps us. – Fr. Bill Ashbaugh
marriage matters
26 She says: “His nephew is being a
brat!” He says: He’s not our kid
– it’s not up to us to discipline
him. What do they do?
– Deacon Tom and Jo Anne Fogle
work life
28 Playing the blame game – Are you
the one who’s always right?
– Tim Ryan
parenting journey
29 Does forgiving mean forgetting?
– Dr. Cathleen McGreal
16
Financial
Report:
The 2007
Financial Report
Outlines the state of
the diocese.
gin March 3 | St. Casimir, March 4 | Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs March 7 | St. John of God, Religious March 8 | St Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary March 15 | Holy Thursday March 20
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f r o m
W
t h e
e d i t o r
elcome to another Easter edition of La Fe!
For many generations, South Texas
families have gathered on Easter Sunday
for carne asadas and cascarones to celebrate the Resurrection.
Prior to the celebration though, came the forty days and
nights known as Lent.
And for just as many, if not more generations, people of
faith have always attempted to sacrifice something during the
Lenten period.
According to a February 2008 survey conducted by the
Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University regarding Lenten practices, 44 percent of
the respondents said that besides giving up something, they
do something positive during Lent, like giving money to the
needy or trying to be a better person.
As I’ve gotten older, I have had many lengthy and challenging
discussions at home with my wife, at the office with my coworkers and over a meal with my friends regarding this point.
Actually, I was amazed to learn that so many attempt to do
something positive during Lent in addition to the personal
sacrifices. My personal observation has been that many of
my friends and family tend to give up sodas, flour tortillas,
chocolate, etc. in the name of Lent, but realistically in an effort to lose weight.
Similar analogies can be made for other sacrifices.
Of course, when I share my notion with friends and family,
I seem to hit a soft spot. They get upset with me when I argue
that we should make an effort to improve our spiritual self and
not the physical self during Lent. For example, if you don’t pray
daily, then try doing so during Lent. If you don’t pray the rosary
regularly, then make that your Lenten commitment. Or committing to improving your local Catholic radio station.
That’s exactly what members of our clergy did. Instead of
complaining about the lack of local Lenten programming on
our radio station, Rev. Daniel Ramirez-Portugal, pastor of
St. John Neumann, decided to make a positive difference in
the lives of the many listeners of KHOY 88.1 FM (khoy.
org). Once a week during Lent, Fr. Daniel took time
out of his busy schedule to come and record Lenten
reflections. And for Holy Week, he joined Rev. Pastor
Martinez, OSA pastor of St. Vincent de Paul, to record
the Passion in English and in Spanish to provide the
audience with Catholic programming appropriate for
Good Friday.
Quite often, many of us in the pews look to our
priests to lead by example. I was inspired and enlightened by their initiative to make a change in the lives of
others.
Finally, we don’t have to wait for Lent to make these
types of changes. Anytime is a good time to grow in the
faith.
e d i t o r
ienvenidos a otra edición de La Fe!
Por muchas generaciones las familias del Sur de
Texas se han juntado en el Domingo de Pascua para
carnes asadas and cascarones para celebrar la Resurrección..
Antes de la celebración llegaron los cuarenta días y noches,
conocidos como Cuaresma.
Y por igual número de generaciones, si no es que más, la gente de
fe siempre ha tenido la intención de sacrificar algo durante la temporada Cuaresmal.
De acuerdo con una encuesta de febrero del 2008, llevada a cabo
por el Centro para Investigación Aplicada para Apostolados de la Universidad de Georgetown, relacionada con las prácticas Cuaresmales, el 44
por ciento de los que respondieron a la encuesta, dijeron, que además de
sacrificar algo, hacen algo positivo durante la Cuaresma, como dar dinero
a los necesitados o tratando de ser una mejor persona.
Yo he tenido muchas discusiones largas e intrigantes en mi hogar
con mi esposa, en mi oficina con mis compañeros de trabajo, y durante una comida con mis amigos, relacionado con este asunto.
En realidad, estuve sorprendido al aprender que tantas personas
tienen la intención de hacer algo positivo durante la Cuaresma, además
a los sacrificios personales. Por ejemplo, mi observación personal ha
sido que muchos amigos y familiares mios, tienen la tendencia de no
beber refrescos, comer tortillas de harina, chocolates, etc., en nombre
de la Cuaresma, pero realmente como un esfuerzo para bajar de peso.
Analogías similares tambien pueden hacerse para otros sacrificios.
Desde luego, cuando comparto mi idea con mis amigos y familia, se
molestan conmigo, y yo expongo que deberíamos de hacer un esfuerzo
para mejorar nuestro ser espiritual y no la parte física, durante la Cuaresma. Por ejemplo, si no dedicas tiempo a la oración cotidianamente,
entonces trata de hacerlo durante la Cuaresma. Si no rezas el Rosario con
regularidad, entonces que eso sea tu compromiso Cuaresmal.
O comprometiéndose a mejorar su estación de radio Católico local.
Eso es exactamente lo que los miembros de nuestro clero hicieron en esta Cuaresma. En vez de quejarse por la falta de programación Cuaresmal local, en nuestra estación de radio, el Rev.
Daniel Ramírez-Portugal, Pastor de St. John Neumann, decidió
hacer una diferencia positiva en las vidas de muchos de los
radio escuchas de KHOY 88.1 FM (khoy.org). Una vez
por semana durante la Cuaresma, Fr. Daniel se tomo el
tiempo de su muy ocupada labor, para venir y grabar
Reflexiones Cuaresmales. Y para la Semana Santa
se unió al Rev. Pastor Martínez, OSA pastor de St.
Vincent de Paul, para grabar la Pasión, en ingles y
en español, en un esfuerzo de proveer a los radio
escuchas con la programación Católica apropiada
para el Viernes Santo.
Con frecuencia, muchos de nosotros, los laicos
de la iglesia, esperamos que nuestros sacerdotes nos
guíen con su ejemplo. Yo me sentí inspirado e iluminado
por la iniciativa que ellos tomaron para hacer un cambio
en sus vidas personales y en las vidas de otros.
Después de todo, no tenemos que esperar hasta que
llegue la Cuaresma para hacer ese tipo de cambios.
Cualquier momento es bueno para crecer en la fe.
TR Esquivel
– Gregorio “Goyo” López is editor of La Fe, the magazine of the
Catholic Diocese of Laredo.
¡B
d e l
4
La Fe Magazine
March/April
2008 | www.LaFeMagazine.com Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion March 21 | Holy Saturday Vigil of the Solemnity of Easter March 22
La Fe Magazine
March/April 2008
| www.LaFeMagazine.com
4
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Register for Summer 2008 at ole.laredo.edu
Check out the Summer 2008 Class Schedule online at www.laredo.edu
FT. MCINTOSH CAMPUS
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SOUTH CAMPUS
794-4110
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West End Washington Street • 5500 South Zapata Hwy. • Laredo, TX
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3/31/08 1:38:30 PM
i n
t h e
k n o w
w i t h
F r .
J o e
Dear Fr. Joe
what does the church
teach about yoga?
Three priests sat discussing
the best positions for prayer while a
telephone repairman worked nearby.
“Kneeling is definitely best,”
claimed one.
“No,” another contended. “I get
the best results standing with my
hands outstretched to Heaven.”
“You’re both wrong,” the third
insisted. “The most effective
prayer position is lying prostrate,
face down on the floor.”
The repairman could contain
himself no longer. “Fellas,” he
interrupted, “the best prayin’ I ever
did was hangin’ upside down from a
telephone pole.”
Q:
A:
6
Is yoga a religion?
Can you do yoga and be
Catholic?
You know, the funny thing is,
you are basically asking for the
“Catholic position on yoga.” Ouch;
that one was bad.
Anyway, your question has some
curious timing for me. I’ve been
struggling for a bit with my health
– fatigue and muscle soreness from
football injuries. The long and
short of it is, not too long ago, I
went to my doctor and was given
some stretches. I had been doing
them for more than a month and
was amazed at how these stretches
helped. One of my buddies came
to visit. He has been struggling
with the same kinds of issues that
I was. When I showed him the
stretches, he told me they were
“yoga stretches.” I checked it out,
La Fe Magazine
March/April
2008 | www.LaFeMagazine.com
La Fe Magazine
March/April 2008
6
LF0308front.indd 6
and sure enough, five of the eight
stretches I was doing were yoga.
At the same time, I have received
more than a few questions like this
and I’ve spent some time hunting
this down. I hope my answer is
helpful.
When I looked, I found a flat
out dogfight on the Internet about
all this. As near as I can figure, the
idea is this: Yogic stretches are OK,
but yoga philosophy is a problem.
This Rock, a solid Catholic apologetics site, put it best:
Two factors are relevant here:
First, it depends on whether the yoga
is being presented in a manner that is
free of religious elements – i.e., purely
as a system of physical exercise. If it is
coupled with elements of Hindu spirituality (e.g., talk about moving kundalini,
or energy, around your body), it is not
appropriate for Catholics to use it as
part of their exercise routine.
(www.catholic.com/thisrock/2001/0107qq.asp)
In summary, if you are doing
stretches to help your body, then
that is good, as your body is sacred
and unique in creation. But with
these stretches, a philosophy is
often offered that is not good. Yoga
stretches? Good. Yoga philosophy/
religion? Not so good.
So, you may ask, “What is the
problem with Hinduism?” Well,
there are more than a few, but we
will cover some of the bigger ones.
At this point, you gotta remember, the Catholic Church is a big
believer in something we call “absolute truth.” I got this definition of
absolute truth from, of all places, a
Web site called “absolutetruth.net”:
[Absolute Truth is the belief
that] there are absolute realities, or
standards, that define what is real
and what is not. Thus, actions can be
deemed right or wrong based upon
how they measure up against absolute
standards.
As Catholics, we are big on
this. I can write more on this later,
but the key idea is that in every
thought and action there is right
and wrong. When we talk about
God and how we relate to him,
there are ideas that work and are
right, and there are ideas that
don’t work and are wrong. There
are some practices that are “more
right” than others and some that
are “more wrong” than others. This
is essential to the Catholic belief
and worldview and Hinduism
teaches this is incorrect. In Hinduism, there are many paths to God;
Easter Sunday, the Resurrection of the Lord March 23 | The Annunciation of the Lord March 31 | St. Francis of Paola, Hermit A
3/31/08 1:38:31 PM
in Christianity, Jesus is “The way, the
truth and the life.” (Jn 14:6)
Another problem with Hinduism is
the belief in reincarnation: the belief
that there is a pool of souls, and that we
are reborn again and again in different
forms and persons until we get it right.
This idea is incompatible with Christianity. The book of Hebrews tells us that
we “die once” and then the judgment
follows. (Heb 9:27) Also, there is a problem here with focusing on the human
ability to “get it right” without divine
help. We need Jesus and the power of
the Holy Spirit, not numerous chances
to get to heaven.
I think it best to close this section
with a quote from Pope John Paul II
from his document Tertio Millennio
Adveniente:
How are we to imagine a life beyond
death? Some have considered various
forms of reincarnation: depending on
one’s previous life, one would receive a
new life in either a higher or lower form,
until full purification is attained. This
belief, deeply rooted in some Eastern
religions, itself indicates that man rebels
against the finality of death. He is
convinced that his nature is essentially
spiritual and immortal.
This is just a glimpse of some of the
problems with Hinduism, but I feel
compelled to remind us that simply
because we disagree with someone, we
should never disrespect or mock them.
If God calls us to speak the truth in
love, then we do so, without condemnation or self-righteousness. We can
disagree with someone and love him or
her as Jesus did.
In fact, that is precisely what we are
supposed to do.
Enjoy another day in God’s
presence!
– Father Joseph Krupp
Send your questions to:
“In the Know with Fr. Joe”
La Fe
1901 Corpus Christi
Laredo, TX 78043
Or: [email protected]
Estimado Padre Joe:
¿Es el Yoga una religión? ¿Puede
uno hacer Yoga y ser católico?
S
abes, la cosa graciosa, es que estás preguntando básicamente cuál es la «posición
católica en el Yoga». ¡Ay! Eso sonó feo.
De cualquier modo, tu pregunta tiene una oportunidad curiosa para mí. He estado luchando por
algún tiempo con mi salud; fatiga y dolores musculares de lesiones del fútbol. Para abreviar, te diré
que no hace mucho fui a consultar mi médico y me
recomendó unos ejercicios de estiramiento. Los
había estado haciendo por más de un mes y me
asombró lo mucho que me ayudaron. Uno de mis
amigos que vino a visitarme había estado luchando
con el mismo tipo de problemas que yo tenía. Cuando le mostré los ejercicios de estiramiento, me
dijo que eran «estiramientos Yoga». Yo lo verifiqué
y efectivamente, cinco de los ocho ejercicios de
estiramiento que estaba haciendo eran Yoga.
Al mismo tiempo, he recibido más de unas pocas
preguntas como ésta y he pasados algún tiempo investigando y espero que respuesta sea útil.
Cuando investigué, encontré una refriega furiosa
en el Internet acerca de esto y hasta dónde puedo
discernir, la idea es esta: Los ejercicios de estiramiento Yoga están bien, pero la filosofía Yoga es un
problema.
This Rock, un sitio católico en inglés sobre
apologética, lo expresó mejor:
Dos factores aquí son pertinentes: Primero,
depende de si el Yoga se está presentando de una
manera libre de elementos religiosos; es decir,
puramente como un sistema de ejercicio físico. Si
está unido a elementos de espiritualidad hindú (por
ej.: charlas acerca de mover kundalini, o energía,
alrededor de su cuerpo), no es apropiado para los
católicos usarlo como parte de sus rutinas de ejercicio. - http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2001/0107qq.asp
Resumiendo, si estás haciendo los ejercicios de
estiramiento para ayudar tu cuerpo, entonces eso
es bueno, puesto que tu cuerpo es sagrado y único
en la creación, pero con estos ejercicios, a menudo
se ofrece una filosofía que no es buena. ¿Ejercicios
de estiramiento Yoga? Bien. ¿Filosofía y/o religión
Yoga? No está bien.
De modo que podrías preguntar; «¿Cuál es el
problema con el hinduismo? Bueno, hay unos cuantos, pero cubriremos algunos de los mayores.
En este momento, debes recordar que la Iglesia
católica es una gran creyente en algo que llamamos «verdad absoluta». Obtuve esta definición de
verdad absoluta del sitio más inesperado, un sitio
en la Web llamado «absolutetruth.net»:
[Verdad Absoluta es la creencia que] hay realidades absolutas, o estándares, que define lo que
es real y lo que no lo es. Así, las acciones pueden
considerarse correctas o incorrectas con base a
cómo si satisfacen los estándares absolutos.
Como católicos, esto es importante para
nosotros. Puedo escribir sobre esto más tarde,
pero la idea clave es que en todo pensamiento y
acción hay el bien y el mal. Cuando hablamos de
Dios y como nos relacionamos a Él, hay ideas que
funcionan y son correctas, y hay ideas que no funcionan y son malas. Hay algunas prácticas que son
«más correctas» que otras y algunas son «más malas» que otras. Esto es esencial para la fe y visión
del mundo católicas y el hinduismo enseña que
esto es incorrecto. En el hinduismo hay muchas
sendas que llevan a Dios, en el cristianismo, Jesús
es «El camino, la verdad y la vida». (Jn 14:6)
Otro problema con el hinduismo es la creencia
en la reencarnación. la creencia que hay un número
limitado de almas, y que renacemos nuevamente
una y otra vez en diferentes formas y personas
hasta que logramos hacerlo bien. Esta idea es
completamente incompatible con el cristianismo. El
Libro de los Hebreos nos dice que «morimos una
vez» y entonces sigue el juicio. (Heb 9:27) También
hay un problema aquí con el enfoque sobre la capacidad humana de «hacerlo bien» sin ayuda divina.
Necesitamos a Jesús y el poder del Espíritu Santo,
no numerosas oportunidades de llegar al cielo.
Creo que es mejor cerrar esta sección con una
cita del Papa Juan Pablo II de su documento Tertio
Millenio Adveniente:
¿Cómo deberemos imaginarnos una vida
más allá de la muerte? Algunos han considerado
diversas formas de reencarnación: Según la vida
anterior de uno, se recibiría una nueva vida en una
forma más alta o más baja, hasta que la purificación completa se logre. Esta creencia, profundamente enraizada en las religiones orientales, en sí
misma indica que el ser humano se rebela contra
la finalidad de la muerte. Está convencido que su
naturaleza es esencialmente espiritual e inmortal.
Esto es sólo un vistazo a algunos de los problemas con el hinduismo, pero me siento obligado a
recordarnos que simplemente porque no estamos
de acuerdo con alguien, no debemos nunca irrespetarle ni burlarse de éste. Si Dios nos pide decir
la verdad con amor, entonces lo hacemos, sin condena ni petulancia. Podemos estar en desacuerdo
con alguien y amarlo o amarla como hizo Jesús.
De hecho, eso es, exactamente, lo que debemos
hacer.
¡Disfruta otro día en presencia de Dios!
– Padre José Krupp
Answers: 1955, 1942, 1531, 1903
Hermit April 2 | St. Isidore, Bishop and Doctor April 4 | St. Vincent Ferrer, Priest April 5 St. John Baptist de la Salle, Priest April 7 | St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr April 11 | St. Anselm, Bishop and Doctor April 21
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f r o m
t h e
d e
b i s h o p
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of (his) disciples that are not written in
this book. But these are written that you may
(come to) believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the
Son of God, and that through this belief you
may have life in his name.” John 20:30-31
I
n this issue of La Fe, we celebrate the joy
of the Easter season and the affirmation
of our faith – Christ has died, Christ is
risen and that Christ will come again.
More than 2,000 years ago, the prophecies were
fulfilled when that large stone covering the entrance to
the tomb where Jesus lay was moved aside to reveal an
empty cave. This fulfilled prophecy is the cornerstone of
our Catholic faith.
The liturgical season of Easter proclaims the joy of
new life in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In addition, the seasons of Lent and Easter teach us
that the sadness of death gives way to the joy of new life
in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the midst of our
personal struggles, we should seek the Lord so that His
grace can lift us from the depths of despair.
As many of us relived the Passion of our Lord on Good
Friday, we witnessed Christ provide a great example of
forgiveness and reconciliation in His last moments while
on the cross at Calvary. The Passion serves as reminder
to always look to God for strength during our darkest
and weakest moment.
This is why during our time of personal reflection and
preparation I prayed that our personal sacrifices during
the Lenten season facilitated a spiritual renewal bringing us closer to God.
Our prayers, fasting and self-sacrifice during the
Lenten season helped us resist temptation and
sin in our life so that we might be strong
in virtue and seek the new life that Christ
offers us.
And the season of Easter greets us
with the words “Alleluia! He is risen!”
Let us receive the Good News and the
salvation He won for us through His
life, death and resurrection. During
this Easter season, may you discover
that Jesus is the true personification of
Todo Con Amor.
- Most Rev. James A. Tamayo is bishop of the
d e l
o b i s p o
“Para Él, todo los profetas atestiguan que todos
los que creen en Él, recibirán el perdón de los
pecados mediante Su nombre.”
— Hechos 10:43-49
E
n esta edición de La Fe, celebramos la
alegría de la temporada de Pascua y la afirmación de nuestra fe que es la resurrección
de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo.
Cada vez que celebramos Misa, profesamos que Cristo ha
muerto, Cristo ha resucitado y que Cristo vendrá otra vez.
Hace más de dos mil años, las profecías se cumplieron
cuando la enorme piedra que cubría la entrada a la tumba
donde yacía Jesús, fue movida hacia un lado para revelar la
cueva vacía. La profecía cumplida es la piedra angular de
nuestra fe Católica.
Además, las temporadas de Cuaresma y Pascua nos enseñan que la tristeza de la muerte da lugar a la alegría de nueva
vida en la resurrección de Cristo Jesús.
Por eso, durante nuestro tiempo de reflexión personal y
preparación, yo pedí en oración:
Que nuestros sacrificios personales durante la temporada
Cuaresmal, nos faciliten una renovación espiritual, acercándonos más a Dios.
Nuestro Señor nos dio un gran ejemplo de perdón y reconciliación en Sus últimos momentos en la cruz en el Calvario.
El estar muchos de nosotros reviviendo la Pasión de Viernes
Santo, fuimos testigos de un ladrón que rehusaba a Jesús,
mientras que el otro le pedía al Hijo de Dios que lo
recordara en el Cielo. Que nosotros hagamos lo
mismo que este último.
En medio de nuestras trifulcas personales,
debemos buscar a Nuestro Señor, para que Su
Gracia nos pueda levantar de las profundidades
de la desesperación. La Pasión también nos
recordó buscarlo a Él para nuestra fuerza,
durante nuestros tiempos más obscuros
y débiles, para que nosotros, también,
podamos levantarnos cada vez que nos
caigamos.
La Temporada de Pascua nos saluda
con las palabras “¡Aleluya! ¡Él resucitó!”
Que recibamos las Buenas Noticias y
la salvación que Él ganó para nosotros
mediante Su vida, muerte y resurrección.
Durante ésta temporada de Pascua, que
descubramos que Jesús es la verdadera
personificación de Todo Con Amor.
TR Esquivel
Catholic Diocese of Laredo.
p a r t e
La Fe Magazine
La Fe Magazine
March/April 2008 | www.LaFeMagazine.com
20088
St. George, Martyr April 23 | St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr April 23 | St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest and Martyr April 24 | St. Peter Chanel,
8 March/April
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s a i n t
o f
t h e
m o n t h
St. Stephen Harding
Canonized in 1683
Meaning of name: Crowned
Feast day: April 17
Claim to Fame: While traveling, Stephen happened upon the
monastery of Molesme. He met with
the abbot, St. Robert, and was so
impressed with him that Stephen
decided to stay. At the monastery, Stephen became known for
his strict adherence to the rules.
The local bishop worried that the
monastery was too zealous, and as
a result, gave the monks property
and ordered them to relax their
rules. Stephen, St. Robert, and
several others, however, wanted to
adhere to their original rules, and so they left Molesme, going
to Citeaux. After several years, Stephen was elected abbot
against his will. However, he used his position to advocate for
his preferred lifestyle, which was absolute poverty. He and his
fellow monks did hard manual labor, and Stephen forbade any
decoration besides painted wooden crosses. Stephen spent
the rest of his life working to expand the order, successfully
helping to found ten more monasteries.
Why he is a saint: In a time when the church leadership allowed lax practicing of rules and when corruption was
common, Stephen worked hard to keep his order from slipping
into the pattern. He sacrificed the financial support of several
feudal lords so he could keep his order pure, and left Molesme
when the bishop forced the monastery to relax its rules.
Best quote: On his death bed, Stephen continued to
show his humility and devotion to God. His last words were,
“I am going to God as I had never done any good. If I have
done some good, it was through the help of the grace of
God. But perhaps I have received this grace unworthily, without turning it sufficiently to account.”
How he died: Stephen had spent his life serving God,
and at the end was almost blind and very weak. He managed
the monasteries until 1133, when he became too weak, and
died on March 28, 1134.
s a n t o
d e l
m e s
San Esteban Harding
Canonizado en 1683
Significado del nombre: Coronado
Día festivo: 17 de abril
Hechos que lo hicieron famoso:
Mientras viajaba, Esteban llegó al monasterio de
Molesme. Se reunió con el abad, San Roberto
y quedó tan impresionado con él que Esteban
decidió quedarse. En el monasterio, Esteban
se hizo conocido por su estricta adhesión a
las reglas. El obispo local se preocupó de que
el monasterio era demasiado fanático, y en
consecuencia, le dio a los monjes propiedades
y les ordenó a relajar sus reglas. Esteban, San
Roberto, y varios otros, no obstante, querían
observar sus reglas originales, así que se fueron
de Molesme a Citeaux. Después de varios años,
Esteban fue elegido abad contra su voluntad.
Sin embargo, él uso su cargo para defender su
estilo de vida preferido, que era la pobreza absoluta. Él y
sus compañeros monjes hacían trabajos manuales fuertes, y
Esteban prohibió cualquier decoración aparte de cruces de
madera pintada. Esteban pasó el resto de su vida trabajando
para ampliar la orden, ayudando a fundar con éxito diez
monasterios más.
Por qué es un santo: En una época cuando el
liderazgo de la iglesia permitía una práctica relajada de
las reglas y cuando la corrupción era común, Esteban se
esforzaba para evitar que su orden resbalara al patrón.
Sacrificó el apoyo financiero de varios señores feudales
para mantener su orden pura, y dejó Molesme cuando el
obispo forzó al monasterio a relajar sus reglas.
Mejor cita: En su lecho de muerte, Esteban continuó
su demostración de humildad y devoción a Dios. Sus
últimas palabras fueron «Voy a Dios como si no hubiera
hecho nunca nada bueno. Si he hecho algún bien, lo hice
ayudado por la gracia de Dios. Pero quizás he recibido esta
gracia sin merecerla, sin convertirla suficientemente en algo
importante».
Cómo murió: Esteban pasó su vida sirviendo a Dios,
y al final estaba casi ciego y muy débil. Administró sus
monasterios hasta 1133, cuando se debilitó mucho y murió
el 28 de marzo de 1134.
Chanel, Priest and Martyr April 28 | St. Louis Mary de Montfort, Priest April 28 | St. Pius V, Pope April 30
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t h e o l o g y
1 0 1
What does
it mean for
God to
create?
Meet the theologians:
Father
Stevens
Q
Father
Schoenstene
How do we know God created
the world?
Fr. Stevens: The full meaning
of God as creator we only know
through direct revelation and Scripture. What does it mean for God
to create? How does it launch this
whole process of salvation? Even
Aquinas recognized that, even
apart from the light of faith, there
La Fe interviewed
Father Gladstone
Stevens, who is vice rector of
St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore.
Father Robert Schoenstene is a Scripture professor
at Mundelein Seminary in the
Archdiocese of Chicago.
are evidences or signs of a creator
God all around us. We experience
purposefulness in the world. Now,
to be sure, there is randomness
and disorder that never satisfy the
human mind. We cannot explain
the world around us or even orient
ourselves to it by reference to that
randomness. But there is a sense
of directionality, that we are moving toward something. There is a
sense of some kind of plan at work – it may not be fully
realized, it may only be intimated, but there is a kind of
intelligibility present.
Evolution or other scientific theories don’t really
get to the heart of these theological issues. Science,
whether it’s evolution or physics, can only defer to
the theological question. It can never fully explain it.
Science, in any form, cannot talk about the ultimate
from which everything came nor the ultimate destination of all things. These are ultimately metaphysical
and theological questions, and science is ill-equipped
to deal with that. There is nothing that contradicts the
idea that the creator God can use evolution to bring
forward his providential and creative plan. I think what
There is nothing that contradicts the
idea that the creator God can use
evolution to bring forward his providential and creative plan.
2008
10
March/April
2008
10March/April
LaLa
FeFe
Magazine
Magazine
LF0308front.indd 10
3/31/08 1:38:55 PM
the church is saying is that a strict Darwinian evolution, one that reduces everything to
chance and necessity, that’s not in keeping
with providence. There are actually very few
strict Darwinians out there anyway. God, in
his subtlety, can use all sorts of means to bring
forth his plan for creation.
Fr. Schoenstene: How do we know anything?
We know things in many ways – one of them is
through experience. Drop a bowling ball on your
foot and it hurts. We also know things because
people tell us. We used to believe the sun went
around the earth – we now trust the physicists
who tell us otherwise. A big way of knowing is
by trusting what someone has said. We know
about God through faith – the kind of knowing
in which you trust that there is something you
believe in, and we believe that Jesus is the Son
of God and can be trusted. For believers, the
Scriptures witness to God’s activity among the
Hebrews and particularly in Jesus Christ – we
come to know God through revelation rather
than just our own experience. It’s basically a
matter of faith. It seems to fit the facts.
The atheists who say there is absolutely no
God have a false position, because they
cannot know that. Agnostics who say, “I don’t
know” are more honest. The evidence is that
there is something in front of us.
– Elizabeth Solsburg
Number 3
The number
3 is a symbol of
holiness in Judaism – the Holy of
Holies was 1/3
of the Temple,
and there were
three vessels.
The blessing of
the priest had
three sections
and the word
“holy” is repeated
three times when
calling upon God.
The number is
significant for
Christians as a
symbol of the
Trinity.
LF0308front.indd 11
¿Cómo sabemos que Dios
creó el mundo?
LA FE: ¿Cómo sabemos que
Dios creó el mundo?
responder a la belleza alrededor nuestro e
intentar su reproducción mediante la forma
artística. Von Baltasar dice que todo arte
es testimonio de que hay alguna presencia
trascendental entre nosotros que invita a
una respuesta humana.
Padre Stevens: Sólo conocemos el pleno
significado de Dios como creador a través
de la revelación directa y las Escrituras.
¿Qué significa para Dios crear? ¿Como
Padre Schoenstene: ¿Puede Dios
lanza todo este proceso de salvación?
crear un burrito tan picante que Él no
Hasta Aquino reconocía eso, aún aparte de
pueda comerlo? Usted estaría hablando
la luz de la fe, hay evidencias o señales de
de un burrito divino. Tendría que estar
un Dios creador en todo nuestro entorno.
diciendo que cualquier cosa que puede
Sentimos que el mundo tiene un propósito.
resistir al poder divino tendría que ser
Ahora bien, ciertamente hay aleatoriedad
divino en sí mismo. Realmente no quiero
y desorden que nunca satisfacen la mente
plantear un burrito divino. Cuando quiera
humana. No podemos explicar el mundo
que surge esta pregunta viene a mente su
que nos rodea ni siquiera orientarnos a él
similitud con la pregunta, «¿Puede Dios
por referencia a esa aleatoriedad. Pero
hacer un círculo cuadrado?». La respuhay un sentido de direccionalidad, que nos
esta es «no», porque no hay tal cosa por
movemos hacia algo. Hay un sentido de
definición. Es un absurdo. No disminuye ni
algún tipo de plan en acción; puede no ser
limita el poder de Dios de ninguna manera
plenamente realizado, puede sólo ser sugdecir que Él no puede hacer eso, porque
erido, pero hay algo inteligible presente.
tal cosa es una contradicción en términos.
La evolución u otras teorías científicas
Es irracional.
no llegan al corazón de estos problemas
Tenemos una fe de paradojas, pero no de
teológicos. La ciencia, sea la evolución o
absurdos. Y una roca tan grande que Dios
la física, sólo puede remitir a la pregunta
no la pueda mover o un burrito tan picante
teológica. Nunca puede explicar plenaque Él no pueda comer, no es una paradoja;
mente. La ciencia en cualquier forma
es un absurdo como los círculos cuadrados.
no puede hablar acerca de lo esencial,
Con demasiada frecuencia, esta pregunta
de lo cual se deriva todo, ni del último
es formulada como si Dios fuese una fuerza
destino de todo. Estas son preguntas
poderosa entre otras fuerzas poderosas
que, en última instancia, son metafísicas y
en el cosmos. Este ser poderoso puede
teológicas, y la ciencia está mal equipada
enfrentarse a otros; pero Dios no es un ser
para manejarlas. No hay nada que contrapoderoso entre otros agentes. Mi respuesta
diga la idea que Dios, el Creador, puede
estándar a los estudiantes cuando pregunutilizar la evolución para adelantar su plan
tan¿ Q
esto
qué lo sería?»
providencial y creador. Creo que lo que la
u e es,
s i g«¿Por
n i f i c a?
iglesia está diciendo es que una evolución
darviniana estricta, una que reduce todo
INRI e IHS
¿Que significa?
al azar y la necesidad, no armoniza con la
Estas
letras
a
menudo
se conprovidencia. De todos modos, actualmente
sideran como
representativas
de
El número 3
hay muy pocos darvinianos estrictos. Dios,
Cristo. IHS representa las primeras
en su sutileza, puede utilizar toda clase
El número
3 esen
un
tresdeletras del nombre
de Jesús
medios para realizar su plan creador.griego. INRIsímbolo
de santidad,
representa
las primeras
de lo sagrado,
el
latinaen
que
Este mundo a veces puede ser feo,letras
este de la inscripción
Judaísmo;
el Sagrado
Poncio Pilato
ordenó poner
en la cruz
mundo puede, a veces, ser áspero. Pero
de los sagrados
1/3”
– “Jesús Nazareno,
Rey de losera
Judíos.
hay una experiencia de belleza que parece
del Templo, habían tres
ser un eco de algo, una invitación; algún
vasos. La bendición del
tipo de reflejo de una gloria divina. Podemsacerdote tenía tres secciones y la palabra
«Santo» es repetida tres veces al invocar a
os percibir esto sólo con el mero hecho
Dios. El número es trascendente para los
que aún en los peores tiempos, la gente
cristianos como un símbolo de la Trinidad.
todavía crea arte. Tenemos este impulso a
3/31/08 1:38:58 PM
La Fe Magazine
12 March/April 2008 | www.LaFeMagazine.com
La Fe Magazine
LF0308front.indd 12
3/31/08 1:39:06 PM
“I
t’s been a strange life,” said
Blas Gibler Ruiz.
That’s how the 86-year-old World War II
veteran begins his story.
Tío Blas, as he is affectionately known, personifies the
bicultural and bilingual region of the United States-Mexico
border.
His is also a story of conversion during this most sacred
Easter season.
Frank Gibler, a devout Baptist, met Concepcion Ruiz
Castillon, a devout Catholic, in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1919
a few years after the Mexican Revolution. Gibler was part of
the American Diplomatic Service serving as consul to Mexico
when he met his bride to be. By 1921, they were married by
a Catholic priest.
However, during this era, the Catholic Church underwent
persecution at the hands of the Mexican federal government,
which had closed all the churches sending the faithful
underground to worship.
“H
a sido una vida extraña,” explico Blas
A. Gibler Ruiz
Así es como el octogenarío veterano
de la II Guerra Mundial, inició su historia.
El Tío Blas, como es conocido afectuosamente por todos,
personifica la región Bicultural y Bilingue de la zona fronteriza de
Estados Unidos y México.
Su historia también es una historia de Conversión en esta época
Sagrada de Pascua.
Su padre, Frank Gibler, un Bautista devoto, conoció a Concepción Ruiz Castillón, una Católica devota, en Guadalajara, México
en 1919, unos pocos años después de La Revolución Mexicana.
Gibler formaba parte del Servicio Diplomático Americano sirviendo como Cónsul en México cuando conoció a su futura esposa,
y en 1921 Fueron casados por un Sacerdote Católico.
Sin embargo, en esa época existía persecución de la Iglesia
Católica por el Gobierno Federal de México, que había cerrado
muchas de las iglesias, mandando a los fieles a celebrar sus ceremonias a escondidas.
Story and photography by Goyo López
LF0308front.indd 13
3/31/08 1:39:22 PM
Below: WW II Blas Gibler in uniform.
c o v e r
s t o r y
A
C
omo resultado, hubo
una confusión en cuanto a lo que había dicho
exactamente el Sacerdote a la pareja, con relación a
los hijos que ellos podrían tener,
en cuanto a su vida religiosa.
“Mi padre insistió que el sacerdote había dicho que los hijos de
ellos tendrían que ser Cristianos,
lo que mi padre interpretó como
no necesariamente católicos,” dijo
Blas. “Y estamos hablando de un
tiempo a principios de Siglo XX, así
es que mi madre, de acuerdo con
las costumbres de aquellos tiempos,
no discutió con mi padre. Pues era
una cultura distinta entonces.”
s a result,
there was
confusion
as to what
exactly the priest had told
the couple to do when
it came to raising their
children.
“My father insisted that
the priest said to raise us
as Christians, which my
father interpreted as not
Catholic,” explained Blas.
“And you are talking about
the early 20th century, so
mother didn’t argue with
my father. It was a different
culture back then.”
Therefore, Blas, who was born during a visit to his paternal grandmother in Houston in 1922, was raised as a Baptist.
“I still remember my grandmother walking past the Catholic parish
in her Houston neighborhood and telling me that they were all going
to hell for worshipping false idols,” recounted Blas with a grin.
Blas was raised in different parts of Mexico throughout his youth,
including Guadalajara, Mexico City, Vista Hermosa (Nuevo Leon),
and on a ranch in the state of Mexico. In November 1940, he returned to the United States anticipating the pending involvement of
the United States in World War II.
Then in 1941, at age 19, he joined the Naval Reserve and requested
an enlistment in the US Maritime Services.
“After serving for about 18 months, I asked to attend officer’s
training school and graduated in 1944 as a lieutenant junior grade,”
explained Blas. “That was a scary and troublesome time in my life being at war. We provided supplies to all the soldiers and our ships were
constantly being sunk by torpedoes from German submarines.”
And even though the war ended in 1945, his service continued well
into 1947.
“We still had to bring supplies for the rebuilding effort,” said Blas.
Throughout the war, the constants in his life were his faith and the correspondence with a young lady named Clotilde “Lita” Alvarez Tostado.
“I met Lita when I was 15 years old in Guadalajara,” said Blas with a
glow. “Even though I moved away from
there, we always maintained contact
through our correspondence, even
through the war.”
The prolific poet enamored Lita with
his words and deeds. By 1946, they
Blas Gibler, second from left, in
1930 with his parents Frank and
Concepcion and his siblings.
La Fe Magazine
LF0308front.indd 14
Por tanto, Blas que visitaba a sus abuelos paternos en
Houston, donde él nació en el año de 1922 fue creado
como Bautista.
“Aún recuerdo cuando caminaba con mi abuelita y
pasábamos por una parroquia católica, en su vecindad en
Houston, ella me decía que todas las pobrecitas personas
de esa iglesia se iban a ir al infierno porque adoraban a
ídolos falsos,” nos contaba Blas con una sonrisa.
Blas fue creciendo en distintas partes de México durante su juventud, incluyendo la Ciudad de México, Villa de
Santiago y Hacienda Vista Hermosa en Nuevo León y en
Tlalnepantla, Estado de México. En Noviembre de
1940, su familia regresó a Estados Unidos, porque su
padre anticipaba el involucro de ese país en la Segunda
Guerra Mundial. Entonces, seis meses después del bombardeo de Pearl Harbor, Blas, a los 19 años de edad, se
enlistó en los Servicios Navales de EUA, y solicitó servir
en las fuerzas marítimas del país.
“Después de estar sirviendo como marinero ordinario,
de primer grado, y luego como Contramaestre, por un
total de 18 meses, en el Atlántico, el Mediterráneo y
en el Pacifico, solicité asistir a la Academia Marítima
para oficiales y gradué como
Subteniente Naval en 1944”, explicó Blas. “Fue una
temporada problemática y de horror de mi vida durante la
guerra. Llevamos abastecimientos de armas y de soldados, y nuestros barcos en convoy constantemente fueron
atacados por aviones y submarinos, y muchos de ellos
hundidos por bombas y torpedos, hasta que al final de la
guerra en 1945. Yo quería darme de baja al terminar la
guerra, pero como ya era oficial, me ordenaron que me
quedara hasta que terminara el trabajo naval de regresar
soldados y equipos de las zonas de guerra. No me dieron
de baja hasta julio de 1947”, dijo Blas.
3/31/08 1:39:28 PM
Below: Blas Gibler, his parents, his siblings and all
their children at a 1970s reunion in Mexico.
were married in Mexico by a Catholic priest.
“She’s the reason that I am a practicing Catholic,”
he explained. “Lita wouldn’t have it any other way.
She had been in Salesian schools as a child. She told
me that I had to convert in order to marry her. And I
did, for I loved her so.”
Blas remained with the U.S. Maritime Services until
1947, when he was honorably discharged. After that, he
and Lita left Corpus Christi, Texas, to live in Venezuela.
“They needed someone bilingual down there to help
them in the oil industry,” said Blas. After spending four
years in Caracas, the Giblers moved to Mexico City and
remained there for about four more years.
“We finally settled in Tampico on the Gulf Coast in
a partnership with a Ford auto agency,” he explained.
“But as the years went by, Lita’s rheumatoid arthritis
worsened and the doctor said that the humidity aggravated her condition. The doctor told us that we
needed to live in a dry, arid place.”
So they moved.
“We left Tampico for El Paso in 1984. El Paso was
Lita’s birthplace,” said Blas. “But it was so far from all
our children and grandchildren that it made traveling
to see everyone very difficult.”
So they settled on Laredo.
“It’s definitely dry and arid in Laredo,” said Blas
laughingly. “We moved here in 1991 and she passed
away in October 1993 from a sudden heart attack.
I still remember that day. We had just left church
(Blessed Sacrament) that day after Mass, and we were at
home when it happened.”
Accompanied by his parish priest at the former
Mercy Hospital, Blas recalls feeling Lita leave.
“I felt her leave before the doctors came out and announced it,” explained Blas. “I turned and looked at the
priest and told him ‘se fue’ and he didn’t believe what
I was telling him. Then the doctors came out and said
that she was gone. I can’t explain it, but I sure felt it.”
Even though the Giblers had been in Laredo for
only a couple of years, the outpouring of support was
incredible.
“The church was full for Lita’s Mass and my entire
family was touched by this show of affection,” said Blas.
“I am the person that I am because of her. I am Catholic
because of her and she inspired me to become involved
LF0308front.indd 15
Durante toda la guerra, su constancia en la
vida era su fe y la comunicación por correspondencia con una joven de nombre Clotilde
“Lita” Alvarez Tostado. “Yo me enamoré de
Lita cuando tenía 15 años de edad y vivíamos en la Ciudad de México”, dijo Blas, con
especial brillo. “Aunque me tuve que mudar a
otra parte siempre tuvimos contacto mediante
la correspondencia, aún durante la guerra”. El
prolífico poeta, Blas, enamoró a Lita con sus
palabras y sus hechos. Para 1946, cuando él
todavía estaba en la Marina, se casaron en Guadalajara en la Iglesia de
San Francisco de Sales.
“Ella es la razón por la que yo soy Católico”, explicó Blas. “Lita no
hubiera dado su consentimiento al matrimonio de otra manera. Ella había
asistido a colegios de los Salesianos cuando era pequeña, y me dijo que
yo tenia que convertirme a Católico para casarme con ella. Y así lo hice,
¡porque la amada tanto!”
Cuando Blas recibió su Baja de Honor del Servicio Naval en 1947, él y Lita
dejaron Corpus Christi y se fueron a vivir en Venezuela.
“Allá necesitaban a alguien bilingüe y que conociera de buques para ayudarles en la industria petrolera,” dijo Blas.
“Por fin nos fuimos a vivir a Tampico, en el Golfo de México, como Socio
y Gerente de la Distribuidora de Automóviles Ford Superservicio. Allí vivimos
19 años. Pero Lita sufría de artritis reumatoide y la humedad de Tampico empeoraba su malestar. Así que dejamos la agencia en manos de Blas II y fuimos
a vivir en un lugar declima seco: Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, y El Paso, Texas,
donde Lita había nacido. Pero estábamos tan lejos de nuestros hijos y nietos y
eso dificultaba los viajes para ir a visitarlos o para que ellos vinieran a ver a sus
padres y abuelitos.”
Así es, después de ocho años se vinieron a vivir a Laredo, Texas.
“Definitivamente es árido y seco aquí en Laredo,” dijo Blas riéndose. “Nos
venimos acá en 1991 y Lita voló al Cielo en octubre de 1993, debido a un
infarto cardíaco, casi fulminante. Siempre recordaré ese día. Salíamos de Misa
de la Iglesia del Santísimo Sacramento un miércoles en la tarde. Ya estábamos
en casa cuando sucedió en ataque cardiaco. Hablé al teléfono 911 y llegó la
ambulancia y se llevaron a Lita al Hospital de la Merced. Le llamé al Sacerdote
que había celebrado la Misa y le pedí que me acompañara al hospítal para
darle extrema unción a Lita.
Cuando el Padre salió de Servicios de Emergencia, se sentó conmigo y me
dijo que a Lita se estaba haciendo todo lo posible y que yo no perdiera la fe en
su recuperación. ¡Pero yo sentí que Lita pasó por allí para despedirse de mí!
Left: A young Blas Gibler, left, honored at Universidad Católica Andres Bello
in Caracas, Venezuela, where he taught a public speaking class. Right: Blas
and Lita renew their vows during their 25th wedding anniversary in 1971 with
Bishop Javier Nuño, coadjutor for the Archdiocese of Guadalajara, Mexico.
3/31/08 1:39:37 PM
Below: Henry Ford, the grandson of the Ford founder, congratulates Blas
on the establishing of elementary schools throughout Mexico.
c o v e r
s t o r y
Y enseguida salió el
doctor que la atendía
para decirme que
Lita había fallecido.”
Aunque los
Gibler solo habían
vivido en Laredo
por un par de años,
la cantidad de
ayuda fue increíble,
“La Iglesia estaba llena de filigreses en la Misa de Lita, y toda mi
familia estaba muy emocionada por esta muestra de afecto,” dijo
Blas. “Yo soy la persona que soy, por ella. Soy Católico por ella.
Lita fue la que me inspiró para involucrarme en los servicios de la
Iglesia, incluyendo como Lector, como Ministro de la Eucaristía,
como miembro del Consejo Parroquial y como Caballero de
Colón.”
Blas también forma parte del Consejo Internacional de Buena
Vecindad (CIBV), y del Club Rotario de Laredo.
“Yo profundamente creo que estamos aquí para servir, y mientras
más tiempo servimos, más tiempo vivimos,” filosofaba Blas. Yo ya
tengo 86-años y todavía les sigo llevando la Comunión a los que están encerrados en sus casas, en Regency, en Retama o en el hospital.
Yo he sido bendecido.”
En 1984 Blas fue Socio Fundador del Club Rotario Chamisal
Mexico-USA, en Ciudad Juárez y El Paso. Este Club Rotario, del cual
Blas fue elegido como segundo presidente, en un grupo bilingue, bicultural y binacional. Blas ingresó al Club Rotario de Laredo en 1991.
Sin embargo, quizá, su contribución de mayor importancia ha sido
en la educación. Hace más de 40-años, Blas fue miembro fundador
del Comité de Asuntos Cívicos de la Asociación de Distribuidores
Ford y de Ford Motor Company de México. Los 118 Distribuidores
Ford hicieron un convenio con Ford Motor Company para formar una
fundación para la construcción de escuelas donde había población
escolar pero carecían de escuelas. Los Distribuidores donaban
$10 dólares Americanos por cada unidad que recibían y Ford Motors donaba otra cantidad igual por cada unidad que enviaba a los
Distribuidores. Una vez formada la Fundación se logró un convenio
con la Secretaria de Educación Pública in se inició la construcción de
Escuelas Ford.
“Hace un par de años se celebró el 40
Aniversario del Comité y me invitaron a que
fuera el Orador en esa celebración donde se
inauguraba la Escuela Ford No. 191 en Barranca Honda, Chiapas. Ya son 235 escuelas
construidas por esta sola idea. Durante los
40-años, más de 1,500,000 de niños han
estudiado en ellas. Y en la actualidad hay
350,000 niños inscritos en las Escuelas Ford
de México,” dijo Blas con gran emoción.
Durante toda su vida, Blas ha personificado
los ideales de Caballeros de Colón y de los
Rotarios. Es patriota, caritativo, fraternal y unificador y serio creyente de “Dar de Sí, Antes
Left: A 2002 Gibler family reunion held in Tampico, Mexico, with Blas’ children
de Pensar en Sí.”
and grandchildren.
in the church and the community.”
His involvement in the church includes serving as lector, as
a eucharistic minister, on church councils and with the Knights
of Columbus. Blas also belongs to the International Good
Neighbor Council, the Laredo Rotary Club and is a founding
member of a Ford Motor educational project in Mexico.
“I strongly believe that we are here to serve and that the
longer we serve the longer we live,” philosophized Blas. “I’m
86 and I still take Communion to those who are homebound,
at Regency, at Retama or in the hospital. I’ve been blessed.”
In 1984, Blas joined the innovative Club Rotario
Chamisal Mexico-USA in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez. This
group of Rotarians, for which he was the second president,
is a bicultural, bilingual and bi-national group. He joined
the Laredo Rotary Group in 1991 after moving to Laredo.
Perhaps his biggest contribution, however, has been
in education. More than 40 years ago, Blas served as a
founder for a business collaboration to help build elementary schools throughout Mexico.
“We came up with the idea in the Association of Ford
Dealers, in which I was a member, partnering with the Ford
Motor Company of México to build schools. For every car we
received from Ford, we gave $10 and they matched it. After
an agreement with the secretary of education of México, we
started building elementary schools wherever we had distributors and not enough schools,” said Blas. “And just a few
years ago, on the 40th anniversary of this association, they
asked me to deliver the keynote address at the ribbon cutting
of the newest school built in the state of Chiapas. More than
210 schools have been built because of this one idea. And
during the 40 years of activity, more than 1.5 million children
have received an education in these schools. I was very honored to have been recognized by Ford and the distributors.”
Throughout his life, Blas has honored our Creator by
personifying the ideals of the KC’s and the Rotarians. He
is patriotic, charitable, fraternal – a unifier who believes in
service above self.
And it all came about because of love – his love of God,
his love for Lita and his love of neighbor.
La Fe Magazine
LF0308front.indd 16
3/31/08 1:39:45 PM
Below: The winning image for the 2007 HCA contest.
s p o t
l i g h t
Carissa’s
Christmas
F
gift
to the world
or the second consecutive year, a St. Augustine Elementary student has won the Holy Childhood Association art contest.
HCA, a Pontifical Mission Society, features the artwork of young
Catholics on its Christmas cards with proceeds from the sale of
these cards supporting the church’s outreach to children in the missions.
Carissa Rodriguez, a sixth-grade student at St. Augustine, succeeds her classmate,
Stephanie Hechter, as an HCA winner. Carissa’s artwork was sold as a Christmas card
throughout the 2007 holiday season.
“This is a great honor
for the Diocese of Laredo
and for St. Augustine,”
said Olga Gentry, school
principal. “Carissa is
a great example of the
exceptional talent we
have at our school. This
national award recognizes the academic and
the faith formation that a
Catholic school provides
its students.”
Rev. Msgr. John E.
Kozar, national director
of the Pontifical Mission
All of the HCA Christmas art contest winners
Societies in the United
pose with Rev. Msgr. John E. Kozar
States, also recognized
LF0308front.indd 17
the importance and
prominence of this
national contest.
“The artwork of
these young missionaries is a great
testament to their faith — and to
their commitment to sharing the
‘good news’ of Jesus’ birth with all
the world,” said Monsignor Kozar,
whose organization oversees HCA.
This year’s 24 winning designs
were selected from among some
10,000 entries submitted by elementary school children in Catholic
schools, religious education and
home school programs throughout
the United States. Ten children
received honorable mention.
Carissa traveled to Washington, D.C., in mid-December to be
officially recognized as a national
winner in the HCA contest.
The original artwork, featuring various representations of the
Nativity story, was displayed at
the National Shrine of the Basilica
of the Immaculate Conception in
Washington, D.C., during Advent
and Christmas 2007.
Since its founding 160 years ago,
the Holy Childhood Association has
had but one focus – to bring the
love of Jesus to the world’s children.
HCA works to provide young Catholics with programs and materials
that give their faith a global perspective and an opportunity to grow in
faith through mission education,
sacrifice and service.
HCA’s annual Christmas Artwork Contest is one medium by
which the children in the United
States express their love and commitment to the children in the
missions. The contest is open to
all Catholic school, parish religious education and home school
students in kindergarten through
eighth grade.
Visit their Web site
www.worldmissions-catholicchurch.org/
hcakids for more information about the contest
for the 2008 season of Advent and Christmas.
3/31/08 1:39:54 PM
f i n a n c i a l
r e p o r t
s in C
Dear Brothers and Sister
hrist:
in 2007, celebrated with
The Diocese of Laredo,
seventh anniversary.
its
ng
vi
gi
ks
an
th
d
an
y
great jo
this time has impacted
ut
ho
ug
ro
th
p
hi
ds
ar
Your stew
ave a lasting legacy
le
ill
w
d
an
tly
ea
gr
e
es
the dioc
through the generosity
is
It
e.
m
co
to
ns
tio
ra
for gene
e Catholic Church can
th
at
th
ill
w
od
go
of
le
of peop
our communities.
to
ist
hr
C
of
ve
lo
e
th
minister
-07 fiscal
nual Report for the 2006
An
o
red
La
of
ese
oc
Di
I present to you the
assistance was utilized,
tails how your financial
de
ort
rep
ed
dit
au
is
Th
year.
ct the Diocese of
of our donors who expe
t
en
int
the
r
no
ho
we
and how
ources.
wards of its gifts and res
Laredo to act as good ste
I extend my deepest
six years of our diocese,
rst
fi
the
on
ck
ba
k
loo
As I
us to minister Christ’s
yourselves and allowing
of
ing
giv
for
u
yo
to
gratitude
ssing be with all of you
cese. May the Lord’s ble
love throughout the dio
during the New Year.
Todo Con Amor,
Tamayo, D.D.
Most Reverend James A.
Laredo
Bishop of the Diocese of
La Fe Magazine
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3/31/08 1:45:59 PM
LF0308back.indd 19
3/31/08 1:46:08 PM
f i n a n c i a l
La Fe Magazine
La Fe Magazine
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r e p o r t
20 March/April
3/31/08 1:46:15 PM
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3/31/08 1:46:20 PM
f i n a n c i a l
La Fe Magazine
La Fe Magazine
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r e p o r t
22 March/April
3/31/08 1:46:27 PM
c u l t u r e
I
remember getting scolded by my grandmother at a very young age for what she
considered the mother of all profane utterances – taking our Lord’s name in vain.
“Oh my G _ _” wasn’t followed by a bar of soap and a lashing. However, she made
it very clear that I shouldn’t be verbally disrespecting God – no matter what.
Frame of
Fai h
Worth more than
a thousand words
Directions:
For this project,
you will need the following:
• Vintage or “distressed” 5x7” picture frame
• Assorted crucifix or cross pendants (can be
purchased at Catholic bookstores or online)
• Small- to medium-sized wire cutters
• Jewelry or metal glue (follow directions on
tube – some are resin with hardener)
There were a couple of other instances in my youth where my
grandparents rebuked my actions. Whether it was wearing jeans
to Saturday-night Mass or chewing gum beforehand, I would get
the usual lecture; then I would politely nod and just go about my
business. I will admit, I felt annoyed at times, but I just took it
for face value – that their generation and mine were worlds apart,
and that their ways were a bit rigid and old-fashioned.
It wasn’t until long after my grandfather died that I started
to grow deeper in my faith. It was then that I came to the
realization that it wasn’t that my grandparents were “being old
fashioned,” but that they were only trying to protect us and
help us in our faith formaToday, when I visit
tion. And I was going to later
my grandmother or find out that their watchful
eyes and “rigid” instruction
look at a photo of
had actually planted a seed,
her and Grandpa
which would soon grow into
something so valuable.
as a couple,
Today, when I visit my
grandmother or look at a
photo of her and Grandpa as
a couple, I am reminded of,
and thankful for, the guidance they gave me. Indeed, the greatest gifts our
ancestors have given
are not found among the mothballed heirlooms that
crowd our closets, but in the intangible gifts of our
Catholic faith and tradition.
Like me, perhaps many of you recognize this
and think about this gift when you stare at the
old photos of loved ones who have died. Does
the black and white picture merely collect dust
and cover a blemish on the wall, or does it remind
us to pray for and thank our loving relatives who
gave us so much. Perhaps the way in which we adorn
their photo can be reminiscent of this incredible gift
that our prior generations have given us ...
I am
reminded of, and
thankful for, the
guidance they
gave me.
Begin by using the wire cutters to remove
the loops/rings from the selected crucifix/cross
pendants. Arrange the pendants in any fashion on
the picture frame. Apply small drops of the glue on
the back of the pendants and gently place on frame.
Wait a couple of hours for glue to harden or set.
Other Ideas:
Create your own vintage frame. Give an unfinished frame a distressed look by gashing it with a
straight bladed screwdriver before staining it.
By Michelle Sessions DiFranco | Photography by Philip Shippert
LF0308back.indd 23
3/31/08 1:46:36 PM
s p i r i t u a l
f i t n e s s
“I
am forgiven! I am
forgiven! I am
forgiven!” The
young man had
just stepped out of the
reconciliation room
and was jubilant. He
had gone through a long
struggle with serious sin and
the priest had asked him
to keep coming back to the
sacrament each week until
he was free. It took time, but
he grew in trust of God and
experienced a new freedom
he never thought possible.
Before this, his relationship with God
had been weak to non-existent. He was
raised in a Catholic home, and even
went to Catholic school, but he never
really practiced his faith from his heart.
He just went through the motions. In
some ways, he was successful – from a
worldly point of view. He was making
good money as a young professional,
and had a bright career future. However, his high school and college habits
had stayed with him and had gotten
worse. He had gotten involved in drinkLa Fe Magazine
LF0308back.indd 24
He considered his life and all
the choices he had made. He had
been bold enough to do many
wrong things, why not be bold
now and try to do something
right? He was in church after all.
Nothing in that reconciliation
room could hurt any more than
the pain he was already in.
The young man looked up at
the crucifix, and saw what Jesus
had gone through. He also saw
himself. His sin had wounded and
scarred his own soul. He knew he
deserved his pain, but Jesus was
innocent. The young man prayed,
“I am sorry Jesus. I know my sins
put you on the cross.
Please forgive me, Lord.
Help me, Lord.”
He went in to see the
priest. He went in with
despair and a great weight
on his back. He went in
like a dead man.
He came out as if he
were Lazarus raised from
the dead.
The old priest was kind
to him and did not say
much. He just told him to keep
coming to church and to keep
coming back to this sacrament each
week if he could.
Each week he returned faithfully,
even though he sometimes fell. He
kept coming back. As the months
went by, he began to experience
more and more freedom. His sins
no longer held him bound. He
found he was thinking differently – about himself, the world,
his family and friends. Hope
was blazing in him and he was
experiencing the promise of Jesus
being realized. “If the Son sets you
free, then you are free indeed.”
(John 8:36) This young man knew he
was forgiven. His faith was in Jesus
and the forgiveness that Jesus gave
him He felt loved and realized it
was God loving him. If the young
man could have done flips of joy in
church, he would have.
This young man gave me permission to share his story. We all
freedom in
forgiveness –
how letting go helps us.
ing, drug use and inappropriate sexual activity for
years – now many of those activities were addictions.
His thoughts were ever focused on when it would be
time for the next fix. At times, when he would allow
himself to consider his choices, he was deeply disappointed in himself. He felt alone and too embarrassed
(or proud) to admit he had a problem he could not
handle. His emptiness grew, as did his despair. He
was in a prison of his own making and at this point it
seemed as if he were serving a life sentence.
Then, one Saturday, he found his way into the
church. He had drunk himself sick the night before
and felt miserable. He came to church because he did
not know what else to do. He remembered having a
sense of peace and well-being in church when he was
young. He knew there was something very good and
right about it. And so there he was. The church was
quiet and dark. A few candles burned near a statue
of Mary. As he sat, he began to cry. He felt he did not
really belong there nor deserve to be in such a good
place. An old priest came into church and went into
the reconciliation room. The light above the door came
on – the priest was ready to hear confessions.
The young man sat in the pew and became anxious.
He felt he ought to go in and talk to the priest, but he
was afraid.
3/31/08 1:47:16 PM
How can a person deal with the blues that can come in this season? We cannot be little Grinches
who try to steal Christmas, nor Scrooges who “bah! humbug!” it away.
have a story. We have different
difficulties, different struggles
and different sins. But each one
of us is meant for freedom.
Scripture is filled with
songs of praise like Canticle
of Zachariah: “Blessed be the
Lord, the God of Israel. He
has come to his people and
set them free. “(Luke 1:68-69)
When the people of Israel
were freed from slavery in
Egypt, they sang a “new song”
to the Lord. They exalted
God’s saving power. (cf Exod 15)
King David and other psalmists wrote beautiful hymns of
praise and thanksgiving to God
for deliverance and freedom.
One of my favorities is Psalm
32, “You took away the guilt of
my sin ... you are my shelter;
from distress you will preserve
me; with glad cries of freedom
you will surround me.”
Instead of being surrounded
by reminders of our sin and
guilt, God surrounds us with
“glad cries of freedom.”
My brothers and sisters, if
you have been forgiven by
God, you are free! Remember
that. – Fr. Bill Ashbaugh
LF0308back.indd 25
spiritual exercise
ejercicio espiritual
O
N
ur spiritual exercise
this month is to deepen
our awareness of being
forgiven. The more aware
we are of this forgiveness, the more
freedom we will have. Jesus suffered,
died, and rose to set us free. I would
strongly encourage a good sacramental
reconciliation as a part of this exercise.
Find a place where you can pray.
You may want to go to a place where you
won’t feel embarrassed to speak your
words out loud. I encourage you to do
so. You may wish to pray the following
prayer, but if you can express your own
prayer of praise to God, all the better!
All praise to God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Spirit. Ever blessed be
your most glorious name.
I was held captive, but you have set
me free. I was sick and dying, and you
have brought me back to life. I was falling into the pit, but your hand caught me.
You placed a rope around me and have
lifted me up. You have bound me to yourself by an everlasting covenant sealed
with the very blood of Jesus Christ your
Son. All praise to you, God my Savior.
Although I abandoned you, you have
never abandoned me. You called me,
and your voice broke through my deafness. Your presence fills me. You have
forgiven me and your forgiveness is
surer that the ground beneath me or the
air I breathe. It is sturdier than the mighty
mountains and far larger than the sea.
My words and thoughts can never express how good and awesome you are.
Hallowed be thy name.
O Holy Spirit, your truth sets us free.
Holy Spirit keep me in truth. Fill me with
the truth and obedience of Christ; then I
shall always be free.
All glory and praise to God the Father,
and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Who
was, who is, and shall always be, forever
and ever. Amen.
uestro ejercicio espiritual
para este mes es aumentar nuestro sentido de
haber sido perdonados.
Mientras más consciente estemos de
este perdón, más libertad tendremos.
Jesús sufrió, murió y resucitó para
liberarnos. Como parte de este ejercicio
recomiendo con insistencia el tener una
buena confesión sacramental.
Busque un lugar donde pueda
rezar. Es posible que desee ir a un lugar
donde no sienta vergüenza de hablar
en voz alta. Le exhorto a que lo haga.
¡Puede hacer la siguiente oración, pero
si desea expresar su propia oración para
alabar a Dios, mucho mejor!
Alabados sean el Padre, del Hijo y el
Espíritu Santo. Santificado sea siempre tu
glorioso nombre.
Estuve en cautiverio, pero tú me has liberado. Estaba enfermo y moribundo, y me
has traído nuevamente a la vida. Estuve
cayendo al precipicio, pero tu mano me
agarró. Colocaste una soga a mi alrededor
y me has elevado. Me has atado a ti por
una promesa eterna sellada con la propia
sangre de Jesucristo, tu Hijo. Alabado
seas, Dios mi Salvador.
Aunque te he abandonado, tú nunca
me abandonaste. Me llamaste y tu voz
traspasó mi sordera. Tu presencia me
llena. Me has perdonado y tu perdón
es más cierto que el suelo que piso o
el aire que respiro. Es más resistente
que las poderosas montañas y mucho
más grande que el mar. Mis palabras y
pensamientos nunca podrán expresar lo
bueno y magnífico que eres. Santificado
sea tu nombre.
Oh Espíritu Santo, tu verdad nos libera.
Espíritu Santo mantenme en la verdad.
Lléname de la verdad y obediencia de
Cristo; así siempre seré libre.
Toda gloria y alabanza a Dios el Padre,
el Hijo y del Espíritu Santo. Quien era en
un principio, ahora y siempre. Amén.
3/31/08 1:47:34 PM
m a r r i a g e
m a t t e r s
N
ancy and Steven have a nephew
who’s a handful. They disagree about
whether or not it’s appropriate to
discipline someone else’s child, even if
the child is visiting in their home.
His nephew
is being a brat!
He’s not our kid –
it’s not up to us
to discipline him
Steven says: I know my
nephew can be a handful,
but hey, he’s a little kid. And
more to the point, he’s not our little kid. If my
sister wants to discipline him, fine – but it’s
not our job to do it. I know I would be royally
ticked off if someone else took the parenting
of my child into his or her own hands.
iStockphoto.com
Nancy says: When Steven’s
nephew comes to visit with Steven’s
sister, he acts like a 2-year-old
– throwing food, having tantrums, talking back to all
the adults. He’s 9-and-a-half; it’s time for him to start
behaving. I think we should speak to him when he acts
out – Steven doesn’t. It’s causing us some friction.
He said
She said
what do they do?
Jo Anne and I
closely align with
Unfortunately, this
agree on what
what Jesus would
scenario is found in far do; correct it through
is needed, but
we disagree on
love and temperance.
too many households
how best to achieve the desired re- and families. When left
Unfortunately, this
sults. Tom, who has a more disciscenario is found
unchecked, this type in far too many
plinarian approach, says, “We have
of bad behavior spills households and
a willow tree out close to our red
barns; both figure into my soluover into public plac- families. When left
tion!” On the other hand, Jo Anne, es, causing considerunchecked, this type
the eternally wise mother, grandof bad behavior spills
able tension ...
mother and great-grandmother,
over into public places,
says she would handle it differentcausing considerable
ly. Maybe not as fast, but certainly
tension not only for the
more gently and calmly. Jo Anne has the patience that parent(s), but for all those who witness
only a seasoned caregiver can display; something that the tantrums and disrespectful actions. The
comes right out of the Mother’s Handbook 101. She
solution may be easy to articulate and put
agrees that discipline is in order, but not the summary on paper, but the actual implementation and
style I would recommend. Her direction would more
correction of the situation are most difficult
La Fe Magazine
LF0308back.indd 26
3/31/08 1:47:44 PM
a s u n t o s
because they involve family. Jo Anne’s
recommended solution makes the
assumption that the child’s mother
desires for her son to be corrected,
yet doesn’t know how. If that’s the
case, Jo Anne’s solution would be the
best approach. She recommends that
Steve have a discussion with his sister,
explaining that this type of behavior
is disrespectful and unacceptable
– especially within his and Nancy’s
home. We both agree that primarily it
should be Steven’s sister (the mother)
who has the responsibility to discipline the child. If the child’s mother
says she’s having a difficult time, or
admits she doesn’t quite know how to
handle her son’s attitude and behavior,
then Steven could offer to speak to the
boy. Explaining the disappointment
those actions are to others around
him, Steven could begin by teaching
the boy about the “Golden Rule” – do
unto others as you would want them
to do to you.
Steven and Nancy need to come to
an agreement about what constitutes
acceptable behavior, or tension will
remain high between them and their
relationship will suffer. Once they agree
about what they’ll allow in their home,
they need to let Steven’s sister know.
Where family is involved, the responsibility of communicating this agreement rests with the biologically related
partner. So, Steven is in the hot seat.
When is the proper time to discipline
a child? Tom believes at the moment he
exhibits unfavorable actions in relation to his age. He believes discipline
delayed is justice not served. In the
case of Steven’s nephew, he believes
the boy is several years overdue for
discipline! Nancy does have the right to
expect and receive respectful behavior
within her home from the nephew.
And Steven has an obligation to ensure
Nancy’s desires are met. Steven needs to
realize it may not be his job to correct
his nephew, but it is his responsibility
because (1) this is also Nancy’s house,
(2) you are an adult and should be expected to act like one, and (3) it is your
sister - your blood line.
– Deacon Tom and Jo Anne Fogle
LF0308back.indd 27
N
d e
m a t r i m o n i o
ancy y Steven tienen un sobrino que da mucha guerra. Ellos discrepan acerca
de si es o no correcto corregir al niño de otros, aún si el niño está de visita en la
casa de ellos.
Élla dice: ¡Su sobrino es un malcriado!
Nancy dice: Cuando el sobrino de Steven
viene de visita con la hermana de Steven, él
actúa como un niño de dos años; tirando la
comida, cogiendo berrinches, contestando de
mala manera a todos los adultos. Él tiene 9
años y medio, ya es hora de que comience a
comportarse. Creo que deberíamos hablarle
cuando se comporta mal; Steve no lo cree así.
Está causándonos alguna fricción.
El dice: No es nuestro hijo; no
nos corresponde corregirlo
¿Qué hacen?
Steven dice: Sé que mi sobrino puede ser
difícil de controlar, pero, caramba, él es un
niño. Además, él no es nuestro niño. Si mi
hermana quiere castigarlo, está bien, pero
no es nuestra responsabilidad. Yo sé que
me molestaría mucho si alguien se diera
a sí mismo la función de corregir a mi hijo
como si fuera el suyo.
Los expertos dicen: Jo Anne y yo estamos de acuerdo en lo que es necesario, pero
no estamos de acuerdo en cómo lograr mejor
los resultados deseados. Tom, quien tiene un
enfoque más orientado hacia la disciplina, dice:
«¡Tenemos un sauce de ramas delgadas cerca de
nuestros graneros rojos, ambos están dentro de mi
solución!» Por otra parte, Jo Anne, la eternamente
sabia madre, abuela y bisabuela, dice que ella lo
manejaría de otro modo. Quizá no tan rápido, pero
ciertamente más gentil y calmadamente. Jo Anne
tiene la paciencia que sólo una avezada cuidadora
puede demostrar, algo que sale directamente del
Manual de la Madre 101. Ella está de acuerdo
que la disciplina es válida, pero no el estilo sumario que yo recomendaría. Su dirección coincidiría
más estrechamente con lo que Jesús haría; corregir mediante el amor y la moderación.
Desafortunadamente, este escenario se encuentra en demasiados hogares y familias. Cuando
no se restringe, este tipo de mal comportamiento
se extiende a los lugares públicos, lo que causa
mucha tensión, no sólo para los padres, sino para
todos aquellos que atestiguan los berrinches y las
acciones irrespetuosas. La solución puede ser
fácil de expresar y de escribir, pero la aplicación y
corrección reales de la situación es muy difícil
porque implica a la familia. La solución recomendada de Jo Anne supone que la madre
del niño desea que su niño sea corregido, sin
embargo no sabe como. Si ese es el caso, la
solución de Jo Anne sería el mejor enfoque.
Ella recomienda que Steve tenga una conversación con su hermana, y le explique que este
tipo de comportamiento es irrespetuoso e inaceptable; especialmente dentro de su casa y
la de Nancy. Ambos estamos de acuerdo que
principalmente debe ser la hermana de Steven (la madre) quien tiene la responsabilidad
de corregir al niño. Si la madre del niño dice
que tiene dificultades o admite que no sabe
cómo manejar la actitud y comportamiento
de su hijo, entonces Steven podría ofrecerle
hablar con el muchacho. Explicar la desilusión
que esas acciones son para otros alrededor
suyo. Steven podría comenzar enseñándole al
muchacho acerca de la «Regla Dorada»; has a
los otros lo que te gustaría que te hicieran a ti.
Steven y Nancy necesitan ponerse de acuerdo acerca de lo que constituye comportamiento aceptable, o la tensión seguirá siendo
alta entre ellos y su relación sufrirá. Una
vez que se pongan de acuerdo sobre lo que
permitirán en su casa, necesitan informárselo
a la hermana de Steven. Allí donde la familia
está afectada, la responsabilidad de comunicar este acuerdo descansa sobre la pareja
biológicamente relacionada. De manera, que
es a Steven a quien le toca.
¿Cuando es el momento apropiado
para corregir a un niño? Tom cree que en
el momento que exhiben acciones que no
concuerdan con su edad. El cree que la corrección demorada no sirve a la justicia. ¡En
el caso del sobrino de Steven, él cree que
la corrección de este muchacho tiene varios
años de atraso! Nancy tiene el derecho de
esperar y recibir comportamiento respetuoso
dentro de su casa del sobrino, y Steven tiene
una obligación de asegurar que los deseos
de Nancy sean satisfechos. Steven necesita
darse cuenta que puede que no sea su responsabilidad corregir su sobrino, pero es su
responsabilidad porque (1) esa también es la
casa de Nancy, (2) uno es un adulto y debería
esperarse que actuara como tal, y (3) es su
hermana; su pariente consanguínea.
– Deb McCormack
3/31/08 1:47:56 PM
w o r k
l i f e
v i d a
d e
t r a b a j o
Playing the
blame game
Jugando a culpar a otros
T
E
W
T
Are you the one who’s always right?
hat press over there broke down this
morning and is holding up production.
They’re trying to blame me because I didn’t
perform the regular maintenance last week.
It’s not my fault – they changed the maintenance process
and schedule and didn’t let anyone know. They said they
posted it, but I didn’t see it. This place is screwed up, and
nobody knows what they’re doing. “They” don’t tell us
anything. – Dave
e’ve all heard it before and, to some extent,
we’re all guilty of it. Because we’re human,
our egos sometimes take control. After all,
no one works in a perfect environment. But
playing the blame game just makes matters worse. It’s easy to
place blame when things don’t go right. It’s difficult, however,
to admit how we may be contributing to the problem. Maybe it
wasn’t Dave’s fault and the process is screwed up.
But has Dave ever done anything to try to make things
better, instead of just complaining?
According to noted author Stephen Covey, proactive
people decide to respond positively to a situation and thus
tend to have a positive influence on the people around them
and on the organization as a whole. It’s easy to simply react
to an undesirable situation and play the blame game. On the
other hand, it takes a proactive person to honestly look at
himself/herself and assess how to improve the situation.
Is this not what Christ speaks of in Matthew’s Gospel
regarding the judgment of others? Christ asks us how we can
criticize others (point out the splinter in their eyes) while
not paying attention to our own faults or contribution
to a problem (the beam in our own eye). (Mt 7:3-5)
We must first examine ourselves and eliminate our
contribution to the problem before we can expect
anyone else to change their ways.
Probably one of the most painful exercises
we can undertake is to be honest with
ourselves regarding our contribution to or
apathy toward problems in the workplace.
But we can take the following steps toward
correcting our weakness:
• Recognize our negative tendency toward
blame or criticism.
• Step back and honestly examine the
circumstances.
• Take action if there is something proactive
to do to improve the situation rather than
contributing to the problem and propagating a
negative attitude. – Tim Ryan
La Fe Magazine
LF0308back.indd 28
¿Es usted el que siempre tiene
la razón?
sa prensa allá se dañó esta mañana y está
entorpeciendo la producción. Están tratando
de echarme la culpa porque no hice el mantenimiento regular la semana pasada. No es mi
culpa; ellos cambiaron el proceso y el programa de mantenimiento y no le dijeron a nadie. Ellos dijeron que lo pusieron
en cartelera, pero no lo vi. Este lugar es un desastre, y
nadie sabe lo que está haciendo. Hablar de «Ellos» no nos
dice nada.
odos lo hemos oído antes y en algún grado todos
somos culpables de ello. Porque somos humanos,
nuestros egos a veces se exceden. Después de
todo, nadie trabaja en un ambiente perfecto. Pero
culpar a los demás sólo empeora las cosas. Es fácil culpar a
otros cuando las cosas no van bien. Es difícil, sin embargo, admitir cómo podríamos estar contribuyendo al problema. Quizá
no fue culpa de Dave y el proceso es un desastre.
¿Pero ha hecho Dave alguna cosa para tratar de mejorar las
cosas, en lugar de sencillamente quejarse?
Según el conocido autor Stephen Covey, la gente proactiva decide responder positivamente a una situación y así
tiende a tener una influencia positiva sobre las personas que
lo rodean y sobre la organización como un todo. Es fácil
sencillamente reaccionar a una situación indeseable y jugar
a culpar a otros. Por otra parte, es propio de una persona
proactiva verse a sí misma sinceramente y reflexionar sobre
cómo mejorar la situación.
¿No es esto de lo que Cristo habla en el Evangelio de Mateo con relación al juicio de los demás? Cristo nos pregunta
cómo podemos criticar a los demás (señalar la astilla en su
ojo) mientras no nos apercibimos de nuestras propias culpas
o contribución a un problema (la viga en nuestro propio ojo).
(Mt 7:3-5) Debemos primero ver qué hacemos y quitar
lo que contribuimos al problema antes de esperar que
otros cambien su manera de actuar.
Considerar honradamente nuestra contribución a los
problemas en el trabajo o nuestra apatía hacia ellos
quizá sea una de las acciones más dolorosas que podamos emprender. Pero podemos tomar las siguientes medidas para corregir nuestra debilidad:
• Reconocer nuestra tendencia negativa
hacia culpar o criticar a los demás.
• Examinar objetiva y honradamente las
circunstancias.
• Actuar si hay algo proactivo que podamos
hacer para mejorar la situación en lugar de
agravar el problema y propagar una actitud
negativa.
3/31/08 1:47:57 PM
p a r e n t i n g
j o u r n e y
e l
c a m i n o
Does forgiving
¿Perdonar significa olvidar?
I
E
mean forgetting?
n his 1605 novel, Don Quixote de la Mancha, Miguel
de Cervantes y Saavedra wrote, “Let us forget and
forgive injuries.” When my son, Ryan, learned my monthly
topic he immediately said, “Like the time I was playing ball
in the living room and broke your statue of Mary.” He rattled off
other examples of rule violations from his early childhood years,
concluding with, “... and you wouldn’t have remembered if I hadn’t
reminded you. You’ve forgotten.” As parents, we do manage to forget
most of the misbehavior of day-to-day life. But what about situations
that involve breaking the trust upon which relationships are based?
Sometimes we forgive knowing that we won’t soon forget. The
relationship has changed and it will take time to regain trust in our
children’s judgment.
Forgiving isn’t the same as forgetting.
The Catechism notes that, “It is not in our power not to feel
or to forget an offense; but the heart that offers itself to the Holy
Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in
transforming the hurt into intercession.” (CCC #2843)
n su novela de 1605, Don Quijote de la Mancha, Miguel de Cervantes y Saavedra escribe:
“Olvidemos y perdonemos las ofensas”. Cuando
mi hijo, Ryan, oyó acerca del tema de este mes para
mi columna, inmediatamente dijo: “Como aquella vez que yo
jugaba en la sala y te rompí tu estatua de María”. Rápidamente
recitó otros ejemplos de violaciones de reglas en su niñez, y
concluyó con:” ... y no te hubieses acordado si no te lo hubiese
recordado. Se te ha olvidado”. Como padres, nos las arreglamos para olvidar la mayoría de los malos comportamientos
cotidianos. Pero, ¿que hay de aquellas situaciones que implican
quebrantar la confianza sobre las cuales se basan las relaciones? Algunas veces perdonamos sabiendo que no olvidaremos
pronto. La relación ha cambiado y tomará tiempo recuperar la
confianza en el juicio de nuestro hijo.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean consenting to the
bad behavior.
Perdonar no es lo mismo que olvidar.
El Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica señala que: “No tenemos
el poder para no sentir ni olvidar una ofensa; pero el corazón
que se ofrece al Espíritu Santo convierte la ofensa en compasión y purifica la memoria al transformar el dolor en intercesión”.
(CCC #2843)
Forgiveness opens our hearts to God’s overwhelming love.
El perdón no significa consentir al mal comportamiento.
Los comportamientos llevan a consecuencias aún cuando el
ofensor ha sido perdonado. Los adolescentes podrían declarar,
“¡Si me perdonas, entonces deberías confiar en mí!». Pero cuando
rezamos, “y no nos dejes caer en tentaciones», le estamos pidiendo
a Dios “no nos permitas tomar el camino que lleva al pecado”.
(CCC #2846) La disciplina de los padres ayuda a los niños a
evitar las tentaciones que han llevado a problemas en el pasado.
Behaviors still lead to consequences even when the offender
has been forgiven. Adolescents may declare, “If you forgive me,
then you should trust me!” But when we pray, “lead us not into
temptation,” we are asking God to “not allow us to take the way
that leads to sin.” (CCC #2846) Parental discipline helps children
avoid temptations that have led to problems in the past.
“In refusing to forgive ... our hearts are closed and their
hardness makes them impervious to the Father’s merciful
love ... ” (CCC #2840) With forgiveness we are united with
the loving heart of Christ.
“If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven
times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive
him.” (Luke 17:4) We may think of this verse as directed toward the well-being of one who did wrong. But it also helps
those who do the forgiving. Research has shown that stress,
especially negative emotions such as anger and hostility, takes
a toll on our bodies. In a laboratory situation, just counting
backwards from 100 by 7s leads to increases in blood pressure and in production of cortisol. When the stress is long
term, as it would be if we harbored grudges, these physiological changes could contribute to cardiovascular disease and
other health problems. By calling us to forgive, God nurtures
our physical health, as well as our spiritual health.
– Dr. Cathleen McGreal
LF0308back.indd 29
El perdón abre nuestros corazones al abrumador
amor de Dios.
“Si él peca contra ti siete veces en un día, y siete
veces vuelve a ti y dice, ‘Me arrepiento’, perdónalo”.
(Luke 17:4) Podríamos pensar de este versículo como
dirigido hacia el bienestar de aquel que obró mal. Pero
también ayuda a aquellos que perdonan. La investigación ha demostrado que la tensión, especialmente
las emociones negativas como la cólera y la hostilidad
producen daños a nuestros cuerpos. En situaciones de
laboratorio, la tensión de sencillamente contar hacia atrás
desde 100 por sietes lleva a un aumento en la presión
arterial y la producción de cortisol. Cuando la tensión es a
largo plazo, como sería si guardáramos un rencor, entonces estos cambios fisiológicos pueden contribuir a enfermedades cardiovasculares y otros problemas de salud.
Llamándonos a perdonar, Dios cuida nuestra salud física así
como nuestra salud espiritual.
3/31/08 1:48:06 PM
l o c a l
n e w s
Blessed Sacrament Youth Group
KC Diocesan Conference
Members of Blessed Sacrament Youth Ministry spent their Christmas
The Knights of Columbus held their annual Winter
holidays by bringing cheer into the children’s ward at the Laredo MediDiocesan Conference at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish
cal Center. The youth group brought presents to the infirmed and sang
in Laredo. The one-day event also featured a conferChristmas carols to bring some of the Yuletide cheer to the hospital.
ence for the Lady Auxiliaries. The event drew about 40
participants and was held on January 26.
8th Pro Life Rosary Walk
Border Bishops
The two-day Texas-Mexico
Border Bishops meeting held in
January culminated with a Mass
celebrated on the banks of the
Rio Grande. Ten bishops from
Texas and Mexico celebrated
the Mass before an estimated 400 Catholics on the Mexican side of the river. The Mass coincided with the Day of the Migrant and
took place after the Texas bishops departed in procession from historic
San Agustín Cathedral and led a delegation through downtown Laredo,
across International Bridge I and into Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Laredo Bishop James A. Tamayo hosted Bishop Raymundo Peña of the
Brownsville Diocese, Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer, OMI of the San Angelo
Diocese and Bishop Patrick J. Zurek of the Amarillo Diocese.
The 8th Annual Pro-Life Rosary Walk sponsored
by the Respect Life Office was held in late January in
Laredo. About 200 people marched for more than two
miles praying for the sanctity of life. The event concluded with a prayer service at San Agustín Cathedral.
If you would like to become involved in the activities of
the Respect Life Office, call 956.727.2140.
Parishioners from St. Joseph Parish in La Pryor lead
the 8th Annual Pro-Life Rosary Walk.
St. Jude Guadalupanas
Rev. Jose Maria “Chema” Guevara, pastor of St.
Jude Parish in Laredo, established the Las Guadalupanas at the church situated in northwest Laredo. The
The Department of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Lar- newly established group comprises more than 25 men
edo celebrated Catholic Schools Week during the last week of and women who strive to be actively involved in the parJanuary. The week began with a Sunday Mass celebrated at San Agustín ish with a special devotion to the Blessed Mother.
Cathedral by Rev. Msgr. Stanley Sliwiak, vicar general of the diocese. On
Monday, Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas presented a proclamation to Dr. Rosa
Maria Vida, superintendent of schools, declaring Catholic Schools Week in
Laredo. In addition, all seven schools in the diocese held special activities
every day of
that week, culminating with
a talent show
at the Laredo
Civic Center
Auditorium.
Catholic Schools Week
La Fe Magazine
LF0308back.indd 30
News and photography by Goyo López
3/31/08 1:48:13 PM
How Does Each Dollar You Donate Support Ministry?
With your support, our diocese continues to offer
evangelization opportunities and faith formation
groups, courses and workshops that touch our daily life
and the lives of others.
– Reynaldo Montemayor, Ph. L.
6¢ Adult Religious Education
Catholic Sharing Appeal
Campaign Report
With your support, we give disabled children and sdults
the opportunity to know Christ and receive the
sacraments. – Mary Macias
3¢ Ministry to the Disabled
Teenagers from every corner of the Diocese of
Laredo are invited to learn more about their Catholic
faith through the youth ministry program.
– Araceli Vallarta
5¢ Youth Ministry
With your loving support, we offer hope
for healing. – Lupita Luna
7¢ Tribunal Ministry
With your support, students participate in
retreats, weekly Bible studies, Eucharistic
Adoration and other fun and formative
activities. – Reynaldo Montemayor Ph. L.
2¢ Campus Ministry at LCC & TAMIU
Each day, we reach thousands of people, from many
faiths and backgrounds, with the Good News. Thanks for
your support – Bennett McBride
18¢ KHOY 88.1 FM
Our youth deserves to receive a morally-respectful
view of their sexuality. – Lulu Sanchez, RN
8¢ Understanding Sexuality Program
Everyday, families facing eviction,
immigration problems, or needing
medication, receive your heart-felt
support. - Rene Rubio
18¢ Catholic Social Services
Four men are preparing for the priesthood in our dioc
Thank you for your support. – Fr. Toribio Guerrero
6¢ Vocations Ministry
Tuition support is provided to families needing assistance,
thanks to your generosity. – Rosa Maria Vida, Ph. D.
3¢ Catholic School Scholarships
A couple preparing for marriage arrives at Pre-Cana to meet an
obligation, but leaves with knowledge that their commitment is
to Christ, and that marriage is a sacramental journey.
– Lucy Cardenas
3¢ Family Life Ministry
9¢ go to postage and printing of CSA materials.
1¢ goes to the following:
Refugees/Immigrants Ministry – Casa Guadalupe
Diaconate Formation Ministry - La Fe Magazine
Permanent Diaconate – Respect Life Ministry
Parish Assistance Fund
Catholic
Extension
As part of the
Catholic Church
Extension Society’s
Parish Partnership
Program, a parish
Rev. Iden Bello (left) helps unload
in the Diocese of
boxes with Pete Arguijo (middle)
Fargo, North Dakota, and Leo Rutten.
has “adopted” Sagrado Corazon Mission in the Diocese of Laredo.
Over the past few months, St. Cecilia Parish in Harvey,
North Dakota, has sent cards, letters, school and religious
education supplies, as well as Christmas gifts, to the community of Sagrado Corazon.
On the last weekend of January, St. Cecilia parishioners Leo
and Ruth Rutten, along with Pete Arguijo, arrived with additional
gifts and met Rev. Iden Bello and the people of Sagrado Corazon in Peñitas West.
LF0308back.indd 31
Coordinators of the catechetical programs &
catechists in our parishes are trained to get the
skills and knowledge they need. Thanks for your
support! – Sister Beatriz Martinez, SSND
4¢ Religious Education for Children
St. John Bosco 5K
The annual St. John Bosco 5K and 1.5 mile
walk was held on January 26. The race featured
more than 200 entrants with the starting and finish
line at San Luis Rey Parish in Laredo. The proceeds benefit youth ministry at the parish as they
fundraise to see Pope Benedict XVI at the 2008
World Youth Day. Rev. Tom Juarez, parochial vicar
for San Luis Rey, ran the race as well.
WBCA
Bishop James A. Tamayo
appeared in the Anheuser-Busch
Washington’s Birthday Grand
Parade for the eighth consecutive
year. Bishop Tamayo, who served as the 2006 Parade Marshal,
was escorted by fourth-degree Knights of Columbus from the
throughout the Diocese of Laredo.
3/31/08 1:48:29 PM
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PAID
PERMIT NO. 135
MIDLAND, MI 48640
Online:
www.DioceseofLaredo.org
www.LaFeMagazine.com
On Radio:
Catholic Radio Serving Laredo and South Texas
Listen to live streaming radio at www.KHOY.org
p l e a s e
LF0308back.indd 32
r e c y c l e
3/31/08 1:48:42 PM

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