Catholic East Texas: November 2015 (Vol. 29, No. 1)

THE MAGAZINE OF THE DIOCESE OF TYLER

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2015 1

The Doctor will see you now.

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The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler

On Our Cover-A DOOR of mercy

As Bishop Joseph E. Strickland and cathedral rector Father Hank Lanik open the doors to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for the Jubilee Year of Mercy beginning on December 8, 2015, we turn to the words of Pope Francis’ letter declaring this extraordinary time in the life of the Church: “We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it.

Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.

Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us. Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness.”

These words of Pope Francis are the touchstone for this issue of the Catholic East Texas. With the clergy, religious and laity of the Diocese of Tyler as our guides, we explore the idea of mercy in our lives as Catholics. We examine the two Sacraments most closely associated with mercy – Confession and Anointing of the Sick. We look at ways to live out mercy in our daily lives – the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. And we see how the Church’s laws and precepts are expressions of God’s mercy.

Returning to our cover image, Pope Francis has instructed that the door of every cathedral church in the world be considered a Door of Mercy during this year so that the faithful everywhere can be “directly involved in living out this Holy Year as an extraordinary moment of grace and spiritual renewal.” Those who are able are encouraged to make a pilgrimage and devoutly enter through the Holy Door.

The physical act of making a pilgrimage, whether it is to the papal basilicas in Rome or to our cathedral in Tyler, has a special place in the Holy Year. Our life itself is a pilgrimage toward our desired heavenly destination and, like that pilgrimage, coming to the Holy Door requires dedication and sacrifice. By crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, we take the opportunity to embrace God’s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others.

As all of us make this journey to our cathedral during the Year of Mercy, whether as individuals or as groups from parishes and missions throughout the diocese, we realize that the physical doorways through which we will enter for prayer, confession and Holy Mass are a symbol of the true Door of Mercy – Christ himself – who meets us in His Holy Church and in His holy, faithful people.

As a further sign of Christ’s mercy, Pope Francis has declared that those who devoutly enter through a Holy Door in Rome or the cathedral in each diocese with a “deep desire for true conversion,”

will receive a plenary indulgence – the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven. The merits of Christ and all the Saints have been entrusted to the Church, and they may be applied, as an expression of God’s mercy, to the remission of and consequences of sin by the power of binding and loosing which our Lord conferred to Peter and the Apostles.

To obtain the indulgence, the usual conditions of sacramental Confession, detachment from all sin, receiving Holy Communion, and praying the Our Father and the Creed for the intentions of the Pope apply. These must normally be accomplished within 20 days before or after the indulgenced act. Prayer cards will be available at the entrance to the cathedral to guide pilgrims in this spiritual exercise.

For those who are home-bound, Pope Francis has extended the indulgence by means of “receiving Communion or attending Holy Mass and community prayer, even through the various means of communication.” Those in prison who “have become conscious of the injustice they worked and sincerely wish to re-enter society and make their honest contribution to it,” may obtain the indulgence in the chapels of prisons.

Many other activities are planned for the diocese to celebrate this year. Our diocesan priests, who regularly attend study days at the chancery designed to help them grow in their ministry, will take time out of their busy schedules to reflect together on the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick.

Our Communications Office will be working to develop a series of videos for the diocese which will draw us into a fuller understanding and appreciation of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy – a topic which is featured in this issue.

Observing Pope Francis’ call that the churches of the world remain open for an extended period of time on the Friday of the Third Week of Lent (March 4, 2016), the parishes and missions of the Diocese of Tyler will remain open from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Priests will be available during this time for confession so that those who have been away from the Sacrament of Reconciliation may experience a path back to the Lord.

Finally, the diocese and parishes will work together to hold various events for the faithful to learn more about the Church’s teachings on mercy and how to incorporate them into our mission to evangelize and to bring the Gospel to others.

May this celebration of the Holy Year be, for all believers, a true moment of encounter with the mercy of God and a living experience of the closeness of the Father, so that the faith of every believer may be strengthened.q 1

ONLINE

Between issues of the CET Magazine, you can always get the latest news and information from the Diocese of Tyler online. Here are some of the online updates and features available right now at dioceseoftyler.org>>> 271

VIDEO: BISHOP DANIEL FLORES

37

Sun Valley Detroit Reno Blossom

Toco

82 Honey Grove

82

Paris

Roxton 19

271

Clarksville

259 82

Annona

37

Deport

Avery

De Kalb

Bogata

Hooks New Boston82

Diocesan Red Mass 2015 Pecan Gap

271

Cooper Tira

24

259

Talco

30

37

67

Como

Lone Oak 69

West Tawakoni East Tawakoni

Emory

Edgewood

Fruitvale

Mabank

Tool

Payne Springs Enchanted Oaks

Caney City

Gallatin

79

294

164

7

Grapeland

7

96

103

Kennard

Huntington

Burke Diboll

94 19

287

Lovelady

75

Huxley

21

59

Broaddus

Fuller Springs

69

87

San Augustine

Chireno

103

Lufkin

Hudson

Centerville

21

21 59

7

Crockett

7

Wells

21

Latexo

Leona

Center

59

Appleby

Nacogdoches

287

7

147

Bronson Hemphill 96

Pineland

Zavalla

87

Groveton

Normangee

94

Madisonville 190

Joaquin

84 Tenaha

Garrison

Cushing

21

Alto 69

75

79

Marquez7

59 Mount Enterprise 84 Timpson

84

69

294

Oakwood

Buffalo 45

Jewett

Elkhart

Gary 59 City

315

Reklaw

Rusk

84

84

79

79

Carthage

79

259

155

Palestine

Fairfield

59

149

Henderson

79

75

75

Tatum

Beckville

New Summerfield

Jacksonville

Teague

149

Waskom

20

43

Easton

43

64

Troup

175

Streetman

84

Uncertain

Scottsville

Marshall

80

Rolling Meadows Lakeport

135

Poynor Berryville69 Frankston

19

14

49 Jefferson

59

Nesbitt

Hallsville

Liberty City

New Chapel Hill 64 135 Overton New London Arp Whitehouse 259

287

Wortham Kirvin

20

Tyler

Coffee City Bullard

Trinidad

175

59

49

259

Warren City Clarksville City White Oak Longview

80

271

Kilgore

155 Moore Station

Athens

Star Harbor Malakoff

31

155

Winona

154

West Mountain East Mountain Union Grove

Big Sandy

Gladewater

Chandler Brownsboro Murchison 31

19

175

Avinger

155

Hawkins

Lindale

64 Edom

Seven Points Gun Barrel City Eustace

77

154

271 300

155

80

69

Van

20

59

155

Gilmer

Mineola

Grand Saline

Canton

Ore City

155

154

69

Wills Point

Texarkana

Wake Village

59

Douglassville Queen City 77 Bloomburg Atlanta

Linden

Hughes Springs

Lone Star

37

Quitman

Alba182

19

80

243

Nash

Domino

8

8

Daingerfield

Winnsboro

Yantis

77

Marietta

259

49

271

Rocky Mound Pittsburg

154

19

Point

Omaha

Mount Pleasant

Monticello

37

Naples

67

Mount Vernon Winfield Millers Cove

30

Sulphur Springs

Cumby

Leary

67

Maud

67

19

287

69

63

Trinity

45 75

19

90

THE LATEST FROM TWITTER

Diocesan Red Mass

Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville called on the legal community of East Texas to “incline your hearts to what is good” at the 2015 Diocese of Tyler Red Mass on Oct. 5 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The Mass is an opportunity for judges, attorneys, and legal staff to join in praying for wisdom. Video & pics: cetmag.org/redmass2015

@dioceseoftyler Amy Allen (@principalallen)... Way to go SMS Knights!

Great soccer season!@StMarysLongview @newsjournal &@ DioceseofTyler pic.twitter.com/mXDKyif6zl

NEWS: REPORTING FROM ROME

Fr. Mark Kusmirek (@mck7791)... At priests convocation in TYLER. Great presentation on new evangelization.

Trying Twitter for first time.

Almost 300 bishops from around the world met in Rome in October to discuss topics realted to the family in the modern world. See news and analysis from the Synod at dioceseoftyler.org/news

Shawn Carney (@carneyshawn)... So far we know of 251 lives saved from #abortion during @40daysforlife campaign!

Praise God!

Synod on the Family

GOOD WORKS: CATHOLIC CHARITIES & ST. VINCENT de PAUL

Relief for Van Tornado Victims

Thanks to the generosity of the faithful of the Diocese of Tyler, Catholic Charities and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul were able to bring the “House in a Box” program to at least 50 families impacted by the Mother’s Day tornado in Van, Texas. The program provides furniture, houswares and other supplies to help families rebuild. Parishioners in the diocese gave more than $54,000 to relief efforts. cetmag.org/vanhomes

Bishop Strickland (@bishopoftyler)... These gorgeous days serve to remind us that creation is God’s gift to us that we borrow for a brief lifetime & then pass on to our children.

SOCIAL: LIKE, SHARE AND DISCUSS

Find us on Facebook

The Diocese of Tyler has a growing presence on Facebook!

Follow us to see photos, news and videos. Many of our parishes are also on social media. facebook.com/dioceseoftyler

VIDEO: CETMAG.ORG/SANCTITY15 2

THE MAGAZINE OF THE DIOCESE OF TYLER

Vol. 29 Issue 1 November-December 2015 Catholic East Texas (USPS 001726) is a publication of the Catholic Diocese of Tyler, 1015 ESE Loop 323, Tyler, Texas 75701-9663. Telephone: 903534-1077. Fax: 903-534-1370. E-mail: news@ catholiceasttexas.com. ©2015 Diocese of Tyler.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: CET Subscriptions, 1015 ESE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701-9663 Published five times per year. Periodical postage paid at Tyler, Texas, and additional mailing office.

Subscription is $20 per year. News, calendar and advertising deadlines: Aug. 10, Oct. 10, Dec. 10, Feb 10, April 10.

The publisher and editor reserve the right to reject, omit or edit any article or letter submitted for publication. The Diocese of Tyler and/or the Catholic East Texas cannot be held liable or in any way responsible for the content of any advertisement printed herein. All claims, offers, guarantees, statements, etc., made by advertisers are solely the responsibility of the advertiser.

Deceptive or misleading advertising is never knowingly accepted. Complaints regarding advertising should be made directly to the advertiser or the Better Business Bureau.

Publisher Most Rev. Joseph E. Strickland Bishop of Tyler Editor-in-Chief Peyton Low peyton@catholiceasttexas.com Managing Editor Ben Fisher ben@catholiceasttexas.com Assistant Editor Susan De Matteo sue@catholiceasttexas.com Spanish Editor Sr. Angélica Orozco EFMS sistera@dioceseoftyler.org

www.dioceseoftyler.org

This Issue

01 05 06 10 12 16 22 24 30 32 36 37 38 40 42 45 46 48 52

On the Cover

The Holy Door for the Year of Mercy

Bishop Strickland Diocesan News and Calendar Susan De Matteo

Pope Francis in America Anointing of the Sick Bishop Joseph Strickland

For I was in prison and you visited me Susan De Matteo

Art is Good for the Soul ThouArtPottery in Texarkana

The Works of Mercy Father Jesudas Thomas STL

Canon Law - Witness to Mercy Father Anthony McLaughlin, JCD

The Mission at Alto

Do-it-yourself Church building in East Texas

Monsigñor Strickland Rompe Ataduras y se libre

Joven, Carre la Carrera Angie Marino

Año Jubilar

Padre Roberto Gomez

Tribunal Eclesiástico Padre John J. Gomez, JCL

Los Palacio

Una fábrica de esperanza

Blessed are the Merciful Sister Mary Dominic, OP

Confession - Sacrament of Mercy

Father George Elliott

Learning the Sacred Liturgy Father Nolan Lowry, STL

All registered parishioners in the Diocese of Tyler receive the Catholic East Texas magazine for free. If you are a member of parish or mission in the Diocese and you are not receiving your free subscription to the magazine, please contact your parish/mission or complete this form so that we may add you to our mailing list. http://cetmag.org/cetsubscribe

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Photos on these pages are from the 50th anniversary celebration and blessing of the new prayer garden at St. Catherine Church in Atlanta, Texas. This is the hometown of Bishop Strickland and the parish in which he grew up and learned the Faith.

Bishop Strickland

Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler

On December 8, 2015, the Church will enter into an extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy. I was blessed to be present at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome when Pope Francis officially announced this Year of Mercy, and it provides the Church universal an opportunity to focus with great clarity on this essential aspect of the saving mystery of Jesus Christ. If we ponder two millennia of the proclamation of the Gospel in our Catholic tradition, we can see the heart of mercy constantly beckoning.

As I write this reflection, I have just returned from several days in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia with His Holiness.

As I reflect on the wonderful messages the Holy Father shared during his time on American soil, it is clear that he was already opening the doors of mercy in a spiritual sense. I see the Holy Spirit guiding the Vicar of Christ serving the Church today to shepherd us back to the essential blessing that Jesus Christ brings to the world.

Too often, especially in modern society, it appears that the door of mercy is slammed shut rather than opened wide. The Church is too often portrayed as closing the doors of mercy when exactly the opposite is the truth.

The message of the Lord in the Gospels is clearly one of mercy for the world.

One of the dominant images of any Holy Year is the opening of the door. This will take place in Rome at St. Peter’s and will be echoed throughout the Church as well as right here in the Diocese of Tyler. I want to share my reflections with you regarding this image of the open door. One aspect of my reflection is to return to the image that Christ uses in the Gospels. He speaks of himself as the sheep gate, and I believe this image of the Lord guides us to a deeper understanding of our Catholic tradition of the Holy Door.

Many of us have probably had the opportunity to see the Holy Door at St. Peter’s in Rome either in person or in various television presentations. Because this door is sealed shut except during a Holy Year, we have a tendency to have an image of a massive closed door as we ponder the Holy Door. In reality, the spiritual message is the opposite, and Christ’s image of the sheep gate is helpful in coming to a fuller understanding of this beautiful image. The Holy

Door more accurately speaks to an open doorway, an entrance, a gateway into mercy.

A Holy Year, which typically occurs every twenty-five years, resonates with the biblical image of the jubilee year. It is a time to focus on the essential truth of what Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, has accomplished for humanity. Through His life, death and resurrection, Christ has opened the gates of paradise and unleashed a river of mercy that flows into every human heart and brings the waters of life to every arid landscape of sin in our world.

It is all the more true that in this extraordinary Holy Year we can look to the

extraordinary mercy that our loving Father continues to bestow on humanity through His Son in the power of His Spirit. I pray that all of us in the Diocese of Tyler can reflect deeply on these wondrous blessings that are ours. God’s abundant mercy is available to all of us, and in God’s unfathomable love, His gift of mercy ultimately guides us to a stark awareness of our sin and an ever deepening desire for repentance. May hearts be transformed during this Holy Year to allow God’s mercy to wash over us and free us from darkness and sin.

May the living doorway that is Christ open our world to His abundant mercy.q

5

Diocesan News

By Susan De Matteo

Diocese

and Calendar of Events Sue@CatholicEastTexas.com

Send us your bulletins!

Catholic Charities of East Texas and Bishop Joseph E. Strickland If your parish is not already sending weekly bulletins to Catholic East Texas, please invite all to hear Archbishop Michael J. do so. Bulletins are where we get information about parish events for the news, Sheehan, Texarkana native and Archand ideas for features and profiles. We prefer electronic submissions, either PDF bishop Emeritus of Santa Fe, NM, at or Word documents. These can be emailed to sue@catholiceasttexas.com. We will Willow Brook Country Club in Tyler, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. The evening, featuring also accept bulletins by mail. Send to: Susan De Matteo, Catholic East Texas, 1015 dinner and a silent auction, will benefit ESE Loop 323, Tyler, TX, 75701. Information on upcoming parish events and Catholic Charities of East Texas. photos of recent events may also be submitted this way. Photos should be emailed

Archbishop Sheehan was raised as JPEGs, with all persons in the photo identified and information about the event in Texarkana, in Sacred Heart Parish. He provided. We look forward to hearing from you! was ordained to the priesthood in 1964, and was a parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in Tyler 1965-1968.

He was named founding bishop of the apostolic administrator and then arch- earlier this year. He was rector of Holy Diocese of Lubbock in 1983 and served bishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Trinity Seminary in Dallas when Bishop there until 1993, when he was named He served there until his retirement Strickland was a seminarian there.

Kilgore parishioner helps protect Pope Francis during historic U.S. visit

KILGORE – For Mary Beth Gaddy, it was the dream of a lifetime.

Gaddy, a parishioner at Christ the King Church in Kilgore, works for the Department of Homeland Security in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Normally she works at Gregg County Airport in Longview.

But for a few days in late September, she worked in Philadelphia – protecting Pope Francis. She was part of a team of 20 TSA officers from Texas assigned to the 1,500-member force tasked with screening attendees at the various papal events during the Mary Beth Gaddy pope’s Sept. 22-28 visit to the U.S.

When she heard she was going to Philadelphia, “I was so excited! I wanted two things: to see Pope Francis and to do a good job screening. Our team worked 16-hour shifts both days, checking every bag, purse, backpack, various electronics, anything that could conceal a dangerous or prohibited item.”

The work was “grueling yet invigorating,” she said.

“People, (who had come) from all over the world, were so nice, so happy to be part of this exciting weekend.”

6

She got to experience that excitement herself.

Sunday afternoon, on a lunch break, “I decided to walk down to the Jumbotron to watch the parade for a few minutes. I was able to see Pope Francis on the giant screen waving to the crowd from the Popemobile.”

It got better.

“All of a sudden, the crowd in front of me began to cheer loudly,” she said. “I looked down, and I see Francis. I started walking closer, waving and smiling, and then he disappeared down the street.

I was in awe for my 10-second sighting of our Holy Father. I was so happy! I stood there for a few minutes, letting it all sink in, then I decided I’d better get back to work.”

Her team screened thousands that afternoon.

“People continued to stream in until the very end.

It was amazing, the thousands and thousands of faithful who just wanted a glimpse of Pope Francis, to hear him speak. I was one of the lucky ones. I was blessed with both.”

It was one of those rare moments where faith and work come together to provide an unforgettable spiritual experience, and Gaddy is grateful.

More news is available at www.dioceseoftyler.org/news

Vincentians commissioned – Msgr. Xavier Pappu, pastor of St. Matthew Church in Longview, recently commissioned new officers for the St. Matthew Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. New officers are, left to right, David Mangrum, spiritual director; John Miller, president; Suzy Albritton, treasurer; Msgr. Pappu; Esther Shattuck, secretary; and John Garcia, president. Photo courtesy of Tom Mittler

The Diocese of Tyler Office of Faith Formation is holding a series of workshops focused on assisting parishes and families in developing practices and programs for those with special needs. Sessions are scheduled for Nov. 7 at St. Francis of Assisi in Gilmer, Nov. 14 at St. Patrick in Lufkin, and Nov. 21 at St. Francis of the Tejas in Crockett.

Topics to be covered include formation and awareness, making parishes accessible and inclusive, providing tools and resources, understanding disabilities, and the adaptive Finding God Program. The sessions are intended for catechists, parish leaders, clergy, caregivers for those with special needs, and educators. To register or for more information, contact the diocesan Office for Faith Formation, lporter@dioceseoftyler.org or tramirez@ dioceseoftyler.org, or call 903-266-2146.

Cost for each session is $10.

The Daughters of Divine Hope will offer an 11:30 a.m. Mass Nov. 9 and Dec. 14 for clergy celebrating birthdays or ordination anniversaries in those months, and for deceased clergy. The Mass will be celebrated in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and lunch will follow in the Cathedral Center.

To speak with a priest about a possible vocation, call Father Justin Braun at the chancery, 903-534-1077, ext. 171, or email fatherbraun@gmail.

com. To speak with a nun, contact Sister Angelica Orozco, EFMS, at the chancery, 903-534-1077, ext. 145, or email sistera@dioceseoftyler.org.

The Maria Goretti Network is a peer ministry group for survivors of abuse and their families. The East Texas Chapter of the Maria Goretti Network meets the third Saturday of every month at the Cathedral Office Meeting Room (not the Cathedral Center) at 7 p.m. For information, call Peggy Hammett, 903592-1617, ext. 19. or email phammett@ thecathedral.info.

Catholic counseling services are now available in the Diocese of Tyler.

Simone Key, MA, LPC-I, is on staff at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to provide faith-based family, marriage, individual and group counseling. Initial phone consultations are free, and services are provided on a sliding fee scale. For information, call 214-6400651.

Carthage

St. William of Vercelli Church.

St. William Outreach’s next Open Door will be Saturday, Nov. 14, starting at 8 a.m.

Frankston

St. Charles Borromeo Church.

The parish Sunday Brunch is Nov. 8. We will celebrate the feast of St. Charles Borromeo.

The SCB Food Pantry is open each second Thursday, 9-11:30 a.m. Volunteer your time or donate to help feed the hungry in our area. Contact Mary Ann Cluley, 903-876-3309, for information.

St. Charles is launching the first Families Anonymous chapter in the Diocese of Tyler. Families Anonymous is primarily for those who have known a feeling of desperation concerning the destructive behavior of someone very near to them, whether caused by drugs, alcohol, or related behavioral problems. Meetings are the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.

Longview

St. Mary Church. The St. Nicholas Bazaar is Dec. 5. We are collecting baskets and items to go inside them, cellophane to heat wrap them, scissors, tape, bows, tissue paper, bags, etc. We also are collecting homemade items to sell. The collection box is in the church office foyer. Our café is in need of paper products, cups, plates, bowls, plastic spoons, etc. Please contact Pat Smith with any donation items, 903-240-1635.

The adoration chapel is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. There are openings Mondays, noon-1 p.m.; Tuesdays, noon1 p.m.; Thursdays, midnight-1 a.m. and 7

Diocesan News

By Susan De Matteo

By Susan De Matteo

1-2 p.m.; Fridays, 1-2 a.m., 9-10 p.m. and 11 p.m.-midnight; and Saturdays, midnight-1 a.m. and 3-4 a.m. For information or to volunteer, call Sharon Milam at 903-753-9527 or Sheila Har­ grave 903-295-1728.

St. Matthew Church. The parish is in need of English-speaking catechists. Faith is a gift. Please be generous and share yours so that future generations may do the same.

LifeTeen needs volunteers. If you wish to help our young people grow in their faith, contact Sonya Pereira in the church office, 903-295-3890.

Lufkin

The St. Thomas Aquinas Dominican Laity gathers Wednesday and Sunday evenings at 5:30 p.m. in the day chapel at St. Andrew Catholic Church to pray the Divine Office. All those wishing to follow St. Paul’s admonition to “pray without ceasing” are welcome to join. For information, contact Matthew Rowley, mattrowley1964@gmail.com.

St. Andrew Church. The youth group is raising funds to travel to Krakow, Poland, next year for World Youth Day with Pope Francis. To donate, contact Ben Honeywell, 936-676-9754.

To leave prayer requests for the young people to take with them, contact Katie Glanton, 704-962-0097.

and Calendar of Events Sue@CatholicEastTexas.com Sue@CatholicEastTexas.com

Nacogdoches

St. Mary Chapel, Stephen F. Austin State University. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is daily at 4 p.m., every Wednesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with Benediction at 4:50 p.m., followed

by Mass, and Monday and Friday, 9-10 a.m.

Every Wednesday, join us at the Circle! Come for Mass, then come on over to Ganter Hall around 5:45 p.m. for free dinner, fellowship, and opportunities to learn more about the faith.

St. Mary’s would like to add a new or like new pool table and a stove ($400) for St. Joseph’s & the Ganter hall kitchen. If you happen to have one that you would like to donate or buy for us, you know that they would get lots of appreciation and use.

Tyler

Catholic Ascension Garden

How will your final arrangements be decided?

Rose Lawn’s Ascension Garden is a place for all Catholics to have hope and reflection. This area serves as a visual reminder of the Paschal Mystery, the dying and rising of Christ in which we all share. It is the place that reminds us to hold a joyful hope for Christ’s return to glory, with all those who have gone before us, marked with a sign of faith. Putting plans into place now becomes a testimony to both our faith and our love of family. It is a loving and considerate thing to do for those we leave behind. Come out and visit our compassionate people and find how simple this decision can be. With each sale Rose Lawn will make a donation in your name to the Church of your choice or the Catholic Diocese of Tyler.

Rose Lawn Cemetery is located on Blue Mountain Blvd., One block East off Old Jacksonville Hwy, just South of Swann’s Furniture.

2003 Blue Mountain Blvd.

Tyler, TX 75703 Ph.903-939-9922 8

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. St. Vincent de Paul is currently seeking two part-time employees.

Position 1 is for an Executive Director at SVdP, Immaculate Conception Conference. Duties include interviewing clients, determining eligibility for assistance, providing referrals for other community resources, and working with the SVdP board to maintain established budget. Job applicants should be objective, adept at making decisions and resolving conflict, and possess good verbal and written communication skills, listening skills, and basic computer skills.

Confidentiality and personal integrity are essential. Experience in social work is beneficial. Bilingual is preferred. Approximately 16 hours per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays).

Position 2 is for a SVdP Thrift Store manager in Tyler. Duties include opening & closing the store, cashier, balancing cash drawer daily, pricing, and managing of volunteer schedule. Job applicants should be dependable, organized, customer-focused and possess

More news is available at www.dioceseoftyler.org/news

general math skills. Twenty-four hours per week (days negotiable). All applicants will be required to pass a criminal background check. All employees are required to have a current Diocesan Ethics and Integrity certificate. Interviews will be conducted Oct. 19-30. Start date will be on or about Dec. 7. For additional information and to apply for either job, contact Anne Kent at 903-521-0557 or svdpicc@aol.com.

St. John Paul the Great, University of Texas at Tyler. Adoration is Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 8:45-9:45 a.m., and Wednesday and Thursday, 1-5:15 p.m. Mass is celebrated Wednesday-Friday, 5:30 p.m. Rosary is Mondays at 6:30 p.m., Catholic Identity Night is Wednesdays at 7 p.m., apologetics are Thursdays at 6:15 p.m., and Bible study is Fridays at 6:15 p.m. RCIA classes are Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Mass is celebrated Sundays at 6:30 p.m. in the Cowan Center, FAC 1009.

Tyler Junior College Catholic Campus Ministry. Mass or a Communion service is celebrated Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the conference room on the first floor of Jenkins Hall, followed by dinner and apologetics. For information, contact Deacon Bill Necessary, 903-780-3519, or email dnecessary@ bishopgorman.net.

KC Council 15174 names Roland Schmear Knight of the Year

H O L L Y LAKE – Knights of Columbus Council 15174 of Holy Spirit Church in Holly Lake recently named Roland Schmear as its Knight of the Year.

Schmear has been a member of Council 15174 since its inception.

He and his wife Pat live in Holly Lake Ranch and are parishioners at Holy Spirit Church.

A custom homebuilder, he has used his skills to help the parish with

improvement projects, most recently with its meditation garden.

Schmear also is active on the parish planning and finance councils.

Wills Point

St. Luke Church. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is prayed Sundays at 3 p.m. in the chapel.

The Youth Group meets Wednesdays, 6:15-8:15 p.m. All junior high and high school students are encouraged to attend. Please meet inside the church.

Please schedule your Quinceañera with Father Fenton at least 6 months in advance. Normally, they will be scheduled at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

It is possible for more than one young lady to celebrate Quinceañeras at the same Mass.

Have a Holly Jolly Holiday.

Tyler • 4917 S Broadway Ave. • (903) 504-5366 9

Pope Francis in America

Dear Friends, I am most grateful for your invitation to address this Joint Session of Congress in “the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

I would like to think that the reason for this is that I too am a son of this great continent, from which we have all received so much and toward which we share a common responsibility.

Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social responsibility. Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation. You are the face of its people, their representatives.

You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics. A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for the people. To this you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected you.

Yours is a work which makes me reflect in two ways on the figure of Moses. On the one hand, the patriarch and lawgiver of the people of Israel symbolizes the need of peoples to keep alive their sense of unity by means of just legislation. On the other, the figure of Moses leads us directly to God and thus to the transcendent dignity of the human being. Moses provides us with a good synthesis of your work: you are asked to protect, by means of the law, the image and likeness fashioned by God on every human face...

In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants,

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knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants.

Tragically, the rights of those who were here long before us were not always respected. For those peoples and their nations, from the heart of American democracy, I wish to reaffirm my highest esteem and appreciation. Those first contacts were often turbulent and violent, but it is difficult to judge the past by the criteria of the present.

Nonetheless, when the stranger in our midst appeals to us, we must not repeat the sins and the errors of the past. We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our “neighbors” and everything around us.

Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best. I am confident that we can do this...

I will end my visit to your country in Philadelphia, where I will take part in the World Meeting of Families. It is my wish that throughout my visit the family should be a recurrent theme. How essential the family has been to the building of this country! And how worthy it remains of our support and encouragement! Yet I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without. Fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family. I can only reiterate the importance and, above all, the richness and the beauty of family life...

In these remarks I have sought to present some of the richness of your cultural heritage, of the spirit of the American people. It is my desire that this spirit continue to develop and grow, so that as many young people as possible can inherit and dwell in a land which has

inspired so many people to dream.

God bless America!

(Excerpts from Pope Francis’ address to the joint meeting of C ongress, Sept. 24, 2015)

PHOTOS: Allison Shelley, Win McNamee, Mark Wilson, Spencer Platt, Carl Court, Andrew Burton, Drew Angerer/Getty Images News

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11

anointing of

Understanding

Final Anointing

by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665)

1. For Everything There is a Season 1210 The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life: they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian’s life of faith. There is thus a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life.

-The Catechism of the Catholic Church God in His mercy provides us, His children, with the sacraments. We Catholics, who enjoy the benefits of all seven sacraments, understand that there is a pattern to the sacraments in a human life.

For every sacrament there is a season.

Baptism and Confirmation are sacraments of beginning, for the start of a faith journey here on Earth. They initiate a person into God’s family. We offer them to the young and to those first entering into full communion with the Catholic Church.

Marriage is the sacrament which creates a new family in the sight of God, and Holy Orders creates a new priesthood or diaconate for the service of God. Holy Eucharist offers us continuing strength throughout our lives. Reconciliation is continually available to us when we stumble and need God’s forgiveness, and we need to make use of it in all the seasons of our life. There is also a sacrament for the seasons of sickness in our lives, the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.

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1511 The Church believes and confesses that among the seven sacraments there is one especially intended to strengthen those who are being tried by illness, the Anointing of the Sick.

-The Catechism of the Catholic Church Anointing of the Sick was at one time called Extreme Unction, which literally means “Last Anointing” and as such it was often associated only with death as one of the “Last Rites.” Indeed, it is a very good thing to receive the sacraments at the time of our death, and every Catholic should hope and pray for exactly that. The Church, however, is teaching us that we do not need to wait until the hour of death to receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.

To understand this teaching, we must first understand our Catholic view of suffering. It is a unique, beautiful, and challenging idea - that our suffering has a purpose in the plan of a loving God.

2. The Problem of Suffering Sickness is part of the human condition. On Earth, our bodies are imperfect, and subject to illness and death. If we are not afflicted by serious illness along the way, we will certainly suffer in old age.

Suffering is an inevitable part of every human life, and human beings have wondered at the existence of suffering throughout our history. It is indeed difficult to understand why God allows us to suffer, while at the same time He loves us greatly. This “problem of

the sick

the sacrament in the context of suffering by bishop joseph strickland

CET Online - To watch a video reflection on this topic from Bishop Strickland, go to cetmag.org/anointingvideo

pain” has driven many people away from religion in the modern era, and the popular books about atheism filling shelves today are full of endless re-statements of this same basic problem: If God exists and is all-powerful, why does he allow the people He loves to suffer?

Christianity answers this by reminding the world that God is a Father, a parent whose love is perfect. This perfect love does not stop at half-measures. God, in his mercy, offers us His protection against the worst evil, and the worst evil is to be separated from Him for all eternity. Physical pain and suffering, as terrible as it is, is not the worst thing.

In the Gospels, we can see Jesus healing the bodies of many people. He poured out His mercy upon the sick without reservation, but this healing He performed was a sign of greater things to come.

His mission on Earth included healing many human bodies, but His sacrifice on the cross offers healing to all human souls. When we pray for relief from sickness, our prayers are not always answered with physical healing. God allows even His most devoted servants to suffer greatly. This confuses the world, and it often confuses us. Is God ignoring us?

When this world asks us how God can allow His children to suffer, we respond: Look at what God can do with suffering for the sake of salvation. Suffering has a purpose.

3. The Garden and the Cross Our image of suffering is Christ. We gaze upon his suffering body in the form of the crucifix at Mass. We hold the image of his

suffering body in our hands when we pray the rosary. We are surrounded by images of Christ’s passion, which literally means “suffering,” in the Catholic Church. This sets us apart, our tradition of gazing into the reality of the suffering Christ endured for us. Our crosses are not empty, as in the symbology of other churches.

Part of the message we are meant to receive from this meditation on the death of Christ is that God can bring salvation out of suffering. This doesn’t mean it won’t hurt. Christ was already suffering greatly on the night before his passion in the garden, from fear of pain and death. He knew what was coming. He knew well that he would experience horrible things in the coming hours, and He asked his Father to be spared if that was the Father’s will. Jesus’ fear and desire to be spared was an honest human reaction, and since Jesus was a real human being as well as the Son of God, his reaction is easy for us to understand. What we must see, clearly, in that garden and on the cross, is that Jesus never questioned God’s love for Him – suffering did not mean that the Father doesn’t love Jesus, but rather that Jesus was acting as part of the plan of salvation. This is the work of Christ: to save the world through suffering, and it is a work that we are called to participate in. When we suffer, it doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love us; it means we are being offered the opportunity to grow closer to God, to participate in His saving mission.

This is the dramatic and challenging answer to the question posed by human suffering: in redeeming the world, Jesus has redeemed human suffering itself. He has changed the nature of suffering and given it a purpose. Our suffering is not useless.

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4. The world turned upside-down Saint John Paul II expressed this fundamental change in his apostolic letter On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering: One can say that with the Passion of Christ all human suffering has found itself in a new situation. In the Cross of Christ not only is the Redemption accomplished through suffering, but also human suffering itself has been redeemed. Christ has also raised human suffering to the level of the Redemption. Thus each man, in his suffering, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ.

-Salvifici Doloris (1984) This is a difficult teaching to understand, and accept. It’s good and fine to say, “I understand. Through the sufferings of Christ, all human suffering is redeemed, and I can now participate in Christ’s mission.” But, when we hear the grave diagnosis from the doctor, or we lie in the hospital bed and another injection of painkiller is hours away, our very human fears and emotions rise up. We are tempted to anger and despair. This is a natural human reaction to sickness, pain, and suffering.

What the Catholic Faith asks of us is a supernatural reaction to sickness and suffering, one that is impossible to achieve by merely human means. Catholicism always challenges us to see what is not obvious, what is hidden, using the eyes of supernatural faith. At no time is this more difficult when we ourselves, or a loved one, are sick and suffering. If we could achieve this leap of faith, we would take a different view of our sufferings: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.

-Romans 8:18 I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.

-Roman 12:1 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church.

-Colossians 1:24 These and many other citations from the New Testament show us how the Apostles understood the sufferings of everyday Christians. Because our sufferings can be joined to those of Christ, they gain His power. The Church, continuing this Apostolic understanding, teaches that if we offer our sufferings in union with Christ, they can be a powerful prayer for our own needs and the needs of others.

Our sufferings, in union with Christ, prepare us for heaven and perfect our love for God. How can we do this? Offer our bodies as a living sacrifice? Rejoice in our sufferings? It sounds almost impossible. We can only do this through the help of God.

5. Calling for God’s Help

As always, our best source of God’s helping grace is the sacraments. Living the sacramental life of the Church is how we remain close to this help that God offers. When a serious illness strikes us or a loved one, or when we or a loved one begin to suffer in old age, we 14

Agony in the Garden

by Adriaen Van De Velde, 1665

should seek this sacrament of anointing: 1514 The Anointing of the Sick “is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived.”

-The Catechism of the Catholic Church It is important to realize that calling a priest when illness strikes is our responsibility. We should not delay. Following the teaching of the Church and using our understanding of the power of the sacrament to strengthen us in times of suffering, we should call a priest for anointing when a serious illness is first discovered.

Also, following the teaching of the Church, we should understand that this sacrament is for serious conditions in which we need God’s special grace and help. Knowing how important our sufferings are when we are seriously ill or near death, we should have respect for this sacrament and not misuse it: The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is for serious illness only, and not to be received when we are not ill, nor when we have a trivial condition. If we are unsure if anointing is appropriate in a particular situation, we should ask a priest. What might be a minor illness for a young and healthy person could be very serious and life-threatening for an older person.

Anointing of the Sick is not like Baptism or Confirmation, which can only be received once. The priest may repeat the sacrament if the sick person’s condition worsens, or if the patient initially improves but later falls ill again. Sometimes the stable environment provided by a hospital gives the appearance that the body has begun to heal, only to find out later that the disease has progressed. In such

cases the priest may anoint again.

Anointing of the Sick is performed in the same way today as it was in New Testament times: Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the priests of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven..

-James 5:14-15 Once at the side of the sick person, the priest, wearing a stole, begins by laying hands on the sick person. The priest anoints the forehead with blessed oil while saying the following words: Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.

The priest continues by anointing the hands while saying these words: May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.

If a particular condition exists whereby it is not possible to anoint the hands, a single anointing on the forehead or another suitable part of the body suffices.

Although often performed in a hospital or at the bed of sick person in the home, the sacrament may also be celebrated during a Mass, or at the church outside of Mass. Often, the priest will recommend the sick person confess their sins and receive Communion at the same time. In these instances, the sick person receives the Sacraments of Penance, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Eucharist one right after the other.

1532 The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: - the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church; - the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age; - the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance; - the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; - the preparation for passing over to eternal life.

-The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Some people use the existence of sickness and suffering against God. They turn away from Him in unbelief. During this Year of Mercy, let us look at suffering with the eyes of faith, and turn to God who has redeemed suffering itself. We can see that the merciful God is offering us a powerful sacrament to strengthen us in the darkest of times. Our suffering can be joined to the suffering of Christ and become our most heartfelt act of faith. It can become our most powerful prayer, for our own good and the good of others.

If you or a loved one is seriously sick, or elderly, or dying, call for a priest of the Church. Explain the situation to him. Allow him to advise you. He has been ordained to offer God’s mercy to everyone, to heal souls by the power of the sacraments. Today, just as it was 2,000 years ago, we must ask, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the priests of the Church.” q

Pillars of the Community Feliciano Financial Group Proudly Supports

Adam N. Todd

ministries

Upcoming talk THRIVE Catholic Young Adult Conference (Dallas Diocese) – A “Plan” for All Seasons: Catholic Financial Planning

Adam and his wife Jodi coordinate the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception’s Marriage Preparation Program which involves meeting with engaged couples on topics including Finances, Communication, Families of Origin and the Sacrament of Marriage.

Recently asked to be a member of the Board of the St. John Paul the Great Catholic Campus Ministry which serves the students of UT Tyler and TJC.

adam n. todd Vice President of Financial Services Investment Advisor Representative Feliciano Financial Group (O) 903.533.8585 Adam@FelicianoFinancial.com

previoUs engagements • Covenant of Love Date Night Having A “Rich” Marriage: Catholic Perspective on Marriage & Money • Theology On Tap – Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread: A Catholic Perspective On Financial Planning • Tyler Area Senior Citizens Association – Strategies for Charitable Giving

Financial Planning ◆ Tax Planning ◆ ReTiRemenT Planning HealTH insuRance ◆ lTc/cRisis managemenT ◆ liFe insuRance ◆ Risk managmenT 1828 ESE Loop 323, Suite 200 Tyler, TX 75701

Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through a representative of Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC, and Registered Investment Advisor. Fixed and traditional insurance offered through Feliciano Financial Group, which is not affiliated with Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. Feliciano Financial Group and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. are not affiliated entities. Feliciano Financial Group, 1828 ESE Loop 323, Suite 200 Tyler, TX 75701 (903)533-8585. Jose Feliciano is not a government employee, Feliciano Financial Group is not a government entity, nor are they affiliated with any government entity.

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father tom edelen susan de matteo photo 16

For I was in Prison and you visited me by susan de matteo

Prison ministry in the diocese of tyler

It is a vast mission field within the mission territory that is the Diocese of T yler.

A mission field not just hidden away, but locked away – behind gleaming concertina wire, stark concrete walls and steel bars, all closely overseen by armed guards.

This is the mission field of the prisons and jails in East Texas, a field where more than 30,000 souls spend endless days in various levels of confinement and wait for someone, anyone, to show even the smallest amount of care and concern for them.

These souls are today’s lepers, confined in today’s concrete, razor wire and steel versions of the island of Moloka‘i, forgotten and unloved...except by a select few.

Those few – and they are few; too few – are the chaplains, volunteer chaplains and volunteers who, just as St. Damien of Moloka‘i did, go into the prisons, carry books and the Body of Christ into the prisons, and minister to their lepers. They give up their time, they submit to the strict and everchanging rules and regulations of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and county sheriff ’s departments, and they go into this world of concrete and steel to assure offenders that not everyone has forgotten them, that someone loves them – that the God who made them loves them.

“These men,” said Father Tom Edelen, a chaplain at the Skyview-Hodge state prison units in Rusk, “are beloved by the Most High God. If he loves them, shouldn’t I? Shouldn’t you?”

Father Edelen has been at SkyviewHodge for two years, but has been engaged in prison ministry for some 20 years. Even while serving in parishes in the diocese, he also tended to any prisons in the area. It is

a ministry to which he says he, and anyone else who claims adherence to the Gospel, is compelled.

“Jesus told us in Matthew 25 that what we do for the least of these, we do for him,” he said. “These people are broken. Many of them have no idea that they are loved, or what that even means. They are modern-day lepers. In Jesus’ day, lepers had to shout ‘unclean’ and live apart from other people. Today, we just want to lock them away in prison and forget about them.”

But Christ hasn’t forgotten about his brothers and sisters behind bars. Therefore, say those who minister to them, neither can the followers of Christ.

These ministers do not deny that those in prison have committed serious crimes. Some have done terrible things. As Father Harold Paulsen said, “You don’t go to prison for jaywalking. They’re in prison for a reason. They’ve killed or stolen, they’ve hurt people, they’ve sold drugs or been involved with gangs. They’ve done some really bad things.”

Even so, Christ has neither forgotten nor abandoned them. And, said Father Edelen, “if we follow Christ, neither can we.

We have to show them the love of God, and we have to show them what that love means.

Jesus didn’t back off from the lepers in his day.

I don’t think we can back off from them today.”

He laments the fact that too many Catholics have backed off from them, that the Catholic presence in prison ministry is chronically thin. Protestants, he said, are “everywhere” in the Texas prison system, with prayer groups and ministry teams and budgets that provide for a constant flow of Bibles and other books.

“Where are the Catholics in this?”

Father Edelen asked. “Why aren’t we doing

more?” He swept an arm around his office, where the Bibles and reading materials he provides occupy a much smaller space than those of his Protestant colleagues. “We are the Catholic Church. We have been teaching the faith for 2,000 years. So why are there always fewer Catholic books in prison libraries?

Why aren’t we sending more materials than the Protestants? There are Catholics in these prisons, our brothers and sisters in faith. Why don’t we have teams of people coming in to minister to them?”

Just outside the walls of the Hodge Unit stands a small blue house, a place of hospitality where families of inmates can come

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“I will train anybody.”

-Pete Mendolia

“I will train anybody,” he said. “I will provide whatever materials and help you need. I will make sure you get whatever you need to do this ministry. If you feel called to this, if you think you might be called to 18

These

“prisoners are

beloved of the

most high

god.

IF he loves them

Shouldn’t I?

“

and be tended to themselves. The house was built and is maintained by Baptists.

“Why can’t we Catholics do something like that?” Father Edelen asked. “We’re commanded by the same Christ as the Baptists to care for his brothers and sisters in prison, to visit him in prison. So where are we?”

Pete Mendolia, a parishioner of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception who volunteers at the Smith County Jail, wonders the same thing. He visits inmates weekly, alternating between the central jail facility downtown and the low-risk facility outside of town. As far as he knows, he said, the Catholic jail volunteer ministry consists of himself and Rita Birckbichler, who visits the female inmates.

“Thank God for Rita,” he said.

But the two of them aren’t enough, he said. And Smith County isn’t the only jail in the diocese. “We have 33 counties in this diocese, which means we have 33 county jails,” said Mendolia. “Not every jail is going to have the same number of inmates as Smith or Gregg Counties, but every jail’s going to have someone. And whether you’ve got 4 or 400, the numbers don’t matter. What matters is that these people are still members of the family of God, and they need to be ministered to.”

Jail ministry is different from prison ministry in that the rules are set by the counties, and every county is different. What applies in Smith County may not be the case in Delta County. But the need is the same.

“I have a desire to see – God has a desire to see – this particular ministry, ministry to jails, built up throughout the diocese,” Mendolia said. “We have 33 county jails in this diocese, and to my knowledge we are represented in only a few. We need more people. We need ministry teams, just like the Protestants have. I’d like to recruit people in each county, people who are willing to minister to the jail populations on a regular basis.

I know they’re out there. I know, right now, there’s somebody out there thinking, ‘What can I do, how can I help?’”

If you are one of those people, Mendolia has an answer for you.

Shouldn’t you?

-Father Tom edelen

this, come to me and I will help you in any way that I can, because we as the Catholic Church, as the Body of Christ, need to be inside those jails, spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who need it most.”

It is, to him, nothing less than a spiritual imperative. “The corporal works of mercy are a bridge to the spiritual works.

It’s fundamental to the Christian life. Every Christian should in some way, shape or form be involved in some type of corporal work, which will then enhance the spiritual life.

“I know it’s a trite phrase,” he said, “but in the faces of some of these inmates, I have honest to God seen the face of Christ.

And someday I will see the face of Jesus, and nothing would please me more than to hear those treasured words, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Welcome to my kingdom.’”

It’s not easy, he admits. County jails “are nasty. They’re dirty, they smell, they’re hot in the summer and cold in the winter, and there are places in them you just do not want to go. But you have to. I have to. I am compelled by the Christ who loves me and who died for my sins to go into the jails and carry his love and message of salvation to them. Because he died for them, too. In Matthew 25, he asks, ‘Where were you? When I was in prison and needed you to come visit me, where were you? Why weren’t you there?’

“Well?” Mendolia asks now. “Christ is still in jail. So why aren’t we there?”

Matthew 25 is cited frequently by advocates for the poor and the homeless as their directive from Christ himself to care for “the least of these.” But it also provides the marching orders for prison ministers, who say there is no one more “least” than inmates.

“In a diocese, every group in the church pretty much has a representative at the table,” said Tom Cussen, also a cathedral parishioner and a volunteer chaplain at the Michael Unit near Palestine. “Every group has a voice, except for prison ministry. The prisoner isn’t sitting there. He doesn’t have access to that table. In any diocese, within any church, the orphan child is usually prison ministry. It’s not sexy, it’s not fancy, it’s not flamboyant, and it serves a group of people most of us would rather just forget about.”

But Christ commands otherwise, he said. “Jesus didn’t give many concrete instructions on what it meant to serve the serve the church and to serve the Body of Christ. But in Matthew 25, he told us explicitly to feed the hungry, clothe the naked,

and visit those in prison, so it must have been pretty important to him.”

“I’m ministering to people who are broken and who need healing.”

-tom cussen

Cussen is a retired physician who has been volunteering in prisons since 2003.

“I find that there’s not a lot of difference between what I was doing while treating patients and what I’m doing now,” he said. “I’m ministering to people who are broken and who need healing. Jesus died on the cross for the inmate just as he did for everyone else.

I love the Scripture where he says, ‘I desire that none be lost.’ That’s profound. ‘I desire that none be lost.’

“Men come to the sacraments with a great hope,” he said. “They’ve tried everything else, they’ve experienced everything else. And for those who can step out of the criminal life long enough, this message of reconciliation and communion is a clarion call that Christ has more for them than anything they’ve ever experienced. And that’s powerful.”

Prisons are hard places. They are places of concrete, metal and stark light.

Every moment of every day is strictly regulated and precisely regimented, and every prisoner’s every movement is closely monitored. Violence is a way of life, and the souls consigned to that world suffer often brutal and dehumanizing treatment.

But it is also a world where faith, if the seeds are planted and carefully nurtured, can thrive.

“Right now, we have at Michael four offenders who are trained and certified catechists,” said Cussen. “They’re working as facilitators and catechists to the unit.

And that’s taking place in a number of units, where offenders are teaching the courses.

There’s a very dedicated percentage of offenders that take mission as seriously as conversion. They’re serving a life sentence, or a very long sentence, but they can serve the Body of Christ in prison. They want to be part of the diocese, and this is how they’re choosing to do it.”

Father Edelen has led a number of ACTS and Kolbe retreats in the prisons where he’s ministered, and he has witnessed their power over broken men embraced by God.

“I have seen big, bad, dangerous men fall to their knees and cry,” he said, tears

glistening in his eyes and emotion thickening his voice. “I have seen them minister to each other. I have seen hard men serving long or even life sentences for violent crimes transformed by the mercy of the God who loves them and the love of Jesus Christ who died for them. So many of these men never knew what it was to be loved. Some of them have never been hugged. Then, in here, Christ comes to them, opens his arms to them and tells them he loves them, and it changes them. Opening their hearts to him changes them. I’ve got three Oblates of St. Benedict here, because those men embraced their faith and wanted to take it further.”

But the seeds have to be sown.

Even if the ground is rocky or barren and the soil thin, even if the “soil” is a concrete prison floor, if the seed of faith is dropped and nurtured, it can grow.

Father Paulsen, perhaps the dean of prison ministry in the Diocese of Tyler, knows. Now 84, he has been forced by poor health to retire from the ministry he loves.

He has spent more than 25 years going behind the walls, the wire and the bars, has

given his time, his heart and his health to bring the love and hope of Christ to those who have no other hope, who have known no other love, and he has seen what it can do.

“I’ve had inmates who took their faith seriously,” he said. “I’ve seen bad men in their cell, with headphones on, praying the Divine Office. I’ve seen men decide they don’t ever want to be in prison again and turn their lives around. I’ve seen men who started coming to Mass just because it was something different to do, but who kept coming because they decided they wanted the sacraments.

“There was this one guy,” Father Paulsen recalled. “He was born Catholic, but his mother got very bitter at the church – she’d been married something like four times – and decided she didn’t want any part of it. That’s how people are, isn’t it?” he laughed. “They do something wrong and then get mad at the church for calling them on it.

“Anyway, this guy was in ad seg (administrative segregation, or solitary confinement), and one of the guys a few cells

Pete mendolia

19

down was getting out. Now, when someone gets out of ag seg, they can only take with them what they can carry. Everything else is thrown out into the run, or the hall, and swept away like garbage. These are their treasures, but they can’t take it all. So it gets thrown away.

“But inmates are very creative,” he said, chuckling. “So my guy had made a pole out of rolled-up magazine pages. They roll them up very tightly and glue them to make them strong. He saw a book in the pile, a nicely bound book, and was curious. So he took his pole and fished it out of the pile and into his cell. And he read it. He read it twice. And one day he asked for me. When I got there, he said it was the most wonderful book he’d ever read, and he started asking me about it.” He paused for a beat, then smiled.

“That book was the catechism.”

The ministers are under no illusions that their efforts will pay off with every offender. Just as with those in the “free world,” not every inmate will stay true to his faith.

Not every offender who gets out of prison will stay out. But every one, say those who minister to them, every one deserves the chance, the gift and the grace that only Christ can offer.

“No one should be without hope,” said Father Paulsen, 84 years old, frail, and

father harold paulsen

holding onto his own hope that he might one day recover enough to go back among his flock behind bars. “And our hope is in Christ. So we give them Christ. We give them the cross. Everything flows from the cross, and the cross is available to everybody.

You don’t get shut out because you don’t have mercy. You do. God’s mercy is available to everyone. You just have to ask for it. My job is to get these people to the point where they ask, where they realize that their only hope is in Christ. But to get there, they have to know the love and concern of the church.”

Father Paulsen was one of this year’s recipients of the Bishop Charles E. Herzig Humanitarian Award for his years of showing that love and concern. He was nominated for the award by an inmate, who wrote:

“I cannot imagine the countless lives that Father Paulsen has touched and the souls that he has saved (mine included) throughout the years of work in prison ministry. He is driven to help prisoners, ex-convicts, parolees and their families who have been enslaved by sin (crime) to live in hope and enjoy the only true freedom possible to anyone, which is found in the way of life offered by God in Jesus Christ.”

The words are a testament to the vital importance of prison ministry, to the work done by those who give up their time and venture behind the walls. To the work of those who do not shy away from embracing the lepers.

“God has called me to this work,” said Father Paulsen, his words echoed

by Father Edelen, Pete Mendolia and Tom Cussen, and others across the diocese doing what they can to follow the imperative laid out so clearly in Matthew 25. “What are we supposed to do? What would Christ do?

The popes? We’ve seen Pope Francis washing the feet of inmates. When Pope John Paul II was shot and almost killed, he went to the prison to embrace and forgive the man who shot him. We have the words of Christ and the example of popes.

“What more do we need?” q To contact Pete Mendolia about jail ministry, call him at 903-539-3279 or email pmendolia@gmail.com. To contact Father Tom Edelen, email Thomas.

Edelen@tdcj.texas.gov. To inquire about prison ministry in general, contact Msgr.

Zach Kunnakkattuthara, coordinator of ministry to the incarcerated, at msgrzach2015@gmail.com.

Mercy to the imprisoned is a basic call of the Gospel explicitly mentioned as a work of mercy. When we care for the imprisoned it reminds us that we are all vulnerable to the ravages of sin.

These men and women are sinners just like the rest of us. The distinction is that their sins bear social consequences.

The reality is that many of these men and women are much more “right with God” than many of us moving freely in society. If they have truly repented and turned from their sins, they can be “incarcerated saints” and can offer up their temporal punishment for the good of the human family.

They can be a reminder that we all rely on God’s mercy and are called to repentance.

Yes, they have committed crimes, at times heinous crimes, but they remain children of God. Punishment is a just consequence of their crimes, and the incarcerated are called to endure their just punishment bravely. Committing a crime does not exclude the individual from God’s love and mercy, but becomes a personal element of that person’s call to repentance. Those who minister to the incarcerated can share many stories of profound conversion that can inspire all of us as the weak sinners we are.

The priests, deacons, religious and laity who minister to the imprisoned offer us a beautiful example of a Gospelcentered life. There is always the tendency to want to exclude or ignore the imprisoned because they are uncomfortable reminders that “there but for the grace of God go I.” The courageous among us who devote their time and talent to the imprisoned are often forgotten and ignored in a way similar to the sons and daughters of God they minister to. They shine a light on the responsibility we all bear.

Blessed are the merciful for they shall be shown mercy. It simply comes down to reality. We are all sinners. We all fail to live God’s call of love in various ways. When we show mercy to another we reaffirm that we are deserving of mercy for ourselves. All of us have experienced the relief and peace that flows into our hearts when we are able to forgive and show mercy. Holding anger, bitterness and hatred in our hearts ultimately becomes a poison for our own lives no matter how righteous the anger may be. Our Lord from the cross gives us the ultimate model, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

-Bishop Joseph Strickland

THE ANGEL COLLECTION

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d e s ig n s p r o te c t e d b y c o p yr ig h t, © te m p l e s t. c l a ir

ART

Thou Art Pottery overflows with saints and angels. In the little art studio tucked away in Texarkana, lumps of clay wait to be given their chance to praise the Lord. “I want to make beautiful things that are also an invitation to pray,” says Nina Cork, the artist behind it all. While we speak, a smiling angel offering incense peeks over her shoulder, St. Joseph looks on benevolently from a painting in progress, and saints and angels pray and shout from every shelf and table.

“I want my art to be Catholic.

There was a time when my art didn’t have a direction, but after a dream one night, I knew my art had to reflect my Catholic spirituality. When people see what I have made, they should know it was a Catholic artist just through the imagery.” Mission accomplished, it seems.

In addition to being a painter, sculptor, and potter, Nina is also an artrestorer. If you go into Sacred Heart Church in Texarkana, you can see her work everywhere. “Every statue, every relief in that parish, spent time in my studio being restored.”

“Although I work in many different media, my first love is clay – anything that can be made from clay.” Nina studied ceramics under master YihWen Kuo, and her work is diverse. At the moment, she is sculpting a series of angels based upon Catholic ritual actions. “I think we need to understand the importance of ritual in our Catholic faith, and this series celebrates ritual.” The first angel in the series bears a thurible (incense-burner) and later additions will bear torches and model other ritual actions.

Is good for the

SOUL

22

A lot of time and effort is spent at the pottery wheel. “I make a lot of prayer jars and rosary mugs.” The mugs have a decade of the Rosary sculpted into them. “If someone can sit with their morning cup of coffee and be reminded to pray, that is a success. It’s another invitation to pray.”

The prayer jars offer a visual reminder of prayer intentions.

“If you write down something or someone you need to pray for and put it in the jar, you’ll be reminded each time you see the jar. It helps us to keep our promises to pray for people.”

The prayer jars have proven a popular piece of art, and jar number 500 recently came out of the studio. She also sculpts bas-reliefs and paints with a variety of techniques. Her work is available at www.thouartpottery.com where you can view a gallery of her pieces.q CET Online - A video interview with Nina Cork is available at:

cetmag.org/ninacork

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The works of

Mercy

by Father Jesudoss Thomas, STL

“It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.” - Pope Francis A Year to Give and Receive Mercy

During the “Jubilee Year of Mercy,” the Holy Father Pope Francis invites everyone to experience God’s love and mercy personally as well as in community, and he exhorts and inspires us by his own example to become instruments of divine mercy. In his Misericordiae Vultus, he says, “It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty. And let us enter more deeply into the heart of the Gospel where the poor have a special experience of God’s mercy. Jesus introduces us to these works of mercy in his preaching so that we can know whether or not we are living as his disciples.”

“Let us rediscover these corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. And let us not forget the spiritual works of mercy: to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently those who do us ill, and pray for the living and the dead.” (Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, #15) Let us then, considering the call of Pope Francis, learn about the importance of works of mercy, and consider some practical ways of exercising them in our life for the 24

good of our neighbor, for the glory of God, and for our own holiness.

Mercy, Justice, and Virtue

Justice and mercy are the two wings of charity. Hence, these three virtues are inseparable. Charity, or love, is an act of self-giving. God’s love is fully manifested in the sending of his only begotten Son ( John 3:16), and Christ’s love is revealed in his death for our salvation. For he said, “There is no greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” ( John 15:12, 13) St. Augustine defines mercy as, “heartfelt sympathy for another’s distress, impelling us to succor him if we can.” St. Aquinas defines justice as, “a habit whereby a man renders to each one his due by a constant and perpetual will.” According to him, mercy could be understood in two ways. First, as passion: mercy stirs one’s sorrow for another’s suffering.

But mercy is also guided by reason; it moves one’s soul to alleviate the suffering of another. Mercy, according to him is a virtue, which does not destroy justice but in a way fulfills justice. For he writes, “Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution ... and justice without mercy is cruelty.” Again in the letter of St. James, we read, “For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” ( James 2:13) Therefore, these three, love, justice and mercy, are virtues for excellence, and they are inseparably united with each other. Those

who practice works of mercy will excel in these three virtues as well.

Wo rk s of mercy are virtuous acts. But, what makes an act virtuous? St. Aquinas states that in order for an act to be virtuous, “it should be done knowingly, by choice and not by compulsion, for a due end, and constantly.” Hence, it is important to remember that works of charity, justice, and mercy will bear much fruit when they are done willingly, freely, constantly, joyfully, and for the glory of God and the good of our neighbors.

The Greatest Commandment

Why are the works of mercy important? First, they are biblical principles taught

by God. He demands us to be just, charitable, and merciful to others. When a scholar of the law tested Jesus by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He replied, quoting two scripture passages: Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The Good Samaritan Francesco Bassano (1549-1592) The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:34-40) Again, in the parables of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37); the Rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31); and the Goats and Sheep – the final judgment of the nations (Matt 25:31-46) – Jesus discusses the meaning of neighborly love.

Mercy and the Eucharist

Secondly, the Eucharistic Food empowers us and impels us to love God and our neighbor. For, at the Last Supper, while establishing a new covenant, Jesus commanded his apostles saying, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” ( John 13:34) Many of the saints like Francis of Assisi, Damian the Leper, Maximillian Kolbe, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta witness that their love for the poor and needy flowed from the love for the Eucharist. In fact, Mother Teresa speaks of the twofold

real presence of Christ: first in the Eucharist and second in the poorest of the poor.

Pope Francis said in an address to seminarians, “Encountering Christ is done by reaching out to our ‘wounded brothers’ in works of mercy. We find Jesus’ wounds in carrying out the works of mercy, giving to the body – the body – and also to the soul, but the body, I stress, of your wounded brother.” ( July 3, 2013)

Blessed are the Merciful

Thirdly, the works of mercy bring us closer to Christ and our neighbors. Through works of mercy, we not only experience God’s merciful love and justice, but we are also called to “do likewise.” In the Beatitudes, he teaches, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matt 5:7) Again, he taught us to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

(Matt 6:11) At the last Judgment day, everyone will be judged according to the acts of mercy they have done. For, on that day the king will say, “Amen, I say to you, whatever

you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me. ... What you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.” (Matt 25:40, 45)

The Least

Fourthly, Jesus identifies himself in the poor and the needy. For he says, “I was hungry, thirsty, naked, homeless, sick, in prison, and you ministered to me... Whenever you did this to the least of the poor you have done to me.” St. Paul says it so well, “The work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work.” (1Cor 3:13) What we do to the poor and the needy we do to God himself.

Pope Francis challenges us to enter through a narrow path by saying, “Focusing only on penance – mortification, austerity, fasting – is not a safe means to meet Christ... the narrow path to meet Christ is through his wounds, found in his wounded brethren.” ( July 3, 2013) Surely, the “works of mercy” is not only a narrow path, but it is a sure and 25

virtuous path which leads us to Jesus. So, let us consider how we can practice them in our daily life. Works of mercy enable us to combat social, moral, and spiritual evils. He who practices them puts on the armor of God in defense of the poor and the needy.

Corporal and Spiritual

The works of mercy are traditionally divided into two parts, the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Because the works of mercy are aimed at relieving human suffering, we recognize that we can suffer in our body and in our soul, and these different kinds of suffering require different kinds of help.

for the poor and homebound. Participate in the Meals on Wheels program. Stop wasting food and water! Greed, gluttony, and wastefulness are serious sins. Educate yourself about world hunger and water-well projects that provide clean water to the poor. Recently, a priest from Nigeria came for a mission appeal and requested help, to provide clean water supply in his poor diocese. He stated that a $3000 donation would provide water for an entire village. I was amazed to see the generosity of my parishioners. It is true, our hearts are willing to help, but often times we do not know how. Hopefully some of these suggestions will inspire your heart to reach out to those in need.

Clothe the Naked

The Corporal Works of

Mercy: Feed the Hungry Give Drink to the Thirsty

Food and drink are the basic human needs. The World Hunger Fact Statistics of 2015 shows that there are one billion poor people in the world, who live at the cost of $1.25 per day. There are 800 million hungry people. Jesus calls us to feed the hungry and give water to the thirsty. How can we help them? Here are some simple ways: Donate and volunteer to support those organizations or agencies (for example: food pantries, soup kitchens, Catholic Charities, and St. Vincent de Paul Society) in your area that feed the hungry. Adopt a poor child in your neighborhood and provide some food regularly for a few months. Buy some groceries

26

Actual nakedness is not a major problem of our times, but dressing with modesty is a huge problem. Modesty is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Whereas immodesty in dress, behavior, and talk are some symptoms of the degeneration of human dignity, morality, and spirituality in our society. It is also a major cause of sexual sins. Clothing industries produce immodest dress in the name of fashion. Hence, it is important that we educate ourselves and our children to dress with dignity and modesty.

Also, the poor may often lack adequate clothing for cold weather or for work or school. This is a form of nakedness. Check your closets for clothes that you no longer use and take them to a Goodwill Store or thrift store in your area. To buy and give decent clothes to the poor, especially children, is truly to live out this work of mercy.

When thinking about clothing, let us remember to be thankful for what we have.

Be conscious of dressing well for Church and try not to be a cause of temptation to

others.

Shelter the Homeless

The Holy Family of Nazareth became homeless at the time of our Savior’s birth and were immigrants in Egypt for a while. The Son of Man had no place to rest his head.

(Luke 2:7) Homelessness is another major problem around the world. Statistics from January 2014 shows that there were 578,424 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the USA. Major reasons for homelessness are due to cost increase in housing, loss of job, lack of income, unforeseen financial crisis, crisis in the families, medical emergencies, and loss of property or rental houses due to high debts, migration, and natural disasters. Some young people experience short-term homelessness due to drugs, family conflicts, abuse, and divorce.

Usually, homeless families recover from homelessness quickly. However, they require timely assistance to pay the rent, job assistance, and short-term accommodation.

Other ways to alleviate homelessness are: supporting Habitat for Humanity, donating to Catholic Charities in our diocese, or joining with local organizations that support the homeless people. You can also sign up with the local motels and inns (for example: Super 8, Motel 6, Budget Inn, La Quinta Inn, and Holiday Inn) and get discount prices to assist homeless people. You can become the voice of the voiceless by lobbying government agencies and political leaders into action on homelessness in your county.

Visit the Sick and Imprisoned

Ministering to the sick cultivates virtues of compassion, patience, hope, and forbearance. Periodically visit the homebound, those in the hospitals, nursing homes, hospice centers, and senior living facilities. Find out if your fellow parishioners are living in isolation, depression or in need of some help.

Perhaps they have been forgotten, so check on them periodically. Your visit, a phone call, an appreciation card, or a get-well card could bring hope and a smile to their faces. Volunteer to drive patients to the hospitals. Assist an elderly couple who live alone, or those who care for Alzheimer patients at home.

Join the Ladies Guild or Knights of Columbus or the choir who go to nursing homes for sing-alongs.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), 2,220,300 adults were incarcerated in U.S. federal and state prisons and county jails in 2013. This shows not only the great need for the prison ministry, but also the need for preventing crimes. Our families,

churches, schools, social workers, and political leaders need to be proactive in preventing crimes at all levels. Praying for the conversion of the incarcerated is a noble thing to do.

If you know someone in prison, take time to visit him/her. If your church is involved in the prison ministry, find out how you can assist them. Provide the Bible or spiritual materials to the incarcerated if you can bear the cost of such materials. Save your pennies and nickels to donate to the prison ministry and rehabilitation programs.

Bury the Dead

Burying the dead is more than a virtue of charity. It is an obligation of family members to arrange for a dignified burial for a departed member of their family. It is painful to see that sometimes Catholic members fail to fulfill their obligation of giving a Christian funeral service to their departed loved ones because of inter-faith marriages. This beautiful advice of Tobiah to his son Tobit is very much needed for our time: “My son, when I die, give me a decent burial. Honor your mother, and do not abandon her as long as she lives. Do whatever pleases her, and do not grieve her spirit in any way. Remember, my son, that she went through many trials for your sake while you were in her womb.

And when she dies, bury her in the same grave with me.” (Tobit 4:3-4) Be generous and attend the visitations, wakes, and funeral services. Participate in the bereavement ministry. Take relatives and friends to visit the cemetery and help them in their grieving process. Offer the Mass for the departed souls and send Mass cards to those who grieve in your parish community.

The Spiritual Works of

Mercy: Admonish the Sinner

Fraternal correction belongs to the virtue of charity. It should be done with compassion, respect, courage, and with the intention of saving a soul, not with the attitude of self-righteousness. We are called to speak the truth in love. Jesus offers practical ways of correcting one’s neighbor: first talk to him/her privately; secondly, take one or two friends with you; thirdly, seek the help of the Church. (Matthew 18:15-18) Admonishing those who err is not an easy task, yet it is an obligation of those in authority. God will hold us responsible if we fail in that obligation. (Ezekiel 33:7-8) St. James says, “Who-

ever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” ( James 5:20) One of the major reasons for proliferation of sin in our society is “good people do nothing to correct the bad people.” Prevention is better than cure. When we do not correct the little mistakes of our children, family members, and friends they can lead to big mistakes.

So teach and admonish your neighbor with love and compassion. Be courageous and say: abortion is wrong, gay “marriages” are ungodly, abuse of children is a serious sin against God and society, and forcing someone to act against their moral conscience is sinful. Certainly, when you speak out these truths you will be branded a hypocrite, a hateful person, and a bigot. But remember, salvation of souls is far more important than social stigma. Before correcting someone, pray that God will help you find the right words to say. Never be afraid to speak the truth in love.

Instruct the Ignorant

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children,” (2223) and “through the grace of matrimony, they receive the responsibility and privilege of evangelizing their children.” (2225) Christ calls every baptized person to exercise the threefold function of priest, prophet, and king. This task is accomplished primarily by being active disciples of Christ according to one’s vocation in life. Discipleship consists of: learning and sharing our faith, witnessing to it by our life, forming a Christian moral conscience, and carrying our daily cross. St. Peter says, “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence.” (1 Pet 3:15) We can share our faith by volunteering for CCD classes, distributing the Catholic devotionals, CDs (Marian Foundation offers CDs on many topics), and Catholic literature to others, organizing study groups about current social and moral issues, or attending adult faith formation or Bible studies.

Learning our faith helps us “not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Rom 12:2) In the book of Daniel we read, “They that instruct many unto justice shall shine as stars for all eternity.”(Daniel 12:3)

Counsel the Doubtful

Counsel is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. In our times, there are numerous professional counselors who are special-

ized in various fields, but spiritual counseling is a tremendous gift which benefits the salvation of souls. People often are quick to advise others, but without listening to the Holy Spirit in their own life. There is an incredible need for counseling. You can become a counselor with proper training, which includes: faithfulness in prayer life, reading and meditating the scriptures (lectio divina), seeking spiritual direction from a trained spiritual director, and accomplishing a course in spiritual direction. Counseling certainly involves a great deal of listening. A person who cannot listen to himself (one’s own inner movements, thoughts, inspirations), and God who speaks through the scriptures, and his church (Tradition), and to others cannot be a good counselor.

Comfort the Sorrowful

Comforting the sorrowful is one of the human virtues. Sorrow and pain are both caused by the presence of certain evils. Although both are forms of suffering, they differ in that pain is due to the presence of a physical evil such as sickness, and injuries in the body, while sorrow is due to distress, worry, concern, and grief, which affect the mind and soul more than the body. Jesus says, “Blessed are the sorrowful, for they shall be comforted.”

How can we comfort someone in deep sorrow or grief ? Be patient with them; listen to them. Try to understand the reasons for their sorrow but do not rationalize their sorrow. Speak encouraging words filled with hope. Pray with them; let them know that you really care for them.

Spend time with those who suffer from deep depression and help them to pass through that tunnel of darkness and despair. To comfort the sorrowful is a work of mercy, similar to curing the sick, since grief is a mental and emotional ailment.

Forgive Offenses

Bearing wrongs patiently and forgiving offenses: These two are difficult virtues to practice. However, Jesus teaches, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28) If patience, forbearance, and forgiveness are practiced by everyone, there would be less crime and more peace in the world. As Saint Paul says, we must “put to death, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed that is idolatry,.... and anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of our mouths.” (Col 2: 5-8) How can you be patient with those who 27

May his words inspire us: “Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one Body.

And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col 3:12-17) q

get on your nerves? Once, I saw a sign in a kitchen: “I have one nerve left, and you are on it.” Yes, often we have that kind of feeling. When your husband, wife, or children, a fellow parishioner, or co-worker irritates or provokes you to anger, what do you do? Here are some simple tips: a) bite your tongue, and feel the pain for a moment; b) keep your favorite saint’s medal or crucifix in your pocket and hold it tightly; c) be calm and listen to the person; d) do not raise your voice; e) pray every day before you start your work; f ) be humble to ask forgiveness from others if you have provoked them to anger; g) be quick to forgive.

Pray for the Living and Dead

Praying for the living and the dead is another charitable thing to do. St Paul invites us, “We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, and be patient with all. See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good both for each other and for all. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Thes 5:14-18) Praying for the living is not only a charity but an obligation. As Jesus and our Blessed Mother intercede for us, we should intercede for others as well. Prayers of intercession rise before God like incense. We must pray for our parents, those in authority over us, and friends and family. We should pray for the conversion of sinners, and those who are being oppressed and abused in various ways.

Praying for the dead is above all a noble thing to do, because they have no one to pray for them. We should pray for the departed souls, because we do not know if they are in need of purification for their sins or not. Praying for others is a blessing because it unites us with God and others.

The Path to Heaven

Finally, “Works of Mercy” is the narrow and surest path to heaven. These practices make you a “living Christ” to others. Therefore, strive to enter through this narrow gate daily. Let me conclude this article with the beautiful words of St. Paul to the Colossians.

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Fr. Jesudoss Thomas was born in India, in 1964. He received his entire priestly formation under the Salesians of Don Bosco. In 1993, he was ordained as priest for the Diocese of Vellore, India, where he served in various capacities: as parochial vicar, minor seminary vice rector, bishop’s secretary, minor seminary rector, and pastor of Our Lady of Good Health.

Fr. Jesudoss came to the Diocese of Tyler in June 2001. Since his arrival to the diocese, he has held various responsibilities: as parochial vicar (Mount Pleasant), pastor (Gilmer), campus minister (SFA Nacogdoches), vocation director of Tyler, pastor (Longview), and currently, he is serving as the pastor of St. William of Vercelli, Carthage. Fr. Jesudoss holds a Master of Arts, Master of Education, and Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) which he acquired at the Dominican House of Studies, Washington D.C.

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Canon Law, the oldest continuously functioning legal system in the western world, is the internal legal system of the Catholic Church. It began with the first rules (canons) adopted by the Apostles of Jesus at the Council of Jerusalem. It has grown over almost 2,000 years into the complete system of law that governs the members and activities of the Catholic Church.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis has announced an extraordinary jubilee, a Holy Year of Mercy, to highlight the Catholic Church’s “mission to be a witness of mercy.”

The mission of the Church to bear witness to the mercy of God is an extension of the mission of Jesus whose incarnation was itself an act of mercy towards sinful man. As St. John Paul II wrote many years ago, “It is ‘God, who is rich in mercy’ (Eph. 2:4) whom Jesus Christ has revealed to us as Father” (Dives in Misericordia, 1) and “revelation and faith teach us not only to meditate in the abstract upon the mystery of God as ‘Father of mercies,’ but also to have recourse to that mercy in the name of Christ and in union with Him.” (Dives, 2) For this reason the Church bears witness to the abundant mercy of God preeminently in the celebration of the sacraments in which we encounter Christ himself – the mercy of God made flesh. This is particularly true in the sacrament of reconciliation in which absolution extends the merciful forgiveness of sin and sets us free. The Church witnesses to God’s mercy in other ways, too. Think, for example, of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. But perhaps a more easily overlooked

CANON A Witness to witness to mercy is found in the Church’s system of canon law. Yes, that’s right. Even the Church’s law is saturated with the mercy of God. This is true despite the fact that the word “mercy” appears only twice in the Code of Canon Law:

Canon

676.

Lay

institutes,

whether of men or of women, participate in the pastoral function of the Church through spiritual and corporal works of mercy and offer the most diverse services to people.

Canon 978, §1. In hearing confessions the priest is to remember that he is equally a judge and a physician and has been established by God as a minister of divine justice and mercy, so that he has regard for the divine honor and the salvation of souls.

Pope Saint John Paul II signs the document promulgating the latest revision of the Code of Canon Law in 1983. The future Pope Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, looks on. The Code of Canon Law is periodically revised by the Church.

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Beyond these explicit references is an underlying merciful disposition permeating the entire Code of Canon Law. The final can-

by Father Anthony McLaughlin, JCD

LAW Mercy on of the Code (Canon 1752) expresses the ultimate goal of the Church’s legal system: salus animarum suprema lex (the supreme law of the Church is the salvation of souls). All of the church’s legal norms are aimed at fostering, furthering, and nourishing the salutary bond of charity with Christ, Head and Body, that is at the heart of ecclesiastical communion. This goal to save souls by fostering unity and love is reflected in the laws pertaining to the relationship between the Roman Pontiff and bishops, between bishops and their clergy and diocese, between pastors and their parishes, between members of religious institutes, between members of associations of the Christian Faithful, between spouses and families, between academic faculties and their students, and yes even between litigants in contentious judicial trials.

The sixth book of the Code of Canon Law pertains to penal law, that is, norms to penalize those who by their free and volitional actions damage the ecclesiastical communion Christ wills for his disciples. Penal law may not seem very merciful at first glance but a closer look reveals a heavy emphasis

on mercy as the first course of action over punishment. Canon 1323 eliminates anyone under 16 years old from being penalized at all, as well as anyone who lacked full freedom in committing an offense. Canon 1324 requires penalties to be tempered or even replaced with a penance when the offense is committed volitionally but in mitigating circumstances (e.g., when the perpetrator is 16 but has not yet reached the age of majority). The penalties of excommunication, interdict, and suspension (applicable to clerics only) are called “medicinal penalties” insofar as they are aimed at healing the breach of ecclesial communion and the restoration of the offender to that communion of charity.

As soon as anyone recants from the offense that required the penalty, the penalty immediately ceases. In other words, there are no vindictive penalties for the purpose of inflicting punishment for its own sake. This legal posture toward mercy is expressed well in the very first canon in the penal law section of the 1990 Code of Canon Law for the Eastern Churches: Canon 1401 - Since God employs every means to bring back the erring sheep, those who have received from Him the power of loosing and binding, are to treat appropriately the illness of those who have committed offenses, by correcting, reproving, appealing, constantly teaching and never losing patience, and are even to impose penalties in order to ensure that the wounds inflicted by the offense may receive a cure and to preclude the offender from being given to dissoluteness of life and contempt of the law.

Here canon law likens offenses to illness and calls upon the Church not to impose penalties to teach a lesson but to find “a cure” for “wounds.” All these examples serve to dismantle the false dichotomy between law and mercy. The Church’s canon law is in service to justice, love, and ultimately salvation. But salvation is possible only in divine forgiveness (“Lord, if you should count our iniquities, who could stand?” [Psalm 130:3]).

The Church’s law is therefore ordered to mercy. This means that a faithful and accurate application of the Church’s law will be tempered according to the principle of “ca-

nonical equity,” articulated in canon 19: Canon 19 - If a custom or an express prescript of universal or particular law is lacking in a certain matter, a case, unless it is penal, must be resolved in light of laws issued in similar matters, general principles of law applied with canonical equity, the jurisprudence and practice of the Roman Curia, and the common and constant opinion of learned persons.

This general principle of canon law requires that the application of the Church’s legal norms should be rigorous but never rigorist, i.e., exalting the law over love, mercy, and compassion. To do this is to miss the forest for the trees. Rather a true application of canon law will always take into consideration the circumstances of each particular situation. This is why the Code of Canon Law allows for dispensations (canon 85), or instances when a competent ecclesiastical authority relaxes merely ecclesiastical law in particular circumstances when an insistence on the law would not be the most expedient path to justice.

Recall that Jesus reserved his most severe critique for the Pharisees, the so-called “experts in the law,” not because they were legal experts but because they had forgotten that the law was not an end to itself but only a means. Christ came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Mt 5:17). And how did he fulfill it? He did so by manifesting divine mercy to man so that we may taste of divine love. Canon law is a servant of mercy. As the body of law that gives structure to the body of Christ’s Bride, the Church, canon law is a witness to the Church’s mission to be a merciful presence in the world, to be compassionate to the human condition and to enable us to live as a more just and clement community of faith. q Father Anthony McLaughlin, JCD, serves as vicar general for the Diocese of Tyler and pastor of Mary Queen of Heaven Parish in Malakoff. He holds a doctorate in Canon Law from the Catholic University of America. He has previously served as rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and a professor of Canon Law and director of the Institute on Matrimonial Tribunal Practice at CUA. 31

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Second in our series - The Holy Places. Exploring the churches of the Diocese of Tyler.

It’s 3 p.m. on Sunday at Venerable Antonio Margil Mission in Alto. Time for religious education. Five separate groups of youngsters are meeting today, like every Sunday, with their five different leaders teaching them the faith...all in the same room. Everything at the mission, you see, takes place in the church, because that is all they have. There are no classrooms, no hall, no meeting rooms, no kitchen - they don’t even have a confessional. All of that, however, is changing, and you can help.

Priest-in-charge Father Juan Carlos Rivera

VEN. ANTONIO MARGIL

Fr. Margil

The mission was founded in 2004. Father Mark Kusmirek, priest-in-charge at the time, said, “It’s the first Mass celebrated here on a regular basis since the 1700’s.” The mission’s patron, Venerable Antonio Margil de Jesus, was a Franciscan missionary who arrived in East Texas in 1716. He and two other missionaries began a mission to the Nacogdoche, a tribe of the Caddo Confederacy, named “Our Lady of the Nacogdoches” on the site of the present-day city of Nacogdoches, as well as other missions in East Texas.

Father Margil was known for his great sanctity and self-denial.

He went everywhere barefoot, and he ate and slept little, concentrating on prayer. In 1719, he was forced to abandon his missions because of the “Chicken War” with France.

France and Spain were at war in Europe, and an overenthusiastic French lieutenant in Louisiana resolved to strike at Spanish outposts. Taking seven soldiers, he raided a Spanish mission near the Sabine River. He found only one Franciscan brother, which he attempted to take prisoner. When a chicken spooked his horse, the

lieutenant was thrown to the ground. In the confusion, the Franciscan brother escaped into the woods.

He ran to Father Margil and recounted what the French soldiers had said – that the French army would soon march on East Texas. Father Margil and the other missionaries reluctantly left their outposts and retreated to San Antonio for over a year. The French army never marched on Texas. When the Franciscans returned, they resumed their work with the tribes, and even offered the sacraments to French settlers in western Louisiana. Father Margil remained an active missionary until he died in 1726.

HIS SPIRIT

It was in the spirit of Venerable Antonio Margil that the mission was founded in 2004. Founding member Mary Germany said, “It was so badly needed. So many people here don’t have adequate transportation to go to Mass in a different town. We needed a church here in Alto.”

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The group had almost nothing to start with. Mass was said in various places, including a funeral home and even a gas station, until the mission could afford a tiny building. That building has become a beautiful house of worship and a source of intense pride to the congregation.

The church has been renovated with love and lots of hard work.

The craftsmen who did the work are the same people who worship there at Mass. Jose Refugio Cervantes installed the ceiling and renovated the sanctuary with his son. Nearly everything was made on-site. Even the stained-glass windows are local, made by Deacon David Darby in Nacogdoches. Today the chapel is a masterpiece.

Humble on the outside, it is beautifully appointed within, with per-

A much-loved nun. Sister Irene is assigned to the mission at Alto. A former scripture professor, she is busy teaching the faith at Margil Mission.

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fect tile work, polished pews, and a handcrafted altar.

The community achieved another milestone last year when Sister Irene Santiago Medina came from Puerto Rico to work in the Diocese of Tyler. A former scripture professor, Sister Irene teaches at the mission, often joined by fellow nuns from the convent of the Dominican Sisters of Fatima in Palestine.

THE NEXT STEP

The community has now moved on to the next pressing need: meeting space. Many functions at Venerable Margil Mission simply take place outside, weather permitting, as there is no other choice.

Priest-in-charge Father Rivera said, “We need classrooms. We need meeting space. We need a hall...and so we asked Venerable Antonio Margil for help.” The mission joined together in prayer for their needs, asking the heroic missionary to pray with them.

In answer, the auto-repair shop next door to the mission came up for sale. After endless fundraisers and saving every penny, with help from a few donors and the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, the mission was able to purchase the property. The building needs extensive renovations before it can be used by the church, but everyone is confident that it will be done, and done well. Everyone in the community is ready to work, again. “This is a people who are hungry for God, hungry for the faith, and they will do whatever it takes to build up this mission, “ said Father Rivera.

At 5 p.m. on this Sunday, as on every Sunday, the little church fills up to capacity for Mass. The people pray to God, in thanks for their mission, and for God’s help with the next step. A picture of Venerable Father Margil hangs in the back of the church, and he watches over his people. He knew the hard work of building missions in East Texas, and he knew frustrations and hardship. The spiritual children of Venerable Margil are moving forward with his help and in his spirit. We can be sure he’s quite proud of them.q

The Project Converting an auto garage into a parish hall and classrooms is a huge task, and the mission needs your help. There’s lots of work ahead—drywall, ceiling work, leveling and laying a floor, windows, doors, a new roof. The Venerable Antonio Margil Mission lacks the construction materials to complete the project, so donations of materials will be critical to making the space safe and suitable for classes and community life. Please consider giving materials or services, or making a donation to the mission.

For a people hungry for the faith and ready to work for it, every gift will be put to use. They need:

MATERIALS

• Sheet rock / sheet rock tape and supplies • Shingles / roofing materials • Electric wire, boxes, wiring supplies • Ceramic tile • Light fixtures • Windows • Wood paneling • PVC pipe and plumbing fixtures • Lumber 2x4 - 2x6 - 4x4 • Wood screws • Aluminum 10 feet or 12 feet • Nails • Insulation • Tables for classrooms • Chairs for classrooms

• Plumbing • Electrical / Lighting • Landscaping • Insulation Cash Donations: Funds will go directly to costs of the renovation.

To make a donation of materials or services, contact Peter Kane, Director of Development for the diocese at 903-534-1077 ext.

160. Pick up of materials can be arranged. Checks can be written to “Venerable Antonio Margil” with “Building Fund” in the Memo line, and mailed to: Diocese of Tyler Attn: Peter Kane VAM 1015 ESE Loop 323 Tyler, TX 75701 From the people of Venerable Antonio Margil Catholic Mission, THANK YOU!

SERVICES • Flooring • Roofing

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V I S I Ó N H I S PA N A

Monsigñor

Strickland

Cada diócesis debe tener un Tribunal Eclesiástico, el cual es un organismo de la Iglesia que ofrece a la comunidad eclesial el servicio de la administración de justicia. En la Iglesia, por ser también una sociedad formada por hombres y mujeres, se implementa y se cumple la justicia, pero no una justicia cualquiera, sino una justicia propia de la Iglesia, que busca dar lo suyo a las personas y a las instituciones dentro de la Iglesia y con arreglo a los fines de la misma. Los tribunales eclesiásticos buscan la justicia desde la caridad de Cristo.

Nuestra diócesis (diócesis de Tyler), fue erecta o creada el 12 de Diciembre de 1986 por el Papa San Juan Pablo II. Hoy es una de las 16 diócesis de Texas y una de las 195 en los Estados Unidos de América. Nuestra diócesis desde sus orígenes ha velado porque la justicia desde la caridad de Cristo se cumpla en los 33 condados que la constituyen. Hoy en nuestra diócesis tenemos cinco sacerdotes con título académico en derecho Canónico que trabajan para ayudar a las personas que se acercan al tribunal buscando asistencia. Actualmente estos cinco sacerdotes trabajan cuatro como jueces y uno como defensor del vínculo, es decir defendiendo la integridad del matrimonio y

velando porque la indisolubilidad del sacramento sea preservada, así como velando para los debidos procesos sean observados en los casos que el tribunal procesa. También tenemos otro sacerdote en Washington estudiando derecho canónico para que regrese a la diócesis a seguir ayudando a las personas que lo necesitan.

El tribunal de la diócesis cuenta además con dos personas que trabajan tiempo completo al servicio de aquellos que buscan ayuda.

El tribunal recibe todos los casos matrimoniales que lleguen a sus oficinas desde que se puedan procesar según la ley canónica. El personal del tribunal está siempre dispuesto a asistir a todos los que lleguen o llamen buscando apoyo.

Si usted necesita ayuda con un proceso de declaración de nulidad no tenga miedo acercarse a su párroco, quien es la persona que debe ayudarle y guiarle, o en llamar directamente al tribunal eclesiástico diocesano. Tenemos una persona que habla Español y está siempre dispuesta a ayudarle. Si usted está en una situación irregular de matrimonio y necesita ayuda verificando si su primer matrimonio fue valido o invalido por favor acérquese y pida ayuda que alguien en el tribunal está dispuesto a escucharlo y ayudarle. La razón de ser del tribunal es ayudar a todo el que necesita asistencia y una gran parte del trabajo del tribunal tiene que ver con la investigación de matrimonios.

La solución no está en alejarse de los sacramentos, escoltados en un respeto reverencial, siempre hay formas de hacerle frente a las situaciones que la vida y las decisiones anteriores nos presentan. Si necesita, no tenga miedo y busque ayuda, tal vez haya una solución para su situación particular.

Todos hemos escuchado en las últimas semanas muchas versiones sobre la Carta Apostólica en forma de Moto Proprio del Sumo Pontífice Francisco, Mitis Iudex Dominus Iusus sobre la reforma del proceso canónico para las causas de declaración de nulidad del matrimonio en el Código de Derecho Canónico. En la próxima edición se presentará un artículo en español sobre los pormenores de esta orden papal y las implicaciones para las personas que buscan ayuda en sus situaciones personales. Se puede decir que una vez más la Iglesia quiere ayudar a las personas para que puedan acercarse a los sacramentos y continuar su camino a la santidad viviendo y disfrutando de la misericordia de Cristo que se da en la Santa Madre Iglesia. q

Rompe

Ataduras

Una historia que cuentan por ahí, dice que en una ocasión, envió Dios un ángel a la tierra a cumplir con una misión. Le pidió que buscara en, la tierra, lo más bello que Él había creado. El ángel obedeciendo hizo lo que se le encomendó, bajó a la tierra y comenzó su búsqueda. Primero encontró a una madre arrullando a su bebé, la ternura con la que esta madre veía a su creatura conmovió a nuestro protagonista y regresando al cielo contó a Dios su experiencia. Dios se sonrió y le contestó con una negativa, le dijo que eso era bello pero no lo más bello. El ángel regresó a la tierra y en esta segunda vez llegó a un hospital, ahí vio a una enfermera, de esas que cuidan a los desahuciados, completamente entregada a sus pacientes, esto conmovió al ángel y regresando al cielo contó a Dios su hallazgo; una vez más Dios sonrió y le pidió al ángel que regresara una vez más a la tierra porque eso, aunque bello, tampoco era lo más hermoso que Él había creado. Regresó por tercera vez el ángel a la tierra y en esta ocasión llegó a una cárcel, visitó el sitio donde están los condenados a muerte, ahí donde se escuchan puras maldiciones, y todo tiene olor a podredumbre. El ángel no sabía que pensar ni que cuando vio, entre estos, a tres reos que iban a ser ejecutados ese día.

La mirada de aquellos hombres conmovía a los presentes, después de un silencio largo y

Y

e s

e r b

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profundo, llegó un sacerdote y deteniéndose frente a ellos los saludo dedicándoles una sonrisa de compasión. Uno de los condenados, con los ojos llenos de lágrimas, se arrodillo frente al sacerdote y pidió que lo confesara. El reo lloraba de dolor por sus pecados y a gritos rogaba a Dios su perdón.

El sacerdote, después de haber escuchado su confesión, lo absuelve de sus pecados y el susodicho queda tranquilo y aunque privado de su libertad física, es liberado en su espíritu.

El ángel, conmovido ante el arrepentimiento de este reo, regresa al cielo y cuenta una vez más su experiencia a Dios, y Dios le dice que si… que el corazón del hombre que se arrepiente por haberse alejado de su amor es lo más bello que Él ha creado, porque a sus ojos vale más un pecador que se arrepiente que cien justos.

Esta historia, aunque veladamente, nos deja ver que la “Misericordia” es la vía que une Dios y al hombre, porque abre el corazón a la esperanza de ser amados para siempre, no obstante el límite de nuestro pecado” como nos dice el Papa Francisco en Misericordiae Vultus, para que nos abramos al amor incondicional de Dios, a ese que amor transforma y libera. Dios no excluye a nadie, ama porque El es el amor mismo y nos ama estemos en libertad o en la cárcel.

El ama sin cuestionar donde estuvimos o que hicimos. No excluye.

Jesús, el Hijo de Dios, con su vida, muestra el sentido de la libertad plena. El vivió de esta manera. No lo ataron el qué dirán, el odio, la mentira o el dolor. En el Evangelio vemos como la pecadora, aquella que los ancianos encontraron “pecando”, arrojada a los pies del Señor, implora su perdón, y El aceptando su fragilidad, y amándola intensamente, no la juzga sino que la perdona y al perdonarla le devuelve la paz.

Hay en torno nuestro, muchas familias que sufren grandemente por tener un ser querido privado de su libertad física. A estas familias hoy les queremos decir que hay que vivir esperanzados. La Misericordia de Dios no tiene límites y siempre hay oportunidad el restablecimiento. Dios perdona porque ama y para El siempre hay esperanza. Puede ser que no todos, los encarcelados, logren su libertad física, pero si le abren su corazón a Dios, como la pecadora arrepentida, su espíritu será liberado y vivirán en paz.

Cuando esto suceda, Dios sonreirá porque Él quiere que cada uno de sus hijos e hijas, libre o en la cárcel, viva en paz.

Y si, lo más bello que Dios ha creado es un corazón abierto al arrepentimiento, un corazón que aunque se sabe frágil y quebradizo busca incesantemente la libertad, esa increíble e incomparable libertad que solo Dios puede otorgar a través del perdón de los pecados. q 37

V I S I Ó N H I S PA N A

Joven, Corre la Carrera:

Busca a Cristo

Por: Angie Marino

Quiero tomar como base, de mi mensaje, lo que nos enseña la Iglesia en el YOUCAT (Catecismo Católico para Jóvenes), dice: “Puesto que el Todopoderoso se nos ha mostrado como nuestro Dios y Señor, no debemos poner nada por encima de él, ni considerar nada más importante ni ceder a ninguna otra cosa o persona prioridad sobre él. Conocer a Dios, servirle, adorarlo es la prioridad absoluta en la vida” (cf. YOUCAT p.194).

Esta frase es una realidad para cada joven que busca, con sinceridad, vivir una vida de acuerdo al Evangelio de Cristo y, por encima de sí mismo, buscar el bien de los demás antes que el propio. La búsqueda de Jesús y de vivir la fe con autenticidad implica ser una persona transparente y sencilla, implica ir contra corriente y ser lo suficientemente valiente como para “ser la diferencia” en el ambiente en el que se vive. El Papa Francisco nos invita precisamente a esto en la “Bula para el Año de la Misericordia”. En este documento el Papa 38

hace énfasis en el hecho de que todos somos responsables de todos. Nos anima a ser auténticos discípulos de Jesus y ser misericordiosos. Por lo tanto, considero que el joven que busca a Jesus y vivir su vida con autenticidad lo primero que hace es darle a Dios el primer lugar en todo lo que hace y lo que dice. El joven que vive con autenticidad, lo hace no solo en público sino que también cuando cree que nadie lo ve. Ama más a Dios, incluso, sobre lo que los demás puedan pensar de él. “Amaras al Señor tu Dios con todo tu corazón, con toda tu alma y con toda tu mente.” (cf. Mateo 22:37) Sí, es cierto, en estos tiempos modernos, algunos jóvenes tienen miedo de darle el primer lugar a Dios, porque piensan que al hacerlo, automáticamente están aceptando una vocación al Sacerdocio o la Vida Consagrada. Lo cual es en verdad, un regalo especial de Dios para los que El llama. Pero no necesariamente es el caso para todos los jóvenes. Por ejemplo: un joven a quien nombraremos Angel, se le

conoció no solo por las múltiples ocasiones que solía aparecer en los periódicos por su desempeño ejemplar como atleta, sino que también competía en carreras tanto dentro, como fuera, de la escuela y era gentil y amable con todos. La gente lo admiraba por el esfuerzo y la dedicación que ponía para perfeccionarse en el deporte. Pero lo admiraban aún más porque realmente supo darle el primer lugar a Dios. Si, Dios estaba primero que el deporte. Angel no faltaba a Misa y le gustaba ayudar en la parroquia.

Su oración, antes de cada carrera era corta, pero con todo el corazón… “Señor, dame alas”.

Angel murió antes de graduarse de la secundaria/high school. El día antes de fallecer, había ido a la celebración de la Santa Misa y recibió la Eucaristía. Estaba en paz consigo mismo porque aunque era joven, pudo con la asistencia de la gracia, darle el primer lugar a Dios en su vida. La vida y testimonio de Angel, ha motivado a otros jóvenes a darle a Dios el primer lugar.

De ese grupo de jóvenes valientes, como Angel, han surgido muchos agentes de pastoral juvenil (líderes).

Claro, al comienzo no fue nada fácil despedir a Angel. Pero él mismo nos enseñó que debíamos poner nuestra esperanza en Dios, y solo en Dios.

El YOUCAT nos recalca, en otro lugar, esto mismo: “Dios espera que le prestemos toda nuestra fe; debemos orientar toda nuestra esperanza a él y dirigir todas las fuerzas de la caridad hacia él. El mandamiento del amor a Dios es el mandamiento más importante de todos y la clave para todos los demás. Por eso está al comienzo de los diez mandamientos.”(cf. YOUCAT p.194) Pienso que esta frase tiene sentido.

Una persona que realmente ama a Dios, cuida de sus hermanos porque también los ama. Por lo tanto, un/una joven que ama a Dios, le da el primer lugar y anhela ser misericordioso/a como el Padre. El joven que le da a Dios el primer lugar, ama a Dios por ser quien es y sus hermanos porque en ellos ve reflejada la imagen de Jesús. La buena noticia es que no se nos pide que lo hagamos solos. Para vivir nuestra fe con autenticidad y tener la valentía de ser misericordiosos, Dios nos regala su gracia.

Joven, que lees esta revista, ¿has llegado a creer que no puedes cambiar? ¿Qué en tu corazón no puede haber misericordia? ¡Entérate! Eso es mentira. Con la gracia de Dios podemos cambiar y podemos poner las necesidades de los demás, antes que

las propias. “Si crees en el Señor Jesús, te salvaras tú y tu familia.” (cf. Hechos 16:31) El Papa Francisco en múltiples ocasiones invita a los jóvenes a ser valientes, a no tener miedo, a vivir vidas auténticas y a ser fieles siervos de Dios. También los invita a ser portadores de la Misericordia de Dios viviendo una vida de fe autentica y verdadera. Aceptemos esta invitación del Papa Francisco y con alegría seamos fieles testigos de la Misericordia de Dios y de su predilección por los menos afortunados.

Termino diciéndoles que este espacio es de ustedes, jóvenes. Si tienen alguna inquietud y les gustaría que se publique algún tema en particular, o si alguno de ustedes quiere contarnos como le ha dado el primer lugar a Dios, escríbanos a jcmiespacio@ yahoo.com y búscanos en FB ( Juventud Católica). q Sobre el Autor: Angie Marino nació en México , es una Pochita del estado de Guerrero, Michoacán, pero cursó sus estudios de primaria y secundara aquí, en Texas. Siendo ya una joven adulta, Angie sacó su bachillerato en Teología en la Universidad Católica de St. Mary’s en San Antonio, TX. Angie está segura de que la pastoral juvenil es su llamado y pasión. Sabe que el Señor le ha regalado un amor muy especial por la juventud porque sobre todo admira, en ellos, su honestidad, alegría, creatividad y su increíble humildad.

Por tanto, puesto que tenemos en derredor nuestro tan gran nube de testigos, despojémonos también de todo peso y del pecado que tan fácilmente nos envuelve, y corramos con paciencia la carrera que tenemos por delante.

Hebreos 12:1 39

V I S I Ó N H I S PA N A

Año Jubilar AÑO DE GRACIA LA DIVINA MISERIC Por: PADRE ROBERTO GOMEZ El Papa Francisco anunció el viernes 13 de marzo del 2015, en la Basílica de San Pedro, la celebración de un año Santo sobre la Misericordia. Este jubileo de la Misericordia se iniciará con la apertura de la Puerta Santa de la Basílica de San Pedro en el Vaticano durante la solemnidad de la Inmaculada Concepcion el 8 de diciembre de 2015 y concluirá el 20 de diciembre de 2016 con la solemnidad de Jesucristo Rey del Universo. El Papa Francisco dijo lo siguiente: “Estamos viviendo el tiempo de la Misericordia. Este es el tiempo de la misericordia. Hay tanta necesidad hoy de misericordia y es importante que los fieles laicos la vivan y la lleven a los diversos ambientes sociales”.

El anuncio fue dado en el Segundo aniversario del Pontificado del Papa Francisco, el primer Papa latinoamericano. El tema de este año ha sido sacado de la carta de San Pablo a los Efesios: “Dios rico en misericordia” (Ef 2, 4).

La apertura de este jubileo es muy significativo ya que será realizado en el quincuagésimo aniversario de la clausura del Concilio Vaticano II, promovido por el Papa San Juan XXIII en el año 1965.

Será un acontecimiento que impulsará la obra evangelizadora que ha promovido el Concilio Vaticano II en toda la Iglesia Católica. Durante el jubileo las lecturas

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de la misa dominical serán tomadas de San Lucas, conocido como el evangelista de la misericordia. En este evangelio resaltan grandes parábolas que manifiestan la misericordia de Dios, por ejemplo, la oveja perdida, el hijo prodigo y la moneda extraviada.

Los años jubilares extraordinarios la Iglesia Católica los decreta con ocasión de acontecimientos de suma importancia. No cabe duda que el Papa Francisco ha sido inspirado por el Espíritu Santo para decretar este año jubilar tan necesario en esta época caracterizada por grandes cambios políticos, sociales, económicos y familiares, entre otros. Con el jubileo de la misericordia, el Papa Francisco quiere hacernos consciencia de que Dios es misericordioso y que constantemente nos está llamando a volver a Él.

En este año jubilar es muy necesario que nos demos cuenta de la importancia de reflexionar y acudir a los sacramentos de la misericordia, es decir la Reconciliación y la Unción de los enfermos.

A) Sacramento de la Reconciliación Este sacramento fue instituido por nuestro Señor Jesucristo el mismo día de su resurrección. Ese día se apareció a sus apóstoles y los saludo dos veces dándoles la paz y luego les dijo: “Recibid el Espíritu Santo; a quienes les perdonen sus peca-

dos, les quedaran perdonados, a quienes se los retengan les quedaran retenidos” ( Jn 20, 23). Con estas palabras el Señor Jesus instituyó el sacramento de la penitencia sacramento de la misericordia.

Jesus dio el poder de perdonar o retener los pecados a los apóstoles, a sus sucesores, los Obispos y a los colaboradores de los Obispos que son los sacerdotes. Pero como dice el Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica en el # 1441: “Solo Dios perdona los pecados… Más aún en virtud de su autoridad divina, Jesus confiere este poder a los hombres para que lo ejerzan en su nombre”.

Pero para que Dios perdone los pecados, los confesores deben conocerlos y al mismo tiempo el penitente debe estar verdaderamente arrepentido. Estas pues son las condiciones que Dios ha dejado para perdonar nuestras ofensas y recuperar la paz interior. La persona que no quiera aceptar estas condiciones divinas no podrá conseguir el perdón de sus pecados mortales cometidos después del bautismo.

La confesión y la absolución individual es el único medio que Cristo ha dejado para que podamos lograr el perdón de nuestros pecados mortales cometidos después del bautismo (Ordo Paenitentiae, 31).

Amemos este sacramento ya que nos

ORDIA da la gracia, si la habíamos perdido, y nos la aumenta, si ya la poseíamos. Además, la reconciliación con Dios nos hace pasar de la muerte a la vida. Procuremos pues recibir este sacramento frecuentemente, cada mes si es posible. No olvidemos también que los pecados veniales también pueden ser confesados. Aprovechemos esta muestra de la infinita misericordia de Dios.

Recordemos también lo que dijo el Papa San Juan Pablo II en la enciclica Redemptor Hominis, que la penitencia nos lleva a la Eucaristía y la Eucaristía nos lleva a la penitencia.

B) Unción de los enfermos Otro sacramento importante donde se manifiesta la misericordia de Cristo para la humanidad es el sacramento de la Unción de los Enfermos. Es uno de los siete sacramentos instituidos por Jesucristo. Santiago lo da a conocer con estas palabras: “¿Hay algún enfermo? Que llame a los presbíteros de la Iglesia para que oren por él y lo unjan con aceite, invocando al Señor. La oración hecha con fe le dará la salud al enfermo y el Señor hará que se levante; y si tiene pecados, se le perdonaran” (Santiago 5: 14-15).

La tradición de la Iglesia nos indica que desde muy antiguo este sacramento se administraba a los enfermos especialmente en la liturgia tanto en Oriente

como en Occidente. Es que la Iglesia siempre ha tenido claro que Cristo quiere ayudar al hombre integral, en su cuerpo, en sus emociones y en su espíritu, pues la persona se compone de esos tres elementos.

Antes este sacramento se llamaba La extremaunción pero el Concilio Vaticano II lo nombró Unción de los enfermos, y aclara que es un sacramento que no está reservado a los que están a punto de morir sino que lo deben recibir todos aquellos a los cuales les comienza una enfermedad grave o están dentro de una edad avanzada.

El sacerdote unge la frente y las manos de la persona enferma con el aceite bendecido por el Obispo en la Misa Crismal para ese fin, diciendo una sola vez estas palabras: Por esta unción y por su bondadosa misericordia te ayude el Señor con la gracia del Espíritu Santo, para que libre de tus pecados, te conceda la salvación y te conforte en tu enfermedad.

En caso de necesidad basta con ungir la frente, u otra parte del cuerpo de acuerdo a la condición de la persona, recitando al mismo tiempo toda la forma sacramental. La unción se puede repetir si la persona se recupera y enferma de nuevo o su enfermedad empeora.

El Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica en el número 1499 dice: “Con la sagrada

unción de los enfermos y con la oración de los presbíteros, toda la Iglesia entera encomienda a los enfermos al Señor sufriente y glorificado para que los alivie y los salve. Incluso los anima a unirse libremente a la pasión y muerte de Cristo; y contribuir así al bien del pueblo de Dios (LG 11).

Solamente los Obispos y sacerdotes son los ministros oficialmente designados para administrar este sacramento. Los fieles deben prepararse lo mejor posible para lograr muchos beneficios al recibir la sagrada unción.

Cristo se compadeció de los enfermos por eso es que sanaba y liberaba a los oprimidos por Satanás. Pero no siempre la sanación es posible por varias razones; una es porque dentro del plan de Dios, Él sabe lo que más conviene al enfermo, en ese caso la persona enferma debe unir su dolor a la pasión de Cristo para que el sufrimiento sea fuente de redención y alivio junto con el gozo espiritual que nunca faltará.

Como buenos hijos de un Padre eterno que nos ama tanto, démosle gracias a Jesucristo por este año jubilar que se aproxima, y aprovechemos los sacramentos de la Penitencia y la Unción de los enfermos para estar siempre unidos a Él, y poder recibir el consuelo divino en nuestra peregrinación por este mundo. q 41

V I S I Ó N H I S PA N A

Tribunal Eclesiástico Oficina que procura la justicia desde la caridad de Cristo (1ra parte)

Padre John J. Gomez, JCL Vicario General “… De modo que ya no son dos, sino una sola carne. Así pues, lo que Dios ha unido, que no lo se- el divorcio no es aceptable y que cuando la pareja se convierte en una sola carne por el pare el hombre….” (Mateo19, 6) Estas palabras del Santo Evangelio según San Mateo son constantemente pronunciadas en las bodas que realizamos en nuestras parroquias y tal vez es uno de los pasajes de los evangelios favoritos para muchos sacerdotes Católicos durante las celebraciones de los matrimonios. Es más, estas palabras (lo que Dios ha unido, que no lo separe el hombre) son parte del rito mismo del Sacramento del Matrimonio. Como San Mateo nos presenta claramente estas fueron ciertamente las palabras que usó nuestro Señor Jesucristo cuando fue confrontado por los fariseos.

Como el mismo evangelista nos muestra en este pasaje que acabamos de hacer referencia, a los fariseos no les interesaba saber la verdad que Jesús podía enseñarles, sólo le estaban tendiendo una trampa y querían ponerlo en aprietos frente a la ley.

Jesús responde la pregunta de los fariseos citando sabiamente no la ley Judía o Romana o Griega, sino a Dios mismo y retomando el deseo de Dios Padre y Creador para toda la humanidad. En este pasaje evangélico San Mateo nos muestra como Jesús le devuelve la indisolubilidad al matrimonio, es decir, declara con la autoridad que tenía (y tiene) como hijo de Dios que

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Santo Matrimonio, nadie lo puede separar.

Para nuestros hermanos venidos de México, Centro y Latinoamérica éste es un principio que viene, que está en la ‘sangre católica’ y que no va a cambiar ni aunque lo determine la misma Corte Constitucional o Suprema de este país o de cualquier otro. En contraste con esta realidad y principio central de la indisolubilidad del matrimonio católico observamos que desafortunadamente algunas de las personas que se apartan de la Santa Madre Iglesia, por razones que sólo ellos y Dios conocen, terminan aceptando el divorcio como opción y después de separarse de su esposo (a) entran a otras relaciones ilegítimas. Más triste aun, varias veces los divorcios y relaciones conyugales pueden ser múltiples. No podemos negar que esta triste realidad del divorcio y de las nuevas relaciones conyugales ilegítimas ha afectado aún a muchos de nuestros hermanos católicos practicantes.

Jesús dijo esta frase (…Así pues, Lo que Dios ha unido, que no lo separe el hombre….) a los fariseos muchos siglos atrás, pero la seguimos escuchando cada vez que el Santo Evangelio es proclamado en nuestros templos, bien sea en los templos más ricos y esplendorosos o bien sea

en los más pobres y sencillos. Esta frase de nuestro Señor tiene la misma validez en la Catedral de San Patricio en New York que en una misión de Kenia, en el África.

Así lo ha entendido la Iglesia y así lo ha defendido con toda su autoridad y vigor.

En nuestra realidad en el Este de Texas podemos ver que nuestros hermanos Católicos venidos de México y de otros países de Centro y Sur América tienen en general un gran respeto por los sacramentos de la Iglesia. Este respeto ‘reverencial’, si podemos usar este término, se extiende a todo lo sagrado. En sí podemos decir que el Temor de Dios es un don presente en la gran mayoría de los inmigrantes ‘hispanos’, como se nos conoce comúnmente a las personas que hablamos español en este país. También podemos notar que esta virtud está presente en muchos de los hijos de inmigrantes nacidos en esta zona de Texas, especialmente en los que han crecido cercanos a la Iglesia Católica y que han llevado una vida sacramental activa.

Esto sin lugar a dudas es una virtud que se debe admirar y enseñar a las futuras generaciones. Pero es válido también recalcar que esta virtud puede jugar en contra de la vida espiritual de las personas, si no se

sabe tener un balance adecuado. Es común ver que muchas personas no reciben los sacramentos sin haber ningún motivo válido para abstenerse de recibirlos. Algunas personas se alejan de ellos sólo por respeto, pero se puede entrar en una renuncia a lo sagrado o a un distanciamiento innecesario y perjudicial para el bien espiritual de la persona y su alma.

La actitud pasiva o alejarse de los sacramentos cuando se está enfrentando una situación difícil en la vida no es la solución correcta. Algunos de nuestros hermanos creen que no pueden acercarse a recibir la Sagrada Eucaristía o el Sacramento de la Reconciliación por situaciones particulares, pero cuando hacemos un análisis de la situación presentada vemos que realmente no los aleja de ellos. Con todo respeto a las personas que hayan pasado por esta situación, vemos como algunas madres se alejan de los sacramentos y de su participación activa en la liturgia por el hecho que uno de sus hijos o hijas, sin culpa alguna de la madre, ha decido partir de casa a convivir o cohabitar sin el Santo Matrimonio. El hecho que esa persona esté viviendo en una unión conyugal ilegítima le impide ciertamente a la persona y su conyugue ilegítimo recibir los Sacramentos, pero no a sus familiares. Como éste puede haber otros casos en los cuales una persona puede alejarse de los Sacra-

mentos sin motivo, basados en un respeto reverencial que podría ser llamado ‘desproporcionado’.

El respeto reverencial también puede verse en las personas que efectivamente se alejan de los sacramentos y de la vida activa en la Iglesia por faltas propias. Estas personas son efectivamente privadas de los sacramentos con causas justificadas como es el caso de tantas personas que no se acercan a recibir la Eucaristía en la celebración dominical ya que se encuentran en una relación matrimonial ilegítima. Algunos de ellos por un impedimento que les imposibilita ciertamente contraer nupcias, pero otros sólo justificados en razones sin mucho fundamento. Nuevamente con todo respeto a las personas que estén en una de estas situaciones, las respuestas más comunes que encontramos ante la negativa de entrar en el Santo Matrimonio son entre otras: “me quiero casar cuando regrese a México, para que mis familiares puedan estar presentes en la boda”; “estoy esperando que mi madre pueda venir a nuestra boda, pero ella aún no ha podido sacar el permiso, o la visa, para entrar a este país”; “queremos hacer un gran fiesta con banda y eso cuesta mucho y por ahora no lo podemos pagar, así que toca esperar”; “es que él no quiere casarse por la iglesia y yo ya no le insisto más”. Pero una de las más complejas, en mi parecer, es cuando

dicen: “para que, si así vivimos muy bien e igual si contraemos matrimonio tal vez nos divorciamos”.

Muchas personas que viven en unión libre o cohabitación, o en uniones meramente civiles que también son ilegítimas e irregulares a los ojos de la Iglesia, se están privando de las gracias que nos trae la vida sacramental y la vida en Cristo. También podemos decir con toda seguridad que éste no es el camino que el Señor quiere para sus discípulos los cuales están llamados a la santidad desde el mismo bautismo. Sin entrar en el aspecto moral y el pecado que implica cohabitar o vivir sólo en la unión civil, es contradictorio desde todo punto de vista que una persona que se llame y se considere Cristiano y que quiera seguir seriamente y en consciencia el camino del discipulado como lo pide Jesús, pueda escoger permanecer en una relación ilegítima la cual no le aporta ni le brinda los elementos para llegar a la santidad como lo pide el Evangelio, “Sean Santos como su Padre celestial es Santo”. Mateo 5, 48 Es muy importante dejar claro que para la Iglesia, independiente de lo que diga el estado o la ley civil, aún hoy en el 2015 el principio de Indisolubilidad sigue vigente y sólido como roca. Este principio de la indisolubilidad, como ya se dijo antes, sostiene que el santo matrimonio no se puede acabar o terminar con divorcio o con

V I S I Ó N H I S PA N A 44

separación voluntaria de ningún tipo, sino hasta que la muerte los separe.

Es claro para la Iglesia que nadie sobre la faz de la tierra tiene el poder de disolver o declarar inválido un matrimonio sacramental que es válido, y que se ha sellado o que goza de indisolubilidad.

Nadie, incluye al Santo Padre o Romano Pontífice, sucesor de Pedro – Vicario de Cristo en la tierra - quien es el que tiene la facultad suprema sobre toda la Iglesia.

Por eso para la Iglesia todo matrimonio que goce de la pretensión de validez será protegido y defendido hasta que dicha pretensión de validez sea propia y válidamente descartada ante la correspondiente autoridad que son los tribunales eclesiásticos. Aquí hay un principio básico que se debe aclarar y es que la iglesia no anula matrimonios válidos, sino que declara la invalidez de ellos. En otras palabras, la Iglesia, a través de un debido proceso y ante el fuero competente, demuestra que un matrimonio nunca fue valido, es decir, que siempre fue inválido. Esto lo llamamos comúnmente en los tribunales proceso de declaración de nulidad. Lo conocemos también como caso formal. Es muy importante aclarar este punto porque si dijéramos que la Iglesia anula matrimonios estaríamos traicionando el principio de indisolubilidad y no habría diferencia alguna entre una anulación y un divorcio.

Queda claro que la Iglesia no anula matrimonios válidos, sino que puede declarar en un tribunal que un matrimonio era inválido desde el principio.

Por eso la Iglesia buscando siempre ayudar a las personas que tienen el impedimento de matrimonio previo, es decir que se asume que ya han entrado en un mat-

rimonio valido anterior pueden recurrir al tribunal eclesiástico que les corresponda para pedir que la Iglesia investigue si su primer matrimonio que es presuntamente valido, es realmente invalido y así demostrar sin lugar a dudas que no existe el impedimento matrimonial y es libre para entrar ahora sí en su alianza matrimonial para toda la vida.

Cada diócesis debe tener un Tribunal Eclesiástico, el cual es un organismo de la Iglesia que ofrece a la comunidad eclesial el servicio de la administración de justicia.

En la Iglesia, por ser también una sociedad formada por hombres y mujeres, se implementa y se cumple la justicia, pero no una justicia cualquiera, sino una justicia propia de la Iglesia, que busca dar lo suyo a las personas y a las instituciones dentro de la Iglesia y con arreglo a los fines de la misma. Los tribunales eclesiásticos buscan la justicia desde la caridad de Cristo.

Nuestra diócesis (diócesis de Tyler), fue erecta o creada el 12 de Diciembre de 1986 por el Papa San Juan Pablo II. Hoy es una de las 16 diócesis de Texas y una de las 195 en los Estados Unidos de América.

Nuestra diócesis desde sus orígenes ha velado porque la justicia desde la caridad de Cristo se cumpla en los 33 condados que la constituyen. Hoy en nuestra diócesis tenemos cinco sacerdotes con título académico en derecho Canónico que trabajan para ayudar a las personas que se acercan al tribunal buscando asistencia. Actualmente estos cinco sacerdotes trabajan cuatro como jueces y uno como defensor del vínculo, es decir defendiendo la integridad del matrimonio y velando porque la indisolubilidad del sacramento sea preservada, así como velando para los debidos

procesos sean observados en los casos que el tribunal procesa. También tenemos otro sacerdote en Washington estudiando derecho canónico para que regrese a la diócesis a seguir ayudando a las personas que lo necesitan.

El tribunal de la diócesis cuenta además con dos personas que trabajan tiempo completo al servicio de aquellos que buscan ayuda. El tribunal recibe todos los casos matrimoniales que lleguen a sus oficinas desde que se puedan procesar según la ley canónica. El personal del tribunal está siempre dispuesto a asistir a todos los que lleguen o llamen buscando apoyo.

Si usted necesita ayuda con un proceso de declaración de nulidad no tenga miedo acercarse a su párroco, quien es la persona que debe ayudarle y guiarle, o en llamar directamente al tribunal eclesiástico diocesano. Tenemos una persona que habla Español y está siempre dispuesta a ayudarle. Si usted está en una situación irregular de matrimonio y necesita ayuda verificando si su primer matrimonio fue valido o invalido por favor acérquese y pida ayuda que alguien en el tribunal está dispuesto a escucharlo y ayudarle. La razón de ser del tribunal es ayudar a todo el que necesita asistencia y una gran parte del trabajo del tribunal tiene que ver con la investigación de matrimonios.

La solución no está en alejarse de los sacramentos, escoltados en un respeto reverencial, siempre hay formas de hacerle frente a las situaciones que la vida y las decisiones anteriores nos presentan. Si necesita, no tenga miedo y busque ayuda, tal vez haya una solución para su situación particular.

Todos hemos escuchado en las últimas semanas muchas versiones sobre la Carta Apostólica en forma de Moto Proprio del Sumo Pontífice Francisco, Mitis Iudex Dominus Iusus sobre la reforma del proceso canónico para las causas de declaración de nulidad del matrimonio en el Código de Derecho Canónico. En la próxima edición se presentará un artículo en español sobre los pormenores de esta orden papal y las implicaciones para las personas que buscan ayuda en sus situaciones personales. Se puede decir que una vez más la Iglesia quiere ayudar a las personas para que puedan acercarse a los sacramentos y continuar su camino a la santidad viviendo y disfrutando de la misericordia de Cristo que se da en la Santa Madre Iglesia. q

Los Palacio:

Una Fábrica de Esperanza

Hace unos días, tuve el honor de conocer a la familia Palacio. Esta familia está compuesta por el Sr. Julio C. Palacios, la Señora María C. Palacios y su hijo Julio A. Palacio que tiene doce años de edad.

Ellos llegaron, a esta región de Texas, de Glendale, CA hace 10 años. Al llegar la familia se integró inmediatamente a la parroquia de Sacred Heart en Palestine, TX. Ahí, siguieron con los ministerios que previamente tenían: Ministros Extraordinarios de la Comunión, Lectores y Grupo de Oración. Julio hijo es monaguillo desde los 5 años. Los señores Palacio tienen diez y seis años de casados.

Al preguntarles la razón por la que están activos en su comunidad parroquial la respuesta se hizo obvia porque los tres irradian una fe que no se encuentra fácilmente. Los tres integrantes, de esta familia, están conscientes de que Cristo está en el centro de su hogar y el amor a Él es el que los mueve a estar activos en su comunidad parroquial y vivir activamente una vida sacramental.

Algo que me llamó la atención, fue que cuando les pregunté que si pensaban estar en ministerio parroquial por mucho tiempo la respuesta de los tres fue afirmativa. Julio hijo dijo: “Yo sé que seré monaguillo aún por mucho tiempo porque en mi parroquia no hay muchos niños que quieran servir a Jesús y yo si quiero.

Para mí, primero está Dios”. A pesar de su corta edad, pude apreciar que Julio hijo

tiene una noción clara del lugar que Dios ocupa en su vida, y esa noción solo la tiene porque sus padres se han preocupado por infundirle el temor de Dios.

El sueño del Señor y la Señora Palacio, para Julio, es que el descubra, con la gracia de Dios, la vocación que Dios quiera para él. Lo más importante que ellos quieren para su hijo es que sea hombre de bien. Por su parte, Julio se esfuerza por dar un buen testimonio de que es católico en cualquier ambiente en el que él se desenvuelve aun en la escuela, en la cual, dijo, no siempre les dan la libertad de poder verbalizar sus creencias religiosas.

Los Palacio consideran la tecnología como un reto fuerte en su lucha por mantenerse unidos. Dijeron que el hecho de que los jóvenes pasan más tiempo en el celular que con sus padres es, en verdad, una desventaja. También, dijo el Señor Palacio: “La diferencia de religiones en la propia familia o más bien con los familiares, hace un poco tenso el ambiente familiar, porque ‘se lo comen a uno’, no lo dejan expresarse ni abrir el corazón a lo que es verdadero”. Julio hijo dijo algo que me cautivó cuando le pregunté que si no le hacían la burla en la escuela por ser monaguillo y me dijo que algunas veces si, pero su respuesta era siempre esta: ¿Y qué hay de malo con Dios?

El consejo que ellos dan a todas las familias católicas es que “dialoguen”, consideran que el dialogo familiar es la

respuesta a todos los problemas. También, dijeron ellos, es importante acostumbrarse a rezar el rosario porque este es un arma poderosa contra el diablo. El diablo busca, como león rugiente, atrapar a todo el que se descuida. Julio hijo dijo: “Yo pienso que la solución es Dios, poner al centro a Dios, porque sin Dios no tendríamos familia, sin Dios no tendríamos una casa, sin Dios tendríamos nada”.

El Papa Francisco, en su mensaje improvisado durante la fiesta para las familias, en Philadelphia, dijo: “Todo el amor que Dios tiene en sí, toda la belleza que Dios tiene en sí, toda la verdad que Dios tiene en sí, la entrega a la familia. Una familia es verdaderamente familia cuando es capaz de abrir los brazos y recibir todo ese amor”. A mi parecer, la familia Palacio ha sabido abrir los brazos, de acuerdo a lo que pude percibir durante mi visita con ellos, y han recibido todo el amor que Dios ha derramado sobre cada uno. Es por ese amor que se mantienen unidos, activos en su comunidad parroquial y sirviendo a sus hermanos en la medida en que sus posibilidades se los permite.

Gracias a Dios, aún hay en nuestro mundo, muchas familias, que como esta, luchan por vivir su fe de una manera auténtica. Es en estas familias donde todo el amor del Padre es derramado y se expresa al mundo de tal manera que no nos queda otra cosa más que darle gloria al que es el Sumo Bien. q

La familia es una

fábrica de esperanza.

-Papa Francisco 45

Blessed are the Merciful Sr. Mary Dominic, OP

What really is mercy in our Christian tradition? What did Jesus mean by “the merciful will see God?” Often, what comes to mind is the parable of the good Samaritan – or, perhaps, Veronica wiping the face of Jesus as he walked the painful way to Calvary. In the catechism classes of our youth (or sometimes of our adulthood) we might remember some of the places that referred to mercy: Mercy is one of the fruits of the virtue of charity: The loving kindness, compassion, or forbearance shown to one who offends.

We do this through instructing, advising, consoling, comforting, forgiving, and patiently forbearing those we encounter in the world. (1829) Also included are feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, sheltering the homeless, and burying the dead. (2447) The Greek word that is usually translated as “mercy” is the word eleos.

The root meaning is oil that is poured out.

Thus when the Church says in the liturgy “Kyrie Eleison” and “Christe Eleison,” we are actually praying that the merciful love of God will be poured out on all of the Faithful. St. Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic, commenting on this highlighted the great mercy of the Lord by saying that it was not the nails that held Him bound to the cross – it was his love for all of humanity. There could be nothing more to sacrifice, for he had spent everything his poor humanity could give, in one large holocaust of his merciful love.

The Latin word for “mercy” is misericordia. It means having a pain in your heart for the pains of others. We can also look at the similar word “compassion,” which literally means “to suffer with”.

In Robert Stackpole’s work Divine Mercy, he writes, “God does not just do merciful things sometimes, nor does He have a merciful ‘side’ to his character, as human beings might have. On the contrary, He is always and everywhere and at all times merciful. Everything he does is an expression of his mercy.” Divine mercy is the form that God’s eternal love takes when He reaches out to us in the midst of our need and our brokenness.

When Jesus promised that “the merciful shall see God,” we need only look

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to the work of Bl. Mother Teresa, MC, and others like her. The deep faith and love for God and her neighbor created a fire that could not be contained. The floodgates of her mercy were thoroughly opened onto the patients in her care. This was because she saw the Crucified One, suffering again, in the poor twisted human beings clinging to

Window in Chapel of Sts. Peter and Paul, Tyler

life at Kaligat Home. Here does the face of Christ meet the face of man. Yet, it does not end there. The face of Christ in the suffering poor includes all of humanity because all are made in the image and likeness of God. This is a truth that is always present no matter how much that divine spark is hidden – even in the worst of criminals.

Yet, in our own times, there have developed other understandings of mercy that actively challenge our belief as Christians. Are these valid? There is, for example, the voice of the “New Atheists.”

Most well-known among these is the

famed biologist Richard Dawkins. For him, it is “a mercy, even a moral duty,” to abort Down syndrome babies in order to supposedly “free them and their parents from a life of suffering.” At first, this may seem reasonable, but we must take a closer look. In one large survey, 99 percent of respondents with Down syndrome said they were “happy.” At the same time, 99 percent of parents said they loved their child with Down syndrome, and 97 percent said they were proud of them. Yet, in spite of this, is it still “merciful” to end the life of one’s child for similar reasons? As Catholic Christians we must strongly disagree.

What harms another is not mercy, but its opposite – cruelty. A callous and heartless philosophy that is without the love of God and looks only at self-interest.

To be merciful is to enhance the life of another – not to harm or kill them. As Pope John Paul II mentioned in his encyclical Dives in Misericordia, the “culture of death” twists and distorts fundamental words and their ideas. Even though we may suffer in life, suffering is turned to good as we offer it, in union with the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, for so many needy souls in the world.

Suffering in our world is the result of the fall of Adam and Eve and every part of nature is affected by it. Yet, Jesus gives us the opportunity to turn it to good, to rise above all the effects of sin in our world and triumph over its maladies. To be Christian is to give meaning to our suffering and to never fall into despair or think of what happens to us as meaningless. As St. Paul says in Colossians 1:24, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.”

Hope is given to us because Christ has promised to be with us through all our trials in this life. It is to this meaning of mercy that we must bravely stand for truth in our age.q Sister Mary Dominic is a cloistered nun at the Monastery of the Infant Jesus in Lufkin, Texas. The nuns pray constantly for the diocese and the world. If you are interested in learning about a religious vocation or if you have a prayer request for the sisters, please contact them via their website:

Lufkintxnuns.com

“I was thrilled to begin my first year of seminary this fall. I am blown away to think I have this opportunity to study the richness of our faith and to grow more deeply in the Lord.

I grew up in Tyler at St. Mary Magdalene parish, and I want to thank everybody for your constant encouragement and support.

Without the generosity of the entire Diocese I would not be here.

Thank you for your prayers.

Thank you for sending me to seminary.”

-Steven Chabarria Holy Trinity Seminary

Support the Seminarian Endowment: To meet our growing number of seminarians, your generosity to the Seminarian Endowment is more critical than ever before. Your gift helps form our future shepherds and serves as a witness to hope in the future of the Catholic Church in East Texas. The need for priests is great!

Permanently endowed funds are held in trust for perpetuity. Distributions from growth of the Seminarian Endowment go to supporting seminary education. Donations to the endowment may be directed to “Diocese of Tyler Seminarian Endowment” and sent to East Texas Catholic Foundation, 1015 ESE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701. The endowment is a part of the East Texas Catholic Foundation, supporting the Diocese of Tyler. Gifts of stock or other securities are welcome; please remember the Seminarian Endowment in your will. Contact Mr. Peter Kane at 903-534-1077 ext. 160 or giving@dioceseoftyler.

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Confe

God’s mercy manifests itself in a powerful way in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the means Christ left us to take away our sins and turn back to the Lord. As we begin the Year of Mercy, this article offers us a clear understanding of how Christ instituted this efficacious sign of His grace and how the Church has understood the “Sacrament of Mercy” throughout the ages. In the Holy Year, let us rediscover this path back to the Lord and find the true inner peace that comes from experiencing the grandeur of the Father’s mercy.

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by Father George ElliotT

ssion

Since apostolic times, it has been the sacrament of mercy In the Bible

“If apostles and priests are supposed to forgive sins, why isn’t the practice described anywhere in the Bible?” This was a seemingly fatal blow that one of my Protestant friends struck in a conversation years ago. I had no idea what to say. We had been through the usual quoting Scriptures back and forth; he asked, “Who is able to forgive sins except God alone?” (Lk 5:12) I responded, “Jesus said to them, ‘Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven them.’” ( John 20:23) He quoted, “I will confess my sins to the Lord.” (Ps 32:5) And I answered, “Confess your sins to one another.” ( Jam 5:16) It was all going so well, but I was caught off guard; I did not have a prepared answer for his question. Why doesn’t the Acts of the Apostles record Paul hearing people’s confessions? Could the Holy Spirit have simply left out an example of the Apostles forgiving sins in the New Testament? How can we be sure that auricular confession to a priest or bishop is in fact the will of Christ?

It wasn’t until many years later that I came across 2 Corinthians 2:10: “What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ.” The Greek that I had been studying in seminary came in handy for a clear understanding of this passage. What is translated into English in this version as “in the presence of Christ,” is written in Greek as “ἐν προσώπῳ Χριστοῦ” (en prosopo Christou), which is the exact wording used to describe the role of the minister in each of the sacraments, “in the person of Christ.” Therefore in 2 Cor 2:10, Paul seems to be expressing that he has carried out his “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18) within the community of the Corinthians “in the person of Christ,” which is to say he is stating that he has forgiven sins in a sacramental manner.

I had found an example of the practice of an Apostle (1 Cor 9:112) forgiving sins in the New Testament! I now had a solid Scriptural argument for the Church’s practice of auricular confession: Psalm 32 makes it clear that we have to confess our sins: “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity.” But to whom should we confess our sins?

1 John 1:9 commands us to confess our sins to God, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” But James 5:16 commands us also to “confess [our] sins to one another.” Both of these passages use Greek words with the root “ὁμολογεῖν,” which implies a specifically spoken confession. Therefore it would seem that the perfect way to complete

both of these commands would be to confess our sins in a spoken way to an envoy (“apostle” in Greek means “envoy”) of God and of the Church. It would also be very fitting if God were to have given the power to forgive sins to that person to whom we confess our sins.

Luckily, God is a step ahead of us: Jesus Christ gave the power to forgive sins to the apostles in John 20:23, “whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven them,” and that power was even exercised by Paul (2 Cor 2:10) who was called an apostle (1 Cor 9:1-12) but was not present in the scene described in John 20:23. Therefore, this power to forgive sins “in the person of Christ” (2 Cor 2:10) could be handed on from those who were present at the Ascension of Jesus described in John 20 to other men who were to act as apostles, and the New Testament even records the practice of this “service of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18) being exercised by such men.

However, “no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,” (2 Pt 1:20) so it’s a good idea to always check one’s own interpretation against the writings of the early Christians and the magisterial documents of the Church. St. Ambrose of Milan in his work De Penitentia said, “It seemed likewise impossible for sins to be forgiven through penance; yet Christ granted even this to His Apostles, and by His Apostles it has been transmitted to the offices of priest.” (2:2:12) However, Ambrose was not one of the earliest writers. He wrote De Penitentia around 384AD. What do the earliest texts say?

In the Early Church

One of the earliest references to confession comes from St. Irenaeus of Lyons in his work Adversus Haereses, written in 180 AD. St. Irenaeus studied under St. Polycarp, who studied under St. John the Apostle, so his testimony is quite authoritative from a historical point of view. Speaking of women who have sinned by apostasy to the Gnostic heresy he says, “their consciences have been branded as with a hot iron. Some of these women make a public confession, but others are ashamed to do this, and in silence, as if withdrawing from themselves the hope of the life of God, they either apostatize entirely or hesitate between the two courses.” (1:22) In this text it is clear that those who commit the sin of apostasy are required to make a confession for the forgiveness of their sin, and if they don’t, then they withdraw themselves from eternal salvation.

Even more clear is St. Cyprian of Carthage’s work De Lapsis, from 244 AD: “The Apostle likewise bears witness and says: … ”Whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” But [the impeni49

tent] spurn and despise all these warnings; before their sins are expiated, before they have made a confession of their crime, before their conscience has been purged in the ceremony and at the hand of the priest…they do violence to his body and blood, and with their hands and mouth they sin against the Lord more than when they denied him. … Of how much greater faith and salutary fear are they who… confess their sins to the priests of God in a straightforward manner and in sorrow, making an open declaration of conscience.” (15:1-3, 28) In this passage it is clear that there are sins that make us unworthy to receive Communion, and that these sins can only be forgiven by “the ceremony and at the hand of the priest,” which is the liturgy of the Sacrament of Confession. These are only two short excerpts among the many quotes of the early Christians on the Sacrament of Confession. However, they make it clear enough that the early Christians did in fact practice verbal confession of one’s sins to a priest as a requirement for forgiveness of serious sins.

Throughout history, there have been developments in how “the ceremony… at the hand of the priest” was carried out. At first, confession was made in front of the whole Church community as the Didache, which has been dated as early as 70AD makes clear: “Confess your sins in church, and do not go up to your prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life… On the Lord’s Day gather together, break bread, and give thanks, after confessing your transgressions so that your sacrifice may be pure.” (4:14; 14:1) Typically, Christians were only permitted to receive the Sacrament of Confession once in their lifetime, and they were required to complete long penances before their sins were forgiven. However, by the 5th century this practice was no longer held. Theodore of Mopsuestia in his Catechetical Homilies makes reference to the fact that only the

Every single Catholic. Even the Pope goes to confession.

Here, Pope Francis confesses his sins in St. Peter’s Basilica.

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priests who are forgiving the sins should know what the sins are: “It behooves us, therefore, to draw near to the priests in great confidence and to reveal to them our sins; and those priests, with all diligence, solicitude, and love, and in accord with the regulations mentioned above, will grant healing to sinners. [The priests] will not disclose the things that ought not be disclosed; rather, they will be silent about the things that have happened, as befits true and loving fathers who are bound to guard the shame of their children while striving to heal their bodies.” (16) And St. John Chrysostom in his De Penitentia Homiliae writes about the practice of receiving the sacrament multiple times: “Have you sinned? Go into Church and wipe out your sin. As often as you might fall down in the marketplace, you pick yourself up again. So too, as often as you sin, repent your sin. Do not despair.

Even if you sin a second time, repent a second time. Do not by indifference lose hope entirely of the good things prepared. Even if you are in extreme old age and have sinned, go in, repent!” (3:4) Therefore, the practice of confessing your sins verbally and receiving penance and absolution from the priest was present from the earliest times of the Church, and well before the end of the 5th century the practice of confession looked very similar to the rite of confession that we use today.

Growth in virtue These Scriptural and historical proofs must be made in a dis-

cussion with someone who does not share our faith, but as I have continued to have these conversations, I have learned that conversion rarely happens through the intellect. Intellectual barriers have to be broken down for conversion to happen, but personal testimony along with much grace is often what moves a person to embrace the truths of the faith.

My own practice of regular confession began with a real conviction that living a virtuous life was the best thing for me both in eternity (i.e. in getting to heaven) and in this life (because everyone wants to hire, befriend, and be around a courageous, just, and charitable person). However, after trying to grow in virtue on my own, I quickly realized that growth in virtue requires two things: grace and guidance. Without the grace of God, I never would have been able to overcome many of my sinful tendencies (believe it or not, priests aren’t born with collars on, and we have to spend many years fighting the sinful tendencies that we allowed to develop), and without the guidance of someone who understood virtue, vice, and the human person, I never would have known how to fight against sin and grow in virtue. I began to go to confession once a month, and sometimes more often, to confess my sins, receive forgiveness and grace, and ask the priest for advice on how to fight against the sins with which I was struggling. It was a long process, but with the help of God and of a wise confessor I was able to overcome many sinful habits and begin to live a virtuous life.

Now that I am a priest, I have had the privilege of sitting on the other side of the screen, and the words of Christ to the sinful woman who was about to be stoned to death come to me so clearly as I sit and hear innumerable penitents humbly lay their sins at the feet of our Lord: “Has no one condemned you?... Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more.” ( Jn 8:10-11) In the confessional there is not a single person there to condemn the penitent. Only our Lord, the penitent, and I are there, and every single one of us wants the penitent’s sins to be forgiven, for them to receive the grace of Christ, and for them to go and sin no more. It brings such joy to my heart to hear the confessions of any true penitent: the person who is returning to Confession for the first time in many years, the person who is coming regularly to Confession and who is slowly routing out sin

in their lives, the person who has been struggling for quite some time with a particular sin but continues to come and humbly ask the mercy of God, and anyone else who has examined their conscience well and comes to confess their sins with contrition and a firm purpose of amendment. Our Lord is so happy to wipe away the sins of any of these people, and he graciously allows me to join in that same joy by being his minister of mercy in the sacrament of Confession.

Just do it!

Every Catholic should immediately go to confession after com-

mitting a mortal sin. According to many spiritual writers, every Catholic should go to confession at least once a month. It is also reasonable to go more often than once a month if you are struggling with a particular sin, if you receive Communion daily, and/or if you are very involved in the apostolates of the Church.

When you go to confession, examine your conscience well by using one of the lists compiled for the purpose of preparing for a good confession. These are often available in the church building and can also be found online or in prayer books. When you enter the confessional, make the sign of the cross. The priest will use a short formulary to invite you to have trust in God and may quote a short passage of the Scriptures. When he is done, it is a good practice to begin your confession with a declaration of your “state in life,” which includes the last time you went to confession, whether you are married or single, and any other information that may help the priest to give you good counsel.

Next, confess your sins. I find it much easier to get the big ones out first. Once the big ones are out, it is very easy to confess the rest of them. It is important to remember that you are confessing your sins to our Lord, the Divine Physician. Just like you wouldn’t hide a wound from a normal physician, so also you shouldn’t hide any of your sins from the Divine Physician. If you have any mortal sins to confess, do so in “number” and “kind.” So for example: “I was glutinous three times.” You do not need to say that you were glutinous by eating Oreos, nor do you need to say that you ate 16 boxes of Oreos, or how you felt after you ate 16 boxes of Oreos. The sin is simply “gluttony” and you did it three times. That’s all the priest needs to know. When you are done confessing your sins, it is helpful to let the priest know that you are finished by some statement such as, “and I am heartily sorry for these sins and all of the sins of my past life.”

The priest may give you some advice, and if he does give you advice, it is important to listen. The priest has probably been sitting in the confessional for hours, so anything he does that prolongs a confession is really important to him. He studied for five to eight years in the seminary and has continued to study for many years afterwards. He’s only speaking to help you.

Next, he will assign you a penance. If the penance is unreasonable for some reason, you can ask for a different penance. If you can do the penance, accept it and recite your act of contrition. You can read the act of contrition from a prayer book or from a card that is available in the confessional, but it is best to have the act of contrition memorized. The priest will then give you absolution and may say “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,” and you respond, “His mercy endures for ever.” The priest will then say a dismissal that can take a variety of different forms. After the dismissal, leave the confessional, do the penance assigned to you, and “Go, and sin no more!”q Father George Elliott graduated from high school in Paris, Texas.

He was ordained in 2015 for the Diocese of Tyler. He is currently in Rome, studying for a License in Patristics, the study of the Fathers of the Early Church.

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Coming in the January-February 2016 issue of the Catholic East Texas Magazine…

The Family in the modern world.

The January-February issue of the CET magazine will examine the place of the family in Catholicism and in the modern world.

How to make it 50 years: Advice from people who know.

We talk to married couples who have been together over 50 years for insight into their lives and their Catholic faith.

The End of Life Every family faces death, and to prepare for the death of a loved one as Catholics, we need to know the wisdom of the Church.

Father Anthony Stoeppel explains the Church’s teaching on end-of-life issues.

Mother of Mercy The Church is a family, and we have a Mother. Mother Susan Catherine of the Daughters of Divine Hope explores Mary’s role as the Mother of Mercy.

Report from the World Metting of Families The Diocese of Tyler sent representative to the World Meeting of Families during Pope Francis’ visit to the USA. They report on the meeting.

Natural Family Planning We investigate the Church’s teaching on contraception and NFP to discover the message of love present in even the difficult teachings of the Catholic Church.

Watch for the next issue in your mailbox in early January!

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Learning the Sacred Liturgy Understanding the Mass with Father Nolan Lowry

When Catholics hear the expression “sacraments of mercy,” they might think about Reconciliation or the Anointing of the Sick. One sacrament of mercy that some overlook is the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Of course, all the sacraments in some way communicate the mercy of Jesus Christ. However, the Holy Eucharist shows our Lord’s mercy to us in His Real Presence – entering not only spiritually into our hearts, but also physically into our bodies.

In fact, God’s mercy is a theme that runs through the whole Order of the Mass: The Penitential Act, the Gloria, the Eucharistic Prayer, and the “Lamb of God” all contain references to our need of God’s mercy.

At the beginning of Mass, after the priest makes the Sign of the Cross and greets the people, he introduces what is called the Penitential Act using the words, “Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to

us . . .”). This absolution is not the same as the forgiveness given in Confession, but it is more properly a sacramental since it is a prayer for forgiveness. The Kyrie Eleison follows, which is Greek for “Lord, have mercy.” This formula has been used in the Mass since the earliest times in the history of the Church. We repeat the priest, deacon or choir in pleading for Christ’s mercy.

As priest celebrant, I almost always choose the Confiteor option because of the beauty and depth of the words. Although the translation of the Latin version we use now in the Roman Missal is mainly based on the form originating in the early Middle Ages, there are several Biblical and moral theological references to the conversion of heart that must take place at the very beginning of the Sacrifice of the Mass.

Historically, before the Confiteor was said by the priest at the altar, there is evidence of priests saying this prayer or a similar one

Christ in the least of our brothers and sisters (see Mt 25:31-46), and to acknowledge when we fail in this endeavor. There is repetition of the phrase, and we strike our breast when we say, “through my fault.”

This threefold repetition of our guilt is an emphasis of how gravely our sin offends the Triune God. It is also a reference that we are like the repentant tax collector who beat his breast and prayed, “O God, be merciful to me a sinner” (Lk 18:13) in the parable of the Pharisee and publican (see Lk 18:9-14).

The next part of the Confiteor is a prayer of intercession, invoking the prayers of the Mother of God, the angels and saints, and our fellow Christians to pray for us in our fight against sin. We are reminded that we cannot do it alone. We need the prayers of the Church Triumphant in heaven as well as the Church Militant here on earth to be faithful to Christ. Once we have made this general confession and plea

“Take some time in prayer to think about your sins before Mass begins.” celebrate the sacred mysteries.”

The placement of the Penitential Act – the part of the Mass when we first express contrition – makes sense at this point: Before we can even begin to pray and participate in the Mass, we must express repentance for our sins and acknowledge our unworthiness.

The Roman Missal directs “a brief pause for silence” so that we can actually think about the sins we have committed since our last Mass or sacramental confession. The priest has several options for the Penitential Act, but the most common one chosen is either the Confiteor (“I confess”) or the tropes (“You were sent . . . Lord, have mercy.”), which are expressions of turning away from sin. The priest may also use the option based on Psalm 123:3 and Psalm 85:7 (“Have mercy on us, O Lord. . .”). All the options end with the absolution of the priest (“May almighty God have mercy on 52

before Mass in preparation to celebrate the sacred liturgy. The first-person singular “I confess” signifies that we are responsible for our personal sins, and yet we say this together because we struggle collectively as members of the Body of Christ. This is also expressed by confessing to almighty God and to our brothers and sisters – a concept found implicitly in the Letter of St. James: “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” ( Jas 5:16) The ways in which we have “greatly sinned” are our sinful thoughts, words and actions, but also “in what I have failed to do.” Sins of failure are called sins of omission since a good work could have been exercised but was omitted. This was added to the Confiteor in the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council to emphasize Catholics’ need to be more active in serving

for God’s forgiveness, we are more able to sing the Lord’s praises in the Gloria, which comes next, and more freely participate in the celebration of the rest of Holy Mass.

Uniting ourselves to Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice and in Holy Communion is our greatest defense against the temptations and trials that assail us in our daily Christian living.

This Sunday, take some time in prayer to think about your sins before Mass begins.

During the pause before the Confiteor or the tropes, recall these sins so that the words you pray can be a conscious act of the heart, contrite yet hopeful. The fight is not over, but at least the Penitential Act in Mass is good news that Our Lord is always ready to forgive, always ready to show His mercy.q Father Lowry, STL, is pastor of St. Edward's Catholic Church in Athens, TX.

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