South Texas
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VOL. 61 NO. 3
Publisher Bishop Michael Mulvey, STL DD
Director of Communications and Public Relations
Katia Uriarte Philipello kuriarte@diocesecc.org
Assistant Director of Communications and Public Relations
Jesse DeLeon jdeleon@diocesecc.org
Managing Editor Susanne Janssen sjanssen@diocesecc.org
Theological Consultant
Very Rev. Richard Libby, Chancellor rlibby@diocesecc.org
Communications Specialist Adel Sauceda asauceda@diocesecc.org
Social Media Coordinator
Teresa Saenz tsaenz@diocesecc.org
Broadcast Technical Director Richard Luna rluna@diocesecc.org
Communications Administrative Assistant Raquel Garcia rgarcia@diocesecc.org
Correspondents
Rebecca Esparza, Cynthia Morales
Translator/Correspondent
Gloria Romero
Contributors: Eduardo Alonso, Sabina Baet, Matthew Moore, Gerard J. Voorhees, MD, Sr. Maryam Caritas Sparke, SOLT, Dylan Lopez
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INSIDE
INTERVIEW WITH BISHOP MICHAEL MULVEY: “Be who you are called to be”
ENTREVISTA CON EL OBISPO MICHAEL MULVEY: “Sé quién Dios te ha llamado a ser”
A CALL TO HOLINESS: Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation is a roadmap for lay people
LLAMADOS A LA SANTIDAD: La exhortación apostólica del Papa Francisco es una hoja de ruta para los laicos
“WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME”: Sanctifying my life as a consecrated lay person living in community
TRANSFORM SOCIETY ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL: The Farm of Hope gives meaning and support to those struggling with addiction
GROWING IN HOLINESS BY DOING GOD’S WILL EVERY MOMENT: The vocation as a consecrated virgin in the world
CALLED TO GO TO JESUS THROUGH MARY: The specific discipleship as a lay member of the SOLT
SERVING GOD AND HUMANITY: The vocation of a Catholic physician
THE FIRST MILLENNIAL SAINT: St. Carlo Acutis had a special love for the poor – and for Jesus
Lay Eucharistic Ministers help to reach out to the homebound and sick.
“TO THE HEIGHTS”: St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, an advocate for Catholic Social Teaching
FOLLOWING JESUS: “You, too, Go and Work in my Vineyard:” The Vocation and Mission of the Laity
OUR LADY OF DELIGHT: An encounter through art
BIOETHICS 101: The Principle of Cooperation: Are we co-responsible for the sins committed by manufacturing companies?
A FRESH FEELING: Cathedral renovation update: the mosaics and tiles are prepared in Verona
WHAT IS AN EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT, AND WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM IT?: Parental Choice is coming to Texas, making Catholic Education more affordable
ON THE COVER: Artist working at the new Cathedral doors. Credit: Courtesy of Studio ArtePoli
Submit your News and Stories! Send us your parish, school, ministry news stories, pictures and calendar events via our online form at diocesecc.org/send-news or via email to stc@diocesecc.org . If you have any questions, call STC at (361)693-6609
We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Bishop Michael Mulvey and the staff of the Office for Safe Environment and Child and Family Resources are committed to assisting those who have faced abuse of any kind. For immediate assistance, support, and referral information, please call Victim Assistance Coordinator Stephanie Bonilla at (361) 693-6686.
El obispo Michael Mulvey y el personal de la Oficina del Medio Ambiente Seguridad y Recursos para Niños y Familias están comprometidos a ayudar a aquellos que han sufrido abusos de cualquier tipo. Para asistencia inmediata, apoyo e información de referencia, llame al Coordinador de Asistencia a Víctimas Stephanie Bonilla al (361) 693-6686.
In the spirit of proper stewardship, the Diocese of Corpus Christi encourages reporting any financial abuse concerns or related issues. Report confidentially to: financialconcerns@diocesecc.org
En el espíritu de una administración adecuada, la Diócesis de Corpus Christi alienta a informar cualquier inquietud de abuso financiero o problemas relacionados. Informe confidencialmente a: financialconcerns@diocesecc.org
St. Carlo Acutis, a role model for young people.
INTERVIEW WITH BISHOP MICHAEL MULVEY
“Be Who You are Called to Be”
What is your view on the role of the laity in the Church today? How has it changed over the past few decades?
Bishop Mulvey: To answer that question, I think first of all of the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem. Several years later, St. Pope John Paul II expounded on the laity’s role in his 1988 Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, in which he stated that the call to holiness and mission of the Church is not limited to the clergy but is a universal vocation for all the baptized. At baptism, we are all baptized into Christ, into the mystery of his Death and Resurrection and become members of his Body, the Church. Therefore, each member takes on a specific mission, to reflect Christ in thought, word and deed.
Over the years, there has been a growing recognition of the laity’s essential role in the Church. Too often in the past, we have seen the laity as subordinate to priests and deacons and sometimes expected them to fill in the gaps in our ministries.
It is important, however, that lay people participate in the ministries of the Church not as subordinate subjects but as co-workers. This understanding is beautifully outlined in the Letter to the Ephesians 4:11-15:
“And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in
every way into him who is the head, Christ….”
All this being said, the main role and focus of the laity is to evangelize the world around them. This includes, first, the family, but also extends to politics, medicine, and other vital functions of society. The baptismal commitment is to bring Christ into today’s world—into politics, education, law, and beyond. The laity as a whole is to live as the Body of Christ within those fields. It’s not easy to bring Christ into the middle of a courtroom. It’s also not easy for a politician to embody the heart of Christ during debates in Congress or in local city councils. Still, it is important that they are present and discover the beauty and purpose of their mission in these environments. The Second Vatican Council made it clear: the world is their primary field of mission.
Of course, within the Church and more specifically the parish, the diocese, etc., their contribution is also crucial. Many serve as catechists, in liturgical ministries, but also use their expertise in parish and diocesan councils, or lay organizations within the Church.
Even as the lay person serves the parish community, their most significant impact is transforming the world. That is a courageous vision, but without vision, we all become stagnant and perhaps irrelevant to those around us. We dream of a world of peace, compassion, and justice—and laypeople are the salt and yeast that foster that world to rise.
It sounds as if it is not so much about getting people into the Church but about going out and bringing the Church to others.
Bishop Mulvey: Exactly—and most importantly, that we all live the Gospel we profess and make Jesus Christ present. Sometimes, people have a powerful
and genuine conversion, perhaps through a retreat, and they ask themselves, “How can I serve in the Church?” This is logical, but they should also ask themselves, “How can I serve where I am in the world and now do so with the mind and heart of Jesus?”
Are there also ministries where laypeople can serve better than clerics?
Bishop Mulvey: I knew a couple in Houston who were very active in their parish. One day, on a Saturday morning after Mass, they were preparing to take Holy Communion to the sick and homebound. As they got into their car, they looked up and saw the pastor sitting in his office with a young couple preparing them for marriage. The wife said to her husband, “Shouldn’t our ministry be inverted? With our 50 years of marriage experience, we could help that young couple understand the beauty of sacramental marriage, and Father could bring greater comfort to the sick and dying, delivering communion.” It was an interesting perspective and commentary on ministry that has always stayed with me. Sometimes, laypeople are more effective in certain ministries or can work with priests because preparing a young couple for marriage is not just about getting them to the altar but about walking with them and accompanying them. And who can best accompany a married couple than another married couple?
Another example is a group of lawyers in the diocese taking the initiative to form a group of their peers who serve people in the community who cannot afford the legal costs to address their situation. Forming a community of lawyers with the Spirit of Christ reaching out to the downtrodden helped them practice their careers and live their lay vocation in the world.
There is a saying, “For many people, the only Eucharist they will encounter is you.” The early fathers of the Church said that “we become what we eat.” As we partake of the Eucharist, we become Eucharist. We become the mind of Christ if we allow the effects of the Eucharist to work within us; therefore, when I meet someone, we become the presence of Christ for others.
We sometimes see the sacraments as moments along our life’s journey, forgetting they form us with the mind of Christ. The sacraments are meant to be lived, not just received.
We now have two new lay saints—Pier Giorgio Frascati and Carlo Acutis, two young men who lived their faith in that way. What message do they have for us?
Bishop Mulvey: What strikes me most is how normal they were – besides being young. They didn’t do anything extraordinary except live their faith as laymen. They found the light of their lives in the Gospel, witnessing to Jesus Christ and sharing their
faith with those around them. This had an impact on their own families and among their peers; they simply lived who they were, like everyone else, but differently.
That’s what attracts me to their example. They were what Pope Francis calls “everyday saints.” In Gaudete et Exsultate, he reminds us that holiness is not necessarily about spending more time in Church—it’s about living our faith with the grace of the Holy Spirit, in the light of Christ, sincerely and devoutly, right where we are. That’s what these two young men did. They were, as previously mentioned, Eucharist for others.
St. Carlo Acutis was just a teenager; he died at age 15. What can he teach young people today?
Bishop Mulvey: I believe he would teach people today to focus on Jesus Christ and Him alone. We all search for what is true, genuine and meaningful. Look to Jesus. He is the truth. We all want peace –Jesus is peace.
St. Carlos Acutis, at the age of 15, discovered the truth. Then, he used his computer to search the web and find these beautiful Eucharistic miracles. He lived his life for Jesus, and he wanted others to know Him, too. So, to young people: don’t be afraid; look to Jesus as your hero or your model – He shows us what love truly is, especially on the cross. Don’t fear suffering, and don’t hesitate to show the world who Jesus is today through your life.
How can laypeople pursue holiness in today’s busy and distracting world? What can help them stay focused?
Bishop Mulvey: I believe our focus should be on simple, daily prayer, inspired by the saints who taught us to “Pray as you can, not as you want to.” Someone asked me recently, “How do you live with and for Jesus each day?” I replied that, just getting up in the morning, I ask Jesus to help me love everyone. And help me to live the present moment and to encounter him in each person I meet. Our prayers should never become mere formulas; instead, we need to welcome the Holy Spirit at every moment of our lives.
Mary did exactly that – she was a layperson, and in her everyday life, she was the Mother of God, and she longs to be close to us as our mother. Lay people need to be reawakened to the beauty of what it means to be lay in the Church, and priests and bishops need to welcome the laity as brothers and sisters walking together in life to meet the Lord eternally. We also need to discover holiness in our normal, daily lives. Many of us can’t spend hours in front of the Eucharist, although that would be wonderful, but only some in the Church are called to a contemplative life. Many of us are called to live holiness in the midst of daily activities.
ENTREVISTA CON EL OBISPO MICHAEL MULVEY
“Sé quién Dios te ha llamado a ser”
¿Cómo ve usted el papel de los laicos en la Iglesia de hoy? ¿Cómo ha cambiado este papel en las últimas décadas?
Obispo Mulvey: Para responder a esta pregunta, pienso, en primer lugar, en el Decreto sobre el Apostolado de los Laicos del Concilio Vaticano II, Apostolicam Actuositatem. Años más tarde, el Papa Juan Pablo II profundizó sobre el papel de los laicos en su Exhortación Apostólica Christifideles Laici de 1988, en la que afirmó que la llamada a la santidad y la misión de la Iglesia no se limitan al clero, sino que son una vocación universal para todos los bautizados. En el bautismo, todos somos bautizados en Cristo, en el misterio de su Muerte y Resurrección, y nos convertimos en miembros de su Cuerpo que es la Iglesia. Por lo tanto, cada miembro tiene una misión específica: reflejar a Cristo en pensamiento, palabra y obra.
A través de los años, ha habido un mayor reconocimiento del papel esencial de los laicos en la Iglesia. En el pasado, con demasiada frecuencia, veíamos a los laicos como subordinados a los sacerdotes y diáconos, y a veces esperábamos que cubrieran las deficiencias en nuestros ministerios. Sin embargo, es importante que los laicos participen en los ministerios de la Iglesia no como súbditos, sino como colaboradores. Esta comprensión se explica de forma magistral en la Carta a los Efesios 4,11-15: «Y él mismo constituyó a unos, apóstoles; a otros, profetas; a otros, evangelistas; a otros, pastores y maestros, a fin de perfeccionar a los santos para la obra del ministerio, para la edificación del cuerpo de Cristo, hasta que todos lleguemos a la unidad de la fe y del conocimiento del Hijo de Dios, a un varón perfecto, a la medida de la estatura de la plenitud de Cristo; para que ya no seamos niños fluctuantes, llevados por doquiera de todo viento de doctrina, por estratagema de hombres que para engañar emplean con astucia las artimañas del error, sino que siguiendo la verdad en amor, crezcamos en todo en
aquel que es la cabeza, esto es, Cristo»
Dicho esto, el papel principal de los laicos es evangelizar el mundo que les rodea. Esto incluye, en primer lugar, la familia, pero también se extiende a la política, la medicina y otras funciones vitales de la sociedad. El compromiso bautismal es llevar a Cristo al mundo actual: a la política, la educación, el derecho, etc. Los laicos, en su conjunto, deben vivir como el Cuerpo de Cristo en estos ámbitos. No es fácil llevar a Cristo a un tribunal. Tampoco es fácil que un político encarne el espíritu de Cristo durante los debates en el Congreso o en los ayuntamientos. Sin embargo, es importante que estén presentes y descubran la belleza y el propósito de su misión en estos entornos. El Concilio Vaticano II lo dejó claro: el mundo es su principal campo de misión.
Por supuesto, dentro de la Iglesia, y más concretamente en la parroquia, la diócesis, etc., la contribución de los laicos también es crucial. Muchos sirven como catequistas, en ministerios litúrgicos, y también ponen sus conocimientos al servicio de los consejos parroquiales y diocesanos, o de las organizaciones laicales de la Iglesia.
Incluso cuando la persona laica sirve a la comunidad parroquial, su impacto más significativo es transformar el mundo. Esa es una visión valiente, pero sin visión, todos nos volvemos estancados y quizás irrelevantes para quienes nos rodean. Soñamos con un mundo de paz, compasión y justicia, y los laicos son la sal y la levadura que impulsan ese ideal.
Parece que se trata no tanto de atraer a la gente a la Iglesia, sino de salir al encuentro de los demás y llevarlos a la Iglesia.
Obispo Mulvey: Exacto, y lo más importante es que todos vivamos el Evangelio que profesamos y hagamos presente a Jesucristo. A veces, las personas tienen una conversión poderosa y genuina, quizás a través de un retiro, y se preguntan: «¿Cómo puedo servir a la Iglesia?». Esto es lógico, pero también
deberían preguntarse: «¿Cómo puedo servir donde estoy en el mundo y ahora hacerlo con la mente y el corazón de Jesús?»
¿Hay también ministerios donde los laicos pueden servir mejor que los clérigos?
Obispo Mulvey: Conocí a una pareja en Houston que era muy activa en su parroquia. Un sábado por la mañana, después de la misa, se preparaban para llevar la comunión a los enfermos y ancianos. Cuando se subieron a su coche, miraron hacia arriba y vieron al pastor sentado en su oficina con una pareja joven preparándolos para el matrimonio. La esposa le dijo a su marido: “¿No debería invertirse nuestro ministerio? Con nuestros 50 años de experiencia matrimonial, podríamos ayudar a esa joven pareja a comprender la belleza del matrimonio sacramental, y el Padre podría brindar mayor consuelo a los enfermos y moribundos, administrando la comunión.” Fue una perspectiva interesante sobre el ministerio que siempre me ha impactado. A veces, los laicos son más eficaces en ciertos ministerios o pueden colaborar mejor con los sacerdotes, porque preparar a una pareja para el matrimonio no se limita a llevarlos al altar, sino a acompañarlos en su camino. ¿Y quién puede acompañar mejor a una pareja casada que otra pareja casada?
Otro ejemplo es un grupo de abogados en la diócesis que tomó la iniciativa de formar un grupo de sus colegas que sirven a las personas en la comunidad que no pueden afrontar los costos legales para abordar su situación. Formar una comunidad de abogados con el Espíritu de Cristo que se extiende a los oprimidos les ayudó a ejercer sus carreras y vivir su vocación laica en el mundo.
Hay un dicho: “Para muchas personas, la única Eucaristía que encontrarán eres tú.” Los primeros padres de la Iglesia dijeron que “nosotros nos convertimos en lo que comemos.” Al participar en la Eucaristía, nos convertimos en Eucaristía. Nos convertimos en la mente de Cristo si permitimos que los efectos de la Eucaristía actúen en nosotros; por lo tanto, cuando conocemos a alguien, nos convertimos en la presencia de Cristo para los demás.
A veces, vemos los sacramentos como solo momentos en nuestra vida, olvidando que nos forman con la mentalidad de Cristo. Los sacramentos deben vivirse, no solo ser recibidos.
Ahora tenemos dos nuevos santos laicos: Pier Giorgio Frascati y Carlo Acutis, dos jóvenes que vivieron su fe de esta manera. ¿Qué mensaje nos transmiten?
Obispo Mulvey: Lo que más me impresiona es su normalidad, además de su juventud. No hicieron nada extraordinario, simplemente vivieron su fe como laicos. Encontraron la luz de su vida en el Evangelio, dando testimonio de Jesucristo y compartiendo su fe con los demás. Esto influyó en sus familias y en sus compañeros; simplemente fueron quienes eran,
como todos, pero de una manera especial. Eso es lo que me atrae de su ejemplo. Eran lo que el Papa Francisco llama «santos de la vida cotidiana». En Gaudete et Exsultate, nos recuerda que la santidad no consiste en pasar más tiempo en la iglesia, sino en vivir nuestra fe con la gracia del Espíritu Santo, en la luz de Cristo, sinceramente y con devoción, dondequiera que estemos. Eso es lo que hicieron estos jóvenes. Fueron, como ya se mencionó, Eucaristía para los demás.
San Carlo Acutis era solo un adolescente; murió a los 15 años. ¿Qué nos puede enseñar a los jóvenes de hoy?
Obispo Mulvey: Creo que él enseñaría a las personas hoy a concentrarse en Jesucristo y en Él solo. Todos buscamos la verdad, la autenticidad y el sentido de la vida. Mira a Jesús. Él es la verdad. Todos anhelamos la paz: Jesús es la paz.
San Carlos Acutis, a la edad de 15 años, descubrió la verdad. Luego, usó su computadora para buscar en la web y encontrar estos hermosos milagros eucarísticos. Vivió su vida para Jesús y deseaba que los demás también lo conocieran. Así que, a los jóvenes: no tengan miedo; miren a Jesús como su héroe o su modelo - Él nos muestra lo que el amor verdaderamente es, especialmente en la cruz. No teman al sufrimiento y no duden en mostrar al mundo quién es Jesús hoy a través de su vida.
¿Cómo pueden los laicos buscar la santidad en este mundo tan ajetreado y lleno de distracciones? ¿Qué les puede ayudar a mantenerse enfocados? Obispo Mulvey: Creo que nuestro enfoque debería estar en la oración diaria simple, inspirada por los santos que nos enseñaron a “orar como puedas, no como quieras”. Alguien me preguntó recientemente: “¿Cómo vives con y para Jesús cada día?”. Respondí que, al despertar por la mañana, le pido a Jesús que me ayude a amar a todos. Y que me ayude a vivir el momento presente y a verlo a él en cada persona que encuentro. Nuestras oraciones nunca deberían convertirse en meras fórmulas; en cambio, necesitamos dar la bienvenida al Espíritu Santo en cada momento de nuestras vidas.
María hizo precisamente eso: era una persona laica y, en su vida cotidiana, era la Madre de Dios, y ella anhela estar cerca de nosotros como nuestra madre. Las personas laicas necesitan ser reavivadas a la belleza de lo que significa ser laico en la Iglesia, y los sacerdotes y obispos deben acoger a los laicos como hermanos y hermanas que caminan juntos hacia el encuentro con el Señor. También debemos descubrir la santidad en nuestra vida diaria. Muchos de nosotros no podemos pasar horas frente a la Eucaristía, aunque eso sería maravilloso, pero solo algunos en la Iglesia están llamados a una vida contemplativa. Los demás hemos sido llamados a vivir la santidad en medio de nuestras actividades diarias.
POPE FRANCIS’ APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION IS A ROADMAP FOR LAY PEOPLE
A Call to Holiness
BY SUSANNE JANSSEN
When we think of holiness, great saints might come to mind: St. Benedict, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Teresa of Avila – spiritual giants who have influenced and continue to influence the entire Church. However, every Christian is called to holiness.
Already in the Old Testament, we find the foundational call to holiness in Leviticus 19:2: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” The Apostle Peter, who was close to Jesus during his public life and entrusted with leading the Church, wrote in his first letter, “But as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:15-16).
Pope Francis dedicated an Apostolic Exhortation to this topic in 2018: Gaudete et Exsultate, which means “Rejoice and Be Glad,” reminds Catholics that everyone is called to holiness, not just priests or religious leaders. In its 44 pages, the late pope explained the reasoning: “The Lord asks everything of us, and in return he offers us true life, the happiness for which we were created. He wants us to be saints and not to settle for a bland and mediocre existence” (Gaudete et Exsultate, #1).
Someone might wonder how this can be true, thinking of our own sins, our past, but this calling doesn’t mean each one of us will become a canonized
Pope Francis (1936–2025) emphasized that everyone is called to holiness.
saint. Pope Francis speaks about the “saints next door”, which can be our mothers, grandmothers, neighbors who care and live a life dedicated to others. He mentions as examples, “I like to contemplate the holiness present in the patience of God’s people: in those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile ... We might call them “the middle class of holiness” (GE, 7).
The pope spelled it out that “To be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious. We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer. That is not the case. We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves. Are you called to the consecrated life? Be holy by living out your commitment with joy. Are you married? Be holy by loving and caring for your husband or wife, as Christ does for the Church. Do you work for a living? Be holy by laboring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters. Are you a parent or grandparent? Be holy by patiently teaching the little ones how to follow Jesus. Are you in a position of authority? Be holy by working for the common good and renouncing personal gain” (GE #14).
The Grace of Baptism
All of us are called to holiness – but how can we actually achieve it? Holiness grows through small acts in everyday life: choosing not to gossip about someone, remaining honest, and responding to mean reactions without seeking revenge.
There is a well-known quote from Mother Teresa of Calcutta that expresses this idea: “Do small things with great love.” Not everyone is called to leave everything behind and follow God, like Mother Teresa and her sisters. So when a volunteer asked her what to do, she simply replied, “Go home and love your family.”
St. Paul wrote in his first letter to the Thessalonians, “A Christian cannot think of his or her mission on Earth without seeing it as a path of holiness, for ‘this is the will of God, your sanctification’” (1 Thess 4:3). We cannot make excuses, such as being married, having a family, being busy, or lacking financial resources. Pope Francis explains, “It consists in uniting ourselves to the Lord’s death and resurrection in a unique and personal way, constantly dying and rising anew with him…. But also his hidden life, his life in community, his closeness to the outcast, his poverty and other ways in which he showed his self-sacrificing love” (GE #19).
To guide us along this path, canonized saints are like our big brothers and sisters who support and direct us: “Every saint is a message which the Holy Spirit takes from the riches of Jesus Christ and
gives to his people” (GE #22). The saints are diverse, highlighting that true devotion and reverence are not found in withdrawing from the world itself, but in transforming it: “It is not healthy to love silence while fleeing interaction with others, to want peace and quiet while avoiding activity, to seek prayer while disdaining service. Everything can be accepted and integrated into our lives in this world, and become part of our journey to holiness. We are called to be contemplatives even amid action, and to grow in holiness by responsibly and generously fulfilling our mission” (GE, 26). Anxiety about following the proper rules, pride, or the need to impress others will not lead to holiness.
Two Subtle Enemies of Holiness
In our modern world, more challenges await than just secularism and a lifestyle that rejects moral guidance. The pope identifies the first subtle enemy as “Contemporary Gnosticism,” a purely subjective faith. There are many variations in this category: “Cafeteria Catholics” who pick and choose only the parts of doctrine they prefer, or those who try to understand doctrine purely as an intellectual exercise without applying it practically in their lives.
The other concept is known as “contemporary Pelagianism.” Pelagius (ca. 390–418) was a theologian recognized for advocating a system of doctrines— called Pelagianism by his opponents—that stressed human choice in salvation and rejected original sin.
Today, there is a tendency to overemphasize personal effort and willpower as means to salvation. However, the Church has consistently taught that we are justified not by our own works or efforts, but by the grace of the Lord, who always takes the initiative. Everything “depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy” (Rom 9:16).
The Beatitudes – a roadmap to sanctity
Pope Francis highlights one of Jesus’s key speeches — the Sermon on the Mount: “Jesus explained with great simplicity what it means to be holy when he gave us the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:3-12; Lk 6:20-23).
The Beatitudes are like a Christian’s identity card. So, if anyone asks: ‘What must one do to be a good Christian?’ the answer is clear. We must do, each in our own way, what Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount.[66] In the Beatitudes, we find a portrait of the Master, which we are called to reflect in our daily lives. The word ‘happy’ or ‘blessed’ thus becomes a synonym for ‘holy.’ It expresses the fact that those faithful to God and his word, through their self-giving, find true happiness.” (GE, 63).
This means going against the flow in today’s society, especially affecting the laity, who haven’t given up everything for the kingdom of God but are called to be good stewards and internally detached from possessions. For example, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”: Wealth can lead us to self-satisfaction that leaves no room for God’s word, for the love of our brothers and sisters, and it distracts us from the most essential things in life. Spiritual poverty is closely linked to what Saint Ignatius of Loyola calls “holy indifference,” or interior freedom.
Another example: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”: against the reign of pride and vanity, not being upset or impatient with others is considered holiness, explains the late Pope. The Beatitudes encompass it all – accepting the cross, helping the poor, showing mercy, and having a pure heart that loves God and neighbor in words and actions, and sowing peace around us.
Five expressions of Love for God
Pope Francis highlights five signs that demonstrate
the pursuit of holiness. The first is a strong foundation in the God who loves and sustains us. This foundation provides the inner strength needed to persevere through life’s highs and lows, as well as to endure hostility, betrayal, and the wrongdoings of others. “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Rom 8:31): This is the source of the peace found in the saints. Such inner strength makes it possible to be a witness of holiness in our fast-paced, noisy, and often aggressive world through patience and constancy in doing good. (GE, 112)
The second sign is “joy and a sense of humor” – the joy that stems from the fact that Jesus has conquered death. Pope Francis states, “Far from being timid, morose, acerbic or melancholy, or putting on a dreary face, the saints are joyful and full of good humor. Though completely realistic, they radiate a positive and hopeful spirit. The Christian life is “joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17), for “the necessary result of the love of charity is joy; since every lover rejoices at being united to the beloved… the effect of charity is joy” (GE, #122).
Third, the Pope mentions “boldness and passion.” Jesus tells us, “Do not be afraid” (Mk 6:50). “I am with you always, to the end of the world” (Mt 28:20). These words enable Christians to go forth and serve with the same courage that the Holy Spirit stirred up in the Apostles, impelling them to proclaim Jesus Christ.
The fourth sign: Growth in holiness is a journey in community, side by side with others. Pope Francis reminds readers that the Church has canonized entire communities who lived the Gospel heroically or offered their lives to God, such as the seven holy founders of the Servants of Mary or St. Paul Miki and companions, martyred in Japan (GE #141). However, it’s not solely about martyrdom or mystical experiences, but about becoming holy through everyday life in the parish, family, and religious community.
Lastly, prayer and adoration are essential, but according to Pope Francis, they don’t need to be lengthy given the many responsibilities laypeople have in the world. He stresses the importance of quality and depth: spending a few moments alone with God, where “the quiet voice of the Lord can be heard in the midst of silence.” (GE, #149).
LA EXHORTACIÓN APOSTÓLICA DEL PAPA FRANCISCO ES UNA GUÍA DE VIDA PARA LOS LAICOS.
Llamados a la santidad
POR SUSANNE JANSSEN
Cuando pensamos en –santidad-, nos viene a la mente la imagen de grandes santos:
San Benito, San Francisco de Asís, Santa Catalina de Siena o Santa Teresa de Ávila, gigantes espirituales, que han influido y siguen influyendo en la Iglesia universal. Sin embargo, todo cristiano está llamado a la santidad.
Ya en el Antiguo Testamento encontramos el llamado fundamental a la santidad en Levítico 19:2: «Sed santos; porque Yo vuestro Dios soy santo». El apóstol Pedro, quien estuvo cerca de Jesús durante su vida pública y a quien se le confió el liderazgo de la Iglesia, escribió en su primera carta: «Sino que, conforme al que os llamó, que es Santo, sed también vosotros santos en toda su conducta» (1 Pedro 1:15-16). El Papa Francisco dedicó una Exhortación Apostólica sobre este tema en 2018: Gaudete et Exsultate, que significa “Alégrense y regocíjense”, donde recuerda a todos los católicos, ese llamado a la santidad, no solo los sacerdotes o líderes religiosos. En sus 44 páginas, el difunto Papa explicó el razonamiento: “El Señor pide todo de nosotros, pero a cambio, nos ofrece la verdadera vida, la felicidad para la que fuimos creados. Quiere que seamos santos y que no nos conformemos con una existencia comodina y mediocre” (Gaudete et Exsultate, #1).
Es posible que nos preguntásemos cómo es que puede ser esto cierto, considerando nuestro pasado y nuestros propios pecados; este llamado no significa que cada uno de nosotros se convierta en un santo canonizado. El Papa Francisco se refiere a los “santos que viven a nuestro lado”, a esas personas cercanas, que pueden ser nuestras madres, abuelas, amigos o vecinos, a quienes cuidan y viven una vida dedicada a los demás. Menciona como ejemplo: «Me gusta contemplar la santidad presente en la paciencia del pueblo de Dios: en esos padres que crían a sus hijos con inmenso amor, en esos hombres y mujeres que se esfuerzan por sacar adelante a sus familias, en esos enfermos, en esos religiosos ancianos que nunca pierden la sonrisa amable... En todos ellos a quienes podríamos llamar “la clase media de la santidad”» (GE, 7).
El Papa lo explica claramente: «Ser santo no requiere ser obispo, sacerdote o religioso. Con
frecuencia nos sentimos tentados a pensar que la santidad es solo para aquellos que pueden retirarse de los asuntos cotidianos para dedicar mucho tiempo a la oración. Ese no es el caso. Todos estamos llamados a ser santos viviendo la vida con amor, siendo y dando testimonio en todo lo que hacemos, dondequiera que nos encontremos. ¿Estás llamado a la vida consagrada? Sé santo viviendo tu compromiso con alegría. ¿Estás casado? Sé santo amando y cuidando a tu esposo o esposa, como Cristo lo hace por la Iglesia. ¿Trabajas para ganarte la vida? Sé santo trabajando con integridad y habilidad al servicio de tus hermanos y hermanas. ¿Eres padre, madre o abuelo/a? Sé santo/a enseñando con paciencia a los pequeños a seguir a Jesús. ¿Ocupas una posición de autoridad? Sé santo/a trabajando por el bien común y renunciando a tu interés personal». (GE #14).
La Gracia del Bautismo
Todos estamos llamados a la santidad, pero ¿cómo podemos alcanzarla? La santidad crece a través de los pequeños actos de la vida cotidiana: eligiendo no chismear sobre alguien, siendo honesto/a y reaccionando a la crueldad sin buscar venganza. Hay una cita muy conocida de la Madre Teresa de Calcuta que expresa esta idea: «Haz pequeñas cosas con gran amor». No todos estamos llamados a dejarlo todo y seguir a Dios, como la Madre Teresa y sus hermanas. Así que, cuando un voluntario le preguntó qué hacer, simplemente respondió: «Vuelve a casa y ama a tu familia». San Pablo escribió en su primera carta a los Tesalonicenses: «Un cristiano no puede pensar en su misión en la tierra sin verla como un camino de santidad, porque “esta es la voluntad de Dios: vuestra santificación”» (1 Tes 4,3). No podemos poner excusas, como estar casados, tener familia, estar ocupados o carecer de recursos económicos. El papa Francisco explica: «Consiste en unirnos a la muerte y resurrección del Señor de una manera única y personal, muriendo y resucitando constantemente con Él…». Pero también en su vida oculta, en su vida en comunidad, en su cercanía con los marginados, en su pobreza y en tantas formas en que mostró su sacrificio abnegado y su amor” (GE #19).
Para guiarnos a lo largo de este camino, los santos canonizados son como nuestros hermanos y hermanas mayores que nos apoyan y nos guían: “Cada santo es un mensaje que el Espíritu Santo toma de las riquezas de Jesucristo y que entrega a su pueblo” (GE #22). Los santos son diversos, y destacan que la verdadera devoción y reverencia no se encuentran en retirarse del mundo en sí, sino en transformarlo: “No es sano amar en silencio y huir de la interacción con los demás, desear la paz y la quietud mientras evitamos la actividad, o buscar la oración para desdeñar el servicio. Todo puede ser aceptado e integrado en nuestra vida en este mundo, y formar parte de nuestro camino hacia la santidad”. Estamos llamados a ser contemplativos incluso en medio de la acción, y a crecer en santidad cumpliendo nuestra misión con responsabilidad y generosidad (GE, 26). La ansiedad por seguir las reglas correctas, el orgullo o la necesidad de impresionar a los demás no conducirán a la santidad.
Dos sutiles enemigos de la santidad
En nuestro mundo moderno, nos esperan más desafíos que el simple secularismo de un estilo de vida que rechaza la guía moral. El Papa identifica al primer
enemigo sutil como el “gnosticismo contemporáneo”, una fe puramente subjetiva. Existen muchas variantes en esta categoría: los “católicos de supermercado” que eligen solo las partes de la doctrina que prefieren, o quienes intentan comprender la doctrina como un mero ejercicio intelectual sin aplicarla prácticamente en sus vidas.
El otro concepto se conoce como “pelagianismo contemporáneo”. Pelagio (ca. 390-418) fue un teólogo reconocido por defender un sistema de doctrinas —llamado pelagianismo por sus oponentes— que enfatizaba la elección humana en la salvación y rechazaba el pecado original. Hoy en día, existe una tendencia a sobreestimar el esfuerzo personal y la fuerza de voluntad como medios para la salvación. Sin embargo, la Iglesia ha enseñado constantemente que somos justificados no por nuestras propias obras o esfuerzos, sino por la gracia del Señor, quien siempre toma la iniciativa. «Así que no todo es obra de la voluntad ni del esfuerzo humano, sino de Dios, que tiene misericordia» (Rm 9,16).
Las Bienaventuranzas: una guía hacia la santidad
El Papa Francisco destaca uno de los discursos clave de Jesús: el Sermón de la Montaña: «Jesús explicó
El Papa Francisco (1936-2025) destacó que los laicos no necesitan retirarse del mundo: el Señor les da todo lo que necesitan para ser santos en medio del mundo.
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con gran sencillez lo que significa ser santo al darnos las Bienaventuranzas (cf. Mt 5,3-12; Lc 6,20-23). Las Bienaventuranzas son como el carné de identidad del cristiano. Así, si alguien pregunta: “¿Qué hay que hacer para ser un buen cristiano?”, la respuesta es clara. Debemos hacer, cada uno a su manera, lo que Jesús nos dijo en el Sermón de la Montaña. En las Bienaventuranzas encontramos un retrato del Maestro, que estamos llamados a reflejar en nuestra vida diaria. La palabra «feliz» o «bienaventurado» se convierte así en sinónimo de «santo». Expresa que quienes son fieles a Dios y a su palabra, a través de su entrega, encuentran la verdadera felicidad». (GE, 63).
Esto implica ir en contra de la corriente de nuestra sociedad actual, especialmente para los laicos, quienes no lo han dejado todo por el reino de Dios, sino que están llamados a ser buenos administradores y a estar interiormente desprendidos de las posesiones. Por ejemplo, «Bienaventurados los pobres de espíritu, porque de ellos es el reino de los cielos»: la riqueza puede llevarnos a una autocomplacencia que no deja espacio para la palabra de Dios ni para el amor a los hermanos, y nos distrae de lo más esencial de la vida. La pobreza espiritual está estrechamente ligada a lo que san Ignacio de Loyola llama «santa indiferencia» o libertad interior.
Otro ejemplo: «Bienaventurados los mansos, porque ellos heredarán la tierra»: contra el reino del orgullo y la vanidad, no enojarse ni impacientarse con los demás se considera santidad, explica el difunto Papa. Las Bienaventuranzas lo abarcan todo: aceptar la cruz, ayudar a los pobres, mostrar misericordia y tener un corazón puro que ama a Dios y al prójimo con palabras y acciones, y sembrar la paz a nuestro alrededor.
Cinco expresiones de amor a Dios
El Papa Francisco destaca cinco señales que demuestran la búsqueda de la santidad. La primera es un fundamento sólido en Dios que nos ama y nos sostiene. Este fundamento proporciona la fuerza interior necesaria para perseverar ante los altibajos de la vida, así como para soportar la hostilidad, la traición y las injusticias de los demás. «Si Dios está con nosotros, ¿quién estará contra nosotros?» (Rom 8,31): Esta es la fuente de paz que se encuentra en los santos. Esta fuerza interior permite ser testigo de la santidad en nuestro mundo acelerado, ruidoso y a menudo agresivo mediante la paciencia y la constancia en hacer el bien. (GE, 112)
La segunda señal es «la alegría y el sentido del humor», la alegría que nace de que Jesús ha vencido a la muerte. El Papa Francisco afirma: «Lejos de ser tímidos, taciturnos, mordaces o melancólicos, o de mostrar un rostro sombrío, los santos son alegres y llenos de buen humor. Aunque completamente realistas, irradian un espíritu positivo y esperanzador. La vida cristiana es «gozo en el Espíritu Santo» (Rm 14,17), porque «el fruto necesario del amor de la
caridad es la alegría; ya que todo el que ama se alegra de estar unido a la persona amada… el efecto de la caridad es la alegría» (GE, #122).
En tercer lugar, el Papa menciona «la audacia y la pasión». Jesús nos dice: «No tengan miedo» (Mc 6,50). «Yo estoy con ustedes todos los días, hasta el fin del mundo» (Mt 28,20). Estas palabras permiten a los cristianos salir y servir con la misma valentía que el Espíritu Santo despertó en los Apóstoles, impulsándolos a anunciar a Jesucristo.
La cuarta señal: El crecimiento en la santidad es un camino en comunidad, codo con codo los unos con los otros. El Papa Francisco recuerda a los lectores que la Iglesia ha canonizado a comunidades enteras que vivieron el Evangelio heroicamente o que ofrecieron sus vidas a Dios, como los siete santos fundadores de las Siervas de María o San Pablo Miki y compañeros, martirizados en Japón (GE #141). Sin embargo, no se trata solo del martirio o de experiencias místicas, sino de santificarse a través de la vida cotidiana en la parroquia, la familia y la comunidad religiosa.
Por último, la oración y la adoración son esenciales, pero según el Papa Francisco, no necesitan ser largas, dadas las múltiples responsabilidades que tienen los laicos en el mundo. Enfatiza la importancia de la calidad y la profundidad: pasar unos momentos a solas con Dios, donde “la voz apacible del Señor se escucha en medio del silencio” (GE #149).
Vivir las Bienaventuranzas es un modo de dar testimonio del Señor.
Pixabay/James Qube
LAITY KEEP CATHOLIC FAITH THRIVING IN SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES
“Where Two or Three are Gathered in My Name”
BY CYNTHIA MORALES
-year-old Claire McCauley is a woman of action. A resident of Brookdale Trinity Towers in Corpus Christi, McCauley helps keep the Catholic faith alive there through her work as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC). “I just love it,” she says, speaking of her service to fellow Catholic residents. And if she gets sick, she prays, “Lord, help me get over this,” so she can return to her ministry.
She is not alone.
While senior living facilities might seem isolated and detached from typical parish life on the outside, lively Catholic communities thrive within them. Lay people—both inside and outside the facilities—are the main force, making sure that Catholics inside stay connected to their faith, their church, their diocese, and one another.
Residents helping residents
Brookdale Trinity Towers is a five-minute walk from Corpus Christi Cathedral, and the facility provides a bus to take residents to Mass on Sundays. However, not all residents are so mobile, and the high demand for a Catholic community within the facility remains. When Fr. James Stembler, Rector of Corpus Christi Cathedral, offered to say Mass on Saturdays at
Trinity Towers after the COVID-19 pandemic eased, residents eagerly accepted the opportunity.
McCauley immediately offered her services as an EMHC. Another resident, Mary Jane Hess, began coordinating the weekly Mass. Hess now helps set up a room for Mass each week and makes sure that Catholic residents are aware of faith-based offerings at the facility. “It’s something I enjoy doing,” Hess, a former nurse, explains. “You see a need and just respond to it.”
Hess also serves as a backup EMHC to McCauley, who accompanies a priest in taking Holy Communion to residents unable to attend the weekly Mass. On a recent Saturday, McCauley accompanied Fr. Luis Lozano, guiding him through the complex hallways. Along the way, she talks with staff and residents, many of whom ask for Holy Communion or a blessing. In the rooms, McCauley embraces residents, taking prayer requests and updates on their lives. “I am so grateful to be able to do this,” McCauley reflects. When a priest cannot come or must leave early, McCauley completes the rounds alone.
Creating a Catholic community within For senior living residents who cannot easily leave
Eucharistic Ministers at Mirador: Laura Webb, Marina Shell, Thelma Rodriguez, and Sandy Silva.
(2) Cynthia Morales
to attend events at a parish church, forging their own Catholic community is critical. By gathering together for Mass, Communion services, or to pray the Rosary, the residents create their own “holy space” where Christ’s presence is palpable.
The days when Communion services are held at The Viera Senior Living and Mirador are days of joy and fellowship, not only for the residents but for the EMHCs from St. Philip the Apostle parish who serve them. While a priest does come out from St. Philip’s once a month to offer Mass, for all the other weeks of the month, residents rely on lay EMHCs to conduct Communion services and to bring Holy Communion to residents in their rooms. EMHCs also tend to residents’ emotional and spiritual needs by talking with them and sharing devotional items and prayer pamphlets. Residents prepare for the EMHCs’ visits by checking on fellow residents, encouraging residents to attend Communion services, and alerting the EMHC to those who wish to receive Holy Communion in their rooms. At Mirador and Trinity Towers, the residents also help set up for services, serve as lectors, and play hymns on the piano.
Residents also build a Catholic community through praying the Rosary together. At Trinity Towers, two or three residents sometimes gather in each other’s rooms to pray the Rosary. A formal group Rosary is prayed after each Mass, led by a Legion of Mary member. At Mirador, the residents pray the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet together every week before the EMHC arrives. At The Viera, the visiting EMHC leads a group Rosary after the Communion service.
The residents’ prayer life and fellowship is also enriched by visits from members of parish organizations such as the Legion of Mary and the Catholic Daughters of America, who lead
Rosaries once a month at Trinity Towers and The Viera, respectively. Like EMHCs, they rejoice in the opportunity to share their Catholic faith. Residents “need prayers and interaction with the community,” explains Catholic Daughter Mary Ella Martinez. “It all comes from the heart,” adds Legion of Mary member Amanda Garza. “You grow close to these folks.”
The grace of giving back
For the laity who serve senior Catholics in residential living facilities, spending time with them is a blessing and a grace.
Judy Shultz goes to Mass before traveling to The Viera to conduct their Communion service and bring Holy Communion to residents in their rooms. She feels “at peace, a sense of calmness” before beginning the service. “After going home, I’m so grateful I went. The people are so sweet, and I love them so much,” she says. “They are there waiting for you. I have really enjoyed it.” Thelma Rodriguez, an EMHC who serves at Mirador, agrees, remarking that she has “met a lot of people with wonderful lives.”
Such bonds can last for years, but service to seniors occasionally includes some sadness. One of Shultz’s regular communicants recently died. The EMHCs who knew him all plan to attend his funeral. “That’s the hard part,” says Laura Webb, an EMHC serving at Mirador. “You grow attached to them,” agrees Rodriguez.
Yet the graces received from helping senior living Catholic communities keep lay servers coming back. Sylvia Franco, who helps lead the Rosary at Trinity Towers, describes her ministry as “wonderful,” noting that “these ladies are such beautiful souls.” Tearing up, she adds, “They are in need of loving, caring people. I can give them thirty minutes. It means so much to me.”
The Catholic Daughters of the Americas visiting at The Viera: Janie Gottfredson, Judy Shultz, Mary Ella Martinez, Betsy Ibarra, and Mary Gonzales.
SANCTIFYING MY LIFE AS A CONSECRATED LAY PERSON LIVING IN COMMUNITY
Transform Society According to the Gospel
BY EDUARDO ALONSO
“Iwas born in a small town in Spain called Cáceres. I am the third of four siblings, and we all attended Catholic schools. Our Religion teacher in middle school was a priest who, during those years, introduced us to the Word of Life, a monthly commentary by Chiara Lubich on a passage of the Gospel. Every month, we would gather in small groups during school recess to read the latest commentary, and later, we would share the experiences we had while living out that particular phrase of the Gospel. This led us, as middle schoolers, to develop a habit of seeking for and finding opportunities to help others: a young mother carrying groceries, an elderly person needing assistance, a tourist looking for directions, a classmate struggling with homework, or helping our parents or siblings with chores.
This practice of reading and applying the Word of God shaped my faith at a young age. Only later did I discover how it aligned with Church teaching on the laity’s call to sanctify life by transforming society according to the Gospel (Lumen Gentium 36, 39–42).
One specific Gospel passage touched me: “Whatever you did to the least of these you did to me” (Mt 25:40), and along with it, the challenge, “If all the Gospels were to disappear, we should be able to rewrite them with our lives.”
A few years later, I moved to Madrid to study civil engineering. There, I encountered the Focolare Movement: a private association of the faithful within the Catholic Church, comprising members as diverse as those within the church itself—children, youth, families, priests, religious, and professionals from various fields, including education, politics, art, and engineering. During that time, I learned that Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare, was the author of the Word of Life commentary I used to read in middle school.
Members of the Focolare Movement share a common goal with other Church institutions and associations: the sanctification of each member. Additionally, the Movement has a specific mission—to contribute through our apostolate and work to fulfill Jesus’ prayer to the Father, “That all may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you” (Jn 17: 21). Therefore, the mission of the Focolare Movement is to work toward unity, as Jesus expressed in his prayer. Focolare members aim to embody this mission in their work, personal lives, and as a group by promoting initiatives that support the Catholic Church’s mission to foster unity.
As a young adult studying engineering in an increasingly secular society, I remembered the joy of having these young friends from the Focolare, for whom our secular spaces (university,
A group from Holy Family Parish brings Christmas Cheer and breakfast to Mother Teresa Shelter.
Courtesy of Eduardo Alonso (2)
work, friends, etc.) were the perfect environment to put the Gospel into practice and transform relationships and society. For example, it was a gift for me to attend Mass on campus, and if some of my friends made comments or tried to make fun of me, that did not bother rme at all. Instead, I gladly shared my faith with them, taking every opportunity God gave me to help them with homework, papers, or simply to listen and share a meal as a friend. From my Focolare friends, I learned that it is essential to be concrete in our love toward everyone, not waiting for others to love me, but to take the initiative.
After a few years of commitment with the young adults of the Focolare, during a retreat, I felt God calling me to give my life to Him as a consecrated layperson living in a Focolare community. Over the years, I have met several lay consecrated men and women of the Focolare. I felt drawn to this vocation, which emphasizes the idea of striving to imitate the life of the Holy Family – lay people like Mary and Joseph, who live with Jesus among them at home and sanctify their lives and surroundings by living God’s Word.
Consecrated lay men and women in the Focolare take permanent vows after several years of formation and life in the community, and we usually live in homes with three to six other members. The household size helps foster a sense of family among its members as we get to know each other better and share common goals and other moments at home. Our vows, when lived properly, are an opportunity to experience the freedom of being children who entrust their lives to a loving Father.
genuine concern for my personal and professional growth helped me decide to take the structural design position. I have been working in this field for 20 years; I enjoy what I do and thrive on developing new designs and guiding younger engineers. This career has been a gift from God and my brothers in the Focolare, providing many opportunities to help colleagues and clients professionally—whether sharing part of my salary increase with a coworker in Vietnam who needed extra support for his family, or apologizing after losing my patience with someone who didn’t want to change plans that I needed to sign.
As part of our vocation to transform and sanctify society, we typically practice our learned profession or trade before entering a Focolare community, just as Saint Joseph did as a tradesman. When I moved to the U.S., I found a job as a civil engineer. I remember the experience of discerning with my community which job to accept. I had received three offers at the same time. The structural design position offered the lowest pay and would require the most effort from me to study, but it was the one that attracted me most. I shared my thoughts about the pros and cons of each offer with my community, and their
In 2018, Bishop Michael Mulvey asked for Focolare communities of men and women to be established in Corpus Christi to serve the pastoral needs of Holy Family Parish and the Newman Center at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi. It was a significant new chapter in my life when I was asked to move to Corpus Christi. I was genuinely excited to live and serve in a parish setting. At the start of this experience, there were three of us: Fr. Darryl D’Souza, Bob Cummings, and me. We focused on listening to parishioners and each other, trying to understand what God was asking of us in our new roles. At that time, it seemed that God was calling me to be the Altar Server coordinator. I used the opportunity to get to know the families involved in that ministry which took some time. Even now, I see that the fruit of this effort is a dedicated group of servers and parents who enjoy contributing to the parish. I also had a personal interest in creating opportunities to serve the community, and together with others, we established a food pantry at the parish and organized a monthly breakfast at Mother Teresa’s shelter.
At our home, there are now six of us: two priests of the Focolare and four lay consecrated men. We often gather for meals, prayer, and to share our spiritual lights and shadows. Focolare means fireplace, and we often discover that it is in the fire of Jesus living among us that we find the strength, light, and joy to carry on—not only in our personal lives but also in the life of the parish community.
The Men’s Focolare House with a visitor from South Korea.
THE VOCATION AS A CONSECRATED VIRGIN IN THE WORLD
Growing in Holiness By Doing God’s Will Every Moment
BY SABINA BAET
Consecrated virginity is the oldest form of consecrated life in the Church. From apostolic times, many women have sought to follow Christ more closely and offer their lives to Him. This was made possible in the early Church when women were mystically espoused to Christ. As expressed in Canon 604, consecrated virgins are “consecrated to God by the diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical rite, are mystically betrothed to Christ, the Son of God, and are dedicated to the service of the Church.”
As a sign of our consecration, we wear a ring, given to us during the consecration ceremony. This form of consecrated life fell into oblivion for many years. Still, it was revived after the Second Vatican Council ordered the revision of the Rite of Consecration, and it is now one of the flourishing forms of consecrated life in the Church.
Consecrated virgins are mystically espoused to Christ, so union with Jesus, our spouse, in prayer is primary. When I am asked about my hobbies, I always say one of my hobbies is prayer. I spend a great deal of time in prayer, truly enjoying the time I spend with God. I enjoy His company, and I know that He enjoys mine. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God… you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10)
Every day, I make time for meditative and contemplative prayer, and I join the Church in praying the Liturgy of the Hours and lifting prayers to God for the whole world. I also participate in the Mass, “the source and summit of the Christian life.” And I share my life with Jesus throughout the day by talking with Him and sharing all that happens to me. I often turn to Jesus to ask Him what He thinks of something, and I ask Him to let me see others through His eyes.
One way I have found helpful to maintain a sense of God’s presence throughout the day is to use digital clocks on my computer or phone. When I look at the time and see that it has two numbers that are repeated, like “11:11” or “3:33,” I remember how profoundly God loves me, and I say a quick
“I love you too, Jesus.” This helps me connect with Him. Sometimes, when I’m struggling with something, Jesus helps me find those numbers, and I can feel His presence in that simple yet profound way.
Holiness is to be another Christ, to make Christ present in the world today. The world needs to experience the love and mercy of Jesus, but we can only share that if we know ourselves to be profoundly loved and have experienced His mercy. That is why I try to receive the sacrament of confession at least once a month. I have received so many graces from Christ in the sacrament of confession, and it continues to help me grow in holiness.
Besides prayer, consecrated virgins are dedicated to serving the Church and continue the mandate of Jesus to evangelize and bring many to know Him. My apostolate is teaching. When I work, I am often reminded of how Jesus spent 90% of his earthly life in Nazareth, just doing what the majority of people in the world do now: the everyday tasks of daily life. He would have worked with St. Joseph; he would have been a good neighbor, helping Our Lady with household chores, and yet in those mundane, very ordinary tasks, he was saving us. Everything Jesus did was redeeming, everything brought about our salvation. Through our baptism, we have also been invited to redeem the world with our work, with the ordinary, everyday tasks. Everything we do, from cooking to preparing a class to listening to someone share a problem, is also a way to redeem the world. We join our lives with the life of Jesus so that he may “make of us an eternal offering to you (the Father)” (Eucharistic Prayer III).
Everything we do in our work is presented
to God as an oblation, an offering. There are no small deeds; every tiny gesture we do is significant in His eyes. Holiness is about doing God’s will every moment. If we are supposed to be working, we do it with our whole heart, and we grow in holiness. And if we are supposed to be having lunch or visiting friends, we are growing in holiness. And when we are sick, and all we can do is offer to God our sickness, we are growing in holiness. There is a well-known story about St. Therese of Lisieux. She was asked what she would do if she knew the Second Coming of Jesus was going to happen in ten minutes. And she responded by saying that Jesus would find her at recreation, which is what she was supposed to be doing at that time.
The challenge is that we need to work with our whole heart in the part of the vineyard the Lord has entrusted to us so that more hearts will know Him, follow Him, and fall in love with Him that together we may say: “Let this be our one consolation, that where we are, Jesus, you are praised and loved.”
Sabina Baet shows former Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Dr. Rosemary Henry, the results of a science project.
S. Janssen
THE SPECIFIC DISCIPLESHIP AS A LAY MEMBER OF THE SOLT
Called to go to Jesus Through Mary
BY MATTHEW MOORE
The call to become SOLT Lay Members (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity) is a calling within a calling. My wife Joanna and I are called to marriage and family life, and within that calling, we are called to be members of Our Lady’s Society (SOLT). Our calling to Our Lady’s Society shapes and guides how we live our marriage and family life in important ways.
One of the commitments we uphold as SOLT Lay Members is the daily renewal of our Consecration to Jesus through Mary according to St. Louis de Montfort. The Consecration highlights that we are disciples of Jesus through Mary, and this discipleship originates from The grace of baptism leads the baptized people to follow Christ , shaping our ultimate vocation. The grace of baptism leads the baptized to follow Christ as His disciples, and it is through this discipleship that we received His invitation to our specific vocation to marriage and family life. And that happened in that order for Joanna and me.
Still, sometimes a couple or an individual may already be in their vocation when they encounter SOLT, and they might not have a strong emphasis on MarianTrinitarian discipleship at first. In this case, that foundation can be “backfilled,” and once established, it will naturally transform the vocation rooted in it, turning that vocation into an expression of discipleship. It works either way just fine.
Apostolate in the world
As disciples, we live out our marriage, raise our children, attend daily Mass, offer daily prayers and works, serve in our parishes, and carry out our apostolates in the world as lay members being the leaven Jesus calls us to be (see Mt 13:33). Done in
Joanna and Matthew Moore with their five children.
Courtesy of Matthew Moore
Christ, these activities are paths to union with Him. Discipleship can take different forms. For some, the call to discipleship might lead to the priesthood or the consecrated life. This introduces a second commitment we uphold as SOLT Lay Members: living our discipleship to Jesus through Mary while belonging to a team with fellow SOLT Members of various vocations and serving in areas of significant apostolic need. The diverse vocations on the team strengthen and renews the core commonality of discipleship at the heart of each calling, keeping it grounded in its original and ultimate goal of union with Christ. To some degree, SOLT Membership is simply the committed response to be part of a group of disciples—both from our own vocations and others—who have answered a calling to do the same. We become mutual support partners or graced friends in our shared discipleship and the service it inspires.
The family as a community in Christ
Our family also functions as a society where members support each other. Mutual support in the family involves creating a household committed
5:00 - 6:00 Sacred Music
6:00 - 6:30 Jesus En Mi Vida Diaria
6:30 - 7:00 Spanish Rosary
7:00 - 7:30 Semillas De Esperanza
7:30 - 8:00 Con Permiso
8:00 - 8:30 The Catholic Cafe
8:30 - 9:00 Personally Speaking
9:00 - 9:30 Our Shepherd’s View
9:30 - 10:30 Cathedral Sun Mass Live
10:30 - 11:00 Christopher Close-Up
11:00 - 11:30 Catholic Answers Live
to the human, moral, and spiritual growth (that is, the temporal happiness) of its members, especially the children. Temporal happiness includes the pursuit and, as much as possible, the habitual enjoyment of goods recognized by natural law: life, knowledge, friendship, work, play, religion, and the appreciation of beauty. Central to mutual support is shared prayer.
We need prayer, and the morning time works best for us before everyone goes their own directions for the day. We start the day with morning prayer from the Breviary and the rosary, followed by Mass, usually at 7 am, but sometimes at 12 noon. We keep a weekly holy hour and maintain other spiritual practices. I teach Philosophy at Del Mar College and OCIA at our parish. As a family, we lead and host the weekly SOLT Lay Formation. By living a Catholic family life rooted in Christ, we aim to offer Christian witness in the world and support others in beginning or maintaining their discipleship, seeking to bring all people we meet into union with the Most Holy Trinity through discipleship to Jesus and Mary.
THE VOCATION OF A CATHOLIC PHYSICIAN
Serving God and Humanity
BY GERARD J. VOORHEES MD
Being a Catholic physician involves a unique integration of faith and professional practice. It is more than a profession; it is a ministry and a vocation that demands not only medical expertise but also a profound commitment to the moral and ethical teaching of the Catholic Church.
Foundations of Catholic Medical Ethics
Catholic Medical Ethics is deeply rooted in the teachings of the church, which emphasize the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of life, and the importance of compassionate care. These principles derive from various sources, including the Bible, papal encyclicals, and documents of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
1) Sanctity of Life: The Catholic Church holds that life is sacred from conception until natural death. This belief fundamentally shapes the practice of a Catholic physician who must oppose practices such as abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide. The principle of sanctity of life demands that all medical interventions respect the person’s inherent dignity (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1997).
2) Human Dignity: Every person is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and, thus, possesses an intrinsic worth that must be respected and protected. This principle underpins the ethical framework of Catholic healthcare, guiding physicians to treat all patients with compassion, respect, and equality, regardless of their background or condition (Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, 1995).
3) The Principle of Double Effect is an ethical guideline that permits actions with both positive and negative outcomes under specific conditions. According to this principle, the action must be inherently good or morally neutral, the intention should be to achieve a positive effect, and the positive outcome should not be a result of a negative effect (Pope Pius XII, 1957). In endof-life care and pain management scenarios, practitioners frequently apply this principle.
The Vocation of a Catholic Physician
The vocation of a Catholic physician is seen not
merely as a career but as a calling to serve God through the healing of others. The Church’s understanding of medicine as a ministry of healing, reflecting Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, supports this vocation.
Jesus’ healing ministry, as depicted in the Gospels, serves as a model for Catholic physicians. Christ’s compassion, dedication, and holistic approach to healing guide the physicians’ interaction with patients (Mark 1:34, Matthew 9:35).
Integrating faith into medical practice means recognizing the spiritual dimensions of health and illness. Catholic physicians often engage in spiritual care by praying with patients, providing sacramental support, or referring them to chaplaincy services. This holistic approach can significantly enhance patients’ well-being, providing comfort and hope in times of suffering (Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, 1995).
Moral and Ethical Decision-Making: Complex ethical dilemmas, such as end-of-life decisions, reproductive health issues, and genetic interventions, often confront Catholic physicians. They strive for moral and ethical decision-making, guided by Catholic moral teachings that prioritize
the sanctity of life, the principle of double effect, and the need for informed consent. The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) provide a comprehensive framework for navigating these challenges (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2009).
Challenges Faced by Catholic Physicians
Practicing medicine as a Catholic physician comes with unique challenges, particularly in secular and pluralistic societies where medical practices and policies may conflict with Catholic teachings. There are conflicts with medical practices that seem to be acceptable and are sometimes even expected in a secular society, such as abortion, contraception, and euthanasia. Catholic physicians must navigate these conflicts, often facing pressure from colleagues, patients or regulatory bodies to conform to practices that violate their conscience. When working in secular institutions, it can be challenging to uphold ethical standards. Catholic physicians encounter patients with varying beliefs and values in diverse societies. Respecting patient autonomy while adhering to Catholic ethical principles can be challenging, particularly when patients request interventions that are morally unacceptable from a Catholic perspective. Effective communication, empathy, and moral clarity are essential in navigating these situations.
The Impact of Catholic Physicians
Despite the challenges, Catholic physicians can have a profound impact on their patients, their profession, and society at large.
1) Patient Care: Catholic physicians’ commitment to holistic and compassionate care sets them apart. Patients often appreciate the deep sense of care, respect, and spiritual support provided by Catholic
doctors. This approach not only improves patient satisfaction but can also lead to better health outcomes as patients’ emotional and spiritual needs are addressed alongside their physical conditions. (Puchalski, 2001).
2) Advocacy and Witness: Catholic physicians advocate for ethical medical practices that respect human dignity and life. Participating in medical associations, contributing to bioethical discourse, and engaging in public policy debates, they bear witness to the church’s teaching and work to shape a humane and ethical medical practice environment (Smith, 2006).
3) Medical Mission Work: Many Catholic physicians participate in mission trips, providing care to underserved populations worldwide. These missions reflect the church’s preferential option for the poor and marginalized, offering medical assistance and spreading Christ’s love through charity and service (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, 2004).
Conclusion
Serving God and humanity as a Catholic physician is a profound vocation that integrates faith in medicine, guided by the principles of the sanctity of life, human dignity, and compassionate care. Catholic physicians aim to emulate Christ’s healing ministry in their professional practice. Despite challenges from secular medical practices and ethical diversity, their commitment to holistic care and moral integrity greatly influences patients and society by upholding the teachings of the Catholic Church. These physicians not only deliver excellent medical care but also witness to the enduring values of faith, hope, and love in the field of medicine.
ST. CARLO ACUTIS HAD A SPECIAL LOVE FOR THE POOR –AND FOR JESUS
The First Millennial Saint
BY SR. MARYAM CARITAS SPARKE
Where were you on October 12, 2006? Maybe you were too young to remember, or perhaps you were at school, work, or just going about your everyday life. I was in Bosque, New Mexico, during my postulant year of formation, which is the initial stage of becoming a religious sister. Bosque is in the desert, and it is dry, hot, and bare. At that time, I was in a year of formation meant to help purify attachments (for example, to people, technology, and my own will). The year was tough and intense, yet joyful. I had no idea that on that day, a holy young man named Carlo Acutis would breathe his last breath.
While I was striving to be detached, he was detaching from life during his final stage of his pilgrimage on earth. Near the end of his life, he was able to exclaim, “I have not wasted a moment in my life.” Those words are reminiscent of St. Paul’s words, “I have competed well; I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). St. Carlo Acutis, at the age of fifteen, was utterly detached from anything worldly and securely attached to the love of God. This young man would become the first-ever millennial saint.
St. Carlo Acutis was devoted from a very young age. He achieved many remarkable things, including creating his own website, showcasing Eucharistic Miracles (miracolieucaristici.org).
One aspect of his life was his universal love for the human person. He had an extraordinary gift of seeing people as they truly are: loved and cherished by God. “Fraternal love multiplies our ability to experience joy, since it makes us rejoice in the good of others” (Christus Vivit no. 167). St. Carlo Acutis lived out this fraternal love with everyone he encountered.
This love was expressed in his relationships with family, friends, and classmates, but most of all, with the homeless and the marginalized. He looked beyond their external circumstances and saw into the heart of their true identity as children of God. It was said that Carlo always had a preferential love for the poor. He would save money to buy them necessities, share meals with them, and even give away his shoes. He didn’t just serve them; he talked with them. For him, it wasn’t just an act of service; he saw Christ in them.
Just as in life, Carlo’s presence extended into his death. Exactly four years after he passed
away, on October 12, 2010, his mother and father welcomed twin children. Carlo knew how much his mother desired more children, and four years after his death, Michele and Francesca Acutis were born. Antonia Acutis attributes this to Carlo’s intercession. “When Carlo died, I was 39 years old, and then I started to try to have other children. I said, ‘I’m still young, maybe I can try, no?’ [But] the children didn’t arrive. Then I started to apply to adopt a child, but in Italy, it’s very difficult... I had lost all my hopes to have children by myself,” she explained. “Once I dreamed about Carlo, he told me, ‘Listen, you will become a mother again. Don’t worry.’ And, one month later, I became pregnant.” Even in death, St. Carlo touched the suffering of his parents.
Carlo also interceded for others, including the first miracle attributed to his cause. Matheus, a young boy, was ill with pancreatic cancer. During a prayer service for St. Carlo’s intercession, he was healed. Another miracle happened for a young woman named Valyria from Costa Rica. She had suffered a brain hemorrhage and was miraculously healed after her mother prayed at St. Carlo Acutis’ tomb. These miracles show that Carlo cares for those who are suffering. Like in his earthly life, after his death, he continued to touch the suffering of others, helping lead them to a deeper faith in God’s love. Let us keep seeking Carlo’s intercession: St. Carlo Acutis, pray for us.
St. Carlo Acutis was an ordinary teenager who understood what mattered.
Wiki Commons
FRASSATI, AN ADVOCATE FOR CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING
“To the Heights”
BY STC
Pier Giorgio Frassati (April 6, 1901 – July 4, 1925) was born and raised in Turin, Italy. He loved the mountains and ended his letters to his friends with “verso l’alto,” meaning “To the heights.” He died at age 24 from polio and demonstrated compassion and charity from a young age. As a child, he answered the door to find a mother begging with her son, who was shoeless. He immediately took off his shoes and gave them to the boy. A few years later, his father refused to help a man who came to their door because he was drunk. He told his mother about this and wouldn’t stop crying, so she told him to find the man and bring him inside for something to eat.
As a teenager, he loved hiking in the mountains and climbing to the highest peaks: “Every day, my love for the mountains grows more and more. If my studies permitted, I’d spend whole days in the mountains contemplating the Creator’s greatness in that pure air.”
Frassati was concerned about society. He was an advocate for Catholic Social Teaching, believing that the faith should influence every part of a Catholic’s life. He wrote, “The faith given to me in baptism suggests to me surely: by yourself you will do nothing, but if you have God as the center of all your action, then you will reach the goal.” He spoke out against Mussolini and the rising fascism in Italy.
He joined the youth organization Catholic Action. He was a Third Order Dominican, and a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Known among his friends for his practical jokes, he was clear about his purpose, saying “A Catholic cannot help but be happy; sadness should be banished from their souls. Suffering is not sadness, which is the worst disease. This disease is almost always caused by atheism, but the end for which we are created guides us along life’s pathway, which may be strewn with thorns, but is not sad. It is happy even through suffering.”
St. Pier Giorgio Frassati had clear ideas about how Catholics should change society for the better.
ARE WE CO-RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SINS COMMITTED BY MANUFACTURING COMPANIES?
The Principle of Cooperation
BY FR. RICHARD LIBBY
Your favorite soft drink company supports organizations that provide abortions. Can you continue to consume your favorite drink with a clear conscience?
Your favorite department store’s health insurance plan covers contraceptives. Should you consider shopping elsewhere?
You pay taxes to the U.S. government, which allocates funds to various projects that you believe are immoral. Should you still pay your taxes?
Let’s face it, life can be messy. We live in the real world with real people, and thus, real situations arise. These situations are not always as clearcut as we might like, and we may find ourselves facing moral dilemmas like those mentioned above. Sometimes, you support these entities not because of their stance on important moral issues, but despite it. On the other hand, is it possible to separate the two? For us as Catholics—and for others holding strong beliefs on key moral issues that often oppose conventional wisdom—these are serious questions that shouldn’t be dismissed. They deserve thoughtful, careful, and serious answers. Even a simple “yes” or “no” deserves an explanation of the reasoning behind it.
One of the key principles in bioethics is the principle of cooperation. To cooperate means “to work with,” and sometimes we find ourselves “working with” businesses or other entities with which we don’t fully agree. The real question may not be “Can I support this entity?”, but rather, “Does my support make me part of the problem?” Since there is no single answer that applies to every situation, the Church teaches us the principle of cooperation, which helps us evaluate our guilt or innocence in individual cases.
Formal vs. material cooperation
To apply the principle of cooperation, we first need to distinguish between formal cooperation and material cooperation. Formal cooperation involves sharing the intention behind the immoral outcome; material cooperation means not sharing that intention. For example, if your favorite soft drink company supports organizations that provide abortions and, upon learning this, you support them even more enthusiastically because
of it, then you share that intention. You want that company to stay in business because it supports abortion. If you do not support abortion and your favorite soft drink company does, then you do not share that intention. You enjoy the drink for its taste, but not for its support of immoral causes. That is material cooperation: the money you spend on the soft drink may go toward promoting abortion, but that is not your intention.
Formal cooperation in an evil act is always morally wrong; material cooperation needs further consideration. Imagine a hospital where abortions are performed, but other nonproblematic procedures also take place. Now, picture an anesthesiologist assisting the doctor during the abortion and a hospital custodian who cleans the rooms on that floor in the evenings. These illustrate two types of material cooperation: immediate material cooperation, where the cooperator—such as the anesthesiologist— contributes something essential to the immoral act; and mediate or remote material cooperation, like the custodian’s, which involves non-essential
Fr. Richard Libby, Chancellor of the Diocese and Pastor at St. Helena of the True Cross of Jesus parish in Corpus Christi, answers questions on bioethics.
contributions. Immediate material cooperation in an intrinsically evil act is morally wrong; mediate material cooperation may or may not be. More discernment is necessary, based on the act itself and the reason for the cooperation. However, it should be noted that the more serious the evil being committed, the more remote the cooperator should be from the act.
Discern the importance of your contribution
In the examples mentioned at the beginning of the article, the cooperator would be an ordinary person (such as a consumer, a customer, or a taxpayer) who likely does not contribute much to the company’s income. If the ordinary person does not support the immoral uses of money by the companies involved, there is no formal cooperation, and because the ordinary person is far removed from how the company spends its money, the material cooperation is as distant as it can be. In these cases, the ordinary person probably wouldn’t need to change their monetary habits, although the customer has every right to voice their objections to the company. If the company’s support for immoral practices is well known and celebrated, customers might consider whether their own support of the brand could be seen as an endorsement of these practices, prompting them to choose products from other brands instead. Careful discernment is always necessary.
While the Church will never approve of immoral acts, Christians may find themselves in situations where they cooperate with these acts in some way. It’s difficult to avoid such situations in the real, messy world. The principle of cooperation helps us determine whether our cooperation is sinful and therefore needs to be avoided. The most important thing to remember is that these challenges give Christians an opportunity to be the light of the world, as Jesus has called us to be.
Collaboration depends on the type of work: a janitor in a hospital collaborates less with unethical practices than a medical doctor.
Our Lady of Delight
A REFLECTION BY DYLAN LOPEZ
Last week, I wandered through campus after class, unhurried, unmoored. The Texas sun seeped through the glass of my lecture hall, golden and warm, as I strolled the busy hallways and turned corners without knowing where I was headed. But as I wandered out into the breeze, I suddenly remembered the De Generación en Generación exhibit, just next door at the Weil Gallery.
Stepping into the Center for the Arts, there was a hush— not quite silence, not quite sound. From the halls, shuffling feet and muffled conversations filtered in as students moved from class to class. I signed my name in the gallery’s logbook and walked in, feeling the hush settle around me.
The room, gently lit, smelled of old wood and papery musk from the exhibits, lingering scents from canvases long-displayed but still-becoming. The whole exhibit was full of paintings and images of my hometown of Taft, my coastal dwellings, my Catholic faith—each piece an echo of the life I’ve known. A gentle warmth hung in the air, tinged with nostalgia and the all-too-absent feeling of belonging.
And then, there she was.
Hung in a small alcove near the entrance was a sketch of the Madonna, rendered by local artist Antonio Encarnación Garcia. She was drawn on tattered vellum: creased and smudged, frayed at
The Madonna of Guadalupe sketch by local artist Antonio Encarnación Garcia. The painting can be found in Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Comanche Street.
the edges, discolored from age. She wasn’t gilded, draped in blue or adorned with stars—she was an outline, in the shape of mercy.
I sat down on a nearby bench and met her gaze; her large, contemplative eyes were neither demanding nor distant, neither piercing nor judgmental. There was an openness to her expression, a soft presence radiating from her unfinished portrait. Her hands were folded softly as in prayer, the faintest trace of a smile at the edges of her lips.
In that moment, she was my mother, my grandmother, my father’s mother—every woman who had ever watched over and prayed for me. Her clasped hands, hands that lit candles in quiet chapels in front of saints, lips that whispered desperate prayers before bed. I tried to imagine her silent petitions, but resigned to leave myself
to her sacred care.
I was the gallery’s only visitor that afternoon, the door propped open by a sign advertising the exhibit, an art student stationed at the door to log visitors. That I’d come in from the rush of the university around us, with its constant footsteps, voices, and uneasy secularity, to step into this quiet, makeshift chapel with the sketched Madonna seemed a precious delight in our busy world. A delight in stillness, in a mother’s embrace, in nearness to the divine.
I lingered there a moment longer, reluctant to leave the hush of the gallery. But outside, the world pressed on. When I finally stepped over the threshold, I crossed myself in quiet gratitude for Our Lady of Delight, who seemed to have been waiting for me all along.
THE VOCATION AND MISSION OF THE LAITY
“You, too, Go and Work in my Vineyard”
BY FR. BRADY WILLIAMS, SOLT
In the Gospel of Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells a parable of a landowner who goes out at different hours of the day to invite workers into his vineyard (Mt 20:1-16). This image highlights an essential truth about the vocation of the laity: each person is personally called by God to participate in His mission. The Second Vatican Council placed this truth at the center of its teaching, reminding the Church that holiness and mission are not reserved for a few, but are the calling of every baptized person. Building on this understanding, the Church has identified three key aspects of the lay vocation: each individual has a unique calling, the laity are sent to sanctify the world, and all vocations work together in the Lord’s vineyard.
1. Every Person Has a Vocation
The word laity comes from the Greek laikos, meaning “of the people.” Sadly, over time, the laity were sometimes seen as only called to an “ordinary” or “lesser” holiness, while clergy and religious were believed to pursue the “higher” way of perfection. Vatican II, however, strongly reaffirmed that all the baptized are called to holiness.
Jesus himself points to this in the parable of the workers in the vineyard. The landowner goes out at different hours of the day to personally invite people into his vineyard. As Pope St. John Paul II once emphasized, no one is forgotten, left behind, or overlooked. Each person has a unique vocation, a personal call from God.
2. Called to Sanctify the World
The parable also demonstrates that everyone is called not only to belong but also to work in the vineyard. God invites us to be co-workers with Christ, to participate in His mission. St. John Henry
Newman expresses this beautifully: “God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission.”
For the laity, this mission has a secular character—not opposing the Church’s mission but serving as its extension into the world. Lay men and women are called to sanctify the secular world, meaning they are to bring the Gospel into everyday areas such as families, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and professional settings. The lay faithful accomplish this by offering their daily actions to God and aligning them with His Kingdom.
I once heard the expression “domestic bells”: the baby crying for food, needing to be held, or asking to play is the equivalent of the “monastic
Fr. Brady Williams, SOLT, is the Director of Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center and Novice Servant of the SOLT.
bells” in a monastery—both are calls to prayer and love.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux gives us a simple key: to do little things with great love. In this way, the laity sanctify the everyday world and discover that their vocation in the world is itself a path to holiness.
3. Collaboration in the Vineyard
More recent Church teaching emphasizes that the mission of the laity flourishes in collaboration with all vocations within the Church. Bishops, priests, religious, and laity are all co-workers, each with distinct roles, yet united in the mission of Christ.
I have witnessed this personally in my own life: holy lay people—single and married—helped enkindle my own vocation to religious life and the priesthood. At the same time, priests and consecrated sisters who live their vocation fully inspire lay couples and families to pursue holiness. When each vocation is lived with authenticity, it strengthens and encourages the others. Truly, we
are all co-workers in the vineyard of the Father.
Conclusion: A Beautiful and Essential Vocation
At the end of the parable, some complain that all the workers received the same wage. However, the true beauty of the story does not lie in comparing labor but in recognizing that God the Father personally calls each of us to share in His work. This is the core of the lay vocation: a call to holiness and mission in the midst of the world.
For this reason, when we pray for vocations, we should remember not only priests and religious but also holy lay faithful and holy families. As Jesus himself commanded: “Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest” (Mt 9:38).
The laity’s vocation is splendid, essential, and filled with dignity. Each of us is invited to hear the voice of the Lord: “You too, go and work in my vineyard.”
God’s call to “work in His vineyard” involves our giving witness through our daily responsibilities.
Pixabay
CATHEDRAL RENOVATION UPDATE: THE MOSAICS AND TILES ARE IN THE MAKING
A Fresh Feeling
BY SUSANNE JANSSEN
During the day, the Cathedral is bustling as workers polish tiles, fill cracks, and give our Mother Church a fresh appearance. The walls are painted a lighter shade, and the pillars are a perfect white. Ornaments are revitalized, and everything is being prepared for the arrival of artwork from Studio ArtePoli in Verona. Meanwhile, in Italy, the artists are also busy.
Fascinating pictures and videos show how the bronze doors are taking shape – the motifs are already quite recognizable. The large mosaics for the apse are laid out on the ground, where artisans assemble slender tiles to create perfect rays.
The mosaics for the altar and the ambo are almost finished. Each tile is handcrafted, with
The new doors of the Cathedral are taking shape.
Courtesy of Studio ArtePoli
small tiles split to fit into tight spaces and carefully assembled with precision and style.
The artwork is scheduled to be shipped to Corpus Christi in the coming weeks. Afterwards, work on the Cathedral will begin – installing the floor tiles and assembling the mosaics.
Meanwhile, the area around the Cathedral is also getting an upgrade. A parking garage on Carancahua/Mestina Street is being demolished to
make room for a new Cathedral parking lot, which will be closer to the Cathedral. This new property will replace the old lot at the corner of Carancahua/ Lipan Street.
Soon, the old school building at the Cathedral will be demolished, paving the way for a new parish center on North Upper Broadway in the future. These changes will also significantly improve the surroundings of the Cathedral.
Italian artists put together the mosaics in Verona.
Courtesy of Studio ArtePoli (3)
All tiles are cut by hand.
The mosaic for the ambo shows the symbols of the four Gospels
PARENTAL CHOICE IS COMING TO TEXAS, MAKING CATHOLIC EDUCATION MORE AFFORDABLE
What is an Education Savings Account, and Who Can Benefit from it?
BY SUSANNE JANSSEN
The Texas legislature approved a bill called Education Savings Accounts, which became law on September 1, enabling parents to receive funds to cover their child’s private school tuition and other educational expenses.
Texas Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) provide participating families with state funds to help cover their child’s private school tuition and other educational costs. ESA funds can be used for tuition, tutoring services, school meals, uniforms, textbooks, educational therapies and other educational needs.
An Education Savings Account (ESA) provides parents in Texas who want a private education for their children with a publicly funded savings account. The program is overseen by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Up to $12,500 can be allocated per student, and up to $30,000 for a child with special needs. Homeschooled children can receive up to $2,000 annually.
Parents must enroll in January 2026 to receive funding for the 2026/27 school year. Other states have had these ESAs for years, which has greatly benefited students in Catholic schools. To qualify, a student must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful resident. The law prioritizes children from low-income families and those with special needs.
If a student is approved, that student’s siblings who have also applied will also be approved. Once a student receives an ESA, the account will remain active as long as the parent remains in good standing, complying with program rules and law, and provides notice that they wish to continue into the following year. Unused funds may roll over year to year with no limit as long as the student is participating in the program.
Priority access is given first to students with a disability whose family income is at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, second to children whose family income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG), then to
children with a family income between 200% and 500% of the FPG, lastly, children of families whose income exceeds 500% of the FPG, depending on the available funds. Within this last group, students transferring from public schools will be prioritized over those already enrolled in private schools.
The ESA application page will open in January 2026. If the number of applicants exceeds the available ESA spots, a lottery system will determine approvals based on prioritization rules. Soon after the portal closes, families will receive notifications about their ESA approval, and in July 2026, the first quarterly deposits will be made into families’ ESA accounts.
For more information, please visit esacc.org or contact your local Catholic school directly.
FALL 2025 ISSUE
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