South Texas Catholic Spring 2024

South Texas

Catholic SERVING THE CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF CORPUS CHRISTI

A CALL TO CONVERSION S PR I N G

2024

IS S UE

INSIDE Keep up with the faith at

4 |

INTERVIEW WITH OUR BISHOP MICHAEL MULVEY: How to live this Lent well as a time for conversion

VOL. 60 NO. 1

6 |

E NT R E V I S TA C O N E L N U E S T R O O B I S P O M I C H A E L M U LV E Y: Cómo vivir bien esta Cuaresma como tiempo de conversión

8 |

A DRASTIC CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR: Prison Ministry helps people turn their lives around behind bars

southtexascatholic.com 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

10 | UN CAMBIO DRÁSTICO DE COMPORTAMIENTO: El Ministerio Penitenciario ayuda a las personas a cambiar sus vidas tras las rejas

Managing Editor Susanne Janssen sjanssen@diocesecc.org

14 | “IF THIS IS JUST A SMALL BIT OF HEAVEN, I NEED TO GET THERE”: How imprisonment was the start of a journey to conversion

Theological Consultant Very Rev. Richard Libby, Chancellor rlibby@diocesecc.org Communications Specialist Adel Sauceda asauceda@diocesecc.org Social Media Coordinator and Videographer Elizabeth Morales emorales@diocesecc.org Broadcast Technical Director Richard Luna rluna@diocesecc.org Communications Administrative Assistant Analisa Iber aiber@diocesecc.org Correspondents Rebecca Esparza and Jessica Rohr Translator/Correspondent Gloria Romero Graphic Design Alexis Harborth

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS

If you or someone you know would like to receive the South Texas Catholic contact us at (361) 882-6191 555 N Carancahua St, Ste 750 Corpus Christi, TX 78401-0824 stc@diocesecc.org or to subscribe, unsubscribe or submit a change of address go online at: diocesecc.org/subscribe

The South Texas Catholic is not liable or in any way responsible for the content of any advertisement appearing within these pages. All claims, offers guarantees, statements, etc. made by advertisers are solely the responsibility of the advertiser.

Deceptive or misleading advertising is never knowingly accepted.

Complaints regarding advertising should be made directly to the advertiser or to the Better Business Bureau.

“South Texas Catholic” (USPS 540-860) Published five times a year, February, May, July, September, and November by the Diocese of Corpus Christi 555 N Carancahua St, Ste 750, Corpus Christi, TX 78401-0824 for $25 per year.

Periodicals postage paid in Corpus Christi, TX 78401-0824 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to South Texas Catholic, 555 N Carancahua St, Ste750, Corpus Christi, TX 78401-0824.

2

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

16 | OUR DESTINATION IS THE SAME: How an inmate at McConnell Unit found his faith 18 | TOUCHED BY THE JOY: Conversion can occur under many circumstances – for Fr. Raju Thottankara, it happened with Mother Teresa but continues every day 2 0 | FRIENDS IN FAITH: A student at TAMUK discovers much more than the Fr. Raju Thottankara is Pastor of St. usual College Peter, Prince of the Apostle Parish in lifestyle Calallen 21 | JUST ONE STEP AWAY FROM GOD’S GRACE: An injury and the loss of a loved one threw a college student off-track 22 | A H E A LT H Y, FR I E N D LY E N V I R O N M E N T: The Farm of Hope is ready to receive people seeking help The three missionaries of the new Farm to get over of Hope addiction

24 | B I O E T H I C S 1 01 : Choosing Life instead of death – is the Death Penalty morally acceptable?

26 | WO M A N O F S TR E N G TH : Secretary of Divine Mercy - Sr. Faustina Kowalska’s visions about Jesus’ infinite Love 28 | FO LLOW I N G J E S U S : “If you do not repent, you will all perish as they did” (Lk 13:3, 5) - Fr. Brady Williams, SOLT, reflects on our calling to be the Holy Family of God 30 | S I G U I E N D O J E S U S : “ S i n o o s a r re p e n t ís , t o d o s p e re c e ré i s c o m o e l lo s ” (Lc 13 , 3 , 5) - P. B r a d y W il l i a m s , S O LT, re f le x i o n a s o b re n u e s t ro l la m a d o a s e r la S a g r a d a Fa m il i a d e D i o s 31 | P R E S E RV I N G TH E H I S TO RY O F O U R D I O C E S E : W h a t a re t h e m a in t a s k s of t h e D i o c e s a n A rc h i v e s?

34 | 2 02 4 B I S H O P ’ S S TE WA R D S H I P A P P E A L : En s u re t h e f u t u re of t h e Ch u rc h in o u r D i o c e s e

Dr. Patricia Roeser spearheads the Diocesan Archives

ON THE COVER: An inmate and Bishop Mulvey during Mass at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice William G. McConnell Unit in Beeville (Photo: Susanne Janssen)

Submit your News and Stories! Send us your parish, school, ministry news stories, pictures and calendar events via our online form at diocese.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

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

3

INTERVIEW WITH OUR BISHOP MICHAEL MULVEY

“Carve out Time for Silence”

L

ent is an annual time for repentance and conversion. What does conversion mean to you? Do you remember episodes where you had to convert even while being “a good Catholic”?

Bishop Mulvey: The need for conversion implies that life is not static. It means we are ready to examine ourselves: Who am I? Where am I? What can I improve? What do I need to let go of? Conversion requires being open to the Holy Spirit, who shows us and reveals to us who we are. There is a phrase in the first letter of St. John, “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be, has not yet been revealed (1 Jn 3:2).” We should look forward to what we will be when we will see God face to face. That is conversion – becoming who we are created to be.

As a young priest, I found myself in an “activity mode:” I woke up early in the morning, dedicated myself to work all day long, attended meetings in the evening, and finally returned home. However, amidst the hustle and bustle, I 4

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

hadn’t taken time to reflect on what I had done or the significance of the day’s events.

In other words, I was doing everything on my own, and that became quite suffocating. I came to a moment where I had to decide whether to continue walking alone or with others in community. Thank God I found brothers and sisters with whom I could share my faith and embark on a spiritual journey together. This step was a conversion for me that has changed my life.

Conversion is all about deepening one’s relationship with God, not just about following certain practices or prayers…

Bishop Mulvey: Conversion can come in very different forms. It can be very subtle over time, or it can be dramatic when one recognizes that he or she is going down the wrong path. Or it can happen quickly and take us by surprise, like a lightning flash, that shows that God is in control, that the grace of God is real and present. I

remember one of those incidents - I had a terrible day, I came home and sat in front of the crucifix.

As I began to pray, I found myself laughing.

It surprised me, but I sensed Jesus on the cross was saying, “I understand, I too suffered…take up your cross…” That moment I will never forget; I shared my cross with the one who can make sense of all our sufferings.

We are all in need of mercy and conversion!

Prison Ministry and the newly established Farm of Hope are examples of how the Church in our diocese reaches out to those who need a second chance. Do you think these are examples of conversion?

Bishop Mulvey: Reaching out to the periphery and to those marginalized in society is a definitive way to encounter the risen Lord along our journey of conversion. Jesus was clear on this topic in Matthew 25:40 – “Whatever you do (or do not do) to the least…”

Visiting those who are in prison is always a special gift for me. A few days before Christmas, I went to the McConnell Unit to celebrate Mass.

I encountered a special friendship with these men. Their faith is the result of a new conversion or a rekindling of the faith they had when they were younger. Those incarcerated recognize and admit that they have done wrong – they have sinned, but at the same time, they have experienced the mercy of God’s love. When I interact with them during my visits, I experience their interior freedom and the fraternity they share as brothers in the Lord.

The missionaries that are here at the Farm of Hope are also men of hope. Their hope is that they can help a segment of society that needs them: people who suffer from addiction and people who need the mercy of God. Spending time with them is also a gift. It renews the power of hope in me.

it means that we have stopped believing in the Holy Spirit: He “makes all things new” and is the driving force in every conversion.

How can we get in touch with the Holy Spirit?

Bishop Mulvey: There must be silence in our lives to listen to His voice. I want to share with you this beautiful prayer. It invites the Holy Spirit into our lives: “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth…”

This prayer can certainly be helpful during this conversion time if we believe it!

How are you personally living this Lent?

Bishop Mulvey: We are all called to penance, fasting, and almsgiving during Lent, as the Church prescribes. I am trying to carve out times of silence during the day to be closer to God, and in particular, I try to spend time before His presence in the Holy Eucharist.

Follow Bishop Mulvey’s Lenten reflections on diocesecc.org/lent

Is Lent a hopeful time?

Bishop Mulvey: As Christians, we are called to be people of hope because we know that Jesus has been raised; we know that He has defeated death once and for all. He calls us, too, from death to life. If we don’t have hope at all, then S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

5

ENTREVISTA CON NUESTRO OBISPO

“Reserva tiempo para el silencio”

L

a Cuaresma cada año nos ayuda a crecer en el arrepentimiento y la conversión. ¿Qué significa para usted la conversión? ¿Recuerda episodios en los que tuvo que convertirse aun siendo “un buen católico”?

Obispo Mulvey: La necesidad de conversión implica que la vida no es estática. Significa que estamos dispuestos a examinar nuestra conciencia: ¿Quién soy? ¿Dónde estoy? ¿Qué puedo mejorar? ¿Qué tengo que dejar? La conversión exige estar abiertos a la acción del Espíritu Santo, que nos muestra y nos revela quiénes somos. Hay una frase en la primera carta de San Juan: “Amados, ahora somos hijos de Dios; lo que seremos, aún no se ha manifestado” (1 Jn 3,2). Deberíamos esperar con ansias lo que seremos cuando nos encontremos cara a cara con Dios. Eso es la conversión-volvernos en lo que fuimos creados.

Como joven sacerdote, me encontraba en un “estado de activismo completo.” Pasaba de una actividad a la otra. Me levantaba temprano por la mañana, iba a trabajar todo el día, asistía a reuniones por la noche, y luego volvía a casa y no reflexionaba sobre lo que había hecho o el significado de los acontecimientos del día.

En otras palabras, hacía todo solo, y eso llegó a ser bastante asfixiante. Llegó un momento 6

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

PRIMAVER A 2024

en que tuve que decidir si quería continuar a caminar solo o con otros en comunidad. Gracias a Dios encontré hermanos y hermanas con los que pude compartir mi fe y caminar juntos en una vida espiritual. Este paso fue para mí una conversión que cambió mi vida.

La conversión consiste en profundizar en la relación con Dios, no sólo en seguir ciertas prácticas u oraciones.

Obispo Mulvey: La conversión puede adoptar formas muy distintas. Puede ser muy sutil a lo largo del tiempo, o puede ser dramática como cuando uno reconoce que va por el camino equivocado. O puede ser de repente y tomarnos por sorpresa, como un relámpago que muestra que Dios tiene el control, que la gracia de Dios es real y está presente. Recuerdo que, después de un día terrible, volví a casa y me senté delante del crucifijo. Cuando empecé a rezar, me encontré riendo. Me sorprendió, pero intuí que Jesús en la cruz me decía: “Comprendo, yo también sufrí... toma tu cruz...” Nunca olvidaré ese momento en cuál compartí mi cruz con aquel que puede dar sentido a todos nuestros sufrimientos.

Todos necesitamos misericordia y conversión.

La Pastoral Penitenciaria y la comunidad de misioneros de la “Granja de la Esperanza” que acaba de nacer en la diócesis son ejemplos de cómo la Iglesia en nuestra diócesis tiende la mano a quienes necesitan una segunda oportunidad. ¿Le parece que estos son ejemplos de conversión?

Obispo Mulvey: Llegar a la periferia y a los marginados de la sociedad es un modo definitivo para encontrar a Cristo resucitado en nuestro camino de conversión. Jesús fue claro sobre este tema en Mateo 25,40 - “Todo lo que hagáis (o dejéis de hacer) a los más pequeños...”

Visitar a los que están en la cárcel es siempre un regalo especial para mí. Algunos días antes de Navidad, visite McConnell – una prisión de alta seguridad. Allí encontré una afinidad y una amistad espontanea con los encarcelados. Su fe es el resultado de una nueva conversión o de un esfuerzo por reavivar la fe que tenían cuando eran más jóvenes. Ellos reconocen y admiten que han hecho mal (han pecado) pero al mismo tiempo son personas que han experimentado la misericordia del amor de Dios.

Cuando interactúo con ellos, durante mis visitas, experimento su libertad interior y la fraternidad que comparten como hermanos en el Señor.

Los misioneros que están aquí, en la Granja de la Esperanza, son también hombres de esperanza. Su esperanza es poder ayudar a un segmento de la sociedad que los necesita: personas que sufren adicciones y personas que necesitan la misericordia de Dios. Compartir mi tiempo con estos misioneros también es un regalo porque renueva la fuerza de la esperanza en mí.

compartir con ustedes esta hermosa oración es una invitación para que el Espíritu Santo pueda entrar en nuestras vidas: “Ven, Espíritu Santo, llena los corazones de tus fieles y enciende en ellos el fuego de tu amor.

Envía tu Espíritu, y serán creados, y renovarás la faz de la tierra...”

Esta oración, si tenemos fe en ella, puede ser ciertamente útil durante este tiempo de conversión. ¿Cómo se está preparando personalmente para la Cuaresma?

Obispo Mulvey: Todos estamos llamados a la penitencia, el ayuno y la limosna durante la Cuaresma, como prescribe la Iglesia. Yo trato de reservar momentos de silencio durante el día para estar más cerca de Dios, y en particular trato de pasar tiempo ante su presencia en la Sagrada Eucaristía.

Siga las reflexiones cuaresmales del obispo Mulvey en diocesecc.org/lent

¿ La Cuaresma es un tiempo de esperanza?

Obispo Mulvey: Como cristianos, estamos llamados a ser gente de esperanza porque sabemos que Jesús resucitó; sabemos que Jesús venció la muerte de una vez por todas. Él nos continua a llamar para pasar de la muerte a la vida. Si no tenemos esperanza en absoluto, quiere decir que no creemos en el Espíritu Santo: Él Espíritu Santo “hace nuevas todas las cosas” y es el motor de toda conversión. ¿Cómo podemos entrar en contacto con el Espíritu Santo?

Obispo Mulvey: Debe haber silencio en nuestras vidas para escuchar Su voz. Quiero S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

PRIMAVER A 2024

7

S. Janssen (2) Each Mass at the McConnell Unit is a special celebration, heartfelt and well-prepared.

PRISON MINISTRY HELPS PEOPLE TURN THEIR LIVES AROUND FISHING EVERY DAY… BEHIND BARS

A Drastic Change in Behavior

BY SUSANNE JANSSEN

I

n prison, the clocks are ticking differently.

Here, where mealtimes are measured, and change of clothes is every day at 4 am, Mondays can easily become a Sunday for Catholic inmates. It is the day when priests volunteer to celebrate Mass for the St. Dismas community inside the McConnell Unit, a highsecurity prison close to Beeville.

The legend says that St. Dismas was the “good thief” being crucified with Jesus, who defended Him and earned his place in Heaven (see Lk 23:42, “Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom’”). In the same way, the inmates hope that their repentance and change will help them enter one day into heaven, too – that was why they chose this name.

8

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

Walking through the massive security controls along the fences between the buildings, one cannot help but think, “How would it be to be locked up?

Not being able to decide where to go, what to do, whom to spend time with? Away from family and friends, shunned by society, and being met with suspicion?”

How each inmate responds to the long years of sentences ahead differs widely. Hanging out with the wrong company can easily result in fights, more crime charges, resignation, and despair. With spiritual support, it could become a redeeming experience.

To help for the latter outcome, volunteers in prison ministry live out the work of mercy “to visit the prisoners,” referring to Matthew 25:36, “I was

in prison, and you visited me…” Deacon Roger Rosenbaum spearheads the prison ministry in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. It is, for him, a personal calling.

Usually, for the weekly Mass, more than 110 inmates of the McConnell Unit come together. In the bare, unadorned gym, a solemn atmosphere emanates. There is a table that becomes an altar, a painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and a cross.

A different presence fills the room.

The choir – or should it be called a band? – has chosen and practiced songs, altar servers and ushers are ready. The community is well organized: there are a cross-bearer, lectors, altar servers, and ushers collecting prayer requests since there is no money in the pockets of the white overalls. To the music of three guitars, keyboard and bass, choir members and audience are singing more than in every church outside the barb-wire fence.

One inmate, raised as a Muslim, celebrated his first Christmas with great joy – together with eight others, he was received into the Church at the end of May. For each of them, it was a very

special celebration. So, how did these conversions happen? Who helped facilitate this encounter?

Sister Mary Paul Hon, OVISS, started prison ministry in the 1990s and went more frequently when she retired from teaching and responsibilities of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament order. It was the first step of many to develop prison ministry in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. When Roger Rosenbaum retired after working 25 years in law enforcement in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, he went to Beeville with his family.

He worked night shifts as a correction officer at the Garza West prison 2002.

At the same time, Roger Rosenbaum started his journey toward the diaconate. “Each one of us had to pick a ministry. Since I knew the prison, I continued as a volunteer, but at a different location.” Rosenbaum arrived at the McConnell Unit in 2003 and later, as a deacon, expanded the prison ministry: “We have volunteers in the four state prisons in our diocese, in federal prison in Three Rivers and the county jails – the biggest one is in Corpus Christi.”

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

9

Bishop Michael Mulvey at the Christmas Mass. The community behind bars has St. Dismas, the “good thief,” as their patron saint

Though there are 30 – 40 volunteers in the diocese, Deacon Roger hopes that more people would help with this important ministry: “Some of the volunteers are getting up in age, and there is a lot of need in the different institutions.” Some of his volunteers are former inmates. “I stay in touch with a lot of them – and I tell them, ‘Don’t get in touch with your old friends, don’t go back to your old habits.’” Volunteering in prison would help them see what they left behind and what they could lose again if they don’t stick to the law.

The inmates highly appreciate Deacon Roger.

Down to earth, he finds a way to communicate the Word of God to them. “I often wear my fisherman’s bracelet. They ask me questions, like how often I go fishing, and I tell them, ‘Every day. On land.’”

After several years, the St. Dismas community is well organized. “They pretty much run the program,” says Deacon Roger. Each ministry, like RCIA or music, has a team leader, and Rosenbaum meets with them once a week. Once a year, volunteers help with a Kolbe retreat, an ACTS retreat, especially for prisoners. Several inmates attend courses at the Catholic Distant University, which they pay for out of their pockets.

The offenders, who could be prone to fall back and make other bad choices, find not only a new 10

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

meaning inside, but it also has consequences: “Their behavior changes drastically.” There’s so much goodness in their hearts; therefore, they get less into fights or conflict with the strict prison norms. People who say that they should be locked up for the rest of their lives don’t know what God’s word can accomplish.

One inmate shared his story after mass – how he was brought up Catholic but broke up with his family and made terrible choices. It led him to drugs; he started selling drugs and was convicted of a long sentence. He began to attend mass from time to time, but even in prison, he didn’t stop taking drugs until he overdosed and almost lost his life. “I had a near-death experience, and I was terrified – I didn’t want to be in that place.”

When he woke up, he saw two correction officers praying over him. It was a decisive experience that led him to a serious conversion.

He became a part of the St. Dismas community; he started to join the choir and learned to play the guitar.

Seeing him now, giving his talents in the McConnell Community, is tangible proof that God can change hearts everywhere… and maybe those who are forgiven the most are the ones who love Him the most (see Lk 7:47).

EL MINISTERIO EN LAS PRISIONES, AYUDA A TRANSFORMAR VIDAS. PESCANDO TODOS LOS DÍAS… TRAS LAS REJAS

Un cambio drástico de comportamiento POR SUSANNE JANSSEN

E

Jesús, y que habló en su defensa lo cual le ganó un lugar en el Cielo (ver Lc 23:42, “Entonces dijo a Jesús: ‘Señor, acuérdate de mí cuando vengas en Tu reino’”). De la misma manera, los reclusos esperan que su arrepentimiento y cambio les ayude también a entrar algún día en el cielo, por eso eligieron ese nombre.

Al atravesar los enormes controles de seguridad a lo largo de las bardas entre edificios, uno no puede dejar de pensar: “¿Cómo sería estar encerrado? No poder decidir adónde ir, ni qué hacer o con quién pasar el tiempo. Lejos de la

S. Janssen (4)

n la prisión, los relojes corren de diferente manera. Allí, donde los horarios para las comidas son medidos y el cambio de ropa se hace todos los días a las 4 de la mañana; los lunes, se convierten en domingo para los reclusos Católicos. Ya que es el día en que los sacerdotes se ofrecen voluntariamente para celebrar la Misa ante la comunidad de San Dimas, dentro de la Unidad McConnell, una prisión de alta seguridad cerca de Beeville.

La leyenda dice que San Dimas, conocido como el “buen ladrón” estaba crucificado junto a

El diácono Roger Rosenbaum con dos reclusos en McConnell Unit S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

PRIMAVER A 2024

11

Hay monaguillos, lectores, coro y músicos que hacen festiva la misa semanal

familia y los amigos, rechazado por la sociedad y observado siempre con sospechas.

La forma en que cada recluso responde a la sentencia, que le espera, (a veces de largos años) difiere ampliamente. Mantenerse junto al compañero equivocado, puede convertirse fácilmente en una cadena de pleitos y por consiguiente de más cargos criminales, ocasionando sentimientos de renuncia y desesperación. Sin embargo, con el apoyo espiritual, todo podría convertirse en una experiencia redentora.

Para ayudar a lograr este último resultado, los voluntarios del Ministerio en las prisiones, viven la obra de misericordia: “visitar a los presos”, refiriéndose a Mateo 25:36, “… estaba preso y me visitaste...” El diácono Roger Rosenbaum encabeza el Ministerio Penitenciario, en la Diócesis de Corpus Christi. Para él, es una vocación personal.

La Misa semanal, reúne por lo general a 110 reclusos de la Unidad McConnell. En un gimnasio desnudo y sin adornos, donde una simple mesa se convierte en un altar, se respira una atmósfera solemne. Al frente, un cuadro de la Virgen de Guadalupe y una Cruz. Una presencia diferente llena la habitación.

El coro – ¿o debería llamarse banda? – ha elegido y practicado los cantos, los Monaguillos y Ujieres están listos para empezar. La comunidad está bien organizada: hay un portador de la Cruz, Lectores, Monaguillos y Ujieres que recogen las peticiones de oración, ya que no hay dinero en los bolsillos de los overoles blancos. Al son de tres guitarras, teclados y 12

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

PRIMAVER A 2024

bajos, los miembros del coro y la audiencia, cantan más fuerte que en cualquier iglesia, allí, desde la cerca con alambre de púas.

Un recluso, criado como musulmán, celebró con gran alegría su primera Navidad, junto con otros ocho reclusos. El primero, fue recibido en la Iglesia a finales de mayo, pero cada uno de ellos ha tenido una celebración muy especial. ¿Cómo fue que ocurrieron estas conversiones? ¿Quién ayudó a facilitar este Encuentro?

La hermana Mary Paul Hon, OVISS, comenzó el Ministerio Penitenciario en la década de 1990 y se intensificó cuando se retiró de la enseñanza y de sus responsabilidades como miembro de la orden del Verbo Encarnado y Santίsimo Sacramento. Ese fue el primer paso, de muchos que le siguieron, para el desarrollo del Ministerio en las Prisiones, en la Diócesis de Corpus Christi.

Cuando Roger Rosenbaum se retiró, después de trabajar 25 años como oficial de la Ley en el Departamento de Parques y Vida Silvestre de Texas, se fue a Beeville con su familia. Trabajó en turnos nocturnos como oficial correccional en el penal de Garza West en 2002.

Al mismo tiempo, Roger Rosenbaum inició su camino hacia el Diaconado. -“Cada uno de nosotros tuvo que elegir un Ministerio. Como yo conocía la prisión, seguí como voluntario, pero en un lugar diferente”-. Rosenbaum llegó a la Unidad McConnell en 2003 y luego, como Diácono, expandió el Ministerio Penitenciario: “Tenemos voluntarios en las cuatro prisiones estatales de

nuestra Diócesis, en la prisión federal de Three Rivers y en las cárceles del condado; la más grande está en Corpus Cristi”.

Aunque hay entre 30 y 40 voluntarios en la Diócesis, el diácono Roger espera que más personas ayuden con este importante Ministerio: - “Algunos de los voluntarios están envejeciendo y hay mucha necesidad en las diferentes instituciones”-.

Algunos de sus voluntarios son ex-reclusos. -“Me mantengo en contacto con muchos de ellos y les digo: ‘No te relaciones con tus viejos amigos, no vuelvas a tus viejos hábitos’. Ser voluntario en prisión les ayuda a ver lo que dejaron atrás y lo que podrían volver a perder si no cumplen con la ley”-.

Los reclusos aprecian mucho al Diácono Roger, que con los pies en la tierra, encuentra la manera de comunicarles la Palabra de Dios. -“A menudo llevo mi pulsera de pescador. Me hacen preguntas, como con qué frecuencia voy a pescar, y les digo: “Todos los días, en tierra.”Después de varios años, la comunidad de San Dimas está bien organizada. -”Prácticamente ellos dirigen el programa”, dice el diácono Roger. Cada Ministerio, como RICA o Música, tiene un líder de equipo y Rosenbaum se reúne con él una vez por semana. Una vez al año, los voluntarios ayudan en un retiro Kolbe, que es un retiro ACTS, diseñado para presos. Varios reclusos asisten a cursos en la Universidad Católica Distante, los cuales pagan de su propio bolsillo.

Los ofensores de la ley, que podrían estar propensos a caer y tomar malas decisiones, no sólo encuentran un nuevo significado a sus hechos, sino también sus consecuencias: -“Su comportamiento cambia drásticamente. Hay tanta bondad en sus corazones; que se meten en menos peleas o conflictos con las estrictas normas penitenciarias. Las personas que dicen que deberían estar encerrados por el resto de sus vidas no saben lo que la palabra de Dios puede lograr”.Un recluso compartió su historia después de Misa; habló de cómo se crió como católico, pero después, rompió con su familia y tomó decisiones terribles; como el camino de las drogas. Empezó por venderlas y acabó con una larga condena. Ya en la prisión, comenzó a asistir a Misa de vez en cuando, pero incluso dentro, no dejó de consumir drogas hasta que sufrió una sobredosis por la cual casi pierde la vida. -”Tuve una experiencia cercana a la muerte y estaba aterrorizado; no quería estar en ese lugar”-.

Cuando despertó, vio a dos of iciales penitenciarios orando por él. Fue una experiencia decisiva que lo llevó a una seria conversión. Se hizo parte de la comunidad de San Dimas, se unió al coro y aprendió a tocar la guitarra.

Al verlo ahora, entregando sus talentos en la

La Palabra de Dios da libertad interior incluso cuando las personas están confinadas físicamente

Hermana Mary Paul Hon, OVISS, comenzó el ministerio penitenciario en los años 1990

Comunidad McConnell, nos da una prueba tangible de que Dios puede cambiar corazones en todas partes… y tal vez los más perdonados sean los que más le aman (ver Lc 7:47). “Por lo cual te digo; se le han perdonado sus pecados, que eran muchos, puesto que mucho Me ha amado.”

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

PRIMAVER A 2024

13

HOW IMPRISONMENT WAS THE START OF A JOURNEY TO CONVERSION

“If this is just a Small Bit of Heaven, I Need to get there”

BY FRANK ORTIZ (FROM HIS LETTERS TO BISHOP MICHAEL MULVEY) our car. Even though my mother was severely bleeding, she guided us to our neighbor’s house, where the police and ambulance arrived.

The man was eventually caught and put on trial. For months and months, our family struggled to sleep at night. Any noise outside would wake my mom, who constantly woke me up.

I grew up hating this man and everyone related to him. There was just so much anger in me, and I wasn’t doing anything to face the real issue.

My mom’s faith helped her healing, and I, too, grew closer to the Church and often spent time helping in the parish. But after a few incidents at the hands of an older altar boy that I looked up to and later a priest, I began to distance myself from involvement in ministry. I started keeping God at a distance, too. As a result, I struggled with anger and sexual behavior.

Eventually, my selfishness and woundedness contributed to my terrible choices, which led me to a 30-year prison sentence in 1998 at the age of 31.

Frank Ortiz presents a gift to Bishop Mulvey

M

y father died in a car accident the summer before I was to turn nine years old. My mother was left to raise me, two brothers, and a stepsister.

One night the following summer, a knock was on the front door. My mom woke me up because she couldn’t quite recognize the person who answered as she asked who it was. He only replied, “Tony.” That was my uncle’s name.

As she slowly opened the door, he immediately grabbed her and started beating her. I tried to stop him twice, but he just threw me off. My mother asked him not to hurt us and told us to go to our rooms (later, I learned that he had made her perform sexual favors). Eventually, he left, taking 14

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

The Divine Presence in my cell It was in 2000 that I experienced God’s mercy and love. One afternoon, when I had the cell to myself, I sat at my small desk pondering my past and future. It did not look hopeful. I opened my bible and began reading a psalm. I do not know which one I was reading, but suddenly, I was urged to get on my knees. Immediately, I started crying and fell forward. I do not know how long I was there sobbing when I began to sense a Presence behind me. It was trying to comfort me. I felt too ashamed and unworthy … yet the more I pulled away, the more the Presence drew me. Finally, I gave in and experienced an inner warmth and peace that I still cannot describe well enough…

I do not know how long I was there, but eventually, I sat up again. Two ideas came to me

S. Janssen (2) Frank Ortiz found the strength to forgive when, all of a sudden, he encountered in prison the man who harmed his mother

as I sat there: “forgiven” and “If this is just a small bit of Heaven, I need to get there.”

From then on, I knew that I had to forgive everyone who had hurt me and, most importantly, forgive myself. But I did not know that my forgiveness would be tested less than two years later.

One weekend, my brother visited me at the McConnell Unit. I saw the brother of my mother’s attacker in the visitor’s room. I thought to myself, “This cannot be possible. Maybe he is visiting a friend.” After the visit with my brother was over, I walked by their table. It was the eyes that gave him away. I have never forgotten them.

I returned to my cell and began planning on how to avenge my mom’s attacker. I worked at a place where I could get a weapon to do some harm.

I started investigating his routine. All my emotions from the past returned.

I did not realize that I had not followed my daily prayer habits. But on the second day, I felt something inside me, a silent voice reminding me about forgiveness, and the moment I felt His Presence.

Through prayer and whatever bit of willingness I had, I submitted to the Lord to forgive this man.

I saw him several times, and he eventually found out who I was. But I was no longer a threat. The Lord had allowed this to take place so I could finally put the past behind me and not further imprison myself.

“Take o Lord, and receive my entire liberty.”

Last Sunday, I heard the Prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola. As one can imagine, the word ‘liberty’ is not common here. Our time and day are strictly managed. Security tells us when we can go to the

chow hall to eat, how long we have to finish our tray (20 minutes), exchange our white clothes (4 am), when we are allowed to special services, and even when we can exercise in the yard.

I have learned and experienced that there is another very profound level of liberty. This level of liberty is experienced internally. The externals are so often beyond my control… How can I experience peace amid it all? The first step I took was to admit my brokenness. I told the Lord I could not handle this (the struggles, events, losses, failures, and obstacles that come along as I do my sentence).

This internal surrender allows me to experience the liberty many take for granted…. I am blessed to relate to those words of St. Ignatius. I can be rich even here.

When bad news arrives I was denied parole once again. My next scheduled review date will be in 2024. Because I had a prior arrest and was on probation in 1998, the board felt that I was a danger to society. I experienced a roller coaster of emotions after my mother told me. The most challenging part was listening to my mother cry…

For about two weeks, I was sad and felt sorry for myself. Then those whispers started that I would never be worthy of freedom. But I knew where this all was coming from. So, I just kept doing what I had been doing the whole time. I opened my Liturgy of the Hours daily and read scripture. And if I started feeling sorry for myself, I told the Lord about it; whatever I dealt with, I shared honestly.

Eventually, those whispers subsided…

After those weeks, I dove back into a service attitude and looked at how best to serve our community.

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

15

HOW AN INMATE AT MCCONNELL UNIT FOUND HIS FAITH

Our Destination is the Same

BY ROBERT MIELNICKI

T

If you had asked me two years ago if I would ever take the sacraments, I would have replied, “What’s a sacrament?” I knew nothing about faith or God, let alone what it took to nourish that faith and grow closer to God. After all, isn’t that what the sacraments are for?

As a child, I attended Church sporadically. My aunt, a Catholic, would sometimes come over on Sunday mornings with coffee and donuts and do her best to get my family to attend Mass. It didn’t

S. Janssen (2)

wenty-four months ago, I embarked on a journey that brought me to an Easter Mass I never thought to attend with a group of strangers I now call my brothers.

There were nine of us from different walks of life. Among us were ex-gang members, recovering addicts, a former Muslim and an atheist. Some were born into the Church, while others had to find their own winding path to find it. I was one of the latter.

Robert Mielnicki (here with volunteer Dan King) had a profound conversion when attending a Kolbe Retreat in prison

16

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

always work, but at least she tried.

Looking back, I thank her, for that was my only recollection of the Church from my youth, and God would eventually use that to bring me into the fold. The memory of that beautiful Cathedral, the Mass, and the choir would stay with me and resurface when I needed it the most.

Over the next 25 years, I would endure many trials and tribulations. The loss of my son and fiancée, my first incarceration, the death of my parents while locked up, and the abandonment of family and friends all could have led me to Christ. Instead, I pushed Him away. I relied on my strength and my understanding. All that brought me pain, misery, and a fifty-year prison sentence.

It wasn’t until April of 2022 that I would have an awakening of faith. It was a moment with God so strong that I could no longer deny His existence. That experience changed everything I thought I knew and finally allowed me to start a relationship with God. In September of that same year, I finally gave my life over to the Lord Jesus Christ.

I was attending a service at that time every other week, but I knew I needed more. Fasting, I prayed to the Lord for guidance in finding a place to be closer to God and fellowship with my brothers. Deep in prayer, in my heart, not my head, I heard, “Go back to your roots” – but which roots?

The answers to my prayers only seemed to leave me with more questions. What God was doing was forcing me to search for the answers.

Then, I was reminded of my aunt, the Cathedral, and the Mass. Turning to a good friend I knew was part of the Church, I asked him what it would take to attend Mass and become Catholic.

I was greeted with so much information that, at first, I’ll admit, I was a bit overwhelmed. But with the help of Deacon Roger, Father Jacob, and the entire St. Dismas Community, it wasn’t long before God made clear the path He set out before me.

I started to attend RCIA classes. I wanted to learn more about our faith and what it would take for me to receive my baptism. Eventually, I attended a sacrament prep class for those planning to receive their sacraments at Easter Mass. Again, my prayers had been answered.

Our sacrament prep class started with twelve men, just like the apostles. We were taught what taking the sacraments means and what was expected of us once we did. This was not to be taken lightly; we needed to prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually.

As the Easter Mass came closer, we lost a few members of our class; one man was moved,

another man removed himself, and another had a medical procedure that took him off the unit.

Then, a lockdown occurred, pushing Easter Mass back. It seemed at every turn Satan was doing all he could to not lose us nine men into the service of our Lord’s army. Finally, on May 31, 2023, the lives of eight men and myself were changed forever.

It was a day none of us will ever forget.

There was an excited nervousness in the air. The atmosphere of prison seemingly melted away.

Everything was replaced with the presence of the Spirit, and all at once, I felt free. I was reminded of the words that St. Paul, my chosen Saint, wrote to the Galatians, “So Christ has truly set us free” (gal 5:2). It was all so beautiful!

I was baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit by Father Darryl D’Souza.

He laid hands on us all as we were confirmed into the Church and received the Holy Spirit. We then joined the congregation in our first communion.

It only took me 42 years, but like they say, better late than never.

My brothers and I each took our dark and twisted paths to where we are today, but sometimes, it takes going down to the darkest places to see the light. And no matter what our paths were before, the destination is the same for all of us.

Serving at Mass is for Robert Mielnicki one way to answer to God’s love

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

17

CONVERSION CAN OCCUR UNDER MANY CIRCUMSTANCES – FOR FR. RAJU THO

Touched by the Joy

S. Janssen

BY SUSANNE JANSSEN

Fr. Raju Thottankara loves serving his parish, the diocese and as a military chaplain. However, before being ordained in 1995, he had a profound experience while serving at the Sisters of Mother Teresa

F

r. Raju Thottankara has many “hats”: Pastor at St. Peter. Prince of the Apostle Parish in Calallen, Vicar for Clergy and Moderator of the Curia – and Lieutenant Colonel as a Military Chaplain. However, the most important thing for him is to be a simple pastor, reachable for his parishioners. His vocation led him from his native India to Corpus Christi – but how did it all begin?

“I joined the pre-seminary at the age of 15. At that time, I didn’t feel that God was calling me…

I wanted to study,” he confesses. Going to the seminary opened the door to learning English and later attending college. “A bachelor’s degree was a big deal.” However, his college time differed significantly from the common experience: “It was in a remote place, in the deep jungle… It was a hard life; we had to work in the garden, grow our 18

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

vegetables, and eat together. Now, when I look back, I love it.” However, young Raju was determined to continue to earn a bachelor’s degree, so he was sent to Kolkata to study philosophy.

That came with a twist: “Every seminarian had to go to work in the Mother Teresa shelters once a week. I was going with other seminarians every Thursday. We had to care for those with tuberculosis, shower them, cut their nails, and feed them. Did I like the job? No, not at all.”

Reluctantly, he continued to serve there weekly. “I did it without love, and I thought that I shouldn’t be doing this job. But I overcame that, and once you overcome it, you find joy.” And occasionally, Mother Teresa visited: “She would talk to all of us and see the patients without a mask or gloves. Tuberculosis is very contagious

Courtesy of Fr. Thottankara

OTTANKARA, IT HAPPENED WITH MOTHER TERESA BUT CONTINUES EVERY DAY

Fr. Raju in 2017, helping after Hurricane Harvey

and dangerous, so we were all protected. But Mother Teresa wasn’t getting sick. And that inspired me…

God takes care of his people.”

Fr. Raju was touched by the joy he encountered: “I saw a group of nuns washing their clothes outside; they had no washing machine, but there was a big pond where they washed their clothes by hand. I saw this nun, a foreigner, so I asked her where she was from. ‘Wisconsin.’ Then I asked her, ‘What were you doing before you came to Mother Teresa to be a nun?’ and her answer shocked me – she said she was a doctor. She had everything but left everything to serve humanity and the poor. That was an amazing story for me. God calls people!”

Eventually, these experiences inspired him to continue pursuing his vocation to the priesthood.

He served in a rural mission in his pastoral year: “I would walk miles, sleep under a tree. This was all new to me! When I was teaching catechism to the children, there were no classrooms; they lived in huts. They cooked outside and showered outside…

But I found the same joy as in the shelter: There is happiness because they care for each other. They gather in the evening, sing songs, and tell stories; you are one of them. As a seminarian, that’s a great

exposure.” This has helped him in all the parishes he served: “Anybody can walk in; anybody can talk to me.”

He completed his studies and was ordained in 1995. His first appointment was… as a chaplain to the Mother Teresa Sisters. “I was back to the same thing!

But this time, I did it with joy!”

In 2000, he came to the United States: “It was tough adjusting to the culture,” he says. He started in San Antonio to learn the culture, customs, and habits. His first assignment in the Diocese of Corpus Christi was St. Gertrude in Kingsville, “and there were wonderful people who took care of me.” And he noticed a great sense of charity, which gave him the same joy as in his home country.

Yet God had another opportunity to serve in store. While he was in Kingsville in 2008, a parishioner who was serving in the military was killed in an attack in Yemen. After the funeral, talking to some military personnel, they told him, “Father, we need more chaplains; you don’t have anybody who could join us?” He went to the bishop and became a chaplain in reserve. During Hurricane Harvey, he was activated: “I went to College Station, where the helicopters got people and pets who were trapped. When they returned, I had to take care of their spiritual life. I read their faces to see if they are doing okay or if they risk falling into depression…”

Now, Fr. Raju serves one of the biggest parishes in the diocese and looks after the priests as a Vicar for the Clergy. Conversion, he thinks, should happen every day: “Before I offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass when we all say the ‘I confess…,’ it’s always a call to change.” Every morning, we should know that God has given us another day. “Every moment, conversion happens – turning to God, but especially in Advent and Lent, we can experience conversion and the joy of purifying in prayer and confession.”

However, prayer should go hand in hand with deeds: “St. James says, ‘faith and action.’ We need faith and good works; I told this to my parish, ‘When we die, what goes with us are our good deeds, nothing else, so do good. Not just praying the rosary, but also action.” Eventually, he continues, “God created us for happiness. So many people say they miss happiness and joy in their life. Those nuns that I saw they were never regretting….”

In that way, he experiences every day as a rejuvenation, “bringing me back to what I was ordained for. And I truly believe that Mother Teresa, whom I was lucky to work with, also takes care of me.”

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

19

Friends in Faith

BY JESSE DELEON

F

or Jeni Tejeda, her Catholic faith was something that has always been a guiding force in her life.

Born in California, she and her family moved to San Antonio when she was five. Her family attended Mass regularly, she went to Catholic school, and began her journey in her faith. However, it was not long before Jeni faced challenges in her faith life that led to a period of uncertainty.

“I began to feel that everything about being Catholic was just kind of thrown at me, and I never really took the time to understand it,” she said. “I felt like, OK, like we’re here for Jesus, and this is what he did for us, but at the time, it kind of just went in one ear and out the other.”

Tejeda feels that her sense of disconnection was rooted in the fact that she had not been confirmed.

That led her to fall away from her Catholic faith. As she graduated high school and entered college at Texas A&M University Kingsville, she assimilated into the college lifestyle of friends, classes, and socializing.

Happiness was within her grasp. Or so she thought.

“I found myself doing things I was never supposed to,” she revealed. “I never realized how unhappy I was…

I thought I was happy. But looking back at it now, I realized that it wasn’t happiness at all. In my first year, I didn’t know anyone, and I didn’t go to Mass at all.”

Adding to Tejeda’s unrest was the fact that she had to deal with severe and continuous health issues. She has a heart condition as well as related complications that led her to wonder often why God would place so many challenges in her path.

However, she discovered the Saint Thomas Aquinas Newman Center on campus when she entered her sophomore year. A friend invited her

20

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

Courtesy of J. Tejeda

A STUDENT AT TAMUK DISCOVERS MUCH MORE THAN THE USUAL COLLEGE LIFESTYLE

Jeni Tejeda

to the center’s open house event, and upon arriving, the welcoming spirit of everyone she met offered her a deep sense of connection and acceptance she was sorely missing.

Tejeda says Campus Minister Angela Castellano and Father Charles Silvas, the Chaplain of the Newman Center at Texas A&M University Kingsville, revitalized her desire for community and connection.

“Their spirit of kindness and acceptance, which helped lead me out of the emptiness I felt during my freshman year,” she says with a smile.

That sense of reconnection was the seed that would help Tejeda reconcile herself to God and deepen her spirituality. “People at the Newman Center who have helped me in my conversion include Father Charles Silvas,” she says. “He has taught me so much and is so kind and understanding. He is there to guide us in deepening our relationship with God.” She also met her boyfriend, Carlo Garica, at the Newman Center and credits his strong Catholic faith as a source of strength and inspiration in her spiritual journey.

Tejeda, who is studying communication disorders and hopes to become an audiologist, is excelling in her coursework and looking forward to her upcoming confirmation.

“I feel that through my time here at the Newman Center and the people I have met here are why I feel so happy now,” reveals Tejeda. “I would never go back to the way I was because that was not happiness,” says Tejeda with a tearful smile. “Everyone here has helped me so much…I have never had friends in faith like this before.”

AN INJURY AND THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE THREW A COLLEGE STUDENT OFF-TRACK

Just One Step Away from God’s Grace

BY JESSE DELEON Not long after that moment of clarity, Justin’s dad invited him to participate in the Journey to Damascus.

Justin admits that the weekend retreat completely changed his life.

The time he spent with his father in prayer was the first Justin De Los Santos with his parents step toward healing on his graduation day his broken spirit.

When asked what the experience taught him, Justin offers a clear, confident answer: “God will bring you to your knees whenever you think you don’t need him.”

“Since that moment, I’ve never been drunk again,” he admits with a smile. “I am grateful for the chance to begin again every single day, and I realize that I am only one step away from God’s grace, and I am so thankful for that.”

Justin and his girlfriend happily reconciled; he has returned to the baseball diamond and is on track to graduate with his MBA from Southwestern Assemblies of God University in 2025. But most importantly, he has renewed his relationship with God, returning to his familiar spiritual regimen of daily prayer, conversation, and journaling.

Justin also offered his testimony at a recent senior retreat at St. John Paul II High School. He says he felt moved to share his experiences with other young people, hoping it would inspire them to remain focused on their faith in God. “I was just fortunate enough that God granted me the grace to persevere,” he says. “As St. Paul says in his letters, ‘I am the worst of all sinners, and who am I that God would use me to spread the Gospel?’

It reminds me that no matter what we have been through, how angry we were or how lost we may have felt, we are all just one step away from God’s grace.”

Courtesy of J. De Los Santos

“I

guess you could say I am a cradle Catholic,” Justin De Los Santos says with a smile. He and his older brother Thomas grew up as they grew in their faith, regularly attending Mass with their parents and getting involved in various Church activities. After attending Tuloso-Midway High School for his freshman year, Justin decided to attend St. John Paul II High School. He graduated in 2019.

“During my senior year, I was just on fire for God and the Church,” recalls Justin. “And I was journaling, reading the Bible every day.”

That devotion kept him grounded in his faith and strengthened his relationship with his girlfriend.

It also guided him in his future athletic and academic aspirations. His skills as a baseball player and good grades led him to Southwestern Assemblies of God University, where he graduated in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a minor in sports management.

However, during his last year in college, Justin faced a series of difficult situations. An injury sidelined him from the baseball field. Following the loss of his grandmother, his grief cast a shadow on his spirit as he mourned her loss deeply. And his increased reliance on alcohol led to the collapse of his relationship with his girlfriend.

“I wouldn’t say I left the Catholic Church, but it just became less of a priority,” he recalls. “So, then I just kind of stopped praying, and as a result, that period became just a whirlwind for me.” During his senior year in college, he admits to chasing after things that did not fulfill him even though he thought they would.

His reliance on alcohol fueled his faith crisis.

He remembers one night, following a heavy round of drinking, a light managed to break through the haze.

“I clearly heard God’s voice after such a long time,” he says. “God was saying to me, ‘I know you’re angry. I know you’re upset. I know losing your grandma was hard. Losing your relationship was hard. Losing baseball was hard,’” he says, his eyes filled with tears. “I did all that so you could realize that all you need is me.”

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

21

THE FARM OF HOPE IS READY TO RECEIVE FIRST PEOPLE SEEKING HELP TO GET OVER ADDICTION

A Healthy, Friendly Environment

BY SUSANNE JANSSEN

22

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

a hospital against his will. He spent two months in a psychiatric clinic, attending 12-Steps sessions, but it didn’t help.

Eventually, he ended up being homeless. His father heard of the Farm of Hope, and he agreed to try it out. It was the right fit: “While I lived in community, I grew closer to God. Listening to the brothers share their experiences, I identified and understood my problems and began to work on forgiveness. At that moment, I took the first step on a long road of recovery.”

After the yearlong program, he decided to help others in similar situations and went on a mission to the Philippines – but then the pandemic hit, and he had to return to Brazil. He managed to get a good job, regained the trust of his parents, and even won awards in his company. But when a priest last year spoke about “fulfilling the mission that God wants from you,” he felt called to go back to the Farm of Hope, helping others – and left everything to join the Corpus Christi mission.

Ayres Rocha was a successful production engineer working for big automobile manufacturers.

His dream job led him to travel to the U.S. and Europe.

S. Janssen

I

t is a sunny but cold day at 3834 Country Road 61 in Robstown. The house is simple but welcoming: a round table, an open kitchen, and couches where you can sit and talk for hours. Surrounded by open land, it will soon have a chicken coop and an orchard – the first herbs and plants are growing…

Cassiano Silva spearheads this new community in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. He struggled with alcohol addiction while on the outside, living a successful life. He found lasting help at the Farm of Hope (Fazenda da Esperança in Portuguese), an organization born in 1983 in Guaratingueta, Brazil.

Back then, Fr. Hans Stapel, OFM, a Franciscan originally from Germany, encouraged the youth in his parish to serve Jesus in all those they’d encounter during the day. Nelson Giovanelli encountered a group of young men on his way home, and they shared their struggles with drug addiction. He was touched and felt called to help them, sharing it with Fr. Hans. From these efforts to help people in need in the parish, the Farms of Hope were born – providing an encounter with the living God to find new meaning in life and, in that way, overcoming addiction. Together with Iraci da Silva Leite, who was a pioneer for the women’s farms, they are considered the co-founders of the Family of Hope.

Cassiano emphasizes that what helped him was to live out the Word of God. After his recovery, he wanted to share this gift with other men who found themselves in the same desperate situation as he had lived just a year ago. After a formation period, he started as a missionary to accompany others on their journey.

He led the Farms of Hope in Iguape, São Paulo, and Caico, Rio Grande do Norte, before heading out to a new adventure in the United States. Ayres Rocha and Juliano Meirelles join him. All three are former addicts who, after hitting rock bottom, found a new lifestyle through the Farms of Hope.

Juliano Meirelles seems to “have it all:” a promising career in an event company, an apartment, a wife.

Underneath the surface, he was struggling – drinking to forget and taking cocaine to stay on top of the demands at his job. When he had difficulties with his mortgage payments, his addiction got worse, and on top of it, he fell into a deep depression: “In a short time, I lost my car, my wife, and I traded household items for drugs; what was left was a mattress and a refrigerator in the apartment.” When he tried to commit suicide, his parents decided to admit him to

The three missionaries – Ayres Rocha, Cassiano Silva and Juliano Meirelles with their dog Scooby

A. Rochas

But he covered the stress with alcohol and, later, with cocaine. “I tried to function, and I was sure I would be able to control my drinking,” he shares.

When his family was looking for help, they found the Farm of Hope, but he lasted only a few months. “It was not the right time yet,” he says. After losing his job and his girlfriend, he tried a new start in Paraguay, but after a few weeks, he was back into alcohol and drugs. A former brother from the Farm of Hope reached out to him. And when he went back from Paraguay to São Paulo, he met exactly that person: “What are the odds in this city with more than 12 million inhabitants?” It was, for him, a sign of God, and this time, he stayed the whole year. “I realized that I needed to work on a lot of things – how I relate to people, for example. But I was happy because I felt that my brothers were there for me.”

All t h re e m i s s i o n a ri e s have undergone remarkable transformations through their experiences at the Farm of Hope and felt called to share their blessings. Now equipped with the skills to aid others on similar journeys, they’ve opened their doors with five beds awaiting new “brothers.”

Their approach is not a therapy or detox but a lasting lifestyle change: “Our life is based on three pillars: spirituality, community life and work.,” says Cassiano. A typical day on the farm consists of mealtimes together, prayer and meditating on the Word of God, tending to a vegetable garden, caring for a chicken coop, and working on a small sugar cane plantation. “Once a week, we share our experiences in living out the Gospel; another evening, A peaceful morning at the Farm in Violet we have adoration.” After trying out several other rehabs, Juliano Meirelles explains what helped him: “I had more time to make a change, I was in a healthy, within our diocese, dedicated to serving the Church friendly environment, and I found meaning through by offering assistance to families grappling with spirituality.” the challenges of their loved ones in various forms Collaborative efforts extend to household chores, of addiction.” fostering a sense of community. The day concludes The missionaries are also happy to share more with moments of sharing and dedicated study to about their community and mission and visit parishes deepen understanding of the Charism of Hope. or groups. Also, an open house can be arranged to Bishop Michael Mulvey officially announced that the get to know them personally.

Farm of Hope stands ready to extend its embrace Their email address is: to our first brothers seeking to rebuild their lives: corpuschristi.m@fazenda.org.br “This community is envisioned as a vital instrument S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

23

BIOETHICS 101: IS THE DEATH PENALTY ACCEPTABLE AS A PUNISHMENT?

Choosing Life instead of Death

BY FR. RICHARD LIBBY

G

the death penalty, non-lethal remedies were to be preferred when they were available. He also added that the conditions that called for the use of the death penalty were, in the modern world, rare.

John Paul II also believed that growing opposition to the death penalty in the modern world was a sign of hope. “Modern society has, in fact, the means of effectively suppressing crime by rendering criminals harmless without definitively denying them the chance to reform.” (Evangelium Vitae, #27) Eventually, John Paul called for the abolition of the death penalty.

John Paul’s successor, Pope Benedict XVI, picked up the theme. In 2011, he called for an

Tim Hufner/unsplash.com

iven the theme of this issue, I have decided to put aside bioethics in the specialized sense and address ethics as it affects life in a more general sense. For years now, a growing chorus of voices, both Catholic and non-Catholic, have called for the abolition of capital punishment.

The Catholic voices were in good company, as Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis added their voices to the effort.

For many years, the Church acknowledged that the state had the right to use the death penalty when it was necessary for the protection of the people. However, under Pope John Paul II, there was a slight change of direction. He held that, although the Church permitted the use of

Respecting the human dignity of prisoners: both St. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI called for alternatives to the death penalty

24

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

end to the death penalty and a reform of the penal system, saying that the human dignity of prisoners should be respected. He repeated the call less than a month later.

More recently, Pope Francis has rejected any possibility of the use of the death penalty and has called it “inadmissible.” He has said it is no longer needed and is an offense against life and human dignity. He also noted that there is no such thing as a humane way of taking another person’s life.

There are many problems with the use of the death penalty. One problem is that it is a means of revenge. In both the Old and New Testaments, revenge is forbidden to us and reserved for God. Another problem is the possibility of error. If a man is imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, that’s bad enough, but if he is executed, then there is no way of reversing the punishment or compensating him for it. The serious possibility of error should cause anyone to consider carefully whether a permanent solution like execution is in order.

Yet another problem, alluded to by St. John Paul, is that execution robs a criminal of a chance to reform. It is not our place to decide that a criminal will not repent; God’s grace works in ways that we do not know and on a schedule that we do not know. If, however, an offender is executed, then any possible future repentance is precluded.

St. Therese of Lisieux wrote about a time when she was a young girl and had heard news of a sensational murder in Paris. The accused murderer, Henri Pranzini, was unrepentant, and Therese, a devout young girl, feared the loss of his soul even though she had never met him.

She prayed fervently for God to pardon him and asked God for a sign that her prayer had been granted. After his execution, she read that Pranzini, just before dying, took a crucifix that a priest had held out to him and kissed the Holy Wounds three times. Although Pranzini was executed, Therese’s example is instructive: she saw Pranzini not as a criminal to be punished but as a soul to be saved. Through St. Therese’s intercession, may God fill our hearts with that same charity toward our brothers and sisters, even those convicted of crimes.

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.

Send your questions on bioethics to stc@diocesecc.org S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

25

WOMEN OF STRENGTH: ST. FAUSTINA’S VISIONS ABOUT JESUS’ INFINITE LOVE

Secretary of Divine Mercy

BY ELIZABETH MORALES

I

n the year 2024, the message of Divine Mercy may seem banal, but not all are familiar with it. The Catholic Church has always taught God’s mercy, but Jesus delivered this specific devotion to a Polish nun named Sister Faustina and explained that many souls would profit from it.

He asked her to write down what he would share with her because he wanted it to be known that nothing is beyond his infinite mercy.

These visions and conversations with Jesus were written about in her diary and later published as “The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul.” In these visions, Jesus taught her about his inconceivable mercy and asked her to spread this devotion, assuring her that he would make up for wherever she was lacking.

On August 25, 1905, in Łódź, a city in central Poland, she was born Helena Kowalska, the third of ten children to Stanisław Kowalski, a carpenter, and Marianna Kowalska. Although her family was impoverished, they had deep faith in God. While praying at the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, she first felt a calling to religious life at the age of seven and desired to enter a convent after her studies as a teenager, but her parents would not allow it. Thus, she pursued work as a housekeeper, helping to support herself and her parents.

One day, while attending a dance with her sister in Łódź, she saw the wounded Jesus at her side, asking her, “How long shall I put up with you, and how long will you keep putting Me off?” Without letting anyone know what happened, she slipped away unnoticed and went to pray at the Cathedral of Saint Stanislaus Kostka in Łódź. In prayer, Jesus told her to go to Warsaw and that she would enter a convent there.

Returning home to handle a few matters, she informed her sister of what happened and asked her to tell their parents goodbye, departing for Warsaw, not knowing anyone in that city and with only the outfit she was wearing.

While in Warsaw, she worked as a housemaid and made an agreement with a Mother Superior to make deposits at a convent for a year until she was accepted. At the age of 20, she was then invested in the habit and given the religious name of Sister Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament on April 30, 1926.

Upon completing her novitiate, she took first vows in 1928 with her parents in attendance, and she was assigned as a cook at a convent in Wilno, Poland, 26

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905–1933) captured her visions and conversations with Jesus in her diary

which is currently Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

In 1930, she began to suffer from what is thought to be tuberculosis. In 1931, she wrote that she saw Jesus clothed in a white garment with two rays emanating from him, one red, the other pale. He instructed her to paint this image of Him with the words, “Jesus, I trust in You,” in what is now known as the Divine Mercy image. Kowalska was not a trained painter and requested assistance from the nuns at her convent but found none.

Continuing to discern the call to religious life, she made final vows with the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy on May 1, 1933. She was 27 years old.

As a fully professed nun, Sister Faustina worked for three years as a gardener. During this time, Father Michal Sopoćko became her confessor and spiritual director.

Upon first learning of her conversations with Jesus, he required a psychiatric evaluation of her, in which she was proven to be of sound mind. As Kowalska shared the conversations with Jesus, he

eventually grew to support her mission of spreading Divine Mercy.

With the help of Sopoćko, the artist Eugeniusz Kazimirowski was commissioned to paint the first Divine Mercy image based on the vision she had of Jesus.

The painting was completed in June 1934, and this was the only version Kowalska saw.

Jesus gave her instructions about blessing the image and that a Feast of Mercy should be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. He described in her visions how endless His mercy is and introduced her to the prayer of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Sr. Faustina understood that Jesus asked her not just to encompass sporadic or occasional acts of mercy performed towards those who are in need but that it required a different attitude toward each neighbor, guided completely by merciful love: “I desire to be transformed completely into Your mercy,” Sister Faustina prayed, “and be a

living reflection of You, O Lord.”

Beginning in 1936, brochures of the devotion began to spread, with Sopoćko as the primary promoter. He included the Divine Mercy image on the cover.

At this time, Sister Faustina’s health began to deteriorate from what is believed to have been tuberculosis, and she spent the remainder of her life in Kraków praying for the conversion of sinners and reciting the chaplet.

In 1937, before her death, Kowalska described in her diary seeing a solemn celebration of Divine Mercy with enormous crowds in attendance at her local chapel and simultaneously in Rome attended by the Holy Father.

She passed from earthly life on October 5, 1938, at the age of 33, and was laid to rest at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Kraków, Poland.

She was canonized as the first saint of the new millennium on April 30, 2000, by Pope John Paul II. Her feast day is October 5.

13-DAY PILGRIMAGE

Greece & Turkey with 3-day cruise

The Divine Mercy image by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski, 1934, painted under the guidance of Sr. Faustina.

OCTOBER 16-28, 2024 D E PA R T U R E F R O M H O U S TO N , T X

TRIP INCLUDES ($4,499 per person) Round-trip Air | First-Class Hotels Land Transportation | Professional Tour Guides Medical Protection Plan AND MORE!

FOR INFORMATION TOUR LEADERS Father José Gutierrez, Spiritual Director Dora Hidalgo, Coordinator 361-510-1411 doracorpuschristi@gmail.com

Contact: 832-406-7050 | info@nativitypilgrimage.com | www.nativitypilgrimage.com

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

27

depositphotos.com

FOLLOWING JESUS: “IF YOU DO NOT REPENT, YOU WILL ALL PERISH AS THEY DID!” (LK 13:3,5)

Called to be the Holy Family of God

BY FR. BRADY WILLIAMS, SOLT

C

hristian revelation tells us that, objectively speaking, everything comes from God and is returning to God. Subjectively, each of us is called to jump into the stream of this return to God. However, because of the fall in the Garden of Eden, humanity experiences a kind of estrangement from Him, and the only way back is through conversion, that is, a “turning around, an alternation, a change.”

This is often difficult and painful; we are ‘bent out of shape,’ so to speak.

G.K. Chesterton humorously described our condition as “being born upside down … [man] is standing on his head, which is a very weak pedestal to stand on... Christianity satisfies suddenly and perfectly man’s ancestral instinct for being the right way up” (Orthodoxy). Jesus repeatedly calls for this conversion (this repentance/turning) in the Gospels. In Luke’s Gospel, he appeals to this repentance two times in one setting: “At that time, some people who were present there told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, ‘Do you think 28

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

that because these Galileans suffered in this way, they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?

By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them —do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!’”

Although neither of these two historical events has been recorded outside the Gospel of Luke, Jesus identifies a current of thought that lies underneath the “breaking news”: the informants and all present thought that those people who suffered that way must have been great sinners.

Jesus turns it back on them like a mirror: “But I tell you if you do not repent …” We can hear in Jesus’ words both a warning and a sense of urgency.

He is pulling our attention away from everyone else (‘those people’) and inviting us to take a good hard look at ourselves and evaluate what we need to change. One of Aesop’s Fables narrates that “Every man, according to an ancient legend, is born

into the world with two bags suspended from his neck: all the bags in front full of his neighbors’ faults, and a large bag behind filled with his own faults. Hence, it is that men are quick to see the faults of others, and yet are often blind to their own failings” (The Two Bags).

The propensity to ignore our faults when we see so many more or less serious ones around us is as old as sin, and Jesus knows it. But, if we do not repent, as he says, then we never make that necessary re-turning of our life back toward Him. (Continued on page 29) Not only does Jesus call us to repent, but he says that if we do not, “you will all perish as they did!” Is Jesus wanting to say we will experience the same “fate”?

Should we be extra careful the next time we walk by a tower… or under a ladder, etc?.

Of course, if that is the case, we should be afraid of our shadow. While Jesus invites us to turn away from the faults of others, He does not want us to just naval gaze on all our issues but rather to turn our whole focus on Him. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John (10:28): “I give [my sheep] eternal life, and they shall never perish.”

Here, we gain a deeper insight into what conversion entails: to be near Him, to walk in His way, to “have the same attitude as Christ” (Phil 2:5), to “put on … heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (to) let the peace of Christ control your hearts” (Col 3:12-15). This is Christ’s desire: that His word dwells richly in us (c.f. Col 3:16) so that we avoid perishing in a kind of spiritual death and are filled with the fullness of life.

Christian conversion ultimately means turning away from all that leads us away from God and embracing all that leads us closer and closer to him.

Let us plunge more deeply into the stream of our return to God so that the death and decay of sin may not overtake us unaware. With the help of God’s grace, let us always be about the work on conversion: conforming our life more perfectly to Christ.

Fr. Brady Williams, SOLT, is the Director of Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center and Novice Servant of the SOLT.

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

29

“…SI NO OS ARREPENTÍS, TODOS PERECERÉIS COMO ELLOS” (LC 13:3,5)

El llamado a la conversión POR: PADRE BRADY WILLIAMS, SOLT

L

a revelación cristiana nos dice que, objetivamente hablando, todo viene de Dios y regresa a Dios.

Subjetivamente, cada uno de nosotros está llamado a lanzarse a la corriente de este retorno a Dios.

Sin embargo, a causa de la caída en el Jardín del Edén, la humanidad experimenta una especie de alejamiento de Él, y el único camino de regreso es a través de la conversión, es decir: “girar, darnos la vuelta, una alternancia, un cambio”. Esto suele ser difícil y doloroso; estamos “fuera de forma”, por así decirlo.

G K. Chesterton describió humorísticamente, que nuestra condición humana, es como si “hubiéramos nacido boca abajo... como que el hombre está parado sobre su cabeza, lo cual resulta un pedestal muy débil sobre el cual pararse... El Cristianismo satisface repentina y perfectamente el instinto ancestral del hombre de estar en el camino correcto, e ir hacia arriba” (Ortodoxia). Jesús llama repetidamente a esta conversión (arrepentimiento/ cambio) en los Evangelios. En el Evangelio de Lucas, Él apela a este arrepentimiento dos veces en un mismo escenario: “En aquel momento, llegaron algunas personas a traerle la noticia de esos galileos cuya sangre Pilato había mezclado con la sangre de sus sacrificios. Y respondiendo les dijo: “¿Pensáis que estos galileos, fueron los más pecadores de todos los galileos, por haber sufrido de esta manera? ¡De ninguna manera! ¡Pero yo os digo que si no os arrepentís, todos pereceréis como aquellos dieciocho sobre los cuales cayó la torre de Siloé y los mató, ¿pensáis que eran más culpables que todos los demás que vivían en Jerusalén? ¡De ninguna manera!

Os digo que todos pereceréis sino os convertίs”.

Aunque ninguno de estos dos acontecimientos históricos han sido registrados en otro, que no sea el Evangelio de Lucas, Jesús identifica una corriente de pensamiento subyacente, muy por debajo de las “noticias de última hora”: los informantes y todos los presentes pensaban que aquellas personas que sufrieron de esa manera debían ser grandes pecadores. Jesús se los devuelve como en un espejo: “Pero os digo que si no os arrepentís…” Podemos escuchar en las palabras de Jesús tanto una advertencia como un sentido de urgencia. Él está desviando nuestra atención de los demás (“esas personas”) y nos invita a mirarnos detenidamente a nosotros mismos y evaluar lo que necesitamos cambiar.

Una de las Fábulas de Esopo narra, que “según una antigua leyenda cada hombre, nace en el mundo con dos bolsas colgadas del cuello: una bolsa por delante llena de las faltas de sus vecinos, y otra gran bolsa por detrás llena de las faltas propias. De ahí que los hombres 30

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

PRIMAVER A 2024

vean rápidamente los defectos de los demás y a menudo estén ciegos ante sus propias faltas” (Las dos bolsas).

La propensión a ignorar nuestras faltas cuando vemos tantas más o menos graves a nuestro alrededor es tan antigua como el pecado, y Jesús lo sabe. Pero, si no nos arrepentimos, como Él nos dice, nunca haremos el giro necesario de nuestra vida, para voltear hacia Él.

Jesús no sólo nos llama al arrepentimiento, sino que también nos dice que si no lo hacemos, pereceremos: “…todos pereceréis como ellos”. ¿Quiere Jesús decir que experimentaremos el mismo “destino”? ¿Deberemos entonces, tener mucho cuidado la próxima vez que pasemos por delante de una torre… o por debajo de una escalera…?

Por supuesto, si ese fuera el caso, deberíamos tener miedo hasta de nuestra sombra. No obstante, Jesús nos invita a desviarnos de ver las faltas de los demás y tampoco quiere que nos limitemos a mirar todos nuestros problemas, sino más bien, que centremos toda nuestra atención en Él. Jesús nos dice en el Evangelio de Juan (10:28): “Mis ovejas oyen mi voz, Yo las conozco y ellas me siguen yo les daré vida eterna, y no perecerán jamás”.

Aquí obtenemos una visión más profunda de lo que implica la conversión: estar cerca de Él, caminar en Su camino, “Tengan en sus corazones la misma actitud que Cristo” (Fil. 2:5), “Vίstanse pues, como elegidos de Dios, santos y amados de entrañas de misericordia, benignidad, humildad, mansedumbre longanimidad, sufriéndose unos a otros y perdonándose mutuamente.

Como el Señor les ha perdonado, asί perdónense también entre ustedes. Pero sobre todas estas cosas, vίstanse de amor, que es el vίnculo de la perfección. Y la paz de Cristo a la que han sido llamados reinará en sus corazones” (Col 3:12-15). Este es el deseo de Cristo: que su palabra habite con opulencia en nosotros (cf.

Col 3,16) para que evitemos perecer en una especie de muerte espiritual sino por el contrario, tengamos una vida plena.

La conversión cristiana significa, en última instancia, alejarnos de todo lo que nos aleja de Dios y abrazar todo lo que nos acerca cada vez más a Él. Sumerjámonos más profundamente en el torrente continuo que nos envuelve hacia Dios para que la muerte y la decadencia del pecado no nos alcancen desprevenidos. Con la ayuda de la gracia de Dios; pongamos siempre, manos a la obra de conversión, conformando nuestra vida más perfectamente imitando a Cristo.

P. Brady Williams, SOLT, es el director del Centro de Retiros Nuestra Señora del Corpus Christi.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN TASKS OF THE DIOCESAN ARCHIVES?

Preserving the History of our Diocese

Diocesan Archives

BY SUSANNE JANSSEN

Treasures from bygone times: pictures Sacred Heart Mission in Pettus and Gregory, preserved on the original glass plates

I

f we have a smartphone, we always have a camera at hand. Every moment can be documented – from birthdays and confirmations to the daily shopping list. Previous generations didn’t have this privilege. Photos of the late 19th century are rare, especially in rural areas. The more precious are the shots of early Catholics within our diocese.

The Diocesan Archives safeguard many of these historical treasures.

Records Administrator Dr. Patricia Roeser processes the collections that find their way to the Archives of the diocese. Collections often come from diocesan offices, parishes, or parochial schools. They document the administration of the Diocese, with the earliest records starting in the late 19th century. These items include letters, reports, transcripts, Vatican directives, videos, film reels, microfilm, and photographs. These are not “dead records.” Roeser and Research Assistant Jessica Rohr often use them for historical research and to support our current bishop’s administration.

Not everything that comes to Archives stays.

Roeser and Rohr methodically collect, scan, and return the sacramental registers of the diocese’s many parishes. “We digitize photos and records for the sake of preservation,” said Roeser. Digitization

is crucial for sacramental registers, which have been used for decades, if not centuries. When the reception of a sacrament, such as baptism, is recorded, it’s written carefully in the corresponding register. The primary purpose of the registers is to provide proof of when and where an individual received their sacraments. To protect sacramental records from damage and decay, Archives uses a large-format scanner to digitize each page of the registers carefully.

For Roeser and Rohr, processing administrative collections comes second to keeping up with the sacramental research requests that come in daily from individuals and parishes. “We often hear from people preparing to be a sponsor or receive a sacrament,” Roeser says. “They typically need their baptism or confirmation certificate but don’t know where that record may be. Assistance with sacramental records is a courtesy that the diocese provides to the parishes and laity.” On average, they receive 70 inquiries per month – and they can tell many stories about couples seeking marriage convalidation, potential sponsors needing proof of confirmation, or of family members in search of a record of death.

“The earliest sacramental records we have are S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

31

Above: A rare interior shot from 1915: the altar of Our Lady of Victories in Sarita. The church was destroyed in the 1916 hurricane Left: Photos sponsored by Catholic Extensions: The community on the Laureles Ranch and below the confirmation at St. Martin in Kingsville

Diocesan Archives

The television, internet and radio broadcasts of The Service of Lessons and Carols and the Midnight Mass at Corpus Christi Cathedral on Dec. 24 at 11:30 p.m. were presented live thanks to a generous gift from

H-E-B and its partners desire that everyone remembers the true meaning of Christmas.

32

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

S. Janssen

from 1846 in San Patricio,” says Roeser. It’s difficult to be sure of how many Catholics were living in Texas at that time, but the Official Catholic Directory estimated there were about 20,000 – the vast waves of Irish, Czech, and German immigrants were still to come. By 1912, when Corpus Christi was elevated to a diocese, the Catholic population had increased to 82,400 out of 116,850 total inhabitants.

The Diocesan Archives also safeguards records and photographs documenting the diocese’s history and growth. “The oldest photos we have are from the early days of the diocese in 1915,” says Roeser. That year, a photographer with the Catholic Extension Society accompanied Bishop Nussbaum on his confirmation tour of the diocese, capturing pictures of tiny churches, parishioners, and new Confirmandi as they went.

It was through the Catholic Extension Society that several parishes in the fledgling Diocese of Corpus Christi were built. The glass negatives allow us a glimpse into a rare and memorable moment for the rural communities as their new bishop made stops across the counties, giving the Sacrament of confirmation to hundreds of people.

One glass negative from July 25, 1915, shows the community of Pettus crowding about Sacred Heart Church following its dedication. Bishop Nussbaum’s tall, white miter is visible beneath the church steeple. Another picture of Gregory is unique because it shows a group with a Passionist priest, with only the open sky as a backdrop. In Laureles Ranch, another negative depicts trees framing the chapel and a large group of ranch hands and their families dressed in their Sunday best. Bluebonnets speckle the grass in front of them. When Bishop Nussbaum visited St. Martin’s in Kingsville, he was flanked by Fr. Cavazos on his left and an unknown Passionist on his right for the photo. An umbrella pokes above the crowd along the side of the building.

A rare interior shot shows the altar of Our Lady of Victories (later renamed Our Lady of Guadalupe) in Sarita. The church was destroyed in the 1916 hurricane, just a few months after the photo was taken.

“I consider it a privilege to preserve our history and to assist the parishes,” says Roeser.

The Archives continue to preserve the diocese’s history through various methods: continuously controlling the storage climate, applying damage prevention measures, developing and digitizing photographs, etc. They don’t just preserve what happened 100 years ago—something that happened as recently as yesterday might end up in the Archives, too.

Dr. Patricia Roeser spearheads the Diocesan Archives

SS. CYRIL & METHODIUS CATHOLIC CHRUCH 3210 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND DR. CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 78415

AGAPE RELIGIOUS ARTICLE STORE

AGAPE

(361)854-1853 RELIGIOUS ARTICLE STORE OPEN ALL WEEK (361) 854-1853 OPEN THU - SAT8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

12 p.m. to 6 p.m. 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

SUN 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

SS. CYRIL & METHODIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH 3210 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND DR. CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 78415

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

33

2024 BISHOP’S STEWARDSHIP APPEAL

Ensure the Future of the Church in our Diocese

BY LISA MCKELVEY

T

housands of Catholics unite each year to fund ministries and Catholic programs throughout the Diocese of Corpus Christi through the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal. In 2023, over 6,500 families supported the appeal, making it the most significant in over ten years. $1.6 million was raised to fund ministries that serve people in need and those growing in their faith. These are just a few highlights from the past year: Thirty-five young people participated in the Youth Performing Arts camp with the international band Gen Verde. They concluded the camp with a concert with the band members and over 600 attendees.

Fathers Thomas Swierc and Raymond Pendleton were ordained to the priesthood this past June.

Twenty-five young adults from the Diocese attended World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, and another 30 high school and college students participated in World Youth Day activities here in the Diocese.

Eleven men in formation for the Permanent Diaconate were instituted as Acolytes.

These ministries and more are partly funded each year through generous gifts to the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal.

There are six significant areas of focus for the appeal: faith formation, those in need, youth and young adults, families, clergy and parishes.

I want to highlight just a few of the many ways your gifts impact the Diocese. I also encourage you to watch the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal Video to learn more about

34

S O U T H T E X A S C AT H O L I C

SPRING 2024

how the appeal supports College Campus Ministry and the Retired Priests of the Diocese. (www.diocesecc.org/bsa) Faith Formation People at every parish are impacted through faith formation programs. Funding from the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal provides resources, education, and training for faith formation leaders and teachers. This includes everyone from the youngest students to adults wanting to learn more about their faith and joining the church through RCIA programs. Gifts to the appeal are helping ensure that the good news of Jesus Christ is shared with our neighbors.

Those in Need Gifts to the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal provide crisis assistance, emergency aid, food pantries, life enrichment programs, and counseling at multiple locations throughout the Diocese through Catholic Charities. Ministries like Catholic Charities and Mother Teresa Shelter provide hope to those most vulnerable in our community.

Youth and Young Adults Youth give hope for the future of the Catholic Church.

Through the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal, youth and young people in the Diocese are educated and supported through programs at our Catholic schools, parishes, college campuses, and more. Programs like Let’s Brighten Our Community provide opportunities for young people to learn about God, grow in their relationship with God, and share the love of God with others through days of retreat and service. The appeal helps to reach and engage youth and young adults in a vibrant experience of the Catholic faith.

Families The domestic church is the family, the building block of society. The Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal funds ministries like marriage preparation, enrichment programs for whole families and Respect Life.

Donors to the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal are impacting people and ministries across the Diocese. This good work will continue in 2024. The theme for the 2024 appeal is “Do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31), reminding us that we are called to be instruments of God’s love and compassion in the world.

Bishop Mulvey is asking parishioners across the Diocese to prayerfully consider a gift to the Bishop’s Stewardship Appeal and touch lives with the love and compassion that reflect the glory of God. To learn more about the appeal or make a gift, visit www.diocesecc.org/bsa.

For any questions, please call (361-693-6658) or email lmckelvey@diocesecc.org, the Director of Stewardship and Development, Lisa McKelvey.

SPRING 2024 ISSUE South Texas Catholic 555 N Carancahua St, Ste 750 Corpus Christi, TX 78401-0824 (361) 882-6191