Reflections Summer 2012

...recognizing our gifts of time, talent and treasure

Summer 2012

reflections... a newsletter from the Stewardship and Development Office

Holy Rest Our hearts are restless, Lord, until they rest in You. – St. Augustine of Hippo We, the Diocese of Austin, through the Word and Eucharist, prayer, formation and education, social ministries and advocacy, embrace diverse cultures throughout the diocese so that together, as the Catholic Church, we may continue the mission of Christ in the world today.

Stewardship and Development Office Diocese of Austin 6225 Highway 290 E. Austin, TX 78723 (512) 949-2400

Most Rev. Joe S. Vásquez Bishop of Austin

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HERE IS A PAINTING AT

a Dominican convent called “The Final Rest,” showing Our Lord seated beside a cross just after He climbed Calvary and right before He was crucified. Though Christ is in great pain, you can see in his eyes an aura of peaceful surrender.

As Christians, one of our goals in life is to be at peace with God. To imitate Christ, to obey and follow the will of God, will bring us inner peace and strength, no matter the circumstances of life. Indeed, we cannot have peace within ourselves or with our neighbor without first being at peace with our Creator. Yet, we live in a world filled with distractions. How can we seek peace with God when we are bombarded with so much noise?

In a sense, the answer is truly a simple one: We have a choice, and the power, to turn off the noise and turn toward the Prince of Peace. In the words of Meister Eckhart,

Scott Whitaker Director of Stewardship and Development

Bob Vallilee

“Nothing so much approximates the language of God as silence.”

Associate Director of Stewardship and Development

Jean Bondy Associate Director of Catholic School Development

The Catholic Diocese of Austin

Consider for a moment how watching an hour of television makes you feel later in the day, versus an hour spent sitting beside a river in silence, reading a spiritual book, or in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. St. Ignatius of Loyola discovered a difference between how he felt after reading the Bible and how he felt after other leisure activities. He realized that his recreational activities {continued on page 2}

{ {continued from ppage g 1}} brought temporary moments of enjoyment, while the spiritual brought lasting joy and peace — and the realization changed his life.

Holy rest is using the gift of time to become aware of how God is always with us. The Bible relates how God intended from the very beginning to allow rest in our lives as a spiritual and emotional gift to us. When God created the earth, “He rested on the seventh day” (Gn 2:2); the fourth commandment asks us to “remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy” (Ex 20:8). Yet, to remember the Sabbath not only means, as Fr. Ron Rolheiser puts it, “to delight in life, in the fruits of your labor, to stop and offer thanks for the wonder of it.” Rather, Fr. Rolheiser continues, “If we are too busy to see others, to hold them, to play with them, they escape our blessing and we are bereft of theirs. Our wealth arises from our capacity to bless and be blessed. We are not blessed because we are rich; we are rich because we take time to bless.”

Thus, the results of holy rest are inner peace and more patience with other people, whether in line at a grocery store or driving on I-35 during rush hour.

Holy rest gives us the grace to see more clearly God in all of nature and Christ in every person. When we listen to God speak in silence, we grow in tranquility, and when trials and suffering come our way, we know, like Jesus, that God is with us.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and when he appeared to the frightened disciples after His death, He said two times, “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19; 26). Give yourself the gift of Holy Rest this summer, and you will experience what St. Ignatius discovered and what Our Lord taught us throughout His life — all the way until His final rest as He sat beside the cross at Calvary.

Brian Egan is the Director of Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton.

T H A N K YO U . . . for your ongoing support and generosity to the Our Faith ~ Our Legacy campaign.

To date, more than $16.8 million has been returned to parishes.

is online!

Visit www.austindiocese.org/donate for more information on stewardship and the Diocese of Austin.

diocese of austin

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891–1942), VIRGIN AND MARTYR FEAST DAY – AUGUST 9

On October 12, 1891, Edith Stein was born to a Jewish family in Breslau, the youngest of 11 children.

Despite her mother’s religious devotion, Edith abandoned her faith as a teenager. Academically gifted, Edith completed her doctorate in 1917 and was a prolific writer throughout life.

Influenced by her study of philosophy, a profound love for the Cross, and the biography of St. Teresa of Avila, Edith converted to the Catholic faith in 1922. In 1934, she entered the Carmelite convent of Cologne, where she became known as Sister Teresa Benedicta a Cruce.

After anti-Jewish violence in Germany escalated in 1938, Edith’s prioress took her to a Dutch convent, where she remained, along with her sister and fellow convert Rosa, until their arrest in 1942. As they were led away, Edith encouraged Rosa, “Come, we are going for our people.” On approximately August 9, Edith and Rosa were killed in the gas chamber at Auschwitz.

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross allowed her gifts of intellectual curiosity and compassion to guide her conversion and bring peace amidst suffering. This “daughter of Israel,” said Pope John Paul II, “as a Catholic during Nazi persecution, remained faithful to the crucified Lord Jesus Christ and, as a Jew, to her people in loving faithfulness.”

Adapted from the Holy See, www.vatican.va, © 2002. All rights reserved.

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SUMMER 2012

S AV I N G Science teaches us that without water life is not possible. Faith also teaches us about the critical importance of water — to our spiritual life. Through the saving waters of Baptism we enter into the salvation of Jesus Christ and into His mystical Body, the Church. Every time we enter or exit a church, we bless ourselves with water. The Bible, too, is full of references to water: When Moses struck the rock, water sprang up to sustain the Israelites on their desert pilgrimage. Blood and water flowed from Christ’s wounds. In Ezekiel, water streams from the foundation of the heavenly Temple; in Revelation, from the throne of God and the Lamb.

Central Texans should be able to identify with the emphasis biblical peoples placed on water. After one of the worst droughts in Texas history, with climatologists predicting sustained dry weather patterns and demographers predicting continued population growth, good stewardship of this most precious resource is more important now than ever.

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If you had to choose only one major conservation step, tackling the toilet — which accounts for 27% of indoor water use — will have by far the greatest effect.

Replace old toilets with water-efficient models if you can. If not, a water displacement device for your tank is cost-effective and easy to install.

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At nearly 22% of consumption, the clothes washer comes in second for highest water use indoors. Even if your washer has low water settings, it is always best to wait until you have a full load.

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Check for leaks indoors and outdoors — they could be responsible for up to 15% of your water use.

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All told, the bathroom accounts for between 50% and 75% of your indoor water use.

Install low-flow shower and faucet heads. Bathe younger children together, take shorter showers, and shut off the faucet when brushing teeth, shaving, and washing your hands.

If your budget permits, ask an architect about rerouting gray water to your yard.

Your outdoor irrigation system could account for as much as 60% of your total water use. Make sure sprinklers are damage-free, installed correctly, and aimed only at vegetation (not the pavement). Low-angle or drip irrigation is better than high-angle and mist sprinklers, which lose a lot of water to evaporation.

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Group together plants with similar watering needs and choose less frequent, deep watering that will reach the roots instead of frequent, shallow watering. ALWAYS respect watering restrictions and only water after the sun goes down down.

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If your lawn doesn’t survive the summer, seize a golden opportunity to replace waterloving turf with drought-resistant native plants, stone pathways, and other water-saving landscape features.

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Ask hotel staff not to change your towels and sheets for the duration of your stay, and ask restaurant servers not to bring you water – unless you really mean to drink it.

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Encourage your employer to replace landscaping and fixtures that may be wasting water. Some companies report that the start-up cost of xeriscaping (using native plants) is paid off after just two years in water and maintenance savings.

Remember, water saves, so save water!

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SUMMER 2012

Below the Surface ag guide uide tto op personal ersonal w wealth ealth

My experience indicates that many people attribute deeper, more subjective, and personal qualities to the notion of true wealth.

Wealth, as opposed to riches, connotes a greater sense of purpose, continuity, and congruence between what you own and who you are; how you came by it, and how well you handle it; how it affects you, and to what extent it defines you; how you pass it on, and how well you prepare your successors to receive it.

How do you define wealth? It’s a question I’ve posed for over 20 years to clients, colleagues, friends, and business associates. In their answers are their unique and individual keys to planning and investing effectively. But, what’s interesting about their responses is this: it’s rarely about money.

What are the sources of our personal wealth? “My family” or “the relationships I have with my kids” are common responses. Among the other answers are “my health,” “the special friends I have in my life,” “my faith,” or “the sense of satisfaction I get in building my business and serving others.”

Wealth is a multi-dimensional concept. Much like an iceberg, where only a small percentage is exposed above water, what one discovers about personal definitions of wealth is that the largest and most meaningful dimensions are frequently deep beneath the surface. Those dimensions are less obvious, but no less important. In fact, they’re often much more important precisely because they are often overlooked, and because they are what provide ballast, stability, weight, and meaning to a long-term wealth-management plan.

In our capitalist society, many notions of success and personal accomplishment are tied to our balance sheets. Yet, it is significant that when the conversation turns toward material success, we encounter some discomfort and qualifications. I hear people say, “There’s so much more to it than that.”

If conversations solely focused on assets, liabilities, and “net worth” leave you feeling cold, we invite you to consider our questions, and go below the surface to explore what else is there.

Discussing differences in our views of material wealth and personal wealth are important conversations that you may want to have with your loved ones and close friends. Here are some other questions to ponder: What is the difference between having material riches and being truly wealthy? Are lottery winners instantly “wealthy,” or is there something more to wealth than a big pile of cash?

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Thomas Twombly is president of Lucien, Stirling & Gray Advisory Group, whose advisors welcome conversations on all aspects of wealth management. Learn more at www.lsggroup.com, e-mail info@lsggroup.com, or call 512-458-2517.

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SUMMER 2012

Four years ago, the Diocese of Austin added “Chaste Living” as part of the ministry of the Office of Pro-Life Activities. The connection between ending abortion, building a Culture of Life, and growing an understanding of the virtue of chastity runs deep: Both the sin of abortion and the sin of promiscuity can be traced back to the loss of an understanding of our own worth. When we don’t even know that our own life is valuable, how much more difficult it is to see the value of an unborn life!

This summer we will offer the Catechesis on Human Love Certification. This certification program will qualify catechists to speak to youth and adults about the delicate subject of human sexuality. It will empower teachers to speak about the radical teaching of the Church, as beautifully expressed in Blessed John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, and it will provide catechesis on Christian marriage, morality, reproduction, and the methods and resources available within our diocese.

The Chaste Living ministry of the Diocese of Austin strives to help people grow in the virtue of chastity so that they may realize the depth of love God has for them.

Chaste living helps us to know that we live out our dignity as made in the image and likeness of God through the act of making a sincere gift of self – by giving of ourselves as Christ gives Himself to us. Truly, chastity makes it possible for us to love.

This fall will see the launch of a new program aimed at chastity formation in youth. Called “Thrive,” this new program will offer not only youth events but also teacher, clergy, and parent education and resources, as well as resources for parish use. We don’t just want our teens to live abstinence before marriage; we want them to thrive with an understanding of what real love is — a gift of self.

For it is in embracing chastity before marriage that young people will be empowered to live chastity, and so also the complete gift of self, in marriage.

The Office of Pro-Life Activities and Chaste Living encourages the virtue of chastity in several ways. For engaged and married couples, we raise awareness of, advocate for, and provide catechesis on Natural Family Planning. Natural Family Planning is not simply “Catholic birth control” but rather the active choice to live out the total gift of self within the sacrament of marriage. Living Natural Family Planning not only helps couples to avoid conception when necessary and achieve conception when they are ready, but it also guides married persons to see their spouse as a gift from God. All couples getting married in a Catholic church in the Diocese of Austin must take an introduction to Natural Family Planning Class.

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Marie Seale is the Director of Pro-Life Activities and Chaste Living for the Diocese of Austin. For more information visit www.centraltexasprolife.org, e-mail marie-seale@austindiocese.org, or call (512) 949-2487.

The Office of Pro-Life Activities and Chaste Living is supported in part by the Catholic Services Appeal.

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Stewardship and Development Office Diocese of Austin 6225 Highway 290 E. Austin, TX 78723

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L EAVING A LEGACY R E M E M B E R I N G GILBERT AND TINA BERNAL have been members of St. Louis, King of France Parish since 1973 where they serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. In 2003, they were invested into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and have risen to the rank of Knight Commander and Lady Commander. Gilbert and Tina have been blessed to attend pilgrimages to Medjugorje, Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, Lourdes, Garabandal, Spain, and Jerusalem.

The Bernals attended Christ Renews His Parish retreats in English, and continued on with the presenting teams. Both were on the first and subsequent teams to present Cristo Renueva Su Parroquia, the Christ Renews His Parish retreats in Spanish. Gilbert and Tina worked on the St. Louis planning and organizing committee for Bishop Aymond’s Our Faith ~ Our Legacy campaign.

Gilbert received both his B.A. with honors and his J.D. from the University of

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Texas at Austin. He serves as the President of the Leadership Council of the H.L. Grant Catholic Student Center at Texas State University in San Marcos, and is a member of the Serra Club of Austin (serving as President for two separate terms). Since 1992, Gilbert has been a member of the Red Mass Committee of the Diocese and has been on the parish Finance Council since 1987.

Tina graduated from St. Edward’s University and taught school in the Austin Independent School District for 12 years. In the late 1980’s, Tina served on the St. Louis Parish School Board, and was a catechist for both children and adults.

When her parents became very ill a few years ago, she took some time off in order to help her family care for her parents. Tina plans to resume teaching religious education for adults in the fall.

The Bernals are active supporters of the University Catholic Center at U.T. and various Catholic charities, especially pro-life organizations.