Texas Catholic Herald - June 8, 2021

June 8, 2021 • archgh.org/tch

Gift of Pentecost

texas catholic herald

Top of the class

Hundreds were confirmed at five Masses around the Archdiocese

Meet the top students from Galveston-Houston's Catholic high schools ▪ See Pages 14 - 15

▪ See Page 3

Proclaiming the Good News to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 1964

June 8, 2021

young adults

1

VOL. 58, NO. 3

reaching for greater things

Café Catholica live returns in July

By Rebecca Torrellas Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, and a return to normal life continues to gain momentum, young adults are looking forward to the return of Café Catholica.

After moving last year’s event strictly online and months of hosting virtual Café Catholica Lites, the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry is excited to return to in-person gatherings.

“When we hosted our Young Adult Day in person, I heard many young adults saying that they hadn’t seen each other since COVID-19 began,” said Angela Pometto, director of the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry. “Even though they’ve been interacting through online communication for the past year, See Café Catholica, page 4

ministries

photo by james ramos/herald

Helping families find hope, healing in Christ after miscarriages, infant loss and prenatal diagnosis

By Kerry McGuire Herald Correspondent HOUSTON — For families who recently experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss or prenatal diagnosis, finding hope and healing that can only be found in Christ can be very comforting.

Jerome’s Hope, a ministry of the Office of Pro-Life Activities (PLA) of the Archdiocese, provides this healing support for those parents and families suffering from this trauma.

According to Julie Fritsch, director of the PLA, there is often a lack of awareness about the realities of these major losses by parents, which oftentimes makes them feel isolated or abandoned.

She said Jerome’s Hope, one of the first

Graduating students of the University of St. Thomas greet friends and family members at the 2021 commencement ceremony at NRG Stadium in Houston May 8. Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and founder of Word on Fire Ministries, served as the commencement speaker for the 730 students who were registered to walk during the event. For more, see page 5.

With world still in knots, pope turns to Mary with prayers VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Reaching the finish line of a monthlong Rosary marathon, Pope Francis again turned to Mary, asking her to untie specific knots that have individuals and the whole world tangled in suffering and difficulty, either because of the COVID-19 pandemic or people’s selfish reactions to it.

A German image of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots — an image of Mary beloved by the pope — made a pilgrimage to the Vatican Gardens and was the centerpiece of the early evening prayer service May 31.

“Each day, taking our Rosaries in our hands, we have turned our eyes to you, Mother of Mercy, pleading with you that the pandemic would end and humanity could resume its daily life with greater security,” the pope said as he introduced the prayer.

CNS photo Pope Francis had started the month reciting the Pope Francis, seated before an image of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, leads an evening Rosary in St. Peter’s Basilica. Each day afterward,

praying with mary

Marian prayer service in the Vatican Gardens May 31. The service finished a month-long

See marian, page 2 Rosary marathon to pray for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

See HOPE, page 7

the first word † 3

|

COLUMNISTS † 16 - 17

|

español † 22 |

milestones † 24

2 Texas Catholic Herald

archgh.org/tch • June 8, 2021

Pope: Mary knows how to untie the knots of our existence MARIAN, from page 1 the prayer was led by people gathered at a different Marian shrine or church around the world and was livestreamed on Vatican Media.

For the final Rosary recitation, Bishop Bertram Johannes Meier of Augsburg, Germany, gave the pope a special copy of an oil painting of Mary untying knots from a ribbon; the original, painted by Johann Georg Melchior Schmidtner, hangs in an Augsburg church where Pope Francis saw it as a student and began sharing the devotion with others.

After the recitation, the copy was delivered to the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where Pope Francis lives.

In his opening prayer at the Rosary, Pope Francis said, “This evening we gather before you, our Virgin Mother, venerated in this image as the one who undoes knots. Many, in fact, are the knots entwined around our existence and binding our activities. They are the knots of selfishness and indifference, economic and social knots, knots of violence and war.”

A group of children who recently received their first Communion at a parish in Viterbo — the first in Italy to become a vaccination center — recently confirmed young people, a Scout troop and several families, including newlyweds and expectant parents, joined the pope for the prayer in the gardens.

A total of about 300 people sat under umbrella pines and palm trees, gazing past arches of jasmine toward the Marian image and the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica behind it.

Publishing since 1964 (USPS 936-480) NEWSDESK 713-652-8215 • Fax: 713-659-3444 tch@archgh.org • archgh.org/tch Circulation 713-652-4408 Advertising ads@archgh.org • 713-652-4407

CNS PHOTO

An image of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, is carried during an evening Marian prayer service led by Pope Francis in the Vatican Gardens May 31. The service finished a monthlong Rosary marathon to pray for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each of the glorious mysteries of the Rosary was preceded by a short Bible reading and a special prayer about a “knot” needing to be undone: individualism and indifference; unemployment; domestic violence and social tensions arising from “injustice and a lack of solidarity”; sickness and a lack of solidarity in providing health care for all; and anything holding individual Catholics and their parishes back from gathering for prayer and

formation and reaching out to those in need.

After reciting the Rosary, Pope Francis crowned the image of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots.

“You, who know how to untie the knots of our existence and know the desires of our hearts, come to our aid,” the pope prayed. “We are certain that, as at Cana in Galilee, you will ensure that joy and celebration will return to our homes after this time of trial.” †

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop, President & Publisher Jonah Dycus Communications Director & Executive Editor Rebecca Torrellas Managing Editor James Ramos Designer & Reporter Catherine Viola Graphic Designer & Advertising Manager Kerry McGuire Contributor The Texas Catholic Herald, an awardwinning member of The Catholic Media Association, is published semi-monthly on Tuesdays, with one issue in June, July and August by The Texas Catholic Herald Publishing Co., Inc., 1700 San Jacinto St., Houston, TX 77002.

Periodical postage paid at Houston, TX and other distribution points.

Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 907, Houston, TX 77001 Subscription rate: $15 per year; $20 outside Texas; $35 out of U.S. TCH publishing schedule

The Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions — for the month of June For THE BEAUTY OF MARRIAGE, Let us pray for young people who are preparing for marriage with the support of a Christian community: may they grow in love, with generosity, faithfulness and patience.

“Getting married and sharing one’s life is something beautiful. It’s a demanding journey, at times difficult, and at times complicated, but it’s worth making the effort. And on this life-long journey, the husband and wife aren’t alone; Jesus accompanies them.” — Pope Francis

$25

$50

$100

$250

Issue date: July 13 Deadline: Noon on June 22 Issue date: August 10 Deadline: Noon on July 20

On the cover

Pentecost Photo by Michelle Eisterhold Graduation Photos by James Ramos/Herald

$500

$1000

other

Suffix:___________ Name: ______________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________ State: _______ Zip: _________________________________ Phone #: _______________________________Email: _________________________________________ Parish: _______________________________________________________________________________ Established in 1901

Make checks payable to St. Maryʼs Seminary Trust Fund.

Mail to Archdiocese of Galveston – Houston, P. O. Box 4817, Houston, Texas 77210-4817

www.smseminary.com www.smseminary.com • facebook.com/smseminary www.facebook.com/smseminary

June 8, 2021 • archgh.org/tch

texas catholic herald

3

THE FIRST WORD be sealed with the gift of the holy spirit

Pastoral Appointment Effective May 17 Father Paul Hoang, CSSp Chaplain — Correctional Ministries

IN BRIEF Bishop-elect Dell’Oro’s ordination Mass set for July 2, will be livestreamed

HOUSTON — Newly appointed Bishop-elect Italo Dell’Oro will be formally ordained as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston at an ordination Mass at 2 p.m. on July 2 at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, located at 1111 St. Joseph Parkway in downtown Houston.

The Mass will be livestreamed online at www.archgh. org/live. Learn more at www.archgh.org. †

DSF annual appeal to support Archdiocesan ministries continues

Photo by michelle eisterhold

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo anoints the head of a Confirmation candidate during a celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation at a Mass at Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church in The Woodlands on May 7. On Pentecost weekend, May 22 to 23, hundreds of adults received the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring, the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston, Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in northwest Houston, Mary Queen Catholic Church in Friendswood and St. Helen Catholic Church in Pearland. The Masses were celebrated by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Bishop-elect Italo Dell’Oro.

Food assistance distributions continue

A Holy Spirit Reflection - Psalm 119: 105-112 -

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path. I make a solemn vow to observe your righteous judgments. I am very much afflicted, LORD; give me life in accord with your word. Accept my freely offered praise; LORD, teach me your judgments.

My life is always at risk, but I do not forget your law. The wicked have set snares for me, but from your precepts I do not stray. Your testimonies are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on fulfilling your statutes; they are my reward forever.”

S

HOUSTON — This year, the theme of the annual Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) appeal is “Walk in the Light of Christ.” The annual campaign to support more than 60 Archdiocese-wide ministries is under way and the local Church is asking parishioners to continue their generous giving to DSF. The fund supports a variety of ministries, such as those forming youth in Catholic faith; providing support and preparation for clergy; teaching, evangelizing, worshipping, and outreach to the incarcerated, aging, poor and sick; and programming to strengthen Christian families, among many others.

A full list of the ministries supported can be found at www.archgh.org/dsf. The Archdiocese counts on DSF funds to help meet the needs of people struggling throughout our region.

To pledge online, visit www.archgh.org/dsf. For more information about DSF and the ministries it supports, call 713-652-4417. †

ubscribe to the Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston continues to offer food assistance with drive-through distribution at three locations: the Guadalupe Center in Houston, appointments required; Mamie George Community Center (MGCC) in Richmond, appointments required; and Beacon of Hope in Galveston, a Galveston County super distribution site.

In Galveston, distribution is on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. The next distributions are on June 9 and 23, starting at 9 a.m. No appointments required. Call 409-762-2064 for more information.

In Fort Bend, The MGCC is a Houston Food Bank super distribution site, and appointments are required.

Distributions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

For assistance, call 281-202-6289. The next monthly food fair is scheduled for June 26.

At the Guadalupe Center in Houston, distributions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only. For addresses, times and to make an appointment, visit www. catholiccharities.org/food or call 713-874-6521. †

Help restore the Mother Church of Texas

For Texas residents send $15 yearly, for residents outside of Texas, send $20 yearly; and for residents outside of the U.S., send $35 yearly.

1

Free with any contribution to the Diocesan Services Fund

or

2

You may subscribe by mail

Name: ________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________ City: _______________________ State: ____________ Zip: __________

Please make checks payable to: Texas Catholic Herald, 1700 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77002. Thank you!

st. mary cathedral basilicA www.archgh.org/restorystmary

4 Texas Catholic Herald

local

archgh.org/tch • June 8, 2021

Showing Them the way

In college, encountering new ideas and freedom can be almost overwhelming for many. ▪ SEE PagE 17

Annual young adult summer speaker series resumes Café Catholica, from page 1 there’s just something different about being together in person.”

The Café Catholica summer speaker series is open to all young adults ages 18 to 39 and features dynamic speakers, prayer and socializing. The event will be held at the Catholic Charismatic Center, located at 1949 Cullen Blvd. in Houston, on four Mondays in July starting on July 5. Each night will include Mass at 6 p.m. and a speaker at 7:15 p.m. The night will end with confession, a light snack, time to talk to sponsors and a tailgate party in the parking lot at 8:15 p.m. This year’s theme is “Courageous Love,” inspired by St. Joseph. The event will be available through an online platform as well.

Pometto said masks are still encouraged while indoors.

“We had been planning the event as if the COVID-19 restrictions would still be in place,” she said. “One of the main differences in this year’s program is the order of events. We will begin with Mass, followed immediately by the talk. This was changed to avoid moving the crowd in and out of the building twice. Even though the restrictions have been lifted, we will stick with this new plan.”

The event begins with speakers Mark and Katie Hartfiel from Paradisus Dei on July 5: “A Love that Transforms.”

Chika Anyanwu, a national speaker, on July 12, will talk about “Caught in the Waiting: When Our Timing isn’t God’s Timing.” July 12 is also Spirit Night.

Attendees are encouraged to wear their

file photo by james ramos/herald

Café Catholica 2021 “Courageous Love”

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo speaks during a past Café Catholica at the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston. Four other national speakers will join Cardinal DiNardo, who speaks on July 26, for the Café Catholica summer speaker series at the Catholic Charistmatic Center, located at 1949 Cullen Blvd. in Houston.

For more information, visit www.archgh.org/ cafecatholica.

college colors.

Colin Nykaza, director of Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese of New York, will speak on July 19 about: “Anxiety, Fear, Depression? Come to His Divine Mercy.”

On the final night of Café Catholica, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston will speak on July 26 about “Living the Gospel with Courage.”

Pometto said the Café Catholica Lite series will continue every two months after the summer series ends.

“We will be returning to in-person gatherings at various parishes around the Archdiocese,” she said. “This year’s lineup will include visiting St. Ignatius in Spring, St. Joseph, St. Frances Cabrini, St. Edward in Spring and St. Patrick in

Port of Galveston: Employment Opportunity Searching for Janitors for the Port of Galveston. Job duties include, maintaining overall cleanliness of city/state buildings, garages (indoor and outdoor), to include sweeping, mopping, dusting, surface detail, bathrooms, trash, etc. Need highly motivated selfstarters, work well as a team willing to work a flexible schedule of nights, days, weekends, and holidays. We prefer experience in a similar position. Our company takes pride in happy employees by paying well, benefits, 401K, vacation and promotion opportunity. Must pass TWIC background – clean record a must.

Please apply to Del Sol’s career page and note that you are interested in “Galveston Janitorial” at https://delsolcorp.com/careers/

Galveston.

Speakers and topics are still to be determined.

Khanh Nguyen, one of the coordinators for Café Catholica this year, said that what he looks forward to for this Cafe Catholica is “to be able to celebrate the joy of Christ with my fellow Catholic friends in person.”

He said that after a year of pandemic, loss and stress, that everyone is looking forward to meeting their friends again to establish a sense of pre-COVID-19 normality.

“I think a lot of us have made a lot of sacrifices during this past year – our lives turning upside down, yet staying strong in our faith. So to be able to celebrate Café Catholica in person again, I am beyond ecstatic,” he said. “We have an amazing team of volunteers who are working tirelessly to organize the events in July.”

With the success of small groups via virtual events last year, Nguyen said they are bringing back that component this year as well.

“Our goal is not just to encourage people to come to Café Catholica but also to foster a community of faith in which we could grow in our Christian virtues

Where

Schedule

Speakers

Info

WEb Phone

Catholic Charismatic Center 1949 CULLEN BLVD., Houston 6 p.m. Mass 7:15 p.m. Speaker 8:15 p.m. snack, confession and a tailgate gathering July 5: Mark and Katie Hartfiel July 12: Chika Anyanwu July 19: colin nikaza July 26: Daniel Cardinal DiNardo No registration required to attend.

Donations are accepted. www.archgh.org/cafecatholica 713-741-8778

together.”

Abby Alonso, who is also a coordinator for Café Catholica, said she is excited to share the content they have prepared for the event.

“We have had talks about how to love one another and how to love a partner so on and so forth. This year we are talking about self-love and how depression can be,” she said. “We are talking about our feelings and how to look for God in every moment.”

Alonso, who said isn’t a fan of computers, said she is ready to interact with people and make new friends at Café Catholica.

“Overall, I’m excited to experience God in people again,” she said. “To learn from what everyone has been through and how they called to God in their time of need.”

No registration is needed to attend.

Donations are accepted. For more information, visit www.archgh.org/ cafecatholica or contact the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry at or yacm@archgh.org or 713-741-8778. †

Yes, We Do

401(k) & IRA Rollovers!

3.55%*

APY

*Includes Current Yield + 1.65% First Year Additional Interest

For more information call:

Eugene N. Smart, CLU, MBA (713) 721-8262

*Interest rates are subject to change & vary by plan.

The minimum interest rate guaranteed is 1.00%.

Home Office: San Antonio, Texas

#ASU 11.20

June 8, 2021 • archgh.org/tch

LOCAL

texas catholic herald

5

Bishop Barron to graduates: Your values will lead you to God

By James Ramos Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — With mortar board caps decorated in festive colors and designs, 730 students took part in the 2021 University of St. Thomas (UST) commencement ceremony at NRG Stadium on May 8.

Family members and friends cheered as their students crossed the stage, each graduate reaching a major milestone moment in academia.

Bishop Robert Barron, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and founder of Word on Fire Ministries, served as the event's commencement speaker. He encouraged the graduates to chase what they loved and valued, especially with the knowledge gained while studying at UST. “Identify a value that you have learned here at UST, some goodness or truth or beauty that has sung to your soul, and then give yourself to it with reckless abandon,” Bishop Barron said.

“Stretch out toward it, and it will give you satisfaction and finally lead you to God.” Bishop Barron said the world’s literature tells stories of those who built their lives up on ego, power and pleasure, but neglected to develop their soul.

“Perhaps you have met such people: glittering on the outside but atrophied on the inside,”he said.“And perhaps you have encountered the opposite case: those who

photo by james ramos/herald

Bishop Robert Barron, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and founder of Word on Fire Ministries, speaks during the 2021 University of St. Thomas Commencement Ceremony at NRG Stadium in Houston May 8.

have very little in the eyes of the world but who are vibrantly alive, spiritually on fire, for they have cultivated their souls.”

Bishop Barron recognized the students’ wide range of passions.

“You and your peers are passionate about issues of social justice. You are eager to fight corruption, discrimination, race prejudice and inequality,” he said. “You advocate for inclusivity, the acceptance of diversity, and care for those on the margins of society.”

These issues should draw the students out of themselves and “towards a spiritual adventure,” he said.

He also challenged them to remember the basis of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition that forms UST: “The answer of the great Catholic intellectual tradition is that [our values] came from the Creator God, who is intelligibility itself and moral goodness itself, from the God who is supremely wise, supremely good, supremely beautiful — and who

therefore ought to engage our attention most completely.”

A Catholic university like the UST should challenge the students’ faith and reason, but also draw them closer together, he said.

“The purpose of this university is to make you like St. Thomas Aquinas,” he said.

Sharing the story of St. Thomas Aquinas’s writing of the Summa Theologiae, Bishop Barron encouraged the students to seek God in their work and lives after graduation.

“The patron of [UST] spent his life discerning and seeking objective values, and he knew that all of those goods find their source in the supreme value of God. His soul stretched out to great things and finally to the Creator of those great things,” he said. “So put the ship out to the perils and possibilities of the open sea. Be great souls!”

The university also presented three honorary doctorates. Two were given to former UST President Robert Ivany and Marianne Ivany, for their commitment to the university’s success as leaders.

Bishop Barron was also presented with an honorary doctorate for his work in evangelization around the world.

Shayla Dang served as the student speaker. Graduates from fall 2019, spring, summer and fall 2020 were also invited to participate in commencement ceremony, joining graduates from 2021. †

Congratulations to the St. Catherine’s Montessori Class of 2021!

6 Texas Catholic Herald

archgh.org/tch • June 8, 2021

C L A S S OF 2 0 2 1

Please join the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, the IWA Board of Advisors, faculty and staff in extending congratulations and prayers for the IWA Class of 2021!

Joelle Victoria Alvarez Ana Sofia Aragon Noor Beidas Alexandra Marie Benedict Mary Julliette Angelique Billings Katelyn Faith Blade Anna Ruth Bourgoyne Piper Alexis Bratton Kyndall Reese Broussard Lily Marie Collora Anna Colleen Cook Lily Rush Cromeens Danielle Isabella Detoto Merissa Pearl Dias Florence Stephanie Donson Emily Isabel Dulce Thanh Truc Duong Hannah Olivia Eagleton

Sophia Anne Garbuio Ellis Samara Anahi Estrada Nicole Michelle Fish Lauren Caroline Fuller Avery Noelle Garig Isabella Rose Garza Sofía Garza Felecia Gonzalez Grace Angèle Guillory Cecilia Christine Hall Anna P. Hartman Allison Brooke Huddleston Audrey Mirabelle Hudson Maeve Kathleen Hunt Jacqueline Virginia Kaase Karley Taylor Kieschnick Lilian Grace Laughlin Quynh Thu Le Lauren Christin Lee

Ruth Constance Linbeck Leah Alexandria Lucas Lindsey Michelle Marquines Sofia G. Martinez Randi JaeMicah McBride Shannon Rose McLaughlin Holly Skye McLeod Mia Nicole Mendez Allison Leigh Mercier Catherine Miller Cassandra Janine Nunez Gia Marie Ochsenbein Alexandra Ortiz Isabela Carmen Pérez Jada Elaine Pierre Amaya SaCoya Pitts Estreya Rocha Raquel Elizabeth Rodriguez Sara Patricia Roldan

74

College acceptances include: St. Edward's University St. Louis University Santa Clara University Syracuse University Texas A&M University Texas Tech University Trinity University University of California, Los Angeles University of Dallas University of Houston University of the Incarnate Word University of Notre Dame University of San Diego University of St. Thomas The Pennsylvania State University The University of Oklahoma The University of Texas at Austin

Auburn University Baylor University California Institute of the Arts Carnegie Mellon University Clemson University Colorado School of Mines Georgia Institute of Technology Gonzaga University Howard University Louisiana State University Loyola University New Orleans Lycoming College New York University Northeastern University Pepperdine University Rice University Savannah College of Art and Design

Incarnate Word Academy

|

609 Crawford Street, Houston TX 77002

Sophia Aline Schlak Madison Brown Seymour Amanda Marie Stockton Kate Elizabeth Sullivan Victoria D. Swanson Sandra Daniela Taboada-Palau Madeline Marie Taylor Dana Susan Klenk Theroux Jillian Cate Thompson Allison Grace Tirado Evelina Alexis Torres Isabella Blanca Torres Karen Rodríguez Treviño Pia Victoria Valenzuela Tessa Watson Elena Westby Madison Eugenia Willett Emily Glyn York

28

total graduates

attending top-ranked colleges and universities

Accepted to

Nearly

136 colleges and universities

|

713.227.3637

$6

million in scholarships and awards | www.incarnateword.org

June 8, 2021 • archgh.org/tch

LOCAL

texas catholic herald

7

Jerome’s Hope: Shining light into darkness of despair, grief overwhelmed, frightened, and at times, unsupported by the medical community of its kind among U.S. dioceses, provides or by family and friends,” said Fritsch. much-needed resources for parents “Because these are deeply traumatic on how to cope and offer assistance to situations, most people quite naturally families, friends and parish communities tend to avoid thinking about them until so they may learn to better respond to they are directly faced and have no other their needs. choice. At that time, most of us are unsure “The questions facing parents at this what to do or where to turn for help.” time are overwhelming and range from Monica Rivera, a parent volunteer experiencing personal grief, struggling with Jerome’s Hope, knows firsthand to understand the responses of friends how receiving a prenatal diagnosis can and family, concerns about memorial impact these families. Her now five-yearrites and burial, spiritual worries about old son, Omar, was not expected to live the fate of an unbaptized child, and, long after birth. Rivera said she had to for families with a prenatal diagnosis, learn to seek second and third opinions anxieties about the child’s health and to help decide what she and her husband how the family will cope with medical believed was best for their child. needs after birth,” said Fritsch. “The “When receiving a prenatal diagnosis, Jerome’s Hope team, made up of sometimes a doctor will encourage parent volunteers who have themselves abortion or minimal care once the child experienced a loss or prenatal diagnosis, is born,” said Rivera. “In our situation, we strives to accompany families in were encouraged to provide comfort care navigating all these issues.” to my child, which would not have given Fritsch said the ministry serves him a fighting chance at life. I advocated to recognize the great value of each for more invasive care, and this has life, no matter how short, while also helped my son.” accompanying those who are suffering.

Today, Rivera feels very blessed to “The team can also assist with creating share Omar’s journey with expectant a birth plan, which is especially important mothers and their families because his for children who may live for only a brief life story has given hope to others. time after birth,” said Fritsch. “The birth A recent example is when an expectant plan allows for the parents to consider mother who reached out to Jerome’s Hope and determine their wishes for this time was contemplating abortion when she with their child and learned her unborn for the medical team child had a severe to be informed of heart condition. the family’s desires When Rivera and for the time prior to another volunteer delivery. The team that had received can also answer the same diagnosis questions and shared their stories provide suggestions and listened to about burial and the mother’s fears memorial or prayer and concerns, she rites, from early decided to have her miscarriage through child. Rivera said infancy.” knowing her son’s The Office Pro-Life Activities is Fritsch said story had a part supported by the Diocesan Services perinatal losses tend in this expectant Fund. The 2021 DSF theme draws to be more visible, mother’s decisionfrom a hope: “Walk in the Light but parents are often making process of Christ.” DSF operates in the faced with a sense of made her feel very Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston loneliness and deep proud. each year to help the Church carry misunderstanding as “I suggested that out the ministries of teaching and those around them she should seek sanctifying. Of the 60-plus programs struggle with finding second and third under its umbrella, DSF brings the ways to respond to opinions, and she needed financial resources to carry their grief. Fritsch was able to find out these ministries. said one parent a doctor that was commented that more experienced she felt the need to with her child’s justify her grief over diagnosis than her miscarriages to family and friends the first doctor she saw,” said Rivera. because many around her didn’t see her “Giving this support and encouragement lost children as “real” people. can also help mothers make a decision “Similarly, parents receiving they can live with in the most difficult of an adverse prenatal diagnosis feel circumstances. As a parent of child with HOPE, from page 1

“I believe there is a lot of support within our parishes, and by spreading the word about Jerome’s Hope, we can provide this support to families who have received a prenatal diagnosis or have had a miscarriage.” monica rivera

jerome’s hope volunteer

special needs, there can be a lot of guilt, whether you choose invasive treatments or not, so I believe Jerome’s Hope can give an expectant mother this support when having to make these difficult decisions.”

Jerome’s Hope is one of 60 ministries supported by the annual Diocesan Services Fund (DSF), which both Fritsch and Rivera believe is important for families living in the Archdiocese that receive a prenatal diagnosis.

“When I learned about my son’s

diagnosis, one of the few places I looked for support was the Church, where my husband and I received great support from the priest,” said Rivera. “I believe there is a lot of support within our parishes, and by spreading the word about Jerome’s Hope, we can provide this support to families who have received a prenatal diagnosis or have had a miscarriage, many of whom may not even know that this ministry exists.”

Fritsch said DSF provides funding to train parent volunteers like Rivera, as well as clergy and parish staff about how to minister to the specific spiritual, emotional and practical needs of families facing these difficult situations. She said the ministry also is excited to offer inperson retreats in collaboration with the Rabboni Institute beginning Aug. 28 versus the online format they adopted during COVID-19.

“Of course, parents need not wait for a retreat to receive help,” said Fritsch.

“Our team is always available to answer questions, to assist with diagnoses or losses, or just to talk.”

If you or someone you know is in need of help or guidance following a diagnosis or a loss, call the Office of Pro-Life Activities at 713-741-8728 (or 713-4403443 in Espanol) for more information and connect with the team. †

Thousands of families in the Greater Houston area struggle every day.

And with your support, Catholic Charities provides help and hope to people in need, especially the poor and vulnerable. Our network of life-changing programs work together to alleviate poverty.

Guided by the Catholic Faith, we serve people of all beliefs.

People of Faith.

Helping People in Need.

PASTORAL SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE In a continuing effort to provide pastoral care to victims of sexual abuse by clergy or Church personnel, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo would like to remind the faithful of the Archdiocese of the availability of the Victims Assistance Coordinator. Anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse by clergy or Church personnel is encouraged to call Diane Vines at 713-654-5799. Please keep in daily prayers the healing of victims of abuse and all who suffer in any way.

Learn more at CatholicCharities.org



2900 Louisiana Street • Houston, Texas 77006

8 Texas Catholic Herald LOCAL

archgh.org/tch • June 8, 2021

IN MEMORIA

obituaries

Pray for the following priests whose anniversaries of death are during the month of July.

Father Marty Gleeson

HOUSTON — Father Marty Gleeson, OP, pastor of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Houston, died May 29 at 70 years old. He was an ordained friar of the Order of Preachers, the religious order more commonly referred to as the Dominicans. He also served as the spiritual advisor and assistant to the director of “Lord, Teach Me To Pray.”

A funeral Mass was celebrated June 2 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. †

Marjorie Lee Meyer-Wilkerson

FRELSBURG — Marjorie Lee Meyer-Wilkerson, mother of Father Wayne Wilkerson, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, died April 30. She was 87 years old.

A funeral Mass was held May 10 at St. Michael the Archangel Parish. On May 11, a funeral service was held in Frelsburg, Texas. †

In Brief

Sisters in Spirit of Houston to celebrate 20th anniversary with Mass

HOUSTON — The Sisters In the Spirit of Houston will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a special Mass and installation of new members on Monday, June 21 at 7 p.m. at the Co-cathedral of the Sacred Heart, located at 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in Houston. The Mass, which will be celebrated by Bishop-elect Italo Dell’Oro, will also be livestreamed.

The group will also host a Zoom meeting Thursday, June 10 from 7 to 8 p.m. for Mens Health Awareness Month. The virtual live talk will feature Gerald Joseph speaking about prostate cancer and Paul Ledet speaking about diabetes and leg amputation. To join, visit http://bit.ly/ SistersInSpiritMensHealth with Meeting ID 8955514 5718 and passcode 258758.

On Thursday, July 8, the organization will host member Libby Newman as she speaks about going through a mastectomy. †

July 1, 1993 Rev. Anthony T. Orlando July 2, 1991 Rev. Edbert Staresinic, OCarm July 4, 1888 Rev. Pierre Dumont July 4, 1989 Rev. Justin O’Connell, OCarm July 4, 1992 Rev. Rene M. Vermillion, CSB July 5, 1895 Rev Patrick Kellett July 5, 1984 Msgr. Thomas M. Cemon July 6, 1927 Rev. M.J. Crowe July 7, 1939 Rev. Patrick J. O’Reilly, CSC July 8, 1920 Rev. Michael Martin Crowe July 8, 2002 Rev. Guy Fregeau July 9, 1930 Rev. James Chaland July 9, 2005 Rev. Walter N. Sheffield July 10, 1989 Rev. John D. Oster, SJ July 10, 2003 Msgr. C.J. Alleman July 11, 2002 Rev. Warren J. Freret July 12, 1968 Rev. A.M. Maechler July 12, 1980 Rev. John C. McDonald, MS July 13, 1999 Rev. Angelo Moscato, cs July 14, 1962 Rev. Eugene Burbott, CSB July 15, 1970 Rev. Chester C. Ball, SSJ July 15, 1985 Rev. Peter S. Harnett July 15, 2008 Rev. John LaBauve, SVD

Visit www.catholicnews.com/movie-reviews to learn more about these ratings and read movie reviews by Catholics, for Catholics.

A-I – General Patronage

A-II – Adults And Adolescents

At the Christian Renewal Center

July 25 -27 Overnight Retreat for Families w/ kids in 1st – 6th grade In God We Trust: Bible Stories, Crafts, Games, Camp Activities, Sacraments, Visits by the Saints Register online at

www.retreatcentercrc.org Socially-Distant & Spiritually-Connected.

Safety Precautions are in-place. Enjoy the 52-acres of the CRC. CRC has safely operated over 60 retreats since May 2020 under COVID-19 protocols.

local catholic news.

where you want it. when you want it.

www.archgh.org/digitaleditions

Msgr. Matthew J. Daly Rev. Joseph G. Robinson Rev. John Joseph Harte Bishop Enrique San Pedro, SJ Rev. R.C. Frei Rev. John Nijenhuis, OCarm Rev. Eugene Gillece Rev. Clifton J. Natho Rev. Louis A. LeBlanc Rev. Ralph G. Schmidt, Jr. Rev. Richard DiLeo, SCJ Rev. Bernard C. Snock Rev. William J. Lee Rev. J.B. Huynh Ngoc Tran Msgr. Leroy H. Braden Rev. Thomas D. Sheehan, OP Rev. William B. O’Toole, CSB Rev. Rodney Poythress Rev. Frank W. Jones Rev. Alvin F. Dixon, SVD Msgr. Gilbert F. Pekar Rev. John O’Rourke, SSJ

MOVIE RATINGS By Catholic News Service

• Spirit Untamed (PG)

Catholic Family Vacation Bible School

July 16, 1960 July 16, 1962 July 17, 1932 July 17, 1994 July 18, 1943 July 18, 1996 July 18, 2002 July 18, 2002 July 19, 1947 July 19, 2001 July 19, 2011 July 19, 2013 July 20, 1918 July 22, 2002 July 23, 2009 July 24, 2000 July 25, 1968 July 26, 1988 July 29, 2011 July 30, 2001 July 31, 1997 July 31, 2001

• • • •

A Week Away (NR) Francesco (NR) Resurrection (PG-13) The Mitchells vs. the Machines (PG)

A-III – Adults

• A Quiet Place Part II (PG-13) • Cruella (PG-13) • Dark Waters (PG-13) • Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train (R) • Finding You (PG) • Here Today (PG-13) • Monster (R) • Profile (R) • Roe v. Wade (PG-13) Those Who Wish Me Dead (R) • Voyagers (PG-13)

L – Limited Adult Audience • Separation (R)

O – Morally Offensive • Mortal Kombat (R) • Spiral: From the Book of Saw (R) • Wrath of Man (R)

JUNE 8, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2021 GRADUATING CLASS OF FRASSATI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

The Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and staff of Frassati Catholic High School are proud to recognize the Class of 2021.

The 62 members of the Class of 2021 have been accepted to 81 colleges and universities including Arizona State University, Baylor University, Creighton University, DeSales University, Fordham University, Hawaii Pacific University, John Paul the Great Catholic University, Louisiana State University, Michigan State University, Montclair State University, Pratt MWP College of Art and Design, Purdue University, Rhodes College, Seton Hall University, St. Mary’s College, Texas A&M University, The King’s College, The University of Texas at Austin, University of Connecticut, University of New Mexico, and Xavier University. Combined, they have been awarded more than $5.7 million in scholarships.

PRESENTING THE CLASS OF 2021 John Paul Altus Nathaniel Thomas Bartsch* Daniel Enrique Benitez* Luke Joseph Bierbaum Juana Maria Boada*‡ Andrea Oluwadamilola Bodunrin* John Welsh Brandon V Catherine Dianne Briers*‡ Lisette Camus Mary Ann Coleman*‡ Dominic Alan Cordova Emma Louise Delahoussaye* Grace Kathryn Delahoussaye* AnnMarie Desmond* Peter Feras Elhajj Karissa Erazo Eva Renee Farfan* Jaclyn Raquel Garza Victoria Gonzalez* Mahsheed Lauren Hadaegh Zachary Joseph Harrison Nathan David Hellen*

Patricia Danielle Hernandez* Jerry R. Jones II Avery Francesca Justado* Kenneth James Karger Constanza Legarreta Maria Alejandra Lorenzo Martin Dade Patrick Lyons Emma Kathryn MacMillan* Chiara Tita Melchiorre* Christina Ann Meyer Elizabeth Nan Meyer* Monica Sophia Mimun Collin Jacob Moran Jacob David Morgan Vanessa Sophia Munguia*‡ Mia Michele Natoli* Haniel T. Neves* Annie Thanh Truc Nguyen* Siena Rose Nicholson* Jessica Drake Noxon Christopher Matthew O’Neill Janelle Mae Padilla*

Frassati Catholic High School 22151 Frassati Way Spring, TX 77389 832.616.3217

Christopher Jacob Perry*‡ Andrew Jacob Pye* Irene Frances Rentfrow Lucas Manzano Rivera* Ava Bryn Roberts Genevieve Marie Roehl Ava Giuliana Romero* Marius Alexander Sanford*‡ Olivia Victoria Shadick* Denise Dolores Simon* Richard Lee Spencer III Andrew Philip Thomas* Caleb Joseph Thome Diego Manuel Vega Kiki Lynn Vorderbruggen* Reid Michael Wing Emilia Gabrielle Yabut* Austin William Zammit *National Honor Society ‡National Spanish Honor Society

FRASSATICATHOLIC.ORG

9

10 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • JUNE 8, 2021

Developing Leaders and Scholars 1 Student

134

146

Different College Acceptances

Total Grads

2 Students

Recognized as National African American Scholar

Recognized by National Merit Program

54

Class Members in National Honor Society

2 Students

3,530

Recognized as National Hispanic Scholars

Hours of Community Service More Than

8 Summa Cum Laude Grads

Earned in Scholarships

14 Magna Cum Laude Grads

$9.8 Million

Adam Humberto Abuain* Leslie Ahuatzi* Sean Meneses Alexander* Adam Kyle Anderson Te’a Hayleyana Arvizu* Layan Abraham Baba* Alec Jacob Balandran Yramsi Barcena Duncan Stuart Barnes Chloe Anne Beck* John William Birbeck Olusegun Joshua Bolarin Oriana Lucia Bonsembiante Chloe Lilliana Botello* Gabriela De Los Angeles Martinez Botini* Ashley Marie Brunnert* Justin Robert Cabaud Christopher David Cano Makenna Riley Capitaine* Alberto Christian Castillo Austin Cole Caudill* Woojin Cho Mauro Gabriel Jesus Cisneros* Bre Leonard Citizen Kayla Rae~Anne Clayton Cameron Michael Cohn Kalyn Lorraine Cole* Alyssa Nicole Cortez Rebecca Camille Crow* Nikita Megan D’souza* Christopher Van Dang

14 Cum Laude Grads Christine Kim Dau* James Martin Davin II* Emily Madelyn Dear* Kristen Elizabeth DeLaRosa* Zhicheng Deng Gina Francesca Deserio Frank Carter Diamond Louis Jude Eagleton* Nica Elizabeth Else* Undra Lanier Ferrow Olivia Ashlyn Fjeld Christian Anthony Flores Caleb Mitchell Fowler Miguel Beltran Galicia Nancy Elizabeth Gallegos-Ruiz* Pavel Garcia Edgar Garza Gabriella Sabrina Gibson* Emily Rose Fu Godwin* Ava Allison Goforth Nathan Anthony Gonzales Grace Elizabeth Govin Davon Earl Greer Sarah Grace Guckenburg* Isabela Grace Guthrie* Kendahl Leslie Haltiwanger John Mark Herzog* Benton Evan Holik Austin Chandler Hunter* Tregan Patrick-Wayne Hyder Persephone Diane Jankovic John Mason Jefferson*

Elijah Philip Donald Johnson* Jack Douglas Johnson Jason Reynaldo Johnson II Emily Noelle Kallus* Jacqueline Elizabeth Kelly Caroline Anne Kent Ava Leigh Kirkpatrick* Ava Rose Kurian Maryann Cameron Lamberson* Xavier Andres Lazo Wyatt Jones Legge Trevor John Lewis Maryann Vân Lopez Alexsandra Luna Katelyn Antonella Luna Noelia Luna Matthew Thomas Wayne Mason Macy Kyle Matula* Andrew Nicolas Mazas* Thomas Joseph McGee Alexis Marie McGregor Olivia Anne McGuire* Jennifer Elizabeth Meyer Phillip Patrick Mitchell Alexis Star Montealvo Mia Alicia Montezuma Michael Richardson Moore Katherine Marie Mytchak* Evan Jaime Narvaez Nam Ngoc Phuong Nguyen Nick Nguyen* Elizabeth Ann Nunez

Thomas Edward Parlette* Hayden Alex Payne* Jackson Walker Perches Andrew Joseph Perez Avelina Beatriz Perez Kayla Marie Pesek* Caroline Ann Peters Jacob Jude Phillips* Jaden Matthew Porter* Kyra Charlotte Purser* Francis Bella-Marie Rapp Emmanuel Andre Renaud* Juan Carlos Reyes, Jr. Dylan Eduardo Rizo Giovana Frigi Rodrigues Rizzi* Carson Kyle Rodgers* Kylie Brianne Rogers* Roy Ramirez Sanchez* Jennifer Anne Schmalz* Hannah Elaine Sebesta* Nancy Ann Sheffield Madison Grace Shindler* Sydney Danielle Shupak* David Alexander Sipes McKenzie Reneann Slaid* Brandon Wayne Slivensky Bernadette Marie Smith* Madison Paige Smith* Ryan Patrick Nichols Smith* Sydnee Taylor Smith* Brandon Alec Snader Elizabeth Ann-Marie Stidham*

St. Pius X High School | 713.692.3581 | 811 West Donovan Street, Houston TX 77091

John Gregory Sullo Isaiah Wayne Tarver Ricky Nell Thomas, Jr. Christopher Michael Todd* Taylor Mae Todd* Ngoc Khanh Tran Lora Katelyn Tresco* Cindy Chukwudiogo Uyanwune Yarian Garcia Vela* Bingran Wang Stefan Gehard Weidmann Kaitlyn Grace Weikel* Matthew David Wimberley Agnes Natalia Wirawan* David Jose Yearwood Adam Sherif Zaafran* Ariel Marie Zamora Catalina Maria Zapata*

*National Honor Society

JUNE 8, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald

11

YOUTH Discernment and prayer Sometimes I wonder if the choices I make in life are in accordance with God’s will.

Will the decisions that I make lead me on a path to true happiness and a fulfilled life? I have come to the conclusion that, honestly, I will never know God’s will crystal clear.

However, I can train my ears to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd in order to be disposed to seek His guidance and embrace His will in my life.

“The sheep hear His voice, as He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has driven out all His own, He walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow Him because they recognize His voice” (John 10:3-4).

Indeed, when we begin to see God as an intimate friend who cares about every detail of our life, we will begin to recognize His voice in subtle ways.

Decision-making, guided by recognizing and responding to the voice of the Lord, is called discernment. It can only take place in the context of prayer, selfreflection and responsiveness to the

Holy Spirit.

Prayer is the key to discernment. One needs to awaken to God’s gentle whispers that point to what is true and good.

Discernment invites us to have faith, surrender control of our lives, seek by SISTER ANNA His will and allow God to direct us in His ways.

PAULINE God says, “I know well VAN PHAM, OP the plans I have in mind for you — plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope. When you call me and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me” (Jer 29:11-14).

Discernment is a way of life built on trust, humility and attentive listening.

In prayer, we familiarize ourselves with the ways of God and what most pleases Him. We listen deeply to hear the soft voice of the Good Shepherd leading

†

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Full job descriptions for each position are available online: www.archgh.org/employment Downtown Chancery | 1700 San Jacinto | Houston, TX 77002

Development Associate Director Development Coordinator Parish Accounting Services Staff Accountant St. Dominic Chancery | 2403 Holcombe Blvd. | Houston, TX 77021

Family Life Ministry Associate Director of Continued Ministry Hospitality Manager, Circle Lake Retreat Center Catholic Schools Office Director of Faith Formation Office of Evangelization and Catechesis Associate Director for Persons with Disabilities and Catechist Formation (Spanish) Young Adult and Campus Ministry Associate Director Interested candidates may send a cover letter, with salary requirement, and resume to resume@archgh.org with the job title on the subject line. *Submissions that do not include the salary requirement will not be moved forward for consideration.

us to the green pastures of life eternal. A

TIPS FOR DISCERNMENT

1. Pray for the grace to desire to do the will of God. 2. Spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

3. Pray the Rosary and spend time with Mother Mary.

4. Frequent reception of the Sacraments (Eucharist and Confession) 5. Cultivate Christian virtues 6. Follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit in humility and charity.

7. Think about how to spend your life by placing yourself at the hour of death.

8. Reflect on how your gifts and talents can be of service to God. 9. Receive advice from a spiritual director.

10. Spend time with good Catholic friends. discerning heart places God as the center of life and allows Him to take the lead in everything.

In self-reflection, one discovers the truth about oneself — one’s purpose, one’s destiny — and makes decisions based on these truths. It is crucial to foster a disposition of discernment so that we may recognize God’s actions in our lives and respond to His love and holy will.

Entrusting ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit will help us to discern God’s will. Often discernment involves a decision between two goods. The Holy Spirit will supply us with the clarity and courage to discern and choose the best option when we pray for the grace to be attentive to the inspirations God provides.

Remember that discernment requires patience, growing in relationship with the Lord, self-reflection and entrusting

oneself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Firmly believe that God loves you, guides you and always has your best interest in mind.

Therefore, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit... retain what is good... The One who calls you is faithful, and He will also accomplish it” (I Thes 5:16-24).

I invite you to pray this prayer of discernment that I wrote before the Lord in adoration: “O Lord, I cannot see tomorrow, but I know that You are already there. You know every one of my steps. You know the decisions and the path that will lead me to true peace, happiness and abundance of life in You. I trust You with all my heart. Walk with me on this earthly journey and never leave my side. Enlighten and show me Your holy will, for it is in doing so that my life’s purpose will be fulfilled. In every moment, Your loving gaze is upon me — showering my life with overflowing grace, love and mercy.

I trust that You will provide for me no matter what happens in my life. Teach me how to pray, how to seek Your will, how to love and how to live.

I give my entire being to You: my desires, hopes, dreams, future, happiness, love and all that I am and will be. Let me not hold anything back from You. Let me know Your will, grant me the courage to embrace it like Mother Mary, and that is enough for me.

Amen.” † Sister Anna Pauline Van Pham, O.P. is a Dominican Sister of Mary Immaculate Province in Houston. She is currently a spiritual director at Gratia Plena.

12 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • JUNE 8, 2021

MEN FOR

OTHERS Congratulations to the Strake Jesuit

CLASS OF 2021

As graduates of a Catholic, Jesuit institution, these young men of the Class of 2021 are uniquely prepared for both college and the world that awaits them. They are Men for Others, formed to live out the call of Christ to actively contribute to building a more just and loving society. The six traits that they carry with them are described as the Strake Jesuit Graduate at Graduation. These young men have been challenged to become Open to Growth, Intellectually Competent, Religious, Loving, Committed to Doing Justice, and Physically Fit.

Benjamin Aceituj George Adamaley-Johnson Maylon Adams Adrian Adegbesan Wesley Allen Zachary James Alonte Basil Anaipakos Benjamin Andrews Paul Aruffo William Ascher Pierce Ashby Zain Ashraf Aidan Atkins Robert Bambace Connor Bartlett Carter Bentsen Bryan Berteaux Andrew Bevington Isean Bhalla Dylan Black Eli Blasini Peter Blomquist Bryce Bogatto Matthew Boisvert Braxton Bond Jayce Bordelon

Luke Botard Alexander Bradshaw James Bradshaw Stephen Brindle Nicholas Broussard Carson Brown Willie Brown Jacob Buergler Ryan Burt Saxen Burt Joseph Bush Matthew Byrne Matthew Cabrera Samuel Callaghan Joaquin Calvillo Justin Campbell Malik Campbell Tyler Carbo John Carter Nathan Cashiola Trevor Castleman Rudy Castro George Catechis Samuel Cerda Isioma Chiadika Robert Clark

Dennis Clifford Reid Codwell Spenser Cola Declan Conner Dominic Corridore Roberto Cortes Stephen Cravens Theodore Crist Alexander Culligan Joseph Davidson Andrés Del Olmo Aldaz Sergio Deleon McLean Dickson Zachary Dimitroff Aidan Dinh Andrew Do Jacob Dorman Evan Drouilhet Jonathan Dukes Trey Duncan Patrick Durias Joseph Edmonds Jorge Elorduy-Sendra Leonard Engels Benjamin Erdmann Nicolas Favoriti

Lucas Fernandez Hayden Fetzer Andrew Fischbach Dylan Fitzgibbon Raymond Flaherty Lorenzo Flores Pablo Flores Dylan Folse Gabriel Forir Alex Frugoni Derek Fung Austen Furse Henry Fuselier Ethan Gadbois Kyle Gaines David Galewski Liam Garcia Caleb Garcia-Rameau Robert Garrity Joseph Georges Hagin Gerhardt Ryan Gilbert Chase Gilchrist Miles Gillan Zane Gillan Alexander Gogola

Alexis Gomez Robert Gonsoulin Gerardo Gonzalez Ricardo Gonzalez Pablo Granados Nathan Gray Michael Gregory Scott Grover Gabriel Gruenewald Ryan Gubbels Joseph Gutierrez Luis Gutierrez Nicholas Hamilton Avery Hamm William Hansen James Hardin Jacob Harris Hunter Hart Beck Hassen Santiago Havre William Hayes Michael Haysley Malik Henry David Herrera Justin Ho Bradley Hoang

Christopher Hoekel John Hoelscher William Hoffman Arik Hollerbach William Holt Cameron Holy Paul Houston Carson Hudgins Noah Hudson Reed Huffmyer Andrew Huskinson Jorge Ibarra Justin Ikoya Carlos Jackson Nathan Jamieson Zachary Johnson Craig Jonas Zachary Jones Philip Junghans Christopher Kelley Mustafa Khan Anthony Kim Oliver King Brayden Kipp Sean Lade Sam Lane

JUNE 8, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

Lee Larson Aaron Lavery Zachary Lee Jorge Leiva Andrew Leon Christopher Lewis Alexander Lloyd Jacob Lopresto Joe Love Christopher Lowe Joseph Lykes Aidan Lynch Nicholas Macasaet Dalton Machart Jonathan Makhoul Peter James Malapira Joseph Manero David Markham Jacob Marrow William Martin Andres Martinez Caleb Martinez Cristian Martinez Sebastian Martinez Sebastian Luis Martinez Andrew Marvin

Chance Mathews Maurice May Riley Maytum Diego Maza Arthur McClure Joshua McCord George McCormick Kevin McKenna Connor McLendon Arshan Mehta Gregory Melendez Luke Melton Maxwell Melton Maxwell Merril Gerald Miguel David Millard Weston Miller Laysan Minter Grant Mixon Nodibe Mokolo Enrique Montes Ryan Montgomery Luke Moore Damien Morales Thomas Muchard Alexander Muniz

texas catholic herald

Pedro Munoz Rodrigo Munoz Ledo William Murphy Max Naegeli Eishan Naik Seth Naples Krishna Nayar Alex Newell Baominh Nguyen Jacob Nguyen Benjamin Nicknish Franklin Nwora Connor O’Hara Brandon Ortiz Hunter Osborn John Mark Padon Amaan Panjwani Edward Parker Gianluca Parker Jonathan Parker Luke Parker Paleologos Pavlidis John Pearson Adam Perry Riley Perry Anthony Peters

Kevin Schott John Peters Paxton Schulte Pablo Pinilla Jack Shanklin Mark Poisler Reuben Sieler Matthew Polasek David Sierra Aiden Potoczniak Charles Sigler John Powell Massimo Silvestri Jacob Psyk Christian Sitton Nicholas Quintanilla Raymond Smith Ryan Rassoli Robert Smith Louden Reese Cole Smither Cooper Regan Alfonso Reyes-Rangel de Alba Peyton Sobiesk Cole Spinks Kevin Richards Luke Stefan Thomas Roche Jonathon Stein Dawson Rogers John Strock Jonathan Rogers Jack Swantkowski Edgar Romero Evan Symecko Jonathan Rovall Jackson Teheng Ryan Russell Andrew Thampoe Hassan Saeed Colin Thibodeaux Joseph Saegert Nicolas Thompson Lance Saizan William Toney Khalil Saldivar Kade Townsend Diego Sanchez Alatriste Emmanuel Umoekpo Ryan Santry John Upton William Schmidt

Fernando Urdaneta Chase Valentine Hector Valenzuela Jack Van Ryan James Vaquero Liam Walker Sidney Wall Mychal Warren Ronald Weil Robert Welch John Whelan Liam Whitley Thomas Whitson Mason Wilson Tucker Wolfe Alexander Wong Adam Wuthrich Haoyang Xie Mason Yang Eric Yarim Christopher Zeidan

13

14 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

CLASS OF 2021

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • JUNE 8, 2021

EMBRACING A WORLD OF

OPPORTUNITY CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2021

As the COVID-19 pandemic continued to affect the world, the Class of 2021 saw opportunity — opportunities to improve life, make changes, build their faith and move forward. While their school year was far from typical, and masks and social distancing became a normal part of their life, they persevered on, knowing they have a chance to improve the world.

The following is a glance into the hard work of the valedictorians, salutatorians and outstanding students from Catholic high schools around the Archdiocese.

CRISTO REY JESUIT COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

DUCHESNE ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART

One of the two Outstanding Students from Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School’s 2021 graduating class is Angelica Marquez. She will be attending Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut in the fall to study biology.

In school, she was in the Student Council, National Honor Society, Art Club, Yearbook Club and the CWSP Student Leadership Team. Through Cristo Rey Jesuit, Marquez said she had many ANGELICA ways of helping her MARQUEZ community. At school, she tutored other students in biology, chemistry, geometry and algebra. Outside of school, she volunteered at the Houston Food Bank.

After finishing her studies, she hopes to come back to Houston and help her parents retire back to their hometown in Mexico. Marquez said, “it was only due to both my parents and my two brothers’ examples and experiences that I was allowed to dream big.”

The other Outstanding Student from Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School’s 2021 graduating class is Stephanie Lemus. This fall, she will be attending Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine to study biology or biochemistry.

She is the first in her family to attend college.

In school, Lemus was involved in sports like cross country and tennis. She was also a part of the American Sign Language Club, Culinary Club, class president of the Student Council, and the National Honor Society. In STEPHANIE the community, she volunteered with the LEMUS Houston Food Bank, food drives near her home and be a peer leader for the confirmation class at her church. After college, she dreams to come back to Houston to create change.

“No matter how big or small my impact on the world is, I want to be able to help at least one person with the career I choose to pursue,” she said.“My hope for the future is to be able to make my family proud.”

Kaitlyn Giveon is the Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart Class of 2021 Valedictorian. She is considered a lifer, as she started at Duchesne in Pre-K4.

Her classmates described her as hardworking, intelligent, thoughtful and caring. Her teachers said the same, adding diligent, genuine and kind to the list. She is respected by many in the community and is a trusted friend to all.

Giveon will be attending the University of Texas in KAITLYN the fall at McCombs GIVEON School of Business.

Carina Kass, Salutatorian of the Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart Class of 2021, started at Duchesne in the lower school and is equally regarded by her friends and faculty. She is creative, motivated, r e s p e c t f u l , determined and generous to everyone.

Like Giveon, when someone starts talking about Kass, people automatically smile, as they hold her in such high regard.

CARINA Kass will be KASS attending Southern Methodist University in the fall at the Cox School of Business.

FRASSATI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL The Frassati Catholic High School Class of 2021 Valedictorian, Chiara Melchiorre, will be attending the University of Texas at Austin in the fall.

Over the past four years, she has served the school as a peer math tutor and as a Student Ambassador. Melchiorre is also a member of the National Honor Society and the World Language Club. She served the local community by volunteering at the Houston Food Bank, the Montgomery County Food Bank, and Casa Juan Diego.

The Frassati Catholic High School Class of 2021 Salutatorian, Vanessa Munguia, will also be attending the University of Texas at Austin in the fall.

She plans to study natural sciences.

“No one can make promises to you about a day in the future.

Your life today is today.”

Pope Francis World Youth Day Panama 2019

Munguia has been very involved in school activities throughout her four years.

She participated on the volleyball, soccer and tennis teams and was the varsity tennis team captain. She was also a member CHIARA of the youth and MELCHIORRE government, and Culture of Life clubs, as well as National and Spanish honor societies.

Munguia assisted at school Masses as a lector and altar server. She served her community at school through the Executive Council and as a student ambassador.

Outside of school, she performed numerous hours of community service at St. Luke’s Hospital, her parish, the Houston Food Bank, Casa Juan Diego, St. Dominic’s VANESSA Village and Reach MUNGUIA Unlimited.

INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY Mary Julliette Billings and Madeline

Taylor are the Incarnate Word Academy (IWA) Class of 2021 Valedictorian and Salutatorian.

Billings will attend Carnegie Mellon University, where she plans to major in chemical engineering.

Taylor will attend the MARY University of Notre BILLINGS Dame, where she intends to major in biochemistry or chemical engineering, with a concentration in biomedical engineering.

While at IWA, both young women were active in school organizations and the Houston community.

Billings volunteered with St. Anne Catholic Community and with Kids’ Meals. She often was an altar server at school Masses.

Taylor was the 2020 -2021 Student Council student body vice president, and one MADELINE of the captains of the TAYLOR school’s cross country and track teams. Both were Falcon Ambassadors, serving as tour guides for prospective students.

They were also both actively involved with IWA’s Campus Ministry Team, and

JUNE 8, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

members of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta and the Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica.

“In the future, I hope to be working as a biochemical engineer, engaged in the research and development process of pharmaceuticals,” said Billings. “I also hope to be surrounded by friends and my wonderful family. I absolutely could not have any of this without their constant love and support.”

She’s also looking forward to someday creating a scale model replica of her house out of gingerbead.

Taylor shares similar sentiments.

“I hope to one day be a successful oncologist or biomedical engineer, surrounded by my family and friends,” she said.

O’CONNELL COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL The O’Connell College Preparatory School Class of 2021 Valedictorian is Nicholas Cortinas.

He will attend Texas A&M University in College Station in the fall, where he plans to major in finance. During his NICHOLAS time at O’Connell, CORTINAS Nicholas has been actively involved in the National Honor Society, where he served as president and in Student Council as Student Body Secretary and Class Treasurer. He has also been a part of the tennis team, Delta Epsilon Phi and campus ministry.

The O’Connell College Preparatory School Class of 2021 Salutatorian is Gagandeep “Gia” Kaur.

She will also be Texas GAGANDEEP attending A&M University in KAUR College Station in the fall, majoring in biology. Some of the activities that Kaur was involved with at O’Connell were Student Council, National Honor Society, theatre arts, volleyball (manager), tennis and various activities such as donating for jeans for troops and the Galveston Island Humane Society.

ST. AGNES ACADEMY The St. Agnes Academy Class of 2021 Valedictorian is Beth Athaide. She will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge Massachusetts.

Athaide has been a member of the BETH Chamber Orchestra ATHAIDE for all fours years at St. Agnes. She served on the Dominican Preaching Team and was regularly an alter server at all school Masses and spent two years as part of the Stage production team. She sparked new life into the St. Agnes STEM club. She helped grow St. Agnes’s middle school math competition. She marches in rallies and writes to legislatures. She knows that in learning more and becoming better herself, she can better change the world.

The St. Agnes Academy Class of 2021 Salutatorian is Lily deGroot. She will

CLASS OF 2021 attend Georgetown University in Washington D.C. in the fall to study medicine.

She was a fouryear cross country and track athlete, captaining both teams and helping lead track and field LILY to a state title this DEGROOT year.

She has served as a member of student council, and she was a core member of the Dominican preaching team. DeGroot was a member of the St. Agnes future medical professionals and the pro-life club. She was a Girl Scout and president of the St. Agnes Caritas Club.

As a member of the Caritas Club and on her own, she supported the homeless community in Houston, especially after Hurricane Harvey. She also volunteers at Texas Children’s Hospital.

ST. JOHN XXIII COLLEGE PREPARATORY The St. John XXIII College Preparatory Class of 2021 Valedictorian is Gabrielle Allen. She will attend Rice University this fall, where she plans to double-major in Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, with a planned minor in Russian on the Pre-Med track. She was also selected to be a Rice Owls cheerleader.

She was a member of Neri House and served her senior year as captain. She was also National Honor Society pasttreasurer and vicepresident. In addition to participating in track and field, Allen was also a Lion Ambassador and was a member of the National art, science and Spanish honor societies.

GABRIELLE Outside of school, ALLEN Allen accumulated over 330 league and volunteer hours through the National Charity League, worked as a pre-school gymnastics coach, was a doctoral research intern for behavioral neuroscience at UT-Austin, assisted in biomedical trials at UTMB, and served as a page in the Texas State Senate.

Allen is looking ahead to a career in medicine and hopes to work with Doctors without Borders in the future.

The St. John XXIII College Preparatory Class of 2021 is Luke Parmenter. He will be attending Holy Trinity Seminary next fall, pursuing a degree in theology.

P a r m e n t e r has been named a National Merit Finalist by the college LUKE board, as well as an PARMENTER SJ23 Scholar Athlete.

He represented Aquinas House through many leadership responsibilities. He served as president of the National Honor Society, president of the International Thespian Society and president of the Science National Honor Society. He also was a four-year soccer letterman and team captain in both his junior and senior seasons.

Parmenter was active in SJ23’s campus ministry programs over his entire four-year career as an altar server and assisting with the preparation and

celebration of weekly school liturgies. He served as head altar server as a senior, and also served as a retreat leader for both Quest and Kairos experiences, which involve students from all grade levels.

ST. PIUS X HIGH SCHOOL The St. Pius X High School Class of 2021 Valedictorian is Olivia McGuire. She will be attending the University of Texas at Austin in the fall to study biomedical engineering.

McGuire was in the Student Council, where she organized school spirit events and multiple donation drives a year. She also served surrounding middle schools through hosting the middle school academic rally through National Honor Society, of OLIVIA which she was a member. She also MCGUIRE served the Prince of Peace community as well by participating in youth group. In School, She was a cheerleader, played lacrosse, and was a student Ambassador and a member of the Science Club. Her two main interests are research in a lab in college as well as traveling and exploring the world.

Jaden Porter is the The St. Pius X High School Class of 2021 Salutatorian.

He also plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin in the fall, where he will be majoring in computer science.

Porter served the community as a volunteer at the Montgomery County Food Bank for the Christian Service Learning Project, and he is JADEN also a member of the PORTER Knights of Columbus Squires. Porter was involved in Veritas Theatre (ITS Troupe 5571), Student Council, National Honor Society, TAPPS Academic team, Sports Medicine, Robotics Club, Key Club and Student Honor Board. He said he hopes to simply live a peaceful life and find what it is he is meant to do with both his intellectual and artistic passions.

ST. THOMAS HIGH SCHOOL The St. Thomas High School Class of 2021 Valedictorian is Patrick Pham.

He wwill be attending the University of Texas at Austin in the fall.

He was a twoyear member of the National Honor Society and 2021 president and a permanent member St. Thomas Club, a group of students with a minimum 4.0-grade point average for PATRICK seven consecutive PHAM semesters. He was also a member of the Archdiocesan Youth Council of the Archdiocese, chairman of Spiritual Life and chairman of Community Life.

Pham was the founder and president of the St. Thomas Business Club. He was student body secretary his senior year, and as co-captain and two-time state

texas catholic herald

15

champion of the swimming team and state champion in track and field. Pham was also part of seven productions in St. Thomas Theater, including student director and actor.

He was also a National Speech and Debate Association Academic AllAmerican. Pham was a Life Teen teacher assistant at St. Cecilia Catholic Parish and an Eagle Scout BSA Troop 642.

The St. Thomas High School Class of 2021 Salutatorian is Robert Hayden Diamond. He will be attending Texas A&M ROBERT University in College HAYDEN Station in the fall.

He was a two-year member of the St. Thomas Chapter National Honor Society and 2021 parliamentarian. He is a permanent member St. Thomas Club. He received the 2021 Rev. Ronald G. Schwenzer, CSB Campus Ministry Award.

He was also part of seven productions in St. Thomas Theater, including “Frankenstein,” “Guys & Dolls,” Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “Godspell.” He was also a 2020 state champion in swimming, and a summer volunteer counselor in DECATS Houston.

STRAKE JESUIT COLLEGE PREPARATORY The Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Class of 2021 Valedictorian is Jonathan T. Makhoul. He will be attending Rice University in Houston in the fall.

In the community, Makhoul volunteered at the Houston Food Bank. In school, he was part of the SJ Quiz Bowl team, Student Council vice president, a Kairos retreat leader, a twotime freshman retreat leader, medical club president, Crusader JONATHAN guardsman for our MAKHOUL mascot, and Crusader Crew leader at orientation.

After college, Makhoul is considering going to medical school and become a surgeon.

The Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Class of 2021 Salutatorian is Andrew Michael Fischbach III. He will be attending Rice University in Houston in the fall to study physics and mathematics.

At Strake Jesuit, he ANDREW has been a member of FISCHBACH III the quantum physics club since freshman year, and started the astronomy club in his junior year. He revitalized the programming club with a friend during his senior year.

Fischbach is also a long-time member of the Sodality and the Frassati society, a three-time varsity swimmer and participated in club swimming over all four years, serving as the team captain for both high school and club swim team. Fischbach also served as a Kairos retreat leader, altar server for school Masses, and helped out with a number of swim meets both at Strake and with his club.

16 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • JUNE 8, 2021

COLUMNIST Campus ministry helps college students find their paths Thirty years ago, when I first started working in ministry to college students, I was an assistant dean of students in charge of the residence halls at a small Catholic college in the Northeast. It was not my best job.

While I found that I was not cut out for that sort of administrative work, I did learn that I loved the college students and appreciated their joys and struggles.

I was fortunate to find an opening in campus ministry after my second year and happily “made the leap!”

In those first years, though, I did learn a great deal. One thing is that we who were unaccustomed to university life had a habit of calling the students “kids.”

For several reasons, we were persuaded not to do this. One, many of the undergrads were — and are — in their 30s and beyond.

It’s also true that the university treats them as the adults they are: their bill, regardless of who pays, goes to the student, the grade reports do, too.

In this new scenario, parents are “interested” but not officially “involved” the way they were in earlier schooling.

After making the move to campus ministry, the challenges and the growth of the young men and women became

much more apparent to me. Particularly for the students coming right out of high school, university life is a time of encountering new ideas and knowledge on every side.

For many, it can be by FATHER PAUL almost overwhelming, ENGLISH, CSB since college life, academics, socialization, hours of hard work and the responsibility of freedom all make for a very different way of living, of organizing their life, of finding their path, their friends, their God. I am blessed to serve in campus ministry now at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

With the added variable of the COVID-19 pandemic, students have needed a place (if only a virtual one) where they could go and find encouragement, solace, prayer and opportunities to move beyond their challenges. My colleagues who have been at the university a few years more than I, have put together an impressive and multi-faceted ministry, seeking to

†

aid the students — as well as the faculty, staff and administration — in seeking and finding God in everyday university life.

The many offerings have attracted a surprisingly large number of students to become involved in praise and worship, in liturgical ministries, in service to the community, in faith sharing and Bible study, in drilling down into Church teachings on a variety of topics.

The retreats offered by campus ministry have numbers far beyond any I have seen in my 30 years in this ministry: 80 or 90 students participating in a retreat!

Then they return to everyday life inspired to continue their faith journey, often through offerings at campus ministry.

Our Archdiocese has an association of campus ministers who share prayer, support and ideas. I have found this collaboration to be a delight. What a blessing to be able to provide these opportunities to college students here. † Father Paul F. English, CSB, is chaplain of the University of St. Thomas Campus Ministry.

Music Director Position Available

St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, Huffman, Texas St. Philip in Huffman, (Lake Houston area) seeks a Choir Director who is a skilled keyboardist. This is a paid, faithbased position requiring 20 hours weekly. A resume and two interviews with audition are required. The Music Director / Keyboardist is responsible for developing a strong teachingbased Catholic music program, leading adult choir practice, three weekend liturgies and important occasions such as weddings, funerals, quinceañeras and occasional support for Continuing Christian Education.

St. Philip provides a state of the art sound system, grand piano, electronic keyboard, pipe organ, office and practice area.

Please direct all inquiries and resumes to:

Father Richard Barker at pastor@stphilip.cc

BRAUNS ROOFING, INC. Commercial | Residential CARPENTRY PAINTING SIDING

713-645-0505

www.braunsroofing.com

Free estimates

Discount with ad

SUNDAY MASS READINGS JUNE 13

First Reading: Ez 17:22-24

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 92:2-3, 13-16

Second Reading: 2 Cor 5:6-10

Gospel: Mk 4:26-34

JUNE 20

First Reading: Job 38:1, 8-11

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 107: 23-26, 28-31

Second Reading: Heb 2 Cor 5:14-17

Gospel: Mk 4:35-41

JUNE 27

First Reading: Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 30:2, 4-6, 11-13

Second Reading: 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15

Gospel: Mk 5:21-43 or Mk 5:21-24, 35-43

JULY 4

First Reading: Ez 2:2-5

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 123:1-4

Second Reading: 2 Cor 12:7-10

Gospel: Mk 6:1-6

JUNE 8, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald

17

WORLD

Stella Maris joins global call for increased security, end to piracy

C

M

Y

DR. EMILIE ROBERTS with FR. DAVID HARRIS

CM

MY

Pastor

CY

CMY

K

This year has been especially challenging to our schools amidst the pandemic. Our principals and teachers have done an amazing job adapting to the constantly changing academic environment.

Beyond administrative support, we have also provided extra support with tuition assistance and technology.

The Catholic Schools Office has done everything they can to support me and make me the best principal I can be. They assist me with academics, leadership, budgeting and religious training – critical to the success of our school.

They also foster a relationship between pastors and principals to better serve our students.

DR. EMILIE ROBERTS Principal, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School

DEBRA HANEY, M.ED.

Superintendent of Catholic Schools

Diocesan Services Fund Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Please consider a gift to DSF.

aimed at ending the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and commit to a list of actionable measures for enhancing security and raising awareness.

Father Ciceri said Stella Maris hopes governments and enforcement agencies can find a more permanent and longterm solution to the problem of piracy and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“We urge hijacked seafarers and fishers not to lose hope that they will be soon reunited with their loved ones and to remain strong in their faith,” he said.

“Families of the hijacked seafarers and fishers can also contact us for assistance and support.”

“We encourage the faithful to pray to Our Lady, Star of the Sea, to protect seafarers and fishers from all dangers and to support those who have been, and continue to be, affected by piracy,” Father Ciceri said.

Stella Maris chaplains supported seafarers in three piracy cases in 2020, providing pastoral care to the crew members affected by the attacks, Vatican News said. The charity works in more than 320 ports in 56 countries and supports more than 1,000 chaplains and volunteers worldwide and in the U.S., like in Galveston, Houston and Seattle. †

archgh.org/dsf

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Stella Maris has joined in a global call for ending piracy and improving security in the waters of West Africa.

Responding to increasing concerns and attacks in the region, representatives from the maritime and shipping industry drafted the Gulf of Guinea Declaration on the Suppression of Piracy in mid-May, calling for concrete action to end the threat of piracy in the region.

As of May 28, more than 280 organizations had signed on to show their support, including Stella Maris, the largest ship-visiting network in the world, dedicated to helping seafarers CNS PHOTO and fishers through its network of local chaplains and centers.

Members of the Philippine Coast Guard anti-terrorist unit board a cargo vessel to engage mock pirates “We fully support the efforts by who hijacked the vessel during a combined maritime law enforcement exercise in Manila in this May 6, all parties in the fight against piracy,” 2015, file photo. Stella Maris, a global maritime charity supporting seafarers, has joined a global call for said Father Bruno Ciceri, international ending piracy and improving security in the waters of West Africa. director of Stella Maris at the Vatican, who signed the declaration on behalf of statement reported by Vatican News on has become “a curse for seafarers over the organization.

May 27 and published at stellamaris.org. the past decade” as they run the risk of “It is unacceptable that seafarers, uk. being kidnapped at gunpoint for ransom. unsung heroes who keep world trade The declaration says, “Every person The violence, scope and sophistication moving, continue to be subjected to pirate deserves to be safe while carrying out of attacks on shipping have increased, attacks. Aside from disrupting the global their work and to be able to return to it said. The principal pirate bases are economy, the persistent threat of danger their homes without being victims of located within the Niger Delta. and harm considerable stress on violent Seafarers deserve no less.”

Those who sign onto the new 2021puts DSF school office .pdf 1 12/22/20 4:12crime.

PM seafarers and their families,” he said in a However, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea declaration become part of a new coalition

18 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • JUNE 8, 2021

UNSTOPPABLE class of 2021 David Adair Kristofer Arbasto Andrew Ballance Kunle Banigo Bradley Batterson Robert Beaujean Evan Benavides Michael Bevers Cael Boeckman Augustus Boettcher Cameron Bonner Brady Bourgoyne Jack Brendgord Zachary Bryant Nicholas Calhoun Dominic Calzolari John Carter Emilio Castaneda Thomas Castillo Maximillian Chung Arthur Clarke Jackson Cooper Peter Corbett Hunter Cummins Travis Cummins Xander De Anda Cade Delagarza Colin D’Elia Adam Desroches Robert Diamond

William Dundee Travis Ealy Tanner Erb John Fontenot Samuel Fordyce Dan Francis Dale Haden Gabel Diego Garcia Nunez Kristian Garza Adam Gensheimer Thomas Gentempo Richard Gerlach James Gibson Eduardo Gonzales David Gonzalez Jack Goza Patrick Greaney Griffin Gregory Rory Gremillion Christopher Guzman Garrett Halsell Ryan Hanks Harrison Heard Austin Henson Anthony Herger Tito Herrera Brendan Hotze Anthony Hudson Evan Hudson Jacob Hulvey

Charles Jardine Carlos Kaehler Nickolas Kanakidis Nicholas Kapusta Aidan Kelley Griffen Kindle Joshua King Alexander Kinsel Henry Koch Andrew Lambakis Vincent Lee Matthew Lim Francisco Llamosa Michael Longoria Andrew Love Dillon Lowe Raphael Mamaradlo Matthew Martin Christopher Martinez Drake Martinez Nicholas Maya Cameron McCurry Luke McLane Julian Melchor Dylan Michaels Andrew Miller Noah Mims Luiangelo Montes Leonardo Morales Benito Moreno-Garza

Joseph Mundell Thomas Murray Alessandro Nguyen Dat Nguyen Roman Ochoa Aidan O’Hare Vincent Ori Jhosua Pasuquin Phillip Patch John David Perez Patrick Pham Scott Pharr Ramon Pineda Ean Poggio Mark Pownall Nicholas Prioli Henry Proffitt Jamil Qasem Matias Ramirez de Alva George Rentz Michael Requenes Micah Reyes Luis Reyes Montoya James Rhodes John Rizzo Christian Rumohr Aaron Schlosser Alec Schneider Tayton Schneider Jaron Shelby

Kevin Silva Aleksei Silvestre Stephen Smith Anthony Staron Grant Stringer John Sudkamp Andrew Sutton Pablo Tager Ballesca Chris Tan Ian Tastard Drew Tolson Marshall Turbes Thomas Valdes Jackson Valdez Juan Vazquez Jorge Villalobos Riley Villarreal Heriberto Villegas Zachary Voltz Nathan Vu Haotong Wang Creighton Ward Jonah Webster Patrick Welch Xavier Whaley Kaleb Williams Leo Wilson Zachary Wilson Jonathan Wright Jadon Yeboah Bishop Yokubaitis

May Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge guide you in all your future endeavors!

St. Thomas High School • 4500 Memorial Dr. • Houston, Texas 77007 • sths.org • 713.864.6348

JUNE 8, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

WORLD

texas catholic herald

19

Canadian ethicists question plan to end limits on culturing human embryos TORONTO (CNS) — The international scientific body governing stem cell research is abandoning the absolute 14day limit on culturing human embryos in the laboratory, putting pressure on Canada’s law prohibiting the practice.

“As happens so often in human affairs, opening the door on a controversial but somewhat defensible position (not from the Catholic Church’s point of view though) bumps up against a boundary which is first deemed arbitrary and then seen as limiting true science. So the push is on to expand the pool of available research material,” Redemptorist Father Mark Miller, a bioethicist and founder of Redemptorist Bioethics Consultancy, told The Catholic Register, Toronto, in an email.

On May 26, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) said it was relaxing the 14-day rule, which prohibited experiments on human embryos past 14 days of development in the lab.

Rather than replace or extend the limit, the ISSCR now believes studies proposing to grow human embryos beyond two weeks should be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to several phases of review.

Up to 14 days, a human blastocyst — the earliest stage of fetal development — consists almost entirely of pluripotent cells, which are those that could develop into the constitutive elements of any organ in the human body. Beyond 14 days, the fetus becomes more complex, and cells begin to acquire the specific attributes of the organs they will become.

Following a decade of meetings by the Royal Commission on New Reproductive Technologies, Canada’s Parliament passed the Assisted Human Reproduction Act in 2004. The law specifies, “No person shall knowingly ... maintain an embryo outside the body of a female person after the 14th day of its development following fertilization or creation, excluding any time during which its development has been suspended.”

Blowing past the 14-day limit opens numerous ethical challenges, said Suzanne Scorsone, research director for the Archdiocese of Toronto, who was a commission member in the 1990s.

“You are dealing with the attempted reopening of an utterly huge subject,” she said in an email. “The difficulty of distinguishing pure research from commercial applications is very much at the core of the issues.”

Society has a legitimate role in

CNS PHOTO

A microscopic view shows a colony of human embryonic stem cells (light blue) growing on fibroblasts (dark blue) in this handout photo released to Reuters by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

regulating scientific research, Scorsone said.

“There will always be some people who will be trying to push the boundaries for their own interests, aware or unaware that they are pushing beyond what is for the common good or in keeping with human dignity,” she said.

Wider society “does have to oversee and set the terms in law for doing this,” she added.

Scientists themselves recognize and welcome outside scrutiny, said Jesuit Father Rob Allore, a geneticist and microbiologist, who is pastor of St. Mark Parish at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

“Scientific developments do often run ahead of the public discourse,”he wrote in an email. “Many scientists today believe it is important to find meaningful ways to include the wider public in the discourse around various research practices.”

While the Catholic Church has maintained opposition to in vitro fertilization and experimentation on the developing human fetus, what limits should be placed on science and how to enforce them have been debated since culturing humans in labs became possible in the 1970s.

Human embryonic stem cell research began in the 1990s. Dolly the sheep was

IN BRIEF Pope dedicates June prayers for soon-to-be newlyweds

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — While uncertainty in the world may deter young couples from taking the next big step in their relationships, the vocational call to marriage is a risk worth taking, Pope Francis said.

Marriage “is a challenging journey, at times difficult, sometimes even confrontational, but it is worth the risk,” the pope said. “And in this lifelong journey, the husband and wife are not alone: Jesus accompanies them.”

In a video message released by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network June 1, the pope offered his prayer intention for the month of June, which he dedicated to “the beauty of marriage.” Acknowledging the belief that young people “do not want to get married, especially in these difficult times,” the pope said that marriage and sharing one’s life “is a beautiful thing. Marriage is not just a ‘social’ act,” he said.

“It is a vocation that is born from the heart, it is a conscious lifelong decision that requires a specific preparation. Please, never forget! God has a dream for us — love — and he asks us to make it our own.” †

cloned in 1996. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, or CRISPR, technology for reading gene sequences began in 2005. However, the possibilities for genetic modification became much more apparent in 2013 with CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing technology.

Recent experimentation that has cultured lab-grown monkey embryos for up to 20 days and the possibility of

creating human-monkey chimeras — beings that contain genetic codes from two different species — has further pushed the envelope on embryonic stem cell research.

The church’s opposition to all forms of lab-made human fetuses should not mean that there is no Catholic voice on this developing science, Father Allore said.

The church has, generally, been interested in having a creative role in conversations about research involving human subjects and human biological material. This interest extends to the discourse around in vitro fertilization and stem cell technologies,” he said.

“It is not true that scientific research requires that any and all experimental procedures must be permitted. ...

Engagement with the wider public is a necessary feature of a healthy atmosphere for research,” the priest explained.

The role of the church will be to focus debate on some basic questions, Father Miller said.

“What or who are you performing your experiments on?” he asked. “There will be some interesting answers, like ‘pre-human life,’ ‘developing human life,’ but no reference to the individual and the sanctity of life.”

Father Miller said he wants to know whether research on lab-cultured human fetuses beyond 14 days is “really aimed at greater knowledge or alleviation of issues around pregnancy and birth? Or is there something more specific and possibly more lucrative if discoveries lead to patented procedures? In short, is it a fishing trip?” †

+ CATHOLIC CEMETERIES + Mount Olivet Cemetery 281-337-1641 Dickinson

Calvary Cemetery 409-948-1455 Galveston

• In ground burial sites • Mausoleum Crypts • Cremation niches • Cremation Garden • Monuments

• Markers

(Available for families to purchase for use in the Catholic Cemeteries)

Catholic Cemeteries

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Serving Families Since 1845

for more information, visit

archgh.org/cemeteries

20 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • JUNE 8, 2021

JUNE 8, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald

21

STATE & NATION

USCCB president explains how planned discussion on Eucharist was set WASHINGTON (CNS) — After receiving an unprecedented letter from 67 bishops appealing for a delay in a discussion during the bishops’ upcoming spring general assembly on whether to prepare a teaching document on the reception of Communion, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) president explained in a memo the procedure followed in bringing the question to a vote during the June 16 to 18 virtual meeting.

The back-and-forth messages follow an increasingly public debate among the bishops about Catholic politicians who support keeping abortion legal and whether they should be denied access to the Eucharist.

In a May 22 memo to fellow bishops, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles explained that the USCCB Administrative Committee approved a request from Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort WayneSouth Bend, Indiana, for the discussion on drafting a document to examine the “meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the Church.”

The Administrative Committee includes conference officers and all of the committee chairmen. It set the spring assembly agenda during its meeting in March.

Bishop Rhoades chairs the bishops’ Committee on Doctrine, which would draft the document if approved by the full assembly.

Archbishop Gomez’s memo came in response to a May 13 letter, which was obtained by Catholic News Service (CNS), to him from 67 bishops who asked that any discussion on “eucharistic coherence” be removed from the assembly agenda.

The Pillar, a news and analysis website covering the Catholic Church, first reported on the bishops’ letter, which cites May 7 correspondence from Luis Cardinal Ladaria, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican, to Archbishop Gomez.

The bishops wrote that “we respectfully urge that all conference-wide discussion and committee work on the topic of eucharistic worthiness and other issues raised by the Holy See be postponed until the full body of bishops is able to meet in person.”

Four cardinals are among those signing the letter: Blase Cardinal Cupich of Chicago, Wilton Cardinal Gregory of

Washington, Sean Cardinal O’Malley of Boston and Joseph Cardinal Tobin of Newark, New Jersey.

Archbishop Gomez said USCCB rules require that the body of bishops first be asked whether to issue a document on a particular topic. Bishop Rhoades took such a step by asking the Administrative Committee to include time on the spring agenda to discuss such a question. The committee agreed.

The process, the memo explained, involves the creation of an “Action Item” for the bishops to consider.

“Importantly, the Action Item does not ask the body to approve a final statement, but only whether drafting of a text may begin,” the memo said.

It added that if the action is approved, the doctrine committee would begin its work, subject to the conference’s “usual process of consultation, modification and amendment” when presented for consideration at a future general assembly.

“As you will note, the focus of this proposed teaching document is on how best to help people to understand the beauty and mystery of the Eucharist as the center of their Christian lives,” the archbishop wrote.

Archbishop Gomez’s memo included a draft, dated May 14, of an outline of a possible document with the proposed title “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the life of the Church: Why It Matters.”

It outlines three parts, subtitled “The Eucharist, A Mystery to be Believed,”“The Eucharist, A Mystery to be Celebrated” and “The Eucharist: A Mystery to be Lived.”

Each part has three topics that would be addressed including, respectively, the real presence of the body and blood of Christ in Communion, unity, beauty and identity as the“fount and apex of the whole Christian life,” and moral transformation, eucharistic consistency and missionary discipleship.

The letter from the bishops was sent on letterhead of the Archdiocese of Washington. The archdiocese did not respond to a CNS email seeking comment.

The bishops said the serious nature of “eucharistic worthiness” and other issues raised in Cardinal Ladaria’s letter requires the bishops to “forge substantive unity,” something which they said is “impossible to address ... productively in the fractured and isolated setting of a distance meeting.”

Know a loved one

in jail or prison?

LET US HELP!

Correctional Ministries Archdiocesan Office 713-741-8732

archgh.org/correctionalministries

“The high standard of consensus among ourselves and of maintaining unity with the Holy See and the universal Church as set forth by Cardinal Ladaria is far from being achieved in the present moment,” the prelates wrote.

“Moreover, as the prefect’s sound theological and pastoral advice opens a new path for moving forward, we should take this opportunity to reenvision the best collegial structure for achieving that,” the letter said.

Cardinal Ladaria in his letter urged the U.S. bishops to proceed with caution in their discussions about formulating a national policy “to address the situation of Catholics in public office who support legislation allowing abortion, euthanasia or other moral evils.”

The cardinal also reiterated what he had said he had told several groups of U.S. bishops during their 2019-2020 “ad limina” visits, namely that “the effective development of a policy in this area requires that dialogue occurs

in two stages: first among the bishops themselves, and then between bishops and Catholic pro-choice politicians within their jurisdictions.”

Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico, one of the 67 signatories of the letter to Archbishop Gomez, said the correspondence was not meant to be divisive, but was in fact “in keeping with Cardinal Ladaria’s exhortation for an extended and serene dialogue.”

“The letter is basically a direct response to Cardinal Ladaria’s intervention,”Wester told CNS May 26.

“The letter asked Archbishop Gomez to share it with the Administrative Committee. It is trying to use the processes of the conference,” Archbishop Wester said, noting that the Administrative Committee must set the final agenda for the June plenary assembly.

Archbishop Wester said the letter was “meant to create unity among the bishops” in advocating for a better time to have this discussion. †

IN BRIEF Video series highlights Marian devotions, customs in U.S. mission dioceses

CHICAGO (CNS) — A special video series developed by Catholic Extension for the “Month of Mary” has highlighted throughout May the many ways Catholics of the Americas honor Mary in their native languages and culture customs.

The videos share Marian traditions popular in the faith communities that receive support from the Chicago-based organization that has been supporting the work and ministries of the nation’s mission dioceses since its founding in 1905.

“Everywhere we visit, the Blessed Mother is a constant symbol of hope and comfort,” Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension, said in a statement. “The beautiful ways in which people of different cultures express their devotion to Mary is inspiring, and we invite all Catholics to share in this celebration.”

The videos have been released each Sunday of May. The fourth in the series, scheduled for May 30, is about the devotion to Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre (Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre), the patroness of Cuba. It features the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, near Santiago, Cuba, in the village of El Cobre.

This particular video coincides with Pope Francis’ call April 21 for a “Prayer Marathon” to be conducted for the entire month of May to end the pandemic, with each day featuring a different Marian shrine and the rosary broadcast from different locations.

“While we respond to the Holy Father’s call to join him in prayer for an end to the pandemic, we invite you to see how the Blessed Mother is a constant symbol of hope in the places we visit,” said Joe Boland, vice president of Catholic Extension. “It is one more way that we can join together as a Catholic family of faith and connect with one another.”

The videos can be viewed by registering for access at catholicextension.org/mary.

The three videos released on the previous Sundays of May feature: — Our Lady of the Sioux: Oglala-Lakota Native American Community in South Dakota.

— Our Lady of La Vang: Vietnamese Community in Sacramento, California.

— Our Lady of Fatima: Dominican Sisters of Guánica, Puerto Rico. †

The write stuff: Catholic school students win national handwriting contest

WASHINGTON (CNS) — In our modern, high-tech society, it turns out some students still have good penmanship. And the winners of this year’s Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest, announced this May, have very good penmanship. Students’ entries were judged by how they wrote: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

That sentence has been the standard criteria in the educational company’s annual handwriting contest for the past 30 years because it contains every letter of the alphabet.

The judges examine the letters in each of these nine words carefully, eyeing the shape, size, spacing and slant to determine the best elementary school handwriting across the country. Students in kindergarten through second grade submit manuscript or print entries in the contest, while students in grades three through eight submit cursive entries.

They also were asked to answer, in their best penmanship, how their handwriting makes them a better reader and writer and why this is important.

To be in the contest, students first had to win best in their grade in their school’s handwriting contest. In this year’s contest, three students from Catholic schools won the grand national championship as the top writers for their grade level. †

22 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • JUNE 8, 2021

MUNDO CATÓLICO Una vocación: El Ministerio del Catequista

Hace unos días la Oficina de Prensa del Vaticano anunció el texto del Motu proprio “Antiquum ministerium” del Papa Francisco sobre el Ministerio del Catequista. Ya en 2018, el Papa había hablado de la necesidad de dar a este servicio una dimensión institucional en la Iglesia y afirmó con claridad que el “catequista es una vocación”: “Ser catequista, esa es la vocación, no trabajar como catequista”. Y añadió que esta “forma de servicio que se realiza en la comunidad cristiana” requería ser reconocida “como un verdadero y genuino ministerio de la Iglesia”. ¿Qué es un motu propio?

Es un documento de la Iglesia católica emanado directamente del papa, es un acto legislativo (tiene forma de decreto) promulgado por el Papa, por su propia iniciativa y autoridad. Y ahora el ministerio del catequista se establece de manera formal dentro de la Iglesia.

Esto es un gran avance y algo querido desde el Concilio Vaticano II. De hecho, establecer de manera formal el

ministerio del catequista ayudara a solidificar lo que el nuevo Directorio para la Catequesis pide y define, que la naturaleza de la catequesis es “hacer que el anuncio de su Pascua resuene by continuamente en el corazón de cada persona ADRIAN HERRERA para que su vida se transforme” (n.55). Esta catequesis hecha por hombres y mujeres maduras en su fe acompaña, educa, forma, introduce en la celebración del Misterio e ilumina e interpreta la vida y la historia humana. Y para poder acompañar, educar y formar, el Catequista tiene que estar consciente que toda Catequesis debe de presentar el Kerygma (el primer anuncio) y ayudar a profundizar a descubrir la belleza de la persona de Jesucristo. El Kerygma es anunciar la buena nueva, pregonar a todo el mundo que “Jesús nos ama, dio

†

su vida para salvarnos, y ahora esta vivo a nuestro lado para iluminarnos, fortalecernos y liberarnos” (cf. n.58).

Nos daremos cuenta pues, que el ministerio del Catequista no es nada más la maestra que educa a los niños para la celebración de los sacramentos, el ministerio del Catequista es mucho más que esto. No olvidemos que el Obispo es el catequista por excelencia, pero también en la constitución del cuerpo de Cristo, hay diversos dones y los fieles en virtud del Bautismo y la Confirmación participan en su oficio sacerdotal, profético y real (cf. LG 31, AA 2). La persona del catequista es esa persona que anuncia la fe de la Iglesia, la acompaña, educa, forma, introduce e ilumina e interpreta la vida y la historia humana. Por consiguiente el Directorio recalca y reitera que la “Catequesis de adultos, al estar dirigida a personas capaces de una adhesión plenamente responsable debe ser considerada como la forma principal de catequesis a la que todas las demás….las otras edades debe

tenerla como punto de referencia” (n.77).

Este es un gran momento para la Iglesia en sus esfuerzos de evangelización y resaltar este ministerio del Catequista que es vital en la vida de la Iglesia. La persona del catequista pertenece a una comunidad cristiana y su servicio es vivido dentro de esta comunidad. No solo esto, el ministerio del catequista ayuda a que la persona del catequista sea 1) testigo de la fe y custodio de la memoria de Dios 2) Maestro y mistagogo 3) acompañante y educador.

Pidamos pues al Espíritu Santo que envíe mas catequistas que sean generosos y dispuestos a trabajar en comunión con los sacerdotes y el obispo para que así puedan dar esperanza de nuestra fe. † Adrian Alberto Herrera es director asociado para la Oficina de Evangelización y Catequesis en la Arquidiócesis.

EN BREVE Papa: La perseverancia es necesaria para la oración

New Hospital Indemnity Policy, HI-2019

A no deductible hospital, outpatient and preventive care policy. No lifetime maximum, up to $250,000 per sickness or injury.

First day confinement $3,750 or $4,750 ICU. Second day and beyond $2,500 or $3,450 ICU. Pays 200% of Medicare fee schedule for surgical benefits. Home recuperation benefit of $200/ day for 75 days. Includes: Doctors office visits, tests, ER, ambulance and drug card.

An individual age 50 to 64 can buy this HI policy for $281 a month.

Underwritten by A+ rated Better Business Bureau, Southwest Service Life, serving Texans, Since 1962.

Medicare Supplement

Issue age supplements can save you money over the life of the policy. A married female, age 68 pays $119.02 monthly, for an issue-age Plan G supplement.

Underwritten by Old Surety Life Insurance Company, Since 1934.

George Keller & Associates, PLLC Serving Texans, Since 1983

281-460-5698 or 936-597-6969 74 Naples Lane, Montgomery TX, 77356

APOYO PASTORAL A VÍCTIMAS DE ABUSO SEXUAL DEL CLERO En un continuo esfuerzo por facilitar atención pastoral a las victimas de abuso sexual del clero o del personal de la Iglesia, el Cardenal DiNardo gustaría recordar a los fieles de la Arquidiócesis la disponibilidad del Coordinador de Ayuda a Víctimas. Si alguien ha sido victim de abuso sexual del clero o del personal de la Iglesia, se les anima llamar a la Diane Vines al 713-654-5799. Por favor rece por la sanación de las víctimas del abuso y por todos los que sufren de alguna manera.

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Quienes superan distracciones u obstáculos al orar aprenden el valor de la perseverancia en tiempos de prueba, dijo el papa Francisco.

“El verdadero progreso de la vida espiritual no consiste en multiplicar los éxtasis, sino en el ser capaces de perseverar en tiempos difíciles”, dijo el papa el 19 de mayo durante su audiencia general semanal.

“Camina, camina, camina… Y si estás cansado, detente un poco y vuelve a caminar.

Pero con perseverancia”, dijo.

En su discurso, el papa reflexionó sobre las dificultades que las personas pueden enfrentar al tratar de rezar, entre ellas “distracciones, aridez y pereza”, así como la importancia de reconocerlas y superarlas.

Tanto en la oración como en la vida cotidiana, dijo, la mente a menudo “da vueltas, da vueltas por todo el mundo” y a algunas personas “le cuesta detenerse durante mucho tiempo en un solo pensamiento”.

“Las distracciones no son culpables, pero deben ser combatidas”, dijo. “En el patrimonio de nuestra fe hay una virtud que a menudo se olvida, pero que está muy presente en el Evangelio. Se llama ‘vigilancia’”.

Citando el Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica, el papa dijo que la aridez ocurre cuando el corazón de uno “está desprendido” y lo deja “sin gusto por los pensamientos, recuerdos y sentimientos, incluso espirituales”.

Si bien las razones de esa sensación de aridez pueden variar desde dolencias físicas hasta agitación interior, el papa dijo que a menudo “no sabemos bien la razón”.

“Los maestros espirituales describen la experiencia de la fe como un continuo alternarse de tiempos de consolación y de desolación; momentos en los que todo es fácil, mientras que otros están marcados por una gran pesadez”, explicó.

Si bien la vida a menudo está llena de “esos días grises”, el papa dijo que el peligro radica en “tener el corazón gris: cuando este ‘estar decaído’ llega al corazón y lo enferma”.

“Esto es terrible: ¡no se puede rezar, no se puede sentir la consolación con el corazón gris! O no se puede llevar adelante una aridez espiritual con el corazón gris”, dijo. “El corazón debe estar abierto y luminoso, para que entre la luz del Señor. Y si no entra, es necesario esperarla con esperanza. Pero no cerrarla en el gris”. †

HAVE A STORY IDEA?



The Texas Catholic Herald is always looking for stories. But since the TCH staff cannot cover all of the news in the Archdiocese, those in the community are a great resource for news stories and tips.

Email story ideas to TCH@ARCHGH.ORG for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue. For information on what to submit and issue deadline dates, visit the website at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/SUBMISSIONS.

IC ATE

JUNE 8, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald

90 0 0 B ELL AIRE B LVD, HOUS TON, T X 77036 PHONE: 713. 219.54 0 0 FA X: 713. 219.5499 S T-AGNES.ORG

Congratulations to the Class of 2021!

Hinano Adachi* Chloe Adu-Gyamfi Isabella Lauren Alvarez Viviana Angelique Amaya* Lara Aurora Amiouny* Canivan Rose Anton* Sofia Mercedes Antunez* Claudia Andreina Aramburu Tinoco* Alexa Isabel Armendariz* Daniela Marie Astralaga* Elizabeth Anne Athaide* Brooke Alison Ayala* Bridget Ellen Baarlaer* Olivia Grace Babasick* Katelyn Ann Bailey* Camila Pereira Baldasso* Isabella Ballerini* Blair Isabella Bath* Emma Liese Bernshausen* Brooke Michelle Bickham* Grace Sophia Birsinger Ava Joan Boettiger* Kate McCall Bolger* Faith Borkataky-Varma* Amelie Corrine Born* Ysabel Marie Born* Bethany Grace Bradley* Jessica Rose Breen* Anna Staton Brown* Linay Jewel Burge* Ashley Marie Burns* Emma Elizabeth Burrow Fernanda Calderon Brisa Maria Carroll* Corrin Alexandria Cartwright Natalie Alexis Casper Victoria Lee Chiang* Morgan Hope Childress Emily Grace Clark* Sophia Jolie’ Clark* Sophia Cecile Coletti* Claire Elizabeth Ansel Conery* Erin Rose Connolly* Chloe Elise Cooper* Genevieve Rose Cordes* Madison Brooke Corredor* Abigail Glenn Couvillon Colby Mina Covington* Elise Nicole Cunningham* Melina Elyssa Davis* Isabella Marie De Guzman* Elle Ryan De Los Santos* Amber Lynn Dedmon* Lily Claire deGroot* Adriana Lissette Delclos* Jada Dike* Sabrina Marie Dill Ryanne Olivia Dobbs* Adriana Sofia Doganieri* Rebecca Ann Dondlinger* Madison Lynne Downey* Trish Phuong-Truc Duong*

Ezenwanyi Queensheba Duru* Tatum Anastasia Dutherage* Beatriz Yvonne Eade* Haley Ann Echols* Madeleine Grace Endecott Daryn Chiemelum Ezikeuzor* Sophie Blake Fernandez* Maria Trinidad Ferrante* Anna Isabel Figueroa* Olivia Danielle Fitzpatrick* Ashley Elizabeth Florance* Natalia Patricia Flores Isabella Rose Forney* Grace Isabela Gallegos* Sydney Michelle Garcia* Rachel Emily Go* Jillian Josephine Green* Charlotte Elizabeth Greene* Alexandra Olivia Greer* Adrienne Elaine Grimes* Victoria Rose Groody* Catherine Warner Guinther* Margaret Shea Haggerty* Abigail Virginia Harris* Autumn Brooke Harris Jessica Ana Harris* Kendall Von Harris* Kennedy Ann Havens* Nicole Elizabeth Hay* Alexandra Grace Heard Emily Ann Heinz* Simone Priya Henry* Jillian Marie Hermoso* Isabella Grace Hernandez Arielle Ellyssa Herrera* Avery Elizabeth Heylmun Maya Isabella Hoffman* Ryan Alexandra Holcomb* Kaili Mackenzie Holfeld* Cristina Hron* Caroline Frances Hudgins* Anna Ngoc Huynh* Donna Katherine Iles* Jessica Lyn James* Sydney Katherine Jimenez Rorie Chandler Johnson* Hannah Elizabeth Johnston* Emily Aline Jones* Madelyn Elizabeth Kaelin Colby Jade Kahanek* Karina Ann Kilboy* Caroline Renee Kunkel* Katherine Grace Kunkel* Pearson Elizabeth Kurka* Emma Mireille Labbe* Chelsea QiaoZhi Lai* Bao-Tran Chu Le* Thu-Trang Tristyn Le* Olivia Nicole Lee* Jocelyn Leon* Anna Catherine Loft* Jennifer Mackenzie Lombard*

Abigail Riley Lord Hannah Bernadette Lowrey* Katharine Haley Luu* Sofia Kiriaki Lykidis* Lauren Q. Mai* Parker Kristie Manning Lily Catherine Mayo Maura Aine Mazerolle* Margaret Claire McCarthy* Grace Elizabeth McClanahan Olivia Hsiao McCullough* Mimi Wenxiao McHugh* Hope Alexandria McKinney Megan Eleanor McNulty* Christina Grace Medeiros* Claudia Melena* Bianca Armandina Mendez Lizeth Alejandra Mendoza Loredo* Natalie Virginia Messa Samantha Simmons Meyers* Jessica Mary Michael* Brooke Camille Middleton* Ariel Elizabeth Miller* Catalina Concepcion Mollai* Ryann Catherine Moos* Erica Lauren Mueller* Annalee Marie Nanez* Fernanda Navarro* Katelyn Phuong Uyen Nguyen* Tiffany Anna Nguyen* Rachel Adele Nielsen* InyeneAbasi Unwana Nkeme* Ava Marie Oelkers Simone Mmesoma Okenyi* Alexandria Kaye Oliver Makenzie Elizabeth Olsen Isabella Caitlin O’Malley*

Oluwatoyosi Jennifer Onabanjo* Gina Paola Orjuela Rachel Hannah O’Sullivan* Crystel Alexandria Ozigboh* Katelyn Megan Pahl* Mary Lorrain Perea* Megan Anne Perry* Katherine Sue Pfeifer* Claire Rose Phelps* Katherine Paige Phillips Madison Jewel Phillips Isabella Lauren Posoli* Kathryn Elizabeth Prappas* Sara Barber Price* Tess Isabelle Purdy Lillian Audrey Putney* Brianne Elizabeth Raymond* Sophia Isabella Marita Rebello* Helena Marie Restrepo* Josie Nicole Reyes* Lily Ann Rizzo* Camila Rocha* Angie Karina Rodriguez* Caroline Marie Rodriguez Avery Isabel Roman* Eve Carolyn Rosenfeld* Nicole Elizabeth Rosenfeld* Eleanor Elizabeth Ryan* Saron Dawit Sahle Gabriella Alessandra Salazar* Sofia Sanchez Kathleen Anne Schmidt* Calista Michelle Schneidau* Sydney Ayn Schwartje* Jacqueline Elizabeth Sellers* Sarah Jane Severin* Genevieve Annette Sheara*

Reese Ann Silberman Sarah Elizabeth Sparks Arden Marie Staples Mia Catherine McGovern Still* Camila Karla Suarez Isabel Penelope Suschitz Caroline Grace Tanner* Sofia Tarantini* Caitlyn Ky-Ning Teh* Sophia Michele Tejeda* Avery Zen Thomas Julia Caroline Thompson* Sarah Elizabeth Tidwell* Gabrielle Sequiti Tobias* Ailed Andrea Torres Espinosa* Natalia Torres Kayla Michelle Nguyen Tran* Sabrina Ci Trieu* Chinelo Chelsea Umeh* Agustina Urcola* Veronica Isabel Urreiztieta Emma Grace Villarreal* Amanda Rose Von Ruff* Jacqueline Ann Vrabec* Isabel Grace Wagers Olivia Claire Walden* Carolyn Grace Watts* Lauren Grace Wells* Meghan Elise Yee* Callie Ashton Young* Muzyk Adia Young Claire George Zeinieh* Analicia Nicole Zuniga* *National Honor Society

2021 Graduates by the Numbers 90

56%

44%

DISTINCT UNIVERSITIES

IN STATE OUT OF STATE

27

36% 64%

DIFFERENT STATES

PUBLIC PRIVATE

16

STUDENTS RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

13

STUDENTS RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL HISPANIC RECOGNITION PROGRAM

23

24 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • JUNE 8, 2021

MILESTONES AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE Editor’s Note: Contact event organizers for the latest updates and information.

View more listings at www.archgh.org/ata.

JUNE 19

MASS AND PRO-LIFE ROSARY, 8 a.m. Mass at Annunciation (1618 Texas St., Houston) followed by Rosary at Houston Women’s Clinic (4820 San Jacinto St.). Parking along Caroline St. For more on this event, visit archgh.org/prolife.

JUNE 26

CONFERENCE ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Prince of Peace (19222 Tomball Pkwy., Houston). Freedom, Faith, and Family conference includes Peter Kreeft and KSHJ’s Tim Motte and Joe McClane.

Registration required: www.pophouston. org/pro-life. Free. fschaeffer@att.net, 281627-0340 or sgallagher@pophouston.org, 281-571-4136.

JUNE 25-27

RESALE SHOP, Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Luke the Evangelist Cenacle Learning Center (1750 Riverstone Ranch Dr., Pearland). St. Luke the EvangelistCenacle Learning Center is hosting a mega Resale Shop with sports and outdoor goods, toys, shoes, clothing, home goods and holiday-seasonal items.

JUNE 26-27

DINNER, Saturday: 5 to 8 p.m. and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; at St. Matthew (9915 Hollister St., Houston). KC Council #7136, hosts a barbecue dinner. $10 plates include sliced beef and sausage, beans and coleslaw.

Pre-orders begin June 7 to 24, then first come, first served. To-go only. To order, call 832-443-4078.

JULY 2

ORDINATION MASS OF BISHOP-ELECT ITALO DELL’ORO, 2 p.m. at Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (1111 St. Joseph Pkwy., Houston). Watch live online at www.archgh. org/live as Bishop-Elect Italo Dell’Oro is ordained as the newest auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

JULY 15-17

GARAGE SALE, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at St. Ignatius of Loyola Christus Center (7810 Cypresswood, Spring, 77379). Furniture, household items, clothing, jewelry, baby items, toys, books and other treasures. Rain or shine. For information, email garagesale@ silcc.

JULY 25-27

MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND, Virtual Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend for married couples to increase love and romance in their marriage and improve their communication. Join from the comfort of home. $100 application fee. Registration and information: www.houstonme.org.

JULY 30-31

GARAGE SALE, Saturday: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Sunday: 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at St John the Baptist (110 E St. Alvin). CDA Court #2073 hosts a garage sale, drop-off items on Wednesday, July 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Information: Ida Salinas at 281-468-7052 or idacsr@sbcglobal.net.

How to submit events for Around the Archdiocese E-mail the event details (see below) to tch@archgh.org for possible inclusion in Around the Archdiocese. There is no charge for listings but space is limited.

Around the Archdiocese

• Include the name of your event along with date, time, location (with full address) and a brief description of your event • If the event is for charity, include the benefiting group or organization; Include the cost for tickets or note that it’s free • Name, phone and/or e-mail address of the contact person that you want readers to call/e-mail with questions

Local Catholic Scouts earn accolades Girl Scout earns prestigious Emerald Circle Scholarship

HOUSTON — Kennedy Nyreé Wiltz, member Our Lady Star of the Sea Church and member of the Junior Supreme Lady of the Knights of Peter Claver Junior Division, received the Girl Scout 2021 Emerald Circle Scholarship.

Emerald Circle awards scholarships for higher education to outstanding Gold Award recipients to allow them to work to achieve their dreams of a higher education and continue the hallmarks of Girl Scouting, service and leadership.

Wiltz earned her Gold Award in 2020 by working 150 hours to plan and conduct a two-day bullying workshop event involving eight different styles of bullying that exist today: collective, cyber-bullying, cyberstalking, individual, physical, relational, social and verbal.

Wiltz has also created a Bullying Prayer Book, and is the author (along with Scout Leader Marie Ledet) of two books about bullying in a series called “Bullying In The Know!” †

GIRL SCOUT KENNEDY NYREÉ WILTZ

Boy Scout earns Eagle Scout rank despite pandemic SPRING — Paul Matthew Eisterhold, senior patrol leader at Troop 355, chartered by St. James Catholic Church, and a parishioner at St. Edward Catholic Church in Spring, earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

In order to earn this coveted award, Eisterhold had to earn at least 21 merit badges — 12 of which are specific Eagle required badges — exhibit scout spirit by living out the Scout Oath and Law, serve in leadership roles in his troop, volunteer in his community and plan and execute a project worthy of an Eagle.

His project was to construct a covered rest area along the Cypress Creek Greenway in Jesse Jones Park.

In the months to follow, Eisterhold created drawings, attained materials, assembled crews and began construction at his home. On the Saturday before the country shut down, his crew erected a large portion of the structure in the park, but because of

EAGLE SCOUT PAUL MATTHEW EISTERHOLD the pandemic, all construction halted two days later.

Months later, his project was finally completed, but only family members were allowed to work on it. In the end, numerous volunteers had donated over 350 hours to construct and erect the beautiful structure that can be found in Jesse Jones Park today.

“The pandemic certainly hindered progress on my Eagle Project, but thankfully, I was ultimately able to complete it, but only with family members, which turned out to be a silver lining, as it made the experience more personal and meaningful to me,” Eisterhold said. †

• Website address for your organization (if you have one) • Name, phone and e-mail address of the media contact person for verification • Please write “Around the Archdiocese” in the subject line of the email to tch@archgh.org Please note that due to space and other factors, we cannot guarantee placement or frequency in Around the Archdiocese, but we will whenever possible do our best to get your event into the section.

ADVERTISING Want to advertise in the Texas Catholic Herald?

Visit ARCHGH.ORG/TCH to download our media kit or or email ADS@ARCHGH.ORG to get more information.