Texas Catholic Herald - Nov. 23, 2021

NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

RACING TOGETHER

1

What is the origin of the Advent wreath? And how to bless a wreath at home

Catholic school students portrayed their favorite saints for All Saints celebrations ▪ SEE PAGE 12

NOVEMBER 23, 2021

texas catholic herald

ADVENT WREATHS

CELEBRATING ALL SAINTS

▪ SEE PAGE 14

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

VOL. 58, NO. 12

A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS OF DEATH

It’s back! Steps for Students race returns for in-person run Online registration for Feb. 12 race now underway

BY REBECCA TORRELLAS Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — One of the largest events in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston returns as an in-person event. In its 17th year, Steps for Students is a celebratory race that allows the Archdiocese’s Catholic schools to raise funds while also providing a wonderful platform for people across the Archdiocese to gather in downtown Houston in support of Catholic education.

After last year’s virtual event, organizers are confident there will be a large turnout in downtown on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, See STEPS FOR STUDENTS, page 6

VIVA LA VIRGEN!

Our Lady of Guadalupe festival dances on a smaller scale Dec. 5

CNS PHOTO

Lola Lindroos, 16, lights a candle at a makeshift memorial Nov. 8 for the 10 concertgoers who died in a crowd surge during rapper Travis Scott’s AstroWorld Festival Nov. 5 at NRG Park. Lindroos was one of the 50,000 people who attended the event. Annunciation Catholic Church in downtown Houston hosted a prayer vigil on Nov. 8 to pray for those impacted by the tragedy.

Annunciation vigil speaks hope in wake of AstroWorld tragedy

BY JAMES RAMOS Texas Catholic Herald

HOUSTON — With many church events resuming since parishioners have received COVID-19 vaccines, the festival for Our Lady of Guadalupe is gearing back up Dec. 5 with excited organizers and Aztec dancers preparing to celebrate.

But the 49th celebration will be a scaled-down version to commemorate the Virgin Mary appearing as Our Lady of Guadalupe to a humble peasant on his way to Mass to attend the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Last year the pandemic caused the cancellation of the large event that draws thousands of people. This year as well, no downtown Houston parade of beating

HOUSTON — Named after the encounter between the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary recounted in Luke’s Gospel, when the archangel declared to her, “Be not afraid,” Annunciation REQUIESCAT Catholic Church in downtown Houston IN PACE opened its doors as a place of peace and refuge to host a prayer vigil on Nov. 7 to pray for and honor the souls of the people who died during a fatal crowd surge at a Houston music festival Nov. 5.

Mourners, local business leaders and city officials, including Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, attended the event, which was led

by Father Paul Felix, Annunciation’s pastor.

McIngvale, a Catholic and parishioner at Assumption Catholic Church in Houston,

See GUADALUPE, page 5

See ASTROWORLD, page 4

BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald

A SHEPHERD’S MESSAGE † 2

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COLUMNISTS † 13 - 15

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PHOTO COURTESY OF OFFICE OF HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE LINA HIDALGO

Annunciation Catholic Church in Houston hosts a prayer vigil with several city and county leaders on Nov. 7 to honor those who died in the AstroWorld tragedy.

ESPAÑOL † 18 | AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE † 19

2 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

El Cardenal Daniel DiNardo comparte su columna en línea en español.

Visite www.archgh.org para leer su artículo en línea.

A Shepherd’s Message

By Daniel Cardinal DiNardo

A

dvent arrives on Nov. 28 this year and (unlike most Advents) will last almost four complete weeks. It will give us time to think, to pray and to “work for” the Coming of Christ in this year that has been marked by anxiety, illness, quarantines, vaccines, healings and an occasional glimmer of hope.

We can see each other more readily now and enjoy an in-person presence more and more frequently. It is a time to welcome one another and all back to Mass again!

Advent means “coming” or “visitation” and Advent anticipates the mysteries of Christ’s Second Coming and of His Incarnation: the Conception, Birth and Epiphany of His first Coming. These realities are marked in our calendars in December and early January.

The time given to us in this season is: to open ourselves in quiet and silence to receive this visitation as well as to pray in song, psalms and hymns so as to keep this open spirit alive. Advent also has been a season for the care of the poor and outreach in justice and charity for the nameless and the voiceless. This is even more so this year.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI once wrote: “...But may it not be the case that God is waiting for me in this stillness? May it not be the case that he is doing here what Jesus says in the parable of the vine: “Each branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may

“What we learn in the time of anxiety and purification, of waiting and pain, is that the Lord is accompanying us and has been there all along. We just did not notice Him. We had no ‘time’ for Him. Now we do have time.” bear more fruit.’ (John 15:2)?”

What we learn in the time of anxiety and purification, of waiting and pain, is that the Lord is accompanying us and has been there all along. We just did not notice Him. We had no “time” for Him. Now we do have time.

It is difficult to be still and alone — alone with the Lord. There are so many more important things we have to do. Sometimes it is illness or a quarantine that slows us down and awakens us to God’s call. In that time we also rediscover our very selves. The Lord has been waiting for us even as we wait for Him. The entire course of Advent waiting is an act of Hope. Our life needs to be an act of Christian hope. Waiting can become unbearable if we remain completely uncertain about expecting or daring a new reality to come!

But we are not in that uncertainty for Christ has already come.

He waits to gather all the fragments of our sufferings, missed opportunities, even our failures into a remarkable unity, the unity of His presence among us. The birth of God’s Son brought a new way of looking at and living in the world. The world is ultimately meaningful because Christ has filled it all with His presence among us, an earthly presence to be sure, but now an earthly heavenly presence.

Whatever Christ did has passed now into “His mysteries” (St. Leo the Great) such that He is present everywhere and within every human experience and event.

Advent means coming. Advent means waiting. We are waiting for God. God is already waiting for us. “May the Lord strengthen your hearts, making them blameless and holy before our God and Father AT THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS with all His holy ones.” (1 Thess 3:12) †

Year of St. Joseph concludes Dec. 8

HOUSTON — Since Dec. 8, 2020, the Church has marked the 150th Anniversary of Pope Pius IX’s decree, Quemadmodum Deus, naming St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and foster-father of Jesus, as the Patron of the Universal Church.

To commemorate that anniversary and recognize the fitting time for the Church to invoke the intercession of this guardian, the Church has celebrated the “Year of St. Joseph,” as declared by Pope Francis, which will conclude on Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

“St. Joseph is very much a man of faith,” Daniel Cardinal DiNardo said. “We look to St. Joseph as a heavenly patron for guardianship or protection.”

PLENARY INDULGENCES: AN EXPLAINER Catholics can embrace St. Joseph in prayer and receive a plenary indulgence. The plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion and praying for the pope’s intentions) to the faithful who, with a spirit detached from any sin, participate in the Year of St. Joseph on the occasions and in the manner indicated by the Apostolic Penitentiary.

These include: meditating for at least 30 minutes on the Our Father; participating in a spiritual retreat of at least one day that includes a meditation on St. Joseph; performing a corporal or spiritual work of mercy; praying the Rosary in families and between a husband and wife; entrusting daily work to the protection of St. Joseph and to all believers who invoke with their prayers the intercession of the worker of Nazareth; praying the Litany of St. Joseph, or other prayers to St. Joseph, for the persecuted Church and for the relief of all persecuted Christians.

The gift of plenary indulgence extends particularly to the elderly, sick and dying, and those who cannot leave their homes. To learn more about the Year of St. Joseph and to explore special online resources, visit www.archgh.org/stjoseph.†

Publishing since 1964 (USPS 936-480) NEWSDESK 713-652-8215 • Fax: 713-659-3444 tch@archgh.org • www.archgh.org/tch CIRCULATION 713-652-4408 • rvasquez@archgh.org ADVERTISING ads@archgh.org • 713-652-4407 Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop, President & Publisher Jonah Dycus Communications Director & Executive Editor Rebecca Torrellas Managing Editor James Ramos Designer & Reporter Catherine Viola Graphic Designer & Ad Manager Kerry McGuire, Jo Ann Zuñiga Contributors 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.

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On the cover All Saints • Photo by Brooke Holmes/St. Martha

Catholic School

SYNOD RESOURCES For more information and resources about the Synod process in the Archdiocese of GalvestonHouston, visit the official website at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/SYNOD.

NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

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THE FIRST WORD IN BRIEF Registration for Steps for Students underway

HOUSTON — More than 12,000 participants are expected to gather downtown on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022 at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart for the 17th Annual Steps for Students 5K Run/Walk. The event raises funds and awareness for the network of 56 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese.

The day starts with Mass at 6:30 a.m. followed by the presentation of the David Guite Spirit Award. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will bless everyone present just before the 5K race begins at 8 a.m.; a post-race party will follow the event.

Dec. 27 is the deadline to guarantee T-shirt sizes and the last day to order Dri-Fit shirts. The timed-event registration fee is $20 and increases to $30 after Jan. 31, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. The untimed-event registration fee is $18, and increases to $28 after Jan. 31, 2022 at 11:59 p.m.

To register, or for more information, visit www. steps4students.org. †

Café Catholica Lite set for January PHOTOS BY CATHOLIC CEMETERIES

Catholics attend All Souls Day Mass on All Souls Day, Nov. 2, at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Dickinson. Three Masses were celebrated to honor the lives and pray for the souls of loved ones who have died.

Special Masses, cemetery cleaning mark All Souls Day celebrations HOUSTON — Praying for the souls of the departed to be blessed with eternal life in Heaven is the main point of All Souls Day that always lands on Nov. 2. This year, Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese celebrated All Souls Day Masses and a memorial cemetery cleaning.

Masses were celebrated at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Dickinson, Calvary Cemetery in Galveston and Holy Cross Cemetery in Houston. An evening candlelight Mass that was scheduled to be celebrated at Mt. Olivet Cemetery was moved to the nearby Shrine of the True Cross in Dickinson because of hazardous ground conditions caused by rains from the prior week.

On Nov. 6, Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston hosted a memorial cleaning at St. Vincent Catholic Cemetery, located next to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on Navigation Boulevard in Houston’s East End. Founded in 1856, St. Vincent’s is the first and oldest Catholic parish cemetery in Houston. Twelve volunteers from Archaeology Now, Archaeological Institute of America - Houston Society, joined Catholic Cemeteries staffers Stacy Batey, director of operations, and Michael Sabatier, head groundskeeper, as well as former director, Ray Albrecht.

Volunteers used a special solution to clean the memorials, which will continue to work months after its initial application. Officials said they hoped to host similar events in the future and thanked Archeology Now and the volunteers for their help.

ALL SOULS DAY

S

HOUSTON — The Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry will host the next Café Catholica Lite at St. Joseph Church, located at 1505 Kane St. in Houston, on Jan. 20, 2022, from 7 to 8:45 p.m.

The speaker for the in-person event is Chris Donatto from Adore Ministries. His topic will be “Do You Love Your Neighbor: Living Community.”

The night will include light snacks, the talk, a Q&A and communal prayer. The talk will be available to view online as well at www.archgh.org/cafecatholica.

The Café Catholica program seeks to help young adults ages 18 to 39 encounter Christ and His Church. All young adults are invited to join us for Café Catholica Lite throughout the year.

For more information, contact the Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry at yacm@archgh.org or 713-7418778. †

DSF annual appeal to support Archdiocesan ministries continues

Volunteers from Archaeology Now and Archaeological Institute of America - Houston Society clean memorial markers and headstones at St. Vincent Catholic Cemetery in Houston’s East End on Nov. 6.

St. Odilo of Cluny started All Souls Day in 998 A.D. when he decided to set aside Nov. 2 for the monasteries specifically to remember and pray for deceased monks who may have been going through the purification process in purgatory to be cleansed of sins.

Other cultures also celebrate similar remembrances, such as the Mexican Dia de los Muertos, not necessarily Catholic-based, but where families visit the graves of loved ones and bring them gifts and create altars that contain favorite food and other items that the loved ones enjoyed in life. † - By James Ramos

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 in our region.

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

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ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

RETIREMENT FOR RELIGIOUS COLLECTION

Proceeds from second collection help religious communities care for aging members. ▪ SEE PAGE 9

Father Felix: Vigil a chance to remind Houston of God’s love ASTROWORLD, from page 1 worked with Father Felix to coordinate and host the event. Other city officials, including Houston Fire Department Chief Sam Peña and Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan, also attended the event. Several members of the Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province were also in attendance.

Understanding the experience of losing family, Father Felix embraced the vigil as an opportunity for the Church to step in share its compassion and outreach to people in times of suffering and loss.

“As a pastor caring for souls, it’s important to reach out to those who are grieving,” he said. “They’re facing such loss, a myriad of emotions, and [the vigil] was a way to show that the Church is here for them and that God cares.”

He drew a parallel between Gabriel’s Annunciation message to Mary, when the archangel said, “Do not be afraid,” and announced God’s plan to her.

Father Felix found it appropriate that the parish was asked to host the vigil.

“We have the mission of announcing God’s plan [and love] to people who may not be able to see past what they’re facing,” and to share the Good News,

CNS PHOTO

Mourners in Houston wipe their tears while leaving the funeral for Brianna Rodriguez Nov. 13, a concertgoer who died in the concert crowd crush Nov. 5 at the 2021 Astroworld Festival held at NRG Park.

Annunciation Catholic Church in downtown Houston hosted a prayer vigil Nov. 8 to pray for those impacted by tragedy and for the souls of the 10 people who died.

he said, especially considering its long history of outreach since its founding 150 years ago. The parish was a hub of pastoral care during major city disasters and events, such as during World War II and Hurricane Harvey in 2017 when the nearby convention center hosted displaced Houstonians.

“We’re all at a loss explaining what happened,” McIngvale told KPRC. “All we can do is pray for the ones who unfortunately perished and pray for the ones who are still injured.”

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Dozens of people were seen in the weeks after the festival at NRG Park, paying their respects to the 10 people who died, leaving flowers and votive candles alongside messages of hope and care to remember them.

These acts carry even more meaning for Catholics, especially during the month of November when the Church prays for and remembers those who have died following All Souls Day. Votive candles lit in prayer flickered in the corners of the ornate downtown parish.

“It’s important to pray for the dead and to be available to offer the light of our faith and to offer consolation,” he said. “While we don’t know the state of their souls... we pray for the dead in spiritual solidarity with the Communion of Saints.”

Father Felix led a Vigil for the Deceased — a special Liturgy celebrated to pray for the dead. Following the Liturgy, he also prayed the Rosary, encouraging those attending to pray with him and to turn to the Blessed Mother for her intercession.

He hoped it was a source of inspiration and consolation for those attending, several who expressed their gratitude for the vigil to him later.

Father Felix was grateful for McIngvale’s invitation to host the vigil, calling it a “beautiful collaboration” between laity and clergy and a chance for the Church to highlight its mission to serve others.

The AstroWorld Festival, hosted by performer and Missouri City-native Travis Scott, drew more than 50,000 people to the music festival. During his performance, the crowds of audience members began to surge toward the

IN MEMORIA We pray for the repose of the souls of the men and women who died in the AstroWorld tragedy, as well as for the comfort and healing of their loved ones: DANISH BAIG, 27 MADISON DUBISKI, 23 RODOLFO ANGEL PEÑA, 23 BHARTI SHAHANI, 22 AXEL ACOSTA, 21 FRANCO PATINO, 21 JACOB JURINEK, 20 BRIANNA RODRIGUEZ, 16 JOHN HILGERT, 14 EZRA BLOUNT, 9

A PRAYER FOR THE DEAD In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest.

The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. stage and bordering security barricades, crushing attendees.

By Nov. 8, officials reported that 300 people were treated for injuries at the festival site, and 25 people were hospitalized. Victims who died ranged in ages between 9 and 27, eight of them at the concert and two at local hospitals.

The youngest, 9-year-old Ezra Blount, was placed in a medically induced coma after suffering serious injuries during the surge of fans, according to the Associated Press. He died on Nov. 14.

According to reports, the young boy was sitting on his father’s shoulders when the man lost consciousness. When he came to, his son was missing. Following a frantic search, he later found his son at a hospital with serious injuries.

Local officials said they are continuing a series of investigations following the fatal event. †

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Dec. 5 event honors Our Lady of Guadalupe GUADALUPE, from page 1 drums and swirling Matachine dancers will process to the George R. Brown Convention Center as in the past.

Instead, parishioners from churches across the city will gather Sunday, Dec. 5 at 3 p.m. in the Catholic Charismatic Center, 1949 Cullen Blvd., to celebrate Mass with Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro as homilist.

Priscella Marquez, president of the Archdiocesan Association of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which organizes the event, said, “This year’s celebration will be unique due to several new changes.

First of all, a new venue, having the new Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, as concelebrant, a short play and small music program after Mass, and best of all, just being able to celebrate Mass together.”

“Next year, for our 50th anniversary of celebrating Our Lady and her son Jesus, we hope to do a greater and bigger event back at the convention center and downtown with more public involvement,” Marquez said.

Lazaro Contreras, director of the Archdiocese Office of Hispanic Ministry, said “As the Patroness of the Americas … Our Lady of Guadalupe is a symbol of love and understanding, a unifying presence for all of us in the Americas.”

He added, “This event helps families pass on faith values to the younger

WANT TO GO?

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CELEBRATION

WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 5 at 3 p.m.

WHERE: Catholic Charismatic Center (1949 Cullen Blvd., Houston)

PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

A woman dressed as a traditional Azteca dancer performs during the 2019 Our Lady of Guadalupe procession in Houston. The event returns on Dec. 5.

family members, helping them nurture their spirituality. This event has a history.

It is how we express our faith, and it also helps others learn more about Our Lady.”

This tradition honors the time starting Dec. 9, 1531, on a hill near a rural village just outside Mexico City, when the Virgin

Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, appeared to a humble peasant on his way to Mass to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

His native name in Nahuatl was Cuauhtlatoazin (“one who speaks like an eagle”). In Spanish, he was named Juan

Diego, now a saint canonized by St. Pope John Paul II in 2002.

Surrounded by light and speaking in his indigenous tongue of Nahuatl, Our Lady told Juan Diego that she wanted a church built to manifest the love of Jesus and hear the petitions of the faithful. At her request, he approached Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who doubted the story.

After Juan Diego met with the Virgin Mary again on Dec. 12, she arranged roses within his cloak and told him this would be the sign that he should present to the bishop. When Juan Diego opened the cloak or tilma to show the flowers, the bishop was presented with a miraculous imprinted image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that still exists.

The name Guadalupe is a Spanish version of the Nahuatl word Coatlaxopeuh, meaning “the one who crushes the serpent.”

The Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, which displays Juan Diego’s cloak, has become one of the world’s mostvisited Catholic sites, second only to the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel in Rome. †

Retirement Fund for Religious Please give to those who have given a lifetime.

Like the women and men religious shown here, thousands of elderly sisters, brothers, and religious order priests spent decades ministering in Catholic schools, hospitals, and more—usually for little pay. Today, many religious communities struggle to care for aging members due to a lack of retirement savings. Your gift to the Retirement Fund for Religious helps provide nursing care, medicine, and other necessities. Please be generous.

retiredreligious.org Visit retiredreligious.org/2021photos to meet the religious pictured.

©2021 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington DC • All rights reserved • Photo: Jim Judkis

Please donate at your local parish December 11–12 or by mail at:

National Religious Retirement Office/GAL 3211 Fourth Street NE Washington DC 20017-1194

Make check payable to Retirement Fund for Religious.

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ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

In 2021, annual race raised $554,000-plus for Catholic schools STEPS FOR STUDENTS, from page 1

WANT TO GO?

at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, located at 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. Steps for Students raises funds and awareness for the network of 56 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese.

The event will start with a Mass at 6:30 a.m. followed by the presentation of the David Guite Spirit Award and President’s Cup. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will bless everyone present just before the 5K race begins at 8 a.m.; a post-race party will follow in the Catholic School Village.

Debra Haney, superintendent of Catholic Schools, said she is thrilled to be able to plan the Steps for Students 5K as an in-person event this year.

“We were able to see the ingenuity of our school communities at work in the virtual race last year, and we are so appreciative of the efforts of our teachers and families to make it such a successful event,” she said. “We are looking forward to gathering as a community to celebrate the goodness of our Catholic schools and how well they have managed through this global pandemic.”

Father Richard “Luke” Millette, J.C.L., judicial vicar of the Archdiocese, has run the 5K event for three years — one of them virtually — and has already signed up for the 2022 Steps for Students. He said that

STEPS FOR STUDENTS 5K RUN/WALK

WHEN: February 12, 2022 WHERE: Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (1111 St. Joseph Pkwy., Houston) REGISTER: www.steps4students.org • Timed 5K Price: $20 • Untimed 5K Price: $18 • Family Fun Run Price: $17 (This route is under a mile.)

All price levels increase by $10 after Jan. 31, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. CST

PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

Runners charge down San Jacinto Street in downtown Houston for the Steps for Students 5K Run/Walk in February 2020, the last time the annual event was held in-person. The race returns Feb. 12, 2022 at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.

as he reflects on Steps for Students, he is struck about how it is important for the schools in many different ways.

“There is of course the tangible benefit

Position Available: Nurse Coordinator

The Basilian Fathers are seeking a Nurse Coordinator (NC) who will be responsible for coordinating the plan of care of the retirement house of priests near the University of St. Thomas. Some retired priests require regular daily assistance with issues of memory and ambulatory challenges.

The NC oversees the schedule and responsibilities of trained professionals who perform routine service duties and procedures necessary for the care, comfort and safety of the priests, including performing and supervising skills to meet the activities of daily living. The NC will maintain a clean, safe environment which reflects the preferences and needs of the priests while utilizing the knowledge of communication techniques, infection control, safety, body mechanics, and age-related differences. The NC is expected to behave in a manner consistent with Gospel-based Christian values and must collaborate with others to ensure the overall Mission is achieved.

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of raising money to make Catholic Education more accessible to those who need it, but there is also the benefit of gathering as a community to rekindle bonds of friendship and strengthen our shared values,” he said. Father Millette said for almost two years, many of the faithful have faced different struggles, whether that is the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or the sense of isolation that grew while forced to maintain distance from each other. In 2021, over 6,500 people registered for the

virtual race and over $554,000 was raised to fund the unique needs of each of our Catholic schools.

“As things continue to slowly open up, I am accustomed to hearing the common refrain of how long it has been since we have seen each other and how happy they are to be getting together again,” he said. “In many ways, Steps for Students is a chance to move forward from the pandemic as we seek to help those who might be suffering economically so that they can receive a good education while at the same time giving us a chance to come together once again as a community for mutual support.”

The timed-5K registration fee is $20.

The untimed-5K registration fee is $18.

The Family Fun Run, which is a shorter run, is $17. All prices increase by $10 at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2022.“Hit the Snooze for Students” is $18, giving participants the opportunity to support their school without participating in the run.

To register, or for more information, visit www.steps4students.org. †

Claims/Risk Manager Houston, Texas

Catholic Mutual Group (CMG) was established in 1889 and is recognized as the leading provider of property and casualty protection and related services for the Catholic Church in the United States and Canada.

Catholic Mutual Group has an excellent opportunity for a Claims/Risk Manager (CRM) for our service office in Houston, Texas. The successful candidate will receive and adjust property/casualty claims by performing investigations/site inspections, evaluating liability, verifying coverages, and negotiating fair and equitable settlements. Responsibilities will also include promoting safety awareness through educational seminars and online training, and composing newsletters and other safety literature for distribution. Additional duties include general office administration and customer service. Frequent regional travel by automobile and an occasional overnight stay is required.

The individual in this position must have a good understanding of insurance with at least five years of experience in property and casualty claims adjusting. Prior risk management or safety experience is helpful. A four year college degree and good understanding of Catholic Church procedures and hierarchy is preferred.

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NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

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texas catholic herald

7

8 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD LOCAL

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

East and West drawn together in fellowship, faith Special to the Herald STAFFORD — The Western Rite met with the Eastern Rite at St. Peter’s SyroMalankara Catholic Church in Stafford on Oct. 31.

Father Binny Philip, the pastor of St. Peter’s Parish, invited the St. Mary’s Seminary community to encourage communication and cultural exchange between the Roman Catholic seminarians and the Malankara community.

“The uniqueness of liturgical worship in 24 rites and the unity in one faith is the beauty of the Catholic Church,” Father Philip said.

Thirty-one seminarians from St. Mary’s joined Father Eurel Manzano, rector; Father Michael Earthman, formation advisor and director of spiritual formation; Father Richard Hinkley, director of spiritual formation; and Father Jasper Liggio, spiritual director in visiting the parish community to attend Mass celebrated in the Malankara Catholic Rite.

Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro also joined Daniel Cardinal DiNardo in meeting Bishop Philipos Mar Stephanos, Bishop of the Malankara Catholic Eparch of the U.S. and Canada, and Father Philip.

James Mathew, Malankara parish secretary, said, “One of the true meanings

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SELICKS CHERIAN

At left, (left to right) Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Bishop Philipos Mar Stephanos, Bishop of the Malankara Catholic Eparch of the USA and Canada, and Father Binny Philip, pastor of St. Peter Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, meet during a visit to St. Peter’s Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in Stafford on Oct. 31. At right, a group of 31 seminarians from St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston joined several seminary staff and clergy to visit the Stafford parish in attending a Mass celebrated in the Malankara Catholic Rite.

of being a Catholic is when the East and West can come together to celebrate their shared faith.”

The uniqueness of the Syro-Malankara tradition lies in multiple ways. While, like all sui iuris churches in Catholic Church, it is under the authority of the Holy Father

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Pope Francis, the Mass or Qurbono has a lengthened epiclesis that includes many intercessions.

Sui iuris (which means “of one’s own right”) refers to the Universal Catholic Communion, which is comprised of 23 sui iuris Churches: The Roman Catholic Church and 22 other Churches known collectively as Eastern Catholic Churches.

The Syro-Malankara Church is one of these Eastern Churches in full communion with Rome.

John Clark, a fourth-year seminarian from Cypress, said, “I like that it’s long, and it’s nice to have time to pray. The intercessions are stronger and more explicit compared to the Latin Church.”

Joshua Biju, Malankara youth treasurer, said, “It was a nice experience to see the diversity and inclusion. The priests and seminarians graciously accepted and enjoyed our culture, company and food.”

In the Mass, the Eucharist is blessed, followed by many prayers and chanting intercessions and then the wine is sanctified, again followed by many prayers and intercessions. In the Latin Rite Church, the Eucharist and wine are sanctified consecutively.

“We worship in different ways, yet the praise and glory are offered to the Same Triune God,” said Salu Samuel, Malankara parish treasurer.

Before the Mass began, Father Philip explained that “the expression of Jesus’ experience is the basis of the Liturgy which is mainly rooted on the mission work of the Apostles and disciples.”

This Liturgy is rooted in signs, symbolic gestures, languages and references to the Old and New Testaments.

“You see the taking off of the shoes before entering the church and more reverence to the priest,” said Alejandro Moreno, a fourth-year seminarian from Brownsville. “The whole flow of the Liturgy is beautiful.”

Further, the Latin Mass includes often kneeling; however, the parishioners stand throughout most of the time in the Malankara Mass. Genuflecting is replaced with bowing in most cases.

The Malankara Qurbono (Mass) includes many hymns, specifically the alternating verses sung by the men and the women parishioners.

In his closing comments during the Oct. 31 Mass, Father Manzano discussed St. Peter’s role from the Gospel passage. Father Manzano referred to the charism of Peter,

WHAT IS THE SYROMALANKARA CHURCH? On Sept. 20, 1930, Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios reunited to the Catholic Communion from the Malankara Christian community of Kerala, India, after the separation of nearly 300 years. It is known as the Reunion Movement.

The Malankara Syrian Catholic Church (also known as the Syro-Malankara Church) is a Major Archiepiscopal Church, and its head is Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos, major archbishop of the Archdiocese of Trivandrum in Kerala, India. At present, there are 11 Dioceses which include 500,000 around the world.

In the U.S. and Canada, the diocese, St. Mary Queen of Peace Malankara Catholic Eparchy, is led by Bishop Dr. Philipos Mar Stephanos. St. Peter’s Church in Stafford, founded in 1985, belongs to this diocese and comprises 106 families. Presently, Father John Samuel Puthenvila, who previously served as pastor of St. Peter’s, is now the parochial vicar at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Houston.

Parish officials said the Archdiocese continues to offer spiritual and material support, with several Malankara priests working at the Archdiocese and staying as priests in residence at St. Thomas More Catholic Church for more than 20 years. † the patron saint of the Malankara Catholic Church in Stafford, as “united with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, the successor of Peter who in his ministry of charity presides over all the Churches in love.”

“I hope you will continue to inspire our young people to live this beautiful life of a vocation to the priesthood, give oneself totally to God,” he said.

Father Earthman said the visit to St. Peter’s “was an amazing opportunity for St. Mary’s Seminary to experience the rich liturgical and cultural diversity of the worldwide Catholic Church at the SyroMalankara parish in the Greater Houston Area... The seminarians and visiting priests learned to ‘breathe with both lungs’ as Pope St. John Paul encouraged us to do. The West Syrian tradition is full of beautiful liturgical texts that faithfully transmit the Catholic faith we share in common.”

To learn more about St. Peter’s, visit www.spmcc.org. †

LOCAL

NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald

9

Collection helps aging priests, sisters, brothers in religious orders in Houston and nationwide HOUSTON — The Archdiocese will hold the Retirement Fund for Religious collection on Dec. 11 and 12.

The parish-based appeal is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) in Washington, D.C. Proceeds help religious communities across the country to care for aging members.

Last year, the Archdiocese donated $344,990.04 to the collection. In 2021, the Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province and the Missionary Carmelites of St. Teresa received financial support made possible by the Retirement Fund for Religious.

“I am continually heartened by the generosity of U.S. Catholics,” said NRRO Executive Director Sister Stephanie Still, a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of San Francisco. “Even in difficult times, they find a way to give back to those who have tirelessly served our Church and our world.”

Hundreds of U.S. religious communities face a large gap between the needs of their older members and the funds available to support them.

Historically, Catholic sisters, brothers

RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUS COLLECTION

BY THE NUMBERS

$344,990.04

$20.7 million

26,330

321

Total collected for the Retirement Fund for Religious in the Archdiocese in 2020

WHEN: DEC. 11 TO 12

Total funds raised in 2020 appeal

Total number of women and men religious in the U.S. older than 70

Total number of religious communities that received funds from the RFR

$1 billion

Total cost of care for retired women and men religious

Source: National Religious Retirement Office

and religious order priests — known collectively as women and men religious — served for little to no pay. As a result, many communities now lack adequate retirement savings.

At the same time, healthcare expenses continue to rise, and an increasing number of older religious require specialized services. NRRO data shows that 26,330 women and men religious in

the United States are older than age 70.

The total cost for their care exceeds $1 billion annually.

To help address the deficit in retirement funding among U.S. religious orders, Catholic bishops of the United States initiated the Retirement Fund for Religious collection in 1988. Distributions are sent to each eligible order’s central house and provide supplemental funding

for necessities, such as medications and nursing care. Donations also underwrite resources that help religious communities improve eldercare and plan for long-term retirement needs.

Religious orders typically do not receive diocesan funding but rather are financially autonomous and thus responsible for the support and care of all members. While many dioceses hold separate appeals for their retired priests’ fund, the once-yearly Retirement Fund for Religious collection is for members of U.S. religious orders and benefits both men and women religious.

The 2020 appeal raised $20.7 million, and funding was distributed to 321 U.S. religious communities.

“We are blessed by countless supporters who share our mission to ensure all religious can enjoy a safe and modest retirement,” said Sister Still.

For more information, visit retiredreligious.org. †

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ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

Young adults find joy, peace and community in discovering life-long call to vocation

BY KERRY MCGUIRE Herald Correspondent HOUSTON — When it comes to discovering God’s will and purpose for one’s life — whether a call to the priesthood, religious, single or married life — many young people face periods of confusion, doubt and even fear. Connecting with others that are on the same spiritual journey offers opportunities to find joy and peace during what can be a very challenging process.

Under the direction of Father Richard McNeillie, the Office of Vocations has a vision for every person in the Archdiocese to prayerfully discern and joyfully discover their life-long vocation.

The ministry offers discernment groups, Eucharistic Adoration and prayer services, and various retreats to assist with this process.

While Father McNellie believes the pandemic may have disrupted lives and routines and made connecting with others more difficult, he believes this experience has led more young adults to re-think their relationship with God and His good and holy plans for their lives.

“Many are thinking vocationally at this moment, asking, ‘What can I do with my life that would really matter?’” said Father McNellie. “This discernment process is aiding them in listening more closely to God’s voice, the one who has been waiting for them to ask this very question in all of their lifetime.”

One example is Kaitlin Eighme, who decided to attend a virtual discernment retreat held by the Office of Vocations

The 2021 Diocesan Services Fund theme draws from a hope: “Walk in the Light of Christ.” DSF operates in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston each year to help the Church carry out the ministries of teaching and sanctifying.

DSF brings the needed financial resources to carry out 60-plus ministries.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF VOCATIONS

A group of women, including (left to right) Daniela Villalobos, Kresentia Sugiaman, Fabiana Toro, Camille Anigbogu and Arianne Scheller, who participated in The Glimpse of Community Life doing acts of love by cleaning the dishes after dinner at a series of monthly gatherings.

when the pandemic was in full force in April 2020 during Holy Week. She said during this challenging time of lockdowns and strict social distancing measures, she was searching for a meaningful way to grow in her faith and be present with Jesus during His Passion. It was during this retreat that she was introduced to the power of contemplative and imaginative prayer with Scripture, which she feels was an incredible gift along with spiritual direction.

“It also was a gift to feel a sense of community, even virtually, with others

who were on this journey with me, to share what the Lord was saying to each of us, and to get guidance on how to continue to grow in our faith,” said Eighme. “I definitely met Jesus in such powerful ways through prayer and community and found peace and hope in a very challenging time of the pandemic.”

In her prayer time, Eighme felt that the Lord was inviting her to go deeper and to learn more about her own vocation and a possible call to consecrated life.

The Office of Vocations encouraged her to join the Samuel Group, a program open to young adults ages 20 to 30 who seriously desire to discern God’s will for their lives. Eighme joined the group for women that gathered each month for fellowship and Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation and learned more about several topics of discernment. She said it truly felt like a mini-retreat every time they met, and she continues to benefit from the many blessings this sisterhood brought to her life.

Because many of the women in the group still felt they needed more help with the discernment process, the Office of Vocations created a 10-day retreat held in Galveston at St. Patrick Catholic Church that mirrored the seminarians’ formation retreat to get a glimpse into the life in a religious community. Eighme discovered what it meant to be truly present with the other participants and consecrated women in all aspects of daily life and to grow together spiritually. She said some of the most fun moments they shared together happened while simply cooking meals and doing the dishes together.

“We affectionately called the experience ‘Holy Vacay,’ which was such a gift,” said Eighme. “Our days started with bike rides to the beach for individual prayer, Mass, and of course lots of singing and sharing hearts while cooking and washing dishes. We also volunteered at the local Catholic school and had worship reflection and community prayer at night.”

Eighme said they also had class time learning about the Art of Loving from the Focolare Movement, which is an invitation to live the Gospel message in a truly radical way through Jesus’ own example. She and the women still meet

once a month to continue to grow in community, reflect upon how they each have been living the Gospel message, and have shared the joy of experiencing Christ’s love in all aspects of their lives, even in suffering.

“Since this retreat, many of us have received clarity concerning our vocational calling,” said Eighme. “One member has joined the Salesian Sisters of Saint John Bosco in San Antonio. I have really felt clarity that the Lord is calling me to marriage and continuing to live out the Gospel through the Art of Loving.”

The Office of Vocations is currently one of 60-plus ministries supported by the Diocesan Services Fund (DSF). Those involved in the ministry are grateful for the generosity of the faithful in the Archdiocese that support the fund annually, which is the lifeline of its operations.

“When people support DSF, they support their future priests and religious, as well as young people in the Archdiocese that are discerning their vocational call like Kaitlin,” said Father McNellie. “Many people may not be aware that the Office of Vocations also takes care of all the seminarians while in formation along with the seminary. Our office, including the seminarians’ tuition, room and board, are completely DSF funded.”

Currently, in the Archdiocese, 38 men are enrolled in the seminary.

Eighme said she is grateful for the support of the DSF because her life has been, without a doubt, impacted in such a powerful way because of the Office of Vocations.

“I never knew that there was such a wide variety of meaningful experiences available to grow in faith and such a rich community of young adults in the Archdiocese,” said Eighme. “Not only have I personally been blessed by this community, but it has been such a gift to give back by sponsoring other women currently in the Samuel Group, as well as helping to lead worship for upcoming retreats through the Office of Vocations.

I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for the future of the Archdiocese and this ministry.”

For more information about upcoming discernment events or how to encourage prayer for vocations at the parish level, visit the Office of Vocation’s website at houstonvocations.com or call 713-6528239. †

LOCAL

NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

A ST. DOMINIC VILLAGE CELEBRATION

texas catholic herald

11

OBITUARY

Father Roosevelt ‘Marty’ Martin Jr.

ARKADELPHIA, Arkansas — Father Roosevelt “Marty” Martin Jr., who served as a priest in the Archdiocese, died Nov. 9. in Hot Springs, Arkansas where he resided since his retirement on May 5, 2006. He was 84 years old. He was ordained for the Archdiocese on May 28, 1988. During his priestly ministry in the Archdiocese, Father Martin was assigned as parochial vicar at St. Theresa Church in Houston and St. Benedict the Abbot Church. He served as administrator and pastor of St. Mark the Evangelist Church from 1995 until his retirement. He then returned to Arkansas.

Graveside services were held Nov. 13 at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. †

IN MEMORIA

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

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ST. DOMINIC VILLAGE

On Oct. 28, St. Dominic Village hosted their fall luncheon at the St. Dominic Center Auditorium. The guest speaker was Johnny Carrabba, the founder of the Carrabba Family of Restaurants, who shared humorous and heartfelt stories of growing up with a tightknit family in Houston’s East End with the 200-plus attendees. Above, Johnny Carrabba with his mother, Rosie Carrabba, and Amy Shields, St. Dominic Village CEO. At left, St. Dominic Village resident Bea Cunningham receives a flower bouquet from event emcee Michele Fisher. Cunningham was the luncheon’s resident speaker; during her talk, she highlighted her fondness for life at the Village and shared anecdotes about her recently published book, “Waiting for Jesus,” which was featured in the Oct. 26 edition of the Texas Catholic Herald. Monsignor Fred O’Connor, a resident at the Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza Priest Retirement Residence, said the opening prayer; Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro shared comments and the gathering’s closing prayer.

Dec. 1, 1940 Rev. Paul F. Nemec Dec. 1, 2014 Rev. Bernard Mahoney Dec. 1, 1973 Rev. William Duggan, CSB Dec. 1, 1987 Msgr. Thomas F. O’Sullivan Dec. 1, 1989 Msgr. Christopher J. Martin Dec. 1, 2002 Rev. G. Patrick Dougherty Dec. 1, 2007 Rev. Albert Walsh Dec. 2, 1997 Rev. Bernard Doyon, OMI Dec. 2, 2000 Rev. Doug Smith Dec. 2, 2005 Rev. John C. Wick, CSB Dec. 3, 1900 Rev. Peter Berthet Dec. 3, 1911 Rev. A. Badelon Dec. 3, 1947 Rev. Douglas A. Moore Dec. 3, 1962 Rev. George T. Koen Dec. 3, 1963 Rev. Charles V. Palazzo Dec. 3, 1987 Rev. John F. McMahon Dec. 3, 1995 Msgr. Andrew Deslatte Dec. 4, 2008 Rev. John T. Weyer Dec. 5, 1981 Rev. Gilbert Kroger, CP Dec. 5, 1998 Rev. Francis X. Chang-Lei, SJ Dec. 6, 1988 Rev. James A. Matzinger Dec. 6, 2001 Rev. Mark Horacek Dec. 7, 1880 Rev. Louis Chambodut Dec. 7, 1995 Rev. William Bosworth Dec. 8, 1986 Msgr. James F. Welsch Dec. 9, 1943 Rev. Michael Munar, TOR Dec. 10, 1915 Rev. John M. Haughran Dec. 10, 1969 Rev. John W. Meyer, CSB Dec. 11, 1909 Rev. Joseph Legardeur

Dec. 11, 1914 Rev. George Montreuil Dec. 11, 1940 Msgr. Joseph Pelnar Dec. 12, 1927 Rev. Peter Litwora Dec. 12, 1989 Rev. Benigno Gonzalez-Diez Dec. 12, 2010 Msgr. Francis G. Wearden Dec. 13, 2002 Rev. Philip R. Elmer, SCJ Dec. 13, 2016 Rev. Charles Borski, OMI Dec. 19, 1909 Rev. R. Drohan, CSB Dec. 19, 2009 Rev. John F. Robbins, CSB Dec. 20, 1940 Rev. Theodore Drees Dec. 21, 1992 Msgr. Marcel Notzon Dec. 23, 1871 Rev. Peter Lacour Dec. 24, 2010 Msgr. Ralph C. Salazar Dec. 25, 1918 Rev. J.C. Magnan, OMI Dec. 25, 2016 Rev. George Hosko, CSB Dec. 26, 1998 Msgr. Thomas A. Wendland Dec. 26, 2012 Rev. Eduardo Lopez Dec. 26, 2017 Rev. Mario Baldero, DS Dec. 27, 1942 Rev. Kaspar Kaler Dec. 28, 1953 Rev. John P. Campbell Dec. 28, 1991 Rev. Emil Furlong Dec. 29, 1994 Msgr. Bernard J. Roemer Dec. 30, 1924 Rev. M.J. O’Callahan Dec. 30, 1934 Rev. Thomas C. Healy Dec. 30. 1942 Rev. John Leahy Dec. 30, 1952 Rev. Paul Michalka Dec. 31, 1870 Rev. Andres Farges Dec. 31, 1926 Rev. Francis Pridal

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12 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

EDUCATION

Saints on parade at Catholic schools for All Saints day HOUSTON — Catholic schools around the Archdiocese marked All Saints Day with special events, including parades, gatherings, prayer services and more.

Students had the chance to dress up as their favorite saint and share the saint’s story during programming with their parishes and Catholic school communities. †

CORPUS CHRISTI

ST. MARY - LEAGUE CITY

“TO BE SAINTS IS NOT A PRIVILEGE FOR THE FEW, BUT A VOCATION FOR EVERYONE.” - POPE FRANCIS

ST. JOHN PAUL II

ST. CHRISTOPHER OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

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NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald

YOUTH Gratitude

“What are you grateful for?”This simple question, or some variation of it, will be asked and answered around countless dinner tables this month as our nation celebrates the Thanksgiving holiday. Gratitude is one of those virtues which everyone recognizes as important but which few achieve. I often fall into the modern mindset of directing my gratitude towards things rather than persons. I’m thankful for my house, my car, my “fill in the blank.”

The renowned 20th century theologian Romano Guardini believed that gratitude was a “gradually disappearing virtue.”He believes there are three important conditions for gratitude to be a truly authentic virtue.

First, gratitude is only possible in an “I” and “Thou” relationship. It is a deep expression of a personal encounter within the context of a real need. I love to go hiking, and at the end of a long hike, I enjoy taking off my shoes and slipping on my favorite flip-flops. I might ironically look at my flip-flops and say, “Thank you,” but this personification of an inanimate object is not the virtue of gratitude. My gratitude, while centered on the flip-flops, is directed towards my wife, who gave them to me, or even the designer who created them. Gratitude, as a virtue, is only possible in the context of a relationship.

The second condition for gratitude identified by Guardini is that it can only exist in the realm of the voluntary.

I truly enjoy long-distance road trips.

I begrudgingly tolerate driving in cities as a necessity of my life. I cannot begin to count the number of times I’ve coasted up to a light that has just turned red when I’m in a hurry to get somewhere. When I’m fortunate enough to have a light turn from red to green, I

almost instinctively mutter a silent “Thank you.” In truth, the algorithm controlling the lights did not take me into account when it switched from red to green. True gratitude by springs from a heart that BRIAN is free to respond to an HENRITZE act that was freely given.

Finally, Guardini believes that the last condition for gratitude is that the one who gives has a sense of reverence for the one who receives. When we give because it’s “expected” or because it’s “the right thing to do,” we make gratitude for that action impossible. I don’t feed, clothe and teach my children simply because I’m expected to as a parent; I do it because I love them and have a deep desire to see them thrive. If I did not have a reverence for my children as persons, my generosity towards them would quickly transform into resentment.

In ancient Hebrew, there is no direct equivalent to the word gratitude. In English, gratitude is classified as a noun; it’s a thing you have or possess. In ancient Hebrew, every word that comes close to the concept of gratitude is a verb. It is something that you do or express. In nearly every instance, these words describe how we relate to God. Our “I” gives thanks, gives praise, and cries out to the “Thou” of God who freely gives because of the reverence He has for us as persons. In our gratitude, do we freely give back to God out of our reverence for Him? †

†

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14 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

COLUMNISTS The devotional practice of the Advent wreath

CNS PHOTO

Blessing of the Advent Wreath in Your Home

The use of the Advent Wreath is a traditional practice which has found its place in the Church as well as in the home. When the blessing of the Advent Wreath is celebrated in the home, it is appropriate that it be blessed by a parent or another member of the family.

All make the sign of the cross as the leader says: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Response (R/.) Who made heaven and earth.

Then the Scripture, Isaiah 9: (lines 1-2 and 5-6) or Isaiah 63 (lines 16-17 & 19) or Isaiah 64 (lines 2-7) is read: Reader: The Word of the Lord.

R/. Thanks be to God.

Recently I was leading a workshop for liturgical ministers, and a question came up about the correct way to arrange the Advent wreath in the church.

I am always intrigued by this question because, in some ways, the answer is that there is no correct way. The use of a wreath at Mass during the season of Advent is an extra-liturgical (that is, something not found in the official liturgical rites) devotional practice that has become an integral part of many parish Advent celebrations.

The Advent wreath is a relatively modern invention, having first appeared in a rudimentary form in the 16th century but becoming popular among German Lutherans in the 19th century.

By the early 20th century, the devotion began to spread amongst German Catholics and eventually made its way to the United States via German immigrants.

In its simplest form, the Advent wreath is a circlet of evergreen boughs with four candles; usually three violet and one rose. As the popularity of the devotion grew, so did the number of variations on the composition of the wreath. In some homes, you will find the traditional four candles joined by a white “Christmas candle” to be lit on Christmas Eve. Others might have all-white candles, and still, others will

The blessing may conclude with a verse from “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”: O come, desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of humankind; bid ev’ry sad division cease and be thyself our Prince of peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

— From “Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers”

†

it should not interfere with the celebration of the Liturgy, nor should it obscure the altar, lectern or chair.”

The blessing (if done within Mass) takes place following the Universal Prayer, at which time the first candle is lit. The instructions tell us that the ritual is not repeated for the subsequent Sundays and that “the candles are lighted either before Mass begins or immediately before the opening prayer; no additional rites or prayers are used.”

The subsequent instructions indicate that “when the Advent Wreath is used in the home, the opening prayer of the Sunday Mass is recited when the candles are lighted… may be preceded or followed by an Advent hymn and a Scripture reading.” To me, this says that, while recognizing the importance of the Advent wreath, the Church places more emphasis on the devotional role that it can take in a family’s Advent journey.

I invite all families to consider celebrating this holy season by blessing an Advent wreath in your home and lighting it each week with a prayer, hymn, or reading from Scripture.

For a version of the blessing that can be used at home, visit www.archgh.org/ liturgicalguidelines. † Chris Labadie is the director of the Office of Worship.

Thanksgiving every day

With hands joined, the leader says: Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ: he is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples, he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us, he is the Savior of every nation.

Lord God, let your blessing come upon us as we light the candles of this wreath.

May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation.

May he come quickly and not delay. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

R/. Amen.

augment the evergreen boughs with other items that have symbolic meaning for their family.

The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy recognizes the importance of this by practice, “especially in the CHRIS Germanic countries and LABADIE in North America.” It then gives a meaning behind the practice, that the wreath “with the progressive lighting of its four candles, Sunday after Sunday, until the Solemnity of Christmas, is a recollection of the various stages of salvation history prior to Christ’s coming and a symbol of the prophetic light gradually illuminating the long night prior to the rising of the Sun of justice.” Eventually, this practice began to appear in churches as a way for the parish to ritualize the passing of the four weeks of Advent. The Advent wreath is ritualized in our liturgical rites through the Book of Blessings, which gives us an Order for the Blessing of an Advent Wreath.

According to the instructions for the blessing, a wreath in a church “should be of sufficient size to be visible to the congregation… may be suspended from the ceiling or placed on a stand [and]…

Finally… the best Autumn holiday is here: Thanksgiving! For Americans, Thanksgiving is an extra special day — families gather for a feast with a turkey, a myriad of sides and scrumptious desserts. My mouth is already watering.

Is yours?

Of course, Thanksgiving is more than just family and food. The word itself means “giving thanks.” For this reason, most families have added a custom of surrounding the Thanksgiving dinner table with joined hands and bowed heads to offer words of thanks to God. If family, food and grateful hearts are all that we need at Thanksgiving, then the idea of having Thanksgiving every day is feasible, for “it is the will of God in Jesus Christ that we are to give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess 5:15-18).

Thanksgiving is definitely a religious holiday. Remember that the reason for the first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims was solely to give thanks to God for their survival and harvests.

As Catholics, we know so well the

word Thanksgiving, which is Eucharist (eukaristos in Greek). At every celebration of the Eucharist, or the Holy Mass, we give thanks to God the Father for His gift of creation (eulogia in by Greek) and the gift of SR. MARIA revelation, the covenant and God’s saving works GORETTI (eucharistia in Greek).

THUY These moments of praise NGUYEN can be found in the Preface, right before the Eucharistic Prayer.

Attending Mass is the highest form of giving thanks to God for all His blessings and gifts. Coming to Mass is like coming home, to God’s family, where we all belong. As one big family of God, we gather around the Banquet of the Lord, give thanks to our Almighty Father, and are spiritually fed by the Eucharist, Jesus Himself. After all, Thanksgiving is all about relationships

†

— with God and with others.

God’s gifts to humankind are immeasurable; above all is the gift of salvation. God’s unconditional love shown through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection says it all. In the Eucharist, Jesus gives His total self to us as food for our souls. You might say, “Yes, I know God loves me; He sends His Son, Jesus, to die for my sins.” If this truth only stays in your head and has not yet come down to your heart, then I suggest you read the prologue of Matthew Kelly’s book, “Rediscover Catholicism.”

I still vividly remember the first time I read this book; I literally broke down in tears. It was the first time I truly encountered God’s love for all of humankind. I experienced a true vision of God. Indeed, that Theophany has helped me a great deal in my spiritual life. Without a doubt, I believe that the love of God for all of us is real.

Do you remember the story in all four See GORETTI, page 16

SUNDAY MASS READINGS NOVEMBER 28

First Reading: Jer 33:14-16

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 25:4-5, 8-10, 14

Second Reading: 1 Thes 3:12--4:2

Gospel: Lk 21:25-28, 34-36

DECEMBER 5

First Reading: Bar 5:1-9

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 126:1-6

Second Reading: Phil 1:4-6, 8-11

Gospel: Lk 3:1-6

DECEMBER 12

First Reading: Zeph 3:14-18

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 12:2-6

Second Reading: Phil 4:4-7

Gospel: Lk 3:10-18

COLUMNISTS

NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

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Advent: Making room for the light of Christ Advent is the season of preparation to dispel the darkness in our lives to recognize and welcome more fully the light of Christ into our hearts.

If you live anywhere near the lights of the city, the lights tend to obscure the natural light radiating from the heavens.

To behold the true beauty of the night skies, it is necessary to travel outside our familiar space to a place with greater visual clarity.

In our daily lives, we can foster spiritual clarity by a twofold process of decluttering and caregiving. As a homeowner, I sometimes marvel at all the stuff that I have accumulated over the years. Helping my own parents declutter and downsize their home a few years ago so they could move to a senior living community helped to motivate me to simplify my own lifestyle. I realized

that there’s so much stuff that I don’t need.

As I slowly declutter stuff in my own home, I realize how emotionally attached I am to some things — that giveaway item from an Astros’ by game, a collection of childhood books and MARK CIESIELSKI travel memorabilia.

On the plus side of decluttering, I am also mindful of how simplifying my parents’ material world has made each of their life transitions a little easier to manage.

When my mother moved to an assisted living community after dad died, my brother and I helped her clean out the last few boxes of their belongings.

It has freed us as a family to concentrate on what really matters: as long-distance caregivers to provide daily check-in phone calls with mom, time for an old-fashioned weekly letter writing to her, and praying with her daily. All of those things have brought us closer together.

Advent is a season that encourages us to prepare for the light of Christ’s coming by shifting our attention from that which is passing away to that which is eternal.

Sometimes there is so much clutter in our lives that to make any change feels overwhelming. The situation offers us choices — to remain paralyzed by doing nothing or to step back and start reducing the clutter, little by little, replacing it with something more meaningful, namely giving care to

†

others. It might involve replacing one TV show with a few more minutes of prayer, a phone call to a neighbor or parish member in need, a letter written to a loved one, or a caring deed for a stranger in need.

What one thing are you willing to declutter in your life this Advent to live more freely in the light of Christ’s love?

What is one caring act that you could do to bring Christ’s light and love to another person?

For information on caregiving, end-oflife care, or aging in place, visit www. archgh.org/aging or call 713-741-8712. † Mark Ciesielski is an associate director in the Office of Aging Ministry.

Keeping Christ the king of our hearts So we have arrived at the end of our liturgical year and ended it on a high note by celebrating the Feast of Christ the King. This solemnity was instituted

by Pius XI in 1925.

His reasons were valid; the world was vastly changing, causing our Savior to be forgotten and even outright rejected.

The last century, the most misled and bloodiest in history, was riddled with attempts to eliminate Christianity.

Socialism, communism, (rugged) individualism, tyranny of many kinds, terrorism and extreme secularism have all taken their toll on the freedom of Christianity and have eroded the conscience of humanity.

The institution of this feast reminds mankind that Jesus Christ is the Lord of all and the King of our hearts.

Extreme secularism threatens the Kingdom of God, the Church, in the present post-modern world. It eclipses man’s heart, making him blind.

However, the heart isn’t totally blind, and due to the grace of God and His mercy, he can find His King and once more enthrone Him. There are many things we can do to reach the goal of total enthronement.

First, build a relationship with your King, your God. Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help define your relationship with your King. Let the Queen of Heaven teach you about her Son: She is the best teacher! Scripture and all the saints are ready to serve and teach you. Approach the Lord, and let Him open His massive treasure chest of love to you. He is a King who comes to serve and not to be served. God is Love.

Adore and praise Him, and make sure your participation at Mass is dynamic.

Remember, you are in His throne room!

Second, encounter your neighbor. Prepare to serve their needs. Learn who they are and where they have journeyed. This helps prepare you for the day when they truly need you, and they will need by their King.

Third, evangelize!

CARL Teach the faith. Share ERICKSON your experience. Witness.

Teach first by example and later with words.

Continually serve others in humility and patience. In this rigidly secular world, the A, B, Cs of the faith are going to be the toughest sell. Sadly, there are so many out there who do not realize that Jesus is a real person. Share Him with others!

Fourth, catechize. Teach the faith in your home, spread the Good News of the King in society, and volunteer to teach in your parish communities if you are able.

Form people’s hearts to the salvific news of the King.

Fifth, serve. Feed the poor, clothe the naked. The Kingdom restores dignity to mankind. Get out there and live out both the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, which sadly, many of us Catholics are unaware of. Pope Francis has lamented over this fact. Let us learn the works and live a life of charity.

Sixth, get involved with faith communities. Join Bible studies and faith groups. Deepen your heart and commitment to the King of Kings!

Seventh, summation of the other prior six points: Live your three-fold office of priest, prophet and king in the most dynamic way. His Majesty waits for your response, your participation!

Break free from the shackles of the world and enthrone Jesus in your hearts. The promises of secularism are empty. Our consciences must be free to love our God without conditions.

We must overcome some awful barriers that erode our consciences.

As of now, many Christians worldwide are being persecuted. Once we totally commit to His Lordship, we can truly 2021 DSF_ 9.75x14full pg ad.pdf

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Viva Christo Rey! † Carl Erickson is as the director of the Galveston’s Newman Center Campus Ministry serving students from UTMB, Galveston College, Texas A&M University at Galveston, and College of the Mainland.

16 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

WORLD

Assisi pilgrimage with the poor: Pope calls for open hands, open hearts The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

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ASSISI, Italy (CNS) — With a pilgrim’s staff and mantle, Pope Francis entered Assisi’s Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels with 500 economically or socially disadvantaged people and the volunteers who walk alongside them.

The pope’s pilgrimage to Assisi on Nov. 12 was dedicated totally to the poor in preparation for the celebration of Nov. 14 of the World Day of the Poor.

A France-based charity, Fratello, brought 200 poor pilgrims from France, Poland, Croatia, Switzerland and Spain.

The Jesuit Refugee Service’s Centro Astalli brought refugees from Congo, Angola and Nigeria. The Community of Sant’Egidio brought the residents of a shelter for the homeless located just outside St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

And Italian diocesan Caritas volunteers brought hundreds of the people they work with each day.

Six of them shared their stories with Pope Francis — stories of crime and prison or of drugs and alcohol, stories of being forced to flee their homeland or living on the street, but especially stories of steadfast or newfound faith, of finding

a helping hand and of learning to see the face of Christ in the poor.

Pope Francis embraced each of those who shared their stories and thanked all of the poor for “this experience of encounter and of faith.”

“It is time for eyes to be opened to see the state of inequality in which many families live,” the pope insisted. “It is time for sleeves to be rolled up so dignity can be restored by creating jobs.

“It is time to be scandalized once again before the reality of children who are starving, reduced to slavery, tossed about in the water in the aftermath of a shipwreck, innocent victims of every sort of violence,” the pope said. “It is time that violence against women ceases and that they be respected and not treated like bargaining chips.”

“It is time for the circle of indifference to be broken so as to discover once again the beauty of encounter and dialogue,” Pope Francis said. Before leading the poor in prayer, the pope thanked them for all the effort they expend to survive.

“To hold out” or hold on “is not a passive action,” he said. †

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CNS PHOTO

Pope Francis greets children as he arrives for a meeting with the poor at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Assisi, Italy, Nov. 12.

GORETTI, from page 14 Gospels about the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:31-44; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:1-15)? Have you noticed what situation Jesus was in? The disciples thought it was hopeless to feed the huge crowd with their limited food. Then what did Jesus do? Jesus took what was available — five loaves of bread and two fishes, raised his eyes to heaven and gave thanks to God the Father.

This Scriptural narrative ends with a miracle that we all recall. Jesus trusted His Father. We, too, will witness miracles in our daily lives if we learn to place our total trust in God, who is our heavenly Father and who will provide all our needs physical, emotional and spiritual.

Practicing embracing whatever situations we find ourselves in, having total trust in God, and giving thanks, miracles will happen.

This year, as we celebrate the great American holiday, Thanksgiving, let us rediscover the true meaning of this special day. Pause to reflect on what God has done in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones. Keep pondering these blessings each and every day throughout the year. If you do so, you will soon realize that the act of giving thanks generates a powerful lifestyle. † Sister Maria Goretti Thuy Nguyen, OP, is an associate director with the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.

NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald

17

NATION & STATE

Maryland couple donates spruce as Rockefeller Center’s 2021 Christmas tree FAIR HILL, Maryland (CNS) — The normally sleepy streets of Cecil County, Maryland, near the University of Delaware and White Clay Creek State Park, were buzzing with activity the morning of Nov. 11, as one of the most iconic holiday symbols in the United States began its journey.

Hundreds of spectators, media and workers descended on the home of Devon and Julie Price, parishioners at Immaculate Conception Church in Elkton, Maryland, to watch as a 79-foottall, 46-foot-wide Norway spruce was cut down and removed from their property.

It was placed on a flatbed trailer bound for New York City, where it arrived Nov. 13 and was raised as the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. It will be adorned with 50,000 lights and topped by a star, with the lighting ceremony scheduled for Dec. 1.

“We’re very excited for that,”Julie Price said.“Actually, a lot of our neighbors have told us that they’ll be going to New York City to see the tree, so that’s exciting.”

The Prices were inundated with interview requests as their friends and neighbors watched from their yard and along narrow Hillwood Avenue, where the family has lived for 30 years. Devon Price said it’s an honor to have a tree that he has nurtured symbolize the season of Jesus’ birth for the entire nation.

“The decision to let it go to New York City to bring joy and happiness to millions of people — when we started off, we were reluctant, but obviously it’s the right decision for a better purpose for the tree than standing in the yard,” he said.

He said Christmas has always been a special occasion for his family, which includes a son and daughter.

“It’s real festive, really always a big deal. A lot of decorations, a lot of presents, a lot of giving and a lot of family time,” he told The Dialog, the newspaper of the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, which includes several Maryland counties.

The Prices always have had a live tree, but never one from their own property, which includes several acres. Theirs were always too big, he said.

His daughter, Natalie Longo, traveled from her home in north Wilmington to catch the action. She said the entire process has been “unreal.”

CNS PHOTO

Workers watch as the Christmas tree to be displayed in Rockefeller Center in New York City arrived from Maryland Nov. 13.

“It’s a bittersweet moment because this tree’s been in our yard my entire life.

It’s going to be sad to see it go, but my birthday’s around Christmas, and going to New York City around Christmastime has always been a tradition of ours,” Longo said. “It’s going to be really special to have our tree representing Rockefeller Center.”

Devon Price said the selection of the Norway spruce began in March with a knock on his door. It was Erik Pauze, the head gardener at Rockefeller Center.

“He just knocked on our door, and he said,‘Hey bud, how are you doing?’ Honest to God, we thought he was a salesman.

Julie said, ‘I think it’s a salesman. You go answer it,’” Price said.

Pauze was on hand Nov. 11 to oversee the removal of the tree from the yard. It had been tied up, and several workers held ropes to prevent it from falling once the chain saw had gotten through the trunk.

He said back in March he had been in southern New Jersey scouting trees at a nursery for a park being built on top of Rockefeller Center, and he decided to

stick around the area instead of heading back to New York.

He happened upon the Price property and walked around taking photographs

from different angles.

“When I drove by it, I went around the corner, drove to the other side of the tree.

When I got out of the car, I knew right away that this was the tree,” he said. “This is going to be just as beautiful as all the other ones.”

Devon Price said there was some initial reluctance to let go of the tree.

“We watched it grow and took care of it. The decision to let it go to New York City was a hard one, but at the end of the day, we’ve taken down a number of these large trees. This one’s in its prime, so we thought we’d let it go for a better purpose before it starts to decline,” he said.

The family got a ride to New York to see the tree raised, and they may be there for the tree lighting.

“It’s a donation to Rockefeller Center and the world,” Pauze said.

Lumber from the tree will be donated to Habitat for Humanity once the holiday season is over.

Longo said growing up Catholic, she knows the importance of the Christmas season around the country and the world.

She anticipates the tree she played under as a child will be a part of other people’s milestones, such as birthdays, proposals and bucket-list trips.

“I hope it brings a lot of joy to everybody,” she said. †

IN BRIEF Catholic’s mission is to make sure veterans are honored all year long

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri (CNS) — Most of the parades, ceremonies and other celebrations marking Veterans Day are over for another year, but Latisha Koetting has made it her mission to ensure that U.S. military veterans receive the honor they deserve 365 days a year. That’s been a tall order these past 20 months for the staff of the Missouri Veterans Home in Warrensburg, where she is the supervisor of volunteer services.

“Our veterans stood on the front lines for us,” said Koetting, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Sedalia, Missouri. “During the pandemic, we got to be on the front lines for them. We got to say, ‘We’re locking arms and standing strong and doing everything we can to protect you like you protected us.’”

In honor of her efforts to honor veterans and help make their lives better, Koetting was chosen to be the grand marshal of this year’s Sedalia Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 13. “I don’t know what they’re honoring me for!” she said. “I’m the one who’s lucky enough to work in a place where it’s Veterans Day every day.”

Koetting considers the residents and her co-workers at the Veterans Home to be her second family.

“This is a second home ... and it’s their home,” she said. “You want them to see you and engage with you and feel comfortable.” †

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.



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18 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

MUNDO CATÓLICO

Las festividades de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe se reanudan el 5 de diciembre, pero en menor escala POR JO ANN ZUÑIGA Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — Al igual que los eventos en muchas Iglesias se están reanudando ya que los fieles han recibido la vacuna del COVID-19, los preparativos para las festividades de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe están comenzando con entusiastas organizadores y danzantes Aztecas que ensayan para la celebración el 5 de diciembre.

Pero la celebración número 49 será una versión más reducida para conmemorar la aparición de la Virgen María como Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.

La pandemia fue la causa de que el año pasado se cancelara este gran evento que reúne a miles de personas.

Este año, de nuevo no habrá desfile en el centro de Houston con tambores y matachines en procesión hasta el Centro de Convenciones George R. Brown como en el pasado.

En su lugar, los fieles de las iglesias de toda la ciudad se reunirán el domingo 5 de diciembre a las 3 p.m. en el Centro Carismático Católico, 1949 Cullen Blvd., para celebrar la misa con el Reverendísimo Daniel Cardenal DiNardo y el Obispo Auxiliar Italo Dell’Oro como homilista.

Priscella Marquez, presidente de la Asociación Arquidiocesana de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, quien organiza este evento, dijo: “La celebración de este año será única debido a varios cambios.

Primeramente, un lugar nuevo, además de contar con nuestro nuevo Obispo Auxiliar Italo Dell’Oro, CRS como concelebrante, una breve obra teatral, un programa musical después de la misa y lo mejor de todo, la oportunidad de celebrar misa juntos.”

“El año que viene, para nuestro 50 aniversario de la celebración de Nuestra

¿QUIERES IR?

LAS FESTIVIDADES DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE GUADALUPE

CUANDO: Domingo, Diciembre 5, 3 p.m.

DONDE: Centro Carismático Católico, (1949 Cullen Blvd., Houston)

FOTO POR JAMES RAMOS/HERALD

Una mujer vestida como bailarina tradicional azteca se presenta durante la procesión de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe 2019 en Houston. El evento regresa el 5 de diciembre.

Señora y su hijo Jesús, esperamos celebrar un evento mayor y mejor de nuevo en el centro de convenciones y en el centro de la ciudad para que haya más participación del público,” dijo Marquez.

Lázaro Contreras, director de la Oficina Arquidiocesana del Ministerio Hispano, dijo: “Como Patrona de las Américas … Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe es un símbolo de amor y comprensión, una presencia unificadora para todos nosotros en las Américas.”

Añadió, “Este evento les permite a las familias pasar los valores de su fe a sus miembros más jóvenes, ayudándolos a alimentar su espiritualidad. Este evento tiene un historial. Es cómo expresamos

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nuestra fe, y también ayuda a otros a conocer más sobre Nuestra Señora.”

Esta tradición honra la época que comenzó el 9 de diciembre de 1531 en un cerro cerca de un pueblito en las afueras de Ciudad México, en que la Virgen María, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, se apareció a un humilde campesino que iba camino a misa para celebrar la fiesta de la Inmaculada Concepción de María.

Su nombre en su idioma nativo, el náhuatl, era Cuauhtlatoazin (“el que

habla como águila”). En español se le dio el nombre de Juan Diego, ahora un santo canonizado por el Papa San Juan Pablo II en el 2002.

Rodeada de luz y hablando su lengua nativa, el náhuatl, Nuestra Señora le dijo a Juan Diego que ella quería que le construyeran una iglesia para manifestar el amor de Jesús y escuchar las peticiones de los fieles. A solicitud de Ella, él fue a ver al Obispo Juan de Zumárraga, quien no creyó sus palabras.

Después que Juan Diego viera a la Virgen María de nuevo el 12 de diciembre, ella puso rosas en su tilma y le dijo que esto sería la señal que él debía presentarle al obispo. Cuando Juan Diego abrió su tilma para mostrarle las rosas, el obispo vio una imagen de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe milagrosamente impresa en la tilma que aún existe.

El nombre Guadalupe es la versión en español de la palabra náhuatl Coatlaxopeuh, que significa “la que pisa la serpiente.”

La Basílica de Guadalupe en la Ciudad de México, exhibe la tilma de Juan Diego, y se ha convertido en uno de los sitios católicos más visitados del mundo, solo superados por el Vaticano y la Capilla Sixtina en Roma. †

MOVIE RATINGS By Catholic News Service A-I – GENERAL PATRONAGE • Ron’s Gone Wrong (PG)

A-II – ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS • • • •

Clifford the Big Red Dog Mass (PG-13) Resurrection (PG-13) The Addams Family 2 (PG)

A-III – ADULTS • • • • • •

Belfast (PG-13) Dark Waters (PG-13) Dune (PG-13) Eternals (PG-13) No Time to Die (PG-13) The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (R) • Venom: Let There Be Carnage (PG-13)

L – LIMITED ADULT AUDIENCE • Antlers (R) • Last Night in Soho (R) • The Last Duel (R)

O – MORALLY OFFENSIVE • Halloween Kills (R) • The Many Saints of Newark (R)

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.

NOVEMBER 23, 2021 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH

texas catholic herald

AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE Editor’s Note: Contact event organizers for the latest updates and information. For deadline/submission details and other listing, visit www.archgh.org/ata.

DEC. 2

CONCERT, 7 p.m., Sts. Simon and Jude Catholic Church (26777 Glenloch Dr., The Woodlands).

Catholic singer-songwriter David Kauffman’s Advent concert benefits Moving Waters, an organization offering mobile showers to people experiencing homelessness. Free.

Sponsorships: liz@movingwaters-houston.org.

Info: 832-475-9597, movingwaters-houston. org; www.goodforthesoulmusic.com.

DEC. 3-4

BAZAAR, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mary Queen (606 Cedarwood Dr., Friendswood). 51st Annual Christmas Bazaar & Tea Room Luncheon; Luncheon 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Over 50 vendors with a variety of handmade crafts/gifts: jewelry, pottery, salsa, holiday snacks, quilts, woodwork and more Free. Info: 281-482-1391.

DEC. 11

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE FESTIVAL, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., St. Francis de Sales (8200 Roos Rd., Houston). 8:30 a.m. Procession with mariachis, 9 a.m. Mañanitas, 10 a.m. Mass, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. festival with kids games, train ride, music, food and a visit from Santa. Raffle drawing at 4:30 p.m.

Info: sfds-houston.org, 713-774-7475.

DEC. 12-16

PARISH MISSION, 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, (816 Park Dr., La Porte). Five night series with Father Peter Schavitz, C.Ss.R., Redemptorist Missionary priest from St. Louis. Theme: Reigniting Our Faith. Refreshments follow. Babysitting and transportation provided. Info: 281-471-2000.

DEC. 16

MASS AND LUNCHEON, 9 a.m., St. Mary Seminary– Borski Gym (9845 Memorial Dr., Houston).

Seafarer Mass Luncheon with Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, registration at 9 to 10:30 a.m., Mass 11 a.m. at the main chapel. Lunch at noon at Borski Gym. Cost: $20/person. Register: https:// bit.ly/ATA_SeafarersMass. Info: albahdz1965@ gmail.com, 713-498-7136.

JAN. 7-9, 2022

Raising Awareness & Support for Catholic Education

JOIN US ON

FEBRUARY 12, 2022 AT THE CO-CATHEDRAL OF THE SACRED HEART

CATHOLIC MEN’S RETREAT, Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston).

A men’s weekend retreat offers private rooms, quiet time, time for prayer and sharing with other men. Register: 713-464-0211 ext. 10, holynameretreatcenter.com.

••• To find additional listings online, visit the website at WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ATA.

CARDINAL DINARDO CELEBRATES SILVER WEDDING JUBILEE MASS

ONLY $20 PER TIMED RUNNER!

REGISTER TODAY AT

PHOTO COURTESY OF FAMILY LIFE MINISTRY

Couples from around the Archdiocese celebrated 25 years of marriage at the 25th Silver Anniversary Mass, which was presided over by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on Oct. 24. During the Mass, couples held hands and renewed their vows.

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• Include the name of your event along with date, time, location (with full address) and a clusion WISH TO ADVERTISE IN brief description of the yourname eventof your event along with date, time, location (with full address) and a • Include Visit www.archgh.org/ata to re is no Around the • If the event is for charity, include the benefiting or organization; Include the cost the Texas Catholic Herald? of your eventwhatgroup Archdiocese brief description learn more about details to submit. mited. for tickets•or that it’s freecharity, include the benefiting group or organization; Include the visitcost us online to download a media kit www.archgh.org/TCH If note the event is for • Name, phone and/or e-mail address of the contact person that you want readers to time, location (with full address) andfora tickets or note that it’s free call/e-mail• with questions Name, phone and/or e-mail address of the contact person that you want readers to • Website address for yourwith organization call/e-mail questions(if you have one)

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20 TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD

ARCHGH.ORG/TCH • NOVEMBER 23, 2021

STRAKE JESUIT

OPEN HOUSE Thursday, December 2, 2021 | 7pm

THE ADMISSIONS APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 15, 2022

CURA PERSONALIS At Strake Jesuit, we have been successfully building Men for Others for over 60 years. A key to that success is the Jesuit ideal of cura personalis — the care for the individual.

This core value translates into a personal care and attention for each Jesuit student. It also means that we concern ourselves with the education of the whole person. Students at Jesuit learn much more than math and science — they learn about community service, about their faith, and about their responsibilities to the world around them.

At Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, we do much more than prepare our students for college — we prepare them for life as men of God and Men for Others. Learn all about Strake Jesuit at our annual Open House. Don’t miss your chance to get a tour of the campus, hear from school leaders, learn about life at Jesuit from the student perspective, ask questions about your favorite subjects or extra-curricular activities, and more! To register or to learn more, visit www.strakejesuit.org/openhouse.

H E A R T, M I N D , B O D Y & S O U L

1540

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MEN FOR OTHERS

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