In this message, Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez reflects on the legacy of the late Pope Francis, including a unique encounter with the Argentine pontiff, as well as the impact that Pope Francis had on the Catholic Church in Texas and abroad. He also expresses his hope and trust in the Holy Spirit in guiding the conclave.
With time to reflect on the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, what are your thoughts on his life and legacy in the Church?
He was the first pope from the Americas — and the first Jesuit. Those “firsts” were something that really spoke to people. Additionally, he chose not to live in the Apostolic Palace and moved to the Domus Sanctae Marthae. He lived there because he wanted to be close to people, who were always in his heart.
In one of his first interviews as pope, he was asked, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” And he said clearly, “I am a sinner. This [is] the most accurate definition. It is not a figure of speech, a literary genre. I am a sinner.” I believe this selfunderstanding led to his papal motto: “miserando atque eligendo,” which roughly translates to “having been looked upon with mercy, he called him.” It’s a beautiful motto. It recalls the moment when the Lord gazed upon St. Matthew and called him to follow him. Pope Francis really saw himself as one who had been looked upon with the eyes of mercy.
together by the Vatican. When we finished the project, we received a nice note from the person tasked with this mission from the Holy Father.
Two or three months later, I was in a meeting, and my secretary came into the meeting and said to me, “The Vatican is calling.” And to my surprise, it was the Holy Father; he was on the phone! And I couldn’t believe it. It was a very short conversation. He said, “Thank you for helping with this. I appreciate what you’ve done; I’m grateful.”
I just couldn’t believe that he would take the time to call me from the Vatican; it was extraordinary to me. Again, this example showed his approachability and his availability. He was being a pastor. He always wanted to connect with people.
ARCHBISHOP
And then, of course, Pope Francis began an Extraordinary Year of Mercy (in 2015); he called people to return to the Church and find mercy in the Church. In the spirit of this year of mercy, he instructed his priests, “Please don’t make the confessional a torture chamber.” This was one example of how he could grasp you by the shoulders and wake you up with one phrase. He further encouraged us to never be afraid of God, continue to grow closer to the Lord, and seek His mercy. He reminded us that we get tired of asking God for mercy, but God never tires of being merciful.
Those are things that are going to stay in my heart and memory of this extraordinary man, our beloved Pope Francis.
What are some memories you have of Pope Francis, such as a personal encounter or an observation?
When I was in the Diocese of Austin, the Vatican asked the assistance of our judicial vicar and tribunal to help the Holy Father implement a more comprehensive teaching and understanding of marriage. The Holy Father wanted the Church to walk with people, accompany them before, during, and even after marriage. The diocese decided to help with this cause because we, like Our Holy Father, recognized the need for this ministry in our local and universal Church.
The diocese created a small team that helped translate a book that had been put
Personal encounters were always close to his heart. That’s why, on Holy Thursday, he would traditionally visit a prison and spend time with prisoners and wash their feet. He wanted to be present to them. He also spent time with the poor. He would have them come to the Vatican and share a meal with him. Those gestures were very genuine, very pastoral, and revealed the heart of a shepherd.
He took to heart the Gospel, particularly Matthew 25 (“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me …”).
In your Easter message, you spoke about reaching out to those in need and on the periphery — always a priority and main point carried throughout Pope Francis’ papacy. What kind of impact have you seen Pope Francis have on the faith community through such messages and examples — and how do you hope the Church will continue that mission?
I always think of two of his sayings … “I desire a Church that is poor and for the poor” and “the Church should be like a ‘field hospital.’” He desired a Church that
Arzobispo Vásquez comparte su mensaje en línea en español. Visite www.archgh.org para leer su artículo en línea.
took care of people who are hurting, who may feel neglected or ignored, or even, as he would say, people who have been discarded.
That’s why he wanted to reach out to the peripheries. He sought to connect with those individuals who felt they lacked a connection with the Church and wanted to ensure they always felt welcome. He wanted them to know: “The Church has a place for you.” That’s why Pope Francis kept emphasizing this, especially towards the end — the Church is open to everyone. It’s not reserved for a few, and it’s not exclusive. This encapsulates why many viewed him as the people’s pope.
Now that we’ve witnessed his funeral, we can note that he chose not to be buried in the Vatican. He moved to his favorite Church, Santa Maria Maggiore, and he’s buried there. His tomb just reads “Franciscus.” That simplicity, that availability — that’s the tone he set for the Church.
With the papal conclave, there is naturally a great deal of speculation on who would be the next pope. Beyond that discussion, once a new pope is elected, what is your hope with the Church looking ahead from both a local and global perspective?
We are praying for our own cardinal, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, who is part of the conclave and one of the cardinal electors. We’re privileged that he is there representing our Church. We know that he carries us in his heart.
We’re praying for him and all the other cardinal electors because we know that this is a very critical moment in the life of the Church.
Whoever the College of Cardinals chooses to elect, this decision will be made in a spirit of prayer. Some people may view this as some type of political process, but it is truly an act of prayer; we ask the Holy Spirit to guide the cardinals in choosing the next pope. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the one who’s going to make the decision — that is something that we believe and we cherish.
And whoever it may be, we’re going to love the Holy Father, we’re going to be faithful to the Holy Father, and we’re going to follow his leadership in shepherding our Church. That’s why we entrust ourselves to the Holy Spirit in this whole process. †
AVE MARIA
At left, Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, places a crown atop a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary during a Mass for the Third Sunday fo Easter for Legion of Mary Senatus May Crowning at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston on May 4. Dozens of Legion of Mary groups from parishes around the Archdiocese attended the annual event that concluded with a special presentation of flowers to the Blessed Mother. Faithful from a diverse group of Catholics reflecting a wide breadth of the ethnic groups of the Archdiocese, with members from various Asian, African and Central/Latin American countries, attended the annual gathering.
Kerry McGuire, Elizabeth Morales and Jo Ann Zuñiga
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JOE S. VÁSQUEZ
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THE FIRST WORD
Transitional deacon studying in Rome calls serving Requiem Mass for late pope a ‘humbling experience’
VATICAN CITY — Among the 250,000 who flocked to St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their respects to Pope Francis as he lay in state in front of the altar was Deacon Mitchell Schumann, a transitional deacon studying for the priesthood at the Pontifical North American College (PNAC) in Rome.
Deacon Schumann, who was also in Rome for the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI in 2022, said, “There is something special about being able to go and see and pray for the spiritual father of the Universal Church.”
While in the hours-long line, he prayed the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary and offered his own prayers and intentions for Pope Francis, the Church and the upcoming conclave.
He also served at the Requiem Mass for Pope Francis on April 28 and said it was a “humbling experience.”
“To think that someone coming from humble roots in the Texas hill country has been able to serve a papal Liturgy, including the reigning pope’s funeral, it really brings home just how much the Lord has blessed me,” he said. “Being able to be a part of such a historic event was amazing.”
Though he was physically about a half-mile away from the main altar, he felt spiritually close to the “action” as he joined other seminarians at a nearby church along Via della Conciliazione to help distribute communion to the people in the streets crowded all around the Vatican who were watching the Mass from screens set up around the area.
Deacon Schumann said Pope Francis had a strong impact on his vocation.
“He has been the only pope I have known since I began discerning the priesthood and was pope when I was ordained a deacon,” he said. “He and Daniel Cardinal DiNardo were the ones I initially promised obedience to ... so they were concretely the ones I thought about at the time I made the promises.”
Inspired by the late pope’s first apostolic exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium,” (“Joy of the Gospel,”) which began “with a
call for us to recover the joy of the Gospel, the joy of serving Jesus Christ,” Deacon Schumann said. “If we do not spend time listening to the voice of the Lord in prayer, encountering Him personally, being rooted in His love, we cannot be an effective, authentic witness of the love and redemption found in the Gospel. [The pope] called us, from the early days of his pontificate, to find that joy again and to carry it out to ... all the people the Lord has redeemed.”
Deacon Schumann met Pope Francis during his first year at the PNAC with other seminarians during a private audience, which “was a pretty amazing experience.” He said he could sense that the pope was very concerned about “our formation as pastors who cared for the flock of Jesus Christ.”
Pope Francis asked them to become “priests after His own heart,” telling them to focus on “encountering the people to help them have a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ.”
Deacon Schumann also encouraged continued prayer for the late pope, “As dutiful sons and daughters of Holy Mother Church, we owe it to Pope Francis to continue to carry out his primary request he made every time he spoke, ‘Pray for me.’ Let us continue to do so to help him on his journey home to the Father’s house.” †
– Report by James Ramos
BRIEFS
Café Catholica Lite set for May 22
HOUSTON — The Office for Young Adult and Campus Ministry will host the next Café Catholica Lite at Sts. Simon and Jude Parish, located at 26777 Glen Loch Dr. in The Woodlands, on Thursday, May 22, from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Steffani Aquila, founder of His Girl Sunda, will present on “Seasons of Grace: Embracing the Liturgical Year in Daily Life,” exploring practical ways to align your home, personal, and family life with the Liturgical year and create a deeper connection to living an incarnational faith. The night will include snacks, presentation, Q&A and prayer.
The Café Catholica program helps young adults ages 18 to 39 encounter Christ and His Church. For more information, email yacm@archgh.org or call 713-741-8778 or visit www.archgh.org/cafecatholica. †
Catholic Charities’ food distributions continue in Galveston, Houston and Fort Bend counties
HOUSTON — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston continues offering food assistance at three locations.
In Houston, staff at the Guadalupe Center Market (326 S. Jensen St.) are hosting the following distribution schedule: on Tuesday, May 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., walk-ins are available for seniors aged 62 and older; On Wednesday and Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., walk-ins are open to the public; On Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., walk-ins for individual food bags are available for people without homes. Drive-through distribution is available on Saturday, May 24 from 7:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call 713-251-6919 for more information.
The Beacon of Hope Isle Market in Galveston (4700 Broadway, Suite B-101) is open for appointments only on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To make an appointment, which is required, call 409-762-2064. Emergency pre-packaged food bags are available on Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 409762-2064 for more information.
In Fort Bend County, the Mamie George Community Center (1111 Collins Rd., Richmond) hosts client-choice food distributions by appointment only on Mondays, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To make an appointment or for more information, call 281-202-6200.
For general information, visit www.catholiccharities.org/ food or call 713-526-4611. †
DSF annual appeal to support Archdiocesan ministries continues
HOUSTON — This year, the theme of the annual Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) appeal is “Cry Out With Joy to the Lord.” The annual campaign to support 64 Archdiocesan ministries is underway, 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 the Catholic faith; providing support and preparation for clergy; teaching, evangelizing, worshiping and outreach to the incarcerated, aging, poor and sick; and programming to strengthen Christian families, among many others.
To pledge online or see a full list of the ministries supported, visit www.archgh.org/dsf. †
FEAST OF ST. MATTHIAS, APOSTLE
May 13
St. Matthias was the replacement for Judas Iscariot in the 12 Apostles. After praying first, the apostles chose Matthias by drawing lots. Tradition says Matthias evangelized Judea, Cappadocia (now Turkey) or Ethiopia, before being martyred. Clement of Alexandria said Matthias insisted on the importance of mortification and was among the 72 disciples sent out by Jesus in the Gospels.
OSV NEWS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA
Cardinals, including Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, at right near middle, line the aisle as pallbearers carry the casket of Pope Francis into St. Peter’s Basilica at the conclusion of his funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 26. Deacon Mitchell Schumann, a transitional deacon studying in Rome at the Pontifical North American College, served at the Requiem Mass.
OSV NEWS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA
Giovanni Cardinal Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, blesses the coffin as he leads the funeral Mass of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 26.
LOCAL
Embracing Easter and the Paschal Mystery
The Archdiocese commemorates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ ▪ SEE PAGE 7
How the conclave works: It’s guided by a rule book and a prayer book
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — What exactly happens in a conclave?
The conclave to elect a new pope, which began May 7, is governed by two texts: a rule book and a prayer book.
The rule book is the apostolic constitution, “Universi Dominici Gregis” (“Shepherd of the Lord’s Whole Flock”), which was issued by St. John Paul II in 1996 and amended by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 and again in 2013.
The prayer book is the “Ordo Rituum Conclavis” (“Rites of the Conclave”), which was approved by St. John Paul II in 1998 but not released until after his death in 2005. If Pope Francis made any adjustments to the rites, they had not been announced as of April 30.
The “Ordo Rituum Conclavis,” which has prayers in Latin with an Italian translation, begins by noting that the election of a pope “is prepared for and takes place with liturgical actions and constant prayer.”
The rites of the conclave begin with the public Mass “for the election of the Roman pontiff,” which was celebrated at 10 a.m. on May 7 in St. Peter’s Basilica. Giovanni Cardinal Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, was the main celebrant.
Cardinal Re began the Mass by praying, “O God, eternal pastor, you who govern your people with a father’s care, give your Church a pontiff acceptable to you for his holiness of life and wholly consecrated to the service of your people.”
The Mass for the election of the pope is the only rite in the book to be celebrated publicly before the new pope is presented to the world.
After celebrating the morning Mass, the rule book calls for the cardinals to gather in the late afternoon in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace and then process into the Sistine Chapel.
Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the highestranking member of the College of Cardinals who is under the age of 80 and eligible to enter the conclave, addresses the cardinals, “After having celebrated the divine mysteries, we now enter into conclave to elect the Roman pontiff. The whole Church, united with us in prayer, invokes the grace of the Holy Spirit so that we elect a worthy pastor of the entire flock of Christ.”
At 75, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, was among the 133 cardinal electors to join the conclave, this being his second conclave, having participated in the 2013 conclave that saw the election of Pope Francis.
Then, in a procession behind the cross, the cardinals walk into the Sistine Chapel singing a litany of saints of the East and West and a series of invocations to Christ with the refrain,“Save us, Lord.”
When everyone is in his place in the chapel, the cardinals chant the ancient invocation of the Holy Spirit, “Veni, Creator Spiritus.”
The cardinals then take an oath to “faithfully and scrupulously observe” the rules for electing a pope. Each swears that if he is elected, he will “faithfully fulfill the Petrine ministry as pastor of the universal Church and will strenuously affirm and defend the spiritual and temporal rights as well as the freedom of the Holy See.”
They also promise to keep everything having to do with the election secret.
When the last cardinal has placed
his hand on the Book of the Gospels and sworn the oath, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Vatican master of liturgical ceremonies, says: “Extra omnes,” ordering all those not directly involved in the conclave out of the Sistine Chapel. During their general congregation meetings, the cardinals selected Italian Raniero Cardinal Cantalamessa, retired preacher of the papal household who, at 90, is not eligible to vote in the conclave, to remain inside the chapel to offer a reflection on their responsibilities in electing a new pope.
PHOTOS BY OSV NEWS/VATICAN MEDIA AND KENDALL MCCLAREN/CNS
At top left: Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, standing, at far right, is pictured with other U.S. cardinal electors, including Cardinals Wilton D. Gregory, retired archbishop of Washington; Blase J. Cupich of Chicago; (seated, from left) Joseph Cardinal Tobin of Newark, N.J., Timothy Cardinal Dolan of New York and Robert Cardinal McElroy of Washington at the Pontifical North American College in Rome May 6. At top right, Cardinal DiNardo meets with Cardinal Cupich, Christophe Cardinal Pierre, papal nuncio to the U.S., and Canadian Gérald Cardinal Lacroix of Québec. Above, cardinal-electors meet at the beginning of the May 7 conclave in the Sistine Chapel.
Modern popes: Meet the 8 popes of the last century
(OSV News) — The following is a snapshot of the papacies of the eight popes that preceded Pope Francis, from Pope Benedict XVI to Pope Benedict XV.
POPE BENEDICT XVI: BRILLIANT HUMILITY - (R. 2005-2013)
Pope Benedict XVI, who died Dec. 31, 2022, at 95, was far more than the pope who resigned, although he was the first to do so in nearly 600 years. A towering figure in the Church for over half a century, Joseph Ratzinger shaped Catholic thought as an innovative theologian, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and ultimately as pope.
A key architect of the Church’s post-Vatican II path, he championed continuity over rupture, resisting secular trends like relativism. Ordained a priest in 1951, he rose to prominence during Vatican II and later helped draft the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Elected pope in 2005, Benedict emphasized the harmony of faith and reason and sought reform rooted in tradition.
Though criticized over the Church’s handling of clergy abuse scandals, he was among the first Vatican officials to take decisive action. After resigning in 2013, he lived in quiet prayer until his death.
ST. JOHN
PAUL II: WITNESS TO THE WORLD - (R. 1978-2005)
His 104 international trips, pivotal role in the fall of Soviet communism, and efforts to strengthen Catholic-Jewish relations marked his historic pontificate. His stances on sexuality, women’s ordination and centralized authority received both celebration and criticism, yet his leadership reshaped the modern Church. He authored landmark encyclicals, advanced ecumenical dialogue and oversaw the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
After recovering from being shot in 1981, he resumed his strenuous schedule, but starting in the early 1990s he suffered visibly from Parkinson’s. He died on April 2, 2005. Canonized in 2014, he remains a defining figure of the post-Vatican II era.
BLESSED POPE JOHN PAUL I: THE SEPTEMBER POPE - (R. AUG. 26-SEPT. 28, 1978)
Albino Cardinal Luciani took the name John Paul I to honor his two predecessors. Known for his humility, simplicity and radiant smile, he was seen as a pastoral figure who could lift the Church’s spirits after St. Paul VI’s difficult final years.
Montini in 1897, was a complex and dutiful leader whose papacy helped shape the modern Church amid turbulent times. A former Vatican diplomat and close aide to Pope Pius XII, Pope Paul VI brought deep institutional knowledge and pastoral experience to the role. He guided the Second Vatican Council to its conclusion, championed global outreach through historic papal travels, and sought unity with the Orthodox Church.
His 1968 encyclical “Humanae Vitae,” reaffirming the Church’s stance against artificial birth control, sparked widespread dissent. Despite suffering from comparison with his charismatic predecessor, St. John XXIII, St. Paul VI remained faithful to his mission, often torn between progressive and conservative impulses. He decried the spiritual confusion of the era, famously warning of the “smoke of Satan” entering the Church. Beatified in 2014 and canonized in 2018, his legacy is now viewed as prophetic, pastoral and foundational to the postconciliar Church.
scholarship and liturgical reform, and in 1950, infallibly defined the assumption of Mary. His critics question whether he spoke out forcefully enough against the Holocaust, though many contemporaries — including Jewish leaders — praised his efforts to save lives.
Despite controversy, Pope Pius XII is recognized for his moral leadership during a time of global crisis. He was declared “venerable” by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.
POPE PIUS XI: STALWART WITNESS TO TRUE ORDER - (R. 1922-1939)
ST. JOHN XXIII: JOYFUL PROPHET OF RENEWAL - (R. 1958-1963)
St. John Paul II, who led the Church from 1978 to 2005, was a towering figure of faith, intellect and global influence. A charismatic philosopher, athlete, poet and fierce opponent of communism, the Polish-born Karol Wojtyla brought vigor and vision to a world and Church in need of hope. He championed orthodoxy, human dignity and moral truth, famously urging Catholics to “Be not afraid.”
Born in northern Italy in 1912, Luciani served as bishop of Vittorio Veneto, participated in Vatican II and became patriarch of Venice. A strong advocate for catechesis and social justice, he supported “Humanae Vitae” while emphasizing patience and compassion. Though his papacy lasted only 33 days before his sudden death, he had outlined a six-point vision centered on renewal, unity and peace.
His unassuming style and rejection of papal pomp won admiration, though confusion around his death fueled conspiracy theories. Despite his short tenure, Pope John Paul I left a legacy of gentleness and humility. His cause for sainthood was opened in 1990. He was beatified in 2002.
ST. PAUL VI: PROPHET FOR THE MODERN WORLD - (R. 1963–1978)
St. Paul VI, born Giovanni Battista
St. John XXIII, born Angelo Roncalli in 1881, was elected pope at age 77, widely expected to be a transitional figure. Instead, his humility, warmth and vision reshaped the Church through the Second Vatican Council, which he convened in 1962 to engage the modern world with renewed faith and clarity.
A peasant’s son and experienced diplomat, Roncalli had served in war zones and helped Jews during World War II.
As pope, he broke with formality, welcomed diverse voices, and promoted unity and peace. His landmark encyclicals “Mater et Magistra” and “Pacem in Terris” advanced Catholic social teaching, emphasizing workers’ rights, human dignity and global cooperation. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, he played a quiet but crucial mediating role.
He died of cancer in 1963, having set the Church on a bold path of “aggiornamento” (updating) and “ressourcement” (return to sources). Canonized in 2014, he is remembered as a joyful, pastoral pope with a heart for justice and reform.
POPE PIUS XII: AN AGE IN ARMS - (R. 1939-1958)
Pope Pius XII, born Eugenio Pacelli in 1876, was elected pope on the eve of World War II. A skilled diplomat with deep experience in Vatican foreign affairs, he had helped shape Church policy in response to Nazism and Communism.
Though maintaining wartime neutrality, Pope Pius XII condemned totalitarian ideologies, aided Jews and refugees, and acted as a diplomatic channel between the Allies and anti-Hitler Germans. After the war, he resisted Communist expansion in Eastern Europe and intervened in Italian elections to prevent a Communist victory. Doctrinally, he advanced biblical
Pope Pius XI led the Church through turbulent years marked by global depression, rising totalitarian regimes and fierce antiCatholic persecution. Born Ambrogio Ratti in 1857 near Milan, he was a scholar and Vatican diplomat before becoming pope. A strong, no-nonsense leader, he promoted Catholic Action, defended marriage and education, and issued key encyclicals: “Casti Connubii” on family life, “Quadragesimo Anno” on social justice, and “Mit Brennender Sorge” condemning Nazi doctrines and Catholic persecution. He also protested Fascist repression in Italy and Communism’s dehumanizing effects. Pope Pius XI helped resolve the “Roman question” with the Lateran Treaty, making Vatican City a sovereign state. He established the feast of Christ the King, emphasizing Christ’s universal kingship, and canonized saints such as St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Thomas More. As war loomed, he used diplomacy, moral authority and media to confront evil. He died in 1939 after years of resisting regimes addicted to violence and oppression.
POPE BENEDICT XV: FORGOTTEN POPE OF PEACE - (R. 1914-1922)
Pope Benedict XV, elected as World War I erupted, is often overlooked but was a compassionate and prescient leader during one of history’s darkest chapters. A seasoned diplomat, he remained neutral during the war, calling it a “useless massacre” and urging peace through proposals emphasizing reconciliation over punishment. Though ignored by world powers, his appeals laid moral groundwork for future diplomacy. Pope Benedict’s humanitarian efforts included help for prisoners of war, wounded soldiers and civilians, straining Vatican resources. He also reformed Church law by promulgating the first Code of Canon Law and issued the encyclical “Maximum Illud,” calling for indigenous clergy in missionary work. His 1919 meeting with U.S. President Woodrow Wilson highlighted his commitment to peace, even as Versailles’ punitive treaty ignored his warnings.
Pope Benedict died in 1922, largely forgotten until Pope Benedict XVI hailed him as a “courageous and authentic prophet of peace.” His legacy endures as a voice of compassion amid global conflict. †
CELEBRATING THE PASCHAL MYSTERY
Catholic parishes, communities
HOUSTON — Across many of 146 parishes in the Archdiocese, on Holy Saturday, a voice cried out to proclaim the Resurrection of the Lord: “Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King, let all corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness.”
That message also resounded in Catholic communities around the world, from St. Peter’s Basilica to the underground churches in China and the suffering Catholic communities in Ukraine and Gaza, to bring forth a song of hope and a brave “Alleluia” in the face of tragedy and despair. For many, this Triduum was a return and journey to Christ and His Church, especially for the 2,669 who joined the Church this Easter. On Holy Thursday, thousands joined Liturgies to remember the Last Supper, and on Good Friday, many groups re-enacted the Stations of the Cross.
As part of the joyous Easter celebration, Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez welcomed these new Catholics into the local Church of Galveston-Houston. Thousands, many supported by their families and friends, began the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) process in February. This OCIA process, carried out in parishes and dioceses across Galveston-Houston and the U.S., came full circle as the U.S. Church welcomed thousands of new Catholics at Easter Vigil Masses April 19.
While people can become Catholic at any time of the year, the Easter Vigil celebrates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, so these high holy days are particularly appropriate for catechumens who have never been baptized to receive Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion at the Easter Vigil. Candidates who were already baptized completed their initiation through a profession of faith, were confirmed and received the Eucharist. Across the U.S., thousands more new Catholics were welcomed into the Church during Easter Vigil Masses. On Easter Day, thousands attended Masses to welcome the Easter season and celebrate the resurrection.
Now, the paschal candle is lit in every church, and the Easter season continues for 50 days in the Catholic Church until Pentecost Sunday, June 8. †
EMBRACING EASTER
PRINCE OF PEACE - HOUSTON
ST. MATTHIAS - MAGNOLIA
ST. THERESA - MEMORIAL PARK
CO-CATHEDRAL OF THE SACRED HEART
ST. JEROME - HOUSTON
ST. BARTHOLOMEW - KATY
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION - SEALY
Rural parishes welcome new Catholics at Easter
BY ELIZABETH MORALES Texas Catholic Herald
BARRETT STATION — Though they are far from either of the Archdiocese’s two cathedrals and chanceries, parishes in the more rural parts of the Archdiocese continue to work to draw parishioners and new Catholics closer to Christ.
As the Archdiocese welcomed its largest group of candidates and catechumens in history, with 2,669 individuals from 114 parishes, those who joined the Catholic Church this Easter shared a variety of reasons as to why they joined the Catholic Church in GalvestonHouston, noting how family and friends helped them along the way.
St. Martin de Porres Parish in Barrett Station, near Crosby, had 16 join the Church this year: two catechumens and 14 candidates. This was the parish’s first group of elect since 2004, having recently restarted the parish Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) program, which ended in the 1990s.
Daria Hall, a recent college graduate, reassessed her life and decided that she would like to grow in every way possible, faith included, now that she was faced with entering the professional world. She also had the example of her mother, who returned to the Catholic Church.
“I grew up in a Catholic household. When my mother decided to go back to church, I saw a glow with knowledge and religious faith,” Hall said. “She would come back from Sunday Mass and tell me how great it was. It was amazing to see how she fell in love going to church more, and I wanted to experience that by going to a Catholic Church.”
Sean Williams Jr. was baptized as a member of the Baptist Church, and after moving to Texas from New Orleans, he met and married his wife, who was Catholic. Williams attended Mass with his now-wife when they were dating and continued to while they raised their three children, yet it was 14 years later when he felt ready to join the Catholic Church. His mother-in-law informed him that OCIA was beginning if he was interested and that it only took one year, but she would not push. The next time Williams saw his mother-inlaw, he shared that he would like to begin the process of joining the Catholic Church.
Williams said he is proud to see his 10-year-old son serve as an usher. As the leader of his family, Williams said he is thinking about which ministry to become involved with at his Barrett Station parish.
for the past 15 years. Recently, she and her husband made the decision to move their family closer to her Texas roots. Exploring different religions, Fajotina felt peace and comfort upon her first visit to Mass at St. Stanislaus Kostka last fall.
“I remember being nervous. I know I probably looked like a scared little mouse. I had my two little boys, and I didn’t want to do anything wrong,” Fajotina said.“But, lo and behold, I had this person touch my shoulder, and I looked back, and it was one of my son’s teachers from the year before. And she was whispering to me, ‘This is what we’re doing. This is what you can do if you’re comfortable.’”
That moment of greeting and guidance from a familiar face helped Fajotina feel as though the experience went better than anticipated. She continued attending Mass at St. Stanislaus until she knew it was where she belonged.
Fajotina also noticed a consistent type of mentor in her life.
“There was always a devout Catholic woman just making sure on the sidelines my siblings and I were okay. It wasn’t always the same grandma figure, essentially,” Fajotina said. “It was just this little whisper. They never pushed. They just always made sure they were there for us with love, and it was very contrary to what I kept hearing about the Catholic faith.”
EMBRACING EASTER
He also shared his excitement about being able to receive the Eucharist.
“I have been walking up, with my hands across my chest, to get a blessing for so long; now I can finally receive the body and blood of Christ,” Williams said.
At St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Anderson, which is closer to BryanCollege Station than it is to Houston, three new members entered the Catholic Church: one catechumen and two candidates.
Valerie Fajotina, an Air Force veteran, was brought up in a household that was not religious but had an awareness of God and raised her family in Hawaii
This constant care was important to her, in addition to the community support she experienced from the St. Stanislaus parish throughout her OCIA journey. Fajotina said she hopes to help with the Altar Society at her parish. Towards the westernmost point of the Archdiocese at St. Mary Parish in Frydek, which shares pastor Father Thuy Nguyen with Guardian Angel Parish in Wallis, Michael Cumo, a candidate, made the decision to enter the Catholic Church in preparation to marry his fiancée. Raised with an awareness of the Catholic Church, Cumo began attending Mass regularly when he started dating his now-fiancée.
“I entered the Church to grow closer to God, get back in touch with my Catholic roots and to create a unified belief with my fiancée and our future children,” Cumo said.
He expressed his love for the traditions of the Church and Mass in particular.
“Every Mass feels special and unique and gives you a sense of ease being there,” Cumo said.“I also feel closer to our Lord in the Catholic Church and during Masses.” †
San Jose Clinic Seeks CEO to Lead Mission of Compassionate Care
San Jose Clinic, Houston’s premier charity care provider, is seeking a visionary leader to serve as CEO. Since 1922, we’ve provided healing through quality healthcare and education with respect and compassion.
The ideal candidate will be missiondriven, strategic, and committed to expanding services while strengthening partnerships. Join us in making a lasting impact on the community. Scan for job description.
PHOTO BY JUDE ARCENEAUX AND JOAN PUSHEE
At left, Valerie Fajotina, with her sponsor Jaime Diehl, OCIA director, receives the Sacrament of Confirmation at Easter Vigil Mass on April 19 at St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Anderson. At right, Sean Williams Jr. gives his Profession of Faith with his sponsor Jelissa Fontenot at Easter Vigil Mass on April 19 at St. Martin de Porres Parish in Barrett Station.
Blessed art thou among women... People of Faith. Helping People in Need.
ST. MARY MAGDALENE - HUMBLE
CRISTO REY JESUIT
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
ST. HYACINTH - DEER PARK
CORPUS CHRISTI SCHOOL - HOUSTON
ST. ROSE OF LIMA SCHOOL
Restoring faith and lives, one healthy step at a time at San José Clinic
BY KERRY MCGUIRE Herald Correspondent
HOUSTON — Healthcare rooted in the Catholic faith is more than treating physical ailments — it’s about delivering compassionate, patient-centered care that restores lives with faith, kindness and a smile. This holistic approach nurtures the body, heart and soul. For many, it’s a ministry that offers not only healing but a sense of belonging, transforming lives one person at a time.
At San José Clinic, this philosophy has guided every step of its journey since 1922. Founded by Monsignor George T. Walsh, Katie Carroll, and her network of distinguished individuals, which formed the Charity Guild of Catholic Women, the clinic began in response to high infant mortality rates among Mexican migrants in Houston. Within 10 years, that rate had dropped by 65% — a testament to the power of caring, communitycentered healthcare. Throughout the years, the clinic has evolved to provide compassionate healing and restoration of hope to the lives of those most medically vulnerable.
The mission of San José Clinic has touched thousands. Adelfa Parrish, a 100-year-old patient, is one such person whose story embodies the spirit of the clinic. Parrish is a lifelong parishioner of the Church of the Resurrection in Houston’s Denver Harbor neighborhood and first came to the San José Clinic decades ago after being introduced by a friend to the receipt of care that was unaffordable and not covered by her existing Medicare policy. The clinic jumped into action, delivering a solution that was economically viable for her.
Dr. Michael J. Wisnowski, DDS, (at left) a senior dentist at San José Clinic in Houston, examines a patient at the Midtown-area clinic. He cared for many patients for the last 12 years. Dr. Wisnowski is one of the more than 600 providers who comprise the clinic’s volunteer network that supports its many patients receiving quality care at San José Clinic.
“I’ve been retired for a while now, and I rely on San José Clinic to maintain my oral health,” Parrish said. “At the age of 100, I still have all of my teeth!”
Dental care has been a consistent and crucial part of Parrish’s experience. She continues to visit the clinic every six months for cleanings and checkups, finding peace of mind in the affordability and trust she has in the staff.
“Their prices are very reasonable, so it’s accessible to everyone,” Parrish said.“It’s not just a clinic — it’s where I feel cared for, heard and loved.”
that pain and restore their smile, you’re helping them regain their dignity, confidence and sense of purpose.”
Dr. Wisnowski said the clinic often cares for individuals referred to it from women’s shelters who have endured trauma or abuse. Restorative dental care, he said, helps them re-enter society, rebuild relationships and reclaim their lives.
The Diocesan Services Fund 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 64 ministries.
DSF IN ACTION
This video series brings to life the ministry featured in these stories. Hear from leaders and people personally impacted by God’s grace through these DSF ministries.
“I love it now, and I loved it then,” Parrish said. “Everyone has been very nice and attentive.”
From her first visit, she felt valued. The kindness and dignity she experienced keep her coming back, not just for care but for connection.
Dr. Michael J. Wisnowski, DDS, senior dentist at San José Clinic, has had the privilege of caring for Parrish and many others during his 12 years at the clinic. With over 30 years of dental experience, he says the work he does at San José is the most rewarding of his career.
“Many patients come in with broken teeth and pain, not even wanting to look at you because they feel ashamed,” said Dr. Wisnowski. “But when you relieve
San José Clinic’s model is powered by an extensive volunteer network of over 600 providers, making it one of the only charitable clinics in the region offering a full spectrum of medical sub-specialties. These volunteers are the heartbeat of the clinic, with many having served for over a decade.
Alfa Castaneda, dental practice manager at San José Clinic, plays a crucial role in ensuring that compassionate, highquality care continues to be the standard. A former volunteer, Castaneda now leads the dental team with deep commitment and vision.
“What inspired me was the clinic’s long history of compassion and its faithbased mission,” Castaneda said. “This work is a calling. Every day, I get to see how healthcare and ministry come together to change lives.”
Her current priorities include expanding access, securing funding for modern equipment, growing the volunteer network, and strengthening partnerships with dental schools and community organizations. She also envisions greater emphasis on preventative education, empowering patients to take charge of
their oral health.
SCAN TO WATCH OR VISIT
ARCHGH.ORG/ DSFINACTION
As one of over 60 ministries supported by the Diocesan Services Fund (DSF), San José Clinic relies on the funding and generosity of foundations, corporations, academic affiliations and individual donors to continue its mission. The support helps fund essentials, from equipment maintenance to volunteer coordination, ensuring no patient is turned away due to financial limitations.
“My vision is for San José Clinic to be a beacon of healing, hope and human dignity,” Castaneda said. “A place where everyone feels welcomed, valued and uplifted because we’re not just treating symptoms. We’re nurturing souls.”
To learn more about San José Clinic, visit sanjoseclinic.org. To donate to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s DSF annual appeal, go to archgh.org/DSF. Out of each gift given to DSF, 100% of every dollar goes directly to supporting 60-plus ministries. †
PHOTO BY MARCUS NORWOOD/HERALD
Archbishop Vásquez, Cardinal DiNardo laud life and legacy of Pope Francis
BY JAMES RAMOS Texas Catholic Herald
HOUSTON (CNS) — In the days after the April 21 death of Pope Francis, Archdiocesan leaders said they mourned the loss of the 88-year-old pope but celebrated his legacy and life, especially in light of the Easter Octave.
United with Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, the priests, deacons, men and women religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese, Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez said he was“deeply saddened”at the death of Pope Francis in an April 21 statement. Pope Francis named him archbishop of Galveston-Houston on Jan. 20.
“Pope Francis’ life and ministry centered on walking alongside the poor and marginalized, sharing the lifeaffirming message of the Gospel not only with them but also through them to the entire Church,” said Archbishop Vásquez. “His deep commitment to supporting all individuals in their happiness and struggles will leave a profound and enduring influence on the Church as it embarks on its continued pilgrimage of faith, hope and charity.”
“As pilgrims of hope, we take solace during this Easter season in the resurrection of Our Lord,” he said. “Let us offer our prayers for His Holiness, Pope Francis, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother. May the Lord embrace him in His merciful arms.”
As a member of the Sacred College of Cardinals, Cardinal DiNardo served as a cardinal elector in the 2013 Papal Conclave that saw the election of Pope Francis on March 13, 2013.
“The life and ministry of Pope Francis was marked by walking with the poor,
and those on the margins of society, to bring the life-giving message of the Gospel to them, and through them, to the whole Church,” said Cardinal DiNardo in a statement.
“His intense focus on accompanying all men and women of goodwill in their joys and sorrows will continue to have a lasting impact on the Church as she continues her own pilgrim journey of faith,” he said.
At an April 21 Mass for Easter Monday presided over by Archbishop Vásquez, Cardinal DiNardo said in his homily that Pope Francis was a “rhapsody” of surprises in the Church.
“A rhapsody is filled with syncopations, surprises; you never know what the next theme is going to be,” he said. “That was Pope Francis, and I think he loved to do that. It was not only once but at least three or four times that he told Christians to make a mess and to do so with joy.”
“The mercy of God is one of the major
hallmarks of Pope Francis,” he continued.
“The mercy of God was always on his lips; it was always geared towards those around him.”
Cardinal DiNardo also asked for prayers for himself as he prepared to head to Rome for the May 7 conclave. He also concelebrated the April 26 Requiem Mass for Pope Francis with the rest of the College of Cardinals.
GLOBAL PASTOR: IN WORD AND DEED, POPE FRANCIS PREACHED MERCY, OUTREACH
Pope Francis gave new energy to millions of Catholics as he transformed the image of the papacy into a pastoral ministry based on personal encounters and strong convictions about poverty, mission and dialogue.
Kevin Cardinal Farrell, chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, announced that
FRANCIS, page 13
Houston pilgrims in Rome pivot from canonization to papal funeral
BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Herald Correspondent
VATICAN CITY — A Houston deacon, his wife and a group of fellow pilgrims joined thousands who first planned to attend the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis and instead witnessed a papal funeral in Rome.
Deacon Gus Camacho of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and his group, totaling 15, prepared for the journey centered on the planned canonization of the first millennial teen saint marked by his devotion to the Eucharist, charity work, and love for the Catholic Church. However, the death of Pope Francis on April 21 caused the Vatican to delay the canonization.
“We heard the news just one day before we left for Rome that Pope Francis had died on Easter Monday, and the canonization would be postponed,” Deacon Camacho said.
He checked with his group and travel company, Nativity Pilgrimage, and the decision was made to continue to Italy. Departing Houston on April 22, they landed in Milan for their first portion of the trip, visiting Milan, Padua and Siena before heading to Rome to go through four Holy Doors as part of the Jubilee.
But the pilgrimage turned into a whirlwind with all the traffic streaming into Rome to grieve and pray for the Holy Father. The group was informed as they traveled to Rome that St. Peter Basilica, the Vatican Museum and the Basilica of Mary Major were closed starting April 26 for the pope’s funeral.
The group discussed how hundreds of thousands of people were expected at the public funeral and how
last a lifetime, told us that they could not see or hear the procession of the Mass very well,” he said.
The group did get reservations to visit the tomb of Pope Francis the following day at St. Mary Major Basilica, bypassing a general four-hour waiting line. But then their group was pushed aside by security guards.
“That upset a lot of people, but then it was made clear what was happening.” He described, “The College of Cardinals, yes those who include our future pope, filed into the basilica to pay their respects to the deceased pontiff, and then they started praying their first Novena for him.”
So, the previously upset crowd realized they were receiving an unforgettable blessing. “To see so many of the Apostles of the Church all at one time caused tears in all our eyes,” Deacon Camacho said. But it also caused a frenzy of photography to capture the moment.
“We finally did get to see Pope Francis’ tomb, made for a simple servant of Jesus Christ and His Church, marked with a crucifix on the wall and his name Franciscus on the tombstone,” he said.
several of their group were unable to walk for the required miles and stand for hours to attend the funeral.
“The decision was made by all that we would watch the funeral together from our hotel TV in the bar area,” Deacon Camacho said.
That strategy turned out to be a good idea. “Those who attended, although filled with a memory that would
The Houston-area pilgrims wrapped up their visit by going through four Holy Doors, the fourth being the now-reopened Basilica of St. Peter. The pilgrims shared with the deacon how they were returning to the States with a renewed admiration for the Catholic Church and its rich history.
“We were able to join in prayer with and for the cardinals that the Holy Spirit guides them during the election of our future pope, Bishop of Rome, Holy Father, and the successor to the Chair of St. Peter,” Deacon Camacho said. †
CNS PHOTO/LOLA GOMEZ
A member of the College of Cardinals prays at the tomb of Pope Francis and attends vespers at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome April 27. Cardinals and the faithful, including a group of pilgrims from Houston, visited the Marian basilica to offer their prayers and respects.
PHOTO BY VATICAN MEDIA
At left, Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez, then bishop of the Diocese of Austin, and Daniel Cardinal DiNardo greet Pope Francis during an ad limina visit to the Vatican in 2020.
See
MARCH 23
IN MEMORIA: POPE FRANCIS
Pope Francis had died the morning of April 21.
“His whole life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church,” Cardinal Farrell said in a video announcement broadcast from the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where Pope Francis lived.
His gestures — from tenderly embracing the sick to repeatedly visiting prisoners — touched millions of hearts. But controversy raged over his denunciations of the excesses of unbridled capitalism, his warnings about the human contributions to climate change and his insistence on accompanying, not judging, gay people.
With bronchitis and difficulty breathing, Pope Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14. He was diagnosed with double pneumonia and a complex infection. He had returned to the Vatican March 23 to continue his recovery.
God’s mercy was a constant theme in Pope Francis’ preaching and was so central to his vision of what the Church’s ministry must embody that he proclaimed an extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy from Dec. 8, 2015 to Nov. 20, 2016.
Pope Francis was the first pope in history to come from the Southern Hemisphere, the first non-European to be elected in almost 1,300 years and the first Jesuit to serve as successor to St. Peter.
In the first three years of his papacy, he published three major documents: “Evangelii Gaudium” (“The Joy of the Gospel”), a detailed vision of the program for his papacy and his vision for the Church particularly the Church’s outreach and its response to challenges posed by secular culture; “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” on the environment; and “Amoris Laetitia” (“The Joy of Love”), his reflections on the discussions of the synods of bishops on the family in 2014 and 2015.
Holiness was the topic of his March 2018 apostolic exhortation, “Gaudete et Exsultate” (“Rejoice and Be Glad”), in which he insisted being holy is not boring or impossible and that it grows through small, daily gestures and acts of lovingkindness.
Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, Pope Francis was an untiring voice for peace, urging an end to armed conflict, supporting dialogue and encouraging reconciliation. The pope described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “madness” and called on the world’s bishops to join him in consecrating Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
When Hamas militants attacked communities in Israel, killing scores of people and taking more than 200 people
the monstrance as he delivers his extraordinary blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) during a prayer service in the portico of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 27, 2020. The service was livestreamed in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
hostage in late 2023, and Israel retaliated by attacking Gaza, Pope Francis made repeated appeals for the return of hostages, a ceasefire to deliver humanitarian aid and a real commitment to a negotiated peace.
Promoting peace, solidarity and respect for the Earth, the pope insisted people needed to recognize each other as brothers and sisters and issued an encyclical about that: “Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity and Social Friendship.” He signed the text at the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi on the saint’s feast day, Oct. 4, 2020.
Pope Francis spent much of the first nine years of his pontificate pursuing two ambitious projects: revitalizing the Church’s efforts at evangelization constantly urging outreach rather than a preoccupation with internal Church affairs and reforming the central administration of the Vatican, emphasizing its role of assisting bishops around the world rather than dictating policy to them.
On March 19, 2022, the ninth anniversary of the inauguration of his papacy, he finally promulgated “Praedicate Evangelium” (“Preach the Gospel”), his complete restructuring of the Roma Curia, highlighting its mission to serve the Church’s evangelization efforts at all levels.
His simple lifestyle, which included his decision not to live in the Apostolic Palace and his choice of riding around Rome in a small Fiat or Ford instead of a Mercedes sedan, sent a message of austerity to Vatican officials and clergy throughout the Church. He reinforced the message with frequent admonitions about the Gospel demands and evangelical witness of poverty and simplicity.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital city, Dec. 17, 1936. He earned a chemical technician’s diploma from his high school and entered the Jesuit novitiate in March 1958. After studying liberal arts in Santiago, Chile, he returned to Argentina and earned his licentiate in philosophy from the Colegio San Jose in San Miguel.
He was ordained a priest Dec. 13, 1969, and after his perpetual profession as a Jesuit in 1973, he became master of novices at the Seminary of Villa Barilari in San Miguel. Later that same year, he was appointed superior of the Jesuit province of Argentina, a role in which, by his own account, he proved a divisive figure because of an “authoritarian and quick manner of making decisions.”
In May 1992, Father Bergoglio was named an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires. He was appointed coadjutor archbishop five years later and became archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998; St. John Paul II named him to the College of
See FRANCIS, page 14
FRANCIS, from page 11
IN MEMORIA: POPE FRANCIS
PHOTO BY VATICAN MEDIA Pope Francis holds
he promoted reconciliation as he did in Iraq in 2021.
Pope thanked nurse for taking him to St. Peter’s Square one last time
Pope Francis’ final moments were peaceful, and he managed to give one last farewell to his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, before slipping into a coma early April 21, Vatican News reported.
Among his last words were his thanks to Strappetti late April 20 when he said, “Thank you for bringing me back to the square,” referring to the pope’s surprise appearance after giving his Easter blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. The pope hired him to be his personal nurse in 2022.
“The pope wanted to make one last significant surprise by going to St. Peter’s Square for a ride in the popemobile,” Vatican News said in a report April 22. However, the pope was a little unsure and asked Strappetti, “Do you think I can do it?”
The nurse, who had been by his side for the 38 days he was hospitalized in Rome’s Gemelli hospital and then by his bedside 24/7 at the pope’s residence since his return March 23, reassured him that he could, Vatican News reported.
For 15 minutes, Pope Francis rode around St. Peter’s Square and a portion of the wide boulevard leading to the square, filled with about 50,000 people.
The pope then rested that afternoon and had a relaxing dinner, Vatican News said.
The first signs that something was wrong happened the next day around 5:30 a.m. followed by “prompt intervention by those watching over him,” it said.
More than an hour later, the pope, who was lying on his bed in his apartment, gestured to wave farewell to Strappetti and slipped into a coma, it said.
“He did not suffer, everything happened quickly,” according to those who were with the pope those final moments, Vatican News reported.
Cardinals in 2001.
As leader of an archdiocese with more than 2.5 million Catholics, Cardinal Bergoglio strove to be close to the people. He rode the bus, visited the poor, lived in a simple apartment and cooked his own meals. He was elected pope on March 13, 2013.
POPE’S
47 TRIPS REFLECTED HIS DESIRE TO DRAW CLOSE TO WORLD’S PERIPHERIES
When he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Bergoglio had said he always tried to avoid traveling “because I’m a homebody.”
As Pope Francis, he was anything but.
In his 12 years as head of the universal Church, Pope Francis took 47 trips abroad, visiting more than 65 countries and covering more than 270,000 miles, which is equivalent to 11 times around the Earth.
His diminishing physical abilities did not stop him from taking the longest trip of his papacy in September 2024. His final trip was to the Mediterranean island of Corsica, just two days before his 88th birthday.
Many of his international trips were to countries where Christians are a minority or where he could draw close to people on the fringes of the world’s attention.
Even in countries where it is typical for popes to visit, Pope Francis’ choice of activities was sometimes surprising and showed his desire to stay close to marginalized people and those who suffer.
During his apostolic visit to the U.S. in 2015, the pope received a regal welcome. He met with President Barack Obama at the White House and became the first pope to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.Yet immediately following the historic moment, he ate lunch with homeless people at a local parish. In Philadelphia, he visited a maximumsecurity prison before celebrating Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Other trips have seen the pope visit homes for the elderly, hospitals and refugee camps, including what had been the largest camp in Europe: in Lesbos, Greece. He took 12 refugees back to Rome with him after a visit in 2016 and, five years later, visited again and criticized world leaders for an “indifference that kills.”
Pope Francis visited some of the poorest countries in the world, such as Mozambique and Madagascar in 2019 and Congo and South Sudan in 2023.
In countries experiencing war, he pleaded for peace as he did during a visit to the Central African Republic in 2015, and in nations recovering from conflict,
He took part in four World Youth Days, with the 2013 gathering in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, being the first foreign journey of his pontificate. He went to Kraków, Poland, in 2016; Panama City, Panama, in 2019; and Lisbon, Portugal, in 2023, after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the event in 2021.
POPE FRANCIS: A POPE OF SURPRISES TO THE VERY END
From the moment of his election, Pope Francis made clear from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica that his first mandate was to serve as bishop of Rome and be close with the people.
“We take up this journey: the bishop and the people,” he said before delivering his first blessing, “urbi et orbi” (to the city and to the world). “Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world that there may be a great spirit of fraternity.”
In what would be his final public appearance before his death, the pope gave his last “urbi et rbi” blessing, urging world peace. More surprisingly, the convalescent pope boarded his popemobile one last time to greet the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
Following his March 23 release from the hospital, doctors ordered the pope to begin a two-month period of recovery at the Vatican. Yet, upon leaving the hospital, he couldn’t help but make a detour to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, which houses the Marian icon the pope would often pray to.
Unable to enter the basilica, the pope left a bouquet of flowers for Rolandas Cardinal Makrickas, coadjutor archpriest of St. Mary Major, to place in front of the Marian icon.
The icon, named “Salus Populi Romani” (“Health of the Roman people”), is where the pope would pray before and after every international trip, as well any notable event, such as when he was released from the hospital in 2021 after undergoing intestinal surgery.
Although he kept to his prescribed recovery and was not seen in public, two weeks after his release from the hospital, the pope made a surprise appearance at the end of the closing Mass for the Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers.
Straining his voice, the pope wished the faithful: “A happy Sunday to all of you, many thanks!”
On April 9, he met privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla. The Vatican announced that the meeting took place despite the fact that it was originally postponed due to the pope’s frail health.
The pope died at 7:35 a.m. from a stroke, the coma and heart failure, the Vatican said. †
However, on April 10, the day after his visit with the royals, the pontiff took many by surprise when he appeared in St. Peter’s Basilica clad in a simple white shirt, black trousers and a blanket. According to the Vatican, the pope went to view the ongoing restoration work at the basilica, as well as to pray at the tomb of St. Pius X.
He also spent several minutes greeting shocked tourists and pilgrims at the basilica.
No one will know whether Pope Francis knew his time was coming to an end. Although his health was frail, his voice in his few public appearances, while strained, seemed much stronger.
On April 12, on the eve of Palm Sunday, the pope visited the Basilica of St. Mary Major for what would become his last time praying before the Marian icon to which he was so devoted.
It is near the icon where the pope was laid to rest, as per his wishes. In his autobiography, “Hope,” the pope said he wanted to be buried near the icon.
“The Vatican is the home of my last service, not my eternal home. I will go in the room where they now keep the candelabra, close to the Regina della Pace (Queen of Peace) from whom I have always sought help and whose embrace I have felt more than a hundred times during the course of my papacy,”he wrote.
The following day, on Palm Sunday, the pope made an appearance at the end of the Mass in St. Peter’s Square.
On April 16, he met with healthcare workers and medical staff who took care of him during his long hospitalization.
The pope did not allow his illness to get in the way of his customary visits to a detention facility on Holy Thursday, April 17. Meeting with some 70 inmates at Rome’s Regina Coeli prison, the pope noted that “every year I like to do what Jesus did on Holy Thursday, washing feet in a prison.”
“This year, I cannot do it, but I can and want to be close to you. I pray for you and your families,” he said.
Upon leaving the prison, the pope’s car stopped near a group of journalists. Speaking about his visit to the prison, he said: “Every time I enter these doors, I ask myself, ‘Why them and not me?’”
On Good Friday, he was unable to join pilgrims at the Colosseum, but in his reflections, he enclosed a farewell message to the world: Jesus came to change the world and, “for us, that means changing direction, seeing the goodness of your path, letting the memory of your glance transform our hearts,” he wrote in the introduction to the commentaries and prayers.
Not long after, the pope made his way to the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for what would be his final “urbi et orbi” blessing. Straining his voice and barely able to raise his hands in blessing, the appreciative throng of pilgrims applauded, even more so when he boarded his popemobile to greet them one last time.
On his final day of earthly life, Pope Francis ended his pontificate as he began it more than 12 years ago, upon his election: embarking on the journey of a bishop with his people. †
FRANCIS, from page 13
CNS PHOTO
Pope Francis walks with World Youth Day pilgrims as he arrives for a prayer vigil at the Field of Mercy in Krakow, Poland in 2016.
CNS PHOTO/JUSTIN MCLELLAN
Pope Francis’ casket is driven past the Colosseum on its way toward his burial place in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome April 26 after his funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Square.
Catholic schools welcome May with Marian crowning celebrations
HOUSTON — All around the Archdiocese, Catholic schools turn to the Blessed Mother in prayer and devotion during the month of May, which is traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. From Spring to Dickinson, Catholic school students celebrated the Mother of Jesus with song, prayer and, perhaps most colorfully, flowers. With special May Crowning Liturgies, Catholics brought colorful flowers and prayers to the Blessed Mother, seeking for her intercession to her Son Jesus. †
Sacred Poetry Contest
1st Place Winner Katherine Tse, St. Francis de Sales
2nd Place Winner Kalina Dementyev, St. Theresa - Sugarland
Avery Martinez Roman, St. Anne - Tomball
3rd Place Winner Anthony d’Souza, St. Anne - Tomball
Josslyn Leigh, St. Francis de Sales
Madelyn Simpson, St. Vincent de Paul
1st Place Winner McKenna Mouton, St. Thomas More
2nd Place Winner Victoria Dinh, St. Francis de Sales
3rd Place Winner Alice Harmon, St. Theresa - Sugar Land
Christiano Garcia, St. Thomas More
1st Place Winner Caroline Gonzalez-Alba, St. Anthony of Padua
2nd Place Winner Caroline Kohl, St. Ambrose
3rd Place Winner Joshua Michalski, St. Theresa - Sugar Land
Maxim Quintanilla, St. Vincent de Paul
Reflecting Your Mercy
I hate looking in the mirror, shattered, dark, unholy. I long to turn to your light, your life, your truth, to heal my soul full of cracks created by sin. Jesus, I trust in you.
You’ve called me by name, for reasons I can’t explain. Your grace has made me new. Jesus, I trust in you.
I repent for what I’ve done, though I can’t believe I’m worthy. O Blood and Water drown me, Lord, I ask for your Mercy.
I bow down at your feet, praying in Heaven we’ll meet. When I walk with you, I bear no worry. Lord, I ask for your Mercy.
I plead with you in the name of poor sinners. Wash us clean, all impurity gone.
May all souls be led to your passion and salvation, Lord, forgive everyone.
On the cross you have suffered, the weight of sin uncovered. You assumed the price so that we may have none. Lord, forgive everyone.
I weep for what I’ve done.
I surrender my past so I may pursue.
Sacred Heart, so precious and incomprehensible. Jesus, I trust in you.
I now gaze at the mirror you mended piece by piece. You shone your light on us and washed away our tears.
Your righteousness made us whole so we could reflect your image.
Jesus, I trust in you.
ST. EDWARD - SPRING
DUCHESNE ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART
PHOTO BY MICHELLE EISTERHOLD/FOR THE HERALD
PHOTO COURTESY OF DUCHESNE ACADEMY
St. Martha students
slime principal for a heart-focused cause
KINGWOOD — Principal Christopher Dickson at St. Martha Catholic School in Kingwood got slimed by his students after they exceeded their fundraising goal for the “Kids Heart Challenge” beyond expectations.
Kids Heart Challenge, sponsored by the American Heart Association, is a servicelearning program where students meet other children with special hearts, such as those with heart conditions and other issues, raise funds for the health of all hearts and learn about CPR and other important heart-health issues. The event included classroom activities, learning about keeping their hearts and brains healthy and learning to support and help others. †
St. John Paul II School earns STEM certification, celebrates with STREAM Night showcase
HOUSTON — St. John Paul II Catholic School (StJPII) has earned official STEM certification from the National Institute for STEM Education (NISE), affirming the school’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, school leaders said.
This national recognition placed StJPII among a select group of schools that have met rigorous criteria for effectively integrating STEM practices across all grade levels. The certification comes on the heels of the school earning its fourth U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award, reinforcing StJPII’s
reputation for excellence in both academics and character formation.
To celebrate and further promote this achievement, StJPII recently hosted a dynamic and engaging STREAM Night for students and parents.
The event spotlighted the integration of science, technology, religion, engineering, art and mathematics through interactive, student-led demonstrations at every grade level. From robotics and coding challenges to faith-based science experiments and artistic engineering projects, STREAM Night offered a handson experience showcasing how students apply their learning in meaningful and
creative ways.
“We are incredibly proud to receive the NISE certification,” said Principal Rebecca Bogard.“It reflects the dedication of our teachers who have thoughtfully integrated STEM practices into the classroom while keeping our Catholic identity at the heart of our mission. STREAM Night gave our community a chance to see that meaningful blend of faith and innovation come to life.”
Established in 1988, StJPII serves approximately 700 students in grades pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. For more information about StJPII, visit www.jp2.org. †
PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. JOHN PAUL II CATHOLIC SCHOOL
St. John Paul II Catholic School has earned official STEM certification from the National Institute for STEM Education.
YOUTH
Embracing my Catholic Filipino identity
In high school, I owned my Catholicism after going through my Confirmation program, which was led by many young Filipinos. It was refreshing to see young men and women who looked like me, whom many non-Asians saw as cool and worth looking up to. I did not see it then, but those youth ministers were repairing my identity while also bringing me closer to Jesus.
During my college years, I learned about Filipinos like Larry Itliong, who worked alongside legendary civil rights activist Cesar Chavez to protest the mistreatment of farm workers. Unlike what I had seen growing up, all these individuals allowed me to see my ethnicity in a more positive light.
In 2013, I took a gap year while in college, and I became a missionary for the National Evangelization Teams (NET Ministries) in Australia. It was here that I felt God had truly begun to repair every misconception I had ever believed about myself. Growing up with an emotionally distant father, it was during this year that God started to become the father figure I had needed all my life. In realizing my identity as His Son, all the other parts of my identity began to receive some reconciliation, something I didn’t think was possible.
One of my missionary brothers, now known as Father Will, let me know how much respect he had for Filipino Catholics, especially for our matriarchs. “The devil’s worst nightmare is a Filipino lady with a rosary,” Father Will once told me. This was in reference to many of the women in our culture praying Rosaries and novenas unceasingly, always interceding for the conversion of their loved ones and the entire world. Even though I grew up around titas (aunts) and lolas (grandmas) who prayed like this, I never paid much attention to it. This was the first time I realized how powerful it was.
When I came back to the U.S., I spent a lot of time with two friends, Jerome and Oliver. Along with Father Will, one thing these two helped me realize was how blessed I was to be a part of an ethnic group that had so many people interceding for us. Oliver’s family often hosted a prayer event called “3,000 Hail Marys” at his house. This often provoked
by ROBERT LUCERO
Jerome to have us think about how far we had come in our Catholicism from being kids to being adults. “You ever think about who we were as kids versus who we are now? Thank God for all the Rosaries and prayers all our lolas, titas and other ancestors said for us,” Jerome would say.
As a hip-hop fan in the ‘90s, I was infatuated with rappers who wrote songs about having a purpose worth suffering for, even to the point of death. This sparked in me an immense respect for Catholic martyrs. I was so excited when my elders taught us about saints Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod, who were both martyrs and Filipinos.
Through this, I also fell in love with asking for the intercession of the
“To all our elders, especially the titas and lolas, I urge you to never stop interceding for us. You are the St. Annes and St. Monicas to our Marys and Augustines. ”
passionately, while also giving the younger generations room to be able to process things and adapt them to their Asian American experience. Find the heroes and Godfathers who can speak to our children in ways we don’t always know how to.
To the rest of us struggling with how to navigate our Catholic and ethnic experiences, know that you aren’t an accident. Look up the history of various Asians who have contributed to American society as well as to Christianity and allow those things to
empower you. From your ethnicity to all of your other unique qualities comes much life-giving purpose. Be patient with yourselves as you grow into who you are and be open to everything that is a part of you. Do all of this while trusting that God has amazing testimonies for everything you’re experiencing. †
ARCHDIOCESAN YOUTH CONFERENCE
Robert Lucero is a middle school youth minister at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Houston.
WORLD Francis’ final gift to Gaza: Popemobile will be transformed into mobile clinic for children
JERUSALEM (OSV News) — With the declining situation in Gaza always in his heart, in his final months, Pope Francis bequeathed his popemobile to Caritas Jerusalem and directed the agency to turn it into a mobile health station for the children in Gaza.
Preparation of the new health station is to be completed by mid-May, said Peter Brune, secretary general of Caritas Sweden, who, together with Caritas Jerusalem’s Anton Asfar, developed the idea in February. Upon Asfar’s suggestion, Brune visited Bethlehem in February to view the popemobile that had been stored in Bethlehem since Pope Francis used it on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2014.
Pope Francis readily agreed to the idea after Anders Cardinal Arborelius of Stockholm, Sweden, approached him, Brune said.
“There is an urgency in the need to help children in Gaza. There has been a full blockage of aid since March 2,” Brune said. “This is not the way we should treat our children.”
When access to food, water and health care is cut off, children are often the first and hardest hit, with infection and other preventable conditions putting their lives at risk, Caritas Sweden and Caritas Jerusalem said in a press release. Brune said in the release that the mobile clinic will be a “concrete, life-saving intervention at a time when the health system in Gaza has almost completely collapsed.”
OSV NEWS PHOTO
Final work is being carried out to transform the popemobile used by Pope Francis during his 2014 Holy Land pilgrimage into a mobile health unit for the children of Gaza which will be ready for use once the humanitarian corridor is opened. In his final months, before his death April 21, the pope approved and blessed the project.
The vehicle will be staffed by a driver and medical doctors and is currently being fitted with equipment for diagnoses, examination and treatment, including rapid tests for infections, suture kits, syringes and needles, oxygen supply, vaccines and a refrigerator for medicines, and will be ready for use once the humanitarian corridor to Gaza reopens.
“This vehicle represents the love, care and closeness shown by His Holiness for the most vulnerable, which he expressed throughout the crisis,” Asfar said in the press release.
Since the outbreak of the war, Pope Francis called the Catholic Holy Family Parish every night and spoke with the parish priests, including parish pastor Father Gabriel Romanelli, to express his support for the parish community sheltering at the compound. In his last “urbi et orbi” blessing on Easter, April 20, the pope called for a ceasefire and the release of the 59 hostages still held by Hamas, up to 24 of whom are believed to still be alive, and aid for “a starving people who aspire to a future of peace.”
The main message of the new health mobile is to assure that the children of Gaza are not forgotten, said Brune. The unit will be called “Vehicle of Hope,” he said.
“It will be conveying a message of hope,” he said. “The children will be sitting on the chair of the Holy Father and treated as the miracles that they are. If nothing more symbolically, the pope was interested in bringing attention to the situation of the children of Gaza.”
In the meantime, Israeli media reported that the Israeli cabinet approved plans which included “conquering of Gaza and holding the territories” as well as a plan for the distribution of humanitarian aid that Israel says would prevent Hamas from controlling its distribution. †
IN BRIEF
Ukraine’s religious leaders urge U.S. faithful to ‘be on the side of truth’ amid war (OSV News) — Ukrainian religious leaders met May 1 in Washington with Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, asking the Church in the U.S. to “be on the side of the truth” regarding Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
Established in 1996, Ukrainian Council of the Churches of Religious Organizations (UCCRO) is the largest group of its kind in Ukraine and works to unite that nation’s religiously plural communities through spiritual revival, interfaith dialogue, Church-state relations and charitable initiatives. UCCRO members expressed gratitude for support from the American people — along with real concern about shifts in the U.S. stance on Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. “We really have felt the solidarity of the Church in the USA, and we never cease to pray for you,” said Bishop Vitaliy Kryvytskyi of the Latin Church’s Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr, Ukraine at the gathering.
At the same time, Bishop Kryvytskyi urged U.S. faithful “not to allow a false narrative to prevail in the current political climate.” He stressed that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — launched in February 2022 and continuing attacks begun in 2014 — are “‘war,’ not a ‘conflict.’”
The UCCRO delegation also pointed to Russia’s targeting of churches and houses of worship, with more than 600 religious buildings damaged, and religious persecution in Ukraine’s occupied territories.
In 2022, Russian officials banned the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and Caritas in occupied areas of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region. †
MUNDO CATÓLICO
Este cónclave tiene la mayor diversidad geográfica de la historia
CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Se espera que el cónclave que dará inició el 7 de mayo sea el mayor de la historia, con una amplia mezcla geográfica de cardenales electores.
Mientras que 115 cardenales participaron en los cónclaves de 2005 y 2013, se esperaba que 133 prelados ingresaran a la Capilla Sixtina para elegir al sucesor del Papa Francisco.
Hay 135 cardenales menores de 80 años y elegibles para votar en una elección papal; sin embargo, funcionarios de la iglesia local habían notificado al Vaticano que el cardenal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, arzobispo retirado de Valencia, España, de 79 años, y el cardenal John Njue, arzobispo retirado de Nairobi, Kenia, de 79 años, no vendrían a Roma debido a problemas de salud.
Los cardenales representan a 71 países diferentes si se cuentan las naciones en las que prestan servicio y no sólo donde nacieron. Tomemos el ejemplo de tres italianos: Los cardenales Pierbattista Pizzaballa es el patriarca latino de Jerusalén; Giorgio Marengo es el prefecto apostólico de Ulán Bator, Mongolia; y Mario Zenari es el nuncio apostólico en Siria.
La edad media de los cardenales al 28 de abril era de 70 años y 5 meses. Se trata de una edad ligeramente inferior a la media de edad de los electores que participaron en el último cónclave de 2013, que era de 71,8 años.
Según “Universi Dominici Gregis”, el documento que establece las reglas para la elección de un nuevo Papa, los cardenales que cumplen 80 años antes del día en que la Sede Apostólica queda vacante — es decir, con la muerte o renuncia papal — no participan en la elección.
El cardenal de mayor edad entre los actuales votantes es el cardenal Carlos Osoro Sierra, arzobispo emérito de Madrid, que cumple 80 años el 16 de mayo.
El miembro más joven del cónclave es el cardenal Mykola Bychok, ucraniano de 45 años, de la Eparquía ucraniana de San Pedro y San Pablo de Melbourne, Australia. Es uno de los 17 cardenales de la Generación X, es decir los cardenales nacidos entre 1965 y 1980.
Sólo cinco de los cardenales elegibles para entrar en el cónclave fueron creados cardenales por San Juan Pablo II y 22 fueron creados por el Papa Benedicto XVI.
Eso significa que 27 de ellos participaron en el cónclave que eligió al Papa Francisco, y cinco de ellos también participaron en el cónclave de 2005 que eligió al Papa Benedicto.
Pero eso también significa que votar en un cónclave será una experiencia totalmente nueva para 108 de los electores.
Aunque la distribución geográfica de los votantes del cónclave se ha diversificado desde 1978, los europeos siguen siendo el bloque más numeroso. Cincuenta y dos de los electores, es decir, el 37%, proceden de Europa.
Sin embargo, Asia está más representada que nunca, con 24 electores o casi el 18% del total. Hay 23 cardenales electores que representan a América Latina, cerca del 17% del total, seguida de África con 18 electores. América del Norte se sitúa ahora por detrás de África
y Asia con 14 electores, que representan alrededor del 10%, y Oceanía cuenta con cuatro cardenales en edad de votar, alrededor del 2,9% del total.
En el desglose por países, Italia tiene 16 cardenales en edad de votar, seguida de Estados Unidos con 10, que representan
el 7% del total de votantes.
Brasil tiene siete cardenales en edad de votar; España y Francia, cinco cada uno, y Polonia, Portugal, India, Argentina y Canadá, cuatro cada uno. Inglaterra, Alemania y Filipinas tienen tres cardenales electores cada uno. Cincuenta y nueve países están representados con uno o dos cardenales electores.
En términos de influencia, el Vaticano como institución estará fuertemente representado, con 27 miembros de la Curia Romana votando en el cónclave, el 19,7% del total.
Dado que para elegir a un Papa se necesita una mayoría de dos tercios de los cardenales electores que participen. Están participando 133 hombres, y se necesitarían al menos 89 votos para que un candidato emergiera como pontífice. Entre los cardenales en edad de votar, hay 33 miembros de órdenes religiosas, entre ellos: cinco salesianos, cuatro jesuitas, cuatro franciscanos y tres franciscanos conventuales. †
FOTO DE CNS
Los cardenales se reúnen en el Nuevo Salón del Sínodo en el Vaticano para su quinta reunión general de congregación el 28 de abril.
AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE
For the latest updates about listings in the Around the Archdiocese, contact event organizers and visit www.archgh.org/ata.
MAY 14
EVENING WITH THE BISHOPS, 7 p.m., River Oaks Country Club (1600 River Oaks Blvd., Houston). 15th annual event benefits St. Dominic Village. Sponsorships and individual tickets are available. 713-391-2685; serwin-porter@ stdominicvillage.org.
MAY 16-18
MARRIAGE RETREAT, from 7 p.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Sunday, Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Retreat for married couples to reconnect and revitalize their marriage. Couples can stay overnight at Holy Name, or go home and return. Cost: $200 application fee and donation. art.ginger.otto@ wwme.org; 281-460-5739.
MAY 17
PRO-LIFE MASS/WALK, 8:10 a.m., Holy Ghost (6921 Chetwood, Houston). Helpers of God’s Precious Infants will attend a Mass and pray near Planned Parenthood, 5800 Bellaire in Houston.
STUDY GROUP, 9 a.m. to noon, St. TheresaMemorial Park Library (6622 Haskell St., Houston). The Secular branch of Discalced Carmelites for lay men and women 18+ years old, who are called to the charism of Carmelite Spirituality, host a study group every third Wednesday of the month. 832-758-0186; Therese.Lisieux111@gmail.com.
MAY 18
FESTIVAL, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sacred Heart (109 N Frazier, Conroe). Event includes morning coffee and donuts, live music, silent auction, dancing, raffle, obstacle course, kids’ games and more.
MAY 19
GOLF TOURNAMENT, 8 a.m., Gleannloch Pines Golf Club (19393 Champion Forest Dr., Spring). Charity golf tournament benefiting the
SAINTS AMONG US
Relics of six Mexican martyrs — who were priests and members of the Knights of Columbus — visited local Archdiocesan parishes recently, including St. Justin Martyr Parish (pictured) in West Houston on May 1. The priests were martyred during the Cristero War in the 1920s when the Mexican government began a widespread persecution of Catholics and ordered them to denounce their faith. The six priests, along with 19 others who perished, were beatified in 2000 by St. John Paul II. The reliquary, a silver cross, has traveled throughout Mexico and the U.S. in recent years with the support of the Knights of Columbus.
programs of the KofC Council #10720 at St. Maximilian. Cost: $125 person or $450 a team to play, with sponsorship levels also available. kc10720.org/2025/02/22/stmaxgolf.
MAY 30
GAME NIGHT, 7 to 10 p.m., St. Francis of Assisi, 5102 Dabney St., Houston. 10 Bingo games. Tickets: $20 presale; $25 at the door. stfrancisofhouston.org.
JUNE 4
ADORATION HOUR, 7 to 8 p.m., Sacred Heart (507 S
4th St., Richmond). Adoration Hour on the first Wednesday of the month to pray for vocations. Confession and Anointing of the Sick available.
JUNE 5-8
RETREAT, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, St. Rose of Lima Parish Hall (3600 Brinkman St., Houston). The ACTS retreat ends Sunday with a family fellowship celebration at St. Rose of Lima immediately following the 10 a.m. Mass.
JUNE 13-14
CONGRESS, 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 4
Having an Event?
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p.m. Saturday, Prince of Peace, St. Andrew Discipleship Center (19222 Tomball Pkwy., Houston). On Friday, Agape Congress is a free event for high school students in the St. Pedro Calungsod Youth Center, which includes dinner, a talk by Evan Lemoine and Q&A. On Saturday, the $10 adult event is features guest speakers on love, identity and sexuality in today’s culture. Topics include Theology of the Body, intimacy in marriage, parenting and living with integrity. English and Spanish sessions with childcare available. 281-627-0340; agapecongress.com; Agape@ POPHouston.org. •••
For additional listings, visit WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ATA
• Staff Accountant
• System Administrator II
• Lead Applications Specialist
• Hospital Lay Chaplain
• Associate Director for Liturgical Formation
• Facilities Manager, Grounds Keeper and more
• Receptionists
• Faith Formation • Bookkeeper
• Full and Part-Time Positions
PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM VIOLA/KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ASSEMBLY 3053
MILESTONES
Charity Guild awards $819,500 to Houston-area charities
HOUSTON — The Charity Guild of Catholic Women awarded a record $819,500 to 75 nonprofit charities benefiting children in need in the Greater Houston area at its recent Children’s Charities Grant Presentation.
Grant money is funded from proceeds from its volunteer-run Charity Guild Shop in Montrose and is given to organizations that provide food, safe housing, affordable health care, clothing, educational support, mental health assistance and supportive recreation or enrichment services that benefit children. The partnership of volunteers, consignors, customers and community makes this major contribution possible.
Chairperson Cathy McDonnell led the children’s charities committee in reviewing more than 90 grant request applications.
Some of this year’s included 19 Houston area Catholic schools with grants totaling $245,00, plus a donation of $7,500 to the Cardinal’s Circle, a group that supports students in Catholic schools in under-served communities with limited resources.
Adrienne Rodriguez, principal of Holy Rosary Catholic School in Rosenberg, stated, “We are immensely grateful to the Charity Guild of Catholic Women for awarding Holy Rosary a grant. These funds will directly support learning by allowing us to purchase 10 Chromebooks for the elementary students to use for small group instruction, intervention and enrichment through online learning tools targeted to individual student needs.”
Rodriguez said the school will also purchase STEM materials for the middle school.
“The teachers and students are excited for these new
opportunities that would not be possible without the support of the Charity Guild of Catholic Women,” she said.
In addition, other grant recipients also included Be an Angel Fund Inc., Palmer Drug Abuse Program-Houston, BEAR - Be a Resource for CPS Kids, Nora’s Home, Children’s Transplant
Initiative and Covenant House-Houston, among others. The Charity Guild of Catholic Women has donated more than $9.5 million to over 200 nonprofit organizations serving Houston children since 1996. For more information, visit charityguildshop.org. †
Compassionate Help in Times of Need
LaToya’s first pregnancy was filled with stress and uncertainty. In addition to anxiety about finances, she learned that her first child would be born with profound hearing loss.
Not long after her son was born, LaToya received support from Catholic Charities’ Blessed Beginnings Life Center: classes on successful parenting and essential material items like diapers. She is grateful she received support while raising a boy with special needs.
DID YOU KNOW?
In the past five years...
Catholic Charities’ Blessed Beginnings Life Center provided Pregnancy and Parenting Education and material support – such as diapers and other essentials
3,168
parents of babies and children up to age 5
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston brings hope and help to our most vulnerable neighbors, regardless of their faith, thanks to generous donors, parishes and volunteers.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY GUILD OF CATHOLIC WOMEN
The Charity Guild of Catholic Women awarded a record $819,500 to 75 nonprofit charities benefiting children in the Greater Houston area, including 19 Catholic schools.
