JOY IN THE CHURCH
Answering God’s vocational call brings joy to the Church
▪ SEE PAGE 7
AFTER 800 YEARS OF SILENCE
The world’s oldest organ finally sounds
SEE PAGE 17
Proclaiming the Good News to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 1964
the World Meeting on Human Fraternity.
choir, is available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
125 years since the Storm of 1900 that changed Texas forever
GALVESTON — When The Great Storm of 1900 swept through Galveston and much of the Texas Gulf Coast, thousands of residents across the region cried out to God in fear and in prayer when the waters of the Gulf pushed past the sandy beaches and into the city streets.
BYJAMES RAMOS
Texas Catholic Herald
On Sept. 8, 1900, Galveston Island was struck by the greatest and most destructive natural disaster ever to hit U.S. soil. That Saturday afternoon,
a devastating hurricane charged through the city, wreaking catastrophic destruction and horror as storm surges reached as high as 16 feet, washing over the island. But because the highest point on the island was only 8.7 feet above sea level, there were few places for residents to run to except for homes and buildings, including several convents, churches and Catholic-run hospitals. While some stories remain iconic and wellknown, such as the heroic acts of the 10 Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word who bravely tried to save the 90 children residing at St. Mary’s Orphanage, which was directly on the beach but ultimately See STORM, page 4
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Eight centuries ago, St. Francis of Assisi composed a poem that remains familiar today, inspiring hymns, art and the titles of two of the late Pope Francis’ teaching documents on integral ecology.
“The Canticle of the Creatures” includes tributes to “Brother Sun,” “Sister Moon and Stars,” “Brother Wind” and “Sister Water,” all of whom give glory to God, their creator. Though perhaps less cited, it also praises “Sister Death.”
With the poem’s vivid imagery, what is not apparent is that St. Francis composed it a year before his death in 1226, around age 44, in weakened health and losing his sight. Despite his physical condition, he was believed to have been granted a great spiritual grace: the ability to see the world, including creation, in its
VATICAN Pope: New saints encourage faithful to live life to the fullest SEE PAGE 13
Need weekend plans? It’s parish festival season! SEE PAGES 18 - 19
By Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez
Arzobispo Vásquez comparte su mensaje en línea en español. Visite www.archgh.org para leer su artículo en línea.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In this Jubilee Year of Hope, I am deeply grateful and inspired by the work of Catholic Charities — one of the social services arms of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston — and its unwavering commitment to serving those most in need. This past year was marked by challenges — including the impact of Hurricane Beryl, economic uncertainty, and significant reductions in funding and staffing. Despite these difficulties, this agency brought hope to this local Church by standing firm in its mission to witness to Christ’s compassion and service.
ARCHBISHOP
Catholic Charities helps people throughout the Archdiocese, serving people where they are, with service hubs in Harris, Fort Bend and Galveston counties. Whether it’s a mother seeking food for her children, a senior needing assistance, or a parent who needs help finding a job to support their family, the agency opens its doors to all — serving people of every faith and background with dignity and love. This agency is motivated by the Lord’s words: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40).
This year, Catholic Charities’ three food pantries in Harris, Fort Bend and Galveston distributed 4.2 million pounds of food to prevent hunger for families facing rising costs. Housing programs offered stability and hope to 2,343 families to rescue them from homelessness. Mental health counseling supported 583 individuals coping with grief, anxiety and trauma, while children in inner-city Catholic schools received 1,295 sessions with licensed bilingual counselors.
Catholic Charities provides a path out of poverty through a network of life-changing programs that work together to build self-sufficiency and address the root causes of poverty through holistic support. Clients are connected to services such as job training and financial literacy education, empowering them to build a better future. This approach reflects a deeper understanding of what it means to walk alongside our neighbors, not just serve them.
I am extremely proud and filled with gratitude for the staff, volunteers, donors and partners who make this mission possible. Your dedication ensures that the poor, the hungry, the immigrant, the refugee and the forgotten are not only seen but embraced.
As we look ahead, may we continue to be guided by faith, strengthened by hope and united in love. Catholic Charities is not just an agency — it is a ministry, a movement and a manifestation of Christ’s presence in our world. †
Theology must address climate change, AI, other real concerns, pope says VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Because “true knowledge of God is realized in a life transformed by love,” the Catholic Church needs theologians whose pursuit of understanding is framed by care for the real concerns of modern men and women, Pope Leo XIV said.
The Church’s constant task of bringing the Gospel to all people requires “a theology that is incarnate, imbued with the human pains, joys, expectations and hopes of the women and men of our time,” the pope told members of the Pontifical Academy of Theology.
The pope met Sept. 13 with academy members and participants in their seminar on “Creation, Nature, Environment for a World of Peace.” Pope Leo told the participants that the issues are of “urgent relevance” and “are very dear to me, just as they were to my venerable predecessors St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis.”
“Environmental sustainability and the care of creation are essential commitments to ensure the survival of the human race,” the pope said. “They have a direct impact on the organization of our societies and on the possibility of peaceful and cooperative human coexistence.”
The best theology, Pope Leo said, unites “faith and reason, reflection, prayer and practice.” †
St. Mary’s Seminary 9845 Memorial Dr. Houston, TX 77024
You make the ministry of our future Priests possible.
Nearly 60 men are currently in formation at St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston to become the next generations of priests. These men spend anywhere from 5 to 7 years preparing for their Ordination to the Priesthood.
To read more about our seminarians and how you can support them, visit www.smseminary.com.
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“Praised be You, my Lord, with all your creatures; especially Brother Sun, who is the day, and through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor, and bears a likeness to You, Most High One. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.”
- Excerpt of The Canticle of the Sun By St.
CANTICLE, from page 1
redeemed form, elevated by the Incarnation.
The Franciscan order is celebrating the 800th anniversary of “The Canticle of the Creatures” throughout 2025. Meanwhile, the Church is marking the annual Season of Creation from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4, St. Francis’ feast day.
Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for September is for “our relationship with all of creation.” “Let us pray that, inspired by St. Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are loved by God and worthy of love and respect,” he said in a video presenting the prayer intention.
In 1224, St. Francis traveled about 70 miles north of Assisi to the mountain town of La Verna, where he ultimately received the stigmata, or the miraculous gift of the physical wounds of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. When he came down from the mountain, he was practically blind and hemorrhaging from the wounds. He was also suffering mentally and perhaps depressed, because he was
dismayed about the Franciscans’ direction.
The saint spent around two months in a little hut near the monastery of St. Clare of Assisi, the woman who followed his model of religious life and founded a community of like-minded religious sisters. St. Francis was sick — field mice ran over him, and he may have had tubercular leprosy, Father Bodo said. During this time, St. Francis was attended by Brother Leo, one of his closest religious brothers.
St. Francis had cried out to God for help and heard God say: “‘Tell me, brother, (what) if in compensation for your sufferings and tribulation, you were given an immense and precious treasure: The whole mass of earth changed into pure gold, pebbles into precious stones, and the water of the rivers into perfume?
Would you not regard the pebbles and the waters as nothing compared to such a treasure? Would you not rejoice?’”
St. Francis said, “Yes, Lord, of course I would rejoice in that.”
The Lord went on to tell him to rejoice in his infirmities and told St. Francis, “As
of now, you live in peace as if you were already sharing in my kingdom.”
From then on, for the remainder of his life, St. Francis lived with a vision of the natural world as redeemed in Jesus Christ. As he received that vision, “spontaneously he broke into this song of ‘The Canticle of the Creatures,’ praising God for all of creation.”
The praise — which begins, in the Italian dialect, “Laudato Si’,” includes the four classical elements: earth, water, fire and air.
St. Francis later added new stanzas to the original poem — one on forgiveness, directed at the feuding bishop of Assisi and the city’s mayor, and — as he approached his final days — one on death that begins, “All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death, From whose embrace no mortal can escape.”
Fittingly, the poem has been tied to environmentalism and care for creation, inspiring the name for Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on integral ecology, “Laudato Si’” (“Praised Be”) and the 2023 apostolic exhortation “Laudate Deum” (“Praise God”). †
Effective Aug. 23
Father Rajesh Babu Chatragadda, M.S.F.S Parochial Vicar - St. Laurence, Sugar Land
Registration continues for silver anniversary Masses
HOUSTON — The 2025 Silver Wedding Anniversary Jubilee Mass honoring couples celebrating their 25th anniversary of marriage in the Catholic Church is open for registration.
The Mass is set for Sunday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m., at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, located at 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in downtown Houston. Registration is $40 per couple, which includes an Archdiocesan certificate of the anniversary, a special issue worship aid and a commemorative pin.
For more information and to register, visit www.archgh. org/familylife. †
Blue Mass set for Sept. 28
HOUSTON — Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez will celebrate Blue Mass at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28, at the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart, located at 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in downtown Houston. The color guard lineup will be at 10:45 a.m.
The annual Mass is held on behalf of civilian and classified law enforcement employees, police officers, their families and public supporters. Officers are encouraged to wear dress uniforms without the hat. Agencies are encouraged to bring equipment for public viewing and to be blessed after the Mass.
For more information, email Scott Underwood at sunderwood@archgh.org or call 713-741-8744. †
Oct. 16 White Mass honors healthcare
HOUSTON — Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez will celebrate the annual White Mass, honoring those who work in healthcare, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, located at 3617 Milam St. in Houston.
A reception with speaker Dr. Martin McCaffrey, neonatologist and pediatrics professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. To attend the reception, register for free at archgh.swoogo.com/whitemass. †
HOUSTON — The annual Firefighter Mass honoring and blessing firefighters will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in downtown Houston.
In addition, during the Mass, a special tribute will be given to firefighters who have died during the previous year. It is open to active and retired firefighters, their families and the general public. †
FOR OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF CREATION
“Let us pray that, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are loved by God and worthy of love and respect.”
– Pope Leo XIV
A group of 27 seniors at five area Catholic high schools named National Merit semifinalists. ▪ SEE PAGE 10
died, the voices and stories of others have been lost to time and history.
The Dominican Sisters, who lived at the Sacred Heart Convent located at the intersection of Market and 16th Streets, some seven blocks away from St. Mary’s Cathedral on Moody Avenue, were one of several Catholic places that quickly became refuge points for Galvestonians that day.
‘GOD WAS SO GENEROUS’
Among the refugees was a 13-year-old named Helen Bellew, who would later become a Dominican Sister herself, taking the name Sister M. Berchmans Bellew, O.P. In a testimony written years later, Helen described the arrival of the storm while she and her family stayed at their family home, which had survived other minor storms prior. By late afternoon, their home was the only one left standing, though many windows were shattered and the gallery had separated entirely. Her father helped her, her brother Peter and their mother
out of the house to a safe place among the floating debris as her mother tried to protect them from flying slates. Sustained winds of 85 mph and 100 mph wind gusts sent anything and everything flying, including the wind gauges themselves. Today, meteorologists estimate winds actually reached 120 to 140 mph that day.
Her father remained at the house where she last saw him. The three remained together until their floating debris crashed into a twostory house that fell upon them.
Her brother tried to save their mother, and in the chaos, Helen let go of her mother’s hand.
“I never saw her again,” she said. She and her brother were then both knocked unconscious, and when she woke up, she was alone, caught between two boards that were choking her. She called for help and found her sister, Annie, in the pitch-black darkness.
“We stayed together the rest of the night, prayed and even tried to sing hymns,” she
Though Galveston saw most of the damage, the hurricane continued its path of destruction past the island. In Brazoria, the storm destroyed St. Joseph Church, the oldest parish in the Archdiocese. In Houston, the storm also destroyed another St. Joseph Church, located near downtown Houston. The churches were reconstructed. The storm also took the roof off Temple Beth Israel. BEYOND GALVESTON
debris and went to sleep.”
The next morning, Sept. 10, greeted Helen and Annie with a bright sunny day. In the next few days, she found Peter, and they went to the Dominican Convent of the Sacred Heart to find their older sister, Sister Ignatius, who was a new postulant with the Dominicans. They also visited the Ursuline convent, where they would stay in refuge after the storm. Orphaned by the storm, Helen said, “God was so generous to provide us with two good, holy Mothers for me,” finding true
shut off and all wagon and railroad bridges leading to the mainland were gone,” it continued. “There was not a trace of the Orphanage nor its 103 inhabitants.”
FATHER KIRWIN’S STORY
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When the storm grew in intensity, St.
5,000 were injured, 10,000 were homeless, and 6,000 had died.
Father Kirwin sent a crew of men to Mother Pauline Gannon, OP, who headed Helen’s Dominican congregation, to help her care for the sick and homeless coming to her convent for aid.
Father Kirwin also reported a terrible discovery from western Galveston, where some 43 bodies were discovered dangling from a railroad bridge after the water had subsided.
When the reports and findings of the incredible number of bodies around the island became apparent, he charged groups of men to assist with the recovery of the dead. They were to be put into boats and sent into the Gulf, where they would be buried at sea. Father Kirwin said the men had to be given whiskey to do the work.
‘IS IT NOT GOD’S
At St. Mary’s University, located next to Sacred Heart Church, was a college school for boys. A testament from a resident at the college shared vain faith in the college’s location above sea level. By dinner time, the rector found the church “thronged with frightened people,” and it soon became clear that the church was no longer safe, as windows began to fall from the walls, shattering to pieces onto the people below.
Priests removed the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle, bringing it to the house chapel. They also removed the statues and vases, leaving the altar linens and everything else to the literal wind. As they left, the resident cried out: “Is it not God’s own house, and is not the storm God’s own storm? He can save, and He can destroy; let His will be done — and it was.”
Two hours later, the waters from the Gulf charged through the small campus.
“I was there in that awful hour and saw how bravely and how generously some men are able to be in a crisis while others stand mute and motionless as if their every sense were deadened,” he said. “That was mad; it spumed and foamed and hoarsely roared and seemed hungry to swallow down everything. It was, above all, so cold!”
Come nightfall, all electricity had been lost, and they discovered the church had fallen.
“There is no longer any hope of safety for 500 huddled [students] of the doomed college,” he said. They gathered in groups to pray a Rosary filled with sudden cries of fear: “Hail Mary, full of grace...O Mamma! Mamma! Save me!”
“Our Lady, for she was the only mother in that hour, must have heard the cries of these poor innocent children, to mothers who were more frightened and helpless than themselves,” he said. The floods forced them to the second floor, where
the raucous night still to terrorized them all. The reverend superior promised 1,000 Masses in honor of the Blessed Mother if she helped them stay safe, and according to the testimony, they survived.
Though they made it through the night, they would soon find the grim reality that surrounded them.
“Wreck and ruin stared us in the face on every side,” the resident said. Sacred Heart Church, its physical structure, helped them to survive. Even though it had fallen, had the church not been there, the massive flotillas of debris that had been slamming into buildings all over the island would have destroyed the college.
Their survival may have felt like a gift, but the days after, filled with unspeakable tragedies, felt like a curse: “Galveston! Poor Galveston! Why not call it Gravestown?”
An international appeal for aid requested assistance from President William McKinley, all governors, public officials and mayors. Bishop Gallagher pleaded for Catholics across the country to send help, and thousands answered.
According to a diocesan ledger reviewed by Archives and Herald staff, contributions received by the diocese came from as far as Canada, with a donation from the Basilian Fathers in Toronto. Major donations came from the Archdioceses of Boston, New York, Chicago and San Francisco.
Other support came from every corner of the country: Green Bay, Wisconsin; St. Louis; Winona, Minnesota; Connecticut; Montana, all indicative of the quick response and support that came from parishes, dioceses and individuals around the nation.
A gargantuan recovery effort also involved lifting the entire city and island even higher above sea level. Some 500 city blocks and 2,000 buildings were lifted as much as 17 feet above sea level. Among the buildings raised was St. Patrick Church, lifted by hundreds of hand-turned jack screws before new ground was installed below.
Also, city officials and engineers coordinated efforts to build a massive seawall to protect the island from future storm surges, a structure that still stands today. Now a popular site for runners, cyclists and even first dates, the seawall is also home to several memorials to those lost in the 1900 Storm.
On Sept. 8, 2025, 125 years after the Great Storm slashed Galveston, a group of religious leaders gathered on the Galveston Seawall to pray and honor
See STORM, page 6
GALVESTON — Among the thousands who died in the Great Storm of 1900, one was a Catholic priest serving the faithful in Velasco, a coastal town near the mouth of the Brazos River — now known as Surfside Beach.
Father Thomas Keany, a native of Ireland, had ministered in the Diocese of Galveston for at least eight years before his death on Sept. 8, 1900. He drowned after becoming trapped in a hotel as floodwaters overwhelmed the town. To date, Father Keany remains the only priest in the history of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston known to have died in a hurricane.
He studied theology at Mount St. Mary’s of the West Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was ordained by Archbishop William H. Elder on June 21, 1893. He then traveled to his new Diocese of Galveston, where he
was assigned to Annunciation Parish in Houston. Then, he served at St. Patrick Church in Galveston in 1895 and again at Annunciation in 1896. Later that year, Father Keany became the founding pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in downtown Houston, which would see its church built and dedicated in 1897. Sacred Heart would eventually become the diocese’s second cathedral 63 years later.
In 1898, he was assigned to Velasco, serving Catholics living amongst the town’s population of 3,000 and others all living directly on the Gulf Coast.
After two years of dedicated service, Father Keany and many others lost their lives when the storm surged ashore. His body was recovered and laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery in Houston, where he remains today. †
Sunday, Sept. 28, 12 noon to 6 p.m.
Northside Columbus Club, 607 E. Whitney Drive
~ Sponsored by the Slavic Alliance of Houston ~ (Croatians, Czechs, Poles, Slovaks and Ukrainians of Houston) Festival will include ethnic foods, singing and dancing, cultural booths, vendors, and more!
For more information visit us on the web: www.houstonslavicheritagefestival.com
Slavic Heritage Mass will be celebrated just before the festival at the Northside Columbus Club Hall at 10:30 a.m.
BY JO ANN ZUÑIGA Herald Correspondent
HOUSTON — Father Peter Wood, parochial vicar at St. Michael Catholic Church in Houston, commended a group of Catholic adults recently attending a Secular Discalced Carmelite meeting at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Memorial Park.
“You have recognized your call. All our religious orders lead to Christ,” Father Wood said.
The Carmelite Order has its origins on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land involving a group of hermits at the beginning of the 12th century. It formed the first religious order to be named for the Virgin Mary — the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.
Currently, this lay group of men and women, which meets at St. Theresa every third Saturday of the month, is part of the Discalced Carmelites, reformed in the 1500s by St. Teresa of Jesus (also known as St. Teresa of Avila). The group is one of several lay faithful associations in the Archdiocese that are committed following unique devotions and spiritualities.
“As Secular Carmelites, we do not make religious vows, but we make promises of chastity, poverty and obedience. Our promises are more spiritual in nature,” said Secular Carmelite Chris Wood, who made the promises but is also married and works.
The Aug. 16 meeting had a special Rite of Admission to Formation welcoming
STORM, from page 5
the lives of those who died in the storm, including the 10 Sisters of Charity.
member Joe Olickan Jr., who had begun the six-year process of prayer, study and contemplation. Father Wood and Chris Wood, actual brothers to each other, presented Olickan Jr. with a large brown ceremonial scapular to wear. It stems from the 13th-century apparition of Our Lady presenting a scapular to St. Simon Stock as a sign of salvation, protection in danger, and a pledge of peace.
The group studies the writings and contemplative lives of Carmelite saints such as St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. John of the Cross.
“They suffered as part of their vocation to connect us to Christ. You will bear fruit through your service to the mission, especially Christ saying love one another as I have loved you,” Father Wood told the group.
There are 800 Secular Carmelites in addition to nuns and friars in the area, including a Cloistered Discalced Carmelite Convent for Nuns and a Discalced Carmelite Monastery for Friars in San Antonio. There are 25,000 Secular Discalced Carmelites worldwide.
The local group will be holding its next meeting on Nov. 15 from 8:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., beginning with morning prayer at St. Theresa by Memorial Park. Its annual silent retreat is set for Oct. 17 to 19 at the Missionary Carmelites of St. Teresa House of Prayer, located at 9600 Deer Trail Dr. in Houston, said the group president, Gardo Blado.
For more information, visit www. sttheresa.cc/carmelites. †
Sister Deenan Hubbard, CCVI, was among a group of Sisters of Charity who attended the special ceremony. They also placed flowers at the bronze memorial statue, installed in 2000 on the 100th anniversary of the storm, that depicts a family clinging to each other.
The sisters gave a small address,
alongside other leaders, and then sang the same French Marian hymn, “Queen of the Waves,” that the 10 Sisters of Charity sang 125 years ago that fateful night as they tried to save the children under their care.
The song ends: “Then joyful hearts shall kneel around thine altar, And grateful psalms re-echo down the nave; Never our faith in thy sweet power can falter, Mother of God, Our Lady of the Wave.” †
BY KERRY MCGUIRE Herald Correspondent
HOUSTON — Every person has a calling, a unique path created by God. Embracing that vocational call can bring deep joy and fulfillment, but it also requires courage, prayer and guidance along the way.
In the Archdiocese, the Office of Vocations walks with men and women as they listen for God’s voice and discern His call for their lives, whether to the priesthood, religious life, marriage or the permanent diaconate. The ministry provides tools, programs and personal accompaniment to help individuals discover their God-given vocation, offering prayerful guidance and mentorship to respond to Christ’s invitation with faith and courage.
Father Richard McNeillie, director of the Office of Vocations, said the ministry’s vision is for everyone in the Archdiocese to discern their vocation. While this is especially applicable to youth and young adults who are actively making life decisions, the invitation is open to all the faithful.
Father McNeillie said the Vocations Office provides discerners with the resources they need through school and parish presentations, retreats and other opportunities. The ministry also supports families, pastors and ministry leaders who accompany them, as well as men in formation for the priesthood 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
formation program, a 10-day summer experience in Galveston that introduces participants to community life, and Marian Dinners where sisters from different religious orders share their experiences with high school girls. The ministry also hosts a day-long retreat around Valentine’s Day, offering prayer and conversations with sisters.
DIOCESAN SERVICES FUND
“To discern one’s vocation is countercultural,” said Father McNeillie. “Most influences in our environment push us toward self-service — to get what we want, to do what looks good to us, to make a lot of money or have personal pleasure and entertainment.”
He said that for young people, this environment can make it difficult to hear God’s voice. One of the greatest challenges is helping them recognize the importance of seeking God’s will above all else. Despite these challenges, Father McNeillie said the most meaningful moments are when discerners take the risk and choose to follow the Lord.
“I’m really ecstatic at every ordination, and I’ve seen people I worked with for years finally reach God’s goal for their life to be a priest,” said Father McNeillie. “Sometimes, we have other discerners, men and women, who go in different directions. To see them finally make it to the altar, whether in marriage, religious life or the priesthood, is just a great day.”
Among those serving in this mission is Joelma Regis, associate director of Vocations, who has been with the Archdiocese for about seven years. As a consecrated member of the Work of Mary, also known as the Focolare Movement, she assists women discerning their vocational call through encouragement, spiritual direction and a steady presence as they seek God’s will.
“When I was hired, I was asked to help young women discern their call, since there are so many religious communities and orders,” Regis said. “I was asked to accompany them on that journey, and it is beautiful to see God’s work in their lives.”
The Vocations Office offers several programs for young women in discernment, including a four-month
Regis said many young women who have come through the Vocations Office have been deeply impacted through these programs, especially the retreats. Some have entered convents and are now living their religious vocation; others are still discerning, and some have married after seeking guidance. She said each path is different, but all are centered on discovering where God is calling them.
“To discern one’s vocation is countercultural. Most influences in our environment push us toward self-service — to get what we want, to do what looks good to us, to make a lot of money or have personal pleasure and entertainment.”
FATHER RICHARD MCNEILLIE Director, Office of Vocations
“It’s about finding their family, the future family they will spend the rest of their life with,” said Regis. “Most importantly, we teach them to listen to God’s voice more closely because there are so many other voices in the world, which seem to offer so much to young people.”
Regis said many begin to realize that everyone looks for happiness and fulfillment, but only God can provide
it. The ministry, she said, serves as an instrument to help them recognize the path that God has planned for their lives.
Supporting the ministry is the Diocesan Services Fund (DSF), which makes its mission possible, as well as 60-plus additional ministries in the Archdiocese.
Father McNeillie said that support from the Diocesan Services Fund is essential to every aspect of the ministry’s outreach
See VOCATIONS, page 8
This video series brings to life the ministry featured in this story. Hear from people personally impacted by God’s grace through these DSF ministries.
SCAN TO WATCH OR VISIT ARCHGH.ORG/ DSF-IN-ACTION
PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD
Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez preaches a homily during a Mass honoring St. Teresa of Calcutta on her Sept. 5 feast day at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Houston, where the Missionaries of Charity serve.
Like Mother Teresa’s life and ministry, we are called to be motivated by Christ’s love, Archbishop Vásquez says
HOUSTON — Hundreds turned out for a special Mass presided by Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Houston. Honoring St. Teresa of Calcutta on her Sept. 5 feast day celebration, the Mass also highlighted the ministries and efforts of the Missionaries of Charity, the women’s religious congregation founded by Mother Teresa in 1950.
The congregation has served at several parishes in the Archdiocese, working with the poor and marginalized, as well as in catechesis and ministry.
In his bilingual homily, Archbishop Vásquez reminded the Missionaries of Charity that “the cross of Jesus is the supreme act of love. Love is always acting on our behalf. It is boundless. It is endless. It is infinite.”
“This love is what moved the Heart of St. Teresa of Calcutta to begin the Missionaries of Charity. This is the love that brought her joy. This is the love that consoled her in difficult times, and His is the love that sustained her throughout her life,” he said. “This is the same love that motivated you to enter the convent years ago. ... It is not enough for us to know and to receive God’s love without a response. This would be ingratitude. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to continue His work in the world.”
After the Mass, many, including Archbishop Vásquez, venerated a set of two relics of St. Teresa of Calcutta and then gathered in the parish hall for a reception. †
HOUSTON — The Emmaus Spirituality Center announced they moved to 2749 Hollister Road, inside the Parish Activity Center on the campus of St. Jerome Parish, in September.
“We feel very blessed to be welcomed by St. Jerome,” said Mary Pierson, executive director of Emmaus Spirituality Center. “This move gives us room to grow while keeping alive the mission of walking with people of all faith traditions on their journey with God.”
Emmaus provides spiritual direction — the ancient practice of prayerful listening and discernment — for individuals and groups. It also offers retreats, workshops, Scripture study and days of reflection, all grounded in Catholic tradition yet open to ecumenical dialogue.
“People come to Emmaus seeking peace, healing and a deeper relationship with God,” Pierson said. “Our programs meet them right where they are and offer practical ways to grow in faith.”
The center serves laypeople, clergy and religious alike, supporting both those in ministry and also those desiring a closer walk with Christ.
When the Cenacle Sisters left Houston in 2020, a small group of trained spiritual directors stepped forward to continue the work — and thus, Emmaus Spirituality Center was born.
“We started during the uncertainty of the pandemic, simply trusting God would provide,” Pierson said. “This new home is a sign of that providence, and we look forward to welcoming all who are seeking spiritual nourishment.”
For more information about programs or spiritual direction, visit www. emmausspiritualitycenter.com. †
VOCATIONS, from page 7
and formation efforts.
“DSF provides the foundation for our work, covering staff salaries, programs and scholarships so discerners can participate without financial burden,” said Father McNeillie. “It’s often in the background, but it’s the base on which everything else is built.”
He said the generosity of the faithful makes their work with lifelong discerners possible through their donations, prayers and the commitment of volunteers and parish leaders who walk with those discerning God’s call.
For Regis, that generosity makes her mission possible as she lives her consecration in service to the Church,
helping women discern their call and supporting those in religious life who dedicate their lives fully to the Church.
“I am one of those consecrated women, and my life is for the Church,” said Regis. “I want to see a future Church filled with priests, consecrated women and religious sisters. That is my dream, and I’m passionate about working for this mission.”
To learn more about the Office of Vocations, visit houstonvocations.com. To contribute to the 2025 Annual DSF Appeal, which supports over 60 other ministries requiring critical funding, visit archgh.org/dsf. Every dollar donated to DSF directly supports these vital ministries. Each provides direct service or education to those in need. †
Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart – 6:15 p.m. Archbishop Joe Vásquez, Main Celebrant and Homilist Optional Dinner Following Mass Cathedral Centre – 7:30 p.m.
Dinner Speakers: Archbishop Joe Vásquez and Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
Dinner tickets on sale at archgh.org/redmass or scan QR code
Aging Ministry hosts Grandparents Day event, encourages attendees to embrace age as a gift from God
HOUSTON — Bright flowers reached for the ceiling at the St. Dominic Village Auditorium next to two flowery sheet cakes honoring grandparents and cherished elders.
Hosted by the Office of Aging Ministry ahead of the Sept. 7 celebration of Grandparents Day in the U.S., the Sept. 5 event honored grandparents and cherished elders for their roles in the lives of their families and loved ones. Nearly 50 people attended the event, which included an encouraging address by Aging Ministry Director Kris Kerlin, refreshments and cake, and an award ceremony celebrating those in attendance.
In 2022, Pope Francis shared a message for the Second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, celebrated in July in the Catholic Church near the feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim, the grandparents of Jesus.
“Dear grandparents, dear elderly persons, we are called to be artisans of the revolution of tenderness in our world,” he said. “Let us do so by learning to make ever more frequent and better use of the most valuable instrument at our disposal and, indeed, the one best suited to our age: prayer.”
“Old age is no time to give up and lower the sails, but a season of enduring fruitfulness: a new mission awaits us and bids us look to the future,” Pope Francis said.
To learn more about the Office of Aging Ministry or to see a calendar of events, visit www. archgh.org/aging or call 713-391-2378. †
Sister Benignus Galiano, O.P.
HOUSTON — Sister Benignus Galiano, O.P., cousin of the late Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, died Sept. 4. She was 102 years old.
Sister Galiano served in education ministry in Sacred Heart School in Galveston and Assumption School in Houston. Her congregational service included her ministry as a receptionist at St. Dominic Villa and the Dominican Sisters’ Offices.
A funeral Mass was held at St. Dominic Villa Chapel on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Interment is in Forest Park Lawndale. †
Pray for the following clergy whose anniversaries of death are during the month of October.
Oct. 1, 1853
16: Robert Roberson
Mr. Jean Pierre Bajard (subdeacon)
Oct. 1, 1853 Rev. Jean-Marie Baudrand, OMI
Oct. 1, 1981 Bishop Wendelin J. Nold
Oct. 2, 2014 Rev. Edward W. Abell
Oct. 3, 2012 Rev. Christopher A. Billac, SJ
Oct. 4, 1870 Rev. Michael Stremler
Oct. 5, 1866 Rev. Jean Bigat
Oct. 5, 1962 Rev. Max E. Budnik
Oct. 5, 1970 Rev. John J. Brady, MS
Oct. 6, 2009 Rev. James Burke, OP
Oct. 9, 1958 Rev. Dominic Viola
Oct. 9, 1993 Bishop Bernard J. Ganter
Oct. 10, 1972
Msgr. Joseph C. Kunc
Oct. 10, 1993 Rev. Cornelius Ryan, OMI
Oct. 12, 1847 Rev. Bartholomew Rollando, CM
Oct. 12, 1993
Msgr. John C. Perusina
Oct. 14, 1928 Rev. Antonio DeSimone
Oct. 14, 1996 Rev. Ernest Perhach
Oct. 14, 2020 Rev. Carl Tenhunfeld
Oct. 15, 1884 Rev. Claude Martinierre
Oct. 15, 2001 Rev. George S. Silvester, CSB
Oct. 15, 2009 Rev. Jose Maria Fernandez
Oct. 16, 1967 Rev. Leslie J. Vasek, CSB
Oct. 16, 1983 Rev. Eugene Lynch, MS
Oct. 16, 2002 Rev. A.J. Chandonnet, CSsR
Oct. 16, 2007 Rev. Alcuin E. Greenburg
Oct. 16, 2023 Rev. John Boscoe, CSB
Oct. 17, 1953 Rev. Michael Leahy
Oct. 17, 2014 Rev. Peter Thien Hoang, OP
Oct. 19, 1903 Rev. Odilo Schorer
Oct. 19, 1966 Rev. George Black
Oct. 19, 1969 Rev. John F. Collins, CSB
Oct. 19, 1969 Rev. Dennis Kennedy
Oct. 20, 2003 Msgr. Frank A. Lagana
Oct. 20, 2004 Rev. Joseph T. O’Malley
Oct. 21, 1929 Rev. Emile L.J. Fluery
Oct. 21, 2004 Msgr. Sylvester J. Fuchs
Oct. 24, 1867 Rev. Alex Renoux
Oct. 24, 1896 Rev. Joseph N. Jacquet
Oct. 25, 2005 Msgr. George V. Rhein
Oct. 25, 2009 Rev. John Chinh Chan Tran
Oct. 26, 1970 Rev. Wilfrid J. Murphy, CSB
Oct. 27, 1853 Rev. Edward Hug
Oct. 27, 1953 Rev. Joseph P. Dillon, CSB
Oct. 30, 1888 Rev. Francis Derue
Oct. 30, 1946 Rev. Alfred G. Grattan
Oct. 30, 1977 Rev. Anselm Townsend, OP
Oct. 30, 1988 Rev. Joseph R. Plummer
Oct. 30, 1990 Rev. Ludon Angelle
Oct. 30, 2013 Rev. Joseph L. Phung, CSsR
Oct. 31, 2016 Rev. Rawlin Enette, SSJ
la Paz en La Marque, Texas Tendremos un Festival de Fe y Acción de Gracias el domingo 5 de octubre de 2025 de 11:00 a m a 5:00 p m
HOUSTON — On Sept. 10, an elite group of 27 high school seniors at Catholic high schools around the Archdiocese were named semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship program, based on scores in last year’s Preliminary SAT college entrance tests. As semifinalists, these teens have the chance to compete for 6,930 National Merit scholarships worth nearly $26 million offered next spring.
The students recognized are Emma Nguyen from Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart; Maegan Sexton of Frassati Catholic High School; Cindy Lu and Alexandra Wong from St. Agnes Academy; Riley Nyberg of St. Catherine Montessori; Philip Burguieres and Luis Oliver Lebron of St. Thomas High School; Jacob Baker, Joseph Bi, Julian Carlile, Michael Cavers, Rohan Chimata, William Condron, Daniel Estrada, Makani Flanders, Khang Le, Roger Li, Matthew Lorch, Peter McGinnis, Kelvin Meng, Michael Meng, Jack Prati, Samuel Rubinstein, Mac Stratton, Nicholas Vukadin, Ethan Wan and Logan Warner
These students are among a select 16,000 students from across the country. About 95% — more than 15,000 — are expected to be named finalists, and roughly half will earn scholarships as Merit Scholars. Of the 1.3 million juniors in 20,000 high schools who took the preliminary SAT exam in 2024 across the U.S., these students represent less than 1% of the highest scorers.
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. This includes submitting a scholarship application with their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership capabilities, and honors and awards received.
Finalists will be named in February 2026. Scholarships offered to the finalists in 2026 include 2,500 National Merit Scholarships worth $2,500 each, as well as roughly 830 corporate-sponsored scholarships and some 3,600 collegesponsored scholarships from about 150 colleges and universities. †
SAVINGS ACCOUNT PROGRAM
Starting in the 2026–27 school year, Texas will launch a brand-new Education Savings Account (ESA) program with up to $1 billion in funding to help families cover educational expenses for students in PreK through 12th grade. To learn more, visit www.choosecatholicschools.org/esa or scan the QR code.
When we think about prayer, many of us imagine quiet moments with folded hands, rosary beads between our fingers, or Scripture resting on our laps. Prayer often looks like silence, stillness or whispered words. But what if prayer could also be picked up with a paintbrush, molded from clay, or captured in a sketch?
For me, creating art feels like stepping out of the noise of the world and into a quiet, sacred space with the Father. It’s less about the finished product and more about the process itself: the wandering of the mind, the wondering of the heart and the conversations that naturally rise up with God. In those moments of creativity, I’m not worried about perfection or technique. Instead, I find myself resting in the presence of the One who designed sunsets, galaxies and every detail of my life.
Our Byzantine brothers and sisters understand this deeply. Their icons are not simply religious images but prayers, crafted with great intention and reverence. Icon writers fast and pray as they work, inviting the Holy Spirit into each layer of paint. In their tradition, prayer happens twice: once in the creation, and again in contemplation. It’s a reminder that art is not only a reflection of God’s beauty, but also a meeting place with Him.
When I create, I often find myself talking to the Lord about the people I’m painting, the emotions I’m carrying, or the Scripture that’s inspiring the piece. Sometimes I simply sit in silence and let the Spirit guide my hands. In those moments, art becomes more than an activity; it becomes prayer. It’s not an
by VALERIE DELGADO
escape from life but a way of stepping more fully into it, seeing the world as God sees it.
The beautiful thing is that this kind of prayer isn’t reserved for “artists.” In fact, children model it better than we do. Hand them crayons, and they’ll dive in without hesitation. They mix colors boldly, fill pages with shapes only they understand, and draw with freedom that many of us have forgotten. Their openness reminds us that God isn’t looking for masterpieces; He’s looking for hearts that are willing. Creating art with Him is a way of saying, “Lord, I’m here. This moment is for You.”
As parents and grandparents, you have a special opportunity to invite children into this space. Imagine sitting together at the kitchen table, crayons and pencils scattered, doodling in silence, and letting your hearts naturally turn toward prayer. Art slows us down. It makes space for conversation. It creates moments where faith is not only taught but experienced.
One beautiful way to pray with art is through visio divina, or “divine seeing.”
Much like lectio divina, which uses Scripture, visio divina invites us to encounter God through images. Here’s how it works:
Choose a sacred image — an icon, a crucifix, a painting of the Nativity, or even a child’s drawing.
Sit in stillness. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart. Notice what draws your
attention. Is it a color, an expression, a small detail?
Reflect: “Lord, what are You showing me through this?”
Respond with gratitude, prayer or simply resting in His presence.
Practicing visio divina as a family can
be eye-opening. Children often notice details we overlook, and their wonder helps us see God in new ways.
This week, I encourage you to set aside just 15 minutes to create something with God. Grab whatever you have (paper, pencils, paint or clay). Begin with a short prayer, then allow your hands to move as your heart listens. Invite your children or grandchildren to join you, and when you’re done, place your creations somewhere visible. Let them be reminders that God speaks not only through words but also through colors, shapes and silence.
Art invites us to slow down and breathe. It’s a way of praying with our hands, listening with our eyes, and encountering God in beauty. The Creator delights in co-creating with us, and when we give Him this space, we discover that these quiet moments of creativity are not escapes from the everyday, they are doorways into the very heart of God the Father. †
Valerie Delgado is the associate coordinator of communications at Prince of Peace Parish in Houston.
Hope is more than a wish for good weather, good health or good fortune. It is a theological virtue, rooted deeply in God’s saving love; yet at the same time, it requires an act of faith that allows us to place constant trust in God’s promises, even in times of trial and uncertainty.
We hope because of the words of the Apostle Paul: “Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit… It is rare that anyone will die for a righteous person… But God has shown us how much He loves us — while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. While we were God’s enemies, He made us His friends through the death of His Son” (Rom 5:5-6, 10). This profession of faith is truly beyond human understanding.
Similarly, the Apostle John adds: “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are” (1 Jn 3:1). Indeed, God’s love is the foundation of
SISTER MARIA THUY NGUYEN, OP
Christian hope.
At Baptism, we are infused with the theological virtue of hope by the Holy Spirit. This gift, however, does not make us immune to life’s fears and anxieties. In times of hopelessness and an unclear future, choosing to trust God is a wise decision. In such moments, the act of faith takes precedence, for “hope that is seen is no hope at all… But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Rom 8:24-25). Hope is not passive; it is faith in action. Every time we choose to trust God, our hope grows deeper; hope is faith reaching into the future.
During the 2025-2026 catechetical year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops invites us to reflect on hope in a special way. The catechetical
“Hope
is not passive; it is faith in action. Every time we choose to trust God, our hope grows deeper; hope is faith reaching into the future.”
theme reminds us: “Always be ready to give an explanation… for a reason for your hope” (1 Pet 3:15). We are called not only to hold on to hope, which is deeply rooted in God’s personal love for us, but also to be ready to share it with others.
As catechists, we are called to share the living witness of hope in both our words and actions. Even when students challenge us, we must continue to trust in God’s timing. In doing so, we cultivate in ourselves and model for our learners the virtuous habit of turning to God in hope when things seem hopeless, rather than withdrawing into despair.
As this new catechetical year begins, let us constantly remind ourselves that our loving God is at work, and His love and faithful promises endure forever. For these reasons, we must always draw from our personal testimonies of hope in God to model in word and deed for those with whom we share our faith. When we do so, we all shall be refreshed and reminded of God’s promise of salvation… the eternal treasures of Heaven. †
Twenty years after World War II, Vatican II proclaimed that, “Peace is not merely the absence of war; nor can it be reduced solely to the maintenance of a balance of power between enemies; nor is it brought about by dictatorship. Instead, it is rightly and appropriately called an enterprise of justice. (Gaudium et Spes, 78)” At a time when much of the world is engaged in armed conflicts and standoffs, it is helpful to understand this statement as we long for peace.
In short, the Sacred Council stated that peace requires justice. However, justice is not merely following the laws
of your country, nor is it acting in a way that everyone agrees is right. Rather, justice is relational harmony or the right ordering of our soul and our relationships, including that relationship we have with God. Justice or “right order” is not something that we vote on or decide for ourselves. Instead, it comes from objective truths about who we are and how we should relate to one another; it is baked into our very nature by our Creator.
But what happens when no one in a conflict believes in or follows objective truths? In that case, there’s no concern
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for justice, just agreement. Opposite sides make deals with each other. Yet while all the parties agree on something, they don’t create “right order,” and consequently, they don’t actually create peace. Deals come from agreements; peace comes from justice. Peace, like God, can last forever, but you only need to watch the news or know your history to know how long deals last. Justice then is a “barometer” for peace. The closer we get to true relational harmony set by objective values (such as respect for human dignity and a real concern for the poor), the closer we will get to peace. But what happens in a world where right and wrong are determined by the powerful, values are determined by public opinion, and pleasure is preferred to human dignity? Until people start to find objectively true justice, we won’t have peace.
In this world, there is a real need for
God. Not only does God reveal true value and teach us about right and wrong, but God also helps us to choose it. We know this from Baptism: justice is something that we lack, and only God can give it.
So when the pope asks for prayers for peace, as Pope Leo XIV did on Aug. 22, it is not done just because the pope likes to pray or feels the need to lead us in prayer. Praying for peace is the best way to arrive at peace, since peace requires justice, and justice is something only God can give. †
Father Richard McNeillie is the director of the Office of Vocations.
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, Archbishop Joe Vásquez 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.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The greatest risk in life is to waste it by not seeking to follow God’s plan, Pope Leo XIV said, proclaiming two new saints — two young laymen of the 20th and 21st centuries.
“Sts. Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upward and make them masterpieces,” the pope said Sept. 7.
“The simple but winning formula of their holiness,” he said, is accessible to everyone at any time. “They encourage us with their words: ‘Not I, but God,’ as Carlo used to say. And Pier Giorgio: ‘If you have God at the center of all your actions, then you will reach the end.’”
Before canonizing the first saints of his pontificate, Pope Leo greeted the more than 80,000 faithful who had gathered early in St. Peter’s Square because he wanted to share his joy with them before the start of the solemn ceremony.
“Brothers and sisters, today is a wonderful celebration for all of Italy, for the whole Church, for the whole world,” he said before the Mass.
“While the celebration is very solemn, it is also a day of great joy, and I wanted to greet especially the many young people who have come for this holy Mass,” he said, also greeting the families of the soon-to-be saints and the associations and communities to which the young men had belonged. Pope Leo asked that everyone “feel in our hearts the same thing that Pier Giorgio and Carlo experienced: this love for Jesus Christ, especially in the Eucharist, but also in the poor, in our brothers and sisters.”
“All of you, all of us, are also called to be saints,” he said, before leaving to prepare for Mass and paying homage to a statue of Mary with baby Jesus and the reliquaries containing the relics of the two young men.
In his homily, the pope underlined Jesus’ call in the day’s Gospel reading “to abandon ourselves without hesitation to the adventure that he offers us, with the intelligence and strength that comes
Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis Sept. 7. A tapestry with the image of Carlo Acutis hangs from St. Peter’s Basilica during the Liturgy.
from his Spirit, that we can receive to the extent that we empty ourselves of the things and ideas to which we are attached, in order to listen to His word.”
That is what the two new saints did and what every disciple of Christ is called to do, he said. Many people, especially when they are young, he said, face a kind of “crossroads” in life when they reflect on what to do with their lives.
The saints of the Church are often portrayed as “great figures, forgetting that for them it all began when, while still young, they said ‘yes’ to God and gave themselves to Him completely, keeping nothing for themselves,” the pope said.
“Today we look to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis: a young man from the early 20th century and a teenager from our own day, both in love with Jesus and ready to give everything for Him,” he said.
“Carlo, for his part, encountered Jesus in his family, thanks to his parents,
Thousands at St. Peter’s celebrate Pope Leo’s 70th birthday
VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Dozens of small handmade signs and large bold banners waved in the crowd of some 30,000 visitors in St. Peter’s Square, wishing Pope Leo XIV a happy birthday Sept. 14. Two gold mylar balloons with the numbers “7” and “0” were held up high.
The largest banner, in red and white, was held by a group from the Peruvian city of Monsefú in the province of Chiclayo, where the pope had served as bishop for eight years.
“Dear friends, it seems that you know that today I turn 70 years old,” the pope said to huge cheers and shouts of “auguri,” meaning “congratulations” and “happy birthday” in Italian.“I give thanks to the Lord and to my parents; and I thank all those who have remembered me in their prayers,” he said after reciting the Angelus with the faithful in St. Peter’s Square.
Andrea and Antonia — who are here today with his two siblings, Francesca and Michele,” he said, as the crowd
applauded, and Antonia smiled shyly at the camera. His twin siblings were born four years after their brother died.
St. Acutis also encountered Jesus at the Jesuit-run school he attended and “above all in the Sacraments celebrated in the parish community,” he said. “He grew up naturally integrating prayer, sport, study and charity into his days as a child and young man.”
St. Acutis’ parents and siblings brought the pope the offertory gifts. Michele also did the first reading at the Mass in English.
The pope said the new saints “cultivated their love for God and for their brothers and sisters through simple acts, available to everyone: daily Mass, prayer and especially Eucharistic Adoration.”
St. Frassati was born April 6, 1901, in Turin and died there July 4, 1925, of polio at the age of 24. St. Acutis was born to Italian parents on May 3, 1991, in London and died in Monza, Italy, on Oct. 12, 2006, of leukemia at the age of 15.
The pope said that “even when illness struck them and cut short their young lives, not even this stopped them nor prevented them from loving, offering themselves to God, blessing Him and praying to Him for themselves and for everyone.”
Musicians and musical bands in the square struck up the “Happy Birthday” tune, and people sang and clapped along. “Many thanks to everyone!” he said, followed by someone shouting, “Long live the pope!” “Thank you! Have a good Sunday!” he said.
The Vatican also released a trailer for a new documentary celebrating Pope Leo’s American roots. The first pope born in the United States, Robert F. Prevost was born Sept. 14, 1955, in Chicago and grew up in Dolton, a nearby suburb. †
PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD
announced Sept. 10 that its Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, established in 2017 under then-USCCB president, and now retired, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, has been made a permanent USCCB body.
(OSV News) — The U.S. Catholic bishops have deepened their commitment to combating racism by making permanent a subcommittee dedicated to working for racial justice and reconciliation in society.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced Sept. 10 that its Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism — established in 2017 under then-USCCB president, and now retired, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo — has been made a permanent USCCB body.
The move, approved by the USCCB’s administrative committee Sept. 9, will place the committee, now named the Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, under the conference’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.
That committee’s mandate “includes Catholic social teaching on issues of domestic concern such as poverty, housing, the environment, criminal justice and other challenges that often have a disproportionate impact on communities of color,” said the USCCB in its Sept. 10 media release.
Broglio — who referenced the USCCB’s 2018 pastoral letter against racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts” — said, “As we call for a genuine conversion of heart that will compel change at both individual and institutional levels, I invite all Catholics to join us as we carry forward this work to recognize and uphold the inherent dignity of every person made in the image and likeness of God.”
DANIEL CARDINAL DINARDO
“I speak on behalf of the bishop members, staff and consultants of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism in expressing gratitude for the transition of our committee to a standing subcommittee so that the important work of evangelization of the faithful and the community at large may continue in the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” said retired Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry of Chicago, who has been serving as chair of the committee. With the new subcommittee set to begin work after the USCCB’s November plenary assembly, members will have plenty to do.
USCCB president Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, said the subcommittee “continues the important work of the temporary ad hoc committee.”
The bishops had formed the racism ad hoc committee just days after the violent Aug. 11 to 12, 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, at which white supremacists protested the planned removal of Confederate statues there, following two city council votes. Amid clashes between rally participants and counterprotestors, James Fields drove his vehicle through a crowd of the latter, killing paralegal Heather Heyer and injuring dozens. Fields is now serving two life sentences.
In his Sept. 10 statement, Archbishop
According to a Gallup poll released Aug. 20, 64% of U.S. adults believe racism against Black people is widespread, with 83% of Black adults and 61% of white adults expressing this view. Police interactions are seen as the “most racially inequitable” among six possible scenarios, said respondents.
At the same time, Gallup found that “68% of U.S. adults think civil rights have improved in their lifetime.”
Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that “racial justice remained a pressing human rights concern in the U.S. in 2024.”
While the U.S. “ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination nearly 60 years ago,” the nation “has done far too little to implement its provisions,” said HRW, adding that “living legacies of slavery and the slaughter and dispossession of Native peoples remain largely unaddressed.” †
Peace, dignity emphasized at prayer service ahead of U.N.
NEW YORK (OSV News) — Pleas for peace and the dignity of every person from Catholic and United Nations leaders marked the United Nations Annual Prayer Service, held at the Church of the Holy Family in Manhattan. Organized by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, the Sept. 8 service preceded the opening of the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations the next day.
Holy Family is just across First Avenue from U.N. headquarters and is considered the U.N. parish. Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Holy See’s permanent observer, was joined by Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Also in attendance were U.N. Secretary-General António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres and the president of the 80th U.N. General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, the former foreign minister of Germany. “This past year has tested our world,” with wars, families being torn apart, climate change and “trust between nations” eroding, said Guterres. But he spoke of Pope Leo XIV as a voice of hope for the world.
“He has spoken powerfully about restoring the dignity of every person, especially the poor, the displaced, and the forgotten,” he said. †
SAN ANTONIO — Hundreds of Knights and Dames of the Southwestern Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem gathered in San Antonio for the annual investiture retreat from Sept. 6 to 10.
The lieutenancy includes the archdioceses and dioceses in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Mexico.
The order traces its roots to the First Crusade to the Holy Land in 1103, when its leader, Godfrey de Bouillon, liberated Jerusalem. As a papal order, the group is continues the protection of the Holy Land, particularly the Holy Sepulchre, and its members support efforts to protect Christians in the area.
The Holy Land contains sites important to Christians, Jews and Muslims, and has been troubled by division for centuries. Christians currently make up less than 3% of the population of the region.
Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, told attendees that they gathered not only as brothers and sisters in fellowship, but as men and women entrusted with a noble mission.
“The order’s roots stretch back almost a thousand years, yet its mission remains vital today: to uphold the Christian presence in the Holy Land and to strengthen our fidelity to Christ and His Church,” he said. “But the world in which we live now is marked by new challenges. Conflicts rage across nations, and once again, violence threatens the lands where our Lord walked.”
Archbishop García-Siller noted how, they must discern: What is your contribution as knights and dames?
“Beyond financial support and charitable works, you are called to be witnesses of faith, carriers of hope and artisans of peace. The Holy Sepulchre is not merely a distant shrine; it is the living reminder of the empty tomb, the very heart of salvation history,” he said.
The next day featured a Shroud of Turin presentation by Dr. Wayne Phillips and Mary Jane Fox. Phillips, a member of
the Shroud Science Group, has conducted research on pollen data from the shroud, and Fox, a Shroud ambassador and co-founder of the Pilgrim Center of Hope, shared facts about the Shroud. The Pilgrim Center of Hope, a Catholic evangelization ministry in San Antonio, houses a permanent exhibition with a full-size, certified replica of the Shroud of Turin and full-size, illuminated photographic negatives of the Shroud.
A Sept. 6 service at St. Mark the Evangelist Church in San Antonio included the conferring of promotions, assumption of office, Liturgy of the memorial Mass, and vigil ceremonies, with Archbishop García-Siller presiding.
In his homily, Archbishop García-Siller said that Jerusalem is the city of the covenant — the place where the Lord Jesus gave Himself fully — and to honor Jerusalem is to honor the mystery of salvation.
“Your mission continues the pattern to guard the memory of God’s presence, to support those who suffer, and to pour out your love for Christ in visible ways,” he said. “The martyrs who shed their blood for the faith, and the guardians who have preserved the holy places through centuries of turmoil, are not distant figures of history.”
Archbishop García-Siller said even in the midst of violence in the Holy Land and its surroundings, in Ukraine, Africa,
Texas judge sets new execution date for Robert Roberson, despite bipartisan intervention
ANDERSON COUNTY, Texas (OSV News) — A district court judge set a new execution date for Texas death-row inmate Robert Roberson despite an effort by a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers to reexamine the evidence used in his conviction and death sentence.
Judge Austin Reeve Jackson set Roberson’s new execution date for Oct. 16, a year after he was originally scheduled to die and despite an ongoing appeal in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network, told OSV News that “regrettable decision” is “a sad display of a vengeful pursuit of death. It must not be confused with a pursuit of justice.” Roberson was scheduled Oct. 17, 2024, to become the first person in the U.S. executed over a murder conviction connected to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome in the 2002 death of his then 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis. But the Texas Supreme Court granted him a stay on his previous execution day. But Roberson’s conviction, a group of Republican and Democratic state legislators argued, was based on outdated science. They called into question whether a crime was committed at all, arguing that the evidence instead suggests that the chronically ill child likely died from complications with severe pneumonia. They argued such a mistake was a common misdiagnosis at the time. †
Mexico and even in the U.S.: “Peace begins in our homes and communities and extends outward to the ends of the earth.”
Archbishop García-Siller said that the memorial Mass was more than remembrance.
“It is an invitation to keep alive the vision of peace, to extend solidarity to those in the Holy Land, and to offer Christ the fragrance of our own fidelity starting from home,” he said.
The Investiture Mass on Sept. 7
was celebrated by the Southwestern Lieutenancy Grand Prior, GalvestonHouston Archbishop Emeritus Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, welcomed new Knights and Dames into the order. Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez also concelebrated the Mass with other bishops from around Texas.
For more information on the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem’s Southwestern USA Lieutenancy, visit www.eohssouthwest.com. †
CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — El mayor riesgo en la vida es desperdiciarla al no buscar seguir el plan de Dios, dijo el Papa León XIV al proclamar a dos nuevos santos: dos jóvenes laicos de los siglos XX y XXI.
“Los santos Pier Giorgio Frassati y Carlo Acutis son una invitación para todos nosotros, sobre todo para los jóvenes, a no malgastar la vida, sino a orientarla hacia lo alto y hacer de ella una obra maestra”, dijo el Papa el 7 de septiembre
“Esta es la fórmula, sencilla pero segura, de su santidad”, dijo, es accesible a todos en cualquier momento.“Nos animan con sus palabras: ‘No yo, sino Dios’, decía Carlo. Y Pier Giorgio: ‘Si tienes a Dios como centro de todas tus acciones, entonces llegarás hasta el final’”.
Antes de canonizar a los primeros santos de su pontificado, el Papa León saludó a los más de 80.000 fieles que se habían reunido temprano en la plaza de San Pedro porque quería compartir su alegría con ellos antes del inicio de la solemne ceremonia.
“Antes de comenzar la solemne celebración de la Canonización, quería saludarlos y decirles unas palabras a todos ustedes, porque, si bien la celebración es muy solemne, también es un día de gran alegría. Quería saludar
especialmente a tantos jóvenes, chicos y chicas, que han venido a esta Santa Misa”, dijo, saludando también a las familias de los futuros santos y a las asociaciones y comunidades a las que habían pertenecido los jóvenes.
El Papa León pidió a todos que sintamos “en el corazón lo mismo que vivieron Pier Giorgio y Carlo: este amor por Jesucristo, sobre todo en la
Eucaristía, pero también en los pobres, en los hermanos y hermanas”. “También ustedes, todos nosotros, estamos llamados a ser santos”, dijo, antes de retirarse para prepararse para la Misa y rendir homenaje a una estatua de María con el niño Jesús y los relicarios que contienen las reliquias de los dos jóvenes.
En su homilía, el Papa subrayó la llamada de Jesús en la lectura del Evangelio del día “a lanzarnos sin vacilar a la aventura que Él nos propone, con la inteligencia y la fuerza que vienen de su Espíritu y que podemos acoger en la medida en que nos despojamos de nosotros mismos, de las cosas y de las ideas a las que estamos apegados, para ponernos a la escucha de su palabra”.
Eso es lo que hicieron los dos nuevos santos y lo que todo discípulo de Cristo
Muchas personas, especialmente cuando son jóvenes, dijo, se enfrentan a una especie de encrucijada en la vida cuando reflexionan sobre qué hacer con
Los santos de la Iglesia suelen ser retratados como “grandes personajes, olvidando que para ellos todo comenzó cuando, aún jóvenes, respondieron ‘sí’ a Dios y se entregaron a Él plenamente, sin guardar nada para sí”, dijo el Papa.
“Contemplamos hoy a san Pier Giorgio Frassati y a san Carlo Acutis: un joven de
FOTO DE CNS
El Papa León XIV celebra la Misa en la plaza de San Pedro del Vaticano con motivo de la canonización de los santos Pier Giorgio Frassati y Carlo Acutis el 7 de septiembre.
principios del siglo XX y un adolescente de nuestros días, ambos enamorados de Jesús y dispuestos a dar todo por Él”, dijo.
El Papa León dedicó gran parte de su homilía a compartir citas de ambos y detalles de sus vidas, algo de lo que el Papa Francisco se había alejado, prefiriendo centrarse más en las lecturas del día.
“La vida de Pier Giorgio representa una luz para la espiritualidad laical”, dijo el Papa León.
“Para él la fe no fue una devoción privada; impulsado por la fuerza del Evangelio y la pertenencia a asociaciones eclesiales, se comprometió generosamente en la sociedad, dio su contribución en la vida política, se desgastó con ardor al servicio de los pobres”, dijo.
“Carlo, por su parte, encontró a Jesús en su familia, gracias a sus padres, Andrés y Antonia — presentes hoy aquí con sus dos hermanos, Francesca y Michele”, dijo, mientras la multitud aplaudía y Antonia sonreía tímidamente a la cámara.
San Acutis también encontró a Jesús en la escuela jesuita a la que asistía y “sobre todo en los sacramentos, celebrados en la comunidad parroquial”, dijo. “Creció integrando naturalmente en sus jornadas de niño y de adolescente la oración, el deporte, el estudio y la caridad”.
El Papa dijo que los nuevos santos “cultivaron el amor a Dios y a los hermanos a través de medios sencillos, al alcance de todos: la Santa Misa diaria, la oración, y especialmente la adoración eucarística”.
San Frassati nació el 6 de abril de 1901 en Turín y murió allí el 4 de julio de 1925, a los 24 años, a causa de la poliomielitis. San Acutis nació de padres italianos el 3 de mayo de 1991 en Londres y murió en Monza, Italia, el 12 de octubre de 2006, a los 15 años, a causa de la leucemia.
El Papa dijo que “incluso cuando los aquejó la enfermedad y esta fue deteriorando sus jóvenes vidas, ni siquiera eso los detuvo ni les impidió amar, ofrecerse a Dios, bendecirlo y pedirle por ellos y por todos”. †
En un continuo esfuerzo por facilitar atención pastoral a las victimas de abuso sexual del clero o del personal de la Iglesia, el Arzobispo Joe 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
‘Celestial
JERUSALEM (OSV News) — After 800 years of silence, the pipes from the oldest organ in Christendom played again, filling the reception hall of Jerusalem’s Franciscan Monastery of St. Saviour with the unique sound of the 11th-century liturgical chant, Benedicamus Domino Flos Filius.
Performed by Spanish researcher and organist David Catalunya, the chant marked the highlight of a five-year international research project sparked by his rediscovery of 222 ancient bronze pipes.
Sounding unlike any other modern organ, the notes elicited from the 16 selected pipes — six of which were original — displayed on a wind-chest constructed specifically for them by master organ maker Winold van der Putten, were a rich combination of three different registers at Catalunya’s performance during a press presentation of the organ pipes on Sept. 9.
“It’s very, very like celestial music,” Catalunya said. “The emotion I felt when I heard the sound revealing itself after 800 years of silence was like... opening the tomb of a pharaoh. It came to us as a surprise indeed. The following days, myself and my team were like floating inside a dream.”
“We couldn’t really believe it. I spent the following nights without sleeping,” he added. “It is the oldest organ in Christendom, possibly the oldest musical instrument in the world maintaining its original sound.”
Dubbed the Bethlehem Organ, it is believed to have been located in the chancel of the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, an area now under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Church, he said.
It consists of 18 pipes for every note, something very different from modern organs, which normally have only five or six pipes for every note, he said. To experience the full sound of the entire instrument, a replica needs to be built, which is the next stage of the project, Catalunya added.
The research project is supported by the Complutense Institute of Musical Sciences of Madrid, in collaboration with the Franciscan Terra Sancta Museum and
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• Smurfs (PG)
A-II – SUITABLE FOR OLDER CHILDREN
• Fantastic Four: First Steps (PG-13)
• Freakier Friday (PG)
• Light of the World (PG)
• Ne Zha II (NR)
• The Bad Guys 2 (PG)
A-III – ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS
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the Custody of the Holy Land.
The organ pipes and their reconstructed organ case, built by a local craftsman, will be displayed at the Music Cloister of the future Terra Sancta Museum Art and History, currently under construction, led by Franciscan Father Stéphane Milovitch and supported by the Belgian government. Several replicas are also planned for display in Bethlehem and in Europe.
The organ was originally built in France in the 11th century and was used for nearly a century in a church in France, possibly near Paris or the Abbey of Fleury, said Catalunya. It was transported to the Holy Land and Bethlehem by the Crusaders a century later, where it sounded in the Church of the Nativity for another century.
Then it was painstakingly dismantled and the pipes buried underground along with a set of bells to protect them on the eve of the invasion of the Muslim Khwarezmian Turks in 1244, known as the Siege of Jerusalem.
“European Christians… brought to the Basilica of Bethlehem the most avant-garde musical instrument then used in worship, the organ. Today… virtually every Christian church has an organ. But in the 11th century, this was still a novelty. The men who carried this organ to Bethlehem were driven by the same desire for the finest voices and instruments in the world to embellish the liturgy of the Basilica Nativity,” said Álvaro Torrente, director of the Complutense Institute of Music.
The pipes were preserved in almost meticulous condition thanks to the dry climate and the fact they were made from copper and carefully hidden by the Franciscans, Catalunya added.
Original markings by the pipe maker 800 years ago remain visible on the pipes and provided invaluable information for the researchers about how they were made, Catalunya said, allowing them to make the reproductions in the exact same way. Despite being a thousand years old, the pipes produce a surprisingly full and authentic sound, capable of filling large architectural spaces, he said. †
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For the latest updates about listings in the Around the Archdiocese, contact event organizers and visit www.archgh.org/ata.
SEPT. 23
BOOK STUDY, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Emmaus Spirituality Center (2749 Hollister Rd., Houston). Held every second and fourth Tuesday, this book study explores “Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom” on friendship, the senses and connection to creation with speaker John O’Donohue. Cost: Free, registration required. info@ emmausspiritualitycenter.com; 281-241-9678.
SEPT. 25
GOLF TOURNAMENT, 11 a.m., Glennloch Farms Golf Course (19393 Champion Forest Dr., Spring ). Annual four-person golf scramble benefits Journey to Damascus retreat and includes lunch, gifts, dinner and raffle. Cost: Individual Player, $150; four-person team, $600. 425-449-2363; randy.bame@yahoo.com.
SEPT. 27-28
BAZAAR, Saturday, 2 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., St. Philip Neri (10960 MLK Blvd., Houston). Saturday includes Bingo, line dancing with DJ DatDude and food. Sunday includes barbecue, Step Rideau and the Zydeco Outlaws from 5 to 8 p.m. Free entry. 713-734-0302; officespn@ yahoo.com.
BAZAAR, Saturday, 11 a.m., Sunday, 10 a.m., St. Christopher (8150 Park Place Blvd., Houston). Event includes American and International food and drinks — African, Mexican, Salvadorian, Vietnamese — raffle, music and games. Free entry. stchristopherhouston.org.
SEPT. 28
SLAVIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL, noon to 6 p.m., Northside Columbus Club (607 E Whitney Dr., Houston). Annual Sts. Cyril and Methodius Slavic Heritage Festival features Czech, Polish, Slovak and Ukrainian culture with food, singing and dancing, vendors, and more.
BAZAAR, 10:30 a.m. (Sealy Columbus Club Hall, 1310 US Hwy 90 W, Sealy). Immaculate
Conception Parish in Sealy hosts bazaar with live and silent auctions, country store, live music, dance (from 6 to 10 p.m.). Barbecue plates for $15 for dine-in, to-go and drive thru. icc-sealy.org.
FESTIVAL, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., St. Jerome (2749 Hollister Rd., Houston). 60th annual fall festival includes live music, food, games and raffle. Free entry. stjeromehou.org/fall-festival.
FESTIVAL, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., St. Hyacinth (2921 Center St., Deer Park). Event includes live entertainment, food, game booths, arts and crafts, and plant booth. Free entry. 281-2222610; labua3@att.net.
SEPT. 29
GOLF TOURNAMENT, 8 a.m., Tour 18 Golf Course (3102 FM 1960 E, Humble). 17th annual golf tournament benefits St. Monica Food Pantry. Cost: Individual Player, $150; four-person team, $600; Single Hole Sponsor, $150; Renewing Hole Sponsor, $125. 713-412-7019; vshannon@ sbcglobal.net; petriceparker@gmail.com; Register: stmonicafoodpantry.com/golf.
OCT. 1
ADORATION HOUR, 7 to 8 p.m., Sacred Heart (507 S 4th St., Richmond). First Wednesday Adoration Hour prays for vocations. Confession and Anointing of the Sick available.
OCT. 2
DINNER, 6:30 p.m., University of St. Thomas (3800 Montrose Blvd., Houston). The Nesti Center for Faith and Culture Faithful Citizenship Dinner honors the Archdiocese, welcomes Archbishop Vásquez, and supports scholarships, Rome studies, lectures and center research. Register: rebrand.ly/CFCdinner25.
OCT. 2-5
WOMEN'S RETREAT, St. Rose of Lima (3600 Brinkman St., Houston). St. Rose of Lima ACTS retreat offers women time to deepen and renew a relationship with Jesus Christ and give new meaning to a prayer life. Retreat includes Sunday Liturgy. Cost: $275, financial assistance available.
parishinfo@stroselima.org; stroselima.org/acts.
OCT. 3
GALA, 6 p.m., Prince of Peace (19222 TX-249, Houston). Themed “Hometown Chicago,” event includes silent auction and raffle. Cost: $150. pophouston.org/groups/galaandgolf.
OCT. 3-5
WOMEN’S RETREAT, Friday, 4 p.m., Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Cost: Adults 18 and up - $265; Seniors 65 and up - $250. 713-464-0211 Ext: 10; registrar. holyname@passionist.org.
RETROUVAILLE, Friday, 7 p.m., to Sunday, 4 p.m. Retrouvaille is a peer ministry for couples experiencing difficulties in their marriage who want to rebuild their relationships. A three-phase program, Retrouvaille begins with a weekend program held at a west Houston location, which will be provided after registration. Though Catholic in origin, all faiths are welcome. Registration fee: $400, includes meals and lodging. 2027R@helpourmarriage. org; 713-529-6242. Info: helpourmarriage.org/ community/houston.
OCT. 4
PRESENTATION, 8:30 a.m., St. Dominic Chancery (2403 Holcombe Blvd., Houston). Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women host speaker Claire Wills Shynett on “Mental Health Illness and Challenges Awareness.” Free entry. RSVP: ghcw. org. ghaccwboard@gmail.com.
Share your event with thousands of print and digital readers. Scan the QR code to fill out the form and send your event to Around the Archdiocese. Learn more at ARCHGH.ORG/ATA .
GOLF TOURNAMENT, 8:30 a.m., Walden Country Club (18100 Walden Forest Dr., Humble). St. Philip the Apostle Knights of Columbus #9794 host a golf tournament. Cost: $600/team; $150/ single player. 713-560-7314; frank.campisi@ cam-tech.com.
FESTIVAL, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., St. Angela Merici (9009 Sienna Ranch Rd., Missouri City). Event features kids’ games, food, Bingo, drinks, raffle, silent auction, pumpkin patch and live entertainment. stamericigh.com/parish-festival.
OCT. 4-5
FESTIVAL, Saturday, noon to 9 p.m., After Dark Event, 8 p.m. to midnight, and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., St. Ignatius of Loyola (7810 Cypresswood Dr., Spring). Event includes food, kids’ games, Bingo, shopping, live auction, music, silent auction, and raffle. Free entry. silcc.org/fall-festival.
OCT. 5
FESTIVAL, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Queen of Peace (626 Laurel St., La Marque). “Octoberblessed” festival features games, food, live music, raffle, silent and live auctions and more. 409-938-7000.
PICNIC, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. St. Anne (2140 Westheimer Rd., Houston). Picnic honors parish’s centennial anniversary with food, games, rides, entertainment, vintage shop, plant sale, raffle and more. $10 entry fee for ages 3 years and older. 713-526-3276; saintanne.org/newsevents/726-fall-raffle-2025.
Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center is seeking an energetic and mission-driven leader to serve as Director of Operations and Facilities Management. This role is responsible for reporting and collaborating with the Director of Ministry, ensuring the retreat center runs smoothly and operates with the Passionist charism of prayer, compassion and hospitality - centered on the Passion of Christ.
Primary duties include overseeing the day-to-day operations, budgeting and finance supervision, staff supervision, and facilities and grounds maintenance - all work rooted in the mission of the Passionist Founder, St. Paul of the Cross. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership, staff management expertise and extensive budgeting experience in a nonprofit setting. Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills are essential. The qualified candidate should be a practicing Roman Catholic with a Bachelor degree in Business Management, Masters preferred.
OCT. 11
GALA, 5 p.m. to midnight, St. Luke the Evangelist (10190 Kingspoint Rd., Houston). Golden jubilee gala celebrates parish’s 50th anniversary with dining and dancing with live band. Register: stlukescatholic.com/events.
OCT. 11-12
BAZAAR, Saturday, 7 a.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m., St. Martin de Porres - Barrett Station (12606 Crosby Lynchburg Rd., Crosby). Saturday features a jambalaya cook-off and Battle for the Paddle. Sunday includes live music by Brian Jack Dance, Tejo Band, a DJ, kids’ games, food court, dinner and vendors. 281-328-4451; smdpbarrett@gmail.com.
FESTIVAL, Saturday, 3 to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Christ the King (4419 N Main St., Houston). Event includes raffle, live music, food, drinks and kids’ games. 713-869-1449; bookkeeper@ctkcc.org.
OCT. 12
BAZAAR, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Church of the Resurrection (915 Zoe St., Houston). Event includes kids’ games, Mexican food, barbecue, funnel cakes, churros and live music. Free entry. parishoffice@rcchouston.org; 713-675-5333.
BAZAAR, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at St. Stanislaus Kostka (1511 Hwy. 90 South, Anderson). 10 a.m. Mass starts the 71st annual homecoming and bazaar, followed by barbecue dinner at 11 a.m., games, booths, kids’ area, homemade items in country store, live auction, free 150-yr. history books, 1917 church open for viewing, live Polish music and dancing with Brian Marshall and the Texas Paradise Band. 936-873-2291; saintstans.org.
FESTIVAL, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Holy Family (1510 Fifth St., Missouri City). Kids’ games, raffle, silent auction, Bingo, cake walk, jewelry and bear booth, and music. Barbecue, Filipino, Mexican cuisine available. Snacks, desserts and drinks. Free entry. 281-499-9688; holyfamilychurch.us; information@holyfamilychurch.us.
OCT. 15
MASS OF REMEMBRANCE, 7 p.m., St. Cecilia (11720 Joan of Arc Dr., Houston). For National Miscarriage and Infant Loss Awareness Day, St. Cecilia hosts a Mass of Remembrance for the children who have died due to miscarriage or
infant death. saintcecilia.org.
SERVICE PROJECT, 9:30 a.m., St. Bernadette’s Marius Room (15500 El Camino Real, Houston). Bay Area Deanery Council of Catholic Women host a brief meeting followed by a service project of filling gift bags for the Galveston Port Seafarers (Tasker Room). susie-sbalfour2009@ gmail.com to donate items.
OCT. 16
RETREAT, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Emmaus Spirituality Center (2749 Hollister Rd., Houston). Event the call to Ecclesial Ministry — especially the role of spiritual directors — through the U.S. Bishops’ pastoral document Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord (2005). Cost: $30. info@ emmausspiritualitycenter.com; 281-241-9678.
OCT. 17-18
GARAGE SALE, Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday 8 to 10:30 a.m. fill a bag sale, St. John the Baptist (110 East South St., Alvin). Donations accepted at Parish Hall Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. and Thurs. Oct. 16, 9 a.m. to noon idascsr@gmail.com; 281-468-7052.
OCT. 17-19
MEN’S RETREAT, Friday, 4 p.m., Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center (430 Bunker Hill Rd., Houston). Cost: Adults 18 and up $265/Seniors 65 and up $250. 713-464-0211 Ext: 10; registrar. holyname@passionist.org.
OCT. 18
MOVIE NIGHT, 6 p.m., University of St. Thomas Anderson Hall (3807 Graustark, Houston). Event starts with pizza, followed at 7 p.m. by the movie “Song of the Sea,” a 2014 Irish hand-drawn animation children’s film. Free and open to all ages. Seating is limited. RSVP: irishstudies@stthom.edu; rebrand.ly/ata-irishstudies-movie.
OCT. 18-19
FESTIVAL, Saturday, 2 to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (6646 Addicks Satsuma Rd., Houston). Event includes international food, games, Bingo and silent auction. seascatholic.org/festival2025.
OCT. 19
FESTIVAL, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Shrine of the True Cross (300 FM 517 Rd. E, Dickinson). “Faith in the Heart of Texas” includes games,
food and music. Free entry. 281-337-4112; truecrosschurch.org.
BAZAAR, 7:30 a.m., Guardian Angel (5610 Demel St., Wallis). Thanksgiving Masses at 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Serving begins at 10:30 a.m. Barbecue beef, chicken and sausage; homemade dressing and all the trimmings, Czech Kolaches and desserts. Grand Auction begins at 1 p.m. under the pavilion. Dancing and music all day, drawing, kids’ games, video game trucks and booths. 979-478-6532; gacwallis@gmail.com; guardianangelwallis.org.
BAZAAR, 10:30 a.m., Sacred Heart (507 South Fourth St., Richmond). Event features a turkey dinner, raffle, live music, food booths, live and silent auctions, games, crafts, and a children’s midway. Free entry. kathy@sacredhrt.com; 281342-3609; sacredhrt.com.
OCT. 22
FEAST DAY MASS, RECEPTION, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Chapel of St. Basil (3800 Montrose Blvd., Houston). Mass honors the feast day of St. John Paul II presided by Father Dempsey Rosales Acosta, SJ, with a performance by the Sacred Music Club. Free entry. Reception following at the Link-Lee Mansion. rebrand.ly/tch-jp2-mass.
OCT. 26
FESTIVAL, 11 a.m., St. Michael (Needville KC Hall, 13631 Hwy 36, Needville). $15 plate includes barbecue beef, sausage and fried chicken with trimmings. Event also includes dance to Czech polka music by M&M Playboys, auction and games. 979-793-4477; stmichaelschurch@ consolidated.net.
TURKEY DINNER AND BAZAAR, 11 a.m., Heritage Hall (508 E Bernard St., West Columbia). Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Sweeny and St. John the Apostle in West Columbia parishes host event including turkey with all the trimmings, tea and dessert. Dine-in or drive-thru. Cost $15/ plate. Also, live music by Duke Gamino, pastry booth, Mexican food, country store, raffle, kids’ games, live and silent auctions. 979-548-2020; olphsjaoffice@gmail.com.
NOV. 1
ALL SAINTS DAY FESTIVAL, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., St. Anthony of Padua Piazza (7801 Bay Branch Dr., The Woodlands). Event includes games, crafts, food trucks, live music, door prizes and local
Catholic vendors in the Piazza. Dressing up as favorite saint encouraged. ap.churchcenter.com/ home.
NOV. 1-2
MARKET, 2 to 7 p.m., Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, St. Anne (2140 Westheimer Rd., Houston). Handcrafted goods from the artisans who created them. Free, open to the public. Refreshments available. saintanne.org/newsevents/718-st-anne-market-5.
NOV. 5
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.
NOV. 6
TACO TASTING, 6 p.m., St. Arnold Brewing Co. (200 Lyons Ave., Houston). University of St. Thomas’ annual Two Saints and a Taco Tasting features a diverse selection of tacos as participating restaurants for one or both first-place trophies for best taco ranked by celebrity judges and attendees. Early bird tickets (Oct. 6 to 31): $50. General Admission (Nov. 1 to 6): $75. matejat@ stthom.edu; 713-525-3542; one.bidpal.net/ twosaints2025/welcome.
MARKET, Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., St. Michael (100 Oak Dr. South, Lake Jackson). Mums & Mistletoe Market features 50-plus vendors offering handcrafted jewelry, artisan clothing, leather goods and unique art. Also available are cheese soup, chicken salad croissants and desserts. Free entry. wosmlj@yahoo.com.
NOV. 8
FASHION SHOW AND LUNCHEON, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Golfcrest Country Club (2509 Country Club Dr., Pearland). The “Pumpkin Spice Soirée Fashion Show and Ladies Luncheon,” sponsored by the Catholic Daughters of St. Helen #2330, includes fashion show, silent auction, raffle and wine pull. Cost: $35 until Oct. 1, then $40. 281685-2746.
For additional listings, visit WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/ATA
HOUSTON — After over a year of planning, on Aug. 8 and 9, members of the Houston Dominican Family gathered for their first chapter to prepare for their future.
Established in 2008 by the Dominican Sisters of Houston, the Dominican Family is comprised of lay women and men who commit to living out the Dominican Charism. Members of the Dominican Family gather throughout the year to pray, study, serve and preach together.
Seeking to gain a better understanding of members’ hopes and dreams for the future of the Dominican Family, the leadership team held a formal chapter. For congregations of women and men religious, Chapters are pivotal gatherings where members of a religious community work together to set goals and priorities for the next several years.
The leadership team asked Sister Cathy Bertrand, SSND, a chapter facilitator and consultant for many congregations, to help plan and facilitate the chapter. Over the course of the chapter meetings, Sister Bertrand led Dominican Family members through the discernment process. Participants reflected individually, in small groups, and collectively on their hopes for the future.
After much prayer, discussion and discernment, a new directional statement was created and adopted by members to guide the community over the next several years. †
Monte Cassino / Pietrelcina / San Giovanni Rotondo /Monte Sant"Angelo / Lanciano /Loreto / Padua / Venice / Florence / Siena / Assisi / Cascia
October 27 - November 8, 2025
13-Day Jubilee Year 2025 Pilgrimage to Italy
$4,150 per person based on double occupancy
Rome / Monte Cassino / Pietrelcina / San Giovanni Rotondo /Monte Sant"Angelo / Lanciano /Loreto / Padua / Venice / Florence / Siena / Assisi / Cascia
October 27 - November 8, 2025
$4,700 per person based on double occupancy
Spiritual Director: Rev. Aloysius Fernandez with Dcn. Anthony Olsovsky of Notre Dame Catholic Church, Houston
Inclusions: R/T Air from Houston IAH, First class hotels, Hotel breakfasts, Dinner daily, and Catholic Tour Director, Entrance fees, Tips to the driver and Tour director, Airport Fuel Surcharges (subject to change), Holy Mass as specified in the itinerary, Holy Doors Access in Rome
$4,150 per person based on double occupancy
Inclusions: R/T Air from Houston IAH, First class hotels, Hotel breakfasts, Dinner daily, English and Catholic Tour Director, Entrance fees, Tips to the driver and Tour director, Airport Taxes and Fuel Surcharges (subject to change), Holy Mass as specified in the itinerary, Holy Doors Access in Rome
Spiritual Director: Rev. Fr. Ronnie Dela Cruz
Inclusions: Multi-city air from Houston, first-class hotels, transfers, internal flights, English speaking tour director/guides, tips, deluxe motorcoach, entrance fees, half-board (lunch & dinner) except in Cairo hotel, 4 nights, 5* Nile cruise-full board, all service charges and taxes.
Spiritual Director: Rev. Fr. Ronnie Dela Cruz
For more information, please contact: Dory Agustin - Tour Coordinator (832)788-5586 (direct) aagustin@dreamvacations.com
For more information, please contact: Dory Agustin - Tour Coordinator (832)788-5586 (direct) aagustin@dreamvacations.com
2, 2026 Do you have a Loved One in Jail or Prison?
Correctional Ministries
Archdiocesan Office
713-741-8732
archgh.org/correctionalministries
