Texas Catholic Advocacy Day is right around the corner on March 26 in Austin. This is a chance to join the Texas bishops and thousands of Catholics for a day at our State Capitol, visiting legislators and promoting faithful citizenship. This biennial rally is hosted by the Texas bishops to promote the Church's values of life, justice, charity, and religious freedom to members of the Texas Legislature.

Bishop Michael Sis visited all three universities in Abilene for Ash Wednesday services. Click to read an article on his visit from the Abilene Reporter-News.

The annual diocesan marriage jubilee celebration honoring sacramental marriages that have reached milestone anniversaries (25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50 or more years) will take place at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in San Angelo on March 25, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. The deadline for registration is March 11. Contact your pastor for more information or to register.

Papa Francisco – Febrero 2019 | Aunque tratemos de ignorarlo, la esclavitud no es algo de otros tiempos. Ante esta trágica realidad, no podemos lavarnos las manos si no queremos ser, de alguna manera, cómplices de estos crímenes contra la humanidad. No podemos ignorar que hoy hay esclavitud en el mundo, tanto o más quizás que antes. Recemos por la acogida generosa de las víctimas de la trata de personas y de la prostitución forzada y de la violencia.

Pope Francis – February 2019 | Although we try to ignore it, slavery is not something from other times. Faced with this tragic reality, no one can wash their hands of it without being, in some way, an accomplice to this crime against humanity. We cannot ignore the fact that there is as much slavery in the world today as there was before, or perhaps more. Let us pray for a generous welcome of the victims of human trafficking, of enforced prostitution, and of violence.

The Word on Fire Institute will be posting videos online each day from February 19–21 featuring experts on Scripture, theology, philosophy, spirituality, sociology, history, science, and literature. Registration is free. Click for more information.

In a step to restore trust in the Catholic Church, dioceses in Texas released their lists of priests against whom credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been determined.

Dear friends in Christ, National Migration Week is January 6-12, 2019. For nearly a half century, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated this week as an opportunity to reflect on the circumstances confronting immigrants, refugees, children, and victims of human trafficking.

Bishop Sis presented a talk on the meaning of Christmas symbols to the Assembly of Catholic Professionals in Austin on Dec. 19. Click to see the video of his presentation.

Col. Peter N. Micale III, former editor of the West Texas Angelus, passed away on Dec. 6, 2018. Click to view his obituary.

Bishop Michael Sis shared his reflections on Advent with "Spirit of Abilene," a local online faith forum. Click through to read the bishop's article.

At their fall general assembly, the bishops of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to approve the document "Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love - A pastoral letter against racism." Click to read the full document on the USCCB website.

El Papa Francisco nos urge a un tiempo especial de oración con todo el Pueblo de Dios durante octubre.

Pope Francis urges us to join in a special time of prayer with all the People of God during October.

Las 15 diócesis católicas en Texas y el Ordinariato de la Cátedra de San Pedro tomaron la decisión, el 30 de septiembre de 2018, de dar a conocer los nombres de los clérigos sobre quienes se ha presentado alguna denuncia verosímil de haber abusado sexualmente de un menor, remontándose al menos hasta 1950.

The 15 Catholic dioceses in Texas and the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter made the decision on Sept. 30 to release names of clergy who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor, going back at least to 1950.

The people of the Diocese of San Angelo have always been amazingly generous when disasters have hit many different countries. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have flowed from our West Texas families to victims of tsunamis, earthquakes, and monsoons around the world. Now is a special moment to help some of our own neighbors in their hour of need.

On August 25, 2018, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, made public his testimony alleging corruption and a conspiracy of silence at the highest levels of the Church’s hierarchy. Bishop Michael Sis offers his reaction to these developments.

WASHINGTON—The National Review Board (NRB) has issued the following in response to the release of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report and recent allegations against Archbishop McCarrick. In the statement, the NRB calls for a lay-lead investigation into all allegations of sexual misconduct within the Church as well as strengthening the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has issued a statement in which he renews commitment for greater effectiveness and transparency in disciplining bishops.