Bishop Michael Sis announces that Msgr. Robert Bush is to be assigned parochial vicar in reduced active ministry at St. Joseph and St. Anthony Parishes in Odessa effective July 1, 2019.
One of the most powerful prayer practices of the Easter Season is the Pentecost Novena. It is nine days of prayer leading up to the Solemnity of Pentecost, modeled after the nine days the Apostles and disciples spent in prayer between the Ascension of Jesus and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. I highly recommend praying a Pentecost Novena every year, opening our hearts ever more deeply to the action of the Holy Spirit.
The Texas Speaker of the House is expected to issue a formal resolution on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives May 15 recognizing the Jumano people for their historical and cultural contributions to the State of Texas.
The Catholic Diocese of San Angelo announces that Bishop Michael Sis will lead the Procession of the Cross and the Stations of the Cross in San Angelo on Good Friday, April 19, 2019. A light lunch will be available at St. Margaret Catholic Church at 2619 Era Street. Serving of the lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. The Procession of the Cross will begin at 1:00 p.m., walking through the neighborhood streets while praying the Rosary, and concluding with the praying of the Stations of the Cross at Christ the King Retreat Center at 802 Ford Street. The prayers will be conducted in English and Spanish. All are welcome to participate.
With the news of the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris yesterday, people have begun asking how they can help. Unfortunately, people with generous hearts are also easy targets for the bad guys. There are also already reports of scams making their way around the internet as people try to take advantage of this surge of generosity.
On Saturday, May 4, there will be a general cleanup of Calvary Cemetery in San Angelo. Cemetery personnel will remove and discard all unauthorized fencing and brick/stone/wire borders of any kind, including any items on the grave such as gravel/rocks, outdoor carpet, lights, etc. There will be no exceptions, so please remove anything you do not want thrown away by 7:00 pm, Friday, May 3. You may return flowers to graves on Sunday, May 5. Please keep in mind that only one flower arrangement per grave is permitted. We ask that no other decorations, other than a small American Flag on national holidays, be placed on graves.
Unplanned: The True Story of Abby Johnson opens in theaters tomorrow, March 29. Don't miss this important film that tells the story of a former Planned Parenthood director who became a force in the Pro-Life movement after witnessing an abortion firsthand.
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.
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.