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By R. DANIEL CAVAZOSThe Valley Catholic

SAN JUAN — The Catholic Church in its 2,000 years of existence has at times had to postpone the public celebration of religious events and services, as war or pestilence raged.

“The Church has rarely suspended Masses, but in its history she has done so for a variety of reasons,” Bishop Daniel E. Flores said.

This is one of those rare times for

the Diocese of Brownsville and many parishes across the country. The outbreak of the coronavirus has led to many churches in the United States suspending public religious services. For the Diocese of Brownsville, Bishop Flores announced on March 18 a directive to suspend the public celebrations of Masses.

The bishop’s order also means other public events such as festivals, retreat programs and religious education programs are suspended until further notice. The directive took effect on March 19.

“These severe measures are taken with great sorrow, but they are necessary in my judgment for the sake of protecting lives,” Bishop Flores said. “We have not currently been hit as hard as the far Northwest or the East Coast, but we will

Public Masses canceleddue to Covid-19 threats

» Please see Last Mass p.3

Paul Binz / The Valley Catholic

After Bishop Daniel E. Flores reluctantly ordered churches in the Diocese of Brownsville closed to the faithful because of the coronavirus threat on March 18, he celebrated the last Mass with live attendance the next day at 11:30 a.m. at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine. Until further notice, priests will celebrate Masses in empty churches, although several Masses will be livestreamed online.

Faithful can now watch TV or go online for livestream Mass

Volume 11, Issue 11 Serving More Than A Million Catholics in the Diocese of Brownsville April 2020

GODwith uswith us alwaysalways

2 DIOCESE The Valley Catholic - April 2020

A los fieles de la Diócesis de Brownsville:

Después de consultar con el gobierno local y los funcionarios de salud, el Consejo Presbiteral de la Diócesis, con Mons. Eugenio Lira, obispo de Matamoros y con muchos católicos preocupados, y después de implorar la ayuda de Dios todopoderoso y la Santísima Virgen María, Madre de Dios, he determinado lo siguiente:

La celebración pública de las Misas dominicales y las Misas entre semana en la diócesis de Brownsville se suspende a partir del mediodía del jueves 19 de marzo de 2020, solemnidad de San José, patrono de la Iglesia Universal. Esta directiva permanece vigente hasta que sea retirada por el obispo. Además, todos los eventos de la Iglesia, como retiros, festivales y clases de educación religiosa, también se suspenden hasta nuevo aviso.

Como recordatorio, y como señalé en mi carta del 13 de marzo, todos los fieles están exentos de la obligación de asistir a la Misa los domingos y días festivos hasta nuevo aviso. Nuestro sitio web diocesano incluirá enlaces actualizados a las Misas transmitidas en vivo por Internet, junto con otros recursos para la oración en casa.

Estas medidas se toman para prevenir la propagación del coronavirus en nuestras comunidades locales. Es esencial evitar movimientos y viajes innecesarios dentro de la comunidad siempre que sea posible. El virus se puede transmitir a los lugares visitados por las personas infectadas, incluso si no son conscientes de su infección. También es esencial evitar reuniones incluso en grupos pequeños siempre que sea posible, ya que el contacto directo también puede propagar el virus.

En este momento, nuestras iglesias no estarán abiertas al público. Esta medida severa se toma con gran pena, pero en aras de proteger vidas, especialmente de los ancianos y aquellos que sufren enfermedades que los hacen vulnerables al virus. Les pido que recen conmigo para que las condiciones permitan levantar esta restricción pronto.

Los sacerdotes continuarán celebrando Misas dominicales y diarias, solo sin la asistencia de los fieles. Es importante que los católicos sepan que los misterios sagrados continúan celebrándose, y que el Sacrificio Eucarístico es la manifestación eficaz de la pasión, muerte y resurrección de Cristo entre nosotros. Insto a todos los católicos a unirse en casa a este gran misterio del Señor entre nosotros. Él está cerca de nosotros, aunque ahora no podemos acercarnos a él en nuestras iglesias.

Durante este tiempo, los funerales, matrimonios, confesiones, unción de los enfermos y otras celebraciones sacramentales se celebrarán solo bajo circunstancias y condiciones severamente limitadas. La Diócesis

El obispo suspende

misas, anima a los fieles

a orarTo the faithful of the Diocese of Brownsville:After consultation with local government and

health officials, the Presbyteral Council of the Dio-cese, with Bishop Eugenio Lira, Bishop of Matam-oros, and with many concerned Catholics, and after imploring the aid of Almighty God and the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, I am directing the following:

The public celebration of Sunday Masses and weekday Masses in the Diocese of Brownsville is suspended effective at noon, Thursday, March 19, 2020, Solemnity of St. Joseph, Patron of the Uni-versal Church. This directive remains in effect until withdrawn by the bishop. Furthermore, all Church events, such as retreats, festivals, and religious education classes, are also suspended until further notice.

As a reminder, and as I noted in my letter on March 13, all the faithful are dispensed from the obligation to assist at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days until further notice. Our diocesan website will include updated links to Masses live-streamed on the Internet, along with other resources for prayer at home.

These measures are taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in our local communities. It is essential that unnecessary movement and travel within the community be avoided whenever pos-sible. The virus can be spread to places visited by those infected, even if they are unaware of their infection. It is also essential that gatherings in even small groups be avoided whenever possible, as direct contact can also spread the virus.

At this time, our churches will not be open to the public. This severe measure is taken with great sorrow, but for the sake of protecting lives, especial-ly of the elderly and those who suffer illnesses that make them vulnerable to the virus. I ask you to pray with me that conditions will make it possible to lift this restriction soon.

Priests will continue to celebrate Sunday and daily Masses, only without the attendance of the faithful. It is important for Catholics to know that the Sacred Mysteries continue to be celebrated, and the Eucharistic Sacrifice is the efficacious enactment of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection in our midst. I urge all Catholics to unite themselves at

home to this great mystery of the Lord among us. He is near to us even though we cannot now draw near to him in our churches.

During this time, funerals, weddings, confes-sion, the anointing of the sick, and other sacra-mental celebrations will be celebrated only under severely limited circumstances and conditions. The Diocese will soon send to all pastors and priests specific instructions concerning these sacramental celebrations and other aspects of the ongoing pas-toral care of the People of God in the Rio Grande Valley.

We will continue to follow closely the advice and directives of state and local health officials. In the meantime, as we work together as a community to delay and slow the spread of the virus, let us seek to incorporate the Rosary, the Liturgy of the Hours, and meditation on the daily readings of the Eucha-ristic Liturgy. Of special importance is learning how to make a spiritual communion, and remember-ing to reverence the presence of the Lord in our churches, by making the Sign of the Cross whenever we pass by.

Our churches will take on the appearance and the experience of a prolonged observance of Good Friday and Holy Saturday. May our deep long-ing for the manifestation of the Risen Lord among us, especially on the day public celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice will resume, serve to prepare us for receiving him with gratitude and joy when that day comes, as surely it will.

Most Rev. Daniel E. FloresBishop of Brownsville

Most ReverendDaniel E. FloresBishop Of Brownsville

Bishop suspends Masses, encourages faithful to pray

»From our shepherd

pronto enviará a todos los párrocos y sacerdotes instrucciones específicas sobre estas celebraciones sacramentales y otros aspectos del cuidado pastoral del Pueblo de Dios en el Valle del Río Grande.

Continuaremos siguiendo de cerca los consejos y directivas de los funcionarios de salud estatales y locales. Mientras trabajamos juntos como una comunidad para frenar la propagación del virus, intentemos incorporar el Rosario, la Liturgia de las Horas y la meditación sobre las lecturas diarias de la Liturgia Eucarística. Es de especial importancia aprender a hacer la comunión espiritual y reconocer con reverencia

la presencia del Señor en nuestras iglesias, haciendo la Señal de la Cruz cada vez que pasemos.

Nuestras iglesias tomarán la apariencia y la experiencia de una observancia prolongada del Viernes Santo y el Sábado Santo. Que nuestro profundo anhelo por la manifestación del Señor Resucitado entre nosotros, especialmente en el día en que se reanude la celebración pública del Sacrificio Eucarístico, sirva para prepararnos para recibirlo con gratitud y alegría cuando llegue ese día, como seguramente lo hará.

Most Rev. Daniel E. FloresBishop of Brownsville

CNS photo / Yara Nardi, pool via ReutersPope Francis holds the monstrance as he gives his extraordinary blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and the world) from the atrium of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican March 27. The blessing was livestreamed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

https://youtu.be/RvE1ncKned8

Our churches will take on the appearance and the experience of a prolonged observance of Good Friday and Holy Saturday. May our deep longing for the manifestation of the Risen Lord among us, especially on the day public celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice will resume, serve to prepare us for receiving him with gratitude and joy when that day comes, as surely it will.”

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be if we don’t find some way to act and take protective actions.”

He emphasized that the Church will not stop its ministry. Priests in the Diocese will continue to celebrate Mass daily and on Sundays, although it will be done without parishioners in attendance. But the mystery of the Mass and the sacrifice of Christ will continue to be celebrated in churches in all the communities of the diocese.

“I think it’s a time for Catholics to appreciate what a gift the Eucharist is,” Bishop Flores said. “We should pray for one another that we may live the charity it signifies.”

A priority during the suspension of public services will be assisting the elderly and the most vulnerable during difficult times. It is a way, the bishop said, to live the Eucharist in being of service to those most in need and staying connected to the church. It is important to do so when parishioners will not have access to their churches.

“It’ll be a great lack people will experience, and I’m very aware of that,” Bishop Flores said. “Many will weep because they can’t go to Mass.”

The diocese and many of its churches will live-stream Mass celebrations via Facebook and social media, the bishop said. Services from the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine will also be live-streamed, including Holy Week,

if need be, he said.Funerals, confessions and

the anointing of the sick will continue, the bishop said. There will be conditions to having those services, he said, with more detail to come on those matters.

“It’s the way we take care of people,” Bishop Flores said of those services. “I’m asking people to be patient and helpful to one another.”

The suspension of public Masses is sure to leave a negative financial impact on the diocese as those services are a time when parishioners give to their church. Bishop Flores said that aspect of suspending public Masses is a concern, but “it’s not my biggest concern,” he said, pointing out the losses to be experienced by families with job losses and the sacrifices to be borne in

individual households as a result.“The Church will suffer like

everyone else,” Bishop Flores said. “We’ll find a way.”

Priests in the individual parishes will have their own challenges in continuing to serve their parishioners during a time they are not allowed access to their churches. In San Pedro, west of Brownsville on the Military Highway, Father Joel Flores said his greatest concern is for older people who cannot leave their homes for fear of contracting the virus. Father Flores said his parish will use food pantry stores to make sure the elderly do not go without necessities.

He also plans to take his Capilla Móvil out to the neighborhoods of his parish so people can hear his voice and see the presence of the Lord where

they live.“The chapel will be driven

through neighborhoods and an assistant will be ringing the bell while I process with the Blessed Sacrament,” Father Flores said. “It’s a way of taking the parish to Galilee to see the Lord walk through their homes.

“It’s the closest to celebrating public Mass that we can get,” he said. “It keeps the people safe and reminds them they are loved.”

The plight associated with coronavirus will eventually pass. When it does, the Church will be there for the faithful, just as it has long been and will continue to be.

“We will have Mass again in our churches,” Bishop Flores said. “The people will rejoice. This is a gift never to taken for granted.”

Last Masscontinued from pg. 1

Cathedral photos: Miguel Roberts. Basilica photos: Paul Binz / The Valley Catholic

March 19 was a bittersweet day in the Diocese of Brownsville as the coronavirus threat brought on the final Masses that the faithful will be able to attend until further notice. Father Michael Amesse, rector of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville, celebrated the last Mass there Thursday morning, while Bishop Daniel E. Flores, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Mario A. Avilés and Rector Father Jorge Gomez, celebrated 11:30 a.m. Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine. Since March 19, Masses are being celebrated without attendance, and the faithful can go to Somos El Valle 5.2, Cable Channel 1490 or online to the Diocese of Brownsville website or Facebook page in order to view them.


APRIL 5 Palm Sunday of the

Lord’s Passion

Reading 1At The Procession With Palms

MT 21:1-11

At the Mass IS 50:4-7

Responsorial PsalmPS 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

Reading 2PHIL 2:6-11

Verse before the GospelPHIL 2:8-9

Gospel

MT 26:14—27:66 or 27:11-54

APRIL 12 Easter Sunday

The Resurrection of the LordReading 1

ACTS 10:34A, 37-43 Responsorial Psalm

PS 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23Reading 2

COL 3:1-4 or I COR 5:6B-8Alleluia

CF. 1 COR 5:7B-8AGospel

JN 20:1-9APRIL 19

Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy)

Reading 1ACTS 2:42-47

Responsorial PsalmPS 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Reading 21 PT 1:3-9

AlleluiaJN 20:29Gospel

JN 20:19-31APRIL 26

Third Sunday of EasterReading 1

ACTS 2:14, 22-33Responsorial Psalm

PS 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11Reading 2

1 PT 1:17-21Alleluia

LK 24:32 Gospel

LK 24:13-35

»SundayReadings

The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church

Everything belongs to God

Lydia PesinaDirector, Family Life Office

G od created us out of the great love that He has and out of the great love that He is.

Genesis 1:26-28: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our like-ness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them…

When God deems that man shall rule over the fish, birds, and cattle, he is making us guard-ians of his creation. He is Creator and we are his creation, his creatures called to guard and protect his creation.

The earth, our lives, our children and family, our talents and jobs, our homes, resources and money, and our time all belong to God.

The earth belongs to God. As families, we can work at protecting the earth’s environment in small or big ways. Even little things such as recycling cans, bottles, paper and cardboard and conserving water and energy or using reusable shopping bags help take care of the earth.

Our life belongs to God. One of our primary tasks in life is to become the best person he has uniquely created us to be. It is in our “job description” to work on allowing the Holy Spirit to assist us in being transformed into that unique person because true transforma-

tion takes a lifetime. I teach a research based course to singles entitled “How to Avoid Marry-

ing a Jerk/Jerkette,” and the author states that what makes a person a Jerk or Jerkette is “Persistent Resistance.” That is when we persistently resist working on what we know we have to work on, because each of us has our shortcomings that need to be transformed.

Our children and our family belong to God. We are given the great blessing to care for them, to discipline them, and to raise them in the faith.

Perhaps I am keenly aware of what a great gift our daughter is to Mauri and me because we adopted her after 11 years of marriage. Being childless for that long, we yearned to have someone to share our love with. She belongs to God, but we have the blessing to enjoy, learn from and share our life with her.

In many ways, we are all adopted sons and daughters of God. Ephesians 1:3-6: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heav-enly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”

Our talents and our jobs belong to God. What-ever gifts God has given us are for his greater honor and glory. I admire music ministers because they share their talents and help us to worship God at Mass. Whatever type of job we have is a gift from God that allows us to feed, clothe, and provide a home for our family.

Our home, food, and money belong to God. I attended a workshop at our Family Ministry Con-ference several years ago entitled “Faith Finances” by a Catholic author who said, “Every morning I ask God: ‘What do you want me to do with your money today?’” A family I know prays over the food after returning from grocery shopping in thanksgiving to God for what he provides.

Our time belongs to God. “Chronos Time” is chronological time and “Kairos Time” is God’s time. Whether we overwork or “waste our time,” it is helpful to reflect on the fact that time is really a precious gift of God and only he knows how many years, months, days, and minutes we each have in our life.

May the Holy Spirit guide each of us to live this great gift of life for God’s greater honor and glory.

»Family Life

With the world on pause, with our lives as we knew them topsy-turvy, with us in wait, we continue daily into the

unknown.As I read and listen to the news, I find myself

searching for an end date. When will the threat of Covid-19 coronavirus pass so that we can get on with our lives?

We are accustomed to timelines, to scheduling every day and minute. But this beast of a virus has pushed us into unprecedented times, pushed us as well into almost paranoia.

As we worry about our loved ones, about all who are vulnerable, and as we grieve for the thousands of lives lost, and grow anxious with the financial impact at every level, the current reality obliges us to take stock of how we are living our lives. Why does it always take a tragedy for this to happen?

However, in the midst of this storm, we find hope. We trust that after our desert walk through Lent, there will be an Easter.

Pope Francis, in his Urbi et Orbi blessing to “the city and the world” on March 27, asked us to pray for an end to the pandemic. He reflected on the words of Jesus to his disciples, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?”

He tells us, “Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. On this boat… are all of us. Just like those disciples, who spoke anxiously with one voice, saying “We are perishing” (v. 38), so we too have realized that we cannot go on thinking of ourselves, but only together can we do this.”

Always in turbulent times, we find hope in the ways humanity works together. The Holy Spirit is inspiring a multitude of creative responses. We are finding ways to be a community and be there for others, even when it must be at a distance given the social distancing and shelter in place directives — from checking in on neighbors and our elderly, to

making face masks, to cooking meals for those on the medical front lines.

Online resources help us stay connected. Our churches may be closed, but attending Mass virtually via livestreamed services keeps us focused on Christ present in our lives. No matter where we are, Jesus Christ is present.

Every day we find new ways to carry on with our lives. Our schools are expanding the use of distance learning; different apps are making meetings possible with people in multiple locations; family members are engaging in games and conversations more than they were before the pause button stopped all that was previously scheduled. While the storm pushes forward, we do not pause the essentials of life – family, community, faith. Instead, we find creative ways to improvise.

As I fit in some sewing time on weekends to escape the news and slow the pace, my latest project prompted me to appreciate the possibilities associated with improvisation.

In January, I started an improv quilt with no step-by-step directions to follow. I had a say in the colors and fabric selection, but there was no pattern indicating exact measurements or pointing out what the final quilt should look like. No block is the same. The choices I made along the way determined the outcome.

Improv calls for trial and error, experimentation and change. Naturally, we have to plan and draw inspiration from where we find it, but there are no exact measurements. Sometimes what is required are “guestimations.”

Nicholas Ball in InspiringImprove notes, “What may be perceived as an obstacle can, in improv, be an opportunity for creative expression.”

The unknowns we face in these uncertain times may inspire us to look at what we are doing and can do in new and different ways. Let us be open to the possibilities that lie ahead, to the possibilities the Lord is guiding us towards.

So as we “row together, each of us in need of comforting the other,” I look forward to what will come, of what our improv quilt will look like.

Into the unknown

Brenda Nettles RiojasEditor of The Valley Catholic

»Women en la Frontera

A quote in the 2020 Census story in the March issue of The Valley Catholic may have resulted in confusion for some readers. The quote about Disney characters was said in levity to emphasize the importance of responding and participating in the Census. But an accurate census requires truthful responses – in this case, with respect to providing actual names. The Census Bureau says, “The 2020 Census invites everyone to respond with the correct information that will help shape the future of our communities. Person 1 must jot down their name when asked on the Census Questionnaire. Then they will be asked to jot down the real name of Person 2 and so forth.”

CLARIFICATION

April 2020 - The Valley Catholic 5FAITH

A future archbishop and de-fender of the rights of the native Indians in Peru, Toribio Alfonso Mogrovejo was born in Mayor-ga, León, Spain, in 1538.

Of noble family and highly educated, he was professor of laws at the University of Sala-manca, where his learning and virtue led to his appointment as Grand Inquisitor of Spain by Philip II and, though not of ecclesiastical rank, to his subse-quent selection for the Archbish-opric of Peru.

He received Holy Orders in 1578 and two years later was consecrated bishop. He arrived at Payta, Peru, 600 miles from Lima, on May 24, 1581. He began his mission work by travelling to Lima on foot, baptizing and teaching the natives. He demon-strated a deep zeal to reform the archdiocese and a determination to do all in his power to aid the poor and defend the rights of the Indians who were then suffer-ing severely under Spanish oc-cupation. He founded schools, churches, hospitals, and the first seminary in the New World. To assist his pastoral work among the Indians, he also mastered several Indian dialects.

His favorite topic and slogan was “Time is not our own, and we must give a strict account of it.” Three times he traversed the 18,000 miles of his diocese, generally on foot, defenseless and often alone; exposed to tempests, torrents, deserts, wild beasts, tropical heat, fevers, and savage tribes. During these trav-els he baptized and confirmed nearly half a million souls He built roads, school houses, and chapels innumerable, and many hospitals and convents, and founded the first American seminary at Lima in 1591. He as-sembled 13 diocesan synods and three provincial councils.

He passed away shortly after-ward on March 23, 1606.

Toribio Alfonso Mogrovejo was beatified by Innocent XI in 1697 and canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. His feast is celebrated on April 27.

Spotlight on St. Toribio

Alfonso Mogrovejo

»Feast DayApril 27

infocatolica.comAs archbishop of Lima, Peru from 1579-1606, St. Toribio de Mogrovejo is believed to have baptized and confirmed half a million people in that area.

In a recent essay in the Wall Street Journal, Kim-berly Cutter chronicled the death of her father by suicide. As he struggled with rapidly progressing

prostate cancer, he lost more than 30 pounds, be-coming gaunt and emaciated. Back pain and nausea forced him to spend much of his time in bed.

A few days before Christmas, he shared with Kimberly that he was thinking about shooting him-self. Kimberly argued with him, stressing that she and her sisters couldn’t accept a violent ending: “If he shot himself, my father would die alone. Someone in our family would have to find him,” she wrote.

His daughters convinced him to look into other options. When he started investigating lethal drugs he ran into questions of reliability. He encountered horror stories about “wrong dosages and unreliable contents, painful, drawn-out demises.” A lifelong marksman, he deemed the gun his best option: “If I shoot myself, I know I won’t miss.”

Kimberly then describes an important decision she made:

“I couldn’t accept my father’s threat to shoot himself. I thought about violence and the fear that always lies beneath it. How violence, in essence, is a twisted cry for help. At some point, it occurred to me that what I needed was a way to make my father feel loved. If I could make him feel loved enough, maybe he would not forget my sisters and me in his lowest moments and do what his darkest impulses urged. Late that night, I had an idea. It was childishly simple. Corny, really. I would start sending him daily love notes. I sent the first email the next morning. The subject line read: ‘Reasons Why I Love You.’ …As soon as I sent it, I knew I was onto something. …For the next 99 days, I continued sending my father a different reason why I loved him each morning. They ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime—from memories of snorkeling with him through a school of angelfish in Jupiter, to his incomparable Daffy Duck imitation: ‘Suffering Succotash!’…I could tell the emails were working; I could hear it in my fa-ther’s voice when I spoke to him on the phone; could feel it in the grateful emails he sent back in response. The daily act of pulling up a reason I loved him and sending it to him seemed to restore him in some essential way… My father never again discussed with me his plans for how or when he would die.”

Kimberly’s hundred love letters emboldened her dad to live out his life more fully and resist his fears for much longer than he would have otherwise. Tragically, however, they did not stop his suicide. He ended up purchasing lethal barbiturates from a company in China and, late in his illness, consumed the fatal powder.

His death left painful contradictions, as suicide always does. He had acceded to his daughters’ re-quests to avoid shooting himself, using drugs rather than a bullet, but he still died alone, discovered by a stunned family member. And while his suicide was perhaps not as violent, death by overdose can feel just as violent as death by gunfire. The underly-ing reality of pills, powders or poisons still involves a brutal devastation of our physiology. Our bodies often resist, with the vomiting of pills, convulsions, paralysis, and the like. Although Kimberly and her sisters may have preferred that their dad succumb to toxins instead of a bullet, those sentiments, in the final analysis, are more poetic than rational.

Sometimes the poetic may feel like all we have when we’re confronted with the tragedy and incoher-ence of certain human choices. Another incoherent part of Kimberly’s story is the fact that, despite her father’s suicide, she seems to support the idea of physician-assisted suicide. While no one wants a loved one to experience pain and agony in the final days, only a false and misguided sense of compassion could conclude that instead of eliminating the suffer-ing, we should eliminate the sufferer.

Kimberly may well have been aware of these in-consistencies as she embarked on the project of craft-ing a hundred love letters to her father, striving to help him understand that he was treasured and still a source of blessing to others in spite of his painful trials. Each of our loving human gestures speaks vol-umes about the singular power of love to overcome fear, and to strengthen us in adversity.

While the hundred letters did not ultimately dis-suade him from giving in to the temptation to take his life, they nevertheless give us a step we can take when confronted with loved ones who think their life no longer has meaning or that death is better than life. And there is no need to wait until loved ones are in agony to pick up the pen to say, in one or more ways, how much and why they’re loved.

Father Tadeusz PacholczykPriest of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass.Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www.ncbcenter.org

»Making Sense of Bioethics

A hundred love letters

» Please see Holy Mother p.11

W ho would have thought a few weeks ago that we would be hearing the words “social distancing,” “self-isolation” or

“quarantine”? First, not being able to share the sign of peace at Mass and then not being able to attend Holy Mass, much less not being able to receive the precious Body of our Lord Jesus in the most sacred Eucharist.

We are certainly living in trying times. I’m sure the apostles felt the same way while waiting for the Lord’s Resurrection. They hid in fear, for they didn’t know what to expect.

Even though we may not understand that not gathering in large groups will actually save lives, we do so out of charity for others. We are all trying to understand that our bishops in the country are doing their best with their decisions for the good of the people of God, and we accept their guidance in obedience.

Isn’t it a contradiction of the theology of the Incarnation not being able to come together in any type of faith gathering? After all, God came from heaven to dwell among us. It hurts not being able to embrace one another, and more devastating those infected, dying alone without their loved ones.

With so much uncertainty, we are all searching for answers. I’ve learned that in the spiritual life, “Why?” is the only question God doesn’t seem to answer. I’ve also learned that God does have the answer. The answer is Jesus. God became and is one of us in Jesus who dwells among us even though we are not able to receive him in the Eucharist.

For us Catholics, we often find the answers in the trying faith of the saints. St. Padre Pio reminds us: “Place your heart gently in Our Lord’s wounds. Have great confidence in His mercy for He will never abandon you.”

Even though we feel sad about not being able to receive Holy Communion, eucharistic adoration or

confession, we feel a tremendous sense of loss. Like there is something missing in our lives.

Perhaps it will be an opportunity to appreci-ate the sacraments more deeply, as we hunger and look forward in joyful anticipation to when we will gather once again awaiting the Lord’s Resurrection.

Most of all, it gives us the opportunity during this time of “shelter in place” or “quarantine” to gather and pray united as family; the rosary, Stations of the Cross, the Angelus, or the Salve Regina. Lectio Divina helps us reflect on the daily gospel or to pray the Liturgy of the Hours “Divine Office,” especially (lauds) morning and (vespers) evening prayer.

Many have mentioned this has been an unfor-gettable Lent, a true desert experience a time for great sorrow for all the lives lost. I’ve reminded those whom have shared feeling, distraught that we must never forget the Blessed Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross. I’m sure she was devastated and heartbroken, weeping and in deep sorrow. However, she stood strong by the side of her son, her arms embracing, holding on to the cross.

The Blessed Mother at the Crucifixion prob-ably felt incapable and could do nothing for her son suffering and dying for us on the cross, except to be by his side. Surely at that moment she remembered the words of Simeon: “And you yourself a sword will pierce your soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35).

Mother Mary comes to our aid to be by our side in our time of great need. She intercedes for us daily, to whom we seek her refuge when we pray: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

At the moments we feel anxious and afraid, when we need to calm our fears; when our heart needs to be soothed, let us find some comfort and solace in the words of St. Teresa of Avila. She wrote a

DeaconLuis ZunigaDirector, Office for Pastoral Life & San Juan Diego Ministry Institute

Holy Mother of God, pray for us in our time of great need

»Formationfor Ministry


Source: Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, Office of Stewardship and Grants

THE ENDTHE END

Yes, these three gifts are treasures in our souls.So one again Sateward... a theological virtue is?

And the three theological virtues are?Umh... a gift from God!ah... Faith... Hope and Charity

Well, this is it for today. Until next time, remember to use your 3 theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity everday! Goodbye!

Yes, thank you Olive!

Adios! See ya!

Ah, any time you two!Thanks for explaining to Steward Olive.

Pretty soon you will take over for me Steward.

Living Our FaithHow do you witness your faith in the world today?

Vivo mi fe teniendo una vida de oracion diaria, procurando asistir a misa todos los dias porque siento que Jesus Sacramentado me llama a recibirlo. Vivo una vida sacramental. Mi servicio principal es apoyar a todos los grupos que estan involucrados con la Renovacion Carismatica en toda la diocesis. Uno de los frutos del Espiritu Santo es el ser siempre piedras vivas para la iglesia y basicamente a traves de la vida sacramental y la vida de gracia es lo que procure hacer.

“

Carlos SalinasVolunteerOur Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, Mission

Myrna Mendez VolunteerSt. Joseph the Worker Church, McAllen

durante la semana asistiendo a misa. Formo parte de un grupo Apostolico Carismatico donde el fruto es la vida comunitaria, sirviendo a la Iglesia pero teniendo el compromiso de orar todos los días, leer las escrituras en casa, tener reunión con los hermanos para profundizar en la fe y reunirnos en la Santa Eucaristia.

Tambien sirvo al Señor en el movimiento “Mision Catolica Universitaria de Jovenes” donde apoyo a los jóvenes en su camino y vida de fe.

Vivo mi fe primero que nada en oracion buscando al Señor

From Faith in the Valley: An Illustrated History of the Diocese of Brownsville

The list of birthdays and ordination anniversaries is

provided so that parishioners may remember the priests,

deacons and religious in their prayers and send them a note

or a card.

»Birthday & Anniversary

Wishes

April » Birthdays 1 Rev. Francois Tsanga, SCJ 2 Rev. M. Kumar Nayak, SS.CC.15 Rev. Oscar Ortega Mancha20 Rev. Arturo Cardenas25 Rev. Samuel Arizpe 6 Deacon Javier A. Garcia11 Deacon Leon Diaz12 Deacon Julio Castilleja15 Deacon Luis Zuñiga18 Deacon Louis Oden21 Deacon Jose Guerra

5 Sister Irma Gonzalez, IWBS10 Sister Patricia Edmiston, MM24 Sister Therese Ridge, IWBS

» Anniversaries22 Rev. George Kerketta 26 Rev. Jose R. Torres III, OMI

12 Deacon Inocencio Diaz

“

“Padre Pedro” brought Claretian priests from Mexico City to serve the Spanish-speaking people. He also invited the Marist

Brothers and the Sisters of Mercy to open new schools.

Irrigation transformed the Valley into a garden. There were new churches, too.

The Mexican Revolution came close to home. Hundreds of refugees from Matamoros poured into Brownsville.

They looked to the Church for help.Come and buy a brick for the new

church! Just a nickel a piece! Truly, you, the people have built this

beautiful church!

Come buy a tamal! Help us build our

church!TO BE CONTINUEDTO BE CONTINUED

Faith in the ValleyFaith in the Valley

Snow! It’s snowing!

What is it?

On December 29, 1887, he laid the cornerstone for a new church on the Rancho Santa Maria, Our

Lady of the Visitation. The people who gathered for the ceremony were in for a surprise.

He dedicated new churches in Rio Grande City,

Mercedes, Edinburg, and Port Isabel.

Four inches of snow fell before the rare Texas snowstorm ended.

CATECHISM POP QUIZ

For answer key see page 11.

Check your knowledge. The following questions

are derived from the Catechism of the Catholic

Church. In parentheses is the number that refers to the paragraphs in the

Catechism.

149. Which of the following statement(s) is/are false (687):a. The Spirit speaks

of himself when he reveals God’s Word.

b. We only know the Spirit in the movement by which he reveals the Word to us.

c. All who believe in Jesus know the Spirit.

150. Which of the following statement(s) is/are true? We know the Holy Spirit in (688):a. Scripture and

Traditionb. the Church’s

Magisteriumc. in prayer, especially

the liturgyd. the charisms, but

not in ministries with the exception of the consecrated ministries, priesthood and religious life

e. missionary activityf. the lives of the saints

Source: Jim Seghers’ Totus Tuus Ministries, http://www.totustuus.com

Bishop Manucy soon set out on a three-month Confirmation tour with Oblates as his guide.

We will give the bishop a welcome that Brownsville will never forget!

Father Keralum’s church will be a cathedral now.

The Catholic population in south Texas continued to grow. In 1874, Pope Pius IX created a new “vicariate

apostolic” - a mission diocese - centered in Brownsville. Dominic Manucy was the first bishop appointed to serve

the Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville. A bishop in Brownsville! We’re not just a frontier

town anymore.

Born in Spain, ordained in San Francisco, Pedro Verdaguer was one of the first Hispanic bishops in the United States. In 1890, he became

the second bishop of the Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville.

We know he is a bishop, but he is so kind and humble, we call him

Padre Pedro.

Las donaciones procesadas por el

banco el lunes al mediodía se

enviarán a las parroquias el viernes

de la misma semana, según sea

permitido. Los datos de cada

donante se comunicarán a su

parroquia para el mantenimiento de

registros y los recibos de fin de año

para la declaración de impuestos.

PROCESAMIENTO

OPORTUNO

DONACIÓN

EN L8NEA

D U R A N T E E S T E T I E M P O , P O R F A V O R

N O O L V I D E C O N T I N U A R A Y U D A N D O A S U

P A R R O Q U I A , I N C L U S O D E S D E S U C A S A .

Ayude a mantener nuestras parroquias

operando con sus donaciones electrónicas.

Los feligreses pueden continuar apoyando a su parroquia enviando cheques

por correo a la oficina parroquial. Otra opción es usar la plataforma de

donaciones en línea de la diócesis escaneando este código QR y donando

en línea, o siguiendo este enlace:

Otra manera fácil de administrar sus

donaciones electrónicas es con la

función de Textear Para Dar que

está completamente integrada con

nuestra plataforma de donaciones

en línea. Puede enviar una cantidad

por mensaje de texto al (956) 625-

9385 y su transacción se procesará

a través de la cuenta de donación

en línea asociada con su número de

teléfono. Si su número de teléfono

no está asociado a una cuenta,

puede continuar sin una cuenta o

puede crear una nueva cuenta y

asignar a su parroquia

específicamente como destinatario

de sus contribuciones.

Para ayudar a nuestras parroquias, la

Diócesis cubrirá las tarifas de

procesamiento del servicio de

donación en línea para que las

parroquias reciban la cantidad total

de donaciones.

Tarifas cubiertas por la diócesis

Ya sea para pagar los servicios

(agua, luz) del mes pasado o el

salario de este mes, nuestras

parroquias necesitan dinero en

el banco para poder operar.

Las donaciones en línea son la

forma más rápida y segura de

financiar a nuestras parroquias

con los recursos necesarios

para operar durante esta crisis

y más allá.

RECIBA DONACIONES

https://www.osvonlinegiving.com/432

Para más información

llame (956) 784-5095

TEXTEAR PARA DAR










PROCESAMIENTO

OPORTUNO

DONACIÓN

EN L8NEA
































de donaciones.












y más allá.

RECIBA DONACIONES



llame (956) 784-5095

TEXTEAR PARA DAR










PROCESAMIENTO

OPORTUNO

DONACIÓN

EN L8NEA
































de donaciones.












y más allá.

RECIBA DONACIONES



llame (956) 784-5095

TEXTEAR PARA DAR


Border Bishops

Many people are understandably experiencing uncertainty and anxiety due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The severity of the situation has forced our leaders to make significant changes in our daily lives including suspending publicly celebrated Masses. Recognizing that these changes likely leave us even more in need of God’s grace, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and other Catholic partners have generously made their resources available to support prayer during these difficult days.

Please use freely and share with others. A sense of community is of the upmost importance. We must encourage each other, take care of each other, pray for each other and stay connected to our faith during this time of social distancing.

_______

Upcoming Sunday Liturgy of the WordCelebration of the Word for each Sunday can be used at home alone or as a group.

https://us.magnificat.net/skin/frontend/default/theme278k/images/site/Celebration_US.pdf

_______

Daily Readings from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

• English: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/• Spanish: http://www.usccb.org/bible/lecturas/032720.

cfm_______

Online Masses • Immaculate Conception Cathedral Live

Streaming with Bishop Daniel E. Flores facebook.com/CatholicRGV/• Online Masses for Parish Schedules https://www.cdob.org/onlinemass/• Vatican News Live Streaming Pope Francis’

Masses

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxIsefyl9g9A5SGWA4FvGIA/videos

• Catholic TV Mass https://www.watchthemass.com/ • Catholic Faith Network Masses https://www.catholicfaithnetwork.org/

masses • San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio –

Mass in Spanish https://vimeo.com/sanfernandocathedral

_______

PRAYERS

COVID-19: A Prayer of SolidarityMaternal Intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Archbishop Gomez

• English: http://www.usccb.org/about/

communications/upload/prayer-coronavirus-2020-card.pdf

• Spanish: http://www.usccb.org/about/

communications/upload/prayer-coronavirus-2020-card-spanish.pdf

Pray as You Go: • Lent https://pray-as-you-go.org/retreat/lent-

2020?fbclid=IwAR0xm3HL-Ha4fpkCe9DpSrkVgrE3KltS1Nb9yqD4S3zUemLZ-d-Tqz0jxuo

• Daily Prayer https://pray-as-you-go.org/?fbclid=IwAR0s4

2ivA8ZNubvvtPdFpEAqn4S7F0N1SaXeq6--nKHiQYxfhp22tZ3qr2E

_______

Family Life• Building Family Bonds during COVID-19 https://www.foryourmarriage.org/building-

family-bonds-in-challenging-times/ • Family Life in a Pandemic https://www.foryourmarriage.org/blogs/

family-life-in-a-pandemic/

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (for parents)• For parents https://www.cgsusa.org/homepage/covid-19-

response/#collapse63 • For children https://www.cgsusa.org/homepage/covid-19-

response/#collapse62 • Public health resources https://www.cgsusa.org/homepage/covid-19-response/

Paul Binz and Rick Treviño / The Valley Catholic

Bishops from dioceses along the Texas-Mexico border convened in San Juan March 2-4 for the first Border Bishops meeting of 2020. They meet twice a year to discuss problems and issues they face in common along the international border, including the thousands of Central American refugees seeking asylum in the United States but stranded across the Rio Grande in Mexico. On March 3, the bishops traveled to La Lomita chapel in Mission for a late afternoon Mass celebrated by Bishop Daniel E. Flores. Bishops from the dioceses of Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Saltillo, Ciudad Juárez and Piedras Negras in Mexico, and the dioceses of Brownsville, San Antonio, Laredo, El Paso and San Angelo participated in the conference. Bishop Flores said he and his counterparts had a “fruitful discussion.” At right, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso takes time before the Mass for a look at the nearby Rio Grande.

Resources for Prayer During the Coronavirus Crisis





http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/

http://www.usccb.org/bible/lecturas/032720.cfm

http://www.usccb.org/bible/lecturas/032720.cfm

http://facebook.com/CatholicRGV/

https://www.cdob.org/onlinemass/



https://www.watchthemass.com/

https://www.catholicfaithnetwork.org/masses

https://www.catholicfaithnetwork.org/masses

https://vimeo.com/sanfernandocathedral

http://www.usccb.org/about/communications/upload/prayer-coronavirus-2020-card.pdf



http://www.usccb.org/about/communications/upload/prayer-coronavirus-2020-card-spanish.pdf



https://pray-as-you-go.org/retreat/lent-2020?fbclid=IwAR0xm3HL-Ha4fpkCe9DpSrkVgrE3KltS1Nb9yqD4S3zUemLZ-d-Tqz0jxuo




https://pray-as-you-go.org/?fbclid=IwAR0s42ivA8ZNubvvtPdFpEAqn4S7F0N1SaXeq6--nKHiQYxfhp22tZ3qr2E



https://www.foryourmarriage.org/building-family-bonds-in-challenging-times/

https://www.foryourmarriage.org/building-family-bonds-in-challenging-times/

https://www.foryourmarriage.org/blogs/family-life-in-a-pandemic/

https://www.foryourmarriage.org/blogs/family-life-in-a-pandemic/

https://www.cgsusa.org/homepage/covid-19-response/#collapse63




https://www.cgsusa.org/homepage/covid-19-response/

8 NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL The Valley Catholic - Abril 2020

Reflexiones sobre nuestra sociedad y el corona-virusY de repente nos despertamos

un día y todo cambió, en Disney se apagó la magia,

la muralla China no era tan fuerte, ahora Nueva York si duerme y ningún camino quiere conducir a Roma. Un virus se corona como dueño del mundo y nos dimos cuenta de nuestra fragilidad. No sabemos si el daño es a propósito o irresponsabilidad de nosotros mismos, pero la amenaza está ahí, cada día más fuerte, ya los memes no causan tanta risa, los abrazos y los besos se transformaron en armas peligrosas y las escasez de productos nos demuestra una vez más lo egoísta somos. Tan egoístas que decimos: “No hay problema, este virus solo se lleva a los viejitos”, como si no tuviéramos a nuestros padres y abuelos, o como si no fuéramos a llegar nunca ahí.

Queremos hacer valer nuestro “derecho a decidir si dejar vivir, o no”, a otro; y ahora nos damos cuenta que no podemos a decidir si dejar vivir, o no, a otro; y ahora nos damos cuenta que no podemos ni decidir por la vida de nosotros. Un planeta se pone una máscara, no solo para un virus, sino para tapar nuestra vulnerablidad mezclada con soberbia. Y se lava las manos por higiene, pero más como si quisiéramos no reconocer nuestra responsabilidad, tal como hizo un Pilatos.

Sí, hay miedo. Sí, hay

aislamiento. Sí, hay compras de pánico. Sí, hay enfermedad. Sí, incluso hay muerte. Pero dicen que en Wuhan, después de tantos años de ruido industrial, puedes escuchar a los pájaros de nuevo. Dicen que después de unas pocas semanas de quietud, el cielo ya no está lleno de humos, pero de azul y gris claro. Dicen que en las calles vacías de Assís, la gente esta cantando desde sus casas y sus balcones, manteniendo sus ventanas abiertaas, para que los que están solos, pueden escuchar las voces de las familias a su alrededor. Dicen que en un hotel en el oeste de Irlanda, ofrece comidas gratis y las entrega a domicilio.

Hoy las iglesias, sinagogas, templos y mezquitas, se están preparando para dar la bienvenida y proteger a los desamparados, enfermos y cansados. En todo el mundo la gente se está desacelerando y reflexionando. En todo el mundo, las personas miran a sus vecinos de una manera nueva. En todo el mundo, la gente está despertando a una nueva realidad. A lo grande que realmente somos, a que poco control tenemos realmente, a lo que realmente importa … AMAR.

Entonces rezamos y recordamos que: Sí, hay miedo, pero no tiene que haber odio. Sí, hay aislamiento, pero no tiene que haber soledad. Sí, hay compras de pánico, pero no tiene que haber egoísmo. Sí, hay

Msgr. Juan Nicolau, Ph.D.,STL Sacerdote jubilado de la Diócesis de Brownsville

»La Alegría de Vivir Fe en el ValleFe en el Valle

Todo le pertenece a Dios

Lydia Pesina Directora, Oficina de Vida Familiar

»Vida Familiar

Dios nos creó del gran amor que Él tiene y del gran amor que Él es.

Génesis 1: 26-28: Entonces Dios dijo: “Hagamos al hombre a nuestra imagen, conforme a nuestra seme-janza; y que gobierne sobre los peces del mar y sobre las aves del cielo y so-bre el ganado y sobre toda la tierra, y sobre cada cosa que se arrastra sobre la tierra”. Dios creó al hombre a su propia imagen, a imagen de Dios lo creó; hombre y mujer los creó. Dios los bendijo ...

Cuando Dios considera que el hombre gobernará sobre los peces, las aves y el ganado, nos está haci-endo guardianes de su creación. Él es “Creador” y nosotros somos Su “creación / Sus criaturas” llamados a custodiar y proteger Su creación.

La tierra; nuestra vida; nuestros hijos y familia; nuestros talentos y trabajos; nuestro hogar, recursos y dinero; y nuestro tiempo pertenecen a Dios.

La tierra le pertenece a Dios. Como familias, podemos trabajar para proteger el medio ambiente del mundo de maneras pequeñas o grandes. Incluso las pequeñas cosas intencionales, como reciclar latas, botellas, papel y cartón; conservar

agua y energía; o usar bolsas de compras reutilizables nos sirven para ayudar a cuidar la tierra.

Nuestra vida le pertenece a Dios. Una de nuestras tareas principales en la vida es con-vertirnos en la mejor persona

para la que Él nos ha creado de manera única. Está en nuestra

“descripción de puesto” trabajar para permitir que el Espíritu Santo nos ayude a transformarnos en esa persona “única” porque la verdadera transformación lleva toda una vida. Yo enseño un curso basado en la investigación para solteros titulado “Cómo evitar casarse con un patán/

patana” y el autor declara que lo que hace que una persona sea un patán/patana es la “Resistencia persistente” (cuando nos resistimos persistente-mente a trabajar en lo que sabemos que debemos hacer) porque cada uno de nosotros tenemos nuestros defec-tos que necesitan ser transformados.

Nuestros hijos y nuestra familia pertenecen a Dios. Se nos da la gran bendición de cuidarlos, disciplinar-los y criarlos en la fe. Tal vez soy muy consciente del gran regalo que nuestra hija es para Mauri y para mí porque la adoptamos después de once años de matrimonio. Al no tener hijos durante tanto tiempo, anhelamos tener a alguien con quien compartir nuestro amor. Ella pertenece a Dios pero tenemos la bendición de disfrutar, aprender y compartir nuestra vida con ella.

En muchos sentidos, todos somos hijos e hijas adoptivos de Dios. Efesios 1: 3-6: “Bendito sea el Dios y Padre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, quien nos ha bendecido con toda bendición espiritual de los lugares celestiales en Cristo, tal como nos eligió en Él antes de la creación del mundo, para que nosotros fueramos santos y sin mancha delante de él. En el amor, nos predestinó a la adopción como hijos a través de Jesucristo para sí mismo, de acuerdo con la amable intención de su voluntad, para la alabanza de la gloria de Su Gracia, que nos otorgó libremente por medio de el Amado”.

Nuestros talentos y nuestros trabajos pertenecen a Dios. Cual-quier regalo que Dios nos haya dado es para Su Mayor Honor y Gloria. Admiro a los ministros de música porque comparten sus talentos y nos ayudan a adorar a Dios en la misa. Cualquier tipo de trabajo que tengamos es un regalo de Dios por el que nos permite alimentar, vestir y proporcionar un hogar para nuestra

“Padre Pedro” trajo sacerdotes claretianos de la ciudad de México para servir a las personas hispanohablantes. También invitó a los hermanos

maristas y las hermanas de la misericordia para abrir nuevas escuelas.

La irrigación transformó al valle en un jardín. También había nuevas iglesias.

La revolución mexicana estuvo cerca de casa. Cientos de refugiados de

matamoros llegaron a Brownsville. Buscaban a la iglesia para recibir ayuda.

¡venga y compre un ladrillo para la nueva iglesia! ¡Solamente

cinco centavos cada uno!¡verdaderamente

ustedes, el pueblo, han construido esta

hermosa iglesia!

¡venga y compre tamal! ¡ayúdenos a construir

nuestra iglesia!

¿Qué es?

¡Es nieve! ¡Está nevando!

El 29 de diciembre del 1887, colocó la piedra angular para una nueva iglesia en el rancho santa maría, nuestra

señora de la visitación. Les esperaba una sorpresa a todos los que se juntaron para la ceremonia.

Dedicó nuevas iglesias en la ciudad de Rio Grande,

Mercedes, Edinburg y Puerto Isabel.

Cuatro pulgadas de nieve cayeron antes de que terminara la rara tormenta de nieve en Texas.

El Obispo Manucy pronto emprendió viaje de tres meses administrando confirmaciones con los oblatos como sus guías.

¡Le daremos una bienvenida al obispo que Brownsville nunca olvidara!

La iglesia del Padre Keralum ahora

será una catedral.

La población católica siguió creciendo en el sur de Texas. En 1874, el Papa Pio IX creó un nuevo “vicario apostólico” una diócesis de misión centrada en Brownsville. Dominic

manucy fue nombrado el primer obispo para servir al vicariato apostólico de Brownsville. ¡un obispo en

Brownsville! Ya no somos solamente una

ciudad fronteriza.

Nacido en España y ordenado en San Francisco, Pedro Verdaguer fue uno de los primeros obispos hispanos en los Estados Unidos. En 1890, se convirtió en el segundo obispo del vicariato apostólico de Brownsville.

Sabemos que es un obispo, pero es tan

amable y humilde, que lo llamamos padre pedro.

ContinuaráContinuaráDel libro, Fe en el Valle: Una historia ilustrada de la Diócesis de Brownsville

¿Qué es?

familia.Nuestro hogar, comida y

dinero pertenecen a Dios. Asistí a un taller en nuestra Confer-encia del Ministerio de Familia hace varios años titulado “Fe Finanzas” por un autor católico que dijo: “Todas las mañanas le pregunto a Dios: ¿Qué quieres que haga hoy con Tu dinero?” Una familia que conozco ora por la comida después de regresar de las compras en acción de gracias a Dios por lo que Él propor-ciona.

Nuestro tiempo le pertenece

a Dios. El “Tiempo de Cro-nos” es el tiempo cronológico y el “Tiempo de Kairos” es el tiempo de Dios. Ya sea que trabajemos en exceso o “malgas-temos nuestro tiempo”, es útil reflexionar sobre el hecho de que el tiempo es realmente un don precioso de Dios y solo Él sabe cuántos años, meses, días y minutos tenemos cada uno en nuestra vida.

Que el Espíritu Santo guíe a cada uno de nosotros a vivir este gran regalo de la vida para el mayor honor y gloria de Dios.

» Por favor lea Reflexiones p.11

Abril 2020 - The Valley Catholic 9NOTICIAS EN ESPAÑOL

Por R. DANIEL CAVAZOSThe Valley Catholic

SAN JUAN — La Iglesia Católica en sus 2,000 años de existencia a veces ha tenido que posponer la celebración pública de eventos y servicios religiosos, ya que la guerra o la peste se de-sataron.

“La Iglesia rara vez ha sus-pendido misas, pero en su his-toria lo ha hecho por una varie-dad de razones”, dijo el obispo Daniel E. Flores.

Este es uno de esos raros momentos para la Diócesis de Brownsville y muchas parro-quias en todo el país. El brote del coronavirus ha llevado a muchas iglesias en los Estados Unidos a suspender los servi-cios religiosos públicos. Para la diócesis de Brownsville, el obispo Flores anunció el 18 de marzo una directiva para sus-pender las celebraciones públi-cas de las misas.

La orden del obispo tam-bién significa que otros eventos públicos como festivales, pro-

Misas públicas canceladasdebido al amenazante Covid-19

gramas de retiro y programas de educación religiosa se sus-penden hasta nuevo aviso. La directiva entró en vigencia el 19 de marzo.

“Estas medidas severas se toman con gran pena, pero son necesarias a mi juicio en aras de proteger vidas”, dijo el obispo Flores. “Actualmente no hemos sido tan afectados como el lejano noroeste o la costa este, pero lo seremos si no encontramos al-guna forma de actuar y tomar medidas de protección”.

Hizo hincapié en que la Igle-sia no detendrá su ministerio. Los sacerdotes en la Diócesis continuarán celebrando misa todos los días y los domingos, aunque se hará sin la asistencia de feligreses. Pero el misterio de

la misa y el sacrificio de Cristo continuarán celebrándose en las iglesias de todas las comuni-dades de la diócesis.

“Creo que es un momento para que los católicos aprecien el regalo que es la Eucaristía”, dijo el obispo Flores. “Debemos rezar unos por los otros para que podamos vivir la caridad que significa”.

Una prioridad durante la suspensión de los servicios pú-blicos será ayudar a los ancianos y a los más vulnerables en tiem-pos difíciles. Es una manera, dijo el obispo, de vivir la Eucaristía para servir a los más necesitados y mantenerse conectados con la iglesia. Es importante hacerlo cuando los feligreses no tengan acceso a sus iglesias.

“Será una gran falta la gente experimentará, y estoy muy con-sciente de eso”, dijo el obispo Flores. “Muchos llorarán porque no pueden ir a misa”.

La diócesis y muchas de sus iglesias transmitirán en vivo las celebraciones de la misa a través de Facebook y las redes socia-les, dijo el obispo. Los servicios de la Basílica de Nuestra Señora de San Juan del Valle-Santuario Nacional también se trans-mitirán en vivo, incluida la Se-mana Santa, si es necesario, dijo.

Los funerales, las confesio-nes y la unción de los enfermos continuarán, dijo el obispo. Habrá condiciones para tener esos servicios, dijo, con más detalles sobre esos asuntos. “Es la forma en que cuidamos a las

personas”, dijo el obispo Flores sobre esos servicios. “Le pido a las personas que sean pacientes y se ayuden unos a otros”.

La suspensión de las misas públicas seguramente dejará un impacto financiero negativo en la diócesis ya que esos servicios son un momento en que los feli-greses dan a su iglesia. El obispo Flores dijo que el aspecto de suspender misas públicas es una preocupación, pero “no es mi mayor preocupación”, dijo, se-ñalando las pérdidas que experi-mentarán las familias con pér-didas de trabajo y los sacrificios que se sufragarán en los hogares individuales como resultado.

“La Iglesia sufrirá como to-dos los demás”, dijo el obispo

Los fieles ahora pueden ver la misa en TV o conectarse en línea para participar

Miguel Roberts

La amenaza del coronavirus puso fin a la asistencia a las Misas en la Diócesis de Brownsville después del 19 de marzo. En esa fecha, el Padre Michael Amesse, rector de la Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción en Brownsville, dirigió una procesión con el Santísimo Sacramento (izquierda) y celebró la última Misa. Desde entonces, se celebran las misas sin asistencia, y los fieles pueden visitar Somos El Valle 5.2, Cable Channel 1490 o en línea en el sitio web de la Diócesis de Brownsville o en la página de Facebook para verlas.

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» Por favor lea Amenaza p.10


Deacon Heriberto Solis, Jr., 92, passed away Sunday, March 1, 2020.

He was born Nov. 28, 1927 in Brownsville. A U.S. Army veteran, he later worked for the U.S. Postal Service and then

taught at Texas Southmost Col-lege.

Ordained as a deacon in May 1980, Deacon Solis served the community of Mary, Moth-er of the Church Parish in Brownsville for many years.

He was preceded in death by his wife, one son, his parents, two brothers and a sister. He is survived by two brothers and two sisters, another son and a

daughter, and five grandchil-dren.

His funeral was March 5, with interment at Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Deacon Heriberto Solis, Jr.

Nov. 28, 1927 - March 1, 2020

Father Richard James Shee-han, OMI, 85, passed away in San Antonio on Friday, March 13, 2020.

He was born in Chicago, Il-linois on March 2, 1935.

Father Sheehan professed vows as a member of the Congre-gation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate on May 31, 1955. After his philosophical and theological studies at the Interna-tional Scholasticate in Rome, Ita-

ly, he was ordained to the priest-hood on July 12, 1961 in Rome.

After ordination, Father Sheehan received his first obe-dience to Sacred Heart Catho-lic Church in Edinburg, Texas. He remained in Texas at Mid-land (St. Ann), San Antonio (St. Mary’s), Laredo (St. Augustine), San Benito (St. Benedict), Hunts-ville (St. Thomas), McAllen (Our Lady of Perpetual Help), Cor-pus Christi (Holy Family), Mis-sion (Our Lady of Guadalupe), San Juan (St. John the Baptist), Brownsville, (Immaculate Con-ception Cathedral), Roma (Our Lady of Refuge), and McAllen (Sacred Heart Parish).

He continued ongoing educa-tion courses at Notre Dame Uni-versity in Indiana in 1989. He retired to Oblate Madonna Resi-dence in San Antonio in 2007.

This year, Father Sheehan would have celebrated his 65th anniversary of First Vows. One of 14 children, he is survived by numerous siblings, nieces and nephews, mostly in the Chicago area.

Father Richard J. Sheehan, O.M.I.

March 2, 1935 - March 13, 2020

Father William T. Pender-ghest, SS.CC., 78, passed away on Thursday, March 26, 2020 in Har-lingen, Texas after a brief hospital-ization.

Father Penderghest was born Jan. 28, 1941 in Philadelphia to William and Edith (Connolly) Penderghest.

Entering the Novitiate of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Fairhaven, Massachusetts on Sept. 1, 1960, he

was ordained to the priesthood on June 7, 1967 in Jaffrey Center, New Hampshire.

Father Penderghest’s first as-signment was in Chatham, Mas-sachusetts; he subsequently served parishes in Fairhaven, Massachu-setts; Rochester, New York; and Harlingen. From 1984 to 1997 he served as development director and treasurer for the USA East Province of the Congregation, de-veloping the province’s first com-puterized system.

From 2001 through 2007 Fa-ther Penderghest served at the Congregation’s General House in Rome and was appointed as General Econome (Treasurer) for the worldwide community. From 1977 to 1984, he was pastor of Queen of Peace Church in Har-lingen, where he led construction of the new church. In 2008 he re-turned there as pastor, a position he held until his retirement in Oc-tober 2017.

Father Penderghest is survived by his SS.CC. brothers around the world. Funeral arrangements were pending at press time.

Father William T. “Bill” Penderghest, SS.CC.

Jan. 28, 1941 - March 26, 2020

»Obituaries

FAITHAFFIRMS

UR

WEEKDAYS I WEEKENDS I ONLINE

BACHELOR’S I MASTER’S I DOCTORAL

RGV.ollusa.edu

INFO SESSIONAPR. 14 I 5:30 P.M.

956-227-01461650 S. MAINLA FERIA, TX 78559

Father James E. Wuerth, M.S.F., 78, passed away on Sat-urday, March 7, 2020.

Father Wuerth, a member of the religious community of the Missionaries of the Holy Family, was born in Louisville, Kentucky on March 6, 1942. He attended Holy Family Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, graduat-ed with a Master of Divinity de-gree, and was ordained a priest on June 13, 1971.

Father Wuerth embraced many assignments throughout his long, distinguished, and loving vocation as a priest. He served in the dioceses of Cor-pus Christi and Brownsville, and in the archdioceses of Los Angeles, San Antonio, Louis-ville, and St. Louis.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mission-aries of the Holy Family, 3014 Oregon Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118, or online at www.msf-america.org.

Father James E. Wuerth, M.S.F.

March 6, 1942 - March 7, 2020

Flores. “Encontraremos un camino”.

Los sacerdotes en las parro-quias individuales tendrán sus propios desafíos para continuar sirviendo a sus feligreses duran-te un tiempo en el que no se les permite el acceso a sus iglesias.

En San Pedro, al oeste de Brownsville en la carretera mili-tar, el padre Joel Flores dijo que su mayor preocupación es por las personas mayores que no pueden abandonar sus hogares por temor a contraer el virus. El padre Flores dijo que su parro-quia usará tiendas de despensa para asegurarse de que los an-cianos no se queden sin necesi-dades.

También planea llevar su Capilla Móvil a los vecindarios

de su parroquia para que la gente pueda escuchar su voz y ver la presencia del Señor donde viven.

“La capilla será conducida por los vecindarios y un asis-tente tocará la campana mien-tras yo proceso con el Santísi-mo Sacramento”, dijo el Padre Flores. “Es una forma de llevar la parroquia a Galilea para ver al Señor caminar por sus hogares.

“Es lo más cercano a cele-brar la misa pública que podem-os tener”, dijo. “Mantiene a las personas seguras y les recuerda que son amadas”.

La difícil situación asociada con el coronavirus eventual-mente pasará. Cuando lo haga, la Iglesia estará allí para los fieles, tal como ha sido y seguirá siendo durante mucho tiempo.

“Volveremos a tener misa en nuestras iglesias”, dijo el obispo Flores. “La gente se regocijará. Este es un regalo que nunca se debe tomar por concedido”.

Amenazacontinúa de pág. 9

PalmSunday

APRIL 5 APRIL 9 APRIL 10 APRIL 11

HolyThursday

GoodFriday

EasterVigil

PrayLivingDead

for the

andthe


APRIL» Monthly calendar3

HOLY HOUR: PRAYER AT NOON ON FRIDAYEven before the current health crisis, Bishop Daniel E. Flores invited all Catholics in the Diocese to commit to prayer at noon every Friday to express our unity as a church, increase our dependence on the grace of God and draw us together to build hope through love. Bishop Flores suggested the Angelus, the traditional midday prayer, as the most appropriate prayer, but said prayers of our own choosing are good as well.

5PALM SUNDAYThe commemoration of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Although attendance at Mass is closed at this time, Palm Sunday Mass is available online in the Diocese of Brownsville.

9HOLY THURSDAYThe commemoration of the Last Supper, at which Jesus instituted the Eucharist.

10GOOD FRIDAY The solemn commemoration of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ on Calvary. No Mass is celebrated on this day.

10GOOD FRIDAY - DIOCESAN OFFICES CLOSEDAny offices of the Diocese of Brownsville not otherwise closed will be closed Friday, April 10 in observance of Good Friday.

10HOLY HOUR: PRAYER AT NOONBishop Flores’ call for diocese-wide prayer can be answered at noon on this Good Friday by praying the Angelus or prayers of your choice.

11HOLY SATURDAYThe last day of Lent. No Mass is celebrated on this day until the Easter Vigil begins after nightfall.

12EASTER SUNDAYThe commemoration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the greatest feast day of the liturgical year. Although attendance at Mass is closed at this time, Easter Sunday Mass is available online in the Diocese of Brownsville.

13EASTER MONDAY- DIOCESAN OFFICES CLOSED Any offices of the Diocese of

Brownsville not otherwise closed will be closed Monday, April 13 in observance of Easter Monday.

17HOLY HOUR: PRAYER AT NOONThe time to answer Bishop Flores’ call for diocese-wide prayer at noon Friday by praying the Angelus or prayers of your choice.

19SUNDAY MASS ONLINESunday Mass is available online in the Diocese of Brownsville.

24HOLY HOUR: PRAYER AT NOONThe hour to fulfill Bishop Flores’ call for diocese-wide prayer at noon Friday by praying the Angelus or prayers of your choice.

26SUNDAY MASS ONLINESunday Mass is available online in the Diocese of Brownsville.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS TO: Paul Binz at [email protected] or call (956) 784-5055.

Month of the Holy Spirit

ANSWER KEY: 149. a, 150. a, b, c, e, and f

Recommended by SISTER MAUREEN

CROSBY, SSDCoordinator of the

Media Resource Center - Diocese of

Brownsville

»From the Bookshelf

Length: Paperback 126 pages Publication: Ave Maria Press 1999Author: Edward

Hays

To spend Lent as a honeymoon might seem to be a contradiction in terms. Yet these forty days call us to a renewal of our romance with God. Jesus journeyed through life as a hobo, as one with “nowhere to lay his head.” Lent, likewise call us to be hobos… High School/Adults

The Old Mass and The New

Format: DVD Run time: 70 minutesProduction: Plain Truth Ministries 1997Director: Ronald Kelly

Visit the actual places! Jesus Christ – arrested, betrayed, abandoned, spit upon, beaten, cursed, scourged, and finally crucified. But that was only the beginning of the story. Three days later Jesus rose from the grave, just as he said he would. Adults

Victory at Jerusalem

Format: DVD Run time: 30 minutes Production: Herald Kids 2015

Guide: Brother Francis

An animated presentations of the life of Jesus Christ, His death, on the cross, triumph over death and ascension to the Father. English and Spanish language tracks & English and Spanish subtitles. Children ages 3-10.

He is Risen

»Worth Watching

Length: Paperback 94 pages Publication: Magnificat – Ignatius Press. 2015Author: Texts by

Emmanuelle Heme; Illustrations: Elvine Translated: Janet Chevier

At a time when our children desperately need authentic heroes, Catholic Saints for Children holds up well-known giants for young readers to imitate. Mary, Mother of Jesus, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Philip Neri and many more. Children ages 7–12.

Catholic Saints for Children

—

For a complete listing of titles, visit the Media Resource

Center online at www.cdob.org/media-resource-center or call

Sister Crosby at (956) 784-5041.

Freedom from AddictionWe pray that those suffering from addiction may be helped and accompanied.

»The Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions for April

enfermedad, pero no tiene que haber enfermedad de alma. Sí, incluso hay muerte, pero siempre puede haber un renacimiento del amor. Despiértate eligiendo como vivir hoy. Hoy respire, haz una pausa y escucha detrás de los tormentos de tu miedo. Los pájaros cantan de nuevo, el cielo se está despejando, la primavera está llegando y siempre podemos estar rodeados de amor. Abre las ventanas de tu alma y aunque no puedas pisar la calle vacía, ¡Canta!

Reflexiones continúa de pág. 8

poem which has become a devotional prayer:

“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things will pass away. God never changes; patience obtains all things, whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suf-fices. Amen.”

Let’s be mindful that in the end, we are all beggars in need of God’s mercy. May the good and gentle Jesus, healer of our souls, bring healing to our world and restore it to good health.

Holy Mother continued from pg. 5

COME

and renewthe face of the Earth

HolySpirit

Holy Week in the Domestic ChurchGuidelines and Suggestions

Mon. - Wed. of Holy Week___________

Liturgical ColorPurple

Holy ThursdayApril 9

___________Liturgical Color

White

Good FridayApril 10

Day of Fasting and Abstinence___________Liturgical Color

Red

Holy Saturday Morning, April 11

Easter SundayApril 12

___________Liturgical Color*

White

Easter VigilApril 11___________

Liturgical ColorWhite

BethanyMount of Olives

Jerusalem (Temple)

Read the events of these three days as they unfolded:Monday Matthew 21:12-18 Mark 11:15-19 Luke 19:45-48 John 12:20-60Tuesday Matthew 21:19 – 25:46 Mark 11:20 – 12:37 Luke 20:1-21:38 Wednesday Matthew 26:1-6 Mark 14:1-11 Luke 22:1-6

Decorate your home with Easter lilies or flowers from your garden; dress up your crosses in white, gold or yellow garments; greet one another with “He is risen, alleluia”, while the other responds: “Indeed, our Lord is risen, alleluia, alleluia.” Call or video chat (not just text) with friends and loved ones. Wish them a glorious Easter.

Know in advance which Mass you will watch online. Begin in darkness; have a candle for each family member, light them when priest lights Easter candle at church; turn lights on after the Easter Proclamation.

New Fire; Paschal Candle; Light; Exultet; Water; Baptism; Resurrection, New Life; Joyful Shouts of Victory

Day of rest; with Mary, comforting her; blessing of Easter foods

Mass of the Lord’s Supper; Institution of the Eucharist; Institution of the Ordained Priesthood; Agony in the Garden; Night Watch; Visitation of the Seven Churches

The Way of the Cross; Good Friday Liturgy: The Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ; Veneration of the Cross; the Seven Last Words of Christ; Solemn Intercessions

Alleluia, He is Risen!

Image of Our Lady of Sorrows; meditate on the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Spend the day in quiet meditation, prayer, and reflection.

Observe the mandatory fasting and abstinence; pray the Stations of the Cross around your home; meditate on the Seven Last Words of Christ, applying these to our current situation; have your own cross to venerate.

Prepare a home altar with bread and grapes; include an image of the Last Supper; ask forgiveness from and forgive one another. *Very important: This is the day the priesthood was instituted. Please say a special prayers for all priests, especially your pastor. Congratulate them on their priesthood and wish them a Happy Priesthood Day.

Themes& Imagery

Suggestions for theDomestic Church


By R. DANIEL CAVAZOSThe Valley Catholic

MISSION — A police officer keeps a public façade of calm even after witnessing atrocities in the line of duty.

That’s how Mission police officer Veronica Longoria describes it. She grew up the daughter of a McAllen police chief. Longoria came to know the role well — the ability to project a calmness in the aftermath of seeing the worst society can bring.

In June 2019, Longoria and her fellow Mission police officers endured the tragedy of losing officer Joey Espericueta, who was shot and killed while on patrol.

“You can’t cry and break down,” Longoria said of the officer’s death. “You have a job to do. You have to go through all of the services (after the officer’s death).”

It was not until a church retreat of the Shields of Christ that Longoria was finally able to let go and reveal her real feelings about the tragedy of losing a friend and fellow officer.

“I was really able to say what I felt — and cry — and say goodbye,” Longoria said.

The bond among police officers when combined with their faith defines the Shields of Christ. It is a ministry that brings together law enforcement, firefighters and paramedics to share common experiences and challenges. They gather in specially formed retreats to talk, pray and share experiences that can only be discussed among those who serve in their field of public service.

“You can’t tell everyday people what you see and hear (as an officer),” said Norma Muñoz, a special operations supervisor with the Border Patrol. “With Shields, we can speak freely, and

everyone knows exactly how you feel.”

At a recent informal breakfast of female police officers, Muñoz smiled and added, “You know you’re not alone.”

A Shields of Christ chapter for male law enforcement officers began in the Rio Grande Valley in 2018. A similar organization for women officers was established in 2019. The two chapters communicate and collaborate. They each offer their members an opportunity to share experiences and renew their faith. The officers at the recent breakfast spoke of setbacks in their lives and how Shields of Christ reignited their

faith and drew them closer to the church.

“You hit slumps in your life,” said Estela Rodriguez, a 26-year veteran of the Hidalgo County Sheriff ’s Department. “Then you look back and realize he was always there. God was always there for you.”

The kinship among the officers was evident as they exchanged stories and experiences in their lives and careers.

“It has been huge for me,” said Muñoz, who described herself as someone who normally does not join groups. “I saw that I don’t have to do this by myself. We all have the same belief — and that’s

in God.”Rodriguez of the sheriff ’s

office described herself as “a Catholic school girl.” She had become inactive in church life and was at a distance from the religious life she knew growing up.

“It jump-starts you in your faith,” Rodriguez said of Shields of Christ.

The Shields retreats and meetings give officers the opportunity to unite and spread the word of Jesus Christ. It helps them deal with the dark and negative interactions and events they see in their daily lives as police officers. There’s a heaviness to their work to go with the fulfillment of serving their communities.

To have an organization like Shields of Christ lightens the load and raises their faith to meet the many challenges they face every day.

“We needed something like this,” Longoria said. “It brings light into our darkness.”

Our Catholic FamilySafe haven for first responders

Shields of Christmembers share faith, experiences

Courtesy photo

RGV Shields of Christ members gather for a meeting recently at Holy Spirit Church in McAllen.

Gifts clearing the bank by

Monday at noon will be passed

through to parishes by Friday of

the same week, as circumstances

allow. Each donor’s information

will be provided to their parish for

record keeping and end-of-year

receipts for income tax filing.

TIMELY PROCESSING

ONLINE

OFFERTORY

D U R I N G T H I S T I M E , P L E A S E

D O N ' T F O R G E T T O C O N T I N U E T O H E L P

Y O U R P A R I S H , E V E N F R O M H O M E .

Please help keep our parishes operational with your

electronic donations. Scan the QR code to give.

Parishioners may continue to support their parish by mailing checks to the

parish office. Another option is to link to the CDOB online giving platform by

scanning this QR code and donating online. You can make a one-time gift

or set up a recurring donation to your parish of choice.

Another easy way to manage

your electronic giving is with

Text-to-Give function that is fully

integrated with our Online Giving

platform. You can text an amount

to (956) 625-9385 and your

transaction will be processed

through the account associated

with your phone number. If your

phone number is not recognized,

you can continue without an

account or you can create a new

account and associate your

parish specifically as the

recipient.

To assist our parishes, the Diocese

of Brownsville will cover the

processing fees for the online

giving service so that the full

amount donated will go to the

church.

FEES COVERED BY DIOCESE

Whether paying last month’s

utilities or this month’s salary,

our parishes need money in the

bank to operate. Online giving

is the quickest and safest way

to fund our parishes with

the necessary resources to

operate during this crisis and

beyond.

PAYING THE BILLS


For more information

call (956) 784-5095

TEXT-TO-GIVE

Documents

NON-PROFIT PERMIT NO. 40 Volume 11, Issue GOD …...resume, serve to prepare us for receiving him with gratitude and joy when that day comes, as surely it will.” “ 700 N. Virgen