The winter storm of the past week was a fun little diversion, and it appears we made it through with no damage and only minimal disruption, save for a few missed days of work and school. I hope the same was true for you and yours. I thought we might get a little more snow as it seemed other parts of the city received, but the dusting was plenty in my book. Let’s hope that’s the last of it for a while.
Now, we’re on to Catholic Schools Week this weekend on the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, and I invite you to listen closely to our second reading from St. Paul to the Corinthians. The great apostle clearly defines how the many are one. “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,” he says. Baptism unites us in Christ, and from there we are each gifted with unique charisms. They are different in each of us, but each is important to the whole. We are called to use our individual gifts to the service of the one body of Christ. That’s stewardship in a nutshell, my friends. In your prayer, ask God to reveal your gifts more clearly to you and then with holy wisdom and courage, use your gifts to serve God and neighbor.
As I previewed last week, we kick-off Catholic Schools Week today. You’ll see a great number of our CtR Catholic School kids at all the Masses this weekend. They’ve got a host of activities throughout this coming week, not the least of which is the Open House this Wednesday, Jan. 29 from 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Above all I ask you to pray for our school. It is a wonderful gift to our parish, and in the 11 years since it opened, CtR Catholic School has truly made an impact on us all.
Applications are now being accepted for the fall in all grades Pre-K 3 through 8th, and I encourage you to spread the word to your family, friends and neighbors about the great opportunity for a Catholic education available right here at CtR, especially those who might not be parishioners, but who nonetheless may be looking for a new option for their children. We are open to all families (not just Catholic), and financial aid is available for those in need. We want all children and families to have access to a Catholic education and our doors are open to everyone. Our school website has more information and you can apply on-line at www.ctrschool.com.
We have more than 475 children enrolled this year, and having been named a National Blue Ribbon School for 2024 by the U.S. Department of Education, we expect to be near capacity of almost 500 for next year. I’m edified that so many families are choosing us for their children’s schooling. It’s important to note that our Catholic school is not in competition with the public schools. It never has been, and it never will be. It is, however, an option for parents who want their children to have a Christ-centered curriculum, steeped in the Catholic faith, with outstanding academics and opportunities to grow in both mind and heart in service to God and others. A great Catholic school benefits not just the children who matriculate through the halls, but the entire community as well. Please support Catholic education, and please pray for our own CtR School. Stop by this week and see what a gift it is to us all!
Beyond the snowstorm, the other big news this past week is that we have a new Archbishop in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston! On Monday, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Joe S. Vasquez of the Diocese of Austin to succeed Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, who is retiring having reached the age of 75 last year. Archbishop-designate Vasquez will be formally installed on Tuesday, March 25, at a Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown.
The appointment is a great gift to our local church of Galveston-Houston as Archbishop-designate Vasquez is an experienced shepherd and wise and respected leader. He will do great work for us. I have known him for the past 23 years since he was our auxiliary bishop here in Galveston-Houston beginning in 2002 before moving to Austin in 2010. I can’t say enough about what a kind and gentle soul he is. He’s got a true servant’s heart and a love for all of God’s people, and I ask for you to join me in praying for him as he prepares to take on the pastoral oversight of this gigantic 1.7 million-member local church of Galveston-Houston. It’s a big task, but I know he’s up for it with the help of God’s grace.
Likewise, let us pray for Cardinal DiNardo as he transitions into retirement. He has served us faithfully for the past 20 years and oversaw tremendous growth in our area. He’s the first-ever Cardinal from Texas as well, and his presence on the local, national, and international stage has served the Church in immeasurable ways. We’re blessed that he will remain in Houston, and will now be a gifted counsel for his successor. Thank you, Cardinal DiNardo, and ad multos annos!
Finally, I want to give you a “heads-up” on the forthcoming 2025 Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) which begins next week in every parish throughout the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, including us here at CtR, to fund the more than 60 ministries and services offered in the name of the Archdiocese that no one single parish could ever possibly fund on its own. I’ll have additional information on it next week, but I wanted to alert you that it is on the horizon.
Beginning this week, all registered parishioners will receive a letter from Cardinal DiNardo along with a pledge card inviting them to participate in this year’s DSF drive. Please complete the card and bring it with you to Mass next weekend or return it in the mail in the envelope provided. If you prefer, you may make your pledge online at www.archgh.org/dsf. That’s what I do and I find it quick, safe and secure. We’ll also have pledge envelopes available in the pews as well. May God bless the good work of the DSF.