News - January 2019 RSS Feed

Clergy for whom allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been admitted, substantiated or determined or considered to be credible. This list is being presented to the faithful of the Church in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston as part of an effort to bring about the restoration of trust.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston joins with the other Catholic dioceses of Texas to publish the names of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse or misconduct with minors since 1950. The list can be found on our archdiocesan website at www.archgh.org.

Dear friends in Christ,
On this 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time I invite you to listen closely to our second reading from St. Paul’s first letter 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. Some have the gifts of healing, or assistance, or administration, or a variety of tongues, he says. 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, through holy wisdom and courage, use your gifts to serve God and neighbor.

Dear friends in Christ,
It’s been awhile since we’ve seen the green vestments and colors in the church, but Ordinary Time has returned now that Advent and Christmas have concluded. Today is the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time (the 1st Sunday was superseded last week by the Baptism of the Lord) and we’ll be in this liturgical season until Lent begins in early March. Our Gospel today is the famous miracle story of the Wedding Feast at Cana, wherein Jesus intercedes with the first of His many “signs” that foreshadow His abundant, overflowing love for all people. May the fullness of that sign be seen in our own love for others as well.

Dear friends in Christ,
This weekend we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. It closes out the Christmas season and is an opportune time for us to recall our own baptism. Most likely you were baptized as a baby but for some, baptism came later in life as an adult. Regardless of age, baptism cleanses us of original sin and inaugurates us into a way of life. As we hear John the Baptist say in today’s Gospel, “He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Thus it is we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and with that comes a mandate to live our lives worthy of our calling. Every day we should strive to live that out in a more authentic and purposeful way. What a great mission God has entrusted to us!

Dear friends in Christ,
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Just as the wise men from the East long ago journeyed to see the newborn child Jesus, we too are called to do Him homage as well. Where do we see God manifested in our world today? How do others see Christ manifested in us? Let us pray that we will see Him in all people and all places in this coming year.

Dear friends in Christ,
Merry Christmas! Yes, it is true. Our Christmas celebration indeed continues today. The birth of our Savior is not a once-and-done proposition but continues up until the celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord next weekend. So let the Christmas spirit reign in your hearts and in your homes a few days longer. Don’t be so quick to put away the decorations (especially the crèche!) and try to hold on to the spirit of Christmas – the celebration of the Word made flesh that dwells among us – throughout this coming year.