Volume 7, Issue 5 Serving More Than a Million Catholics in the Diocese Of
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Volume 7, Issue 5 Serving More Than A Million Catholics in the Diocese of Brownsville October 2015 2 DIOCESE GOLDEN JUBILEE The Valley Catholic - October 2015 Golden Anniversary Prayer Almighty and ever-living God, your gifts of love cannot be numbered and your goodness cannot be measured. As our local Church celebrates “Fifty Faithful Years” as the Diocese of Brownsville, we give you thanks for the many blessings you have bestowed on us. Send your Holy Spirit to continue opening the hearts of your faithful, that we may bring the Good News of salvation by sharing your gifts in loving service. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Oración por el Jubileo de Oro Dios todopoderoso y eterno, tus dones de amor no pueden ser contados y tu bondad no tiene medida. Al celebrar “Cincuenta Años Fieles” como la Diócesis de Brownsville, nuestra Iglesia local te da gracias por las bendiciones que nos has otorgado. Envía tu Espíritu Santo DVHJXLUDEULHQGRORVFRUD]RQHVGHWXV¿HOHV para que podamos llevar la Buena Nueva de salvación al compartir tus dones en servicio amoroso. Te lo pedimos por Cristo, nuestro Señor. Amén. Advertising Index Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston 3 2I¿FHRI&DWHFKHVLV 27 A rc h d i o c e s e o f S a n A n t o n i o 11 2I¿FHRI<RXWK0LQLVWU\ 34 700 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd., San Juan, TX 78589-3042 Azure Bistro 22 On Site Analitica 27 5FMFQIPOFt'BY Basilica 36 Oratory of St. Philip Neri 15 Bishop Daniel E. Flores Adversting &DWKROLF6FKRROV2I¿FH 24 Our Lady of the Assumption Parish 15 Publisher Evana A. Zamora Dad’s Barber Shop 34 Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish 17 Brenda Nettles Riojas (956) 784-5038 Editor Diocese of Amarillo 17 Our Lady of Refuge and Missions 17 Rose Ybarra Gustavo Morales Assistant Editor (956) 266-1527 Diocese of Austin 7 Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School 26 Diocese of Beaumont 13 San Juan Diego Ministry Institute 28 South Texas Circulation Gilbert Saenz Circulation (956) 451-5416 Diocese of Corpus Christi 9 Shalom World 26 Diocese of Fort Worth 29 Sisters of Saint Dorothy 34 Th e Valley Catholic email: [email protected] Diocese of Victoria 13 St. Joseph Parish & School 17 Follow us on Facebook El Rosario & La Merced Homes 11 St. Luke Parish 21 Catholic Diocese of Brownsville Farmers Insurance 22 St. Mary Catholic School 21 www.cdob.org Subscription rate )DPLO\/LIH2I¿FH 17 St. Pius X Parish 23 QFSZFBStPVUTJEFPG5FYBT Incarnate Word Academy 21 St. Joseph Academy 25 $25 out of U.S. Juan Diego Academy 34 San Juan Nursing Home 5 Th e Valley Catholic, a publication of the Diocese of Brownsville, is published monthly Mary, Mother of Church Parish 27 San Martin de Porres Parish 34 Member of the Catholic Press Assocition Missionaries of Jesus 25 8QLWHG%HQH¿WV 24 October 2015 - The Valley Catholic DIOCESE GOLDEN JUBILEE 3 4 DIOCESE GOLDEN JUBILEE The Valley Catholic - October 2015 A new diocese is born Decree: “We judge this to be for the good of the people” Photo by Gerónimo Perez,Jr./The Valley Catholic 7KHRXWGRRU0DVVRQ6HSWZDVFHOHEUDWHG\HDUVWRWKHGD\WKH0RVW5HY$GROSK0DU[ZDVLQVWDOOHGDVWKHÀUVWELVKRS of the Diocese of Brownsville. The Mass was held in front of the mosaic of the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle- National Shrine just as the sun was setting. Pope Paul VI established the diocese in 1965 By ROSE YBARRA Th e Valley Catholic “One of the great gift s of the Rio Grande Valley is that we are Consecration Prayer blessed because our people – you, our people – are very good,” said Holy Mary, Immaculately conceived, Virgin and Mother Bishop Daniel E. Flores during the of the Word Incarnate, homily of the Golden Jubilee Mass The Valley Catholic on Sept. 2 in front of the mosaic at The Ad Perpetuam Rei with renewed gratitude the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan Memorian declaring the for your maternal presence we join our voice del Valle-National Shrine. “Vivimos establishment of the to that of all the generations who call you blessed. entre un pueblo muy generoso y muy Diocese of Brownsville on We celebrate in you the works of God, bueno.” (We live among a very gen- who never tires of looking with mercy erous and good community.) July 10, 1965. Th e 50th Anniversary of the 8SRQXVZKRDUHZRXQGHGDQGDIÀLFWHGE\VLQ Diocese of Brownsville is being Accept with the benevolence of a Mother celebrated with several events and oros; the Most Rev. Jose S. Vasquez and strength.” the act of consecration activities throughout 2015. of Austin; the Most Rev. Placido A rich and deep tradition of the WKDWZHSHUIRUPWRGD\ZLWKFRQ¿GHQFH Th e open air Mass, which was Rodriguez, CMF, of Lubbock; the Catholic faith has endured in the before this image of you that is so dear to us. celebrated just as the sun was set- Most Rev. Michael D. Pfeifer, OMI, Rio Grande Valley for almost 500 We are certain that every human life ting, drew more than 3,000 people. Bishop Emeritus of San Angelo and years. It was the principal event of the Ju- the Most Rev. Raymundo J. Peña, Th e fi rst seeds of the Catholic is precious in your eyes bilee Year. Bishop Emeritus of Brownsville. faith were planted in 1519 in the Hold our lives in your immaculate heart, Sept. 2 was chosen as the date Cardinal DiNardo gave a few time of the Spanish Conquistado- bless and strengthen every desire for good in us; for the Mass because it marks the words before the fi nal blessing. res. An expedition under the com- revive and nourish faith; date the Most Rev. Adolph Marx Referring to the Second Read- mand of a Spanish captain named sustain and enlighten hope; was installed as the fi rst bishop of ing, (Romans 10:9-18) Cardinal Alonso Alvarez de Pineda brought awaken and animate charity; the Diocese of Brownsville. DiNardo reminded the crowd that the fi rst Catholics to the Gulf Coast Faithful from all over the dio- we are all sent to preach the Good Area. guide all of us along the path of holiness. cese were included in the celebra- News. Th e teachings, rituals and cus- Teach us your own preferential love tion as lectors and gift bearers. Th e “Sisters and brothers, when we toms of the Catholic Church have for the little and the poor, prayers of the faithful were read in think of missionaries being sent, been handed down continuously for the excluded and the suffering, three diff erent languages — Eng- we obviously fi rst think of reli- from generation to generation, for sinners and the downhearted: lish, Spanish and Tagalog — repre- gious, consecrated life, priests and fulfi lling the mission that Christ We commend to your maternal protection sisters, our priests here who preach senting the diversity in our diocese. entrusted to the apostles and to us. Our families, our children — those born During his homily, Bishop and teach – and that’s very impor- Th e Catholic faith may be deep- Flores said it is important for the tant,” Cardinal DiNardo said. “But ly rooted in the Valley’s history and and those still in the womb; Church to give thanks to God. if we are going to really pay atten- culture, but its diocese is young. Victims of violence along the border, “We have a lot to be thankful tion to this reading tonight, then it While the area was part of the Vi- both in the United States and in Mexico; for,” he said, as he highlighted the means we’re sent and it means our cariate Apostolic of Brownsville The undocumented, the elderly and the sick among us; contributions of his predecessors words and our actions echo, not from 1874 to 1912, the Diocese of bring everyone under your protection and also thanked the generations just through this Valley, but echo all Brownsville was established on July and entrust us all to the heart of your beloved Son, of religious sisters and brothers and over and we become a living sign of 10, 1965 by Pope Paul VI. Th e ninth priests who traveled far and sacri- what the Lord Jesus wants of us.” diocese in Texas was formed by de- Our Lord Jesus, fi ced to educate and inform Valley Cardinal DiNardo continued, taching four counties — Cameron, who by his death on the Cross, families in the Catholic faith. “I think that is what Pope Francis Willacy, Hidalgo and Starr — from and rising from the tomb has redeemed the world. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the is saying, so sisters and brothers, the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Amen. Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston thank you for 50 years of the proc- Today, the Diocese of Browns- was present at the Mass as well as lamation of the Gospel of Jesus ville includes more than a million - By Bishop Daniel E. Flores, several other bishops, including the Christ in this Valley here. God bless Catholics, who worship in 71 par- Closing Mass for the Year of Faith Most Rev. Ruy Rendon of Matam- you all. God keep you in his grace ishes and 44 missions. October 2015 - The Valley Catholic DIOCESE GOLDEN JUBILEE 5 Built in 1965, San Juan Nursing Home (SJNH) opened its doors on January 10, 1966. It was first known as “Virgen de San Juan Nursing Home” with the capacity of 46 beds. In 1982, SJNH underwent its first major renovation with the addition of 68 beds, designating a portion to be Medicare certified. In that same year, SJNH was incorporated in the county of Hidalgo, TX.