West Texas God Through His Holy Trinity on His Faithful People See KNICKERBOCKERS, Page 23 Angelus from Her Home in Austin
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DIOCESE OF SAN ANGELO PO BOX 1829 NONPROFIT ORG. SAN ANGELO TX 76902-1829 US POSTAGE PAID Inside this issue: SAN ANGELO, TX PERMIT NO. 44 • Bishop Sis: Discerning the call to marriage (Page 2) • Deacon Office to hold informational sessions (Page 5) • Basic Formation, Year Two (Page 7) • Foundation distributes local grants (Page 11) • Phase Two COVID protocols (Page 20) AWESTNGELUS TEXAS Serving Catholics in the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas Volume 41, No. 5 May 2021 COURTESY The 7th and 8th grade students from Ms. Victoria Sarabia’s class at St. Mary’s Central Catholic School in Odessa performed a Passion play on March 30, 2021. The play was uploaded to YouTube for families and other students to watch. See more photos from Holy Week and Easter, Page 12. Page 2 MAY 2021 The Angelus From the Bishop’s Desk Discerning the call to marriage Every Christian has a vocation. Your vocation is even before deciding to get engaged. For the sake of your calling in life. All of us are called to bring the world simplicity, I write them here from the perspective of the to Christ, and to bring Christ to the world. Each one of woman, but they could just as easily be written from the us has a particular way to share in that task, according to Bishop Michael J. Sis perspective of the man. Here are some questions to ask our own personality, talents, and history. before getting engaged: St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, “There are dif- 1. Is he my good friend? Can I freely share with him ferent kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there Diocese of San Angelo my personal thoughts and feelings? are different forms of service but the same Lord; there 2. Does he show by word and action that he respects are different workings but the same God who produces me? all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifes- 3. Does he tell me the truth? tation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” 4. How well does he communicate his feelings? How One of the most precious gifts that God has given to sacramental marriage, it helps to show that God’s love is does he deal with conflict and anger? Is he able to ask the human race is the sacrament of marriage. Marriage is a forgiving love. for forgiveness? a sacred vocation – a calling from God to live with he- 5. Does he have any active addictions (alcohol, roic holiness and sacrificial love. Life-giving drugs, work, etc.)? Do I mistakenly think that I can When two baptized Christians marry validly, it is a God’s love leads him to create living things. In the change or fix him? sacrament. It is one of the seven sacred signs through love of a husband and wife, they share in the life-giving 6. What were the patterns of life in his family of which God communicates his love to us. In many places action of God by bringing new life into existence. Wel- origin? How different was that from my own? in the Scriptures, marriage appears as an expression of coming children in a marriage demonstrates that God ex- 7. Does he intend marriage to be permanent or just the relationship between God and human beings. The presses his love for his creatures by giving new life. temporary? Has he demonstrated an ability to remain Old Testament prophets describe the relationship be- committed to jobs, projects and people? What does he tween God and Israel as a marriage. St. Paul, in the fifth Self-sacrificing think is a good reason for divorce? chapter of his letter to the Ephesians, describes marriage Jesus Christ has revealed to the world a special form 8. Does he intend to be faithful in marriage? Does he as mirroring the union between Christ and his church. of love that is captured by the Greek word agape. This is have enough self-discipline to be capable of maintaining For those who have never been married, they should a self-sacrificial kind of love that pours itself out for the fidelity? consider the tremendous privilege of sharing in this good of others. The sacrifice of Christ on the Cross is the 9. How many children does he want to have? When sacred vocation. ultimate expression of agape love. When a husband or would he like to begin having children? Do our expecta- When Catholics are living in a civil marriage that is wife freely accepts inconvenience and sacrifice for the tions in regard to family planning coincide? How does not sacramental, they should prayerfully discern whether sake of the other, they help the world to see the nature of he talk about children in general? to seek convalidation of their civil marriage by getting it God’s agape love. 10. What is his religion? What are his expectations blessed through the church. They can speak with their As Christian spouses in a sacramental marriage, the about religious practice and involvement in a local con- local priest or deacon about this process. love between husband and wife is called to be a reflec- gregation? If our religious affiliations are different, does As a sacrament, marriage helps people to learn tion for all of us to see, so that we can catch a glimpse of he expect to convert me to his faith? Do I expect to con- something about God. A sacramental marriage is called what the love of God is all about. They are to let the love vert him to mine? How important is my faith to me? to be an icon of the love of God. An icon is a type of reli- of God shine into the world through their love. 11. What does he expect in the religious upbringing gious painting. It shows us something about God. In a of children? Will he give good example to the children in healthy sacramental marriage, the way the husband and A school of love matters of faith, manners and morals? wife love one another is a holy icon showing the world No one is born knowing all there is to know about 12. Can we as a couple pray together in ways that we how God loves the human race. love. Learning to love is a life-long process. Marriage is both find meaningful? How does God love the human race? With a love a school of love. God gives the vocation of marriage as a 13. What are our career expectations? Whom does he that is permanent, forgiving, life-giving, and self-sac- laboratory for learning how to love. Living out the voca- consider to be responsible for earning a living – just the rificing. Let’s explore those qualities of God’s love: tion of marriage is not a matter of putting things on auto- husband, or both husband and wife? pilot. It takes lots of hard work, constant communication, 14. Whom does he consider to be responsible for Permanent a daily decision to love, and lots of God’s grace. taking care of the house and the children – just the wife, St. Paul says, “Love does not come to an end” (1 or both husband and wife? Cor13:8). The permanence of married love is symbolized The decision to marry 15. What are his attitudes about money, saving and by the wedding rings. If we trace the line of a ring, it No couple is 100 percent compatible or perfect for spending? How did his parents handle money? goes on and on in an endless line. When we look at each other. At some point you choose to commit to this 16. Does he intend on regularly paying his bills, someone’s wedding ring, we should remember the per- one person. The decision to marry is a decision to love. obeying the law and living as a responsible citizen? manent nature of married love. When we encounter a It’s not magic. It’s hard work. Each day, you wake up 17. Can he rejoice in my successes, or does he com- couple committed to one another for life, that reminds us and say again, “Today I decide to love my spouse.” pete with me for attention? of the fact that God’s love for humanity is a permanent The decision to marry is not merely a matter of feel- 18. What are his attitudes about work, leisure time, love. ings. Feelings do not make decisions. The decision to and socializing? marry is based on a free act of the will that says, “This 19. Where does he want to live? Would I want to live Forgiving marriage is going to last because we intend to make it there? Unfortunately, we tend to hurt most deeply the ones permanent and forever.” Not everyone is called to the 20. If we were to get married and later experience with whom we are closest. Marriage and family life vocation of marriage. It takes prayerful discernment and difficulties, would he be willing to go see a marriage sometimes involve hurt. In a sacramental marriage be- careful preparation. counselor? tween baptized Christians, Jesus Christ gives them the Taking the step from dating to engagement is an ex- grace they need to be able to forgive one another even Questions to ask before engagement tremely important decision. It takes plenty of time, when they don’t feel like forgiving, to heal after being For those who are seriously dating and are wonder- prayer and careful scrutiny.