Uniting & informing Roman Catholics on the Llano Estacado & Rolling Plains of Texas THE NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF LUBBOCK • NOVEMBER 2020 • VOLUME 36, NUMBER 5 Pep Parish to host Annual Thanksgiving Sausage Sales Parish plans for annual dinner’s return in 2021 PEP, TEXAS—Saint Philip Neri Cath- olic Church of Pep, Texas is known for their annual Thanksgiving Day Festi- val— however, the parish will be unable to host the 75th annual festival. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the parish community will See THANKSGIVING, page 4 Pope announces new cardinals, including U.S. Archbishop Gregory By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis an- nounced he will create 13 new cardinals November 28, including Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Washington, D.C. The pope made the announcement at the end of his Angelus address Octo- ber 25, telling the crowd in St. Peter’s Square the names of the nine cardinals under the age of 80, who will be eligible to vote in a conclave, and the names of four elderly churchmen whose red hats are a sign of esteem and honor. In addition to Cardinal-designate Greg- See CARDINALS, page 15 IN THIS EDITION Bishop Coerver’s Message Young Church Column Obituary Memorials Catholics in Business Directory Page 3 Page 5 Page 7 Page 14 S ET THE D IOCE S E OF L UBBOCK A S YOUR HOMEPAGE + CATHOLICLUBBOCK.ORG 2 SOUTH PLAINS CATHOLIC + NOVEMBER 2020 By Hannah Brockhaus on the third beatitude proclaimed by Catholic News Agency Pope Francis: Jesus in the Gospel: “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” VATICAN CITY- On the Solemnity of The saints are “Meekness is characteristic of Jesus, All Saints, Pope Francis encouraged ev- who said of Himself: ‘Learn from me, eryone to follow the model of the saints, ‘authoritative for I am meek and humble of heart,’” who pursued virtue in contradiction Pope Francis said. to the ways of the world and thus give witnesses of The meek, though not appreciated by witness to Christian hope. the world, are “precious in God’s eyes,” “Choosing purity, meekness and Christian hope’ he stated. “God gives them the promised mercy; choosing to entrust oneself to the land as an inheritance, that is, life eternal.” Lord in poverty of spirit and in afflic- According to the pope, “at this mo- tion; dedicating oneself to justice and ment in life, even in the world, there is peace – all this means going against the so much aggressiveness, in everyday current in respect to this world’s mental- life as well, the first thing that comes out ity, in respect to the culture of possess- of us is aggression, defensiveness. We ing, of meaningless fun, of arrogance need meekness to progress on the path against the weakest,” Pope Francis said. Pope Francis at his general audience in the San Damaso courtyard at the Vatican, of holiness. To listen, to respect, not to This is the “evangelical path” taken by Sept. 23, 2020. (Photo by Pablo Esparza, EWTN News). attack: meekness.” the saints and blesseds, he added. and proposes sure models for this jour- ness according to their own personality, Pope Francis also drew attention to Giving his Angelus address from a ney that each person walks in a unique and each one of us can do it, taking the second Beatitude: “Blessed are those window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, way, an unrepeatable way,” he said. this path: meekness, meekness, please, who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Pope Francis reminded listeners of the He pointed to the saints’ uniqueness, and we will head toward holiness,” he This seems contradictory, he said, be- Church’s November 1 celebration of the and to their “inexhaustible variety of encouraged. Solemnity of All Saints. gifts and real life stories.” The pope focused his day’s reflection See POPE, page 10 The feast day “reminds us of the per- “Each one has their own personality sonal and universal vocation to holiness, and developed their own life of holi- DIOCESE OF LUBBOCK VICTIM ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR Oscar Reyes DIOCESE OF LUBBOCK (806) 543-9178 • [email protected] SAFE ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM The Victim Assistance Coordinator is an integral part of the Diocese of Lubbock Policy for FOR ALL CLERGY, RELIGIOUS, AND LAY PEOPLE WHO SERVE THE CHURCH IN ANY WAY. Response to Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors. The Victim Assistance Coordinator is to To provide a safe, secure environment for our children; to reduce possibility of false accusations coordinate assistance for the immediate pastoral care of persons who claim to have been sexually against clergy, staff, or volunteers; to reduce legal risk and liability abused when they were minors by a cleric (i.e., bishop, priest or deacon). The Victim Assistance Coordinator responds promptly to persons who contact the diocese concerning sexual abuse of a of the Diocese of Lubbock; and, to provide a procedure for due process. minor and will offer to meet with him or her. The purpose of the meeting is to acknowledge the Training offered online at CatholicLubbock.org/SafeEnvironment.html accusation, empathetically listen to and inform him/her of any assistance that may be appropriate. More information: Belinda Aguirre, Director of Safe Environment This support may include arranging for counseling or spiritual direction and referrals to support (806) 792-3943 • [email protected] groups. It is the policy of the Diocese of Lubbock to report any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor to law enforcement. If you are a victim of sexual abuse committed by a priest, deacon, religious or lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Lubbock, you are encouraged to immediately report the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Lubbock has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement. It is also the policy of the diocese to adhere to civil and state regulations. To this end, the diocese is equally committed to adhering to the norms of Code of Canon Law and to upholding the tenets of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which includes supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual well-being. As such, information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor should also be reported to the Victim Assistance Coordinator, Oscar Reyes at (806) 543-9178 or to diocesan officials, including the Vicar General, Rev. Msgr. David Cruz at (806) 792-3943. SOUTH PLAINS Henry Castellano Tony Hoover The South Plains Catholic is published Lucas Flores ADVERTISING AGENT ADVERTISING AGENT monthly. Subscriptions are free. Donations EDITOR CATHOLIC accepted and appreciated. Nicholas Flores [email protected] [email protected] 4620 Fourth Street, Lubbock, Tx 79416 (806) 543-6710 (806) 787-1632 www.catholiclubbock.org Bishop Robert Coerver PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER (806) 792-3943 PUBLISHER Debbie Davis [email protected] RECEPTIONIST NOVEMBER 2020 + SOUTH PLAINS CATHOLIC 3 shared with me in an email on Wednes- I am working with my consultors in- day: “We are getting too many phone cluding the priests to develop protocols for calls about Ministry Offering stewards the liturgical celebrations of the season. passing away. I’m not sad about the mon- Like many of you, I am in the process of ey, I am sad for the families and parishes altering my own plans to gather with family and my fellow Catholics.” over the Holidays, and the Sunday Mass And the grief process of those who obligation is NOT being restored yet. have lost loved ones is negatively impact- I do, however, wish that you might ed by the virus and needed precautions consider finding a way to receive surrounding it. Unable to be with their Communion between now and Lent, as sick and dying loved ones, often having our Easter Duty to receive Communion to communicate with them through a once a year during the Easter Season has window, or cell phone, or via FaceTime. been changed due to our grave circum- Extra precautions are needed within the stances to one time within a year – and funeral industry due to the threat of con- March 19 is the anniversary of our shut tagion, even after a patient’s death. Out down in the Diocese of Lubbock. of concern for the Common Good our But I think the Lord understands if out The following is the Homily Bishop forts of science, and we must not allow Catholic Funeral Rites are rarely able to of an abundance of caution you discern Robert Coerver, Bishop of Lubbock, the countless hours of service, self-sac- be celebrated as we normally would– due that you cannot take the risk to receive delivered at Christ the King Cathedral in rifice, and peril which our medical to quarantined family members, need to Communion. Lubbock, Sunday, November 8, 2020. personnel have been facing for months shut down the church if infected people I am confident that the Lord under- The Election is behind us now. be rendered futile due to our own selfish attend, protection of parish staff members stands that more than he would our For a while I think it became a dis- carelessness. including our priests. being selfishly careless about our own traction from an even more existential And that is truer than ever as we move I am scared. health and the health of others. reality facing us— in fact I think it fed through November and enter into the At the age of 66, I am within the I KNOW, I KNOW— why am I im- the denial of some people, but nature is Holiday Season.