Inside ... Sisterly Thoughts: Catholic Schools Consecrated 6 Penance 8 Honor Roll 13 Life The Catholic The Cradle of Texas Immigration OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE DIOCESE OF VICTORIA IN TEXAS VOL. 33,34, NO. 1210 www.victoriadiocese.org FEBRUARYAPRIL 2021 2020 Teachers WALKING FOR UNBORN LIVES JANET JONES celebrate The Catholic Lighthouse VICTORIA -- Laura Reyes, heavy with her fourth boy child (expected in about five weeks), told a crowd of hundreds Jan. 28 about her child in heaven. milestones She was the featured speaker at the 34th annual Candlelight March JANET JONES for Life in Victoria. The marchers gathered at DeLeon Plaza and prayed The Catholic Lighthouse the rosary in a procession that ended on the steps of Our Lady of Sorrows Gwen Hall and Our Lady of church where she spoke. Victory School literally grew up “Why on earth would I want you to know my business?” Reyes said. together. She was a student there “Because God deserves all the glory. … I’d be a fool not to share the miracle when the school was still adding He has done in my life.” grades. She was in the school’s What she shared was a heart-breaking story about herself as a teenager first seventh-grade class and was who took up with a man in his mid-20s – someone who took advantage of in the first class of eighth-graders her innocence, in fact took her innocence, and got her pregnant. Her family to graduate. decided that abortion was the best solution to get her young life back on In 1971, after finishing col- track, she said, but it was just the opposite. lege, Sister Emilie Eilers, IWBS, She described the procedure in detail and the images that haunted her. “It was principal and offered her a was the most horrible and painful experience of my life.” Her life continued job at OLV teaching Texas his- Several hundred people gathered at DeLeon Plaza to participate to unravel after that. She called it “living in the dumpster of sin.” tory. And the rest is OLV history in the Candlelight March for Life on Jan. 28. As they proceeded Reyes was raised in Columbia where all of those events took place. as she helped shape the school in to Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, they prayed the rosary together for the protection of the unborn and an end to abortion. See Walking for unborn lives, pg. 7 See Teacher celebrate, pg. 9 Local podcasts can bring edification to a busy day JANET JONES The Catholic Lighthouse “Everybody could use a little Father Gary in their marriage,” according to Justin Reyes, director of Family Evangelization for the Diocese of Victoria. The “Marriage Moment” is a podcast that features pearls of wis- dom from the Father Gary Janak, a licensed therapist with a passion for marriage ministry. It is one of the newest offerings from the Office of Family Evangelization. Reyes rolled out that along with other podcasts recently to help feed the See Local podcasts, pg. 16 The Very Rev. Gary Janak, a licensed therapist with a passion for marriage ministry, records a “Marriage Moment” podcast. The Catholic Lighthouse Page 2 — February 2021 DIOCESE Religious orders give light to path we are all called to follow Dear Brothers and Sisters, ing to follow this path, to live more fully the St. John Paul II dedicated the Feast of A Shepherd’s evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and the Presentation of the Lord (Feb. 2) as the obedience. As the beautiful tradition of our World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. church teaches, we are all called to be holy, On this day, 40 days after Christmas, we Message spirit-filled saints. celebrate the revealing of the baby Jesus as Whatever our state in life, we also are a “Light” to all the nations, and the joyous preparing to enter into our annual season of testimony of Simeon and Anna that God is By Bishop Brendan Cahill prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lent begins faithful to His people. on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17. It may be a good In Victoria, we will be celebrating a spe- reflection to ask ourselves how we practice cial Mass at the cathedral on Feb. 7, thanking God’s people. One thing I’ve learned over sels, in their great variety, to every disciple. these virtues of poverty, chastity and obedi- God for the gift of consecrated women who the years is that if you ask a member of a The perfection of charity to which all the ence in our own lives, and teach about them serve in our diocese. Members of the follow- religious order about their charism or their faithful are called, entails for those who in our families. ing religious orders offer their testimony to founder or foundress, you should be prepared freely follow the call to consecrated life the This Year of the Family has been a special the “Light” every day: Incarnate Word and for a long answer! obligation of practicing chastity in celibacy blessing in our diocese. May we continue to Blessed Sacrament, Missionary Catechists of While each order is distinct in its foun- for the sake of the Kingdom, poverty and obe- focus on our shared prayer, our time at meals, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary, Sisters dational gift, the members of each religious dience. It is the profession of these counsels and our time playing together; and may all of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Vietnamese order, both men and women, offer their within a permanent state of life recognized we do bring us closer to the merciful love of Dominican Sisters, and the Carmelites of personal testimony through vows to live the by the Church, that characterizes the life Jesus, the “Light” to the nations. Mary Ever Virgin. evangelical virtues. The Catechism quotes consecrated to God.” (CCC 915). May God bless you and your families Each of these religious orders has a the teaching of the Second Vatican Council The “Light” that we honor in the con- with the gifts of peace and joy; let’s keep unique history in its foundation and service, about religious life: secrated women in our diocese hopefully each other in prayer, and a specific “charism” (gift) of service to “Christ proposes the evangelical coun- inspires each of us, a disciple of Jesus seek- +Brendan Battle with COVID-19 magnifies human connection BISHOP MICHAEL SIS raged on for days. I don’t recall ever in my who feel fear and anxiety. to join my illness to his experience on the Special to the Lighthouse life having a fever that lasted so long. I had a It is hard to be productive when you are Cross, so I could share in some small way The coronavirus had been spreading in strong desire to avoid hospitalization if at all in quarantine, especially if you are battling in his redemptive suffering for the good of our area for eight months. I was grateful possible, since illness. There are several projects I was humanity. to God for the gift of health, allowing me hospital re- working on that have been delayed. This is In the midst of my coronavirus experi- to continue serving our people in a time of sources here frustrating, because I like to get things done. ence, on a day when I was not feeling well at serious pandemic and social turmoil. Here in West Texas Nevertheless, it is a reminder that the core all, I was on a teleconference with a few old in San Angelo, we had long been planning are stretched of our value as human beings is not in our friends. One of them made a statement that a race relations forum, involving commu- so thin. I took productivity, but rather in the fact that we struck me as a profoundly Christian insight. nity leaders, government officials, univer- vitamins and are made in the image and likeness of God. She said, “Make sure to pray for us while sity spokespersons, and pastors of various medications Our “being” is ultimately more important you’re sick, because the prayers of those churches. I had great hopes for its potential like they were than our “doing.” who are suffering are especially powerful.” in confronting racism. Nevertheless, as the going out of I was sustained by the prayers of many of She inspired me to offer extra prayers of number of cases spiked, I decided to post- style. I made you, and I am very thankful for that. I also intercession during my illness for the needs pone the event. several new found much consolation in the prayer of the of people everywhere. The morning after the event would have fascinating Bishop Michael Sis rosary and meditation on the Psalms from Another source of Christian wisdom that taken place, I began to feel feverish at my discoveries the Daily Office. Since I have a chapel in helped me with my own case of COVID-19 office. I packed up my laptop and headed — like the my house, I celebrated the Mass every day, comes from the preaching of Pope Francis directly to the drive-through rapid test facil- fact that the unflavored Pedialyte tastes a which was the greatest source of grace. In in his Extraordinary Moment of Prayer in an ity. A few hours later, they contacted me with whole lot better than the flavored kind. I slept the Eucharist, I was able to pray in union empty St. Peter’s Square on March 27, 2020. the good news of a negative result, saying more than ever before, because the fever was with all of you and with the entire Mystical He said that, as the human race struggles I could now return to work.