NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID SAN JUAN, TX PERMIT NO. 40 Volume 12, Issue 9 Serving More Than A Million Catholics in the Diocese of Brownsville January/February 2021 Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday will be a little different this year By PAUL BINZ The Valley Catholic The changes were mandated Jan. 12 by the Congregation for Divine SAN JUAN — The imposition Worship and the Discipline of the of ashes on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, Sacraments (Latin: Congregatio de will be different this year due to the Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramen- COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of the torum), the Vatican office overseeing usual cross marked on the foreheads the Church’s liturgical practices. Its of the faithful, the blessed ashes will functions were originally exercised be sprinkled lightly over their heads, by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, thereby eliminating direct physical set up in January 1588 by Pope Sixtus contact. V. Another change is that before Ash Wednesday is not a holy distributing the ashes, the priest will day of obligation, but receiving ashes address those present with one of the usually draws many Catholics in the Ash Wednesday formulas from the diocese and elsewhere to church on Roman Missal, “Repent, and believe that day. For those unable to attend in the Gospel,” or “Remember that in person, Ash Wednesday Mass fol- you are dust, and to dust you shall lowed by imposition of ashes at the return.” He will say the phrase only Immaculate Conception Cathedral once, instead of repeating it with will be livestreamed on Facebook and each recipient. YouTube at 7 p.m. on Feb. 17. Guidance Fasting and »EN ESPAÑOL for Lent Abstinence Páginas 12-14 Page 2, 6 Made Delicious Bishop Daniel E. Page 5 Flores advises the faithful on what New cookbook Meatless to do for Lent this Recipes for Lent filled For video and more year as pandemic with great seasonal meal Visit the Diocese threat persists. ideas now on sale. of Brownsville on its social media pages. 2 DIOCESE The Valley Catholic - JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 Mensaje de »From our Lenten Message shepherd Cuaresma Lent: A preparation by grace Queridos Hermanos y Hermanas en Cristo, Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the parishes, but with less movement of people in Hace poco, alguien me traditional processions. I can assure you, however, comentó: “Ay, Señor Obispo, Some time back, someone commented to me: that this does not mean they will be celebrated with parece que estamos viviendo "Bishop, it seems that we are going through a Lent less fervor. una Cuaresma que nunca va that will never end." The person was referring to I encourage everyone to seek the grace of a terminar.” Obviamente se the pain and suffering that we have all seen and the Sacrament of Confession during Lent. I have refería a las penas y sufrimientos experienced in the context of the pandemic. As a encouraged our priests to offer more hours for the que todos hemos visto y people of Faith, we know that God does not forget Sacrament of Reconciliation during the weeks of experimentado en el contexto the poor, and we are all poor before God during Lent, and thus, avoid long lines and crowded spaces. de la pandemia. Como pueblo this pandemic. But we also know that we live a Also, to those who, for good reasons, have not been de Fe, sabemos que Dios no se Most Reverend resurrection every time we reach out to comfort, able to go to Mass in a long time, I invite you to olvida de los pobres, y todos Daniel E. Flores encourage and help another person who is suffering. seek a Mass during the week to reestablish contact somos pobres delante de Dios The living Christ gives life, and this life has the savor with the Lord at the Sacrifice of the Altar and renew durante esta pandemia. Pero Bishop of of his love and puts it into practice. It is true that contact with the company of the faithful. también sabemos que vivimos Brownsville in a certain sense we have lived a long Lent, and I would like to encourage family prayer: una resurrección cada vez que God knows that many are tired and burdened, but The Holy Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and nos extendemos a confortar, we have also seen signs of the Resurrection in the readings from the Scriptures, especially the Gospel animar y ayudar a otra persona charity of his people. of the day. To these moments of prayer, we can add que está sufriendo. Cristo vivo Lent involves preparation by grace for Easter, petitions for the sick and for those who care for da vida, y esta vida sabe de su The human and at the same time, it puts us in touch with God’s them. amor y la pone en práctica. Es struggle“ strength operating within us, leading us to Easter. It is engraved in my memory, as one of the most verdad que en cierto sentido is nothing We depend on God, not as bystanders, but as painful decisions I have made as a bishop, when on hemos vivido una Cuaresma other than servants blessed by the active presence of Christ’s the Solemnity of St. Joseph, March 19, 2020, for the larga, y Dios sabe que muchos charity in our lives. serious and pressing reasons of the pandemic, we están cansados y agobiados, the effort During this Lent 2021, the health protocols that suspended the public celebration of Holy Mass in pero también hemos visto we make in we have used in the diocese will continue in force our parishes. The tears that were shed that day bore señales de la Resurrección en la grace to act in all parishes. I do not anticipate any time soon to witness to the great love of the faithful for the Mass, caridad de su pueblo. announce a change in the required measures. One the treasure entrusted by God to the Church. This La Cuaresma implica in charity. day we will be able to live the life of the parishes and year the Solemnity of St. Joseph is observed Friday, preparación por gracia para God asks apostolic groups without the restrictions that are still March 19. According to the tradition of the Church, la Pascua, y al mismo tiempo us to be necessary. But this is not the time to leave behind even if it is Friday in Lent, fasts or abstinence from nos pone en contacto con las agents of his the disciplines that have promoted so effectively the meat are not practiced on major solemnities. So, on fuerzas de Dios operando common good of all. Let us be clear, the pandemic Friday, March 19, we will not practice penance. dentro de nosotros, las cuales love in the continues to affect the entire community, and it will Nevertheless, as bishop of the diocese, I ask nos conducen a la Pascua. world. Our affect the way we live Lent and Easter this year. "The those who are able to join me in observing the day Dependemos de Dios, pero movement charity of Christ urges us" (2 Cor 5,14). prior, Thursday, March 18, as a SPECIAL DAY no como espectadores sino as a people This Lent will focus not so much on what we OF FASTING in the Diocese of Brownsville. This como siervos bendecidos por la want to do in order to live the spirit of penance, but simple fast will be a corporeal and spiritual sacrifice presencia activa de la caridad de towards rather it will focus more on consciously embracing offered for an end to the pandemic; for those Cristo en nuestras vidas. the final the limitations and weaknesses that we face because affected by illness, and for those who care for them; Durante esta Cuaresma resurrection of the pandemic, embracing them with greater for those who mourn the loss of a loved one; and for 2021 los protocolos de salud que charity, greater generosity and greater trust in the the other intentions that we all have in our hearts. It hemos utilizado en la diócesis is by the path grace of the Lord. will also be a day to remember when public Masses seguirán en vigor en todas las of charity. ” The essential thing is that we prepare ourselves were suspended and ask the Lord for a greater parroquias. No anticipo pronto as families and in our parish communities to appreciation of the greatness of the sacrifice of the poder anunciar un cambio participate more conscious of the grace that is lived Mass as the primordial fount of grace in the Church en las medidas requeridas. in these days. We remember well that last year we and in the world. Un día vamos a poder vivir could not gather in our churches for the days of Holy In this spirit of appreciation for the source of la vida de las parroquias y Week and Easter. We must appreciate what God grace, the Crucified and Risen Christ, I would like grupos apostólicos sin las offers us, and participate with deep gratitude in the to emphasize that Lent is closely linked to the 50 restricciones que aún siguen ways he provides us. days of Easter. The entire cycle of Lent and Easter siendo necesarias. Pero este Yes, the ashes will be imposed to start Lent, culminates on the Solemnity of Pentecost and is no es el momento de dejar but in an adapted form, approved by the Holy lived within the mystery of "God's love that has been atrás las disciplinas que tanto See, minimizing contacts that may cause risk of poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Romans han promovido el bien común infection.