The Friday E-Pistle

A message from Bishop Vásquez

Official appointment

• Very Rev. David Leibham as Dean of the San Marcos Deanery, effective Oct. 11, 2016.

Special collection: Oct. 22-23

On the weekend of Oct. 22-23 all parishes in the Diocese of Austin will take up a special collection for the Society of the Propagation of the Faith. The funds from this collection will assist in bringing the Good News to those in developing countries. The following announcement should be read before all Masses this weekend:

• Today is World Mission Sunday. We will take up a special collection for the Society of the Propagation of the Faith. Think for a moment, "What does your faith mean to you … What does it mean to you to be united with Christ in the Eucharist and with our parish family in Christ? What does the loving service of the church mean to a refugee family, an abandoned child in India, the poorest migrants here in our own diocese?" On World Mission Sunday we unite with Catholics throughout the world in a special commitment to the missionary task that we all share. Please be generous.
• Hoy es Domingo Mundial de las Misiones. Vamos a hacer una colecta especial para la Sociedad de la Propagación de la Fe. Piense un momento: "¿Qué significa su fe para usted?... ¿Qué significa para usted estar unidos con Cristo en la Eucaristía y con nuestra familia parroquial en Cristo? ¿Qué significa el servicio amoroso de la iglesia a una familia de refugiados, un niño abandonado en la India, los inmigrantes más pobres aquí en nuestra propia diócesis?". En el Domingo Mundial de las Misiones nos unimos con los católicos de todo el mundo en un compromiso especial con la tarea misionera que todos compartimos. Por favor, sea generoso.

Special collection: Nov. 12-13

At the request of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops all parishes are requested to take up a special collection the weekend of Nov. 12-13 to assist those affected by Hurricane Matthew. The money collected will be distributed through Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities USA to provide water, food, shelter, medical care and long-term recovery efforts in the U.S., Cuba, Haiti and other parts of the Caribbean.

Reflection question

Gospel meditation

Consider using the following meditation for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Nov. 6):

• During these last Sundays of the liturgical year, our attention turns to the end times when all things will, once again, be properly ordered in Christ. They remind us that our actions should always be done out of love for God. The resurrection gives us confident hope and reveals that love overcomes evil. Are my actions motivated by the opinion of others or Gospel values revealed by Jesus and the Holy Spirit through the living tradition of the Church? Do I choose to do what is right and just, merciful and loving?
• Durante estos últimos domingos del año litúrgico, nuestra atención se centra en los últimos tiempos, cuando todas las cosas, una vez más, serán ordenadas adecuadamente en Cristo. Nos recuerdan que nuestras acciones deben realizarse siempre por amor a Dios. La resurrección nos da una esperanza segura y revela que el amor vence al mal. ¿Están mis acciones motivadas por la opinión de los demás o por los valores del Evangelio revelado por Jesús y el Espíritu Santo a través de la tradición viva de la Iglesia? ¿Elijo hacer lo que es correcto y justo, misericordioso y amoroso?

Stewardship and Development

Catholic Services Appeal announcement weekend: Oct. 22-23

This weekend, Oct. 22-23, is Announcement Weekend for the CSA. Parishes are encouraged to announce the appeal and tell parishioners that every Catholic family will receive a letter in the mail this week from Bishop Vásquez about the CSA. Parishes are also encouraged to use the materials on the diocesan website to build awareness of the CSA.

Black Catholics

Courageous Conversation on Racism

The next Courageous Conversation on Racism will be Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Parish in Austin. We will reflect on recent shootings and acts of racial violence that continue to plague our country, followed by a wrap up discussion of the three episodes of the PBS documentary "Race - The Power of an Illusion." We will also have a special guest, Iraq war veteran Justin Bohanon, who will talk about the effects of race in the Armed Forces. All are invited to attend.

Weekly notes

Bishop Vásquez’ prayer request

Please consider Bishop Vásquez’ prayer request for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary (Nov. 6):

• May our country, continue to strive to seek the common good and defend the dignity of all human life, especially the most vulnerable, we pray …
• Que nuestro país siga realizando esfuerzos para buscar el bien común y defender la dignidad de toda vida humana, especialmente los más vulnerables, oremos ...

Blessings and congratulations to …

The following priests on the anniversary of their ordination during the month of November:

• Rev. Charles Van Winkle, CSC, Nov. 23, 1978
• Rev. Carlo Benjamin Magnaye, MF, Nov. 23, 1996
• Rev. Pedro Castillo Aguillon, Nov. 24, 1985
• Rev. Miguel Duarte Duran, Nov. 25, 1989
• Rev. Victor Mayorga, Nov. 26, 1995
• Rev. Louis Brusatti, Nov. 28, 1975

Ethics and Integrity in Ministry

EIM Workshop

Click here to login to your EIM account in order to find the workshop schedule and Sign Up for a Workshop (bottom right of your account page). Instructions are provided in case you do not recall how to login to your EIM account. Please contact your parish or Catholic school EIM site administrator if you need assistance or if you do not have Internet access. For general information about EIM workshops, please click here.

EIM Workshops are scheduled by the EIM Office, coordinating with the EIM site administrator at parishes, schools and other diocesan agencies. Staff of any site wishing to host a workshop should coordinate with their EIM site administrator. If the site administrator has arranged workshop details with a facilitator, then an email to the EIM office with those details is sufficient to request a workshop; otherwise workshop requests should be made by the site administrator using the Workshop Request Table. EIM site administrators may direct inquiries about EIM workshop scheduling to Emily Hurlimann in the EIM Office at (512) 949-2447.