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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I am incredibly humbled by the generosity shown by you and your brothers and sisters in Christ to the Catholic Services Appeal (CSA). God has blessed this local church in many ways, especially through the faithful who practice intentional discipleship by sharing their gifts with others.
Contained within this booklet are stories of love, compassion and care made possible through your generosity to the CSA. Please take time to read these stories which illustrate how our Catholic faith is being lived every day in the Diocese of Austin, reflecting God’s love for each other.
Gratefully in Christ,
Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez
Bishop of Austin
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What We DoPrograms supported by your gift to the CSA.:
- Clergy Formation
- Life, Charity & Justice
- Spirituality & Worship
- Pastoral Ministries
- Education & Formation
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Stories from the Case Support Brochure
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Pro-Life Rally
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Texas Catholic Pro-Life Day 2023 gathered 1500+ for mass, and more than 5,000 participated at the rally.
Bishop Vasquez and 100+ people participated in the Prayer Vigil in front of Planned Parenthood at Burnet Rd. and 183 as part of the 40 Days for Life campaign in the month of October. The Office continues to partner with other pro-life organizations to continue to advocate for the unborn and their mothers. 74 Pro-life Coordinators meet monthly during our Office Hours.
Additionally, $49,206.40 was raised in 29 parishes that hosted the Baby Banks campaign. 50% stayed in the parishes for their Pro-Life Ministries, and 50% were sent to the diocese.
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Religious Education
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The office of Evangelization and Catechesis focused on developing emerging models of ministry to support families in parishes, striving to keep our diocese on the cutting edge of the New Evangelization. We have trained hundreds of the faithful this year through our workshops and classes. We also continued our training of ministers who work with students with disabilities in order in our renewed commitment to reaching out to those who might be marginalized in our community.
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Worship
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In a testament to the growth and strength of the Catholic Church in Central Texas, by October of 2023 6 parish churches will have been dedicated or rededicated. The Church in Central Texas continues to grow by people entering the Church and completing their Sacraments. At the start of Lent the Bishop declared over 220 catechumens to be members of the Elect, the final step before they entered the Church at the Easter Vigil. In April the Bishop confirmed over 160 adults, allowing them to become fully initiated members of the Catholic Church.
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Youth Ministry
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On February 3-5, the Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference was held in Waco with 1850 youth and adult participants from 62 parishes across the diocese. The theme of the conference was “Revive,” which reflected the National Eucharistic Revival, and highlighted themes of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the Mystical Body of Christ, and going forth to live Eucharistically. Participants experienced daily Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, Eucharistic adoration, praise and worship, dynamic keynote presentations, and workshops, culminating with Mass on Sunday morning with Bishop Joe Vásquez.
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Vocations
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Called By Name Sunday is one weekend of the year where the priests of the diocese coordinate to preach on vocations, share their vocation story, and ask the faithful for names of men and women who would be good candidates for the priesthood or religious life. In 2021, we had 200 names; in 2022, we had 300 names, and in 2023, we had 975 names.
There are 42 seminarians in formation to become priests. We are blessed to have added 12 new men this year. The cost to educate one seminarian annually is almost $55,000. Your gift to the CSA matters!
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God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.CLERGY FORMATION—ANSWERING THE CALL
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Reverend Steve Sauser, Pastor
St. John the Baptist Parish, Fayetteville
St. Mary Mission, Ellinger
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There is an inseparable connection between Adoration and a vocation to the priesthood and religious life. Many years ago, I committed one hour a week to spend time in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament at the parish that I attended. I was always alone with Jesus at that time.
I had a younger brother in college who was very strong in his faith, so I began to offer this hour with Jesus praying for him to answer God’s call to the vocation of the priesthood. In my eyes, my brother had all the qualities of making a good priest. However, I soon learned that my brother had chosen a different path in life and was going to be married.
During my next Adoration, I began to tell Jesus how committed I had been to pray for my brother to answer his call to a vocation to the priesthood. Suddenly, a voice spoke out somewhere in that small chapel, “It is not him I want, it is you.” For the next couple of years I could not get this thought out of my mind until I finally said “yes” and began the application process to enter seminary.
God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.- Reverend Steve Sauser
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I can sum up all of my feelings with one word: redemption.Life, Charity and Justice - restorative Justice
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The Catholic Church has enabled me to have a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Lord than I ever imagined possible. At times, it is as if I can close my eyes and feel him right here with me.
Instead of simply reading about the woman at the well, I have been her. I have also been the leper who fell at the feet of Jesus and asked to be healed. I strive for that same level of faith and I long to grow closer to the Lord because of the teachings that have been instilled within me.
But it is not the teachings alone. For me, love is an action and the Church has shown me a pure love that I have never felt before. I have seen it and felt it right here in these walls.
I can sum up all of my feelings with one word: redemption. We all desperately want to be redeemed from whatever it is that has held us back. The Church, for me, threw the doors wide open and welcomed me with open and loving arms.- Inmate on Death Row
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Deacon Tim Hayden
Associate Director for Restorative Justice
Administer to those in prison
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“June was thrilled... to receive her First Holy Communion..."SPIRITUALITY AND WORSHIP
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Deacon Richard Tucker
St. Ignatius Martyr Parish, Austin
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June Tucker, 77, the mother of Deacon Richard Tucker, grew up infrequently attending the local Church of Christ in her small town and was an avid reader of the Bible and a strong believer throughout her life.
Richard took a different path when he married in the Catholic Church and chose to convert to Catholicism. Richard was ordained a deacon this year and throughout his faith formation, his mother began attending Mass regularly.
Earlier this year, as June and Richard sat together waiting for Mass to begin, she whispered, “I feel God in this place like I have never felt him before.” Soon after this, she declared, “I want to join the Church!”
June began the RCIA process with Richard leading her formation. After sitting in the pew during Communion for many years, June was thrilled to be able to receive her First Holy Communion in front of the daily Mass congregation, many of whom have become her friends. God moved her heart. Richard, who had beseeched God to bring June into the Church for many years, was thankful to God who responded in his own way and in his own time.- Deacon Richard Tucker
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“The friendships and formation... mold me to be a better person...”PASTORAL MINISTRIES - Youth & Young Adults
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The formation, community life, and spiritual support that I’ve encountered through my parish young adult ministry program have helped me order my life with the correct priorities: first and foremost, the pursuit of heaven, from which everything else flows (my career, my hobbies, etc.). My Catholic young adult peers model for me the importance of learning about our faith, practicing virtue, and acting on a mission in all aspects of my life.
Without young adult ministry, I likely would have sought fulfillment in worldly definitions of success and fleeting comforts. Conversely, my Catholic community enables me to live differently, to seek fulfillment that reaches closer to “living my life to the fullest,” and to ask the hard questions that our secular communities may not explore.
The friendships and formation I receive in young adult ministry, through the grace of God, constantly mold me to be a better person, a better professional, and a better future wife and mother.- Faith Noah
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Faith Noah
St. Mary Cathedral, Austin
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“A true testament of God’s blessings once again on our family.”CATHOLIC EDUCATION
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Our family was so delighted to hear that our daughter, Brianna, was a recipient of a CSA diocesan scholarship. This scholarship is not based on financial need or merit, but through the individual’s education and experience in a Catholic school. A true testament of God’s blessings once again on our family. We are grateful!- Andres and Michelle Quintanilla (Parents)
In creating my project, I had many ideas, but I just didn’t know which one would stand out. I eventually decided on an art piece, submitting it with praying hands. When my mom and I got news that I had been selected, I remember being shocked at first. But then I was ecstatic, and I just felt extremely blessed. God had just blessed my family and me with a tuition scholarship and I couldn’t be more thankful!Brianna Quintanilla
