Catholic Spirit, June 2020, Volume 38, Number 6

“There is no greater joy for me as a bishop than to ordain a man as a priest of Jesus Christ. The world needs Christ. People hunger for Christ. The priest is called to serve the people. The men I will ordain will go into the world to celebrate the sacraments, forgive sins, anoint the sick, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, transform bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist.” –– Bishop Joe Vásquez

With safety protocols in place, parishes across the diocese resume the celebration of public Masses.

Deacon Miguel Flores-Perez will be ordained to the priesthood on June 27. He will celebrate Masses of thanksgiving June 28 at noon and 3:30 p.m. at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin and July 5 at 6 p.m. at Our Lady of the Atonement Parish in San Antonio.

Deacon Kyle Nesrsta will be ordained to the priesthood on June 27. He will celebrate Masses of thanksgiving June 28 at 11 a.m. at St. Jerome Parish in Waco (Hewitt), June 29 at 8 a.m. at St. Louis Parish in Waco and July 1 at noon at St. Peter Catholic Student Center in Waco.

Deacon Zack Rodriguez will be ordained to the priesthood on June 27. He will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving June 28 at 11 a.m. at St. John Vianney Parish in Round Rock.

Deacon Will Rooney will be ordained to the priesthood on June 27. He will celebrate Masses of thanksgiving June 28 at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in College Station, July 4 at 5:30 p.m. at St. Mary of the Visitation Parish in Lockhart and July 5 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Louis, King of France Parish in Austin.

Deacon Chris Smith will be ordained to the priesthood on June 27. He will celebrate Masses of thanksgiving June 28 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Center in College Station and July 5 at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in College Station.

The diocesan Society of St. Vincent de Paul is helping the growing number of Central Texans who are in need of food and other basic necessities.

St. Anthony Marie de Claret Parish in Kyle helps the Central Texas Food Bank package non-perishable food on a weekly basis.

“Cultivating our Faith, Growing in Holiness Together" is the theme for the parish's 125th anniversary celebration.

The Faith through Art column is featured in every other issue of the Catholic Spirit. The column is presented by the Diocesan Fine Arts Council, which seeks to raise awareness and appreciation of fine religious art and encourage the use of religious fine art in the parishes, schools and homes in the Diocese of Austin. For more information, visit www.austindiocese.org/fine-arts-council.

Father Harry Dean serves with Deacon Ronnie Lastovica in the Gatesville Restorative Justice Ministry. Together they provide a pastoral presence to men and women inmates incarcerated in TDCJ prison units in the Gatesville region. The ministry is also available to serve TDCJ correctional facility staff and anyone associated with the incarcerated. Father Dean was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Austin in 1996.

Louis Gamino, a parishioner from St. Luke Parish in Temple and a clinical psychologist at Baylor Scott White Health, reflects on the ties that bind one generation to the next generation.