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Stories from the Impact Report
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Office of Communications
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Your gift to the CSA supports the mission of the Bishop to help educate and evangelize the faithful by sharing timely and relevant information through various platforms, engaging storytelling and supporting ministries and parishes in outreach efforts.The new Catholic Spirit Magazine debuted September 2022. This is a 32-page magazine mailed 10 times per year to 84,000 registered families in the diocese. The magazine includes a calendar of events as well as stories about individuals and organizations working to share the Good News with the faithful in the Diocese of Austin.
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Office of Life, Charity & Justice
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Your gift to the CSA supports the mission to build evangelizing communities of life, faith, charity, justice and solidarity.We are working hard to minister to the physically impaired. A Mass and learning session were organized to learn about the needs of the deaf community in the diocese. People throughout the diocese participated and helped us learn how we can improve the experience at Mass for the hearing impaired.
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Canonical & Tribunal Services
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In 2022 the Tribunal handled about 150 marriage cases, directly affecting the lives of the some 500 people whose situation is directly impacted by those cases, and indirectly affecting thousands of their family, friends, and fellow parishioners. Each case requires careful collection of evidence and attention by canon law professionals, and the entire process is provided without cost in the Diocese of Austin. In addition, the Tribunal staff offers canonical support and advice to the Diocese and the parishes on a variety of topics.
Your generosity to the CSA supports this ministry of healing and justice in the Church.
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Catholic Charities of Central Texas
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Your gift to the CSA helps fight poverty, improves communities, and supports a better quality of life for those in need.Catholic Charities of Central Texas served 16,326 people in need though its programs and services in 24 counties. Over $1 million in financial assistance was distributed to 3,017 clients, over 3,100 veterans were served in 10 counties, over $153,000 aid helped military families, almost 400 individual were supported through the Texas winter storm, 649 babies were provided a health start to life and more than 111,000 were distributed.
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Vocations - Seminarians
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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.
Your gift to the CSA supports the formation of future priests for generations to come. Your gift also supports our retired priests in the years after their service in our diocesan community.
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Cedarbrake Retreat Center
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This October marks the beginning of our 50th year as the Diocesan retreat center! The mission has always revolved around bringing God to the people and the people to God by offering a peaceful oasis where every person can “Encounter Christ in Word, Nature, Eucharist and Silence.” We have been honored to welcome over 7,300 guests this past year and are excited to have a newly renovated lodge done by December and a brand-new chapel completed early next year that will seat 100 people.
Your gift to the CSA supports the ministries of faith formation and guides young people and families closer to the Lord.
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Stories from the Impact Report2021 - 2022
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“I’ve dreamed of becoming a priest since my days of serving as an altar boy.”clergy formation
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“Christ spoke to my heart when I was a young altar boy. I would serve at Mass and hear Father repeat Christ’s words “This is my Body…This is my Blood” and I would visualize myself in the role of a priest. What joy to bring Christ through the Eucharist to those who are thirsty for our faith. I am now a seminarian at St. Mary’s and hopefully soon I will be able to offer the Eucharist to others. As a future priest in the Diocese, I hope to help foster the spirit and dreams of young men and encourage their future as priests and nourish all parishioners with the teachings of Christ.”
Seminarian Cameron Kologinczak
St. Mary’s Seminary, Houston
Your gift to the CSA supports the formation of future priests for generations to come. Your gift also supports our retired priests in the years after their service in our diocesan community.
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“I am closer to the Lord.”Catholic Education
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Your gift to the CSA supports the ministries of faith formation and youth groups and guides young people closer to the Lord.“I have attended faith formation classes at St. Mary’s, the mission parish of St. John’s in Fayetteville, since I was in kindergarten. I love how I feel close to the Lord whether I am alone or surrounded by friends who share my faith. I will seek Catholic related clubs in college and I know the roots of my Catholic faith will be my guiding strength through my life.”
11th grade Student Mackenzie Poncik
St. John the Baptist Parish, Fayetteville
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“I found faith during my husband’s near-death experience.”Spirituality & Worship
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The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults ministry is funded by your contributions to the CSA. Your gift changes the lives of adults longing for and seeking a reason for hope through our faith.“RCIA changed the course of my life. I was not raised as a Catholic but always respected my husband’s Catholic faith. I was beginning faith formation study when my husband was stabbed 11 times by a close family friend. I turned to my RCIA teacher for prayers and together we prayed to St. Jude and the Virgin Mary for healing. My husband survived and our family is so very thankful for the Church in our lives. My gratitude for the Catholic faith continues and at Easter I received all the sacraments alongside our daughter. We have witnessed how Christ Makes All Things New.”
Morgan Elyse Cervantes
St. Mary Parish, San Saba
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“Being a member has allowed me to help further the mission of spreading the faith.”Good Shepherd Society
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Your membership in the Good Shepherd Society will truly make a difference.“Being a member of the Good Shepherd Society for the past six years has allowed me to help further the mission of spreading the faith.”
“It is important to take a leadership role in both giving and serving. The Catholic Church is much larger than just our home parish. It takes the work of many to help our neighbors. I know my gift to the CSA goes directly to support future, current and retired priests.”Sherrie Yowell Anderson (Good Shepherd Society Circle of Faith Member)
St. Paul Parish, Austin
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“We never thought the $30,000 project was possible because of funding.”Parish Grant Program
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Because of your generosity, the CSA grant program gives hope to small and rural parishes that are not able to fund needed projects on their own.“Our project for a cemetery committal shelter at St. John the Baptist Parish in Fayetteville was partially funded through our CSA grant award. We never thought the $30,000 project was possible because of funding.”
“After I let the parish know that we received $7,500 in grants, the parishioners were so excited that we were able to raise the additional funds needed to make our dream come true. This year, we reached our CSA goal early on because they could see the fruits of their generosity.
We were doubly blessed this year as St. Mary Parish in Ellinger was also awarded with a $7,500 CSA grant. The grant went towards making our parish hall restrooms ADA compliant. This project was put on hold in the past but the money from the CSA made it possible.”Father Steve Sauser
St. John the Baptist Parish, Fayetteville & St. Mary Mission, Ellinger
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From police officer to priestClergy Formation
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Your generosity to the CSA provides seminarian education to men like Father Tom who answered God’s calling later in life leaving a career to answer a life filled with purpose.“How did you go from being a police officer to a priest?” When I am asked this, I respond, “Well, I thought God wanted me to heal people, so I was going to be a doctor. Then, I thought he wanted me to hear confessions, so I became a detective. Finally, I realized that he wanted me to do both, so I became a priest. Now, I help people by bringing meaning to suffering, a greater sense of joy in happy moments and I never had to give up what my heart wanted all my life…to be a father to many.”
Father Tom Reitmeyer
St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Austin
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