The Friday E-Pistle

A message from Bishop Vásquez

Official appointments

• Harvey Bollich as a Judge in the Office of Canonical and Tribunal Services, effective June 2 for a two-year term ending June 1, 2019.
• Thomas Howard as a Judge in the Office of Canonical and Tribunal Services, effective June 2 for a two-year term ending June 1, 2019.
• Deacon Daniel Ramirez has been granted retirement status, effective June 18, 2017.

Lumen Gentium

The Lumen Gentium awards will be presented June 20 at the Mayborn Center in Temple at 7 p.m. All are invited to attend.

Special collection: July 1-2

All parishes in the Diocese of Austin are to take up a special collection for Peter’s Pence at all Masses on the weekend of July 1-2. The following announcement should be read before all Masses that weekend:

• The Peter’s Pence Collection is taken up worldwide to support the most disadvantaged – victims of war, oppression, natural disasters and others in need of emergency assistance. Pope Francis has asked us to “care for those who are in need of attention, understanding and help, to bring them the warm closeness of God’s love through tangible actions of sensitivity, of sincere affection and of love.” The Holy Father uses the Peter’s Pence Collection to strengthen dioceses, religious orders and struggling communities of faith when they need it most.
• La Colecta Peter's Pence se recoge a nivel mundial para apoyar a los menos privilegiados – víctimas de guerra, opresión, desastres naturales y otras personas necesitadas de asistencia de emergencia. El Papa Francisco nos ha pedido que “cuidemos de aquellos que necesitan atención, entendimiento y ayuda, para llevarles la cálida cercanía del amor de Dios a través de acciones sensibles, de sincero afecto y amor”. El Santo Padre usa la Colecta de los Peniques de Pedro para fortalecer diócesis, órdenes religiosas y comunidades de fe en pleno conflicto  cuando más lo necesitan.

Reflection question

Gospel meditation

Consider using the following meditation for the 13^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 2):

• Our commitment to serve our brothers and sisters must be a reflection of our relationship with Jesus the Christ. Our relationship with Jesus must be absolute with all else flowing from this central it. Even the simplest gesture done in kindness toward a disciple will be rewarded. What sort of missionaries are we? What are our priorities? How do we treat others?
• Nuestro compromiso de servir a nuestros hermanos y hermanas debe ser un reflejo de nuestra relación con Jesucristo. Nuestra relación con Jesús debe de ser absoluta y todo lo demás debe de fluir de ella como centro. Aún los gestos más simples realizados con bondad hacia un discípulo serán recompensados ¿Qué tipo de misioneros somos? ¿Cuáles son nuestras prioridades? ¿Cómo tratamos a los demás?

Communications Office

Parish administrative staff retreat

The Austin Central Deanery is hosting the annual diocesan Administrative Staff, Secretary and Parish Business Administrators Retreat on Oct. 19 at Holy Trinity Parish in Corn Hill. Registration begins at 8: 15 a.m. Bishop Daniel Garcia will celebrate Mass at 9 a.m. Continental breakfast will be served after Mass. Lunch will be served at 1 p.m. The keynote speaker is yet to be announced. All parish administrative staff and parish business administrators are encouraged to attend. The cost is $35 per attendee. During the retreat, each parish will receive the updated diocesan directories and annual vocations posters.  Please mail the completed registration form to Juanita Rodriguez, Santa Cruz Parish, P.O.  Box 187, Buda, TX 78610. For more information, contact Kathy Thomas at (512) 476-6182.

Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center

Upcoming retreats

• The Starting Anew Retreat at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton July 21-23 is a retreat for those who have gone through a divorce and know what it is like to have their dream shattered. Cedarbrake staff Brian Egan and Beverly Collin will facilitate this retreat, which acknowledges the pain but also looks to build new dreams and restore hope. The cost is $170-$210. To register or for more information, call (254) 780-2436.
• The Healing Journey Retreat will be held at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Belton on Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This is a chance to come to a deeper understanding of forgiveness and to experience God’s healing power. Beverly Collin, assistant director at Cedarbrake, along with The Mercy of God Prayer Team will present this retreat. Retreatants will learn that forgiveness is about letting go of pain in order to heal. The cost is $40 and includes lunch. To register or for more information, call (254) 780-2436.

Stewardship and Development

Building a Vibrant Parish Seminar

What components make up a vibrant and engaged parish community? What are some best practices that churches are using with success? How can your parish engage more people by communicating the Gospel and leading them to Christ? The Diocese of Austin invites parish staff to attend this one-day seminar at Christ the King Parish in Belton on June 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (lunch included). Click here to register online.  Presented by Tracy Earl Welliver from Liturgical Publications, this seminar presents easy to understand characteristics and actions of a vibrant parish. The goal is to provide parish leaders with the tools needed to engage and evangelize parishioners 1 percent at a time. For more information, contact Margaret Kappel at (512) 949-2444.

Weekly notes

Bishop Vásquez’ prayer request

Please consider Bishop Vásquez’ prayer request for the 13^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 2):

• For all the faithful, may we follow Jesus before all else and serve one another lovingly as disciples of Christ, we pray…
•  Por todos los fieles, para que sigamos a Jesús antes que a nada y sirvamos al prójimo con amor como discípulos de Cristo, oremos...

Blessings and congratulations to …

• The following priests on the anniversary of their ordination during the month of July:
• Rev. Raymundo Chávez Vázquez, July 2, 2000
• Rev. Francis Chung, July 5, 1993
• Rev. Kevin Rai, July 6, 1974
• Rev. Joseph Kim, July 7, 1984
• Very Rev. Christopher Ferrer, July 7, 2001
• Rev. Robert Verrill, OP, July 7, 2012
• Rev. Payden Blevins, July 9, 2016
• Rev. Sean DeWitt, July 9, 2016
• Rev. Greg Gerhart, July 9, 2016
• Rev. Froy Jerez, July 9, 2016
• Rev. Amado Ramos, July 9, 2016
• Rev. Leon Strieder, July 10, 1976
• Rev. Larry Heimsoth, July 10, 1999
• Rev. Dimitrij Colankin, July 11, 1976
• Very Rev. David Leibham, July 11, 1987
• Very Rev. Michael O'Connor, July 13, 1985
• Rev. Marcelino Pena Tadeo, OFM Conv., July 13, 2003
• Rev. Jose Eduardo Jazo Tarin, TOR, July 15, 2007
• Rev. Jim Chamberlain, July 19, 1986
• Rev. Genaro Mayorga, TOR, July 19, 2015
• Rev. Don Moss, CHC, USNS, July 19, 1986
• Rev. Timothy Vaverek, July 20, 1985
• Rev. Dean Wilhelm, July 23, 1988
• Rev. Jorge Hernandez de Luna, OFM Conv., July 24, 2004
• Rev. Fred Jenga, CSC, July 26, 2005
• Rev. Boniface Onjefu Omale, July 25, 1998
• Rev. Leonard Onwumere, July 28, 1990

Ethics and Integrity in Ministry

EIM Workshop

Click here to login to your EIM account in order to find the EIM Workshop schedule and to Sign Up for a Workshop (bottom right of your account page). 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, including instructions on how to login to your EIM account, click here.

EIM Workshops are scheduled by the EIM Office in coordination with the EIM site administrator at parishes, schools and other diocesan agencies; other staff members should work with their EIM site administrator regarding workshop requests. EIM site administrators may direct inquiries about EIM workshop scheduling to Emily Hurlimann in the EIM Office at (512) 949-2447.