The Friday E-Pistle

A message from Bishop Vásquez

Official appointment

• Deacon Jose M. Trujillo has been assigned to St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin, effective September 8, 2016.

Pastoral Plan implementation

• Please join Bishop Daniel Garcia Sept. 15 at Sacred Heart Parish in Waco for a presentation in Spanish on the diocesan Pastoral Plan. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with an optional meal served by the parish for $9 per person. Bishop Garcia's presentation is from 7 to 9 p.m. and includes an opportunity for dialogue and reflection about the Pastoral Plan. These fliers can be used to advertise this and upcoming events.
• Under Goal 1 of the Plan, the first objective calls for more adult faith formation opportunities that truly engage adults in the 21st century. Bishop Robert Baron's video programs and materials are good resources that invite people to learn more and to speak more confidently about their faith. His newest work, "Catholicism: The Pivotal Players," beautifully draws the viewer into the lives of those who "shaped the Catholic Church and changed the world." This new series and other resources are available at pivotalplayers.wordonfire.org.
• Have you checked out the new microsite for the Pastoral Plan? It can be accessed directly at www.austindioceseplan.org or through a link on the main web page, www.austindiocese.org. The site is updated every week with new information and links containing ideas and recommendations to implement the Plan. 

Reflection question

Gospel meditation

Consider using the following meditation for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sept. 25):

• Today’s Gospel addresses a fundamental question of how we use our resources of time, talent and treasure. Do we use them selfishly or do we use them to assist others in need, as well as to build up the Kingdom of God? Have we listened to God speaking to us in the Scriptures inviting us to relationship and service?
• El Evangelio de hoy aborda una pregunta fundamental sobre cómo es que usamos nuestros recursos de tiempo, talento y tesoro ¿Los usamos de manera egoísta o los usamos para ayudar a otros necesitados, y para construir el Reino de Dios? ¿Escuchamos a Dios hablándonos en las Escrituras, invitándonos a la relación y al servicio?

Vocation Office

Borromeo House Discernment Dinner for men 18 and older

Catholic, single men ages 18 and older seeking to discover God’s will in their life are invited to an evening that includes dinner, prayer, fellowship, and conversation about the priesthood, discernment, prayer and virtue. This group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at the St. Charles Borromeo House of Discernment, 905B Duncan Lane in Austin. The first dinner for the fall will be Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.austinvocations.com.

Black Catholics

Courageous Conversation on Racism

The next Courageous Conversation on Racism will be Sept. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Parish in Austin. We will watch and discuss Episode 3 (The House We Live In) from the award-winning three-part PBS documentary "Race - The Power of an Illusion." In Episode 1, we took apart, one by one, myths and misconceptions about racial differences. Episode 2 revealed how social inequalities came to be disguised as natural and acceptable. Episode 3 will talk about the un-level playing field between whites and nonwhites. All are invited to attend. Click here for a flier for this event.

Stewardship and Development

2016-2017 CSA Training Sessions

Eighty percent of parishes have registered for the upcoming Catholic Services Appeal Training Sessions. Priests, parish secretaries, business administrators, CSA coordinators, and stewardship and development administrators are strongly encouraged to attend one of the training sessions for this year’s Catholic Services Appeal. Please register for the session that works best for you.

Please RSVP online by Sept. 13.

• Sept. 20 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Austin – Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center
• Sept. 20 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Austin – Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center
• Sept. 21 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Austin – Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center
• Sept. 21 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Austin – Diocese of Austin Pastoral Center
• Sept. 22 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Waco – St. Jerome Parish, Jordan Hall
• Sept. 22 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Temple – St. Mary Parish, Ave Maria Building, Regina Caeli Room
• Sept. 27 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Burnet – Our Mother of Sorrows Parish, Parish Hall
• Sept. 28 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Kyle – St. Anthony Marie de Claret Parish, Joseph Room, Holy Family Building
• Sept. 29 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Bryan – St. Anthony Parish, Multipurpose Building
• Sept. 29 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Brenham – St. Mary, Immaculate Conception Parish, PAC

Hispanic Ministry

Matachines/Danzates/Concheros Conference

• The Matachines/Danzates/Concheros Conference is an opportunity to learn and reflect upon the history and meaning of this ministry, which is deeply connected with prayer and the miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The conference will be held in Spanish on Oct. 8 at San José Parish in Austin. This conference is for members of parish matachines/danzantes/concheros, especially for those getting ready to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in their parishes or at our diocese. Father Clodomiro Siller from the Instituto de Evangelización para los Indigenas will be our facilitator. Click here for additional information or call (512) 949-2426.
•  La Conferencia de Matlachines/Danzantes/Concheros es una oportunidad para aprender y reflexionar sobre la historia y el significado de este ministerio, el cual está profundamente conectado con la oración y milagro de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Esta conferencia, que se llevará a  cabo el día 8 de Octubre en la Parroquia de San José en Austin, es para los miembros de matlachines/danzantes/concheros parroquiales, especialmente para ellos que se están preparando para celebrar la fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en sus parroquias o en nuestra diócesis. P. Clodomiro Siller del Instituto de Evangelización para los Indigenas será nuestro facilitador. Haga clic aquí para obtener más información o llame al (512) 949-2426.

Office for Religious

Fall Retreat

Religious priests, sisters and brothers serving in the Diocese of Austin are invited to attend a Fall Retreat on Oct. 8 at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Austin. The theme of the retreat will be the Jubilee Year of Mercy, with an emphasis on “transformation.” Check-in will begin at 9 a.m. and opening prayer begins at 9:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided. The retreat will conclude at 3 p.m. RSVP by Sept. 30 to Janice Ingram at (512) 949-2401.

Young Adult Ministry

Theology on Tap

Theology on Tap will be held on Sept. 21 at Santa Rita Cantina (5900W. Slaughter Lane). Roni Cook, from the Eucharistic Apostles of Divine Mercy, will give her presentation titled "Conversion through Prayer: Divine Mercy." She will share how to use prayers from the diary of St. Faustina to create a time of reflection or Holy Hour during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with fellowship and her presentation will begin at 7 p.m. Please contact Jennifer Kodysz for more information.

Weekly notes

Pope Francis’ prayer request

Please consider Pope Francis’ prayer request for the month of September:

• That each may contribute to the common good and to the building of a society that places the human person at the center …
• Para que cada uno contribuya al bien común y a la construcción de una sociedad que ponga al centro la persona humana...
• That by participating in the sacraments and meditating on Scripture, Christians may become more aware of their mission to evangelize …
• Para que los cristianos, participando en los Sacramentos y meditando la Sagrada Escritura lleguen a ser siempre mas conscientes de su misión evangelizadora ...

Bishop Vásquez’ prayer request

Please consider Bishop Vásquez’ prayer request for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary (Sept. 25):

• That we respond to God’s living Word, through our use of time, talent and treasure to serve the poor, abandoned, oppressed, neglected and rejected ...
• Por que respondamos a la Palabra viva de Dios, a través del uso de nuestro tiempo, talento y tesoro para servir a los pobres, a los abandonados, los oprimidos, los descuidados y rechazados ...

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.