South Texas Catholic

Bishop Michael Mulvey celebrated Mass at the 19th Annual Blue Mass at St. Peter Prince of the Apostle Catholic Church on Sept. 26. The Blue Mass is celebrated for all 911 Operators, Firefighters, EMS Personnel, Correctional Officers, and Police Officers along with their families and friends. Corpus Christi Pipes and Drums led by Michael J. Eggenberger, Sr. were part of the procession before and after Mass. Father Raju D. Thottankara, pastor of St. Peter Prince of the Apostle Parish, concelebrated Mass with Bishop Mulvey and Father Pete Elizardo, the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, was Master of Ceremonies. Deacons R. Allen Cicora and Eluterio Farias assisted.

On Sept. 16, Bishop Michael Mulvey met with homeless representatives John Bailey, Roseanne “Rosie” Garcia, Larry Thompson, diocesan Director Jaime Reyna, Social Ministry and Father Peter Elizardo, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, also responsible for the old Central Catholic School campus. The three representatives thanked the bishop for seeing them, and each spoke of their past circumstances that led to their current state of homelessness.

Like the rest of the world, the coronavirus pandemic has taken the students at the Newman Center of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) by surprise. Sudden lockdowns, online classes, loss of jobs, canceled graduations, the uncertainty whether to stay on campus or reunite with family, and interrupted plans for the summer are just a few of the struggles college students had to face during this time.

Pope Francis said in his 2020 message that the period from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 -- the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi -- is being celebrated as a “Season of Creation.” In Part 5 of Pope Francis’ letter “World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation” he urges us to see this year’s Jubilee for the Earth as a time to rejoice that faith communities are coming together to create a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.

The Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group (CBDRG), along with its many partners, broke ground on "Tierra de Esperanza" (Land of Hope) on Sept. 23. Twenty-three new homes will soon be built on this 3.6-acre lot in Woodsboro's small town, in Refugio County.