Students from St. Gertrude School in Kingsville, along with other area elementary students, participated in a Link Up Program in conjunction with Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute in New York City.

On April 1, a three-year-old boy drowned in Denton County in his family's backyard pool. Mom was watching him blow bubbles in the backyard through the kitchen window. Her phone rang and then a baby in the home began to cry. By the time she checked again on the toddler, he was face down in the pool. And he was gone.

If anyone knows about how rewarding volunteering can be, it’s Elenora O’Bryant. The grandmother of eight has served in that capacity at The Ark Assessment Center and Emergency Shelter for Youth for nearly 11 years.

Pope Francis said the assassination of "my confrere," a 75-year-old Dutch Jesuit in Syria, "filled me with deep sadness and made me think again of all the people who suffer and are dying in that martyred country."

Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament will honor nine jubilarians in a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Patrick Church, 3350 South Alameda, Corpus Christi, on Saturday, May 10 at 10:30 a.m.

A group of diocesan, parish and school accounting personnel have been meeting for several months to review new accounting software for parishes and schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. The change to the new accounting software is expected to take place later this year.

A group of 70 people will leave for Rome on April 23 to witness the canonization of Blessed John Paul II and Blessed John XXIII in St. Peter’s Square. The group will visit basilicas and many other sites while on tour.

Nervousness and excitement filled Blessed John Paul II High School's Fine Arts classroom on April 3 as students waited their turn for a haircut that benefited cancer awareness organizations. Students participated in the cancer awareness school project called, “A Cut Above”.

Bishop Michael Mulvey made a pastoral visit to St. Patrick School in Corpus Christi on April 2. After celebrating Mass, Bishop Mulvey took the time to visit the students in all 17 classrooms. He fielded many questions from children ranging in age from four- to 12-years-old. See photos here.

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Fairfield University’s Center for Catholic Studies will host an international conference concerning bringing together people of different Christian traditions from five continents, from June 9-12.

Methodist Children’s Home is looking for families to provide foster care to children in need.

The Incarnate Word Academy varsity baseball team joined up with the Padre Little League Challenger Division to practice and play baseball with special-needs children on Wednesday, April 2, at the National Little League field.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The rite of canonization for Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II April 27 will use the standard formula for the creation of new saints, but the Mass will be preceded by the recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet, and it is possible retired Pope Benedict XVI will attend, the Vatican spokesman said.

NOGALES, Ariz. (CNS) -- With the backdrop a few feet away of the rusted iron slats of the 30-foot wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley and a dozen other bishops from three countries prayed April 1 for compassion and for a return to ideals that welcome immigrants.

Holy Cross Parish in Corpus Christi has received confirmation that Father William Norvel, Superior General of the Josephite Priest and Brothers, has accepted an invitation to con-celebrate their Centennial Jubilee Mass on Sept. 14.

The 2013-14 school year is close to wrapping up and final projects are underway and in full throttle at Blessed John Paul II High School. Seniors have kept a busy schedule year-round and the remaining months until graduation have been no exception.

The Catholic Church began compiling “martyrologies”—lists of saints, typically martyrs—during the first centuries after Constantine. In the pre-Vatican II breviary, a reading from the Roman Martyrology, or what we might call the Catholic Book of Witnesses, was an integral part of the Office of Prime, the “hour” recited after sunrise.

The oldest biblical account of the institution of the Eucharist comes to us from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. At the end of the narrative, St. Paul says something that is not found in either one of the four Gospels, but it is reflected in the Liturgy’s Memorial Acclamation options; “for as long as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).

At Calvary, where Jesus conquered sin, the flesh, the devil, death and all of hell, Mary was given to us to be our mother. In his last moments Jesus shared his love for Mary with us that we might love her too and entrust ourselves to her care just as he did. It is a love upon which he bestows boundless blessing.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Leading a penitential liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis surprised his liturgical adviser by going to confession during the service.