Ruben Riojas was an altar server and regularly attended religious education classes, and was even selected to serve at the Christmas Mass despite having only one week’s experience. These experiences drew him closer to the Eucharist, which set in motion his current spiritual journey.

Carlos De La Rosa, 24, was a young child when he first thought about becoming a priest one day. As he grew older, the feelings waned and he didn’t think much more about it. But as a sophomore at St. John Paul II High School, he began reflecting on it again and then had a powerful experience in the sacrament of reconciliation.

On a Monday evening in a Corpus Christi Cathedral classroom, seminarian Charles Silvas is teaching the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for his first time. While many seminarians are studying away at college or seminary, Silvas is currently in his pastoral year of formation, wearing a Roman collar, but not yet ordained and embracing the challenges and rewards of parish life.

Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary and the Schoenstatt Family of Texas hosted a celebration in honor of the 60th Anniversary of the Confidentia Shrine in Lamar on Oct. 19. The event included a welcome, information, games, barbecue and ended with Bishop Michael Mulvey concelebrating Mass with Father Ray Yrlas, pastor of Sacred Heart in Rockport, Schoenstatt Father Christian Christiansen and Our Lady of Corpus Christi priest, Father John Gaffney, SOLT.

Sister Anna Marie Espinosa (Anna Marie) was born on Oct. 21, 1947, to Ernest and Beatriz Espinosa. She graduated from Incarnate Word Academy, Corpus Christi in 1966, and then entered the congregation the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament on Sept. 8, 1966, and made her first profession of vows on Aug. 1, 1969.

Sister Maria Irma Gonzalez (Maria Irma) was born in Brownsville on April 5, 1947. She is the daughter of Juan Gonzalez and Maria H. Gonzalez. She graduated from Brownsville High School in 1965 and entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament on Sept. 8, 1967, where she made first profession of vows on Aug. 1, 1970.

Born June 27, 1938, in Brownsville to Marion Edward Hon and Pilar Padilla Hon, Sister Mary Paul (Marjorie Hon) was taught by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and graduated from Villa Maria High School in Brownsville. She was challenged to serve in ministry by her pastor, who assigned her to teach all ages in religious education before she entered the convent. In September 1958 she entered the congregation and made her first profession of vows in August 1960.

Sister Jude Janecek (Mabel Gertrude), was born July 31, 1939, in Victoria, Texas, daughter of Cyril Methodius Janecek and Ruth Pearl Bracht Janecek.  Taught by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, she graduated from Incarnate Word Academy in 1957 and entered the Order in September of that year. She made her first profession of vows on June 3, 1959, and professed final vows in 1962.

Sister Catherine Brehony, a Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament of Corpus Christi, celebrated the seventieth anniversary of her religious profession on Oct.19, with Mass at St. Patrick Church and reception at the Incarnate Word Academy Dougherty Center.

Sister Agnes Marie Tengler celebrated 75 years of profession of vows as a Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament with a Mass at Incarnate Word Convent, Oct. 12. 

Immediately after his baptism by John, Jesus retreated to the desert for forty days. The time he spent in the arid, barren surroundings presented both spiritual and physical challenges. Despite these harsh conditions, and the devil’s attempt to get him to sin, the experience prepared him to deliver his famous Sermon on the Mount.

When most people think of taking a summer vacation, lazy afternoons in the sun, splashing in the pool, or traveling to an exotic location are usually what come to mind. However, for Thomas Swierc, Daniel Flores and Raymond Pendleton, three seminarians from the Diocese of Corpus Christi, the summer offers an extraordinary opportunity to learn and grow by immersing themselves in different languages, cultures and traditions. 

Four young men from the Diocese of Corpus Christi will begin their journey of discernment for vocation to the priesthood. Entering seminary in the fall are Jim Craig, Mark Valdez, Matthew Kyle and Javier Palacios, Jr.

Brother Daniel Tozzi and Sister Maria of Merciful Love from the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) made their Perpetual Profession on July 16 and July 18, respectively. Bishop Michael Mulvey presided over the Masses of Religious Profession at Our Lady of Corpus Christi Perpetual Adoration Chapel. 

Michael Winterroth and two of his fellow seminarians, Mark Valdez and Matthew Martin Kyle, are currently spending their summer working for the Diocese of Corpus Christi. While in Corpus Christi during their break from St. Joseph College Seminary in Louisiana, most of their time is spent working at Mother Teresa Shelter.

My path to the Diaconate was not a straight one, to say the least. I was born and raised in the Bay Area of California. My parents were devout Jehovah’s Witnesses and raised me to be the same. I attended services several times a week from the time I was born until I left my parents’ house to go to school and work in Texas.

Fraternity, adventure and prayer were initial reasons seminarian Aaron Matthew Lugo attended his first Explore Retreat at Camp Aranzazu. He liked playing sports and being outdoors, so fishing, archery and ziplining with a bunch of guys his age sounded fun. Explore delivered that and more.

I was ordained a deacon in 2012, but my diaconate journey began long ago in three phases.

My journey to the permanent diaconate began many years before formation classes started in the early 1990s. It actually began with meeting and eventually marrying my wife, Barbara.

Matthew’s Gospel speaks tellingly of the qualities and requirements for those seeking to serve God. In chapter 9 we are happy and challenged by the promise of an abundant harvest. The sobering counterpoint rests with the limited number of laborers able to bring that sweet harvest home. In chapter 20 the simile between the kingdom of God and a vineyard enlightens our understanding and suggests how we should proceed, “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” That is serious and necessary advice for anybody seeking to work “in the vineyard.”