Young Catholic Adults (YCA) mix and mingle at the Javelina Watering Hole Brewery in Kingsville for Theology on Tap before Father Joseph Lopez gives a talk on managing passions.

The spirit of communion was present on Sept. 7 as a group of college students volunteered a Saturday Service Day to help their brothers and sisters in Refugio, still hurting from the effects of Hurricane Harvey.  

Father Thomas P. O’Donovan, 77, a priest with the Diocese of Corpus Christi since July 27, 1970, died on Sept. 6. He was Born to Dermot and Joan O’Donovan in Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland on March 12, 1942.

CHRISTUS Spohn Health System has teamed with the Coastal Bend Blood Center to participate in a first-of-its-kind donor recognition system. “Thank-The-Donor” is the world’s first web-enabled technology that connects blood recipients with their donors. CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi-Shoreline is honored to be the first hospital in the Coastal Bend to take part in the program.

The last instructions that Jesus gave the disciples was to go out and take action in the world. He told them, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:19-20

Young adults from across South Texas gathered at the Newman Center at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi recently for the “Be Not Afraid” Young Adult Retreat. There were talks, games, food, reflective prayer and group discussion.

Kayaking, wall climbing, swimming, ziplining, archery, games, talks and prayer were all part of a few fun-filled days for high school youth who attended an EXPLORE retreat held at Camp Aranzazu in Rockport.

The inspiration and shared wisdom Sister Jessica Vitente felt after attending her first Come and See weekend retreat with the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 2015 was so great, she came back twice before officially entering the Congregation.

Larry Dziuk, Esvardo (Sonny) Diaz and  Pete Valdez have been awarded Knights of the Year for their unwavering commitment to the Knights of Columbus. 

State Director Betty Vacek was pleased to present a check from the KJZT Family Life Clerical Endowment Fund to Bishop Michael Mulvey,. The check for $1,734.00 was the total funds collected in the past two years from KJZT societies in the Diocese of Corpus Christi through the Clerical Endowment Fund. 

Chris and Crystal Peña and their four children moved into their new fully furnished, four-bedroom, two-bath home on Aug. 2 after a Dedication and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony. The event marked the 36th home dedicated by the Coastal Bend Disaster Recovery Group (CBDRG).

The Diocese of Corpus Christi Office of Evangelization and Catechesis Institute for Parish Leadership and Ministry Formation presented a summer seminar at St. John Paul II Cafetorium on July 26-27, entitled “Echoing the Mystery: Unlocking the Deposit of Faith in Catechesis.”

Father Henry Heese, 85 of Corpus Christi died on Saturday, Aug. 10. He was the fifth child born to Ben and Hilda Heese on January 26, 1934, in Robstown. He had nine siblings.

Catholic Life Insurance will help 58 Texas Catholic Schools raise funds during the 13th annual “Catholic Schools Sweepstakes.” Our Lady of Perpetual Help Academy in Corpus Christi and St. Anthony Catholic School in Robstown are schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi that are participating this year.

Professor Douglas Bushman of the Augustine Institute has been invited to speak at two events in the Diocese of Corpus Christi Sept. 13-14. Bushman is Director of the Center for Theological Renewal and Pope St. John Paul II Chair of Theology for the New Evangelization at the Augustine Institute in Denver, CO. His invitation to speak was a joint effort by diocesan offices Evangelization and Catechesis and Laity, Family and Life that grew out of a recognition to provide training for family faith formation. 

Petey and Ellie Ybarra had no plans to leave Rockport before Hurricane Harvey ripped through the Coastal Bend two years ago in August. At the last minute, they decided to evacuate their family from their home, located just down the road from Aransas Bay. 

"Never a complaint. Totally enthusiastic and energetic for their work and all done with excitement, and with respect for those they are helping." These the words spoken by Jim Flanagan, youth leader from St. Elizabeth-St. Isadore parish in the Boston Archdiocese. He was describing the 75 high school students and chaperones from various parishes in the Boston area he brought to our diocese last month to help and engage with south Texas victims of Hurricane Harvey, the second most powerful hurricane to ever hit the United States. 

In the Diocese of Corpus Christi alone, about 300 lives and hearts were forever changed by attending three of 24 Steubenville Youth Conference this summer. Youth and chaperones from eleven parishes in the diocese traveled by bus to Irving, Texas, Alexandria, Louisiana or Houma, Louisiana. The conferences included speakers, Christian music, adoration with procession, liturgy and Mass. Youth attended workshops on dating, eternity and friendship. 

In late August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey, the second-largest natural disaster in U.S. history hit the Texas Gulf Coast. In its aftermath, Bishop Michael Mulvey saw the devastation left in its wake and knew the road to recovery was not going to be an easy one. It would forever change the lives of people along the coast. 

Charlotte Stovall has seen it all during her 16 years at The Ark Assessment Center and Emergency Shelter for Youth. As a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), she is one of the first staff members to encounter a new child at the center.