In Brief: Upcoming special Masses, conferences

CCE for deaf, hearing-impaired began Sept. 25

HOUSTON — St. Dominic’s Deaf Center began holding CCE classes for children who are deaf or hearing-impaired on Sept. 25.

St. Dominic’s Deaf Center offers an opportunity for children and their families to gain knowledge regarding living and growing in faith with particular attention to the communication needs of the entire family. Masses are held on Sundays at 11:15 a.m. and are offered in American Sign Language with a voice interpreter as well as a monthly Mass in Spanish and American Sign Language.

WYD 2023: Deadline to register is Sept. 30

HOUSTON — The Archdiocese is hosting a pilgrimage to World Youth Day for young adults ages 18 to 39 coming up from July 26 to Aug. 7, 2023. This trip includes visits to Madrid, Avila, Toledo and Fatima before heading to Lisbon for World Youth Day with Pope Francis.

To sign up, all pilgrims need to make a $300 deposit. Spaces are almost full. Register by Sept. 30. Fundraising opportunities will be available this fall.

For more information about the trip, go to www.archgh.org/wyd2023 or [email protected] or 713-741-8778.

Mass of Thanksgiving for the Gift of Human Life

HOUSTON — The Office of Pro-Life Activities is hosting a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Gift of Human Life on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 5 p.m.

The special Mass is to give thanks for the Gift of Human Life and to celebrate all those volunteers who have worked so hard to create a culture of life.

Mass will be celebrated by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart followed by a reception at the Cathedral Centre.
For more information contact our office at 713-741-8728, [email protected] or www.archgh.org/prolife.

White Mass honors healthcare professionals

HOUSTON — The public is invited to attend the White Mass. The Mass will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in downtown Houston. Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, C.R.S., will be the celebrant.

The White Mass is sponsored by the Archdiocese, the San José Clinic and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center.

The purpose of the White Mass is to honor St. Luke as the patron of physicians, and honor the healthcare professions as a whole. Visit sanjoseclinic.org or call 713-490-2620 for more information.

Oct. 11 Red Mass to pray for legal, legislative communities

HOUSTON — The annual Red Mass is set for Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6:15 p.m. at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, located 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy. in Houston. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will be the principal celebrant of the Mass.

Red Mass is a special Mass that marks the beginning of the judicial year. The local judiciary typically follows the calendar term of the U.S. Supreme Court, which begins to hear cases on the first Monday of October. Judges, attorneys, law students and professors and other government officials are invited to participate in this centuries-old tradition, invoking the blessings of the Holy Spirit.

The Mass will be followed by an optional paid dinner at the Cathedral Centre, 1701 San Jacinto St. This year’s dinner speaker will be John L. Allen Jr., author and editor of Crux. Dinner seating is limited. For more information and to register for the dinner, visit www.archgh.org/redmass. †

Asian Mass set for Oct. 30

HOUSTON — The annual Asian Mass celebrates the diversity of Asian Catholics in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Six Asian cultures – Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Korean and Vietnamese – will gather for with Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 2 p.m. at Christ the Incarnate Word Catholic Church, located at 8503 S. Kirkwood Rd. in Houston.

In its 26th year, the Mass reflects the languages of the many Asian cultures in the Archdiocese, with participants encouraged to wear their traditional clothing for the festivities. A reception featuring samples of Asian food along with performances of traditional music and dance followed the Mass. †

National conference on disability coming to Spring next month

HOUSTON — The National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) is hosting its national conference at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church (7810 Cypresswood Dr., Spring) on Oct. 21 - 22.

The conference, themed “One Lord, One Faith, One Family: Disability Ministry in a Synodal Church” will feature keynote addresses from Bishop Brendan Cahill of Victoria and Dr. Joseph White, director of catechetical resources for Our Sunday Visitor Publishing.

More than 30 speakers will present during breakout sessions, panel and roundtable presentations and plenary addresses that will explore a variety of topics including inclusivity, digital accessibility, Sacramental preparation, intellectual and developmental disabilities, adaptations, diverse learning, and several presentations in Spanish.

The NCPD Council on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is coordinating this conference. The NCPD is led by Charleen Katra, who formerly was an associate director in the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston leading Ministry with Persons with Disabilities.

$175 in-person registration includes access to all on-site events. One day registrations are $105. A virtual registration option includes both keynotes and four breakout sessions. To register or for more information, visit ncpd.org.

Catholic Charities’ food distributions continue at three locations

HOUSTON — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston offers food assistance at three locations.

In Houston, client choice food distributions are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Guadalupe Center, located at 326 S. Jensen St. Appointments required, for appointments, call 713-874-6781 on Mondays and Fridays. Only registered clients will be permitted; no walk-up registrations. Food fairs are scheduled for Oct. 7 and Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

In Galveston, the Beacon of Hope Center, located at 4700 Broadway, Suite F-103, hosts drive-thru distributions on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, starting at 9 a.m. No appointments required. Call 409-762-2064 for more information.

In Fort Bend County, The Mamie George Community Center, located at 1111 Collins Rd. in Richmond, hosts both drive-thru food distributions and in-person shopping. Drive-thru distributions, in partnership with the Houston Food Bank, are on Tuesdays, from 5 to 7 p.m., and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Register by texting “HFBPS” to 855-788-3663, then select “Catholic Charities — Richmond.”

Clients should visit by appointment only on Mondays, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Center also hosts monthly food fairs, with the next one set for Oct. 29, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. For help, call 281-202-6200.

For more, visit www.catholiccharities.org/food or call the Catholic Charities COVID Assistance Line at 713-874-6521. 

Catechists invited for ‘Proclaim 2022’ conference

HOUSTON — All ministry leaders, catechists, volunteers, core team members, and Catholic faithful are invited to join for Proclaim 2022: I Will Love. Hosted by Secretariat for Pastoral and Educational Ministries of the Archdiocese, the event offers two days for ministry leaders and volunteers to grow deeper in the knowledge of the faith, hone practical ministry skills, and meet and network with other leaders from around the Archdiocese.

The multilingual conference (English, Spanish and Vietnamese) will be held at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church, located at 7810 Cypresswood Dr. in Spring Nov. 11 to Nov. 12. The weekend conference includes keynote speakers, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and time for communal prayer.

Keynote speakers include Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Mike Patin, with workshop sessions with leaders like Lia Raquel Garcia and Father Francis Toan Vu, SJ, and nearly 40 other experts from around the Archdiocese and beyond. The workshops will explore a variety of topics including youth ministry, catechesis and faith formation, family life ministries, Liturgy and worship, Catholic schools, young adult and campus ministry and pro-life ministry topics, as well as how to live the Catholic faith.

$50 registration includes both days of programming. To view the conference schedule or to register, visit www.archgh.org/proclaim. For more information call 713-741-8723 or email [email protected]. 

(Photo by James Ramos/Herald)