News - November 2023

On Dec. 15, some of the 50,000 Filipino Catholics in the Archdiocese will begin celebrating Simbang Gabi, a beloved Filipino Christmas tradition that consists of a novena of Masses held in anticipation of the Nativity and to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In the midst of December, several celebrations involve our Mother of God with the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary on Dec. 8, Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day on Dec. 12 and Our Savior’s birth on Dec. 25.

When Dr. Richard Ludwick, president of the University of St. Thomas (UST) in Houston, speaks about the current life and future of the city’s only Catholic university, his eyes have a distinct sparkle, and it’s not just his glasses.

Downtown Houston will be filled with music and festivities of ancient Mexican traditions on Saturday, Dec. 9, to celebrate the anniversary of the Virgin Mary’s appearance to a humble Mexican peasant, St. Juan Diego, in 1531.

Ten years ago, Erika Kidd sat at the edge of a family member’s hospital bed. It was almost Christmas; wind buffeted the window. Quietly, she recited the St. Andrew Novena over and over again.

This coming Sunday, over a week after Thanksgiving, after the early morning sales, the parades featuring Santa Claus, the Christmas music blaring unapologetically from radios and stores, and the declaration that the “holiday season is upon us,” we will gather as a people of faith to celebrate, not Christmas — not yet — but the first Sunday of Advent.

Two pastors on a fishing trip were staking a sign at the side of a country road that read, “The End is Near! Turn around now before it’s too late!” A passing motorist sped by, shouting out his window, “You religious nuts!” From the curve ahead, they heard screeching tires and a big splash. One pastor turned to the other and asked: “Do you think maybe our sign should just say, “Bridge Out”?

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever!” (Ps 136) This is the message on every page of Scripture, like a refrain sung from the peak of Mount Tabor (Josh 19; Judg 4; Mt 17) and echoed even to the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23:1).

Christmas Day is a momentous celebration in our faith, but this year provides a unique scheduling challenge since it falls on a Monday. The convergence of Christmas with the beginning of the workweek is a relatively rare occurrence.

The March for Life’s theme for its 2024 event will be “Pro-Life: With Every Woman, For Every Child,” the group’s president announced on Nov. 14.

Did you ever decorate your room with posters of your favorite famous people when you were a teenager — a sports figure, movie star or musician? Growing up, I sure did. I had posters of John Denver, Wayne Gretzky and Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in my bedroom.

In today’s increasingly diverse world, the Catholic Church’s inclusive invitation, transcending age, race, religion and differences, has taken on a critical role. It underscores profound love, uniting all in prayer, fostering fellowship and celebrating diverse global connections, aligning with the pressing need for unity and understanding in our contemporary society.

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, were among the U.S. bishops gathered November 13-16 for their fall plenary assembly in Baltimore.

For more than 50 years since its inception, the Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has embodied the principles of Catholic social teaching by addressing the root causes of poverty.

In the ever-evolving world of technology and media, the Office of Communications of the Archdiocese is pioneering a new way to engage with its community — the “Around the Archdiocese” podcast. Launched in early October, this popular platform seeks to foster authentic conversations about the Catholic faith, the local Church and its profound impact on people’s lives.

As Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, presided over the annual Asian Mass, a variety of voices from seven of the Archdiocese’s major Asian cultures — Burmese, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Korean and Vietnamese — came together to lead a congregation of more than 1,000 in worship at Christ the Incarnate Word Catholic Church near Houston’s Asiatown.

El día de hoy, todavía existe una percepción o entendimiento erróneo de que es un catequista. Usualmente cuando se le pregunta a la gente, se describe a la persona del catequista como una mujer que imparte clases de religión a un grupo de niños en un espacio como salón de clase o en un patio de la Iglesia. Estas respuestas tienen cierta verdad, pero son incompletas.

This past summer, I was blessed to lead the Archdiocesan trip to World Youth Day (WYD) in Lisbon. One of the young adult pilgrims said, “The journey of WYD mirrors the journey of my life with Christ.” With that in mind, this is the story of our Houston pilgrims and the closing Vigil of WYD mirrors well the journey of faith that each of us walk.

From the beginning of the Church, people of African descent have played a prominent role. St. Simon of Cyrene was from a city in northern Africa, and he had the great honor of carrying Christ’s cross.