Vocations

In June, the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) distributed $25 million to 390 religious communities across the United States. The funding is provided by donations to the Retirement Fund for Religious collection. The annual, parish-based appeal is held in most U.S. Catholic parishes each December and benefits more than 32,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests. The most recent collection raised nearly $30.7 million and marked the second year in a row that contributions exceeded $30 million.

Mass for conferral of holy orders for Praveen Kumar Lakkisetti, Danny Darius Nyakundi Nyang'au, Abel Ruiz, and Daniel Eduardo Villarreal to the priesthood and George Mbugua Ndung'u Wanjiru to the diaconate is available on Facebook live on at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20, from St. Mark the Evangelist Church in San Antonio on the Archdiocese of San Antonio Facebook page and the Today's Catholic Facebook page.

Nearly all of the religious men and women who professed perpetual vows in 2016 had a strong prayer life prior to entering their religious institute, according to a survey on men and women religious conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University. The survey results were released February 2, to coincide with the annual celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life.

In the eyes of many, Sister Joni Luna had it all.

“E-e-e-e-vermore, I will satiate thy thirst for souls," the cluster of white-saried sisters sing to their crucified spouse. In a very confining nutshell, that is the charism of the Missionaries of Charity, who seek to serve Christ through their fellow men: “Christ in the most distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor.”

Archbishop Timothy Broglio is begging for more priests for the Archdiocese of Military Services, saying that he soon may be “unable to provide Catholic priests for the military.”

Sister Stephanie Marie Martinez performs several different roles in her job at Blessed Sacrament Academy (BSA). She returned to BSA from other assignments in 1992 to serve as administrative assistant. She has since added grant writer, alumni relationship builder, donation record keeper and inveterate prayer warrior. She teaches Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) at Mission San José, loves to cook, has a joyous laugh and a welcoming heart.

Former Oblate School of Theology and Assumption Seminary faculty member Father John Kemper, PSS, 57, has been named provincial superior of the Society of St. Sulpice, also known as the Sulpician Fathers, for the United States Province. He will take office July 1. The Sulpicians were founded solely for formation of future priests. The U.S. Province runs four seminaries, and helps with formation at certain seminaries around the nation, presently including OST's sister institution, Assumption Seminary.

World Day of Consecrated Life was observed by women and men religious of the archdiocese on Feb. 8 with a gathering at the St. Paul Community Center. Attendees heard bilingual presentations on “Evangelii Gaudium” and a message from the teachings of Pope Francis.

Amidst the presence of parents, family members and friends of seminarians and alumni priests, Assumption Seminary celebrated Family Day on March 15. It was a day of memory, acknowledgement and gratitude to the parents and friends of seminarians and priests as the seminary celebrates the centennial of its mission.

Father David Garcia, whose boundless passion and enthusiasm for a variety of priestly assignments over the years has aptly earned him the “Energizer Bunny” moniker, celebrated 40 years in the priesthood on March 20 at St. Luke Church. Concelebrating the Mass were Bishop Gerald Barnes of the Diocese of San Bernardino, Father Virgil Elizondo and Msgr. Michael Boulette, in the presence Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Amarillo John W. Yanta, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Thomas J. Flanagan and many fellow priests, family members and friends.

More than 5,000 years of service to the church by women and men religious, priests, and deacons observing significant anniversaries in 2015 were honored by Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, MSpS, at the archdiocesan jubilee Mass held at Our Lady of Grace Church on April 21.

Three Missionhurst-CICM students renewed their temporary vows in the community in late April. Brother Leo Sanggaria, CICM, from Indonesia, signed his vows before Father Charles Phukuta, CICM, U.S. provincial superior.

The Del Rio Pray for Vocations (Traveling Crucifix) Program began in the summer of 2013 at Sacred Heart Church.

Pope Francis presided over the ordination of nearly twenty men to the priesthood on April 26, where he warned them against being vain priests who live first for their own pleasure rather than for God’s.

The numbers are in: almost 600 Catholic men will be ordained priests for the U.S. in 2015, an increase of more than 100 from last year.

Knights of Columbus Council 4183 held its annual Knights with the Seminarians’ Dinner recently at the KC Hall in New Braunfels, with all monies received from ticket sales allocated for seminarian financial support.

Brother Rubén Garza of the Brothers of the Beloved Disciples professed his first vows at chastity, poverty, obedience and Marian consecration at a Mass at St. Mary Magdalen Church on March 19. Father George Montague, SM, was the presider at the liturgy, which included three concelebrants: Father Joseph Mary Marshall, SM; Father Will Combs, BBD; and Father Robert Hogan, BBD. Altar servers were Brother Sean Stilson, BBD, and archdiocesan seminarian Michael Langford.

When the announcement came that Pope Francis declared 2015 as the Year of Consecrated Religious Life, jubilation was heard across the archdiocese from members of the religious communities.

Sister Agnesine Heinsch is one of seven Sisters of the Incarnate Word Blessed Sacrament who live in the convent on the campus of Blessed Sacrament Academy. For 58 years, she has served God as a member of the congregation -- first as a teacher at various schools in South Texas and later as treasurer for the BSA school office and the convent in San Antonio. As an individual, Sister Agnesine is full of life, encouraging and musical. The large garden she cultivated for many years behind the convent is now a playground enjoyed by children attending the Child Development Center, but she still has her green thumb. Sister Agnesine will also go fishing whenever possible.

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, met recently with the newly elected provincial of the Heralds of Good News community. Father Saji Sebastian, HGN, was in the archdiocese visiting Father Tomy Thomas and Father Mathew Binesh, who staff Resurrection of the Lord Parish in San Antonio.

In a wide-ranging, off-the-cuff speech to priests and religious in Naples, Pope Francis addressed various challenges of consecrated life, emphasizing above all the importance of poverty and resisting gossip.

The Assumption Seminary community rejoiced March 14 as eight of its men received Candidacy for Holy Orders during the Holy Eucharist presided by Bishop Daniel E. Flores of the Diocese of Brownsville, representing all the bishops of the candidates.

Amidst the presence of parents, family members and friends of seminarians and alumni priests, Assumption Seminary celebrated Family Day on March 15. It was a day of memory, acknowledgement and gratitude to the parents and friends of seminarians and priests as the seminary celebrates the centennial of its mission.

Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio hosted Catholic Daughters of America Court of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity on Feb. 23 to celebrate “Read Across America” with reading of books with three and four year olds.

The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate sponsored a “Come and See” vocation discernment experience at the Pat Guidon Center of Oblate School of Theology the weekend of Jan. 16-18.

The spring semester at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio began with the visit of Archbishop Jorge C. Patron Wong, Vatican Secretary of Seminaries and Congregation for Clergy, on Jan. 10.

In his opening message for the 51st World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Francis invited those discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life to listen for what Jesus is calling them to. “I invite you to listen to and follow Jesus, to allow yourselves to be transformed interiorly by his words. It will help you to participate in a communal journey that is able to release the best energies in you and around you. No vocation is born of itself or lives for itself.A vocation flows from the heart of God and blossoms in the good soil of faithful people, in the experience of fraternal love,” the pontiff stated.

Dr. Carolyn Woo, CEO and president of Catholic Relief Services, addressed the Assumption Seminary Centennial Civic Luncheon, a gathering of generous sponsors of the seminary from all walks of life. The Nov. 19 event gathering began with words of welcome by Michael Belz, president of Catholic Life Insurance. He invited the guests to join and celebrate the joy of Assumption Seminary in its centennial year. He thanked the guests for being present to witness and thank God for the hundred years of Assumption Seminary’s journey in forming men for the priesthood.

Our congregation, the Missionaries of the Holy Infant Jesus of Good Health, was founded in Morelia, Michoacán, México, on Sept. 9, 1966. We are a diocesan religious institute of apostolic life, composed of sisters who profess public perpetual vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, who live our lives in community, and who dedicate ourselves to the works of our apostolate (Canon N. 607, 2).

Yes, that is what Pope Francis wants to do, to “Wake up the World!” Pope Francis has announced that the year 2015 will be “The Year of Consecrated Religious.” And who is he speaking to? He is really speaking to everyone but first and foremost he is speaking to the consecrated religious. These are the priests, brothers and sisters who are members of religious congregations founded to serve some particular social or church need. The many churches, schools, universities, hospitals, Catholic institutions and services memorialize these founders and their faithful followers. But Pope Francis and the consecrated religious know that these bricks and mortar alone will not fulfill his directive to “Wake up the World.”

As crisp fall mornings meld into the quiet beauty of the Advent season God asks the age-old question, “I am doing something new. Can you not see it?” The upcoming Year of Consecrated Life sets aside time for renewal and appreciation for Consecrated Life and invites the next generations of Catholics to give their hearts completely to Christ as religious brothers, priests or sisters. As vocation director for the Congregation of Divine Providence (CDP) in San Antonio, it is easy to see the new life that abounds on our convent grounds and enthusiastically respond, “Yes Lord, we do — and it is utterly amazing!”

“All I want is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection.” Phil 3:10

In a chapter held over 25 years ago the Sisters of the Holy Spirit made a decision to answer the Holy Father’s call to send missionaries to the Third World.

The Year of Consecrated Life was inaugurated in the archdiocese Nov. 30 with a special televised liturgy celebrated by Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, at San Fernando Catehdral, with more than three-quarters of the pews in the sanctuary filled with consecrated religious.