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The Friday E-Pistle

Oct. 30, 2020
A Message from Bishop Vásquez
Official appointments
  • Rev. Will Straten as pastor of St. Mary Catholic Center in College Station, effective Nov. 9, 2020. 
  • Rev. Hai Nguyen as administrator of St. Helen Parish in Georgetown, effective Nov. 9, 2020. 
  • Rev. Albert Haase, OFM as director of Formation for Consecrated Virgins, effective Oct. 26, 2020, in addition to his position as chaplain at Cedarbrake Retreat Center in Temple.
  • Rev. Sang Quan as associate director of Formation for Consecrated Virgins, effective Oct. 26, 2020, in addition to serving as pastor of Christ the King Parish in Belton.
Catholic Services Appeal
   Commitment Weekend for the Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) is the weekend of Nov. 7-8. The theme for the 2020-21 CSA is "Hearts filled with gratitude." The CSA is an opportunity to support more than 100 programs and ministries that reach beyond the scope of individual parishes, drawing all communities together in a common mission. May each of us prayerfully consider how we can share our blessings in showing gratitude to God for all he has given us. Ways to give to the CSA include cash, check, money order, credit or debit card, electronic fund transfer from bank accounts, stock, IRA distribution or by texting a dollar amount to (512) 829-3826. For more information, contact Lauryn Filip at (512) 949-2440.

All Souls Day
   As we prepare for The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day) on Nov. 2, we remember and pray for the holy souls in purgatory and all the faithful departed, including those we have lost to COVID-19. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

Attention musicians

   The NPM Austin Chapter and the diocesan Worship Office will host an Advent Virtual Retreat for musicians Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon. The retreat, entitled “Finding Our Voice of Hope in the Silence,” will be facilitated by Daniel Girardot and Clara Dina Hinojosa. This is a bilingual (English and Spanish) event. The registration fee is $10. Register by Nov. 2 at the NPM Austin website. For more information, contact Andrea Ramos at (512) 949-2448.

Canonical & Tribunal Services
2020 deadline
   The diocesan Tribunal will conclude acceptance of new cases for 2020 on Nov. 16. Cases received after this date will be opened beginning Jan. 4, 2021. Please see the Judicial Vicar’s memo for more details.
Marriage Packet Workshop
   The diocesan Tribunal will host a Marriage Packet Workshop on Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Austin. This workshop is intended for priests, deacons and parish staff who assist couples with canonical paperwork in preparation for their marriage. The same workshop will be held in Spanish on Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon via Zoom. There is no charge, but registration will be capped at 10, so please register at this link. For more information, contact Janie Cuellar via email or at (512) 949-2479.
Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center

   A retreat in Spanish will be offered Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Cedarbrake Catholic Retreat Center in Temple. Paulist Father Bruce Nieli will present “Un Solo Cuerpo/Un Solo Espíritu/Una Sola America!” The cost is $35 per person. To register, visit this link.

Faith formation
   The Office of Evangelization and Catechesis will offer a 16-hour virtual course on Morality beginning Nov. 3. To live a moral Christian life is to respond to the gift of God’s love. This course will explore the nature of that response by examining key themes and dimensions of Christian morality, both from a personal and a social/communal perspective. To register and for more information, click here. For a complete list of upcoming faith formation classes, click here.

#iGiveCatholic is Dec. 1

   #iGiveCatholic 2020 is coming soon! The Stewardship and Development Office is thrilled to once again host this annual giving day campaign on behalf of the Diocese of Austin on Dec. 1. Registration closes today (Oct. 30) for #iGiveCatholic! Even if your parish, school or organization participated in previous years, you will first need to apply to participate. To apply and begin the registration process, click here or navigate to our diocesan landing page on the igivecatholic.org website. For more information contact Margaret Kappel.

Catholic schools
    Open houses in our Catholic schools are designed to help parents and their children explore Catholic education in the Diocese of Austin. There will be opportunities to tour campuses, meet faculty and students, learn more about the school's culture, community and curriculum, and ask questions about the admissions process. For a complete list of upcoming sessions, visit this link.
Young adults

   Young adults between the ages of 18 and 39 are invited to “Journeying Together,” a conversation about Pastoral Juvenil Hispana, on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Hispanic young adults from Region 10 (Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas) will come together to offer their input about how they experience community in the context of a family of faith. Both Spanish and English will be used in this discussion. Register at this link or for general information call (512) 949-2466.

Ethics and Integrity in Ministry (EIM)
   The pandemic in no way lessens the sacred obligation of those who serve in ministry, both virtual and in-person, to make the Church safe for all. The EIM Office reminds all persons who are due to update their EIM compliance to complete the Temporary Online EIM Training [En Español]. New employees and new volunteers currently active in ministry should submit an EIM Application and check with their parish/school EIM site administrator regarding the availability of an EIM Workshop.
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