Choices to Make & Current Affairs - May 19, 2023

Dear Friends,

As I write this letter, Fr Chuck is in New York City for several Paulist events culminating in the priestly ordination of Eric Hernandez, CSP on Saturday, May 20 at 9 am CDT. As with my ordination back in 2020, the Paulists will live stream the Ordination Mass along with the other events this weekend. Be sure to visit www.paulist.org for more information.

While you may catch a glimpse of your favorite Paulist priests on the broadcasts, I won’t be among the crowd in New York City due to a family conflict. Instead, I will be in Cali, Colombia for a cousin’s wedding on Saturday, May 20. This occasion will be our first family reunion since 2015, so I am excited to be with my grandmother, parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and extended family to concelebrate the wedding Mass alongside my great-uncle.

It was very difficult for me to choose between attending the Paulist ordination and the family wedding. Yet it also reminds me of what I am grateful for. At my diaconate ordination, I promised: “to remain celibate for the sake of the kingdom and in lifelong service.” I know I could not have made this promise without the support of a wonderful extended family to journey with me throughout my life.

Strong families support happy vocations to ministry, and I hope that I can share the gift, in turn, through ministry to families here at the parish and beyond.

During this season of ordinations, the Diocese of Austin laments that there will not be any priestly ordinations for the diocese for the first time in 20 years. Bishop Joe has called the diocese of Austin to pray and “ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his

harvest” (Matthew 9:38). The diocese will also be holding a Holy Hour for vocations on Saturday, June 10 at 10 am at St Louis Catholic Church.

The Paulists are blest to have wonderful seminarians nearing their priestly ordinations, but we also need your prayers and help to encourage more men to consider a vocation to our merry band of missionary priests.

Please pray for all travelers near and far during this season, and I look forward to sharing my stories from Colombia when I return to the parish on Sunday, May 28.

God bless,