By Elizabeth Slaten – Our consciences can and should inform every single thing we do. It informs the morality of everything in our lives! From the things we say, to the TV shows we watch, to the people we choose to spend our time with, to the way we interact with our children or treat our spouse. Our consciences inform every action in our lives.
By Stacy Trasancos – To explain grace, I imagined it like glasses of water that God sets down on the kitchen counter for us to drink in. Grace is abundant. As much as we think we need, indeed as much as God knows we need even if we don’t fully grasp the purpose of each event in our lives and how it fits into the greater plan, God will grant the glasses of grace.
By Sonja Morin – Believe it or not, there’s many. One of the go-tos is St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who likely struggled with depression and anxiety. St. Oscar Romero battled OCD his entire life. Some holy figures, like Venerable Matt Talbot and St. Mark Ji Tianxiang, battled addiction, even to their dying day. St. Dymphna (whose feast we celebrate May 15th) is considered one of the ultimate patrons of mental health.
By Dr. Donald DeMarco – We are confronted with the same problem in our world of today: truth versus novelty. Sheen had the enviable ability to make truth appear fresh and novelty appear stale. People hunger for something new and it is delivered at their doorstep each day in the form of the daily newspaper. The Bible, the eternal world of God, gathers dust while readers hungrily scan the newspaper.
By Angelina Estrada – If I had to give advice to someone thinking of becoming a catechist I would say what Fr. Victor said, “there’s no better time than now.” If God is calling you to serve, let the Holy Spirit guide you and do not be afraid to put yourself out there.
By Ann Burns – When we dress solely to express “ourselves,” we place ourselves at the center, believing that we should be able to dress how we please because it is about satisfying our own egos. It is turned inward — glorifying our own vanity and incapable of bearing fruit.
On the other hand, when we choose modesty, we choose to communicate something good and wonderful. Modesty partakes in the eternal because it is of God— it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit— and the things of God are rich and timeless.
By Lindsey McMillan – The Knights of Columbus representing the Diocese of Tyler have had an active charitable presence within Catholic communities across East Texas. With thirty councils and 2,600 members, the Knights have set goals and surpassed them each year in their quest to meet the needs of the diocese. Since 1988, the Knights have contributed over $500,000 in charitable donations to the Diocese of Tyler.
By Deacon Keith Fournier – Today, in the Roman Catholic Liturgical Calendar, we commemorate one of the greatest women saints of Christian history, Catherine of Siena. She is an outstanding example for all who follow Jesus Christ and desire the healing and unity of the Church in our own day. More than anything else, we need saints in this urgent hour.
By Robert L. Judge – In the midst of the frantic running around, doubt and skepticism of the disciples, Mary remained still and peaceful in the assurances of the promises of God and models for us true faith. She demonstrates what Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit said, “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Lk. 1:45). Calvary was not the end, it couldn’t be and Mary knew this.
By Elizabeth Slaten – Fr. Dominic explained that their mission is “the continuation of the mission of Jesus. It is always in unity with the poor and with the most abandoned. So, wherever the poor or the most abandoned, especially in the spiritual sense, we want to reach out to them.”
We are excited to reintroduce the Catholic East Texas magazine. We are doing our best to provide content that you care about. You’ll find articles about the Catholic Faith, the liturgical calendar, our seminarians, social issues, and much more. Our top focus is excellent content. Be on the lookout for new articles that tell the stories of the lives of Catholics in East Texas. We are analyzing how we can provide this magazine in print form, which is much more costly than publishing online. We would greatly appreciate your help in making the decision.
