News - September 2020 RSS Feed

El Obispo José S. Vásquez, de la Diócesis de Austin, emitió el siguiente mensaje pastoral a los fieles católicos el 8 de septiembre de 2020: Deseo informarles de maravillosas noticias en el mundo de las vacunas. Recientemente, la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los Estados Unidos (FDA por sus siglas en inglés) aprobó la solicitud del proveedor farmacéutico Sanofi Pasteur de dejar de usar la línea celular de fetal abortado conocida como MRC-5 y comenzar a usar una ética línea celular de animal en la producción de sus vacunas contra la polio. Además, Sanofi Pasteur eligió no depender de líneas celulares vinculadas al aborto electivo en el desarrollo de una vacuna para COVID-19. Agradezco públicamente a Sanofi Pasteur por esta decisión, así como a la FDA por su aprobación.

Deseo informarles de maravillosas noticias en el mundo de las vacunas. Recientemente, la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los Estados Unidos (FDA por sus siglas en inglés) aprobó la solicitud del proveedor farmacéutico Sanofi Pasteur de dejar de usar la línea celular de fetal abortado conocida como MRC-5 y comenzar a usar una ética línea celular de animal en la producción de sus vacunas contra la polio. Además, Sanofi Pasteur eligió no depender de líneas celulares vinculadas al aborto electivo en el desarrollo de una vacuna para COVID-19. Agradezco públicamente a Sanofi Pasteur por esta decisión, así como a la FDA por su aprobación.

Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, of the Diocese of Austin, issued the following pastoral message to the Catholic faithful on September 8, 2020: I wish to inform you of wonderful news in the world of vaccines. Recently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the request of pharmaceutical provider Sanofi Pasteur to stop using the aborted fetal cell line known as MRC-5 and begin using an ethical animal cell line in producing its polio vaccines.

In “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” the bishops state, “Conscience is not something that allows us to justify doing whatever we want, nor is it a mere ‘feeling’ about what we should or should not do. Rather, conscience is the voice of God resounding in the human heart, revealing the truth to us, and calling us to do what is good while shunning what is evil. Conscience always requires serious attempts to make sound moral judgments based on the truths of our faith.”

Frances Simpson (left) and Dr. Lisa Ellis work in the health care profession in Austin. Their work and their daily routines have changed immensely since March; however, they both say their faith keeps them grounded. (Photos courtesy Simpson and Ellis)

When a Mass card is purchased, the recipient is enrolled in the Clerical Endowment Fund. Every month Bishop Joe Vásquez and Father Ed Karasek offer Masses for those who are enrolled. Another spiritual benefit for those who are enrolled includes the prayers of the seminarians as well as the Carmelite sisters in Christoval. (Catholic Spirit file photo)

Prayer has been the backbone of every decision we have made, and through prayer, we have discovered the blessings in our midst: the ability to serve families remotely and in person, the ability to grow stronger spiritually as a community, and the ability to treasure the time we are physically together.

Quarantine also can bring regret over lost opportunities. Regret is tricky. While it dismays, it can also bring clarity to our deepest yearnings. Hospice chaplain Kerry Egan in her book “On Living” points out that regret tells us what is missing in our lives as well as reveals our fondest hopes. If we are temporarily sidelined by the coronavirus, we have a chance to reflect on what is most important in our lives.

If we only recognized that every person we encounter, whether friend, foe or perfect stranger, is someone to whom we can give a witness –– to the joy of Jesus, to a faith that transforms, and to a church that is home.

Taking seriously the dignity of each person and recognizing the God-given gift of creation should give rise to both a sense of responsibility and a sense of awe, Pope Francis said.

Firearm deaths rose by 16% in April and 15% in May, compared to the same months in 2019, with urban areas — experiencing increased unemployment and the stress of spikes in COVID-19 cases and deaths — bearing the brunt of the violence, data from the Gun Violence Archive shows.

Texans are asked to respond to the U.S. Census questionnaire as soon as possible if they have not already responded.