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I pray to God that this year, dedicated to St. Joseph, may inspire all fathers, not only those who are biological fathers, but us who are also spiritual fathers, to work to strengthen fatherhood. I encourage all men to read “Patris corde” and to develop a devotion to St. Joseph and seek his guidance to become better fathers.

Ancestral roots run deep for many families at St. Mary Parish, said Father Everardo Cazares, pastor of St. Mary Parish. “Celebrating the 150th dedication of the parish with solemnity is an opportunity to honor our ancestors, recognize their efforts, and at the same time renew our commitment to spiritual wealth, not only in tradition but by inherited witness.”

True healing can only occur when the wound is cleaned completely, and the wound caused when someone hurts us can only be healed by letting go of the “tip of the thorn,” the grudge we continue to bear even after the offender says, “I’m sorry,” and we say, “You are forgiven.”

Father Larry Covington, the pastor of St. Theresa Parish, said the parish was already looking at ways to improve its online presence before the pandemic hit. Then, as COVID-19 cases spread nationwide and hit home in Austin last spring, the parish staff shifted into high gear to offer virtual opportunities to stay connected as a community.

Mike Scarpato serves as the risk manager for the Diocese of Austin. In this role he coordinates the diocesan Risk Insurance Program, which provides coverage to parishes and schools for property, liability, automobile, workers’ compensation and other perils as they occur.

The proceeds from the 2020 Ashes to Easter campaign benefit three area nonprofits and will help them continue their mission work. Educate Haiti Inc., Weavers of Hope and New Hope for Cambodian Children will share in the funds raised through last year’s campaign.

Luke Arnold, a freshman at St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School in Austin, packs a trailer full of school supplies for a Catholic school in Louisiana. Dismayed by the devastating effects of recent hurricanes, he initiated a school supply drive to help St. Margaret’s Catholic School. The supply drive collected 3,500 items, which were then delivered to Louisiana.

Working with Biden will be “unique,” Archbishop Gomez said, because he is the first president in six decades who is Catholic.

In Texas one of two pro-life bills backed by the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops is the Human Life Protection Act, which would allow the state to immediately enact new legislation if the U.S. Supreme Court “changes precedent and allows states to protect unborn children before viability outside the womb.”

American poet Amanda Gorman read a poem during the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States at the Capitol in Washington Jan. 20. She is a parishioner at St. Brigid Parish in Los Angeles.

This year priests and ministers have been asked to similarly distribute ashes on the tops of heads on Ash Wednesday. All priests and ministers must sanitize their hands before distributing ashes and they must wear masks during the distribution of ashes.

The norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal.

As we continue our reflections during this Year of the Domestic Church, our theme for February is “prayer at home.” This is a time in which we can reflect on the role of prayer within our families, and the ways in which we lay the foundation of prayer in our family life.

Spiritual growth demands that, in reaching out to our neighbors, we will serve the Lord with gladness, seeing the face of Christ in every person we serve.

Ethelbert himself was eventually baptized in 601 and received a congratulatory letter and gifts from the pope. He was the first English king to convert to Christianity.

Her very name means “light,” and so I ask St. Clare to light our path this Lent. St. Clare, pray for us.