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In our own communities – our family among families, we invite others to journey with us and to accomplish the work of God in the world.

I urge the Christian faithful throughout Central Texas not only to pray for the conversion of all people to preserve the inherent dignity and value of every human life, but also to speak out against the deleterious effects of racism, violence, hatred, and oppression.  May we hold fast to our faith in Jesus Christ who broke down the dividing wall of hostility and division between us (Ephesians 2:14). 

As I travel throughout the diocese conferring the sacrament of Confirmation and celebrating Baccalaureate Masses and graduations, I am filled with joy witnessing the growth in wisdom and holiness of our people. This month I will celebrate four Baccalaureate Masses and 16 confirmation liturgies! This is a time of great hope and thanksgiving knowing that these important milestones are gifts from God.

This Sunday we also remember our mothers, the women who, by God’s grace, have given each of us life.  We also hold in prayer and gratitude the women who chose to foster, adopt, and care for many of us. On this Mother’s Day, as we await the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion, we lift our intercessions for mothers to our Most Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, who chose to say yes. 

The Church’s commitment to protect human life from conception to natural death remains steadfast. So too is our commitment to accompany mothers who face an unplanned pregnancy. As we await the Supreme Court’s final decision, my hope is that people of goodwill will continue to pray for a just decision that upholds the dignity of life.

As we began this week, we honored the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist and today, April 29, we mark the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena. 

I join with the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops in expressing my gratitude to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for intervening to spare the life of Melissa Lucio, a mother of 14 and a grandmother, who was scheduled for execution on April 27.

Through the 50 days of Easter, we will continue to celebrate each Sunday in the light of Easter Sunday. Let us hold fast to the joy of the empty tomb and respond to God's call to serve others as he has served us.

Brothers and sisters, the summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum—from the evening of Holy Thursday to the evening of Easter Sunday.

Beginning with Palm Sunday, we will journey together through the holiest week of the liturgical year. Jesus’ joyous entry into Jerusalem will soon be confronted with the painful drama of sin, rejection and betrayal.

As we now enter more deeply into Lent, and nearing the holiest week of the year, let us pray for those preparing for full initiation into the Catholic Church through Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.

In communion with Pope Francis, this morning at 11 a.m, I will join the Holy Father in this Act of Consecration and I invite the faithful of the Diocese of Austin to pray with me.

In communion with our Holy Father, Bishop Vasquez is calling on his priests and the faithful in the Diocese of Austin to join him on March 25, 2022, at 11 a.m. in consecrating these two countries.

As we enter the third week of our Lenten journey, we continue with acts of penance that allow the soul to make room for God’s grace and cultivate the fruits of wisdom and holiness.

On March 19, we celebrate the feast of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary. In our diocese, we are also blessed to be celebrating the ordination of sixteen men to the permanent diaconate.  

May the Lord Jesus Christ infuse each of you with his graces during these next 40 days so that as one People of God we will return to him with our whole hearts and come to know ourselves in serving others.

Lent is a time of renewal... there is no brokenness that cannot be redeemed by Christ...

Despite thousands of pages of protective service records and recorded interviews with her children showing that Melissa was not abusive, she was convicted and sentenced to death for causing the death of her two-year old daughter, Mariah.

On March 2, Ash Wednesday, we enter the holy season of Lent. This is an opportunity to accept our Lord’s invitation to journey with him to the cross and resurrection as the Mystical Body of Christ.

I ask the faithful of the Diocese of Austin to join me in praying for the safety of the people of Ukraine. May world leaders act swiftly to end all hostility.