Did you receive your sacraments here at St. Anthony’s? Are you in need of a re-issuance of one of your Certificates? If you need a new certificate, please submit an online Certificate Request Form. Certificate Request Did you receive your sacraments here at St. Anthony’s? Are you in need of a re-issuance of one of your Certificates? If you need a new certificate, please submit an online Certificate Request Form. All Ages Next Item Previous Item Program Contact Diane Czerniak Elementary FF Manager dczerniak@ap.church 832-482-4037 Did you receive your sacraments here at St. Anthony’s? Are you in need of a re-issuance of one of your Certificates? If you need a new certificate, please submit an online Certificate Request Form. Certificate Request Form

ACTS is a Parish Weekend Retreat that brings people closer to God and helps them build a relationship with Jesus. It’s based on Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service which is patterned after the description of the early Church by the Acts of the Apostles. Retreat Grow in your Faith Are you looking to deepen your faith? There are plenty of opportunities for adults to get involved at our parish. We have Bible Studies, Community Groups, Prayer and Devotions, Classes, Retreats, Organizations, and Groups in Spanish. I Want to Volunteer Contact Us ACTS Retreats Various Times English & Spanish Retreat ACTS is a Parish Weekend Retreat that brings people closer to God and helps them build a relationship with Jesus. It’s based on Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service which is patterned after the description of the early Church by the Acts of the Apostles. Upcoming Retreats Holy Name Retreats Various Times English & Spanish Retreat Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center supports and encourages the great human and spiritual adventure: the discovery of God and God’s loving compassion through Christ Crucified. Holy Name exists to provide hospitality, healing, compassion, and opportunities for spiritual growth for all people. Retreats are offered on many different weekends throughout the year. Upcoming Retreats Retiro Mensuales Martes por la mañana Spanish Only Retreat El Retiro Mensual es una mañana de oración personal frente a Cristo Eucaristía ofrecido por el Movimiento Regnum Christi. Es una invitación abierta a todas las mujeres que quieran crecer en su relación personal con Jesús a través de meditaciones basadas en la Sagrada Escritura, oportunidad de confesión y de participar en la Santa Misa. Más Información Retreats Various Times English & Spanish Retreat Throughout the year we offer various retreats at St. Anthony's and around the Archdiocese. Visit our webiste for more information. Upcoming Retreats

Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, born in 1902 in Spain, was deeply shaped by his Catholic upbringing. After facing personal tragedies and financial hardship, he felt a divine call, leading him to the priesthood. In 1928, he founded Opus Dei, promoting the idea that holiness could be achieved through everyday work. Despite the challenges of the Spanish Civil War and later health issues, Escrivá expanded Opus Dei globally, focusing on education, professional integrity, and devotion to God. He died in 1975, leaving a spiritual legacy that led to his canonization by Pope John Paul II in 2002. St. Josemaría Escrivá 1902 - 1975 Feast Day: June 26 Location: Spain & Italy Identifiers: Founder of Opus Dei Relic located in the: TBD Type of Relic: A spot of blood Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer was born in Barbastro (Spain) on January 9, 1902, the second of six children of José Escrivá and María Dolores Albás. His parents, fervent Catholics, took him to the baptismal font four days later, on January 13, and then taught him, first of all with their exemplary life, the foundations of faith and the practice of Christian virtues: love for frequent confession and communion, trust in prayer, devotion to Our Lady, and helping those most in need. Blessed Josemaría grew up as a cheerful, bright and simple child, naughty, a good student, intelligent and gifted with a spirit of observation. He had great affection for his mother and great trust and friendship for his father, who invited him to turn to him freely to tell him his worries, always ready to give him affectionate and prudent advice. Soon the Lord began to temper his soul in the forge of pain: between 1910 and 1913 his three younger sisters died and in 1914 the family suffered a financial collapse. In 1915 the Escrivás moved to Logroño, where the father had found a job that would allow him to support his family, albeit modestly. In the winter of 1917-18, an event occurred that would have a decisive influence on Josemaría Escrivá's future: during the Christmas holidays, a heavy snowfall fell on the city and one day he observed the frozen footprints left in the snow by two bare feet; they were the prints of a Carmelite friar who was walking barefoot. He then asked himself: - If others make so many sacrifices for God and for their neighbor, will I not be able to offer Him anything? Thus a "divine restlessness" arose in his soul: - I began to have a presentiment of Love, to realize that my heart was asking me for something great and that it was love. Although he did not yet know precisely what the Lord was asking of him, he decided to become a priest, to make himself more available to fulfill the divine will. After completing high school, he began his ecclesiastical studies at the seminary in Logroño and, in 1920, he transferred to the seminary in Zaragoza, where he completed his formation prior to the priesthood at the Pontifical University. In the capital of Aragon, following a suggestion from his father and with the permission of his ecclesiastical superiors, he also studied law. He was much loved by his classmates for his generous and cheerful, simple and serene character. Josemaría's commitment to a life of piety, discipline and study was an example for all seminarians and in 1922, at the age of just twenty, the Archbishop of Zaragoza appointed him Inspector of the Seminary. In those years he spent many hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, laying the foundations for a profound Eucharistic life, and went every day to the Basilica of the Pillar to ask Our Lady to show him what God wants from him: – Since I felt those premonitions of God’s love, he said on October 2, 1968, in my smallness I tried to realize what He expected from this poor instrument [...]. And, amid those anxieties, I prayed, prayed, prayed in a continuous prayer. I never stopped repeating: Domine, ut sit! Domine, ut videam!, like the poor man in the Gospel, who cries out because God can do everything. Lord, let me see! Lord, let it be! And I also repeated, [...] full of trust in my Mother in Heaven: Domina, ut sit!, Domina, ut videam! The Most Holy Virgin has always helped me to discover the desires of her Son. On November 27, 1924, José Escrivá died of a sudden syncope. On March 28, 1925, Josemaría was ordained a priest by Msgr. Miguel de los Santos Díaz Gómara, in the church of the Seminary of San Carlos in Saragossa, and two days later he celebrated his first solemn Mass in the Holy Chapel of the Basilica del Pilar. On the 31st of the same month he moved to Perdiguera, a peasant village, where he was appointed auxiliary regent of the parish. In April 1927, with the approval of his archbishop, he moved to Madrid to obtain a doctorate in Civil Law, which at the time could only be obtained at the Central University of the Spanish capital. Here his apostolic zeal immediately put him in contact with people from all social backgrounds: students, artists, workers, intellectuals, priests. In particular, he tirelessly devoted himself to the children, the sick, and the poor of the outlying slums. At the same time, he supported his mother and brothers by giving lessons in legal subjects. These were times of great economic hardship, which the whole family lived with serene dignity. The Lord blessed him with abundant extraordinary graces that found fertile ground in his generous soul and produced abundant fruits for the benefit of the Church and souls. On October 2, 1928, Opus Dei was born . Blessed Josemaría was taking part in a retreat and, while meditating on the notes in which he had recorded the interior motions he had received from God over the last few years, he suddenly "saw" – this was the term he would always use to describe the foundational experience – the mission that the Lord wanted to entrust to him: to begin a new vocational path in the Church, to promote the search for holiness and apostolate through the sanctification of ordinary work in the middle of the world, without changing one's state. A few months later, on February 14, 1930, the Lord made him understand that Opus Dei must also include women. From that moment on, Blessed Josemaría dedicated himself body and soul to his founding mission: to ensure that men and women from all walks of life commit themselves to following Christ, loving their neighbor and seeking holiness in their daily lives. He did not consider himself an innovator or a reformer, because he was convinced that Christ is eternal newness and that the Holy Spirit continually rejuvenates the Church, for whose service God raised up Opus Dei. Aware that he had been entrusted with a supernatural mission, he based his work on prayer, sacrifice, the joyful awareness of divine filiation, and tireless work. People from all walks of life began to follow him, especially groups of university students, in whom he awakened a sincere aspiration to serve their fellow men, kindling in them the burning desire to put Christ at the center of all human activities through work that was sanctified, sanctifying and sanctifying. This is the goal he will assign to the initiatives of the faithful of Opus Dei: to raise to God, with the help of grace, every created reality, so that Christ may reign in everyone and in everything; to know Jesus Christ, to make him known, to bring him to all places. It is therefore understandable that he could exclaim: – The divine paths of the earth have been opened. In 1933 he opened a university academy because he realized that the world of science and culture is a focal point for the evangelization of the entire society. In 1934 he published, with the title of Consideraciones espirituales, the first edition of Cammino, a book of spirituality, of which more than four and a half million copies have been published so far, with 372 editions in 44 languages. Opus Dei was still in its infancy when, in 1936, the Spanish Civil War broke out. Anti-religious violence was raging in Madrid, but Don Josemaría, despite the risks, devoted himself heroically to prayer, penance and apostolate. It was a time of suffering for the Church; but they were also years of spiritual and apostolic growth and of strengthening hope. In 1939, with the conflict over, the founder of Opus Dei was able to give new impetus to his apostolic work throughout the country and, in particular, he mobilized many young university students to bring Christ everywhere and discover the greatness of their Christian vocation. Meanwhile, his fame for sanctity was spreading: many bishops invited him to preach retreats to the clergy and lay people of Catholic organizations. Similar requests came from the superiors of various religious orders and he always granted them. In 1941, while he was preaching a retreat to a group of priests in Lérida, his mother, who had helped the apostolates of Opus Dei so much, died. The Lord also allowed bitter misunderstandings to arise against him. The bishop of Madrid, Msgr. Eijo y Garay, sent him his most sincere support and granted the first canonical approval of Opus Dei. Blessed Josemaría endured the difficulties with prayer and good humor, knowing full well that "all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim 3:12), and he recommended to his spiritual children that, faced with offenses, they should strive to forgive and forget: to be silent, to pray, to work, to smile. In 1943, through a new foundational grace he received during the celebration of Mass, the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross was born within Opus Dei, in which priests from the ranks of the lay faithful of Opus Dei could be incardinated. The full membership of lay faithful and priests in Opus Dei, as well as the organic cooperation of both in its apostolates, is a specific characteristic of the foundational charism, which the Church confirmed in 1982 with its definitive juridical configuration as a personal Prelature. On June 25, 1944, three engineers, including Alvaro del Portillo, the Founder's first successor at the head of Opus Dei, were ordained priests. By 1975, there were almost a thousand lay members of Opus Dei whom Blessed Josemaría would lead to the priesthood. Furthermore, the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, intrinsically united to the Prelature of Opus Dei, carries out, in full harmony with the Pastors of the local Churches, activities of spiritual formation for diocesan priests and candidates for the priesthood. Diocesan priests can also be part of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross, without changing their membership in the clergy of their respective dioceses. As soon as he glimpsed the end of the world war, Blessed Josemaría began to prepare apostolic work in other countries, because – he repeated – Jesus wants his Work to have a universal, Catholic character from the very beginning. In 1946 he moved to Rome with the aim of preparing the pontifical recognition of Opus Dei. On February 24, 1947, Pius XII granted the decretum laudis and on June 16, 1950, definitive approval. From that day on, non-Catholic and even non-Christian men and women could be admitted as Cooperators of Opus Dei, to support its apostolic activities with their work, almsgiving and prayer. The headquarters of Opus Dei was established in Rome to emphasize even more tangibly the aspiration that informed all its work: – To serve the Church as the Church wishes to be served, in strict adherence to the Chair of Peter and the ecclesiastical hierarchy. Pius XII and John XXIII repeatedly sent him expressions of affection and esteem; Paul VI wrote to him in 1964, defining Opus Dei as a "living expression of the perennial youth of the Church". This period in the life of the founder of Opus Dei was also marked by all sorts of trials: to his health compromised by so many hardships (he suffered from a serious form of diabetes for over ten years, until 1954, when he miraculously recovered), were added the economic hardships and difficulties connected with the expansion of the apostolates throughout the world. And yet he was always seen cheerful, because true virtue is not sad and unpleasant, but rather amiably cheerful. His perennial good humor is a continuous testimony of unconditional love for the will of God. The world is very small when Love is great: the desire to flood the earth with the light of Christ leads him to welcome the appeals of the numerous bishops who, in every part of the world, ask for the contribution of the apostolates of Opus Dei to evangelization. Various projects are born: professional schools, training centers for farmers, universities, schools, clinics and dispensaries, etc. These activities, which he liked to define as a sea without shores, the fruit of the initiative of ordinary Christians who want to take care, with a lay mentality and professional sense, of the concrete needs of a certain place, are open to people of all races, religions and social conditions, because their clear Christian identity is always combined with a profound respect for the freedom of conscience. When John XXIII announced the convocation of an Ecumenical Council, he began to pray and have others pray for the happy outcome of this great initiative that was the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, as he wrote in a letter in 1962. In the Council sessions the solemn Magisterium confirmed some fundamental aspects of the spirit of Opus Dei: the universal call to holiness, professional work as a means of holiness and apostolate, the value and legitimate limits of the freedom of the Christian in temporal matters, the Holy Mass as the center and root of the interior life, etc. Blessed Josemaría met numerous Council Fathers and Experts, who saw in him an authentic precursor of many of the main lines of Vatican II. Deeply identified with the Council's doctrine, he diligently promoted its diffusion through the formation activities of Opus Dei throughout the world. Far away – over there, on the horizon – it seems that heaven and earth are united. Do not forget that where heaven and earth truly unite is in your heart as a child of God. The preaching of Blessed Josemaría constantly emphasizes the primacy of interior life over organizational activities: – These world crises are crises of saints, he wrote in The Way, and sanctity always requires that interpenetration of prayer, work and apostolate that he calls unity of life and of which his conduct is the best testimony. He was deeply convinced that to achieve sanctity in daily work it is necessary to strive to be a soul of prayer, a soul of profound interior life. When one lives in this way, everything is prayer, everything can and must lead us to God, nourishing a continuous relationship with Him, from morning to night. Every honest job can be prayer; and every job that is prayer is apostolate. The root of the prodigious fruitfulness of his ministry is found precisely in the ardent interior life that made Blessed Josemaría a contemplative in the midst of the world: an interior life nourished by prayer and the sacraments, which expressed itself in his passionate love for the Eucharist, in the depth with which he made the Mass the center and root of his life, in his tender devotion to Mary, to Saint Joseph and to the Guardian Angels, in his fidelity to the Church and to the Pope. In the last years of his life, the founder of Opus Dei made catechetical trips throughout much of Europe and several countries in Latin America. He took part in numerous formation meetings everywhere, simple and familiar, even though thousands of people were often present to listen to him, in which he spoke about God, the sacraments, Christian devotions, the sanctification of work, and love for the Church and the Pope. On March 28, 1975, he celebrated his priestly jubilee. That day, his prayer was like a synthesis of his entire life: – Fifty years later, I find myself like a babbling child. I begin and begin again in my interior struggle every day. And so it is until the end of my remaining days: always beginning again. On June 26, 1975, Blessed Josemaría died in his workroom at midday, following a cardiac arrest, at the foot of a picture of Our Lady upon which he cast his last gaze. At that time, Opus Dei was present on the five continents with more than 60,000 members of 80 nationalities. The spiritual works of Msgr. Escrivá (The Way, The Holy Rosary, Conversations with Msgr. Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, Friends of God, Our Mother Church, The Way of the Cross, Furrow, The Forge) were distributed in millions of copies. After his death, a large number of faithful asked the Pope to open the cause of canonization. On May 17, 1992, in Rome, His Holiness John Paul II elevated Josemaría Escrivá to the honors of the altars, in a beatification ceremony attended by a multitude of faithful. On September 21, 2001, the Ordinary Congregation of Cardinals and Bishops, members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, unanimously confirmed the miraculous character of a healing and its attribution to Blessed Josemaría. On December 20, 2002, John Paul II approved the decree of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints regarding the miracle of Blessed Josemaría that opened the doors to his canonization. It concerns the miraculous healing of a serious occupational disease (chronic radiodermatitis) suffered for several years by Dr. Manuel Nevado Rey , who disappeared in November 1992, after having turned to the intercession of Blessed Josemaría Escrivá. Radiodermatitis is a disease typical of health workers who have exposed their hands to the action of radiation emitted by X-ray equipment for a prolonged period of time. The disease is progressive, it inevitably progresses until it causes, over the years, the appearance of skin cancer. Radiodermatitis has no adequate cure. The only known treatments are surgical (skin grafts, amputation of the parts of the hands affected by the lesions). In fact, no case of spontaneous healing of chronic radiodermatitis in cancerous evolution has been reported in medical literature to date. Dr. Manuel Nevado Rey is Spanish, born in 1932, a medical specialist in traumatology. For almost fifteen years he operated on fractures and other injuries, exposing his hands to the effects of X-rays. He began to perform this type of surgery very frequently starting in 1956. The first symptoms of radiodermatitis began to appear in 1962 and the disease worsened to the point that in 1984 he had to limit his activity to minor surgery, due to the already serious damage to his hands, and then even stop operating in the summer of 1992. Dr. Nevado did not undergo any treatment. In November 1992, Dr. Nevado met Luis Eugenio Bernardo, an agricultural engineer who works for a Spanish public organization. Hearing about Dr. Manuel's illness, Bernardo gave him a prayer card of the founder of Opus Dei, beatified on May 17 of that year, inviting him to turn to his intercession to be cured of radiodermatitis. From that moment on, Dr. Nevado began to recommend himself to Blessed Escrivá. A few days after this meeting, he went with his wife to Vienna to attend a medical conference. They visited several churches together and found prayer cards of Blessed Josemaría. "I was impressed," Dr. Nevado explains, "and I was encouraged to pray even more for my healing." From the day he began to entrust his healing to the intercession of Blessed Josemaría Escrivá, the lesions on his hands improved and, in about fifteen days, disappeared completely. The healing was complete, so much so that in early January 1993, Dr. Nevado was able to return to his work as a surgeon without any problems. In the Archdiocese of Badajoz – where Dr. Nevado resides – a canonical process was held on this healing, which was concluded in 1994. On July 10, 1997, the Medical Committee of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints unanimously issued the following diagnosis: “ Cancerization of serious chronic radiodermatitis in the 3rd stage, in the irreversible phase ”; and therefore with a certainly inauspicious prognosis . The complete healing of the lesions, confirmed by objective examinations of the patient in 1992, 1994 and 1997, was declared by the Medical Committee to be “ very rapid, complete and lasting, scientifically inexplicable ”. On January 9, 1998, the Special Congress of Theological Consultors gave a unanimous affirmative response regarding the attribution of the miracle to Blessed Josemaría Escrivá. The Ordinary Congregation of Cardinals and Bishops, on 21 September 2001, confirmed these judgments. On 26 February 2002, John Paul II presided over the Ordinary Public Consistory of Cardinals and, having heard the Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops present, established the date of 6 October 2002 for the ceremony of Canonization of Blessed Josemaría Escrivá. From the Apostolic Brief of Beatification of the Venerable Servant of God Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, Priest, Founder of Opus Dei: « The Founder of Opus Dei recalled that the universality of the call to the fullness of union with Christ also means that every human activity becomes a place of encounter with God [...]. He was an authentic master of Christian life and knew how to reach the heights of contemplation with continuous prayer, uninterrupted mortification, the daily effort of a work carried out with exemplary docility to the motions of the Holy Spirit in order to serve the Church as the Church wants to be served» . https://www.causesanti.va/it/santi-e-beati/josemaria-escriva-de-balaguer.html Next Item Previous Item

Saint Bonaventure was a wise and holy man who devoted his life to the sharing of Christ’s love through mystical and Christian wisdom. His contributions to the Catholic Church – from his writings, restoration of the Franciscan Order and organization of the Council of Lyon – are immeasurable in their impact, and he is remembered as one of the most brilliant minds of his time. His intellectual prowess, paired with his calming, peaceful skills of reconciliation, created a much-needed bright spot in the Catholic Church in a time where many brewing storms could have caused severe, lasting damage if he hadn’t intervened. His feast day is July 15th. St. Bonaventure 1221 - 1274 Feast Day: July 15 Location: Italy Identifiers: Doctor of the Church, Franciscan Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of bone Saint Bonaventure was born Giovanni di Fidanza in Bagnoregio, then part of the Papal States, around the year 1221, but little is known about his early years. There are varying stories of how he became known as Bonaventure, but one story recounts his parents growing anxious when young Giovanni fell deathly ill. Beside herself with worry, his mother sent for none other than St. Francis of Assisi to come and pray over him. St. Francis healed the sickly 4-year-old boy and foreseeing the greatness of the future saint, cried out, “Oh good fortune!” which in Italian, is “O buona ventura.” And thus, the name “Bonaventure” stuck. Fast forward to 1243, when a healthy 22-year-old Bonaventure followed Francis by entering the Franciscan Order. He had already earned a Master of Arts degree in 1243, and after joining the Friars Minor, became a Master of Theology at the University of Paris alongside another future saint, Thomas Aquinas. He produced many notable works, including commentaries on the Bible, a commentary on “The Four Books of Sentences” (a theology book written by Peter Lombard), and the Breviloquium, which was an outlined summary of his theology. Bonaventure was particularly noted for his ability to reconcile and unite differing viewpoints into a harmony of theology, philosophy, and understanding. In 1256, a teacher at the University of Paris accused the mendicant Franciscans (meaning the friars who were nomadic wanderers, begging for a living) of defaming the Gospels by their practice of poverty, to prevent the Franciscans from holding teaching positions at the university. Bonaventure defended the Franciscan ideal of Christian life, and his ability to share his personal understanding of truth in a way that formed a pathway towards the love of God earned him the title of minister general of the Franciscan Order on February 2, 1257. Bonaventure expertly navigated numerous divides during his life, and thanks to his tireless visits to various provinces, he was able to restore unity to the order and reestablish the spirit of St. Francis among the friars and beyond. At all times, Bonaventure preached the Gospel eloquently and with a noticeable outward happiness. In his writings and teachings, he made it clear that only through an inward peace and joy, gained from having God in his heart, could he show happiness on the outside. He would serve as the superior of the Friars Minor for 17 fruitful years, and his impact is so great on the order that he is sometimes referred to as the second founder of the Franciscans. He successfully proposed a unified and collected text regulating the daily life of the Friars Minor in 1260, which was accepted and ratified by the General Chapter of the Order in Narbonne. Bonaventure’s skill at reconciling opposing views caught the attention of numerous Popes, including Pope Clement IV, who nominated Bonaventure for Archbishop of York in 1265. He would turn down the title though, wanting to live a simple and frugal life. A few years later though, the next Pope, Gregory X, appointed him Cardinal Bishop of Albano and it was a dignity that he couldn’t refuse in May of 1273. Pope Gregory consecrated him in November of 1273 in the French city of Lyon, and his first big task as a Cardinal Bishop was to help prepare the Second Ecumenical Council of Lyons, an important ecclesial event aimed at uniting the divisions between the Latin and Greek Churches at the time. Bonaventure worked hard to prepare the council and was a leading figure in the reform of the church, but sadly, he would not see its completion. Bonaventure died suddenly on July 15, 1274, while the council was still in session. He was buried the same day in a Franciscan Church. His contributions to the church and profound sanctity earned him the canonization of a saint on April 14, 1482 by Pope Sixtus IV, and he was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588 by Pope Sixtus V. He is often referred to as the “Seraphic Doctor” of the Church, with seraphic referring to the highest order of angels in heaven. Saint Bonaventure could have easily been remembered only for his immense intellect shared in his teachings and writings. Instead, this wise and holy man chose to reinforce that intellectual ability, while good and valid, is inferior to the direction and affections of the heart. In his own words: “If you learn everything except Christ, you learn nothing. If you learn nothing except Christ, you learn everything.” Next Item Previous Item

Julia was a noble virgin of Carthage in North Africa. A dedicated orthodox Christian, she refused to embrace the heretical tenets of the Arians and was sold into slavery by the Vandals - themselves Arian adherents - in 439 and sailed with her new master, a Syrian merchant. The vessel stopped at the island of Corsica, and Julia was commanded to participate in local pagan ceremony. When she refused, threats were made; she was then tortured and crucified. Another tradition states that she was martyred by Saracens. She is venerated as the patroness of Corsica. St. Julia 5th Century Feast Day: May 22 Location: Corsica Identifiers: Virgin, Martyr Relic located in the: TBD Type of Relic: A piece of bone Julia was a noble virgin of Carthage in North Africa. A dedicated orthodox Christian, she refused to embrace the heretical tenets of the Arians and was sold into slavery by the Vandals - themselves Arian adherents - in 439 and sailed with her new master, a Syrian merchant. The vessel stopped at the island of Corsica, and Julia was commanded to participate in local pagan ceremony. When she refused, threats were made; she was then tortured and crucified. Another tradition states that she was martyred by Saracens. She is venerated as the patroness of Corsica. Next Item Previous Item

Rite of Christian Initiation adapted for Children. Children that are at least 7 years old and in grades 1- 12th grade and have not been baptized or were baptized in a faith other than the Catholic Church will be placed in our wonderful program, RCIA for Children.  Baptism - Youth Rite of Christian Initiation adapted for Children. Children that are at least 7 years old and in grades 1- 12th grade and have not been baptized or were baptized in a faith other than the Catholic Church will be placed in our wonderful program, RCIA for Children. 7-18 years old Next Item Previous Item Program Contact Leslie Bevilacqua Sacramental Preparation Coord (Bilingüe) lbevilacqua@ap.church 832-482-4062 Diane Czerniak Elementary FF Manager dczerniak@ap.church 832-482-4037 If you are interested in learning more about your child becoming Catholic, please read through the information below. Children who are at least 7 years old and in grades 1st - 12th grade and have not been baptized or were baptized in a faith other than the Catholic Church will be placed in our wonderful program, Becoming Catholic for Children. We require that the child attends at least one year of Faith Formation prior to entering their second year towards becoming Catholic. Children should also attend Mass weekly with their families. If your child has not received any formation up to this point, please enroll them in a year of Faith Formation during open registration in August. Program registration is closed for the 2024-2025 Faith Formation year. Enrolled children and teens who haven’t been baptized in any faith will receive Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation during the Easter Vigil Mass. All the children and teens who were baptized in a faith other than Catholic will make a Profession of Faith, and receive First Holy Communion and Confirmation during the Divine Mercy Sunday Mass. 7 Years to 8th Grade OCIA for Children participants attend faith formation as they did in the first year of preparation, and then meet once a month for sacrament-specific formation. YEAR 1 : Child will attend weekly Faith Formation classes YEAR 2 : OCIA participants and their families will sit together at the 9:00 am Mass on Sundays. During Mass, the children are dismissed after the homily (around 9:30) for Breaking Open the Word (BOW). After Breaking Open the Word, they attend their weekly OCIC session until 11:15 am. Parents join the children at the once-a-month sessions after attending the 9AM Mass. 9th to 12th Grade High school-aged children will participate in Youth Ministry programs for 2 years. The second year of formation will take place on Wednesday nights as a part of the Teen Confirmation Program, which meets on Wednesday Nights, instead of the Sunday morning classes. YEAR 1: Teen will attend weekly Faith Formation classes YEAR 2: High school aged children will participate in Youth Ministry programs for 2 years. The second year of formation will take place on Wednesday nights as a part of the Teen Confirmation Program, which meets on Wednesday Nights, instead of the Sunday morning classes.

St. Vincent Ferrer was a Spanish Dominican preacher born in Valencia in 1350. He joined the Dominicans in 1367 and gained fame for predicting grain shipments during a famine. Serving Cardinal Pedro de Luna, who later became anti-pope Benedict XIII, Vincent declined high offices. After recovering from a near-fatal illness following a vision, he began a successful preaching tour across Western Europe. A key figure in attempting to end the Great Western Schism, he advocated for Benedict XIII to resign. Vincent died in Vannes, Brittany, and was canonized by Pope Callistus III. St. Vincent Ferrer 1350 - 1419 Feast Day: April 5 Location: Spain Identifiers: Confessor, Dominican Relic located in the: TBD Type of Relic: A piece of bone St. Vincent Ferrer was a Spanish Dominican preacher. A native of Valencia, he joined the Dominicans in 1367 and was sent to Barcelona to complete his studies. After teaching at Lerida, he returned to Barcelona, where he earned fame for predicting accurately the timely arrival of grain ships during a famine. During the coming years, he became a member of the retinue of Cardinal Pedro de Luna, then a papal legate to the court of Aragon and the future antipope Benedict XIII. Vincent subsequently taught at the cathedral of Valencia. Summoned to Avignon, France, he took the position of confessor and apostolic penitentiary to antipope Benedict XIII, following de Luna’s irregular election as papal claimant in 1394. Vincent declined all offices and honors bestowed upon him by his patron, including the cardinalate. Vincent fell gravely ill and nearly died during a French siege of Avignon, recovering miraculously after beholding a vision of Christ, St. Dominic, and St. Francis of Assisi. In this vision, Vincent was told to go forth and preach, but he met resistance from antipope Benedict, who was reluctant to have him leave Avignon. In 1389, Benedict finally gave his permission, and Vincent launched upon a preaching tour across Western Europe. Eloquent and passionate, he attracted huge crowds of believers and was soon esteemed across Christendom. In Spain, he was named one of the nine judges to decide the succession to the crown of Aragon. King Ferdinand I, also known as Ferdinand the Just, was subsequently chosen. One of Vincent’s finest achievements was his effort to end the Great Western Schism, which had divided the Church since 1378. While he believed that Benedict XIII was the legitimate pontiff, Vincent nevertheless called publicly for him to step down for the good of the Church. He also spent much time preaching for an end to the schism in 1418. In his last years, he preached in northern France, including a sermon before the royal court at Caen in 1418. He died in Vannes, Brittany, and was canonized by Pope Callistus III. Next Item Previous Item

One of the most popular Catholic saints, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux has inspired generations of Catholics, despite never going on missions, never founding a religious order, writing only one main body of work, and living just 24 years on Earth. But it is the piety, the quiet self-sacrifice, and the love of simplicity that draws Catholics towards the Little Flower, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. The youngest ever Doctor of the Church, she pursued holiness despite declining health and other difficulties, but achieved sainthood through humility, and doing simple things with extraordinary love. St. Thérèse of Lisieux 1863 - 1897 Feast Day: October 1 Location: Lisieux, France Identifiers: Doctor of the Church, Carmelite Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: Flesh mixed with wood from the coffin You would be hard-pressed to find another saint in the Catholic Church who has garnered the same amount of admiration and devotion as Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. She’s one of the most popular saints, inspiring generations of Catholics, despite never going on missions, never founding a religious order, writing only one main body of work, and living just 24 years on Earth. But it is the piety, the quiet self-sacrifice, and the love of simplicity that draws Catholics towards the Little Flower, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Thérèse Martin was born in Alencon France in 1873. Her father, Louis, was a watchmaker and jeweler, and her mother Zelie Guerin, worked as a lacemaker. She was the youngest of nine children, but four of her siblings would die at a young age. Both of her parents had previous desires to enter religious life, and even after they were married they decided that they would remain celibate, until a confession revealed their celibacy to a priest who insisted they pursue a marriage as God intended. All five of Louis & Zelie’s daughters would go on to enter the convent, but Thérèse was less than saintly for most of her childhood. Adored and coddled by her family, she would in turn become needy and insecure at a young age. Furthermore, her mother Zelie would die from breast cancer while Thérèse was only 4, and having to witness her mother’s slow, painful decline greatly saddened the poor little girl. With all the circumstances and being the youngest of the family, Thérèse quickly became demanding and expectant to have her way no matter what. Her father’s nickname for her was ‘petite reine’, or ‘little queen’. At the age of 11, she became so ill with a fever, that many thought she wouldn’t make it. Family and friends would gather around her bed, desperately praying for her healing. Her sisters would pray to a statue of the Virgin Mary, which they placed in her bedroom. One day, as Thérèse stared at the statue and prayed, she saw the statue of Mary smile at her. She instantly began to feel better, and she recovered so dramatically that many were curious about her healing. Word of the healing grace of Mary spread, but when pestered with questions about the details regarding Mary, Thérèse refused to answer due to the intimacy with Mary she felt in the healing, so many assumed she had just made everything up. Following her sickness, Thérèse still remained self-centered and controlled by her emotions. As more sisters left for the convent, soon it was only her, her father, and one other sister, Celine. A moment of clarity at the age of 14 would help usher her out of her egocentric nature and begin her road to sanctity. Louis and his two daughters were nearing Christmas, and the Christmas day ritual of filling children’s shoes with presents. Though Thérèse was already a teenager, her sister Celine was unable to let her fully grow out of these childhood traditions, and she filled Thérèse’s shoes with gifts. When they arrived back from the church on Christmas day, Thérèse and Celine found their father looking down at the shoes, and before he noticed the two girls, they overheard him sigh and say, “‘Thank goodness that’s the last time we shall have this kind of thing!” Celine looked over to her sister, fully expecting tears and a temper tantrum to follow, but instead, it was a moment of serene clarity for the future saint. Thérèse immediately noticed her immaturity and childish ways, and thanks to Jesus entering her heart in that moment, she swallowed her tears, walked to the shoes and exclaimed in authentic joy over the gifts. It was a true conversion of heart, and Thérèse would enter the convent the very next year. She desired to enter Carmel as a contemplative nun, but she was deemed too young to enter the convent. She appealed to the Mother Superior, who told the 15-year-old Thérèse that she could enter early – at the age of 16. Not satisfied, she appealed to the Bishop. When that didn’t work, she took a pilgrimage to Rome and appealed directly to the Pope himself! While at an audience with the Pope, despite being forbidden to speak to him, she began begging that he let her enter the Carmelite convent as soon as he was near enough to hear her. While the Pope didn’t intervene, the Vicar General was impressed by her zeal, and Thérèse Martin was admitted to the Carmelite Convent at Lisieux on 9 April 1888. A once shy little girl, the pursuit of an early entrance to the convent was the first beginnings of blooming into the Little Flower. Entering the convent, she took the name Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Her sisters Pauline and Marie were in the same convent, but unlike her spoiled childhood, the life of routine and silent prayer was tough. On top of that, not long after she entered the convent, her father began hallucinating after a series of strokes left him stricken both physically and mentally. As a cloistered nun, she was unable to visit her beloved father, and this grief began a period of suffering and dryness of prayer for the distraught Sister Thérèse. She would try desperately to pray but write in her journals that “Jesus wasn’t doing much to keep the conversation going.” Thérèse persevered through this spiritual drought through one main focus: humility. Sitting in the convent, she knew that she may not be able to serve as a world-changer in the traditional sense of great works and deeds, but instead, she focused on the little sacrifices. She would write “Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love.” These ‘little sacrifices’ would range from being friendly to nuns she disliked, to not complaining about anything trivial, to even being accused of breaking a vase she hadn’t touched, and instead of proclaiming her innocence, she apologized and asked for forgiveness. This mindset would develop into an keen spirituality, based on childlike trust and confidence in God. The ‘little way’ of Thérèse was not about grandiose actions or words; it was about doing simple things well, and with extraordinary love. Another sacrifice for Thérèse would soon follow – her sister Pauline was elected prioress of the convent, and due to the politics of the order, many nuns feared the Martin sisters would ‘take over’ a rule on the convent. To alleviate those fears, Pauline asked Thérèse to remain a novice. This was no small request, as this would mean Thérèse would never become a fully professed nun in the order, continuing to have to ask permission for nearly everything. For Thérèse though, it was another sacrifice that she could offer up for the glory of God. As Thérèse continued her time in the convent, she reflected constantly on her ability to achieve holiness in life. For her, sainthood was the only option, even with the simple, hidden life she was living. She wrestled with her vocation, was placed in charge of the other novices, and even reflected on how she measured up to the saints in terms of her likelihood for sainthood. “I have always wanted to become a saint. Unfortunately, when I have compared myself with the saints, I have always found that there is the same difference between the saints and me as there is between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and a humble grain of sand trodden underfoot by passers-by. Instead of being discouraged, I told myself: God would not make me wish for something impossible and so, in spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint. It is impossible for me to grow bigger, so I put up with myself as I am, with all my countless faults. But I will look for some means of going to heaven by a little way which is very short and very straight, a little way that is quite new.” She would continue to pursue her apostolic and missionary vocation, to love and draw everyone in her path closer to the Lord, even as her health began to fail her. In 1896, she coughed up blood, but kept working without telling another soul, until she became so sick that it was apparent. She experienced months of pain and agony, and her sister Pauline could only watch and pray at her bedside, before asking Thérèse to write about her life in hopes of distracting her. She penned her reflections on her childhood, her love of God, and her “everything is grace” mindset over the course of her final weeks, before finally succumbing to tuberculosis on September 30, 1897. She was 24. Before she died, realizing that her mission was only beginning, Thérèse proclaimed “I will spend my heaven doing good on Earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.” And while despite one nun at the convent commenting that there was “nothing to say” about Thérèse following her death, Pauline disagreed. She compiled the final writings of Thérèse, which would become her autobiography, “Story of a Soul.” Pauline sent the autobiography to 2,000 convents, and before long, her sister’s words had stirred up a passion for her “little way” of faith. The faith in Jesus and embracing of daily sacrifices that Thérèse had welcomed spoke to the hearts of nuns across the world. Her ‘shower of roses’ soon became a torrent, that still drenches the hearts of many Catholics to this day. Thérèse of Lisieux was canonized on May 17, 1925 by Pope Pius XI, only 28 years after her death. In October of 1997, Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church, the youngest ever in the Catholic Church, thanks to the impact of her profound spirituality on so many faithful Catholics. She Is the patron saint of missionaries, florists and gardeners, the loss of parents, tuberculosis, and the gardens of the Vatican City. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux taught us that we should never stop seeking holiness, even in the midst of ordinary lives. To feel as though we can do nothing is false, and a lure of the enemy aimed to keep us content with mediocrity, or a lukewarm faith. Instead, let us look to this inspiring Carmelite nun, who trusted in God enough to seek every available sacrifice she could endure, no matter how big or small. Pursuing this ‘little way’ of faith, may we too journey on towards heaven, picking up our crosses on the way, one shard of wood, one sacrifice, at a time. 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Are you thinking about becoming Catholic? Do you desire to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of your life? This is the first step in a lifelong journey of discipleship! This is the Catholic Church’s process to bring adults, through study, spiritual growth, and community, into the heart of the Kingdom of Heaven. Baptism - Adult Are you thinking about becoming Catholic? Do you desire to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of your life? This is the first step in a lifelong journey of discipleship! This is the Catholic Church’s process to bring adults, through study, spiritual growth, and community, into the heart of the Kingdom of Heaven. 18+ years old Next Item Previous Item Program Contact Katie Krall Adult FF/ Marriage Manager kkrall@ap.church 832-482-4147 Are you thinking about becoming Catholic? Do you desire to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of your life? This is the first step in a lifelong journey of discipleship! This is the Catholic Church’s process to bring adults, through study, spiritual growth, and community, into the heart of the Kingdom of Heaven. Formally, the process of becoming Catholic is called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), which is our formation process for adults who desire to follow Jesus Christ and be a member of His Catholic Church. If you are interested in learning more about becoming Catholic, please read through the FAQS and fill out the interest form so we can learn more about you and help you find the path that suits your particular needs. Please Note: If you are married, and you and/or your spouse are Catholic, but you were not married in the Catholic Church, you will need to have your marriage convalidated prior to becoming Catholic. For more information and to see if this applies to you, please read the Marital Status Information below. Marital Status Information Becoming Catholic Interest Form How do I become a Catholic Christian? Who can participate in OCIA? What are the stages of OCIA formation? How long does the OCIA process take? What days and times does OCIA meet? I would like to attend Mass before I begin OCIA classes. Am I allowed to do that?

First Reconciliation and First Communion will be through our Adult Confirmation Program – Participants will receive their First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. During the Fall Semester, Adult Confirmation preparation is offered through an 8-10 week course. First Reconciliation - Adult First Reconciliation and First Communion will be through our Adult Confirmation Program – Participants will receive their First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. During the Fall Semester, Adult Confirmation preparation is offered through an 8-10 week course. 18+ years old Next Item Previous Item Program Contact Katie Krall Adult FF/ Marriage Manager kkrall@ap.church 832-482-4147 First Communion and Reconciliation Preparation for those at least 18 years old and out of high school, will be through our Adult Confirmation Program. Participants will receive their First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Adult Confirmation preparation is offered through a ~10-week course during the Fall Semester. Requirements: Must be at least 18 years old AND graduated from High School. Have already received the Sacrament of Baptism in the Catholic Church. Do not have any marriage impediments. Are growing in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Fill out the Adult Confirmation Interest Form ***You will need to provide a recently issued copy of your baptismal certificate dated within the last 6 months. Please call the church that you were baptized at and ask them to “re-issue” your baptismal certificate. Please Note: If you are married, and you and/or your spouse are Catholic, but you were not married in the Catholic Church, you will need to have your marriage convalidated prior to becoming Catholic. For more information and to see if this applies to you, please read the Marital Status Information below. Marital Status Information Adult Confirmation Request Form