On Jan. 18, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will launch the national “9 Days for Life” campaign calling Catholics and the faithful together for a 9-day “digital pilgrimage” focusing on cherishing the gift of human life from conception to natural death. The campaign surrounds the annual Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, which occurs on the anniversary of “Roe v. Wade,” the Supreme court decision that made abortion legal in the United States throughout pregnancy.

Ben Nguyen, Chancellor of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, will be one of five panelists on the YMCA’s 12th Annual Racial Justice forum. This year’s theme is “Eliminating Racism: ‘Hate is Too Great a Burden.” The event will be held on Monday, Jan. 15, from 9-11 a.m. at the YWCA, located at 4601 Corona in Corpus Christi.

Featured on KRISTV: After winning just nine games last year, the Boys St. John Paul II High School Basketball Centurions have already won 22 games this year. With the such a strong start, they are ranked #5 in the state in TAPPS 5A.

Eric Genuis, world-renowned pianist, composer, and inspirational speaker will perform at the Corpus Christi Cathedral at 7 p.m. on Feb. 3. The concert will serve as the opening event for the Diocese of Corpus Christi Pastoral Planning process.

Sacred Heart School in Rockport, devastated by Hurricane Harvey, reopened an interim campus on Thursday, Jan. 4. The school was extensively damaged by the hurricane and was closed. A school staff of 24 welcomed 82 students to the second semester of the 2017-18 school year. The staff prepared the Msgr. Kihneman Activity Center as the Main Building of the interim campus which in combination with eight modular classrooms will house all students and staff.

Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School held its first STREAM Fair for the 2017-18 school year on Thursday, Nov. 16, which was the day of the school’s annual Thanksgiving Luncheon. STREAM projects were displayed in the hallways of the school’s main building.

The day after Hurricane Harvey made landfall, Father Mike Keucher called his mentor Msgr. Mark Svarczkopf and asked, “How can we do something to help people in Rockport?” This was not a randomly placed phone call. Msgr. Svarczkopf had helped with disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina and had significant experience organizing relief efforts. His reply to Father Keucher was, “Come with us when we go there in December.” Neither pastor knew there were connections to Rockport within their communities.

Venerable Solanus Casey, an American-born Capuchin priest who died in 1957, was beatified at a Nov. 18 Mass in Detroit, Michigan. He was known for his great faith, attention to the sick and ability as a spiritual counselor.

The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) is an international missionary community composed of priests, consecrated sisters and brothers and lay members serving together on ecclesial family teams in areas of deepest apostolic need. SOLT was founded in 1958 by Father James Flanagan (1924-2016), then a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston. The principal seat of SOLT is the Diocese of Corpus Christi, under the authority of Bishop Michael Mulvey.

The beginning of a new year brings opportunities to strengthen and renew spiritual ties to the Holy Family, to our own family and to those whose paths cross ours. Jesus has been given to us by Mary; the shepherds have found and venerated him; and the Holy Family has become the model for all families to follow. These beautiful events serve to inspire us to seek holiness, to “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:16-17),” for Jesus loves you and me.

A partnership among the Diocese of Brownsville, businesses and other com- munity organizations aims to create a self-sustaining space where area residents can learn, play, find services and meet others from different backgrounds.

El Papa Francisco nombró como Obispo Auxiliar de Brownsville, en Estados Unidos, al Padre Mario Alberto Avilés, hasta ahora Procurador General de la Congregación del Oratorio de San Felipe Neri y párroco de “Sacred Heart”, en Hidalgo, Texas.

Today, President Thomas S. Monson, leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah. President Monson as the church’s 16th president of a faith community that now numbers 15.8 million members. Known for his hands-on approach and concern for the poor, he also presided over a church confronting challenges and change, within and without.

The Diocese of Corpus Christi will begin the new year searching for a new Cathedral choir director. Marty Wind, director of communications, said the diocese has begun a national search for a replacement for Lee Gwozdz, who had worked for the diocese for more than 30 years. Gwozdz notified the diocese of his retirement in a letter in mid-December, Wind said.

In the sacrament of penance (reconciliation) we prepare for Judgment Day by examining our conscience and confessing our sins while there is opportunity for forgiveness. The examination of conscience begins with the Ten Commandments, which articulate the moral law (Mt 19:16-17). In addition, we need to look within, to the seven capital sins, which are the root cause or “sin behind the sins.” Finally, our examination of conscience is not complete without the corporal works of mercy, as Jesus indicates in the parable of the sheep and goats (Mt 25:31-46).

For the good of the people of God in the Diocese of Corpus Christi Bishop Michael Mulvey has made the following appointments: Father Raju D. Thottankara as Episcopal Vicar for (East) Indian Affairs, effective Oct. 4. A number of priests and religious from India assist in the pastoral ministry and pastoral care of many of the faithful in the diocese.

The Chancery offices of the Diocese of Corpus Christi will move to a new location during the last week of January and will be in their new location by Feb. 1. The move is necessitated in order to renovate the existing Chancery building.

On the recent Feast of All Saints Day, Bishop Michael Mulvey blessed and dedicated a new Religious Education Center at St. John of the Cross in Orange Grove. The event was seen by parishioners as another “great step” in the continuing growth of their parish community.

Happy New Year! May this New Year of 2018 be filled with many graces and peace.

Tim and Cindy Legamaro, parishioners at St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Corpus Christi, are admirers of St. Gianna Molla who willingly gave up her life for her unborn child. The Legamaros, who have six children of their own, are the sole benefactors of the St. Gianna Molla House being built to help mothers in crisis pregnancies care for their children.