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May 15, 2025Dear friends in Christ,
On this 5th Sunday of Easter, we hear the Lord speak of what he calls a “new” commandment – love one another. Seems odd that he should label it as new. Isn’t love the oldest of all the commandments? Of course it is, but this “new” type of love Jesus is asking of us is meant to mirror his love for us. Only when we give of ourselves freely as he did on the cross will we be fulfilling what the Lord asks of us. Let us strive always to do so.
Our busy month of May with First Communions and Confirmations concludes this week with a Baccalaureate Mass for our 42 graduating Catholic school 8th graders on Tuesday, May 20 at 6 p.m. We congratulate them and wish them all of God’s blessings as they move on to local Catholic and public high schools. Friday, May 23, is the last day of school for all students, and they’ll join us for Mass at 9 a.m. that day as we wrap up our 11th school year. It was an exceptional year for us, topped off by our being named a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School. I wrote in the yearbook of how “This one goes to 11!” is a phrase that sums it up best, but I don’t think too many of them caught the reference to my favorite movie from the year I graduated high school. (Maybe their grandparents got it!)
We’ve a handful of openings for new students beginning in the fall. We’ll be close to capacity of 490 students, and while some grades are full and on a wait list, we can still take a few in Pre-K4 and 4th grade and a couple of others. I encourage all parents of school-age children (Pre-K3 through 8th grade) to take a tour of our facilities and discover the wonderful gift of a Catholic education for your children. Visit the school website at www.ctrschool.com for additional information and to learn how to apply.
As Easter begins to wind down, I want to look back to Lent and let you know that our Lenten Almsgiving initiative for Catholic Extension raised a whopping $160,291 to support the parish of St. Joan of Arc in Weslaco in the Diocese of Brownsville as they seek to build a rectory for their priests. With your generosity combined with the money the people themselves have committed to raise for the project, I’m happy to report they have reached their goal. Plans are underway to begin construction this summer and have it ready to occupy later this year. That’s stewardship in action!
On behalf of Fr. Jorge Gomez who visited us at the start of Lent to tell us about the people and the work in Weslaco, thank you very much for your support and generosity. He and I are both overjoyed at the outpouring of support. Likewise I received a very kind note from Most Reverend Daniel Flores, the Bishop of Brownsville, who thanked us for taking on the project for the community of St. Joan of Arc. I’ve known Bishop Flores for years, dating back to when I was in the seminary and he was a young priest, and it’s a pleasure to be able to assist him and his people, especially those at St. Joan of Arc who while poor financially are rich in the faith of Jesus Christ.
I pray that the almsgiving, along with prayer and fasting, you offered aided you in your spiritual journey for the 40 days of Lent. My special thanks to Megan Dillingham, Angela Borges, Carrie Taylor, and those here at CtR for their behind-the-scenes efforts to help us coordinate the appeal. I pray that we can continue our partnership with Catholic Extension in future years on similar efforts to help the Church reach those most in need.
A few of you have asked about the plans for my transition as my time as pastor at CtR comes to a close. There is something called “Fr. Sean’s Last Bash” planned for Friday, June 6, and while that sounds a bit ominous (to me at least), it is shaping up to be a fun evening of fellowship, friendship, and food. It’s open to all from 6:30-8:30 p.m. that evening in the Parish Hall, with dinner and stories and I pray much laughter and good cheer all shared. Seating is limited. Likewise on the weekend of June 7-8, which is Pentecost and the close of Easter, there are receptions planned after every Mass and I hope many of you might stop by at that time. My final Sunday at all the masses will be the following weekend on June 14-15. After that I’ve got a couple of weddings the following week, and then I’ll spend the final 10 days of the month in a mad dash to get packed and moved and to allow time to prep the rectory and office to make way for Fr. Mark Hebert who will begin as pastor on July 1, the same day I begin at St. Vincent de Paul.
I hope to see all of you before I go (and remember I’m not going that far!), and to say thank you for your love and support these past 21 years. If I don’t get a chance to see you, please know you are in my prayers and I ask only for your prayers in return. May God bless Christ the Redeemer, now and forever!
Peace, Fr. Sean