Adviento 2012

Ven, ven, Señor, 
no tardes;

ven, ven, que te esperamos.

Ven, ven, Señor, no tardes;

ven pronto, Señor.

El mundo muere de frío,

el alma perdió el calor,

los hombres no son hermanos,

el mundo no tiene amor.

Envuelto en sombría noche

el mundo sin paz no ve;

buscando va una esperanza;

buscando, Señor, tu fe.

Al mundo le falta vida,

al mundo le falta luz,

al mundo le falta el cielo,

al mundo le faltas Tú ■

The Spirit of our Advent season of 2012

Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance! It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant He sometimes seems, which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over His people and in His creation. 

It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world. Part of the expectation also anticipates a judgment on sin and a calling of the world to accountability before God. We long for God to come and set the world right! Yet, as the prophet Amos warned, the expectation of a coming judgment at the Day of the Lord may not be the day of light that we might want, because the penetrating light of God’s judgment on sin will shine just as brightly on God’s people ■

Advent, a time to remember our religious.

Lighting the first candle of Advent, let us join with great anticipation as the whole church proclaims the coming of Our Lord. While many countdown the number of shopping days until Christmas, people of faith seek the most precious of all gifts, God’s love and mercy born to live among us forever.

During this time of eagerness and expectation we are called to look ahead to Jesus’ coming. It is also a time for us to remember, not just our favorite Christmas toy or feast, but I ask you to recall those people who first planted the seed of faith in our lives and showed us the ways we could touch the eternal. Some will see the face of a grandmother who in her humble piety showed us a quiet way to love and be loved by God. Others will hear the voice of faithful mom or dad who, taking our hands, gently helped us make our first sign of the cross, gently guiding us to a childlike expression of faith. 

For many, that moment of spiritual nostalgia comes from an encounter with a religious sister, brother or priest who showed us, in some unexpected but lasting way that the face of God could be seen living among us. We may have met them in a Catholic school, our parish, in a healing touch when we were in the hospital, wherever God placed these men and women who have dedicated their vocations of service to God’s people.

Wherever we look in the Archdiocese of San Antonio, it would be impossible to not see the many ways their influence has been felt; through schools, universities, hospitals, clinics, the missions, countless pastoral and social ministries, parishes, etc. Even though they are fewer than in the past, thankfully we continue to be blessed by their devotion to lighting the light of Christ in our lives.

These holy men and women have given lifetimes of service. Now we have the opportunity to show our gratitude and in a material way express our love for their willingness to share their many gifts. On the weekend of Dec. 8 and 9, many parishes will dedicate their second collection to the Retirement Fund for Religious. I am asking you to please reserve one Christmas present for them, wrapped carefully with love for all they have given and continue to share.

Let us remember the religious sisters, brothers, and religious order priests who, for generations gave so much for little, if any financial pay. Their sacrifices now leave their religious communities without adequate savings for retirement. Your gift to the Retirement Fund for Religious helps to provide prescription medications, nursing care, and more for thousands of elderly religious.

There are more than 73,000 Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests in the United States. Nearly 40,000 of these belong to religious communities that receive financial assistance to the made possible by your generous gift, with 95 percent of all donations applied to this critical mission of love.

Venerable Conchita, was a wife, mother of nine children, grandmother, mystic, spiritual mother to priests, and co-founder of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, the religious order that gave form to my priesthood. Through a special indulgence from Pius X, she died as a religious in the arms of her children. In her spiritual writings she explains that faith is the foundation of all holiness. She wrote; “Faith is a special light, coming from heaven by which the soul sees God in the world. It is a ray of light, illuming God’s countenance and making Him visible to the soul.” Let us give thanks to God for this gift of faith that has been poured so generously into our souls through the lives of the men and women who answered his call to consecrated life ■ Archbishop Gustavo GarcÍa-Siller

Thanksgiving 2012

Den gracias al Señor, porque es bueno,

porque es eterno su amor!

Que lo diga el pueblo de Israel:

¡es eterno su amor!

Que lo diga la familia de Aarón:

¡es eterno su amor!

Que lo digan los que temen al Señor:

¡es eterno su amor!

Reconocimiento de la ayuda recibida

En el peligro invoqué al Señor,

y él me escuchó dándome un alivio.

El Señor está conmigo: no temeré;

¿qué podrán hacerme los hombres?

El Señor está conmigo y me ayuda:

yo veré derrotados a mis adversarios.

Es mejor refugiarse en el Señor

que fiarse de los hombres;

es mejor refugiarse en el Señor

que fiarse de los poderosos.

Todos los paganos me rodearon,

pero yo los derroté en el nombre del Señor;

me rodearon por todas partes,

pero yo los derroté en el nombre del Señor;

me rodearon como avispas,

ardían como fuego en las espinas,

pero yo los derroté en el nombre del Señor.

Me empujaron con violencia para derribarme,

pero el Señor vino en mi ayuda.

El Señor es mi fuerza y mi protección;

él fue mi salvación.

Un grito de alegría y de victoria

resuena en las carpas de los justos:

"La mano del Señor hace proezas,

la mano del Señor es sublime,

la mano del Señor hace proezas".

 No, no moriré:

viviré para publicar lo que hizo el Señor 

(Salmo 117) ■

Thanksgiving 2012

I am sure that you notice that in recent years, people have begun to call Thanksgiving by another name: Turkey Day. On other holidays like Columbus Day, George Washington's Birthday, and Memorial Day, we pay our respects to those we are remembering, but on how easy we change the names of other holidays such Thanksgiving and Christmas![1]

There's a reason—a disturbing reason—for the name change. When people sit down before the table on Thanksgiving Day, they still sense that they must bow their heads and give thanks. Let's be very honest: we live in a society that sometimes wants to take God out. So, some are trying to discard the name Thanksgiving and to forsake the traditions on this holiday which kept God at the center.

Why are so many ungrateful to God for His blessings? Well, the fundamental reason is that we are too prosperous. After the exodus from Egypt, God told the people of Israel that He was leading them to a great land. It would be a land overflowing with milk and honey. So, after occupying their new country, they could expect a life of prosperity. But God warned them that with prosperity would come the danger of forgetting God. They would be tempted to look around at their wealth and say to themselves, "By our hands, by our labor, we have achieved this; we have built a good life for ourselves." They would take credit for what God had given them…

Well, the same mentality exists in America today. We enjoy prosperity, and yet we fail to recognize that its source is God. Why? We take our wealth for granted. We feel we deserve it. We imagine that we created it. It is a funny thing about human beings that we are more thankful when we are suffering poverty than when they are enjoying plenty. In Little House in the Big Woods, the author describes how new pioneers living on the edge of subsistence celebrated Christmas. Each of the older children received exactly two presents (a pair of mittens and a piece of candy), and in addition one of the younger children received a home-made rag doll. Were the children unhappy and ungrateful because their gifts were so meager? On the contrary, the author concludes her reminiscences by saying, "What a happy Christmas it had been!"[2].

Perhaps you say, "Others may have the problem of being too rich, but not me. I'm not rich." Because we know people who have bigger houses and cars than we have, most of us feel that we are just average folks. In relation to all the people living in past generations, in relation to the vast majority of people around the world today we are amazingly wealthy. Think of it. What are you lacking that you could reasonably want? We have more clothing in our closet than many of our ancestors possessed in a whole lifetime. Our houses and gardens would, in past generations, have set us just below the highest nobility… Too often I think of my brother priests in other countries without the economic resources that I have, and they do not complain. They work much, much more.

Although prosperity is a blessing from God, it is, as we have said, a danger also. It can have a disturbing effect on our love for God and on our gratitude for His blessings. What is the remedy? Should we give away our goods and take a vow of poverty? That might work. But it might not. With poverty might come bitterness rather than gratitude. I think God prefers that we take the following, more practical, measures to guard our spiritual health in the midst of material wealth.

Let's give thanks this morning (night) for what we have, but mostly always ask to have a grateful heart, a heart that is more attentive to the spiritual than material. On Sunday we said that the most important is the salvation of our souls. Today I ask God for this favor in the Eucharist ■

---

[1] Readings: Sirach 50:22-24, Psalm 138:1-5, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Luke 17:11-19

[2] Little House in the Big Woods is a children's novel by Laura Ingalls Wilder published in 1932. The book is the first in the Little House series, which is based on decades-old memories of Wilder's early childhood in the Big Woods near Pepin, Wisconsin, in the late 19th century.

Thomas Merton´s Prayer

For our good friend and parishioner Andres.

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone ■ Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude. 

Election 2012

I think it's important to know the opinion of our Archbishop regarding elections in our country. The following text is published in the official website of the Archdiocese of San Antonio ■ Fr. Agustin, Pastor.

Pienso que es importante conocer la opinión del Sr. Arzobipo respecto a las elecciones de nuestro país. El siguiente texto está publicado en la página web de la Arquidiócesis de San Antonio ■ P. Agustin, Párroco.

…

The election is over and win or lose, the majority has spoken.  Let us pray that those who have won will work for the common good, shaping a culture of life that will be built on a foundation of respect for the dignity of the human person.  Let the anger and division that scarred this election year, be healed through the Grace of God and the consolation of the  Holy Spirit.  Let us pray in the words of the Psalmist, Send forth your Spirit and all will be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.

In this Year of Faith and in the spirit of the New Evangelization, let us remember that the Holy Spirit is the true source of our strength as a Church, as a people, and as a nation. In my recent remarks at the Synod of Bishops I said; "Today, we need 'a new Pentecost to free us from fatigue, disappointment, and the daily stress of our society; a coming of the Spirit that will renew our joy and our hope ■

The Most Reverend Gustavo García-Siller

Archbishop of San Antonio.

Did you know…

 …that here in our parish we have a Eucharistic Holy Hour EVERY THURSDAY AT 8PM? Yes every Thursday of the year-except Holy Thursday and Thursday of Thanksgiving- we expose the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance for adoration. Our Eucharistic Holy Hour is a tradition based on the apparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary, and is a space of time to ponder the mysteries of the Lord, the moments when He felt weak and just like us, and requests the father apart the cup. Our Eucharistic Holy Hour is a period to accompany the Lord, as the Angel of the Garden. It's an hour to dump in the Sacred Heart of Jesus all our toils and sufferings, our problems and projects, an hour to receive His grace to overcome our problems with a Christian attitude. It is also a time to thank His sacrifice and learn from Him. In this great Year of Faith that we just started, our Eucharistic Holy Hour is a practical and beautiful way of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Most parishes around the world celebrate this holy hour on Thursday evening, to show the love of Christ love and repair Eucharist attitudes of indifference and lack of respect he receives. Here at St. Vincent de Paul we do the same, and we want to invite you along with your family that you'll join us. We begin every Thursday at the end of Mass 7PM (ie just before 8PM), there is a moment of silence, another moment of preaching and worship and another for personal conversation with Him. Almost always time to go to the Sacrament of Confession. Eucharistic Holy Hour ends with the blessing around 9PM. Come with us to spend some time with Jesus ■ Fr. Agustin, pastor.

Sabías qué….

…aquí en la parroquia tenemos una HORA SANTA EUCARISTICA TODOS LOS JUEVES A LAS 8PM? Sí. Todos los jueves del año –excepto el Jueves Santo y el Jueves de Thanksgiving- exponemos al Santísimo Sacramento en la custodia, para la adoración de los fieles. La Hora Santa Eucarística es una tradición que parte de las apariciones del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús a Santa Margarita María, y es un espacio de tiempo para meditar los misterios del Señor, los momentos cuando se sintió sólo y débil, como nosotros, y pide al Padre aparte el cáliz. Nuestra Hora Santa Eucarística es un espacio de tiempo para acompañar al Señor, como el Ángel del huerto que nos narra en evangelio; una hora para volcar en su Sagrado Corazón todos nuestros afanes y sufrimientos, nuestros problemas y proyectos, y desde luego una hora para recibir Su gracia para sobrellevarlos con una actitud cristiana y alegre; es una hora para agradecer su sacrificio y aprender de Él. En éste Año de la Fe que acabamos de empezar, la Hora Santa Eucarística de la parroquia es una manera práctica y bella de adorar a Jesús Sacramentado. La mayoría de las parroquias alrededor del mundo la celebran los jueves al anochecer, para demostrar el amor a Cristo Eucaristía amor y reparar las actitudes de indiferencia y las faltas de respeto que Él recibe. Aquí en St. Vincent de Paul hacemos lo mismo, y queremos invitarte junto con tu familia a que te unas a nosotros. Iniciamos todos los jueves al terminar la misa de las 7PM (es decir, un poco antes de  las 8PM); hay un momento de silencio, otro de predicación, y otro más de adoración personal. Casi siempre hay tiempo para acudir al Sacramento de la Confesión. La Hora Santa Eucarística termina con la bendición alrededor de las 9PM. Vente con nosotros a estar un rato con Jesús y a cantarle al Amor de los amores ¡te esperamos! ■ Fr. Agustín, Párroco. 

Conmemoración de los Fieles Difuntos (2012)

Siguiendo una antiquísima tradición de la Iglesia, en nuestra parroquia dedicaremos todo el mes de Noviembre a orar por eterno descanso del alma de los que ya se fueron. El viernes 2 de Noviembre a las 7 de la noche celebraremos la Santa Misa en la que oraremos por ellos especialmente; es bueno saber que durante  todo el mes de Noviembre habrá un recuerdo especial para ellos. 

P. Agustín, párroco.

Altar de muertos en St. Vincent de Paul 

Following the ancient tradition of the Catholic Church, our parish will spend the entire month of November praying for the eternal repose of the soul of those who have already left. On Friday, November 2 at 7 pm we will have a Mass in which we will pray for them especially, but it's good to know that throughout the month of November there will be a special memory for them.

Fr. Agustin, Pastor. 

Amargo es el recuerdo de la muerte
en que el hombre mortal se aflige y gime
en la vida presente, cuya suerte
es morir cada día que se vive.
 
Es verdad que la luz del pleno día
oculta el resplandor de las estrellas,
y la noche en silencio es armonía
de la paz y descanso en las tareas.
 
Pero el hombre, Señor, la vida quiere;
toda muerte es en él noche y tiniebla,
toda vida es amor que le sugiere
la esperanza feliz de vida eterna.
 
No se oiga ya más el triste llanto;
cuando llega la muerte, poco muere;
la vida, hija de Dios, abre su encanto:
«La niña no está muerta, sólo duerme.»
 
Señor, da el descanso merecido
a tus siervos dormidos en la muerte;
si el ser hijos de Dios fue don vivido,
sea luz que ilumine eternamente. Amén.