Were you taught that the Inquisition was a series of events fueled by religious fanaticism and rife with cruelty and terror? If so, prepare to be surprised by the truth of what really happened. Get the facts when EWTN premieres "The Inquisition," an original four-part docudrama co-produced by EWTN, Stefano Mazzeo, and Lux Communication.

The St. John Paul II High School Challenge Team competed in the Sparkling City Quiz Bowl on Oct. 15 in Corpus Christi. Team members (pictured) are Amy Ayala, Alex Kimmel, Max Kimmel and Shelby Zapata.

Beginning on Oct. 25, the co-sponsors and sponsors of CHRISTUS Health, Dignity Health and Sisters of Charity Health Systems will celebrate their 150th year in ministry. The founders are the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Houston and they will reflect on their work in ministry with a Sesquicentennial Mass at their convent in Houston, Villa de Matel, 6510 Lawndale Street, at 4 p.m. The sisters co-sponsor two of the largest hospital systems in the United States.

The Nueces County Historical Commission unveiled a Texas historical marker at St. John Nepomucene in Robstown on Sunday, Oct. 16, marking its 92-years of service to the area. The marker recalls the beginnings of St. John's as a parish community in the Diocese of Corpus Christi serving the Czech-speaking residents of the area around Robstown.

Our Lady of Victory parish in Beeville celebrated its feast day on Oct. 9. Parishioners processed around the church grounds with the Blessed Sacrament and praying the rosary. Altar Servers, CCE children, CYO, Life in the Spirit, St. Anne Society, Holy Name Society, Knights of Columbus and parishioners took part in the celebration.

According to a 2015 survey, Corpus Christi has approximately 3,000 homeless people. This estimate, significant as it is, does not include those who are homebound, forgotten, lonely and hungry.

Advent is both the season of “O Come, O Come Emanuel” and those final words of the book of Revelation, “Come, Lord Jesus”. This liturgical season celebrates waiting—the long waiting of the Jewish people for their promised Messiah and the long waiting afterwards for the return of Jesus, Messiah and Lord. Advent also celebrates his daily coming in a thousand different ways as well as that final moment of our rebirth into eternal life.

Kristin Riddick, author of the “Kat McGee” adventure series will speak to Incarnate Word Academy Elementary Level students on Thursday, October 20 at 9:30 a.m. in the James R. Dougherty, Jr. Center. 

Students at Holy Family School in Corpus Christi celebrated the Feast of the Our Lady of the Rosary on Thursday, Oct. 7 by praying a living Rosary.

Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement today asking Americans to "take a moment to reflect on one of the founding principles of our republic—the freedom of religion," which "ensures the right of faith communities to preserve the integrity of their beliefs and proper self-governance."

Incarnate Word Academy Elementary Level’s annual Fall Fun Night is Friday, Oct. 21 from 5-8 p.m. The event’s theme is Dia de los Muertos.

“A Catholic education is something that every child deserves, and that is what our upcoming Casino Night is all about,” says Father Frank Martinez, pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Corpus Christi. To achieve that important goal of creating opportunities for more children to receive a Catholic education, the parish is preparing for its annual Casino Night fundraiser that will take place on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 6 p.m. to midnight under the OLPH Pavilion on the church grounds at 5830 Williams Drive. The money raised will benefit the parish’s Fill Every Desk campaign.

IWA Middle Level Assistant Principal Marci Levings revealed two paintings on Sept. 30 the school received for winning the Houston Zoo’s 2015 and 2016 Action for Apes Challenge. The paintings were created by some of the Houston Zoo’s primates.

Oblate School of Theology’s Institute for the Study of Contemporary Spirituality will host a major conference titled “Surrender to Christ for Mission: French Spiritual Traditions” Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 16-17. To register online, visit the OST website, www.ost.edu, and click on Events, then scroll down and look for “Surrender to Christ for Mission” and follow the “Find Out More” prompt. To register by phone, call (210) 341-1366 and ask for Laurence Gonzalez.

On Friday, Oct. 14, at 10 a.m. St. John Paul II High School will host its Third Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, which will include all the students’ and staff from both Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School and St. John Paul II High School. The mayor’s office, along with other dignitaries, has been invited to march alongside students, teachers, staff and family cancer survivors.

Archbishop William E. Lori, Chairman of the USCCB’s Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Gregory J. Mansour of the Eparchy of at St. Maron of Brooklyn, today joined leaders from diverse faiths in calling President Barack Obama, Senate President Pro Tempore Orrin Hatch and House Speaker Paul Ryan “to renounce publicly…claim[s] that ‘religious freedom’ and ‘religious liberty’ are ‘code words’ or a ‘pretext’ for various forms of discrimination.”

The Texas Catholic Conference (TCC) of bishops has released a statement calling for the abolition of the death penalty, denouncing its effects not only on victims and others immediately affected, but also on society. "Capital punishment vitiates our hearts' capacity for mercy and love," the bishops write, noting that "the death penalty not only does not correspond to the common good, it actually does great harm to it."

Father Frank X. Martinez blessed over 30 pets at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Oct. 4 in celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.