Several months ago I offered to give a vocation talk to the Life Teen group at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Alice. While I was asked to present my vocation story, I also wanted to remind the young women of the group (Brother Martin, SOLT spoke with the young men) how much the world needed them—their faith and their enthusiasm.

From the earliest days of Francis of Assisi’s ministry, secular people who longed to live a deeper life of faith were drawn to his message of conversion and penance. St. Francis formed these secular penitents into the Brothers and Sisters of Penance, which in 2014 became known as the Order of Secular Franciscans (OFS). At one time there was an OFS group in the Diocese of Corpus Christi and Patsy Cueva Philipps, a member of the order, is working to reorganize a group in the diocese.

Bishop Michael Mulvey has issued a dispensation from the requirement to abstain from eating meat on Friday, March 17. This Friday is the Memorial of St. Patrick and the faithful will be allowed to eat meat. The bishop does urge, however, “as an act of charity…all who will make use of this dispensation pray for peace and for all Christians in this country and abroad who are persecuted for our faith in Jesus Christ.”

Rebeka Roberts (top row from left), Anna Kretsinger, Lauren Higdon (bottom row from left), Grace Leeson and Catherine Thomas, who competed in the annual Coastal Bend History Day Competition, have earned the opportunity to represent IWA at the Texas History Day Competition in Austin on April 29. The National History Day Program encourages the active study of history through research and the analysis of student-selected topics.

IWA junior Carolina Muñoz has been chosen as one of six Corpus Christi students who will broaden her horizons this summer as part of the city’s Sister City Exchange Program. This summer, Carolina will travel across the world to Agen, France to learn more about French culture.

A year after the U.S. Congress and State Department declared that ISIS was committing genocide against Christians and other religious minorities, the Knights of Columbus is continuing its humanitarian support for persecuted Christian communities in the region by contributing nearly $2 million in new assistance.

Incarnate Word Academy students Olivia D’Anna (from left), Morgan Schacht, Andrea Reyes, Frances Lee, Catherine Thomas, and Anna Sonka (not pictured), who competed in the Private Schools Interscholastic Association Competition on Feb. 18 in Victoria, will go on to to compete in the the PSIA State Competition which will be April 29 in Fort Worth at Texas State Christian University.

Several High School Level students submitted their works of art to this year's 2017 Annual Visionarios Youth Art Contest on Feb. 25.

On March 13, members of the St. Joan Sodality, which is part of the St. Michael the Archangel Parish Youth Group, as well pre and Confirmation youth worked on a Parish Community Service Day. During their Spring Break, they participated in beautifying the parish, parish hall and church grounds as part of their giving back to the Community Service Acts.

“St. Francis: Troubadour of God’s Peace”, a live one-man drama performed by actor Sean Tivenan of St. Luke Productions will be presented at St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles Church in Corpus Christi on Sunday, April 2, at 3 p.m. The presentation allows the faithful to meet St. Francis of Assisi, one of the most beloved saints of all time, in a colorful, music-filled live drama suitable for all ages.

The path to priesthood doesn’t often include stops on the sets of soap operas. But for Father Don Woznicki, a stint as a production assistant for the NBC soap “Sunset Beach” in 1998 (the same year he entered the Mundelein Seminary to begin his formation as a priest) was a pivotal part of his exploration of his “calling within a calling” – his deep-seated desire to evangelize through the entertainment industry.

“Why be Catholic?” will be the topic of a Lenten mission and healing service that will held at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Alice on March19-23. Father Ken Geraci, CPM will lead the mission.

The children from The Ark got a new playhouse on Feb. 27 thanks to the generosity of Bumstead Properties & Associates, a real estate firm located on the Island.

The Fullness of Truth conference united some 600 Catholics from parishes throughout the Diocese of Corpus Christi as well as faithful from neighboring dioceses, such as Victoria, at the American Bank Center on March 4-5. Speakers, from the conference entitled “Our Family Reunion: Healing the Domestic Church," provided tools for helping families live out their faith in today's society.

As Congress prepares to discuss possible changes to the Affordable Care Act, the chairmen of four United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committees called on lawmakers to consider important moral criteria, especially pertaining to the most vulnerable, including the unborn and those experiencing deep poverty. The bishops have consistently advocated for a health care system in which—as the late Cardinal Francis George used to say—everyone should be cared for and no one should be deliberately killed.

Many people today find it difficult to wrap their minds around the idea that a woman would want to commit her whole life as a religious sister (for cloistered women think nun.) While much has been written about the “graying” of religious life as well as how few women are entering, perhaps there is another side to the story.

Despite less-than-ideal soccer weather this past Saturday, the Lady Angels were able to accomplish what they were so close to doing last year — secure a spot at the TAPPS Division 2 State Soccer Championship.

Incarnate Word Academy students, faculty, and staff began their Lenten journey by receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday during several campus Masses on March 1. Masses were held in the IWA Chapel, in the James R. Dougherty, Jr. Center and in the Mother Patricia Gunning Gymnasium.​​​​​​​

Incarnate Word Academy senior Mary Buhidar signed a letter of intent on March 1 to attend Schreiner University and join the women's softball team.

Coaches, nurses and two principals attended a half-day professional development seminar presented by the Diocese of Corpus Christi Office of Catholic Schools on Feb. 24 at the Education Service Center where they heard presentations on key health issues affecting youth in the diocese. Presenters gave examples on how to approach and educate children who may be at high risk for diabetes, elevated BMI's (Body Mass Index) and asthma.