For much of the past year, America has been reckoning with the legacy of slavery and the persistence of racial injustice in our country. Sadly, it is still true that the “color of our skin” often matters more in our society than the “content of our character,” as Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., said a half-century ago.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has a history of over 100 years , in which Christians around the world have taken part in an octave of prayer for visible Christian unity.  By annually observing the WPCU, Christians move toward the fulfillment of Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper "that they all may be one."  (cf. John 17:21)

All are invited to join the “Facing challenges with Saint Mother Theodore Guerin” virtual event, which will take place from 6-7:30 p.m., CST, on Thursday, Feb. 4. A panel of Sisters of Providence, along with Providence Associates, will share some of the challenges Saint Mother Theodore Guerin faced in her lifetime and correlate those challenges to those many of us face in the present.

Some will remember 2020 as the year of the coronavirus, national division, riots, protests, and the rise of extremist groups. Still, for many in the south Texas community, it’s been a year to pray. Red and white pray signs are seen throughout neighborhoods in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Laredo, and beyond.

All single women ages 18-42 are invited to join the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana and the Illinois Women Against Human Trafficking for a virtual performance of “The True Costs: Stories of Human Trafficking,” scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 23 from 3-5:30 p.m., CST. This is a virtual event hosted by the Sisters of Providence.

Parishes are about to participate in a diocesan-wide program that will unite the Diocese of Corpus Christi in prayer through the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Due to St. Paul the Apostle Parish construction, the food pantry in Flour Bluff will open every other Tuesday until further notice. The dates are scheduled through June, but the pantry will resume normal operating hours if the construction ends sooner. 

In 2019, Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott announced an initiative to end child exploitation and sex trafficking in Texas. The Governor’s Response Against Child Exploitation (GRACE) Initiative intends to empower and mobilize communities of faith in the fight against child sex trafficking.

Pope Francis has decreed a Year of St. Joseph in which Catholics will have the opportunity to obtain a special plenary indulgence. Until December 2021, there are many new ways that Catholics can receive an indulgence, including entrusting their daily work to the protection of St. Joseph the Worker or reciting the rosary with their families.

Everyone has had to deal with many difficulties resulting from the pandemic; their lives disrupted through most of 2020. Many Special Olympic athletes and their families have had their daily routines disrupted and turned upside down without knowing or understanding the reason why. Their annual events which typically occur had been rescheduled and eventually cancelled. 

The Mother Teresa Shelter held their annual Christmas luncheon, feeding over 200 of our homeless brothers and sisters on Dec. 25. The event began with Mass celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Edmond Carmody, who reminded helpers, volunteers, staff, and families, “Today a Savior is born for us."

Thank God we’ve finally left 2020 behind! We’ve entered a new year with great hopes for better times, along with a little trepidation. For many of us, V-day – when we roll up our sleeves and get vaccinated – will likely be the biggest event of 2021.