I was born in Corpus Christi. I grew up in a Catholic family, and my great uncle was a Catholic priest. At a young age, I served as an altar server and lector. I attended Little Rock Catholic High School in Arkansas, and it was tough, but it taught me more than I realized even back then. 

My story is not of an easy path, nor should I be looked at like a role model. I relate to Saints like Paul, Matthew and Augustine. My road to ordination was rocky, rough and took many turns to bring me here. 

My journey to the Permanent Diaconate began years ago without even realizing it, as later I learned I was being formed even before I was accepted into the diaconate formation.  I was raised Catholic and had been what some would call a cradle Catholic. When I was young, I attended church, what I considered by force because Mom said, “Get ready, let’s go.” 

While many may recall when news of the coronavirus made national headlines, no one predicted the toll it would take on American lives or how society had to adapt to protect their loved ones. For those discerning the priesthood or the newly ordained, it affected them in ways never experienced before. Mass restrictions meant the faithful, who once filled church pews had to watch a televised Mass from their homes. For many priests celebrating Mass without seeing the faces of their parishioners was the most difficult challenge.

Seminarians Carlos Tomas De La Rosa and Charles Andrew Silvas publicly declared their intentions to pursue Holy Orders and were officially accepted as candidates for ordination during the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders at a special Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael Mulvey on Aug. 8. Bishop Mulvey presided and conferred candidacy to the two young men.

Eight seminarians from the Diocese of Corpus Christi are living out their pastoral summer assignments by accompanying parish youth ministers, volunteers, and teens in growing a personal relationship with Christ. The assignment includes hands-on small group ministry to teens.

Thirty-eight seminarians, including Raymond Pendleton from the Diocese of Corpus Christi, were installed to the ministry of acolyte in the Immaculate Conception Chapel at Pontifical North American College in Rome in a ceremony on Feb. 23.

As I discerned my vocation over the years, I asked myself, “Who could I learn from to be a good man?” In my pursuit of the answer, I joined the Marines, but did not find it there. So, I turned to academia to find the answer. In college, I learned much about the Church and our glorious history as Catholics.

Sister Annette Wagner was elected the superior general for a second term of four years during the Chapter of Elections held by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Dec. 22, 2019. Delegates met Dec. 20-23 for the general chapter’s canonical election of the leadership of the congregation.

The first time I realized our country’s current need for military chaplains was while reading a local Catholic newspaper where I saw an advertisement for the military chaplaincy. The ad depicted servicemen and women waiting in line to receive Communion, but there was no priest. The words at the top of the advertisement asked: “Who will serve them?”

Ruben Riojas was an altar server and regularly attended religious education classes, and was even selected to serve at the Christmas Mass despite having only one week’s experience. These experiences drew him closer to the Eucharist, which set in motion his current spiritual journey.

Carlos De La Rosa, 24, was a young child when he first thought about becoming a priest one day. As he grew older, the feelings waned and he didn’t think much more about it. But as a sophomore at St. John Paul II High School, he began reflecting on it again and then had a powerful experience in the sacrament of reconciliation.

On a Monday evening in a Corpus Christi Cathedral classroom, seminarian Charles Silvas is teaching the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for his first time. While many seminarians are studying away at college or seminary, Silvas is currently in his pastoral year of formation, wearing a Roman collar, but not yet ordained and embracing the challenges and rewards of parish life.

Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary and the Schoenstatt Family of Texas hosted a celebration in honor of the 60th Anniversary of the Confidentia Shrine in Lamar on Oct. 19. The event included a welcome, information, games, barbecue and ended with Bishop Michael Mulvey concelebrating Mass with Father Ray Yrlas, pastor of Sacred Heart in Rockport, Schoenstatt Father Christian Christiansen and Our Lady of Corpus Christi priest, Father John Gaffney, SOLT.

Sister Anna Marie Espinosa (Anna Marie) was born on Oct. 21, 1947, to Ernest and Beatriz Espinosa. She graduated from Incarnate Word Academy, Corpus Christi in 1966, and then entered the congregation the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament on Sept. 8, 1966, and made her first profession of vows on Aug. 1, 1969.

Sister Maria Irma Gonzalez (Maria Irma) was born in Brownsville on April 5, 1947. She is the daughter of Juan Gonzalez and Maria H. Gonzalez. She graduated from Brownsville High School in 1965 and entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament on Sept. 8, 1967, where she made first profession of vows on Aug. 1, 1970.

Born June 27, 1938, in Brownsville to Marion Edward Hon and Pilar Padilla Hon, Sister Mary Paul (Marjorie Hon) was taught by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and graduated from Villa Maria High School in Brownsville. She was challenged to serve in ministry by her pastor, who assigned her to teach all ages in religious education before she entered the convent. In September 1958 she entered the congregation and made her first profession of vows in August 1960.

Sister Jude Janecek (Mabel Gertrude), was born July 31, 1939, in Victoria, Texas, daughter of Cyril Methodius Janecek and Ruth Pearl Bracht Janecek.  Taught by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, she graduated from Incarnate Word Academy in 1957 and entered the Order in September of that year. She made her first profession of vows on June 3, 1959, and professed final vows in 1962.

Sister Catherine Brehony, a Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament of Corpus Christi, celebrated the seventieth anniversary of her religious profession on Oct.19, with Mass at St. Patrick Church and reception at the Incarnate Word Academy Dougherty Center.

Sister Agnes Marie Tengler celebrated 75 years of profession of vows as a Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament with a Mass at Incarnate Word Convent, Oct. 12.