Knights and Ladies celebrate patron saint

The Beaumont Inter-Diocese Council Court Assemblies and Chapters of the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver joined together Sept. 6 at Our Mother of Mercy Church, Beaumont, for the memorial Mass of St. Peter Claver celebrated by Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD and concelebrated by Josephite Father Lowell Case and Josephite Father Bura Koroba.

“St. Peter Claver heard the call to minister to the poor,” Bishop Guillory said. “He worked in the field with them and he heard what their needs were. God instructs us to hear in the same way, and we have heard what he instructed because we are members of the church.”

Read Full Post »

Girls’ softball gets training facility

Thanks to a generous donation to Msgr. Kelly Catholic High School, the girls’ softball team now has a beautiful new training facility. The facility was dedicated to the Dominican Sisters of Houston and was blessed Aug. 19 by Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD, with players, staff, family and friends in attendance.

Read Full Post »

People first

Learning to put people first when ministering to a person with a disability could make a world of difference.

“When you put people first instead of putting their disability first it’s less judgmental,” keynote speaker Charleen Katra, associate director, Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, said. “Spiritual understanding can be shown through that gesture.”

Read Full Post »

From singing to hospitality: Worship seminar covers aspects of liturgy

From singing to hospitality, the 7^th Annual Prayer and Worship Seminar included various workshops that covered the different aspects of liturgy.

Father Roger Keeler offered the keynote address Friday evening. His address included a metaphor between a far from perfect family dinner and what the liturgy is. Exhibitors were also open both days and included some small Christian businesses from around Southeast Texas.

Read Full Post »

Ayuda para daños de inundaciones sigue a través de Caridades Católicas

El departamento de respuesta a desastres de Caridades Católicas del Sureste de Texas continua proveyendo ayuda a cualquier persona de los seis condados de Jasper, Newton, Tyler, Hardin, Jefferson, Chambers y Liberty que fue afectada por las inundaciones que ocurrieron en mayo y junio.

Tara Byars, coordinadora del programa de respuesta a desastres para Caridades Católicas, dijo que hubo familias en el condado de Liberty que reportaron de tres a nueve pies de agua en sus hogares, y que tuvieron pérdidas totales de los contenidos de sus casas.

El condado de Liberty ha recibido ayuda federal para individuos y dueños de casa. Los afectados pueden llamar diario a FEMA al número (800) 621-3362 de 7 a.m. a 10 p.m. o visitando al sitio web www.fema.gov/apply-assistance. También se puede contactar con Byars al número (409) 924-4426 o por  su correo electrónico tbyars@catholiccharitiesbmt.org. Caridades Católicas también está dando ayuda limitada.

Read Full Post »

Flooding assistance still available through Catholic Charities

The disaster response team of Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas is continuing to provide assistance to anyone in the six counties that were affected by the Memorial Day floods and the flooding that occurred in mid-June in Jasper County. Residents of Jasper, Newton, Tyler, Hardin, Jefferson, Chambers and Liberty Counties who have had damage are eligible to apply for assistance.

Tara Byars, disaster relief coordinator for Catholic Charities, said families in Liberty County reported anywhere from three to nine feet of water inside homes that left homes devastated and caused a total loss of the contents of the homes.

Liberty County has been granted federal assistance for individuals and homeowners, and those affected can call FEMA at 800-621-3362 toll free from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily or go on the FEMA website at https://www.fema.gov/apply-assistance, or contact Byars at (409) 924-4426 or tbyars@catholiccharitiesbmt.org. Catholic Charities is providing limited assistance.

Read Full Post »

Repairs in progress following flooding at St. Francis, Buna

Following the flooding that took place at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Buna, work is underway to repair the damage from several inches of water that seeped into the church and hall.

In the overnight hours of June 17, water from the swollen rivers that had been compounded by rain that began June 16 and continued until June 18 flooded the buildings causing damage to floors and walls.

Father Delphyn Meeks, pastor, said that contractors are currently in the process of replacing floor tile and sheet rock and it will still be a while before repairs are completed.

During the closure for repairs, parishioners are encouraged to attend either St. Maurice, Mauriceville, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday or 10:30 a.m. Sunday or St. Mark the Evangelist, Silsbee, at 4:30 p.m. Saturday or 9 a.m. Sunday, 11:15 a.m. Sunday in Spanish. For more information on Mass and confession times at St. Maurice or St. Mark, visit the diocesan website at www.setxcatholic.org/parishes.

Read Full Post »

Parish celebrates pastor’s silver jubilee

Hundreds of family and friends gathered July 5 at Holy Trinity Church, Mont Belvieu, to celebrate the silver jubilee Mass of Father Joseph Khanh Ho, pastor.

Special guest Msgr. Peter Quang Nguyen of the Archdiocese of Denver, a classmate of Father Ho in Vietnam, gave thanks for the many years of dedicated service Father Ho has given.

Read Full Post »

Rosario receives national award for column

Richard Rosario, assistant director of Community Development for the Beaumont Diocese, received a third-place award for his Spanish-language column at the annual awards for the Catholic Press Association awards banquet held June 26 in Buffalo, N.Y.

The column, La Respuesta de un Corresponsable, received third-place in Best Column: General Commentary-Spanish category. Three examples of the column were submitted and were judged against entries submitted nationwide.

Read Full Post »

Christus unveils new strategic direction to expand access to care

Christus Health announced June 29 a new path forward for Christus Health Southeast Texas. This path will include a new strategic direction that will transform how Christus Health Southeast Texas delivers healthcare to the nine counties it serves as well as a new patient-centered model to provide access to care beyond the traditional hospital setting or through an Emergency Room.

By 2018, Christus Southeast Texas Health System will increase its service offerings from an existing 27 to more than 40 locations region-wide, adding access to urgent care centers, outpatient clinics, primary care practices and state-of-the-art specialty care.

Read Full Post »