On Saturday, April 30, there will be a general clean up of Calvary Cemetery in San Angelo. Workers will go through the entire cemetery and remove all flowers and decorations from the graves. They will also remove all fencing and brick/stone/wire borders of any kind, including any other unauthorized items covering the grave such as white rocks, outdoor carpet, etc. If you have anything that you do not want removed by the clean up crew, please come and pick it up by Friday, April 29. On Sunday, May 1, you may place arrangements back on the graves. FMI Call Mike Wyse at the Catholic Diocese, 651-7500.

Holy Week, Easter schedule for Bishop Pfeifer

The Catholic Diocese of San Angelo announces the following schedule of religious/ liturgical celebrations that will be offered and presided over by Bishop Michael Pfeifer.

April 17 -- PALM SUNDAY

    9:45 a.m. – Blessing of Palms with Procession; celebration of the Eucharist, Sacred Heart Cathedral, San Angelo

   5:30 pm -- Bishop Pfeifer will preside at the annual Seder Meal to be held at Holy Angels Parish, 2309 A & M Ave., San Angelo

April 19            

   7 pm – Reconciliation Service at Sacred Heart Cathedral,  San Angelo

April 21 HOLY THURDAY (MAUNDY THIRSDAY)           

   7 p.m. – Mass of the Lord’s Supper with washing of feet, Sacred Heart Cathedral

April 22 – GOOD FRIDAY           

 1 p.m. – The Procession of the Cross at St. Margaret’s Church, 2619 Era St., San Angelo (12 Noon there will be a free light lunch for all those who wish to take part in the procession). The Procession of the Cross will begin at approximately 1 pm and will end with the praying of the 14 Stations of the Cross at Christ the King Retreat Center, on the banks of the Concho River.

   7 p.m. – Bishop will lead the liturgical service at St. Joseph’s Church, 301 W. 17th St., S. Angelo

April 23  -- EASTER VIGIL

   8 pm -- Bishop Pfeifer will preside at the Easter Vigil service at Sacred Heart Cathedral which includes the blessing of the new fire, the paschal candle and the blessing of the baptismal water, followed by baptisms and the reception into the Church of new members and the celebration of the Eucharist. 

April 24 – EASTER SUNDAY

   10 am -- Mass at St. Mary’s Church, 7 West Avenue N., San Angelo.

 

THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ALL OF THESE RELIGIOUS/LITURGICAL CELEBRTIONS!

 

SAN ANGELO – The annual Chrism Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Cathedral in San Angelo, at 11 a.m., this Thursday, April 14. One of the principal Masses of the year, the Chrism Mass brings together Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer and all the priests in the diocese for the blessing and consecrating of oils on the day also traditionally known as Priest Day.

“The Chrism Mass is one of the most solemn and significant liturgies of our church,” Pfeifer said. “During the Mass, I will bless the oil of catechumens, the oil of the sick and the oil of chrism. We use the first for adult catechumens and infants, the second for anointing the sick, and the sacred oil of chrism for baptism, confirmation, the ordination of priests, and the consecration of altars.”

Bishops have blessed oil since the earliest days of the church, baptizing catechumens at the Easter Vigil and preparing chrism fresh for the occasion. For more than 1,000 years, bishops blessed the oils at the cathedral Holy Thursday liturgy, but in 1955 the Church added a separate Mass earlier in the day at the cathedral for that purpose, the Mass of Chrism. Today it may be celebrated on a different day shortly before Holy Thursday to give the celebration independence and so that more people may attend.

The Mass of Chrism gathers the faithful of the diocese at their mother church with their shepherd to prepare for celebrations of Christ in all our churches throughout the year.

By Father Barry McLean
Director of Vocations
Diocese of San Angelo

What do we want to know, the voice of God vs. other desires that are not of God?  Discernment is a belief that God speaks to me; that Christ speaks to my soul; that Christ speaks to me.  That is why you can discern and why you can become aware of Christ’s voice is like in you.

The three steps to becoming aware of God’s voice in you, in your thoughts, feelings and desires.  Secondly, understanding what comes from God and what does not.  The final step is to take action, saying “yes” to God and “no” to that which is not of God.  These are the general steps in decrement.  This would apply to both men and women whether they are discerning a vocation to marriage, priesthood, religious life or the single life.  All rules apply to the human heart in a way that you cannot understand the difference from the voice that restricts God.

First, one needs to come to experience the language of God every day.  How does one learn a language?  You do not learn Spanish by hearing it one time a month, but by being immersed in the language.  The same is true of learning the language of God; one has to be immersed in the language of God, His Presence. 

My advice to anyone who is discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life is to remove any obstacles in the way of daily Mass or reflecting on Sacred Scriptures of the daily Mass; also to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly.  You will come to experience what God is like within you on a regular basis.  As Pope Benedict XVI says that “discerning a vocation begins with an encounter with Christ and that encounter being regular and consistent so that I become aware when I am being stirred by God.

What is it that my heart is attracted to?  What is it that my heart is pointed toward?  Right there in that moment, God’s own will and our will desire becoming one.”  Any vocation is about coming to God, friendship with Christ, union with Christ and a desire for Christ so that the heart of waking to discover one’s vocation wants to discover Christ, wanting to be close to Him, to live for Him.

Therefore, personal prayer would be a primary way one would live that out.  Once again, becoming aware of how God is affecting me in a conscious way.  I would recommend any time of quiet time in a place where you have experienced God’s presence, perhaps adoration.

The Office of Vocations for the Diocese of San Angelo will host a Vocations Retreat for young men who are high school juniors and older at Christ the King Retreat Center in San Angelo. 

The retreat will be facilitated by the seminarians for the Diocese of San Angelo and is a 3-day experience of prayer and activities, all revolving around life in the seminary.  This is an excellent time for any young men who are discerning a call to the priesthood to get an idea of the life of a seminarian.

More information on the retreat will be available in our next West Texas Angelus; however, if you are interested or know of someone who is interested in this experience, please call Father Barry McLean at (325) 651-7500 or (325) 374-9617.

The Office of Vocations for the Diocese of San Angelo will host a Vocations Retreat for young men who are high school juniors and older at Christ the King Retreat Center in San Angelo. 

The retreat will be facilitated by the seminarians for the Diocese of San Angelo and is a 3-day experience of prayer and activities, all revolving around life in the seminary.  This is an excellent time for any young men who are discerning a call to the priesthood to get an idea of the life of a seminarian.

More information on the retreat will be available in our next West Texas Angelus; however, if you are interested or know of someone who is interested in this experience, please call Father Barry McLean at (325) 651-7500 or (325) 374-9617.

Bishop’s Calendar

APRIL
   10 -12 -- SAN ANTONIO, Texas Bishops meeting at Oblate Renewal Center
   12 -- WALL, Confirmation at 6:30 pm
   14 -- SAN ANGELO, Chrism Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral at 11 am Presbyteral Council meeting at 1 pm
   15 -- SAN ANGELO, Newman Center Appreciation dinner
   16 -- ELDORADO, Confirmation at 6 pm
   17 -- SAN ANGELO, Palm Sunday Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral at 9:45 am
   19 -- SAN ANGELO, Penance Service at 7:00 pm at Sacred Heart Cathedral
   21 -- SAN ANGELO, Holy Thursday Mass at 7:00 pm at Sacred Heart Cathedral
   22 -- SAN ANGELO, Good Friday – Soup lunch at Noon; Way of the Cross Procession at 1 pm, St. Margaret Church
    22 -- SAN ANGELO, 7 pm – St. Joseph, Good Friday service
    23 -- SAN ANGELO,  Easter Vigil, 8 pm, Sacred Heart Cathedral
   24 -- SAN ANGELO, Mass at 10 am at St. Mary Church
   25 --  SAN ANGELO, Bishop’s residence – Easter dinner for staff, 6 pm
   26-28 -- Rest and prayer
   28-29 -- SAN ANTONIO, MACC Board of Trustees meeting
   30 -- MIDLAND, Confirmation at 5:00 pm at St. Ann Church

MAY
   1 -- ANDREWS, Our Lady of Lourdes – Confirmation, 10:30 am
   1 -- SAN ANGELO, Sacred Heart Cathedral Gym, CCD Awards Banquet, 6 p.m.
   2 -- SAN ANGELO, Diocesan Pastoral Center – Meeting of the 50th Anniversary of the Diocese Steering Committee at 10:30 a.m.
   2-- ST. LAWRENCE, Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.
   5 -- MIDLAND, Our Lady of Guadalupe-Confirmation 6:30 pm
   6 -- ODESSA, Holy Redeemer –Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.
   7 -- SAN ANGELO, Holy Angels –Confirmation at 5:30 p.m.
   8 -- MIDLAND, St. Stephen – Confirmation at 5:00 p.m.
   9 -- STANTON, St. Joseph- Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.
   10 -- ABILENE, Holy Family- Confirmation at 6:30 pm.
   11 -- FT. STOCKTON, St. Joseph –Confirmation at 6:30 pm.
   12 -- SONORA, St. Ann – Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.
   13-15 -- CONCEPTION, Mo. – Graduation Ceremony at Conception Seminary
   16-17 -- CORPUS CHRISTI – Meeting of the Board of the Kenedy Foundation
   18 -- SAN ANGELO, St. Joseph –Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.
   19 -- ABILENE, St. Vincent – Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.
   20 -- BROWNWOOD, St. Mary – Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.
   21 -- SAN ANGELO, Sacred Heart -Confirmation at 5:00 pm
   22 -- ODESSA, St. Joseph –Confirmation at 3:00 p.m
   23 -- ODESSA, St. Elizabeth-Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.
   24 -- MIDLAND, San Miguel Arcangel-Confirmation- 6:30 pm
   25 -- SAN ANGELO, Diocesan Pastoral Center – Charitable Foundation Meeting at 10:30 a.m.
   25 -- BALLINGER, St. Mary – Confirmation at 7:00 p.m.
   26 -- COLEMAN, Sacred Heart- Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.
   27 -- SAN ANGELO, Diocesan Pastoral Center – Staff Mass at 8:30 a.m., Staff Meeting at 11 a.m.
   27 -- SAN ANGELO, Christ the King Retreat Center – Rosary at Mary’s Grotto at 6:30 p.m.
   28 -- ABILENE-DYESS AFB,  25th Priestly Anniversary Mass of Father Gildardo Garcia at 1 p.m.
   29 -- ODESSA, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Bless Youth Center, 11:30 am
   31 -- BIG LAKE, St. Margaret-Confirmation at 6:30 p.m.

 
Christ the King
Retreat Center
APRIL
   11 -- Heart of Mercy Prayer Grp
   12 -- Deacons Quarterly Mtg.
   12 -- Adoration, 5-6 pm
   15-16 -- First United Methodist
   17 -- CKRC Confirmation Retreat
   18 -- Heart of Mercy Prayer Grp
   19 -- Adoration, 5-6 pm
   22-24 -- Office Closed – Holy Week/Easter
   25 -- Heart of Mercy Prayer Grp
   26 -- Adoration, 5-6 pm
   29-May 1 Beginning Experience

Necrology
MAY
   2-Rev. Russell Schultz (2004)
   5-Rev. Clifford Blackburn, OMI (2005)
   7-Msgr. Kevin Heyburn (2001)
   9-Rev. Leo Diersing (1999)
   9-Rev. Tom Diab (2007)
   15-Deacon Wayne Rock (2006)
   28-Rev. Francis Hynes, C.M.(1996)