Texas Gulf Coast Register (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, September 29, 1967 Page: 1 of 8
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Re-Dedication Rite Set
For Presidio Chapel
Goliad — The Presidio Espiritu Santo
with its chapel of Our Lady of Loreto has
now been completely restored, through
funds provided by the Kathryn O’Connor
Foundation. This historic site is the prop-
erty of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
Founded at Goliad in 1749 by Spanish
military explorers and missionaries, it
was the scene of the massacre of Colonel
Fannin and his command during the
Texas War of Independence.
In the middle of the last century, Bish-
op Odin of Galveston secured the return
of the property to the church from the
cooperation of Goliad. Completely recon-
structed in accordance with the archaeo-
logical findings and an authentic map
over a century old, the presidio houses a
museum, and a resource area for students
of Texas History.
BISHOP THOMAS J. Drury has
announced that the re-dedication ceremo-
nies will take place at 10:30 a.m., Sun-
day, Oct. 8. A Low Mass will be celebrat-
ed by the Bishop, and Archbishop Robert
E Lucey of San Antonio will preach the
sermon.
The "Six Flags” will be blessed and
hoisted, a military band is expected to be
present, and the festivities will be con-
cluded with a barbecue. Invitations have
gone out to President and Mrs. Johnson
and Governor and Mrs. Connally and
other dignitaries of Church and state.
Bishop Thomas J. Drury, in a letter to
the priests of the diocese, said that with-
out interfering with Sunday schedules, he
is anxious that as many as passible of
the clergy religious as can attend, will do
so.
He said that because of the historical
significance of the presidio, it is especial-
ly desired that students of all levels
should be present.
The "Texas Gulf Coast Register” is
planning to include a special supple-
ment commemorating the re-dedica-
tion, in its issue of Oct. 6. It will have
a full color reproduction of the presi-
dio from the painting by Raiford Strip-
ling and will contain articles on the
history and archaeology of the site,
with many interesting photographs.
On tabloid multi prime pages with
slick cover, it will be a beautiful en-
during souvenir of this major historic
occasion.
texas gulf coast
REGISTER
FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 1967
GUIDELINES
Dialogue -- 'Difficult Art'
Vatican City
Dialogue, says 52-page Vatican booklet
on the subject, "demands a far from ordi-
nary intellectual qualification, as well as
reliable documentation tenaciously ac-
quired and utilized, plus the maintenance
of a correct balance between initiative
and prudence, both of which are equally
requisite.”
The booklet, entitled "Toward the
Meeting of Religions.” is the first of a
series that will be a guide for inter-faith
dialogue. The booklet duals with the psy-
chological and practical sphere, and the
second publication will dwell on the char-
acter and "personality” proper to particu-
lar people, and will consider its culture
and its religion.
The publisher of the series, in English
and French, is the Vatican Secretariat for
Non-Christians. Cardinal Paolo Marella is
president of the secretariat.
The foreword admits that dialogue is "a
difficult art,” but the booklet, says Cardi-
nal Marella, "presents us with the spirit
and approach we should have.”
Other points made in the booklet’s
eight chapters include:
• "At first sight, there might appear
to be a contrast between the attitude of
charity, which urges men toward union,
and that of faith, which insists on dis-
tinction. In reality, there are two comple-
mentary elements, both of them indispen-
sable for true and useful contacts.”
• "Myth is a universal phenomenon of
the human race, especially in the archaic
and primordial conditions of life, and it
permeates all religions to a greater or
lesser degree.”
• "It is necessary to bear in mind that
Christianity has a structure which is ra-
dically different from that of the myth and
in which every attempt at the demytholo-
gization of Christianity conflicts with the
very words of the Apostles.”
• "Great attention must be paid to the
delicate phenomenon called idolatry.
Spontaneous and lawful in the sphere of
natural religion, the myth is the symboli-
cal representation of the divine and hence
the representation of this myth by an
image ought also to be permissible, even
thought it be only an imperfect expression
of it.”
The booklet concludes: "Since they (the
suggestions of the booklet) are proposed
as guides for the crossing of unexplored
or little-known territory, they need to go
through the most telling test of all,
namely, being put into practice. We are
counting very largely then on the hope
that people will tell us of their experience
in this matter.*
Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Corpus Christi
VOL. II NO. 22
■
m *
Prepare for Blasts
WORKERS FROM the John Phillips Construction
Company prepare to board up the antique windows at
Our Lady Star of the Sea, Corpus Christi, in advance of
Hurricane Beulah.
RED CROSS FLAG f!ies outside the north entrance
of the Cathedral auditorium which was used as a regis-
tration center for Hurricane Beulah victims seeking aid.
At Its First Assembly
Texas Catholic Conference Tackles Issues
Diocesan Women Set
Meeting in Laredo
Corpus Christi — The Diocesan Con-
vention of the Diocesan Council of Catho-
lic Women, Diocese of Corpus Christi,
will be held in Laredo on Tuesday and
Wednesday, Oct. 17 and 18, 1967.
The Laredo deanery will be host for
the convention with headquarters at the
Laredo Civic Center. The theme of the
convention will be "This Year of Faith”
and Mrs. E. F. Goodrich, president of the
Laredo deanery, is general chairman.
The Laredo deanery extends a cordial
invitation to all the clergy and women of
the diocese to attend this convention.
The convention will begin with re-
gistration at the Laredo Civic Center
auditorium from 12 Noon to 1:30 p.m.
on Tuesday, Oct 17. At 1:30 p.m., the
following three committee meetings
will be held in the meeting rooms of
the civic center:
Diocesan board meeting, with Mrs. W.
E. Schultz, diocesan president, presiding.
Credential committee with chairman,
Mrs. Luis Novoa, Jr., presiding.
Nominating committee with chairman,
Mrs. W. T. Neilon, presiding.
THE GENERAL Assembly will be
held at 2:30 p.m. Welcome will be given
by Mrs. E. F. Goodrich, and the treasur-
er’s report will be read by Mrs. W. O.
Waid, diocesan treasurer.
The minutes will be read by Mrs. Sa-
bino Garza, diocesan secretary. Mrs. Luis
Novoa, Jr., and Mrs. Fidel Gutierrez will
report on the credentials committee and
registration committee, respectively.
The banquet is scheduled for 8 p.m. at
the ballroom of the Larado civic center.
Social hour will precede the banquet at 7
p.m. Grace will be offered by Rt. Rev.
Kevin Dunne, dean of the Laredo clergy.
Welcoming address will be given by
the Honorable J. C. Martin, Jr., May-
or of the City of Laredo, and guest
speaker will be Mrs. James H. Roun
saville of Jacksonville, Texas, Nation-
al Director of N.C.C. W.
At 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18,
Mass will be offered at the ballroom of
the civic center with Rev. Teofilo Okru-
hlik, spiritual director of the Laredo de-
anery, as celebrant. Rt. Rev. E. J. Miller,
diocesan spiritual moderator, will give
the sermon.
A general meeting will be held at the
auditorium. There will be a panel discus-
sion on the new commissions. Report of
the resolutions committee will be given
by Mrs. Joe G. Coleman, chairman.
Reports will also be made on the elect-
ee board, installation of diocesan officers,
and closing remarks will be given by
Bishop Thomas J. Drury, of Corpus
Christi, who will also give the Blessing.
(An "Alamo Messenger” Release)
Av in — An Archbishop, eight Bish-
ops and an aggregation of some 150
priests, Religious and laymen met here
early this week for the first general as-
sembly of the growing Texas Catholic
Conference.
From its beginnings in 1964
through the efforts of the Texas ordi-
naries, the TCC has expanded and
developed into a functioning clearing
house for many of the programs
which have a common basis in the
various dioceses or for those pro-
grams whose scope is larger than a
single diocese or area of the state.
But with this expansion and develop-
ment have come burning concerns which
were clearly studied at the first general
assembly. So were many suggested solu-
tions.
Discussion was in the fields of educa-
tion, social welfare, social action, ecumen-
ical relations, Newman activities and in
CCD.
Facing the issues and evaluating solu-
tions were Archbishop Lucey and the
other ordinaries of Texas as well as the
clergy, Religious and lay personnel who
constitute the various departments in the
Texas Catholic Conference.
ARCHBISHOP LUCEY is general
chairman of the Texas Catholic Confer-
ence. Other board members, all of whom
were present for the first general assem-
bly, include Bishops Louis J. Reicher of
Austin, Lawrence M. DeFalco of Amaril-
lo, Thomas J. Drury of Corpus Christ!)',
Thomas K. Gorman of Dallas-Fort Worth;
Bishops Sidney M. Metzger of El JPaso,
John L. Morkovsky of Galveston-Houston,
Thomas Tschoepe of San Angelo, and
Humbert? Mederios of Brownsville. Bish-
op Mederics was present for the first day
of activities but returned to his See City
when Hurricane Beulah began posing a
serious threat to the Brownsville area.
(Turn to Page 4)
Apostle of the Americas—Apostle of Texas
The Restless Friar—The Story
Of Venerable Fray Margil de Jesus
Holy Mass
| Survey Begins I
Sunday
3: In a recent letter to3:
gall pastors of
By Monsignor Wilian
H. Oberste, P.A.
Chapter VII—
Return to Queretero
THE FOLLOWING committees have
been appointed for the convention: Mrs.
(Turn to Page 2)
It -is related that one
night at a very late hour a
messenger came to the
de_r of the monastery ear-
nestly pleading that Father
Margil come to attend a
dying man in a distant vil-
lage. Awakening a lay
Brother from deep sleep, in
order to accompany him,
Father Guardian set out
immediately, and arrived
in sufficient time to ad-
minister the Last Sacra-
ments to a man at the
point of death. This sick
call elicited a special inter-
est because while it had
taken only one hour to
reach the bedside of the
dying man, it took an en-
tire day to make the jour-
ney back to the monastery.
'K
Map Plans for Convention
Members of the diocesan committee of the Council of Catholic Women
meeting recently with Bishop Thomas J. Drury and diocesan and deanery
moderators to plan the forthcoming convention in Laredo. (Photo-Yvonne’s)
SUCH WAS the energy
of Father Margil in spite
of his many occupations he
never refused to accept the
invitations to preach in
other churches. On one
occasion he accepted the
invitation to preach in the
parish of Our Lady of
Guadalupe, located within
the city of Queretero. When
he rose to preach on this
feast day, the feast of St.
Paul, he saw before him
also all the members of
the local cabildo, the aider-
men of the city. It is prob-
able that they came mere-
ly out of curiosity, to see a
man of whom they heard
so much since his arrival
in the city. Their idle cu-
riosity was soon turned not
only to embarrassment but
even to anger. Without
resorting to fine phrases,
but not mentioning names,
Margil struck out against
prevalent abuses, and in
such measured tones that
even the religious present
were displeased.
At the instigation of the
humiliated city officials,
Margil was summoned 'be-
fore the Commissioner of
the Holy Office, a local
ecclesiastic representing
the Holy See. In their fury
these men demanded that
Margil be officially repri-
manded, if not solemnly
denounced. Margil’s only
worry was that he might
have given scandal to the
faithful by his forceful ac-
tion taken in defense of
the helpless and the exploit-
ed. The Father Commis-
sioner, knowing full well
the intent and virtues of
Margil, took no action.
How often had Margil been
the victim of the ignorance
and obstinancy of the In-
dians, but this was more
difficult to bear because
the attack came from those
with a guilty conscience,
seeking under false guise
to find some justification
for their action.
nevertheless Margil contin-
ued to voice the defense of
the impoverished people. It
was not far from the mon-
astery to the main piaza,
and there the people came
to expect his daily visit.
He pleased many with his
pleasantries, gave encour-
agement to the faltering,
and graciously blessed the
candles, rosaries, and the
holy pictures the people
bought to grace their
humble homes.
A great personal sorrow
came to Margil. One day,
probably in February 1699,
he received a message
from Guatemala announc-
ing the death of his dear
friend and companion,
Father Melchor. The mes-
sage read that this saintly
apo3tle died on Oct. 27 of
the previous year, at a
place called La Tologalpa.
near the City of Danli in
Honduras. He died as he
wanted to die, on the mis-
sions, among his beloved
Indians. In his journeys
through the forest, he suf-
fered cold and hunger. He
died peacefully in the arms
of his companion, Fray
Pedro de 1 .i Concepcion,
who report .J that during
his death agony, his eyes
were filled with beauty,
and looking heavenward he
seemed already lo see "the
smile of his Savior.”
New Spain, and through-
out all the years up to
now, Father Melchor was
his tower of strength, his
wise counselor, his loyal
friend. Now he was gone!
The greatest of men have
always leaned on the
strength and inspiration of
another. If we but look far
enough, in every instance
a great leader has had at
his command, and as his
support, someone who
served devotedly with self-
effacement and with a pas-
sion for anonymity. Such a
man was Father Melchor!
When Margil finished
reading the letter which
brought the sad news of
Melchor’s death, he ordered
the tolling of the monas-
tery bells, and when the
community was gathered,
Margil addressed them
without a tear: "If it were
within my command not to
toll the bells, but to ring
them as though for a great
joyous feast day, I would
do so, because he is al-
ready an angel, and with
God.”
the£:
:$ diocese Bishop Thom-3:
$:as J. Drury askedjg
3: that a count be made;?
;3of the number of peo-i-j-
3: pie attending all Sun-:;
3d ay Masses during the?:
v.-month of October. :‘i
An estimate
Sto be made
is also 3:
of the;?
3numbers receiving;?
:?Holy Communion and :•:•
:3the figures returned £:
|:j:to the Chancery not]?
3:later than Nov. 10. ■$
THOUGH the chagrin
and the dislike of many
city officials did not abate,
PERHAPS tor the first
time in his life Margil
really felt helpless and
alone. Since his coming to
THE USUAL TERM of
the superiorship of Father
Guardian in a monastery
is three years, and there-
fore in 1700 Fathei Margil
was very happy to relin-
quish the burdens of that
office. Contrary to his own
expectations, he was not
relieved of his position
because the newly elected
Father Guardian was ab-
(Turn to Page 4)
To Give Mission
Rev. John E. Curley,
S.J., will preach the par-
ish mission at Corpus
Christi Cathedral, Oct. 8-
15.
The Mission Services
will be held nightly at 7:
30 and will center
around the Holy Sacri-
fice of the Mass. The
Missionary Father will
be available daily for
confession and consulta-
tion.
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Gough, William. Texas Gulf Coast Register (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 22, Ed. 1 Friday, September 29, 1967, newspaper, September 29, 1967; Denver, Colorado. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth833711/m1/1/: accessed July 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .