South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 18, Ed. 1 Friday, May 6, 1988 Page: 1 of 20
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SOUTH TEXAS
Vol. XXXI, No. 18
Serving the 314,812 Catholics in the Diocese of Corpus Christi
May 6, 1988
Priests use games, music to
improve their Spanish skills
By Mary Alice Salinas
STC correspondent
CORPUS CHRISTI — Music,
relaxation, colors and fantasy are some
techniques being used “to tap the sub-
conscious mind” of 13 priests during
an unusual three-week Spanish course,
the first of its kind to be offered in this
diocese.
The course, known as the Ac-
celerated Language Program, is of-
fered by the Continuing Education
Department at the University of
Houston. Charlotte LeHecka is the
program director.
This particular course, which runs
from April 25 through May 13, is
geared for priest who have some ex-
perience speaking Spanish. The priests
attend the sessions at the Bishop Drury
Retreat House for most of the day
Mondays through Fridays. A priests’
Spanish-language course for beginners
is scheduled to be held this fall.
This unconventional approach to
learning language—using the “whole
brain” method to enhance the priests’
Spanish-speaking skills—“will help
them grow as pastors in a diocese
where knowing Spanish is almost
essential,” said Father Thomas
McGettrick, chairman of the
Presbyteral Council and member of
the council’s Committee on Priestly
Spirituality.
This intensive language course is
one of many ways the Presbyteral
Council seeks to serve all priests in the
diocese. The council’s purpose, accor-
ding to its constitution, is to be "a
place of mutual, open reflection and
fraternal dialogue between the bishop
and the priests of the diocese.” Coun-
cil members also seek “to strengthen
and promote the bond of unity and af-
fection among all the people of God of
this diocese...”
Presbyteral Council officers were
elected at the April 20 meeting for one-
year terms. They are Father McGet-
trick, chairman; Father Antonio
Arguelles, vice-chairman; Father
Michael Heras, secretary; and Msgr.
Robert Freeman, treasurer.
Questionnaires completed for the
Second Diocesan Synod revealed that
68.6 percent of Catholics in the
Diocese of Corpus Christi are
Hispanic.
“I think what priests do spiritually
for the people depends to a large extent
on how well we can communicate with
them,” noted Father McGettrick.
The language course was offered to
all priests in the diocese because many
of them “have expressed a desire to
learn Spanish,” continued the council
chairman.
The unique methodology employed
by the University of Houston was
chosen because Father McGettrick
received “marvelous feedback from
the priests there,” he said.
See Priests, page 11
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Phyllis Stehm
receives a
wonderful
Mother's Day-
breakfast-in-bed
from her hus-
band. Mark, and
children Rachel,
Julie and Daniel.
(Kim
Christensen-
Bergstrom
photo)
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Instructor Victoria Llnaris plays a game going on at the Drury Retreat House in Cor-
with some of the priest-participants during pus Christi. The three-week course will run
part of the unconventional Spanish course until May 13. (Mary Alice Salinas photo)
Second synod document,
The Parish, included
Pages 4-9
New Life program to
expand through grant
Page 11
Educators examine health
of schools, students
Page 15
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Freeman, Robert E. South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 18, Ed. 1 Friday, May 6, 1988, newspaper, May 6, 1988; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth840530/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .