South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, May 31, 1996 Page: 3 of 24
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SOUTH TEXAS CATHOLIC
DIOCESE
MAY 31, 1996—3
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Newly commissioned go forth to minister to community
Thirty-three Pastoral Institute graduates are ready to begin their ministries
By Renee Hamling
After many months, and years in some
cases, of intense study, 33 graduates of
the Pastoral Institute were commissioned
May 19 by Bishop Rene Gracida to
become active participants in various
ministries throughout the diocese. Many
of the newly commissioned will return to
their parishes as evangelizers or cat-
echists, or to teach in the RCIA program.
Others will move on to teach religion in
schools throughout the diocese, or return
to the Pastoral Institute as instructors.
“I’m looking forward to coordinating a
religious education program somewhere
that they need me," said Elsa Guajardo,
who was commissioned May 19 as a
religious education coordinator and also
recommissioned as a catechist. “I'm
hoping our Lord will lead me. I've put it
in his hands."
"The mission of the Pastoral Institute is
really to enable the people of God to
fulfill their ministry given to them by
virtue of their baptism by educating them
and providing them with the tools
necessary to serve the people of God,”
said Father Bradley Barber, Director of
the Pastoral Institute. “All courses are
open to everyone, whether it be for
personal enrichment, diocesan credit
toward commissioning, diocesan credit
toward the permanent diaconate, or in
some situations, credit toward a college
degree.”
More than 700 people have been
commissioned by the Pastoral Institute
since its inception in 1984. Those
individuals working toward commission-
ing must complete nine of the institute’s
courses, including Spiritual Formation I
and 11, Liturgy and Sacraments, Catholic
Doctrine, and Introduction to Moral
Theology. They must also have a work
agreement with their pastor as to which
ministry they will be actively participat-
ing in upon commissioning.
"We don't commission people to just
put them in a vacuum, but to fulfill a
specific ministry that they and their
pastor have agreed upon beforehand,"
said Father Barber.
Students are commissioned initially for
a period of three years. During that time
they must continue their education by
taking more of the institute’s courses or
participating in retreats. They must also
be actively engaged in their ministry.
After the initial three-year period, they
may be recommissioned for another five
years.
For Guajardo, the idea of finally being
able to play an active role in her new
ministry is exciting.
"1 admire religious education coordina-
tors because they have to do a lot of
depending on volunteers... of depending
STC Photo/Joyce Gonzalez
Dr. Frank Lucido,
Associate
Superintendent
of Catholic
Schools (right),
shakes the hand of
Frances Lozano
(left) as he awards
her school
certification upon
her commissioning
by Bishop Rene
Gracida May 19.
Lozano and 32
other graduates
of the Pastoral
Institute were
commissioned
during the
ceremony held at
Corpus Christi
Cathedral.
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on the good faith and good will of the
people who come and volunteer to
catechize,” she said. “But the beauty of it
is that they have the Holy Spirit with
them, and I think that's what most of
them hold on to.”
The following are those graduates of
the Pastoral Institute who were commis-
sioned May 19:
Catechists: Cecilia Mary Adams, St.
Patrick, Corpus Christi; Priscilla Garcia,
Ss. Cyril & Methodius, Corpus Christi;
Frances V. Ysaguirre, Christ the King,
Corpus Christi.
Catechists/Coordinator: Estela R.
Almeida, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Corpus
Christi; Esla F. Guajardo, Diocese of
Corpus Christi; Gracie V. Sosa, Diocese
of Corpus Christi.
Evangelizer: Noelia Leal, Ss. Cyril &
Methodius, Corpus Christi.
Liturgical Minister/RCLA/Pastoral
Liturgy: Gloria G. Cantu, Christ the
King, Corpus Christi; Maria O. Chavez,
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Corpus
Christi; Sister Mary Ann Pagano, IWBS,
Sacred Heart, Rockport; Yolanda
Salomon, St. Theresa, Corpus Christi;
Victoriana C. Valdez, Corpus Christi
Cathedral, Corpus Christi.
School Certification: Ramona
Amezcua, St. Augustine Elementary
School; Linda Anderson, St. Pius X
School; Sister Herminia V. Barcelon,
SSA, Corpus Christi Academy; Sister M.
Christina Bradley, IWBS, Incarnate Word
Elementary; Hildegard J. Cavazos,
Incarnate Word Academy; Marilyn Etter,
Most Precious Blood School; Sophie
Farrar, Most Precious Blood School;
Sister William Francis Garcia, IWBS,
Incarnate Word Elementary; Sister
Lourdes Gunao, SSA, Most Precious
Blood School; Barbara Lamson, Most
Precious Blood School; Sister Barbara
Netek, IWBS, Incarnate Word Academy;
Sister Theresa Nguyen, FM A, Mary Help
of Christians School; Mae E. Rabuyo,
Christ the King, Corpus Christi; Sister
Trinidad Reyes, FMA, Mary Help of
Christians School; Zelina Denice A.
Salinas, Christ the King, Corpus Christi;
Sister Assunta Sanchez, FMA, Mary Help
of Christians School; Sister Josephine
Sanchez, FMA, Mary Help of Christians
School; Sister Theresa Sirach, OSU, St.
Peter’s Memorial School; Sister Mary
Ann Villagomez, FMA, Mary Help of
Christians School; Sister Maria del
Carmen Villalpando, MDMPVM, St.
Martin School.
Advertise
DUNN(E) REUNION
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South Texas
JUNE 22
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For Information Call Cindy
(512)241-5730
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Espitia, Paula. South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, May 31, 1996, newspaper, May 31, 1996; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth856121/m1/3/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .