Hello everyone and greetings in Christ!

I am sending this message to extend my personal invitation to each of you who are still discerning God’s call.  We are starting up again our monthly gatherings at St. Mary’s Seminary.  I would like to invite you to pray about this invitation and consider attending one or all of the scheduled gatherings starting in February 2012 @ 6:30pm in room 1 & 3 in John Paul II Bldg.

Discover the Road Less Traveled is a once a month gathering and an opportunity to meet other young men who love the Lord and who desire to know with more clarity God’s will.  The hope is that there you will foster solid friendship that will strengthen you in your faith.  There you will learn the tools of each day to be more attentive to God’s presence and His voice.  Whatever vocation God might be leading you, its main purpose is to invite and challenge you to grow in deeper holiness and firm trust in the Lord!

I entrust you all to the sacred and merciful heart of Christ.  I pray and hope that many of you will be able to join me and others for good fellowship, food, music, prayers, adoration and great talks.

Till we meet again, Christ’s abundant blessings be with you!

Fr. Dat

¡Hola a todos y saludos en Cristo!

Es un gusto enorme estar en contacto con ustedes de nuevo. Espero que esten pasando un hermoso tiempo de adviento con sus familias y amigos esperando la llegada del Niño Jesús.

Estoy enviando este mensaje para extenderles una invitación personal a cada uno de ustedes que todavía están discerniendo la llamada de Dios. Este próximo Febrero del 2012 empezaremos las reuniones mensuales de discernimiento vocacional “Descubre el Camino Menos Recorrido”. Me gustaría invitarlos a que oren sobre esta invitación.

Estas reuniones son una oportunidad para conocer a otros jóvenes que aman al Señor y que desean conocer con mayor claridad la voluntad de Dios. La esperanza es que ahí ustedes fomenten amistades sólidas que fortalezcan su fe. Ahí aprenderán las herramientas de cada día para estar más atentos a la presencia de Dios y a Su voz. Cualquiera que sea la vocación a la que Dios les esté conduciendo, su principal propósito es invitarlos y desafiarlos a crecer en santidad y en una confianza firme en el Señor!

Os encomiendo a todos en el corazón sagrado y misericordioso de Cristo. Rezo y espero que muchos de ustedes puedan acompañarme junto a otros jóvenes, sacerdotes, religiosas y religiosos en estas tardes de buena compañía, música, oración, adoración del Santísimo Sacramento y buena comida.

Que las bendiciones abundantes de Cristo esté con vosotros!

En Cristo,

Padre Dat Hoang
Director
Oficina de Vocaciones
www.houstonvocations.com

Recursos para imprimir y promover:
Flyer de Descubre Verano 2012 (28)
Poster de Descubre Verano 2012 (18)
Postcards de Descubre Verano 2012 (19)

 
His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo will celebrate the 5:00PM Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.  This will be our official kick-off celebration of National Vocation Awareness Week.  All are cordially invited.

Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 5:00PM    Mass for National Vocation Awareness Week

National Vocation Awareness Week Set For January 9-14

The Men’s Discernment Retreat will be held in St. Mary’s Seminary in January 6-8, 2012. This retreat is an opportunity to set out some time of silence to listen to the voice of God in your life; listen to inspiring talks and guidance for discernment process; learn the tools of discernment, sharpen your discerning skills and have a one on one visit with a priest and seminarian. Pre-register for the Men’s Discernment Retreat by filling the form to your right.

On Friday, March 9, 2012 we will have our annual Myriam Dinner at 6:30pm in St. Catherine Convent of the Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province (5250 Gasmer Dr., Houston, TX 77035). This dinner is a program for young women ages 18-35 who are discerning a call to Religious Life. Members of Various Religious Communities will be present to share with them and about their vocation stories.

Registration for this event is required for the preparation of food. You can register at vocations@archgh.org or 713-652-8239 or by using form to the right of this page.

 

Archdiocesan Celebration of Consecrated Life, February 5

 The 16^th World Day for Consecrated Life will be observed in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston on Sunday, February 5, 2012.  Cardinal DiNardo will celebrate the 11 a.m. Eucharist in the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.  All are invited and welcomed.  For additional information, contact Sister Heloise Cruzat, O.P. at 713-741-8733.

 16^th Archdiocesan Celebration of Consecrated Life, February 5

On February 5, women and men in consecrated life will gather in celebration with Cardinal DiNardo at the 11 a.m. Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.  In our archdiocese, there are approximately 450 women and 220 men in religious life who serve in a broad variety of ministries.

Women and men in the archdiocese belong to approximately 74 different religious groups:  32 priests’ groups and 42 groups of religious women.  Some of these are ancient Orders of the Church:  Benedictine, Carmelite, Dominican, Franciscan, Order of Virgins.  Others are religious institutes – clerical and apostolic congregations of sisters, brothers, religious priests. 

Our religious offer a variety of ministries:  as priests, as educators, as ministers in health care, retreat work and spiritual direction, pastoral care, and services among the poor and marginalized.  The Discalced Carmelite nuns in New Caney are a small community of contemplative women whose lives are dedicated to prayer for the Church and for all people.

In the words of Pope Benedict:  “… consecrated men and women are granted to show the primacy of God, passion for the Gospel practiced as a form of life and proclaimed to the poor and lowliest of the earth .” (Homily of His Holiness Benedict XVI, Vatican Basilica, February 2, 2011) 

All are invited and welcomed to attend the February 5 Eucharistic celebration.

Consider planning a special event in your school or parish honoring men and women who are members of Religious Communities.  Visit http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/consecrated-life/ for more resources.

Vocation Expo! is a one day event to assist Parish Vocation Committees, Vocation Directors, Priests, Deacons,  DREs, Youth Ministers and Campus Ministers and all others  interested in working promoting vocations.  The activities include motivational speakers, successful Parish Vocation Committee members, useful information about working with young adults and college students, time for Parish Committees to work on Action Plans, Exhibits by Religious Congregations, and practical advice and ideas from the Office of Vocations.

There is a $50 fee per parish for all day and lunch is included. Registration is required and it can be done online, by mail, fax, telephone or email.
 
Join Cardinal DiNardo’s priorities by participating and learning ways how everyone can encourage and support people who hear God’s call.

For more information and registration contact the Office of Vocations at 713-652-8239 or email vocations@archgh.org

With Praise and Thanksgiving to Almighty God,
The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Joyfully Announces the Ordination of

 Thomas Erle Hawxhurst

and

Martial Flodort Oya

To the Sacred Order of the Priesthood
Through the Imposition of Hands
and the Invocation of the Holy Spirit

By

His Eminence
Daniel Cardinal DiNardo
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

Saturday, January 14, 2012
10:00 A.M.

The Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
1115 St. Joseph Parkway
Houston, Texas

 Reception following at Cathedral Centre

Priests and Deacons please bring alb.