Weekly Update Archive

“VERBUM MITTITUR SPIRANS AMOREM”

Steward & Stacy’s Summer Day Camp with Bishop Flores July 18
The Development Office of the Diocese of Brownsville is hosting a free day-long event for children ages 8 to 11 on Wednesday, July 18 at the Catholic Pastoral Center in San Juan.  The camp will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will include arts and crafts and catechesis on the Ten Commandments. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided. The event will conclude with a blessing by Bishop Flores at 4 p.m. in the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine. 

Volunteers are needed for this event.  Please consider donating your time and talent to help make this a fun, memorable and lasting experience for the children of the Diocese of Brownsville. Please contact Rosie Rodriguez, Jesse Salinas or Lulu Ramirez at the Development Office for more information at (956) 781-5323. 

This Week on Diocese Insight 
This week on Diocese Insight, a half-hour program on KMBH-TV, host Brenda Nettles Riojas interviews Diana Salazar about Spaulding for Children. The show will broadcast on Sunday, July 8 at 11 a.m. and on Friday, July 13 at 5:30 p.m.

Marriage Building Program Begins Aug. 4
The Diocese of Brownsville’s Family Life Office is offering a two-part Marriage Enrichment Program on Saturday, Aug. 4 and on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. for any and all married couples interested in building a stronger marriage. Topics will include “Choosing a High Priority Marriage,” “Resolving Honest Conflict,” and “The Blueprint of Love: Christ Shows Us How to Love.”

The two-part Marriage Building Program will take place at the Bishop Adolph Marx Conference Center in San Juan. The fee is $10 per couple to cover the cost of the workbook.

For more information, please call (956) 784-5012.

Catholic Charities Offers Pregnancy Counseling
Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley offers free, confidential, and professional pregnancy counseling to families who are expecting a child and who may be facing a crisis (from unborn up to their first years of life). The goal is to help individuals overcome their crises, offering alternatives to abortion, saving lives, and living out our pro-life convictions.

Please call (956) 702-4088 to schedule an appointment. Counseling is offered at two sites: Catholic Charities in San Juan, 700 N. Virgen de San Juan Blvd. and Catholic Charities in Brownsville, 955 W. Price Road.

Office of Youth Ministry
This summer is gearing up to be an exciting experience for our youth.  Below are some upcoming summer programs that will happen this year.

Youth Serve: July 13-14 – an overnight middle school service project/retreat.  This experience is intended to raise awareness of Catholic social teaching in an age-appropriate method. There is a cost of $55 per student and only 40 participants will be accepted based on a first come, first serve basis. For more information, visit: http://www.cdobym.org/youthserve-adventure-in-service.htm

Youth Leader: July 23-27 – a week long experience for high school students who would like to develop their leadership and discipleship skills.  This is an excellent experience for youth who would like to minister to other high school youth (peer ministry).  The cost for Youth Leader is $100 per person. This cost includes the program content, meals, and lodging at Cone Oasis Baptist Camp in La Feria. Parishes are encouraged to send at least 1-2 youth and at least one adult for each parish. First come, first serve basis.
For more information, visit: http://www.cdobym.org/youthleader-peer-ministry-training.htm

Please feel free to contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at (956) 781-5323 for more information.

Registration Underway for San Juan Diego Ministry Institute
Registration is underway for summer semester classes through the San Juan Diego Ministry Institute. The classes available for the summer include “Theology of the Body.”

Classes will be offered in Brownsville. For more information contact the San Juan Diego Ministry Institute at (956) 542-1556, (956)784-5059 or via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Catholic Family Life Ministers Conference
The National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers (NACFLM) Conference will be held in Dallas Texas this year from July 25-28. If you are interested in a registration form, please contact the Family Life Office at (956) 784-5012.

The conference offers a variety of speakers on relevant topics important to today’s Catholic families, and to those who minister with them, including first-time tracts for the Hispanic/Latino ministers and divorced Catholics, and a Saturday Festival/Fiesta aimed at uniting participants in the goal to be a marriage-building Church.

CYAM News (Campus and Young Adult Ministry):

Christian Life Seminar - Coffee House Style
Come enjoy good coffee, good discussions and great people, as young adults (age 20 - 39) gather for a summer formation course. The Christian Life Seminar (CLS) is an integrated course intended to lead seminar participants to a renewed understanding of and response to God’s call to us as Christians. The seminar has a total of 10 separate sessions, held once a week every Tuesday from 6:30-8:30 p.m., starting June 12 – Aug. 14.  Location:  Diocesan Pastoral Center, San Juan, TX.  For more info, please email Miguel Santos:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Campus Ministry Assistant Needed in the Brownsville Area
The Office of Campus & Young Adult Ministry is looking for an individual who is passionate about ministry with young adults, is fluent in Spanish, and proficient with computers/social media. Someone who can play guitar/lead a choir would be a big plus.   The position for Assistant Ministry Coordinator for the UTB Newman Center is a 20 hour/week paid position. If you know of young adult(s) who could fit the profile, please email resume to Miguel Santos:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

CYAM Facebook Campaign:  "100 days, 1000 likes”; Raffle for new iPad
If you are a young adult from the Diocese of Brownsville and want to win a new iPad, simply like our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/cyampage) and fill-out your contact info for a chance to win.  No purchase necessary; all rules and offer details are available on our Facebook page or on our website:  www.cyam.net. Raffle to take place Aug. 7, commemorating the transfiguration of our Lord.

Sisters Host Days of Discernment in July
Do you desire to live for someone greater than yourself?
The Sisters of the Benedictine Monastery of the Good Shepherd are holding Days of Discernment for women expressing an interest in religious life from Friday, July 20 to Sunday, July 22. Please register by July 13. The Sisters will welcome Bishop Daniel E. Flores as their special guest.

Contact the Benedictine Sisters before July 13 to register and for more information at 
(956) 486-2680, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or  www.starrcountybenedictines.org.

Foster Parents Needed
Lutheran Social Services is seeking quality foster parents to help care for abused and neglected children in the Rio Grande Valley. For more information, please contact Erasmo Diaz at (956) 624-4168 or send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

English as a Second Language
The English Language Institute, UTPA, Edinburg, offers courses in English as a Second Language. For information, call (956) 665-2133.

Summer Meal Sites Open in June
Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley is collaborating once again with the USDA Food and Nutrition Service and the Texas Department of Agriculture to provide meals throughout the summer at different community sites for children, ages 2-18.

The Summer Food Service Program being implemented across the Rio Grande Valley provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow, throughout the summer months when they are out of school. Catholic Charities has agreed to sponsor 25 meal locations this summer beginning on June 1.
 
Last year in Texas 2.3 million children qualified for free and reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch Program, which make them eligible to participate in Summer Food Service Program.

 
Job Openings   

• Bookkeeper - Our Lady of Sorrows Church – McAllen. Interested qualified candidates should be referred to Linda Gonzalez at Our Lady of Sorrows Church at (956) 686-0251, fax: (956) 686-0322

• Custodian Newman Center -  Contact Joe Garcia– Edinburg (956) 383-0133, fax (956) 387-0738

• Full-time Coordinator for Religious Education - Sacred Heart Church in Mercedes for more information please call (956) 565-0271.

• Full-time High School Biology and Mathematics Teacher - Please submit your resume and cover letter by email to: 
Rev. Mario A. Avilés, C.O., Director, Pharr Oratory Schools. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
 For more information visit our website www.oratoryschools.org

• Middle School English Teacher, full time - Please submit your resume and cover letter by email to: 
Rev. Mario A. Avilés, C.O., Director, Pharr Oratory Schools at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
 For more information visit our website www.oratoryschools.org

• Part-time 8th grade Language Arts teacher for the 2012-2013 school year - Guadalupe Regional Middle School.  Experience and certified preferred.  Please contact the school at (956) 504-5568 for an application. Applications currently being accepted. 

• Part-time Janitor – Basilica Our Lady of San Juan del Valle – National Shrine. Contact Melinda Singleterry at (956) 787-0033 (weekends and Monday)

• Part Time Art Teacher; Part Time Bus Driver; Part Time Music Teacher; Part Time Spanish Teacher - Juan Diego Academy Interested persons should submit the application for professional employment contact Bob Schmidt, by e-mail at ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) or fax 956-583-3782. For further information, please call the school office at 956-583-2752. (subject areas maybe combined to create a full time position)

• Payroll/Human Resources - Please submit your resume and cover letter by email to: Rev. Mario A. Avilés, C.O., Director, Pharr Oratory Schools This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
 For more information visit our website www.oratoryschools.org

• Teacher positions for 1st and 4th grades.  Part-time Middle School Positions for Language Arts, Science and Math.  Part-time music teacher. Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School.  Please send resume to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School in Mission or call 585-6445 for more information.

• Teacher positions for 5th - 8th science and 5th grade religion. St. Joseph Catholic School, Edinburg, Please call Sister Kathleen Murray at (956)-383-3957, Monday – Thursday, 8a.m. – 4p.m. for more information. 

Calendar of Events

• July 5 -8 – Queen of Angels Men's ACTS Retreat

• July 6 – 8 –Family Life Office -  Catholic Engaged Encounter

• July 8 – Softball Game - Mission Park

• July 12 - 15 - San Martin de Porres Mens' ACTS Retreat

• July 14 –Family Life Office -  Convalidation Conference

Please submit information to be included in the Weekly Update to Brenda Nettles Riojas, Director of Diocesan Relations by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by fax to (956) 784-5082.