August 28, 2014: Del Rio News-Herald * Letter to the Editor * Del Rio invited to "Season of Welcome"

Letter to the Editor,

The Del Rio community is invited to participate in a “Season of Welcome”, a New Evangelization outreach initiative of the Catholic Church from September 14 (The Feast of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross) to November 2 (All Souls Day).

Under the direction of Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of San Antonio will be entering into a “Season of Welcome” as part of the New Evangelization. 

Pope John Paul II, recently canonized a saint, first introduced the term “New Evangelization”, then Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI continued to expound on it by delving more deeply into what the “New Evangelization” would mean for the Church, and now under the leadership of Pope Francis the Catholic Church is taking all that his predecessors had conceptionalized and is undertaking to put it into practice.  

Pope Francis stated: “So many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life.”

During the “Season of Welcome” Father Joaquin J. Rojas, Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Father Pius U. Ezeigbo, Pastor of Sacred Heart Church and Father Henry Clay Hunt, III, Pastor of St. Joseph Church will be extending a loving invitation to share the Catholic faith.

During this “Season of Welcome” all seekers are invited to investigate, explore, examine and discover the treasures of the Catholic faith by stepping inside the doors of the Catholic Church that will be extending a warm welcome because the light of Christ is always shining brightly.

Without pressure or obligation the “Season of Welcome” offers an opportunity to learn the truth about the Catholic faith in a loving, non-judgmental atmosphere; all you have to do is open your heart, mind and soul to accept this invitation from the Catholic Church.

Consider this a sign from the Holy Spirit that God has something extraordinary planned for your life during this “Season of Welcome”.

In Service to Christ and His Church,

Marian Casillas, Ed.D.