Lent is traditionally a time when we give things up, but for fifth graders at St. Michael’s Catholic Preparatory School in Austin, Lent is about using their time and talents to walk with Jesus. It all started a few years ago when fifth-grade teacher Terry Ryan taught about the Stations of the Cross and had his students re-create the city of Jerusalem. It was such a success that they are building it again this year.

Editor’s note: This issue of the Catholic Spirit went to press before March 25. As the Diocese of Austin bids farewell to Bishop Joe Vásquez on March 25, many questions have arisen. Who will lead the diocese until a new bishop is appointed? How long will it take to name a new bishop? What we do know is that the process of selecting candidates for the episcopacy involves consultation, discussion and prayer. It is a process governed by strict confidentiality and involves several key individuals, including the apostolic nuncio and the Congregation for Bishops, with the final decision resting with Pope Francis.

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Austin have embraced the inspiring theme “Made for Greatness” for the 2024–2025 academic year. As described by Pope Benedict XVI, “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort; you were made for greatness.” This quote encapsulates a call to purpose that challenges Catholics to live beyond ordinary standards, striving for a higher calling that reflects Christ’s mission. Pope Benedict’s words are a reminder that each person is endowed with unique gifts meant to serve both God and others. The path to greatness isn’t about fame or success, but about dedicating oneself to faith and service, following Christ’s example

Each January, supporters of our Catholic schools in the Diocese of Austin come together to celebrate the goodness and beauty of Catholic schools and to recognize the unsung heroes at each school who tirelessly support the school’s mission. This event is also an opportunity to raise tuition assistance funds, 100% of which goes back to our schools.

The Encountering Christ Capital Campaign was the Diocese of Austin’s commitment to fulfilling the mission to create a path for enriching discipleship within the diverse ministries of our communities. Catholic schools in the Diocese of Austin are one of the many ministries that will continue to benefit from the capital campaign for years to come. The Beacon of Hope Endowment was begun using money set aside from the Encountering Christ Campaign with a specific purpose of providing tuition assistance for families who would otherwise struggle to provide their children with a Catholic education.

The seven themes of Catholic social teaching are core components within the religion curriculum of Catholic schools throughout our country. But how do we integrate these components into an intentional series of lived experiences for our students so they will become more engaged, compassionate servant leaders after their time with us? Two years ago, the Office of Catholic Schools began designing social teaching experiences that build on one another throughout the years students are in Catholic schools. This alignment of experiences is an ongoing and ever-developing project that has allowed our diocese to create a Catholic social teaching vision for our students.

As the new academic year kicks off, we welcome back our students, dedicated faculty and supportive families to our Catholic schools. I always enjoy new school years, as it is a time of renewed enthusiasm, fresh beginnings, and a reaffirmation of our commitment to providing an exceptional Catholic education rooted in faith, service and community.

As the dog days of summer begin to dwindle and we start planning for our fall activities (and the early return of our favorite fall coffee flavors), it’s a great opportunity to take some time to plan for our family’s future as well. August is National Make-A-Will Month. No matter where we are in our life journey, it’s never too early to start planning, so if you have not created a will yet, perhaps this is a good time to begin the process or update an existing will.

St. Augustine of Canterbury, colloquially known as St. Austin, once said, “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” Perhaps these words echoed in the minds of parishioners at St. Austin Parish in Austin eight years ago as they undertook a multi-million-dollar project to build a new school and parish facilities.

The cornerstone of our faith is Jesus’ true presence in the Eucharist. Melissa Kirking, the coordinator of Children’s Adoration at St. William Parish in Round Rock, is passionate about helping children realize the True Presence. So much so, she recently spearheaded a fascinating exhibit at St. William Parish.

Being honored and awarded is something even the humblest of recipients appreciate. When that honor is peer-driven and nominated by coworkers, it’s even more special. That’s where St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School teacher Alanna Heyl recently found herself after being named one of two Teachers of the Year by the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops (www.txcatholic.org). She was nominated for the award by Principal Evan Pscencik and Assistant Principal Patrick Goetz and was somewhat shocked to hear of the honor.

When Bishop Joe Vásquez awarded $10,000 to the Brenham/La Grange Deanery through the Catholic Services Appeal Parish and School Grant Program, pastors of the deanery’s 12 parishes and missions decided to direct half of the grant to security measures at Sacred Heart Catholic School in La Grange.

It’s estimated 85% of young adult Catholics fall away from the faith in college. That’s an alarming and troubling rate that set Waco’s Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School into action. Upon hearing this, the school administration and faculty implemented a new schedule that included opportunities for liturgical formation. Not only did the program affect the students, but it also inadvertently led to the awarding of a national grant.

This year the Catholic Services Appeal awarded $30,000 in tuition assistance to Catholic school students. Students from the 19 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Austin were invited to submit entries in support of this year’s CSA theme, “Be a Miracle.” The winners were recognized during the CSA Kickoff Reception last October. For more information on the 2023-2024 Catholic Services Appeal, visit austindiocese.org/csa.

Five students from Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Temple were recognized by the National Speech and Debate Association as Academic All-Americans. The students earned this award as they demonstrated success in speech and debate contests as well as in the classroom. The recognition is the most recent of several national and state honors given to the Holy Trinity Forensics Team.

St. Theresa Catholic School in Austin was recently named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School, a highly esteemed designation bestowed by the U.S. Department of Education and a prestigious honor for private and public schools alike. St. Theresa was one of only 40 non-public schools in the U.S. to receive this year’s award and is also the only school in Austin to do so. “We are proud to have achieved this accomplishment, which is an honor and shows the tremendous effort from our whole school community,” said Principal Brian Wheeler. “It also serves as a reminder for us to continually meet the raised bar we’ve set and stay focused on maintaining excellence.”

How do you bring the Eucharistic Revival to middle school students? While parish youth groups often attend retreats and diocesan gatherings during the summer, many Catholic school students depend on their Catholic schools for their faith formation. Therefore, I envisioned a diocesan gathering of youth from the Catholic schools. This vision became a reality last October when the Diocese of Austin brought its middle schools together for a Eucharistic Rally. Eleven Catholic schools participated in the day with over 600 young people gathered in prayer and fellowship.

Editora: Obispo Vásquez, recientemente celebramos la Semana de las Escuelas Católicas, del 28 de enero al 3 de febrero ¿Por qué son importantes las escuelas Católicas para la Diócesis de Austin? Obispo Vásquez: La educación Católica es un Tesoro para nuestra Iglesia ya que forma a nuestros jóvenes en la fe y provee de una excelente educación. A través de nuestras escuelas Católicas, formamos a toda la persona –cuerpo, corazón, mente y espíritu – y preparamos a nuestros jóvenes para servir a Dios y a los demás.

Editor: Bishop Vásquez, we recently celebrated Catholic Schools Week from Jan. 28 to Feb. 3. Why are Catholic schools important to the Diocese of Austin? Bishop Vásquez: Catholic education is a treasure for our Church as it forms our young people in the faith and provides an excellent education. Through our Catholic schools, we form the whole person – body, heart, mind and spirit – and prepare our young people to serve God and others.

Ruth Hernandez Olvera Senior at San Juan Diego Catholic High School in Austin San Juan Diego Catholic High School and the Cathedral School of St. Mary in Austin are like family to Ruth Hernandez Olvera, a graduating senior at San Juan Diego Catholic High School in Austin. “I will forever be thankful to God that these schools were put in my life,” said the teenager, who is also involved at St. Mary Cathedral Parish in Austin.