APRIL 22, 2025 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH
texas catholic herald 1
FAITH IN ACTION
RENEW OUR FAITH
Catholic Advocacy Day draws thousands to Texas State Capitol in Austin
Archbishop Vásquez shares Easter message, reflections ▪ SEE PAGE 2
▪ SEE PAGE 6
Celebrating 60 years of Catholic news in Texas
Proclaiming the Good News to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 1964
APRIL 22, 2025
EASTER
Hope in the tomb
VOL. 61, NO. 21
‘BLESS THIS OIL IN ITS RICHNESS’
BY FATHER JOSHUA J. WHITFIELD Special to the Herald (OSV News) — Our hope begins at a tomb. It was empty, of course, but Mary Magdalene didn’t know it at the time. She thought He was in there, His body. It was only love that compelled her to be there, not hope. That was gone. Love held her in place — that dark and sad place. I doubt she hoped for anything at all in those early, silent hours of mourning. She loved Him, so she was there. She just had no idea what else to See EASTER, page 5
FAITH ALIVE
Annual hoops contest puts spotlight on vocations Seminarians block priests’ winning-streak prayer BY ELIZABETH MORALES Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — As another Houston basketball team helped March Madness reach a frenzied crescendo down the road in San Antonio, a different basketball game in Houston brought thousands together to support vocations at the annual Priests vs. Seminarians Basketball Game. The Mariners of St. Mary’s Seminary See BASKETBALL, page 7
PHOTOS BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD AND AMY ANN DAVILA
Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez pours the holy chrism during the Chrism Mass at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on April 15. The annual Mass, which draws priests and ministry leaders from all parishes of the Archdiocese, signaled the arrival of Holy Week in the Archdiocese. For more photos and video, visit WWW.ARCHGH.ORG/CHRISM25.
‘Jesus Christ is the One who loves us’ BY JAMES RAMOS Texas Catholic Herald
the Sacred Chrism was consecrated by Archbishop Vásquez. Hundreds of priests from the Archdiocese joined Archbishop Emeritus Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, in concelebrating the Mass. The priests also renewed their promises at this Mass. Nearly 50 gallons of oil were blessed with the consecrated Chrism. After the Mass, the oils and Sacred Chrism were subsequently sent to the parishes to be used in the upcoming year for the celebration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders
HOUSTON — Every year just before Holy Week, the faithful of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston gather at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston for the celebration of the Chrism Mass — one of the most solemn and significant events of the liturgical year. On April 15, at least 1,400 attended the Mass presided by Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez to witness when all of the oils used in sacramental ministry throughout the 10-county GalvestonHouston Archdiocese were blessed and
A SHEPEHRD’S MESSAGE † 2
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COLUMNISTS † 12 - 14
See CHRISM, page 4
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ESPAÑOL † 17
| AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE † 19