AUGUST 19, 2025 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH
SHEPHERD’S MESSAGE Archbishop Vásquez reflects on his vocation and Pope Leo’s first 100 days ▪ SEE PAGE 2
AUGUST 19, 2025
texas catholic herald 1
A SUMMER OF TEXAS GRIEF
Nation mourns lives lost in July 4 flood ▪ SEE PAGE 16
Proclaiming the Good News to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 1964
A BLESSED BEGINNING
VOL. 62, NO. 5
EDUCATION
At Mass, teachers, staff welcome new school year in faith BY ELIZABETH MORALES AND JAMES RAMOS Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — Archbishop Joe Vásquez celebrated the annual Opening Catholic Schools Mass for teachers, staff, principals and administrators on Aug. 8 at the CoCathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston for the largest private school system in Texas. Auxiliary Bishop Italo Dell’Oro, CRS, concelebrated the Mass with nearly 20 other priests of the Archdiocese who pastor parishes with Catholic schools. In his homily, Archbishop Vásquez said the Catholic schools of Galveston-Houston “must be places that young people discover the truth — not just the truth in the rules of grammar, mathematical equations, historical facts or chemistry experiments — but also deeper truths.” “We know that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light,” he said. “Catholic schools are communities of faith for children and young See MASS, page 3 PHOTOS BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD
Above, Father Mathew Thottiyil, parochial vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Parish and School in The Woodlands, blesses a group of St. Anthony of Padua School students on Aug. 12, the first full day of school. Below, a young student colors an activity page as the school’s nearly 500 students join thousands around the Archdiocese in beginning the new school year.
Catholic schools return to class with focus on renewal, forgiveness, celebration BY REBECCA TORRELLAS Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — School is back in session for the 2025-2026 school year for the 12 Catholic high schools and 44 Catholic primary schools in the Archdiocese. Mazie McCoy, Ed.D., Archdiocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, said this year’s school theme is “Renewing Hearts and Transforming Schools: The Jubilee Mission of Catholic Schools.” “It is a call to enter into a year of renewal, forgiveness and celebration,” McCoy said. “It is a time to celebrate the great things taking place in our schools and to recommit ourselves to the transformative work we are called to do.”
A LOOK TO THE FUTURE
McCoy said the Catholic Schools Office also continues to collaborate with the Archdiocesan advisory school council to develop a strategic plan that supports all schools, with identified goals and action steps, in the domains of mission and Catholic identity, governance and leadership, academic excellence, and operational vitality. Key stakeholders were surveyed to
COLUMNISTS
Trust in the Lord, listen to Him and then cast again SEE PAGE 13
See SCHOOLS, page 4
|
COLUMNISTS † 11 - 13
Annual youth conference draws thousands to Christ SEE PAGE 7
Catholic Schools Office prepares for implementing Education Savings Accounts in 2026 ▪ SEE PAGE 4
THE FIRST WORD † 3
MINISTRY
|
ESPAÑOL † 17
| AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE † 19