FEBRUARY 11, 2025 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH
texas catholic herald 1
SACRED SEAL AT RISK
A LEGACY OF EDUCATION
Canon, civil law collide on seal of confession, says expert
Luncheon celebrates school milestones ▪ SEE PAGE 9
▪ SEE PAGE 14
Celebrating 60 years of Catholic news in Texas FEBRUARY 11, 2025
Proclaiming the Good News to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 1964
VOL. 61, NO. 16
DIOCESAN SERVICES FUND
CRY OUT WITH JOY TO THE LORD
VOCATIONS MEET THE PERMANENT DIACONATE CLASS OF 2025
40 men are set to be ordained to the Permanent Diaconate this month, joining a growing number of clergy serving the Church ▪ SEE PAGE 6
FAITH ALIVE
Holy Black Catholics: Meet six African American candidates for canonization (OSV News) — We are greatly blessed by the contributions of Black Catholics in the Church in the U.S., particularly their illuminating legacy of holiness. The struggles and pain faced by the African American community are succinctly captured in the lives of these six Black Catholics now being considered for canonization. In them, we can find the greatest of human characteristics, truly men and women for our times. VENERABLE PIERRE TOUSSAINT (1766–1853) Born a slave in Haiti, Toussaint came to New York with a French Haitian family who freed him in 1807. As a successful hairdresser, he used his earnings to buy freedom for his sister and future wife, Juliette. Together, the Toussaints spent their lives in service to the poor and needy. When urged to retire and enjoy his remaining years, Toussaint is quoted as saying, “I have enough for myself, but if I stop working, I have not enough for See CATHOLICS, page 7
THE FIRST WORD † 3
Launching the 2025 DSF campaign HOUSTON — As St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans reminds us, each and every Christian is called to cry out with joy to the Lord in our words, in our thoughts and in our deeds. And that’s why it is the theme of this year’s Diocesan Services Fund campaign. • SEE PAGE 4 |
COLUMNISTS † 12
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ESPAÑOL † 16
| AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE † 18