MARCH 10, 2026 • ARCHGH.ORG/TCH
LUNAR NEW YEAR
texas catholic herald 1
GIDDY UP! RODEO SEASON IS HERE
Parishes, schools celebrate Year of the Horse traditions ▪ SEE PAGE 9
Trail rides bring Texas history, heritage to life ▪ SEE PAGE 12
Proclaiming the Good News to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston since 1964
MARCH 10, 2026
SPIRITUALITY
‘Jesus is on our side’: Thousands answer Christ’s call at Rite of Election Liturgies
VOL. 62, NO. 18
‘WORTHY OF PASCHAL GRACES’
BY JAMES RAMOS Texas Catholic Herald HOUSTON — The sound began softly, a shuffle of feet and pews as the first names were called. Then waves of people across six packed parishes rose, row after row, until eventually nearly 3,000 would stand. It was the unmistakable sight of the Rite of Election, when the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston welcomed the largest number of people ever preparing to enter the Catholic Church. This year, 1,983 catechumens and 972 candidates were formally presented, a record total of 2,955 according to the Office of Worship. At the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in downtown Houston, Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez watched as hundreds See RITE OF ELECTION, page 5
PHOTO BY JAMES RAMOS/HERALD
Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez presides over a Rite of Election Liturgy at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston. Nearly 3,000 were welcomed at six Rite of Election Liturgies around the Archdiocese that same day, a new record for the Archdiocese. SEE STORY ON PAGE 5 FOR MORE.
Lenten CRS Rice Bowl offers a simple way St. Joseph Altars to help fight hunger in Houston, abroad carry Sicilian MINISTRY
tradition in faith BY RON KUZLIK Herald Correspondent
SPRING — March 19 is the feast day of St. Joseph, a solemnity honoring the earthly father of Jesus, husband of Mary and protector of the Holy Family. He is also the patron saint of Italians, particularly those from the Mediterranean island of Sicily. Several parishes in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston commemorate this feast day with a variety of customs and foods made especially for the occasion. It all started in the Middle Ages in Sicily during a terrible famine. Sicilians prayed to their patron saint, St. Joseph, to bring rain and alleviate their suffering. Rain soon arrived, and the crops
Leaders say collection, support is more critical than ever after foreign aid cuts BY ELIZABETH MORALES Texas Catholic Herald
EMBRACING LENT
HOUSTON — Throughout the season of Lent, the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl can be seen on display in the narthex and offices of many Catholic churches, schools and even homes. Parishioners, students and families often keep these Rice Bowls in visible places, desk tops, entrance tables and countertops where they can place cash or coin donations, collecting them throughout Lent as a daily reminder and tangible way to live out the three pillars of Lent: PHOTO BY CONY CARDONA/CRS prayer, fasting and almsgiving. “We invite you to join the over 100 parishes and schools Maribel, mother of Juana, feeds her daughter in Janlay, Guatemala. The right here in our Archdiocese that are teaming up to live out family benefits from Catholic Relief Services’ nutrition classes in Guatemala that educate families about the types of nutrients found in different foods and
See RICE BOWL, page 7 how they affect the body through support and recipes.
See ST. JOSEPH, page 6
A SHEPHERD’S MESSAGE † 2
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COLUMNISTS † 13
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ESPAÑOL † 17
| AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE † 19