The Roman Catholic

"Como pastor de los fieles en el oeste de Texas, deseo afirmar clara y caritativamente que nuestros hermanos y hermanas beneficiarios de DACA son miembros valiosos de nuestras comunidades. Han estudiado en nuestras escuelas, asisten a nuestras parroquias, y contribuyen diariamente a la vitalidad y la economía de este gran estado. Se esmeran en todo lo que hacen. La mayoría fueron traídos aquí cuando eran niños, no han conocido otro hogar, y han crecido con esperanzas y sueños forjados en la misma tierra que nosotros."

"As shepherd of the faithful in West Texas, I wish to affirm clearly and charitably that our brothers and sisters who are DACA recipients are valued members of our communities. They have studied in our schools, they attend our parishes, and they contribute daily to the vitality and economy of this great state. They strive diligently in everything they do. Most were brought here as children, have known no other home, and have grown up with hopes and dreams forged in the same land as the rest of us."

In launching her afternoon keynote speech, “The Smallest Thing – The Greatest Love” at the annual Catholic Women’s Conference, Diana Marie Wehbe lightened the room with a playful jab at what she called “sour-faced Catholics.” Mass, she reminded the female audience, should leave parishioners beaming, not brooding. Within minutes, nary a soul in the audience wasn’t smiling or laughing.

Catholicism has had an official home in the Schleicher County city of Eldorado for 100 years. Though records of baptisms date to 1905, Masses were originally celebrated in pastures, homes, public buildings, or churches of other denominations until the first building for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church was constructed in the city’s barrio in 1925. Later a larger building was purchased and renovated, with the current church building hosting its first Mass on May 13, 1962.

El año 2025 marca el 60º aniversario de la Declaración del Concilio Vaticano II sobre la Libertad Religiosa, Dignitatis Humanae. Este documento histórico enseña que la libertad religiosa no es simplemente un derecho creado por el gobierno, sino más bien un derecho humano fundamental que proviene de Dios. La libertad religiosa tiene sus raíces en la libertad de conciencia. La Iglesia Católica enseña que la conciencia es la voz de Dios en el corazón humano, por lo que la desobediencia a la conciencia es desobediencia a Dios.

The year 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council Declaration on Religious Freedom, Dignitatis Humanae. This landmark document teaches that religious freedom is not merely a right created by government but rather a fundamental human right that comes from God. Religious freedom is rooted in the freedom of conscience. The Catholic Church teaches that the conscience is the voice of God in the human heart, so disobedience to the conscience is disobedience to God.

This fall, the Diocese of San Angelo will have 12 seminarians studying at four seminaries across the country and world. We welcomed three new men to the program: Leo Herrera, a parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes in Andrews; David Ruvalcaba de la Cruz, a parishioner at St. Stephen in Midland; and Martín Luna, a parishioner at Holy Spirit in Sweetwater.