From the Bishop
 
From the Editor

This issue focuses on commandments three and four.

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Diocese of Laredo

 
 

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Bishop's Column

Honor your father and mother. My visit with our Holy Father Pope John Paul II.

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John Paul II and Bishop James A. Tamayo

By Bishop James A. Tamayo

Honor your father and your mother (Exodus 20:12) took on new meaning for me earlier this month upon returning from my trip to Italy.

Normally, we think of respecting our biological parents when we think of the fourth commandment. However, during my ad limina visit to the Holy See, I was also reminded of my duties to our celestial Father and our mother, the Church.

Every five years, bishops from throughout the region encompassing Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas trek to the Vatican fulfilling an ancient rite of visiting the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul as well as having a personal audience with our Holy Father John Paul II.

Over a period of 12 days, I visited the various offices of the Roman Curia where I discussed and explained the personnel working for the diocese, the apostolate work, clergy, ecclesial organizations, the lives of you, the faithful, and your relationship with the church.

On one of my final days in Rome, I visited with Pope John Paul II. Even though my personal audience with the successor of Peter lasted only a few minutes, it seemed like an eternity as he asked specific questions about our diocese and engaged me in dialogue.

Even though Canon Law requires all Roman Catholic bishops to
fulfill this ceremonial visit, bishops anticipate the ad limina and its penchant for personal spiritual renewal.

This olden custom recognizes the universal jurisdiction that belongs only to the Bishop of Rome.

Bringing together all the bishops of this tri-state region with our brother priests in the Vatican, as well as with our Holy Father, fosters a deeper sense of belonging to the communion of churches. It creates a stronger union among our Catholic brethren.

Now you know my personal experience during my first ad limina, but what did the Vatican have to say about our diocese, you wonder?

Specifically, the offices of the Roman Curia asked me to focus
on preparing for the 20th World Youth Day scheduled for August 2005 in Cologne, Germany. The Vatican reminded me that the parishes and missions of our diocese need to evangelize our youth, to foster their education in the faith and involve our children more in the very fabric of Church life.

The Vatican also focused on ecclesial movements, associations and organizations emerging in our diocese. While the efforts of these new lay groups dedicated to their specific movements and communities are appreciated, they must integrate themselves with their parishes. In other words, they must be equally participative within their own parishes and cultivate these movements from within each parish.

Finally, another specific area included the education in the faith of the laity. Our concern as apostles of Christ is that in the secularized societies of our time there exists an urgent need to rediscover our Christian identity stemming from Baptism and the significance of and reverence for the sacraments. The work of catechists, then, becomes vitally important in the formation of the laity.

However, in order for the catechists to achieve their goals of educating and evangelizing, they must be provided with adequate spiritual, theological and pastoral guidance.

I am most fortunate to say that we are already striving to fulfill the needs in the aforementioned three areas. The Office of Youth Ministry, the Office of Religious Education for Children and the Office of Adult Religious Education are addressing these needs but require your help.

And I encourage you, if you haven’t already, to become active at the parish and diocesan levels with these groups in order to fulfill the mandates set forth by Pope John Paul II and do so Todo Con Amor!