Ann Duggins was elected president of the Refugio Area Council of Catholic Women at its annual fall meeting held at Immaculate Conception Parish in Gregory on Oct. 8. Duggins replaces outgoing president Irma Aguilar, who served two terms as the Area President.

More than 100 people attended the celebration that honored, religious, priests, deacons, brothers and sisters from the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

“The torch run is a great symbol of unity between all people, especially for all immigrants. It brings awareness of the need for immigrant reform, concern for proper and dutiful care of our immigrants,” Father Donahoe said.

Ruben and Rachel Guerrero have been married 36 years and have three grown children, but they saw a need to refresh their marriage so they attended a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend in Corpus Christi.

The bishop, religious and laity of the church in Texas were seeking to answer some very real needs—for education, religious formation and medical services—in a frontier area that was rapidly growing. Beginning with only four priests when he first took charge of the spiritual care of Texas, Bishop Odin had some 20 priests ministering in the mission field of Texas by the close of 1852.

The Centennial Jubilee theme of remembrance became real for church workers during the project with a strange discovery of a small stained tombstone under the carpet of the nave. The inscription read, “Sr. M. Cecilia born 1853 died 1876. R. I. P. “ Some investigation revealed that this is the grave of Sister M. Cecilia Flaherty who died at age 23, one year after arriving in Refugio with the Sisters of Mercy.

FRIBOURG, Switzerland (CNS) -- The patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt blamed Islamic fundamentalists for the increasing number of attacks on Christians and criticized a growing division between Muslims and Christians since the country’s February revolution.

“The Pope & The CEO” is a must-read and is a wonderful addition to your library. It is a quick read at 155 pages and is written in a simple and straightforward manner. As the author says, “You don’t have to be a theologian or Scripture scholar to understand the teachings outlined in this book.”

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Voters in Mississippi and Ohio confronted such traditional Catholic issues as abortion and labor rights on Election Day, but the Catholic bishops in those states remained neutral on the specific ballot questions raised.

True Radiance, a program designed to offer training for staging a fashion show to include modeling, understanding church teachings on modesty and chastity and developing a deep sense of the beauty of being made in God’s image and likeness, is being launched for the youth of the diocese.

Bishop Kevin W. Vann of Fort Worth will be in charge of welcoming and forming Episcopal priests who wish to become Catholic priests under the recently announced U.S. Anglican ordinariate. The appointment, which was made by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was announced on Nov. 15 by Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington at the U.S. bishops’ fall general assembly in Baltimore.

During their annual three-day fall assembly in Baltimore, the U.S. bishops' discussed threats to religious liberty, efforts to support traditional marriage and the need to keep a close eye on health care issues. They also were updated on the Roman Missal translation and the new U.S. ordinariate to bring former Anglicans into the Catholic Church.

The Mother Teresa Shelter's Multi-purpose Activity and Therapeutic Center uses art, reading, writing, music and horticultural gardening as part of therapy. This type of therapy is also known to address physical, psychological, cognitive and social functions. It has a half basketball court, air hockey, ping pong and foosball table as well as other games like checkers and chess.

Saint Gertrude Catholic School in Kingsville celebrated All Saints Day on November 1 by encouraging students to dress as a saint and make an oral report on that saint’s life.

St. Anthony School students participated in "One Million Children Praying the Rosary" on Oct. 18. The school gathered at the Monument of the Unborn to pray the rosary for unity and peace.