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Mother’s Day with Bishop Mulvey at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Sinton
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June 2, 2016
Bishop Mulvey greets parishioners at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Sinton after Mass on the Feast of the Ascencion.
Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic
Parishioners at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Sinton celebrated Mother’s Day, as well as the feast day of the Ascension of the Lord, with a visit by Bishop Michael Mulvey. After the bishop’s homily, every mother at the Mass received a blessing from their pastor Father Patrick Serna, along with a single red rose.
Bishop Mulvey celebrated Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe as part of his visits to individual churches throughout the diocese.
“The bishop is the priest of the entire diocese, so it’s important to me to visit individual parishes,” Bishop Mulvey said. “Visits like today’s at Our Lady of Guadalupe allow me to experience the fullness of the priesthood.”
Father Serna added the visit by Bishop Mulvey was important to parishioners on many levels.
“Every bishop is a direct successor to the apostles, who were also the first bishops, ordained by Jesus himself. When a bishop celebrates Mass at their home parishes, they are reminded of the four marks of the true church, established by our Lord,” Father Serna said. “Having Bishop Mulvey here, with us at our parish, reminded us in a very visible and tangible way that our Church is universal—catholic—and apostolic.”
During his homily, Bishop Mulvey talked about the significance of the feast day of the Ascension of the Lord. He noted the meaning of the day has become lost in today’s fast-paced society.
“It is the feast of hope, but we are so focused on the here and now, that we forget this journey of faith has a conclusion, which is not here, but in heaven,” the bishop said.
“We must remember the journey of faith does not end today, but ends when we return to our heavenly father. This journey of faith is not only about remembering certain truths or moral principals, but remembering about the role Jesus Christ plays in our daily lives,” he said.
Bishop Mulvey said he realizes that life can sometimes feel like a pilgrimage and as such, we tend to follow the wrong people, especially during such a discouraging time politically and socially.
“We follow the wrong images,” he said. “We get disconnected from the Church. The pilgrimage of life does not end until we see God face-to-face. The promise of seeing God someday is our greatest hope and the ultimate meaning of the Feast of the Ascension.”
Parishioner Veronica Barrera, who also serves as the church’s Youth Group leader, said she truly appreciated the bishop’s visit and took his homily to heart.
“With everything going on globally and nationally, especially the negative things regarding our religion around the world, it was refreshing to hear Bishop Mulvey give us encouragement. It was a good reminder that we are all working towards one goal and it inspired me to hear his words,” she said.
Five-year-old Queen Genevieve Schneider and King Trae Treviño pose with Bishop Mulvey and Father Serna after the crowning of the Virgin Mary.
Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic
Barrera’s daughter, five-year-old Genevieve Schneider, participated in a church tradition after the blessing of all mothers: the crowning of the Virgin Mary by the parish king and queen.
“It’s a tradition we’ve always had in our parish,” Barrera said. “We raise funds for our church and the top fundraising children get the honor to represent our church for one year. It was heartwarming to see her up there. We worked hard for an entire year, holding bake sales, making meals and selling raffle tickets.”
After Mass, Bishop Mulvey met with approximately 50 church community leaders from the Knights of Our Lady, Catholic Ladies Group, Guadalupanas, as well as several other groups.
“I want to learn from you, Our Lady of Guadalupe’s leaders, what are the pastoral needs of the parish,” he told the group. “You each serve as the heart of Jesus in the parish. You play a vital role in building up the spiritual life of each parishioner.”
Visits like this one help Bishop Mulvey stay in touch with the people in the diocese.
“It’s encouraging for me to see the faith of the people firsthand,” Bishop Mulvey said. “Seeing their faith invigorates my own ministry.”
Father Serna added he hopes his parishioners realize the bishop cares.
“The bishop sincerely wants what is good for them and their church,” he said. “I hope this visit reminded them that yes, our Church is large and massive, but it is also personal.”
