Thank you for your witness to our great Thanksgiving, Jesus
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November 1, 2017
Most Reverend Michael Mulvey is bishop of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
During the month of November we celebrate the Day of Thanksgiving. The reality of being thankful expresses that every person is insufficient in himself or herself. Yet that need for others expressed through gratitude is at the core of being human.The very word Eucharist—that is at the very heart of our prayer and worship—is in itself the meaning of Thanksgiving. We offer back to the Father the gift he has given to us—Jesus his only son.
Now, almost three months away from Hurricane Harvey, I want to say thank you to everyone in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, and beyond, for the tremendous response you have given to those most affected by the devastation of the storm.
Thank you to everyone who has given their time volunteering energies to clean and remove debris from parish properties, homes and community properties. Thank you for sharing financial resources in the special collections after Hurricane Harvey and I must add also for the special collections for Hurricane Irma, the earthquakes in Mexico and devastating Hurricane Maria that hit the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Thank you those of you who have had opportunities to share your talents by spending time accompanying communities and people to recover and heal from the trauma they have experienced.
I want to point out the efforts to coordinate all these initiatives throughout the diocese by Deacon Mark Arnold, Deacon Richard Longoria and Linda McKamie and those who have assisted them to organize responses to the needs in the parishes and communities in the path of Harvey. Many parish groups composed of adults and youth have done outstanding work and ministry in the name of the Lord—thank you.
The Catholic Schools across the state of Texas have opened their hearts and school doors to students from Rockport and Corpus Christi. Catholic School superintendents from across the state have worked with our superintendent Dr. Rosemary Henry and the principals of our schools to welcome students and their families who were displaced and lost so much. Thank you.
And to those of you who have suffered from the hurricane and have lost homes, property, businesses and precious memories, I want to thank you for your persistent faith and hope. Listening to many of your stories and hearing the vitality of your faith, I have been edified and strengthened. To each of you—thank you.
May the Lord continue to teach us to work together in the diocese—as a family and community—in order to witness to our great Thanksgiving, Jesus.
