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On the road to follow the Lord
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May 28, 2024The iconic Church, Our Lady of Refuge, was filling up quickly on Memorial Day morning. A Mass with two bishops – Bishop Michael Mulvey and Bishop Michael Sis from the Diocese of San Angelo – and a procession in the summer heat to the Catholic Church of St. James the Apostle marked the sixth and last day of the perpetual pilgrims in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
The parishioners were excited and had planned this event for months. Visitors from Austin, San Antonio, and Odessa in the Diocese of San Angelo arrived, and the Church held more than 300 people.
Bishop Michael Sis gave the homily, beginning with a quote from St. Augustine of Canterbury, who, in the 6th century, was content with his quiet monastic life in Rome when he was asked to go to England and evangelize the Anglo-Saxons: “Are we ready to leave everything behind and go where God wants us?”
He continued by saying that “being a missionary disciple is not only about sharing the Gospel message but giving and sharing our very selves… We are all called to be Eucharistic Missionaries.”
Quoting St. Pope Paul VI, who had written in his encyclical Evangelii Nuntiandi, “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses,” the bishop said that everyone is called to share the joy of the Gospel and proclaim the good news.
Despite the heat, almost everyone followed the Eucharist through the streets of Refugio, protected by umbrellas and hats. Volunteers handed out cold water at several corners, ensuring everyone stayed hydrated while praying and singing on the way, accompanied by Christian de la Rosa playing from the back of a pickup truck.
A solemn benediction concluded the procession. Members of both parishes had cooked and baked to feed the crowd, and people could interact with the pilgrims.
MacKenzie Warrens, the team leader of the San Juan Diego Route, said they had many meaningful conversations in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. “We were received with such love,” she added. The pilgrims went on to the Diocese of Victoria. “Six more weeks on the road with Jesus,” they said – thanks to their dedication and willingness to follow the Lord!
