The Word and the Eucharist are the focus of the Pax Christi Liturgical Center

The steeples of the Jesus Christ Our Peace Chapel rise above the administration building and gift store at the Pax Christi Liturgical Center. Alfredo E. Cardenas, South Texas Catholic

Quoting from Psalm 124, Mother Maria Elva Reyes, PCI, Superior General of the Pax Christi Sisters, closed the consecration Mass at the new Jesus Christ Our Peace Chapel with the words “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.” The celebrants burst into thunderous applause.

The chapel, whose dome rises high above Calallen Street in the western outskirts of Corpus Christi, is the centerpiece of an impressive complex of buildings that make up the Pax Christi Liturgical Center. Behind the chapel are the administrative offices and gift shop, further down is the Regina Pacis dorms that can accommodate 158 retreat participants and to the rear is St. Joseph Hall with a fully equipped kitchen that can serve up to 300.

Bishop Michael Mulvey blessed the Liturgical Center on Saturday, May 3, after the chapel’s consecration. The center was the vision of the aging Mother Maria Teresa Santoyo, PCI, founder of the Pax Christi order, and brought to completion by Mother Maria Elva and the rest of the Pax Christi sisters. Mother Teresa and her family were present to hear Bishop Mulvey acknowledge the “wonderful accomplishment.”

Following longstanding tradition, the bishop opened the doors of the sanctuary and was followed in by several hundred anxious friends of the Pax Christi sisters. The bishop proceeded to bless, anoint and incense the structure and the altar.

Bishop Mulvey shared a story with the congregation about a woman he met in Houston who told him “what a beautiful cathedral” you have off Interstate 37 and US 77. He had to inform her that the cathedral was downtown and she was referring to the Pax Christi Chapel. On May 3, the chapel could have been confused for the cathedral in the inside as well, as the bishop celebrated Mass and the cathedral choir provided the Liturgical music.

Mother Maria Elva Reyes, PCI Superior General of the Pax Christi Sisters gave thanks at the close of the Mass consecrating the Jesus Christ Our Peace Chapel. Alfredo E. Cardenas, South Texas Catholic

This building will be set apart as a sacred space, consecrated to the Lord,” Bishop Mulvey said in his homily. “People will come here to pray, to lift up their prayers, their own heart, their own needs and the need of their loved ones to the Lord.”

They will come, the bishop said, to get away from the busyness of their lives and to spend a few days or a few hours in reflection in the presence of God.

“I pray as bishop of the diocese that here they will find Jesus Christ, because it is for him that this building is built,” he said. “I pray they meditate on the Word and allow the Lord to speak to them; allow his word to speak to them. It will change us if we allow it.”

The sisters, said Bishop Mulvey, have plans that this place be a liturgical formation house where they can assist young people to make their first communion, to prepare them for confirmation, to help them understand the Mass in depth and to appreciate the beauty of the Eucharist.

The Word and the Eucharist, those are the focus of the Pax Christi Liturgical Center, he said.

These are words that ring like music to the ears of Sister Teresa Marie Diaz, PCI, administrator of the Liturgical Center, and Hilda Gonzalez, coordinator for retreats. The Liturgy and the Word will be celebrated daily—at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will be available from 2:30-5:30 p.m. daily.

While Mass will be a daily occurrence, at this time none of the sacraments can be administered at the chapel because it is not a parish. That means that while a wedding reception may be held at St. Joseph’s Hall, the wedding Mass would have to take place at a parish church. Sacramentals, such as blessings of a quinceañera in a special Mass, will be possible.

Sister Teresa Marie Diaz, PCI will serve as administrator of the Pax Christi Liturgical Center. Alfredo E. Cardenas, South Texas Catholic

The main focus of the Liturgical Center is catechesis but the sisters still have to pay for the buildings and staff, and therefore will host events that are not fully catechetical, events sponsored by Protestant and secular groups, including retreats, workshops, conventions, business meetings, parties, banquets, dinners, etc. Indeed, they will also host fundraisers for the center itself to help defray costs. These events will be held only if they are not contrary to Catholic teaching and if they do not conflict with other retreats already scheduled.

The gift shop offers a wide variety of items, such as crucifixes, rosaries, Catholic books, votive candles, medallions and confirmation, first communion and baptism items. The two-story dormitory has 78 rooms, including rooms especially equipped under requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It also has a meeting room and a small chapel.

The Liturgical Center has its first retreat tentatively scheduled for June 6. The Neocatechumenal Way—a parish-based faith formation program—will offer a retreat to parishioners of Nuestra Señora de San Juan de los Lagos, Madre de la Iglesia. On June 20 the diocese will host the Diocesan Vocation Awareness Retreat, a weekend retreat of prayer, silent reflection, presentations, group discussion and sharing one-on-one encounters and guidance from priests and religious sisters and brothers, to help those interested to learn more about priesthood and religious life.

“Our objective is to help people grow in the sacraments,” Sister Teresa said. In this regard, Sister Guadalupe Maria Cervantes, PCI will develop catechetical programs.

Sister Teresa invites anyone interested in holding an event at the Liturgical Center to give her or Gonzalez a call at (361) 241-2833. “We want people to come see it,” Gonzalez said.

“We pray that in the future, those who come to our Pax Christi Liturgical Center may enrich their faith and deepen their relationship with God as they encounter the Lord in the silence of their hearts, adore the Blessed Sacrament and participate in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist,” Mother Maria Elva said.