Welcome to The New Messenger, your weekly archdiocesan newsletter featuring messages from Archbishop Gustavo, news briefs, event previews, and updated information. Look for this newsletter in your inbox every Friday.

Sacramental Records Training Workshops are being held online via Zoom on the following dates: Wednesday, March 8, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesday, April 12, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. All classes are open to anyone that works with sacramental records including secretaries, record keepers, directors of Religious Education (DREs), deacons, and priests. To register for the classes, email archive@archsa.org. Deans interested in scheduling an in-person workshop for their deanery, contact Elvira Sanchez Kisser for details at elvira.kisser@archsa.org

***Limited Quantity*** Reserve your book(s). A separate e-mail will be sent when the books are ready for pick up at the Today’s Catholic offices at the archdiocesan Pastoral Ministry Center at 2718 W. Woodlawn Ave., in San Antonio. This form reserves your book(s). Mailing fees may apply.

The 2023 Archbishop's Appeal for Ministries themed "In receiving the Eucharist, we are called to serve" is an invitation to share gifts and prayers in support of the 30-plus overarching ministries sustaining the mission of the 175 parishes and missions gathered through the 19 counties in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

To learn of the various ministries this appeal supports, make a gift and share a prayer, visit Archbishops Appeal — Archdiocese of San Antonio (archsa.org). 

In addition to our amazing keynote, host and music minister, this year’s high school gathering will also include breakout sessions with dynamic speakers! Teens will pick from one of four incredible presentations. With so many voices trying to tell us who we are in this world, Auxiliary Bishop Gary Janak will be speaking on Claiming our Identity in Christ. Our event host, Alex Gotay, has an exciting journey of his own conversion and relationship with Christ and will be speaking on Who is Jesus and Why Should I Care. One of our passionate youth ministers, Jessica Lubianski, will be helping teens dive deeper into our primary connection to God by speaking on Why Does Prayer Matter. Last but not least, the amazing Sister Mary Fagan will be setting us on fire (not literally) as she calls on the Holy Spirit to speak on What is the Point of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Don’t let your teens miss a phenomenal line up in this action-packed day! Youth Leaders: Click here to Sign up your group today!

Parents are the primary educators of their children and must be free to determine the best educational environment for their children. To ensure quality educational choices, Texas should respect the independence of private and religious schools while also fostering strong public school options. Because of this, the Texas Conference of Catholic Bishops supports increasing educational opportunities for all and recognizes the fundamental right of parents to direct their children’s education by supporting parental choice in education. Show your support by joining us on Tuesday, March 28, for Advocacy Day in Austin. Registration closes on Monday, March 13.

The Recognizing the Stranger (RTS) Convocation West/Southwest IAF was held at the San Fernando Cathedral Hall February 28 and March 1. The gathering celebrated five years of intensive RTS training, organizing, and organizing in 19 dioceses involving 4,000 parishioners. The meeting was also an opportunity to explore what has been learned in five-plus years since the launch of RTS in 2016 and chart the road ahead for parish organizing and working at the margins. RTS is designed to expand the relational capacity of parishes with substantial immigrant populations. The strategy prepares immigrant leaders to engage with their parishes first and then move more deeply towards building bridges with sister parishes, schools, and neighborhoods around them to raise a new voice for a compassionate and productive response to the plight of immigrants and low-income residents. A video and written message from Pope Francis recognizing the work of leaders, clergy, and bishops to develop this strategy was also shared with attendees. Archbishop Gustavo took part in two panel discussions and Auxiliary Bishop Gary Janak offered an opening prayer. Attendees included Archbishop Gustavo, Bishop Gary, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo and Auxiliary Bishop Ítalo Dell’Oro of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Bishop Mark Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso, Auxiliary Bishop Greg Kelly of the Diocese of Dallas, Ralph McCloud of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and Ingrid Delgado of the USCCB Office of Domestic Social Development.

To find more archdiocesan events and activities visit our website, www.archsa.org.

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