By Lucas Flores
Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC) members gathered with Most Rev. Robert Coerver for the council’s December 3 meeting to discuss topics including the continuing Eucharistic Revival, faith formation, beginning conversations on the next steps of faith in the ongoing pandemic.
The meeting also included a report from Bishop Coerver on 2022 Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, November 14-17.
The DPC meeting began with a faith formation session led by Sister Peggy Szeljack, Director of the Diocese of Lubbock Evangelization and Family Faith Formation Division.
“Whole faith formation focuses on forming Catholic families versus pouring knowledge into kids heads in desks,” Sister Peggy said. “Catholics in the sessions are formed on a broader level. They are engaged, asked opinions, and open minded.”
During the session, the council members were introduced to the liturgical season of Advent. The same session would be taught in parishes offering whole family faith formation the weekend of December 10 and 11.
“Participants are introduced to Advent via other aspects,” Sister Peggy said. “They hear, read and experience scripture passage in various ways showing that a foundation in faith isn't only about knowledge, it is taught indirectly through experience.”
Sister Peggy said participants are humanly formed and sent as disciples. They are also spiritually formed through prayer.
During the DPC meeting, Bishop Coerver reported on his experience at the November USCCB meeting. Bishop Coerver said the meeting was the best he's attended in his six years as a bishop.
He said the expectations of electing new leadership and new meeting procedures show the conference is listening to new generations of bishops.
“This began with the June meetings,” Bishop Coerver said. “The USCCB set up small groups for sharing. The groups were selected randomly for two sessions.”
He. said many of the bishops talked about the welcome change in the meeting style which produced dialogue. Bishop Coerver said the meeting setup included a change from horizontal tables all facing a stage to round tables with smaller groups, creating better optics of openness and dialogue and good experience with real received changes.
“Some votes were impacted positively because of the dialogues resulting from the setup, resulting in options for votes,” Bishop Coerver said. “The setup created a visual of listening, the ability to speak and hear each other, and created opportunities for dialogue.”
Bishop Coerver reported that three dioceses were approved to move forward on saint causes for canonization, including Mother Margaret Mary Healy Murphy who, in 1893, founded the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate, the first order of women religious in the state of Texas.
The congregation was started after Mother Murphy, a native of Ireland, spent years helping the poor and serving African Americans and Mexican Americans as a laywoman. She died in 1907 at age 74.
During the assembly, Bishop Coerver reported, the conference of bishops discussed Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship and related materials, deciding to produce an addition to include guidance on more contemporary issues.
The DPC also began discussing the next steps in the ongoing pandemic. The group began dialogue on the return of reception of Holy Communion under both species, the Body and Blood of Christ, during the celebration of Mass.
Bishop Coerver and the council members agreed that this is the beginning of the conversations and will continue in upcoming meetings. Logistics and appropriate procedures will need to be discussed and decided to give priests and the Catholics of the diocese proper guidance.
“We cannot be ignorant of the situation of the medical environment in the diocese,” Bishop Coerver said, “with people still being sick with the Flu, with RSV and with COVID, now is not the time (for the return of Communion reception from the chalice).”
The council discussed illnesses within their communities and schools in the area.
Logistics and personnel were also discussed as part of the meeting – how can Catholics safely and respectfully receive the Blood of Christ?
“When (Communion from the Chalice) is made available, a concern as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, that has been heard, is that Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are not completely comfortable having the responsibility of consuming the Blood of Christ after all of the people,” Bishop Coerver said.
Another concern was priests who may be at high risk of severe symptoms if infected.
“Plainview parishes are hearing about the Diocese of Amarillo bringing back Communion under both species but many still know and agree that now is not the time yet,” Father George Poonely said.
The council also began discussion of the concern of priests contracting illnesses and who can fill in for priests if many are sick.
The meeting concluded with an update on the continuing Eucharistic Revival including a discussion of whole family faith formation which will be centered on Eucharist for the next few months, Bishop Coerver’s +CoerverCasts which are available on the diocesan website, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary icon traveling the diocese and First Friday and Saturday devotions.
“The patronal feast and anniversary committee’s decision to have an icon written and to travel the diocese and the inclusion of First Friday and Saturday devotions is doing wonders for the people of the Diocese of Lubbock,” Bishop Coerver said. “On the feast of Corpus Christi (June 2023) the parishes will be encouraged to have eucharistic processions and the thrust of the revival will move from the diocesan level to the parish level.”
Parishes will be encouraged to host Eucharistic Adoration beginning in June 2023. The parish revival will also include mini eucharistic congresses and an exhibit designed by Blessed Carlo Acutis.
Sister Peggy Szeljack spoke of the eucharistic revival gatherings on June 9 and 10, 2023.
“This will go to the outreaches of the deaneries more than just in Lubbock,” Sister Peggy said. “They will go to Plainview on Friday June 9, 2023, and on Saturday, June 10— in the morning—will be at Denver City and in the afternoon and evening in Snyder.”
Sister Peggy said a committee is firming up ways to help with the parish-level revival including helping parishes host an exhibit centering on Blessed Carlo Acutis with an extreme devotion to the Eucharist. Parish resources will also include suggestions for worship and adoration and group-specific resources.
“Blessed Carlo is a great model to hold up to the young church,” Bishop Coerver said. “I've already confirmed a couple of young people under the named Carlo Acutis, but we have to remember we need to help in formation of all ages of Catholics.”