Presentation of
Father Everardo
Although I don’t really consider myself a young or new priest, I recognize that I am still learning new areas and dimensions of the Faith. In this adventure of saying "yes" to the Lord and following Him wherever He calls me, I continue to discover that our God is the God of the impossible and that He continues to make all things new.
On an otherwise typical evening at the Cathedral parish, where I was serving as associate pastor, I was getting ready for bed when I received a call that would deprive me of sleep that night and give me new-found strength at dawn. The call was on behalf of my bishop, who after the conventional greeting asked the unexpected question that was the reason for the call: “The bishop, in consultation with the presbyteral council, has decided to entrust you with the pastoral care of St. Mary Parish in Brenham. Do you accept the role of pastor? ¨
I must admit that my first reaction was: Where is Brenham? My next thought came immediately as I began to feel in my heart that unmistakable fire of the presence of God confirming His will. It was a familiar feeling, the same one that accompanied me in many moments of my life. It was that sense I had when I made my First Communion, when I entered the seminary, when I was ordained a priest. Now that sense of God’s presence came to me as I looked forward to becoming pastor in Brenham – wherever that would be! After a few seconds of memorable reflection, I was brought back to the moment as I heard: “Father Everardo, are you there? Do you accept?”
With great joy and without hesitation I responded: “Yes, of course I accept!”
After a brief conversation in which we finalized some details, I hung up and realized I still didn’t know where Brenham was located!
There are no words to describe all the feelings that went through my heart as the GPS directed me on my drive here. Nor can I fully express the joy and gratitude I experienced as I entered the church for the first time.
To paraphrase Saint Paul, I presented myself to you weak and trembling with fear; My word and my preaching were not with persuasive human wisdom (and I would add, and with very bad English), but in the manifestation and power of the Spirit, so that your faith is not based on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God (yes, with my feet firmly on the Rock of my faith and my heart on fire in the love of God). 1 Corinthians 2:4
With deep humility I am gradually discovering the great blessing that has been given me in becoming part of this parish and its history. I consider the celebration of the 150th anniversary Jubilee, commemorating its foundation, to be a wonderful opportunity. This occasion is a chance to discover the richness of this community, to deepen the roots of our faith and to project our future. Receiving the blessing from the Holy Father Pope Francis to be able to bless the church door, along with the promulgation of a Jubilee year and access to the plenary indulgence every day of the year, gives us the opportunity to remember that we are pilgrims on this earth, and that our destiny is in God’s presence.
To answer who we are as pilgrims, we have to look inside ourselves. And to answer where we are going, we have to look at where we come from. It is my deepest wish that the celebration of this jubilee will honor our roots, renewing our present and clarifying our future. I pray that it be an opportunity not only for our parish, but for all those who approach us who also want to receive the plenary indulgence.
In the following pages you will find the planning of a year full of celebrations and events. We don't want them to be just activities, but opportunities to renew ourselves in Christ. That is why at the beginning of this plan, you will find the direction we want to take as a parish. We are mapping out our Mission and Values along with our Plan.
Time is one of the greatest gifts we have. We know that every minute that passes will never return. For this reason, we do not want to miss any opportunity to live it intensely in accomplishing the will of God. Even with the abundant resources at our disposal, even with many wonderful activities in our plan, the only way to encounter God is with an open heart. Plans alone do not accomplish that. Instead, God waits for each of us to respond freely to His invitation. Are we willing to grow closer to Him? To have an encounter with Him during this time of grace? If we are, then let us prepare not only outwardly but also in the depths of our hearts to live each activity, so that as a spiritual family we can go on pilgrimage together to the house of our loving Father, God Himself.