Catholic Rural Life-Victoria

JANET JONES
The Catholic Lighthouse
GANADO, Texas -- On a windy, cold Jan. 15 morning, Bishop Brendan Cahill blessed the samples of seed and soil for the rural Diocese of Victoria.
The blessing took place during a special Mass on the residential property of Bart and Karen Hajovsky, owners of BH Genetics, a truly home-grown seed corn and grain sorghum business that now distributes from coast to coast.
“Oh, it’s a privilege to have him (Bishop Cahill) come and do this for the rural area, because everybody seems to forget about the rural area,” Mrs. Hajovsky said. “It’s very special.”
During his homily, the bishop, referred to the first reading at the Mass from the First Book of Samuel, which recounts the anointing of Saul who was simply on a mission to track down his father’s lost donkeys.
“Y’all know what it’s like to track down a lost animal,” he said. “And then, what we hear in the story, is that God was working through all that. That he (Saul) was chosen and anointed to be the king of Israel. One on level, it reminds us that God works in mysterious ways.”
What is shown, Bishop Cahill said, is that “God will sustain us each day and guide our lives. What a beautiful thought as we bless seed, because it is a hopeful sign. The seed is planted and the soil prepared. Ultimately, we know that God is in control and provides the bounty.”
 Bishop Cahill, president of the CRL board of directors, also said that, because nature teaches us about God in many ways, it is “fitting and appropriate” to celebrate the rural life Masses. The Diocese of Victoria, which includes a chapter of the national Catholic Rural Life organization, also celebrates a Harvest Mass in the fall and the feast of St. Isidore, patron of farmers.
The Rev. Stephen Vacek, director of the local CRL chapter, the Rev. Greg Korenek, pastor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Ganado, and the Rev. Michael Rother, pastor of St. Philip the Apostle parish in El Campo, concelebrated the Mass and blessing. Deacons Kevin Petrash and Anthony Hensley of the ABVM parish in Ganado also served at the Mass.
Sherry Kainer, a member of CRL from the Diocese of Victoria, helps coordinate the Masses and celebrations and always gives those who attend a rundown of all the agricultural vocations that exist in the diocese. According to Kainer, within our borders are row crops, hay fields, pecans, olives, producers of wine and cheese, cattle ranchers, shrimpers, fish farms and more.
“How blessed we can be to take care and provide for the world in which we live. And from us, and from our farms, there are people being fed literally everywhere,” Bishop Cahill said.
 

Catholic Rural Life (CRL)-Victoria was officially formed in the Diocese of Victoria on Friday, June 22, 2018. CRL-Victoria is a local chapter of the national organization and is the first chapter established in the State of Texas. Father Stephen Vacek has been appointed Director and Deacon Larry Hoelsher has been appointed Chairperson by Bishop Brendan Cahill. 

What is Catholic Rural Life?

Catholic Rural Life (CRL) is a national,Catholic nonprofit organization dedicated to the vitality of the American countryside. Since 1923, CRL has been applying the teachings of Jesus Christ for the social, economic, and spiritual development of rural America, strengthening and sustaining the Church in the countryside by educating and inspiring leaders and advocating on their behalf.

Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, CRL is a membership-based organization, that has a rich history spanning 90 years. It is comprised of dedicated bishops, laity, and religious who are joined in a common effort to serve the rural Church, rural people, and their communities. Bishop Brendan Cahill is one of the Board of Directors for CRL.

For more information: https://catholicrurallife.org

Catholic Rural Life – Victoria Chapter


We Choose the Country...

We believe that:  Farming is a noble Christian occupation.  The farm home is a most suitable place to rear a Christian family.  The good earth is the greatest material gift of God to man. 
 
We know that:  In this vocation we country people work closely with God in producing the essential elements of life.  By making ourselves aware of the special graces and opportunities of this way of life, and by cooperating with them, we and our families can most readily give glory to God and grow in holiness and happiness.  The earth returns greatest honor to God when through our care and labor, it brings forth an abundance for our family’s needs and those of society, for this generation and for those to come.
 
We proclaim that:  We will strive always to appreciate and hold fast to the spiritual values of our vocation and to prevent the materialism of this age from blinding us to them.  We will model our homes on that of Nazareth; by working, learning, playing and especially praying together we will strengthen our faith in God and our mutual love and unity; we will fulfill our obligation to be good neighbors, faithful parishioners, loyal and active citizens.  We will regard our land as God’s land; as stewards of His bounty we will conserve and improve it so that it will increasingly continue to give glory to Him.
 
We pray that:  Through God’s grace we may have wisdom and strength to grow constantly in the virtues necessary for holy rural living:  Faith, Hope firmly founded in knowledge of God’s wisdom and providence, Love, Patience with the slow deliberate cycle of seasons and years, Fortitude, Temperance, Compassion, Mercy, Zeal. 

 Taken from The Rural Life Prayerbook, a publication of Catholic Rural Life, written and compiled by Alban J. Dachauer, S.J.