“Right now, I cannot be in Ukraine. I wish to be able to do something more concrete there, but prayer unites us. Prayer helps us to be one mind and one heart,” said Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
Two people are in custody after an incident involving a gun inside a West Side Catholic church that caused parishioners to flee the building during morning services, according to the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
The Archdiocese of San Antonio shared updates ahead of another freezing Wednesday. With temperatures still just below freezing, and suboptimal road conditions, Catholic leaders in San Antonio urged the faithful to check with their parishes and monitor their social media throughout the day and tomorrow morning for information regarding mass times. READ MORE: No ashes - Ash Wednesday will look markedly different this yearWith Ash Wednesday already looking different than in years past — churches were instructed to sprinkle ashes instead of the usual smear due to the coronavirus pandemic — this week's unprecedented weather has leadership pivoting once more. As per the Archdiocese Facebook post, church-goers are being granted a "dispensation from the law of fast and abstinence on Ash Wednesday," meaning parishioners can eat breakfast, given the widespread lack of electricity and water. A San Antonio plumber gives some advicePer church leadership, ashes can be sprinkled after this weekend's services.
mysanantonio.comSAN ANTONIO – Due to the ongoing winter storm, San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller has granted Catholics a dispensation from fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and says ashes will be allowed to be given at the end of masses through the weekend if parishioners don’t receive them Wednesday. Archdiocese officials said that many churches in the area are canceling or reducing the number of services due to the winter storm. The archdiocese said to check in with local leaders and monitor social media for Mass times. Archdiocesan statement regarding Ash Wednesday Lent begins tomorrow, February 17, with Ash Wednesday. You can get the very latest forecast anytime by bookmarking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority App - available for both Apple and Android devices.
The Archdiocese of San Antonio held a Friday morning mass to mark the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling which ended a Texas ban on abortion and legalized it across the nation, which local church officials called a "tragedy." Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller held the morning mass to pray "for life" online, the archdiocese website says. RELATED: San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg 'hopeful' on Biden Inauguration Day"Pray with him during the Holy Hour of Adoration that he will be leading immediately after for the commemoration of the tragedy of Roe v. Wade," online details say. The San Antonio archdiocese serves nearly 800,000 Catholics according to the website. Biden supports Roe v. Wade and his administration is committed to codifying Roe v. Wade, according to White House news release marking the anniversary.
mysanantonio.comCrucifix damaged after vandalism at Catholic seminary in San AntonioAssumption Seminary near Woodlawn Lake was vandalized Thursday night, according to the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Assumption Seminary near Woodlawn Lake was vandalized Thursday night, according to the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Photo: Archdiocese Of San Antonio Photo: Archdiocese Of San Antonio Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Crucifix damaged after vandalism at Catholic seminary in San Antonio 1 / 6 Back to GalleryA Catholic seminary near Woodlawn Lake was vandalized Thursday night, according to the Archdiocese of San Antonio. An outdoor crucifix and five glass doors were damaged during the incident, which occurred shortly after 10 p.m. at Assumption Seminary. On the crucifix, Jesus Christ's toes were broken off and a San Antonio Spurs jersey was placed around his head.
mysanantonio.comSAN ANTONIO – In a letter to parents, Archdiocese of San Antonio Superintendent of Catholic Schools Marti West on Tuesday explained protocols and plans for the reopening of Catholic Schools. “There are numerous steps which schools can take to significantly reduce the risks for students, teachers, staff, and their families,” West said in the letter. For families choosing the on campus instruction option, a conservative re-integration process will be implemented during the first three weeks of instruction. This process will allow for the school year to begin by gradually bringing students back on campus in small groups. Campus plans must be submitted to the Department of Catholic Schools prior to August 1.
SAN ANTONIO – A priest at a Catholic church in Helotes has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in quarantine. Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church posted on Facebook Friday night that Father Juan Molina recently received a positive result. The church, located at 13715 Riggs Road, will remain open, as allowed under Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff’s ban of large gatherings. “Given the parish protocols for the celebration of Mass during this time, the church can remain open,” the post states. “As a reminder, the cleaning crew sanitizes the church after every Mass.
SAN ANTONIO The Archdiocese of San Antonio learned that a fake account that was taken down after a few days on Instagram was using Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Sillers name to solicit donations. "I have not asked for money, and I don't have that kind of account," Garcia-Siller said. Watch out for these COVID-19 scams"Many people suffer the consequences of this kind of scam," Garcia-Siller said. A spokesman for the Archdiocese of San Antonio said there have been no victims who have come forward so far, but anyone who thinks they were scammed while the fake account was still active is urged to contact San Antonio police immediately. A statement from the Archdiocese of San Antonio also advises the public to exercise caution when seeing this type of social media communication. It also strongly recommends verifying the legitimacy of any appeal.
SAN ANTONIO – A day after the announcement that churches in the Archdiocese of San Antonio can reopen next week, local parishes have received guidelines that must be followed. San Antonio archbishop announces when local parishes can reopenMass has been live-streamed and the pews are filled with pictures of church members. Now, keeping the guidelines of the health officials and the Archdiocese of San Antonio, we can only accommodate 25% of it, means almost 65 people,” Lakkisetti said. He said church staff will be constantly cleaning the building and disinfecting the pews after every Mass. Here are the new guidelines:Christ the King Catholic Church COVID-19 guidelines (KSAT)For more COVID-19 coverage from KSAT, click here.
The Tex Hill Wing is a community service organization that works to educate, inspire, honor, and preserve through the flight of historic aircraft. Were a veteran service organization, were a youth service organization and we also preserve and fly old airplanes, said Nathan Gershon, Tex Hill Wing public information officer. After landing back at Stinson, Garca-Siller climbed back out of Ole Yeller with a look of astonishment on his face. Courtesy / Archdiocese San AntonioGarca-Siller and Tex Hill Wing exchanged gifts and thank yous at the conclusion of the event. Thanks for letting the Tex Hill Wing bring you closer to God, read a thank-you note from the organization.
therivardreport.comSAN ANTONIO – Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller on Monday announced that churches in the Archdiocese of San Antonio can once again open their doors for weekend masses. The first weekend masses will take place May 23-24, he said in a briefing before the “Mission: Hope” flyover at 2 p.m. There are 170 churches under the Archdiocese of San Antonio across 19 counties. García-Siller said churches will reopen under safety guidance from Gov. Explained: How Abbott plans to reopen Texas and differences from San Antonio, Bexar County ordersWhile religious institutions have been allowed to stay open with limitations, the Archdiocese of San Antonio suspended masses until at least May 18.
SAN ANTONIO – Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller will take to the skies Monday to deliver blessings above parishes, City Hall, universities and other establishments around San Antonio. San Antonio archbishop announces when local parishes can reopenDuring the “Mission: Hope” operation, the 1942 SNJ “Ole’ Yeller” plane will fly over the city at 1,000 feet, according to a news release. Before takeoff, García-Siller announced the reopening of Catholic parishes in the San Antonio area, which have remained closed amid the coronavirus pandemic. Explained: How Abbott plans to reopen Texas and differences from San Antonio, Bexar County orders“Mission: Hope” is one of two flyovers expected in San Antonio this week: the Thunderbirds will stop here and in Austin on May 13. Here are the flyover times for the Catholic parishes and other establishments that García-Siller will fly over on Monday.
Archdiocese of San Antonio extends coronavirus cautionary measures until May 18Archbishop Gustavo Garca-Siller announced Thursday that the Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of San Antonio will continue to practice social distancing and limit gatherings to 10 people or fewer until May 18. In the photo, during a recent Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Father Kevin Fausz blesses Juanita Mancilla. less Archbishop Gustavo Garca-Siller announced Thursday that the Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of San Antonio will continue to practice social distancing and limit gatherings to 10 people or fewer until May ... more Photo: Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-News Photo: Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Archdiocese of San Antonio extends coronavirus cautionary measures until May 18 1 / 1 Back to GalleryArchbishop Gustavo Garca-Siller announced Thursday that the archdiocese's churches will continue to practice social distancing and limit gatherings to 10 people or fewer until May 18. A team at the University of Texas at San Antonio projected about 3,600 total cases of the virus in Bexar County through July. "It is most difficult, but by following these common-sense directives we are adhering to sound medical advice given to us by experts."
mysanantonio.comThe coronavirus pandemic dealt a setback to Bexar County and San Antonio officials working to ensure a complete count of the areas population when the U.S. Census Bureau had to halt field operations. Not only have outreach efforts had to pivot, peoples priorities have shifted, said Bexar County census liaison Dwayne Robinson. The City and Countys committee charged with getting as complete a census count as possible can no longer use large events as opportunities to inform people about the census, which poses a challenge, Robinson said. In the meantime, the City of San Antonio and Bexar County are still encouraging residents to respond to the census online or by phone. The coronavirus pandemic may have presented problems for census officials, but it also highlighted the need for a complete count, Rodriguez said.
therivardreport.comArchdiocese of San Antonio temporarily stops distributing sacramental wine due to coronavirusCatholic clergy and faithful exit after Mass at San Fernando Cathedral to participate in a march on Saturday, June 2, 2018. The Archdiocese of San Antonio will temporarily stop distributing sacramental wine due to concerns about the coronavirus. less Catholic clergy and faithful exit after Mass at San Fernando Cathedral to participate in a march on Saturday, June 2, 2018. The Archdiocese of San Antonio will temporarily stop distributing sacramental wine ... more Photo: Billy Calzada, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Photo: Billy Calzada, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Archdiocese of San Antonio temporarily stops distributing sacramental wine due to coronavirus 1 / 1 Back to GalleryThe Archdiocese of San Antonio will temporarily stop distributing sacramental wine because of concerns about the coronavirus. More than 120 evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship will leave their quarantine at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland on Tuesday.
mysanantonio.comAt Mission Concepcin, Archbishop Gustavo Garca-Siller announced Thursday that the Archdiocese of San Antonio had chosen a new leader to continue conservation efforts at the Old Spanish Missions. The city of San Antonio was founded in faith more than 300 years ago, Garca-Siller said. She has been involved in the missions for many years.Simmons will continue her work at El Camino de San Antonio Missions, the archdiocese program for visiting pilgrims. Simmons has lived in San Antonio for more than 35 years and has taught at St. Marys law school for 24 years. So many people visit San Antonio, and one point [of their journey] is to stop at the missions, he said.
therivardreport.comSAN ANTONIO - The Archdiocese of San Antonio is sending out a warning following reports of door-to-door visits involving people asking for donations and offering house blessings. Jordan McMorrough, communication director of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, said some reports came from Three Oaks and some came from Floresville. The cases involved someone claiming to be from a group called Mary Queen of the Third Millennium. The archdiocese said the group is in no way associated with representatives of Mary Queen of the Third Millennium and that they do not have any permission to conduct ministry of any type within the archdiocese. The Archdiocese of San Antonio said it does not approve of door-to-door solicitation of any kind.
SAN ANTONIO - Bexar County Sheriff's Office K-9 officers and mounted patrol units were blessed by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Antonio at the San Fernando Cathedral in downtown on Friday. It was a "unique and first of its kind blessing of the K-9s," according to a press release from the sheriff's office. READ MORE: Retired military dogs in San Antonio up for adoption"Oftentimes K9 teams are placed in the most dangerous situations while on patrol, be it searching for a suspect or clearing a residence where an unknown threat may exist," the release reads. All the horses in the mounted patrol unit are rescued and named for fallen officers, the sheriff's office said. Sheriff tears up describing K-9 Chucky's sacrifice in highway standoffCopyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved.
The commission had awarded Catholic Charities $300,000 for both the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 grant terms. Since material weakness was identified in its latest audit, Catholic Charities' application was deemed ineligible, TVC officials confirmed. Public records show the vehicle is registered to a Catholic Charities spokeswoman. The grant was closed out in late 2012, months before Fernandez was hired away from Catholic Charities of Chicago for the top post here. The San Antonio chapter of Catholic Charities appears to be not as transparent financially as other chapters in Texas and in other parts of the country.
