RMS In Texas

This article dated November 28, 2017 is about the growing number of priesthood in the Immaculate Concepcion Catholic Church in Texas......thanks to the RMS and NCW.  The highlights are mine.  You can find the article here.

Men of God: Immaculate Conception has five young men entering priesthood

Francisco Moran, left, with a visiting priest from Chicago. Pictured at Immaculate Concepcion Catholic Church

For many reasons, it seems that recruitment of good men to wear the collar of a Catholic priest has been difficult. The Catholic Church has taken some hard knocks over the past couple of decades. Scandal over molestation has definitely become widely discussed by critics of the Church. Others point out that it could be old fashioned to expect young men to uphold a vow of chastity.

Since the mid-70’s until now, the church population has boomed, but the number of men becoming priests has declined. In Corsicana, only one church serves the Catholic community. Immaculate Conception is proud to have five young men who are on their way to becoming priests.

“I love it. It’s a testament to faith,” said parish priest Father Marco Rangel.

Three of the men are seminarians and serving overseas in Guam, India and Ukraine. Another is becoming a deacon and a fifth gentleman is just starting his studies at the seminary. Fr. Rangel believes that it might be the unique Neocatechumenal community at Immaculate Conception that is attracting men from Corsicana to the priesthood.

“In the Neocatechumenal way, people are learning more about faith, the Eucharist and scriptures. They are doing it as a community,” he said.

Not all Catholics live the Neocatechumenal way. In fact, not many of them know about it. Fr. Rangel notes that of the 1,100 churchgoers at Immaculate Conception, about 300 of them are part of this community. At Immaculate Conception, the Neocatechumenal followers also happen to be Hispanic. At times, they worship and meet separately from other church members though it is not a secret society and they often join the regular church crowd.

“They group themselves in communities with about 50 members. They support one another in a more intimate way. If someone needs help, then they are there to help. It’s like a family,” Rangel said.

Seminarian Francisco Moran is on the path to priesthood while serving in Vinnytsa, Ukraine. Moran, who is originally from Mexico, came to the United States as a 20-day-old infant. He was raised in Dallas and moved to Blooming Grove with his family around the age of 16. Though he has been Catholic all of his life, admittedly he was not much of a churchgoer in his early years.

“Around 24 years old, I was studying to teach at Carroll Elementary. I was attending mass. I prayed everyday,” Moran said.

As Moran’s involvement with the church grew, so did his commitment to God. He said that three times he was asked at youth meetings to stand up if he felt the calling to the priesthood.

“I was scared,” he said. “Then I went to World Youth Day in Brazil. I finally stood up.”

Moran trusted in God and as such accepted his assignment to a war-torn Ukraine.

“You see tanks once in a while” Moran said.

Tanks aside, Moran also said that he sees a willingness in the people of Ukraine.

“They are very poor,” he said. “What little they have, they want to share.”

Oscar Galindo is another seminarian from Immaculate Conception. Galindo serves in Bangalore, India. He too became a part of the Neocatechumenal way.

“I understood this is what a Church is, a community of communities,” Galindo said.

Though Galindo admits India is very different than the United States, he feels he is exactly where God wants him to be.

“Thanks to the Neocatechumenal Way, I had a Christian community, composed of Indian lay families, here as well,” Galindo said. “They supported me with their prayers and with their lives by opening their homes to me and allowing me to be one with their family.“

Though Galindo is a world away, he still considers his Neocatechumenal group in Corsicana his family.

“Until today, I am still in this community when I go home — we have been together now for 14 years. They support me not only spiritually, through their prayers and love, but financially as well. They are a great encouragement for me. I have really seen miracles in their lives.”

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The Neocatechumenal way started in the 1960’s in Spain. This particular type of worship has been in the Corsicana community for about 20 years.