Interview on For Greater Glory Film and Mexico’s Battle for Religious Liberty

Catholics will battle for their religious freedom on the big screen starting June 1 with the movie debut of For Greater Glory: The True Story of the Cristiada. In anticipation of the movie’s release, the Texas Catholic Conference hosted a screening of the movie and interviewed Victor Pap, Vice President of Marketing and Outreach of the Maximus group, who is promoting the film across the country.  On this latest Texas Catholic podcast, Pap discusses the inspiration for the movie, the significance of the war, and reactions from U.S. viewers and those abroad.

February, 2012

Bishop Mulvey Defends Religious Liberty

Corpus Christi Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey explains how the Obama Administration's forcing of religious employers to provide contraceptive and abortifacient coverage is an assault on religious liberty during his January 29, 2012 homily at the Corpus Christi Cathedral. Bishop Mulvey stressed that his objections to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate were not political in nature, but were instead, "a matter of conscience. This is a matter of religious freedom."

January, 2012

Exorcism: Separating Hollywood from Reality

Bishop Daniel Flores of the Diocese of Brownsville discusses the rite of exorcism within the Catholic Church.   Unlike the drama of Hollywood movies, exorcism is a rare and extraordinary rite of healing and must distinguish between those in need of medical or psychiatric pastoral care.

The presentation was part of a Theology on Tap series sponsored by the Diocese’s Campus and Young Adult Ministry and recorded by the Dioceses' newspaper, The Valley Catholic.

Bishop Cantu Encourages Death Penalty Abolitionists to take Message to Public Square

Bishop Oscar Cantu, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, reiterated that opposition to the use of the death penalty recognizes the dignity in every human life during his closing remarks for the 2011 Religious Leaders Dialogue on the Death Penalty, held at Trinity University in San Antonio on October 24. He encourages death penalty opponents to take the message to the public square and "into the spotlight to speak the truth."

A Pastor's Perspective on the Death Penalty

Fr. Larry Christian, a panelist during the Religious Leaders Dialogue on the Death Penalty, held at Trinity University in San Antonio on October 24, discussed how his Catholic faith has provided direction and guidance on the issue of the death penalty, and how he has addressed this issue locally as a pastor. Fr. Christian is pastor of St. Francis of Assisi in San Antonio.

Religious Freedom: Its Roots in Catholic Thought and its Place in Vatican Diplomacy

John. L. Allen Jr., senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and senior Vatican analyst for CNN, gave this year’s annual Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza Lecture on the topic of the Catholic approach to religious liberty – both in theory and in concrete situations in the world today. The lecture was hosted by the Center for Faith and Culture – University of St. Thomas.

Bishop Flores, of the Diocese of Brownsville, was the keynote speaker at this year's 2011 Immigration Symposium, which focused on Violence on the US-Mexico border. The Symposium was hosted by the Mexican American Catholic College.

It's All About Life - Relevant Radio Austin

TCC Executive Director Jeff Patterson was featured on Austin's Relevant Radio program "It's All About Life," on July 8 talking about the results from the 82nd Session of the Texas Legislature. Patterson was joined by TCC Communication Director Maria Huemmer to discuss successes in passing the sonogram law, the prohibition of taxpayer funds for abortions in county hospital districts, and in making available "Choose Life" license plates for state drivers.  The conversation also touched on other legislative issues involving health care, immigration, and the opportunities for faithful citizenship.

Relevant to You: Faithful Citizenship and the Upcoming Elections

Featuring Barbara Budde, Director of Parish Social Ministry and Social Concerns for the Diocese of Austin, and Jennifer Allmon, Associate Director of the Texas Catholic Conference.

Relevant to You: Faithful Citizenship

Featuring Bishop Gregory Aymond, Diocese of Austin