March / April 2021

To new beginnings

It is 2021, a new look and, please God, new beginnings. As we celebrate 2021, I know all of us are happy to see 2020 in the rearview mirror. Without a doubt in this past year we have all suffered emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially. However, did we allow ourselves to learn any important lessons that the long days of quarantine brought us?

Such examples might be: reaching out more regularly to friends and family instead of isolating, enjoying the great outdoors, families playing games and riding bikes together, eating out less, spending less money, not running around as frenetically as we normally do and, maybe, even fostering a more contemplative side of our prayer lives (if you haven’t been able to find the positive on some level, it appears that the virus is sticking around a little longer, so please try to find something positive to take from these crazy days). It is also my hope that virtual Masses have been a source of spiritual strength and outreach to those hungering and thirsting for God in their lives, and that those who have been physically absent from the Eucharist for so many months might soon be able to return with greater zeal; desiring and recognizing that Jesus Christ is truly present to feed and nourish us in the depths of our hearts. In this Easter Season, we are reminded that His Resurrection always follows the dark days of the passion. Alleluia!

This is also a new look! Wow, an East Texas Catholic Magazine! Special thanks to the Communications staff who have worked so diligently for many years on our newspaper and has now led us to this transition to the ETC Magazine. We will now publish every other month in this high-quality/glossy magazine format. This decision came about because of a few very simple and important reasons, namely, timely news can be easily found online and with this change of format we are saving significantly on both time and money. In a post-2020 world, we have all had to learn to get our news online — even the grandparents among us! Thus to transition to a high-quality magazine every other month meets the need of our families to see our diocese in action, but not to be our news feed. The magazine will feature articles and high-resolution photos of our diocese, which I believe you will be very proud of. And it might even stick around on the coffee table a little longer! With this shift, we are saving well over one hundred thousand dollars because the vast majority of the production is done by FAITH Catholic publishing in Michigan, who produces some 45 diocesan magazines like our new ETC. I hope you enjoy this new periodical which will now serve our Catholics throughout Southeast Texas!

So let’s continue to celebrate new beginnings in 2021! May it be a year of grace, healing and peace in our world, our country and our homes. Let’s continue to be prudent and careful of the virus as we anticipate an end to the pandemic with the distribution of viable vaccines. As we move forward, please stay close to the Lord Jesus in daily prayer, Sunday Mass, and through lives of service and love in the midst of our world. As we come out of the unprecedented days in which we have lived in the previous year, may we be changed for the better and desire to be the Light of Christ for our family, friends and even strangers — for this is our mission in the world!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Bishop David L. Toups