The public is invited to attend as Bishop Patrick J. Zurek presides at an Extended Vigil of Pentecost Service Friday, May 17 at 7:00pm at St. Laurence Church, 2300 North Spring. On Jan. 16, 1988, the Congregation for Divine Worship issued Paschale Solemnitatis, the Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts.

St. Mary’s Cathedral School captured top honors in the Elementary School Division of the annual Kids Inc. Donor Days Contest, presented by Coffee Memorial Blood Center. The school received a $1,500 VISA Gift Card during a ceremony at the school April 25.

Groundbreaking for the new Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Family Center will take place Friday, May 10 at 6:00pm on the church grounds at 1210 Southeast 11th Street, according to Father Jose Gomez, pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. According to diocesan records, the new building is the first new construction on the Our Lady of Guadalupe campus since the dedication of the current church building on Dec. 12, 1949.

The Catholic Student Center at West Texas A&M University has been named the Outstanding Student Organization not-funded for 2012-2013. The announcement was made April 26 during the annual Honors Banquet.

The public is invited to attend an Adult Confirmation Mass, scheduled Saturday, April 13 at 10:00am at St. Laurence Church, 2300 North Spring. The Mass is the final step for those who have been preparing for reception of the Sacrament since the first of the year.

Monsignor James C. Gurzynski, former Vicar General of the Diocese of Amarillo who served as Administrator Sede Vacante in 1997, passed away April 8 after a brief illness. He was 75 years old.

With a warm embrace, a helping hand, shared prayer, a long discussion and lunch together, Pope Francis spent several hours with retired Pope Benedict XVI March 23 at the papal summer villa. Pope Francis gave Pope Benedict an icon of Mary and Jesus that the Russian Orthodox delegation to his inauguration had given him just a few days earlier.

With Jesus’ resurrection “love has triumphed, mercy has been victorious,” Pope Francis said in his first Easter message “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world). “Let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish,” the pope said after celebrating Easter morning Mass March 31.

Less than two months remain in the 2012-2013 school year and Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Amarillo are currently enrolling students for the 2013-2014 school year. Here is the latest news from the five Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Amarillo:

Pope Francis formally began his ministry as bishop of Rome and as pope by pledging to protect the Catholic Church, the dignity of each person and the beauty of creation, just like St. Joseph protected Mary and Jesus.

Although attempts were made to simplify the ceremony, Pope Francis officially inaugurated his ministry as pope and bishop of Rome in a liturgy filled with biblical symbolism and signs of the universality of his mission. But before the solemn rites began March 19, Pope Francis—known for choosing public transport over chauffeur-driven limousines—took his first spin in the popemobile, blessing the tens of thousands of people who arrived in St. Peter’s Square as early as 4:00am to pray with him.

Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, the leader of a large urban archdiocese in Latin America, was elected the 266th pope and took the name Francis. He is the first pope in history to come from the Western Hemisphere and the first non-European to be elected in almost 1,300 years. The Jesuit was also the first member of his order to be elected pope, and the first member of any religious order to be elected in nearly two centuries.

"Now let's begin this journey, bishop and people...a journey of brotherhood, love and trust among us." Pope Francis is the first pope from the Americas, from the Jesuit order, and the first to take the name Francis. He is known to take the bus and subway, cook his meals...

The world watches with interest as cardinals gather in conclave-literally under lock and key-to elect the next pope. The rarity of the event, the ceremony and secrecy add to the intrigue. Take a look at the graphic put together by CNS.

Directors for Hispanic Ministry from Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas gathered at the Holy Family Center here Feb. 18-19 to select a new Coordinator for the Region. Father Hector J. Madrigal, pastor of St. Joseph’s Church, Amarillo and national President of the Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry, along with Dr. Arturo Chavez, current president of the Mexican American Catholic College, led the discernment.

Father John E. Hurley, C.S.P., Executive Director for the Department of Monday, April 22 is the deadline to register for the second of three seminars being offered in the Diocese of Amarillo during The Year of Faith. Evangelization in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and former Executive Director of the National Pastoral Life Center and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Secretariat for Evangelization, will present the second of three seminars being offered during the Year of Faith in the Diocese of Amarillo.

The Catholic Foundation of the Texas Panhandle will host the second annual Bishop’s Gala Friday, May 3, beginning at 6:00pm at the newly remodeled Amarillo Country Club, 4800 Bushland Blvd. The evening will include a social hour, dinner, speaker, live auction, dance and casino tables.

What a tremendous surprise awaited us on Monday morning, February 11, 2013! No warning! No anticipation of this historic event! On that historic Monday I was at St. Mary’s Seminary where I presided at the conferral of the Ministry of Lector the day before, my phone rang at 6:00am. I thought it was my alarm. “The Pope has resigned” I heard from a brother priest in Amarillo.

Saying he no longer has the strength to exercise ministry over the universal church, Pope Benedict XVI announced Feb. 11 that he would be resigning at the end of the month. "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry," the pope told cardinals gathered for an ordinary public consistory to approve the canonization of new saints.

Parishes in the Diocese of Amarillo have announced Mass Schedules for Feb. 13, Ash Wednesday. Listed below are the parishes that supplied the Office of Communications with their schedules.

The story of St. Mary’s Church, Umbarger, has been told in many books and documentaries. The photos of the church interior have been published in magazines, newspapers and other periodicals. It’s a story that is among the most celebrated, not only in the Diocese of Amarillo, but in the history of the Texas Panhandle.

The Faith Community at St. Joseph’s Church celebrated its diversity and unity during its fifth Unity Mass Nov. 4. Bishop Patrick J. Zurek presided, which was followed by a celebration in the school gym that included free food, Sudanese dances, a game of Loteria, several rounds of Bingo and piñatas for the children.