Texas Catholic Voice March 2026
In this issue of the Texas Catholic Voice:
- Vote in primary elections March 3
- “The thought of holding thousands of families in massive warehouses should challenge the conscience of every American:” Bishop Cahill
- TEFA family applications portal closes March 17
- Presidio la Bahia in Goliad and the Texas Historical Commission
- Justice & Mercy Poetry Contest
- And more!
A Message from Jennifer Allmon, Executive Director
Applications for the Texas Education Freedom Account program have now surpassed 137,000, making TEFA the largest year one school choice program in US history.
Parents have until March 17 to complete their application.
All completed and eligible applications have equal opportunity, regardless of submission date. We encourage parents to submit their applications as soon as possible to avoid spring break delays in gathering documentation.
According to the comptroller’s office, nearly three in four applications are in one of the three top priority groups established by Senate Bill 2:
- 11 percent of students are in the top priority tier for students with disabilities and household incomes below 500 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that means annual income below $165,000.
- Over three in ten – 35 percent - are in the second priority tier for students with household incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
- Over one third (37 percent) are in the third priority tier for students with household incomes between 200 and 500 percent of the federal poverty level.
Eligible families will be entered into the lottery according to their prioritization and families will be notified beginning April 6 about awards. The award amount for a child in a private school (without increased funding due to a disability) is $10,474. Home school families are qualified for $2,000.
We encourage all families to consider applying. Please review the checklist for parents before beginning your application and use the Odyssey smart assist tool with any application questions. If parents have all information on hand, the application can be completed in less than 10 minutes.
Texas Education Freedom Accounts provides children with special needs access to additional funds. To qualify for these funds, a child must receive an evaluation and an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) from their public school district and have the ISD upload the IEP to the APEX platform before March 17, the application deadline for the TEFA.
Important information for parents of children with special needs is available on our website. This website will be updated regularly as there are new developments in how private school parents can access the program.
Detention centers
Bishop Cahill, chair of the USCCB Committee on Migration, says, “The thought of holding thousands of families in massive warehouses should challenge the conscience of every American.”
Presidio la Bahia and the Texas Historical Commission
On January 28, Presidio la Bahía in Goliad officially transferred ownership from the Diocese of Victoria to the Texas Historical Commission (THC). The THC, a state agency responsible for preserving 42 historic sites throughout the state, can provide greater funding and resources to preserve La Bahía for generations while allowing the diocese to retain ownership of the presidio’s chapel. Like other presidios, La Bahía was a fort and living space for Spanish soldiers and their families. During the Texas Revolution, the presidio was the site of the Goliad Massacre, a mass execution of Texas troops by the Mexican army that resulted in greater support for Texas independence.
Beyond its history, La Bahía is a unique historical site as it is the only fully restored presidio in North America. La Bahía’s chapel, Our Lady of Loretto, has been in continuous use since the 1700s. Today, the chapel remains a place of worship with a weekly Sunday Mass at 5 pm.
Remembering the history of Hispanic laity
At the American Catholic Historical Association’s January annual meeting, Selena Aleman, archivist for the Catholic Archives of Texas, presented the origins of Hispanic Ministry in Central Texas. Beginning in the early 1900s, Holy Cross priests at St. Edward’s University in Austin traveled between San Marcos and Waco to provide the sacraments to Spanish-speaking Catholics living on farms and ranches.
Despite not having access to a parish, Mexican and Mexican American Catholics in Central Texas remained devout, with one missionary reporting a family fasting for seven hours and traveling 55 miles to receive the Eucharist.
In 1907, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Austin was the first Spanish-language parish established in Central Texas. Beyond operating the parish, priests continued to travel long distances on Sundays to celebrate Mass in rural areas. Today, the missions established by Our Lady of Guadalupe priests throughout Bastrop, Burnet, Travis, and Williamson Counties are permanent parishes.
Rachel Smith, archivist for the Austin Diocese of Austin, discussed the history of Mount Cristo Rey, a statue of Christ the King located atop a mountain straddling Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. Built by parishioners of Smeltertown’s San José del Río Grande, the 1940 dedication ceremony included a delegation of US, Mexico, and Vatican officials, a speech delivered by the Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen, and recognition from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The statue was intended to unite the United States and Mexico through our shared faith and love for Jesus Christ. Today, Mount Cristo Rey remains a site for an annual pilgrimage for El Paso’s Catholics.
Justice and Mercy poetry contest for young adults
The Justice & Mercy Poetry Contest for Young Adults invites participants ages 18-39 to submit an original poem on the injustice of the death penalty. The winner will receive a cash prize and the opportunity to present their poem at the Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) October 2026 Justice Reimagined Awards & Celebration event at the Vatican Embassy in Washington, DC.
This year's contest is dedicated to Kendrick Simpson, a poet who was executed by the state of Oklahoma on Feb. 12. For Kendrick — like many others who are incarcerated — poetry became an essential part of his life on death row.
Through poetry and creative writing, Kendrick found a space to take accountability for his actions and face the grave harm he caused; he found a space to explore his identity and dignity as a person condemned to die; and he found a place to hope when he was surrounded by nothing but despair.
The death penalty ends the human creative spirit, but you can use your artistic talents to uplift the dignity of the men and women on death row in our country.
Upcoming executions
- Cedric Ricks, March 11, 2026
- James Broadnax, April 30, 2026
- Edward Busby, May 14, 2026
We pray for the victims of violence and their loved ones, for those on death row and for an end to the death penalty.
Pray with Pope Leo
For children with incurable diseases
Let us pray that children suffering from incurable diseases and their families receive the necessary medical care and support, never losing strength and hope.