Texas Catholic Voice October 2026
In this issue:
- Practicing Faithful Citizenship
- Voting Resources
- Guidelines for Political Participation
- 90th Legislative Agenda
- Save the Date: Catholic Advocacy Day 2027
- Texas Bishops and Diocesan Leaders Convene for General Assembly
- Texas Catholic school superintendents attend NCEA gala honoring First Lady Cecilia Abbott
- Texas bishops reaffirm opposition to death penalty following livestream cancellation
- And more!
A Message from Jennifer Allmon, Executive Director
This month I had an amazing interfaith geo-political pilgrimage to Israel for State Catholic Conference Directors with the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center. The trip included all the traditional hallmarks of a Christian pilgrimage to the Holy Land but also included diplomatic meetings and geo-political analysis on the conflicts in the region. One of the key takeaways from this amazing trip was a request by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M., the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem whose diocese includes Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Cypress, for more pilgrims to return to visiting Jerusalem. He shared a copy of his most recent pastoral letter, "They returned to Jerusalem with great joy."
While this is a letter written to his local church, it concludes with a poignant call that we can all heed:
"The Gospel of Luke ends with a beautiful image: after Jesus’ ascension, the disciples “returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:52). They had been shocked, they had been afraid, they had doubted. Yet, in the end, they returned full of joy.
We, too, desire to return to our daily Jerusalem – our homes, our parishes, our communities, our daily commitments – with that same joy. Not a naïve joy that ignores hardships. But an Easter joy, that knows that light conquers darkness, that life defeats death, that love disarms hatred.
Let us return to Jerusalem with joy. Let us return to our lives with passion. Let us carry in our hearts God’s dream for God’s City, and let us allow that dream to become, step by step, day by day, our very lives."
Practicing Faithful Citizenship
As we approach Election Day and prepare for the upcoming Texas legislative session, we encourage Catholics to remain informed and engaged in public life. Here are several resources and opportunities to put our faith into action.
Voting Resource
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, with early voting open through Friday, October 30th. Voting is an important responsibility for faithful citizenship. For nonpartisan information about voting in Texas, including poll locations, what to bring to the polls and what to expect on Election Day, visit Midterms Matter.
Political participation guidelines for pastors and ministry leaders
Every election season, we encourage pastors and ministry leaders to review the Texas bishops Guidelines for Advocacy and Political Participation. This resource provides guidance on encouraging civic participation in parishes while avoiding partisan political activity.
Texas bishops’ legislative priorities
At their October meeting, the Texas bishops finalized their legislative agenda for the 90th Texas Legislature, which convenes Jan. 12, 2027. With bill filing beginning in early November, TCCB staff will review proposed legislation and identify bills that warrant support or opposition based on the bishops' legislative priorities. The bishops’ legislative agenda is available on our website. Watch future editions of the Texas Catholic Voice for updates on our legislative advocacy throughout the session.
Save the Date: Catholic Advocacy Day
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, April 6, 2027! Catholic Advocacy Day brings together the Texas bishops and Catholics from across the state to engage with elected officials and advocate for issues important to the Church and the communities we serve. Planning is underway for the 2027 event, and we look forward to sharing more details in the coming months. In the meantime, we encourage you to save the date and spread the word in your dioceses and parishes. For more information, please visit txcatholic.org/advocacy-day, where you’ll find event details, contact information for diocesan coordinators, and additional promotional resources.
Texas Bishops and Diocesan Leaders Convene for General Assembly
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops (TCCB) welcomed bishops, superintendents, vocations and family life directors and other diocesan leaders from across the state to its General Assembly, held October 25–26 at Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, Texas.
The assembly opened with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joe Vásquez, followed by a keynote address from Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville on developing the interior lives of young people in Catholic schools and faith formation programs. A second general session focused on developing a humane digital culture and the responsible use of technology and artificial intelligence. Moderated by Helen Osman, the discussion featured Brendan Steinhauser of the Alliance for Secure AI and Brian Boyd, PhD, of the Future of Life Institute. Throughout the assembly, participants connected with colleagues during diocesan roundtable discussions and breakout sessions addressing education policy, pastoral accompaniment of families, vocations, and the role of artificial intelligence in ministry.
The TCCB also presented Helen Osman, its longtime communications consultant, with the St. Gabriel the Archangel Award in recognition of her years of service to the Church and contributions to Catholic communications as she concludes her work with the conference. Helen was recently appointed to serve on the board of the Dicastery of Communications at the Vatican and was invested as a dame of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Sylvester by Pope Leo XIV in honor of her decades of service to the Church.
Texas Catholic school superintendents attend NCEA gala honoring First Lady Cecilia Abbott
Catholic school superintendents from across Texas gathered in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 5 for the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) Gala honoring Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott. The event recognized Mrs. Abbott's support for educational opportunities for students and families throughout Texas. The gathering also provided an opportunity for Catholic education leaders to celebrate the contributions of Catholic schools and discuss their continued work to strengthen Catholic education in Texas.
Texas bishops reaffirm opposition to death penalty following livestream cancellation
On Oct. 12, the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, joined by Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, issued a statement opposing the planned execution of Nidal Malik Hasan at Fort Hood and the decision to livestream it. The bishops expressed particular concern for the additional trauma a public broadcast could cause victims’ families, survivors and the military community.
The administration has since announced that the execution will no longer be live-streamed. While we welcome this decision, the Church teaches that the death penalty itself is morally inadmissible. The public's response to the planned broadcast has drawn attention to the violence inherent in every execution, whether it takes place in public or behind closed doors.
We continue to call for an end to the death penalty, and keep the victims, their families and all those affected by the tragedy at Fort Hood in our prayers.
Upcoming executions
- John Rubio, Nov. 12, 2026, for the deaths of Julissa Quezada, John Esthefan Rubio, and Mary Jane Rubio
- Reinaldo Dennes, Nov. 19, 2026, for the death of Janos Szucs
- Nidal Malik Hasan, Dec. 3, 2026, for the deaths of Michael Grant Cahill, Libardo Eduardo Caraveo, Justin M. DeCrow, John P. Gaffaney, Frederick Z. Greene, Jason Dean Hunt, Amy Krueger, Aaron T. Nemelka, Michael S. Pearson, Russell Seager, Francheska Velez and her unborn child, Juanita Warman, and Kham S. Xiong
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 mental health ministry
Let us pray that the mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses.
From our General Assembly Sponsors:
