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June 29, 2006
Pastoral Letter
Following
Jesus: Catholic Discipleship in the Diocese of Tyler
Bishop
Álvaro Corrada, S.J.
Office and Mailing Address:
1015 ESE Loop 323
Tyler, Texas 75701-9663
Phone: (903) 534-1077
Fax: (903) 534-1370
›Email
• ›Curriculum Vitae |
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For
Vitae of Bishop scroll down
Other Bishop
statements:
November 30, 2005
Letter
introducing the expansion of our Safe Environmnet Program
September 2005
Statement
by Bishop Corrada to Victims of Hurricane Katrina
April m2005
>Read
Bishop Corrada's statement on the Death of Pope John Paul
II.
>Click
here for a printable PDF.
Pastoral
Reflection on the Sacrament of Confirmation Click
here for more information on this topic
October
7, 2005, Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Bishop Corrada issued
an extended reflection on the Sacrament of Confirmation which
concludes:
In
light of this reflection and the pastoral reality of the Diocese
of Tyler, and having discussed this important question with
the priests, deacons, and members of the lay faithful, as
Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler, I am directing that
our catechetical and pastoral practices shall encourage parents,
as the primary educators of their children, to present their
children for the Sacrament of Confirmation and then First
Eucharist at about eight years of age after appropriate preparation.
First Reconciliation shall be encouraged after they have reached
the age of seven and been prepared to begin regular celebration
of Confession as part of the call to conversion and the Call
to Holiness. The ongoing catechesis of both children and adults
will focus on the apostolic mission of their Call to Holiness
and their participation in the liturgical and apostolic life
of the Church. As your Bishop, I ask for the cooperation of
the clergy and laity as we seek to preserve the tradition
of faith, morals, and the doctrine of the Church which has
been handed down to us.
>Click
here for complete text of the pastoral reflection
> Click
here for more information on the celebration of the Sacrament
of Confirmation prior to First Eucharist
On
the Death of Pope John Paul II, April 3, 2005
Statement of Bishop
Álvaro Corrada, SJ, Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler:
Two years ago, on
April 17, 2003, Pope John Paul II sent all Catholics in the
world a
letter, Church of the Eucharist (Ecclesia de Eucharistia);
and this year, we have been celebrating around the world a
eucharistic year at the request of our pope.
At his death the
Catholic Church loses the vicar of Christ on earth. Cardinals
from around the world will gather in Rome for the election
in conclave of our next Holy Father and Bishop of Rome.
As each Catholic
bishop is the visible principal and the foundation of unity
within his
particular church, the Pope as Bishop of Rome is the visible
principal and the foundation of unity of the universal church
under God.
The Roman pontiff,
as successor of Peter the Apostle, is the perpetual and visible
source and foundation of the unity of the bishops and the
multitude of the faithful. The Holy Spirit, the third person
of the Blessed Trinity, continues to guide the Catholic Church
since its foundation in Jesus Christ.
Pope John Paul II
brought communion and unity to the church. We will remember
him
as the pope who went to ski slopes, the one who canoed, the
one who went walking with his knapsack and walking shoes.
We will remember his over 100 apostolic and missionary journeys
around the world, like St. Paul of Tarsus.
His deep knowledge
and wisdom will continue to direct the church and thinkers
for
centuries to come. The breadth of his writings on the doctrine
of the Catholic Church make him an equal with St. Thomas Aquinas,
the writer of the Summa Theologia in the 13th century.
I met and spoke
with John Paul II last May in the Vatican. During those 15
minutes alone with him I gave him a message of love and prayers
of the people of the Diocese of Tyler. He was grateful for
our prayers and love.
At that last meeting,
I told him that I understood his physical and spiritual suffering.
His
eyes were covered with a mist of tears and a deep gaze of
tenderness and love for me and for all of us.
The love, greatness
of soul, and wisdom of John Paul II will merit him here on
earth the
title of John Paul the great. May he by the mercy of God enter
into heaven to contemplate the triune God.
The Diocese of Tyler
will join the Universal Catholic Church in the nine days of
mourning
for the pope. I ask the priests of the diocese to also celebrate
a funeral mass for him in every parish and mission.
The Diocese of Tyler
will celebrate a funeral Mass for the repose of the soul of
Pope John Paul II at 7 p.m. Monday, April 4, in the Cathedral
of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler.
Bishop Álvaro
Corrada, SJ
Bishop
Corrada's Curriculum Vitae
Born
in Sunturce, Puerto Rico in 1942, Bishop Corrada received
his first formation at the public schools of his hometown,
Morovis, Puerto Rico.
In
1955 he entered the Minor Seminary of San Ildefonso, Puerto
Rico.
In
1960 he joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), New York Province
at St. Andrew on Hudson, Poughkeepsie, New York.
Bishop
Corrada studied Philosophy at Shub Oak, New York, a College
of Fordham University, Bronx, New York. He studied Theology
at Woodstock College, New York City.
The
Most Reverend Miguel Rodriguez, CSsR, ordained him a priest
on July 6, 1974 at his hometown of Morovis, Puerto Rico. After
ordination he continued theological studies at the Institute
Catholic, Paris, France.
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From 1977-1980 he was Director of spiritual
retreats at the Jesuit House, in Manresa, Puerto Rico.
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From 1980-1983 he was assistant Pastor
at Nativity Parish, New York City.
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From 1983-1985 he worked as Pastoral
Director of the Northeast Pastoral Center, New York.
His Holiness John Paul II named him Auxiliary Bishop of Washington,
D.C. on May 30, 1985 and was ordained Bishop on August 4, 1985
by His Eminence Cardinal James Hickey, Archbishop of Washington,
D.C. at the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception,
Washington, D.C.
In 1997 His Holiness,
John Paul II appointed Bishop Corrada, Apostolic Administrator
Sede Plena of the Diocese of Caguas, Puerto Rico.
In
1998 Bishop Corrada was appointed Apostolic Administrator
Sede Vacante of the Diocese.
On
December 5, 2000 His Holiness John Paul II appointed Bishop
Corrada, third Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas.
His installation took
place in Tyler on the 30th of January 2001.
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