Father John P. Cawley, C.M., known to his parishioners at Holy Trinity Catholic Church as Fr. Jack, will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving and Farewell on Sunday, May 18, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. The Mass will be followed by a reception in the Holy Trinity Community Life Center. Everyone is invited to attend. Fr. Jack completes a six year term as pastor which began in 2002. He has previously served at Holy Trinity as assistant pastor from 1969 to 1972 and again from 1991 to 1994. After his departure July 1, Fr. Jack will begin a six month sabbatical for travel and study in Chicago, IL and Santa Fe, NM. He looks forward to his new assignment as a member of the staff of a major Catholic seminary in California beginning in January, 2009.

 Upon presentation by the Provincial Superior of the
Vincentian Southern Province, Rev. Dan P. Borlik,
C.M., Bishop Kevin J. Farrell, D.D., has appointed Rev. Juan
Antonio Ruiz, C.M, as pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Dallas,
Texas effective, July 1, 2008.

Until recently, Fr. Tony has served as the pastor of St.
Vincent DePaul Church near downtown Los Angeles,
California. At the present time he is a member of the staff of
St. Mary’s Vincentian Retreat Center in Santa Barbara,
California. In mid May Fr. Tony will publish a letter of
introduction to our parishioners in the parish bulletin. Our
present pastor Fr. Jack Cawley, C.M. will complete his six
years of service on June 30, 2008.

Father Jack was the celebrant at my wedding last year, so he’ll always have a special significance for my life. He’s well known for some of his catchphrases, such as  beginning every homily with “My brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ” and finishing each Mass by saying “And remember, you’re always welcome at Holy Trinity.”

I recently finished it myself, and am pleased that Texas authorities are finally stepping in to protect the hundreds of children who have suffered at the hands of this culture of abuse for too many years hidden away from the law.

Polygamy between adults who sincerely believe “the principle” is part of God’s plan for man is one thing; forcing a 13-year-old girl to marry a 60-year-old man and bear his children, that’s very much another.

The Pulpit Search Committee of Park Cities Presbyterian Church (PCPC) has announced its recommendation of a new senior pastor to the congregation, and the Session has affirmed its choice of Mark A. Davis. A congregational meeting has been called for Sunday, March 30, 10:40 am, for the purpose of voting on this recommendation by the committee. The call to Mr. Davis will then be presented to the church’s governing body, the North Texas Presbytery, at its May 2-3 meeting for approval.

The Reverend Davis, age 41, came to PCPC in 2003 as the Pastor to Youth and Families and served in that position until recently. He currently serves on the staff of PCPC as it Pastor of Spiritual Life. Prior to his service at PCPC he was the Youth and Family Minister at Chesterfield Presbyterian Church in Chesterfield, Missouri, for five years. During those years of service he also taught advanced homiletics (preaching) and courses in youth and families at Covenant Theological Seminary, the seminary of the denomination of which PCPC is a member, the Presbyterian Church in America. He also served as Executive Director of the Youth in Ministry Institute in St. Louis.

Mr. Davis was born in Oklahoma in 1966 and attended Oklahoma State University before graduating from University of Central Oklahoma with degrees in sociology and human resource management. He worked at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City for five years before attending Covenant Seminary, where he graduated in 1997. He and his wife, Kristina, have 3 children, Kara (11), Madalyn (9), Cayden (7), and are expecting a fourth child in April.

Wherever did you get the idea?

Dr. Lowrie, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Canyon, Texas, praises Ms. Fenner and insists he’s not running against her because she’s a woman.

Progressive. It goes on to say that

the BGCT would make another positive statement for diversity by giving such a qualified woman the presidency.

That’s the thing: She is qualified. She has a long history with the church, and, at 72, seems to have a lot to offer. It’s unfortunate that, to many people,  her gender is the most important part of the story. Some say that electing a woman to the position will cause an even greater rift between Baptists with fundamentalist leanings and the more progressive branch who support women in roles of leadership. I think it’s an interesting issue, and in many ways it is a huge coup that the Southern Baptists even have her as first vice president, but it makes me think about the current state of churches in Texas. Are there any women in high leadership positions at Baptist churches in the Park Cities (or any other denomination, for that matter)?