Our diocese has recently been renamed, now including Reynosa, the city to which the Lord sent us on mission thirty years ago. Formerly the Diocese of Matamoros, we have been confirmed by the papal delegate as the Diocese of Matamoros - Reynosa. Just two weeks before the Vatican’s announcement, Bishop Eugenio Andres Lira Rugarcía made a pastoral visit to El Rancho Nazaret, the location of our mission and to Seguidores de la Cruz, the ecclesial movement which the Servants of the Cross Missionaries have founded in Reynosa.


As part of his pastoral visit to a neighboring parish, he celebrated Mass with us on a Sunday morning, and was mingling amongst the families after Mass with coffee and sweetbread observing the dynamic of families interacting with each other.   This is such a practical and integral part of developing a culture of life and love which is generally not available for the parish due to location, and time constraints. El Rancho Nazaret has plenty of room for children to play and all others to mix together spontaneously. Friendships are forged and strengthened during that time which is in addition to the following hour of courses for all whereby we are serving or studying shoulder-to-shoulder.


In our school for families, human formation and relational skills formation are woven into the catechetical, sacramental and theological presentations of Catholic family life based on the teachings of John Paul II. The bishop was particularly interested in our training for parents of adolescent sons and daughters and mentioned that he would revisit this material with some of his teaching teams.
The bishop was impressed with our concern for unity in our marriages and families and among the families as well. He blessed us with his pastoral care and concern asking the Lord’s continued blessing on that unity.