Sign up for TPR Today Texas Public Radio's newsletter that brings our top stories to your inbox each morning San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia Siller said Good Friday's Passion of the Christ in downtown should convey something to believers and non-believers alike Parishioners from San Fernando Cathedral have re-enacted the crucifixion of Christ during a procession through downtown San Antonio for four decades now The archbishop said the Passion of the Christ conveys the universal messages of love and for all together," he said during a news conference on Tuesday at San Fernando Cathedral Parishioner Edgar Holguin directs and acts in the event as a Roman soldier He said there's a lot of work to cast the re-enactors and gather and distribute all the props and costumes Rehearsals began fourth months ago and all is ready and then we will finish here at San Fernando." Jesus this year is portrayed by parishioner Joshua Navaira He said he hopes those who watch the procession will come away with a better understanding of how much Jesus loves us and death is not the end "We know that it's just the beginning as he opened a gateway for eternal life," he said All we have to do is accept him into our hearts and that God raised him from the dead." and said she hopes spectators will leave with a better understanding of God's love and of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ "Definitely the love God has for us," she said Up to 15,000 people are expected to line the streets and even join the procession Some even camp out at the Cathedral to secure a spot to see the crucifixion re-enactment itself on the front steps The event can be seen locally and nationally on Catholic Television The archdiocese released this full schedule of events planned this weekend by San Fernando Cathedral: We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Ma. de Jesus Infante Dominguez passed away in San Antonio, TX on August 1, 2024. She was 76 years old and was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico on December 24, 1947. She was preceded in death by her parents Celerino Infante and Consuelo Dominguez;... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Ma de Jesus Infante Dominguez created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories de Jesus Infante Dominguez passed away in San A.. Send flowers to the Infante Dominguez family © 2025 Mission Park Funeral Chapels & Cemeteries Made with love by funeralOne Misael Gomez SAN ANTONIO – A trial date has been set for a former John Jay High School student charged with murder Jesus San Miguel is accused of fatally stabbing another student A judge on Monday scheduled jury selection for Sept The arrest warrant affidavit states that on April 4 San Miguel and Kinnaman were both at a restaurant in the 7700 block of Marbach Road across the street from John Jay High School San Miguel said something inaudible to Kinnaman “I’ll kick your a** right now,” the affidavit states “Let’s go,” and they began to exit the restaurant adding that they were “smiling while doing so.” An exterior camera showed them walking to the parking lot and showed Kinnaman “aggressively shove” San Miguel from behind took off his backpack and pulled out what appeared to be a lock-blade knife Kinnaman approached San Miguel and began to swing at him with his fists San Miguel lunged at Kinnaman and stabbed him in the torso told the judge he was still conferring with prosecutors for a potential plea deal If a deal is not agreed upon before jury selection Copyright 2024 by KSAT - All rights reserved Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories Misael started at KSAT-TV as a photojournalist in 1987 Email Newsletters KSAT RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us KSAT Internships Careers at KSAT Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page She was preceded in death by her parents Candelario Perales and Luisa H She is survived by a sibling sister Aurora Tristan Jerry and his wife Beverly Ann Perales and Patricia and her husband Troy Waddell plus multiple generations of family of her siblings that joined her in Midland and surrounding areas Please make donations to Casa de Amigos Senior Center in lieu of flowers Church services will be performed by Pastor Robert Hernandez at the Potter’s House Church on March 8th The church is located at a shopping center next to Macarena’s Restaurant Our beloved mother, Maria de Jesus Martinez, 97, passed away on Sunday, February 2, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents Candelario Perales and Luisa H. Perales, her siblings Felipe Perales, Efrain Perales, Fernando Perales, Mario Perales, Feliz Veloz, Isabel Martinez, and Delia Moreno. She is survived by aContinue Reading To plant a tree in memory of Maria de Jesus Martinez, please visit our Tribute Store Your condolence may need to be approved before it appears on this page It may not appear immediately once submitted Upload attachment  (Allowed file types: jpg and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Thank you for leaving a condolence..Your comment has been submitted for moderation Designed and produced by @document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); MKJ Marketing | http://www.prepaidfunerals.texas.gov/ | Privacy Policy Office of Marketing & Strategic Communication San Antonio College announces the selection of Dr Naydeen González-De Jesús as its 13th president making her the first woman president in a quarter century and only the second to hold the office since the college’s founding in 1925 who serves as executive vice president of Student Success at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) was approved unanimously by the Alamo Colleges District Board of Trustees on Tuesday She will officially begin her new role on Monday who has served in that capacity since June “Her wealth of experience in the area of student success and equitable outcomes will serve San Antonio College and the Alamo Colleges well as she brings a unique blend of international public diplomacy research and higher education experience to the position,” said Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Dr González-De Jesús is an Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow and a National Community College Hispanic Council Fellow Gonzalez-De Jesus served as the public diplomacy officer for the U.S dedicating her time to impacting the lives of students from the U.S and abroad by creating connections and platforms for student success and faculty-led research Her previous roles include serving as vice president of student affairs for Bergen Community College in New Jersey; associate dean and working with special populations at Rowan College at Burlington County in New Jersey; and as assistant dean of student services and founding member and director of the Center for Student Success at Salem Community College in New Jersey.  an initiative that was nationally highlighted through the American Association of Community College’s 21st Century Center which also received several Bellwether Award nominations for its ability to help students complete their college education thus moving the needle on student success with a focus on equity.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State University a master’s degree in student personnel services from Rowan University and a doctorate from Northcentral University in industrial/organizational psychology “We’re very happy to welcome Dr González-De Jesús to the San Antonio College family,” said SAC Interim President Dr “This is an exciting time for a new leader to come on board as we launch our next three-year strategic plan and look ahead to our centennial in 2025.” Contact Us Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application the world lost a shining light as Jose De Jesus Gallegos bid farewell to this earthly realm in San Antonio and love that the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him Jose was known for his ambition and his remarkable talent for painting cars His dedication to his craft was apparent to all who saw the colorful creations he brought to life with his skilled hands Jose's true legacy lies in the loving role he played as a father Although the loss of his daughter Liliana Ruby Gallegos weighs heavily on our hearts Jose is survived by his son Benjamin Rey Gallegos and numerous other family members and friends who will cherish the memories they shared with him The services to honor Jose's memory will take place at Puente & Sons Funeral Chapels-South 3520 S Flores St A visitation will be held on Thursday August 8 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM The burial will be on Friday August 9 at 1:30 PM at San Jose Burial Park there will be an event on Friday August 9 taking place at Puente & Sons Funeral Chapels-South starting at 12:00 PM Dress code to honor Jose will be black (formal) on Thursday August 8 Jose leaves behind a void that can never be filled but also a legacy of love and laughter that will endure through the memories shared by all who knew him May he rest in peace knowing that he was cherished and loved beyond measure Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors SAN ANTONIO – The now-former president of San Antonio College (SAC) was transitioned to a new role within the Alamo College District Naydeen González-De Jesús’ termination comes five months after students and faculty criticized her handling of an October 2023 “Teach-In for Palestine” event organized by faculty and students in the college’s history department the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) a nonprofit advocating for defending free speech sent a letter to González-De Jesús in calling the college’s postponement of the event “concerning.” The full letter can be viewed below FIRE Letter to San Antonio College, January 23, 2024 by Mason on Scribd Chancellor Mike Flores emailed a statement to the Alamo Colleges community announcing the transition González-De Jesús will transition to the role of Presidential Project Executive with the district “will be focusing on district-wide initiatives to address the needs of target populations within our colleges and communities.” associate vice chancellor of communications and engagement for the Alamo Colleges District told KSAT on Wednesday that “the transition to the new role is aimed at optimizing resources and skills in alignment with our organizational goals.” González-De Jesús was named SAC’s 13th president — the second woman to assume the role at the college — in December 2022 Francisco Solis would assume the role in the interim he held various teaching and leadership roles for 23 years at SAC Mason Hickok is a digital journalist at KSAT He graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a communication degree and a minor in film studies He also spent two years working at The Paisano FIRE Letter to San Antonio College, January 23, 2024 by Mason on Scribd Alamo Colleges announced on Monday that Naydeen González-De Jesús would no longer serve as president of San Antonio College In a statement ACD explained that she "will transition to a new role within the Alamo Colleges District as the Presidential Project Executive." Her departure came six weeks after TPR reported on her handling of an October “Teach-In for Palestine” event that garnered criticism from the SAC community and the national Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) which said the result of administration’s intervention in the event was “the definition of a chilling effect.” and a majority of top administrators all spoke strongly against González-De Jesús’ handling of the October “Teach-In for Palestine” event It was advertised as a way to educate interested students about the history of the region of Israel and Palestine It was also meant to offer context for the renewed conflict that began earlier that month with Hamas’ Oct 7 attack in Israel and which was escalating further with Israeli airstrikes in Gaza The student government body and the administrators sent separate “NO CONFIDENCE” letters to Alamo Colleges District (ACD) Chancellor Mike Flores in the days after the scheduled event and faculty senate approved a censure vote for both González-De Jesús and SAC Vice President for Academic Success Cassie Rincones in December Administrators said González-De Jesús had attempted to cancel the event entirely over concerns that it would present a one-sided view of the conflict She eventually decided to postpone it and request a change of the event’s name to “Palestine 101.” The faculty senate resolution said investigations into faculty members over their organization of the event proceeded “unfairly and unethically” and in a manner that could “severely undermine academic freedom.” A statement from ACD explained that González-De Jesús will be “focusing on district-wide initiatives to address the needs of target populations within our colleges and communities” such as incarcerated and bilingual students ACD did not respond to TPR’s request for comment about why González-De Jesús was leaving the president’s office just 14 months after she entered it in January 2023 González-De Jesús also did not respond to TPR’s request for comment A statement from Flores sent out to members of the SAC community included a quote from González-De Jesús “It has been a pleasure to serve the SAC community,” she said in the statement “I am excited about working alongside Chancellor Dr whose support has been invaluable to our collective success.” Also, TPR’s most recent reporting revealed text messages between González-De Jesús and an acquaintance where the individual referred to LGBTQ+ students who publicly criticized González-De Jesús as “sodomites.” González-De Jesús said she cut ties with that individual following the messages one of the LGBTQ+ students who criticized González-De Jesús and who has previously called for her removal but that they were disappointed she would remain at ACD “I don’t think she deserves to work at the college I don’t think people who associate with individuals like that should be working in a college space at all,” Wilson said “I don’t think she has any right to work with the Alamo Colleges District especially after how much shame she has brought to their name how much ridiculous stuff she’s done in the name of the Alamo Colleges District.” Wilson added that they were disappointed ACD wasn’t being open about why González-De Jesús was leaving the presidency “Why do it and not say anything?” Wilson said “Why do it and not say this is for all of our students who feel like Dr Naydeen has made the college an unsafe space or this is for all of the students who have seen us lie and lie again and now we’re finally taking some accountability for it but even in taking accountability they’re incapable of being truthful and honest.” Former SAC Interim Vice President for Academic Success Francisco Solis is interim president at SAC effective immediately Solis also served as an interim president at SAC from June 2022 to January 2023 when González-De Jesús was appointed president Alamo Colleges District ACCESS Building exterior The Alamo Colleges District is announcing organizational changes aimed at optimizing resources and skills in alignment with our organizational goals will transition to a new role within the Alamo Colleges District as the Presidential Project Executive González-De Jesús will be focusing on district-wide initiatives to address the needs of target populations within our colleges and communities including expanding services for incarcerated individuals enhancing resources for bilingual and Spanish-speaking families and identifying partnership opportunities in support of district-wide initiatives She will commence her new role at ACCESS starting Monday "It has been a pleasure to serve the SAC community I am excited about working alongside Chancellor Dr whose support has been invaluable to our collective success." Francisco Solis to San Antonio College after his retirement in 2023 Solis will be serving as the Interim President of SAC Solis held the Interim Vice President for Academic Success position at SAC His previous service includes 23 years of experience in teaching and leadership roles at SAC including a prior role as Interim President Solis assumes his role effective immediately Contact Us SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio College has named its newest president and she will be the second woman to hold that position in the school’s history Naydeen González-De Jesús was named the 13th president of SAC during a board meeting on Tuesday Robert Vela left to head Texas A&M University-Kingsville González-De Jesús is the current executive vice president of student success at Milwaukee Area Technical College “Her wealth of experience in the area of student success and equitable outcomes will serve San Antonio College and the Alamo Colleges well as she brings a unique blend of international public diplomacy research and higher education experience to the position,” Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Dr The release adds that she is a first-generation college graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State University a master’s degree in student personnel services from Rowan University and a doctorate degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Northcentral University She is also an Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow and a National Community College Hispanic Council Fellow and previously worked as the public diplomacy officer for the U.S González-De Jesús is the first woman president in 25 years and the second woman president in the school’s nearly 100-year history Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved Rebecca Salinas is the Digital Executive Producer at KSAT 12 News Rebecca is an award-winning journalist who joined KSAT in 2019 The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was re-enacted at San Fernando Cathedral in downtown San Antonio on Friday.  lined the route of the dramatic procession from Travis Park to the Cathedral. It began at 9:30 a.m San Antonio Catholic Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller said the annual event is a moving experience to witness the Passion of the Christ play "The Passion of Christ should lead all of us to a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ with genuine love for God and for others." said those who watch the event are often motivated to reflect on their lives it is through that reflection that we will then be able to change a little bit of our world," he added who wears period garb and carries a wooden cross. Other actors in period costumes include Mary and Roman soldiers The event aired on Catholic Television in San Antonio and nationwide SAN ANTONIO - A re-enactment of the Passion of the Christ returns to San Antonio this Good Friday at San Fernando Cathedral downtown after a 2-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic The precession scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m beginning with an outdoor procession around Main Plaza followed by the extending of condolences to the Virgin Mary The tradition is one of sharing in grief of Sorrowful Mother of Jesus will be portraying Jesus in the re-enactment He will be joined by Loreily Ortiz as Mary and other cathedral parishioners who have roles in the Passion of the Christ Cathedral parishionerEdgar Holguin is the director of the dramatization cathedral rector are also involved in the re-enactment San Fernando Cathedral invites the faithful to their annual re-enactment of Passion of the Christ on Friday beginning at 9:30 a.m SAN ANTONIO - A jury today sentenced Jesus San Miguel to 10 years probation for the stabbing death of John Jay student Joshua Kinnaman in April of last year Kinnaman's family left the courtroom in tears disappointed with the jury's punishment for criminally negligent homicide "He was looking forward to graduation and getting his driver's license," Kinnaman's family said RELATED | Jury to deliberate punishment in fatal stabbing of John Jay High School student argues that video evidence shows San Miguel pulled out his knife after Kinnaman shoved him "He walked out the door with his to-go cup," said Bunk "If he took the knife out and came at the guy Bunk further explained that the video shows Kinnaman lunging at San Miguel "Because we're not talking about a little oopsie," said Bunk RELATED | Teen convicted of killing John Jay student faces new jury for punishment phase They argued that the restaurant where Kinnaman was killed was known for frequent teen fights "You even know that there was a confrontation earlier before in astronomy class they knew that they were going to get out into that parking lot and exchange blows that's exactly what he agreed to," the prosecution stated San Miguel will still have to serve 30 days in jail and 60 days in house arrest before his probation period begins SAC’s student government and a majority of President Naydeen González-De Jesús’ senior executive team sent separate letters to Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Mike Flores declaring ‘no confidence’ in the president From Texas Public Radio: Students and top administrators at San Antonio College (SAC) have accused SAC president Naydeen González-De Jesús of violating academic freedom and free expression rights after they say she attempted to shut down an event titled “Teach-In for Palestine” in October A majority of San Antonio College’s 10-member senior executive team who work directly with González-De Jesús sent a signed private letter to Alamo Colleges District (ACD) Chancellor Mike Flores on Nov 1 that declared a “vote of no confidence” in her The letter said González-De Jesús was “untrustworthy SAC’s Student Government Association sent its own letter to Flores on Oct 28 declaring a unanimous “no confidence” vote in the president and saying its members would disengage from any events she organized and cut all direct lines of communications with her The administrators’ letter said González-De Jesús “does not seem to understand what constitutes academic freedom and basic students’ rights to free expression” over her efforts to cancel 24 “Teach-In for Palestine” event that faculty had organized to offer students context for Israel’s current military campaign in the Gaza Strip The top of the letter a group of Senior Executive Team administrators at San Antonio College sent to the Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Mike Flores regarding their concerns with SAC President Naydeen González-De Jesús marked “CONFIDENTIAL,” has not previously been reported No administrator responded to TPR’s request for comment TPR is keeping administrators anonymous over their expressed fear of retaliation within the letter The letter also accused González-De Jesús of repeatedly bullying and disrespecting students demoralizing her colleagues by publicly demeaning SAC and violating ACD policies in her disciplinary actions against staff since she was appointed in January 2023 But administrators’ decision to declare the “Teach-In for Palestine” issue as one of their “most alarming concerns” with González-De Jesús — paired with the decision to send the letter to the chancellor just over a week after the event was postponed and altered — signaled that it may have been the final straw after nine months of González-De Jesús’ chaotic tenure The flyer for the original “Teach-In for Palestine” event.Michael Valdez A statement from ACD officials said they and González-De Jesús were aware of student and employee concerns It added that ACD “is partnering with an external firm to ensure an impartial and thorough determination of pertinent facts.” Those facts will then result in an action plan to address the findings and implement necessary improvements The statement also said ACD and González-De Jesús were initiating conversations with students and clarify the processes and procedures involved,” that there would be a collaborative effort to update the Freedom of Expression policies and that an outside facilitator would be brought in to guide “meaningful conversations.” The SAC students that spoke to TPR said they were aware of the Freedom of Expression updates but not about the external firm and facilitator the SGA President at SAC and the Student District Council Chair for ACD said González-De Jesús needed to go “I just know that the environment at SAC is not very calm right now,” she said And I know she’s not just affecting students — she’s also affecting faculty Espinoza said she was speaking as an individual student SAC’s Faculty Senate President Jennifer Caraway said in a written statement that the body was not yet ready to release a public statement discussing specifics but that SAC Faculty Senate leadership “have recently been in conversations with our administration to reaffirm the policies protecting academic freedom.” The ACD statement didn’t specifically address the administrators’ concerns that went beyond the “Teach-In for Palestine” event It also did not respond directly to the votes of no confidence and it said ACD would not comment on personnel matters Students said when they arrived for the “Teach-In for Palestine” on Oct SAC Vice President for Academic Success Cassandra Rincones told the 100-200 students that the event wouldn’t take place as planned Students said she explained that the event’s name “Teach-In,” had generated student complaints over confusion about what it meant Teach-ins are informal discussions or lectures that tend to focus on current events The new flyer for the postponed event with its different title: “Palestine 101”Michael Valdez students said Rincones then said the problem was that the event title included the phrase “for Palestine,” which made some students uncomfortable asked if they could change the name to “Palestine 101” and hold it the following week The administrators’ letter said González-De Jesús tried to “force” administrators to cancel the event before being convinced that the event could instead be postponed SAC student Ethan Wilson said they were placing informational packets around campus titled “Israel and the Crime of Apartheid,” including one on the windowsill of the presidential suite three Alamo College Police Department officers used security footage to find Wilson and track them to the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) office according to a police report Wilson shared with TPR Officers asked to speak with Wilson about the informational packet and told them that “individuals were worried and were unsure if the papers were a target to the administration” since they had canceled the “Teach-In for Palestine” event “The cops were eventually satisfied that I wasn’t threatening anybody or I wasn’t attempting to incite riots by leaving a piece of paper on somebody’s window about a current geopolitical event with nobody’s name on it,” Wilson said Wilson said after the conversation with the police they were suspicious that González-De Jesús had called the cops they pointed to a supplemental report from one of the officers which said González-De Jesús had contacted ACPD after they had already been alerted to the informational packets telling them she was concerned about the “suspicious papers.” In a recorded conversation between González-De Jesús and students from GSA after the incident González-De Jesús explained why she had contacted ACPD “My call was not to ACPD to place a report rather to find out what the first call and commotion was all about,” González-De Jesús said “It was a conversation with the officer.” González-De Jesús added that she had asked officers to amend their supplemental report to correct language that appeared to indicate she had called the police to investigate the informational packets The same day that police were called on Wilson González-De Jesús held a conversation with members of SAC’s SGA said he and other students were alarmed by a scenario González-De Jesús came up with when discussing SAC’s commitment to a diversity of viewpoints I will also need to invite someone that completely does not agree with the KKK right?” González-De Jesús is heard saying in a recording of the conversation “So that we can show both points of view González-De Jesús did not appear to know she was being recorded Valdez said SGA came away from the meeting feeling that nothing had been resolved and with the conclusion that González-De Jesús’ logic would mean that any anti-Ku Klux Klan viewpoint on campus would require a pro-Ku Klux Klan view “The students don’t feel like the president acknowledges the situation and what she’s done to our faculty “She’s just pointing the fingers at other people when she’s the one who wanted this event postponed or changed to the way she wanted it to be.” Valdez said he was speaking as an individual student The SGA sent its “no confidence” letter to Flores three days later on Oct where they reiterated their alarm at González-De Jesús’ use of the white supremacist organization to explain why an event “for Palestine” could not exist without a counterpoint on campus The letter also details the interaction between Wilson and ACPD officers The end of SGA's letter to ACD Chancellor Mike Flores declaring "NO CONFIDENCE" in SAC President González-De Jesús The ACD statement did not address concerns over González-De Jesús’ rhetorical use of the KKK was one of the students who attended the postponed event and was present when González-De Jesús spoke with GSA and when officers questioned Wilson Naydeen [González-De Jesús] should step down from her position,” Klein said “I feel that in order for the students to feel safe on campus Naydeen needs to be taken away from this position.” Three of the four students who spoke to TPR say they have filed grievances against González-De Jesús but that they didn’t think they were going to result in anything ACD’s statement said they “remain dedicated to addressing the concerns raised and upholding our commitment to an inclusive campus community.” González-De Jesús sent an email to members of SAC’s campus on Nov 21 where she apologized for “misunderstandings” related to the “Teach-In for Palestine” event and said the reason it was postponed was over issues with compensating the scheduled speaker at the event San Antonio for Justice in Palestine founder Moureen Kaki Kaki told TPR she was ultimately paid an honorarium that came directly from faculty members but that prior to the first scheduled event she had never expected nor discussed being paid Students remain concerned about González-De Jesús’ presence on campus “We definitely need something better because we deserve it,” Espinoza said “We are Aspen-winning,” she said referring to SAC’s 2021 community college excellence award “and to know that we are now not so ‘SAC proud,’ it’s heartbreaking.” SAC directed TPR’s requests for comment from González-De Jesús to ACD If you found the reporting above valuable, please consider making a donation here. Your gift helps pay for everything you find on texasstandard.org and Texas Public Radio ©2024 Texas Standard. A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin | Contact us Large to very large hail, damaging wind gusts, and heavy rainfall could lead to flooding. An isolated tornado is possible as well. FORECASTSHARE PHOTOS & VIDEOBorder bust: Local man nabbed for outstanding child abuse warrantsby SBG San Antonio Staff Reports was intercepted by CBP officers at Donna International Bridge on Thursday afternoon Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Progreso/Donna Port of Entry successfully apprehended a local man wanted on an outstanding felony warrant for multiple sex-related offenses involving a child officers conducted a biographic match which revealed an outstanding felony warrant linked to Garza Garza was immediately escorted for secondary inspection CBP officers utilized biometric verification and federal law enforcement databases to confirm his identity and verify the active felony warrant issued by the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office in Edinburg The warrant included charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child CBP officers subsequently turned Garza over to Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputies for further adjudication of the warrant The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) played a pivotal role in identifying Garza and alerting CBP officers to the active warrant It is important to note that criminal charges are merely allegations and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law Texas - U.S Customs and Border Protection officers at Laredo Port of Entry arrested two men wanted on outstanding felony warrants both for sex-related offenses involving children CBP officers referred a commercial van driven by Antonio de Jesus Rivera Rodriguez,35 CBP officers verified his identity and confirmed Rivera Rodriguez had a warrant in Mexico for child exploitation material issued by the State Prosecutor's Office in Monterrey CBP officers processed Rivera Rodriguez for removal and turned him over to Mexican authorities Another arrest was made at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge on Friday CBP officers at Juarez-Lincoln Bridge referred a bus passenger Guillermo Ocampo Jr CBP officers verified his identity and confirmed that Ocampo had an outstanding warrant for aggravated sexual assault of a child issued by the Bell County Sheriff's Office in Belton “With increased traffic due to Spring Break our frontline CBP officers continue to maintain strict vigilance and that dedication to duty resulted in the apprehension of two men wanted on outstanding felony warrants in the U.S and Mexico for two separate cases involving sex-related offenses against children,” said Port Director Albert Flores “The heinous nature of the crimes alleged in felony arrest warrants like these underscore the importance and public safety value of CBP’s ongoing border security mission.” with a response from the Alamo Colleges District to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression letter a program officer on FIRE’s Campus Rights Advocacy Team “When [the Teach-In for Palestine event] was about to start it was effectively canceled by an administrator at the event who gave reasons that were that there was some confusion over the name of the event and that the use of the word Palestine had caused student discomfort.” FIRE’s letter raised concerns that González-De Jesús and Rincones may have engaged in viewpoint discrimination and compelled speech The FIRE letter has not been previously reported a free speech organization founded in the 1990s focused on campus free speech requested a response from SAC and ACD by no later than February 6 ACD did not respond to TPR’s request for comment about whether it would meet that deadline The FIRE letter and TPR’s review of internal communications around this incident shine a new light on how González-De Jesús and Rincones approached the Teach-In for Palestine event ACD shared their response to the letter with TPR written by ACD General Counsel Ross Laughead The response did not directly refute the accusations FIRE made but said ACD believed colleges had the right to initiate separate events with countering views The letter from FIRE cites TPR’s reporting from December that students and administrators at the community college said their free speech rights had been violated by their president’s handling of the Teach-In for Palestine an event faculty organized to educate students about Palestine and the ongoing war in Gaza The ongoing Israeli military campaign — a campaign the United Nations International Court of Justice recently found was in plausible violation of the Genocide Convention —has killed more than 27,000 people since the October 7 attack where Hamas killed more than 1,100 people in Israel The Teach-In for Palestine was scheduled to take place on October 24 until it was postponed and then rescheduled for October 30 with the new name “Palestine 101” under the direction of González-De Jesús and Rincones Faculty and students complained they were given continuously changing reasons for the postponement including problems with the name of the event a desire to present a balanced view on the topic and concerns over a speaker’s fee — also known as an honorarium The SAC Student Government Association (SGA) and a majority of the college’s Senior Executive Team (SET) sent separate “No Confidence” letters to ACD Chancellor Mike Flores calling for González-De Jesús’ removal over the incident The letter from the SET members said González-De Jesús wanted to cancel the event entirely until Rincones convinced her to postpone it ACD declined to comment on the FIRE letter and internal communications about the incident obtained by TPR on the basis that a third-party investigation was ongoing but did not share when that investigation would be finished or if it would be made public once completed “Regarding Alamo College District’s values the organizational values and mission remains unchanged and we are continuing our work to empower our diverse communities for success,” the statement said it did seem like this was a situation where there were some viewpoint based He explained SAC’s First Amendment duties when it comes to events like the Teach-In for Palestine “One of the most important values that the First Amendment protects or promotes is viewpoint neutrality,” he said “And what that means is when a group of faculty or students on a public college campus like San Antonio College are trying to organize an event — especially an event where there will be political discussions [or] certain viewpoints expressed — the college has to treat that event the same it treats other events of a similar ilk.” Emails reviewed by TPR obtained through open records requests showed that faculty initially planned to hold a series of teach-in events focused on Palestine but changed course after the Teach-In for Palestine controversy “Faculty are exercising their right to organize expressive events on campus and they decide not to because they’re concerned about administrative action,” Piro said “I mean that’s the definition of a chilling effect.” Piro said the fact that the event eventually occurred several days later under the new name Palestine 101 is irrelevant to whether First Amendment rights were violated “That’s still harsh treatment for an event,” he said “Colleges cannot require that events change their names or postpone events or treat events harshly just because of the viewpoints that are being expressed.” He added that with potentially divisive topics viewpoint neutrality from public colleges and universities is even more critical Piro said the second aspect of the reporting that concerned him was the apparent attempt by González-De Jesús to compel speech to ensure a balanced perspective which would be a violation of the First Amendment “Let me give you some examples here,” he said “Is an event where there’s going to be a pro-abortion speaker speaking required to have a pro-life speaker as well Is an event where a pro-Black Lives Matter speaker is speaking also required to have an anti-Black Lives Matter speaker as well This logic can be taken to really absurd extremes.” Students raised the same concern that Piro highlighted especially after statements González-De Jesús made during an October 25 meeting with SGA right?” González-De Jesús is heard saying in a recording of the conversation said it would require an anti-KKK speaker to be accompanied by a pro-KKK speaker ACD and SAC did not respond to multiple requests for comment about whether this kind of balanced viewpoint requirement is ACD or SAC policy Piro said the bottom line was that organizers had no responsibility to ensure a balanced view and González-De Jesús had no right to force them to “That raises issues of compelled speech,” he said “And compelled speech is one where the protections of the First Amendment are the strongest against people being compelled to speak.” González-De Jesús repeatedly called for a balanced view in emails and texts TPR obtained through open records requests An October 23 email from González-De Jesús to a staff member described her feelings about the Teach-In for Palestine flier “I’m supportive when we present events in a diplomatic way,” she said She said the one-sided nature of the flier was “dangerous and risky” and suggested the title be changed so that it “invites all perspectives.” An October 24 text message from González-De Jesús to Flores described her concerns about the event the speaker they were going to have on campus today is a controversial speaker on rights of Palestinians the last name is Kaki,” González-De Jesús said referring to San Antonio for Justice in Palestine founder Moureen Kaki “This person has apparently been on the news before.” she explains the reason she decided to postpone the event “We spoke with faculty about diplomacy and sensitivity during this time for all parties involved in this conflict; and reminded them that for true scholarly conversation to occur a balanced perspective must be presented.” The district chancellor responded to González-De Jesús’ text in agreement “Thank you for letting me know Naydeen [González-De Jesús],” Flores said “I think anchoring to curricula and postponing are good strategies.” ACD did not respond to requests for comment about on what basis Flores agreed postponing the event was a good strategy Following the “No Confidence” letters from administrators and students the SAC Faculty Senate voted on December 8 to censure both González-De Jesús and Rincones arguing that they interfered with the Teach-In for Palestine event “out of concerns for controversy.” The Faculty Senate censure has not previously been reported with six members who either abstained or were absent accused the administration and Rincones in particular of pursuing HR investigations into faculty organizers of the Teach-In for Palestine event that proceeded “unfairly and unethically” and in a manner that “can severely undermine academic freedom.” In González-De Jesús’ statement to the campus community on November 21 explaining the decision to postpone the Teach-In for Palestine event she said it ultimately came down to the question of the speaker’s honorarium — a fee that the college sometimes pays to speakers who come to campus — which she said had not been resolved before the event was planned to occur The letter from the Faculty Senate said faculty were given conflicting and changing reasons for the postponement of the Teach-In for Palestine event and said faculty organizers never requested an honorarium “The planning committee organizers confirmed that the ‘Teach-In for Palestine’ guest speaker neither asked to be paid nor did the Teach-in for Palestine planning committee ask for any department or program to pay the guest speaker a fee for this event,” the letter said “If such a compensation request was the impetus for the cancellation/postponement it was based on a misunderstood communication between administrators and their teams and that concern should have been verified before acting.” Letters from the SGA and SET majority included similar comments about the honorarium Kaki previously said she never asked for an honorarium for the scheduled Teach-In for Palestine event She said she was ultimately paid a small honorarium provided by faculty — not SAC — after she participated in the subsequent Palestine 101 event on October 30 An administrator familiar with the conversations said there was legitimate confusion about whether an honorarium had been requested but that González-De Jesús’ primary concern was the event’s content who TPR is keeping anonymous over their concerns of retaliation said the first time they heard González-De Jesús use the honorarium as the reason for the event’s postponement was her November 21 email which Faculty Senate President Jennifer Caraway made clear in a December 20 email to González-De Jesús was not a “No Confidence” vote said both students and faculty had been subject to “intimidation and/or questionable reprimands,” and urged the SET to make specific steps to resolve faculty concerns The letter urged the following: written apologies from González-De Jesús and Rincones; semesterly meetings between the SET and Faculty and Staff Senates; adherence from college administrators to — and a public recognition of — academic freedom; annual trainings for SET in ethical leadership styles and compassionate communication; the establishment at SAC of education weeks for Indigenous groups and in particular a Palestinian Education Week; written policies on HR’s role and the exact procedure for disputes between the SET and faculty to ensure due process; the hiring of an Ombudsperson to act as a neutral third-party to mediate between the SET and faculty; and a written statement responding to each of the Faculty Senate’s resolutions within 30 days of receiving the letter It is unclear whether the Faculty Senate ever received a full response to their requests González-De Jesús responded to Caraway’s email González-De Jesús used the majority of that email to deny that she played any major role in the postponement of the Teach-In for Palestine event or its aftermath may I suggest that ‘request by President Dr Naydeen González-De Jesús’ throughout the document be reconsidered by appropriately indicating the supervisor’s name; or add a generalized statement that addresses ‘the administration,’” she said González-De Jesús said the blame could not be placed solely on her “It appears responsibility falls on everyone (administration to better improve communication,” González-De Jesús said in the email González-De Jesús’ and Rincones’ Text Messages Public records requests reviewed by TPR included separate text correspondences involving González-De Jesús and Rincones related to the Teach-In for Palestine event and the students involved González-De Jesús sent a text to an individual not associated with ACD that expressed her concern over a December 5 ACD Board of Trustees meeting where multiple students from SAC’s LGBTQ organization spoke negatively about her actions related to the Teach-In for Palestine event “I’m carrying a heavy burden that I pray will lead to God being glorified,” González-De Jesús said in the text message all from the lgbtq community stood up in front of the board committee of the whole [board] last night and talked falsely about me.” The individual González-De Jesús texted responded empathetically They are really making this Palestine event a big deal when it came to pass You didn’t prevent the meeting from moving forward!” they said “These sodomites are angry and it’s because they oppose the spirit of the true and living God.” Ethan Wilson was one of the students who spoke at the board meeting They said the use of the term “sodomite,” unchallenged by González-De Jesús I’m sorry my reaction here is — I’m speechless So I’m defaulting to pure what the f—?” Wilson said “This just kind of confirms what we had been feeling all along,” Wilson said we had assumed that it was because of things like power and maybe perhaps influence but now it’s just — gosh I don’t even know the term for it — religious zealotry Wilson said the messages were one more reason that González-De Jesús should not be SAC president and that they sent a much broader statement about who she is “It really sends a message to the entire college campus that Dr Naydeen [González-De Jesús] doesn’t care about these so-called ‘sodomites’ and that she is willing to not intervene when somebody calls us things like that and then invokes the name of God doing it,” Wilson said In a statement made the day after the publication of this article González-De Jesús said she “categorically denounce[s]” anything the individual who used the term “sodomites” wrote that was distressing or hurtful to the LGBTQ+ community She also affirmed her commitment to LGBTQ+ students and said she no longer associates with the individual who sent those messages.“Upon receiving [the message] I spoke with that person and cut ties,” González-De Jesús said in the statement “I have done this on several occasions in the past when faced with a direct affront to my values of compassion and respect for all.” Messages reviewed by TPR and obtained through public records requests showed that González-De Jesús sent two additional text messages to this individual after they used the term “sodomites,” one later on the same day of the “sodomites” message and one on the day after TPR also obtained text messages between Rincones and a different individual not associated with ACD on November 9 where Rincones described the conversation she had with students and faculty when she showed up in person to ensure the Teach-In for Palestine event was not held on October 24 Students and faculty had previously said that Rincones had made insensitive statements during an argument about changing the name of the event Rincones describes that argument in her own words “When I was talking to students and telling them to calm down about being upset about cenceling the event I said ‘is this the hill you want to die on The content is more important than the title,’” Rincones said in the text message that pissed them off because of course ‘people are dying on hills in Gaza.’ So now all day everyone at work is randomly saying [‘]is this the hill you want to die on’ The individual Rincones texted responded that Rincones “could do a cool thing.” “Remind everyone that this is a conflict that pre-dates all of us -- and all of our oppressor ancestors,” they said I’m busy cleaning up this crazy lady’s mess of canceling the event in the first place.” who was also one of the students present on October 24 and who heard Rincones make the “is this the hill you want to die on” comments said the messages made clear what students and faculty already knew “That’s exactly what that is saying — we have seen your concerns we have heard your concerns raised directly to us during the event that brought about those concerns “And we’re gonna sit there and we’re gonna tell you that we care and that we’re doing something about it ACD declined to respond to requests for comment about either of the messages involving González-De Jesús and Rincones The FIRE letter requested SAC and ACD’s response to acknowledge that the institutions “will approach campus events on viewpoint-neutral terms.” said they “generally agree with your [Piro’s] description of First Amendment jurisprudence,” and noted that the event took place in a classroom rather than in a designated common outdoor area “We understand that expressive events cannot be required to present a counterpoint at the same event but we believe that this does not prohibit a school from initiating a separate event with a countering point of view to support its academic goals or values,” Laughead said in the statement Multiple faculty members who spoke to TPR said they felt a chilling effect was still in place at SAC and said they still wouldn’t feel comfortable participating in any events on the topic of Palestine under current leadership were arrested Thursday and charged with continuous trafficking of persons accused of running a labor trafficking operation disguised as a trucking company The San Antonio Police were tipped off on July 8 about the operation through the National Human Trafficking Hotline Investigators met up with the 57-year-old man who originally came up to the United States from Mexico as a farm laborer on a work visa a San Antonio trucking company which had later closed he was recruited byVelasquez to work as a truck driver and mechanic He also was promised a weekly salary and a new work visa the victim told investigators that he was paid a minimal amount for his work as a mechanic and was told byVelasquez to drive a commercial truck with goods into northern states He said he was forced to "violate mandated work-rest cycles which compromised his safety and other motorists on the roadway," according to the arrest report When he refused to continue to work and insisted that he be paid his wages the two suspects threatened to call the immigration officials on him as well as falsely accusing him of being a thief to the local authorities he said they physically threatened him and banned him from the business property The victim told investigators said he found out later that the two men "intentionally hired other immigrants with the same fraudulent scheme to obtain forced labor from them." Detectives interviewed two other men who said they were also victims of this forced labor scheme giving almost identical stories as the first victim All of the victims identified the two in a photo lineup The suspects told police they couldn't pay their employees because their company filed for bankruptcy Velasquez andVelasquez-Flores are both in the Bexar County Jail on $100,000 bond SAN ANTONIO – Two brothers accused of continuous human trafficking were arrested Thursday according to the San Antonio Police Department The two suspects — 27-year-old Juan Carlos Velazquez-Flores and 35-year-old Jose De Jesus Velazquez — owned a San Antonio trucking business together The trucking company is no longer in business Authorities said the suspects are accused of human trafficking at least twice in a 30-day period The department said it received a tip in late 2023 that originated from the National Human Trafficking Hotline about the two men who recruited and targeted Mexican immigrants as employees The men were also accused of not paying and overworking their employees the suspects said they couldn’t pay their employees because the company had filed for bankruptcy Officers said the suspects could face more charges in the future Nate Kotisso joined KSAT as a digital journalist in 2024 He previously worked as a newspaper reporter in the Rio Grande Valley for more than two years and spent nearly three years as a digital producer at the CBS station in Oklahoma City Judge Gary Steel of the 274th District Court gave Sacramento De Jesus Martinez the automatic sentence of life without parole after he was found guilty of capital murder in the deaths of his estranged wife and an innocent truck driver Texas - An Austin man was sentenced to life without parole for the bizarre double murder back in 2020 Judge Gary Steel of the 274th District Court gaveSacramento De Jesus Martinez Comal County Criminal District Attorney Jennifer Tharp said that Martinez's "night of devastation of violence" that was fueled byjealousy 24 when he broke a protective order and showed up at his wife Marisol's apartment where she was having dinner with the two children she shared with Martinez Unbeknownst to Marisol was that Martinez was armed with a .38 revolver and wanted her to "come outside of her apartment and tell him face to face that she was done with their relationship." Martinez and Marisol then were driving around Austin in his vehicle arguing when he testified that he shot Marisol in the head Martinez then testified that he met up with his dealer to by cocaine but was convinced that he was being sold bad drugs and shot his dealer He continued to drive around Austin looking for drugs with Marisol's dead body in the passenger's seat He opened fire on another group selling drugs before driving on Interstate 35 South going toward his sister's house in San Antonio Police said Martinez stopped at the TA Truck Stop in New Braunfels where he dumped his vehicle with Marisol's body inside walked up to the 18-wheeler with truck driver Daniel Sieger and pushed his body to the passengers side Martinez then sped off in the big rig heading on I-35 South but crashed and flipped the truck overnear Downtown San Antonio He ran off and was able to talk some people into giving him a ride to his sister's house Witnesses who were following Martinez from the truck stop in New Braunfels foundSieger still alive in the cab of the 18-wheeler and performed live-saving measures Sieger's sister said the day he was killed was his first day on the job as a truck driver During an interview with police that was presented during trial Martinez is heard sayingthat he was at peace “because I loved her a lot and she couldn’t – couldn’t see that And nobody can say she’s making a [expletive] fool out of me.” The Carmelite Anna of Jesus was a direct disciple of Saint Teresa of Jesus Pope Francis will preside over the rite as part of his visit to Brussels She was prioress of the monastery she founded in Madrid That same monastery is now located on Madrid’s General Aranaz street where the remains of Blessed Maria del Sagrario de San Luis Gonzaga Exaudi spoke about the figure and message of the next blessed provincial superior of the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Spain who will accompany the Holy Father in the ceremony of raising Sister Anna of Jesus to the altars How has the Carmelite family of Saint Teresa of Avila received the beatification of one of her main disciples The Discalced Carmelite Order welcomes this beatification with joy that a witness to the life of Saint Teresa is recognised by the Church and proclaimed blessed saying that “she was made to govern an empire” The testimony of her life is an encouragement for the Carmelites of our time to follow with enthusiasm the lifestyle of Saint Teresa to which she was faithful throughout her life It is clear that she was a nun who was highly appreciated by Saint Teresa… she is a direct witness who lived with the saint both in Avila and in Salamanca and in whom the saint herself placed her trust taking her as prioress of Beas and sending her as founder of Granada And what did the “disciple” think of her teacher She herself acknowledges this direct contact with the saint: “I treated Mother Teresa of Jesus and she treated me with familiarity; that by sight or by word or in writing… I knew almost all her things.” The next blessed Ana de Jesús also had that drive to be a founder and reformer in France that she went to France first and then to Belgium and in both countries she established the sacred Order of Discalced nuns of Carmel but with her influence she obtained from the princes Albert and Isabel the license to introduce friars of the same Order into their states and to bring the Discalced Carmel to France But this fell to her because of other designs of God… The project was to have taken Maria de San José who would be at the head of the six barefoot nuns who at the end of August 1604 left for Paris at the request of the archdukes Albert and Isabel Clara Eugenia who wanted to have a convent of barefoot nuns; in fact the barefoot nuns would initially settle in the Royal Palace itself did not participate directly in the foundation of the Carmelites in Poland which was carried out by nuns from Belgian monasteries Is it known how many convents she went through carrying out the Teresian reform or new foundations Ana de Jesús is the protagonist of the foundation of Granada in 1582 In 1586 she was sent to found the convent of Discalced Carmelites in Madrid by Father Doria In France she founded the convents of the Encarnación in Paris In Belgium she founded the Carmels of Brussels Not everyone knows that she met San Juan de la Cruz with whom she spoke about the Teresian reform… -San Juan de la Cruz and Ana de Jesús met in 1570 where she met the first Discalced Carmelites Brother Juan de la Cruz and Father Antonio de Jesús And she recounts it thus: “And they (the two Fathers) showed us what our Mother Teresa de Jesús had shown and taught them and they told me many things that had happened because of the Reform.” Although at first the saint did not “take well” to her… having escaped from the prison in Toledo in August who does not understand the depth of Brother Juan writes to Mother Teresa complaining about not having a good director for her nuns She does not like Brother Juan to call the Mother “his daughter” and so she tells the saint who responds: “Please be assured that I would appreciate having my father Brother Juan de la Cruz here who is truly my father and one of those who benefited the most from communicating with him which I assure you they can have as with myself and it will be of great satisfaction to them as he is very spiritual and has great experience and letters Saint John of the Cross was to become the confessor and director of the community of Beas This period in Beas was fruitful for the saint He dedicated his work Las Cautelas to the nuns He read and commented on the Spiritual Canticle and the Ascent of Mount Carmel Already in Granada… Ana de Jesús encouraged and impelled the saint to finish the Spiritual Canticle which he finished in 1584 and dedicated to Mother Ana de Jesús: “Declaration of the songs which deal with the exercise of love between the soul and the Spouse Christ; in which some points and effects of prayer are touched upon and declared prioress of the barefoot nuns in San José de Granada We can see an admiration of Saint John of the Cross for her… Saint John of the Cross dedicated the Spiritual Canticle to her who knew Saint Teresa and Anne of Jesus well saying that “Mother Anne is a true daughter and faithful portrait of our blessed Mother Teresa God has been pleased to take the latter for himself and leave the former for our consolation.” How true is it that Blessed Anne of Jesus also had her dark night of faith Illness accompanied her from a very young age Sister Anne of Jesus was not without suffering from all kinds leaving her and her brother under the care of her maternal grandmother She was deaf and mute until the age of seven when she regained her speech; they say that she soon learned to read and write Ana de Jesús paid her tribute for defending the spirit of Teresa by being removed from her position as prioress of Madrid and confined to a cell for three years before being taken out of Madrid and sent to Salamanca and continuing to exercise her role as prioress of the Carmel of Brussels Ana de Jesús died in March 1621 with a reputation for sanctity with great veneration and even pomp at her funeral What other virtue can we today recall from this nun from the mid-16th century She put all her effort into the transmission and publication of the work of her friends Saint John of the Cross Ana de Jesús is responsible for the rescue of the Book of Life of Teresa from the Inquisition and the meeting prior to the preparation We can observe her example in her ability to bear tribulations with fortitude and good spirit As well as the endurance with which she endured pain and illness manifested in sobriety and frugality in the most basic aspects of life She had a special concern and charity for the poorest and a great devotion to the person of Jesus Christ in his passion and in the Eucharist radiates around her the flame of human vitality and her dynamic spirituality Presbítero diocesano y periodista colegiado con ejercicio de la profesión desde 1989 Titulado en periodismo por la Universidad Jaime Bausate y Meza en Lima (Perú) Estudios complementarios en periodismo religioso new media y en comunicación pastoral e intercultural-misionera; así como en pastoral urbana Ex jefe de oficinas de comunicación institucional y prensa en el sector público y eclesial fue gerente de televisión de un canal y director de dos revistas impresas Es articulista en publicaciones católicas de su país y del extranjero of the Congregation of the Mission: “We are called to see the face of Jesus in the poorest” Christianity is growing “astronomically” in northern Nigeria a Powerful Engine of Social Transformation” Tweets by Pontifex Richard and Yolanda De Jesus and have fostered more than 60 children in the past seven years This story is part of a series examining Texas foster care It looks at who’s involved and affected by what has been deemed a “broken” system.  Last week both the Texas House and Senate voted unanimously to pass legislation that would overhaul Child Protective Services and the state’s foster care system – which a federal judge ruled unconstitutional in December of 2015 That puts dedicated and caring foster parents in a weird position They can face stigma and many don’t feel included in the conversation about how to make the state’s child welfare system better Pulling up to Richard De Jesus’s home in San Antonio But the front of the house has nothing on the back yard we’ve been blessed swimming pool to be therapeutic for the kids Chances are this isn’t what you picture when you think of a foster home they’ve created a stable environment for more than 60 kids Richard says they’ve been blessed in life and wanted to give back “We do believe that this is a calling and we’re fostering children through the San Antonio Children’s Shelter,” he says But what Richard and Yolanda see as a calling, other people don’t exactly see the same way “You got a lot out there that fostering is a taboo These are people that without even inquiring they’ve already given up on these children,” he says Giving up isn’t Richard’s style. The 54-year-old spent his career working for American Airlines and serving in the U.S. military. After their own four kids left the nest, Richard and Yolanda started considering fostering. The tipping point? A call to action from their priest. That’s when they got involved with The Children’s Shelter in San Antonio “We had to go through some mandatory classes to get certified by the state and they did a home-study and they said you guys are good to go and the first week we have placements – so that’s how it started and it hasn’t stopped yet,” he says That’s because foster parents are in demand in Texas. During fiscal year 2016 just over 19,000 kids were removed from their parents’ care due to abuse or neglect. And CPS says they’re always looking for more people to become foster parents But sometimes it can be a challenge to find people willing to take fostering on Part of that roller coaster ride is that kids in the system have been through a lot In one case Richard was caring for a boy whose father had locked him in a closet while he dealt with drugs and prostitutes Which doesn’t exactly set up a kid to trust a strange new family they’re going to look at you as another abuser another person who is going to neglect them So you have to gain that trust and it’s not easy but it’s not difficult,” Richard says Richard remembers one case where twin baby girls were placed with him and his wife The twins had been physically abused to the point that one had gone completely blind in one eye They left here when they were 18 months old you see those severe cases coming but they’re leaving so you made a difference in them,” he says To the state these twins would be a success story The foster care system’s goal is to give kids a safe home until it makes sense to reunite them with their parents – or But seeing foster kids go can be tough for Richard and Yolanda it’s been a beautiful ride and also full of emotions – more positive than negative – but nevertheless emotions and you have to deal with those every day,” he says This experience – knowing what it’s like to be with foster kids day in and day out – is why Richard thinks it’s essential lawmakers and the court work with foster parents to improve the child welfare system “They know the law and they know everything but I think that we need to be taken in account to understand how can we help fix the system And we have a lot of insights a lot of good insights because these kids are with us 24/7,” he says And Richard explains there’s another thing foster parents have insight into and the kids don’t know how to do that they need us to be able to help them to mend their hearts that’s our biggest reward –  that we have made a difference,” he says Maria de Jesus Canchola born on December 21, 1940 in San Antonio, Texas entered into rest on June 3, 2018 at the age of 77 years. She is survived by her sister, Martha H. Canchola, brother, Eufemio Reynaldo Canchola and wife Isabel, niece,... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Maria de Jesus Canchola created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Maria de Jesus Canchola born on December 21 SAN ANTONIO – Update 11:20 a.m the livestream is no longer available through Catholic Television of San Antonio After a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic the Passion Play returns to downtown San Antonio on Friday Thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets of downtown San Antonio for the Good Friday tradition that recreates the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ The San Antonio Passion Play dates back to 1983 when the wooden cross carried by the actor playing Jesus weighed 150 pounds A warning to younger or more sensitive audiences the play is very graphic due to the nature of the story Jesus is condemned to death and forced to carry his cross He falls several times and is stripped of his garments after which he is nailed to the cross and then his body is taken down after he dies The play depicts Pontius Pilate washing his hands and Mary holding her son’s body after he was removed from the cross This year’s play is directed by San Fernando Cathedral parishioner Edgar Holguin Parishioners John Austin and Loreily Ortiz will portray Jesus and Mary The route will start at Milam Park then go to Santa Rosa Street and then to Main Plaza where the crucifixion will be depicted in front of San Fernando Cathedral Here’s a complete list of Easter services offered by San Fernando Cathedral this week: Reconciliation (confessions) in Main Plaza Mass of the Last Supper and Washing of the Feet (Bilingual); Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller re-enactment of the arrest of Jesus in Main Plaza to midnight the Blessed Sacrament will be at the Altar of Repose in the Plaza de la Cruz Ecumenical Prayer Service at Milam Park (Bilingual) Re-enactment of Passion of the Christ (Spanish) begins at Milam Park Procession begins in Milam Park and culminates in Main Plaza • 12:00 Noon Crucifixion of Jesus in front of San Fernando Cathedral Las Siete Palabras (Seven Last Words) (mostly in Spanish) led by Father Carlos Velázquez Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (Bilingual) with Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller Pésame Service (Prayer Service with the Sorrowful Mother) – (Spanish) Easter Vigil (Bilingual); Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller televised) Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller Mass (English) Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller