By Loretta Fulton

A celebration of the 10th anniversary of the ordination of Michael Sis as Bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo was held Jan. 14 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in San Angelo.

The diocese includes four congregations in Abilene–Holy Family, Sacred Heart, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Vincent Pallotti.

Sis was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo on Dec. 12, 2013, when he was serving as the Vicar General and the Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Austin. He was ordained as bishop in January 2014. Since then he has learned that the roads are endless in the vast Diocese of San Angelo, which covers 29 counties. His hours of “windshield time” have made him aware of the natural beauty of the diocese and the magnificent skies.

“I especially enjoy our skies,” he said. “They are like an ever-changing canvas of God the divine painter who never tires of creating new works of art.”

Bishop Michael Sis celebrates his10th year as Bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo Photo courtesy Aida Pantoja

Name: Michael Sis
Position: Bishop, Diocese of San Angelo
Ordination to priesthood: Diocese of Austin, 1986
Appointed Bishop, Diocese of San Angelo: Dec. 12, 2013
Family: Parents, Raymond and Janis Sis. Sis is the fourth of five children.
Education: Bryan High School, 1978; bachlor’s degree in philosophy, University of Notre Dame, 1982; studied theology at the North American College in Rome, earning graduate degrees from the Gregorian University,1985, and the Lateran University, 1990
Hobby: racquetball
Other: As a college student he spent a summer in volunteer service at the Houston Community Youth Center, a halfway house for teenagers transitioning out of incarceration. Bishop Sis has traveled to 37 countries, including a summer of missionary service in Tanzania. His longest term of service was in campus ministry at St. Mary Catholic Center at Texas A&M University in College Station. Before his appointment as bishop, he was serving as the Vicar General and the Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Austin.

Q I know you were aware of the geographical size of the diocese before you were ordained. But now that you have driven it many times, are you amazed at its vastness?
A It is a vast and beautiful area. The territory that I cover is more than 37,000 square miles in 29 counties. Needless to say, I have lots of “windshield time” as I travel to our various communities. Spending many hours on the road gives me time to think and pray. I revel in the natural beauty of our landscapes and skies. I especially enjoy our skies. They are like an ever-changing canvas of God the divine painter who never tires of creating new works of art. 

There are certain stretches of highway in our area that are my favorites because of the gorgeous topography. These include Highway 208 between Robert Lee and Colorado City; Highway 277 in Taylor County; Highway 349 between Rankin and Iraan; Interstate 10 near Junction, Ozona, and Sheffield; County Road 306 in Crockett County, and County Road 2400 in Terrell County. 

Some people don’t like the sight of wind turbines, solar farms, and pumpjacks, but I find them to be a fascinating interaction between the practical needs of human beings and the resources of our natural world.

Q How often do you try to visit each parish or mission in the diocese?
A I visit our largest parishes multiple times per year, and I visit our smallest missions every few years. We also have regional gatherings where people come together from several parishes and missions in a local area. I find that people in West Texas are accustomed to driving long distances for all sorts of things, from sports competitions to shopping, and church activities are no exception to that practice.

Those who live in our more remote communities have a great spirit of hospitality toward those who are able to come and visit them.

Q Have you discovered any traditions in the diocese that you have grown to love?
A I love the prayerful devotion of our people. They know how much they need God, and they lean on God in a very deep and personal way. I enjoy meeting with our young people for retreats, Masses, Confirmations, sports events, and informal conversations. Our youth give me hope for our future.

One particular tradition in this diocese that I always look forward to is our annual Rural Life Mass on May 15, the feast of St. Isidore the Farmer. We gather from around the diocese to celebrate the agricultural lifestyle in its many expressions. Each year we highlight another aspect of rural life. For example, we have celebrated at a cattle ranch, a pecan orchard, a vineyard, a river, a dairy, a cotton farm, a watermelon farm, and many other unique places where our Catholic people make a living in harmony with God’s creation.

Bishop Michael Sis in dress that is native to India. With him at the observance of his 10th anniversary as Bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo are Aida and Kevin Pantoja. Photo courtesy Aida Pantoja

Q In 2018, you initiated the “reduced active ministry” role into the diocese. Since then, several priests have taken on that role. Has that proven to be popular with retiring priests and the people they serve?
A Reduced Active Ministry is a way to continue utilizing the gifts of our priests in their golden years. They do not have to worry about the administrative burdens of being a pastor, yet they still have a valuable role in a local parish community, where they can celebrate Masses, hear Confessions, and provide spiritual guidance. It is a good example of an intergenerational policy that is life-giving to all.

Q Have you initiated any other programs to serve the clergy and people of the diocese?
A We brought a summer youth program called Totus Tuus, which began in the state of Kansas. A team of four young adults spends the summer offering exciting week-long programs of faith development for children of all ages in parishes around the diocese. This is a very popular ministry that young people look forward to every year.

There is a beautiful new retreat center in Midland called The Way. It hosts a variety of retreats and other spiritual activities throughout the year. Both Catholic and non-Catholic groups do retreats there.

About four years ago we started Holy Cross Catholic High School in Midland-Odessa. It is a wonderful school, and it continues to grow every year. The students are getting a very good education.

Our local social services to the poor have expanded in recent years. For example, Sacred Heart Parish in Abilene now has the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry. Holy Redeemer Parish has the House of Mercy. Catholic Outreach Services in San Angelo have changed the format of their services. They used to be a resale shop, but now they serve a very healthy free lunch five days per week, and they also connect people with many other social services in the area.

Our Diocesan Immigration Services have expanded their staff and services. They help people to upgrade their immigration status by processing the appropriate applications with the federal government.

To foster spiritual and emotional healing after an abortion, we have begun a full-fledged Project Rachel ministry in this diocese, with a very committed team of leaders. I recently assisted one of these weekend retreats, and it was a profound experience of the power of the healing grace of Jesus Christ.

Our women’s ministries and men’s ministries have expanded. There is now an annual Diocesan Women’s Conference and an annual Diocesan Men’s Conference. There are new men’s ministries such as That Man is You and COR gatherings, as well as new women’s ministries such as Magnificat and Choice Wine. There is also a beautiful new ministry for married couples called Teams of Our Lady.

On March 16, I plan to dedicate a beautiful new church for Catholics in Greenwood, near Midland. They have never had their own church. They have been celebrating Masses in the cafeteria of the local public school, and their new church is almost complete. It will be called St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church. I am very proud of the Catholics in the growing community of Greenwood for their vision, initiative, and perseverance in this great adventure of establishing a new church.

Q Any other comments you wish to make?
A The Diocese of San Angelo is a hidden jewel. This is a wonderful diocese, with sincere, hard-working people who love the faith as a result of generations of effective evangelization, with a beautiful local culture with strong family values. We have a long history of Catholicism that dates back to the first Spanish missionaries to the Jumano tribe in 1629, right here in San Angelo.

We go forward together, pouring out our love and energies and time, to build up the Church that is the Body of Christ. We build upon the foundation of those who have gone before us, and we try to leave things better than we found them.

Our beloved Catholic Church is a gift from God. What we do with this Church is our gift back to God.