Bishop of Brownsville announces census outreach effort

SAN JUAN, Texas - Bishop Daniel Flores is urging parishioners to complete their 2020 Census form.Flores held a news conference at the Basilica in San Juan on Wednesday to announce the census outreach the Diocese of Brownsville will be doing between now and the Sept. 30 deadline.“We want to get the word out about how important this is for the (Rio Grande) Valley,” Flores said. He pointed out that the region’s representation on Congress can be weakened if a full and accurate census count is not taken. He also said that much of the federal funding that comes to the Valley is based on the size of its population. Flores said he is encouraging every priest at every parish to promote Census participation through multiple actions. These include:• Announcements at the beginning and/or end of Mass• Awareness and reminders through any parish gatherings, in person or online• Inclusion in parish bulletins, newsletters, and social media platforms• Phone Banks at lowest performing locations; church staff/volunteers call parishioners to assist in responding Editor's Note: Go to the Rio Grande Guardian website to read the full version of this story. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.