Connection The Catholic
Vol. 25, No. 6 January 2016
Holy Door
Pilgrimages
A Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons and instills hope.
January 2016 1
Publisher
Bishop Michael G. Duca Editor
Jessica Rinaudo Contributors Donna Barnard Fr. Rothell Price Shelly Bole Dianne Rachal Erin Briery Jessica Rinaudo Bishop Michael Duca Katie Sciba Kim Long Kelby Tingle Mary Frances Parker Bonny Van Kelly Phelan Powell Mike Van Vranken Nicki Prevou Bro. Mike Ward Editorial Board Kim Long Fr. Matthew Long Kelly Phelan Powell Dianne Rachal Christine Rivers Deacon Mike Whitehead John Mark Willcox Mission Statement The Catholic Connection is a monthly publication funded by your Diocesan Service Appeal; mailed to every known Catholic household in the Diocese of Shreveport. Our Mission is to advance knowledge and understanding of our Catholic Faith among the faithful. We seek to foster the application of Christ’s teachings and our Church’s mission in our daily lives and to encourage our sense of Catholic identity within our family, parish, and diocesan faith community. Subscriptions & Address Changes Contact: Jessica Rinaudo, Editor Email: jrinaudo@dioshpt.org Write: Catholic Connection 3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104 Call: 318-868-4441 Fax: 318-868-4609 Website: www.thecatholicconnection.org
The Catholic Connection is a member of the Catholic Press Association.
The Diocese of Shreveport complies with Virtus’s Protecting God’s Children program. Classes are offered every second Wednesday of the month at the Catholic Center in Shreveport. To report child sexual abuse by a cleric or church worker in the Diocese of Shreveport, call Glennda Lawson. Hotline is 318-294-1031 and your local law enforcement agency.
2 Catholic Connection
D
uring the 2016 Lenten season, parishes throughout the diocese are taking the opportunity to welcome back those who were “once Catholic” through the program “Calling Catholics Home.” If you are a Catholic who has been away from the Church for a while, this invitation is for you. Our faith community misses you and is incomplete without you. No matter how long you have been away, and for whatever reason, we invite you to consider renewing your relationship with the Catholic Church. Please join us for informal sessions and an update of the Catholic faith. The sessions are conducted in a support-group format with speakers including local lay people, priests, deacons and Bishop Michael Duca. Everyone is welcome. Please keep this program in mind while visiting with friends and family who might be fallen away Catholics. This six week program will take place at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans Parish Hall, located at 939 Jordan Street in Shreveport, on Tuesdays, February 2, 2016 - March 8, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. For more information, contact Jane at Cathedral of St. John Berchmans in Shreveport at 318-221-5296, or go to www. callingcatholicshome.com.
bishop’s january calendar JANUARY 1 Mass, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish; Shreveport; 9:30 a.m. JANUARY 2 Annual Mardi Gras Mass; St. Pius X Parish, Shreveport; 9:00 a.m. JANUARY 3-7 Region V Bishops’ Retreat, Christian Life Center at St. Joseph Abbey, St. Benedict, Louisiana JANUARY 8 Diocese of Lafayette Annual Red Mass; Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Lafayette; 12:00 p.m. JANUARY 14 Blessing & Dedication of CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center’s West Wing, Shreveport; 2:00 p.m. JANUARY 17 St. Paschal Church’s 75th Anniversary Mass & Celebration; St. Paschal Parish, West Monroe; 10:00 a.m. JANUARY 20 Investment Committee Meeting; Catholic Center; 10:00 a.m. St. Frederick High School Board of Directors’ Meeting; St. Frederick High School, Monroe; 6:00 p.m.
JANUARY 21 Loyola College Prep Board of Trustees Meeting; Loyola College Prep, Shreveport; 5:15 p.m. JANUARY 24 Mass in Celebration of Year of Consecrated Life; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 5:30 p.m. JANUARY 25 Southern Deanery Stewardship Appeal Donor Reception; Mansfield; 6:30 p.m. JANUARY 26 Theology on Tap; Fieldhouse Bar and Grill, Monroe; 6:30 p.m. JANUARY 27 Eastern Deanery Stewardship Appeal Donor Reception; Monroe; 6:30 p.m. JANUARY 28 Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Meeting; Baton Rouge JANUARY 30 Confirmation; Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Monroe; 4:30 p.m.
contents
january 2016
columns Don't Let the World's Values be Downloaded Into Your Soul
by Bishop Michael G. Duca........................................................................................... 4-5
Mike’s Meditations: Look Beyond What You See by Mike Van Vranken..............6 In Review: Praying for Our Adult Sons and Daughters by John and Therese Boucher by Kim Long.................................................................................7
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Faithful Food: Take a Break and Care for You by Kim Long.................................8 Domestic Church: Examination of Conscience in Marriage by Katie Sciba............................................................................................................9 From the Pope: Shine Like Beacons of God's Mercy in the World by Vatican Information Services..................................................................................10 Navigating the Faith: Spiritual Direction by Dianne Rachal .................................11 Second Collections: Diocesan Catholic Schools and Church in Latin America by Fr. Rothell Price ...........................................................................12 Vocations View: Stepping Into Seminary by Kelby Tingle .....................................13 Kids' Connection: Spiritual Works of Mercy ...........................................................25
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features Holy Door Pilgrimages by Shelly Bole .................................................................... 14-15 Mercy in Action: Visit the Imprisoned by Shelly Bole ........................................... 16
news St. Paschal Church: Celebrating 75 Years by Bonny Van .................................. 17 Celebrating Catholic Schools Week by Jessica Rinaudo .....................................18 In Profile: Dr. Cheryl White - Round Trip to Rome by Kelly Phelan Powell ............19 New Principal for St. Joseph School by John Mark Willcox...................................20
19 on the cover
Hearts Afire Program by Mary Frances Parker and Donna Barnard .......................20 Winter Full of Programs for Youth and Young Adults by Jessica Rinaudo and Nicki Prevou .........................................................................21 Encountering Christ Through Works of Mercy by Erin Briery .................................22 52 Weeks of Mercy Campaign by Shelly Bole ......................................................22 Hispanic News ........................................................................................................23 School News ...........................................................................................................24 Across the Globe: Francis Opens the Holy Door: Mercy Must Precede Judgement by Vatican Information Services ..........................................................26 Vatican News and Notes by Vatican Information Services ...................................27 Across the Diocese ................................................................................................28-29 Mark Your Calendar ...............................................................................................30 January Calendar ..................................................................................................31
Bishop Duca opens the Door of Mercy at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans. January 2016 3
la reflexión Del Obispo por Obispo Michael G. Duca
No Permitan que los Valores del Mundo Penetren su Alma
H
oy cuando vi mi aplicación del papa y Twitter recibí un tweet del Papa Francisco de su mensaje del 12 de diciembre del 2015 que decía, "Una meta para cada día, es de pasar la ternura de Cristo a los que están más necesitados,” He estado reflexionando sobre como en solo unos minutos nuestro Santo padre contactó más de un millón de oyentes en todo el mundo con un mensaje de esperanza. También recuerdo la primera vez que un papa mandó su tweet diciendo“la roca sólida en la que podemos construir nuestras vidas y su amor es siempre fiel.” Benedicto XVI tweed #1 12/12/12 Leer el mensaje del Papa me hizo darme cuenta de todo lo bueno que podemos hacer hoy con los avances de la tecnología. Pero también me puso a pensar de cuanto ha cambiado mi vida la tecnología en solo unos cuantos años. Me conecté por primera vez a la internet en 1995 y después de 20 años a veces estoy acariciando mi celular como Gollum acarició al “precioso” en Tolkien de la película Lord of the Rings. Este cambio no ha sucedido solamente rápido, sino que ha pasado sin una verdadera consideración de cuantos cambios han afectado mi vida espiritual. Recuerdo cuando salieron las primeras contestadoras de teléfono y yo no compré una rápido. Así estuve por un tiempito hasta que mis feligreses se enojaron conmigo. Sucede que ellos ya se habían formado la expectativa de que “podían encontrarme con la contestadora” cuando me llamaran, así mismo, yo podía llamarles y dejar mensaje en su máquina. A fin de cuentas compré una contestadora y desde entonces estoy conectado en todos los cambios que ha tenido: primero máquina contestadora, luego el email, ahora el texto y bueno en lo que salga después. Ya me he metido en este tren bala y no estoy seguro a donde llevará esto mi alma o, aún peor, a donde la habrá llevado ya. ¿Por qué digo que esto es importante? Hace algunos años un estudio reveló que los que usan la tecnología están un promedio de 70 minutos al día en el internet y/o 127 minutos usando internet en el celular y/o 168 minutos en la televisión. Esto puede sumar de dos a seis horas del día. Sorpresivamente, un estudio reciente nos dice que hoy nuestros adolescentes están usando la tecnología de alguna forma entre seis y nueve horas al día. Otro estudio dice que una persona que tiene teléfono inteligente voltea a verlo 150 veces al día. Y aún más impresionante es el hecho de que más o menos 40 millones de adultos visitan el internet regularmente para ver páginas de pornografía y 47% de los cristianos dijeron que tenían problema en la familia por la pornografía. Espiritualmente estas estadísticas nos muestran que la tecnología puede tener un efecto profundo en nuestra familia y en nuestra vida espiritual. Para mí el efecto que menos tomamos en cuenta es como la tecnología dirige y da forma lentamente a nuestras vidas y que el centro de nuestra motivación es más que los textos que recibimos, los emails que exigen una respuesta y la necesidad constante de permanecer completamente conectados. Este año haz un recuento de cuánto tiempo estas conectado. Haz esto como un ejercicio espiritual: por un día (si estás dispuesto) solo usa tu teléfono para hacer llamadas y mantenerte en contacto con tu familia y 4 Catholic Connection
amigos. Si puedes ignorar tu email por un día o dos, hazlo. Si no puedes entonces ve tu email hasta después de las 11:00 a.m. o hasta que hayas planeado tu día o hecho otras cosas que escojas hacer. No busques en el internet o uses ninguna otra aplicación por el resto el día. Una vez leí en un libro espiritual que necesitamos darnos cuenta si vivimos para reaccionar o para responder. Reaccionar es actuar basados en el problema de afuera, la necesidad o expectativa de los demás. Vivir reaccionando es encontrar siempre nuestra motivación en las opciones de fuera de nosotros. Responder, al contrario, es ser el autor de nuestras vidas desde dentro basados en nuestros valores y nuestra Fe. Si te alejas de la tecnología por un día y te sientes perdido y confundido entonces es posible que estas dejando que la tecnología te dirija. Estas reaccionando a todo el APORTE en tu vida en vez de crear un mundo a tu alrededor con el espíritu de Cristo desde dentro. Deberíamos descargarnos en el espíritu de Cristo en el mundo y no permitir que el mundo y sus valores se descarguen en nuestras almas. En estos tiempos, como católicos y como discípulos de Jesucristo tenemos desafíos en todos los aspectos. Debemos prepararnos para desarrollar una fuerza interna y dirección en nuestras vidas. La tecnología nos ayudará pero siempre nos va a traicionar a menos que estemos seguros de donde esta nuestra verdadera fuerza. Necesitamos tener un claro entendimiento que, como el Santo Papa Benedicto mandó en su primer mensaje de tweet, Jesús es “la roca sólida en la cual construimos nuestras vidas y su amor es siempre fiel.” Benedicto XVI tweed #1 12/12/12 •
bishop’s REFLECTION by Bishop Michael G. Duca
Don’t Let the World’s Values Be Downloaded Into Your Soul
T
oday I checked my Pope app and Twitter and received Pope Francis’ tweet for December 12, 2015, “One goal for each day, to convey the tenderness of Christ to those who are most in need.” I have been reflecting on how in just a few minutes our Holy Father made contact with over one million readers all over the world with a message of hope. I also remember THE first tweet from any pope to millions of people throughout the world that Jesus is “the solid rock upon which we build our lives and his love is always faithful.” Benedict XVI tweet #1 12/12/12 Reading the pope’s tweet made me aware of all the good we can accomplish today with technological advances. But I also considered how much has changed in my life technologically in just a relatively few years. Bishop Duca I first connected to the Internet in 1995 and in just 20 years I find myself caressing my cell phone at times like Gollum caressed his “Precious” in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. This change has not only happened fast, but it has happened without any real consideration of how these changes have affected my spiritual life. I remember when “answering machines” first came out that I did not get one right away. This worked okay for a while until my parishioners became angry at me. It turns out they had developed an expectation that they should be able to “get my machine” when they called so I could call them and leave a message on their machine. In the end I had to get a “machine” and I have been hooked to it ever since in all its developmental stages from machines, to email, to texting to, well, whatever comes next. I have been pulled onto this fast moving train and I am not sure where it is taking my soul, or even worse, where it has already taken my soul. Why is this important? A few years ago a study revealed that those who use technology regularly averaged 70 minutes a day on the web and/or 127 minutes on mobile apps and/or 168 minutes on TV. That could add up to almost two to six hours of our day. Surprisingly, in a recent study it was noted that today our tweens and teens are using technology in some form as much as six to nine hours a day. One study says a person with a smart phone looks at their cell phone 150 times a day. Or even more sobering it is estimated that 40 million adults regularly visit Internet pornography websites and that 47% of Christians polled in a study said Internet pornography was a problem in their household. Spiritually these statistics show our technology can have a deep effect on our family and our spiritual lives. To me the most unnoticed effect is how the technology begins to direct and shape our lives slowly so that the center of our motivation is more in the texts we receive, the emails that demand response and the constant need to stay immediately connected. This year take stock of how connected you are. Try this as a spiritual exercise. For one day (or more if you are willing) only use your phone for making phone calls and staying in contact with family and friends. If you can ignore your email for a day or two, do so. If you cannot, then do not look at your email until after 11:00 a.m., or until you have planned your day
or accomplished some task of your choosing. Do not surf the web or use any other app for the day. I once read in a spiritual book that we need to be aware of whether we live by reacting or responding. To react is to act based on the problem outside, the need or expectation of another. To live reactionary is to always find our motivation for our choices outside of ourselves. To respond, on the other hand, is to author our lives from within based on our values and faith. If you step away from your technology for a day and find yourself lost and confused, then it is possible you are letting your technology lead you. You are reacting to all the INPUT into your life rather than re-creating the world around you with the spirit of Christ from within. We should be downloading ourselves and Christ’s spirit into the world and not be allowing the world and its values to be downloaded into our souls. In today’s time we are being challenged in every way as Catholics, as disciples of Jesus Christ. We must prepare ourselves by developing a deep inner strength and direction in our lives. Technology will help us, but it will always betray us unless we are sure of where our true strength is. We need to have a clear understanding that, as Pope Benedict tweeted in the first papal tweet, Jesus is “the solid rock upon which we build our lives and his love is always faithful.” Benedict XVI tweet #1 12/12/12 • January 2016 5
mike’s meditations by Mike Van Vranken
Look Beyond What You See
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he Mass attendance was larger than normal. It was not only the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, but also the opening day of the Year of Mercy. As I stood to approach the altar for communion, I noticed one of the Extraordinary Ministers of the precious blood stop distributing. She stooped down for about 30 seconds and then stood back up again. In the exchange of passing the cup to the communicant and back, some of the precious blood had spilled to the floor. She respectfully covered it, and then moved to another spot so no one would walk near the spillage. Someone sitting in the front pew jumped up to assist. The sacristan and altar server quickly brought several Van Vranken linen towels (purificators) and covered all that had spilled over onto the floor. I had the wonderful blessing to train Extraordinary Ministers for 15 years while a member of another parish. It is every minister’s nightmare that such a disaster might happen. Yet, with a sense of deep comfort, I watched each person look on the floor and carefully make sure those wet towels were not trampled or disturbed. It was all a very holy and sacred response to the accident that had occurred. When I walked past the spot of the accident, I saw the several purificators on the floor drenched in the red elements of wine, which, in substance, was the real blood of Jesus. As I returned to my seat, a scene from the movie The Passion of the Christ entered my mind. Jesus had just been whipped and scourged when Pilate’s wife gave Mary some towels. Sobbing, Mary immediately dropped to her knees and began futilely wiping up the many pools of blood that had been savagely beaten from her son. I imagined the respect shown at this Mass was similar to the dignity and reverence that Mary was showing her precious son in the movie. As I knelt in prayer after communion, the image of those red-stained towels remained vividly in my mind. I very clearly heard Jesus say to me: “When my blood was spilled to the ground on Calvary, it was trampled and walked on while some of the onlookers jeered. But I forgave them anyway. My blood poured out was the showering of my Divine Mercy on the earth.” Then I also heard him say: “Will you also pour out my mercy with the people you meet once you leave this church today?” It was a chilling question. Here we were on the morning of the beginning of this Holy Year of Mercy and Jesus is asking me how I’m going to respond. What am I going to do when I get outside? How am I going to reverence his precious blood that he spilled for me? How will I spread his mercy throughout this coming year? How will each of us respond this year to Jesus’ call to: “be merciful as your heavenly father is merciful?” How will each of us approach the wonderful opportunity to bring Jesus’ mercy to our everyday lives? • Mike is a writer and teacher, and co-author of the book: Faith Positive in a Negative World. You can contact him at www.mikevanvrankenministries.org
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By Pethrus (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons
MONTHLY REFLECTION Find an image or picture you can put in a prominent place in your house, as a screen saver on your smart phone, and even where you work. It can be a crucifix, a Divine Mercy picture of Jesus with the rays of mercy flowing from his heart, or even the Jubilee Year of Mercy logo. Spend some time each day in quiet reflection thinking about ways you can give reverence to the precious blood that Jesus spilled for us. Ask yourself: “How do I respond to a God who loves me so much He allowed His only son to suffer and die so that I might live?” Now, every time you see the image you saved in those prominent places, ask God for the grace to show you when, where and how you can offer His mercy to someone else. Consider an “Examen” of the day’s events each evening. Ask God to show you all the opportunities you had to both receive His Divine Mercy, and also to offer His mercy to others. Now pray for the grace to see all those opportunities the next day. Eucharist means thanksgiving. Take the time each day to give God thanks and praise. Thank Him for the gift of His mercy. Thank Him for the grace that we can give mercy to others.
in REVIEW by Kim Long
Praying for Our Adult Sons and Daughters by John and Therese Boucher
H
ow many times have we thought and stated, sometimes in anguish and exasperation, “It was so easy when they were little?” Praying for Our Adult Sons and Daughters is for anyone who has adult children, godchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins…..you get the idea. I consider myself a pretty prayerful woman. I have rosaries in every room, purse and vehicle and my favorite novena booklets. In times of deep distress I tend to find myself before the Tabernacle in church. I thought I had things covered, but this book has UNcovered some amazing prayer possibilities for me as a parent of adult children. In each of the 10 chapters, the authors focus on a different situation and way to ask for God’s guidance in the lives of those we love. The genius of this text is that it not only brings our children forward, but us as parents too. We are not on the sidelines, we are in a prayer life that is presented as living, breathing and acting inside each of us. I have grown as a parent reading and praying as I have read this book. I have been encouraged by the writers to examine my own motives and actions. The authors speak about the love of God using quotes from saints and passages of scripture, then at the end of each chapter there are questions and prayer exercises. What hit me like a ton of bricks and kept me reading was the focus on baptism. Here is a question from the first chapter: “What do you remember of your child’s baptism? What did this event mean to you and to your family at that time? What meaning does it have for you now?” I hadn’t really contemplated my children’s baptisms in years, but I spent some time in adoration with this question and realized the impact of my decision to bring my sons forth for baptism is one that doesn’t disappear regardless of their choices. Another suggestion they make: pray with a photograph of your child. There are
several lines to the guided prayer and you fill in the blank with the name of your own child. At one point you trace the Sign of the Cross over the photo, then lift them up as a way of offering them to God. This method continues for eight more chapters, each focusing on a different need. The authors share their personal experiences and pan out effortlessly to include each of us and give very practical and thought provoking exercises to take us into deep prayer – prayer that isn’t just us talking and giving God a to do list, prayer that isn’t just a vague sort of “ok God I know you got this,” but prayer that is communication, communion and so very doable! The authors encourage parents to consecrate our families to God through prayer, to surrender to God everything that we as parents have held on to. We are offering to God what He has so generously given us… our children. Too often I’ve listened to friends, coworkers, and total strangers cry and say, “Now that my kids are grown I don’t know, I just feel so separated from them. I don’t know what to do, it was so simple when they were younger.” In some ways it was simple, but being the parent of adult children is a massive lesson in trust – trust that we have done all we can to give a good foundation, trust they will not depart from the way in which they were reared, trust that even if we have forgotten an essential part of that foundation that God will present an opportunity for it to be formed. Many times families feel disconnected for a variety of reasons. This book will help. It is a gift from God to all parents of adult children, a gift that once opened and received will change us. When families are searching for ways to stay and deepen those connections formed when our children were “babies” deep prayer is a way to do just that. The authors encourage us to “hold onto the vision that each son or daughter has been created to enter and to re-enter God’s eternal joy.” •
"But keep this in mind: at your child’s Baptism, you also renewed your own baptismal vows. So your child’s relationship with God is forever linked to your own Baptism and your own relationship with Jesus." Praying for Our Adult Sons and Daughters by John and Theres Boucher
This book is available at St. Mary’s Parish Library, Jacob’s Well, and Amazon.com.
January 2016 7
faithful FOOD by Kim Long
Take a Break and Care for You Make room to practice healthy self care
F
or several years I believed I was the victim of a universal irony. Each year during Christmas time I would inevitably succumb to the latest “bug,” lose my voice, have a sore throat and be “couch” ridden for a few days, all the Long while feeling like I was wasting my vacation. Initially I chalked it up to the same sort of dynamic which occurs when you have “extra” money: you anticipate a hundred ways to spend those prized dollars and then something occurs to take up the fun money, something which is never classified as fun. I finally realized something else was afoot. I was worn out at this time of the year; between going non-stop at home and work and trying to do fun things and staying up late to finish reading or studying, by the time Christmas arrived, my body, which whispered to me all year long, was now screaming at me to slow down. In January we take a breather: decorations put away, no more pressure to cook, bake, shop, wrap. We have moved beyond the after Christmas sales and we are just, well, just here. I love the nuance January offers, more than just a bridge between Christmas and
the next season or holiday, it really does invite us to rest, to reflect in a way that is different than Lent, which is purposeful with its threefold nature. January invites us to just gaze upon the beauty of the world God has given to us. There is a sight in the “dead of winter” which always perks me up: a red bird set against a winter sky. The birds themselves remind me of my great grandmother’s “front room” and the little statues of blue birds, red birds and goldfinches. Their contrast reminds me that even in the midst of a gloomy and wet Louisiana winter, there is more than just the cold rainy afternoons, there is the preparation for warmer climes and springtime sowing. And while as the Bible reminds us we are not “promised tomorrow,” we are also reminded of our hope in the Lord. In conversations with loved ones I have stressed we should practice “healthy selfcare.” This can involve everything from seeing a doctor, to taking an afternoon “off” and only being available to those nearest you. Watch a favorite movie, read that book you have been staring at for months, call an old friend or relative you haven’t spoken to in some time and let the time fall away. When we take the time to practice this healthy self care we become more aware of what our bodies are telling us, and in time we become better listeners.
Cough/Cold “Tonic” Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar (I use Bragg’s available at Drug Emporium) • 2 tablespoons honey (use local honey if at all possible) • 2 tablespoons water (filtered is called for, but I have used regular tap water) • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper • ½ teaspoon ground ginger 8 Catholic Connection
Directions: 1) Mix all ingredients together in a jar with a lid. 2) Add 1 tablespoon (measured) to a cup of hot tea. Do this morning and evening for maximum benefit. I take this even when I am not having symptoms! It tastes great in tea.
In Romans 12:1 we are reminded this way, “Therefore I urge you brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” The pattern of this world often tells us we have value if we produce, we are only as relevant as our last success. In the invitation of January we can truly be still. In the gift of faith we can rest in the knowledge that our value comes from being made in God’s image and likeness. This perspective gives me a renewed take on stewardship, and as I tuck up my knees and reach for the remote, I offer a prayer of thanksgiving for life, for my body, and for the body of Christ which I am so blessed to be a part of. When I feel a cough or cold coming on, I mix up this cough/cold “tonic” and add one tablespoon to a cup of hot tea morning and evening. But use common sense, if you have the flu, fever, etc., go see your doctor! • Kim Long is the Director of Religious Education at St. Mary of the Pines Parish in Shreveport.
domestic CHURCH by Katie Sciba
Examination of Conscience in Marriage
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ndrew and I are undergoing a transformation in our relationship. After nearly eight years married, we’re seeing a few trouble spots that have crept in right under our noses and dragged pain and resentment in with them. No marriage is perfectly peaceful and flawless and ours certainly has its crosses. Though I consider our sacrament to still be relatively new, Sciba we’ve been in the game long enough to have hurt each other - unintentionally, but the wounds are still there; and over a short time they’ve become steeped in heartache. It’s eye-opening to realize how much we haven’t said to each other. I know this situation isn’t unique to us. When two imperfect souls unite in marriage, we bring baggage from the past, occasionally unspoken expectations for the future, and hopes that we can hold on to wedded bliss as long as possible. Somewhere along the line, our sinful natures get in the way and our perspectives take a dark shift. Our unshakable trust and confidence have been tainted by doubt and we might not feel so safe together anymore. Some of us might actually hide from our spouses concealing feelings of pain or just silently wishing we could open up and feel that happy freedom again. It can be done. I’ve realized one precious tool we’ve had from the beginning can carry us through our healing: our vows. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. With all our resolve, Andrew and I are fighting previous inclinations to bottle emotions, annoyances or hurts. We’re learning how to validate each other, especially when work or the kids are challenging. And hands down, the best examination of my own spousal conscience is our vows. They are astoundingly powerful. Recalling the words I declared
Heal with Your Spouse
Two imperfect people united in marriage are bound to hurt each other inadvertently. Take one step at a time toward healing wounds big and small with your beloved.
Go Back to the Big Day
that I’d live “all the days of my life” prompts me to evaluate my own behavior in our marriage and within our family as a whole. When carefully considering my promises to Andrew those years ago, I ask myself “Am I handling our money in a way that honors him?” and “Am I being fully supportive to him even though he looks like he’s doing fine on his own?” It’s made me consider that “sickness” doesn’t include only physical ailments, but mental, emotional or spiritual illnesses. Am I loving and showing him Christ’s mercy through my attitude and actions? I’ve never encountered another approach that attends to both significant and slight decisions, and the best part is that it’s been with us from the start. Using our vows as an examination revives our sense of teamwork; we realize more than ever that we are stewards of the immense gift of our marriage. No couple will reach a point when further progress won’t be necessary; but I can only imagine that the husband and wife who intentionally act in accord with their marriage vows regularly will abide in peace. That’s my hope for us anyway. Through prayer together and considering our vows, the bliss we all experienced back then will reach a new height and depth we never thought possible. •
The vows we made to each other serve as the perfect Examination of Spousal Conscience. Are you loving and honoring your spouse? Are you true in feast or famine? Act in accord with the promises you made years ago.
Receive Jesus to Reflect Jesus
…as an individual and together. God joined you together, so it will be fortifying to offer prayers and receive the sacraments together.
Keep Ears & Heart Open
Receive your spouse’s joys and concerns with love. Keep your mouth closed patiently and ears open. Think of what you can do to delight with them or alleviate their stress. Ask how you can help and follow through to rebuild trust.
Katie Sciba is the author of thecatholicwife.net. She lives in Shreveport with her husband, Andrew, and their four children.
January 2016 9
from the POPE from Vatican Information Services
Shine Like Beacons of God's Mercy in the World
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atican City (VIS) – Pope Francis dedicated December 9’s general audience, the first of the Holy Year, to explaining why he convoked a Jubilee of Mercy. “The Church needs Pope Francis this extraordinary moment”, he explained. “In our time of profound change, the Church is called upon to offer her special contribution, making visible the signs of God’s presence and closeness. And the Jubilee is a propitious time for all, as contemplating Divine Mercy, that exceeds all human limits and shines onto the darkness of sin, we can be surer and more effective witnesses.” “Celebrating a Jubilee of Mercy means restoring the specifics of Christian faith to the center of our personal life and of our communities. … This Holy Year is offered to us so that we are able to experience in our life the sweet and gentle touch of God’s forgiveness, His presence next to us and His closeness, especially in our moments of greatest need. … This Jubilee is therefore a special moment for the Church to learn to choose solely ‘what God likes the most’. … Forgiving His children, having mercy on them, so that they can in turn forgive their brethren, to shine like beacons of God’s mercy in the world. … The Jubilee will be a propitious moment for the Church if we learn to choose what God likes the most, without giving in to the temptation to think that there is something else more important or that takes priority. Nothing is more important than 10 Catholic Connection
choosing what God likes most, His mercy”. “The necessary work of renewing institutions and structures of the Church is also a way that can lead us to a more lively and life-giving experience of God’s mercy that alone can ensure that the Church is that city on the mount that cannot remain hidden. If we should forget, even for just a moment, that mercy is what God likes the most, all our efforts would be in vain, as we would become slaves to our institutions and our structures, no matter how reformed they may be.” The pope emphasised that the Church’s aim during this Holy Year is to “strongly feel the joy of being found by Jesus, Who like the Good Shepherd has come in search of us as we were lost. … In this way we strengthen in ourselves our certainty that mercy can truly contribute to building a more human world. Especially in these times of ours, in which forgiveness is a rare guest in the circles of human life, the call for mercy becomes more urgent, and this is true in all places: in society, in institutions, at work and in the family.” Before concluding, he commented that while there appear to be many other needs more urgent than that of mercy, at the root of the negation of mercy there is always self-love, “which results in the pursuit of self-interest and the accumulation of honors, riches or worldliness. There are so many manifestations of self-love, “that make mercy foreign to the world” that often we are not even able to recognize them as limitations and sins. He concluded, “we must recognize that we are sinners, so as to strengthen our certainty of divine mercy”. •
In the Words of
Pope Francis
“We continue to trust that 2016 will see us all firmly and confidently engaged, on different levels, in the pursuit of justice and peace. Peace is both God’s gift and a human achievement. As a gift of God, it is entrusted to all men and women, who are called to attain it.” (Pope's Message for the 49th World Day of Peace 12/15/15) “May the Holy Virgin, first among the saved, model of the Church, holy and immaculate bride, beloved of the Lord, help us increasingly rediscover divine mercy as the distinctive sign of the Christian!” (Angelus 12/8/15) “And salvation is offered to every man, and every people, without excluding anyone, to each one of us. None of us can say, ‘I am a saint; I am perfect; I am already saved.’ No. We should always accept this offer of salvation, and that is the reason for the Year of Mercy: to advance further in this journey of salvation, this path that Jesus has taught us. God wants all mankind to be saved by the mediation of Jesus, the only mediator.” (Angelus 12/7/15) “As parents, you are the depositories of the primary and irrevocable duty and right to educate your children, in this way helping in a positive and constant way in the task of the school. ” (Pope to Members of the Association of Catholic School Parents in Italy 12/7/15)
navigating the Faith by Dianne Rachal, Director of Worship
Spiritual Direction Salvation is an experience of friendship and relationship with God. – John English, S. J.
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illiam A. Barry, S.J. and William J. Connolly, S.J. describe spiritual direction as: “help given by one Christian to another which enables that person to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live out the consequences of the relationship.” The New Orleans Archdiocesan Spirituality Center has a simpler way of phrasing this: “Spiritual direction is a deepening awareness of God’s presence and movement in one’s life.” An individual, the directee, meets regularly with a spiritual director for the purpose of examining his or her relationship with God. Spiritual direction is a spiritual discipline which has been a source of nurture for Christians for centuries, going back to the earliest days of the Church. The apostles wrote letters of spiritual guidance to nurture the growing communities of Christians in the first century AD. This practice was continued by the Patristic writers in the second century. By the fourth and fifth centuries thousands of Christians were seeking out the desert fathers and mothers for counsel. Monasticism grew from this desert tradition, with monastic communities providing spiritual direction for the faithful through the Middle Ages. Ignatius of Loyola received the foundation for his Spiritual Exercises in the sixteenth century. Spiritual direction has experienced a resurgence in the twentieth century due to the writings of spiritual authors like Thomas Merton and Evelyn Underhill. The role of the spiritual director in the process of spiritual direction is to listen to a person’s experience and to help clarify it. The director affirms and encourages by recognizing the work of grace in the directee, and at times, challenges by pointing out resistances and blind spots. Thus the director does whatever will facilitate the
directee’s attempts to live out his or her faith in dialogue with God and so grow into a deeper union with Him. It is important to delineate what spiritual direction is not. Spiritual direction is not counseling, therapy, or spiritual companioning or friendship. All spiritual direction is strictly confidential. The spiritual director will never speak about a directee to anyone.
“Spiritual direction is a deepening awareness of God’s presence and
movement in one’s life.”
There are three certified lay spiritual directors in the Diocese of Shreveport: Dianne Rachal, Joe Bernal and Katherine Bernal. Dianne Rachal is Director of Worship and completed the two-year Emmaus Spiritual Direction Training at Our Lady of the Oaks in Grand Coteau. Joe and Katherine Bernal recently completed the two-year Archdiocese of New Orleans Spiritual Direction Internship, and are parishioners of St. Paschal Church in West Monroe. Our diocese currently has five interns in the Archdiocese of New Orleans Spiritual Direction Internship in Grand Coteau. These interns will complete their training in August 2017. As a directee continues to meet with a spiritual director, the directee seeks to expand his or her experiences of the Lord, moving into a seamless recognition of him each moment of the day. The Lord then becomes a part of each experience and relationship that one has. The spiritual director provides support and encouragement, helping the directee stay on this path of ongoing discernment of God in daily life. • January 2016 11
second COLLECTIONS by Fr. Rothell Price
January Second Collections: Diocesan Catholic Schools and Collection for the Church in Latin America Works of Mercy. At St. Frederick’s and Loyola College Prep, faith is made tangible in action which touches and transforms people’s dire circumstances. At Our Lady of Fatima, Jesus the Good Shepherd, St. Joseph and St. John Berchmans Schools, our young people take great delight in bringing real signs of the Father’s mercy to people in need. Be “Merciful like the Father.” Give generously to the collection for the Catholic schools in our diocese. In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, let our first major collective act of mercy be toward our own beloved daughters and sons in Christ.
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am greatly moved by the gift of this Jubilee Year of Mercy decreed by our inspiring and compassionate Holy Father Francis. This gift of Divine Mercy fills my heart and soul with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the mercies I have received from the Father through the years. In the presence of such graciousness, one can only “bow in humble adoration.” What I have received, I am compelled to lavishly give as consistently as I can in this Year of Mercy and beyond. This is the context in which I hope you will think of and engage in each of our Second or Special Collections throughout this jubilee year. These collections, rooted in the ministry of Jesus and sanctioned by the Church are Price opportunities to incarnate (make real, tangible, present) the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Each time you participate in these collections you are “Merciful like the Father.” That is the official motto of this Jubilee Year of Mercy. I love this powerful expression from Pope Francis’ Prayer for the Jubilee, “…may everyone who approaches you feel sought after, loved and forgiven by God.” This is the thought that will drive all my actions and attitudes in this Jubilee Year. May it also inspire you to be “Merciful like the Father.”
DIOCESAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Collection Dates: January 16 & 17 Announcement Dates: January 3 & 10 ur Diocesan Catholic Schools Collection is a great place to start being “Merciful like the Father.” Our schools are amazing flowering beds where we learn to be like Jesus. Parents and other family members planted the seeds of mercy. Catholic schools are the nurseries where that mercy grows strong, especially through worship and catechesis. Catholic schools are the hot house where we get to explore and develop the Corporal and Spiritual
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CHURCH IN LATIN AMERICA Collection Dates: January 23 & 24 Announcement Dates: January 10 & 17 hare Your Faith.” Sharing is a fulfillment of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Sharing is what we learned to do from our earliest days as children. Share your faith through your participation in the Collection for the Church in Latin America. “For the past 50 years, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops via the Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America has helped 25 countries in Central and South America as well as the Caribbean confront challenges to the faith. With your help and the support of the Catholic faithful, we have helped develop evangelization and catechetical programs. We have also funded activities that promote an encounter with Jesus Christ, so that the faithful can become missionary disciples.” (USCCB Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America) I pray that your cheerful participation in this second collection will inspire you in the sure knowledge that because of you, others know that they are “sought after, loved and forgiven by God.” Please participate generously so that our brothers and sisters can grow in and share their faith. •
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Fr. Rothell Price, Vicar General, is the Director of Second & Special Collections.
vocations View by Kelby Tingle, Seminarian
Stepping Into Seminary
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fter graduating high school just three months prior to this move, I distinctly remember driving to Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College in Covington, LA to begin a new journey in my life. During the 300 mile drive, I had plenty of time to ponder what I would experience in the days following. I wondered how different things might be at the seminary. This was my first time moving, first time going to college, and the first time I would have to say goodbye to my family for an extended period of time. Many questions were racing through my mind. All at once, I was feeling anxious, nervous and excited. After nearly five hours of driving, my family and I arrived at the seminary. My family and I were astonished at the beauty of the campus. The site of the ponds, the trees and the sun beaming on the Abbey church was a beautiful sight. There was a peaceful and holy feel to this place. The following day, August 15, we began orientation. The day started with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gregory Aymond of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in the Abbey Church for incoming seminarians and parents. Following the Mass, there was a luncheon for parents and seminarians. After lunch, it was time for the parents to depart and for incoming seminarians to continue orientation. I gave my mom and dad a big hug and had to say goodbye. Being very close to my family, it was hard to watch my parents drive away into the distance. The next week we continued orientation and I continued adjusting to this new journey my life. It was during this week that I glimpsed what would later become one of my favorite aspects of seminary life: prayer and brotherhood. Each incoming seminarian was assigned a “mentor,” that is a senior seminarian, to help the new seminarian with anything he might need. A part of orientation was to venture through the many acres of land in the seminary and talk with my mentor about my discernment. During this time, I told him about how different it was to be away from Shreveport. He offered me sincere support and advice. During this week, I had also really enjoyed spending time in adoration and praying. It was very good to talk to God about my homesickness and offer it up. Through brotherhood and God’s love I began to grow accustomed to the seminary. This year the seminary received the highest enrollment in the history of SJASC. It is an indescribable feeling to be able to discern the most holy priesthood with 137 other men feeling the same call. As seminarians, we are inspired by each other and we help each other grow in holiness so that we may be able to become the best priests we can for the loyal people of God. Everything we do, we do as a community. Every morning and evening in the oratory, it is always beautiful to hear so many voices praying the Liturgy of the Hours in unity. It has been a great pleasure to be able to form relationships that will last a lifetime. The center of life at the seminary is prayer. It is an overwhelming blessing to be able to spend the day in prayer. As a community, we pray morning prayer, evening prayer and night prayer together. I have thoroughly enjoyed praying the Liturgy of the Hours and making the psalms an intimate part of my life. We also are able to attend Holy Mass daily, which has been a great help to my
Jeb Key and Kelby Tingle on their first day of seminary at St. Joseph Abbey and Seminary in Covington, LA.
spiritual growth. Also, every seminarian has a spiritual director they go to every other week for advice on our spirituality. This has benefited me greatly. It is truly amazing to think that my first semester of seminary is complete. The time really did fly by. Through my first semester, I experienced much growth in brotherhood and spiritual formation. I thank God every day for the gift of being a seminarian for the great Diocese of Shreveport. I look forward to many more years of discerning and studying Christ’s priesthood. Please continue to keep me and my seminarian brothers in your prayers as we will do the same for all of you! We greatly appreciate all of the prayers and support from our Shreveport family! • Are you feeling called to a vocation in the Church? Contact Fr. Matthew Long, Director of Church Vocations, at 318-868-4441, or mlong@dioshpt.org
January 2016 13
Holy Door
Pilgrimages
A Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons and instills hope.
Pilgrimage and Holy Door Spiritual Meaning
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he practice of pilgrimage has a special place in the Holy Year, because it represents the journey each of us makes in this life. Life itself is a pilgrimage, and the human being is a visitor, a pilgrim traveling along the road, making his way to the desired destination. Similarly, to reach the Holy Door in Rome or in any other place in the world, everyone, each according to his or her ability, will have to make a pilgrimage. This will be a sign that mercy is also a goal to reach and requires dedication and sacrifice. May our pilgrimage be an impetus to conversion: by crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, we will find the strength to embrace God’s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others as the Father has been with us. (Misericordiae Vultus)
Why a Holy Door of Mercy?
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he mystery of God, rich in mercy and compassion (Eph 2:4 & Jas 5:11), is manifested and brought about in Christ, the Father’s face of mercy (MV 1), and is continually at work through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22-23). The door is a symbol in recognition of Christ as the sole door through which we enter salvation (cf Jn 10:9) and the one way that leads to the Father (Jn 14:6). The pilgrimage is representative of the Church’s ongoing pilgrimage toward “Jesus Christ (who) is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb 13:8).
What is a Pilgrimage?
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pilgrimage is a spiritual journey to a sacred place for the purpose of venerating it or to ask for heavenly aid, and ultimately to come to know God better. During the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has asked that every diocese designate a Holy Door at a Cathedral or other church. Pilgrimage is reflective of the journey each of us makes in life and the pilgrimage to the Holy Door should serve as an impetus to conversion. In the Diocese of Shreveport, the Holy Door is at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans.
Reflections
Misericordiae Vultus, Proclamation of Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
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ersonal Encounter: During this year we are invited to gaze ever more attentively on mercy so that we may become more effective signs of the Father’s action in our lives. The Year of Mercy must start in our own hearts. How have you experienced the mercy of God in your life? Reaching out to all: Through the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, we are being invited to embrace the pain of the world. God wants us to put aside our differences and become a Church where all are welcomed, where wounds 14 Catholic Connection
Steps for a Pilgrimage
1. 2. 3.
Establish a specific date and time for your pilgrimage.
Contact the Cathedral (318221-5296) to ensure the Holy Door will be open at the time you plan to arrive.
Think of ways to make your pilgrimage spiritual. Predetermine the prayers, psalms, scriptures or reflections you will reflect on during your journey.
4.
Bring your Bible.
5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Are there other churches along the way that you can stop and visit the Blessed Sacrament? Or cemeteries to stop and pray for the dead? Consider stopping at other churches along the way and pick up other pilgrims for your caravan.
If you need to stop for lunch, pack a simple picnic meal or pre-determine a restaurant where a simple meal is available. Consider inviting families from PSR programs, Catholic Schools or youth groups to join you.
As you walk through the Holy Door, offer prayers of gratitude for the opportunity and for arriving safely. Once inside, quietly spend time with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Read one of the scriptures or reflections.
are healed, the weak are carried and people are reconciled to God. Are you ready to receive the unchurched, the hurting, the broken and lost in your parish, in your life? Learning from Jesus: If we want to be merciful, we must understand Jesus’ life of mercy from the Scriptures. We must dispose ourselves to His Word and learn from Him (MV #13). If we are truly disciples of the Lord, then mercy is a fundamental part of our calling and mission. It is what we will be judged on. Do you give God’s word primacy in your life? Are you challenged by scripture? In what ways is mercy part of your personal mission? Confession: In this Year of Mercy, we are encouraged to put confession back into our individual lives, allowing God to touch you with the grandeur of His Mercy. When was the last time you made a Confession? Is this sacrament important in your life? Why or why not? Inter-religious Dialogue: Pope Francis highlights how both Judaism and Islam consider mercy to be one of the most important attributes of God. The Holy Father’s prayer is that the mercy of God will foster an encounter with other religions, opening us to fervent dialogue so that we might know and understand one another better. “May it eliminate every form of closed-mindedness and disrespect, and drive out every form of violence and discrimination.” (MV #23) How do you respond to others of different faiths? Marian Devotion: Pope Francis presents Mary as a model of mercy. Mary was dedicated to the mercy of God which extends “from generation to generation.” (Lk 1:50) At the foot of the cross, Mary, together with John, witnessed the words of forgiveness spoken by Jesus. This supreme expression of mercy towards those who crucified Him show us the point to which the mercy of God can reach. (MV #24) (MV #23) Spend some time meditating on Mary’s mercy in the rosary or Salve Regina.
Receive a Plenary Indulgence
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ll Catholics who visit the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans and its Holy Door of Mercy on pilgrimage and who fulfill the conditions ordinarily attached to a plenary indulgence (remission of temporal punishment for sins already forgiven, Canon 992) shall, with the proper intention and disposition, receive the plenary Jubilee Indulgence available during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. These conditions are: 1. recipient must be a baptized Catholic in the state of grace (free from mortal sin) at time of indulgenced work (pilgrimage); 2. recipient must internally express a detachment from and rejection of sin at time of indulgenced work (pilgrimage); 3. recipient must make a sacramental confession within 20 days of indulgenced work (pilgrimage), preferably but not required on the day itself; 4. recipient must receive Holy Communion within 20 days of indulgenced work, preferably but not required on the day itself; 5. recipient must pray for the intentions of the Holy Father at the time of the indulgenced work (pilgrimage), and make a Profession of Faith, one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be or other suitable prayers. The Jubilee Plenary Indulgence may be obtained for the living or the dead and will be available only one time daily. •
Cathedral of St. John Berchmans Holy Door The Holy Door is framed with cloth. 939 Jordan Street • Shreveport LA 318-221-5296
What is a Plenary Indulgence? Temporal punishment can be thought of as a type of “penalty” that remains even after sacramental confession. Some type of restorative, purifying “process” can take place either in this life or in purgatory. Because the baptized are members of the Communion of Saints, some or all of the temporal punishment for sin is removed by the Plenary Indulgence, and any remaining restoration/reparation happens when we exchange holiness with one another. A plenary indulgence, when conditions are met, is a way of recognizing that all of what we have and do comes from Christ. January 2016 15
Mercy in Action
Visit the Imprisoned (Matt. 25:36) by Shelly Bole, Director of Catechesis
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ust before Christmas, youth and sponsors from Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Holy Family (Barksdale) and Mary, Queen of Peace Catholic churches gathered in preparation for the annual Christmas party at Ware Children’s Detention Center. This is the thirteenth year Jacquie Bierwirth has organized this service opportunity. As participants began arriving, I asked several why they came and how they felt about visiting a correctional facility. Most of them came for service hours for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The youth ranged from grades 8 – 12. Lucas and his brother were not too sure about visiting a prison. Benjamin was looking forward to talking with the residents. Ainsley thought it was cool to go to a detention facility and she was curious as to why and how kids are sent to correctional facilities. Fr. Joseph Ampatt, a regular visitor to Ware, reminded everyone that these kids are not animals in a zoo – they are humans who broke the law, who misused their freedom. Destiny Jackson, a chaperone, is a family counselor and works with kids before they enter Ware and after leaving Ware. She told us the Ware kids are just like us, but they got into fights at school or similar situations which resulted in being placed in Ware. Many of the inmates come from abuse and poverty, sometimes stealing food to eat or looking to the streets because they do not have the blessing of guidance. As we entered the recreational room and waited for the Ware residents, I could feel the nervousness of the youth. While there were gifts to pass out and carols to be sung, the unknown was still intimidating. Twenty young men and women, ages 10-17, entered and sat at tables. Fr. Ampatt began the program with a greeting, followed by Scripture and a short message. To get everyone warmed up, a few Christmas carols were sung. Then Catholic youth eagerly began passing out bags of candy and other gifts. The residents were not quite sure what to do about all this, so the Catholic youth were encouraged to sit down and visit. It did not take long for the room to be filled with voices. As Ainsley said, “they were so serious and sad when they came in and it was nice to see them smiling and laughing. It is good that they can laugh in this place.” 16 Catholic Connection
While the festivities continued, I visited with Raymond Lloyd, the program manager for Ware. We talked about the residents and how approximately half of them are repeat offenders; mostly due to their home environments. Ware is the first stop in the criminal justice process, with residents having been found neither guilty nor innocent. Residents are usually at Ware for 30-90 days as they wait for court and a placement. Roughly 75% have family visits; 25% do not have a guardian. As the event was coming to an end, one resident asked if he could read something from the Bible. Fr. Ampatt showed him a scripture and the young man proclaimed it loud and clear. A few more carols followed along with the Prayer for Prisoners. Youth participant Audrey Beeman was amazed the residents shared their stories of how they were placed in Ware. She felt sad and happy: sad because these kids don’t have great role models and happy because they were being given the chance to learn not to do wrong again. Jacquie Bierwirth was happy because the residents were so kind and appreciative. She also mentioned that the residents shared funny stories about Fr. Ampatt and how he brings honeybuns at every visit. We talked about works of mercy and how visiting the imprisoned is one of the harder ones. But being imprisoned doesn’t just mean being in prison; one can be a prisoner of poverty, abuse and environment. Destiny Jackson challenged us to look around and see who is struggling at school, because each one of us may be the person who can help someone turn around. I also challenged the youth to remember to pray for the residents, especially remembering them during Mass that weekend. Indeed it was a morning of Mercy. •
local NEWS
St. Paschal Church: Celebrating 75 Years by Bonny Van
Parishioners wander through an exhibit celebrating St. Paschal's history
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ocated just off the I-20 exit on a busy street in West Monroe, St. Paschal Catholic Church blends into a landscape dotted with small houses, big businesses and traffic. Pre-occupied drivers might not even notice the 1960s style brick building along 7th Street, except for the large cross on top of a belltower that proclaims its purpose and its mission to serve God and others. “I think it’s important for us to stress what it means to be part of a Catholic community,” said pastor Fr. Frank Coens. “I’ve been here eight years and people tell me that there’s more activity now. But, what I’ve found is a group of people willing to volunteer and work.” Fr. Coens recalls one of his first stewardship meetings. “The chair said, ‘I’ll need some volunteers,’ and all of a sudden, five hands went up. There’s a real spirit of volunteerism here.” That spirit, along with open arms and hearts, has carried St. Paschal Church from its beginnings to the culmination of this year’s 75th anniversary celebration. In 1940, Bishop Daniel F. Desmond assigned two Franciscan priests to found a parish in West Monroe. Their job was to care for Catholics in Ouachita Parish west of the Ouachita River. They lived in a small two-story, four room house, dubbed “St. Paschal on the Range” due to neighborhood cows that paid visits to the priests and grazed near their bedroom windows. The first Mass was celebrated at Christmas in 1940, in a newly constructed small frame church on 7th Street. Growth continued for the small church with a new friary, school, gym and school cafeteria. By 1963, construction began on a new church and the dedication of that building in December 1964 coincided with another milestone, the 25th anniversary of the parish. Seventy-five years later, St. Paschal Parish has gone through many changes. The school was closed due to low enrollment and the economy is always a factor. “I see a lot of our young people going off to college and not coming back. We live in an economically depressed area,” said Fr. Coens. In spite of those issues, St. Paschal is “the little church that could.” Parish life is more vibrant than ever and community outreach programs continue to make a huge difference in many people’s lives. “We’re a very welcoming and friendly,” says parishioner Cathy Nolan. “I’ll often see people in the parking lot before Mass that
may be new and I make a point to welcome them and say we’re glad to have them. We’re family oriented and try to make everyone feel comfortable. And, we are very active.” Besides offering a friendly smile and warm welcome, St. Paschal parishioners are always working to serve, whether it’s for the church or the community. Besides the Parish School of Religion and Adult Bible Class, the church conducts a Spanish Mass and supports a Hispanic ministry; has a strong youth ministry program; offers RCIA classes; and, is a host church for Family Promise of Ouachita Parish, which helps homeless families transition back into jobs, schools and housing. “If you consider the size of St. Paschal, I think the caring spirit is really incredible,” said Nolan. “Our major events, the parish picnic, our potluck event (“Taste of St. Paschal”), and the annual Herbal Harvest Festival are not money makers,” says Fr. Coens, “but we are able to support ourselves and give to charities. It’s a matter of being able to get together, to enjoy each others’ company and to work together.” One of the driving forces behind all that work is Sister Edith Schnell, catechetical leader and pastoral minister at St. Paschal. And, when Sr. Edith calls, volunteers answer. “How can you say ‘no’ to Sr. Edith?” is the saying around the church. “That’s probably true,” laughs Sr. Edith. “I’m like a salesperson and I’m right there with them and giving them all the tools they need to do the job.” Now, all of that work will be celebrated in special Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael Duca, Sunday, January 17th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paschal Catholic Church. “The future holds the same promise as the past,” says Fr. Coens. “We’ll be a community of faith that comes together to pray together and to work together.” • January 2016 17
Celebrating Catholic Schools Week by Jessica Rinaudo and NCEA
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ational Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. It starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week, which in 2016 is January 31 February 6. The theme for the National Catholic Schools Week 2016 is “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.” Schools observe the annual celebration week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members. Through these events, schools focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation. The Diocese of Shreveport has six Catholic Schools - four elementary and two high schools in both Shreveport and Monroe. Our schools are special. Students excel in academics and faith, but also in community service and care and respect for others. “When I came to St. Frederick High School, one of the most amazing things was the family atmosphere,” said principal Dr. Bob Webber. “Students here are a family who work together, assisting each other to succeed. The faculty and staff know each student by name, and the smaller class sizes allow the teachers to provide more individual attention to the students.” Catholic schools also provide unique faith opportunities. “Vocations Director Fr. Matthew Long is one of the things that is special about Catholic schools!” said Polly Maciulski. “His visit to St. Joseph School with Sr. Anna Maria is something that simply does not occur in public schools, and that makes Catholic schools so special. The kids get to see that someone like Fr. Long is a human being who heard God calling him to the priesthood but he fought it... and Sr. Anna Maria explained that she always loved being around children, and realized that even if she had nine children as a mother, that would never be enough, so she followed the call from God to become who she is today.” Community service is integral to Catholic Schools as well. St. John Berchmans School has a "Caring and Sharing" day every month where students bring canned food items to donate to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the less fortunate. Loyola College Prep just hosted their most successful FAiTH day (Flyers Aiding the Hungry) day yet, as hundreds of those in need lined up on Jordan Street to receive food baskets and children’s Christmas gifts. At St. Frederick High School students are required to perform 20 hours per year of community service, but many go above and beyond those requirements. Students also see a need in an area, and they strive to meet those needs for others. Just this year, students have raised money for the American Cancer Society through No Shave 18 Catholic Connection
November, Thanksgiving turkeys for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and for Christmas presents for second graders at Minnie Ruffin Elementary. The students have also held a food drive to raise food for the Northeast Louisiana Food Bank, held a walk to raise awareness and funds for Diabetes and collected donations to be sent to a Catholic charity for the people of Paris. And, of course, academics are very important. “Being a college preparatory school, we are prepared to enter college and succeed. We learn how to excel in stressful situations as we learn to balance assignments, participate in extracurricular activities and focus on our family lives,” said St. Frederick High School student Scarlett Hammond. The Diocese of Shreveport takes a lot of pride and joy in our schools, and Catholic Schools Week is the perfect opportunity to learn more about them, take a tour and consider sending your child to one of these great establishments of learning. •
SHREVEPORT St. John Berchmans School 318-221-6005 St. Joseph School 318-865-3585 Loyola College Prep 318-221-2675 MONROE Jesus the Good Shepherd School 318-325-8569 Our Lady of Fatima School 318-387-1851 St. Frederick High School 318-323-9636
IN PROFILE: Dr. Cheryl White
Local History Professor Returns to Catholic Faith and Writes Book by Kelly Phelan Powell
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r. Cheryl White is a woman on fire for her faith. One has only to listen as she discusses her latest book, Round Trip to Rome: The Travelogue of a Returning Catholic, to understand how important it is to her that Catholics who have fallen away from the faith understand that not only do we welcome them when they want to come home, we long for them to find their way back into the arms of Holy Mother Church. This message is particularly personal for her since on December 25, 2014, she returned to Catholicism after a 20-year sojourn into Anglicanism. A seasoned traveler with a Ph.D. in Medieval History and History of Dogmatic Theology, this was the journey she chose to document in Round Trip to Rome, and it makes for a fascinating, intensely personal memoir peppered liberally with an academic’s historical perspective. “I came into the Church as an adult, so I never felt that connection the way some cradle Catholics do,” explained White, who became Roman Catholic at the age of 18. “It took me leaving and being gone for 20 years and coming back to feel that strong need to tell former Catholics or non-practicing Catholics that it is OK to come home, that it’s safe to come home.” She grew up largely un-churched until, at the age of 10, a family that lived in her neighborhood invited her to Sunday Mass. She spent the following years attending Mass regularly until she was 17, then began private catechesis with Fr. William “Bill” Updegraff, the priest at her local parish. As she says in Round Trip to Rome, “When I received the Sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation, all on the same day (which happened to be the Feast of the Annunciation), at the age of 18, I finally became part of what I had known to be true since childhood.” Over the next several years, life went on, and White eventually married her husband of now 25 years, Paul, whom
she describes as “a man whose only major flaw was his genetically-encoded Protestantism… I have always said that Jesus heals my spiritual brokenness, but with a little help from Paul along the way.” With two children completing their family, the religious conversation shifted from Catholic versus Protestant to finding a church home where all of them would be together. They visited a variety of churches and, with the discipline of the academic she is, White heavily researched all of them. She says, “My worldview is that of an academic historian, making it challenging for me to see through any other lens. It was for this reason that I suggested a visit to the Episcopal Church.” Though she never made any secret of her yearning for Rome, White and her family nevertheless immersed themselves in their Episcopal Church community, and there made lifelong friends and many happy memories. But during her 20 years as an Anglican, White continually ran into theological, moral and historical difficulties that she tried, but was unable to reconcile. In 2014, she finally made her way back to terra firma. Back home at last, White revels in the truth and beauty of the Church, to which she refers as the “Repository of Truth.” In a tempestuous climate so hostile to Christianity, many outside the Church are surprised to learn that her teachings do not fall neatly into conservative/liberal ideology. “I think the fact that the Church doesn’t fit into any preconceived political mold just speaks to its truth and universality,” said White. “Because if you look closely enough, you see that there’s a consistency in our respect for the dignity of human life, for instance.” One of the positive aspects of our tumultuous times is that former and non-practicing Catholics, seeking the
truth, are more and more finding themselves drawn toward Rome. In an interview, White cited some interesting statistics: 1 in 10 Americans is a former Catholic, whereas 1 in 3 identify as Catholic but categorize themselves as “non-practicing.” However, only 20 percent of people leave the Church because they disagree with her teachings. What that means is that 80 percent of former and non-practicing Catholics are attempting to make a Catholic worldview work in the world and/or in non-Catholic denominations. Needless to say, that’s a recipe for frustration. As White said, we Catholics, living in the fullness of the truth of the Gospel, are called to stand in “the uncomfortable places.” Part of the proceeds of Round Trip to Rome benefits the Calling Catholics Home ministry (www.callingcatholicshome. com). It is available from all major online booksellers. White encourages those interested in bulk use of the book for catechesis, small groups or faith formation to contact her for more information through her website, www.cherylhwhite. com, or the book’s Facebook page. • January 2016 19
New Principal for St. Joseph School
Hearts Afire Program
Welcome Dr. Judith U. McGimsey by John Mark Willcox, Director of Development
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ishop Michael G. Duca, Rev. Mark Franklin, Pastor of St. Joseph Church and Sr. Carol Shively, Diocesan Superintendent of Schools, are all pleased to announce the successful hiring of a new principal for St. Joseph School in Shreveport. St. Joseph parishioner Dr. Judith U. McGimsey will fill the role beginning January 4, 2016. “Dr. McGimsey is blessed with a wealth of experience and talent and we are truly excited to have an individual with this talent level committed to serving the wonderful students and parents of St. Joseph School,” comments Sr. Carol. Fr. Franklin added, “Everyone associated with St. Joseph School is excited to work with Dr. McGimsey in taking the school to a new level of success. I also want to thank Stephanie Johnson from Loyola College Prep who did such a fine job of serving St. Joseph as interim Principal.” Dr. McGimsey received her undergraduate degree in Math and Education from Schippensburg University before obtaining her Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Pfeiffer University in Meisenheimer, NC. Her Doctorate in Education Leadership and Public Administration was earned from North Carolina State 20 Catholic Connection
University in 2005. She has a wealth of employment experience, including extensive work with the Federal Government in the fields of Education Research, Training and Recruiting Programs. She is excited at the prospect of working at the school of her home parish. “I share a true love for St. Joseph with many other people and I’m ready to put my skills to use for the students, faculty and parents of the school.” Bishop Michael G. Duca is also excited about this positive addition to the diocesan school system. “A careful search was conducted to provide the right individual for the Principal of St. Joseph School and I feel we have found just that person to continue the school’s wonderful history of educational ministry in Dr. McGimsey,” commented Bishop Duca. St. Joseph School serves students PK8th and has provided quality Catholic education to the people of this area for more than 50 years. The vision of St. Joseph is to provide a religious and academic education that prepares students to become responsible members of family, Church and community. Contact the school office at 318-8653585, or visit their website: www.sjsfalcons.org. •
by Mary Frances Parker and Donna Barnard
he Hearts Afire Program is a bold and fresh approach for individuals, small groups in homes or parishes. It is designed to help us live the complete Catholic life of faith, charity and the sacraments. Structured around four best selling books by popular author and retreat master Fr. Michael Gaitley, a Marian Priest of the Immaculate Conception, it is designed to set our hearts on fire with the love of God and neighbor and to inspire us to works of mercy in our families, parishes and communities. These simple programs will lead you, your family and your parish friends to the burning love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and His Mother, the Immaculate Heart of Mary. If you are interested in satisfying this burning desire of our Holy Father Pope Francis during this Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Hearts Afire program is a perfect path to enrich your spiritual journey. The program begins by focusing on The Two Hearts: The Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The second part presents, in an accessible way, the teachings and wisdom of the Catholic Church. These teachings in these books and retreats inspired the newly formed group: Mary’s Servants of Mercy. This group has completed the entire program and can certainly attest to the grace and knowledge they have received through their participation in these retreat style presentations. Please let us know if you start a group and contact us if we can assist you in any way during your Hearts Afire journey. Donna: Donnadcmb@aol.com Mary Frances: wdparker1@gmail.com
Winter Full of Events for Youth & Young Adults Theology on Tap Expands East and South; Day Planned for Youth to Deepen Catholic Identity by Jessica Rinaudo and Nicki Prevou
Father Matthew Long presents Theology on Tap for Young Adults.
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ur Youth and Young Adult Ministries are gearing up for an exciting new year. Beginning this month, Theology on Tap (TOT) is expanding from its Shreveport base south and east to other parts of our diocese. “Theology on Tap began in the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1981, and is licensed through the Renew International organization. This form of outreach to young adults is held in Catholic dioceses across the country,” explained Kevin Prevou, Director of Campus, Youth and Young Adult Ministries. “TOT is an opportunity for young adults to gather, listen to a presentation and participate in great discussions about the Catholic faith. Once young adults in our eastern and southern deaneries learned about the program, they came to Shreveport to see what it was all about. They have now asked to bring TOT to their own areas of the diocese.” On January 11, Fr. Matthew Long will host the first Theology on Tap in Mansfield at Billy B’s Cajun Grill beginning at 7:00 p.m. Fr. Long, both Director of Vocations and priest at St. Joseph Parish in Mansfield, will offer a presentation on the topic “Too Busy to
Pray!” He asks, “Are you too busy to pray? If so, you aren’t alone. Many of us struggle with developing a consistent prayer life. If we want to have an intimate relationship with God, prayer is essential… Join us for Theology on Tap as the first step to deepen your prayer life.” Bishop Michael Duca will lead Monroe’s first Theology on Tap event, to be held on January 26 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Monago Fieldhouse Bar & Grill, located conveniently near the University of
Louisiana Monroe Campus. Both of these events are great opportunities for young adults to learn more about their faith, bring a friend and meet more Catholics in their area. The Office of Youth will also host a Catholic Youth Day on February 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for all middle and high school students. This event, which will take place at the Catholic Center in Shreveport, will be full of wonderful fun, educational and spiritual opportunities to help youth celebrate and deepen their sense of a Catholic identity that is both personal and communal. Nationally recognized Catholic musician and songwriter Steve Angrisano will lead praise and worship activities and will offer a keynote presentation. “Catholic Youth Day will be a special opportunity for our youth to come together as members of our diocesan family,” said Kevin. “We are so grateful that Bishop Duca will join us to celebrate the Eucharist. Members of our Diocesan Council can tell you that when we gather, we have a great time, praying and learning together about our Catholic faith, while also playing games and making new friends.” Start planning to join us for these events. You can contact the Office of Youth and Young Adults at 318-8684441, kprevou@dioshpt.org, or talk to the youth minister at your church. We hope to see you there! •
January 2016 21
Encountering Christ Through Works of Mercy by Erin Biery, Volunteer Coordinator, Catholic Charities of North Louisiana
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ome, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me… Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me’. (Mat 25:3536,40) In Mathew’s narrative of the judgment of nations we find a profound invitation to encounter Christ through adopting a Catholic way life, that is, faith animated by works of mercy. The wisdom of the Catholic Faith invites us all to live a life of service to others as we are reminded, with a humble heart, to love our neighbors as ourselves. At Catholic Charities of North Louisiana (CCNLA) the opportunities to live out this Catholic way of life are endless. CCNLA witnesses to the love of Christ by helping people in need and by serving their communities that include the 16 parishes of North Louisiana. In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis encourages us “to experience the opening of our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes of society” and to “keep alive the desire to know how to welcome the numerous signs of the tenderness which God offers to the whole world and, above all, to those who suffer, who are alone and abandoned, without hope of being pardoned or feeling the Father’s love” (Misericordiae Vultus, Pope Francis). During this period of contemplating Christ’s mercy, we are reminded that he not only preached mercy, but he put into action works of mercy as he assisted the poor, consoled the lonely and outcast, relieved suffering and affliction and taught the ignorant. No one person can give what they do not have, thus each one of us must know Christ personally. We need to know him personally so that we can go out 22 Catholic Connection
and announce him to every person we encounter. Just as when followers of John the Baptist came to Jesus asking, ‘Are you he who is to come or shall we look for another? And Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them’ (Mt 11:2-5) It is time we become uncomfortable with poverty. It is time for us to shake off our indifference and cynicism of today’s culture and take action. If you feel a burning in your heart to dedicate your time to serving others, Catholic Charities of North Louisiana could use your services to bring Christ’s message of love to the poor and vulnerable. Please give us a call at (318) 865-0200, ext. 101 and we can help connect you with a program that could utilize your time and talents in serving the poor. •
331 East 71st Street • Shreveport 318-865-0200 • www.ccnla.org
52 Weeks of Mercy Campaign by Shelly Bole, Director of Catechesis
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magine what our diocese would look like with kindnesses and prayers being intentionally done each week. Imagine the changes in Northern Louisiana as Catholics blanket it with works of mercy. Imagine the administrators at the food bank when a whole town of Catholics show up with canned goods, or the faces of the children who will get a healthy meal tonight. Catholics can make a big difference in our communities by consciously being merciful. Every Tuesday for 52 weeks, Catholics are challenged to complete a work of mercy. Challenges will be posted through parish bulletins, tweets, facebook, parish websites and other forms of media. The idea is to change our mindset and behaviors as we imitate the mercy of Christ. Join us for #52weeksofmercy and change northern Louisiana. •
hispanic NEWS (Artículo del Comité de Asuntos Hispanos de la Conferencia Episcopal (Obispos) de los Estados Unidos)
Hacia el Quinto, (V) Encuentro Nacional Hispano
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ueridos compañeros en el ministerio! El Subcomité de Asuntos Hispanos y el Comité de Diversidad Cultural en la Iglesia se reunieron el 15 de noviembre y seleccionaron el tema central, y los cinco temas generativos para el V Encuentro Nacional de Pastoral Hispana/Latina. Discípulos misioneros: Testigos del Amor de Dios Temas para la Guía 1. Llamados a un encuentro de amor con Jesús 2. Con obras y gestos: ¡Atrévete! 3. ¡Caminando juntos con Jesús! 4. ¡Dando frutos de vida nueva! 5. Festejando la alegría de ser discípulos misioneros Los obispos seleccionaron la región de Dallas/Fort-Worth como anfitriona para la celebración del V Encuentro Nacional, el cual ocurrirá del 20-23 de septiembre, 2018. El sitio para este evento histórico será The Gaylord Texan Hotel, en el área de Dallas/ Fort-Worth. El siguiente paso en nuestro caminar es la formación de los Equipos Diocesanos de Acompañamiento del V Encuentro (EDAVE). Estos equipos serán coordinados por dos personas asignadas por el obispo de cada diócesis, incluyendo a la persona responsable de la pastoral hispana. Cada equipo diocesano tendrá de diez a doce miembros representativos de distintos ministerios, incluyendo: pastoral juvenil y familiar, evangelización y catequesis, movimientos eclesiales laicos, pastoral vocacional, pastoral migrante, pastoral social, escuelas católicas y pastoral litúrgica, entre otros. Los equipos diocesanos serán responsables de capacitar a los equipos parroquiales para que estén listos para facilitar el proceso del V Encuentro cuando de inicio en enero del 2017. El Papa Francisco sabe que los obispos de los Estados Unidos están convocando el V Encuentro como una iniciativa prioritaria de su plan estratégico durante el 2017 al 2020. También sabe que nuestra presencia es de gran importancia para la iglesia y la sociedad.
Por eso el Santo Padre bendijo la Cruz de los Encuentros durante su visita a Filadelfia y nos animó a seguir adelante como alegres discípulos misioneros. ¡Sigamos pues caminando con audacia evangélica y alegría misionera hacia nuestro V Encuentro nacional de pastoral Hispana/Latina, dando frutos abundantes! Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, Hispanic Affairs. Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church. USCCB
Calendario del Mes de Enero 2016 1 Solemnidad de la Virgen María, la Santa Madre de Dios 3 Epifanía del Señor 3-9 Semana Nacional de Migración, con el tema “Fui forastero y me recibiste en tu casa.” 9 1ª. Reunión en preparación para Búsqueda # 7 (11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Centro Católico) 16 Reunión de Mesa Directiva de Pastoral Juvenil (9-11a.m. Centro Católico).
January 2016 23
school NEWS
JGS Selects Student of the Year
All Pro Dads Gather at Our Lady of Fatima
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esus the Good Shepherd School has selected 5th grader, Adeline Miller (daughter of Dr. & Mrs. Lee Miller), as Student of the Year for the 2015-2016 school year.
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ll Pro Dad’s Day is a monthly school program where dads and kids meet to have breakfast and enjoy meaningful conversation that strengthens their relationship. Our Lady of Fatima School has the first All Pro Dad’s Club in the Monroe area.
They recently held their first meeting and had 34 dads show up and eat breakfast and interact with their children. November’s focus was on being thankful. Some of the dads were really touched when their children shared what they were thankful for. - Dr. Carynn Wiggins
St. Joseph Students Practice Service
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n Tuesday, December 1, the St. Joseph Catholic School Choir visited several Shreveport-Bossier City area nursing homes to sing Christmas carols and spread the Christmas spirit. The choir made trips to Spring Lake, Colonial Oaks and The Glen. Operation Love is thriving in its third year of lending a hand to the Christian Service program. Throughout the month, middle school students collected travelsized items, such as shampoos, soaps, deodorants and toothpaste, for the people who will come to the Christian Service Hospitality House for a hot holiday meal on Tuesday, December 22. The school-wide service project this Advent season was our annual Christian Service clothing drive, which collected new and gently-used clothing 24 Catholic Connection
Loyola Student Chosen for U.S. Senate Program
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oyola College Prep senior Nathan Marak has been chosen for the prestigious United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), to be held in Washington, D.C. in March 2016. Nathan is one of only two students chosen from Louisiana.
SJB Spelling Bee Winner
for people of all ages to be distributed to those in our area who Christian Service assists. St. Joseph School has enjoyed strong ties with Christian Service for decades. - Polly Maciulski
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ongratulations to 4th grader Reynard Landreneau for winning the 2015 Spelling Bee. Reynard is pictured here with 2014 SJB Spelling Bee Champion and 2015 runner-up Michael Calvaresi (left) and 3rd place finisher Hallie Krauss (right).
Kids' Connection!
What Can We Learn This Month?
! d e v l o v n I t Ge
This month we celebrate the
Spiritual Works of Mercy The aim of the Spiritual Works of Mercy is to relieve spiritual suffering.
1)
Instruct
the ignorant.
2) COunsel the doubtful.
3) Admonish the sinners.
4) Bear wrongs patiently.
5) Forgive offenses willingly.
The Spiritual Works of Mercy are ways to help heal one another’s and our own souls. And while we may not always be in position to counsel, we can always be patient, forgive and pray.
Bear Wrongs Patiently and Forgive Offenses Willingly. When someone hurts us, tells lies, spreads rumors, steals things from us, it is hard not to be mad and carry a grudge. Pray for the Lord to open your heart to forgiveness, regardless of apologies. Comfort the Afllicted: Affliction can mean anything from pain to anger to remorse. Be patient, listen, love and pray for those who are suffering. Pray for the Living and the Dead: Prayer is something we all can do for one another at any time. Pray for those you love, but also pray for those who are not your friends. And pray for those we love who have died.
Word Find ADMONISH AFFLICTED BEAR COMFORT
COUNSEL DOUBTFUL FORGIVE IGNORANT
INSTRUCT OFFENSES PATIENTLY PRAY
6) Comfort the aff licted.
7) Pray for the living & the dead.
January 2016 25
across the GLOBE by Vatican Information Services
pass through the Holy Door means To
to rediscover
the infinite mercy of the Father who welcomes everyone and goes out personally to encounter each of them.
Francis Opens the Holy Door: Mercy Must Precede Judgement
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atican City, December 8, 2015 (VIS) – At 9:30 a.m., in the presence of 60 thousand faithful in St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father celebrated Holy Mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The celebration preceded the opening of the Holy Door, the gesture with which the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy began. In his homily the pope spoke about the fullness of grace as revealed in Mary, which is capable of transforming the heart. He described the Holy Year as a gift of grace that leads us to discover the depth of the Father’s mercy and, finally, he recalled the other door opened to the world by the Vatican Council II 50 years ago, allowing the Church to encounter the men and women of our time. The following is the full text of the homily: “In a few moments I will have the joy of opening the Holy Door of Mercy. We carry out this act – as I did in Bangui – so simple yet so highly symbolic, in the light of the word of God which we have just heard. That word highlights the primacy of grace. Again and again these readings make us think of the words by which the angel Gabriel told an astonished young girl of the mystery 26 Catholic Connection
which was about to enfold her: ‘Hail, full of grace.’ The Virgin Mary was called to rejoice above all because of what the Lord accomplished in her. God’s grace enfolded her and made her worthy of becoming the Mother of Christ. When Gabriel entered her home, even the most profound and impenetrable of mysteries became for her a cause for joy, a cause for faith, a cause for abandonment to the message revealed to her. The fullness of grace can transform the human heart and enable it to do something so great as to change the course of human history. The feast of the Immaculate Conception expresses the grandeur of God’s love. Not only does He forgive sin, but in Mary He even averts the original sin present in every man and woman who comes into this world. This is the love of God which precedes, anticipates and saves. The beginning of the history of sin in the Garden of Eden yields to a plan of saving love. The words of Genesis reflect our own daily experience: we are constantly tempted to disobedience, a disobedience expressed in wanting to go about our lives without regard for God’s will. This is the enmity which keeps striking at people’s lives,
setting them in opposition to God’s plan. Yet the history of sin can only be understood in the light of God’s love and forgiveness. Sin can only be understood in this light. Were sin the only thing that mattered, we would be the most desperate of creatures. But the promised triumph of Christ’s love enfolds everything in the Father’s mercy. The word of God which we have just heard leaves no doubt about this. The Immaculate Virgin stands before us as a privileged witness of this promise and its fulfilment. This Extraordinary Year is itself a gift of grace. To pass through the Holy Door means to rediscover the infinite mercy of the Father who welcomes everyone and goes out personally to encounter each of them. It is he who seeks us! It is he who comes to encounter us! This will be a year in which we grow ever more convinced of God’s mercy. How much wrong we do to God and His grace when we speak of sins being punished by His judgement before we speak of their being forgiven by his mercy! But that is the truth. We have to put mercy before judgement, and in any event God’s judgement will always be in the light of His mercy. In passing through the Holy Door, then, may we feel that we ourselves are part of this mystery of love, of tenderness. Let us set aside all fear and dread, for these do not befit men and women who are loved. Instead, let us experience the joy of encountering that grace which transforms all things. Today, here in Rome and in all the dioceses of the world, as we pass through the Holy Door, we also want to remember another door, which 50 years ago the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council opened to the world. This anniversary cannot be remembered only for the legacy of the Council’s documents, which testify to a great advance in faith. Before all else, the Council was an encounter. A genuine encounter between the Church and the men and women of our time. An encounter marked by the power of the Spirit, who impelled the Church to emerge from the shoals which for years had kept her selfenclosed so as to set out once again, with
enthusiasm, on her missionary journey. It was the resumption of a journey of encountering people where they live: in their cities and homes, in their workplaces. Wherever there are people, the Church is called to reach out to them and to bring the joy of the Gospel, and the mercy and forgiveness of God. After these decades, we again take up this missionary drive with the same power and enthusiasm. The Jubilee challenges us to this openness, and demands that we not neglect the spirit which emerged from Vatican II, the spirit of the Samaritan, as Blessed Paul VI expressed it at the conclusion of the Council. May our passing through the Holy Door today commit us to making our own the mercy of the Good Samaritan.” Following the Holy Mass, the Pope, followed by the cardinals, bishops and priests who participated in the rite, proceeded to the vestibule of the Basilica to open the Holy Door. First, he greeted and embraced Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, and then walked alone to the Door where he recited the words of Psalm 118: “Open to me the gates of justice.” Francis pushed against the Door with his hands until it opens and then prayed a moment before entering the Basilica. The Pope emeritus then entered, followed by the cardinals, bishops, religious and laypeople, including some of Italy’s most prominent political figures. The Jubilee of Mercy is the first extraordinary Jubilee of the 21st century. In the 20th century Pius XI proclaimed a Holy Year in 1933 to commemorate the nineteenth centenary of the death of Christ, and Paul VI inaugurated another in 1966 that lasted five months, dedicated to the closure shortly beforehand of Vatican Council II. St. John Paul II convoked a Jubilee with the Bull “Aperite Portas Redemptori” the Holy Year of Redemption in 1983, for the 1950th anniversary of the Redemption.
VAtICAN news & notes from Vatican Information Services
• On the third Sunday of Advent the Pope opened the third Holy Door of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. Following the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Bangui in the Central African Republic on November 29 and that of St. Peter's Basilica on December 8, on December 13 he opened the Holy Door of the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the Basilica of St. John Lateran. On “Gaudete Sunday”, the Sunday of Joy, Francis reaffirmed that the reason for this joy is expressed in the readings with words infused with hope and which allow us to look to the future with serenity, as “the Lord has annulled every condemnation and chose to live among us.” • “We ask that this jubilee year sow merciful love in the hearts of individuals, families and nations. Let us convert and become merciful people, and let all Christian communities be oases and sources of mercy, witnesses to a charity without exclusion. To ask this in a special way, I will travel to venerate her [Our Lady of Guadalupe] in her Shrine on February 13. I will ask for this for all America, for whom she is a special Mother. Let us implore her to guide the footsteps of the American people, a pilgrim people looking for the Mother of mercy, and let us ask her just one thing: to show them her Son Jesus”. • The twelfth meeting of the Council of Cardinals met from December 10 to 12. In its reflections, the Council emphasized the importance of the Holy Father’s discourse of October 17, on the occasion of the Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Institution of the
Synod of Bishops. In this discourse the Pope extensively developed the theme of 'synodality' but also recalled the importance of proceeding with a healthy decentralization. The Council remarked on the need to further explore the meaning of this discourse and its importance in the work of reforming the Curia, and agreed to dedicate a specific session to this during the next Meeting in February 2016.” • In the afternoon of December 7, the Holy Father signed the Rescriptum ex audientia on the implementation of and compliance with the new law on procedures for the declaration of nullity of marriage. • Pope Francis traveled to Africa at the end of November. In his address in the Conference Hall in Uganda, Francis emphasized that his visit was intended to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the canonization of the martyrs of Uganda by his predecessor Pope Paul VI, but at the same time he hoped it would also be “a sign of friendship, esteem and encouragement for all the people of this great nation.” “My visit is also meant to draw attention to Africa as a whole, its promise, its hopes, its struggles and its achievements,” he continued. “The world looks to Africa as the continent of hope. Uganda has indeed been blessed by God with abundant natural resources, which you are challenged to administer as responsible stewards. But above all, the nation has been blessed in its people: its strong families, its young and its elderly... the living memory of every people.” January 2016 27
around the DIOCESE
Tribal Youth Dance for Nursing Care Residents
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t. Ann Church in Ebarb's Society of St. Vincent de Paul was the host for the monthly birthday party for the residents of Toledo Nursing Center in Zwolle. St. Ann invited the tribe’s youth group, Rising Sun, to demonstrate Native American dances in honor of Native American Heritage month. Tribal youth in
attendance were Celena Rivers, Garrett Rivers, Shaun Toopes (Boy Ambassador), Carley Meshell, Skylar Meshell, Nathan Bugg, NaDean Bugg (Girl Ambassador), Bonner Clemence, Cheyton Cartinez, Brisa Cartinez and sponsor, Kallie W. Russell. Afterwards birthday cake, ice cream, chips and tamales were served to everyone.
St. Jude Delivers Thanksgiving Baskets
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any St. Jude families delivered Thanksgiving baskets to 145 families in the community as part of their Marcie’s Feast Ministry.
Giving Gifts of Love
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acred Heart Church in Shreveport shared the Christmas Spirit of love with the giving of gifts to their less fortunate neighbors. – Deacon Clary Nash
Pope's Visit Reflection
Young Women Serve at Soup Kitchen
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he KPC Junior Daughter Court #160 from Little Flower of Jesus Parish enjoyed a day in service to the community at Granny Goins Soup Kitchen in Monroe during the Thanksgiving school break. They hung clothes in the closet, assisted with serving food and greeted the community. To conclude the day they offered 28 Catholic Connection
“Totes of Love” to the women present. Over 40 purses were stuffed with feminine hygiene items to provide some sense of warmth and security during this holiday season! A special THANK YOU to Pierre and Pierre Law Firm, P.E.E.P Inc, KPC LA #160, and the Little Flower Church family for helping this service event be a success! – Evelyn T. Body
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t. Jude families gathered for a night of reflections, sharing photos and memories from a group of 12 fellow parishioners who were blessed to be able to attend the historical events of the pope’s visit to the United States.
LaTech Catholic Students Launch "Freshmen Crossing"
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ver the summer, the leadership of the Association of Catholic Tech Students (ACTS) experienced a pleasant surprise: over 150 freshman sign-ups at orientation. As enrollment at Tech continues to increase, the population of Catholics on campus continues to rise as well, and ACTS is doing everything it can to meet the needs of the new class. Termed “Freshman Crossing”—referencing the “crossroads” of the students’
St. Martha Circle Celebrates Together
St. Frederick Students Walk for Diabetes Awareness
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t. Frederick High School’s FBLA sponsored the first Diabetes Walk on Saturday, December 5. Students, faculty, staff and community members all participated, collecting over $250 through donations and the $3 admission charge. Pictured: Seniors Blair Breard and Natalie Myers prepare to walk.
lives in the transition from youth to adulthood during the college years—the program aims to help new students learn the best ways to enjoy college with the support of a faith-based, encouraging team. The leaders, ACTS seniors Seth Louviere and Rebecca Huston, gathered upperclassmen and divided the new students into “squads” consisting of two or three older students with a handful of freshmen. The squads typically stay together during the Wednesday evening meetings, doing activities such as scavenger hunts, or, most recently, seasonal competitions like carving pumpkins or building gingerbread houses, as well as group discussions or Q&A opportunities. It also provides the freshmen with friendly upperclassmen faces from whom to seek advice, homework help or simply friendship. No matter how easy or difficult the college transition may be for the freshmen, the class of 2019 is always encouraged to meet new friends, mature in their faith, and grow into better people every day, and make the Catholic Student Center their “home away from home” to do so. – Brother Mike Ward
T
he St. Martha Circle of the Council of Catholic Women from St. Joseph Parish in Zwolle celebrated their Christmas Party on December 10. Together they enjoyed lots of food, fun and bingo at the year end party.
January 2016 29
mark your CALENDAR 1/11
Theology on Tap Mansfield Fr. Matthew Long will present "Too Busy to Pray" at Billy B's Cajun Grill, 13147 US 171, Mansfield, LA. Are you too busy to pray? If so, you aren't alone. Many of us struggle with developing a consistent prayer life. If we want to have an intimate relationship with God, prayer is essential. Try having a deep relationship with your best friend, your spouse, your parent, without talking and listening to them regularly. It isn't going to happen. So how do we make time in our way too busy, too noisy schedule? Join us for Theology on Tap as the first step to deepen your prayer life. For more information, contact Kevin Prevou, 318-868-4441, kprevou@ dioshpt.org.
1/24
Mass for Consecrated Life at the Cathedral A Mass honoring men and women religious will be held at the Cathedral at 5:30 p.m. and will be celebrated by Bishop Michael Duca. For more information, call the Catholic Center at 318-868-4441.
1/26
Theology on Tap Monroe Bishop Michael Duca will present at Monago Fieldhouse Bar and Grill, 1510 Sterlington Rd., Monroe. Theology on Tap is coming to Young Adults in the Monroe Area! Participants will meet once a month at the Fieldhouse from 7-8:30pm to experience a presentation on Catholic theology or tradition and have time for questions and answers. For more information, contact Kevin Prevou, 318-868-4441, kprevou@dioshpt.org.
1/31
St. Brigid Feast Day Celebration at St. Mary of the Pines Parish In honor of St. Brigid's feast day, St. Mary of the Pines Parish will host an Irish/English Rosary at 8:30 a.m., followed by Mass at 9:00 a.m. There will be an Irish brunch and ceili immediately following Mass with live Irish music, mummers who will tell the story of St Brigid's cloak and ceili dancing. Come and celebrate with us! St. Mary of the Pines is located at 1050 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Shreveport, LA 71118. For more information, contact the church
office at 318-687-5121.
2/1
Immaculee Ilibagiza to Speak at St. Frederick High School for Catholic Schools Week Immaculee Ilibagiza author of Left to Tell will be the guest speaker to kick off Catholic Schools Week at SFHS. Everyone is invited to join the Warriors as they welcome this inspirational author and survivor of the Rwanda Genocide. Monday, February 1, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in the Marsh Memorial Gymnasium at St. Frederick High School. There will be no charge for admission.
2/7
Year of Consecrated Life Celebration at St. John the Baptist Parish To conclude the Year of Consecrated Life, St. John the Baptist Parish in Many will be hosting a special celebration on Sunday, February 7. All Religious are invited to attend the 10:00 a.m. Mass. There will also be a special luncheon in their honor afterwards. Everyone is invited to attend this event as we show our appreciation to these special people who have devoted their lives to serving God’s people.
Bishop Michael Duca’s Pro-Life Banquet March 16, 2016 • Bossier Civic Center Camille Pauley - Keynote Speaker
30 Catholic Connection
JANUARY
2016
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
SATURDAY
27 28 29 30 31 1 2 The Holy Innocents
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
St. Thomas Becket, bishop & martyr
New Year's Eve
New Year's Day
St. Sylvester I, pope
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Sts. Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen, bishops & doctors
Year of Mercy: Opening the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Mary Major
3
Epiphany of the Lord
4
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious
5 St. John Neumann, bishop
6 St. Andre Bessette, religious
7 St. Raymond of Penyafort, priest
New Year's Day/ Jan 1
8
Deadline for the February Catholic Connection
9
Diocesan Youth Council Meeting, Catholic Center, 12pm
Epiphany of the Lord / JAN 3
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 The Baptism of the Lord
Theology on Tap, Billy B's, Mansfield, 7pm
Protecting God's Children, Catholic Center, 6pm
Second Collection: Diocesan Catholic Schools
St. Hilary, bishop & doctor of the Church
Theology on Tap / Jan 11 & 26
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 St. Paschal Parish's 75th Anniversary Mass & Celebration, 10am
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Investment Committee Meeting, Catholic Center, 10am
Second Collection: Diocesan Catholic Schools
St. Agnes, virgin & martyr
St. Fabian, pope & martyr; St. Sebastian, martyr
Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Second Collection: Church in Latin America (through the 24th) St. Vincent, deacon & martyr
St. Paschal's 75th Anniv./ Jan 17
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Mass for the Year of Consecrated Life, Cathedral, 5:30pm
31 Catholic Schools Week Begins
The Conversion of St. Paul, apostle Year of Mercy: Opening the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls
Theology on Tap, St. Angela Fieldhouse Bar Merici, virgin & & Grill, Monroe, religious founder 6:30pm St. Timothy & St. Titus, bishops
LCCB Meeting, Baton Rouge St. Thomas Aquinas, priest & doctor of the Church
Confirmation, Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, 4:30pm
Consecrated Life Mass / Jan 24 January 2016 31
Connection The Catholic
DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT 3500 Fairfield Ave.
•
Shreveport, LA 71104
Photo of the Month Youth from St. Ann Church in Stonewall and St. Joseph Parish in Mansfield were part of the group of 90 from the Diocese of Shreveport who traveled to the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis to join with over 23,000 Catholic youth in celebrating their faith.
32 Catholic Connection
Fairfield