Connection The Catholic
4
th
y r a s r e v i n n A
SHROUD OF TURIN RESEARCH PROJECT
Vol. 28 No. 3 October 2018
Shroud of Turin Shroud Experts & Original STURP Team Members Gather at Shreveport's Cathedral of St. John Berchmans for Special Panel
CONTENTS FEATURES
14
5
Bishop Duca Installed in Baton Rouge; Shreveport Bids Him Farewell by Jessica Rinaudo
17
14 Shroud of Turin
Shroud Experts and Original STURP Team Members Gather at Shreveport’s Cathedral of St. John Berchmans for Special Panel
5
by Jessica Rinaudo
COLUMNS 6
MIKE’S MEDITATIONS
7
LIBRARY NOTES
8
9
Stop, Be Still and Breathe by Mike Van Vranken
God Isn’t Finished With Me Yet by Barbara Lee Review by Marie Rinaudo
FAITHFUL FOOD
Seeking Gifts Where They May be Found by Kim Long
DOMESTIC CHURCH
Help Us, Lord! We’re Sinking! by Katie Sciba
10 SECOND COLLECTIONS
World Mission Sunday by Fr. Rothell Price
11 NAVIGATING THE FAITH
Prayers: Our Spiritual Roadmaps by Kim Long
12 FROM THE POPE
Audience with Participants in “TheTheology of Tenderness in Pope Francis” Conference from the Vatican Press Office
26 KIDS’ CONNECTION
Feast of the Guardian Angels
NEWS 17 Diocese Welcomes Fr. Mangum
as Diocesan Administrator by Jessica Rinaudo
18 Farewell to Fr. Andre McGrath, OFM
News from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Vatican Press Office
26 School News 28 Around the Diocese 30 October Calendar
On the Cover
Connection The Catholic
Celebrates Landmark Year by Lisa Cooper
Vol. 28 No. 3 October 2018
20 Catholic Charities Employee Assists
Clients in Sharing the Journey by Lucy Medvec
21 Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat:
Post-Abortive Healing by Dianne Rachal
22 Diocesan Seminary Burses
by Fr. Jerry Daigle
2 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
19 St. John Berchmans Catholic School
23 HISPANIC NEWS
A Day in the Life of a Seminarian by Nicholas Duncan
by John Mark Willcox
13 VOCATIONS VIEW
26 ACROSS THE NATION
Los Dones y Frutos del Espíritu Santo por Rosalba Quiroz
4
th
Anniversary
SHROUD OF TURIN RESEARCH PROJECT
Shroud of Turin Shroud Experts & Original STURP Team Members Gather at Shreveport's Cathedral of St. John Berchmans for Special Panel
Photo of the Shroud of Turin taken by Barrie Schwortz, a member of the Shroud of Turin Research Project, in 1978. Schwortz will be part of a six person expert panel on the Shroud on October 12, 2018, at the Cathedral.
Prayer for a New Bishop
for the Diocese of Shreveport
Connection The Catholic
Publisher The Diocese of Shreveport Editor Jessica Rinaudo Contributors
Let us join together in praying at every Mass for our new bishop. Indeed there is something inspiring about knowing the future third Bishop of Shreveport is out there working in the Church so it makes our prayers very concrete. Pray for him in his pursuit of holiness and for his zeal for and love of the Church as Jesus Christ founded it. All glory to You, Lord our God, our eternal Shepherd and Guide. In your faithfulness, grant to the Diocese of Shreveport a shepherd whose watchful care and kindly zeal will be a constant witness of faith and love to the people entrusted to his care. In Your love for us, may he strive to live more and more each day with holiness of life and heroic virtue so that he will lead Your holy people in all truth by being Christ's heart of mercy, voice of hope, and mind of justice. Prepare him, we humbly pray, to fill our minds and hearts with the truth of the Gospel, the power of the sacraments, and the desire to actively work to build up your holy Church. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Unámonos en oración en cada Misa para pedir por nuestro nuevo obispo. De verdad es de inspiración saber que el futuro del tercer Obispo de Shreveport está en algún lugar trabajando en la Iglesia y esto hace que nuestra oración sea precisa. Oremos por él en su búsqueda por la santidad, por su celo, y por su amor a la Iglesia como Jesucristo la fundó. Toda la gloria para Ti, Señor Dios, Nuestro eterno Pastor y Guía. En tu fidelidad, otorga a la Diócesis de Shreveport un pastor que vigile con cuidado y celo bondadoso que sea un testigo constante de fe y amor para toda la gente confiada a su cuidado. En Tu amor por nosotros, que se esfuerce más y más cada día para vivir con santidad de vida y virtud heroica para que pueda guiar a Tu santa gente en toda verdad que sea el corazón y misericordia de Cristo la voz de la esperanza, y la mente de la justicia. Prepáralo, con humildad te rogamos, que llene nuestras mentes y corazones con la verdad del Evangelio, el poder de los sacramentos, y el deseo de trabajar arduamente para construir tu santa Iglesia. Te lo pedimos por Jesucristo nuestro Señor. Amen.
Lisa Cooper
Dianne Rachal
Fr. Jerry Daigle
Rosalba Quiroz
Nicholas Duncan
Jessica Rinaudo
Kim Long
Katie Sciba
Lucy Medvec
Mike Van Vranken
Fr. Rothell Price
John Mark Willcox
Editorial Board Lisa Cooper Kim Long Fr. Matthew Long Dianne Rachal Melina Sanchez Randy Tiller Deacon Mike Whitehead John Mark Willcox Mission Statement The Catholic Connection is a monthly publication funded by your Diocesan Stewardship 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.
OCTOBER 2018 3
Instalación del Obispo Duca en Baton Rouge Shreveport lo Despide por Jessica Rinaudo • foto de Bonny Van
E
l 24 de agosto fue un día con sabor agridulce para la gente de la diócesis de Shreveport, especialmente para el clero, el personal diocesano, y los amigos del obispo Michael Duca que se reunieron en la Catedral de San Jose en preparación para su instalación como sexto obispo de Baton Rouge. Nos sentamos en las bancas cercanas mientras veíamos el folleto del programa preparado para la Misa. Después de una larga procesión de obispos, sacerdotes y diáconos, el santuario lleno, se quedó en completo silencio. De pronto se escucharon tres toques fuertes en la puerta, era la señal que el obispo entraría en una segunda procesión a la Catedral. Estos momentos fueron emocionantes – felicidad y tristeza. Se abrieron las puertas, se escucharon las trompetas y la congregación entonó el canto “Levantemos la Cruz en Alto.” Mientras que el Obispo Duca avanzaba hacia el altar, lo esperaba ya el Rev. Msgr. Walter Erbi, Chargè d’Affaires Nuncio Apostólico, para leer oficialmente la carta del Santo Padre, donde comunicaba la Instalación y traslado del Obispo Michael G. Duca como sexto Obispo de Baton Rouge. Después de leer la carta, el obispo Duca fue acompañado por el Arzobispo Gregory Aymond de New Orleans, y el Msgr. Erbi hacia la Silla de la Cathedral, llamada Cátedra, donde le dieron el Cayado – mismo que fue usado en la instalación del primer obispo de Baton Rouge, Robert E. Tracy en 1958. Siendo éste el momento oficial en el que el Obispo Duca se convertía oficialmente en Obispo de Baton Rouge. Tan pronto fue instalado, el Obispo Duca saludó una procesión de representantes de todos los ministerios y organizaciones Católicas de la Diócesis de Baton Rouge. El obispo Duca, sincero como él es, predicó con el vigor, pasión, y hasta un poco bromeando como lo hace siempre. Habló sobre lo que significa una diócesis, dijo que una diócesis es “una porción de la gente de Dios, confiada bajo el cuidado pastoral de un obispo, quien, con la ayuda de sus presbíteros y diáconos, reúne a la gente bajo el Espíritu Santo en la Palabra y la Eucaristía.” “Por eso aunque se quitaran los edificios y todo lo que tiene la catedral adentro pero quedáramos todos nosotros así reunidos aquí, yo, los presbíteros, y aun hoy de una manera más poderosa con la presencia de Msgr. Erbi representando al Santo Padre y a nuestra unidad universal, nosotros somos la iglesia, total y completa,” dijo el Obispo Duca. “todo lo que se necesita para ser una iglesia lo tenemos aquí – una, santa, católica y apostólica. Nosotros somos la iglesia. Quiero que imaginen al Espíritu Santo, con la Palabra de Dios, presentes alrededor de este altar celebrando la Eucaristía. Por eso es que todo lo que somos viene de este altar, porque aquí estamos 4 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
juntos en el cuerpo de Cristo y recibimos de este altar la fuerza, el alimento que nos nutre y nos convertimos en lo que recibimos. Aquí es donde comenzamos y donde terminamos. Todo lo que hacemos y nos da fuerza y significado viene de aquí, porque aquí estamos unidos con Cristo en la cruz. Aquí morimos con Cristo para que podamos resucitar con Él. Aquí somos alimentados y nutridos.” … “yo voy a hacer lo mejor que pueda porque tomo en serio esta definición (de lo que es una diócesis) lo digo en verdad y sé que la gente, o sea ustedes, han sido confiados a mi cuidado y esta es una responsabilidad maravillosa.” En expresión del corazón amoroso del Obispo Duca, su hermano, James, hermanas Irene y Rosanne, y secretaria en Shreveport, Elaine Gallion presentaron las ofrendas. Después de Misa, se ofreció una recepción en el Centro Católico de Baton Rouge. Ahí saludó a la gente, y se tomó fotos mientras que también despedía a sus amigos de la Diócesis de Shreveport. Seguimos ofreciendo nuestras oraciones por el obispo Michael Duca en su nuevo nombramiento en la capital del estado. •
Bishop Duca Installed in Baton Rouge Shreveport Bids Him Farewell by Jessica Rinaudo • photos by Marie Constantin
A
ugust 24 was a bittersweet day for the people of the Diocese of Shreveport, especially members of the clergy, diocesan staff and friends of Bishop Michael Duca who gathered together at St. Joseph Cathedral in our capital city in preparation for his installation as the sixth Bishop of Baton Rouge. We took our seats near the front, looking through our programs as we prepared for the Mass to begin. After a long procession of bishops, priests and deacons filed in, the sanctuary stilled. Three long raps came from outside the church’s front door, Bishop Duca’s signal that he was asking to take possession of the Cathedral church. Those sounds sent a ripple of emotion through the people gathered there – both of excitement and sadness. After the doors opened, the trumpets sounded and those gathered sang out “Lift High the Cross” as Bishop Duca made his way down the aisle and stood at the front of the cathedral. Rev. Msgr. Walter Erbi, Chargè d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature, stood before the people and read the Apostolic Letter from His Holiness Pope Francis, officially appointing Most Rev. Michael G. Duca as the sixth Bishop of Baton Rouge. After displaying the letter, Bishop Duca was escorted by Archbishop Gregory
Aymond of New Orleans, and Msgr. Erbi to the cathedral chair, the cathedra, and was presented with his crozier – the same crozier which was used in the installation of the Diocese of Baton Rouge’s first Bishop, Robert E. Tracy in 1958. With that, Bishop Duca was officially installed as the sixth Bishop of Baton Rouge. Bishop Duca, true to himself, preached that day with vigor and a touch of his signature humor. He talked about what it means to be a diocese, saying, a diocese is “a portion of the people God entrusted under the pastoral care of a bishop, who with the help of his presbyters and deacons, gathers the people in the Holy Spirit in the Word and the Eucharist.” “So, right now, as we gather here, you could take away all the buildings and all the chapels, me as the bishop with the presbyters, and even in a more powerful way, Msgr. Erbi’s presence here representing the Holy Father and our universal unity, we are the Church, fully, completely,” said Bishop Duca. “Everything that is required to be the Church is present here – one, holy, catholic, apostolic. We are the Church. And, I want you to imagine, in the Holy Spirit, with the Word of
God, around this altar, celebrating the Eucharist. That’s why everything we are comes to and from this altar, for here we are together in the body of Christ and we receive from this altar that strength, that nourishment that feeds us and we become what we receive. This is where we start and where we end. Everything we do, we must draw strength and meaning from here, because here we’re united with Christ on the cross. Here we die with Christ so that we can rise with Christ. Here we are fed and nourished.” … “I will do my best because I take that definition (of diocese) seriously that this people, you, have been entrusted to my care. And it is an awesome responsibility.” In a nod to his roots and loving heart, Bishop Duca’s brother, James, sisters, Irene and Rosanne, and his Shreveport secretary, Elaine Gallion, brought up the gifts. During Mass, Bishop Duca greeted representatives from Catholic ministries from across the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Following the Mass, a reception was held at the Baton Rouge Catholic Life Center. There he greeted the people of
Baton Rouge, snapped photos and bid farewell to his friends from the Diocese of Shreveport. Our prayers continue to be with Bishop Michael Duca as he embraces his new role in our capital city. • OCTOBER 2018 5
MIKE'S MEDITATIONS
Stop, Be Still and Breathe by Mike Van Vranken
I
n my June article, I explained the difference between reactions and responses. I had no idea how much I would depend on my own words just a couple of months later. Seething with the news of abuse, cover-ups, demands for heads to roll and the like, I became furious that, as a Church, we were not reaching out to victims; asking them to come tell us their stories so we could listen and minister to them. Yes, we began praying for them, and I hope we have communal prayers for them for many years to come. But they are hurting and alone and we were not begging them to come to us so we can say we are sorry; that Van Vranken God loves them; and so do we. We seem to be, like Pilate, washing our hands of any responsibilities here. My training finally kicked in and I took my very deep feelings and emotions to God, rather than to the public. There is a reason why Matthew 11:28 is never translated: “Come to Facebook, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” The Pharisees asked Jesus about Moses’ law requiring a woman caught in adultery to be stoned to death. Instead of answering, he bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger (John 8:6). I’m confident he stopped, got quiet, and took his feelings and emotions to his Father in heaven. These people were trying to trick him. He was probably mad, offended and even self-righteous. But, he didn’t defend himself or even the woman right away. He stopped, got quiet, and took it all to God. Only when he heard from his Father could he respond. And, not with a “yes” or a “no.” He replied with words that made them examine themselves. Another time, in a life or death situation, “the high priest rose and addressed him, ‘Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?’ But he was silent” (Matthew 26:62-63). He could have explained himself, but he waited. He would let his humiliating death and glorious resurrection be his explanation. Again, I’m certain he went to his Father, as he often did, and quietly discussed what was going on within him, and who his Father wanted him to be in this situation. To be a good leader, to be Christ-like, I knew this is also what I needed to do before responding to any of this. As I took my pain, hurts and brokenness to God, I explained to Him how the Church needed to change so we could minister to the direct victims of this abuse. See, I once knew a priest who victimized young boys; around 25 of them. I am very close to people who were shattered when it was all made
6 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
public. And their pain is passed on to friends, family, children, grandchildren and more. While I was letting God know what needs to be done, He gently and lovingly spoke to my heart in very specific words: “If you want to change the Church, remember two things: 1) you are the Church, and 2) the only person you can change, with my help, is yourself.” Ouch! This is not what I wanted to hear. But with His patience, and the grace of openness, my blindness was removed to see that it is true. If I want the Church to change, it begins with me. We wonder how a change in one person can change the entire Church. He reminded me of the time when a whole lot of people were hungry, he took two fish and some bread and fed thousands (Luke 9:10-17). One other time He taught that if we plant good seed in good ground, the seeds would grow into fruit that was as much as 30, 60 and 100 fold (Mark 4:1-20). A lot of energy has been used pointing fingers and lashing out. May I suggest that we take a very deep breath, be quiet, sit still and know that God is God (Psalm 46:10). Like Jesus did, like St. Ignatius Loyola taught, let’s spend time each and every day taking our feelings, hurts, shame, outrage and all we are experiencing to God. Ask Him where these movements within you are coming from. Are they coming from the enemy who wants us to hurt the Church and our relationship with God? Are they coming from our own inner self who loves to focus on others’ deeds rather than our own. Or, finally, are they coming from God who wants to reverently and lovingly help us change into new men and women in Christ; to be born again each day so we can continue to evolve into the saints He made us to be? Please, spend 20 minutes a day taking all of this to God asking Him who he wants you to become. If you want to change the Church, remember two things: 1) you are the Church, and 2) the only person you can change, with God’s help, is yourself. • Mike is a spiritual director, author, speaker and teacher. You can contact him at mikevanvranken@comcast.net
LIBRARY NOTES
God Isn't Finished with Me Yet by Barbara Lee
Reviewed by Marie Rinaudo
W
hen you turn 80, it seems nobody listens to you any more and no one cares about your opinion. At least this is the sentiment that author Barbara Lee heard from an 86-year-old woman in a retirement home. In God Isn't Finished with Me Yet, Lee, who is well over 80 herself and capable of attracting a lot of attention, wants to enable those who have reached, or are near reaching their eighth decade, not to despair; she is convinced there is still time for them to learn and still time to speak out. When Lee retired from her career as an attorney and judge, still full of the energy that had kept her active for nearly 40 years, she set out on another path. First, she volunteered with the Ignatian ministry to the poor in New York, and shortly afterwards she began the natural next step –Ignatian Spirtuality. For three summers she, along with graduate students much younger than herself, studied Loyola’s spiritual exercises at Creighton University, the center for Jesuit Spirituality. At 86, she is now a practicing spiritual director. Her book is a memoir on her retirement years as a volunteer and her experience as a director. But it is also a self-help book on understanding the aging process and how St. Ignatius’ spiritual exercises can be a great aid in coping with the frequently frustrating experience of growing old. Having found success and consolation in retirement, Lee hopes to offer assistance to others in doing the same. In each chapter she applies the spiritual exercises to daily life in an effort to move
the aging from a sense of loss and sadness for the past to a life filled with grace and a vision for the future. Lee offers strategies in deciding what to do with the new-found free hours after retirement, how to change selfperception by asking “Who am I ?” rather than “What do I do?” She accomplishes her goal of leading the reader to spiritual maturity with multiple references to Ignatius Loyola’s exercises, providing practical guides to prayer and reflection. She reflects on one of St. Ignatius’ methods, the process of discernment, and explores how listening for God’s voice can ultimately lead to making wise decisions on any action from decluttering to taking on new ventures. One of the most informative explanations she gives is on imaginative prayer and lectio divina, a method on how to pray with scripture – not just read it. As Lee completes each chapter, she closes with a prayer and relevant scripture passages. Having recently completed a course of study on the spiritual exercises, I can testify to the significance of Lee’s work. She manages to put the 16th century language of the original work in readable and accessible modern prose. By clearly presenting the methods for prayer used by St. Ignatius, she reveals the mystery of the spiritual journey that set the souls of the early Jesuits on fire. Today those who want to invigorate their senior years will find much to explore in this short but appealing volume. Each day they may be rewarded with the possibility of experiencing a close encounter with God. •
Slattery Library News & Notes
Slattery Library is open every week day from 9am to 1pm! Kate Rhea is the Administrative Assistant for the Library and Cemetery, and is available to help patrons research information, search and select reading material, and even host group meetings in the library. With themed displays each month and many newly cataloged materials ready to borrow, our library is revitalized and ready to serve our patrons. To sign up for the newsletter featuring topical and seasonal collections, information on newly catalogued books, book and movie reviews, information on book clubs, and more, please e-mail Kate at krhea@dioshpt.org.
Visit the Slattery Library Visit the Slattery Library inside the Catholic Center! The library is open Monday Friday from 9am to 1pm. 3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104 318-868-4441 OCTOBER 2018 7
FAITHFUL FOOD
Seeking Gifts Where They May Be Found by Kim Long
A
utumn, my favorite time of the year, in Louisiana is more often a state of mind than a meteorological fact, although that never prevents us from pumpkin spicing our way to Mardi Gras. Each season brings Long lessons and gifts; autumn does not disappoint, offering the themes of abundance, harvest and the spring’s eventual promise. August found me in Baton Rouge in a packed Cathedral, seated with the press corp. I was eager to see Bishop Duca take this next step, this transition, and in turn experience my own sense of transition. I was present when 10 years ago, he was ordained a bishop and installed in my adoptive Diocese of Shreveport. Now I was there, witness to the next step, another strand in the fabric of Catholic life which holds us all together. A loud knock broke the silence. Bishop Duca stood at the threshold, literally and figuratively. We speak of Christian witnesses as they relate to the sacrament of baptism, but this day the assembled company witnessed a liminal moment, and if asked to give testimony to that we could. This is one way our faith is passed to us, by what we see and hear. A way our faith is passed to others is by what we do. As the installation continued, the assembly seemed divided into those who were losing a bishop and those who were gaining one, merged into one people standing on the brink of what God has for them: harvest, abundance and the promise of spring and new life. On the bus to the installation, I 8 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
Cafe Au Lait (Coffee with Milk) Ingredients: • 2 cups strong coffee • 2 cups heavy whipping cream • 6 tablespoons sugar Directions: 1) In a small saucepan, scald but do not boil cream over a medium heat. 2) Add hot coffee, blend well into cream then sweeten with sugar. Folse reminds us it will be a little sweeter than regular coffee. He recommends coffee with chicory, but make it with coffee you enjoy. From After The Hunt published by Chef John Folse & Company Publishing and available from Barnes and Noble or Amazon.
glanced at the program. Chef John Folse of legend, roux and renown was catering this event. I had to stay long enough to just taste his food! Saturdays when my children were small found me rushing to make sure that laundry folding coincided with his time slot on the LPB lineup. As I folded towels, he worked his culinary powers on the natural bounty of Louisiana. Chef Folse, like those Saturdays of years past, had been tucked away in memory until June, when one of my sons surprised me on my birthday with a massive cookbook entitled, After the Hunt. I was eager to taste what I had watched him effortlessly prepare. Arriving at the reception on what proved to be the first bus, I was able to ease into the space. I told myself I would have a couple of bites and then get on the road. In the serving line, I bumped into my seat mate from the ride over to the Cathedral. We greeted one another as though we were old friends. When I read
her name tag, which neither of us was wearing when we met on the bus, I asked her if she were related to the family of that name in Natchitoches. She lit up, “Yes those are my cousins” – another strand of connection. I fell in line to welcome Baton Rouge’s new bishop. Smiling I told him he didn’t need luck, he would be great. Jeanne, my seat mate, offered to snap a photo. I felt as though I had seen something through. I was there when he was ordained a bishop, and now I was among those seeing him move from strength to strength. I savored the lingering memory of crawfish eutoufee, cheese grits and experiencing the ever widening understanding of being Catholic. In preparation for family dinner, I pulled out After The Hunt and found the recipe I needed. On Sunday nights when enough time has passed after supper, one of us makes the coffee to go with dessert. Tonight it would be Chef Folse’s version of cafe au lait, a perfect companion with apple cranberry pie. • Kim Long is the Director of Religious Education at St. Mary of the Pines Parish in Shreveport, LA.
DOMESTIC CHURCH
Help Us, Lord! We're Sinking! by Katie Sciba
M
y friend texted me, “Pleading for prayers for my husband,” she began, “All these scandals in the Church have shaken him up and he’s got one foot out the door of the Church.” Unfortunately it wasn’t the only message like this I received. Another friend called upset saying she knew an abuse victim in Sciba a diocese out of state; still another said her dear friend and favorite priest was removed from ministry to be investigated. The present crisis in the Catholic Church is like a cancer; some way or another, it touches all of us in the Body of Christ. My emotions have run all over the place: anger, disbelief, deep sadness, fear for what will happen to the remaining faithful. At times I’m sure that whatever the future holds, all will be well for the Church that’s been protected for 2,000+ years by the Holy Spirit; however, I have moments when my confidence is more like the disciples’ caught in a storm on the sea, “Help us, Lord! We’re sinking!” Though the Lord lay sleeping, wasn’t He there with His frightened friends? While the scandals rock the Church at large, Jesus remains; only now the vessel caught in upheaval is the universal Catholic community, and Christ is still, yet present in the Eucharist. I was in the grocery store when a young man, a stranger to me, approached and invited me to his church’s Bible study. Smiling, I declined saying I was already in one. His friendly expression fell when I told him I was Catholic. He was quick to ask if I had seen the news lately, and he reminded me of the deeply-rooted and widespread scandal in my Church. “You have to be looking for a new church home. How can you stay Catholic?” he asked, almost to himself. “I’m Catholic because of Jesus,” I replied. God moves and loves us through
others - especially through the leaders in our Church; still, though leaders fall or fail, though we may lose faith in people, it’s paramount that we keep our faith in Christ, who is after all, the very reason any of us are Catholic. And in any moment when we struggle to trust in God’s wisdom, think back. Not only has He upheld the Catholic Church as a whole, He’s upheld us in personally trying circumstances. Psalm 143 says, “I muse on what your hand has wrought” — how has the Lord outstretched His hand and given grace the very minute we need it? How has He supported us each when we’re burdened? A mother of a young abuse victim told me that it was reading scripture, especially the words of Jesus, that kept her and her family in Mass. The epic drama within the Catholic Church will not likely conclude quickly, but we can allow ourselves to be still and know God, who has forever upheld the Catholic Church, and will continue to do so. We can proceed bravely into the unknown armed with hope and certainty in the Eucharist. Above all we have to pray, offer sacrifices in the day, and penance for victims of abuse, for conversions of abusers, for faithful priests and laity to support the truth with humility and peace. • Katie Sciba is married to Andrew. Together they have five children. She is the author of thecatholicwife.net.
Ask God to Help You Believe The act of trusting in God is one more easily preached than practiced. Doubt is the oldest temptation; yet believing all things - hopes, futures and pains - can and should be entrusted to Him is the height of wisdom and will yield peace within us. One verse at a time, take these words from God to prayer and ask Him to help you believe. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2 I remember the days of old, I meditate on all that thou hast done; I muse on what thy hands have wrought. Psalm 143:5 To thee they cried, and were saved; in thee they trusted, and were not disappointed. Pslam 22:5 He who trusts in the Lord is safe. Proverbs 29:25 And he who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelations 21:5
OCTOBER 2018 9
SECOND COLLECTIONS
World Mission Sunday Collection by Father Rothell Price
THROUGH YOUTH TO THE WORLD
VOICES for MISSION
The Society for the Propagation of the Faith La Sociedad para la Propagación de la Fe
WORLD MISSION SUNDAY
A TRAVÉS DE LA JUVENTUD AL MUNDO
VOCES para LA MISIÓN DOMINGO MUNDIAL DE LAS MISIONES WMS 2018 poster_FINAL_v7.indd 1
7/9/18 4:18 PM
World Mission Sunday Collection Collection Dates: October 20th & 21st
T
Announcement Dates: October 7th & 14th
ogether with young people, let us bring the Gospel to all.” This is the chosen theme for World Mission Sunday and Collection this year. World Mission Sunday is far more significant and personal than we may realize. Jesus’ great Price commission to his disciples after his resurrection was, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28: 19-20. By 10 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
divine grace, each one of us is that particular disciple commissioned by the Lord to go forth as His personal agent of glad tidings. That is what World Mission Sunday is about. Every one of us, out of love for our crucified and risen Savior, is an evangelizer, a bringer/ bearer of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Participation in the World Mission Sunday Collection is a significant way that we fulfill our God-given mandate as a unique and particular disciple, and as a disciple joined in mission to all other disciples of the Lord. Pope Francis encourages us to bring this Gospel to all people, together with our inspired and inspiring young people. In this time of heart-wrenching news of clergy sexual misconduct and ineffective decisions to correct those horrors, there is good news and good reason for us to keep moving forward. Jesus Christ and his Church is the healing and transformation that all of humanity needs. The World Mission Sunday Collection, along with our other second
collections, shows the true face of our Savior and His Church. Our mandate is to heal and transform. To make use of a quote from Pope Francis, “For those who stand by Jesus, evil is an incentive to ever greater love…” Especially in these troubling times: “Be a voice for mission in Latin America; Be a voice for mission in Europe; Be a voice for mission in Africa; Be a voice for mission in the Pacific Islands; Be a voice for mission in Asia.” And be a voice for the mission of Jesus Christ right here at home. Your steadfast and generous participation in this work of the Church, now, in these times, spreads the authentic Gospel of the Lord’s mercy and compassion. Your unflinching loyalty to Christ and his Church corrects the distorted doings of those who have gone astray. Through your contribution to the World Mission Sunday Collection, be the true face and voice of Jesus Christ, in the Church, in our nation and to the world. Please give generously to the World Mission Sunday Collection.• Father Rothell Prices, Moderator of the Curia, is the Director of Second Collections for the Diocese of Shreveport.
NAVIGATING THE FAITH
Prayers: Our Spiritual Roadmaps by Kim Long
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his is a difficult time. In light of the recent clergy abuse allegations, many people have asked me a variety of questions in the past two weeks – questions perhaps you have considered or been called upon to answer. Questions like: How can I stay in the Church? When is the Church going to fix this mess? Ugh, I cannot cope. I’m just going someplace better. Do you think that will work? These questions were not born in a vacuum, they followed a dark tale, so how can I reply appropriately? How should a faithful Catholic respond both in word and practice? “Please, Lord, help me,” I thought. When the news first began to break, three prayers I had not thought of in many years came to my mind. Without conscious thought, I had gathered my spiritual tools. Guardian and Protector of the Church The old prayer to St. Michael is something it took forever for me to learn all the way through. Recognized by the early Church Fathers as a guardian and protector of the Church and as the Prince of all Angels, St. Michael is a heavy hitter and I was glad to know he is praying not only for me, but for the entire Church. Thinking the phrases of the St. Michael prayer, and then speaking them aloud, I felt heartened that St. Michael was on the job. A powerful prayer was what I needed, and this one filled the bill. St. Michael pray for us. The Kaddish The Kaddish, an Aramaic prayer from the 5th century BCE, is recited by priests and lay people. Years ago I decided I wanted to learn Hebrew, the language of Jesus, and took a class on the subject. Our instructor laughed when the class voted to begin with this prayer. “It’s Aramaic, the language of Jesus.” I did not know it then, but it was a moment of deep connection, a sense that has remained with me. At times I find myself praying the familiar, yet foreign words, imagining Jesus forming the words with me. This is a prayer of mourning, and right now we are mourning a loss of trust, a loss that has left a gaping hole in each one of us. The late Debbie Friedman sings a version of this prayer and she introduces it with these words, words which give me a great deal of comfort: “May the One who makes peace in the high places, make peace over us and over all of humanity and let us say Amen.” As I pray these words, extolling God’s greatness, even in a time when nothing feels great, the connection to Jesus deepens and I feel we are truly praying together. As the prayer comes to a close, I welcome the beginning of healing and comfort. The Divine Praises The first time I heard the Divine Praises, I was in early days of my own conversion at an all-night prayer vigil sponsored
St. Michael the Archangel
by St. Mary of the Pines and The Blue Army. It was written in 1797 by Fr. Luigi Felici, a Jesuit priest, to make reparation for blasphemies against the Divine Name; blasphemies which encompassed speech, thought, and action. Honestly, at the time, they did not resonate with me, but if ever there was a time this is it. Everywhere around me, doubt and confusion are swirling. “Blessed be God. Blessed be His holy name. Blessed be God in His angels and in His saints.” These three statements are part of those praises and they are helping me remember my foundation, remember where I have put my hope, in the Lord. We stay Catholic for all the best reasons: the Eucharist, Mary, the saints. We stay Catholic because when God called us, we answered. He hasn’t stopped, He hasn’t checked out on us, and these particular prayers, serving as my roadmaps, remind me of those things. Through them, God is assuring me that we will all survive these tough times and, in fact, that we will be revived. Your roadmaps may be different prayers, mine may change as God offers me what I need, if I am open enough to accept it. Often we say, “All I can do is pray.” Our prayers cannot change the past; it cannot be rewound or undone. Our prayers can change us and help us handle these awful times, as well as whatever personal issues we are all encountering right now. They can assist us when we need strength to go on, when we need permission to mourn, and when we need assurance that God is where our hope lies. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23 • OCTOBER 2018 11
FROM THE POPE
Audience with Participants in the Conference on"The Theology of Tenderness in Pope Francis"
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from the Vatican Press Office
would like, simply, to propose three ideas. The first concerns the expression “theology of tenderness.” Theology and tenderness seem to be two distant words: the first seems to recall the academic context, the second interpersonal relations. In reality our faith links them inextricably. Theology, in fact, can not be abstract – if it were abstract, it would be ideology – as it arises from an existential knowledge, born from the encounter with the Word made flesh! Theology is then Pope Francis called to communicate the concreteness of God’s love. And tenderness is a “concrete existential” asset, to translate in our times the affection that the Lord nourishes for us. Today, in fact, there is less focus on the concept or practice and more on “feeling” than in the past. We may like it or not, but it is a fact: we start from what we feel. Theology can certainly not be reduced to sentiment, but neither can it ignore that in many parts of the world the approach to vital issues no longer begins with the ultimate questions or social demands, but with what the person feels emotionally. Theology is called upon to accompany this existential quest, bringing the light that comes from the Word of God. And a good theology of tenderness can present divine charity in this sense. It is possible, because the love of God is not an abstract general principle, but personal and concrete, that the Holy Spirit communicates intimately. Indeed, He reaches and transforms the feelings and thoughts of man. What content could a theology of tenderness therefore have? Two seem important to me, and they are the other two ideas that I would like to offer you: the beauty of feeling that one is loved by God, and the beauty of feeling loved in the name of God. Feeling we are loved. It is a message that has come to us more strongly in recent times: from the Sacred Heart, from Merciful Jesus, from mercy as an essential property of the Trinity and of Christian life. Today the liturgy reminds us of Jesus’ word: “Be merciful, just as your Father is” (Lk 6: 36). Tenderness can indicate precisely our way of receiving divine mercy today. Tenderness reveals us, next to the paternal face, the maternal face of God, of a God Who loves mankind, Who loves us with a love infinitely greater than that which a mother has for her own son (cf. Is 49: 15). Whatever happens, whatever we do, we are certain that God is near, compassionate, ready to be moved for us. Tenderness is a beneficial word, it is the antidote to fear with regard to God, because “there is no fear in love” (1 Jn 4:18), because trust overcomes fear. To feel loved, therefore, means learning to trust in God, to tell Him, as He wishes: “Jesus, I trust in You.”
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These and other considerations can deepen research: to give the Church a “flavorful” theology; to help us live a conscious faith, burning with love and hope; to exhort us to kneel, touched and wounded by divine love. In this sense, tenderness refers to the Passion. The Cross is in fact the seal of divine tenderness, which is drawn from the wounds of the Lord. His visible wounds are the windows that open onto His invisible love. His Passion invites us to transform our heart of stone into a heart of flesh, to become passionate about God. And about man, for the love of God. Here then is the last idea: feeling we are able to love. When man feels truly loved, he feels inclined to love. Besides, if God is infinite tenderness, then man too, created in His image, is capable of tenderness. Tenderness, then, far from being reduced to sentimentalism, is the first step to overcome the withdrawal into oneself, to leave behind the self-centredness that disfigures human freedom. God’s tenderness leads us to understand that love is the meaning of life. Thus we understand that the root of our freedom is never selfreferential. And we feel called to pour into the world the love received from the Lord, to channel it into the Church, in the family, in society, to interpret it in serving and giving
Whatever happens, whatever we do,
we are certain that God is near, compassionate, ready to be moved for us. ourselves. All this not out of duty, but out of love, out of love for Him, by Whom we are tenderly loved. These brief ideas point towards a theology on the move: a theology that emerges from the narrow alleys to which it is sometimes confined, and that with dynamism turns to God, taking man by the hand; a non-narcissistic theology, but aimed at the service of the community; a theology that is not content to repeat the paradigms of the past, but that is the Word incarnate. Certainly the Word of God does not change (cf. Heb 1: 1-2, 13,8), but the flesh that it is called to assume, this yes, it changes in every age. There is so much work, therefore, for theology and for its mission today: to incarnate the Word of God for the Church and for mankind in the third millennium. Today more than ever we need a revolution of tenderness. This will save us. Let us entrust the advancement of your work to Our Lady, Mother of tenderness. I bless you and, together with you, I bless the communities you come from; and I ask you to pray and have others pray for me. Thank you. •
VOCATIONS VIEW
A Day in the Life of a Seminarian by Nicholas Duncan, Seminarian
The Notre Dame Seminary flag football team at their annual game against St. Benedict's. Duncan is pictured back left. (Photo courtesy of Notre Dame Seminary).
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often encounter people who have no idea what a seminary is or how it functions. People are left to ponder what a typical day is like at a seminary. Are we working and praying all day like Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act? Is it like shipping off to basic training, or is it like going to a trade school where you live in an apartment somewhere and have a job on the side? The seminary I happen to attend is essentially a boarding school for grown men. Instead of a covenant or monastery like you would see in The Sound of Music, it is more like the X-mansion from the X-men film franchise. But instead of young mutants learning to control their powers so they can protect the world from evil, the men at seminary have heard a calling from God and undergo formation so they can bring Christ to the people of God; thus also protecting the world from evil. Notre Dame Seminary is the biggest house on Carrollton Avenue in the uptown district of New Orleans. We have about 140 seminarians and 10 priests that live in residence. I’d like to share what a typical day is like for a seminarian at Notre Dame Seminary. I am writing this during my spring semester, and just like any other day at the seminary it is guided by the community horarium, Latin for “the hours,” which is the schedule of prayer that takes precedence over everything else. After this community prayer is our class schedule, followed by our personal horarium of prayer, work and leisure. 7:30 Morning prayer in the chapel. 7:45 Breakfast in the refectory; otherwise known as a cafeteria, but us Catholics love to give things weird names. 8:00 Most seminarians are off to class, but my group has a professor on sabbatical, so our schedule is a little different. I’m off to the library to work on a presentation for my class on evolution (PH 205) on how science and religion are compatible. 9:45 I move to classroom 7 for PH 203, political philosophy,
where we studied the errors in Machiavelli’s The Prince and Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan. 11:15 After class I head over to classroom 2 to rehearse for the day’s Mass with the schola (ie, the choir). 11:45 Attend Mass. 12:30 Lunch in the refectory. 1:05 I run up to the NDS Store’s storage closet to get 20 pint glasses to give as gifts to the priests who have come as mentors for the diaconate internship orientation that was going on that day. Running the NDS Store is one of my house jobs. 1:30 I’m back in classroom 7, this time for PH 204, my Philosophy/Theology seminar class. I have already given my presentation on John Wycliff, but today three of my classmates are giving hour long presentations on Rene Descartes, Henry VIII/St. Thomas More/Erasmus, and Jean Jacques Roseau. 4:30 Formation Conference: Father J.D. Matherne gives a talk to my class on his first year as a priest. 5:45 Evening Prayer with the entire community in the chapel. I arrived early and prayed daytime prayer as well. 6:00 Dinner in the refectory. 6:45 I go back to the library to work on my Latin homework for the next day’s class. 8:30 I head up to my room straighten it up, sweep the floor, and change into workout clothes. 9:00 I head to the gym on campus to workout. 10:00 I go back to my room, shower and get everything ready that I will need for class the next day. 10:30 I go to the chapel on my floor and pray the Office of Readings and Night Prayer from the Breviary (Catholic for prayer book) 11:30 I return from the chapel and go to bed. This a pretty typical day at the seminary, Mass is always at the center, as the Eucharist is the source of our faith, and the day is bookended by community prayer in the morning and evening. The class times may differ depending on how far along you are in your studies, and different guys choose to do their personal prayer and exercise at the times that best suit them. But a typical day is not the norm here. There is always something going on; the relics of St. Padre Pio or St. John Paul II might be here, we could be having visitation services for the New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, or perhaps a fancy dinner with some of our benefactors. We could be staging a play, or hosting a lecture for the community. They keep us very busy, but I love being here and feel blessed to have the opportunity to study for the Diocese of Shreveport. • If you would like more information on the priesthood, contact Fr. Jerry Daigle: jdaigle@dioshpt.org, or call 318-868-4441.
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SHROUD OF TURIN RESEARCH PROJECT
Shroud of Turin
Shroud Experts & Original STURP Team Members Gather at Shreveport's Cathedral of St. John Berchmans for Special Panel by Jessica Rinaudo
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n the second weekend in October, the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans will host an event that’s drawing international attention. Two members of the original 1978 Shroud of Turin Research team (STURP), the project’s president and physicist Dr. John Jackson and photographer Barrie Schwortz, will join other experts in the field on a speakers panel to apply their shared research and expertise with visitors from across the country. The dinner on October 12, will be the anchor for a three-day Shroud of Turin speaking event in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Shroud of Turin Research Project. In 1978, a team of scientists were granted unprecedented access to the Shroud of Turin. Over the course of five days, the team of scientists and photographers worked non-stop, using various techniques, including infrared spectrometry and thermography, as well as sticky tape samples to analyze the cloth. This was the only research of its kind ever conducted on the Shroud of Turin. The research results were published in peer reviewed scientific journal articles over the course of four years following the team’s work.
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r. John Jackson, a physicist, led the original 40-person STURP team. His path to the project was a winding one that began in his early teenage years. “I was introduced to the Shroud by my mother when I was 13 or 14 years old. She told me that she had a picture of Jesus. … She showed it to me. And my first experience with the Shroud was that I didn’t recognize the image,” said Dr. Jackson. “Suddenly it dawned on me that I was looking at the face and the face was looking right at me. And it was that moment of interaction, that encounter, that little did I know at that point that it was going to change my life,” he said. 14 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
Much later in his life, when Dr. Jackson was a graduate student at Colorado State University, he was finishing up his first year of the program, as well as his time in the Air Force ROTC program. “During spring break I was in a mountain cabin, and I read a book that was loaned to me by one of my other graduate student friends – a book on the Shroud, it was by John Walsh. It talked about the kind of science that could be done on the Shroud. Little did I know that when I was reading that, this was in 1968, that 10 years later I’d be in a position to actually do those studies.” Dr. Jackson added, “When I arrived back at Colorado State University, I had every intention of finishing up my Master’s degree in Physics there. I told my professor that I would like to do a project, a thesis, on the Shroud of Turin. Of course, he had no idea what that was. When I explained it to him, I think he didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.” But the idea and project never materialized at that time and place. Several days later, Dr. Jackson received a phone call from the Air Force inviting him to attend naval postgraduate school to receive a Master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering Effects, and then ultimately a PhD in General Relativity and Cosmology. Following that he became a scientist at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory in Albuquerque, NM, and taught physics at the Air Force Academy. “It was during that time period that I was able to do something I had wanted to do back at Colorado State University. I wanted to explore the relationship of image intensity to cross body distance,” said Dr. Jackson. He was able to analyze the Shroud of Turin using this technique, producing a 3D relief of a body. “It showed something very fundamental that science can sink its teeth into
THURSDAY OCT. 11 @ 6PM CSI Jerusalem with Russ Breault
Russ Breault has been researching and lecturing on the Shroud of Turin for over 25 years. His presentation makes use of over 150 superb images and unfolds like a CSI investigation. The audience is riveted as each clue is revealed and becomes another piece of a grand puzzle as the mystery of the Shroud is explored. FREE EVENT (l to r) Ray Rogers, Dr. John Jackson and Prof. Giovanni Riggi, members of the 1978 team that performed the first ever in-depth scientific examination of the Shroud of Turin, take a first look at the underside of the cloth in 400 years. ©1978 Barrie M. Schwortz Collection, STERA, Inc.
regarding the Shroud. This discovery was of such a nature that it immediately began to interest scientists,” he said. This was the catalyst that launched two years of preparation for the Shroud of Turin Research Project, which came to fruition in 1978. As the president of STURP, Dr. Jackson made the main decisions regarding what would be done during their time there. He worked on the scientific protocols, administration of the research and how to solve scientific issues related to the project. “We learned a tremendous amount about the Shroud. .. Five days working around the clock with 30 people with very good scientific credentials lead to a very strong data characterization of the Shroud, which we have been using ever since to put together hypotheses of trying to understand what exactly we have here,” said Dr. Jackson.
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ebecca Jackson is married to Dr. John Jackson, and is a longtime convert to Christianity from Orthodox Judaism. She runs the The Shroud Center Exhibit Presentation Center in Colorado, and also conducts her own research into the First Century Jewish aspects of the Shroud. “I grew up Orthodox Jewish in
Brooklyn, New York, and I’m a descendent of Holocaust survivors. I started coming to Christianity in the middle of high school, a Jewish Orthodox high school. So I was a Catholic in my heart for many years – since about 1963.” Rebecca spent many years abroad teaching in Israel before returning to the U.S. and joining the Army. In 1987, she officially converted to Christianity, all before she had ever met Dr. Jackson. In 1990, she saw a video called The Silent Witness, and Dr. Jackson was featured in the film. She eventually met up with John and began working on Jewish aspects of the Shroud of Turin in 1990. Two years later, the two were married. “From 1963, I’ve been studying ethnology,” said Rebecca. “In order to understand the Shroud, you have to understand Jewish ethnology. I was made for that because of my background.” Her Jewish and Christian background combined with her studies in ethnology and global trade, bring a unique perspective to Shroud of Turin research. Together Dr. John and Rebecca Jackson will give a free presentation on the Shroud of Turin on Saturday, October 13 at the Cathedral. They will also join in on the Friday night panel discussion.
FRIDAY, OCT. 12 @ 6PM Shroud Panel & Dinner
Six Shroud of Turin experts will gather to answer questions. The panel includes Russ Breault, Dr. John Jackson, Rebecca Jackson, Fr. Peter Mangum, Barrie Schwortz and Dr. Cheryl White $50 INCLUDES DINNER
SATURDAY, OCT. 13 @ 9AM
Dr. John & Rebecca Jackson Presentation Dr. John Jackson, a PhD in physics, together with his wife, Rebecca, runs the Turin Shroud Center of Colorado. In 1978, when interest in the Shroud was at its height, Dr. Jackson led a 40-person team of international scientists to Turin where they, under the auspices of the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP), examined the Shroud for nearly a week. FREE EVENT OCTOBER 2018 15
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arrie Schwortz was the photographer for the 1978 STURP project. He visited Shreveport in March of this year and delivered a talk on his experience to more than 600 people. He is returning for STURP’s 40th anniversary, the first time in many years that he and Dr. Jackson have reunited. During his visit this past March, Schwortz talked about his experience being up close and photographing the Shroud of Turin. “I started looking for paint pigment binders, any indication of any artwork,” said Schwortz. “Now I’m not an authority on that subject, but I have good eyes and I had total access to the Shroud, no glass or anything in between. My nose was an inch from that cloth and I was looking at it and looking down in between the fibers because paint pigment binders are going to be visible. They’re not going to disappear and just leave an image.” He continued, “And so I knew probably within 10 or 15 minutes of the Shroud being unveiled that whatever it was, it wasn’t a painting.” Schwortz photographed the Shroud of Turin over those five days, and his now famous photographs have been published in national publications across the globe. He also runs Shroud. com, which remains a go to point for enthusiasts and the curious alike, boasting more than a million visitors a year. Schwortz will be part of the panel discussion on Friday evening.
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uss Breault has no direct tie to STURP, but instead became interested in the Shroud of Turin while he worked for his college newspaper in 1980. Following STURP in 1978, articles began rolling out about the research project and the Shroud, and so he asked if he could write a couple of stories on the Shroud for his college newspaper. “I spent a lot of time researching for that and did a lot of reading and talked to some of the scientists on the phone to get quotes. So by the time the articles ran in the fall of 1980, I was hooked. I thought, ‘Man, this is an incredible mystery.’ And so, it just kind of became my life’s work,” said Breault. He began doing small presentations on the Shroud of Turin, and his work continued to grow. In 1997, he incorporated the Shroud Education Project. Since that time he’s spoken at numerous conferences and appeared in several nationally
televised documentaries including Mysteries of the Ancient World on CBS. Most recently, he appeared in the highly acclaimed, Uncovering the Face of Jesus —a two-hour documentary on The History Channel. Breault’s fascination with the Shroud is wrapped up in its possibility. “If the Shroud was the work of an artist, we would have figured that out 100 years ago. All it takes is a magnifying glass to see the paint…. Scientists never found any visible trace of any kind of paint pigment, dye stain, no substances that would have been used by an alleged artist…. You can’t just simply say that this is some medieval hoax, because at this point, we still have not been able to fully replicate it.” Beault’s presentation, “CSI Jerusalem” is presented much like the beloved TV show, slowly unveiling clues about the Shroud of Turin, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. His presentation will be on Thursday, October 11, at 6:00 p.m. at the Cathedral. It is a free event. He will also join Friday night’s panel discussion.
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ringing a wealth of knowledge, experience and insight to the panel discussion, both Father Peter Mangum, Rector of the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Diocesan Administrator and Judicial Vicar, and Dr. Cheryl White, Associate Professor of History at LSU-Shreveport, will be part of the event as well. Together they have launched the extremely successful and globally listened to Man of the Shroud podcast series. Both are members of the American Confraternity of the Holy Shroud. In April of this year, both Fr. Mangum and Dr. White were granted access to the Vatican Secret Archives for further research related to the Shroud. Fr. Mangum is curator of the new Shroud Exhibit located at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans. Dr. White has studied the Shroud of Turin the entirety of her academic career, with a special interest in the Shroud’s so-called “Missing Years,” of 1204-1355.
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r. and Mrs. Jackson, Schwortz, Breault, Fr. Mangum and Dr. White, will join their experience, intellect and insight to produce a once in a lifetime event at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans. See page 15 for details of the weekend’s events, and visit sjbcathedral.org to purchase tickets. •
Shroud of Turin Panelists
for the October 12, 2018 Dinner Event at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans
Russ Breault
Dr. John Jackson
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Rebecca Jackson
Fr. Peter Mangum
Barrie Schwortz
Dr. Cheryl White
Diocese Welcomes Fr. Mangum as Administrator by Jessica Rinaudo
Above: Fr. Mangum at the prayer service for reparation and petition at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans on September 14, 2018.
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n Monday, August 27, following the installation of Bishop Michael Duca as the 6th Bishop of Baton Rouge, the Diocese of Shreveport’s College of Consultors, a group of 11 priests, convened to elect a diocesan administrator. The diocesan administrator is a priest who will oversee diocesan operations until the appointment of a new bishop by the Vatican. Very Reverend Peter B. Mangum was elected to the position. Fr. Mangum received his seminary education from Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas before attending North American College in Rome where he obtained degrees in Sacred Theology and in Canon Law. Ordained in 1990, Fr. Mangum has served as Judicial Vicar and has been pastor of the parishes of St. Paul in Minden, St. Joseph in Shreveport, and the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, where he currently serves as Rector. “I am grateful to my brother priests for their confidence in me to govern the diocese until we get a new bishop,” said Fr. Mangum. “This is an additional
opportunity to serve, and I am grateful for the prayerful support of the people of the diocese and of the assistance offered to me by my brother priests and by the Cathedral staff. There is something inspiring about knowing the third Bishop of Shreveport is out there working in the Church, so it makes our prayers very concrete as I strive to maintain and prepare the diocese for him. Join me in praying for him in his pursuit of holiness and for his zeal for and love of the Church as Jesus Christ founded it.” From Fr. Rothell Price’s article in the August Catholic Connection: “The diocesan administrator enjoys the power of the diocesan bishop, with the exception of a few things; for example, he cannot ordain a bishop, priest, or deacon because he is not bishop. He can, however, invite a bishop to come to the
diocese to preside over an ordination. Likewise, he cannot preside at the Chrism Mass during Holy Week. Again, he would have to recruit a bishop from outside our diocese to come preside at that Mass.” He continued, “The diocesan administrator is forbidden to do anything against the rights of the diocese or those of the in-coming bishop. He is prohibited from removing or changing documents of the diocesan curia. During his administration nothing is to be altered or changed in the diocese. These rules are in place to ensure stability and tranquility in the diocese until the new bishop arrives. The diocesan administrator is obliged to live in the diocese and ensure Mass for the people of the diocese. His responsibilities end when the new bishop takes possession of the diocese.” Fr. Mangum hit the ground running in his new role. With the support of his brother priests, he announced a diocesan prayer vigil for reparation and petition in the face of the Church’s sex abuse crisis that was held on Friday, September 14, at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans. Fr. Mangum also coordinated the distribution of the letter of Archbishop Gregory Aymond sent to all parishes of the Diocese of Shreveport regarding the same crisis and has drafted and published a prayer for a new bishop for the Diocese of Shreveport. • OCTOBER 2018 17
Bidding Farewell to Father Andre McGrath, OFM by John Mark Willcox
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ur faith community lost a dear friend on September 8 as Fr. Andre McGrath, OFM, passed into the Lord’s hands at the friary of St. Mary of the Angels in New Orleans, LA. Born April 20, 1940, Fr. Andre was blessed with a superior education by a number of learning institutes including Duns Scotus College, Southfield, MI, St. Leonard College, Centerville, OH, the University of Detroit, the University of Tubingen West Germany and Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. Ordained as a Franciscan Priest in 1967, Fr. Andre taught at a number of Catholic high schools and colleges in the upper mid-west until his community asked that he travel to Africa to teach at Tangaza Seminary in Nairobi, Kenya. It was this experience that would forever change Fr. Andre’s life and the lives of many faithful men of Africa who were inspired by the ministry of Fr. Andre. Learning Swahili and working in union with his new comrades, Fr. Andre was instrumental in forming the Community of Franciscan Missionaries of Hope. This order is also known as the Lyke Community in memory of the late Archbishop James P. Lyke, who was the first African-American Archbishop of Atlanta, GA, and a big influence on Fr. Andre’s priesthood.
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When Fr. Andre arrived in the Diocese of Shreveport in the late 1990’s to share his immense knowledge of the Church as an instructor in the Greco Institute, he also brought to America some of the initial members of the Lyke Community – men who would later be ordained to the priesthood and serve in our diocese and other areas of the nation. What a blessing these fine priests have been to the faithful of our diocese and it would not have been possible without the steadfast and successful priesthood of Fr. McGrath. The members of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Shreveport also benefitted from Fr. Andre’s time with our diocese as he served as their pastor for many years, and as chaplain of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Academy elementary school before its closing. Whether he was teaching, providing formation to seminarians, immersing himself in the vast culture of Africa, or simply pastoring a local parish, Fr. McGrath made a huge difference in the lives of Catholics on two continents. The people of our diocese are forever touched by Fr. Andre’s presence among us and we give thanks to the Franciscan Community for graciously sharing part of his holy priesthood with the Catholics of our region. •
St. John Berchmans Catholic School Celebrates Landmark Year by Lisa Cooper
The ground breaking for St. John Berchmans Catholic School in 1948.
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his year marks two special occasions for the St. John Berchmans community as they celebrate the 70th anniversary of the school, as well as the 40th anniversary of their annual Monster Mash family night. What started as a priest’s vision in 1946 has since been the foundation which has supported the education and faith of thousands of Shreveport’s families for 70 years. When Fr. Druhan became pastor of St. John Berchmans, he felt strongly that a Catholic education should become a reality for every child in the parish. Working with his parishioners who were dedicated to the prospect of building a parochial school in Shreveport, Fr. Druhan purchased the property located next to the church on Jordan Street for a school, and the Ingersol home on Margaret Place was purchased as a convent for the Daughters of the Cross sisters from St. Vincent’s, who would serve at the school as staff and teachers. In 1949, Sr. John Roberta served as the school’s first principal, and the doors to Shreveport’s first parochial school were opened with six grades. The cost of construction of the first phase of the
parochial school was $250,000. In those 70 years, much has changed for the school, but the tradition upon which it was built has remained its anchor. With a history that traces back to the original SJB School established in 1902, St. John Berchmans School was built upon the solid and constant foundation of faith and the rich heritage of our Catholic traditions. The longstanding motto of “Kindness is practiced here” remains the bedrock of the culture of SJB, a culture that even families new to the school recognize from the moment they walk through the doors. There is a predictability and continuity of both faith and excellence in education that SJB staff and families count on. This thread of distinction not only holds the community of SJB together, but also provides that sure underpinning essential to allowing students to soar. Although it remains unwavering in its traditions, SJB also leads the way in innovation. With a host of art and drama offerings and its tenth State Science Olympiad win under its belt, SJB continues to provide its students with a rare education founded in faith, the arts,
and STEM. Whether working in the state-of-the-art media and computer lab or rehearsing lines and music for their yearly production, students at SJB are nurtured by a faculty who consistently refine and improve their educational processes to ensure they stay on the cutting edge of meeting the academic needs of each student, while keeping the faith formation of every child at the forefront of every school experience. Keeping with Fr. Druhan’s vision of providing an excellent Catholic education for the children in the parish, SJB continues to ensure every student enjoys unmatched academic opportunities while remaining grounded in the Catholic faith that is essential to their success. Additionally, SJB will pull out all the stops to celebrate this year’s 40th annual Monster Mash on October 27th. This family festivity has been a haven for parents and students alike as they show up each year to enjoy carnival games, cake walks, costume contests and the annual haunted house. The fun will be multiplied this year, with numerous bounce-houses, carnival games, a strongman tower and hayride. As a special feature, the school is asking SJB alumni from Monster Mash’s inaugural year to come back and judge the costume contest. All of the SJB community, both past and present, is invited to come out to kick off the Monster Mash celebration. Current families as well as alumni are invited to join in participating in the school’s anniversary extravaganza, which will be held in May. Alumni are encouraged to enjoy a homecoming all year by coming back to see all of the improvements and innovations at the school. To register as an alumnus of the school and participate in any of the exciting activities planned this year, check the website, sjbcathedralschool.org, or call the office at 318-221-6005. • OCTOBER 2018 19
Catholic Charities Employee Assists Clients in Sharing the Journey by Lucy Medvec, Catholic Charities of North Louisiana
questions, with six correct answers needed to pass. After passing both the interview and test, Rada-Garcia was ready for the final step – taking the oath to become a U.S. citizen. When interviewed prior to the ceremony, Rada-Garcia said that she was looking forward to calling herself an American. “I got to know this country as a resident and have enjoyed working with our immigrant clients,” she explained. “I take my role as an American seriously, as well as all of the rights and responsibilities that come with citizenship.” When asked if she felt any hesitation about the ceremony, she replied, “I have not lived in my native country for many years and now consider the United States to be my home. I would not be the person that CCNLA employee Gilda Rada-Garcia with U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Hornsby. I am without my life as a Venezuelan, but now I am happy to say that I am an with her family through a diversity visa, ince 2012, Catholic Charities of American.” which was awarded through the lottery North Louisiana (CCNLA) has She described the process as system. provided assistance and guidance “something that is finished, yet It was after to immigrants as they seek to become something Rada-Garcia had legal residents or naturalized citizens that is just lived in the U.S. of the United States. The Immigration beginning.” for five years that Integration Services program consists Having gone she was able to of immigration attorney Briana Bianca, through the take the first steps immigration advocate Gilda Rada-Garcia, citizenship and volunteer Izabela Carabelli, and serves toward becoming process herself, an American clients throughout north Louisiana. Rada-Garcia citizen by filing Last year, 14 of CCNLA’s clients will now be an application became United States citizens. It is a long able to use her in April 2018. and arduous process, culminating with a experience in She traveled to special ceremony in a courthouse. In the order to help Fort Smith, AR, Immigration attorney Briana Bianca past, Rada-Garcia has always attended CCNLA’s celebrates with client Julie Esie (Cameroon) in July 2018 to this ceremony to cheer on her clients, but immigrant and her son, Peter Nche, as Esie became a be interviewed on September 12, surrounded by friends clients go U.S. citizen on July 11, 2018. and take the and CCNLA staff members, Rada-Garcia through the citizenship test, a test that surveys show joined two of her clients as they took the steps of citizenship. oath to become United States citizens. only one in three current Americans The Immigration Integration Services Rada-Garcia was born in Venezuela and can pass. In order to prepare for the program is funded in part by the test, Rada-Garcia was given a list of 100 came to the United States in 1986, where Louisiana Bar Foundation and United questions which could possibly be on the she lived and worked. Her oldest son was Way of Northwest Louisiana. To find born in New York before she returned to test, covering the subjects of government, out more information, contact Catholic history and civics, geography, symbols Venezuela in 1999. In 2012, she returned Charities at 318-865-0200 or visit www. to the U.S. and came to live in Shreveport and holidays. The test consisted of 10 ccnla.org. •
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20 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat: Post-Abortive Healing by Dianne Rachal, Director of Worship
Let's Get
SOCIAL! Diocese of Shreveport
SOCIAL MEDIA
CONFERENCE
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achel mourns for her children, she refuses to be consoled because her children are no more. Thus says the LORD: Cease your cries of mourning, wipe the tears from your eyes. The sorrow you have shown shall have its reward. . . there is hope for your future. (Jeremiah 31:15-17) The Diocese of Shreveport is glad to announce the reintroduction of Rachel’s Vineyard retreat ministry. Janice Gonzales and her dedicated team of ministers conducted Rachel’s Vineyard retreats in the diocese from 2006 to 2008. Team members today acknowledge that they carry this ministry forward upon the firm, yet grace-filled foundation laid by their predecessors. Rachel’s Vineyard weekend retreats help women and men heal in the painful aftermath of abortion. Exercises, scripture and ritual, combined with opportunities to share and listen, allow participants to work through emotions of anger, shame, guilt and grief on their journey to finding forgiveness and reconciliation and hope. Over 60 million abortions have occurred since Roe v. Wade in 1973. Many people have been impacted by
abortion, not just the mother and father of the aborted child, but their parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, friends and even clinic staff. Rachel’s Vineyard retreats give everyone a starting point to begin their healing journey. The next Rachel’s Vineyard retreat will be October 26-28, 2018. Please call 318 588-1064 for information, or visit the website at www.rachelsvineyard.org. Absolute confidentiality is maintained by team members and participants prior to, during and following a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat. A Rachel’s Vineyard retreat in Spanish will be scheduled in the near future. St. John Paul II said, “I would now like to say a special word to women who have had an abortion. The Church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision... If you have not already done so, give yourselves over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father of mercies is ready to give you His forgiveness and His peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. ... You can be among the most eloquent defenders of everyone’s right to life.” – Evangelium Vitae, 1999. •
WHAT
An opportunity for Church employees to learn how they can better utilize social media to support their faith mission. We will talk about what works, creating a good post, guidelines to have in place, and how we can work together as diocese, church, school and ministry to support one another on the web.
WHO
Any church, school or ministry employee who works or assists with communications or social media.
WHEN
Thursday, October 4, 9:00 a.m.
WHERE
Catholic Center 3500 Fairfield Avenue, Shreveport
REGISTER
www.dioshpt.org - It's FREE!
QUESTIONS?
Contact Jessica Rinaudo jrinaudo@dioshpt.org OCTOBER 2018 21
Diocesan Seminary Burses by by Fr. Fr. Jerry Jerry Daigle Daigle
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he Diocesan Seminary Burse program provides the faithful of North Louisiana the opportunity to invest in the education and formation of our seminarians into holy and effective priests to serve the Diocese of Shreveport. What is a seminary burse, and how do they contribute to seminarians? A seminary burse is an endowment used to pay tuition, room and board for the seminarians of the Diocese of Shreveport. The principal amount donated is not touched, but invested, and the support for our seminarians comes from the earned interest. Each donation to a burse is truly a gift that will continue giving as more men enter priestly formation in the years to come!
Who can establish a burse?
Anyone can establish a seminary burse, and name it in honor of loved ones (e.g., family members, teachers, mentors, pastors), in honor of organizations and faith or social groups (e.g., Knights of Columbus councils, ACTS, schools, church parishes), for themselves or their families as an instrument of personal giving, or in memory of a deceased loved one. Burses and their balances, and new contributions, are listed monthly in The Catholic Connection.
Who can contribute to a burse?
Anyone can contribute any amount to any established burse.
How can I establish or contribute to a burse?
You can establish and name a burse with a donation of at least $250, or you can contribute any amount to a burse simply by designating its name when the contribution is made. Contributions may be mailed to the Office of Church Vocations, Diocese of Shreveport, 3500 Fairfield Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71104. Be sure to note the name of the burse in the memo line.
When is a burse completed?
Seminary burses are completed when the balance reaches $10,000. Once this goal has been reached, and those who established the original burse wish to continue their donations, a new burse in the same name may be opened.
22 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
THANKS TO OUR RECENT DONORS • (006) Cathedral of St. John Berchmans ($500) • (015) Catherine Mitton ($10) • (006) William J. Marack ($500) • (006) Jane Bicknell ($50) • (006) Elizabeth & John Carmody ($150) • (006) S.G. & Erin Cassiere ($2,000) • (006) Mark & Lucy Medvec ($20) • (006) Mr. & Mrs. Austin Ray Shelton ($75) COMPLETED BURSES • (001) Fr. Mike Bakowski Memorial Burse ($10,000) • (010) Memory of Rita Scott from the John Scott Family ($10,000) • (012) Jack E. Caplis, Jr., Memorial Burse ($10,000) • (013) Mary Evans Caplis Burse ($10,000) INCOMPLETE BURSES • (002) Joseph & Antoinette Bakowski Memorial Burse ($2,100) • (003) Sam R. Maranto Memorial Burse ($1,200) • (004) Kathryn Atherton Cook Memorial Burse ($350) • (005) Cathedral of St. John Berchmans ($250) • (006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Memorial Burse ($3,545) • (007) Dr. Carol Christopher Memorial Burse ($1,300) • (008) St. Jude Parish ($5,718) • (009) St. John Berchmans Knights of Columbus Council 10728 ($450) • (011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse ($6,935) • (014) Bob & Peggy Semmes Memorial Burse ($6,100) • (015) Bishop’s Seminarian Burse ($260) For more information, please contact Fr. Jerry Daigle, Director of Church Vocations, at 318-219-7311.
HISPANIC NEWS
Los Dones y Frutos del Espíritu Santo por Rosalba Quiroz
administrador de estos dones. ¿Cómo podemos estar en gracia con Dios? El Papa nos dice que la iglesia enseña que solo la caridad hace posible el crecimiento en la vida de la gracia, porque “sin caridad, no soy nada”. 1ª. Cor. 13:2. Compartir esos dones con los demás, especialmente con los más necesitados, es un gesto de caridad. Diariamente recibimos de Dios regalos como trabajo, sustento, bienes materiales, e inclusive cosas que no necesitamos, es egoísta quedárselo todo solo para placer propio. Pero ¿Cuándo no estamos siendo proactivos con los dones que Dios nos ha dado? cuando rechazamos trabajar con ÉL; cuándo conociendo las necesidades de nuestros hermanos y nuestra iglesia, ponemos oídos sordos a lo que podemos dar y hacer por los demás. Todos deseamos tener una vida feliz y libre de preocupaciones, esperamos siempre recibir de Dios pero muchas veces nos olvidamos de compartir lo que ya gratuitamente Él nos regaló. Debemos comprometernos a compartir las riquezas que diariamente recibimos y lo cual nos ayudará a recibir algo mucho más grande en el cielo. Debemos dar sinceramente y no darlo porque obligación si no sabiendo que esa es la voluntad de nuestro Padre. Su Palabra nos dice: “Cada uno debe dar según lo que haya decidido en su corazón, y no de mala gana o a la fuerza, porque Dios ama al que da con alegría. Dios puede darles con abundancia toda clase de bendiciones, para que tengan siempre todo lo necesario y además les sobre para ayudar en toda clase de buenas obras”. 2 Corintios 9:78. Además Jesús nos dice: “hay más dicha en dar que en recibir.” Hechos 20:35.
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os dones son siete: Ciencia, Consejo, Fortaleza, Inteligencia, Piedad, Sabiduría, y Temor de Dios; y los frutos son doce: Caridad, Gozo, Paz, Paciencia, Longanimidad, Bondad, Benignidad, Mansedumbre, Fe, Modestia, Continencia, y Castidad. Los dones y frutos que Dios nos regala son una expresión de su amor y misericordia. Por lo tanto, se deben cuidar de tal manera que sirvan y nos ayuden a estar en gracia con Dios. “Cada uno, como buen administrador de la multiforme gracia de Dios, ponga al servicio de los demás los dones que haya recibido” 1 Pedro 4:10. Cada uno al nacer tiene con un propósito de vida que Dios planeó y que trae consigo el compromiso de ser buen
Calendario del Mes Octubre del 2018 13. Escuela de Liderazgo Pastoral: La Doctrina Social de la Iglesia. Parroquia de Cristo Rey de 9:00am-5pm 26-28. Retiro en Inglés para hombres y mujeres que hayan sido afectadas por un aborto. Llamar para más información ya que el lugar y toda la información es confidencial. MINISTERIO HISPANO CATOLICO - DIOCESIS Rosalba Quiroz, Directora (318) 219-7265; rquiroz@dioshpt.org Melina Sanchez, Secretaria (318) 219-7257; msanchez@dioshpt.org Cristo Rey: Bossier City
425 McCormick Street P. Rigo Betancurt P. Mark Watson (318) 221-0238 Domingo-1:00pm Lunes y Martes-7pm Sabado-6pm
Santo Tomás Aquino: Ruston
810 Carey Avenue P. Tony Posadas (318) 243-0115 Domingo-1:30pm
Sta Maria de los Pinos: Shreveport
1050 Bert Kouns Ind. Loop P. Fidel Mondragon (318) 455-2300 Domingo-11:30am
Vicario General para la Diocesis de Shreveport Padre Rothell Price, V.G. (318)219-7259; rprice@dioshpt.org Coordinador de la Vicaria del Este Padre Luis Jost, OFM (318) 243-0115; pluisofm@yahoo.com
San Pascual: W. Monroe
711 North 7th Street P. Luis Jost (318) 243-0115 Domingo-4:00pm Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro: Farmerville
600 East Water Street P. Luis Jost (318) 243-0115 Sábado-7:00pm
San Juan Bautista: Many
1130 San Antonio Ave. P. Francis Kamau (318) 256-5680 1er Domingo de Mes-5pm
Sagrado Corazon: Oak Grove
201 Purvis St. P. Joseph Kallookalam (318) 559-2876 Domingo-5:00pm
OCTOBER 2018 23
Kids'
Connection
Angel of God Prayer
Feast Day of the Month
Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels
He has given his angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11. Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God’s love commits me here, Ever this day, be at my side,
To light and guard, To rule and guide.
Guardian Angels in the Catechism From its beginning until death, human life is
surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the
blessed company of angels and men united in God [CCC 336].
Saintly Word Find Guardian Angels
ANGEL DEFEND DEVOTION ENLIGHTEN GOVERN GUARDIAN GUIDE MEMORIAL OCTOBER PRAYER PROTECT RULE
24 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
Feast Day October 2 About the Day
This feast day began in the 1500's by the Franciscan order. It was placed on the Roman calendar by Pope Paul V in 1607. In 1795, Pius VI granted a partial indulgence for saying the devotion twice a day, every day for a year.
ACROSS THE NATION
President of U.S. Bishops’ Conference Issues Statement Following Meeting with Pope Francis from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Holy See Press Office
We look forward to actively continuing our discernment
together identifying the most effective next steps. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Texas in Vatican City during the Synod of Bishops on October 9, 2015. (photo/Catholic News Agency)
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ATICAN CITY—Following a private audience with Pope Francis on September 13 in Vatican City, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued the following statement regarding the recent moral crisis in the American Catholic Church. “We are grateful to the Holy Father for receiving us in audience. We shared with Pope Francis our situation in the United States – how the Body of Christ is lacerated by the evil of sexual abuse. He listened very deeply from the heart. It was a lengthy, fruitful and good exchange. As we departed the audience, we prayed the Angelus together for God’s mercy and strength as we work to heal the wounds. We look forward to actively continuing our discernment together identifying the most effective next steps.” •
Communiqué of the Council of Cardinals 09/12/2018
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ATICAN CITY—The Holy Father Francis, after hearing the Council of Cardinals, has decided to convene a meeting with the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences of the Catholic Church on the theme of the “protection of minors.” The meeting with the pope will be held in the Vatican from February 21 to 24, 2019. During the 26th meeting, which took place from September 10 to 12, the Council reflected extensively together with the Holy Father on the theme of abuse, issuing the Communiqué published by the Holy See Press Office on September 10. As it proceeds in the work of the reform of the Roman Curia, the Council has concluded its rereading of the texts already prepared; the pastoral care of the staff who work there has also been a cause of attention. •
Briefing of the Holy See Press Office on the 26th Meeting of the Council of Cardinals with the Holy Father Francis
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ATICAN CITY—On September 12, the Vice Director of the Holy See Press Office, Paloma García Ovejero, gave a briefing on the 26th meeting of the Council of Cardinals with the Holy Father Francis. The Council of Cardinals met for three days: September 10-12. The majority of the Council’s work was dedicated to the final adjustments to the draft of the new Apostolic Constitution of the Roman Curia, provisionally entitled Praedicate evangelium. The Council of Cardinals has already submitted to the Holy Father the provisional text which will however undergo stylistic revision and a canonistic review. ...The Council of Cardinals asked the pope to reflect on the work, structure and composition of the Council itself, also taking into consideration the advanced age of some members. All those present expressed their satisfaction at the good outcome of the Ninth World Meeting of Families, held in Dublin, and congratulated His Eminence Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell and the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, which along with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, organized the event. His Eminence Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., gave an update on the work of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Once again, the Cardinals expressed their full solidarity with Pope Francis with regard to the events of recent weeks. The Holy Father, after hearing the Council of Cardinals, convened a meeting with the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences of all the world to speak about the prevention of abuse of minors and vulnerable adults. The next meeting of the Council of Cardinals will take place on December 10, 11, and 12, 2018. • OCTOBER 2018 25
SJS Remebers 9/11
SCHOOL NEWS
Ryan Smith Award at LCP
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oyola College Prep teacher Laura Woolbert became the third recipient of the Ryan William Smith Award presented last month at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans. The Flyer volleyball coach humbly accepted the award that honors the late Ryan William Smith, a 2004 Loyola alumnus who joined the Lord in heaven at age 29 after battling cancer. His parents, Gethyn and Robin Smith, were present and loved continuing their son’s honor at one of his favorite places. Smith considered himself blessed to have many great teachers during his 14 years of Catholic education. Because of this, the designation appropriately rewards employee excellence. “I was a little shocked when I heard my name,” Woolbert said. “It was
Backpack Donations at OLF
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n September 11, St. Joseph School remembered the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, with a Patriotic Rosary. SJS began the Patriotic Rosary last year as a way to remember the victims of that tragic day in our nation's history, and to pray to our spiritual mother, Mary, for peace. SJS alumnae Kevin Nolten opened with a brief presentation about the events of that day, and what it meant for us as Americans. Fr. Long began the rosary, then Middle School students led faculty, staff and students in grades K5 - 8th through each decade of the Joyful Mysteries. •
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ur Lady of Fatima students were blessed with backpack donations! A special thanks to these ladies and gentlemen for all they do for the school. •
JGS School 6th Grade & Kindergarten STEM Collaboration
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he JGS 6th grade and kindergarten classes met for their very first STEM collaboration. The STEM project was based on computer programming. A kindergarten student worked together with a 6th grade student, as computer programmers, sending instructions to their “computer,” another 6th grade student, who would place Legos in a design as commanded. The programmers and “computer” were partitioned and were only allowed to give and receive commands. The “computer,” a 6th grade student, could only accept or decline commands, but could not ask questions or speak otherwise. The goal of the project was to determine if the programmers and “computer” could work together as a team, following commands without being able to see one another and produce the same Lego design. At the conclusion, three teams produced close to identical Lego designs. This was a great learning experience for both grades .• 26 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
Why I Love Catholic featuring
School
Brooke Tuminello
St. Joseph Catholic School
I not something I was expecting, and after a second or two I thought, ‘Well you better get up and walk to the front.’ Receiving an award like this is such an honor.” In her 30th year of Flyer education, Woolbert recalled the memorable passion Smith had for science in her chemistry class. “I remember him being super excited about labs. Though labs are usually every student’s favorite part of class, Ryan took a particular interest in how things worked, what the equipment was and why we used it.” Smith’s love for the laboratory later evolved into a Bachelor of Science in petroleum engineering from Louisiana State University. He always hoped to return to Loyola and teach an introductory engineering class where he said he’d do it for free. “Teachers touch the lives of so many students over the years, and we sometimes forget the impact we have,” Woolbert said. •
love my Catholic School because we get to learn about God and His Son Jesus everyday. During KJOE, we say the Pledge of Allegiance, our school prayer and the school vision statement. We also pray before lunch. I love that we go to Mass on Fridays. Students get the chance to be readers, altar servers, gift bearers and sing in the choir. I really like it when the priests visit our religion class. They talk to us and answer questions about our faith. The teachers at St. Joseph are nice and caring and put a smile on my face. They are willing to offer extra help if I have trouble with something. I know I am getting a terrific education at St. Joseph that will prepare me for high school.
St. Joseph School 318-865-3585 sjsfalcons.org
CREATE the Diocese of Shreveport Christmas WHO?
Children Ages 5 - 13
WHAT?
Christmas-themed religious drawing or painting*
Final card size will be 5 x 7 inches, but can be created larger and scaled down.
WHEN?
Submission deadline is Friday, October 26, 2018
Card!
The Diocese of Shreveport's development team will narrow down the submissions to 10 finalists. The finalists’ entries will be posted on the Diocese of Shreveport’s Facebook page from November 2-7 for voting. The entry with the most votes will be featured as the Diocese of Shreveport's Christmas card for 2018!
Submit entries to: Attn: Development, 3500 Fairfield Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71104 OR Email bvice@dioshpt.org QUESTIONS? Email or call Blanca at 318-868-4441, or bvice@dioshpt.org * All submissions must be the artist’s own work.
OCTOBER 2018 27
AROUND THE DIOCESE
ACTS Teams Up to Say “Welcome”
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ouisiana Tech opened it doors on Labor Day. Each year, United Campus Ministries (UCM) serves up hamburgers in the Quad at Tech to welcome students. UCM includes ACTS (Association of Catholic Tech Students), BCM (Baptist College Ministries, ABS (Association of Baptist Students), The Wesley Foundation (United Methodist Church), Bridges International and Chi Apha (both nondenominational groups). This year ACTS, along with UCM, grilled nearly 1,000 burgers. (1)
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Fr. Kamau Blesses Pumpkins
t’s time for fall and pumpkins! Fr. Francis Kamau, FMH, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, recently visited and blessed Pat Gandy’s Pumpkin Farm in Many. Pat graciously undertook the project of planting pumpkins to help supply the church’s October Pumpkin Patch fundraiser. (2)
50 Years a Knight of Peter Claver
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ndrew Jones received a certificate and pin for 50 years of service in the Knights of Peter Claver. Presenting the certificate is Area Deputy Tim Ford. Grand Knight Stanley D. Roque presented his pin. (3)
Sacred Heart Hosts Students
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acred Heart of Jesus Church, Shreveport, assisted the Catholic School of McGillToolen from Mobile, AL. They were invited to play West Monroe High School in the Battle on the Border and needed a place for meals, practice, planning and Mass. Sacred Heart opened their classrooms, grounds and church for their game preparations. Fr. John Paul Crispin, FMH, celebrated Mass for the team, coaches and family. There were about 144 present. (4) 28 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
St. Jude Members Recognized
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ong time members of St. Jude Parish, Sharon Barrett and Lynn Mills, were each presented with the 2018 Servus Servorum Award at St Jude’s Annual Meeting on August 29, 2018. (5)
Healy Professes OCDS
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ebecca Many Healy, OCDS, a member of Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, solemnly professed her Definitive Promise as a Secular to the Discalced Carmelite Order of the Roman Catholic Church. Rebecca’s profession brings the total of definitively professed members representing the Diocese of Shreveport to three: the other two members are Virginia Lazarus and Debbie Malarcher, both parish members of the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans. (6)
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Celebrating Back to School at St. Paschal
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t. Paschal Parish Youth (SPY) posed at the photo booth area with the prizes that they won at their back-to-school “Meet and Greet.” The theme for this year’s SPY is “Adventure Awaits” All games, decorations and prizes were focused around ADVENTURE! (7)
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Youth from Many Attended Steubenville South
Y
outh from St. John the Baptist Parish in Many attended the Steubenville South Conference in Alexandria, LA the weekend of June 22-24. The conference was sponsored by the Diocese of Alexandria. Shown with the group is Father Michael Thang’wa. (8) Send submissions to "Around the Diocese" to jrinaudo@dioshpt.org. Please include a photo that has not been resized and a brief description. OCTOBER 2018 29
OCTOBER CALENDAR p.m. For more information, email Trey Weaver, at tweaver@dioshpt.org.
October 7
Respect Life Sunday
October 9
Diocesan Social Media Conference • October 4
FEAST DAYS October 1
St. Therese of the Child Jesus, virgin & doctor of the Church
October 2
The Holy Guardian Angels
October 4
St. Francis of Assisi
October 5
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, priest
October 6
St. Bruno, priest; Blessed Marie Rose Durocher
October 9
St. Denis, bishop & companions, martyrs; St. John Leonardi, priest
October 11
St. John XXIII, pope
October 15
St. Teresa of Jesus, virgin & doctor of the Church
October 16
St. Hedwig, religious; St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, virgin
October 17
St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop & martyr
October 18
St. Luke, evangelist 30 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
October 19
Sts. John de Brebeyf & Isaac Jogues, priests & companions, martyrs
October 20
St. Paul of the Cross, priest
October 22
St. John Paul II, pope
October 23
St. John of Capistrano, priest
October 24
St. Anthony Mary Claret, bishop
DIOCESAN EVENTS October 4
Diocesan Social Media Conference This event is open to all diocesan personnel who work for the Catholic Church, including parishes, schools and ministries. We will cover a range of topics from “What makes a good post,” and Facebook page administration to managing challenges and sharing resources. This is a free event, but registration is required. Visit www.dioshpt.org to register! For questions, contact Jessica Rinaudo at jrinaudo@ dioshpt.org.
Theology on Tap: Monroe This event is an opportunity for young adults to come together and learn more about a topic of the Catholic faith. Join us at Fieldhouse Bar and Grill in Monroe at 6:30 p.m. For more information, email at Trey Weaver, tweaver@dioshpt.org.
October 10
Protecting God’s Children Catholic Center, Shreveport, 6:00 p.m. For more information, email Deacon Mike Straub at mstraub@dioshpt.org.
October 11
Protecting God’s Children St. Paschal Parish, West Monroe, 6:00 p.m. For more information, email Deacon Mike Straub at mstraub@ dioshpt.org.
October 31
Diocesan Finance Council Meeting Catholic Center, 12:00 p.m.
PARISH EVENTS October 6
St. Pius X Style Show and Lunch The St. Pius X Ladies Guild is hosting its 11th Annual Charity Fundraiser,
October 4
Theology on Tap: Shreveport This event is an opportunity for young adults to come together and learn more about a topic of the Catholic faith. Join us at Rotolo's Pizzeria in Shreveport at 6:30
St. Paschal Herbal Harvest October 20
Style Show & Lunch by Angelwood Catering. Dillards will present new fall fashions with live models from this area. The event will take place at Trinity Heights Baptist Church, located at 3820 Old Mooringsport Rd. at 12:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance from any Guild member, or call 318-422-9803 or 318-525-4511.
October 20
St. Paschal Herbal Harvest Original Arts & Crafts Festival This FREE event which will host 60 vendors selling original artisan arts and crafts. St. Paschal will be selling herb plants and foods prepared by church members. This is the 27th year for this event. It will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. St. Paschal Parish is located at 711 N. 7th Street, West Monroe. For more information, contact Dan Burgess at 318-237-4840, or herbalharvest@ stpaschalchurch.org.
October 21
Pro-Life Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Shreveport Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Shreveport, is hosting their ProLife Mass on October 21, at 3:00 pm. Fr. Peter Mangum, Diocesan Administrator, will be the main celebrant and homilist Additional guests include Knights of Columbus Marion Council, and Cathedral of St. John Berchmans’ Boy Scout Troup #2. Dinner provided. Contact the church office at 318-635-2121.
October 21
Mette Family Band at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish Michael James Mette will be sharing his music with the diocesan community. Michael is a Catholic performing artist who travels the country with his wife of 18 years, Michelle, and their seven young children. His music is a modern reflection of his faith blending
Pro-Life Mass at Sacred Heart, Shreveport • October 21 alternative rock with faith-based lyrics. The concert will be 90 minutes and will include performances from the whole family, lights, video, music and testimonies by Michael and Michelle. Please consider attending the concert and supporting this ministry. The concert will be hosted by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish at 3:00 p.m. For more information, contact the parish at 318-798-1887.
October 21
Knights of Columbus Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser $7 per plate, includes pasta with meat sauce, meatballs, salad and dressing and garlic bread. Advanced purchase preferred, pickup from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at St. Pius X Parish, located at 4300 North Market St., Shreveport. Follow the signs. Contact Ron at 318- 929-9803 to purchase meal tickets. FREE delivery with purchase of 10 or more plates.
October 27
40th Anniversary of Monster Mash at St. John Berchmans School St. John Berchmans School has revamped its Monster Mash for the 40th anniversary of the event. Join them for games, inflatables, hay rides, cake walk, delicious food and more, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
October 28
Annual Mary, Queen of Peace Halloween Carnival Mary, Queen of Peace Parish will host its annual Halloween Carnival from 11:00
a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The church is located at 7738 Barksdale Blvd. in Bossier City. Children will enjoy a hayride, face painting, creating sand art projects, trunk or treating activities and a large array of games. $3 admission. Be sure to come hungry! Adults will enjoy the large craft booth complete with an assortment of handmade items.
October 30
Our Lady of Guadalupe Silver Rose Program at St. Mary of the Pines Please join in this wonderful Marian tradition and devotion. They will have procession of the Knights of Columbus Silver Rose, and will be praying the Rosary and a reflecting on Mary, Mother of the Church, family and peace. This will take place at St. Mary of the Pines, located at 1050 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop in Shreveport at 6:00 p.m. Call the church office for more information, 318-687-5121.
November 2
Missa Cantata Requiem Mass at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans Please join the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans on All Souls Day at 5:30 p.m. The Mass will feature the music of W.A. Mozart’s Requiem, sung by the Cathedral Choir and St. Cecilia Diocesan Choir.
November 27 - 29
2018 Conference of Chancery and Tribunal Officials This year, the Diocese of Shreveport will be host to the 2018 Conference of Chancery and Tribunal Officials. Bishop Thomas Paprocki will be the keynote speaker. Additionally, Dr. Diane Barr will present on Chancery and Notary formation. This year’s conference will focus on “Legalism, Laxism and Antinoianism in the Church today.” For more information, visit www.dioshpt.org, or email lsutton@dioshpt.org. OCTOBER 2018 31
Connection The Catholic
DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT 3500 Fairfield Ave. • Shreveport, LA 71104
PHOTOS OF THE MONTH
Scenes from the Diocesan Prayer Service for Reparation and Petition on September 14, 2018. photos by Jessica Rinaudo
32 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION
Fairfield