February 2024 - Called to Love

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

PUBLISHER

Bishop Francis I. Malone

EDITOR

Kirsten Shrewsberry

EDITORIAL BOARD

February 2024

Volume 33, Number 7 CALLED TO LOVE

CONTRIBUTORS

Lucy Medvec

Tristan Frisk

Mary Arcement Alexander

Rosalba Quiroz

Delia Barr

Laurie Nick

Karl Yabut

Mike Van Vranken

Karla Alvarez

Joe Bulger

Karen Dill

Sr. Carol Shively, OSU

John LeBlanc

T.C. Veit

Jennifer Patterson

Marlo Shepard

Stephanie Haney

Polly Maciulski

Amy Fakhre

SUBSCRIPTIONS & ADDRESS CHANGES

Contact: Blanca Vice

Email: bvice@dioshpt.org

Write: The Catholic Connection 3500 Fairfield Ave.

Shreveport, LA 71104

Call: 318-868-4441

Fax: 318-868-4609

SUBMISSIONS

Contact: Kirsten Shrewsberry

Email: doseditor@dioshpt.org

The Catholic Connection is a member of the Catholic Media Association.

The Diocese of Shreveport complies with Virtus’ Protecting God’s Children program. (www.virtus.org)

Online sessions are available. To report child sexual abuse by a cleric or church worker in the Diocese of Shreveport, call your local law enforcement agency and Mary Arcement Alexander, Diocesan Victim Assistance Minister at 318-588-2120. Thank you for helping to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Catholic Connection is a monthly publication funded by your Catholic Service Appeal, mailed to every known Catholic household in the Diocese of Shreveport. Our mission is to advance knowledge and understanding of our Catholic faith among the faithful. We seek to foster the application of Christ’s teachings and our church’s mission in our daily lives and to encourage our sense of Catholic identity within our family, parish, and faith community.

Very Rev. Msgr. Matthew T. Long

Dcn. Charles Thomas OFS

Karla Alvarez

Rev. Kevin Mues

Rosalba Quiroz

ONE YEAR AGO, I GOT A CALL ABOUT A JOB. This job to be specific. I was very pregnant, unsure what direction my career would take once I had my second child, and I kept returning to the question, “why me?”

Professionally I’ve worked in sports, live events, marketing, and communication for almost 15 years. I knew from a skill level I was qualified to accept this position. My biggest hang up was that I’m not holy enough! I thought of the tremendous people

already at the diocese and thought, they’ll know I’m a sinner and I won’t be worthy of leading this ministry. When I first met with Bishop Malone to interview for this position, I was so scared he’d want me to quote the Catechism or reject me for a lack of high-level theology studies. Instead Bishop Malone simply asked how I could serve the diocese, what talents I could bring to his people, and how could he support me in my vocation as a wife, mother, and future-editor and director of PR.

It’s taken me a while, but I see now that God doesn’t call perfect people. God wants all of us to do our best to serve Him and His people. We are all called in some way or another by God. Whether that call is to serve Him in ministry, to love those in need, or even just to listen to Him and trust Him with our needs and worries.

I’m so grateful I answered that call a year ago, and I’m thankful to all of our Catholic Connection readers for being on this journey with me. I hope you take time this month to reflect on how God is calling you in your life. What vocation has He called you to? How can you give to Him with your time, talent, or treasure? In the end we’re all unworthy, but God calls us anyway. I hope you hear Him, and you answer.

Kirsten Shrewsberry, Editor and Diocesan Director of Public Relations

A few of my favorite memories from the past year at the Diocese of Shreveport...

My son at the Multicultural picnic with Karla Alvarez

Visiting our Catholic schools

Celebrating Mass all over our diocese Bishop Malone baptizing my daughter

The ordination of Fr. Kelby and Fr. Gabriel

Attending Money $chool(R) with Jean Woods at CCNLA

from the bishop

THE MORE WE STUDY SCRIPTURE, THE MORE CHALLENGING ITS MESSAGE CAN BE. Both Old and New Testaments invite us to experience a fundamental change in our lives. Even the very word, “change” can evoke a certain sense of fear in us. If we embrace the concept of change, of moving away from the way we have been living our lives into a new direction –one that leads us to a deeper, more profound relationship with the Lord. It’s not such an easy task for most of us, yet it’s a consistent invitation from Him TO Him. Most of us find, in such a discovery of the Lord in our lives, that it’s what motivates us to seek that relationship with Him is what makes it possible, realistic, and potentially the “game changer” in our lives. Simply put, one has to have the right motivation for the relationship to be realized. A challenging question for us to ask ourselves is, “what motivates me to want a relationship with the Lord?” Or perhaps another question would be “what motivates God to want that relationship with me?” He does, of course, want the kind of relationship with us that embraces every aspect of our lives. Why does He want this relationship with us? The simple answer is “love.” He loves us beyond our ability to grasp it, and consistently, in our search of Scripture, we find this invitation to love that marks every dimension of our lives. Conversely, He wants us to go in search of the kind of love that is so profound that we might think it is also beyond our ability to grasp it. In fact, a thorough and consistent search of this kind of love places us on the kind of journey that not only binds us to Him, but in the process, binds us to one another.

Examples of this “binding” are endless, from that which unites us to such a deep relationship with Him that it changes virtually every aspect of our lives: in our personal relationship with Him, to our relationship with one

another. It is visibly present in how we relate to those we encounter in our daily lives, to those with whom we live, and work, and share this life’s journey. It is also visibly present when we examine how we use the goods of this earth for the benefit of others. In our diocese, the Catholic Service Appeal is one of the most visible ways we show our love for one another which transcends money or our financial resources, or when we are challenged to share the goods of time and service with our brothers and sisters. Whenever I am asked about the degree to which I use my personal resources – I know that I am really being asked about the degree to which I respond to being called to love – not just in my relationship with the Lord, but also in the profound way I am called to love those around me. Any other approach might narrow my call to love, to money, and not much more. I also come to realize that being called to love in a tangible way is my way of identifying how much I do love those who are entrusted to me in this life, and on this journey from this life to the next.

“Love.” We read about it, write about it, make it the focus of our music and our closest relationships. But when we are asked to identify the tangible ways in which I use the resources the Lord has given to me – I come that much closer to defining what love really means in my life. To be sure, it’s this kind of love to which we are called, and while there are plenty of examples of how this works in our lives, it begins with my understanding of love, and where that love calls me to be and the direction it gives to my life.

Answering God’s Call

Lucy Medvec, Diocesan Director of Development

I LOVE THE ANNUAL CATHOLIC SERVICE APPEAL. I know I have to feel that way (the Appeal is part of my job, after all), but for almost 30 years, my husband and I have been devoted supporters of the annual Appeal and I think you should be as well!

The theme of this year’s Appeal, “You Are Called,” really resonates with me. It was a phone call in 1999 from Fr. Lombard asking Mark and me to serve on the Appeal Committee as representatives for St. Joseph Church in Shreveport.We were already giving to the Appeal every year, but learning about the ministries that received support from appeal donations,and having the opportunity to speak to our fellow parishioners, brought us to a whole new level of commitment. We were hooked.

So fast forward 25 years and now I am here writing to you – appealing to you – to support the Catholic Service Appeal. One thing that sadly hasn’t changed since last century is the overall percentage of donors from our diocese who make a donation. It hovers around 25%. This is the year I want that number to grow and that’s where you come in.

This is the year I invite you to really search within your heart to give to the Catholic Service Appeal. If you give every year – thank you! If you have never given or have missed the last few years, please prayerfully consider making a donation. Listen to God’s call.

Throughout this month’s Catholic Connection, you will read all about different ways God calls to us through our ministries. We cannot do God’s work without your support and isn’t that why we are truly here?

I say all the time that your gift of any amount can help our ministries and I truly believe that. Always remember that we can do great things when we all come together. In my mind, a successful Catholic Service Appeal is when we have a participation rate of 50%, 75%, or dare I say, 100%? We can dream!

In the coming weeks, you will be hearing more about the 2024 Catholic Service Appeal, but you can support the Appeal today by using the envelope in this magazine or give online at www.dioshpt.org. Share the love and answer God’s call today.

Throughout this issue of the Catholic Connection, you will see the many ministries that are funded by the Catholic Service Appeal – including this magazine - denoted by this tag. These ministries are made possible through your donation. Thank you for your support.

This ministry is made possible by your donations to the Catholic Service Appeal

You are Called

to serve

Our commitment as Catholics to serve others as Jesus called and exemplified.

to learn

Instilling a lifelong learning of our faith through Catholic schools, religious education and adult faith formation.

to care

Providing care and support for our retired and infirmed priests and helping those in our diocese who are less fortunate.

to grow

Growing our faith throughout the diocese by engaging Catholics in youth ministry, campus ministry and multicultural ministry.

to love

We are called to love one another as God has loved us, especially those who are less fortunate.

to give

Sharing the gifts given to us through God’s grace to make a difference in the world around us.

to pray

Please pray for the ministries in our diocese that are supported by the Catholic Service Appeal.

We Are Called To Vocation

Tristan Frisk, Diocesan Seminarian

EACH AND EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING HAS

A VOCATION. That vocation is God calling each and every single person back to be with Him. In order for one to know and respond to their vocation, he or she must be in a relationship with God and with those who are in their society, community, or diocese. To explain the latter part of the previous sentence the Catechism of the Catholic Church states “The human person needs to live in society. Society is not for him an extraneous addition but a requirement of his nature. Through the exchange with others, mutual service and dialogue with his brethren, man develops his potential; he thus responds to his vocation” (CCC 1879).

This is especially needed for those who are seeking to respond to the vocation of the priesthood. In the Second Vatican Council decree Optatam Totius (Decree on Priestly Training), it states that “the duty of fostering vocations pertains to the whole Christian community, which should exercise it above all by a fully Christian life” (OT 2). Therefore, I hope this article serves three purposes. The first to give a very brief introduction or remarks on vocation and by extension, priestly vocation. The second is to urge each and every person to come to recognize or continue to grow in their vocation by being in relationship with God that comes from prayer, listening to or reading the Scriptures, and receiving the sacraments.This is also found by being in the right relationship with their neighbors.

In our lives, it is not just you and God, but it is you, God, and your neighbors. We are saved in life not individually but as whole People that is the Church, the Real and Mystical

Body of Christ. We do not grow in our vocation by being alone, but we grow in it when we are with others and show them God’s Incarnate Love by the way we treat them with dignity, serve their needs, and pick them up when they are down especially when undeserving of it. Then we can see with God and others how and where God is calling us to live out the plan He has for each and every one of us.

The third purpose of my article is to thank each and every one of you for living out your vocation that has either directly or indirectly helped me grow into understanding and following God’s plan for me toward the priesthood. Through our personal interactions, in the way of life I have seen you participate in the Church and its Sacraments, or in your prayer for seminarians or the growth of the Church, you have helped me in my discernment and journey into the seminary and one day into the priesthood. Therefore, it is my hope that you remember that God calls all of us to Himself by living out our faith with each other and in that way, we come to know God’s plan for each of us and help build up the Church and, in one particular way, the Priesthood of the Church.

This ministry is made possible by your donations to the Catholic Service Appeal

Photo courtesy of Saint Meinrad Seminary

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

Mary

Arcement Alexander, Licensed

Professional Counselor & Diocesan Victim Assistance Minister

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:30-31

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR: THREE SIMPLE WORDS TO UNDERSTAND, YET DIFFICULT FOR MANY TO ACTUALLY DO. Have you ever wondered why? Have you looked at the state of our world recently and thought to yourself, “Why is there so much hate?” If you have, you are definitely not alone. I have thought this to myself for many years now. I think we can all agree that hatred has existed in our world since the fall. Many people currently believe that this is the worst of the worst in regards to hatred but I disagree. I believe it appears this way because for many of us, this is the worst we have seen, myself included. But, if you have ever read anything from the medieval times, then you know those years were filled with lots of violence, anger and hatred. There is a reason why it is also aptly referred to as The Dark Ages. My point? Hatred, racism, bigotry, violence and vengefulness have ebbed and flowed throughout the centuries and will continue to do so until Jesus comes again. If right about now you are feeling hopeless, hold that thought, because there is actual hope. Although I believe we will not rid our world of hatred, I do believe we absolutely can reduce the amount of hatred in our world. Keep reading to learn how.

I titled my article “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself,” not only because it is a scripture verse but also because the more important part of this conversation lies in the last two words, as yourself. As a licensed professional counselor, a major part of my work is studying human behavior. After 21 years, I have become really good at observing the way humans think and behave. With that said, the bulk of the clients I serve initially come to me not knowing how to love themselves. They do not necessarily hate themselves (although many do), rather they simply do not know how to love themselves the way God calls us to do so, hence the reason He included those two very poignant words in scripture. Unfortunately, I do not have the space to write out all the reasons why so many people struggle to love themselves, but I can speak about one reason. Both Christians and non-Christians alike believe that loving yourself means being selfish, self-centered or a narcissist, all of which come from the world, not God. Believe it or not, those types of people actually are very insecure (a conversation for another day). To love yourself is a gift. It is selfless, not selfish. More importantly, it is a command from God!

My brothers and sisters, we cannot and will not stop hating our neighbors until we are able to love ourselves as God calls us to do. When you love yourself you are joyful and when you are joyful you will not hate. Yes, you will still have pain and difficulty but through your self-love and joy, the pain and difficulty will not devastate or destroy you. I found a great quote that I want to leave with you today. It was written by Kristi Gaultiere a psychotherapist and Protestant spiritual director: “To love yourself, love God first. Effective self-love is a byproduct of loving God. When you agree with God’s love for you and love the God who loves you, you’ll learn to love yourself too.”

Signs of Love; Sins Against It

Rosalba Quiroz, Diocesan Vice-Chancellor

FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO WRITING THIS ARTICLE ABOUT LOVE. I spent time searching and meditating upon Bible verses, phrases and songs that talked about this beautiful virtue; I was observing how God shows his love to us in all that He creates and all the love that surrounds me. However, after sitting and thinking long and hard about the words I should use to describe love, my mind kept refusing to write about the beauty of love and instead kept pushing me into writing about the struggles and sufferings of many people in our world because of the lack of it.

As I started thinking more deeply about the consequences of a world that concentrates more on self and temporary satisfaction, rather than in everlasting love; it saddened me to realize that people who can’t give love may have not received love and so, they can’t give what they don’t have. This vicious cycle brings destruction and death not only to this world but what’s worse, it’s a sin and a weapon that kills the soul.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists five sins against love:

1. “Indifference by neglecting to reflect on divine love; it fails to consider its prevenient goodness and denies its power.

2. Ingratitude fails or refuses to acknowledge divine charity and to return him love for love.

3. Lukewarmness, is hesitation or negligence in responding to divine love; it can imply refusal to give oneself over to the prompting of charity.

4. Acedia, or spiritual sloth goes so far as to refuse the joy that comes from God and to be repelled by divine goodness.

5. Hatred of God comes from pride. It is contrary to love of God, whose goodness it denies, and whom it presumes to curse as the one who forbids sin and inflicts punishments.” CCC 2094.

The first three sins can sneak upon on us and go unnoticed since apparently no one is hurt, but if they are not tended to, they can make us become sloths in the faith, or worse, pride will take over and make the world hate God and His people. I believe much of what’s happening in our world in reference to the wars, the trafficking of humans, and the horrors that some humans do to others, could have been stopped by fighting against the indifference towards the needs of others, including our closest family members and relatives. Let’s be watchful of the needs of others and not become indifferent to their sufferings; let’s be grateful for the teachings of our Church and the great examples of love we have in the Saints and in many good people around us.

Something to ponder during our coming Season of Lent: am I responding to God’s call to love; spreading seeds of love and looking for opportunities to be a sign of love or do I entertain the sins against it through lack of love, ingratitude, or indifference towards those I encounter each day?

Am I responding to God’s call to love; spreading seeds of love and looking for opportunities to be a sign of love?

Do I entertain the sins against it through lack of love, ingratitude, or indifference towards those I encounter each day?

To end on a good note: among many other descriptions of love, I like this one from St. Paul: “we’re called to enjoy freedom; I am not speaking of that freedom which gives free reign to the desires of the flesh, but of that which makes you slaves of one another through love.” Galatians 5:13

LOVE THAT MOMENT WHEN YOUR HEART SKIPS A BEAT!

Delia Barr, Diocese of Shreveport Director of Faith Formation

I REMEMBER LIVING IN CORPUS CHRISTI AS A NEWLYWED AND SEEING MY HUSBAND WALK ACROSS A CROWDED EVENT TOWARD ME AND MY HEART SKIPPED A BEAT! I couldn’t believe this dreamboat was headed directly to me! And he was my husband! I still can’t believe it today that God put the perfect person for me in my life. It is good to be God’s favorite. God is LOVE and each of us are truly His favorite. His infinite love can call each of us His favorite.

Recently in prayer as I was listening to the Hallow app, “Pray25 Advent Challenge,” on Day 3 Aslan, Sr. Orianne of the Daughters of St. Paul was guiding an imaginative prayer based on Aslan from C.S. Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia.” As she guided me, the listener, I imagined being near this large, powerful lion, Aslan, who represented Jesus. Susan from the first book asks, “is he safe?” And the response is “Not safe, but he is good.” Sr. Orianne encouraged me to gaze upon the eyes of this mighty lion and mighty king, a king who loves me and fights for me. She encouraged me, in my mind, to move closer to this great lion as he lies down and encouraged me to reach out and pet his mane, at that moment in my imaginative prayer as I reached out and petted this great lion he reacted to my touch in a way of joy, the way a puppy wags his tail when you scratch behind his ears. I felt the sense that Jesus was just as thrilled to be with me as I was to be there with Him. I was sitting in the chapel and my heart skipped a beat. Each time I

visit Jesus in the chapel and in Eucharistic Adoration I am so grateful and thankful that I am there with Him, that I have this opportunity to sit and worship. This moment showed me that He is just as excited to see me as I am to be there with Him. I suppose this is something I have always known in my heart, but the feeling was so overwhelming.

My visits to the chapel and Adoration are a little more special, and as I gaze on Him, I am more aware of His gaze on me. He is so happy I came to visit.

Introducing The 2024 Diocesan Youth Summit

Laurie Nick, Diocesan Director of Youth Ministry

The Diocesan Office of Youth Ministry hosted its inaugural Diocesan Youth Summit last spring. There were more than 300 youth from all over our diocese in attendance, making the event a great success. Our office is so excited to host this event again! The theme of this year’s event is REVIVE, inspired by John 4:13-14, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Our event will focus on guiding our young people to center their lives on Jesus, as only He can satisfy our thirsts because He is the living water.

The speaker for the event is Ali Hoffman and music will be performed by the Scally Brothers! Ali is an engaging Catholic youth speaker from Dallas, TX. Her passions are Jesus, the Catholic Church, her family, donuts, and Chipotle, in that order. Ali travels the globe sharing the Gospel and making disciples. The Scally Brothers, Jake and Zach Scally, are a dynamic duo

from Toledo, Ohio. Through music, they aim to revive the youth and bring new energy to the people of the Catholic Church! The Scally Brothers have toured across the country leading worship from a heart of surrender.

We invite you to join us for a day filled with fellowship, games, music, prayer, Adoration, and more! I ask that you join me in praying that the Holy Spirit will set a fire in the hearts and souls of all those who participate in our 2024 Diocesan Youth Summit! We are able to host events like this one in our diocese because of your generosity to the Catholic Service Appeal! Thank you for your continued support of youth ministry.

This ministry is made possible by your donations to the Catholic Service Appeal

REVIVE

DIOCESAN YOUTH SUMMIT

10 AM - 6:30 PM, The Catholic Center

Open to grades 7 - 12

REGISTRATION:

$25/youth

register with your church parish

The ScallyBrothers

Ali Hoffman

SEEK24

Karl Yabut, Diocesan Campus Ministry Director

“DEEP DOWN IN THE CHASMS OF OUR BAPTIZED SOUL IS A HOME FOR GOD”

- MSGR. SHEA, SEEK24

DAY 2

In my bedroom hangs all the lanyards of the SEEK Conferences I’ve attended since 2019, with each nametag and schedule serving as a reminder of the week I spent with so many of my brothers and sisters in Christ immersed in the sacraments and the joy that I felt in those convention centers. My SEEK24 lanyard that just joined the collection holds a greater significance to me than any other so far. For the first time, every undergraduate college/university in our diocese had students in attendance, in fact, we had over 40 students who trekked to St. Louis, Missouri in a charter bus for 12 hours.

During the conference, there’s a central area called “Mission Way”, that’s filled with booths of Catholic apparel, artists, religious groups, and nonprofits. The only way to explain this area is to compare it to my favorite childhood experience— my parents taking my siblings and me to Toys R Us. It’s a weird comparison, I know, but every trip we took to that store, I was overwhelmed with joy; not because I was looking to purchase everything in the store, rather it was cool to see things I would see on television ads right in front of me. In Mission Way, it was so cool to see religious brothers and sisters having lunch with students, playing Spikeball (Karl- 1, Centenary students - 0), hundreds of priests gathered, or just taking a browse through all the Catholic vendors. That space brought me back to a sense of childlike joy because when you live in a Bible Belt state, it’s hard to imagine the vast glory and richness of our Church.

If you looked at any social media platform recently, the overwhelming message is that the Church is divided, and that young people are leaving the faith in high numbers. The responsorial psalm for a recent weekday Mass was Psalm 24:6, “This is the generation, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.” Though I don’t deny that we need to pray for unity in our Church and the conversion of hearts of young people who are lost, I couldn’t help but be moved and inspired attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with 22,000 college students, attendees, and religious people with over 400 priests, 10 bishops, and two cardinals. I can’t help but to be filled with so much hope for Our Church, especially in our stretch of land across I-20 and the universities here. So many were reminded that in the depths of our heart is a home for God, where He seeks to fill us with hope, joy, and mercy.

I don’t know the exact reason why each student attended, whether it was because their favorite podcast host (Fr. Mike Schmitz, Matt Fradd, Fr. Gregory Pines, Fr. Josh Johnson and so many more) was present, to grow closer to Jesus Christ, they were invited by their FOCUS missionary, campus minister, student leader, or their friends dragged them along, but I know one thing is for certain: the Holy Spirit was present and it stirred the hearts of many there.

Thank you to everyone across the diocese who supported our young people in any capacity to attend this awesome conference. None of this would be possible without your continuous support of this ministry. SEEK25 will be in Salt Lake City, Utah, and I pray that we reach so many more students that we will need our own plane to get there!

This ministry is made possible by your donations to the Catholic Service Appeal

to use this process that he called Discerning of Spirits.

In the procedure of discerning spirits, we rummage or sift through the movements of our daily lives and discriminate where they are coming from. These movements, according to Liebert and Ignatius, include our wants, needs, memories,

“...discernment is the process of intentionally becoming aware of how God is present, active, and calling us as individuals and communities so that we can respond with increasingly greater faithfulness.”

Elizabeth Liebert

intuition, bodies, imagination, ability to reason, feelings, nature’s revelations, and other people. As we take our precious time to gaze at each movement in our lives, we constantly ask, “Is this coming from the Spirit of God, or from a spirit not of God?” Ignatius expands his gift of discernment for us by leaving us guidelines or “rules” for discernment. We apply these guidelines to help us determine if what we are experiencing is from God or not. If it’s from God, we follow it. If we discern it’s not from God, we ignore it.

Does this process always result in the best answer? No. We’re still human and make mistakes. Does it increase our opportunities to hear God’s call clearly?

Absolutely!

In Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, the call of Christ to each of us is to follow Jesus in all we do, to know, love, and serve God. It boils down to loving God with all we have and all we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our discernment of spirits then includes the decisions we make every day and all day. Is what we are doing a response to some movement we are experiencing to follow Jesus’ teachings on love? In other words, are these movements coming from God, or not? Clearly, this is about our love relationship with our Divine Creator. It also includes our love relationship with ourselves.

St. Catherine of Siena wrote that God revealed to her that to know and enjoy God perfectly, she had to know herself better, and that knowing herself was all she needed to know. This self-knowledge would open her perfect relationship with God. We know ourselves by rummaging or sifting through the movements within us to discern which are from God. If these movements are coming from our own ego or our own selfish desires, they are from a spirit not of God. Even more diabolically, these movements could be coming from the enemy, the devil, or Satan – whatever language we might use.

In short, we take these movements, bring them to God in dialogue, and over time, we prayerfully discern which are from God and, ultimately, God’s desire or calling for us. And finally, we ask God for some type of confirmation that we have heard correctly.

Does this sound like a lot of work? Yes, it is work. My advice here is that we all need a trained and trusted helper to discern God’s calling. These may include pastors, deacons, religious, and spiritual directors. Yet, as vital as these are, we still have to complete the inner work within ourselves to discern properly. The responsibility is ours for both individual callings and communal callings.

Throughout this month and beyond, you might consider praying for the grace to sift through all of your inner movements. Then, also with God’s grace, prayerfully determine which are from our Lord, and patiently dialogue with God about these movements. Discernment and answering the call is a lifelong process. You’ve been doing it all along. Being more deliberate about it now will make it easier and more effective. And in the process, you will experience God’s kindness, mercy, and inconceivable love.

“Charitas Christi Urget Nos” “Christ’s Charity Urges Us”

Karla Alvarez, Director of Multicultural Ministry

THE DEPARTMENT OF MULTICULTURAL MINISTRY IS BEYOND EXCITED TO INTRODUCE THE THREE NEWEST MEMBERS OF OUR DIOCESAN STAFF: SR. VALENTINA, SR. CATALINA, AND SR. JULIETA! We received these wonderful sisters on November 8th of 2023 from the order of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” from Huamantla, Tlaxcala, Mexico. Bishop Malone has observed the continuous growth of our Hispanic brothers and sisters and the need for more formation and support.This led him to work with Catholic

Thanks to YOUR support of the Catholic Service Appeal, the Diocese of Shreveport was able to take a group of young adults from all over the diocese to Hanceville, AL, for a conference, A Tu Encuentro on November 9-12th, 2023.

Extension to facilitate the presence of these three sisters in our diocese with the start of a five-year program. We could not be happier!

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” is a religious institute of pontifical rite that aims to work in the apostolic works of the church according to its norms. The purpose of this congregation is missionary activity, schools, and catechesis. Charitas christi urget nos. Over the next five years, Sr. Valentina, Sr. Catalina, and Sr. Julieta will help our growing community of Hispanic brothers and sisters by assisting with lay formation, young adult ministry from ages 18-35, and by inviting our brothers and sisters back that have not returned to church after COVID-19, especially in the rural areas of our diocese.

Lately, the sisters have been traveling all over the diocese and you may have seen them in your parishes already. I invite you to introduce yourselves and visit with them since they are now part of our wonderful community. I thank you for helping us make them feel loved and at home.

This ministry is made possible by your donations to the Catholic Service Appeal

Love of God and Neighbor at Catholic Charities of North Louisiana

Joe Bulger, Interim Executive Director of Catholic Charities of North Louisiana

THE TWIN COMMANDMENTS TO LOVE GOD AND NEIGHBOR ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED. As Pope Francis reminded participants in the synod assembly this past October, “In the great commandment, Christ binds God and neighbor together so that they will never be disconnected. There can be no true religious experience that is deaf to the cry of the world. There is no love of God without care and concern for our neighbor.” Likewise, the fullest expressions of love for our neighbor are those which spring from love of God and a living encounter with Him.

In my own life, I have found that my personal relationship with our Lord and my awareness of His call for me have grown in conjunction with the steps I have taken to love, serve, and live my life with and for the people of God, with special concern for the poor and the needy. I grew up with my brother and four sisters in a wonderful Catholic family and in the People of Praise, a charismatic, ecumenical Christian community that has a branch here in Shreveport, one in Minnesota where I am from, and several others. At an early age I developed a love for God as I encountered Him in the sacraments and in charismatic prayer, and I committed my life to Him.

Midway through high school, I realized that while I had an enthusiastic love for the Lord, I felt like I barely knew Him. That summer I made my first trip to Shreveport, to help run a summer camp for a mission outreach the People of Praise had recently started in the Lakeside/Allendale neighborhood. I fell in love with the neighborhood, the people, and the work we were doing here. On that same trip, I had a renewed encounter with God and a new desire to discern and to carry out his call in every area of my life. Before I left, I decided to pray daily and to commit to the community life of the People of Praise. I now live with my wife and two young girls in that same mission outreach, where I also had the chance to do 2.5 years of door-to-door mission work and to help with the founding of a neighborhood school, Praise Academy at Lakeside. I get the chance to encounter and help the needy every day not only in my neighborhood, but also in my work at Catholic Charities of North Louisiana. I have worked at CCNLA for the past seven years in various roles and currently serve as interim executive director.

When I was praying about taking on this new responsibility, I had the chance to do Eucharistic Adoration at the Cathedral. Praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament, it struck me that the same Incarnate Christ who is present in the Eucharist is also present in all the baptized and in a special way in the least of

these His brethren. I get to experience the joy of encountering Him in those who seek help at Catholic Charities, just as I encounter Him in my neighbors and in all my brothers and sisters, as well as in prayer and the sacraments. In the end, the most important qualification of a Catholic Charities leader is charity itself. As we enter this Lenten season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, please keep Catholic Charities and those we serve in your hearts and in your prayers.

Loving The Incarcerated

Karen Dill, Spiritual Director

WHEN JESUS WAS EXPLAINING THE FINAL JUDGMENT TO HIS DISCIPLES IN MATTHEW 25, HE MENTIONED THAT “I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU VISITED ME.” Every time I read that verse; I feel a pang of compunction. I often forget about people in jail or in prison, even though we live in the state that has the second highest rate of imprisonment per capita in the nation. Leading group therapy at a local parish jail, serving on an advisory board at a nearby youth correctional facility, and walking the cell block on Death Row at Angola State Penitentiary-- these experiences and a South Louisiana nun all served to change my thinking about the treatment of prisoners in our present-day judicial system.

As a newly converted Catholic in my mid-twenties, I was woefully uninformed on Church teaching about the death penalty. In my mind, I was all for it. “An eye for an eye,” didn’t the Bible say that somewhere? I was ignorant of the verse that said, “Never take revenge, my friend, but instead let God’s anger do it.” When I was an intern therapist at the jail, I was inwardly scornful of how most of the inmates were quick to blame their crimes on someone else. At the youth facility, I felt compassion for the adolescents there but still felt judgmental toward them. Do the crime, do the time. That was my attitude.

As a high school counselor, I sponsored a student pro-life group. One of my favorite students refused to join. “I’m all about being against abortion,” he explained. “But I’m all for the death penalty, and the pro-life movement is against it.”

His words left me conflicted. Later I picked up Sister Helen Prejean’s book, Dead Man Walking, and read her true story of acting as a spiritual advisor to inmates on death row at Angola. She gave some logical arguments against the efficacy of the

This

ministry is made possible by your donations to the Catholic Service Appeal

death penalty. It didn’t seem to deter violent criminal activity. It was extremely costly to taxpayers as those convicted repeatedly appealed their cases. But her most compelling argument was the story of one of the criminals she visited.

In the movie based on this book, Sean Penn played the role of the murderer with chilling realism. Sister Prejean would patiently listen to him and then give him scriptures to think about between their visits. At first, he would have none of her religious rhetoric. But over the months, as she patiently and prayerfully attended to him despite his rejection of her, he began to melt. By the end of the movie, he had a lastminute conversion experience. The scene reminded me of the passage in Luke where the criminal being crucified next to Him says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” This nun taught me that every human being has a soul that is redeemable up to the second of death.

Then in 2002, I was asked to accompany a group of high school seniors on a field trip to Angola. We were scheduled to visit the actual chamber where lethal injections took place, but at the last minute this was declared off-limits because a prisoner was being transferred there for his final days. Instead, the guard offered to let a few of us at a time walk down the narrow corridor outside a cell block on death row. For a minute or two, we filed past the bars of their cells as the inmates sat there silently waiting for their ends to come. When we returned to our bus, my companions were unusually quiet.

My mind and heart changed that day. I knew that those men that I passed had committed heinous offenses. And I don’t know how I would feel if one of their victims had been my friend or family member. I only know that I saw human beings in those cells, and I have to respect their dignity even if they have no respect for my own. I was pleased to learn that part of our Diocesan Service Appeal goes toward meeting the physical and spiritual needs of the men and women in our local jails and correctional facilities. My donation is one small way I can fulfill my call to be a disciple. And I resolve to pray more frequently for the souls of all those incarcerated.

“Charitas Christi Urget Nos”

“La Caridad de Cristo Nos Urge”

Karla Alvarez, Directora del Ministerio Multicultural

EL DEPARTAMENTO DE MINISTERIO MULTICULTURAL ESTÁ MÁS QUE EMOCIONADO DE PRESENTAR A TRES NUEVOS

MIEMBROS DE NUESTRO EQUIPO DIOCESANO, ¡LAS MADRES MISIONERAS, VALENTINA, CATALINA Y JULIETA! Recibimos a estas maravillosas hermanas el 8 de noviembre de 2023 de la orden de las Misioneras del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús “Ad Gentes” de Huamantla, Tlaxcala, México. Nuestro obispo ha observado el continuo crecimiento de nuestros hermanos hispanos y la necesidad de más formación y apoyo. Esto lo llevó a tomar acción y trabajar con Catholic Extension para facilitar la posibilidad de su presencia en nuestra diócesis en el inicio de este programa de cinco años, y no podríamos estar más contentos.

Las Misioneras del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús “Ad Gentes” es un instituto religioso de derecho pontificio que tiene como fin trabajar en las obras apostólicas de la iglesia según sus normas. La finalidad de esta congregación es la actividad misionera, las escuelas y la catequesis. Charitas christi urget nos.

A lo largo de los cinco años siguientes, las hnas. Catalina y Julieta ayudarán con la cada vez mayor comunidad de nuestros hermanos y hermanas hispanos asistiendo con la formación de laicos, el ministerio de jóvenes adultos de 18 a 35 años, y con la invitación a regresar a nuestros hermanos y hermanas que no han regresado a la iglesia después de covid especialmente en las áreas rurales de nuestra diócesis.

Últimamente las hermanas han estado viajando por toda la diócesis y tal vez algunos de ustedes ya las han visto en sus parroquias. Los invito a que se presenten y las conozcan ya que ahora son parte de nuestra maravillosa comunidad y nos ayuden a hacerlas sentir queridas y en casa.

CRISTO REY: BOSSIER CITY

Rev. Fidel Mondragon

318.221.0238 Oficina

Domingo 1:00pm

Lunes 7:00pm

Sabado 6:00pm

Coordinador Oscar Gomez 972.567.2710

SAN PASCUAL: W. MONROE

Rev. Luis Jost, OFM

Domingo: 4:00pm

Coordinadora: Lorena Chaparro 318.267.4018

SANTO TOMAS AQUINO: RUSTON

Rev. Kevin Mues

318.225.2870 Oficina

Domingo 1:30pm

Coordinadora: Luz Martinez 318.224.0980

NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL PEPETUO SOCORRO: FARMERVILLE

Rev. Luis Jost, OFM Sabados 7:00 pm

Coordinadora: Paola Gonalez 817.801.3499

STA MARIA DE LOS PINOS: SHREVEPORT

Rev. Mark Watson

318.687.5121 Oficina

Domingo 12:30 am

Coordinador: Sergio Seinos 318-393-2331

SAGRADO CORAZON: OAK GROVE

318.428.2983 Oficina, Domingo 1:00pm

Rev. John Bosco 318-402-1585

SAN JOHN THE BAPTIST, MANY

Rev. Tim Hurd

Oficina: 318-256-5680

primer domingo 5:00pm

SAN PABLO: MINDEN

Rev. Rigoberto Betancurt

2do Domingo 4:00pm

Coordinadora: Dora Rodriguez 870-904-9137

SAN JOSE: MANSFIELD

Rev. Rigoberto Betancurt

305 Jefferson Street

Mansfield, LA 71052

3er Domingo 3:00pm

Por El Obispo

CUANTO MÁS ESTUDIAMOS LAS ESCRITURAS, MÁS DESAFIANTE PUEDE RESULTAR SU MENSAJE. Tanto el Antiguo como el Nuevo Testamento nos invitan a experimentar un cambio fundamental en nuestras vidas. Incluso la misma palabra “cambio” puede evocar en nosotros cierta sensación de temor si abrazamos el concepto de cambio, de alejarnos de la forma en que hemos estado viviendo nuestras vidas hacia una nueva dirección, una que nos lleve a una relación más profunda y profunda con el Señor. No es una tarea fácil para la mayoría de nosotros, pero es una invitación constante de Él a Él. La mayoría de nosotros encontramos, en tal descubrimiento del Señor en nuestras vidas, que lo que nos motiva a buscar esa relación con Él es lo que lo hace posible, realista, y potencialmente el “cambio de juego” en nuestras vidas. En pocas palabras, uno debe tener la motivación correcta para que la relación se realice. Una pregunta desafiante que debemos hacernos es: “¿qué me motiva a querer una relación con el Señor?”. O quizás otra pregunta sería “¿qué motiva a Dios a querer esa relación conmigo?”. Por supuesto, Él quiere una relación con nosotros que abarque todos los aspectos de nuestra vida. ¿Por qué quiere Él esta relación con nosotros? La respuesta sencilla es “amor”. Él nos ama más allá de nuestra capacidad para captarlo, y constantemente, en nuestra búsqueda en las Escrituras, encontramos esta invitación al amor que marca cada dimensión de nuestras vidas. A la vez, Él quiere que vayamos en busca del tipo de amor que es tan profundo que podríamos pensar que también está más allá de nuestra capacidad de captarlo. De hecho, una búsqueda exhaustiva y coherente de este tipo de amor nos coloca en el tipo de viaje que no sólo nos une a Él, sino que, en el proceso, nos une los unos a los otros.

Los ejemplos de este “vínculo” son infinitos, desde el que nos une a una relación tan profunda con Él que cambia prácticamente todos los aspectos de nuestra vida: en nuestra relación personal con Él, hasta en nuestra relación con los demás. Está visiblemente

presente en cómo nos relacionamos con quienes encontramos en nuestra vida cotidiana, con quienes vivimos, trabajamos y compartimos el camino de esta vida. También está visiblemente presente cuando examinamos cómo utilizamos los bienes de esta tierra en beneficio de los demás. En nuestra diócesis, el Llamamiento al Servicio Católico es una de las formas más visibles de mostrar nuestro amor mutuo, que trasciende el dinero o nuestros recursos financieros, o cuando se nos desafía a compartir los bienes del tiempo y el servicio con nuestros hermanos y hermanas. Siempre que me preguntan por el grado en que utilizo mis recursos personales, sé que en realidad me están preguntando por el grado en que respondo a mi llamada al amor, no sólo en mi relación con el Señor, sino también en la forma profunda en que estoy llamado a amar a los que me rodean. Cualquier otro enfoque podría reducir mi llamada al amor al dinero, y no mucho más. También me doy cuenta de que ser llamado a amar de una manera tangible es mi forma de identificar cuánto amo a aquellos que me han sido confiados en esta vida, y en este viaje de esta vida a la siguiente.

“El amor”. Leemos sobre él, escribimos sobre él, lo convertimos en el centro de nuestra música y de nuestras relaciones más cercanas. Pero cuando se nos pide que identifiquemos las formas tangibles en que utilizo los recursos que el Señor me ha dado, me acerco mucho más a la definición de lo que el amor significa realmente en mi vida. Para estar seguros, es a este tipo de amor al que estamos llamados, y aunque hay muchos ejemplos de cómo funciona en nuestras vidas, comienza con mi comprensión del amor, y dónde me llama ese amor a estar y la dirección que da a mi vida.

Diocese of Shreveport Catholic Schools Begin Accreditation Process

Sr. Carol Shively, OSU, Superintendent of Catholic Schools

THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT, WHICH INCLUDES FOUR ELEMENTARY AND TWO CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOLS, HAS BEGUN AN INTENSIVE STUDY OF THEIR SCHOOLS, THEIR MISSION, THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, AND THEIR SUCCESS RATE. Although each of the schools are accredited through Cognia individually, Lumen Accreditation will be a diocesan (district) accreditation.

According to Catholic school superintendent Sister Carol Shively, the purpose of this effort is to “take a thorough look at our schools and at the quality of the education that we provide, in order to plan for the continued improvement of our schools, while preparing our students for a successful future.”

The schools will use the Lumen Accreditation program that was developed through the Catholic University of America. Dr. Peter Kilpatrick, President of Catholic

University, explained the advantage of the Lumen program. “Lumen is a distinctly Catholic accreditation program that is centered on Gospel values with fidelity to the Catholic Church…and will enable our Catholic schools to place the proper emphasis on the human person.”

Beginning in Fall, 2024, the individual schools will gather their constituents-board members, teachers, parents, alumni, and supporters to reflect on the Catholic identity of their schools. Then administrators will examine the academic rigor, the vitality of the school, and their leadership and governance qualities to determine where their strengths lie and where effort needs to be extended. The recently revised set of Benchmarks for Excellent Catholic Schools will be used as critical criteria for the study.

Finally, each of the schools will conduct a visit from educators outside their schools to determine the validity of findings and suggest improvement. The schools will then receive an accrediting document citing their quality in educating students.

The schools recently concluded a strategic planning process conducted by the Meitler Company that provided data to help with the accreditation process.

This ministry is made possible by your donations to the Catholic Service Appeal

Loyola College Prep

John LeBlanc, Loyola College Prep Principal

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”

-Charles M. Schulz

At Loyola College Prep, we are partial to any Charles Schulz quotes, and this one made me laugh. February is a special time of year. Not only is it a time for chocolate, to celebrate love, but we also enter into the sacred season of Lent this month.

During this Lenten season, Loyola’s Religion department prepares daily reflections and prayers for our faculty and students in addition to other opportunities to grow in our faith. Our Catholic identity is central to who we are, the way we teach our students, and the type of graduates we send into the world with a Loyola education. Our Catholic identity is why our students and parents love Loyola. It’s what makes the Loyola experience so special, and why we do all things for the Greater Glory of God (A.M.D.G.).

I am proud to have been a part of this school for over 30 years as a student, teacher, coach, administrator and now principal for over 10 years. I fully understand that our small class sizes, teachers who treat their career as vocation rather than a job, innovative faith-based course curriculums, dynamic athletic programs, dozens of student involvement opportunities, and caring community truly distinguish us from other high schools.

In celebrating my admiration for Loyola, I wanted to share why other parents, students, and alumni love Loyola.

“Loyola provided me with a strong faith, excellence in academics, and forever friendships! The teachers are so personable, and I could always go to any of them with a question. Loyola is not just any school, it is a place I can forever call my home”

-Lauren Henson, 2002

“I love Loyola because everyone is so kind and helpful. We get to practice our Catholic faith and it makes such a difference when your child has teachers that truly care about them. I am so glad we chose Loyola for our son and recommend it to anyone. Go Flyers!”

-Shannon

Cascio, SVA ‘85

“It’s the history. It’s the tradition. It’s the spirit. It’s about those who have come before you and those who will follow you. It’s about the impact on young people’s lives. It’s knowing that you are part of something special. Something that can only be experienced by those who have walked the halls.”

-John James Marshall ‘77

“I love Loyola because it has a community that is so unique to itself in a way that the moment you walk through the doors on your first day it feels like you’ve already gained a family. Everyone at Loyola is happy to be there and the teachers are always willing to help, even if it’s 7am or after school.”

-Molly Kavanaugh, Class of 2025

Cathedral of St. John Berchmans School

T.C. Veit, Cathedral of St. John Berchmans Catholic School, Principal

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK IS AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT CHILDREN CAN ONLY RECEIVE WITHIN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL. Catholic Schools Week includes many events throughout the week to celebrate our school and our faith. The AllSchools’ Mass with Bishop Malone is always moving. Seeing so many students and faculty here at the Cathedral, participating fully in the Mass and experiencing the source and summit of our faith, is beautiful. Another exciting event is our annual Cardinal Krewes, which is a high stakes competition between classes and teams that showcases our school pride in a uniquely SJB way. Also, we host the annual Religion Scholars Bowl which is an invitational event which includes a competitive quiz bowl, dramatic play and written assessment with teams from all across our diocese.

As your SJB school principal, I welcome you all to take a tour of the school to learn more about who we are, our school culture and identity, and our mission. We want you to feel at home in our school, just as our students feel at home in the Cathedral where they worship together each Wednesday. Our school is a proud and vibrant part of the Cathedral parish. This is the school for your K3 through 8th grade children, and grandchildren.

We are in the middle of a truly great year, St. John Berchmans Catholic School is thriving! For the 2nd year in a row SJB has been awarded the honor of Best Private School in Shreveport and Bossier from SB Magazine. Your confidence in our school is truly appreciated and helps us stay focused on our mission to provide a quality Catholic education anchored in the Roman Catholic Tradition. Now is a great time to be an SJB Cardinal!

All six of our diocesan Catholic schools are supported by the Catholic Service Appeal. Thanks to your support we are able to form and educate students at:

Loyola College Prep

St. John Berchmans Cathedral School

St. Joseph School

St. Frederick High School

Jesus the Good Shepherd School and Our Lady of Fatima School.

St. Frederick High School

Jars

For The Heart And Soul

SOMETIMES, SCROLLING THROUGH ETSY

CAN GET YOU INTO TROUBLE. Other times, it can create an opportunity to spread the love of Christ in the community. When St. Frederick’s guidance counselor, Marlo Shepard, saw a jar of scripture verses online, she had a crazy idea. What if we could get our students to create these jars to put out in our community? What if we could even set a goal to make 200 of these jars? Not only could this little jar of coping skills serve as encouragement and support, it could bring God’s Word to those who may not have access regularly or have immediate need due to life circumstances!

With the full support of our school chaplain, Deacon Scott Brandle, preparation and planning began. Each jar would contain scripture verses for six emotions, designated by color: happy, thankful, angry, sad, lonely, and anxious. Materials were ordered for the created goal of 200 jars, ultimately providing for 11 scripture verses per emotion, and then the project was launched. The freshmen began with researching scripture verses for each category. Following the assignment, a master list was compiled. Now, the most challenging task began - having 13,000 scripture verses handwritten by students.

Schedules were set. Flyers distributed. Lists made. Service forms created. Then, the time had come for our students to show their love of God and community. Saint Augustine said “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has the eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” Our students exemplified this as they set to work writing verses, labeling jars, cutting and tying ribbons, and sorting what had been done. Many students asked to bring bags of verses home to complete, at times up to 200 slips, giving of their own time outside of what was set! Yes,

Jennifer Patterson and Marlo Shepard, St. Frederick High School

over 13,000 scriptures were hand-written! How uplifting it was to hear the kids quote scripture to each other at the appropriate moment because of the written work of their hands. The same hands that came together to then pack 200 jars for distribution.

It had already been arranged for 100 jars to go to St. Matthew Catholic Church to be delivered with the Meals on Wheels for December before the project was launched. Word of the project spread with suggestions and requests made as to where we could deliver the other jars. While it would have been wonderful to meet all requests, we only had a little over 100 jars remaining. One of the most loved suggestions was to place a basket of jars in the recently discovered chapel of the intensive care unit of St. Francis Hospital. A matching basket was placed in the main chapel of St. Francis. Another great request was from the Women’s Group of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church who wanted to present jars to their members who were unable to attend church. The final jars were brought to St. Francis Tower, left for patients in both the main waiting area as well as the Kitty DeGree Breast Health Center.

A crazy idea may have been the genesis of this endeavor, but the love that arose from our students showed that a single idea can make a difference in the hearts and souls of many. St. Teresa of Calcutta said “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”

If you would like a copy of the list of the verses, feel free to contact either Jennifer Patterson at jpatterson@stfrederickhigh.org or Marlo Shepard at mshepard@stfrederickhigh.org

“A lot of people in our community feel alone and seek guidance. God’s word can make them feel safe and comforted. I learned a lot of new verses and teamwork when filling the jars. Helping people can be the best reward!”

-Teresa Anzalone

“I learned how easy it is to help others. It didn’t take much time to do, but that small thing could make someone’s day or week. I learned that something so simple could go a long way.”

–Knox Petrus

“I learned that ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. -Revelation 21:4’ I learned that not all people are lucky to be able to know about God so giving these out to people will help them greatly.”

–Hank Hinkle

“I learned that even though things may be tedious, don’t give up, because the outcome will be more fulfilling and meaningful in the end. I learned how meaningful small things are. Lastly, I learned how handmade gifts, the gifts you make with love, are ten times more meaningful than expensive gifts.”

–Addison Maciaszek

“From this experience I learned about how much of an effect we, St. Frederick High School, have on each other and our community. From the Thanksgiving baskets to the Scripture jars, we’re always making an impact on the people around us.”

–Paras Odudu

Our Lady of Fatima School

Stephanie Haney, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, Principal

WHEN JESUS WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT, HIS ANSWER WAS TWOFOLD. One to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And to love your neighbor as yourself. He tells the crowd there is no greater command than these. When the Church rises up and takes its place as the hands and feet of Jesus in the world and demonstrates God’s love to others, it is fulfilling its true purpose.

At Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, we have been blessed to be on the receiving end of the love of God demonstrated by believers. The school serves mainly low-income families through the Louisiana voucher program and often parents struggle to pay for extra activities offered through the school. However, the body of Christ is always ready and able to lend a helping hand or just show up and encourage our kids.

Recently, a parishioner, Jim Bergemann of Our Lady of Fatima Church, volunteered his time and his Grinch suit to come visit the kids. Mr. Jim showed up and went to every classroom between PreK and 5th grade, staying in character the whole time. As all the first graders ran away, scared at first, sweet little Bella stood with open arms and rushed in to hug the Grinch. Even though the visit took longer than expected, during the entire time Mr. Jim never grumbled or complained and refused to leave any classes unvisited. He took pictures with all the students and staff throughout the campus. It was so great to see the love and kindness shown to each student.

We were also blessed by Mrs. Jeanine Patton, Fr Joe Martina, and the parishioners of St Matthews Church during the Christmas season. They provided the funds necessary for every student at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School to attend the Louisiana Delta Ballet’s Christmas Ballet: A Very Merry OZ Christmas. The funds covered the costs of not only the tickets but also the transportation costs. The children had a great time, and no child was left behind due to not being able to pay for the trip.

And finally, the Jr. High Student Council at St. Frederick High School poured out another blessing upon our students in PreK- 1st grade during the Christmas season.

The student council members bought stuffed elves to pass out to the students. Each student was given an elf of their choosing after the group read a book and spent time in the classrooms hanging out with the kids. It was so sweet to see the little ones holding their elves close during nap time that afternoon.

Each one of these simple acts of kindness serves as a reminder that it does not take much to demonstrate God’s love to our neighbors. Whether it is our time, our talent, or our finances, each of us can use the blessings God has given us to bless others and to show the world His love. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” We are so grateful for a Church family that lives out the call to love.

AS

St. Joseph Catholic School

Polly Maciulski, St. Joseph Catholic School Middle School Religion Teacher

I BEGAN THIS NEW YEAR AND A NEW SEMESTER IN SCHOOL, I LOOKED THROUGH

MY BRAND-NEW, BLANK 2024 CALENDAR. I wondered what would fill those daily, weekly, and monthly spaces as the year progresses. As I started to fill in birthdays and anniversaries of my family members, I remembered that 2024 is a Leap Year, that Ash Wednesday falls on St. Valentine’s Day, and that our parish will celebrate its 75th anniversary in the heart of Broadmoor. There is so much to look forward to, and every day on that calendar is a new opportunity to love others, as we are all called to do as baptized Christians. In a Catholic school, those opportunities exist every day, in many different ways.

I was taught to love first and foremost by my parents, of course, and I could not have chosen better teachers of what it means to love one another. When my family moved here in November 1977, my parents chose St. Joseph Catholic School for my siblings and me, and the lesson in loving others began on my first day, with my new second grade teacher, Mrs. Sue Goff. She welcomed this shy little girl with love and made sure everyone else did the same. I quickly made new friends, several of whom I still call friends to this day, and one of whom introduced me to my husband years later and is also my son’s godmother. This school was the place where lifelong friendships were formed, and even resulted in the addition of another SJS family, many years down the road.

The love lessons continued into third grade, when the annual tradition of donating items for Christian Service at Christmas was taking place at our last school Mass before Christmas. SJS students were encouraged to bring toys for those in need in our area, and we were to process in, bringing the toys to the front of the church, where we would place it on the floor near the altar until Mass was over. But the love I saw that year is an image I

still hold dear: one of my classmates walked down that orange-carpet aisle, dragging a stuffed animal almost as big as she was, toward the altar, with tears streaming down her face. Clearly this was not an easy thing for her to do, but she was doing it. Later we asked her why she gave her toy away if she still loved it, and she said she wanted to do it because someone else would love it even more.

Even now, in the 73rd year of SJS, there are many ways that we are answering the call to love one another. In addition to the clothing, toy, and food drives, and the fundraisers, we recognize that love “rejoices with the truth.” As Fr. Kevin Mues would say (I think Warren Wiersbe is actually the source), “Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” We want our students to know the truths of our faith, the depth of God’s love for each and every one of us. Speakers from the Northwest Louisiana Right to Life have shared with our Middle School students the truth about abortion; Brian Butler was here in December to teach our 7th and 8th grade students and parents about the Theology of the Body, the beautiful truth about how and why God created human beings and called us to love; our annual Vocations Luncheons provides students the opportunity to learn how our priests, deacons, and women religious are called to love in their vocations; and of course, many years of wonderful priests who celebrate the Mass with us each week, sharing the truth of Christ’s love in the Eucharist.

It’s early February now, and there is still a lot of 2024 to go. This new year gives us so many chances to answer God’s call to love: upcoming Lenten service projects, our Living Stations of the Cross, the joy of seeing several of our students enter the Church at the Easter Vigil, the Sacraments our second and eighth grade students are preparing for, and of course, a Diamond Jubilee for our parish. It’s another great year to be a Falcon.

Jesus The Good Shepherd School

Amy Fakhre, Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic School Development Office

Instilling a Love of God, Self and Others

AT JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD SCHOOL, OUR TIMELESS MISSION REVOLVES AROUND NURTURING A PASSION FOR BOTH LEARNING AND THE PROFOUND CONNECTIONS WITH GOD, ONESELF, AND OTHERS. This commitment has woven its way through the corridors, classrooms, and compassionate hearts of JGS for over six decades. Every year, our school embarks on numerous community outreach projects, touching the lives of many underserved individuals and families in Monroe. In the heartwarming months of November and December, in collaboration with St. Frederick High School and the local St. Vincent de Paul Society, JGS joins hands to create and deliver Thanksgiving food baskets and Christmas gifts to those in need. This year, our collective efforts reached 14 families in Monroe with Christmas cheer, and we, alongside SFHS and SVdP, provided an astonishing 120 Thanksgiving baskets. Ms. JoAnn Crone, president of St. Vincent de Paul Society, expressed her gratitude, noting that this year’s donation was the most substantial they’ve ever had. These acts of kindness are not just part of our Catholic education but integral to our faith journey. In cultivating love and service from the early years of primary school through high school, we plant the seeds of understanding that “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” deep within the soul.

Around the diocese...

Members of the Fort Jesup Society Children of the American Revolution helped our community remember and honor veterans this past holiday season during Wreaths Across America day on December 16th. In just their second year as an official Wreaths Across America Sponsorship group, the Society was able to add five more official WAA locations in Sabine Parish. Through their WAA sponsorship page, generous donations from church families and family members who remembered their loved ones, all of their locations achieve 100% of the wreaths needed to remember and honor each veteran laid to rest at St. John Catholic Cemetery, Many Cemetery, Fort Jesup Cemetery, St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, St. Ann Catholic Cemetery and Antioch Baptist Church. A special thank you to St. John parishioner Mary Beth Tarver for being the location coordinator, making it possible for St. John to be an official Wreaths Across America location.

St. Margaret Catholic Church recently held a going away celebration for Father Joseph Kallookalam in conjunction with their annual Christmas party. Members of St. Margaret along with a few members from St. Patrick Church in Lake Providence showed their gratitude and thanks to Fr. Joe for his time, caring, and kindness to the congregation. In thanksgiving for his service to our church community, a burse was established in Fr. Joe’s name. We pray that God will continue to bless him in his faithful ministry as he transitions into his retirement years back home in India.

A beautiful double rainbow seen at St. John the Baptist in Many, LA taken by Archie McElwee.

The newly formed Daughters of St. Lawrence had a gathering recently at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Swartz, LA.

The clergy of the Eastern Deanery had a Christmas party which included visists from the Grinch, an Elf and Santa Claus.

Thanks To Our Recent Donors:

SEMINARIAN BURSES

(035)2 Mrs. Rosemary C. Ward $500

(032) Mr. Randy G. Tiller $1000

(015) Circle of Catholic Women $50

(048) Anonymous $5000

(034) Mr. Joseph Cordaro $1000

(023) Joseph L Cassiere $350

(035)2 Mr. Richard Ward $1980

(035)3 The Cereghino Nephews & Nieces $100

(008) Aaron Flippo $25

(034) Anonymous $500

(035)3 Mr. Richard Ward $20

(008) Charles & Beverly Bennett $107

(049) Mr. & Mrs. W. Reid Williams $250

Completed Burses:

(001) Fr. Mike Bakowski Memorial Burse #1 ($10000)

(006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Memorial Burse #1 ($10000)

(010) Memory of Rita Scott from the John Scott Family Burse ($10000)

(011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse #1 ($10000)

(012) Jack E. Caplis, Jr., Memorial Burse ($10000)

(013) Mary Evans Caplis Burse ($10000)

(014) Bob & Peggy Semmes Memorial Burse ($10000)

(019) Margaret Glenn Memorial Burse ($10000)

(020) Dr. James V. Ward Memorial Burse ($10000)

(026) Sheryl Seal Sweeney Memorial Burse ($10000)

(027) Rev. Richard Lombard Memorial Burse ($10000)

(027) Rev. Richard Lombard Memorial Burse #2 ($10000)

(031) Pearl Heck & Leona Boudreaux Memorial Burse ($10000)

(033) Beryl K. & Joseph D. Ozenne Memorial Burse ($10000)

(035) Dr. James V. & Rosemary C. Ward Burse ($10000)

(035) Dr. James V. & Rosemary C. Ward Burse #2 ($10000)

(036) Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza Burse ($10000)

(036) Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza Burse #2 ($10000)

(040) Servant of God Fr. Isidore Armand Quémerais Burse ($10000)

(041) Servant of God Fr. Jean Pierre Burse ($10000)

(042) Servant of God Fr. Jean-Marie Biler Burse ($10000)

(043) Servant of God Fr. Louis-Marie Gergaud Burse ($10000)

(044) Servant of God Fr. François Le Vézouët Burse ($10000)

Incomplete Burses:

(001) Fr. Mike Bakowski Memorial Burse #2 ($1350)

(002) Joseph & Antoinette Bakowski Memorial Burse ($3150)

(003) Sam R. Maranto Memorial Burse ($1650)

(004) Kathryn Atherton Cook Memorial Burse ($350)

(005) Cathedral of St. John Berchmans Burse ($1575)

(006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Memorial Burse #2 ($3832.12)

(007) Dr. Carol Christopher Memorial Burse ($1200)

(008) St. Jude Parish Burse ($7175)

(009) St. John Berchmans Knights of Columbus Council 10728 Burse ($1550)

(011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse #2 ($5000)

(015) Bishop’s Seminarian Burse ($4460)

(016) Elaine Malloy Frantz Memorial Burse ($1000)

(017) Msgr. George Martinez Knights of Columbus Council 1337 Burse ($8021.57)

(018) Knights of St. Peter Claver Council 144 Burse ($1180)

(021) Rev. Edmund “Larry” Niehoff Memorial Burse ($2000)

(022) Rev. Blane O’Neil, OFM Memorial Burse ($1578)

(023) Msgr. Edmund J. Moore Memorial Burse ($5100)

(024) Rev. Joseph Puthupally Memorial Burse ($1650)

(025) Kathleen Hightower Memorial Burse ($600)

(028) Friends-n-Faith Burse ($750)

(029) Rev. Kenneth Williams Memorial Burse ($200)

(030) Ottis and Anne Krupa Littlejohn Memorial Burse ($6000)

(032) Madeline and Joe Tiller Memorial Burse ($6100)

(034) Joseph B. and Lucille Provenza Cordaro Burse ($7650)

(035) Dr. James V. & Rosemary C. Ward Burse #3 ($120)

(036) Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza Burse #3 ($840)

(037) Manuel & Catherine Licciardi, and John & Beverly Miller Burse ($5000)

(038) The Malone Family Burse ($250)

(039) St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Knights of Columbus Council 9260 Burse ($750)

(045) Sister Martinette Rivers Memorial Burse ($200)

(046) Domestic Church Burse ($5000)

(047) Troops of St. George Burse ($5000)

(048) Rev. Joseph Kallookalam Burse ($5000)

(049) Rev. Philip Michiels Burse ($250)

The 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. Interested in contributing to or establishing 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 or by scanning the QR Code here. Be sure to note the name of the burse in the memo line. Burses are completed at $10,000.

February 14, 2024

upcoming events

FEBRUARY 14

Ash Wednesday Retired Priests’ Collection

Please join us in donating to the retired priests’ collection on Ash Wednesday. All money donated will go directly towards supporting our retired priests here in our diocese. Thank you for your generosity!

FEBRUARY 18-21

St. Mary of the Pines Parish Lenten Mission @ St. Mary of the Pines

Join us as Fr. Simeon Gallagher, OFMCap presents a series of lectures on the theme “Becoming the New Human Person: Christ’s Gift of Freedom.” This series of lectures will explore the foundations of our call to freedom and challenge us to cooperate with that grace. This mission is open to all, for more information please contact the St. Mary of the Pines church office.

FEBRUARY 23-24

Devoted - Women’s Conference @ St. Joseph Catholic Church, Shreveport Tickets are on sale now at www.stjosephchurch.net

FEBRUARY 24-25

Catholic Service Appeal Weekend

Join us at your parish as we kick off the 2023-2024 Catholic Service Appeal!

MARCH 2, 10 AM - 6:30 PM

REVIVE: Diocesan Youth Summit

Open to all 7th - 12th grade students in the Diocese of Shreveport. Registration is $25/student and you can register with your church parish.

MARCH 8-9

Shreveport Louisiana Retreat with Immaculee Presented by Fr. Duane Trombetta of Holy Trinity Catholic Church and Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament @ The Catholic Center

APRIL 9, 6 - 9 PM

Bingo on the Delta for Catholic Charities of North Louisiana @ Jesus the Good Shepherd

Tickets are $50/person and table sponsorships begin at $1000.

FEBRUARY 2

The Presentation of the Lord

FEBRUARY 3

Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr; Saint Ansgar, Bishop; BVM

FEBRUARY 5

Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

FEBRUARY 6

Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

FEASTS & SOLEMNITIES

FEBRUARY 8

Saint Jerome Emiliani; Saint Josephine Bakhita, Virgin

FEBRUARY 10

Saint Scholastica, Virgin

FEBRUARY 14

Ash Wednesday

FEBRUARY 17

The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order

FEBRUARY 21

Saint Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

FEBRUARY 22

The Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle

FEBRUARY 23

Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr

FEBRUARY 27

Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

Where is Bishop Malone this month?

FEBRUARY 1ST

2024 Catholic Service Appeal Campaign Reception; Home of Becky Lawson, Mansfield, 6:00 PM

FEBRUARY 4TH

Adult Faith Formation; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 9:30 AM

FEBRUARY 4TH

Catholic Scouting Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 11:00 AM

FEBRUARY 5TH – 7TH

29th Workshop for Bishops sponsored by the National Catholic Bioethics Center & the Knights of Columbus; Dallas, Texas

FEBRUARY 14TH

Ash Wednesday Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 12:10 PM

FEBRUARY 26TH – 29TH

USCCB Committee on Divine Worship Symposium: “The Place of Episcopal Discernment in the Synodal Journey;” University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT

3500 Fairfield Ave. • Shreveport, LA 71104

Catholic Connection USPS 024-824 is published monthly except for July by the Diocese of Shreveport, 3500 Fairfield Ave., Shreveport, LA 71104. Periodicals Postage PAID at Shreveport, LA 71102. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Catholic Connection, 3500 Fairfield Ave, Shreveport, LA 71104.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH: Catholic Campus Ministry had an incredible trip to SEEK24. Thank you to everyone who supports the Catholic Service Appeal which helps fund this important ministry!