Mike Van Vranken Kim Long Mary Arcement Alexander Rosalba Quiroz Polly Maciulski Trey Woodham Giselle Trejo Catherine Fraser Robin Jennings Peter Finney
EDITORIAL BOARD Deacon Mike Whitehead Kim Long Kate Rhea Rosalba Quiroz Fr. Matthew Long Dr. Carynn Wiggins Fr. Pat Madden
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Write: The Catholic Connection 3500 Fairfield Ave. Shreveport, LA 71104 Call: 318-868-4441 Fax: 318-868-4609
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The Diocese of Shreveport complies with Virtus’ Protecting God’s Children program. (www.virtus.org) Classes are offered every second Wednesday of the month at the Catholic Center in Shreveport. Online sessions are also 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 Katherine Arcement, Diocesan Victim Assistance Minister at 318-584-2411.
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 faith community.
“When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself; everything is connected.” -Pope Francis, Laudato Si’
THERE ARE TWO SIDES to the Pro-Life movement. You have the few that simply embrace it because of a certain political superiority. This side is ego-driven, the one that stands outside the abortion clinic with a sign that reads: Murderer! This side, although in the minority, is accusing, demeaning, and condescending. Not really something the Pro-Life movement stands for.
The majority, however, is much more nuanced and rooted in a sense of gentleness and love. This is the side that prays the rosary for life, that donates to pregnancy care centers, the one that offers support and love to those who are already experiencing difficult circumstances. This side is supportive, loving, and gentle.
In deciding where we lie on the issue, the question we must ask ourselves is, “Why am I supporting this?” Where is this desire coming from? Is it from a sense of political superiority or is it from the grieving of the destruction of innocent life? Sometimes it may be a little bit of both. The pro-life/pro-choice debate hinges on the predicate of whether or not a developing embryo is a being significant enough to be legally protected. The philosophical approach to respect life is actually a pretty
difficult thing. It is not just whether or not you identify as “pro-life” because it sounds good - it is all encompassing of protecting all of God’s creation, and not manipulating or eliminating it for our own profit or convenience.
The challenge is to approach the world with the awe and wonder of a child. Respecting life is recognizing the sanctity of everything and every being around us, from the smallest embryo to the biggest jerk we know. Respecting life is not easy. It’s not just slapping a pro-life sticker on your car and calling it a day. Respecting life comes down to the smallest, most minute moments and observations of our lives.
St. Bonaventure (1221–1274) taught that “to work up to loving God, start by loving the very humblest and simplest things, and then move up from there.” Give respect and love to the trees and their voices, to the flowers and their fragrance, to the winds and the waters, the smell of a home cooked meal, the sound of an old crackling radio show, the warm hug of a child needing comfort, or the tight grip of a baby’s hand around your finger.
We are called to learn to slow down, to refocus, and to recognize the sanctity of reality, and to immerse ourselves fully in the mystery of love. If we can truly see Christ in all of these small moments, imagine how much more clearly we could see the sanctity of mere bread and wine. Only then, can we truly appreciate what it means to respect life.
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Sister Suellen: ‘Thank you!’: Marianite Sister Home Safe After Being Held Five Months Captive in Africa
10 Pro-Life, Pro-Planet: The Sanctity of Sustainability
12 An Upsurge in Demand: The Vocation of Spiritual Direction
19 Angels All Around You: Holy Angels Residential Facility Spotlight
22 The A.C.T.S. RETREAT Enriching Lives of the Faithful Since 1987
9 Mike’s Meditations: Keeping All the Rules
14 Faithful Food: Blessings for Life
16 Mary’s Mission: When She Gives Away Her Power
18 Vocations Spotlight: Mary White
23 Catholic Charities: Respecting Lives of All Nationalities
20 Shreveport Cantor Finds Success
21 Catholic Service in the Legal Profession: Pettitte & Armand
24 Hispanic News: Respeto a la Vida
26 School News
32 Around the Diocese
33 Seminarian Burses
34 Upcoming Events & Bishop’s Calendar
#1 In the Basilica of Saint Peter, Rome, prior to the Beatification of Pope John Paul I. “I offered my Mass for the people of the Diocese of Shreveport. While it poured rain for the first half of the Mass, I was especially mindful of those in my diocese who are suffering or in pain. The rain symbolizes the tears. God bless you all from St. Peter’s.
Bishop Malone.”
#2 Bishop Malone & Bishop Robert Barron “When I introduced myself to Bishop Robert Barron he asked me if I knew Marge Meenan and Dee Shields…I just smiled!” (FYI: both women are Bishop Malone’s sisters.)
#3 “At the Vatican on my next to last day in Rome.”
#4 Bishop Malone & Pope Francis “A great and humbling experience.”
DURING HER NEARLY FIVE MONTHS OF CAPTIVITY IN BURKINA FASO, WEST AFRICA, Marianite Sister Suellen Tennyson wondered aloud where God was hiding in the midst of her isolation and loneliness.
Then, in an instant, she looked down at her feet, where one of her toenails had been battered and bloodied during a harrowing post-kidnapping motorcycle ride deep into the forests of West Africa,
after which she was turned over to a rival Muslim group.
Her new captor saw her gouged toe and, inexplicably, began washing her feet.
“He washed my feet,” Sister Suellen told the Clarion Herald Sept. 13. “I’m sitting there, and this Muslim man is washing my feet. And I said, ‘God, is something going on here?’ It was like God was using him in some kind of way. I was just taken aback.”
In a pre-dawn raid by 10 armed men between April 4 and 5, Sister Suellen, 83, was abducted from the medical mission residence in Yalgo that she shared since 2013 with two other Marianite sisters and several lay employees.
After five months of her congregation hearing nothing about her whereabouts or her condition, Sister Suellen, the former international leader of the Marianites of Holy Cross, was freed peacefully in neighboring Niger – to the east of Burkina Faso – and released into the custody of the FBI and personnel of the U.S. embassy and Air Force.
No ransom was paid, Sister Suellen said, another one of the inscrutable mysteries of her captivity and release.
Speaking from a safe haven in the Archdiocese of New Orleans – where she returned quietly on Aug. 31 via medical transport – Sister Suellen said she was full of gratitude that her life was spared and for her safe treatment in captivity and the invisible actions of the thousands of people who prayed and worked for her release.
“That’s what I want to say – ‘Thank you to all these people,’” Sister Suellen said. “I am truly humbled by all of this. And the only way I can say thank you is ‘thank you.’ My heart is filled with gratitude.”
The kidnappers, part of the first Muslim group, grabbed her from her bed without her shoes, glasses or medicine. They blindfolded and gagged her to keep her from yelling out to the two other Marianite sisters – Sister Pauline Drouin, a Canadian, and Sister Pascaline Tougma, a Burkinabé – who were locked in their rooms.
“I thought maybe they were going to leave me sitting on the porch, but all of a sudden they wrapped me up and took me,” Sister Suellen said.
“Whoa, this was not what I thought was going to happen. But from the beginning, I was asking God to please use this for good. I don’t understand why it’s happening; I don’t understand why they took me. And a lot of good has happened – all these people praying.”
Sister Suellen was placed on the back of a motorcycle and told to hang on. Her captors rode through the night and for most of the early morning until she was handed over to the second group, which treated her reasonably well and did not physically harm her.
Her captor at one point gave her a few pieces of paper and a red pen, which she used to mark her days in captivity on a handmade calendar. Whenever she was moved to a new, unknown location, she would draw a horizontal line to symbolize the latest segment of her journey.
At the end of each week, she drew the numbers 7, 14 and 21 and circled them to keep track of her time.
She had absolutely no idea where she was.
“I told my caretaker, ‘I can’t run away – I can’t run, and I don’t know the way!’”
Sister Suellen said, smiling.
Before the rainy season came in June, she slept outside under a hand-crafted, tent-like structure with branches and leaves for the roof and a cloth that could be moved to keep the direct sun out of her eyes. For most of her captivity,
she had no books of any kind to read, so she relied on her Catholic formation to recite prayers she has known since childhood and Bible verses.
She also began every day with the prayers of the Mass – remembering what she could and reflecting on Scripture.
“Prayer sustained me,” she said. “I went through my Mass every day. I did each part of the Mass and received spiritual Communion. During the day, at least three or four times a day, I would do a spiritual Communion. That was the thing that kept me going because I had nothing.”
Yalgo is in northern Burkina Faso, not far from the border with Mali. Reliefweb reported in April that in the last two years, Burkina Faso’s northern and eastern regions had seen a “sharp deterioration in the security situation ... due to the presence of non-state armed groups.”
Sister Suellen said there was nothing very much out of the ordinary in the days leading up to her abduction.
“We had been having many problems with local terrorists who had been causing trouble, so I thought they were the ones who abducted me,” she said. “I thought they were just coming to rob.”
Sister Suellen said she contracted malaria and lost 20 pounds during her captivity. Her diet consisted of “spaghetti, rice, sardines; spaghetti, rice, sardines –but no Italian sauce or good Creole sauce. No red beans and rice. But, I did have my cup of coffee in the morning.
“...from the beginning, I was asking God to please use this for good. I don’t understand why it’s happening; I don’t understand why they took me. And a lot of good has happened – all these people praying.”
I had a piece of bread every day, but I had the hardest time swallowing it. I have no desire for sardines any more.”
During her loneliest moments, Sister Suellen said she prayed for “peaceful patience,” because she saw no end in sight.
“I had many conversations with God,” she said. “I would say, ‘OK, God, what’s your word to me today at this moment?’
Sometimes it was a Scripture passage or a story from Scripture. But, after a while, it was just messages to me. And the one that stayed with me the longest was ‘peaceful patience. You need to be peacefully patient.’”
“I prayed the mysteries of the rosary and the Way of the Cross many times. And, you know, Jesus felt his father had abandoned him. I said, ‘Have you abandoned me, God?’ And he said, ‘Suellen, I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have called you, and you are mine.’ I said, ‘OK, I know you haven’t abandoned me, but I just don’t know how much longer I can go on.’”
At some point, her captor found a sofa for her so that she did not have to sleep on the floor.
In August, without warning, she moved again, this time on a motorcycle ride in which she had to cross three rivers. She was so tired at the time she begged for a rest because she was barely able to hang on.
Then, finally, at a rest stop, she saw three men dressed in African garb along with another man dressed in a nice shirt and pants.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh Jesus, is this another group I’m going to have to start up all over again with?’” she said. “But the good news is they had a truck and not a motorcycle. One of the men came to me and said, you can take that jacket off. And he turned to me and he said, ‘You’re free!’ I said, ‘What? I’m free? Who are you?’”
They were now in neighboring Niger, where the men took her to someone’s house.
“We stopped to get something to eat, and the man said, ‘You need to take a shower. Let the woman of the house help you,’” Sister Suellen said. “Oh, I felt like I was in heaven. And then it dawned on me. That was the first woman I had seen in five months.”
Sister Suellen arrived back in the archdiocese on Aug. 31 and went for medical checkups. She is regaining her strength and using a walker to guard against falls, but she is getting stronger.
“I sang ‘Amazing Grace’ I can’t tell you how many times,” she said. “And I would just add the verse and put how many days I had been in captivity. But I still have just one day to praise the Lord – today.”
pfinney@clarionherald.org
“I prayed the mysteries of the rosary and the Way of the Cross many times. And, you know, Jesus felt his father had abandoned him. I said, ‘Have you abandoned me, God?’
DO YOU EVER THINK WE GIVE THE PHARISEES A BAD RAP? Surely there were times they tried to trick our friend Jesus. And yes, eventually, many, or maybe most of them accepted handing Jesus over to the Romans. But don’t we also have a negative stereotype of the Pharisees that repels us a little? After all, these are children of God, made in his image and likeness. And without question, they are very good at keeping all the rules. They have memorized and taken to heart every hoop they need to jump through to be good Jews. They obey God’s commands down to, what seems to be, every detail.
Jesus tells a parable about a Pharisee and tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). Parables are stories that are created to challenge and even disturb us. The storyteller is painting us such a radical picture in hopes we will notice God’s loving movements in us to such an extent, that we are changed.
It seems in this parable; the Pharisee and the tax collector show up at church at the same time. Luke tells us the Pharisee “took up his position” to pray. You know, following all the rules, he came in, genuflected, entered a pew near the front of the church, knelt on a kneeler and made the sign of the cross. He then began to give God thanks for his privileges. He honestly admits he’s not like many other people. He is not greedy, obviously meaning he shares what he has. He is honest – not a liar and doesn’t cheat people. And he’s not adulterous. He fasts twice a week and pays his tithes on his entire income, not his after-tax and expenses money. He sounds like the model Catholic to me. I don’t know that I can keep up with his virtuous lifestyle but I respect his dedication. Based on what we see here, I think we would say this is a holy man. But still, we hear that description of “Pharisee”, and we can automatically think he’s a bad dude.
Next in Luke’s narrative, in walks a tax collector. Now that title can also nourish its own negative stereotype. Tax collectors were religious traitors. They, very often if not always, overcharged their fellow church members and kept the difference in their own pockets, making some of them very rich. And the tax money they collected went to the evil
empire – the oppressive Roman government. Knowing his place, this tax collector sits in the back of the church, it does not say he “took his place” so we can assume no genuflection, no sign of the cross and no kneeling. It looks like he doesn’t keep any of the rules of praying.
Interestingly, he kept his head bowed which, in modern society, is a proper gesture for praying. It seems we may have a humble man on our hands here. His action and body language not only include a bowed head, but he also beat his breast - another outward sign of humility, but also deep sorrow for wrongdoing. His simple prayer is “Oh God, be merciful to me a sinner.” It looks good for the moment. But he does not promise to change his ways, no commitment to tithe or become honest or any of those virtues of the Pharisee. Shouldn’t the Pharisee’s credits for doing it all “correctly” weigh much more than those of the greedy tax collector?
Well, not according to Jesus. Jesus is strictly looking at the humility of the two and justifies the tax collector and not the Pharisee. Of course, we’ve seen Jesus not pay attention to the rules before. Remember his disciples picking corn on the Sabbath and he himself healed on the Sabbath. And remember that other story where the workers who came to work at the end of the day and worked for maybe an hour, received the same wages as those who toiled in the hot sun all day. Maybe that’s why they crucified Jesus: he’s a liberal!
What do we make of all this? As always with scripture, how God moves us with this today might be different than the next time we study it. For me, Jesus is looking on both men with love. He recognizes their dignity as children of God. I imagine he wants us to see the good in both of them because both of their lives matter. Both of their lives are as important to God as any other lives. Jesus condemns neither. Like the Mary and Martha story, one way might be better, but Jesus has us look at both men and I believe he’s asking us to love both and to emulate the good in both. He is showing us how to live our sacred and holy lives as God’s intimate creation, not looking at the rules, but searching the heart. The heart! There is no life without it. And Jesus is always pro-life.
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dis honest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” - Luke 16:10-13
IT’S EASY TO BE WASTEFUL IN THE 21ST CENTURY. Practically everything is automated and laid out for us, global information available in our pockets, the latest fashion trends available for low-cost purchase at just the click of a button. And yet, in this digital and disposable age, why are we still anxious? Why are we still depressed? Why are all the kids sad?
I once read a study that talked about the correlation with the invention of the microwave and the rates of depression. Although it’s not proven this was a direct causation, it raised the question of whether increased convenience actually decreased levels of self-dependence and increased levels of depression. Whether or not that’s a direct causation, it begs the question: Are we any happier in the age of Google, Lean Cuisines, and instant ramen? Regardless, I can guarantee we’re not any healthier.
I stumbled upon the book “The Story of Stuff: The Impact of Overconsumption on the Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health - And How We Can Make It Better.” I heard about it from a girl I follow on Instagram that shares better ways to reuse products and live a zero-waste lifestyle. And as someone who hates taking out the trash, I was eager to learn.
While reading the book, I learned a few things. One: Our ecosystem is pretty fragile. Just the removal of one species or one forest can have catastrophic effects on the rest of the ecosystem. For instance, native plants and trees have intricate root systems that absorb rainfall. When we cut down all those trees, and even if we replace them by planting new ones of a different species, the system is wrecked. It’s unable to absorb the water like it naturally did before, and this can cause increased run-off, flooding, and even mudslides. (Not the good kind).
I also learned that the fast fashion1 industry is closely correlated with the oil industry. Materials like polyester and nylon, which make up the majority of fast fashion retailers, are made of plastics - and where does plastic come from? Oil. This is woven into the fabrics of our clothing, and is lower quality, therefore we are having to replace our clothing after just a few wears because it starts falling apart or losing its shape.
While as a species, we’ve developed means of mass production in order to feed and clothe larger populations, we’ve become heavily reliant on it, and our planet can’t sustain it. We’ve developed cheaper and more convenient ways of
1Fast fashion: inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. (ie. Forever 21, Target, Shein, etc.)
Kierstin Richter, Editor & Public Relations Director
production, but our oceans are filling with plastic and waste and harming marine life. And not only does this hurt the planet, what is this doing to our souls?
There is a certain sanctity in sustainability. It’s this awareness of our impact on God’s creation, and how we often trash and mistreat it without even knowing we are trashing and mistreating it! Once we take out the trash, we typically don’t think about where our plastic bags rings end up. (Hint: It’s the ocean, and turtles often mistake them for jellyfish and suffocate. Saint Francis would be upset, to say the least.)
Living sustainably is a good exercise in taking particular notice to our effect on the world around us. Typically, when you use zip lock bags, saran wrap, paper towels, and other disposable items, you throw them away when you’re done without even giving it a second thought.
But when you use reusable cloth paper towels or beeswax wrap, and you are responsible for washing, cleaning, and putting them back where they belong, it’s not only a lesson in humility, but it’s an effective means of slowing down and being more conscious of how many products we actually use.
Sustainable living isn’t just something we can do to help the planet, and in the grand scheme of things, the little things aren’t incredibly impactful unless everyone else does them too. But, the process of simplifying your life and only using what you need, being aware of how your actions affect other living beings, and the process of slowing down truly have a sanctifying value in themselves.
Living slowly takes more effort. It’s easier to pop a Lean Cuisine in the microwave than it is to chop vegetables and spend hours in the kitchen making a stew. It’s easier to wipe up messes with a paper towel and throw it away than it is to use a reusable cloth and a mop that you have to rinse and wash later. There’s nothing inherently wrong with taking the easier route, but the narrower door offers some degree of sanctification.
But remember, it’s not totally on you. When a billionaire takes a private jet more often than a car, that harms the planet more than your monthly paper towel usage. We often put a lot of pressure on ourselves to live sustainably and limit our plastic use, but at the end of the day, if the rich and powerful continue to live lives of over consumption and large corporations continue to dump waste in our oceans, then it can almost feel like it’s undoing all the hard work we’ve put in. But! At the end of the day, our habits of living also sanctify us. If we are purifying the planet in the process, it’s even better. But as Saint Francis said, “Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society.” It all starts within ourselves. When we start to really consider before consuming, we are not only helping the planet, but we are also sanctifying our souls in such a way that we are becoming less dependent on convenience and more dependent on trusting God will provide. So no matter the state of the planet or the state of consumer culture, there is one thing we have control over, and that’s the state of our souls.
Trust me, you’re going to wash your veggies anyway, Putting them in a plastic bag only increases your BPA exposure. If you’re anything like me and still want a cute bag to put your produce in, try using a mesh knit bag or a reusable tote. You look cute with it, and it reduces plastic use! (Also - skip the receipt. Most of us have enough micro-plastics and Bisphenol A (BPA) in our bloodstream already).
Try opting for bar soap that is good for both your face and body. My favorite is the Zum Rosemary and Mint Goat Milk soap. It isn’t wrapped in plastic, and it smells divine. Also try out bar shampoo and conditioner. Sometimes it’s tough to find one that works well, but when you do, *chef’s kiss* (Pro-tip: Check out LUSH Cosmetics).
When you’re looking for new furniture items for your home, check second-hand stores first. Not only will you get a killer price, you also avoid the buyer’s guilt many of us get when we drop a load of cash on something we’re going to get tired of in six months. Be sure to also save your used candles (you can boil water to get the leftover wax out) and other food jars that you can use as food storage later. It’s a lot cheaper than Tupperware.
Creating a capsule wardrobe is super easy. Mainly because you probably already have every thing you need. For starters, stick to mix and match pieces that can create a variety of outfits. (P.S. Hang drying your clothes instead of throwing them in the dryer is a good way to extend the life of your clothes. Opting for 100% cotton or linen is also good, and your clothes will keep their shape longer).
Shopping in and of itself is not a bad thing. We need goods to survive. We need food. We need clothing. We need hygiene and personal care products. We need medicine. But wouldn’t it be nice if these goods came from our own towns and not across the globe produced in a factory? When we become more reliant on each other instead of global corporations, we build ties within our local community, and not only buy higher quality products, but we also connect with people face to face and appreciate where our products come from. So check out your local farmer’s market!
TWENTY YEARS AGO, as more and more Americans claimed they were “spiritual but not religious,” many church leaders of all denominations were quick to scoff at such an expression. Unfortunately, many of the faithful understood what these church leaders could not conceive. As life continued to evolve in this new century, people became convinced that religious beliefs were good, holy, and necessary, but unless they are accompanied by conscious lived experiences of God in the world, something was woefully missing. We call these lived experiences our spirituality. So many people were, and still are, seeking God in both the small and large activities of everyday life, with a desire to integrate God’s personal movements in life with their own. Consequently, more and more believers turned to a trained spiritual director for help and guidance. And that trend continues to grow.
In the years 2020 and 2021 combined, I was contacted by approximately fifty people looking for a spiritual director. Most were local, but many were from other parts of Louisiana, and some were from other parts of the country. One was even from Canada. As you might correctly assume, if I am being asked for spiritual direction by that many people, so are other spiritual directors being asked in our diocese and beyond. The demand for spiritual direction has been steadily growing since the 1970’s. But today’s growth is quickly advancing.
The Archdiocesan Spirituality Center has been training and forming spiritual directors for over 35 years. Most of that training was given in New Orleans with anywhere from 6
to 8 graduates every two years. Now with training, not only in New Orleans, but also Grand Coteau, and Baton Rouge, approximately 25 to 28 new spiritual directors will graduate over the next two years. Yet, with these new encouraging numbers of priests, religious and lay faithful training and graduating, we still are not meeting demand. This is where we all can help.
Do you know of anyone who might have the calling of a vocation in spiritual direction? Is that someone a friend or relative? Is it someone you know from church or work? And, even more importantly, is that someone you?
From the comfort and convenience of your own home, you are invited to attend a virtual informational meeting on Monday October 10, at 10:00 am or 7:00 pm (your choice) to find out more about the calling and vocation of being a spiritual director. The presenter is Jeanne Burmaster, a trained director, and a staff member of the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center. Please carefully read the following flier for more information.
Please don’t pass up this opportunity to serve the church – either by suggesting to someone they might have a calling or realizing the calling might be for you. This can be your own gift to God. Help us identify new spiritual directors for the people of God in our diocese, across our state, and around the country.The flier gives all the information.The presentation is free. The discernment and decisions are between you and God.
“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” 1 Peter 3:3-4
IT IS SAID that the only thing certain is change and with any life changes we have a few choices; we can reject, grudgingly accept, or we can embrace. Where I previously saw the decision to embrace as immediate, now I am learning oh so slowly that it is a process, an exercise in trust and affirmation. After all, did the Israelites really just “take God’s word for it immediately” when he told them “I set before you life and death, choose life that you may live.” Somehow I don’t think so. God alone knows our future so I am learning to trust Him as I am weary from careening wildly from one life battle to another.
Here is a story of how that played out in my personal life and the life of our parish, a story of how we affirmed a friend and her impact on all our lives.
When I came to work at St. Mary’s, I was happy to be home, since it is the church of my conversion. One of the gifts God bestowed upon me is the ability to remember small details
about people I meet. While this might sound nice, it can be off putting, especially when they don’t remember me! So it was with a woman whom I remembered quite well. She was teaching confirmation when I arrived as a “brand new baby DRE” wet behind the ears. In any uncertain situation formality is my default and her appraising look from behind her glasses made me feel very uncertain. God alone knew what each of us was thinking. Time passed, we had our ups and downs…sometimes way down- but over time and with God’s grace mutual respect began to take root. Overtime we moved into the area of respectful debate and finally a place of mutual love and true friendship. I laugh when I describe our friendship as “hard wrought and hard fought.” And a truer statement was never made. We laugh about it. Sometimes our opinions differ and there are some, though not many, hard fought issues. I tell you this because I want you to know the “rest of the story.” Here is what happened next…
During a Lenten fish fry a whispered statement circulated around the cake sale table “Have you heard? Paula is moving to Baton Rouge.” I was stunned, then quickly dismissive, refusing to believe it. She loved to tell people she had been here since the trees were planted (we are not St. Mary of
Kim Long, Saint Mary of the Pines DREthe Pines for nothing!). In a word, she and her family were fixtures in the parish, a mainstay. How could we get along without them? Lenten fish fries gave way to Eastertide and sacrament receptions, the summer stretched before us with Vacation Bible School on the horizon. What I refused to see on the horizon was her move. Things fell into place so effortlessly with their relocation that we all recognized the hand of God at work.
St. Francis of Rome, our women’s group known by its members as a “circle of sisters”, held our first meeting of the year and her last meeting as a member.
With courage and love we gathered, sniffed and fought back tears, and shared our meal. After our meeting we did something very impromptu-we played High-Low and rather than share the highs and lows of our own day we each shared a treasured time with her. As we sat with our chairs in a circle, the space between each of us filled with memories, love, laughter, and tears as we shared. We then showered her with prayers and well wishes and spiritual (and some practical!) advice. At the end of the evening we stood around her with our hands on her shoulders, arms, hands, and blessed her going forth from us with all the love and affirmation which had grown throughout the years.
The outward counting of time and space, tangible on most days through tools of measurement, seemed to be suspended and as St. Peter’s verse reminded us that the unfaded beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, the spirit of kinship, the spirit of life is God’s gift to those willing to receive it.
One 16 oz package of cornbread mix (Jiffy) Roma or grape tomatoes, quartered
One red and one orange (or yellow or green) bell pepper
One red onion, peeled and finely sliced or chopped (your preference)
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed Bacon pieces (12 -16 oz package)
Sharp cheddar cheese, grated
One can of mixed kernel corn (white and yellow kernels)
One cup of mayo (I love Duke’s)
One cup sour cream
One packet (1 oz) Ranch dressing mix
Prepare cornbread (a cast iron skillet is best)
While baking, wash and chop tomatoes and onions. Grate cheese. Open and drain beans and corn.
While cornbread is cooling, mix up the dressing.
In a large trifle bowl layer ingredients in this order (use half so you will layer twice): Cornbread, beans, bell pepper, tomatoes, onions, cheese, bacon, corn dressing.
Repeat layers using the remaining ingredients.
Garnish the top layer of dressing with bacon, cheese, and onions.
As with lots of recipes you can adjust this one to your taste.
Paula brought this dish to her last meeting as a member. It was so good
I had three helpings, and the bowl was all but licked clean. I am sure she will share this with her new church family.
There are many variations but here is the one Paula brought.
WHEN YOU THINK about the right to life, do you ever think about victims of domestic violence? I will take a wild guess and say no, you probably have not. Truthfully, neither have I. Until now, that is. I, like most people, tend to think about abortion or perhaps even capital punishment in terms of right to life. When it comes to domestic violence, too often, too many fault the victim along with the abuser. There are those who may say, “She chose him,” or “Why doesn’t she just leave?” Others may even go so far as to say, “Well, she made her bed, now she has to lie in it.” No matter what, the truth of it all is when a woman allows a man to abuse her (giving away her power), she does so with the mentality that her life does not matter. Allow me to explain.
Abuse does not happen overnight. It begins with slow and insidious thoughts and behaviors that grow over time. Those
thoughts and behaviors may happen “innocently,” meaning the boyfriend or husband will present his control as his concern for her wellbeing. He slowly drives a wedge between her, her family, and friends. He presents it all in a way that sounds like he just loves her so much and wants the absolute best for her. It may also look like a slow progression of removing all of her possessions such as a house or car all in the name of helping her to save money or live better. Perhaps he makes more money so therefore she can drive his car, which is paid for and much nicer than hers is. He will purchase a home and not put her name on the mortgage, not because he cannot but rather because his credit score is higher or she does not have to worry about being responsible if anything were to happen to the house. Bottom line is this: as time moves on, she slowly begins to lose more and more of her independence until one day she wakes up and realizes she has nothing and no one.
“You did not have the ability to stop what was done to you, but you have the power to choose how to overcome.” -Unknown
Pro-Life, Pro Safety: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
When this occurs, there is no way she can “just leave,” at least that is what she believes. At this time, I want to breakdown a few possible warning signs:
• Concerns or outright dislikes regarding certain friend(s)
• Discourages time with your family
• Instigates issues between you and your family
• Insults you all under the guise of concern or love
•Makes most of the decisions
•Admits to zero blame or responsibility for any wrong doings in the relationship
•Typically displays an over reactive temper
I want to pause here and acknowledge the fact that not all abusers are men and not all victims are women. Here are just a few statistics from www.domesticviolenceresearch.org: 80% of individuals have perpetrated emotional abuse, emotional abuse categorized as either expressive (in response to a provocation) or coercive (intended to monitor, control and/ or threaten), and across studies, 40% of women and 32% of men reported expressive abuse; 41% of women and 43% of men reported coercive abuse. One reason domestic violence is primarily focused on women is because women are abused more often than men are. Men typically will not report abuse because of the immense guilt, shame and weakness they feel. As mentioned earlier, a woman allows a man to abuse her by giving him too much of her power which results from her believing her life does not matter. Her feelings of her life not mattering can stem from early childhood trauma, growing up with an abusive father, growing up with a controlling mother, as well as a multitude of other situations. I discovered during my early days of counseling that ultimately women do have a great deal of power. The problem arises when either they give it all away or they abuse it. When a man and woman meet and realize they want to date, the woman tells the man how to treat her by what she initially allows him to do beginning from day one. For example, if he tends to be more of a decision maker such as where to eat dinner and she rarely gives her input and simply goes along with his suggestions, she has set the stage for not having an opinion. This starts off small because maybe she does not care where they eat, but as the relationship progresses, the small decisions like meals turn into bigger decisions like where to live, how many children to have, how much money to spend, etc. This concept translates into actual abuse whether it be verbal, emotional, mental, physical and/or sexual. The first time he calls her stupid, withholds affection, twist her words around, grabs her wrist or guilts her into having sex, all resulting in no significant consequence
for him, breeds the abuse. On the other side, if a woman chooses to abuse her power that is when she turns into the perpetrator.
Brothers and sisters, God created Adam and Eve because He loves to create life. He created all life from the smallest annoying gnat all the way up to us.Your life matters because of Him. You matter because of Him. What you think, feel and do matters because it matters to Him. He wants to know about your life, even the small, boring parts of it. If you are allowing any person in your life to have power over you, I strongly encourage you to seek help immediately. Allowing someone to abuse you is a huge offense to God. He created you out of love, to love and for love.
Domestic Violence hotline numbers: 1.800.799.7233 or text “START” to 88788
• Concerns or outright dislikes regarding certain friend(s)
• Discourages time with your family
• Instigates issues between you and your family
• Insults you all under the guise of concern or love
• Makes most of the decisions
• Admits to zero blame or responsibility for any wrong doings in the relationship
• Typically displays an over reactive temper (For more information, please visit www.psychologytoday.com).
Hometown: Covington, LA
FROM ANCIENT TIMES, the Jewish people have taught through story telling. This is the reason the Bible is so full of stories. These stories are full of lessons. Lessons about who God is and who we are. Today, I want to share with you my story in the hopes that no matter where you are in your own story you can gain something from my lessons.
I am a native of Covington, Louisiana. I am the oldest of a large Catholic family. It is a good Catholic family though not without its problems. My parents never missed an opportunity to teach us our Catholic faith, to instill in us a desire for the Eucharist, and a love of the saints. From an early age, I knew that I desired to give God everything and to belong to Him alone though I did not know what form it would take. I longed to become a saint.
My family was a part of a lay movement within the Catholic Church called Regnum Christi. The consecrated women and the priests of that movement were so filled with joy and love. I wanted what I saw in them… Christ. With some trepidation, my parents allowed me to go across the country to a high school run by the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi to discern my vocation to the consecrated life.
Through the grace of God and due to family troubles at home, I stayed at the school for only one year. I was no closer to an answer than when I arrived. Though I knew that it was right to return home, the decision triggered a tidal wave of emotion to top off my already turbulent teenage hormones. I was so hurt and angry that God would reject my gift when everyone talked so much about how the Church needed vocations. Soon after I returned, I lost my spiritual guide and much of the guidance and support needed to discern my vocation. I believed that these were all signs that my desires were not a part of God’s Will for my life, so I began searching for where He wanted me.
God granted me a series of adventures and misadventures that at the time felt more like being put in a dungeon and tortured than an adventure. I was tried by fire. It made me
doubt the existence of a good and loving God. I came near to losing my faith, my compassion, and myself. However, it is only now looking back that I can see that these experiences showed me things about myself that I had never known and taught me a trust in God that I could not have developed on my own. He allowed me to be pushed to the edge, but never to fall.
Then four years ago, I accepted a job in Shreveport, Louisiana. I began to volunteer as a catechist at St. John Berchmans (SJB). With help from an SJB parishioner, I found a new spiritual guide. My spiritual guide and the priests in the Diocese of Shreveport helped me along a journey of healing and prayer until joy began to return to my life. However, I also began to feel intense spiritual pain. Through prayer and with the help of my spiritual guide, I began to realize that this pain was an intense longing or desire. The desire to give myself to God had never left, only been suppressed, and the question of my vocation had never truly been answered.
I began to research religious communities. I visited a few communities that were all beautiful, but it was not until I found a place where I could see how all my adventures converged into a single point that I knew I needed to take the next step. Now, I have found a community that draws me deeper into my great adventure with God. I will become a pre-postulant with the Benedictines of Our Lady of the Rock Monastery in Washington State. Please pray for me as my discernment journey continues and know that I will be praying for you.
I SWEAR AS SOON as you drive through the gate, the air changes. When you come to Holy Angels Residential Facility on Ellerbe Road, you enter a sacred space. Holy ground, dedicated by Bishop Charles Greco in the 1960’s to serve children born with disabilities “from cradle to grave.” Today, the residents have a variety of diagnoses, but the mission remains the same. Angels are all around you.
First, you might notice the Worker Angels. They’re everywhere, busy doing their jobs. Cooking meals, cleaning rooms, teaching classes at Angel Works, doing therapy, answering phones. They will tell you that this is their vocation. Some of them have worked here for decades. They are models of selflessness; I am always humbled by their examples.
Next, you might encounter the Parent Angels. These are people whose babies were born with birth defects. They cared for their children as long and as well as they could; then they bravely entrusted them to the care of the workers here. They got past their grief and stayed connected. Many of them visit and volunteer regularly. They’ll tell you they’ve been especially blessed.
Then you’ll discover the Volunteer Angels. These are talented people in our community who show up to freely donate their God-given gifts to enhance the lives of the residents. Some are artists who help make jewelry, pottery, pillows and paintings in the Angel Works building. Some volunteer in the gift shop on campus. Others work at the “Taste,” a festival of food and art, each fall or at Angel Run in the spring, two of the big annual fundraisers. Some play music at Sunday Mass in the chapel. They will tell you that they’re blessed, too.
The Guardian Angels look down from heaven. They have provided divine assistance in times of crisis: budget cuts; ice storms; pandemics and staff shortages. Somehow this haven has beat the odds. Miracles occur here daily if your spiritual eyes are open.
I must include the Archangel, Laurie Boswell, the CEO of Holy Angels for the past 15 years. She’s responsible for 175 residents and her staff of over 200 employees. Like the Archangel Michael, she would fight dragons to ensure their safety. I don’t know how she sleeps at night!
And then there are the Resident Angels themselves, the reason this slice of heaven exists. They are cherubim who come in all shapes and sizes, each one beautiful in his or her own right. They have different ability levels and unique personalities. They have become each other’s friends and extended family members. There’s Scott, who can paint a blue dog better than Rodrigue himself. There’s Russell, who likes to dance to Bruno Mars and takes the stage with Windstorm every year at the Taste. There’s Paul, who can lead an assembly in prayer every chance he’s given. Or LeeLee, who bakes a mean chocolate chip cookie. Each angel reflects God’s glory. Their lives are meaningful and fruitful in unexpected ways.
On any day of the week, the grounds are buzzing with activities. Parades, pep rallies, pageants, pool parties, proms. Despite their disabilities, these residents experience a quality of life that most of us can only hope to achieve. Surrounded by people who love them, God’s presence enfolds them each second, soft as an angel’s wings. If you visit, expect a warm welcome. They love to shake your hand, hug your neck, tell you their stories.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his followers about the last judgment. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. In many ways, the residents of Holy Angels fall into this category. They are vulnerable and helpless, dependent on the many hands who care for them each day. If you feel called to respect their lives, send a check. Volunteer. Say a prayer. Or come out to their home at 10450 Ellerbe Road and visit them in person. I promise you’ll hear harp music!
EVERY NOW AND THEN we hear an inspiring story about an individual who has triumphed over a difficulty in their life and gone on to achieve success. Donnovan Roe, the cantor for St. John Berchman’s Cathedral in Shreveport, is such a person. He struggled with a physical disability when he was very young. “I actually grew up with a severe stutter,” Donnovan says,“and I endured a good amount of ribbing for it.” The taunts and jokes at his expense also affected his self confidence. Donnovan has been blessed with a beautiful singing voice and loves to sing even when no one is listening. It was important that he maintain a positive attitude and believe in himself and his talent. When Donnovan’s parents learned that the University of Louisiana in Monroe (ULM) had a speech therapy program, they quickly worked to enroll him. Donnovan says one of his earliest memories as a child is working with the therapists at ULM. Their help and guidance were crucial in his efforts to conquer his stutter. As Donnovan continued to work on his stutter, he decided to audition for the lead role in the school Christmas play, (Santa Claus). His mom was afraid he would not be chosen and be devastated as a result, but after auditioning by singing the National Anthem, he won the role.
Donnovan’s parents also enrolled him at Our Lady of Fatima Elementary School in Monroe even though he had not been raised Catholic. His experiences at Fatima were an introduction to Catholicism. He learned about the Church, the Mass and Catholic hymns.
“As a class, we would rotate the singing of the psalms during Friday Mass. I still remember my first reading, Psalm 32, ‘Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.”
Shortly thereafter, Donnovan and his family moved to California, and Donnovan realized his love for singing could lead to bigger things. During his freshman year of high school,
he was invited to join the Orange County Chamber Choir, a rare honor for a first year student. He was also introduced to the choir director, Michael Short, who encouraged Donnovan’s love of music and created opportunities for him to travel and sing.
When Donnovan and his family returned to the Shreveport area, his mother encouraged him to continue his education, so he enrolled at Centenary College in Shreveport as a music major and became a member of Centenary’s renowned choir. The director of Centenary’s Chamber Choir, Dr. Julia Thorn, recommended him for the Cathedral Choir and he remains there today. Donnovan has also begun to sing at other Catholic churches in the area, including St. Joseph’s Church in Shreveport. To say that the parishioners there are enjoying his voice is an understatement. Following a recent Saturday Mass, the line of parishioners hoping to speak to him stretched all the way to the back of the church. (Donnovan is quick to credit Aaron Wilson, music director of the Cathedral choir, and Tara Heeter of St. Josephs Church for their tireless work to bring music to the parish).
The young boy who loved to sing but struggled with a stutter is now sharing God’s word through his voice and we are the lucky beneficiaries of that gift. Thanks be to God.
THE NATURALLY ORDERED CIVIL SOCIETY is founded on truth, built up in justice, and animated by love. Accordingly, it is appropriate that those who administer and adjudicate the rule of law should participate in promoting the common good. Two local Catholics are engaged in these very endeavors: Larry W. Pettiette, Jr., and Don Armand, Jr. currently serve as President of the Shreveport Bar Foundation, and President of the Shreveport Bar Association, respectively.
Pettiette and Armand are principals at the Shreveport law firm Pettiette, Armand, Dunkelman, Woodley & Cromwell, LLP. It is significant that they both hold positions of such importance and esteem in the Shreveport Bar Association. In fact, for the first time in the history of the Shreveport Bar, attorneys from the same law firm are presidents in the same year.
Pettiette and his wife, Janey, have been members of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Shreveport since 1980. Pettiette has
provided legal services for the church and was instrumental in obtaining the church’s designation on the National Register of Historic Places. He is an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, lector, and past member of the Parish Pastoral Council.
Armand was born and raised in Alexandria, Louisiana, and graduated from Menard Catholic High School. He and his wife Lori are long-time members of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Shreveport. He currently serves on the Parish Finance Council.
Pettiette and Armand are two local Catholics who truly exemplify the responsible exercise of service in their chosen profession, as they work to strengthen the values of the rule of law tempered by their Catholic faith hopefully inspiring confidence of the members our civil society who put themselves at the service of others.
ACTS RETREATS have been enriching the lives of men and women since 1987. Although it is a Catholic-based retreat, non-Catholics are welcomed to attend.
The roots of ACTS can be traced back to the “Cursillo” retreat that began in Spain between WWI and WWII. Many in the church saw an increasing secularization of Catholics during this time. In response to this, a short course on the Catholic faith was created. In Spanish, Cursillo is translated as “short course” and its effect on people’s spirituality was profound.
The Methodist movement “Walk to Emmaus” also had a strong impact on the format of the ACTS retreat. Walk to Emmaus strives to “make Christian communities possible in neighborhoods, churches, work situations, and all other places where people live the greater part of their lives.”
In the 1980’s, three friends and Cursillo instructors from Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Selma, TX, Ed Courtney, Joe Hayes, and Marty Sablik were urged by their pastor, Fr. Patrick Cronin, to explore ways to encourage parishioner involvement. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the three men met in a restaurant to build a new retreat. It seemed to make sense to focus on the Acts of the Apostles since they described what the apostles did. They felt that several aspects of Cursillo could be improved upon and applied to meet the needs of the parish. Utilizing the word ACTS, Ed created the themes that correlated to each letter: A-Adoration, C-Community, T-Theology, S-Service.
The next step was to secure the approval from both their pastor and Archbishop Flores to conduct an ACTS retreat.
In March 1987, a letter sent to the archbishop said, “The weekend would be parish-oriented with an aim to evangelize and bring the people of one parish closer to Christ. Our goals are to develop in each person a strong commitment to Christ, to Christian community within the parish, and to apostolic action within the family and parish.”
In July 1987, OLPH sponsored the first men’s ACTS retreat. In April 1988, the first women’s retreat was held.
“They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.”
Acts of the Apostles 2:42-44
I have always felt that my ACTS retreat was the springboard to a deeper level of faith. Not only did my love expand for Christ, but I made many new friends who were also seeking a heightened spiritual life. I have been blessed to serve on several retreat teams that continue to deepen my love for Christ, teach me about my Catholic faith, and cultivate my desire to serve.
Retreat experiences will vary according to where we are in our faith journey. However, it has been my observation that most retreatants seem to find a common ground by achieving a greater faith and forming special friendships.
Each fall St. Joseph’s Catholic Church sponsors ACTS retreats for men and women. The retreats begin on Thursday evening and end on Sunday at the 12:30 Mass at St Joseph Church. The dates for this year’s retreats are:
Women’s Retreat: November 3-6
Men’s Retreat: November 10-13
Registration forms can be found on the St. Joseph Catholic Church website at: www.stjosephchurch.net/adult-faith-formation. All forms should be mailed to the PO Box listed on the form.
Sign up today to discover a deeper love for Christ and become a part of the ACTS family.
“The ACTS retreat reignited my love for my Catholic faith. It made me realize how important daily prayer, especially the rosary, is in building my relationship with Christ.”
Interested in registering for an ACTS Retreat in Shreveport?
R E S P E C T – when you think of the word respect, what comes to mind? Respect is shown through the way you treat others. At Catholic Charities of North Louisiana, we respect everyone that walks through our doors regardless of their current circumstances.
In 2018, Sophia walked through our doors for help in becoming a U.S. citizen and became overwhelmed because the immigration process can be complicated and lengthy.
Sophia was born in Haiti in June of 1990 and went to live in an orphanage because her parents didn’t have the means to take care of her. After living there for years, Sophia met the son of the Haitian lady that ran the orphanage when he came for a visit from the United States. Over the years he would come to the orphanage often. During one of his visits, Sophia remembers being so sad that he was leaving that she hid under the table. He found her, hugged her, and said he would come for her again. This man and his wife made the decision to make Sophia a part of their family in Shreveport, Louisiana. Sophia came to the United States under a humanitarian parole in 2011 to live with her new adoptive family.
When she came to Shreveport, she needed an English tutor. That tutor’s name was Leon and on the first day they met, Sophia knew that they would be together forever. After dating a while, they were married and soon they’ll celebrate their fifth anniversary.
It turns out that a child who is adopted from another country by US citizens is not automatically granted U.S. citizenship. Sophia longed to be an American citizen like her adoptive parents and her husband.
Sophia met with a lawyer who wanted to charge an exorbitant fee for the service. She was disappointed it was
so expensive, and fearful of what could happen to her. Would she be deported? One day, a friend recommended Catholic Charities of North Louisiana. Once again, Sophia’s life changed. After her initial consult with CCNLA’s Immigration Attorney, Briana Bianca, Sophia knew God had heard her daily prayers and placed the right people in her life to accomplish her goal of citizenship. She applied for her Green Card (legal permanent resident status) in July 2018. It was approved in March of 2019, and when the card came in the mail Sophia said she started screaming. Leon ran in the room thinking something was terribly wrong, but it was all just excitement! She knew she would have to wait two and a half years to file for her citizenship, but she could now work to save the money for the process.
In November 2021, she sent in her citizenship application and in February of 2022 she was notified that she would have an interview in April. Anxiety took over and she feared the interview. What if she said something wrong? What if she couldn’t answer their questions that CCNLA prepped her for, etc.? On June 7, 2022, Sophia became a naturalized United States Citizen. After her oath ceremony, she presented flowers to the staff at CCNLA. Sophia teared up saying she was grateful to Catholic Charities for the respect and compassion that was shown to her throughout this process from Intake Manager, Allison Kulbeth to the entire immigration staff.
Catholic Charities of North Louisiana is grateful to the Louisiana State Bar Foundation, Community Foundation of North Louisiana, and Grayson Foundation for supporting CCNLA’s Immigration Legal Services.
Este mes esta dedicado al respeto de la dignidad humana, al cuidado y amor del ser humano, desde su concepción hasta su muerte natural. La vida no es nuestra para hacer lo que nos plazca con ella, sino aceptarla como el regalo mas preciado que Dios nos da y para volvérsela cuando Él mismo nos llame. Es muy fácil olvidarnos de este mandato del Señor de cuidar la vida. En una reflexión escuché que “Dios nos regala su amor y todo lo demás nos lo presta” y me hizo pensar en el préstamo de la vida. Cuántas veces he actuado como si yo fuera dueña de mi vida, como si la decisión de nacer fuera mía o el término de ella dependiera de mí. Ni lo que tenemos ni lo que somos es por mérito propio si no más bien por el regalo que Dios nos hace mientras navegamos por este mundo.
En un encuentro con la Asociación de Ciencia y Vida el 2015, el Papa Francisco nos dice que el nivel de progreso de una civilización se mide precisamente por la capacidad de custodiar la vida, sobre todo en sus fases más frágiles, más que por la difusión de instrumentos tecnológicos. Cuando hablamos del hombre, nunca olvidemos todos los atentados a la sacralidad de la vida humana. La plaga del aborto es un atentado a la vida. También son atentados contra la vida el dejar morir a nuestros hermanos por desnutrición, en el
trabajo por malas condiciones de seguridad, por el terrorismo, la guerra, la violencia; pero también la eutanasia. Amar la vida es ocuparse siempre del otro, querer su bien, cultivar y respetar su dignidad trascendente”.
El Papa también nos dice en su audiencia del 20 de abril del 2022: “Muchas veces, lamentablemente, los ancianos son objeto de burlas, incomprensiones y desprecios. Incluso, llegan a ser víctimas de la violencia, pues se los considera material de descarte. Por eso, es importante que transmitamos a las jóvenes generaciones que el amor a la vida hay que manifestarlo siempre, en todas sus etapas, desde la concepción hasta su fin natural, e incluye de modo especial honrar la vida vivida por nuestros mayores y honrarla con ternura y con respeto”.
Dios es amor y su amor nos debe impulsar a reconocernos amados porque Él nos amó primero, a su vez, debemos amarnos los unos a los otros con el amor que El Hijo nos enseñó. (cf. 1 Juan 4, 6-15).
Roguemos a San José protector de la vida que interceda por nosotros para que nuestras vidas lleguen a ser una bendición y una alabanza para este mundo y una alegría para nuestro Padre Dios.
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 Coordinadora: Alma Mendoza 318.678.9306
SAGRADO CORAZON: OAK GROVE 318.428.2983 Oficina, Domingo 1:00pm Rev. Rigoberto Betancurt 318-458-6045 Cell
Rev. Rigoberto
AFTER MONTHS OF PLANNING, fundraising, and construction, the beautiful Memorial Garden on Loyola College Prep’s campus is finally complete. The garden will be a quiet, reverent place for students to pray, reflect, or spend a peaceful moment honoring the students to whom the memorial is dedicated.
During the 2020-2021 school year, the Loyola family suffered the losses of two cherished students- Colten Miller ‘24 and Aubrey Bailes ‘21. Feeling called to honor the lives of his classmates, Declan Chmielewski ‘22 asked several students (Charlotte Cole ‘22, Maeve Chmielewski ‘23, Audrey Dufrene ‘23) to put their faith into action and coordinate a permanent memorial to honor all students who passed away during their time at Loyola.
Fundraising for the Memorial Garden began in late February with the Aubrey Bailes Bowlathon. Over 115 bowlers enjoyed a night celebrating Aubrey’s favorite sport. The event, along with a donation link, raised a total of $6,000 for the memorial fund.The Colten Miller Golf Social in May and its donation link reached similar success, drawing in over 100 attendees and raising over $6,000. Students also purchased t-shirts, featuring a quote from Colten, to wear as they enjoyed Colten’s passion for golf.
Hoogland’s Landscaping generously agreed to coordinate the project with the team and graciously donated half the cost of installation. Mr. Mike Hoogland, father of three Loyola alumni, has worked with Loyola in the past to include the landscaping around Hudley Field House and St. Vincent’s Hall.
For the memorial, he designed a beautiful space featuring stone benches, an irrigated plant bed, and engraved bricks. The following names will be featured on the bricks:
Charles Gerard Barbour, 1970
David Randall Hall, 1972
Theresa Ann Rush, 1973
Deborah Annette Allen, 1974
Michael T. Volz, 1979
Brice Cort Adley, 1991
Virginia Marie Brice, 1998
Gerald W. Pinckard, 1999
Patrick Edward Schwartz, 1999
Aubrey Rann Bailes, 2021
Colten Wayde Miller, 2024
The garden, located in front of the Residence Building, provides a focal point for the school, highlighting a statue of Mary that overlooks the space.
The Memorial Garden will serve as a lasting reminder of how we are called to live out our faith, and to love our neighbors, classmates, and friends unconditionally.
The student coordination team would like to thank everyone involved in the process, especially the families of Aubrey and Colten as well as the generous donors.
Declan & Maeve Chmielewski, Charlotte Cole, and Audrey Dufrene, Loyola College Prep Students
Join the Loyola College Prep Class of 2023 for this year’s totally rad 69th Annual Style Show! The annual style show is sponsored by the Loyola Parents Association and will honor the graduating seniors who will model clothing provided by local vendors. The Style Show has a long history at Loyola College Prep dating back to 1952.
Loyola Seniors will take the stage for the main show where groups model clothes from local stores in addition to the senior walk. A long-standing tradition at the Style Show is the Alumni Walk where seniors and their parents and grandparents who attended Loyola, Jesuit, St. Vincent Academy or Notre Dame High School.
All Flyer Alumni and Future Flyers are invited to join in the fun! With special seating available for each group, the Style Show is a great way to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones!
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
LOCATION
Bossier Civic Center 620 Benton Road Bossier City, LA 71111
TIME
Doors open at 11 a.m. Show begins at 11:30 a.m.
$45 in
at
Tickets available at www.myschoolbucks.com
Shaver’s Catering will serve a delicious meal included in the ticket price.
Loyola College Prep invites middle school students for private tours of Loyola’s campus during Open House week scheduled for Oct. 25-28.
Tours are done in small groups, and registration is required. To schedule a tour, visit https://www.loyolaprep.org/openhouse-2021
“We are excited to welcome future Flyers and their parents, and walk them through a typical school day at LCP. Guests will get to engage with current students, alumni, faculty and staff,” said John LeBlanc, Principal. “Loyola offers a different high school experience that is grounded in our Catholic identity with opportunities for students to evolve in academic excellence, faith in action and student involvement.”
In addition to small group tours of the campus during a typical day, students and parents will have the chance to learn about college placement, financial assistance, accommodations, admissions and more.
Loyola College Prep offers a faith-based high school experience grounded in Catholicism, with a focus on growing students in conscience, character and compassion. Scan this code to register for our fall open house!
Polly Maciulski, Middle School Religion
We are two months into the 2022-23 school year, and our students in grades third through eighth have all had the opportunity to go to Confession with their classes. We have celebrated numerous Masses together and even had Bishop Malone with us for our 71st Anniversary Alumni Mass on Friday, Sept. 16th. What a treat! As we continue our mission to form each child in the virtue of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we rotate through the theological virtues each year, and this year we are focused on the Virtue of Faith, seeking ways each day to better understand and illustrate this beautiful gift from God.
Our MiniVinnies have returned this year - and with even bigger numbers than we had in our inaugural year! The first school conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul - termed “MiniVinny” - was a big hit in 2021-22 as we assisted our local conference with the Christmas service project, and we raised enough money to support an international effort to buy two houses for the poor in Haiti. This year we hope to be of even more support to the needy in our area and to other conferences, as well. The kickoff meeting was held Thursday, Sept. 1, in the Family Life Center of St. Joseph Catholic Church, and was led by Jim Beadles, Diocesan SVDP Conference
Chairman. Jim shared with the group the story of Saint Vincent de Paul, and reminded returning members of how this great Catholic organization began: founded by students, in honor of this “Apostle of Charity and Father of the Poor.” The year holds great promise for this year’s conference, as we commission new members and elect new officers in the words of Blessed Frederic Ozanam, to “do what our Lord Jesus Christ did when preaching the gospel. Let us go to the poor!”
Last year’s Falcon Fest fundraiser at St. Joseph Catholic School was a great success, and looks to be at least as successful this year! On Saturday, October 8, from 5-8 p.m., the SJS campus will be brimming with rides, music, and great food - even more than last year’s fundraiser. This event is not just for SJS families or even just parishioners, but for our friends and neighbors of all ages who wish to enjoy an early fall evening in a festive atmosphere. It’s free for adults, costs $25 for kids to play without limits, and for $18 you can buy the Falcon Fest 2022 t-shirt. It’s not too late to buy tickets, or to sponsor, so use the QR code on the left or visit our website at www.sjsfalcons.org
Jill Weir, Development Director
In the spring, Mrs. Jeanne Clark’s 7th and 8th-grade students extended the mathematical patterns they discovered in Pre-Algebra and Algebra in the creation of quilt blocks for babies. Each student was taught how to sew a four-patch block by hand. After the four patches were completed, Mrs. Clark cut other fabric blocks that coordinated with them and completed the top of each quilt. Over the summer Mrs. Clark quilted the blankets and bound them.
LAST YEAR, Mrs. Jeanne Clark and two of her colleagues, Jacob Armand and Paula Garrett, used quilting to team teach a unit on American History as part of the school’s IB curriculum. Coach Armand’s History class learned how slaves traveling on the Underground Railroad used quilt patterns to communicate safe routes to freedom. Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Garrett used math and design to help students create their own quilt squares, using symbols and patterns to communicate hidden messages. Through this process, the students developed critical and creative thinking skills, and the teachers worked together to create an interdisciplinary unit that brought quilting into the spotlight.
They are now being given to Life Choices of Monroe. The quilts will be given to mothers whom the organization has previously counseled about their unplanned pregnancy options. The quilts were blessed during Mass on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, and delivered. It is our hope through the quilts that God will bless these sweet babies, comfort them, and keep them warm.
All lessons taught at St. Frederick High School are meant to enrich the learning opportunities for students, but when these lessons are connected to the real world, they truly come alive. Whether through understanding our past or by working to ensure a brighter future, the goal of St. Frederick’s students and faculty is to make learning purposeful and Christ-centered.
Our 9th graders crossed over from junior high to high school; they are shielded in prayer and support along their educational journey. Our 9th graders were issued a pin to commemorate this special occasion. This pin will also be worn at their graduation from SFHS as they cross from high school to college, armed with the necessary social, educational, physical, and spiritual means to be successful in today’s society.
Trey Woodham, Principal
AS A MINISTRY of the Cathedral, our school’s mission is guided by God’s teachings to respect life and evangelize through educating the whole student - mind, body, and soul. Mind: In order to expand and strengthen the minds of the students, we have enhanced our core programming, hired four exceptional teachers, and have added a Reading Resource Teacher. Our new math curriculum, Singapore Math, focuses on problem solving and teaches math concepts utilizing a multi-step learning process that will reach all students with a range of learning styles. Our K4-5th grade English Language Arts program, Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), is a comprehensive program for developing reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, while building knowledge of literature, history, and the sciences. Our 3rd-8th grade writing program, M I Write, aids the students in learning how to write effectively by providing automated scores and immediate feedback. Providing an environment of academic excellence instills discipline and expands the student’s knowledge of the universe. They develop an understanding that their academic studies are intertwined with their Catholic faith. Body: Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:19. The Bible verse guides the students in training their bodies for a life of discipleship through Christian practices like pilgrimages, abstinence, the sign of the cross, the movements of the liturgy, and the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Just as athletes develop their athletic skill through repetition
and practice, we teach our student disciples to make Christian habits an inherited part of who they are through regularly engaging in Catholic traditional practices. Soul: We feed the soul through daily prayer, religious classes presenting scripture and God’s teachings, worship in the Cathedral, reception of the Holy Eucharist, Confession, and the practice of Christian virtues. We live the Catholic faith each day by embodying the Gospel message of Christ and cultivating a life of virtue, integrity, service, and a love for learning in each student that walks through our doors. Our mission and hope are that they will develop into disciples living and witnessing God’s Divine Plan and becoming leaders in the world. This quote from a 2022 graduating eighth grader provides that hope:
“I take my faith very seriously. It is the most important thing in my life. I am a Catholic and plan on being Catholic my entire life. I feel like Catholicism is the most serious way of following God. Before I came to St. John’s, I was not anywhere near as close with God as I am now. Coming to St. Johns did so many good things for me. It also brought my parents closer to God because they wanted to be involved in the St. John’s’ program. Coming to this school truly changed my life forever.”
The Cathedral of St. John Berchmans parish has provided education for the youth since 1902 with our school serving the Shreveport - Bossier area for more than 70 years with its uniquely traditional approach to education and enrichment.
Thanks to our Recent Donors:
(032) Diane Tiller Gainey ($2000)
(023) Van or Patricia McGraw ($100)
(032) Mr. Randy G. Tiller ($1000)
(035) Mrs. Rosemary C. Ward ($500)
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)
(040) Father Isidore Armand Quémerais, Servant of God Burse ($10000)
(041) Father Jean Pierre, Servant of God Burse ($10000)
(042) Father Jean-Marie Biler, Servant of God Burse ($10000)
(043) Father Louis-Marie Gergaud, Servant of God Burse ($10000)
(044) Father François Le Vézouët, Servant of God Burse ($10000)
(045) Sister Martinette Rivers Memorial Burse ($100)
(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 ($1200)
(006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Memorial Burse #2 ($3832.12)
(007) Dr. Carol Christopher Memorial Burse ($1200) (008) St. Jude Parish Burse ($6218) (009) St. John Berchmans Knights of Columbus Council 10728 Burse ($1550)
(011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse #2 ($4300)
(015) Bishop’s Seminarian Burse ($3910) (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 ($1250) (023) Msgr. Edmund J. Moore Memorial Burse ($1120) (024) Rev. Joseph Puthupally Memorial Burse ($1100) (025) Kathleen Hightower Memorial Burse ($400) (028) Friends-n-Faith Burse ($300) (029) Rev. Kenneth Williams Memorial Burse ($200) (030) Ottis and Anne Krupa Littlejohn Memorial Burse ($5000)
(032) Madeline and Joe Tiller Memorial Burse ($4000) (034) Joseph B. and Lucille Provenza Cordaro Burse ($6000) (035) Dr. James V. & Rosemary C. Ward Burse ($8500) (036) Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza Burse ($1700) (037) Manuel & Catherine Licciardi, and John & Beverly Miller Burse ($4000) (038) The Malone Family Burse ($250) (039) St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Knights of Columbus Council 9260 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. Be sure to note the name of the burse in the memo line. Burses are completed at $10,000.
OCTOBER 1
St. Therese of Lisieux
OCTOBER 2
The Holy Guardian Angels
OCTOBER 4
St. Francis of Assisi
OCTOBER 5
St. Faustina
OCTOBER 6
St. Bruno
OCTOBER 7
Our Lady of the Rosary
OCTOBER 9
Saints Denis & Companions
OCTOBER 11
St. John XXIII
OCTOBER 12
Our Lady of the Pillar
OCTOBER 14
St. Callistus
OCTOBER 15
St. Teresa of Avila
OCTOBER 16
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
OCTOBER 18
St. Luke the Evangelist
OCTOBER 19
Saints Jean de Brebeuf, Isaac Jogues, & Companions
OCTOBER 20
St. Paul of the Cross
OCTOBER 22
Pope John Paul II
OCTOBER 23
St. John of Capistrano
OCTOBER 28
Saints Simon & Jude, Apostles
DIOCESAN ROSARY CONGRESS
The Rosary Congress is seven days of Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary prayed out loud every hour day and night for the week. The mission is to bring every soul to believe in and to love deeply Jesus Christ in the Eucharist through Mary and the Rosary.
OCTOBER 1 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM
The Ladies Guild of Mary, Queen of Peace Parish will be hosting a gigantic garage sale on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 7 am to 2 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Proceeds from the sale will go toward special projects of both the Ladies Guild and the Youth Group. The church is located at 7738 Barksdale Blvd. Bossier City 71112.
The annual Pro-Life Mass will be held at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church with Bishop Malone presiding.
In honor of the Feast of Saint Francis, Saint Mary of the Pines Parish will be holding a blessing of the animals with low-cost vaccinations available as well.
Trained spiritual director, Jeanne Burmaster, a graduate of the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center’s Internship in Spiritual Direction and Associate Staff Member of the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center, will hold an “Informational Meeting” announcing the next training program in Spiritual Direction. Over the years this internship in Spiritual Direction has certified over 200 spiritual directors now serving a number of dioceses in Louisiana. At this meeting we will discuss our program, its purpose, prerequisites, and structure. (more on pg. 8)
Gala @ Cathedral of SJB Parish Hall
Cathedral of St. John Berchmans’ Music Ministry, invites you to a Gala - “For the Love of Music.”
Come and enjoy an evening filled with beautiful music and singing from our own music ministry. Great food, drink, fun, and fellowship is on tap as well as a silent auction. This is a ticketed event. The cost per person is $50. All proceeds go towards supporting the Music Ministry, which includes our cantors and singers, and maintaining the Cathedral’s organ. For tickets, go online at www.sjbcathedral.org or contact the Cathedral Office at 221-5296.
Halloween Carnival & Pumpkin Patch @ Mary, Queen of Peace Parish
Join your friends at Mary, Queen of Peace for their annual Halloween Carnival on Sunday, Oct. 30 from 12:30 to 3 pm. Admission is FREE!!! Children will enjoy the expanded Trunk or Treating area , the Cake Walk, face painting, and sand art. All will enjoy the good food, such as the Cajun favorites… red beans and rice, jambalaya, and gumbo. In addition, we will serve the traditional hamburgers, hot dogs and sweets galore. Kids costumes are welcome! Our pumpkin patch starts on October 15. All proceeds from the sale of food and drinks will benefit the church’s youth program. Mary, Queen of Peace is located at 7738 Barksdale Blvd. In South Bossier, approximately 5 miles south of the Jimmie Davis Highway.
NOVEMBER 2 11:00 AM
All Souls Day Mass with Bishop Malone @ Saint Joseph Cemetery, Shreveport
NOVEMBER 6 4:30 PM 8:30 AM
6th Annual National Black Catholic History Celebration Mass @ Saint Mary of the Pines Church
The Black Catholic Committee at Saint Mary of the Pines Catholic Church will celebrate its 6th Annual Black Catholic History Month celebration. The Mass celebration will be followed by a reception in Vandegaer Hall. This year, we will honor Very Reverend Rothell Price and three religious orders that have had a significant impact in the formation of black priests. The orders include: the Society of Divine Word, the Society of African Mission and the Society of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1ST
4:00 PM Mass – Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; Confessions begin at 3:00 PM
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND
8:00 AM Mass – Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND
10:30 AM Pro-Life Mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Shreveport
MONDAY, OCTOBER 3RD
11:00 AM – Loyola College Prep Junior Class Retreat Mass at St. Jude Church, Benton
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4TH
6:00 PM – St. Mary of the Pines Catholic Church 50th Anniversary Speaker Series at St. Mary of the Pines Catholic Church, Shreveport
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH –
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6TH Visit Loyola College Prep Religion Classes
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8TH
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Falcon Fest at St. Joseph Catholic School, Shreveport
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9TH
9:00 AM – Confirmation at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Shreveport
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9TH
2:00 PM – Mass with Vietnamese Catholic Community at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; followed by reception
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13TH
10:30 AM – 3:00 PM – Notre Dame Seminary Board of Trustees Meeting & St. Joseph Seminary Board of Trustees Meeting at Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21ST
11:30 AM – Catholic Women’s Prayer Group Rosary followed by lunch at the Catholic Center
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22ND
4:00 PM Mass – Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; Confessions begin at 3:00 PM
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26TH
5:30 PM – Loyola College Prep Board of Directors Gathering – Bishop’s Residence, Shreveport
Do you want to know more about what’s going on around the Diocese, but don’t want to wait for the next Catholic Connection issue to come out? Join our new bimonthly diocesan email newsletter!
Just go to www.dioshpt.org/newsletter to sign up or email Ben Luckett, Director of Digital Evangelization at bluckett@dioshpt.org
Director of Marriage & Family Life Finance Office Admin. Assist. IT Support
Please send resumes to Deacon Michael Straub at mstraub@dioshpt.org. Is your parish hiring? Email Kierstin at krichter@dioshpt.org
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: Father Keith Garvin & Altar Servers at Saint Ann Church in Ebarb.