May 2022

CATHOLIC CONNECTION Volume 31 No. 10 | May 2022

Faithful Food: A Recipe for Mothers Welcoming the Newest Members of Our Catholic Family Mike’s Mediations: Is There More than One Perspective?

The Results of the Joyful Discipleship Initiative Study MAY 2022

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION PUBLISHER

Bishop Francis I. Malone

EDITOR

Kierstin Richter

CONTRIBUTORS

Mike Van Vranken Kim Long Mary Arcement Alexander Patti Underwood Rosalba Quiroz Polly Maciulski Jordan Harris Kate Rhea Julia Vanchiere Brother Mike Ward Kathy Schimshock Olga Trejo Stephanie Haney Jill Wier Kathy Wallace

EDITORIAL BOARD Deacon Mike Whitehead John Mark Willcox Kim Long Kate Rhea Rosalba Quiroz Fr. Matthew Long Dr. Carynn Wiggins Fr. Pat Madden

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: Kierstin Richter Email: krichter@dioshpt.org The Catholic Connection is a member of the Catholic Press Association.

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.

MISSION STATEMENT

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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.

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

how to pray when things are going well The times in my life I have felt the most grounded in my faith were also the most dramatic. I would go to the adoration chapel every morning, and sometimes every night, to open or close my day vocalizing a whole monologue of life drama to relay to the good Lord, looking for peace or answers. I would most always walk out with a sense of satisfaction. It was like therapy. Great stuff.

In those times, I had a mission. There was a certain problem to analyze. A puzzle to solve. A wound to heal. An important decision to make. Even in the fast pace of life, the adoration chapel was the slow down I needed, and if not there, it was the paddle board on Cane River or sitting at the boat launch of Sibley Lake with a journal and rosary in hand, bare toes dipped in the water.

Fast forward five years, and I’m sitting at a desk and computer thirty-seven hours a week, and there’s no “drama” to relay and figure out. I’ve ticked off all the boxes I was once praying for. A cute little house with one of my best friends and a kitty cat named Niko I have a love-hate relationship with. I finally prefer fruits and vegetables over Papa John’s Pizza. I can make a mean homemade lasagna and homemade sauce. I have a job that allows me to be creative and work with wonderful people and a sparkly ring from the literal love of my life with the bluest eyes and curliest brown hair and the most beautiful voice. For the most part, I got all my answers and my happily ever afters. It’s the end of the movie, and I’m sitting in the epilogue. What happens after that? Why does my spiritual life taste stale when life is so sweet?

As I’ve settled into the 8-5ish work life balance, fallen into the daily grind of get up, work, go home, sleep, I’ve sunken into this wave of complacency, content where I am, life and resume wise, but my conversations with God go a little like, “Uh hey, yep.

Still here. Existing. And there’s nothing I can do about it. Thanks though. You’re awesome. Aight I’mma head out.”

When things are going well, it’s hard to just sit with God and be present and happy. I had tried sitting in the chapel and giving prayers of thanksgiving, but it felt more obligatory and empty gestured than spiritually moving.

I was feeling this way when writing this article, four hours to my deadline, and not a single word. I had been feeling this moody

Prayer doesn’t always look like kneeling in a chapel. Aside from adoration, some of the best prayer time I’ve had was paddling on Cane River and splashing my Chacos in the water, soaking in the sun for hours at a time.

sense of existential angst in what should be the happiest time of my life. Like, I made it to the perceivable finish line to all the things I wanted to be “happy” and somehow, I was less satisfied than I was before. Just kind of... existing.

We live most hours of our days cooped up in offices, houses, next to TV screens, our phones on hand for any text we need to whip out O.K. Corral style. At the end of the day, we are mentally exhausted, and that just doesn’t have the same satisfaction of physical exhaustion. It’s hard to sit still to pray when I’ve been sitting still All. Day. Long.

When our spiritual health is lacking, our physical health can sometimes be a good place to start in getting back on track. Eat some fresh veggies. Get in the dirt. Sit on the porch and listen to the birds sing. Splash your feet in the water. Wade into God’s creation unapologetically and wholeheartedly.

If you’re struggling to run from one church group to the next or worry about whether or not you’ve said enough prayers or rosaries this week before going to sleep, give yourself permission to slow it down and take yourself on a prayer date out in nature to disconnect from the fast paced, productivity worshiping society we often find ourselves trapped in.

So if I had one piece of advice to get out of a complacent, existential, spiritual rut, it’s to take your prayer outside. It’s May! The weather is great! Get those negative ions by walking barefoot in the grass. Breathe in the fresh oxygen straight from the trees instead of the recycled air of an HVAC unit. Say a rosary with your toes scrunched in the dirt, eyes closed, sun baking on your skin. (Wear your sunscreen though!) In my own personal and not so humble opinion, we were never meant to praise God solely from the confines of our man-made structures, inevitably falling into a monotonous drone of just going through the motions for the sake of tradition. Sometimes the best refresh is a change in perspective. So put on some sunscreen, throw on a hat, grab your rosary, and take a spiritual walk. The weather’s beautiful. The water’s great. The next puzzle to solve is presence.

MAY 2022

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contents

FEATURES 8

New Windows: The Real Holy Trinity Altar Society

COLUMNS 5 6 10 15 16 20 29

Bishop: The Art of Being Chosen Mike’s Meditations: Is There More Than One Perspective?

Vocations: What is Discernment?

Mary’s Mission: What’s in a Name?

Faithful Food: Mary, Mary, I Was the Contrary One! [A Recipe for Mothers] Daughters of the Cross: Winds of Change Catholic Charities: Bingo on the Bayou

NEWS 11 12 17 22 30 32 33 34

Local Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Celebrate 60th Jubilees Welcoming the Newest Members of Our Catholic Family Joyful Discipleship Initiative Study Results School News Hispanic News Upcoming Events Louisiana Tech Students Celebrate 25 Years of Campus Ministry Around the Diocese

On the cover: Ellie Franks, Louisiana 8th Grade Private School Student of the Year with her mother and sister.

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

Contents Collage: Chrism Mass - Holy Week 2022

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from bishop malone

I do not remember a time in my life when time itself passed so quickly. Ever since the beginning of this year, the pace has been swift, the travel around the diocese and elsewhere has been constant, and the movement through Lent into Easter has been like it has never been before. So when Easter finally arrives, there is a sense that things will just slow down – but “not so fast…” the Easter season – yes, the Easter season is full of such wonderful events and activities that before you know it, summer will be here. As much as I would like for time to slow down a bit, I am full of joy and excitement at the events yet to come: for as soon as Easter comes and goes, we enter into a vast array of Confirmation ceremonies in the diocese – and what joy it is to be the one to bring the Holy Spirit to our young people! With May comes graduations, both from elementary schools and from our high schools – these are momentous occasions for our seniors – marking an end to one aspect of their lives and seeing them move on to another. Ordinations to the diaconate and to the priesthood are on the horizon, and our diocesan Church will be, God willing, blessed with two new transitional deacons, and a newly ordained priest – now that has to be exciting to all of us.

As I list the events of the next couple of months, I would like to invite you to join me in prayer for our confirmandi, our graduates, and our newly ordained – all of them need our prayers as they enter into, or leave behind, a special time in their lives. And while most of them will say how quickly time passed – some will say that it did not pass quickly enough!

We, here in the northern hemisphere get to experience Easter unfold in the awakening of the earth: the grass turning green, the budding of the flowers and the trees, the warming of the weather. And even though pollen is not the friend of everyone, it is a reminder to us of the renewal of the earth around us. How blessed are we to experience the joy of, along with those being confirmed, those graduating, and those to be ordained.

But there is another large group of people whom we now call our “brothers and sisters in faith.” These are those who were received into the Church, some by baptism, others by profession of faith. Their numbers remind us also of the Church coming alive in our midst, and there is nothing quite like the excitement of those who newly join our numbers.

My message to you, my brothers and sisters, is to enjoy this Spring and to be observant of the natural and spiritual changes around us. May your own faith be awakened in this time of transition, and may the Lord make the most of your love for him.

Your brother in Christ,

MAY 2022

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Is There More Than One Perspective?

The gospel stories during the Easter season are filled with Jesus sightings. After all, Jesus spent a lot of time healing blindness. He claimed he came for the “recovery of sight to the blind” (Lk 4:18). Now resurrected, even the people who lived with him for the last three years have a hard time seeing and recognizing him. In each case, it’s only after they have listened to what he has to say that they recognize him. “My sheep hear my voice” (Jn 10:27). It almost appears that what we see is based on how we hear. I recently enjoyed a homily by Father Mark Thibodeaux about perspective. How we see Jesus and his message sometimes depends on what we really hear which may alter our perspective.

In the homily, he explains how a Lutheran minister asked North American seminarians why the young man in the story of the Prodigal Son ended up starving in a pig pen (Lk 15: 11-32). The answers were all pretty unanimous that the boy had sinned terribly, betrayed his father, took the money, and squandered it on dissolute living, and now he finds himself starving in poverty. It’s 6

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all because of his sinful ways. I think most of us would answer the question the same way.

Then this minister went to St. Petersburg, Russia, and asked seminarians there the same question. Their answer was entirely different. They said the reason the boy was starving was that there was a famine. Verse 14 of the story says there was a famine in the land and the boy was hungry. It was a famine that the Russian seminarians focused on. Why? The grandparents of these seminarians lived in St. Petersburg in 1941 when the Nazis surrounded their city and would not allow food to get through. It is said that over a million residents starved to death. After listening to these seminarians explain how they had heard this story many times, it was easy to see their perspective was not on the sins of the Prodigal Son but was on the famine.

Finally, the minister traveled to Tanzania in Africa and asked the same question to seminarians there: Why did the Prodigal Son end up starving and living with pigs? Was it because the boy sinned, or was it because

mike's meditations

“This month, as we ponder the Jesus sightings in the gospel stories, it would be good for us to imagine how hard it is for us to see Christ in others, especially when we are only listening to them from our own perspective; unless, of course, we are not listening to them at all.” of the famine? Their insight into the story came from yet another perspective. Verse 16 of the story explains that no one gave the Prodigal Son anything to eat. The Tanzanians explained that the message of the story is not about an individual at all. It’s not about the boy’s sin or about a famine. They contended it was about a comparison of two different societies. The Kingdom of God, and a society without honor. A society with people who would not give a stranger or a foreigner something to eat when he was hungry. In contrast, the gates of the Kingdom of God are always open and there is always a place at the table for the stranger, the alien, the misfit, for everyone. They said whether one sins gravely and squanders the gift of God, or whether a famine strikes their land, and all are starving, the gates of the Kingdom of God will openly welcome each of us to our own place at the table.

In these three instances, the perspective or seeing of each group of seminarians was based on what they heard in the gospel. And each group heard something different based on their own experiences in life. Which group’s message of the gospel story is correct? All three, of course.

This month, as we ponder the Jesus sightings in the gospel stories, it would be good for us to imagine how hard it is for us to see Christ in others, especially when

we are only listening to them from our own perspective; unless, of course, we are not listening to them at all.

We begin by asking God for the grace to awaken our ability to listen to others from their perspective as well as ours. When I listen with an open ear to the other’s story, I find clues about what they have experienced in life and how it has affected who they are now. This changes the entire panorama of what I begin to see. And eventually, it changes my heart and I start to see the Christ that’s been in them from the beginning of time.

When someone else truly listens to you and your story, they find a perspective that is uniquely yours. They begin to understand where you are coming from. In return, you feel validated and respected and even loved. As you contemplate the three perspectives of the seminarians mentioned above concerning the story of the Prodigal Son, will you ask God for the grace to be such a listener you will learn to see everyone else’s perspective on all of life’s issues? You don’t have to agree with them. This is a practice of listening, seeing, and eventually loving.

MIKE VAN VRANKEN is a spiritual director, a member of the teaching staff for the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center of New Orleans Formation of New Spiritual Directors, an author and a speaker.

MAY 2022

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New Windows

Joining the Holy Trinity Altar Society In May of 2020, in the middle of a pandemic, I retired from thirty years of teaching middle school in Bossier Parish. My friends jokingly asked what I would do with all my spare time, and I always quipped back, “Whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it.” This snappy comeback faced a limited reality in the pandemic world, but I did manage to undertake some long-awaited chores and new crafts that I had been meaning to do but never had the time. With the rest of the world, I would venture out when necessary, but I was content to “do my thing” at home. I’ve always been a bit of a homebody.

In 2021, when vaccinations became available, I was ready to venture slowly out into the world again. I wanted to see what window God would open for me next. I went to Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Shreveport for daily mass, and Father Duane Trombetta offered an opportunity to participate in ministry by helping the Altar Society work on a St. Joseph’s Altar display. My interest peaked, and I agreed, thinking I would meet with some sweet older ladies and lend them a hand for just a day. To my surprise and total delight, I met a happy crew of all ages, some younger, some older, and the crew even included a couple of gentlemen. I stood back, not 8

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wanting to get in the way or take anyone’s duty. Another delightful surprise appeared as members bounced ideas to and fro, giving suggestions and recommendations, and no one appeared to take over or bark orders. It was a true back and forth, cooperative interchange, and I loved it.There was a spirit of fellowship and camaraderie, perhaps driven by the Holy Spirit Himself.

Soon after preparing the beautiful St. Joseph’s Altar, the Altar Society began preparing for Easter. They invited me to help, and once again, I felt welcomed and included immediately. Part of the crew worked inside the church, unpacking boxes and boxes of lovely Easter lilies, their scent filling the sanctuary. The members watered and placed them, once again with no big bosses ordering directions. There was an interplay of ideas with frequent synergetic phrases like, “What do you think if…Where could we…Here’s an idea… That’s good, and maybe we should...?” Once again, I witnessed a mutual discussion of ideas and people working collaboratively and respectfully toward a single goal, beautifying the church to enhance the liturgy.The other half of the crew went outside to the Prayer Garden and grabbed garden gloves and prepared the garden with mulch, bunnies, and bows. Again, young

and old alike took the task to heart, and we worked and laughed and played a bit, too. The same synergetic conversations that were taking place inside were taking place in the garden, perhaps even better because we could use our “outside voices.” Who would have thought about all the behind the scenes work that goes into beautifying a church? And who would have thought I would gain a whole new batch of friends in my retirement?

I was so happy about my new friendships in the Holy Trinity Altar Society that I looked into other ways I could get involved with these truly Spirit-filled friends.

My answer came in through Father Duane who asked the Altar Society to work together to create flower arrangements that would do justice to our beautiful sanctuary. Thus the flower crew was born. Three of us ladies and one gentleman started coming together one morning a week to collaborate and create with flowers and greenery, and I developed a new hobby.

We took turns selecting flowers, and we foraged for our own greenery, with the one goal of creating aesthetic arrangements to complement our historic altar. We taught one another and learned from one another. We talked while we created and laughed often. We always prayed together for memorial arrangements. The flower crew has now become my steadfast friends, and the more we work together, the more we grow in our love for our church and our faith. Our crew is not exclusive, and we welcomed other members to join us any day in our flower fun.

The Altar Society helped Holy Trinity with several more events including cleaning days on the second Saturday of the month, Coffee in the Courtyard, the Annual Fall Festival, and our 125th Anniversary, just to name a few.

The biggest event took place at Christmas time when we adorned the church with a breathtaking display of the Nativity, giant wreaths, gorgeous garland, and literally hundreds of poinsettias in white and red. Once again I witnessed the harmonious synergy of our Altar Society in action, all members working toward that single goal of enhancing the liturgical worship in our historic church.

All Altar Society members were welcome to help at all events or even just a few when they were able to help. I never felt tied down or obligated. I helped with the events that I could, and the result was always the same: cooperation, fun, friendship, and gratitude. Father Duane made sure to thank the Altar Society publicly and privately for all the events that we helped put together to enrich the liturgy and community of our church.

Joining and volunteering with the Altar Society made me feel productive and gave me a greater sense of community in my church. I now know the name of the guy with the white hair who sits on the right side by the column and the name of the lady with the pretty blonde hair who sits near the front and, bonus, the name of her husband who is a lector. I now know the names of many people in the church, and I am pleased to call them my friends. It is wonderful to really know the people near me in the pews, to really be in communion with them in our Catholic faith. Being involved connects me with my church family which ultimately connects me to Jesus Himself. I hope this encourages others to join a ministry and get involved. I am so glad God opened this new window of opportunity for me.

DEBRA TROMBETTA LEON is a retired middle school English teacher and a parishioner at Holy Trinity Catholic Church.

MAY 2022

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vocations

What is Discernment?

Discernment: Meaning to sift through; to sort out.

This term is used frequently by those who are considering a vocation to the priesthood. The discernment process helps a young man to sort out “God’s call for him.”

Here are some practical suggestions which will help a young man discern a call to the priesthood:

DAILY MASS

The sacrifice of the Mass is the Church’s greatest prayer of praise. At Mass we are fed and nourished by God’s work and the Body and Blood of Christ. A young man discerning a vocation to the priesthood is encouraged to participate in the daily celebration of Mass so that he can grow in his relationship with the Lord.

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

This is a powerful way to grow in love for the Eucharistic Lord and to grow in the spiritual life.

DAILY PRAYER

Daily Prayer is time set aside for God alone, usually in a quiet place at a specific time each day. This prayer time can consist of talking to the Lord in one’s own words or praying with the Sacred Scriptures, especially the Gospels. Developing the daily habit and pattern of prayer will help the young man to hear more clearly the call of the Lord.

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

Speaking with a priest about one’s prayer life and seeking his advice on a regular basis is very helpful as one discerns a vocation to the priesthood.

DISCERNMENT PROGRAMS

Examples: a weekend retreat at the seminary, vocation weekends of recollection, like “Come and See” Weekend at St. Ben’s Seminary. Joining a group of other young men discerning a vocation are invaluable in helping one to come to greater clarity of God’s call to the priesthood.

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GET INVOLVED

Get involved in some form of service with the Church. For example; outreach to the poor, teaching religious education, lecture, taking Holy Communion to the sick, working with the youth of the parish, etc. are ways to give one a taste of “ministry” and can also increase one’s desire for ministry and service.

DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED MOTHER

Praying the rosary daily and seeking the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary is recommended when a young man is discerning a vocation to the priesthood. The Blessed Mother had to respond to her vocation. She is most helpful in helping others obtain the grace to do the same.

TALK TO YOUR PASTOR OR OUR VOCATIONS DIRECTOR, FR. PETER MANGUM

To obtain further information about seminary and priestly life.

The Vocations Director can also help one’s discernment… just call for an appointment.

Local Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Celebrate 60th Jubilees Sister Stephanie Kondik, OSF

Sr. Angelita Laws, OSF

Sr. Marlene Geppert, OSF

Born in Monroe, Louisiana to Eulalie and Charles Ford Laws, Jr., Sister Angelita Laws entered the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1958 and made her final profession of vows in 1964. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Marillac College in 1969 and a master’s degree from Webster University in 1978.

Sister Angelita was blessed to serve as an educator in the Diocese of Shreveport for many years. She taught at Little Flower Academy in Monroe from 1983 to 1985 and again in 1994. Sister served at Our Lady of Fatima School from 1985 to 1994. Returning to the south in 2002, Sister Angelita taught at St. Frederick High School, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, the Southside Alternative High School, Swanson Correctional Facility, and was also a Ouachita Parish school teacher. Named “Teacher of the Year,” Sister Angelita was recognized for assisting students tackle some of the more challenging elements of math and improving their math scores.

Outside of Louisiana, Sister taught in Missouri, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, and Texas.

Franciscan at heart, Sister Angelita appreciates the outdoors on warm sunny days and offers “thanks for the opportunities afforded me to praise, glorify and honor our loving God.” Sister is retired, engaged in her community’s ministry of prayer, and currently resides in St. Louis, Missouri.

Sister Marlene Geppert, OSF will celebrate her 60th Jubilee on June 25, 2022. Born to Wanda and Ignatius Geppert in St. Louis, and fifth of twelve children, Sister was raised on a farm in Nashville, Illinois. She entered the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in 1958 and professed final vows in 1954.

Sister holds a bachelor’s degree from Marillac College, a master’s degree in Religious Education from Creighton University, as well as holding certificates in Franciscan Spirituality, Franciscan Spiritual Direction, and Principal Strategies.

Sister Marlene’s dedicated service to the Diocese of Shreveport spanned ten years. She served as principal of St. Paschal Elementary School in West Monroe, LA from 19861990. Her administrative skills were then utilized as principal of St. Frederick High School in Monroe, LA from 1990-1996.

Outside the Diocese of Shreveport, Sister taught in Missouri, West Virginia, Illinois, and Nebraska. Sr. Marlene served her community as vocations director and was a member of her community’s Leadership Team from 2000-2010. From 2012 to 2020, Sr. Marlene was the Assistant Director of Il Ritiro Retreat Center in Dittmer, Missouri. Currently, Sister Marlene is retired in Shrewsbury, MO and continues to journey with others through spiritual direction.

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Welcoming the Newest Members of Our Catholic Family At nightfall, all over the Diocese of Shreveport on Saturday, April 16th, a “blazing fire” could be seen lighting up the darkness outside our churches. On this holy night of the Easter Vigil, our Church kept watch, celebrating the resurrection of Christ in the sacraments, and awaiting His return in glory.

From this blessed new fire, the Paschal candle was lit, symbolizing the Light of Christ. The congregation carried unlit candles while the Paschal candle was processed through, each one lighting their candle from the Paschal candlelight. The church grew bright as our hearts grew in the joy of the Light of Christ and His glorious resurrection.

During the Mass, we sang out “Glory to God in the highest” and “Alleluia!” We heard the scriptures recount our salvation history, recalling that death comes before new life.These truths of the faith were illuminated for a group of people who had been in formation to study this mystery more deeply. Many of them began journeys one or even two years ago with just a seed of interest in learning more about the Catholic faith that blossomed into deep discernment and commitment.

In March, Bishop Malone acknowledged the readiness of both knowledge and faith through the Rite of Election where he encouraged their continued perseverance and prayer. On this evening at many of our parishes, we welcomed those who had been preparing to come into the Catholic Church. The Elect were welcomed through the sacrament of baptism and 12

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candidates, those already baptized in another Christian faith, made a Profession of Faith. Then together, they received the sacrament of confirmation and their first holy communion, completing the sacraments of Christian initiation. Through prayer, formation, and the grace of God at this Holy Vigil, we as a faith community welcomed each of them into our Church. Beautiful Easter Vigil celebrations were experienced throughout the diocese.

It happens year after year that there is someone in this group of new Catholics that everyone is surprised to see.

They are recognized as someone familiar, someone often seen over the years. It is that person that has been coming to church with their spouse for years and responded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and said “Yes.” This is a joyful season for all Catholics, old and new, to celebrate the joy of the Resurrection of our Lord.

Listed are all the new Catholics throughout our diocese.

Please keep them in your prayers as they begin this new journey of faith. Be sure to welcome them next time you see them.

DELIA BARR is the Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Shreveport.

we extend a warm welcome to...

Western Deanery Cathedral of St. John Berchmans Mckenzy Boyd Diana Cessor Willie Cessor Allison Cobbs Bryan Coyle Deena Coyle James Gilbert Nessa Kuruvilla Christ the King Church Cristian Alvarez Tiffany Clark Maria Del Carmen Lopez Luis Felipe Magana Maria Stephanie Moya Muniz Justin Alexander Olivo Fatima Guadalupe Ramirez

Eduardo Saloma Marlon Sifuentes Holy Trinity Church Brody Larrivee Matthew Netherton Mary, Queen of Peace Church Courtney Creamer Elizabeth Long St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church Russell Bagwell Sarah Nadeau Maria Ivelis Sanchez Santiago Sanchez

St. Joseph ChurchShreveport John Adams Cassandra Barnes Leta Brown Dalton Cambre Jake Conly Kaylee Conly Madison Curry Sofia Jimenez Nicholas Lee Arrie McCrea Peyton McCrea Christopher Randall David Reich Blake Rodgers Greenlee Rodgers Jackson Rodgers Jessica Rodgers

Elaine Stewart Parker Suckle Andrew Walker Thomas York St. Jude Church Daymyon Bonnos Curtis Byrd Joshua Smith Jordan Byorth Heather LaCour Derin Patterson Sue Pattridge Stephanie Schopfer Ellen Smith St. Mary of the Pines Church Jonathan Bautista Cesar Grande Landon Lucero Sergio Romero

Eastern Deanery Jesus the Good Shepherd Church Jennifer Angell Rachel Calloway Alex Clary Edward Curry Amber Danna Ryan Emerick Brandy Guiffreda Paul Haire Ashley Huey

Les Huey Sara Jones David Nguyen Ryan Pevehouse Adrianna Ruel Mason Scott Bailey Taylor Landry Taylor Our Lady of Fatima Church Sarah-Kate Chism

St. Paschal Church Denice Bell Will Bonham Eric Gunter Alexis Handy Gary Soignier Tabitha Soignier Truxillo St. Thomas Aquinas Church Nicolas Cirilo Griselda Felix

Dustin Frost Jesus Gonzalez Sheila Gonzalez Sarah Word Leo Santiago Lopez Kellie Malone Mandy Parker Cristopher Tomas Madison White

Southern Deanery St. Ann Church- Stonewall Michael Bartels Kandice Michelle Leiby St. John the Baptist Church Sarah Heard Andries Blake Blyes

St. Joseph Church- Mansfield Donna Rose Hicks St. Joseph Church- Zwolle Allison Armstrong Trinity Bass Ashley Boudreaux

Alexa Bush Terry Clark Jerry Cox Joseph Lopez Katie Mitchel Ethan Morgan Ashley Parrie

Mary Ellen Parrie Samantha Remedies Pam Rivers Cassidy Sepulvado Kayla Sepulvado Carolyn Wadges

MAY 2022

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What's in a Name?

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mary's mission I have always loved my name, especially together with my middle name Katherine. As I was thinking of what to write about for May’s issue regarding our Mother Mary, I decided to first research the origin of our name. The name Mary means “Beloved,” 1 the etymology from an Egyptian verb meaning “to love.” Also from the verb mara, “to be rebellious,” or the verb marar, “to be bitter or strong.” I must admit, I have been rebellious and bitter a time or two. If you stop and think about it, Mary was also. First, in order to say yes to God she needed to be a bit rebellious and most certainly strong, rebelling against the cultural norms of the day, but not God. Secondly, because Mary was fully human, I imagine she had a part of herself, perhaps very tiny, that felt some bitterness about being pregnant so young with no husband. I imagine her bitterness was fleeting though, especially once she fully absorbed the enormity of carrying the Lord and Savior of the world in her womb. Lastly, Mary is most certainly our eternal Beloved Mother. It is an honor to be her namesake.

I grew up with an earthly mother who adored our Heavenly Mother. My mom’s mother passed away at the age of 37 when my mom was eleven years old. As a result, she looked to Mary as her new “mama.” After giving birth to my brothers back to back, (they are thirteen months apart), she prayed vehemently for another girl. My mom specifically prayed for a healthy baby girl, and if that happened she would name me Mary Katherine instead of Katherine Mary, (Katherine is her favorite name).

As it turned out, I am definitely a girl, and being born ten pounds and six ounces made me beyond healthy. God, of course, knew all along that Mary is a more fitting name for me, rebellious, bitter, strong, et al.

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Luke 1:38 This one statement from Mary still amazes me. Even though in the era Mary lived, young teens were very different from those of today, she still chose to be the Lord’s servant. Let that sink in for a moment. What were you doing as a young teenager? I was most certainly not saying I wanted to be the Lord’s servant. Instead, I was an awkward teenage girl doing her best to blend in with the crowd hoping no one noticed my awkwardness. I never wanted to be different. Having everyone like me topped my priority list, which ultimately led to many years of people-pleasing (which, by the way, never works with humans.) Mary, on the other hand, only concerned herself with pleasing God. She was willing to stand out in the crowd.

She was willing to be different, to be very different! Although she was willing to be noticed, unbeknown to her, she would be noticed for more than two thousand years. Mary’s “yes” to God is an inspiration to me. I believe each “no” I say to people is a “yes” to God. My “no” to another request led me to say

“yes” to being a columnist for The Catholic Connection (one of the best “yeses” of my adulthood!).

A canticle is a hymn or chant. One of my favorite canticles is the one spoken by Mary in Luke’s gospel, 1:46-55. One of the comments in the New American Bible regarding this passage states that although Mary is praised for being the mother of Jesus, because of her belief she reacts as a servant. This brings us back to Luke 1:38. I must reiterate once more, Mary was thirteen! She simply astounds me. As you read it, pause along the way allowing her words to flow like a hymn, soothing your soul, refreshing your mind while simultaneously firing up your love for The Mighty One. And Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

As Catholics, we are all too familiar with just about every living non-Catholic thinking we worship Mary. It definitely gets old to hear, but as I grow more in love with my Catholic faith as well as growing in my understanding of it (it’s a lot, y’all!), I feel more confident in my devotion to Mary. Jesus loved his mama.

I firmly believe this. Although scripture does not talk much about His childhood, I believe she was His rock. I believe as a small boy, He ran to her each time He was sad and needed a hug. I believe He called for her in the middle of the night when He had a bad dream. I believe he protected her against anyone or anything. I believe Jesus was a “mama’s boy.” The next time someone tells you to stop worshiping Mary, leave them with this question: “If God truly is omnipotent and perfect in every way, why would He have chosen a young Jewish girl to carry His Son in her human womb?” Let us not forget, God did not need Mary, rather, He chose Mary. God could have very easily created Jesus as He created everything in the Heavens and on Earth. God does not need us. He chooses us.

Mother Mary, pray for us. https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Mary.html

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MARY ARCEMENT ALEXANDER is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice in Shreveport, LA. You can read more on her blog, www.throughhiseyes.love MAY 2022

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faithful food

Mary, Mary, I Was the Contrary One! Years ago, in my RCIA days (as it was called then), Mary was a constant companion. I fingered my rosary throughout my day - it felt like a treasure in my pocket. Whether I was at the sink, the clothesline, the stove cooking for my family, or rocking my babies to sleep my fingers touched the beads which offered assurance.

Time passes. My children grew up, I grew older, graduations, marriages, and grandchildren ensued. Mary and I did not exactly part ways, rather we came to a place where we were never together but close sometimes.

I tried to develop a prayer relationship with St.Anne, patroness of grandmothers, but it was not fruitful. I just could not resonate.

I still prayed a few Hail Mary’s and even a decade or two along with Fr. Patrick Peyton on YouTube but the feeling I had in the beginning was not the feeling I had at this time; more like an item ticked off a list than pouring my heart out to my spiritual Mother.

Upon reflection, my trip back home to Mary began with a sale in our gift shop.

Payday week arrived and I strolled into the shop to purchase a large St. Michael statue, which I had budgeted for. Elmira told me they were on backorder. I was crestfallen. I wanted something to look at that would point me toward God, and I was certain St. Michael was the very thing. Dejected, I turned to leave when a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel caught my eye…and not just any statue, but one crafted for indoors or out. She was perfect for my prayer garden. Money changed hands, and my spiritual life took a turn. Mary went home with me. She smiles at me as I pass by her statue in the garden and I smile back happy that I have found my way back to my spiritual mother.

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Inwardly a desire was growing for a deeper and closer relationship with my faith. No horrific or joyful event precipitated this change. I attribute it to God’s grace and loving kindness, His answer to my plea of a closer relationship, a deeper bond.

My rosary is now handier than it has been in many a year.The feel of the beads rolling through my fingers with blissful familiarity, spiritual muscle memory, I suppose. Now when the familiar words roll off my tongue I feel more prayerful than purpose driven, one of the few Mary moments in my otherwise Martha world.

We often speak of Mary’s fiat, her yes. I like acronyms (blame it on years of watching Jeopardy after school) so I examined this word in that context.

“Faith in all things” is what I think of when I hear that word. I think of Mary but also my own mother as well as my own foray into motherhood and my continuing role and privilege of being a grandmother.

This renewal has led me to my own mother who has long since passed away.

Things left too long, hurts not healed; important truths not told were the sort of boneyard I had spent years avoiding.

Both of us strong willed, both of us red haired, both of us first born, so it isn’t a stretch to think that there was friction. But lately, when I pray the joyful mysteries, I consider the joy my mother had, joys she shared with Mary. I wonder how my own foray into motherhood stacked up with theirs.

I feel that my two heavenly mothers are journeying with me. I am so grateful to feel their presence as I navigate that gentle horror that only middle age can bring with its many thresholds of unwelcome territory and change; to try

A Recipe for Mothers Take a large portion of unconditional love, add to it hopes, dreams, and prayers for each of your children (please note here some ingredients will not be the same, as each child is different, but all will blend together in the end), stir with a gentle touch. Mix in laughter, tears, and endless smiles.

When incorporated, add a double portion of faith, prayer, and a triple amount of forgiveness. Apply this mixture to your everyday life and don’t skimp!

to navigate it alone, with a false sense of my own abilities, is bound to court failure.

Do I have faith in all things? Assuredly it is not my default; Martha, you remember wants to be doing something while Mary is content with being someplace. Fiat faith in all things - is like a new packet of seeds for my spiritual garden. I am reminded of the parable of the sower and the seed and I know that, depending on the day, I can be each of those types of soil. Such is life!

In this month of May, when we as Catholics give the blessed Mother more than a passing nod, I pray that you will consider her fiat and begin to grow in the sure and certain belief that we too can say yes, we too can have faith in all things, in all situations. As for me, Mary and my own mother seemed to have caught me just in time. Thanks be to God! My mother was an intellectual, a voracious reader, could sew anything, worked jigsaw puzzles, and cooked almost exclusively from scratch after working a full day. It was in those meals planned and meted out that she showed us we were loved.These meals were not always gourmet but they never left us wanting…anything at all.

KIM LONG is the DRE at Saint Mary of the Pines Parish.

MAY 2022

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library notes When the Church Was Young: Voices of the Early poverty as the people he served and loved. Biographer Kevin Wells tells the story of a different kind of American Fathers hero, an ordinary priest who stared down corruption,

by Marcellino D’Ambrosio Ph.D. slander, persecution, and death for the sake of God’s If the word trinity isn’t in Scripture, why is it such an poor. important part of our faith? And if the Bible can be interpreted in many ways, how do we know what to The Grace of “Nothingness”: Navigating the make of it? And who decided what should be in the Spiritual Life with Blessed Columba Marmion Bible anyway? The Church Fathers provide the answers. by Fr Cassian Koenemann These brilliant, embattled, and sometimes eccentric men defined the biblical canon, hammered out the Creed, and In the early twentieth century, Blessed Columba gave us our understanding of sacraments and salvation. It Marmion’s dogmatically-grounded spiritual theology, is they who preserved for us the rich legacy of the early expressed in artful prose, set the Catholic world on fire. A century later, in The Grace of “Nothingness,” Fr Church.

Cassian Koenemann seeks to rekindle that fire for a new Priest and Beggar: The Heroic Life of Venerable generation with his inspired presentation of Marmion’s key spiritual insights. To this task he brings a monk’s Aloysius Schwartz sensitivity to friendship with God, a schoolteacher’s focus

by Kevin Wells on the fruits of theology, and a spiritual theologian’s In 1957, at twenty-seven years old, Father Aloysius attentiveness to grounding it all in proven sources.

Schwartz of Washington, D.C., asked to be sent to one of Marmion reminds us that God heals and perfects us to the saddest places in the world: South Korea in the wake the extent we allow him to do so, but that we often of the Korean War. Just a few months into his priesthood, block that transformation through prideful “self-reliance,” he stepped off the train in Seoul into a dystopian film. trying to solve our problems by our own efforts.

Within just fifteen years, Father Schwartz had changed the course of Korean history, founding and reforming orphanages, hospitals, hospices, clinics, schools, and the KATE RHEA is the Library/Cemetery Administrative Assistant for Sisters of Mary, a Korean religious order dedicated to the Slattery Library and Saint Joseph Cemetery at the sickest of the sick and the poorest of the poor. All the Diocese of Shreveport. while, he himself—like the Sisters—lived the same hard Slattery Library has re-opened to the public! Our hours are 9am-Noon Monday through Friday. As always, if you’d like to inquire about a book or periodical before your visit, please e-mail Kate Rhea at krhea@dioshpt.org or call (318) 219-7264.

MAY 2022

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WINDS OF CHANGE

The year is 1960. In the world, the winds of change are blowing. Teenagers are picking up a racy new dance, the twist.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration launches the first passive communications satellite, Echo. The first televised presidential debates, between Vice President Richard M. Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy, are beamed into the living rooms of approximately 66 million Americans, about three-eighths of the population. Kennedy is elected, becoming the first Roman Catholic president of the United States.

Changes are also occurring in the Church and in the convent of the Daughters of the Cross. The sisters’ habits, unchanged since their arrival in Louisiana in 1855, are redesigned in 1953 after a tragic automobile accident is attributed to the driver’s inability to see an oncoming vehicle because of her bonnet.

The Sister Formation Movement leads to the foundation of Marillac College in St. Louis, Missouri, where training and formation is centralized for religious orders across the nation.

The Daughters of the Cross establish a juniorate there for

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Courtesy of the Monroe News-Star A farewell hug between Andrew Wieseman and Sister Maria Smith, D. C., Principal of Jesus the Good Shepherd School, May 29, 1997.

their young professed sisters, who stay with the Franciscans while studying at the college. Variations appear in the liturgy, and the Daughters of the Cross revise their Rule. Weaknesses in the structure of the convent are appearing, and although repairs are made, it becomes apparent in the late 1950’s that the beloved Gothic convent and school built by Father Roulleaux will have to be replaced. Plans for a new St.Vincent’s are drawn up, and financing is acquired through a fund drive and the sale of a portion of the property which encompasses the last of the St. Vincent’s woods.

The sisters are operating ten schools for the 1960-1961 school year, two high schools and eight elementary schools: St. Vincent’s (grades 8-12, the last year of phasing out the elementary school), St. John’s, St. Catherine’s, and St. Theresa’s in Shreveport; Christ the King in Bossier City; Presentation Academy in Marksville; Sacred Heart in Moreauville; St. Patrick’s in Lake Providence; and St. Matthew’s (Grades 9-12) and the newly opened Jesus the Good Shepherd in Monroe. Most of the 77 sisters are American; only a dozen remain of the ones who came from France. The French Sisters are aging; three are given school assignments, five assigned to jobs around the motherhouse, and five are too frail to work.

A new era is ushered in with the completion of the new St. Vincent’s Academy on Fairfield Avenue in August, 1962. The

sisters and students work together cleaning and moving furniture and supplies and setting up the classrooms.

With the move to the new building, the boarding school is closed. The modern, airconditioned building is soon filled with students in sharp new uniforms consisting of plaid pleated skirts, white blouses, and blue blazers. In Monroe, a parallel shift takes place with the closing of St. Matthew’s and the opening of St. Frederick’s in 1964.

The Second Vatican Council, in three sessions from 1962 to 1965, brings about sweeping changes to the liturgy (including saying Mass in the vernacular and no longer requiring women to cover their heads) and to religious orders, loosening restrictions on dress and practice.

These changes, together with the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, the Vietnam War, and widespread social unrest, protests and rioting, have religious orders throughout the country whirling, trying to keep up with making adjustments and addressing the challenges of the times. This produces a wave of sisters doffing their habits and priests leaving the priesthood. In 1967, the Daughters of the Cross in Louisiana are reduced by 25 as a large group leaves the convent to work elsewhere. The Daughters of the Cross have already stopped teaching at Sacred Heart in Moreauville in 1965.

Now, with their numbers reduced, they leave St. Patrick’s in Lake Providence in 1967, and in 1968 they withdraw from St. Frederick’s in Monroe and Christ the King in Bossier City.

In 1972, the sisters move into their new motherhouse, which is attached to the new St.Vincent’s, and hold an auction for the furnishings of the old convent. The land is leased out for the planned Mall St.Vincent, and the old motherhouse is torn down in 1973. The Sisters’ graves have already been transferred to Forest Park cemetery in 1963. Another watershed event occurs in 1973: Presentation Academy in Marksville is closed, 117 years after its founding by Mother Hyacinthe. The school closings continue into the next decade with St. Catherine’s in 1984 and St. Theresa’s in 1988. St. John’s is transferred to lay leadership in 1984, but the Sisters continue to teach until 1997. Despite declining enrollment through the 1980’s, St. Vincent’s hangs on until Loyola College Prep begins accepting female students; one year later, in 1988, the all-girls flagship of the Daughters of the Cross closes after 120 years.

daughters of the cross

Daughters of the Cross 2000; Diocese of Shreveport Daughters of the Cross with Bishop William B. Friend, November 1, 2000, L-R: Sister Mary Louise Parisy, Sister Maria Smith, Bishop Friend, Sister Mary Evelyn Story, Sister Mary Grace Lagana, and Sister Lucy Scallan.

In 1997, the Daughters of the Cross has dwindled to 16 sisters. They have continued to teach in two schools in the Diocese: St. John Berchmans in Shreveport and Jesus the Good Shepherd in Monroe, where Sister Maria Smith has been principal for 17 years. A proposal is made to join another Order with a similar charism and mission, the Marianites of the Holy Cross, based in New Orleans.The matter is put to a vote, and seven Sisters vote to go; the remaining nine, preferring to stay in their order and in their home city, build a new convent on the grounds of The Glen Retirement Home.

With their retirement from the schools, the sisters have to find new ways of living out their vocation. For guidance, they need look no further than the example of the elderly Sisters of their own order whom they have known, loved and observed through the years. Their days consist of Mass, prayer, and acts of charity and service towards family, friends and each other, always offering up their works, prayers and sufferings – for you and for me.

The last mother superior, Sister Maria Smith, D. C., dies on Holy Thursday, April 18, 2019, leaving behind just one Daughter of the Cross: Sister Lucy Scallan, D. C. PATTI UNDERWOOD is a lover of history and is blessed to be a graduate of St. Vincent’s Academy and LSU-Shreveport.

MAY 2022

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ELLIE FRANKS NAMED LOUISIANA 8TH GRADE PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENT OF THE YEAR St Joseph Catholic School is pleased to announce that Ellie Franks, our Student of the Year for 8th grade, has advanced once again in competition and has been named a finalist for Louisiana Student of the Year! We offer our prayers of thanks

for her success so far this year, and for her continued success in the future. We are grateful for the blessings we have enjoyed two years in a row, to have two of our own students reach this level in competition.

CELEBRATING SAINT JOSEPH There is always one very jubilant day at our school during the otherwise-solemn Lenten season, and that is the day that we celebrate the Solemnity of our patron, Saint Joseph, which we did (a little early) on Friday, March 18th. Students had been bringing in items for our parish St. Joseph Altar, and we invited our fathers and father figures to join us in celebrating the life of this beautiful saint and recalling the gift that our fathers are to us. Bishop Malone celebrated this Mass with us and even stayed afterwards as our Parochial Vicar, Fr. Kevin Mues, led the Stations of the Cross.

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STATIONS OF THE CROSS, MINIVINNY ACTIVITIES BRING LENT TO A CLOSE AT SJS SJS saw the season of Lent come to a close in April, with a number of activities to draw us deeper into the solemn season. The second-graders’ class retreat focused on the gifts of bread and wine that become the body and blood of our Savior in the miracle of the Mass, as they learned how to make bread for Holy Communion. Students in every grade had the opportunity to attend Stations of the Cross after school Mass; students in grades 3rd-8th had the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation during Religion classes, as well as before daily Mass; and our eighth-graders offered a beautiful rendition of the Living Stations of the Cross on Holy Thursday.

Our seventh-graders were also treated to three amazing presentations as part of their class retreat: first, Fr. Peter Mangum gave them a tour of our beautiful Cathedral, followed

by Dr. Cheryl White’s presentation on the Shroud of Turin, and finally Fr. Duane Trombetta gave the class a tour of Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The retreat focused not only on Christ’s suffering and death as we approached Holy Week, but also on how our churches and cathedrals are designed to give glory and honor to God. Finally, on Good Friday, our MiniVinnies - the first school conference of the Society of St Vincent de Paul in our diocese - completed their fundraiser for the poor, and participated in the Way of the Cross on Good Friday. The fundraiser began with our students hearing at Mass about an organization that builds houses for the poor around the world, and so our MiniVinny chapter began meeting and discussing how the school could accomplish that. SVDP Diocesan Council President Jim Beadles committed to raising half the funds if the school raised the other half, and by the end of Lent, we had met our goal. Then on Good Friday, they participated in the annual Way of the Cross in downtown Shreveport by leading a station of the Cross and helping with the logistics of such an event.

COMING UP AT SAINT JOSEPH SCHOOL Thursday, May 5th - Annual Marian Procession and Mothers’ Mass Friday May 6th - Field Day May 9-13 - 8th graders’ final week at SJS: final exams Saturday, May 14th - Sacrament of Confirmation at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, May 24th - Last day of school

POLLY MACIULSKI is the middle school religion teacher at St. Joseph School in Shreveport.

MAY 2022

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LOYOLA COLLEGE PREP JUNIOR, MAEVE CHMIELEWSKI, SCORES A PERFECT 36 ON THE ACT Loyola College Prep Junior Maeve Chmielewski scored a perfect 36 on the ACT. Maeve said she was sitting with her friends at lunch on March 31 when she got the news.

“I remember taking the test and feeling confident, and there was no set time-frame for when scores would come out, so I’ve been waiting in hopeful suspense. I’m very happy that my performance reflected my hard work,” she said.

Maeve said she was prepared for the test, and that it came down to testing strategy. She knew she needed to focus on math since that was her weakest subject in her PSAT and previous ACT scores. She spent time using the Khan Academy

practice resources to prepare for the PSAT in the fall.

“My hard work paid off for the PSAT, and I believe it also contributed to my improved ACT score,” she said. “Ultimately I focused on feeling comfortable during the test and trusting in my abilities as not to let test anxiety hinder what I knew I was capable of.”

The student body celebrated with Maeve not only at lunch that day, but also at a special assembly on April 4.

“It’s important for us to come together to celebrate this major accomplishment for Maeve,” said John LeBlanc, Loyola College Prep Principal. “We are a family at Loyola, and we celebrate together

as a family. We are so proud of her academic success, but also she is a great example of what it means to be a Flyer. She is smart, kind, compassionate and strong in her faith.”

JORDAN HARRIS

OUR LADY OF FATIMA SCHOOL CELEBRATES MARCH MADNESS FUNDRAISER

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School celebrates March Madness each year! This is a fundraiser to help the school provide various activities for our students such as free tutoring and Fun Day in May. Each Thursday in the month of March we hold an event for $1. The first Thursday was the Dance-a-Thon, where students 24

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had to continue moving as long as possible. Once they quit moving they were out. The second Thursday was “Tape the Coach and Dean to the Wall!” Students paid $1 for a piece of tape. Coach Augustine and Dean Johnson were such good sports!

Lastly, we had our Family Basketball Game, where parents, students, and

staff signed up to either play ball or be a cheerleader! We had a total of 7 teams! Our dance team and cheerleaders performed including our secretary Mrs. Brittany Perkins and our principal, Mrs. Stephanie Haney! Everyone had a great time!

STEPHANIE HANEY

ST. JOHN’S CARDINALS REPRESENT It is a Friday morning, we have reached the end of assembly. Mr. Woodham asks for any announcements and Mrs. Knight raises her hand to recognize the Science Olympiad students for their win at the Louisiana Tech Invitational Competition. This is the best part of the day.

The time to celebrate one another’s accomplishments.

This year we have had many student accomplishments to celebrate. Fifth-grader Kyle Chowriappa finished in second at the Regional Spelling Bee. Maggie Vanchiere and Cooper Gray were both invited to participate in the Louisiana State Science Fair in Baton Rouge this Spring, and Maggie placed fourth in the state in the competitive material science category. The Science Olympiad team outshone the competition at their Invitational competition and placed second at the state competition. Each student who represents our school, gives us an opportunity to support one another. Each success is celebrated by students and teachers alike.

Our whole school celebrates together with jeans days to support the basketball teams and for successfully surpassing our 50,000 minute goal for the Read-A-Thon– we read 66,803 minutes in all. This supportive culture is what makes our school a family, building one another up even when we may be in competition with one another.

Building opportunities for our students to succeed helps everyone blossom and grow together.

We also celebrate each other in service. This year, the eighth-grade science class worked together to design and build a wheelchair for Jerry, a disabled cat who makes his home with our school secretary. Library helpers do daily service assisting in the upkeep of the Jo Cazes Library and Technology Center. National Junior Honor Society

COMING UP AT ST. JOHNS MAY 1 - Second Grade celebrates First Communion at 11 AM Mass and Eighth Grade celebrates Confirmation at 5:30 PM Mass MAY 2-6 - Teacher Appreciation Week and Spring Scholastic Book Fair MAY 6 - Field Day - Half Day MAY 18 - 9:00 AM - Eighth Grade Graduation MAY 19 - 9:00 AM - Kindergarten Graduation MAY 20 - Last Day of School - Half Day

members volunteer around the school and community.

Guardian Angels safeguard our school community by assisting students during carpool. The service that our students give in our community helps them develop a Christian attitude of service to God and neighbor.

Our joy in each other’s accomplishments is part of what makes us Catholic. The celebration of one another in the large and small builds our community. As we share together as members of Christ’s Body, we build our community within our school for each member to work in their own way for the common good of the whole.

JULIA VANCHIERE is the school librarian at Saint John Berchmans Cathedral School in Shreveport.

MAY 2022

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THE HONORS GO TO THIRD PLACE - EIGHTH GRADE SECOND PLACE - THIRD GRADE FIRST PLACE - FOURTH GRADE

Diocesan Students Share their Faith at the 12th Annual Religion Scholars Bowl “I ALWAYS LOVE RELIGION SCHOLARS BOWL! IT IS A FUN WAY TO LEARN ABOUT OUR FAITH! IT IS FUN TO PARTICIPATE IN AND WATCH THE SKITS. IT IS A GOOD WAY TO MAKE FRIENDS AND OVERALL HAVE A FUN TIME!” - CHARLOTTE FULCO, EIGHTH GRADE, ST. JOHN BERCHMANS

Religion Scholars Bowl is a yearly opportunity for third through eighth-grade students from across the Diocese of Shreveport to meet other students their age from diocesan schools This year, St. John Berchmans Cathedral School hosted the 12th annual Religion Scholars Bowl during Holy Week, providing a place for participants to share their love of Christ and knowledge about our shared Catholic faith.

Religion Scholars Bowl has grown and changed with the times and the participating schools. I had the honor of competing in the first-ever Religion Scholars Bowl as an eighth-grader in 2010 when the inaugural RSB took place during Catholic Schools Week here at St. John Berchmans. That year, the eighth-grade team won with our skit of The Healing of the Centurion’s Slave; I was an Apostle! In later years, the Religion Scholars Bowl expanded to include other Catholic schools in the diocese and now includes many themes for the skits and continues to test varied knowledge about our faith in quiz bowl style rounds, and a competition format that pits grade against grade.

This year, St John Berchmans once again invited the other schools of the Diocese of Shreveport. Students 26

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from St. Joseph’s, St. John Berchmans, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Frederick’s, and St. Mary’s all joined together with their grade-level peers to form teams and compete. With our competition taking place during Holy Week, the biblical passages that the students used to inspire their skits were centered around the mysteries of the Passion.

These followed the always impressive oral rounds, where students share their knowledge of the Catholic Faith by answering grade-level-appropriate questions before an audience of their parents, other students, and the judges.

Along with the two public rounds, students also take a written test to further display their knowledge of the faith. These three rounds are the basis of the Religion Scholars Bowl and help to build a community of faith between the participants.

This year the fourth-grade team was victorious in competition, and we were all winners in our growth in Christ!

JULIA VANCHIERE is the school librarian at Saint John Berchmans Cathedral School in Shreveport.

SAINT FREDERICK SPANISH HONOR SOCIETY HOLDS EASTER EGG HUNT FOR THE HISPANIC CONGREGATION AT SAINT PASCHAL CHURCH IN WEST MONROE

For the past five years, the St. Frederick Spanish Honor Society students have provided an Easter Egg Hunt for the Hispanic congregation of St. Paschal’s Catholic Church in West Monroe. The students donate the plastic eggs and candy and spend time filling over 800 eggs! The Egg Hunt takes place on Palm Sunday after the 4:00 pm Mass in the yard behind the church. An area is sectioned off for children five years and under and the majority of the eggs are dispersed throughout the

entire backyard of the gym. This year we had over thirty children of all ages participate! The children love filling their bags and sometimes have as many as 50 eggs! Last year, due to Covid restrictions, our students still donated eggs and candy and filled over 100 goodie bags for the children that were given to them at the end of their Palm Sunday Mass that year.

We hope to continue providing this wonderful event every year!

Rosemary Manning, Spanish Honor Society VP states, “Every year, I have

been a part of the Easter Egg hunt and I love it! I think it is important for our students to get more involved in the community and especially the Hispanic Community! The kids at St. Paschal love it and look forward to the Egg Hunt”. A Special Thank You goes out to Fr. Al Jost and Miss Lorena Chaparro for allowing us to provide this special event.

OLGA TREJO is the Spanish teacher at Saint Frederick Catholic School.

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SAINT FREDERICK CATHOLIC SCHOOL: WARRIORS SERVE LIKE CHRIST

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1. Congratulations to Julianna Tan and Bradie Eppinette for strong showings at Louisiana State University’s annual Louisiana Science and Engineering Fair.

Julianna Tan’s entry “ What You Can’t See...

Can Hurt You (Food Safety with Hyperspectral Imaging).” placed 2nd in Microbiology, and Bradie Eppinette’s project “ Choose Your Stride!” placed 2nd in Physics and Astronomy.

2. St. Frederick High School students made Easter Cards that were delivered to six local nursing homes in the Twin City area. Prior to COVID, the students would also visit residents at the nursing homes.

3. St. Frederick High School students decorated bags for Saturday meal delivery to 100 shut-in individuals in the Twin City area. SFHS partners with Saint Vincent de Paul at Jesus the Good Shepherd Church and eight other local churches to deliver

a hot meal and a sack meal every Saturday. The beautiful bags made by our students were heartfelt by the recipients. The bags were beautifully decorated and had scriptures written on them. The Saturday meal delivery has been going on for over 30 years and Jesus the Good Shepherd Church and St. Frederick High School students have never missed a Saturday.

JILL WIER

WEST MONROE BOY SCOUTS COMPLETE EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT COMMEMORATING “PATRIOTISM BOUND BY CATHOLIC FAITH” Kendall & Parker DeSeamus of Boy Scout Troop 1 and faithful teens of St. Paschal Parish were inspired to complete a joint service project on the church campus in West Monroe.

This project is a requirement to attain scouting’s highest rank of 28

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Eagle scout and was completed with the creation of a set of flag poles to commemorate an outward vision of “Patriotism Bound by Our Catholic Faith within our local community.

KATHY WALLACE

Catholic Charities: Bingo on the Bayou MARK YOUR CALENDAR! It’s time to celebrate with Bingo on the Bayou once again. Catholic Charities of North Louisiana announces the return of “Bingo on the Bayou.” Our fundraising event will be held at East Ridge Country Club on Friday, August 5, at 6:00 p.m.

Since 2016, Bingo on the Bayou has been something to look forward to. This sellout event brings together people who love to have fun while raising money for CCNLA. All the proceeds will benefit Catholic Charities programs in North Louisiana.

As in the past, we will invite religious from church parishes in North Louisiana as well as local community leaders to serve as bingo callers. Bishop Malone will also be in attendance. Individual tickets will be $60 and includes dinner and two bingo cards. Table placement of over four cannot be guaranteed unless a table sponsorship is purchased. Table sponsorships are available and begin at $1500. Sponsors will be recognized in all media and advertising materials.

This year’s Cowboy Theme will kick off an evening of food, fun and fellowship that we’ve not shared together in 2 years. Dress is “Cowboy Casual” for the adults-only event and wearing your jeans, plaid shirt and a bandanna are encouraged. A silent auction will also take place during the evening and a cash bar will be available. Restaurants, boutiques, and businesses interested in donating items for the silent auction are welcomed to contact our office.

Your donations are needed and appreciated.

We hope you can join us as we celebrate what Catholic Charities of North Louisiana continues to do by helping those in need in our communities through our many social programs. CCNLA helps people not only meet their immediate needs with emergency assistance of rent and utilities, but our clients can also receive education on everything from money management through our weekly Money $chool classes, to healthy eating, child safety and care. Parents can use credits they’ve earned for obtaining baby clothes, diapers, formula, and other items for their small children through Gabriel’s Closet.

Last year we served 3,750 individuals in North Louisiana during the pandemic, and we continue to bring Christ’s message of love to the poor and vulnerable by providing quality social services to families and individuals, without discrimination. Come see our newly renovated office located at 902 Olive Street, Shreveport, LA 71104.

Please contact Kathy Schimschock at 318-865-0200, ext 109 or development@ccnla.org for more information about event tickets, table sponsorship forms or if you’d like to donate auction items. More information coming soon.

KATHY SCHIMSCHOCK is the Development Director for Catholic Charities of North Louisiana.

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María, Nuestra Madre Rosalba Quiroz, Directora

Después de la Santísima Trinidad - Dios, nuestro Creador, (Padre), nuestro Redentor, (Hijo), y nuestro Consolador, (Espíritu Santo), María es la persona más importante en nuestras vidas y el mes de Mayo, la Iglesia, en su sabiduría se lo dedica.

La Santísima Trinidad, Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo deben ser nuestra vida, y nuestro anhelo. Cada momento de esta vida terrenal debemos tener presente que como se dice mucho – estamos de paso, porque seremos llamados a regresar al Padre. Sin embargo, la Virgen María es también muy importante en nuestra vida aquí en la tierra. Jesús nos la entregó mientras sufría en la cruz como nos dicen las Sagradas Escrituras en el Evangelio de San Juan “Mujer ahí tienes a tu hijo, después diciéndole al discípulo – ahí tienes a tu madre” Juan 19:26-27. Ahora ella goza de la vida eterna, intercediendo siempre por nosotros. Nuestra Madre María es nuestro modelo de obediencia y valentía en las cosas de Dios con el “Sí” que le dio al Ángel San Gabriel de ser la Madre de Dios.

Ella por su admirable Asunción al Cielo en cuerpo y alma, nos da la esperanza de llegar a estar con ella y con todos nuestros seres queridos, gozando por siempre en el Cielo – la tierra eterna prometida. Este debe ser el motor que nos impulse, nos motive y nos sostenga en cada momento de nuestra vida.

Este es el mes de María y también el mes de celebrar a nuestras madrecitas terrenales, donde quiera que se encuentren. Tal vez ya gozando también de la gloria eterna o en casita esperándote con los brazos abiertos y con un plato de sopa calientita, como solo ella lo sabe hacer.

Donde sea que se encuentre tu mamá terrenal, festéjala en su día y recuerda que nuestra Madre del cielo nos acompaña en cada paso de nuestra vida y nos dice “hagan lo que Él les diga”. Juan 2:5.

Feliz Día de las Madres a todas las mamás y gracias a Nuestra Madre María por su amor y constante intercesión.

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Calendario del mes de mayo, 2022 7

Reunión de Emaús mujeres, Parroquia de Cristo Rey, 9-11am.

18 Virtus – clase de “Protegiendo a los niños de Dios”, St. Thomas Ruston 6-9pm. (deben registrarse con anticipación creando una cuenta con www.virtusonline.org 20-23 Reunión de directores de Ministerio Hispano, Miami, FL. 21 Ordenación al Sacerdocio de Nicholas Duncan, en la Catedral; 10:00am.

25 Ordenación al Diaconado de Gabriel Cisneros, 6pm Parroquia de Cristo Rey. Mes de Primeras Comuniones y Confirmaciones en la mayoría de las parroquias.

hispanic news No recuerdo un momento de mi vida en el que el tiempo haya pasado tan rápido como ahora. Desde el comienzo de este año, el ritmo ha sido rápido, los viajes alrededor de la diócesis y otros lugares ha sido constante, y el movimiento desde la Cuaresma hasta la Pascua ha sido como nunca. Así que cuando finalmente llega la Pascua, existe la sensación de que las cosas pasarán mas lentas, pero “no hay que quedarse tranquilos tan rápido...” ya que la temporada de Pascua está llena de eventos y actividades tan maravillosos que antes de que te des cuenta, el verano ya estará aquí. Por mucho que me gustaría que el tiempo pasara mas lento siquiera un poco, estoy lleno de alegría y emoción en los eventos que están por venir: tan pronto como llega y se va la Pascua, entramos en una gran variedad de ceremonias en la diócesis como las Confirmaciones, ¡y qué alegría me da ser yo quien lleva el Espíritu Santo a nuestros jóvenes! Con mayo llegan también las graduaciones, tanto de las escuelas primarias como de las escuelas secundarias; estas son ocasiones trascendentales para nuestros estudiantes de último año, que marcan el final y paso de un aspecto de sus vidas y a otro. Las ordenaciones al diaconado y al sacerdocio están también por venir, y nuestra diócesis será, con el favor de Dios, bendecida con dos nuevos diáconos de transición y un sacerdote recién ordenado y esto, debe ser emocionante para todos nosotros.

Mientras que les anuncio los eventos de los próximos meses, me gustaría invitarlos a unirse a mí en oración por nuestros confirmandos, nuestros graduados y nuestros recién ordenados; todos ellos necesitan nuestras oraciones al entrar y al pasar por estos momentos de transición en sus vidas. Y

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

aunque la mayoría dirá que el tiempo ha pasado muy rápido, otros dirán que no pasó lo suficientemente rápido.

Nosotros, aquí en el hemisferio norte, experimentamos la llegada de la Pascua en el despertar de la tierra: el césped se pinta de verde, las plantas y árboles florecen y, el clima torna cálido.Y aunque el polen no es el amigo de todos, es un recordatorio para nosotros de la renovación de la tierra que nos rodea. ¡Que gran alegría y bendición poder experimentar la alegría, junto con los que están siendo confirmados, los que se gradúan y los que van a ser ordenados!

Además tenemos otro gran grupo de personas a quienes ahora llamamos nuestros “hermanos y hermanas en la fe.”

Todos los que fueron recibidos en la Iglesia, unos porque recibieron el bautismo y otros al hacer su profesión de fe.

Su integración nos recuerda que la Iglesia cobra vida y crece entre nosotros, y no hay nada mejor que la emoción de sentir a nuestros nuevos hermanos que se unen a nosotros en la Pascua.

Mi mensaje para ustedes, mis hermanos y hermanas, es que disfruten esta primavera y estén atentos a los cambios naturales y espirituales que nos rodean. Que se despierte su propia fe en este tiempo de transición, y que el Señor aproveche al máximo nuestro amor por él.

Su hermano en Cristo

Obispo Francis I. Malone

Obispo de Shreveport

SANTO TOMAS AQUINO: RUSTON Rev. Edward Shea, OFM 318.225.2870 Oficina Domingo 1:30pm Coordinadora: Luz Martinez 318.224.0980

STA MARIA DE LOS PINOS: SHREVEPORT Rev. Mark Watson 318.687.5121 Oficina Domingo 12:30 am Coordinadora: Alma Mendoza 318.678.9306

NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL PEPETUO SOCORRO: FARMERVILLE Rev. Luis Jost, OFM Sabados 7:00 pm Coordinadora: Paola Gonalez 817.801.3499

SAGRADO CORAZON: OAK GROVE Rev. Jean Bosco Uwamungu 318.428.2983 Oficina, Domingo 1:00pm

SAN PABLO: MINDEN Rev. Rigoberto Betancurt 318-458-6045 Cell 2do Domingo 4:00pm Coordinadora: Dora Rodriguez 870-904-9137 SAN JOSE: MANSFIELD 305 Jefferson Street Mansfield, LA 71052 Rev. Rigoberto Betancurt 3118-458-6045 3er Domingo 3:00pm

SAN JOHN THE BAPTIST, MANY Rev. Francis Kamau, FMH 318-256-5680 Oficina • primer domingo 5:00pm

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upcoming events May 2 Saint Athanasius May 3 Saints Philip & James, Apostles May 10 Saint Damien of Molokai May 12 Saint Pancras May 13 Our Lady of Fatima May 14 Saint Matthias the Apostle May 18 Saint John 1 May 20 Saint Bernardine of Siena May 21 Saint Christopher Magallanes & Companions May 25 Saint Mary Magdalen de’ Pazzi May 26 Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (Celebrated Sunday) May 27 Saint Augustine of Canterbury May 31 The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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MAY 1-3 6:00 pm Saint Mary of the Pines Easter Mission

Everyone is invited to St. Mary of the Pines Parish Easter Mission with guest speaker Fr. Ron Hoye. Fr. Hoye is the director of Vincentian TeamWorks- a collaborative effort of Catholic Evangelization that includes the ministries of Catholic home Study and Vincentian Parish Mission. A published author, Fr. Hoye travels extensively throughout the country leading parish missions and leadership renewal. Fellowship follows each evening. Call the Parish Office for more information 318-687-5121.

MAY 3 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Open House @ Mary’s House of Louisiana Inc.

Because so many people in the Diocese of Shreveport contributed to Mary’s House during the 2nd collection last October, we are hosting an Open House so people can see how they are helping women and babies. The Open House is Tuesday, May 3rd from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. (it’s also Give for Good Day)

MAY 6 9:00 am Red Mass @ Holy Trinity Catholic Church

Music by Zion Baptist Church Choir will begin at 8:30 am. Bishop Malone will be the principal celebrant and homilist.

MAY 10 6:00 pm Young Adult Holy Hour @ Saint Mary of the Pines Parish

Bishop Malone will preside at the St. Mary of the Pines Young Adult Holy Hour on May 10 at 6:00 pm. Confession will be available, as well as the opportunity to go out to eat after the hour ends.

MAY 2110:00 am Ordination of Fr. Nicholas Duncan @ Cathedral of Saint John Berchmans

MAY 25 6:00 pm Ordination of Dcn. Gabriel Ciscernos @ Christ the King Church

JUNE 4 10:30 am - 1:00 pm Magnificat Brunch @ The Catholic Center

The Magnificat team would like to invite all women to our next brunch, Saturday, June 4, 2022 from 10:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at The Catholic Center, 3500 Fairfield Ave, Shreveport, LA 71104. Our brunch includes a meal, fellowship, praise and worship and a speaker. The speaker will be Melanie Richard and she will share her journey recovering from Covid. Come and hear how the Lord is working in her life.

Tickets are $20.00 per person. Checks should be mailed to Magnificat Nowela Chapter P. O. Box 4293 Shreveport, LA 71134 by June 2, 2022. Please include the name of attendees with your check. For questions call 318-564-2672 or 318-222-0007.

Protecting God’s Children Training Now Available Online!

Virtus now offers an online option to complete the course in 90 minutes. Once you open the course, you will have two weeks to complete it. For more information, visit www. dioshpt.org/safe-environment or contact the Safe Environment Office at 318-868-4441.

Louisiana Tech Students Celebrate 25 Years of Campus Ministry Brother Mike Ward, Campus Minister

On March 26, 2022, the Association of Catholic Tech Students (ACTS), the campus ministry program at St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Student Center in Ruston, serving the students at Louisiana Tech University, celebrated the 25th anniversary of its name. Campus Ministry has been the primary ministry of St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Student Center since its founding in 1941. In 1997, Catholic students took the initiative to take the program in a new direction and became a recognized organization of Louisiana Tech University. The all-day celebration included various activities led by the students, as well as tours of the university, a jambalaya tail gate on church grounds, a Mass, and a dinner banquet.

Special guests included, Bishop Malone, Fr. Tom Nairn, OFM, the provincial minister of the Franciscan Friars at St. Thomas; Dr. Guice, the president of Tech; Hailey Perot, the assistant to the mayor; Sr. Edith Schnell, the campus

minister at St. Thomas from 1993-2003; Giovana Giarelli, the first president of ACTS; and Champ, the Tech mascot.

Over 200 alumni joined local parishioners throughout the day to celebrate the present by remembering the past and preparing for the future. For the Mass, 18 students and alumni formed a choir. The motto of ACTS is “Christ-Centered and Student Led.” The vision of ACTS is “Being Catholic at Tech.” At the heart of the mission statement to develop “well rounded” Catholics is “Jesus” forming the tenets of ACTS: Joy, Evangelization, Sacraments, Unity, and Service.” The home of ACTS is the E. Donn Piatt Catholic Student Center right next to campus. ACTS prides itself on balancing faith and fun for college students. Br. Michael Ward, OFM, has been the campus minister there since 2011 and will be leaving with the other friars this coming June.

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around the diocese

St. George Parish, Coushatta, celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with a meal honoring Law Enforcement who protect us.

Saint John the Baptist Youth Group enjoyed the Youth Seder Meal on March 20th.

On Palm Sunday, the youth group at Mary, Queen of Peace sponsored a Sausage Po Boy lunch and an Easter Egg Hunt. All proceeds from the lunch will help defray the cost of 16 members of the youth group attending the Steubenville summer camp. All enjoyed the good weather, the food, and the Easter Egg Hunt.

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Father John Paul Crispin, CMI, with Justin & Kaitlyn Higdon and children at the Saint Joseph Mansfield Saint Joesph Altar.

Annual Diocesan Stewardship Appeal

A Joyful Response

( ) $15,000 ( ) $10,000 ( ) $7,500 ( ) $5,000 ( ) Other $

( ) $3,500 ( ) $2,000 ( ) $1,500 ( ) $1,000

( ) $800 ( ) $750 ( ) $650 ( ) $500

( ) $400 ( ) $350 ( ) $300 ( ) $250

( ) $200 ( ) $150 ( ) $100

Please list below any special intentions or requests for which you would like prayer assistance:

Enclosed is a pledge payment of: $ for year 2022.

Please make checks payable to Diocese of Shreveport Name Address City/State/Zip Church

Diocese of Shreveport 3500 Fairfield Ave Shreveport, LA 71104 Or donate online at www.dioshpt.org

Seminarian Burses Thanks to our Recent Donors:

(037) Mr. & Mrs. Larry A. Miller ($1000) (038) Mr. & Mrs. John Malone ($250) (015) Mr. & Mrs. Aaron L. Lirette ($500) (022) Mr. & Mrs. Ray T. Garza ($500) (037) Mr. & Mrs. Adam Hubble ($1000) 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) 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 ($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 ($4029) (015) Bishop’s Seminarian Burse ($3410)

(016) Elaine Malloy Frantz Memorial Burse ($1000) (017) Msgr. George Martinez Knights of Columbus Council 1337 Burse ($7521.57) (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 ($1200) (023) Msgr. Edmund J. Moore Memorial Burse ($1020) (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 ($4000) (032) Madeline and Joe Tiller Memorial Burse ($1000) (034) Joseph B. and Lucille Provenza Cordaro Burse ($6000) (035) Dr. James V. & Rosemary C. Ward Burse ($3200) (036) Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza Burse ($1000) (037) Manuel & Catherine Licciardi, and John & Beverly Miller Burse ($2000) (038) The Malone Family 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.

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT 3500 Fairfield Ave.

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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: St Paschal Hispanic community celebrates a very special day with Father Al Jost, OFM, His anniversary of 42 years serving in the priesthood along with his birthday which fell on the same day!

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