Easter Issue Bayou Catholic

EASTER

VOLUME 45 NO. 4

DIOCESAN ADMINISTRATOR

Very Rev. Simon Peter Engurait

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Maegan Martin

WRITER AND CONTENT DEVELOPER

Annie Breerwood

DESIGNERS

Alaina Maiorana

Connor Mabile

BUSINESS MANAGER

Bill Barbera

ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST

Rebecca Thibodeaux

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Roxanne Reed

Reid Stanley

Sr. Aracely Lobaton

Chris Jackson

Rita Gernon

David Breerwood

Fr. Matthew Prosperie

Amy Ponson

Michelle LeBlanc

Brennan Garriques

PHOTOGRAPHER

Maegan Martin

8

Pope

The Jerusalem Catechesis by

12

Alisha

16

The

45

Easter

Love as Warm as Tears

Christ Has No Body

48 LIFE WITH CHRIST

Inspired by Tradition: Altar Servers and the Beauty of the Mass

52 PHOTO ESSAY

Funeral Rites of Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville

62

Thibodaux Volunteer Firemen

Experience Christian Fraternity

68

Slap Ya Mama Jambalaya

NOLA Shrimp and Grits

72 THE REASON FOR REVIVAL

A Reflection on the Eucharistic Revival

74

Cultivating Generosity Through Gratitude and Impact

76

History and Meaning of the Blessing of

80

EMAIL

VISIT

84

OUR HOPE REDEEMED

AN EASTER MESSAGE FROM FR. SIMON PETER ENGURAIT, DIOCESAN ADMINISTRATOR

As we approach our Easter celebration this year, I cannot help but imagine myself in the place of the apostles. They had been following Jesus for three years, listening to Him preach sermons that changed so many hearts and performing miracle after miracle that brought healing and hope. They had lived with Him, shared life together with Him, and developed a deep love for Him. And then, rather suddenly, all of that was shattered. Within the span of 24 hours, He was arrested, falsely accused, and condemned for crimes He didn’t commit, and tortured and killed before their eyes. They had such a great hope that Jesus would be the Messiah, the One who would bring them the freedom and redemption that they had been desiring for centuries. And for a moment, it all seemed to be gone. He was buried in a tomb along with those hopes they had carried for years.

Yet on Easter Sunday morning, they received the most powerful message in all of human history –He is alive! Jesus conquered death! He came to bring redemption not just in this life, but for all of eternity. The grave, which no one had ever been able to escape, had been broken by the Son of God. The hopes that they thought were lost had been restored. By dying and rising from the dead, Jesus assured His apostles, and all of us along with them, that nothing ever needs to destroy our hope. There is never a trial that is too big to be redeemed. In fact, the statement that Jesus made at the death of His friend Lazarus perhaps fially made sense: “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” Easter reminds us that there is always a reason to hold on to hope.

As I think back to the days surrounding Bishop Dorsonville’s passing, it’s easy to put myself in a similar place as the apostles in those days. Our diocese was in a place of great hope, receiving our new bishop after a year of waiting. And just as it seemed that things were beginning to move forward, we learned of Bishop’s shocking death. The days and weeks following January 19, 2024, will forever remain etched in my mind.

Yet as we celebrate Easter, I am reminded of the hope that Jesus offers to us with this great feast. Death does not have the power to stop the work of God in our world. Although at face value, it may seem that we still cannot escape death, our faith offers us a much different viewpoint. Death becomes not the end but rather a new beginning, something that God can use as a part of His plan of redemption and revival. What at fist seemed to be the greatest tragedy of mankind – the death of Jesus – actually paved the way for the greatest triumph of mankind – His Resurrection. Easter offers us a powerful message of redemption and revival.

If you look at the way that God has worked throughout salvation history, we can see this theme permeating throughout. He often chooses the smallest, youngest, most unequipped, and insignificant people to carry out His mission – think of young David to lead a nation and old Abraham to be a father of nations. He lets things get almost to the point of despair before He shows just how great is His ability to redeem. Think of the centuries the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness or the countless battles they lost, only to triumph unexpectedly by God’s power.

Dear brothers and sisters, when you are tempted to believe that there is no hope, when it feels like your dreams and desires have been shattered by tragedy or suffering or death, Easter can be our firmfoundation that cannot be shaken. It’s important to remember this in a particular way as a diocesan family. Although Bishop Dorsonville is no longer with us in this life, his legacy continues to live on in the hearts of many. And the good that God desired to work in our diocese through him will still come to fruition. As we see so often in the Scriptures, God loves to work in unexpected ways and through unknowing instruments. Death cannot stop that. Let us approach this Easter season with a confidence in God’s ability to overcome every obstacle in our lives, and even turn those obstacles into sources of grace, renewal, and revival. As is famously attributed to St. John Paul II, “We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song.” No matter what happens, Alleluia is a song we can sing, because Jesus has conquered all evil, sin and death, and we are forever safe in His hands. May our faithful and triumphant God fill each of your hearts with an unshakeable hope in Him.

Nuestra Esperanza Redimida

Un mensaje de Pascua del Padre Simon Peter, Administrador Diocesano

A medida que nos acercamos a nuestra celebración de Pascua este año, no puedo evitar imaginarme en el lugar de los apóstoles. Habían estado siguiendo a Jesús durante tres años, escuchándolo predicar sermones que cambiaron tantos corazones y realizando milagro tras milagro que trajo sanidad y esperanza. Habían vivido con Él, compartido la vida junto con Él y desarrollado un profundo amor por Él. Y entonces, de repente, todo eso se hizo añicos. En el lapso de 24 horas, fue arrestado, acusado falsamente y condenado por crímenes que no cometió, y torturado y asesinado ante sus ojos. Tenían una esperanza tan grande de que Jesús sería el Mesías, Aquel que les traería la libertad y la redención que habían estado deseando durante siglos. Y por un momento pareció que todo había desaparecido. Fue enterrado en una tumba junto con aquellas esperanzas que habían llevado durante años.

Sin embargo, la mañana del Domingo de Pascua, recibieron el mensaje más poderoso de toda la historia de la humanidad: ¡Él está vivo! ¡Jesús venció la muerte! Vino a traer redención no solo en esta vida, sino para toda la eternidad. La tumba, de la que nadie había podido escapar jamás, había sido rota por el Hijo de Dios. Las esperanzas que creían perdidas habían sido restauradas. Al morir y resucitar de entre los muertos, Jesús aseguró a sus apóstoles, y a todos nosotros junto con ellos, que nada necesita destruir nuestra esperanza. Nunca hay una prueba que sea demasiado grande para canjearla. De hecho, la declaración que Jesús hizo al morir su amigo Lázaro tal vez fialmente tuvo sentido: “Yo soy la Resurrección y la Vida”. La Pascua nos recuerda que siempre hay una razón para aferrarnos a la esperanza.

Al recordar los días que rodearon el fallecimiento del obispo Dorsonville, es fácil ubicarme en un lugar similar al de los apóstoles en aquellos días. Nuestra diócesis se encontraba en un lugar de gran esperanza al recibir a nuestro nuevo obispo después de un año de espera. Y justo cuando parecía que las cosas empezaban a avanzar, nos enteramos de la impactante muerte del obispo. Los días y semanas posteriores al 19 de enero de 2024 quedarán grabados para siempre en mi mente.

Sin embargo, al celebrar la Pascua, recuerdo la esperanza que Jesús nos ofrece con esta gran fiesta. La muerte no tiene el poder de detener la obra de Dios en nuestro mundo. Aunque a primera vista pueda parecer que todavía no podemos escapar de la muerte, nuestra fe nos ofrece un punto de vista muy diferente. La muerte no se convierte en el finsino en un nuevo comienzo, algo que Dios puede usar como parte de Su plan de redención y avivamiento. Lo que al principio parecía ser la tragedia más grande de la humanidad – la muerte de Jesús – en realidad allanó el camino para el mayor triunfo de la humanidad – Su resurrección. La Pascua nos ofrece un poderoso mensaje de redención y avivamiento.

Si nos fijmos en la forma en que Dios ha obrado a lo largo de la historia de la salvación, podemos ver que este tema está presente en todas partes. A menudo elige a las personas más pequeñas, más jóvenes, menos equipadas e insignificantes para llevar a cabo su misión: piense en el joven David para liderar una nación y en el viejo Abraham para ser padre de naciones. Él permite que las cosas lleguen casi al punto de la desesperación antes de mostrar cuán grande es su capacidad para redimir. Piense en los siglos que los israelitas pasaron vagando por el desierto o en las innumerables batallas que perdieron, solo para triunfar inesperadamente por el poder de Dios.

Queridos hermanos y hermanas, cuando estén tentados a creer que no hay esperanza, cuando sientan que sus sueños y deseos han sido destrozados por la tragedia, el sufrimiento o la muerte, la Pascua puede ser nuestro fundamento fire que no puede ser sacudido. Es importante recordar esto de manera particular como familia diocesana. Aunque el obispo Dorsonville ya no está con nosotros en esta vida, su legado sigue vivo en los corazones de muchos. Y el bien que Dios quiso obrar en nuestra diócesis a través de él todavía se realizará. Como vemos tan a menudo en las Escrituras, a Dios le encanta trabajar de maneras inesperadas y a través de instrumentos desconocidos. La muerte no puede detener eso. Acerquemos esta temporada de Pascua con confianza en la capacidad de Dios para superar cada obstáculo en nuestras vidas, e incluso convertir esos obstáculos en fuentes de gracia, renovación y avivamiento. Como se le atribuye a San Juan Pablo II: “Somos un pueblo de Pascua y el Aleluya es nuestro canto”. Pase lo que pase, Aleluya es una canción que podemos cantar, porque Jesús ha vencido todo mal, el pecado y la muerte, y estamos para siempre a salvo en sus manos. Que nuestro Dios fiel y triunfante llene cada uno de sus corazones de una esperanza inquebrantable en Él.”

Niềm hy vọng của chúng ta được cứu chuộc

Sứ Điệp Phục Sinh của Linh mục Simon Phêrô, Giám Quản Giáo phận

Khi chúng ta sửa soạn mừng Lễ Phục Sinh năm nay, tôi không thể không tưởng tượng mình ở vào hoàn cảnh các thánh tông đồ. Các ngài đã theo Chúa ba năm, nghe lởi Chúa dạy đã thay đổi nhiều tâm hồn và bao nhiêu phép lạ mang lại ơn chữa lành và niềm hy vọng. Các ngài đã sống với Chúa, chia sẻ cuộc sống với Ngài và yêu Ngài tha thiết. Thế rồi quá đột ngột mọi sự tan biến. Chỉ trong 24 tiếng đồng hồ Ngài bị bắt, bị cáo gian và bị lên án cho những tội ác Ngài không phạm, bị tra tấn và bị giết chết trước mắt họ. Họ mang một hy vọng lớn là Ngài là Đấng Thiên Sai, là Đấng sẽ mang đến cho họ sự tự do và ơn cứu chuộc mà họ vẫn mong đợi từ bao thế hệ. Và rồi trong khoảnh khắc mọi sự dường như tan biến. Ngài chịu mai táng trong mồ cùng với những hy vọng họ đã ôm ấp hằng bao nhiêu năm.

Tuy thế vào sáng Chúa Nhật Phục Sinh họ đón nhận được một sư điệp hùng hồn nhất trong lịch sử nhân loại là Ngài vẫn sống. Chúa Kitô toàn thắng sự chết. Ngài đến mang ơn cứu độ không chỉ cho cuộc sống hiện tại, mà cho muôn thuở muôn đời. Ngôi mộ mà không ai đã có thể thoát bị bẻ vỡ vì Con Thiên Chúa. Những hy vọng họ tưởng đã mất đã được phục hồi. Qua sự chết và sống lại từ cõi chết Chúa Kitô bảo đảm với họ và với chúng ta cùng với các ngài là không có gì có thể phá hủy được niềm hy vọng của chúng ta. Không có sự thử thách nào quá lớn mà không được cứu chuộc. Thực tế là lời Chúa Kitô tuyên bố khi Lazarô chết lúc này thật có lý: “Ta là sự sống lại và là sự sống.” Phục sinh nhắc nhở chúng ta là chúng ta luôn có lý do ôm ấp hy vọng.

Nghĩ lại những ngày khi Đức Cha Dorsonville mất, tôi thấy dễ đặt mình vào chỗ các thánh tông đồ trong những ngày ấy. Giáo phận chúng ta đang là chỗ có sự hy vọng to lớn, đón nhận một Đức Cha mới sau cả một năm đợi chờ. Vào lúc dường như mọi sự bắt đầu tiến triển thì chúng ta nghe tin ngài mất cách đột ngột. Những ngày tiếp nối ngày 19 tháng Giêng năm 2024 sẽ mãi ghi khắc trong lòng trí tôi.

Tuy thế, khi chúng ta mừng Phục Sinh, tôi được nhắc nhở tới niềm hy vọng Chúa Kitô trao ban cho chúng ta. Cái chết không có quyền lực làm ngưng trệ công việc của Chúa trong thế giới chúng ta. Mặc dầu nhìn bề ngoài thì có vẻ như chúng ta vẫn không thể thoát khỏi cái chết, nhưng đức tin mang lại cho chúng ta một quan điểm rất khác. Cái chết không phải là sự kết thúc mà là một sự khởi đầu mới, điều mà Chúa có thể dùng như một phần trong kế hoạch cứu chuộc và phục sinh của Ngài. Điều thoạt đầu dường như là bi kịch lớn nhất của nhân loại – cái chết của Chúa Giêsu – thực ra đã mở đường cho sự chiến thắng vĩ đại nhất của nhân loại – sự phục sinh của Ngài. Lễ Phục sinh mang đến cho chúng ta một thông điệp mạnh mẽ về sự cứu chuộc và sự hồi sinh.

Nếu nhìn vào cách Thiên Chúa thực hiện xuyên qua lịch sử cứu độ, chúng ta có thể nhìn thấy chủ đề này xuyên suốt. Ngài thường chọn những người bé nhỏ nhất, trẻ nhất, không được trang bị đầy đủ nhất và tầm thường nhất để thực hiện sứ mạng của Ngài - hãy nghĩ đến Đa-vít trẻ để lãnh đạo một quốc gia và Áp-ra-ham già trở thành cha của các dân tộc. Ngài để mọi việc gần đến mức tuyệt vọng trước khi Ngài cho thấy khả năng cứu chuộc của Ngài vĩ đại đến mức nào. Hãy nghĩ đến hàng thế kỷ dân Ít-ra-en lang thang trong sa mạc hoặc vô số trận chiến mà họ đã thua, chỉ để chiến thắng cách bất ngờ nhờ quyền năng của Thiên Chúa.

Anh chị em thân mến, khi anh chị em bị cám dỗ tin rằng không còn niềm hy vọng, khi cảm thấy như ước mơ và ước muốn của anh chị em đã bị tan vỡ bởi bi kịch, đau khổ hoặc cái chết, thì Lễ Phục sinh có thể là nền tảng vững chắc không thể lay chuyển của chúng ta. Điều quan trọng là phải nhớ điều này một cách đặc biệt với cương vị là một gia đình giáo phận. Mặc dầu Đức Giám mục Dorsonville không còn ở bên chúng ta trong cuộc đời này, nhưng di sản của ngài vẫn tiếp tục sống mãi trong tâm hồn nhiều người. Và điều tốt lành mà Thiên Chúa mong muốn thực hiện trong giáo phận của chúng ta qua ngài sẽ vẫn mãi sinh hoa trái. Như chúng ta thường thấy trong Kinh thánh, Chúa ưa thích làm việc theo những cách không ngờ tới, và thông qua những công cụ không ai biết. Cái chết không thể ngăn cản được điều đó. Chúng ta hãy đến với mùa Phục sinh này với niềm tin tưởng vào khả năng của Chúa trong việc vượt qua mọi trở ngại trong cuộc sống của chúng ta, và thậm chí biến những trở ngại đó thành nguồn ân sủng, sự đổi mới và sự hồi sinh. Như câu nói nổi tiếng của Thánh Gioan Phaolô II: “Chúng ta là dân tộc Phục Sinh, và Alleluia là bài hát của chúng ta.” Dù điều gì xảy ra đi nữa, Alleluia là bài hát chúng ta có thể hát lên, vì Chúa Giêsu đã chiến thắng mọi sự dữ, tội lỗi và sự chết, và chúng ta mãi mãi được an toàn trong bàn tay Ngài. Nguyện xin Thiên Chúa toàn thắng và trung thành của chúng ta lấp đầy tâm hồn anh chị em với niềm hy vọng không lay chuyển trong Ngài.

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THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST REMOVES SADNESS LIKE THE STONE FROM THE TOMB.

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In our itinerary of catechesis on vices and virtues, today we will look at a rather ugly vice, sadness, understood as a despondency of the soul, a constant aff liction that prevents people from feeling joy at their own existence.

First and foremost, it must be noted that, with regard to sadness, the Fathers had made an important distinction: There is, in fact, a sadness that befitsChristian life, and that by God’s grace, can be changed into joy. Obviously, this should not be rejected and is part of the journey of conversion. But there is a second kind of sadness that creeps into the soul and prostrates it into a state of despondency: it is this second kind of sadness that must be resolutely and assiduously fought, because it comes from the evil one. This distinction can also be seen in [the letter of] Saint Paul, who wrote to the Corinthians: “godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death” (2 Cor 7:10).

There is, therefore, a friendly sadness that leads us to salvation. Think of the prodigal son from the parable: when he reaches the depths of his degeneracy, he feels great bitterness, and this prompts him to come to his senses and to decide to return home to his father (cf. Lk 15:11-20 ). It is a grace to lament over one’s own sins, to remember the state of grace from which we have fallen, to weep because we have lost the purity in which God dreamed of us.

But there is a second sadness, which is instead an ailment of the soul. It arises in the human heart when a desire or hope vanishes. Here we can refer to the account of the disciples of Emmaus. Those two disciples leave Jerusalem with a disappointed heart, and they confide to the stranger who at one point accompanies them: “We had hoped that he — Jesus — was the one to redeem Israel” (Lk 24:21 ). The dynamic of sadness is linked to the experience of loss. Hopes arise in the heart of man, which are sometimes dashed. It can be the desire to possess something that instead we are unable to obtain, but it can also be something important, such as an emotional loss. When this happens, it is as if man’s heart falls from a precipice, and the emotions he feels are discouragement, weakness of spirit, depression, and anguish. We all go through ordeals that generate sadness in us, because life makes us conceive dreams that are then shattered. In this situation, after a time of turmoil, some cling to hope, but others wallow in melancholy, allowing it to fester in their hearts. Does one take pleasure in this? See: sadness is like the pleasure of non-pleasure; it is like taking a bitter candy, without sugar, unpleasant, and sucking on that candy. Sadness is taking pleasure in non-pleasure.

The monk Evagrius recounts that all vices aim at pleasure, however ephemeral it may be, whereas sadness enjoys the opposite: lulling oneself into endless sadness. Some prolonged griefs, in which a person continues to expand the void of one who is no longer there, are not proper to life in the Spirit. Certain bitter resentments, where a person always has a claim in mind that makes them take on the guise of the victim, do not produce a healthy life in us, let alone a Christian one. There is something in everyone’s past that needs to be healed. Sadness can turn from being a natural emotion into an evil state of mind.

Sadness is a cunning demon. The Desert Fathers described it as a worm of the heart, which erodes and hollows out its host. This is a good image: it helps us understand. A worm in the heart that consumes and hollows out its host. So what should I do when I feel sad? Stop and look: is this a good sadness? Is it a sadness that is not so good? And react according to the nature of the sadness. Do not forget that sadness can be a very bad thing that leads us to pessimism, that leads us to a selfihness that is difficult to cure.

Brothers and sisters, we must beware of this sadness and think that Jesus brings us the joy of resurrection. As much as life may be filled with contradictions, defeated desires, unrealized dreams, lost friendships, thanks to Jesus’ Resurrection we can believe that all will be saved. Jesus rose again not only for himself, but also for us, to redeem all the happiness that has remained unfulfilled in our lives. Faith casts out fear, and the Resurrection of Christ removes sadness like the stone from the tomb. For a Christian every day is an exercise in resurrection. In his famous novel, “The Diary of a Country Priest”, Georges Bernanos, has the parish priest of Torcy say this: “Joy is in the gift of the Church, whatever joy is possible for this sad world to share. Whatever you did against the Church, has been done against joy”. And another French writer, León Bloy, left us this wonderful phrase: “The only real sadness [...] is not to become a saint.”

May the Spirit of the Risen Jesus help us to defeat sorrow with holiness.

HEART OF THE CHURCH

THE JERUSALEM CATECHESIS BY ST.

CYRIL

BAPTISM IS A SYMBOL OF CHRIST’S PASSION

You were led down to the font of holy baptism just as Christ was taken down from the Cross and placed in the tomb which is before your eyes. Each of you was asked, “Do you believe in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit?” You made the profession of faith that brings salvation, you were plunged into the water, and three times you rose again. This symbolized the three days Christ spent in the tomb.

As our Savior spent three days and three nights in the depths of the earth, so your fist rising from the water represented the fist day and your fist immersion represented the fist night. At night a man cannot see, but in the day he walks in the light. So when you were immersed in the water it was like night for you and you could not see, but when you rose again it was like coming into broad daylight. In the same instant you died and were born again; the saving water was both your tomb and your mother.

Solomon’s phrase in another context is very apposite here. He spoke of “a time to give birth, and a time to die”. For you, however, it was the reverse: a time to die, and a time to be born, although in fact both events took place at the same time and your birth was simultaneous with your death.

This is something amazing and unheard of! It was not we who actually died, were buried, and rose again. We only did these things symbolically, but we have been saved in actual fact. It is Christ who was crucified, who was buried, and who rose again, and all this has been attributed to us. We share in His sufferings symbolically and gain salvation in reality. What boundless love for men! Christ’s undefiled hands were pierced by the nails; He suffered the pain. I experience no pain, no anguish, yet by the share that I have in His sufferings He freely grants me salvation.

Let no one imagine that baptism consists only in the forgiveness of sins and in the grace of adoption. Our baptism is not like the baptism of John, which conferred only the forgiveness of sins. We know perfectly well that baptism, besides washing away our sins and bringing us the gift of the Holy Spirit, is a symbol of the sufferings of Christ. This is why Paul exclaims: “Do you not know that when we were baptized into Christ Jesus we were, by that very action, sharing in His death? By baptism we went with Him into the tomb.”

THE ANOINTING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

When we were baptized into Christ and clothed ourselves in Him, we were transformed into the likeness of the Son of God. Having destined us to be His adopted sons, God gave us a likeness to Christ in His glory, and living as we do in communion with Christ, God’s anointed, we ourselves are rightly called “the anointed ones.” When He said: “Do not touch my anointed ones,” God was speaking of us.

We became “the anointed ones” when we received the sign of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, everything took place in us by means of images, because we ourselves are images of Christ. Christ bathed in the river Jordan, imparting to its waters the fragrance of His divinity, and when He came up from them the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, like resting upon like. So we also, after coming up from the sacred waters of baptism, were anointed with Chrism, which signifies the Holy Spirit, by whom Christ was anointed and of whom blessed Isaiah prophesied in the name of the Lord: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me. He has sent me to preach good news to the poor.”

Christ’s anointing was not by human hands, nor was it with ordinary oil. On the contrary, having destined Him to be the Savior of the whole world, the Father Himself anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. The words of Peter bear witness to this: “Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit.” And David the prophet proclaimed: “Your throne, O God, shall endure for ever; your royal scepter is a scepter of justice. You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above all your fellows.”

The oil of gladness with which Christ was anointed was a spiritual oil; it was in fact the Holy Spirit Himself, who is called the oil of gladness because He is the source of spiritual joy. But we too have been anointed with oil, and by this anointing we have entered into fellowship with Christ and have received a share in His life. Beware of thinking that this holy oil is simply ordinary oil and nothing else. After the invocation of the Spirit it is no longer ordinary oil but the gift of Christ, and by the presence of His divinity it becomes the instrument through which we receive the Holy Spirit. While symbolically, on our foreheads and senses, our bodies are anointed with this oil that we see, our souls are sanctified by the holy and life-giving Spirit.

LIVING LITURGICALLY LIVING LITURGICALLY

ALISHA WISCHKAEMPER’S JOURNEY TO CATHOLICISM

“I didn’t know who I was praying to, but in that moment it didn’t matter. I was just desperate for someone to hear me.” In February 2022 , a car accident on a seemingly ordinary morning left Alisha Wischkaemper grappling with the devastating loss of her younger sister as paramedics worked to revive her.

One prayer led to another, and Alisha’s sister miraculously recovered in the ICU. Alisha loosely kept the promise she made to God to pray in exchange for her sister’s survival, but always held on to resentment for the Christian God. Wrestling with guilt and despair, Alisha turned to prayer for the fist time in her life, beginning her journey toward the Catholic faith amid unimaginable pain.

Several months later, a volleyball scholarship to Nicholls brought Alisha to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. Alisha remembers the moment she decided to become Catholic. She said, “My boyfriend nagged me for weeks to attend Mass with him.” To appease him, she agreed, not knowing how that “yes” would change her life.

“Everything was a blur until the consecration,” said Alisha. The reverence of the congregation stood out to her, and she said, “I felt a pull in my heart and I met Jesus there.” This experience of Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist was the remedy to years of ache in Alisha’s heart. She said, “I just knew that’s where I was always meant to be.”

Alisha was flooded with questions and to her surprise, the Church provided answers through the community she found at St. Thomas Aquinas and in studying Scripture and other respected theologians such as Dr. Brant Pitre.

Alisha is a candidate for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), awaiting Baptism, Holy Eucharist, and Confirmtion at Easter. The liturgical season has profound meaning to her. She said, “Easter is something I’ve been waiting for a very long time even if I didn’t realize it.” For Alisha it means cleansing her of her past and reaffirmg her commitment to a life lived for and with Christ. She said, “He is power and love. And He spends all of eternity proving His love to us through the Resurrection.”

I WANT TO BE DRY WOOD, HIGHLY FLAMMABLE, READY FOR JESUS TO SET ME ON FIRE.

LITURGICALLY LITURGICALLY

ALISHA WISCHKAEMPER is a sophomore at Nicholls State University and a member of Colonel Catholics student organization at St Thomas Aquinas. At the time of this interview, Alisha was awaiting the Sacraments of Initiation at Easter.

PHOTO BY JOHN SORREL

Ahead of her initiation into the Catholic Church, Alisha is most anticipating her ability to receive the Eucharist at Mass. She spoke of an ache in understanding the Real Presence but not being able to receive Jesus fully at Communion. She said, “I want to be dry wood, highly flammable, ready for Jesus to set me on fie.”

While Alisha’s journey has been positive, she’s also encountered struggles. She said, “I hit points of desolation, but I remember that love isn’t a feeling—it’s something you do.”

Family tensions and moments of doubt test her resolve, yet she perseveres, fiding strength in her newfound faith community. “I spent a lot of my life resenting anything to do with the Catholic faith, but the timeline of how I got here is irrelevant, it’s comforting to know that I’m here now and I will never be alone again,” said Alisha.

Reflecting on her journey, Alisha offers advice to those struggling to deepen their faith. She emphasizes the importance of encountering Christ beyond religious rituals and encourages others to embrace the transformative power of Catholicism. She recalls the stories of Jesus’ closest disciples like St. Peter and St. Mary Magdalene who were longing for fulfillment until they met Christ. Alisha said, “What could it look like if you allowed your life to be changed like He changed their lives too?”

For Alisha, the Easter season represents not only a time of repentance and renewal, but also a celebration of Christ’s unfailing love and sacrifice. “He came to me at the worst possible time in my life,” said Alisha. “And I now know how much He waits for us, longing for us to open the door to Him.” Alisha’s journey is testament to the boundless grace and mercy found in embracing God’s love.

Alisha’s sister attends her beach volleyball game.

THE GREAT COMMISSION THE GREAT COMMISSION

What is the point of scripture if not to teach us how to be in relationship with God and how we are to live our lives?

The Gospels are filled with stories of Jesus teaching His disciples how they ought to live, pray, and love one another and God, but what does Jesus say about their mission? Let’s take a deeper look at the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before His Ascension into heaven, a passage known as “The Great Commission.”

It’s important to note that Jesus appeared to many people after His resurrection from the dead. He showed them His wounds and spent time with them for 50 days, before ascending to the Father.

Read Matthew 28:16-20

What does the passage say about the disposition of the disciples when they saw Jesus?

Answer: Read verse 17. “…they worshiped him; but some doubted.”

What might have been some of the doubts the disciples were wrestling with? How might this experience translate into our lives today? What doubts do we encounter in our walk with Christ?

Answer: Reflection and discussion.

Why is it significant that they worshiped anyway, despite their doubts? How can we implement this example in our own lives?

Answer: Reflection and discussion. Experiencing doubt in our faith is not bad. It’s our response to those doubts that impacts us. Doubts, when wrestled with in prayer and spiritual conversations with trusted individuals, can often lead to a deepening of our faith. Asking questions and seeking truth is always a good thing. Showing up to worship, Mass, and prayer, even while experiencing doubt, can lead to a deeper relationship with God.

What does Jesus say to His disciples on the mountain?

Answer: Read verses 18-20.

What about the fist sentence is important for the disciples to hear?

Answer: Read verse 18. Jesus is telling them, once again, who He is. He is the Son of God to whom all authority on heaven and earth belongs. This is important, because Jesus understands the human experience and desires for the disciples to rest in the truth. He sees their doubts and uses this opportunity to assure them once more.

These are the last words Jesus chooses to impart to His disciples before ascending into heaven. Of all the messages and teachings He could close with, these are the words He chooses. What is significant about His next exhortation? What tone is Jesus speaking with as He says these words?

Answer: Jesus says to them, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…” Jesus is giving specific instruction for what the disciples are to do now. These words are not phrased as a question or a

suggestion, but as a command. This is what Jesus wants for His disciples and for all people.

What is a disciple? And how are the disciples told to go out and make more disciples?

Answer: Reflection and discussion. A disciple is someone who follows Jesus. In order to follow Jesus we know that we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him [Matt 16:24 ]. This is no small task, and Jesus is telling these men to go out to every nation, far and wide, outside of their comforts, away from what they’ve come to know and make disciples. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all that He has commanded them.

What does it mean for these future disciples to be baptized? What happens at our baptism?

Answer: The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit… Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission.” (CCC 1213 ) For the disciples to go out, make disciples, and baptize them means that they were building up the Kingdom of God and evangelizing the people of nations far and wide to invite them to be children of God.

What are some examples of the “commands” Jesus is referring to in verse 20?

Answer: Reflection and discussion. Read Matthew 22:36-40 . Read Matthew 6: 5-6. Read Matthew 5:43-48.

How does this command to “make disciples” translate to our own lives today now that we understand more fully the command made by Jesus in the scriptures?

Answer: Reflection and discussion. We, like these disciples, are tasked with the same command. This message from Jesus is not only for the men and women before Him on that day, but these words are meant for each of us as well. We are commanded, by Jesus Christ Himself, to go out to all the world, even the places that are outside of our comfort zones, to make disciples. Evangelization is the mission of the Church, and we are the Church. We are called to be missionaries, in every walk of life.

What does this evangelization look like on a practical level?

Answer: Evangelizing is not easy, but it is simple. Each of us is called to evangelize in the peripheries, inviting those who are far from God to encounter Him and become His son or daughter through the cleansing of sin. We do not have to be perfect ourselves to share this Good News with others. We simply must strive for holiness and give witness to the Lord’s mercy in our own lives. We can teach what the Lord commanded by example and then by words in charity. We also must pray for the opportunities to evangelize and the courage to act when the Lord moves us to act.

This command can be intimidating, especially if we feel like we’re alone or ill equipped. The disciples must have felt this too, especially in the midst of their doubt. How does Jesus address those fears?

Answer: Read verse 20 . “…and behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

What do these words mean for us, even now?

Answer: Reflection and discussion. We are never alone. Jesus is with us. He makes this command, not to make us uncomfortable or self-conscious, but because He desires to reach the nations. He wants to reclaim every wayward son and daughter for the sake of His Kingdom. And He desires for us to participate in that mission, but He does not abandon us. He is with us, even to the close of the age.

How does this change the way we view mission and our call to make disciples? Is there a small way you can respond today? How can you be a part of the evangelization effort of the Church?

Answer: Reflection and discussion. See your local Church parish or your favorite ministry for ways to get involved.

EVANGELIZATION IS THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH, AND WE ARE THE CHURCH. WE ARE CALLED TO BE MISSIONARIES IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE.

APRILDAILY PRAYER

FOR PRIESTS, DEACONS, RELIGIOUS, AND SEMINARIANS

Rev. Davis Ahimibisibwe Very Rev. Jay Baker, MCL, JCL Rev. Paul Birdsall Rev. Rusty Bruce Rev. Toto Buenaflor, Jr. Rev. Duc Boi Rev. Stephen Castille Deacon Malcom Andry Rev. Patrick Riviere Rev. Robert Rogers Rev. James Rome Rev. Mitchel Semar Rev. Carlos Talavera Seminarian Scott Beslin Rev. Joseph Than van Liem CRM Rev. James Thien van Nguyen Rev. Mark ToupsRev. Mike Tran V.F. Rev. Joseph Tregre Deacon Brent Bergeron Rev. Varghese (Joe) Josekutty Rev. Romeo (Billy) Velasco Rev. Shenan Boquet Bishop Emeritus Sam Jacobs Very Rev. Simon Peter Engurait, V.G. Rev. Roch Naquin, retired Rev. Ty Nguyen, retired Sister Mary Immaculata Man Nguyen, F.M.S.R. Rev. Charles Perkins, retired Rev. Sebastian Stephen

Acts 2:14,

Acts 4:13-21 Mk 16:9-15

Sunday of Divine Mercy

Acts 4:32-35

1 John 5:1-6 Jn 20:19-31 Is 7:10-14, 8:10 Heb 10:4-10 Lk 1:26-38

Solemnity of the Annunciation

Third Sunday of Easter

Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

1 Jn 2:1-5a Lk 24:35-48

4:32-37

Acts 6:8-15 Jn 6:22-29

Acts 7:51-8:1 Jn 6:30-35

Acts 8:1b-8 Jn 6:35-40

Acts 5:34-42 Jn 6:1-15

Acts 6:1-7 Jn 6:16-21

Memorial of St. Stanislaus

Acts 9:1-20

MAY DAILY PRAYER

FOR PRIESTS, DEACONS, RELIGIOUS, AND SEMINARIANS

Rev. Cody Chatagnier

Rev. Carl Collins Rev. Van Constant

Rev. RobertJoel Cruz Bishop Emeritus Sam Jacobs Very Rev. Vicente De La Cruz, MCL, JCL, V.F.

Rev. Antonio (Speedy) Farrugia

Very Rev. Nathaniel Maria Gadalia

Rev. Daniel Duplantis

Rev. Msgr. Cletus Egbi

Very Rev. Simon Peter Engurait, V.G.

Deacon Brent Bergeron

Rev. Thomas Kuriakose

Rev. Baby (Phillip) Kuruvlla

Rev.

Rev. Rholando

Rev. Alexis (Alex) Lazarra

Rev. Ceasar Silva, retired

Rev. Wilmer Todd, retired

Rev. Stuart King

Rev. Jerry Villarubia, retired

Rev. Brett Lapeyrouse

Rev. Joseph Lapeyrouse

Rev.

Rev. Thomas R. Bouterie

Rev. Brice Higginbotham

Sister Catherine Maria Adelaide Curth, M.T.

Rev. Joseph Chacko, M.S.

Alex Gaudet

Grecia

Rev. Francis Kayaye Seminarian Chad Cheramie

Noas Kerketta, I.M.S.

Deacon Joseph Bourgeois, Sr.

Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48

1 John 4:7-10 Jn 15:9-17

SCRIPTURE READINGS MAY

Acts 15:1-6 Jn 15:1-8

Acts 15:7-21 Jn 15:9-11

Memorial of St. Athanasius

1 Cor 15 :1-8 Jn 14 :6-14

Feast of Sts. Phillip and James

Acts 16:1-10 Jn 15:18-21

Acts 1:1-11

Eph 1:17-23 Mk 16:15-20

Acts 16:11-15 Jn 15:26-16:4a

Acts 16:22-34 Jn 16:5-11

Acts 17:15,22-18:1 Jn 16:12-15

Acts 18:1-8 Jn 16:16-20

Acts 18:9-18 Jn 16:20-23

Acts 18:23-28 Jn 16:23b-28

Acts 2:1-11

Acts 19:1-8 Jn 16:29-33

Feast of Our Lady of Fatima

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26 Jn 15:9-17

Feast of St. Matthias

Acts 20:28-38 Jn 17:11b-19

Acts 22:30, 23:6-11 Jn 17:20-26

Acts 25:13b-21 Jn 21:15-19

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 Jn 21:20-25

Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church

The Ascension of the Lord

Pentecost

PRAYING WITH MUSIC PRACTICAL PRAYER

FEATURING THE ST. LUKE’S GOSPEL CHOIR

ROXANNE REED is a parishioner and choir director at St. Luke the Evangelist in Thibodaux. She is the owner of A+ Tutoring and a member of the THRIVE! nonprofit oganization.

Psalm 95:1 tell us, “O come let us sing unto the Lord, let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” Psalm 98:4 further tells us to not only to make a joyful noise but a loud noise and to rejoice and sing praise.

Music is powerful. It is spirit-filled, energetic, and at times intense. Gospel music, in particular, breathes life into its listeners, offering refreshment, encouragement, consolation, and sustenance. Music enhances the individual experience by ministering to the soul of the individual. The Lead Me Guide Me Hymnal explains that sacred song is holistic. The hymnal says, “It challenges the individual to a full engagement of mind, memory, feeling, emotion, and body. It is participatory because is invites the worshipping community to join in contemplation, in celebration and in prayer.”

In the communal setting, the power of music becomes even more evident. You might notice the whole congregation rejoicing, with hands clapping and waving, feet tapping, voices shouting saying “amen,” There’s an undeniable sense of participation and connection, where smiles, shouts, and even tears become expressions of praise. Music is just that powerful. It can bring up memories of gratitude, prompting an overwhelming feeling that leads you to praise Him in the middle of a song.

It is through music ministry that St. Luke’s parish grew. The choir was the evangelization tool used to bring back those who had left the church due to past hurt, church being closed, and those who did not feel welcomed. The music drew them back to St. Luke where they are fed through the Holy Eucharist and through God’s word in Sacred Scripture.

I have been a member of the St. Luke’s choir since 1987- 37 years. The two male parishioners whom I thought I had convinced to join the choir then challenged me to join choir also. Reflecting on this brings me joy because I know they were part of God’s plan for me. I accepted the challenge and showed up, and there they were smiling waiting outside the church for me. When I asked why they were not inside they replied, “We were waiting for you. If you would not have shown, we were going home.” I literally burst into laughter. We walked into the church together, and the rest is history. The organist and Mr. Ellis, the choir president, submitted my name to our priest to direct the choir since I was the only one in the choir who had musical knowledge (I had taken piano lessons as well as organ lessons and had been a member of a school band until graduating). They believed since I assisted the members in learning their parts, I was the ideal person for the job. Today I am grateful for the love of music and for serving as choir director since 1990.

We pray before and after each rehearsal, invoking the Holy Spirit to use us and in thanksgiving for time together. We let the Spirit fill and lift us as we lift up the name of Jesus. When we sing, know that the music not only ministers to those in the congregation but to us as well; therefore, you may see someone in the choir lift and wave their hand, begin crying, continuously smiling, or clapping their hands. This witness is the Lord having His way with our spontaneous response to the music that we are singing.

The songs are selected after praying, reading the Holy Scripture associated for Mass that day, and asking the Holy Spirit to lead. I believe all sacred, holy music be it gospel, spiritual, or traditional song is conducive to prayer. Your prayer life coupled with life experiences help propel you to a higher calling.

I tell the choir, “If we bring nothing, we get nothing. So, we must bring a willing spirit to let God use us.” Jude 1:20 – 21 says, “But you dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of your Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” Our destination is to have eternal life with God, so we continue building our faith and invoking the Holy Spirit to fill us and use us to do the work in building God’s kingdom through our prayer in song.

I believe that Gospel music is transformative. It speaks to individuals as much as it lifts the person or Church to a higher level of worship through praise. The Lead Me Guide Me Hymnal explains that “It lifts the church people to a higher understanding, feeling, motivation and participation.” I remember a night at choir rehearsal years ago where the singing, clapping and praise would not stop. That choir rehearsal went on for four hours. Members were brought to tears of joy and rejoicing. The Spirit was present and transformed our experience from just a rehearsal to a prayer service of thanksgiving and

praise. This same level of worship and praise can be witnessed on any given Sunday in the Mass. By God’s grace, those that visit St. Luke say that they can feel the Spirit and sense something different about their visit from the minute they open the door.

I personally listen to Gospel/sacred music every day. I wake every morning with a scripture reading, devotion, and prayer with a song in my heart. I believe we all have that one song that stays in our hearts. Every Sunday morning you can hear music playing and voices ringing out in song in my home. This is my preparation for entering God’s sanctuary. I ask Him to prepare me to be His sanctuary – ready to hear His word, lift up praise, receive His Holy Body, and give Him that authentic praise of thanksgiving as I witness in Spirit and in Truth.

This Easter, start with a prayer and invite the Spirit to come and fill you, to use you. Then, be attune to what the Spirit gives you-- a word, a phrase, or a scripture. Read it and mediate. Then begin even if it is just a song of thanks, for example, “Thank you Lord.” Even a simple song of prayer can lift you and bring you into a deeper encounter with the Holy Spirit. I love to listen to music as I meditate and trust and know that God will provide everything I need to be fully submerged to receive His spirit. Singing your prayer can only deepen your encounter.

“

GOSPEL MUSIC, IN PARTICULAR, BREATHES LIFE INTO ITS LISTENERS, OFFERING REFRESHMENT, ENCOURAGEMENT, CONSOLATION, AND SUSTENANCE. ”

WHAT DOES THE RESURRECTION MEAN FOR YOUR LIFE? Q+A WHAT DOES THE RESURRECTION MEAN FOR YOUR LIFE? Q+A

SR. ARACELY LOBATON, MISSIONARY OF THE SACRED HEARTS OF JESUS AND MARY, M.C.S.H.

WE CANNOT REMAIN SILENT, WE MUST GO OUT AND ANNOUNCE THIS GREAT NEWS TO THOSE WE MEET.

The Resurrection of Jesus is the greatest and most awaited event in the history of salvation. It is the event that embraced both those who preceded Jesus, as beautifully mentioned in the Office of Readings of Holy Saturday, those who lived in Jesus’ time and us who have been baptized. Therefore, this fact, so important for all humanity and for me, implies three very important things.

First, the Resurrection of Jesus has illuminated our existence, conquering sin and death and giving meaning to all our human frailty. In numerous writings, the Resurrection of Jesus has been compared to the light and the sun that illuminate the darkness, and indeed it is so. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to wait for the sunrise near the sea, and while I was waiting for it, doubts and fear arose in my mind as I observed in the darkness that an object on the shore was moving. I thought that it could be a shark or something similar. However, when the sun came up and gave clarity my doubt and fear disappeared when I realized that it was simply a stick pointing to a certain point in the sea. It enlightens me greatly to think of the Resurrection of Jesus as that light that illuminates our whole life, giving certainty that after darkness comes light, after death comes resurrection.

Second, it is the invitation to live a new life, to take a step further in my process of configuration with Christ, to give signs that the Resurrection of Jesus has affected my life. During Easter time, I like to contemplate all those people to whom Jesus appeared after His Resurrection, Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, the disciples of Emmaus. In this contemplation I realize that after their encounter with the risen Jesus they are not the same. Therefore, I believe that before the experience of the Resurrection we cannot remain indifferent, we are invited to live a new life. I faithfully believe that it is by the power of the Resurrection that I can forgive, I can give of myself without expecting anything in return because Jesus is truly risen, I can love in beautiful moments and in difficult moments because Jesus is risen.

Third, as a consequence of the two points mentioned above is to go out of ourselves and share this experience of the Resurrection with others. As a witness of the Resurrection, we cannot remain silent, we must go out and announce this great news to those we meet. This announcement must be with my words, the joy, and the manifestation of a new life, it is to announce that Jesus is risen and lives in me.

Happy Easter!

REID ANDREW STANLEY, CENTRAL CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY

The fist word that comes to my mind is BRAVE. Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead. What Jesus went through required faith and bravery along the entire way.

Jesus’ Resurrection has given me and others a life of opportunities to grow in faith. We have sacraments and prayers to live by. One sacrament I feel strongly about is the Sacrament of Penance. Knowing I can go to confession and be freed from my sins is like being resurrected in my faith.

The Resurrection influences me in many of my day-today actions. I have learned and continue to learn that nothing is impossible with having God by my side. I try and live my life like a disciple of Christ. I keep a rosary always close by and on my nightstand. My kindergarten teacher always taught us about the rosary and for that I am grateful. My St. Andrew medal is worn around my neck, and I enjoy being an altar server at school and weekend Masses. All of these things remind me that I can turn to Jesus and stay strong in my faith like Jesus did during the Resurrection.

In conclusion, I am influenced by Jesus’ Resurrection and know there is hope and life after death. On Earth, we want to be like Jesus, serve God, and create a pathway to heaven. I want to use the story of the Resurrection to show others how to be like Jesus and His disciples. The Resurrection was truly a miracle. I know and believe in miracles because of what Jesus did for all of us.

I KNOW AND BELIEVE IN MIRACLES BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS DID FOR ALL OF US. ” “

HIS RESURRECTION REMINDS ME THAT HE IS WHO HE CLAIMED TO BE, AND IT GIVES ME UNWAVERING CONFIDENCE THAT HE LOVES ME. ” “

CHRIS JACKSON, ST. JOSEPH CO-CATHEDRAL

The fist thing I think about when asked about Jesus’ Resurrection is summed up in 1 Corinthians 15:54 “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” I think that this miracle gives us hope and gives us a higher purpose knowing that we will have eternal life with Him. I think there are times in life where some of us struggle to fid meaning. The Resurrection of Jesus continues to be one of the things that fills our lives with joy.

It is quite literally THE answer to all questions. Jesus has defeated death, and He has proven that He is the Son of God. In my mind it is the most important event to ever happen.

John 3:16 , possibly the most popular verse in the Bible, also touches upon this sacrifice. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus gave us eternal life by rising from the dead.

Jesus’ Resurrection means all these things and more to me. It gives us hope, purpose and the promise of eternal life. His Resurrection reminds me that He is who He claimed to be, and it gives me unwavering confidence that He loves me.

RITA GERNON

lives in Thibodaux with her husband Roch, where they are parishioners at St. Thomas Aquinas and enjoy sharing good coffee with good friends. Rita works for Echo Community, a non-profitorganization with a mission to spread the Gospel through the lens of the Theology of the Body. Rita is also a recording artist and worship leader, though at the time of this publication she is on sabbatical from music to rest and refocus with the Lord

It’s easy to pity Thomas the Apostle. One documented account of a moment of doubt, and we’ve stuck him with the nickname “Doubting Thomas.” We’re so confident that we would have believed Jesus rose from the dead after we watched Him die.

I think of Thomas and his story– his disbelief, his doubt, his wrestling, and it brings me hope. Here’s a man who walked with Jesus in the flesh for three years as His apostle and watched Him perform countless miracles; yet he struggles to believe the news that Jesus rose from the dead because he hasn’t seen Jesus with his own eyes.

If I’m honest with myself, I’m more prone to skepticism than I care to admit. I struggle to believe my cashier at the grocery store is going to ring up my produce right, so believing that Jesus rose from the dead would be quite the stretch for me too. I fid myself in good company with Thomas. But his wrestling alone isn’t what gives me hope, it’s Jesus’ patience with him.

Let’s go back to that story. It’s Easter Sunday and Jesus has risen from the dead. He appears to the disciples, but for reasons we’re not aware, Thomas isn’t present. Those who were there tell him the whole story - that Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead and visited them! And he’s just supposed to what - believe them?

His response isn’t that far off from what mine would have been: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands and put my figer into the nail marks and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)

And then a week goes by. A week of Thomas wrestling with the question, “Could it be true?” The wave of emotions Thomas must have experienced - unbelief, despair, sadness… all things we have experienced. Of course, we know now in hindsight that Christ had truly risen, but if we put ourselves in Thomas’ shoes, we would see and understand his hesitation.

When Thomas fially sees the Risen Lord, Jesus meets him - and all his questions, all his doubts, all his wrestling, all his fears - with such patience and gentleness. Jesus invites Thomas to “put your figer here and see My hands and bring your hand and put it into My side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” (v. 27)

This is good news for us. Thomas’ story reveals that Jesus is patient with us as we journey with Him. It’s okay that our experience of the Resurrection takes time. It’s okay if on Easter Sunday morning, we struggle to tangibly experience the hope the day brings. Jesus is so patient.

THE PATIENCE OF CHRIST

LESSONS FROM DOUBTING THOMAS

FIND HERE THE ANSWER FOR ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS, THE HEALING FOR ALL OF YOUR HURTING, THE FULFILLMENT OF ALL OF YOUR DESIRES. ” “

Jesus invites Thomas, who struggled to believe, to a level of intimacy we don’t hear Him offer to the other apostles - to enter into His resurrected wounds. Caravaggio’s painting of “The Incredulity of Saint Thomas” illustrates this moment beautifully. In the masterpiece, we see that, with Thomas’ permission, Jesus guides his hand into the wound marks. It’s as if Jesus says, “Find here the faith for your unbelief, the hope for your despair, the joy for your sadness, the mercy for your offenses, the peace for your unrest. Find here the answer for all of your questions, the healing for all of your hurting, the fulfillment of all of your desires.”

And what is Thomas’ response to all of this?

“My Lord and My God!” (v. 28 ) In receiving the invitation into Christ’s wounds, his eyes are opened, and the deepest wonder fills his being!

Friends, what doubts are burdening you today?

Where is the wrestling? Where is trusting Jesus difficult? Just because we’ve entered the Easter season, doesn’t mean all our problems disappear. But like Thomas, Jesus invites us - right where we are, with all that we bring - to enter into His resurrected wounds, a place of deep intimacy.

And how do we do that? We make the time and the space in our lives for honest conversation with the Lord in prayer. We don’t have to hide our fears and doubts from Him. When we bring those questions and concerns to Him, the light of His love will illuminate every darkness. And in the same way that Jesus guided Thomas’ hand into the wound marks, He will guide you and teach you to receive Him as he says, “Find here all that you need.”

AS THE FIRST WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION, MARY MAGDALENE’S FAITH WAS AFFIRMED, AND HER MISSION AS AN EVANGELIST WAS IGNITED. “

The journey to sainthood is not a competition within our human family. There is no gold, silver, or bronze prize. Either we have done the work to accept Christ fully into our lives, or we have not. However, there are a few saints, like St. Mary Magdalene who exude excellence in their example of discipleship with Christ.

At the heart of Mary Magdalene’s story lies a message of devotion to Christ. A common misconception of Mary Magdalene is that she was a prostitute. Modern biblical scholars agree this is not true. Despite these historical misinterpretations, the Gospels do reveal her to be a woman who experienced a great transformation at the hands of Jesus. Women in this time were traditionally named in connection to a male relative such as a husband, father, or sibling. Her name indicates that she was a woman from the fihing village of Magdala in Galilee with no wellknown relatives in the early Christian community. Luke’s Gospel (8:1-3 ) is our fist encounter with Mary Magdalene where he includes her in a list of women and men who have been following Jesus throughout His public ministry. Freed from seven demons, she emerged from darkness into the light of Christ’s love, embodying the possibility of redemption for all who seek it. In her story, we can fid solace in the boundless mercy of God and the transformative power of encountering Christ. Mary Magdalene is changed in a powerful way by her relationship with Christ.

The word disciple comes from the Greek word “mathetes” from the word “mathaìno” the verb meaning “to learn.” Disciples are “learners” or “students” of Christ and Mary Magdalene is a great example of this reality. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, Mary Magdalene stood as a loyal disciple, unwavering in her devotion. She is also known in the scriptures to be one of the women who funded Jesus’ ministry, by providing Him and the Twelve “out of her means.” (Lk 8:3 ) She followed Him even to the foot of the Cross, bearing witness to His suffering and death with courage and compassion. In this act of solidarity, she exemplified the essence of discipleship—to stand by the Lord in times of trial and adversity, even when all hope seemed lost. Then, her presence at the tomb on that fateful morning, heart heavy with grief, turned to overwhelming joy as she beheld the risen Christ. As the fist witness to the Resurrection, Mary Magdalene’s faith was affied, and her mission as an evangelist was ignited.

Mary Magdalene’s role as the primary herald of the Resurrection underscores the central tenet of Christianity- the victory of life over death. She was rewarded for her loyalty to Christ, rewarded with an encounter with the risen Christ. Mary proves to have learned well from Christ, as she immediately runs to tell the others what she has seen. In her proclamation of the Good News, we fid inspiration to embrace the reality of Christ’s triumph over sin and death, and to share that message with boldness and conviction.

Moreover, Mary Magdalene’s example is a challenge to us to embody discipleship in our own lives. Her unwavering commitment to Jesus serves as a beacon of light in a world often overshadowed by doubt and fear. In her courage, we can fid the strength to persevere in our faith journey, knowing that we walk in the footsteps of someone who faced adversity with unwavering resolve.

The life of St. Mary Magdalene offers us an example of holiness and discipleship. Her journey from darkness to light, her unwavering loyalty to Jesus, and her proclamation of the Resurrection inspire believers to embrace repentance, forgiveness, and evangelization. As we reflect on the legacy of Mary Magdalene, may we be emboldened to walk the path of discipleship with courage, faith, and devotion.

GROWING IN VIRTUE virtue

JUSTICE

As Catholics, we believe that the source of any capacity for righteousness ultimately comes from God and the grace He offers to us. When we act upon this grace consistently, more disposing ourselves to receiving that grace, we build up a habit of goodness. Going forward, this makes it easier to continue using that grace. We refer to this habit built over time as virtue.

Virute ethics in the Catholic Tradition joins Scriptural revelation to the Classical model of ethics developed by the early Western Civilizations, particularly the Greeks. Individual virtues are often grouped systematically into two categories: Theological and Cardinal (a.k.a. Human). The Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity are complete gifts from God to be received each to our own measure. The Cardinal Virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance are where we can practice and develop proficiencies over time, often serving as four larger categories under which other virtues are grouped. These virtues are practical in their nature, and the Early Church Fathers such as Augustine and John Chrysostom did much to develop our understanding of what scripture already reveals to us about living a good life.

Justice in particular is often the broadest used term of the four, and thus often loses any practical meaning in our day-to-day lives. Compounding this with the culture around us and its disdain for the proper use and mastery of language, words like justice take on meanings that are totally di fferent from the underlying term. To start discussing Justice, it is helpful to begin with one of the more accessible places the Church has provided for answers: the Catechism.

Justice is defi ned as ‘the moral virtue that consists in the constant and fi rm will to give their due to God and neighbor.’ (CCC 1807) It is common to group the virtue of Religion under Justice, as it is just to give God His due via praise and thanksgiving (worship, CCC 2135 ). The word ‘justice’ comes from the very ancient word iustus, composed of the roots ius (meaning either ‘of life’, or ‘upright/accuracy’) and stus (‘being provided or endowed with’). As such, Justice means literally ‘the condition of being upright or correct’.

As a practical virtue, Justice is the practice of doing to others what is ‘fair’ or ‘owed to them’. Examples include paying back a debt to someone who assisted in a time of need, or honoring/supporting those who contributed to raising us when they reach old age. Frequently, it is easy to write offsimple interactions with others as meaningless and insigni ficant in the grand scheme of Salvation History. However, our God is a God who does not forget even the hairs on our heads (Luke 12:4-7). Every person whom we meet presents an opportunity to love and treat as we would have others treat us, and Justice demands that we give them their due. Our actions have consequences, and this should be a sign of Hope and not discouragement! Our God sees each of us in a unique, personal, way and actively works all throughout time for our good. Virtues like Justice are our small, yet valued, participation in that glory of the next life here in this one.

During this Easter season, we contemplate Jesus making things right through His Life, Su ffering, Death and Resurrection. Jesus met us in our sin, when we had forgotten the many covenants made with His Father and promises committed over and over throughout history. Where Divine Justice demanded fair consequences for actions warned against, Jesus ful fi lled this debt on our behalf, and in doing so showed us another side of Justice that only God could: Mercy.

May we endeavor this Easter season to treat others with love and mercy, dealing justly with our neighbors as well as our ‘enemies’. For: ‘Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.’ (Luke 6:38)

DAVID BREERWOOD

is a Financial Analyst for Grand Isle Shipyard (GIS). He, his wife Annie, and their son Lewis live in Thibodaux and are parishioners at St. Bridget.

“ EVERY PERSON WHOM WE MEET PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOVE AND TREAT AS WE WOULD HAVE OTHERS TREAT US.

”

RESCUING THE RIGHTEOUS:

UNDERSTANDING CHRIST’S DESCENT INTO HELL

In the Apostles Creed, we profess that Christ “descended into Hell.” We ponder this mystery on Holy Saturday, but what does it mean that Christ “descended into Hell”? What is this “Hell?” Who was there? And why is it important to recall, even today, that we believe this? This article seeks to follow what is passed on to us in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) in paragraph numbers 631-637 . This brief exploration will only scratch the surface of this mystery of our salvation, but it will give us a meditative, prayerful gaze for the Easter season.

FR. MATTHEW PROSPERIE

is a priest for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. He is currently serving as parochial vicar at St. Hilary Poitiers in Mathews.

How do we know that Christ descended into Hell? As Dr. Brant Pitre notes in his “Sunday Mass Readings Explained” series, we know it happened because it is in Scripture. For just one of the Scriptural examples that Pitre cites, we can look to 1 Peter 4:18, which says that Christ descended into the “prison” of the dead. Of course, this prison refers to Hell. But, is this the same Hell that we speak of today? Not exactly. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 633 notes that this prison had different sections in it. That is, in this one and the same “prison,” some souls were “damned,” while others were in the “bosom of Abraham,” as Jesus’ parable about the rich man and Lazarus illustrates in Luke 16:22-26 . Obviously, the Hell we speak of today has no righteous souls in it, but why was this not the case from the beginning?

Put simply, before Christ’s death, we could not enter Heaven because it wasn’t a choice available to us, even for those who wanted to be with God. Why? Because we had been exiled from Paradise because of the Fall! This is the tragedy of Adam and Eve’s sin. But after Christ’s death, and through His descent into Hell and Ascension into Heaven, Christ gave humanity a choice we simply didn’t have before.

So, then, the righteous desired and hoped for Jesus, though they didn’t know Him. Their glory in life was their faith, hoping for someone they couldn’t yet see. They were like the wise virgins, watching during the long night for the desire of their soul, waiting for the Heavenly “bridegroom.” When they saw Him, they knew it was Him, heard His voice, and went to Him like sheep to their shepherd. Beautiful!

So, now, Hell is a place where only the damned are, because those who were righteous were liberated from their exile by Christ. Who were some of these righteous souls? Adam and Eve, to name just two, were among them. In fact, you might have seen a famous icon of Christ holding them by the hands and hoisting them up out of the crag-hole of Hell. It is hard to fully imagine the drama and beauty of this moment. The sinless Son of sinful Adam and Eve, saving them! But who else was there? Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, Rahab, David and Solomon, also would have been there. The Maccabean martyrs could also be

named, as well as Lazarus, the imaginary figure who Jesus Himself spoke of. Certainly, imagining all these souls meeting Christ is worth our time, and will help us appreciate the tension of hope which was fially fulfilled on Holy Saturday.

But what more can we say about the relevance of this tenet of our faith today? We can think of at least two good reasons. The fist reason is that it shows how God, in Jesus, perfects and redeems all salvation history. God did not just use the patriarchs and prophets as an on-ramp to His plan of salvation, and then discard them when He no longer needed them. Rather, God allowed them to see the fulfillment of what they prepared for when He went to them in their prison.

The second reason is the personal meditation it allows. It is one thing to understand the dogma and it is another to celebrate it. We are meant to live off the joy of these dogmas, not merely profess them. For that reason, I will zoom in on one person in particular, David, so that we can enjoy these dramatic encounters more deeply.

David, of course, had sadly fallen into the infidelity of lust. Given the charge of the kingdom, David ended up sacrificing one of his general’s lives in order to cover up the sin of his lust. He lived to repent of this with tears, because he knew it would affect not only him, but also his kingdom, forever. So we can imagine the fallen and contrite king David watching Christ from his prison of Hell, as Jesus lived as the true king that David never could fid it in himself to be. David truly loved the kingdom, but was also weak, and his failures caused him to hurt those he loved. So David watched with joy as, one by one, Jesus filled up the holes that his own sins had caused in the fabric of the kingdom of God. And so, all the more, David rejoiced when this Lord, who while He lived reversed the effects of his own faults and failures as a king, then came to Hell, to redeem not only the fallen kingdom, but the fallen king himself! Jesus had come not to replace David, but to redeem him! Is there anything more beautiful?

To conclude, then, in the Apostles Creed, we profess that Jesus “descended into Hell.” Packed in those three words is a day filled with countless encounters as powerful as any of Jesus’ most dramatic encounters with sinners that are recorded in Scripture. Jesus had met all kinds of sinners before; but when He descended into Hell, He would meet the original sources of humanity’s broken relationship with God. Thus, He accomplished His saving mission, saving even those through whom He had begun it, and letting rebound on them, the very grace that they laid the foundation for, though imperfectly and often sinfully.

HE ACCOMPLISHED HIS SAVING MISSION, SAVING EVEN THOSE THROUGH WHOM HE HAD BEGUN IT, AND LETTING REBOUND ON THEM, THE VERY GRACE THAT THEY LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR, THOUGH IMPERFECTLY AND OFTEN SINFULLY.

EASTER

GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS

Break the box and shed the nard;

Stop not now to count the cost;

Hither bring pearl, opal, sard;

Reck not what the poor have lost;

Upon Christ throw all away:

Know ye, this is Easter Day.

Build His church and deck His shrine, Empty though it be on earth;

Ye have kept your choicest wine—

Let it flow or heavenly mirth;

Pluck the harp and breathe the horn:

Know ye not ‘tis Easter morn?

Gather gladness from the skies;

Take a lesson from the ground;

Flowers do ope their heavenward eyes

And a Spring-time joy have found; Earth throws Winter’s robes away, Decks herself for Easter Day.

Beauty now for ashes wear, Perfumes for the garb of woe, Chaplets for disheveled hair, Dances for sad footsteps slow; Open wide your hearts that they Let in joy this Easter Day.

Seek God’s house in happy throng; Crowded let His table be; Mingle praises, prayer, and song, Singing to the Trinity.

Henceforth let your souls always Make each morn an Easter Day.

LOVE AS WARM AS TEARS

C.S. LEWIS

Love’s as warm as tears, Love is tears:

Pressure within the brain, Tension at the throat, Deluge, weeks of rain, Haystacks aflot, Featureless seas between Hedges, where once was green Love’s as fiece as fire, Love is fire:

All sorts–Infernal heat

Clinkered with greed and pride, Lyric desire, sharp-sweet, Laughing, even when denied, And that empyreal flme Whence all loves came.

Love’s as fresh as spring,

Love is spring:

Bird-song in the air, Cool smells in a wood, Whispering “Dare! Dare!”

To sap, to blood, Telling “Ease, safety, rest, Are good; not best.”

Love’s as hard as nails,

Love is nails:

Blunt, thick, hammered through The medial nerves of One Who, having made us, knew The thing He had done, Seeing (what all that is) Our cross, and His.

no body

CHRIST HAS NO BODY

ST. THERESA OF AVILA

Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which He looks Compassion on this world,

Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are His body.

Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on this world.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

LIFE WITH CHRIST

INSPIRED BY TRADITION: ALTAR SERVERS AND THE BEAUTY OF THE MASS

MICHAEL ROBICHAUX

EVAN ADAMS

JACKSON TAYLOR

A personal encounter with Christ should always elicit a desire for service of others. For Evan Adams, Jackson Taylor, and Michael Robichaux, their journey as disciples has been enriched by a love of the Mass, cultivated through their ministry as altar servers.

While each young man began his journey at a local level either at his parish or his school, they came together in the formation of a ministry as Pontifical Servers. Fr. Rusty Bruce explained that the desire to have this designated group of altar servers is inherent to the Church for celebrating diocesan liturgy– a special Mass where the bishop and faithful are present known as a “stational Mass.” The Ceremonial of Bishops, a liturgical book that instructs ministers in how to best carry out a stational Mass, states that these celebrations with the bishop should “serve as a model for the entire diocese and be shining examples of active participation by the people” (12).

Fr. Bruce said, “To make our stational Mass the model to hold up for the diocese, I knew we needed to form a core group of dedicated individuals who were of the diocese and able to carry out the best liturgical practices to be an example for other places of worship throughout the diocese.” He envisioned this role to be particularly filled with young men as has always been the tradition of the Church, in hopes of fostering more priestly vocations within our diocese. This desire was close to the heart of the late Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville who Fr. Bruce said whole heartedly supported the idea right away. According to Fr. Bruce, the fist choice for this role is a seminarian, but they are not always available due to their commitment at seminary. The term “pontifical servers” describes their service of pontifical, or stational Masses with the bishop.

While most bishops choose to celebrate the majority of their stational Masses at their cathedral church, Bishop Dorsonville had a desire to visit as many parishes as possible which brought Fr. Bruce into contact with many of the servers who are dedicated to their respective parishes and schools. He said, “The young men who serve now have been selected based on their proven commitment and disposition in serving reverently the Holy Mass. These men love the Lord and the liturgy.”

THESE MEN LOVE THE LORD AND THE LITURGY. ”

Pontifical Servers at the Funeral Mass of Bishop Dorsonville

Michael, a senior at E.D. White, has been serving since he was young and over time has gained a deeper understanding of the Mass. He said, “I always wanted to know why the priest was doing certain things which gave me a level of focus that helped me fall in love with the Mass and the faith.”

Evan Adams, a junior at Vandebilt, who has also been serving from a young age, said, “A reverent and traditional Mass makes it feel like no time has passed since the days of the early Christians. There’s a whole feel of mysticism that’s completely drawn me in, wanting to learn more about it.” He’s convicted that the beauty of Catholic tradition, particularly the Mass, is enough to win over anyone who will give it a chance.

Altar serving has enhanced their love of the Mass, and for Jackson Taylor, a senior at E.D. White, the training he underwent ahead of beginning this ministry has encouraged more frequent reception of the sacrament of Reconciliation. He said, “I’ve been going to confession about once a week now and being in a state of grace has helped me feel closer to God and more comfortable serving at the altar.”

Reflecting on his interactions with the servers, Fr. Bruce emphasized the profound relational aspect of their service, echoing Bishop Dorsonville’s commitment to fostering meaningful connections within the faith community. He said, “From his very fist meeting with them, Bishop Dorsonville committed to learning everything about them. He joked with them in the sacristy, easing their nerves ahead of liturgies.”

Michael recalled his fist interaction with Bishop Dorsonville, at Mass on Holy Thursday of 2023 , where Michael was chosen to have his feet washed. He said, “When I fist made eye contact with him, I felt the Holy Spirit rush over me. It was like seeing Jesus Christ in front of me, a truly humbling experience that made me share the sentiment of the apostles, “why are you washing my feet?” Bishop Dorsonville’s sincerity and reverence in that moment gave Michael a new found understanding of priests acting “in persona Christi.”

This experience of reverence and sincerity was also prevalent to the young men in the way Bishop Dorsonville celebrated the Mass. Jackson said, “It was a beautiful thing to see his joy in joking around before and after Mass, but when it came to Jesus Christ and what he was doing on the altar, he was the most serious man in the room.”

Bishop Dorsonville’s passion for vocations resonated deeply with Evan, inspiring him to pray fervently for an increase in priestly vocations.

Michael and Fr. Mitch at Bishop Dorsonville’s burial site.

Jackson serving at Bishop Dorsonville’s Funeral Mass.

Michael understood Bishop Dorsonville’s passion. As a witness to the intense preparation of the details of a reverent Mass, he developed an appreciation for the priesthood and a sense of urgency to increase vocations. He said, “They’re letting Christ use their bodies, laying down their lives for Christ and His Church. And without them, we can’t receive Him as fully as He wants us to.”

The demands of preparation for sacred liturgies are not lost on Jackson either who said, “Priests work tirelessly and often don’t get enough credit. They’re human with their own struggles but witnessing their dedication has strengthened my faith.”

Fr. Bruce said, “This experience convinced me even more that liturgy matters. It has been a joy to work with these young men and see them grow with each practice and liturgy served together.”

Evan, Jackson and Michael share a desire to see more lay participation which they believe enhances the communal experience of our faith. Evan said, “The beauty of what the Church’s sacred liturgies have to offer is not something you see anywhere else. This heightened experience of the Mass, the extra sacredness requires the right amount of servers and overall participation.”

“We have a parish for a reason, so whatever your talents are, be it lecturing, commentating or altar serving, we can all contribute to a really beautiful celebration,” said Michael.

Fr. Bruce said, “The way we worship God matters. Giving fittig praise to God has the power to change hearts and sanctify us.” As we embrace the redemption and mission offered to us by Christ this Easter, may the example of dedication and commitment of these young men serve as inspiration to follow their footsteps on the path of faith and service.

“THE WAY WE WORSHIP GOD MATTERS.”

Pontifical Servers at the Funeral Mass of Bishop Dorsonville

PHOTO ESSAY:

FUNERAL RITES OF BISHOP MARIO E. DORSONVILLE

THE DIOCESE HELD FUNERAL RITES FOR MOST REVEREND MARIO E. DORSONVILLE ON JANUARY 31 AND FEBRUARY 1. PEOPLE CAME FROM ACROSS THE DIOCESE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF THIS GREAT SHEPHERD. OUR DIOCESAN FAMILY IS INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE FAITHFUL AT THESE FUNERAL RITES AND THE PARTICIPATION OF DIOCESAN STAFF, CHURCH PARISHES, SCHOOLS, AND MINISTRIES IN THE LITURGIES.

Knights of Columbus and pall bearers receive the hearse at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales during the Rite of Transfer on January 31, 2024.

Fr. Bruce, Director of the Office of Worship prepares the Missal for the fial prayers during the Rite of Transfer.

Stephen Kees, funeral director for Landry’s Funeral Home guides the pall bearers including Fr. Simon Peter, Fr. Patrick, Fr. Jay, Fr. Vicente, Fr. Stephen, Fr. John, Fr. Andre, and Fr. Eric as they process into the Cathedral with the casket.

Pall bearers escort Bishop Dorsonville’s remains to the foot of the altar to lie in state ahead of the Memorial Mass.

Chad Cheramie, Ethan Henry, and Fr. Mitch Semar lead the Rite of Transfer for Bishop Mario Dorsonville from Landry’s Funeral Home to his fial resting place of St. Joseph Co-Cathedral on February 1, 2024.

People from across the diocese line

Canal Street in Thibodaux during Bishop Dorsonville’s Rite of Transfer outside of St. Joseph Co-Cathedral.

Students from St. Joseph Elementary pray in the procession following Bishop Dorsonville during his Rite of Transfer.

Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville celebrates the Memorial Mass in honor of Bishop Dorsonville at the Cathedral of St. Francis the night before his Funeral Mass.

The Diocesan Choir chants evening prayer prior to the Memorial Mass.

Bishop Michael Fisher of Buffalo, a personal friend of Bishop Dorsonville, gives the homily for the Memorial Mass.

Knights of Columbus and Knights of Peter Claver stand guard as Bishop Dorsonville lies in state during his wake at St. Joseph CoCathedral.

Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans celebrates the Funeral Mass at St. Joseph CoCathedral.

Bill Barbera, CFO and Director of Administration for the diocese, reads the fist reading for the Funeral Mass.

Donald Cardinal Weurl of the Archdiocese of Washington, a personal friend of Bishop Dorsonville, gives the homily for the Funeral Mass.

Fr. Simon Peter Engurait, Diocesan Administrator, gives fial remarks of gratitude before the fial blessing at the Funeral Mass.

The Diocesan Choir sings hymns of praise and thanksgiving at the Funeral Mass.

Wilton Cardinal Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington, a personal friend of Bishop Dorsonville, incenses the casket before the procession to the gravesite.

The congregation gathers around the gravesite to pray together the Burial Rite lead by Donald Cardinal Weurl.

Archbishop Shelton Fabre blesses the casket as he pays his fial respects to his successor, Bishop Dorsonville.

EVERYDAY

HOLINESS

THIBODAUX VOLUNTEER FIREMEN EXPERIENCE CHRISTIAN FRATERNITY

HOW HAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE TVFD ENHANCED YOUR CATHOLIC FAITH?

JAY: Being a member of Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department (TVFD) has given me the opportunity to be a part of an organization that has become like a second family to me and to serve to our neighbors within the community, sharing my faith with others within the department and in the community at large.

GRANT: When I started going to calls, I realized that we respond to the worst day of some people’s lives. My strong Catholic faith allows me to see purpose even in the darkest moments of service.

JIMMY: Learning more about the TVFD’s longtime devotion to St. Valerie has enhanced my faith in a special way. The solemn procession around church with the relic of St Valerie every year around her feast day, gives us a chance to reflect on our history with St. Valerie. Her relic was one of the few items saved from the burning church in 1916. She is considered the Patroness of Thibodaux. Each year we attend a Fireman’s Mass the week before the annual fair. This reminds me of the faith and trust we have in each other every time the pager goes off calling us to serve the community.

JAY DANOS, GRANT DUPATY, AND JIMMY LEDET

are all members of the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department. Jay has been a member of Bowie Fire Co #1 for seven years, Grant has been a member of Fire Co # 1 for two and a half years, and Jimmy has been a member of Bowie Fire Co for six and a half years.

IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU BELIEVE THE VALUES AND TEACHINGS OF YOUR FAITH ALIGN WITH THE PRINCIPLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES UPHELD BY THE TVFD?

JAY: As Jesus tells us in the Gospel, “…whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” As fiefighters, we often serve others when they are experiencing their lowest and most difficult moments. I believe it is in these moments we can serve Jesus by caring for those who are sick, dying, and in need. We can serve Him not just in emergency situations but at any time, whether its installing smoke detectors for the needy, teaching children about fie prevention in the schools, or helping another TVFD member in a time of need.

GRANT: Love of community is most profound to me. Our Catholic faith doesn’t just call us to live in community but to serve one another and you can see this very clearly played out in the TVFD.

JIMMY: Helping others, helping someone you don’t know, only because it is what we signed up for is similar to the way Christ was asked by many during his life on earth to help them in their time of need. Answering the call is the way Jesus would want us to live our lives.

DO YOU SEE PARALLELS BETWEEN TVFD SERVICE AND SACRIFICE AND CATHOLIC TEACHINGS ON SELFLESSNESS AND COMPASSION?

JAY: The motto of Bowie Fire Company is “Service Above Self.” This motto is displayed on the side of the fie engine as a reminder that both as a Catholic and as a fiefighter, I’m called to lay down my life for others. We must give to others without counting the cost, even when that means being woken up at 3:00 a.m. to respond to a house on fie.

GRANT: Christ loved through deeds, the biggest of all was the sacrifice of His own life to save ours. Much like Christ we are loving people through service. Any time we enter a burning building we must be ok with the possibility of sacrificing ourselves for anybody that might be in that building.

JIMMY: Being a member of the TVFD is the ultimate community service! As we are all volunteers, we sacrifice our time at home with our families to help protect the lives and property of our community. Being away from family also requires that other family members be a part of that service by faithfully supporting us as members of the TVFD.

HOW HAS BEING IN THE TVFD IMPACTED YOUR VIEW OF COMMUNITY AND YOUR BELIEFS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP?

JAY: One of my favorite parts about the fie department is the fraternity among the members. When you join, you become part of a family. As fiefighters, we have to trust each other with our lives. This forms a bond within the department. I know that the fiefighter behind me has my back, whether it’s going into a house on fie or in day-today aspects of life.

GRANT: The community of the TVFD is much more like a family. There have been plenty of times where my brothers and sisters of TVFD go out of their way to help me in my personal and professional life. I have been able to shadow Dr. Justin Tenney and Dr. Brent Tatford who are both in the TVFD which has allowed me to grow in my goals in medicine.

JIMMY: The Fireman’s Fair is a great example of this, growing tremendously these past several years. People from the community (now beyond just Thibodaux) come out and support the TVFD for four days. Their stewardship in spending money at the fair brings all of us together in a special way. We would not be the TVFD today without the fair – both fiancially and spiritually. Members come together to put on this event in ways that continually amaze me, and experiencing the community support lets us feel the solid relationship with our community.

DO YOU SEE YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE TVFD AS A FORM OF MINISTRY OR A WAY TO LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH? HOW HAS THIS MANIFESTED IN YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE?

JAY: I believe the Lord has called me in a particular way to serve Him through being a member of TVFD. It has given me both the opportunity to serve Him by helping those in our community but also within my relationships with fellow members of the department.

GRANT: You are entering into the worst day of somebody’s life. In that moment we have the opportunity to allow those people to meet Christ through us and to love them as Christ does.

JIMMY: I joined the TVFD at 58, unlike most that join when they turn 18. (Many families have had members for generations dating back over 100 years.) I was looking for something to get involved with as the chapter of my life as a civil engineer was coming to an end. The new Acadia Station is near my home and as it turns out the gentleman who took care of Acadia had just passed away leaving the station in need of leadership. God’s hand must have been involved as at that very time I joined the TVFD along with my son. And just a few months after joining I was appointed Captain of Acadia Station. My involvement has added so much to my life. It is a way to serve my community and allows me many opportunities to carry out the principle of my faith.

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE TVFD LED TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN YOUR FAITH JOURNEY?

JAY: Being a member of TVFD has helped me reflect more on being grateful for God’s gifts in my life. Some examples are the close friendships I have with members in the department, the community’s support and generosity towards the TVFD, and the privilege to help others in need.

GRANT: There are plenty of times where I’ve had to ask myself why certain events have happened. In those tough moments where I didn’t understand, God was asking me to grow in trusting Him.

JIMMY: We see people at perhaps the worst time of their lives. When they have lost their property in a fie, or even worse when they have lost a loved one, it makes you think – what could we have done better to save that property or life? We have great equipment and wonderful people; we have been properly trained; we did the best we could - then we realize it is all in God’s hands. Every time the pager goes off, He is with us protecting us as we help others in their time of need.

SHARE MOMENTS THAT ILLUSTRATE

HOW YOUR TVFD INVOLVEMENT AND FAITH INTERSECT, AND INSPIRE YOU.

JAY: Members frequently come together for a Bible study, praying together with the Word of God and sharing how the Lord is working in each other’s lives. We also pray for the people we encounter in emergency situations. I believe that it is in the Lord’s providence that I am able to take the people I meet through responding to emergencies back to prayer throughout my day and ask the Lord to bless them, provide for them in times of loss, or for healing in times of sickness or injury.

GRANT: One day, dispatched to a medical call, I remember asking God to allow my hands and mind to be instruments for Him. As I began assessing a lady and her daughter, I remember having the feeling of a clear mind, reassuring this distraught mother that both she and her daughter were okay. After talking for a little bit and a couple of jokes the mother was laughing and she looked at me and said, “Sir, you are really good at your job.” Truthfully, I didn’t do that much, I was just there for her, trying to love her as Christ does.

JIMMY: Our annual Fireman’s Fair is an awesome event from Thursday through Sunday. It’s a very busy and hectic four days. Yet on Saturday afternoon, right in the middle of everything going on within the fairgrounds, we stop and have Mass in the float barn. We were honored this past year to have Bishop Dorsonville celebrate that mass to make it even more special. Afterwards, he was seen walking the fairgrounds for quite a while meeting people and enjoying the fair’s activities. He even came back the next day to see the auction! How blessed we were to have him with us. Then recently the TVFD was asked to take part in the procession taking Bishop Dorsonville’s body from Landry’s Funeral Home to St. Joseph Co-Cathedral. That day was a religious experience for me, especially proudly wearing my TVFD dress uniform for the procession and later in the day for the funeral. Knowing that the Bishop loved our fie department made this day very meaningful.

BEAU BOURGEOIS,

his wife Chelsi and their four children Teddy, Thomas, Rosie and Adaline are parishioners at St. Genevieve. Day-to-day, Beau works to carry on the meat market business built by his grandfather Lester Bourgeois.

This is a standard jambalaya recipe that we’ve perfected over the years. Two things make it special: 1) The quality of the ingredients, and 2) The cook. Last year we alternated cooking this jambalaya and pastalaya every Friday for our plate lunch at the market. Brett Rome, our back-ofhouse manager always cooks it and it’s a big hit.

HEAVENLY RECIPES:

SLAP YA MAMA JAMBALAYA SLAP YA MAMA JAMBALAYA

INGREDIENTS:

• 1lb Bourgeois Meat Market Smoked Sausage

• 1lb Bourgeois Meat Market Andouille

• 1lb Pork Stew Meat

• 5lb Bourgeois Meat Market “Jambalaya Chicken” (Seasoned, boneless, skinless chicken thighs) cut up

• 3 Big Yellow Onions (or 4 regular sized)

• 2 Green Bell Peppers

• 4 Ribs of celery

• 1 Bundle of Fresh Green Onions

• 1/2 a Bundle of Fresh Italian Parsley

• 1 Bulb of Fresh Garlic Peeled

• 2lb Parboiled Rice

• 2 Quarts of Chicken Stock

• Your Favorite All Purpose Seasoning Blend (Ex: Piyah, Tony’s etc)

• *OPTIONAL* Your Favorite Hot Sauce (I recommend Louisiana or Crystal)

• 1 Stick of Butter

• Cooking oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prep all your ingredients before beginning to cook. Dice up onions, bell peppers and celery ribs and place together in a bowl. Thinly slice smoke sausage and andouille and place together in a bowl. Cut up chicken thighs into about 1” cubes. Chop up green onions and parsley then place in a bowl together. Also, mince up garlic.

2. Crank on the heat to a medium high flame and put enough oil in the pot to cover the bottom.

3. Once the oil is heated up, add in your pork stew meat and stir it around so everything gets coated with the oil. Continue stirring every so often until pork starts to look crispy (About 10-15 minutes). Adjust fie if needed but don’t be afraid to let it stick a little (This is where you start building that dark jambalaya color).

4. Once pork is getting crispy, add in chicken and turn fie down to medium. Continue cooking down chicken and pork, until chicken is just about to start shredding (10-15 minutes).

5. Add in smoke sausage and andouille, cook until sausage gets crispy (10-15 minutes).

6. Once step 5 is achieved, remove meat from pot

and place it on to tray lined with paper towels. Then take out grease but leave just enough to brown your veggies.

7. Add in bowl of onion, bell pepper and celery and stir around a lot, scraping the bottom of your pot, getting all that flavor and color you built up from browning your meat. Keep your fie high until veggies start sticking, then lower to a low to med low fie. Stir as needed but not too often. A little sticking is what yah need cha. (20-30 minutes)

8. Once veggies are a nice muddy brown, add in butter, garlic, green onions and parsley. Stir often over a low fie until butter is melted (This step you don’t want sticking!).

9. Once butter is melted, add in chicken stock, seasoning to taste and hot sauce to taste (if desired). Stir around removing any little stuck pieces.

10. Crank up fie to high and bring liquid to a rolling boil.

11. Once boiling, add in rice and bring back to a boil, stirring often.

12. Once liquid returns to a boil, stir one more time, scraping bottom hard and put lid on pot. Count to 15 and cut fie immediately and don’t touch the lid or pot for 45 minutes.

13. Once the 45 minutes is up, remove lid and stir. Taste and season accordingly if needed.

14. Start serving!

BRANDIE TOUPS

lives in Thibodaux with her husband George. They are parishioners at St. Thomas Aquinas where Brandie also serves as the Business and Sacramental Records Manager.

This quick and easy to make dish reminds me of growing up in New Orleans where flavor is not crificed for time spent in community with family and friends. Ingredients were always available for an impromptu brunch or family gathering. I enjoy pairing this dish with assorted fresh fruit, drop biscuits and mimosas.

INGREDIENTS:

GRITS:

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups 2% milk

1/3 cup salted butter, cubed

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup uncooked old-fashioned grits

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

SHRIMP:

8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1 pound uncooked shrimp (36-40 per pound), peeled and deveined

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup trinity blend (onions, celery, green peppers)

2 tablespoons of butter

1/4 cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1/2 lemon juiced

4 green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, bring the stock, milk, butter, salt and pepper to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese until melted. Set aside and keep warm.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving 4 teaspoons drippings. Sauté garlic and trinity blend in the bacon drippings with butter until onions are almost transparent. Add shrimp, chicken stock, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice and cook until shrimp turn pink. Serve with grits and sprinkle with green onions.

THE REASON FOR REVIVAL

An encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist changed my life forever at 21 years old. I was raised Catholic. I received all my sacraments, but for some reason this was the fist time in my life I understood that Jesus, body, blood, soul, and divinity existed within that little sliver of unleavened bread. How did I miss that before? In all the CCD classes and sacramental prep courses, how had I not come to understand that the Eucharist was really Jesus?

I know that I’m not the only one who’s had an experience like this. A 2019 study by PEW Research Center revealed there are nearly 70 % of Catholics in the U.S. that don’t believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. That’s two-thirds of our Church! How did we get here? And what can we do to change a culture that has forgotten or has never known that the Eucharist is the Real Presence of Christ?

In 2022 , the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops launched The National Eucharistic Revival. This initiative was begun to reignite a devotion to the Eucharist and an understanding of the Church’s teachings. But what can we do here, in our local Church? What does “revival” look like on the bayous of South Louisiana?

Our diocese is rich with Catholic culture and devotion that spans back to the fist settlers of this area. The Mass and the Eucharist have been a priority since the very beginning. In our 39 church parishes across the diocese, there is a total of 139 Sunday Masses and at least a dozen Perpetual Adoration Chapels where our people can receive and adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. However, our Adoration Chapels have trouble scheduling adorers to be with Jesus 24/7 , and there’s an entire generation missing from the pews. What can we do?

It’s time for a revival. It’s time for each of us to reengage and devote ourselves once again to Christ and His Church. If we want to see a revival, to see the young people alive in their faith, if we want those who are lost to come back to Mass and to the sacraments, then we too must have hearts of conversion. This Easter, let’s recommit to Sunday Mass, let’s sign up for an hour or two of Adoration at our local perpetual Adoration chapel, let’s talk to others about the way spending time in front of the Eucharist is transforming our lives. This is not a hopeless generation. We are a people filled with hope and we can start a revival right here at home.

My life changed forever because one person shared the truth of the Catholic Church’s teaching on the Eucharist with me almost 10 years ago. Since then, I became a Catholic missionary, moved to south Louisiana, and have been working for the Church ever since. I’ve seen countless lives completely transformed in front of the Blessed Sacrament. I’ve witnessed the lost coming home and people who had never known Christ be welcomed into the Catholic Church. Not because of a national initiative, but because people like me and you spent time in Mass and Adoration praying that it would be so and sharing the Gospel with courage. May we, as one diocesan family, recommit ourselves to living lives devoted to the Eucharist, allowing Him to change us, so that we go out and change the world.

MAEGAN MARTIN is the Director of Communications for the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux.

For more information on the upcoming events surrounding The National Eucharistic Revival, including The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage coming through our diocese and The National Eucharistic Congress later this year, please visit htdiocese.org/eucharistic-revival. More information and details will be shared at a later date.

ADORATION CHAPELS ACROSS THE DIOCESE

Call the church parishes listed for specific tmes and after hours access

CATHEDRAL OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES, HOUMA | 24 HOURS

CHRIST THE REDEEMER, THIBODAUX | DAYTIME ACCESS

HOLY SAVIOR, LOCKPORT | DAYTIME ACCESS

OUR LADY OFTHE ISLE, GRAND ISLE | 24 HOURS

OUR LADY OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY, HOUMA | 24 HORS

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA, BAYOU BLACK | 24 HOURS

ST. BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS, HOUMA | 24 HOURS

ST. BRIDGET, SCHRIEVER | 24 HOURS

ST. HILARY OF POITIERS, MATHEWS | 24 HOURS

ST. JOSEPH, CHAUVIN | 24 HOURS

Our Lady of Prompt Succor Chapel

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS, THIBODAUX | 24 HOURS

Two Hearts Perpetual Adoration Chapel

EASTER STEWARDSHIP:

CULTIVATING GENEROSITY THROUGH GRATITUDE AND IMPACT

AMY PONSON

is the Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana. She is a wife, mother, and philanthropist.

Throughout the Easter season, our hearts are drawn to the profound message of renewal, and hope in Christ’s resurrection. Rooted in our Catholic faith, this sacred time invites us to reflect on the teachings of Christ and how we, as stewards of His love, can make a meaningful impact on our community. As we strive to embody the essence of Easter in our daily lives, there is a beautiful transformative power in gratitude that inspires generosity.

At the core of stewardship is a deep sense of gratitude for the countless blessings bestowed upon us by God. As we contemplate the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our hearts overflow with thankfulness. Gratitude is the fertile soil in which generosity takes root, and Easter provides a unique opportunity to cultivate this attitude. We, as a Catholic Foundation and diocese, are reminded

daily of the immense gratitude we have for the gifts our parishioners bestow upon our ministry.

I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the blessings in your life. Recognize the gift of faith, the love of family and friends, and the grace that sustains you. By acknowledging these blessings, you open your heart to the transformative power of gratitude.

Expressing gratitude is not merely a passive sentiment but an active response to God’s love. Working with donors each day, our conversation often results in a deep discussion on how to express gratitude. At the Catholic Foundation gratitude is within our daily practice, as we strive to be good stewards of the generosity we receive. I have found that incorporating daily gratitude practices, such as keeping a gratitude journal or sharing appreciations with others, even in a small way, can make a huge difference in someone’s life. A simple smile, a handwritten note, a text to say how much you appreciate someone becomes a habit, it naturally fuels a desire to give back.

Easter challenges us to move beyond ourselves and extend love to others, especially those in need. Whether you give to your church parish, your Catholic school, the diocesan Bishop’s Appeal, or a nonprofitthat touches your heart, your generosity is an extension of your love. Generosity is an outward expression of our faith, embodying the selfless love that Christ exemplified during His earthly ministry. Each spring, our Bishop or Diocesan Administrator calls us to prayerfully consider supporting the Bishop’s Appeal, which has a direct impact on every parishioner. It is an opportunity for us as lay members of the Church to take an active role in our faith, ensuring the future of ministry and formation.

Our Catholic faith calls us not just to believe, but to live out the Gospel message. Easter stewardship is a dynamic expression of our faith in action, translating the teachings of Christ into meaningful, transformative deeds. I invite you to embark on a journey of stewardship with our Foundation fueled by gratitude and generosity. By recognizing our blessings, actively expressing gratitude, and making a positive impact on our community, we honor the teachings of Christ and live as witnesses of the transformative power of Easter. May our actions be a testament to the love that triumphs over darkness, bringing hope and joy to those in need.

CEREMONY/MEANING OF THE BLESSING OF THE FLEET

The Blessing of the Fleet tradition began in Europe in France, Spain, Sicily, and Portugal, with the tradition being brought to America by Catholic immigrants. Blessings of the Fleets are still celebrated in Europe and in port towns and cities across America like St. Augustine, Florida; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Portland, Maine, to name a few.

The local tradition for the Blessing of the Fleet has a few variations, usually beginning with a Mass either the evening before or on the day, followed by a procession to the docks or boats themselves. The priest usually lays a wreath to commemorate the dead. Blessings can occur on one boat where the priest is stationed and blesses the people and other boats as they pass. The boats are decorated with and decorations for the parade, and some church locations previously even o trophies or cash prizes for the winners. Certain church parishes like St. Charles in Pointe-aux-Chenes used to hand out medallions, keychains, or coins for the boat captains to place on board their boats to protect them for another year.

CELEBRATING THE BLESSING OF THE FLEET WITHIN OUR DIOCESE

GOLDEN MEADOW

Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Golden Meadow has the oldest annual boat blessing, originally called the “La Benediction des Bateaux,” which Father Yves Grall brought to the United States in 1916. From Brittany, France, Grall decided to recreate the Blessing of the Boats tradition popular in Europe, especially in Portugal, Sicily, and France. Father Grall invited the Most Reverend John Marius Laval, the Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans, to attend that fist blessing. The boat blessing was preceded by a confessional service called “Les Pardones,” where fihermen went to confession before they set out to sea for a new fihing season. The Blessing of the Boat ceremony lasted seven to eight days and addressed cleansing the soul and devoting the soul to the Lord. After the solemn confessional service, the Blessing of the Boat would have proceeded outside, with the priests going aboard the ship to bless the other boats as they passed.

Before 1995, “Le Benediction des Bateaux” was accompanied by the church’s annual fair, celebrated with auctions, rides, food, and games. The tradition went back to its spiritual roots with the prohibition of church fairs across the diocese.

BAYOU DULARGE/THERIOT

In 1971, the local Episcopal church, St. Andrew’s, would partner with St. Eloi to have a United Blessing of the Fleet, which featured representatives from both faiths. While initially, it featured the pastors of both St. Andrew’s and St Joseph’s of Chauvin pastor assisting, it eventually grew in popularity in and Episcopal Bishop James Barrow Brown.

While both St. Andrew’s and Holy Family still have a Boat Blessing every year, they no longer celebrate it together. No records detailing when and why this practice ended were found.

OUR HISTORY

HISTORY AND MEANING OF THE BLESSING OF THE FLEET

CHAUVIN

The Blessing of the Fleet tradition for Little Caillou has multiple claims to its starting point and date, with many different versions of its origin story being passed around. In 1933 , Father Joseph Coulombe decided to revive the tradition he had observed in Brittany, France. Another story has the tradition of being brought from Biloxi in 1920 by Desire’ Theriot. The last story is about the Blessing of the Fleet, which was started in 1930 in the Boudreaux Canal before moving to Little Caillou.

The 1936 blessing featured Archbishop Joseph Francis Rummel of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, who confired 500 children amid a crowd of 1,500 onlookers. The 1938 blessing began with Mass at St. Joseph with an attendance of over 1,000 local fiherman and their families. The high Mass was held, and over 50 visiting priests concelebrated with the Archbishop of New Orleans. At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Rummel led a procession from the church to the bayou, where the boats were tied up before he and the various priests headed to a floating wharf. As each boat passed the wharf, the archbishop and priests prayed over the ships and their occupants and were blessed with a sprinkling of holy water.

DULAC

While no start date has been found for the Grand Caillou Blessing of the Boats, 1960 has the fist record of the Blessing of the Fleet in Dulac. Holy Family’s Boat Blessings

included games, rides, and a family day. Information that gives an end date for the family day event was not found.

GRAND ISLE

While Our Lady of the Isle has previously celebrated the Blessing of the Fleet, there’s no record of when this tradition started or ended in Grand Isle. The last Blessing of the Fleet in Grand Isle was held in 2020 ; a Blessing of the Fleet and the Blessing of the Fleet Festival were scheduled for 2021 but were canceled. Father Mark Toups does offer private boat blessings that can be scheduled through the Our Lady of the Isle church office.

MONTEGUT

No date could be found for Sacred Heart in Montegut’s beginning tradition of the Blessing of the Boats. While Sacred Heart in Montegut has previously had the Blessing of the Boats ceremony, the archives office could not locate specific start and end dates for their Blessing of the Boats ceremony.

MORGAN CITY

The Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City features a blessing of the fleet and a chance to celebrate the Cajuns’ heritage, especially fihermen. The festival began on Labor Day 1936 , with a parade honoring local fihermen and a dance at Eagle’s Hall. In 1937 , The Blessing of the Fleet was introduced by Paul Acklen LeBlanc and consisted of 143 blessed boats parading up and down Berwick Bay before an afternoon of games and a dance at City Hall which ensued that evening. Father Andrew W. “Sol” Souby, the Pastor of Sacred Heart, was the fist priest in Morgan City to perform

Today, the Shrimp and Petroleum Festival is still held on the Thursday before Labor Day until Monday, Labor Day. Holy Cross and Sacred Heart priests alternate saying outdoor Mass for the festival, which usually takes place in Lawrence Park on Sunday morning before the afternoon of Blessing of the Fleet.

POINTE-AUX-CHENES

No information was found about when St. Charles Borromeo in Pointe-auxChenes began their Blessing of the Boats tradition. Typically celebrated on the fourth Sunday in April, the Blessing is bestowed on the lake, boats, and attending people. The church usually gives all participating ships a medal/ keychain for the Blessing.

Resources:

https://aleteia.org/2023/02/04/the-centuries-oldcatholic-tradition-of-blessing-the-fleet/ Hubbard, Audriana. “The Blessing of the Fleet: Heritage and Identity in Three Gulf Coast Communities.” Master’s thesis, Louisiana State University, 2013. Parishioners of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Golden Meadow

Parishioners of Holy Family Catholic Church in Dulac Thibodaux, Cindy Landers. “A history of the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, 1936-1985” Publisher unknown. January 1, 1986.

Special Thanks: Buffy Charpentier, Gina Dupuis, Kristie Domangue, and Rebecca Dardar

BRENNAN GARRIQUES serves as Campus Minister for Men’s Ministries at Christ the King on the campus of LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

MORE THAN ENTERTAINED

LOVE’S RENEWAL: RESURRECTION IN HOLLYWOOD

Hollywood is filled with storytellers. However, many of those storytellers are not so familiar with the Great Story–the Good News of Jesus Christ. Hollywood has become increasingly notorious for being a place absent of God. Some well-intentioned Christians cry out for Hollywood to be burned to the ground. While it is evident that the diabolical is at work in the stories that come from Hollywood and in the lives of its members, there is still hope.

I once heard it said that Hollywood is not Sodom and Gomorrah–it’s Nineveh. Its inhabitants are in desperate need of repentance and conversion. Nineveh needs someone to proclaim the message of the Gospel to them. “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

As a member of the More Than Entertained team, I subscribe to this method. More Than Entertained seeks to highlight that there are still semina Verbi–seeds of the Word–in the entertainment industry. There are still stories that contain within them truth, goodness, and beauty, because no matter how desperately someone may try to ignore it, The Great Story is written on every human heart, even on the hearts of those in Hollywood.

During the Easter season we celebrate the climax of the Great Story. The powers of sin and death are defeated, and the destiny of humanity has been restored and redeemed. Jesus Christ is risen, and we receive the opportunity to rise along with Him. The power of resurrection and the power of love to beget resurrection and new life is not lost in Hollywood. I wish to highlight a pair of animated Disney princess movies in particular. Both Tangled (2010 ) and Frozen (2013 ) have scenes of resurrection and both movies intimately associate love with those resurrections.

In Tangled, there is a flower upon which a drop of the sun falls. It has the ability to heal the sick and the injured. This power was transferred to Rapunzel’s hair when the flower was used to heal her mother. However, the evil Gothel, kidnaps her in order to keep the power of her hair for herself. Flash forward 18 years and to the end of the movie, and the truth has fially come out. Rapunzel has been a slave all her life, in servitude to her pretend mother’s idolatrous pursuit of youth. Just as she becomes aware that she must fight for her freedom, she becomes willing to give it away for her beloved.

Flynn Rider (known as Eugene to his more intimate friends) and Rapunzel have been falling in love throughout the movie and in the climactic scene, he is stabbed by Gothel and is on the brink of death. Rapunzel makes it abundantly clear to Gothel that she will never stop trying to fight her and never stop trying to get away from her unless she is allowed to save Eugene. She promises that if she can do that, she will go with Gothel and be her slave forever.

Just as Rapunzel is about to heal Eugene, he cuts her hair, thus stripping her hair of its power to heal; the same power he knew would no longer be there to heal him. Both, in a mutual exchange of love, are willing to die for the other. And Eugene indeed does die. But, per the subject of this reflection, he comes back to life. Even after the power of the sun has been apparently lost, a single tear shed by Rapunzel hits his cheek and heals him. And it doesn’t just heal him, it actually raises him from the dead, a greater miracle than has yet been seen or been possible. I would propose their love for each other as the source of the elevated power of healing. Love, and only love has the power to beget new life, to lead to resurrection.

This particular fruit of love is also abundantly evident in Frozen. Near the end of the movie, Anna’s heart is rapidly freezing and she desperately needs an act of true love - for it is only an act of true love that will thaw a frozen heart. As all our minds fist go to true love’s kiss, so too does Anna’s mind. However, like Rapunzel, just as she has the opportunity to save herself, she decides to sacrifice herself.

After realizing Hans is not her true love, and in fact is an evil mastermind who hopes to take over her kingdom, she realizes it is Kristoff to whom her heart belongs. But instead of running to Kristoff to receive true love’s kiss, she runs to save Elsa from being murdered by Hans. With her dying breath, she chooses to stand between Elsa and the sword which Hans would have used to kill her.

Friends, does this ring a bell? With one of his last breaths, Jesus pleads with the Father on our behalf: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34 ). He stands between us and the punishment our sin deserves. He dies so that we might live. He did this for the love of you, for me, and for the world. It is for love and from love that Anna dies for Elsa. But, as we know, that is not the end of either story. Once again, love leads to resurrection.

This act of true love thaws Anna’s frozen heart and ultimately brings life back to the entire kingdom of Arendelle. Through Anna’s sacrifice, Elsa is able to see. “Love will thaw,” she says. “Of course. Love.” So, in an act of love, she thaws the frozen Arendelle. The flowers are back in bloom and the frozen fountains once again become springs of life-giving water.

These stories are beautiful because they tell us something about the Great Story. While we don’t see the fruit of our love in the same way, these stories make visible the invisible fruit of love and sacrifice. People cannot bring someone back to life by an act of love. But there is Someone who can. And He has! Christ the Lord is risen, Alleluia!

LOVE, AND ONLY LOVE HAS THE POWER TO BEGET NEW LIFE, TO LEAD TO RESURRECTION.

AROUND THE DIOCESE

APRIL

BLESSING OF THE BOATS

Sunday, April 7th

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY

Sunday, April 7th

ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD

Monday, April 8th

GOSPEL FEST

Saturday, April 20th, 10:00 am-5:00pm | St. Luke the Evangelist, Thibodaux

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

Sunday, April 28th

MAY, MONTH OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

MOTHER’S DAY

Sunday, May 12th

PENTECOST SUNDAY

Sunday, May 12th

SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY

Sunday, May 26th

MEMORIAL DAY

Monday, May 27th

MAY IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

The blue pinwhell, representing happy, healthy children, is the national symbol for child abuse and neglect prevention. Visit htdiocese.org/ preventabuse to learn more about opportunities for promoting awareness and activism.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY: INDULGENCES EXPLAINED

Divine Mercy Sunday is an opportunity for a plenary indulgence. The usual conditions are as follows:

• sacramental confession [according to previously issued norms, within about 20 days before or after]

• Eucharistic communion [according to previously issued norms, preferably on the day, or the days before or after]

• prayer for the intentions of Pope Francis [certain prayers are not specified]

The specific conditions for this indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday are:

• in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy

• or, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”), or a Divine Mercy Chaplet.

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC PILGRIMAGE (JUNE 5-6)

Wednesday, June 5- Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales

5:30 pm Mass, followed by a Eucharistic Holy Hour. Within the context of the Holy Hour, a testimony by one of the national pilgrims. A reception to follow in the KC Hall to hear experiences of the national pilgrims.

Thursday, June 6- Procession from St. Francis to St. Bernadette

• 8:00am Mass at St. Francis with breakfast to follow

• Walk begins at approximately 9:30 am

• Arrive at St. Bernadette at approximately 11:00am for Benediction and lunch to follow

• Procession from Christ the Redeemer to St. Joseph Co-Cathedral

• 1:00pm pilgrims depart Christ the Redeemer making stops at St. Genevieve, St. Luke the Evangelist and ending at St. Joseph CoCathedral.

• 3:00 pm approximate arrival at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral concluding with Benediction.

HAVE ANY FEEDBACK FOR THE BAYOU CATHOLIC?

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Our team in the Communications Office for the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux is proud to produce this publication and we are grateful for your continued support.

Maegan Martin Director of Communications

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

Since 1954, Terrebonne General has been a beacon of health and hope in our community. As we mark seven decades of dedication to your wellbeing, we reflect on the incredible journey that has brought us to this moment.

Terrebonne General Health System remains committed to advancing healthcare, improving lives, and expanding our services to meet your evolving needs. In celebrating our past, we look forward to a future filled with promise and progress.

Thank you for allowing us to serve you for 70 remarkable years.