Bayou Catholic Magazine December 2016

INSIDE

Christmas Features

Bayou

Catholic

Advent:

A season of hope HOUMA, LA ~ DECEMBER 2016 ~ COMPLIMENTARY

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“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.”

- Isaiah 9:6 Come celebrate the joy of the Lord.

In the Spirit of this Holy Season ... please remember the Diocesan Charities Christmas Collection on December 25.

Thank You and God Bless Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Contents FEATURES

32 Bayou Patrons

By Janet Marcel

34 Father Blair Sabaricos

celebrates 25th anniversary

By Janet Marcel

38 Chapel in the workplace

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By Janet Marcel

COLUMNS

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Comfort For My People

By Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

12 Pope Speaks

Pope Francis I

13 Questions of Faith

By Very Rev. Jay Baker, V.G.

14 Readings Between The Lines

By Father Glenn LeCompte

19 Reading with Raymond

By Raymond Saadi

46 Overtime

4

By Ed Daniels

57 Thoughts for Millennials

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38

By Ryan Abboud

IN EVERY ISSUE

6

From the Editor

16 Scripture Readings 24 Heavenly Recipes 26 Young Voices 30 Diocesan Events GUEST COLUMNS

52 Make your own Christmas miracle

By Father Michael Bergeron

ANNOUNCEMENTS

36 E.D. White Hall of Fame induction

43 Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

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40 Junior High Faith Experience Jan. 14 41 Pastoral Appointments 42 Food for the Journey Jan. 10

On Our Cover The Advent candles readily demonstrate the strong contrast between darkness and light. Christ is the “Light of the World” contrasted with the darkness of sin. Human history spanned long ages before our prophesied Savior would finally make his appearance, fulfilling God’s promise to make all things new through him. As his Advent or “coming” draws nearer, another candle is lit, with each candle dispelling the darkness a little more.

Thus, the Advent wreath helps us to spiritually contemplate the great drama of salvation history that surrounds the birth of Jesus Christ who comes to redeem the human race.

Where to find your Bayou Catholic Bayou Catholic magazine can be found at all Catholic churches in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, at the three Catholic high schools in Houma, Morgan City and Thibodaux, as well as the 10 elementary schools throughout the diocese. You may also visit the merchants listed in the Advertisers’ Index to pick up your copy. Those wishing to receive the magazine by mail can call Janet Marcel at (985) 850-3132 or write to Bayou Catholic, P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395. Subscription price is $35 annually. For the online edition, go to www.bayoucatholic.com

Index to Advertisers A Reason to Hope ................................... 3, 49

Headache & Pain Center .............................. 45

Advanced Eye Institute ................................ 58

Houma Digestive Health Specialists ............. 29

Barker Buick GMC Acadia ............................ 29

Landeche Furniture & Appliances ................. 51

Barker Buick GMC LaCrosse ....................... 44

Landry’s Funeral Home ............................... 56

Birdsall Jewelry ........................................... 54

LeBlanc & Associates, LLC ......................... 29

Cannata’s ................................................... 25

Mary Bird Perkins TGMC Cancer Center ....... 39

Cardinal Place ............................................. 37 Cenac Marine .............................................. 59 Chauvin Funeral Home ................................ 55 Coastal Commerce Bank ............................. 57 Daigle Himel Daigle Physical Therapy .......... 52 Diocesan Charities Collection ........................ 2 Diocesan Outreach Line .............................. 41 Diocesan Priests Retirement Fund ............... 11

Bayou Catholic Vol. 37, No. 6 How to reach us:

BY PHONE: (985) 850-3132

BY MAIL: P.O. Box 505 Schriever, LA 70395

BY FAX: (985) 850-3232

BY E-MAIL: bayoucatholic@htdiocese.org The Bayou Catholic is published monthly, for the people of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux by the H-T Publishing Co., P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395.

Subscription rate is $35 per year.

The Bayou Catholic is a member of the Catholic Press Association, the National Newspaper Association and an associate member of the Louisiana Press Association.

Lawrence Chatagnier

editor and general manager

Glenn J. Landry, C.P.A. business manager

Janet Marcel

staff writer/administrative assistant

Katie DeRoche

Patrick Yancey Law Firm ............................. 40

advertising accounts executive

Re-Bath ...................................................... 42

Lisa Schobel Hebert

Rod’s Superstore ........................................ 35 Samart Funeral Home & Crematorium ......... 17 Seminarian Education Burses ...................... 27

graphic designer

Meridy Liner

accounts receivable/payable assistant

Southland Mall ............................................ 60 St. Joseph Manor ........................................ 37

Diocesan Website ................................. 17, 31

Synergy Bank .............................................. 39

Divinity Home Health Services ..................... 58

Terminix ...................................................... 35

Falgout Funeral Homes, LLC ........................ 53

Thibodaux Funeral Home ............................. 56

God’s Promises Books & Gifts .............. 37, 51

Thibodaux Physical Therapy ........................ 46

Guidry Family Dentistry ............................... 50

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center ............. 47

Haydel Spine Pain & Wellness ..................... 15

Watkins, Walker, Eroche & Hoychick ............ 51

Awards

CPA First Place General Excellence 2013 - 2014 LPA First Place General Excellence 2015 www.bayoucatholic.com

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Welcome

HOPE

From the Editor 6

Another year has come to an end.

The month of December marks the end of the calendar year, however because we are in Advent, it is the beginning of a new liturgical year.

Like Lent, Advent is a preparatory season. It has significance because it is a season of looking forward and waiting for something greater: both for the annual celebration of Christ’s birth and for the time when Christ will come again.

The themes and traditions of the Advent season have evolved throughout the history of the liturgical season.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

The Advent wreath is likely the most popular tradition and is typically present in both the parish church and in the home. Many families will light the candles each Sunday and say Advent prayers together.

In this issue, Bishop Fabre introduces his Pastoral Letter, A Reason to Hope, which is being released during this season of Advent.

The Pastoral Letter outlines the reason the bishop has hope for our diocese. The fourpage guide explains how to use the Pastoral Letter and how it connects with the theme of the diocese’s 40th Anniversary, A Year of Hope.

Looking through this month’s magazine you will notice that the articles and columns in the beginning of the issue are about Advent. Bishop Fabre’s and Father Glenn LeCompte’s columns are about hope and light. Advent is a season of hope; we light a new candle each week during Advent symbolizing that Christ, the light of

the world, is coming.

Bishop Fabre’s Christmas message can be found toward the end of the magazine. Father Mike Bergeron’s guest column, Make your own Christmas miracle, gives us insight as to how to bring Christ back into Christmas and embrace the teachings of Christ. Ryan Abboud’s Thoughts for Millennials rounds out the issue with a Christmas theme of preparing your heart for Jesus.

On behalf of the Bayou Catholic staff, have a prayerful, hope-filled Advent season and a very Merry Christmas.

Remember, after reading Bayou Catholic, pass it on to a friend or relative who might not be attending Mass. It’s one of the great ways to do your part in spreading the Good News!

Lawrence

Lawrence Chatagnier Editor & General Manager

Church Life

St. Martin de Porres Mass Father Maurice J. Nutt, C.Ss.R., was the main celebrant of the Mass for Black Catholics recently at St. Luke Church in Thibodaux. The Mass was celebrated in conjunction with the feast of St. Martin de Porres. Father Nutt is currently a member of the Redemptorist Parish Mission Preaching Team based in Chicago, IL. He is a member of the faculty of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, where he teaches preaching.

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

www.bayoucatholic.com

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Comment Comfort For My People

Advent:

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

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In the season of Advent, the church invites us to prepare for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ at Christmas. In so many ways we see the preparation for Christmas all around us; the trees are put up and decorations hung, friends and loved ones are gathered together. It is easy to see the external preparations.

During Advent, the church invites us also to an interior preparation. In other words, we are invited to take time to consider “who” it is that will be coming to us at Christmas and what that means to us in our lives, in our real life situations with all of our joys and struggles.

I am very aware in my own life how easily the hurried activity that accompanies the external preparation can crowd out the opportunity for my interior preparation, if I am not careful.

Perhaps more than any other season of the year, I have learned how important it is that I try to slow down interiorly as things seem to speed up exteriorly. For me, this takes ongoing effort. It takes a daily decision to pray, reflect and ask God for the grace to be a bit more still on the inside.

It takes perseverance to try again tomorrow when I haven’t done as well as I hoped today.

During a time of quiet reflection a while back, my desire to gift you with a Pastoral Letter was realized. As I have shared before, the strategic planning process has opened my ears to the thoughts, concerns and dreams of the people of the diocese. I have held all of this deeply in my heart. As I’ve watched the process unfold, I have been most grateful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who has been leading

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

A season of hope us each step of the way. And, as I write today, I have great hope for our future.

In writing the Pastoral Letter, I have reflected deeply upon the reality of hope in my own life. And I would like to share with you three reasons why I can say I am a man of hope.

First, I believe in God. I believe he is who he says he is and he always fulfills what he has promised.

Sometimes it can appear as though God is not answering my prayer or is not intervening in the ways I want him to. But, I believe in Jesus and I believe what he has said, and I can trust that he is often laboring for my good in ways I may not see.

Second, I am a man of hope because of the many people in my life that have helped me. People have witnessed hope to me in the midst of their trials. They have shown to me that hope is not just an abstract concept but, that it is real. I have seen in people a hope that does not make sense by mere human effort; I have seen in them something which is transcendent.

People have helped me to be a man of hope because I have experienced the goodness of others and their goodness has been the revelation of God’s fidelity to me.

Third, I am a man of hope because I have learned that I must remember God’s goodness and fidelity. Sometimes it is difficult to see God, especially when we are in the midst of a difficult situation.

When that is our experience, our memory becomes our greatest ally.

God is the same today as he was then, even if we can’t see him at the moment. I believe that God will be faithful even if I don’t see what he is doing at the moment.

My memory can help me recall the reality of who he is and that he is unchanging.

My desire is that this Pastoral Letter will be a true gift to you and that you will be able to use it as a resource in your preparation for Christmas this year. My prayer is that in journeying with it, God will strengthen you in your own hope.

E

Comentario

En el tiempo de Adviento, la Iglesia nos invita a preparar la venida de nuestro Señor Jesucristo en la navidad. Vemos de muchas maneras las preparaciones para la navidad al nuestro alrededor; se instalan los arbolitos de navidad y se reúnen las amistades y seres queridos. Es fácil percibir las preparaciones exteriores. Durante el Adviento, la Iglesia nos extiende una invitación a prepararnos interiormente también. Es decir, estamos invitados a considerar «quién» es el que viene en la navidad y qué significado tiene para nuestras vidas, en nuestra realidad de vida que incluye alegrías y tristezas.

Si no tengo cuidado, sé que en esta vida apresurada es fácil dedicarse a la preparación exterior y descuidar la preparación interior. Es en este tiempo más que cualquier otro que he aprendido a tomar más tiempo en lo interior que en lo exterior.

Esto necesita atención constante.

Es una decisión cotidiana para orar, reflexionar y pedir la gracia de Dios para poder dedicarse a la preparación interior de la navidad.

Se necesita perseverancia para volver a intentarlo el siguiente día cuando lo que se ha hecho hoy no ha sido efectivo. En una reflexión silenciosa que llevé a cabo hace

poco, mi deseo de otorgarles un regalo con una carta pastoral se cumplió. El proceso del plan estratégico me ha percatado de los pensamientos, las preocupaciones y los sueños del pueblo de nuestra diócesis. He guardado todo esto en lo más recóndito de mi corazón.

Al ver el desenlace del proceso he agradecido al Espíritu Santo por su guía paso a paso en el camino. En este momento que les escribo, estoy lleno de optimismo por el futuro.

Al escribir esta carta pastoral he reflexionado mucho sobre la realidad de la esperanza en mi propia vida y quiero compartir con ustedes tres razones que me permiten decir que soy un hombre de esperanza. Primero, creo en Dios. Creo en El y que siempre ha cumplido todas sus promesas. A veces parece que Dios no responde a mis oraciones o que no interviene de la manera que lo esperaba. Sin embargo, creo en Jesús, creo en lo que ha profesado y creo que El hará lo que es bueno para mí en maneras misteriosas.

Segundo, soy un hombre de esperanza por el gran número personas que me han ayudado en mi vida. Mucha gente me ha comunicado la esperanza entre momentos difíciles. Ellos me han demostrado que la esperanza no es

solamente un concepto abstracto, sino al contrario, que es verdadera.

He visto en personas una esperanza que no se puede explicar con palabras; he visto en ellos algo trascendental. Hay quienes me han ayudado a convertirme en un hombre de esperanza porque por medio de ellos he vivido la bondad de los demás y esta bondad ha sido cómo Dios ha manifestado su fidelidad conmigo.

Tercero, soy un hombre de esperanza porque he aprendido que debo recordar la bondad y la fidelidad de Dios. A veces es difícil ver a Dios, y más cuando estamos en medio de situaciones agobiantes.

Al vivir nuestras experiencias, nuestras memorias se convierten en nuestros mejores aliados. Dios siempre ha sido el mismo, aunque no lo podamos ver. Mi memoria me puede ayudar a recordar que Dios es verdadero y que nunca cambia.

Mi deseo es que esta carta pastoral sea un verdadero regalo para ustedes y que lo puedan utilizar como recurso en la preparación para la navidad este año. Ruego que en el camino de esta navidad Dios los fortalezca con esperanza.

Traducido por Julio Contreras, feligrés de la Iglesia Annunziata en Houma

El Adviento: Tiempo de esperanza

www.bayoucatholic.com

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Binh luan bang loi

Mùa Vọng:

Mùa của Hy Vọng

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Trong Mùa Vọng, Giáo Hội mời gọi chúng ta chuẩn bị cho việc Chúa chúng ta, Đức Giêsu Kitô đến vào dịp Giáng sinh. Trong nhiều cách thức, chúng ta thấy sự chuẩn bị cho mùa Giáng sinh khắp nơi xung quanh chúng ta; các cây được dựng lên và trang trí, bạn bè và những người thân yêu được xum họp gặp gỡ nhau. Thật dễ dàng để nhìn thấy những sự chuẩn bị bên ngoài. Trong Mùa Vọng, Giáo Hội cũng mời gọi chúng ta chuẩn bị tâm hồn. Nói cách khác, chúng ta được kêu gọi dành thời gian để suy nghĩ xem “ai” sẽ là người đến với chúng ta trong mùa Giáng sinh và điều đó có nghĩa là đến với chúng ta trong cuộc sống, trong những tình huống thực tế đời sống của chúng ta với tất cả những niềm vui và nỗi buồn của chúng ta.

Tôi rất ý thức trong cuộc sống của mình thật dễ dàng biết bao cho các hoạt động vội vã đi kèm với sự chuẩn bị bên ngoài có thể xua đuổi cơ hội cho sự chuẩn bị nội tâm của tôi, nếu tôi không cẩn thận. Có lẽ hơn bất cứ mùa nào khác trong năm, tôi đã học được tầm quan trọng là tôi cố gắng để lắng đọng bên trong khi mọi thứ dường như tăng tốc độ bên ngoài. Đối với tôi, điều này cần phải có sự nỗ lực không ngừng. Phải có quyết định hằng ngày để cầu nguyện, suy gẫm và cầu xin Chúa ban ơn thêm sức cho tâm hồn. Nó đòi hỏi kiên trì để cố gắng lại vào ngày mai khi tôi đã không thực hiện tốt như tôi đã hy vọng ngày hôm nay.

Trong suốt một thời gian suy gẫm

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

trong yên tĩnh, mong muốn của tôi để viết tặng cho Anh Chị Em Lá Thư Mục Vụ đã được thực hiện. Như tôi đã chia sẻ trước đó, quá trình hoạch định đã mở tai tôi trước những ý nghĩ, mối quan tâm và những giấc mơ của các giáo dân trong giáo phận. Tôi đã ấp ủ tất cả những điều này sâu thẳm trong đáy lòng tôi. Như tôi đã theo dõi quá trình này diễn ra, tôi biết ơn sâu xa nhất cho sự hướng dẫn của Chúa Thánh Thần, Đấng đã dẫn dắt chúng ta từng bước của đường đời. Và khi tôi đang viết hôm nay, tôi có niềm hy vọng lớn cho tương lai của chúng ta.

Trong khi viết Lá Thư Mục Vụ, tôi đã suy gẫm sâu sắc về thực tại của niềm hy vọng trong cuộc sống riêng của chính tôi. Và tôi muốn chia sẻ với Anh Chị Em ba lý do tại sao tôi có thể nói rằng tôi là một người hy vọng.

Trước hết, tôi tin vào Thiên Chúa.

Tôi tin rằng Người là Đấng mặc khải và luôn luôn đáp ứng những gì Người đã hứa. Đôi khi nó có thể xuất hiện như thể Thiên Chúa không đáp lại lời cầu nguyện của tôi hoặc là không can thiệp vào trong những cách tôi muốn.

Nhưng, tôi tin vào Chúa Giêsu và tôi tin những gì Ngài đã nói, và tôi có thể tin tưởng rằng Ngài thường làm việc vì lợi ích của tôi trong những cách tôi không thể nhìn thấy.

Thứ hai, tôi là một người của hy vọng vì nhiều người trong cuộc sống của tôi đã giúp đỡ tôi. Người ta đã chứng kiến​​ niềm hy vọng dành cho tôi giữa các thử thách của họ. Họ đã cho tôi thấy được rằng hy vọng không chỉ là một khái niệm trừu tượng, nhưng nó là thật.

Tôi đã thấy nơi người ta một niềm hy vọng không có ý nghĩa bởi sự nỗ lực đơn thuần của con người. Tôi đã thấy nơi họ một cái gì đó thật siêu việt. Mọi người đã giúp tôi trở thành một người hy vọng bởi vì tôi đã cảm nghiệm sự tốt lành của người khác và lòng tốt của họ đã trở thành sự biểu lộ về lòng trung thành của Thiên Chúa đối với tôi.

Thứ ba, tôi là một người của hy vọng bởi vì tôi đã học được rằng tôi phải nhớ tới lòng tốt lành và trung tín của Thiên Chúa. Đôi khi rất khó để nhìn thấy Thiên Chúa, đặc biệt là khi chúng ta đang ở giữa một tình huống khó khăn. Khi đó, kinh nghiệm của chúng ta, trí óc của chúng ta sẽ trở thành đồng bạn lớn nhất của chúng ta. Thiên Chúa ngày hôm nay cũng như hôm qua đều như thế, ngay cả khi chúng ta không thể nhìn thấy Người vào lúc này. Tôi tin rằng Thiên Chúa sẽ trung tín ngay cả khi tôi không nhìn thấy những gì Người đang làm vào lúc này. Trí nhớ của tôi có thể giúp tôi nhớ lại thực tại của Đấng là Chúa và Người là Đấng không bao giờ thay đổi.

Mong muốn của tôi là Lá Thư Mục Vụ này sẽ là một món quà thật sự đến với Anh Chị Em và mọi người sẽ có thể sử dụng nó như là một phương kế trong việc chuẩn bị cho mùa Giáng sinh năm nay. Tôi cầu nguyện rằng trong cuộc hành trình với Lá Thư Mục Vụ, Thiên Chúa sẽ tang cường cho Anh Chị Em trong niềm hy vọng của riêng mình.

Dịch thuật do Lm. Francis Bui, SDD và Thầy Paul Vu, SDD. Tu Đoàn Tông Đồ Giáo Sĩ Nhà Chúa

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Special Collection for Diocesan Priests Retirement December 10 and 11, 2016 “On the weekend of December 10 and December 11, I pray that everyone will support the collection for the retired priests of the diocese.�

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

www.bayoucatholic.com

Comment

What’s most important?

God and our neighbor, Pope says The Pope Speaks

V 12

Vatican City, (CNA/EWTN News) The reality that everything in this world is passing shouldn’t frighten us, Pope Francis said, but instead it should strengthen us to place our trust completely in Christ, recognizing that what is truly important endures: the Lord and our neighbor.

The readings for the day, he said, “remind us that almost everything in this world is passing away, like running water. But there are treasured realities that remain, like a precious stone in a sieve. What endures, what has value in life, what riches do not disappear?”

“Surely these two: the Lord and our neighbor. These are the greatest goods; these are to be loved. Everything else – the heavens, the earth, all that is most beautiful, even this Basilica – will pass away; but we must never exclude God or others from our lives,” he said in his homily Nov. 13.

Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica as the closing celebration for participants in the European Festival of Joy and Mercy held in Rome Nov. 11-13. The pilgrims all come from precarious situations such as extreme poverty and homelessness.

Quoting the day’s first reading from the Book of Malachi, Pope Francis said these words are for those who trust in the Lord: “For you… the sun of justice shall rise, with healing in its wings.”

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica

“For those who are materially poor but rich in God, the sun of justice will rise. These are the poor in spirit, to whom Jesus promised the kingdom of heaven and whom God, through the words of the Prophet Malachi, calls ‘my special possession,’” he said.

“This last page of the Old Testament raises challenging questions about the ultimate meaning of life,” Francis noted.

“Where do I look for security?

In the Lord or in other forms of security not pleasing to God? Where is my life headed, what does my heart long for? The Lord of life or ephemeral things that cannot satisfy?”

Our hope and trust should be placed in the Lord and in our neighbor: “The human person, set

by God at the pinnacle of creation, is often discarded, set aside in favor of ephemeral things. This is unacceptable, because in God’s eyes man is the most precious good,” he emphasized.

“Even the strongest kingdoms, the most sacred buildings and the surest realities of this world do not last forever; sooner or later they fall.”

In the Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus says that there will be wars and insurrections, powerful earthquakes, famines and plagues,

DANIEL IBANEZ/CNA

the Pope said. “Jesus does not want to frighten us, but to tell us that everything we now see will inevitably pass away.”

People have always been curious about the end of the world, Francis said, “yet Jesus does not care for such curiosity.”

“Those who follow Jesus pay no heed to prophets of doom, the nonsense of horoscopes, or frightening sermons that distract from the truly important things.

Amid the din of so many voices, the Lord asks us to distinguish between what is from him and what is from the false spirit.”

“This is important,” he said, “to distinguish the word of wisdom that God speaks to us each day from the shouting of those who seek in God’s name to frighten, to nourish division and fear.”

“Let us look with trust to the God of mercy, with the certainty that ‘love never ends,’” he said.

“And let us open our eyes to our neighbor, especially to our brothers and sisters who are forgotten and excluded. That is where the Church’s magnifying glass is pointed.”

This is something we must do, the Pope said, because there is no peace in the homes of the prosperous “as long as justice is lacking in the home of everyone.”

Questions of Faith Very Rev. Jay Baker, V.G.

How should I (as a Catholic) respond to someone who asks me if I’ve been “saved” or “born again”?

I can never remember actually being asked this question – having grown up in the strongly Catholic enclave of South Louisiana … even when I completed my clinical pastoral education at an Episcopalian hospital in Houston with chaplains from seven other denominations!

However, I do know that the demographics of our area are changing. So I am prepared to follow the example of a friend of mine who is a priest in Northern Alabama where the population is less than two percent Catholic. I think his answer is brilliant! If ever someone from another denomination would ask me if I have been saved, I will simply say: “Every time I receive the Eucharist!”

Catholics hold that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith: our faith is drawn from the Eucharist and our participation in the Eucharist is the fullest expression of our faith. In our prayers at Mass we reaffirm that every time the death and resurrection of the Lord is proclaimed, the work of salvation is accomplished. The Eucharist is the Lord’s abiding presence in the church: in his risen body, Jesus feeds his flock. Our procession at Communion to receive the Eucharist is our altar call! (NB: Similarly, if I were asked, “Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?” the same answer suffices: “Every time I receive the Eucharist!”)

And have I been “born again?”

Absolutely! At baptism, Catholics are reborn of water and the Holy Spirit. We each become a new creation in Christ.

A friend of mine said that his church takes the Bible literally, but the Catholic Church doesn’t … is that true?

Yes, what your friend said is true: As Catholics, we believe that the Bible is indeed the inspired Word of God. However, we do not take the Bible literally. Chances are, even your friend whose denomination takes the Bible “literally” only does it partially and not in toto.

Does your friend literally “hate his father and his mother, his wife and his children, his brother and his sister, even his own life” as Jesus declares he must in Luke 14:26?

Does he or members of his church where clothing made of only one material (say, either only cotton or only polyester) and not any polycotton blends that are prohibited in Leviticus 19:19? Does he and his family enjoy crawfish, crabs, and shrimp even though that is prohibited in Leviticus 11:9-12.

There is a good chance that those directives and prohibitions are not followed literally.

Additionally, the Bible employs many literary devices such as metaphors (“I am the vine; you are the branches” in John 15:5) and similes (“I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an

owl of the desert” in Psalm 102:6) as well as hyperbole (“I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times” in Matthew 18:22). Such 13 figurative language draws our imagination into the passage and invites us more deeply into what the author was inspired to write.

We even find apocalyptic literature in the Book of Revelation. Here, the language is highly symbolic and many Bibles actually have the explanation of the symbols in footnotes at the bottom of the page or the end of the chapter (e.g., “the wild beast that comes up from the abyss” in Revelation 11:7 is “the Roman Emperor Nero, who symbolizes the forces of evil”).

Again, these are all literary devices which are not meant to be taken literally, but figuratively.

Readers are encouraged to send their questions to our local Bayou Catholic columnists by email to bayoucatholic@htdiocese.org. www.bayoucatholic.com

Reflections Readings Between The Lines Father Glenn LeCompte

Christmas: Christ comes as light in darkness

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Quite likely, the setting of a celebration of the Lord’s Nativity on Dec. 25 (ca. 325 A.D.) was done to “Christianize” the ancient ritual of the Sol Invictus, when people celebrated the beginning of the return of sunlight after the shortest day of the year.

In any event, the primary theological vision of the Advent and Christmas seasons is that with the birth of Jesus comes the divine light that dispels earth’s darkness. In this article, I intend to explore the way the theme of light progresses through the Scriptures for Advent and Christmas this year.

First Sunday of Advent Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14 Isaiah exhorts the house of Jacob to “walk in the light of the Lord” (2:5). Just prior to this exhortation the prophet announces a general summons to ascend the Lord’s mountain to receive divine instruction.

The Lord’s word here is one of judgment, judgment in the sense that God will settle the disputes of the nations against one another, symbolized by the refashioning of weapons into agricultural tools.

“Walking in the light” here, then, means to get on board with God’s program of peace.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

In Romans 13:11-14, light is contrasted metaphorically with darkness. This dualism parallels Paul’s idea of life in the “flesh” (prior to redemption) and in the “spirit,” (after redemption). Anticipating the coming of the Lord, Paul urges the Roman Christians not to indulge in sinful behavior, characterized as darkness inasmuch as night is a time for crime and sin because such deeds are done in concealment.

Rather, they should engage in deeds for which exposure brings no shame. The movement from sinful darkness into the light of grace reminds us of the process of conversion which is necessary during Advent if we are to bask in the coming light of Christ.

Second Sunday of Advent Psalm 72 In verse 17 of this “Royal Psalm,” which focuses on the Israelite king, is a prayer for the longevity of the king and his dynasty. The blessing invoked upon the monarch and his progeny is that they will rule “as long as the sun,” essentially without end. As we approach Christmas, this psalm expresses anticipation for the advent of justice through the rule of a righteous king. We look forward to a more all-encompassing embrace of the justice of Jesus Christ.

Third Sunday of Advent Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10; Psalm 146:89; Matthew 11:2-11 The common “light theme” to be found in these passages is the healing of blindness. The Isaian passage is from a prophet (“Second Isaiah”) living near the end of the Babylonian Exile (587-539 B.C.).

The prophets attributed Judah’s loss of the land and the exile of its people to unspiritual leadership and persistent disobedience of God’s Law. The prophet uses the

analogies of impairment of the senses and lameness as images for the reasons for Judah’s poor choices. Second Isaiah anticipates a time when the returning Judahites will have insight regarding the Torah, perceptiveness of God’s word and the ability to “walk in God’s ways.” In Matthew 11:2-11, Jesus responds to the disciples of John the Baptist, who wonders if Jesus is indeed the Messiah, that the Messianic expectation of healing of the disabled is being met. As we approach Christmas we recognize a need for a growth in “insight,” which is symbolized by clear vision.

Christmas Vigil Isaiah 62:1-5 The Advent yearning for light in terms of peace, a realignment of our spiritual lives with the ways of righteousness, a divinely-inspired ruler to establish a true and more pervasive justice, and the healing of spiritual blindness is realized for us by Christ, who brings light into our darkness.

Our quest for light in the midst of our darkness begins to be satisfied with the first reading of the Christmas Vigil Mass. Isaiah 62:15 comes from yet another disciple (“Third Isaiah”) of the original Isaiah, a disciple who prophesies to Jews recently returned from the Babylonian Exile. The vindication of Israel “shines forth like the dawn and her salvation like a burning torch” (62:1). Here, the Jewish people’s darkness that has been dispelled by their saving God is the ignominy they suffered among the nations during the exile. They who seemed abandoned by God are now described as “espoused” by him (62:4). The light of Christ dispels the darkness of alienation and degradation. To “walk in

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the light of God’s countenance” (Psalm 89:16-17), is to extol God as creator and for his great deeds, such as the Exodus (C. Stuhlmueller, C.P. Psalms, vol. II., p. 64).

Mass during the Night Isaiah 9:1-6; Luke 2:1-14 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”

Most likely the life-setting of Isaiah 9:1-6 is the end of the war between Judah and its two northern neighbors (734 B.C.), during which King Ahaz sought an alliance with Assyria, an act for which Isaiah chastised Ahaz. Now, light breaks forth in the birth of a righteous king (Hezekiah, Ahaz’ son) whom Isaiah expects to establish true peace through dependence on the Lord.

In the Gospel reading, as the Lord’s glory illumines the night sky (Luke 2:9), the heavenly messengers announce “peace to those on whom [God’s] favor rests.” In the context of the liturgy, the hope for peace (see above) is realized in Christ’s birth.

Mass at Dawn The refrain of Psalm 97 proclaims, “A light will shine on us

this day; the Lord is born for us.”

The Lord is proclaimed as king of the earth, a king who establishes justice. Those who live righteously will be joyous because they live within the prevailing way of life in God’s reign. The desire for the eternal reign of the just, divine king (see the commentary on the Second Sunday of Advent above) is realized in the birth of Jesus.

Mass during the Day John 1:1-18 As “The true light which enlightens everyone” (John 1:9),

Jesus comes into the world to supply spiritually enlightening instruction (Isaiah 2:1-5), correctives for waywardness (Romans 13:11-14) and healing of spiritual blindness (readings cited above for the Third Sunday of Advent; cf. John 9:1-41).

Advent is a time for us to assess what darkness is present in our minds, our hearts, our souls and our actions, and to consider how we can grow toward greater enlightenment with our celebration of the coming of God’s light in the birth of Jesus.

ns of Questio passing n o i t c fter the a e s a ren fl r d e e R y retu rienc

u expe graduall have yo nlight u w s o s h a , ? year n Even y of the of gloom n be kest da period a r e hich ca ft the dar hope a r life w u of o y e c ? n n i hrist ness emerge al dark ght of C to the li e spiritu rt th a rife in s e i h t d and st g your r n Wha n o i sc n i e d p ess of lay in d by o e darkn n you p dispelle a th c e le c o n r e hat rkness? experi nity? W this da do you u n m w i o m e H o n c i n sh ily or peace to fe , fam Christ ’s your li of t h g the li helping

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Even Santa gets back pain

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• NO REFERRAL NEEDED • Office located in Houma 1022 Belanger Street • 985-223-3132 • www.painspecialty.net www.bayoucatholic.com

December Holy Father’s prayer intentions

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NOW AVAILABLE

Universal

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End to Child-Soldiers. That the scandal of childsoldiers may be eliminated the world over.

Rejoice in the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the miracle of Christmas which is Hope, and the heart of Christmas which is Love

Evangelization Europe. That the peoples of Europe may rediscover the beauty, goodness, and truth of the Gospel which gives joy and hope to life.

See www.apostleshipofprayer.org

Walton “Jr.” Guidry Manager

635 Bayou Blue Road • Houma, Louisiana 70364

(985) 851-6540 www. samartfuneralhome.com LOCAL PEOPLE SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1995 www.bayoucatholic.com

Special

Veteran’s Day celebration St. Bernadette School students honored veterans with a Mass and a flag raising ceremony recently.

Students sang patriotic songs during the ceremony. A reception was held for the veterans after the event.

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

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St. Charles Borromeo honors veterans The Knights of Columbus at St. Charles Borromeo Church in the St. Charles Community had a large flag display in honor of local veterans for Veteran’s Day. Over 200 large flags were displayed with special recognition for those killed in action. Each flag, which is 5 ft. x 7 ft., has a designation for a person from the community.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Book Reviews

Reading with Raymond Raymond Saadi

A Lowcountry Heart Tom Benson

By Kathy Finn Pelican Publishing $26.95

The Spiritual Life

By Henri Nouwen Harper One $27.99 Eight of the more than 40 books written by Nouwen are considered classic and essential, and are contained in this single volume.

Together they make a splendid introduction to his instructive ways of seeking spirituality. He stresses the necessity of seeking a place for contemplative solitude to listen for the voice of God. Further, he emphasizes the necessity of joining other Christians seeking truth. Most interesting are his letters to his nephew Marc, his sister’s son, 18 at the time that embraces the heart of his spirituality. This is an inspiring book, to give and to receive.

Until he bought the Saints, Tom Benson was hardly ever in the public’s eyes. Who is he and how did he accumulate wealth of nearly $3 billion? Benson, born in New Orleans, worked hard, had a paper route, got a job selling cars and was given management of a dealership in San Antonio, a place he found much to his liking and where he enraged NOLA fans when he threatened to move the Saints there. More troubles ensued when he cut his ties with his daughter and grandchildren.

But Benson found love, affection and support from his wife, Gayle.

Geaux Saints!

By Pat Conroy & others Nan A. Talese/Doubleday $25 “Hey, out there,” Conroy’s usual greeting, invites you to share his memories of his life in his beloved low country, and the success of his many books: “The Great Santini,” “The Prince of Tides,” “Beach Music,” and so many others. Fans are sure to find this final memoir

by Conroy, who died in March, one of the most poignant stories he’s left us. His widow, Cassandra King Conroy, writes a beautiful introduction to this book, a certain 19 treasure for his fans.

The Whistler

The Great Good Thing

By Andrew Klavan Thomas Nelson Book $24.99 From Secular Jew, to Atheist, to Christian: What a ride for Klavan, author of awardwinning novels that became popular movies: “True Crime,” filmed by Clint Eastwood; “Don’t Say A Word,” starring Michael Douglas, among others. Klavan’s description of growing up with a grandfather who read books to him is a delight and his finding faith in Christianity inspiring.

By John Grisham Doubleday $28.95 Lacy Stoltz, a lawyer and investigator for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct, armed with evidence pointing to corruption of the worst kind by a female judge connected to a large casino on Native American land, begins an investigation that nearly costs her her life. Grisham might have spent many hours in a casino researching this book but if he did, he gives no advice on how to win at Blackjack. www.bayoucatholic.com

Year of Hope

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A REASON TO

HOPE

BISHOP SHELTON J. FABRE RELEASES ADVENT PASTORAL LETTER INTRODUCING A YEAR OF HOPE

A Pastoral Letter: Why and Why Now? October 30, 2016, marked my three-year anniversary of being installed as Bishop of the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux. During the past three years, I have come to know many things about us. We have great people with generous hearts and a vibrant “joie de vivre” (“joy of life”). We have a vibrant Cajun people, complemented by Native Americans, African Americans and Asian-Pacific Americans, alongside those who speak Spanish from a variety of native countries. We have a unique heritage steeped in the Catholic faith and expressed in unique local traditions. We have a beautiful history with an important milestone immediately upon us: June 5, 2017, is the 40th anniversary of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

I often hear people refer to the “diocese” as if “it” were something and not someone. Some people refer to the “diocese” as administrative leaders with rules and regulations who tell us what we can or cannot do. Some people refer to the “diocese” as a building on Highway 311. Still more think of the “diocese” as something abstract. Yet, the reality is that we are the “diocese.” The “diocese” is you and me. We are 90,000 Catholics together. We are 39 uniquely beautiful parishes in harmony with your bishop who loves you. The “diocese” is a people, not a category. The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is a particular people with a rich history and a unique personality.

When I consider our first 40 years, there is much to be grateful for. The shared life together. The celebration of the sacraments and the passing on of the faith. The proclamation of the Gospel in both word and deed.

The standing by each other through all kinds of storms. The first 40 years have been filled with grace.

However, I know that many of you, like me, have seen changes in these past 40 years. I am aware that today we have fewer practicing Catholics in our area than we did when the diocese began. Many Catholics see this change in their families and/or parishes. It is natural to worry about our future and ask good questions.

“What can be done?” “Will the trend stop?” “Will the future build on the foundation of our history?”

I am aware of the trends for I believe the only way to lead is to do so with the courage to be honest with our current situation. However, I stand with you today as a man of hope. Yes, I have great hope for our future.

I have hope because of what I know to be true about God, as well as the people in our diocese. I have hope because I believe people are hungrier than ever. I have hope because I believe God is longing to fill the void in people’s lives.

I have hope ... and this is why I wrote a Pastoral Letter entitled A Reason to Hope.

a www.bayoucatholic.com

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Year of Hope I have great hope for our future. Although I consider myself to be a positive person I do not have hope because I am an optimist. Although I embrace the call to serve you as bishop I do not have hope because “that’s what good leaders do.” I have hope because I am a Christian. Jesus Christ is active and alive today and he has given me a reason to hope.

The people of our Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux have real goodness in them and long to go deeper with God. You, the people of our diocese, have given me a reason to hope. I believe we are on the cusp of an exciting new future: one filled with creative evangelization and the forming of disciples. Our future has given me a reason to hope.

I have hope in the midst of the economic struggles that I know affect so many of us personally. I have hope even though I am fully aware that many of us carry burdens and suffering. I have hope knowing that the future may present challenges that we have yet to see. I have hope because of the reality and person of Jesus Christ.

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I wrote the Pastoral Letter so that we might all have a reason to hope. I wrote the Pastoral Letter because I feel so many of us need a reason to hope.

As you read the Pastoral Letter, I will share my heart with you. I will tell you about my family, about my perseverance through suffering, and about the many ways God has been faithful to me. Most importantly I will tell you about my dreams, for I have a reason to hope.

A new season of hope As I mentioned in my introductory thoughts, the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux will celebrate her 40th anniversary on June 5, 2017. As we anticipate our anniversary, I feel as if we are on the verge of something truly transformational. On Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 2017, we will promulgate a new strategic plan designed to lead our diocese into its 40th year and beyond. I initiated strategic planning in May of 2015. I did so because I sensed our diocese would be stronger by our 50th anniversary if we further cultivated a culture of planning during our 40th anniversary. However, the call for renewal actually came from the Holy Father himself.

In his 2013 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis urges us: “The bishop must always foster this missionary communion in his diocesan church, following the ideal of the first Christian communities, in which the believers were of one heart and one soul (cf.

Acts 4:32). To do so, he will sometimes go before his people, pointing the way and keeping their hope vibrant.” He continues: “I hope that all communities will devote the necessary effort to advancing along the path of a pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are.

‘Mere administration’ can no longer be enough ...

I encourage each particular church to undertake a resolute process of discernment, purification and reform. … Pastoral ministry in a missionary key seeks to abandon the complacent attitude that says: ‘We have always done it this way.’ I invite everyone to be creative in this task of rethinking the structures and methods of evangelization.”

A reason for my hope Inspired by Pope Francis’ call for “a resolute process of discernment, purification and reform,” the aim of our strategic planning is the renewal of parish life. In Evangelii Gaudium, he continues: “The parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community. While certainly not the only institution which evangelizes, if the parish proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it continues to be ‘the church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters.’”

To date nearly 800 people have engaged in the planning process, either through participating directly on a commission or, most recently, through the outreach to pastors and parish leadership. The strategic planning process has opened my ears to the thoughts, concerns and dreams of our people.

It has opened my mind to creative possibilities for our future. It has opened my heart to the fidelity, promise and power of God. Working with both clergy and laity has been a wonderful experience for me. It has given me a new appreciation for our people and our history. It has given me a new appreciation of the reality and complexity of our current situation.

Most importantly, it has given me a reason to hope.

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A Year of Hope

A preview of the Pastoral Letter

In 1st Peter 3:15, Saint Peter exhorts us: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” I have great hope for our future. I have hope because of what I know to be true about God, as well as the people in our diocese. I have hope because I believe God has inspired the process of strategic planning. I have hope because I believe the strategic plan is going to help parishes more effectively form disciples. I have a reason to hope and I want you to have a reason to hope. Therefore, the theme for the 40th year of our Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is A Year of Hope. Our Year of Hope peaks on Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 2017, when we will promulgate our new strategic plan. It is a plan aimed at helping parishes in the formation of disciples. At the heart of the strategic plan is a blueprint for forming disciples.

Chapter One starts with our searching. Some of us are searching for happiness. Some of us are searching for direction. Some of us are searching for comfort in the midst of life’s struggles. Regardless of whether or not you believe you have found “it,” what we all have in common is that we are all searching for something. Chapter One asks us to consider what it is that we are searching for.

How to read the Pastoral Letter

Chapter Three invites us to live in hope. There, I share my experiences of being a newly ordained bishop in the Archdiocese of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s destruction.

The Pastoral Letter is structured in four chapters because there are four weeks of Advent. Let me say simply: Do not get overwhelmed by the amount of text. Pace yourself. Read it slowly. Take in a little bit each day. Read one chapter a week during the four weeks of Advent. The Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 2727 says: “Christian prayer is neither an escape from reality nor a divorce from life.” If prayer is connected to our real lives so too this Pastoral Letter, if it is going to help us, must be connected to our real lives. Therefore, I wrote this Pastoral Letter to be a resource for your spiritual life. I have intentionally written it such that I offer the following encouragements: • I ask you to consider reading it together with other people. Perhaps with your spouse, or a small group, or with others over dinner. The conversations that come from reading it with others may bear great fruit.

• Each chapter concludes with questions for your personal reflection and/or small group discussion. These questions are as important as the text itself. Pay attention to your heart as much as you pay attention to the text.

• Each chapter also contains instructions to help you pray with the Scripture readings from Advent’s daily Mass.

Chapter Two focuses on hope. Pope Francis reminds us: “Hope is the virtue of those who, experiencing conflict — the struggle between life and death, good and evil — believe in the resurrection of Christ, in the victory of love.” In Chapter Two, I share my story of my suffering, the death of two of my brothers, and the hope I found in Christ through it all.

In Chapter Four, I share my anticipation for the strategic plan and preview how it might assist our parishes in the formation of disciples. I share my reason for hope and invite each of you to hope with me.

How can you get a copy of the Pastoral Letter?

The Pastoral Letter was mailed to every registered Catholic “home” in the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux.

• If you did not receive a copy in the mail you should find extra copies at your parish.

• In addition, you may access the Pastoral Letter online through our diocesan website: www.htdiocese.org/pl. There, you will find the text of the Pastoral Letter. You will also find additional resources to help you pray during the season of Advent.

I pray that your reading of the Pastoral Letter A Reason to Hope is filled with grace. With a Year of Hope before us, let us always be a people of hope.

www.bayoucatholic.com

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Heavenly Recipes sherril’s

Stuffed crab and

shrimp casserole Story and Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

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This month’s heavenly recipe comes from Sherril Bonvillain, a native of Houma and a parishioner of St. Louis Church parish in Bayou Blue. Sherril has always loved to cook. When she was living in Grand Isle as a newlywed, she needed some instructions on how to cook. “I would call my mom, my grandmother, aunts or whoever I could get in touch with to ask questions about how to cook a certain dish. We lived at the Halliburton Camp Site on the island with many other families from all parts of the country, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wyoming and Florida.

Eventually we began to share our recipes and cooking ideas.”

Sherril has also lived on Avery Island. She says it was an interesting place to live. Both she and her husband worked on the island and met many people who were visiting there. They lived on the island for three years until her husband passed away.

After moving from Avery Island to Houma, she met Wayne and when they married they wanted to live in the “country,” so they moved to Bayou Blue. Between the two of them they have nine children, 23 grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren.

For years Sherril competed in the St. Anthony, Bayou Black, cooking contests which were held in conjunction with the parish’s family day. “I was the grand champion in 2014; after that I stepped aside. I have a granddaughter who is 14 years old who takes my place now in the competition. She is a very good cook. She began cooking when she was 10 years old.”

Sherril is very active at St. Louis.

She is a member of the bereavement ministry and belongs to a prayer group in which members go out and visit the sick and shut-ins of the parish. She also organizes the preparation of meals when there Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

are functions within the parish for large groups and is especially proud of the Lenten lunch program. Sherril says that she is among many very good cooks in Bayou Blue.

During her life she has always been steadfast in regard to her Catholic faith. “When we lived in Grand Isle I would walk down a shell road to church on Sundays. I had two babies and couldn’t drive.

My husband was offshore much of the time.” While living in Grand Isle she taught religion class.

“When I taught religion I realized that many of the parents were not

directing their children in religious education. Through the years I made sure my girls went to church.

I feel that God has helped me through my life. My prayers have been answered. All my children are involved in the church. God has blessed me with faith-filled children. I can’t do enough to thank God for his blessings.”

Stuffed crab and shrimp casserole 4 cups onions, finely chopped 4 cups celery, finely chopped 2 cups bell pepper, finely chopped 1-1/2 blocks margarine 1-1/2 large cans Pet Milk 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour 4 cups picked crab meat 1 pound or 3 cups chopped boiled shrimp 5 boiled eggs, chopped small 2 tbsp. ketchup 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tsp. each salt and Season-All 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. Tony’s seasoning 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/2 block margarine Chop onions, celery, bell peppers, boiled eggs and shrimp boiled in salt water with a dash of crab boil for seasoning. In a 4-quart pot, saute’ first three ingredients in margarine until they are tender and a light caramel color. Reduce heat to low and stir in Pet Milk; bring mixture to a slight boil, adding flour slowly, to thicken to a smooth consistency. Cook 5 minutes and add ketchup, mayonnaise and seasonings. Simmer another 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and add crab meat, stirring until separated. Add chopped shrimp and eggs. Make sure all ingredients are well blended.

Pour mixture into a 10”x13” baking pan or Pyrex dish. Pat top with margarine and a small spray of bread crumbs. Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until top is light golden brown. This recipe can be served as a side dish casserole or entrée dish over angel hair pasta or as an appetizer in aluminum crab shells or pastry shells and last but not least may be a stuffing for your favorite baked fish. Recipe serves 8-10.

www.bayoucatholic.com

Young Voices I will bring the good works of God to others by helping my community and other youth grow in faith. I will help local food drives and other activities in my community. I also hope to turn other youth’s eyes and hearts to the Lord. I hope they see the wonder of his grace and see how his works affect our everyday lives. I hope they experience this feeling and then share their experiences with others. I know Christ is in you and I during this time of Advent, and I hope that you all experience his love and never let him go.

Dallas Folse, 16 years old Sacred Heart Church parish, Cut Off South Lafourche High School

1 Timothy 4:12 says “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” As we move into the Advent season my job as a young Catholic is to spread God’s works throughout speech, love and faith. I can spread the love of God to others by different acts of service such as volunteering at food banks, participating in the giving tree at my church, and spreading the Gospel to anyone I come into contact with. However, the most important way to spread the love of God is through love itself. This Advent season it will be my top priority to treat others with the love that God loves each of us with because it is only then that God’s love will be shared amongst the community.

Gabrielle Hodson, 16 years old St. Hilary of Poitiers Church parish Central Lafourche High School

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g n i r b u o y l l i w w t, ho n e v d A o t n i e v o m As we ? s r e h t o o t s k r o w od Christ and his go How I will bring Christ and his good works to others during this Advent season is through helping teach the youth of our parish the significance of the season of Advent, which is that we as Catholics should wait patiently, with joyous and open hearts for the savior of the world. I will also be attending retreats where I hope that I will grow in virtue so as to be a light of Christ for others.

Corinne Fruge, 16 years old St. Joseph Church parish, Iota Iota High School

The Advent season is a time to assist others and help bring happiness into their lives. I truly enjoy participating in the Christmas project at school. For four to five months we work to raise money to help families within our area purchase Christmas gifts for their children. It is heartwarming to see these children become truly excited about the gifts and all the little things they receive. Participating in this project makes me even more thankful for everything I have. I also genuinely cherish all the time I get to spend with my family during the holidays and I look forward to it every year. I can’t think of a better way to spend the Christmas season.

Katelyn Klingman, 16 years old Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales parish Vandebilt Catholic High School

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Seminarian Education Burses

What is a seminarian burse fund?

A seminarian burse fund is an invested sum of money where the interest is used in perpetuity to help fund the education of men to the priesthood in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

How does someone establish a seminarian burse fund?

Very simply, a burse may be established and named for anyone you choose, be it family, friend, bishop, priest, deacon, religious, etc.

When is a seminarian burse complete?

A seminarian burse fund is complete once it reaches $15,000.

If you choose to continue to contribute, a new burse will be created for you.

Who do I contact to contribute to or establish a burse fund?

To contribute or establish a burse, send funds to Pastoral Center, Attn: Seminarian Burse, P. O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395 or call Jeremy Becker, Director of Stewardship and Development, at 985-850-3155 for more information.

Completed Burses of $15,000 each

Note: those wtih a number stipulates the number of completed burses* - Anonymous - Mr. & Mrs. C. Thomas Bienvenu - Harry Booker - Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux (3)* - Mr. Eledier Broussard - Rev. Adrian J. Caillouet - Rev. James Louis Caillouet - Bishop L. Abel Caillouet - Judge/Mrs L. P. Caillouet - Msgr. Lucien J. Caillouet - Abdon J. & Ada B. Callais - Harold & Gloria Callais Family - Paul A. Callais - Peter W. Callais - Vincent & Fannie Cannata - Minor Sr. & Lou Ella Cheramie - Maude & Edith Daspit - Mr. & Mrs. Caliste Duplantis family (3)* - Clay Sr. & Evelida Duplantis - C. Remie Duplantis - Marie Elise Duplantis - Warren J. Harang, Jr.

- Msgr. Raphael C. Labit - Msgr. Francis J. Legendre - Rev. Charles Menard - Dr. & Mrs. M.V. Marmande & Fly - Donald Peltier, Sr. (3)* - Harvey Peltier (30)* - Richard Peltier - The Peltier Foundation (5) - Orleans & Louella Pitre - Msgr. Joseph Wester - Robert R. Wright, Jr. - Rev. Kermit Trahan - St. Bernadette Men’s Club - Diocesan K of C - Leighton Delahaye - Mrs. Shirley Conrad - Bishop Shelton Fabre - Elizabeth Hebert - Callais Family Fund - Rev. Joseph Tu Tran - Endowment Fund - $119,136.90

Daniel Duplantis graduated from St. Joseph Seminary College this past spring and currently attends Notre Dame Seminary. He is from St. Louis Church in Bayou Blue. Daniel graduated from Central Lafourche High School in 2012 and attended McNeese State University for one year before entering seminary. Daniel is cosponsored by the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and the Archdiocese of Military Service.

Open Burses with Balance as of 10/31/16

Sidney J. & Lydie C. Duplantis ........... $13,000.00 Donald Peltier, Sr. #4 ............................ $13,000.00 Joseph Strada Memorial ...................... $12,642.63 Msgr. Raphael C. Labit #2 .................. $11,080.00 Harvey Peltier #31 .............................. $10,486.91 Joseph Waitz, Sr. ................................. $10,100.00 Clay Sr. & Evelida Duplantis #2 .......... $10,000.00 C. Remie Duplantis #2 ........................ $10,000.00 Marie Elise Duplantis #2 ..................... $10,000.00 Maude & Edith Daspit #2 .................... $10,000.00 Msgr. George A. Landry ...................... $10,000.00 Mr. & Mrs. George C. Fakier ................. $9,000.00 Elie & Dot Klingman .............................. $8,960.00 Rev. Victor Toth ..................................... $7,000.00 Brides of the Most Blessed Trinity ......... $6,598.00 Msgr. William Koninkx ........................... $6,000.00 Rev. Peter Nies ..................................... $5,900.00 Msgr. Francis Amedee ........................... $5,150.00 Mr. & Mrs. Love W. Pellegrin ................. $5,000.00 Anonymous #2 ...................................... $5,000.00 Mr. & Mrs. Caliste Duplantis Fmly.#4..... $5,000.00 Rev. William M. Fleming ........................ $5,000.00 Mrs. Ayres A. Champagne ..................... $5,000.00 Society of St. Joseph .............................. $5,000.00 Catholic Daughters ................................ $4,905.00 Rev. Kasimir Chmielewski ..................... $4,839.00 Rev. Gerard Hayes ................................ $4,786.00 Joseph “Jay” Fertitta .............................. $4,450.00

Rev. Guy Zeringue ................................ $4,400.00 Rev. Henry Naquin ................................. $4,331.00 Harry Booker #2 .................................... $4,138.00 Kelly Curole Frazier ............................... $3,610.96 Msgr. James Songy ............................... $3,575.00 J. R. Occhipinti ...................................... $3,400.00 Anawin Community ............................... $3,400.00 Mr. & Mrs. Galip Jacobs ........................ $3,060.00 St. Jude ................................................. $3,000.00 Diocesan K of C #2 ............................... $2,894.62 Rev. Peter H. Brewerton ........................ $2,600.00 Warren J. Harang, Jr. #2 ......................... $2,200.00 Willie & Emelda St. Pierre ...................... $2,000.00 Rev. H. C. Paul Daigle ........................... $1,900.00 James J. Buquet, Jr. ............................... $1,650.00 Alfrances P. Martin ................................. $1,650.00 Preston & Gladys Webre ........................ $1,650.00 Msgr. Francis J. Legendre #2 ................ $1,645.00 Rev. Robert J. Sevigny .......................... $1,600.00 Rev. John Gallen .................................... $1,600.00 Rev. Hubert C. Broussard ...................... $1,550.00 Msgr. Emile J. Fossier ........................... $1,545.00 Dr. William Barlette, Sr........................... $1,525.00 Msgr. Stanislaus Manikowski ................ $1,525.00 Mr. & Mrs. John Marmande .................... $1,500.00 Deacon Robert Dusse’ ........................... $1,450.00 Msgr. John L. Newfield .......................... $1,200.00 Jacob Marcello ....................................... $1,200.00

Deacon Connely Duplantis ..................... $1,175.00 Rev. Anthony Rousso ............................. $1,150.00 Ronnie Haydel ....................................... $1,035.00 Rev. Clemens Schneider ....................... $1,000.00 Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux #4 ........... $1,000.00 Msgr. John G. Keller .............................. $1,000.00 Judge Louis & Shirley R. Watkins .............. $950.00 Deacon Willie Orgeron ............................. $800.00 Ruby Pierce .............................................. $800.00 Deacon Roland Dufrene ........................... $750.00 Juliette & Eugene Wallace ......................... $700.00 Deacon Edward J. Blanchard ................... $660.00 Edna W. DiSalvo ....................................... $600.00 Deacon Raymond LeBouef ...................... $550.00 Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Cannata .................... $500.00 Bernice Harang ......................................... $400.00 Anne Veron Aguirre ................................... $380.00 Dean Joseph Chiasson ............................. $350.00 Deacon Harold Kurtz ................................ $300.00 Richard Peltier #2 ..................................... $300.00 Claude Bergeron ...................................... $250.00 Rev. Jospeh Tu Tran #2 ............................. $197.50 Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Naquin .......................... $150.00 Deacon Pedro Pujals ................................ $100.00 Deacon Eldon Frazier .............................. $ 50.00 Deacon Nick Messina .............................. $ 50.00 Rev. Warren Chassaniol ........................... $ 50.00

Overall Seminarian Burse Totals: $1,634,201.52 www.bayoucatholic.com

27

Anniversary

Brothers of the Sacred Heart celebrate jubilees

From left are Brothers of the Sacred Heart Patrick McGinity, John Hotstream and John Hebert.

Three Brothers of the Sacred Heart were recognized recently at E.D. White Catholic High School 28 in Thibodaux with a Mass in their honor. Brother Patrick McGinity, S.C., celebrated 50 years as a Brother of the Sacred Heart, and Brother John Hebert, S.C., and Brother John Hotstream, S.C., both celebrated 60 years. During the Mass, the brothers renewed their vows. Together, the three men have given service to thousands of young people in 10 different states in six different countries on three continents.

Brother John Hotstream, S.C., is the oldest of nine children born to Esther and John Hotstream. He grew up in New Orleans and Bay St. Louis, MS, entered the Brothers from St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis and made his first vows in 1956.

He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Spring Hill College and a master of arts degree from LSU, both in English. He has taught in New Orleans, Mobile, Baton Rouge, Thibodaux, Bay St. Louis and in Nyapea and Gulu, Uganda.

Brother Hotstream also worked for 19 years with the Navajo on the Arizona Reservation.

“The same inner longing that brought him to the African missions in the 1960s and drove his Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

tremendous outreach efforts with Key Club and other service projects compelled him to make a second major commitment. Brother John chose to go live among the Navajo and to service their pastoral and human needs. He learned to be more than a teacher; he was also a mentor,” said Brother Ronald Talbot, S.C., former principal of E.D. White who currently works with finance and teacher supervision at the school.

Brother Patrick McGinity, S.C., is the oldest of five children born to Eunice and Patrick McGinity. Following graduation from St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis, he entered the Brothers and took first vows in 1966. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from Spring Hill College and a master of arts degree in history from Notre Dame University. He has taught in New Orleans, Dallas, Mobile, Baton Rouge, St. Albans, England; Houma and for the last 25 years at E.D. White.

Brother Ronald Talbot, S.C., said, “Combined with a generous spirit, his ability to joyfully welcome and accept others for who they are makes him a wonderful ambassador for the school and a genuine witness to the love of the Sacred Heart. Brother Patrick

requests bus duty so that he can meet and greet students, parents and teachers as they arrive at school.”

Brother John Hebert, S.C., is one of four boys born to Bruno and Simone Hebert. He was born in Keene, NH, and attended the Brothers’ school in Fitchburg, MA. He professed first vows in 1956. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from St. Michael’s College in English and a master of arts degree in spirituality from Duquense.

Brother Hebert has taught throughout the New England area as well as in New York, Canada, Zambia and Lesotho, Africa, and has also served as principal of two schools and provincial of the former New England Province.

Brother Ronald Talbot, S.C., said, “His 15 years in Zambia and Lesotho has been for him the high point of his ministerial career. It is obvious that the people, culture and needs of these two African nations won his heart and filled him with a spirit of simplicity and compassion. Equally clear is his love for knowledge and truth.

Whatever he does, he does well and thoroughly, and he does it with gentleness and a compassion that witnesses to the one who is meek and humble of heart.”

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Colon cancer can.

N.S. Teddy Winstead, MD, MSPH, FACP Board Certified Gastroenterologist

29

Introducing the All-New

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december n C.E.N.T.S. will be offering the Small Business Course beginning in November through Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. This course is designed to help people who are interested in starting a small business or currently have one. It will be held one evening a week for nine weeks. A different business topic will be discussed each week. There is a $20 fee for the nine week session. Call Brooks Lirette at (985)876-0490 to schedule an orientation appointment.

n Holy Hour of Adoration for Men, Sunday, Dec. 4, 7-8 p.m., Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. n Diocesan Day of Reflection for the National Black Catholic Congress XII with Bishop Shelton Fabre, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Schriever. Theme is “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: Act justly, love goodness and walk humbly with your God.”

january 2017 n Holy Hour of Adoration for Men, Sunday, January 1, 7-8 p.m., Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. n Adult Faith Formation: Church History, Thursdays, Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26 diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall in Schriever, 6-8:15 p.m. Speaker, Father Danny Poche. n Pilgrimage Walk, Saturday, Jan. 7, Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma, beginning at 7:30 a.m. with rosary and confession; Mass at 8:30 a.m.; walk begins at 9:15 a.m. n Food for the Journey, Tuesday, Jan. 10, Ellendale Country Club Restaurant, 3319 Highway 311 in Schriever, 10:45 a.m.-12:45

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p.m. Speaker, Father Simon Peter Engurait. n Junior High Faith Experience, Saturday, Jan. 14, E.D. White Catholic High School, Thibodaux. Doors open at 9 a.m. n Adult Faith Formation: Ecclesiology, Wednesdays, Jan. 18, 25, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall in Schriever, 6-8:15 p.m.

Speaker, Father Robert Rogers. n Youth Pilgrimage to the March For Life for youth in grades 1012, Jan. 24-28. Call (985)850-3129 for more information or visit www.htdiocese.org/M4L.

february n Adult Faith Formation: Ecclesiology, Wednesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall in Schriever, 6-8:15 p.m. Speaker, Father Robert Rogers. n Adult Faith Formation: Church History, Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall in Schriever, 6-8:15 p.m. Speaker, Father Danny Poche. n Pilgrimage Walk, Saturday, Feb. 4, Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma, beginning at 7:30 a.m. with rosary and

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confession; Mass at 8:30 a.m.; walk begins at 9:15 a.m. n Holy Hour of Adoration for Men, Sunday, Feb. 5, 7-8 p.m., Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. n Free income tax preparation and e-filing is available every Tuesday (Feb. 7 – April 11) from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., on the second floor of the Terrebonne Parish Main Library, for individuals/ families making up to $55,000.

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St . Bridget

Bayou Patrons

C 32

Continuing our Bayou Patrons series, this month’s featured saints are St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Brigid of Ireland.

St. Bridget Church parish in Schriever, which was established in 1911, originally took its name from St. Bridget Plantation. Since the plantation was named after Bridget Belanger Thibodaux, wife of Governor Henry Schuyler Thibodaux, there has always been some confusion as to which “saint” the church was named after.

A statue of St. Brigid of Ireland, patron of dairy farmers, was purchased for the original church building in the late 1800s because the parish was surrounded by dairy farms. However, in the 1980s, that statue was removed and a prominent stained glass window featuring St. Bridget of Sweden was installed in the church. Today, both saints are showcased in the church.

Brigid of Ireland was born in 451, the daughter of a pagan chieftain named Dubthach and a Christian slave woman named Broicsech. The chieftain sold the child’s pregnant mother to a new master, but contracted for Brigid to be returned to him eventually. It is thought that the child was probably baptized as an infant and raised as a Catholic by her mother. Thus, she was well-formed in the faith before leaving Broicsech’s slave-quarters, at around age 10, to live with Dubthach and his wife.

In the chieftain’s household, Brigid’s faith found expression in deeds of charity. From the abundance of her father’s food and possessions, she gave generously to the poor. Dubthach threatened to sell Brigid – who was not recognized as a full family member, but worked as a household servant – to the King of Leinster. The Christian king understood Brigid’s acts of charity and convinced Dubthach to grant his daughter her freedom.

Released from servitude, Brigid was expected to marry. But she had other plans, which involved serving God in consecrated life. She even disfigured her own face, marring her beauty to deter suitors.

Understanding that he could not change her mind, Dubthach granted Brigid permission to pursue her plan and gave her the material means to do so.

Through this gift to his illegitimate daughter, this pagan nobleman played an unintentional but immense part in God’s plan for Ireland. Brigid, with an initial group of seven companions, is credited

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Two saints who pledged their life to God in Ireland and Sweden Story by Janet Marcel Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

St. Brigid of Ireland

with organizing communal consecrated religious life for women in Ireland. Bishop Mel of Ardagh accepted Brigid’s profession as a nun and according to tradition, the disfigurement she had inflicted on her face disappeared that day and her beauty returned.

Brigid’s life as a nun was rooted in prayer, but it also involved substantial manual labor: cloth making, dairy farming and raising sheep. Brigid traveled widely throughout Ireland, founding new houses and building up a uniquely Irish form of monasticism.

Under Brigid’s leadership, Kildare played a major role in the successful Christianization of Ireland.

St. Brigid died around 525. Veneration of Brigid grew in the centuries after her death, and spread outside of Ireland through the work of the country’s monastic missionaries.

a

St. Bridget, Schriever

The feast day of St. Brigid of Ireland is Feb. 1. She is the patron of Ireland, dairymaids, cattle, midwives, Irish nuns and newborn babies and is often depicted holding a reed cross, a crozier of the sort used by abbots, and a lamp (Catholic News Agency).

Bridget of Sweden was born in 1303 to Birger Persson, governor and provincial judge of Uppland, and Ingeborg Bengtsdotter. From the time she was a child, she was greatly devoted to the passion of Jesus. When she was only 10, it is recorded that she had a vision of Jesus on the cross and heard him say, “Look at me, my daughter.” “Who has treated you like this?” cried little Bridget. Jesus answered, “Those who despise me and refuse my love for them.” From that moment on, Bridget tried to stop people from offending Jesus.

When she was 14, Bridget married an 18 year old man, who like Bridget, had set his heart on serving God. They had eight children, one of whom was St. Catherine of Sweden. Bridget received visions of Christ’s suffering many times throughout her life.

In obedience to the special messages she received, she visited many rulers and important people in the church to explain humbly what God expected of them.

After her husband died, Bridget put away her rich clothes and lived as a poor nun. In 1346, she began the order of the Most Holy Savior, also known as Bridgettines. Shortly before she died, she went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where she had visions of what Jesus said and did in each of the places she visited.

All of St. Bridget’s revelations on the sufferings of Jesus were published after her death. St. Bridget died in Rome on July 23, 1373. She was proclaimed a saint by Pope Boniface IX in 1391. The feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden is July 23. She is the patron of Sweden and widows and is usually depicted with a Pilgrim’s hat, staff & bag; cross and writing-book (Catholic News Agency).

Father Glenn LeCompte, pastor of St. Bridget Church parish since July 2016, says he really didn’t know much about either of the saints until recently.

“I think St. Bridget of Sweden is a patron who can be a real inspiration for our parishioners because of the variety of spiritual experiences she had. As a wife and mother of eight, she can be a role model for Christian parents. Widows can find inspiration in her since as a widow she created something spiritually positive from her loss when she founded a religious community. She poured her life deeper into living her faith. At the same time, she was involved in church wide politics that were influential in ending the Great Western Schism and as such she is a model for lay involvement in the church’s mission,” says Father LeCompte.

He adds that having her as a patron can benefit him as a pastor because he can hold up Bridget of Sweden as a true model for all aspects of Catholic life.

In addition, Father LeCompte says that Brigid of Ireland is an inspiration of hope in the midst of adversity. “She had a very hard young life but was sustained in Catholic faith. As a foundress of a religious community she was influential in the spread and rooting of the faith in Ireland. As such she is a model of prayer as a foundation for Christian life and can be an inspiration for our religion teachers in being dedicated to handing on the faith.”

So, concludes the priest, “both ‘Bridgets’ can aid me in guiding our parishioners in embracing and practicing the faith.”

St. Bridget of Sweden www.bayoucatholic.com

33

Personalities

Father Blair Sabaricos celebrates 25 years as a priest just living a simple life Story by Janet Marcel Photo by Lawrence Chatagnier Father Blair Sabaricos, administrator of St. Lawrence Church parish in Chacahoula since July 2016, celebrated the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood this year. Father Sabaricos, a native of Bohol, Philippines, was ordained April 10, 1991, and has been serving in the 34 Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux since February 2014.

Father Sabaricos says that as a child he loved to go to church and watch the priest. His mother and grandmother were very active in the church and he credits them for influencing his decision to become a priest. He began serving at Mass when he was 10 years old. At the age of 12 he went into the seminary and spent his high school and college years there.

Because Father Sabaricos was so young when he went into the seminary, he says his rector wanted him to take a year or two off before ordination. He felt as though he was ready and the faculty and the seminary fathers recommended to the rector that he be allowed to be ordained with his fellow classmates.

“And, to this day,” he says, “I am very content with my life and happy; I have no regrets.”

Father Sabaricos says there was only one thing besides being a priest that he thought he might want to do and that is become a lawyer. “I just love to watch crime investigation shows and listen to trials or hearings.”

He says that what prevails in his heart is the brotherhood and camaraderie he shared with his fellow seminarians. “It is more than friendship in the seminary; they become like your real brothers. There is a real bonding with your classmates while you are in the seminary.”

In his diocese in the Philippines, he explains the priests have a common day off where they all stay overnight at the bishop’s house together. On the third floor of the bishop’s house it’s like a dormitory with bunk beds; just like seminary life, he says. He misses Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Father Blair Sabaricos, administrator of St. Lawrence Church parish in Chacahoula, enjoys playing basketball whenever he has some free time.

that, but says his brother Filipino priests here in the diocese do gather together frequently and support each other.

Father Sabaricos says, “It’s very different here in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux because there is not so much bonding among the clergy. However, the (recent) priests’ convocation really helped us. We all had a chance to speak out and it had a very good effect on all of us, I think.”

On the day he was ordained, Father Sabaricos says he remembers just being at peace.

He says what he enjoys most about being a priest is serving the people. He likes visiting his parishioners, especially the elderly and the homebound. He enjoys being in a small parish because he has time to visit the parishioners every day.

The most challenging aspect of being a priest for him is knowing that he will not have that one person to love. “As human beings we all have that longing

a

and desire to love and to be loved by that one special someone. That has been the most difficult thing for me to deal with in my life as a priest,” says Father Sabaricos.

His most memorable moment as a priest happened while he was on his last assignment in the Philippines. He was having a conflict with a female mayor there that was very obvious in the community.

The mayor was exploiting and taking advantage of his parishioners and he felt that he had to defend them and stand up for the people, so he did.

He feels that his greatest accomplishment has been surviving the challenges of the priesthood for the last 25 years and living a kind of simple, ordinary and humble life. “The very thing I really like is just living a simple life,” says the priest.

When he first arrived at St. Lawrence in Chacahoula he recalls visiting an elderly parishioner wearing “street” clothes. When he introduced himself, he says, the woman didn’t believe he was the new priest, so he went back there with someone else who introduced him to her. He says for him the clothes are not the symbol of being a priest. He likes looking and just being ordinary.

Father Sabaricos is a middle child with one older and one younger sister. His father and his sisters all live in the Philippines.

In his free time, the priest plays basketball and tennis, and enjoys watching all kinds of sports, especially football.

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Announcement

E.D. White to induct two into Hall of Fame this month E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux will induct Boyd Hebert Jr. and Preston LeJeune into its 2016 Hall of Fame this month. The Hall of Fame recognizes and honors those who have exhibited outstanding Christian values in their contribution to their profession and in their religious, civic, business or educational involvement.

Boyd C. Hebert Jr. is the son of Boyd Hebert Sr. and Lou Ann Hebert. He graduated from E.D. White in 1973 and Nicholls State University in Thibodaux in 36 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in education. He and his wife Sylvia reside in Thibodaux and have two children, Boyd III and Geoffrey.

He worked at his alma mater from 1977–2008 as a teacher, coach, alumni and advancement director.

After working in the private sector from 2008–2015, he returned to E.D. White to assume his current role as advancement director. During his years at E.D. White, Hebert taught geometry, and served as assistant football and head baseball coach. Under the assistance of Hebert, the football team won nearly 70 percent of its games. In baseball, Hebert coached three consecutive state championship teams, won six district championships and 13 bi-district championships. Nine of his teams reached the state quarterfinals, seven went on to the state semi-finals and two teams finished as state runners up.

As advancement director, Hebert laid the groundwork for construction of the new practice facility and has chaired the Card Draft since its inception generating nearly $700,000 for the athletic department in just Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Boyd C. Hebert Jr. and Preston LeJeune

eight years. He raised money for the new gymnasium and athletic complex, and was instrumental in building the Perè Menard building which houses the media center and multiple classrooms. Since being back at E.D. White, he has raised over $1.8 million.

Hebert always supported all of the school’s programs, not just those he was directly involved in.

He truly believes that the future of the school is the students and that the graduates leave with the tools needed to be successful in whatever they decide to do in life.

Preston LeJeune is married to Jeanell LeJeune and they have five children, Lance, Brian, Geoffery, Jan and Brad. He graduated from St. Francis High School in 1962 and the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and physical education. After graduation, he took a job as head football coach at St. Francis High School for one year and then as assistant football coach from 1967-1977 at Notre Dame Crowley.

He moved to Thibodaux in 1977 to take a job as manager/owner of Sonic until accepting a position as a teacher and coach at E.D. White.

During LeJeune’s 23-year career as head football coach, the Cardinals had an overall record of 181-82-1 and he was named District Coach

of the Year nine times. He made history during his tenure that still stands today with four undefeated seasons: 1982, 1984, 1990 and 1992. Seventeen out of his 23 years, the Cardinal football teams won some type of championship which included 11 district championships and 20 of the 23 teams he coached advanced to state playoffs.

LeJeune also coached the boy’s golf team to eight consecutive regional championships and the boy’s tennis team to two regional championships. As an assistant baseball coach, two teams finished as state runners-up and one made it to the semi-finals. LeJeune was named athletic director in the spring 1992 and was in charge of the athletic sports programs, the athletic facilities, athletic department and Cardinal Club budgets.

Under his leadership, he made sure that improvements to the playing surfaces of all athletic fields became a priority. He spearheaded numerous renovations to E.D. White’s facilities for both boys’ and girls’ athletics.

In March 2008, he was named the new advancement director and held this position as well as athletic director for the next six years. He has been a part of E.D. White for over 40 years and has one of the gyms named in his honor.

n e p O w o N

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Special

Chapel is included in local state-of-the-art manufacturing facility

Story by Janet Marcel

38

“I thought a chapel would be a good addition to our facility … because we all need a little space and time of quiet to just sit, meditate and contemplate,” says Kenny Wood Sr., owner and CEO of K&B Industries.

Wood is a long time member and past president of the Houma-Thibodaux chapter of Legatus – “Ambassadors for Christ in the Marketplace,” the world’s premier membership organization for Catholic business leaders committed to learning, living and spreading the Catholic faith.

Wood, who started his business in 1974 out of his garage after working in the industry for 10-15 years, says that as a member of Legatus he travels to the organization’s Summits every year and gets to meet numerous Catholic business owners. In speaking to them he learned that many of them have an onsite chapel at their place of business, so when the decision was made to move the corporate offices of K&B Industries to Schriever in 2013, he decided he wanted to build a chapel on the grounds.

The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and corporate offices in Schriever includes 205,000 sq. ft. of machining space and 12,000 sq. ft. of administrative office space. Located between the two spaces is a small ecumenical chapel with seating for approximately 20 people.

“One of the benefits of having a chapel at the facility,” says Wood, “is that it shows that we as Christians believe in God. I feel that the chapel is a visible statement as to who we are and what our business is.”

Mass is not currently being celebrated in the chapel, however its use in the future is still evolving. Bishop Shelton J. Fabre dedicated the chapel and celebrated Mass there; with Father Clyde Mahler, pastor of Holy Cross Church parish in Morgan City, and Father Jomana “Joe” Eustache from the Diocese of Jeremie in Haiti concelebrating, and Deacon Lloyd Duplantis assisting.

There are between 100-150 employees at the location at any given time and Wood encourages them all to visit the chapel any time they feel the need.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre with Kenny Wood Sr. at chapel dedication.

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39

Announcements

Junior High Faith Experience is Jan. 14 at E.D. White Story by Janet Marcel The diocesan Office of Youth Ministry’s ninth annual Junior High Faith Experience for youth in grades six through eight will take place Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux. Doors open at 9:15 a.m.

The theme for this year’s event is “Stepping Out in Faith.” Jesse Manibusan will be the keynote speaker.

Music will be provided by Abundant Praise.

“This year’s Junior High Faith Experience is an opportunity for young Catholics to connect with other passionate teens and have an “encounter” with Jesus in a powerful way. Those who attend are accepting an invitation from Jesus to begin “Stepping Out in Faith” and know that they are loved. It is an opportunity for a young person to find an identity early in the Catholic Church by being exposed to an event that accepts them as they are and celebrates what it means to be Catholic teens in today’s world,” says Mike DiSalvo, diocesan director of the Office of 40 Youth Ministry.

Jesse Manibusan is a composer, singer/songwriter, storyteller, humorist, catechist, evangelizer and encourager. He works with any and every age group and has a knack for building instant rapport, connecting to his audience, and creating life-giving memories that help deepen faith and cultivate the joy that inspires service, sacrifice and the celebration of life. Manibusan earned a master of arts degree in multicultural ministries from the Franciscan School of Theology at Berkeley, CA. His music is published by

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

Jesse Manibusan will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Junior High Faith Experience.

Oregon Catholic Press and Spirit & Song (a division of OCP). Jesse received the National Catholic Youth Award in 2014 in the Presenter/Artist category by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministries, Inc. Schedule for the day is as follows: Concert begins at 9:15 a.m.; opening at 10 a.m.; keynote speaker at 10:30 a.m.; lunch/outside activities at Noon; praise and worship at 2:30 p.m.; keynote continues at 3:30 p.m.; Mass at 4:15 p.m.; thank you and departure at 5:30 p.m.

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Pastoral appointments announced

In order to provide pastoral care for the people of God in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Bishop Shelton J. Fabre has made the following appointments, effective immediately:

Outreach Line In response to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is offering an Outreach Line (formerly known as the Child Protection Contact Line). The Outreach Line is an effort to continue the diocesan commitment to support healing for people who have been hurt or sexually abused recently or in the past by clergy, religious or other employees of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Outreach Line operates from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A trained mental health professional responds to the line. Individuals are offered additional assistance if requested.

Rev. Aurelio D. Luzon Jr.

The Rev. Aurelio D. Luzon Jr., who has been serving at St. Monica in Albuquerque, Bohol, Philippines, since June 2015, has been appointed associate pastor of St. Joseph Co-Cathedral parish in Thibodaux, for a period of two years. Father Luzon is a native of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines. He was ordained June 3, 1996.

The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Outreach Line Telephone number is (985) 873-0026 or (985) 850-3172

Línea de Comunicación Diocesana

Con el fin de cumplir con las Políticas de Protección de Niños y Jóvenes de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Los Estados Unidos, la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux ofrece una Línea de Comunicación (antes Línea de Contacto para la Protección de los Niños). La Línea de Comunicación es parte del esfuerzo diocesano de comprometerse con el mejoramiento de aquéllos que han sido lastimados o abusados sexualmente recientemente o en el pasado por miembros del clero, religiosos u otros empleados de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux.

El horario de la Línea de Comunicación de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux es de 8:30 a.m. a 4:30 p.m., de lunes a viernes. El encargado de esta línea es un profesional capacitado en salud mental. Se ofrece asistencia adicional al ser solicitada.

Línea de Comunicación de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux Número de teléfono (985) 873-0026 o (985) 850-3172

Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän Rev. Romeo “Billy” Velasco

The Rev. Romeo “Billy” Velasco, who has been serving as associate pastor of St. Hilary of Poitiers Church parish in Mathews since August 2015, has been appointed chaplain of Thibodaux Regional Medical Center in Thibodaux, for a period of three years. Father Velasco is a native of Atimonan, Quezon, Philippines. He was ordained May 6, 1987.

Ñeå höôûng öùng Hieán chöông Baûo veä Treû em vaø Giôùi treû töø Hoäi ñoàng Giaùm muïc Hoa kyø, Giaùo phaän Houma-Thibodaux ñang chuaån bò ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp (luùc tröôùc laø ñöôøng daây lieân laïc baûo veä treû em). Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp laø moät söï coá gaéng cuûa giaùo phaän nhaèm cam keát haøn gaén naâng ñôõ nhöõng ai ñaõ bò toån thöông hoaëc bò laïm duïng tính duïc hoaëc gaàn ñaây hoaëc trong quaù khöù bôûi giaùo só, tu só hoaëc caùc coâng nhaân vieân cuûa Giaùo phaän Houma-Thibodaux. Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän hoaït ñoäng töø 8:30 saùng ñeán 4:30 chieàu, thöù hai ñeán thöù saùu. Moät nhaân vieân chuyeân nghieäp veà söùc khoûe taâm thaàn traû lôøi treân ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi. Nhöõng caù nhaân seõ ñöôïc trôï giuùp naâng ñôõ theâm neáu caàn.

Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän Soá ñieän thoaïi: (985) 873-0026; (985) 850-3172

www.bayoucatholic.com

41

Announcements

Holy Spirit women’s retreat Jan. 27-29 in Lafayette The Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans (CCRNO) is sponsoring its annual Holy Spirit Women’s Retreat with the theme, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” Jan. 2729 in Lafayette. Michelle Moran and Father Joe Krafft will be the featured speakers.

Michelle Moran of London is highly acclaimed as an anointed minister of God’s power in the charismatic 42 gifts. Moran is currently president of the International Charismatic Renewal Office in Rome and she meets regularly with Pope Francis to plan for the Golden Jubilee of the Renewal in 2017. Father Joe Krafft is on the faculty at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and is a zealous and gifted priest.

Also on the program are Deacon Larry Oney and his wife Andi, Patti Mansfield, and the CCRNO Team.

Register online at www.ccrno.org or call (504) 828-1368.

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Food for the Journey is Jan. 10, features Father Simon Peter Engurait The diocesan Office of Religious priesthood May 25, 2013.

Education is sponsoring a monthly Those who plan to attend the lunchtime speaker Jan. 10 event should series on the second RSVP with their Tuesday in January name, phone number at the Ellendale and church parish Country Club

by Thursday, Jan. Restaurant located at 5. To RSVP, email 3319 Highway 311 in FoodForTheJourney@ Schriever. htdiocese.org or call The speaker for Jan. (985) 850-3178.

10 is Father Simon Doors open at Peter Engurait.

10:45 a.m. Lunch Father Engurait, begins at 11:30 a native of Ngora, a.m. The program Uganda, East Africa, begins at Noon currently serves as with the speaker’s Father Simon Peter Engurait diocesan coordinator presentation from of Christian 12:10-12:45 p.m. Cost Formation, diocesan Moderator of is $15 and includes meal, drink the Curia and as associate pastor and tip. Only cash or checks will of Christ the Redeemer Church be accepted. parish in Thibodaux. Father All are invited to come “eat and Engurait was ordained to the be fed.”

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Church Life

American Indian Mass The American Indian Mass was celebrated recently at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Pointe-auxChenes. Bishop Shelton J. Fabre was the main celebrant of the Mass which was concelebrated by priests of the diocese.

43

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

www.bayoucatholic.com

World

Vatican: Cremated bodies may not be scattered

By HANNAH BROCKHAUS

Vatican City, (CNA/EWTN News)

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The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released an instruction Tuesday regarding burial and cremation, reiterating the Church’s teaching that cremation, while strongly discouraged, can be permissible under certain restrictions – and that scattering the ashes is forbidden.

Ad resurgendum cum Christo, or “To rise with Christ”, published Oct. 25, states that while cremation “is not prohibited” the Church “continues to prefer the practice of burying the bodies of the deceased, because this shows a greater esteem towards the deceased.”

The document explains that after “legitimate motives” for cremation have been ascertained, the “ashes of the faithful must be laid to rest

in a sacred place,” such as in a cemetery or church. It goes on to state that is not permitted to keep the ashes in a home or to scatter them “in the air, on land, at sea or in some other way, nor may they be preserved in mementos, pieces of jewelry or other objects.”

“The burial, the last liturgy for us, is an expression of our hope for the resurrection,” Cardinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the congregation wrote, “and therefore the Church continues to teach that the normal burial of the body is the normal form.”

As the document explains, “by burying the bodies of the faithful, the Church confirms her faith in the resurrection of the body, and intends to show the great dignity of the human body as an integral part of the human person whose body

forms part of their identity.”

“She cannot, therefore, condone attitudes or permit rites that involve erroneous ideas about death, such as considering death as the definitive annihilation of the person, or the moment of fusion with Mother Nature or the universe.”

Rather, burial in a cemetery or another sacred place “adequately corresponds to the piety and

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respect owed to the bodies of the faithful departed who through Baptism have become temples of the Holy Spirit and in which ‘as instruments and vessels the Spirit has carried out so many good works.’”

The Vatican originally answered the question of whether or not cremation was allowed in 1963, but with the increase in both its popularity and in practices such as scattering the ashes or keeping them in the home, it found it necessary to provide a new set of norms as guidance for bishops.

The instruction emphasized that “following the most ancient Christian tradition, the Church insistently recommends that the bodies of the deceased be buried.”

A proper respect for the dignity of the body, according to Fr. Thomas Bonino, an official at the CDF, promotes the hylomorphic understanding of the human person as being composed of both body and soul.

“One must perhaps start from the idea of ecology,” Fr. Bonino told CNA, “meaning respect for nature.

But the body is part of our nature, so a true ecology is also an ecology which takes into account the corporality of man.”

Fr. Bonino explained that because “the body forms part of our identity” together with the soul, this teaching “must be reaffirmed” in preaching and in catechesis.

Practices such as scattering the ashes in nature can be a form of “pantheistic confessions, as if nature were a god,” Fr. Bonino said.

Or it can express the false ideology “that after death nothing of the

person remains, that the body just returns to the earth and there is nothing more.”

The new norms address these issues, he said, while also reacting against the idea that death is only about the individual or the immediate family. “Death also deals with the community to which the deceased belonged,” he pointed out.

The Vatican document highlighted several other reasons for the importance of the burial of the dead, including that the Church considers burying the dead to be one of the corporal works of mercy.

“From the earliest times, Christians have desired that the faithful departed become the objects of the Christian community’s prayers and remembrance. Their tombs have become places of prayer, remembrance and reflection,” it stated.

By reserving the ashes of the deceased in a sacred place, we can be assured that they are not excluded from the prayers of their family and the Christian community, it continued, as well as provide a more permanent marker for posterity, especially after the immediately subsequent generation has passed away.

“We are Catholics … and we must try to understand all elements of our life in the sense of the Christian faith,” Cardinal Müller said.

“We believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and also we have the hope for our resurrection of our body… And therefore the big tradition as Christians has always been burial.”

Mary Shovlain contributed to this piece.

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Sports

Overtime

A 46

Ed Daniels

First round of Louisiana high school playoffs:

‘A total sham’

All night long Friday I waited with much anticipation for the score of a class 2A playoff game.

Top seed Many High School was playing the 32nd seed, General Trass.

Could those vaunted Tigers somehow claw their way past an 0-10 team that had lost its last two regular season games by a combined score of 99-26?

Many won 57-6.

What a relief. LOL! The first round of the Louisiana high school football playoffs were contested last weekend. And, a total sham they were.

For every great game such as Newman’s 41-40 win at Dunham, there were a dozen bad ones.

For all the public schools who preach so much about “fairness” in the playoffs, tell me what is fair about the following.

In class 5A, eight of the 16 games had victory margins of 30 points or more.

Only two games were won by four points or less.

In class 4A, six first round games were won by 30 points or more.

In class 3A, the victory margin for six games was 30 points or more.

In class 2A, the margin of victory for seven games was 30 or more points.

In class 1A, six games were won by 30 points or more.

What a joke.

In an interview after the football split between public and private, Many principal Norman Booker lauded the split.

“The split has been great for the state,” said Booker.

“More kids get a chance to play for a championship.”

Great.

What about the children at Sophie B. Wright, who had to travel almost three hours to lose 55-8 to Welsh?

What about the children at Lakeview High School, who traveled three and half hours to get pummeled, 57-0 by St. Helena Central?

What about the young boys at Delcambre High School who traveled to Madison Prep and lost 76-0?

Is that fair?

This Friday, the top seed in Division II, the De la Salle Cavaliers played a second round game against the Lusher Lions.

De la Salle beat Lusher 34-0 in the regular season.

And, the Cavaliers had a bye in week one. So, they had two weeks to get ready.

In Division I, 3 of 5 games were decided by 30

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

points or more.

Every team in Division I makes the playoffs.

Rummel and Jesuit used to be a much anticipated game.

But, that rivalry has been diminished greatly by this fact.

The Raiders and Blue Jays have played six times in the last three seasons.

So, this past Friday night, as I returned from a high football game, I waited with much anticipation for the latest update as those vaunted Many Tigers made their inexorable march to the Superdome.

In the second round, the Tigers were surely to be tested by a West St. Mary team that won three games in the regular season, and scored six points or less in four of their nine regular season games.

Let’s be honest. The anticipation is downright unbearable.

Merry Christmas

Craig Hebert, PT • Lori Matherne, PT • Craig Pate, PT

• NO REFERRAL NEEDED • 104 East Bayou Rd. (Hwy 308) Thibodaux, LA 70301 ~ (985) 446-3736 • www.thibodauxpt.com

Bishop’s Message

Merry Christmas

We enter again into celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, which is the heart of Christmas. During this time we thank God the Father for the gift of his Son. I pray that during these days of Christmas you will be surrounded by the love of God and know his peace.

Christmas is a time when our lives and our hearts are filled with the joy and love of family and friends.

As that first Christmas found the Holy Family near to one another, I hope these days find you near and close to family and friends. During these days of Christmas and into the New Year, may you know God’s blessings, his presence near to you, and share the joy of the child born at Bethlehem with all whom you meet. Merry Christmas!

Feliz Navidad

Celebramos de nuevo el nacimiento de Jesucristo, el corazón de la navidad. En este tiempo le damos las gracias a Dios el Padre por darnos a su Hijo. Ruego que durante estos días de navidad ustedes estén colmados con el amor de Dios y reciban su paz. La navidad es un tiempo en que nuestras vidas y nuestros corazones se llenan de la alegría y el amor de familia y amistades. Así como la primera navidad encontró a la Santa Familia unida, así también espero que ustedes se encuentren unidos con sus familias y amistades.

En estos días navideños y fiestas de Año Nuevo, ruego que Dios los colme de bendiciones con su presencia y que ustedes puedan compartir con todos la alegría de que el niño ha nacido en Belén. ¡Feliz Navidad!

, Giang Sinh Chuc Mung ‘ ‘ ‘

Chúng ta lại một lần nữa mừng sinh nhật của Chúa Giêsu Kitô, là tâm hồn của Giáng Sinh. Trong suốt thời gian này, chúng ta cảm tạ Chúa Cha về món quà Con của Người. Tôi cầu nguyện rằng trong suốt những ngày này của Giáng Sinh, Anh Chị Em sẽ được bao phủ bởi tình yêu của Thiên Chúa và nhận biết sự bình an của Người. Giáng Sinh là thời gian khi cuộc sống và trái tim của chúng ta tràn ngập niềm vui và tình yêu của gia đình và bạn hữu. Giống như ngày Giáng Sinh đầu tiên nơi gia đình Thánh Gia gần gũi bên nhau, tôi hy vọng những ngày này Anh Chị Em sẽ được gần gũi bên cạnh gia đình và bạn hữu. Trong những ngày của Giáng Sinh và Năm Mới này, ước mong Anh Chị Em cảm nghiệm được những ơn lành của Thiên Chúa, sự hiện diện gần gũi của Người, và chia sẻ niềm vui của hài nhi sinh ra nơi hang đá Bêlem đến với tất cả mọi người mà Anh Chị Em gặp gỡ. Chúc Mừng Chúa Giáng Sinh!

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

Christmas

Adopt-a-Family Bringing happiness to the needy

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Doing without the things that most of us take for granted is a way of life for some families in our community. Jennifer Gaudet, associate director for Individual and Family Assistance for Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, says that some children cannot go to social events, cannot expect certain toys for Christmas or their birthday, or even have a Christmas tree because their families cannot afford these things.

At Christmas time, there are organizations such as Catholic Charities Adopt-a-Family program that strive to help children make their dreams come true. “Since I have an understanding of what it feels like to live in poverty conditions, I am extremely grateful to the businesses and families that call upon us to “adopt” families for Christmas. I am not sure if they fully understand how deeply their gifts reach into the human soul. It is more than just a toy that is being given. A gift helps children’s selfesteem and lessens the financial stress the parents feel as the holiday season approaches,” says Gaudet.

Gaudet sees children receive some things that go beyond the joy of receiving a toy. “This program is more than just giving and receiving. It is mainly about sharing one’s love and strength with someone else who feels tired and run down. By participating in this

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type of program, the strength of the loving Christ child becomes present to both parties and joy fills the air,” Gaudet says.

& Appliances

How to Adopt a Family for Christmas Businesses and families who wish to interact directly with a family in need may participate in the Adopt a Family program. Once a group knows how much money they have available to assist a family, they need to decide how they wish to help – with food, badly needed items for the home, clothes for the family or toys for the children. Once this decision is made, the group may call Catholic Charities in Houma at (985) 876-0490.

Gaudet will help match the group with a needy family.

Once a decision is made, the group will deliver the gifts to the family or if they prefer to remain anonymous, they can have Catholic Charities’ staff distribute the gifts to the adopted family.

In lieu of purchasing gifts, cash donations may be made to the program by sending checks to Catholic Charities Christmas Drive, 1220 Aycock St., Houma, LA 70360. Any small donations will be combined and used to assist a family (or families depending on the amount received) with gifts when a donor does not wish to adopt an entire family themselves.

Gaudet says that Catholic Charities cooperates with the Salvation Army, The Ark Houma, First United Methodist Church, and Faith Ministries in the area to ensure names of the needy are not duplicated and that children in need are helped.

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Christmas

Guest Columnist Father Michael Bergeron

It’s easier than you think

E 52

Make your own Christmas miracle

Every year, many Christians feel insulted because they hear the words “Happy Holidays.”

What most people don’t realize is there are approximately 29 holidays observed by seven religions (not to mention at least nine other celebrations of nonreligious nature) from Nov. 1 to Jan. 15. And “Happy Holidays” simply reflects the increase of religious diversity in our country.

Besides Christmas which is celebrated by Christians around the world, this time period includes: Hanukkah celebrated

by Jews, Kwanzaa by AfricanAmericans, Winter Solstice

by Native Americans, Yule by Wiccans, the birth of Mohammad

by Muslims, Bodhi by Buddhists, Omisoka by the Japanese, ShabeYalda by interfaith Iranians, Dhanu Yatra by Hindus, Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, Koročun among the Slavs, or Ziemassvētki by the Orthodox churches, to name but a few.

Saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” is not political correctness gone mad, it is simply an acknowledgment of all people, who are celebrating over 38 different festivals during this time.

Nobody said you can’t say Merry Christmas or call it a Christmas

tree or celebrate the way you want to. The real “war on Christmas” is not being conducted by other faiths; it is being conducted by companies and people who worship money.

So let’s talk about Christmas and how to put Christ back into our “holiday.”

The Advent Season prepares us for Christmas, but unfortunately Christmas arrives in our stores in August, long before Advent. And it stirs in us an enthusiasm for giving and getting and feasting and fun.

So for many, this biggest spending season has no more religious significance than the celebrations of the pagan Romans.

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Leslie Daigle, PT • Eddie Himel, PT, DSc., OCS, Cert. MDT • John Daigle, PT, OCS, COMT Tracy Peltier, PT, CMT • Steven Landry, OT, CHT • Sawyer Triche, PT, DPT • Frannie B. Allen, PT, DPT Joshua Grabert, PT, DPT • Chase Cheramie, PTA

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Every year, we hear the slogan “Put Christ back in Christmas” and it actually stems from the outrage of seeing the word “X-mas.” That abbreviation for Christmas is of Greek origin. The word for Christ in Greek is Xristos. During the 16th century, Europeans began using the first initial of Christ’s name, “X” in place of the word Christ in Christmas as a shorthand form of the word, especially since most people could not read or write. Although the early Christians understood that “X” stood for Christ’s name, later Christians who did not understand the Greek language mistook “X-mas” as a sign of disrespect. But the Christians were using it in the highest respect, even making an “X” on their graves to tell generations to come that they were Christians. So Christ is still in X-mas.

Fussing about semantics is so much easier than actually doing something constructive. We need to restore the word “holiday” to its original meaning of “holy day.” The Christmas holidays should be the holiest days of the year.

The simplest way to bring Christ back into Christmas is to embrace the Beatitudes and the teachings of Christ. Simply put, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the stranger and unwanted child, care for the ill, love your enemies. The greatest gift at Christmas is not found in the shops or under the Christmas tree. It is found in the hearts and actions of Christians.

Christ is not in Christmas when we have holiday gatherings that exclude family members that we are angry with or whose lifestyle we do not

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Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

May you have a safe and prosperous New Year.

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Christmas

Miracle

approve. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. Christ is not in Christmas when there is bickering, threats to children (“Eat everything on your plate or Santa won’t bring you anything), record keeping on gift giving and gift receiving, or unexpected demands on others that the celebration be “perfect.” Jesus didn’t say that the world would know us as his disciples by our contentiousness, but by our love for one another.

A television interviewer was walking the streets of Tokyo at Christmas time. Strangely enough, much as in America, Christmas shopping is a big commercial success in Japan – even though the Christian community in Japan is very, very tiny. The interviewer stopped one young woman on the sidewalk and asked, “What is the meaning of Christmas?”

Laughing, she responded, “I don’t 54 know. Isn’t that the day that Jesus died?”

Commenting on this woman’s reply, the interviewer says, “There was some truth in her answer.”

We can put Christ back in Christmas by recognizing that our fellow humans are just as much beloved children of God as we are regardless of their religion.

We can recognize that Christ loved those who were considered unlovable, served those who were considered unfit to be served, took on the unwanted task of washing the disciples’ feet, and bore the punishment that we inflicted on

him. We cannot call ourselves Christian without demonstrating God’s love for people through service and social justice. We put Christ back into Christmas by abandoning our perceived and petty outrages and focus on actual instances of true persecution. We put Christ back into Christmas by not linking monetary success to God’s blessing and remembering that in God’s economy the needy are always provided for.

So what are some practical, concrete ways to put Christ back into Christmas? Share your holiday festivities with those who may have been forgotten, rejected by their families, live alone or cannot afford to celebrate. Carry some small bills, loose change, or coupon books to hand out to those who are poor. Never waste food; bring leftovers to others who are living on a budget. You can bring

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extra desserts to the emergency waiting room at the hospital, or the staff at local nursing homes. But remember to maintain the sense of dignity in others and never make someone feel like a “charity case.”

Avoid certain financial stresses if you can help it. Don’t go overboard with gifts. Make things like bread, candy or gift baskets. Do not buy violent toys for your children, particularly violent video games.

Bring small gifts or stuffed animals to be given to children brought to emergency rooms or urgent care centers.

Perhaps there are elderly people in your neighborhood who have been neglected by their adult children, or maybe there is a young couple struggling through school who can’t make it back home for the holiday. Inviting them to share in your family’s joy will make Christmas memorable for everyone.

Every church and many shopping centers have trees adored with tags for gifts for children whose families cannot afford to buy them gifts.

Many programs ask the child what they want.

Don’t become indignant when it says a bicycle or a computer. They asked the “child” and the child is simply sharing his or her dream.

Do the best you can. But take a tag or two.

Bring your pets inside where it is warm. Animals kept Jesus warm; can we not do the same for them?

Visit friends, family and even strangers who are in hospitals or nursing homes. Christmas can be a sad time of the year when family and friends do not visit the elderly.

Make a donation of a frozen turkey to the food bank (or fresh fruits

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and desserts, if you are a vegetarian who objects to killing animals.)

Other foods are nice, but these things are rare at the food bank.

Not incidentally, by the way, Jesus also instructed us to pay our taxes (Matthew 22:21).

I encourage you to be more loving and to forgive others and be reconciled. Christmas is about love and reconciliation; go and be more loving. Christmas is about peace and goodwill. We talk about putting Christ back into Christmas but we need to ensure that we keep Christ in Christian. It is not “Christian” unless it includes Christ. It is not Christian if it only deals with concepts or principles. It must include the person.

Attending Mass should be our primary concern. But attending Mass on Christmas without receiving the Eucharist (without receiving Christ into our souls) is like going to the best restaurant in town on Christmas and munching on a toothpick while watching others enjoy a hearty meal. All Catholics should do whatever is necessary for them to prepare for Christmas and to receive the

Eucharist on Christmas day. That will “literally” put Christ into your Christmas.

Many people are surprised to learn that the Twelve Days of Christmas are the 12 days after Christmas, not the 12 days before.

It is the coming of Epiphany when the Magi arrive. In many countries, it is called “Little Christmas” and that is the day the gifts are given.

So it is really distressing to drive around on Christmas day at one o’clock in the afternoon and see Christmas trees in the trash. We can keep Christ in Christmas by leaving our decorations up just a little longer.

Think about all of your Christmases past. What memories do you cherish the most? The love, the kindness, the thoughtfulness, the togetherness, or was it the kind of gifts you received? Do you even remember what gifts you received?

It might sound old fashioned, but I believe that our loved ones would be most happy with a gift of ourselves, which requires that we value them and that our values are rooted in our relationships and grounded in faithfulness and loyalty. Keeping

Christ in Christmas is found in the hearts and actions of Christians.

And if truth be told, you do not have to put Christ back into Christmas, he is already there. He is there with the lonely, the depressed, the joyful and the confused. He is there with the widow and the orphan, with you, with me and with the atheist. As people of faith it is in these places, fueled by grace, love and hospitality, we can, not bring Christ back to Christmas, but join with him in the work he is already doing, and sometimes work he is already doing in spite of the best intentions of his people.

We just love to watch those sweet little movies on Hallmark Channel about the true meaning of Christmas – the Christmas miracles that warm our heart. But we forget that we can make our own little movie. And we can make our own little Christmas miracle.

It’s easier than you think. Do it this year. Don’t let Christmas be what the Japanese lady thought: the time Jesus died.

(Father Michael Bergeron is a retired priest of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.)

May Your Heart Be Filled with Holiday Spirit and the Love and Laughter of Family and Friends from Jessica Williams and Staff

HONORING LIVES, HEALING PEOPLE HONORING LIVES, HEALING PEOPLE

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Christmas

May the Peace and Hope of Christ’s birth Be with you and in the days ahead.

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EST. 1888 FUNERAL HOME I

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Wishing you all the Joys and Happiness of the Holiday Season.

May you be Blessed with Peace, Love, and Joy!

104 St. Patrick Hwy. • Thibodaux, LA 70301 • (985) 446-8826 www.thibodauxfuneralhome.com Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • December 2016

Thoughts for Millennials Ryan Abboud

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As a young person living in our current society, it’s very easy to get caught up in the emotional rollercoaster that the month of December brings us. We, as young people, create almost a mental “checklist” for the holiday season. We all have different errands to run or objectives to accomplish. Listen to Christmas Music? Check. Find a tacky, ugly Christmas sweater? Check. Make a Christmas list? Check. Buy the perfect present for someone?

Check.

Not to mention, all the struggles that young people face during this time in school. The constant feeling of impending doom looms over us as finals week approaches.

Make flashcards? Check. Study?

Check. Talk to your teacher about extra credit? Check. Study even more? Check.

December can be an unbelievably busy time for young

December: Christmas shopping, final exams and preparing your heart for Jesus

people, and along with it brings many different emotions and feelings. It’s very easy to get so wrapped up in all the objectives and emotions that we forget one big thing about the month of December … Jesus is coming.

We remember to go to the Mall, but we forget to go to Mass. We remember to put up the tree, but we forget to set up the manger. We remember to listen to Christmas

music, but forget to listen to Christ.

We remember the presents, but we forget the presence. It’s so easy to forget the things that really matter and remember the things that don’t. That’s why we need a checklist for our spiritual life just like we have ones for our school lives and the holiday season.

Sit down and pray? Check.

Remember why this holiday exists?

Check. Drop in church for some eucharistic adoration?

Check.

Pray a rosary in the car instead of listening to Christmas music?

Check. The steps to take will not be easy, but they are simple. And they’re rewarding. Rather than the Christmas season being a time of year that leaves your wallet empty, it can be the time of year that leaves your heart full.

All in all, I challenge you to take a different approach to December this year. Remember the important things and forget the material things. You can turn a commercial holiday into a spiritual holiday – the way it was intended to be. All 57 it takes is a checklist, a little bit of grace, and an open heart for Christ to enter, no matter the condition of it. Remember: on that night in Bethlehem, all he needed was a manger.

(Ryan Abboud is a 2015 graduate of Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma and a sophomore at LSU in Baton Rouge.)

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