Bayou Catholic Magazine February 2018 by Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

Bayou

Catholic

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration FEBRUARY 2018 ~ VOL. 38 NO. 8 ~ COMPLIMENTARY

FOCUSED

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If you would like to visit SEECA call 853-0900

2018 Annual Bishop’s Appeal

Please prayerfully consider a generous donation today.

Your gift to the 2018 Annual Bishop’s Appeal will directly assist:

Retired priests, adult formation, family ministries, and youth formation

Ways to Give: By Mail: Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Annual Bishop’s Appeal Office Post Office Box 505 Schriever, LA 70395

At your Parish: Place your envelope in the In-Pew collection on Sunday Your pledge is key to continued growth in ministries that strive to live the Lord’s Mission.

Please make checks payable to Annual Bishop’s Appeal. Online: Visit our secure online giving site at www.htdiocese.org/bishopsappeal

For more information on how your gift can make an impact please call 985-850-3116.

Contents

Features 18 Laity in Action

By Janet Marcel

Personalities

By Lawrence Chatagnier

Advertisers Spotlight

By Janet Marcel

Youth rally, March 24

By Janet Marcel

Columns 8 Comfort For My People

By Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

Pope Speaks

Pope Francis I

Questions of Faith

By Father Wilmer Todd

Readings Between The Lines

By Father Glenn LeCompte

Reading with Raymond

By Raymond Saadi

Thoughts for Millennials

By Ryan Abboud

50 Overtime

By Ed Daniels

In Every Issue 6 From the Editor 16 Scripture Readings 22 Heavenly Recipes 24 Diocesan Events 34 Youth In Action Guest Columns 28 Prayer with care

By Father Glenn LeCompte

Announcements 30 Catholic Foundation update 39 Abbey Youth Fest

On Our Cover

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

Zalayar Spurlock, an altar server at St. Luke the Evangelist Church parish in Thibodaux, leads the procession during a Mass honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. last month. See page 7 for more photos of the celebrations at St. Lucy and St. Luke Church parishes. 4 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

March 17

Jesus Christ Superstar March 25 Mission Sacred Heart, Cut Off Feb. 26-27

Bayou Catholic How to reach us:

Heavenly Recipes

Chris and Cathy Butler

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.

Chris and Cathy cook a:

LASAGNA 22

This month’s heavenly recipe, grilled eggplant lasagna, omes from Houma natives Chris and Cathy Butler. It’s a recipe that Cathy developed after some experimenting with home grown eggplants. They are parishioners of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales parish, where Cathy has been employed for the past three years. She is the pastoral minister who coordinates the RCIA program and he baptismal preparation teams, is involved with the bereavement ministry and all of the adult faith formation n the parish. Before ministering at St. Francis, she was the CCD coordinator and youth minister at St. Louis Church parish in Bayou Blue for 15 years. Chris has been working at Star Printing in Houma for 37 years. It is a family run business which his father owns. Cathy’s introduction to ministry began at Maria mmacolata Church parish in Houma where she volunteered as a CCD teacher. “I taught eighth grade CCD at Maria mmacolata and loved it. I was later asked to coordinate the onfirmation program there. That was when I met Brother Dominick Pujia, F.M.S., who was the director of the Office of Youth Ministry for the diocese. I would help him with youth etreats from time to time. One day something came up and he couldn’t lead a retreat in Bayou Blue, so he asked me to do it for him. I

Grilled Eggplant Lasagna

Lawrence Chatagnier

editor and general manager

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

INGREDIENTS:

4 large Black Beauty eggplants Janet Marcel Virgin olive oil, as needed staff writer/administrative assistant Salt/pepper to taste Brooks Lirette Dried basil advertising accounts executive Whole wheat lasagna 2 jars of pasta sauce (garlic and basil Lisa flavor mixedHebert Schobel graphic designer together) 2 pack of grated Mozzarella cheese Meridy Liner

accounts receivable/payable assistant

DIRECTIONS:

Slice eggplant in one quarter to one half inch rounds. In a small bowl, season one half cup olive oil with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the eggplant with the oil and grill on a heated grill plate or pit. Dust eggplant Like us on Facebook while grilling with dried basil. Grill eggplant until soft. or Boil lasagna as directed on package; salt Findto us taste. on the web Drain when done. www.bayoucatholic.org Spray the bottom of a 9x12 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Place a layer of lasagna, then a layer Where to find your Bayou Catholic of eggplant. Spoon the pasta sauce liberally over the Bayou Catholic magazine can be found eggplant. Finish with grated cheese top.churches Continue at all on Catholic and Catholic schools layering with lasagna, eggplant,throughout sauce and cheese. the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. To pickfor upthree a copy,layers. you may also visit the Ingredients should give you enough who advertise in our issue. Those After applying final layer of gratedmerchants cheese, bake at 350 wishing to receive the magazine by mail can degrees for 45 minutes. call Janet Marcel at (985) 850-3132 or write to Bayou Catholic, P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395. Subscription price is $35 someone me annually. who For thehelped online edition, go to www.bayoucatholic.com

experience. Sister Fionnuala was greatly in my faith formation.” Chris and Cathy love to cook on weekends. “We do most of our cooking on the weekend and •package for the upcoming February 2018 Diocese ofitHouma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 5 week,” says Chris. “It’s the best time for us to cook because of our busy schedules during the week.”

From The Editor

For those of us who live in South Louisiana, February is a month of contrasts. The beginning of the month is reserved for the carnival season and Mardi Gras celebrations culminating with Fat Tuesday which is Feb. 13 this year. Prior to the celebration on Mardi Gras Day there will be balls and tableaus for the carnival krewes, parades, and families celebrating and gathering along the parade routes. The Lenten season, which begins on the stroke of midnight immediately after Mardi Gras Day, is a time of preparation for Easter, a time for prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We have all given up the usual things, alcohol, sweets or our favorite TV shows. In our Questions of Faith column, Father Wilmer Todd suggests that we look at ourselves deeply and not do what we did last year … don’t just give up chocolate or alcohol. “We have to identify what is not Christ-like in our lives. Whatever our demons are, we have to name them, claim them as our own, and ask God to help us cast them out. Our Lenten observances must ‘fit the crime,’” he says. It is always good to take stock of ourselves and try to understand how to improve ourselves in our spiritual life as well as our day-today interactions with people. Lent is a great time to put aside

whatever differences we may have with one another and attempt to see everyone with a new set of eyes. We should strive to see with eyes of compassion for one another. We should refrain from judging people. In a recent visit to South America, Pope Francis used the Beatitudes as a platform for peace and justice. The pope said to an audience in Chile, “The Beatitudes are not the product of the ‘prophets of doom who seek only to spread dismay,’ nor do they come from ‘those mirages that promise happiness with a single click,’ in the blink of an eye.” Rather, the Beatitudes “are born of the compassionate heart of Jesus, which encounters the hearts of men and women seeking and yearning for a life of happiness,” he said. Francis said the Beatitudes represent a “new day” for all those who look to the future and dream, and who allow themselves to be moved and sent forth by the Holy Spirit. Contrary to “the resignation that like a negative undercurrent undermines our deepest relationships and divides us,” Jesus provides a more positive message, telling the people that “blessed are those who work for reconciliation. Blessed are those ready to dirty their hands so that others can live in peace.” “Do you want to be blessed? Do you want to be happy? Blessed are those who work so that others can be happy. Do you want peace?” he asked. “Then work for peace.” The pontiff’s message is one that should be heeded in our country, also. We are living in a time of great division in our country. There are great divisions in politics, race relations, and economic conditions. There is much negativity, finger pointing and accusations played out in the national media. Life Time Fitness, a Minnesotabased gym chain, has decided to eliminate all national cable network news stations from the TV screens at its 128 fitness centers in

6 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

the U.S. and Canada. The removed channels include CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and CNBC, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The decision, which was made at the start of the new year, came after a wave of feedback from gym members over time, Life Time Fitness said in a statement on Twitter recently. It also stemmed from the chain’s “commitment to provide family oriented environments free of consistently negative or politically charged content,” the statement read. Numerous studies have indeed shown that consumption of emotional content of TV news can affect a person’s mental health and mood, according to Graham C.L. Davey, an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Sussex. One study described in the Harvard Business Review found that people who watched just three minutes of negative news in the morning had a 27 percent greater likelihood of reporting their day as unhappy six to eight hours later, compared to a group that watched positive news focused on uplifting stories of resilience. If you’re experiencing anxiety or feeling negative about the politics of our country here’s a suggestion, try turning off the cable news networks this Lent. It might lead you to a more peaceful, positive outlook on life and give you a greater sense of wellbeing. 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! BC

Lawrence

Lawrence Chatagnier Editor & General Manager

Church Life

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre was the main celebrant of the Masses at St. Lucy Church parish in Houma and St. Luke the Evangelist Church parish in Thibodaux recently for the preservation of peace and justice in remembrance of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Father Antonio Speedy concelebrated. Deacon Martin Dickerson assisted.

St. Luke St. Lucy

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 7

Comment

God invites us to be more intentional in our encounters with him Comfort For My People Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

From an early age, one of the most important lessons I learned was that if I wanted to successfully reach an outcome I desired, then I had to be intentional about how I was going to achieve the desired outcome. Intentionality is a theme that has surfaced throughout the entire strategic planning process. A year ago, I gathered with all the priests of the diocese for a convocation. It was a time for us to prayerfully reflect upon where God had led us thus far and to discern together where he was leading us into the future as a diocese. One key theme that surfaced during our time together was the importance of our being intentional as a diocese. We recognized that if we wanted the renewal of parish life then we had to be intentional about helping people learn about the faith, engage more fully in the sacramental life of the church and ultimately grow in their relationship with God. We had to be intentional about discernment; taking time to pay attention to where God was leading us and asking him to show us what the necessary steps would be to help us get there. We recognized that intentionality is essential to help us to get where we wanted to go. As I listen to people, sometimes they will say to me, “Bishop, I would love to get more out of the Mass” or “I would love to know more about the Mass.” As such conversations usually further unfold, I find that what is most often fueling these statements is a deep desire for a greater personal

experience of God in the person’s life. People want to experience God more deeply, particularly at Mass. At the core of every human heart is the desire for God. In Jesus Christ, we ultimately find what we are looking for and we find the rest for which we long. As St. Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rests in you.” The Mass is always a place that Jesus Christ can be found! In a profound way at Mass, we experience Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross, the power of his

out at every Mass. This year during the season of Lent, we will offer the video resource, “Why We Worship - Rediscovering the Mass,” to help you learn more about the Mass and the depth of our Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and love for us. I sincerely encourage you to watch this video series. I believe you will experience the Mass in a deeper way if you engage in this beautiful study. Also, I encourage you to consider one way this Lent in which you might be more intentional about preparing for the

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

redemptive love, and his real presence in the most holy Eucharist. If you find yourself longing for a deeper experience of God, perhaps this Lent is a time to consider how God might be inviting you to be more intentional about preparing for and expecting an encounter with him at every Mass. I wonder what all of our lives might look like this year on Easter Sunday morning if we dedicated this Lent to learning more about the Mass. Ultimately, the Mass reveals the depth of Jesus’ intentionality for us. The more we learn and understand, the more that is revealed to us about the depth of Jesus’ love that is poured

8 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Mass. Perhaps that might be arriving a little early to be aware of God’s loving presence with you, or taking a little time at the end of Mass to reflect on one thing that stirred in your heart during the Mass. Or, perhaps you could be intentional about how you spend your Sunday as a day set apart for God. Imagine for a moment if we as a diocesan spiritual family of God committed to being more intentional about our time at Mass. I believe if we do this, we will all encounter in a deeper way Jesus Christ, the one for whom we long. May God bless your efforts during this Lent to be intentional in your relationship with him. BC

whyweworship Rediscover the Mass.

LENT 2018

htdiocese.org/whyweworship

Comentario

Dios nos invita a encontrarnos con El con más ahínco Desde joven, una de las lecciones que aprendí fue que si quería llegar a la meta deseada tenía que actuar con ahínco para lograr mis objetivos. El ahínco es un tema que ha brotado a lo largo del proceso de planificación estratégica. Hace un año me reuní con todos los sacerdotes de la diócesis para realizar una convocación. Era el momento de reflexionar en oración acerca del camino que Dios nos ha dado y de analizar juntos hacia dónde va nuestra diócesis en el futuro próximo. Un tema clave que brotó durante nuestro tiempo juntos fue la importancia de nuestro ahínco en nuestra diócesis. Reconocimos que si queremos una renovación en la vida parroquiana teníamos que actuar con ahínco en ayudar a nuestros semejantes a aprender la fe y a desenvolverse con más plenitud en la vida sacramental de la Iglesia y culminando en el crecimiento de su relación con Dios. Tuvimos que actuar con ahínco en nuestro entendimiento; tomándonos el tiempo para darnos cuenta dónde Dios nos lleva y preguntándole que nos demuestre los pasos esenciales que tomamos para llegar ahí. Reconocimos que el ahínco es vital para ayudarnos a llegar donde queremos llegar. Cuando escucho a personas, a veces ellos me dirán «Obispo, me gustaría aprender aún algo más de la misa» o «me gustaría saber más sobre la misa.» Con el seguimiento de estas conversaciones me voy dando cuenta que lo que genera estas declaraciones es el deseo profundo de vivir una experiencia más personal con Dios. La gente quiere vivir la experiencia con Dios con más profundidad durante la misa. En el fondo del corazón humano está el deseo de estar con Dios. En Jesucristo, hemos encontrado lo que buscamos y ahí se encuentra todo lo

que hemos querido. San Agustín dijo: «Tu nos has creado para ti mismo, Oh Señor, y nuestro corazón se estremece hasta que encuentra la paz en ti.» ¡La misa es siempre el lugar en el que Jesucristo se puede encontrar! De manera profunda en la misa, vivimos la experiencia del sacrificio de Jesús en la cruz, el poder de su amor de redención y su presencia verdadera en la Santísima Eucaristía. Si usted se encuentra deseando una

ofrecemos un video, «Por qué adoramos- Volviendo a descubrir la misa,» para ayudarle a aprender más sobre la misa y la profundidad del sacrificio de Jesucristo y su amor por nosotros. Los animo a que vean esta serie de videos. Creo que vivirán la misa con mas profundidad si se dedican a este estudio. También les animo a que consideren una manera esta Cuaresma de actuar con más ahínco en su preparación para la misa. Tal vez

Por qué adoramos

Volviendo a descubrir la misa. relación más profunda con Dios, tal vez la Cuaresma es el momento para considerar la manera en que Dios le invita a prepararse con mas ahínco para esperar un encuentro con El en todas las misas. Me pregunto cómo fueran todas nuestras vidas este año durante el Domingo de Resurrección si nos dedicáramos esta Cuaresma a aprender más sobre la misa. Por último, la misa revela el ahínco de Jesús por nosotros. Lo más que aprendemos y comprendemos, lo más que se revela a nosotros sobre como la profundidad del amor de Jesús que se derrama en la misa. Este año durante la Cuaresma,

esto sea llegar un poco temprano para apreciar la presencia del amor de Dios o tomar un poco de más tiempo en la misa para reflexionar sobre algo que haya conmovido su corazón durante la misa. Tal vez podría dedicar con ahínco su domingo a Dios. Imaginese por un momento si como una familia diocesana espiritual de Dios nos comprometemos con mas ahínco a dedicar nuestro tiempo en la misa. Creo que, si hacemos esto, tendremos un encuentro más profundo con Jesucristo ya que lo esperamos. Qué Dios bendiga sus esfuerzos esta Cuaresma para que tenga más ahínco por establecer una relación con El. BC

whyweworship

10 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Rediscover the Mass.

LENT 2018

htdiocese.org/whyweworship

Binh luan bang loi

Thiên Chúa mời gọi chúng ta có ý định hơn trong cuộc gặp gỡ với Người Khi còn nhỏ, một trong những bài học quan trọng nhất mà tôi học được là nếu tôi muốn đạt được kết quả như mong muốn, thì tôi phải có ý định về cách thức tôi sẽ đạt được kết quả như mong muốn. Sự có ý định là một chủ đề đã hiện diện trong toàn bộ quá trình thiết lập kế hoạch chiến lược. Năm vừa qua, tôi đã quy tụ tất cả các Linh mục của giáo phận trong buổi hội nghị. Đã đến lúc chúng ta phải suy gẫm trong cầu nguyện về cách thức Thiên Chúa đã dẫn dắt chúng ta cho đến nay và cùng nhau nhận ra cách thức Người dẫn dắt chúng ta vào tương lai như một giáo phận. Một chủ đề chính được nhắc đến trong thời gian chúng tôi hội họp là tầm quan trọng của việc chúng ta có ý định tạo thành một giáo phận. Chúng tôi nhận ra rằng nếu chúng ta muốn canh tân đời sống giáo xứ thì chúng ta phải có ý định giúp người ta học hỏi về đức tin, tham gia tích cực hơn vào đời sống bí tích của Hội thánh và cuối cùng phát triển mối quan hệ của họ với Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta phải có ý thức về sự nhận định; dành thời gian để chú ý đến cách thức Thiên Chúa đang dẫn dắt chúng ta và cầu xin Người chỉ cho chúng ta biết những bước cần thiết để giúp chúng ta đi đến đó. Chúng tôi nhận ra rằng sự có ý định rất cần thiết để giúp chúng ta đạt được điều mà chúng ta muốn. Khi tôi lắng nghe mọi người, đôi khi họ nói với tôi, “Thưa Đức Cha, con muốn nhận được nhiều lợi ích thiêng liêng từ Thánh Lễ” hoặc “Con rất muốn hiểu biết thêm về Thánh Lễ.” Trong những cuộc đối thoại khác, tôi thấy rằng những gì làm cho những lời phát biểu này thường xuyên được nhấn mạnh là ước muốn sâu xa về sự cảm nghiệm cá nhân lớn lao hơn về Thiên Chúa trong cuộc sống của họ. Mọi người muốn kinh nghiệm đậm sâu hơn về Thiên Chúa, đặc biệt là Thánh Lễ. Tự trong thâm tâm con người là sự khao khát về Thiên Chúa. Trong Chúa Giêsu Kitô, cuối cùng chúng ta tìm thấy những gì chúng ta đang tìm kiếm và chúng ta

tìm thấy cả những điều khác mà chúng ta mong đợi. Như thánh Augustinô đã nói: “Chúa đã tạo dựng chúng con cho chính Chúa, và lòng chúng con luôn khắc khoải cho đến khi được nghỉ yên trong Chúa.” Thánh lễ luôn luôn là nơi mà Chúa Giêsu Kitô có thể được tìm thấy! Trong một cách thức sâu sắc nơi Thánh Lễ, chúng ta cảm nghiệm sự hy sinh của Chúa Giêsu cho chúng ta trên thánh giá, quyền năng của tình yêu cứu chuộc của Người và sự hiện diện thực sự của Người trong bí tích Thánh Thể. Nếu Anh Chị Em (ACE) thấy mình đang mong muốn có một cảm nghiệm sâu sắc hơn về Thiên Chúa, có lẽ Mùa Chay này là thời gian để suy nghĩ xem

sâu của sự hy sinh và tình yêu của Chúa Giêsu Kitô dành cho chúng ta. Tôi chân thành khuyến khích ACE xem các băng video này. Tôi tin rằng ACE sẽ cảm nghiệm Thánh Lễ một cách sâu sắc hơn nếu ACE tham gia vào buổi học hỏi tốt đẹp này. Ngoài ra, tôi cũng khuyến khích ACE trong Mùa Chay này suy nghĩ về một cách thức, trong đó ACE có thể có ý định chuẩn bị cho Thánh Lễ hơn. Có thể là sẽ đến sớm hơn một chút để nhận thức được sự hiện diện yêu thương của Thiên Chúa với ACE, hoặc dành ít thời gian sau Thánh Lễ để suy gẫm về một điều đã khuấy trong lòng ACE trong Thánh Lễ. Hoặc, có lẽ ACE có thể có ý định về một cách thức nào đó ACE dành cho

Tại sao chúng ta phải thờ phượng

Tái khám phá Thánh Lễ Misa.

Thiên Chúa có thể mời gọi ACE có ý định chuẩn bị và mong đợi cuộc gặp gỡ với Người trong mỗi Thánh Lễ như thế nào. Tôi tự hỏi tất cả cuộc đời chúng ta sẽ như thế nào năm nay vào sáng Chúa Nhật Phục Sinh nếu chúng ta dành Mùa Chay này để học hỏi thêm về Thánh Lễ. Cuối cùng, Thánh Lễ cho thấy chiều sâu ý định của Chúa Giêsu dành cho chúng ta. Chúng ta càng học và hiểu hơn, điều đó càng tiết lộ cho chúng ta biết về chiều sâu tình yêu của Chúa Giêsu được đổ ra trong mỗi Thánh Lễ. Năm nay trong Mùa Chay, chúng tôi sẽ cung cấp tài liệu video hình ảnh: “Tại sao chúng ta phải thờ phượng – Tái khám phá Thánh Lễ Misa,” để giúp ACE tìm hiểu thêm về Thánh lễ và chiều

ngày Chúa Nhật như một ngày dành cho Thiên Chúa. Hãy suy nghĩ một chút xem chúng ta là một gia đình giáo phận thiêng liêng của Thiên Chúa đã cam kết có ý định nhiều hơn về thời gian của chúng ta ở Thánh Lễ hay không. Tôi tin rằng nếu chúng ta làm được điều này, tất cả chúng ta sẽ gặp gỡ Chúa Giêsu Kitô một cách sâu sắc hơn, Đấng mà chúng ta khát khao mong đợi. Xin Thiên Chúa ban phúc lành cho những nỗ lực của ACE trong suốt Mùa Chay này để có được ý định trong mối quan hệ của ACE với Người. Dịch thuật do Lm. Francis Bui, SDD và Thầy Paul Vu, SDD. Tu Đoàn Tông Đồ Giáo Sĩ Nhà Chúa BC

whyweworship Rediscover the Mass.

February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 11

LENT 2018

Comment

Don’t let fear keep you from welcoming the stranger, Pope says The Pope Speaks

Vatican City, (CNA/EWTN News) At a special Mass for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Pope Francis said that while it is normal to be afraid of the unknown, we can’t let this direct how we respond to newcomers in our midst, who should be treated with respect and generosity. It’s not easy to put ourselves in another person’s shoes, especially those very different from us, and this can cause us to have doubts and fears, Francis said Jan. 14. “These fears are legitimate, based on doubts that are fully comprehensible from a human point of view. Having doubts and fears is not a sin.” “The sin is to allow these fears to determine our responses, to limit our choices, to compromise respect and generosity, to feed hostility and rejection,” he continued. “The sin is to refuse to encounter the other, to encounter the different, to encounter the neighbor, when this is in fact a privileged opportunity to encounter the Lord.” Pope Francis gave this homily at a special Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the 104th celebration of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The theme for this year was: “Welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating migrants and refugees.” Present at the Mass were immigrants and refugees from around the world who are now part of the Diocese of Rome. In his homily, Francis quoted a line from his message for the day, published

Aug. 21: “Every stranger who knocks on our door is an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ, who identifies himself with the foreigner who has been accepted or rejected in every age (cf. Mt 25:35-43).” He emphasized that in welcoming the migrant or refugee, we have an opportunity to welcome Jesus. The communities that receive migrants and refugees aren’t the only ones with fears and doubts. Migrants and refugees themselves, who have just arrived in a new place, also have fears, such as the fear “of confrontation, judgment, discrimination and failure,” the Pope said. Francis explained how in the Gospel reading for the day, Jesus calls his disciples to “Come, and see,” and how today this invitation is addressed to all of us. “It is an invitation to overcome our fears so as to encounter the other, to welcome, to know and to acknowledge him or her. It is an invitation which offers the opportunity to draw near to the other and see where and how he or she lives.” Entrusting the world’s migrants and refugees to the care of Mary, Most Holy, the Pope concluded by asking her intercession, that “responding to

12 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

the supreme commandment of charity and love of neighbor, may we all learn to love the other, the stranger, as ourselves.” Following the Mass, Pope Francis led the usual Sunday Angelus from a window in the Casa Santa Marta for pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. Following the prayer, he announced that “for pastoral reasons,” the World Day of Migrants and Refugees will be moved from Jan. 14, as established by Pope St. Pius X in 1914, to the second Sunday of September. Therefore, the next celebration of the day will take place Sept. 8, 2019, he said. In his Angelus message the Pope also spoke about the importance of not leaving our knowledge of Jesus to “hearsay,” but how we need to really encounter him “in prayer, in meditation on the Word of God and in the frequenting of the Sacraments.” “Only a personal encounter with Jesus generates a journey of faith and discipleship,” he said. “We could have many experiences, accomplish many things, establish relationships with many people, but only the appointment with Jesus, at that hour that God knows, can give full meaning to our lives and make our projects and initiatives fruitful.” BC

Comment

Questions of Faith Father Wilmer Todd

A better Lent? It seems that I begin every Lent with good intentions. Before you know it, Easter comes around and I feel that I didn’t stay true to my original intentions for a meaningful Lenten season. What can I do to have a better Lent? One of the biggest problems for any religion is routine. We often do the same religious acts repeatedly but we forget why we do them. If our religious acts do not have meaning and purpose for our lives, they will not necessarily make us better people. We need to do religious acts that are life changing. In all situations, it is not what we do, but why we do it. Jesus calls all of us to conversion. “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel.” The Lenten season is special time of conversion. Conversion means change. Basically, we need to give up everything that is not of Christ, and put on the mind of Christ. We need to adopt his will, his ways, and his thoughts. Religious conversion is unconditionally falling in love, surrendering our lives to our loving God. If we want to be someone who is unconditionally in love with God and others, where do we begin? We don’t do what we did last year. We don’t just give up chocolate or alcohol. We need to look at ourselves today. That means we have to look at the demons that have taken over our lives. We have to identify what is not Christlike in our lives. Spiritual writer, Father Ron

Rolheiser, O.M.I., gives us some examples. “Grandiosity is the demon that tells us that we are the center of the universe, that our lives are more important than those of others. This is the demon of self-preoccupation and self-centeredness, forever urging us to stand out, to be special. Loneliness is the demon of unhealthy restlessness. “Unbridled sexuality is the demon of obsession, addiction and lust. It makes us believe that sex is a cureall, the final salvation, or, if not that, at least the best this world can offer. It urges us to put aside everything else – sacred commitment, moral ideal and consequences for ourselves and others – for a single, momentary pleasure. “Paranoia is the demon of bitterness, anger and jealousy. It makes us believe that life has cheated us, that we have not been given our just place, that the celebration is always about others and never about us. This demon fills us with the urge to be cynical, cold, distrustful and abusive. “Woundedness is the demon that tells us that our innocence and wholeness is irretrievably broken and that, for us, it is too late. The best we can do now is to take consolation in comfort, food, drink, pornography, drugs or some such thing. “The last demon in this family is that of joylessness, the demon of selfpity that tells us that joylessness is maturity, that cynicism is wisdom, and that bitterness is justice. This is the demon that keeps us from entering the room of celebration and joining the dance.” Whatever our demons are, we have to name them, claim them as our own, and ask God to help us cast them out. Our Lenten observances must “fit the crime.” Let us ask our loving God to guide us to the Lenten practices that will empty our lives of everything that is not of God, so we can enjoy a renewed Easter celebration. BC

Readers are encouraged to send their questions to our local Bayou Catholic columnists by email to bayoucatholic@htdiocese.org. February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 13

Reflections

The Lenten readings unfold the Covenant relationship between God and his people Readings Between The Lines Father Glenn LeCompte

Lent begins this month, and the first readings in the current liturgical cycle (Cycle B) on the Sundays of Lent are meant to be a progressive presentation of the concept of the Covenant in the Old Testament. The Covenant defines a relationship between God and human beings, although the two parties in the Covenant are not equal. Some biblical scholars have compared the concept of the Biblical Covenant to Ancient Near Eastern vassal treaties, wherein an overlord demands fealty of the vassal nation and stipulates requirements the vassal nation must fulfill lest it suffer attack from the overlord or be cut off from his protection. The God of Israel loves his people and wishes to bestow his blessings and protective care over them. Fidelity to the Covenant stipulations is expected of the people or they will suffer the consequences of their folly. First Sunday of Lent (Genesis 9:8-15). This passage represents one version of the Covenant with Noah from one of four sources, the “Priestly” source (P), in the Pentateuch. The “Yahwist” (J) version is found in Genesis 8:20-22. Although the mass of wicked humanity is wiped out by the flood, God allows the righteous Noah and his family to give humanity a new start. The reading selection only contains the statement of God’s part in the Covenant. Phrases reflecting the first (Priestly) creation story in Genesis 1:1-2:4a, such as “be fertile,” “multiply,” “abound on the earth,” “subdue (the earth)” reflect the concept

that the original creation is being renewed. God “establishes” (in Hebrew mequim) his Covenant; the verb here is a strong one indicating permanence. God will always sustain humanity and never again destroy it. Second Sunday of Lent (Genesis 22:1-2, 9A, 10-13, 15-18). From the Covenant with Noah, we proceed to the Covenant with Abraham, a covenant which is based upon God’s promise of an heir for the childless couple (Genesis 15:4), Abram and Sarai, and to bring forth from them a great nation through which all peoples of the earth would find blessing (12:2-3). After Abraham and Sarah hang on to God’s promise without fulfillment for a considerable amount of time, God finally fulfills his promise to bring forth an heir (21:2). In chapter 22, however, God astonishingly calls upon Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son, for whom Abraham and Sarah waited so long to be born. We might better understand this passage if we consider that prior to its inclusion in Genesis it was likely meant to explain Israel’s movement from the ancient practice of child sacrifice to animal sacrifice. Put into the context of the Abrahamic covenant story, it is a serious reminder to Abraham that the maintenance of the promise to Abraham and Sarah is dependent upon God’s continued benevolence. Third Sunday of Lent (Exodus 20:1-17). God’s promise to bring forth from Abraham and Sarah numerous descendants is realized,

14 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

and the couple’s offspring end up in Egypt. While initially Jacob’s family’s migration from Palestine to Egypt saves their lives from a regional famine, eventually a new Pharaoh who does not recognize the greatness of Jacob’s son, Joseph, who had risen to a high position in Egypt, enslaves Jacob’s descendants (Exodus 1:8-11). Through the agency of Moses, God effects their release and they end up in the desert at Mount Sinai, where they receive several legal codes which define the expected behavior of the people in relation to their neighbors, aliens and to the God to whom they owe their very lives. This week’s passage is one version of what we have come to call the “Ten Commandments” (cf. Deuteronomy 5:6-21). The Decalogue, along with the other legal codes found in Exodus 1940 and other sections of the Pentateuch provide the standard for evaluation of the success or failure of Israel’s kings as well as the nation as a whole, and constitutes one of the foundational elements of the prophets’ preaching. The nation suffers the consequences of its infidelity to the Torah, yet God never abandons or destroys his people. Fourth Sunday of Lent (2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23). This passage summarizes the ultimate consequence for years of collective disregard of the Covenant stipulations by Israel. The land which had been promised to Abraham and his descendants is lost to the Babylonians in two attacks launched

Reflections

respectively in 597 and 587 B.C. In addition to Judah’s King Zedekiah’s rebellion against the Babylonian king (in opposition to the prophet Jeremiah’s advice) 2 Chronicles attributes the loss of the land to the princes’, priests’ and people’s failure to heed the preaching of the prophets, which, as I mentioned above, was founded upon the legal codes of what became the Torah. Instead, they “practiced the abominations of hagoyim,” the nations, meaning other peoples who do not heed Israel’s Torah. Furthermore, the Chronicler cites the failure to observe the Sabbath-Year law (Leviticus 25:4) as a reason for the exile. 2 Chronicles 36:14-16 demonstrates the seriousness of adhering to the laws God had given Israel if they are to remain in a Covenant-relationship with God. Unlike the Deuteronomistic Historian (see 2 Kings 25) the Chronicler does not end his account with the exile, but narrates the release of the people from Babylon, when the Persian king,

Cyrus, overtakes Judah’s conquerors. Despite God’s exaction of justice, God does not rescind the Covenant. Fifth Sunday of Lent (Jeremiah 31:31-34). This passage comes from either the final years of the exile or the early years of the people’s return to Judah. It speaks of a “new covenant.” \What is meant here is not another promulgation of Law, but a new and more personal embrace of the Covenant stipulations by the people. The prophet here envisions a new beginning in the relationship between Judah and their God. The Covenant will not be written on cold stone tablets, which conveys the idea that Judah has had to struggle with accommodating itself to a Law that it found difficult to embrace. Rather, it will be written on their hearts, meaning that, having reacquired the land after losing it, they will be more motivated to observe the Torah with fidelity. The Lenten first readings in Cycle B

then, recall the history of the Covenant relationship between God and his people. This selection of readings opens the door for Holy Week wherein we will celebrate Jesus’ shedding of his blood as a more definitive establishment of the Covenant (see Mark 14:24, Palm Sunday). BC

Reflection Questions v How do you see yourself as part of God’s Covenant people? v How does the concept of a Covenant contribute to the idea of a relationship between God and his people? v How have you experienced “new beginnings” in your relationship with God?

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ScriptureReadings and a listing of Feast days and saints

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

1 February 2

Friday

Saturday

Weekday 1 Kings 3:4-13 Mark 6:30-34

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Job 7:1-4, 6-7 1 Corinthians 9:1619, 22-23 Mark 1:29-39

Memorial of Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13 Mark 6:53-56

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and companions, martyrs 1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 Mark 7:1-13

Weekday 1 Kings 10:1-10 Mark 7:14-23

Weekday 1 Kings 11:4-13 Mark 7:24-30

Weekday 1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19 Mark 7:31-37

Memorial of Saint Scholastica, virgin 1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34 Mark 8:1-10

Weekday James 1:1-11 Mark 8:11-13

Weekday James 1:12-18 Mark 8:14-21

Ash Wednesday: Day of Fast and Abstinence Joel 2:12-18 2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Thursday after Ash Wednesday Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Luke 9:22-25

Friday after Ash Wednesday Isaiah 58:1-9a Matthew 9:14-15

Saturday after Ash Wednesday Isaiah 58:9b-14 Luke 5:27-32

Lenten Weekday Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 Matthew 25:31-46

Lenten Weekday Daniel 9:4b-10 Luke 6:36-38

Lenten Weekday Isaiah 55:10-11 Matthew 6:7-15

Lenten Weekday Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 Matthew 23:1-12

Lenten Weekday Jonah 3:1-10 Luke 11:29-32

Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle 1 Peter 5:1-4 Matthew 16:13-19

Lenten Weekday Ezekiel 18:21-28 Matthew 5:20-26

Lenten Weekday Deuteronomy 26:16-19 Matthew 5:43-48

1 March

Lenten Weekday Lenten Weekday Jeremiah 18:18-20 Jeremiah 17:5-10 Matthew 20:17-28 Luke 16:19-31

16 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Lenten Weekday Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Sunday

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46 1 Corinthians 10:13—11:1 Mark 1:40-45

First Sunday of Lent Genesis 9:8-15 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:12-15

Second Sunday of Lent Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 Romans 8:31b-34 Mark 9:2-10

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Laity in Action

Barbara Ficaro: Walking with others on their faith journey Story by Janet Marcel Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier What started off as a whisper from a friend during Mass one Sunday has turned into a 30 year involvement with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for Barbara Ficaro, who is currently the coordinator of the program at Christ the Redeemer Church parish in Thibodaux. Barbara became involved with the ministry in 1988 when the parish started its first group. “I can remember being at St. Joseph (Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux) one Sunday with a friend who whispered to me that she didn’t know why a group of people always left Mass after the homily every week,” says Barbara. “And I didn’t know what that was about either. A few weeks later at Christ the Redeemer Church, Father Pat (O’Brien, pastor of the parish at the time) made an announcement that they were getting ready to start the RCIA ministry there and explained what it was all about. That’s when it clicked in my mind that this must be the group of people who always left after the homily. Father Pat asked for volunteers and I thought it was something I could do.” She started off welcoming participants, asking them questions and just basically being a friend to them during their faith journey. Today, as the RCIA coordinator, she not only coordinates the rites of the parish, but she is the primary Catechist and as such she does most of the essential teaching. She also tries to just be present on a dayto-day basis for the candidates and catechumens preparing for reception into the church. “I really still see the value of being accessible to them as their friend if they want to talk to me anytime one-on-one,” says Barbara. The reason Barbara says she has stayed involved with RCIA for so long is because, “when you walk with someone on their faith journey, and then finally on the Easter vigil you stand with them as they receive the sacraments … you know their brokenness because you’ve gotten to know them so well … and you see Jesus the healer restoring them and resurrecting them, there is nothing to compare to that joy. That’s got to be what heaven is like … to see that mystery and that glory and that awe … and I get to see that over and over again every year … people’s lives profoundly affected in their relationship with God.” Barbara hasn’t had an easy life, by any means, but she says God has really gifted her with a lot of abilities and she knows the reason she was able to be successful is totally God’s grace. The Franklin native has two older sisters and a younger brother. What is so astonishing is that Barbara, her oldest sister and her younger brother are all blind. She explains 18 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Laity in Action

that even though they were not totally blind at birth, they were each born without normal vision and they have all lost sight over the years. Barbara and her two siblings attended the School for the Blind in Baton Rouge where they were required to live on campus during the week. She says they received an excellent education there. Barbara went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She then attended the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, on a Rotary scholarship where she earned a Ph.D. in English History. While at UKC, she says she studied the church history of the Reformation and learned a lot about what other churches teach and believe, the similarities and differences, as well as where the divisions happened, which she says makes her very comfortable to talk with people from other faiths. “God really blessed me with good intelligence to learn and apply what I have learned,” says Barbara. Because of her work at Louisiana Rehabilitation Services, an agency that serves people with all types of disabilities, Barbara knows that she has been given much that many people have not. “I owe God so much and I need to give back. My own personal Scripture passage from the Gospel of Luke where Jesus reminds us, ‘Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, …’ (12:48) is what I live by.” With regard to strategic planning in the diocese, Barbara says she truly believes there is a genuine need to prepare oneself to be a missionary disciple. Because of her experience with RCIA, she knows there is a cost to serving as a missionary disciple whether it is one’s time, physical energy or priorities. “Sometimes we’re hesitant to recognize that to be that missionary disciple you really just have to love people first and want to help them. One of the necessary components for everyone going through the RCIA process is a one-on-one relationship with someone

in their life to just be that friend to them as they walk that faith journey. Many people going through RCIA have had someone who has been there constantly reminding them about the presence of the church in their life,” she says. Barbara, who has been a parishioner of Christ the Redeemer Church in Thibodaux since 1986, is also on the committee of adorers for the perpetual adoration chapel, and was a parish representative of BISCO when it was active. In addition, she assists with RCIA ministry at St.

Genevieve and St. John the Evangelist Church parishes in Thibodaux. Regarding her blindness, Barbara says, “As an older person looking back over life now, even though there have been limitations to things I would like to have seen and done, I know that God has used my blindness to reach many people and it’s given me the ability to have an openness to people that I might not have had if I had sight. God let me have an experience of humanity that I think many people miss.” BC

February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 19

Junior High Faith Experience

GO MAKE DISCIPLES 2018

Junior High Faith Experience 2018 was held recently at E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux. More than 700 sixth through eighth graders throughout the diocese attended this year’s event. “This gathering gave those present an opportunity to find an event that accepts them as they are and celebrate what it means to be a Catholic teen in today’s world,” says Mike DiSalvo, diocesan director of the Office of Youth Formation.

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

20 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Junior High Faith Experience

February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 21

Heavenly Recipes

Cathy and Chris Butler

Cathy and Chris cook a:

LASAGNA Story and Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

This month’s heavenly recipe, grilled eggplant lasagna, comes from Houma natives Chris and Cathy Butler. It’s a recipe that Cathy developed after some experimenting with home grown eggplants. They are parishioners of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales parish, where Cathy has been employed for the past three years. She is the pastoral minister who coordinates the RCIA program and the baptismal preparation teams, is involved with the bereavement ministry and all of the adult faith formation in the parish. Before ministering at St. Francis, she was the CCD coordinator and youth minister at St. Louis Church parish in Bayou Blue for 15 years. Chris has been working at Star Printing in Houma for 37 years. It is a family run business which his father owns. Cathy’s introduction to ministry began at Maria Immacolata Church parish in Houma where she volunteered as a CCD teacher. “I taught eighth grade CCD at Maria Immacolata and loved it. I was later asked to coordinate the confirmation program there. That was when I met Brother Dominick Pujia, F.M.S., who was the director of the Office of Youth Ministry for the diocese. I would help him with youth retreats from time to time. One day something came up and he couldn’t lead a retreat in Bayou Blue, so he asked me to do it for him. I led the retreat and loved it.” A few years later she was introduced to Sister Fionnuala Quinn, O.P., who was the director of the Office of Religious Education for the diocese. “Sister Fionnuala told me about the Loyola Institute for Ministry program, L.I.M.E.X. The four year course was a wonderful 22 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Grilled Eggplant Lasagna INGREDIENTS: 4 large Black Beauty eggplants Virgin olive oil, as needed Salt/pepper to taste Dried basil Whole wheat lasagna 2 jars of pasta sauce (garlic and basil flavor mixed together) 2 pack of grated Mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS: Slice eggplant in one quarter to one half inch rounds. In a small bowl, season one half cup olive oil with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the eggplant with the oil and grill on a heated grill plate or pit. Dust eggplant while grilling with dried basil. Grill eggplant until soft. Boil lasagna as directed on package; salt to taste. Drain when done. Spray the bottom of a 9x12 inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Place a layer of lasagna, then a layer of eggplant. Spoon the pasta sauce liberally over the eggplant. Finish with grated cheese on top. Continue layering with lasagna, eggplant, sauce and cheese. Ingredients should give you enough for three layers. After applying final layer of grated cheese, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

experience. Sister Fionnuala was someone who helped me greatly in my faith formation.” Chris and Cathy love to cook on weekends. “We do most of our cooking on the weekend and package it for the upcoming week,” says Chris. “It’s the best time for us to cook because of our busy schedules during the week.” Cathy says they work well together in the kitchen each preparing separate meals. They were both raised Catholic and are grateful for their faith. “God constantly calls us to him in all things in life, especially in our married life. He helps mold us as to who we are,” says Cathy. “I always have the feeling that God is looking out for us, a sense that no matter what, we are being taken care of.” BC

2018 Current and New Student Registration Dates Holy Cross Elementary 2100 Cedar St. Morgan City, LA 70380 Grades PK-6 Amanda Talbot, Principal Phyllis Jensen, Secretary 384-1933 • Fax 384-3270 holycrosselm@htdiocese.org www.holycrosselementary.org Current and New Students: Begins January 11

St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School 300 Verret St. Houma, LA 70360 Grades PS-7 Kelli Cazayoux, Principal Kim Landry, Secretary 868-6646 • Fax 851-5896 stfranciselm@htdiocese.org www.stfrancishouma.org Current Students: February 5-21 New Students: March 5-7

Holy Rosary Elementary P.O. Box 40 Larose, LA 70373 Grades PK-8 Scott Bouzigard, Principal Angie Loupe, Secretary 693-3342 • Fax 693-3348 holyroselm@htdiocese.org www.holyrosary.org Current Students: February 27-March 2 New Students: March 6-9

St. Genevieve Elementary 807 Barbier Ave. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Grades PK-7 Chris Knobloch, Principal Stacie Trosclair, Secretary 447-9291 • Fax 447-9883 stgenelm@htdiocese.org www.stgenevieveschool.us Current Students: February 19-23 New Students: March 5-9

St. Gregory Elementary 441 Sixth St. Houma, LA 70364 Grades PS-7 Dr. Cindy Martin NBCT, Principal Ashley Landry, Admin. Asst. 876-2038 • Fax 879-2789 stgregelm@htdiocese.org www.stgregoryschool.org Current Students: February 19-28 New Students: Begins March 5 Maria Immacolata Elementary 324 Estate Dr. Houma, LA 70364 Grades PK-7 Prissy Davis, Principal Darla Bergeron, Secretary 876-1631 • Fax 876-1608 www.micsbluejays.org Current Students: February 19-March 5 New Students: Begins March 5 St. Bernadette Elementary 309 Funderburk Ave. Houma, LA 70364 Grades PK-7 Lydia Landry, Principal Susan Chauvin, Secretary 872-3854 • Fax 872-5780 stbernelm@htdiocese.org www.saintbernadettepandas.com Current Students: February 20-23 New Students: March 5-9

Holy Savior Elementary 201 Church St. Lockport, LA 70374 Grades PK-8 Tricia Thibodaux, Principal Marcia Hebert, Secretary 532-2536 • Fax 532-2269 holysavelm@htdiocese.org www.holysaviorschool.org Current Students: February 19-23 New Students: March 5-9 St. Joseph Elementary 501 Cardinal Dr. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Grades PK-7 Gerard Rodrigue Jr., Principal Rita Carrier, Secretary 446-1346 • Fax 449-0760 stjoeelm@htdiocese.org www.stjosephcesthibodaux.org Current Students: February 19-23 New Students: March 5-9

Central Catholic High School 2100 Cedar St. Morgan City, LA 70380 Grades 7-12 Vic Bonnaffee, Principal Sandy Daigle, Secretary 385-5372 • Fax 385-3444 centcathi@htdiocese.org www.cchseagles.com Current Students: February 18-March 2 New Students: March 4-16 Vandebilt Catholic High School 209 S. Hollywood Rd. Houma, LA 70360 Grades 8-12 Jeremy Gueldner, Principal Shirley Cunningham, Secretary David Boudreaux, President 876-2551 • Fax 868-9774 vandebilthi@htdiocese.org www.vandebiltcatholic.org Current and New Students: February 2-23 E.D. White Catholic High School 555 Cardinal Dr. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Grades 8-12 Michelle Chiasson, Principal Cathy Hebert, Secretary Tim Robichaux, President 446-8486 • Fax 448-1275 edwhitehi@htdiocese.org www.edwhite.org Current and New Students: March 5-16 Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Suzanne Troxclair Superintendent of Schools stroxclair@htdiocese.org Lisa Davies Administrative Assistant 850-3114 • Fax 850-3214

St. Mary’s Nativity Elementary 3492 Nies Street Raceland, LA 70394 Grades PK-8 Marissa Bagala, Principal Judy Watts, Secretary 537-7544 • Fax 537-4020 stmarelm@htdiocese.org https:www.plusportals.com/ StMarysNativity Current Students: February 19-23 New Students: March 5-9

Our Catholic schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex or national origin.

February

Diocesan Events

n Holy Hour of Adoration for Men, Sunday, Feb. 4, 7-8 p.m., Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. n Food for the Journey, Tuesday, Feb. 6, Ellendale Country Club Restaurant, 3319 Highway 311 in Houma, 10:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Speaker, TBA. n Free income tax preparation and e-filing is available every

March

n Holy Hour of Adoration for Men, Sunday, March 4, 7-8 p.m., Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. n Food for the Journey, Tuesday, March 6, Ellendale Country Club Restaurant, 3319 Highway 311 in Houma, 10:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Speaker, TBA.

April

n C.E.N.T.S. will be offering the small Business course beginning in April through Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. This course is designed to help people who are interested in starting a small business. It will be held one evening a week for six

Bread or Stones Campaign underway Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is asking that every church parish in the diocese sign up to become a Bread or Stones Covenant Congregation to improve child wellbeing in Louisiana. Go to www.breadorstones.com to sign up. It’s as simple as completing the short sign-up sheet online. There is no cost and church parishes can choose their level of involvement. The only way to improve the lives of our children (Louisiana has been the 49th worst state in which to raise a child for the past 25 years) is for the churches of Louisiana to join together to add their moral voice. Every Catholic Bishop in Louisiana, joined by the judicatory leaders of 15 other major denominations, has signed on to the Bread or Stones Campaign. BC 24 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

www.bayoucatholic.com

Tuesday (Feb. 6 – April 10) from 9 a.m.–3 p.m., on the second floor of the Terrebonne Parish Main Library, for individuals/families making up to $60,000. n Rite of Election, Sunday, Feb. 18, 3 p.m., St. Joseph CoCathedral in Thibodaux.

n Youth Rally, Saturday, March 24, Vandebilt Catholic High School, Houma, beginning at 1 p.m. n Chrism Mass, Thursday, March 29, 10:30 a.m., Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma.

weeks. A different business topic will be discussed each week. The fee to enroll in this course is $20. Anyone interested in participating should call Paula Ringo at (985) 876-0490 to register.

Pastor appointed at St. Bridget Church parish

Rev. Simon Peter Engurait

The Very Rev. Simon Peter Engurait, diocesan vicar general for administration, who has been serving as administrator of St. Bridget Church parish in Schriever for the past year, has been appointed pastor of that parish, effective immediately for a period of six years. He will remain as diocesan vicar general for administration. Father Engurait, a native of Uganda, East Africa, was ordained to the priesthood May 25, 2013. BC

Advertise in the Bayou Catholic and help spread the Good News. Call (985)850-3136 for more info.

Book Reviews

Reading with Raymond Raymond Saadi

Martin Luther Renegade and Prophet By Lyndal Roper Random House $40

Ain’t There No More Louisiana’s Disappearing Coastal Plain

It’s only 500 years ago that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Church door. Mainly known for his attack on the sale of indulgences by the church and others, the Theses mostly addressed other criticisms and recommendations. Incredibly, from that single bold act the Protestant Reformation was born. BC

Expressions of Place The Contemporary Louisiana Landscape By John R. Kemp University of Mississippi Press $40 This is an impressive collection of paintings and commentary that illustrate wonderful Louisiana landscapes by 37 artists from all around our state. Each one is an invitation to tour our state and enjoy its beauty before it’s gone. It may already be too late, as we’ll see in the contrary view below. BC

By Carl A. Brasseaux and Donald W. Davis University of Mississippi $30 Louisiana’s disappearing coastline is no longer a matter of conjecture. That day is here, now, at least for the village of Isle de St. Charles in Terrebonne Parish, whose residents are virtually forced to move further north near Houma as water laps their doorsteps. The authors make no effort to minimize the ravages of the waters on the environment but suggest some mediation. BC

Meditations for Lent By Jacques-Bossuet Sophia Books $12.95 If you’ve struggled to develop the habit of meditation, you may find no better time than Lent, guided by the voluminous writings of 17th Century Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet. Beginning with Ash Wednesday and continuing through Easter Sunday, there are short and eloquent homilies for each day of Lent by the famed homilist from France and its messages promise to prepare you for Easter. BC

Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians By Chris R. Armstrong with C.S. Lewis Brazos Press $19.99 This is a remarkably accessible look back to a forgotten age of which not enough was previously available. The author utilizes insights of C.S. Lewis to help illuminate the Dark Ages, 5001000. Wonderfully informative. BC

February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 25

Houma Maria Immacolata Catholic School Krewe of MICS Friday, Feb. 9, 1:45 p.m.

Houma St. Bernadette Catholic School Krewe of Pandas Friday, Feb. 9, 12:30 p.m.

Berwick Krewe of Dionysus, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2 p.m. Chackbay/Choupic Krewe of Choupic, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 1 p.m. Chauvin Krewe of Bayou Petit Caillou, Saturday, Feb. 3, Noon

Houma St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School Krewe of St. Francis Wednesday, Feb. 7, 9:30 a.m.

Houma St. Gregory Barbarigo Catholic School Krewe of Royals Friday, Feb. 9, 1 p.m.

Larose Holy Rosary Catholic School Krewe of Kindergarten Parade Friday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.

26 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Gheens Krewe of Gheens, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 11 a.m. Golden Meadow Krewe of Athena, Friday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. Krewe of Atlantis, Saturday, Feb. 10, Noon Krewe of Nereids, Sunday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m. Krewe of Neptune, Tuesday, Feb. 13, Noon Grand Isle Independent Parade, Sunday, Feb. 11, 1 p.m. Houma Krewe of Hercules, Friday, Feb. 2, 6 p.m. Krewe of Aquarius, Saturday, Feb. 3, 6:30 p.m. Krewe of Hyacinthians, Sunday, Feb. 4, Noon Krewe of Titans, follows Hyacinthians Krewe of Aphrodite, Friday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m. Krewe of Mardi Gras, Saturday, Feb. 10, 6:30 p.m. Krewe of Terreanians, Sunday, Feb. 11, 12:30 p.m. Krewe of Cleopatra, Monday, Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m. Krewe of Houmas Tuesday, Feb. 13, Noon Krewe of Kajuns, follows Houmas

2018 Labadieville Krewe of Xanadu, Monday, Feb. 12, 6 p.m. Larose Krewe of Des T-Cajuns, Saturday, Feb. 3, Noon Krewe of Versailles, Sunday, Feb. 4, Noon Krewe of Du Bon Temps, Saturday, Feb. 10, 6:30 p.m. Lockport Krewe of Apollo, Saturday, Feb. 10, Noon Montegut Krewe of Montegut, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2 p.m. Krewe of Bonne Terre, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 4 p.m. Morgan City Krewe of Adonis, Friday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. Krewe of Galatea, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2 p.m. Krewe of Hephaestus, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2 p.m. Thibodaux Krewe of Shaka, Sunday, Feb. 4, 1:30 p.m. Krewe of Ambrosia, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2 p.m. Krewe of Cleophas, Sunday, Feb. 11, 12:30 p.m. Krewe of Chronos, Sunday, Feb. 11, 1:30 p.m. Krewe of Ghana, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 1 p.m. Krewe of Maasai, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2 p.m.

Lockport Holy Savior Catholic School Krewe of Eagles Friday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.

Morgan City Holy Cross Elementary School Krewe of Spirit Friday, Feb. 9, 1:30 p.m.

Raceland St. Mary’s Nativity School Krewe of Kiddies Goes to the Movies Friday, Feb. 9, 12:30 p.m.

Thibodaux St. Genevieve Catholic School Krewe of Pre-K Friday, Feb. 9, 1:10 p.m.

Thibodaux St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School Krewe of Pre-K Friday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.

February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 27

Information

Prayer with care: Effectively praying and engaging the Liturgy of the Word at Mass Guest Columnist Father Glenn LeCompte

“Christ is always present in his church, especially in her liturgical celebrations,” so Vatican II’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (hereafter, CSL) No. 7 tells us. The same paragraph of this foundational document for the celebration of the liturgy goes on to tell us that Christ is also present in 1) the person of the minister who presides over the liturgy, 2) the eucharistic species, 3) the liturgical assembly’s act of praying and

singing. CSL mentions a fourth way Christ is present in the liturgy, and that is in Christ’s Word (the Scripture readings). The council fathers reinforce this last statement by telling us “it is [Christ] himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church.” In other words, the proclamation of the Scriptures at Mass is more than just a process of imparting “lessons.” There is an interaction with Christ himself which takes place through the process of the lector’s reading and our listening attentively and embracing God’s Word in faith. In other words, through the proclamation of God’s Word at Mass, we encounter Christ himself in his saving work. This process is similar to what happens when we go to holy Communion. Through our sharing in the sacrament of the holy Eucharist Christ becomes present within us. The same happens when

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

28 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

we hear and embrace God’s Word. So important is the proclamation of God’s Word at Mass that a significant portion of the Mass is dedicated to this act of worship. God’s Word is imparted to us in the structured ritual form called the Liturgy of the Word, which on Sunday consists of an Old Testament reading (except in the Easter season when we read from Acts), a response to it by means of a psalm or canticle, a reading from a New Testament epistle, and a Gospel reading, highlighted by a sung acclamation before it. The Liturgy of the Word is always interrelated with the sacrament of the holy Eucharist. Even when holy Communion is distributed outside of Mass, there is always to be at least a brief reading of God’s Word. At times I have heard people suggest that the important part of the Mass is the sacrament of the holy Eucharist and the parts before it are less significant. Such an assertion is a gross misunderstanding of the Mass. Prior to the Liturgy of the Word, we celebrate the Introductory Rites of the Mass, whose purpose is to draw us together into an atmosphere of prayer that we might be disposed to listen to the proclamation of God’s Word. Recently, Bishop Fabre has reminded the clergy of our diocese of some details to which attention is necessary if we are to celebrate the Introductory Rites and the Liturgy of the Word with the dignity they deserve and allow these parts of the Mass to accomplish their role in our worship of God. My purpose in writing this article is to share these details with you and to help you develop a greater appreciation for the first part of the Mass. Appropriate Pacing and Silence. Since the Introductory Rites and Liturgy of the Word are significant parts of the Mass they, like the Liturgy of the Eucharist, should be celebrated prayerfully. In referring to the principle of “full, conscious, and active participation” of the

Information

faithful in the liturgy (CSL No. 14), Pope Benedict XVI (Sacramentum Caritatis No. 52) asserts: “It should be made clear that the word ‘participation’ does not refer to mere external activity during the celebration. In fact, the active participation called for by the Council must be understood in more substantial terms, on the basis of a greater awareness of the mystery being celebrated and its relationship to daily life.” During the Introductory Rites and Liturgy of the Word, we sing, we listen to readings of the Word of God and to a verbal celebration of God’s mighty deeds of salvation with an exhortation to live what the Word proclaims (the homily), we join our hearts and minds to the presider as he leads us in the opening prayer or collect, and we join the deacon or a representative of the community in presenting the needs of our church, the world, the needy and the local community to God. In order to grasp the “greater awareness of the mystery being celebrated” we need to focus on what we are singing, saying or hearing. We cannot do that if we rush haphazardly from part to part of the Mass, as if the Mass were just a series of rote tasks to be accomplished. This is where the principle of pacing comes in. We must take our time both in executing the prayers and in moving from one part of the liturgy to the next. We also need to have times of silence. The General Introduction to the Lectionary No. 28 tells us: “The liturgy of the word must be celebrated in a way that fosters meditation; clearly, any sort of haste that hinders recollection must be avoided. The dialogue between God and his people taking place through the Holy Spirit demands short intervals of silence, suited to the assembled congregation, as an opportunity to take the Word of God to heart and to prepare a response to it in prayer. Proper times for silence during the Liturgy of the Word are, for example, before this liturgy begins, after the first and the second reading, [and] after the homily.” Unfortunately, many of us are preoccupied with getting Mass done as quickly as possible, again, as if it were simply a series of meaningless actions to be accomplished; the only important

thing in this mindset is to get the “task” done. Anything we truly appreciate we will want to savor, to experience as long as we can. If we rush through the Mass, we do not even have the chance to participate interiorly, even as Pope Benedict observes is an essential aspect of our participation. Musical Texts. Within the Introductory Rites and Liturgy of the Word are certain parts which are musical by nature and ought to be sung. These are the Entrance Chant or Hymn, the Glory to God, the Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel Acclamation. Sing to the Lord (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2007, revised 2012) No. 115a also asserts that the Dialogs (e.g. “The Lord be with you,” “And with your spirit) of the Mass should be sung as well. Other parts, such as the Penitential Act and Universal Prayer may be sung. The Responsorial Psalm and Glory to God should not be recited, but sung in their entirety. The Gloria is an ancient hymn of praise that has long been a part of the liturgy (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, third typical edition No. 53) and psalms and canticles are biblical texts which were originally composed for singing. The Responsorial Psalm may be chanted, or another appropriate musical setting of the psalm, approved by the U.S. Bishops’ Conference, may be used. In addition, the Lectionary provides an option to use seasonal responsorial psalms. Minister of the Responsorial Psalm. Both the third typical edition of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal No. 61 and Sing to the Lord No. 35 identify the person who leads the responsorial psalm as the “psalmist.” The psalmist may be the cantor or another music minister, who must be able to sing, to lead the assembly in singing and to properly interpret the proclamation the psalm makes as a response to the first reading. Because the responsorial psalm is Scripture, it is appropriately sung from the ambo, but may be sung from another suitable place if need be, as in the case when the organist or pianist is also the psalmist. Because the psalmist appropriately ministers from the ambo, but even if

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

he or she does not, lectors should not remain standing at the ambo while the responsorial psalm is being sung, but should have a seat. Number of Readers at Weekend Masses. In accord with the General Introduction to the Lectionary No. 52, Bishop Fabre urges us to have a different reader for each of the readings prior to the Gospel reading, if possible. Having different readers proclaim the two readings gives more distinction to each and facilitates the assembly’s participation in the process of reading and listening because of the variety that a second voice provides. Of course, all readers should have the gift for reading and be properly trained in the use of their gifts in the given worship space in which they are called upon to proclaim the Word. As noted above, the Introductory Rites and Liturgy of the Word provide for us significant experiences of prayer and encounters with Christ. The better we all do at fully, consciously and actively participating in these parts of the Mass, the richer our experience of them will be. The guidelines given in this article provide us with such an opportunity. BC

February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 29

Announcement

Catholic Foundation Update

Our funds explained

Bill Barbera

As the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana continues to grow, we want to help our community as they make their charitable gifts across our diocese. Our foundation has many types of funds available and I want to take an opportunity to explain a few. Endowment Fund An endowment fund provides a source of annual income to a Catholic ministry. It is designed to function in perpetuity, making it possible for the ministry to have long term financial support. Many donors also set up scholarship endowments in honor of or in memory of loved ones. Once an endowment has been established, anyone can contribute in any dollar amount to assist in building the endowment. Donor Advised Fund A donor advised fund allows a donor an opportunity to make contributions to multiple Catholic or public organizations from one account. The fund invests the charitable gift to grow taxfree for future giving, making giving convenient, personal and impactful. A Catholic Foundation Donor Advised Fund can be set up with a gift of $10,000. Custodial Funds Parishes, Catholic schools or other Catholic organizations can establish Custodial Funds with the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana and benefit from a pooled investment. Income from the interest and dividends can be distributed on an annual basis and principal can be distributed on an as needed basis. Charitable Gift Annuity A Charitable Gift Annuity is a contract with the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana that provides a donor with fixed income payments, no matter how long he lives. Payment rates are based on age and are set by the American Council of Gift Annuities. At the end of the donor’s life, the remainder of the annuity becomes an endowment fund to benefit the organization the donor designates. Charitable Trust A Charitable Remainder Trust allows a donor to donate cash, marketable securities or other assets to the Catholic Foundation, and in return receive regularly scheduled payments for life or for a pre-determined number of years. At the end of the term, the organization that is designated receives the remaining assets. On the other hand, a Charitable Lead Trust provides fixed 30 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

income payments to a selected charitable organization(s) for a specified number of years. At the end of the term, the balance is transferred back to the donor or his heirs. Our board and staff of the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana is eager to work with you, your family and professional advisors in making charitable giving simple and impactful. Please call our executive director, Amy Ponson, for a confidential conversation at (985) 850-3116 or for more information. Beneficiaries of the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana: Bishop Sam G. Jacobs Seminarian Education Endowment, Breaux-Delaune Catholic Charities Endowment, Byron Talbot Catholic Charities Endowment, Callais Family Fund Catholic Charities Endowment, Catholic Charities General Endowment, Catholic Charities General Endowment, Giardina Family Foundation Catholic Charities Endowment, Giardina Family Foundation Seminarian Education Endowment, James J. Buquet Jr. Family Seminarian Endowment, Marvin and Loretta Marmande Catholic Charities Endowment, Morris and Sandra Hebert Family Fund Endowment, Msgr. Francis Amedee Seminarian Education Endowment, Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Chackbay Endowment, Seminarian Education Endowment, St. Genevieve Catholic School General Endowment, St. Joseph Co-Cathedral General Endowment, Vandebilt Catholic High School T.J. Cantrelle Endowment, Vandebilt Catholic High School Brother Alfred Kolb Endowment, Vandebilt Catholic High School Brother Ray Kuhn Endowment, Vandebilt Catholic High School Gabrielle Hebert Endowment, Vandebilt Catholic High School General Fund Endowment, Vandebilt Catholic High School Megan Hitt Endowment, Vandebilt Catholic High School Student Body Scholarship Endowment. BC

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February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 31

Personalities

Marvin Sr. and Loretta Marmande:

Faith-filled pioneers of the diocese Story and Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

32 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Personalities

Many words in the English language can be used to describe Bayou Dularge native Marvin Marmande Sr. Though many, all used are of a kind and positive nature, much like him. He is a devout Catholic, a dedicated husband, father and grandfather, a philanthropic leader both in the church and community, a successful businessman and mostly a man who has great faith in God. Marvin, who hasn’t backed down from challenges in life, is battling cancer. His wife Loretta who is from Welsh, LA, is a cancer survivor herself and thanks God for the years they have shared together. “God has been good to us through the years,” she says. Marvin and Loretta, who have seven children and 44 grandchildren, thank their parents for their Catholic faith. “Both of our parents were involved with the church,’ says Marvin. “Actually we were raised very much alike because the church was a focal point of our lives.” Marvin is a successful business man. He founded M & L Industries, LLC, with its primary location in Houma. The list of ministries they have been involved with and positions they have held at St. Eloi Church parish in Theriot and in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is long and varied for the couple. They were both some of the first lay people to serve as lectors and eucharistic ministers in the church. Marvin and Loretta were involved with the Cursillo Movement for years while this area was still a part of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Marvin was part of the vocations committee with the Archdiocese and was a founding member of the Serra Club for vocations locally. Marvin was on the finance committee at St. Eloi for many years and served as chairman of the group. Loretta was involved with the Charismatic Renewal, a healing ministry, the Magnificat, and on a liturgy team with the late Bishop Warrren L. Boudreaux. “I was involved with liturgy planning at St. Eloi for seven years. I also had a wonderful experience with the Sunshine Music Ministry for years at St. Eloi. It was great working with the kids in the choir,” she says. Father Dean Danos, pastor of St. Eloi, says, “Since their marriage 63 years ago, Marvin and Loretta Marmande have been deeply committed to and involved in the parish life of St. Eloi Church. Marvin has his roots here and after they were married, Loretta made it her home. Here they brought up their children and grandchildren. They have been greatly blessed in this life, but like every family, they have had their times of joy and of sorrow. They have always been very supportive of the parish and both involved in several ministries, too numerous to mention, in the parish and diocese. Whenever they were called upon their response was always ‘yes!’ They have given of themselves to help build and maintain St. Eloi parish in spiritual and temporal ways, both seen and unseen.” Marvin is most proud of his service on the board of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, a position he held for 35 years. “When I first started on the board, the agency was mostly involved with adoptions only. When Sister Miriam Mitchell, S.H.Sp., was appointed director the agency really grew; she began forming many

Loretta and Marvin Marmande Sr.

new programs. She was fantastic in getting people involved and recruiting volunteers,” says Marvin. Rob Gorman, executive director of Catholic Charities, praises Marvin for his exceptional support of Catholic Charities through the years. “Marvin Marmande is a very good friend and an original board member of Catholic Charities going back to our formation when our diocese was created. He remains actively involved with Catholic Charities to this day and is one of our strongest supporters. I continue to rely on his advice and guidance - as I have throughout my years with Catholic Charities. Whether it’s loaning equipment during disaster relief, planning for program development or personally meeting community leaders on behalf of Catholic Charities, Marvin always comes through. Marvin and Loretta created the first family fund in the Catholic Charities Endowment and through their generosity it has grown to become our largest such fund. It is a real gift to be able to work with Marvin. He is a man who makes a difference - a difference that helps families in need throughout South Louisiana,” says Gorman. Although he is facing the toughest battle of his life, Marvin looks back at his life and feels blessed. “I feel blessed that God gave me 88 years to live. I have been protected all these years. I have a great wife, kids and grandkids. Life has been good. God has been good to me. I am happy for every day given.” When asked how he would like to be remembered, he replied, “I would like to be remembered for my faith and my honesty. I always walked with Jesus. Whatever decisions I would make I asked the Lord for advice first. I would never look back. It was what the Lord wanted. I can’t thank the Lord enough for the faith he gave me.” Loretta adds, “Every decision he made he prayed first. Every answer he got he believed it. God has always been in the center of our lives and the lives of our children.” (At the time of this interview on Jan. 9, 2018, Marvin Marmande Sr. is battling terminal cancer.) BC February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 33

Youth

in action

Dallas Folse School: South Lafourche High School Grade: 12th grade Church parish: Sacred Heart, Cut Off Describe your family unit: My mother is Charlene, my father is Damian (Speedy) and my brother is Dawson. Favorite Hobby: Bible study and playing video games with my friends Favorite Movie: Draft Day Favorite T.V. Show: White Collar Favorite Genre of Music: Hip Hop / R&B

We are called to love each other as God loves us When I think of the word “disciple,” I think of someone who is a follower of Christ and who leads others toward Christ. A disciple is someone that people look at and say “I want their happiness and joy!” A disciple is someone who is willing to give up their earthly will and follow the plan the God has set for them. Everyone in the Catholic Church can be a great disciple; with prayer and faith in the Lord the possibilities are endless. A perfect example of being a disciple of Christ is the confirmation leader at Sacred Heart Church parish in Cut Off, Mr. Rodney Doucet. The way he leads by example is a spitting image of what a disciple is. He attends Mass every Sunday and has been my spiritual leader for years. He is a great symbol of what I hope to become in the

future, which is a goofy man who will do anything for God and his people. He has shown me how to become active in the church, and I do not know what I’d be without him. I find the easiest place or time to follow Christ is on a retreat or church gathering. It is easy to pray with people who are as open to the Lord as you. And if you’re not as open, it’s easier to open up about your faith to people who won’t judge or criticize what you have on your heart. School is the hardest place for a young person to express their faith, and that is not okay. Youth should be able to express their feelings without having to worry about getting ridiculed or laughed at. Do you know how many youth would cling to their faith if this form of society didn’t exist? I feel we

34 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

are called to all come and love each other as God loves us. If everyone in the world could follow the previous statement, then the world would be a much better place. The way I keep my faith strong is by attending retreats throughout the diocese. Whether it is an overnight retreat like TEC or CLI, or a one day youth rally, I’m there! However there are simpler ways to connect with God. These opportunities come to us through the sacraments. The Mass, adoration, and reconciliation are the biggest ways in which I stay in a faithful set of mind and soul. Another huge part of my faith is prayer. Prayer lets me communicate with God what I’m feeling, and I just listen to him to see what he needs me to do. BC

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 to or establish a burse, send funds to the Pastoral Center, Attn: Seminarian Burse, P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395 or contact the Catholic Foundation office at 985-850-3116 or aponson@htdiocese.org for more information.

Completed Burses of $15,000 each 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

Dec. 2017 Burse Contributions

Note: Numbers stipulate the amount of completed burses.*

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 & Family 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 Knights of Columbus Leighton Delahaye Mrs. Shirley Conrad Bishop Shelton J. Fabre Elizabeth Hebert Callais Family Fund Rev. Joseph Tu Tran Society of St. Joseph Endowment Fund - $119,136.90 James J. Buquet Jr. Jules & Marie Pauline St. Amant

Preston & Gladys Webre ................$550.00 Bernice Harang

...................................$100.00

Warren J Harang Jr. No. 2 ..............$100.00 Rev. Gerard Hayes ...............................$100.00 Claude & Lucy Mahler Family .....$100.00

Open Burses with Balance as of December 31, 2017 Sidney J. & Lydie C. Duplantis ......................$13,000.00 Donald Peltier Sr. No. 4 ....................................$13,000.00 Joseph Strada Memorial ..................................$12,642.63 Msgr. Raphael C. Labit No. 2 ........................$11,320.00 Harvey Peltier No. 31 ........................................$10,486.91 Claude & Lucy Mahler Family .......................$10,200.00 Joseph Waitz Sr. ...................................................$10,100.00 Clay Sr. & Evelida Duplantis No. 2 ..............$10,000.00 C. Remie Duplantis No. 2 ................................$10,000.00 Marie Elise Duplantis No. 2 ............................$10,000.00 Maude & Edith Daspit No. 2 .........................$10,000.00 Msgr. George A. Landry ...................................$10,000.00 Mr. & Mrs. George C. Fakier ..........................$10,000.00 Elie & Dot Klingman ............................................ $9,140.00 Rev. Victor Toth ..................................................... $7,000.00 Msgr. William Koninkx ........................................ $7,000.00 Brides of the Most Blessed Trinity ................ $6,598.00 Rev. Peter Nies ....................................................... $6,000.00 Catholic Daughters .............................................. $5,995.00 Rev. Guy Zeringue ................................................ $5,600.00 Rev. Gerard Hayes ................................................ $5,286.00 Msgr. Francis Amedee ........................................ $5,150.00 Mr. & Mrs. Love W. Pellegrin .......................... $5,000.00 Anonymous No. 2 ................................................. $5,000.00 Mr. & Mrs. Caliste Duplantis Family No. 4 ......$5,000.00 Rev. William M. Fleming .................................... $5,000.00 Mrs. Ayres A. Champagne ................................ $5,000.00 Rev. Kasimir Chmielewski .................................. $4,839.00 Joseph “Jay” Fertitta ............................................. $4,450.00

Rev. Henry Naquin ............................................... $4,311.00 Harry Booker No. 2 .............................................. $4,138.00 Msgr. James Songy .............................................. $4,075.00 Anawin Community ............................................. $3,700.00 Kelly Curole Frazier ............................................... $3,610.96 J. R. Occhipinti ........................................................ $3,400.00 Mr. & Mrs. Galip Jacobs ..................................... $3,060.00 St. Jude ....................................................................... $3,000.00 Diocesan Knights of Columbus No. 2 ......... $2,894.62 Rev. Peter H. Brewerton ..................................... $2,600.00 Mr. & Mrs. John Marmande ............................ $2,500.00 Warren J. Harang Jr. No. 2 ................................ $2,500.00 Preston & Gladys Webre ................................... $2,200.00 Willie & Emelda St. Pierre ................................. $2,000.00 Rev. H.C. Paul Daigle ........................................... $1,900.00 Deacon Connely Duplantis .............................. $1,675.00 Alfrances P. Martin ............................................... $1,650.00 Msgr. Francis J. Legendre No. 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 Barletta Sr. ........................................ $1,525.00 Msgr. Stanislaus Manikowski .......................... $1,525.00 Deacon Robert Dusse’ ........................................ $1,450.00 Jacob Marcello ....................................................... $1,400.00 Msgr. John L. Newfield ....................................... $1,200.00 Rev. Anthony Rousso .......................................... $1,200.00 Rev. Joseph Tu Tran No. 2 ................................ $1,094.00

Judge Louis & Shirley R. Watkins .................. $1,050.00 Ronnie Haydel ........................................................ $1,035.00 Rev. Clemens Schneider .................................... $1,000.00 Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux No. 4 .............. $1,000.00 Msgr. John G. Keller ............................................. $1,000.00 Edna W. DiSalvo ........................................................$900.00 Leo Hebert ...................................................................$862.83 Deacon Willie Orgeron ..........................................$800.00 Ruby Pierce ..................................................................$800.00 Deacon Roland Dufrene ........................................$750.00 Juliette & Eugene Wallace ....................................$700.00 Deacon Edward J. Blanchard ...............................$700.00 Bernice Harang ..........................................................$700.00 Deacon Raymond LeBouef ..................................$550.00 Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Cannata ..............................$500.00 Robert Walsh ..............................................................$500.00 Dean Joseph Chiasson ...........................................$500.00 Anne Veron Aguirre .................................................$380.00 Deacon Harold Kurtz ...............................................$300.00 Richard Peltier No. 2 ................................................$300.00 Claude Bergeron .......................................................$250.00 Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Naquin ....................................$150.00 Deacon Pedro Pujals ...............................................$100.00 Rev. Michael Finnegan ...........................................$100.00 Deacon Eldon Frazier ............................................... $ 50.00 Deacon Nick Messina .............................................. $ 50.00 Rev. Warren Chassaniol .......................................... $ 50.00

Overall Seminarian Burses Total: $1,693,570.85 February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 35

Advertisers Spotlight

Bank president and CEO says treating customers with a Christian attitude is a win-win

S Story by Janet Marcel Photo by Lawrence Chatagnier

In this era of overwhelming computer-mediated technologies commonly referred to as social media, which are ironically lacking in personal social activity, Synergy Bank is known for its own unique brand of banking … one that’s a little friendlier … a little more convenient … and a little more focused on you, the customer. In 1998, a group of local business leaders with a common vision for a new type of financial institution that would have a local identity, celebrate local values and have a corporate philosophy firmly committed to customer service joined together to form a locally owned and managed bank for the people of this area. Thibodaux native Jerry P. Ledet Jr., the bank’s president and chief executive officer, says “All of us at Synergy Bank 36 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

believe in providing exceptional customer service that takes that extra step to help someone. It’s a unique brand of customer service that you just can’t get anywhere else. We also strongly believe in always treating everybody with a Christian attitude and looking at what is right for our customers, not just the company. It has to be a win-win for both of us; the only way we can be successful, as a bank and as an individual, is if we treat everyone fairly.” Ledet says his parents had a strong Catholic faith that they passed on to him. “My dad’s father was a sugar cane farmer; he had 11 children and they were not wealthy in any way, but my grandparents really wanted their children to have a Catholic education; so all of the girls went to

Advertisers Spotlight

Mount Carmel Academy and all of the boys went to Thibodaux College. But during grinding season, my dad had to work in the field, so the Brothers of the Sacred Heart would go to his house on the weekends and tutor him so he could keep up with the class. When my dad became a parent he passed on the importance of Catholic education and having a strong faith that had been instilled in him to us.” One of the ways that Synergy Bank has impacted the community over the years is by going that extra mile to help small business owners who may not qualify for traditional financing find other mechanisms and additional resources that better fit their needs so they can accomplish their goals, explains Ledet. Synergy Bank employees take pride in doing a good job and sincerely believe that if they work together they can make things better for everyone. They truly embody the meaning of our name – stronger together. Ledet says at Synergy Bank they really do treat people individually. “We’re small enough to know you by name and know your family. We genuinely care about you and we’re going to do what we can to help you reach your goals, whether it be your personal retirement goals, your business goals or your career goals, because when you succeed, we succeed.” Synergy Bank also does its part to help foster Catholic education in the diocese by partially funding the teacher

grants program which is part of the annual diocesan educators conference and participating in the diocesan prepaid tuition program, which takes the burden of collecting tuition off of the schools. “I think the teacher grant program is excellent and I would love to see it expanded even farther,” says Ledet. “Growing up in Catholic schools and currently serving on the E.D. White (Catholic High School in Thibodaux) advisory board, I understand the limitations of finances, so any mechanism you can provide to help that teacher provide a tool to reach that student a little bit better is powerful.” Ledet graduated magna cum laude from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux with a bachelor of science degree in marketing and went on to further his education in the field of banking at the Graduate School of Banking of the South in Baton Rouge. He is chairman of the bank’s loan committee and serves on the bank’s asset liability management, building, compensation, executive and strategic planning committees. Ledet is also a trustee for the diocesan priests retirement fund. He and his wife Susan have been married for 23 years and they have one daughter, Emily, 19, who currently attends Nicholls State University. They are parishioners of St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux. BC

February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 37

Commentary

Thoughts for Millennials Ryan Abboud

The digital age of filters, social media, and the Lord I believe that it’s very safe to say that we currently live in a “social media” world. Most (if not all) of us have some sort of social media on our smartphones or computers. While social media is very useful, helpful, and entertaining, it can also limit us and chain us to the world of digital media. In many instances, a lot of millennials use social media as an escape from reality. Studies show that getting notifications from social

media and receiving text messages to our phones triggers dopamine to our brains. Dopamine is the same thing that makes us feel good when we gamble, drink and smoke. Needless to say, it’s highly-addictive. That’s why we count the likes, and smile when we hear our phones get a text. Now keep in mind that gambling, drinking and smoking are all age-restricted activities, but social media is not. Exposing young teens to social media without supervision can be harmful to young individuals growing up in this “digital age.” Social media can teach us that no matter what is going on in our personal lives, no matter how sad, upset, or overwhelmed we are, we can always apply a “filter” on our lives that can get us some likes, trigger some dopamine, and make us feel good about ourselves even if it is for a few hours only. This reoccurring process can be very dangerous to our social well-being, and can cause some serious implications as young people try to develop skills on how to solve problems, and how to cope with life’s struggles. Also, since we have the ability to converse with anyone and everyone at literally any hour of the day, this can lead to the underdevelopment of our interpersonal and communicative skills. We forget how to talk to people.

We forget how to interact with other individuals. But most importantly, we forget how to listen. However, we don’t only forget how to listen to the people in our lives that we care about, but we also forget how to listen to the most important individual in our lives - God. Many of us believe that we go through most of our days only hearing a call from God once or twice through the day. We believe that God only wants to talk to us on Sundays, and that’s good because that’s the day we set aside for him and we “have time” on that day. However, it never occurs to us that maybe it’s not the Lord who isn’t calling, but rather it’s us who forgot how to listen. Ultimately, the truth of the matter is that God is calling out to us at every single hour of our days, but unfortunately we only answer him from time-to-time, when it’s convenient for us. All in all, I urge all of you to use social media with caution because while it is a very, very good thing, it can also be harmful to us, our younger siblings, and maybe even our children one day in the future. (Ryan Abboud is a 2015 graduate of Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma and a junior at LSU in Baton Rouge.) BC

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38 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Announcement

Emily Wilson and Ike Ndolo headline 2018 Abbey Fest Registration is now open for Abbey Youth Festival (AYF), the largest youth event within the Archdiocese of New Orleans. AYF takes place Saturday, March 17 on the grounds of Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College, 75376 River Road in Covington. AYF is open to high school students ages 13 or older. This year’s theme is “Arise,” in honor of the Feast of St. Patrick. AYF, which draws thousands from throughout the Southern U.S., provides young people with an opportunity to experience a day of prayer and faith formation with an exposure to the Benedictine tradition. Its focus is evangelization and vocational discernment by means of liturgy, prayer, worship, music and education. New this year will be a Eucharistic

Miracles exhibit highlighting and featuring content developed by Servant of God Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager, who died of fulminant leukemia when he was only 15 years old. Opening keynote speaker will be Father Brad Doyle, a priest of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Emily Wilson, internationally recognized speaker, author and musician will serve as emcee and lead the women’s breakout session. Wilson has spoken and played music at dozens of national and international youth and young adult events in two dozen states and numerous countries. She published her first book, I Choose the Sky, in 2016 and will publish Go Bravely: Becoming the Woman You Were Created to Be this April.

Ike Ndolo, who was born in Missouri after his parents moved to the U.S. from Nigeria, will also perform at this year’s festival. In 2009, he released his first record, We are the Beggars. His sophomore record, Rivers, is out now. Online, pre-event registration is open now through March 9. Registration for youth and adult laity is $40 per person. Priests, deacons and seminarians are invited to AYF free of charge. On-site check-in and registration begins at 8 a.m. on March 17 at a cost of $50. The AYF field will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Visit www.abbeyyouthfest. com for more information, including sponsorship availability. College students and young adults are welcome to apply to serve as volunteers. BC

Abbey Youth Fest Saturday March 17 Also presenting:

Featuring: Emily Wilson

Featuring: Ike Ndolo

Fr. Brad Doyle Fr. Bryce Sibley Fr. Colm Cahill Austin Ashcraft Dr. Chris Baglow Dr. Tom Neal Joe Bass Margaret Baglow Cameron Vidal The Vigil Project Seminarian and co-emcee Luke Kirk

www.abbeyyouthfest.com February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 39

Announcement

Annual diocesan youth rally to feature P.J. Anderson and Sarah Hart March 24th event scheduled at Vandebilt Catholic High School

P.J. Anderson

Sarah Hart

Story by Janet Marcel The “Voice of Truth” is the theme for the 37th annual youth rally for eighth through 12th grade students in the tri-parish area. The event, which is sponsored by the diocesan Office of Youth Formation, will take place Saturday, March 24, at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma, from 1 – 9 p.m. Keynote speakers are P.J. Anderson and Sarah Hart. The rally will also feature praise and worship music, reconciliation, adoration, and faith enriching talks and activities. This year’s theme is based on Psalm 25:5, “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Michael DiSalvo, diocesan director of the Office of Youth Formation, says the young church is constantly bombarded with mixed messages about how to live in the world today. “If as a Catholic Church we refuse to be in tune with where the young church is, we will lose our youth to a world that is caught up in the ‘it’s all about me’ attitude and lifestyle. Young people are searching for answers and as they search, the Catholic Church must be that ‘beacon of light’ that reveals to them the truth. It must continue to reveal to them the ‘truth’ of who they are as sons and daughters of God, provide them with the ‘truths’ of our Catholic faith, and help them to be convicted and committed to live out the ‘truth’ in their everyday actions. There is no better time than the present to lead young people 40 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

to Christ and rekindle a relationship with the Lord. He is the ‘voice’ that we long to hear every day guiding us as we face the pitfalls and the triumphs of our lives. More than ever we need his voice to drown out the noise that exists in the world today.” P.J. Anderson is a Christian singer-songwriter from Nashville, TN, who writes songs that touch places deep down in one’s heart where joy and pain reside in harmony. His heartfelt lyrics draw out emotions that are waiting to be uncovered and his worship opens hearts to the love of the Lord. He learned to play guitar from a nun, Sister Charita, in 5th grade. He landed a role in the high school musical, Grease and started a band in college that opened up doors to writing his own songs. After college, he was a youth minister and played in worship bands until he made the move from Chicago to Nashville. Anderson now travels the country playing concerts, leading worship at conferences and retreats, and encouraging youth through his prayerful form of worship. Most notably, he has led music at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) and played at World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland, where Pope Francis joined 3 million Catholic and Christian youth. Sarah Hart, singer, songwriter, speaker and writer, most recently released her ninth album as a solo artist, Til the Song is Sung. Many popular artists have recorded her songs. Most

notably, Amy Grant’s recording of Better Than a Hallelujah earned Hart a Best Gospel Song Grammy nomination. She has also had several song placements in film and television, and her songs appear in hymnals all across the world. Hart travels steadily, helming concerts, keynoting, speaking, and leading faithfocused women’s, musician’s, and parish events. In October 2013, she was invited to perform for Pope Francis and a crowd of 150,000 in St. Peter’s Square. Hart has of late seen the premiere of her first musical, Bernadette of Lourdes, based on the life of Saint Bernadette, and she is currently writing music for two new theater shows. An avid writer, Hart just published her fourth retreat, The Fruit of the Spirit, which she presents across the country. The youth rally takes place on the Saturday of Palm Sunday weekend to serve as a catalyst to lead the teens into Holy Week with an awareness that Jesus Christ is the truth, the way, and the light, explains DiSalvo. “The rally offers the teens the invitation to look inside themselves, leave behind the old ways of living, and create a new beginning. In a sense, they are hopefully ready on Easter Sunday to rise with Jesus and be the change, the light, and the ‘truth’ in a world that is in desperate need of the truth. The keynotes and all that the day is about will point to the hope that Jesus is, that he desires us to be, and to what the world needs as we live out our call to discipleship.” The closing Mass, which will be celebrated by Bishop Shelton J. Fabre and concelebrated by priests of the diocese, begins at 7:45 p.m. Cost to attend the youth rally is $50 per person which includes all rally materials, event T-shirt, meals and transportation to and from the event. Youth can register with their parish or school at www.htdiocese.org/ym. Early registration is strongly encouraged. After March 10, all registrations will take place at the door beginning at Noon the day of the rally. T-shirts are not guaranteed at this time and only hamburgers will be available for dinner. For more information about youth rally, go to www.htdiocese.org/ym or call (985) 850-3156. BC February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 41

“Is it going to work?”

1 2 3

14 YEARS

MASS ATTENDANCE IS ON THE RISE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR 14 YEARS OF COUNTING MASS ATTENDANCE MASS ATTENDANCE ACROSS THE DIOCESE WAS HIGHER THIS YEAR VS. THE PREVIOUS YEAR

8,000

1 OUT OF EVERY 4 PEOPLE WHO ATTEND MASS EACH WEEKEND ENGAGED WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING RESOURCES WHY WE BELIEVE AND WHY WE CONFESS

3 MILLION

JANUARY 1 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2017 692,000 VIEWS OF SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEOS 775,000 HITS TO DIOCESAN WEBSITE 3,305,000 TOTAL REACH THRU DIGITAL MEDIA

42 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

Victories in 2017.

$400,000

90%

100%

OUR RE-ENERGIZED CATHOLIC FOUNDATION OF SOUTH LOUISIANA RAISED $400,000 IN ITS FIRST SIX MONTHS! THE INVESTMENT ASSURES OUR PROMISE TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC PLAN WITHIN BUDGET.

90% OF OUR ACTIVE PRIESTS SAY THEY HAVE MORE HOPE TODAY THAN THEY DID BEFORE THE STRATEGIC PLAN 2/3 SAY THEY ARE EXPERIENCING A RENEWAL IN THEIR VOCATION

EVERY PARISH IN OUR DIOCESE IS IN SOME WAY ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN

February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 43

Announcement

Jesus Christ Superstar performances March 25, in Houma By Janet Marcel Jesus Christ Superstar, a timeless production set against the backdrop of an extraordinary, universally-known series of events but seen, unusually, through the eyes of Judas Iscariot, is a global phenomenon that has wowed audiences for over 40 years. The first musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) to be produced for the professional stage, it debuted on Broadway in October 1971 in New York City. Less than 12 months after it opened on Broadway, the rock spectacle went to London, exploding onto the West End in a hugely successful production. By 1980, after 3,358 performances, Jesus Christ Superstar had become the longest running musical in West End history at the time and grossed $12.3 million. In all, Jesus Christ Superstar has grossed over $205 million and has been professionally produced in 42 countries around the

world (www.jesuschristsuperstar.com). Locally, the showed is being produced by Lorna Gianelloni, of Lorna N Company. Gianelloni says, “It’s such a beautiful story … it takes place two weeks before Jesus’ crucifixion so there’s all of the confusion and chaos and concern, especially among the apostles. And the music is just phenomenal.” The director of the play is Perry Martin and Tansy Waguespack is the musical director. Principle cast members are Billy Walker as Jesus, Michael Caffery as Judas, Rick Rowen as Pontius Pilate, Dillon Hughes as Herod, Larry Hyatt as Peter, John Desantis as Caiaphas, Ellie Rameriz as Mary Magdalene, and Jacob McManus as Annas. The three lead characters, Jesus, Judas and Pilate, are all from New Iberia’s community theatre. The show is being sponsored by Synergy Bank. There will be two performances at the Houma Courtyard Marriott, 142 Library Drive, on Palm Sunday, March 25. The matinee performance begins with lunch at 1 p.m., followed by the show at 2 p.m. Evening performance begins with dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the show at 7 p.m. Meal and show is $75. For reservations, call (985) 860-2940. BC

Sacred Heart, Cut Off

Lenten Mission Feb. 26-27 A Lenten mission will be presented by John Angotti at Sacred Heart Church in Cut Off, Monday, Feb. 26 and Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. each day. Angotti will be at all Masses the weekend of Feb. 24 and 25. John Angotti is a full time music missionary. He travels throughout many parts of the world providing inspirational music and witness to all ages through concerts, workshops, retreats, missions, conferences and liturgies. John is originally from Clarksburg, WV, and now resides in Memphis, TN, with his wife and two children. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and the U.S. Military School of Music, where he was a member of the U.S. Navy Band as lead vocalist. John received his master’s degree in pastoral studies from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 2013. John’s music expresses hope and love for those longing for a deeper relationship with God. “My passion is to not only provide music for worship, but music that sings of the true witness of my experience of Christ in my life, that leads me to the table in faith. I have found that people relate through both music and testimony. All of us have a cross, even though we may try to hide it. But there is no hiding place from God, who is with us all the time,” says Angotti (www.jspaluch.com). A love offering will be collected during the performance. BC 44 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

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February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 45

Special

A native son returns home By Very Rev. Jay L. Baker (Following is the homily delivered to the people of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma by Very Rev. Jay L. Baker on the weekend of his first Masses as the cathedral parish’s new rector.) Since Bishop (Shelton J.) Fabre first announced that I was being transferred here to the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales, perhaps the most frequent thing the people in Thibodaux have said to me is: “Oh, you must be so excited to be going home!” I have been a priest for 25 and a half years and although I was born in Houma, I have never been assigned anywhere in Terrebonne Parish! Aside from the two years I spent studying Canon Law at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada, all of my parish ministry has been in St. Mary (civil) Parish for seven years and in Lafourche Parish for 16 and a half years. I was baptized here at St. Francis in 1961. Mama and Daddy were renting a house on St. Paul Street at the time where they had made a home with my older brother, Steve. Later we would move to another rental on Sunset Avenue. But by the time my sister Ann was born, Mama and Daddy had purchased property out on Highway 311 and had moved a house there that would become our home ever since. Thirteen years after I was baptized – in 1974 – I finished elementary school here at St. Francis. Five years after that, I sat in the very same pew for the baccalaureate Mass when I finished Vandebilt Catholic High School. That’s not really so remarkable: We sat alphabetically! But then, 13 years later, I was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ in this Cathedral. For that ceremony, I sat across the aisle, in the second pew, between Mama and Daddy. Now, Daddy (Harry Baker) was a Yankee – a transplant from Naborton in North Louisiana who came south following the oil industry – but he did work for his uncle, Logan Babin, here when he installed the air conditioning

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

in this church in the mid-50s. Mama and Daddy married here on May 31, 1959. It was a Sunday, the Feast of the Visitation. Mama (nee Catherine Rogers) had gone through the Academy of St. Francis de Sales – as it was called then – from 1st through 12th grade. Mama played on both the softball and basketball teams. As a senior, she would be excused from class every Monday morning to go to the rectory to count the weekend’s collection. And both she and her Mama, Gra’mommie, received all of their sacraments here. Gra’mommie (nee Cornelia Cenac) herself graduated from Lorton Preparatory School on East Main (what is now MacDonell Children’s Home) – where the Winder sisters taught – but completed a commercial course of study here offered by the Marianite Sisters of Holy Cross in 1924. Gra’mommie and Gran’daddy married here in 1927. Gra’mommie later served as president of the Mother’s Club when Sister Mary Lua was principal. The two worked together to come up with the school’s quota assigned by the pastor when the roof on this church was first replaced. Gran’daddy (Nolan Rogers) was a barber and served on the Terrebonne Parish Police Jury. He was an avid

46 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

sportsman who often took the local priests fishing with him – I remember him telling stories about Father (August) Vandebilt! And even though Gra’mommie and Gran’daddy were founding members of St. Gregory when that parish was carved out of this one, Gran’daddy remained a member of the KC Council here until his death in 1976. Suffice it to say, I am keenly aware that I am indeed returning to my roots, that I have come home. Like the Magi from the East, I am searching. I will be looking for God in my daily life here in Houma … but I do not have exact directions. Still, I have every confidence that, in the common, ordinary events of life – as we walk together – God will reveal himself to us. Unlike the Magi, I do not come to visit. Rather, I come to offer my gifts, alongside of yours and to stay here with you. As we journey forth into our unknown future, there may be times ahead which will challenge us to love the Lord more fully and to embrace each other as companions more selflessly. We may find these times difficult or even painful … With only a tiny point of light to guide us, our search – like that of the Magi – may indeed be mostly darkness, only minimally light. Nonetheless, I have absolute hope and trust that God will do for us no less than was done for the visitors from the East 2,000 years ago. That here at St. Francis de Sales – in this house of prayer – as well as in your own homes, God’s light will continue to shatter the darkness of this world and the glory of God will be revealed, the divine presence will be manifested in the sweep of time together as God joins our story to the one told to us through his Son. As far as our research has shown, Father Baker is the first native son baptized at St. Francis de Sales, graduated from St. Francis de Sales Elementary School, and graduated from Vandebilt Catholic High School to return as rector. BC

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National News

For ‘Dreamers’ U.S. is the only home they know

By RUBY THOMAS AND JESSICA ABLE Catholic News Service

SPRINGFIELD, KY (CNS) — In response to Pope Francis’ call for Catholics to “Share the Journey” of their lives with one another under a two-year program introduced in September, the following stories relate the experiences and hopes of young Catholic immigrants who worship at St. Dominic Church in Springfield, Kentucky. For now, they are protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, but that program is set to end in March unless Congress passes the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, or DREAM Act. Yuliana Ortega, 15, is a student at Washington County High School. Ortega came to the U.S. from Jalisco, Mexico, when she was just a year old. Ortega said she fears having to leave her friends and family in Springfield once the DACA program ends. “I don’t know anything about Mexico. I don’t know where I would go to,” she told The Record, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Louisville. Ortega, who juggles school and work at the restaurant her family manages, said she wished she wasn’t judged because of her race. Following high school, she hopes to work one day as an interpreter. “We have goals and things in our lives

we want to reach,” she said. ––– Wendy Hernandez, 21, is an English language tutor for Washington County Schools. Hernandez, who came to the U.S. when she was 6 years old with her mother and two siblings. She said her mother fled Cuernavaca, Mexico, to escape physical abuse. She considers the U.S., and Springfield, in particular, her home. Since Hernandez learned of President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel DACA, she has found her future to be uncertain. “It’s kind of scary because I don’t know what is going to happen,” she said. “My career, everything, is in their (lawmakers) hands.” Hernandez said there are several misconceptions concerning Dreamers, as DACA youth are sometimes called. “We don’t get all the benefits everyone believes we do. We have to work harder than others to be able to go to school or to get a job sometimes,” she explained. She said she worries about being forced to return to a country she does not know. If she could speak to legislators, she would tell them to “get to know us.” “Get to know a little about us and see how we are trying to help our community. We have ambition and goals in our life for our future.” ––– Carlos Guzman, 26, is owner and

48 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • February 2018

operator of Longview Roofing in Lebanon, Kentucky. Guzman, said ending the DACA program would have a devastating ripple effect in his life. Not only would he be taken away from his home, family and faith community, but he would be stripped of his livelihood, a business he has worked hard to build, he said. “I think a lot of people don’t realize we work hard to have a better future. We try our best to contribute to this country. We pay our taxes, we create jobs and we contribute to the economy,” he said. Guzman, who was brought to the U.S. from Sonora, Mexico, at 14, said people should not judge each other solely based on what others are saying. “I’m sure every parent wants a better future for their children. Some may think it was probably wrong (for our parents) bringing us here, but what would you do for your child?” he said. Guzman’s parents decided to bring him and his three brothers to the U.S. to avoid the constant violence they faced. “It’s a big sacrifice because they left behind their parents and family. When family members die, it’s hard for them not being able to go back,” he said. ––– Dora Lozano, 18, is a student at Elizabethtown Technical and Community College, where she is studying Spanish and special education. Lozano said she has no memories of her native Mexico City, which she left with her family for the U.S. when she was 3 years old. “I’m scared to lose everything. This is all I know,” she said. If given the opportunity, Lozano said, she would ask legislators to try to understand the situation from her point of view. “We didn’t come here to harm anyone; we came here to have a better life. This program (DACA) helps us to reach our goals. We don’t want it to be taken away.” ––– Juan Saucedo, 16, is a junior at Washington County High School and wants to become a diesel mechanic. He came to the U.S. from Aguas Calientes, Mexico, when he was 4 years old.

Saucedo applied for DACA status earlier in 2017 and was in the application process when the Trump administration announced the end of the program. He is unsure of the status of his application. “Our future is in their hands, but there’s nothing we can do,” the teen said. “We have goals like everyone else. Just because we’re Hispanic or a different race doesn’t mean we don’t have goals.” ––– Manuel Hernandez, 25, is a senior at Eastern Kentucky University where he is studying computer networking and security. He came to the U.S. with his two siblings, including sister Wendy, and their mother, when he was 13 years old. Hernandez said he and other DACA youth contribute “to this country in many ways.” “We’re students; we have jobs,” he said. “This is our home; I don’t think any of us want to go back.” He said it’s difficult to fight against a narrative that depicts immigrants as ones who take jobs from others and demeans them. “We’re not just a stereotype. We don’t steal jobs. We’re not criminals. We’re trying to contribute as much as possible.” ––– Thomas and Able are on the staff of The Record, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Louisville. BC

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February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 49

Sports

Overtime Ed Daniels

The Saints need to get busy for another postseason run Still trying to get over the most painful loss in New Orleans Saints history? That’s understandable. But, when you are ready to turn the page, here’s some pigskin food for thought. Just because the Saints are young and talented, and just because they are likely to retain their franchise quarterback, there is no guarantee they will be in the same position next January. Of the four semifinal teams from the NFC, the Saints, the Vikings, the Eagles and the Falcons, only Atlanta was in the semis a year ago, on the way to the Super Bowl.

SINCE FAST st Intere e Fre cing Finan

And, the NFC figures to be even more difficult next season. Philadelphia, winners of 13 regular season games, will have its starting quarterback Carson Wentz, back after knee surgery. The Vikings won 13 games, playing most of the season without starting quarterback Sam Bradford and running back Dalvin Cook, the team’s 2017 first round pick. The Packers, who were 7-9, will have quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who played in only seven games after suffering a broken collarbone. Rodgers had 16 touchdown passes, in only 154 completions. The 49ers, winners of five straight to end the season, appear to have found their franchise quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo. The Rams won 11 games with quarterback Jared Goff, only in his 2nd season. Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Carolina, who changed offensive coordinators and its quarterbacks coach, figures to be better. And, the Saints, who won the NFC South, will play a first place schedule. The Saints play Pittsburgh and the Los Angeles Rams at home, and travel again to Minnesota. If the Saints plan to make a Super Bowl run next season, bringing back the corps of the team is important, but the club must add significant upgrades. And, make some key personnel decisions. Safety Kenny Vaccaro, a 2013 first round draft choice, and unrestricted free agent, figures to command a big

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payday on the open market. Vaccaro, who turns 27 in February, had a career high three interceptions, and his seven pass defensed were the best since his rookie year. Defensive end Alex Okafor is also slated for unrestricted free agency. Okafor, who played in only 10 games, contributed 4.5 quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles, and four pass defensed. Personnel chief Jeff Ireland, who has greatly upgraded the Saints talent, will be under pressure to produce another stellar draft and free agent class. Last offseason, Ireland, head coach Sean Payton, and general manager Mickey Loomis hit a home run. And, they got some good fortune. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore slipped to the Saints at number 11 in the first round. The Saints traded wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Patriots for the 32nd pick in the draft. The hue and cry over the Saints allegedly getting robbed in the deal have faded as the player acquired in that trade, offensive tackle Ryan Ramcyzk, performed at a very high level. The NFL is set up for competitive balance. The same teams are not supposed to win every year. That is why the Patriots reaching a 7th consecutive AFC title game is truly a remarkable accomplishment. So, the Saints need to get busy if they plan to buck the odds that say they are not likely to return. BC

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February 2018 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic • 51

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