Bayou Catholic Magazine September 2022 by Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

SEPTEMBER 2022 ~ VOL. 43 NO. 3 ~ COMPLIMENTARY Bayou Catholic I BELIEVE!

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September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •3 Features 20 Transitional diaconate ordination in Rome Columns 8 Message from our Administrator By Very Rev. Patrick J. (P.J.) Madden 11 Pope Speaks Pope Francis I 12 Questions of Faith By Father Wilmer Todd 14 Readings Between the Lines By Father Glenn LeCompte 46 Overtime By Ed Daniels In Every Issue 6 From the Editor 16 Scripture Readings 22 Heavenly Recipes 26 Daily Prayer for Priests, Deacons, Religious and Seminarians Guest Columns 18 The Eucharist By Father Daniel Duplantis 28 A Journey of continuous improvement By Dr. Mark Williams Announcements 24 Diocese submits Synod synthesis to USCCB 38 Very Rev. Joshua Rodrigue installed as seminary rector 40 Vandebilt receives donation for the cafeteria renovations 41 Mass for Peace, Sept. 9 42 Annual Blue Mass, Sept. 29 Contents LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC On Our Cover In this issue Father Daniel Duplantis writes about the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Read Father Duplantis’ personal testimony of Jesus Christ and the Eucharist on pages 18-19 of this issue.

How to reach us:

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.

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Lawrence Chatagnier editor and general manager April LeBouef business manager Janet Marcel staff writer/administrative assistant Tisha Rachal graphic designer Becky Thibodeaux accounting specialist

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Bayou Catholic

Where to find your Bayou Catholic Bayou Catholic magazine can be found at all Catholic churches and Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. To pick up a copy, you may also visit the merchants who advertise in our issue. Those wishing to receive the magazine by mail can call Janet Marcel at (985) 850-3132 or write to Bayou Catholic, P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395. Subscription price is $35 annually. For the online edition, go to www.bayoucatholic.org Like us onorFacebook

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •5 3632

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From

Lawrence Lawrence Chatagnier Editor & General Manager

Who are you?

• Resentment – You may start resenting your job; and your friends and loved ones might start resenting you and your job.

• Burnout – Because you are always being defined by your job, it is always on your mind. You feel like you are always on the job.

Having a job and a feeling of accomplishment is important. It makes you feel good and it gives you a feeling of self-worth, because you are contributing to society. Going to work at 9, then clocking out at 5 and coming home is putting in a good day’s work. No matter what you do and where you work, whether it is for a fast-food restaurant or as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, you feel However,accomplished.workingto live and living to work are two different things. It is when you allow your work to define who you are that problems can occur. These problems include the following:

The Atlantic article “Workism is Making Americans Miserable,” Derek Thompson describes “The Gospel of Work” or what he calls “workism.” Workism “is the belief that work is not only necessary to economic production, but also the centerpiece of one’s identity and life’s purpose; and the belief that any policy to promote human welfare must always encourage more work.” When you are told, again and again, that you are your work, you start to believe it. The trap in workism is associating your full identity and selfworth with your work, occupation or job. You are not your work. Your work is simply a part of you. But it’s difficult to separate the idea of meaningful work from a meaningful life. To attain a healthy or well-rounded identity, one must establish balance in their work and personal life. That balance can shift occasionally when you’re launching a new part of your business, when you’re on a tight deadline or when you’re preparing for a wedding or taking your child to check out colleges. Your work should add meaning to your life, but it should not be the “meaning of your life,” even if it’s the dream job you’ve always wanted.

• Relationships – If you are always working, talking about work, and obsessing about it, your relationships with your friends and family can suffer.

Editor

September is here and with it comes the end of summer. Our thoughts are turning to football season, and the anticipation of fall and cooler weather.

In September, we celebrate Labor Day. This year labor day is Sept. 5. This day celebrates the American labor movement and the contributions and achievements of the American worker. In the United States, Labor Day is the three-day weekend ending the summer season.Work and people working together to produce goods, provide agriculture for a nation, or provide services is an essential part of life. It is what drives our country. It enables the consumer to buy essential goods and the seller to provide commodities to the general public.While working and providing for one’s family are good things, a person can easily get caught up in the mindset that you are what you do for a living. When we limit ourselves by identifying what we do as who we are, we are selling ourselves short. If asked who you are, what would you say … CEO, entrepreneur, artist, engineer? Often, we identify ourselves based on our work, believing our work title is our identity … teacher, lawyer or nurse?In

• Work – Eventually, because of these problems above, even your work can suffer. This is because you resent the work because of all the other problems you have. Soon all your good work may go down the drain. There is nothing wrong with being proud of what you do and what you have accomplished. However, it is a huge mistake to make that the only thing or the most important thing in your life. Do not limit yourself to your job. There is so much more to you than your 9 to 5 routine.Nowfor the big question. Who are you? the

6 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •7 Church Life

The annual Acadian Mass held at St. Hilary of Poitiers Church in Mathews was celebrated in conjunction with the feast of the Assumption. Father Daniel Duplantis was the principal celebrant of the Mass with Very Rev. Patrick J. (P.J.) Madden as homilist. Priests of the diocese concelebrated the Mass. Catholics from across the diocese gathered for the Mass which celebrates the French heritage of the people of the bayou area.

Acadian Mass

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

The beginning of a new school year is an opportunity for us all to reflect that, through baptism, we are called to be Ambassadors for Christ! For us to fulfill that commission we need to make the Eucharist (holy Mass) central to our daily lives. As already mentioned in this column, we are now in a period of eucharistic revival. After a long absence from Sunday Mass, due to COVID-19, some have become comfortable with Mass on TV! But there is no substitute for communal celebrations.Asweknow, our country and world are suffering many ills at this time, and what is most needed is a return to prayer, reverence and respect for each other, conversations that are inclusive, tolerance, patience and peace! Sunday Mass is a wonderful opportunity for an hour of slowing down, praying and finding that peace The beautiful prayer of Jesus after the Our Father, “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you” should burn in our hearts as we leave Mass! In turn, this helps us to face the coming week with a disposition of good will!

Our Holy Father, Francis, recently issued a beautiful Apostolic Letter to all of us and it is worth reading and absorbing! It shows how we would be drawn irresistibly into the Eucharist if we truly dwelt on the mystery we celebrate. He says, “The Liturgy gives glory to God, not because we can add something to the beauty of inaccessible light within which God dwells (cf1Ti 6:16). Nor can we add to the perfection of the angelic song which resounds eternally through the heavenly places. The liturgy gives glory to God because it allows us – here on earth – to see God in the celebration of the mysteries, and in seeing him to draw life from his Passover. We, who were dead through our sins have been made alive again with Christ – We are the glory of God.” What an astoundingly beautiful grace it is to know that and to celebrate it at every Mass. And back to our children, the future of our church and nation, we need to recall that, at their baptism the parents undertook to be the first teachers of the faith, the first Ambassadors of Christ, to the child! I pray that through Sunday worship of our Lord, at the table of the Eucharist, all will grow in wisdom and grace. For the glory of God and the renewal of faith in our families and diocese, let’s all go back to the school of Nazareth this fall. Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us. BC

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC Opening Mass of the recent Educators’ Convocation

Madden On August 3, over 400 Catholic school teachers gathered, for the first time in three years, to prepare for the new school year. The atmosphere was, simply put, contagiously joyous, positive and optimistic. Our Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Dr. Mark Williams, and our Associate Superintendent, Gerrie Byrne, chose as the theme for the day, and the year ahead, the message from 2 Corinthians 5:20: “We are Ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.” The day opened with holy Mass, at which I was delighted to be accompanied by nine priests who, (representing all of our priests), came to honor our teachers, and all school staff, who worked so heroically through COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida, to provide a safe space for our children, despite contending with their own families’ needs and fears. The children’s choir from St Joseph Catholic Elementary School in Thibodaux lifted our spirits with their beautiful singing! For their presence and guidance to the children and parents during the COVID-19 period, our teachers and school staffs deserve our deepest gratitude and respect.

8 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022

It was emphasized that the teaching of our children should begin and end with the Eucharist, the sacrament and sacrifice of thanksgiving, for the gift of Christ himself, and his calling us to be his Ambassadors! In this regard, the teachers were commissioned to ensure that Christ is the hidden teacher in all of our classrooms, and that the priority in every class is to form the character of each child entrusted to our care. This means that every subject taught is rooted in the Gospel values of justice, truth, love and peace!

‘We are Ambassadors for Christ’ Comment AdministratorMessagefromour

Very Rev. Patrick J. (P. J.)

´Somos embajadores de Cristo´ “ “

¡Como sabemos, nuestro país y el mundo están sufriendo muchos males en este momento, y lo que más se necesita es ¡volver a la oración, a la reverencia y al respeto por los demás, a las conversaciones inclusivas, a la tolerancia, a la paciencia y a la paz! La misa dominical es una magnífica oportunidad para una hora de tranquilidad, de oración y de encontrar esa paz. La hermosa oración de Jesús después del Padre Nuestro, “La paz os dejo, mi paz os doy” debería arder en nuestros corazones al salir de la misa. A su vez, ¡esto nos ayuda a afrontar la próxima semana con una disposición de buena ¡Nuestrovoluntad!SantoPadre, Francisco, publicó recientemente una hermosa Carta Apostólica para todos nosotros y vale la pena leerla y absorberla! Muestra cómo nos sentiríamos irresistiblemente atraídos por la Eucaristía si realmente nos detuviéramos en el misterio que celebramos. Dice: “La liturgia da gloria a Dios, no porque podamos añadir algo a la belleza de la luz inaccesible en la que Dios habita (cf. 1Ti 6,16). Tampoco podemos añadir nada a la perfección del canto angélico que resuena eternamente por los lugares celestiales. La liturgia da gloria a Dios porque nos permite -aquí en la tierra- ver a Dios en la celebración de los misterios, y al verlo sacar vida de su Pascua. Nosotros, que estábamos muertos por nuestros pecados, hemos revivido con Cristo- somos la gloria de Dios”. Qué gracia tan asombrosa es saber eso y celebrarlo en cada misa. Y volviendo a nuestros niños, el futuro de nuestra iglesia y nación, necesitamos recordar que, en su bautismo, los padres se comprometieron a ser los primeros maestros de la fe, ¡los primeros embajadores de Cristo, para el niño! Rezo para que a través del culto dominical a nuestro Señor, en la mesa de la Eucaristía, todos crezcan en sabiduría y gracia. Para la gloria de Dios y la renovación de la fe en nuestras familias y en la diócesis, volvamos todos a la escuela de Nazaret en este otoño. Nuestra Señora, Sede de la Sabiduría, ruega por nosotros.BC Comentario

¡Se enfatizó que la enseñanza de nuestros niños debe comenzar y terminar con la Eucaristía, el sacramento y el sacrificio de acción de gracias, por el don de Cristo mismo, y su llamado a ser sus Embajadores! En este sentido, los profesores recibieron el encargo para asegurar que Cristo sea el maestro oculto en todas nuestros salones de clases, y que la prioridad en cada clase sea formar el carácter de cada niño confiado a nuestro cuidado.

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •9

El día 3 de agosto, más de 400 profesores de escuelas católicas se reunieron, por primera vez en tres años, para preparar el nuevo curso escolar. El ambiente era, simplemente, contagioso, alegre, positivo y optimista. Nuestro Superintendente de Escuelas Católicas, el Dr. Mark Williams, y nuestro Superintendente Asociado, Gerrie Byrne, eligieron como tema para el día, y para el año que se avecina, el mensaje de 2 Corintios 5,20: “Somos embajadores de Cristo, como si Dios estuviera apelando a través de nosotros”. El día se abrió con la Santa Misa, en la que tuve el placer de estar acompañado por nueve sacerdotes que, (en representación de todos nuestros sacerdotes), vinieron a honrar a nuestros maestros, y a todo el personal de la escuela, que trabajó tan heroicamente durante el COVID-19 y el huracán Ida, para proporcionar un espacio seguro a nuestros niños, a pesar de tener que lidiar con las necesidades y los temores de sus propias familias. El coro de niños de la escuela primaria católica St Joseph de Thibodaux levantó nuestro ánimo con sus hermosos cantos!. Por su presencia y orientación a los niños y a los padres durante el período COVID-19, nuestros profesores y el personal de la escuela merecen nuestra más profunda gratitud y respeto. ¡Se enfatizó que la enseñanza de nuestros niños debe comenzar y terminar con la Eucaristía, el sacramento y el sacrificio de acción de gracias, por el don de Cristo mismo, y su llamado a ser sus Embajadores! En este sentido, los profesores recibieron el encargo para asegurar que Cristo sea el maestro oculto en todas nuestros salones de clases, y que la prioridad en cada clase sea formar el carácter de cada niño confiado a nuestro cuidado. ¡Esto significa que todas las asignaturas que se imparten están enraizadas en los valores evangélicos de la justicia, la verdad, el amor y la paz! El comienzo de un nuevo año escolar es una oportunidad para que todos reflexionemos que, ¡a través del bautismo, estamos llamados a ser embajadores de Cristo! Para que podamos cumplir con ese encargo necesitamos hacer de la Eucaristía (la Santa Misa) el centro de nuestra vida cotidiana. Como ya se ha mencionado en esta columna, nos encontramos en un período de reavivamiento eucarístico. ¡Después de una larga ausencia de la misa dominical, debido al COVID-19, algunos se han sentido cómodos con la misa en la televisión! Pero no hay nada que sustituya a las celebraciones comunitarias.

BC Binh luan bang loi Chúng ta là Sứ Giả cho Chúa Kytô “ “ Điểm nhấn hướng về giáo dục con em lànên bắt đầu niên học vàkết thúc bằng Thánh Lễ, là bí tích và sự khổ nạn trong tri ân, mà Chúa Kytô chính là món quà cho chúng ta, và Ngài mời gọi chúng ta là sứ giả của Ngài.

10 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022

Ngày 3 tháng 8 trên 400 giáo viên Công Giáo đã tụ họp lần đầu tiên sau ba năm, để chuẩn bị cho năm học mới. Bầu không khí tuy có phần đơn sơ nhưng lại là niềm vui được kết nối, cởi mở và lạc quan. Tổng Giám Thị trường học Công Giáo, Tiến sĩ Mark Williams, và phụ tá của ông là bà Gerrie Byrne, đã chọn khẩu hiệu cho ngày hôm đó và năm học, một đoạn trích từ Thư Thứ Hai gửi Giáo Đoàn Corintô 5:20: “Chúng ta là sứ giả cho Chúa Kytô, nếu Thiên Chúa mời gọi chúng ta.” Khai mạc ngày hôm đó bằng Thánh Lễ, mà thật hoan hỷ cho tôi cùng dâng Thánh Lễ với chín linh mục nữa (đại diện cho các linh mục đoàn của Giáo Phận), các ngài đến để ghi ơn các thầy cô và quý chức quản trị các trường học, những người đã trung can nghĩa đảm chu toàn bổn phận xuyên qua đại dịch và Bão Ida, bảo đảm an toàn cho các em, mặc dù cùng lúc phải lo lắng cho gia đình và sợ dịch. Ca đoàn thiếu nhi đến từ trường tiểu học Thánh Giuse đã nâng tâm hồn mọi người lên bằng tiếng hát tuyệt vời của các em! Để dành cho các thầy cô, quý chức đã tận tụy với học sinh và phụ huynh trong thời gian đại dịch, chúng ta nhiệt liệt cảm ơn và tri ânĐiểmhọ. nhấn hướng về giáo dục con em là nên bắt đầu niên học và kết thúc bằng Thánh Lễ, là bí tích và sự khổ nạn trong tri ân, mà Chúa Kytô chính là món quà cho chúng ta, và Ngài mời gọi chúng ta là sứ giả của Ngài. Chính trong cốt lõi đó, các giáo viên được sai đi đảm bảo rằng Chúa Kytô chính là Thầy Giáo vô hình trong các lớp học, và đương nhiên ưu tiên hàng đầu là trong mỗi lớp học rèn luyện mỗi học sinh mà mình có trách nhiệm. Điều này có nghĩa rằng mỗi môn học được đặt trên nền tảng giá trị phúc âm như công lý, sự thật, tình yêu và an bình. Khai giảng năm học mới là cơ hội cho chúng ta suy tư rằng, qua bí tích thánh tẩy, chúng ta được mời gọi làm sứ giả cho Chúa Kytô. Để chu toàn sứ mạng đó chúng ta cần tham dự Thánh Lễ, là tâm điểm đời sống hằng ngày. Như đã nhắc ở bài viết trước, chúng ta đang trong giai đoạn hâm lại Bí Tích Mình Thánh. Sau thời gian dài không tham dự Thánh Lễ được vì đại dịch, một số anh chị em thoải mái với Thánh Lễ qua màn ảnh! Nhưng không gì thay thế được Thánh Lễ bằng chính sự hiện diện của mình. Như đã rõ, quốc gia mình và thế giới đang trải qua nhiều biến động, và điều cần thiết nhất là trở lại với cầu nguyện, tôn nghiêm và kíng trọng nhau, sự giao tế bao gồm mọi thành phần, chấp nhận, kiên nhẫn và bình an! Thánh Lễ Chúa Nhật là cơ hội tuyệt vời trong một giờ hồi tỉnh, cầu nguyện và tìm lại được bình an trong câu kinh bình an tốt đẹp của Chúa Giêsu sau kinh Lậy Cha, “Bình an Ta để lại cho các con, bình an Ta ban cho các con” nên là ngọn lửa đốt trong tâm hồn chúng ta sau khi rời Thánh Lễ. Tiếp đó nó sẽ giúp chúng ta sống trong tuần với tâm hồn rộng mở! Đức Thánh Cha Phanxicô gần đây xuất bản tông thư cho chúng ta và rất đáng đọc và suy gẫm. Tông thư vạch ra phương thức mà chúng ta không thể cưỡng khi bị lôi cuốn vào Thánh Thể nếu chúng ta thật tình ̣đặt mình vào mầu nhiệm mà chúng ta cử hành. Ngài nói, “Phụng vụ thánh tôn vinh Thiên Chúa, không phải vì chúng ta tăng thêm vẻ đẹp của ánh sáng vô biên mà Ngài ngự trị ̣(cf1Ti 6:16). Càng không thể nào chúng ta tăng thêm sự hoàn hảo tiếng hát thiên thần mà nó ngâm vang vô tận trên khắp thiên cung. Phụng vụ thánh tôn vinh Thiên Chúa bởi vì nó giúp chúng ta – trên đời này – nhận ra Thiên Chúa trong khi cử hành mầu nhiệm, và nhận ra Thiên Chúa mang lại sự sống trong Lễ Vượt Qua. “Chúng ta, những người đã chết vì tội lỗi được tái sinh trong Chúa Kytô – Chúng ta là vinh quang của Chúa.” Thật là một ơn thánh nhiệm mầu tuyệt đẹp được thấu hiểu mỗi khi tham dự Thánh Lễ. Xoay trục lại với con em, chính là tương lai của Giáo Hội và quốc gia, chúng ta cần nhắc lại rằng, khi rửa tội thì cha mẹ chúng quyết tâm nhận trách nhiệm là thầy trước hết của con em mình trong đức tin, một sứ giả tiên phong của Chúa cho chúng! Tôi nguyện rằng qua ngày Chúa Nhật phụng thờ Chúa, ngay bàn tiệc Thánh, tất cả sẽ lớn lên trong khôn ngoan và ơn thánh. Để Thiên Chúa được tôn vinh và ôn lại đức tin cho gia đình và giáo phận, tất cả cùng trở lại trường Nazareth mùa thu này. Lậy Mẹ, Nền tảng của sự Khôn Ngoan, xin cầu cho chúng con

“The alliance — and I am saying alliance — the alliance between the elderly and children will save the human family,” the pope said at his weekly audience Aug. 17. “If this dialogue does not take place between the elderly and the young, the future cannot be clearly seen.” Near the end of the pope’s general audience, which took place in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, a young boy approached Francis while sitting on thePopestage.Francis spoke to him in Italian, greeting him and asking his name, though the little boy did not respond. “During the audience, we spoke of the dialogue between the elderly and the young,” the pope said to those watching, as he gestured to the boy. “He was courageous, this one.”The sandy-haired child stood next to Francis for the remainder of the audience, including the singing of the Our Father in Latin and the pope’s final blessing. Afterward, Francis traced a cross on the boy’s forehead.

In his address, the pope said “it is painful — and harmful — to see that the ages of life are conceived of as separate worlds, in competition among themselves, each one seeking to live at the expense of the other: This is not right.” “Old age,” he said, “must bear witness — for me, this is the core, the most central aspect of old age — old age must bear witness to children that they are a blessing.”

“This witness consists in their initiation — beautiful and difficult — into the mystery of our destination in life that no one can annihilate, not even death. To bring the witness of faith before a child is to sow that life. To bear the witness of humanity too, and of faith, is the vocation of the elderly.”According to the pope, “the witness of the elderly is credible to children,” and “young people and adults are not capable of bearing witness in such an authentic, tender, poignant way, as elderly people can.” He praised when an old person can lay aside any resentment he or she feels at growing old in order to bless life as it “Therecomes.isno bitterness because time is passing by, and he or she is about to move on. No. There is that joy of good wine, of wine that has aged well with the years. The witness of the elderly unites the generations of life,” he said. “May the elderly have the joy of speaking, of expressing themselves with the young, and may the young seek out the elderly to receive the wisdom of life from them,” the pope wished. BC PABLO ESPARZA/CNA Pope Fancis with a surprise visitor on stage in the Vatican Aug. 17, 2022.

TheSpeaksPope

Comment By HANNAH BROCKHAUS (Rome CNA)

While the pope was greeting the different language groups toward the end of the audience, one of two Swiss Guards on stage with him appeared to lose his balance and fall toward the floor momentarily. The Swiss Guard immediately got back up, according to photographer Pablo Esparza, who witnessed the event.

Pope Francis: An alliance between old and young will save the family

The 85-year-old Pope Francis, who usually stands for the prayer and blessing, remained seated on Aug. 17. He has been suffering from a knee injury forcing him to use a wheelchair or walk with a cane for several months.

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •11

Pope Francis recently emphasized the family’s need for healthy relationships and dialogue between the young and the elderly.

WilmerFatherTodd Near experiencesdeath

Comment What happens when you die (at the moment of death)?

12 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 QuestionsofFaith

The most honest answer is we really don’t know. No one has come back from heaven and revealed the “step-by-step process” of dying. The Catholic Church teaches that immediately after death our soul separates from our body, and we stand before God for judgement. We then enter heaven, purgatory or hell. We do have hints from thousands of people who have had Near-DeathExperiences (NDEs) from different cultures and languages. Dr. Jeffrey Long, M.D., a radiation oncologist with the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Houma, has written a book entitled, Hidden Beyond the Veil. He has documented the commonality of thousands of near-death stories. To understand NDEs, we have to rid ourselves of our images that heaven is above the clouds and that hell is somewhere “down there.” The veil that separates time and eternity is in our midst.Dr. Long and others who have worked with hospice patients (like I have) have experienced a common theme among NDEs: 1) A sensation of leaving the body, sometimes being able to see the physical body while floating above it. Dr. Long says that when the heart stops working the memory also stops working. Our spiritual souls can only experience these reported sensations; 2) The mind functions more clearly and more rapidly than usual; 3) A sensation of being drawn into a tunnel or darkness with a brilliant light sometimes at the end of the tunnel; 4) A sense of overwhelming peace, wellbeing, or absolute, unconditional love; 5) A sense of having access to unlimited knowledge; 6) A “life review” or recall of important events in the past; 7) A preview of future events yet to come; 8) Encounters with deceased loved ones or with other beings that may be identified as religious figures. (This can also happen right before death.)

The following are testimonies from people who had NDEs. This is someone’s review of life experience: “I went into a dark place with nothing around me, but I wasn’t scared. It was really peaceful there. I then began to see my whole life unfolding before me like a film projected on a screen from babyhood to adult life. It was so real! I was looking at myself but better than a 3-D movie as I was also capable of sensing the feelings of the persons I had interacted with through the years. I could feel the good and bad emotions I made them go through.”Thistestimony happened to Marta, a five-year-old blind girl who walked into a lake: “I slowly breathed in the water and became unconscious. A beautiful lady dressed in bright white light pulled me out. The lady looked into my eyes and asked me what I wanted. I was unable to think of anything until it occurred to me to travel around the lake. As I did so, I saw detail that I would not have seen in ‘real’ life. I could go anywhere even to the tops of trees simply by my intending to go there. I was legally blind. For the first time, I was able to see leaves on trees, bird’s feathers, bird’s eyes, details on telephone poles, and what was in people’s back yards. I was seeing far better than 20/20 vision.” Could a

This NDE occurred under general anesthesia during surgery for a heart-valve replacement: “During my surgery, I felt myself lift from my body and go above the operating table. The doctor told me later that they had kept my heart open and stopped for a long time, and they had a great amount of difficulty getting my heart started again. That must have been when I left my body because I could see the doctors nervously trying to get my heart going. It was strange to be so detached from my physical body. I was curious about what they were doing but not concerned. As I drifted farther away, I saw my father at the head of the table. He looked up at me and surprised me because he had been dead now for almost a year.”

While these features are commonly reported, many NDEs differ from this pattern and include other elements. For example, some near-death experiences may be frightening or distressing rather than peaceful. This might have happened to people who were headed in the wrong direction in life. God could have given them a second chance. When we dream or have hallucinations, the persons we dream about are much more likely to be living and from our recent memories. This is in sharp contrast to those who have NDEs where familiar persons encountered are almost always deceased. Very young children who have NDEs have similar contents to older children and adults. This is further evidence that NDEs are occurring independently of preexisting cultural beliefs, religious training, or awareness of the existence of

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •13 Comment the “beautiful lady” have been the Virgin Mary?

AnNDEs.investigation of 19 Iranian Muslim NDEs concluded: “Our results suggest that Muslim NDEs may actually be quite common as they are in the West and may not be especially different in their key features from Western NDEs and therefore not heavily influenced by cultural variations, including prior religious or spiritual beliefs.” These examples should give us some idea of what happens at the moment of death. It should also help us deal with people who are dying especially when they talk about relatives or friends coming to escort them into eternity. BC

The Eucharist is food for life’s journey a

The diner in the story is the prophet Elijah who is fleeing the wrath of the queen of Israel (the Northern Kingdom), Jezebel, a princess of the pagan city-state Tyre. She was wed to the Israelite king, Ahab, in a marriage arranged by Ahab’s father Omri. The union proved detrimental to Israel, because Jezebel sought to replace the ancestral faith of Israel with the religion of her people. Elijah is a prophet of the God of Israel, a prophet who strives to call the residents of Israel back to their ancestral faith. Earlier at Mount Carmel, Elijah arranged a spiritual contest in the presence of the Israelites and the prophets of the rival god, Baal, a contest in which Elijah and Israel’s God emerged victorious. Afterward Elijah slew the 450 Baal prophets, an act which incited Jezebel to seek his life (1 Kings 18:19-40; 19:1-2).

In fear, Elijah departs for the desert fleeing the queen’s treachery against him. The first of two messengers who appear in the story, Jezebel’s emissary, delivers a message of doom to Elijah. Elijah’s life is riddled with turmoil and the prophet is consumed with running to preserve his life. He goes to Beer-Sheba, an ancient shrine which is situated in the Southern Kingdom (Judah), a hint of hope. It is here that the Lord’s promise to make Abraham a great nation is renewed with Abraham’s grandson, Jacob (Genesis 26:23-24). Having left his servant at the shrine, Elijah travels into the desert, and his mood turns from fear to despondency, even despite his victory over the Baal prophets. He comes to rest under a broom-tree, but prays for death there. His fear has evolved into a death-wish; Elijah has hit bottom! The entrance of the second messenger in the story signals its turning point. This messenger from the Lord (the ancestral God of Israel) rouses the sleeping Elijah and deliver’s God’s directive that the prophet arise and eat. The abruptness of the messenger’s imperatives indicates that in spite of Elijah’s fear and desolation God has plans for the prophet. The messenger’s command to eat the cake and drink the water at his head is a directive to Elijah to find strength in two ways: Physically and spiritually. Elijah eats and drinks, but lies down again. A second time the messenger urges him to eat and drink, and this time provides a motive for his directives: So he may have strength for the journey. There is no dialog between the messenger and Elijah about the destination of the journey or its purpose. God does not haggle with humans over such questions; God simply directs what God wants done. Elijah is going on this journey, so he is to eat to gain physical strength to make the trek. Strengthened by his second repast of bread and water, Elijah travels on foot 40 days and 40 nights to God’s mountain, Horeb, the Northern Kingdom’s name for Mt. Sinai. Elijah’s 40-day-and-night journey recalls the 40 days and nights Moses spent on the mountain recording the laws in Exodus 34:12-26. The author there tells us that Moses worked during this time period taking neither bread nor water (34:28). In contrast, Elijah needed the bread and water to get him to the place where Moses had been. Elijah’s journey to the mountain where the covenant law was given represents a new beginning for Elijah in his prophetic ministry. Elijah takes food for physical sustenance, and that meal enables him to make the journey to the mountain where the Sinai Covenant was ratified. Journeying to this sacred and foundational place for Israelite faith, Elijah is spiritually strengthened. He gets back in touch with the ultimate purpose of his prophetic mission: To stabilize the people in their covenant relationship with God or call them back to it.

As I return this month to my series on biblical foundations of the Eucharist I will reflect upon a story in 1 Kings 19:1-8 at whose heart is food.

Many who will travel to either Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge or the Caesar’s Superdome this football season will tailgate before the game. The most important item for tailgating is food.

14 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Reflections FatherLeCompteGlenn ReadingsBetweentheLines

v How do you experience the Eucharist as spiritual nourishment?

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •15

Just as the bread and water God provides for Elijah in 1 Kings 19:1-8 is a source of strength for his journey to Mt. Horeb, so is the Eucharist food for the journey of our lives. In the U. S. Bishops’ document The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church, nos. 51-55, the bishops remind us that the Eucharist is indeed nourishment for our life’s journey. Our life is a journey in the sense that every decision we make and action we undertake represents a movement in our hearts and spirits either toward or away from God. Regular participation in the Eucharist can facilitate our spiritual movement toward an ultimate union with God. The Eucharist nourishes and strengthens the relationship we already have with God. We know that our physical living will cease if we do not nourish our bodies with food. The same is true of the gift of eternal life which we receive from God through faith in his Son (John 3:36); it must be nourished with spiritual food if it is to endure.

BC Reflections

HIT

v How does participation in the sacrament of the holy Eucharist encourage people to live lives of faith? THE ROAD

Our life in God is nourished in many ways, for example, through prayer, reflection on Scripture, and in the act of doing charitable works. But the gift of life from God is nourished in a special way by means of the Eucharist. The eucharistic elements we receive are Christ himself. We begin our journey of faith in baptism, and that journey is nourished by repetitive participation in the Eucharist. We are nourished in the sense that the Eucharist, if we receive it sincerely, produces in us a deepening of our intimacy with Christ. Without the Eucharist in our lives our intimacy with God the Father through his Son can wither and die like a branch severed from its nourishmentproducing vine (John 15:1-7). And as in the case of Elijah, the Eucharist can be a source of strength for us when we are disheartened.Theeucharistic food prompts us and enables us by divine grace to dedicate our lives to living the way Christ taught us to live. At the end of Mass, the dismissal spoken by the deacon (or priest) is not simply a declaration that Mass is ended and so we are free to leave. We are told to go in order to do something: To glorify the Lord by our lives or to announce the Gospel. We can engage in these activities because at Mass we have received the food that enables us to do so. As food for our spiritual life-journey the Eucharist is indispensable.

WE CAN HELP FINANCE YOUR NEEDS TO GET THERE

Reflection Questions

v In what way is the Eucharist a source of strength in life’s more difficult times?

Memorial

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16 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

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September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •17 See www.apostleshipofprayer.org Holy Father’s prayer intentions September For abolition of the death penalty. We pray that the death penalty, which attacks the dignity of the human person, may be legally abolished in every country. YOU DO THE LIVING, we do the rest! Assisted Living Community SAFETY & FREEFINANCIALCAREFREESECURITYLIVINGFREEDOMCOMPANIONSHIPTRANSPORTATIONDAILYMASS Call TODAY to schedule a cherieg@stjosephmanor.org985-446-9050tour!1201CardinalDriveThibodaux,LA70301www.stjosephmanor.org MOVE NOW!in 985-868-0430 205 VENTURE BLVD HOUMA, LA 70360 WWW.FLEETSUPPLYWHSE.COM T he U lT imaT e P ower S o U rce SPECIALISTSBATTERYMARINE RV/ATV/MotorcycleCar/Truck/SUVMarineGolfCart Dry Cell, AAA, AA, C, D 9volt Coast Guard Approved Boxes Custom Fiberglass Boxes FSLEETUPPLY WAREHOUSE

18 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022

JesusFromChrist.that point forward, the Eucharist was the springboard of my search for more answers. There is a reason the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the Eucharist as “the source and summit of the Christian life (CCC 1324). “In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith: ‘Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking (CCC 1327).’” In other words, we do not have to have all the answers to our questions at one time!” Even as a priest, I still have questions about our faith. The seminary can only teach so much. However, there is no greater starting point for understanding the Catholic faith than the Eucharist. There are many reasons for this. First, the celebration of the Eucharist through the Mass makes us participants in the Paschal Mystery. It is his suffering, death and resurrection that changed everything for the human race. Through the celebration of the Mass, we are present at the upper room, at the cross, and at the empty tomb. Second, receiving the Eucharist worthily unites us to Christ in the most intimate way possible. The phrase “you are what you eat” is certainly true of the Eucharist. By consuming Christ, we are gradually conformed to him. It is one thing to know about FatherDuplantisDaniel

The holy Eucharist: The reason to be Catholic Special a

Father Daniel Duplantis celebrating Mass

Do you remember the first time you went to eucharistic adoration? I do. It is a very vivid memory of my early teenage years growing up at St. Louis Church in Bayou Blue. My twin brother and I, as well as a good friend from high school, were helping with the set-up for a youth group event. Afterwards, we were offered the opportunity to have adoration. I had grown up believing that the Eucharist is Jesus but adoring him in that way was something totally different than anything else I had experienced before. Although I attended public school, the majority of my classmates were Catholic. I was never really challenged in my faith by someone else until my junior year of high school. I encountered a Pentecostal my age who grilled me on all kinds of questions: The papacy, the Bible, infant baptism, etc. For the first time in my life, I was having an existential crisis of faith. I started to ponder one question: Besides being born and raised a Catholic, why am I a CatholicCoincidentally,now? it was around that time that a parishioner at St. Louis gave me a copy of a newly published book for which I am forever grateful. That book was Dr. Brant Pitre’s Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist At 17 years old, I could not put this book down. I was absolutely mind blown by the typology from Old to New Testament as the details of the Jewish Passover and Exodus were explained in incredible detail. By the time I finished reading the book, my crisis of faith was clearing up. I did not have all of the answers to my questions yet, but one thing was certain: I was absolutely convinced that the Eucharist is truly the body, blood, soul and divinity of

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •19 Special God, but anyone can get a degree in theology. Even the demons know quite a bit about God. However, true knowledge of God is to be one with him. Finally, the Eucharist unites us as the mystical body of Christ. If you are what you eat, then by eating Christ’s body, we become Christ’s body. Just as one meal nourishes the whole human body, so too does the Eucharist serve as the one meal that nourishes the church as one body in Christ. That is why the sacrament is often referred to as “Communion.” The bottom line is that as great as it is to understand biblical typology and correlations between Testaments, if we understand what the Eucharist embodies, it becomes both the starting point and the ending point of our faith. So what is one to do if there is a struggle or hesitancy to believe that Jesus is fully present in the Eucharist? I can think of no better solution than the one that was presented to me in my early teens: Go to adoration. It might seem awkward at first, and you might have no idea whatsoever what to do in that time, but Jesus has every idea what to do with the time that you give him in adoration. We do not have to do anything except show up. It’s that simple.Ashuman beings, we are created with both an intellect and a will. Consequently, spiritual writers associate these faculties with the mind and the heart respectively. It is important that both be used in prayer. Typically, a person will naturally use one with greater ease than the other. Both are good and should be used together. Perhaps we get stuck using one more than the other. Personally, I overthink everything. It is more natural for me to use my mind. The challenge for me is to move prayer from my head to my heart. Adoration is a great help for this. Just as it is considered rude to constantly be on one’s phone at the dinner table, it is also not good to “junk up” our prayer in adoration by filling up the time with various devotions. A relationship with anyone requires the exchange of thoughts, feelings and desires. The people to whom we mean the most want our time and our presence above all else. The same is true with God. Through the Eucharist he gives us the time and space to nurture our relationship with him.

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

Step One is Acknowledge, which means to put ourselves in the presence of God and acknowledge the intercession of the saints. Step Two is Relate, which means to express to God what is on our hearts and minds. Step Three is Receive, which means just that: We receive from God by listening and by our disposition to his grace. Step Four is Respond, which means we thank God for the time we have spent with him and for all he has done in our lives. Again, we do not have to have all the answers to our questions. Know that God is aware of this and wishes to help us. The Eucharist is his abiding presence with us on earth. No time is wasted with him when we are in his eucharistic presence. We are also never too young or too old to take advantage of adoration. The Eucharist is truly the source and summit of our faith. It is the first step on a climb to the top of the mountain!(Father Daniel Duplantis is the associate pastor of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales parish in Houma.)

While it is always good to just sit in silence in adoration, there are ways by which we can make the most of our time so that prayer in adoration becomes a conversation. The Institute for Priestly Formation calls this type of prayer ARRR. (Those of us who have been through IPF as seminarians jokingly refer to it as “Pirate Prayer,” but it helps us remember the steps!)

20 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Feature Story

The two seminarians have been in formation at the Pontifical North American College (NAC) in Rome, Italy, since the fall of 2019. The Rev. Mr. Joseph Lapeyrouse is a 25 year old native of Houma. He is the youngest child of Chris and Robin Lapeyrouse, and has one older sister. He graduated from Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma in 2015. He attended St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict from the fall of 2016 to the spring of 2019 when he earned a bachelor of arts in philosophy and the liberal arts (summa cum laude). In spring 2022, he earned a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology (magna cum laude) from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. This fall, during his last year as a seminarian he will begin studying canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Throughout his priestly formation, he has served at Sacred Heart Church parish in Cut Off (2017), St. Ann Church parish in Bourg (2018), St. Hilary Church parish in Mathews and St. Anthony Church parish in Gheens (2020), St. Mary’s Nativity Church parish in Raceland (2021), and St. Genevieve Church parish in Thibodaux (2022).Throughout his time in these parishes, he has been able to accompany priests in their sacramental work and assist with funerals and weddings, while also helping in the church parish offices. He has engaged in homebound ministry in several of the parishes, had the opportunity to give a few talks and reflections at some of the parishes over the years, and has been involved in youth ministry programs. During his last two summers, he was able to gain experience at the diocesan Pastoral Center doing different tasks and working in the Tribunal Office. “I have been blessed to engage in many different ministry opportunities at all of these parishes that have each helped form me in my years as a seminarian,” he says. The Rev. Mr. Lapeyrouse says that he believes he has grown much in his spiritual life and faith throughout his vocations journey. “I initially began considering entering the seminary during my senior year at Vandebilt Catholic High School, but I was very hesitant to discuss this possible calling with others. I decided to go to college prior to seminary for one year. It was during this year that I began to more seriously consider and pray about becoming a priest for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. I decided that I had to go to seminary to further discern if I was truly being called as I was hoping to receive clarity in my discernment. Upon entering seminary, I have grown in confidence about my calling to this vocation, and in particular, I felt very much affirmed from my time at the various parishes throughout the diocese during my summers there. I am thankful for the priests of the diocese and also the faithful who have helped me in my discernment and in being able to grow in my spiritual life. I received more and more confirmation the more I engaged in pursuing this vocation actively and growing spiritually in the seminary.”

Two diocesan seminarians to be ordained transitional deacons Sept. 29, in Rome

By JANET MARCEL

The Rev. Mr. Joseph Lapeyrouse and the Rev. Mr. Matthew Prosperie will be ordained to the transitional diaconate, Thursday, Sept. 29, at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Altar of the Chair in Vatican City, at 9:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m. C.S.T.). The ordaining prelate will be Bishop Austin Vetter of Helena, MO.

He says what he is most looking forward to after being ordained to the transitional diaconate is being able to proclaim the Gospel well and preach the word of God in the opportunities that he will have to give homilies.

“Since I will be ordained in Rome, I will not have a summer at a parish as a deacon as is the case for many of the previous transitional deacons. With this being the case, I am looking forward to being able to teach the Gospel in the opportunities that I do have in Rome prior to my, God willing, priestly ordination next year,” says the Rev. Mr. Lapeyrouse. “I also look forward to praying for the faithful of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux as a deacon in Rome. Upon promising to faithfully pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day, I look forward to praying for the diocese through fulfilling this promise to the best of my abilities.”

The Rev. Mr. Matthew Prosperie is a 25 year old native of Bourg. He is the son of Nick and Peggy Prosperie, and has three brothers and two sisters. He graduated from Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma in 2015. a Rev. Mr. Matthew Prosperie Rev. Mr. Joseph Lapeyrouse

He attended St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict. This fall, during his last year as a seminarian he will begin studying dogmatic theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. Throughout his priestly formation, he has served at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church parish in Golden Meadow (2016) visiting families, bringing Communion to the hospitalized and serving Mass; Lumen Christi Retreat Center in Schriever (2017) studying leadership qualities, renovating guest rooms, gardening, pressure-washing the facilities, and serving Mass at Christ the Redeemer Church parish in Thibodaux on weekends; St. Thomas Aquinas Church parish in Thibodaux (2018) assisting with altar-server training, visiting families, and walking the Camino de Santiago. He also served at Holy Savior Church parish in Lockport (2020) doing youth ministry, serving Mass, praying the rosary with the men’s group; Sant’ Alessandro in Milan, Italy, (2021) where he was an adult leader at an Italian youth camp; went on retreat with a group of local families; went on retreat with the parish priest, and served Mass; St. Bernadette Church parish in Houma (2022) interviewing parish staff, serving Mass at a nursing home, bringing Communion to the sick, visiting classrooms, leading altar-serving training, visiting families, and helping with the church parish’s annual garage sale.“Vocations do start in the family often and that was the case for me. My family prayed the rosary together from when I was young, and the seeds were planted then; but when I began going to St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School in Houma in the fifth grade, friends and teachers would occasionally ask if I was going to be a priest when I grew up. I would usually give a reserved, and guarded, response such as, ‘Maybe; it would be cool,’ but I was still unsure.” From that time on, he says, the sense of his calling to the priesthood continued to grow. During his high school years, he says the diocese had a discernment group for 10-12th graders that met weekly, and this group was instrumental in his decision to say “yes,” to the Lord. In March of his senior year, he made the decision to enter seminary after high school.“Now, seven years later, a lot of beautiful things have already unfolded from that initial ‘yes,’ but the path I’ve walked to this point has been anything but predictable! In fact, during Christmas break of my sophomore year at St. Ben’s, I told the vocation director and (then) Bishop (Shelton J.) Fabre that I wanted to take a year off at the conclusion of that year, which they were willing to allow me to do,” says the seminarian. “I always intended to go back to seminary after, but I asked for the year off because I had a desire to get a regular job, go to regular college, travel, hike some of the mountains in the United States, and live with a little more flexibility to do things I wanted. Although this seemed to me to be something that even God wanted for me, it didn’t take too long for me to realize that while it was a sincere desire of mine to do those things, it actually was not God’s desire for me – at least, not like that.” Little did the seminarian know that five years later, he would be looking back on having traveled to seven different countries as part of his seminary formation, walking 500 miles across Spain, living in Rome for three years, and spending three weeks in the mountains of the Italian Alps. “I realized that whatever I am called to is the ‘regular job’ that each and every person must accept and is their role in life. As much as we want to choose what we do in life and the impact we make in society, we also have to think about what must be done, what needs exist in our communities, and whether God is calling us to fill that need – to say, as Isaiah did, ‘Here I am, send me!’ So, God certainly gave me everything I wanted, in his own time and in his own way – which is always better. And, after seven years, it is clear to me that seminary, my ‘regular college,’ and diaconate/ priesthood, my ‘regular job,’ are better than anything I could have chosen … it is God’s will for me.”

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •21 Feature Story

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After praying about what he is most looking forward to after being ordained to the transitional diaconate, the Rev. Mr. Prosperie says what came to mind is just the depth of what is going to happen to him in ordination.

“It changes me so deeply; it’s a change at the roots of me, the unseen part of me where only God is, where only he knows, but which wells up like a fountain for all to be refreshed by. The sacraments are God’s action in us – his very life in us. So, for me to receive the sacrament of ordination is having Christ even more present within me. I never was good at math, and it frustrated me, but my older brother used to patiently sit next to me and teach me so that I finally understood. That always felt so good … when the math ‘clicked’ and made sense. I think receiving Christ in the sacrament of ordination will be a little like having Christ in my heart, as if he was my personal teacher, always patient and calm. And I think Christ will teach me how to love others more deeply, with a love like his own. To be ordained is to sit at the feet of Christ to be taught by him daily, to get a front-row seat to his love in the Mass as I hold the chalice of his precious blood, the blood he gave out of love for us, the love which we receive into ourselves when we receive the Eucharist. Ordination is like an earthquake caused by God at the depths of my soul, shaking up and settling it, shaping it (like he shaped Adam and Eve) to something new, something different, recreating it in a way, to be holy, consecrated. I look forward to that, and every day after.” BC

Chamon is back where she grew up after spending years away in Mississippi. “I grew up in Houma and graduated from Terrebonne High School. I attended Dillard University in New Orleans and received a bachelor’s degree in sociology and criminology.”

Chamon is a Hurricane Katrina survivor. She graduated in May 2005 before the August Hurricane. “God decided for me. My intent was to go into law school after graduation. I relocated to Houma. I found a job through the local Work Connection agency. I was hired as a teacher’s aide at St. Lucy Child Development Center. There was a need for Hurricane Katrina case managers. Rob Gorman approached me and asked if I would be interested in working as a case manager. I wanted to be an attorney in Washington, D.C., at that time. Through the experience of working in case management, a

Story and Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier Chamon Williams

22 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Heavenly Recipes

Chamon Williams, executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, shares her zucchini and squash casserole recipe in this month’s Heavenly Recipes. She received the recipe from Mary Patterson, a former coworker that she met at Catholic Charities in Jackson, MS. “She became my bonus grandmother,” says Chamon. “Mary is from Alexandria, LA.”

Chamon enjoys cooking when she can find the time. “I get excited by learning new recipes. I enjoy shopping for many different spices. I like to shop at the farmer’s market. I enjoy browsing through Pinterest. I also like to shop for the many ingredients in the recipes.”

Chamon’s healthy casserole

The neighborhood where the Catholic Charities office is located is familiar to Chamon. “I grew up on Aycock Street. I lived directly across from St. Lucy’s playground. I caught the bus at what used to be Catholic Social Services parking lot from fourth through sixth grade.”

Chamon feels at home working for Catholic Charities. “I feel it is my calling. I have worked for the church my whole life. As I look back, I have created my own family. I had a support system outside of my family. I was embraced by the community.” Now that Chamon has returned home, she is balancing the time between reconnecting with her family and work. “At some point I always thought I would come home. It’s been a quite a ride since I am back. I can honestly say each time a door closed another one has opened in my experience with Catholic Charities.”

Chamon found that working with people who were in need was very fulfilling for her. “It was therapeutic to work with the less fortunate. I grew during this time.”

Chamon began working for Catholic Charities locally in May 2022. “I have been here since May. I am still settling in, still learning, and eager. It is an exciting time. I am discovering communities I didn’t know before. I realize how grateful I am, especially at this time. God has taken care of me for so long. I have never had to walk away from the foundation of my Catholic faith. God is always near. I travel with God. I always feel protected.”

Ingredients:CasseroleSquash

Heavenly Recipes

I saw an opportunity to work with and help those who are less fortunate.

Zucchini and

I felt that I found my calling. I began to experience the value of family and not put so much into material things.”

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease casserole dish with olive oil. Season zucchini and squash to taste with seasoning of choice. Line bottom of dish with zucchini, squash and onions. Layer with bread crumbs. Repeat with zucchini, squash and onions. Add parmesan cheese to final layer of bread crumbs. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, return to oven for 3-5 minutes and allow to brown.

“I was even laid off for a short while. I received unemployment. After two weeks Catholic Charities started a new disaster relief program and asked if I would be interested in leading the program. I accepted. I was the program coordinator. As time went on, I became involved in other ministries through Catholic Charities, such as disaster response, parish social ministries and supportive services for veteran’s families.”

In December 2007, the program ended and she needed a job. “I researched an opening at Catholic Charities in Jackson, MS. I found an apartment before I got the job. I had an interview on the fourth of January, and I started work on Jan. 17. I was there for 14 years of what was supposed to be a 90-day contract.”

SeasoningOliveParmesanBreadVidaliaSquashZucchinionionscrumbscheeseoilofchoice

24 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022

For the last year, the universal church has been in the phase of diocesan consultation in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Synod of Bishops in Rome. The bishops gather every three years to discuss and discern a particular topic that the pope chooses for the enrichment of the church. The focus of the upcoming Synod is to reflect upon the church’s listening and accompaniment of all people in their life journey. Pope Francis asked every diocese to take this past year as a time of intentional listening to the people to see what the Holy Spirit brings up as areas where they felt accompanied by the church, as well as areas where they did not feel accompanied. Along with all other dioceses across the world, we have just completed this process and submitted our synthesis report to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). While the impacts of Hurricane Ida certainly made things more difficult, the Spirit was able to work to bring up certain areas of focus within our diocese. For the last year, parishes have had the opportunity to hold listening sessions to receive feedback from their people, as well as participate in online opportunities for people to share their thoughts. We received feedback from well over 1,000 individuals throughout this process from varied ages, locations, and walks of life. The diversity of responses is seen as a particular gift – from Catholics and non-Catholics, elderly and young people, of different ethnicities, and from all different areas of our diocese. As we compiled the thoughts that were shared by the individual responses, a few major recurrent themes began to emerge. The first was a recognition of the gravity of the impacts of both COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida on our parish communities, as well as on the individual lives of faith of the people of our area. Both of these events drastically changed our way of life, and many people found it difficult to “restart” and remain engaged in their faith with these back-to-back events. Perhaps as a grace of that difficult time, though, is a near-unanimous desire to move forward and to dive deeper into the life of the church. What came very clearly through the responses is a desire for “more.” Nearly every response recognized that they desire to grow closer to Jesus, to learn more about their faith, and to be a more active member of the church community. There was a specific desire to learn more about the liturgy and enter more deeply into their experience of the Mass. Some respondents spoke of a spiritual renewal in these years, often due to faith formation opportunities and small group experiences they were able to participate in. The role of the priest was lifted up as an important and necessary element in facilitating Special Diocese submits Synod synthesis to United States Conference of Catholic Bishops a

By FATHER PATRICK RIVIERE

There was a consensus that now is the most important time to redouble our efforts at bringing engaged Catholics in our area to a deeper encounter with the Lord, equipping them to proclaim Jesus to those they meet. Outreach to young people, both school-age as well as young adults and young families, was lifted up as an area of particular focus and importance. Many spoke of renewed efforts that were getting off the ground, but after COVID-19 and Ida, there has been a struggle at restarting those efforts. People also expressed the importance of fostering a welcoming experience of the church in our area, that we might truly live as one united Body of Christ. Some respondents stated that they didn’t always feel welcome in their parish communities, and that experience often enabled people to drift away from the church. Many recognized the great importance of the church being a space where no one was excluded or turned away, particularly those who feel excluded because of their status in life. Those who have experienced divorce, who have been married outside of the church, and those who experience same-sex attraction were specifically mentioned as people who need to be intentionally welcomed into the parish community. Intentional outreach to those who have experienced hurt from someone in the church, whether by abuse or scandal, was also lifted up as a greatThereneed.isa great desire for strong and charitable leadership within the church, both from clergy and lay leaders. Strong leadership was consistently lifted up as a great help to people, and instances of poor leadership were consistent areas of struggle. Since Archbishop Fabre’s departure, people recognize the importance of a holy, prayerful, and Spiritfilled bishop to lead our diocese into this new era.

Our responsibility now is to not simply sit on what the Holy Spirit lifted up for us through this process. While the bishops will discuss and discern further topics as they compile the data from across the world, we have an opportunity now to respond to these themes that emerged. Priests and laity alike have an opportunity to discern together and collaborate on what God is calling their particular parish to do in response to the themes lifted up here. Please continue to pray for this Synod process, that God might speak and we might hear and act on his words! (Father Patrick Riviere is the priest liaison and Sunday specialist for the diocesan Office of Parish Support.) BC

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •25 Special this deepening. It was often through the words and efforts of the priest that people were able to encounter God more deeply.Another frequently expressed hope was a renewed effort of outreach and evangelization, particularly to those who are hurt, marginalized, and most in need of the Gospel message.

Finally, there were many areas of gratitude that emerged from people’s experience of the church in our diocese. Many spoke of the fruits of the efforts of their parish communities through the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, as well as the outreach efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. In these times of crisis, many of the themes that emerged through the Synod process were actualized – new and dynamic outreach and evangelization efforts, listening and welcoming all, strong leadership from parishes. It increased the hope that these ideas and desires could actually become a reality.

26 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3

Daily Prayer for Clergy and Religious

Lord Jesus, hear our prayer for the spiritual renewal of bishops, priests, deacons, brothers, sisters, lay ministers and seminarians of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. We praise You for giving their ministry to the Church. In these days, renew them with the gifts of Your Spirit. You once opened the Holy Scriptures to Your disciples when You walked on this earth. Now renew Your ordained and chosen ones with the truth and power of Your Word.

In Eucharist you gave Your disciples renewed life and hope. Nourish Your consecrated ones with Your own Body and Blood. Help them to imitate in their lives the death and resurrection they celebrate around Your altar. Give them enthusiasm for the Gospel, zeal for the salvation of all people, courage in leadership and humility in service. Give them Your love for one another and for all their brothers and sisters in You. For You love them, Lord Jesus, and we love and pray for them in Your Holy Name, today especially for _______________________. Amen. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Very Rev. MaddenP.J. Rev. Caesar Silva, retired Rev. Wilmer Todd, retired Rev. Villarrubia,Jerryretired Very Rev. Jay Baker DeaconCallaisLarry Rev. Paul Birdsall Rev.

Rusty Bruce Rev. Toto Buenaflor Jr. Rev. Duc Bui Rev.ChackoJoseph Seminarian Scott Beslin Rev. ChatagnierCody Rev.CleetusJackson Rev. Carl Collins Rev. Van Constant Rev. Robert-JoelCruz DeaconCrochetLee Very Rev. Vicente De La Cruz, V.F. Rev.DuplantisDaniel Msgr. Cletus Egbi Very Rev. Simon Peter Engurait Rev. Gregory Fratt, retired MatthewSeminarianProsperie Friar MariaNathanielGadalia Rev. Alex Gaudet Rev.GreciaRholando Rev. KarumelnathanRajasekar Rev.KayayeFrancis Bishop Emeritus Sam G. Jacobs September Daily Prayer for Priests, Deacons, Religious and Seminarians Sponsored by: of the Word 506 Cardinal Drive, Thibodaux, LA • marianservantsoftheword@gmail.com ®

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For example, if we can be present for our students every day, engage in data informed planning, teach with passion and purpose, assess regularly, and provide great examples for our students, we will achieve great things this year. We are rejuvenated and ready to make a difference in this academic year.

28 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022

A journey improvementcontinuousof Catholic Schools

This passage inspires us to pray, plan and prepare in the most robust manner in the hope of guiding our students through the “narrow gate” that leads to a happy and full life.

In the vision of Father Andre Coindre, let us rescue our young people from ignorance, show them how to make a full life, and teach them a love of the faith. Never before in my lifetime has the work that we do in Catholic schools been so important. I believe that if we can remain united in our mission, vision and core values, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

Please pray for our school communities. By the time you read this, our schools will be in session. Pray that our schools meet and exceed the spiritual, academic, social-emotional and physical needs of our students. We want to firmly establish a culture of belonging for all and create winwin relationships with all of our stakeholders. Pray that we achieve this objective.Finally, may God bless you and your family abundantly.

BC Story Mark WilliamsEd.D. schools:

In our quest for excellence in forming our students, let us turn to the book of Matthew for inspiration and guidance in planning. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:12-14).

ColumnGuest Catholic

Greetings Bayou Catholic community,Peacebewith you. My name is Mark Williams, and I am excited to join you in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. I am grateful to Father Patrick (P.J.) Madden for appointing me as superintendent of Catholic Schools. I feel very comfortable as a district and school leader, and I am pleased to be here. Having previously served as associate superintendent in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, as well as principal of Archbishop Shaw High School, God has prepared my steps as I journeyed here. Eagerly answering God’s call, I am delighted to serve the schools of our diocese. Under the direction of Father Madden and in close collaboration with pastors, principals, and our diocesan school board, I plan to work tirelessly in the vineyard of our Lord. Matthew 9:37 tells us, “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.” With the goal of serving our schools with vigor and passion, our first 100 days will focus on joining our community together as we move forward with the task of building disciples.Partof this collaboration will also seek to complete the process of school district re-accreditation through Cognia, an international accrediting organization. Through the analysis of student achievement data, stakeholder surveys, and a detailed analysis of the learning environment, we can interpret the results of our analysis and determine our course for the future. We will evaluate our educational process under the lens of 30 different standards to assess our effectiveness. After completing this analysis, we expect to be re-accredited by the end of the school year. Our hearts and minds are open, and this data analysis will direct our steps as a school district in the journey of continuous improvement. This is a tedious endeavor, but with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, we will make haste along the path toward excellence.Overthe past couple of years, our community has endured many challenges. COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida have decreased instructional time in the classroom. In some cases, this has impacted students adversely. We are tasked with being extraordinary in our ministry and practice. We feel that if we, as a professional Catholic and learning community, can do the ordinary things that educators do very well, then we can be extraordinary and achieve excellent results.

Seminarian eDucation burSeS

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •29

Seminarian enDowmentS can be nameD enDoweD funDS/burSeS each year intereS t earneD from the enDowmentS are granteD to the DioceSe to cover annual coS tS of their eDucation. catholic founDation of South louiSiana manageS Seminarian enDowmentS for the DioceSe

a ll complete D S eminarian e D ucation b ur S e S can be viewe D online at www . ht D ioce S e . org / vocation S

n What is your favorite Catholic Feast Day and why? My favorite Catholic Feast day is St. Francis de Sales because he is the patron of our diocese and my home parish of the Cathedral.

My favorite Saint is St. George. I chose St. George to be my confirmation saint, and he has been a great example of courage and living the truth for me.

n What is your favorite book/series of books?

Seminarian eDucation coS tS on average $45,000 a year for eight yearS

My ideal Saturday morning is to have some quite time to read with some coffee.

n What is your ideal Saturday morning?

n Who is your favorite saint and why?

DiD you know?

My favorite series of books is The Lord of the Rings.

For more information contact the Catholic Foundation at 985-850-3116 or aponson@htdiocese.org

n Do you have a secret talent? I can play the guitar. I have been playing guitar since I was 12 and have loved playing since then.

Seminarian Spotlight

Joseph Lapeyrouse Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales, Houma

30 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Catholic Schools

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

ConvocationEducators’

Catholic school educators from across the diocese gathered for an Educators’ Convocation recently at E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux. The day began with Mass celebrated by Very Rev. Patrick J. (P.J.) Madden and priests from the diocese. Dr. Mark Williams, superintendent, welcomed those in attendance and facilitated the daylong event.

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •31 Catholic Schools

Photos by Maegan Martin

Catholic school students in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux are back from their summer break. Pictured are students at several schools on opening day. St. Gregory Elementary School students are back on their Houma campus after attending classes for months at St. Ann Church parish in Bourg after Hurricane Ida damaged the school. Back to school!

32 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Catholic Schools

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •33 Catholic Schools

IDAHURRICANEBCONEYEARLATER

The rebuilding process has been a slow one, filled with FEMA-specific protocols and methodologies that must be adhered to in order for the buildings to be repaired to code and with as little burden to the individual locations as possible.

The Rebuild Process for Each Building includes five phases: Assessment, Design, Approval, Bid and Construction. As of press time, the diocese is currently in Phase 2 – Design, with approximately 30 roof projects being worked on. The Rebuild Process is expected to take at least three years from Ida’s landfall to complete.

BY JANET MARCEL

Hurricane Ida roared into Louisiana at Port Fourchon as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 150 mph, the worst storm the bayou parishes had experienced since Hurricane Betsy in 1965.

Sunday, August 29, 2022, marked the one-year anniversary of a day that no one in South Louisiana will likely soon forget.

Almost one-fourth of the churches and more than half of the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux sustained major damage as a result of Ida’s powerful wind and rain event. And, in addition to the churches, many other church parish buildings sustained anywhere from major to moderate damage.

34 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •35

Approximately 100 adults from across the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux attended the Youth Formation Leadership Summit in July, which was sponsored by the diocesan Office of Parish Support. The weekend included prayer experiences, talks, opportunities to plan and pray together, and social time – complete with games and some friendly competition! Throughout the weekend, this year’s theme, “Dwelling Place,” was explored. Each session included time for teams to discuss and discern together, asking God about his desires for their teams and for the youth in their parish. There was also time for planning so that each team left with an idea of how they were going to bring the fruit of the weekend and all that God spoke to them back into their respective parishes.

“It was incredible to see the ways that God spoke to these teams throughout the weekend, both in the big picture and in the details. I think that we all left with a sense of hope and confidence in God’s capacity to speak and provide for youth formation in our parishes” says Rebecca Abboud, liaison/youth formation specialist for the diocesan Office of Parish Support. “The sense of unity, joy and hope that God provided was more than we could have asked or imagined.” Photos by Maegan Martin

36 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Church Life

BC Youth Summit 2022

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •37 Church Life

BC FRANK J. METHE/CLARION HERALD

38 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Special

At the installation, he shared a remembrance of his priestly ordination where he vowed, “Whatever the church would ask of me, I would say yes to,” adding about becoming rector, “If the Lord called me into this vocation, why would I doubt him now?”

Archbishop Gregory Aymond installs Very Rev. Joshua Rodrigue in the seminary’s chapel. Very Rev. Joshua Rodrigue installed as rector and president of Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans

Father Rodrigue replaces Father James Wehner, a native of Pittsburgh, PA, who served as seminary rector for the past decade, and returned to his hometown to serve as pastor of Divine Grace Parish and school.

He encouraged the seminarians present to trust in the Lord. “If we place all of our hopes and trust in him, there is nothing to fear. God will provide,” he said.

The Very Rev. Joshua Rodrigue, S.T.L., of Thibodaux, was installed Tuesday, Aug. 16, as the 17th rector and seventh president of Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans by Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans during a Mass of the Holy Spirit inside the seminary’s Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. His parents Glenn and Trudy Rodrigue brought up the offertory gifts. His uncle and aunt Jerome and Denise Olivier, Archbishop Emeritus Alfred Hughes, priests, seminarians and the seminary faculty also participated in theFathercelebration.Rodrigue, who graduated from E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux, completed minor seminary studies at St. Joseph Seminary in St. Benedict and spent five years in Rome at the Pontifical North American College. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux on Aug. 10, 2002, where he served as associate pastor at Holy Cross Church in Morgan City, pastor at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Bayou Black and rector at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. Father Rodrigue has been involved in seminary formation since 2006. He has served as director of pastoral formation, formation advisor and director of spiritual formation, and as a spiritual director at the Pontifical North American College in Rome since 2017.

In response to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is offering an Outreach Line (formerly known as the Child Protection Contact Line). The Outreach Line is an effort to continue the diocesan commitment to support healing for people who have been hurt or sexually abused recently or in the past by clergy, religious or other employees of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Outreach Line operates from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A trained mental health professional responds to the line. Individuals are offered additional assistance if requested. The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Outreach Line Telephone number is (985) 873-0026 or (985) 850-3172

Con el fin de cumplir con las Políticas de Protección de Niños y Jóvenes de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Los Estados Unidos, la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux ofrece una Línea de Comunicación (antes Línea de Contacto para la Protección de los Niños). La Línea de Comunicación es parte del esfuerzo diocesano de comprometerse con el mejoramiento de aquéllos que han sido lastimados o abusados sexualmente recientemente o en el pasado por miembros del clero, religiosos u otros empleados de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux. El horario de la Línea de Comunicación de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux es de 8:30 a.m. a 4:30 p.m., de lunes a viernes. El encargado de esta línea es un profesional capacitado en salud mental. Se ofrece asistencia adicional al ser solicitada. Línea de Comunicación de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux

Outreach

Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän hoaït ñoäng töø 8:30 saùng ñeán 4:30 chieàu, thöù hai ñeán thöù saùu. Moät nhaân vieân chuyeân nghieäp veà söùc khoûe taâm thaàn traû lôøi treân ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi. Nhöõng caù nhaân seõ ñöôïc trôï giuùp naâng ñôõ theâm neáu caàn. Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän Soá ñieän thoaïi: (985) 873-0026; (985) 850-3172 daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän Line

The official magazine of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux AYOURSUPPORTSMAGAZINETHATFAITH Bayou Catholic www.htdiocese.orgfacebook.com/bayoucatholicwww.bayoucatholic.org

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •39

Ñeå höôûng öùng Hieán chöông Baûo veä Treû em vaø Giôùi treû töø Hoäi ñoàng Giaùm muïc Hoa kyø, Giaùo phaän Houma-Thibodaux ñang chuaån bò ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp (luùc tröôùc laø ñöôøng daây lieân laïc baûo veä treû em). Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp laø moät söï coá gaéng cuûa giaùo phaän nhaèm cam keát haøn gaén naâng ñôõ nhöõng ai ñaõ bò toån thöông hoaëc bò laïm duïng tính duïc hoaëc gaàn ñaây hoaëc trong quaù khöù bôûi giaùo só, tu só hoaëc caùc coâng nhaân vieân cuûa Giaùo phaän Houma-Thibodaux.

Línea de Comunicación Diocesana

Ñöôøng

Número de teléfono (985) 873-0026 o (985) 850-3172

Official groundbreaking will be announced at a future date and time.

Vandebilt Catholic High School announces charitable donation of $500,000 for cafeteria renovations

Jeremy Gueldner, VCHS president, stated, “The values of Vandebilt Catholic and the Barker family are the same … faith, family and excellence. We’re honored for our student union to carry the name of Mr. Dickie Barker for generations to come. We believe that this updated student union will become the heart of our campus for students, faculty and community members.”

(Houma, LA) Vandebilt Catholic High School (VCHS) recently announced a charitable contribution to the renovations and improvements of the Vandebilt Catholic cafeteria in the amount of $500,000 from the Richard (Dickie) Barker Family. With this generous donation and the blessings of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, we will be able to begin the process of converting the facility to a more collegiate environment for our students and faculty. Upon completion, the facility will be renamed the Richard (Dickie) Barker Student Union, in honor of the patriarch of the Barker family here in Houma.

As part of the 2021 Terrier Blueprint, the redesign renderings by Duplantis Design Group for the cafeteria includes more flexible seating options, multiple serving stations, and space to use for gatherings and events. Recently, Vandebilt Catholic moved forward with the transition to running their own food services utilizing SYSCO products. They will begin the 2022-23 school year with a menu that provides students with a variety of options, including healthy choices and a-la-cart items and snacks.

Mike Barker, on behalf of the entire Barker family, stated, “Vandebilt Catholic High School has been a devotion of our father for decades. It is appropriate that this donation demonstrates the commitment to Vandebilt’s past and future administration, faculty and students.”

For more information, please contact Katie Anderson, director of communications, at kanderson@ htdiocese.org or (985)580-1868. BC

Artist rendering of the new cafeteria

40 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Announcement

Richard Barker is the father of eight children, all of whom attended Vandebilt Catholic High School: Lisa ‘74, Ann ‘75, Richard ‘77, Michael ‘78, Kelly ‘79, Keith ‘80, Brett ‘82 and Chris ‘85. Several of the Barker families have also extended the tradition of a Catholic education to their children and even fourth generation grandchildren. Without donors, such as the Barker family, Vandebilt Catholic could not complete many of the muchneeded projects on campus. The school’s commitment to constant improvement and developing strong donor partnerships is a perfect way to realize visions of an ever-improving environment for our students and future generations of terriers. We are so grateful for this partnership with the Barker family.

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •41 Announcement Mass for Peace in our Communities Sept. 9, at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral Name BraNd TV & appliaNces 879-2403 Rod’s supeRstoRe 808 Barrow St. • Houma, LA 70360 NOWBUY standardsproducts*OurmeettheNSF®testing GAS FREESTANDING RANGE Signature Features: Front Control Design Oval Burner + Included Griddle Perfect TasteTM Temp Probe Perfect TasteTM Convection

The diocesan Mass for Peace in our Communities on the Memorial of St. Peter Claver, will be celebrated Friday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m., at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux. Very Rev. Patrick J. Madden, administrator of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, will preside. This Mass is in response to the following statement released in 2021 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “In light of recent incidents of violence and racial tension in communities across the United States, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has invited all dioceses across the country to unite in a Day of Prayer for Peace in Our Communities” Jesuitcommunities).usccb.org/events/2021/day-prayer-peace-our-(https://www.In1610,FatherPeterClaver,aSpanishmissionarytraveledtoCartagena, Colombia, where the slave trade flourished. Father Claver ministered to the physical as well as the spiritual and emotional needs of slaves who had been transported under horrible conditions by slave ships from Africa. “We join others around the United States in praying for an end to the rampant violence in our communities, especially violence that is racially-motivated and violence that has claimed the lives of innocent people. All are welcome to participate in this Mass during which we will pray that a recognition of human dignity will heal the wounds that violence has caused in our society,” says Father Glenn LeCompte, diocesan director of the Office Worship. BC

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

Annual Blue Mass Sept. 29, at St. Co-CathedralJoseph

The annual diocesan Blue Mass will be celebrated Thursday, Sept. 29, the patron feast day of community protectors, that of St. Michael the Archangel, at 11 a.m., at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux. Very Rev. Patrick J. Madden, administrator of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, will“Sincepreside.the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the United States it has become more common for Catholic communities to celebrate a ‘Blue’ Mass for police especially, but also for fire fighters and other emergency responders. We pray for those who serve and protect our community and especially memorialize those who have died in the line of duty, while working for a protection agency or after a lifetime of service,” says Father Glenn LeCompte, diocesan director of the Office of Worship. All are welcome to participate in this Mass. All law enforcement, military and fire department personnel throughout the diocese including the South Lafourche communities and Morgan City as well as the HoumaThibodaux area are invited to attend this special Mass in their honor. BC

42 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022 Announcement

2023 Please support our local March for Life Pilgrimage A special collection will be held on October 1-2, 2022

By KELSEY WICKS

• Parents of children who attend one of the 10 Catholic schools within the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

• Teachers and all other employees within the parochial school system of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

Special Who was Joan of Arc?

Answers to your questions about this heroic saint

living.

For More Information Contact: Cherie Gloriso cherieg@stjosephmanor.org

44 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022

Independent Living Community 1201 Cardinal Drive ~ Thibodaux, LA 70301 (985) 446-9050 ~ www.stjosephmanor.org

Life is Getgreatbusy

In accordance with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) regulations, each of the 10 Catholic schools, within the parochial school system of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, has a copy of its Asbestos Management Plan on file in the Principal’s Office.

Anyone interested in reviewing a particular schools’ Asbestos Management Plan should first contact the school’s principal to schedule a time for the review. This notice applies to the following individuals:

Here are some of the questions people ask about the Maid of Orléans: Who was Joan of Arc and what did she do? When and where did she live?

Denver (CNA) Visited by St. Michael the Archangel and commissioned by God at the age of 13 to lead the army of France and bring an end to the bloodiest war in European history up to that point, Joan of Arc seems more legend than history.

NOTICE

Joan of Arc was a young French peasant, born in 1412, 90 years into the Hundred Years’ War, in the small village of Domremy in eastern France. Destined to save the French from English incursion, she was burnt at the stake in 1431 at the age of 19 after a corrupt church trial found her guilty of heresy. The trial would later be nullified by the church and 500 years later, in 1920, Joan of Arc was declared a saint by Pope Benedict XV. Did Joan of Arc hear voices? At the age of 13, Joan of Arc had locutions — an interior, mystical phenomenon that involves hearing a divine voice — and reportedly heard the voices of St. Michael the Archangel, St. Margaret of Antioch, and St. Catherine of Alexandria. These three informed her of a special mission given her by God to crown the rightful king of France and thereby end the dynastic dispute that undergirded the Hundred Years’ War.

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

Where is Joan of Arc buried?

Joan of Arc’s feast day is May 30. BC

Joan of Arc was neither a knight nor a trained soldier, but when she mounted a horse for the first time she was so natural on it that the Duke of Lorraine gifted it to her.

Joan of Arc could neither read nor write, and she did not know how to wield a sword before she began her mission. This makes her military success, where hardened commanders failed, even more extraordinary — an act of God as the people saw it.

Joan of Arc was executed by the Catholic Church after a sham trial condemned her of relapsed heresy. The trial was conducted by church authorities sympathetic to the English, who hoped to see her claims of heavenly assistance to end the war with a French king on the throne

Is the story of Joan of Arc a true story?

discredited. Convicted of heresy, she was taken to the stake to be burned, at which point, under penalty of death, she signed a paper renouncing her visions and agreeing never to wear men’s clothing. Four days later, Joan of Arc confessed to being afraid of her death, said that the visions were true, and donned men’s clothing once again, all of which constituted her supposed relapse to heresy. She was burned at the stake, clutching a crucifix to her body and proclaiming the name “Jesus” as she died, prompting an onlooker to say, “We have burned a saint.”

Joan of Arc’s body was incinerated at the stake, but her heart remained intact after her execution. The soldiers threw the heart in the Seine River so that no one would be able to venerate her remains.

Joan of Arc had three brothers named Jacquemin, Pierre and Jean, and one sister, Catherine. Both Pierre and Jean accompanied Joan in her quest and fought alongside her.

When is Joan of Arc’s feast day?

While Joan of Arc did not have descendants, her entire family was elevated to nobility after Charles VII was crowned, and her village dispensed from paying taxes for three hundred years by the crown.

Does she have any living descendants?

Along the way, she convinced lords, soldiers, and the French heir to the throne, Charles VII, of her mission. After a lengthy interrogation, she was given charge of the army and successfully lifted the siege of Orléans — on which the fate of the entire war hung — and then freed several towns along the route to crowning Charles VII in the cathedral of Rheims.

Could Joan of Arc read and write?

The story of Joan of Arc is true and historically documented. For this reason, she is among the most famous heroines of history. The task given her by God was so exceptional that it would lead atheist Mark Twain, who wrote a book on her life, to earnestly but exaggeratedly call her “by far the most extraordinary person the human race has ever produced.” Was Joan of Arc a knight?

Joan of Arc is the patron saint of France, soldiers, prisoners, those in need of courage, those ridiculed for their faith, and youth, among other things.

How did Joan of Arc change the world and become a saint?

What is Joan of Arc the patron saint of?

September 2022 • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • Bayou Catholic •45

Did Joan of Arc have any siblings?

Joan of Arc was not canonized for her ability to free the French from English domination, but for her heroic dedication to the will of God and personal holiness. While Joan commanded the army of France, she drove prostitutes from camp, refused to allow soldiers to rape and pillage the towns that gave them entrance, encouraged confession before battle, and sharply reduced the cussing and oath-swearing of the men under her charge.Sheremained committed to a life of contemplation and prayer amid the battles she oversaw, never once lifting her sword against anyone save to chase out a prostitute. Her faith and insights became evident at her trial, forming the foundation of several summaries of theology in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and her confidence in Jesus and the Catholic Church remained unshaken, even after being wrongly condemned to death by the church.

How did Joan of Arc die?

Overtime It’s time for Jim Mora and Jim Finks to be recognized Sports Your personal financial goals deserve a personal approach. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2020 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. Walters & Associates A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC 985.446.1968 132 Rue Colette, Ste A Thibodaux, LA waltersplanning.com70301

46 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • September 2022

Story

Three weeks later, the Saints were defeating the 49ers 26-24 in San Francisco.NewOrleans won nine straight games to the end the regular season, then the longest winning streak in franchise history. From 1990 to 1992, the Saints reached the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, and won the club’s first ever Division Championship in 1991.Yes, the Saints did not win a playoff game in Mora’s tenure. But, that was as much to do about the opposition as anything. In the 80’s, the 49ers, Redskins, Giants and Bears all had superb teams that won Super Bowl championships. What Jim Mora deserves now is to stand on the floor of the Superdome, and for Saints fans to tell him in person how much they appreciate what he and the late Jim Finks did for the franchise and the city of New Orleans. Mora turned 87 in May. The time for the Saints to make it happen is yesterday. BC Ed Daniels

It was Jan. 3, 1988. In the final minutes of the Saints 4410 loss to the Vikings in the Wild Card playoffs, a sold out Superdome stood and cheered their Saints as the seconds tickedNewoff.Orleans, a woebegone franchise, for most of its first 20 seasons, had reached the playoffs. The architects of that giant turnaround were general manager Jim Finks and head coach Jim Mora. Finks was such a great executive for three franchises, that he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. Mora would coach the Saints to four playoff appearances. He would do that for a franchise that up until then, did not have a winning season.Byany measure, the Jims, Finks and Mora, are among the most significant individuals in franchise history. So, why are they not in the club’s Ring of Honor? All of those who are, Morten Andersen, Tom Benson, Rickey Jackson, Archie Manning, Sam Mills, Willie Roaf and Will Smith are quite deserving.But,there’s no questioning the credentials of Finks and Mora. Finks helped assemble one of the most talented rosters in the National Football League. He was a top notch executive and leader, who also had success with the Vikings and Bears. In 1984, Finks was president of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs won the National League East championship, and lost the decisive game five in the National League Championship Series. Mora was Mora, a hard driving exMarine who pushed his team to a 12win season in 1987. It was in the middle of that year, after a two-point loss to the 49ers, that Mora galvanized a football team, and itsAftercity. a question from then New Orleans TV Sports Director Ron Swoboda, Mora went off. “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda,” said Mora. “The Saints aren’t good enough to beat the 49ers.”

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Bayou Catholic Magazine September 2022

Articles inside

Pope Speaks

Questions of Faith

The Eucharist

Heavenly Recipes

From the Editor