March 2014 Bayou Catholic Magazine

Bayou

Catholic

The magazine for the people of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

HOUMA, LA ~ MARCH 2014 ~ COMPLIMENTARY

…will Support Local Parish Needs

…will create An Endowment Fund for Seminarian Support

…will create An Endowment Fund for Catholic Charities

www.catholicfoundationsl.org (985) 850-3116

Contents

On Our Cover

Question Corner Is it okay to bring toys to church?

Using the symbol of ashes, we remember that we are dust, and that we are utterly and completely dependent upon God. Bishop Shelton J. Fabre writes about the ‘staying power of Lent’ in his column this month.

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22 Heavenly Recipes

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Cover photo by Lawrence Chataniger

Operation Rice Bowl

Bayou Spirit

Bringing Lent to life

St. Joseph Altars ready for viewing

Maridel’s Tarte A’ La Bouie Pie

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• Welcome

• Pope Speaks

March for Life

Marriage

Culture of life through prayer and sacrifice

Bayou Catholic has 20 page special section

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• Reflections

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• Young Voices

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How to reach us:

BY PHONE: (985) 850-3132

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

BY FAX: (985) 850-3232

BY E-MAIL: bayoucatholic@htdiocese.org

Bayou Catholic Vol. 34, No. 9 Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

The Bayou Catholic is published monthly, for the people of the Roman Catholic Diocese of HoumaThibodaux by the H-T Publishing Co., P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395. Subscription rate is $35 per year.

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

National and world-wide news service and photos by National Catholic News Service.

• Outstanding Students 20 • Seeing Clairley

Louis G. Aguirre editor and general manager Lawrence Chatagnier managing editor Glenn J. Landry, C.P.A. business manager Peggy Adams advertising manager Anna C. Givens advertising accounts executive Janet Marcel staff writer Pat Keese secretary and circulation Lisa Schobel Hebert graphic designer Janet B. Eschete accounts payable assistant Meridy Liner accounts receivable assistant

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First Place Winner General Excellence

Where to find us Bayou Catholic magazine can be found at all Catholic churches in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and at the three Catholic high schools in Houma, Morgan City and Thibodaux. You may also visit the merchants listed in the Advertisers’ Index to pick up your copy. Those wishing to receive the magazine by mail can call Pat Keese at (985) 850-3132 or write to Bayou Catholic, P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395. Subscription price is $35 annually.

Index to Advertisers Advanced Eye Institute .............................. 15 Barker Honda ............................................. 69 Bella Cosa Fine Gifts .................................. 75 Bueche’s Jewelry ....................................... 46 Burma Hall ................................................. 78 Camp Abby ................................................ 49 Camp Stanislaus ........................................ 35 Cannata’s ................................................... 80 Capdeboscq Catering Service, L.L.C. ....... 76 Caro’s Cakes, Inc. ...................................... 74 Cashio’s Mobile Catering ........................... 77 Catholic Foundation ..................................... 3 Catholic Relief Services Collection ............ 19 Catholic School’s Registration Ad ............. 17 Channel 10 ................................................. 11 Conference Office ...................................... 49 CRS Rice Bowl ........................................... 33 Diocesan Outreach Line .............................. 5 Diocesan Website ...................................... 23 Diocese of Baton Rouge, LA Catholic Schools .................................... 51 E.D. White Catholic High School ............... 32 Family Ministries ......................................... 67 Gina’s Catering .......................................... 71 God’s Promises Books & Gifts .................. 45 God’s Promises Books & Gifts .................. 63 Gold ‘n Gifts & Bridal Boutique .................. 76 Hampton Inn & Suites ................................. 77 Haydel Spine & Pain Specialty .................. 27 Headache & Pain Center ........................... 43 Houma Digestive Health Specialists .......... 55 Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center ............... 79 Johnny’s Men’s Shop ................................ 62 LeBlanc & Associates ................................ 51 Lewis & Company ...................................... 35 Main Street Special Events ........................ 74 MPress ....................................................... 47 Norman’s Tuxedos ..................................... 73 Peltier Travel Agency ................................. 65 Re-Bath ...................................................... 29 Rod’s Superstore ....................................... 31 Seminarian Burses ....................................... 7 Spotlight ..................................................... 44 St. Joseph Manor/Cardinal Place .............. 47 Synergy Bank ............................................. 39 Terminix ...................................................... 46 Terrebonne General Medical Center Ladies Night Out .................................... 53 Thibodaux Physical Therapy ..................... 50 Vandebilt - Principal wPosition .................. 52 Vision Communications ............................... 2 Wesley J. Landeche Sales & Service Inc. . 71

Diocesan Outreach Line

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

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

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

For detailed reporting procedures see: www.htdiocese.org.

Click on the Safe Environment tab, then on S.E. Forms and Links.

Línea de Comunicación Diocesana

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

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

Línea de Comunicación de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux Número de teléfono (985) 873-0026.

Vea el detallado procedimiento de informes en: www.htdiocese.org.

Haga clic en Safe Environment y luego S.E. Forms and Links.

Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän Ñeå höôûng öùng Hieán chöông Baûo veä Treû em vaø Giôùi treû töø Hoäi ñoàng Giaùm muïc Hoa kyø, Giaùo phaän Houma-Thibodaux ñang chuaån bò ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp (luùc tröôùc laø ñöôøng daây lieân laïc baûo veä treû em). Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp laø moät söï coá gaéng cuûa giaùo phaän nhaèm cam keát haøn gaén naâng ñôõ nhöõng ai ñaõ bò toån thöông hoaëc bò laïm duïng tính duïc hoaëc gaàn ñaây hoaëc trong quaù khöù bôûi giaùo só, tu só hoaëc caùc coâng nhaân vieân cuûa Giaùo phaän Houma-Thibodaux. Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän hoaït ñoäng töø 8:30 saùng ñeán 4:30 chieàu, thöù hai ñeán thöù saùu. Moät nhaân vieân chuyeân nghieäp veà söùc khoûe taâm thaàn traû lôøi treân ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi. Nhöõng caù nhaân seõ ñöôïc trôï giuùp naâng ñôõ theâm neáu caàn. Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän Soá ñieän thoaïi: (985) 873-0026.

Caàn bieát theâm chi tieát veà caùch baùo caùo xin vaøo trang web cuûa ñòa phaän laø www.htdiocese.org.

Baám vaøo muïc Safe Environment, sau ñoù tôùi muïc S.E. Forms vaø Links.

www.bayoucatholic.com

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Welcome

Editor’s Corner Louis G. Aguirre Editor & General Manager

Thank you

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Catholics in the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux and in the Philippines have a strong bond between them. It is borne out of respect, love and gratitude. Those of us here are especially grateful to the many Filipino priests who have selflessly left their homes to come minister among us.

It is no surprise, then, that our collection to help victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines has reached $130,000, making it one of the largest contributions from our diocese.

Robert Gorman, executive director of Catholic Charities Houma-Thibodaux, says “this was a tremendous collection, and the people of our diocese really responded, in great part in support of our Filipino priests and because we know0 what it’s like to recover from a disastrous storm.”

Very Rev. Vicente DeLa Cruz, judicial vicar for the diocese and pastor of St. Anthony Church parish n Bayou Black, says: “On behalf of the Filipino priests and people in the diocese, I would like to thank all who supported generously the special collection for the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Your thoughtfulness and kindness to our families, friends and compatriots in the Philippines during the time of great calamity, tells us how much we Filipino priests are appreciated and loved in this diocese. We are consoled with the knowledge that although we have left land, homes and families to serve God’s people in this diocese, we have found families and homes in this land who are just so willing to take care of our loved ones. And for that I say, ‘maraming salamat po; daghang salamat sa imong tanan’ (Filipino way of saying ‘thank you very much’).”

Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, visited the Philippines recently

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

CNS PHOTO/TYLER ORSBURN

Super Typhoon Haiyan has left four million people displaced. This photo shows homes left in ruins in Tacloban, Philippines. The Diocese of HoumaThibodaux has collected $130,000 to help the victims.

to assess both the damage and the recovery efforts there. He writes: “People in the United States and around the world who have given to typhoon relief efforts don’t get to see the good that their generosity promotes. It was humbling to feel the gratitude of the Filipino people and to see the warmth and emotion in their faces as they greeted us. CRS works with partner Caritas organizations from around the world, and the local church takes the lead in terms of discerning needs and responding. Together they work on a scale that makes a crucial difference in the lives of individuals and communities.

“Four million people were displaced by the typhoon, and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has helped repair or build 20,000 shelters.

They’ve brought clean water and sanitation services to thousands of displaced people.

Farmers and others left jobless by the storm are able to support their families through livelihood recovery programs, clearing debris, planting crops and building homes.

Catholics in the United States should know their generosity enables essential work of the Gospel, serving those in need without any thought of repayment.”

It is heartwarming to know how of our bond with the people of the Philippines and, moreover, of the incredibly generous nature of the people here in the Bayou Country.

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Seminarian Education Burses

What is a seminarian burse fund?

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

How does someone establish a seminarian burse fund?

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

When is a seminarian burse complete?

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

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

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

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

Completed Burses of $15,000 each

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

- C. Remie Duplantis - Marie Elise Duplantis - Warren J. Harang, Jr. - Msgr. Raphael C. Labit - Msgr. Francis J. Legendre - Rev. Charles Menard - Dr. & Mrs. M.V. Marmande & Fly - Donald Peltier, Sr. (3)* - Harvey Peltier (30)* - Richard Peltier - The Peltier Foundation (2) - Orleans & Louella Pitre - Msgr. Joseph Wester - Robert R. Wright, Jr. - Rev. Kermit Trahan - St. Bernadette Men’s Club - Diocesan K of C - Endowment Fund - $119,136.90

January 2014 Burse Contributions Sydney J. & Lydie C. Duplantis ...................... $2,200.00 Mr. & Mrs. John Marmande .............................. $800.00 Mr. Eledier Broussard ........................................ $100.00 Deacon Connely Duplantis ................................ $100.00 Deacon Pedro Pujals .......................................... $100.00 Rev. John Gallen ................................................ $100.00 Rev. Gerard Hayes ............................................... $50.00

Open Burses with Balance as of 1/31/14 Mr. Eledier Broussard ................. $13,600.00 Sidney J. & Lydie C. Duplantis ........... $13,000.00 Msgr. Raphael C. Labit #2 .................. $10,840.00 Harvey Peltier #31 .............................. $10,486.91 Clay Sr. & Evelida Duplantis #2 .......... $10,000.00 C. Remie Duplantis #2 ........................ $10,000.00 Marie Elise Duplantis #2 ..................... $10,000.00 Maude & Edith Daspit #2 .................... $10,000.00 Msgr. George A. Landry ...................... $10,000.00 Donald Peltier, Sr. #4 .............................. $9,000.00 Elie & Dot Klingman .............................. $8,320.00 Mr. & Mrs. George C. Fakier ................. $7,600.00 Rev. Victor Toth ..................................... $7,000.00 Brides of the Most Blessed Trinity ......... $5,935.00 Rev. Peter Nies ..................................... $5,810.00 Mr. & Mrs. Love W. Pellegrin ................. $5,000.00 Anonymous #2 ...................................... $5,000.00 Mr. & Mrs. Caliste Duplantis Fmly.#4..... $5,000.00 Rev. William M. Fleming ........................ $5,000.00 Rev. Kasimir Chmielewski ..................... $4,839.00 Rev. Gerard Hayes ................................ $4,786.00 Msgr. William Koninkx ........................... $4,600.00 Rev. Henry Naquin ................................. $4,221.00 Harry Booker #2 .................................... $4,138.00 Mrs. Shirley Conrad ............................... $4,000.00

Joseph “Jay” Fertitta .............................. $3,700.00 Catholic Daughters ................................ $3,680.00 Kelly Curole Frazier ............................... $3,610.96 J. R. Occhipinti ...................................... $3,400.00 Mr. & Mrs. Galip Jacobs ........................ $3,060.00 St. Jude ................................................. $3,000.00 Diocesan K of C #2 ............................... $2,894.62 Rev. Peter H. Brewerton ........................ $2,600.00 Anawin Community ............................... $2,300.00 Rev. Guy Zeringue ................................ $2,200.00 Mrs. Ayres A. Champagne ..................... $2,100.00 Msgr. James Songy ............................... $2,075.00 Willie & Emelda St. Pierre ...................... $2,000.00 Rev. H. C. Paul Daigle ........................... $1,900.00 Warren J. Harang, Jr. #2 ......................... $1,700.00 James J. Buquet, Jr. ............................... $1,650.00 Msgr. Francis J. Legendre #2 ................ $1,645.00 Rev. Robert J. Sevigny .......................... $1,600.00 Msgr. Emile J. Fossier ........................... $1,545.00 Dr. William Barlette, Sr........................... $1,525.00 Msgr. Stanislaus Manikowski ................ $1,525.00 Mr. & Mrs. John Marmande .................... $1,500.00 Deacon Robert Dusse’ ........................... $1,450.00 Msgr. John L. Newfield .......................... $1,200.00 Rev. Clemens Schneider ....................... $1,000.00

St. Joseph Italian Society ...................... $1,000.00 Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux #4 ........... $1,000.00 Msgr. John G. Keller .............................. $1,000.00 Rev. Anthony Rousso ............................... $950.00 Deacon Willie Orgeron ............................. $800.00 Deacon Roland Dufrene ........................... $750.00 Juliette & Eugene Wallace ......................... $700.00 Jacob Marcello .......................................... $700.00 Deacon Edward J. Blanchard ................... $660.00 Deacon Raymond LeBouef ...................... $550.00 Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Cannata .................... $500.00 Ronnie Haydel .......................................... $485.00 Deacon Harold Kurtz ................................ $300.00 Richard Peltier #2 ..................................... $300.00 Claude Bergeron ...................................... $250.00 Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Naquin .......................... $150.00 Deacon Connely Duplantis ........................ $100.00 Deacon Pedro Pujals ................................ $100.00 Rev. John Gallen ....................................... $100.00 Rev. Hubert C. Broussard ........................ $ 50.00 Deacon Eldon Frazier .............................. $ 50.00 Deacon Nick Messina .............................. $ 50.00 Rev. Warren Chassaniol ........................... $ 50.00

Overall Seminarian Burse Totals: $1,437,808.39 www.bayoucatholic.com

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Comment Comfort For My People

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Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

There is no other season of the church’s liturgical year that has the ‘staying power’ of the season of Lent. In contrast to Lent, many of us do not really remain true in our thoughts and actions during the entire duration of the other significant seasons of the church’s liturgical year, like Christmas or Easter. By this I mean that for the most part the joy of the Christmas season or the Easter season fades or ends immediately after Christmas Day or after Easter Sunday.

In contrast to these two seasons, the disciplines of the season of Lent really do captivate us and hold us throughout the entire season of Lent, which in its duration of 40 days is at least almost equal to the length of the season of Easter and far longer than the season of Christmas.

You may not find much Christmas spirit (or many Christmas decorations) still present on Dec. 30th, but weeks after Ash Wednesday you will still find Catholics denying themselves sweets or praying an extra rosary each week. You may not find much joy and celebration in the Easter Alleluias during the Fifth Week of Easter, but even during the Sixth Week of Lent you will find Catholics dining on fish and fasting on Fridays of Lent, or not hosting parties or celebrations in Lent, or even continuing to sacrificially give to their Rice Bowl or other forms of Lenten self-denial.

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

Even if Catholics for one reason or another cease these traditional practices during the season of Lent, there is still at least always present in many ways during Lent a conscious awareness that one is not living up to the real call of the season of Lent. In these and in many other ways, it is obvious to me that the season of Lent has a stronger ‘staying power’ than the other liturgical seasons.

Being faithful to Lent is a great thing, but we can nonetheless ask why does the Lenten season seem to remain with us throughout its duration and have such ‘staying power’? One reason might be that what Lent prepares us to celebrate, the Paschal Triduum (or the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday/ Easter Sunday), comes at the end of the season, whereas with Christmas and Easter the real big celebration of the seasons occur at the very beginning, and then fades after the initial celebration. In my opinion, perhaps another aspect of the ‘staying power’ of Lent is our desire ‘to go home again and to live rightly in the presence of the Lord.’

I know that this desire for right relationship with God remains in our minds and hearts all of the time, but it is given a special focus during the season of Lent.

As we enter again into the ‘staying power’ of the season of

Lent, the ashes of Ash Wednesday will fall fresh upon our foreheads.

In sacred Scripture, covering one’s self with ashes or sitting in ashes were powerful signs of one’s desire for God’s forgiveness. These ashes that mark us represent the fact that we have sinned and turned away from the Lord, and they are an indication of our desire for God’s love and forgiveness; of our desire to go home again. Using the symbol of ashes, we remember that we are dust, and that we are utterly and completely dependent upon God. We are worthless without God, and after our wanderings into sinfulness, we desire to return to the Lord.

The ashes of our sinfulness will be ‘washed away’ again in the sacrament of reconciliation because we have passed through the water of life in the sacrament of baptism.

Our fidelity to the season of Lent and to our acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving are an indication of this desire to be washed clean in remembering and celebrating the new life that was and is offered to us in the sacrament of baptism.

Lent is a clarion call to prepare to joyfully embrace in a special way the dignity of our baptism during the Easter Vigil and during the entire Easter season, and to be welcomed home again, which is where being faithful to Lent will lead us.

The ‘staying power’ of Lent: Our desire ‘to go home again’

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

Comentario

El «poder perdurable» de la Cuaresma: Nuestro deseo de «volver a casa.»

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No hay otra estación en el año litúrgico de la Iglesia que tenga «poder perdurable» como la estación de Cuaresma. La Cuaresma es diferente por el hecho que muchos de nosotros no solemos mantenernos verdaderos con nuestros pensamientos y actos durante la duración entera de otras estaciones importantes del año litúrgico de la Iglesia, como la navidad y la pascua. Me refiero principalmente al hecho que la alegría que se vive en la navidad y la pascua se desvanece o se acaba luego después del día de navidad y después del Domingo de Resurrección.

La diferencia de la Cuaresma con estas otras dos estaciones es que las disciplinas de la estación de Cuaresma en verdad nos cautivan y nos sujetan a través de toda la estación de Cuaresma.

Su duración de cuarenta días es casi igual a la duración de la estación de pascua pero es mucho más largo que la estación de navidad.

No se encontrará mucho espíritu navideño (o muchas decoraciones navideñas) todavía instaladas el treinta de diciembre y, sin embargo, semanas después del Miércoles de Ceniza todavía se encontrarán católicos evitando las golosinas o rezando un Rosario extra cada semana. No observarán mucha alegría y celebración en las Aleluyas de Pascua durante la quinta semana de pascua, pero aun durante la sexta semana de Cuaresma se presenciarán católicos cenando pescado y ayunando los viernes de Cuaresma, absteniéndose de fiestas o celebraciones o todavía haciendo donativos a Tazón de Arroz y otras maneras de sacrificio personal durante la Cuaresma.

Aún si los católicos por una razón u otra dejaran de practicar sus tradiciones durante la estación de Cuaresma, existe todavía al menos –de muchas

maneras– el discernimiento consciente que no se está viviendo el llamado verdadero de la estación de Cuaresma. De esta manera y muchas otras está claro para mí que la estación de Cuaresma posee un «poder perdurable» más grande que las otras estaciones litúrgicas.

Ser fiel a la Cuaresma es una gran cosa y sin embargo podemos preguntarnos ¿por qué parece que la estación de Cuaresma permanece con nosotros a través de su duración y tenga tal «poder perdurable?» Una razón podría ser que la Cuaresma nos prepara para celebrar el Triduo Pascual (o los tres días de Jueves Santo, Viernes Santo y Sábado de Gloria/ Domingo de Resurrección), que se presenta al final de la estación, mientras que con la navidad y la pascua la verdadera celebración de las estaciones se llevan a cabo al inicio y luego desvanecen después de la celebración inicial. Opino que tal vez otro aspecto del «poder perdurable» de la Cuaresma es nuestro deseo por «volver a casa y vivir con rectitud en la presencia del Señor.» Sé que este deseo de tener una relación recta con Dios permanece en nuestras mentes y corazones por siempre y recibe un enfoque especial durante la estación de Cuaresma.

Hablando nuevamente del «poder perdurable» de la estación de Cuaresma, las cenizas del Miércoles de Ceniza caerán frescas sobre nuestras frentes. En las Sagradas Escrituras, el simbolismo de cubrirse con cenizas o el sentarse sobre cenizas son señales poderosas que representan el deseo de recibir el perdón de Dios. Estas cenizas que nos marcan representan el hecho que hemos pecado y que nos hemos alejado del Señor y son una señal de nuestra necesidad del amor y la misericordia de Dios y de nuestro deseo de volver a casa.

Usando el símbolo de las cenizas, recordamos que somos polvo y que dependemos completamente de Dios. No valemos nada sin

Dios y luego después de nuestras travesías por el sendero del pecado deseamos volver al Señor.

Las cenizas de nuestra pecaminosidad serán «lavadas» de nuevo en el sacramento de reconciliación debido a que hemos pasado a través del agua de la vida en el sacramento de bautismo.

Nuestra fe en la estación de la Cuaresma, nuestras continuas plegarias, el ayuno y el dar limosna, son señales de este deseo de ser lavados hasta quedar pulcros y celebrar la vida nueva que el sacramento de bautismo nos ofrece.

La Cuaresma nos hace un llamado contundente a que preparemos nuestra aceptación -con los brazos abiertos- para la dignidad de nuestro bautismo durante la Vigilia Pascual durante toda la estación de Pascua y a que seamos bienvenidos al volver a casa gracias a nuestra fe durante la Cuaresma.

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

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

www.bayoucatholic.com

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Binh luan bang loi

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“Söùc Maïnh” Muøa Chay, Öôùc Muoán “Trôû Veà Nguoàn”

Khoâng coù muøa phuïng vuï naøo cuûa Giaùo Hoäi trong naêm noùi leân “söùc maïnh” cuûa Muøa Chay Thaùnh.

Ngoaøi Muøa Chay Thaùnh ra, raát nhieàu ngöôøi trong chuùng ta khoâng soáng thaät vôùi baûn thaân trong tö töôûng cuõng nhö trong haønh ñoäng töøng ngaøy trong caùc muøa phuïng vuï khaùc trong naêm cuûa Giaùo Hoäi nhö Muøa Giaùng Sinh vaø Phuïc Sinh. Toâi muoán aùm chæ raèng nieàm vui Muøa Giaùng Sinh vaø Phuïc Sinh haàu nhö bò queân laõng hoaëc bieán maát ngay sau ngaøy Chuùa Giaùng Sinh vaø Chuùa Nhaät Phuïc Sinh. Phaûn aûnh laïi nhöõng Muøa vöøa neâu treân, toân chæ cuûa Muaø Chay Thaùnh thaät söï loâi cuoán chuùng ta vaø giuùp chuùng ta chuù taâm hoaøn toaøn vaøo noù, vì trong 40 ngaøy ñoù keùo daøi gaàn baèng Muøa Phuïc Sinh vaø laâu hôn Muøa Giaùng Sinh.

Anh chò em coù theå khoâng caûm nhaän ñöôïc tinh thaàn Muøa Giaùng Sinh (hoaëc caùch trang trí cuûa noù) keùo daøi ñeán 30 thaùng 12, nhöng nhöõng tuaàn sau thöù tö Leã Tro anh chò em nhaän thaáy nhieàu ngöôøi Coâng Giaùo töø choái aên ñoà ngoït hoaëc taêng theâm thôøi gian caàu nguyeän moãi tuaàn. Anh chò em coù theå khoâng tìm thaáy nieàm vui vaø taùn tuïng trong lôøi ca Alleluia trong tuaàn thöù naêm Phuïc Sinh, nhöng vaøo tuaàn thöù saùu muøa chay anh chò em seõ tìm thaáy nhieàu ngöôøi Coâng Giaùo chæ aên caù vaø aên chay vaøo ngaøy thöù saùu, hoaëc khoâng môû tieäc, hoaëc khoâng toå chöùc böõa tieäc khaùc trong Muøa Chay, hoaëc tieáp tuïc hy sinh haõm mình boá thí cho chöông trình Cheùn Côm Ngöôøi Ngheøo (Rice Bowl) hoaëc nhöõng coâng vieäc haõm mình khaùc.

Laø nhöõng ngöôøi Coâng Giaùo, maëc cho lyù do naøy hay khaùc, khoâng coøn soáng nhöõng thoùi quen toát trong Muøa Chay nöõa, nhöng nhöõng taäp tuïc toát ñoù vaãn coøn lai vaõng trong Muøa Chay Thaùnh nhaéc nhôû cho chuùng ta thaáy raèng mình khoâng soáng ñuùng vôùi yù nghóa cuûa Muøa Chay. Baèng caùch naøy hay caùch noï, toâi nhaän ra Muøa Chay coù moät söùc maïnh ‘soáng söùc maïnh’ Muøa Chay hôn laø nhöõng muøa khaùc trong naêm.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

Tuaân giöõ Muøa Chay laø ñieàu raát toát, tuy nhieân chuùng ta cuõng neân töï hoûi taïi sao Muøa Chay laïi theo saùt vôùi chuùng ta moãi ngaøy trong Muøa vaø coù ñöôïc söùc maïnh nhö theá? Moät trong nhöõng lyù do laø vì Muøa Chay chuaån bò cho chuùng ta cöû haønh ngaøy Chuùa Laäp Pheùp Thaùnh Theå, Chòu Töû Naïn vaø Phuïc Sinh (Thöù Naêm, Thöù Saùu, Thöù Baûy Tuaàn Thaùnh vaø Chuû Nhaät Phuïc Sinh), laø nhöõng ngaøy cuoái muøa, coøn Giaùng Sinh vaø Phuïc Sinh laø nhöõng ngaøy leã troïng ñaïi cuûa ñaàu Muøa Giaùng Sinh vaø Phuïc Sinh, vaø sau ñoù laïi bò queân laõng. Theo toâi, coøn moät lyù do khaùc nöõa maø söùc maïng Muøa Chay luoân hieän dieän laø vì chuùng ta khao khaùt “trôû veà nguoàn vaø soáng ñuùng vôùi söï hieän dieän cuûa Chuùa.” Toâi bieát raèng söï ao öôùc ñöôïc keát hieäp vôùi Chuùa luoân lai vaûng trong ñaàu vaø tim, nhöng chuùng ta chuù taâm hôn vaøo nhöõng ngaøy trong Muøa Chay. Ñeå chuaån bò soáng “söùc maïnh” Muøa Chay, chuùng ta laõnh nhaän tro treân traùn vaøo thöù Tö Leã Tro. Trong Thaùnh Kinh, xöùc tro leân toaøn thaân vaø ngoài treân ñoáng tro laø daáu chæ to lôùn noùi leân söï ao öôùc cuûa mình laõnh nhaän söï tha thöù cuûa Chuùa. Tro laø daáu hieäu noùi leân söï thaät raèng mình laø nhöõng ngöôøi toäi loãi vaø soáng xa lìa Chuùa, vaø vì theá tro

nhaéc nhôû cho chuùng ta söï khaùt voïng ñöôïc Chuùa yeâu thöông vaø thöù tha; ta ao öôùc veà soáng trong nhaø Chuùa. Tro laø daáu chæ nhaéc nhôù chuùng ta laø mình chính laø tro buïi vaø vì theá chuùng ta caàn nhaän ra raèng mình hoaøn toaøn leä thuoäc vaøo Chuùa. Chuùng ta seõ trôû thaønh voâ duïng neáu khoâng coù Chuùa, vaø sau khi soáng trong toäi loãi chuùng ta ao öôùc trôû veà vôùi Ngaøi.

Caùt buïi cuûa toäi loãi seõ “ñöôïc tha thöù” moät laàn nöõa trong bí tích Hoøa Giaûi bôûi vì chuùng ta ñöôïc taåy saïch qua nöôùc haèng soáng trong bí tích Thanh Taåy. Soáng troïn veïn Muøa Chay vaø sieâng naêng caàu nguyeän, aên chay vaø laøm phöôùc boá thí laø daáu chæ noùi leân öôùc muoán ñöôïc tha thöù nhaéc nhôù chuùng ta luoân soáng söï soáng môùi maø chuùng ta ñaõ laõnh nhaän qua bí tích Thanh Taåy. Muøa Chay laø tieáng noùi vang doäi chuaån bò chuùng ta vui möøng oâm aáp con ñöôøng ñaõ ban qua bí tích Thanh Taåy trong ngaøy leã Voïng Phuïc Sinh vaø moãi ngaøy trong Muøa Phuïc Sinh, vaø caûm nhaän mình ñang soáng trong nhaø Chuùa, ñoù chính laø soáng Muøa Chay troïn veïn seõ mang laïi.

Dòch thuaät: Linh Muïc Pheâroâ Leâ Taøi, Chaùnh sôû nhaø thôø Our Lady of the Isle.

e n Tu To...

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11

Comment The Pope Speaks

V 12

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -Greeting thousands of engaged couples on the feast of St. Valentine, Pope Francis told them not to be afraid of building a permanent and loving relationship in a culture where everything is disposable and fleeting.

The secrets to a loving and lasting union, he said, include treating each other with respect, kindness and gratitude, and never letting daily struggles and squabbles sabotage making peace and saying, “I’m sorry.”

“The perfect family doesn’t exist, nor is there a perfect husband or a perfect wife, and let’s not talk about the perfect mother-in-law!” he said to laughter and applause.

“It’s just us sinners,” he said.

But “if we learn to say we’re sorry and ask forgiveness, the marriage will last.”

After a week of heavy rains, bright sunshine warmed St. Peter’s Square and the 30,000 people who gathered for an audience Feb. 14 dedicated to couples completing their marriage preparation courses and planning to be married in the church this year.

The initiative, “The Joy of ‘Yes’ Forever,” was organized by the Pontifical Council for the Family.

The council president, Italian Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, is a former bishop of Terni and successor to St. Valentine -- the third-century martyred bishop of Terni.

The archbishop told the pope that the young couples in the

square were evidence of how many people do want to “go against the tide” by having a love that lasts forever and is blessed by God. Engaged couples attending the audience received a small white pillow with Pope Francis’ signature and his papal crest; the cushion has two satin ribbons for securing wedding rings during the marriage ceremony.

Three of the couples shared with the pope their thoughts and concerns about living a Christian marriage and asked for his advice.

While the pope confessed he had the questions in advance and

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

An engaged couple waits for the start of Pope Francis’ Valentine Day audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Feb. 14.

wrote out his answers, that didn’t stop him from straying from the text to give further emphasis and examples.

“Living together is an art, a patient, beautiful and amazing journey” that “doesn’t end when you’ve won over each others’ hearts,” he said. Rather “that’s exactly when it begins!”

A healthy family life, he said, absolutely requires frequent use of three phrases: “May I? Thank you, and I’m sorry.”

People need to be more attentive to how they treat each other, he said. They must trade in their heavy “mountain boots” for greater delicacy when walking into someone else’s life.

Love isn’t tough or aggressive, he said, it’s courteous and kind, and in a world that is “often violent and aggressive, we need much more courtesy.”

Couples also need the strength to recognize when they’ve done wrong and ask forgiveness. The “instinct” to accuse someone else “is at the heart of so many disasters,” starting with Adam, who ate the forbidden fruit. When God asked him if he did it, the pope said, Adam immediately passes the blame saying, “’Uh, no, it was that one over there who gave it to me!’

Accusing the other to get out of saying ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘Pardon me.’”

Obviously, couples will make mistakes and fight, but “never, never, never end the day without making peace,” the pope said.

An eloquent speech isn’t necessary, he said, but things must be set right because if they aren’t, the bad feelings inside will become “cold and hard and it will be more difficult to make peace” as time goes on.

Many people can’t imagine or are afraid of a love and marriage that lasts forever because they think love is an emotional-physical feeling or state-of-being, he said.

But “love is a relationship, it’s something that grows.”

The relationship needs to be taken care of every day, “entrusting yourselves to the Lord Jesus in a life that becomes a daily spiritual journey, made step by step, tiny steps” toward greater maturity and spiritual growth, he said.

Like his miracle of multiplying the loaves, Jesus will do the same “also for you,” he said, “multiplying your love and giving it to you good and fresh every day.”

The pope also urged couples to keep their wedding ceremonies low-key, focusing more on Christ than on the dress, decorations and photographers.

Pope to engaged couples: After ‘I do,’ comes ‘may I ... thank you ... I’m sorry’ Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

Question Corner Father Kenneth Doyle

On watching movies with certain ratings

gratuitous sexuality or are laden, for no artistically valid reason, with non-stop vulgarity,” according to the ratings page of Catholic News Service. Films that directly contradict church teaching on such matters as suicide, adultery, euthanasia, abortion or violent revenge also get this rating, “no matter how lauded some of them may be by the secular press.”

Such a rating is not given lightly, so I would agree with you that rarely would seeing a film rated “O” be justified.

As for whether to allow your teenager to see a film rated as acceptable only for adults, if it were my child I would want to first see the film to make a safe and informed judgment as to how he or she might receive it and react.

Q

Q. What is a Catholic’s obligation regarding the movie ratings issued by the Catholic News Service? Are they binding?

For example, is it a sin to see films rated “O--Morally Offensive”? Not that any good Catholic would want to see most of these films, but on occasion there is an “O” film where the rating seems unwarranted. Or what if a parent allows a teen to see a movie rated “A-III--For Adults”? (Columbus, Ohio)

A

A. The ratings are meant as guidelines. They do not bind in conscience. At the same time, they offer a valuable resource, particularly for parents in choosing what is appropriate for their children. The ratings and reviews evaluate a film from a spiritual, moral and artistic point of view against the background of the church’s teachings and of Judeo-Christian values. So, I don’t believe that a faithful Catholic should take them lightly.

After you have read a review, I would recommend deciding whether to attend based on what you know of yourself, avoiding what might be troublesome morally.

Films are classified as “O” or “morally offensive” when they “feature excessive violence,

Toys in church?

Q

Q. When are priests going to tell parents to leave the children’s toys at home? I see tractors and cars roaming across pews, little soldiers conducting wars and even monster figures. We are just a couple of ticks away from

every child’s being there with iPads and movies. We used to believe that children could learn self-control by sitting quietly at Mass and not needing to be entertained. (La Crosse, Wis.)

A

A. Topics like this are always chancy, because people have a range of opinions, often strongly held. But I’ll run the risk and give you my take.

It depends a lot on age. By the time a kid is 4, I would hope that he or she were starting to pay some attention in church, or at least sitting quietly. But when the child is 2, let’s say, I have no problem with bringing toys -depending on the toys.

My least favorite are trucks and Super Balls. We have a sloped church, and more than once I’ve been “attacked” at the altar by a rumbling 18-wheeler toy truck or a high-bouncing spheroid.

Though not a toy, Cheerios are on my “non-preferred” list.

(I’d rather not spend Sunday afternoons picking cereal out of seat cushions.) Coloring books would be fine, except that they 13 involve crayons, which leave reminders of their presence.

Bringing stuffed animals is fine, and books with the thick pages are acceptable (although even they can become noisemakers should the toddler decide to throw them).

Having said all that, I’m just delighted to see little children in church, and I admire and applaud parents with the patience to bring them.

Questions may be sent to Father Kenneth Doyle at askfatherdoyle@ gmail.com and 40 Hopewell St., Albany, N.Y. 12208 www.bayoucatholic.com

Reflections Readings Between The Lines Father Glenn LeCompte

I 14

Searching for the Historical Jesus, Part II

In my last article I introduced the topic of examining the Gospels to search for the historical Jesus in contrast to the apostles’ and evangelists’ interpretations of his words and deeds. In this article I will summarize some criteria necessary to approach this task.

An example of seeking the historical situation behind Gospel depictions of Jesus is that of locating the original context of Jesus’ saying about the greatest commandment.

Read and note the differences in the three different contexts (Mark 12:28-34; Matthew 22:3440; Luke 10:25-28) in which the saying appears. In the Marcan passage the question concerning the greatest commandment is presented as an academic debate.

Although in the Matthean passage the question occurs in the same general setting, Jesus’ debating legal matters with the Jewish Religious Leaders in the Temple, it is presented as an attempt by one of the leaders to entrap him in speech. In Mark and Matthew, Jesus declares the greatest commandment to be love of God with every ounce of one’s being, and then proclaims a second great commandment, love of one’s neighbor as oneself.

As in the Matthean passage, the question is posed to Luke’s Jesus with hostile intent, by a “lawyer,” (cf. Mark’s “scribe”) but Jesus

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

invites him to answer the question himself. This time the lawyer, not Jesus, articulates the double commandment of love for God and love for one’s neighbor. When the lawyer then asks whom he must consider his neighbor, Jesus launches into the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).

Which of the three contexts in which the double love commandment is embedded is the “historical one”? Or has each of the three evangelists taken a saying by Jesus and provided for it a context that fits his particular theological presentation of Jesus? If so, how do we find the original historical situation of the saying?

Note that the saying has been reported in two controversy stories (Matthew and Luke), which in turn differ in their respective circumstances, and in a scholastic dialog (Mark). Monsignor John P. Meier, in A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus: Volume II, pp. 5-6, summarizes the primary criteria of the quest for the historical Jesus. One is multiple attestation. The multiplicity and differences in the literary forms in which the saying about the double love commandment appears may suggest that it goes back to Jesus.

Among the other primary criteria Meier describes as significant in the quest for the historical Jesus is the criterion of embarrassment.

This criterion pinpoints sayings or events reported in the Gospels which were not necessarily flattering. Meier cites as an example the baptism of Jesus by John. Matthew 3:13-15 betrays the “embarrassment,” when the Baptist objects to baptizing Jesus because it should be the other

Reflection

way around. Jesus, however, directs John to proceed to baptize him that they might, “fulfill all righteousness” (3:15).

Discontinuity is another criterion, and it focuses on “words or deeds of Jesus that cannot be derived either from the Judaism(s) of Jesus’ time or from the early church” (Meier, A Marginal Jew, Volume II, p. 5).

Meier points to Jesus’ rejection of voluntary fasting (Matthew 9:1415).

Once a preliminary database of material authentic to Jesus has been established, other sayings which “fit in well with those sayings,” have a good chance of being historical, even if the saying represents a paraphrase of what Jesus originally said by the early Church. This is called the criterion of coherence. Meier gives as an example “disputes with the adversaries over legal observance” (Meier, A Marginal Jew, Volume II, p. 5).

The final primary criterion is that of rejection and execution. In other words sayings by Jesus or events that happen which help to explain his trial and execution (which has high historical value) are likely to be historical. If Jesus was tried and executed, he obviously said things that disturbed or offended the people who procured his demise. An example might be Jesus’ pronouncement of a woe against legal scholars (Luke 11:46-52).

Applying these criteria to the Gospel material, Meier sees Jesus’ preaching about the Kingdom of God as containing some of the more historical material in the Gospels.

In the next issue, I will present an example of Meier’s analysis of Jesus’ preaching about the Kingdom.

Questions

e about the episod of is ts x te n o c andment the three test comm a e r e gr h e ot th n Which of e of th How were uncement l? a ic r to is the prono h one? e the most e original likely to b th m o fr 9:12-27. ped ith Luke 1 w two develo 0 3 o 4 :1 5 s of the tw Matthew 2 difference d n a s n Compare ie e similarit How can th at ed?

Gospels th e explain passages b sus in the e J is of h gs re yin ls to procu re some sa lic officia b n What a u p d e it ve inc might ha death? d trial an

Saints

BLURRED VISION

Clement Mary Hofbauer 1751-1820 March 15

CNS

A baker, Czech-born Johannes Hofbauer, after a period of solitary living and wandering between Rome and Vienna, established the Redemptorists north of the Alps and is considered the order?s second founder. He was ordained a Redemptorist priest at age 34 and served in Poland for 20 years, until 1808, when Napoleon suppressed religious orders. He spent the rest of his life in Vienna, battling state control of the church, establishing a Catholic college, and working behind the scenes at the Congress of Vienna. He is the patron saint of Vienna.

Saints

Toribio of Mogrovejo 1538-1606 March 23

Crosiers

15

Spanish-born Toribio taught law in Salamanca until 1574, when he was appointed inquisitor of Granada. In 1580, though not yet a priest, he was named archbishop of Lima, Peru, with his episcopal ordination in Seville. After arriving in Lima in 1581, his 25 years of missionary service included diocesan and provincial synods, visits around the vast diocese, clergy reforms, and Indian-language catechisms. He also introduced European religious orders into Peru, opened the first seminary in the New World and encouraged Indians to become priests.

Saints

Quentin D. Falgoust, M.D. The area’s most experienced LASIK and Cataract Surgeon.

Margaret Clitherow c. 1553-1586 March 25

Crosiers

Born into a prosperous York Protestant family when Catholicism was forbidden, Margaret married wealthy Protestant John Clitherow, whose brother became a Catholic priest. Margaret soon became a Catholic and set up Mass centers in her home and a nearby inn. She was imprisoned three times for failing to attend Protestant services. When officials confirmed the secret Masses, Margaret was sentenced to death for treason. She died a martyr, pressed to death by a heavy load.

Saints

CNS

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Young Voices I plan on bringing Jesus to others in my life by living God’s will and being an example for others. At Junior High Faith Experience, I learned about making choices that follow God’s plan and to include him in everything I do. By doing this I hope I show Jesus to others. I also plan to continue to be involved and serve in my church parish.

Laurel Chiasson, 13 years old Our Lady of the Rosary Church parish Larose LCO Middle School

Now that you have attended Junior High Faith Experience, how do you plan on bringing Jesus to others in your life?

16 Yes, I plan to bring Jesus to others in my life.

The rally inspired me. I’m hoping to reach out to people who are Catholics, but don’t participate as much. When you serve God it just makes you happy; it makes you feel like God is smiling down on you and you know you did something right for once. I just want more people to become closer to God, to get closer to their faith.

Courteney Dufrene, 12 years old St. Hilary of Poitiers Church parish Holy Savior Catholic School

Since I have attended the Junior High Faith Experience, I definitely will encourage my friends as well as other kids my age to attend future events such as this. This event is what really made me realize how much I need God in my life to be happy. The Junior High Faith Experience is an excellent event in our community that allows us to gather as we strengthen our hearts in faith.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).

Thomas R. Mire, 14 years old Holy Cross Church parish Central Catholic High School

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

Now that I have attended Junior High Faith Experience I plan on bringing Jesus to others in my life by telling them about my experience with Christ. Junior High Faith Experience has brought me closer to God in my faith, and I plan on trying to get my friends to attend youth rallies with me so they can experience being closer to God.

Kathryn Dufrene, 14 years old Holy Savior Church parish Holy Savior Elementary School

Registration: March 24-28, 2014 Holy Cross Elementary 2100 Cedar St. Morgan City, LA 70380 Grades PK-6 Mamie Bergeron, Principal Phyllis Jensen, Secretary 384-1933 • Fax 384-3270 holycrosselm@htdiocese.org www.holycrosselementary.org Holy Rosary Elementary P.O. Box 40 Larose, LA 70373 Grades PK-8 Scott Bouzigard, Principal Angie Loupe, Secretary 693-3342 • Fax 693-3348 holyroselm@htdiocese.org www.holyrosary.org St. Gregory Elementary 441 Sixth St. Houma, LA 70364 Grades PS-7 Elizabeth Scurto, Principal Yvonne Lirette, Admin. Asst.

876-2038 • Fax 879-2789 stgregelm@htdiocese.org www.stgregorycatholic.org Maria Immacolata Elementary 324 Estate Dr. Houma, LA 70364 Grades PK-7 Yvonne Weimer, Principal Donna Hill, Secretary 876-1631 • Fax 876-1608 mariaimmacoelm@htdiocese.org www.mariaimmacolata.org St. Bernadette Elementary 309 Funderburk Ave. Houma, LA 70364 Grades PK-7 Joan LeBouef, Principal Susan Chauvin, Secretary 872-3854 • Fax 872-5780 stbernelm@htdiocese.org www.saintbernadettepandas.com

St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School 300 Verret St. Houma, LA 70360 Grades PS-7 Brenda Tanner, Principal Christy Pitre, Secretary 868-6646 • Fax 851-5896 stfranciselm@htdiocese.org www.stfrancishouma.org St. Genevieve Elementary 807 Barbier Ave. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Grades PK-7 Chris Knobloch, Principal Michelle Adams, Secretary 447-9291 • Fax 447-9883 stgenelm@htdiocese.org www.stgenevieveschool.us Holy Savior Elementary 201 Church St. Lockport, LA 70374 Grades PK-8 Tricia Thibodaux, Principal Terri Vedros, Secretary 532-2536 • Fax 532-2269 holysavelm@htdiocese.org www.holysaviorschool.org St. Joseph Elementary 501 Cardinal Dr. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Grades PK-7 Gerard Rodrigue Jr., Principal Barbara Kliebert, Secretary 446-1346 • Fax 449-0760 stjoeelm@htdiocese.org www.stjosephcatholicschool.net St. Mary’s Nativity Elementary 3492 Nies Street Raceland, LA 70394 Grades PK-8 Marissa Bagala, Principal Judy Watts, Secretary 537-7544 • Fax 537-4020 stmarelm@htdiocese.org

Central Catholic High School 2100 Cedar St. Morgan City, LA 70380 Grades 7-12 Deacon Vic Bonnaffee, Principal Sandy Daigle, Secretary 385-5372 • Fax 385-3444 centcathi@htdiocese.org www.cchseagles.com Vandebilt Catholic High School 209 S. Hollywood Rd. Houma, LA 70360 Grades 8-12 James Reiss, Principal Shirley Cunningham, Secretary David Keife, President 876-2551 • Fax 868-9774 vandebilthi@htdiocese.org www.vandebiltcatholic.org E.D. White Catholic High School 555 Cardinal Dr. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Grades 8-12 Michelle Chiasson, Principal Cathy Hebert, Secretary David Boudreaux, President 446-8486 • Fax 448-1275 edwhitehi@htdiocese.org www.edwhite.org Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Marian Fertitta Superintendent of Schools mfertitta@htdiocese.org Suzanne Troxclair Curriculum Specialist stroxclair@htdiocese.org Janet Marcel Administrative Assistant 850-3114 • Fax 850-3214

www.edline.net/pages/St_Marys_Nativity_School

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

Scripture Readings Monday

Tuesday

3 March 4

Wednesday

5

Thursday

6

and a listing of Feast days and saints Friday

7

Sunday

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

First Sunday of Lent Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7 Romans 5:12-19 Matthew 4:1-11

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16

10

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

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

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

Lenten Weekday Lenten Weekday Esther C:12, 14-16, Ezekiel 18:21-28 23-25 Matthew 5:20-26 Matthew 7:7-12

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

Second Sunday of Lent Genesis 12:1-4a 2 Timothy 1:8b-10 Matthew 17:1-9

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

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

Solemnity of Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16 Romans 4:13, 1618, 22

Lenten Weekday Jeremiah 17:5-10 Luke 16:19-31

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

Lenten Weekday Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Third Sunday of Lent Exodus 17:3-7 Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 John 4:5-42

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Lenten Weekday 2 Kings 5:1-15ab Luke 4:24-30

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10 Hebrews 10:4-10 Luke 1:26-38

Lenten Weekday Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9 Matthew 5:17-19

Lenten Weekday Jeremiah 7:23-28 Luke 11:14-23

Lenten Weekday Hoseah 14:2-10 Mark 12:28-34

Lenten Weekday Hoseah 6:1-6 Luke 18:9-14

Fourth Sunday of Lent 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41

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1 April

2

3

4

5

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Lenten Weekday Isaiah 49:8-15 John 5:17-30

Lenten Weekday Exodus 32:7-14 John 5:31-47

Lenten Weekday Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22 John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Lenten Weekday Lenten Weekday Isaiah 65:17-21 Ezekiel 47:1-9 John 4:43-54 John 5:1-16

14

Saturday

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O

utstanding Abigail Matherne Samantha Eroche

Cameron Richard

Megan Boudreaux

20

Mary Frances Cali

Madelyn Carlos

Lexi Cheramie

Seth Cunningham

Katelyn Davis

Kathryn Dufrene

Emily Gros

Anna Haydel

Emilie Hebert

Cooper Leblanc

Thomas Pate

Kate Patterson

Jamie Patterson

Braxton Pitre

Jai Pitre

Students Ava Roth

Daniel Wanko III

Anaya Whitney

Story by Janet Marcel Outstanding fifth, eighth and 12th grade non-public school students from within the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux were recently chosen to represent their schools as 2014 Students of the Year.

The Students of the Year Awards program is sponsored by the Louisiana State Superintendent through the State Department of Education and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Every public and approved non-public school in the state is invited to participate.

“The program recognizes outstanding elementary, middle/ junior high and high school students who have demonstrated excellent academic achievement, leadership ability and citizenship in their school and community,” says Marian B. Fertitta, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and chairperson of the program for the non-public schools within the diocese.

All 13 Catholic schools in the diocese and Houma Christian School participated in this year’s awards program, which resulted in 22 students from the three grade levels competing at the district level. Three candidates from schools within the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux were selected to represent Region VI – Nonpublic Schools – in the regional competition.

Fifth grader Abigail Matherne, daughter of Sandy Matherne and Andre’ Olivier, Maria Immacolata Catholic School, Houma; eighth grader Cameron Richard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Barry Richard, St. Mary’s Nativity School, Raceland; 12th grader Samantha Eroche, daughter of Sharon Leach and William Eroche, E.D. White Catholic High School, Thibodaux;

competed in a regional screening Friday, March 7 at the Catholic Life Center in Baton Rouge.

The regional interviewing committee is made up of individuals from across the state. Winners at the regional level will participate in the state competition in Baton Rouge on April 15-16.

In addition to the district winners, students selected to represent their school in district competition are as follows.

Fifth graders: Mary Frances Cali, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cali Jr., Holy Cross Elementary School, Morgan City; Lexi Cheramie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Cheramie, St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School, Thibodaux; Seth Cunningham, son of Michelle Cooper and Clint Cunningham, St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School, Houma; Thomas Pate, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris Pate, St. Genevieve Catholic School, Thibodaux; Jamie Patterson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Craig Patterson, St. Bernadette Catholic School, Houma; Braxton Pitre, son of Mr. and Mrs. Terral Pitre, Holy Rosary Catholic School, Larose; Jai Pitre, son of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Pitre, St. Mary’s Nativity School, Raceland; Ava Roth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Roth, St. Gregory Catholic School, Houma; Daniel “Trey” Wanko III, son of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Wanko Jr., Holy Savior Catholic School, Lockport; Anaya Whitney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Whitney, Houma Christian School, Houma; Eighth graders: Madelyn Carlos, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Carlos, Houma Christian School, Houma; Katelyn Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lance Trotti, E. D. White Catholic High School, Thibodaux; Kathryn Dufrene, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Dufrene, Holy Savior Catholic

of the Year

School, Lockport; Emily Gros, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Gros, Holy Rosary Catholic School, Larose; Anna Haydel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Haydel, Vandebilt Catholic High School, Houma; Cooper LeBlanc, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles LeBlanc, Central Catholic High School, Morgan City.

12th graders: Megan Boudreaux, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dwayne Boudreaux, Houma Christian School, Houma; Emilie Hebert, daughter of Shellie Clement and Robbie Hebert, Vandebilt Catholic High School, Houma; Kate Patterson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Patterson, Central Catholic High School, Morgan City.

A selection committee reviewed each of the candidate’s portfolios and spent two days interviewing each of them individually, before choosing the district winners.

Winners on the district level were chosen on the basis of their portfolio, grade point average, leadership, 21 service/citizenship, involvement in extracurricular activities, writing ability and the manner in which they presented themselves during the interview.

Members of the district selection committee were Sister Immaculata Paisant, M.S.C., former diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools; Chris Toups, retired teacher for the Lafourche Parish Public School System; and Suzanne Troxclair, diocesan curriculum specialist.

The diocesan Office of Catholic Schools sponsors an annual breakfast to honor these outstanding students at the Lumen Christi Retreat Center in Schriever. Bishop Shelton J. Fabre, students and their parents, school principals, pastors and selection committee members attend the breakfast.

Heavenly Recipes

Maridel’s

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e i u o B a L ’ A e t r a T Pie

Story and Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier This month’s heavenly recipe comes from Maridel LaBauve, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Morgan City. Maridel is sharing her mother’s recipe for Tarte A’ La Bouie pie.

Maridel, who is 82 years old, has been baking pies for the past 30 years. “I guess that I have made thousands of pies and have given them all away. I never bake only one or two pies. I usually make around 12 pies on a given day. I bake pies whenever I feel like it. I am a morning person. Sometimes I am up at three in the morning baking pies.”

At Sacred Heart, Maridel is known as “the pie lady” because she bakes the pies and brings them to people who are sick or who are elderly in the church parish. “Right now I bring the pies to people I know. Sometimes the church parish tells me who’s sick and I will bring them a pie,” she says.

Maridel is a native of Rayne who moved to Morgan City over 50 years ago. “I graduated from St. Joseph in Rayne on a Sunday when I was 16 years old. I got married on the

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

following Tuesday. My husband and I were happily married for 57 years before he died. I have been a widow for the past nine years.”

She doesn’t drive anymore and misses the independence of not being able to go somewhere when she wants. “I really miss driving.

I have friends who take me places and those who will pick up things at the grocery store for me,” she says.

Father Gregory Fratt, pastor of Sacred Heart Church parish, knows Maridel very well. “Whenever anyone around here mentions ‘the pie lady’ we all know it refers to Maridel. But Maridel is so much more than just ‘the pie lady.’ She is one of the kindest, most generous and thoughtful people that I have ever met. She also, and most people don’t know this, is there in the sacristy every Saturday before the 4:30 p.m. vigil Mass and she always makes sure my alb is perfectly presentable and fixes it every time for me. As good and delightful as Maridel’s pies are, she represents all that is good in all of us and is herself a delight,” says the pastor.

Custard (pie filling) 2 cups of sugar 1/2 cup of corn starch 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 eggs 3 cans evaporated milk 4 cups homogenized milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 4 tablespoons butter Blend all ingredients together except butter. Pour into a large pot and cook on medium heat until the filling starts to warm.

Add the butter to the filling and lower the heat stirring constantly for approximately 35 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pie crust 2 eggs 3/4 cup oil 1/2 cup water 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon almond flavoring 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups sugar all-purpose flour Blend all ingredients together.

Pour out onto a sheet of freezer paper. Add enough flour to work the dough by hand. Pinch off four hand-sized pieces of dough. Place dough in a deep pie pan. Fill pan with cooled pie filling. Roll out another piece of dough and place on top of pie filling. Repeat process for next pie (Recipe makes two pies). Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.

…will Support Local Parish Needs

…will create An Endowment Fund for Seminarian Support

…will create An Endowment Fund for Catholic Charities

V Online Safe Environment Training Still can Access: Diocesan Calendar Specific office information extensive Catholic Charities information Bishop’s articles & videos

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Spiritual resources Online contributions (ABA, Disaster Relief) Updated parish information with times for Mass and other liturgical services and parish personnel

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w w w. h t d i o c e s e . o r g www.bayoucatholic.com

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Special Guest Columnist

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Very Rev. Joshua Rodrigue, S.T.L.

The New Year’s celebrations have come and gone and probably our New Year’s resolutions have done the same. But for Catholics, Lent gives us a second chance to be successful with our resolutions with perhaps some more prudent and less ambitious modifications. When all the fun of the carnival season comes to an end at midnight on Mardi Gras day, then it is time to get down to spiritual business with the beginning of Lent.

Lent, coming from the Old English lencten and meaning “lengthen,” refers to the lengthening of the daylight hours that occurs in the northern hemisphere as the earth transitions from late winter to early spring. The 40-day period of Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending with the beginning of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, is a time of self-reflection and assessment of a person’s spiritual life in preparation of the great and joyful celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter. Like any celebration—a wedding, the birth of a child, graduation, etc.—there is a period of preparation in order to celebrate the event with greater joy. The same holds true for Christians and the Easter celebration. On Easter, we celebrate Christ’s defeat of sin and death through his crucifixion, death and resurrection. Subsequently, in the waters of baptism, we share in that new life and the command to follow him.

Why should I do something for Lent?

Unfortunately, we do not always follow Jesus Christ with our whole hearts and must allow the Lord to give a “state of the

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

soul address” to each of us. In order to assist us, the church sets aside Lent to help us examine the times we have fallen short in loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul and our neighbor as ourselves. We have the opportunity to see ourselves in the mirror of the Gospel—how we truly look before God. In prayer we delve into the darkness of our hearts with the light of the Holy Spirit so that we may desire to be rid of the impediments holding us back from giving ourselves to Jesus Christ.

The Catholic liturgy and devotions during Lent emphasize the themes of repentance, conversion of heart, and living a moral life.

Many people have adopted various religious practices of giving up things or doing extra things in order to grow in greater spiritual awareness; however, our Lenten observances must have genuine personal meaning to avoid becoming merely a habit and routine. Just because we have always done this or given up that for Lent does not bring about a spiritual renewal or conversion.

We should have a specific spiritual focus for the Lenten season and allow our Lenten prayers, fasting, almsgiving and works of mercy to open us to receive a spiritual grace from the Lord. Perhaps it was to grow in charity or to become more selfless rather than selfish.

Imagine traveling down the same road only at night year after year and then suddenly driving the same road during the day time.

The scenery is much different.

Similarly, the beauty of the Lenten season is suddenly made visible to the soul when our observances are not something to do or not do just for the sake of Lent. The practices during the 40 days bring about a spiritual transformation that continues into the Easter season

and beyond.

What should I do for Lent?

Perhaps another way to make Lent more meaningful is to look at what people give up and why. In Lent, the reasons we traditionally give up various things we do frequently and find pleasurable are (1) to identify with Christ’s sufferings, and remember what the true pleasures are for followers of Christ, (2) as a discipline for learning self-control, to free our minds from constantly seeking material things, and (3) as an act of sorrow for our sins. Unless we take time to pray and reflect on our lives, sometimes we fail to notice how certain things we do have gained power over us and dictate our actions. Lent gives us the opportunity to detach ourselves from them and recognize that the less “stuff” that preoccupies our lives, the more room there is for God, as well as for other people.

The most common practices are fasting and abstinence during Lent. Fasting means eating only one full meal and two other meals together not equaling the one meal.

Abstinence is giving up meats on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays of Lent. Perhaps this is no real penance for anyone living in South Louisiana unless you hate seafood. I joke that perhaps a greater penance is for us in South Louisiana to have to eat meat during Lent. Many people also choose something else that would be an effort to give up. That may mean 40 days without watching television or listening to the radio, going to the casino, impulsive and catalog shopping, dancing, drinking soft drinks or alcohol, smoking or chewing tobacco, eating sweets, eating out at restaurants, or anything that most relates to a sin that is especially troublesome in our lives. For the

a

A journey through Lent

Lenten Sacrifice Abstinence No meat can be taken by those 14 and older on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays. fAsting A limit of one full meatless meal by those 18-59 on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. self-DeniAl Voluntary acts of selfdenial are recommended on weekdays during Lent.

PrAyer AnD chArity Can include daily Mass, Scripture study, Stations of the Cross, almsgiving and showing mercy and kindness to others. ©2010 CNS

technologically savvy teenagers or adults, they may forego surfing the internet, playing video games, going out to the movies, listening to music on an iPod, or using Facebook or other social communication sites.

Sometimes well-intentioned penances (i.e., giving up smoking) cause one to go in the opposite direction spiritually, and the person then becomes an unexpected Lenten penance to others. If this occurs, then perhaps we must reconsider our Lenten practices. A fast from food or other things is a reflection of our fasting from sin.

Jesus is not looking for self-torture or self-hatred. Rather, in Lent we put a stop to our fevered pursuit of pleasure in all things. Instead let us

feast upon the spiritual pleasures as we recognize them as gifts from a loving God. Lent is not all about giving things up but is also about adding good things to enhance our lives or the lives of others. We can consider performing the corporeal and spiritual works of mercy: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the imprisoned, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, burying the dead, admonishing the sinner, instructing the ignorant, counseling the doubtful, comforting the sorrowful, bearing wrongs patiently, forgiving all injuries, and praying for the living and the dead. What a wonderful time of the year to grow as a family. Perhaps

families will eat their meals together at the table instead of in front of the television and have meaningful conversations.

We can also study, meditate, and pray over Scripture each day or pray the Liturgy of the Hours (Scripturebased prayer and devotions for set times of the day) or perhaps reconcile ourselves with someone we do not like, or have offended, or have a hard time forgiving. In addition, we may also experience the sacrament of reconciliation.

From the money saved from our fasting from things mentioned above, we may give to charitable causes. Doing acts of kindness for people expecting nothing in return gives both the giver and recipient little glimpses of God’s love.

We can attend special worship services. Perhaps it is a daily morning or evening Mass, eucharistic adoration, or the Stations of the Cross on Fridays. Or maybe it is time we started going to the Sunday Mass every Sunday.

Even still, we focus so much on the 40 days of Lent that we can forget about the most important days between Lent and Easter Sunday, the Paschal Triduum— 25 Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday. While those days commemorate the most important events for our salvation—the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ—they often go unnoticed.

Instead, they can become days of drinking and parties and big crawfish boils, getting the swimming pool ready for the summer, or going on vacation instead of reflecting on what Jesus did out of his great love for us. In other words, what is the point of running a marathon only to give up right before the finish line?

Whatever our Lenten observances may be, we must remain focused upon the purpose of the season. And that purpose is to reflect upon the Paschal mystery. Jesus suffered and died so we could be reconciled with God and one another. He resurrected from the dead, and he taught us how to love and forgive.

May the Lenten season draw us to deeper repentance and conversion so that we may rejoice with greater joy in our redemption and salvation in Christ Jesus.

(This column appeared in the February 2012 issue of Bayou Catholic.) www.bayoucatholic.com

Special

‘Courage of a Disciple!’

Man of God Conference is March 28-29 Guest Columnist

T 26

Bishop Emeritus Sam G. Jacobs

The 2014 Man of God Conference will be held at the diocesan Pastoral Center on March 28-29. The theme of the Conference is “Courage of a Disciple!” As we prepared for this year’s event, we felt that we wanted to reflect on the teachings of Pope Francis for direction and understanding of what it means for a disciple of Jesus Christ to act with courage.

One of the frequent themes Pope Francis has been focusing on is that as Christians we are called to embrace a life-style of a missionary disciple.

This is how he has expressed it: “In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples (cf. Matthew 28:19).

All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization, and it would be insufficient to envisage a plan of evangelization to be carried out by professionals while the rest of the faithful would simply be passive recipients.

The new evangelization calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the baptized.

Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love. Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are “disciples” and “missionaries,” but rather that we are always “missionary disciples.”

If we are not convinced, let us look at those first disciples, who, immediately after encountering the gaze of Jesus, went forth to proclaim him joyfully: “We have found the Messiah!” (John 1:41).

The Samaritan woman became a missionary immediately after speaking with Jesus and many Samaritans come to believe in him “because of the woman’s testimony” (John 4:39). So too, Saint Paul, after his encounter with Jesus Christ, “immediately proclaimed Jesus” (Acts 9:20; cf. 22:6-21). So what are we waiting for?

“On the one hand, we never stop being disciples, learning, receiving; on the other, we are called to the mission, to share what we have received, what we live,” the Pope observed, which is “the experience of love, of faith in the Trinity.”

As missionary disciples we have experienced the love of God in such a way that our lives should be different. What is needed is the courage to grow as missionary disciples and the courage to share

that love with others.

This year’s conference is geared to stir in our hearts once more the love of God and our renewed commitment to God to be his missionary disciples. We will be given, by our speakers, insight and a fuller understanding of Pope Francis’ teachings on how we are to live as missionary disciples.

The conference will hopefully help the attendees to catch the Holy Father’s vision and to embrace the challenge with courage.

This year’s Man of God Conference ministry team features Peter Herbeck, Jimmie Danos, Chad Luke, Bishop Shelton J. Fabre, Bishop Sam G. Jacobs, Emeritus, and worship music by More Than Sunday with Lonnie Lapeyrouse, Matt Bourgeois, Doug Hamilton and Mark Duplantis. All men ages 18 and over are invited to attend the conference which begins on Friday evening. Doors open at 5 p.m. The event continues into Saturday and concludes at 6:15 p.m. Pre-registration will be taken until 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 27 and is $60. The price at the door is $80. For more information or to register, call (985) 850-3171 or visit www.HTConferences.org.

Knights of Columbus, Houma Council No.1317, celebrated its annual Pro-Life Mass recently. Bishop Emeritus Sam G. Jacobs celebrated the Mass and the Fourth Degree Knights provided an honor guard. The Council presented Marybeth Olivier, daughter of Trevis and Meryn Olivier, as their Pro-Life child.

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MARCH

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n Food for the Journey, Tuesday, April 1, Quality Hotel, Houma, 10:45-12:45 p.m.

Speakers, Deacon Jim Swiler and Jimmie Danos. n The Commandments 4-10, Thursday, April 3, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall, 6-8 p.m. Father Mike Bergeron, speaker. n Woman of God Gathering, Tuesday, April 8, diocesan

MAY

n Food for the Journey, Tuesday, May 6, Quality Hotel, Houma, 10:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

Rev. Mike Tran, speaker. n Man of God Gathering, diocesan Pastoral Center

n Women of God Conference, Friday and Saturday, March 14-15, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall. Online registration: www.htconferences. org or by phone, (985)850-3171.

Pre-registration is $60 per person.

Doors open at 5 p.m. on Friday; events begin at 7 p.m. All women over 18 years of age are invited. n Christology, Wednesdays, March 19 and 26, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall, 6-8:15p.m. Very Joshua Rodrigue, S.T.L., speaker. n The Commandments 1-3,

Thursday, March 20, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall, 6-8:15 p.m. Father Michael Bergeron, speaker. n Youth Rally registration deadline, Thursday, March 20. n Man of God Conference, Saturday, March 28-29, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall. Online registration: www. htconferences.org or by phone, (985)850-3171. Pre-registration is $60 per person. Doors open at 5 p.m. on Friday; events begin at 7 p.m.

Pastoral Center Conference Hall.

Meal is served at 6 p.m.; events begin at 6:30 p.m. Free event; all women over 18 years of age are invited. n Youth Rally 2014, “Risen and Redeemed,” Saturday, April 12, Nicholls State University, doors open at 12:20 p.m. Registration at the door is $50. n Adult Night of Praise, Friday, April 11, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall, 7-9:30 p.m.

Anyone 21 years or older can attend. n Chrism Mass, Tuesday, April 15, Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales, 7 p.m. n Adore, Wednesday, April 30, 7 p.m., Houma Municipal Auditorium. n Canon Law, Wednesday, April 30, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall, 6-8:15 p.m. Very Rev. Vic DeLa Cruz, J.V., speaker.

Conference Hall, Tuesday, May 6.

Meal is served at 6 p.m.; events begin at 6:30 p.m. Free event; all men over 18 years of age are invited. n Canon Law, Wednesday, May 7 and 14, diocesan Pastoral

Center Conference Hall, 6-8 :15 p.m. Very Rev. Vic DeLa Cruz, J.V., speaker n Transitional Diaconate Ordination, Saturday, May 24, St. Joseph Co-Cathedral, 10 a.m.

www.bayoucatholic@htdiocese.org

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

DIOCESAN

n Free income tax preparation and E-filing will be available every Tuesday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on the second floor of the Terrebonne Parish Main Library, now until April 15. The site will be closed on Mardi Gras day. n Lumen Christi Retreat Center will offer Mass Tuesday through Friday at 12:10 p.m. during Lent, beginning Thursday, March 6, until Wednesday of Holy Week, April 16. n Rite of Election, Sunday, March 9, St. Joseph Co-Cathedral, 3 p.m.

EVENTS

Bringing Lent to life Twenty-nine parishes in the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux are participating in Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) Rice Bowl this Lent, says Tim Sullivan, associate director of Catholic Charities Diocese of HoumaThibodaux’s Parish Social Ministry. CRS Rice Bowl is a Lenten faith-in-action program for parishes, schools and families.

The program invites Catholics to live in solidarity with our poorest and most vulnerable brothers and sisters through the three Lenten pillars of praying, fasting and almsgiving.

“Some parishes in our diocese get very creative with Rice Bowl, for example they will use simple meals from the featured countries for religious education classes,” says Sullivan. “Rice Bowl can be a lot of fun as well as doing a lot of good. Many people do not know that 25 percent of whatever money is raised locally comes back to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. This money is used primarily to support parish social ministry efforts.”

CRS Rice Bowl participants journey throughout the forty days of Lent with the daily reflections included in the Lenten Calendar, offering small, suggested sacrificial gifts to fill their Rice Bowls as they read and watch Stories of Hope from individuals and communities whose lives have been changed by

SINCE FAST

l

prayer intentions and bulletin announcements into your weekly Masses. n ENGAGE parish ministries with resources designed for youth, small faith-sharing groups, and whole community catechesis.

CRS Rice Bowl funds.

A Program for Families n FOCUS your family’s Lenten journey by using your Rice Bowl as a centerpiece at your table. n PRAY as a family using the Stations of the Cross, Seven Sorrows of Mary, or the Lives of the Saints resources. n SHARE a simple, meatless meal every Friday of Lent with recipes from this year’s featured countries, and learn how to make them by watching CRS Global Kitchen videos. n GIVE to the poor and vulnerable around the world and in your own diocese using the daily reflections and suggested giving amounts on the Lenten Calendar.

A Program for Parishes n CELEBRATE the beginning and end of Lent in your liturgies with the Blessing of the CRS Rice Bowls and Offertory Collection resources. n INCOPORATE CRS Rice Bowl

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A Program for Schools n ILLUSTRATE the importance of Catholic social teaching, even in the busiest of classrooms, with Lesson Plans designed for grades 1-12. n DISCOVER how much you know about the Catholic faith with the Catholicism and the World Quiz and the Lives of the Saints resources. n CENTER your Lenten experience in the liturgy with a 10-minute Blessing of the Rice Bowls and End of Lent Prayer Service specifi- 29 cally designed for students.

A Program for Everyone n DOWNLOAD the CRS Rice Bowl mobile app to get daily reflections sent to your phone and to track your Lenten sacrifices. n COME TOGETHER as a young adult faith-sharing group with the Community Reflections resource, a joint initiative of CRS Rice Bowl and CRS University.

This Lent, don’t just give up soda. Bring Lent to life. Let CRS Rice Bowl be your guide along this 40 day journey.

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Church Life

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre, along with over 75 youth, seminarians and adult chaperones traveled to Washington, D.C., for the Annual March for Life. The group poses in front of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma where Mass was celebrated the morning the buses left for Washington, D.C.

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‘Our march for a culture of life through prayer and sacrifice’ Guest Columnist

O

Lee Shaffer

On a mild Saturday morning, Jan. 18, 2014, a group of parishioners from the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux gathered faithfully together at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma. The quiet morning helped the group get their things together and attend Mass before leaving on their pilgrimage to Washington, D.C., to attend the 41st March for Life.

Although the weather would get much colder during the

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

pilgrimage, the attitude and spirit of the group only grew with spiritual fire. Bishop Shelton J. Fabre led the group spiritually while Missie Curth planned and flawlessly executed the trip. The group was made up of 54 public and Catholic school students, six seminarians and 16 adult chaperones/leaders.

On the 25-hour trip to and from the D.C. area, the group learned and prayed about the pro-life movement and how they might get involved using their special God given talents. Along the journey, the group was able to meet with the Dominican Sisters of St. Celia in Nashville, TN, and on the return trip shared Morning Prayers and Mass with the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Hanceville, AL. The group embraced the idea that they were pilgrims, not tourists, and relished in the trip’s theme that we all were there

for a “culture of life” and would accomplish our goals through “prayer and sacrifice.” Music and laughter abounded on the bus as the youth prepared for the flashmob event. This flash-mob dance would be executed by all 13 busses of pilgrims from around the State of Louisiana. It was extremely funny to watch these young pilgrims practicing the Kung-Fu-Fighting dance routine in their seats on the bus and then have it presented by thousands from Louisiana on the streets of D.C. Emma Burlett, a teen pilgrim from Terrebonne High School, stated, “I discovered that this trip wasn’t for sightseeing and pleasure. It was designed to learn to make sacrifices and stand up for what is right, no matter what the opposition . . . .” She added, “Mass at all of the beautiful cathedrals and the (eucharistic) adorations we had reminded us why we

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were there: to get even closer to God and address the unjust action of abortion.”

The Houma-Thibodaux group met with groups from around the State of Louisiana to attend a teen rally called “Geaux Forth.” At this event the Louisiana Pro-Life Movement presented outstanding speakers from the United States and Canada to provide inspirational information to the pilgrims.

Stephanie Gray from Canada gave a wonderful lecture that focused on how young passionate people can make a huge impact in our world when they identify the problems, the associated opportunities and act on these opportunities. Many examples were provided that helped further ignite the flames of all of the pilgrims, even some of the not-so-young ones.

On Monday night our two busses joyfully met with the 11 other busses from Lafayette and Baton Rouge to share a meal, sing, praise God and enjoy eucharistic adoration with our Lord. On Tuesday night our entire Louisiana group met with several other groups

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Bishop Shelton J. Fabre and thousands of youth enjoy a concert with Christian singer and songwriter, Matt Maher.

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Church Life from around the United States to share some time at a concert with the wonderful Christian singer and songwriter, Matt Maher.

Each day in D.C., Mass was celebrated and morning and evening Liturgy of the Hours was lead by our diocesan seminarians.

Mass was celebrated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle and the historic Baltimore Basilica, our nation’s first cathedral. All were special for different reasons, but each was a spiritual event because of the engaged, spirit-filled, attitude of the young pilgrims.

Bishop Fabre, who was able to celebrate Mass along with the six seminarians from the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, says, “It was a great experience to be in the presence of so many young people from our diocese and from around the country who understand the need for a culture of life and a respect for all human life, and are willing to undertake positive

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GERALD MARTINEAU/ARLINGTON CATHOLIC HERALD

Youth from the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux pose with a snowman they made prior to the Life is Very Good rally at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA. The group, in town for the March for Life in Washington, had never seen snow before.

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Registration

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March 10-21, 2014

“Where Tradition Embraces the Future” Call Alisha Bergeron at (985) 446-8486 ext. 116 for more information.

E. D. White Catholic High School is open to all students and does not discriminate on the basis of race or national origin.

555 Cardinal Dr., Thibodaux, LA 70301 (985) 446-8486 www.edwhite.org Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

March for a culture of life

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre along with seminarians and youth from the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux pray outside of a Planned Parenthood building in Washington, D.C.

and constructive actions to bring this about in our nation and world. The enthusiasm of our youth for this cause truly nourished my own faith.”

While in D.C. we were able to see national sites such as the Arlington Cemetery, Lincoln Memorial, Korean and Vietnam Memorials, the Martin Luther King and the Franklin Roosevelt Memorials. On Tuesday there was a huge snow storm that forced the Smithsonian Museum Complex to close all of the museums, including the Holocaust Museum, one of the planned stops.

As with everything associated with this trip, when a problem presented itself, our Lord helped provide a new opportunity. Due to a friendship with a seminarian, we were able to substitute the Blessed Pope John Paul II Shrine and experienced the life of one of the church’s most recent leaders of our pro-life movement.

On Wednesday, with the weather about two degrees, our pilgrims put on layers of clothing, attended Mass and merged with groups from around the world at the Supreme Court and quietly, with reverence, spirit and faith, walked to the U.S. Congress. We prayed the rosary, sang hymns of praise, mourned and celebrated the 53 million lost souls that have been taken to heaven due to the immoral Supreme Court Decision, Roe vs.

Wade.

It was a beautiful pilgrimage leaving everyone with a bit of sorrow that we would have to say good-bye, but knowing that we would all be working for the next 365 days in our own special ways to enhance to culture of life and look forward to the next opportunity to march for life in 2015.

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Special Events

Sacred Heart, Morgan City, music mission March 10-11

Rev. Philip Powell, O.P.

St. Ann Lenten mission March 8-11 A Lenten mission will be held at St. Ann Church parish in Bourg 34 from Saturday, March 8 through Tuesday, March 11. Father Philip N. Powell, O.P., will celebrate the weekend Masses on Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9; he will talk about the Lenten Mission. The mission will be held at 6:30 p.m. each day. The theme of the mission for each night will be: Saturday, Death; Sunday, Purgatory; Monday, Hell; and Tuesday, Heaven.

On Tuesday night there will be a closing Mass and reception.

After the Mission talk on Monday, the sacrament of reconciliation will be available. While four priests hear confession, the Eucharist will be exposed.

Father Powell currently serves as the director of Homiletics at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.

He is a member of the formation faculty and teaches courses in philosophy and writing for the seminary’s pre-theology program.

He resides at St. Dominic Priory in New Orleans and is a member of the Province of St. Martin de Porres.

Fr. Ty Van Nguyen and parishioners of St. Ann welcome everyone to the Lenten mission.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

John Angotti

A music mission will be presented

by John Angotti at Sacred Heart Church parish in Morgan City, Monday and Tuesday, March 10 and 11, at 6:15 p.m. each day.

Angotti’s collection of experiences as director of children’s, young adults, adults and contemporary music choirs, as well as his experiences in the secular world, have prepared him for his full time music ministry; a ministry

which sends him around the world as a speaker and presenter for conferences and events. He is a graduate of West Virginia University with a degree in marketing; a graduate of the Naval School of Music, where he majored in voice and minored in piano; and a graduate of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where he holds a master’s degree in pastoral studies.

‘Light is On’ program set All church parishes in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux will participate in “The Light is On for You” ministry which is meant to encourage all Catholics who are eligible to come back to a regular and renewed celebration of the sacrament of penance and reconciliation.

The sacrament of reconciliation will take place in church parishes

in the Terrebonne Deanery Wednesday, April 9, from 6-8 p.m.

Church parishes in the Upper and South Lafourche Deanery will participate Wednesday, April 16, from 6-8 p.m.

The Upper Lafourche Deanery will hold a Penance Service Tuesday, April 8, at 7 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church in Thibodaux.

Food for the Journey is April 1 The diocesan Office of Religious Education sponsors a monthly lunchtime speaker series on the first Tuesday of the month at the Quality Hotel on Hollywood Road in Houma across from Vandebilt Catholic High School.

The speakers for April 1 are Deacon Jim Swiler and Jimmie Danos.

Deacon Swiler has been diocesan chancellor since July 2010. He has served as a permanent deacon for the past 37 years and spent 32 of those years in administration in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

He has received many national awards for his work with the permanent diaconate. In 1999, Deacon Swiler received the Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice Award and medal from Pope John Paul II for his outstanding service to the church.

In addition to his many ministries in the church, Deacon Jim and

Danos

Swiler

his wife Bonnie have conducted retreats and workshops in over 40 dioceses and archdioceses throughout the country.

Danos has served as diocesan director of the Office of Building and Construction for the past 30 years. During this time he has passionately pursued the promotion of evangelization in our

‘Come and See’ weekend set

The Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate are providing an inside view of life in a convent setting during a “Come and See” weekend at their Motherhouse, 300 Yucca St., San Antonio, TX, on March 14-16. The weekend will give women (18 and older, who want to know more about religious life) an opportunity to prayerfully reflect on religious life and vocation discernment, look at their gifts and

talents and decide if God is calling them to be of service to the church and to his people.

The Holy Spirit Sisters minister in the United States, Mexico and Africa. Registration for the “Come and See” weekend is available online at www.shsp.org or by contacting Sister Gabriel Hession at (210)533-5149; cell: (817)3609316 or sghession@hotmail.com

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diocese and currently serves as coordinator of the diocesan School of Evangelization. He is a member of the Man of God Conference core committee and one of the main speakers at this year’s Man of God Conference. In 1986, he was awarded the diocesan bishop’s medal by (the late) Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux in recognition of his efforts in evangelization.

He has given talks at diocesan sponsored events, preached several parish Lenten and Advent missions, given talks to parish RCIA and confirmation groups and at numerous church parish gatherings, throughout this diocese and beyond.

Danos and his wife Mona are parishioners of Christ the Redeemer Church parish in Thibodaux, where he serves as a member of the parish’s pastoral council and coordinator of the evangelization committee.

Those who plan to attend the April 35 1st event should RSVP with their name, phone number and church parish by Thursday, March 27. To RSVP, email FoodForTheJourney@ htdiocese.org or call (985) 8503178.

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Bayou Spirit

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St. Joseph Altars Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

In many parishes of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux St. Joseph Altars will be on display for viewing by the general public Wednesday, March 19. Here is a list of the St. Joseph Altars available for viewing throughout the diocese.

Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales, Houma The altar is being erected in thanksgiving for our bishop, priests, deacons, religious, seminarians, past and present, by the parishioners of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales who have formed the Society of St. Joseph Husband of Mary. A vigil Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Sam G. Jacobs March 18, at 6:30 p.m. The altar will be blessed after the Mass and light refreshments will be served.

The altar will be available for viewing Wednesday, March 19, from 8 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. The Tupa-Tupa will be at 8:30 a.m. on March 19.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

Ready for viewing March 19 St. Lawrence, Kraemer A St. Joseph Altar will be available for viewing at St. Lawrence Church in Kraemer’s Life Center Wednesday, March 19. The altar will be available for viewing beginning at 7 a.m. with the blessing and will remain open until 4 p.m.

Christ the Redeemer, Thibodaux A St. Joseph Altar will be held Wednesday, March 19. Viewing will take place in the Family Center. Mass will be celebrated at 7:30 a.m. with the altar blessing and viewing immediately following Mass. The altar will remain open

for public viewing until 5 p.m. A church family spaghetti dinner and celebration begins at 6 p.m.

Cannata’s Supermarket, West Houma A St. Joseph Altar will be displayed in the foyer of Cannata’s Supermarket, 6307 West Park Ave. in Houma, from Thursday, March 13 through March 20.

St. Mary’s Nativity, Raceland A St. Joseph Altar will be blessed at St. Mary’s Community Center Wednesday, March 19, at 8:30 a.m. The altar will be available for viewing after the 8:30 a.m. Mass until 5 p.m.

St. Hilary, Mathews St. Hilary will have its St. Joseph Altar for viewing Wednesday, March 19, at 8 a.m. beginning with blessing of the altar. The altar will remain open throughout the day until 4:45 p.m. The Tupa-Tupa will then take place with Mass following. A community meal will follow the Mass.

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Cannata’s Supermarket, Morgan City A St. Joseph Altar will be displayed in the foyer of Cannata’s Supermarket, 610 Hwy. 90 East in Morgan City, from Thursday, March 13 through March 20.

Sacred Heart, Morgan City A St. Joseph Altar will be available for viewing Wednesday, March 19, from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. in church.

St. Ann, Bourg A St. Joseph Alar will be available for viewing for the CCD students Monday and Tuesday, March 17 and 18, at class times. The altar will be available for public viewing Wednesday, March 19, after the 5 p.m. Mass.

St. Bridget, Schriever A St. Joseph Altar will be available for viewing Wednesday, March 19, from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m.

A meal will be served at Noon.

St. Eloi, Theriot A St. Joseph Altar will be available for viewing at St. Eloi Church in Theriot at all Masses March 15 and 16. Homemade breads and cookies will be distributed.

Our Lady of the Isle, Grand Isle A St. Joseph Altar will be available for viewing at Our Lady

of the Isle Church in Grand Isle March 15-16. Blessing of the altar will take place after the 5 p.m. vigil Mass. The altar will also be available for viewing after the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Masses.

Cannata’s Supermarket, East Houma A St. Joseph Altar will be on display in the foyer of Cannata’s Supermarket, 1977 Prospect Blvd., Houma, from Thursday, March 13 through March 20.

St. Lawrence, Chacahoula A St. Joseph Altar will be available for viewing Wednesday, March 19, at St. Lawrence Church in Chacahoula. The blessing will take place at 8 a.m. The altar will remain open for viewing until 6 p.m. Mass will be celebrated at 6 p.m., followed by a meal.

Holy Savior, Lockport A blessing of the St. Joseph Altar will be held Wednesday, March 19, at the church rectory, 612 Main St., Lockport. The altar will be available for viewing at 8:30 a.m.

Closing will take place at 7 p.m.

Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Chackbay The blessing of the St. Joseph Altar will be held immediately following the 7 a.m. Mass Wednesday, March 19, in the Chackbay Catholic Center. Public viewing of the altar will be held following the blessing until 4 p.m.

A public meal will be served at 11 a.m.

Sacred Heart, Cut Off The viewing of the St. Joseph Altar will be held Wednesday, March 19. The altar will be blessed after the 8:30 a.m. Mass in the Spiritual Life Center. Lunch will be served at Noon. The closing of the altar will take place at 4 p.m.

St. Joseph, Galliano A St. Joseph Altar will be on display Wednesday, March 19, in the recreation center behind St. Joseph Church, 17980 West Main Street in Galliano. The altar will be blessed and open for public viewing at 9 a.m. and will close at 4 p.m. A public meal will begin at 11 a.m.

Our Lady of the Rosary, Larose The annual St. Joseph Altar will be held Wednesday, March 19, in the cafeteria of Holy Rosary School.

Mass will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m., in the cafeteria. Blessing of

37 the altar will follow Mass. The altar will close at 4 p.m. A lunch will be prepared and served beginning at 11 a.m.

St. Thomas Aquinas, Thibodaux St. Thomas Aquinas Church parish in Thibodaux will have its St. Joseph Altar available for viewing Wednesday, March 19, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Maria Immacolata, Houma A St. Joseph Altar will be on display for viewing, Wednesday, March 19, at the Maria Immacolata Community Center. Blessing of the altar will take place Tuesday, March 18, with the lower CCD students, teachers and parents attending. A traditional meal will be served Wednesday, the day of the viewing.

Clement Home, Thibodaux The Battaglia family will host a St. Joseph Altar Wednesday, March 19, at the home of Randy and Margo Clement, 812 Jackson Street in Thibodaux, from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. The public is invited to join in honoring St. Joseph on this special day. www.bayoucatholic.com

Special Events

Rev. Sabino Rebosura

Montegut Lenten mission is March 26

Father Sabino “Benny” Rebosura II, pastor of St. Hilary Church parish in Mathews, will be the presenter of a Lenten mission at Sacred Heart Church parish in Montegut Wednesday, March 26, at 6 p.m.

Father Rebosura has been a priest for 26 years. He was born on the island of Bohol in the Philippines.

He graduated from the University of St. Thomas in Manila. He also served as pastor of Sacred Heart 38 Church in Morgan City.

Everyone is invited to the mission.

Rev. Blair Sabaricos

Associate named

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre has announced that the Rev. Blair Sabaricos has been appointed as associate pastor at Christ the Redeemer Church parish in Thibodaux. Father Sabaricos is a native of Tagbilaran, Bohol in the Philippines and was ordained April 10, 1991. Father Sabaricos has been serving as pastor at The Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Loay, Bohol in the Philippines since 2009.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

During Catholic Schools Week, several classes at Holy Rosary Elementary School in Larose undertook projects to benefit the less fortunate. Some classes drew and wrote Valentine’s Day cards for soldiers while others made cards of appreciation for the religious community who visited and had lunch with them. Several classes took on a “Birthday-In-A-Bag” project. Eighth graders put the bags together, and then the bags were sent to a local Catholic Community Center and to the school’s neighboring St. Vincent de Paul’s Center where the bags will be distributed to several children with an upcoming birthday.

Vandy football coach named Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma recently announced the appointment of its new head football coach. Jeremy Atwell has been chosen to lead the Vandebilt football program beginning in the spring of 2014, upon exiting his position as assistant head football coach and defensive coordinator at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

Coach Atwell, a native of Tulsa, OK, joined the Nicholls State University staff as the defensive end coach in 2000. After spending four years as the defensive coordinator at Thibodaux High School from 2002-2006, he returned to Nicholls State where he spent five seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Colonels, two years as assistant head coach and nine years overall with the Nicholls football staff.

Coach Atwell and his wife, the former Cindy Adams, have two sons, Christian (11) and Cameron (4), and a daughter, Callie-Claire (8).

In a statement, Vandebilt said: “Coach Atwell has been named the 15th head football coach in the history of Vandebilt based on his experience, character, ability, aptitude, interview performance

Jeremy Atwell

and philosophy. The selection committee feels confident that he will not only exemplify positive leadership but will also promote spiritual formation, which coincides with the mission of Vandebilt Catholic High School. Coach Atwell has stated that his career objective is ‘to utilize (his) competitive attitude and work ethic to achieve success through discipline within the team and (his) coaching staff.’

“Vandebilt Catholic High School congratulates Coach Atwell for his commitment to improving the football program and to continuing the tradition of excellence that began under the guidance of Coach Buddy Marcello.”

An evening with pastoral council presidents Bishop Shelton J. Fabre addressed pastoral council presidents at a recent meeting at the Pastoral Center in Schriever. Dr. Barbara Fleischer, associate professor of pastoral studies for Loyola Institute for Ministry, facilitated the meeting in which discussion was held concerning the strengths of the diocese and areas where improvement is needed. The diocesan Office of Pastoral Services sponsored the meeting.

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier 39

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Our Churches

St. Lucy

Story by Janet Marcel Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

St. Lucy Church parish in Houma was established in 1947 by the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart (Josephite Fathers) of Baltimore, MD, with Father John A. McShane, S.S.J., as the founding pastor.

According to the parish’s history, it “remained opened as a parish of the Archdiocese of New Orleans until 1968 when it was closed in order to further the cause of racial inclusion in the church. This action, however well intended, did not bring about the results that were hoped for by the archdiocese.”

After the creation of the Diocese of Houma-

Church in Houma small but strong

Thibodaux, as stated in the parish’s history, (the late) Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux was approached by a group of black Catholics seeking the re-establishment of St. Lucy Church parish to serve the AfricanAmerican community. The bishop enlisted the help of the Josephite Fathers to conduct a study of the African-American Catholics in the Houma area. The study revealed that many black Catholics who once belonged to the parish had either left the church or were not practicing their faith.

In 1986, Bishop Boudreaux decided that the spiritual

needs of the African-American Catholics in the Houma area could be better met by reopening St. Lucy parish.

The Josephites once again pastored the church until 1997, when the Franciscans arrived. After almost 10 years of service to St. Lucy, the Franciscans withdrew from the parish and the diocese in June 2006.

The current church was built in 1947 and renovated in 2004. The structure is a rectangular T-shaped old style mission church. The exterior was constructed using cement blocks covered with stucco. Inside, the wall are plastered and painted off white.

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Our Churches

42

St. Lucy Father Mitchel Semar, associate pastor since June 2012, says there are currently 151 registered families in the parish, made up of mostly older couples along with some middle aged families with high school age children. Because of the school that was part of the parish, there are still people who maintain their parishioner status, and support the parish, from as far away as Illinois.

Among the church parish’s organizations and ministries are the Knights of Peter Claver, the Ladies Auxiliary and the Junior Daughters, altar servers, a grieving group for those who have lost loved ones to go to for support, youth ministry, Ladies Altar Society, Men’s Group who meet every Thursday morning for 6 a.m. Mass, then have coffee and donuts afterwards; a homebound ministry, a full Gospel choir, ushers, eucharistic ministers who go to The Suites nursing home every week to deliver Communion. Father Semar also celebrates Mass there once a month.

The church parish has a program called Bread from Heaven in which about 25 people prepare and deliver food for the shut-ins once a month. Currently they Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

are reaching out to about 68 people, with nine groups delivering the food. The group meets every first Saturday of the month beginning with Mass at 8:30 a.m. In addition to the food, sometimes the children of the parish will also make cards for the shut-ins.

In addition, there is a coat ministry in which parishioners bring extra coats to give to people who might need them and any that are left go to the bunkhouse and the women’s shelter.

St. Lucy Church parish is one of only two African American parishes in diocese that maintains a full Gospel choir. People come from all parts of the diocese to attend Mass there. A lot of visitors from other parts of the world like Canada and France attend Mass there occasionally. “The liturgy is a very high spirited one,” says Father Semar, who has been reintroducing the history of the parish to the congregation each week, by reading some of the history written by Father McShane. “The roots go far. I think it is important at this point in our development of St. Lucy that we emphasize the roots and where we come from, and that the people take pride in that.”

Alvin Henry, a parishioner of St. Lucy since his childhood, says Father McShane was like a father figure to him and that the priest helped him find his way more than once as a young man.

Henry, who helped Msgr. Newfield with research regarding where the African American Catholics were worshipping after the parish had closed, says he experienced a lot of joy when it was reestablished. “I felt very good about it. I was elated. … Right now I’m still hoping it will not be closed again.”

Audrey Coleman, parish secretary who is a native of Thibodaux, says that her father’s family was Catholic and her mother’s family was Baptist. “My mother had six brothers and two sisters. Father McShane traveled to Thibodaux to bring the youngest of those to St. Lucy and they were converted.”

She says Father Semar also draws the young people to St. Lucy because he is so energetic. “We sometimes refer to him as ‘the flying priest,’” says Coleman with a chuckle.

Wildred Miller, DRE, says, “We are a small parish, but a strong parish. You can really see a difference in the spirit of the congregation since Father Mitch arrived.”

The parishioners are currently working on improvements to the plant. They are always looking at what they can do to help. “We are moving forward with the vision of the parish. A lot of the parishioners here have an ‘I don’t know what quit is,’ attitude,” says Father Semar.

“St. Lucy’s Mission Church was named in honor of the patron saint of Mr. H.L. Bourgeois’ late mother, a devoted Catholic who took an interest in the neglected Negro children of the church” (Rev. John A. McShane, S.S.J., founding pastor).

“The name says something about the parish. St. Lucy means light, and I really believe that the parish has always been and is a beacon of light for the people to come and experience the Lord in very powerful ways. Every Sunday people are having conversions during Mass – emotional experiences that are just beautiful,” says Father Semar.

“Call us First”

St. Lucy parish staff members are from left, Audrey Coleman, secretary; Father Mitchel Semar, associate pastor; Alvin Henry, longtime parishioner; and Wildred Miller, DRE. Not pictured is Fathia Williams, pastoral associate.

Staff

Mimi Wilson, OT, PA-C Jimmy N. Ponder, Jr., MD Adolfo Cuadra, MD

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St. Lucy earns 4

Child Development Center recognized Story by Janet Marcel Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

St. Lucy Child Development Center (CDC) in Houma, which is administered by Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, recently received a Four Star Rating through the Louisiana Quality Start Child Care Rating System. Quality Start is a voluntary program for licensed child care centers, designed to recognize, support and increase the quality of child care throughout Louisiana.

Participating centers can earn up to five stars.

St. Lucy CDC is a licensed Class A facility that offers preschool, nursery and child development services for children ages 12 months to five years.

All of the teachers have CDA (child development accreditation) and all are CPR certified. Current enrollment is 50; maximum capacity is 58. The center started off as part of the church parish in 1968.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux took 44 over its operation in 1982 to prevent its closing.

Houma native Danielle Davis, who was hired as the center’s manager only eighteen months ago, says, “At first it was a challenge for me, but we have a good group of teachers who were ready for change and growth. We collaborated in a lot of areas. I think the biggest change I had to work on was getting teachers to follow a schedule with so much time per day spent at each activity.”

Davis has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and was previously a teacher for Head Start, a federal program that promotes the school readiness of children from birth to five years old from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social and emotional development “The teachers were very accepting of me and they did a wonderful job of allowing me to make the necessary changes,” she adds.

Davis says the observers were looking for many different things during the verification visits. “We are required to have several different activity centers in each classroom. For example, we have a library center, arts and crafts center, a dramatic play center, a building blocks center, and a sand and water center.

Among the things they checked were the number and variety of books in the library center; the kinds of art supplies in the arts and crafts center; they checked for cleanliness; whether or not the teachers and children were washing their hands frequently enough; whether the children were being engaged enough, if enough time was being spent in each activity; and if the children were spending enough time playing outdoors.”

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Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

St. Lucy Child Development Center childcare worker Sherrel Butler asks four year old students questions during a lesson.

Diocesan Programs This Month “Spotlight on the Diocese” Host: Louis Aguirre With Guests: Most Rev. Bishop Shelton J. Fabre Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

Jeremy Becker, CFRE

Director, Stewardship and Development Office

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Davis says now that they have earned this rating, St. Lucy CDC will receive a refundable tax credit. The size of the credit is based on the center’s star level and number of children being served who receive child care assistance.

“Parents who send their child to a Quality Start rated child development center such as St. Lucy will also get a special tax credit called the School Readiness Tax Credit (SRTC). The amount of the tax credit increases with the number of Stars that a center has earned. The SRTC adds to their existing state childcare tax credit. By St. Lucy earning Four Stars parents will get a 150 percent increase to the Louisiana Child Care Tax Credit,” says Davis.

“Businesses who donate money to the center will also qualify for a tax break, so it’s a winwin-win situation.”

Robert Gorman, executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of HoumaThibodaux, says, “I am incredibly proud of Danielle Davis, the teachers and staff at St. Lucy Child Development Center. When we hired Danielle as the center director, she had one main goal - to obtain our Third Star in Louisiana’s Quality Start program, and here we are now with Four Stars. This is a tremendous accomplishment and St. Lucy CDC stands alone in Terrebonne Parish with this quality of excellence.”

Danielle Davis, St. Lucy Child Development Center manager, goes over a lesson plan with child care worker Barbara Brown.

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Blessed are the ‘losers’ ... at least by world standards, pope says

By Cindy Wooden

Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The “poor in spirit,” the pure and the merciful, whom Jesus described as “blessed,” are the same people the world considers to be “losers,” Pope Francis told Catholic young people.

But Jesus offers his followers the true path to happiness, and faith in him “will allow you to expose and reject the ‘low-cost’ offers and approaches all around you,” the pope said in his message for World Youth Day 2014.

The message, released Feb. 6 at the Vatican, focused on the beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Pope Francis has chosen the beatitudes from the fifth chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew as the themes for World Youth Day 201446 2016. This year and next, World Youth Day will be celebrated on a local level -- on Palm Sunday at the Vatican -- and in 2016 it will be an international gathering in Krakow, Poland.

The pope told young people that in April, he will canonize Blessed John Paul II, who began the international celebrations and will be “the great patron of the World Youth Days.”

“To be blessed means to be happy,” the pope said. “In an age when we are constantly being enticed by vain and empty illusions of happiness, we risk settling for less and

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Pope Francis greets an elderly woman in a wheelchair during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Feb. 19.

‘thinking small’ when it comes to the meaning of life.

“Think big instead,” he told young people. “Open your hearts.”

“Young people who choose Christ are strong: They are fed by his word and they do not need to ‘stuff themselves’” with money, possessions and fleeting pleasure, the pope said.

“Have the courage to swim against the tide. Have the courage to be truly happy,” he said.

Explaining how true happiness includes being “poor in spirit,” the pope said he knew it seemed strange to link happiness and pov-

erty.

But, he said, in the Bible being poor isn’t just about having few material possessions. “It suggests lowliness, a sense of one’s limitations and existential poverty. The ‘anawim’ (God’s poor) trust in the Lord, and they know they can count on him.”

The pope said his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, “understood perfectly the secret of the beatitude” and demonstrated that by living “in imitation of Christ in his poverty and in love for the poor.”

To be poor in spirit, the pope told young people, they must learn to be free or detached from material things, living simply, being concerned about the essentials, but “learning to do without all those unneeded extras.”

Poverty in spirit also requires “a conversion in the way we see the poor,” which means meeting them, listening to them, caring for them and offering them both material and spiritual assistance, he said.

Living according to the beatitude also means recognizing that the poor “have much to offer us and to teach us,” particularly that “people’s value is not measured by their possessions or how much money they have in the bank.”

Looking to Mary, particularly in the Magnificat, the pope told young people, “the joy of the Gospel arises from a heart which, in its poverty, rejoices and marvels at the works of God.”

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Synod on the family set for October

By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Although preparations for the 2014 extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family will include an assessment of Catholics’ attitudes toward relevant church teachings, the synod’s work will be based on Catholic doctrine and not on current public opinion, officials said.

“Certainly the doctrine of the magisterium must be the basis of the common reasoning of the synod,” said Cardinal Peter Erdo of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, at a Vatican news conference. “It is not a question of public opinion.”

As the synod’s relator, Cardinal Erdo will synthesize the remarks and recommendations of his fellow bishops in two speeches during the gathering, which Pope Francis has called for October 2014.

In October 2013, the synod’s general secretary, Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, sent bishops’ conferences around the world a preparatory document that included a 39-item

questionnaire asking about the promotion and acceptance of Catholic teachings on marriage and the family, and cultural and social challenges to those teachings.

Among the topics of the questionnaire were divorce and remarriage, cohabitation, same-sex unions and contraception.

The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales put the questionnaire online in late October, on the SurveyMonkey site, leading to news stories about “polling” Catholics for their opinions and suggestions.

Asked at the recent news conference whether that action was something other bishops’ conferences should emulate, Archbishop Baldisseri said the “question answers itself” and was “not worth considering.”

The archbishop said that pastors were expected to provide summaries of the views and experiences of parishioners, and that their findings would be “channeled” in turn through national bishops’ confer-

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ences for ultimate consideration by the synod.

However, Archbishop Baldisseri said, individual Catholics are also welcome to communicate their views directly to the synod’s offices at the Vatican, for consideration by his staff during preparation of the synod’s working document, which should be published in May 2014.

Italian Archbishop Bruno Forte of Chieti-Vasto, special secretary of the 2014 gathering, was asked if the consultation process might encourage a “rift” between Catholics who accept or reject controversial church teachings.

“Listening so openly naturally means running these risks,” Archbishop Forte said. “What we know in the church is that there is an ultimate reference point, which is the discernment of Peter.”

The synod will document any such disagreements as honestly as possible, he said, and “propose to the Holy Father the questions and possibilities that open up.”

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47

‘Together in the Work of the Lord’ 2014 Annual Bishop’s Appeal will kick off March 29-30

Story by Janet Marcel “Together in the Work of the Lord” is the theme for the 2014 Annual Bishop’s Appeal. The theme this year is based on the Scripture passage “For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9). The emphasis of this year’s appeal is on how we as a diocese, “will need to work together to make all that we do a success,” says Bishop Shelton J. Fabre.

The 2014 Annual Bishop’s Appeal will kick off March 29-30, with Education Weekend. Prior to that weekend, parishioners will receive a letter from Bishop Fabre along with a brochure explaining the Appeal.

“One of my duties as bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is to assure that we as a diocese can to the very best of our ability offer all ministries possible to every parishioner who needs them,” says Bishop Fabre. “It is through the funds received from the Annual Bishop’s Appeal that we are able to fund offices that provide so much for so many.”

The funds received from the 2014 Annual Bishop’s Appeal will be used primarily in the five areas of youth ministry, religious education, retired priests, family ministries, and for less fortunate parishes.

Together, with the help of the Annual Bishop’s Appeal, the diocese can … n Impact the youth by helping the Office of Youth Ministry guide young people to make Christian choices over their lifetime by instilling in them the values and vision of the church through events such as the annual youth rally and Junior High Faith Experience; n Provide opportunities for everyone in the diocese to learn more about their faith through the Office of Religious Education’s programs, including Adult Faith Formation, Loyola University Extension classes and Food for the Journey; n Bless families by supporting the Office of Family Ministries, which strives to strengthen marriages and family life through programs such as marriage prep and couples’ conferences. n Support our retired priests and acknowledge their hard work and dedication through their lifetime of service to the church; n Lend a hand to less fortunate parishes by helping with such things as building improvements, maintenance of facilities and catechetical instruction.

Some of you may be asking, “Didn’t the diocese just

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Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

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conduct a capital campaign that was going to replace the Annual Bishop’s Appeal?” To answer that question Bishop Fabre says, “Yes, the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana did conduct a capital campaign seeking funds for Seminarian Education and Catholic Charities, but that campaign will not replace the Annual Bishop’s Appeal.

Bishop Fabre goes on to explain that, “Essentially, the capital campaign was conducted to meet the increasing cost of educating our seminarians, currently we have 16, and meeting the needs of our Catholic Charities. The campaign sought to establish endowment funds in the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana where the funds raised will be used as an investment and only the interest earned will be spent. In contrast to the capital campaign which seeks to establish endowments for the future sources of revenue, the funds raised during the Annual Bishop’s Appeal will be used immediately to help cover the cost of the five different areas previously mentioned.”

Those who wish to contribute to the 2014 ABA can choose to make a one-time gift or use the pledge system in which they can make eight monthly contributions. Donations can also be made on-line by visiting www.htstewardship.org. A video which includes the bishop’s message and how the funds will be used is available to view on the diocesan website.

For more information about the Annual Bishop’s Appeal, call Jeremy Becker in the Office of Stewardship and Development at (985) 850-3155.

49

www.bayoucatholic.com

Special

Assisi Bridge House praised Commission grants three year accreditation Story by Janet Marcel Photo by Lawrence Chatagnier Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux’s Assisi Bridge House and Independent Living Program recently received accreditation through CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) International.

According to its website, “the CARF accreditation process starts with a provider’s commitment to continuous improvement and culminates with external review and recognition that the provider’s business and service practices meet international standards of quality – with all the steps in between focused on optimal outcomes for the persons the provider serves and sustained organizational success.”

Assisi Bridge House is a 15-bed facility that offers long-term drug and alcohol rehabilitation in a structured environment for men age 22 years and older who have completed primary treatment (a 28 day inpatient treatment program) within the past year, have been clean and sober 30 days before admission, and are stabilized on any (nonnarcotic) 50 prescription medications. Residents must be willing to defer employment; and they must acknowledge their addiction to drugs and/or alcohol.

The Bridge House has been in existence for the past 35 years. The Assisi Bridge House is licensed by the State of Louisiana, certified by the Louisiana Office of Behavioral Health and credentialed by Magellan of Louisiana. Catholic Charities, administering the Assisi Bridge House, is certified under the national Standards for Excellence. In order for it to continue receiving state funding, accreditation is now a requirement.

Monique V. Albarado, LPC, who has been serving as a counselor for Assisi Bridge House since 2003, says the preparation process for accreditation took about a year. “They gave us some workbooks and an outline of materials that we had to have prepared for them when they came in. So a lot of the work was preparing policies and procedures type information for them to review.” When the survey team visited the Bridge House, they looked at the materials that had been prepared; interviewed board members, alumni, family members of clients, a drug court case manager, and various representatives from the community.

“We knew we had a quality, research based program that is proven to work, and getting this CARF seal of accreditation just validates that. What it did was made us really pick apart and look at every aspect of our program and improve it. It was a lot of work, and in a lot of instances, we just had to put in writing what we were already doing,” says Billy Degeyter, CSAC, counselor.

Albarado adds that they were pleased with where Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

a

Assisi Bridge House staff members Billy Degeyter, CSAC, counselor; Brother John Olsen, C.F.X., Ph.D., associate director; and Monique Albarado, LPC, look over Bridge House policy manuals.

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they were because they didn’t have to change too much or add too much. “We were actually prepared for this without even knowing it. We know what our regulations are. We are already evaluated on an ongoing basis by so many different agencies, so this ended up being a good experience and the outcome justifies that we are doing what we set out to do. It’s just an added measure of accountability.”

Robert Gorman, LCSW, ACSW, executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, says “National accreditation of the Assisi Bridge House and the ABH Independent Living Program by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) took an incredible amount of time and energy and, in the end, confirmed our belief that the Assisi Bridge House is an outstanding and unique recovery program that gives people back their lives.

It was uplifting for all of our staff to see the level of support that we have in the community as leaders made special efforts to meet with the CARF surveyors to support our accreditation application. As a result we received a full three year accreditation on our first attempt!”

‘

Assisi Bridge house has strengths in many areas ... it is a stable organization with competent leadership and caring staff members

,

The Bridge House was surveyed on over 1,300 standards and received 11 recommendations for improvement. The survey report states that, “Assisi Bridge House has strengths in many areas: The facility is warm and welcoming; staff members are highly motivated and well trained; clients and their family members speak highly of the respect shown to them by all staff members; the leadership is well respected and provides thoughtful planning and sound financial management; there is a strong alumni connectedness to the programs, which provides solid peer support for the persons served … .”

It goes on to state, “Assisi Bridge House is a stable organization with competent leadership and caring staff members. The organization works collaboratively in the community and has earned a solid reputation.

The organization is financially stable. Staff members are highly motivated to provide quality services that meet the needs of the persons served … .”

According to Brother John Olsen, C.F.X., Ph.D., associate director, Assisi Bridge House “is not a typical halfway house.” The staff provides services that are above and beyond what a halfway house typically offers, primarily because of all the individual and group counseling, and case management services.

Over and over again, says Brother Olsen, “We have heard clients say, ‘Assisi Bridge House gives us something different.’”

Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Schools Office www.csobr.org

Elementary/Middle School Principal School Year: 2014 - 2015 Holy Family School, Port Allen, Louisiana www.holyfamilyschool.com

As part of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Holy Family School has served elementary and middle school students and their families since 1949 by providing an education focused on helping each child fully develop his/her potential in a safe, caring Christ-centered environment as they prepare for success in high school, college and careers. With a current enrollment of 354 students (Grades PK4-8) and 25 staff members, the school community reflects Christ’s presence in daily thought, words and actions. All staff members dedicate themselves to establishing moral values through a program of instruction that develops and forms each person spiritually, mentally, and physically as an individual and member of our faith community.

– Criteria for Applicants: • Required: Practicing Roman Catholic, Registered in a Church Parish • Preferred: Minimum of 5 Years of Teaching or Administrative Experience in Catholic Education • Required: Must Meet Louisiana Department of Education Requirements for Nonpublic School Principal • Required: Demonstrated Ability as an Effective Leader • Availability on July 1, 2014 Submit letter of interest, résumé with references, and copies of transcript(s) to: Holy Family Principal Search Catholic Schools Office P.O. Box 2028 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-2028 Deadline for Application: March 15, 2014 The schools of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana are Equal Opportunity Employers and admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at its schools. They do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

51

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Queen Elizabeth to meet pope April 3

By Simon Caldwell

Catholic News Service

MANCHESTER, England (CNS) -- The Queen of England will visit Pope Francis at the Vatican in April, Buckingham Palace announced.

A Feb. 4 statement said Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, will meet the pope on April 3.

Bone marrow screening available at St. John St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church parish in Thibodaux will hold a bone marrow screening March 23, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. A St. John parishioner, Dale Thibodaux, suffers from leukemia and is in desperate need of a match. Only four out of 10 patients find a donor, so by adding to the database, it increases the odds.

Anyone in good health and between the ages of 18-55 is eligible.

Even if a match isn’t made for Thibodaux, there are many other people in the area needing donors. The parish would like to screen at least 500 people, thus possibly matching five individuals.

There are no registration fees and registration is 52 simple – it takes about three minutes. St. John will be offering registration forms in advance so it will not even take that long. The test consists of a simple cotton swab in the mouth. If a match is made, the process of donating is usually simple as well.

Father Michael Bergeron, pastor of St. John, says “This is a perfect opportunity to make a monumental difference in the life of another person. It is an ordinary gift which will have extraordinary consequences.”

Everyone is encouraged to be screened.

Lumen Christi to offer Lenten retreat April 4-6 A Lenten retreat entitled “Faithfully Following Jesus in Matthew’s Passion Narrative” will be offered at the Lumen Christi Retreat Center in Schriever, April 4-6.

Conferences include: Living faithful to our identity as the church born of the cross; Being faithful guests at the Lord’s table; The response of faithful disciples in uncertain times; A musical journey through Matthew’s Passion; Jesus’ church embraces the cross (confessions will follow); and Responding as church to the risen Lord’s command.

The retreat will be directed by Father Glenn LeCompte, spiritual director of Lumen Christi Retreat Center. For more information or to register, call Aimee Hebert at (985) 868-1523 or email lumenchristi@ htdiocese.org.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

The queen and prince will visit Rome at the invitation of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, the statement said.

It said the royal couple would attend a private lunch hosted by the president at the presidential palace, then would have an audience with the pope at the Vatican.

The 87-year-old queen, who has reigned since 1952, was the first British sovereign to welcome a pope to England when she greeted Blessed Pope John Paul II in London in 1982.

In 2010, Queen Elizabeth also welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to Britain when he arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the first stop of a tour that concluded with the beatification of Blessed John Henry Newman.

The visit to Rome will be the first overseas trip for the royal couple for three years, a period in which Prince Philip, 92, has been troubled by ill health.

The queen is the constitutional head of the British state and is also the supreme governor of the Church of England.

The London-based Daily Mail newspaper, which broke the story ahead of the announcement by Buckingham Palace, speculated that the royal visit would strengthen ties between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.

It also said Pope Francis would not receive the queen and the duke in the Vatican state apartments but in the three modestly furnished rooms that the pontiff occupies in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse.

Principal Position Available Vandebilt Catholic High School Houma, Louisiana Who May Apply: A Catholic who is in full communion in the church Salary: Based on qualifications and experience How to Apply: Submit a letter of intent along with an application form which may be obtained from the Catholic Schools Office, 2779 Highway 311, Schriever; (985)850-3114; or from www.htdiocese.org/catholicschools.

Send Application to: Marian B. Fertitta Catholic Schools Office P.O. Box 505 Schriever, LA 70395 Deadline to Apply: March 14, 2014 A diocesan-owned, co-educational secondary school with a current enrollment of 916 students. College preparatory curriculum, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited. President, Assistant Principals of Academics, Discipline and Student Activities, Development Director, and a dedicated faculty and staff of 83 members.

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By Cindy Wooden

Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Going to Mass and receiving the Eucharist should make a difference in the way Catholics live, Pope Francis said; they should be more accepting of others and more aware of their sinfulness.

“If we don’t feel in need of God’s mercy and don’t think we are sinners, it’s better not to go to Mass,” Pope Francis said Feb. 12 at his weekly general audience. The Eucharist is a celebration of Christ’s gift of himself for the salvation of sinners, which is why the Mass begins with people confessing they are sinners and begging for the Lord’s mercy.

Continuing a series of audience talks about the sacraments, the pope asked people to think about how they approach the Mass and what difference it makes in their lives and the lives of their parishes.

Do you go to Mass because it’s a habit or a time to see your friends? the pope asked. “Or is it something more?”

“When we go to Mass, we find ourselves with all sorts of people,” the pope said. “Does the Eucharist

we celebrate lead me to consider all of them as brothers and sisters? Does it increase my ability to rejoice when they do and to weep with those who weep?”

Pope Francis said it is not enough to say one loves Jesus; it must be shown in love for those he loved.

Ask yourself, he said, if going to Mass helps you reach out to the suffering or “am I indifferent, or

Going to Mass should be a life-changing event, says pope am I gossiping, ‘Did you see how that one’s dressed?’ Sometimes people do that after Mass. But this shouldn’t happen.”

Attendance at Mass also should lead to “the grace of feeling forgiven and able to forgive others,” he said.

Pope Francis said he knows that some people wonder why they should bother going to church when the church is filled with people who

sin like everyone else.

“In reality, those who participate in the Mass don’t do so because they think or want to believe they are superior to others, but precisely because they know they are in need” of God’s mercy, he said.

“We go to Mass because we know we are sinners and want Jesus’ forgiveness,” the pope said. “When, at the beginning of Mass, we say, ‘I confess,’ it’s not something pro forma. It’s a real act of penance.”

In the Eucharist, Jesus truly gives us his body and blood for the remission of sins, he said.

Celebrating the Eucharist also should make a difference in the way a parish community lives, he said. At Mass, Christ gathers people around him “to nourish us with his word and his life. This means that the mission and identity of the church begin and take form there.”

“A celebration could be perfect from an aesthetic point of view -- it can be beautiful -- but if it does not lead us to an encounter with Jesus Christ, it risks not giving any nourishment to our hearts and lives,” the pope said. There must be “coherence between our Eucharist and our lives.”

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Friday, March 21, 2014 ~ 6:30 pm at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center

The evening will feature our guest speaker, Sally-Ann Roberts, WWL-TV morning news co-anchor, a cocktail buffet, live music and a large silent auction display.

Tickets are $50 each or $400 for a table of 8 and can be purchased in the TGMC Main Gift Shop or by calling (985) 873-4002.

All proceeds from this event will remain in our local community to support the fight against cancer.

Presented by: Special thank you to our sponsors:

Bayou Sign Company Oil States Skagit Smatco Cardiovascular Institute of the South Peoples Health Chauvin Brothers Premier OBGYN Specialists Deveney Communications Rushing Media Dr. Charon Gentile Sam’s Club Gulf Island Fabrication Stephanie Hebert Insurance Agency Houma OB-GYN Clinic Synergy Bank Krewe of Aprhrodite The Bayou Catholic Krewe of Hercules Trinity Catering, Inc. Krewe of Hyacinthians Watkins, Walker & Eroche, APLC Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Whitney Bank www.bayoucatholic.com

Entertainment

Seeing Clairely

W 54

Claire Joller

When you look at me, who do you see?

It’s a question we could ask of anyone in our acquaintance. Or anyone who knows us secondhand, only slightly. If the responders are absolutely honest, we might be surprised, and even alarmed, to hear how far the answers are from our own selfimages—or how uncomfortably close they may be to the truth.

This thought process began last year when my high school class celebrated our 50-year anniversary of graduation. These kinds of milestones tend to give us an appropriate time to evaluate and examine ourselves, since it’s sort of a foregone conclusion that we will be applying the Who Are You Now calipers to our former classmates, too.

So, I asked myself, when they look at me, who do they see?

Do they see the skinny bookish girl who was so insecure that she got tongue-tied in social situations?

Does it show, how the world opened up for me and the confidence I gained in college?

Can they tell that even though my insecurities waned in those four years, they have persisted beneath the surface even until now?

Can they know how I fought with myself, out of necessity, to wear the masks that allowed me to function adequately in my jobs later on? Can they imagine how hard I worked to become efficient and seemingly at ease with the world?

Would any of them equate their own experiences of marriage and having families to the infusion of wholeness I welcomed at that stage of my life?

Do even my best friends in

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

Who do you see? high school know how much my interactions with them fed who I was to become?

Is it evident how full my life has been, and unexpectedly joyful, and now even approaching serene? The long-held insecurities still lurk at some level, but I’m better at both admitting to them when I have to, and suppressing them to the extent that I can.

Introspection makes me aware that using a more sensitive measuring stick for others might be in order.

The seven-year-old boy in the pew ahead of ours who refuses to relinquish his place at his mother’s side to his younger sister: Do we see an obstinate child, or do we see a little fellow who desperately wants to secure his place in the family?

When we are in the company of a bombastic fellow who derails the conversation to steer it toward his interests, do we see an egomaniacal bully, or can we allow that he may have nothing else in his repertoire to talk about—and he’s trying to hide his ignorance of

the current topic?

Can we see the beautiful young girl who enters a room to every head turning admiringly in her direction as possibly uncomfortable with the attention, or do we automatically brand her as full of herself?

At this point it needs to be said that introspection of this type is more a female than a male characteristic, in my opinion. Most of us, however, would probably prefer gentle opinions about ourselves than harsh or inaccurate viewpoints. As curious as we may be about how much people really know about us from mere acquaintance, it’s sometimes dangerous to find out the answer to Who Do You See When You Look at Me? I was told by a couple of (unasked) risk-taking souls that one of them considered me haughty, and that the other evaluated me as overly assured of myself. Maybe I overdid the masks.

(For comments or inquiries about this column, Claire Joller can be contacted by e-mail at clairely1@ comcast.net).

Offense Defense?

Sports

Overtime

D

Ed Daniels

Decision time approaches for Saints head coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis.

Last offseason, that decision, offense or defense was made, in free agency and in the draft.

The 2012 Saints were the worst defense in NFL history, allowing 7,042 yards.

So, with a limited pool of free agent money, the Saints allowed left tackle Jermon Bushrod, a starter on the 2009 Super Bowl champions, to walk.

Bushrod signed a five year, $35.9 million deal with the Chicago Bears.

The Saints then brought former O Perry Walker star Keenan Lewis back home. Lewis signed a five year, $26. 3 million deal.

Lewis is the Saints best cornerback and a big reason why the defense made dramatic improvement under first year coordinator Rob Ryan.

The Saints will again have limited monies in unrestricted free agency.

Is it offense or defense?

That decision was made a year ago in the draft. The Saints addressed a need at safety, selecting Kenny Vaccaro from Texas in the first round. Vaccaro had a solid season before it ended with a fractured ankle in a December game at Carolina. His selection fit in perfectly with the Saints long term plans.

Safety Roman Harper, part of Payton’s first draft class in 2006, was a February cut.

Safety Malcolm Jenkins could hit the market as an unrestricted free agent.

Offense or defense?

The Saints certainly have issues on offense.

Wide receiver Marques Colston, the best at his position in the history of franchise, is on the tail end of a terrific career.

Graham was seeing more and more double coverage in the 2013 season.

With wide receiver Joe Morgan on injured reserve for the entire year, rookie Kenny Stills became the Saints lone deep threat.

The Saints rushing attack also needs a boost.

In 2013, the Saints joined Cincinnati, Detroit and Tennessee as the only teams without a running play of 40 or more yards.

The Saints had only seven rushes of 20 or more yards.

Do the Saints look for a runner in the mid to late rounds?

Can the club afford to spend a second or third round selection on a speedy wide receiver that would open

OR

the middle of the field for Jimmy Graham?

Offense or defense?

In 2013, the top six scoring defenses in the NFL (Saints were 4th at 19 points a game) made the playoffs.

Arizona was seventh. The Cardinals missed the playoffs despite winning 10 games.

In the 2013 playoffs, it was defense.

The Seattle Seahawks allowed the Saints 15 points.

In the NFC championship game, Seattle limited San Francisco to 17 points.

And, in the Super Bowl, Seattle drubbed Denver 438.

The Saints made huge strides on defense, and went from seven wins to 12.

With a limited amount of free agent cash, but with a full complement of draft picks, the Saints plunge into the offseason.

55

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Financial Report

Glenn J. Landry, Jr. CPA, CDFM

56

It is with pleasure I join Bishop Shelton J. Fabre and the entire diocesan staff in presenting the financial highlights of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. The mission statement of the Office of Finance and Accounting states, “to be of service to the parishes, schools and agencies of the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux through proper planning, monitoring and safeguarding of the gifts of treasure entrusted to us by the people of the diocese.”

This article tries to capture, in summary form, financial highlights of operations this past year. It is my prayer that this summary is of value to you, the parishioners of Houma-Thibodaux and illustrates our commitment to the mission statement of our ministry and service to the church. Through ministry, each and every one of the diocesan offices and programs exists to provide support and service to our parishes, schools and institutions.

I encourage each reader to review the Catholic Directory that is published each year. This directory is a comprehensive guide to diocesan operations and illustrates the offices and programs providing pastoral and administrative services to each parish, school and institution of the diocese.

I also would like to take this opportunity to emphasize that our diocese has adopted a centralized approach to many pastoral and administrative programs. This approach allows the diocese to efficiently utilize all resources for the benefit of each and every diocesan entity. Diocesan staff uses a very strong system of internal procedures to properly record the activity of this diverse organization while maintaining separation between all locations.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

Diocese The Audit and the Auditor’s Opinion The financial statements were audited by an independent certified public accounting firm. Diocesan management chooses to hire these auditors to help fulfill its role as good and responsible stewards of the generous funds contributed by its parishioners. The auditors expressed a “qualified” opinion on the diocese’s financial statements.

A “qualified” opinion differs from an “unqualified” in that a “qualified” opinion is rendered when the financial statements are fairly presented “except for” certain items.

The “except for” items applicable to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux relate to the fact that the financial statements do not contain a provision for depreciation on longlived assets nor do they contain an actuarial valuation of the liability for pension and postretirement health care benefits for priests.

These exceptions have existed for many years and are expected to reoccur in the future. The notes to the financial statements explain why these provisions are not made – primarily because the cost of doing what is necessary to remove these exceptions is far greater than the benefit of performing the tasks, which have been noted.

The complete audited report is available to all. Please contact me if you are interested in viewing the full report. Anyone wishing to contact me regarding the audited report should notify me in writing at

P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395, by email at glandry@htdiocese.org, or by telephone at (985)850-3112.

Financial Highlights ASSETS Cash and investments (excluding loans to parishes but including deposits from parishes, schools and institutions) of the diocese for the year ended June 30, 2013, totaled $60.7 million – an increase of $2.3 million. One should not be misled by these large figures.

Approximately $56.3 million of the cash and investments are deposits and endowments owned by parishes, schools, and institutions. These funds are managed by investment managers on behalf of our Central Finance system in order to provide for the highest possible rate of return without undue risk.

The endowments held for parishes, schools and institutions in Central Finance increased approximately $753,000 from 2012.

Seminarian Burse funds increased by approximately $60,800, and the Catholic Charities Endowment increased by approximately $55,100.

Please see Chart One for a listing of total diocesan assets.

LIABILITIES Liabilities at June 30, 2013, totaled $78.6 million. As mentioned above $56.3 million belongs to parishes, cemeteries, schools and third parties for deposits and endowments in the diocesan Central Finance program. In 2006

remains stable LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

the diocese issued $17.7 million variable rate demand bonds to fund various construction projects throughout the diocese. In 2007 the diocese issued $6.48 million variable rate demand bonds to fund priest pension liabilities. At June 30, 2013, approximately $18.5 million of bond debt was still outstanding. Please see Chart Two for a listing of total diocesan liabilities.

Due to the low rate of investment return and other depressed economic factors, it was determined that the cost of the 2006 variable rate demand bonds exceeded the expected future benefits; therefore, the entire 2006 bond issue was redeemed on Nov. 1, 2013.

NET ASSETS Temporarily restricted net assets are restricted by donors for support of a particular operating activity or donor restricted use. Permanently restricted net assets are restricted indefinitely for diocesan ownership and/or support of a particular operating activity. The diocese maintains several operations that are funded by sources other than general diocesan revenue. The revenues and expenses incurred by these programs are internally segregated, and the programs having revenues in excess of expenditures are reflected as designated net assets to be used in the future by the specific program.

These programs are typically referred to as funded operations.

Please see Chart Four for a breakdown of net assets.

REVENUES AND EXPENSES The diocese has various sources of revenue which include cathedraticum, investment return, donations, grants and program service fees. Cathedraticum is essentially an assessment levied on ordinary income and certain extraordinary income of parishes within the diocese. Investment return includes earnings from Central Finance investments and investments associated with bonds issued by the diocese in 2006 and 2007. Donations include Annual Bishop’s Appeal, special collections, oil and gas royalties, and other gifts.

Grants and program service fees are generated by diocesan programs or offices for a specific purpose. Please see Schedule A for a summary presentation of all diocesan revenues and expenses.

Formation Ministries include the following programs/offices: Formation, Family Ministries, Worship, Catholic schools, Religious Education, Pastoral Staffing, Conferences, Evangelization, Youth Ministries, Communications, and Bayou Catholic, as well as grants to parishes.

Social Ministries include the following programs/offices: Hospital Chaplains, Assisi Bridge House, Independent Living, St. Lucy Child Development Center, Disaster Services, Catholic Housing, Micro Enterprise, Foster Grandparent, and Catholic Charities.

Clergy and Religious include Seminarian Formation and

Education, Vocations, Permanent Diaconate, and retired priest’s benefits.

Administration Ministries includes the following programs/ offices: Computer and Technology Support, bishop’s residence, Construction, Archives, Tribunal, Safe Environment, Cemeteries Trust, Cemeteries, St. Joseph Cemetery, Casualty Insurance, Central Finance, Lumen Christi Retreat Center, and Human Resources and Employee Benefits.

General administration includes the offices of the Bishop, Chancellor, Vicar General, and Finance and Accounting. There are certain expenses that are included in general administration and Administration Ministries that have not been allocated to other offices and/or programs.

In Closing …

Through careful planning the financial condition of the diocese remains stable. We continue to strive to provide financial stability, prudent decision making and the capability to react to the changing needs of our church. We also work at improving efficiencies in the system by monitoring our budgetary 57 process and requiring accountability at all levels of the organization.

Our constant goal is to grow our allocation of funds in support of the many ministries provided while reducing our administrative expenses as a percentage of our total expenditures. We believe that this is our responsibility in the spirit of good stewardship of the funds entrusted to the diocese.

The prayers, support and unity of each location and all parishioners of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux are a very important component of success. All are gratefully acknowledged and appreciated in helping us fulfill the mission as set forth for us in the Gospels as part of our mission statement of the diocese.

Glenn J. Landry Jr., CPA, CDFM, CGMA Coordinator of Administration Ministries and Diocesan Finance Director/Business Manager www.bayoucatholic.com

Financial Report Chart One

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Assets Property, plant & equipment $21,871,609

Other assets $6,193,167

Parish and school loans $3,202,873

Other current assets $857,362 Cash and investments $60,722,538 Some notes regarding the Diocese’s assets: The Diocese’s assets are comprised primarily of investments and property, plant and equipment. The source of the invested funds stems mainly from the Diocesan Central Finance program. Deposits and endowments in the Central Finance program account for 94% of cash and investments. Property, plant and equipment includes property received from the Archdiocese of New Orleans upon the formation of our Diocese in 1977. Also, it includes the cost of fixed asset additions made since the formation of the Diocese (exclusive of replacements). The Diocese does not record depreciation on long-lived assets because the cost of deriving the information to calculate depreciation outweighs the benefit we would derive.

Chart Two

58

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Liabilities Central finance deposits $38,433,514

Priests' postretirement benefits liability $325,010

Insurance program reserves $606,518

Series 2006 & 2007 bonds payable $18,445,000

Third-party endowments $17,893,714

Accounts payable and other current liabilities $2,889,331

Some notes regarding the Diocese’s liabilities and accruals: Seventy-two percent (72%) of the liabilities of the Diocese result from the inclusion of deposits in the Diocese’s Central Finance program and endowments in the liability category. The liability for priests’ postretirement benefits other than pensions (mainly health insurance and long-term care) have historically been paid and will be paid in the future through the Diocese’s normal annual budgetary process.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014

Chart Three

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Central Finance Deposits Parishes $9,179,387

Schools and others $24,060,798

Cemeteries $5,193,329

Some notes regarding Central Finance Deposits: Deposits from schools are comparatively larger at June 30 than they are at most other times during the year. This is due to the prepaid tuition program in which most schools in the Diocese participate. Approximately 94% of the deposited funds for schools will be drawn by the schools during the year to pay for their operations.

Chart Four

59

Unrestricted, undesignated net assets 1,026,462

Unrestricted, designated net assets 7,438,152

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Net Assets Permanently restricted net assets $4,348,716

Temporarily restricted net assets 1,441,132

Some notes regarding the net assets of the Diocese: Net assets represent the difference between the Diocese’s assets and liabilities. Net assets are also commonly referred to as “net worth.” The net assets of the Diocese are segregated into net assets that are restricted as to use by donors and those that are not. For those net assets that are not restricted, the Diocese has designated net assets to fund Diocesan programs and projects. The remaining net assets not designated are classified as “unrestricted, undesignated.” “Unrestricted, undesignated” does not mean that the Diocese has this amount in reserves. Rather, this figure represents total assets minus total liabilities and net assets that are restricted and/or designated. www.bayoucatholic.com

-

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • March 2014 $

-

93,635 35,140

Business allowance/reimbursement

Conference and travel

and meetings

disaster relief

2,742,746 (1,310,869)

Excess revenues (expenses)

-

-

Total expenses

issuance costs

Bond interest and amortization of

Telephone

-

6,140

Investment fees and bank charges

Emergency assistance and

-

12,430

Central finance interest expense

140,362

Contributions and grants

19,066

Communications and public relations

Dues and subscriptions

50,830

400

Audit and accounting fees

Books and pamphlets

-

219,160

62,741

105,490

-

6,199

52,779

Papal quota and Catholic Conference

Copying and printing

Legal fees/professional services

Occupancy expenses

Insurance

Maintenance and repair

Supplies

650,541

49,633

Pension and benefits

Program expenses, workshops

17,458

$

35,685

1,846,038

-

22,931

273,833

202

-

7,484

-

6,673

102

-

-

734

31,006

72,826

33,029

81,398

48,444

297,909

39,946

35,903

31,101

19,078

123,713

156,996

Group insurance - religious

Group insurance - lay

43,531

66,477

Payroll taxes

34,260

641,935

1,881,723

3,817

311,764

-

19,152

-

850,425

254,245

70,390

926,879

1,431,877

442,320

Salaries - religious

Salaries - lay personnel

Expenses:

Total revenues and other support

Net assets released from restrictions

1,063,736

Oil and gas income

Program service and other income

10,000

-

286,802

Investment income

Annual Bishop's Appeal

Grants

36,049

Special collections

$

35,290

$

Ministries

Ministries

Donations

Cathedraticum

Revenues and other support:

Social

Formation

60

$

$

(28,573)

844,725

-

5,709

-

-

-

2,802

-

6,809

8,250

-

-

-

-

7,356

-

54,530

10,751

493,606

6,072

3,739

1,089

182,250

17,606

2,704

5,412

36,040

816,152

-

238,133

-

26,869

-

-

258,300

292,850

-

Religious

Clergy and

Program services

$

$

(1,803,357)

13,392,511

-

1,188

-

149,149

646,349

4,777

-

2,711

107

11,972

-

-

18,813

77,379

2,707,111

109,488

74,036

254,909

21,405

33,260

32,532

10,210

8,387,068

52,625

11,195

786,227

11,589,154

-

10,841,683

9,744

737,727

-

-

-

-

-

Ministries

Administration

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Unrestricted Revenues and Expenses Year Ended June 30, 2013

$

$

Total

-

General and

(3,107,114)

18,826,020

-

29,828

273,833

155,491

646,349

27,493

140,362

35,259

59,289

12,372

-

219,894

112,560

263,051

2,740,140

251,615

186,010

1,746,519

2,283,602

1,330,906

16,039

-

47,831

-

1,996

9,002

7,991

544

41,585

73,902

20,322

20,141

46,677

-

73,414

20,576

63,901

8,184

1,696,965

23,886

19,600

10,157

65,929

22,521

25,940

332,558

4,030,121

-

29,231

1,418,657

224,255

-

-

-

10,774

2,347,204

102,563

$

$

Adminsitrative

166,537

114,355

228,996

8,685,383

165,337

121,257

2,391,081

15,718,906

3,817

12,455,316

9,744

793,748

-

1,137,227

548,594

770,460

Program

$

$

-

612,364

246,756

-

-

-

-

-

1,564

$

(748,231)

21,356,378

1,330,906

45,867

273,833

203,322

646,349

31,053

149,364

43,310

59,878

53,957 60

73,902

240,453

176,864

309,728

2,740,140

325,029

206,586

1,855,203

113,477

198,118

137,722

239,153

8,759,391

193,882

147,197

2,801,694

20,608,147

3,817

12,484,547

1,428,401

1,018,003

859,120

1,137,227

548,594

781,234

2,347,204

45

$

Total

-

237

44,163

-

-

-

-

94,337

2,730

7,695

3,767

-

8,079

6,024

-

78,055

859,120

-

-

-

-

859,120

-

-

-

-

Stewardship

Schedule A

Schedule A

Financial Report Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Unrestricted Revenues and Expenses Year ended June 30, 2013