Catholic Connection March 2016

Connection The Catholic

Vol. 25, No. 8 March 2016

Mary’s

House

Providing Hope for Pregnant Women March 2016 1

Pray for Pro-Life Ministries This Easter Publisher Bishop Michael G. Duca Editor Jessica Rinaudo Contributors Brian Burgess Lisa Cooper Bishop Michael Duca Fr. Joseph Howard Raney Johnson Kim Long Lucy Medvec Susan Prest

Fr. Rothell Price Dianne Rachal Susan Reeks Jessica Rinaudo Katie Sciba Courtney Smith Bonny Van Mike Van Vranken

Editorial Board Kim Long Fr. Matthew Long Kelly Phelan Powell Dianne Rachal Christine Rivers Deacon Mike Whitehead John Mark Willcox Mission Statement The Catholic Connection is a monthly publication funded by your Diocesan Service Appeal; mailed to every known Catholic household in the Diocese of Shreveport.

Our Mission is to advance knowledge and understanding of our Catholic Faith among the faithful. We seek to foster the application of Christ’s teachings and our Church’s mission in our daily lives and to encourage our sense of Catholic identity within our family, parish, and diocesan faith community.

Subscriptions & Address Changes Contact: Jessica Rinaudo, Editor Email: jrinaudo@dioshpt.org Write: Catholic Connection 3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104 Call: 318-868-4441 Fax: 318-868-4609 Website: www.thecatholicconnection.org

The Catholic Connection is a member of the Catholic Press Association.

The Diocese of Shreveport complies with Virtus’s Protecting God’s Children program. Classes are offered every second Wednesday of the month at the Catholic Center in Shreveport. To report child sexual abuse by a cleric or church worker in the Diocese of Shreveport, call Glennda Lawson.

Hotline is 318-294-1031 and your local law enforcement agency.

2 Catholic Connection

by Jessica Rinaudo, Editor

E

aster comes early this year on March 27, and as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Mary’s House, the Diocese of Shreveport’s pregnancy care center, is a new avenue to be the face of mercy to pregnant women. It’s the first stop on what will hopefully be the beginning of a new life (pg. 14). Gabriel’s Closet, a mission of Catholic Charities, is also an extension of mercy to mothers and their families, as they help prepare parents for a new life, both through education and supplies to support their babies (pg. 16).

As you celebrate Easter with your family and rejoice in the Risen Lord, please take the time to say a prayer for mothers facing unplanned pregnancies, and that these ministries thrive and provide them some of the tools they need to get started. " God, author of all life, bless, we pray, these unborn children; give constant protection and grant a healthy birth that is the sign of our rebirth one day into the eternal rejoicing of heaven..." ~ excerpt from the Prayer of Blessing from the USCCB

bishop’s march calendar MARCH 2 Men’s Fellowship Group Luncheon; Family Life Center, St. Joseph Parish, Shreveport; 12:00 p.m.

MARCH 3 St. Francis Medical Center’s Franciscan Service Award Banquet; Monroe; 5:30 p.m.

MARCH 4 Lenten Ecumenical Luncheon; St. Patrick Parish, Lake Providence; 12:00 p.m.

Stations of the Cross; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 5:30 p.m.

MARCH 6 Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 8:30 a.m.

MARCH 7-9 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Administrative Committee meeting; Washington, D.C. MARCH 10 Notre Dame Seminary & St. Joseph Seminary Board of Trustees, St. Joseph Seminary, Covington; 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

MARCH 16 6th Annual ProLife Banquet; Bossier Civic Center, Bossier City; 6:00 p.m.

MARCH 17 St. Vincent Academy Alumni Tag Day; Catholic Center, Shreveport; 6:00 p.m.

MARCH 20 Palm Sunday Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 11:00 a.m.

MARCH 22 Clergy Day of Reflection; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Chrism Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 6:00 p.m.

MARCH 24 Mass of the Lord’s Supper; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 5:30 p.m.

MARCH 25 The Way of the Cross Justice Walk; First United Methodist Church; Shreveport; 9:00 a.m.

MARCH 11 Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting; Baton Rouge

Good Friday Service; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 3:00 p.m.

MARCH 13 Mass & Blessing of St. Joseph Altar; St. Joseph Parish, Shreveport; 9:30 a.m.

MARCH 26 Easter Vigil; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 7:30 p.m.

contents

march 2016

columns Transforming Sacrificial Love is Revealed by Christ by Bishop Michael Duca...... 4-5 Mike’s Meditations: The Face of Mercy – Is It Yours?

by Mike Van Vranken.................................................................................................6 In Review: Our Lady, Undoer of Knots by Kim Long ............................................7 Faithful Food: Gathering with Purpose and Tradition by Kim Long..................... 8

14

Domestic Church: God Chose YOU for Your Children by Katie Sciba................ 9 From the Pope: God's Justice is Mercy

by Vatican Information Services..................................................................................10

Navigating the Faith: The Octave of Easter by Dianne Rachal ..........................11 Second Collections for March 2016 by Fr. Rothell Price ......................................12 Vocations View: Overcoming the "Age" Fear by Raney Johnson ......................13 Mercy in Action: St. Lucy's Makes Comfort Bears by Bonny Van ....................... 17 Kids' Connection: Resurrection of Jesus ...............................................................24

16

features Mary's House: Providing Hope for Pregnant Women

by Jessica Rinaudo ................................................................................................... 14-15

news Gabriel's Closet Works to Build Stronger Families by Lucy Medvec ....................16 Loyola's Daigle Launches Healthcare Internship Program by Lisa Cooper ......18 Congratulations to Students of the Year ............................................................18 New Chapel for Holy Angels by Susan Reeks.........................................................19 Good Friday Way of the Cross by Brian Burgess....................................................20

17 on the cover

Godparents and Sponsors by Dianne Rachal.......................................................21 St. Joseph Altars by Susan Prest ..............................................................................22 A Message from Bishop Duca ..............................................................................22 Hispanic News by Fr. Joseph Howard ......................................................................23 School News ...........................................................................................................25 Across the Globe: First Jubilee Audience: Mercy and Mission

by Vatican Information Services ................................................................................26 Lenten Reconciliation Services .............................................................................27 Bishop Duca's Annual Pro-Life Banquet ..............................................................27 Across the Diocese ................................................................................................28-29 Mark Your Calendar ...............................................................................................30 March Calendar ....................................................................................................31 Picture of the Month...............................................................................................32

Volunteer sonographer Cassidy Rainwater conducts an ultrasound at Mary's House.

March 2016 3

la reflexión Del Obispo por Obispo Michael G. Duca

El Amor Transformante, de Sacrificio es Revelado por Cristo

H

ay un comercial de televisión que muestra positivamente una verdad espiritual que puede servirnos de guía en nuestras vidas. La escena comienza con un hombre joven diciendo a sus amigos, “nunca me casaré,” pero en la escena siguiente este joven ya está comprando un anillo de compromiso. El comercial continúa con una serie de escenas como esta.

Después ya casado le dice a su esposa, “Nunca tendremos hijos,” pero en la siguiente escena la esposa ya está en el hospital dando a luz. Después dice, “Nunca nos cambiaremos a vivir fuera de la ciudad,” pero la siguiente escena es de su casa en los suburbios. Continúa diciendo: “Nunca tendremos otro hijo,” pero inmediatamente su esposa le contesta estoy embarazada otra vez.

Por fin la última escena es de su familia tranquilos sentados en el sillón de su sala y con mucho amor dice: “!nunca los dejare ir!”

Esta historia me gustó porque me reflejo en ese hombre joven de la historia. Yo también dije nunca, cuando terminé de estudiar en el seminario.

Recuerdo que estaba seguro que nunca iba a estudiar ley canónica y nunca quería regresar al seminario. Pero Dios vio algo diferente en mí y me enviaron a estudiar ley canónica en Roma. Cuando regresé de mis estudios, me hicieron rector del mismo seminario al que nunca quería regresar. Nunca me lo pude haberme imaginado. Dios me dio lo según yo no quería y con eso borró de mi vida la historia que yo había imaginado.

Me imagino que en verdad muchas veces cuando tomamos nuestro razonamiento y hacemos nuestros propios planes, con frecuencia tomamos decisiones superficiales, pequeñas y egoístas en la vida. A final de cuentas lo que nos salva de estas pequeñeces y egoísmos es amor. Pero no cualquier amor, sino el amor de sacrificio y transformación revelado por la Palabra Hecha Carne, Jesucristo en la cruz. En la cruz Jesús sacrificó Su vida por nosotros para que podamos tener vida en abundancia.

Esta clase de amor también es imposible de realizar o parece ridículo en la vida seglar y en la cultura que nos rodea. Frecuentemente huimos de él como el joven en el comercial, pero el amor nos captura de una manera inesperada con ese amor sacrificante que nos saca de nuestros egoísmos y nos abre al gozo del amor. Gracias a Dios que no tenemos que hacer grandes sacrificios al principio pues vamos cayendo en la trampa del amor, o más bien siendo bendecidos con la gracia y gozo que nos hace sentir en un principio nos hace sentir en control. Pero tarde o temprano las exigencias del amor se van llevando eso que nos prohíbe sumergirnos en nuestro compromiso. Cuando sentimos que no tenemos ya nada que dar, es ahí cuando nos damos cuenta de una nueva fuerza. Se siente que se está perdiendo todo, pero más bien estamos haciendo espacio para algo mucho mejor.

En esta Semana Santa, Jesús abraza su cruz. Él sabe que esto será difícil y hasta le pide al padre en el Huerto de Getsemaní diciendo “Padre, si quieres aparta de mí esta copa” pero al final se mantiene fiel a las exigencias del amor, a la voluntad de Su Padre. A veces así es nuestra vida, las exigencias del amor nos invitan con más profundidad al misterio del amor y esto nos cuesta mucho. Como el cuidado de los papás que necesitan más ayuda, o las necesidades de un niño enfermo o esposo(a), ayudando al prójimo 4 Catholic Connection

o algún familiar, tratando de sanar la familia de algún malentendido o reavivando el amor son ejemplos de que todo esto toma tiempo y esfuerzo y una a exigencia a dejar ir algo para hacer espacio para las exigencias del amor. Igual que Jesús en la Cruz, se siente la muerte, de hecho, si es un morir a sí mismos. Pero Jesús que murió en la cruz no se quedó en la tumba, sino que resucitó a una nueva vida. Igual nosotros si morimos con Cristo y permanecemos fieles a nuestros compromisos de amor, resucitaremos con un nuevo corazón. Seremos libres para amar, con una mayor profundidad que nunca esperábamos y que nos conecta a los demás con un amor tan profundo que da miedo pero es maravilloso al mismo tiempo.

En ese corto comercial que les mencioné al principio, el joven toma su camino de amor. Yo he encontrado este camino de amor en mi sacerdocio y como su obispo. Oro para que esta Semana Santa y esta Pascua los llene con una gracia de ayudarse mutuamente a sacar egoísmos y pecados y responder a las exigencias del amor. Tal vez sientan que están muriendo pero ese es en verdad el camino a una nueva vida y a la resurrección.

El comercial es de la compañía de State Farm: https://youtu.be/O1Z91YkPatw

bishop’s REFLECTION

by Bishop Michael G. Duca

Transforming Sacrificial Love is Revealed by Christ

T

here is a commercial on TV that positively captures a deep spiritual truth that should guide all of our lives. The scene opens with a young man stating to his friends, “I will never get married,” followed by the next scene of the young man buying an engagement ring. The commercial continues with a series of these scenes. Now married he says to his wife, “We will never have children,” followed by a scene in the delivery room with his wife in labor.

Next he proclaims, “We will never move to the suburbs,” followed with a scene of his suburban home. “We will never have another child,” is followed immediately with a revelation from his wife that she is pregnant. The last scene is of the young family on their living room couch, the two children and wife asleep, and the father Bishop Duca looking at his family with a deep love says, “I will never let you go!”

I think this story resonates with me because I see myself in the young man in the story. I made some similar statements when I finished my studies at the seminary. I remember being sure that I never wanted to study canon law and I never wanted to return to the seminary. But God saw something different in me and I was sent to Rome to study canon law. When I returned from my studies, I was made rector of the same seminary I never wanted to return to. I never could have imagined those turns in my life. God gave me everything I did not want and erased any story I could have imagined.

I suppose it is often true that when left to our own devices and reasoning, we often make small, superficial and self-serving choices in life. In the end what saves us from a self-serving, small, uninspired life is love. But not any kind of love, it is the transforming sacrificial love revealed by the Word Made Flesh, Jesus Christ on the cross. On the cross Jesus sacrificed His life for us so we can have life more abundantly.

This kind of love seems too impossible to bear or is made to seem ridiculous in the secular culture that surrounds us. We often run from it like the young man in the commercial, but love captures us unexpectedly and sacrificial love peels away our self-centeredness and opens us to the joy of love. Thank goodness we don’t have to make big sacrifices at the beginning, because we are kind of tricked by falling in love, or blessed with joyful graces that make us feel in control at the beginning. But eventually the demands of love strip away anything that keeps us from deepening our commitment.

Just when we feel we have nothing to give, we find a new strength. It feels like we are giving up everything, but we are just making room for something better.

Jesus this Holy Week embraces his cross. He knows it will be hard and in the garden of Gethsemane he begs his Father, “Let this cup pass away from me” but in the end Jesus remains faithful to the demands of love, the will of his Father. This is our life at times, the demands of love invite us deeper into the mystery of love and it costs us dearly. Caring for parents that need more help, for the needs of an ill child or spouse, volunteering to

help a neighbor or relative, trying to heal strife in a family or rekindle love all take time and effort and will demand that we let something else go to embrace these demands of love. Like Jesus on the Cross, it feels like dying, in fact, it is a dying to self. But Jesus who died on the cross did not remain in the tomb, but was resurrected to new life. So too if we die with Christ in remaining faithful to our commitments of love, we resurrect with a new heart now free to love with a depth we never expected and we are connected to others with a love so deep it is frightening and wonderful at the same time.

In the short commercial I mentioned above, the young man takes this journey of love. I have found this journey of love in my priesthood and as your bishop. I pray that this Holy Week and Easter will be filled with a grace to help us all to cast off our self-centeredness and sin and embrace the demands of love. It will feel like dying, but it is really the path of new life and resurrection. • State Farm Commercial https://youtu.be/O1Z91YkPatw March 2016 5

mike’s meditations

by Mike Van Vranken

The Face of Mercy – Is It Yours?

G

od told Moses: “But you cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live” (Exodus 33:18). Later, God physically appeared in the world in the form of Jesus Christ, who said: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). And in that face, that face of Jesus, we see the essence of God, who is love (1 John 4:16). We could reason that God revealed His Divine Mercy in the humanity of our Savior. Jesus became the manifested reflection of the loving and merciful God in our world. Can we dare to gaze on the face of Jesus and recognize anything but love and mercy? Do we realize the mercy radiating from his face finds its source, its genesis in the infinite, Van Vranken unconditional love of his Sacred Heart?

At this moment, we are invited to an encounter with Christ. We are encouraged to commune with him and become like him. Our challenge is to put on the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16) so our hearts become meek, humble and loving like his. When we share his love in the form of mercy, our faces radiate that love, that mercy, with the same glory that emanated from his own face.

Because mercy comes from the heart, it flows from the inside. It is not a command we receive. Instead, it is our response to the God who loves us and showers us with His Divine Mercy. When we encounter Jesus in our everyday world, our hearts burst open with new love and new mercies that are meant to heal our own lives and then be shared with others.

On December 28, 1983, Pope John Paul II visited his would-be assassin Mehmet Ali Agca in prison and unconditionally forgave him.

At that moment, Agca saw the face of mercy in the former pontiff, now saint. He found the mercy and love of Jesus in another human being. He encountered the Savior because Pope John Paul II responded to God’s mercy in his own life by spreading that mercy to another. The effect on Agca of seeing the face of mercy in another person was so profound that he later converted to Christianity.

Our own personal encounters with Jesus every day are not meant to stay hidden. We cannot hoard them for our own use and rob others of their benefits. Our relationship with Christ must open up new opportunities for us to walk side-by-side with those he places in our lives. Some of these new relationships are easy to form and develop. Others, like John Paul’s and Agca’s, require a little more consciousness – must be a little more deliberate. And we are certain that some of these bonds we develop can only be created when we show mercy, forgiveness and compassion to others. Those are the moments when both our friends and enemies will see what the face of mercy looks like. That’s when we finally have the occasion for others to realize that the face of mercy looks just like yours, or just like mine. • Mike is a writer and teacher, and co-author of the book: Faith Positive in a Negative World. You can contact him at www.mikevanvrankenministries.org

6 Catholic Connection

MONTHLY REFLECTION Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit and reflect on the face of mercy. Allow your imagination to feel the emotional and physical trauma that Pope John Paul II would have experienced being shot with a gun by someone at relatively close range.

Reflect on the painful recovery and healing. Through his faith, he knew that God had spared him through the guiding hand of the Blessed Mother. Think of how grateful and humbling it would be to know that God watches over you at all times.

Now think of the loving act of how he deliberately and proactively sought out his assailant to forgive him.

Your Response: 1. Think of someone who you could forgive today.

2. Ask God for the grace to change your heart so that you can freely forgive them.

3. Now, go ahead and do it. And show them that the Face of Mercy looks just like you!

in REVIEW

by Kim Long

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots: A Living Novena

by Marge Fenelon

I

view book recommendations as a type of prescription, medicine for the soul – be it a “religious” book, poetry or simply a story that assists in the opening of our hearts.

I first became acquainted with this prayer when a friend working at a bookstore asked me if I had heard of this novena “that the pope loves.” I said I hadn’t, but being an ardent novena pray-er, I purchased the booklet without hesitation. I got home and took it out of the bag expecting to jump right in, and boy was I shocked – this novena was pretty stringent. I tried this novena a couple of different times and could never stick with it. When I saw this book, I decided to give Our Lady, Undoer of Knots a try and the novena another chance.

The subtitle of this book is ‘A Guided Meditation from the Holy Land’ and the author guides us to visit in our mind’s eye nine different locations in that special part of the world that the Holy Father visited when he was on pilgrimage in 2014.

We all have knots, also described as “bumps in the road,” situations we prayerfully, desperately, offer to God. “Here take this mess I have made, take this situation I have enabled, take this mistake I have made and fix it, untangle this mess, O God, I beg you.” One of the great benefits of the author’s approach to this particular novena is that she offers a gentle but honest approach to leaving these “knots” in the hands of God through our Blessed Mother.

The themes are taken wide and narrowed to our daily lives during the short reflections. We are invited to view our interior landscape and then at the end of each reflection there are questions to gently pull us forward.

We walk through the same places pilgrims have walked for centuries. As we visit each locale, a different knot is presented for us to contemplate, universal enough to connect with every reader

regardless of current situation, and personal enough that it is easy to believe the author is speaking to us as individuals.

Walking through Bethany beyond the Jordan we examine the knot of injustice, not only in the word but in our private lives as well. The author offers a prayer in which we ask our Blessed Mother to take a knot and transform it from anger and resentment to a source of grace and growth.

Next we go to the Wall of Bethlehem and the knot of separation, Grotto of the Nativity and the knot of confusion. In day four we read about hopelessness while we visit the Mount of Olives. “Mary is waiting for us to hand over our knots of hopelessness to her. She wants them, truly, so that she can undo them and set us free from them,” writes Fenelon. “She realizes how serious hopelessness can be, and how it can damage our relationship with her Son, and she doesn’t want that to happen.”

Day five is the knot of grief and loss at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; discord is the knot we examine at the Western Wall. I have been to this site, I have prayed there, and I know this to be both a powerful place and a theme that is apropos for this site. On day seven we walk towards Yad Vashem and the knot of betrayal. On day eight we are invited to drop the heavy knots of envy and pride as we gaze upon the Temple Mount, and finally, on day nine we encounter the knot of affliction as we walk toward the Cenacle (known to us as The Upper Room).

In each chapter or “day” of this living novena we are comforted, challenged and most of all encouraged by the gentle but thorough treatment of the themes with questions, meditations, prayers and insight.

This book, which is relatively short, only 136 pages, is packed. I invite you to spend some time unpacking it this year. Our Lady, Undoer of Knots pray for us! •

"We’ll petition Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, together to undo the knots in our lives – injustice, separation, confusion, hopelessness, grief and sorrow, discord, betrayal, envy and pride, and affliction. By releasing these knots into her hands, we’ll begin working toward peace for which we’ll long, in our own lives and in the world. " Our Lady Undoer of Knots

by Marge Fenelon

Our Lady Undoer of Knots is available through Amazon.com and the Slattery Library in the Catholic Center.

March 2016 7

faithful FOOD

by Kim Long

Gathering with Purpose & Tradition Celebrating St. Patrick & St. Brigid with food and family

H

ere is the scene: my adult sons and I all on a pew at St. John Berchmans Cathedral on an early Sunday morning for the occasion of a farewell. My youngest was taking flight, heading south for the Long remainder of winter, transferred for work and this early morning Mass was the beginning of a day of farewell. As we listened to Msgr. LaCaze celebrate the Mass, I was caught up in the memories of our small family and that large building.

My sons Cole and Keith were confirmed there by Bishop Friend, Cole and Nick received their class rings in that space as they journeyed through their high school years at Loyola. Msgr.

LaCaze had heard my first confession and given me confirmation and my first Eucharist. We were there for a moment of togetherness on this day of goodbye, but it suddenly felt like a homecoming, and I was grateful. Attending Mass as a family has anchored us. I would schedule Masses for our birthdays and we were always present for St. Blaise and the blessing of throats, as well as

Mass on St. Patrick’s Day, which for us was usually more about food and family than a caricature of the Irish culture.

We moved through the liturgy and down the steps of the cathedral where Cole and Nick’s graduating classes were photographed, and on to breakfast at George’s, our special place for every graduation, confirmation and many birthday celebrations since we moved here in 2000. The rest of the day was a bit of a blur with the inevitable leave taking drawing near. That night, as I was assured via text message that Nick was safely in Baton Rouge, I reached for my rosary and breathed a grateful prayer.

That was several weeks ago and now March is here, blown in by near gale force winds and cold sunshine. This month is weighty, heavy with familial memories and rituals. My mother owned this time, one of her favorite parts of the year. I honor her memory in the reading of Irish poetry and literature. In Patrick Kavanagh’s poem “Advent,” we are told “through a chink too wide there comes in no wonder,” and I find that a cold and sunny March is just opening enough for memories to meander to and fro.

Along with a literary feast, another tradition is gathering all who can make

Dublin Coddle Ingredients: • 4 or 5 potatoes, peeled and cubed • 1 onion finely chopped • 1/2 cup of bacon cooked and crumbled • 1 pound of sausage sliced in thin rounds • 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chicken broth, divided

potatoes together on the stove top over medium heat with a little chicken or vegetable broth, adding enough so potatoes don’t stick and become tender.

Directions: 1) Cook sausage and onions and

Good to eat when done or even better the next day.

8 Catholic Connection

2) When potatoes are done, add crumbled bacon and about ¼ cup more of broth if needed. You don’t want it to be soupy.

it to a St. Patrick’s Day lunch. Normally about a week prior to our lunch the telephone will ring and my brother’s voice will say, “How many corned beefs are you cooking?” Knowing he can eat an entire one I feign confusion, “I don’t know do you think one large one will be enough?”

And so the dance of language begins.

We both knew I would cook several, but it is part of the ritual. My mother had another favorite dish that she made often and I prepare it as a “side” dish to go with the corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes. It is called Dublin Coddle and it has a reputation as a “forgiving” dish.

In Ireland, the story goes, this was standard fare prepared by “the woman of the house” so that when himself came in from an evening with friends it tasted as good as it did when it was first prepared.

When I make it, the taste is improved by the second day.

We have prepared it at St. Mary’s for the past two years as part of the Irish brunch when we celebrate the feast day of St. Brigid of Kildare. It is loaded with meat, so not a Friday dish for Lent, but surely by Saturday this dish will be “welcome to the table.”

Along with these meaty and filling offerings we always pray a bit of the old Breastplate of St. Patrick. • Kim Long is the Director of Religious Education at St. Mary of the Pines Parish in Shreveport.

domestic CHURCH

by Katie Sciba

God Chose YOU for Your Children

W

e know that Jesus was born to be the Savior of the world.

Similarly, God revealed his plan for humanity through the Blessed Virgin Mary; she was handpicked to be Christ’s mother as well as ours.

But St. Joseph? In a family of three members - two of whom are perfect - he doesn’t quite get the same laud. Of course, he was born with original Sciba sin while his family was spared the stain, but as Catholics - Catholic parents especially it’s paramount that we see St. Joseph as CHOSEN. Every kid adopted or born into a family grows up emulating his parents’ behaviors.

I joke like my mom. I’m pragmatic like my dad. The whole “nurture argument” is strongly supported when I take a close look at my mannerisms in light of my parents. And so it was with Jesus. Though fully divine, the Christ Child wasn’t somehow immune to the influence of his surroundings, and that includes his upbringing by his mother undefiled as well as his imperfect adoptive father. What’s amazing to consider is that God, knowing Jesus would imitate his earthly father, chose St. Joseph and blessed him with certain characteristics that Jesus himself would eventually emulate: his obedience to the will of God; his trust; his compassionate care for Mary and hard work for his family. St. Joseph was born to raise the Son of God just as we were born to raise the children we have.

God chose with detailed intention the lady to be His mother and the man to be Christ’s earthly father. He blessed and chose deliberately out of care for His only Son. 1 John 3:1 says “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” It is because of God’s love for us that He chose our very own parents with the same care and concern he had for Jesus. The same. It

goes for our children, too; our three sons and little girl weren’t arbitrarily thrown into the Sciba house. God blessed Andrew and I with the gifts and charisms needed to bring these four little souls back to Him. It’s both intimidating and reassuring that the omniscient God of everything has deigned that we develop the faith, thinking and habits of four individuals. The peace is knowing that we don’t have to be perfect in order to succeed.

We parents struggle. We worry. We wonder how our kids will turn out. We wonder if we have what it takes to get through this season of life or all of life.

In blessing us with our children, God simultaneously assures us, “You have what it takes,” because He placed these particular children in our care. The graces, gifts and virtues we’ll need to handle the brilliant mind, the will of iron, and the charming child, are free for the asking if only we invite the Author of Life into our parenting.

By doing so, we can and will give our kids enough of what they need. Sure we’re imperfect, but so was St. Joseph and Jesus turned out all right. St. Joseph himself is a strong beacon of hope for the rest of us imperfect parents. He was chosen. And to be chosen for the task is to be equal to it. •

Prayer

to St.Joseph

Say this on its own or as a novena and rest in the protection of the husband and father of the Holy Family.

O, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that, having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage to the most loving of Fathers. O, St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, Pray for me.

Amen

Katie Sciba is the author of thecatholicwife.net. She lives in Shreveport with her husband, Andrew, and four children.

March 2016 9

from the POPE from Vatican Information Services

In theWords of

Pope Francis

God's Justice is Mercy

V

atican City, February 3 (VIS) – The relationship between mercy and justice, in the light of the Sacred Scriptures, was the theme of Pope Francis’ catechesis in the February 3 general audience, which took Pope Francis place in St. Peter’s Square and was attended by more than ten thousand people.

“The Sacred Scripture presents God as infinite mercy, but also as perfect justice,” he said. “How can the two be reconciled? They may appear to be contradictory, but this is not the case, as it is precisely God’s mercy that leads us to achieve true justice. In the legal administration of justice, we see that those who consider themselves to have been victims of abuse consult a judge in court and ask that justice be done. It is a retributive justice, inflicting punishment on the guilty, according to the principle that each person receives what he deserves. … But this route does not lead to true justice, as in reality it does not conquer evil, it simply limits it. Instead, only by responding with good can evil truly be conquered.”

The Bible, he explained, proposes a different form of justice, in which the victim invites the guilty party to convert, helping him to understand the harm he has done and appealing to his conscience. “In this way, recognizing his blame, he can open up to the forgiveness that the injured party offers. … This is the way of resolving conflicts within families, in relations between spouses and between parents and children, in which the injured party loves the guilty and does not wish to lose the bond between them. It is certainly a difficult path: it demands that the victim be 10 Catholic Connection

disposed to forgive and wishes for the salvation and the good of the perpetrator of the damage. But only in this way can justice triumph, as if the guilty party acknowledges the harm he has done and ceases to do so, the evil no longer exists and the unjust becomes just, as he has been forgiven and helped to find the way of good.”

“God treats us sinners in the same way. He continually offers us His forgiveness, He helps us to welcome Him and to be aware of our evil so as to free ourselves of it. God does not seek our condemnation, only our salvation.

God does not wish to condemn anyone! … The Lord of Mercy wishes to save everyone. … The problem is letting Him enter into our heart. All the words of the prophets are an impassioned and lovefilled plea for our conversion.”

God’s heart is “the heart of a Father Who loves all His children and wants them to live in goodness and justice, and therefore to live in fullness and happiness. A Father’s heart goes beyond our meager concept of justice so as to open up to us the immense horizons of His mercy. A Father’s heart does not treat us or repay us according to our sins, as the Psalm says.”

“It is precisely a Father’s heart that we encounter when we go to the confessional,” Francis emphasised.

“Perhaps it will tell us something to better understand our evil, but at the confessional we all go in search of a father who will help us change our life; a father who gives us the strength to go on; a father who forgives us in God’s name. Therefore, to be a confessor is a great responsibility, as the son or daughter who comes to you seeks only to encounter a father. And you, the priest there in the confessional, are the place where the Father does justice with His mercy,” he concluded. •

“We also admire the encounter with the elderly prophetess Anna. Simeon and Anna are hope and prophecy; Jesus is newness and completion.

He presents Himself to us as God’s perennial surprise. In this Child, born for all, the past, made up of memory and promise, and the future, full of hope, are brought together.” (Pope Francis Closes the Year of Consecrated Life 2/3/16) “I believe that this is what the Holy Spirit always wants to do in our midst: to put a new heart into us, giving us reasons to keep on taking risks for the good of the family, dreaming and building a life that has this sense of home, of family.”

(Address at Victor Manuel Reyna Stadium in Tuxtla Guiterrez, Mexico 2/16/16) “It is true that family life is not always easy, and can often be painful and stressful but, as I have often said referring to the Church, I prefer a wounded family that makes daily efforts to put love into play, to a family and society that is sick from isolationism or a habitual fear of love.” (Address at Victor Manuel Reyna Stadium in Tuxtla Guiterrez, Mexico 2/16/16) “The mountain may have rich minerals to serve humanity’s advancement, in terms of its wealth, but that richness has to be converted into hope by hard work, just as miners do when they extract those minerals. You are this wealth, and it has to be converted into hope.”

(Address to young people at Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon stadium in the city of Morelia in Mexico 1/17/16)

navigating the Faith

by Dianne Rachal, Director of Worship

The Octave of Easter

E

aster is not a day, but a season of 50 days beginning on Easter Sunday and culminating on Pentecost. Historically, these 50 days were characterized by joyous thanksgiving expressed in frequent alleluias and a prohibition against fasting and kneeling for prayer. The Easter candle, as an image of the risen Lord, remains in the sanctuary during these 50 days and is lit during liturgies.

It takes a certain amount of time for moments of deep festivity to run their course. There is further confirmation of this in the early Christian practice of celebrating the paschal mystery of Christ with thanksgiving and joy, not only during the three days of the Easter triduum, but also during the following seven weeks or 50 days. There is literary testimony to this in the early second century in the Letter of the Apostles. Much more literary testimony emerges in the later part of the second century. The Council of Elvira around 306 AD rejected attempts to turn the period of 50 days into a 40-day period.

Octaves

Some feasts in the Church are honored with octaves, eight days of celebration that allow the faithful to more deeply contemplate the mysteries of the feast day and more fully apply them to their lives. In the Old Testament, the Jewish people would honor a feast for seven days, followed by a solemnity on the eighth day. Baby boys were circumcised on the eighth day and it took eight days to dedicate the The Octave Day of Easter, Temple.

Divine Mercy Sunday, points The first Christian octaves on record were eight days of celebration us to the merciful for the dedication of the basilicas love of God that lies at Jerusalem and Tyre under Constantine in the fourth century. behind the whole The first feasts to receive annual paschal mystery... octaves were Easter and Pentecost, also in the fourth century. The number of octaves grew throughout the Middle Ages with octaves for feasts of the Lord, saints and dedications. Pope St. Pius V reduced the number of octaves in 1568. In the beginning of the 20th century there were still approximately 15 octaves celebrated. In 1955 Pope Pius XII further reduced the number of octaves to three: for Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.

In 1969 Pope Paul VI changed the number of octaves to two: Christmas and Easter.

We still celebrate these two octaves today.

Octave of Easter

The first eight days of the Easter season make up the octave of Easter. At first the Christian feasts had no octaves. In the fourth century, the primitive idea of the 50 days feast of the paschal time began to grow dim. Easter and Pentecost were given octaves, possibly at first as a baptismal custom, the neophytes remaining in a kind of joyful retreat from Easter or Pentecost till the following Sunday. The Sunday after the feasts of Easter and Pentecost fell on the eighth day, which is a natural conclusion of the seven feast days after these two festivals. From the fourth century onwards the celebration of octaves is mentioned more frequently.

The liturgy of the octave of Easter derives its tone not only from the paschal

photo by Xauxa Håkan Svensson

mystery, but also from the attention paid to the newly baptized. At the daily celebration of the Eucharist the neophytes were introduced more fully to the mysteries of faith and especially to the sacraments of initiation which they had received during the Easter Vigil. These Easter octave homilies are examples of “mystagogical catechesis.” According to Augustine, the Easter octave represents a unanimous practice of the Church that is as ancient as Lent. The faithful had to refrain from work and take part in the daily liturgy.

At one time this week was called “white week,” i.e., week in white garments because the neophytes would wear their white baptismal tunics for eight days before setting them aside.

The “Sunday in white garments” became known as “White Sunday.” Today the eighth day of the Easter octave is also Divine Mercy Sunday. The Octave Day of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, points us to the merciful love of God that lies behind the whole paschal mystery – the whole mystery of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ – made present for us in the Eucharist. As Pope Saint John Paul II pointed out in 1995: “the whole octave of Easter is like a single day,” and the Octave Sunday is meant to be the day of “thanksgiving for the goodness God has shown to man in the whole Easter mystery.” • March 2016 11

second COLLECTIONS

by Fr. Rothell Price

Second Collections for March 2016

Diocese of Shreveport seminarians

THE CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) COLLECTION Collection Dates: March 5th & 6th, The Fourth Sunday of Lent Announcement Dates: February 21st & 28th men, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of “ mine, you did for me.” (MT 25: 40) On Ash Wednesday, we began the Rice Bowl Program which we will joyfully present to the Risen Lord on Easter Sunday as the fruit of our Lenten labors. Now, the Catholic Relief Services Collection, occurring on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, is another loving response to our Lord in the least of His brothers and sisters. We have been called to recognize Jesus in the poor, hungry, abandoned, abused and trafficked, those denied justice, needing pastoral and humanitarian assistance and struggling to attain the basic Price necessities of life across the globe. Our sacrificial participation in this special collection provides blankets, clothes, tarps, tents, water, food, medical supplies, a safe haven, rebuilt roads, seaports, airstrips, hospitals and other essential helps to our brothers and sisters in their greatest hour of need.

How pleased the Father must be with us when we are merciful like Him.

A

PONTIFICAL GOOD FRIDAY COLLECTION FOR THE HOLY LAND Collection Dates: March 25th, Good Friday Announcement Dates: March 13th & 20th ord, make me an instrument of your peace.” Pope Francis has asked “ us to support Christians in the Holy Land. Through the Good Friday Collection, we join with Catholics around the world to stand in solidarity with the Church in the Holy Land. When we contribute to the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, we become instruments of peace in a troubled land. In these challenging times in the Middle East, our support means that our Church will conduct parish ministry, provide Catholic education, feed the hungry, build housing for Christians, maintain shrines for pilgrims to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and operate refugee centers in the Holy Land. Like Simon of Cyrene, you

L

12 Catholic Connection

can help carry the cross under very difficult circumstances in the Holy Land. Christians, along with all of the clergy and religious who serve in the Holy Land, will deeply appreciate our prayers and financial help. Be merciful like the Father. Our response to the Holy Father’s appeal affirms his support of the Franciscans and their work of over 800 years witnessing to the Gospel and sustaining the Christian faithful in the Holy Land.

DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT CHURCH VOCATIONS COLLECTION Collection Dates: March 26th & 27th, Easter Announcement Dates: March 13th & 20th n his Prayer for Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis petitions the Lord Jesus “…Let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved and forgiven by God.” This petition beautifully expresses the priestly vocation and goal of religious life. The role of priests, deacons, nuns/sisters and brothers, is to help “everyone” 1) feel sought after, 2) loved 3) and forgiven by God. This sums up richly the ministry of Jesus Christ. He 1) came looking for us when we were lost, 2) loved and rejoiced over us when he found us and 3) implored the Father’s forgiveness on us for acting out of ignorance. The Diocese of Shreveport Church Vocations Collections makes it possible for men and women within our diocese to be merciful like the Father and His Son in a holy vocation to the priesthood of Jesus Christ, diaconal ministry and the consecrated life of men and women religious. The Father’s mercy, the Son’s calling and the Holy Spirit’s strengthening result in ordained or consecrated people transformed into a servant or handmaid of the Lord. Your zealous participation in the Diocese of Shreveport Church Vocations Collection makes their affirmative response to the Lord possible. Help them join their “yes,” to that of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Give generously to the Diocese of Shreveport Vocations Collection on Easter Sunday. •

I

Fr. Rothell Price, Vicar General, is the Director of Second & Special Collections.

vocations View

by Raney Johnson, Seminarian

Overcoming the "Age" Fear

Seminarian Raney Johnson (third from right) on his way to the March for Life in D.C.

I

struggled with a personal fear throughout my first semester in seminary. The fear centered on my age. I constantly wondered if I entered the seminary at too young of an age. At the age of 22, I am definitely not the youngest seminarian in the diocese, but I am one of the youngest seminarians at Notre Dame Seminary. This past January, one event helped me to conquer this fear: the March for Life.

This was my first March for Life trip and I attended the trip with a large group from the Diocese of Baton Rouge. On the drive to D.C., we stopped in Nashville, TN to pick up a group of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. After hearing many of the sisters’ discernment stories, I learned they shared many of the aspects of my own discernment. Some of the nuns were college graduates and entered the Dominican Sisters shortly after graduating from college, and some left in the middle of college to join the order. This was my first encounter with so many young sisters in their 20s; some of them I later learned were around the age of 21 and joined the order right after high school. In addition to the excitement of meeting Dominican sisters around my age, I also learned of the discernment of two high school girls on the trip who were considering vocations to religious life. After meeting these young nuns, I felt new enthusiasm for my discernment to the priesthood. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to meet Dominican Sisters around my age and to see the abundant number of young women who answered the call to religious life.

On the trip I was able to experience young men discerning the priesthood, young women discerning religious life and young men and women discerning married life. They were all an inspiration for the high school students to boldly discern their vocations.

The March for Life trip also gave me the chance to witness a young priest in action. Most of the priests on the trip were in their late 20s and in their first, second and third years of priesthood. Looking at these priests and the respect they received from both the young and old Catholics on the trip helped me to imagine what my priesthood might look like when I am their age.

I felt a new confidence in my discernment after returning from the March for Life.

I came to the conclusion that age is not an important part of discerning a vocation. Sometimes age can even become a stumbling block in listening to where God is leading us.

We may say that we are too young or too old for the priesthood, religious life or married life. I think God calls us to think differently. God helped me understand at the beginning of the year that age should never hinder a vocation. Young men discerning the priesthood may think they need to get a little life experience first or spend a few years in college because of their age, but the Lord might be showing them that they do not need to wait.

Before going on the March for Life, my worries about my age were sometimes eased whenever an older seminarian would say he wished he had entered seminary at my age. Now I realize no matter what age a man enters seminary, he may question if he is too young and should wait, or is too old and should give up. The ages at Notre Dame Seminary range from early 20’s to early 60’s, and I am sure many of the seminarians question their vocations to the priesthood because of their ages. No matter the age of the seminarian, I always see the same fire burning in each man to serve God and the Church. God calls the young and the old to the priesthood. To me the answer to the question of whether I am too young to become a priest is, “Your age is just right, trust in God and he will do the rest!” • Are you feeling called to a vocation in the Church? Contact Fr. Matthew Long, Director of Church Vocations, at 318-868-4441, or mlong@dioshpt.org

March 2016 13

Mary’s

House

Providing Hope for Pregnant Women

by Jessica Rinaudo

he pro-life vs. pro-choice debate is a polarizing one, with people passionately defending both sides, but caught in the middle of this debate are often young, scared women who are facing unplanned pregnancies without any support. They are in a terrifying, lonely position and often uneducated about both their options and their pregnancy.

Enter Mary’s House, the newest endeavor championed by L’Anne Sciba on behalf of the Diocese of Shreveport to help these girls make informed decisions about their future and the future of their unborn children.

The idea for this pregnancy care center blossomed in 2013, and over the course of the last three years, it has quickly grown through donations and volunteers, to its official opening on November 20, 2015. Open Friday and Saturday mornings, Mary’s House provides free pregnancy tests, free ultrasounds, free peer counseling and a wealth of resources to help women with unplanned pregnancies make informed decisions and get the help they need.

When women make an appointment at Mary’s House, they are primarily seeking a pregnancy test and ultrasound to find out how far along they are.

“Our goal is to give them information. You can parent, you 14 Catholic Connection

can place for adoption or you can have an abortion. If you’re pregnant, those are your options,” said L’Anne. “We try to first gauge, we ask them – there’s a little graph – where on this do you think you are? Are you undecided or are you going to carry?

Depending on where they say they are, we talk to them about that.”

Mary’s House asks women to watch short, fact-based videos on their options and try to find out what kind of parenting support they have.

If they are really leaning towards an abortion, then counselors gently tell them about that procedure. “Because girls think, ‘I’m only going to take a pill and it’s gone,’ but they don’t have any idea,” said Sciba. “And the counselor has already gauged how far along they are, and so the counselor can say, ‘At this stage, they will be doing a surgery… This is what the procedure is going to be, it’s not going to be just a pill.”

Counselors encourage these women to consider other options.

They show them a short video that talks about adoption, but most of the girls shy away from even considering it.

“There’s a huge stigma on women who feel considering adoption is a selfish choice because they believe that someone would speak poorly of them because they ‘gave their baby up.’

They would rather not have the baby than have to answer to you God.’” someone about that choice,” said volunteer sonographer Cassidy There are currently about 20 volunteer peer counselors, 17 Rainwater. “I think we just need to help girls know they are nurses and four sonographers at Mary’s House. Everyone who giving the biggest gift to somebody else who can’t have a baby, or assists there does so purely on a volunteer basis. whatever their circumstance is. There are people who want these “The volunteers who are here now, it really takes courage,” babies so badly that it’s a really selfless said L’Anne. “They’ve never counseled act.” before. They are mostly just moms, “A girl who chooses adoption is older women who have families. And so brave – sacrificing her body for they just come in and say, ‘I would nine months so another family can want to help somebody,’ or ‘I have make a home for her baby,” added been in this position,’ or ‘I have had L’Anne. “Sadly, the understanding is hardship in my life,’ ‘I love young so negative about adoption still and we women.” are hoping that will change.”

There are many ways to support And for girls who choose to carry the pro-life efforts at Mary’s House, their pregnancies, Mary’s House and one of the biggest ways is to is their link for further assistance. attend Bishop Duca’s Annual ProVolunteers help women sign up for Life Banquet on March 16. This Medicaid, direct them to doctors who event, now in its sixth year, continues will help them during their pregnancy, to grow and garner support from as well as partner them with a home the community. This year, ALL of health nurse program called Nursethe proceeds from the event benefit Family Partnership.

Mary’s House.

“You enroll [in the program] before Camille Pauley, co-founder of the baby is 28 weeks and a nurse Healing the Culture, is the keynote comes in every week and helps you speaker for the event. “I know many L'Anne Sciba, founder of Mary's House, learn how to parent, and checks to of you find it hard to find the words holds a basket of baby goodies that are make sure you’re ok and see where the to witness your Catholic belief of handed out to pregnant women who visit baby’s going to be and teaches you the tragedy of abortion,” said Bishop the pregnancy care center. how to care for them,” said L’Anne.

Michael Duca. “I personally chose One of the most beautiful missions of Mary’s House is to help Camille as our presenter because her message will give you the women see their own value. words to give a convincing witness to others and also deepen “When you take care of the mom, then the baby is going to your personal faith in pro-life issues.” prosper and be healthy, because the mom goes, ‘I have this gift, I You can register for this event by completing the registration am worthwhile,’” said L’Anne. card on page 27 of this issue, or by calling 318-868-4441.

“You’re so young. You have your whole life ahead of you.

And while Mary’s House is currently only open two days You’re going to get through this. There are plenty of young a week, with the help of proceeds from the pro-life banquet, mothers. You’re not alone. There’s help out there, there’s advice they very much want to grow by expanding the number of days out there. We’re here for you,” Cassidy told one girl, “because they are open and by training nurses in the basics to become being alone and being scared are a major part in making the sonographers – both of which require financial support. L’Anne decision about their pregnancy.” also hopes to one day be able to hire people who can commit Cassidy has personally witnessed miracles during her short more time to Mary’s House. time volunteering as a sonographer. With tears in her eyes, she “Mary’s House is about loving young women. The Church relayed the story of a young pregnant mother who was leaning and God want them to have a full life, and the world isn’t telling towards terminating her pregnancy. The young woman walked them that, the world is stealing that. We can help girls know of into the ultrasound to find out how far along she was. What she their worth and that God has a plan for them and we can help saw there changed her perspective and her life. them on to the next step. They can have fruitful and happy and “I was able to show her life in her tummy on the screen. And full lives,” said L’Anne. she saw that heartbeat, heard that heartbeat and saw movement Mary's House is seeking volunteers for many areas and tears just started flowing down her eyes,” said Cassidy. “She receptionists, working in the yard, cleaning, office work using said, ‘I can’t do this.’ I told her, ‘You have options. You have Excel and Word, as well as nurses, sonographers, and those time. You’re not alone. Just give yourself time to digest this and interested in training to be peer counselors. If you are interested understand and educate yourself before you do anything.’ And in being part of this great and growing ministry, or donating she had made her mind up within that 30-second time frame to their ministry, please contact L’Anne Sciba at maryshouse. and her life was different from there on. And I thought, ‘Thank sport@gmail.com. • March 2016 15

local NEWS Gabriel’s Closet Works to Build Stronger Families

by Lucy Medvec, Catholic Charities of North Louisiana

“

C

atholic Charities has changed my life in many positive ways.” So begins a testimonial from Gabriel’s Closet client, Courtney Wallace. Gabriel’s Closet is a program of Catholic Charities of North Louisiana that serves low-income new parents, their infants and small children. The shop, run and staffed by volunteers, helps to get these women off to a good start by supplying many of the items that any new mother and her infant might need. New parents sign up to attend a variety of classes including parenting, well baby care, financial education and healthy eating and then receive merits that can be used to purchase items from Gabriel’s Closet.

Courtney, 26, along with his wife, Sabrina, 25, and their two children, Courtavion, age 3, and Irianna, 18 months, have been clients of Gabriel’s Closet since Sabrina was four months pregnant with Irianna. When they first walked in the door, they were greeted by volunteers they describe as “friendly and eager to assist.” Sabrina had heard about Gabriel’s Closet through a relative and wanted to learn more about the program and its classes for parents. Courtney and Sabrina found all of the classes to be informative, especially the financial education class (also known as The Money School) and also enjoyed taking a sewing class together.

By attending classes together, they agree that it has helped them become closer and realize that parenting truly takes teamwork.

Courtney gives credit to the Gabriel’s Closet program for teaching him responsibility and giving him the motivation to obtain his GED last year and find a job to support his family. Sabrina describes Gabriel’s Closet as a lifesaver for her as a mother. She likes that she feels welcome by volunteers and that they are always so helpful to her and her family. The program is beneficial to her in so many ways, not only by teaching her important parenting information, but also giving her the opportunity to earn merits that can be used to purchase fundamental items for 16 Catholic Connection

her children. “With the help of Gabriel’s Closet, we were able to purchase car seats for our children, baby clothes, diapers and other essentials,” said Sabrina.

Gabriel Closet volunteer Betty Mirts describes Courtney and Sabrina as responsible parents who are eager to learn.

“I have watched them grow as a family and appreciate the dedication they have shown in becoming the best parents possible,” said Mirts. “They are always punctual for their appointments and they embrace the information that they receive in the classes.”

What the Wallace family likes most about Gabriel’s Closet is the positive environment. “Gabriel’s Closet helps us as a family. It’s a good place,” said Courtney.

“I am a living witness that Catholic Charities changes people’s lives in positive ways.” •

Gabriel’s Closet by the Numbers (Fiscal Year 2014-15)

116 Families Served 239 Children Served 261 Hours in Classroom

(2.25 average hours per parent)

1110 Items Distributed $10,795 Estimated Value of Items Distributed

For more information on how you can support Gabriel’s Closet or become a volunteer, visit our website at www.ccnla. org or call Lucy Medvec, Director of Development, at (318) 865-0200 ext. 101.

Mercy in Action

St. Lucy’s Makes Comfort Bears

Sharing Love with Victims of Domestic Violence

by Bonny Van

W

hen 16-year-old Jody Bachus told his mom he wanted to start going to Catholic church, little did he know that his journey back to his faith would lead him to helping others traveling the same road he once traveled: dealing with domestic violence. On Super Bowl Sunday, Jody joined other St. Lucy Catholic Church parishioners and PSR (Parish School of Religion) students to stuff “comfort” bears to be handed out by the Jackson Parish DART (Domestic Abuse Rescue Team).

“I wanted to help out because my mom was a victim of domestic abuse with my former stepdad,” says the West Ouachita High School junior.

Jody’s story began at age five, when his mom married his then stepfather. Over the next five years, arguments between the couple gradually began to get worse until Jody was in 5th grade. The final argument ended with a call to 911 and Jody’s mother with a broken shoulder.

“We were lucky,” says Kimberly Dooley, who has since remarried. “We were able to go live at my brother’s camp. When I left, we had somewhere to go; whereas, some people don’t have that.”

That is where DART comes in. “We handle about 7 to 10 clients a month, which is high for a rural parish,” says Andrea Malone, DART Rural Domestic Violence Advocate for Jackson Parish.

In 2012, Louisiana ranked 4th highest in the nation for domestic violence-related homicides. “A lot of times, the situation will be so bad that children will leave with only the clothes on their back,” says Malone. “And, when we give them a stuffed bear, it just brightens them up. It’s something that they can truly call their own.”

Lanie Savage, Director of Religious Education at St. Lucy, came up with the idea to stuff comfort bears while pondering ways to get students involved in Works of Mercy.

“We stuffed comfort bears years ago when my two boys were going to PSR. And, one day after that, I saw a little boy walking out of the Jackson Parish Courthouse with a group of people and he was holding a bear that our group had stuffed. So, I

thought it would be a good activity for our children to learn about helping others,” Savage says.

“I try to teach the kids about the Holy Family and how Jesus set an example of helping others,” says Savage. “And, to keep peace in our families, we must all work together.”

Malone says comfort bears are given to kids ranging in age from 0 to 17. But, bears aren’t the only means of providing comfort.

“Other organizations have donated items such as afghan blankets or birthday boxes,” she says. “When a child is feeling bad, sometimes the simplest thing can make a big difference.”

While Jody did not share his story with others while stuffing the bears, his actions spoke louder than words. Through his own works of mercy, he, in his own way, is reaching out to others and giving them something else to hold onto: hope.

Since September, Jody and his mom have made the 40-minute drive from their home in Cadeville to Hodge to attend Sunday Mass and Wednesday night PSR classes.

“God has had a hand in everything that has happened,” says Dooley.

“When Jody said he wanted to go to Mass, we went to St. Lucy because my parents were married there. And, when we walked in, I had so much peace. It felt like home to me. And, after visiting one Mass, Jody said, ‘This is where I belong.’”

“The biggest lesson I learned from what I went through is to never be 100% comfortable with where you are,” says Jody.

“Always be ready for change.” His mother adds, “If we can bring awareness to one person or help just one person, then we are happy!”

For more information on how you can help victims of domestic violence, visit www.dartla.net. • March 2016 17

Loyola’s Daigle Launches Healthcare Internship Program

by Lisa Cooper, Loyola College Prep

18 Catholic Connection

T

he Students of the Year Awards Program is designed to recognize outstanding elementary, middle/ junior and high school students. This program, patterned after the Teacher of the Year Awards Program, is an excellent opportunity to recognize from each school system those students who have demonstrated excellent academic achievement, leadership ability and citizenship. 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. Congratulations to the following district winners:

R

hodes Daigle, a senior at Loyola College Prep and parishioner of the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, takes seriously the charge of St. Ignatius to be a man for others. In an effort both to be fully equipped to serve those in need and to gain a more thorough understanding of the healthcare system, he has developed and launched a new internship program. Riley Waddell, Assistant Administrator of Business Development at Willis Knighton, approached Daigle about partnering with the Willis Knighton system, and together they collaborated to develop a syllabus for the school year.

“I spoke with Ms. Hymel [LCP counselor] and Principal LeBlanc about the idea of health care,” says Daigle, “Shreveport is a hub of medical activity, and we wanted to approach things not just from a research perspective, but more from the ground up.” Both Hymel and LeBlanc immediately saw the value in such a partnership for Loyola’s students.

Through this program, Daigle travels among four Willis Knighton campuses instead of attending a seventh hour class at Loyola. Each week, he observes and participates in a variety of different departments that keep the hospitals up and running every day, from hands-on medical care to administrative procedure.

Most recently he had an opportunity to work in the IT department, learning about the different complex services and systems.

“Learning how these systems not only work with each other, but also their need to comply with the ever-changing federal and state mandates, all the while maintaining patient satisfaction,” has given Daigle a new appreciation for the many factors that go into running a healthcare facility smoothly. Daigle credits his experience at the hospital for helping him learn the essential elements of running a business efficiently.

In addition to the practical knowledge he has gained, Daigle has developed a

Congratulations to Students of the Year

greater sense of the impact the healthcare system has on individuals and on a community. He recognizes that unlike most businesses, healthcare affects everyone.

“No matter where you are in life,” says Daigle, “you or someone you love will be sick and need care. Our generation is responsible for caring for a generation who is living longer than any before them. How do we administer care and compassion to those who need it most while at the same time compete for the best doctors, purchase the best equipment and obtain the best technology? We have a moral obligation to answer these questions and to meet this challenge.”

In developing this program, Daigle has created a path for other students to follow. Those students who are interested in participating in this partnership will be placed through a process developed by the Loyola and Willis Knighton administrators to ensure the proper fit for each prospective student. Through this internship, Daigle has not only established himself as a difference maker in the school and in the community, but he has also created an unmatched opportunity in our area for current and future Loyola students. •

5th Grade: Anna Toms First Baptist Church School 8th Grade: Porter May First Baptist Church School 12th Grade: Robert Clark St. Frederick High School These students will continue to the regional screening process on February 22, 2016 in Baton Rouge, LA. Congratulations to our Diocesan Student of the Year winners 2015-2016: 5th grade: Aidan Duffield St. Joseph School 8th grade: Peter Vanchiere St. John Berchmans School 12th grade: Robert Clark St. Frederick High Schol

Clockwise from top left: Aidan Duffield, St. Joseph School; Peter Vanchiere, St. John Berchmans School; Robert Clark, St. Frederick High School

New Chapel for Holy Angels Facility for Developmentally Disabled Gets New, Accomodating Space for Worship

by Susan Reeks

A rendering showing a view of the main entrance to “All Saints Chapel” to be located at Holy Angels. Design by Prevot Design Services.

H

oly Angels Residential Facility has been helping North Louisiana’s individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities reach their fullest potential of wellness, both spiritually and otherwise, for more than 50 years.

The chapel at the head of the campus has been the beacon of that faith-based service since day one, but plans are underway to replace the existing chapel with a new structure because of the ravages of both time and the Louisiana climate.

Caroline Gardner is a member of Holy Angels’ Chapel Committee and the Champions Advisory Committee, a group of young professionals dedicated to serving individuals with disabilities.

“Holy Angels’ history is intricately and necessarily intertwined with the Catholic diocese, having been established by Bishop Greco in the 60s,” she said. “One need only visit Holy Angels’ campus once to know that God is ever present on that campus and in the hearts and smiles of each and every resident.”

Gardner’s aunt, Elizabeth “Beth” O’Brien (or Boo, as Gardner referred to her), was one of the first residents at Holy Angels back in 1965, where she resided until her death in 2010. The O’Brien family’s commitment to the ministry of Holy Angels stems from deep roots, as they were one of three original donors who provided Holy Angels with the beautiful 62-acre property where the residents and program participants currently live and work.

“For me, this chapel project embodies my most spiritual moments, in that it captures not only my Catholicism and my faith, but also my memories with both Boo and our beloved Father (Murray) Clayton, who used to regularly say Mass at the Holy Angels chapel. Obviously, our Catholic faith, and spirituality in general, is very important to my family. On top of that, we were blessed with our sweet Boo, who, like all of the residents at Holy Angels, was truly one of God’s perfect angels.”

The existing chapel couldn’t be saved because of cracks in the foundation.

“Although all of the problems with the existing chapel are the result of normal wear and tear, its current condition is unacceptable,” Gardner said. “Holy Angels and its residents deserve better and we are proud and excited to be able to move forward with this project.”

A new chapel will be built and dedicated as “All Saints Chapel” in honor of Beth

O’Brien, whose birthday was on All Saints Day. “It is because of my Aunt Boo that I truly understand what unconditional love is and how it looks and feels,” Gardner said. “Rebuilding the Holy Angels chapel, in Boo’s memory and in her honor, is the most spiritually guided gift that I can imagine giving to Holy Angels.”

The new chapel will incorporate some of the historic elements from the old structure, such as windows, statues and Stations of the Cross, but it will also afford the opportunity to meet requirements for safety, accessibility and comfort.

“The main updates will include more handicapped-friendly seating, which will also be flexible so that all of our residents can comfortably sit where they please,” said Gardner. “There will be wider aisles, better bathrooms, and just an overall atmospheric update. We want the chapel to have a light, welcoming, simple, spiritual feel. And we want each and every resident to feel welcome and comfortable at Mass.”

“The level of individualized care and love provided by Holy Angels’ staff, to the residents, is truly remarkable,” Gardner said. “Stories abound of residents who, before moving to Holy Angels, struggled in various ways, and after becoming a part of this amazing facility have opened up and improved in ways previously unimaginable.”

“Some of the residents are lacking in family support,” added Gardner. “It’s important for our community members to recognize the unique opportunity to step up and support these residents. In doing so, I can personally promise that the love and happiness you bring into their lives will be returned to you tenfold.”

“Knowing my Aunt Boo and her capacity for unconditional love was the greatest gift God gave me, and I am forever grateful,” Gardner said. “That same love abounds throughout Holy Angels today.”

For more information about Holy Angels, visit laholyangels.org or call 318797-8500. • March 2016 19

Good Friday Way of the Cross 18th Annual Walk for Justice

J

oin us in our 52 Weeks of Mercy campaign throughout the Year of Mercy. Follow along, use the hashtag and let’s serve together.

20 Catholic Connection

Stops include: 1. Society of St. Vincent de Paul 2. VITA Right to Life/Pro-Life 3. Fuller Center 4. Christian Service Program 5.

Martin Luther King Health Center / NW LA Interfaith Pharmacy 6. Mercy Center 7.

Hope House 8. Bread for Life / Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross 9. Providence House 10. Shreveport/ Bossier Rescue Mission 11. LCADP 12. Catholic Charities 13. VOA - Lighthouse 14. First United Methodist Church

MARCH 20 - 26

de Paul is the sponsoring group. Those interested in attending this ecumenical service should gather by 9:00 a.m. on Good Friday in the parking lot of the First United Methodist Church. The service will last approximately an hour and 40 minutes and ample parking is available at the church. Please come and join in this prayerful and reflective devotion of Christ’s passion that proclaims a spirit of justice and mercy to be witnessed by all His followers. •

MARCH 27 - APRIL 2

A

s Americans we are called to stand with justice, yet it is not often that we have the opportunity as an individual to make a clear and decisive public statement in support of this essential virtue, especially appropriate now during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. This Good Friday (March 25, 2016) you have such an opportunity! We invite you to join others throughout Shreveport in proclaiming justice and mercy in a very public forum by a special “Way of the Cross” that seeks to unite the suffering of Christ with the suffering that exists in the world today.

This Good Friday remembrance will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church on Texas Street in Downtown Shreveport. Local social justice and service organizations will offer prayers, hymns and reflections at each of the 14 stations. Participants will walk a little more than a mile through Downtown Shreveport while stopping at various sites. This annual devotion will focus on the passion of Christ as reflected in the eyes of those who suffer abandonment, abuse, illness and poverty.

Bishop Michael Duca will begin the procession with an opening prayer. The participating organizations come from a broad spectrum of creeds, backgrounds and agendas. The Society of St. Vincent

MARCH 13 - 19

MARCH 6 - 12

by Brian Burgess, Society of St. Vincent de Paul

#52WeeksofMercy

Godparents & Sponsors Choosing Them, Their Roles and Commitments

by Dianne Rachal, Director of the Office of Worship

G

odparents play an important role in the lives of those coming into the Church at baptism or through the sacraments of initiation, and sponsors do the same for those being confirmed or catechumens going through the R.C.I.A. catechumenate. Godparents are the persons selected by the parents (or the elect in R.C.I.A.), with the consent of the pastor, to accompany the child during baptism, or the elect during the rites of initiation. Godparents make a lifelong commitment to be a spiritual mentor to the child or catechumen.

The Rite of Baptism indicates that: “Each child may have a godfather (patrinus) and a godmother (matrina); the word “godparents” is used in the rite to describe both.” The godparents accompany the parents to present the child to the Church for baptism. The Rite of Baptism asks the godparents if they are ready to help the parents of the child in their duty of training the child in the practice of the faith. The lives of the godparents are to be examples of faith to inspire the child. Parents and godparents renew their baptismal vows prior to the baptism of the child. One of the godparents receives the lighted candle on behalf of the child.

The Sacramental Guidelines for the

Diocese of Shreveport have requirements for godparents: “At least one godparent is necessary. A godparent must be Catholic, 16 years old and confirmed. There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.” (Canon 873 and 874).

The godparent must be in good standing with the Church, living a

Godparents make a lifelong commitment to be a spiritual mentor to the child or catechumen. life consistent with faith and with the responsibility of a godparent. Those designated as godparents must also be members of the Catholic Church and be canonically free to carry out this office.

There are sponsors for Confirmation and sponsors for catechumens. In Confirmation there should be a sponsor for each of those to be confirmed.

Sponsors bring the confirmands to receive the sacrament, present them to the minister for the anointing, and will later help them to fulfill their baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of

the Holy Spirit whom they have received.

In view of contemporary pastoral circumstances, it is desirable that the godparent at baptism, if available, also be the sponsor at confirmation. This expresses more clearly the link between baptism and confirmation, and also makes the function and responsibility of the sponsor more effective. Nonetheless the option of choosing a special sponsor for confirmation is not excluded. Even the parents themselves may present their children for confirmation.

Pastors will see that the sponsors, chosen by the candidates and their families, are spiritually fit to take on this responsibility and have these qualities: a. Sufficient maturity to fulfill their function; b. Membership in the Catholic Church and their own reception of Christian initiation through baptism, confirmation and eucharist; c. Freedom from any impediment of law to their fulfilling the office of sponsor.

R.C.I.A. sponsors are those persons chosen to accompany the candidates when they seek admission to the catechumenate and remain with them to oversee their progress during the catechumenate process until the rite of election; they may also be selected as godparents. R.C.I.A. sponsors are persons who have known and assisted the candidates and stand as witnesses to the catechumens’ moral character, faith and intention. R.C.I.A. sponsors have the same criteria as sponsors for confirmation, and they are chosen and assigned by the parish and not by the catechumen.

The catechumen, once his formation is nearly complete, will choose a godparent, who might be the sponsor or might be someone different than his sponsor.

Godparents and sponsors are expected to be expert at living like Catholics. They do not have to be saints or theologians, but they should be churchgoing, active members of the parish. Godparents and sponsors help children and catechumens learn a new way of living in the world. • March 2016 21

St. Joseph Altars An Italian Tradition in Churches and Homes

by Susan Prest

S

t. Joseph Altars are celebrated each year on or near March 19th, the Feast Day of St. Joseph. The St. Joseph Altar, sometimes called St. Joseph Table, is an Italian tradition brought to us by Sicilian immigrants dating back to the 1800’s.

As the story goes, the tradition started after Sicily experienced a very long drought which caused crops to be lost and the fields to become barren.

Sicilians had little to eat and survived on fava beans. Fava beans, used as livestock feed, were served at their table and the farmers felt lucky the beans grew in the drought conditions. They prayed to St. Joseph, their patron saint, to send rain.

When their prayers were answered and rains came, the crops flourished. In thanksgiving for their answered prayers, the people built an altar honoring St. Joseph. They decorated the altar filling it full of fresh fruits and vegetables. All were invited and welcome to eat from the now bountiful harvest.

The Altar is embraced for a host of one’s own personal and private reasons.

There are many altars still today built in homes and churches with no two alike. But you will find each to be representative of the rich traditions and customs passed down over the years to celebrate this wonderful family event.

Our altar, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, depicts the life of Joseph. It 22 Catholic Connection

A Message From Bishop Duca Annual Diocesan Stewardship Appeal

is decorated with statues, relics and an array of handmade Italian cookies, along with lots of fresh produce and pasta brought by the children of St. Joseph Catholic School. A special dinner of meatless spaghetti sauce served over pasta, with stuffed artichokes, omelets, salad, fried fish and bread completes the meal. Bags of Italian cookies, medals and lots of fava beans are given to take home.

To give the children a better understanding of St. Joseph as a carpenter, we will offer a carpentry wood working station just for them! •

St. Joseph Feast Day Events St Joseph Chaplet: Saturday, March 12th, 5:15 - 5:45 p.m.

Mass with Bishop Duca: Sunday, March 13th, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Blessing of the Altar: Sunday, March 13th, 10:45 a.m.

Meals served: Sunday, March 13th,11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

St Joseph Catholic Church invites you, your friends, and your family to join us!

211 Atlantic Avenue Shreveport, LA 71105

A

ppeal Sunday occurred last month on February 21st, and I want to take time to thank all of our generous donors who have pledged their support of our Appeal during this “Year of Mercy.” If you have not yet provided your pledge to this year’s Appeal, I encourage you to by stating that there is no better way to celebrate this Extraordinary Jubilee Year than by supporting our Appeal and all it provides for the faithful of our entire diocese.

The month of March remains very important to our Appeal campaign as our places of worship are conducting follow-up efforts to secure additional Appeal gifts as we work together to provide for the people of our diocese.

Please take some time now to consider your pledge to support our array of Appeal ministries. A pledge card can be found on page 30, and you may use this to facilitate your annual gift to our Appeal. Those making pledges this month will receive their first Appeal statement in the month of April. •

hispanic NEWS por Padre Joseph Howard, Diócesis de Shreveport

Misericordia a Través de los Ojos del Papa Francisco

E

n su primer libro llamado “El Nombre de Dios es Misericordia”, el Papa Francisco nos ayuda a entender el significado de una experiencia de la misericordia de Dios en un encuentro personal. El Papa nos dice que visita a la gente y da Misa en la cárcel porque es algo profundo: ¿Por qué él, Papa y sacerdote – no está en la cárcel y otros si lo están? La respuesta que recibe de Dios es que solo por la misericordia. La Biblia nos dice que cada uno de nosotros es un pecador – ¡todos somos pecadores! La pregunta es: ¿Qué hacemos para reconocernos pecadores ante Dios y ante nosotros mismos?

Recibir la misericordia de Dios no quiere decir dejar la responsabilidad que tenemos de corregir lo que hemos hecho mal, sino que después de confesar el pecado, debemos regresar a restaurar y corregir el daño causado por nuestro pecado lo mejor posible. Si hemos hablado mal de alguien, podemos ahora decir con amor algo bueno de esa persona. Si hemos robado, podemos regresar lo robado – que en realidad nunca fue nuestro. Si hemos sido egoístas, podemos hacer algo que no teníamos que hacer pero que ayuda a otros. Por eso la misericordia y la justicia están íntimamente conectadas.

La misericordia no significa que nos libramos totalmente sin corregir el mal. El Papa nos dice que Dios se complace cuando admitimos humildemente, primero a nosotros mismos y después ante Dios que somos pecadores y estamos arrepentidos, pidiendo su perdón y después corrigiendo el daño hecho.

Si en verdad buscamos lo mejor para nosotros mismos, debemos hacer lo que Dios nos pide: primero, admitir la verdadera razón de nuestro pecado; segundo, confesar exactamente lo que hicimos; tercero, después de confesarlo, hacer lo mejor que podamos por corregir y deshacer el daño o daños que causamos con nuestros pecados.

Esto es lo que el Papa Francisco pretende al declarar el Año de la Misericordia y nombrando su libro “El nombre de Dios es Misericordia” ¡Dios no obliga a nadie! debemos cada uno escoger usar nuestra libertad correctamente para recibir este regalo especial. Abramos pues nuestros corazones y busquemos la misericordia de Dios

comenzando con estos pasos que el Santo Padre nos ofrece. •

Extracción de Homilía domingo 7 de febrero, 2016 por el Padre Joseph Howard, Diócesis de Shreveport. Traducción por Rosalba Quiroz.

Calendario del Mes de Marzo 2016 Recuerda si aún no lo has hecho, busca el Sacramento de la Confesión y has Obras de Misericordia durante la Cuaresma para que vivas una Semana Santa más plena con Jesús durante Su Pasión, Muerte y Resurrección, (El Triduo Pascual).

5 Reunión semestral de coordinadores parroquiales, Centro Católico, 12– 3p.m.

5 Reunión en preparación retiro Emaús, Centro Católico, Christ the King Church, 4 am – 6 p.m.

19 Segunda reunión en preparación para Búsqueda, Centro Católico, 11a.m. – 4p.m.

22 Misa Crismal, Catedral de St. John Berchmanas, Shreveport, 6p.m. el Obispo bendice los Santos. Oleos que el clero usa durante todo el año para los Sacramentos.

24 Triduo Pascual (Pasión, Muerte y Resurrección de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo)

March 2016 23

Kids' Connection!

What Can We Learn This Month?

This month we celebrate the

Resurrection of Jesus Resurrection Rolls

He is Risen! During Holy Week we prepare for Easter: Christ’s glorious resurrection. Now is the perfect time to reflect on what that means for us. Try doing this by making Resurrection Rolls.

Here’s What You’ll Need: 1. Your Bible!

2. A can of crescent rolls 3. Large marshmallows 4. Melted butter 5. Cinnamon and sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Open your Bible to

John 19. Have someone read while you unroll the crescent rolls and place them on a baking sheet – you may want to place parchment paper down first.

2. Grab the marshmallows. They represent Jesus -

white and pure. Roll them in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon and sugar, representing Jesus’ preparation for burial with oils and spices.

3. Wrap the marshmallow up in the crescent roll “cloth,” like Jesus was wrapped after he died.

4. Put the rolls in the “tomb,” or the oven for 12 minutes. In the mean time, read John 20: 1-18.

5. Once the rolls are done, pull them out and let

them cool. Once they are cool enough, open them up and try to see where the marshmallow is - it’s gone just like Jesus from the tomb. He is risen indeed!

24 Catholic Connection

Word Find APOSTLES CROSS EASTER EMPTY TOMB

FAITH JESUS MARY RESURRECTION

RISEN SACRIFICE SAVIOR TRIDUUM

school NEWS

Priest Memorial at JGS School

Pizza with the Priests at St. Joseph School

J

esus the Good Shepherd School held a memorial rosary during Catholic Schools Week honoring the lives of their beloved priests, Fr. David Richter and Msgr. Moore, who passed away last year.

O

n February 4, as part of Catholic Schools Week, St. Joseph School students in grades 5th-8th were encouraged to attend a luncheon with priests and women religious if they felt they may be called to religious life as adults.

Sisters Anna Maria Iannetti and Johnette Brocato, OLS, met with the 18 girls who attended “Sandwiches with the Sisters.” St. Joseph Church pastor Fr. Mark Franklin and Fr. Mike Thang'wa, along with Deacon

Bill Roche, hosted “Pizza with the Priests,” and also visited and answered questions from the boys who attended.

St. Joseph School enjoyed a very busy Catholic Schools Week this year, beginning and ending the school week with a prayer and worship session, led by music teacher Amanda Hock. The PTO provided treats for the students, fifth grade students “shadowed” middle school students and the school had their first-ever CSW video contest.

BayMobile Comes to St. John’s & Loyola

Immaculée Ilibagiza Kicked Off CSW

F

rances Barham, 8th grader at St. Frederick High School, received a special rosary for her birthday from Immaculée Ilibagiza, author of Left to Tell.

On February 1, St. Frederick High School hosted Immaculée as a guest speaker to kick off Catholic Schools’ Week.

Amazing Race at OLF

T

he Dauphin Island Sea Lab BayMobile spent three days with students from Loyola and St. John Berchmans. The BayMobile is a traveling classroom which allows Sea Lab educators to bring marine science lessons to schools. Students are directly involved in dynamic hands-on activities which help increase understanding and

appreciation for science and the marine environment of the Gulf Coast. Topics include the watershed system, plants and animals native to the Gulf Coast, and the impact of the oil spills on the environments. Students thoroughly enjoyed the day and learned more about the impact of science on their daily lives.

D

r. Carynn Wiggins, principal at Our Lady of Fatima School, poses with the winners of the “Amazing Race,” a fun event that took place during Catholic Schools Week.

March 2016 25

across the GLOBE

by Vatican Information Services

Encountering Jesus

Pope Names Dallas' Deshotel as Bishop of Lafayette

is the same as encountering his love.

This

love transforms

us and makes us able to transmit to others the strength that it gives us.

First Jubilee Audience: Mercy and Mission

V

atican City, January 30, 2016 (VIS) – Pope Francis dedicated the first of his Jubilee audiences to the theme “Mercy and Mission.”

The Jubilee audiences are an initiative of the Holy Father during the Holy Year, enabling those who are unable to attend the Wednesday general audiences to participate in his catechesis. On this occasion more than 22,000 people were present in St. Peter’s Square.

“Day by day we enter into the life of this Holy Year of Mercy. With His grace, the Lord guides our steps as we cross the Holy Door and comes towards us so as to stay always with us, despite our shortcomings and our contradictions. Let us never tire of asking His forgiveness, as when we are weak His closeness makes us stronger and allows us to live our faith with greater joy.”

Referring to the close link between mercy and mission, Francis underlined that as Christians we have the responsibility to be missionaries of the Gospel. “When we receive good news or have a good experience it is natural that we wish to communicate it to others. …

The joy we feel inspires us to do so. It should be the same when we encounter the Lord. Indeed, the concrete sign we have truly encountered Jesus is the joy we feel in communicating this to others 26 Catholic Connection

too. This is not proselytism, but rather it is a gift: I give you what makes me joyful. Reading the Gospel we see that this was also the experience of the first disciples. … Encountering Jesus is the same as encountering His love. This love transforms us and makes us able to transmit to others the strength that it gives us.”

“We could say that the day of our Baptism each one of us is given another name alongside the one we receive from our mother and father, and this name is ‘Christopher,’ which means ‘Christ-bearer.’

The name of our approach, as bearers of Christ’s joy and mercy,” remarked the Holy Father. “The Christian is a bearer of Christ. … But the mercy we receive from the Father is not given to us as a private consolation, but rather makes us instruments to enable others to receive the same gift. There is a wonderful circularity between mercy and mission.”

“Living mercy makes us missionaries of mercy, and being missionaries enables us increasingly to grow in God’s mercy.

So, let us take seriously the fact of being Christians, and let us commit ourselves to living as believers, because only in this way may the Gospel touch the people’s hearts, opening them to receive the grace of love,” concluded the Holy Father. •

P

ope Francis has named Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel, 64, as bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, and accepted the resignation of Bishop C. Michael Jarrell, 75, from pastoral governance of that diocese. Bishop Deshotel has served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Dallas since 2010.

The appointment was publicized in Washington, February 17, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

John Douglas Deshotel was born in Kinder, Louisiana, January 6, 1952. He attended the University of Dallas, where he earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity degrees.

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Dallas on May 13, 1978.

In addition to his many and varied parish assignments, he also served as vice rector at Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, TX. Charles Michael Jarrell was born May 15, 1940 in Opelousas, Louisiana, and ordained a priest of Lafayette on June 3, 1967. Pope John Paul II named him bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, on December 29, 1992. He was ordained a bishop March 4, 1993.

He has served as bishop of Lafayette since 2002. •

Lenten Reconciliation Services March 2 • 8:15 am St. John Berchmans School March 2 • 9:30 am Loyola College Prep March 2 • 6:00 pm Mary, Queen of Peace Parish

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD Bishop Michael Duca's 6th Annual

Pro-Life Banquet March 16, 2016

March 9 • 9:45am St. Joseph School

Bossier Civic Center

March 10 • 6:30pm St. Jude Parish

SEATING begins at 5:00 p.m.

DINNER 6:00 p.m.

PROGRAM 6:45 p.m.

March 12 • 10:00am Christ the King Parish March 14 • 6:30pm Sacred Heart Church, Shreveport March 15 • 6:30pm St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish March 16 • 6:30pm St. Pius X Parish March 17 • 6:30pm St. Joseph X Parish March 21 • 6:30pm St. Mary of the Pines Parish

Proceeds Benefit Mary's House Camille Pauley Keynote Speaker

Reservation Deadline: March 9, 2016

Camille Pauley co-founded with Father Robert Spitzer Healing the Culture, which uses Father Spitzer's "Life Principles" curriculum to change hearts and minds and build a life culture.

Questions: 318-218-3834 or 318-469-2018

Name: ______________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________ Phone #: (_____)_______________

Email: _______________________________

Reservations: $60 a person or $500 for a table of 8 ($30 per student) # of Individual Reservations ______

# of Tables ________

Amount Enclosed $ ______ List names of people at table:

1. _____________________

3. _________________________

4. ______________________ 5. ______________________

6. _________________________

7. ______________________ 8. ______________________

2. ______________________

Additional donation to underwrite cost of the evet: $___________ For sponsorship contact: prolifedioshreveport@dioshpt.org

Make check payable to and mail registration / check to:

Diocese of Shreveport, Pro-Life Banquet 3500 Fairfield Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71104

Copy form as needed. Thank you for supporting Bishop Duca's Pro-Life Banquet

March 2016 27

around the DIOCESE

Waterman Celebrates 100th Birthday

J

oetta Waterman celebrated her birthday of 100 years with family, friends, Bishop Duca and her extended family of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Shreveport. She received a Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis.

Guys’ & Girls’ Retreats at Tech

A

t the beginning of their term of office, the leadership team of the Association of Catholic Tech Students (ACTS) selects a theme for ACTS members to discuss and reflect on throughout the year.

Taken from 1 Thessalonians and Pope Francis’ 2014 Lenten message on fighting indifference, this year’s theme is “Strengthen Your Hearts.”

When the young men and women of ACTS went on their annual guys’ and girls’ retreat at the beginning of the winter quarter, they focused on masculine and feminine-specific ways in which to strengthen their own hearts. The guys went camping at the Outdoor Wilderness Center (O.W.L.) in Dubach, where they ate chili out of cups, played capture the flag in the woods and discussed their physical and spiritual weaknesses and how they can overcome them as a community.

Meanwhile, at Gospel, Inc. in Ruston, the young women of ACTS enjoyed community-building activities 28 Catholic Connection

and reflections on women they admire and the women they aspire to be. They also began working on an outreach project for victims of domestic violence that will officially kick off in February. ACTS members

Knights Receive Community Award

In Ruston, the young women of ACTS enjoyed community building activites and

reflections on women they admire and aspire to be. are encouraged to participate in all three of the retreats sponsored by ACTS throughout the year. The retreat programs at ACTS are just one aspect of the many opportunities for a Tech student to “BE CATHOLIC at TECH.”

by Courtney Smith

K

nights of Peter Claver Little Flower of Jesus Council and Court 160 receive the Lillie “Granny” Goins Community Service Award at the City of Monroe’s 37th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Salute celebration held on January 14. Receiving the award on behalf of the organization were Grand Knight Charles Scott and Grand Lady Bonnie Arnold. – Evelyn T. Body

Catholic Schools Join for Religion Scholars Bowl

S

t. John Berchmans School hosted its 7th annual Religion Scholars Bowl on February 4 as part of Catholic Schools Week. Students from all the schools joined together to form teams by grade, third through eighth. The teams competed in the day-long event featuring questions, activities and skits

St. Jude Group Reaches Out to Community

A

s Pope Francis stated, “Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life.” St. Jude Youth Outreach is a group of young people and their families who are living out their faith by reaching out to those in need in our community. Each month they make soup and sandwiches to deliver to less fortunate individuals and families. They spend time with the residents at Holy Angels celebrating those with birthdays that month. Throughout the month they also visit residents at Pilgrim Manor nursing home. Their most recent project was collecting items to make blessing bags and pass them out to the homeless in the downtown Shreveport area.

They hope hearts will be touched and lives will be changed in this Holy Year of Mercy.

about the Catholic faith.

Students were from Jesus the Good Shepherd School (Monroe), Our Lady of Fatima School (Monroe), St. Frederick High School (Monroe), St. Mary’s School (Natchitoches), St. Joseph School and St. John Berchmans School, both in Shreveport.

Master of Ceremonies for the event was John Mark Willcox from the Diocese of Shreveport and judges were Fr. Jerry Daigle, Sr. Carol Shively and Sr. Ann Middlebrooks. Bishop Michael Duca awarded the first place medals to the eighth grade team.

This annual event has become a great way for Catholic Schools students from North Louisiana to meet and enjoy fun competition with one another.

Local Hispanics Help Write Book for Year of Mercy

S

even Hispanic Youth Leaders from the Diocese of Shreveport attended the final workshop of the Paschal Mystery book they helped write for the Year of Mercy entitled, MERCY: Seeing Everyone Through the Eyes of God. The Diocese of Shreveport hosted the second workshop locally, and the third workshop took place in St. Augustine, FL. These young Hispanics were sent as Missionaries of God’s Mercy. They had so much joy and youthful passion for the mission of the Church at the SEPI (South Eastern Pastoral Institute) Jubilee of Mercy Workshop for Young Hispanics from the dioceses of southeast U.S.!

March 2016 29

mark your CALENDAR 3/7

Lenten Mission at St. Joseph, Shreveport Fr. Joseph Fowler will present a Lenten Mission March 7 – 9 on Pope Francis’ new book, The Name of God is Mercy. Morning sessions will be in the Family Life Center (211 Atlantic Ave) at 9:30 a.m. and evening sessions will be in the church (204 Patton Ave) at 6:30 p.m. Nursery will be available for the evening session for children 4 months to 4 years, and a Children’s Lenten Mission will be available for children 5 years to 5th grade! RSVPs are required by calling 318-865-3581.

3/12

St. Joseph Altar at St. Mary of the Pines St. Mary of the Pines will host a St. Joseph's Altar March 12 and 13.

Saturday after the 4:30 Mass there will be a Tuppa Tuppa ceremony, procession of St. Joseph's statue, blessing of the altar and a rosary in Italian and English. On Sunday they will be serving from 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

3/17

St. Vincent Academy Alumnae Tag Day Scholarship Fundraiser This Silent Auction will be held on March 17th at the Catholic Center, 3500 Fairfield Ave., from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Proceeds from the event benefit children and grandchildren of SVA Alumnae who are attending Loyola College Prep. Come renew old friendships and perhaps go home with a wonderful auction item! Tickets are $25 per person. Questions? E-Mail Colleen LeBlanc at colleencleblanc@ gmail.com or call (318) 865-8031.

3/18

Live Stations of the Cross The St. Joseph High School Youth Group will prayerfully perform a live adaptation of the Stations of the Cross. Students will serve as Biblical figures found throughout the Stations. Members of the youth group will also serve as the choir for this breathtaking meditation. The Live Stations of the Cross will be held in the St. Joseph Activity Center located at 1210 Anniston Ave, Shreveport.

3/31

Pro-Life Speaker Aimee Murphy to Speak at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs for Life invite you to come hear their guest speaker, Aimee Murphy, on March 31, at 7:00 p.m. Aimee is the Director of Life Matters Journal. She will be speaking on "Human Rights for All Human Beings" in Wyly Tower Auditorium at Louisiana Tech.

4/3

Divine Mercy Sunday with Bishop Duca at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans This year Divine Mercy Sunday is within the Year of Mercy. Bishop Duca will preside over the chaplet and devotion to take place in the Cathedral, April 3, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Everyone from every parish is invited. Emphasis will be placed on the Holy Door – people will have the opportunity to walk through it.

Multiple priests will be present hearing confessions. Confirmation students (from neighboring parishes) and their parents and sponsors have a special invitation. Everyone is highly encouraged to join our bishop on this special day, to pray for mercy and to receive a Plenary Indulgence.

For details, visit: www.sjbcathedral.org.

4/15

Annual Auction and Dance at St. John Berchmans Cathedral School St. John Berchmans School will host their 16th Annual Auction and Dance on Friday, April 15, from 6:00 –10:00 p.m. "How the West was Fun: Boots, Bling, and BBQ!" Mark your calendars for this fundraiser for the school.

Tickets are $30/person. For more info, call the school office at 318-221-6005.

2 0 1 6 D i o c e s a n s t e wa r d s h i p A p p e a l

I / We would like to contribute to the Diocesan Stewardship Appeal with a total yearly pledge of: $10,000 $7,500 $5,000 $3,500

$2,500 $2,000 $1,500 $1,000

Please send monthly reminders to:

$800 $750 $650 $500

$400 $350 $300 $250

At this time I / we are enclosing:

$200 $150 $100 $_______

$_____________

Print Name________________________________________________________________________________

Diocese of Shreveport The Catholic Center 3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104 www.dioshpt.org

30 Catholic Connection

Address___________________________________________________________________________________ City______________________________________________________State_________Zip Code____________ My / Our Church Parish______________________________________________________________________ Signature__________________________________________________________________________________ You may make a credit card payment online at: www.dioshpt.org (Click on Stewardship)

MARCH

2016

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

SATURDAY

28 29 1 2 3 4 5 Third Sunday of Lent

Lenten Reconciliation Service, St. John Berchmans School, 8:15am; Loyola College Prep, 9:30am; Mary, Queen of Peace Parish, 6pm

Lenten Reconciliation Service, Holy Trinity Parish, 5pm

St. Katharine Drexel, virgin

St. Casimir

Second Collection: Catholic Relief Services

Reconciliation Services

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Second Collection: Catholic Relief Services

Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, martyrs

St. John of God, religious

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Lenten Reconciliation Service, St. Joseph School, 9:45am

Lenten Reconciliation Service, St. Jude Parish, 6:30pm

LCCB Meeting, Baton Rouge

Lenten Reconciliation Service, Christ the King Parish, 10am

St. Frances of Rome, religious

Pro-Life Banquet MARCH 16

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Fifth Sunday of Lent

Daylight Savings Time Begins

Lenten Reconciliation Service, Sacred Heart Church, Shreveport, 6:30pm

Lenten Reconciliation Service, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 6:30pm

6th Annual Bishop's Pro-Life Banquet, Bossier Civic Center, 6pm

Lenten Reconciliation Service, St. Pius X Parish, 6:30pm

Lenten Reconciliation Service, St. Joseph Parish, Shreveport, 6:30pm

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop & doctor of the Church

St. Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

St. Patrick, bishop

CHRISM MASS MARCH 22

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Lenten Reconciliation Service, St. Mary of the Pines Parish, 6:30pm

Chrism Mass, Cathedral, 6pm

Theology on Tap, Monago Fieldhouse, Monroe, 6:30pm

Holy Thursday

Way of the Cross Justice Walk, FUMC, Downtown Shreveport, 9am Second Collection: Catholic Relief Services Good Friday

Holy Saturday Easter Vigil celebrations may begin at 7:30 pm or later Second Collection: Diocesan Church Vocations

Walk for Justice / MARCH 25

27 28 29 30 31 1 2 EASTER SUNDAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD Second Collection: Diocesan Church Vocations

EASTER SUNDAY MARCH 27 March 2016 31

Connection The Catholic

DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT 3500 Fairfield Ave.

•

Shreveport, LA 71104

Photo of the Month

To conclude the Year of Consecrated Life, St. John the Baptist Church in Many had a special celebration on February 7. Sisters from throughout our diocese and the Diocese of Beaumont (formerly from our diocese) attended.

32 Catholic Connection

Fairfield