Catholic Connection May 2014

Vol. 23, No. 10 May 2014

Ordinations!

May 31: Keith Garvin to be ordained to the priesthood & Jerry Daigle, Jr. to be Ordained to the transitional Diaconate May 2014 1

First Time REceiving the Magazine?

Publisher Bishop Michael G. Duca Editor Jessica Rinaudo Contributors Sam Alzheimer Bishop Michael Duca Thomas Kennedy Kathy Lenard Kim Long Lucy Medvec Theresa Mormino Mary Frances Nahlen-Many

Fr. Rothell Price Dianne Rachal Jessica Rinaudo Sr. Martinette Rivers Stanley Roque Katie Sciba Marcos Villalba Mike Van Vranken

Editorial Board Kim Long Fr. Matthew Long Kelly Phelan Powell Dianne Rachal Christine Rivers 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.

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his magazine, the Catholic Connection, is the official publication of the Diocese of Shreveport and Bishop Michael Duca’s primary tool for communicating with Catholics in North Louisiana. Funded by the Annual Diocesan Stewardship Appeal, this publication is free to all known Catholics in the Diocese of Shreveport.

Over the years, people have told me they are registered with their parish, but do not receive the magazine. And while every donor to the Annual Stewardship Appeal is automatically added to our mailing list, that is not a requirement to receive this publication.

I have recently contacted our parishes and asked them to share with the diocese a list of their registered members so we can add them to our mailing list. Several of our parishes have responded to that request, and as a result our mailing list has swelled.

With this issue focusing on the great “vocations boom” we are having this year, I can’t think of a better way to begin expanding our readership.

We welcome you to the magazine and hope you enjoy it. You can always view our past issues online at www.thecatholicconnection.org. If you need to change your subscription, please e-mail jrinaudo@dioshpt.org, or call 318-868-4441.

Thank you, Jessica Rinaudo, Editor

bishop’s may calendar MAY 2 Red Mass; Holy Trinity Parish, Shreveport; 9:00 a.m.

MAY 3 Confirmation; Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Monroe; 4:30 p.m.

MAY 4 Confirmation; St. Patrick Parish, Lake Providence; 9:00 a.m.

Confirmation; Sacred Heart Parish, Oak Grove; 5:00 p.m.

MAY 6 Priests’ Retirement Committee Meeting; Catholic Center, Shreveport; 11:00 a.m.

MAY 10 University of Louisiana at Monroe Commencement; Monroe; 10:00 a.m.

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

Confirmation; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Shreveport; 4:00 p.m.

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

MAY 14 Loyola College Prep Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 9:30 a.m.

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.

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MAY 11 Mass; St. George Church, Coushatta; 8:30 a.m.

Mass; Mary, Queen of Peace Parish, Bossier City; 11:00 a.m.

MAY 12 Presbyteral Council Meeting; Catholic Center, Shreveport; 1:00 p.m.

MAY 15 Loyola College Prep Baccalaureate Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 6:30 p.m.

Graduation Mass; Edward R. Maher Athletic Center, Irving, TX; 10:00 a.m.

MAY 18 Confirmation; St. Mary of the Pines Parish, Shreveport; 9:00 a.m.

Confirmation; St. Joseph Parish, Shreveport; 3:00 p.m.

MAY 19 St. Frederick High School Baccalaureate Mass; Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Monroe; 5:00 p.m.

St. Frederick High School Graduation; Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Monroe; 6:00 p.m.

MAY 20 Marquette Reading Club Spring Luncheon; Shreveport Club; 12:00 p.m.

Confirmation; Christ the King Parish, Bossier City; 6:00 p.m.

MAY 24 Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Commencement Ceremony; Centenary College’s Gold Dome, Shreveport; 10:00 a.m.

MAY 30 Rev. Msgr. Earl V. Provenza’s 50th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood Mass; Holy Trinity Church, Shreveport; 5:00 p.m.

MAY 16 Loyola College Prep Graduation; RiverView Hall and Theater, Shreveport; 6:30 p.m.

MAY 31 Transitional Diaconate Ordination of Jerry Daigle, Jr. and Priesthood Ordination of Deacon Keith Garvin; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 10:00 a.m.

MAY 17 University of Dallas School of Ministry

Confirmation; St. Paschal Church, West Monroe; 5:30 p.m.

contents

may 2014

columns Who Has Helped You on Your Way?

by Bishop Michael G. Duca........................................................................................... 4-5 Mike’s Meditations: You Are an Ambassador by Mike Van Vranken...................6 Second Collections: Diocese of Shreveport Retired Priests Fund

by Fr. Rothell Price .....................................................................................................6 Domestic Church: What Do You Hope From Me? by Katie Sciba......................7

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Answer Your Kids’ Burning Questions by Katie Sciba ............................................7 Moveable Feast: Easter is a Season, Not a Day by Kim Long..............................8 Navigating the Faith: Ordinations by Dianne Rachal...........................................9 Aging Wisdom: Be God's Aging Worker by Sr. Martinette Rivers ..........................10 St. John Berchmans School Wins State Science Olympiad Again

by Lucy Medvec .......................................................................................................10

School News ...........................................................................................................11

features

15

Ordinations!

May 31: Keith Garvin to be Ordained to the Priesthood & Jerry Daigle, Jr. to be Ordained to the Transitional Diaconate

by Sam Alzheimer ..................................................................................................... 12-14 The Traveling Vocations Chalice Program

by Mary Frances Nahlen-Many ................................................................................ 15

news Catholic Charities Serves Up Nutrition and Budget Classes

by Theresa Mormino...................................................................................................16

16 on the cover

Spirit-Filled Weekend at Abbey Youth Fest by Thomas Kennedy..........................16 St. Joseph Altar in Bastrop by Kathy Lenard...........................................................17 Be the Mission: A Special Lenten Drive at St. Mary of the Pines

by Kim Long...............................................................................................................17

Hispanic Corner by Marcos Villalba.........................................................................18 Around the Globe The Church Will Take No Steps Backward in Sanctions Against Child Abusers

by Vatican Information Services ................................................................................19 From the Vatican by Vatican Information Services .................................................19 Around the Diocese ...............................................................................................20-21 Upcoming Events....................................................................................................22 May Calendar ........................................................................................................23 Picture of the Month by Stanley Roque..................................................................24

Deacon Keith Garvin will be ordained to the priesthood and Jerry Daigle, Jr. will be ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 31.

May 2014 3

LA REFLEXIÓN del obispo

por Obispo Michael G. Duca

¿Quién te Ha Ayudado en Tu Camino?

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sta semana pasada vi una entrevista con Pharell Williams en uno de mis programas de televisión favoritos “CBS Sunday Morning” con Charles Kuralt. No tenía idea quien era esta persona, pero tiene una canción muy contagiosa que se llama “Happy” con un video que divierte ver. No sé mucho de su vida, pero lo que me intrigó sobre la entrevista es que el entrevistador se desesperó con sus respuestas. Cuando le preguntó a quien le atribuye y agradece las opciones que le han llevado al éxito, él nombró a su abuela, a todos sus maestros de música como la razón de su éxito como músico. Cuando le preguntaron de sobre el éxito, el agradeció a sus admiradores, a sus colaboradores, a sus músicos y a su familia.

Después de una serie de preguntas, él le preguntó al entrevistador si sus respuestas eran frustrantes a lo cual le contestó que debería dar crédito por su éxito a su talento único, Williams dijo que pensar de esa manera era peligroso y equivocado. Dijo, “esas son las historias más trágicas, la gente con mayor talento que empieza a creer que todo lo hacen ellos. No es todo tÚ.

No puede ser que seas solo tú. Así como necesitas el aire para volar un papalote, no es el papalote. Es el aire.”

Es por esta manera noble y agradecida de pensar que él tiene éxito, lo cual es refrescante y sorprendente en esta sociedad ego-céntrica e individualista en la que vivimos. También me hizo pensar porque yo estaba considerando un artículo sobre mi vocación al sacerdocio para esta publicación de la Connection de este mes.

Las historias de vocaciones casi siempre hablan de la decisión que un hombre o una mujer hace para contestar al llamado de Dios al servicio del sacerdocio o la vida religiosa. Aunque, y ustedes pueden no haber pensado esto, cuando un hombre, por ejemplo, entra en el seminario se le dice que hay dos lados a la vocación al sacerdocio. Primero él debe creer que él es llamado por Dios para ser sacerdote.

Segundo, e igual de importante, la Iglesia (con la ayuda del seminario) debe discernir 4 Catholic Connection

que el llamado es genuino y que el seminarista tiene las “cosas” que hacen falta – la salud de la mente, del cuerpo y del espíritu – para ser un buen sacerdote. Así que no importa cuánto alguien quiera ser un sacerdote o hermana religiosa o miembro de alguna comunidad religiosa, tiene que ser llamado también por la Iglesia para la ordenación y/o la profesión de votos religiosos. Por eso es que al comenzar la ceremonia de ordenación del sacerdote se dice su nombre y cuando el responde, “PRESENTE” es la señal de que siente el llamado. La siguiente pregunta es por parte del Obispo, “¿Saben si él es merecedor? A lo cual se le da respuesta al Obispo por medio del director de vocaciones, “Después de preguntar entre la gente Cristiana y con la recomendación de aquellos responsables, testifico que se ha encontrado merecedor.”

Envío tantos pensamientos a todos los que han hecho que mi vida sea merecedora del sacerdocio, a los que fueron el viento para mi papalote. Estoy agradecido por todos mis maestros que me enseñaron las habilidades que frecuentemente olvido que las aprendí.

Las Hermanas de La Sagrada Familia de Nazaret de Chicago y los, maestros de la primaria de Santo Tomas de Aquino que me enseñaron lo básico de lectura, escritura y aritmética que me dieron la base que me ha servido todos los días de mi vida. Tengo un profundo agradecimiento para los padres Dominicos y los maestros de preparatoria Obispo Lynch que me guiaron durante esos años. Mi maestro de exploradores (Scouts), Charlie Mohrle, quien formó mi liderazgo y destrezas y me

dio oportunidades maravillosas de disfrutar actividades a campo abierto.

Valoro al personal del seminario de la Santísima Trinidad y la buena educación que recibí de la Universidad de Dallas que me preparó directamente para el ministerio del sacerdocio.

No podría pagar nunca el regalo de mis padres, Lewis y Aline, que me dieron un hogar amoroso y estable y me inculcaron el amor a Cristo y apreciación de mi fe.

Si reflexionamos en nuestras vidas veremos cómo mucha gente nos ayudó en nuestro camino y somos quien somos por la manera en que nos cuidaron. En mi vida estoy agradecido de que la mayoría de estas personas estaban viviendo su vocación como cristianos y fielmente dieron su tiempo, talentos y tesoros como un acto de fe para ayudar a guiar y formar a mis compañeros y a mí. Todo esto me llena de humildad y gratitud. Esta es una parte escondida pero importante de la historia de mi vocación.

Oremos por los que están en discernimiento de una vocación religiosa, pero también démonos cuenta que el trabajo de promover las vocaciones al sacerdocio y a la vida religiosa es el trabajo de toda la Iglesia y comienza primeramente amando a nuestros niños y dándoles las oportunidades que necesitan para llegar a ser hombres y mujeres de fe. Tomen un momento para recordar, y agradezcan si pueden, a los que les han ayudado a tener éxito, a aguantar, cambiar, sanar o aprender. Den gracias a Dios por todo lo bueno que les ha dado a través de todos ellos.

bishop’s reflection

by Bishop Michael G. Duca

Who Has Helped You on Your Way?

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his past week I watched an interview with Pharrell Williams on one of my favorite TV shows “CBS Sunday Morning” with Charles Kuralt. Now I had no idea who he was, but he has a hit song called “Happy” with a contagiously optimistic video that is a joy to watch. I do not know much about his life, but what intrigued me about the interview is how he seemed Bishop Duca to frustrate the interviewer. When asked about what choices he made to lay the groundwork for his success, he named his grandmother and all of his music teachers as the reason he was a successful musician. When asked about his success, he thanked his fans, his collaborators, his supporting musicians and family. Eventually after a series of questions he asked the interviewer if his answers were frustrating. When the interviewer implied that he should take credit for his unique talent as the reason for his success, Mr. Williams said in so many words that to think that way was dangerous and wrong. He said, “I mean, those are the most tragic stories, the most gifted people who start to believe it�s really all them. It�s not all you. It can�t be all you. Just like you need air to fly a kite, it�s not the kite. It�s the air.”

This selfless and thankful awareness of why he is successful was refreshing and surprising in this self-centered and narcissistic society in which we live. It also got me thinking because I was considering an article about my vocation to the priesthood for this issue of the Connection.

Vocation stories almost always talk of the decision a man or woman makes to answer God�s call to the service of the priesthood or religious life. But, and you may not have thought about this, when a man, for example, enters the seminary he is told that there are two sides to a vocation to the priesthood. First he must believe he is

called by God to be a priest.

Second, and just as important, the Church (with the help of the seminary) must discern that the call is genuine and that the seminarian has the “stuff” – the health of mind, body and spirit – to be a good priest. So no matter how much someone wants to be a priest or sister or a member of a religious community, they must also be called by the Church to ordination and/or profession of religious vows. This is why at the beginning of the ordination ceremony of the priest, the name of the man to be ordained is called out and when he responds, “PRESENT,” it is his sign that he feels called. The next question is asked by the Bishop, “Do you know them to be worthy?” to which the answer is given to the Bishop by the vocations director, “After inquiry among the Christian people and upon recommendation of those responsible, I testify that he has been found worthy.”

So my thoughts go to those in my life who made me worthy to be a priest, those who were the wind to my kite. I am grateful for all my grade school teachers who taught me skills that I often forget I once had to learn. The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth from Chicago and lay teachers of St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School who taught me the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic laid a foundation that has served me all my life. I have a deep appreciation for the Dominican Fathers and lay teachers of

Bishop Lynch High School who guided me through my high school years. My scout master, Charlie Mohrle, who shaped my leadership skills and gave me wonderful opportunities to appreciate the outdoors. I value the seminary staff at Holy Trinity Seminary and the premiere Bishop Duca with education I his father, Lewis, at his episopal received from ordination. the University of Dallas that directly prepared me for priestly ministry.

I could never repay the gift of my parents, Lewis and Aline, who gave me a stable and loving home and instilled in me a love of Christ and appreciation of my faith.

If we reflect on our lives we will see how many people helped us on our way and we are who we are because of the way they cared for us. In my life I am thankful that most of them were living their vocation as a Christian and faithfully gave their time, talent and treasure as an act of faith to help guide and form my classmates and me.

This thought humbles me and fills me with gratitude. This is a hidden but important part of my vocation story.

Let us pray for those discerning a religious vocation, but also realize the work of promoting vocations to the priesthood and religious life is the work of all the Church and it begins by first loving all our children and giving them the opportunities they need to become men and women of faith. Take a moment to remember, thank if you can, those who have helped you succeed, endure, change, heal or learn.

Give thanks to God for all the good He has given to you through them.

May 2014 5

mike’s meditations

by Mike Van Vranken

You are an Ambassador Remind yourself who you represent

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t. Paul tells us he and his workers were “ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through” them. (2 Corinthians 5:20) In particular, he was urging the Corinthians, and us, to be reconciled to God. Paul is also explaining that ministers of the Gospel are entrusted with expressing God’s message to all those around them. And if we are to take part in evangelizing the world, we become ambassadors just like Paul.

Biblical ambassadors seem to be those appointed by God to declare his will. Jesus told his apostles to go and make disciples.

(Matthew 28:19) That responsibility to bring Jesus to the modern world, and equally bring the world to Jesus has been given to us as well. In other words, we are all ambassadors of the living God. Ambassadors are clearly identified with the organization or person they represent. Consequently, they are carefully scrutinized and followed to determine what message they bring with them. Most ambassadors are constantly in the spotlight of surveillance or inspection for everyone to view and evaluate.

They work hard to ensure they never embarrass or scandalize those for whom they speak.

As ambassadors, we represent Jesus on the earth. Our role to evangelize and bring people to him causes us to be in the spotlight as well. People watch us and examine what we do. It is important to consider what they see and hear. Do we live the message of forgiveness? Are our hearts the reflection of God’s loving compassion? Have we become good and faithful stewards of our money and share it with the needy? Are we unceasingly in prayer? Are we patient and kind? Do we bring joy to everyone around us?

Every day this month, let’s imagine ourselves with a sash across our chests covered with hi-tech LED lights that read: “I am an ambassador of Jesus Christ.” Then, as his personal representatives, let’s commit to a lifestyle of evangelizing our communities in every way. Let’s make every decision, say every word, do every action only after we remind ourselves of whom we represent.

Ask yourself right now, “What do people see in me as an ambassador of my savior?”

Mike is a writer and teacher. You can contact him at: www. mikevanvrankenministries.org or write him at: Mike Van Vranken, 523 Loch Ridge Drive, Shreveport, LA 71106.

6 Catholic Connection

second collections by Fr. Rothell Price

Second Collections for the Month of May

Diocese of Shreveport Retired Priests Fund

Msgr. Carson LaCaze and Msgr. Earl Provenza are past retirement age, but still continue to serve the faithful as active priests.

Announcement Dates: May 11 & 18 Collection Dates: May 24 & 25

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our generous and grateful participation in the Diocese of Shreveport Retired Priests Collection is an important ministry of our diocese to our retired diocesan priests.

This ministry of care, engaged in by the Bishop and the people of the diocese, assures appropriate care for our priests who have dedicated their most productive years to the Lord and His holy people who are the Church. Everyone is aware of the need to appropriately provide for the spiritual, material and medical needs of their senior years. Priests have the same concerns. They want to have a certain level of confidence that someone will attend to the nurturing of their faith, helping them settle in an appropriate physical environment, and assist them when their bodies or minds decline with the passage of time. You play an important part in adding to their sense of security about their senior years.

Please participate generously and with gratitude in your heart in the annual Diocese of Shreveport Retired Priests Collection.

Our retired priests have a profound trust in the Lord and His Holy Mother; they have a profound trust in the gratitude and generosity of the people of the diocese. Our retired bishop and nine retired priests rely on the Lord and us to sustain them in their senior years. As age and physical ability permit, they continue to “Hope in the Lord.” They continue to live a life of prayer and sacramental participation. They continue to witness the love of God. Please do remember Bishop William Friend, Father Murray Clayton, Fr. Walter Ebarb, Msgr. Franz Graef, Fr. John Kennedy, Fr. Roger McMullen, Msgr. Edmund Moore, Fr. Joe Puthuppally, Fr. Patrick Scully and Fr. Ken Williams. Remember our priests who have surpassed retirement age yet continue to serve in active ministry: Msgrs. Carson LaCaze and Earl Provenza and Fr. Richard Lombard. In gratitude to the Lord, give generously to the Diocese of Shreveport Retired Priests Collection for the sake of His senior laborers in the vineyard.

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

domestic church

by Katie Sciba

What Do you Hope From Me? Be the answer and example to your children

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ast month I was blessed to see Dr. Meg Meeker speak in Dallas at a conference on money, marriage and parenting. A veteran pediatrician and best-selling author who specializes in child-parent relationships, Dr. Meeker delivered her convictions to an audience of 7,000, and every last one of us was attentively silent for the duration of her time on stage.

She was absolutely captivating. What drew us all in was her clear point: your kids are watching you; not just for an example to follow, but for affirmation and hope.

Four years and four children in (Baby #4 due in November!), and I feel as though I’m just beginning to realize the significance of motherhood. Amazing, isn’t it? History is full of fools who have chased after power and influence, both of which are inherently etched in the humble crown of being someone’s mama. From the start of that little life, a whole world is founded on a mother’s behavior. Her touch, her tone, her countenance all answer the questions, according to Dr. Meeker, that every child has.

From the beginning children wonder, “What do you think of me?” and “How do you feel about me?” These are pretty humbling questions in my mind, and kids will get an answer from us whether we offer one deliberately or not. Our response comes in the outward display of our priorities – do we allow time with our children to be interrupted by a text or call that could wait for later? There’s no denying that mothers, both at-home and career women, are busy; but are we too preoccupied with checking off to-dos that the ones God entrusted to us fall to the periphery? We all know that actions speak more loudly than words, and when we choose to stay connected with our kids

over entertaining needless distractions or place them at the top of a lengthy list of priorities, they get the message that they matter. When we hug them, hold them, or just throw an arm over their shoulders, they know that they’re loved.

This knowledge alone empowers children to walk through life confidently and contentedly because they are supported, something very necessary for young ones learning to navigate life.

The third question children wonder is, “What do you hope for me?” Kids are pining to know that we believe in them - that we are certain of their capabilities even when they’re not. This desire doesn’t go away with age, either. In a recent visit home, I shyly revealed to my mom my ambitions for my writing, the hope to one day write a book, become a speaker on marriage and family, and encourage others to focus on their vocations. Her response was very clear, “Of course you will. You’re doing wonderful work,” and even as an adult, I felt my heart soar knowing she thinks I can do it. One of the best gifts we can give our kids is being the voice of confidence instead of the voice of doubt.

True, these are simple principles, but the fact remains that they need to resonate constantly with us in a society that would draw our attention away from home to put it on ourselves. The power of a mother is incalculable, and regardless of our children’s ages, it’s time to wield that ability to show them just how lovable they are.

Katie Sciba is the author of thecatholicwife.net. She lives in Shreveport with her husband, Andrew, and three sons, Liam,Thomas & Peter.

Answer Your Kids' Burning Questions All children of all ages want to know that their mothers are crazy about them. Dr. Meg Meeker asserts that every child carries three questions that only parents can answer.

What Do You Think of Me?

Answer this question by the way you greet your kids – do you do it with a smile, or do you show that you feel burdened by them? Put away the distractions, even the important ones, to show your kids they matter.

How Do You Feel About Me?

Answer this question with physical affection. Kisses and hugs, high fives, tickling, an arm around the shoulders – any simple touch to convey love will yield a lifetime of confidence and contentment.

What Do You Hope For Me?

Children are just beginning to navigate life and they need to know their parents believe in them. Make sure your kids know you’ll support them as they set ambitions and pursue new endeavors. Be a voice of confidence instead of a voice of doubt.

May 2014 7

moveable feast

by Kim Long

Easter is a season, Not a Day

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s I write this Palm Sunday is just a few days away and I, like many of us, am already looking forward to Easter Sunday and the “season.” With so much activity and demands on our time I have never been as glad as I am now to think of Easter as a real season, a 50 day invitation to revel in God�s extravagant love for us. Sadly this is a mindset that takes a bit of adjustment from the world�s time to God�s time, from the merchandisers who are already urging us on and at a frantic pace to the next “holiday,” to the natural inclination I have of breathing a sigh of relief that “at least now I can focus on the next event in the parish.”

This Lent hasn�t been what I expected... I didn�t really give up anything and found myself showing up for Stations of the Cross, attending the Ecumenical Lenten lunches in the Southern Hills area, going to confession and slowly realizing that I had been making a steady progression toward faithfulness. In my previous Lenten experiences I thought what I did needed to be BIG: give up all sugar, go to Mass daily, no television, no fast food, no no no. I am grateful to feel a sense of balance in this Lenten period and perhaps this year it was exactly what I needed. I think it has helped me with the concept of Easter as a season and not a day. Of course the cantor reminds the congregation that this is the second, third, fourth Sunday of Easter and so on, but to really begin to embrace it feels comforting and not like an additional burden or another event.

Easter treats are fun and I enjoy making them and eating them. Over the 8 Catholic Connection

years I, like my mom and grandmother before me, have rolled out countless sugar cookies, frosted cupcakes with dyed coconut and jellybeans, homemade carrot cake, and once cut out yeast dough with cookie cutters for Easter lunch so that the rolls were in the shape of bunnies and carrots. Most of this has been replaced with the following recipe. I made it just as an experiment one Eastertide and since then it is the dessert I am “told” to bring to family Easter gatherings. I also make a second one just for my boys. I stumbled across it in Nigella Lawson�s hefty tome Feast: Food to Celebrate Life, I think it is also known under the guise “flourless chocolate cake,” but Nigella�s recipe is written in a comical, encouraging and non-inflated way that made me confident of my effort.

Don�t worry, it�s an easy and delicious recipe and a small bite will definitely take you to another place.

This year as we wend our way toward Pentecost Sunday, which is on June 8 this year, pace yourself with “treats” – which is something my siblings and I didn�t do; by sundown on the Feast of the Resurrection all but the “yuckiest” of our Easter treats were consumed and there was nothing for the days ahead to remind us of the sweetness of God�s love! Consider pacing and marking some of these 50 days with small treats along the way. Of course, I am not saying they must all be food!

Christ is risen... truly Christ is risen!

PLEASE don�t be put off by the number of steps in this recipe! Read it through a couple of times and then proceed with confidence after prayers to Saints Lawrence and Martha (some patrons of cooks everywhere). You can do it! And the rewards will be if not “heavenly” then certainly yummy!

Easter Egg Nest Cake Ingredients: For the Cake: • 8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 6 eggs: 2 whole and 4 separated • 1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar (1/3 cup for the yolk mixture; 1/2 cup for the whites) For the Topping: •4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped • 1 cup heavy cream • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 cup sugar shell (sugar coated) Easter egg candy (like Cadbury Mini Eggs) Directions: 1) Preaheat oven to 350 degrees. 2) Line the bottom of an 8" springform pan with parchment paper. DO NOT grease sides of pan. 3) Melt the chocolate with the butter (microwave or double boiler) and set aside to cool slightly. 4) Beat 4 egg whites until firm, then gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are holding their shape and peak but aren't yet stiff. 5) Remove bowl from mixer and set aside. In another bowl place 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 1/3 cup of sugar and vanilla and once that is mixed up really well gently fold in your chocolate mixture. Lighten the mixture with some of the egg whites –just a dollop at a time and stir briskly – then fold in the rest of the egg white mixture gently. 6) Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the center is no longer wobbly on the surface. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack; the middle sinks as it cools and the sides splinter. You want this to look lke a cake with a crater in it so DON'T PANIC. 7) To finish cake, carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a cake stand, not worrying if bits fall off here and there.

Put them back on in a loose fashion. 8) Melt the chocolate for the topping and leave it to cool a little while. Whip the cream until it is firming up but still soft (not like butter!) and then add vanilla and fold in the melted chocolate. 9) Fill the crater of the cake with the chocolatey cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake with a rubber spatual and then arrange the little sugar eggs on top.

Nigella Lawson "Feast: Food to Celebrate Life" published by Hyperion

Navigating the Faith Ordinations

by Dianne Rachal, Director of Worship

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hrough sacred Ordination certain of the Christian faithful are appointed in the name of Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to shepherd the Church with the word and grace of God. The divinely established ecclesiastical ministry is exercised in different Orders by those who, even from antiquity, have been called bishops, priests, and deacons. The sacramental effects of Holy Orders are the power of the Order and the grace of the Holy Spirit which are accepted and used as such by the Church.

Bishops Episcopal consecration (bishop) bestows the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, that fullness of power, namely, which in both the Church’s liturgical practice and the language of the Fathers is called precisely the High Priesthood, the summit of the sacred ministry.

But episcopal consecration, together with the office of sanctifying, also confers the offices of teaching and governing, offices that of their very nature can be exercised only in hierarchic communion with the head of the college (the pope) and its members (other bishops). For from tradition, it is clear that the laying on of hands and the words of consecration bestow the grace of the Holy Spirit and impress a sacred character in such a way that bishops in an eminent and visible way carry on the role of Christ himself as Teacher, Shepherd and High Priest and act in his person.

The Church upholds the apostolic succession of bishops. The Order of Bishops succeeds the College of Apostles in teaching authority and pastoral rule. Therefore, as successors of the apostles, bishops receive from the Lord the

mission to teach all nations and to preach the Gospel so all people may attain salvation. The prayer of consecration for bishops is found in the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus of Rome, written at the beginning of the third century.

The placing of the Book of the Gospels over the head of the bishop-elect during the Prayer of Ordination and the presenting of it to him illustrate the pre-eminent obligation of preaching the word of God. The anointing of the head is the sign of the bishop’s distinctive share in the Priesthood of Christ. The presentation of the ring symbolizes the bishop’s fidelity to the Bride of God, the Church. The investiture with the miter signifies his resolve to pursue holiness. The presentation of the crosier signifies the duty of guiding and governing the Church entrusted to him. The fraternal kiss seals, so to speak, his admittance into the College of Bishops.

Priests Priests are the bishop’s co-workers. Even though priests do not possess the fullness of the High Priesthood and in the exercise of their power are dependent on the bishops, they are nevertheless linked to the bishops in priestly dignity. By virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, in the image of Christ the eternal High Priest, they are consecrated to preach the Gospel, to shepherd the faithful, and to celebrate divine worship as true priests of the New Testament. By sacred Ordination and the mission they receive from the bishops, priests are promoted to the service of Christ the Teacher, Priest and King. They share in his ministry of unceasingly building up the Church on earth into the People of God, the Body of

Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

By sacred Ordination a sacrament is conferred on priests through which, by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, they are signed with a special character and are so configured to Christ the Priest that they have the power to act in the person of Christ the Head. The central part of the Ordination of Priests is the laying on of hands and the consecratory prayer.

Deacons From Apostolic times, the Catholic Church has held the holy Order of the Diaconate in high honor. Deacons are ordained for the bishop’s ministry. At a lower grade of the hierarchy they receive the laying on of hands not for the priesthood, but for the ministry.

Strengthened by sacramental grace, they serve the People of God, in the diakonia of liturgy, word, and charity, in communion with the bishop and his presbyterate.

The Ordination of Deacons is a distinct and permanent grade of the hierarchy in the Church. As with the other Orders, in the Ordination of Deacons the matter is the laying of the bishop’s hands on the individual candidates, and the form consists in the words of the consecratory prayer. The Ordination of Deacons includes the “Rite of Commitment to Holy Celibacy,” therefore candidates for the Diaconate are consecrated in a new way to Christ.

Structure of the Celebration

1. Presentation of the Elect (the Bishop-elect, or Candidates for the Priesthood or Diaconate) 2. Homily 3. Promise of the Elect 4. Litany of Supplication (the elect prostrate themselves) Bishop Priest Deacon Laying on of Hands Laying on of Hands Laying on of Hands Book of the Gospels over head Prayer of Ordination Prayer of Ordination Prayer of Ordination Investiture with Stole & Chasuble Investiture with Stole & Dalmatic Anointing of the Head Anointing of Hands Handing on the Book of Gospels Receiving of the Book of the Gospels Receiving the Paten & Chalice Fraternal Kiss Receiving the Ring Fraternal Kiss Receiving the Miter Receiving the Crosier 5. Liturgy of the Eucharist Occupying the Cathedra 6. Concluding Rites Fraternal Kiss The bishop is the minister of sacred Ordination to all Orders. The laying on of hands and the Prayer of Ordination are the essential elements of every ordination. These elements bestow the gift of the Holy Spirit and impress a sacred character in such a way that bishops, priests and deacons are, in their respective ways, conformed to Christ.

May 2014 9

aging wisdom

by Sr. Martinette Rivers

Be God's Aging Worker

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t. John Paul II said, “Old age is the final stage of human maturity and a sign of God�s blessing.” He felt very close to older people as he aged himself and always said the Church still needed each of us and should make us feel loved, respected and needed. When people tell us, “you�re too old,” I think we should simply hold on a bit more because God is certainly holding on to our lives. We still have our gifts and talents and time is ours. It�s our vitality that allows our light to shine. Dr. Richard Johnson tells us, never allow yourself to think, “My health is shot, I can�t do anything more, so I�ll stop trying.” Why have such an attitude? My self-confidence has not eroded and neither should you allow yours to. Let your wisdom and courage keep your thinking alive.

Being God�s aging worker in the world is what it is all about. At every age, God needs us to reach out to those in need. Changing lives one at a time is the power of the cross. Pope Francis tells us to “live the Gospel without frontiers,” and that means living in love without any limits to what we are still capable of doing. You must have open hands in order to receive so you can add life to your years. St. John Paul II did just that with all his limitations during the last months of his life. Let�s imitate him. What a beautiful example of aging gracefully he was!

Pope Francis said this in his address to the Cardinals, “Old Age, they say, is the seat of wisdom. The old ones have the wisdom that they have earned from walking through life, like old Simeon and Anna at the temple, whose wisdom allowed them to recognize Jesus. Let us give with wisdom to the youth like good wine that improves with age, let us give the youth the wisdom of our lives.”

This reminds me of the Adriatic Sea, which I live by, and as I walk along its shores my footprints are left in the sand.

It becomes so evident that God has walked with me through all my years and is still walking with me. Remember growing old is a part of everyone�s life.

Just as walking by the sea or in a park is healthy. The breathing of fresh air into my lungs, wading in the water 10 Catholic Connection

and feeling new energy welling up in my body, as well as an unspeakable calmness as I Pope John Paul II with Sr. Martinette Rivers in 1989. return home, makes me feel teachable moment. Take advantage of it! happy, so that during the day I won�t May is the month dedicated to seniors. “sweat the small stuff,” I can laugh at it Lets “top it off” by continuing our instead. I must tap my mind constantly journey by growing in AGE, WISDOM, to keep a youthful spirit by doing all I can, COURAGE and SPIRIT. May this month while I can. All things must and do change of ours be a real bonus of all that we in the world, so must we. Don�t let your have been, as our TESTIMONY of what circumstances make your decisions for growing older is all about. you. Life has taught you many things and Sr. Martinette Rivers, OLS, is a Sister of Our even today everything that happens is a Lady of Sorrows and Spiritual Gerontologist.

St. John Berchmans School Wins State Science Olympiad Again!

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he St. John Berchmans School team took first place at the Science Olympiad State Tournament held March 30 on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, LA. This is the sixth consecutive year that St. John Berchmans School has won first place at the state level.

Members from the St. John Berchmans team medaled in 15 of the 23 events including six first place medals, eight second place medals and one third place medal. St. John Berchmans School will travel to Orlando, FL, in May to compete in the National Tournament against 59 teams from around the country.

The St. John Berchmans Science Olympiad program is yet another

example of how the school is establishing itself as a local leader in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) curriculum. The middle school is serving this year as one of five pilot schools for the National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center’s STEM EDA program.

Science Olympiad is one of the premiere science competitions in the nation, providing standards-based challenges to nearly 6,200 teams in 50 states. Science Olympiad tournaments are rigorous academic interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of team events, which students prepare for during the year.

by Lucy Medvec, Cathedral of St. John Berchmans School

school NEWS < Lafayette, March 23-25: 15 members of the St. Frederick High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competed in State Conference, and eight can compete at nationals in Nashville, TN. This conference also completed Jefferson Manning’s term as the 2013-2014 District II Vice President. Some of those who qualified for National Competition included: Agribusiness – Austin Clark; Marketing team – Cullen Clark, Daniel Ellender, Mitchell Webb; Introduction to Business Communication – Rachel Augurson; Top 10 Finalists: Ms. Future Business Leader – Mattie Kincannon; Mr. Future Business Leader – Cullen Clark; Sports and Entertainment Management team – Austin Clark, John Ellender and William Clausen; Business Law – Daniel Ellender; Job Interview – Arianna Worthy.

^ The kindergarten and Pre-K students from Our Lady of Fatima School recently had an Easter egg hunt at St. Joseph nursing home. St. Joseph supplied the eggs and lunch and the students suprised them with three huge baskets filled with toiletry items for the residents.

^ St. Joseph School 5th Graders participated at Starbase in April. Students were able to enhance their STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) skills!

> Jesus the Good Shepherd School sixth grader Harris French had the opportunity to participate in the People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C. Harris was nominated by his teacher, Mrs. Karen Embanato, and was accepted for the honor based on his outstanding scholastic merit, civic involvement and his leadership potential. Some of the sites Harris visited were Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian Institute, Colonial Williamsburg, the National Museum of American History, the Lincoln Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and his favorite site, the Arlington National Cemetery. Attending the forum was a great opportunity for Harris to create lifelong friendships and memories.

May 2014 11

Ordinations!

May 31: Keith Garvin to be ordained to the priesthood & Jerry Daigle, Jr. to be Ordained to the transitional Diaconate

by Sam Alzheimer

fter a dry spell of five years, our diocese will have three ordination liturgies in 2014. Sixteen men will be ordained permanent deacons on June 28. Two Franciscan Missionaries of Hope will be ordained on June 21, one to the priesthood and the other to the transitional diaconate. And on May 31, Bishop Duca will ordain Jerry Daigle to the transitional diaconate and Deacon Keith Garvin to the diocesan priesthood.

While Deacon Keith and Jerry come from very different backgrounds, they both have a clear love for Christ and his Church. They are personable and pastoral and have shown great stability of character as they have progressed through seminary formation. In them, our diocese will gain two new shepherds to serve and love God�s people.

Deacon Keith Garvin Prays for “Single Purity of Heart”

Deacon Keith Garvin and Jerry Daigle, Jr. 12 Catholic Connection

eniors sometimes have “senioritis.” Transitional deacons, as they wait for priestly ordination, sometimes develop “deaconitis.” But not Deacon Keith Garvin. Ordained in January, he�s content with his current ministry, assisting Fr. Rothell Price as a deacon at Christ the King parish in Bossier City.

“The person I visited at the hospital today needed my ministry as a deacon, my presence and prayers, not someone daydreaming about his future priesthood,” he said.

“My ordination date has been set; everything is in motion, so I don�t need to worry. I�m content to do my day-to-day work. I�m just trying to get through Holy Week.”

Right now, Keith preaches at two daily Masses a week, and one Sunday a month. He also visits the sick, sits in on marriage preparation, and attends various parish events. “It�s a great parish,” he said. “The people have been very welcoming.”

On one occasion at Mass, he did miss a cue. “I drew a blank when I was supposed to say, ‘Let us offer one another a sign of Christ�s peace.� The words just weren�t there. Fr. Price looked at me, smiled and said my line. The people knew what had happened and laughed.”

Working with Fr. Price has been a valuable apprenticeship, said Deacon Keith. “I�ve learned a lot by watching how he responds to people. He always has time for anyone, no matter

what he was preparing to do. Anyone who comes into his presence, he gives them his full attention.”

Keith often thinks of the Gospel story in which Jesus washes the disciples� feet. “Jesus was washing away the dirt and grime that had accumulated. The pastoral aspect of priesthood can be like that, to be there to bring the healing and goodness of Christ to people�s lives.”

So far, says Deacon Keith, the practical aspects of ministering to people is not so different as when he was an Episcopal priest, but the spiritual reality is quite different.

“I�ve found my spiritual home in the sacramental life and the fullness of truth,” he said. “Within Catholicism, you have the teachings of the Church through the magisterium, and they�re not going to change just because society changes in one direction. There�s a better ability to lead and guide the people when you know the foundation you�re standing on is the same today and the day after.”

As he nears ordination in just a few weeks, Deacon Keith says that his daily prayer – and the prayer he asks of others – is for five things: “I wake up every morning and ask the Lord that I can walk in holiness. I ask for a spirit of wisdom, a spirit of discernment, and a spirit of understanding so I can serve people and know what is going on with them. And finally, I ask for single purity of heart for the love of Christ�s Church, my bride, so that I am not distracted from my love of the Church.”

Jerry Daigle: Preparing to Stand in Place of the Lord hen seminarian Jerry Daigle first put on a clerical collar a few months ago, he felt like a different person. “It really does change the way you behave,” he said, talking on a balcony one beautiful spring day at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.

“I recently went to the bank and forgot I was wearing clerics. I was wondering why people were staring at me,” he laughed. “Most people look at you very respectfully. But some people look at you with what seems to be a challenging stare. They see me as a representative of the Church, and I imagine that could challenge their lifestyle.”

In addition to donning the collar, in the months leading up to ordination, Jerry and all his classmates are preparing very seriously for their practical ministry – preaching, presiding at funerals, witnessing marriages and baptizing.

Sometimes the training takes on a humorous tone. “You can imagine a bunch of men handing around a baby doll at our baptism practicum,” Jerry said. “Some guys have more experience with children than others. One guy says to another, ‘Quit holding the baby like that! You�ll drown him!�” It�s also hard to keep a straight face while practicing the Marriage Rite, listening to a seminarian intone the bride�s vows in a baritone voice.

Learning to deliver an inspiring homily is one of the hardest parts of formation. “Preaching to your brother seminarians is a greater challenge than you think, because it�s the hardest audience you�ll ever have. These guys have no charity!” he laughed.

Special classes prepare the seminarians to deliver homilies in

various scenarios which they�ll soon encounter. One professor even gives “pop homilies,” handing students a short scripture passage as they come into class, and asking them to give a reflection on the spot. The experience is supposed to prepare them for unexpected moments, such as filling in at Mass for a sick priest.

With ordination around the corner, Jerry says preparation is intense. “I wasn�t expecting this, but it makes everything richer. The Mass is more powerful, and a lot more personal,” he said. “We�re all realizing that in a few months, we�ll be standing in the place of the Lord doing these things.” ...

Jerry first felt called to the priesthood as a young teenager. One day, while hunting on the Texas plains, he was moved by the beauty of the landscape and said a prayer of thanksgiving to God. Then he spontaneously added, “I will be your priest and with my small voice I will praise you for all the world!”

Jerry says he never forgot that promise. “It never diminished. It never felt unreal. In fact, sometimes it was the most real thing in my life. But it was unkept, and that bothered my conscience.”

In college at ULM, Jerry drifted away from his faith, but then returned to it in graduate school through the unlikeliest of encounters. After telling a friend he was looking to live someplace other than the dorms, she went to the nearest bulletin board and plucked a card advertising a studio apartment. When Jerry called, he learned that the landlord had put out only one card, just a few moments before he found it.

The landlord was Dr. Carol Christopher, a choral professor at ULM, who became a friend and mentor to Jerry. “Through the witness of how she lived her life, I came back to the Church,” he said.

Jerry became active in an organization that Dr. Christopher founded to help runaway and homeless teens. Even after entering the business world at AT&T, Jerry continued to work with these troubled youth, and eventually found himself on the board of a similar national organization, National Safe Place.

“Working with those kids made me think about fatherhood. Most of them did not have dads,” said Jerry. “I saw them running away, being beaten, in all sorts of bad situations... The daddy in me wanted to protect them, mentor them and provide for them. Since it didn�t look like marriage was imminent, I had to ask what fatherhood would mean for me. I never understood it – actually I did, but I didn�t want to admit it.”

As his career at AT&T blossomed, Jerry was still thinking about the priesthood. His faith was deepening, and he began to visit the Benedictine Abbey near Covington. He even started to incorporate small aspects of the Rule of St. Benedict into the “corporate culture” of the AT&T retail store he managed. “In a few years, that made a tremendous difference, and made me a very successful manager,” said Jerry. ...

Now with five years of seminary training under his belt, Jerry is excited about his impending ordination. “I mean, this is my May 2014 13

marriage!” he said. “Candidacy is like engagement. Ordination as a deacon is my marriage, because that�s where I make my permanent vows. I am getting married to Christ�s bride, the Church. It really is astonishing!”

Jerry has been studying the Rite of Ordination closely. “Guys in my class will even bring the Rite into the chapel with them, and pray over every word... Hopefully, by the time I press my nose on the marble, I won�t be thinking about where to stand or sit, but rather, I�ll be praying through it all.”

At 45 years old, Jerry brings with him a wealth of life experience.

“I don�t like the term ‘late vocation,�” he said. “I�m right on time. I�m on God�s time. If I would have answered back then, I would not have been ready. The Lord wanted me to learn some other things first.”

What Happens at an Ordination he two ordination liturgies taking place in our diocese this year have something unusual in common: Bishop Duca will be ordaining both a deacon and priest in a single liturgy. The first ordination is for two men in our diocese. The second is for two men from a religious order, the Franciscan Missionaries of Hope.

The men being ordained for our diocese have passed through a rigorous formation process that leads up to ordination. Typically, this progresses according to the timeframe presented below: • Ministry of Lector (First Theology): Proclaim the word of God in a liturgical assembly, in any church, not just one�s home parish.

• Ministry of Acolyte (Second Theology): Assist the deacon and priest during Mass, in any church, not just one�s home parish.

• Admission to Candidacy (Third Theology): The bishop formally calls a man to be ordained.

• Ordination to Diaconate (Summer after Third Theology): A man is ordained to proclaim the Gospel at Mass, preach, baptize, witness marriages and assist the priest in bringing Jesus to people in need.

• Ordination to Priesthood (Summer after Fourth Theology): A man is ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

The rite of ordination to priesthood always takes place within a Mass, with a bishop presiding. In this liturgy, the bishop is exercising the fullness of his episcopacy by conferring Holy Orders

14 Catholic Connection

on a man, thus perpetuating Apostolic succession. The rite is very solemn, and yet is filled with intense joy.

During an ordination to the diaconate, the ordinand makes three promises: to live celibately, to Pray the Liturgy of the Hours and to be obedient to the bishop and his successors. He is given the Book of the Gospels, symbolic of his “tools of trade,” so to speak, as he is now able to preach officially.

In an ordination to priesthood, the bishop gives the ordinand a paten and chalice, the tools proper to his work as a priest.

Interestingly, the ordinand does not make new promises of celibacy or to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. But he does repeat his promise of obedience to the bishop.

An ordination has a number of important parts to it. Each part is like a little ceremony within the whole service. The parts of the rite of priestly ordination are as follows: • The people of God affirm that the candidate has been found worthy of ordination, and the Bishop solemnly calls him to be a priest. The candidate affirms his resolve to undertake the priestly ministry.

• The ordinand prostrates himself on the floor as a sign that he is giving his “all” to the Lord, while the people pray the Litany of the Saints. This is a very beautiful, powerful and moving part of the liturgy.

• The bishop lays his hands on the man�s head in silence, an ancient symbol of the coming of the Holy Spirit. All the other priests present come forward, silently laying their hands upon him, in a show of presbyteral unity.

• The bishop now says the solemn prayer of consecration, asking God to grant the ordinand the dignity of the priesthood and to renew his spirit of holiness. The man is now a priest, a co-worker with his bishop and his brother priests. He now shares in their ministry, which is the ministry of Jesus himself.

• Next the ordinand is clothed in his priestly vestments, including a stole and chasuble. This is normally done by a priest who has a special relationship to the ordinand. It is the equivalent of the best man at a wedding.

• The bishop anoints the ordinand�s hands with the oil of Chrism, asking Jesus to preserve him to sanctify God�s people and to offer sacrifice to God. Some men will save the cloth they use to wipe the sweet-smelling chrism off of their hands, and give it to their mothers as a sign of gratitude and respect.

• The ordinand is presented with the paten and chalice for the Eucharist, with the prayer that he will model his whole life on the mystery he will celebrate.

• The Bishop and the other priests give him the sign of peace, a gesture of welcome and of brotherly love.

• Then, for the first time, the new priest concelebrates the Eucharist with the Bishop and priests.

The Church teaches that Holy Orders confers an indelible mark on a man�s soul. His very being is different; philosophers describe it as an “ontological change.” He is a priest of Jesus Christ forever!

If you have never been to an ordination, do not miss this incredibly beautiful and powerful liturgy that will take place on May 31 at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans in Shreveport. The Mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. •

The Traveling Vocation Chalice Program

Families take on the mission of praying for Church vocations in their homes

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ow can I repay the Lord for Audrey, Ashley, all His goodness to me? I will and Ella Hays take the Chalice of salvation with the Vocations Chalice at and call upon the name of the Jesus the Good Lord…” (Psalm 116:12-13).

Shepherd Parish.

Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish in Monroe, and St. Joseph Parish in Shreveport and many other churches around the nation participate in the growing ministry of the Traveling Vocation Chalice or Crucifix. These programs are supported by a variety of organizations such as the Serra Club, the Catholic Daughters, the Knights of Columbus, and in some parishes, the Vocation Awareness Committee.

The purpose of the Traveling Chalice Program is to encourage families and parishioners to pray for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. The chalice itself is a visual reminder of the importance of Christ’s body and blood as central to our faith and the role of the priest at Mass. Additionally, the chalice is rich with Church history and a testament to the power of the Eucharist that is at the root of our faith. The Second Vatican Council highlighted the responsibility of the laity in fostering vocations. The writings of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict also encourage our active participation in supporting vocations.

In “The Conclusive Document: Developments of Pastoral Care of Vocations in the Local Churches, Experience of the Past and Programs for the Future” (1981), the writers state that “prayer is not a means of receiving the gift of the divine call, but the essential means, commanded by the Lord.” Vocations are the result of the Christian community actively engaged in prayer that “the owner of the harvest... will send out workers to gather his harvest.” When we put our faith and hope in the Lord and follow these with action, great are the results. “The domestic church is the normal place for human, Christian, and vocational growth of children.”

Most of the churches run their programs in a similar manner.

The main idea is that the Vocation Chalice, or Vocation Crucifix, travels from family to family on a weekly basis. Some programs run year-round, while others last a shorter period of time. Each parish or organization schedules the program according to its own requirements. Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish in Monroe focuses on the Vocation Chalice during Lent. Prior to the beginning of Lent, the Vocation Awareness Committee places notices in the bulletin reminding parishioners of the upcoming schedule and asks for volunteer families. This year there were more volunteer families than there were weeks available.

Each Sunday during Lent, the Vocation Chalice is placed on a small table in front of the main altar at the Mass which the host family attends. At the end of Mass, the priest calls the host family to the front of church. He reminds the parishioners to pray for the host family as well as for vocations from our parish. In addition to

the Chalice, the host family receives a special cloth pouch which contains appropriate prayers. The host family places the Chalice in a place of honor in their home. Each day the family gathers and says prayers for vocations. On the following Friday, the host family returns the Chalice to the church office. This cycle is repeated each Sunday during Lent.

According to Dorothy Tipton, a past chairperson of the Vocation Awareness Committee, Good Shepherd Parish instituted the Traveling Vocation Chalice program over six years ago while Fr. Mark Watson was the pastor.

Fr. David Richter, the present pastor, affirms that the placement of the Vocation Chalice can be one of the vocational seeds planted with the children while praying around the dinner table. He added, “We don’t know what means God will use to coax a response from the young person’s heart.”

The Hays family – parents Josh and Ashley and children John Paul, Ella, and Audrey – is one of the host families this year. Ella, age eight, made her First Holy Communion in April. Ashley reported, “Each day during our week with the Chalice, Ella read from a book, Jesus Calling for Kids, then she read the vocation prayers for the day. This experience has made a huge impression on her and the rest of our family.”

St. Joseph Parish in Shreveport has one of the most extensive programs of a Traveling Vocations Crucifix – actually a series of Crucifixes. According to Jennie Murphy, the program at St. Joseph began over a year ago. Mary Frances Parker, the mother of John Parker, a seminarian for the Diocese of Shreveport, was a catalyst for the program. At St. Joseph Parish, parishioners have responded to the Traveling Crucifix program to such an extent that the program runs year round. Not only that, there is a separate crucifix for each of the weekend Masses. There is even a special crucifix which “travels” from classroom to classroom at St. Joseph School throughout the school year.

If your parish has been searching for a particular way in which to call all people to a “vocation state of mind,” perhaps your pastoral council, Mothers’ Club, or other parish organization might consider instituting a Traveling Vocation Chalice or Traveling Crucifix ministry. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact the church offices of either Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish in Monroe (318-325-7549) or St Joseph Parish in Shreveport (318865-3581). There are also multiple sources on the internet. Just type “traveling vocation chalice” in the search box and you will be led to many links and parishes around the country.

Mary Frances Nahlen-Many, Ph.D., is a member of Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish in Monroe and serves on the Vocation Awareness Committee.

May 2014 15

NEWS

Spirit-Filled Weekend at Catholic Charities serves up nutrition & Budget class Abbey Youth Fest

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eventy-six percent of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) households included a child, an elderly person or a disabled person. These vulnerable households receive 83 percent of all SNAP benefits. Families who struggle to put food on the table often make choices between buying enough food and paying for utilities, not a choice anyone wants to make.* Can you imagine feeding your family on less than $1.50 per meal per person? The average monthly SNAP benefit is only $153.85 and benefits don’t last most participants the whole month. Ninety percent of SNAP benefits are redeemed by the third week of the month, and 58% of food bank clients currently receiving SNAP benefits turn to food banks for assistance at least six months out of the year.* It seems impossible to us, but that is life for many who want to provide this most basic need of food for their families.

It’s important to know how hunger affects the lives of those who suffer day-in, day-out, right here in our community. At Catholic Charities of Shreveport, we strive to discover more ways we can help, so we’ve begun to offer nutrition workshops for our clients.

Rhonda Winbush of United Health Care partners with us in our efforts to enlighten our clients on healthy eating. Recently she presented a video of families who deal with food insecurity, each telling their personal story and how they are learning to make better use of SNAP benefits by shopping more wisely and cooking more.

After the video there was a discussion about the benefits of healthier eating. Then, with the help of Chef Ramundo Benavidez, Gilda Rada-Garcia and Susan Torma, all gathered in our kitchen and enjoyed learning how to prepare many meals from only $10 worth of groceries. Chef Ramundo created a stir fry, a stew, soup and finally, with some of the rice left from the other dishes, a nutritious and tasty rice pudding. Catholic Charities kitchen never smelled so inviting and everyone enjoyed the delicious food.

Each client received the recipes for all dishes as well as the nutritional details and were also shown what fast food meals for a family of four would cost instead and, in turn, how much further that money would go at the grocery store with careful shopping and remembering the rules of good nutrition.

We challenge ourselves and you to take the SNAP challenge to feed your family on $1.50 per person per meal! It just might be a much more concrete way to understand the effects of poverty and hunger in our country and our community. *US Census Bureau Report

by Theresa Mormino, Catholic Charities of Shreveport

16 Catholic Connection

Diocesan teens met up with our seminarians at the annual Abbey Youth Fest.

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56 passenger bus filled with teenagers and chaperones from St. Matthew, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Paschal, ULM Catholic Campus Ministry, and Saint Mary’s (Winnsboro), traveled from Monroe to Covington, LA on the weekend of March 21-23, to attend Abbey Youth Festival (AYF). AYF is hosted annually

by St. Joseph Abbey and Seminary College. This event exposes teenagers to the abbey, seminary and a variety of religious orders who come to mingle with the teens at the festival. It is a day full of opportunities for teens to hear engaging Catholic speakers, attend concerts, pray the Liturgy of the Hours, and participate in Mass and candlelight Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

This year, AYF featured the musical talent of the Ike Ndolo Band, Greg&Lizzy, and Covenant 7. Speakers included Sr. Marie Protectrice de la Foi, Nick Adam, Leah Darrow, Dom Quaglia, Fr. Mark Toups, Fr. Tim Hepburn and Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans.

The theme of this year’s festival was “Made For Greatness.”

The speakers and music challenged the teens to not accept the world’s vision of who they are to be, but instead to find greatness in God’s vision for their lives. Teens were encouraged by talks on chastity, modesty, true love and the Eucharist. Archbishop Aymond challenged the teens to be open to God’s calling on their lives, regardless if that call is to be single, married, a priest or religious.

More than 4,500 teens attended from all over the southern U.S. and 900 participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation offered by priests throughout the day. Our group was given a private tour of St. Joseph Abbey by the seminarians. Additionally, 300 teens presented themselves to Archbishop Aymond as those who felt an attraction to priesthood or religious life.

Most importantly, these teens were able to meet Jesus in the Sacraments. Reconciliation, the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass and Eucharistic Adoration were moments when these young souls were brought face-to-face with Jesus by the hands of the many priests who devoted their time at the festival. We were even able to spend time with seminarians from the Diocese of Shreveport who helped organize the festival!

Joseph Miller, a teen from St. Matthew, said, “Abbey Youth Fest was an amazing experience. It was a great way to connect with new people from all over and especially with God through the Eucharist.”

by Thomas Kennedy, Teen Minister at St. Matthew Parish.

St. Joseph Altar in Bastrop

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he St. Joseph Altar was celebrated at St. Joseph Parish in Bastrop, Sunday March 16.

Pastor, Fr. Lijo Thomas, explained during the Mass that St. Joseph�s Day is actually March 19, which is the Feast of St. Joseph.

For us, March 16 is the closest date before March 19 to celebrate the St. Joseph Altar; a reflection of deep devotion to St. Joseph, our patron saint and the patron to those in need – workers, travelers, the persecuted, the poor, the aged and the dying.

Father Lijo offered a blessing to everyone in attendance and blessed the items on the altar – food, candles, holy cards and fava beans. Guests enjoyed a slideshow from the 2013 St. Joseph Altar celebration and a movie about St. Joseph.

The St. Joseph Altar is a tradition for members of St. Joseph Church. However, this was the first time for Fr. Lijo.

This year�s celebration was dedicated to Fr. Bob Inzina (deceased), Veronica Worley and Downey Black who started our tradition. The celebration serves as a reminder that those who have enjoyed some measure of good fortune must share it with those who have less.

At the opening of the St. Joseph Altar, children re-enacted the roles of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. They dressed in costumes and, along with the angels, knocked at three doors asking for food and shelter. They were refused at the first two and were finally invited in by the host of the altar at the third door; they were welcomed in and they sat down to a beautifully decorated table and ate their meals. Guests attending did not eat until the children were finished with their meals.

Because of Lent, a meatless meal is always served. This year�s menu included the traditional meatless spaghetti with a boiled egg (which symbolizes the rebirth of spring and the coming of Easter). A

statue of St. Joseph stood in the center of our altar which included lilies (symbol of St. Joseph), candles, pineapples, chalice (sign of the consecration of the Bread and Wine at the Last Supper) and wine bottles (represent the miracle of Cana). The altar was adorned with stuffed artichokes, salads and various vegetable dishes, artistic loaves of breads (to represent the miracle of the loaves),

sandals, hammer, nails (symbols of St. Joseph) and other baked goods. Also included were baked red fish (symbol of Jesus Christ, the Fisher of Men), St. Joseph cake, cross cake, lamb cakes and fava beans (the lucky bean).

Each family received a “keepsake bag,” which included fava beans and a holy card blessed by Fr. Lijo. Guests were allowed to take bread and any remaining food with them as they departed to share with the needy. The St. Joseph Altar tradition is to collect a “Love Offering” to be given to a needy family. Parishioners also offered petitions of the faithful which were written on pieces of paper and placed in a container on the altar, which Fr. Lijo will incorporate at various Masses in the future.

Everyone enjoyed the celebration.

by Kathy Lenard, St. Joseph Parish

BE the Mission: A Special Lenten Drive at St. Mary of the Pines

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his year St. Mary of the Pines Parish decided to try something different for Lent. Rather than bringing in a speaker for a traditional Lenten Parish Mission, the parish decided to BE the mission. Choosing a group, Hope for the Homeless, the parish offered several ways to participate: donating items needed, offering a monetary donation, helping bag donations, delivering donations and, last but not least, prayer.

Parishioners were encouraged to offer a daily rosary and to spend an hour before the Blessed Sacrament in prayer for the homeless and those who

help them. On Friday May 11, after Stations of the Cross, parishioners divided donations into individual bags for clients at Hope for the Homeless.

In addition to individual bags, three large bags of new socks, t-shirts, and underwear were collected, as well as large bottles of laundry soap and other cleaning supplies for the center.

Everyone agreed that the volume of donations was wonderful, but more than that many parishioners were eager to continue this as an ongoing project!

by Kim Long, DRE, St. Mary of the Pines Parish May 2014 17

HISPANIC corner

¡TÚ PUEDES ARMAR LIO!

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LELUYA! Es una alegría para mí compartir el gozo que siento de ¡ saber que Cristo ha resucitado y está vivo. (Hechos 4:23). También les comparto lo que dijo el Papa Francisco a todos los jóvenes durante la Jornada de la Juventud en Rio, Brasil el año pasado.

“Espero lío. De que acá adentro va a haber lío, lo va a haber, pero quiero lío en las diócesis, quiero que se salga afuera, quiero que la Iglesia salga a la calle…”

La Pastoral Juvenil de nuestra diócesis ha hecho lío este año y aquí les comparto lo que hemos hecho e invito a que ustedes también así como dijo el Papa “armen lío” 1. Comenzamos el año 2014 con un entrenamiento de FORMACION en liderazgo donde 17 asesores de Pastoral Juvenil participaron con entusiasmo y esperanza de aprender más sobre como servir y compartir la fe en sus parroquias con sus grupos juveniles.

2. Participamos en un día de SERVICIO donde el grupo de jóvenes adultos de la parroquia de Cristo Rey, “OASIS”

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por Marcos Villalba 318-868-4441

visitó a los niños del hospital Shriner’s en Shreveport y compartió el amor de Dios por medio de la oración, juegos, canciones, obras de teatro, payasos y títeres. (foto del evento en esta página) 3. Tuvimos un día de DIVERSION en un festival católico “Abbey Youth Fest” donde más de 4,500 jóvenes (25 hispanos de nuestra diócesis) formaron parte de una experiencia inolvidable y muy divertida en el Seminario de St. Joseph Abbey en Covington, LA. Ahí visitamos y compartimos experiencias con el seminarista hispano de la diócesis de Shreveport, Martín Avilés.

Así mismo, estamos todos llamados a salir y ofrecer a otros la vida de Jesucristo como lo explica el Papa Francisco en la Exhortación Apostólica: EVANGELII GAUDIUM (La Alegría del Evangelio), “Repito aquí para toda la Iglesia lo que muchas veces he dicho a los sacerdotes y laicos de Buenos Aires: prefiero una Iglesia accidentada, herida y manchada por salir a la calle, antes que una Iglesia enferma por el encierro y la comodidad de aferrarse a las propias seguridades.”

Calendario del Mes de Mayo 10 Segunda reunión en preparación del retiro Búsqueda, Centro Católico 10:00 a.m.

13 Reunión del Comité Diocesano Hispano. Centro Católico 10:00 a.m.

31 Ordenación de Keith Garvin al sacerdocio y de Jerry Daigle al diaconado. Catedral de St. John Berchmans, 10:00 a.m.

31 Semana de entrenamiento en Liderazgo Pastoral para voluntarios. Miami, FL. Si estos retos de nuestro Santo Padre los dejó con susto y miedo, ármense de valor tomando estas palabras de nuestro Señor Jesús, las cuales también compartió nuestro nuevo SANTO, el Papa Juan Pablo II cuando fue elegido Papa “No teman” (Mateo 28:10).

across the

Vatican Information Services

by Vatican Information Services

THE CHURCH WILL TAKE NO STEP BACKWARDS IN SANCTIONS AGAINST CHILD ABUSERS

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atican City -- On April 11 Pope Francis received in audience a delegation from the International Catholic Child Bureau (BICE), instituted following Pope Pius XII�s appeal for the defence of children following the Second World War. Since then, this organization, born of the maternity of the Church, as Pope Francis remarked, has been committed to promoting the defence of the rights of children, also contributing to the 1989 United Nations Convention and working in constant collaboration with the Holy See in New York, Strasbourg and above all in Geneva.

Francis, after stating that in a wellconstructed society, privileges should only be for children and the elderly because the future of the people is in their hands, went on to comment on the theme of abuse of minors.

“I feel that I must take responsibility for all the harm of some priests quite a number, but not in proportion to the total. I must take responsibility and ask forgiveness for the damage they have caused through sexual abuse of children. The Church is aware of this damage. It is their own personal and moral damage, but they are men of the Church. And we will not take one step backwards in dealing with this problem and the sanctions that must be imposed. On the contrary, I believe that we must be even stronger. You do not interfere with children.

“In our times, it is important to implement projects against forced labor, against the recruitment of child soldiers, and against every type of violence against minors.

On a more positive note, it is necessary to emphasise the right of children to grow up within a family, with a father and a mother able to create a suitable environment for their development and emotional maturity.

Continuing to mature in the relationship, in the complementarity of the masculinity and femininity of a father and a mother, and thus preparing the way for emotional maturity.

“This means, at the same time, supporting parents� right to moral and religious education for their children. In this

regard, I would like to express my refusal of any type of educational experimentation on children. One does not experiment on children and young people. They are not guinea pigs! The horrors of the manipulation of education that we have experienced in the great genocidal dictatorships of the twentieth century have not disappeared; they have retained current relevance in various guises and in proposals that, under the pretext of modernity, compel children and the young to take the dictatorial path of ‘unitary thought�. A great educator said to me, little more than a week ago, ‘At times, we don�t know if these projects – referring to real education projects – are sending a child to school or to a re-education camp.� “Working for human rights presupposes keeping anthropological formation alive, being well prepared regarding the reality of the human person, and knowing how to respond to the problems and challenges posed by contemporary cultures and mentalities that are spread by the mass media. Obviously this does not mean seeking refuge in protected environments, which these days are incapable of giving life, which are linked to cultures that have already moved on. No, this isn�t right. It means facing with the positive values of the human person the new challenges that the new culture presents. For you, this means offering to your managers and workers a permanent formation regarding the anthropology of the child, as it is there that rights and duties are based. This decides the approach to educational projects, that obviously must continue to progress, mature and adapt to the signs of the times, always respecting human identity and freedom of conscience.

“Thank you again, and I wish you well in your work. I am reminded of the logo of the Commission for the protection of childhood and adolescence in Buenos Aires.

It was an image of the Holy Family seated on a donkey, fleeing to Egypt to defend the Child. At times it is necessary to flee; at times it is necessary to stop to protect oneself; and at times one must fight. But always with tenderness.”

VAtICAN news & notes • The heads of youth pastoral care from all over the world met in Rome, invited by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, from April 10-13. It was the first international meeting linked to the Krakow World Youth Day, and offered an opportunity for checks and review for the organizers of the event.

• National reconciliation and the role the Church may play in this task 20 years after the genocide that devastated the nation were the central themes of Pope Francis' address to the bishops of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Rwanda at the end of their five-yearly “ad limina” visit.

• The director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., responding to questions from journalists, declared that next May, the Holy See – along with Cyprus, Lithuania, Guinea, Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Thailand and Uruguay – will present its Initial Report on the Convention Against Torture (CAT) to the relevant Committee.

•“An open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the body of Christ. It is a crime against humanity:” the Holy Father thus described human trafficking in his English-language address to the participants in the Second International Conference on Combating Human Trafficking: Church and Law Enforcement in Partnership, which took place from April 9-10 in the Vatican.

• Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in the Vatican on April 4. The Holy Father received Her Majesty, the King and the Duke of Edinburgh in his study next to the Paul VI Hall for a private meeting, which lasted around 20 minutes.

May 2014 19

around the DIOCESE

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Each year members of the Council of Catholic Women at St. Joseph Church in Zwolle draw the name of another member to be their secret prayer partner for the year. This year the reveal was held January 30.

Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal and the joy of revealing their secret prayer partner.

to the people, the Blessed Sacrament once again reserved in the restored tabernacle in the center of the newly constructed high altar, the sanctuary lamp restored to its original position in the center of the sanctuary, and the open space with new marble flooring, allowing diocesan and parish celebrations to flow with a greater reverence.

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The youth group at St. Ann Church in Stonewall attended Abbey Youth Fest at the St. Joseph Seminary in south Louisiana. Over 107 youth from the across the Diocese of Shreveport joined with over 4,500 Catholic youth at this annual event on March 22.

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All are invited to visit the Cathedral of st.

John Berchmans to see the beautifully renovated sanctuary, with the bishop�s chair (the cathedra) closer

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During Lent, the Kindergarten class at St. Joseph Church in Zwolle challenged each classroom to bring their change to class each week to see who could raise the most money for the Church building fund. Their motto for the project was “Giving Change for a Change.”

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The Region V NACFLM (National Association of Family Life Members) meeting took place on March 24-26, in Memphis, TN. Dotye Sue Stanford from St. Joseph Parish in Shreveport and Carol Gates from the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans represented the Diocese of Shreveport, and Mike Van Vranken of Shreveport served as Retreat Leader.

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On March 25th the Council of Catholic Women (CCW) hosted a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Senior Citizen's Dayâ&#x20AC;? at St. Joseph Church in Zwolle. Fr. Timothy Hurd held a special Mass in their honor at 10:00 a.m. followed by a delicious lunch prepared by the ladies of the CCW. Everyone enjoyed hamburger stew with cornbread, iced tea and peach cobbler with ice cream. Bingo gifts were beautiful statues from the CCW gift shop along with St. Joseph Parish

t-shirts and prayer books for door prizes. Everyone enjoyed their special day!

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Fr. John Judie of Louisville, KY conducted the Lenten Revival at Little Flower Church in Monroe.

St. Paschal Catholic Church participated in the Living the Eucharist program this past Lenten season and had a very successful Hispanic small group this year.

May 2014 21

upcoming EVENTS May 3: Magnificat Prayer Brunch Please join us for our May 3 brunch to be held at the new St. Jude Church, located at 4700 Palmetto Road in Benton, from 10:30 a.m.

-1:30 p.m. Our speaker will be Juanita Gooding from Monroe.

Juanita works as a paralegal and also owns a vintage rental and event styling business. She stocks beautiful religious gifts in her Market. A convert to the Catholic faith, Juanita has a special relationship with the Blessed Mother.

She will share her journey to peace, understanding, and forgiveness through Mary's intercessions.

May 6: Renzi's All Day Coffee Break! On Tuesday, May 6th, the Renzi Education and Art Center and other non-profits throughout Louisiana will participate in Give for Good, a 24-hour online giving challenge led by The Community Foundation. The Renzi Center is a 501c3 non-profit that offers free after-school art and academic classes to K-12 at-risk youth in the Shreveport-Bossier area.

The Renzi Center is celebrating Give for Good by having a Give for Renzi All-Day Coffee Break! On May 6th, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. come to Starbucks on Line Avenue and get a FREE cup of Starbucks coffee when you make an online donation to Renzi! Stop by Renzi's table right outside Starbucks' entrance where we'll be with our laptops, iPads, and iPhones.

Make your secure online donation (minimum $10) and get a FREE cup of Starbucks coffee!

We will have Renzi studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; art on the walls inside Starbucks and starting at 5:00 p.m., talented, local musicians will serenade you. Bring friends and family and support our free After School Program for at-risk K-12 youth!

May 17: "Image and Likeness" Lector Retreat at the Catholic Center from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Registration is $10. Register by May 9 by contacting Brandy Boudreau at 318-868-4441, or e-mail bboudreau@dioshpt.org.

June 16 - July 25: Sports Camps at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans The Cathedral of St. John Berchmans is hosting a number of camps this summer for children ages 8-14, including Fitness Camp, Soccer Camp, Baseball Camp, Softball Camp and Basketball Camp. Each camp is a week long and taught by experienced coaches and instructors at either the Cathedral School or the Loyola Athletic Complex. Cost is $100 each. For more information, contact Megan Funk at 318-221-5296 or mfunk@ sjbcathedral.org.

July 28 - August 1: Kidz Rock Music Camp Each child will have hands on activities to stimulate a love for music. We will sing church songs and popular tunes. Open to all elementary age children, the camp takes place at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans. The cost is $30 and the registration deadline is June 16. For more information, contact Megan Funk at 318-2215296 or mfunk@sjbcathedral.org.

2 0 1 4 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________________________________________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________________________________________

Diocese of Shreveport The Catholic Center 3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104 www.dioshpt.org 22 Catholic Connection

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

calendar

may 2014

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

27 28 29 30 1 2 3 Canonizations of St. Peter Chanel, Blessed John Paul priest & martyr; II & John XXIII St. Louis Grignion de Montfort, Confirmation, St. priest Paul Parish, 11am

St. Catherine of Siena, virgin & doctor of the Church

Confirmation, St. Joseph Parish, Zwolle, 6pm

St. Joseph the Worker

St. Pius V, pope

Red Mass, Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, 9am

St. Athanasius, bishop & doctor of the Church

Confirmation, Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, 5:30pm

Confirmation, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, 4:30pm Sts. Philip and James, apostles

RED MASS / MAY 2

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Confirmation, St. Patrick Parish, 9am

Confirmation, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 4pm

Confirmation, Sacred Heart Parish, Oak Grove, 5pm

St. Damien de Veuster, priest

Confirmations

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Mother's Day World Day of Prayer for Vocations

St. Matthias, apostle

Presbyteral Council Meeting, Catholic Center, 1pm Deadline for June Catholic Connection

Loyola College Prep Baccalaureate Mass, Cathedral, 6:30pm St. Isidore

Loyola College Prep Graduation, RiverView Hall and Theater, Shreveport, 6:30pm

Lector Retreat, Catholic Center, 9am

Mother's Day / May 11

Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, martyrs; St. Pancras, martyr

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Confirmation, St. Mary of the Pines Parish, 9am Confirmation, St. Joseph Parish, Shreveport, 3pm

Confirmation, St. Frederick Christ the King High School Parish, 6pm Baccalaureate Mass, Jesus the Good Shepherd St. Bernardine of Siena, priest Parish, 5pm and Graduation, 6pm

St. Christopher Magallanes, priest, and companions, martyrs

St, Rita of Cascia, religious

Graduations / May 15 & 19

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Memorial Day

Catholic Center Closed St. Philip Neri, priest

St. Augustine of Canterbury

The Ascension of the Lord

Msgr. Earl Provenza's 50th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood Mass, Holy Trinity Parish, 5pm

Priestly Ordination of Keith Garvin & Ordination to the Transitional Diaconate of Jerry Daigle, Cathedral, 10am Confirmation, St. Paschal Parish, 5:30pm

Ordinations / May 31 May 2014 23

DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT 3500 Fairfield Ave.

â&#x20AC;˘

Shreveport, LA 71104

Fairfield

Photo of the month by Stanley D. Roque

Fr. Nicholas Owino Onyach, FMH and Fr. Francis Ngumi Kamau, FMH celebrated the 25th anniversary of their Profession of Vows to the Order of St. Francis on April 5 at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish!

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