Catholic Connection September 2018

Connection The Catholic

Catholic Schools

ANNUAL REPORT

Vol. 28 No. 2 September 2018

CONTENTS FEATURES 4

FROM THE POPE

6

Bishop Duca’s Final Diocesan Masses

17

Letter of the Holy Father Francis to the People of God from Vatican Press Office

14 Catholic Schools’

Annual Report

by Sr. Carol Shively, OSU

19

COLUMNS 8

MIKE’S MEDITATIONS

9

LIBRARY NOTES

Pro-Life, Stewardship and the Call to Holiness

by Mike Van Vranken

Loyola Kids Book of Heroes

by Amy Welborn Review by Jessica Rinaudo

10 FAITHFUL FOOD Legacies

by Kim Long

11 DOMESTIC CHURCH

Finding Treasure in Monotony

by Katie Sciba

12 SECOND COLLECTIONS

Second Collection for September

by Fr. Rothell Price

13 NAVIGATING THE FAITH

Gaudete et Exultate: Living Out Our Faith

by Fr. Mark Watson

14 17 His Presence and Prayers Saved My

18 Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat:

Those in Need

by Lucy Medvec

2 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

28 Around the Diocese 30 Mark Your Calendar

On the Cover

Connection The Catholic

Vol. 28 No. 2 September 2018

by Mary Morgan

Legion of Honor

by John Mark Willcox

22 Are People Seeking Your Help?

NEWS

27 Hispanic News

21 Ruston Catholic Received French

16 Money School Gives Value to

Diocese’s Newest Seminarian

by Jessica Rinaudo

20 Sock Collection for Prison Ministry

Our Lady of Sorrows

Post-Abortive Healing

by Dianne Rachal

19 From Atheism to Seminary: Meet the

26 KIDS’ CONNECTION

Daughter’s Life

by Susan Flanagan

24 School News

by Mike Van Vranken

22 Create the Diocese of Shreveport’s Christmas Card

23 U.S. Bishops Announce

Effort to Resolve to Address “Moral Catastrophe” from the USCCB

Catholic Schools

ANNUAL REPORT

Students from Loyola College Prep, St. John Berchmans School and St. Joseph School gather together inside Loyola’s school chapel.

Photo: Jessica Rinaudo

FROM THE EDITOR

A Time of Change and Transition

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by Jessica Rinaudo

his issue of The Catholic Connection has been produced in a time of transition. By the time it is published, Bishop Michael Duca will have been installed as Bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, and our College of Consulters will almost certainly have picked a diocesan administrator – a priest – to maintain things until the appointment of a new bishop by Pope Francis.

As such, we have no bishop’s reflection or bishop’s calendar this month, nor an administrator to write for us. Instead, I’ve moved Pope Francis’ statement on the sex abuse crisis to a place of prominence at the front of the magazine, and dedicated our bishop’s usual two-page space to print some photos from his three Masses of thanksgiving that were held in Zwolle, Monroe and Shreveport, each of our three deaneries, right before he left. There’s only a small space for photos in this issue, but many more can be viewed on the diocesan Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ dioceseofshreveport, and Instagram account @catholicconnection.

And while this time of uncertainty is difficult for all of us, so too, come good changes. In this issue, you’ll meet the Diocese of Shreveport’s new seminarian: Francis Genusa, who had a radical conversion from atheism to pursuing a vocation to the Catholic priesthood (pg. 19). Additionally, our diocese will host its first ever Rachel’s

Vineyard retreat for post-abortive healing for women and men (pg. 18).

As we approach the uncertainty of the coming months, let us remember to pray for our diocesan administrator, and for the future Bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport.

Remember these petitions that were prayed during Bishop Duca's final thanksgiving Masses as you pray throughout the month of September.

• That our Holy Father, Pope Francis, and all Church leaders summon us to a more profound holiness. We pray to the Lord.

• That all leaders of nations may work together for the “victory of justice.” We pray to the Lord.

• That through our work and worship together, our Church and our diocese may be a light to the world. We pray to the Lord.

• For an increase in vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate, and religious life from within our diocese. We pray to the Lord.

• In thanksgiving for Bishop Duca and his 10 years of service to our diocese, and for blessings upon him as he begins his new assignment in Baton Rouge. We pray to the Lord.

• That the sick and the suffering, the poor and the forgotten, the lost and the troubled may find hope in the “good news of peace.” We pray to the Lord.

• That those who have died may rise to the new life of the Risen Christ. We pray to the Lord. •

Connection The Catholic

Publisher The Diocese of Shreveport Editor Jessica Rinaudo Contributors Pope Francis Susan Flanagan Kim Long Lucy Medvec Mary Morgan Fr. Rothell Price Dianne Rachal

Rosalba Quiroz Jessica Rinaudo Katie Sciba Sr. Carol Shively Mike Van Vranken Fr. Mark Watson John Mark Willcox

Editorial Board Lisa Cooper Kim Long Fr. Matthew Long Dianne Rachal Melina Sanchez Randy Tiller Deacon Mike Whitehead John Mark Willcox Mission Statement The Catholic Connection is a monthly publication funded by your Diocesan Stewardship Appeal; mailed to every known Catholic household in the Diocese of Shreveport. Our Mission is to advance knowledge and understanding of our Catholic Faith among the faithful. We seek to foster the application of Christ’s teachings and our Church’s mission in our daily lives and to encourage our sense of Catholic identity within our family, parish, and diocesan faith community.

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

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

TWITTER @CathConnect

FACEBOOK facebook.com/ dioceseofshreveport

INSTAGRAM @CatholicConnection

www.dioshpt.org

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.

SEPTEMBER 2018 3

FROM THE POPE

Letter of the Holy Father Francis to the People of God from Vatican Information Services

“

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f one member suffers, all suffer together with it” (1 Cor 12:26). These words of Saint Paul forcefully echo in my heart as I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons. Crimes that inflict deep wounds of pain and powerlessness, primarily among the victims, but also in their family members and in the larger community of believers and nonbelievers alike. Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon Pope Francis and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient. Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated. The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, and so it is urgent that we once more reaffirm our commitment to ensure the protection of minors and of vulnerable adults.

1. If one member suffers…

In recent days, a report was made public which detailed the experiences of at least a thousand survivors, victims of sexual abuse, the abuse of power and of conscience at the hands of priests over a period of approximately 70 years. Even though it can be said that most of these cases belong to the past, nonetheless as time goes on we have come to know the pain of many of the victims. We have realized that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death; these wounds never go away. The heart-wrenching pain of these victims, which cries out to heaven, was long ignored, kept quiet or silenced. But their outcry was more powerful than all the measures meant to silence it, or sought even to resolve it by decisions that increased its gravity by falling into complicity.

The Lord heard that cry and once again showed us on which side He stands. Mary’s song is not mistaken and continues quietly to echo throughout history. For the Lord remembers the promise He made to our fathers: “He has scattered the proud in their conceit; He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty” (Lk 1:51-53). We feel shame when we realize that our style of life has denied, and continues to deny, the words we recite.

With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives. We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them. I make my own the words of the then Cardinal Ratzinger when, during the Way

4 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

of the Cross composed for Good Friday 2005, he identified with the cry of pain of so many victims and exclaimed: “How much filth there is in the Church, and even among those who, in the priesthood, ought to belong entirely to [Christ]! How much pride, how much self-complacency! Christ’s betrayal by His disciples, their unworthy reception of His body and blood, is certainly the greatest suffering endured by the Redeemer; it pierces His heart. We can only call to Him from the depths of our hearts: Kyrie eleison – Lord, save us! (cf. Mt 8:25)” (Ninth Station).

2. … all suffer together with it The extent and the gravity of all that has happened requires coming to grips with this reality in a comprehensive and communal way. While it is important and necessary on every journey of conversion to acknowledge the truth of what has happened, in itself this is not enough. Today we are challenged as the People of God to take on the pain of our brothers and sisters wounded in their flesh and in their spirit. If, in the past, the response was one of omission, today we want solidarity, in the deepest and most challenging sense, to become our way of forging present and future history. And this in an environment where conflicts, tensions and above all the victims of every type of abuse can encounter an outstretched hand to protect them and rescue them from their pain (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 228). Such solidarity demands that we in turn condemn whatever endangers the integrity of any person. A solidarity that summons us to fight all forms of corruption, especially spiritual corruption. The latter is “a comfortable and self-satisfied form of blindness. Everything then appears acceptable: deception, slander, egotism and other subtle forms of self-centeredness, for “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor 11:14)” (Gaudete et Exsultate, 165). Saint Paul’s exhortation to suffer with those who suffer is the best antidote against all our attempts to repeat the words of Cain: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9).

I am conscious of the effort and work being carried out in various parts of the world to come up with the necessary means to ensure the safety and protection of the integrity of children and of vulnerable adults, as well as implementing zero tolerance and ways of making all those who perpetrate or cover up these crimes accountable. We have delayed in applying these actions and sanctions that are so necessary, yet I am confident that they will help to guarantee a greater culture of care in the present and future.

Together with those efforts, every one of the baptized should feel involved in the ecclesial and social change that we so greatly need. This change calls for a personal and communal conversion that makes us see things as the Lord does. For as Saint John Paul II liked to say: “If we have truly started out anew from the

contemplation of Christ, we must learn to see him especially can generate resources attuned to the Gospel. For “whenever in the faces of those with whom he wished to be identified” we make the effort to return to the source and to recover the (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 49). To see things as the Lord does, original freshness of the Gospel, new avenues arise, new paths to be where the Lord wants us to be, to experience a conversion of creativity open up, with different forms of expression, more of heart in his presence. To do so, prayer and penance will help. eloquent signs and words with new meaning for today’s world” I invite the entire holy faithful People of God to a penitential (Evangelii Gaudium, 11). exercise of prayer and fasting, following the Lord’s command.

It is essential that we, as a Church, be able to acknowledge This can awaken our conscience and arouse our solidarity and and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated commitment to a culture of by consecrated persons, clerics, care that says “never again” to and all those entrusted with Looking ahead to the future, no effort the mission of watching every form of abuse.

It is impossible to think of a must be spared to create a culture over and caring for those conversion of our activity as a most vulnerable. Let us beg able to prevent such situations Church that does not include forgiveness for our own sins and from happening, but also to prevent the sins of others. An awareness the active participation of all the members of God’s People. the possibility of their being covered up of sin helps us to acknowledge Indeed, whenever we have the errors, the crimes and the and perpetuated. tried to replace, or silence, or wounds caused in the past ignore, or reduce the People of and allows us, in the present, God to small elites, we end up creating communities, projects, to be more open and committed along a journey of renewed theological approaches, spiritualities and structures without conversion. roots, without memory, without faces, without bodies and Likewise, penance and prayer will help us to open our eyes ultimately, without lives. This is clearly seen in a peculiar way and our hearts to other people’s sufferings and to overcome the of understanding the Church’s authority, one common in many thirst for power and possessions that are so often the root of communities where sexual abuse and the abuse of power and those evils. May fasting and prayer open our ears to the hushed conscience have occurred. Such is the case with clericalism, an pain felt by children, young people and the disabled. A fasting approach that “not only nullifies the character of Christians, but that can make us hunger and thirst for justice and impel us also tends to diminish and undervalue the baptismal grace that to walk in the truth, supporting all the judicial measures that the Holy Spirit has placed in the heart of our people.” may be necessary. A fasting that shakes us up and leads us to Clericalism, whether fostered by priests themselves or by be committed in truth and charity with all men and women of lay persons, leads to an excision in the ecclesial body that good will, and with society in general, to combating all forms of supports and helps to perpetuate many of the evils that we are the abuse of power, sexual abuse and the abuse of conscience. condemning today. To say “no” to abuse is to say an emphatic In this way, we can show clearly our calling to be “a sign and “no” to all forms of clericalism. instrument of communion with God and of the unity of the It is always helpful to remember that “in salvation history, the entire human race” (Lumen Gentium, 1).

Lord saved one people. We are never completely ourselves unless “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it”, said Saint we belong to a people. That is why no one is saved alone, as an Paul. By an attitude of prayer and penance, we will become isolated individual. Rather, God draws us to Himself, taking into attuned as individuals and as a community to this exhortation, account the complex fabric of interpersonal relationships present so that we may grow in the gift of compassion, in justice, in the human community. God wanted to enter into the life and prevention and reparation. Mary chose to stand at the foot of history of a people” (Gaudete et Exsultate, 6). Consequently, the her Son’s cross. She did so unhesitatingly, standing firmly by only way that we have to respond to this evil that has darkened Jesus’ side. In this way, she reveals the way she lived her entire so many lives is to experience it as a task regarding all of us as life. When we experience the desolation caused by these ecclesial the People of God. This awareness of being part of a people and wounds, we will do well, with Mary, “to insist more upon a shared history will enable us to acknowledge our past sins and prayer,” seeking to grow all the more in love and fidelity to the mistakes with a penitential openness that can allow us to be Church (St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 319). She, the renewed from within. Without the active participation of all the first of the disciples, teaches all of us as disciples how we are to Church’s members, everything being done to uproot the culture halt before the sufferings of the innocent, without excuses or of abuse in our communities will not be successful in generating cowardice. To look to Mary is to discover the model of a true the necessary dynamics for sound and realistic change. The follower of Christ. penitential dimension of fasting and prayer will help us as God’s May the Holy Spirit grant us the grace of conversion and People to come before the Lord and our wounded brothers and the interior anointing needed to express before these crimes sisters as sinners imploring forgiveness and the grace of shame of abuse our compunction and our resolve courageously to and conversion. In this way, we will come up with actions that combat them. • SEPTEMBER 2018 5

Bishop Michael Duca’s St. Joseph Parish, Zwolle • August 17, 2018

Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport, August 19, 2018

6 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Final Diocesan Masses Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Monroe, August 18, 2018

Want to see more photos from these events?

Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dioceseofshreveport SEPTEMBER 2018 7

MIKE'S MEDITATIONS

Pro-Life, Stewardship and the Call to Holiness

by Mike Van Vranken

S

ometimes we are taught specific ways to live the Christian life. Other times, we are given general teachings that require us to apply those learnings to different areas of our lives. We hear spiritual words like “pro-life” or “stewardship,” and unless we spend time discerning how they shape and form us as disciples of Christ, we risk reducing them to limited activities and causes which may rob us of experiencing them to their fullest significance. As we seek daily transformation of our lives, let’s look at how the specific teachings of Jesus can lead us to the fullness of being pro-life, good stewards and living a Van Vranken holy lifestyle.

Jesus said: “Stop judging... Stop condemning... Forgive...” (Luke 6:37). What do these commands have to do with pro-life, stewardship and holiness?

In his 1995 letter to the church, The Gospel of Life, St. Pope John Paul II declared: “Society as a whole must respect, defend and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person’s life.” If I am pro-life, it means my sacred respect for one segment of life is the same sacred respect for every other segment of life. For Jesus, and for us, to be pro-life includes our commitment to stop judging, stop condemning and start forgiving.

In his parable of the talents found in Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus explained that all of God’s valuable creation is to be taken care of, nurtured, allowed to grow and subsequently be shared with others. When we stop judging, stop condemning and always forgive, we not only live a pro-life attitude, we also become good stewards. If it is important to be good stewards of all God’s valuable gifts, what could be more valuable than all human life? The way we treat others is a direct result of our stewardship practices. If I am to be a good steward, it is necessary that I stop judging, stop condemning and always forgive.

Jesus calls us to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).

Many Church leaders have interpreted this as Jesus’ calling us to be holy. The 1964 document, The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, discusses the call of all people to holiness. And it’s been repeated by many, including the last four popes. To live holiness would have to include a life 8 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

that doesn’t judge others, that doesn’t condemn others, and always forgives everyone. This call to holiness is a call to live the gospel of Jesus. If I am to be holy, I will stop judging, stop condemning and always forgive.

Reflection Time: In your next prayer session, begin by reverently standing, if you can, and with eyes closed, imagine God right in front of you looking at you as one of His beloved children.

Don’t say anything, but just allow Him to cover you with his unimaginable love and mercy.

Now sit down, if you would like, and ask Him to grant you the grace to show you all of the ways you can be pro-life, including never judging, never condemning and always forgiving.

Spend some time here, and allow Him to gently and gracefully open your heart and mind to all the opportunities you have to not judge, not condemn and to forgive.

Next, pray for the grace that He shows you all of the ways you can be a good steward of everything He has given you, including those people He puts in your path each day. Again, just enjoy the silence as He blesses you with the vision of stewardship opportunities honoring and dignifying those around you.

Finally, beg God for the grace to help you recognize how refraining from judging, condemning and offering forgiveness leads to a holiness that is Christ-like and gives God glory.

Spend time with God and allow Him to show you all you can be for Him. End your prayer thanking God for anything He has shown or taught you. Promise to come back and ask if there is more about this He wants to share. Find joy in the new ways God has revealed to help you be pro-life, a good steward and a human example of holiness.

As you live each day being non-judgmental, non-condemning and unceasingly forgiving, remember these are not virtues we can pick and choose where to apply in our lives. Instead, they are three distinct characteristics of who we are in Christ Jesus. • Mike is a spiritual director, author, speaker and teacher. You can contact him at mikevanvranken@comcast.net

LIBRARY NOTES

Loyola Kids Book of Heroes

by Amy Welborn

Reviewed by Jessica Rinaudo

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he Loyola Kids Book of Heroes is a collection of lessons and stories about the saints. In each chapter, author Amy Welborn begins by talking about a real life situation or dilemma a child might face. Some examples include, when friendships are tested, or big changes that happen in your life (like moving or parents’ divorce), or even physical injury. She then takes those real life situations and uses the life of a saint to illustrate how similar their lives were to our own, and how they worked to better those situations with the help of God. Broken into seven sections, Book of Heroes illustrates saints who represent faith, hope, charity, temperance, prudence, fortitude and justice. And for each saint, she explains what virtue they had that made them a hero. Some examples include “heroes love their neighbors no matter what,” and “a hero stays strong in faith.”

Additionally, at the beginning of each section, Welborn has an introduction that tells one of the many stories of Jesus, showing how he is the ultimate hero and explaining how his life continues to be interconnected with our own lives.

“That’s why many of us have crucifixes in our homes and around our necks,” Welborn writes.

“The sight of Jesus on the cross is a sign of love and a sign of strength. It doesn’t take any strength to give into evil, does it? In fact, that is the very definition of weakness.”

Book of Heroes is a great tool for children to help them relate and remember the saints. Each chapter is short enough to hold their attention span, but long enough to convey an important lesson and share the saint’s life story and faith. It brings both the saints and history to life, making it enjoyable for both children and parents alike. •

Other Books to Consider

Slattery Library News & Notes What's New?

Good News! Slattery Library is now open every week day from 9am to 1pm! The Catholic Center welcomes our new Administrative Assistant for the Library and Cemetery, Kate Rhea.

Kate is available to help patrons research information, search and select reading material, and even host group meetings in the library. With themed displays each month and many newly cataloged materials ready to borrow, our library is revitalized and ready to serve our patrons.

To sign up for the newsletter featuring topical and seasonal collections, information on newly catalogued books, book and movie reviews, information on book clubs, and more, please e-mail Kate at krhea@dioshpt.org.

Visit the Slattery Library Visit the Slattery Library inside the Catholic Center!

The library is open Monday Friday from 9am to 1pm.

Loyola Kids Book of Heroes is published by Loyola Press, a Jesuit Ministry, and available to purchase at www.loyolapress.com and Amazon.com. It can also be borrowed from the Catholic Center's Slattery Library.

3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104 318-868-4441 SEPTEMBER 2018 9

FAITHFUL FOOD

Legacies

by Kim Long

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hese commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you Long get up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) It is the time of year when I am on the prowl to rid myself of anything that has been unnecessarily taking up mental and physical space. In my carport are no less than a dozen plastic totes. They have been emptied, contents inspected and sorted, with some items making the cut and others culled. The satisfaction of seeing the totes with all the contents “present and correct” is a feeling like no other. This exercise offered both balance and a sense of perspective. It also created a time for me to really consider what was worth keeping, and what is still serving my highest and greatest good. I am learning what I require.

As the last matriarch standing in my extended family, I also have a sense of immediacy when I think of what to pass on and what is better left behind.

When it came to the folders of inherited family recipes, I felt determinations were needed: many were hand written, others were torn from women’s magazines and even newspapers.

One weekend, many years ago, I decided to copy these recipes into a blank cookbook, intending to fill it with all the family recipes that sustain us. I was interrupted about halfway through my task, and months later when I finally got “back to it,” I was relieved to find that many of the original copies remained intact. The realization dawned anew that these busy women paused in the midst of the course of their day to preserve something in that tight cursive script and there I felt their enduring presence.

10 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Apple Pie Ingredients: • 6-7 cups sliced, peeled apples • 1 tsp. salt • 1 tsp. cinnamon • ⅛ tsp. nutmeg • ½ cup all purpose flour • 1 cup sugar (this can be adjusted up to 2 cups depending on sweetness of apples) • ½ cup butter, sliced • Enough pie crust for a two crust pie (your own recipe or the prepared crusts which are rolled up, sold in refrigerated section)

3) Place one pie crust on bottom of pie pan and prick with fork.

Directions: 1) Mix dry ingredients and set aside.

4) Pour apple mixture over bottom crust.

2) In bowl with tight fitting lid, place apples and pour dry ingredients over apples. Replace lid and shake until apples are coated.

I no longer desired to “tidy up.” I realized I was being served by these women in my lineage by their dedication to passing on a piece of themselves and their daily lives.

Things I learned about cooking from my family members include the following: • My daddy was a really good cook but my mother was an alchemist, taking odd things and bringing forth a really delicious meal.

• Aunt Jewel told me that any fool can read a recipe, but not everyone has the patience to follow one.

• Mamaw taught me that even if you only cook one or two things, do them better than anyone you know – make them your signature dishes.

• It could not be a real Christmas if Grandmother didn’t make the black cherry cream cheese topped jello “salad,” but what Grandmother never taught me was how in the world adding pineapple tidbits to anything made it salad.

• There is no substitute for an open and inviting heart when sharing food.

5) Dot with ½ stick butter pieces.

6) Add top crust and cut vent.

7) Bake 50 to 60 minutes.

• Grandmother’s recipe for Buckeye Balls still has no rival and I return to the stained scrap of paper its written on each December.

• Daddy’s bread pudding recipe is something I treasure more than gold.

While he was a patient in Baton Rouge General, he dictated it to me while I sat on his bed and wrote down every syllable.

• Some recipes just cannot be doubled or halved.

These things still serve me and hopefully I have begun to pass these on to my children and grandchildren. I tell them about the food, the past and how it shapes us, that not all legacies have a monetary value and I hope for the grace to bring the best of it forward: the love of family.

Here is one of my favorite pie recipes given to me by my sister-in-love, Nancy Jo. • Kim Long is the Director of Religious Education at St. Mary of the Pines Parish in Shreveport, LA.

DOMESTIC CHURCH

Finding Treasure in Monotony

by Katie Sciba

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f you have a family, you have monotony; there’s no way around it.

Work, school, errands, activities – there is so much “same ol’” on repeat.

Quite simply, all the repetition can be physically, or at least mentally, exhausting. Life in the domestic church demands time and energy to raise kids, work hard, Sciba make it through today so we can get ready for tomorrow. Work and sleep happen without much in between, and I tell you what, I have been really feeling this reality lately.

We have five small children, a small business, and a small house. The demands and routines our family have are necessary and integral to the life I’ve chosen; yet it’s so easy for me feel restless for the chance to do something fresh and new. Caught up in myself and my unfulfilled desires, conditions are ripe for ennui.

This isn’t exclusive to the life at home.

I remember countless days of this feeling at the office; no matter how much I loved my job (and I did!), there were days when I would glance at the clock once and then again five minutes later, feeling like an eternity had passed between. In elementary school, I would gaze out the window, pining to break out of my desk to go have an adventure.

But in all circumstances, I’ve stayed.

On one of my hardest mornings, I waved goodbye to Andrew from the porch and, seeing a plane soar overhead, I cried because I wished so painfully that I were on it. I didn’t care where it was going, I ached for something, anything different.

Life is repetitious and stuck in the rut, we trudge through hoping for a thrill or some bit of excitement to whisk us away to a land where we’re not subject to obligation or bound by duties to vocation.

I’m diving into the Diary of St. Faustina and came upon this blessed passage that at once I knew applied to those of us who

endure that love/hate relationship with the daily grind: O life so dull and monotonous, how many treasures you contain! When I look at everything with the eyes of faith, no two hours are alike, and the dullness and monotony disappear. The grace which is given me in this hour will not be repeated in the next. It may be given me again, but it will not be the same grace. (St. Faustina, paragraph 62) We fall into the habit of dealing with hardship without even mentioning it to Jesus, who above anyone else, has a ready ear. Praying a simple “Lord, I’m bored” can open our souls to peer through the monotony. When we seek God in our drudge, it’s no longer a drudge. He offers us countless graces to not just get through life but to fully experience it within our respective vocations. God has a plan for each particular soul for this very day; and if we respond to His offering of changing graces, dull will be the last word we’ll use to define our lives. The Life in Christ is never inwardly dull, though routine and monotony may remain, God is certainly not the author of boredom.• Katie Sciba is married to Andrew. Together they have five children. She is the author of thecatholicwife.net.

Keeping the FAith Committed to our spouses and families, we make the daily choice to stay, forfeit alternative lives, and keep on loving the here-and-now.

This enduring faithfulness, though a challenge from time to time, is a clear imitation of the Lord, who is steadfastness itself.

We’re blessed to have insight and wisdom from Heaven to keep us focused and faithful.

God has not called me to be successful, He has called me to be faithful. - St. Teresa of Calcutta The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 O life so dull and monotonous, how many treasures you contain!

When I look at everything with the eyes of faith, no two hours are alike, and the dullness and monotony disappear. The grace which is given me in this hour will not be repeated in the next. It may be given me again, but it will not be the same grace. - St. Faustina SEPTEMBER 2018 11

SECOND COLLECTIONS

Second Collection for September

by Father Rothell Price

Collection Dates: September 1st & 2nd

T

he second collection in the parishes and churches of our diocese this month is for The Catholic University of America. We ask the Catholic faithful of our diocese to join with the Catholic faithful across our Price country to make Catholic higher education possible. You may not have a child, grandchild or great grandchild at Catholic University, but every student at CUA is your son, daughter, grandchild, brother and sister in the family of our Catholic faith. When you make a gift to the students and faculty, academic and service programs, and foundation and operations at CUA, you empower The Catholic University of America community to grow and strengthen its capacity to offer a world class education unlike any other.

The Catholic University of America

12 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

collection prepares and strengthens the current and next generation of apologists who explain the Catholic faith and social teaching to the rest of the world. Your gift supports scholarships for students who need financial assistance. Please support the next generation of Catholic leaders for our Church and nation – including those studying to become our future priests and religious men and women.

Since 1903, The Catholic University of America has been greatly blessed by the generosity of parishioners around the country through the National Collection. James Cardinal Gibbons, the first chancellor of CUA and ninth Archbishop of Baltimore, once called this collection, “the people’s endowment.” I ask you to take his words into your heart. Join your contribution to that of faithful parishioners across our country to spiritually and academically prepare this and future generations of students, particularly those who have financial need.

More than 12,000 priests and religious

are proudly identified as alumni of CUA. Hundreds of priests and religious attend CUA each year, furthering their charge to engage in ongoing religious formation. The Catholic University of America’s mission centers on the discovery of knowledge and truth through excellence in teaching and research, all in service to the Church – a service that is greatly needed today. University faculty and scholars promote Catholic Social teaching and through their research and discourse, help form the Church’s response to challenging social issues of our time.

Please give generously to The Catholic University of America collection. Your heartfelt participation in the second collection is joined to the generosity of CUA alumni, friends, faculty and staff. Your donation strengthens the Catholic University’s mission and extends its reach. Your contribution helps our national university move forward, ensuring that current students and future graduates can continue to be God’s light in our world.

Learn more at collection. cua.edu. • Father Rothell Prices, Moderator of the Curia, is the Director of Second Collections for the Diocese of Shreveport.

NAVIGATING THE FAITH

Gaudete et Exultate: Living Out Our Faith

by Father Mark Watson

A

s a young adult I spent much time figuring out the meaning of holiness. My understanding of this virtue has evolved over the years. Thus, I enjoyed reading the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exultate, (Rejoice and Be Glad), which has helped me better understand this central virtue of our Christian faith.

Universal Call to Holiness: The pope states that all Christians are called to be saints. “We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves (GE, 14).” People live out this holiness in small ways, as when they decide to not gossip, when parents listen to their children, when families pray the rosary and when we say a nice word to the poor.

Holiness is experiencing, in union with Christ, the mysteries of his life, death and resurrection. It comes in constantly dying and rising with Christ. We are to identify with Christ and his will. Identifying with Christ in this way involves a commitment to build with him the kingdom of love, justice and universal peace. (GE, 25) Enemies of Holiness: The pope discusses two subtle enemies of holiness. The first enemy is called Contemporary Gnosticism. By Contemporary Gnosticism he refers to those whose faith is focused on the understanding of knowledge. A person’s spiritual perfection is measured not by the information or knowledge they possess, but by the depth of their charity. “Gnostics do not understand this because they judge others based on their ability to understand the complexity of certain doctrines (GE, 37).” These Christians try to control God through their intellect.

A second enemy of holiness is Contemporary Pelagianism. In the history of the Church, the Pelagianists believed that Christians could earn salvation through their own efforts rather than through relying on the mercy of God. Contemporary Pelagianists “ultimately trust only in their own powers and feel superior to others because they observe certain rules or remain intransigently faithful to a particular Catholic style.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 94) Instead we should understand that none of us are perfect and we all need God’s grace to live faithfully. Our focus in life should be to live in love and to passionately communicate “the beauty and joy of the Gospel and seek out the lost among the immense crowds that thirst for Christ.” (Cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 95)

The pope states that in the beatitudes, Jesus explained with great simplicity what it means to be holy. In the beatitudes we are given a portrait of Jesus and our daily lives are to reflect his life. Each beatitude teaches us who is truly happy and holy.

The Beatitudes and Matthew: The beatitudes call us to a “radiant interior freedom” (GE, 69) in which we accept God’s will for us. Holiness is characterized in the beatitudes in the following ways: Holiness is dealing with others with a sense of meekness and humility. Holiness is suffering with others and reaching out to them in their suffering.

Holiness is working for justice even if we do not see the fruit of our labor. Holiness is giving, helping and serving others as well as forgiving and understanding them. Holiness is freely living out love with our whole heart. Holiness is building peace in our relationships, our communities and in our world.

And finally, holiness is accepting “daily the path of the Gospel even though it may cause us problems...”

(GE, 94).

The pope then offers Matthew 25:31-46 as a second Gospel passage that is central to the meaning of holiness. Matthew 25:31-46 expands on the beatitude which calls one to be merciful. This scene calls us to care for those who are most in need. We are to not separate caring for those in need from our personal spiritual lives. We are to recognize, protect and cherish the dignity of all human beings. In short mercy is central to holiness.

Signs of Holiness: My favorite chapter is that in which the pope discusses the Signs of Holiness in today’s world. He sees these signs of holiness as being important given certain dangers and limitations present in today’s culture. The pope invites us to live out the following Signs of Holiness: 1) Perseverance, Patience and Meekness; 2) Joy and a Sense of Humor; 3) Boldness and Passion; 4) Living Holiness in Community; and 5) Living in Constant Prayer.

Discernment: The pope ends the document by calling us to prayerful discernment. Discernment refers to figuring out God’s will for us. We are called to listen to the Lord through Scripture, the Magisterium of the Church, others and reality itself. This discernment is to help us recognize and “better accomplish the mission entrusted to us in our baptism (GE, 174).”

May Gaudete et Exultate assist us in better living out the holiness to which God has called us. • SEPTEMBER 2018 13

Catholic Schools

ANNUAL REPORT

by Sr. Carol Shively. OSU Superintendent of Catholic Schools

his 2017 – 2018 Annual Report is organized around the four major themes of the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools— Mission and Catholic Identity, Governance and Leadership, Academic Excellence and Operational Vitality.

“Catholic schools are an outstanding apostolate of hope… addressing the material, intellectual and spiritual needs of millions of children.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Address to Catholic Educators, April 17, 2008, Washington DC, par. 5) “The environment in our Catholic schools express the signs of Catholic culture, physically and visibly (The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School)

continues to grow day after day. As an example of ongoing academic strength and growth, our Catholic schools have rapidly adopted STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics) and related programs into their curricular and co-curricular instruction and activities.

Our excellence is demonstrated in our ACT Aspire / ACT test scores and in our loyal and dedicated teachers. Our teachers are life-long learners and attend summer workshops and on-going development in our local colleges.

We want our families to feel a sense of confidence in their decision to invest in Catholic education.

Mission and Catholic Identity

Parents facing the many challenges of today’s economic challenges desire their children’s education to be strong and their schools to be stable. The long-term viability of our Catholic schools require us to focus on the school’s operations, such as its finances, human resources, facilities and advancement/development. Our attention to being good stewards of their investment enables them to feel confident about their decision to invest in Catholic education. During the year, our principals in Monroe developed ways to operate as a collaborative team of experts. Many successful events occurred to draw the schools closer together. The events included a unified message of excellence in recruiting students and in providing professional development for the faculties.

The collaboration was very meaningful for the teachers.

One teacher shared that it’s so easy to simply teach in a “silo mentality.” It is better when we think that there are two to three classes of grades in the Catholic elementary schools so I feel that I don’t work alone!”

Our commitment to our families is to return their child to them with a servant’s heart.

Each of our Catholic schools provide the students with faith-filled experiences. They participate in daily prayer, prayer services, holy day celebrations, weekly liturgy and service in the community. Our mission is to be Christ’s hands and feet to our neighbors.

Governance and Leadership

Successful Catholic schools require strong leaders. Seasoned, knowledgeable and collaborative principals, pastors and boards/councils can together help to guarantee that every student has access to a high quality, faith-filled education. Our schools are led and guided by faith-filled educators which is a hallmark of our schools. They work in full partnership with our pastors and school volunteers who guide us in reaching the needs of our families in the community.

Academic Excellence

For over 32 years, the Diocese of Shreveport has been known for providing high quality education, and that reputation 14 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Operational Vitality

Enrollment by Grades 2017-18 PreK 208 K 118 1st 127 2nd 113 3rd 125

4th 111 5th 115 6th 92 7th 105 8th 111

9th 148 10th 158 11th 158 12th 155 TOTAL: 1844

Our Faculty and Staff 119 Full-Time Certified Classroom Teachers 3 Music Teachers 9 P. E. Teachers 20 Pre-School Teachers 24 Instructional Assistants 6 Certified Principals

ACT Scores

Faculty & Staff Service Awards 5 Years

Junice Allison Alan Carter Lisa Cooper Laura Cordaro Courtney Dean Adam Dearman Joni Dollar Meghan Foote Mary Beth Fox Dustin Griffis Ashley Hays Jeremy Jinks Quiana Killian Randall McGimsey Suzanne Neely Blair Ramey Michael Stanaland Olga Trejo Jessica Weiss Dr. Carynn Wiggins Trey Woodham

National: 21.0 State: 19.4 St. Frederick: 24.7 Loyola: 24.8

10 Years

Jane Gunter Kathy Pitard LaTara Wilson

15 Years

Donnie Brown Stephanie Haney Amanda Rogers

20 Years

Ellen Galligan Peggy Gremillion Gloria White

25 Years

John Marshall

30 Years

Laura Woolbert

SEPTEMBER 2018 15

Money School Gives Value to Those in Need

by Lucy Medvec, Catholic Charities of North Louisiana

I

t’s 9:00 a.m. on a Tuesday at Catholic Charities and the lobby is filled with people waiting to attend the Money School, the weekly financial literacy class.

There is a sense of anxiety and hope as they wait for the class to begin, the first step in the process of potentially receiving financial assistance for rent or utility bills.

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Chinese Proverb Since 2012, Catholic Charities of North Louisiana (CCNLA) has been “teaching people to fish” through its financial education class, the Money School. The nonprofit financial education program’s attendance reached a record number of 1,600 students in the past fiscal year. The Money School has evolved into a two-hour class offered on a weekly basis, followed by a “needs” assessment and personal financial coaching sessions with CCNLA case managers.

It is mandatory that all clients who seek financial help for rent or utilities must attend the Money School in order to be considered for assistance. Class size in Shreveport is limited to 30 people per week and clients can only be considered for assistance once every 24 months.

The premise of the Money School is to help clients review their current spending 16 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

habits and evaluate their “financial leaks” – habits that may drain their resources and leave little money to cover the basics (rent, food and utilities) – in order to make smarter money decisions. The Shreveport Money School is taught by CCNLA’s case managers, Carl Piehl and Joe Bulger, who work hard to make the class relatable and informative.

Piehl, who has been with the Money School since its beginning, teaches the class with enthusiasm. He describes the evolution of the Money School as “a living laboratory that experimented with new ideas, new approaches, new source material and media to connect powerfully with our clients.”

Clients in the class are pre-tested and post-tested for financial literacy. Scoring indicates a 40% improvement on a consistent basis, with many who have attended the class reporting that it has been a life changing experience for them.

The Money School can be defined as the beginning of the journey of financial capability, stability and ultimately the accomplishment of our client’s selfdescribed goals. The needs assessment session conducted by CCNLA case managers provides an opportunity to discuss with clients how they perceive their situation and to reveal possible solutions to their problems. After meeting

with the week’s clients, Piehl and Bulger meet to select who will receive partial assistance with their bills. It is never an easy task. Because of limited resources, CCNLA is only able to assist 25-30% of each week’s applicants.

“Some weeks, every client is eligible to receive assistance,” says Piehl. “There are many people struggling in our community, but we are only able to help a few of them financially. The true value we hope to give all of our clients is the lessons we teach in the Money School and through financial coaching.”

As the poverty levels rise across north Louisiana, so does the weekly attendance of the Money School.

With all three locations serving a total of 40-45 clients per week, the lessons taught in the Money School are vital in the quest to create financial change.

Clients who attend the Money School are contacted three months following the class to assess if they are putting the lessons they learned into practice. This is a service provided to all clients, whether or not they received financial assistance from CCNLA. Bulger sees the call as an important follow-up to the Money School class.

“Before we started contacting clients, we had no idea if they were actually putting the financial education steps into action,” explains Bulger. “The phone calls give us a chance to check in and also remind the client that they are always welcome to come in for free financial coaching.”

CCNLA’s Money School and Emergency Assistance programs are made possible in part by grants by The Community Foundation of North Louisiana, The Carolyn W. and Charles T. Beaird Family Foundation, First Presbyterian Church – Shreveport, First United Methodist Church – Shreveport, The Grayson Foundation, The Powers Foundation, United Way of Northwest Louisiana, and the support of individual donors. •

His Presence & Prayers Saved My Daughter’s Life

by Susan Flanagan

O

n a hot Saturday this past July, the local abortion clinic’s parking lot was filled with cars, business as usual getting underway there.

On average, 60-70 babies are aborted at Hope Medical Group in Shreveport each week. But this day, the clinic sidewalk was the site of a special reunion between a mother, her child and the man whose prayers helped save her baby from being aborted there seven years ago.

Amy Blackwell of east Texas shared her story on Facebook earlier this year, about her “almost abortion.” She was, as she recounted, hopeless, far away from God, and not making good decisions in her life.

She drove herself to Hope Medical Group for her initial consultation in April 2011, and she noticed a “little old man standing on the curb, praying the rosary.” Amy said he kept looking at her and she instantly knew that he was praying for her and her baby. She sat in her car a long time, alone and afraid, while he continued praying — they never spoke to each other, but his presence and prayers changed her life.

She finally went into the clinic for her consultation. Looking back now, Amy says she is amazed how Satan can package sin to make it sound so good. The reassuring abortion pamphlets stated that some people are just not ready to have children,

financially or emotionally, which sounds plausible – until you stop to realize that their “logical solution” then is to kill those children. The abortionist asked her if she had kids already, which she did have two; he then pronounced that two was enough and he scheduled her abortion. “Someone will need to drive you home afterwards,” he added.

The friend enlisted to drive with her knew Amy was making a big mistake, and spent the better part of the drive from east Texas reminding her that God had a plan for this baby. Finally, as Amy puts it, she “came to her senses” and knew she could not proceed with the abortion. In her Facebook story, she tearfully adds, “I want to say to that little man standing on the curb, thank you because I know you were praying for me. I don’t know who you are, but I know prayers are powerful, and I won’t ever forget you. You are in my head and my heart for the rest of my life.”

Local 40 Days for Life Coordinator Chris Davis saw Amy’s Facebook post and contacted her, saying that he knew who that “little old man with the rosary” was and did Amy want to meet him? Needless to say, she jumped at the chance! Chris then called Mr. Camille Brocato and lined up the July meeting for mother, daughter and prayer warrior on the same abortion clinic sidewalk where their paths crossed seven years earlier.

Brocato has been praying the rosary his entire life, ever since he was around 10 years old. He was never involved in any pro-life activities or groups, but when he was 80 years old, he felt a call to pray the rosary at the abortion clinic with the VITA group on the first Saturday of the month.

He later began to go every Saturday, but felt the Blessed Mother wanted more.

Finally, he began to show up at the clinic every day, praying the rosary and handing out brochures and his hand-made rosaries to everyone he could. In the course of eight years of daily prayer at the clinic, rain

or shine, hot or cold, he has given away over 3,000 rosaries. He would be there still, but finally had to stop because of hip surgery and health issues.

Brocato has a treasure trove of stories of encounters, both good and bad, during those eight years, but few have brought him greater joy than meeting Amy and her 7-year-old daughter, Emma Grace. He gives all the credit for positive outcomes to the Blessed Virgin Mary, saying that he just puts the rosaries in people’s hands and then “Our Lady works on them!” Over time, several people who had originally heckled him have returned with changed hearts and asked for more rosaries.

And when he finally met Emma Grace in July? He gave her a big hug, a few peppermints, and of course, a bag of rosaries! • Need Post-Abortion Healing?

Come to Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat in Shreveport October 26-28th, 2018 rachelsvineyard.org Or call 877- HOPE 4 ME

Need help with an unplanned pregnancy?

Mary’s House 906 Margaret Place Shreveport, LA 71101 maryshouseofla.org 318-220-8009

Want to come pray with us on the sidewalk?

Shreveport 40 Days for Life Sept. 26 — Nov. 4th, 2018 www.40daysforlife.com Chris Davis — 318–349-3279

VITA Pro-Life Group (St. Joseph Parish) Prays at abortion clinic at 10:00 first Saturday of every month Chris Spence — 318–294-8382 cspence8382@yahoo.com

SEPTEMBER 2018 17

Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat: Post-Abortive Healing

Let's Get

SOCIAL!

by Dianne Rachal, Director of Worship

Diocese of Shreveport

SOCIAL MEDIA

CONFERENCE WHAT

An opportunity for Church employees to learn how they can better utilize social media to support their faith mission. We will talk about what works, creating a good post, guidelines to have in place, and how we can work together as diocese, church, school and ministry to support one another on the web.

WHO

Any church, school or ministry employee who works or assists with communications or social media.

WHEN

Thursday, October 4, 9:00 a.m.

WHERE

Catholic Center 3500 Fairfield Avenue, Shreveport

REGISTER

www.dioshpt.org - It's FREE!

QUESTIONS?

Contact Jessica Rinaudo jrinaudo@dioshpt.org 18 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

R

achel mourns for her children, she refuses to be consoled because her children are no more. Thus says the LORD: Cease your cries of mourning, wipe the tears from your eyes. The sorrow you have shown shall have its reward. . . there is hope for your future. (Jeremiah 31:15-17) The Diocese of Shreveport is glad to announce the reintroduction of Rachel’s Vineyard retreat ministry.

Janice Gonzales and her dedicated team of ministers conducted Rachel’s Vineyard retreats in the diocese from 2006 to 2008. Team members today acknowledge that they carry this ministry forward upon the firm, yet grace-filled foundation laid by their predecessors.

Rachel’s Vineyard weekend retreats help women and men to heal in the painful aftermath of abortion. Exercises, scripture and ritual, combined with opportunities to share and listen, allow participants to work through emotions of anger, shame, guilt and grief on their journey to finding forgiveness and reconciliation and hope.

Over 60 million abortions have occurred since Roe v. Wade in 1973.

Many people have been impacted by

abortion, not just the mother and father of the aborted child, but their parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, friends, even clinic staff. Rachel’s Vineyard retreats give everyone a starting point to begin their healing journey.

The next Rachel’s Vineyard retreat will be October 26-28, 2018. Please call 318 588-1064 for information, or visit the website at www.rachelsvineyard.org.

Absolute confidentiality is maintained by team members and participants prior to, during and following a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat. A Rachel’s Vineyard retreat in Spanish will be scheduled in the near future.

St. John Paul II: “I would now like to say a special word to women who have had an abortion. The Church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision...

If you have not already done so, give yourselves over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father of mercies is ready to give you His forgiveness and His peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. ... You can be among the most eloquent defenders of everyone’s right to life.”

– Evangelium Vitae, 1999. •

From Atheism to Seminary: Meet the Diocese's Newest Seminarian

by Jessica Rinaudo

I just thought that you didn't have to have God to feel good… and that’s partly where my search picked up, I

WAS TRYING TO FIND FULFILLMENT.

W

hen you think of candidates for the Catholic priesthood, the word “atheist” likely never crosses your mind, but the Diocese of Shreveport’s newest seminarian, Francis Genusa, used that term to describe his life during many of his high school years.

“I was an atheist, or at least agnostic, and I didn't really put much stock into Catholicism or anything at that time. I never really thought about my faith in a deep way, and so I pulled away from it...

I got into looking into Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss and other great thinkers who I still respect,” Francis said. “But I got into them and just thought it was reasonable not to be faithful, that God didn’t exist, and that all that was something that made people feel good and, not that I didn’t want to feel good or fulfilled as a person, I just thought that you didn’t have to have God to feel good… and that’s partly where my search picked up, I was trying to find fulfillment.”

“I was always that kid who argued so much in class, but our youth minister was a pretty smart guy. He argued with me and I met my match. So I had to do investigation and I had to do digging, and that led me to the seminary because of all those questions.”

And when Francis says it led him to the seminary, he means that quite literally.

While in high school, he attended a “Come and See” event at St. Joseph seminary in south Louisiana.

“I had gone to seminary with the mind set that I wanted to talk to these people and figure out those arguments; throw those arguments at them and see what bounced off. But really what bounced off was faith,” Francis said.

During the weekend-long event, he was encouraged by a friend to go and kneel before the Blessed Sacrament.

“As I prayed, I said, ‘If you’re real and you’re not just a piece of bread on a stick, then nothing’s really more important than that.’ And it was a weird kind of epiphany.

I started saying things in my mind that were incredulous ... Like, ‘If you are the center of the universe, God of everything, the Creator ... there really isn’t anything more important.’ And that’s really where the light kind of turned back on.”

Francis attended the Come and See events three times. And what began as a faith life full of incredulity, quickly grew into what Francis describes as a “mountain of faith.” He investigated St. Thomas Aquinas’ proofs for God, and it just, as he says, “clicked into my mind. ” But even finding his faith again, the leap from atheism to discerning priesthood is a large one.

While at St. Frederick High School,

Francis was critical of the Mass and he and former youth director, Mark Loyet, often talked about it and all aspects of the faith. “And one day he just asked me ‘Why do you care so much? Why do you come in here and keep trying to berate me about it?’ And I said ‘I don’t know.’”

Several weeks later, Fr. Keith Garvin, chaplain at St. Frederick’s at the time, talked to Francis after Mass and asked him if he had ever thought about a vocation. Francis’ immediate response was not positive.

“What a vocation?! Priesthood?!

No… But then it started to settle in, and I started to think about it, and I thought, ‘Well, gee, this is important for some reason. Why?’ So I just started to feel it and it got a lot more real. ...

Mark Loyet had been in touch over the summer and he called Father Jerry [Diocesan Vocations Director] and we had a conversation. That’s when I knew.”

His discernment process has bloomed since then. Francis began attending St. Matthew Parish in Monroe, and has become very involved with the church, so much so that he was eventually hired on as their administrative assistant.

“I think the most impact on my vocation is being in the presence of the church and being in the presence of the priest,” said Francis. “And I’ve been with Fr. Mark [Franklin] so much, not only at the church, but we’ve also gone to eat and spent a lot of time together.

That time has enriched me because a lot of what people think about the priesthood or religious life, in general, they don’t see it, and they can’t feel it. … I didn’t know what seminary was like, I thought they just went into a cave and prayed, but, no, they’re people. They live and they live even better than us."

Francis began attending seminary at St. Joseph Seminary on August 10. • SEPTEMBER 2018 19

Sock Collection for Prison Ministry

SEMINARIAN BURSES

by Mary Morgan

S

eeds of caring were planted last year and we all became real life gardeners as we harvested over 1,600 pairs of socks.

In the store of life, Jesus wants people to find the seeds that best suit them so they might live and make the Kingdom grow. His seeds might go wild and even get trampled, but He knows they can open hearts and make hands become loving and helpful toward others.

When the sock drive of 2017 ended, the small gift of a pair of socks had grown into a beautiful surprise for about 1,600 inmates in the Bossier and DeSoto parish facilities, a Christmas gift from the people of the Diocese of Shreveport. The great green thumb of Jesus is planning the Christmas of 2018 event, the 2nd Annual Sock Drive.

The seeds are flying already and falling everywhere. If any of them land near your heart’s garden, plant them and let them grow.

All that is needed before December 2018 are men’s white socks (note: women are included and will receive the men's socks).

Help make this collection happen and we will again warm the feet and hearts of those in prison.

For more information contact Mary Morgan at 318-742-3774.

Sock Collection Detail: Must be men’s white socks, crew or up the calf type only. Please keep them in the original packages. No used socks please.

Delivery will be two weeks before Christmas. •

20 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Left to right, Seminarians Jeb Key, Francis Genusa and Kelby Tingle at Bishop Duca's final Mass in Shreveport. Not pictured: Deacon Kevin Mues, Nicholas Duncan and Raney Johnson).

THANKS TO OUR RECENT DONORS • (007) Friends of Dr. Christopher ($100) • (014) John G. Semmes ($100) • (014) Alfred & Susan Ozenne ($800) COMPLETED BURSES

• (001) Fr. Mike Bakowski Memorial Burse ($10,000)

• (004) Kathryn Atherton Cook Memorial Burse ($350) • (005) Cathedral of St. John Berchmans ($250) • (006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Memorial Burse ($250) • (007) Dr. Carol Christopher Memorial Burse ($1,300) • (008) St. Jude Parish ($5,718)

• (010) Memory of Rita Scott from the John Scott Family ($10,000)

• (009) St. John Berchmans Knights of Columbus Council #10728 ($450)

• (012) Jack E. Caplis, Jr., Memorial Burse ($10,000)

• (011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse ($6,935)

• (013) Mary Evans Caplis Burse ($10,000)

• (014) Bob & Peggy Semmes Memorial Burse ($6,100)

INCOMPLETE BURSES • (002) Joseph & Antoinette Bakowski Memorial Burse ($2,100)

For more information on donating to seminarian burses for the support of educating men in formation for the priesthood for our diocese, contact Fr. Jerry Daigle 318-8684441, or jdaigle@dioshpt.org. •

• (003) Sam R. Maranto Memorial Burse ($1,200)

Ruston Catholic Received French Legion of Honor

by John Mark Willcox

T

here is always a first time for everything when you work for the Church and I had a first time experience recently when I conducted my first interview with an centenarian. Robert “Bob” Hurtig is now awaiting his 101st birthday and he has less grey hair than I do within my mere 59 years of life!

There are many amazing things about the life Bob has led since he was born in Cincinnati, OH, in 1917. He grew up an active Catholic and served as a eucharistic minister prior to joining the armed forces in January of 1941 before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He spent time at several bases in the south and was scheduled to board the famous French Bob Hurtig was part of the passenger liner Normandie for Army Air Corps and became a passage to Europe. Before that bombardier navigator assigned to could happen, the Normandie a B-17 during WWII. Right: Hurtig's French Legion of Honor medal. was resting on the bottom of the Hudson River in New York due to what was reported at the time as a severe fire that broke out on deck. “That is not really what happened,” offers Bob. “The truth is

that a German U-boat snuck up the Hudson River and torpedoed that ship before the United States could use it. The officials didn’t want that story to get out so they created the fire story.”

Bob ended up being part of the Army Air Corps and became a bombardier navigator assigned to the famous “flying fortress” which was of course the B-17. “We made bombing runs in France, Germany, Austria and Norway,” recalls Bob, as his still sharp mind recounts his years in combat. “I was quick then, and I’m quick today!” he proclaims with a broad and infectious smile.

Some of his bombing targets included chemical plants, factories, a buzz bomb launching platform and submarine pens housing deadly U-Boats. All of these missions resulted in a literal shirt full of medals and commendations for Bob, including the French Legion of Honor medal. “After one successful mission I was told that I was to be promoted from Lieutenant to Captain and slated to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross. I was never promoted to Captain and I am still waiting on that medal!”

Bob flew his last mission in April of 1945 and looks back with a large degree of sadness on his involvement with the war. “I lost approximately 87 good friends during World War II. When we were flying in formation on bombing runs you would many times see our planes going down in flames. With a B-17, that’s 10 good men you lost with each plane shot down.”

I asked about his prayer life during the war and Bob offered “If you weren’t good at praying when you arrived in the European Theatre, you sure learned how to pray real quick.”

Returning to America, Bob had a successful career in New Orleans working in the wine, liquor and beer industry before moving to Ruston to be close to his only child, Dr. Dolliann Hurtig who is a professor at Louisiana Tech University.

He has been a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Ruston since 1993.

When asked about the secret to living one hundred years, Bob’s advice is straightforward and simple, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and don’t let politics or people ever convince you that the Lord God is not the most important thing in your life!” • SEPTEMBER 2018 21

Are People Seeking Your Help?

by Mike Van Vranken

H

as anyone asked for your opinion or advice about his or her prayer life? Do people approach you to talk about their relationship with God? Have others sought you to help them with a major decision? If you answered “yes” to any or all of these, God may be calling you to the ministry of spiritual direction. All across our diocese, people are hungry for someone to discuss these matters with. Are you one of those who people seek out? The Archdiocese of New Orleans provides an Internship to help people discern if spiritual direction is a ministry they are being called by God to pursue.

From the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center’s brochure: In spiritual direction, a trained and certified “director walks with the directee in order to deepen awareness of God’s Presence.

This desire for intimacy with the Lord creates the situation of spiritual direction. The Internship prepares the Intern to assist the directee discern the presence and movement of God in the life of the directee.

The ASC Internship incorporates a broad reflection on the ministry of spiritual direction within the context of today’s

Church. Following the theology and methodology of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Internship prepares the Intern to guide others in on-going spiritual direction and directed retreats.

The honing of skills is part of the formation of a spiritual director; essential formation comes from God’s gifts, the Church’s formation, and the spiritual hunger of the Intern.

When God has gifted a person with faith and discernment a training program can help that person recognize, strengthen and purify their gift of discernment.

The two-year Internship closes with a process of individual and group discernment that assists the participants to discern if they are called to the ministry of spiritual direction or to another form of faith ministry. This discernment also considers the areas of Spiritual Direction to which each intern feels called.” •

Spiritual Direction Informational Meetings Informational meetings with more information about this Internship in Spiritual Direction will be held in our diocese on the following days and times: Thursday, September 27, 10:00 a.m. & 6:30 p.m.

The Catholic Center • 3500 Fairfield Ave, Shreveport

Thursday, October 11, 6:30 p.m.

St. Paschal Church • 711 North 7th Street, West Monroe

For more information, call or email Mike Van Vranken 318-423-4617, or mikevanvranken@comcast.net

CREATE the Diocese of Shreveport Christmas WHO?

Children Ages 5 - 13

WHAT?

Christmas-themed religious drawing or painting*

Final card size will be 5 x 7 inches, but can be created larger and scaled down.

WHEN?

Submission deadline is Friday, October 26, 2018

Card!

The Diocese of Shreveport's development team will narrow down the submissions to 10 finalists. The finalists’ entries will be posted on the Diocese of Shreveport’s Facebook page from November 2-7 for voting. The entry with the most votes will be featured as the Diocese of Shreveport's Christmas card for 2018!

Submit entries to: Attn: Development, 3500 Fairfield Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71104 OR Email bvice@dioshpt.org QUESTIONS? Email or call Blanca at 318-868-4441, or bvice@dioshpt.org * All submissions must be the artist’s own work.

22 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

ACROSS THE NATION

U.S. Bishops Announce Effort to Resolve to Address “Moral Catastrophe” from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

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ASHINGTON— Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has issued the following statement after a series of meetings with other bishops. A more developed plan will be presented to the full body of bishops at their general assembly meeting in Baltimore in November.

Cardinal DiNardo’s full statement follows: “Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Two weeks ago, I shared with you my sadness, anger, and shame over the recent revelations concerning Archbishop Theodore McCarrick. Those sentiments continue and are deepened in light of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report. We are faced with a spiritual crisis that requires not only spiritual conversion, but practical changes to avoid repeating the sins and failures of the past that are so evident in the recent report. Earlier this week, the USCCB Executive Committee met again and established an outline of these necessary changes.

The Executive Committee has established three goals: (1) an investigation into the questions surrounding Archbishop McCarrick; (2) an opening of new and confidential channels for reporting complaints against bishops; and (3) advocacy for more effective resolution of future complaints. These goals will be pursued according to three criteria: proper independence, sufficient authority, and substantial leadership by laity.

We have already begun to develop a concrete plan for accomplishing these goals, relying upon consultation with experts, laity, and clergy, as well as the Vatican. We will present this plan to the full body of bishops in our November meeting.

In addition, I will travel to Rome to present these goals and criteria to the Holy See, and to urge further concrete steps based on them.

The overarching goal in all of this is stronger protections against predators in the Church and anyone who would conceal them, protections that will hold bishops to the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

Allow me to briefly elaborate on the goals and criteria that we have identified.

The first goal is a full investigation of questions surrounding Archbishop McCarrick. These answers are necessary to prevent a recurrence, and so help to protect minors, seminarians, and others who are vulnerable in the future. We will therefore invite the Vatican to conduct an Apostolic Visitation to address these questions, in concert with a group of predominantly lay people identified for their expertise by members of the National Review Board and empowered to act.

The second goal is to make reporting of abuse and misconduct by bishops easier. Our 2002 "Statement of Episcopal Commitment" does not make clear what avenue victims

themselves should follow in reporting abuse or other sexual misconduct by bishops. We need to update this document. We also need to develop and widely promote reliable third-party reporting mechanisms. Such tools already exist in many dioceses and in the public sector and we are already examining specific options.

The third goal is to advocate for better procedures to resolve complaints against bishops. For example, the canonical procedures that follow a complaint will be studied with an eye toward concrete proposals to make them more prompt, fair, and transparent and to specify what constraints may be imposed on bishops at each stage of that process.

We will pursue these goals according to three criteria.

The first criterion is genuine independence. Any mechanism for addressing any complaint against a bishop must be free from bias or undue influence by a bishop. Our structures must preclude bishops from deterring complaints against them, from hampering their investigation, or from skewing their resolution.

The second criterion relates to authority in the Church.

Because only the Pope has authority to discipline or remove bishops, we will assure that our measures will both respect that authority and protect the vulnerable from the abuse of ecclesial power.

Our third criterion is substantial involvement of the laity.

Lay people bring expertise in areas of investigation, law enforcement, psychology, and other relevant disciplines, and their presence reinforces our commitment to the first criterion of independence.

Finally, I apologize and humbly ask your forgiveness for what my brother bishops and I have done and failed to do. Whatever the details may turn out to be regarding Archbishop McCarrick or the many abuses in Pennsylvania (or anywhere else), we already know that one root cause is the failure of episcopal leadership. The result was that scores of beloved children of God were abandoned to face an abuse of power alone. This is a moral catastrophe. It is also part of this catastrophe that so many faithful priests who are pursuing holiness and serving with integrity are tainted by this failure.

We firmly resolve, with the help of God’s grace, never to repeat it. I have no illusions about the degree to which trust in the bishops has been damaged by these past sins and failures. It will take work to rebuild that trust. What I have outlined here is only the beginning; other steps will follow. I will keep you informed of our progress toward these goals.

Let me ask you to hold us to all of these resolutions. Let me also ask you to pray for us, that we will take this time to reflect, repent, and recommit ourselves to holiness of life and to conform our lives even more to Christ, the Good Shepherd.” • SEPTEMBER 2018 23

SCHOOL NEWS

St. Joseph School Implements Virtues Program

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uring this year’s teacher inservice at St. Joseph School, faculty and staff learned about a program designed to teach students how to be disciples of Christ through virtues. The program, “Disciples of Christ: Education in Virtue,” utilizes scripture, the lives of saints and the gifts of the Holy Spirit as it challenges students to identify virtues they already exhibit, as well as the ones they may need help cultivating. •

Blessing of JGS School

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r. Keith Garvin and principal, Lisa Patrick carried out the annual blessing of the school. This is a tradition at Jesus the Good Shepherd School, where each room, student and teacher is blessed with a sprinkling of holy water on the first day of school. Fr. Keith greeted parents in the carpool drop-off line, made coffee for all the teachers and faculty, and even had a sing-a-long in the school gymnasium before morning assembly. •

St. Frederick Students Attended Summer Programs

by Olga Trejo

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hile most students were busy relaxing in the sun this summer, several St. Frederick Warriors were busy attending college classes and forums. Rosemary Manning (pictured above), a 9th grade student, attended the Ambassador Leadership Summit at Harvard University Law School. The program, Leadership in Action, was sponsored by the Ambassador Leaders Program based in Spokane, WA. Hosted on the campus of Harvard Law School, the program 24 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

brought together more than 200 middle and high school students from around the world. During the eight day program, students attended seminars by well-known motivational speaker, Dr. Sunjay Nath; attended interactive workshops and worked to create a community action plan for the Leed2Feed project.

In addition, students received college advice from Harvard students and earned 20 service-learning hours while working to make a difference through local United Way projects.

“I loved meeting so many people from all over the world with different cultures, backgrounds and beliefs,” said Rosemary Manning. “I now have friends in Hong Kong and South Africa! I definitely gained from this experience. It’s really amazing what great friends you can make in just a week!”

Additionally, Alyssa Dismuke, a 10th-grade student, attended a medical and healthcare summit at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Gabriela Trejo, a senior, attended the National Youth Leadership Forum Medicine at the University of Houston. Zackery Chamberlain, also a senior, attended four weeks of Summer College at Duke University in North Carolina. He studied Political Philosophy and returned with the understanding of the history and live politics of Law. •

Safety a Priority at St. John Berchmans

How I Practice My Faith as a Student

by Celeste

Lirette

Loyola College Prep, Senior

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teps have been taken to provide further safety measures, both throughout the school as well as with faculty and staff development at St. John Berchmans School. In June, principal Jennifer Deason attended training through Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office of Homeland Security focusing on campus emergencies prevention, response and recovery. In August faculty received safety training from Tony LeBlanc, Field Operations Manager for CPSO’s Homeland Security and Eric Tyler, fireman and paramedic with Shreveport Fire Department. •

Back to School at Our Lady of Fatima!

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ur Lady of Fatima School is back in session and students are eager to learn! •

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ver since I was introduced to my eighth-grade confirmation class at St. Joseph School, the journey to find my place as a Catholic in a world full of classrooms, backpacks and social media has been long and truly worthwhile. That eighth grade year when my friends and I made the transition from children to teenagers, we were constantly presented with the “impending doom” of high school that was ahead of us. It was only a matter of time until we were enclosed by the arms of secularism and sin forever. We were told that in the near futures we would face many challenges to our faith and new temptations to sin. While all of these promises were true, we felt

almost as if our fate were set in stone—that we would not have the means to choose the life of goodness and of love that we were taught to choose. This, of course, certainly was not true.

Throughout the years, the choice of faithfulness or of apathy evolved into a daily confrontation with the reality that the world we live in is contrary to the faith we consider so dear. However, this reality forces me as a student to discover the tools that both my Catholic school and church offers me to stay strong in my faith. The most important thing I have learned so far in my journey is that without the grace of God, nothing is possible.

God will allow us to know Him more deeply and grow in virtue only insomuch as we are open and prepared to receive His grace. This state is achieved through prayer and a regular reception of the Sacraments, which are the tools by which I arm myself to face a secular world.

This is the way that I express myself as a Catholic student— with the beads of the Rosary always in my hand and the grace of the Sacraments of God always in my heart, the fear of the world diminishes, and my courage to defend my faith effectively grows. •

Loyola College Prep 318-221-2675 • www.loyolaprep.org SEPTEMBER 2018 25

Kids'

Connection

Saint

of the

Month

Our Lady of Sorrows

The Seven Sorrows of Mary The seven sorrows are events that took place in Mary’s life that brought her much grief. They are often used in a devotion, where Catholics say one “Our Father” and seven “Hail Marys” for each sorrow.

1. The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35) 2. The escape and flight to Egypt. (Matthew 2:13) 3. The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:43–45) 4. Mary and Jesus meet on the Via Dolorosa.

5. The Crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary.

(John 19:25) 6. Piercing of Jesus' side and his descent from the Cross. (Matthew 27:57–59) 7. The Burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea.

(John 19:40–42)

Feast Day September 15

Saintly Word Find

About the Saint

Our Lady of Sorrows

BURIAL CRUCIFIXION DEVOTION EGYPT FLIGHT OUR LADY PIERCING SEVEN SIMEON SORROWS TEMPLE VIA DOLOROSA

26 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

The Blessed Virgin Mary, when depicted as Our Lady of Sorrows, usually has seven swords going through her heart, which represent the seven sorrows (or dolors) in her life. The seven sorrows are listed above, and are often used in prayerful devotion.

Our Lady of Sorrows is the patron for many locations, including Poland, Slovakia, Malta and even Mississippi! In Shreveport there is a religious order called the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows.

HISPANIC NEWS

Formación de Fe; Un Compromiso de Vida por Rosalba Quiroz

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n la vida tenemos muchos compromisos y dependiendo de nuestra ocupación, tenemos otros específicos. Por eso si preguntáramos a varias personas sobre su compromiso, las respuestas serían todas diferentes: un panadero por ejemplo, diría que su compromiso es tener pan fresco todas las mañanas, un estudiante sería sacar buenas calificaciones, y para un discípulo de Jesús esa respuesta debería ser: seguir fielmente los pasos de Jesús. No importa nuestra ocupación, oficio, o profesión, todos estamos llamados a ser discípulos de Jesús y a no tener miedo de comprometernos a vivir la vida de fe que Él nos vino a enseñar.

La diócesis ha ofrecido programas y actividades para facilitar nuestro crecimiento espiritual. El más reciente es un programa de estudio de tres años, el cual lleva ya dos, y en octubre entrará al

tercer y último año. Al final de los tres años los participantes recibirán una certificación en liderazgo y servicio pastoral para la iglesia. Cuando inició había más de 150 personas comprometidas a estudiar los tres años. Desafortunadamente, después de dos años, la participación ha disminuido drásticamente.

Por otro lado, hay quienes aprovechan toda oportunidad para alimentar su mente y su alma. También es cierto que hay quienes han tenido circunstancias muy difíciles y por esto han tenido que abandonar el curso. Cualquiera que sea su situación, los exhortamos a buscar maneras de aprender más de Jesús y dejar que Él camine a su lado en todo momento. Aprovechen estas clases maravillosas, totalmente gratis y que ofrecen además cuidado de niños. Confiamos que este último año aprovecharán esta bella oportunidad y lograrán cumplir el compromiso que hicieron hace dos años. (Favor de visitar la página web de la diócesis para el horario www.dioshpt.org o contactar la oficina 318-219-7257).

Uno de los mejores logros es superar los obstáculos difíciles pero el más grandioso es vivir por el bien de los demás. Que es justamente lo que nos enseñó Jesús en la cruz ofreciendo todo por nosotros. Él quiere nuestro compromiso ¡ya! con lo que tenemos y con lo que somos. Podemos comenzar hoy a vivir como discípulos de Jesús.

En su exhortación Apostólica sobre el llamado a la santidad, el Papa Francisco nos dice: “Volvamos a escuchar a Jesús, con todo el amor y el respeto que merece el Maestro. Permitámosle que os golpee con sus palabras, que nos desafié, que nos interpele a un cambio real de vida”. Gaudete et Exultate. •

Calendario del Mes Septiembre 2018 3. Día del Trabajo – Centro Católico cerrado 7-9. Retiro Búsqueda para Adolescentes de 14-17 años, Scottsville, TX 20-23. V Encuentro Nacional para Pastoral Hispana en USA. Grapevine, TX MINISTERIO HISPANO CATOLICO - DIOCESIS Rosalba Quiroz, Directora (318) 219-7265; rquiroz@dioshpt.org Melina Sanchez, Secretaria (318) 219-7257; msanchez@dioshpt.org Cristo Rey, Bossier City

425 McCormick Street P. Rigo Betancurt P. Mark Watson (318) 221-0238 Domingo-1:00 pm Lunes y Martes-7pm

Sagrado Corazon, Oak Grove

201 Purvis St. P. Joseph Kallookalam (318) 559-2876 Domingo-5:00 pm

Santo Tomás Aquino, Ruston

810 Carey Avenue P. Luis Jost (318) 243-0115 Domingo-1:30pm

San Pascual, W. Monroe

711 North 7th Street P. Luis Jost (318) 243-0115 Domingo-4:00 pm

Vicario General para la Diocesis de Shreveport Padre Rothell Price, V.G. (318)219-7259; rprice@dioshpt.org Coordinador de la Vicaria del Este Padre Luis Jost, OFM (318) 243-0115; pluisofm@yahoo.com

San Juan Bautista, Many

1130 San Antonio Ave. P. Michael Thang’wa (318) 256-5680 1er Domingo de Mes-5pm

Sta Maria de los Pinos, Shreveport

1050 Bert Kouns Ind. Loop P. Fidel Mondragon (318) 455-2300 Domingo-11:30 am

Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro, Farmerville

600 East Water Street P. Luis Jost (318) 243-0115 Sábado-7:00 pm

San José, Mansfield

305 Jefferson Street P. Juan Garcia (318) 872-1158 Domingo-3:00 pm

SEPTEMBER 2018 27

AROUND THE DIOCESE

1

Aging Gracefully at St. Joseph, Zwolle

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r. Martinette Rivers, OLS, presented a workshop called “Aging Gracefully” to parishioners of St. Joseph Parish in Zwolle.

The large group enjoyed the lecture and lunch.

Sr. Martinette is a native of Zwolle. Pictured with Sr. Martinette in the photo are her “Zwolle Cousins:” Nancy Ferguson Sanchez, Gatha Sepulvado Martinez, Martha Rivers Henderson, Margie Rivers Procell, Doris Ebarb Leone and brothers Allen and Doug Laroux. (1)

2

3

T

Students Hand Out Backpacks in New Orleans

he PSR students of St. Matthew Parish in Monroe hit the streets of New Orleans with backpacks filled with food and toiletries.

The backpacks were handed out to those in need as the students moved around the city learning about and ministering to God’s people. (2)

Celebrating Fr. Mike Thang’wa

4

F

r. Michael Thang’wa recently celebrated his eighth anniversary of ordination and his birthday with a covered dish social sponsored by St. John the Baptist Parish. (3)

“Taste” Event at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament

O

ur Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Shreveport hosted their annual “Taste of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament” event on Sunday, July 29.

The event features a multicultural sampling of food and silent auction. Pictured: Seminarian Raney Johnson visits with Maxine Sarpy, a fellow parishioner, during the event. (4) 28 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Ebarb Celebrates Priest Anniversaries

5

6

S

t. Ann Church in Ebarb celebrated the priestly anniversaries of Fr. Richard Norsworthy (33 years) and Fr. Kenneth Williams (55 years) to the sacred order of the priesthood at the 5:00 p.m. Mass on Sunday, June 3. Mass was followed by a covered dish meal. (5)

F

Corpus Christi

r. John Paul Crispin, FMH, participated in the Corpus Christi Procession at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Shreveport in June. (6)

Father’s Day at Our Lady of Fatima

7

O

ur Lady of Fatima Parish in Monroe celebrated fathers on June 17. Pastor Fr. Paul Thunduparampil, CMI was the celebrant. All the men were blessed, given a St. Joseph medal and a prayer card. (7)

Sr. Suny Celebrates 25 Years

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ister Suny Augustine, SD, celebrated her 25th anniversary of her religious profession on July 22 at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans. (8)

8

9

Vacation Bible School at St. Paschal

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t. Paschal Parish in West Monroe hosted another successful Vacation Bible School Program this summer. Students joined in the fun of “Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus” as they learned more about their faith and celebrated with one another. (9) Send submissions to "Around the Diocese" to jrinaudo@dioshpt.org.

Please include a photo that has not been resized and a brief description.

SEPTEMBER 2018 29

SEPTEMBER CALENDAR September 6

Principals’ Meeting 10:00 a.m.

Monroe Catholic Center 3208 Concordia St., Monroe, LA

September 7-9

Retreat Busqueda #9 Scottsville Camp 400 Harkins Lane Marshall, TX 75672 318-868-4441

St. Vincent de Paul's Banquet • September 18

FEAST DAYS September 3

St. Gregory the Great, pope & doctor of the Church

September 5

St. Teresa of Calcutta, religious

September 8

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

September 12

The Most Holy Name of Mary

September 13

St,. John Chrysostom, bishop & doctor of the Church

September 21

St. Matthew, apostle & evangelist

September 26

Sts. Cosmas & Damian, martyrs

September 27

St. Vincent de Paul, priest

September 28

St. Wenceslaus, martyr; St. Lawrence Ruiz & companions, martyrs

September 29

Sts. Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archangels

HOLIDAYS

September 14

September 3

September 15

DIOCESAN EVENTS

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross Our Lady of Sorrows

September 17

St. Robert Bellarmine, bishop & doctor of the Church

September 19

St. Januarius, bishop & martyr

September 20

Sts. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, priest & Paul Chong Ha-sang, & companions, martyrs

30 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Labor Day

September 12

Protecting God’s Children 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Catholic Center 3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104 318-868-4441

September 18

Society of St. Vincent de Paul “Our Faith in Action” Banquet 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Annual Banquet will feature the Centenary Choir and keynote speaker, Mack McCarter with Community Renewal International. The event will take place at the Bossier Civic Center.

Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the program at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Bonnie Martinez at 318564-2586, or visit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Shreveport’s Facebook page to get the registration form.

September 1

Protecting God’s Children 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

St. Paschal Parish 711 N. 7th Street West Monroe, LA 71291 318-868-4441

September 4

Principals’ Meeting 10:00 a.m.

Catholic Center, 3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104

God, Sex & the Church with Lisa Cooper • September 25

September 20 - 23

by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish at 3:00 p.m. For more information, contact the parish at 318-798-1887.

V Encuentro of Hispanic / Latino Ministry Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel & Convention Center 1501 Gaylord Trail Grapevine,TX 76051 318-868-4441

September 30

Protecting God’s Children 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish 813 Carey Avenue Ruston, LA 71270 318-868-4441

PARISH EVENTS September 25

God, Sex & the Church: “The Hook-Up Culture” with Lisa Cooper Join us in welcoming Lisa Cooper to discuss The Hook-Up Culture as part of our God & Sex Speaker Series. Lisa is a writer, speaker, and the founder of MOSAIC ™ Retreats.

For over 20 years, she has spoken to women of all ages as well as students and their families. Her passion has always been to encourage and empower others to live their faith authentically in a culture that often seeks to destroy it.

Nursery available for small children.

Reservations required. Please call 318-865-3581 to reserve the nursery. St. Joseph Parish, 204 Patton Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71105, 6:30 p.m.

October 6

St. Pius X Style Show and Lunch The St. Pius X Ladies Guild is hosting its 11th Annual Charity Fundraiser, Style Show & Lunch by Angelwood Catering. Dillards will present new fall fashions with live models from this area. There will be many door prizes to win. The event will take place at Trinity Heights

November 27 - 29

Shroud of Turin Series at the Cathedral • October 11 - 13 Baptist Church, located at 3820 Old Mooringsport Rd. from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance from any Guild member, or call 318-4229803 or 318-525-4511.

October 11-13

Special Weekend on the Shroud of Turin at the Cathedral Speaker, Russ Breault will talk on “CSI Jerusalem,” followed by a five speaker panel/dinner (Russ Breault, Fr. Peter Mangum, Dr. Cheryl White, Rebecca Jackson and Dr. John Jackson). There will then be a talk by Dr. Jackson, nuclear physicist and the second surviving member of the original 1978 Shroud Research Project team. All of this will be held on the 40th anniversary week of the 1978 Shroud of Turin study! For more information, visit sjbcathedral.org.

October 21

Mette Family Band at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish Michael James Mette will be sharing his music with the diocesan community.

Michael is a Catholic performing artist who travels the country with his wife of 18 years, Michelle, and their seven young children. His music is a modern reflection of his faith blending alternative rock with faith-based lyrics. The concert will be 90 minutes and will include performances from the whole family, lights, video, music and testimonies by Michael and Michelle. Please consider attending the concert and supporting this ministry. The concert will be hosted

2018 Conference of Chancery and Tribunal Officials This year, the Diocese of Shreveport will be host to the 2018 Conference of Chancery and Tribunal Officials.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki will be the keynote speaker. Additionally, Dr. Diane Barr will present on Chancery and Notary formation. This year’s conference will focus on “Legalism, Laxism and Antinoianism in the Church today.” For more information, visit www.dioshpt.org, or email lsutton@dioshpt.org.

Special Announcement

St. John Berchmans School is Celebrating 70 Years in Education!

Are you an alumni of St. John Berchmans Catholic School in Shreveport ? If so, they would like to hear from you. They are in the early stages of planning the school’s 70th anniversary and they want you to be a part of this celebration! Visit their website or stop by the school to be added to the mailing list to receive information on upcoming alumni events! www.sjbcathedralschool.org St. Joseph’s Parish in Shreveport Special Needs Catechesis Program St. Joseph Parish in Shreveport is starting a special needs catechesis program geared towards children with developmental and cognitive disabilities. The tentative start date for the program is fall 2018, meeting one Saturday a month for 30-45 minutes. The program will aim to present our faith in a manner adapted to the learning abilities of our special needs children. If you are interested in special needs catechesis, please contact Genevieve Carney at gcarney@stjosephchurch.net, or 318-841-8215.

SEPTEMBER 2018 31

Connection The Catholic

DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT 3500 Fairfield Ave. • Shreveport, LA 71104

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

At the conclusion of Bishop Michael Duca’s final Mass at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans. photo by Jessica Rinaudo

32 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Fairfield