January 2025 - Holy Childhood

A P UB LI CAT I ON O F T H E D I O C E S E O F SH R E V E P O R T

CATHOLIC CONNECTION VOL. 34 NO. 6 | JANUARY 2025

Holy Childhood JANUARY 2025 1

CATHOLIC CONNECTION PUBLISHER

Bishop Francis I. Malone

EDITOR

Kirsten Shrewsberry

JANUARY 2025 Volume 34, Number 6 HOLY CHILDHOOD

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention For The Month Of January FOR PILGRIMS OF HOPE

EDITORIAL BOARD

We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthen our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.

Cover photo is the baptism of Avila Dickson at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans by Very Rev. Peter B. Mangum. Photo by Sophia Romanski.

SUBSCRIPTIONS & ADDRESS CHANGES Blanca Vice bvice@dioshpt.org 318-868-4441

Very Rev. Msgr. Matthew T. Long

SUBMISSIONS

Kirsten Shrewsberry doseditor@dioshpt.org Rev. Kevin Mues

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

The Diocese of Shreveport complies with Virtus’ Protecting God’s Children program (www.virtus.org). Online sessions are available. To report child sexual abuse by a cleric or church worker in the Diocese of Shreveport, call your local law enforcement agency and Mary Arcement Alexander, Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator at 318-588-2120. Thank you for helping to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe.

Dcn. Charles Thomas, OFS

Rosalba Quiroz

The Catholic Connection is funded in part by a grant from Catholic Home Missions and donations to the Catholic Service Appeal.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Catholic Connection is a monthly publication funded by your Catholic Service Appeal, mailed to every known Catholic household in the Diocese of Shreveport. Our mission is to advance knowledge and understanding of our Catholic faith among the faithful. We seek to foster the application of Christ’s teachings and our Church’s mission in our daily lives and to encourage our sense of Catholic identity within our family, parish, and faith community.

Karla Alvarez

CONTRIBUTORS Nathan Lirette Karen Dill Karla Alvarez Dr. David Brinkman L'Anne Sciba Mary Arcement Alexander Harlee Barbier Rev. Gabriel CisnerosCampos

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Sr. Carol Shively Delia Barr Mike Van Vranken Rosalba Quiroz Cassandra Key Polly Maciulski Jordan Harris Diane Libro

JANUARY SECOND COLLECTIONS January 25 & 26 - The Church in Latin America This collection supports projects including the work of evangelization, formation of laity, religious and seminarians, as well as youth ministry and catechesis.

f s,

JANUARY SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY 1

Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God Bishop Francis I. Malone

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The Epiphany Of The Lord Fr. Kelby Tingle

Region V Bishops’ Retreat, Archdiocese of New Orleans Retreat Center, New Orleans (through Jan 9th)

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The Baptism Of The Lord Fr. Jerry Daigle

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Fr. Jean Bosco Uwamungu

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Fr. James Dominic Thekkemury, Fr. LaVerne “Pike” Thomas

Feasts & Solemnities Priest(s) in the Diocese of Shreveport to pray for daily

Bishop Malone's Calendar Special Events in the Diocese of Shreveport

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Saint André Bessette, Religious Fr. Nicholas Duncan

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8 Fr. Kevin Mues

Saint Raymond of Penyafort, Priest Fr. Raney Johnson

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

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3

4

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Fr. Calistus Barasa Makokha

Fr. Fidel Mondragón

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church Msgr. Matthew T. Long

Fr. Duane Trombetta

Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops’ meeting; New Orleans, 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM

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Diocesan Finance Council; Catholic Center, Shreveport; 12:00 PM

2025 Catholic Service Appeal Reception; Bayou DeSiard Country Club, Monroe; 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr; Saint Sebastian, Martyr Fr. Charles Ssennyondo

Saint Angela Merici, Virgin Fr. Richard Norsworthy, Fr. Rigoberto Betancurt Cortés

Fr. Keith Garvin

Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr Fr. Mark Franklin, Fr. Joseph Maddala

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church Fr. Joseph Ampatt

Fr. Do Minh Vu

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children Fr. James McLelland, Fr. Karl Daigle

Fr. Adrian Fischer, Fr. Patrick Madden

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The Most Holy Name of Jesus Msgr. Rothell Price

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Saint Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Fr. John Paul Crispin

SATURDAY

Fr. Tobias Omondi Obado

Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr; Saint Marianne Cope, Virgin Fr. Mark Watson, Fr. Charles Glorioso

Fr. Philip Michiels, Msgr. Earl Provenza

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious Fr. Gabriel Cisneros Campos

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Saint Anthony, Abbot Fr. Michael Thang’wa

Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Fr. Timothy Hurd, Fr. Peter Mangum

Fr. Peter Romanus Mallya

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The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle Fr. Joseph Martina, Fr. James Moran Mass in celebration of 5th Anniversary of Episcopal Ordination & Installation; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 10:00 AM

Saint John Bosco, Priest All deceased priests of the Diocese of Shreveport Diocesan Clergy Convocation; 10 AM – 2 PM Presbyteral Council Meeting; Catholic Center, Shreveport; 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM

SUGGESTED PRAYER FOR OUR PRIESTS:

Help our priests to be strong in their vocation.

Set their souls on fire with love for your people.

Gracious and loving God, we thank you for the gift of our priests.

Especially ___________________________________ (insert name(s) here) Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments.

Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.

Allow them to experience joy in their ministry.

Help them to become instruments of your divine grace.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen.

Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel.

JANUARY 2025 3

JANUARY

CONTENTS

From the Bishop

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Becoming a Godfather in the Light of my Vocation 08

By Nathan Lirette

Lessons From the Renzi Center By Karen Dill

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"...Build Me A House Here..." By Karla Alvarez

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Fertility With Faith: Navigating Treatments in 14 Harmony with Catholic Values By Dr. David Brinkman Helping Mamas and Babies is Hard Work!

By L'Anne Sciba

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We Are His Little Children By Mary Arcement Alexander 17 The Pro-Life Movement in the Church for Young People By Harlee Barbier

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Revitalizing the Family and Safeguarding the 20 Future of Our Children By Rev. Gabriel Cisneros-Campos 2024-2025 Student of the Year Winners

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Catholic Education Made More Accessible: 24 Louisiana's New ESA Program Explained By Sr. Carol Shively Blessed Are You, And Blessed Is The Fruit Of Your Womb By Delia Barr

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Dignity: What Does It Mean? By Mike Van Vranken

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Seminarian Burses

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School News

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Children Have A Brigther Future with Help From Gabriel's Closet By Diane Libro Around the Diocese

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Fertility with Faith: Navigating Treatments in Harmony with Catholic Values Guest writer Dr. David Brinkman shares how his Catholic faith impacts his OB/GYN medical practice.

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Becoming a Godfather in the Light of My Vocation

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The Pro-Life Movement in the Church for Young People Louisiana Right to Life invites all young people to get involved in pro-life activities in our state and in our country's capital!

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Revitalizing the Family and Safeguarding the Future of Our Children

FROM THE EDITOR AS A MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, I OFTEN FIND MYSELF LOST IN THE PROFOUND BEAUTY AND SACREDNESS OF CHILDHOOD. It's

a stage of life that's uniquely pure, where innocence and faith intertwine in a way that's almost tangible. Our faith reminds us that "the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mark 10:14).

This month, we explore many themes of Holy Childhood - from discussing natural fertility treatment with Dr. David Brinkman to a review from Fr. Gabriel, who shares how we are charged with the calling to protect families at all stages - indeed, we are blessed with so many ways to honor the sanctity of life, especially in its earliest stages!

Holy childhood is not only a gift to them but to us. It calls us to embrace the wonder, trust, and openness to God that children naturally possess. And, in doing so, we are reminded that holiness can be found in the smallest of moments—moments that, when we open our hearts, lead us to a deeper relationship with Christ.

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FROM THE BISHOP MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT I AM THE FOURTH OF NINE CHILDREN. All but one sibling are still living, and

we have a very close family. In fact, we have always been close, sharing life’s good and not so good events over the years, which inevitably creates memories that stand out, even regularly work their way into family conversations.

We frequently recall our mother, Pauline, also one of nine children, and most often as a pregnant woman. What a wonderful gift – to remember my mother as a mother! Her maternal side manifested in cooking, cleaning the house, and laundering, with a bonus in her love of singing around the house. My siblings love of music surely came from her.

One memory that stands out comes from the summer and fall of 1955 when Mom was pregnant with my brother. I remember my siblings and I playing in our backyard wading pool, when she came out of the house and told our neighbor the baby was coming and she was being taken to the hospital. Going down the list of the nine of us now, none were born at that time. We found out when we were older that the baby she carried for nine months had died during delivery. My father told me years later that it was an experience she never fully recovered from. Women always brought a baby home; but not that time, not for her.

This was an event we never talked about, it was too sad.

But the whole experience gives to me a particular grace when, as a priest, I minister to women experiencing difficult pregnancies or who lost babies during delivery.

Not infrequently, I’ve been called on to minister to couples who lost their child, and I have had my share of presiding over the funeral of babies – always sad and a challenge 6

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to say the right words. The after-effects of a child’s death leave a sadness that is difficult to assuage. The grace I receive in those moments is drawn from my own memory of losing my baby brother and watching how my mother coped as she weathered his loss.

It is so impactful that, as a priest and now as a bishop, when ministering to women in such moments, I am always drawn back to 1955, to the brother I never got to know and the faith that enabled my mother to survive his passing.

She must have survived; after all, his death was followed by three more pregnancies and three healthy new brothers. I think of him often, and of how, from his place in heaven, he became our private saint as we grew, watching over us all the while. The Church’s wonderful tradition of remembering the faithful departed and the absolute certainty that he and my mother have long been reunited have also helped me appreciate with greater depth life’s sacredness at every stage – but especially at moments like the one we experienced back then. It has also helped me appreciate St. Paul’s words that when we mourn, we do not mourn like those who have no hope. This is always true when we experience the loss of our faithful ones, but never more strongly than when a child passes from us. I am especially reminded of this truth when we dedicate time on our Church calendar to think of them; not as dead, lost, or absent from our lives, because they are only gone physically and, for sure, temporarily. May all of those who have made the journey to God before us be ever with us, saints that they are!

por el obispo

MUCHOS DE USTEDES SABEN QUE SOY EL CUARTO DE NUEVE HIJOS. Todos mis hermanos, excepto uno, aún

están vivos, y tenemos una familia muy unida. De hecho, siempre hemos sido cercanos, compartiendo los buenos y no tan buenos momentos de la vida a lo largo de los años, lo que inevitablemente crea recuerdos que destacan y que incluso suelen formar parte de nuestras conversaciones familiares.

Frecuentemente recordamos a nuestra madre, Pauline, también una de nueve hijos, y la mayoría de las veces la recordamos como una mujer embarazada. ¡Qué maravilloso regalo: recordar a mi madre ser madre! Su faceta maternal se manifestaba en la cocina, la limpieza de la casa y el lavado de la ropa, con el extra de su amor por cantar mientras hacía las tareas. El amor por la música que tienen mis hermanos seguramente vino de ella.

Un recuerdo que destaca proviene del verano y otoño de 1955, cuando mamá estaba embarazada de mi hermano.

Recuerdo a mis hermanos y a mí jugando en la piscina de plástico en nuestro patio trasero, cuando ella salió de la casa y le dijo a nuestra vecina que el bebé estaba por llegar y que la llevarían al hospital. Repasando ahora la lista de los nueve, ninguno de nosotros había nacido aún en ese momento. Más tarde, cuando crecimos, supimos que el bebé que ella llevó en su vientre durante nueve meses había fallecido durante el parto. Mi padre me contó años después que fue una experiencia de la que ella nunca se recuperó del todo. Las mujeres siempre traían un bebé a casa; pero no esa vez, no para ella. Fue un evento del que nunca hablamos, era demasiado triste.

Sin embargo, toda esta experiencia me otorga una gracia particular cuando, como sacerdote, acompaño a mujeres que atraviesan embarazos difíciles o que han perdido a sus bebés durante el parto. No es infrecuente que me pidan asistir a parejas que han perdido a su hijo, y me ha tocado presidir funerales de bebés en más de una ocasión; siempre es triste y un desafío encontrar las palabras adecuadas. Las secuelas de la muerte de un hijo dejan una tristeza difícil de mitigar. La gracia que recibo en esos momentos proviene de mi propio recuerdo de haber perdido a mi hermano y de observar cómo mi madre enfrentó su pérdida.

Es tan impactante que, como sacerdote y ahora como obispo, cuando acompaño a mujeres en estos momentos, siempre vuelvo a 1955, a mi hermano al que nunca llegué a conocer y a la fe que permitió a mi madre sobrevivir a su partida. Ella tuvo que sobrevivir; después de todo, su muerte fue seguida por tres embarazos más y tres hermanos sanos. Pienso en él con frecuencia, y cómo, desde su lugar en el cielo, se convirtió en nuestro santo privado mientras crecíamos, velando por nosotros todo el tiempo. La maravillosa tradición de la Iglesia de recordar a los fieles difuntos y la absoluta certeza de que él y mi madre se han reunido hace tiempo también me ha ayudado a apreciar con mayor profundidad la sacralidad de la vida en todas sus etapas, pero especialmente en momentos como el que vivimos entonces. También me ha ayudado a valorar las palabras de San Pablo de que, cuando lloramos, no lo hacemos como aquellos que no tienen esperanza.

Esto es siempre cierto cuando experimentamos la pérdida de nuestros seres queridos, pero nunca más fuertemente que cuando un niño nos deja. Este pensamiento siempre me acompaña cuando dedicamos tiempo en el calendario de la Iglesia para recordarlos; no como muertos, perdidos o ausentes de nuestras vidas, porque solo están físicamente ausentes y, sin duda, de manera temporal. ¡Que todos aquellos que han hecho el viaje a Dios antes que nosotros estén siempre con nosotros, santos que son!

Para obtener más información sobre las oportunidades del Ministerio Multicultural en la Diócesis de Shreveport y para encontrar nuestros horarios y lugares de misa en español, por favor escanee el código aquí.

JANUARY 2025 7

Becoming A Godfather In The Light Of My Vocation

Seminarian Nathan Lirette with his goddaughter and niece, Avila, and his brother-in-law, Michael Dixon.

I LOVE THE LITURGY OF BAPTISM. I especially love the

beginning in which the priest asks the child's parents and godparents what they wish for from the Church. The parents then reply with the word "Baptism." This part of the baptism for my neice Avila reminded me of my own baptism. I began to reflect on how the faith was passed on to me; it was not my own doing, but first and foremost, it was a gift from God. It was also given to me by my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and family friends. All these individuals had a role to play 8

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in my life, especially as a Christian.

They helped to form me into who I am today, and I thank them for that.

I'm reminded of all the sacrifices my parents and family have undergone out of love for me so that I may be the best person I can be. In growing up and now as a seminarian, my spiritual relationships with my family only bond us closer together, as they bond all those in the Body of Christ. We are all united in our citizenship to the Kingdom of God and how meaningful it makes our lives! Everything we do now has eternal significance, even that which is unseen by all.

I'm humbled and excited that through Baptism I have a unique relationship with my niece as her godfather. I have a unique duty to look after her spiritual life, to pray and fast for her growth in virtue and her continued walk along the way of Christ. There is true joy in thinking that I can help her as she grows up and moves through life. When my sister asked me to be Avila's godfather, along with excitement was a realization of how this foreshadowed the office that I am currently pursuing. As a priest, I will be responsible for the souls of the people in the parish I will

Nathan and Celeste Lirette as children.

Celeste Dixon (Lirette) with baby Avila.

be assigned to. I will have the duty to pray and fast for their growth in virtue as well. A priest is called to sacrifice for the people under his care and place their needs above his own. When I think about this possible future, I am sometimes scared and nervous about the responsibility that will be given to me. However, in this short time as Avila's godfather, I've seen the great joy and fulfillment that can come from being a spiritual father. Guiding people toward Christ and aiding them in becoming holy is the prime mission of a spiritual father, and I pray that I will become the person Christ needs me to be for this to happen. I praise God for the many blessings he has bestowed upon me, especially this great gift of becoming a godfather, and I hope that I can cooperate with the work that God is doing in me for my own growth and the growth of all those I encounter.

Michael and Celeste Dixon with their newborn daughter Avila and her godfather, Nathan Lirette, diocesan seminarian.

I recommend praying for your godchildren every day, adding them to your intentions for your daily rosary or whatever daily prayer routine you have. Even something like "Our Father," "Hail Mary" and "Glory Be," for them every day. You can also pray this little prayer below or something similar.

O God, I can do nothing without You. I need your help.

May I aid in making Your name known everywhere.

May I never be an obstacle to others in their walk toward You. May I, like the Blessed Virgin, do Your Will always.

Grant that I may accept the responsibilities which have been placed upon me as a godfather (godmother).

May I work diligently to be a role model for my spiritual child and aid her (him) in continual growth toward holiness. May I make the sacrifices necessary, and, unite to Your Son, may they be for Your glory alone. You who made man in Your image and likeness, may I see You in everyone I meet, especially those entrusted to my care. Look over Avila (N.) your little one, may her (his) life be filled with joy and happiness, reflecting Your love which knows no bounds.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us those who have recourse to thee.

Nathan Lirette is a seminarian From L to R: Therese Lirette, Fr. Peter Mangum, Avila, Michael, Celeste, and Nathan

for the Diocese of Shreveport.

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Lessons From The Renzi Center WHEN MY FIRST GRANDCHILD, JACK, WAS BORN, HIS PARENTS IMMEDIATELY SIGNED HIM UP TO ATTEND THE RENZI CENTER ON OVERTON BROOKS ROAD IN SHREVEPORT. They had many good reasons to entrust their firstborn child to this facility. It had convenient hours for working parents. It was close to their home. And, best of all, it was managed by the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Keep your hands to yourself! One Saturday, when my husband and I took Jack to a restaurant for lunch, I reached over to swipe a French fry off his plate. He became visibly upset. "We don't eat off other people's plates!" he exclaimed loudly. This became a very good practice to observe during flu season and later during the pandemic.

Moses would say, "Thou shalt not steal!" At the Renzi Center, this also applied to food.

Jack became a member of their flock of lambs as soon as he started walking. His first day there was a little rough.

My daughter was able to call at lunch and check on him.

"He's crying," the teacher explained. "But so are all the other ones! It's their first day! Don't worry!" By his second day there, he had fallen into the daily routine his teachers had implemented. Playtime, lessons, snacks, lunch, naps, storytime, and hugs were all part of the rhythm of his days for the next four years. Amid all these activities, he learned some valuable life lessons.

Don't hit! One weekend when we were babysitting, my husband good-naturedly punched my arm when I made a joke at his expense. Jack became immediately upset. "We don't hit other people!" he instructed us. Jesus would say: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” The Renzi Center taught my grandson nonviolence to solve conflicts. To my knowledge, he has never engaged in a physical altercation with anyone (except maybe a surreptitious swat at his little sister as he was growing older).

Clean up your messes! When I picked him up in the afternoons, I was amazed to see toddlers automatically pick up their toys and put them away when the teacher instructed them to do so. There was no whining, no tantrums, just part of the drill.

Putting a child in a daycare center early is a tough decision many young parents have to make. The Renzi Center is so much more than just a daycare facility. Along with meeting their basic needs, the teachers and staff invest love and effort in teaching their charges some basic Christian values. Each employee has been trained in our diocesan Protecting God's Children program, further ensuring the children's safety. They help parents follow the advice in Proverbs 22: 6. Start children off on how they should go; when they are old, they will not turn from it.

Share with others! This was a harder lesson, but one that has served him well in later years. The community was created. Friendships were formed. Life is better in a giveand-take world. Jesus would say, “The man who has two shirts must give one to the man who has none.” That’s a hard lesson for pre-schoolers to learn; their first word is often, “Mine!” But what a wonderful attitude to carry into adolescence and adulthood!

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Karen Dill is a spiritual director for the Diocese of Shreveport and a parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

"...Build Me A House Here..."

IN 1531, OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE MADE A SIMPLE YET PROFOUND REQUEST TO THE BISHOP OF WHAT IS NOW MEXICO CITY, DON FRAY JUAN DE ZUMÁRRAGA, THROUGH ST. JUAN DIEGO: "BUILD ME A CHURCH." Little did anyone know that this request would spark the conversion of over 9 million indigenous people to Catholicism within just 10 years of her apparition. But why did she insist on building a church on Tepeyac Hill?

Tepeyac Hill: From Darkness to Light Before Hernán Cortés arrived in Mexico, the indigenous people practiced daily human sacrifice — up to 250,000 annually — to appease their gods. These sacrifices served various purposes, from feeding the gods, promoting fertility, intimidation, and the success of agriculture to the rising and setting of the sun and moon.

Tepeyac Hill, the site of Our Lady's apparition, was notorious for its association with child sacrifices. It was home to a temple dedicated to the Aztec goddess Tonantzin Coatlaxopeuh, the deity of life, death, fertility, and childbirth. Her name, "Coatlaxopeuh," means "serpent skirt," symbolized by her serpent-skirt attire and necklaces made of infant skulls, hands, and hearts. Her legend describes an "immaculate conception," wherein she conceived her son, Huitzilopochtli, the sun and warrior god, after a feather fell on her apron. The Aztecs believed that to please her, she demanded the sacrifice of infants and children.

God’s Plan in Action Our Lady of Guadalupe's apparition transformed this horror site into a place of life and hope. When she introduced herself to Juan Diego, she declared: "I am the perfect ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the one great God of Truth who gives us life” (Nican Mopohua, p.

19).

This proclamation directly addressed the indigenous people, affirming that there is only one true God and that she is His ever-virgin mother. Moreover, the name "Guadalupe" is believed to stem from the Nahuatl word "coatlaxopeuh," meaning "the one who crushes the serpent." This aligns with the promise in Genesis 3:15: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel."

Symbolism in Her Image God’s attention to detail in the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe is astonishing. The symbolism in her image profoundly resonated with the Aztec people: • Virginity: In Aztec culture, a woman was identified as a virgin if her hair was loose and untied. In the image, Our Lady appears with her hair loose.

• Motherhood: Aztec women wore a black girdle to signify pregnancy. Our Lady wears this same black belt, signaling she is with child.

Her appearance reinterpreted familiar symbols, drawing the indigenous people to the truth of Christ and leading to mass conversions and the transformation of their practices.

From Death to Life Where thousands of children were once sacrificed, Tepeyac Hill became a holy site. The church built there now serves as a beacon of faith, life, and new beginnings, commemorating the miraculous conversions of over 9 million people within 10 years of her apparition. Through Our Lady of Guadalupe, God made clear His deep love for all humanity and His desire to protect life from conception to natural death.

A Call to Action Our Lady of Guadalupe was sent to end the horrific acts of human sacrifice and usher in a culture of life. Her message is timeless. Today, we are called to protect the dignity of every person, especially the unborn.

God grieves deeply when the lives of the most defenseless are threatened. As Catholics, we have a duty to rise in prayer and act with love to safeguard the sanctity of life.

ALL life is precious. ALL life must be defended. ALL life deserves protection.

Let us take inspiration from Our Lady of Guadalupe, who turned a place of death into a sanctuary of life. May her intercession strengthen us in the fight to uphold the dignity of every human being.

Karla Alvarez is the Director of Multicultural Ministry for the Diocese of Shreveport.

JANUARY 2025 11

«...Que aquí me levanten mi casita sagrada...»

NUESTRA SEÑORA DE GUADALUPE: UN PLAN DIVINO PARA LA VIDA Y LA CONVERSIÓN. En 1531,

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe hizo una solicitud simple pero profunda al obispo de lo que hoy es la Ciudad de México, Don Fray Juan de Zumárraga, a través de San Juan Diego: "Constrúyanme una iglesia." Nadie podría haber imaginado que esta petición desencadenaría la conversión de más de 9 millones de indígenas al catolicismo en tan solo 10 años desde su aparición. Pero, ¿por qué insistió en construir una iglesia en el Cerro del Tepeyac?

El Cerro del Tepeyac: De la Oscuridad a la Luz Antes de la llegada de Hernán Cortés a México, los pueblos indígenas practicaban sacrificios humanos diarios— hasta 250,000 al año—para apaciguar a sus dioses. Estos sacrificios tenían diversos propósitos, como garantizar la fertilidad agrícola, mantener el equilibrio cósmico y asegurar que el sol y la luna continuaran su curso.

El Cerro del Tepeyac, el lugar de la aparición de Nuestra Señora, era conocido por su asociación con los sacrificios de niños. Allí se encontraba un templo dedicado a la diosa azteca Tonantzin Coatlaxopeuh, deidad de la vida, la muerte, la fertilidad y el parto. Su nombre, "Coatlaxopeuh," significa "falda de serpiente", simbolizado por su falda de serpientes y collares de cráneos de infantes, manos y corazones humanos. Según su leyenda, tuvo una "inmaculada concepción" al quedar embarazada de su hijo, Huitzilopochtli, dios del sol y de la guerra, tras caer una pluma sobre su delantal. Para mantenerla satisfecha, se decía que exigía sacrificios de niños e infantes.

El Plan de Dios en Acción La aparición de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe transformó este lugar de horror en un sitio de vida y esperanza.

Cuando se presentó a Juan Diego, proclamó: "Yo soy la perfecta siempre Virgen Santa María, Madre del único y verdadero Dios que da la vida…” (Nican Mopohua, p. 19).

Esta declaración habló directamente al corazón de los indígenas, afirmando que solo hay un Dios verdadero y que ella es su siempre Virgen Madre. Además, el nombre "Guadalupe" proviene del náhuatl "coatlaxopeuh," que significa "la que aplasta la serpiente." Esto se alinea con la promesa de Génesis 3:15: "Pondré enemistad entre ti y la mujer, entre tu descendencia y la suya; ella te aplastará la cabeza mientras tú hieres su talón."

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Simbolismo en Su Imagen La atención de Dios a los detalles en la aparición de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe es asombrosa. El simbolismo en su imagen resonó profundamente entre los pueblos aztecas: • Virginidad: En la cultura azteca, una mujer era identificada como virgen si llevaba el cabello suelto.

En la imagen, Nuestra Señora aparece con el cabello suelto.

• Maternidad: Las mujeres aztecas usaban un cinturón negro para indicar que estaban embarazadas.

Nuestra Señora lleva este mismo cinturón negro, indicando que está encinta.

Su apariencia reinterpretó símbolos familiares de una manera que atrajo a los indígenas hacia la verdad de Cristo, lo que llevó a conversiones masivas y a la transformación de sus prácticas.

De la Muerte a la Vida Donde miles de niños fueron sacrificados, el Cerro del Tepeyac se convirtió en un sitio sagrado. La iglesia construida allí ahora es un faro de fe, vida y nuevos comienzos, conmemorando las milagrosas conversiones de más de 9 millones de personas a solo diez años de su aparición. A través de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Dios manifestó su profundo amor por toda la humanidad y su deseo de proteger la vida desde la concepción hasta la muerte natural.

Un Llamado a la Acción Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe fue enviada para poner fin a los actos horribles de sacrificios humanos e iniciar una cultura de vida. Su mensaje es atemporal. Hoy, estamos llamados a proteger la dignidad de cada persona, especialmente de los no nacidos.

Dios sufre profundamente cuando la vida de los más indefensos está en peligro. Como católicos, tenemos el deber de levantarnos en oración y actuar con amor para salvaguardar la santidad de la vida. Toda vida es preciosa.

Toda vida debe ser defendida. Toda vida merece ser protegida.

Tomemos inspiración de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, quien transformó un lugar de muerte en un santuario de vida. Que su intercesión nos fortalezca en la lucha por defender la dignidad de cada ser humano.

Karla Alvarez Directora del Ministerio Multicultural.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A MASS IN CELEBRATION OF

Bishop Francis I. Malone’s

Fifth Anniversary of Episcopal Ordination and Installation as Bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport

JANUARY 25, 2025, 10 AM Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport

Reception to follow in the school multi-room, all are welcome

JANUARY 2025 13

FERTILITY WITH FAITH: Navigating Treatments In Harmony With Catholic Values

AS AN OBSTETRICIAN/GYNECOLOGIST, I AM PRIVILEGED AND BLESSED TO SHARE BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS WITH COUPLES – FROM POSITIVE PREGNANCY TESTS, ULTRASOUNDS, DELIVERIES, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. As a Catholic Ob/

Gyn, I see my Faith intricately involved in the daily moments – and cannot imagine performing my job without it! This is especially true when I support couples who experience the loss or concerns about their unborn child, and it is then that my Catholic Faith is with me, helping couples perceive God’s love and mercy amid hard times. But what about those between these two scenarios, the roughly 11% of couples struggling with infertility? They often suffer in silence and quietly grieve their lack of a family. Where is God’s plan and mercy in this diagnosis?

Conventional gynecology’s treatments for infertility has horribly failed women, especially Catholic women. In a world that celebrates how our differences can bring out the best in each other, gynecology still unfairly places every unique woman in the same box. The routine treatments for several common conditions are medications with contraceptive side effects that are only a Band-Aid covering the underlying cause. Primary doctors might address the issue, but many women are hastily referred to ‘specialists’ who are quick to recommend treatments outside Catholic teaching, such as in vitro fertilization.

Sadly, women aren’t always advised that other options 14

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

exist – ones that honor both the parents’ dignity as persons and the dignity of their hoped-for child and that are in line with the Faith.

I am grateful to be among those doctors that provide other options! To become a NaPro (Natural Procreative) Technology trained Ob/Gyn, I spent four years of training in residency and completed a year-long fellowship in Medical and Surgical NaPro Technology at the Saint Paul VI Institute in Omaha, Nebraska, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Hilgers. Dr. Hilgers founded the Creighton Model of Natural Family Planning and developed a comprehensive approach to gynecological conditions, including infertility,

that addresses their root causes. A beautiful marriage of Catholic Values and Science, NaPro Technology honors the dignity of every patient as it offers means for couples to achieve pregnancy and remain true to their Catholic Faith.

In the Order of Matrimony, couples are asked, “Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?" At this moment, couples joyfully anticipate starting a family; they’re not thinking about infertility. However, when a couple experiences this struggle, I want to provide a hope they may have lost, offering possibilities they did not know existed.

Key questions to ask your physician in regards to fertility: -Will this treatment still allow for the marital act to conceive a pregnancy?

-Do any of these treatments have contraceptive uses when not applied to my situation?

-Does this treatment work cooperatively with my body or does it hinder or prevent what is otherwise the body’s normal and natural function?

Knowing options exist can guide couples during conversations about infertility with their Ob/Gyn. Key questions include: Will this treatment still allow for the

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marital act to conceive a pregnancy?

Do any of these treatments have contraceptive uses when not applied to my situation? Does this treatment work cooperatively with my body or does it hinder or prevent what is otherwise the body’s normal and natural function?

As patients often tell me, “Thank you for listening to me,” I thank you for “listening” to me here. Know that my clinic doors (and that of other NaPro doctors!) are always open to listen and to provide care that honors you, created in the image of God, and is rooted in the beautiful Catholic Faith.

Dr. David Brinkman is a Catholic Ob/Gyn. He practices medicine in Sugar Land, Texas where he lives with his wife and their two children.

Jesus The Good Shepherd School Serving Daycare (2yr) through 6th grade

Experienced and Qualified Faculty

Master’s Degree or higher: 13 of 28 teachers Tenure of 10 years or more: 17 teachers

Beyond the Classroom

After school care and summer camp 20 Athletic/Enrichment programs

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Cognia Accredited: Since 2003 Accredited by the NCEA Primary Feeder school to St. Frederick High School

JANUARY 2025 15

Helping Mamas And Babies Is Hard Work!

VOLUNTEERS, DONORS, NURSES, DOCTORS, STUDENTS, CHURCHES - SO MANY PEOPLE GIVE TIME, BABY ITEMS, MONEY, AND THEIR EXPERTISE YEAR-ROUND TO HELP PREGNANT WOMEN.

Shawn Carney, this year’s speaker, co-founded 40 Days for Life. He has been passionate since he was 19 about ending abortion through prayer and helping women know they are not alone.

And... In February, we celebrate at Fête For Life!

40 Days for Life is worldwide - in over 60 countries and 1,000 cities- saving over 25,000 babies. Shawn is a man on a mission! Be inspired and encouraged at the Fête For Life in February.

Fête For Life is Mary’s House annual banquet with great food, a fabulous Mardi Gras atmosphere, and lots of good people. It’s a great time to be together with friends and family and hear about the miracles of life changes, babies born, and the brave women who chose life.

Buy your tickets or tables now to join us at the Fête For Life on February 11, 2025. Go to MarysHouse.net or call Mary's House at 318-220-8009 for more information. Don’t miss the celebration!

Shawn Carney began as a volunteer in the pro-life movement at 19. When he was in college, he helped lead the first-ever local 40 Days for Life campaign. The 40day campaign has spread across the world with 1 million volunteers. The mission is to end abortion locally through prayer, fasting, and community outreach.

Abortion continues in Louisiana with mail-order abortion pills. Prayer, fasting, and help for women, men, and children can make abortion unthinkable.

Christ told us some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. Prayer keeps us rooted in our desire to do God's will. Fasting is a sacrifice that helps us reach beyond our own limitations with God's help.

Shawn will inspire and encourage you in how to talk, respond, and change our community and bring an end to abortion.

L'Anne Sciba is the executive director at Mary's House in Shreveport, Louisiana.

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION

WE ARE HIS LITTLE CHILDREN MANY YEARS AGO, A FRIEND ASKED WHAT I WOULD CHANGE ABOUT MY CHILDHOOD – WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT, I RESPONDED, “NOTHING.” Pressed further, I admitted it was not a

perfect childhood with perfect parents and perfect siblings, but I would not change a thing because of one truth: I was free. Whenever I recall those childhood days, my first thoughts are of the freedom we had at that time, in that particular place. Fortunate to grow up in the 70’s and 80’s in small town America, I was in a neighborhood full of children of all ages. We played outside until the night’s wee hours without a care or worry. Of course, our little town had crime, but nothing that kept us awake at night or made our parents worry about where we were or what we were doing for so many hours each day. It was common during the summer to hear Mom’s call from one end of the neighborhood to the other, where I was sure to be laughing and having fun exploring the small, yet curious world around me.

I wonder now, how many of our children get to say the same thing, today? How many are free to play and laugh and explore? Brothers and sisters, it is time we get real and speak up regarding the atrocities happening to our precious children around the world, in America, in Louisiana, and, more importantly, in our “back yards.”

Children are truly innocent, precious beings who are vital for the future of our world and the Church. I strongly believe it is our responsibility as Catholic Christians, parent or not, to speak up and out regarding these atrocities.

Our children are targeted by the enemy, for he too knows all too well how important they are for the Kingdom of Heaven. “He called a little child and had him stand among

them. And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven'” (Matthew 18:2-5). We are allowing them to be sold into slavery through sex trafficking and child pornography; to be aborted in the womb; to be abused, abandoned, and mutilated; to be (insert atrocity here). I use the word allow because when we know something wrong is happening and we choose to do nothing and say nothing, that in and of itself is allowance. I fully understand it is so daunting!

While we are not all called to be Cassie Hammetts of the world, we are called to search such people out, learn about their ministries, and support them with our time and/or money.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us not allow ourselves to be weighed down by the heaviness of it all. Let us instead pray without ceasing, use our voices for good, help the children in our community through volunteering, get uncomfortable in “those” conversations, and most importantly, evangelize His Good News. All is not lost because we have a God who is love, who calls us to love, and who loves us with an enormity we will never fully grasp this side of Heaven. We are His sons and daughters.

We are His little children.

Mary Arcement Alexander is a Licensed Professional Counselor & the Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator.

JANUARY 2025 17

The Pro-Life Movement In The Church For Young People

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION

THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST SPEAKING AGAINST ABORTION! It

encompasses adoption, foster care, euthanasia, individuals experiencing homelessness and seeing the overall human dignity we each have because we are created in the image and likeness of our Heavenly Father. Young pro-lifers find strong support from the Church, especially in answering pro-life questions, teaching the true meaning of human dignity and praying for all mothers in the community, especially those experiencing an unplanned pregnancy.

Individual churches sponsoring youth groups often offer opportunities for youth to engage in pro-life movement activities, such as coordinating with pregnancy centers and pro-life non-profits to host baby item donation drives and writing encouraging letters to expectant mothers.

Locally, the churches facilitate youth attendance at nearby Life Marches in January or February and provide access to Louisiana Right to Life’s presentations, including Pro-life 101, Human Dignity, Pro-life Activism, and Prolife Persuasion. Some churches even host young prolife activist groups and provide a means for members to attend further pro-life training, which can extend beyond knowing the issues. For example, it teaches handling confrontation, an important life skill, but one of the hardest issues new pro-life supporters are forced to face.

Nationwide, the March for Life in Washington, D.C. is one of the largest annual pro-life events, when thousands of pro-life individuals gather from all over the country to support the same goal: that all human life be respected and protected, including those lives still in the womb.

Churches form groups that travel by bus or airplane to Washington, D.C. to hear testimonies from amazing prolife professionals and learn about the numerous pro-life organizations and nonprofits. Louisiana Right to Life hosts a special event, Geaux Forth, for Louisiana high school students attending the March for Life. Scheduled the day before the national march, Geaux Forth promotes prolife issues, explains why we march for life, and includes a keynote speaker, game, band, lunch, and more. The upbeat event builds the students’ excitement for both joining the Washington, D.C. event and being part of the pro-life movement.

An amazing resource for anyone interested in the pro-life movement, Louisiana Right to Life has been around since 1970 and remains committed to sharing the pro-life truth in the state, through education, legislation, and service. Find more information on our website, https://prolifelouisiana. org/, including access to free pro-life presentations, ways to get involved with the movement, and related events taking place in Louisiana.

FEBRUARY 8, 10 AM - 7 PM

CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN BERCHMANS, SHREVEPORT

FEBRUARY 22, 9 AM - 7 PM JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH, MONROE

Open to all young men currently enrolled in high school in the Diocese of Shreveport.

For more information please contact Vocations Director,

Reverend Raney C. Johnson rjohnson@sjbcathedral.org or vocationsoffice@dioshpt.org

To register please scan the QR Code here:

Harlee Barbier is the College Director for Louisiana Right to Life.

JANUARY 2025 19

Revitalizing The Family And Safeguarding The Future Of Our Children

IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK, JESUS TELLS US: "LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME; DO NOT PREVENT THEM, FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD BELONGS TO SUCH AS THESE" (10:14). His words emphasize the

holiness of both the Creator and His creation. Jesus, God's anointed one, both welcomes children with love and highlights people who hinder children approaching Him. As during His life, children today remain marginalized and are often kept from their Creator. Why? Many adults in our society neither understand nor choose to recognize that each new human life invites us to see and rediscover love’s selfless dimension. Each child is new, authentic, and genuine, while also embodying fragility. Children symbolize potential, renewal, and the future.

As an associate pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Shreveport, which has a school, I see in each child a great richness for society, humanity, and the Church when I celebrate the Holy Eucharist for the school children. Children call us to imitate and embrace their qualities that are essential for entering the Kingdom of God: their innocence and acknowledgment of needing help, love, and God. We are called to be like them!

This is not an abstract concept, and there is still time for each of us to advocate for the care of children. The biblical quote above invites us to imitate the tenderness Jesus 20

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

showed to children and to turn our attention to them with love and hope. There are no conditions for them to receive the gift of God's love; they trust in God's hands and allow Him to embrace them.

Although we are no longer in Jesus' time, and our society now acknowledges children as subjects of rights, we still see that their fragility persists. Advocating for their rights has not eradicated situations that cause vulnerability, abandonment, abuse, and even death. This is a reality that calls to each of us, urging us to continue fighting for the defense of life before, during, and after birth. Jesus challenges us to place this reality within an evangelical context: like the Good Samaritan, we must not ignore it and should raise awareness about those who neglect children in any manner.

So where do we start? Now, more than ever, the value of family needs revitalization: family is the cradle of life and love, the foundation of a community that believes in God. It is also the ideal place to advocate for the care, proper treatment, and protection of children, especially those who are most vulnerable.

And today, more than ever, we must welcome our children, particularly those who endure unjust suffering. Let us echo the words of St. John Paul II: "A nation that kills its own children has no future."

Revitalizando la familia y protegiendo el futuro de nuestros hijos EL EVANGELIO DE MARCOS EN EL CAPÍTULO 10: 14 NOS DICE: “DEJAD QUE LOS NIÑOS SE ACERQUEN A MÍ, Y NO SE LO IMPIDAN PORQUE DE ELLOS ES EL REINO DE DIOS.” Esta cita bíblica encierra en sí la santidad del creador y su criatura. Jesús el ungido de Dios, el Tres veces Santo acoge a su criatura con amor, y llama la atención a aquellos quienes lo impiden. Ahora al igual que en los tiempos de Jesús los pequeños siguen siendo marginados, se les sigue impidiendo acercarse a su Creador, ¿por qué sucede esto? Porque muchos en nuestra sociedad no entienden o no quieren entender que cada nueva vida nos permite ver y redescubrir la dimensión gratuita del amor. Cada niño y niña representan lo nuevo, lo verdadero y genuino, pero a la misma vez, lo frágil. Al mismo tiempo representan proyección, novedad y futuro.

Como pastor asociado en la parroquia de Saint Joseph en Shreveport, la cual cuenta con escuela, cada vez que celebro la Santa Eucaristía para los niños de la escuela veo en cada uno de ellos una gran riqueza para la sociedad, para la humanidad y para la Iglesia, cada uno de ellos es un llamado a nosotros como condición necesaria para entrar en el Reino de Dios: por su inocencia, porque ellos no se consideran autosuficientes, son personas necesitadas de ayuda, de amor, de Dios, eso es lo que necesitamos hacer nosotros, ser como niños.

No es cosa de otro mundo y tampoco es tarde estar de parte de la defensa del cuidado de los niños y de las niñas, esto nos lanza de nuevo a reflexionar sobre la cita bíblica antes mencionada, ya que el Evangelio nos invita a imitar la ternura de Jesús con los niños, dirigir la mirada con amor y esperanza. Los niños tienen un corazón abierto, en ellos no hay condiciones para recibir el regalo del amor de Dios, ellos se ponen en manos de Dios, se dejan abrazar por él.

En la actualidad aunque no nos encontramos en tiempos de Jesus y nuestra sociedad actual reconoce a los niños y niñas como sujetos de derecho; sin embargo vemos con certitud que su fragilidad no desaparece; junto a esto aunque hagamos saber a los demás la importancia de

sus derechos esto no ha logrado erradicar situaciones de vulnerabilidad y abandono, maltrato e inclusive la muerte, esto por supuesto es un grito a cada uno de nosotros, un llamado a seguir luchando por la defensa de la vida antes y durante su desarrollo y después del nacimiento. Jesus nos invita a poner esta realidad en contexto evangélico: como el samaritano, a no pasar de largo, llamando la atención a quien desprecie a los pequeños. ¿Dónde comenzamos entonces? En la familia, hoy más que nunca el valor de la familia necesita ser revitalizado, la familia es la cuna de la vida y del amor, así como el principio de una comunidad que cree en Dios, la familia es el lugar perfecto para alzar la voz por el cuidado, por el buen trato y la protección de los niños y de las niñas especialmente los más desprotegidos.

Hoy más que nunca es momento de acoger a nuestros niños y niñas especialmente aquellos que de manera injusta viven experiencias de dolor. Y hagamos eco de aquellas palabras que dijo San Juan Pablo II “Una nación que mata a sus propios hijos es una nación sin futuro.

Rev. Gabriel CisnerosCampos is the associate pastor at St. Joseph Parish, Shreveport.

El Rev. Gabriel CisnerosCampos es el pastor auxiliar en la Parroquia de San José, Shreveport.

JANUARY 2025 21

Congratulations to the 2024-2025 Student of the Year Winners Saniah Mitchell, 5th Grade Our Lady of Fatima School

William "Tripp" Wooldridge, 5th Grade St. Joseph Catholic School

Jose Garcia, 8th Grade Our Lady of Fatima School

Ema Duncan, 5th Grade Cathedral of St. John Berchmans School

Abagail Creighton, 12th Grade St. Frederick High School

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Lillian Grace Benedetto, 5th Grade Jesus the Good Shepherd School "Lillian Grace is an exemplary student as seen in her grades, volunteer work, Christian attitude, and leadership qualities. We are proud to have her representing JGS School!"

-Lisa Patrick, Principal at Jesus the Good Shepherd School

Kyle Chowriappa, 8th Grade Cathedral of St. John Berchmans School

l

Parker Suckle, 8th Grade St. Joseph Catholic School

Harrison Tarver, 8th Grade St. Frederick High School

Ravi Ahuja, 12th Grade Loyola College Prep “Ravi is a true representation of our mission ‘a man for others.' He excels academically and is a model student in the classroom. Ravi is humble and kind, and we are proud to see him compete in the next level of competition.”

-John LeBlanc, principal at Loyola College Prep JANUARY 2025 23

Catholic Education Made More Accessible: Louisiana’s New ESA Program Explained LOUISIANA'S NEW INITIATIVE, THE EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (ESA), PROMISES A FRESH PATH AND FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOL FAMILIES IN THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR. Seeking to ease

the financial strain on families opting for K-12 private education, the program allows parents to allocate state funds toward private schooling expenses. When families choose a Catholic school, they often prioritize faith-based education and community values, and the ESA supports these choices by making the financial aspect more manageable.

It thus simplifies parents’ educational decision-making, enabling them to redirect focus from financial concerns to the quality of their child’s learning environment and values alignment. Ultimately, the program acknowledges the diverse educational needs across Louisiana and champions parental choice in crafting an optimal educational journey for their kids.

Federal Poverty Level 250%

Effective January 15, 2024, 48 CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

HOUSEHOLD SIZE

ANNUAL INCOME

1

$37,659

2

$51,100

3

$64,550

4

$78,000

5

$91,450

6

$104,900

7

$118,350

8

$131,800

For each additional family member add $13,450 24

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Tentative Milestones

December 2024 Registration opens for nonpublic schools to participate in LA GATOR January 2025 Pre-screening tool launches February 2025 LSP students to participate in LA GATOR March 1, 2025 Application opens for other eligible students to participate Late Spring 2025 Families provisionally admitted

Student Eligibility

• Participated in the Student Scholarship Program • Entering Kindergarten • Enrolled in a public school the previous year • From a family with a total income below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines

LA GATOR Program Funding

For students whose family income does not exceed 250% of the federal poverty guidelines, an award equal to eighty percent of the amount, or $7,626, will be made.

For any other student, an award equal to fifty-five percent of the amount, or $5,243, will be made.

An important point to note is that this funding will not affect the core mission of our schools. The state is not imposing any changes to our admissions policies, student handbooks, standardized testing protocols, or religious practices.

Sr. Carol Shively, OSU, is the Superintendent for the Diocese of Shreveport Catholic Schools.

BLESSED ARE YOU, And Blessed Is The Fruit Of Your Womb TWO VOLUNTEERS FROM MARY’S HOUSE COLLABORATED WITH ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, L’ANNE SCIBA, TO CREATE A PROGRAM THAT FILLS AN UNMET NEED. As Mary’s House assists young

women facing unexpected pregnancies, Laura Bilderback and Cynthia Vaught recognized the importance of meeting the women where they are on their journey, and so sought to share God’s love when also sharing knowledge and providing needed support to those now on the path of motherhood. I was honored to be invited into this inspiring ministry.

During each session of the new seven-week program, “Blessed are You,” we ministers dined with the women at Mary’s House and shared a personal faith experience and its impact on our lives, connecting it to our faith’s teachings. It provided a wonderful opportunity to share a meal, exchange stories, and listen to the young women’s thoughts — and we were inspired by how they spoke to and supported one another.

I was amazed at how naturally the conversation flowed when we gave the women space to speak openly with us and each other. It was a completely different dynamic than I have ever experienced in ministry.

After our meal, we moved into the living room to hear a different speaker each week, and it proved very engaging for the women. Presentations included practical advice on pregnancy, delivery, and bringing the baby home, which helped mothers prepare for their child’s birth. One young mom shared “what you need and don’t really need” from

gift registry “suggestion” lists. Another speaker was a counselor who was once in their shoes. She shared her experiences, discussed challenges she faced, and advised on common relationship pitfalls with the baby’s father. A Lactation Nurse taught breastfeeding and its benefits, and when an OB-GYN and pediatric physician spoke, the girls had so many thoughtful questions! Our sessions closed with another meal and time to talk over the day’s shared experiences.

By the end, we had nourished them with a meal, fed their souls, and given them knowledge to become the best mom they could be. Walking this journey with these young mothers was such a positive experience, but their time together did not have to end. They were invited to Marci Moore’s four-week Savvy Spirit & Spending presentation, which offers money management education to get them started on the right foot in their new life as a mom with an infant to care for. The women all expressed interest in returning for these sessions as well.

For myself, I look forward to continue serving with these amazing leaders at Mary’s House, engaging and lifting up these and other beautiful young mothers.

Delia Barr is the Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Shreveport.

JANUARY 2025 25

DIGNITY: What Does It Mean?

ST. JOHN PAUL II WROTE IN "ON THE HUNDREDTH YEAR" THAT “HUMAN PERSONS’ . . . DIGNITY DOES NOT COME FROM THE WORK THEY DO, BUT FROM THE PERSONS THEY ARE.” Pope Benedict wrote in

that we are all humans made in God’s image, and we equally (even children) share the dignity God graced all of humanity with. Conversing with God leads us to better understand this reality and its impact on our own experiences. The following reflection questions can help begin that conversation:

"Charity in Truth" that “The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require that economic choices do not cause disparities.” Pope Francis wrote in "On • What am I doing personally, and what is my parish Fraternity and Social Friendships" that “The world exists church doing communally to ensure that every for everyone because all of us were born with the same child in this community is physically fed nutritious dignity.” We focus this month on the dignity of childhood food every day? When we feed and on our calling to protect people physically, we exemplify and minister to those we call spirituality in action, and thus also children. From our three feed their spirituality. most recent popes to the • How do I show love to children U.S. bishops, Catholic teaching of an incarcerated parent? How do on the dignity of every I help them experience both their human person is loud and own dignity and that of the parent clear – the word “dignity” who made a mistake? is used repeatedly. But, it • How am I supporting agencies seems taken for granted that and ministries who help children we understand exactly what “dignity” means. How would CHARITY IN TRUTH, BY POPE BENEDICT suffering from physical, mental, verbal, and sexual abuse? How can you define the dignity of I help end the shattering of their children? dignity and the hell that comes with that destruction?

• We are all worthy of a sound education. Can I help Dictionary.com’s definition that seems closest in this children realize their dignity by tutoring or providing context is “worthiness.” So, the teaching is that humans tutors to supplement their education? are worthy, but worthy of what? Based on my small • How can I give love and protection to children who biblical knowledge, I think we are reminded that we are unloved and lonely? are worthy of our Creator’s love; we are worthy of life, • When can I comfort a child who lost a parent or loved equality, food, clothing, freedom, and love for and from one to death or whose loved one was in a serious one another. Jesus appears to include children in this accident? worthiness, this dignity, of God’s creation, as we see in • How can I help a child who was in a serious accident?

Mark 10:13-16 where He values children and elevates • How can I love and support children of immigrants? their dignity. The Message biblical translation reads, • And, of course, what can we do for the children of “Don’t ever get between them and me. These children war? Those experiencing the brutalities in Israel, are at the very center of life in the Kingdom.”

Gaza, Ukraine, and so many more places who need help?

Many in Jesus’ day may have believed that children

The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require that economic choices do not cause disparities.

were valueless possessions, and He turned that notion on its head. Jesus, Scripture, and the Church assure us

Our dignity can be injured, but it can never be destroyed.

It comes from God, and we were graced with it at the beginning. However, when we forget to honor children, their dignity and their worth, we steal their experience of who they are in God: created by love, with love, and in love. It is our role is to ensure they experience that with every breath they take.

Mike Van Vranken is a spiritual director for the Diocese of Shreveport and a teacher of new spiritual directors for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION

St. Joseph Catholic School

Academic EXCELLENCE Surrounded by FAITH St. Joseph has proudly served the Shreveport-Bossier community by providing an excellent experience in Catholic education since 1951. We strive to provide our students with an education that is supportive, faithbased, disciplined, and academically rigorous, forming young minds and hearts into the saints in which they are called to be.

OPEN HOUSE JANUARY 29 | 5:30-7:30 PM TH

(318) 865-3585

|

www.sjsfalcons.org

|

1210 Anniston Avenue, Shreveport

JANUARY 2025 27

SEMINARIAN BURSES THANKS TO OUR RECENT DONORS: (005) Cathedral of St. John Berchmans

Burse

The Congregation of St. John Berchmans Roman Catholic Church

(008)

St. Jude Parish Burse

William & Dolores Walker Anonymous

(011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse #2

Len and Madeline Elford

(023) Msgr. Edmund J. Moore Memorial

Burse **COMPLETED**

Mr. Joseph L Cassiere

NEW (023)2 Msgr. Edmund J. Moore Memorial Burse #2 Anonymous Anonymous

(032)

Madeline and Joe Tiller Memorial Burse Merrilee Streun-Leatherman

(035)3 Dr. James V. & Rosemary C. Ward

Burse #3

Len and Madeline Elford Mr. Richard W. Ward Mrs. Rosemary C. Ward

(036)4 Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza Burse

#4

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Looney Mr. Duane E. Chilton Len and Madeline Elford

(038) The Malone Family Burse

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Barr (049)

Rev. Philip Michiels Burse

Deborah Macy

(050) St. Joseph Shreveport Mary's Workers Burse **COMPLETED**

Mary's Workers Bake Sale for Vocations

NEW (050)2 St. Joseph Shreveport Mary's Workers Burse

Mary's Workers Bake Sale for Vocations

NEW (054) Fr. Franz Graef Memorial Burse

Mr. & Mrs. James E. McKeithen

NEW (055) The Floyd and Paulette Allen Family Memorial Burse **COMPLETED**

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Floyd and Paulette Allen

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

In 2023, Mary’s Workers, a women’s volunteer group at St. Joseph Church in Shreveport, established a seminarian burse with funds raised through their annual Bake Sale for Vocations. Members contributed to the burse throughout the year and in December 2024, Mary’s Workers completed their first burse and created a second burse with another bake sale donation.

Pictured above is Bake Sale Chair Kay Nader presenting their burse donation to Vocations Director Fr. Raney Johnson along with seminarians Alan Landeros, Tristan Frisk, Nathan Lirette, Brett Reggio, and Angel Gomez.

Thank you to Mary’s Workers for supporting the education and formation of our future seminarians!

The Diocese of Shreveport’s Seminarian Burse Program provides financial support for our seminarians' livelihood and education until they become ordained as priests, a path that can take up to eight years to complete. It currently costs an average of $50,000 per year to educate and support one seminarian.

Donations can be made to any existing incomplete burse at any time. (A burse is “completed” once it reaches $10,000.) A new seminary burse can be opened with a donation of $250 or more and can be established with any amount of money in honor or memory of a loved one, in the name of especially well-loved priests or organizations.

All donations to the Seminary Burse Program remain untouched principal. Only interest and dividends from the endowed fund are used to pay for the annual cost of seminarian formation. For more information on how to establish or contribute to a burse, please contact the Development Office at (318) 219-7260.

To see an up-to-date list of incomplete and complete burses, please scan here

To donate to an established seminarian burse, please scan here

60 Years of Marriage Calls for a Unique Celebration What is the perfect anniversary gift to celebrate 60 years of marriage? For Floyd and Paulette Allen of West Monroe, they decided that they wanted to commemorate their anniversary by donating funds to complete a seminarian burse.

The Allens traveled to Shreveport on December 19th to present their donation and have their marriage blessed by Bishop Francis Malone. “We had been discussing this for several years and decided that this gift would be the best way to honor our family, celebrate our anniversary, and support our seminarians,” said Mrs. Allen. Thank you to the Allens for creating a beautiful legacy for the education of our future seminarians

Celebrating World Religion Day in North Louisiana Celebrando el Día Mundial de Religión en el Norte de Louisiana

Every year, the World Religion Day Committee hosts speakers and provides an opportunity to meet with representatives from the many different religions, faiths, and spiritual paths in Shreveport and Bossier City, Louisiana.

The individuals and groups who participate in World Religion Day are all dedicated to discovering and building upon the common threads found in the religious and spiritual paths in our community and the world.

This year the event will be held on Sunday January 26th, 2025, from 2:00pm – 5:00 pm at The Highland Center, located at 520 Olive Street; Shreveport, LA 71104. World Religion Day in Shreveport and Bossier City provides the public an opportunity to learn about the many world religions in our community.

For more information, contact the Chancery office in the diocese, 318-219-7256.

La Diócesis participa cada año en el Dia Mundial de la Religión y este año se está pidiendo a las diferentes iglesias participar con materiales en español.

La invitación es para el domingo 26 de enero de 2:00pm – 5:00 pm. En el Centro Highland con dirección en la 520 Olive Street, Shreveport, LA 71104.

Este evento es gratis y es una oportunidad para aprender de las muchas religiones en el mundo, muchas de las cuales están presentes en nuestra área.

Nuestra diócesis educará a los participantes de otras religiones sobre elementos significativos para los católicos como la Eucaristía y las oraciones del Rosario.

Para más información, favor de contactar la Cancillería de la diócesis, 318-219-7256.

Rosalba Quiroz is the Vice Chancellor for the Diocese of Shreveport.

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Cathedral of St. John Berchmans Catholic School SUMMARIZED FROM USCCB.ORG, THE FOUNDATION OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING IS THE BELIEF THAT HUMAN LIFE IS SACRED AND THAT THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON MUST BE RESPECTED. The dignity of life is a deeply

held Catholic belief that God created each and every soul, placed it in a human body, and set that soul upon the earth in His time and with His purpose. We value human life (rightly so) because we are all made in the image of God who created us and loves us more than we can ever truly understand.

Our motto at SJB is Kindness is Practiced Here; on the surface this is a nice phrase that encourages our students to be kind to one another. However, when examined through the lens of the dignity of life, this simple phrase takes on a much more significant meaning. Practicing kindness isn’t just a form of community service or being nice to your classmates, it is about helping our students understand that the sanctity of human life is about valuing each and every individual, seeing them as God sees each of us. Here at SJB, we teach our students that every person is precious, and that people are more important than things. We practice kindness here, we center our lives on Jesus Christ, and we strive to love one another as Christ calls us to.

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Cassandra Key is the Director of Communications and Development for the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans Parish and School.

St. Joseph Catholic School

WHEN YOU TRULY LOOK AT IT, THE CELEBRATION OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK AT THE END OF THIS MONTH IS A CELEBRATION OF HOLY CHILDHOOD. As Catholic educators, we are tasked with

supporting parents in their efforts to raise their children in the faith and to teach them how to be witnesses of that faith in the world. From the youngest of children in Pre-K3 to our oldest in eighth grade, children are taught to be holy and to strive to be saints. Our priests consistently remind them at school Masses that the goal of life is to get to Heaven to be saints, and we work and plan daily to help them do that in many ways.

The Education in Virtue program, which began here in 2018, has evolved on our campus, providing a vocabulary that has become a part of our school community and showing children in straightforward, simple ways to be like Jesus and the saints. As the program has grown, we have added awards for those who grow in the virtues each month, and we use them to correct those who have stepped off the path to Heaven. It has become a part of our language and our daily routines – more so than I think any of us anticipated would happen when we discussed bringing it to fruition 6 years ago.

We gather as an entire school community each week to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and this offers our students the opportunity to be a part of this "source and summit" of our Christian life as cantors, choir, lectors, altar servers, ushers, and gift bearers. I have seen students blossom in these roles as they begin to understand

the importance of their role in the Mass and grow in confidence each time they step up to volunteer (or, in some cases, are "voluntold"). We give the Saint Cecilia Award to the grade level each week who participates most fully and "energetically" and it's impressive to see how many different grade levels will rise to the challenge throughout the year. Hearing children sing at Mass is one of my favorite parts of being a teacher at this school!

Service is an unforgettable aspect of the Holy Childhood that our Catholic school students experience. As a student at SJS from 1977-1984, I have vivid memories of toy drives at Christmas and the Christian Service connection that we had through Msgr. Murray Clayton and of the lessons from numerous Religion teachers throughout those years about loving our neighbor. They grow in charity from one year to the next, practicing the Virtues, giving their time and talent (and sometimes even their treasure) to the Church, and serving as an example to others of what it means to be holy. As a product of Catholic schools, a mom who sent my children through Catholic schools, and now a teacher at a Catholic school, I am convinced that a Catholic education is the best option for children to have a "Holy Childhood."

Polly Maciulski is the middle school religion teacher at St. Joseph Catholic School.

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Loyola College Prep

BUSY BUT FULFILLING. That's how Julia Braud would

describe her freshman year at Loyola. It seemed like everything Julia touched this year turned to gold. She excelled at everything from her art to French, to Science Fair, to spoken poetry skills. Her proudest achievement, however, was winning the Congressional Art Competition.

“I am honored to represent our district and have my painting hung in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for the next year,” she said. “My painting titled 'Louisiana’s Finest Ingredients' was chosen for Louisiana’s fourth district first place winner for the art competition.”

This summer, Julia and her family traveled to Washington, D.C., to celebrate this accomplishment with the other national winners. Her art is remarkable! Her stunning painting of an angel won the student Christmas card contest.

"The subject for my Christmas card art painting was purposefully a religious subject because I believe that it is in alignment with the Christian environment of our school," she said. "The painting is inspired by a small statue of an angel holding a dove in my grandmother's house. The Bible verse (Luke 2:14) also fits in today's times where I believe we all want peace in the world."

Julia is also passionate about French because she said it connects her to her past, and learning it further connects her to a culture she loves. This year, she placed first in the Regional Literary Rally for French I, first in Division 3 on the French I test at the State Literary Rally, and first in Interpretive Reading for French I at the State Rally. She also received the Gold Medal for the Le Grand Concours National French Exam.

"I am impressed not only with how bright Julia is but also with her dedication, determination, and hard work in learning the French language," said Allison Nolen, her French teacher.

Outside of her significant accomplishments during freshman year, Julia was involved in Key Club, Garden Park, tennis, and golf. She and her golf partner, Kathryn Jackson, took second place at the regional golf tournament and fifth place at the state tournament.

At the end-of-year awards ceremony, Julia was recognized as student of the year for French, Art, and Biology. She was also one of the recipients of the St. Ignatius Award.

We can’t wait to see what Julia achieves during her career at Loyola.

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Jordan Harris is the Director of Communication for Loyola College Prep.

Children Have A Brighter Future With Help From Gabriel’s Closet INFANTS IN NORTH LOUISIANA ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF LIFE THAN INFANTS IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. According

to the Louisiana Department of Health, infant mortality for Caddo Parish babies was 11.5 per 1000 for the years 2017-21. For Ouachita Parish, the number is 11.7. Both are about a third higher than the state rate of 7.7. These statistics have stayed steady for the past 10 years or so.

Even more heartbreaking is that many of those deaths are completely preventable through education and access to care. Catholic Charities, in cooperation with Mary’s House and other local nonprofit agencies, is doing our part to ensure every baby has a home where they can thrive. We know parents want to do what’s best for their children.

They just don’t always have the resources, education, or support to provide what is needed. Our Gabriel’s Closet program helps fill those gaps.

One of our newest moms, Whitney, found Gabriel’s Closet through a cousin who had been coming to classes for several years. She started attending classes while she was pregnant, and she knew she would need a car seat to bring her baby home from the hospital. Through the classes, she earned "merits" to get a car seat and ensure her baby was safe when she delivered. The combination of education and resources addresses some of the most critical issues for new families.

The top two causes of infant deaths are “conditions originating in the perinatal period” and sudden infant death, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

The first is often directly related to poverty, a lack of prenatal medical care, and the mom’s existing health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Sudden Infant death is most often connected to sleeping conditions. The largely volunteer-run Gabriel’s Closet makes it a point to address these issues. Medical and education professionals speak on a variety of topics. We regularly cover safe sleep and first aid. A local chef comes monthly to talk about healthy eating and provides a cooking lesson. Some of our most popular classes are on infant CPR. Classes are also translated into Spanish when necessary. A recent class on medicine dosage was invaluable for those moms who had trouble reading the medication labels because of the language barrier. Then, parents shop in the closet filled with items for children ages 0-4; ranging from clothes to diapers to strollers. It is stocked almost entirely through donations. In addition to classes, merits can be earned through regular doctor's visits, attending church, or attending classes at other agencies such as Mary’s House.

With continued help from our volunteers and donations from you, Catholic Charities will make a difference for children in our diocese.

SAVE THE DATE

May 2, 2025

Catholic Charities Bingo on the Delta benefitting the Eastern Deanery!

Sponsorships are available now.

Visit www.ccnla.org/delta

Diane Libro is the Executive Director of Catholic Charities of North Louisiana.

JANUARY 2025 33

Around the diocese...

Mary, Queen of Peace held its Christmas Cookie sale recently with cookies baked and donated by parishioners. The event was a huge success, with the money raised going to help fund the VBS program at the church.

Advent is a beautiful time of year, a season of waiting in faith and hope for the blessings of the Lord. At Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, teachers and students prepared the classroom spaces with purple cloths on the classroom prayer tables and set up Advent wreaths and Nativity scenes.

The middle school students participated by setting up the hallway Jesse Tree bulletin board in anticipation of the morning Scripture readings they will hear each day in December.

Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament celebrated Black History Month on Sunday, November 3rd. November was designated by the Black Catholic Clergy Caucus in 1990 as Black Catholic History Month. November marks a time when the Church prays for all saints and souls in loving remembrance, as well as a time to recall the saints and souls of Africa and African descent. Deacon Michael Taylor, of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the secretary of the Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, was the homilist. Deacon Taylor was presented a plaque by Parish Pastoral Council President, Tim Ford, during the reception in Drexel Hall.

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Over 12 Tons! Working together to collect over 12 tons of nonperishable food for those in need in throughout the Shreveport/ Bossier area were the Cub Scouts of America Pack 16 and Boy Scouts of America Troop 10 of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church; Common Ground; Christian Service Program; and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Knights of Columbus; and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. A lot of work and organization went into collecting these overwhelmingly generous gifts from individual homes, predominately in South Shreveport.

St. Martha’s circle from St. Joseph’s Zwolle participated in the Cross Catholic Outreach “Box of Joy” ministry this year. These ladies, along with members of their parish church, collected 118 packaged boxes to share the love of Jesus with children around the world!

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JANUARY 2025 35

CATHOLIC CONNECTION DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT 3500 Fairfield Ave.

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Shreveport, LA 71104

Catholic Connection USPS 024-824 is published monthly except for July by the Diocese of Shreveport, 3500 Fairfield Ave., Shreveport, LA 71104. Periodicals Postage PAID at Shreveport, LA 71102. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Catholic Connection, 3500 Fairfield Ave, Shreveport, LA 71104.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH: At the second annual Seminarians vs. Priests basketball game, the priests put up a good fight but ultimately the seminarians took the win in a very exciting competition! Thank you to all who attended and supported this great event.

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CATHOLIC CONNECTION