June 2026 - 40th Anniversary Special Edition

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

PUBLISHER

Bishop Francis I. Malone

EDITOR

Sophia Romanski White

EDITORIAL BOARD

OFS

CONTRIBUTORS

Mary Arcement Alexander

Kathryn Barattini

Bernadette Boyd

Dr. S. Germain Cassiere

Kathy Cordova

Karen Dill

Jamie Humphrey

Polly Maciulski

Lisa Marcalus

Sharon McCabe

Lucy Medvec

Elise Reis

Jay Sorgi

Mike Van Vranken

Volume 35 Number 11

P ope Leo XIV's Prayer Intention For The Month of June

FOR THE VALUES OF SPORTS.

Let us pray that sports be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, and that they promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth.

A photo mosaic featuring highlights, events, and familiar faces from all across the Diocese of Shreveport. Contributing photographers include Ben Luckett, Kirsten Shrewsberry, Sophia Romanski White, Tracie Stroud, and selections from prior submissions to The Catholic Connection. Artwork by Sophia Romanski White

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

SUBMISSIONS

Sophia Romanski White sromanski@dioshpt.org

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.

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

June Second Collections

JUNE 27 & 28 PETER’S PENCE is an annual global collection in support of the charitable works of the Pope. Donations support the needs of those of our brothers and sisters who are the most disadvantaged, especially those who are burdened by war and oppression.

Rev. Kevin Mues

Deacon Charles Thomas,

Rosalba Quiroz

Karla Alvarez

Tracie Stroud

25th Anniversary of the Sisters of the Destitute in the Diocese of Shreveport Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 8:00 AM

Diocese of Shreveport’s 40th Anniversary Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 5:30 PM

Calendar Special Events in the Diocese of

A Light for Vocations Fundraiser; Jesus the Good Shepherd Gym, Monroe, LA; 5:30 PM - 9:00PM

Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for your people.

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

Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.

Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel.

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

Fidel Mondragón

Romanus Mallya

Philip Michiels

of the Diocese of Shreveport

Thekkemury

Malone

Kelby Tingle

Jerry Daigle, Jr.

Mark Watson

Kevin Mues

Duane Trombetta

Do Minh Vu

Shreveport

Priest. Amen.

Fr. James Moran

Fr. Joseph Ampatt

Fr. LaVerne “Pike” Thomas

Fr. Keith Garvin

Fr. Peter Mangum

Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga & Companions

Memorial of St. Barnabas

Memorial of St. Justin

Memorial of St. Boniface

Eastern Deanery Seminarian All-Star Game; St. Frederick’s HighSchool, Monroe, LA; 11:00 AM

Solemnity of St. Peter & St. Paul

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Priestly Ordination Mass; Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Memphis, Tennessee; 10:00 AM

Tristan Frisk’s Ordination to the Transitional Diaconate; St. Jude Church, Benton; 10:00 AM

Fr. Rigoberto Betancurt Cortés

Fr. Adrian Fischer

Fr. Karl Daigle

Fr. Charles Glorioso

Fr. Joseph C. Howard, Jr.

Fr. Timothy Hurd Fr. Osang Idagbo

Fr. Joseph Martina

Fr. Joseph Maddala

Fr. Calistus Barasa Mokokha

Fr. Bwalya Mobe

Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome

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

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Plenary Assembly; Champions Gate, Florida

Solemnity of the Natvity of St. John the Baptist

Sisters of the Destitute Celebrate 25 Years in Shreveport Guest writer

Jay Sorgi sits down with Sisters Saji and Suny to discuss their ministry

Happy 40th Anniversary!

I decided to hide down here this month in favor of spotlighting the very first article from the very first edition of The Catholic Connection written by Bishop William Friend to the people of the Diocese of Shreveport. Back then, this magazine was just an eightpage, black-and-white newsletter. It has grown exponentially since then. I am extremely proud to be even a footnote in the evolution of this publication. Thank you all for all the kind words, thoughtful feedback, and support you give me and The Catholic Connection. God bless you all!

18

Like it was Just Yesterday

Dr. Bernadette Boyd, niece of Msgr. Earl Provenza, shares a lifetime of stories featuring our beloved friend in honor of his passing.

A N INTRODUCTION

O riginally published in the first edition of The Catholic Connection , August 1991.

Dear Friends:

The Catholic Connection is our latest diocesan endeavor to communicate with every Catholic home. We hope that it will help provide you with inspiration, information about the Church and her teaching, and helpful guidelines that can foster Catholic family life.

During the last annual diocesan listening session, participants recommended to the Diocesan Pastoral Council that more communication was needed. They thought that The Church Today went to too few Catholic homes and carried news mostly about other areas.

The Catholic Connection is being offered on a pilot basis for one year. As time passes its number of pages will be increased and it will undergo improvement periodically. Your recommendations are welcome.

Thanks to the Diocesan Service Appeal, The Catholic Connection will not have a subscription fee. It will come to your home at no direct cost to you.

From the Editor

Publication of the Diocesan Journal , a newsletter, will be suspended in favor of this new publication. The Catholic Connection will be the official publication for the Diocese of Shreveport, effective August 1, 1991.

Comments and questions should be mailed to Ms. Cate Froman, who as a member of the staff of the Office of Development and Public Relations, will edit The Catholic Connection.

May God bless you.

-Bishop William Friend

FROM THE BISHOP

In Scripture, the number “40” symbolizes a “long period of time.” The Israelites spent 40 years in the desert before reaching the Promised Land, and King David sat on his throne for 40 years. In the New Testament, we read of Jesus going into the desert country after John baptized Him, for “forty days and forty nights,” where He fasted, prayed, and was tempted by the devil. More than just a number, forty symbolizes an extended or prolonged time, often involving some travail or suffering.

But it doesn’t always indicate difficulty or suffering, especially in terms of years – 40 can represent a time of great joy, growth, and prosperity. The year 2026 is one example, marking the 40th year – anniversary! – of the establishment of the Diocese of Shreveport. You may remember that prior to 1986, our diocesan area was in the Diocese of Alexandria, with Bishop Greco preceding Bishop William Friend as our bishop. Numerous factors led to Shreveport separating from Alexandria, particularly the Catholic population across the entire northern half of Louisiana’s expansive territory, which

was simply too geographically large for one diocese to serve. The Vatican created a new diocese, initially called the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport until it became the Diocese of Shreveport in 1986. I’m certain many Catholics in the diocese remember its earliest years and the growth it has enjoyed over these four decades.

And just as our reflections on those scriptural 40 years recalls many events, so does our reflection of our diocese’s forty years of existence recall the happenings filling those years under the spiritual leadership of Bishop Friend and Bishop Duca. The diocese enjoyed those sacred events when young men were ordained to the priesthood, parishes were established and grew, the Church ministered in our hospitals and welcomed religious women to aid the sick and dying, and outreach programs and organizations like Catholic Charities and the St. Vincent de Paul Society flourished. Here in Shreveport and in Monroe, our Catholic elementary and high schools educated our young, and Catholic Campus Ministry grew (and continues to do so!). As parishes grew

in this time, yes, some declined – but declined where a national trend in 2026 indicates more and more converts to the faith have been evidenced. And how could we possibly enter into a time of celebration without mentioning the toil and work of our catechists and DREs, our deacons past and present, and our priests who have come and gone. The Diocese of Shreveport! A blessed part of God’s vineyard – and a blessed Church to call our own.

There is much to celebrate with our 40th anniversary, much to give thanks to God for, and much to anticipate as we look forward and as we grow. With all that we celebrate, and for all the crosses we have been asked to carry, there are innumerable reasons for us to be joyful that the Lord Who brought us into existence, will continue to sustain us another “forty” years and more!

Happy Anniversary!

En la Sagrada Escritura, el número “40” simboliza un “largo período de tiempo”. Los israelitas pasaron 40 años en el desierto antes de llegar a la Tierra Prometida, y el rey David ocupó su trono durante 40 años. En el Nuevo Testamento, leemos que Jesús se retiró al desierto después de que Juan lo bautizara, durante “cuarenta días y cuarenta noches”, donde ayunó, oró y fue tentado por el diablo. Más que un simple número, cuarenta simboliza un tiempo extendido o prolongado, que a menudo implica pruebas o sufrimiento.

Pero no siempre indica dificultad o sufrimiento, especialmente en términos de años; 40 también puede representar un tiempo de gran alegría, crecimiento y prosperidad. El año 2026 es un ejemplo de ello, pues marca el año 40 —¡aniversario!— del establecimiento de la Diócesis de Shreveport. Quizás recuerden que antes de 1986, nuestra región diocesana formaba parte de la Diócesis de Alexandria, con el obispo Greco precediendo al obispo William Friend como nuestro obispo. Numerosos factores llevaron a la separación de Shreveport de Alexandria, particularmente la población católica en toda la mitad norte del extenso territorio de Luisiana, que era simplemente demasiado grande geográficamente para que una sola diócesis pudiera atenderla. El Vaticano

por el obispo

creó una nueva diócesis, inicialmente llamada Diócesis de AlexandriaShreveport hasta que se convirtió en la Diócesis de Shreveport en 1986. Estoy seguro de que muchos católicos de la diócesis recuerdan sus primeros años y el crecimiento que ha experimentado a lo largo de estas cuatro décadas.

Y así como nuestras reflexiones sobre aquellos 40 años bíblicos recuerdan muchos acontecimientos, también nuestra reflexión sobre los cuarenta años de existencia de nuestra diócesis trae a la memoria los sucesos que llenaron esos años bajo el liderazgo espiritual del obispo Friend y del obispo Duca. La diócesis disfrutó de esos momentos sagrados cuando jóvenes fueron ordenados al sacerdocio, se establecieron parroquias y crecieron, la Iglesia ministró en nuestros hospitales y dio la bienvenida a religiosas para ayudar a los enfermos y moribundos, y programas y organizaciones de ayuda como Caridades Católicas y la Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl florecieron. Aquí en Shreveport y en Monroe, nuestras escuelas católicas primarias y secundarias educaron a nuestros jóvenes, y el Ministerio Universitario Católico creció (¡y continúa haciéndolo!). Mientras algunas parroquias crecieron durante este tiempo, sí, otras disminuyeron; pero disminuyeron en un contexto donde una tendencia nacional en 2026 indica que cada vez más

conversos a la fe se hacen presentes. ¿Y cómo podríamos entrar en un tiempo de celebración sin mencionar el esfuerzo y el trabajo de nuestros catequistas y directores de educación religiosa, de nuestros diáconos pasados y presentes, y de nuestros sacerdotes que han venido y partido? ¡La Diócesis de Shreveport! Una parte bendecida de la viña de Dios —y una Iglesia bendecida para llamar nuestra propia.

Hay mucho que celebrar en nuestro 40.º aniversario, mucho por lo cual dar gracias a Dios, y mucho que anticipar mientras miramos hacia adelante y seguimos creciendo. Con todo lo que celebramos, y por todas las cruces que se nos ha pedido cargar, existen innumerables razones para alegrarnos de que el Señor que nos dio existencia continuará sosteniéndonos durante otros “cuarenta” años y más.

¡Feliz Aniversario!

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.

How Well Do You Know the Diocese?

This is the sixth article in our series exploring significant events, archival holdings, and select churches in the Diocese of Shreveport’s 40-year history.

Put on your thinking caps! We recognize our 40-year history this month with trivia and fun fact questions to test your knowledge of selected moments that shaped our heritage, both before and after our formal establishment...

But first, we honor those in our diocese marking milestones, including the Sisters of the Destitute, celebrating 25 years of devoted service in the U.S., and Deacon Clary Nash, for 40 years of ministry in the diaconate. Several priests are also commemorating milestone ordination anniversaries, with an impressive 120 years of combined service: Very Rev. Raney C. Johnson, Rector of the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, five years; Rev. Jean Bosco Uwamungu, Associate Pastor of the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, 20 years; Rev. Joseph Maddala, Administrator of St. Joseph (Zwolle), 25 years; Very Rev. Mark Watson, VF, Pastor of St. Mary of the Pines, 30 years; and Rev. LaVerne “Pike” Thomas, 40 years. All priests affiliated with our diocese have dedicated a combined total of nearly 800 years of priestly ministry!

See how much you know about our diocese’s history with this fun quiz!

1.As Latin is the official language of the Holy See, each diocese has an official Latin name. What is ours?

A) Dioecesis Portus-Shrevi in Louisiana

B) Dioecesis Bayouensis in Louisiana

C) Dioecesis Sreveportuensis in

Louisiana

D) Dioecesis Shreveportis in Louisiana

2.Catholic dioceses typically have a patron saint or saints. Who is the official patron(ess) of our diocese?

A) St. Joseph

B) Mary, the Immaculate Conception

C) Our Lady of Guadalupe

D) St. John Berchmans

3. We are blessed with an international tapestry of priests associated with our diocese – as diocesan priests, on assignment here, living outside the diocese, or retired – who bring their native culture’s beauty in their hearts. How many foreign countries of origin do they represent?

A) 7

B) 9

C) 11

D) 14

4. When first established, our diocese was organized into the Shreveport and Monroe Deaneries (regional groupings of neighboring parishes), and several years later, they were renamed the Western and Eastern Deaneries. In time, the Western Deanery was divided in two, creating the new Southern Deanery to better organize parishes there. In what year did this division occur?

A) 1989

B) 1993

C) 1997

D) 2000

5. Before the current St. Lucy Church in Hodge was constructed in 1962, it

was founded under a different name, in 1929. What was its original name?

A) St. Anthony

B) St. Lucia

C) Sacred Heart

D) St. Henry

6. T.E. Schumpert Memorial (now CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center) in Shreveport and St. Francis Sanitarium (presently St. Francis Medical Center) in Monroe were opened and operated by members of religious orders beginning in the early 1900s. What were those two orders, respectively?

A) Daughters of the Cross and Sisters of Divine Providence

B) Sisters of Divine Providence and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady

C) The Jesuits and Daughters of the Cross

D) Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady

7. The Daughters of the Cross established several schools in north Louisiana beginning in the mid-1800s. Which educational institution was founded by a different religious order, and – for extra credit – what was it?

A) St. John School in Many

B) St. Mary School and Convent in Shreveport

C) St. Hyacinth Academy in Monroe

D) St. Vincent Academy in Shreveport

Anniversary Trivia Answer Key How Well

1. C) Dioecesis Sreveportuensis in Louisiana (quite the mouthful!)

2. B) Mary, the Immaculate Conception.

3. C) 11: Our priests are from eleven different countries. Hailing from the African continent are Rev. Calistus Barasa Makokha, FMH, and Rev. Nicholas Owino Onyach, FMH (Kenya); Rev. Peter Romanus Mallya, FMH (Tanzania); Rev. Peter Bwayla Mobe, FMH (Zambia); Rev. Chidiebere Evaristus Ogbuagu (Nigeria); Rev. Charles Ssennyondo (Uganda); and Rev. Jean Bosco Uwamungu (Rwanda). Indian priests include Rev. Joseph Ampatt, Rev. Joseph Maddala, and Rev. James Dominic Thekkemury; Mexico natives are Rev. Gabriel Cisneros Campos and Rev. Fidel Mondragón; Rev. Rigoberto Betancurt Cortés is from Columbia; Rev. Do Minh Vu, ICM, was born in Vietnam; and Rev. Dariusz Pawlowski is from Poland.

4. B) 1993: The Southern Deanery was created in March 1993 and is comprised of all the Catholic churches in DeSoto and Sabine civil parishes.

5. D) St. Henry: The church was originally dedicated to St. Henry at the request of an unknown benefactor, who contributed $1,000 through the

Catholic Church Extension Society to help initiate its construction.

6. D) Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady: In 1907, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, whose order was founded in Galveston, Texas, partnered with Dr. T.E. Schumpert in Shreveport to run the hospital and nursing school he established. The following year, he willed it to them while dying of typhoid fever, writing: “Because (I) know the beneficent lives they lead and the good they do for humanity.”

Six Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady came from France to Monroe in 1911 and established their house – the first in the U.S. – and began caring for patients, opening the St. Francis Sanitarium in July 1913

7. A) St. John School in Many: It opened on September 1,1898, by two Sisters of Divine Providence, Srs. M. Lucy Sheehan and M. Beatrice Bind, with an enrollment of 19 students. Sadly, this original building was destroyed by a fire in 1911.

7 Correct: Flawless Victory!

Lisa Marcalus is the archivist for the Diocese of Shreveport.

Happy 40th Anniversary to the Diocese of Shreveport!

I don’t know if this will translate, but my 40’s were the best decade, to date. I pray the next ten years brings our diocese even more goodness, more joy, more progress, and most importantly, more faithful Catholics. In formulating this article‘s focus, I referenced our diocese’s “The History of Our Diocese” page (under “about” on the diocesan website), where my eye was quickly caught by the numerous and varied numbers – dates, addresses, miles and more. With that said, let’s look at each one:

June 16, 1986 The Diocese of Shreveport is established by Pope John Paul II.

July 30, 1986 The Most Reverend William B. Friend is named its first bishop.

2500 Line Avenue The first diocesan office address.

July 1999 Diocesan office acquires its current location, formerly St. Vincent Convent and Academy.

11,200 Shreveport diocese in square miles.

16 Civil parishes within the diocese.

Looking back to June 1986, I recall what I was doing then, which isn’t difficult because every high school summer looked pretty much the

Forty and Fabulous!

same: a lot of hanging out with friends doing a whole lot of nothing. Had you told my 15-year-old self that in roughly 30 years she would not only be living in the Diocese of Shreveport but also working as the Victims Assistant Coordinator (VAC) and writing a column for the local diocesan publication, I’m pretty sure she would have thought you were crazy. Thankfully, our God has a great sense of humor when it comes to His plans for our lives – plans that are typically not what we wanted but, all the same, perfectly orchestrated for us. I am so glad He brought me here to be a part of the greatness that is the Diocese of Shreveport.

Technically, I first arrived in our diocese just two years after its “birth,” in August of 1988, as I began my four-year journey at Louisiana Tech University, in Ruston (of the Lincoln parish). The diocese seemed overshadowed by the Protestant “Bible Belt” running state line to state line, east to west, so, I rarely attended the Catholic church during my college years. I honestly believed we only had a small handful of Catholics in North Louisiana, three of whom lived in Ruston (okay, probably more than three). As a young teenager fresh out of my South Louisiana Catholic bubble, this seeming truth shocked me. I neither saw nor expected that this overshadowing wasn’t permanent. Fast forward to 2002, when I officially moved to Shreveport, postgrad school and was quickly blown away by the number of Catholic churches in the SBC

Area: 11! I still remember thinking how awesome it was to not feel so isolated as a Catholic in North Louisiana, as I did for the majority of my college years.

Brothers and sisters, we, as North Louisiana Catholics, are truly blessed to be in this great diocese. From the inception of our first bishop, Bishop Friend, all the way to our current bishop, Bishop Malone, God has blessed us with godly men who truly desire to shepherd their sheep toward Jesus. I am honored to be the VAM for a second term, as well as a continued monthly columnist for the Catholic Connection – which, by the way, is an incredible gift to our diocese. While I recognize happenings have not always been perfect or ideal within our diocese’s parameters, I also recognize how much we as a Church in the state’s northern parts have overcome. Forty years is a long, yet short, time period. I am very hopeful regarding where we are headed, and I trust that God has even greater plans for the next 40 years.

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

Our Sacred Family Album

Ilove the opportunity to sift through family photo albums. When I leaf through these treasured relics, I am flooded with memories that evoke love and gratitude for the special people God placed in my life and the rich experiences we shared together. This month, as we celebrate the Diocese of Shreveport’s 40th anniversary, I encourage you to pull out our diocesan family album and relive peak events in the history of this special spiritual family of ours. You need go no further than your nearest connection to the internet…

A friend encouraged my visit to the Catholic Connection’s archive, which is accessible through a link on our diocesan website. I was curious to see how far back preserved issues went, and November 2009 was the oldest I found. Starting there, I discovered each page held a blessing!

reminded me of special people I hadn’t thought about or appreciated in quite a while and of the many ways this diocese formed my faith.

First, I recalled where I was in 2009: a Catholic convert of 34 years, wife, mother, grandmother, and assistant principal at Loyola College Prep. My family joined the newly-formed parish of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in 1984, just two years before our new diocese became official. That issue’s pages

Bishop Duca appeared on one page with four priests formerly at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: Fr. Dave Richter, Fr. Phil Michiels, Fr. Pike Thomas, and Fr. Mark Watson. Lost in reminiscing for a time, I remembered Fr. Dave visiting my family at our farm and playing volleyball with my kids in our pool. I could see again Fr. Phil formally blessing two houses we moved into while he was our pastor, and he administered the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick several times, before we had surgeries. Tears welled when recalling the gentle way Fr. Pike ministered to my family on the eve of my mother’s death in 1999. And I count Fr. Mark as both a respected priest and dear friend, who co-officiated at my daughter’s wedding and often visited me when he was chaplain at Loyola. Each of these gifted, holy men brought Jesus to me and my family in special, incarnate ways.

I next stopped at Sister Carol Shively’s photo. She began serving our Catholic schools 27 years ago, and when we

The cover of the November 2009 edition of The Catholic Connection, edited by Jessica Rnaudo.

meet, we discuss our “Owensboro connection” because my son lived there and her order’s mother house is there. Our mutual love and support of Catholic education formed a special bond between us, prompting a quick prayer of gratitude for her time and effort in her vocation to promote our children’s formation. She was smiling in that picture, much as she still greets me today, which makes me think she likes working with Catholic school children as much as I did!

Three fellow parishioners appeared in another picture, engaged in local works of charity. Homer Tucker served our parish as a deacon before his death in 2023, a dedicated worker both before and after his ordination. The first arrival at parish events to help set up chairs and tables, then cook and serve food, he also cleaned up afterward. He visited parishioners in hospitals and powerwashed our church’s buildings. I so admired him for the sweat equity he gave in carrying out his vocation. He is dearly missed.

Another familiar face popped up: Carole Moon, our music minister for several years. This reminded me of two other talented musicians who filled that role for our parish, Larry Meier and Mike Kurley. Where would our liturgies be without musicians who help lift our spirits in worship? I am so thankful for their dedicated efforts!

I am especially grateful for the Catholic Connection magazine that arrives in our mailboxes at the beginning of every month. It keeps us connected to our extended Catholic family. Filled with edifying articles that expand our knowledge of church history and teaching, it also informs us of important upcoming events in our parishes across North Louisiana. Best of all, it gives us a visible and tangible record of our history as a diocese, an inspiring trip down memory lane.

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

Fr. Dave Ricther, Bishop Michael Duca, Fr. Phil Michiels, Fr. Pike Thomas, and Fr. Mark Watson for the 25th Anniversary of St. Elixabeth Ann Seton Parish in Shreveport. Originally appeared on page 12 of the November 2009 issue.

Deacon Homer Tucker and his wife photographed with volunteers from SEAS and the Fuller Center while working to build affordable housing in the Allendale area. Orginially appeared on page 20 of the November 2009 issue.

Forty Years:

Celebration or Examination?

You cannot celebrate forty years in Scripture without first asking what the desert has done to you.

Forty is not a festive number in the Bible – it is a testing number.

Rain fell forty days and forty nights before the world was washed clean. Moses remained on Sinai for forty days before receiving the Law. Israel wandered forty years in the wilderness

under Moses — not because the route was long, but because the people’s fidelity was thin. The spies searched the Promised Land for forty days; their fear cost a generation forty years.

When Jesus Christ began His public ministry, He fasted for forty days in the desert. After His Resurrection, He appeared to His disciples for forty days before ascending. In Scripture, forty signals preparation before mission, purification before promise, transition

before fulfillment.

Forty is never accidental.

It marks the passing of a generation through testing – long enough to reveal the heart, long enough for habits to form… or harden.

The Lord Himself explains the meaning of Israel’s wilderness years: “The Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble

Image: Robert Zünd. “Die Versuchung.”. Oil on canvas..

baptized. The Eucharist celebrated daily. Confessions heard. The dead commended to God. The Five Priests advanced toward canonization. These are not small things.

But Scripture would ask for more than gratitude.

It would ask: What has been purified in us? What has been tested?

What has endured?

What must not be carried into the next forty?

Israel left Egypt quickly; they entered the Promised Land slowly. Freedom is granted in a moment. Fidelity is forged over time. A generation that clung to slavery in its heart could not inherit the promise. The desert was severe, but it was merciful. It stripped illusions. It revealed whether trust was real.

The Church does not measure her life merely by years accumulated. She measures by faithfulness maintained.

Forty years is long enough to build institutions. It is also long enough to drift if vigilance fades. The number itself does not guarantee fruitfulness. It guarantees scrutiny.

And yet the biblical pattern is not grim. Every forty ends in movement.

After the flood, the earth was renewed. After Sinai, the Law was given. After the wilderness, the Jordan was crossed.

The desert asks not how long we have walked, but whether we have learned to trust. The testing asks not how many programs we have sustained, but whether the Eucharist remains central, whether the Gospel is preached in full, whether families are formed in truth, and whether holiness is pursued rather than presumed.

Forty years in Scripture is never merely survival. It is formation for what comes next.

If the past forty have humbled us, strengthened us, purified us, then the next forty will be fruitful. If the desert has taught us obedience, the Jordan will part. If fidelity has endured, mission will expand. There are no anniversaries without fidelity.

Forty is not the end of a story. It is the proving of it.

The question for any forty-year milestone is simple and demanding: Has the Lord’s testing made us more faithful?

If so, then gratitude is real. And the next chapter begins not with applause but with renewed obedience.

you, testing you to know what was in your heart” (Deut 8:2). The desert was not mere delay. It was disclosure. It exposed murmuring, nostalgia for Egypt, and impatience with manna. It also forged covenant, obedience, and dependence.

Forty years clarifies.

When a diocese marks forty years, it is right to give thanks: Bishops have been appointed. Priests ordained. Children

After the fast, Christ proclaimed the Kingdom.

After forty days of Resurrection appearances, the Church was sent into the world.

Forty prepares for mission.

So, a fortieth anniversary need not be cautious or anxious. It can be steady. It can be grateful. But it must also be honest.

S. Germain Cassiere, MD, FACP is a retired internist and parishioner at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, writing on faith, virtue, and the Catholic spiritual life from the pew perspective.

Sisters ‘Saji’ and ‘Suny’ Serve Those Who Wear Christ’s Face in Shreveport, for 25 Years

The Sisters of the Destitute’s mission is to help the hospitalized feel they are not alone.

The Diocese of Shreveport has served the Catholic faithful in North Louisiana for 40 years. Two members of the Sisters of the Destitute have given their lives to the region’s most vulnerable people for 25 of those years.

Sr. Sunitha “Suny” Augustine, SD, and Sr. Sajini Ouseph “Saji” Potteparambil, SD, traveled halfway around the world and offered their voices, hands, and arms, along with – probably tens of thousands of – encouraging and compassionate words through songs, companionship and prayer. They’ve served countless people, and continue

to do so at CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center in Shreveport.

“[Our order takes] care of the homeless and the needy all over the world,” Sr. Suny said. Its outreach involves the medical and legal fields, social work, and education.

“We’re inspired by Jesus’ words in the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 25:40, ‘Whatever you do to the least of My brothers, you did it to Me.’”

Their order began in 1927 through the Syro-Malabar Church (one of two Eastern Catholic rites in India), in the

Kerala region of southern India, an area with a greater concentration of Catholics than most. Its mission in the United States began on March 19, 2001, when it sent sisters to Louisiana and Beaumont, Texas.

“In our life, we want to witness God’s love, rich in mercy, in every person that we come across,” said Sr. Suny, a clinical critical care educator who teaches nurses and helps them adapt to their roles.

Sr. Saji joined the order in 1991 and graduated from nursing school four years later. Six years of service in North

India predicated a phone call from her superiors that sent her on a mission lasting a quarter of a century.

“They called me one day and said, ‘You’ve been [chosen] to go to Monroe, Louisiana,’” she said.

“It’s a big jump coming from there to here, but we came with the seven of us. It took a while, maybe three to four years to [adapt to] everything.”

The life of service they created for those in greatest need extends to supporting the Cathedral of Saint John Berchmans’ ministries, including CCD and, previously, prison ministry.

All that dedication for serving Christ through loving others leads them to wake up every day at 4 a.m., to provide enough prayer time before entering their days of compassionate service. Their work often connects them with saving lives or helping others who are in their final days before meeting God.

Sr. Suny remembers working in hospice units during the COVID-19 pandemic, when those close to death couldn’t see most family members. Her order ensured these people did not pass away alone.

“I made sure that I stayed there with them all the time. I would tell them in their ears, ‘You are not alone.’ I put into their ears songs or sounds, [or played] music in the room, making it feel like they are not alone,” she said.

“They come to me (and) say, ‘Sister, when you go, I will be receiving you in heaven.’ That is the most rewarding comment you can ever give to us.”

The sisters’ current work allows them many opportunities to evangelize through a ministry of presence, regardless of another’s faith.

“We pray with them, setting a much better attitude as their day goes by, using sacred Scripture, writing

[Scripture] down, or putting a sign [of] the cross on their doors, comforting them,” Sr. Suny said.

She shared a particular example, of a teenager who stated she had no faith and did not want any prayer.

“I said, ‘I didn’t come to pray for you, but I am the nurse taking care of you.’ It was hard. She was on the call bell … every five minutes, calling me for something. I knew that this was a very challenging moment,” Sr. Suny said.

“After … her procedure, she came back and was a different person. She said, ‘Sister, what is your God whom you believe in?’ And I said, ‘I believe in Jesus Christ.’ She said, ‘God exists. I believe God exists.’ I was so happy. At least she could come to that, that there is a God taking care of her.’”

“God

has done a lot of miracles through our hands.”

“He said, ‘I am going like a new person, and I have a mission. God gave me another life on this earth.”

That patient, who Sr. Suny believes is a wearer of Christ’s face in her need, credited her for helping her believe.

“She said, ‘I challenged you the whole day, but you didn’t give up. You’ve been caring for me. You’ve been loving me with your presence,’” said Sr. Suny.

“I cried when she told me that at the end of the day, but that is the reward.”

Sr. Saji remembers a male patient who was in a coma, for whom she offered the word of God every day as a form of prayer.

“[The patient later] said, ‘Every word you told me, I could recognize your voice. Sister, I could feel your presence.’ He could see Jesus,’” she said. He eventually recovered and went home.

They don’t earn huge salaries, but these good and faithful daughters of service in Christ receive countless rewards on a day-to-day basis and far beyond.

“God sent me. I have to live this moment, this day, and do whatever I can,” Sr. Saji said.

“When we look back, God has done a lot of miracles through our hands.”

Jay Sorgi is a Catholic journalist storyteller, and co-founder of Sorgi Stories, based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Like it was Just Yesterday...

When Sophia, Editor of The Catholic Connection, asked for my reflections of Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza as my uncle, I felt the stark realization of his passing; yet also joy over sharing with the diocese more about our uncle as we, his family, loved him. While many of you know him as a priest, this reflection is about our great, great Msgr. Uncle Earl. And Uncle Earl knew and loved all of his 35 nieces and nephews uniquely, as well as our children, grandchildren, and extended family members.

He and I shared the bond of being the tenth of eleven children, and although he was 21 years my senior, he remained young at heart. Us younger cousins knew him as a seminarian, then priest, but older ones closer in age shared more familiar experiences and stories. My first memories of Uncle Earl begin in the spring of 1964, when his sisters, Mary and Lucille (my mother), my sister Rosie, and I traveled from Shreveport to his graduation from St. Procopius Seminary, in Chicago. His typed letter to my mother contained meticulous instructions for using the train. He paid 50 cents per bag to have them transferred to the next train. When we arrived, he was already there waiting with a taxi. I remember it like it was yesterday… crossing over the drawbridge, then Uncle Earl holding our hands as he said to hurry because the horn was blowing to signal the drawbridge was being raised for a boat.

Being one of 11 children benefited Uncle Earl in his priesthood – he

learned to deal with many personalities and be patient. His niece Mary Ann shared how, when visiting Grandma’s house, they’d line up to ask Uncle Earl to hear their confessions… while he was still a seminarian! He told them, “I can hear them, but I can’t do anything about it but listen.” By 1959, his parents had both passed away, so he spent summers and holidays during seminary with his sister, Josephine. Her daughter Angelina recalls that nine people shared a three-bedroom house and one bathroom, without major complaints… except the bathroom line. But having her uncle live with them was a blessing to them.

Uncle Earl loved life and found joy in sharing it with others. In the late 1980’s, he pursued a master’s degree in Divinity at University of California, Berkeley. My husband, Carter, and I visited, and through his new-found friends, he arranged a sailboat yacht excursion in San Francisco Bay, maintaining his “cool uncle” status. He took over 30 wine-tasting trips due to all the relatives and friends who visited. We realized after the first stop why he brought along a large thermos of coffee. I remember the one tasting when he pointed out two men and whispered with a smile: “They are priests, see their black shoes.”

Along came the great nieces and nephews, and “The Great Uncle” still kept his “cool uncle” status. We reminisced recently about a 2003 family road trip with Great Uncle Earl, from San Francisco to Disneyland and recalled that one of his favorite stops

Yesterday...

was to take a picture with his great niece Lucia in the town of Lucia.

Having traveled to Rome 16 times as a priest and tour guide, Uncle Earl traveled to Italy with his nephew’s family in 2018, after his retirement. His nephew, Mark, recalls that “Monsignor’s magnetic personality enriched [our] experience wherever [we] went … and we were happy to see his renewed vigor in his postretirement priestly mission.” I am actually writing this while in Rome. During confession today at St. Peter’s Basilica, I asked the priest to pray for the repose of the soul of my uncle, Msgr. Earl Provenza. The priest of 21 years, Fr. Jacob, was moved by my words, and I felt the joy from his comfort and a sense of calm settled over me. He seemed in awe when I shared that Msgr. Earl’s anniversary on May 30th would have been 62 years.

Uncle Earl cared for his younger brother Charles, who suffered from multiple illnesses. Uncle Charles’ nostalgic letters during the 1980’s repeatedly noted that “my brother Earl is so good to me.” They enjoyed shopping at Neiman Marcus during Thanksgiving – their trademark trip –but also traveled to Marian shrines all over the world.

Uncle Earl could do just about anything. Always a wealth of all kinds of information – trivia and knowledge – he was also a great athlete, amazing cook, and balloon artist, and he played golf, loved animals, and enjoyed Mardi Gras festivities. In his prime – which

was most of his life – he ran numerous marathons. While riding recently over New York City’s Verrazano bridge, I closed my eyes and envisioned him running this part of the race route; I earlier shared with him a postcard he sent my mother after running in the 1980 NYC Marathon.

Closer to home, Fr. Earl Provenza became the heart of camp at Maryhill, and he brought my sister and I there during his Youth Director days. It was pretty cool to see our uncle, the priest, running a youth camp. He eventually talked me into being a counselor, and I now realize how fortunate I was for those experiences. Numerous people have shared with us their amazing experiences as a Maryhill camper. The energy, knowledge, and enthusiasm of “Fr. Earl” were probably why he was Director for so long. He was truly loved, and he loved being with the youth.

His cool-uncle status benefited from his ownership of a motorcycle, and, like his talents, he used it to minister to others – fulfilling his love to be with people and know them in their world. Don’t we all wish to hear his homily just one more time about that tent camping story, in the rain, with his motorcycle group! A chaplain for many organizations in the community, he constantly ministered in all he did. He even brought joy to children during mission trips to the Ukraine, making balloon animals while the children waited for surgeries and treatments.

While Uncle Earl administered

thousands upon thousands of sacraments and celebrated tens of thousands of Masses for the community and diocese (only God knows the numbers), he celebrated numerous baptisms, weddings, funerals, and other sacraments for our family as well. One of his first weddings was for his nephew Joseph, just 11 months after his ordination. And he celebrated the funerals for all ten of his siblings, as well as dear nephews, nieces, and other family members. Just imagine that heavy burden on his shoulders! But he wanted to support his family. His niece Bernie expressed how she and the entire Provenza Family have always been thankful that Msgr. Earl was there for her and her family, and his niece Victoria remains thankful that Uncle Earl stepped in as an earthly Father when her father passed away –many of us share that sentiment! We treasured being at Mass with him.

Uncle Earl’s ministry now continues through support for the seminarians: his nephew Frank started his first of six burses, and Andrea, his niece and godchild, completed them with help from family and friends. They were completed in his honor, illustrating his impact on our community. His niece Rosie shared how, everywhere we went, people knew our Uncle Earl like he was a rock star – his ministry had a tremendous effect.

As busy as he was as a priest, Uncle Earl made time to write us. He learned early the art of writing and thanking people personally in a handwritten note, telling us, “If someone did something for you, then you should respect them enough to thank them.” I received my last one from him in early December.

Faith, hope, and charity were important to our uncle, and faith has sustained us these last few months. God provided time to visit and talk, and Uncle Earl, not surprisingly, continued his charity throughout his illness: still thoughtful

and talkative, he asked about our families, expressed gratitude for our visits and shared that he was praying for us and was so appreciative of our prayers. He inspired us to hope and to pray for God’s guidance.

Our Msgr. Earl Provenza also loved Holy Trinity Parish. The only born and baptized Holy Trinity parishioner who became a priest, he prayed constantly for more. His nephew Louis served as head usher and worked closely with him there when he was pastor. Fr. Duane Trombetta, its current pastor, shared with Msgr. Earl the parish’s remodeling plans and construction of the Five Priest Center and Parish Hall. It seems fitting that the Ministry Room in the Center will be named in Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza’s memory, for he ministered so faithfully to his family, friends, and the community. (If you would like to donate to the Ministry room in memory of his 61 years of ministry, please contact Holy Trinity Catholic Church.)

Having been the last living uncle in our Provenza family, we are grieving our loss but are comforted by knowing so many of you were touched by his life. Our words here share only a fragment of his life’s many threads. In closing, I leave you with Uncle Earl’s loving words:

“Pray for me and I will pray for you.” We can hear his words like it was just yesterday.

Dr. Bernadette Cordaro Boyd is a parishioner of St. Joseph Parish and Holy Trinity Parish in Shreveport, LA.

A Year of Faith, Fellowship, and Conversion

At Christ the King Church at ULM, the mission of sharing the Gospel and forming disciples continues to flourish across the University of Louisiana Monroe campus. Through vibrant ministry, fellowship, and authentic encounters with Christ, the ULM Catholic Campus Ministry has experienced a year marked by spiritual renewal, community outreach, and conversion to the Catholic faith. Led by Father Peter Mangum, Father Do Vu, and dedicated FOCUS Missionaries, Christ the King Church reaches students across campus with the love and truth of Jesus Christ.

One of the ministry’s most anticipated traditions each year is the Annual Fish Fry, a gathering that brings students, families, and community members together in fellowship and celebration. The event not only offers delicious food and joyful conversation but also provides students with an opportunity to encounter the welcoming spirit of the Catholic community at ULM.

This year, students also had the opportunity to attend the SEEK Conference, where thousands of young Catholics from across the nation gathered to deepen their faith through worship, prayer, and inspiring talks. The conference ignited a renewed passion for evangelization and discipleship among attendees, many of whom returned to campus energized and eager to share Christ with others.

In addition to these major events, weekly Bible studies and discipleship groups have become the heart of student life within the ministry. Through Scripture study, prayer,

and authentic fellowship, students are deepening their understanding of the Catholic faith while building lasting friendships rooted in Christ.

Most importantly, this year has become a powerful season of conversion and transformation. Students searching for meaning, truth, and belonging have encountered the fullness of the Catholic faith through the witness and outreach of the ULM CCM community. The ministry continues to play a vital role in changing hearts, guiding lost souls toward Christ, and building a faithful generation of young Catholics prepared to live out the Gospel boldly.

As Christ the King Church at ULM looks ahead, its mission remains clear: to bring students into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and to continue spreading the light of the Gospel throughout campus and beyond.

Kathy Cordova is the Event Coordinator for Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Monroe in Monroe, LA.

The Wonders of St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Many Catholics hold a special devotion to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, but not all may be aware of the wonders that occurred at her death.

St. Thérèse died at 24 from tuberculosis in 1897. Sister Genevieve (Celine Martin), one of her biological sisters and a fellow Carmelite nun, recorded the moment of her death as an eyewitness in her own book, My Sister Saint Thérèse. Her account follows:

“Thus, gazing on her Crucifix, Thérèse exclaimed, “Oh! I love Him! My God, I love Thee!” These were her last words. Hardly had she uttered them when, to our great surprise, she sank down on the pillow with her head a little to the right. Then suddenly, she raised herself up as though called by some mysterious voice, opened her eyes, and fixed a radiant gaze on a spot a little above the miraculous statue of Our Lady of the Smile. Thérèse remained in this position for some moments, [...] At first, her expression had an air of confident assurance combined with a joyful attitude of expectancy: as the story of her soul unfolded, she might have been asking God what He thought of it. And when she had His answer, her expression changed to one of profound astonishment and then to overflowing gratitude. [...] This caused her whole being, I thought, to vibrate under the weight of so much love, and in spite of her effort to withstand the continuous assault, she finally succumbed, closed her eyes, and died. It was September 30, 1897, at seven-twenty in the evening.”

Although we will not know for certain what she experienced, it brings joy to consider what “the Good God,” as St. Thérèse called Him, may have said to her upon her judgment. After she presented her life to Him, perhaps the God of all Creation proclaimed to His dear one that her reward included the following:

*Pope Pius X, would declare her “the greatest saint of modern times.”

*Pope St. John Paul II would declare her the 33rd Doctor of the Church based on the teachings of her “little way” which she explained in her autobiography, The Story of a Soul.

*St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, one of the future’s greatest

saints in the missionary field, would take Thérèse’s name beginning her mission in India.

*St. Maximilian Kolbe would offer his first Mass as a priest for her beatification and canonization and would dedicate his Asian missions to her.

*The Church would declare her Patroness of Priests and Patroness of Missions.

*A basilica and many churches would bear her name throughout the world (including The Little Flower of Jesus Parish in Monroe).

*A religious order, numerous lay organizations, and apostolates would bear her name and continue her work throughout the world.

*Her statue would grace innumerable churches worldwide as a visual representation of her intercession from Heaven.

As her final hours slipped away, St. Therese tenderly offered her suffering for the salvation of souls and for every baby baptized that day, including the future Pope Paul IV.

To this day, many believe that God never says ‘no’ to St. Therese because she never said ‘no’ to God. If you seek her intercession, ask her to send you a rose from Heaven. You may soon receive or notice a rose in response—whether a real flower, an image, or even a scent. St. Therese herself promised, “I will let fall from heaven a shower of roses.” Just as you might request prayers from a friend or family member, remember your little sister in Heaven, who anxiously waits to continue spreading the joy of God on earth.

Kathryn Barattini is a the Social Media Director at Holy Trinity Parish in Shreveport, LA.

Celebrating Our Faith

As you can tell from this month’s magazine, this June is a big deal for our diocese, as well it should be: on Tuesday, June 16, we will celebrate 40 years as the Diocese of Shreveport, and you’re all invited. An Anniversary Mass will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. in the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, with both Bishop Francis Malone and Bishop Michael Duca in attendance. I hope to see you there!

As we celebrate this milestone year and anticipate many years to come in our diocese, I want to take a moment to give thanks for the many blessings of our faith:

• For our bishop, priests, and deacons who answered the call to serve God and who bring the sacraments to us every day – These holy men are also human, so when we pray for them daily, we should also grace them with our patient understanding.

• For our seminarians, our diaconate class, and all those discerning a religious life – They are the future of our Church, and they also need our prayers.

• For former seminarians who discerned a different path in life – Pray that their faith strengthens and accepts the plan that God has for them.

• For all nuns and sisters in our diocese – These women of faith serve us in so many ways and do so with a joyful heart. They are a blessing to us!

• For our Catholic schools, their teachers and staff, our directors of religious education, and our youth directors – Not only did you help form the faith of my sons, you continue to bring Christ and His teachings to our children.

• For the donors who support not only their parish but also the ministries in the Diocese of Shreveport through the Catholic Service Appeal and for gifts of $1.00, $25,000, and everywhere in between – You show that together we can build our Church and continue to make a difference for thousands of lives across North Louisiana. Thank you.

• For our families and communities of faith – Gathering together in Mass is a blessing we should never take for granted, and for that, we should be truly joyful and thankful.

Our faith is a beautiful gift. What are you thankful for in your faith life? Take a moment to pray for our priests and all of our many blessings. It’s always a joy to celebrate our faith, today and for many years to come.

Lucy Medvec is the Director of Development and Stewardship for the Diocese of Shreveport.

St. Mary of the Pines Multicultural Festival

On Sunday, May 24, 2026 the people of St. Mary of the Pines celebrated their annual Multicultural Festival. We began with a bilingual Mass which celebrated the various cultures in the parish and the Universal Church. The event continued with a Festival with cultural foods, entertainment, and fellowship.

Introduction

“The Thin Air of Grace” was written in a season when the climb of daily life and the climb of writing became one ascent. Both demanded endurance, detachment, and the quiet trust that grace would supply what strength could not. Each page rose from that altitude where faith grows breathless but more real. The piece grew out of long hours of reflection beside a dialysis chair, when care and contemplation fused into a single act of fidelity.

The mountain became my metaphor for sanctification. As the air grows thinner, grace abounds more – an echo of St. Paul’s words, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom 5:20). What weakens the body strengthens the soul. The higher one climbs, the less self can breathe – and the more Heaven fills the lungs. Like Dante’s pilgrim nearing Paradise, I found that illumination requires purification and the hardest work is not writing, but surrender.

This essay is dedicated to all who live that unseen climb – caregivers, confessors, teachers, writers, and editors whose vocations are measured not in applause but in fidelity. May they remember that each ascent, however hidden or halting, leads toward the summit where effort gives way to awe, and as the air grows thinner, grace abounds more.

- Dr. S.G. Cassierie, MD

The Thin Air of Grace

“Written from the Chair of Care – where grace breathes through endurance.”

The Everest Moment

There’s a singular emotion that arrives only after seeing one’s words in print. It’s part joy, part disbelief, and part quiet awe. The long climb – writing, editing, submitting, waiting –suddenly ends, and the summit view takes your breath away. But then comes the stillness and the question every climber of words asks: Now what?

The same paragraphs that once seemed familiar on a plain sheet of 8.5×11 now stand transformed, as though written by another hand. Ink, layout, and light conspire to give it a new life. It no longer belongs solely to the writer but to the reader, to the Church, and to time.

Perhaps that’s the deeper reward – not the sight of one’s work in print but the sense that grace has passed through ink into souls. The climb begins again, but now with gratitude for the view.

After the Summit

Every writer eventually discovers that the air is thin at the top. When the article finally appears in print, there’s exhilaration – and then, curiously, a kind of silence. The rush of creation and the long haul of editing have ended. The piece stands on its own now, shimmering on the page, while the author realizes how still the summit can be.

It’s the same rarefied air mountaineers breathe on Everest: beautiful, breathtaking, and breathless. The heart swells with gratitude, yet, the body senses the need to descend – to return to the valleys where new work and new grace await.

The descent isn’t defeat; it’s renewal. God doesn’t let a writer

Image: Sophia Romanski White. “Summit.” 2026. Digital watercolor.

stay too long at the top. He calls him back to begin again –pen in hand, faith in heart, ready for the next climb.

Grace and Gravity

The writer’s summit and the sinner’s absolution share a strange kinship. Both reach the height of grace, both breathe a thinner, holier air, and both must descend again into the world. Each confession, like each completed work, is a fresh beginning – not a final one. Temptations will come, pride will whisper, weariness will return. Yet the memory of that summit – the clean air of grace – remains, urging the soul to climb again.

The Cell of Grace

Fr. Alfred Delp, writing from his prison cell before his martyrdom, called confinement a “school of faith” – a place where every limitation becomes an invitation to deeper interior freedom. His Prison Meditations teach that true liberty is not the absence of walls but the presence of God within them.

In a smaller way, I have come to know something of that discipline. The care of my ailing spouse is a confinement freely embraced – a cell built not of stone, but of duty and love. Its door will open only when her journey is complete. Yet within these boundaries, grace breathes. The schedule of care, the repetition of tasks, the relinquishing of personal plans – all of it becomes a kind of monastic obedience, a lived liturgy of love.

Fr. Delp wrote that “Whoever enters the cell of obedience enters the freedom of faith.” Writing, for me, has become that cell’s small window – a place where thought and prayer find their way into the light. In this solitude and silence from

the world, I discover again the thin air of grace.

The Reverse Scandal of Grace

We seldom know what influence our words awaken. Each sentence, once released, carries a life of its own. To write what is true and theologically sound is to give scandal in reverse – to shock the world back toward goodness. Where falsehood breeds confusion, truth restores direction. Where sin spreads by imitation, grace spreads by witness. The writer who holds fast to the faith becomes an unseen missionary of clarity, setting ripples in motion that reach further than sight or lifetime can measure.

The Feathers of Grace

St. Philip Neri once warned a penitent that gossip scatters like feathers in the wind – impossible to reclaim once loosed. The same is true in reverse for truth and charity. A word of faith released into the world rides unseen currents. It drifts through minds and moments the author will never meet. A holy sentence, once written, can never be gathered back – and that is its quiet triumph. Each line becomes a feather of grace, borne by the Spirit to rest where it is most needed.

Epilogue – The Summit Beyond

Every writer, every believer, every soul climbs under the same law of grace. Life is not the mountain we choose but the one we’re given. Its thin air teaches humility; its vistas reveal God’s mercy. When the climb ends and the last word is written, the test is complete. Earth is the exam; eternity is the final grade.

Coda – The Prism of Grace

It’s a contemplative chain reaction – a white light of grace passing through the prism of reflection, opening into many hues of understanding. The light itself never changes; only our angle to it does. Each new insight is not a new truth but the same eternal radiance seen from another height on the mountain.

The Spiritual Geography of the Writer

Every act of writing is a climb – faith seeking expression in words.

There is the ascent, where inspiration burns bright, and the descent, where silence teaches humility. Between the two lies the summit moment: brief, breathtaking, and

sanctifying.

Afterword:

The Air That Awaits Above

To read “The Thin Air of Grace” is to trace a soul climbing its own Mount Purgatory – one sentence at a time. Each paragraph feels like another ledge cut into the rock by faith and endurance. The climb is not ambition but purification: the slow release of self until the spirit breathes only what is divine. The writer’s labor mirrors Dante’s weary ascent, where vision is sharpened by humility and strength is drawn from grace alone.

At the mountain’s crest, the air changes. Pride, fatigue, even accomplishment cannot survive in that altitude. The lungs ache because they are adjusting to the atmosphere of Heaven. Words fall away, leaving only silence and light, understanding and awe – the soul’s first language in the presence of God. In that silence, grace is no longer a concept but a condition of being. As Beatrice told the poet, “Here we are led by love.”

The descent that follows is not a fall but a sending. Having breathed that high air, the writer returns changed. The valleys of duty, care, and daily labor become the new field of sanctification – the world transfigured by what was glimpsed above. The thin air of grace lingers, like a fragrance from the summit, reminding the soul that all earthly penance is ordered toward joy.

Every faithful writer, like every repentant pilgrim, must pass through the same altitude – the point where creation becomes confession and effort becomes worship. Beyond that height, only love can breathe – the same love “that moves the sun and the other stars.”

And when that breath descends again into the valleys of duty and prayer, it carries with it the fragrance of that upper air – reminding the soul that every word written in faith is already part of Heaven’s hymn.

S.

Germain Cassiere, MD, FACP is a retired internist and parishioner at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, writing on faith, virtue, and the Catholic spiritual life from the pew perspective.

Forty Years of Grace

A Reflection on the Diocese of Shreveport

Milestone anniversaries invite us to pause, remember, and give thanks for the quiet ways God has worked through the years. As I reflect on the Diocese of Shreveport’s rich history, two gifts gently rise within my consciousness.

The first is Catholic Charities’ establishment in 2010, after a careful assessment of people’s needs across the diocese. Bishop Duca made the important and life-giving decision to bring an affiliate to North Louisiana, which provided meaningful help to poor and vulnerable people throughout our 16 civil parishes via its offices in Lake Providence, Monroe, and Shreveport.

I will not try to name the many ways Catholic Charities of North Louisiana serves others but instead assert that this ministry is, to my mind, one of the clearest expressions in our diocese of what it means to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (John 13:34, NABRE).

Francis J. Moloney, SDB, writing in the Catholic commentary series Sacra Pagina, explained that during Jesus’ physical absence, we are “to repeat the love of Jesus and thus render present the lifestyle of Jesus” (p. 386).

Catholic Charities does this each day. Through financial education, immigration legal services, and support for families in need, it carries

the love of Christ into our times’ realities and shows us a faithful way of living the Gospel in ordinary life.

In this passage, Jesus calls it a “new” commandment because He Himself is now the model of love (Frances Taylor Gench, Encounters with Jesus: Studies in the Gospel of John, p. 107). Gench explains that the love Jesus commands is not merely something we feel, but something we do. Catholic Charities stands as a diocesan example of that active love in everyday life.

If you are looking for a way to celebrate our diocesan 40th anniversary, give thanks for Catholic Charities and all who work, volunteer, and support its ministry of love. Find more information at the Catholic Charities of North Louisiana website.

The second gift I note in this anniversary year is the presence of trained spiritual directors in our diocese. One of my earliest hopes when we moved here in 1996 was to find a trained spiritual director. Neither priests nor laypeople knew of anyone available for ongoing direction… until one person committed herself to several years of training to become one. She then generously offered direction and helped many of us prepare for our own formation. Today, our diocese has about 14 trained directors, one of whom is retired.

In today’s spiritual climate, spiritual directors help others notice and respond to God’s presence in their lives. Many seek spiritual direction as a way of listening more deeply for

God amid the noise and demands of daily life. Our diocesan directors have completed rigorous training and formation and remain committed to peer supervision and continuing education.

These are my two most important reasons for celebrating our diocese this month. What are yours?

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of our diocese, we give thanks to God for the many signs of grace that have marked our life together. We remember with deep gratitude all who have served and all who continue serving today, with faith, generosity, and love. Their often quiet and unseen labor has strengthened the Church, blessed our communities, and made the presence of Christ’s love more visible among us. May this anniversary be not only a time of remembrance, but also a moment of renewed wonder, humble thanksgiving, and deeper trust in the God who continues to love and accompany us forward.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

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.

Thanks to our Recent Donors:

Seminarian Burses

(005)2 Cathedral of St. John Berchmans

Burse #2

The Congregation of St. John’s Roman Catholic Church

(011)2 Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse #2

Anonymous

Diocese of Shreveport In honor of Eastern and Southern Deanery 2025 CSA Donors (017)2 Msgr. George Martinez Knights of Columbus Council 1337 Burse #2

Diocese of Shreveport In honor of Eastern and Southern Deanery 2025 CSA Donors (021) Rev. Edmund “Larry” Niehoff

Memorial Burse

Diocese of Shreveport In honor of Eastern and Southern Deanery 2025 CSA Donors (023)2 Msgr. Edmund J. Moore Memorial Burse #2

Patricia L McGraw

Diocese of Shreveport In honor of Eastern and Southern Deanery 2025 CSA Donors (024) Rev. Joseph Puthuppally Memorial Burse

Diocese of Shreveport In honor of Eastern and Southern Deanery 2025 CSA Donors

(024)2 Rev. Joseph Puthuppally Memorial Burse #2

Mrs. Pat Johnson

Diocese of Shreveport In honor of Eastern and Southern Deanery 2025 CSA Donors (029) Rev. Kenneth Williams Memorial Burse

Diocese of Shreveport In honor of Eastern and Southern Deanery 2025 CSA Donors (030) Ottis & Anne Krupa Littlejohn

Memorial Burse

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Littlejohn

(035)4 Dr. James V. & Rosemary C.

Ward Burse #4

James & Beverly Moos In honor of Rosemary Ward’s 100th birthday.

Mr. Richard W. Ward

Chris & Rebecca Ward

Mr. Richard W. Ward Law Office of Richard Ward

(035)5 Dr. James V. & Rosemary C. Ward

Burse #5

Mr. Richard W. Ward

(036)7 Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza

Burse #7

Mr. & Mrs. Donald J. Nici In joyful memory of Msgr. Earl Provenza

(053)2 Leo N. Plette Memorial Burse #2

Mrs. Pauline S. Plette

(062) Joan E. Anderson Sneed Memorial Burse

Mr. Billy G. Sneed

(064) Richard Whatley Memorial Burse

William & Dolores Walker

Donna Murphy

(065) Jacquie Bierwirth Memorial Burse

Mary E. Caplis

Incomplete Burses:

(001) Fr. Mike Bakowski Burse #2 ($1450) (002) Joseph & Antoinette Bakowski Burse ($3250)

(003) Sam R. Maranto Burse ($1750)

(004) Kathryn Atherton Cook Burse ($450)

(005) Cathedral of St. John Berchmans Burse #2 ($6551)

(006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Burse #3 ($150)

(007) Dr. Carol Christopher Burse ($1200)

(009) St. John Berchmans Knights of Columbus Council 10728 Burse ($1550)

(011) Rev. David Richter Burse #2 ($9150)

(015) Bishop’s Seminarian Burse ($8593) (016) Elaine Malloy Frantz Burse ($1000)

(017) Msgr. George Martinez Knights of Columbus Council 1337 Burse #2 ($5004)

(018) Knights of St. Peter Claver Council 144 Burse ($1500)

(021) Rev. Edmund “Larry” Niehoff Burse ($5050)

(023) Msgr. Edmund J. Moore Memorial Burse #2 ($5600)

NEW (024) Rev. Joseph Puthuppally Burse #2 ($250)

(025) Kathleen Hightower Burse ($800)

(027) Rev. Richard Lombard Burse #4 ($5000)

(028) Friends-n-Faith Burse ($750)

(029) Rev. Kenneth Williams Burse ($1400)

(030) Ottis and Anne Krupa Littlejohn Burse ($9400)

NEW (035) Dr. James V. & Rosemary C. Ward Burse #5 ($2970)

(036) Msgr. Earl Vincent Provenza Burse #7 ($4651)

(038) The Malone Family Burse ($500)

(039) St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Knights of Columbus Council 9260 Burse ($1300)

(045) Sister Martinette Rivers, OLS Burse ($700)

(046) Domestic Church Burse ($5000)

(047) Troops of St. George Burse ($7000)

(048) Rev. Joseph Kallookalam, CMI Burse ($5000)

(050) St. Joseph Shreveport Mary’s Workers Burse #3 ($395)

(052) Dr. Matthew Ragan Green, Jr. Burse ($2875)

(054) Fr. Franz Graef Burse ($5000)

(056) Hazel Iles & John Paul Woodley, Sr. Burse ($860)

(057) Father Robert Inzina Burse ($5000)

(058) Monsignor Warren T. Larroque Burse ($5000)

(059) ACTS of Northwest Louisiana Burse ($1800)

(060) Father David Buss Burse ($5000)

(061) Sister Maria Smith, DC Burse ($6500)

(062) Joan E. Anderson Sneed Burse ($2400)

(063) Rev. Charles Glorioso Burse ($7450)

(064) Richard Whatley Burse ($1100)

NEW (065) Jacquie Bierwirth Memorial Burse ($250)

Honoring a Cherished Friend

Our latest seminarian burse was opened last month in memory of Jacquelyne (Jacquie) Bourgeois Bierwirth, with a donation from her dear friend, Mary Caplis.

Jacquie passed away unexpectedly on March 31, 2026, leaving behind family members, friends, and fellow Mary, Queen of Peace parishioners who miss her deep faith, joyful spirit, and unwavering love for her family and friends. She served as the Director of Religious Education at Mary, Queen of Peace, sharing her love of God and inspiring hundreds of others to grow in their faith through prayer, kindness, and love of the sacraments.

In his homily at her funeral, Fr. Karl Daigle aptly described Jacquie: “In a beautiful and life-giving manner, she made the tender, caring, and personal love of Christ real and accessible for everyone, from youth to adults, and for people from all walks of life.”

Mary’s gift to the Seminarian Burse Program has created a legacy of love for her friend that will support our current and future seminarians for many years to come. Gifts of any amount to the Jacquie Bierwirth Memorial Burse can be made by donating online at www.dioshpt.org/stewardship or by mailing them to:

Diocese of Shreveport

ATTN: Vocations Office 3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104

Gifts to the Diocese of Shreveport's Seminarian Burse Program create a legacy of giving in support of our seminarians. It currently costs an average of $50,000 per year to educate and support one seminarian and we are blessed to have six at this time.

A seminary burse can be opened with a donation of $250 or more. A burse is completed when it reaches $10,000. Once a burse is open, it can receive donations in any amount. Burses can be opened to memorialize a loved one, honor a priest, and represent a group or organization. Anyone can contribute to any of the diocese's incomplete burses.

For a list of incomplete and completed burses, please scan the QR code on this page or visit www.dioshpt.org/ seminarian-burses

For more information on how to establish or contribute to a burse, please contact the Development Office at (318) 219-7260.

To donate to an established seminarian burse, please scan here!

To donate to the Catholic Service Appeal, please scan here!

Our Lady Of fatima CathOLiC SC hOOL

Our Lady of Fatima School Says “Goodbye” to Beloved Principal Stephanie Haney

In August 2003, Stephanie Haney began her service to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School as a third and fourth grade ELA/ Social Studies teacher. She taught many other grade levels and subjects throughout her service, and while teaching second grade, she took on the role of assistant principal. In March of 2018, Haney began leading the school as Head Principal. Since

then, she has served with her whole heart and nurtured numerous students to come to know Christ. Her kindness and mentorship has inspired many faculty and staff members throughout her tenure. Our current Fatima family wishes her the best in wherever God leads her to serve next.

Jamie Humphrey is the Religion and Music teacher at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Monroe, LA.

Ending

the Year on a High Note

OLFS was very busy the last two weeks of April. In honor of Earth Week, each class recycled water bottles to show care for our common home, and Deacon Bill gathered the school to lead using prayer, then the 4-H club planted a tree on the elementary playground.

In May, students honored Mary during the May Crowning at Mass.

On May 1, students celebrated the first day of the last school month with a Fun Day! Students from third through eighth grades competed in a beach volleyball tournament. The day concluded with National Junior Honor Society serving "Dirt in a Cup" ice cream treats while classes enjoyed a movie in the gym. Funds raised from this day will be used to beautify the school gardens.

Elise Reis is the Math and 7th grade Social Studies teacher at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Monroe, LA.

St. Jude day SC hOOL & mOther’S

day Out

St. Jude Day School kept with Catholic tradition by holding a May crowning, honoring our heavenly Mother Mary. After our annual “Muffins with Moms” event, the children processed to the Mary Garden and her statue and place a beautifully decorated crown of rosebuds on her head and colorful, spring flowers at her feet. After the lovely ceremony, the children prayed the Hail Mary, led by Mrs. Debbie. The morning’s events were a wonderful tribute to both our heavenly Mother Mary and our earthly mothers.

And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” —Luke 1:42

If you would like more information about St. Jude Day School, please contact Amanda Chapa at 318-746-2508 ext. 201 or Sjds@stjudebossier.org

Sharon McCabe is the Pre-K 3 teacher at St. Jude Day School & Mother’s Day Out.

St. JOSeph CathOLiC SC hOOL

Confirmation Class Gets Creative at St. Joseph

When you are a student at a K3-8 school, your eighth grade year is a pretty big deal. At St. Joseph Catholic School, a few things make this year even more special: eighth grade students get to lead the Balloon Rosary, serve as Big Brothers and Sisters to our littlest ones during school Mass, perform the Living Stations of the Cross during Holy Week, and finish for summer a few days earlier than the rest. But what's truly unique about this grade year is that the students receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

I love that they receive this sacrament just before going off to high school: it’s an opportunity for us adults to really emphasize that this sacrament is not a graduation but is something they need to better live out their faith, especially as they begin a new chapter in their lives at high school. Every year, it's a joy to see each one walk toward the bishop and, with their sponsor's hand on their shoulder, announce their confirmation saint name, then realize they are sealed with those amazing Gifts of the Spirit.

When they began the two-year preparation in seventh grade, they discerned their confirmation saint (if they didn’t already know), and created a soundtrack for that saint’s life as a project in Religion. As we all know, some saints lived quite colorful lives before devoting themselves to Christ, and soundtracks done well reflect that. We have a lot of fun listening to the presentations! After all are heard and graded each year, I store the projects, returning them just before the confirmandi receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Of course, the students have a great time rediscovering them and reminiscing about their thought process only one year earlier.

I encourage them to keep their project nearby, so that their chosen songs perpetually remind them of their chosen saint, their "prayer warrior" for life.

The youth also make wonderful memories during their Confirmation retreat in Scottsville, Texas, returning with a renewed sense of purpose as disciples of Christ. Convincing some students and parents to miss that baseball tournament or soccer game to attend the retreat is sometimes an issue, but the students always exit the returning bus with smiles, great memories, and closer bonds with the other youth who will be confirmed with them that year. It's a beautiful thing to behold.

As this year's newly-confirmed head out into the world, sealed with the Holy Spirit, let us pray that they keep the songs of their saints in their hearts and cooperate with the incredible gifts the Spirit has bestowed upon them.

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

Around the diocese...

Saint Mary of the Pines Confirmation Class of 2026 pictured with Deacon Bill Roche, Bishop Francis I. Malone, and Fr. Mark Watson.

Congratulations to all our newly-confirmed brothers and sisters!

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church welcomed five new Catholics at the Holy Saturday Mass. We welcomed Katie and Ronnie Jacola, Angie Matthews, Chandler Rowland, and Victoria Stroba.

ULM School of Pharmacy presenting a check of $14,500 to SVDP Pharmacy. April 20, 2026 marks the 27th anniversary of the opening of this free pharmacy. During that time, we have given out over $30 million (retail value) of medicine.

We have partnered with St. Francis Medical Center, Enoch’s, area churches, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and the United Way for the success of the pharmacy.

CATHOLIC CONNECTION

DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT

3500 Fairfield Ave. • 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: These young adults participated in the De Vuelta a Casa Retreat through the Diocese of Shreveport Multicultural Ministry.