The Catholic Connection June 2020

Connection The Catholic

In this Issue...

Catholic Schools Update

A Message from our Shepherd

Vol. 29 No. 11 June 2020

Looking at Faith in our daily lives

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

No Print Edition for June

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s we have all experienced this season to remember, there are adjustments that are being made in almost every facet of our lives and especially our worship habits.

This is also true for The Catholic Connection as we will be publishing a digital version only for the month of June. While much of the material in this version will look familiar to you, it won’t be as full of content as the usual monthly offering.

Reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic with a printed publication is plagued by the fact that things just keep undergoing change at a rapid rate. Anything published about this crisis and the Church’s response to it would be stale before we could provide it to our readership. In addition, many of our articles planned for the month of June were not going to be possible in the wake of cancellations and the suppressed state of our nation and Louisiana.

2 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

What we are doing is posting pertinent material as it arrives to our website and on Facebook. This method is fast and effective; visit both at www.dioshpt.org.

There are examples of how our community of faith has sought to remain with one another in prayer during these difficult times. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has compiled these and placed them on their webpage: http://www.usccb.org/coronavirus.

If you find this helpful in your parish, please feel free to utilize them.

The Public Affairs and Episcopal Resources teams are partnering also with the Office of Divine Worship, the Office of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, and other Conference colleagues to develop new resources to help the faithful in our home prayer. These are being prepared for Catholic Current, which may be found here: https:// catholiccurrent.org/covid19/.

Contents 4

Looking Forward

By Bishop Francis Malone

16 Thoughts on Reopening

Catholic Schools this Fall

By Sr. Carol Shively, OSU

5

A Letter from the Editor

18 CCNLA Rises to Meet

COVID-19 Challenge

By Christa Swanson

6

What Faith Can Look Like

our Future 19 Supporting

By Samantha Maiette and John Mark Willcox

By Kim Long

7

Statement from the USCCB

20 Literary Help in Hard Times

By Kate Rhea

8

A Transition Period

By Raney Johnson

21

When We Do Not Understand “It”

By Mary Arcement Alexander

9

Parte de Homilía del Papa Francisco el Día de la Divina Misericordia, 19 de Abril del 2020 Por Rosalba Quiroz

10 Gabriel Cisnaros

Receives the Rite of Candidacy

22 School News 23

June Calendar

Connection The Catholic

Publisher Bishop Francis I. Malone Editor Samantha Maiette Contributors Mary Arcement Raney Johnson Kim Long Mark Loyet Rosalba Quiroz

Kate Rhea Christa Swanson Mike Van Vranken Sr. Carol Shively, OSU

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

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

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

Wineskins 12 New

By Mike Van Vranken

14 Plotting a Plot: The Importance of PreNeed Today

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

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

By Kate Rhea JUNE 2020 3

BISHOP’S REFLECTIONS

Looking Forward

By Bishop Francis I. Malone

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new normal. It’s an expression you hear more and more these days as we journey through COVID-19 to signs of recovery, and what it will be like when we return to our usual activities. Already, our Mass numbers have increased, restaurants are serving food inside as well as outside, stores are opening with greater frequency, and there seems to be, as it were, “light at the end of the tunnel,” with the spread of the virus. Still we live in a restricted world, with masks, social distancing, sanitizing and washing our hands. The daily news reports give us numbers on the numbers of those newly infected, those on ventilators, and sadly, those who have lost their battle agains the virus.

But rarely a day passes when you don’t hear someone talk about “a new normal,” what our world will look like, feel like, when a marked improvement will be apparent to us all. Personally, I cannot imagine that “things” will be as they once were prior to the onset of this disease. We don’t yet know what will happen when the Fall arrives and then Winter – will the virus return, will there be a cure, an antidote? Will we have adopted a more practical and cautious approach to personal hygiene, and the contact we have with those around us? Will some of us simply forget how bad this really was (is) and become casual or careless so as to see a new spike in the virus?

“A new normal?” I don’t think so, in fact, I hope that the new normal will make us never take for granted our health and that of others. I hope that we will continue to live in a cleaner world with sanitizing our environments, and I hope that we will be aware of those around us who lost someone during these months, and look after them, check-in on them, let them know of our prayers and support for them.

I hope that our new normal will see us as being a more prayerful people, not only going about our world more cautious, but more aware of the presence of God who is watching over us and those we love, imploring His continued help and providence in our lives, and being His agents of change for the better.

Let’s always remember that we are “one Church,” and our “new normal,” should reflect what we do as one Church for the good of all our brothers and sisters.

And may God have mercy on us all.

Your brother in Christ, + Francis I. Malone, D.D., J.C.L. Bishop of Shreveport

Needing Prayers?

Bishop Malone wants you to know he prays for you and your intentions daily in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. If you have a special intention, please feel free to email Bishop Malone at: prayerrequests@dioshpt.org

4 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

A Letter From the Editor

By Samantha Maiette

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onstant change is something I’m familiar with.

Growing up in a military household you never knew when a loved one would be heading out on some form of orders. I learned flexibility and resilience. I learned that some things were out of my control and to ‘go with the flow.’ I thought having this knowledge under my belt would prepare me when COVID-19 sent shockwaves throughout our diocese. Boy, was I wrong.

These last few months have created a significant change in how we function as a society. We found ourselves in the midst of a pandemic that I believed I would only ever read about in a history book. I’m sure most of us never believed we would experience something to this magnitude.

COVID-19 shut everything down, our churches, our schools, our normal way of life. It restricted us from seeing our families, our friends, even our coworkers. Everything that grounded us was ripped away.

I thought I was prepared for what the stay-at-home order entailed, but after the first week I began to go stir crazy. I channeled that energy into working out, reading, practicing new work skills and research. I changed.

Change is uncomfortable, but it is unavoidable. It makes life interesting and molds us into the person God wishes us to be.

Recently, someone sent me an article entitled “Five Minutes to Thrive: Conquer the Challenge of Change,” I’m not sure who wrote this article, even after an extensive Google search, but it resonated with me. I journaled over the tips presented, for the first time in a long time God guided my words, my thoughts, He showed me what path He wants me to take. It makes me excited for the future He has laid out.

Listed below are the tips and explantations the author left, the words that helped me focus on the here and now, I leave them here for you hoping they help you grow closer to Him. 1. Changing Your Mindset - sure we love to live life in our comfort zones. It is the “known” and that is where we are most comfortable. Adapting to change is stepping into the “unknown”, which can ignite fear and anxiety. However, if you are able to positively adapt to change, the more resilient you will be in dealing with the impacts of change.

2. Find Meaning in Life - knowing what is important to you gives you purpose and set the direction of how you want to live your life. A sense of purpose gives you clarity and focus. It also helps with being able to adapt and manage the impact of change in your personal life.

3. Let Go of Your Regrets - you cannot change what you did or did not do in the past. The only control you have now is to live your life in the present and look towards the future.

It is often said, “hindsight is 20/20”; however, we cannot help what we did not know in the past. We can only move forward and

learn as we go (and grow!).

4. Write a List of Things to Do - THEN DO THEM! - go have fun! Challenge yourself with something new, exciting, scary, and safe! Our subconscious needs to get familiar with us stepping out of our comfort zones and doing scary things. Make a list of scary things that you have been putting off, put a plan in place, and go do them!

5. Live a Balanced and Healthy Life - living balanced and healthy lives builds our resilience and ability to successfully manage the disruption that change can have in our lives.

Increased stress is a normal response to dealing with changes and challenges in daily life. Some healthy lifestyle actions to help deal with change are: eating healthy, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, & practicing meditation.

The Sacraments might not have been readily available throughout these troubling times, but maybe this was His way of calling us to look at prayer in a different way. To bring you closer to Him, to have one-on-one conversations with Him. He knows everything that is happening in your life, but He wants to hear it from you directly. Or, maybe He is touching your heart and whispering for you to go out and live His teachings, to showcase His love for the world through you.

We’ll never know why COVID-19 shook the world the way it did. We’ll never know why our lives were upended. But, I believe most of us have changed in beautiful ways, a cracked wineskin has been replaced for a few one, our “it” is changing and we are arming ourselves with hope.

We cannot control change, most of us never ask for change, but we can embrace it and allow it to manifest in ourselves the way God intends. God has knocked us outside our comfort zones for a reason. The changes I’ve seen within myself over these last few weeks make me grateful for this time to pause and selfreflect. I hope each of you takes the time to self-reflect before our lives start to return to our new ‘normal.’

I know for my husband and I, our new ‘normal’ will be in a new place, on a new coast. This last year as editor for this publication has been more than I could have ever asked for. I am grateful for the chance to serve the diocese and better understand everything the Catholic faith can offer.

JUNE 2020 5

FAITHFUL FOOD

What Faith Can Look Like

By Kim Long

"Faith is the beginning and the end is love, and God is the two of them brought into unity." St. Ignatius of Antioch

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o much is different these days. I didn’t ask for these changes, none of us did, yet here we are feeling our way along the once familiar terrain of days, weeks, seasons, and now months. In the midst of all this life does go on. People are born, people die, people mark time with birthdays and anniversaries.

Long I am glad I have the unlimited text option on my cell phone. Never before has this feature performed such heavy lifting. Between individual and group messaging we were all attempting connection and with video and photo features we are almost there. Then something happened and I realized how far short this wonderful option is from the human contact many of us were missing. A woman in our parish lost her adult son quite suddenly and unexpectedly. Texts were flying, phones rang off the hook.

What could we do for her? Members of our Bible Study group were all in various stages of prayer for her and her son but still...how could we show her we love her and how important she is to us. Two days later we stood six feet apart outdoors, in two groups so as not to exceed safety requirements, armed with masks, rosaries, a microphone and love. Love for her and for our faith and one another. No one could physically touch but the Spirit was palpable.

Another call came, this is one my entire family had been waiting for-my grandson was making his way into this world. Two of my prayer partners and I had been praying that my daughter in law’s time in the hospital would be minimal and safe. I am happy to tell you our family welcomed a healthy baby via text, photographs, and video calls into this world and into our hearts. I had a hard choice here- to focus on the joy or to focus on myself and the fact that I could not be physically present. After about sixty seconds I slid over to the side of joy.

Later still more messages were flying through the ether and a drive-by parade was quickly organized for Fr. Mike’s birthday. Once again armed with masks and this time with balloons, posters, and good wishes taped to the sides of our cars we circled the rectory multiple times as we laid on the horns and the sheer joy of life was celebrated in a style all its own.

Celebrating with caution and joy our first Mass since this pandemic emerged, God had another lesson for me. After Mass one of my young students brought me her completed project, a miniature St. Joseph’s Altar, assigned in March. As she handed me the three-tier cardboard altar, wrapped in gold paper and lavishly decorated with silk flowers of every description, it, along with the images of rosaries, masks, a newborn baby, and a priest being “birthday-ed”, reminds me anew of the life-affirming faith to which we are called and is a part of who we are and who we are capable of becoming.

As St. Ignatius of Antioch tells us, faith is where we begin, love is where we end and the unity of these two is the one God, living and true. During these changing and unprecedented times let us reflect on that quote as we go forward in hope.

6 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Quarantine Lasagna For our first family dinner since March 13 I decided to prepare lasagna, a family favorite. What I didn’t foresee was the temporary unavailability of a few of the grocery items on my list. I ended up making a sort of lasagna with different pasta.

Ingredients: • 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. Italian sausage • One medium onion finely chopped • ¼ c. green bell pepper finely chopped • ½ cup celery strung and finely chopped.

• 1 small container of full-fat sour cream • 1 small container full-fat ricotta cheese • 8 oz. Italian cheese blend shredded • 8 oz. mozzarella cheese shredded

Directions:

1. Saute all of the above in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. When the meat is cooked and cool to touch, crumble the meat mixture by hand (a food processor makes it too fine.)

2. Heat up your favorite sauce 3. Cook pasta of choice (I used bowtie since I had no lasagna noodles) 4. Combine sour cream and ricotta in a medium bowl 5. In another bowl combine 8 oz. shredded Italian cheese blend and shredded mozzarella cheese 6. Cover the bottom of an oiled casserole dish with sauce and beging layering in this order: sauce, pasta, cheese. Bake until heated all the way thorugh.

Statement from the USCCB in Wake of Death of George Floyd and National Protests May 29, 2020

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even U.S. bishop chairmen of committees within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have issued a statement in the wake of the death of Mr. George Floyd and the protests which have broken out in Minneapolis and in other cities in the United States.

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux, chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism; Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia, chairman of the Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities; Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of Scranton, chairman of the Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs; Bishop David G. O’Connell, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, chairman of the Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development; and Bishop Joseph N. Perry, auxiliary bishop of Chicago, chairman of the Subcommittee on African American Affairs have issued the following statement: We are broken-hearted, sickened, and outraged to watch another video of an African American man being killed before our very eyes. What’s more astounding is that this is happening within mere weeks of several other such occurrences. This is the latest wake-up call that needs to be answered by each of us in a spirit of determined conversion.

Racism is not a thing of the past or simply a throwaway political issue to be bandied about when convenient. It is a real and present danger that must be met head on.

As members of the Church, we must stand for the more difficult right and just actions instead of the easy wrongs of indifference. We cannot turn a blind eye to these atrocities and yet still try to profess to respect every human life. We serve a God of love, mercy, and justice.

While it is expected that we will plead for peaceful non-violent protests, and we certainly do, we also stand in passionate support of communities that are understandably outraged. Too many communities around this country feel their voices are not being heard, their complaints about racist treatment are unheeded, and we are not doing enough to point out that this deadly treatment is antithetical to the Gospel of Life.

As we said eighteen months ago in our most recent pastoral letter against racism, Open Wide Our Hearts, for people of color some interactions with police can be fraught with fear and even danger. People of good conscience must

never turn a blind eye when citizens are being deprived of their human dignity and even their lives. Indifference is not an option. “As bishops, we unequivocally state that racism is a life issue.”

We join Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis in praying for the repose of the soul of Mr. George Floyd and all others who have lost their lives in a similar manner. We plead for an end to the violence in the wake of this tragedy and for the victims of the rioting.

We pray for comfort for grieving families and friends.

We pray for peace across the United States, particularly in Minnesota, while the legal process moves forward. We also anticipate a full investigation that results in rightful accountability and actual justice.

We join our brother bishops to challenge everyone to come together, particularly with those who are from different cultural backgrounds. In this encounter, let us all seek greater understanding amongst God’s people. So many people who historically have been disenfranchised continue to experience sadness and pain, yet they endeavor to persevere and remain people of great faith. We encourage our pastors to encounter and more authentically accompany them, listen to their stories, and learn from them, finding substantive ways to enact systemic change. Such encounters will start to bring about the needed transformation of our understanding of true life, charity, and justice in the United States. Hopefully, then there will be many voices speaking out and seeking healing against the evil of racism in our land.

As we anticipate the Solemnity of Pentecost this weekend, we call upon all Catholics to pray and work toward a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for a supernatural desire to rid ourselves of the harm that bias and prejudice cause. We call upon Catholics to pray to the Holy Spirit for the Spirit of Truth to touch the hearts of all in the United States and to come down upon our criminal justice and law enforcement systems. Finally, let each and every Catholic, regardless of their ethnicity, beg God to heal our deeply broken view of each other, as well as our deeply broken society.

JUNE 2020 7

VOCATIONS VIEW

A Transition Period

By Raney Johnson

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very seminarian at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans is asked to do an internship in a parish from the months of June to mid-October, during his final year of seminary.

Most of the seminarians are ordained to the diaconate before or shortly after their internships begin. Before the pandemic, I imagined at the beginning of my internship that I would already be a deacon. The original date for my diaconate ordination was May 9th, 2020, but due to the current pandemic, the ordination was rescheduled. I had to come to the realization that I would begin my internship in the parish before my diaconate ordination.

The main goal of the internship is for the seminarian to learn from a pastor how to lead, and serve in, a parish.

Although, most seminarians are deacons during this internship in their final year of seminary, there are situations in which a seminarian’s diaconate ordination takes place at a later point during his internship or even after the internship ends. I find myself in the former case.

By the time I am ordained a deacon, I will have already served at least a month in my parish internship. When a deacon is ordained, he is configured to Christ the servant, meaning that the entirety of the deacon’s ministry is summed up in being a servant.

The internship is meant to allow recently ordained deacons to exercise their ministry as servants during their final year of seminary. They learn to serve in the parish through the preaching of the gospel, by celebrating baptisms, by witnessing weddings, by bringing the Holy Eucharist to the sick and through helping the priest in the parish.

Yet, this type of service is not learned on the day of diaconate ordination. The Church expects the seminarian to already be a man of service by the time he is ordained a deacon. Although I have not been able to exercise diaconal ministry in the first part of my internship, I have learned how to become a better servant, and this will prepare me for my ministry as a deacon.

Currently I am serving my internship at St. Joseph Parish in Bastrop and Sacred Heart Parish in Rayville under the guidance of Father Tim Hurd. It is in these two parishes with Fr. Tim that I will ultimately serve as a deacon.

I am thankful for the preparation that the parishioners of St. Joseph and Sacred Heart will provide me before I am a deacon and the formation that they will continue to offer me after I am a deacon. Yet, I have to also acknowledge the formation that I received at the start of the pandemic.

8 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

When I left seminary back in March to return to the diocese due to the pandemic, I was invited by Father Matthew Long to live at St. Joseph in Shreveport. It was at St. Joseph - Shreveport that I was able to unofficially begin my internship as I learned from Father Long, the pastor, and Father Kevin Mues, the parochial vicar, how to serve in a parish. I also had the example of three amazing deacons at the parish, Deacon Freeman Ligon, Deacon Bruce Pistorius and Deacon Bill Roche.

The parish internship that a seminarian is assigned during his last year should offer him ways to practice his diaconal ministry if he is already a deacon, and it should provide him with examples of how to be a good deacon through the permanent deacons in the parish. However, since a seminarian studying for the priesthood is ordained as a transitional deacon, meaning that he will move from the diaconate to the priesthood, he should also have the example of the priests in his parish on how to become a good priest.

This is what St. Joseph in Shreveport provided me during the spring and what St. Joseph in Bastrop and Sacred Heart in Rayville have provided me this summer and will continue to provide for me into the fall.

If you would like more information on the priesthood, contact Fr. Jerry Daigle: jdaigle@dioshpt.org, or call 318-868-4441.

HISPANIC NEWS

Parte de Homilía del Papa Francisco el Día de la Divina Misericordia, 19 de Abril del 2020 Por Rosalba Quiroz

“La misericordia no abandona a quien se queda atrás"

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oy, en esta iglesia que se ha convertido en santuario de la misericordia en Roma, en el Domingo que veinte años atrás san Juan Pablo II dedicó a la Divina Misericordia, acojamos con confianza este mensaje. Jesús le dijo a santa Faustina: «Yo soy el amor y la misericordia misma; no existe miseria que pueda medirse con mi misericordia» (Diario, 14 septiembre 1937)”.

Después de una semana, los discípulos, seguían viviendo en el temor, no obstante, habían visto a Jesús Resucitado, y no lograban convencer de la resurrección a Tomás, el único ausente. Ante esa incredulidad temerosa, Jesús regresó, se puso en el mismo lugar, «en medio» de los discípulos, y repitió el mismo saludo: «Paz a vosotros». Volvió a empezar desde el principio. “La resurrección del discípulo comenzó en ese momento, en esa misericordia fiel y paciente, en ese descubrimiento de que Dios no se cansa de tendernos la mano para levantarnos de nuestras caídas. Él quiere que lo veamos así, no como un patrón con quien tenemos que ajustar cuentas, sino como nuestro Papá, que nos levanta siempre”.

“La misericordia no abandona a quien se queda atrás”.

Sin embargo, en el mundo, se está insinuando este peligro, de pensar en una “lenta y ardua recuperación de la pandemia”, pero olvidando al que se quedó atrás. Con el riesgo que nos azote otro virus, que es el del egoísmo indiferente, el que hace que pensemos que la vida mejorará si nos va bien a cada uno de nosotros, descartando a “los pobres e inmolar en el altar del progreso al que se queda atrás. Pero esta pandemia nos recuerda que no hay diferencias ni fronteras entre los que sufren: todos somos frágiles, iguales y valiosos”.

Es tiempo de eliminar las desigualdades, de reparar la injusticia que mina de raíz la salud de toda la humanidad, señalo el Papa, y pidió que aprendamos de esa primera comunidad cristiana descrita en el libro de los Hechos de los Apóstoles, donde los “creyentes vivían todos unidos y tenían todo en común; vendían posesiones y bienes y los repartían entre todos, según la necesidad de cada uno», esto dijo el Papa es cristianismo no ideología. “Aprovechemos esta prueba como una oportunidad para preparar el mañana de todos.

Porque sin una visión de conjunto nadie tendrá futuro”.

El Santo Padre, habló del carisma de Santa Faustina y dijo que, en una ocasión, Faustina le dijo a Jesús, con satisfacción, que le había ofrecido toda su vida, todo lo que tenía. “Pero la respuesta de Jesús la desconcertó: «Hija mía, no me has ofrecido lo que es realmente tuyo». ¿Qué cosa había retenido para sí aquella santa religiosa? Jesús le dijo amablemente: «Hija, dame tu miseria» (10 octubre 1937)”.

El Papa nos pregunta, si también cada uno de nosotros ha entregado su miseria al Señor, si le hemos mostrado nuestras caídas para que nos levante, si hay algo que todavía nos guardamos dentro: Un pecado, un remordimiento del pasado, una herida en mi interior, un rencor hacia alguien, una idea sobre una persona determinada... Debemos presentarle esas miserias, nuestras miserias al Señor, Él espera que le presentemos nuestras miserias, para hacernos descubrir su misericordia.

Articulo por Vaticano noticias: Patricia Ynestroza-Ciudad del Vaticano

JUNE 2020 9

Gabriel Cisneros Receives the Rite of Candidacy

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n Monday, June 22, Gabriel Cisneros received the Rite to Candidacy at Christ the King Church. During the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders, a man discerning for the priesthood, who has reached a certain stage in his formation, publicly expresses his intention of receiving Holy Orders, and that intention is recognized by our bishop, Bishop Francis I. Malone.

We welcome Gabriel to the next stage of his formation and look forward to working with him well into the future.

Gabriel Cisneros Recibe El Rito de Candidato

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abriel Cisneros recibió el Rito de Admisión a las Sagradas Órdenes el lunes 22 de junio en la parroquia de Cristo Rey. Durante este Rito, el candidato, quien está ya en discernimiento para el sacerdocio, ha alcanzado un cierto nivel en su formación, expresa públicamente su intención de recibir las Órdenes Sagradas y su intención es reconocida por el obispo, Obispo Francis I. Malone. Le damos la bienvenida a Gabriel a la próxima etapa de su formación y esperamos trabajar de cerca con él en un futuro.

10 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Second Collection for the months of June and July Peter’s Pence: Collection will be held June 27 and 28 Pastoral Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa: Collection will be held July 18 and 19.

A List of Live-Stream Masses and Daily Readings

As our parishes begin opening, all face restrictions which will not allow them to fully welcome all of their parishioners back home. At this time, please continue watching the live-streams that the parishes are offering.

Live-Stream Masses: Here in our diocese: • • • • •

Cathedral of St. John Berchmans: Monday – Saturday at 8 am and Sundays at 9 am St. Joseph Parish, Shreveport: Daily at 8 am St Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish: Tuesday through Friday at 9 am and Sunday at 9:30 am St. Joseph Parish, Mansfield: Sundays at 11 am Christ the King Parish, Bossier City: English Mass Monday-Saturday at 7 am and Spanish Mass Sundays at 8 am • Holy Trinity Parish, Shreveport: Monday-Friday 7:25 am and Sundays at 10:30 am and 12:00 pm • Sacred Heeart of Jesus Parish, Shreveport: Every Sunday on Facebook at 10 a.m.

• Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Monroe: Uploads periodically to their YouTube account: JGS DRE

Please check with your individual parish for updates regarding Mass and available live streams. Any updates regarding Mass throughout the diocese can be found on: www.dioshpt.org

JUNE 2020 11

MIKE’S MEDITATIONS

New Wineskins

By Mike Van Vranken

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e have all shared our longing for walking down that aisle to “take and eat” and “take and drink” the real presence of Christ. Knowing the “real presence” is already in each one of us, we have equally missed our church communities; the sojourners we experience Mass with each week, or even daily. We waited patiently, and sometimes not so patiently, for churches to reopen. We want things to “go back” to where they were. In all of this, I have a new understanding of Jesus’ statement: “People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved” (Matthew 9:17.) Or, as the Message Bible says: “you don’t put your wine in cracked bottles.”

Of course, we have had the “new wine” all along. We just have trouble placing it in new and uncracked bottles. Jesus gave us this “new wine” when He explained how He came to fulfill the law (old wine.) He continued to teach us how to be blessed, now, already in His real presence. Some apparent ways to experience community and real presence were given to us 2,000 years ago.

Jesus said, we are blessed when we are poor in spirit. Can we find the real presence of Christ in the community of the financially poor, and the poor in spirit? Are we so hesitant to meet the real presence in the poor communities because of our lack of generous openhandedness? Could our new normal be one of blessing because we join the poor with our generosity and our presence with Christ among them?

Jesus said we are blessed when we are meek. He does not describe us as “Christian Soldiers” and certainly not as “militants.” In our meekness, do we search the real presence of Christ in the suffering communities around us? Are we interested in meekly being present to Christ there?

We are blessed when we show mercy. Every community on earth needs mercy, compassion and forgiveness. When we show it to each other, we show it to Christ. Do we have any interest in the real presence of Christ by showing mercy to every, single community out there?

We are blessed when we hunger and thirst for justice.

There are many communities who deserve justice. And, of course, the real presence of Christ is living among them. Are we?

We are blessed when we have a clean heart. He does not say a clean “mind” nor a clean “body.” A clean heart blesses us. Are we willing to detach from our biases and closed minds to grow into clean hearted ministers to the real presence of Christ in communities who do not look or think like we do?

We are blessed when we are peacemakers. Do you see any 12 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

communities in our society who are at odds with each other? Everywhere, right? As a peacemaker, can you experience Christ in those communities? Is He calling you to be that peacemaker?

And, of course, we are blessed when persecuted and insulted when we look for Van Vranken and find Christ in those communities. And the blessing here is so great, we are called by Jesus to “rejoice and be glad.”

Finding and consuming the real presence of Christ in our churches is still vital to us, and rightly so. But that alone is not our calling. Neither are we called to shout the good news from the rooftops. Instead, Christ is inviting us to live these blessings as found in Matthew 5:3-12. And, as we see them clearer today because of our pandemic experiences, they become, once again, our new wine; our new normal as prescribed by Jesus.

Are you ready to put this new wine into a transformed way of experiencing Christ by living these beatitudes? Even better said, are you ready to pour this new wine into your new wineskin? Do you have the courage to find the real presence of Christ in these needy communities? Or, are you so desperately clutching to your old wineskins (old ways of doing things) that you are blind to see that these old containers are already leaking all over your shoes? We may not readily have answers to all these questions. But God certainly does. Daily conversations with him will allow you to hear his answers as you experience the real presence of Christ within yourself.

Mike Van Vranken is a spiritual director, a member of the teaching staff for the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center of New Orleans Formation of New Spiritual Directors, an author and a speaker. You can contact him at mikevanvranken@comcast.net.

Diocesan Seminary Burses

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he Diocesan Seminary Burse program provides the faithful of North Louisiana the opportunity to invest in the education and formation of our seminarians into holy and effective priests to serve the Diocese of Shreveport.

What is a seminary burse, and how do they contribute to seminarians?

A seminary burse is an endowment used to pay tuition, room and board for the seminarians of the Diocese of Shreveport. The principal amount donated is not touched, but invested, and the support for our seminarians comes from the earned interest. Each donation to a burse is truly a gift that will continue giving as more men enter priestly formation in the years to come!

Who can establish a burse?

Anyone can establish a seminary burse, and name it in honor of loved ones (e.g., family members, teachers, mentors, pastors), in honor of organizations and faith or social groups (e.g., Knights of Columbus councils, ACTS, schools, church parishes), for themselves or their families as an instrument of personal giving, or in memory of a deceased loved one. Burses and their balances, and new contributions, are listed monthly in The Catholic Connection.

Who can contribute to a burse?

Anyone can contribute any amount to any established burse.

How can I establish or contribute to a burse?

You can establish and name a burse with a donation of at least $250, or you can contribute any amount to a burse simply by designating its name when the contribution is made. Contributions may be mailed to the Office of Church Vocations, Diocese of Shreveport, 3500 Fairfield Avenue, Shreveport, LA 71104. Be sure to note the name of the burse in the memo line.

When is a burse completed?

Seminary burses are completed when the balance reaches $10,000.

Once this goal has been reached, and those who established the original burse wish to continue their donations, a new burse in the same name may be opened.

Thanks to our Recent Donors: (006) Cathedral of St. John Berchmans ($250) (008) William & Deloras Walker ($100) (011) Debora L. Prest ($100) (011) Robert & Paula Rivers ($100) (018) Deacon Charles & Nadalie Thomas ($50) (020) Chris A. Ward ($500) (020) Richard W. Ward ($500) (020) Rosemary C. Ward ($500) (020) Betsy C. Peatross ($50) (020) Dr. & Mrs. James Lusk ($150) (022) David & Suzanne Broussard ($250) (023) Joseph & Susan Wheeler ($1,000) (024) Dorothy Tipton ($500) Completed Burses: (001) Fr. Mike Bakowski Memorial Burse #1 ($10,000) (006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Memorial Burse #1 ($10,000) (010) Memory of Rita Scott from the John Scott Family ($10,000) (011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse #1 ($10,000) (012) Jack E. Caplis, Jr., Memorial Burse ($10,000) (013) Mary Evans Caplis Burse ($10,000) (014) Bob & Peggy Semmes Memorial Burse ($10,000) Incomplete Burses: (001) Fr. Mike Bakowski Memorial Burse #2 ($1,200) (002) Joseph & Antoinette Bakowski Memorial Burse ($2,500) (003) Sam R. Maranto Memorial Burse ($1,400) (004) Kathryn Atherton Cook Memorial Burse ($350) (005) Cathedral of St. John Berchmans ($450) (006) Msgr. J. Carson LaCaze Memorial Burse #2 ($3,432.12) (007) Dr. Carol Christopher Memorial Burse ($1,300) (008) St. Jude Parish ($5,918) (009) St. John Berchmans Knights of Columbus Council 10728 ($1,550) (011) Rev. David Richter Memorial Burse #2 ($2,304) (015) Bishop’s Seminarian Burse ($1,235) (016) Elaine Malloy Frantz Memorial Burse ($1,000) (017) Msgr. George Martinez Knights of Columbus Council 1337 ($7,521) (018) Knights of St. Peter Claver Council 144 ($880) (019) Margaret Glenn Memorial Burse ($1,250) (020) Dr. James V. Ward Memorial Burse ($2,740) (021) Rev. Edmund “Larry” Niehoff ($1,000) (022) Rev. Blane O’Neill, OFM Memorial Burse ($250) (023) Msgr. Edmund J. Moore ($1,000) (024) Rev. Joseph Puthuppally Memorial Burse ($500)

JUNE 2020 13

Plotting a Plot: The Importance of Pre-Need Today

By Kate Rhea

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verything from financial planning and family planning, to planning meals for the week is commonplace for most families these days; it is a normal part of life to make plans for just about everything. However, even though it is something everyone will eventually need, most people do not have definite end-of-life arrangements in place. Often, when a loved one passes, there is a scramble to make last-minute decisions that end up being based on affordability and time constraints rather than what the deceased may have genuinely wanted. It is an obvious notion that peace of mind comes with planning ahead, but death is not exactly the easiest topics to discuss with family or yourself.

For over 100 years, purchasing burial plots was as common for Americans as buying a first home or acquiring insurance. But in this day and age, it is far less common for people under the age of sixty-five to have plans for their own passing. Many of the plots in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery were purchased in blocks of eight-or-more at a time by Catholics who wished for their families to be together in their final resting places. Such a purchase was crucial in a time when life was more difficult and less certain. Times are different now; with greater life expectancy and medical cures and preventions, end-of-life planning has fallen by the wayside.

The importance of pre-need could not be clearer. Beyond the obvious benefit of getting exactly what you want, pre-need 14 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

planning spares family of any burden, removes uncertainty during an already difficult time, and provides the peace of mind you get from guaranteeing a plan.

St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery has many plots available for purchasing burial rights and the Catholic Center staff is ready to help with your pre-need purchase. You will be helped every step of the way from selecting a plot to completing your purchase and you will receive an official certificate and a complimentary Personal Reference File published by the Catholic Cemetery Conference to help organize additional details for burial and funeral plans.

To begin your pre-need process, please contact Kate Rhea at (318) 219-7264 or krhea@dioshpt.org.

Graphic Novel Series on Shreveport 1873 Yellow Fever Epidemic Martyrs

RIGHT: The Catholic Connection is running a graphic novel series each month, featuring the story of five priests who gave their lives in service to others in the Shreveport Yellow Fever epidemic of 1873. This graphic novel is provided courtesy of the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans and is illustrated by Deacon Andrew Thomas.

JUNE 2020 15

Thoughts on Reopening Catholic Schools in the Fall

By Sr. Carol Shively, OSU

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here do we begin predicting what our Catholic schools will look like in the fall? The CDC recently released a flowchart as referenced below which detailsthe protocols that need to be in place to reopen schools. This infographic serves as our first point of reference.

Even after weeks of Zoom meetings with the state Department of Education, Louisiana Catholic School Superintendents and Administrative Teams in our schools, still none of us can pretend that we have any answers set in stone. I will briefly outline the multiple options for reopening our schools in the fall.

These are the potential solutions that I see/hear/read about on a daily basis: 1) Schedule Class rotations 2) Synchronous Opt-In 3) Delay the start of the school year.

4) Create a hybrid model 5) Fully On-Line Schedule Class Rotations The first is scheduled rotations. Students would be assigned to groups and attend class on alternating times or days of the week.

This would reduce class size and allow for greater social distancing. Meals would be served in the classrooms. Outside time will be limited.

Synchronous Opt-In The second scenario is a synchronous opt-in. Parents would choose whether children attend in person or via online. This would require substantial use of technology. Schools would have to safeguard the same experience for all students which would include co-teaching between the classroom teachers and the parents.

16 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Delay the start of the school year This option gets into the essence of flatten the curve vs. find the cure (vaccine or effective treatment). If we wait to find a cure to go back to school, we may make a catastrophic error in judgment if a vaccine is not widely distributed in the near future.

Additionally, if we wait to open schools until we meet every guideline set forth by the CDC or DPHs, it will cause extreme delays as well.

Hybrid Model The fourth scenario is a hybrid model. Students would be sorted into groups which alternate spending time in the classroom and online at home. This would also require substantial use of technology.

Fully On -Line The fifth scenario would be fully online. All students would receive instruction at home. This reflects learning models that were in place for the end of this school year. The state acknowledges that this option may be more appropriate for older students.

CONCLUSION This is the most difficult thought process of my educational life. There are no perfect options; personally, I am frightened of returning to school because there is a complete lack of ability to control the situation. This is not simple. That said, we will serve our families in a way that demonstrates our partnership with them. I think the options presented would best serve the greatest number of students in our diocese as we move forward. Therefore, at this time the options above are being studied and measured for our teachers, staff, and students’ safety.

I remain open to your thoughts and ideas as to how we can potentially proceed in the fall.

JUNE 2020 17

CATHOLIC CHARITIES

Catholic Charities of North Louisiana Rises To Meet COVID-19 Challenge

By Christa Swanson

W

hat does love look like? It has the hands to help others.

It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. “That is what love looks like” by St. Augustine of Hippo seems relevant in times where more are struggling and ill than many have seen in their lifetime. We are called when there is need to see it and come together to help each other. To show love in all things.

This month has been a trying time for everyone in Louisiana. Many have fallen ill and many lives have been disrupted by the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The closures and illness have greatly affected many families, some forever.

30.3 million Americans have applied for unemployment in the last six weeks due to the restrictions necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Many more are not eligible for those benefits, but find themselves out of work. This leaves families in a precarious position as they try to afford necessities while struggling with financial insecurity. The virus has hit populations that serve on the front lines in service roles harder than most, leaving many with a hard choice between safety and income.

Catholic Charities of North Louisiana is committed to serving those in need and assisting with the hardships our communities are facing. We have continued to work over the phone and through email to take requests for assistance and have rearranged the way our offices work so that we may safely see those who need to walk in once the restrictions lift. Our Operations Coordinator, Joe Bulger, is also converting our forms so they be submitted digitally which will increase the speed and ease of the intake process for those that feel uncomfortable, or are unable, to come in. The upcoming Bingo on the Bayou event will still happen, and we will be converting it to an online event so that everyone can still participate in the fun safely. More details will be given as we get closer to the event.

We are so grateful to our donors for helping us reach out to 18 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

those in need. We received grants from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Louisiana and Catholic Charities USA to help with the increase of families that need assistance. These grants will help us with tangible assistance for our communities and to manage an increase in our case loads. We offer financial education – weekly financial literacy classes (Money School) - which pinpoints simple changes that make budgeting, saving, and improving credit scores achievable. Case managers provide tools, support, and guidance through individual financial counseling sessions as well. Catholic Charities of North Louisiana also offers emergency assistance – tangible help with basic needs (rent and utilities) - so that families can stay in their homes with their electricity and water in working order. It’s important to note that although there is currently a restriction on evictions and turning off utilities, those will still be due when the restrictions lift.

Another service we offer to families in need is through Gabriels’ Closet. Our volunteer run program offers wellbaby care and parenting skills classes, where new, low-income parents earn merits to “purchase” baby items. Our free classes include prenatal and infant care, breast feeding, parenting, school readiness, and more. Gabriels’ Closet has many baby essentials including pack ‘n play cribs, baby beds, high chairs, car seats, strollers, walkers and more, as well as a large selection of gently-used or brand-new clothing. We also offer diapers, ointments, bottles, pacifiers and other needed baby items.

CCNLA also offers assistance with completing applications for SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program – formerly the Food Stamp Program) as well as other programs that help families, including, FITAP—Family Independence Temporary Assistance, CCAP-Child Care Assistance Program, and the KCSP-Kinship Care Subsidiary Program.

Our focus throughout each of our programs is strengthening the family unit and preserving an individual’s dignity in accordance with Catholic Social Teachings and professional standards. The goal of our programs is to provide assistance, resources, and education for our clients while working to empower them to create long-term changes that will lead to greater stability and independence. We will continue to work with the communities of North Louisiana to help meet the needs of those in crisis.

Catholic Charities is a well-respected nonprofit in North Louisiana. Catholic Charities of North Louisiana has been awarded a Gold Seal of Transparency by Guidestar. Our goal is to continue to be of service to families and individuals while teaching and enriching lives.

If you would like to find out how to support CCNLA or become a volunteer, please visit www.ccnla.org.

USCCB President and Migration Committee Welcome Supreme Court Decision on DACA and Urge President to Uphold the Program

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n June 18, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion preventing the Trump Administration from terminating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. On November 12, 2019, the Court heard the challenge to the Trump Administration’s DACA repeal efforts, in which U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) submitted an amicus curiae brief in support of maintaining the program. The DACA program was implemented in 2012 and has enabled approximately 800,000 young people, who paid a fee and submitted to a background check, the opportunity to work legally, access educational opportunities and not fear deportation. DACA recipients on average contribute over $42 billion annually to the U.S. economy. Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and president of the USCCB and Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, auxiliary bishop of Washington and chairman of the USCCB’ Committee on Migration issued the following statement: “We welcome the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision noting that the Trump Administration did not follow proper administrative procedures required to repeal the DACA program.

“First, to DACA youth, through today’s decision and beyond, we will continue to accompany you and your families. You are a vital part of our Church and our community of faith. We are with you.

“Next, we urge the President to strongly reconsider terminating DACA. Immigrant communities are really hurting now amidst COVID-19 and moving forward with this action needlessly places many families into further

anxiety and chaos. In times of uncertainty, let us remember the teachings of the Gospel which encourage us to be open and receptive to those in need: ‘If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him?’ (1 John 3:17). In this moment, we must show compassion and mercy for the vulnerable.”

“Lastly, we strongly encourage our U.S. Senators to immediately pass legislation that provides a path to citizenship for Dreamers. Permanent legislative protection that overcomes partisanship and puts the human dignity and future of Dreamers first is long overdue.”

For more information and resources on DACA see https://justiceforimmigrants.org/what-we-are-working-on/ immigration/daca-resource-page.

Spotlight on Local DRE

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indy Brasher, Youth Minister and Director of Religious Education at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Monroe, earned a Master of Religious Education in Theological Studies at Loyola University, New Orleans this past May. Lindy has been accepted at Fordham University in New York City where she will pursue a Doctor of Ministry in Spirituality this summer.

JUNE 2020 19

LIBRARY NOTES

Literary Help in Hard Times

By Kate Rhea

Mary: Help in Hard Times

by Marianne Lorraine Trouve

Discussing four of the Blessed Virgin's roles, Mary: Help in Hard Times is a combination of history, stories, and prayers in an approachable, practical size.

Divided into three distinct sections, the book's first segment discusses four key moments of Mary's life. The second section contains personal stories of Mary's intercession, and the book closes with various Marian devotions and prayers.

An added feature is the reflection questions after each section. Bringing strength to those who feel overwhelmed, Mary: Help in Hard Times is a hope-filled companion for everyone.

Be Brave in the Scared: How I Learned to Trust God during the Most Difficult Days of My Life

by Mary E. Lenaburg

Be Brave in the Scared is an uplifting account of human frailty (and stubbornness) surrendered to faith. Lenaburg tells the heart-rending story of how caring for her severely disabled daughter affected her self-image, marriage, family life, and faith.

Humility Rules: Saint Benedict's Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem

by Augustine Wetta

With candor, humor, and a unique approach to classical art, Father Augustine, a high school teacher and coach, breaks down Saint Benedict's method into twelve pithy steps for finding inner peace in a way that can be applied to anyone's life.

Unworried: A Life Without Anxiety

by Dr. Gregory Popcak

How can we stop worrying and start living an anxiety-free life? As you’ll learn in Unworried: A Life Without Anxiety, the answer isn’t “just pray more” or “just read more Scripture” or, worst of all, “just stop worrying.” If we learn to respect how God made us, we can build new habits of thinking, communicating, and acting that will help set us free from worry.

20 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

Slattery Library News & Notes What's New?

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

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

Visit the Slattery Library The Slattery Library is located inside the Catholic Center As of right now it is closed to the public but keep an eye out on the Diocese of Shreveport’s social media and website for updates.

MARY’S MISSION

When We Do Not Understand “It”

By Mary Arcement Alexander

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than has cancer.” On February 25, 2020, my mom spoke those words to me as she called to break the news about my five-year-old nephew. Yes, you heard correctly, he is five. To say I was shocked is an understatement.

At 49-years -old I struggle to understand cancer, so how does a five-year-old little boy? I can say with confidence Ethan has amazed us all! Although he still struggles, he has been the biggest trooper throughout it all. He may whine, he may cry for 45 minutes, but he gets up and he goes. As I write this, my heart aches for him. Today he faces yet another challenge, not from cancer directly, but rather indirectly from the treatment of his cancer. This particular news, oddly enough, became the inspiration for my article.

The “it” I refer to can be anything: poverty, crime, pollution, COVID-19, not being able to attend Mass, or a five-year-old having cancer. We all eventually face the day when something happens to our family, or us, and we find ourselves in the ongoing struggle to understand it all. As a Catholic, I have often wondered, should I ask God why?

Why are we in a global pandemic? Why did I not have children? Why are children starving in the world? Why can I not go to church? Then, as I wipe away my tears, I hear His still small voice saying, “I can’t tell you why Mary, but I can tell you I am here.” He is here, brothers and sisters. He is most definitely here. “It” is challenging. “It” is frustrating. “It” is overwhelming. But through it all, He does not forsake us. He never leaves us. We are the ones who choose to leave Him, especially during our times of struggle. We allow ourselves to be engaged in worldly conversations instead of conversations with God. What is He saying to you today? Have you heard His still small voice? Are you even listening for it? He speaks to me in many ways, but most recently through my Living Faith devotional, “The God Minute” podcast and, most importantly, His Holy Word. Interestingly enough, I am still amazed every single time He speaks. When it happens, I shake my head and say, “Thanks God! I needed to hear that today.”

I then envision Him laughing while shaking His head.

I now want to pose this question to you: Do we

even need to understand the “it?” Some of you will immediately say yes, others no and still others will ponder on the question indefinitely. No matter what you answer, I believe it is vital for all of us to not only pray to find the answers but also to do something. “You see that faith was active along with His works, and faith was completed by the works.” (James 2: 22.) You may be asking what to do as you struggle to understand your own “it.”

Although no one action will magically make it all better, I believe a combination Alexander of implemented actions will guide you throughout your journey. In conjunction with your prayer life, I suggest the following: 1. Journal. Writing is the next best thing to talking.

It allows you to work through your thought process while clearing the mind.

2. Volunteer. As soon as allowed, find an organization you can devote your time, gifts and talents to. When you shift your focus onto helping others, peace in your life will follow.

3. Exercise. It truly does not matter what you do, it only matters that you choose some form of movement for your body every day. When we exercise, we take care of our body, and when we take care of our body, we take care of our mind.

When we take care of our mind, we allow more room for God to enter into it.

This day, let us all turn our hearts and minds to God. Let us focus on what we have, who is in our lives and how God has been caring for us during this most unusual time.

Let us give thanks and praise for the what, the who and the how. I most definitely do not understand the pandemic. I do not understand not being able to attend church. I do not understand Ethan’s cancer. I do, however, understand God is in control. And that, brothers and sisters, is all any of us need to understand.

Mary Alexander is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has her own practice in Shreveport, LA. You can contact her at mkarcement@gmail.com

JUNE 2020 21

SCHOOL NEWS St. John Berchmans Honors Class of 2020

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ongratulations and farewell to the St. John Berchmans’ 8th grade class of 2020! We are highlighting each of our 8th-grade students in an 8th Grade Spotlight Series on social media. The journey each of our 19 students has taken has enriched their lives academically and spiritually with Catholic values thus reinforcing our mission. Please join us on Facebook and Instagram in congratulating each student and praying for them as they take the next journey in life and all future endeavors.

Distance Learning to End the School Year

SJS Middle School Gives Over 1,700 Hours in Service to Others

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O

ur Lady of Fatima students jumped into Distance Learning.

Students finished the year strong through Distance Learning

or several years now, the Middle School students of St. Joseph Catholic School have been required to earn service hours as part of our efforts to teach them to live out their baptismal call, and to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others. Each sixth grader must earn at least 10 hours, our seventh graders must each earn at least 15, and our eighth graders, 20 hours. This year, our 77 Middle School students collectively gave over 1,700 hours of service to their neighbors: an average of 22 hours per student. Service opportunities come in many forms: area Vacation Bible Schools, local 5K races, parish and school events, and making "love bags" for the homeless, to name a few. We are also extremely grateful for the parents who commit to this practice by driving their children to and from these events. It is our hope that by planting these seeds of service in our students, we will see them grow in virtue as disciples of Christ.

Send submissions to "Around the Diocese" to smaiette@dioshpt.org. Please include a photo that has not been resized and a brief description.

22 THE CATHOLIC CONNECTION

JUNE CALENDAR PARISH EVENTS

View Live-Stream Masses

September 12, 2020

Fr. Albert Haase, OFM Speaking Time to be confirmed St. Thomas Aquinas Church 810 Carey Ave. Ruston, LA 71270

DIOCESAN EVENTS

As our parishes begin to open they will face restrictions in accordance with Gov. John Bel Edwards’ outline of the second phase reopening. Listed below are a handful of parishes who are offering a live-stream, to see the full list please see page 11:

FEAST DAYS June 1

June 19

The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

June 2

The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs

June 3

Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs

June 5

Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

June 7

June 20

June 24

The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

June 29

Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Cathedral of St. John Berchmans: Monday – Saturday at 8 am and Sundays at 9 am St. Joseph Parish, Shreveport: Daily at 8 am St. Joseph Parish, Mansfield: Sundays at 11 am Christ the King Parish, Bossier City: English Mass MondaySaturday at 7 am and Spanish Mass Sundays at 8 am

The Most Holy Trinity

June 9

Saint Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor of the Church

June 11

Saint Barnabas, Apostle

June 13

Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

June 14

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

On the Back Top: Bishop Malone joined St. Paschal Parish by confirming their newest class.

Bottom Left: The Cathedral of St. John Berchmans celebrated First Communion with eight children.

Bottom Right: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish celebrated Frist Communion with 13 children. We are so proud to see 21 children begin their path to Confirmation.

JUNE 2020 23

Connection The Catholic

DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT 3500 Fairfield Ave.

•

Shreveport, LA 71104

Fairfield