Bayou Catholic Magazine August 2016

Bayou

Catholic

A call to prayer

God desires to comfort us in our pain HOUMA, LA ~ AUGUST 2016 ~ COMPLIMENTARY

e n Tu To...

In

Quality Family Programming for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in Cooperation with HTV is currently available on the following cable systems: Comcast of Houma on Channel 10 and 1010 in HD Charter Communications of Terrebonne Parish & Thibodaux on Channel 10 Vision Communications of Larose on Channel 10 and 810 in HD Allen’s Cable TV Service in Morgan City on Channel 71 AT&T Uverse on Channel 10 HTV broadcasts on UHF Channel 30 in the Houma-Thibodaux area & on Channel 7 in Morgan City HTV is also available online at www.htv10.tv You can also watch using your smartphone by downloading the HTV 10 app at your devices app store.

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SUNDAY

6:30 A.M. 9:00 A.M. 9:30 A.M.

Proclaim the Good News/The Rosary Closer Walk Comfort For My People

6:30 A.M. 9:00 A.M. 9:30 A.M.

Proclaim the Good News/The Rosary Live with Passion Spotlight

6:30 A.M. 9:00 A.M. 9:30 A.M.

Proclaim the Good News/The Rosary Focus Proclaim the Good News/The Rosary

6:30 9:00 9:30 8:30

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

A.M. A.M. A.M. P.M.

6:30 A.M. 9:00 A.M. 9:30 A.M. 11:00 P.M.

6:30 A.M. 9:00 A.M. 9:30 A.M.

6:30 A.M. 9:00 A.M. 9:30 A.M.

Proclaim the Good News/The Rosary Closer Walk Live With Passion Comfort For My People

THURSDAY

Proclaim the Good News/The Rosary Focus Spotlight Spotlight

FRIDAY

Proclaim the Good News/The Rosary Real Food Comfort For My People

SATURDAY

Proclaim the Good News/The Rosary The Choices We Face Spotlight

Programs produced by the Diocesan Office of TV Communications. We reserve the right to make program changes.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Seminarian Education Burses

What is a seminarian burse fund?

A seminarian burse fund is an invested sum of money where the interest is used in perpetuity to help fund the education of men to the priesthood in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

How does someone establish a seminarian burse fund?

Very simply, a burse may be established and named for anyone you choose, be it family, friend, bishop, priest, deacon, religious, etc.

When is a seminarian burse complete?

A seminarian burse fund is complete once it reaches $15,000.

If you choose to continue to contribute, a new burse will be created for you.

Who do I contact to contribute to or establish a burse fund?

To contribute or establish a burse, send funds to Pastoral Center, Attn: Seminarian Burse, P. O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395 or call Jeremy Becker, Director of Stewardship and Development, at 985-850-3155 for more information.

Completed Burses of $15,000 each

Note: those wtih a number stipulates the number of completed burses* - Anonymous - Mr. & Mrs. C. Thomas Bienvenu - Harry Booker - Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux (3)* - Mr. Eledier Broussard - Rev. Adrian J. Caillouet - Rev. James Louis Caillouet - Bishop L. Abel Caillouet - Judge/Mrs L. P. Caillouet - Msgr. Lucien J. Caillouet - Abdon J. & Ada B. Callais - Harold & Gloria Callais Family - Paul A. Callais - Peter W. Callais - Vincent & Fannie Cannata - Minor Sr. & Lou Ella Cheramie - Maude & Edith Daspit - Mr. & Mrs. Caliste Duplantis family (3)* - Clay Sr. & Evelida Duplantis - C. Remie Duplantis

- Marie Elise Duplantis - Warren J. Harang, Jr. - Msgr. Raphael C. Labit - Msgr. Francis J. Legendre - Rev. Charles Menard - Dr. & Mrs. M.V. Marmande & Fly - Donald Peltier, Sr. (3)* - Harvey Peltier (30)* - Richard Peltier - The Peltier Foundation (4) - Orleans & Louella Pitre - Msgr. Joseph Wester - Robert R. Wright, Jr. - Rev. Kermit Trahan - St. Bernadette Men’s Club - Diocesan K of C - Leighton Delahaye - Mrs. Shirley Conrad - Bishop Shelton Fabre - Endowment Fund - $119,136.90

June 2016 Burse Contributions Edna W. DiSalvo ................................................. $50.00 Rusty Bruce graduated from St. Joseph Seminary College this past spring and will be entering Notre Dame Seminary in the fall. He is a 2009 graduate of South Lafourche High School and obtained a bachelor of arts degree in history from NSU in 2014. Rusty is from Sacred Heart Church parish in Cut Off.

Open Burses with Balance as of 6/30/16 Sidney J. & Lydie C. Duplantis ........... $13,000.00 Donald Peltier, Sr. #4 ............................ $13,000.00 Joseph Strada Memorial ...................... $12,642.63 Msgr. Raphael C. Labit #2 .................. $11,080.00 Harvey Peltier #31 .............................. $10,486.91 Joseph Waitz, Sr. ................................. $10,100.00 Clay Sr. & Evelida Duplantis #2 .......... $10,000.00 C. Remie Duplantis #2 ........................ $10,000.00 Marie Elise Duplantis #2 ..................... $10,000.00 Maude & Edith Daspit #2 .................... $10,000.00 Msgr. George A. Landry ...................... $10,000.00 Elie & Dot Klingman .............................. $8,960.00 Mr. & Mrs. George C. Fakier ................. $8,700.00 Rev. Victor Toth ..................................... $7,000.00 Brides of the Most Blessed Trinity ......... $6,165.00 Rev. Peter Nies ..................................... $5,900.00 Msgr. William Koninkx ........................... $5,700.00 Msgr. Francis Amedee ........................... $5,150.00 Mr. & Mrs. Love W. Pellegrin ................. $5,000.00 Anonymous #2 ...................................... $5,000.00 Mr. & Mrs. Caliste Duplantis Fmly.#4..... $5,000.00 Rev. William M. Fleming ........................ $5,000.00 Mrs. Ayres A. Champagne ..................... $5,000.00 Society of St. Joseph .............................. $5,000.00 Rev. Kasimir Chmielewski ..................... $4,839.00 Rev. Gerard Hayes ................................ $4,786.00 Catholic Daughters ................................ $4,705.00 Joseph “Jay” Fertitta .............................. $4,450.00

Rev. Guy Zeringue ................................ $4,400.00 Rev. Henry Naquin ................................. $4,331.00 Harry Booker #2 .................................... $4,138.00 Kelly Curole Frazier ............................... $3,610.96 J. R. Occhipinti ...................................... $3,400.00 Anawin Community ............................... $3,400.00 Msgr. James Songy ............................... $3,075.00 Mr. & Mrs. Galip Jacobs ........................ $3,060.00 St. Jude ................................................. $3,000.00 Diocesan K of C #2 ............................... $2,894.62 Rev. Peter H. Brewerton ........................ $2,600.00 Warren J. Harang, Jr. #2 ......................... $2,100.00 Willie & Emelda St. Pierre ...................... $2,000.00 Rev. H. C. Paul Daigle ........................... $1,900.00 James J. Buquet, Jr. ............................... $1,650.00 Alfrances P. Martin ................................. $1,650.00 Preston & Gladys Webre ........................ $1,650.00 Msgr. Francis J. Legendre #2 ................ $1,645.00 Rev. Robert J. Sevigny .......................... $1,600.00 Rev. John Gallen .................................... $1,600.00 Rev. Hubert C. Broussard ...................... $1,550.00 Msgr. Emile J. Fossier ........................... $1,545.00 Dr. William Barlette, Sr........................... $1,525.00 Msgr. Stanislaus Manikowski ................ $1,525.00 Mr. & Mrs. John Marmande .................... $1,500.00 Deacon Robert Dusse’ ........................... $1,450.00 Msgr. John L. Newfield .......................... $1,200.00 Jacob Marcello ....................................... $1,200.00

Deacon Connely Duplantis ..................... $1,175.00 Rev. Anthony Rousso ............................. $1,150.00 Ronnie Haydel ....................................... $1,035.00 Rev. Clemens Schneider ....................... $1,000.00 Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux #4 ........... $1,000.00 Msgr. John G. Keller .............................. $1,000.00 Judge Louis & Shirley R. Watkins .............. $950.00 Deacon Willie Orgeron ............................. $800.00 Ruby Pierce .............................................. $800.00 Deacon Roland Dufrene ........................... $750.00 Juliette & Eugene Wallace ......................... $700.00 Deacon Edward J. Blanchard ................... $660.00 Edna W. DiSalvo ....................................... $550.00 Deacon Raymond LeBouef ...................... $550.00 Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Cannata .................... $500.00 Bernice Harang ......................................... $400.00 Anne Veron Aguirre ................................... $380.00 Deacon Harold Kurtz ................................ $300.00 Richard Peltier #2 ..................................... $300.00 Dean Joseph Chiasson ............................. $300.00 Claude Bergeron ...................................... $250.00 Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Naquin .......................... $150.00 Deacon Pedro Pujals ................................ $100.00 Deacon Eldon Frazier .............................. $ 50.00 Deacon Nick Messina .............................. $ 50.00 Rev. Warren Chassaniol ........................... $ 50.00

Overall Seminarian Burse Totals: $1,571,971.02 www.bayoucatholic.com

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Contents SPECIAL

22 A call to prayer

By Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

FEATURES

21 Father Carl Collins celebrates

25 years as priest

By Janet Marcel

24 Bayou Patrons

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By Janet Marcel

COLUMNS

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8

Comfort For My People

By Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

12 Pope Speaks

Pope Francis I

13 Question Corner

By Father Kenneth Doyle

14 Readings Between The Lines

By Father Glenn LeCompte

30 Seeing Clairely

By Claire Joller

31 Reading with Raymond

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By Raymond Saadi

IN EVERY ISSUE

21 Bayou

Catholic

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6 From the Editor 16 Scripture Readings 27 Diocesan Events 28 Heavenly Recipes GUEST COLUMNS

18 Terrorism: A hate crime

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k ck ac B Ba l ol oo ho c ch S S o o t t 2016

Bayou

Catholic

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By Very Rev. Joshua J. Rodrigue, STL

ANNOUNCEMENTS

32 Catholic schools superintendent named 32 Coordinator of Christian Formation

appointed

33 Food for the Journey

28 Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

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2016 o Fo tball

Very Rev. Vicente DeLa Cruz, J.V., speaks

34 Educators Conference Sept. 6 35 Upper Lafourche dean appointed 35 St. Luke fall banquet Oct. 15 35 Wedding anniversary

prayer service Oct. 16

On Our Cover Bishop Shelton J. Fabre is calling all people of Houma-Thibodaux to prayer in light of the violence that has occurred in our country in recent weeks. The bishop says, “regardless of our religion, regardless of our history, I call all of us to pray.”

Cover Photo by Lawrence Chatagnier

Bayou Catholic Vol. 37, No. 2 How to reach us:

BY PHONE: (985) 850-3132

Where to find your Bayou Catholic Bayou Catholic magazine can be found at all Catholic churches in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, at the three Catholic high schools in Houma, Morgan City and Thibodaux, as well as the 10 elementary schools throughout the diocese. You may also visit the merchants listed in the Advertisers’ Index to pick up your copy. Those wishing to receive the magazine by mail can call Pat Keese at (985) 850-3132 or write to Bayou Catholic, P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395. Subscription price is $35 annually. For the online edition, go to www.bayoucatholic.com

Index to Advertisers Advanced Eye Institute ............................... 58 Asbestos Hazard Notice .............................. 44 Barker Honda .............................................. 60 Cannata’s ................................................... 29 Cardinal Place ............................................. 36 Catholic Schools ......................................... 45 Catholic Schools Annual Fund Drive ............. 48 Cenac Marine Services, LLC ....................... 66 Channel 10 ................................................... 2 Charles A. Page & Sons Insurance Agency, Inc. ............................................ 67 Chauvin Funeral Home ................................ 76 Daigle Himel Daigle ..................................... 61 Data Management Services ......................... 69 Diocesan Outreach Line .............................. 33 Diocesan Website ....................................... 51 Duplantis Design Group ............................... 52 Falgout Funeral Homes, LLC ........................ 81 Felger’s Foot Wear ...................................... 23 God’s Promises Books & Gifts .................... 70 Gulf Coast Orthopedics ............................... 34 Haydel Spine Pain Wellness ......................... 15 Headache & Pain Center .............................. 37 Houma Digestive Health Specialists ............. 36 HTeNews .................................................... 75

KEM Supply House, Inc. .............................. 43 Landmark Home Furnishings ....................... 43 Landry’s Funeral Home ............................... 56 LeBlanc & Associate, LLC ........................... 82 Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival ........ 35 Office of Youth Ministry ............................... 47 Re-Bath ...................................................... 27 Rod’s Superstore ........................................ 19 Samart Funeral Home & Crematorium of Houma ........................... 68 Seminarian Education Burses ........................ 3 Son Rise Christian Music Fest ..................... 38 Southland Mall ............................................ 84 Spotlight on the Diocese .............................. 23 St. Joseph Manor ........................................ 23 Synergy Bank .............................................. 59 Taco Bell #1 ............................................... 53 Taco Bell #2 ............................................... 71 Terminix ...................................................... 77 Terrebonne General Medical Center .............. 73 Thibodaux Funeral Home ............................. 55 Thibodaux Physical Therapy ........................ 78 Thibodaux Regional Medical Center ............. 65 Vision Communications ............................... 83 Watkins, Walker, Eroche & Hoychick ............ 38

BY MAIL: P.O. Box 505 Schriever, LA 70395

BY FAX: (985) 850-3232

BY E-MAIL: bayoucatholic@htdiocese.org The Bayou Catholic is published monthly, for the people of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux by the H-T Publishing Co., P.O. Box 505, Schriever, LA 70395.

Subscription rate is $35 per year.

The Bayou Catholic is a member of the Catholic Press Association, the National Newspaper Association and an associate member of the Louisiana Press Association.

National and world-wide news service and photos by National Catholic News Service.

Lawrence Chatagnier

editor and general manager

Glenn J. Landry, C.P.A. business manager

Janet Marcel

staff writer/administrative assistant

Lisa Schobel Hebert graphic designer

Meridy Liner

accounts receivable/payable assistant

Awards

CPA First Place General Excellence 2013 - 2014 LPA First Place General Excellence 2015 www.bayoucatholic.com

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Welcome

Dialogue + Trust =

From the Editor 6

As I was reviewing various topics for this editorial, the ending of the summer season, the beginning of a new school year and football season fast approaching all kept coming to my mind, but I was having difficulty focusing on any one of these topics.

The headlines of all the newspapers point to killings. I am writing this editorial on the heels of the announcement of 84 people killed in Nice, France. By the time this magazine reaches homes in our diocese there is a likelihood that there will be some other terrorist act that will have claimed innocent lives.

Very Rev. Joshua Rodrigue’s guest column in this month’s Bayou Catholic entitled “Terrorism: A hate crime,” explains that terrorism is not a new problem. He also points out that St. Pope John Paul II called it blasphemy to kill in the name of God. Father Josh also goes on to say that the violence perpetrated on the innocent should elicit a great sense of sorrow within the hearts of all human beings.

There is much violence going on in the world and in our own country

today. Where are the answers?

What are the solutions? Can it be as simple as following the Golden Rule, one of the most familiar Christian teachings? Supposedly there’s a version of it in every major world religion. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12).

At the Bayou Catholic we receive many publications both national and international. One such publication caught my eye. Inner City has its roots in the Focolare Movement, a worldwide movement founded in Trent, Italy, which today numbers more than five million people of all ages, religions and backgrounds.

Focolare fonder Chiara Lubich opened new dialogues in the Catholic world with members of different Christian churches; with Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and the faithful of other religions; and with all people of goodwill.

The mission of the movement is to show how unity is possible among diverse people in many circumstances in everyday life.

That dialogue and trust are the only way to live for peace and universal brotherhood. And their belief is that all humanity is one family.

Pope Francis made a surprise visit to Villa Borghese in Rome, Italy, where the “Village of the Earth” event that was promoted by the Focolare Movement and Earth Day Italy, was held earlier this year.

Pope Francis said, “Don’t be afraid of conflict that contains within it both risk and opportunity.

Knowledge is a risk for me and for the person I draw near to. But never, never turn away so that you won’t have to see. Draw near to others, take their hand, go to dry their many tears … this is how a smile can be born in the desert … I’ll give you an assignment to do at home,” the Pope concluded. “When you go down the street, you see that tenderness is missing. Each person is enclosed in him and herself. Friendship is lacking … gratuity is the key word for this desert to become a forest.

How do you do that? Always from within an awareness of our own need to be forgiven … working together, respecting each other – this is how the miracle happens in the desert that becomes a forest.”

Perhaps the path to peace and the end to violence can begin with being committed to working for unity and peace and applying the Golden Rule in our everyday lives.

For more information on the Focolare Movement and its thoughtprovoking magazine, check out livingcitymagazine.com.

Remember, after reading Bayou Catholic, pass it on to a friend or relative who might not be attending Mass. It’s one of the great ways to do your part in spreading the Good News!

Lawrence

Lawrence Chatagnier Editor & General Manager

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

Bayou Spirit

Steubenville Conference attracts 1,800 The 11th annual Steubenville on the Bayou Catholic Youth Conference was held recently at the HoumaTerrebonne Civic Center. Bishop Shelton J. Fabre and priests and deacons blessed those in attendance during the opening ceremony.

Keynote speakers gave inspirational talks to over a thousand youth from across the country. Praise and worship music was provided by More than Sunday.

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Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

www.bayoucatholic.com

Comment Comfort For My People Bishop Shelton J. Fabre

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There is a hierarchy given to the liturgical celebrations of the church that take place throughout each year. In the liturgical life of the church, we celebrate memorials, feasts and solemnities. The rank of solemnity is the highest rank for a liturgical celebration in the church’s liturgical year. A partial listing of the church’s solemnities would include: Every day of Easter Week, Christmas Day, All Saints’ Day, St. Joseph’s Day, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul; the Immaculate Conception of Mary; Mary, Mother of God; and the Assumption of Mary.

These are important celebrations in the life of the faith family that is the church. When something significant in the life of a family is being recalled and celebrated, it is hoped and expected that the family members will joyfully be present for the celebration. In a similar manner, all of these solemnities are important and some of them are so important to our life and understanding of faith and the church that we are “obligated” to attend Mass on that day.

These celebrations are known as “holy days of obligation” since they celebrate something so important that we are expected and have an obligation to gather with the family of the church at

Mass on that day to celebrate and recall the mystery that is the focus of our prayer and faith on that day.

With the exception of Christmas Day and the Immaculate Conception (under which title Mary serves as patroness of the United States), when a solemnity that is a holy day of obligation falls on a Saturday or a Monday, the normative obligation to attend Mass on that day is rescinded. However, the church nonetheless invites all of the faithful to the Eucharist on all of these solemnities as we recall and celebrate these mysteries of our salvation. Something significant is being celebrated, and so we should long to gather at Mass with our faith family every Sunday and on these special holy days of obligation throughout the year.

We welcome again the month of August and the ongoing heat of the summer months. Looking at August from the perspective of our faith, the celebration of the Assumption of Mary each year on August 15 is the solemnity that clearly dominates the month of August. The Assumption of Mary celebrates our belief as Roman Catholics that when Mary’s earthly life was finished, because of the special role she had played in bringing the Messiah to birth, she was assumed, or taken up, body and soul into heaven.

Notice that the language used in speaking of this event with regard to Mary is passive. Whereas Jesus ascended into heaven of his own power (the solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus), in contrast Mary was assumed into heaven, or was taken into heaven by God (the solemnity of the Assumption of Mary). The passive language used with regard to Mary conveys the fact that this is not something

that Mary accomplished of her own power, but is something accomplished for her by the power of Jesus Christ, her divine son.

Because of the special relationship that existed between Mary and Jesus, through the power of Jesus Christ’s resurrection Mary was given at the end of her life that which God has promised to each one of us who is faithful to him: to enter body and soul into heaven.

Mary is the first and most perfect disciple of Jesus Christ. She remained close to Jesus during his life and near to him at the time of his death. As we turn to her and ask her intercession for us before Jesus her Son, may her words to the stewards at the wedding feast at Cana always be before us: “Do whatever he (Jesus) tells you.”

So in celebrating this solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, we are ultimately celebrating how the love of God and the power of Jesus Christ’s resurrection were reflected in the life of Mary, and how we too are called to live our lives in such a manner that God’s promises to us of a similar assumption into heaven will also be fulfilled for each one of us.

August also ushers in the beginning of a new academic school year and a new year for catechetical formation for our children, youth, young adults and adults. Let us pray that this will be a good school year and a good catechetical year for all who teach and receive the faith. I hope and pray that as this year unfolds, all of us through our faith practices and prayer will find our relationship with the Lord Jesus deepen with the passing of each day. In her glorious Assumption, may Mary, the Mother of God, intercede for us and assist us in our efforts to be true to her Son!

Mary is the first and most perfect disciple of Jesus Christ Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

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www.bayoucatholic.com

Comentario

María es la primera y más importante discípula de Jesús

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Las celebraciones litúrgicas de la Iglesia que se celebran durante el año tienen una jerarquía.

En la vida litúrgica de la Iglesia, celebramos memoriales, festividades y solemnidades.

El rango de la solemnidad es el rango más alto de una celebración litúrgica en el año litúrgico de la Iglesia. Un listado parcial de las solemnidades de la Iglesia incluye: Todos los días de la semana de Pascua, la navidad, el Día de Todos los Santos, el Día de San José, las festividades de San Pedro y San Pablo; la Inmaculada Concepción de María; María, Madre de Dios; y la Asunción de María.

Estas son celebraciones trascendentales en la vida de la Iglesia, la familia de fe. Cuando algo de alta relevancia se celebra en la vida de una familia, se espera que los miembros de la familia se presenten con felicidad para celebrar la ocasión.

De igual manera, todas estas solemnidades son importantes y algunas de estas son importantes para nuestras vidas ya que sirven para comprender la fe y el hecho de que estamos «obligados» a presentarnos a misa en estos días. Estas celebraciones son «días santos de obligación» ya que celebran cosas importantes y tenemos la obligación de reunirnos con la familia de la Iglesia durante la misa de ese día para celebrar y recordar el misterio que es el enfoque de nuestras oraciones y fe en ese día. Con la excepción de la navidad y la Inmaculada Concepción (María es la patrona de los Estados Unidos), si la solemnidad es un día santo de obligación y cae en un sábado o lunes, la obligación de ir a misa

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

ese día es anulado.

Sin embargo, la Iglesia invita a todos los fieles a la Eucaristía en todas estas solemnidades para recordar y celebrar estos misterios de nuestra salvación.

Algo significante se está celebrando y por eso debemos querer ir a misa con nuestra familia de fe todos los domingos y en estos especiales días santos de obligación a través del año.

Recibimos nuevamente el mes de agosto y los grandes calores de los

meses de verano. Para la Iglesia y los fieles, el mes de agosto celebra la Asunción de María cada año y el 15 de este mes se celebra la solemnidad que claramente resalta en agosto. La Asunción de María celebra nuestra creencia católica romana que cuando la vida terrenal de María termina y su Asunción se lleva a cabo, su cuerpo y alma fueron elevados a los cielos.

El lenguaje que uso para hablar sobre este evento de María es pasivo. Noten que Jesús ascendió a los cielos con su propio poder (la solemnidad de la Ascensión de Jesús) en diferencia a María ya que su Asunción a los cielos fue por acción de Dios (la solemnidad de la Asunción de María). El lenguaje pasivo que se usa para hablar de María refleja el hecho que María no logró esta acción por sí misma, sino por el poder de Jesucristo, su

Hijo divino.

Por la relación especial que hay entre María y Jesús, y por el poder de la resurrección de Jesucristo, María recibió en el fin de su vida la promesa que Dios nos ha dado a todos los que somos fieles a Él: la entrada del cuerpo y alma a los cielos. María es la primera y la discípula más perfecta de Jesucristo. Permaneció al lado de Jesús durante su vida y cerca de Él durante su muerte. Al buscarla y pedirle que interceda por nosotros ante su Hijo Jesús, recordemos sus palabras dirigidas a los administradores de las bodas de Caná: «Hagan todo lo que Él (Jesús) les diga.»

En la celebración de la Asunción de María estamos celebrando cómo el amor de Dios y el poder de la resurrección de Jesucristo se reflejaron en la vida de María y también cómo nosotros hemos sido llamados a vivir de manera que podamos gozar de la promesa de Dios de recibir la asunción a los cielos.

Agosto también manifiesta el inicio del nuevo año académico y un año nuevo de formación catequista para nuestros niños, jóvenes y adultos. Oremos para que este año escolar sea bueno y este año de catequismo sea productivo para todos los que enseñamos y recibimos la fe. Ruego con esperanza que con el fin de este año todos nosotros encontremos una relación más profunda con el Señor Jesús con el paso de cada día por medio de la oración y practicando nuestra fe. ¡Qué en su gloriosa Asunción, María –la Madre de Dios– interceda por nosotros y nos ayude a ser fieles a su Hijo!

Traducido por Julio Contreras, feligrés de la Iglesia Annunziata en Houma

Binh luan bang loi

Đức Maria là người môn đệ đầu tiên và hoàn hảo nhất của Chúa Giêsu Kitô

C

Có một hệ thống phân cấp cho các việc cử hành phụng vụ của Giáo hội diễn ra trong suốt năm. Trong đời sống phụng vụ của Giáo Hội, chúng ta cử hành các lễ nhớ, lễ kính và lễ trọng.

Bậc lễ trọng là cấp bậc cao nhất cho việc cử hành phụng vụ trong năm phụng vụ của Giáo hội. Một phần danh sách các ngày lễ trọng của Giáo hội bao gồm: Các ngày trong tuần Bát Nhật Phục Sinh, lễ Chúa Giáng sinh, lễ Các Thánh, lễ Thánh Giuse, lễ kính thánh Phêrô và thánh Phaolô; lễ Đức Mẹ Maria Vô Nhiễm Nguyên Tội; lễ Đức Maria là Mẹ Thiên Chúa; và lễ Đức Mẹ Maria lên trời cả hồn lẫn xác. Đây là những ngày lễ quan trọng trong đời sống của gia đình đức tin là giáo hội. Khi một cái gì đó quan trọng trong cuộc sống của một gia đình đang được nhắc nhở và kỷ niệm, nó được hy vọng và mong đợi rằng các thành viên trong gia đình sẽ hiện diện một cách vui vẻ cho ngày lễ kỷ niệm. Tương tự, tất cả các lễ trọng này rất quan trọng và một số lễ đó rất quan trọng đến cuộc sống và sự hiểu biết của đức tin và Giáo Hội mà chúng ta “bắt buộc” tham dự Thánh lễ vào ngày hôm đó. Những thánh lễ này được gọi là “những ngày lễ buộc” vì chúng kỷ niệm điều gì đó rất quan trọng mà chúng ta đang mong đợi và có bổn phận để quy tụ với gia đình Giáo Hội để dâng lễ ngày hôm đó và nhớ lại mầu nhiệm mà là tiêu điểm của lời cầu nguyện và niềm tin của chúng ta trong ngày hôm đó.

Ngoại trừ ngày lễ Giáng sinh và lễ Đức Mẹ Maria Vô Nhiễm Nguyên Tội (lễ bổn mạng của Hoa Kỳ), khi một lễ trọng là ngày lễ buộc trùng vào thứ bảy hoặc thứ hai, thì luật buộc tham dự Thánh lễ ngày đó được hủy bỏ. Tuy nhiên, Giáo hội vẫn mời gọi tất cả các tín hữu nên tham dự Thánh lễ vào tất cả các ngày lễ trọng này để chúng ta nhớ lại và tưởng niệm các mầu nhiệm cứu rỗi của chúng ta. Một điều quan

trọng đang được cử hành, và vì vậy chúng ta cần thu xếp thời giờ để quy tụ và tham dự Thánh lễ với gia đình đức tin củabchúng ta vào mỗi Chúa Nhật và các ngày lễ buộc trong suốt cả năm.

Chúng ta một lần nữa chào đón tháng Tám và khí trời nóng liên tục của các tháng hè. Nhìn vào tháng Tám, từ quan điểm của đức tin chúng ta, việc cử hành lễ Đức Mẹ Maria lên trời cả hồn lẫn xác hằng năm vào ngày 15 tháng Tám là ngày lễ trọng nổi bật của tháng Tám. Lễ Đức Mẹ Maria lên trời cả hồn lẫn xác

thể hiện niềm tin của chúng ta là người Công Giáo vào cuộc sống trần thế của Đức Maria đã hoàn thành, vì vai trò đặc biệt Mẹ Maria đã cưu mang Đấng Cứu Thế, nên Mẹ đã được vào Thiên đàng, hay được Thiên Chúa rước Mẹ lên Trời cả hồn lẫn xác.

Cần lưu ý ngôn ngữ được sử dụng trong việc nói về sự kiện này đối với Đức Maria là thể thụ động (passive voice). Trong khi Chúa Giêsu lên trời với quyền năng riêng của chính mình (lễ Chúa Giêsu lên Trời), ngược lại Mẹ Maria đã được vào Thiên đàng, hoặc đã được Thiên Chúa đưa lên Trời (lễ Đức Mẹ Maria lên trời cả hồn lẫn xác). Ngôn ngữ thể thụ động được dùng đối với Đức Maria truyền đạt thực tại rằng đây không phải là một điều gì đó mà Mẹ Mary thực hiện với sức của riêng mình, nhưng là một cái gì đó đã hoàn thành cho Mẹ bởi quyền năng của Chúa Giêsu Kitô, Con chí thánh của Mẹ.

Do mối quan hệ đặc biệt vốn có giữa Mẹ Maria và Chúa Giêsu, và nhờ quyền năng sự phục sinh của Chúa Giêsu Kitô mà Đức Maria đã được ban cho vào cuối cuộc đời của Mẹ, cũng là điều mà Thiên Chúa đã hứa ban cho mỗi người chúng ta, những người trung thành với Người: lên Trời cả hồn lẫn xác. Đức Maria là người môn đệ đầu tiên và hoàn hảo nhất của Chúa Giêsu Kitô. Mẹ luôn gần gũi với Chúa Giêsu trong cuộc đời của mình, nhất là khi Chúa chịu chết. Khi chúng ta hướng về Mẹ Maria và xin Mẹ cầu bầu cho chúng ta trước Chúa Giêsu Con Mẹ. Chớ gì lời nói của Mẹ Maria với những người hầu tại tiệc cưới Cana luôn ở trước mặt chúng ta: “Hãy làm tất cả những gì Ngài (Chúa Giêsu) nói với các anh.”

Vì vậy, trong việc cử hành lễ trọng này của Đức Mẹ Maria hồn xác lên Trời, cuối 11 cùng chúng ta tưởng nhớ tới tình yêu của Thiên Chúa và quyền năng sự phục sinh của Đức Giêsu Kitô đã được phản ánh trong cuộc đời của Mẹ Maria như thế nào, và cách thức chúng ta cũng được mời gọi để sống cuộc sống của mình giống như vậy để những lời hứa của Thiên Chúa với chúng ta: sự lên Trời cả hồn lẫn xác tương tự cũng sẽ được thực hiện cho mỗi người chúng ta.

Tháng Tám cũng báo hiệu sự khởi đầu của năm học mới và một năm mới cho sự dạy giáo lý cho trẻ em, thanh thiếu niên, thanh niên và người lớn của chúng ta.

Chúng ta hãy cầu nguyện rằng đây sẽ là một năm học tốt và một năm giáo lý tốt cho tất cả người dạy và những người lãnh nhận đức tin. Tôi hy vọng và cầu nguyện rằng trong năm nay, tất cả chúng ta qua việc thực hành đức tin và lời cầu nguyện sẽ tìm thấy mối quan hệ của chúng ta với Chúa Giêsu càng sâu đậm hơn mỗi ngày.

Trong ngày lễ vinh quang của Mẹ, chớ gì Đức Maria, Mẹ Thiên Chúa, cầu bầu cho chúng ta và giúp chúng ta trong sự nỗ lực làm con cái đích thực của Chúa và con cái của Mẹ!

Dịch thuật do Lm. Francis Bui, SDD và Thầy Paul Vu, SDD. Tu Đoàn Tông Đồ Giáo Sĩ Nhà Chúa www.bayoucatholic.com

Comment The Pope Speaks

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pray for those responsible for extreme poverty, for the rich who feast unaware of people in need at their door, and for priests who ignore those who are hurting, Pope Francis told people living a precarious existence.

Say a prayer for these people, wish them well and “ask Jesus that they convert, and I assure you that if you do this, there will be great joy in the church, in your hearts and also in beloved France,” the pope told his audience.

The pope met with about 200 people from the French province of Lyon, who are homeless, living in poverty or coping with an illness or disability.

The group was on pilgrimage to Rome with Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon and the All Together With Dignity Fourth World movement founded by Father Joseph Wresinski, who ministered to deprived families in urban and rural parishes.

Meeting with the group July 6 in the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall, the pope told them he had a favor to ask them, or rather, he said, he was giving them a mission to carry out.

It is “a mission that only you, in your poverty will be able to accomplish,” he said in Italian, while an aide translated into French.

Jesus was very harsh with and “strongly reprimanded people

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Pope Francis greets a young girl during an audience with people from Lyon, France, in Paul VI hall at the Vatican July 6. The audience was with 200 people living in difficult or precarious situations.

who do not embrace the father’s message,” the pope said, recalling Jesus’ “sermon on the plain” in the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Luke.

While the poor, hungry, excluded and mournful are blessed, Jesus said, “woe to you who are rich,” satiated and mocking, the pope said.

When spoken by the son of God, the warning of “woe,” he said, “is frightening,” and Jesus directed that admonition “to the rich, the wise, those who laugh now, those who like to be flattered, hypocrites.”

“I give you the mission of praying for them so that the Lord give them a change of heart.”

The pope also asked them to pray for those who are “guilty of your poverty” and for “so many rich people dressed in purple and fine linen, who feast with great banquets without realizing that lying at their door there are so many Lazaruses eager to eat the scraps from their table.”

“Pray also for priests, for the Levites, who, seeing that man

beaten and half-dead, pass to the other side, look the other way, because they have no compassion,” the pope said.

Jesus chose to share in their suffering out of love, by becoming “one of you: scorned by man, forgotten, someone who means nothing.”

“When you experience this, do not forget that Jesus also experienced this like you. It is proof that you are precious in his eyes and that he is by your side,” he said.

The poor are a priority for the church, Pope Francis told them.

“The church, who loves and prefers those whom Jesus loved and preferred, cannot rest until it has reached all those who experience refusal, exclusion and who don’t mean anything to anybody.”

Not only are people able to encounter Christ in the poor, he said, the poor help build peace in the world by “reminding us that we are brothers and sisters and that God is the father of everyone.”

Pray for those who scorn, take advantage of you, pope tells poor Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

Question Corner Father Kenneth Doyle

Moral principles and hospice

Q A

Q. Please tell me how Catholics justify hospice care, especially withholding food and water from the patient. Doesn’t this starve the patient to death? And doesn’t the heavy medication they use actually cause death? (Illinois) A. Patients are typically admitted into hospice care when curative treatment has been deemed futile and the prognosis is that death will occur within six months if the disease takes its normal course. The primary medical goal in caring for the dying person then becomes the relief of pain and suffering.

Catholic moral principles for the treatment of the dying are set forth in a document (available online) published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops entitled Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

Those directives provide that “in principle, there is an obligation to provide patients with food and water, including medically assisted nutrition and hydration for those who cannot take food orally,” because, as you rightly state, it would be morally wrong to “starve the patient to death” (No. 58).

But that same section of the directives goes on to explain that medically assisted nutrition and hydration become “morally optional” when there is no reasonable expectation of prolonging life or when such

means would be “excessively burdensome” for the patient or cause significant physical discomfort.

As for medication, the directives address your question directly: “Medicine capable of alleviating or suppressing pain may be given to a dying person, even if this therapy may indirectly shorten the person’s life so long as the intent is not to hasten death” (No. 61).

Since hospice care is offered both by religious and secular institutions, it would be best to seek that care in a Catholic facility, thus ensuring that Catholic moral guidelines would be observed.

An important aspect, too -- and sometimes families and even physicians might overlook this -- is that, when possible, dying patients themselves should be consulted about the morally legitimate treatment options available.

Weddings and mortal sin

Q

Q. Our son recently got married. While he was baptized and confirmed as a Catholic, he left the Catholic Church some time ago and is now a practicing member of a Protestant denomination. His wedding was in a Protestant church and the officiant was a minister.

A rift has occurred because one member of our family refused to attend the ceremony; that member has told the rest of us that, not only are our son and his wife not really married and living in a “sinful relationship,” but that any Catholic who went to the wedding committed a mortal sin. Please advise me of the church teaching on this scenario, so that I can advise the family. (City of origin withheld)

A

A. I am disappointed -- as you probably are, too -- that your son has left the practice of the Catholic faith. I believe that the Catholic religion is the one most consistent with the teachings of Jesus and, especially through the sacraments, that it offers the best help toward spiritual growth and salvation.

However, I would never presume to judge the state of your son’s soul. My presumption instead would be that he made a conscientious decision to join a Protestant denomination, and I am happy that he backs up that decision by an active religious 13 practice.

Without having full knowledge of all the details of the situation, I can’t say for sure whether the church would consider the marriage valid, but I think it’s important that you maintain a close relationship with your son. If he were my child, I would certainly attend his wedding with no fear of committing a mortal sin.

Catholic News Service

Questions may be sent to Father Kenneth Doyle at askfatherdoyle@ gmail.com and 40 Hopewell St., Albany, N.Y. 12208 www.bayoucatholic.com

Reflections

Mary, the model for Christian disciples 14

Readings Between The Lines

O

Father Glenn LeCompte

One of the messages Luke the evangelist has for his readers is that God promises joyful surprises for the lowly who are fully given to him as disciples.

Mary, the model for Christian disciples, was so fully given to doing God’s will in her life, that she was privileged to share in the fullness of the promise of the resurrection. The solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which we will observe on the 15th of this month, is both a celebration of Mary’s privilege of sharing in the fullness of the fruits of redemption, and an anticipation of our own participation in the plenitude of

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

eternal life.

Luke’s Gospel is the good news of hope and joy for the lowly and the downcast. The prodigal son, Lazarus (of the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus), the sinful woman who comes to Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee, and Zacchaeus are all people who, contrary to expectation, surprisingly receive God’s favor and are filled with God’s blessings.

Mary is the prime example of that poor lowly person in Luke’s Gospel who is surprisingly blessed abundantly. The song of praise that Luke depicts Mary as reciting sums up this theme very well. God has looked on his lowly servant (Mary) with favor. God confuses the proud, deposes the mighty, raises the lowly to high places, gives what is good to the hungry, while sending the rich away empty and has mercy on those who fear God. Elizabeth’s words reflect Mary’s situation, “Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled.” Mary is blessed because even without all the answers she trusts in God totally and gives herself fully to doing God’s will.

Like each one of us, Mary had the freedom in her life to say either “yes” or “no” to God. She had to struggle with temptation and the feelings which cause people to give up on God. But every decision of her life was a “no” to evil and a “yes” to God’s will. Those decisions little by little shaped her life into the person she became in herself and in her relationship with God. Our faith tells us that since Mary had in her lowliness turned completely to God, done God’s will, and grew into a person whose life was intimately united with God, she was joyfully surprised with the gift of sharing in the fullness of resurrected life.

On this solemn feast of Mary’s Assumption we celebrate our belief that through her life choices always in favor of God’s will, her life grew into a perfect offering which God fully accepted.

Mary is one of us. She represents the hope which awaits all people who in humility give themselves over to doing God’s will. Every decision we make in our lives somehow shapes our lives into what they will ultimately become, like clay being molded into a

a

sculpture. Every “yes” to God’s will deepens our intimate union with God; whereas every “no” to God’s will drives us further away from God. We must make a conscious effort to ask ourselves in every decision what God wants us to do. We have to ask ourselves if the decisions we make will serve to further God’s will and the establishment of the Kingdom, or whether they will detract from those purposes. The decision to spend our time serving others rather than ourselves, the decisions parents make with regard to shaping their children’s lives,

the decisions young people have to make with regard to peer pressure, and the decision to use our material possessions in an unselfish way are all examples of little daily life decisions which shape our lives and contribute to our becoming what we will ultimately be. The key is to ask ourselves what we must do to serve God in these instances.

If we in our lives imitate Mary’s constant devotion to God’s will, then we too will someday share in the fullness of God’s life, and our lives will become a pleasing offering to God.

Questions n o i t c e fl e R

gh a life ’s joy throu od G d ce n ie you exper n How have ? drawn of humility e that have d a m ou y e God? isions hav n What dec ced you from n ta is d or God ise , you closer to n song of pra ow r ou y e to offer God n If you wer it say? what would

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August

Saints

Holy Father’s prayer intentions

Hippolytus circa 170 - circa 235 feast - August 13

Google, public domain

A theologian and martyr who died of ill treatment in the quarries of Sardinia, Hippolytus was an important Christian in third-century Rome. In his writings, he attacked several popes for their doctrinal teaching and lax discipline. Followers set him up to rival Pope Callistus I, making him the first antipope. Banished to Sardinia during a Roman persecution, this cleric was there reconciled to the church and to another exile, Pope Pontian, with whom he shares this feast. He wrote in Greek and may have been from the East. His work “The Apostolic Tradition” preserved details about Christian life and customs in the early church. Visiting Rome around 212, Origen, a famous Christian teacher and writer, went to hear Hippolytus preach.

Saints

John Eudes 1601-1680 August 19

Evangelization Living the Gospel. That Christians may live the Gospel, giving witness to faith, honesty and love of neighbor.

Crosiers

For 20 years, this Oratorian priest preached the basics of the faith to unschooled Catholics across northern France, distinguishing himself especially by serving the sick during epidemics of the plague. But in 1643 he left the French Oratory and with companions founded a new congregation of priests whose charism was the training of priests. The Congregation of Jesus and Mary, also called Eudists, was reconstituted after the French Revolution and today specializes in secondary education. John, devout from childhood, helped spread devotion to the Sacred Heart and was the first to call for an official feast day. He also organized an order of nuns to care for former prostitutes. He was canonized in 1925.

Saints © 2013 Catholic News Service

Jeanne Jugan 1792-1879 August 30

Universal Sports. That sports may be an opportunity for friendly encounters between peoples and may contribute to peace in the world.

See www.apostleshipofprayer.org

Little Sisters of the Poor

Born in Brittany, in France, Jeanne was four when her fisherman father died. Her mother supported six children as a farm laborer.

Jeanne became a kitchen maid at 16, and her mistress took her on visits to the sick and poor. She joined a third order at 25, working in a hospital for six years, then returned to domestic service. Soon, however, she began devoting herself entirely to care of the poor, especially widows, living in community with two other women.

Though she established the Little Sisters of the Poor in 1842, she was not recognized as the order’s founder until 1893. Canonized in 2009, she is considered a patron of the elderly.

Saints

CNS www.bayoucatholic.com

17

Special

Guest Columnist Very Rev. Joshua J. Rodrigue, STL

B 18

Boston, Brussels, Chattanooga, Fort Hood, Jerusalem, London, Madrid, Moscow, New York, Oklahoma City, Paris, San Bernardino, and now Orlando.

Unfortunately, by the time this article is published, others will probably be added to the list of hundreds of cities affected by terrorism.

When the Orlando nightclub shooting occurred, President Obama and others said this was not just a terrorist attack against American citizens but was specifically focused upon the gay community in the city and added that this was also a hate crime. When the political rhetoric myopically focuses upon the type of victim, we fail to understand that truly any act of terrorism, any act of violence is in reality a hate crime. To cause intentional injury or death to another human being, a brother or sister created in the image and likeness of God, requires an act of hatred originating in one’s heart.

Old or New Problem?

While violence and murder are among the oldest sins in humanity when Cain kills his brother Abel, terrorism may seem like it has its origins in our contemporary period; however, it is not a new phenomenon in the world. Terrorism comes from the French word terrorisme, which is derived from the Latin verb terrere (“to frighten”), and originally referred specifically to state terrorism as practiced by the French government after the French Revolution during the 1793–1794 Reign of Terror.

This period of terror was used not only to execute those considered a threat to the state, especially the nobility, priests,

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

: m s i r o r r Te A hate crime

In William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s painting Premier Deuil (The First Mourning), the artist captures the moment after Adam and Eve found the body of their son Abel. Abel’s lifeless body arcs across Adam’s lap while Adam places his left hand over his own crushed heart and holds Eve under the protection of his right arm as the two mourn their immense loss.

monks and nuns, but also to provide a very visible example to those who might consider rebelling. One of the last groups to be executed during the terror was the Carmelite Nuns of Compiègne. The nuns were sentenced to death for refusing to give up their monastic vows and so prayed that their blood would be a sacrifice offered to end this scourge across France. The manner in which they approached their death, going freely up to the guillotine while singing a hymn, had a great impact on public opinion in Paris and helped to turn it against the terror.

Although terrorism originally referred to acts committed by a government, currently it usually refers to the killing or causing serious bodily harm of innocent civilians or non-combatants by individuals or groups for political or religious purposes in such a way

as to intimidate a population or force a government to acquiesce to particular demands.

The Catholic Church has vehemently denounced all forms of terrorism. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it states, “Terrorism threatens, wounds, and kills indiscriminately; it is gravely against justice and charity” (2297).

Recent popes have all spoken forcefully against acts of terrorism and violence in the name of religion.

Terrorism in the Name of God In his message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace, Jan. 1, 2002, Pope St. John Paul II stated, “Terrorism springs from hatred, and it generates isolation, mistrust and closure. Violence is added to violence in a tragic sequence that exasperates successive generations, each one inheriting the hatred which divided those that went before. Terrorism is

a

built on contempt for human life.

For this reason, not only does it commit intolerable crimes, but because it resorts to terror as a political and military means it is itself a true crime against humanity” (4).

Pope St. John Paul II especially condemns terrorism in the name of God and religion in the same talk.

He insists, “No religious leader can condone terrorism, and much less preach it. It is a profanation of religion to declare oneself a terrorist in the name of God, to do violence to others in his name.

Terrorist violence is a contradiction of faith in God, the creator of man, who cares for man and loves him” (7).

Ten days later in an address to the diplomatic corps, Pope St. John Paul II is even more forceful in his repudiation of terrorism in the name of God. He emphasizes, “Here I wish to say once again, before the whole international community, that killing in the name of God is an act of blasphemy and a perversion of religion” (3).

He calls it blasphemy to kill in

the name of God. Blasphemy comes from the Greek, meaning to injure one’s reputation. God has the good reputation of loving his creation, especially humanity. To cause such great harm to God’s loved ones in

‘

,

The Catholic Church has vehemently denounced all forms of terrorism.

his name causes great harm to God’s reputation as a loving God. If “God is love” as St. John says in his first letter (4:8), then how can a religious person commit an act of hatred in the name of love?

This is a great contradiction. “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but

hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother” (4:20-21).

In a visit on Jan. 17, 2016, to the Jewish synagogue in Rome, Pope Francis echoes St. John’s sentiments, “Violence of man against man is in contradiction to every religion that merits the name, in particular the three monotheistic religions [referring to Christianity, Judaism and Islam].

Every human being, as a creature of God, is our brother regardless of his origins or religious belief.”

Pope Francis in an address to participants in the International Meeting for Peace on Sept. 30, 2013, likewise condemns violence associated with terrorism, “In a special way, let us, one and all, forcefully and continually say that there can be no justification for violence on religious grounds. There can be no religious justification for violence, in whatever way it may manifest itself.”

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19

Special

rism: TerroA hate crime How Do We Respond?

No matter the nationality, the race, the religion, or in the case of the Orlando terrorist attack, the sexuality of the victims of terrorism, the violence perpetrated on the innocent should elicit a great sense of sorrow within the hearts of all human beings. Whether the attacks are in the United States or on other continents, our humanity and compassion unite us to the nation, to the victim’s families suffering. As John Donne writes in his “Meditation 17”: “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own 20 were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

God never abandons those affected by tragedy. Faith and hope allow us to answer the question, “Where is God in the midst of tragedy?” In his novel Night, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, describing a poignant scene in a Nazi concentration camp, finds that answer: “The S.S. hanged two Jewish men and a youth in front of the whole camp. The men died quickly, but the death throes of the youth lasted for half an hour. “Where is God? Where is he?” someone asked behind me. As the youth still hung in torment in a noose after a long time, I heard a voice within myself answer, “Where is he? He is here, he is hanging on the gallow ... .”

Because of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus—the paschal mystery—we know that Jesus is forever Emmanuel, “Godwith-us.” Jesus embodies the meaning of the word compassion (cum passio), the one who suffered for us suffers with us. Just as Christ Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

wept at the death of his friend Lazarus, Christ weeps with us in our tragedies, with the mother and father who hold the body of their son killed in the Orlando attack.

Perhaps the best image of our response to the violence of terrorism can be taken from William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s painting Premier Deuil (The First Mourning). He captures the moment after Adam and Eve found the body of their son Abel. Abel’s lifeless body arcs across Adam’s lap while Adam places his left hand over his own crushed heart and holds Eve under the protection of his right arm as the two mourn their immense loss.

That same image can remind us of the great sorrow that God the Father experiences whenever one of his sons or daughters is killed by terrorism or any violent act. His heart, too, is crushed by sorrow, by the hatred.

Likewise, Mother Church kneels before the Father and weeps in prayer at the death of her beloved children. “Come, all who pass by the way, pay attention and see: Is there any pain like my pain, which has been ruthlessly inflicted upon me …” (Lamentations 1:12).

Mother Church looks for comfort and support from the Father as she prays for the souls of the departed and for forgiveness of those who are responsible for this act.

And upon the lap of the Father we place the victims of terrorism, our brothers and sisters who are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Atheist; who are American, French, English, Iraqi, Spanish, Belgian, Syrian; who are heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual; who are young and old; who are sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, grandfathers, grandmothers, sisters, brothers, friends.

We place them in the hope that the Father gives them life once again and brings them into his kingdom of everlasting peace. “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes,

Our prayer is that of St. Francis of Assisi: Lord make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed away.’ The one who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new’” (Revelation 21:4-5a).

Conclusion At the Interfaith Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi on Jan. 24, 2002, Pope St. John Paul II expressed the sentiments of the gathered religious leaders of various faiths, and in fact all people who detest harm toward one another, with the words, “Violence never again!

War never again! Terrorism never again! In God’s name, may all religions bring upon earth justice and peace, forgiveness, life and love!” We all look forward to the longed-for day when we can live in a world free of violence and terrorism. We pray, by God’s grace and our individual efforts to work toward peace, our hope may be fulfilled.

(Very Rev. Joshua J. Rodrigue, STL, is the pastor of the Cathedral parish of St. Francis de Sales in Houma.)

Personalities

Father Carl Collins celebrates a ‘ministry of presence’ for 25 years Story by Janet Marcel Photo by Lawrence Chatagnier Cut Off native Very Rev. Carl Collins, V.F., pastor of St. Bernadette Church parish in Houma since July 2012, recently celebrated his 25th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. He was ordained by the late Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux, first bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, on June 8, 1991, at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma.

“Throughout my childhood my parents were involved in the church and my faith was always important to me. I lived very close to my paternal grandfather who was influential in the church parish and was also close to the priest, so he was a good role model for me. He and another boy even put the first brick on Sacred Heart Church in Cut Off,” says Father Collins.

During his high school years, he says although he continued to attend Mass on Sunday, he kind of drifted away from the church. After graduating from high school, he started to question himself about what he wanted to do with his life and what life was all about, like he imagines most teenagers do. He talked to his parish priest, Msgr. Francis Legendre, who invited him to attend a Cursillo.

“I think from there, being involved in Cursillo and getting involved in the church again, that’s what started to foster the thought of what ministry to the priesthood might be like,” says the priest.

He says that if he hadn’t become a priest he would probably still be working offshore on a supply boat in some capacity.

His experience in the seminary was a positive one, he recalls. He had supportive friends there who helped him to grow as a person and gave him a good holistic view of life.

The day he was ordained was a joyful one. He remembers looking forward to the ministry of priesthood but being nervous to celebrate his first Mass at his home parish of Sacred Heart in Cut Off. Pointing to the pictures of his ordination and first Mass that are displayed on the wall of his office, he 21 says he felt affirmed by the number of diocesan priests who came to celebrate his first Mass with him.

Father Collins says walking with the people in their joys and their sorrows is what he finds most fulfilling about his ministry as a priest. “The ministry of presence, I believe, is one of my gifts. I enjoy helping people to know God is with them even during their most difficult times.”

Dealing with the administrative aspects of running a church parish has been one of the most challenging aspects of being a priest for him.

He says celebrating his 25th anniversary of priesthood with the St. Bernadette parishioners is something he will remember for a long time. “I didn’t have to do anything; they planned everything.

It was a very humbling experience.” He also considers 25 years as a priest as one of his greatest accomplishments thus far.

Over the last 25 years, Father Collins has served the diocese in various capacities including as associate pastor at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Houma, and Our Lady of the Rosary in Larose; and as pastor at St. Eloi in Theriot, Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Golden Meadow and Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Houma. He has also been a member of the priests council, the college of consultors, a spiritual advisor for Cursillo, and currently serves as the dean of the Terrebonne Deanery.

Father Collins has two brothers and one sister who all live in the diocese. He is the youngest of his siblings. In his free time he enjoys just spending times with friends and when he has the chance he also likes to fish and spend time at his camp. www.bayoucatholic.com

Special

A call to prayer from Bishop Shelton J. Fabre drawn to the words of the Lord to the prophet Isaiah: “Comfort my people.” I chose these words as my episcopal motto because I feel that deep within the heart of God is a desire to comfort us in our pain.

Each of us reacts differently to violent tragedy. Some of us may be angry. Violence pierces our hearts and leaves us in pain. Anger flows from pain. For those of us who are angry I simply remind everyone that underneath the anger, in

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In light of the violence that has occurred in our country in recent weeks, especially in Baton Rouge, Bishop Shelton J. Fabre issued the following statement on Sunday, July 17, 2016: Even though our tears are still falling and our fresh and fervent prayers are still ascending to God for the victims and families of the recent violence and loss of life that has gripped our state, our nation and our world, we again today stand before more violence and loss of life in Baton Rouge, which is very close to home for us.

As a native of New Roads and a priest of the Diocese of Baton Rouge for 17 years, I feel a deep ache in my heart because of recent violence that has happened there.

My sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones today or in the past weeks in the violence that has occurred in Baton Rouge, Dallas, Minneapolis, Istanbul and Nice. Unfortunately, I fear that we as a nation and a world are becoming too accustomed to the tragic events of violence and loss of human life such as has occurred over the past few weeks.

It is in times like these that I am Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

I am calling all people of HoumaThibodaux to prayer.

Regardless of our religion, regardless of our history, I call all of us to pray. Whether in the smallest privacy of our home or in the largest gatherings in our churches, I ask all of us to pray.

,

the pain, there is God wanting to “comfort his people.” Some of us may have questions like, “Will the violence and killing stop? When will this end?” Those are great questions. There, in the questions and together genuinely seeking to find answers constructively, we will find God listening to us wanting to “comfort his people.”

I am calling all people of HoumaThibodaux to prayer. Regardless of our religion, regardless of our history, I call all of us to pray.

Whether in the smallest privacy of our home or in the largest gatherings in our churches, I ask all of us to pray. Specifically, I am

asking each of us to consider the following: First, to each personally pray daily for an end to violence.

Violence is a complex evil; however, violence is often propelled by selfishness and self-centeredness.

We as people must look “outside of ourselves,” we must turn to God, for it is in him that our true peace lies.

Secondly, come together in prayer. Therefore, I am asking that over the course of the next two weeks every Catholic Church in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux offer a “Holy Hour” to pray for an end to violence.

Thirdly, let us continue to work together for justice and peace.

Where there is justice, there is peace. Where there is injustice there will always be the temptation to violence. God calls us all to “see” others as he “sees” them. As Pope Francis has indicated, we must truly seek to “encounter” those who are racially or ethnically different from us in a real effort to appreciate the countless gifts that unite us, and to seek to address and to solve the problems that challenge and seek to divide us, complicating our lives together. When we learn to “see” people with the eyes of the Lord, we will then move forward in justice and peace.

In these troubling times, I think that the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi places before us what we are called to as people of faith: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Diocesan Programs This Month 1201 Cardinal Drive ~ Thibodaux

“Spotlight on the Diocese” Bishop Shelton J. Fabre updates the progress of the strategic plan with lay leaders of the diocese HTV/VISION COMMUNICATIONS, CHARTER COMM. & COMCAST CHANNEL 10 ALLEN’S TV CABLE MORGAN CITY CHANNEL 71 (Digital Channel 30.1-UHF & Channel 7.1-VHF) Mondays - 9:30 a.m.

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Our Lady of t he Rosary

Bayou Patrons

Mother of the High Priest, Jesus Christ ... and mother of all priests Story by Janet Marcel Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier 24

Our Lady of the Rosary, Larose Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

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Continuing our Bayou Patrons series, this month we are featuring Our Lady of the Rosary. In the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, there are two church parishes named for Our Lady of the Rosary. One is located in Houma and the other in Larose.

The rosary is a Scripture-based prayer. It begins with the Apostles’ Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Our Father, which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels.

The first part of the Hail Mary is the angel’s words announcing Christ’s birth and Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary. Pope Pius V officially added the second part of the Hail Mary. The Mysteries of the Rosary center on the events of Christ’s life. There are four sets of Mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and––added by St. Pope John Paul II in 2002––the Luminous (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).

The rosary prayer focuses on the intercessory power of Mary; it shows that when Christians are in danger, in pain, discouraged, or having trouble accepting God’s will, they can go to Mary and she will pray to her Son for anyone who calls on her.

Mary encouraged praying the rosary in her apparitions. At Lourdes when she appeared to Saint Bernadette, Mary had a rosary. As Bernadette prayed it, Mary joined in on the Glory Be prayers. At Fatima, Mary urged the three children who saw her to pray the rosary for peace.

The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which is celebrated on October 7, has its origins in the 16th century when Pope Pius V united Spain, Venice and the States of the church in a naval expedition to fight the Ottoman Turks, who at the time were a real danger to Christianity. The two navies met in the Gulf of Lepanto in Greece on Oct. 7, 1571. On the same day, the Rosary Confraternity of Rome was meeting at the Dominican headquarters there and prayed the rosary for the special intention of the Christians at battle. The Christians defeated the Turks in a spectacular victory and believed it was the intercessory power of the Blessed Virgin that won the victory. Pope Pius V dedicated the day as one of thanksgiving to Our Lady of Victory. Pope Gregory XIII later changed the name to the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (Loyola Press).

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Church parish in Houma was established by Archbishop Joseph F. Rummel of New Orleans on Sept. 8, 1948, the birth date of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are 14 stained glass windows in the church depicting the mysteries of the rosary, and at the altar there is a painting of St. Dominic receiving the rosary from the Blessed Mother.

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Father Rolando Grecia, pastor of the Church parish in Houma since July 2014, explains that according to the 1992 Apostolic Exhortation written by Pope St. John Paul II, Pastores Dabo Vobis, priests are called to have a more tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary because she is the mother of the High Priest Jesus Christ, and therefore, she is the mother of all priests.

“My personal devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary started when I was about seven years old, with my family praying the rosary every night,” says Father Grecia. “In 1984, I decided to enter the seminary, where my devotion to Mary was nurtured through all those years in Our

Our Lady of the Rosary, Larose

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Houma

Lady of Mt. Carmel Seminary, in Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines. In 1997, I finished my studies in theology in the seminary that is dedicated to Our Lady of Good Counsel. I was ordained a deacon on Dec. 9, 1997, a 25 day after the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and on Sept. 8, 1998, I was ordained a priest.”

The Blessed Virgin Mary has always been there in his life, he says, before he became a priest and when he was ordained priest. Upon arriving in the United States Father Grecia spent his first night in the rectory at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary parish, not knowing that eight years later, he would become the parish’s pastor. Before being assigned to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary parish in Houma, he was an associate pastor at Our Lady of the Rosary parish in Larose.

“Through all those years to the present, I give thanks to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of the High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, for taking good care of me, her son and her priest,” says Father Grecia.

According to the history of Our Lady of the Rosary Church parish in Larose, in the 1860s the legendary Pere’ Charles Menard would travel from the northern part of Lafourche Parish to perform baptisms, distribute Communion and give religious instruction four times a year in a small chapel in a developing community on the banks of Bayou Lafourche, which did not yet have a name. Residents of this area would travel up Bayou Lafourche to Lockport for weddings and funerals.

In 1873, a small wooden church that would serve all of the South Lafourche communities was built on land donated by Octave Harang. Father Hyacinthe Brindejone served as the first resident priest. On Aug. 7, 1894, the trustees of the parish along with

a

www.bayoucatholic.com

Bayou Patrons

26

Our Lady of t he Rosary

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Houma

its pastor Father Adrien Kohner under Archbishop Francis A. Janssens of New Orleans formed the corporation of The Congregation de Notre Dame du Rosaire – Our Lady of the Rosary.

The current church, which was built in 1933, features stained glass windows that depict the mysteries of the rosary.

Father Ronilo Villamor, pastor of the Church parish in Larose since June 2012, says he doesn’t know exactly why the parish was named for Our Lady of the Rosary, but believes it was because of the French priests who served the church and their devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary.

Since arriving in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in 2007, Father Villamor has served in three church parishes, each with a unique association to Blessed Virgin Mary. His first assignment was at St. Bernadette parish in Houma, whose patron Mary had a powerful influence over. His second assignment Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

was at Our Lady of Prompt Succor parish in Golden Meadow, another significant title of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“For me, being assigned to Our Lady of the Rosary is an invitation to grow in my relationship with our Blessed Mother, a very consoling and reassuring affirmation of my priestly ministry in this part of the global vineyard of her son Jesus,” says Father Villamor. “Our Lady of the Rosary is my own mother’s patron saint. As pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary I am assured of a mother’s love and protection which I deeply experienced in the friendly, supportive, motherly ladies, and hardworking men of the parish, who are all very close to our Blessed Mother. I also feel blessed to be the pastor of a parish with a Catholic school named after her – Holy Rosary Catholic School. Even in these rough times, Our Lady of the Rosary’s intercession and assistance is overflowing.”

EVENTS

DIOCESAN august n Presentation of the movie The 13th Day – the 2009 film based on the events when the Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal – Saturday, Aug. 13, after the 4 p.m. vigil Mass, Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales Youth Center.

Refreshments will be provided. Some scenes may be too intense for those under the age of 12. n Women’s Come and See Weekend, Aug. 13-14, Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales Convent, Houma. For more information call the Office of Vocations at (958)850-3157 n Acadian Mass, Monday, Aug. 15, 6 p.m., St. Hilary of Poitiers, Mathews.

n RCIA Workshop, Saturday, Aug. 20, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall, Schriever. n Son Rise Christian Music Fest, Sunday, Aug. 21, 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., Ardoyne Plantation, 2678 Highway 311, Schriever, Admission is free. Featured bands include Metanoia, Joyous Sounds, More Than Sunday, Father Glenn LeCompte, and more.

Food and refreshments will be sold. Event benefits World of Hope Ministries. n Adult Faith Formation: Scripture II, Wednesdays, Aug. 24 and 31, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall, Schriever, 6-8:15 p.m. Speaker, Deacon John Pippenger.

september n Pilgrimage Walk, Saturday, Sept. 3, Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales, Houma, beginning at 7:30 a.m. with rosary and confession; Mass at 8:30 a.m.; walk begins at 9:15 a.m. n Food for the Journey, Tuesday, Sept. 6, Ellendale Country Club Restaurant, 3319 Highway 311, Schriever, 10:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

Speaker, Very Rev. Vicente DeLa Cruz, J.V. n Adult Faith Formation: Scripture II, Wednesdays, Sept. 7, 14,

21 and 28, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall, Schriever, 6-8:15 p.m. Speaker, Deacon John Pippenger. n Cursillo Men’s Weekend, Sept. 29-Oct. 2, at the Lumen Christi Retreat Center. Registration fee is $120. No one will be denied due to financial difficulty. Registration forms can be found at www. htcursillo.weekly.com or email htcursillo@yahoo.com.

october n Pilgrimage Walk, Saturday, Oct. 1, Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales, Houma, beginning at 7:30 a.m. with rosary and confession; Mass at 8:30 a.m.; walk begins at 9:15 a.m. n Food for the Journey, Tuesday, Oct. 4, Ellendale Country Club Restaurant, 3319 Highway 311, Schriever, 10:45 a.m.-

12:45 p.m. Speaker, Father Joseph Tregre. n Adult Faith Formation: Christology, Thursdays, Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27, diocesan Pastoral Center Conference Hall, Schriever, 6-8:15 p.m. Speaker, Father Glenn LeCompte. www.bayoucatholic@htdiocese.org

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Heavenly Recipes

Lou Conner’s

s ’ m o M

Fig Cake

Story and Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier This month’s heavenly recipe, mom’s fig cake, comes from Lou Conner, office manager of Catholic Charities Houma-Thibodaux. It is a recipe from her mom, Gladys Lillian 28 Simon. “My mom, who everyone called “Lill,” would make this cake at our family gatherings. It was one of her favorites. Everyone loved her cake. She loved to cook and make jelly. I decided to share this recipe in her honor because she passed away in April this year.”

Lou says that although she watched her mom cook and took home economics in high school she really learned to cook from her husband Joel. “When we got married my husband was already familiar with cooking. He is a very good cook.”

Lou has been working for the Diocese of Houma Thibodaux for the past 28 years. “I began working for the diocese in 1988 as a housekeeper at St. Gregory Church parish in Houma. After a few years I would do the housekeeping work in the morning and then office work in the afternoon. When Father Wilfredo “Freddie” Decal was appointed at St. Gregory he gave me the job as the full time pastoral associate of the church parish,” she says.

In 1996 Lou enrolled in LIMEX, the Loyola Institute for Ministry program. She says it was an Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

awesome experience for her. “It was through the LIMEX process that I discovered who I am and who God is. It was that much of a learning experience. We had a very close-knit group. In fact we recently gathered and had dinner at a restaurant. You had to be mature and have some of life’s experiences to fully appreciate and draw from the process.” She graduated with her learning group in 2000.

While at St. Gregory Church she was involved with adult education.

“My joy is adult education. My focus was on adult religious education which included RCIA. Now as office

manager at Catholic Charities it is a totally different focus. It’s business. I am the office manager and I take care of business. It is fantastic and a great place to work,” she says.

Lou says she is old enough to remember the pre-Vatican II days and having one foot in post Vatican II. “I remember what it was like before Vatican II and what it was like when it was first implemented.

I like it where I am today with my faith. I love my church. The Loyola program and Al-Anon have helped me own my faith and shaped me into who I am today.”

Mom’s Fig Cake 2 cups sugar 2 cups flour 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup sour milk (milk with a teaspoon of vinegar) 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup chopped pecans 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. ground cloves 1 cup mashed figs Mix all the ingredients well and pour into a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Bake for one and a half hours at 300 degrees. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Entertainment

Seeing Clairely Claire Joller

I 30

I always took great satisfaction in the fact that I survived childhood without having broken a single bone. No broken arm from falling off a rope swing hanging from a bayouside oak. No broken leg in a tangle of gangly limbs during an aggressive backyard game of Red Rover at twilight.

Not even a broken facial bone while walking briskly down a sidewalk and turning at the last minute to smack headlong into a telephone post.

Having seen more than a few of my classmates wearing arm and leg casts through the years, it was a definite point of pride that I had avoided the plaster plagues that not even a multitude of friends’ autographs could brighten.

Fast forward to the week after my husband retired from teaching circa 2001. Imagine me, standing on a step stool to clean ceiling fan blades. Imagine the vacuum cleaner I had left too near the step stool, and see me fall backward when I slide off the cleaner with both feet, my arms flailing backward to break my fall.

I tilted toward my right side in mid-air, and a precise clicking sound as I hit the floor warned me what I had done. It was a fracture of a bone above my wrist that resulted in my first cast. Lots of jokes ensued about the incident being a sign for me not to do that kind of housework. Yuk, yuk.

For several years I was extra careful when I had to climb on anything, and I sort of forgot the sickening sound of my own bone breaking.

The week before Christmas in 2012, our grandchildren were at our house to bake seasonal cookies. They were both still a

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

em ones em ones little short to maneuver spoons and bowls on the kitchen counter, so we gave them two small stools to stand on so that they could reach what they needed . . . . You’re probably way ahead of me at this point, and you’re right.

My heel caught the side of one stool as I headed toward the pantry to return the large bag of sugar in my hands. I don’t know what made me hold on to that doggone bag as though it were a sack of jewels. I hit the hard ceramic tile floor full force, head first. This time what I heard was not a snap or a click.

It was a nauseating crunch, like a sack of pea gravel taking a punch.

While I was rushed to the hospital emergency room, my daughter cleaned up the copious amount of blood on the floor and bundled the children home. My nose was on the left side of my face, but I was fortunate not to have fractured my skull in the process.

A couple of sleepless weeks later

i

(this one was painful), an ENT repositioned my nose and fixed an undiagnosed deviated septum.

So when I managed to ignore the black-and-blue face and discolored eye bags that lasted for months, my improved breathing was a nice little bonus.

Our family holiday party still went on that year, and our grandchildren are not repulsed at the mention of Christmas cookies, so no permanent harm was done.

There has been one more break.

I broke my left second toe when I fell on my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night about six months ago. This time, there was no sound signifying the break. The only sound was me whimpering that I had broken a bone, yet again.

The old saying that pride goeth before a fall is absolutely right. In my case, though, the saying would have to be extended to: Pride goeth before a fall, and another fall, and another fall . . . .

Book Reviews

The Jealous Kind Reading with Raymond Raymond Saadi

Before the Fall

By Noah Hawley Grand Central $26 Scott Burroughs, a struggling artist, accepts a ride on a private jet flying between Martha’s Vineyard and New York City.

Neither he nor any of the other 10 passengers have any idea that the plane will crash into the Atlantic just 16 minutes after takeoff. Scott, incredibly, survives the crash, as does the four year-old son of the head of ALC Cable News Network.

Scott swims 10 miles through the dark, icy waters with the boy on his back, to safety. He is hailed as a hero by virtually everyone except, ironically, the muckraking ALC News Host. Each passenger’s back-story adds to the mystery and suspense of this terrific thriller.

By James Lee Burke Simon & Schuster $27.99 Houston, Texas, is the perfect fit for the forties, with the Korean War raging, and high school kids wondering about their future.

Aaron Holland Broussard, an impressionable high schooler sees and instantly falls for the beautiful Valerie Epstein who, as it happens, is enamored of and by, the town’s gang leader and son of the powerful local mob boss. Aaron realizes he is seriously challenged to prove himself to Valerie and to the memory of his father who fought in the Great War. Burke’s ability to recreate this nostalgic down-toearth moment in time will resonate strongly among those who were there.

End of Watch

By Stephen King Scribner $30 In this satisfying conclusion to the trilogy that began with the deliberate automobile rampage into a crowd of innocent people in “Mr. Mercedes,” followed by the capture of the madman, Brady Hartsfield, in “Finders Keepers,” we now find him a mere vegetable confined to a hospital room staring into space.

Readers learn quickly, however, that he’s shamming and has developed telekinetic powers that allow him to enter the minds of others to perform his deadly wishes, especially to pay back retired Detective Bill Hodges who’s responsible for his imprisonment.

OASIS: Conversion Stories of Hollywood Legends

By Mary Claire Kendall Franciscan Media $16.99 Here are fascinating stories of famous Hollywood stars who converted to Catholicism, albeit often on their deathbeds. Some, however, like former actress, Dolores Hart, now Prioress of Abbey of Regina Laudis, chose God over Hollywood early on who highly praises the book’s author in the Foreword. Patricia Neal, who converted the day before she died, had already announced that she would do so. John Wayne was another “covert” Catholic. He would attend Mass or simply sit in a church and quietly meditate.

When “Duke” was diagnosed with stomach cancer, a Paulist priest came to baptize him and hear his confession. Bob Hope had the help and encouragement of his wife, Dolores, who longed for him to convert and kept saying, “One of these days … ), and then, one day, he said, “Okay, it’s time.” Author Kendall tells their stories, warts and all, before conversion, and happy endings.

www.bayoucatholic.com

31

Church Life

Suzanne D. Troxclair appointed new Catholic schools superintendent bachelor’s degree in government, completed the alternative certification program and received a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

Throughout her career she has taught students at the elementary, middle and high school level, and worked as an elementary school curriculum facilitator, intervention strategist and a middle school

curriculum specialist for Lafourche Parish Schools.

She is married to Allen Troxclair Jr. and they have three children, Benton, 22 (2012 graduate of EDW and 2016 graduate of LSU); Courtney, 20 (2104 graduate of EDW who attends Nicholls State University); and Dexter, 16 (11th grader at EDW). They are parishioners of St. Joseph CoCathedral parish in Thibodaux.

Suzanne Troxclair

Suzanne D. Troxclair, a native of Crowley and resident of Thibodaux who has been working as curriculum specialist for the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux since July 2103, has been appointed as the new superintendent of Catholic schools, Bishop Shelton J. Fabre announced recently.

32 “Suzanne brings to the superintendent position the advantage of her own experience in having served our Office of Catholic Schools as the curriculum specialist. I am excited that the wealth of this prior knowledge and experience on her part will allow her to immediately begin to integrate into our efforts with regard to Catholic education her own thoughts, ideas and expertise.

Suzanne has a great love for Catholic education and I know that our Catholic schools will benefit from her gifts and leadership. I am very pleased to welcome her as on new superintendent of Catholic schools,” says Bishop Fabre.

The Office of Catholic Schools falls under the newly formed department of Christian Formation and the leadership of Father Simon Peter Engurait. Thus, Father Engurait will work closely with the superintendent and Office of Catholic Schools, specifically focusing on strengthening Catholic identity within the diocese’s 13 Catholic schools.

Troxclair is a graduate of E.D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux. She obtained a Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

Father Simon Peter Engurait appointed coordinator of Christian Formation

Father Simon Peter Engurait

Father Simon Peter Engurait, who has been serving the diocese as Moderator of the Curia, was recently named coordinator of Christian Formation by Bishop Shelton J. Fabre. As coordinator of Christian Formation, Father Engurait will oversee eight diocesan offices and three diocesan ministries, each charged with various aspects of forming disciples.

“I am humbled as well as excited to take on the responsibility of coordinating the development and strengthening of Christian formation in our diocese,” says Father Engurait. “It is a big challenge, but together and with the abiding help of God we shall make it. One of my primary goals and desires is to strengthen the Catholic identity in our schools.

With commitment and dedication,

God will grant us the desires of our hearts, for the greater glory of his name.”

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre says, “From his many years working in the corporate world, Father Simon Peter brings invaluable experience to his administrative responsibilities. However, to his new role he also brings his identity as a priest and therefore a pastoral perspective. He is a man of great prayer and spiritual maturity, and I know that as coordinator of Christian Formation he will enrich our efforts across the diocese, especially in our Catholic schools, to assist children, youth, young adults and adults in growing in their relationship with Jesus Christ and in becoming missionary disciples for the Lord. I look forward to the many graces that he will bring to the area of Christian Formation as well as how his leadership will specifically help our Catholic schools with regards to Catholic identity.”

The Department of Christian Formation consists of the Offices of Catholic Schools, Ethnic Ministries, Family Ministries, Propagation of the Faith, Religious Education, Worship, Youth Ministry, and the Lumen Christi Retreat Center; as well as the ministries of Catholic Charismatic Renewal, conferences, and New Evangelization.

Food for the Journey Sept. 6 Diocesan Outreach Line

Very Rev. Vicente DeLa Cruz, J.V.

The diocesan Office of Religious Education sponsors a monthly lunchtime speaker series on the first Tuesday of the month at the Ellendale Country Club Restaurant located at 3319 Highway 311 in Schriever.

The speaker for September 6 is Very Rev. Vicente DeLa Cruz, J.V. Father DeLa Cruz, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church parish in Bayou Black, and diocesan judicial vicar, is a native of Olongapo City, Philippines. He attended Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and was ordained to the priesthood Dec. 8, 1990. Father DeLa Cruz received a licentiate in Canon Law from St. Paul University in Ontario, Canada. In addition to serving in many parishes throughout the diocese, he is also a member of Bishop’s Cabinet.

Those who plan to attend the September 6th event should RSVP with their name, phone number and church parish by Thursday, Sept. 1. To RSVP, email FoodForTheJourney@htdiocese.org or call (985) 850-3178.

Doors open at 10:45 a.m. Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. The program begins at Noon with the speaker’s presentation from 12:10-12:45 p.m.

Cost is $15 and includes meal, drink and tip. Only cash or checks will be accepted.

All are invited to come “eat and be fed.”

In response to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is offering an Outreach Line (formerly known as the Child Protection Contact Line). The Outreach Line is an effort to continue the diocesan commitment to support healing for people who have been hurt or sexually abused recently or in the past by clergy, religious or other employees of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Outreach Line operates from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A trained mental health professional responds to the line. Individuals are offered additional assistance if requested.

The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Outreach Line Telephone number is (985) 873-0026 or (985) 850-3172

Línea de Comunicación Diocesana

Con el fin de cumplir con las Políticas de Protección de Niños y Jóvenes de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Los Estados Unidos, la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux ofrece una Línea de Comunicación (antes Línea de Contacto para la Protección de los Niños). La Línea de Comunicación es parte del esfuerzo diocesano de comprometerse con el mejoramiento de aquéllos que han sido lastimados o abusados sexualmente recientemente o en el pasado por miembros del clero, religiosos u otros empleados de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux.

El horario de la Línea de Comunicación de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux es de 8:30 a.m. a 4:30 p.m., de lunes a viernes. El encargado de esta línea es un profesional capacitado en salud mental. Se ofrece asistencia adicional al ser solicitada.

Línea de Comunicación de la Diócesis de Houma-Thibodaux Número de teléfono (985) 873-0026 o (985) 850-3172

Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän Ñeå höôûng öùng Hieán chöông Baûo veä Treû em vaø Giôùi treû töø Hoäi ñoàng Giaùm muïc Hoa kyø, Giaùo phaän Houma-Thibodaux ñang chuaån bò ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp (luùc tröôùc laø ñöôøng daây lieân laïc baûo veä treû em). Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp laø moät söï coá gaéng cuûa giaùo phaän nhaèm cam keát haøn gaén naâng ñôõ nhöõng ai ñaõ bò toån thöông hoaëc bò laïm duïng tính duïc hoaëc gaàn ñaây hoaëc trong quaù khöù bôûi giaùo só, tu só hoaëc caùc coâng nhaân vieân cuûa Giaùo phaän Houma-Thibodaux. Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän hoaït ñoäng töø 8:30 saùng ñeán 4:30 chieàu, thöù hai ñeán thöù saùu. Moät nhaân vieân chuyeân nghieäp veà söùc khoûe taâm thaàn traû lôøi treân ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi. Nhöõng caù nhaân seõ ñöôïc trôï giuùp naâng ñôõ theâm neáu caàn.

Ñöôøng daây ñieän thoaïi Cöùu giuùp Giaùo phaän Soá ñieän thoaïi: (985) 873-0026; (985) 850-3172

www.bayoucatholic.com

33

Church Life

Educators Conference is Sept. 6

Fran Kick

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Fran Kick, educational consultant, author, professional speaker, and creator of KICK IT IN® a series of self-motivational personal leadership presentations and materials, will be the keynote speaker for the 31st annual diocesan Catholic School Educators Conference, as announced by Tim Robichaux, president of E.D. White

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

Catholic High School in Thibodaux and this year’s conference chairman.

The conference will be held Tuesday, Sept. 6 at Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma.

Kick presents over one hundred programs every year across the country to thousands of college/ university, high school and junior high/middle school students, plus the many people who work with them. In addition, he works with corporate organizations who are actively engaged in teaching and reaching students. Kick has spoken at many state, regional and national conferences and has consulted with numerous schools, organizations and companies.

He has a bachelor of arts degree in education and a masters of arts degree in educational psychology.

In 1999, he earned the National Speakers Association’s most prestigious designation – the CSP (Certified Speaking Professional).

Kick spent three years as a psychology assistant in a clinical practice where he counseled students weekly on a one-to-one basis and was a consulting associate for a child and youth development

center. He has also appeared on television a number of times where he was the host and co-producer for the TV show TEENTALK. Kick’s writing has appeared in numerous state and national educational publications. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Research and Improvement’s ERIC Clearinghouse published Fran’s work entitled The Self-Perceptions of Self-Concept and Self-Esteem and selected it for inclusion for the Resources in Education Index. He authored the student leadership series KICK IT IN & TAKE THE LEAD! and co-authored Portfolios Across the Curriculum and Beyond published

by Corwin Press, Inc. His most recent releases include the first two books of a series entitled What Makes Kids KICK. Bishop Shelton J. Fabre will celebrate Mass for the educators at the conference. Those who have completed 25 years in Catholic education in the diocese will be recognized after the Mass. Teachers will also be awarded mini-grants. Approximately 400 Catholic school educators will attend this year’s conference.

Holy Spirit Men’s Retreat Aug. 19-21

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the Archdiocese of New Orleans (CCRNO) is sponsoring a Holy Spirit Men’s Retreat at Lumen Christi Retreat Center in Schriever Aug. 19-21. The theme is “Take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Speakers are Mark Nimo, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Chicago, IL; and Father Bo Majors, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church parish

Upper Lafourche dean appointed

in Destrehan. Also serving will be a team of men from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans. Cost is $175 per person (double room) or $205 (private), which covers registration, meals and accommodations. Register online at www.ccrno.org. For more information, contact CCRNO at 1(504)828-1368; or email info@ ccrno.org.

St. Luke fall banquet Oct. 15 St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church in Thibodaux, will host its Annual Fall Banquet Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.) in the Church parish Community Center. This year’s theme is taken from Luke 6:36, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” The parishioners at St. Luke Church are celebrating 31 years of re-

establishment and 93 years of existence. There will be a silent auction and other entertainment.

Tickets are available now for $20 each and will also be sold at the door. Special pricing for reserved tables is available. For more information, please contact the parish Community Center at (985) 446-0487.

Very Rev. Clyde J. Mahler, V.F.

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre has announced the appointment of a new dean for the Upper Lafourche Deanery, effective immediately.

Very Rev. Clyde J. Mahler, V.F., who has been serving as pastor of Holy Cross Church parish in Morgan City since July 2014, has been appointed dean of the Upper Lafourche Deanery, for a period of six years. Father Mahler is a native of Thibodaux, LA. He was ordained May 22, 1999.

Wedding anniversary prayer service Oct. 16

Couples married in the Catholic Church who are celebrating 25, 40, 50, 60 and beyond years of marriage this year will be honored Sunday, October 16. There will be a prayer service at 2 p.m. at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux, followed by a reception in the Life Center. Couples wishing to participate in this program should contact their church parish before August 24 to register. All registered anniversary couples will receive an inscribed diocesan certificate in their own church parish during a scheduled parish celebration.

www.bayoucatholic.com

35

Church Alive

St. Kateri honored

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Colon cancer can.

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(985) 446-9050 1209 Cardinal Drive ~ Thibodaux, LA 70301 www.cardinalplace.org For More Information Contact: Natalie Barbera Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

N.S. Teddy Winstead, MD, MSPH, FACP Board Certified Gastroenterologist

“Call us First”

St. Kateri Mass Bishop Shelton J. Fabre was the main celebrant of the annual Kateri Mass at Holy Family Church in Grand Caillou, which was concelebrated by priests of the diocese. The Bayou Eagle Dancers took part in the procession during the Mass.

Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

Mimi Wilson, OT, PA-C Jimmy N. Ponder, Jr., MD Adolfo Cuadra, MD

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Sports

Central Catholic High School baseball team wins Class 1-A State Championship

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Central Catholic High School baseball team of Morgan City beat Oak Grove High School 8-7 on May 14 at McMurry Park in Sulphur, LA, to claim the 2016 Class 1-A state championship.

Team members: Drake Angeron, Wade Crappell, Tyler Longman, Patrick Barron, Stefano Guarisco, Charlie Ray Solar, Jesse Fontenot, Cade Booty, Gregory Leger, Mitchel Lemoine, Sammy Spitale, Michael Scott Wise, Cooper Leblanc, Adam Dupuis, Samuel Guarisco, Blake Hidalgo, Thomas Garber, Thomas Mire, Ethan Whittington, Brooks Thomas, Bryce Grizzaffi, Kade Pichoff. Coaching staff: Tyler Jensen, head coach; Gary Hebert, Dan Irwin, Larry Lombardo, assistant coaches; Larry D’Antoni, trainer; and Ree Case, athletic director.

C o r p o r at e L aw ~ w i L L & S u C C e S S i o n S ~ e S tat e p L a n n i n g ~ r e a L e S tat e

Daniel J. Walker ~ William A. Eroche Daniel L. Hoychick ~ Michelle L. Hoychick 1340 West Tunnel Blvd., Suite 306 ~ Houma, Louisiana 985.868.2333 ~ wwelaw.com

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

Bayou

Catholic

k k c c a a B B

l l o o o o h h c c S S o t to

2016

Back To School

Serving in the mission of Catholic education Guest Columnist

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I

Suzanne D. Troxclair, Superintendent of Catholic schools

In the prayerful words of St. Pope John Paul II, “The mission of the Catholic school is the integral formation of students, so that they may be true to their condition as Christ’s disciples and, as such, work effectively for the evangelization of culture and for the common good of society.”

Inspired by this awesome charge, I humbly join with you in this vital mission as the sixth superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of HoumaThibodaux. It is both an honor and a privilege to continue to serve here in the diocese in which I grew up, prayerfully participate in my faith, was married, and am guiding my own children. I come to you as a product of this diocese and of the incredible faith-filled education I received as I was nurtured in my faith by the leaders of our church and Catholic school community. Indeed, what an exciting time this is for our people! The excitement I felt as an 11 year old Catholic school student in 1977 when our diocese was founded is ever-present today as we again commit ourselves to the mission and goals of Catholic education on the brink of the diocese’s 40th anniversary and as we work

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

collaboratively to answer God’s call to meet the needs of his people through the strategic planning process.

As I continue to share with you my strong belief in Catholic education, I want you to keep in mind that what we are able to afford the students in our schools is the perfect marriage of both a strong Catholic faith environment and a high level of academic standards. Nurtured in this culture, our students flourish as faith-filled, lifelong learners who are armed with the skills and knowledge necessary to seek the greater good in their adult journeys as well as become true missionary disciples of Christ.

We have been blessed with the ability to provide formal Catholic education for the youth of our area for over 160 years. The Catholic Church and Catholic education have been cornerstones of the communities in which they serve.

Today, we are proud to have 13 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux – 10 elementary schools and three diocesan high schools. These schools minister to approximately 5,500 students in our diocesan community. Today, as we embark on the awesome mission of strategic planning in our faith community, it is my hope that we are able to not only strengthen the ministry of our Catholic schools, but to also meet the needs of more of God’s children whose families seek to afford them the opportunity to live God’s Word as they are nurtured in this educational ministry.

As the last of five children of the late Charles and Shirley Delaune, I was blessed with a family who lived their lives deeply devoted to God and who understood the importance of the ministry of Catholic education. My parents made great sacrifices to afford their five children a strong

a

academic education in a Christcentered environment. As a former student and graduate of the diocese, parent of three children educated in our Catholic schools, parishioner of St. Joseph Co-Cathedral, and now the superintendent of Catholic Schools, I look forward to the opportunity to utilize this four-dimensional perspective of Catholic education – a perspective unique to the position in our diocese – to listen to and work collaboratively with all of our people as we form our children into faith-filled, lifelong learners who go on to minister

to God’s people as missionary disciples in Christ.

With this goal ever in the forefront of our thinking in our Catholic schools, I am certain that our 2016-2017 school year will be filled with the same excitement and enthusiasm I experienced as a Catholic school student in 1977 when our diocese was first founded. Today, with almost 40 years of prayerful experiences upon which to reflect, my hope is that all who feel called to the vital mission of our strategic planning process will share their time, talents, and prayers with us as

the Catholic schools commission is launched this fall.

I am most humbled to have been entrusted by Bishop Shelton J. Fabre with the ministry of leading the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux’s Catholic Schools. I look forward to working collaboratively with our diocesan community to strengthen the vital ministry of Catholic education for the children that we serve. As we embark on our journey together to meet the needs of our people through the strategic planning process, I am filled with hope and excitement for the promising future that awaits us!

Did You Know ...?

Each year, our school communities continue to exemplify their faith, knowledge and service through embracing their God-given gifts of time, talent and treasure. Below are just a few of the many examples of ways our schools have continued to use these talents in their mission. Can you guess which school community accomplished each task?

1. The Higher Options for People with Exceptionalities (HOPE) Program commenced to better meet the needs of God’s children.

2. The school’s students, parents, grandparents and faculty came together to complete the awesome service project of renovating an apartment for Chez Hope, a battered women’s shelter.

3. The school’s baseball team brought home the Class 1-A state championship.

4. Four seventh graders received state recognition for their outstanding performance on the ACT through Duke University’s Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP).

5. The school was the top contributor in the diocese for the Missionary Child Association.

6. A special prayer service with law enforcement was held to show their school community’s support and continued prayers for those men and women who selflessly serve the community.

7. A two-year-old preschool program was successfully added to the school learning community to better meet the needs of the parish’s school families.

8. The school was recognized as a 2016 National Beta School of Merit for providing their students experiences in leadership development and service involvement.

9. The school hosts a drive-through, live nativity each December with scenes of Christ’s birth.

Students, parents and faculty plan and implement this project for the community.

10. Its Class of 2016 was awarded $2,796,152 in college scholarships.

11. Its school swim team placed first overall in the Greater New Orleans Middle School League of competition.

12. Each grade level of the school selects a different organization to support through acts of charity or service, impacting nine distinct organizations in all.

13. Its fifth grade Student of the Year was a state finalist in the Louisiana Department of Education competition.

Answer Key 1. Vandebilt Catholic High School; 2. St. Mary’s Nativity School; 3. Central Catholic High School; 4. St. Bernadette Elementary School; 5.

St. Genevieve School; 6. Holy Cross Elementary School; 7. Holy Savior School; 8. Holy Rosary School; 9. Maria Immacolata School; 10. E. D. White Catholic High School; 11. St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School; 12. St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School; 13. St. Gregory School.

www.bayoucatholic.com

41

Back To School

Guest Columnist

T 42

Amanda Talbot

The summer season is a gift from God in which we may seek his treasures of sunlight, warmth, family vacations, relaxation and activities with friends.

Along with enjoying the summer days, it is vital for educators, parents and students to prepare for the beginning of the new school year. As the first day of school approaches, here are a few ideas to help school community stakeholders prepare.

Educators are life-long learners, and summer days are great for engaging in professional development, such as workshops, book studies, online seminars, etc. Learning new ideas before school begins allows teachers the time to prepare and integrate their new learning into the classroom environment.

Summer days are also ideal for teachers to evaluate and analyze their classroom procedures and management, teaching strategies, and assessment tools in order to make improvements before the start of the new school year.

Teachers should begin to prepare the classroom environment early in order to create an inviting and spiritual learning space for students. Early preparation may also include early communication with colleagues, parents and students.

Communication with colleagues may include sharing ideas for curriculum planning, fostering faith in students, and effective engagement strategies.

Communication with parents and students may involve a postcard or letter welcoming the parent and student to your classroom.

Even though parents may become a little more relaxed on schedules and routines over the summer, parents are continuously preparing their children for a variety of summer activities including religious camps, sports, and gatherings with friends or family.

While engaging in all these activities, parents can continue to prepare children for the beginning of the school year. When parents encourage students to read daily and engage in summer learning, students have a better chance of retaining skills and concepts mastered from the previous school year.

Some schools may send specific activities for children to complete. If not, visiting the local public library is a wonderful activity to do with children.

You can also easily find grade level specific academic games on the internet. It is also important to remember to enhance children’s spiritual life – Mass, daily prayer, community service activities, and good/ moral choices.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

2016 Back to School Tips Beginning to implement the family’s school routine about two weeks before the new school year will help everyone easily transition back to school. Wake children at the time you will expect them to begin their morning routines for school. Begin to implement school bedtimes as well. A “practice run” is a great idea to try before the first day of school. This allows parents to adjust times in order to find the most efficient school routine.

Some children may be feeling somewhat anxious about the new school year. Children will appreciate a discussion of the teacher’s name and expectations for that grade level. Change is not easy for everyone, so please take the time to read the school handbook with children so they are aware of what has remained the same or changed at the school.

It is also important for parents to prepare themselves for the beginning of the year school paperwork. It may seem overwhelming, but return this important paperwork back to the school as soon as possible. If you have more than one child, organize envelopes with each child’s name before receiving the paperwork. Once you receive the paperwork, complete and place in each child’s envelope for the teacher. The beginning of the school year is also a perfect time for parents to inform teachers of any special accommodations or needs your child may need in order to be successful.

Back to school preparation also includes school supplies and uniforms, so be sure to look for upcoming sales and promotions!

When students first return to school, parents may see their children noticeably tired before and after school.

Once your children are home, allow them to

a

have a healthy snack or physical activity before completing homework. Once their bodies adjust to their family’s school routine and their new grade levels, their energy and concentration levels will increase.

Students can prepare for a new school year by continuing to engage in a variety of learning experiences over the summer. Daily reading will help to increase a student’s reading fluency, word recognition, vocabulary and comprehension. Family vacations offer great learning opportunities not only through real life experiences but research they may read beforehand.

Students can research the culture and attractions of the area to be visited. A couple of weeks before school, students should begin to follow wake up and bed times established by parents. Students should also practice morning and bedtime routines. A bedtime routine may include laying out a school uniform and ensuring the school backpack is packed for the morning. A morning routine may include eating breakfast.

As our summer days come to an end, may we all mentally, physically, and spiritually take the time to prepare for the beginning of the greatest school year!

May God continue to bless and guide us all as we spiritually and academically minister to the students of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

(Amanda Talbot is the principal of Holy Cross Elementary School in Morgan City.)

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Back To School

High school survival guide: being true to you

By Ryan Abboud As a recent high school graduate and person who conquered the mountain of collegiate-prep schooling, I’m often asked, “what’s the secret?” What is the secret to surviving the dreaded high school years? What’s the secret to getting my diploma without losing sight of who I am? What’s the hidden tip to gaining friends without losing my faith?

I don’t think high school is a Rubik’s Cube to be solved or a puzzle to be pieced together in order to make sense.

However, I do believe there are many tips of advice to be offered to those in high school. The largest of these tips being: be true to you.

44 High school is not a time to “follow the crowd.” It is not a time to conform to impress others nor is it a time to act a certain way that will stunt the growth of who you are meant to be.

High school is a time to grow into who you are as a person, a time to find out who God created you to be. It is a beautiful time that will be very influential to your future and who you are as a person. It’s impossible to grow into your true self and find out who you’re meant to be if you’re attempting to be someone else. It’s a recipe for disaster. I invite you to skip out on many future instances of confusion, disappointment and heartbreak that come along with being someone you’re not. I invite you to take a chance. I can promise you that it won’t be easy, but I can tell you that it is completely worth it.

So often, high school students alter who they are in order to gain friends or jump the ranks of popularity.

Truthfully, popularity is not found through the fraudulent lifestyle that seems to be required. True friendship is found through being a bona fide portrayal of you, truly and entirely. The world, especially in today’s age, is on a perpetual search for authenticity.

Whether we know it or not, we all want something that’s real. We, as people, value validity over content, which makes staying true to yourself one of the best things you’ll ever do.

I’ve found that the easiest way to honor and embrace yourself through high school is by surrounding yourself with the right crowd. It is critical to keep the company of those that will help to build you up as a person rather than tear you down. Today’s world contains a plethora of examples of good people that “slept with the dogs” and got “fleas.” Now please understand that finding Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

the right friend group will take prayer, time, and trial and error. It will take many instances of finding friends that aren’t helping you grow, but I invite you to never be too scared to branch out to meet new friends when you know that your company isn’t good for your soul.

At the culmination of my high school career, as I sat in my cap and gown and looked around the room, it hit me that I wouldn’t see many of my beloved classmates after this day. I knew that time would go on; people would move away, things would never be the same. I realized how relieved I was that I didn’t spend the last five years of my life being someone that I’m not just to impress my classmates. Anyone who has graduated high school knows that time spent with high school classmates are few and far between after graduation, which makes me wonder why I ever thought it was a good idea to spend all of my time and energy trying to impress these people when I won’t see a large majority of them after this day. I invite you all to remember that as you venture along your high school days.

All in all, I’m so happy I chose to be authentically myself through high school. I believe those experiences will carry largely into my adult life which makes this lifestyle of being yourself timeless. It can be applied to a student ready to start high school in the fall, a student entering their senior year or even an adult facing the challenges of the working world. No matter where you are in your life, it is always best to be true to you.

(Ryan Abboud is a 2015 graduate of Vandebilt Catholic High School in Houma. He will be a sophomore at LSU in the fall.)

NOTICE In accordance with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) regulations, each of the thirteen Catholic schools, within the parochial school system of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, has a copy of its Asbestos Management Plan on file in the Principal’s Office. Anyone interested in reviewing a particular schools’ Asbestos Management Plan should first contact the school’s principal to schedule a time for the review.

This notice applies to the following individuals: • Parents of children who attend one of the thirteen Catholic schools within the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

• Teachers and all other employees within the parochial school system of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

Holy Cross Elementary 2100 Cedar St. Morgan City, LA 70380 Grades PK-6 Amanda Talbot, Principal Phyllis Jensen, Secretary 384-1933 • Fax 384-3270 holycrosselm@htdiocese.org www.holycrosselementary.org Holy Rosary Elementary P.O. Box 40 Larose, LA 70373 Grades PK-8 Scott Bouzigard, Principal Angie Loupe, Secretary 693-3342 • Fax 693-3348 holyroselm@htdiocese.org www.holyrosary.org

St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School 300 Verret St. Houma, LA 70360 Grades PS-7 Brenda Tanner, Principal Kim Landry, Secretary 868-6646 • Fax 851-5896 stfranciselm@htdiocese.org www.stfrancishouma.org St. Genevieve Elementary 807 Barbier Ave. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Grades PK-7 Chris Knobloch, Principal Stacie Trosclair, Secretary 447-9291 • Fax 447-9883 stgenelm@htdiocese.org www.stgenevieveschool.us

St. Gregory Elementary 441 Sixth St. Houma, LA 70364 Grades PS-7 Genevieve Gottschalk Interim Principal Jennifer Torres, Admin. Asst.

876-2038 • Fax 879-2789 stgregelm@htdiocese.org www.stgregorycatholic.org

Holy Savior Elementary 201 Church St. Lockport, LA 70374 Grades PK-8 Tricia Thibodaux, Principal Marcia Hebert, Secretary 532-2536 • Fax 532-2269 holysavelm@htdiocese.org www.holysaviorschool.org

Maria Immacolata Elementary 324 Estate Dr. Houma, LA 70364 Grades PK-7 Prissy Davis, Principal Donna Hill, Secretary 876-1631 • Fax 876-1608 mariaimmacoelm@htdiocese.org www.mariaimmacolata.org

St. Joseph Elementary 501 Cardinal Dr. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Grades PK-7 Gerard Rodrigue Jr., Principal Ann Ledoux, Secretary 446-1346 • Fax 449-0760 stjoeelm@htdiocese.org www.stjosephcesthibodaux.org

St. Bernadette Elementary 309 Funderburk Ave. Houma, LA 70364 Grades PK-7 Lydia Landry, Principal Susan Chauvin, Secretary 872-3854 • Fax 872-5780 stbernelm@htdiocese.org www.saintbernadettepandas.com

St. Mary’s Nativity Elementary 3492 Nies Street Raceland, LA 70394 Grades PK-8 Marissa Bagala, Principal Judy Watts, Secretary 537-7544 • Fax 537-4020 stmarelm@htdiocese.org

Central Catholic High School 2100 Cedar St. Morgan City, LA 70380 Grades 7-12 Vic Bonnaffee, Principal Sandy Daigle, Secretary 385-5372 • Fax 385-3444 centcathi@htdiocese.org www.cchseagles.com Vandebilt Catholic High School 209 S. Hollywood Rd. Houma, LA 70360 Grades 8-12 Jeremy Gueldner, Principal Shirley Cunningham, Secretary David Boudreaux, President 876-2551 • Fax 868-9774 vandebilthi@htdiocese.org www.vandebiltcatholic.org E.D. White Catholic High School 555 Cardinal Dr. Thibodaux, LA 70301 Grades 8-12 Michelle Chiasson, Principal Cathy Hebert, Secretary Tim Robichaux, President 446-8486 • Fax 448-1275 edwhitehi@htdiocese.org www.edwhite.org Catholic Schools Office Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Suzanne Troxclair Superintendent of Schools stroxclair@htdiocese.org 850-3113 • Fax 850-3213

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Our Catholic schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex or national origin.

Back To School

Catholic schools need ‘strong priestly presence’

By Beth Griffin HUNTINGTON, N.Y. (CNS) -A Catholic school needs “a strong priestly presence” or it “is going to move in a problematic direction,” said Father Peter M.J. Stravinskas, executive director of the Catholic Education Foundation.

“The school effort rises and falls with the priest. If he’s engaged, it thrives,” he explained. “If he’s indifferent, the best efforts get undermined.”

Catholic schools are critical to the mission of the church because 46 they teach the faith, and identify and develop priestly vocations, Father Stravinskas said.

The priest led a two-day seminar at the Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington for priests from 13 dioceses. The program combined history and church teaching about Catholic education with practical advice on how priests can be valuable witnesses to the faith by their presence in the schools.

Priests should build time into their schedules to be with students on the playground, in the cafeteria, at sporting events and in the classroom. “You don’t have to be a theologian to teach high school religion. If you can teach hormoneraging juniors and seniors, you can do anything,” Father Stravinskas said. “But you have to be authentic or they can smell it a mile away.”

He added, “My greatest joy is being able to drop into a first or second grade class.”

The priest is an important resource for the faculty and administration for pastoral input, theological advice, counseling, outreach to parents and grandparents, and welcoming new families. “We never Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

LAWRENCE CHATAGNIER/BAYOU CATHOLIC

In this file photo, Father Clyde Mahler, pastor of Holy Cross Church parish in Morgan City, chats with students at Central Catholic High School.

enrolled children in our school, we enrolled families, to make the point that parents are the first educators of their children,” he said.

The bishop sets the tone for Catholic education in a diocese and can influence vocations by his placement of priests, Father Stravinskas said. Most seminarians are graduates of Catholic high schools, he said. Priestly vocations are robust in dioceses such as Lincoln, Nebraska, and Wichita, Kansas, where newly ordained priests serve their first assignment as high school teachers.

“It was short-sighted on the part of many bishops to remove priests from schools. The vocation crisis was exacerbated by their removal,” Father Stravinskas said.

Nonetheless, “if this generation of priests is actively inserted into the school apostolate, we’ll have plenty of vocations and they’ll multiply themselves,” he said.

Similarly, seminary rectors should encourage priests to participate in schools and bishops should choose pastors carefully.

“How can a bishop assign a priest to a parish with a school if a fellow has no orientation to it at all?” he asked.

Parishioners must see the school as an integral part of the parish, not a separate entity, Father

Stravinskas said. “We ought not to be talking about Catholic schools only during Catholic Schools Week,” he said.

It was a “fundamental mistake in the 1970s” to separate the finances of parishes and schools, Father Stravinskas said. “While it may have been more efficient, at the psychological level it caused problems by creating the impression that the school was a separate entity unto itself.”

Seminar participant Father Christopher Phillips, pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement in San Antonio, said he situated his office adjacent to the school lobby and keeps the door open to encourage student drop-ins. He also said the church and the school are connected by internal hallways.

“Give everyone an opportunity to use the school,” for meetings and functions, and keep the parish informed of school activities through the bulletin, Father Stravinskas recommended.

He cited the commitment of Pope Francis to Catholic education.

“When the pope talks about his experience, he gets almost rhapsodic,” Father Stravinskas said. The pope’s habits of a lifetime were instilled as a sixth-grader with the Salesians, he said.

“Pope Francis obviously

a

doesn’t buy the argument that Catholic schools are a distraction from the periphery,” Father Stravinskas said.

Educators must be mature, well-balanced, passionate, prayerful purveyors of values and customs, as well as content, and consider their craft a vocation, rather than a profession. According to Pope Francis, consistency and witness are indispensable factors in the education of young people, he said.

Vera Hough, a married mother of four children from Little Silver, New Jersey, urged seminar participants to be ‘unexpected priests’ in the daily lives of schoolchildren. Such a priest inspires by being present and sincere. “You may never know the fruits of your labors as an unexpected priest. You will inspire others by your integrity,” she said.

“Be faithful to the magisterium.

Be yourself. Be ecumenical, but always faithful. You will nourish hearts, lighten heavy loads and foster healthy, Christian families.”

The Catholic Education Foundation, based in Rochester, New York, was established in 2001

to provide financial assistance for needy students in Catholic high schools. “Over time, it has morphed into an organization that helps Catholic schools deepen their Catholic identity through workshops, a periodical and a Catholic identity assessment instrument,” Father Stravinskas said.

‘

We ought not to be talking about Catholic schools only during Catholic Schools Week

,

“We’ve been getting requests from bishops to do something to help priests understand the incredible importance of Catholic schools in the overall mission of the church and how critical is the role of the priest in maintaining that centrality of the schools,” he said.

“Catholic education K-12 should be tuition-free,” he said. “Every Catholic is responsible for the maintenance of Catholic schools.

We need to recapture that concept we lost in the 1960s and 1970s. We have the most affluent Catholic population in the history of the church. Yet somehow immigrants who built schools with their pennies have grandchildren making six figures who can’t maintain them.

It’s not a lack of money, it’s a lack of faith,” he concluded.

Father Joseph W. McQuaide IV of the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, recently completed his first priestly assignment. He said the seminar confirmed and clarified his experience that the priest is the “man on the ground, able to interact with students and, through them, their families to engage in ongoing evangelization.”

“The Catholic faithful are extremely sympathetic to their priests and a little goes a long way. If you do something for their children, you do something great for them. We need to find time, be there and show support,” he said.

47

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jeremiah 29:11

Office OF Youth Ministry

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Michael J. DiSalvo, Director Angelle Babin, Administrative Assistant

985.850.3151 • 985.850.3251 (Fax) • www.htdiocese.org/ym www.bayoucatholic.com

s k n a

! o 16 e h v i w r 0 l l 5-2 d D a n to 201 u F l a a d u e t n r n o A p l p su choo S c i l o h

h T t a C

Over $1,960,547 raised for Catholic education diocesan wide.

Your continued support for the Catholic Schools’ Annual Fund Drive is greatly appreciated and needed.

To learn more about the Annual Fund Plan, visit your school’s website or the diocese at www.htstewardship.org

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux

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Bayou

Catholic

2016 Football

Contents Nicholls State University Colonels

54 E.D. White Catholic High School Cardinals

60 Thibodaux High School Tigers

Central Catholic High School Eagles

57 South Lafourche High School Tarpons

62 Morgan City High School Tigers

Vandebilt Catholic High School Terriers

58 H.L. Bourgeois High School Braves

63 South Terrebonne High School Gators

50

64 Terrebonne High School Tigers

70 Louisiana State University Tigers

76 Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

66 Ellender Memorial High School Patriots

72 Tulane University Green Wave

78

68 Central Lafourche High School Trojans

74 New Orleans Saints

80

htdiocese.org

NOW AVAILABLE

Football

2016 Louisiana College Team Schedules Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Saturday, Sept. 3 ........................................................... Arkansas Saturday, Sept. 10 ......................... SOUTH CAROLINA STATE Saturday, Sept. 17 ...................................................... Texas Tech Saturday, Sept. 24 ......................................... Middle Tennessee* Saturday, Oct. 1 .............. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS-EL PASO* Saturday, Oct. 8 ................................. WESTERN KENTUCKY* Saturday, Oct. 15 ............................................................... UMass Saturday, Oct. 22 ...................Florida International University* Saturday, Oct. 29 ................................................................RICE* Saturday, Nov. 5 ..................................................... North Texas* Saturday, Nov. 12 ... UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO* Friday, Nov. 25 .....................................................Southern Miss*

52

HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes Conference USA games

UL Lafayette Rajun Cajuns Saturday, Sept. 3 ..................................................BOISE STATE Saturday, Sept. 10 ..........................................McNEESE STATE Saturday, Sept. 17 ......................................SOUTH ALABAMA* Saturday, Sept. 24 ............................................................. Tulane Saturday, Oct. 1 ............................................. New Mexico State* Wednesday, Oct. 12 ............................. APPALACHIAN STATE* Saturday, Oct. 22 ..................................................... Texas State* Saturday, Nov. 5 ............................................................. IDAHO* Thursday, Nov. 10 .......................................... Georgia Southern* Saturday, Nov. 19 .............................................................Georgia Saturday, Nov. 26 ...................................... ARKANSAS STATE* Saturday, Dec. 3 ........................................................UL-Monroe* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes Sun Belt Conference Games

Grambling Tigers Saturday, Sept. 3 ................................ VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY Saturday, Sept. 10 ..................................... University of Arizona Saturday, Sept. 17 ................................................Jackson State* Saturday, Sept. 24 ..........................................ALCORN STATE* Saturday, Oct. 1 ............................................ Prairie View A&M* Saturday, Oct. 22 .................................Mississippi Valley State* Saturday, Oct. 29 ............................ ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF* Saturday, Nov. 5 ................................................. Alabama A&M* Saturday, Nov. 12 ........................................ ALABAMA STATE* Saturday, Nov. 19 ..............................................Texas Southern* Saturday, Nov. 26 ......................................Southern University* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes Southwestern Athletic Conference Games

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

McNeese Cowboys Saturday, Sept. 3 .........................................TARLETON STATE Saturday, Sept. 10 .................................................. UL-Lafayette Saturday, Sept. 17 .................................STEPHEN F. AUSTIN* Saturday, Sept. 24 ...............................................Incarnate Word Saturday, Oct. 1 ..........................................NICHOLLS STATE* Saturday, Oct. 8 ................................... Southeastern Louisiana* Saturday, Oct. 15 ................................. CENTRAL ARKANSAS* Saturday, Oct. 22 ........................................ Northwestern State* Saturday, Oct. 29 ................................. ABILENE CHRISTIAN* Saturday, Nov. 5 ..........................................Sam Houston State* Saturday, Nov. 19 .......................................................... LAMAR* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes Southland Conference Games

Southern Jaguars Saturday, Sept. 3 ........................................................UL-Monroe Saturday, Sept. 10 ............................................................. Tulane Saturday, Sept. 17 ....................................... ALABAMA STATE* Saturday, Sept. 24 .............................................. Alabama A&M* Saturday, Oct. 15 ..................................................Jackson State* Saturday, Oct. 22 ............................ ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF* Saturday, Oct. 29 .................................................... Alcorn State* Saturday, Nov. 5 ....................................... TEXAS SOUTHERN* Saturday, Nov. 12 ......................................... Prairie View A&M* Saturday, Nov. 19 ................... MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE* Saturday, Nov. 26 ............................................ Grambling State* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes Southwestern Athletic Conference Games

About our

sports writers Ed Daniels has been sports director at WGNO Channel 26 in New Orleans since 1993. A native of New Orleans, Daniels graduated from Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie and later received a degree from Loyola University in New Orleans. Daniels started in television in 1977 as first sports intern at WVUE Channel 8 in New Orleans. In 2001, Daniels created “Friday Night Football,” the first high school football show in New Orleans. He was named Louisiana Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association in 1997.

Jeremy Becker, a native of Thibodaux and resident of Schriever, graduated from Nicholls State University in 1995 with a degree in marketing and in 1997 with a master’s of business administration.

While working on his master’s, he was a graduate assistant with the Nicholls Colonel Club and is currently president of the Colonel Athletic Association. Becker is director of the Office of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux.

Steve Caldarera, a native of Vacherie, has been the Bayou Catholic’s Tulane columnist for many years. He graduated from Nicholls State University with a degree in communications. Caldarera has experience in announcing sports for radio and doing play-by-play for Nicholls State University. He was the first advertising manager for the Bayou Catholic and currently works in insurance and investments with the Steve Caldarera Group.

Wil Touchet, a native and resident of Houma, LA, graduated from Vandebilt Catholic High School in 1997 and received a bachelor of arts in mass communication from Nicholls State University in 2001. He has been a sports correspondent for The Courier and Daily Comet since 2008 and a Bayou Catholic contributor since 2009. Touchet currently teaches and coaches at West Thibodaux Middle School.

Visit Us After The Game at Any of Our Locations!

Taco Bell Locations in: • 1107 Grand Caillou Rd. Houma, LA • 5974 Main St. Houma, LA • 377 North Canal Blvd.

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KFC Locations in: • 141 Linda Ann Avenue Gray, LA • 1228 St. Charles St. Houma, LA

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53

Football

Nicholls State University Colonels

Coach Tim Rebowe

Saturday, Sept. 10 ..........................................................................Georgia Saturday, Sept. 17 ................................................... INCARNATE WORD Saturday, Sept. 24 ............................................................. South Alabama Saturday, Oct. 1 ................................................................ McNeese State* Saturday, Oct. 8 ...................................................STEPHEN F. AUSTIN* Saturday, Oct. 15 ............................................................Houston Baptist* Saturday, Oct. 22 ............................................. SAM HOUSTON STATE* Saturday, Oct. 29 ......................................................Northwestern State* Thursday, Nov. 3 .......................................................................... LAMAR* Saturday, Nov. 12 ........................................................ Central Arkansas* Thursday, Nov. 17 ................................ SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes Southland Conference games

Measuring success of Nicholls football

54

By JEREMY BECKER It was not a surprise to fans of Nicholls State University football that head coach Tim Rebowe would have a challenge on his hands to build the program to the level of success that he would like to see it. With the 2015 season being Rebowe’s first at the helm and with Nicholls entering the season on a 19 game losing streak, the expectations for any amount of success was not high. During the first five games of 2015, the Colonels remained winless but the competitiveness of the team was apparent.

The Colonels finally got the first win of the season in their sixth game with a dominating 38-17 win over Houston Baptist while finishing the season with wins in three of their last six games including with the last game of the season being a 27-24 win over Southeastern Louisiana who beat Nicholls 62-3 the previous year.

Many inside the Colonels program feel with the late season success that they have much to build on while also being able to carry over the late season momentum into the offseason workouts and into the 2016 season.

In year two of the Rebowe regime, the expectations are already starting to grow. When combining the progress from his first season with what Rebowe is calling the “best recruiting class in Nicholls football history,” some are looking Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

for a big jump in wins this season.

Not to say that the Colonels cannot have a winning season, but they are still going to once again have an extremely difficult schedule and will have a large number of young, although very talented, players in the two-deep depth chart.

For the fifth straight year, Nicholls will open the season not only on the road but also with an FBS program as this year’s first opponent will be a team known as a traditional powerhouse and a preseason top 20 ranked team, the Georgia Bulldogs of the SEC. Following their game “between the hedges,” the Colonels will open their home schedule along with their Southland Conference schedule as they host University of Incarnate Word. Nicholls will then once again take a step up in competition with their only other non-conference game as they will travel to FBS program South Alabama before alternating the final eight games of the season with away then home SLC games. The Colonels will travel to McNeese State, Houston Baptist, Northwestern State and Central Arkansas, while hosting Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, Lamar and Southeastern LA. While the Colonels will return a respectable number of 18 starters, they will have quite a few instances where there will be a veteran player who will be pushed for playing time by a younger, most likely new,

player with the best example being at quarterback. Nicholls returns senior quarterback Tuskani Figaro who is the top returning rusher from last year with 456 yards despite having his season cut short due to a shoulder injury. When healthy, Figaro has proven to be an explosive player as he is one of only three Colonels in history to rush for over 1,000 yards as he did in 2013 as a sophomore.

Even though Figaro has experience and has shown success, word around Colonel camp is that incoming freshman Chase Fourcade, who was very highly recruited from Rummel, will push Figaro for playing time as the season progresses. Fourcade, whose uncle is former New Orleans Saints quarterback John Fourcade, was on campus all summer working with the team as much as he can to get ready for August practice.

One position group that returns the least amount of experience is the running back position. Of the top seven rushers from last season, only Figaro from the quarterback position returns with sophomore Kaleb Kador as the top returning running back with only five carries for 23 yards. A newcomer who is expected to make an impact at running back is junior Josh Stevens who ran for over 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons at Merced Junior College.

One of the deepest positions on offense will be at wide

a

receiver and tight ends. Leading the wide receiver group is the extremely talented senior C.J. Bates, who led the team last year with 396 yards and three touchdowns.

Others who will make an impact at wide receiver will be senior Josh Singleton, a Central Catholic of Morgan City product, junior Jason Richard from Thibodaux High School and sophomore Jarrell Rogers. Also making a big impact with the passing game will be tight ends with junior Stephen LeBouef, from E.D. White, and sophomore Joseph Keller getting the majority of the snaps.

Prior to Rebowe coming to Nicholls, the offensive line has been a position that was not fortunate to have much consistency either due to injuries, lack of depth or simply not enough overall talent; however, things appear to be changing for the better. With three starters returning in senior Jared Breaux, a Central Lafourche product, and sophomores Ryan Arceneaux from South Terrebonne and Ryan Hanley, there is a very good nucleus especially when

adding in senior Chris Bordelon who was injured last season. The lack of depth as a problem should not be as much of an issue this season as the Colonels have been able to add players from recruiting, from coming off of an injury such as

With an ever improving roster, the 2016 Nicholls football team will surely be a better version than the 2015 squad.

Hunter Alleman from Assumption and also from transfers like junior Brandon Godfrey from Tulane.

The side of the ball that saw the biggest improvement under Rebowe last year was on the defensive side.

The 2014 season had Nicholls

finish the season as the last ranked defensive unit in the country with the 2015 season seeing the defense move up nearly 40 spots. While there is still room for improvement, the Colonels defense will be a unit that has the potential to carry the team this year.

Once again, the most talented defensive group is likely in the backfield as all four are returning starters with senior safety B.T. Sanders who is arguably the best safety in SLC as the group’s leader. At the other safety will be sophomore Ahmani Martin along with senior Jeff Hall and junior Christian Boutte at the corners.

Junior Joel Dullary at safety and sophomore Darrell Adams at corner will also be receiving plenty of playing time.

Another strong group will be the Colonel linebackers with junior Hezekiah White heading the pack while senior Ronnie Walker and sophomore Adrian Richardson complementing the inside positions. The outside linebackers will have some very experienced players in senior Chris Lorden

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Best of Luck to all area teams for a safe and fun season

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55

Football

Nicholls

56

and junior Geoffrey Hebert, from E.D. White, with freshman Pat Riley looking to get some snaps.

The area poised to make the biggest improvement is along the defensive line where the Colonels finally will have some depth. Currently, junior Larazus Ona, senior Ja’Michael Edwards-Lott and sophomore Kenny Dotson return as starters. Look for redshirt freshmen Jiar Joseph from Assumption, along with transfers Tevin Lawson from TCU, Marcel Andry and Ronald Ollie to be some big bodies adding depth.

With an ever improving roster, the 2016 Nicholls football team will surely be a better version than the 2015 squad; however, the measurement of success might not be as simple as wins and losses. With a still somewhat young roster with many newcomers at different positions, the Colonels will have some ups and downs. However, with more depth and more overall team talent, do not be surprised to see a winning season in Thibodaux.

Central Catholic, Morgan City, grad Josh Singleton

Best Wishes for a safe and winning season!!

821 Canal Blvd.

Thibodaux, LA 70302 (985) 447-9041

www.Landrysfuneralhome.com Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

Central Catholic Eagles

Coach Tommy Minton

Friday, Sept. 2 ...........................................................................ST. JOHN* Friday, Sept. 9 ..................................................OPELOUSAS CATHOLIC Thursday, Sept 15 ...................................................... Ascension Catholic* Thursday, Sept. 22 ........................................ LAFAYETTE CHRISTIAN* Thursday, Sept. 29 ..........................................................CENTERVILLE* Friday, Oct. 7 ................................................................. Highland Baptist* Friday, Oct. 14 ............................................................ Vermilion Catholic* Friday, Oct. 21 .............................................................. Hanson Memorial* Friday, Oct. 28 .........................................................................GUEYDAN* Friday, Nov. 4 ........................................................... Ascension Episcopal* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-1A games

Eagles return lots of offensive firepower

By Wil Touchet Despite losing one of state’s top running back to graduation in 2016 in Stefano Guarisco, the Central Catholic Eagles return tons of offensive firepower heading into this season.

The Eagles have three all-district players back on their offensive line in senior guard Thomas Garber (all-state last season), senior guard Jesse Fontenot and senior left tackle Mitchell Lemoine and bring back four starting wide receivers and senior quarterback Blake Byrne.

“I really like our offensive line,” Eagles coach Tommy Minton said. “I think that nucleus on that offensive line is really going to help us, and we also have all four starting receivers back and our quarterback will be a third-year starter. We have to replace our running back (Guarisco) who ran for over 2,300 yards and signed with Nicholls, but we have some young backs who I think can step in and handle that load. With the experience we have everywhere else I think we can bring those young running backs along.”

Byrne helped the Eagles to a 10-2 overall record last season, which included a 6-1 mark in District 7-1A. Central Catholic, which has 48 players, 13 seniors and lost six seniors last year, beat

Grambling 60-38 in the first round of the Division IV playoffs and lost to Southern Lab 30-16 in the quarterfinals.

Minton said Byrne will be a big part of the offense this year.

“I think we will throw the football a lot better than we have in previous years,” Minton said.

“We really focused on it a lot more

Staying healthy and getting solid play from the interior of the Eagles defensive line will be two key factors to the team’s success. in the offseason. That experience factor and the fact Blake has gotten bigger and stronger will allow us to stretch the field with our passing game a lot more.”

The Eagles defense will be led by Louisiana-Lafayette commitment Jalen Johnson, an all-state safety last season as a junior, and senior

linebackers Greg Leger and Blake Hidalgo.

Minton said staying healthy and getting solid play from the interior of the Eagles defensive line will be two key factors to the team’s 57 success.

“We have to stay healthy. That is so critical in high school football, especially in (1A) where you have limited numbers,” Minton said.

“When you lose a kid to an injury, you may be losing a starter on two sides of the football. We also need to grow up quick in the defensive interior where we can stop people from running the football on us. We are going to be young at the nose and defensive tackle positions.

Those kids need to grow up quick.”

The Eagles compete in a highly competitive district with Ascension Episcopal, Centerville, Gueydan, Hanson Memorial, Highland Baptist, Lafayette Christian and Vermilion Catholic.

“The district is very tough,” Minton said. “If you look at the (Division IV) seedings for the select schools heading into the playoffs last season, three of the Top 4 seeds were from our district.

District is going to be tough, but the competition in district prepares you for the playoffs. If we can go through this district and compete well, we can compete well in the playoffs.” www.bayoucatholic.com

Football

Vandebilt Catholic Terriers

Coach Jeremy Atwell

Friday, Sept. 2 ........................................................................... E.D. White Friday, Sept. 9 ...................................................CENTRAL LAFOURCHE Friday, Sept. 16 ................................................................... ST. CHARLES Friday, Sept. 23 ...........................................................Covenant Christian Friday, Sept. 30 .........................................................ISIDORE NEWMAN Friday, Oct. 7 .....................................................SOUTH TERREBONNE* Friday, Oct. 14 ................................................................ South Lafourche* Friday, Oct. 21 ........................................................................ Assumption* Friday, Oct. 28 .................................................................MORGAN CITY* Thursday, Nov. 3 ..........................................................................Ellender* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-4A games

Terriers continuing to grow under Atwell

By Wil Touchet It’s Year Three for Jeremy Atwell as the head coach of the Vandebilt Catholic football team and each season his senior class has grown.

This season he has 24 seniors and after the Terriers went 5-7 overall last season and 3-2 in District 7-4A and made the quarterfinals of the Division II playoffs, 58

Atwell hopes to continue to build on that success with 86 players.

“We are going into our third year and our senior group has grown each year,” Atwell said. “We have more kids who have been in the program longer and they know what is expected on the field offensively and defensively, and off the field. Their knowledge of

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the program has increased. I think we are starting to get a program built as a whole because this will be the third year these kids have been with me. That is the overall strength we are looking at.”

After slow starts the last two seasons, Atwell said he is looking for the Terriers to open the season stronger.

“I believe we have to start the season well,” Atwell said. “We need to start the season with positives. We haven’t done that the last two years. In order to get where we need to get, we need to start strong and

After slow starts the last two seasons, Atwell said he is looking for the Terriers to open the season stronger. execute and not make mistakes. We have to get started in the right direction and find our identity early.”

The Terriers return four of five starting offensive linemen and some of the skill position leaders for the Terriers offense are expected to be junior running backs Michael Lecompte and Brennan Rogers, senior wide receiver Kane Degruise, wide receiver Roland Johnson, sophomore athlete Drew Rios and sophomore

quarterback Andrew Robison.

“We want to have success on offense early and we are excited about Andrew Robison,” Atwell said. “We want to see him and what he is all about. We will find out in Week One at E.D. White in front of a full house.”

The Terriers return four starters on defense and will be led by seniors Hayden Breaux, Caleb Hebert and Cade Collins along the defensive line, senior linebackers Channing Sanders, Alec Rios and Parker Duplantis, and junior cornerback Clint Erny.

“We have a defensive line that is full of guys who we have had for three years and they have put the work in,” Atwell said. “They aren’t huge guys, but for Class 4A high school football, we have good size across our line and they are capable. We are excited about these young men.”

The Terriers will play in District 7-4A with Assumption, Ellender, Morgan City, South Lafourche and South Terrebonne.

“All the schools in our district are good,” Atwell said.

“They are all moving forward. Assumption was district champion last year and had seniors who understood what it took to win. South Lafourche made the move down and are always competitive and relevant and (new coach) Brandon Nowlin will do well. They have outstanding talent coming back. Coach (David) McCormick will do a great job at Ellender. They have great athletes who are working hard and want to win and Coach (Scott) Tregle at Morgan City is doing a good job. It is a tough district. Every game every week is relevant.”

59

www.bayoucatholic.com

Football

E.D. White Cardinals

Coach Chris Bergeron

Friday, Sept. 2 .................................................. VANDEBILT CATHOLIC Friday, Sept. 9 ............................................................................ Lakeshore Friday, Sept. 16 ...................................................................... ST. JAMES* Friday, Sept. 23 .......................................................................... KAPLAN* Friday, Sept. 30 ........................................................................... Franklin* Friday, Oct. 7 ........................................................THOMAS JEFFERSON Friday, Oct. 14 ............................................................................Patterson* Friday, Oct. 21 ................................................................ North Vermilion* Friday, Oct. 28 ..........................................................................BERWICK* Friday, Nov. 4 ................................................................................ERATH* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 8-3A games

Young Cardinals rushing into 2016

By Wil Touchet The E.D. White Catholic football team lost 18 of 22 starters off a 2015 squad that went 7-5 overall and made the quarterfinals of the Division II playoffs.

And while the Cardinals don’t

return a ton of experienced players for 2016, they have two key players coming back in their offensive back field in junior fullback Nik Shanklin and sophomore running back Brandon Legendre.

“We are so young that it is hard

to pinpoint a strength, but I would go with our offensive backfield,” Cardinals coach Chris Bergeron said. “We return two starters in our backfield in Nik Shanklin and Brandon Legendre. We lost nine starters on offense and

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nine starters on defense, so our offensive backfield is where our experience is going to be.”

Bergeron said Shanklin and Legendre are both threats to score any time they touch the ball.

“Brandon is back for his sophomore year and he is an explosive player, and Nik is back at the fullback spot,” Bergeron said. “Nik is a 1,000-yard rusher and an explosive player in his own right. We also have a couple of seniors in Hayden Tortorich and Blake Grabert who will give us more experience and depth in the backfield.”

The Cardinals have 65 players heading into the season and 15 seniors. The team lost 17 seniors after beating Loyola 35-17 and losing to St. Thomas More 31-7 in the playoffs last season.

Bergeron said he is looking at the youth on his team as a positive.

“We have a young team but it is good because we have a lot of guys who want to play, who are hungry to play,” Bergeron said. “We are looking for guys to step up in all aspects of our team – offense, defense and special teams. We are so young, we have just so many young kids who are hungry to play, which is a good problem to have.”

On defense Bergeron said he will be counting on senior safety Dex Falgoust, senior defensive end Carter Bourgeois, senior safety Luke Schwanner and junior linebacker Collin Desandro to lead the unit.

“Those four guys will really need to take hold of the defense,” Bergeron said. “Defensively, we are going to

go as they go. They have some experience from last year, not necessarily starting experience, but they do have some experience. It is like we will have 11 new starters on defense so the maturation of our defense is going to be key.”

The Cardinals return to District 8-3A with Berwick, Erath, Franklin, Kaplan, North Vermilion and Patterson. Erath (first round), Kaplan (quarterfinals),

‘We have a young team but it is good because we have a lot of guys who want to play, who are hungry to play.’

North Vermilion (first round) and Patterson (second round) all made the playoffs last season.

“We are going to have to play well on the offensive and defensive lines, and we are going to have to control the line of scrimmage,” Bergeron said. “We are also going to have to tackle well on defense. Football still comes down to blocking and tackling. That will be the key for us.”

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Football

South Lafourche Tarpons

Coach Brandon Nowlin

Friday, Sept. 2 ........................................................................ BONNABEL Friday, Sept. 9 ...............................CARVER COLLEGIATE ACADEMY* Friday, Sept. 16 .......................................................................... Thibodaux Friday, Sept. 23 .................................................CENTRAL LAFOURCHE Friday, Sept. 30 ................................................................PLAQUEMINE* Friday, Oct. 7 ......................................................................... Morgan City* Friday, Oct. 14 .................................................VANDEBILT CATHOLIC* Friday, Oct. 21 ....................................................................... ELLENDER* Friday, Oct. 28 ........................................................................ Assumption* Friday, Nov. 4 ...............................................................South Terrebonne* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-4A games

Nowlin now leading charge at South Lafourche 62

By Wil Touchet When the South Lafourche Tarpons were in the market for a new head football coach, they went with someone who was familiar with the area.

Brandon Nowlin takes over for Dennis Skains, who after four years as head coach of the Tarpons accepted the head coaching job at Cecilia High School in April.

Nowlin is the former head coach at Morgan City High School, which shares District 7-4A with South Lafourche, and went 11-18 overall with the Tigers from 2010-12 and was an assistant at Nicholls State University in 2013-14.

Nowlin, a 34-year-old Baton Rouge native, is also a former LSU player who played under Nick Saban and on the 2003 BCS Championship team, is a former assistant at his alma mater, Catholic High of Baton Rouge and at Iona College, Adrian College and at the University of Central Arkansas and was the offensive coordinator at Livonia High School last season.

The Tarpons are coming off a 6-5 season in which they went 4-1 in district and fell in the first round of the playoffs at Bastrop and have around 75 players on their varsity roster, including around 15 seniors.

“Coach Skains and his staff did a really good job here, and we are Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

going to try and build on that and take it to another level of success,” Nowlin said. “It starts with trying to build championship young men and if you do that, the wins and championships are a byproduct of that. We want to teach our guys to do the right things in every aspect of their lives.”

‘We want to compete for a district championship and be a playoff team and make some noise when we get there.’

Nowlin said the Tarpons are going in with high expectations and will try to be as physical as possible.

“We want to win every game we play,” Nowlin said. “We are going to be a multi-faceted offense, but at the end of the day, we want our hallmark to be that we are more physical than our opponent

in every phase of the game. We have some key seniors and a lot of juniors coming back who played a lot last year.”

Nowlin pointed to the offensive and defensive lines and linebackers as strengths of the team, along with junior running back Corbin Allen, who rushed for over 1,000 yards last season, and senior quarterback Jaydon Cheramie.

He added senior Garet Serigny and junior Chad Cheramie are expected to anchor the offensive line.

On defense some of the top returners for the Tarpons will be junior linebacker Jeremy Rogers, senior linebacker Anthony Sigue and junior defensive lineman Jacob Danos.

The Tarpons play in District 7-4A with Assumption, Ellender, Morgan City, South Terrebonne and Vandebilt Catholic.

“We want to compete for a district championship and be a playoff team and make some noise when we get there. We want to compete for a state championship when it’s all said and done,” Nowlin said.

“It’s a competitive district with some good coaches and players.

We have respect for everybody. We just want to go forward and try and play our best football and execute our schemes and game plans every Friday night.”

H.L. Bourgeois Braves

Coach Carey Melvin

Friday, Sept. 2 ................................................................South Terrebonne Friday, Sept. 9 .........................................................................ELLENDER Friday, Sept. 16 ........................................................... South Plaquemines Friday, Sept. 23 ................................................................... East St. John* Friday, Sept. 30 ...............................................CENTRAL LAFOURCHE* Friday, Oct. 7 ...........................................................................WESTGATE Friday, Oct. 14 .......................................................................... Thibodaux* Friday, Oct. 21 .......................................................................... Destrehan* Thursday, Oct. 27 ................................................................ HAHNVILLE* Friday, Nov. 4 .................................................................. TERREBONNE* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-5A games

Braves, Melvin hope for even more in 2016

By Wil Touchet Carey Melvin brought the H.L. Bourgeois football team back to respectability in 2015 and now the Braves are hoping to keep building on that this season.

In his first year as Braves head coach last year, Melvin, a former Thibodaux High assistant, led the Braves to a 5-5 overall mark, which included a 1-5 record in district and they just missed the Class 5A playoffs, a place the program hasn’t been since 2008.

H.L. Bourgeois has around 80 players, including 20 seniors after losing 17 last year, and Melvin said the Braves will use their quickness to their advantage this season.

“If I had to point to one strength, I think it would be speed,” Melvin said. “That is on both sides of the ball. It starts with our skill kids and even goes to our ends on defense. I know speed was a great strength for H.L. years ago, and I think you are starting to see that again. We have some kids that can flat out fly. It’s not just track speed, it’s football speed, and I think a lot of these kids have gotten a lot stronger in the offseason thanks to our strength coach Marc Danos. We need to keep getting stronger and become more consistent in a lot of areas.”

Some of the offensive leaders for the Braves will be senior quarterback Jude LeCompte, senior wide receiver D’vonta Garrett, senior offensive lineman Christian Melancon and senior running back, wide receiver, kick returner Kane Matthews.

On defense, the Braves will have to replace all of its starting linebackers and three starting defensive backs from last season.

“Defense is where we lost the most,” Melvin said. “But we have three guys that come to mind first upfront, and they are (senior defensive end) Kristyown Dalbany, (senior defensive tackle) Tyrese Anderson and (senior defensive end) Lester Batiste. Both of ends can run and

they have gotten stronger and put on size, and Tyrese had a game where he had five sacks last year, and he has gotten stronger. Those guys are going to help us on the back end. We also have (senior) Rayshawn Mart at safety. He is a basketball player, who played as a freshman and is back for us. I think he will emerge as 63 a leader.”

‘We have some kids that can flat out fly. It’s not just track speed, it’s football speed, and I think a lot of these kids have gotten a lot stronger in the offseason.’

The Braves again share District 7-5A with Central Lafourche, Destrehan, East St. John, Hahnville, Terrebonne and Thibodaux.

“It’s tough. Hahnville didn’t lose much so they may be the team to beat,” Melvin said. “Then you have Destrehan, who is always good and East St. John, who I think will be better next year and we know all about our Bayou schools. As long as our speed holds up, we should be O.K. against these teams. The teams in this district have excellent coaches. The River teams can be beat. It has been done in the past. It really is a good district, and we just try and take it week by week.” www.bayoucatholic.com

Football

Thibodaux Tigers

Coach Chris Dugas

Friday, Sept. 2 ........................................................................... St. Charles Friday, Sept. 9 ...........................................................EAST ASCENSION* Friday, Sept. 16 ..................................................... SOUTH LAFOURCHE Friday, Sept. 23 .......................................................................Terrebonne* Friday, Sept. 30 ..............................................................EAST ST. JOHN* Friday, Oct. 7 ............................................................... Central Lafourche* Friday, Oct. 14 .............................................................H.L. BOURGEOIS* Saturday, Oct. 22 ................................................................ St. Augustine* Friday, Oct. 28 .................................................................... DESTREHAN* Friday, Nov. 4 ............................................................................ Hahnville* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-5A games

Thibodaux to feature strong secondary in 2016

By Wil Touchet The first strength Thibodaux High football coach Chris Dugas points to on his football team is its secondary.

64 Led by highly recruited senior Amik Robertson, the Tigers, who went 6-5 overall last season, 4-2 in District 7-5A and lost to Mandeville in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs, return all but one starter in its secondary. Thibodaux has 80 players with 20 seniors after losing 23 seniors last year.

“Our secondary is probably the most experienced part of our team,” Dugas said. “We only lost one guy in our secondary, our free safety.

We have two starting corners back and another corner who played a lot and our free safety is back.”

Along with Robertson, other returning players in the Tigers secondary are seniors Tyler Brown, Dwayne Coleman, Seth Boudreaux and junior Damarri Cole.

Other defensive leaders for the Tigers are expected to be senior defensive linemen Tyreek Gage and Brennan Garmin and junior Darius Richard.

“We need to improve our run defense,” Dugas said. “I think last year we gave up too many big plays in the run game. We didn’t play good enough run defense. We did a good job of defending the pass, but we need to improve on defending Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

the run. We have some guys coming back on our defensive line but we need to find our linebackers. We lost all our linebackers last year.

We will have some young guys there.”

Dugas said on offense the Tigers return some top skill players like

‘The last three years we have found a way to compete with the River schools.’

Robertson, who will be used at running back, wide receiver and quarterback, senior tight end Chase Hollis, sophomore running back Shemar Lawson, junior running back Derek Sullivan, senior wide receiver Rochon Washington and senior quarterback Saul Barrilleaux.

“We are looking to improve our passing game on offense a little bit. Last year we ran the ball well.

It was our fourth season in a row with a 1,000-yard rusher,” Dugas said. “But we need to improve on our passing game and get our receivers more involved. We have some good receivers to where if we can get them the ball in space, we don’t have to do a whole lot, and Saul had a really good spring and summer and is a good leader.”

The Tigers will play with Central Lafourche, Destrehan, East St. John, Hahnville, H.L. Bourgeois and Terrebonne in District 7-5A. “The last three years we have found a way to compete with the River schools so now the kids are not awe struck when they get on the field against them,” Dugas said.

“We know what to expect when we play them. This group of seniors went 10-0 as freshmen and beat all three River schools as ninth graders so they have experienced some success. I think now we have gotten to the point where we can compete with those teams. We can’t get complacent against the Bayou teams because they are all improving and those games are wars every Friday night, and we have a bulls-eye on our back with those teams. It’s going to be a tough district. It will be wide open.”

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Football

Morgan City Tigers

Coach Scott Tregle

Friday, Sept. 2 ................................................................................ Berwick Friday, Sept. 9 ..........................................................SOPHIE B. WRIGHT Friday, Sept. 16 ...........................................................NORTH CENTRAL Friday, Sept. 23 ................................................COHEN COLLEGE PREP Friday, Sept. 30 ......................................... WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN Friday, Oct. 7 ........................................................SOUTH LAFOURCHE* Friday, Oct. 14 ..............................................................................Ellender* Friday, Oct. 21 ...................................................SOUTH TERREBONNE* Friday, Oct. 28 .............................................................Vandebilt Catholic* Friday, Nov. 4 ................................................................... ASSUMPTION* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-4A games

‘No more excuses’ for Morgan City in 2016 Tigers have commitment, consistency and character

66

By Wil Touchet It was a stellar start to the 2015 season for the Morgan City Tigers after they rolled to a 4-0 record after their first four games.

But the Tigers sputtered during the second half of the season and finished 4-6 overall and 0-5 in District 7-4A. Morgan City third-year coach

Best Wishes

Scott Tregle said the Tigers, who have around 75 players, including 11 seniors, have adopted a new motto heading into this season. “‘No more excuses,’” Tregle

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said. “That is the motto. Our guys can only miss so many times for an emergency and that is it. We will have a young team, but I have a great group of kids who work hard. I want to help kids get better and they have to be here for me to do that.”

Tregle said the character of the players he has on his team is a major strength.

‘We have to get in shape because our school is the smallest in the district as far as number of students go.’

“With the kids we have out, when I tell them one thing, all I have to do is tell them once, and they do what I tell them,” Tregle said. “They do what I expect them to do. They don’t get in trouble in school. They don’t get in trouble in the street. We may not have

the greatest athletes or a lot of size or speed, but the greatest strength is their character. They are out there willing to work, and they will do what you tell them to do. This is the best summer I have had and I have had some of the best kids to work with that I have ever had.

They have commitment, consistency and character.”

The Tigers will count on senior offensive tackles James Bennett and Fred Ferguson to help lead the offense. Both are third-year starters and senior wide receiver/quarterback Makye Richard is also expected to be a major part of the offense as is senior guard Frank Rangel and senior running back Ethan Scioneaux.

On defense, junior defensive lineman Gage Gros and Richard at defensive back will help anchor the unit.

“We have some other spots that are up in the air on defense,” Tregle said. “But I can promise that the 11 guys that are out there will be primed and in shape and will give you 110 percent.”

The Tigers will again play against Assumption, Ellender, South Lafourche, South Terrebonne and Vandebilt Catholic in District 7-4A. “We have to get in shape because our school is the smallest in the district as far as number of students go. We have around 670 and all the others have over 1,000,” Tregle said. “We know we are going to be on the short end when it comes to depth so we know we are going to need to be in shape. Our younger guys have to stick with the program and keep getting better for the future. Hopefully we can win a district game or two this year. That could put us on the fringe of making the playoffs.”

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Football

South Terrebonne Gators

Coach Richard Curlin

Friday, Sept. 2 .............................................................. H.L. BOURGEOIS Friday, Sept. 9 ................................................................... TERREBONNE Friday, Sept. 16 ............................................................. Central Lafourche Friday, Sept. 23 ......................................................................... Dutchtown Friday, Sept. 30 ....................................................................... ST. AMANT Friday, Oct. 7 ...............................................................Vandebilt Catholic* Friday, Oct. 14 .................................................................. ASSUMPTION* Friday, Oct. 21 ....................................................................... Morgan City* Friday, Oct. 28 ....................................................................... ELLENDER* Friday, Nov. 4 .......................................................SOUTH LAFOURCHE* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-4A games

Gators hope playing youth last year leads to success 68

By Wil Touchet South Terrebonne was forced to use numerous young players in key spots last season and it led to a 2-8

overall record and a 2-3 record in District 7-4A. Longtime Gators coach Richard Curlin said he hopes the experience

gained by those players leads to success this season.

“Last year we played a lot of young kids, and we took our

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lumps,” Curlin said. “A lot of those kids are coming back. They are a year older and a year stronger and have done good work in the weight room. I think we really improved at the running back position and in the secondary on defense. I think those two areas will be much improved this year.”

Junior Davis Arceneaux is penciled in as the early starter at quarterback and other key offensive returners for South Terrebonne include senior tackle Chandler Arceneaux, junior wide receiver Andre Blanchard and sophomore running back Johnathan Smith.

“We are going to have a new quarterback,” Curlin said. “Davis Arceneaux will be a junior and he is the front runner but he has run this offense ever since he was little.

He knows it pretty good because his dad (Davis Arceneaux Sr.) once coached under (former South Terrebonne assistant Randy) Boquet at H.L. Bourgeois, so he knows the offense. We did pretty good in 7-on-7 over the summer, but we will have to see how the passing games go as the season evolves.”

Senior defensive lineman Louis Blanchard will anchor the Gators defensive line. He is the reigning two-time district defensive MVP, an all-state player and is being recruited by numerous colleges.

“He is a force on that defensive line,” Curlin said. “He is the best one I ever coached and the best one

‘I think the goal this year is to be more competitive in the pre-district and carry that over into district play.’

I have ever seen. He is unblockable when he wants to be.”

Curlin said he also expects senior linebacker Kaleb Voisin to help lead the defense and added that playing well in the pre-district schedule will be important.

“We have a tough pre-district schedule,” Curlin said. “We play all 5A teams and some of them are pretty solid. We have Terrebonne, H.L. Bourgeois, St. Amant, Dutchtown and Central Lafourche.

We told the kids last year, as young as we were, if we can make it through the beginning of the season, we would be competitive in district. I think the goal this year is to be more competitive in the predistrict and carry that over into district play.”

The Gators are again with Assumption, Ellender, Morgan City, South Lafourche and Vandebilt Catholic in District 7-4A. “South Lafourche will be a question mark with a new coach, but they will always have a tough team. Assumption and Ellender always have athletes. I think Coach (David) McCormick at Ellender will give them more organization. We will see if they can do something with it,” Curlin said. “Vandebilt is always well-coached. I think there is a lot of parity. It may all come down to a play or two or a player or two.”

69

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Football

Terrebonne Tigers

Coach Gary Hill

Friday, Sept. 2 .........................................................................ELLENDER Friday, Sept. 9 ................................................................South Terrebonne Friday, Sept. 16 ........................................................................Assumption Friday, Sept. 23 ...................................................................THIBODAUX* Friday, Sept. 30 ........................................................................ Destrehan* Friday, Oct. 7 ............................................................................. Hahnville* Friday, Oct. 14 ...................................................................... LAKESHORE Friday, Oct. 21 ................................................................EAST ST. JOHN* Friday, Oct. 28 .................................................CENTRAL LAFOURCHE* Friday, Nov. 4 .................................................................... H.L. Bourgeois* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-5A games

Tigers out to make plays this season

70

By Wil Touchet Terrebonne High School football coach Gary Hill has seen too many plays that could have been made by his Tigers left out on the field the last couple of seasons.

For Terrebonne to improve in 2016, Hill said his team must become play makers.

“We need to do a better job of becoming a football-

playmaking group,” Hill said. “We have guys capable of making plays. We just need to get some confidence and make some plays and get that momentum. We are going to have to play better up front than we did the last two years. Our offensive and defensive lines are going to have to step up and hold their ground to give our supporting cast the ability to compete. We

a

To all our area teams...

Have a safe and enjoyable season!

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have to cut down on turnovers on offense and get off the field on third down on defense to be successful.”

The Tigers have around 70 players, including 25 seniors, this season. They lost 18 seniors off last year’s squad which went 3-7 overall, 1-5 in District 7-5A and missed the playoffs.

Some of the top offensive players for the Tigers this season are expected to be junior quarterback Mason Turner, senior quarterback Dylan Bergeron, junior receiver Brennon Guidry and senior offensive linemen Bryce Terrio and Everett Rodrigue.

The Tigers will have to replace last season’s leading rusher, Joseph Alvis.

“I think our skill guys are going to be a little better than we anticipated because we lost a lot of seniors at the skill positions, but we have some guys who have done a good job increasing what they need to learn and need to do,” Hill said. “You don’t know how it’s going to go until you put pads on, but we have some skill guys returning and we have two returning seniors and another senior and two new kids on the offensive line

‘We need to do a better job of becoming a football-playmaking group. We have guys capable of making plays.’

so that group will be young.”

Senior Christopher Wesley will be relied on to lead the Terrebonne defense along with senior defensive lineman Kyle Landry and junior defensive lineman Tyler Nettleton.

“On defense, our strength should be our linebacking corps,” Hill said. “They have the most experience and they have the most playing time. They just have to come together and make the plays they are supposed to make because our secondary will all be brand new.”

The Tigers will again play with Central Lafourche, Destrehan, East St. John, H.L. Bourgeois, Hahnville and Thibodaux in District 7-5A this season.

“We have to get over the hump against the Bayou teams first. We had close games against Thibodaux and Central Lafourche last year, and we managed to lose those games, and we were very close against East St. John,” Hill said. “Destrehan reloads and Hahnville brings back a ton of kids, but we played well against them last year for three quarters. We just need to play well for 48 minutes and get our kids to believe a little bit longer.”

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71

Football

Ellender Memorial Patriots

Coach David McCormick

Friday, Sept. 2 ...........................................................................Terrebonne Friday, Sept. 9 .....................................................................H.L. Bourgeois Friday, Sept. 16 ...................................................................... BONNABEL Friday, Sept. 23 .....................................................................PATTERSON Friday, Sept. 30 ................................................................. St. Martinville* Friday, Oct. 7 .................................................................... ASSUMPTION* Friday, Oct. 14 .................................................................MORGAN CITY* Friday, Oct. 21 ................................................................ South Lafourche* Friday, Oct. 28 ..............................................................South Terrebonne* Thursday, Nov. 3 .............................................VANDEBILT CATHOLIC* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-4A games

McCormick takes over at Ellender

By Wil Touchet For more than half of his life, David McCormick has tried to beat the Ellender High football team.

Now he will try to lead the Patriots to as many victories as possible.

McCormick, 43, spent 19 years as an assistant at South Terrebonne, his alma mater and Ellender’s top 72 rival, before taking over as head coach of the Patriots in January.

McCormick, who is also the athletic director at Ellender, replaces Terry Washington, who spent five seasons as head coach of the Patriots.

Ellender was 2-8 overall last year and 1-4 in district.

“I want to implement structure and discipline,” McCormick said. “We have some of the best athletes in the parish, and I feel like I bring some guidance. We have a new weight room program and coaches Jesse Turner and Marcus Washington have done a great job with it and our others coaches are working with them to. It will pay off for us during the season. Hard work and determination pays off, and we are trying to get them mentally tough. Mental toughness will play a big role for us. The kids have been great and bought into the program.”

Ellender finished spring drills with 60 varsity players and have 22 seniors on the roster. McCormick said the seniors are helping lay the foundation and that the players have been supportive of one another.

Some of the key offensive players for Ellender are expected to be senior wide receiver Davontavean Martin, who is highly recruited, senior running back/ wide receiver Reginald Williams, senior running back Ed Kennedy, senior wide receiver/quarterback Richard Green, senior quarterback Colby Poe and senior wide receiver Arvie Rice.

“They are starting to encourage one another,” McCormick said. “We have speed, but we need to solidify our offensive line. We want to spread people out and have some natural alleys for our running game and then take advantage with our passing game.”

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

McCormick said on defense the linebackers and secondary should be strengths and some of the defensive leaders will be junior linebacker Jamire Mott, senior cornerback Brisson Lewis, Martin and Rice at cornerback and senior defensive lineman Isaiah Williams.

McCormick said for Ellender to have success, the Patriots will need to hustle, have a never-say-die attitude and play to the end of the whistle on every

‘I want to implement structure and discipline.

We have some of the best athletes in the parish.’

play and that the players will need to also encourage one another even when things aren’t going their way.

The Patriots are in District 7-4A with Assumption, Morgan City, South Lafourche, South Terrebonne and Vandebilt Catholic.

“Vandebilt has improved. They will be a force.

Assumption and Coach Tony Paine are always a force. Coach (Richard) Curlin at South Terrebonne does a phenomenal job and they are always in a mix,” McCormick said. “Morgan City is a sleeper. They have some guys returning and coach (Scott) Tregle is getting them ready, and South Lafourche had a coaching change and when they have a coaching change they win like nine games the next year. You know you are going to be in a physical team when you play them.”

OUR BEDSIDE MANNER HAS NO BOUNDARIES BECAUSE WE’RE JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

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Football

Central Lafourche Trojans

Coach Keith Menard

Friday, Sept. 2 .......................................................................PATTERSON Friday, Sept. 9................................................................Vandebilt Catholic Friday, Sept. 16 ...................................................SOUTH TERREBONNE Friday, Sept. 23 ................................................................ South Lafourche Friday, Sept. 30 ................................................................ Bourgeois, H.L.* Friday, Oct. 7 .......................................................................THIBODAUX* Friday, Oct. 14 .................................................................... DESTREHAN* Friday, Oct. 21 ........................................................................... Hahnville* Friday, Oct. 28 .........................................................................Terrebonne* Friday, Nov. 4 .................................................................EAST ST. JOHN* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes District 7-5A games

Trojans look to build on postseason berth 74

By Wil Touchet The Central Lafourche football team made the playoffs for the first time in six seasons in 2015.

This year, the Trojans, who have 90 players and lost 20 seniors from last year, will look to build on 2015’s 6-5 overall record, which included a 3-3 record in District 7-5A. The Trojans lost to Class 5A power Acadiana 55-7 in first round of the playoffs last year, but Coach Keith Menard said the team has some top skill players back.

“Offensively, our skill guys are really explosive when you look at (senior running back) Nelton Allen, (junior wide receiver) Kenneth Poindexter and (junior wide receiver) David Robinson,” Menard said. “(Senior) Jake Allemand at quarterback is an athlete who can run around a little bit. We are getting him to play in the system more and he has been doing great.

So offensively, our skill guys are a strong suit.”

Menard added the team’s top returning offensive lineman is senior Jarrod Folse.

On defense, he said the Trojans will be young and will look to seniors Zavier Triplett (linebacker), Joel Weaver (safety), Norman Taylor (safety), Blake Alario (defensive line) to take charge for the Trojans.

“Defensively, we have some Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

quality guys back, but we got beat up by losing seniors on defense,” Menard said. “A lot of them were three-year starters so when you lose eight starters it’s pretty tough.

That will be a question mark for us. How fast can we get together defensively because last year we played well on defense.”

‘We have to win the close games.

We have been up and down.

We win a few and lose a few.’

Menard said gaining some earlyseason confidence will be important for the Trojans.

“We have to win the close games,” Menard said. “We have been up and down. We win a few and lose a few.

On defense we need to find a way

to come together quickly. We hope they can come together fast and help us. We also need to start off well and win games early. Then the kids gain confidence. I think that is where it’s at. We want to get back to the playoffs and win one and go from there.”

To get back to the postseason, the Trojans will likely have to play well in the always competitive District 7-5A, which features Destrehan, H.L. Bourgeois, Hahnville, East St. John, Terrebonne and Thibodaux.

“The River teams are always the teams everybody always talks about, but Thibodaux High has played really well ever since I have been here,” Menard said. “They beat us three years in a row and for us to take the next step we have to be able to beat Thibodaux High. We beat East St. John last year. H.L. Bourgeois under Coach (Carey) Melvin is improving. Terrebonne always plays everybody tough.

While everyone talks about the River, we have three pretty good football teams within 20 minutes of us. And we all know about the Destrehans and Hahnvilles and East St. Johns. Our kids look forward to those challenges.

Hopefully the ball will bounce our way against those River teams. We want to get that district record on the positive side.”

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Football

LSU Tigers

Coach Les Miles

Saturday, Sept. 3 ........................................................................Wisconsin Saturday, Sept. 10 ............................................ JACKSONVILLE STATE Saturday, Sept. 17 .................................................MISSISSIPPI STATE* Saturday, Sept. 24 ........................................................................ Auburn* Saturday, Oct. 1 ......................................................................MISSOURI* Saturday, Oct. 8 .............................................................................Florida* Saturday, Oct. 15 ........................................... SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI Saturday, Oct. 22 .....................................................................OLE MISS* Saturday, Nov. 5 ..................................................................... ALABAMA* Saturday, Nov. 12 ...................................................................... Arkansas* Saturday, Nov. 19 .......................................................SOUTH ALABAMA Thursday, Nov. 24 .................................................................. Texas A&M* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes Southeastern Conference games

The Tigers need to win when it really counts

76

By ED DANIELS He said it at the recent Manning Passing Academy.

If Brandon Harris has to say it at any time in the future, it bodes poorly for his football future and perhaps that of his head coach.

“I take full responsibility for everything that happened last year,” said Harris.

He wasn’t finished.

“I was terrible. I am being honest with you.”

Harris was off to a solid start but finished poorly.

He threw all five of his regular season interceptions in the month of November, as LSU lost at Alabama and Ole Miss, and was routed at home by Arkansas.

The month of November has been problematic

a

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for more than just Brandon Harris.

Football coaches preach incessantly about finishing.

Yet, the Tigers have lost the last five to Alabama.

LSU has lost two of the last three meetings with Ole Miss, and has split the last six meetings with the Rebels.

The Tigers have lost the last two games to Arkansas, scoring a total of 14 points.

LSU has split the last eight games against the Razorbacks.

Five hundred football or below is how you are relegated to lower tier bowls, which LSU has been since reaching the BCS title game at the end of the 2011 season.

In 2015, the Tigers continued to struggle offensively, and LSU’s once ballyhooed defense sunk to its lowest ranking in total defense since 2009, the year that John Chavis took over as coordinator.

The Tigers finished 25th in total defense under coordinator Kevin Steele, after finishing 9th, 15th, 8th, and 2nd in 2011.

LSU allowed 30 points at Bama, 38 at Ole Miss, and 31 to Arkansas.

If Brandon Harris can somehow be a 60 percent passer, there may be more room for Leonard Fournette to run.

So, Les Miles reached into the Big Ten and plucked rising defensive guru Dave Aranda from Wisconsin.

Aranda is transitioning LSU to a 3-4 defense, one that relies on multiple looks.

How much of his defensive package Aranda can implement before the opening game against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay is very much a question.

And, of course, so is Harris.

He completed only 53.8 percent of his passes in the 2015 season.

In 2011, quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson were criticized heavily for their play.

Yet, Jefferson completed 61 percent of his throws, and Lee 62.3 percent.

And, completion percentage matters, greatly.

Three of the four starting quarterbacks in the College Football Playoffs were among the top 11 in completion percentage.

Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma was fourth, Deshaun Watson of Clemson was fifth, and Alabama’s Jacob Coker was 11th.

Coker’s above average play, along with Derrick Henry’s run to the Heisman Trophy, were two big themes as Alabama won the championship.

If Brandon Harris can somehow be a 60 percent passer, there may be more room for Leonard Fournette to run.

And, the Tigers will have a real chance to improve their mediocre record in November.

Leonard Fournette

STEPHEN FRANZ PHOTO/LSU SPORTS

Last November, as he was introduced to the Tiger Stadium crowd on senior night, LSU head coach Les Miles received a thunderous roar.

Hours later, LSU director of athletics Joe Alleva announced that Miles would return.

It was a feel good ending to a season of palpable uneasiness.

There’s only one way to fix a queasy football stomach.

Win when it really counts.

In November.

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77

Football

Tulane Green Wave

Coach Willie Fritz

Thursday, Sept. 1 ....................................................................Wake Forest Saturday, Sept. 10 ................................................................. SOUTHERN Saturday, Sept. 17 .......................................................................... NAVY* Saturday, Sept. 24 ................................................................ UL-Lafayette Saturday, Oct. 1 ............................................................................... UMass Friday, Oct. 7 ...................................................................................... UCF* Friday, Oct. 14 ......................................................................... MEMPHIS* Saturday, Oct. 22 ..............................................................................Tulsa* Saturday, Oct. 29 .............................................................................. SMU* Saturday, Nov. 12 ........................................................................Houston* Saturday, Nov. 19 ...................................................................... TEMPLE* Thursday, Nov. 24 .......................................................................... UConn* HOME GAMES IN CAPS *Denotes American Athletic Conference Games

Tulane in newer and tougher league

78

By STEVE CALDARERA Willie Fritz! Willie Fritz! The pleasure is ours to have you as Tulane’s new leader. The Tulane head football coach brings a winning brand to Tulane University, where victories have been as scarce as cold fronts in September. Athletic Director Troy Dannen struck an emotion-lifting chord with the Green Wave faithful in hiring Fritz away from Georgia Southern where he had notched a two-season 17-7 record and GSU’s first ever NCAA postseason bowl appearance. Overall, Fritz has 23 coaching seasons under his belt amassing an impressive 193-74-1 record decorated with postseason parties and Coach-of-the-Year accolades. His job building on what Curtis Johnson hardly got off the ground is, quite honestly, very challenging.

What Fritz brings to Tulane, in addition to a winning legacy, is a coaching staff that has been able to develop players. The offense, coordinated by Doug Ruse, changes in style to an expected option based attack. With all of the struggles Fritz has ahead of him, he does inherit the best backfield tandem in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). Start with Dontrell Hilliard’s tough, slashing style and complement that with the speedy Sherman Badie, a bruising senior in Lazedrick Thompson and Josh Rounds, another steady senior who needs to have his best year ever. Two problems for these fine running backs: a complete offensive line that can learn new blocking schemes and, most important of all, a quarterback that can run the show. The Wave had three QB’s in spring practice, which impressed the pants off of no one. Redshirt soph Glen Cuillette and true freshman Darius Bradwell came out of the blocks ahead of senior Devin Powell, who needs to lose a few pounds to operate the new offense. Johnathan Brantley, another true frosh, arrives for preseason camp to, hopefully, add significant competition. If any of these QB’s can break it out, the offense might be fun to watch.

Throwing the football (and catching it) is another Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

thing. Fritz was able to woo back senior wide receiver Devin Breaux, who announced he was giving up the sport to concentrate on track. The Wave lost leading receiver Teddy Veal, who may regret transferring. The hope here is to get immediate help from

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incoming freshmen. The tight end position is, in two words, air tight. Returnees Charles Jones and Kendall Ardoin bring back great hands, but their blocking abilities will be tested in the new attack.

The offensive line was poorly coached under Curtis Johnson’s staff. That should change under OL Coach Alex Atkins. Guard Chris Taylor, a senior, is a preseason all-conference selection. Taylor needs help from the likes of Kenneth Santa Marina, who arrived at Tulane several years ago with high expectations. This

For the first time in almost two decades, Tulane has the initial components to create not only excitement, but an opportunity to win championships. staff is working to pull the potential out of big guys (Santa Marina weighs in at 324) like this. Open up the holes, gentlemen, and let Hilliard, Badie, Thompson and Rounds in!!! Again, this could be fun to watch.

Opposing AAC teams won’t believe that linebacker Nico Marley returns (seems he’s been at Tulane for eight years). The pint-sized pit bull leads a unit of promise— the promise that, with eight key starters returning, the defense won’t be giving up 36.3 points per game like it did last season. While the Green Wave has experience at every position, depth is a concern, especially along the defensive line. DT Tanzel Smart provides a serious push up front. Get Smart help and Tulane could find itself competing in the fourth quarter.

The secondary is solid on one side with corner Parry Nickerson, whose numbers fell a bit in his sophomore year (six interceptions as a freshman, none in 2015).

Frankly, opposing QB’s often threw away from Nickerson last year. A couple of freshmen may emerge in the defensive backfield as two early enrollees, P.J. Hall and Tre Jackson, nailed down backup roles in the spring. Jack Curtis has worked six consecutive years as a defensive coordinator, under Fritz.

When it relates to specialists, strange results can come with a new coaching staff. That was the ticket with the kicking game. Two-year starting placekicker Andrew DiRocco registered a third place finish upon the completion of spring practice with sophomore Steven Logan coming out of nowhere to open fall camp as the number one guy. Once a solid slot for the Green Wave, Tulane has struggled much the past two years to stabilize the kicking game. Zach Block punted parttime as a freshman and figures to have the job going into the 2016 season. One would only hope that you wouldn’t have to use your running backs to return kicks, but Coach Fritz may have to use Hilliard and Badie in that role. Again, new blood (freshmen) is needed to help fill the void.

Willie Fritz and staff welcome the challenge of a newer and tougher league. The AAC produced three

Dontrell Hilliard

79

10-game winners in Houston, Navy and Temple. The Wave faces all three this season with Houston on the road, the other two at Yulman Stadium. The 2016 campaign kicks off at Wake Forest, a second-tier ACC team that already figures to be about 17 points better than the Green Wave. Tulane will entertain Southern and UL-Lafayette in September along with the Navy sandwiched in between. All three games are slated for 6 p.m. kickoffs which will cut down the number of fainting fans who braved those brutal South Louisiana afternoon meetings. Also at home in the second half of the season are Memphis, SMU and the before mentioned Temple. Tulane goes to UMass for the first time ever and, in addition to Wake and Houston, visits Central Florida, Tulsa and Connecticut. AAC schools that are not on the schedule this season are Cincinnati, East Carolina and South Florida. Winning four will be a chore. Winning more will make Fritz a household name. Year One of the Willie Fritz Era does not figure to be banner.

Bank on this: For the first time in almost two decades, Tulane has the initial components to create not only excitement, but an opportunity to win championships.

It all began with the Troy Dannen hire at A.D. Granted none of Dannen’s hires have yet to coach a game.

However, Fritz’ track record is laden with success; so, expect positive results in due time. The thinking here is that initially, while probably being “out-personneled,” Tulane aims not to be out-coached.

Willie Fritz! Willie Fritz! The pleasure is ours—as long as we win! www.bayoucatholic.com

Football

New Orleans Saints

Coach Sean Payton

Sunday, Sept. 11 .....................................................OAKLAND RAIDERS Sunday, Sept. 18 ............................................................. New York Giants Monday, Sept. 26 .....................................................ATLANTA FALCONS Sunday, Oct. 2 ............................................................ San Diego Chargers Sunday, Oct. 16 .................................................. CAROLINA PANTHERS Sunday, Oct. 23 ............................................................Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Oct. 30 ....................................................SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Sunday, Nov. 6 ........................................................... San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Nov. 13 ....................................................... DENVER BRONCOS Thursday, Nov. 17 ......................................................... Carolina Panthers Sunday, Nov. 27 S.............................................................T. LOUIS RAMS Sunday, Dec. 4 ................................................................DETROIT LIONS Sunday, Dec. 11 .................................................... Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Dec. 18 ............................................................. Arizona Cardinals Saturday, Dec. 24 ....................................... TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS Sunday, Jan. 1 ................................................................... Atlanta Falcons HOME GAMES IN CAPS

Saints will enter training camp with two things, optimism and question marks 80

By ED DANIELS It is that time. NFL previews are being written. Predictions are being made.

And, the Las Vegas betting shops have spoken.

This spring, they posted a total of seven for Saints victories in 2016.

You can bet the over or the under.

Saints tackle Zach Strief says those lines mean nothing.

“The guys in Las Vegas don’t have a clue,” said Strief at the team’s June mini-camp.

“Not in professional football before a season starts.”

Strief said the total was about the same in the summer of 2009.

That was months before the Saints won 13 regular games and three more in the postseason, including the Super Bowl.

Actually, that isn’t quite right.

The total wins for the Saints in ’09 was 8.5. The Eagles were at 9.5 and the Vikings at 9.0.

No team in the NFC that season had a preseason double digit win total.

Every NFL team enters training camp with at least two things, optimism and question marks.

The Saints have both.

Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

MICHAEL C. HEBERT/NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Drew Brees

They are optimistic that two years of draft classes have markedly improved the roster.

In spring ball, without pads, the Saints first three picks in the 2016 draft, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, wide receiver Michael

Thomas, and safety Vonn Bell were impressive.

But, the loss of rush end Hau’oli Kikaha, a second round pick a year ago, to a third ACL injury could greatly impact the pass rush.

And, last year’s first pick Andrus Peat, a tackle by trade, lined up at right guard in the spring.

The Saints, who didn’t draft an offensive lineman, must develop depth in a key area.

Last season, the Saints won seven games against a weak schedule, and with quarterback Drew Brees performing at a high level.

Brees completed 68 percent of his throws, throwing 32 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions.

The 2015 schedule was rated 28th toughest.

This year’s schedule is rated 4th toughest. The Saints will play the AFC West, a division that includes the Super Bowl champion Broncos, the 11 win Chiefs, and the Raiders, who are picked by many to be a playoff team.

The Saints defense, historically bad since the 2012 season, must improve greatly for the club to post its first winning season since 2013.

A Monday night game

a

Willie Snead

MICHAEL C. HEBERT/NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

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MICHAEL C. HEBERT/NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

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81

Football

Cameron Jordan

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MICHAEL C. HEBERT/NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Saints

in December against the Lions was telling.

Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford was 22 of 25 with three touchdown passes and zero interceptions.

That night in the Superdome, Detroit runners rushed 23 times for 150 yards, an average of 6.5 yards a rush.

This year’s schedule is rated 4th toughest.

But, that was then, this is now. And, even now, said Zach Strief, is too early to tell what type of team the Saints will produce.

“I tell people ask me in August, and probably in late August,” said Strief.

“I have been on teams where halfway through camp you have no comprehension where you are at, good or bad.”

Strief said preseason win totals generate betting, but are meaningless.

“No different than you guys (reporters) trying to predict how many wins we are going to have. It is pointless.”

Reporter: So we know as little as the guys in Vegas?

Strief: Yes.​ Bayou Catholic • Houma, LA • August 2016

Zach Strief

MICHAEL C. HEBERT/NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

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