Holy Door - The Catholic Connection

Transcription

Connection
The Catholic
Vol. 25, No. 6
January 2016
Holy Door
Pilgrimages
A Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters
will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons
and instills hope.
January 2016 1
Publisher
Bishop Michael G. Duca
Editor
Jessica Rinaudo
Contributors
Donna Barnard
Fr. Rothell Price
Shelly Bole
Dianne Rachal
Erin Briery
Jessica Rinaudo
Bishop Michael Duca
Katie Sciba
Kim Long
Kelby Tingle
Mary Frances Parker
Bonny Van
Kelly Phelan Powell Mike Van Vranken
Nicki Prevou
Bro. Mike Ward
Editorial Board
Kim Long
Fr. Matthew Long
Kelly Phelan Powell
Dianne Rachal
Christine Rivers
Deacon Mike Whitehead
John Mark Willcox
Mission Statement
The Catholic Connection is a monthly
publication funded by your Diocesan Service
Appeal; mailed to every known Catholic
household in the Diocese of Shreveport.
Our Mission is to advance knowledge and
understanding of our Catholic Faith among
the faithful. We seek to foster the application
of Christ’s teachings and our Church’s mission
in our daily lives and to encourage our sense
of Catholic identity within our family, parish,
and diocesan faith community.
Subscriptions & Address Changes
Contact: Jessica Rinaudo, Editor
Email: jrinaudo@dioshpt.org
Write:
Catholic Connection
3500 Fairfield Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71104
Call: 318-868-4441
Fax: 318-868-4609
Website: www.thecatholicconnection.org
The Catholic Connection is a member
of the Catholic Press Association.
The Diocese of Shreveport complies with Virtus’s
Protecting God’s Children program. Classes are
offered every second Wednesday of the month
at the Catholic Center in Shreveport. To report
child sexual abuse by a cleric or church worker in
the Diocese of Shreveport, call Glennda Lawson.
Hotline is 318-294-1031 and your local law
enforcement agency.
2 Catholic Connection
D
uring the 2016 Lenten season, parishes throughout the diocese
are taking the opportunity to welcome back those who were “once
Catholic” through the program “Calling Catholics Home.” If you are
a Catholic who has been away from the Church for a while, this invitation is
for you. Our faith community misses you and is incomplete without you. No
matter how long you have been away, and for whatever reason, we invite you to
consider renewing your relationship with the Catholic Church.
Please join us for informal sessions and an update of the Catholic faith. The
sessions are conducted in a support-group format with speakers including local lay
people, priests, deacons and Bishop Michael Duca. Everyone is welcome.
Please keep this program in mind while visiting with friends and family who
might be fallen away Catholics.
This six week program will take place at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans
Parish Hall, located at 939 Jordan Street in Shreveport, on Tuesdays, February 2,
2016 - March 8, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. For more information, contact Jane at
Cathedral of St. John Berchmans in Shreveport at 318-221-5296, or go to www.
callingcatholicshome.com.
bishop’s january calendar
JANUARY 1 Mass, St. Elizabeth Ann
Seton Parish; Shreveport; 9:30 a.m.
JANUARY 2 Annual Mardi Gras Mass;
St. Pius X Parish, Shreveport; 9:00 a.m.
JANUARY 3-7 Region V Bishops’
Retreat, Christian Life Center at
St. Joseph Abbey, St. Benedict,
Louisiana
JANUARY 8 Diocese of Lafayette
Annual Red Mass; Cathedral of
St. John the Evangelist, Lafayette;
12:00 p.m.
JANUARY 14 Blessing & Dedication of
CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center’s
West Wing, Shreveport; 2:00 p.m.
JANUARY 17 St. Paschal Church’s
75th Anniversary Mass & Celebration;
St. Paschal Parish, West Monroe;
10:00 a.m.
JANUARY 20 Investment Committee
Meeting; Catholic Center; 10:00 a.m.
St. Frederick High School Board of
Directors’ Meeting; St. Frederick High
School, Monroe; 6:00 p.m.
JANUARY 21
Loyola College
Prep Board
of Trustees
Meeting;
Loyola
College Prep,
Shreveport; 5:15 p.m.
JANUARY 24 Mass in Celebration of
Year of Consecrated Life; Cathedral
of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport;
5:30 p.m.
JANUARY 25 Southern Deanery
Stewardship Appeal Donor
Reception; Mansfield; 6:30 p.m.
JANUARY 26 Theology on Tap;
Fieldhouse Bar and Grill, Monroe;
6:30 p.m.
JANUARY 27 Eastern Deanery
Stewardship Appeal Donor
Reception; Monroe; 6:30 p.m.
JANUARY 28 Louisiana Conference
of Catholic Bishops’ Meeting; Baton
Rouge
JANUARY 30 Confirmation; Jesus
the Good Shepherd Parish, Monroe;
4:30 p.m.
contents
january 2016
columns
Don't Let the World's Values be Downloaded Into Your Soul
by Bishop Michael G. Duca........................................................................................... 4-5
Mike’s Meditations: Look Beyond What You See by Mike Van Vranken..............6
In Review: Praying for Our Adult Sons and Daughters by John and
Therese Boucher by Kim Long.................................................................................7
9
Faithful Food: Take a Break and Care for You by Kim Long.................................8
Domestic Church: Examination of Conscience in Marriage
by Katie Sciba............................................................................................................9
From the Pope: Shine Like Beacons of God's Mercy in the World
by Vatican Information Services..................................................................................10
Navigating the Faith: Spiritual Direction by Dianne Rachal .................................11
Second Collections: Diocesan Catholic Schools and Church in
Latin America by Fr. Rothell Price ...........................................................................12
Vocations View: Stepping Into Seminary by Kelby Tingle .....................................13
Kids' Connection: Spiritual Works of Mercy ...........................................................25
14
features
Holy Door Pilgrimages by Shelly Bole .................................................................... 14-15
Mercy in Action: Visit the Imprisoned by Shelly Bole ........................................... 16
news
St. Paschal Church: Celebrating 75 Years by Bonny Van .................................. 17
Celebrating Catholic Schools Week by Jessica Rinaudo .....................................18
In Profile: Dr. Cheryl White - Round Trip to Rome by Kelly Phelan Powell ............19
New Principal for St. Joseph School by John Mark Willcox...................................20
19
on the cover
Hearts Afire Program by Mary Frances Parker and Donna Barnard .......................20
Winter Full of Programs for Youth and Young Adults
by Jessica Rinaudo and Nicki Prevou .........................................................................21
Encountering Christ Through Works of Mercy by Erin Briery .................................22
52 Weeks of Mercy Campaign by Shelly Bole ......................................................22
Hispanic News ........................................................................................................23
School News ...........................................................................................................24
Across the Globe: Francis Opens the Holy Door: Mercy Must Precede
Judgement by Vatican Information Services ..........................................................26
Vatican News and Notes by Vatican Information Services ...................................27
Across the Diocese ................................................................................................28-29
Mark Your Calendar ...............................................................................................30
January Calendar ..................................................................................................31
Bishop Duca opens the
Door of Mercy at the
Cathedral of St. John
Berchmans.
January 2016 3
la reflexión Del Obispo
por Obispo Michael G. Duca
No Permitan que los Valores del Mundo Penetren su Alma
H
oy cuando vi mi aplicación del papa y Twitter recibí un tweet del
Papa Francisco de su mensaje del 12 de diciembre del 2015 que
decía, "Una meta para cada día, es de pasar la ternura de Cristo a
los que están más necesitados,” He estado reflexionando sobre como en solo
unos minutos nuestro Santo padre contactó más de un millón de oyentes en
todo el mundo con un mensaje de esperanza. También recuerdo la primera
vez que un papa mandó su tweet diciendo“la roca sólida en la que podemos
construir nuestras vidas y su amor es siempre fiel.” Benedicto XVI tweed #1
12/12/12
Leer el mensaje del Papa me hizo darme cuenta de todo lo bueno que
podemos hacer hoy con los avances de la tecnología. Pero también me puso
a pensar de cuanto ha cambiado mi vida la tecnología en solo unos cuantos
años. Me conecté por primera vez a la internet en 1995 y después de 20
años a veces estoy acariciando mi celular como Gollum acarició al “precioso”
en Tolkien de la película Lord of the Rings. Este cambio no ha sucedido
solamente rápido, sino que ha pasado sin una verdadera consideración de
cuantos cambios han afectado mi vida espiritual.
Recuerdo cuando salieron las primeras contestadoras de teléfono y yo
no compré una rápido. Así estuve por un tiempito hasta que mis feligreses
se enojaron conmigo. Sucede que ellos ya se habían formado la expectativa
de que “podían encontrarme con la contestadora” cuando me llamaran, así
mismo, yo podía llamarles y dejar mensaje en su máquina. A fin de cuentas
compré una contestadora y desde entonces estoy conectado en todos los
cambios que ha tenido: primero máquina contestadora, luego el email,
ahora el texto y bueno en lo que salga después. Ya me he metido en este tren
bala y no estoy seguro a donde llevará esto mi alma o, aún peor, a donde la
habrá llevado ya.
¿Por qué digo que esto es importante? Hace algunos años un estudio
reveló que los que usan la tecnología están un promedio de 70 minutos al
día en el internet y/o 127 minutos usando internet en el celular y/o 168
minutos en la televisión. Esto puede sumar de dos a seis horas del día.
Sorpresivamente, un estudio reciente nos dice que hoy nuestros adolescentes
están usando la tecnología de alguna forma entre seis y nueve horas al día.
Otro estudio dice que una persona que tiene teléfono inteligente voltea a
verlo 150 veces al día. Y aún más impresionante es el hecho de que más
o menos 40 millones de adultos visitan el internet regularmente para
ver páginas de pornografía y 47% de los cristianos dijeron que tenían
problema en la familia por la pornografía.
Espiritualmente estas estadísticas nos muestran que la tecnología puede
tener un efecto profundo en nuestra familia y en nuestra vida espiritual.
Para mí el efecto que menos tomamos en cuenta es como la tecnología
dirige y da forma lentamente a nuestras vidas y que el centro de nuestra
motivación es más que los textos que recibimos, los emails que exigen
una respuesta y la necesidad constante de permanecer completamente
conectados.
Este año haz un recuento de cuánto tiempo estas conectado. Haz esto
como un ejercicio espiritual: por un día (si estás dispuesto) solo usa tu
teléfono para hacer llamadas y mantenerte en contacto con tu familia y
amigos. Si puedes ignorar tu email por un día
o dos, hazlo. Si no puedes entonces ve tu email
hasta después de las 11:00 a.m. o hasta que hayas
planeado tu día o hecho otras cosas que escojas
hacer. No busques en el internet o uses ninguna
otra aplicación por el resto el día.
Una vez leí en un libro espiritual que
necesitamos darnos cuenta si vivimos para
reaccionar o para responder. Reaccionar es actuar
basados en el problema de afuera, la necesidad
o expectativa de los demás. Vivir reaccionando
es encontrar siempre nuestra motivación en las
opciones de fuera de nosotros. Responder, al
contrario, es ser el autor de nuestras vidas desde
dentro basados en nuestros valores y nuestra Fe.
Si te alejas de la tecnología por un día y te
sientes perdido y confundido entonces es posible
que estas dejando que la tecnología te dirija. Estas
reaccionando a todo el APORTE en tu vida en vez
de crear un mundo a tu alrededor con el espíritu de
Cristo desde dentro. Deberíamos descargarnos en
el espíritu de Cristo en el mundo y no permitir que
el mundo y sus valores se descarguen en nuestras
almas.
En estos tiempos, como católicos y como
discípulos de Jesucristo tenemos desafíos en todos
los aspectos. Debemos prepararnos para desarrollar
una fuerza interna y dirección en nuestras vidas.
La tecnología nos ayudará pero siempre nos va a
traicionar a menos que estemos seguros de donde
esta nuestra verdadera fuerza. Necesitamos tener
un claro entendimiento que, como el Santo Papa
Benedicto mandó en su primer mensaje de tweet,
Jesús es “la roca sólida en la cual construimos nuestras
vidas y su amor es siempre fiel.” Benedicto XVI tweed
#1 12/12/12 •
bishop’s REFLECTION
by Bishop Michael G. Duca
Don’t Let the World’s Values Be Downloaded Into Your Soul
T
oday I checked my Pope app and Twitter and received Pope Francis’
tweet for December 12, 2015, “One goal for each day, to convey the
tenderness of Christ to those who are most in need.” I have been reflecting
on how in just a few minutes our Holy Father made contact with over one
million readers all over the world with a message of
hope. I also remember THE first tweet from any pope
to millions of people throughout the world that Jesus is
“the solid rock upon which we build our lives and his love is
always faithful.” Benedict XVI tweet #1 12/12/12
Reading the pope’s tweet made me aware of all the
good we can accomplish today with technological
advances. But I also considered how much has changed
in my life technologically in just a relatively few years.
Bishop Duca
I first connected to the Internet in 1995 and in just 20
years I find myself caressing my cell phone at times like Gollum caressed his
“Precious” in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. This change has not only happened
fast, but it has happened without any real consideration of how these changes
have affected my spiritual life.
I remember when “answering machines” first came out that I did not get
one right away. This worked okay for a while until my parishioners became
angry at me. It turns out they had developed an expectation that they should
be able to “get my machine” when they called so I could call them and leave
a message on their machine. In the end I had to get a “machine” and I have
been hooked to it ever since in all its developmental stages from machines, to
email, to texting to, well, whatever comes next. I have been pulled onto this
fast moving train and I am not sure where it is taking my soul, or even worse,
where it has already taken my soul.
Why is this important? A few years ago a study revealed that those who
use technology regularly averaged 70 minutes a day on the web and/or 127
minutes on mobile apps and/or 168 minutes on TV. That could add up to
almost two to six hours of our day. Surprisingly, in a recent study it was noted
that today our tweens and teens are using technology in some form as much
as six to nine hours a day. One study says a person with a smart phone looks
at their cell phone 150 times a day. Or even more sobering it is estimated
that 40 million adults regularly visit Internet pornography websites and
that 47% of Christians polled in a study said Internet pornography was a
problem in their household.
Spiritually these statistics show our technology can have a deep effect on
our family and our spiritual lives. To me the most unnoticed effect is how
the technology begins to direct and shape our lives slowly so that the center
of our motivation is more in the texts we receive, the emails that demand
response and the constant need to stay immediately connected.
This year take stock of how connected you are. Try this as a spiritual
exercise. For one day (or more if you are willing) only use your phone for
making phone calls and staying in contact with family and friends. If you
can ignore your email for a day or two, do so. If you cannot, then do not
look at your email until after 11:00 a.m., or until you have planned your day
or accomplished some task of your choosing. Do
not surf the web or use any other app for the day.
I once read in a spiritual book that we need
to be aware of whether we live by reacting or
responding. To react is to act based on the
problem outside, the need or expectation of
another. To live reactionary is to always find our
motivation for our choices outside of ourselves.
To respond, on the other hand, is to author our
lives from within based on our values and faith.
If you step away from your technology for a day
and find yourself lost and confused, then it is
possible you are letting your technology lead you.
You are reacting to all the INPUT into your life
rather than re-creating the world around you with
the spirit of Christ from within. We should be
downloading ourselves and Christ’s spirit into the
world and not be allowing the world and its values
to be downloaded into our souls.
In today’s time we are being challenged in every
way as Catholics, as disciples of Jesus Christ. We
must prepare ourselves by developing a deep inner
strength and direction in our lives. Technology
will help us, but it will always betray us unless we
are sure of where our true strength is. We need to
have a clear understanding that, as Pope Benedict
tweeted in the first papal tweet, Jesus is “the solid
rock upon which we build our lives and his love is
always faithful.” Benedict XVI tweet #1 12/12/12 •
January 2016 5
mike’s meditations
by Mike Van Vranken
Look Beyond What You See
T
he Mass attendance was larger than normal. It was not only the Feast
of the Immaculate Conception, but also the opening day of the Year
of Mercy. As I stood to approach the altar for communion, I noticed
one of the Extraordinary Ministers of the precious
blood stop distributing. She stooped down for about
30 seconds and then stood back up again. In the
exchange of passing the cup to the communicant and
back, some of the precious blood had spilled to the
floor. She respectfully covered it, and then moved to
another spot so no one would walk near the spillage.
Someone sitting in the front pew jumped up to assist.
The sacristan and altar server quickly brought several
Van Vranken
linen towels (purificators) and covered all that had
spilled over onto the floor.
I had the wonderful blessing to train Extraordinary Ministers for 15
years while a member of another parish. It is every minister’s nightmare
that such a disaster might happen. Yet, with a sense of deep comfort, I
watched each person look on the floor and carefully make sure those wet
towels were not trampled or disturbed. It was all a very holy and sacred
response to the accident that had occurred.
When I walked past the spot of the accident, I saw the several
purificators on the floor drenched in the red elements of wine, which, in
substance, was the real blood of Jesus. As I returned to my seat, a scene
from the movie The Passion of the Christ entered my mind. Jesus had just
been whipped and scourged when Pilate’s wife gave Mary some towels.
Sobbing, Mary immediately dropped to her knees and began futilely
wiping up the many pools of blood that had been savagely beaten from her
son. I imagined the respect shown at this Mass was similar to the dignity
and reverence that Mary was showing her precious son in the movie.
As I knelt in prayer after communion, the image of those red-stained
towels remained vividly in my mind. I very clearly heard Jesus say to me:
“When my blood was spilled to the ground on Calvary, it was trampled
and walked on while some of the onlookers jeered. But I forgave them
anyway. My blood poured out was the showering of my Divine Mercy on
the earth.” Then I also heard him say: “Will you also pour out my mercy
with the people you meet once you leave this church today?”
It was a chilling question. Here we were on the morning of the
beginning of this Holy Year of Mercy and Jesus is asking me how I’m
going to respond. What am I going to do when I get outside? How am I
going to reverence his precious blood that he spilled for me? How will I
spread his mercy throughout this coming year?
How will each of us respond this year to Jesus’ call to: “be merciful
as your heavenly father is merciful?” How will each of us approach the
wonderful opportunity to bring Jesus’ mercy to our everyday lives? •
Mike is a writer and teacher, and co-author of the book:
Faith Positive in a Negative World. You can contact him at
www.mikevanvrankenministries.org
By Pethrus (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons
MONTHLY REFLECTION
Find an image or picture you can put in a
prominent place in your house, as a screen
saver on your smart phone, and even where
you work. It can be a crucifix, a Divine Mercy
picture of Jesus with the rays of mercy flowing
from his heart, or even the Jubilee Year of
Mercy logo.
Spend some time each day in quiet reflection
thinking about ways you can give reverence
to the precious blood that Jesus spilled for us.
Ask yourself: “How do I respond to a God who
loves me so much He allowed His only son to
suffer and die so that I might live?”
Now, every time you see the image you saved
in those prominent places, ask God for the
grace to show you when, where and how you
can offer His mercy to someone else.
Consider an “Examen” of the day’s events
each evening. Ask God to show you all the
opportunities you had to both receive His
Divine Mercy, and also to offer His mercy
to others. Now pray for the grace to see all
those opportunities the next day.
Eucharist means thanksgiving. Take the time
each day to give God thanks and praise.
Thank Him for the gift of His mercy. Thank Him
for the grace that we can give mercy to others.
in REVIEW
by Kim Long
Praying for Our Adult Sons and Daughters
by John and Therese Boucher
H
ow many times have we thought and
stated, sometimes in anguish and
exasperation, “It was so easy when
they were little?” Praying for Our Adult Sons
and Daughters is for anyone who has adult
children, godchildren, nieces, nephews,
cousins…..you get the idea.
I consider myself a pretty prayerful
woman. I have rosaries in every room,
purse and vehicle and my favorite novena
booklets. In times of deep distress I tend to
find myself before the Tabernacle in church.
I thought I had things covered, but this
book has UNcovered some amazing prayer
possibilities for me as a parent of adult
children.
In each of the 10 chapters, the authors
focus on a different situation and way to
ask for God’s guidance in the lives of those
we love. The genius of this text is that it not
only brings our children forward, but us
as parents too. We are not on the sidelines,
we are in a prayer life that is presented as
living, breathing and acting inside each of
us. I have grown as a parent reading and
praying as I have read this book. I have been
encouraged by the writers to examine my
own motives and actions.
The authors speak about the love of God
using quotes from saints and passages of
scripture, then at the end of each chapter
there are questions and prayer exercises.
What hit me like a ton of bricks and kept
me reading was the focus on baptism. Here
is a question from the first chapter: “What
do you remember of your child’s baptism?
What did this event mean to you and to
your family at that time? What meaning
does it have for you now?”
I hadn’t really contemplated my
children’s baptisms in years, but I spent
some time in adoration with this question
and realized the impact of my decision to
bring my sons forth for baptism is one that
doesn’t disappear regardless of their choices.
Another suggestion they make: pray
with a photograph of your child. There are
several lines to the guided prayer and you
fill in the blank with the name of your own
child. At one point you trace the Sign of the
Cross over the photo, then lift them up as a
way of offering them to God.
This method continues for eight more
chapters, each focusing on a different need.
The authors share their personal experiences
and pan out effortlessly to include each
of us and give very practical and thought
provoking exercises to take us into deep
prayer – prayer that isn’t just us talking and
giving God a to do list, prayer that isn’t just
a vague sort of “ok God I know you got
this,” but prayer that is communication,
communion and so very doable! The
authors encourage parents to consecrate our
families to God through prayer, to surrender
to God everything that we as parents have
held on to. We are offering to God what He
has so generously given us… our children.
Too often I’ve listened to friends, coworkers, and total strangers cry and say,
“Now that my kids are grown I don’t
know, I just feel so separated from them.
I don’t know what to do, it was so simple
when they were younger.” In some ways it
was simple, but being the parent of adult
children is a massive lesson in trust – trust
that we have done all we can to give a good
foundation, trust they will not depart from
the way in which they were reared, trust that
even if we have forgotten an essential part
of that foundation that God will present an
opportunity for it to be formed.
Many times families feel disconnected
for a variety of reasons. This book will
help. It is a gift from God to all parents of
adult children, a gift that once opened and
received will change us. When families are
searching for ways to stay and deepen those
connections formed when our children were
“babies” deep prayer is a way to do just that.
The authors encourage us to “hold onto
the vision that each son or daughter has
been created to enter and to re-enter God’s
eternal joy.” •
"But keep this in mind: at
your child’s Baptism, you
also renewed your own
baptismal vows. So your
child’s relationship with
God is forever linked to
your own Baptism and
your own relationship
with Jesus."
Praying for Our Adult
Sons and Daughters
by John and Theres Boucher
This book is available at St. Mary’s
Parish Library, Jacob’s Well, and
Amazon.com.
January 2016 7
faithful FOOD
by Kim Long
Take a Break and Care for You
Make room to practice healthy self care
F
or several years I believed I was the
victim of a universal irony. Each year
during Christmas
time I would inevitably
succumb to the latest
“bug,” lose my voice,
have a sore throat and
be “couch” ridden
for a few days, all the
Long
while feeling like I was
wasting my vacation.
Initially I chalked it up to the same sort
of dynamic which occurs when you have
“extra” money: you anticipate a hundred
ways to spend those prized dollars and
then something occurs to take up the
fun money, something which is never
classified as fun.
I finally realized something else was
afoot. I was worn out at this time of the
year; between going non-stop at home
and work and trying to do fun things
and staying up late to finish reading or
studying, by the time Christmas arrived,
my body, which whispered to me all year
long, was now screaming at me to slow
down.
In January we take a breather:
decorations put away, no more pressure to
cook, bake, shop, wrap. We have moved
beyond the after Christmas sales and we
are just, well, just here.
I love the nuance January offers, more
than just a bridge between Christmas and
the next season or holiday, it really does
invite us to rest, to reflect in a way that is
different than Lent, which is purposeful
with its threefold nature. January invites
us to just gaze upon the beauty of the
world God has given to us. There is a
sight in the “dead of winter” which always
perks me up: a red bird set against a
winter sky. The birds themselves remind
me of my great grandmother’s “front
room” and the little statues of blue birds,
red birds and goldfinches. Their contrast
reminds me that even in the midst of a
gloomy and wet Louisiana winter, there is
more than just the cold rainy afternoons,
there is the preparation for warmer climes
and springtime sowing. And while as the
Bible reminds us we are not “promised
tomorrow,” we are also reminded of our
hope in the Lord.
In conversations with loved ones I have
stressed we should practice “healthy selfcare.” This can involve everything from
seeing a doctor, to taking an afternoon
“off” and only being available to those
nearest you. Watch a favorite movie, read
that book you have been staring at for
months, call an old friend or relative you
haven’t spoken to in some time and let the
time fall away.
When we take the time to practice this
healthy self care we become more aware of
what our bodies are telling us, and in time
we become better listeners.
Cough/Cold “Tonic”
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar (I
use Bragg’s available at Drug Emporium)
• 2 tablespoons honey (use local honey if
at all possible)
• 2 tablespoons water (filtered is called
for, but I have used regular tap water)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Directions:
1) Mix all ingredients together in a jar
with a lid.
2) Add 1 tablespoon (measured) to
a cup of hot tea. Do this morning and
evening for maximum benefit. I take this
even when I am not having symptoms! It
tastes great in tea.
In Romans 12:1 we are reminded this
way, “Therefore I urge you brothers and
sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer
your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and
pleasing to God--this is your spiritual
act of worship. Do not conform any
longer to the pattern of this world, but
be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and
approve what God’s will is – His good,
pleasing and perfect will.”
The pattern of this world often tells
us we have value if we produce, we are
only as relevant as our last success. In
the invitation of January we can truly be
still. In the gift of faith we can rest in the
knowledge that our value comes from
being made in God’s image and likeness.
This perspective gives me a renewed take
on stewardship, and as I tuck up my knees
and reach for the remote, I offer a prayer
of thanksgiving for life, for my body, and
for the body of Christ which I am so
blessed to be a part of.
When I feel a cough or cold coming
on, I mix up this cough/cold “tonic”
and add one tablespoon to a cup of
hot tea morning and evening. But use
common sense, if you have the flu,
fever, etc., go see your doctor! •
Kim Long is the Director of Religious
Education at St. Mary of the Pines
Parish in Shreveport.
domestic CHURCH
by Katie Sciba
Examination of Conscience in Marriage
A
ndrew and I are undergoing a
transformation in our relationship.
After nearly eight years married,
we’re seeing a few trouble spots that have
crept in right under our noses and dragged
pain and resentment in
with them. No marriage
is perfectly peaceful and
flawless and ours certainly
has its crosses. Though I
consider our sacrament
to still be relatively new,
Sciba
we’ve been in the game
long enough to have
hurt each other - unintentionally, but the
wounds are still there; and over a short time
they’ve become steeped in heartache. It’s
eye-opening to realize how much we haven’t
said to each other.
I know this situation isn’t unique to
us. When two imperfect souls unite in
marriage, we bring baggage from the past,
occasionally unspoken expectations for the
future, and hopes that we can hold on to
wedded bliss as long as possible. Somewhere
along the line, our sinful natures get in the
way and our perspectives take a dark shift.
Our unshakable trust and confidence have
been tainted by doubt and we might not
feel so safe together anymore. Some of us
might actually hide from our spouses concealing feelings of pain or just silently
wishing we could open up and feel that
happy freedom again.
It can be done. I’ve realized one precious
tool we’ve had from the beginning can carry
us through our healing: our vows. I promise
to be true to you in good times and in bad,
in sickness and in health. I will love you and
honor you all the days of my life.
With all our resolve, Andrew and I are
fighting previous inclinations to bottle
emotions, annoyances or hurts. We’re
learning how to validate each other,
especially when work or the kids are
challenging. And hands down, the best
examination of my own spousal conscience
is our vows. They are astoundingly
powerful. Recalling the words I declared
Heal with
Your Spouse
Two imperfect people united in
marriage are bound to hurt each
other inadvertently. Take one step
at a time toward healing wounds
big and small with your beloved.
Go Back to
the Big Day
that I’d live “all the days of my life” prompts
me to evaluate my own behavior in our
marriage and within our family as a whole.
When carefully considering my promises to
Andrew those years ago, I ask myself “Am
I handling our money in a way that honors
him?” and “Am I being fully supportive to
him even though he looks like he’s doing
fine on his own?” It’s made me consider
that “sickness” doesn’t include only physical
ailments, but mental, emotional or spiritual
illnesses. Am I loving and showing him
Christ’s mercy through my attitude and
actions?
I’ve never encountered another approach
that attends to both significant and slight
decisions, and the best part is that it’s been
with us from the start. Using our vows
as an examination revives our sense of
teamwork; we realize more than ever that
we are stewards of the immense gift of our
marriage.
No couple will reach a point when
further progress won’t be necessary; but I
can only imagine that the husband and wife
who intentionally act in accord with their
marriage vows regularly will abide in peace.
That’s my hope for us anyway. Through
prayer together and considering our vows,
the bliss we all experienced back then will
reach a new height and depth we never
thought possible. •
The vows we made to each other
serve as the perfect Examination
of Spousal Conscience. Are you
loving and honoring your spouse?
Are you true in feast or famine?
Act in accord with the promises
you made years ago.
Receive Jesus to
Reflect Jesus
…as an individual and together.
God joined you together, so it will
be fortifying to offer prayers and
receive the sacraments together.
Keep Ears &
Heart Open
Receive your spouse’s joys and
concerns with love. Keep your
mouth closed patiently and ears
open. Think of what you can do to
delight with them or alleviate their
stress. Ask how you can help and
follow through to rebuild trust.
Katie Sciba is the author of
thecatholicwife.net. She lives in
Shreveport with her husband, Andrew,
and their four children.
January 2016 9
from the POPE
from Vatican Information Services
Shine Like Beacons of God's Mercy
in the World
V
atican City (VIS) – Pope
Francis dedicated December
9’s general
audience, the first
of the Holy Year,
to explaining
why he convoked
a Jubilee of
Mercy. “The
Church needs
Pope Francis
this extraordinary
moment”, he explained. “In our time
of profound change, the Church
is called upon to offer her special
contribution, making visible the signs
of God’s presence and closeness. And
the Jubilee is a propitious time for all,
as contemplating Divine Mercy, that
exceeds all human limits and shines
onto the darkness of sin, we can be
surer and more effective witnesses.”
“Celebrating a Jubilee of Mercy
means restoring the specifics of
Christian faith to the center of our
personal life and of our communities.
… This Holy Year is offered to us so
that we are able to experience in our
life the sweet and gentle touch of
God’s forgiveness, His presence next
to us and His closeness, especially in
our moments of greatest need. … This
Jubilee is therefore a special moment
for the Church to learn to choose
solely ‘what God likes the most’. …
Forgiving His children, having mercy
on them, so that they can in turn
forgive their brethren, to shine like
beacons of God’s mercy in the world.
… The Jubilee will be a propitious
moment for the Church if we learn
to choose what God likes the most,
without giving in to the temptation
to think that there is something else
more important or that takes priority.
Nothing is more important than
choosing what God likes most, His
mercy”.
“The necessary work of renewing
institutions and structures of the
Church is also a way that can lead
us to a more lively and life-giving
experience of God’s mercy that alone
can ensure that the Church is that
city on the mount that cannot remain
hidden. If we should forget, even for
just a moment, that mercy is what God
likes the most, all our efforts would be
in vain, as we would become slaves to
our institutions and our structures, no
matter how reformed they may be.”
The pope emphasised that the
Church’s aim during this Holy Year is
to “strongly feel the joy of being found
by Jesus, Who like the Good Shepherd
has come in search of us as we were
lost. … In this way we strengthen in
ourselves our certainty that mercy can
truly contribute to building a more
human world. Especially in these times
of ours, in which forgiveness is a rare
guest in the circles of human life, the
call for mercy becomes more urgent,
and this is true in all places: in society,
in institutions, at work and in the
family.”
Before concluding, he commented
that while there appear to be many
other needs more urgent than that of
mercy, at the root of the negation of
mercy there is always self-love, “which
results in the pursuit of self-interest
and the accumulation of honors, riches
or worldliness. There are so many
manifestations of self-love, “that make
mercy foreign to the world” that often
we are not even able to recognize them
as limitations and sins. He concluded,
“we must recognize that we are sinners,
so as to strengthen our certainty of
divine mercy”. •
In the Words
of
Pope Francis
“We continue to trust that
2016 will see us all firmly and
confidently engaged, on different
levels, in the pursuit of justice
and peace. Peace is both God’s
gift and a human achievement.
As a gift of God, it is entrusted
to all men and women, who
are called to attain it.” (Pope's
Message for the 49th World Day of
Peace 12/15/15)
“May the Holy Virgin, first
among the saved, model of the
Church, holy and immaculate
bride, beloved of the Lord, help
us increasingly rediscover divine
mercy as the distinctive sign of
the Christian!”
(Angelus 12/8/15)
“And salvation is offered to every
man, and every people, without
excluding anyone, to each one of
us. None of us can say, ‘I am a
saint; I am perfect; I am already
saved.’ No. We should always
accept this offer of salvation, and
that is the reason for the Year
of Mercy: to advance further in
this journey of salvation, this
path that Jesus has taught us.
God wants all mankind to be
saved by the mediation of Jesus,
the only mediator.” (Angelus
12/7/15)
“As parents, you are the
depositories of the primary and
irrevocable duty and right to
educate your children, in this
way helping in a positive and
constant way in the task of the
school. ” (Pope to Members of
the Association of Catholic School
Parents in Italy 12/7/15)
navigating the Faith
by Dianne Rachal, Director of Worship
Spiritual Direction
Salvation is an experience of friendship
and relationship with God. – John
English, S. J.
W
illiam A. Barry, S.J. and William
J. Connolly, S.J. describe spiritual
direction as: “help given by one
Christian to another which enables that
person to pay attention to God’s personal
communication to him or her, to respond to
this personally communicating God, to grow
in intimacy with this God, and to live out the
consequences of the relationship.” The New
Orleans Archdiocesan Spirituality Center has a
simpler way of phrasing this: “Spiritual direction
is a deepening awareness of God’s presence
and movement in one’s life.” An individual,
the directee, meets regularly with a spiritual
director for the purpose of examining his or her
relationship with God.
Spiritual direction is a spiritual discipline
which has been a source of nurture for Christians
for centuries, going back to the earliest days of
the Church. The apostles wrote letters of spiritual
guidance to nurture the growing communities
of Christians in the first century AD. This
practice was continued by the Patristic writers
in the second century. By the fourth and fifth
centuries thousands of Christians were seeking
out the desert fathers and mothers for counsel.
Monasticism grew from this desert tradition,
with monastic communities providing spiritual
direction for the faithful through the Middle
Ages. Ignatius of Loyola received the foundation
for his Spiritual Exercises in the sixteenth
century. Spiritual direction has experienced a
resurgence in the twentieth century due to the
writings of spiritual authors like Thomas Merton
and Evelyn Underhill.
The role of the spiritual director in the process
of spiritual direction is to listen to a person’s
experience and to help clarify it. The director
affirms and encourages by recognizing the work
of grace in the directee, and at times, challenges
by pointing out resistances and blind spots.
Thus the director does whatever will facilitate the
directee’s attempts to live out his or her faith in dialogue with God and
so grow into a deeper union with Him.
It is important to delineate what spiritual direction is not. Spiritual
direction is not counseling, therapy, or spiritual companioning or
friendship. All spiritual direction is strictly confidential. The spiritual
director will never speak about a directee to anyone.
“Spiritual direction is a deepening
awareness of God’s presence and
movement in one’s life.”
There are three certified lay spiritual directors in the Diocese of
Shreveport: Dianne Rachal, Joe Bernal and Katherine Bernal. Dianne
Rachal is Director of Worship and completed the two-year Emmaus
Spiritual Direction Training at Our Lady of the Oaks in Grand Coteau.
Joe and Katherine Bernal recently completed the two-year Archdiocese of
New Orleans Spiritual Direction Internship, and are parishioners of St.
Paschal Church in West Monroe.
Our diocese currently has five interns in the Archdiocese of New
Orleans Spiritual Direction Internship in Grand Coteau. These interns
will complete their training in August 2017.
As a directee continues to meet with a spiritual director, the directee
seeks to expand his or her experiences of the Lord, moving into a
seamless recognition of him each moment of the day. The Lord then
becomes a part of each experience and relationship that one has. The
spiritual director provides support and encouragement, helping the
directee stay on this path of ongoing discernment of God in daily life. •
January 2016 11
second COLLECTIONS
by Fr. Rothell Price
January Second Collections: Diocesan Catholic Schools
and Collection for the Church in Latin America
Works of Mercy. At St. Frederick’s and
Loyola College Prep, faith is made tangible in
action which touches and transforms people’s
dire circumstances. At Our Lady of Fatima,
Jesus the Good Shepherd, St. Joseph and St.
John Berchmans Schools, our young people
take great delight in bringing real signs of
the Father’s mercy to people in need. Be
“Merciful like the Father.” Give generously to
the collection for the Catholic schools in our
diocese. In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, let our
first major collective act of mercy be toward
our own beloved daughters and sons in Christ.
I
am greatly moved by the gift of this Jubilee Year of Mercy decreed by our
inspiring and compassionate Holy Father Francis. This gift of Divine Mercy
fills my heart and soul with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the mercies
I have received from the Father through the years. In the presence of such
graciousness, one can only “bow in humble adoration.” What
I have received, I am compelled to lavishly give as consistently
as I can in this Year of Mercy and beyond.
This is the context in which I hope you will think of
and engage in each of our Second or Special Collections
throughout this jubilee year. These collections, rooted in
the ministry of Jesus and sanctioned by the Church are
Price
opportunities to incarnate (make real, tangible, present) the
Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.
Each time you participate in these collections you are “Merciful like the
Father.” That is the official motto of this Jubilee Year of Mercy. I love this
powerful expression from Pope Francis’ Prayer for the Jubilee, “…may everyone
who approaches you feel sought after, loved and forgiven by God.” This is the
thought that will drive all my actions and attitudes in this Jubilee Year. May it
also inspire you to be “Merciful like the Father.”
DIOCESAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Collection Dates: January 16 & 17
Announcement Dates: January 3 & 10
ur Diocesan Catholic Schools Collection is a great place to start being
“Merciful like the Father.” Our schools are amazing flowering beds
where we learn to be like Jesus. Parents and other family members
planted the seeds of mercy. Catholic schools are the nurseries where that mercy
grows strong, especially through worship and catechesis. Catholic schools are
the hot house where we get to explore and develop the Corporal and Spiritual
O
CHURCH IN LATIN AMERICA
Collection Dates: January 23 & 24
Announcement Dates: January 10 & 17
hare Your Faith.” Sharing is a fulfillment
of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of
Mercy. Sharing is what we learned to
do from our earliest days as children. Share
your faith through your participation in the
Collection for the Church in Latin America.
“For the past 50 years, the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops via the
Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America
has helped 25 countries in Central and South
America as well as the Caribbean confront
challenges to the faith. With your help and
the support of the Catholic faithful, we have
helped develop evangelization and catechetical
programs. We have also funded activities
that promote an encounter with Jesus Christ,
so that the faithful can become missionary
disciples.” (USCCB Subcommittee on the
Church in Latin America)
I pray that your cheerful participation in this
second collection will inspire you in the sure
knowledge that because of you, others know
that they are “sought after, loved and forgiven
by God.” Please participate generously so that
our brothers and sisters can grow in and share
their faith. •
S
Fr. Rothell Price, Vicar General, is the
Director of Second & Special Collections.
vocations View
by Kelby Tingle, Seminarian
Stepping Into Seminary
A
fter graduating high school just three months prior to this move, I
distinctly remember driving to Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary
College in Covington, LA to begin a new journey in my life. During
the 300 mile drive, I had plenty of time to ponder what I would experience in
the days following. I wondered how different things might be at the seminary.
This was my first time moving, first time going to college, and the first time I
would have to say goodbye to my family for an extended period of time. Many
questions were racing through my mind. All at once, I was feeling anxious,
nervous and excited.
After nearly five hours of driving, my family and I arrived at the seminary.
My family and I were astonished at the beauty of the campus. The site of the
ponds, the trees and the sun beaming on the Abbey church was a beautiful
sight. There was a peaceful and holy feel to this place.
The following day, August 15, we began orientation. The day started with
Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gregory Aymond of the Archdiocese of
New Orleans in the Abbey Church for incoming seminarians and parents.
Following the Mass, there was a luncheon for parents and seminarians. After
lunch, it was time for the parents to depart and for incoming seminarians
to continue orientation. I gave my mom and dad a big hug and had to say
goodbye. Being very close to my family, it was hard to watch my parents drive
away into the distance.
The next week we continued orientation and I continued adjusting to this
new journey my life. It was during this week that I glimpsed what would later
become one of my favorite aspects of seminary life: prayer and brotherhood.
Each incoming seminarian was assigned a “mentor,” that is a senior seminarian,
to help the new seminarian with anything he might need. A part of orientation
was to venture through the many acres of land in the seminary and talk with
my mentor about my discernment. During this time, I told him about how
different it was to be away from Shreveport. He offered me sincere support and
advice. During this week, I had also really enjoyed spending time in adoration
and praying. It was very good to talk to God about my homesickness and offer
it up. Through brotherhood and God’s love I began to grow accustomed to the
seminary.
This year the seminary received the highest enrollment in the history of
SJASC. It is an indescribable feeling to be able to discern the most holy
priesthood with 137 other men feeling the same call. As seminarians, we are
inspired by each other and we help each other grow in holiness so that we
may be able to become the best priests we can for the loyal people of God.
Everything we do, we do as a community. Every morning and evening in the
oratory, it is always beautiful to hear so many voices praying the Liturgy of the
Hours in unity. It has been a great pleasure to be able to form relationships that
will last a lifetime.
The center of life at the seminary is prayer. It is an overwhelming blessing to
be able to spend the day in prayer. As a community, we pray morning prayer,
evening prayer and night prayer together. I have thoroughly enjoyed praying
the Liturgy of the Hours and making the psalms an intimate part of my life.
We also are able to attend Holy Mass daily, which has been a great help to my
Jeb Key and Kelby Tingle on their first day of
seminary at St. Joseph Abbey and Seminary in
Covington, LA.
spiritual growth. Also, every seminarian has a
spiritual director they go to every other week for
advice on our spirituality. This has benefited me
greatly.
It is truly amazing to think that my first
semester of seminary is complete. The time
really did fly by. Through my first semester, I
experienced much growth in brotherhood and
spiritual formation. I thank God every day
for the gift of being a seminarian for the great
Diocese of Shreveport. I look forward to many
more years of discerning and studying Christ’s
priesthood. Please continue to keep me and my
seminarian brothers in your prayers as we will do
the same for all of you! We greatly appreciate all
of the prayers and support from our Shreveport
family! •
Are you feeling called to a vocation in
the Church? Contact Fr. Matthew Long,
Director of Church Vocations, at 318-868-4441,
or mlong@dioshpt.org
January 2016 13
Holy Door
Pilgrimages
A Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will
experience the love of God who consoles, pardons and instills hope.
Pilgrimage and Holy Door
Spiritual Meaning
T
he practice of pilgrimage has a special place in the Holy Year, because it
represents the journey each of us makes in this life. Life itself is a pilgrimage,
and the human being is a visitor, a pilgrim traveling along the road, making
his way to the desired destination. Similarly, to reach the Holy Door in Rome or
in any other place in the world, everyone, each according to his or her ability, will
have to make a pilgrimage. This will be a sign that mercy is also a goal to reach and
requires dedication and sacrifice. May our pilgrimage be an impetus to conversion:
by crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, we will find the strength to embrace
God’s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others as the Father has
been with us. (Misericordiae Vultus)
Why a Holy Door of Mercy?
T
he mystery of God, rich in mercy and compassion (Eph 2:4 & Jas 5:11), is
manifested and brought about in Christ, the Father’s face of mercy (MV 1),
and is continually at work through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22-23).
The door is a symbol in recognition of Christ as the sole door through which we
enter salvation (cf Jn 10:9) and the one way that leads to the Father (Jn 14:6).
The pilgrimage is representative of the Church’s ongoing pilgrimage toward
“Jesus Christ (who) is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb 13:8).
What is a Pilgrimage?
A
pilgrimage is a spiritual journey to a sacred place for the purpose of
venerating it or to ask for heavenly aid, and ultimately to come to know
God better. During the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has asked that every
diocese designate a Holy Door at a Cathedral or other church. Pilgrimage is
reflective of the journey each of us makes in life and the pilgrimage to the Holy
Door should serve as an impetus to conversion. In the Diocese of Shreveport, the
Holy Door is at the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans.
Reflections
Misericordiae Vultus, Proclamation of Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
P
ersonal Encounter: During this year we are invited to gaze ever
more attentively on mercy so that we may become more effective signs of the
Father’s action in our lives. The Year of Mercy must start in our own hearts.
How have you experienced the mercy of God in your life?
Reaching out to all: Through the spiritual and corporal works of
mercy, we are being invited to embrace the pain of the world. God wants us to put
aside our differences and become a Church where all are welcomed, where wounds
Steps for a
Pilgrimage
1.
2.
3.
Establish a specific date and
time for your pilgrimage.
Contact the Cathedral (318221-5296) to ensure the Holy
Door will be open at the time
you plan to arrive.
Think of ways to make your
pilgrimage spiritual. Predetermine the prayers, psalms,
scriptures or reflections you will reflect
on during your journey.
4.
Bring your Bible.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Are there other churches
along the way that you can
stop and visit the Blessed
Sacrament? Or cemeteries to stop
and pray for the dead?
Consider stopping at other
churches along the way and
pick up other pilgrims for
your caravan.
If you need to stop for lunch,
pack a simple picnic meal
or pre-determine a restaurant
where a simple meal is available.
Consider inviting families
from PSR programs, Catholic
Schools or youth groups to
join you.
As you walk through the
Holy Door, offer prayers of
gratitude for the opportunity
and for arriving safely.
Once inside, quietly
spend time with our
Lord in the Blessed
Sacrament. Read one of the
scriptures or reflections.
are healed, the weak are carried and people are reconciled to God. Are
you ready to receive the unchurched, the hurting, the broken and lost
in your parish, in your life?
Learning from Jesus: If we want to be merciful, we must
understand Jesus’ life of mercy from the Scriptures. We must dispose
ourselves to His Word and learn from Him (MV #13). If we are truly
disciples of the Lord, then mercy is a fundamental part of our calling
and mission. It is what we will be judged on. Do you give God’s word
primacy in your life? Are you challenged by scripture? In what ways is
mercy part of your personal mission?
Confession: In this Year of Mercy, we are encouraged to put
confession back into our individual lives, allowing God to touch you
with the grandeur of His Mercy. When was the last time you made
a Confession? Is this sacrament important in your life? Why or why
not?
Inter-religious Dialogue: Pope Francis highlights
how both Judaism and Islam consider mercy to be one of the most
important attributes of God. The Holy Father’s prayer is that the mercy
of God will foster an encounter with other religions, opening us to
fervent dialogue so that we might know and understand one another
better. “May it eliminate every form of closed-mindedness and
disrespect, and drive out every form of violence and discrimination.”
(MV #23) How do you respond to others of different faiths?
Marian Devotion: Pope Francis presents Mary as a model
of mercy. Mary was dedicated to the mercy of God which extends
“from generation to generation.” (Lk 1:50) At the foot of the cross,
Mary, together with John, witnessed the words of forgiveness spoken
by Jesus. This supreme expression of mercy towards those who
crucified Him show us the point to which the mercy of God can reach.
(MV #24) (MV #23) Spend some time meditating on Mary’s mercy
in the rosary or Salve Regina.
Receive a Plenary Indulgence
A
ll Catholics who visit the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans
and its Holy Door of Mercy on pilgrimage and who fulfill
the conditions ordinarily attached to a plenary indulgence
(remission of temporal punishment for sins already forgiven, Canon
992) shall, with the proper intention and disposition, receive the
plenary Jubilee Indulgence available during the Extraordinary Jubilee
of Mercy. These conditions are:
1. recipient must be a baptized Catholic in the state of grace (free
from mortal sin) at time of indulgenced work (pilgrimage);
2. recipient must internally express a detachment from and
rejection of sin at time of indulgenced work (pilgrimage);
3. recipient must make a sacramental confession within 20 days of
indulgenced work (pilgrimage), preferably but not required on the day
itself;
4. recipient must receive Holy Communion within 20 days of
indulgenced work, preferably but not required on the day itself;
5. recipient must pray for the intentions of the Holy Father at the
time of the indulgenced work (pilgrimage), and make a Profession
of Faith, one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be or other
suitable prayers.
The Jubilee Plenary Indulgence may be obtained for the living or
the dead and will be available only one time daily. •
Cathedral of St. John Berchmans
Holy Door
The Holy Door is framed with cloth.
939 Jordan Street • Shreveport LA
318-221-5296
What is a Plenary Indulgence?
Temporal punishment can be thought of
as a type of “penalty” that remains even
after sacramental confession. Some type
of restorative, purifying “process” can
take place either in this life or in purgatory.
Because the baptized are members of the
Communion of Saints, some or all of the
temporal punishment for sin is removed by
the Plenary Indulgence, and any remaining
restoration/reparation happens when we
exchange holiness with one another. A
plenary indulgence, when conditions are
met, is a way of recognizing that all of what
we have and do comes from Christ.
January 2016 15
Mercy in Action
Visit the Imprisoned (Matt. 25:36)
by Shelly Bole, Director of Catechesis
J
ust before Christmas, youth and sponsors from Our Lady of the Blessed
Sacrament, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Holy Family (Barksdale) and Mary, Queen
of Peace Catholic churches gathered in preparation for the annual Christmas
party at Ware Children’s Detention Center. This is the thirteenth year Jacquie
Bierwirth has organized this service opportunity. As participants began arriving, I
asked several why they came and how they felt about visiting a correctional facility.
Most of them came for service hours for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The youth
ranged from grades 8 – 12. Lucas and his brother were not too sure about visiting a
prison. Benjamin was looking forward to talking with the residents. Ainsley thought
it was cool to go to a detention facility and she was curious as to
why and how kids are sent to correctional facilities.
Fr. Joseph Ampatt, a regular visitor to Ware, reminded
everyone that these kids are not animals in a zoo – they are
humans who broke the law, who misused their freedom.
Destiny Jackson, a chaperone, is a family counselor and works
with kids before they enter Ware and after leaving Ware. She
told us the Ware kids are just like us, but they got into fights
at school or similar situations which resulted in being placed
in Ware. Many of the inmates come from abuse and poverty,
sometimes stealing food to eat or looking to the streets because
they do not have the blessing of guidance.
As we entered the recreational room and waited for the Ware residents, I could feel
the nervousness of the youth. While there were gifts to pass out and carols to be sung,
the unknown was still intimidating. Twenty young men and women, ages 10-17,
entered and sat at tables. Fr. Ampatt began the program with a greeting, followed by
Scripture and a short message. To get everyone warmed up, a few Christmas carols
were sung. Then Catholic youth eagerly began passing out bags of candy and other
gifts. The residents were not quite sure what to do about all this, so the Catholic
youth were encouraged to sit down and visit. It did not take long for the room to be
filled with voices. As Ainsley said, “they were so serious and sad when they came in
and it was nice to see them smiling and laughing. It is good that they can laugh in
this place.”
While the festivities continued, I visited
with Raymond Lloyd, the program
manager for Ware. We talked about the
residents and how approximately half of
them are repeat offenders; mostly due to
their home environments. Ware is the first
stop in the criminal justice process, with
residents having been found neither guilty
nor innocent. Residents are usually at Ware
for 30-90 days as they wait for court and
a placement. Roughly 75% have family
visits; 25% do not have a guardian.
As the event was coming to an end, one
resident asked if he could read something
from the Bible. Fr. Ampatt showed him a
scripture and the young man proclaimed it
loud and clear. A few more carols followed
along with the Prayer for Prisoners.
Youth participant Audrey Beeman was
amazed the residents shared their stories
of how they were placed in Ware. She
felt sad and happy: sad because these kids
don’t have great role models and happy
because they were being given the chance
to learn not to do wrong again. Jacquie
Bierwirth was happy because the residents
were so kind and appreciative. She also
mentioned that the residents shared funny
stories about Fr. Ampatt and how he brings
honeybuns
at every visit.
We talked
about works
of mercy
and how
visiting the
imprisoned
is one of the
harder ones.
But being
imprisoned
doesn’t just mean being in prison; one
can be a prisoner of poverty, abuse and
environment.
Destiny Jackson challenged us to look
around and see who is struggling at school,
because each one of us may be the person
who can help someone turn around. I also
challenged the youth to remember to pray
for the residents, especially remembering
them during Mass that weekend.
Indeed it was a morning of Mercy. •
local NEWS
St. Paschal Church: Celebrating 75 Years
by Bonny Van
Parishioners wander through an exhibit celebrating St. Paschal's history
L
ocated just off the I-20 exit on a busy street in West Monroe, St. Paschal
Catholic Church blends into a landscape dotted with small houses, big
businesses and traffic. Pre-occupied drivers might not even notice the 1960s
style brick building along 7th Street, except for the large cross on top of a belltower
that proclaims its purpose and its mission to serve God and others.
“I think it’s important for us to stress what it means to be part of a Catholic
community,” said pastor Fr. Frank Coens. “I’ve been here eight years and people tell
me that there’s more activity now. But, what I’ve found is a group of people willing
to volunteer and work.” Fr. Coens recalls one of his first stewardship meetings.
“The chair said, ‘I’ll need some volunteers,’ and all of a sudden, five hands went up.
There’s a real spirit of volunteerism here.”
That spirit, along with open arms and hearts, has carried St. Paschal Church from
its beginnings to the culmination of this year’s 75th anniversary celebration. In 1940,
Bishop Daniel F. Desmond assigned two Franciscan priests to found a parish in West
Monroe. Their job was to care for Catholics in Ouachita Parish west of the Ouachita
River. They lived in a small two-story, four room house, dubbed “St. Paschal on the
Range” due to neighborhood cows that paid visits to the priests and grazed near their
bedroom windows.
The first Mass was celebrated at Christmas in 1940, in a newly constructed
small frame church on 7th Street. Growth continued for the small church with a
new friary, school, gym and school cafeteria. By 1963, construction began on a
new church and the dedication of that building in December 1964 coincided with
another milestone, the 25th anniversary of the parish.
Seventy-five years later, St. Paschal Parish has gone through many changes. The
school was closed due to low enrollment and the economy is always a factor. “I see
a lot of our young people going off to college and not coming back. We live in an
economically depressed area,” said Fr. Coens.
In spite of those issues, St. Paschal is “the little church that could.” Parish life
is more vibrant than ever and community outreach programs continue to make a
huge difference in many people’s lives. “We’re a very welcoming and friendly,” says
parishioner Cathy Nolan. “I’ll often see people in the parking lot before Mass that
may be new and I make a point to welcome
them and say we’re glad to have them.
We’re family oriented and try to make
everyone feel comfortable. And, we are
very active.”
Besides offering a friendly smile and
warm welcome, St. Paschal parishioners
are always working to serve, whether it’s
for the church or the community. Besides
the Parish School of Religion and Adult
Bible Class, the church conducts a Spanish
Mass and supports a Hispanic ministry;
has a strong youth ministry program; offers
RCIA classes; and, is a host church for
Family Promise of Ouachita Parish, which
helps homeless families transition back into
jobs, schools and housing. “If you consider
the size of St. Paschal, I think the caring
spirit is really incredible,” said Nolan.
“Our major events, the parish picnic,
our potluck event (“Taste of St. Paschal”),
and the annual Herbal Harvest Festival are
not money makers,” says Fr. Coens, “but
we are able to support ourselves and give
to charities. It’s a matter of being able to
get together, to enjoy each others’ company
and to work together.”
One of the driving forces behind all that
work is Sister Edith Schnell, catechetical
leader and pastoral minister at St. Paschal.
And, when Sr. Edith calls, volunteers
answer. “How can you say ‘no’ to Sr.
Edith?” is the saying around the church.
“That’s probably true,” laughs Sr. Edith.
“I’m like a salesperson and I’m right there
with them and giving them all the tools
they need to do the job.”
Now, all of that work will be celebrated
in special Mass celebrated by Bishop
Michael Duca, Sunday, January 17th
at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paschal Catholic
Church.
“The future holds the same promise
as the past,” says Fr. Coens. “We’ll be a
community of faith that comes together to
pray together and to work together.” •
January 2016 17
Celebrating
Catholic Schools Week
by Jessica Rinaudo and NCEA
N
ational Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of
Catholic education in the United States. It starts the last Sunday
in January and runs all week, which in 2016 is January 31 February 6. The theme for the National Catholic Schools Week 2016 is
“Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.” Schools
observe the annual celebration week with Masses, open houses and other
activities for students, families, parishioners and community members. Through
these events, schools focus on the value Catholic education provides to young people and
its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation.
The Diocese of Shreveport has six Catholic Schools - four elementary and two high
schools in both Shreveport and Monroe. Our schools are special. Students excel in
academics and faith, but also in community service and care and respect for others.
“When I came to St. Frederick High School, one of the most amazing things was the
family atmosphere,” said principal Dr. Bob Webber. “Students here are a family who
work together, assisting each other to succeed. The faculty and staff know each student by
name, and the smaller class sizes allow the teachers to provide more individual attention
to the students.”
Catholic schools also provide unique faith opportunities. “Vocations Director Fr.
Matthew Long is one of the things that is special about Catholic schools!” said Polly
Maciulski. “His visit to St. Joseph School with Sr. Anna Maria is something that simply
does not occur in public schools, and that makes Catholic schools so special. The kids get
to see that someone like Fr. Long is a human being who heard God calling him to the
priesthood but he fought it... and Sr. Anna Maria explained that she always loved being
around children, and realized that even if she had nine children as a mother, that would
never be enough, so she followed the call from God to become who she is today.”
Community service is integral to Catholic Schools as well. St. John Berchmans School
has a "Caring and Sharing" day every month where students bring canned food items
to donate to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the less fortunate. Loyola College
Prep just hosted their most successful FAiTH day (Flyers Aiding the Hungry) day yet, as
hundreds of those in need lined up on Jordan Street to receive food baskets and children’s
Christmas gifts. At St. Frederick High School students are required to perform 20 hours
per year of community service, but many go above and beyond those requirements.
Students also see a need in an area, and they strive to meet those needs for others. Just
this year, students have raised money for the American Cancer Society through No Shave
November, Thanksgiving turkeys for
the Society of St. Vincent de Paul,
and for Christmas presents for second
graders at Minnie Ruffin Elementary.
The students have also held a food
drive to raise food for the Northeast
Louisiana Food Bank, held a walk to
raise awareness and funds for Diabetes
and collected donations to be sent to
a Catholic charity for the people of
Paris.
And, of course, academics are
very important. “Being a college
preparatory school, we are prepared
to enter college and succeed. We
learn how to excel in stressful
situations as we learn to
balance assignments,
participate in
extracurricular activities
and focus on our family
lives,” said St. Frederick
High School student
Scarlett Hammond.
The Diocese of Shreveport
takes a lot of pride and joy in our
schools, and Catholic Schools Week is
the perfect opportunity to learn more
about them, take a tour and consider
sending your child to one of these
great establishments of learning. •
SHREVEPORT
St. John Berchmans School
318-221-6005
St. Joseph School
318-865-3585
Loyola College Prep
318-221-2675
MONROE
Jesus the Good
Shepherd School
318-325-8569
Our Lady of Fatima School
318-387-1851
St. Frederick High School
318-323-9636
IN PROFILE: Dr. Cheryl White
Local History Professor Returns to Catholic Faith and Writes Book
by Kelly Phelan Powell
D
r. Cheryl White is a woman
on fire for her faith. One has
only to listen as she discusses
her latest book, Round Trip to Rome:
The Travelogue of a Returning Catholic,
to understand how important it is to
her that Catholics who have fallen away
from the faith understand that not
only do we welcome them when they
want to come home, we long for them
to find their way back into the arms of
Holy Mother Church. This message is
particularly personal for her since on
December 25, 2014, she returned to
Catholicism after a 20-year sojourn
into Anglicanism. A seasoned traveler
with a Ph.D. in Medieval History and
History of Dogmatic Theology, this was
the journey she chose to document in
Round Trip to Rome, and it makes for a
fascinating, intensely personal memoir
peppered liberally with an academic’s
historical perspective.
“I came into the Church as an adult,
so I never felt that connection the way
some cradle Catholics do,” explained
White, who became Roman Catholic at
the age of 18. “It took me leaving and
being gone for 20 years and coming back
to feel that strong need to tell former
Catholics or non-practicing Catholics
that it is OK to come home, that it’s safe
to come home.”
She grew up largely un-churched
until, at the age of 10, a family that
lived in her neighborhood invited her to
Sunday Mass. She spent the following
years attending Mass regularly until she
was 17, then began private catechesis
with Fr. William “Bill” Updegraff, the
priest at her local parish. As she says in
Round Trip to Rome, “When I received
the Sacraments of Baptism, First Holy
Communion, and Confirmation, all on
the same day (which happened to be the
Feast of the Annunciation), at the age of
18, I finally became part of what I had
known to be true since childhood.”
Over the next several years, life went
on, and White eventually married her
husband of now 25 years, Paul, whom
she describes as “a man whose only
major flaw was his genetically-encoded
Protestantism… I have always said that
Jesus heals my spiritual brokenness, but
with a little help from Paul along the
way.” With two children completing
their family, the religious conversation
shifted from Catholic versus Protestant
to finding a church home where all of
them would be together. They visited
a variety of churches and, with the
discipline of the academic she is, White
heavily researched all of them. She says,
“My worldview is that of an academic
historian, making it challenging for me
to see through any other
lens. It was for this reason
that I suggested a visit to
the Episcopal Church.”
Though she never made
any secret of her yearning
for Rome, White and
her family nevertheless
immersed themselves in
their Episcopal Church
community, and there
made lifelong friends and
many happy memories.
But during her 20 years
as an Anglican, White
continually ran into theological, moral
and historical difficulties that she tried,
but was unable to reconcile. In 2014, she
finally made her way back to terra firma.
Back home at last, White revels in
the truth and beauty of the Church,
to which she refers as the “Repository
of Truth.” In a tempestuous climate so
hostile to Christianity, many outside
the Church are surprised to learn that
her teachings do not fall neatly into
conservative/liberal ideology. “I think the
fact that the Church doesn’t fit into any
preconceived political mold just speaks
to its truth and universality,” said White.
“Because if you look closely enough,
you see that there’s a consistency in our
respect for the dignity of human life, for
instance.” One of the positive aspects of
our tumultuous times is that former and
non-practicing Catholics, seeking the
truth, are more and more
finding themselves drawn
toward Rome.
In an interview, White
cited some interesting
statistics: 1 in 10
Americans is a former
Catholic, whereas 1 in 3
identify as Catholic but
categorize themselves as
“non-practicing.” However,
only 20 percent of people leave the Church
because they disagree with her teachings.
What that means is that 80 percent of
former and non-practicing Catholics are
attempting to make a Catholic worldview
work in the world and/or in non-Catholic
denominations. Needless to say, that’s a
recipe for frustration. As White said, we
Catholics, living in the fullness of the truth
of the Gospel, are called to stand in “the
uncomfortable places.”
Part of the proceeds of Round Trip to
Rome benefits the Calling Catholics Home
ministry (www.callingcatholicshome.
com). It is available from all major online
booksellers. White encourages those
interested in bulk use of the book for
catechesis, small groups or faith formation
to contact her for more information
through her website, www.cherylhwhite.
com, or the book’s Facebook page. •
January 2016 19
New Principal for St. Joseph School
Hearts Afire
Program
Welcome Dr. Judith U. McGimsey
by John Mark Willcox, Director of Development
T
B
ishop Michael G. Duca, Rev.
Mark Franklin, Pastor of St.
Joseph Church and Sr. Carol
Shively, Diocesan Superintendent of
Schools, are all pleased to announce
the successful hiring of a new principal
for St. Joseph School in Shreveport.
St. Joseph parishioner Dr. Judith U.
McGimsey will fill the role beginning
January 4, 2016.
“Dr. McGimsey is blessed with a
wealth of experience and talent and we
are truly excited to have an individual
with this talent level committed to
serving the wonderful students and
parents of St. Joseph School,” comments
Sr. Carol. Fr. Franklin added, “Everyone
associated with St. Joseph School is
excited to work with Dr. McGimsey
in taking the school to a new level of
success. I also want to thank Stephanie
Johnson from Loyola College Prep who
did such a fine job of serving St. Joseph
as interim Principal.”
Dr. McGimsey received her
undergraduate degree in Math and
Education from Schippensburg
University before obtaining her Master’s
Degree in Business Administration from
Pfeiffer University in Meisenheimer,
NC. Her Doctorate in Education
Leadership and Public Administration
was earned from North Carolina State
University in 2005. She has a wealth
of employment experience, including
extensive work with the Federal
Government in the fields of Education
Research, Training and Recruiting
Programs.
She is excited at the prospect of
working at the school of her home
parish. “I share a true love for St. Joseph
with many other people and I’m ready
to put my skills to use for the students,
faculty and parents of the school.”
Bishop Michael G. Duca is also
excited about this positive addition to
the diocesan school system. “A careful
search was conducted to provide the
right individual for the Principal of
St. Joseph School and I feel we have
found just that person to continue the
school’s wonderful history of educational
ministry in Dr. McGimsey,” commented
Bishop Duca.
St. Joseph School serves students PK8th and has provided quality Catholic
education to the people of this area
for more than 50 years. The vision
of St. Joseph is to provide a religious
and academic education that prepares
students to become responsible members
of family, Church and community.
Contact the school office at 318-8653585, or visit their website:
www.sjsfalcons.org. •
by Mary Frances Parker
and Donna Barnard
he Hearts
Afire
Program
is a bold
and fresh
approach for
individuals,
small groups
in homes or
parishes. It is
designed to
help us live
the complete
Catholic life of faith, charity and the
sacraments. Structured around four
best selling books by popular author
and retreat master Fr. Michael Gaitley,
a Marian Priest of the Immaculate
Conception, it is designed to set our
hearts on fire with the love of God and
neighbor and to inspire us to works
of mercy in our families, parishes and
communities. These simple programs will
lead you, your family and your parish
friends to the burning love of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus and His Mother, the
Immaculate Heart of Mary.
If you are interested in satisfying this
burning desire of our Holy Father Pope
Francis during this Jubilee Year of Mercy,
the Hearts Afire program is a perfect
path to enrich your spiritual journey. The
program begins by focusing on The Two
Hearts: The Immaculate Heart of Mary
and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The second
part presents, in an accessible way, the
teachings and wisdom of the Catholic
Church. These teachings in these books
and retreats inspired the newly formed
group: Mary’s Servants of Mercy. This
group has completed the entire program
and can certainly attest to the grace and
knowledge they have received through
their participation in these retreat style
presentations.
Please let us know if you start a group
and contact us if we can assist you in any
way during your Hearts Afire journey.
Donna: Donnadcmb@aol.com
Mary Frances: wdparker1@gmail.com
Winter Full of Events for Youth &
Young Adults
Theology on Tap Expands East and South; Day
Planned for Youth to Deepen Catholic Identity
by Jessica Rinaudo and Nicki Prevou
Father Matthew Long presents Theology on Tap for Young Adults.
O
ur Youth and Young Adult
Ministries are gearing up for an
exciting new year. Beginning
this month, Theology on Tap (TOT) is
expanding from its Shreveport base south
and east to other parts of our diocese.
“Theology on Tap began in the
Archdiocese of Chicago in 1981, and is
licensed through the Renew International
organization. This form of outreach to
young adults is held in Catholic dioceses
across the country,” explained Kevin
Prevou, Director of Campus, Youth and
Young Adult Ministries. “TOT is an
opportunity for young adults to gather,
listen to a presentation and participate
in great discussions about the Catholic
faith. Once young adults in our eastern
and southern deaneries learned about
the program, they came to Shreveport to
see what it was all about. They have now
asked to bring TOT to their own areas of
the diocese.”
On January 11, Fr. Matthew Long
will host the first Theology on Tap
in Mansfield at Billy B’s Cajun Grill
beginning at 7:00 p.m. Fr. Long, both
Director of Vocations and priest at St.
Joseph Parish in Mansfield, will offer a
presentation on the topic “Too Busy to
Pray!” He asks, “Are you too busy to pray?
If so, you aren’t alone. Many of us struggle
with developing a consistent prayer life. If
we want to have an intimate relationship
with God, prayer is essential… Join us for
Theology on Tap as the first step to deepen
your prayer life.”
Bishop Michael Duca will lead Monroe’s
first Theology on Tap event, to be held
on January 26 beginning at 6:30 p.m.
at the Monago Fieldhouse Bar & Grill,
located conveniently near the University of
Louisiana Monroe Campus.
Both of these events are great
opportunities for young adults to learn
more about their faith, bring a friend
and meet more Catholics in their area.
The Office of Youth will also host a
Catholic Youth Day on February 20
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for all middle
and high school students. This event,
which will take place at the Catholic
Center in Shreveport, will be full
of wonderful fun, educational and
spiritual opportunities to help youth
celebrate and deepen their sense of a
Catholic identity that is both personal
and communal. Nationally recognized
Catholic musician and songwriter Steve
Angrisano will lead praise and worship
activities and will offer a keynote
presentation.
“Catholic Youth Day will be a special
opportunity for our youth to come
together as members of our diocesan
family,” said Kevin. “We are so grateful
that Bishop Duca will join us to
celebrate the Eucharist. Members of
our Diocesan Council can tell you that
when we gather, we have a great time,
praying and learning together about our
Catholic faith, while also playing games
and making new friends.”
Start planning to join us for these
events. You can contact the Office of
Youth and Young Adults at 318-8684441, kprevou@dioshpt.org, or talk to
the youth minister at your church. We
hope to see you there! •
January 2016 21
Encountering Christ Through
Works of Mercy
by Erin Biery, Volunteer Coordinator, Catholic Charities of North Louisiana
C
ome, O blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the
world; for I was hungry and you gave me
food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
I was naked and you clothed me, I was
sick and you visited me, I was in prison
and you came to me… Truly, I say to you,
as you did it to one of the least of these my
brethren, you did it to me’. (Mat 25:3536,40)
In Mathew’s narrative of the
judgment of nations we find a profound
invitation to encounter Christ through
adopting a Catholic way life, that is,
faith animated by works of mercy. The
wisdom of the Catholic Faith invites us
all to live a life of service to others as
we are reminded, with a humble heart,
to love our neighbors as ourselves. At
Catholic Charities of North Louisiana
(CCNLA) the opportunities to live out
this Catholic way of life are endless.
CCNLA witnesses to the love of Christ
by helping people in need and by
serving their communities that include
the 16 parishes of North Louisiana.
In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis
encourages us “to experience the
opening of our hearts to those living
on the outermost fringes of society”
and to “keep alive the desire to know
how to welcome the numerous signs
of the tenderness which God offers
to the whole world and, above all, to
those who suffer, who are alone and
abandoned, without hope of being
pardoned or feeling the Father’s love”
(Misericordiae Vultus, Pope Francis).
During this period of contemplating
Christ’s mercy, we are reminded that
he not only preached mercy, but he
put into action works of mercy as he
assisted the poor, consoled the lonely
and outcast, relieved suffering and
affliction and taught the ignorant. No
one person can give what they do not
have, thus each one of us must know
Christ personally. We need to know
him personally so that we can go out
and announce him to every person we
encounter. Just as when followers of
John the Baptist came to Jesus asking,
‘Are you he who is to come or shall we look
for another? And Jesus answered them,
‘Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind receive their sight and the lame
walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf
hear, and the dead are raised up, and the
poor have good news preached to them’
(Mt 11:2-5)
It is time we become uncomfortable
with poverty. It is time for us to shake
off our indifference and cynicism of
today’s culture and take action. If you
feel a burning in your heart to dedicate
your time to serving others, Catholic
Charities of North Louisiana could use
your services to bring Christ’s message
of love to the poor and vulnerable.
Please give us a call at (318) 865-0200,
ext. 101 and we can help connect you
with a program that could utilize your
time and talents in serving the poor. •
331 East 71st Street • Shreveport
318-865-0200 • www.ccnla.org
52 Weeks of
Mercy Campaign
by Shelly Bole, Director of Catechesis
I
magine what our diocese would look
like with kindnesses and prayers being
intentionally done each week. Imagine
the changes in Northern Louisiana as
Catholics blanket it with works of mercy.
Imagine the administrators at the food
bank when a whole town of Catholics
show up with canned goods, or the faces
of the children who will get a healthy meal
tonight.
Catholics can make a big difference in
our communities by consciously being
merciful. Every Tuesday for 52 weeks,
Catholics are challenged to complete a
work of mercy. Challenges will be posted
through parish bulletins, tweets, facebook,
parish websites and other forms of media.
The idea is to change our mindset and
behaviors as we imitate the mercy of
Christ. Join us for #52weeksofmercy and
change northern Louisiana. •
hispanic NEWS
(Artículo del Comité de Asuntos Hispanos de la Conferencia Episcopal (Obispos) de los Estados Unidos)
Hacia el Quinto, (V) Encuentro Nacional Hispano
Q
¡
ueridos compañeros en el ministerio!
El Subcomité de Asuntos Hispanos y el Comité de Diversidad Cultural en
la Iglesia se reunieron el 15 de noviembre y seleccionaron el tema central, y los
cinco temas generativos para el V Encuentro Nacional de Pastoral Hispana/Latina.
Discípulos misioneros: Testigos del Amor de Dios Temas para la Guía
1. Llamados a un encuentro de amor con Jesús 2. Con obras y gestos: ¡Atrévete!
3. ¡Caminando juntos con Jesús! 4. ¡Dando frutos de vida nueva!
5. Festejando la alegría de ser discípulos misioneros
Los obispos seleccionaron la región de Dallas/Fort-Worth como anfitriona para la
celebración del V Encuentro Nacional, el cual ocurrirá del 20-23 de septiembre, 2018.
El sitio para este evento histórico será The Gaylord Texan Hotel, en el área de Dallas/
Fort-Worth.
El siguiente paso en nuestro caminar es la formación de los Equipos Diocesanos
de Acompañamiento del V Encuentro (EDAVE). Estos equipos serán coordinados
por dos personas asignadas por el obispo de cada diócesis, incluyendo a la persona
responsable de la pastoral hispana. Cada equipo diocesano tendrá de diez a doce
miembros representativos de distintos ministerios, incluyendo: pastoral juvenil y familiar,
evangelización y catequesis, movimientos eclesiales laicos, pastoral vocacional, pastoral
migrante, pastoral social, escuelas católicas y pastoral litúrgica, entre otros. Los equipos
diocesanos serán responsables de capacitar a los equipos parroquiales para que estén listos
para facilitar el proceso del V Encuentro cuando de inicio en enero del 2017.
El Papa Francisco sabe que los obispos de los Estados Unidos están convocando el V
Encuentro como una iniciativa prioritaria de su plan estratégico durante el 2017 al 2020.
También sabe que nuestra presencia es de gran importancia para la iglesia y la sociedad.
Por eso el Santo Padre bendijo la Cruz
de los Encuentros durante su visita a
Filadelfia y nos animó a seguir adelante
como alegres discípulos misioneros.
¡Sigamos pues caminando con
audacia evangélica y alegría misionera
hacia nuestro V Encuentro nacional de
pastoral Hispana/Latina, dando frutos
abundantes!
Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, Hispanic
Affairs. Secretariat for Cultural
Diversity in the Church. USCCB
Calendario del Mes
de Enero 2016
1 Solemnidad de la Virgen
María, la Santa Madre de
Dios
3 Epifanía del Señor
3-9 Semana Nacional de
Migración, con el tema “Fui
forastero y me recibiste en tu
casa.”
9 1ª. Reunión en preparación
para Búsqueda # 7 (11 a.m. –
4 p.m., Centro Católico)
16 Reunión de Mesa Directiva
de Pastoral Juvenil (9-11a.m.
Centro Católico).
January 2016 23
school NEWS
JGS Selects
Student of the Year
All Pro Dads Gather at Our Lady of Fatima
J
esus the Good Shepherd School has
selected 5th grader, Adeline Miller
(daughter of Dr. & Mrs. Lee Miller),
as Student of the Year for the 2015-2016
school year.
A
ll Pro Dad’s Day is a monthly
school program where dads
and kids meet to have breakfast
and enjoy meaningful conversation that
strengthens their relationship.
Our Lady of Fatima School has the
first All Pro Dad’s Club in the Monroe
area.
They recently held their first
meeting and had 34 dads show up and
eat breakfast and interact with their
children. November’s focus was on
being thankful. Some of the dads were
really touched when their children
shared what they were thankful for.
- Dr. Carynn Wiggins
St. Joseph Students Practice Service
O
n Tuesday, December 1,
the St. Joseph Catholic
School Choir visited several
Shreveport-Bossier City area nursing
homes to sing Christmas carols and
spread the Christmas spirit. The choir
made trips to Spring Lake, Colonial
Oaks and The Glen.
Operation Love is thriving in
its third year of lending a hand
to the Christian Service program.
Throughout the month, middle
school students collected travelsized items, such as shampoos,
soaps, deodorants and toothpaste,
for the people who will come to the
Christian Service Hospitality House
for a hot holiday meal on Tuesday,
December 22.
The school-wide service project
this Advent season was our annual
Christian Service clothing drive, which
collected new and gently-used clothing
Loyola Student Chosen for
U.S. Senate Program
L
oyola
College
Prep
senior Nathan
Marak has been
chosen for the
prestigious
United States
Senate Youth
Program
(USSYP), to be held in Washington, D.C.
in March 2016. Nathan is one of only two
students chosen from Louisiana.
SJB Spelling Bee Winner
for people of all ages to be distributed
to those in our area who Christian
Service assists. St. Joseph School has
enjoyed strong ties with Christian
Service for decades.
- Polly Maciulski
C
ongratulations to 4th grader
Reynard Landreneau for winning
the 2015 Spelling Bee. Reynard is
pictured here with 2014 SJB Spelling Bee
Champion and 2015 runner-up Michael
Calvaresi (left) and 3rd place finisher Hallie
Krauss (right).
Kids' Connection!
What Can We Learn
This Month?
!
d
e
v
l
o
v
n
I
t
Ge
This month we celebrate the
Spiritual Works of Mercy
The aim of the Spiritual Works of Mercy is to relieve
spiritual suffering.
1)
Instruct
the ignorant.
2) COunsel
the doubtful.
3) Admonish
the sinners.
4) Bear
wrongs patiently.
5) Forgive
offenses willingly.
The Spiritual Works of Mercy are ways to
help heal one another’s and our own souls.
And while we may not always be in position
to counsel, we can always be patient, forgive
and pray.
Bear Wrongs Patiently and Forgive Offenses
Willingly. When someone hurts us, tells lies,
spreads rumors, steals things from us, it is
hard not to be mad and carry a grudge. Pray
for the Lord to open your heart to forgiveness,
regardless of apologies.
Comfort the Afllicted: Affliction can mean
anything from pain to anger to remorse. Be
patient, listen, love and pray for those who are
suffering.
Pray for the Living and the Dead: Prayer
is something we all can do for one another
at any time. Pray for those you love, but also
pray for those who are not your friends. And
pray for those we love who have died.
Word Find
ADMONISH
AFFLICTED
BEAR
COMFORT
COUNSEL
DOUBTFUL
FORGIVE
IGNORANT
INSTRUCT
OFFENSES
PATIENTLY
PRAY
6) Comfort
the aff licted.
7) Pray for the
living & the dead.
January 2016 25
across the GLOBE
by Vatican Information Services
pass through the
Holy Door means
To
to rediscover
the
infinite mercy of the
Father who welcomes
everyone and goes out
personally to encounter
each of them.
Francis Opens the Holy Door: Mercy
Must Precede Judgement
V
atican City, December 8, 2015
(VIS) – At 9:30 a.m., in the
presence of 60 thousand faithful
in St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father
celebrated Holy Mass on the Solemnity
of the Immaculate Conception. The
celebration preceded the opening of the
Holy Door, the gesture with which the
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy began.
In his homily the pope spoke about the
fullness of grace as revealed in Mary,
which is capable of transforming the
heart. He described the Holy Year as a
gift of grace that leads us to discover the
depth of the Father’s mercy and, finally,
he recalled the other door opened to the
world by the Vatican Council II 50 years
ago, allowing the Church to encounter
the men and women of our time.
The following is the full text of the
homily:
“In a few moments I will have the joy
of opening the Holy Door of Mercy. We
carry out this act – as I did in Bangui
– so simple yet so highly symbolic, in
the light of the word of God which we
have just heard. That word highlights
the primacy of grace. Again and again
these readings make us think of the
words by which the angel Gabriel told
an astonished young girl of the mystery
which was about to enfold her: ‘Hail,
full of grace.’
The Virgin Mary was called to
rejoice above all because of what the
Lord accomplished in her. God’s grace
enfolded her and made her worthy of
becoming the Mother of Christ. When
Gabriel entered her home, even the most
profound and impenetrable of mysteries
became for her a cause for joy, a cause
for faith, a cause for abandonment to
the message revealed to her. The fullness
of grace can transform the human heart
and enable it to do something so great as
to change the course of human history.
The feast of the Immaculate
Conception expresses the grandeur of
God’s love. Not only does He forgive
sin, but in Mary He even averts the
original sin present in every man and
woman who comes into this world.
This is the love of God which precedes,
anticipates and saves. The beginning
of the history of sin in the Garden of
Eden yields to a plan of saving love. The
words of Genesis reflect our own daily
experience: we are constantly tempted to
disobedience, a disobedience expressed
in wanting to go about our lives without
regard for God’s will. This is the enmity
which keeps striking at people’s lives,
setting them in opposition to God’s plan. Yet
the history of sin can only be understood in
the light of God’s love and forgiveness. Sin
can only be understood in this light. Were
sin the only thing that mattered, we would
be the most desperate of creatures. But the
promised triumph of Christ’s love enfolds
everything in the Father’s mercy. The word
of God which we have just heard leaves no
doubt about this. The Immaculate Virgin
stands before us as a privileged witness of
this promise and its fulfilment.
This Extraordinary Year is itself a gift
of grace. To pass through the Holy Door
means to rediscover the infinite mercy of
the Father who welcomes everyone and
goes out personally to encounter each of
them. It is he who seeks us! It is he who
comes to encounter us! This will be a year
in which we grow ever more convinced of
God’s mercy. How much wrong we do to
God and His grace when we speak of sins
being punished by His judgement before we
speak of their being forgiven by his mercy!
But that is the truth. We have to put mercy
before judgement, and in any event God’s
judgement will always be in the light of His
mercy. In passing through the Holy Door,
then, may we feel that we ourselves are
part of this mystery of love, of tenderness.
Let us set aside all fear and dread, for these
do not befit men and women who are
loved. Instead, let us experience the joy of
encountering that grace which transforms all
things.
Today, here in Rome and in all the
dioceses of the world, as we pass through
the Holy Door, we also want to remember
another door, which 50 years ago the
Fathers of the Second Vatican Council
opened to the world. This anniversary
cannot be remembered only for the legacy
of the Council’s documents, which testify
to a great advance in faith. Before all else,
the Council was an encounter. A genuine
encounter between the Church and the
men and women of our time. An encounter
marked by the power of the Spirit, who
impelled the Church to emerge from the
shoals which for years had kept her selfenclosed so as to set out once again, with
enthusiasm, on her missionary
journey. It was the resumption of
a journey of encountering people
where they live: in their cities and
homes, in their workplaces. Wherever
there are people, the Church is
called to reach out to them and to
bring the joy of the Gospel, and the
mercy and forgiveness of God. After
these decades, we again take up
this missionary drive with the same
power and enthusiasm. The Jubilee
challenges us to this openness, and
demands that we not neglect the
spirit which emerged from Vatican
II, the spirit of the Samaritan, as
Blessed Paul VI expressed it at the
conclusion of the Council. May
our passing through the Holy Door
today commit us to making our own
the mercy of the Good Samaritan.”
Following the Holy Mass, the
Pope, followed by the cardinals,
bishops and priests who participated
in the rite, proceeded to the
vestibule of the Basilica to open the
Holy Door. First, he greeted and
embraced Pope emeritus Benedict
XVI, and then walked alone to the
Door where he recited the words of
Psalm 118: “Open to me the gates
of justice.”
Francis pushed against the Door
with his hands until it opens and
then prayed a moment before
entering the Basilica. The Pope
emeritus then entered, followed by
the cardinals, bishops, religious and
laypeople, including some of Italy’s
most prominent political figures.
The Jubilee of Mercy is the first
extraordinary Jubilee of the 21st
century. In the 20th century Pius
XI proclaimed a Holy Year in 1933
to commemorate the nineteenth
centenary of the death of Christ, and
Paul VI inaugurated another in 1966
that lasted five months, dedicated
to the closure shortly beforehand of
Vatican Council II. St. John Paul
II convoked a Jubilee with the Bull
“Aperite Portas Redemptori” the
Holy Year of Redemption in 1983,
for the 1950th anniversary of the
Redemption.
VAtICAN
news & notes
from Vatican Information Services
• On the third Sunday of Advent
the Pope opened the third Holy
Door of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Following the Holy Door of the
Cathedral of Bangui in the Central
African Republic on November
29 and that of St. Peter's Basilica
on December 8, on December 13
he opened the Holy Door of the
Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome,
the Basilica of St. John Lateran. On
“Gaudete Sunday”, the Sunday
of Joy, Francis reaffirmed that the
reason for this joy is expressed in
the readings with words infused
with hope and which allow us to
look to the future with serenity,
as “the Lord has annulled every
condemnation and chose to live
among us.”
• “We ask that this jubilee year
sow merciful love in the hearts of
individuals, families and nations.
Let us convert and become
merciful people, and let all
Christian communities be oases
and sources of mercy, witnesses
to a charity without exclusion.
To ask this in a special way, I will
travel to venerate her [Our Lady
of Guadalupe] in her Shrine on
February 13. I will ask for this for all
America, for whom she is a special
Mother. Let us implore her to guide
the footsteps of the American
people, a pilgrim people looking
for the Mother of mercy, and let
us ask her just one thing: to show
them her Son Jesus”.
• The twelfth meeting of the
Council of Cardinals met
from December 10 to 12. In
its reflections, the Council
emphasized the importance of
the Holy Father’s discourse of
October 17, on the occasion of
the Commemoration of the 50th
anniversary of the Institution of the
Synod of Bishops. In this discourse
the Pope extensively developed
the theme of 'synodality' but
also recalled the importance
of proceeding with a healthy
decentralization. The Council
remarked on the need to further
explore the meaning of this
discourse and its importance in
the work of reforming the Curia,
and agreed to dedicate a
specific session to this during the
next Meeting in February 2016.”
• In the afternoon of December
7, the Holy Father signed the
Rescriptum ex audientia on
the implementation of and
compliance with the new law on
procedures for the declaration of
nullity of marriage.
• Pope Francis traveled to Africa
at the end of November. In his
address in the Conference Hall
in Uganda, Francis emphasized
that his visit was intended to
commemorate the fiftieth
anniversary of the canonization
of the martyrs of Uganda by his
predecessor Pope Paul VI, but at
the same time he hoped it would
also be “a sign of friendship,
esteem and encouragement for
all the people of this great nation.”
“My visit is also meant to draw
attention to Africa as a whole, its
promise, its hopes, its struggles and
its achievements,” he continued.
“The world looks to Africa as the
continent of hope. Uganda has
indeed been blessed by God
with abundant natural resources,
which you are challenged to
administer as responsible stewards.
But above all, the nation has been
blessed in its people: its strong
families, its young and its elderly...
the living memory of every
people.”
January 2016 27
around the DIOCESE
Tribal Youth Dance for Nursing Care Residents
S
t. Ann Church in Ebarb's Society
of St. Vincent de Paul was the
host for the monthly birthday
party for the residents of Toledo
Nursing Center in Zwolle. St. Ann
invited the tribe’s youth group, Rising
Sun, to demonstrate Native American
dances in honor of Native American
Heritage month. Tribal youth in
attendance were Celena Rivers,
Garrett Rivers, Shaun Toopes (Boy
Ambassador), Carley Meshell, Skylar
Meshell, Nathan Bugg, NaDean Bugg
(Girl Ambassador), Bonner Clemence,
Cheyton Cartinez, Brisa Cartinez and
sponsor, Kallie W. Russell. Afterwards
birthday cake, ice cream, chips and
tamales were served to everyone.
St. Jude Delivers
Thanksgiving Baskets
M
any St. Jude families delivered
Thanksgiving baskets to 145
families in the community as
part of their Marcie’s Feast Ministry.
Giving Gifts of Love
S
acred Heart Church in Shreveport
shared the Christmas Spirit of love
with the giving of gifts to their less
fortunate neighbors.
– Deacon Clary Nash
Pope's Visit Reflection
Young Women Serve at Soup Kitchen
T
he KPC Junior Daughter Court
#160 from Little Flower of Jesus
Parish enjoyed a day in service
to the community at Granny Goins
Soup Kitchen in Monroe during the
Thanksgiving school break. They
hung clothes in the closet, assisted
with serving food and greeted the
community.
To conclude the day they offered
“Totes of Love” to the women present.
Over 40 purses were stuffed with
feminine hygiene items to provide some
sense of warmth and security during
this holiday season!
A special THANK YOU to Pierre
and Pierre Law Firm, P.E.E.P Inc, KPC
LA #160, and the Little Flower Church
family for helping this service event be
a success!
– Evelyn T. Body
S
t. Jude families gathered for a night
of reflections, sharing photos and
memories from a group of 12
fellow parishioners who were blessed to
be able to attend the historical events of
the pope’s visit to the United States.
LaTech Catholic Students Launch "Freshmen Crossing"
O
ver the summer, the leadership of the Association of
Catholic Tech Students (ACTS) experienced a pleasant
surprise: over 150 freshman sign-ups at orientation.
As enrollment at Tech continues to increase, the population of
Catholics on campus continues to rise as well, and ACTS is doing
everything it can to meet the needs of the new class. Termed
“Freshman Crossing”—referencing the “crossroads” of the students’
St. Martha Circle
Celebrates Together
St. Frederick Students Walk for
Diabetes Awareness
S
t. Frederick High School’s FBLA sponsored the
first Diabetes Walk on Saturday, December 5.
Students, faculty, staff and community members all
participated, collecting over $250 through donations and
the $3 admission charge. Pictured: Seniors Blair Breard and
Natalie Myers prepare to walk.
lives in the transition from youth to adulthood
during the college years—the program aims
to help new students learn the best ways to
enjoy college with the support of a faith-based,
encouraging team. The leaders, ACTS seniors
Seth Louviere and Rebecca Huston, gathered
upperclassmen and divided the new students into
“squads” consisting of two or three older students
with a handful of freshmen. The squads typically
stay together during the Wednesday evening
meetings, doing activities such as scavenger
hunts, or, most recently, seasonal competitions
like carving pumpkins or building gingerbread
houses, as well as group discussions or Q&A
opportunities. It also provides the freshmen with
friendly upperclassmen faces from whom to seek
advice, homework help or simply friendship. No
matter how easy or difficult the college transition
may be for the freshmen, the class of 2019 is
always encouraged to meet new friends, mature
in their faith, and grow into better people every
day, and make the Catholic Student Center their
“home away from home” to do so.
– Brother Mike Ward
T
he St. Martha Circle of the Council of Catholic
Women from St. Joseph Parish in Zwolle celebrated
their Christmas Party on December 10. Together
they enjoyed lots of food, fun and bingo at the year end
party.
January 2016 29
mark your CALENDAR
1/11
Theology on Tap Mansfield Fr. Matthew
Long will present "Too Busy to Pray"
at Billy B's Cajun Grill, 13147 US 171,
Mansfield, LA. Are you too busy to
pray? If so, you aren't alone. Many
of us struggle with developing a
consistent prayer life. If we want to
have an intimate relationship with
God, prayer is essential. Try having
a deep relationship with your best
friend, your spouse, your parent,
without talking and listening to them
regularly. It isn't going to happen. So
how do we make time in our way
too busy, too noisy schedule? Join
us for Theology on Tap as the first
step to deepen your prayer life. For
more information, contact Kevin
Prevou, 318-868-4441, kprevou@
dioshpt.org.
1/24
Mass for Consecrated
Life at the Cathedral
A Mass honoring men and women
religious will be held at the
Cathedral at 5:30 p.m. and will
be celebrated by Bishop Michael
Duca. For more information, call the
Catholic Center at 318-868-4441.
1/26
Theology on Tap Monroe Bishop Michael
Duca will present at Monago
Fieldhouse Bar and Grill, 1510
Sterlington Rd., Monroe. Theology on
Tap is coming to Young Adults in the
Monroe Area! Participants will meet
once a month at the Fieldhouse
from 7-8:30pm to experience a
presentation on Catholic theology or
tradition and have time for questions
and answers. For more information,
contact Kevin Prevou, 318-868-4441,
kprevou@dioshpt.org.
1/31
St. Brigid Feast Day
Celebration at St. Mary
of the Pines Parish In honor of St.
Brigid's feast day, St. Mary of the
Pines Parish will host an Irish/English
Rosary at 8:30 a.m., followed by
Mass at 9:00 a.m. There will be an
Irish brunch and ceili immediately
following Mass with live Irish music,
mummers who will tell the story of
St Brigid's cloak and ceili dancing.
Come and celebrate with us! St.
Mary of the Pines is located at
1050 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop,
Shreveport, LA 71118. For more
information, contact the church
office at 318-687-5121.
2/1
Immaculee Ilibagiza to
Speak at St. Frederick High
School for Catholic Schools Week
Immaculee Ilibagiza author of Left to
Tell will be the guest speaker to kick
off Catholic Schools Week at SFHS.
Everyone is invited to join the Warriors
as they welcome this inspirational
author and survivor of the Rwanda
Genocide. Monday, February 1, 2016
at 7:00 p.m. in the Marsh Memorial
Gymnasium at St. Frederick High
School. There will be no charge for
admission.
2/7
Year of Consecrated Life
Celebration at St. John the
Baptist Parish To conclude the Year
of Consecrated Life, St. John the
Baptist Parish in Many will be hosting
a special celebration on Sunday,
February 7. All Religious are invited to
attend the 10:00 a.m. Mass. There will
also be a special luncheon in their
honor afterwards. Everyone is invited
to attend this event as we show our
appreciation to these special people
who have devoted their lives to
serving God’s people.
Bishop Michael Duca’s Pro-Life Banquet
March 16, 2016 • Bossier Civic Center
Camille Pauley - Keynote Speaker
JANUARY
2016
SUNDAY MONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAY FRIDAY
SATURDAY
27282930 311 2
The Holy
Innocents
The Holy Family
of Jesus, Mary
and Joseph
St. Thomas
Becket, bishop
& martyr
New Year's Eve
New Year's Day
St. Sylvester I,
pope
Solemnity of
Mary, the Holy
Mother of God
Sts. Basil
the Great
& Gregory
Nazianzen,
bishops &
doctors
Year of Mercy:
Opening the
Holy Door of the
Basilica of St.
Mary Major
3
Epiphany of the
Lord
4
St. Elizabeth Ann
Seton, religious
5
St. John
Neumann,
bishop
6
St. Andre
Bessette,
religious
7
St. Raymond of
Penyafort, priest
New Year's Day/
Jan 1
8
Deadline for
the February
Catholic
Connection
9
Diocesan
Youth Council
Meeting,
Catholic
Center, 12pm
Epiphany of the
Lord / JAN 3
1011 1213141516
The Baptism of
the Lord
Theology on
Tap, Billy B's,
Mansfield, 7pm
Protecting God's
Children, Catholic
Center, 6pm
Second
Collection:
Diocesan
Catholic
Schools
St. Hilary, bishop
& doctor of the
Church
Theology on Tap /
Jan 11 & 26
17 181920212223
St. Paschal
Parish's 75th
Anniversary Mass
& Celebration,
10am
Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day
Investment
Committee
Meeting,
Catholic Center,
10am
Second
Collection:
Diocesan
Catholic Schools
St. Agnes, virgin
& martyr
St. Fabian,
pope & martyr;
St. Sebastian,
martyr
Day of Prayer
for the Legal
Protection of
Unborn Children
Second
Collection:
Church in
Latin America
(through the
24th)
St. Vincent,
deacon &
martyr
St. Paschal's 75th
Anniv./ Jan 17
24 252627282930
Mass for the Year
of Consecrated
Life, Cathedral,
5:30pm
31
Catholic Schools
Week Begins
The Conversion
of St. Paul,
apostle
Year of Mercy:
Opening the
Holy Door of the
Basilica of St.
Paul Outside the
Walls
Theology on Tap,
St. Angela
Fieldhouse Bar
Merici, virgin &
& Grill, Monroe, religious founder
6:30pm
St. Timothy & St.
Titus, bishops
LCCB Meeting,
Baton Rouge
St. Thomas
Aquinas, priest
& doctor of the
Church
Confirmation,
Jesus the
Good
Shepherd
Parish, 4:30pm
Consecrated Life
Mass / Jan 24
January 2016 31
Connection
The Catholic
DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT
3500 Fairfield Ave.
•
Shreveport, LA 71104
Photo of the Month
Youth from St. Ann Church in Stonewall and St. Joseph
Parish in Mansfield were part of the group of 90 from the
Diocese of Shreveport who traveled to the National Catholic
Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis to join with over
23,000 Catholic youth in celebrating their faith.
Fairfield

Holy Door - The Catholic Connection

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