page 1.indd - The Catholic Commentator

Transcription

February 25, 2009
VOLUME 47 • NO. 1
inside
Serving the Diocese of Baton Rouge Since 1962
www.diobr.org/tcc
Another Perspective
4
Family Life
5
Spirituality
7
Our Catholic Community 8
Youth
12
Entertainment
14
Viewpoint
16
Prayers for Priests, Deacons
and Religious Women
and Men
17
Letter to the Editor
17
Coming Events
18
Classified Ads
18
God’s favors
seen in Lenten
mosaic cross
page 2
Diocesan
couples celebrate
anniversaries
at the 25-50th
Anniversary
Mass celebration
page 10
One woman
making a
difference
for life
page 11
Deadline
approaches for
storm victims
to enroll in case
management
program at
Catholic Charities
page 20
FROM ASHES TO ASHES — Bishop Robert W. Muench places ashes on the forehead of a woman attending Ash
Wednesday services at St. Joseph Cathedral. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a time of prayer, fasting and
charitable deeds. Photo by Laura Deavers
120 years of priesthood being celebrated
BY
LAURA DEAVERS
Editor
On March 1, 1969, Bishop
Robert E. Tracy ordained Donald V. Blanchard, Gerald H.
Burns and Frank M. Uter priests
for the Baton Rouge Diocese.
When these three young men
made the decision to become
priests, Baton Rouge was still
part of the Archdiocese of New
Orleans. By the time they were
ordained, Baton Rouge was a diocese and the changes brought
about by Vatican Council II were
being implemented.
All three grew up in Baton
Rouge, nurtured by devout,
faith-filled families. They studied together at St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict,
La., and then at Notre Dame
Seminary in New Orleans.
Each has been assigned to
the church where he grew up
or where his extended families
lived – Fr. Uter to St. Joseph,
Baton Rouge; Fr. Blanchard to
Sacred Heart, Baton Rouge, and
Fr. Burns to Ascension in Donaldsonville where his parents
lived before he was born.
Fr. Uter will celebrate his
anniversary on March 2, at
a 6 p.m. Mass at St. Michael
Church in Convent, while Fathers Blanchard and Burns will
celebrate their anniversary together at a Mass at St. Aloysius
Church in Baton Rouge at 3 p.m.
on March 8. Bishop Robert W.
Muench will be the primary
celebrant at both Masses.
Everyone is invited to the
celebrations.
Father Donald Blanchard
“This is an exciting time to
be ministering in the Church,”
Father Blanchard states with
his customary enthusiasm.
“Recognizing the gifts and the
call to minister of all Catholics
is as exciting today as it was 40
years ago.”
As he prepares to celebrate
40 years of ordained ministry,
Fr. Blanchard looked back on
some of the events in his life that
have brought him to where he is
today and set the stage for what
he will be doing in the future.
“Our ordination was right at the
beginning of the implementation of Vatican II with all of the
excitement and the new opportunity for ministry.”
Since Fr. Blanchard has retired from active pastoral min-
istry he lives at St. Aloysius
Church with Fr. Burns, whom
he has known since first grade
and has been friends with since
fifth grade at Sacred Heart
School. Fr. Blanchard assists at
St. Aloysius by celebrating Mass
and the sacrament of reconciliation.
“The 40th anniversary is a
celebration of the church, it is
not about us,” Fr. Blanchard says
resolutely. “We see priesthood
as a call from God, a call to be
ordained (in order) to act in His
name. It is still the community
that calls you.”
Fr. Blanchard’s parents’ life
was a great influence on his
call to priesthood. “For me, the
greatest symbol of priesthood
was my parents because they
See ANNIVERSARY page 2
2 news
Anniversary
February 25, 2009 • The Catholic Commentator
From page 1
March 9-12
featuring
Fr. Simeon Gallagher, OFMCap
7 p.m. nightly
Fr. Gallagher will be speaking on
• Love • Relationships • Cynicism
• Marriage and Family
Baby-sitting is available at no charge but
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CEU hours are available
Every Tuesday
through Lent
March 3 – April 14
Divine Mercy
Chaplet
following
6 p.m. Mass
Our Lady of Mercy Church
445 Marquette Ave., Baton Rouge • 225-926-1883
www.olomchurch.com
Fr. Gerald Burns
Fr. Frank Uter
tion. “It is an awesome responsibility to hear a person’s confession and to impart Gods’ love
and mercy, the unconditional
love He has for them and to help
people grow in His spirit.”
A few years ago Fr. Blanchard
began a new ministry, giving
retreats and leading parish
missions. Every year he leads
two retreats at the Cenacle in
Metairie and two parish church
missions outside this diocese.
“It is a lot of fun and very
challenging to go into a community where I don’t know anyone
and speak at all of the Masses in
the weekend, and then for three
nights about a particular topic,”
admits Fr. Blanchard. He says
in preparation for the church
retreats he talks with the pastor
to see what they are looking for,
and then prays about the topic
in preparation for the talks.
In addition to his daily routine of prayer, Fr. Blanchard
spends one week a month at St.
Joseph Abbey, which is adjacent
to St. Joseph Seminary. From
Monday through Friday of that
week, Fr. Blanchard lives the
life of the monks, praying and
working side by side with them,
doing what ever the abbot tells
him to do.
his preparation the next year he
became an altar server at Sacred
Heart Church.
Customarily boys who knew
they wanted to become priests
would enter seminary in ninth
grade. For many, going to St.
Joseph Seminary was the first
time they had been away from
their family for an extended
period of time. Fr. Burns said
he was comfortable at St. Ben’s
because he had been there often with his family to visit his
Uncle Jerome.
“I was enthralled with the
seminary,” said Fr. Burns. He
said the seminary made him
realize he was part of something huge, the enormity of the
Catholic Church. He wanted
even more to have an important role in the church as one
of her priests.
The atmosphere at St. Ben’s
was conducive to the things he
enjoyed: sports and music. He
enjoyed life at St. Ben’s so much
Father Gerard Burns
As a young boy, the life of a
priest was familiar to Fr. Burns
since he had several relatives
who were priests, or were in
seminary.
“We would visit my uncle
(Father Jerome Dugas) when
he was in seminary,” Fr. Burns
remembers as he talks about his
40 years as a priest.
Coming from a devoutly
Catholic family with seven
children, Fr. Burns, who is currently the pastor of St. Aloysius
Church, says, “We would all go
to Mass, including daily Mass
during Lent.” In the sixth grade
at Sacred Heart School, he told
his family that he was going to
become a priest and to begin
See ANNIVERSARY page 3
Photo
Our Lady of
Mercy Church
Mission
Fr. Donald Blanchard
Girls from St. Francis Xavier, St. Paul,Immaculate
Conception and St. Pius X church parishes. File
illness.”
He now looks on every day
as lagniappe.
Because of related health issues, Fr. Blanchard resigned as
pastor of Sacred Heart Church
in Baton Rouge, his home parish, four years ago. “I loved
being pastor at Sacred Heart,
I think it was a privilege to be
there.”
He says it is good to be a
priest, without the burdens of
parish administration.
“I am humbled by the trust
people place in me as a pastor,”
says Fr. Blanchard. “I am very
grateful to have been called to
serve the church as a priest. Forty years later there is a greater
joy and a better appreciation of
what you have been called to.”
He acknowledges the grace
he has received to be a minister
of the sacrament of reconcilia-
personified generosity, the type
of generosity Jesus told us to
strive for.”
Being in school with Fr.
Burns and now ministering
together is truly a grace, says Fr.
Blanchard. When they entered
ninth grade at St. Ben’s “little
did we know that we would be
ministering in the same parish.
What a grace.”
Fr. Blanchard sees his being
alive today as a grace from God.
Eight years ago, Fr. Blanchard
had a heart attack, which today
he refers to as a challenge and a
gift. “The heart attack made me
a better priest,” Fr. Blanchard
said. As a priest, he had been
around death on hundreds
of occasions. The heart attack
“gave me the opportunity to
touch death in a way I had never
known before. I became more
aware of suffering, death and
The National Black and Indian Collection, an annual appeal for the
evangelization of Blacks and Indians in this country, will be the weekend
of Feb. 28 and March 1. Each year, the Baton Rouge Diocese receives a
grant from this collection. Last year, a $70,000 grant was received and
distributed to Christ the King, St. Paul the Apostle, St. Augustine and
St. Pius X church parishes along with the Catholic Schools Office, St.
Isidore and St. Francis Xavier schools, and the Martin Luther King Jr.
Student Center at Southern University.
Please be generous, the weekend of February 28 and March 1.
Thank you for whatever you can give and God Bless You!
news
The Catholic Commentator • February 25, 2009
Anniversary
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From page 2
that he would often return
early from summer vacation
to help the Benedictine monks
get the buildings ready for
the return of the seminarians.
Fr. Burns said that because of
the close relationship he had
with the monks at St. Ben’s he
thought on several occasions
of becoming a monk instead of
a diocesan priest but over time
realized that his call from God
was to minister to the people
through parish ministry.
At the time Fr. Burns entered seminary, the seminarians went to St. Ben’s for six
years and then to Notre Dame
Seminary in New Orleans for
six years. He admits that Notre
Dame was very different and
it took a while for him to get
settled into the routine of academics and prayer.
Accustomed to the set times
for prayer set by the monks at
St. Ben’s, Fr. Burns realized
he had to establish his own
prayer life, which has evolved
over the years. He, like many
priests, rises early to begin his
day in prayer, reading Morning Prayer, spending some
time in quiet reflection, and
reflecting on the Scriptural
readings for the day in preparation for the homily he will
deliver at daily Mass.
For most of his years as
a priest, Fr. Burns has been
the only priest in the church
parish.
When he was pastor of St.
Anne in Napoleonville and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Mary in Plattenville he was by
himself. And for most of the 12
years he has been pastor of St.
Aloysius he has been the only
priest at the church with a large
elementary school and a large,
very involved congregation.
For many years, Fr. Burns
has thought about making a
30-day retreat. This summer he
had his opportunity in Alaska.
He says the retreat was “other
than being born, ... the greatest
experience in my life.” He says
he was able to come to a greater
understanding of God’s love
for him. “Many people don’t
believe God loves them,” Fr.
Burns explains. “I want to be
able to help people understand
that they are God’s beloved.”
He continued, “I want to
work as God’s minister without any shadow of a doubt
that God loves me.”
Because of the graces and
deeper understanding of God’s
love received during his 30-day
retreat, Fr. Burns knows he will
be able to minister with more
compassion, and be a better
confessor, spiritual director
and preacher. As he completes
40 years as an ordained priest,
he looks toward retiring from
pastoral ministry in a couple
of years.
Fr. Burns said, “God will tell
me what to do,” in retirement.
The areas of ministry he finds
most appealing will use the
gifts he received on his retreat.
Father Frank Uter
In 40 years of priesthood, Fr.
Uter has had only five parish assignments: two as parochial vicar, at St. Isidore Church in Baker
and at St.Thomas More Church
in Baton Rouge, each for four
years, and three assignments as
pastor – St. Mary of False River
in New Roads, St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge and the
combined pastorate of St. Joseph
Church, Paulina; Most Sacred
Heart of Jesus, Gramercy; and
St. Michael Church, Convent.
“All of the parishes where I have
served, the people have been
very involved,” said Fr. Uter.
And, except for his assignment
in Baker, the areas have been
heavily Catholic.
“I put down roots where ever
I am assigned. It is what makes
me happy,” Fr. Uter said with a
chuckle while sitting in his upstairs office at the Pastoral Center in Paulina. When he went
to East St. James Civil Parish 12
years ago as pastor of St. Joseph
and Most Sacred Heart, Fr. Uter
established the Pastoral Center
as the office for the churches,
and added St. Michael when he
became pastor of that church a
couple of years later.
“I don’t like moving, so I am
grateful I have only had to move
at the end of the terms” of his
pastoral assignments, he said.
The roots he establishes during his assignments are with the
people he has served. “I have
made friends where ever I have
been.”
As he prepares to celebrate
his anniversary, Fr. Uter is excited about the people who are
coming from New Roads and
Baton Rouge. He adds that the
people at the Cathedral and in
New Roads have been a part of
his current assignment because
of a special prayer service he has
when he leaves on church for a
new assignment. “I had an evening prayer service. The people
could come, lay their hands on
my head, bless me and send
me to my new place with their
blessing. Those I came from
have been a part of where I am
now,” he states.
When asked about his call to
priesthood, Fr. Uter explained
that, as a boy, priesthood was
something he thought deeply
about but he never felt strongly
enough about to make a move
to enter the seminary. “(Priesthood) meant so much to me
deep down that I didn’t want
to talk about it.”
He went to Catholic High
School and then to LSU. When
the questions about what he was
going to do when he graduated
became more difficult to answer,
he realized it was time to let the
thoughts of priesthood surface
and pursue that vocation. Because he looked on seminary
as another academic institution,
he applied directly to St. Joseph
Seminary for admission. He
said the letter he received from
the seminary encouraged him
to pursue a vocation but he had
to talk to his pastor about this.
When he went to his pastor,
Msgr. Herman Lohmann, who
was at St. Joseph in downtown
Baton Rouge, his pastor told him
he had seen the vocation in him
for years. “I told him ‘I wish you
would have said something,’”
said Fr. Uter. “It would have
been a lot easier.”
With some college credit
from LSU, Fr. Uter was able to
complete the necessary seminary courses quickly and continue formation with the class
that would have entered a year
before he did.
He enjoys sharing his life
with others. “I feel I am sharing
life in so many ways as they
have with me. All of us are better because of it.”
Fr. Uter’s jovial personality comes through even when
he talks about his morning
regimen of prayer and exercise.
After praying the Breviary, the
morning office of prayers, Fr.
Uter walks for almost an hour.
This time of physical exercise
is also a prayer time when he
prays privately about what he
knows will be taking place that
day, and for the unexpected
events. When he returns from
his walk, he prays morning
prayer.
“This prayerfully puts direction to the day. It sets my whole
day for the things that might
come up,” he stated.
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commentary
Another Perspective
by Father John Carville
Forgiveness and power
If you have never seen the movie,
Schindler’s List,
you should. It is a great Lenten penance. I
mean that it is a beautiful film portrait of reconciliation and a step toward God, which is
the purpose of penance in the sacrament. As
he tries to stop the crazed concentration camp
commandant from arbitrarily killing Jews,
Schindler tells him that to kill arbitrarily is
not power. Rather, to pardon a real offense,
that is power. It works for only a little while
on the commandant, but one gets the impression that it is another step in the painfully
realized conversion of Schindler himself.
In the psychological age in which we live,
I hear fewer people saying, “Why do we have
to tell our sins to a priest?” Most seem to accept that we have to tell our sins to somebody.
In the movie, Schindler tells his sins first to
his Jewish factory manager, then to his wife,
and finally to all of his Jewish workers whom
he has saved from extermination. And they
all give him absolution. Confession is good
for the soul. It naturally follows conversion.
The director of the movie, Steven Spielberg,
knows this. I doubt if he learned it from the
Baltimore Catechism.
There are some who still shrink both from
sacramental absolution and psychological
therapy. They feel that it is an invasion of
privacy to tell their sins to anyone. Their sins
are theirs, as if no one else ever committed
them. If they tell anyone, it will be God alone.
But if we are afraid to look into the face of fellow sinners, how can we dare to face the All
Holy? It is a false argument, and those who
cannot confess to another are not yet ready
to truly bare their souls to a God who knows
our inmost thoughts.
A spiritual director once told me something very profound about the Sacrament
of Reconciliation. He said that we need to
confess our sins for two reasons: 1) because
we have harmed others and need to be reconciled with them, and 2) because we have been
hurt by the sins of others and need healing,
lest we continue the chain. How often do we
find ourselves doing unto others as has been
done to us?
The Parable of the Prodigal Son can help us
understand the stages of reconciliation, which
are conversion, confession and celebration. In
the parable, the selfishness of sin takes the
young man (and us) from the shelter of God
and his community. His major concern, as is
ours when we sin, is himself and his personal
gratification. Eventually he discovers himself
alone, mired in the mud of a pigpen, just as
he is mired in sin. Then comes this significant
phrase in the story: “Coming to his senses at
last....” This is the beginning of his journey
back, the beginning of conversion.
The young man realizes that he is loved
by his father who represents God. This is
the Good News; that God’s forgiveness, like
God’s love, doesn’t stop. It heals us because
it addresses the disease, our sinfulness, and
not only our sins. Conversion is always a response to being loved by God, and it naturally
leads to confession. Even though his father
runs to meet him and hugs him, already indicating forgiveness, the young man confesses
nonetheless. He needs to unload to someone
who loves him.
It is the most natural thing to be not only
relieved but quite happy when one experiences the mercy of forgiving love. That is
why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a
celebration – it proclaims God’s mercy. To
experience it communally helps keep the
focus on celebrating God’s healing love.
What I am trying to prove from everyone’s
experience, before I actually say it, is that
we should all make use of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation this Lent.
Father Than Vu
Associate Publisher
Laura Deavers
Exec. Ed./Gen. Mgr.
Bishop Robert W. Muench
Publisher
The Catholic Commentator
(ISSN 07460511; USPS 093-680)
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With its diversity,
Catholic Church is
united in Christ
BY
CAROL GLATZ
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY — The
Catholic Church is not limited
to one particular culture or
language, but with its diversity it is united in Christ, Pope
Benedict XVI said.
The catholicity of the church
reflects a “fidelity to tradition
together with being open to
developments in history” and
to the search for unity in the
diversity of cultures, the pope
said Feb. 18 during his weekly
general audience in St. Peter’s
Square.
The pope’s talk focused
on St. Bede the Venerable, an
eighth-century Christian writer and doctor of the church.
The British saint saw the
church grow from being rooted
in Jewish, Greek and Roman
cultures to becoming a truly
universal body, he said.
“The church is not restricted
to one particular culture, but is
made up of all cultures of the
world that are open and they
find their point of destination
in Christ,” he said.
Due to the large numbers
of pilgrims in attendance, the
general audience was held outside in St. Peter’s Square even
though temperatures hovered
near freezing.
The pope apologized for the
cold weather to the more than
15,000 people bracing against
30 mph gusts of wind, which
at one point swept away his
white zucchetto.
But on the bright side, he
said, “at least it’s not raining
or snowing so we are thankful
for that.”
The pope said St. Bede’s
“rich ecclesial, liturgical and
historical vision enabled his
writings to serve as a guide”
that is still useful today for
Catholic teachers, pastors and
parents.
The saint said one important task for teachers is to
study “the wonders of the
word of God and to present
them in an attractive manner
to the faithful,” said the pope.
Priests must place their
priority on preaching, which
can be done with more than
just the spoken word and can
include the use of icons, processions and pilgrimages, the
pope said St. Bede taught.
St. Bede urged pastors to
use the local language, just as
he had done. For example, the
British scholar always taught
and explained the Gospel, the
Lord’s Prayer and the Creed in
the local dialect of Northumberland, said the pope.
The saint also maintained
that parents “can exercise the
priestly office of shepherd and
guide” in their own homes by
educating and raising their
children in a Christian atmosphere, Pope Benedict said.
St. Bede taught that Christ
wants an industrious, hardworking church that shows
the signs of toiling under the
bright sun, evangelizing new
lands and sowing the seeds of
God’s word, he said.
“The church must till new
fields or vineyards and establish among new peoples not
a temporary hut, but a solid
home, which means to insert
the Gospel in the social fabric
and cultural institutions” of
new missionary lands, said the
pope.
Pope Benedict underlined
how St. Bede successfully
contributed to the building of
a Christian Europe in which
different cultures and peoples
were bound together and inspired by the Christian faith.
The pope prayed that even
today there would be public
figures like this British doctor
of the church working “to keep
the whole continent united.”
He asked that “everyone be
willing to rediscover our common Christian roots in Europe
and be builders of a Europe
that is authentically Christian
and deeply human.”
Editor’s Note: The text of the
pope’s audience remarks in English will be posted online at: www.
vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_
xvi/audiences/2009/documents/
hf_ben-xvi_aud_20090218_
en.html.
The text of the pope’s audience remarks in Spanish will be
posted online at: www.vatican.
va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2009/documents/hf_benxvi_aud_20090218_sp.html.
family life 5
Marriage Encounter helps couples rediscover romance
BY
DEBBIE SHELLEY
Assistant Editor
Couple who have participated in a Marriage Encounter Weekend said they have
discovered that God wants
them to have fun as they honor
their marriage as a covenant
relationship.
St. George parishioners
Susie and Travis Wilkinson,
who will celebrate their 13th
wedding anniversary on May
25, said they learned at the
Marriage Encounter Weekend
they attended in May, 2005
to remember that marriage
is a sacrament and should be
treated as sacred.
The Wilkinsons, who are
area leaders for Marriage Encounter and the parents of
three young children, said
couples need guidance so that
tending children, working
and keeping an overbooked
schedule do not take priority
over their relationship.
During their Marriage Encounter Weekend, God assured
the Wilkinsons that He wants
them to be happy in their marriage, which Travis Wilkinson
said reignited the passion that
he and his wife had when they
first met. “We’ve had a lot of
things pulling at us, but since
we’ve been through Marriage
Encounter, our relationship is
the best it’s ever been.”
Susie Wilkinson said triumphantly, “I knew how much he
really loves me when he told
me, ‘I love you more than LSU
football.’”
The Wilkinsons met at their
couples who support them in
a chaotic world. The couples
regularly spend time together
and babysit each others’ children.
The Wilkinson said Marriage Encounter helps them to
be better parents. Life can get
a “little crazy” around their
house with their children, Hannah, 5, Natalie, 4, and Caroline,
10 months. During an interview
the Wilkinsons hugged and
twirled their children around
as they said their daughters
bring them joy and they want
their children to have loving,
stable relationships.
Donna and Steve Kern,
members of St. Louis King of
France Church in Baton Rouge,
who will celebrate their 27th
wedding anniversary in May,
said they developed their communication skills at the Marriage Encounter Weekend they
attended in August 2006.
Donna Kern communicates
verbally, while Steve Kern prefers to write down his thoughts
on paper.
They work with each others’ different style of communicating so they learn more about
each other.
The Kerns said they relax
and communicate more easily
as they spend time together
praying and reading Scriptures and books, walking or
riding bikes around the lakes
at Oschner Hospital or LSU
or doing other activities with
each other.
Couples who work together
Your Family
by Bill and Monica Dodds
Children’s sports injuries
It’s the time of year
when notices are going home from school
about spring sports. Organized sports offer a
wonderful opportunity for children and teens,
but, as is so often the case, they also cause a
blip on your “parent radar.”
Two of our three children gave us a firsthand look at sports injuries beyond a simple
sprain.
Our younger son, then in the sixth grade,
went down on the soccer field. One moment he
was going up for a header, twisting in the air,
and the next he was on his back, not getting
up.
His coach helped him hobble off the field.
The injury led to weeks of physical therapy
(and a spectacular replay on the team’s highlight video at the end-of-the-season pizza
party).
Our daughter’s injury was less dramatic but
more serious. In 12th grade on the first day of
soccer tryouts, she tore a muscle in her upper
leg. Even multiple doctor visits and a lot of
physical therapy couldn’t repair the damage
and get her back in playing condition before the
end of the season. It was a tough and painful
way to end her soccer career.
The simple truth is children can get hurt
doing just about anything but it would be a
shame to deny them an opportunity to learn
to play a sport, to be part of a team and to get
some great exercise just because parents are
overly afraid of what might happen.
Three fundamentals can better ensure your
child has a satisfying and safe experience playing sports:
1. A good coach: one who knows how to
teach skills, yes, but who also knows children
at that age, what they are and aren’t capable of
– physically, mentally and emotionally. He or
she should be up on the latest and best methods
for getting little athletes into better shape and
helping them avoid injuries.
2. Good equipment: no, it doesn’t have to be
brand new or flashy, but it does have to offer
solid protection.
3. Supportive parents: a coach trying to set
a positive, healthy and safe tone can easily be
undermined by bellowing parents along the
sidelines or in the stands. (This isn’t the Super
Bowl or Stanley Cup.)
The bottom line here? That radar blip can’t
be eliminated, but the risks can be minimized.
Certainly there will be bumps and bruises, but
it’s good for youngsters to know they can pick
themselves up, dust themselves off and carry
on. There’s no other way to learn how to shake
it off, and that’s a very good thing to know.
Bill and Monica Dodds are editors of My Daily
Visitor magazine. Their Web site is www.FSJC.org
They can be contacted at [email protected].
as a team have stronger marriages, said the Kerns, who enjoy watching their athleticallygifted son, Joshua, 16, play on
the St. Michael the Archangel
boys’ basketball team. Their
son, Christopher, 23 married
in December.
In their marriage the Kerns
model for their sons how to
love other people and live with
integrity. The Kerns believe because they treat each other with
respect, their sons have learned
to treat others with respect.
To keep intimacy and love
alive in their marriage for the
long-run, couples must let each
other be themselves, say Randy
and Brenda Fontenot, members
of Immaculate Conception
Church in Denham Springs.
The Fontenots, high school
sweethearts who have been
married for 40 years, say they
have different backgrounds
and personalities. Randy Fontenot came from a frugal sharecropping family that had less
money than his wife’s family.
While the Fontenots had a
good marriage, as they tried
to merge their different backgrounds and perspectives
while raising a family, they
missed the romance their relationship had when they were
dating. When they attended a
in 1980, they learned to take
stock of who they are personally, to forgive each other
for their shortcomings, and
reconcile their relationships
with God. The passion in their
relationship returned.
The Fontenots said they
have grown closer as they
let each other be themselves.
When one of them is troubled,
the other listens without trying
to “fix things.”
As husbands and wives
respect each other’s individuality, they can reinforce their
ties by speaking each other’s
love languages. The five love
languages include acts of service, physical touch, words of
affirmation, gifts and quality
time. In 2002 The Fontenots
gave a presentation on the five
love languages at the Marriage
Encounter Regional Conference at Sarasota, Fla.
The Fontenots said over the
years they have seen the touch
of God in their marriage and
family. Showing a portrait of
their family taken at the beach
during a vacation in Destin,
Fla., the couple spoke glowingly of their children and
grandchildren, who came to
Destin to surprise Brenda Fontenot on her 60th birthday.
“We’ve had a good life and
God has blessed us,” Randy
Fontenot said.
The next marriage encounter weekend is May 1-3 at the
Bishop Robert E. Tracy Center,
1800 S. Acadian Thrwy., Baton
Rouge.
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6
news
IDENTITY THEFT – IS YOUR CATHOLIC IDENTITY SECURE?
Study Day – Saturday, March 21
Catholic Life Center, Baton Rouge
8:00 am. – 1:00 p.m.
A Conference for all Catholics
Workshop I
Equipping Parents
to form Catholic
Identity in their Home
Workshop II
Going Green with God
Presenter
Workshop I
Charles Jumonville
Diocesan Director of
Christian Formation
Presenter
Workshop II
Rev. Michael Alello
Priest for the Diocese of
Baton Rouge
Workshop I
Helping Adolescents
Discover their Moral
Compass: Ideal
Qualities of a Catechist
Workshop I
Changing the Face
(book) of Ministry:
Effective
e-communication
Workshop II
All God’s Children:
Relating Multiple
Intelligence and
Catechetics
Workshop II
Changing the Face
(book) of Ministry:
Effective
e-communication
Presenter
Kenneth Doran
Presenter
Tori McRoberts
National Religion Consultant
for Sadlier
Sponsored by
William H. Sadlier
Religion Publishers
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Is e...?
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tow ereste ore
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n
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We are Grateful to our Sponsors:
William H. Sadlier Publishers
Houghton MifÁin Harcourt Religion
RCL/Silver Budette/Benziger
Little Rock Scripture Study/Liturgical Press
5 Intermediate CertiÀcation Credits
Christian Formation 225-336-8760
[email protected]
www.christianformationbr.org
Campus Minister and Religion Teacher at St. Joseph’s
Academy, Baton Rouge
Workshop I
The Bible has
“Mass” Appeal
Workshop II
Big Lessons for Small
Groups
Presenter
Cackie Upchurch
Director of Little Rock
Scripture Study Program
Sponsored by
Little Rock Scripture Study
& Liturgical Press
Mike Hayes cofounded BustedHalo.com with
Fr. Brett Hoover, CSP, in December 2001. In addition to his work at BustedHalo, Mike serves
as the president of the board of directors for the
National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association. A frequent speaker on ministering to young
adults, Mike is the author of “Googling God: The
Religious Landscape of People in their 20s and
30s” published by Paulist Press. In 2002, Mike
received a Catholic Press Association Award for
his article “Transformation and the 20s and 30s
Crowd” that appeared in Share the Word magazine.
Before working in ministry, Mike produced
radio talk shows at WFAN and WOR in New
York and also covered major league baseball
for NPR and WOR. Mike and his wife, Marion,
are resident of Queens, New York.
Workshop I
A House Divided:
When Families Don’t
Come to Church:
Solutions for Pastoral
Leadership Teams
Workshop II
A House Divided:
When Families Don’t
Come to Church:
Solutions for
Religious Educators
Presenter
Dr. Kathy Kleinlein
Director of Catechetical
Ministry, Diocese
of Venice, FL
Sponsored by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Religion Publishers
– Hands-on tips for passing on the
faith to your children
–Using facebook as tool for ministry
in the Church
–Equipping parents to reclaim
Catholic identity
–Going Green with God
_Assessment of young adults and
their role in the Church
–The Bible has “Mass” appeal
Registration Form for Study Day, March 21
Please Àll out and mail this with payment to:
OfÀce of Christian Formation, P. O. Box 2028, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-2028
Name
Parish/School
Address
Daytime Phone
Email
$20 per person includes 2 snack breaks
Cash
Check #
Please make checks payable to Diocese of Baton Rouge
spirituality 7
Jesus’ parables should trouble complacent Christians
BY
DEBBIE SHELLEY
Assistant Editor
Through parables, Jesus turns upside
down the complacent Christian’s idea
of what it means to live in God’s presence on earth, according to Dr. Francis
W. Vanderwall, professor of theology
at Our Lady of the Lake College, Baton
Rouge, in his book, “The Liberating
Stories of Jesus: Word, Context and
Reflections.”
The book presents Jesus’ parables
in the context of the cultural, societal,
economic, political and religious background which Jesus proclaimed the
coming of the Kingdom of God, stated
Vanderwall. A prayer exercise is offered
at the end of each parable to help personalize its point.
Over the past 30 years, Vanderwall
has discovered the richness of Jesus’
parables and found that through them
Jesus confronts people in the way they
live their lives. In an interview, Vanderwall said Jesus’ parables are a timely
reading for Lent, when people are called
to have a change of heart.
He stated in general that the churches
and educational institutions have domesticated the messages of the parables
so they are more palatable for people.
As a result some have become complacent and believe that their faith requires
Spirituality for Today
by Father John Catoir
How the Holy
Spirit ministers
How can you recognize the Holy
Spirit acting in your life? It’s amazingly simple to discern his mysterious
presence.
Consider the times when you went
against your own personal preferences
and did something difficult in order to
help others. You probably do that many
times a day.
St. Paul said, “Bear one another’s
burdens, and so you will fulfill the law
of Christ” (Gal 6:2).
The inner promptings of conscience
are very often the voice of the Holy
Spirit within you.
The Holy Spirit is always there helping you to go beyond yourself in order
to fulfill the law of love. You probably
can remember many times when the
Spirit emboldened you to act out of
faith rather than self-interest, times
when you went against your natural
inclinations in order to accomplish some
greater good.
Visiting the sick for instance, or feeding the hungry, which includes putting
food on the table for your children
when you have a splitting headache,
listening to the endless complaints of
someone you feel sorry for, getting up
in the middle of the night to check on a
sick family member.
These are all little acts of holiness
involving the love of the Holy Spirit
acting within you.
The Holy Spirit is the force behind all
the love and joy in the world!
Great events recorded in the Bible
give us an insight into the fact that God
works in mysterious ways. For example,
when Abraham was told to sacrifice
his son Isaac to God, the act was totally
against his will, incomprehensible. The
Holy Spirit nevertheless prompted him
to trust the Lord no matter what!
When Abraham was about to obey,
God released him from that abhorrent
duty, and Isaac was saved.
Abraham had been tested and found
worthy.
We speak of this event as prefiguring Jesus, who had the same natural
abhorrence at the thought of his own
crucifixion. The Spirit empowered him
to say, “Not my will but yours be done”
(Lk 22:42). Jesus surrendered in trust to
the Father. We are told it was in reparation for the sin of pride found in Satan
who said, “I will not serve.”
After Jesus was crucified, the apostles
feared for their lives and gathered like
frightened children in that upper room.
They wanted to run. But the Holy Spirit
came upon them and emboldened them
to go forth and preach the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. The church was born.
I remember feeling drawn to the
priesthood but at the same time bristling
at the very thought of it. I wanted a normal life, marriage and children. I didn’t
want to be a priest because I was afraid
of the demands it would make. But the
power of the Holy Spirit lifted me above
my fears. I submitted. That was half a
century ago, and I’m still doing my best
to answer that call.
Looking back, I see more clearly the
many times in my life when I was led
by the Holy Spirit.
How about you?
Father Catoir, a canon lawyer, is chaplain
of one of the largest emergency assistance
programs in the nation. He writes on issues of spirituality for today’s Catholic for
Catholic News Service.
them to attend church, receive the sacraments and tithe. “That is a convenient,
civil religion. The Gospels call for far
greater,” Vanderwall said.
God calls us through the Gospels
to a new awareness of living which is
rooted in love, emphasized Vanderwall.
“Love is really disruptive to the life of
complacency.”
People may become so uncomfortable by the parable messages that they
reject it, according to Vanderwall.
“Even the religious of Jesus’ day said,
‘We are doing you a favor by having
Jesus crucified,’” Vanderwall said.
People accept the challenge of the
Gospels through private devotion,
mediating and interiorizing “the enormity of the challenge facing us,” said
Vanderwall. The challenge then requires
action.
Jesus calls people to “dig up the
weeds” in their life and plant a “new
garden,” according to Vanderwall.
“That’s frightening.”
The Gospels call for people to work
for social justice, take care of the poor
and sick, and demand respect for life at
all stages. Vanderwall stated the parables call people to be inclusive by loving
others who think differently than they
do, who are a different race, who “come
from the wrong side of the tracks,” and
Dr. Francis Vanderwall
who are their enemies.
Vanderwall said people will fail
more than they succeed in trying to live
out the parable messages and may be
tempted to dilute them so their lives are
not disrupted. He emphasized the more
he allows the parables to challenge his
life, the farther he feels away from the
Kingdom of God or that the presence of
God is in his life. He said he discovers
how different his idea of salvation is
from God’s idea. But he stated God will
make up the difference of failures and
brings good out of it.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A CHANGE?
Want to earn a Master’s Degree in Ministry
and stay in Baton Rouge?
Come to an informational meeting concerning the
Loyola Institute of Ministry (LIMEX) Program,
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 6 p.m.
in room 105 of the Bishop Robert E. Tracy Center,
1800 South Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge.
The 90-minute meeting will explore
starting our 13th LIMEX learning group
to pursue graduate study in ministry.
All courses will be taught in Baton Rouge
at the Catholic Life Center.
For more information call Charles Jumonville
Director of Christian Formation
at 225-336-8760 or email [email protected]
8
our catholic community
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God’s favors seen in Lenten mosaic
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“BON AMI” shopping center • Mon. - Sat. 9:30 - 6
God blesses people’s increased time in prayer during
Lent by granting special graces.
Immaculate Conception Church
in Denham Springs provides a
way for people to anonymously
say a public “thank you.”
Lent tends to be a time of
private prayers, devotions and
sacrifices, according to Father
Vincent Dufresne, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church.
People can keep their Lenten
disciplines to themselves, Fr.
Dufresne said, but they will be
motivated to continue those
practices if they see physical
signs that others are doing so
and are receiving graces for
their effort.
Fr. Dufresne came up with
the idea of a Mosaic of Lenten
Graces cross a few years ago
as Immaculate Conception
prepared to implement its RENEW Small Christian Commu-
TAKE A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
WITH LPB IN MARCH
IMMACULÉE:
HOLD ON TO HOPE
The miraculous spiritual journey of
Rwandan genocide survivor
Immaculée Ilibagiza.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10 AT 7PM
THE PRIESTS
IN CONCERT AT
ARMAGH CATHEDRAL
Three Catholic clergymen from
Northern Ireland sing some of the
most-beloved love songs of all time
including “Ave Maria” and “O Holy
Night.”
TUESDAY, MARCH 10 AT 8:30
Discovering Secrets of the Vatican
A rare look behind-the-scenes of the world’s smallest independent state.
SUNDAY, MARCH 8 AT 9PM
WLPB
TV 27
www.lpb.org
Answerquick Answering Service is providing the toll-free number for Festival 2009.
Immaculate Conception Church in Denham Springs has a
Lenten Mosaic of Graces cross, a large cross on which people
can put smaller crosses for graces received during Lent. Photo
by Debbie Shelley
nity program. Fr. Dufresne was
looking for ways to strengthen
RENEW’s emphasis on prayer
as the church gathered during
Lent.
The mosaic of graces, which
is in the church, is a large felt
cross on which people place
smaller crosses indicating special graces received during
Lent through prayer, fasting or
charity.
Fr. Dufresne said when people receive graces during Lent,
instead of stating publicly what
God did for them or someone
whom they prayed for, they
can indicate it in a nondescript
way at the cross so people
can recognize that others are
receiving graces. This form of
private acknowledgement is
particularly helpful for people
who have broken an addiction
or other vice or reconciled with
a family member, Fr. Dufresne
noted.
“It’s a sign that something
good is happening,” Fr. Dufresne said.
At the beginning of Lent, the
small crosses slowly appear on
the big cross, and as people see
that others are receiving graces,
the momentum builds. By the
end of Lent, the large cross
is covered with the smaller
crosses, which are in a variety
of colors, so the cross takes the
appearance of a mosaic.
People put their grace crosses, which are provided by the
church, at different angles on
the large cross, Fr. Dufresne
stated. He noted that one time
he went into the church and a
boy was putting his small cross
at the bottom of the back of the
larger cross so he could keep an
eye on his cross during Lent.
Fr. Dufresne said the Lenten
Mosaic reminds people to look
for God in their lives during
Lent .
“Instead of keeping ashes
on their forehead, there are the
crosses to say that Lent is going
on,” Fr. Dufresne said.
The Lenten Mosaic builds
a spirit of community among
the congregation, stated Fr. Dufresne. “It’s for the community
to know that their commitment
to prayer is shared by others
and we can support each other
in those efforts.”
Just as the churches have a
creche at Christmas to remind
their congregation of Christ’s
birth, at Easter Immaculate
Conception houses a tomb in
which the small crosses are
placed to show that the Risen
Lord is responsible for the graces received.
“It’s a way to say, ‘Thank you
to God for a successful Lent,’”
Fr. Dufresne said.
our catholic community
9
St. Jean Vianney Principal Wendy Gilmore fulfills her agreement to kiss an alligator when St.
Jean Vianney students exceeded their reading levels from last year. Father Tom Ranzino, St.
Jean Vianney pastor, verifies that Gilmore did in fact kiss “Gucci,” while Jim Ragland of Alligator
Bayou holds the six-foot alligator. Photo by Laura Deavers
SJV principal fulfills bet, kisses alligator
CDA KID – Barbara Michael, regent of Catholic
Daughters of the Americas (CDA) Court Regina Coeli No.
2063, Baton Rouge, presents a $250 check to 2008 CDA
Baton Rouge Diocesan Kid, Olivia Grace Castelluccio, 7,
who has acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The funds donated
by the CDA were made possible by a grant given to them
by the Men’s Club of St. Jude the Apostle Church in Baton
Rouge. Photo provided by CDA Court Regina Coeli No. 2063
At the beginning of the
current school year, St. Jean
Vianney Principal Wendy
Gilmore challenged the second- through eighth-grade SJV
students to read more books
this school year. To give them
an extra incentive, Gilmore
said she would kiss the lips of
a live alligator if they exceeded
their reading levels from the
last school year.
The students, who have an
alligator as their school mascot, took the challenge and
began reading library books.
They exceeded last year ’s
scores before Valentine’s Day,
which pleased and surprised
Gilmore.
On Feb. 13, Jim Ragland,
owner of Alligator Bayou,
brought “Gucci,” a six-foot
alligator, to St. Jean Vianney
School for Gilmore to kiss during an assembly in the school
courtyard. Students squealed
and howled when their principal puckered-up to kiss the
alligator.
10
news
Diocesan couples celebrate anniversaries at
the 25-50th Anniversary Mass Celebration
Married 71 years in 2009
Charles and Loretta Brashear
B. P. and Georgia Hebert
Married 70 years in 2009
Lillian and Lloyd Bouchereau
Herman and Doris Decoteau
Chester and Agnes Guidry
Katherine and Fred Hannaman
Emeris and Winnie Reine
Joe and Ida Tryniecki
66 - 69 years in 2009
Marguerite Pierre and Morris Baudy
Versie and Betty Baughman
Cliston and Audrey M. Davis
Harris and Noella Louque
Wilma and David McLaughlin
Robert and May Poche
Wilmen and Kathryn Rabalais
60-64 years married
Elmo and Eugenia Berthelot
Vernon Paul and Joyce Caffarel
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Currier
Sherwin and Lee Guidry
Marshall and Grace Honore
Marie and Anthony Noto
Thomas and Patricia Ranzino
John and Dorothy Trahan Richard
Lucas and Jeanette Silvio
Frank and Josephine Zito
50 years married
Henry and Elaine Adolph
Vincent Jack and Josephine Micelli Arnone
Harold and Beverly Babin
Mike and Juande Babin
Fred and Claire C. Bahlinger
Floyd and Barbara Benoit
Jan and Sophie Bergeron
Joseph and Tippy Blanchard
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Bourgeois
Delton and Bonnie Brooks
Robert and Lorraine Burns
Vivian Mabile and Sidney Cavalier, Jr.
Harold and Dorothy Christopher
Neola and Wilbur Clarke
Ron and Jo Coco
Georgiana Cavalier and Brent J. Cox, Jr.
Marguerite Guillot and Addison Daigle
Earl and June David
Earl and Melva David
Irah and Joy Revo Decoteau
Gwen and Stanley Dixon
Joycelynn Daigle and David Dubreuil
Pat and Lena Dugas
Nolan and Grace Duplessis
Percy and Barbara Franklin
Fred and Rose Gauthier
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Gautreau
Mr. and Mrs. Van Guarino
Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Joseph Guillot, Sr.
James and Mildred Hubbell
Charles A. and Joyce L. Hymel
Erat and Mary Joseph
Robert and Susan Judice
Wallace and Norma Lacombe
Thomas J. and Alena D. Landry
Emilda Eues and M. J. Landry
Dr. Jim and Anne Laville
Calvin and Ida LeBlanc
Ges and Betty LeBlanc
Dr. and Mrs. James M. Linn, Jr.
Ilar Daigle and Herman Mabile
Lucy and Albert Mahler, Sr.
Hugo and Oria Marrero
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Medine
Anna Lea and Paul Melancon, Jr.
Irma Loupe and John Alvin Melancon
Kelly and Josie Michelli
Nancy and Falcon Morgan
John Barrett and Jennie Murphy
Mamie Nicholas and Phil Muscarello
Warren and Janice Oubre
Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Quebedeaux
Charles and Edna S. Richard
Oron and Gerry Rivet
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Robert
Valsin and Elizabeth Vicknair
Dan and Jan Wallis
Charles and Pat Weigel
Mr. and Mrs. Carl J. White
Harold and Joycelyn White
Yvonne and Melvin Wyble
25 years married
Finley and Myra Allen
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Bayer
Sharon K. Alleman and Phil J. Blanchard
Mr. and Mrs. Don Boudreaux
Neal and Andrea Bullion
Georgetta Cox and Craig Comeaux
Thelma and Verdie Cortez, Jr.
Bruce and Amy Duhe
Brian and Madelyn Fazzio
Gary and Colette Gravois
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Hoffman
Terry and Oreda Hogue
Suzanne and Raymond Lamotte
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Joseph LeBlanc, Jr.
Freddy and Sheron Lee
Robert and Pascale Martin
Mr. and Mrs. Huey Martinez, Jr.
Zegory and Lovell McGalliard
John and Donna Mullings
Al and Sharon Naquin
Neal and Sharon Pendleton
Barbara and Rob Persac
Joey and Debbie Quebedeaux
David and Robin Guillot Richard
Bo and Vicki Richardson
Troy and Regina Rispone
Tommy and Anita Rivet
Jerry and Letha Salinas
Eddie and Ann Samson
Barry and Barbara Sanders
John and Lucy Smith
Craig and Lisa Stephens
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Stradley
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Rome
Troy and Mona Tassin
Edgar and Dianne Saucier
Kenneth and Lisa Thibodeaux
Andy and Mary Ann Sceroler
Michael and Lana Truax
Leo and Mary Lynn Segalla
Mr. and Mrs. Glen Tullier
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Shepard
Edward and Nancy Twidwell
Janet Andermann and Milton B. Small, Jr. Blaine and Geralyn Vallot
Marjorie C. and James E. Smith
Richard and Lea White
Jesse James and Shirley Guichet Theriot
The names of these couples honored at the annual Anniversary Mass were provided by the Office of Marriage and Family Life as of press time.
news
One woman making
a difference for life
BY
LAURA DEAVERS
Editor
Vera Dunbar was asked to
make a display for the Annual Respect Life Rally at the
Catholic Life Center. A simple
request for a woman who is
very involved in her church,
St. Paul the Apostle in Baton Rouge. Little did Dunbar
know that in agreeing to make
the display she would become
a spokesperson in the AfricanAmerican community to stop
black women from having
abortions.
Abortion is the leading
killer of African Americans,
states Dunbar with a tone of
utter shock. She says every
time she tells people this fact,
they are as amazed as she was
the first time she heard it.
To make known the disproportionate number of abortions in the black population
was the reason Dunbar was
asked to make the display for
the Respect Life Rally. She is
now on a personal crusade to
educate all people, especially
African-American women,
about the shocking fact that
they are five times more likely
to have an abortion than white
women. This statistic comes
from the Alan Guttmacher
Institute, in a report that analyzed 30 years of data, starting
in 1974, and collected directly
from abortion providers.
Dunbar admits the break
down of the family has contributed to the increase in
abortions. Historically, the
generations of African-American women – grandmothers,
mothers, aunts – would take
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RELIGIOUS BOOKS & GIFTS
Vera Dunbar speaks to the members of St. Paul the Apostle
Church in Baton Rouge Feb. 22 about the staggering number of
black babies that are aborted each year. Photo by Laura Deavers
care of the babies if the mother
was not able. Babies are always
loved and cared for in a special
way because they are next
generation. With the strong
bonds gone in many families,
pregnant women have no one
to help them and they turn to
abortion, thinking it is their
only option.
Since 1963, twice as many
black Americans have died
from abortion than from AIDS,
accidents, violent crimes, cancer and heart disease combined, writes Bishop Martin
D. Holly, a member of the
USCCB Committee on Pro-Life
Activities and chairman of
the sub-committee on African
American Affairs, in a letter
last October.
Bishop Holly also wrote that
over 80 percent of Planned Parenthood clinics are located in
minority neighborhoods and
Margaret Sanger, the founder
of Planned Parenthood, began
the “Negro Project” to reduce
the black population.
Dunbar has armed herself
with information to support
what she is saying and a creative way of getting people to
talk about abortion. She asks
people to wear a small colored
plastic clothes-pin, like the
ones often used during games
at baby showers, for at least a
day or two.
From her own experience,
Dunbar knows that people will
ask, “Why do you have that
clothes pin on your lapel?”
“This gives me a chance to
tell them about the number
of babies killed each year
through abortions,” Dunbar
states confidently.
She is also organizing St.
Paul members to go just a few
blocks from their church to
pray at a doctor’s office that is
known for performing abortions. As surprised as she was
to learn about the number
of abortions among blacks,
Dunbar said she was equally
shocked to learn that there is
a doctor so close to her church
who performs abortions.
A simple yes, and through
the encouragement of her pastor, Father Vincent Alexius
SVD, Vera Dunbar has become
a one-woman crusade to stop
abortion. One person can
make a difference.
Xavier Alumni honoring St. Katherine Drexel
during March 1 Mass at Immaculate Conception
The Xavier University Alumni Association,
Baton Rouge Chapter, will commemorate the life
of St. Katharine Drexel, the founder of Xavier
University, during the 10:30 a.m. Mass March 1
at Immaculate Conception Church, 1565 Curtis
St., Baton Rouge.
Pope John Paul II canonized Katherine
Drexel in October 2000. A daughter of a wealthy
Philadelphia banker, St. Katherine dedicated
her life and inheritance to build churches and
schools for Blacks and Native Americans. Xavier
University in New Orleans is the only predominantly Black Catholic university in the western
hemisphere. St. Katherine is also the founder
of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, whose
mission is to educate poor Blacks and Indians
in this country.
All Xavier University alumni, their families,
current Xavier students, friends and supporters of Xavier, and the Sisters of the Blessed
Sacrament are invited to attend the Mass and
reception, which will be held in the Immaculate
Conception Activity Center.
Father Thomas Clark SJ, Immaculate Conception pastor, will celebrate the Mass.
Additional information about the commemorative Mass and reception can be obtained
from Henry and Blanche Stewart, both Xavier
alumni and members of Immaculate Conception Church, at 225-357-0853.
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youth
Holy Family fourth graders sing “Our Abe Lincoln” at a Lincoln
Bicentennial Birthday Celebration at the West Baton Rouge
Museum. Photo by Debbie Shelley
Students celebrate
Lincoln’s birthday
BY
DEBBIE SHELLEY
Assistant Editor
Holy Family School students helped the West Baton
Rouge Museum kick off a
year-long celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s bicentennial
birthday with a program at the
museum on Lincoln’s birthday,
Feb. 12.
West Baton Rouge Museum
Director Julia Rose, a member
of the program committee for
the American Association of
State and Local History, started
planning the local celebration
about a year ago.
Because of Holy Family’s
support of the museum, Rose
invited the school to participate in the celebration and they
made various projects for Lincoln’s bicentennial birthday.
The second graders made
log cabins and the third graders made Lincoln hats, which
are on display at the West
Baton Rouge Library and the
West Baton Rouge Museum.
The fourth graders collected
$251.42 in pennies which they
presented to the WBR Museum
after performing a play at the
museum.
The play was an introduction to the museum’s year-long
observance, which will include
programs and exhibits about
Lincoln.
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GRANDPARENTS HONORED – Sara Levron, a kindergarten student at St. Thomas More
School, and her brother, Timothy, a first grader, visit with their grandfather, Terry Hebert,
when STM honored grandparents Feb. 11-13. Grandparents and special guests visited their
grandchild’s classroom and made a special project together. After their classroom visit, the
students and their grandparents attended Mass and a musical presentation. Photo provided
by St. Thomas More School
SWEEPING THE TOURNMENTS – The Sacred Heart sixth-grade boys’ basketball team
placed first and went undefeated in the St. George, St. Thomas More, Holy Family and
Sacred Heart basketball tournaments. Members of the team are, from left, kneeling, A.J.
DePaul, Todd Sterling and Trent Dykes; standing, Spencer Kleinpeter, Toliver Freeman,
Dalton Parrot, Jyron Walker, Michael Comeaux, Matthew Crapanzano and Conner Patterson.
Photo provided by Tom Patterson
50
NEW ORLEANS AUTHOR’S VISIT – On Feb. 13 Sherry Hill read to St. Louis King of
France sixth, seventh and eighth graders passages from her book, “The Marquise Hill Story
From the Cradle to the Bowl,” which is about the life of her son. A former LSU football
player, Marquise Hill was killed in a 2007 jet-ski accident. She signed a hardback copy of
the book for the school’s library. Photo provided by St. Louis King of France School
youth
Willis finds real faith
through struggles in life
BY
DEBBIE SHELLEY
Assistant Editor
As Catholic youth grapple
with the truth when dealing
with life struggles, they find a
genuine, sustaining faith and
learn more about being themselves, according to Michael
Willis, a sophomore at Catholic
High School.
Many youth fear being ostracized or laughed at by their
peers so it’s hard for them to
carry out simple tasks, according to Willis. Approaching others and talking to them about
their faith is unthinkable to
some, said Willis, a member
of the Diocesan Youth Board
(DYB) who loves to speak publicly and be on stage.
When Willis was a seventhgrade student at Holy Family
School, he won first place in
impromptu speaking at the
Beta District Rally.
Willis let others see inside
his heart and proclaimed his
faith when he spoke at the
Diocesan World Youth Day
(WYD) in Donaldsonville last
November. He talked about
his sister, Rachael, who died in
June 2007 and how her life and
death impacted his life.
Since he spoke so openly
about his sister ’s death at
WYD, Willis stated some people believe his life must be
problem-free. However, Willis
has had to face some truths
about his life in his difficult
spiritual journey over the past
couple of years.
Willis said people whom
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he looks up to help him on his
spiritual journey.
Father Michael Alello, parochial vicar of St. John the
Evangelist Church in Prairieville, is one of the people
who challenges Willis to think
about what brings true happiness in life.
After his sister’s death, Willis met Fr. Alello at the Catholic
Leadership Institute (CLI)
Conference at Springhill College in Mobile, Ala., and the
two talked for two-and-a-half
to three hours about “life.” He
said Fr. Alello asked him to
open himself up to the Lord by
admitting that exterior things
can’t bring happiness and that
he can’t fix himself. Since their
talk at CLI Fr. Alelleo stays in
touch with Willis and encourages him to be himself and
not worry about what others
think.
Scott Manning, religion
teacher at Catholic High School,
also models a life of authentic
living, according to Willis.
Manning, who accompanied
Willis and other youth attending CLI, is a dedicated teacher
whom the students consider to
be “one of the guys.”
Willis said Manning challenges him to get out of his
comfort zone to better himself.
He also taught him that he can
have all the material possessions in the world, but if he
doesn’t enjoy what he is doing
he will never be happy in life.
Rachael Willis left a lasting impression on her brother
through the way she lived and
handled her cancer treatment.
Willis and his sister had many
good discussions as they spent
time together at places such as
the LSU lakes and the mall.
Taking a truthful look at his
life journey made Willis realize
things won’t be “perfect overnight,” and new challenges
come up. But he is confident
that God will get him where
He needs him to be.
TO U R N A M EN T
CHAMPS – The St.
Alphonsus School seventhgrade boys’ basketball team
took first place in the Holy
Family School Invitational
Tournament on Jan. 29Feb. 1. The Hornets went
undefeated against Holy
Ghost, St. Aloysius and
St. Jean Vianney schools.
Members of the team are,
from left, front row, Matthew
Ydarraga, Jansen Browning
and Cade Lonibos; back
row, Dylan Martin, Cole
Holden, Brandon Jordan,
Nick Coomes and Wade
Broussard. Photo provided by
St. Alphonsus School
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
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entertainment
Poll shows residents of Southern
states most religious in country
14
PRINCETON, N.J. — As part of a
series titled “State of the States,” a new
Gallup Poll ranked the top religious
states in the United States and found
Southern states ranked highest on the
list, while several states in the Northeast ranked the lowest.
After more than 350,000 interviews,
the survey found that Southern states
had the highest percentage of respondents who said they considered religion to be an important part of their
daily lives.
Mississippi topped the list with 85
percent of those surveyed claiming
that religion was important. Vermont
was named the least religious state,
with just 42 percent of respondents
there who said they were religious.
The data for the poll was collected
throughout 2008 via telephone interviews of 355,334 U.S. residents over the
age of 18. According to the Princetonbased polling organization, the poll
accounted for varying demographics
within each state to ensure the accurate
representation of the state’s population.
Overall, Gallup found that the U.S.
is generally a religious country. With
65 percent of the total population saying religion was an important part of
their lives. However, Gallup reported
that in surveying countries around
the world the median percentage of
respondents who saw religion as part
of their lives was 82 percent.
After Mississippi, the states with
the highest percentage of residents
who said religion was important to
them were: Alabama (82), South Carolina (80), Tennessee (79), Louisiana
and Arkansas (both 78), Georgia (76),
North Carolina (76), Oklahoma (75),
and Kentucky and Texas (both 74).
Just above Vermont at the bottom of
the list was New Hampshire with 46 percent of residents who said religion was
important; next came Maine and Massachusetts, both with 48. Other states at
the bottom were Alaska (51), Washington
(52), Oregon and Rhode Island (both 53),
Nevada (54) and Connecticut (55).
Researchers explained that ethnic
and racial distribution could account
for the different levels of religiosity
across the country, with certain demographic groups in some states having
stronger levels of religious affiliation.
Each state also has a different culture,
which can impact the level of importance residents give religion in their
lives, according to the poll.
Confessions of a Shopaholic
(Touchstone/Bruckheimer)
Mostly silly romantic comedy set
in New York about a ditsy compulsive
shopper (Isla Fisher) who achieves
improbable success writing an anonymous advice column for a fi nancial
magazine, despite being deeply in
debt herself, and who falls for her
good-looking boss (Hugh Dancy). Director P.J. Hogan’s glossy adaptation
of Sophie Kinsella’s novels is lively
and colorful, and the leads are not
without charm, but the film is a paean
to materialism even as it pretends to
convey a contrary message, while an
overabundance of slapstick greatly
undermines the humor. A premarital
relationship, a few crude words and
expressions, mild innuendo, and an
undue emphasis on materialism. A-III;
PG
Friday the 13th
(New Line/Paramount)
Searching for his missing sister
(Amanda Righetti), who disappeared
after trespassing on the turf of masked
maniac Jason Voorhees (Derek Mears),
a young man (Jared Padalecki) becomes one of the slasher’s many targets himself, along with the college
student (Danielle Panabaker) who’s
helping him hunt. Director Marcus
Nispel’s gruesome revival follows
the franchise’s usual crass recipe: a
melange of sadistic murder, casual
teen sexuality, gratuitous nudity and
a dash of drug use. Frequent gory
violence, torture, graphic nonmarital
sexual activity, upper female and rear
nudity, brief pornographic imagery,
marijuana use, pervasive rough and
crude language, half a dozen uses of
profanity, and sexual humor and references. O; R
The International
(Columbia/Relativity)
Intense thriller in which a dogged
Interpol agent (Clive Owen) and a New
York assistant district attorney (Naomi
Watts) investigate the elusive leaders
(Ulrich Thomsen and Armin MuellerStahl, among others) of a global bank
implicated in arms trading and murder. Director Tom Tykwer’s sleek, skillfully crafted conspiracy yarn, which
also features Brian F. O’Byrne as an
assassin, veers briefly into excessive
violence, but focuses most of its attention on the frustrations of operating
within the law and the perils of acting
outside it. Considerable moderate action violence, brief but graphic gore,
vigilantism, some rough and crude
language, brief sexual humor, and a
couple of uses of profanity. A-III; R
Push (Summit)
Dreary action adventure tale about
a telekinetic American (Chris Evans)
living in Hong Kong who teams with
his similarly paranormal ex-girlfriend
(Camilla Belle) and a tough-talking
psychic 13-year-old girl (Dakota Fanning) to thwart the mind-controlling
agent (Djimon Hounsou) of a secret
and sinister government department.
Director Paul McGuigan’s wearingly
overcomplicated film traces its main
character’s transformation from loner
to protector, but otherwise meanders
from one armed confrontation to the
next. Considerable action violence,
implied premarital sexual activity,
underage drinking, at least one use of
the F-word, half a dozen crude terms
and a couple of uses of profanity. A-III;
PG -13
Fired Up! (Screen Gems)
Banal sex comedy in which two
philandering high school football
players (Nicholas D’Agosto and Eric
Christian Olsen) attend a mostly female cheerleading camp, racking up
conquests till one falls for the captain
of his squad (Sarah Roemer) and the
other for the wife (Molly Sims) of the
head coach (John Michael Higgins).
Director Will Gluck’s feature debut
treats the pursuit of sexual gratification as just another sport, and most of
the attempts at humor are tasteless as
well as flat-footed. Nongraphic nonmarital and adulterous sexual activity,
homosexual comic elements, brief rear
nudity, much sexual humor, underage
drinking, frequent crude and crass
language, and a few uses of profanity.
O; PG-13
A-I – general patronage; A-II
– adults and adolescents; A-III –
adults; A-IV – adults, with reservations; L – limited adult audience;
O – morally offensive.
G – general audiences, all ages
admitted; PG – parental guidance
suggested, some material may not
be suitable for children; PG-13 –
parents are strongly cautioned to
give special guidance for attendance of children under 13, some
material may be inappropriate for
young children; R – restricted,
under 17 requires accompanying
parent or adult guardian; NC-17 –
no one under 17 admitted.
entertainment
On The Record
1
2
3
4
5
14
by Charlie Martin
Avoiding fantasy while
pursuing romance
White Horse
Say you’re sorry; That
face of an angel; Comes
out just when you need
it to; As I pace back and
forth all this time; Cause
I honestly believed in you;
Holding on; The days drag
on; Stupid girl; I should
have known, I should have
known
Refrain:
I’m not a princess, this
ain’t a fairy tale; I’m not
the one you’ll sweep off
her feet; Lead her up the
stairwell; This ain’t Hollywood, this is a small town;
I was a dreamer before
you went and let me down;
Now it’s too late for you
and your white horse; To
come around
Baby, I was naïve; Got lost
in your eyes; And never really had a chance; I had so
many dreams; About you
and me; Happy endings;
Now I know
(Repeat refrain.)
17
18
20
21
This is a big world, that
was a small town; There in
my rearview mirror; Disappearing now
And it’s too late for you
and your white horse; Now
it’s too late for you and
your white horse; To catch
me now
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa; Try
and catch me now; Oh, it’s
too late; To catch me now
(Repeat refrain.)
Sung by Taylor Swift
Copyright © 2008 by Big Machine Records
God has set up life so that
you can use the power and
courage he has placed within
you to discover enduring satisfaction. Even a committed
and faithful partner cannot
do your necessary work for
growth.
Of course it is a resource
to have another’s support and
care. Just don’t make this individual’s presence in your life
into some sort of “knight on a
white horse” that is supposed
to “save” you from life’s challenges.
Martin is an Indiana pastoral
counselor who reviews current
music for Catholic News Service. Write to him at: chmartin@
swindiana.net or at 7125W 200S,
Rockport, IN 47635.
Copyright © 2009 Catholic
News Service/U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops
Shane T. Bennett, CPA, CVA
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And there you are on your
knees; Begging for forgiveness, begging for me;
Just like I always wanted,
but I’m so sorry; Cause I’m
not your princess, this ain’t
no fairy tale; I’m gonna
find someone someday;
Who might actually treat
me well.
7
15
35
What makes a recording
artist into a recording “star”?
How about her debut album
going triple platinum while
five singles off that disc reach
Billboard’s Top 100? Taylor
Swift is the only country artist
to do so this decade. Though
only 18, Swift is a star!
Her second release off her
second album – “Fearless” – is
getting airplay.
Successful relationships
result when fantasy is avoided
and balance is discovered.
For the character in “White
Horse,” love ends in pain. She
discovered that “this ain’t a
fairy tale” or “Hollywood.”
She recognizes she was “a
dreamer before you went and
let me down.”
While specific problems are
not mentioned, she makes it
clear to the guy that “it’s too
late for you and your white
horse to come around.” She
no longer wants involvement
with a guy who does not show
her respect and kindness.
While she may have felt
“swept off” her feet by this
romance, what she now knows
will help her build much better
relationships in the future. Perhaps she has learned the No. 1
rule for establishing a healthy
relationship: Go slow! Discern
the difference between fantasy
and reality. Be careful of exaggerating what is happening.
A beginning is just that; it
is not a whole story! It takes
time and lots of interaction to
know another person. Attraction is easy, but deeper bonds
grow by going through ups
and downs. While infatuation
is easy, love is demanding. It
requires patience.
The girl should also consider why she was looking
for a guy on a white horse to
sweep her away. Anyone who
seeks a romantic partner as a
buffer for the difficulties or
emptiness in life is likely to be
disappointed.
Initially, a new relationship
might distract you from what
needs to be addressed, but
eventually problems have to
be faced.
6
15
48
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
www.wordgamesforcatholics.com
ACROSS
1 “Jesus of Nazareth, King of
the _____”
5 Landed
10 Luxurious
14 Spoken
15 One of the deadly sins
16 Nautical call
17 Papal letter
19 Certain Sunday
20 One of “the Great” popes
21 Cut ruthlessly
22 Brother of Miriam
23 Member of a monastic order
24 Unfortunate
26 Lacking in fairness
29 Knights’ attendants
30 Composure
31 Holy Land
35 Nimble
36 Esau’s sibling status
37 Operatic melody
38 Pertaining to the sense of
smell
40 Span of time
41 US state with the largest
Catholic population, _____
Island
42 The 95 ____ of Martin
Luther
43 Ice cream treats
46 Bathing suit tops
47 The Way of the ______
48 Hinted
49 Amateur sports org.
52 Million or billion follower
53 Jesus’ statements,
particularly found in John’s
Gospel
56 First, second or third
57 Some flowers or fruit
58 Feminine suffix
59 Storage shelter
60 “…is still ___, a sigh is
still…”
61 Attack
DOWN
1 A minor prophet
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
18
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
31
32
33
34
36
39
40
42
43
44
45
46
48
49
50
51
53
54
55
Sea eagle
City in central Texas
Wily
At a slope
You can do a right or left
one with a mouse
“…you are Peter, and upon
this ____ I will build my
church…” (Mt 16:18)
7th letter of the Greek
alphabet
Literary initials
Territory formerly ruled by
the pope
Chicago airport
Certain musical parts
Songs sung in church
Elected
Copies
Parable of Jesus
Writer Alex ____
Teen and new follower
Certain hairstyle
French Christmas
Moment
Spanish cleric
Moves along slowly
Greek goddess of the
rainbow
Novena number
Sign outside a greasy spoon
Certain Native American
Charles, for short
Describes certain characters
Tire markings
Strike breakers
David married his widow
Norwegian
Public transports
902 to Nero
___ and the King of Siam
Hindu goddess of fire
Secondhand
Highest mountain in Crete
___ of the Covenant
Comparative ending
Solution on page 18
16
viewpoint
The Human Side
by Father Eugene Hemrick
Abundance to the rescue in difficult times!
The new model of Rockport shoes was just what
I was looking for: smartlooking and well-constructed. Just before purchasing
them, I cleaned out my closet and found two pairs
of shoes in fairly good shape except for the heels.
Suddenly I found myself confronted with a decision:
Should I buy the latest model of Rockports or put new
heels on the shoes I have?
This is one small example of what many Americans
are doing – choosing what to keep or let go, what to
replace or repair.
We cannot go without the necessities of life: food,
shelter, clothing, medicine, heat and lighting. Although these can also provide us with comforts, they
are nonetheless life-giving.
The tanking of the stock market, loss of homes and
jobs have created a new era in which the necessities of
life must be prioritized over life’s comforts, and even
some of these necessities are no longer affordable for
a growing number of Americans. How to respond to
this is the question of the moment.
Hopefully, stimulus packages, new programs and
streamlining will come to the rescue. How long it
will take is another question, and what to do in the
meantime is even more the question.
As difficult as the times are, we have a wonderful
opportunity to live God’s life more fully. For those of
us who enjoy an abundance of life, it is expedient for
us to open our hearts and share our resources with
those experiencing difficult times. In this way we will
mirror a loving, giving Christ.
Our history is filled with success stories of Christlike neighbors pulling together to assist those in need.
Examples abound of people sharing unused space
with those needing a roof over their heads. Co-opts
and food pantries have been created to stave off hunger. To cut costs, neighbors have helped with repairs
and practical advice on how to make ends meet.
Numerous examples exist of doctors, nurses, lawyers and accountants providing pro bono services
that have saved people from destitution and health
care to help them maintain fitness. Heart-wrenching
stories abound of people finding ways of providing
an education for young men and women.
Although no one likes bad times, they can result in
astonishing success stories because of the Christlike
spirit behind them.
Presently we are being challenged to share our
blessings with our neighbors, to do everything in our
power to help them maintain a dignified life.
Father Hemrick, a research associate with the Life Cycle
Research Institute at The Catholic University of America
and coordinator of institutional research at Washington
Theological Union, writes on issues pertinent to the church
and the human spirit for Catholic News Service.
In Exile
by Father Ron Rolheiser
Maturity — being cool or being vulnerable?
All of us struggle to
project a certain image of
ourselves. No matter the
effort, no matter the hidden cost, when we walk
into our place of work or into our circle of friends
we want to project an image of calm, poise and
easy accomplishment; especially we never want
to show signs of weakness, of being needy or
lonely, of being ruffled and not perfectly in control.
Our society has a word for that, cool, and many
of us consciously try to project exactly that. From
the clothes we wear, to our choice of sunglasses, to
a carefully practiced public countenance, we walk
out into public trying to say: “Look at me. I’m successful, I’m healthy, I’m attractive, I’m at ease, I’m
not lonely, I don’t have great anxieties in my life,
I’m happy, my life isn’t a big struggle, all of my
problems are manageable, my life isn’t teetering on
any brink, and it doesn’t take an extraordinary effort for me to do all this. I manage this with ease!”
And that is not without its virtue. Its opposites are emotional exhibitionism and hysteria.
We are meant to be in control of our own lives, to
not impose our neediness unfairly on others, to
carry ourselves in a way so as to radiate health.
However, much as we admire this kind of strength
and much as we would like to project it in our own
lives, habitual calm and poise can also be a sign of
immaturity, of lacking sensitivity and depth. One of
the marks of maturity and compassion is an inability
to protect oneself from certain kinds of pain, the
inability precisely to always be cool and composed.
Why? Because, by definition, sensitivity and empathy leave us vulnerable to pain, to loneliness, and
to a certain helplessness and weakness. The more
sensitive we are, the less cool we will be. It is not a
mark of either maturity or depth to walk blithely
inside of brokenness and feel it so little that our lives
are never really bothered by it. Insensitive people,
it would seem, sleep more easily at night because
they have no great anxieties, particularly about
how their actions may have affected anyone else.
The American, Jesuit scholar, Michael Buckley,
puts this well in a now-famous essay: He compares
Jesus to Socrates in terms of simple human excellence
and, surprising to the naïve observer, Jesus doesn’t
seem to measure up to Socrates in many ways.
Here’s how Buckley puts it: Socrates went to
his death with calmness and poise. He accepted
the judgment of the court, discoursed on the alternatives suggested by death and on the dialectical indications of immortality, found no cause
for fear, drank the poison, and died. Jesus – how
much to the contrary. Jesus was almost hysterical
with terror and fear; “with loud cries and tears
to him who was able to save him from death.” He
looked repeatedly to his friends for comfort and
prayed for escape from death and found neither.
I once thought that this was because Socrates
and Jesus suffered different deaths, the one so
much more terrible than the other, the pain and
agony of the cross so overshadowing the release of
the hemlock. But now I think that this explanation,
though correct as far as it runs, is superficial and
secondary. Now I believe that Jesus was a more
profoundly weak man than Socrates, more liable to
physical pain and weariness, more sensitive to human rejection and contempt, more affected by love
and hate. Socrates never wept over Athens. Socrates
never expressed sorrow or pain over the betrayal of
friends. He was possessed and integral, never overextended, convinced that the just person could never
suffer genuine hurt. And for this reason, Socrates –
one of the greatest and most heroic people who ever
existed, a paradigm of what humanity can achieve
within the individual – was a philosopher. And
for the same reason, Jesus of Nazareth was a priest
– ambiguous, suffering, mysterious and salvific.
John of the Cross, in his classic manual, The Ascent to Mount Carmel, lays out a series of steps for
entering more deeply into Christian discipleship.
The first step is to get to know Christ more deeply
by reflecting on his life. The second step is to begin
to more actively imitate Christ by striving more
deliberately to imitate his motivation. And once this
is done, he says, we judge whether our efforts are
leading us more deeply into discipleship or more
deeply into self-delusion by, among other things, this
criterion: Is more pain beginning to flow into our
lives or are we better skilled than ever in protecting
ourselves against it? Like Jesus, are we now more
prone to weep over Jerusalem as opposed to showing Jerusalem just how far above its pains we really
are? Are we now more vulnerable or more cool?
Iris Murdoch once wrote: “A common soldier dies
without fear, but Jesus died afraid.” There’s a lesson
in that.
Father Rolheiser is a theologian, teacher and award
winning author. Currently, he is the president of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. He can be
contacted through his Web site: www.ronrolheiser.com.
viewpoint
17
Looking Around
by Father William J. Byron SJ
Dealing with job-seeking discouragement
Several weeks ago, Microsoft eliminated 5,000
jobs and IBM notified an
undisclosed number of employees that they would
be subject to a “resource action.” That’s a new term
for layoffs. Hundreds of thousands are out of work
and looking.
Some job seekers fi nd themselves for the fi rst
time asking someone else for help. They fi nd this
distasteful.
Unaccustomed as they are to asking for help,
they are even less prepared for the refusal and
rejection those requests will draw. Not flat-out rejections; those will be rare. But letters have a way
of being set aside, resumes get lost, promised calls
become promises broken.
This leaves the job seeker even more alone and
much discouraged.
Below these surface-level disappointments lies
a substratum of discouragement in many that calls
out for the durability of hope, a call that does not
ordinarily get an immediate response.
Hope is needed to provide the courage to endure. Those who experience job loss need immediate and repeated assurance that they have not been
laid off from life.
Back in the 1960s when college students were
supposed to be unreflective activists, Jim Beek,
a student at Loyola College in Baltimore, wrote a
poem for the campus literary quarterly that speaks
to the heart of the problem the person searching
for work has to confront.
The poem opened with the line: “I awoke in the
silent fist of the night gagging on loneliness.” Then,
several lines later, Beek writes: “And the fear that
my existence wasn’t doing anyone any good was
under my fi fth rib.”
So he prays “to a god who would have nothing
to do with a stained-glass window,” and gets this
reply: “Son, this is the pain that lets you know
you’re alive.”
The fear that your existence isn’t “doing anyone any good” adds a lot of heavy freight to a job
seeker’s discouragement. If, as the psychologists
remind us, depression is inverted anger – i.e.,
anger turned in on itself – discouragement might
be thought of as an aching awareness of not being
needed. The pain is there “under my fi fth rib” all
right, but it can serve as a reminder that the jobseeker is alive, a full member of the human race,
ready to contribute and walking a path of persistence that leads to another job.
There’s that word: persistence. Discouragement
erodes it, undercuts it, puts the fi re out.
The really discouraged person stops looking.
The persistent person never gives up.
Persistence can activate the optimism that lies
hidden in the inner person, somewhere in the
nervous system, ready to spring.
But you have to try it to become convinced. You
have to believe that the other side of every “out”
is “in,” and that any exit is an entrance in reverse.
Every ouster is the starting gate for a comeback.
You deal with discouragement by not giving up.
You simply decide not to live your life “back there;”
dredging up the past can be a real depressant.
You decide to take life one day at a time, asking
yourself: What is most important in my life right
now?
And you know, as you look at your potential, your
family responsibilities and the economic realities of
your existence, you realize that the most important
thing for you right now is getting a job.
Add your personal “Amen” to William Faulkner’s
line in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech: “I believe
that man (woman would, of course, be specifically
included today) will not merely endure: He will
prevail.”
Please pray for the priests, deacons and religious women and men in the
Baton Rouge Diocese
Mar. 1 .....Rev. Joseph M. Camilleri
................Deacon Thomas J. Malinoski
................Sr. Joseph Charles SSF
Mar. 2 .....Rev. John Carville
................Deacon Larry J. Melancon
................Sr. Maria Christy MC
Mar. 3 .....Rev. Thomas F. Clark SJ
................Deacon James J. Morrissey
................† Sr. Marie Edana Corcoran OSF
Mar. 4 .....Rev. Michael J. Collins
................Deacon Jodi A. Moscona
................Sr. M. Romuald Cormier SSF
Mar. 5 .....Rev. Paul D. Counce
................Deacon Donald J. Musso
................Sr. Judith Couturie CSJ
Mar. 6 .....Rev. Randy M. Cuevas
................Deacon Roger A. Navarra
................Br. Elliot Couvillon SC
Mar. 7 .....Rev. Gregory J. Daigle
................Deacon Angelo S. Nola
................Br. Eldon Crifasi SC
Mar. 8 .....Rev. Thomas Danso
................Deacon Curles P. Reesom Jr.
................Sr. Mary Ann Culotta OP
Mar. 9 .....Rev. Jamin S. David
................Deacon Frank W. Rhodes Jr.
................Sr. Reneé Daigle MSC
Mar. 10 ...Rev. Christopher J. Decker
................Deacon Alfred J. Ricard Jr.
................Br. Ramon Daunis SC
Mar. 11 ...Rev. Tran Quang Dinh ICM
................Deacon Bruno Rizzo
................Sr. Micha DeHart MHS
Mar. 12 ...Rev. Vincent J. Dufresne
................Deacon Thomas M. Robinson
................Sr. Therese Dinh ICM
Mar. 13 ...Rev. Jerome A. Dugas
................Deacon Thomas J. St. Pierre
................Sr. Audrey Ruth Donnenfelser MSC
Mar. 14 ...Rev. Thomas P. Duhé
................Deacon Eliazar Salinas Jr.
................Sr. Veronica Dorgan OSF
Jesuit Father Byron is professor of business and society
at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. E-mail: wbyron@
sju.edu.
Lto etter
the Editor
Suggestions for creating
a Culture of Life
Three days after taking office, President Barack
Obama did just what he said he’d do, reversing
the Mexico City Policy (or Global Gag Rule), which
re-opens the door to U.S. taxpayer money going to
finance abortion overseas. This move condemns only
God knows how many babies to death. A majority
of American Catholics helped elect him, as well as
his vice-president, Joseph Biden, who is avowedly
Catholic, but militantly pro-abortion. The same is
true for the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. We
must realize that this is a terrible scandal and source
of confusion to young Catholics.
What can one person do to help create a Culture
of Life?
Pray for our conversion to a Culture of Life. I begin
with myself. We cannot win this war with our own
efforts, the past 36 years have illustrated that. This is
not about getting a pro-life majority on the Supreme
Court. This is about getting a pro-life majority in
the U.S., beginning with us Catholics. Only when
Catholics get down on their knees and humbly ask
God for acceptance of “Humanae Vitae,” will there
begin to be a change in the culture.
Study the issues. What one sees on CNN and in
The Advocate is heavily filtered by a media which is
hostile to the teachings of Jesus and His Church. But
a simple Google search will turn up many excellent
sources of information. One of these is www.ewtn.
com/prolife.
Talk about this with your friends and relatives,
including the ones who may disagree. This is a challenge for me, but providing witness to my faith is
essential – even for Catholics!!
Make one phone call each to the local office of your
Congressman and two Senators, politely but firmly
asking them to oppose FOCA in any form. This is just
three short phone calls.
One person with God does make a difference!
Don Caffery
Baton Rouge, La.
Letters to the Editor should be typed, limited
to 350 words and contain the name and
address of the writer, though the address
will not be printed. We reserve the right to
edit all letters. Send to: Letters to the Editor, The Catholic Commentator, P. O. Box
14746, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-4746, or
to [email protected]
coming events
18
Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites –
The Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites welcomes
those who are interested in developing their prayer
life according to the teachings of the Carmelite Saints.
Meetings are held on the second Sunday of each month
at Our Lady of Mercy Parish Activity Center in the St.
Gabriel Room, 444 Marquette Ave., Baton Rouge, at 1:30
p.m. The next meeting will be Sunday, March 8. For
information call 225-774-8413 or 225-926-6962.
Adult Education Series – On Wednesday,
March 4, at 7 p.m. the program, “The Book of Rev-
elation: A Code-Book or Not?” will be presented in
the St. Philomena Church Parish Hall, 108 Brulé Rd.,
Labadieville. The program, “Catholic Morality: What
is Sin, and What Can I Do About It?” will be presented
Wednesday, March 18 at 7 p.m. at the St. Philomena
Church Parish Hall. For information call the St. Philomena Church office at 985-536-4247.
St. Michael High School Social – St. Michael
the Archangel High School, 17521 Monitor Ave., Baton
Rouge, will host its 15th annual Raffle and Auction
Social on Saturday, March 21 at 6 p.m. in the St. Michael
High School Gym. For information call the St. Michael
High School office at 225-753-9782.
Feast of St. Joseph – The St. Joseph Society of
Independence will host the 101st anniversary celebration of the Feast of St. Joseph with a St. Joseph Altar, on
Sunday, March 15 at 4 p.m. at Mater Dolorosa Church,
609 Third St., Independence. For information call the
Mater Dolorosa Church office at 985-878-9639.
Limex Courses – An informational meeting
See EVENTS Page 19
CLASSIFIED ADS • CLASSIFIED ADS • CLASSIFIED ADS • CLASSIFIED ADS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BUSINESS SERVICES
BUSINESS SERVICES
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
Bus Trip. July 31 to Aug. 10: Montreal & Quebec $989, includes town
of St. Anne de Beaupre Shrine & the
Notre Dame Basilica; Oct. 11-17:
Smoky Mountain Show Trip $589. Call
Leslie Tassin at 225-769-5872.
Flower bed preparation, landscaping, general yard work, debris removal,
commercial, residential; quality work,
licensed, free estimate, references.
225-247-6079.
EUDIA’S DESIGNING WOMEN.
Permanent make-up. St. Francisville.
225-571-6690 or 225-784-0975.
Gio’s Mezza Luna now hiring all
positions. Apply in person after 5
p.m., Airline Hwy. at Old Perkins
Rd. or call 225-335-8880.
Childcare position available – fulltime with beneÀts – download application at aloysius.org/childcare/staff
or call St. Aloysius Child Care Center
225-343-1338 for information.
While we at The Catholic Commentator do our best to bring reliable
advertisers to our readers, we are
not responsible for any claims
made by any advertiser.
BUSINESS SERVICES
LEBLANC’S TREE & STUMP
REMOVAL, INC.
Prompt service-Free estimates
FULLY INSURED
E. H. “Eddie” LeBlanc
Phone 383-7316
St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of
a Peaceful Death. St. Joseph Hospice is available to support families
as they face end-of-life decisions.
Peace, comfort, dignity and support
can make everyday "a good day." Call
225-769-4810 for more information.
JUDE AND JENNIFER HEATH
CertiÀed Public Accountants
Husband and Wife Team
Accounting and
Tax Planning and Preparation
E-FILE YOUR RETURN ONLINE
at www.jheathcpa.com
13008 Justice Ave., BR 225-773-0973
Anthony's Furniture Specialties.
We restore hurricane damaged furniture. If it's furniture we do it all! ReÀnishing, re-upholstery, pick up and
delivery etc. 2263 Florida Blvd., BR.
225-413-2607.
THOMAS LUNDIN, CPA
Accounting and taxes for businesses,
non-proÀts and individuals; business,
computer, Ànancial and management
services. 30 years experience; professional, prompt and personal attention.
225-296-0404.
BEAU’S LAWN AND LANDSCAPE,
LLC. Get your yard ready for spring!
Free estimates 225-278-7523; 225667-8128.
Wallpapering by Debbie
28 years exp. 225-266-7655.
Residential/Commercial cleaning.
Dependable, honest, attention to
details. Ref. available. Call 225-4851018.
Dave's Bicycle Repair and Sales
Free pickup and delivery, free estimates, expert economical repair on
all brands. 225-924-4337 or www.
davesbicyclerepair.com.
Mr. D’s Tree Service
3 Licensed Arborists
Free Estimates
Fully Insured
Don Decell & Carl Babin, owners
225-292-6756
BROUSSEAU'S PAINTING.
Interior and exterior painting. Experienced and reliable. Free estimates.
Call 225-241-8488 or 225-928-7194.
Rug Cleaning & Repair
Oriental rugs reweaving, restoration,
re-binding, re-fringing. Padding, pillows. Pick-up & delivery.
Owner Sarko 225-383-2300
Kitchen counter tops. Call for free
estimates. John O'Neill 225-938-6141
or 225-683-6837.
Donnie’s Furniture Repair &
Upholstery. We do reÀnishing, repairs,
caning, painting of furniture and
upholstery. Business 39 yrs. Pick up
and delivery. 10876 Greenwell Springs
Rd. 225-272-2577.
FOR RENT
Hall Rentals with kitchen, VFW Post
3784, 13214 S. Choctaw Dr., B.R. All
occasions. 225-273-1999.
New luxury 1 BR executive condo
near LSU & downtown BR. $950/
monthly. 225-769-5872.
LEGAL NOTICE
Anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of Sheila Faye Stephens is
asked to contact the Diocesan Tribunal
at 225-336-8755.
Anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of Irene Munguia is asked
to contact the Diocesan Tribunal at
225-336-8755.
FOR SALE
4 plots, Roselawn Garden of Memory. $2000 each. 225-673-6827.
HELP WANTED
St. Joseph’s Academy seeks a fulltime Theology teacher for the 2009-2010
school year. Must be qualiÀed to teach
subject. Experience using technology
in classroom beneÀcial to employment.
Submit resume with references and
current transcripts to Assistant Principal
of Academics Sheri Gillio at gillios@
sjabr.org. Mail: 3015 Broussard St.,
Baton Rouge, LA 70808.
In sales employment advertisements, the advertiser must name
the product or service to be sold.
Ads must state how wages will be
paid (salary, commissions, etc.) if
money is mentioned. The ad must
also state if there is an investment
required.
PRINCIPAL NEEDED
Catholic High School of Pointe Coupée
New Roads, LA
Opening: 2009-2010 School Year
Applicants must:
1. Be a practicing Catholic
2. Possess a minimum of 5 years of teaching
or school administrative experience
3. Meet Louisiana State Department of
Education requirements for certiÀcation
4. Demonstrate leadership ability in past
or present educational assignments
Salary is commensurate with experience and is
according to Diocesan salary guidelines.
Availability prior to or on
July 1, 2009 is desirable.
For application contact:
Catholic Schools OfÀce
P.O. Box 2028
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-2028
Phone: 225-336-8735 • FAX: 225-336-8711
Applications are also available at www.csobr.org
Email: [email protected]
APPLICATION DEADLINE March 15, 2009
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news
Events
From page 18
on the Loyola Institute of Ministry (LIMEX)
Program will be held Wednesday, March 18 at 6
p.m. in room 105 of the Bishop Robert E. Tracy
Center, 1800 S. Acadian Thwy., Baton Rouge. For
information call 225-336-8760 or e-mail [email protected].
Pro-Life Teens – Louisiana Camp Joshua
will be held March 27-29 at the Bishop Robert
E. Tracy Center, 1800 S. Acadian Thrwy., Baton
Rouge, to train high school sophomores, juniors
and seniors to be pro-life leaders. For information
call 504-835-6520 or visit www.campjoshua.org.
St. Joseph Church Fair – St. Joseph School,
175 N. Eighth St., Ponchatoula, will host its annual Spring Fair March 20-22 at the school. The
event will take place from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Friday;
12 noon-9 p.m. Saturday; and 12 noon-4 p.m.
Sunday. For information call the St. Joseph School
office at 985-386-6421.
• CLASSIFIED ADS • CLASSIFIED ADS •
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
Principal’s Position Available
Hanson Memorial High School
Franklin, Louisiana
Hanson Memorial High School is a Catholic co-educational middle and secondary
school grades 6-12 with 300 students and accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Hanson is dedicated to the formation of a Christ
centered individual, equipped to use the gifts of spirit, mind, and body in positive
contributions to Church, family and society.
Applicant’s QualiÀcations:
• Uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church and meet the Diocesan and
State standards
• Master’s degree and administrative supervisory experience and/or training;
Catholic school administration experience preferred
• Excellent spiritual, educational, managerial and communication skills
How to apply:
Send resume and two letters of reference by APRIL 15, 2009 to:
Search Committee, 211 Iberia Street, Franklin, LA 70538
For more information contact:
Ken Sinitiere after 5:30 p.m. at 337-828-4591.
Hanson Memorial High School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Superintendent of Catholic Schools
The Diocese of Baton Rouge is inviting applications for the position of
Superintendent of Catholic Schools, beginning the academic year 2009/2010. The
successful candidate will provide vision and leadership to a system of 33 schools
in 8 civil parishes (counties), consisting of 8 high schools, 24 elementary schools,
and 1 special needs school serving a total of nearly 16,000 students. Applicants
should have the following quali¿cations:
•
•
•
•
•
Practicing Catholic committed to Catholic identity and academic
excellence of our schools.
Minimum Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and/or related
¿eld, Ed.D. or Ph.D. encouraged.
Minimum 5 years experience in educational administration and/or related
professional experience.
Demonstrated skills in communication, collaboration, staff development,
and supervision.
Demonstrated experience with budgetary management and resource
development.
Interested persons should send a letter of application, resumé and references
to: Mr. Joseph Ingraham, Catholic Life Center, P.O. Box 2028, Baton Rouge, LA
70821-2028. Or [email protected]. Deadline for submission of material is
March 16, 2009.
19
Question Corner
by Father John Dietzen
Covering statues
with purple
during Lent
Q. At the start of Lent
in our parish, the statues
and pictures in church are
covered with a purple cloth.
Other churches in our area
do not do this. Is there a rule
about this, or is it up to each
parish? (New York)
A. I’ve never heard of statues being covered during the
whole of Lent. Before 1970,
crosses and other images in
Catholic churches were traditionally covered with purple
veils during the final two
weeks of Lent, during what
was then called Passiontide.
When the revised missal
was published in 1970, however, it included a different
regulation, which is found
at the end of the Mass for
Saturday of the fourth week
of Lent.
“The practice of covering
crosses and images in the
c hurc h may be obser ved,
if the episcopal conference
decides.” In that case, beginning on the second Sunday
before Easter, “The crosses
are to be covered until the
end of t he celebrat ion of
the Lord’s passion on Good
Friday. Images are to remain
covered until the beginning
of the Easter Vigil.”
These r ubr ics were repeated by the Congregation
for Divine Worship in 1988.
As of now, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
has not voted to continue the
rule of covering images. Thus
t he practice has not been
permitted in this country for
38 years. Individual parishes
have no authority to reintroduce the practice on their
own.
Q. My wife is Catholic
and I was raised Protestant.
Since our marriage six years
ago, we have attended Mass
together, especially during
Lent.
Neither she nor I, however,
understand what I and others
who are not Catholic should
do or not do at Mass. I know
we should not receive Communion, but how about bowing or genuflecting before
entering the pew?
Ca n we go for wa rd at
Communion time with others who cross their arms for
a blessing? May we stand for
the Gospel, for example? And
give the sign of peace? Make
the sign of the cross at the
sprinkling of holy water?
I’m sure this is trivial, but I
know others in the parish are
as confused as I am. (Ohio)
A. It’s not at all trivial.
My mail regularly brings the
same questions from others
like yourselves.
Most Catholics, it seems
to me, have no idea how uncertain and confused those
not of our faith can be about
how to act at Mass and other
ceremonies, even after years
of being there week after
week.
The short and simple answer is that people who are
not Catholic are welcome,
even invited, to do everything Catholics do, except, as
you say, receive Communion.
Participate in the prayers,
sing, make the sign of the
cross, bow or genuflect as you
wish.
In fact, the liturgy should
become a more genuine act
of worship for you if you
participate in this way, as
long as you feel comfortable
doing so and if your actions
reflect your interior attitude
of prayer and devotion with
the people worshiping alongside you.
It would perhaps not be a
bad idea for parishes to place
an occasional note in the bulletin on these matters to put
you and others like you more
at ease.
Father Dietzen, a retired
priest living in Peoria, IL, answers questions from and about
Catholics. He can be reached at
Father John Dietzen, Box 325
Peoria, IL 61615; or e-mail:
[email protected].
20
news
Deadline approaches to enroll in case management program
Catholic Charities helping citizens
face challenges from storms
CCDBR Case Manager Kristi Hackney works with a client
whose life was adversely affected by Hurricane Gustav. Photo
by Laura Deavers
Families and individuals
who sustained losses from
hurricanes Gustav and Ike
have until March 30, 2009 to
enroll in a free case management program led by Catholic
Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge (CCDBR) and other
members of the National Recovery Consortium (NRC).
Trai ned case ma nagers
can help locate resources to
meet needs created by the
disasters, such as assistance
with the FEMA and SBA processes, employment services,
mental health counseling and
volunteer assistance for minor
house repairs.
To enroll, call the Disaster Hotline at 877-893-0283,
Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. or visit www.disas
terassistance.gov. There is no
charge for these services, and
no income limits apply.
“This program is designed
to help the most vulnerable rebuild lives that were suddenly
uprooted by these disasters,”
said David Aguillard, CCDBR
executive director.
“People may have lost their
jobs or their homes may have
been severely damaged,” continued Aguillard. “They may
need crisis counseling, medical care, or help navigating the
maze of federal and state aid
paperwork. Whatever their
need, our case managers can
help them access resources to
address it.”
For some families, their
needs may only require shortterm help. For others, whose
needs are more complex, case
managers will work with individuals and families to create and implement personal
recovery plans and to access
resources in their community
to meet some of their needs.
Just days after Hurricane
Gustav ripped through this
area, Catholic Charities USA
(CCUSA) launched the case
management program in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) to help victims
of disaster access critical resources and to provide longterm support for recovery.
HHS turned to the faithbased service provider Catholic Charities to coordinate the
effort because of its proven
track record in providing
case management services
to the tens of thousands of
hurricanes Katrina and Rita
survivors. In turn, CCUSA
formed the NRC to provide
the on-the-ground services,
with CCUSA overseeing the
program.
“Catholic Charities’ niche
in disaster response is often
long-ter m recover y” said
Kim Burgo, senior director of
Catholic Charities USA’s Office of Disaster Response. “We
are here for the long haul.”
It’s Not too Early
for Build A Basket
When families are struggling to exist on minimum-wage incomes, just
paying the rent and putting food on the table is difficult. Needy children learn at an early age that there’s
nothing in the budget for extras. Things like Easter
baskets are luxuries their families simply cannot afford.
Last year, our Build a Basket campaign was
a tremendous success and reached so many
children in need. Look at the kids in these
pictures. They were uplifted by this faithful act of sharing the Easter spirit.
St. Vincent de Paul needs your help to
build Easter baskets for thousands of
needy children. To find out how you
can help this year’s Build a Basket effort,
contact Lisa Hubble at (225) 383-7837,
extension 204.

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Transcription

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