Calendar - December 17, 2011

Deadline Alert! The Clarion Herald will not publish a Dec. 31 issue. Time-sensitive notices should run in Dec. 24 issue. calendar@clarionherald.org

Dec. 18-25

DON’T MISS
HOLY SPIRIT RETREAT WEEKEND
➤  Jan. 6-8
➤  “Loved,” for teens and young adults. Weekend of inspiration, praise, worship, fellowship with speakers: Father Steve Bruno, Father Kyle Dave, Matt Bourgeois, Colin MacIver, Timmy McCaffery, Audrey Seghers, Laine Bodin, Casey Sprehe, Josh Johnson,  Leslie Bertucci and music by Brad Doyle
➤ Landmark Hotel in Metairie
➤ Sponsored by the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans. Email youth@ccrno.org; www.ccrno.org. Cost: $160, includes room, board, four meals. www.ccrno.org/youth, 828-1368

PARISHES
    ST. PETER, blessing and lighting of parish Christmas tree, Dec. 18, 6 p.m., caroling, cookies, hot chocolate. Tickets also are on sale for the parish’s sixth annual Festival of Life, Jan. 14, 5-9 p.m. 125 East 19th Ave., Covington. (985) 892-2422.
    ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, annual Breakfast with Santa, Dec. 18, 8:30-11:30 a.m., sponsored by Knights of Columbus. Free to children of all ages with breakfast. 11345 St. John Church Road, Folsom.
    ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA, and Kids 4 Jesus present, “Bless the Baby Jesus,” Dec. 18, 9 a.m. Mass followed by Christmas carols and snacks in Barrett Complex, 105 Bonnabel Blvd., Metairie. Bring baby Jesus nativity figure to be blessed during Mass, gift-wrap him after Mass and open on Christmas morning to place in manger.
    ST. PETER CLAVER, Christmas Dinner, Dec. 18, 3 p.m., parish hall; Christmas concert 6 p.m. in church featuring the parish’s “Voices of Peter Claver” choir, young adult choir, children’s choir and liturgical dancers and drummers. Bible study, Dec. 19, 6 p.m., 1923 St. Philip St., New Orleans.
    ST. ANGELA MERICI, annual Christmas caroling with children’s and adult choirs followed by food and beverages, Dec. 18, 5:30 p..m., Msgr. Kern Center. Also raffle of “Super Bowl Weekend” package that includes two game tickets, three nights’ stay in Indianapolis, Ruth’s Chris gift card and $1,500 for other expenses for $10 a ticket or three for $25. 901 Beverly Garden Drive, Metairie. 835-0324.
    ST. CLEMENT OF ROME, and Kids for Jesus present “Bless the Baby Jesus,” Dec. 18, 10 a.m. Mass. Wrap your baby Jesus figure in back of church after Mass, it will be blessed and ready to place under your Christmas tree as the first present to open Christmas morning.
    ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA, healing Mass with Taize hymns, eucharistic exposition and benediction, Dec. 19, 7 p.m. 4640 Canal St., New Orleans.
    ST. GERTRUDE, Parish Advent reconciliation, 6-8 p.m. Dec. 20 at St. John the Baptist, 15405 Hwy. 90, Paradis; Dec. 22 at St. Gertrude, 17292 La. Hwy. 631, Des Allemands. 
    ST. LOUIS KING OF FRANCE, Living Nativity, Dec. 20, 7 p.m., Lorio Center, 1600 Lake Ave., Metairie. Free admission.

SCHOOLS
    ST. PHILIP NERI, annual kindergarten Christmas play, Dec. 20, 7 p.m., parishioners’ center, 6500 Kawanee Ave.

KUDOS
    HELEN SIGUR has been named WLAE development director. An honor graduate of Mount Carmel Academy and LSU, where she majored in advertising/journalism, Sigur will oversee the WLAE Tuition Auction, and seek to expand corporate underwriting and individual sponsorship of TheDailyMass.com and “Issues & Faith,” among other projects. Since 1996, she has been employed by the Archdioceses of Baltimore, Milwaukee and Atlanta as director of music and liturgy at her parishes.
    JOEY M. SCAFFIDI, AFSC, president and principal of Christian Brothers School, was named an affiliate of the Brothers of Christian Schools in a ceremony at the school Oct. 26 with superior general of the Brothers of Christian Schools, Brother Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria, Archbishop Gregory Aymond, Brother Robert Schieler (councilor for the United States/Toronto Region) and Brother Timothy Coldwell (brothers’ New Orleans-Santa Fe district representative) on hand. He was conferred an affiliate because of his “personal life inspired by Lasallian spirituality and active and long-lasting participation in our work of education.” Scaffidi, who was taught by the Christian Brothers at Archbishop Rummel High School, has been principal at Christian Brothers School for 14 years.

COMING…
    EVENING OF EUCHARISTIC ADORATION FOR VOCATIONS, Jan. 5, 7 p.m., with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, silent adoration, prayers for vocations and concluding with benediction at 8 p.m. Visitation of Our Lady, 3500 Ames Blvd., Marrero. Next evening for eucharistic adoration: Feb. 5 at St. Clement of Rome. 861-6298.
    CENACLE RETREAT HOUSE, January 2012 retreats: Jan. 6-8, “Recovery, Spirituality and Communication” with Therese Griffin; Jan. 13-15, “The Beatitudes: Key to Peace and Healing in the Worst of Times” with Jesuit Father Matt Linn; Jan. 20-22, “All for Me or Me for All?” with Father Donald Blanchard; Jan. 21, young adult ministry morning of reflection, 250-9697; Jan. 27-29, “Women’s Ways of Knowing: Exploring the Feminine Path to Holy Wisdom,” with Father Whitney Miller. Ongoing Cenacle programs: home retreats, individual spiritual direction, directed retreats, days of prayer. 887-1420, (800) 669-4095, www.cenaclesisters.org/metairie.
    ST. ANN SCHOOL, walk-through tours for parents of prospective students, Jan. 9, 9:30 a.m., school office.
    YOUNG ADULT COUNCIL, Jan. 10, 7 p.m., Aquinas Hall of St. Dominic Church, Memphis Street across from the school in Lakeview.  This meeting teaches about the council and encourages ideas to build Young Adult Ministry. rlongest @arch-no.org.
    NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING, Family Life Apostolate’s Sympto-Thermal Method of Natural Family Planning by Caroline Sholl. Class dates: Jan. 10, Jan. 24, Feb. 7 and March 6; St. Dominic, New Orleans. Preregistration required; $100 cost. 861-6243.
    JOURNAL FOR A DAY WORKSHOP, Jan. 13, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., teaches ways to enrich prayer, health, organization, creativity. Cost: $115 for two or more. St. Joseph Abbey Christian Life Center. 583-0461, email emorgandufrene@gmail.com, www.ericamorganlcsw.com.   
    DUCHESNE HOUSE, “Come and See,” day of prayer and conversation to discern religious life with the Society of the Sacred Heart, Jan. 21, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Meals will be provided. Religious of the Sacred Heart Duchesne House, 2545 Bayou Road, New Orleans. RSVP: Sister Mary Pat White, mwhite@rscj.org, 881-4505.