News - October 2018 RSS Feed

Baton Rouge Bishop Michael G. Duca, holding a reliquary that contains a drop of blood from St. John Paul II, and Archbishop Gregory Aymond blessed the new St. John Paul II House on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge on Oct. 24.

Walking into a recent rehearsal of the New Orleans Black Chorale as it prepared for its Dec. 8 Christmas concert evoked thoughts of being in heaven and hearing soulful angels singing. “The beautifulness is the richness, the tonality we bring to the audience,” said the chorale’s Kathy Celestine as it sang “Mary Had a Baby.”

Cabrini High’s “Super Science Saturday” program, a series of learning sessions designed to help middle-school girls explore the sciences through fun activities and experiments, kicked off its 2018-19 season with a Sept. 29 session entitled “Cosmetic Chemistry.” Using graduated cylinders, test tubes and balances (scales), nearly 30 seventh and eighth graders from 13 Catholic, public and charter schools analyzed the characteristics of different shampoos (their percentage of solids, fragrance, pH level, foaming ability and grease-cutting capacity) and then determined which shampoo they would buy, based on their results. They also made their own bath soap, body scrub and dusting powder. The remaining sessions, which run through March, are open to girls in grades 4-6. Advance registration is required at www.cabrinihigh.com. Cost is $10 per student, per session. For a complete schedule, email Ann Smart at asmart@cabrinihigh.com or visit www.cabrinihigh.com/super-science-saturday.

WASHINGTON (CNS) – The U.S. Catholic bishops stand with “our brothers and sisters of the Jewish community,” the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said Oct. 27 after a horrific shooting earlier that day in Pittsburgh at the Tree of Life Synagogue, described as a hub of Jewish life in that city. The shooting occurred during a morning baby-naming ceremony, for which an estimated crowd of 45 to 100 people had gathered, according to news reports. There were 11 fatalities, all adults. Six others were injured, including four members of law enforcement. “We condemn all acts of violence and hate and yet again, call on our nation and public officials to confront the plague of gun violence,” said Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston. “Violence as a response to political, racial or religious differences must be confronted with all possible effort. God asks nothing less of us,” he said. “He begs us back to our common humanity as his sons and daughters.” At the Vatican Oct. 28, Pope Francis prayed for those affected by the deadly attack, calling it an “inhumane act of violence.” “May the Lord help us extinguish the fires of hatred that develop in our society,” the pope prayed after reciting the Angelus prayer.

I am a Jew. I was born that way.  I can’t say I am very religious. I don’t go to temple, not even during the sacred days of Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur when many Jews find their spiritual way home for at least once a year. I can’t read Hebrew. I don’t know the current year of the Jewish calendar, and I married outside of the faith. And, as I was once picking up a Yahrziet candle to light in my father’s memory, an elderly devout Jew noted my otherwise lacking ways. He called me a Bad Jew. It’s just one of our labels. As Jews we sometime tag ourselves: Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed. Other times, we have self-inflicted names: Agnostic, atheist, non-practicing. Some of us have left altogether to embrace other religions, which comfort our souls.

SCHOOLS ARCHBISHOP SHAW, deceased alumni Mass Nov. 4, 10 a.m., Don Bosco Hall, 1000 Barataria Blvd., Marrero. RSVP 340-6727, bourgeois6@archbishopshaw.us ACADEMY OF OUR  LADY, open house, Nov. 8, 4-7 p.m., with continuous tours every 30 minutes highlighting academic departments and the school’s hands-on Program of Academic Majors. 5501 Westbank Expressway, Marrero. 341-6217, ext. 212. HOLY ROSARY SCHOOL, Stars and Strikes for Kids! Nov. 11, Rock ‘n’ Bowl, with music, food, celebrities and guest appearances. E-mail starsandstrikes@holyrosary nola.org. Also, FoBook Fair Nov. 8-15 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. in gym. Proceeds benefit Holy Rosary. Grandparents’ Day Nov. 8 for students in grades pre-K to 12th, with Mass at 8:45 a.m. followed by hospitality, grandparent photos and classroom visits. PTC hosts annual Thanksgiving Feast on campus for students and family lunch times vary depending on child’s grade. parentsclub@holyrosarynola.org; contactus@holyrosarynola.org, 482-7173. 

Mount Carmel, winner of five of the last six Division I championships, shares the No. 1 seed with Archbishop Hannan, the top-ranked school in Division IV, as the race for an Allstate Sugar Bowl state volleyball championship gets under way. The two powers are among 12 local Catholic schools to qualify in one of four divisions for the Nov. 8-10 matches at the Pontchartrain Center. Archbishop Chapelle drew the No. 2 seed as result of its successful regular season in which the Chipmunks finished second to Mount Carmel in district play. Dominican is the Division I No. 16 seed, but Mount Carmel’s top threats are No. 3 Dutchtown and No. 4 St. Joseph’s Academy of Baton Rouge.

Queridos hermanos: desde hace algún tiempo atravesamos una época de crisis con relación al tema del amor, por lo que pudiera parecer absurdo preguntarse por el sentido de amar y ser amado.  Quizá, si hiciéramos una encuesta sobre amar, estaría llena de ítems que matizarían las respuestas, porque su concepto ha cambiado a lo largo de la historia y las situaciones culturales y económicas. Sobre todo, por el egoísmo social y personal con el que nos hemos conducido.  Sin embargo, es un hecho que sufrimos por la ausencia del amor, y sufrimos por los problemas que surgen a la hora de amar, e incluso sufrimos por nuestra idea equivocada o incoherente sobre lo que es el amor.

*See revisions as of 10-31-18 Image  | COURTESY NEW ORLEANS CATHOLIC CEMETERIES This colorful mosaic, a collaborative art project completed by students at St. Michael Special School for installation at Resurrection Mausoleum in St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, is the focus of the 2018 coaster created for the Friends of New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries. For a minimum donation of $25, Friends receive a coaster, regular updates from the New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office and periodic “Friends-only” mailings. All donations assist in the restoration of historic, abandoned tombs in New Orleans’ two oldest cemeteries, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places: St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 (established in 1789) and St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 (1823). For more information on how to become a “Friend,” visit www.nolacatholiccemeteries.org. ----- *Archbishop Gregory Aymond will be the principal celebrant of the All Saints’ Day Mass Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. in Our Lady of the Rosary Church, across from St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, New Orleans, followed by blessing of the graves.

Many parishes in the Archdiocese of New Orleans offer bereavement groups or grief support ministries after the death of a loved one: All Saints Catholic Church, New Orleans Bereavement team assists the family in preparing for the Funeral Mass by helping them choose the readings. Members also can assist in preparing the program. They attend the funeral and offer hospitality to those who come. They do followup calls or visits after the funeral. Contact Barbara Robinson at 361-8835. Archdiocese Retreat Center, Metairie Bereavement Support Group meets every third Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. 5500 St. Mary St., Metairie. Contact Janice Bodet at 288-9040.

The New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office has updated its popular “Family Records Guide” to include a brief overview of the Catholic funeral rite. Renamed the “Catholic Funeral Planning Guide,” the booklet still allows individuals to conveniently fill in their personal wishes and other details related to their funeral, burial and estate, but now a new preface explains the reasons behind the three parts of the Catholic funeral rite: the Vigil (wake); the Funeral Mass; and the Rite of Committal. The preface also lists other considerations, such as the need to contact your pastor or notify the funeral director if you want a Catholic Funeral Mass. “So many times a parent will pass away and the children do not know what their wishes are: Do they want to be cremated? Have they already bought a mausoleum crypt in a cemetery? Were they drawing a pension?” said Sherri Peppo, executive director of New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries. “My goal is that people start talking about death, so it becomes less scary,” Peppo said, noting that married couples often are total opposites when it comes to discussing the topic. “But you do need to talk about it – you’ve got to let your family know what your plans are,” she said.

In a Tricentennial lecture, archdiocesan archivist Dr. Emilie Leumas spoke about how the local church ministered to all cultures over the last three centuries. “For the past 300 years, as immigrants stepped onto Louisiana’s shores, the New Orleans church has baptized the young and buried the faithful,” Leumas said. “It has ministered to the faithful in their language, the language of their heart.” She said  St. Louis Cathedral did not change its sacramental records from French to English until 1920.

Looking back upon the V Encuentro National Gathering in Grapevine, Texas, has been a wonderful recollection of good memories and events that began years ago. I cannot speak about the V Encuentro (Quinto Encuentro) as a solitary event, or about any experience in particular, without referring to the work that was done by varied individuals, parishes, dioceses, regions and finally this massive group of workers and volunteers that made the V Encuentro conference possible. I had the pleasure of meeting with people of all ages and backgrounds, from laity to cardinals, and even with the Apostolic Nuncio. Upon reflecting on the V Encuentro, it was not only the meetings that came to mind, rather the clamor from many people, especially the younger generation that is no longer connecting with the church, asking for an open, welcoming church.

The passage from the Gospel of St. Luke (7:11-17) is one of the most powerful and compelling in the Bible. In the city of Naim – also known as Nain – Jesus encounters a large crowd at the gate. A young man who has died – “the only son of his mother, and she was a widow” – is being carried out for burial. Upon seeing the widowed mother in tears, Jesus tells her, “Do not weep.” He then touches the coffin and directs the young man to get up. The man arises and begins to speak. “Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, ‘A great prophet has arisen in our midst,’ and ‘God has visited his people,’” the passage concludes.

St. John the Baptist Church in New Orleans – the “Gold Steeple” church next to I-10 – is undergoing masonary and stucco repairs to its exterior, a job that is scheduled to last two to three months. Archdiocesan Building Office director Andre Villere says the 135-foot lift has a 15-foot boom that can reach even greater heights.

California’s second-oldest mission church, 1770-built San Carlos Borromeo, was the recent focus of first- and second-grade members of St. Pius X School’s art club. First grader Kai Dominguez displays his finished piece (see photo at top). After learning about the mission’s architecture and history – including its first Mass, celebrated by St. Junipero Serra – the young artists (including first grader Finley McDermott, above) were instructed by club moderator Cathy Vidos to include the following elements in their compositions: a stone church with a dome, bell tower and arched windows; and a courtyard of roses and olive trees. They also had to incorporate the church’s desert location in the San Lucia Mountains, which involved a lesson on perspective.

There is a city in France, called Lourdes, and it truly is a life-changing place. For those who don’t know, Lourdes is the place where Mary appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Where she appeared is now the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, and it is open to people from all over the world. During a month-long trip to Europe, I was fortunate enough to join a Salesian college on their annual pilgrimage to Lourdes. While the journey to the city was interesting (a 26-hour bus ride is never fun), it was more than worth it. Once we arrived at our hotel, we had a free day to explore the area. A friend and I made our way to see the shrine, only a five-minute walk from the hotel. To say the sight was breathtaking would be an understatement. It was so easy to fall in love with Lourdes. Everywhere was gorgeous architecture, with large areas to relax and pray and a river that flowed throughout the city.

A new half-acre garden inside St. Patrick Cemetery No. 3 will significantly expand local options for those who are considering cremation as their preferred method of burial. The Queen of All Saints Cremation Garden, located in the rear of St. Patrick Cemetery No. 3 at 143 City Park Ave., will offer 631 single and double niches designed exclusively for the interment of cremated remains. The garden will be blessed by Archbishop Gregory Aymond on Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. The blessing, which is open to the public, will conclude with the release of more than 300 Painted Lady butterflies symbolizing new life. Sherri Peppo, executive director of the New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office, said the space now occupied by Queen of All Saints originally was being considered for development as a mausoleum site. But recent upticks in both local and national interest in cremation had led Cemeteries staff to rethink the space as a lush and architecturally stunning garden for the burial of cremated remains.

The office of Deacon Dave Farinelli, clinical supervisor and counselor at Catholic Counseling Service of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, is a safe haven for feelings and for tears. When Deacon Farinelli counsels persons who are grieving because of the death of a loved one – whether the deceased died suddenly or declined over a long period of time – he always tries to get them talking in detail about the person they have lost. It’s the elephant in the room that so many people can’t talk about with their friends, who often don’t know what to say and retreat into innocuous conversation. “A lot of times, at the very beginning, I tell them to talk and tell me as much as they can about their child or the person they lost,” Deacon Farinelli said. “What kind of person was he? Did you enjoy being with him? The more they talk, the better they are. I also tell them to journal because they may not be comfortable talking about it, but they may be more comfortable writing it out.  “They can write letters to the person who died, saying things they needed to say. They can tear it up or burn it or keep it – they can do whatever they want with it. It’s a chance for them to put down what they felt when they lost that person. They can say the things they always wanted to say. That definitely helps them unpack all of that.”

Bartimeo es un hombre ciego dejado por alguien en el camino a Jericó para suplicar a los transeúntes una limosna. Él pide limosna estando sentado, tal vez en un lugar habitual y tal vez solo. Un ciego no puede moverse solo, y Bartimeo, para hacerse notar, debe gritar.    Privado de la visión, se agudiza su audición. Escucha venir a la multitud, escucha que se acerca el profeta y hacedor de milagros Jesús.  Ni siquiera sabe si su voz puede llegar hasta Jesús, pero grita de todas maneras: “Hijo de David, ten compasión de mí”. Jesús se encuentra en medio de la multitud: ¿lo escuchan? ¿No lo oyen? Ciertamente lo escuchan los más cercanos a él, pero los que se encuentran lejos de Él, se esfuerzan por oírle, desean escuchar las palabras del Maestro y no los gritos del ciego. Muchos, por tanto, le gritaban y regañaban para que se callara, pero él gritaba más fuerte: “Hijo de David, ten compasión de mí”.