Good Shepherd Parish – St. Stephen Catholic Church

From the Pastor – November 2, 2025

“And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.” (Jn. 6:39-40)

One of the more obvious jobs of a pastor is presiding over liturgical events, whether it’s Sunday Masses, weddings or funerals. We are currently in the fall New Orleans wedding season, during which I have at least one wedding every weekend. But I’ve also provided over a few funerals recently. Although most people understand the purpose of a funeral, some people don’t. They might call it a “celebration of a life.” While I am always happy that someone led a holy, exemplary life, what that person had a difficult or troubled life? Or what happens if the person even took his or her own life?

We have to remember that there are three purposes to a funeral: (1) to mourn together; (2) to be consoled by the Gospel message of hope; and (3) to pray for the soul of the deceased person. The biggest problem with a “celebration of a life” is that it tends to focus on past, earthly events. And if the person’s life was so good, why should we worry that they might be in Purgatory?

The Catholic Church dedicates each month of the year to a specific devotion. In November, that devotion is the Poor Souls in Purgatory – those faithful Christians who have died but who still must atone for their sins. Purgatory cleanses them so that they may enter Heaven free from all of the effects of sin.

Praying for the dead, especially for deceased friends and relatives, is a necessary part of Christian charity. Our own prayers and sacrifices can relieve their suffering.

In the past, one of the most commonly recited Catholic prayers was the Requiem aeternam, a prayer that has fallen into disuse in the last few decades. In English the prayer goes: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”

Look, I hope my Dad went straight to Heaven when he died in 2009. And I remember so many great stories about his life, too. But what kind of a son would I be if I arrived in Purgatory to find that he was still there because I didn’t help him out with my own prayers?

Prayer for the dead is one of the greatest acts of charity we can perform. Use the month of November to pray for your deceased relatives and friends. We want to help them enter more quickly into the fullness of Heaven. And when they get there, they can pray that we will join them!

(Very Rev. Msgr.) Christopher H. Nalty
msgr.nalty@gmail.com

Masses

St. Stephen
Saturday Vigil at 4:00 pm
Sunday at 8:00 am and 10:30 am
Sunday at 5:00 pm at OLGC

Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC)
Center of Jesus the Lord
Charismatic Mass
Sunday at 10 am

Weekdays Masses
Monday – Friday 6:30 am St. Henry
Tuesdays 6:00 pm St. Stephen
First Fridays 6:00 pm Latin Mass

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Tuesdays 4:45 – 5:45pm St. Stephen
Thursdays 7:00 – 8:00am St. Henry

Learn More about Adoration

Confession Times at Good Shepherd
Saturdays 3:00 – 3:45pm St. Stephen
Sundays 9:30 – 10:15am St. Stephen
Sundays 10:00 – 10:30am OLGC
First Fridays 6:30 – 7:00pm OLGC

Remember to Pray for the Faithful Departed!

Traditionally, the Church dedicates each month of the year to a certain devotion. In November, we remember the Holy Souls in Purgatory – faithful Christians who have died and gone before us but who still must atone for their sins. The time they spend in Purgatory cleanses them so that they may enter Heaven free from all effects of sin.

Praying for the dead, especially for those we have known, is a requirement of Christian charity. Our own prayers and sacrifices can be offered up to relieve their suffering. The following prayer, among others, can be incorporated into our daily prayers during this month: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, is also granted to the faithful who fulfill the following conditions:

On any and each day from November 1 to 8, devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, if only mentally, for the departed (the ‘Eternal rest grant unto them…’ suffices)
Offer an Our Father and Hail Mary for the Pope’s Intentions
Make a good confession within a week and be free from all attachment to sin
Receive Holy Communion that day (or ASAP following if unable that day)

Please Pray for the Faithful Departed of our Parish

Blessing of the Cemeteries

On All Saints Day, Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 11:00am, Msgr. Nalty will bless the St Vincent Cemeteries on Soniat and Loyola Avenue (behind Newman School). These cemeteries are the resting places for many longtime parishioners of St. Stephen Church, as well as the Vincentian Priests and Daughters of Charity who served our parish for over 150 years. At 11:30am, Msgr. Nalty will bless St Joseph Cemetery located at 2220 Washington Ave.

If you care to attend, an indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, is granted to the faithful who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. The indulgence is plenary each day from the 1st to the 8th of November; it is partial on other days of the year.

To acquire a plenary indulgence, one must fulfill the following three conditions: (1) Sacramental Confession, (2) Holy Communion, and (3) prayer for the intention of the Holy Father. The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the visit; it is, however, fitting that Holy Communion be received and the prayer for the intention of the Holy Father be said on the same day as the visit. The condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father is satisfied by reciting one Our Father & one Hail Mary. A plenary indulgence can be acquired once a day.

First Friday Devotion

Jesus recounted the following to St. Margaret Mary, and this devotion has been recognized by the Church:
“To all those who, during nine months on end, will receive Holy Communion on the first Fridays of every month. I promise the Grace of final perseverance. They will not die in My disgrace, but will receive the Sacraments (if necessary), and My Heart will be sure shelter for them in that extreme moment.”

The First Friday promises of our Lord to St. Margaret Mary:
1. I will give them graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I will establish peace in their houses.
3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
4. I will be their strength during life and during death.
5. I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall grow fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
9. I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored.
10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out.
12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant all to those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their sacraments; My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

Each First Friday at the Basilica of St. Stephen we celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass at 6:00pm as a means of providing an opportunity to obtain the First Friday promises Jesus made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, and of course you can make your First Friday at the morning Mass on Friday at 6:30am.

Apostolate Fair

Knights of Columbus
Our area wide Knights of Columbus De La Salle Council 3411 offers a real, visible example of Catholic Charity in action. Our chapter participates in many regularly scheduled service projects: they provide food and clothing to the needy, bring Holy Eucharist to shut-ins and schedule monthly service days at St. Henry and St. Stephen campuses to address maintenance issues, among other things. Open to men over 18 years of age, the KC are a great group that has fun as they serve the parish and wider community!

Altar Servers
Our Altar Servers play a very important role in the liturgy. They are part of the procession, handle incense, help prepare the altar for Mass, aid with baptisms, and help with the sacred vessels. Our parish has a great need for young men desiring to serve at the altar as some of our current servers will be going off to college soon.

Altar Society
The Altar Society prepares the altar and sanctuary for Mass. This includes replenishing oil and wax candles, providing clean, ironed altar linens, attending to flowers on the altar and to holy water fonts. The Altar Society also decorates the church for Christmas, Easter and other special occasions.

Rectory Volunteers
We are always in need of help at the Rectory Office. Some volunteers handle specific record keeping tasks like updating sacramental registers that must be done on a regular basis. Others help with our service ministries, like distributing snack packs or canned goods, and some are just willing to help with whatever needs doing! The time commitment is up to you.

Ozanam Inn
The Ozanam Inn (OI) Support Group provides a hot meal every month for the homeless living on our city streets. On the fourth Thursday of the month, volunteers meet at the rectory to prepare the meal, which they serve the same day at Ozanam Inn. Volunteers who serve with the OI Support Group experience the overwhelming joy – a true blessing from the Holy Spirit – that God pours out on those who serve the needy.

Rebuild Center Support Group
The Rebuild Center, located at St. Joseph Church on Tulane Avenue, provides basic services to help ‘rebuild’ the lives of the homeless and those in need. Volunteers from Good Shepherd Parish provide a tasty, nourishing meal on the first and third Thursday of every month. One day before serving, we prepare the meals (usually from scratch!) at the rectory.

Choir
The Choir sings at the 10:30 am Mass on Sundays, which is preceded by a 10:00 am rehearsal. On the last Sunday of the month, the Choir sings at the Extraordinary Form of the Mass of the Roman Rite, the “Tridentine” (Latin) Mass, which is preceded by a rehearsal at noon. All are welcome to join, no musical training necessary!

Healthcare/Homebound Eucharistic Ministry
In recognition of the needs of those unable to attend Mass, volunteers in the Healthcare/Homebound Eucharistic Ministry bring Holy Eucharist to the homebound in the parish and to Kindred Hospital, Unity and Uptown nursing homes. This service is offered on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings. Volunteers must be Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC), trained for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Special Events Committee
The Special Events Committee needs YOU! If you like to help with meal based events, you’ll have a great time! Our busy season is February to June as the committee organizes the Lenten fish fry, St. Joseph Altar (including Cookie Sunday) and Corpus Christi post-procession lunch.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) experience the great diversity of the Church, the Body of Christ, when they serve our parish community by assisting the celebrant in sharing the Body and Blood of Our Lord. Adults 18 years and older who have received the three sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Holy Eucharist and Confirmation) may serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

Lectors
Lectors serve the parish community in a very special way; their goal is to engage the hearts and minds of the congregation as they hear the Word of God.

Good Shepherd always welcomes of volunteers in both groups, although our greatest need at this time is for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion! Please prayerfully consider whether God is calling you to serve your parish in either of these special ministries. Scheduling is flexible.

Society of St Vincent de Paul
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul offers volunteers meaningful opportunities to serve their neighbors in need with love and compassion. Our chapter of is one of the most active in New Orleans. Regular activities include “Christmas in July”, weekly distribution of lunch snack-packs, weekly distribution of shelter vouchers and information sessions on managing finances. We strive to be more than a one time “emergency” help line and really make a change in our clients’ lives. Monthly meetings are held in the rectory.

Religious Education
Good Shepherd Parish offers religious education for school children, adults and those non-Catholics interested in learning about our faith.

We offer CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) classes for grades 1 – 4. Classes meet on Sunday mornings 9:20-10:20, beginning mid-September and follow the academic calendar. We are in need of volunteer teachers!

Bible study classes can help you develop a better understanding of our faith, and a deeper relationship with God. Small groups meet weekly to study and discuss salvation history.

RCIA is a process of reflection, prayer, instruction, discernment, and formation for those who wish to come into full communion with the Catholic Church. Catholics are also invited to attend to further their religious education.

The Sorrowful Mother September 15

Over thirty days, the Church has celebrated four feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary: the Assumption (August 15), the Queenship (August 22), the Nativity (September 8), and the Holy Name of Mary (September 12). On September 15, we usually recall “Our Sorrowful Mother,” also known as Mater Dolorosa in Latin. This year the feast will be preempted by the Sunday Mass.

Over the centuries, the Church has recognized popular devotion to seven sorrows of Mary: (1) the Prophecy of Simeon over the Infant Jesus (Lk 2:34); (2) the Flight into Egypt of the Holy Family (Mt 2:13); (3) the Loss of the Child Jesus for Three Days (Lk 2:43); (4) the Meeting of Jesus and Mary along the Way of the Cross (Lk 23:26); (5) the Crucifixion, where Mary stands at the foot of the cross (Jn 19:25); (6) the Descent from the Cross, where Mary receives the dead body of Jesus in her arms (Mt 27:57); and (7) the Burial of Jesus. (John 19:40). Numerous devotions, and even religious orders, have arisen around meditation on the Seven Sorrows.

Our Lady of Sorrows has been the subject of some key works of Marian art. In iconography, Our Lady of Seven Sorrows is at times represented as the Virgin Mary wounded by seven swords in her heart, a reference to the prophecy of Simeon at the Presentation. In other depictions, the expression of the Virgin is one of sadness.

The first known altar to Mater Dolorosa was made in 1221 at the monastery of Schunau in southern Germany. In many countries, parishioners traditionally carry statues of Our Lady of Sorrows in processions on the days leading to Good Friday.

The liturgical feast of the Our Lady of Sorrows originated in 1413, and Vatican approval for the celebration of a feast in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows was first granted to the Servite order in 1667. Pope Pius VII extended the celebration to the whole of the Latin Church in 1814, and Pope St. Pius X established the feast on September 15, the day after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. The sequence known as Stabat Mater is sung at Mass on that day.

All Hallows’ Eve

Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve is not a liturgical feast on the Catholic calendar, but the celebration has deep ties to the Liturgical Year. These three consecutive days ”” Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day ”” bring to mind the Communion of Believers. On earth we are called the “Church Militant,” because we are striving to get to heaven.Â We pray for the “Church Suffering,” the souls in Purgatory, especially on All Souls Day (and even the entire month of November). We also honor and ask the intercession of the “Church Triumphant,” those souls, whether canonized or uncanonized, who are in Heaven.

In England, saints or holy people are called “hallowed,” hence All Saints Day wasÂ “All Hallow’s Day.” The evening before the feast became popularly known as “All Hallows’ Eve” or even shorter, “Hallowe’en.”

Since Vatican II, some liturgical observances have been altered, one being that the practice of a “fast prior to a feast” is no longer required. Originally, the days preceding great solemnities, like Christmas and All Saints Day, had a penitential nature, requiring abstinence from meat, fasting and prayer. Although no longer required by the Church, it is still a devout practice to prepare oneself spiritually before great feast days.

Since it occurred the night before All Saints Day, Halloween was a vigil and required fasting. Many recipes and traditions were attached to this evening, including pancakes, boxty bread, barmbrack (Irish fruit bread with hidden charms), colcannon (a combination of cabbage and boiled potatoes). The night was also known as “Nutcracker Night” in England, where the family gathered around the hearth to enjoy cider and nuts and apples.

Halloween is the preparation for the two upcoming feasts of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Although neither demons nor witchcraft have a place in a Catholic celebration, some macabre elements can be incorporated into Halloween. Skulls are often used in Catholic art as a “memento mori” or “reminder of death,” since it is good to remind ourselves of our impending death and the Poor Souls in Purgatory. But, ultimately, everything points to the glory of Heaven and the saints surrounding the throne of God.

Missionaries and Martyrdom

The North American Martyrs October 19, 2025

The only reason we know about Jesus Christ is that someone told us. More than likely, that person was our parents, but it could have been a priest, a teacher or even a friend. And the person who told us only knew about Jesus because someone had told him or her. And someone told that person, too. And so on. We trace that chain of people passing on their knowledge of Christ back to the Apostles, who were told by Jesus to: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:19-20). This statement of Jesus is called the “Great Commission” – the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his Apostles to spread His teachings to everyone. It is an important tenet in Christian theology emphasizing mission work, evangelism, and baptism; and it is the primary basis for Christian missionary activity today.

The interesting thing about missionary activity is the danger that has surrounded it since the beginning. Out of the eleven Apostles charged with the Great Commission, only St. John died of natural causes. The rest were martyrs. From the first century to the twentieth century, this has stood true. As the theologian Tertullian observed around the year 200 A.D.: “We have become more numerous every time we are hewn down by you. The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

As I stated in a recent weekday homily, one of the problems we face in America is the lack of martyrs. Compared to many countries, we received our Christianity in America fairly easily, and sometimes when things are easily obtained, they’re not appreciated as well. Although we know we’re of the same faith as the martyrs Peter & Paul in the first century and the martyr Maximillian Kolbe in the last century, their tombs are not among us. But we can at least recognize a few, the North American Martyrs, a group of eight Jesuit missionaries who spread the Faith among the Indians of Canada in the 17th century, and paid the price with their lives.

This weekend we celebrate “Mission Sunday,” and on Monday we remember the North American Martyrs: Sts. John de Brebeuf, Isaac Jogues and their companions. These early Jesuit missionaries arrived in Quebec in 1625. Initially, their work was with the French settlers and traders and evangelizing the nearby Indians. Soon they extended their missionary efforts to the Huron nation about 800 miles west of Quebec (about 100 miles north of present day Toronto.) In Huronia, the first Jesuit missionaries visited the scattered Indian villages, and were welcomed by several Indian families with whom they lived. As the priests’ missionary efforts to the Hurons proved successful, more missionaries arrived, and they decided to construct a Christian settlement in Huronia where Indian converts and the missionaries could live. In 1639, they began building Sainte Marie. The first dwelling was a single bark-covered Huron-style cabin that housed ten Jesuits and five workmen. Sainte Marie grew to a fortified village with a residence for 27 priests and 39 French laborers, a church, storehouses for food and equipment, a hospital, and living quarters for visiting Indians. During the early years, the mission prepared hundreds of Indians for baptism and began constructing churches in the Huron villages.

Trouble soon came from the hostile Iroquois nation to the southeast, which began ambushing the supply route between Huronia and Quebec. In 1642, Father Isaac Jogues and Rene Goupil were captured on a return trip to Sainte Marie from Quebec. Father Goupil was martyred while making the sign of the cross on a child. Father Jogues had his fingers eaten and was enslaved. Although he escaped and returned to France (where the Pope gave him special permission to say Mass without his fingers), he returned to the mission – and was subsequently martyred in 1646 (in present day New York).

By 1648 the Iroquois invaded Huronia. They destroyed several villages, including Teanostaye where Father Anthony Daniel was martyred. That winter, more than 6,000 homeless Hurons would find temporary shelter and food at Sainte Marie. In March 1649, the Iroquois captured Fathers Jean de Brebeuf and Gabriel Lalemant about three miles from Sainte Marie, and took the priests to Saint Ignace where they tortured and killed them. By May 1649, fifteen Huron villages had been destroyed. The survivors fled to Sainte Marie or to neighboring villages. The Jesuits, realizing that Sainte Marie could not withstand an attack from the Iriquois, burned the settlement and sought safety on Saint Joseph Island with the remaining Christian Indians. There they endured a winter plagued by starvation and disease. In December 1649, two more priests, Fathers Charles Garnier and Noel Chabanel, were martyred. In the summer of 1650, the surviving priests with about three-hundred Indians left Huronia. After a forty-nine day journey, they found sanctuary in Quebec.

The North American Martyrs were canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1930. Their feast day is celebrated on October 19th in the United States. Those of us in the “developed” world would do well to remember these martyrs and the sacrifice of their blood which became the seed for the Church in our own country. And recognizing that the Gospel has not yet reached all nations, it is our obligation to support missionary activity in the “undeveloped” world.

Our Lady of the Rosary

October 7

In 1571 Pope Pius V instituted “Our Lady of Victory” as an annual feast to commemorate the victory of Lepanto, where Christian forces successfully thwarted an attempted invasion of Western Europe by the Muslim forces of the Ottaman Empire. The victory was attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a Rosary procession had been offered on that day in St. Peter’s Square in Rome for the success of the mission of the Holy League. In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII changed the title of this feast-day to “Feast of the Holy Rosary”. This feast was extended by Pope Clement XII to the whole of the Latin Rite, inserting it into the Roman Catholic calendar of saints in 1716, and assigning it to the first Sunday in October. Pope Pius X changed the date to 7 October in 1913, as part of his effort to restore celebration of the liturgy of the Sundays.

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Feast Day – October 5

Born in Füssen, Bavaria, in 1809, Francis Xavier Seelos was well educated and had a special gift for languages, but his most outstanding characteristic was his humility. He was ordained a Redemptorist priest in Baltimore, Maryland in 1844. Always loyal to the Order’s charism, he was at heart a “missionary with a constant smile on his lips and a generous heart, particularly toward the needy and outcasts,” his followers said. His confessional was always open to everyone, and he heard confessions in German, English, and French, from anyone, regardless of their ethnicity. As a priest, he was distinguished for his “simple lifestyle and language,” so much so that his sermons were heard and understood even by the most simple. Of all the souls entrusted to his care, the ones he was especially fond of were the children. He considered the catechesis of children “fundamental for the Christian growth of the parish community.”

In 1860, when Bishop Michael O’Connor of Pittsburgh was leaving the diocese, he “nominated” Seelos as his most reliable successor. However, Father Seelos wrote Pope Pius IX, begging him to free him “from this act of God.” When the Civil War broke out in the United States new laws were passed regarding military service. In 1863 all men were obliged to be available for active duty. At the time, Seelos was Superior of the Redemptorist Seminary. He went to Washington to meet President Abraham Lincoln and was successful in releasing the Seminary students from being sent to the front. Seelos lost his position as Prefect of Students shortly thereafter, for being “too lenient” with youth. As a result, from 1863 to 1866 Francis Xavier Seelos devoted himself to itinerant missionary work, preaching in English and German in many parts of the United States. He died in New Orleans on October 4, 1867 of yellow fever at only 48 years of age, spending several weeks “patiently and light-heartedly tolerating the illness.” His mortal remains are in our neighboring parish of St. Mary’s Assumption at the National Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos.

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