Uptown New Orleans Catholic Church on Napolean Avenue - Monsignor Nalty
Rectory 504-899-1378 | Fax 504-899-0480
School 504-891-1927
ststephenpar@archdiocese-no.org
From the Pastor – December 7, 2025
John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths. (Mt 3:1-3)
The Christmas Season can often be a time of anxiety for us. There’s so much to do, so much to prepare. We have cards to write, homes to decorate, presents to buy, parties to attend, year-end reports to finish, etc. etc. etc. And when it’s all over, we let out a big sigh and enjoy ourselves. Then we clean up. And then we prepare for the next holiday, whether it’s New Year’s, Mardi Gras, or perhaps a Superbowl party… Sometimes it seems like it never ends.
Surely, we know that we’re called to prepare for Christmas in a “spiritual” way. We hear this call to preparation throughout the readings of Advent. Last week, it was Isaiah asking us to prepare for the “coming.” This week it’s John the Baptist calling for repentance. We’ll hear more from John next week, and they’ll we’ll start hearing from angels!
In the end, holiday preparation is important, but only as regards to whom we are welcoming. It’s nice to welcome our families, our friends, or our neighbors to our homes for a Christmas celebration. We’re called to love our neighbors as ourselves. And it’s even better when we welcome those who are poor or sick or hungry by taking part in charitable activity in our parish or working at a food bank. But the real welcoming during Christmas should be the welcome that we give Jesus in our hearts. We hear the preparations of Advent: conversion, repentance and Confession. The reason is that we should welcome more than each other. We should welcome the Prince of Peace.
I don’t know about you, but Christmas parties, celebrations, dinners and receptions tend to wear me out. But the time I spend in quiet adoration and prayer with Christ in the Eucharist give me the peace that I need to put up with the craziness and commotion of the holidays.
We all know the “reason for the season” is Christ. What do we do to recognize that? Crèche scenes and “religious” greeting cards and “Keep Christ in your Christmas” bumper stickers are great. But Christ primarily wants to be recognized within our own souls. It’s there that He can give us the peace that the world can’t give. It’s there that He calms our soul and converts our hearts. It’s there that He gives us inner joy. And if we have that inner joy, we’re much more able to give it to each other! Consider attending some of the occasions we have for Eucharistic Adoration in our parish. Tuesdays 4:45pm – 5:45p in the Basilica of St Stephen, and Thursdays 7:00am – 8:00am in St. Henry Church. Come spend time with the Prince of Peace.
(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
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
Christmas Giving Tree
The St. Vincent de Paul Society needs your help. A Christmas Giving Tree has been set up next to the St. Anthony Statue. The ornaments on the tree have names and ages of children along with their Christmas gift wish. We also will be helping the Veterans and needy in our community that frequent our food pantry. If you can, please pick an ornament from the Tree then return the gift with the ornament and place under the tree by Sunday, December 14 following the 10:30am Mass.
Thanksgiving Baskets – THANKS!
The St. Vincent de Paul Society would like to thank everyone for your help in providing Thanksgiving Baskets for the needy of our parish. With your help we are hoping to feed over 40 families for Thanksgiving this year. Thanks for sharing your blessings with others. “For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; a stranger, and you welcomed me.” (Mt. 25:35)
Parish Intentions
In Memory of . . .
Bennie Vance Atkins, Ceila Atkins, Herman Bastian Sr, Lydia Maria Bastian, Phillip Bellini, Mr & Mrs Elmo J. Bourgeois, Brandon Brimmer, Rodney & Rose Bullen, Marie Louise Broussard Brown, Marlene Brown, Neely Brown, John Brunet Sr, Bernard Caillouet, Doris Pinseau Caillouet, Odile & Albert Ceasar, James & Ernestine Charlebois, Robert Charlebois, Carol Clanton, Hurlin & Ruby Daire, Beverly Davis, Frank H. “Happy” Davis Jr, Charles & Mary Ann Doyle, Mary & Alvin Rudy Eason, Sonia Lopez Eisele, Hugh & Donie Evans, Hugh Evans Jr, Claire Brown Fair, Hazel Fair, Leland Fair, Leonard Fair, William Fair, Lewis Fawcett, Patricia Fleming, David Forly, Robert Fuentes Jr, Aaron “Skip” Gamble, Armen Gamble, Lilian Gamble, Joan Glynn, Larry Harlaux, Sally & Dick Hodges, Jessie Jackson Sr, Thelma Jackson, Felicia Johnson, Fred Johnson Sr, Fred Johnson Jr, Jaime Jones, Edward Julien, Mary Julien, Mary Jane Kopal, Florancia Lafredo, Wilfred LaHaye, Benedict LeBlanc, Edward LeBlanc, Margaret LeBlanc, Linda Lewis, Reese Lewis, Rafael Madan, Shirley Mallory, the Marchessault Family, Anne Meeks, the Mosczynski grandparents, Deacon Paul Nalty, Lyman Newsham, Dorila Olivares, Donald & Joan Ornellas, Alvin J. Paul Jr, Pearl H. Paul, the Picot & Powell Families, Laureano Pinseau, Daniel & Lucille Powell, Daniel T. Powell, Darius Powell, Joseph & Lottie Preis, Elvis Presley, the Ritchotte Family, Shawanda Robertson, Richard J. Roth Jr, Stanley & Sally Ryba, the Ryba grandparents, Frances Scaverson, Helen & Frank Schmidt, Sidonie Schmidt, Alex Shelton, June Smith, Bruce & Mickey Snider, Mr & Mrs Lloyd Templet, Neil & Georgia Mae Thompson, Gene & Kelly Watt, Eric Weaver, and Anne & Earl Westfall Sr.
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.
Poinsettias!
Poinsettias in the Sanctuary during Christmas make for a beautiful display. We appreciate a donation in memory of departed loved ones whose names will be recorded in the bulletin and on the parish website. Thanks for helping us decorate the altar!
St. Andrew, Apostle November 30
According to the Gospel of John, Andrew was originally a disciple of St. John the Baptist. When John pointed to Jesus and said, “behold the Lamb of God!” Andrew left John to follow Jesus. Because of this, Andrew is traditionally known as the first disciple of Christ and the one who introduced his brother, Peter, to the Lord. After Our Lord ascended into Heaven, St. Andrew preached the Gospel in Greece and Turkey. He was put to death on a cross shaped like the letter X, to which he was tied rather than nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people about the Messiah.
The Advent Wreath
The Advent wreath is a set of four candles which are lit each Sunday of the Advent Season. Three of the candles are violet-colored, and one is rose-colored. The violet candles symbolize faithful expectation, and the rose candle symbolizes joy and hope. These colors mirror the colors of the priest’s vestments used during the Sundays of Advent. In earlier times, the season of Advent had stronger penitential and ascetic aspects, and a relaxation of disciplines was offered on the third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin for “rejoice”, the first words of the Introit. This turn is reflected in the shift from violet to rose. One violet candle is lit on the first evening of Advent (a Sunday). On successive Sundays, the second violet candle is added, then the rose candle on Gaudete Sunday, and finally, the third violet candle. So enough about the colors, what about the flame? The flame signifies Christ, the “Light of the World.”
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