Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid-13th century. They built in the midst of their hermitages a chapel which they dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, whom they conceived of in chivalric terms as the "Lady of the place." Our Lady of Mount Carmel was adopted in the 19th century as the patron saint of Chile, in South America. Since the 15th century, popular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has centered on the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as the Brown Scapular, a sacramental associated with promises of Mary's special aid for the salvation of the devoted wearer. … [Read more...]
Prayer for Religious Liberty
Almighty God, Father of all nations, for freedom you have set us free in Christ Jesus (Gal 5:1). We praise and bless you for the gift of religious liberty, the foundation of human rights, justice and the common good. Â Grant to our leaders the wisdom to protect and promote our liberties. By your grace may we have the courage to defend them, for ourselves and for all those who live in this blessed land. We ask this through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, our patroness, and in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, with whom you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. St. Thomas More, pray for us St. John Fisher, pray for us St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, pray for us Bl. Miguel Pro, pray for us … [Read more...]
Ignatian Volunteer Corps
ENRICH YOUR RETIREMENT – ENRICH THE LIVES OF OTHERS Are you retired or finished raising your family? Do you want to give back, enrich your spiritual life and build community with other mature adults? Then consider joining the Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) here in New Orleans. At IVC we believe the life experience, wisdom, and skills of 50+ women and men, rooted in Gospel values, can bring justice, and transform the world. For more details, visit our website at ivcusa.org/ivc-offices/welcome-to-ivc-new-orleans, or contact Becky Goff (Regional Director) at bgoff@ivcusa.org. … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – June 29, 2025
Brothers and sisters: For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. (Gal 5:1) As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day next Friday, we might reflect a little bit about what it means to be “free.” In the context of the Fourth of July holiday, freedom means being separated from the political control of a king as had been the case prior to the American Revolution. But “freedom” means many things. Webster’s Dictionary has a very lengthy definition of freedom. In part it reads: “a : the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action b : liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another : independence c : the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous.” In all of these … [Read more...]
Solemnity of Peter and Paul
On Sunday, June 29, the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Pope Benedict XVI will bestow the pallium on 38 metropolitan archbishops, including 14 from Europe and six from North America. The Americans are: Archbishops Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati, Ohio; and Thomas Wenski of Miami, Florida. The vestment is called a “pallium,” (plural is “pallia”) and it is a narrow band of cloth woven of white lamb's wool with a ring in the center which rests on the shoulders of its wearer. The narrow band falls down the front of the chest like a necktie and goes similarly down the back. It is decorated with six black crosses, one on each tail and four on the loop. The pallium has its origin as a liturgical vestment of the Holy Father since at least the 4th century, … [Read more...]
The Orans Posture
The Latin word “orans” is translated as “one who is praying.” The “orans posture” is praying while lifting up one’s hands. This posture of prayer has a Scriptural basis in First Timothy: “I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.” (1Tim. 2:8). The orans posture was common in early Christianity and can be seen in early Christian art. Several of the early Church Fathers saw it as “the outline of the cross.” The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (the “rubrics,” or rules for the celebration of the Mass) references the orans posture with the phrase “with hands extended.” It is instructed to be done twenty-eight times and is used as a direction only for the priest; the laity are never directed to pray “with hands … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – June 15, 2025
Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you." (Jn 16:12-15) Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. In the early days of the Church there was no special day to honor the Holy Trinity, but that changed in the 3rd century when the Church was confronted with one of the first great heresies: Arianism. Although this heresy seems strange to … [Read more...]
Corpus Christi Mass and Eucharistic Procession
Sunday, June 22, 2025 All are invited to participate in a Eucharistic Procession immediately following the 10:30am Mass. The procession will exit the Church, turn right on Napoleon Avenue and then go around the school and the church before returning into the church for Benediction. It will be led by a crucifer, and we will chant Eucharistic hymns as we bring carry Jesus in the Holy Eucharist throughout our neighborhood! We would like to invite First Communicants and young children (K-4th) to wear white attire to lead the procession. … [Read more...]
Trinity Sunday
Trinity Sunday, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, is celebrated a week after Pentecost Sunday in honor of the most fundamental of Christian beliefs—belief in the Holy Trinity. We can never fully understand the mystery of the Trinity, but we can sum it up in the following formula: God is three Persons in one Nature. The three Persons of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are all equally God. They cannot be divided. As the above diagram shows, each person of the Holy Trinity is a separate person, having been identified as such in the Holy Bible, but each are also the One True God. It’s why we make the sign of the cross in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, rather than the “names.” It’s a profound mystery that many other religions reject. It’s not … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – June 8, 2025
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. (Acts 2:1-4) The word “Pentecost” is actually a Greek word meaning “fiftieth.” What we commemorate on Pentecost is the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, an event that occurred fifty days (including Easter Sunday) after the Resurrection. Historically and symbolically, Pentecost is related to the Jewish Festival of Weeks, celebrating the day (occurring … [Read more...]
