Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. (Lk 12:39-40). There are two ways by which we will see God face-to-face: upon our death or at the time of the Second Coming. And the truth is that we really don’t know when either of those events might occur! Several years ago, I was the celebrant at two funeral Masses in a few days that marked a real contrast. The first funeral was of a young, 18-year-old boy in the beginning of a promising life. And the second was of a 93-year-old great-grandfather. Although it’s certain that only God knows the state of their souls at their death, we prayed at both funeral … [Read more...]
The Angelus
The Angelus is a prayer of devotion to the Blessed Mother commemorating the announcement of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. The name “Angelus” comes from the opening words in Latin: Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ (“The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary”) and refers to the Angel Gabriel, the messenger of God who revealed to Mary that she would conceive a child named Jesus who would be called the Son of God. (Lk 1:26-35). The Angelus is prayed by reciting three verses from Luke’s Gospel, and alternating with the “Hail Mary.” In a Catholic tradition dating to at least to the 14th century, the Angelus is prayed in churches, convents, and monasteries three times daily - 6:00 a.m., noon, and 6:00 p.m. - and is usually accompanied by the ringing of the Angelus bell. As stated in the … [Read more...]
Feast of St. Lawrence, Deacon & Martyr – August 10
One of my favorite saints, and one of the patrons of the City of Rome is the Deacon-Martyr, St. Lawrence. There are actually more churches built in Rome to honor St. Lawrence in the Holy City than any other saint, including St. Peter, himself. His story of courage and his great love for the poor reveal the reasons behind these devotions. During the persecutions of the Emperor Valerian in 258 A.D., numerous priests and deacons were put to death and wealthier Christians had their wealth confiscated and were forced into exile. Pope Sixtus II was one of the first victims of this persecution, being beheaded on August 6. According to the writings of St. Ambrose, as Pope Sixtus was being lead to his death, Lawrence met him and asked: “Where are you going, my dear father, without your son? … [Read more...]
Symbols of the Eucharist
The “IHS” monogram is an abbreviation or shortening of the name of Jesus in Greek to the first three letters. It is sometimes transliterated into Latin characters as IHS. The abbreviation is meant to reflect the Holiness of the Name of Jesus – something to be revered. Oftentimes this symbol is present on the large host that the priest consecrates at Mass to remind the priest that – after the Consecration – he is holding Jesus. The particular symbol above is also the symbol for the Society of Jesus founded by St Ignatius Loyola, whose feast was July 31. … [Read more...]
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
St. Stephen Catholic School has its first day of classes on Monday, August 11, and we have our first weekly school Mass in the Basilica of St. Stephen on August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at 9:00 am. This is a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass will also be celebrated at St. Henry Church at 6:30am. I wish each parishioner could come to at least one school Mass (which are normally at 9:00am on Fridays) during the year to see what well-behaved, enthusiastic, and attentive students we have at St. Stephen’s. Unfortunately, most of the children that attend St. Stephen Catholic School do not live in the parish and, therefore, attend Mass at their home parish. However, you do know some of our students (and former students) who participate as altar servers at our … [Read more...]
St. John Vianney Feast Day August 4
Patron Saint of Parish Priests Jean-Baptist-Marie Vianney was born on May 8, 1786, in the French town of Dardilly, the fourth child of Matthieu Vianney and Marie Beluze. His life was impacted at a young age by the French Revolution, which forced many loyal priests to hide from the government in order to celebrate the Sacraments. Since priests daily risked their lives because of the religious persecution, Vianney's early life as a Catholic was hidden, having received his First Holy Communion and Confirmation is secret ceremonies in private homes. When the Catholic Church was re-established in France 1802, John's father allowed him to begin studies for the priesthood in the neighboring village of Ecully at a school run by Father M. Balley. Although John's studies were interrupted when he … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – August 3, 2025
“There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, ‘Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!’” But God said to him, “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God. (Lk 12:18b-21). A few years ago, I spoke to a Catholic group in Baton Rouge. Although my talk was about the Apostolicity of the Church (being founded on the Apostles and the current bishops being their successors), at the end a man asked me a question about clerical celibacy. “Father,” he asked, “why do priests have to be celibate?” Unfortunately, celibacy is looked upon … [Read more...]
Workshops for New Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Basic workshops for new Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) are being presented this Summer by the Office of Worship. Attendance at a workshop for EMHCs is required before a person can be delegated by the Archbishop to serve in this ministry. The complete schedule and more information can be found on the Office of Worship website at nolacatholic.org/lay-liturgical-ministry-formation. Participants are to be pre-registered by their parish before attending. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Worship at 504-861-6300 or worship@arch-no.org. … [Read more...]
Feast of the Transfiguration – Aug 6
While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” (Lk 9:34-36a) Most of the Church Fathers saw the Transfiguration as a glimpse of the glory of Christ given to his disciples so that they might be strengthened to witness the scandal of the Cross. And this is certainly true. But three things immediately jump out of the reading. First, is the number of apostles. Not all of the twelve are present – only Peter, James and John, the same three apostles that would accompany Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane. Even though they were strengthened by their witness to the glory of the Transfiguration, they would still flee at the beginning … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – July 27, 2025
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Lk 11:9-10) per·se·ver·ance?[pur-suh-veer-uhns] –noun 1.steady persistence in a course of action, a pur-pose, a state,etc., esp. in spite of diffic-ulties, obstacles, or discouragement. 2.Theology . continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation. Anything that’s worth doing requires perseverance. The Latin verb “perseverare” is composed of two words: “per” meaning “through”; and “severare” meaning “to be severe or strict.” So perseverance means to achieve something through being strict. And the obvious object of the strictness is … [Read more...]
