The Archdiocese of New Orleans is setting aside this weekend, February 17- 18 as “Safe Haven Sunday” in order to give focused time and resources to address the harmfulness of pornography and other online threats in marriages, family life and culture. Today’s awareness day is celebrated through prayer and a reflection within the context of the Mass. While the parish doesn’t have too many copies currently available, we can order more copies of the book, Equipped: Smart Catholic Parenting in a Sexualized Culture, to be made available. This book includes a unique seven-day text-to-opt-in program: The Equipped 7-Day Challenge. To order this challenge, you need only text “secure” to 66866 on your mobile phone. This Challenge provides seven days of practical tips that any caring adult can … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – February 11, 2018
Brothers and sisters, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31) Over the next three days, many of us are going to do a fair amount of eating and drinking! And that’s not a bad thing. Fat Tuesday is meant to be a time of feasting in preparation for the fasting and austerity of Lent. But that doesn’t mean that Lent is a “holy” season and Mardi Gras is a “pagan” season. As St. Paul tells us above, everything should be done for the glory of God. A recent article in the Times Picayune had a question asked the question: “What vices are you giving up for Lent?” And then it listed a long list of “vices,” including among them “meat” and “alcohol.” Now it’s certain that excessive drinking and obesity are unhealthy, but can we … [Read more...]
Father Ward Lenten Mission
Former pastor of St. Stephen Church, James Ward, C.M., will lead a Lenten Mission which will take place Monday-Wednesday, February 26-28, 2018 at St Henry Church. The theme for the Mission is “The Wisdom of Pope Francis.” More information will be provided next weekend, but the schedule is below. 6:00 pm, Mass 6:30-7:15 pm, conference 7:15-8:00pm, questions and answers Daily topics: Monday: Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium) Tuesday: On the Care for the Common Home (Laudato Si’) Wednesday: On Love in the Family (Amoris Laetitia) … [Read more...]
MINISTRY TO THE POOR REPORT FOR 2017
Our parish is incredibly generous in contributing when we ask for money for the poor. Recently the Society of Vincent de Paul compiled a list of all of the services that we provided as a parish. Here is the list: 4 Seminars held on Saturdays each quarter. Our SVdP volunteers including an attorney, CPA, housing advocate and other volunteers counsel people on how to resolve problems and better their lives. 40 Easter and Christmas Baskets were handed out which provided for a complete holiday meal. We also provided Christmas gifts for families and their children. 144 Bus Tokens – Tokens help people to pay for a bus ride to an interview, job or a doctor’s appointment. The ride costs $1.25 but we buy for $1.09. 418 Food Bags were given to people who … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – February 4, 2018
Job spoke, saying: Is not man's life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of hirelings? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages. So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me. (Job 7:4) Most of us know the story of Job. He was faithful to God, but God let the devil take away all of Job’s possessions, kill all of his children and ruin his health. And despite his misfortunes, Job does not curse God. But that doesn’t stop him from bemoaning his situation. The passage above reflects his poor attitude, but it speaks to a truth. The world often imposes on us many miseries. We get tired and frustrated with work. We get in arguments with family members and friends. We get sick, we can’t pay the bills, … [Read more...]
REMINDER
Next Sunday the Masses are at 4:00pm (Saturday Vigil), 8:00am and 10:00am (Sunday) … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – January 28, 2018
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kindred, and will put my words into the mouth of the prophet; the prophet shall tell them all that I command. Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. (Dt. 18:18-19) In the Acts of the Apostles, both St. Peter (3:22) and, St. Stephen (7:37) quote the above passage as referring to Jesus. Jesus is the prophet who came to teach us (in word and deed) how to live according to God’s plan and attain the Kingdom of Heaven. And when the time came, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon His Apostles to guide them and us through the Holy Catholic Church. But Jesus foretold that some would not listen to His words, and He warned us that we would be persecuted for following … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – January 21, 2018
After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mk. 1:14-15) The words above are the first words spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. How are we to interpret them? Clearly the words evidence the reality that occurred when God was incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ. If God is incarnate, then “this is the time of fulfillment”; all of the prophecies have been fulfilled. And if Jesus is present, then the Kingdom of God is present, since the Kingdom is present where the King is present. But what about the middle part “repent and believe in the Gospel”? There are different ways to understand the words “repent and believe in the Gospel. They … [Read more...]
