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, … [Read more...]

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 … [Read more...]

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, … [Read more...]

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 … [Read more...]

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 … [Read more...]

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 … [Read more...]

On the week when we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Archbishop Aymond has asked that every parish offer Confession for an hour and a half. To that end, on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, Confessions will be heard in the Basilica of St. Stephen beginning at 5:00pm until 6:30pm. … [Read more...]

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion have one of the most important roles in our parish community by assisting the celebrant in distributing the Body and Blood of Our Lord to those at Mass and to those who are unable to attend Mass. 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 serve the parish community in a very special way; their goal is to engage the hearts and minds of the congregation as they proclaim the Word of God. Ushers greet parishioners as they enter the church, assisting those who need help finding a seat and providing information and directions for new visitors to the church.  Ushers are also responsible for taking up and … [Read more...]

Parents of children who will be making their First Holy Communion or receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation next year are kindly asked to contact the office so that we can organize religious education for the Fall. Thank you! … [Read more...]

(The Rectory is closed) The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative. “I would like to remind everyone, especially governments engaged in boosting the world's economic and social assets, that the primary capital to be safeguarded and valued is man, the human person in his or her integrity: ‘Man is the source, the focus and the aim of all economic and social life’.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Charity in Truth [Caritas in Veritate], no. 25, … [Read more...]