THE LENTEN SEASON A distinction is to be made between Lent and the Easter Triduum. Strictly speaking, Lent ends with the beginning of the Triduum on Holy Thursday. The Ordo notes: “Lent runs from Ash Wednesday until the Mass of the Lord’s Supper exclusive on Holy Thursday”. FASTING AND ABSTINENCE Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age and is observed until their 59th birthday. Those who are bound to fast may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength according to each one's needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted. Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years or older on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent.  The determination of certain … [Read more...]

The first Rosary Congress was held in Poland.  Pope John Paul II wanted to visit his native country in 1979. The government with sanctions made the visit impossible. A prayer group went to God in prayer. Through inspiration they came to pray 7 days and nights, with Masses, Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary hourly at their National Shrine to Our Lady of Czestochowa. On the seventh day, all government sanctions were dropped. The Pope was allowed to visit his native country. In 1988, The Rosary Congress came to the United States. John Downs, a quadriplegic, was inspired to organize the first Rosary Congress at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in Washington, D.C. Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is patroness of the United States. Imitating the Polish people who … [Read more...]

WEEKDAY MASS:   On Federal holidays the morning Mass at St. Henry Church is moved from 6:30am to 8:00am.  Such will be the case on Labor Day, Monday September 5, 2022 SCHOOL MASS: When the school Mass falls on a First Friday, it will be moved to the Thursday before that Friday.  Such is the case next week. … [Read more...]

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If you struggle with infertility, you may feel like you’re in a lonely, desert place. But you are not alone! The Archdiocese of New Orleans and Springs in the Desert are partnering to offer a one-day retreat for women on Saturday, August 27 at St. Pius X Catholic Church. Wherever you are on the path of infertility, we invite you to join us for reflections on different aspects of the infertility experience, to receive encouragement and some practical suggestions for strengthening your relationship with God and your spouse, and to pray and share community with others on this same path. The retreat will take place on Saturday, August 27 - St. Pius X Catholic, New Orleans, from 9am until 3pm - Lunch and a light breakfast are provided. Please join us for Mass at 8am in the Church Learn more … [Read more...]

On Saturday, June 4, 2022, at 10:00 AM at St. Louis Cathedral, Archbishop Gregory Aymond will ordain Joseph Alfonse DiMaggio, III, Andy Gil Gonzalez, Lennin Arroyo Martinez, Jeffrey Austin Merritt, William Patrick Mumphrey and Kesiena Dennis Obienu for the Archdiocese of New Orleans as Priests. All are invited.  Priests and deacons are asked to bring their alb. Vestments will be provided. Reception at the Old Ursuline Convent to follow. … [Read more...]

Tuesday, May 17, 2022 Rosary at 4:30 pm, Mass at 5 pm We invite everyone to a Mass to be celebrated in St. Stephen Church by His Eminence, Raymond Cardinal Burke this coming Tuesday. Born in 1948 in Richland Center, Wisconsin, Raymond Leo Burke attended seminary in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., and Rome, where he was ordained a priest by Pope Saint Paul VI in 1975. Ordained a bishop in 1995 by Pope Saint John Paul II, he served for almost nine years as Bishop of La Crosse, where he founded the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and over four years as Archbishop of St. Louis. He was named a cardinal in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Burke has written and spoken widely on Roman Catholic canon law, the Holy Eucharist, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, devotion to Our … [Read more...]

On Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 10:00 AM at St. Louis Cathedral, we will ordain Da- vid Michael Doyle, Cory Paul Ford, Long Thanh Pham and Kevin Alden Seay to the Transitional Diaconate for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. You are cordially invited to attend the ceremony. … [Read more...]

Thanks to our volunteers who greeted pilgrims taking part in the Nine Church Walk on Good Friday.  The pilgrims started arriving almost at the completion of our Holy Thursday vigil at 6:00am, and they continued even into the afternoon and evening.  There were many new faces in the church for the Stations of the Cross at 6:00pm.  We had our handy clicker to count numbers, so we know that more than 2,000 people came to visit St. Stephen’s on Friday.  I sat in the confessional from 9:00-11:00 am and Father Doug from 11:00am – 1:00pm, and we were rarely alone.  The line was continuous for the entire time.  Anybody who doubts the vitality of the Catholic Church in New Orleans need only to have seen the busloads of high school groups, CYO groups, and large families taking part in the walk to … [Read more...]

As most parishioners know, the Archdiocese imposes a “tax” on the total annual collection of each parish to support the work of the Archdiocese.  An exception to this policy is that the Archdiocese allows parishes to take up a second collection at the Easter and Christmas Masses each year, and those collection are not included in the parish “taxable income.”  Please consider giving generously to our second collection next weekend to help our parish budget! … [Read more...]