According to various sources, Januarius was born in Benevento to a rich patrician family near Naples, Italy. At a young age of 15, he became a priest of his parish in Benevento, which at the time was primarily pagan. When Januarius was 20, he became Bishop of Naples. During the persecution of Christians by the Emperor Diocletian in 305 AD, Januarius was arrested and beheaded at the Solfatara crater near Pozzuoli. According to the Roman Martyrology, “the body of St. Januarius was brought to Naples, and there honourably interred in the church, where his holy blood is kept unto this day in a phial of glass, which being set near his head becomes liquid and bubbles up as though it were fresh.” The miracle of the liquification is the chief reason for the notoriety of St Januarius. The relic … [Read more...]

September 23 Saint Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione on May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy. He was the son of farmers Grazio Forgione and Maria Giuseppa Di Nunzio, and had three younger sisters and one older brother. As a child, Francesco worked on his family farm by taking care of a small flock of sheep that the family owned, but by the time he was five years old, Franceso had already decided to dedicate his life to God.  In January of 1903, at the young age of 15 he was allowed to enter the novitiate with the Capuchin Franciscan Friars in Morcone where he took on the name “Friar Pio.” Once he joined the Friary of St. Francis, he had several bouts of serious illness and religious ecstasy. Friars would report strange noises coming from his cell. Friar Pio frequently spoke … [Read more...]

Do you long for a way to grow your faith in God in the company of men of all ages? Journey is a gathering where men pray, read and have authentic discussion about God and their lives. Designed to not conflict with family obligations or work, Journey gathers every Friday morning from 6:00AM until 6:55AM at the Holy Name of Jesus Adoration Chapel (corner of LaSalle and Palmer) and via Zoom. It ends just in time for 7:00AM mass. No preparation is necessary, and feel free to participate as best fits your schedule. If you are interested in attending and/or being added to the weekly email reminder, please contact Dan Jens (dnljens@yahoo.com or 504-228-1415) We also open the Adoration Chapel for silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament at 5:15 for any men who enjoy prayer before … [Read more...]

The parish office frequently receives calls from “parishioners” to have their children baptized, get a school voucher, get married or have permission to serve as a godparent. Being a “parishioner” at Good Shepherd Parish means that you either (1) reside in the parish boundaries (Leontine to Seventh Street, Carondelet to the River) or (2) you have completed a parish census form (3) have registered online at goodshepherdparishNOLA.com. This isn’t our rule, it’s the rule of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.  To be a “contributing parishioner” (for the purposes of school vouchers) you must use parish envelopes or personal checks for donations. … [Read more...]

September 12 By St. Alphonsus de Liguori Richard of St. Laurence states "there is not such powerful help in any name, nor is there any other name given to men, after that of Jesus, from which so much salvation is poured forth upon men as from the name of Mary." He continues, "that the devout invocation of this sweet and holy name leads to the acquisition of superabundant graces in this life, and a very high degree of glory in the next."  After the most sacred name of Jesus, the name of Mary is so rich in every good thing, that on earth and in heaven there is no other from which devout souls receive so much grace, hope, and sweetness. Hence Richard of St. Laurence encourages sinners to have recourse to this great name, "because it alone will suffice to cure them of all their evils;" … [Read more...]

Pope St. Gregory I (540 – 604) is better known in English as Gregory the Great. He was pope from 590 until his death, and is well-known for his writings, which were more prolific than those of any of his predecessors. First and foremost, Gregory was a monk. Although Gregory was resolved to retire into the monastic lifestyle of contemplation, he was forced back into a world that, although he loved, he no longer wanted to be a part of. In texts of all genres, especially those produced in his first year as pope, Gregory bemoaned the burden of office and mourned the loss of the undisturbed life of prayer he had once enjoyed as monk. It is beyond the scope of a short article to attempt any elaborate estimate of the work, influence, and character of Pope Gregory the Great, so I’d prefer … [Read more...]

Feast Day September 5 On 10 September 1946, on a train journey from Calcutta to Darjeeling, Mother Teresa received what she termed the “call within a call,” which was to give rise to the Missionaries of Charity family: “to quench the infinite thirst of Jesus on the cross for love and souls” by “laboring at the salvation and sanctification of the poorest of the poor.” On October 7, 1950, the new congregation of the Missionaries of Charity was officially erected as a religious institute for the Archdiocese of Calcutta. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, Mother Teresa expanded the work of the Missionaries of Charity both within Calcutta and throughout India. From the late 1960s until 1980, the Missionaries of Charity expanded across the globe and in their number of members. Mother … [Read more...]

The Feast of the Queenship of Mary – the Coronation – was established in 1954 by Pope Pius XII in a document called Ad Caeli Reginam. The original date for this feast was chosen as May 31st, but was later moved to the octave day of the feast of the Assumption, August 22nd. The Catholic faith states as a dogma that Mary was assumed into heaven, and is with Jesus Christ, her Divine Son. Mary should be called Queen, not only because of her Divine Motherhood of Jesus Christ, but also because God has willed her to have an exceptional role in the work of eternal salvation. Jesus Christ as Redeemer is Lord and King. The Blessed Virgin is Queen, because of the unique manner in which she assisted in our redemption, by giving of her own substance, by freely offering Him for us, by her singular … [Read more...]

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...]

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...]