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...]

The Papal Basilica of St Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) is the oldest and most important Marian sanctuary in Western Christendom and is the only one of the Papal Basilicas to have maintained its early Christian appearance. Although it has been embellished and extended over the years, all the commissioning patrons have respected its original layout and design, which, according to tradition, was divinely inspired. According to the traditional story of its foundation, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to the Patrician John and Pope Liberius, exhorting them to build a church dedicated to her on the exact spot where she would cause snow to fall. On the morning of the 5th of August in the year 358, snow was seen on the Esquiline Hill, the highest of Rome’s hills, outlining the … [Read more...]

Occasionally, parishioners without transportation inquire at the parish office whether it is possible for another parishioner to give them a ride to and/or from Mass. If you need a ride to Mass, or you would be willing to provide transportation to a fellow parishioner, please contact the parish office at (504) 899-1378. … [Read more...]

Mary was called “Magdalen” because she was either from Magdala near Tiberias (on the west shore of Galilee) or possibly from a Talmudic expression meaning “curly women's hair,” which means an adulteress. In the New Testament Mary is mentioned among the women who accompanied Christ and ministered to Him (Luke 8:2-3), where it is also said that seven devils had been cast out of her (Mark 16:9). She is next named as standing at the foot of the cross (Mark 15:40; Matthew 27:56; John 19:25; Luke 23:49). She saw Christ laid in the tomb, and she was the first recorded witness of the Resurrection. The Greek Fathers, as a whole, distinguish the “sinner” of Luke 7:36-50; Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, and Mary Magdalen. On the other hand most of the Latin Fathers hold that these three … [Read more...]

An instructive reminder Remember to keep your Eucharistic fast by abstaining from food and beverages (water excluded) for an hour before Mass. Always dress modestly and appropriately. Arrive early to allow for personal prayer and/or read the readings of the day. Turn off all mobile devices while still in the vestibule. This is your time with God and His people. Use the restroom before or after Mass. Men remove hats or caps before the Lord. Deposit all water bottles in the waste receptacles. Make the sign of the cross with Holy Water upon entering. Genuflect with great reverence towards the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle before entering your pew. If unable to genuflect, a profound bow is respectful. Refrain from chit-chat which distracts others who are … [Read more...]

The Catholic Church is the distinctive name of this holy Church which is the mother of us all. She is the bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God (for Scripture says: Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her). She is the type and she bears the image of the Jerusalem above that is free and is the mother of us all, that Jerusalem which once was barren but now has many children. The first assembly, that is, the assembly of Israel, was rejected, and now in the second, that is, in the Catholic Church, God has appointed first, apostles, second, prophets, third, teachers then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators and speakers in various tongues, as Paul says; and together with these is found every sort of virtue—wisdom and understanding, … [Read more...]

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid-13th century. They built in the midst of their hermitages a chapel which they dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, whom they conceived of in chivalric terms as the "Lady of the place." Our Lady of Mount Carmel was adopted in the 19th century as the patron saint of Chile, in South America. Since the 15th century, popular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has centered on the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as the Brown Scapular, a sacramental associated with promises of Mary's special aid for the salvation of the devoted wearer. … [Read more...]

Signing with Courage - Charles Carroll of Carrollton The legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a committee with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail: The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by … [Read more...]

Almighty God, Father of all nations, for freedom you have set us free in Christ Jesus (Gal 5:1). We praise and bless you for the gift of religious liberty, the foundation of human rights, justice and the common good.  Grant to our leaders the wisdom to protect and promote our liberties. By your grace may we have the courage to defend them, for ourselves and for all those who live in this blessed land. We ask this through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, our patroness, and in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, with whom you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. St. Thomas More, pray for us St. John Fisher, pray for us St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, pray for us Bl. Miguel Pro, pray for us … [Read more...]

The Easter Season officially concluded on the Feast of Pentecost two weeks ago, and and on the following Monday we began “Ordinary Time” anew with the colors of the vestments and altar furnishings returning to green from the violet of Lent and the white of Easter.  What’s so “ordinary” about it?  Actually, “Ordinary Time” is the English translation of the Latin Tempus Per Annum (“time throughout the year”) and gets its name from the word ordinal, meaning "numbered," because we begin to count the weeks rather than the seasons. Ordinary Time, depending on the year, runs either 33 or 34 weeks, and makes up the time in the Church calendar that does not fall within the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter. The Church celebrates two periods as Ordinary Time.  The first period, ran … [Read more...]