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Commentator
T H E
December 26, 2014 Vol. 51, No. 23
C A T H O L I C
S E R V I N G T H E D I O C E S E O F B AT O N R O U G E S I N C E 19 6 3
WORD BECAME MAN
JESUS IS BORN – Christians around the world are celebrating the birth of the savior Jesus Christ. Our Lady of the
Lake Livingston staged a live Nativity in Walker on Dec. 7 to re-enact Christ’s birth with performances and songs.
Photo by Barbara Chenevert | The Catholic Commentator
Bishop Muench’s Christmas Message
“Unless you become like little
children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3). The ability
of memory can be a great gift for us
humans. Can you remember happy
childhood experiences of the family
ritual of exchanging presents under
the Christmas tree and crib. Take a
moment and place yourself back in
that sacred place of time and space.
Savor those precious moments. Interiorize now the excitement that was
then. Hold on to the recollection. Enjoy it. Take your time. Pause for a few
minutes. Calm yourself. S-L-O-W YO-U-R S-E-L-F D-O-W-N.
Now gently transport yourself
back into the present: the reality of
adulthood, the challenges of modern-day living, any obstacles, hardships, heartaches or uncertainties
you bear.
Christmas is basically not about
gifts, but about the ultimate gift
himself – Jesus. “For God so loved
the world that he gave his only Son”
(Jn 3:16). Jesus is love personified
and omnipresent – the love of God,
the love of family, the love of friends.
“Love consists in this, not that we
have loved God, but that he has first
loved us, and sent us his son” (I Jn
4:10). In a spirit of love, I invite you
to slowly pray, meditate and ponder
over the virtually unfathomable, inexhaustible truth of the divine becoming human so that the human
might become divine.
“When I see your heavens, the
work of your fingers, the moon and
the stars that you set in place – What
are humans that you are mindful
of them, mortals that you care for
them? Yet you have made them little
less than a god” (Ps 8:4-6).
“Is it not written in your law?” I
said, ‘You are gods?’ ” (Jesus, quoting
the Lord in Psalm 82:6 in responding to the Jews) (Jn 10:34).
“(T)he Word of God became man,
that thou may learn from man how
man can become God.” (Clement of
Alexandria, “Book VII, Chapter XVI,”
The Stromata, or Miscellanies).
“All of us who postulate a loving
God and really think about it eventually come to a single terrifying idea:
God wants us to become himself …
We are growing toward godhead.” (M.
Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled,
Simon and Schuster, 1978, p. 269).
“O God, who wonderfully created
the dignity of human nature and still
more wonderfully restored it, grant,
we pray, that we may share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself
to share in our humanity” (Collect,
Mass during Christmas Day, Roman
SEE BISHOP PAGE 17
PAGES 10 & 11
Bejeweled Priest
thecatholiccommentator.org
RHS to close
By Richard Meek
The Catholic Commentator
Declining enrollment, academic struggles and financial challenges are forcing
the closure of Redemptorist High School,
according to Diocese of Baton Rouge officials.
Bishop Robert W. Muench on Friday,
Dec. 19, announced the closing of the
school, which has been a fixture in north
Baton Rouge since 1947, effective June
30, 2015. Bishop Muench made the announcement during a press conference at
the Westerfield Center on the campus of
the Catholic Life Center.
“It is with a heavy heart we announce
that low enrollment has required the
Diocese of Baton Rouge to discontinue
operations of Redemptorist Junior and
Senior schools,” Bishop Muench said in
a prepared statement. “We understand
the pain, disappointment and hardship
this decision can bring to members of the
Redemptorist family, and we share a deep
sense of sadness, grief and loss.
“This decision was reached after much
prayer, reflection, and consultation by the
Diocesan Catholic School Board members,
administrators and diocesan leaders.”
The bishop said Redemptorist Elementary School will remain open and
a seventh grade will be added in 2015-16
RHS alumni react, page 9
and an eighth grade in 2016-17.
Ninety minutes before the press conference, Bishop Muench and Superintendent of Catholic Schools Dr. Melanie Verges met with the Redemptorist faculty and
staff to announce the closing. According
to Verges, the school currently employs
26 full-time faculty and administration
members who are under contract for the
current school year.
The school also employs 12 full-time
and six part-time non-contracted employees. Additionally, eight coaches serve
at the school but are not part of the teaching faculty.
Verges said the Catholic Schools Office
is assisting the affected employees find
other positions but emphasized that each
of the 31 schools in the diocese is responsible for its own hiring of staff. She said
those employees losing their jobs are beSEE RHS PAGE 20
2
FAIt H
The Catholic Commentator
The ighter ide of
L
| TREASURES FROM THE DIOCESE
S
December 26, 2014
| DID YOU KNOW
Father of the crèche
Murals on the exterior of St. Gabriel Church in St. Gabriel give a history of the Catholic
Church. This mural shows scenes from the Old Testament leading up to the Visitation,
which is depicted in the last scene. Opposite this mural is another which displays scenes
from the New Testament. On the side wall of the church, which was built in 1953, is a
mural depicting the history of St. Gabriel Church. Photo by Barbara Chenevert | The Catholic Commentator
...with FATHER CHRIS DECKER, pastor
of St. Philip (Vacherie) and St. James
Church (St. James) parishes
Q
A
You like to draw and are known to
be a “doodler.” Tell us about doodling in restaurants?
Like most folks in Louisiana, I like
to spend time around the table with
friends and family. Drawing is not only a
way I like to relax, but I find it also sets others at ease. There’s an instant excitement
when you’re trying to guess what someone
is going to draw and most artists like to
create for the sake of others. Many restaurants have paper tablecloths and these
canvases are perfect for drawing and then
giving the finished art away. My best ideas
tend to be rendered in ink on napkins.
Q
A
You have even created cartoon
characters? Where do you get your
inspiration? Yes, I have invented several characters over the years. While I never really was into superhero comics as a
child, I grew up in the 80s and 90s when
cartoons on television weren’t computer
generated and Disney had a regular block
of animated shows every day after school.
I was also a fan of Uncle Scrooge comics
(yes, they exist!). Scrooge would go on
adventures to seek buried treasure, and
those stories always grabbed me. I also
enjoy history very much. So, one of my
characters, Joe Catholic, is a mix of an adventurer and a church history lover. Much
of my inspiration comes from these childhood roots and being steeped in good literature from a very young age. Q
Why do you think it is important to
continue your work in radio, television and social networking? Has this been
something that has always appealed to you?
A
At the Temple in Jerusalem in the
ancient world, there was an outer area known as “the Court of the Gentiles” where anybody could visit and ask
the priests and attendants about what the
Jews believe. I think that radio, TV and
the Internet are the modern day equivalents of this space. As our Holy Father
Emeritus Benedict XVI suggested many
times, wherever there’s a soul seeking to
encounter God, the Christian should be
ready and waiting. Q
A
How would you describe your
sense of humor? Dry, wacky, etc.?
I’ve got an extremely dry sense of
humor and a love of language. I enjoy turns of phrases which I blame on British comedies watched on PBS as a child.
I was the president of the International
Thespian Society chapter in high school,
so it should come as no surprise that I like
to laugh and make others laugh too.
Q
A
What is your favorite place to travel?
While I like to visit Italy (I could
live in Assisi, as long as there’s
broadband internet), I enjoy traveling
wherever my friends are. Through the gift
of priesthood, I’ve been privileged to be
“adopted” by friends in Wyoming, in Can-
Just about every
Catholic
household
has one essential item
among its Christmas
décor – the crèche.
But you may be surprised to learn that the
origin of recreating the
birth scene of Jesus was
the doing of St. Francis of Assisi in 1223.
Although Jesus’ birth
had been depicted in
artwork in early centuries after his birth, St.
Francis inspired what
we now know as live
nativities and manger
scenes in homes and churches.
On Christmas Eve 1223, St. Francis
created the first Nativity in the Italian
city of Grecio. Thinking the small chapel
at the Franciscan hermitage would not
hold a congregation for Midnight Mass,
he set up for the liturgy in a nearby cave.
But he wanted the Mass to excite the
people. After asking permission of the
pontiff, St. Francis prepared a manger
with hay, a wax figure of a baby, and
brought in an ox and an ass to recreate
the scene of Jesus’ birth.
In his biography of St. Francis, St.
Boniface describes this scene: “The
brethren were summoned and the people ran together, the forest resounded
ada and in Texas to name a few places.
For me the geography isn’t as interesting
as the people who live there.
Q
A
What type of music do you enjoy?
In high school, my musical tastes
really expanded. I listen to alternative rock music – especially groups with a
strong piano lead. There are both secular
and Christian groups in this genre. Some
Christian groups include Relient K, Hawk
Nelson and Tenth Avenue North. The secular ones I’ll leave for when we go to lunch
together.
with their voices and
that venerable night
was made glorious by
many and brilliant
lights and sonorous
psalms of praise. The
man of God stood before the manger, full
of devotion and piety,
bathed in tears and radiant with joy ... Then
he preached to the
people around the Nativity of the poor king;
and being unable to
utter his name for the
tenderness of his love,
he called him the Babe
of Bethlehem.”
St. Bonaventure said people saved the
hay from the Nativity presentation and
when their cattle ate the hay, it: “miraculously cured all diseases of cattle, and
many other pestilences; God thus in all
things glorifying his servant, and witnessing to the great efficacy of his holy
prayers by manifest prodigies and miracles.”
St. Francis’ first Nativity scene proved
to be popular and it wasn’t long before
similar scenes were set up in towns,
churches and homes everywhere. Christians also began adding more figures to
their nativities such as shepherds, camels and the three kings.
Q
A
Tell us what you want for Christmas?
I’ll be happy with smooth flowing Christmas liturgies, time with
family and friends, and a wee nip of
Christmas vacation before the new year.
CLARIFICATION
The boardwalk at St. Agnes
Church in Baton Rouge is a rosary
garden, developed by Eric Leduff of
Baton Rouge. Each stone represents
a bead of the rosary.
thecatholiccommentator.org | Facebook.com/TheCatholicCommentator
Bishop Robert W. Muench Publisher
Father Than Vu Associate Publisher
Richard Meek Editor
Debbie Shelley Assistant Editor
Wanda L. Koch Advertising Manager
Penny G. Saia Production Manager
Lisa Disney Secretary/Circulation
Barbara Chenevert Staff Writer
The Catholic Commentator (ISSN 07460511; USPS 093-680)
Published bi-weekly (every other week) by the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge,1800 South Acadian
Thruway, Baton Rouge, LA 70808; 225-387-0983 or 225-387-0561. Periodical Postage Paid at Baton
Rouge, LA. Copy must reach the above address by Wednesday for use in the next week’s paper. Subscription rate: $14.00 per year. POSTMASTER, send address changes to The Catholic Commentator,
P.O. Box 14746, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-4746.
December 26, 2014
The Catholic Commentator
3
Father Waguespack’s life celebrated during funeral Mass
Although he was retired, Father
Waguespack made it clear being a priest
“was everything to him” and shared his
time generously to help other priests with
Just hours before he died from a fall off Masses and to give spiritual direction and
a bicycle, Father Clarence Waguespack told lead pilgrimages, Father Walsh said.
two colleagues he hoped when God called
The native of Vacherie had undergone
him, it would be on a feast of the blessed a conversion midway through his 52 years
mother.
as a priest after a visit to Medjugorje. One
On Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate of the visionaries told him Our Lady wantConception, God called this priest of 52 ed him to give up something important to
years home. Father Waguespack died from him. He gave up big game hunting, a favora broken neck susite hobby, Father Walsh said. “From that
tained when he fell
time on, he flourished in his ministry.” He
off his bike while
was devoted to Mary, spiritual direction,
riding along Louia healing ministry, leading pilgrimagsiana Hwy. 70 near
es, devotion to the rosary and respect for
Lee Road in Pierre
life. “He grew close to people, made new
Part, according to
friends and never hunted again.”
the Assumption
Father Waguespack made 17 trips to
Parish Sheriff’s OfMedjugorje.
fice. The sheriff’s
“He fell in love again with the mother
office said Father Father Clarence
of God and led hundreds of pilgrims. Our
Waguespack was Waguespack
brother … underwent a profound change of
wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. heart,” Father Walsh said.
Fellow priests and others remembered
Father Vincent Dufresne, a cousin of FaFather Waguespack’s devotion to the ther Waguespack, who observed the priest
Blessed Mother, his deep prayer life and more intently among his fellow priests bethe selfless way in which he shared his life cause of their biological and faith family
with the people.
connections, echoed many of the comments
About 500 people, including more than of Father Walsh. Father Waguespack went
50 priests and deacons, attended the fu- through two phases in his priesthood,” said
neral Mass held Dec. 13 at St. Joseph the Father Dufresne, who is pastor of Sacred
Worker Church in Pierre Part where Fa- Heart of Jesus Church in Gramercy, St. Jother Waguespack had been pastor before seph Church in Paulina and St. Michael the
retiring two years ago. Bishop Robert W. Archangel Church in Convent.
Muench presided and Houma-Thibodaux
“The first portion of his priesthood, I
Bishop Shelton Fabre concelebrated along would describe as his ‘good phase,’ ” Father
with other priests of the diocese.
Dufresne said. “He served as a priest with
Father Miles Walsh, who delivered the strong devotion and dedication, a man of
homily at the funeral Mass, called Father prayer and service, doing for all people
Waguespack a feisty man with a ready as best he could. Father Waguespack ensmile and a quick temper, who mellowed joyed his priesthood and all the friendships that brought to
with age in a wonderful way.
his life. Everyone was
“Father Waguespack was
happy to have Father
ready to meet the Lord,” he
Waguespack there for
said. “Today we gather to
them. He was a good
thank God ... and to celepriest.”
brate the life of a man and a
The second phase
priest who pledged his mind,
came after Father
body and soul to God.”
Waguespack’s
reFather Walsh recalled
turn from his first
that Father Waguespack had
trip to Medjugorje.
been with his fellow priests
“Father Waguespack
just the day before his death
came home a differto celebrate the jubilee of
ent person, a different
Msgr. Robert Berggreen.
priest. He quickly di“He never looked better
vested himself of many
or seemed happier,” FaFather Miles Walsh
of his earthly possesther Walsh said. “He was
Pastor, Sacred Heart Church
sions and put himself
a handsome man, tanned
and healthy and was joyful as always to even more deeply into his prayer and minbe among his fellow priests. He shared his istry,” Father Dufresne said. “He discovered his gift of spiritual healing, and by
new found love of cycling.”
The next day Father Waguespack pre- God’s spirit and Mary’s loving presence,
sided at Mass at St. Agnes Church in Baton began to do great things for even more
Rouge, and during coffee after Mass with people.”
“He was so much less concerned about
Father Clifton Hill and Deacon Tommy
Traylor, he told them he hoped God would himself and so much more aware of all God
give him the grace to die on a Marian feast, had given him to share with the people, not
only of his own parish, but wherever he was
Father Walsh said.
By Barbara Chenevert
and Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
‘He fell in love again
with the mother
of God and led
hundreds of pilgrims.
Our brother …
underwent a profound
change of heart’
Bishop Robert W. Muench prays over the casket of Father Clarence Waguespack at the
funeral Mass Dec. 13 at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Pierre Part. Bishop Muench said
Father Waguespack “touched hearts and touched lives. He was a priest – that was his
identity – a human being, a disciple of Jesus and a priest forever according to the order
of Melchizedeck.” With the bishop from left are Deacon Reuben Dykes, Father Tom Ranzino and Deacon Matthew Graham. Photos by Barbara Chenevert | The Catholic Commentator
Priests of the Diocese of Baton Rouge line the church aisle as Father Waguespack’s casket
is brought from the church. Burial was in St. Philip Cemetery in Vacherie.
needed. Father Waguespack became more
tireless and more devoted as a priest, and
everyone could now see that a good priest,
by God’s hand and Mary’s love, had become
a great priest,” Father Dufresne said.
Deacon Traylor, who attended Mass
with Father Waguespack the day he died,
said Father Waguespack talked in his homily about of how the Blessed Mother had interceded for him.
Janice Pintado, director of Christian
Formation at St. Joseph the Worker, where
Father Waguespack had most recently
served, said “Father Waguespack had a
very strong love and devotion to our Blessed Mother, which was embraced by our parishioners who also shared this devotion to
her.”
“Inspired by the love of Mary and assisted by our local Knights of Columbus,
he was instrumental in bringing our beautiful island (Virgin Island) to the serene,
prayerful place of worship it is today. Along
with a group of parishioners he prayed the
rosary on the island daily,” she added.
Father Waguespack grew up in Vach-
erie, one of six children of Clarence
Waguespack Sr., a sugarcane farmer, and
Annette Simon Waguespack, a teacher.
Coming from a devout Catholic family of
French and English speaking descents,
Father Waguespack entered the seminary
at 14. He attended St. Joseph Seminary in
Covington, Notre Dame Seminary in New
Orleans and the Gregorian University at
the North American College in Rome. He
was ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 19,
1962, at the Church of Christo Re, Christ
the King in Rome.
Father Waguespack celebrated his first
Mass at St. Philip Church in Vacherie. He
has served at St. Joan of Arc in Bayou Pigeon; Holy Family Church in Port Allen;
St. Charles Borromeo, St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge; St. Mark Church in
Gonzales; St. Francis of Assisi Church
in Smoke Bend; Ascension of Our Lord
Church in Donaldsonville; Our Lady of
Peace Church in Vacherie; and St. Joseph
the Worker Church in Pierre Part. He also
served as temporary chaplain at Louisiana
State Penitentiary.
4
The Catholic Commentator
NATIONAL | INTERNATIONAL
December 26, 2014
Despite year-end budget deal, future spending trends less certain
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The $1.1 trillion federal spending bill approved by
Congress avoided a repeat of last year’s
government shutdown and largely kept in
place social services spending, especially
programs benefiting low-income families.
Beyond the current fiscal year that
ends Sept. 30, the future is less certain,
however, as Republican victories in the
November elections gave the party control of both chambers on Capitol Hill.
With the new leaders come new plans on
limiting federal spending and reducing
the country’s $17.6-trillion debt.
The expected new chairmen of key
budget and tax-writing committees are
considering funding reforms that would
affect nutrition, housing assistance, community development, Head Start, Medicaid and unemployment compensation
programs – all major concerns of Catholic
social service providers.
In the House, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, chairman of the Committee on
the Budget, will slide over to head the
powerful tax-writing Committee on Ways
and Means. Ryan has written recent budget plans that would have resulted in less
spending on social services while implementing tax cuts for most wage earners
had the Democratic-controlled Senate
concurred. He will be succeeded by Rep.
Tom Price, R-Georgia, who played a major role in shaping the 2011 and 2012
House GOP budgets.
In the Senate, Sen. Patty Murray,
D-Washington, will yield her leadership of
the budget committee. Sen. Jeff Sessions,
R-Alabama, is expected to step in as ranking minority member, but he is being challenged by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyoming.
Ryan, who is Catholic, suggested in
July that an investment in case management services would better serve
low-income families in the long run. His
Expanding Opportunity in America proposal encompasses a series of measures
he believes will help move – and keep –
people out of poverty. He said he hoped
the proposal would start a nationwide
discussion on how to tackle the poverty
afflicting 45.3 million Americans.
The Republican lawmaker came to like
case management services after a March
10 visit to a Catholic Charities program
in his district. There, he met clients who
were teamed with a case manager and he
saw how they were on the way to self-sufficiency in a pilot program of Catholic
Charities USA.
While the poverty discussion never
emerged as Ryan had hoped, likely be-
cause it was election season, his proposal
remains alive.
For now, social services leaders such as
Brian Corbin, senior vice president for social policy at Catholic Charities USA, will
be watching the 114th Congress to ensure
that programs benefiting poor and vulnerable people remain in place.
“Probably we at Catholic Charities
and other partners just have to continue to meet with leaders on both sides of
the aisle in the House, the Senate and the
White House. Obviously, we have to keep
talking about poverty,” Corbin told Catholic News Service.
Catholic Charities is turning to its
2007 policy paper to help guide its legislative agenda. The paper focused on five
major concerns: education and workforce training, family economic security,
health, housing and hunger. As a follow
up, diocesan Catholic Charities programs
were surveyed in November to determine
how those areas were being addressed locally, Corbin said.
“We have to constantly bring poverty to the table. We just have to do it. It’s
never a good time. A lot of decision-makers have a lot of things on their plate. We
understand. We have to continue to bring
poverty to the table,” Corbin said.
Presentation Sister Richelle Friedman,
director of public policy at the Coalition
on Human Needs, said that while poverty
must remain a priority in the federal budget, any changes that Congress may consider must not reduce benefits.
“We have some large concerns about
where we might be headed (in the new
Congress),” she said.
In particular, Sister Richelle cited Ryan’s repeated proposals for converting
federal funding for social services into
block grants to states. She said such an
arrangement likely will lead to significant
cuts in programs.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops made its views known after the elections as the end-of-the year budget negotiations ramped up. In letters Nov. 17 to all
535 members of Congress, the chairmen
of two prominent committees urged the
elected representatives to “draw a ‘circle
of protection’ around the many programs
that serve poor and vulnerable people at
home and abroad.”
Miami Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski,
chairman of the Committee on Domestic
Justice and Human Development, and
Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, New
Mexico, chairman of the Committee on
International Justice and Peace, reiterated criteria the bishops believe must be
part of any budget negotiations:
• Assess every budget choice for how it
protects or threatens human life and dignity.
• Measure budget proposals by how
they affect hungry, homeless, unemployed
and impoverished people.
• Recognize that government and other institutions share responsibility to promote the common good.
Kim Daniels, senior adviser to Catholic Voices USA who served a short stint
as spokeswoman for former USCCB president Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New
York, said the “time is right” for Congress
to work across political divides to address
poverty. She pointed to Ryan’s plan as a
possible starting point.
She added that Congress would do well
to discuss the minimum wage, “so that
families can support themselves.”
POPE GREETING – Zachary resident and St. John the Baptist Church parishioner
Joyce Bourgeois, center, received a blessing and a rosary from Pope Francis when
she visited Rome earlier this month. While on a pilgrimage to Vatican City on Dec.
10, she was greeted by the pope. After his words to her, he asked, “Now, please
pray for me and those who depend upon me.” Also pictured is Bourgeois’ granddaughter, Nicki Plauche, left. Photo submitted by Dot Dickinson
December 26, 2014
The Catholic Commentator
A letter from Bishop
Muench regarding a
change in clergy Spring
Formation days
Dear People of God of the Diocese of Baton Rouge,
Beginning 2015, the Continuing Formation of the Clergy Committee decided to change the annual Spring Formation (Continuing Education) days,
previously held in May of each year, to the Annual Priests’ Formation Days,
to be held in the second full week in January. These formation days are
one of the important ways in which the priests of our diocese are formed
for ministry. They offer the priests opportunities for growth in intellectual
and spiritual formation, emotional maturity and physical well-being. Since
these days are offered once a year, and is a commitment by the diocese for
their on-going formation, participation by the priests is mandatory. However, on occasion, ministry needs arise at the same time preventing the
priests from participating in these Annual Formation days.
With the guidance of the Diocesan Presbyteral Council, the Continuing
Formation for Clergy Committee has secured a site for this year’s Annual
Formation, Jan. 12-15, in Natchez, Miss. The committee and I are aware
that the distance from Natchez to many of our diocesan parishes would be
significant and that pastoral ministry can and will occur during these days.
Nonetheless at the express request of the Continuing Formation Committee and the Presbyteral Council, I am expecting priests to attend the entire
formation days’ schedule. I know this may affect certain regular ministries, such as daily Mass and funerals. The daily Mass schedule in your
parish can be adjusted as determined by your parish priest to meet the
needs of your parish during Annual Formation. While this is a sacrifice,
I consider this sacrifice worth making. Regarding funerals, I would ask
that funerals be scheduled either before Annual Formation begins or after,
but not during, the scheduled Annual Formation days. If this is completely
impossible, one of the deacons from the diocese can provide the needed
funeral rites, namely the vigil wake, funeral without Mass and rite of committal. If the local parish staff is unable to secure a deacon for this special
funeral need, the parish staff may call the Office of the Vicar General at
(225) 387-0561 for further assistance.
Over the years, attendance at our Annual Formation and Priest Retreat
has been remarkably consistent. Pressing ministry could compromise and
jeopardize our commitment to these special opportunities. I hope this letter helps you understand and support our priests with their commitment
to their formation for ministry. I ask that you pray for our priests and our
diocese during these days.
In summary, every priest of the diocese is expected to be present and
take part in Annual Formation days in Natchez. I appreciate your affirmation and encouragement of our clergy who give so much of their lives for
our diocese. May God be generous in leading us into the future with hope.
Yours always in Jesus, the Good Shepherd,
Robert W. Muench
Bishop of Baton Rouge
ADVENT JESSE TREES – Students at St. Elizabeth School in Paincourtville spent
three weeks working on their individual Advent Jesse Trees. The students were
given ornaments for the 23 days preceding Christmas, with each ornament corresponding to a set of Old Testament verses that revealed something about the
coming of the Messiah and New Testament verses that explained the Old Testament revelation. Students were required to read the Bible verses, color each ornament and on the back of each ornament write what the verses revealed about the
coming of the Messiah. Photo submitted by Megan Scardina | St. Elizabeth School
Send your church parish, school and organization news and photos to
Richard Meek, editor, at [email protected].
DIOCESAN
Respect Life Rally
Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Bishop Robert E. Tracy Center
1800 S. Acadian Thruway Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Keynote Speaker: BoBBy Schindler
The Terri Schiavo caSe
Bobby Schindler, the brother of Terri
Schiavo, will share the powerful, firsthand
account of Terri’s story and the effect the
case has had across America.
LISTEN: Presentations by Catholic Charities Maternity, Adoption &
Behavioral Health on Project Rachel Ministry & the 2014 Pro-Life
Oratory contest winner
CONNECT: Respect Life groups will share information on their ministries.
Get involved!
PRAY: Living Rosary led by the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard
PLAY: Cafts & activities for children aged 7 & under
Sponsored by the Office of Marriage & Family Life
Christian Formation Secretariat – Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
Contact Danielle Van Haute 225-242-0164 or [email protected]
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The Catholic Commentator
December 26, 2014
Holy days of obligation/Praying from purgatory/Clapping at Mass
Q
When are we going to do away
with holy days of obligation? We
no longer live in medieval times
when a whole village is closed down for
the day. The only people at Mass now
are the true die-hards. Please encourage the bishops to put the celebrations
on Sunday or take away the obligation.
(Copake, New York)
A
In the Catholic world, there is
considerable variation from
country to country in the number
of holy days of obligation (when Catholics are required to participate in the
Eucharist). The Code of Canon Law in
No. 1246 lists 10 of these, in addition
to Sundays, but allows national conferences of bishops to reduce the number
or to transfer their observance to a
Sunday.
Vatican City observes all 10, while
Canada keeps only two (Christmas and
Jan. 1).
The United States has kept six holy
days of obligation: the feast of Mary,
Mother of God (Jan. 1); Ascension Thursday (40 days after Easter); the Assumption of Our Lady (Aug.15); All Saints’
Day (Nov. 1); the Immaculate Conception
(Dec. 8); and Christmas (Dec. 25.)
The
The U.S. Conference
of Bishops of the United
States decided to maintain the traditional six
holy days. Later, in 1999,
ecclesiastical provinces of the country were
permitted to transfer the
observance of the feast
of the Ascension to the
following Sunday, and
most of the United States
has done that.
The most confusing
aspect, I believe, was the
determination of the U.S.
bishops’ conference that
whenever Jan. 1, Aug. 15
or Nov. 1 falls on a Saturday or a Monday, the obligation to attend
Mass is removed. As a pastor, I confess
that each time this happens I feel the
need to review the regulation and explain
it in our church parish bulletin, because
neither our parishioners nor I can seem
to keep it straight.
Regretfully, I acknowledge your
contention that Mass attendance is low
on some of these holy days. In the fourth
century, St. John Chrysostom lamented
in a homily that “many people celebrate
Father Kenneth Doyle
aT your LoCaL ouTLeTs inCLuding:
✔ North Ridgely Healthcare, Baker
✔ Oak Point Supermarket, Central
✔ Oak Wood Nursing Home, Zachary
✔ Old Jefferson Community Care,
Baton Rouge
✔ Our Lady of the Lake College,
Baton Rouge
✔ Our Lady of the Lake Regional
Medical Center, Baton Rouge and
Walker
✔ Our Lady of the Lake Physician
Group, offices with locations
throughout the Diocese
✔ Reeve’s Supermarket, Baton Rouge
✔ St. Mary’s Books & Gifts,
Baton Rouge
✔ St. Vincent dePaul Stores throughout
the diocese
✔ Schexnayer Supermarket, Vacherie
✔ Southside Produce, Baton Rouge
✔ Tony’s Seafood, Baton Rouge
✔ UPS Store, Coursey Blvd., Baton
Rouge
✔ Whole Foods Market, Baton Rouge
✔ Winn Dixie in Baton Rouge, Hammond,
New Roads and Ponchatoula
as well as your local church parish
C
T H E
C A T H O L I C
S E R V I N G T H E D I O C E S E O F B AT O N R O U G E S I N C E 19 6 2
Q
If I recall correctly from grade
school (60 years
ago), the poor souls in
purgatory cannot pray
for themselves, but they
are able to pray for those
still in the world. I have been asked on a
number of occasions to say a few words
at a funeral in honor of the deceased.
Each time, I am moved to close my
reflection with, “Pray for us, (name of
the deceased), now and at the hour of
our death.” Am I off-base? (Wauwatosa,
Wisconsin)
Question Corner
Look for
CaThoLiC CommenTaTor
✔ Affinity Nursing Home, Baton Rouge
✔ Albertsons, Baton Rouge
✔ Alexander’s Highland Market,
Baton Rouge
✔ Ascension Books & Gifts, Gonzales
✔ Baton Rouge General Hospital,
Baton Rouge
✔ Baton Rouge Healthcare, Baker
✔ Benedetto’s Market, Addis
✔ Bohning Supermarket, Ponchatoula
✔ Calandro’s Supermarkets,
Baton Rouge
✔ Catholic Art and Gifts, Baton Rouge
✔ Daigle’s Supermarket, White Castle
✔ Grace Healthcare, Slaughter
✔ Hi Nabor Supermarkets, Baton Rouge
✔ Hubbins Grocery, Port Allen
✔ Lane Regional Hospital, Zachary
✔ LeBlanc’s Food Stores, Gonzales,
Donaldsonville, Hammond, Plaquemine,
Prairieville and Zachary
✔ Louisiana Vet Home, Jackson
✔ Matherne’s Supermarkets,
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✔ Magnuson Hotel, St. Francisville
✔ Murray’s, St. Amant
the holy days and know
their names; but of their
history, meaning and
origin, they know nothing.” If we are to maintain the six holy days of
obligation for the United
States, we probably
need to do a better job
explaining their meaning
and their importance.
A
Whether the souls in purgatory
can, by their prayers, help those
still on earth is an unsettled
question in Catholic theology and a matter on which renowned theologians have
differed. Thomas Aquinas held quite
definitively that the poor souls could not
help us, while Robert Bellarmine and
Alphonsus Liguori believed that they
could.
The section in The Catechism of the
Catholic Church that deals with purgatory (No.1030-1032) makes no mention
of the holy souls praying for us, and at
no point does the liturgy of the church
invoke their help.
But we cannot exclude that possibility; it could be that praying for the living
is part of their purification in readying
themselves for the holiness of heaven. So,
I see no harm in asking for their prayers.
If they are in purgatory, they might be
able to pray for us; if they are already in
heaven, they certainly can.
Q
I have noticed that when the
choir does a piece of music
differently or performs a song
especially well, someone inevitably
starts to applaud and the rest of the con-
gregation follows suit. I think that this
detracts from the mood that the music
has just created and interferes with the
solemnity of the Mass. Is it just me, or
should applause be reserved for musical
performances outside of Mass? (Lilburn,
Georgia)
A
The church has no specific
“rules” for or against applause
at Mass, so we are left to reason
for ourselves according to what comports with the purpose and spirit of the
liturgy. Fundamentally, I agree with
your observation. Music during Mass,
whether sung by the choir or by the
congregation, is not a performance. It
is meant to glorify God and sanctify the
faithful. It is a form of prayer and should
draw those present into deeper contact
with the Lord.
All of which inclines me in the direction of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later
to become Pope Benedict XVI), who in
the year 2000 wrote in “The Spirit of the
Liturgy” that “whenever applause breaks
out in the liturgy because of some human
achievement, it is a sure sign that the
essence of the liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of
religious entertainment.”
There are moments in certain liturgical celebrations when applause is welcomed, although not explicitly called for.
For example, in the ordination of a priest,
there is a point at which the congregation is invited to give its approval to the
candidate “according to local custom,”
which in the United States usually results
in applause.
Apart from such instances, it seems
inappropriate during Mass to break the
flow of the liturgy and spirit of prayer by
clapping. Having said that, we are properly grateful to musicians and singers
for adding beauty and reverence to the
celebration of the Mass. Perhaps that
gratitude could best be expressed once
the closing hymn is completed – either by
applause or by taking the time to compliment members of the choir personally.
FATHER DOYLE is chancellor for public
information and a pastor in the Diocese
of Albany, New York. Questions may be
sent to Father Kenneth Doyle at askfat
[email protected] and 40 Hopewell
St., Albany, NY 12208.
Find more ‘archived’ viewpoints from
Father Doyle or any of our columnists
at The Catholic Commentator Online
under “Viewpoint” at:
thecatholiccommentator.org
December 26, 2014
FAITH JOURNEY
The Catholic Commentator
7
Volunteers trained to help those in crisis
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
“I am glad you were there when I
needed you,” is one of the most satisfying things volunteers for the Baton Rouge
Crisis Intervention Center are told by people who reached out to them like a lifeline
because they were in crisis or thinking of
taking their life.
The center, which received funds from
the Bishop Stanley Joseph Ott Works of
Mercy Fund in 2014, trains volunteers for
this rewarding work at the beginning of
each year. Volunteer counselors are trained
in active listening, crisis theory and intervention, suicide, violence assessment and
community resources, according to Haley
Shows, clinical supervisor, crisis intervention specialist for the crisis center.
“When volunteers come in here, they
have an opportunity to get to learn what is
effective communication … learn to listen
to someone and to be silent when needed,”
said Shows.
Volunteers will learn how to connect
with someone and inform them about
services available in the community.
Working on the crisis telephone or chat
lines also boosts one’s personal growth
and knowledge about “the real world,” explained Shows. Volunteers are contacted
by people from varied backgrounds facing
different circumstances in their lives.
The volunteer’s confidence level will
build as they train, because they will know
how to handle particular calls or chat mes-
I
sages when they come in. The Baton Rouge
Crisis Center, which is contacted by people
from across Louisiana and some out of
state, receives 20,000-25,000 calls and
thousands of chat messages per year.
“It’s never easy to talk to someone in
crisis, but they are equipped to handle it in
the best way possible,” stated Shows.
There are some differences in training
for the telephone versus the chat line, because of the fact that one is taking a live
call versus responding to typed messages
coming across a computer screen.
“On chat sometimes you can misinterpret (people) because you can’t hear the
tone in their voice,” Shows said.
Those communicating by chat, however, tend to be more open and those working
the chat line a get a more in depth picture
of what the person may be thinking.
But the mission of the volunteers for
phone and chat line is the same, to be empathetic of what the people who are contacting them are going through and to
provide them with the services they need
to have a supportive and safe environment.
Shows noted that many young volunteers who have wanted to be social workers thanked her for the invaluable experience they have received through working
on the crisis line.
Many people call or send a message
back thanking the crisis center for being
there when they needed help and someone to talk to.
The next volunteer training begins
Thursday, Jan. 22 and is approximately 60
The Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center
receives thousands of contacts each year
through its crisis chat line. Photo provided by Megan Johnson | Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center
hours. Once training is complete, volunteers are asked to commit 12 to 18 hours a
month. For information and an application,
visit [email protected]. Deadline to submit an application is Jan. Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Another critical service provided by
the Baton Rouge Crisis Center, in conjunction with the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office, is comforting and
supporting loved ones of those who died
suddenly, according to Becky Young, coordinator of Traumatic Loss Outreach.
Volunteers are with the family of the
deceased for the first hour after death,
Young stated. That may be at the scene of
an accident, the hospital, the coroner’s office or the family’s home.
“These people are stunned and don’t
know what do after they hear the tragic
news,” said Young.
The first priority is to get the families to a comfortable and safe place, said
Young. If it is hot outside, the volunteer
takes them inside; if they are sitting on a
curb next to a lane of heavy traffic, they
move them away from the curb.
Often, parents of children feel a sense
of guilt, such as when a child accidentally
dies from suffocation or they did not see
the signs that a child was going to commit
suicide.
“Guilt is a normal reaction to stress,
confusion, anger and fear,” Young said.
Volunteers learn helpful things to say at
those vulnerable moments when families
are processing their loved one’s death.
They also provide them with emotional
support, resources and contact information for agencies that can help them. By
helping these people they are also lowering
their risk of committing suicide themselves
out of their despair. Noting how those they
help are grateful, Young recalled a woman
who said she was surprised that someone
would come at 10 at night to be with her
during her time of difficulty.
“I told her that’s what we do,” Young
said.
Training sessions for the traumatic
loss program will begin on Saturday, Feb.
28, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and again on Sunday,
March 1, 1-4 p.m.
Application deadline is Feb. 13.
To volunteer for the Traumatic Loss
Outreach program, call Young at 225924-1431, visit brcic.org or email [email protected].
Let God guide your resolutions for life
don’t know about you, but
year after year I find myself
breaking my New Year’s resolutions. Having said that, I readily admit that as we approach
New Year’s, we need focus. This
is a good time to get serious
about our future happiness. Am I
on the right track or not?
To test yourself, you might
find it helpful to stop and think
about what God wants you to do
for him. Surely you must realize
that your happiness for all eternity is linked to that question.
We usually think quite a lot
about New Year’s resolutions,
but I don’t think it’s helpful to
stress much about them. We tend
to break them a few weeks after
Jan. 1 and then drift back to our
normal lives. I prefer to put the
emphasis where it belongs: on
God. What does he want?
Here’s the heart of it. When
you love others, you try to please
them, isn’t that true? Pleasing
God is simple when you think
about it. Everything in Scripture
Spirituality
For Today
Father John Catoir
tells us that God is pleased when
we invite him into our lives and
then strive to do his will. He
wants us to accept his love and
share it with others. It all comes
down to the art of pleasing God
by becoming spiritually altruistic.
Are you spiritually altruistic?
God wants us to love one another.
Do you see yourself as a loving
person? God wants us to help one
another. Do you strive to help
others? God wants us to teach one
another. Do you teach spiritual
values by good example? God
wants us to forgive one another.
Do you harbor anger or resentment? God wants us to comfort
one another. Do you have compassion for those who suffer?
As you can see, we’ve moved
away from the topic of your happiness. Or have we? Clarifying the
definition of happiness is precisely the point. Self-centered people
are usually grasping, egotistical,
dominating, obnoxious and unhappy. They moan and complain,
even when they have much more
than the average person.
God wants you to be happy.
He knows that egotism is exactly
the wrong way to achieve happiness. It usually breeds misery.
That’s why he commands you
to love your neighbor. It’s not a
suggestion; it’s not a plea. It’s a
command. God’s will is deadly
serious. Your eternal happiness
depends on it, but so do your
self-respect, your joy and your
happiness in this life.
Knowing that God wants you
to be happy and that he actually
teaches you the way to achieve
it can be a life-changing experience. It has been known to alter
people’s entire direction in life.
Am I serious about not making any New Year’s resolutions
for 2015? Yes and no. If you feel
more comfortable with a specific
goal, then God bless you. My
hope is to convince you to be
open to the whispering of the
Holy Spirit so that all year long
you will have the holy desire to
surrender to the urgings of the
Holy Spirit as they come along.
These urgings are called graces.
Be assured that your good
intentions are duly noted in
heaven, but try to let God be the
one who reminds you of them.
May the Lord be your
strength and your joy.
FATHER CATOIR writes on issues of
spirituality for today’s Catholic
for Catholic News Service.
8
The Catholic Commentator
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HELLO MY NAME
IS...
FR. JOSEPH
ESPAILLAT
WHEN:
COOPER RAY
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015
8 am – 9:30 pm
Catholic Life Center
1800 S. Acadian Thruway
Baton Rouge, LA
The Diocese of Baton Rouge Presents the
Diocesan Youth Conference • FEATURING •
Keynote Speaker • Fr. Joseph Espaillat • House
Band • Cooper Ray
WWW.DIOBRYOUTH.ORG
Our Lady of the Lake College announces
December graduates
More than 160 Our Lady of the Lake
College students were conferred master’s,
bachelor’s or associate degrees during the
college’s commencement exercises held
on Dec. 19.
During his keynote speech, Father
Matthew Lorrain, pastor of St. John the
Baptist Church in Brusly, talked about
the importance of mentors to the success
of new graduates. Father Lorrain was
ordained to the priesthood in 1986 and
appointed vocation director from 20052012, after having served in several parishes in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. A
long-time advocate of Catholic education
and vocations, Father Lorrain is a current Our Lady of the Lake College Board
Trustee.
The college awarded its Student Excellence and Commitment to Service
Award to Bridget Jones, a bachelor’s
degree in nursing graduate. In addition to maintaining a high GPA, Jones
was an outstanding a leader for the college’s Student Nurses Association (SNA),
and served as the Louisiana state SNA
president and regional representative
at conferences in Tennessee and the
Carolinas. A strong advocate for breast
cancer awareness, Jones organized annual walks that involved hundreds of
students. She also helped implement a
fund-raising project for children in Haiti
and assisted with CI HealthCare Days, an
opportunity for high school juniors and
seniors to actively learn about healthcare
careers. When asked to name one of her
future professional goals, Jones always
includes her desire to “help others as a
registered nurse who practices the daily
‘spirit of healing’ by helping the patient’s
family members as well as the patient –
one day at a time.”
Anticipating trends in healthcare, the
college has transitioned away from offering Associate of Science in Nursing
degrees and now only offers Bachelor of
Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees. This
graduation ceremony featured the college’s first foundational BSN class.
School of Arts, Sciences and
Health Professions:
WHERE:
CONTACT US
225-336-8751
[email protected]
[email protected]
P.O. Box 2028
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
December 26, 2014
Master of Health Administration
Maegan Dunn, Jessica Miller, Jan Pennington
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Kynesha Johnson, Regan Thomas, Marquis Heard
Bachelor of Science in Clinical
Laboratory Sciences
Erika Coates, Alicia Joseph, Gavin Montgomery, Chelcee Pollock, Megan Schoonover, Alexis Stratmann, Kali Vicknair,
Danielle Williams
Bachelor of Science in Health
Service Administration
Johne Walker
School of Nursing:
Master of Science in Nurse
Anesthesia
Jerred Anderson, Kayla Brubaker, Meagan
Champagne, Jeremy Dufrene, Parker Ellis,
Jodi Fremin, Trevor Grau, Nathan Hanberry, Sam Heath, Travis Hibbert, John
Hoffpauir, Douglas Hymel, Michael Johnson, James Keith, Courtney Kelly, Kathryn
Kelly, Paul Lafleur, Richard Levy, Deron
Lewis, Jarrod Peters, Christina Prendergast, Emily Smith, Brendan Weishaar,
Justin Williams, Matthew Williams, Alex
Wimberley, Robyn Wriborg
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Sarah Aldridge, Alissa Allen, Shelley Allison, Clayton Alombro, Kristin Alonso, Brandi Anderson, Elizabeth Antoon,
Taylor Azar, Katie Ballard, Sunnybrooke
Banks, Latoya Barnes, Brittany Barnett,
Kalynn Bell, Natalie Bertucci, Heather
Best, Erica Blank, Patricia Boguslawski,
Nicholas Boone, Raymond Boudreaux,
Reva Broussard, Maxwell Breaux, Kristen Bridges, Shalecia Brown, Tracy Burgess, Kayla Cannon, Lyndsi Carter, Christi
Chaves, Kassie Claverie, Kenndrica Crum,
Kenneth Crum, Lindsey Cullen, Charrisa
Culpepper, Alisha Davis, Christopher Davis, Dara Deitch, Kristian Dijamco, Halie
Domiano, Morgan Ducote, Ashton Dupuy,
Ariyeil Edwards, Ashley Escoe, Daniel Flynn, Lorri Fontenot, Kelli Galiano, Sonjac
George, Anita Gilbert, Alicia Giraldo, Margaret Godfrey, Amanda Grzych, Elizabeth
Hammett, Kari Hartley, Robert Hawkes,
Kristie Henderson, Blake Hoff, Shelly
Holder, Tara Hollins, Sarah Holtmyer, Eric
Hymel, Lashelle Johnson, Bridget Jones,
Kareen Kaltakdjian, Kristopher Kindschuh, Sarah Kolbe, Evan Laiche, Chloe
Lawson, Christine Leblanc, Kaelyn LeBlanc, Cassie Lemoine, Melissa Marcantel,
Danielle Martrain, Jowana McCaskill,
Anastasia McPherson Richardson, Megan
McIntosh, Storie Melancon, Natalie Mills
Miller, Jessica Moran, Christine Mullally,
Rachael Nethken, Sarah Nicholas, Laura Parsons, Caroline Pourciau, Sheena
Powell, Isabella Prehn, Jessalyn Prejean,
Amberlee Roaden, Charley Roberson,
Chase Robert, Naydean Ruffin, Carla Salvatore Bimmler, Danette Scherer, Janeka
Scott, Rachael Searcy, Kristen Self, Jessica
Simoneaux, Ashleigh Smith, Jarred Smith,
Rebecca Smith, Laura Spell, Magahn Stanga, Bradley Taylor, Janie Theriot, Ashley
Thornton, Tiffani Traina, Sally Trammell,
Megan Vollenweider, Amanda Wallner,
Kayeli Watts, Vance White, Molly Whitmore, Leonie Woollery, Caitlin Yeager,
Brittany Young, Xiomara Zelaya, Helaine
Zito
Associate of Science in Nursing
Nicole Anthony, Ashley Chambers, Rachel Guillory, Kimberly Hutchinson, Ethel Nelson, Tuesday Netherland, Brittany
Templet
December 26, 2014
The Catholic Commentator
Redemptorist alumni react to news of closing
9
By Barbara Chenevert
The Catholic Commentator
RIP – Redemptorist.
The Facebook post said it all
as alumni and parents expressed
sadness and disappointment
over news that Redemptorist
Junior and Senior High School
would close at the end of the
2014-15 school year.
“I feel really sad,” said Klare
Joyce, a member of the RHS
Alumni Board and parent to
three RHS graduates. “I think
the school is a victim of circumstances, especially location, it
just couldn’t overcome.”
Former Home and School
Association president Carolyn
Murry said she was “shocked
and surprised” to hear that Redemptorist is closing. “A lot of
people worked very hard to try
and keep it afloat, but I guess
it wasn’t enough. I was told numerous times that (diocesan officials) wanted Redemptorist to
stay, right where it was; it was
a Catholic presence in a part of
town that needed it.”
“I am quite saddened because
the place meant a lot to so many
people. There are businesses in
that area that relied on the influx of people in and out of there.
I hope the entire North Baton
Rouge area can survive without
this beacon of hope being there.
I hope all the alumni will be able
to keep the spirit of Redemptorist alive in spite of this decision,”
she said.
Lawrence Robillard, current
president of the RHS alumni
association, has called an emergency board meeting for next
Tuesday. He said he would not
make a statement until after the
board meeting.
Barry Stewart, alumni and
RHS parent, said he was heartbroken. “I feel like a tragedy has
just happened. I have been a part
of RHS since I was 12. I went
there is seventh-grade and never
left the school.”
Stewart, whose two sons and a
Pope praises
diplomacy
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope
Francis expressed his joy over the
historic turning point in U.S.-Cuba relations as the two countries
agreed to restore diplomatic ties
after half a century.
Bishop Robert W. Muench said he has visited Redemptorist High School on more than 60 occasions during the past 12 years. “I care about the
students, I care about the faculty, I care about the community,” he said. Catholic Commentator staff photo
niece graduated from RHS, said,
“We are a Redemptorist family.
We never considered being a part
of any other school. We believe in
Catholic education and the family
environment that RHS has that is
unmatched anywhere.
“I wish that could have been
enough. I respect the wisdom of
the bishop, but it’s just really sad.”
Stewart said he received calls
from across the country as news
of Redemptorist’s closing spread.
Alumni and RHS parent
Maureen Williams also said she
is “very upset and hurt” by the
closing of the school which has
a 67-year history in North Baton
Rouge.
“My family has a legacy at
RHS. Five members of the family have graduated from there.
I am sad and disappointed. Redemptorist has been very good
to us,” she said.
Bishop Robert Tracy is shown blessing a new building at Redemptorist Junior High School on Feb. 25, 1964.
On Friday, Dec. 19, Bishop Robert W. Muench announced Redemptorist High School and Junior High
School will close June 30. Photo provided by the Diocese of Baton Rouge Archives Department
“Today we are happy because
we have seen how two peoples
who were distanced for so many
years took a step toward each
other yesterday,” he told a group
of new ambassadors.
The pope credited the breakthrough to the consistent, constant efforts of the nations’ ambassadors and the “noble” task of
diplomacy.
The pope’s comments came
Dec. 18 in a speech to 13 new ambassadors to the Vatican.
The pope told them that the
work of an ambassador is carried
out with “tiny steps, tiny things”
even “really tiny” efforts.
But all of those efforts “always
end in creating peace, bringing
people’s hearts closer together,
sowing fraternity among peo-
ples,” he said.
Referring to the announcements by the United States and
Cuba Dec. 17 to restore relations,
but without specifically naming
the two countries, the pope told
the diplomats that the rapprochement “was moved forward by
ambassadors, by diplomacy. Your
work is noble, very noble.”
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vat-
ican secretary of state, said the
pope’s “culture of encounter”
was a decisive tipping point for
restored relations and offers the
key to diplomatic success stories
in the future.
The cardinal said this landmark move has come after many
years of the hard work of many
people, including the popes,
starting with St. John XXIII.
10
SHE ‘STOLE’ HIS HEART
The Catholic Commentator | December 26, 2014December 26, 2014 | The Catholic Commentator
11
“He held them up and I
could see his heart come
out, that he was so grateful
over the quality of the
craftsmanship and the
transformation of the stoles.”
Beads embellish a stole bearing the images of
the four evangelists.
Father David Allen said he is honored to wear stoles created by his younger sister, Madlyn Hicks.
Among Hicks’ favorite pieces is this stole, which she beaded for her brother, Father David Allen, pastor of Holy Family Church in Port Allen. Photos by Barbara
Chenevert | The Catholic Commentator
Father Allen’s sister adds sparkle to his homily
A
By Barbara Chenevert
The Catholic Commentator
s the only girl among five older brothers, Madlyn
Hicks’ mother was determined that she would be a
“girly-girl.” Consequently she took lessons to learn
to sew, crochet, knit, paint and dance.
“She was going to make me a girly-girl and she succeeded,” Hicks said, adding she always wore dresses growing
up and didn’t own a pair of slacks until she went off to
college.
But that determination paid off as Hicks is now an accomplished artist, art teacher and seamstress, who loves
to embellish vestments for the priest of the church she attends – who incidentally is Father David Allen, her brother
and pastor of Holy Family Church in Port Allen.
Hicks buys stoles and vestments and enhances them
with detailed beading to highlight the Eucharistic bread
and wine, the four evangelists or crosses displayed on the
garments. Some of the beads she uses are gems taken from
vintage jewelry that belonged to her mother, grandmother,
aunts or other people close to the family.
Father Allen is proud to wear the work of his younger
sister, whom he calls “kid.”
“What I like is that the people notice that, I, as a priest
of the diocese consider the Eucharist the most important
thing we do, and to bring this into it gives an external
sign of preciousness, reverence and respect for God. And
it gives the people that reverence,” he said. “I am honored
that my sister has a talent that speaks to that and sets fire
to their hearts. It adds a sense of awe to the Eucharist.”
helped me to develop and nourish it.”
Hicks said she prays to the Blessed Mother before starting anything creative. “Somehow my pieces come out and
Hicks said she first got the idea of beading stoles when
I can’t explain how, other than her blessing to me through
she and Father Allen went to Rome about 15 years ago.
Christ. She is truly my teacher who has taken over what“He took me to a store where clergy bought vestments and
ever I am creating. I believe that with all my heart.”
chalices, and I was fascinated by the intricate work on
Mary must have been a “creative, artsy person,” she
white gold chalices, the jewels, and the workmanship on
added. “I feel she connects with me because she lived with
the vestments. So one day when David was not with me,
an artist, St. Joseph, who was a carpenter. She never fails
I went back to the store and asked (the owner) to help me
me.”
pick out some stoles. I purchased them without David’s
Hicks’ journey into artistry
knowledge. I came back here,
started early in her life. “I was
purchased some beads and it
the only girl and the baby. The
took me about four months to
family grew up close. When we
bead them.”
were young, my brothers used
But then Hicks worried about
to polish my fingernails and
his reaction. “This was going to
toenails. David and Fred, the two
be new for him. Was he going to
youngest boys, would play with
be comfortable among his felme.
low priests wearing them?” But
Father David Allen
“They all like to say I’m spoiled
when he opened her gift, she
Pastor, Holy Family Church
rotten but I don’t think of myself
said, she will never forget his
that way. I started working at the age of 14,” Hicks said.
face. “He held them up and I could see his heart come out,
that he was so grateful over the quality of the craftsmanEvery summer she would take sewing lessons at Baton
ship and the transformation of the stoles. It was something Rouge High School where she was the youngest in the
plain coming out as an artform. It made me feel so much
class. But she said her real passion was drawing. “In first
closer to him.”
grade at St. Joseph School downtown (Baton Rouge), I
Asked where she gets her inspiration, she said she
developed a strong interest in drawing. I would go to the
frequently goes to the library for books and searches “endreading center (in school) and pull out one book, an illess” magazines. But she added her mother just attributed
lustrated Cinderella book. Sister Adele would say, ‘You are
supposed to read the book, not try to draw the pictures
it to “a sixth sense. In my mind I could transform a room
inside.’ She told me that on a daily basis.”
or a garment, I could reform it, reshape it. I could see
But Sister Adele saw something special in this young girl
what I wanted and would work until I achieved it. But that
was from God. It is a God-given talent. The man upstairs
and told her mother about her passion for drawing. Hicks
I am honored that my sister has
a talent ... and sets fire to their
(the people’s) hearts. It adds a
sense of awe to the Eucharist.
said she would sit in front of the television on Saturday
mornings and watch a “how to draw” show. Her mother
searched for art lessons for her, but kept getting turned
down because of Madlyn’s age. When she contacted the
YWCA and was told they didn’t teach children, Madelyn’s
mom loaded up her up in the car and drove to the YWCA,
“I started crying – I was scared. I knew I was going somewhere children weren’t welcome. But going up against my
mother was impossible.” Hicks said she stood along the
wall and watched about 30 senior citizens doing artwork.
But as she watched, she began to feel an inner peace. “I
immediately connected to the art in the room. The instructor never recognized me, he just glared, but after about 30
minutes when he saw I was quiet, he invited me to walk
around and look at the work,” which she did for the next
two hours. “I felt like I was in ‘art heaven,’ ” Hicks said.
Hicks continued to develop her art skills during high
school and eventually was awarded a scholarship to Colombia College in Missouri, where she focused on art and
dance. After two years she transferred to Stephens College,
an all women’s college, and fulfilled her father’s dream of
her becoming a Golden Girl. (But for the University of Missouri Tigers, not LSU.)
Hicks, who is married and has three children, now
teaches art classes in her home as well as at Holy Family
School, where she said principal Michael Comeau brings
new energy to enrichment and academic classes.
“I’m a very driven and passionate person. I am passing
that on to the students in the classroom.
You never stop learning. When you have a passion for
the arts, you are always creating in some form. I don’t
know what is next for me. It could be anything. Everything
is next,” she said.
Hicks uses some gems taken from vintage jewelry belonging to relatives to enhance
the stoles.
This image of Jesus sands out with Hicks’ beading.
The Eucharistic bread and wine are highlighted with intricate beadwork.
12
The Catholic Commentator
December 26, 2014
Youth come home winners in Pelicans’ loss
By Debbie Shelley
The Catholic Commentator
The Diocese of Baton Rouge Youth Ministry Program
made the winning plays of combining the Catholic faith
and fellowship to come out the victors in a nail biting
overtime game between the New Orleans Pelicans and
the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 14 in New Orleans.
Junior high and high school youth from the Diocese
of Baton Rouge boarded a bus and headed to Smoothie
King Arena, where the Pelicans hosted a Kids Night that
intermixed the game with fun activities for kids.
After warming up with some concessions, the youth
joined in the flow of the fans loudly cheering on their
home team. They were even caught on camera during
the blitz shots of fans displayed on a video screen above
the court. The youth became more engrossed with the
competition after they were given the opportunity to give
the Pelicans players high fives as they returned through a
tunnel to the court after halftime. Many of the youth said
this was a highlight of the night for them.
The Pelicans, who trailed 60-51 at halftime, also apparently received a “pick up” from the high fives, as they
went on an 13-0 run in the third quarter, started by a
dunk by Jeff Withey.
The Pelicans were poised to break the Warrior’s 15game winning streak, but the Warriors, who lead the
NBA Western Conference, hung in to tie the score at 111
at the end of regulation time.
As the final minutes of overtime ticked down, the diocesan youth waited in the hallway outside of the court
Youth from the Diocese of Baton Rouge cheer on the Pelicans during their game against the Golden State Warriors
Dec. 14 at the Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans. Photo
by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator
so they could have their picture taken on the court following the game. Their eyes remained glued to the monitors on which the game was televised, and their reactions
told the story of the hard fought battle, as they leaped
and pumped their hands in the air when the Pelicans
took command and groaned when the Warriors took the
lead. The Pelicans played valiantly, but “blinked” in the
final few minutes, and the game slipped away from them.
They lost 128 - 122.
But winning or losing was not as important to the
youth as the fact that they were able to mingle with their
peers.
Tim Messenger, associate director of youth and young
Most Blessed Sacrament
Catholic School
adult ministry for the diocese said, “The youth benefit
from the game event and events like this because it provides a social element to youth ministry.”
“Youth ministry is based heavily in relationships and
for most of us, growth in our faith has to start with this
relational component of doing fun youth events that can
plant seeds and hopefully lead to participation in the
deeper and more spiritual events which can lead us into
a deeper encounter with God,” Messenger said.
The youth’s comments indicated that the overall objective of the trip to the game was successful.
Kiley Griffin said the trip was her first opportunity to
see a Pelicans game live.
“They’re really good,” said Griffin, a member of the
Sacred Heart youth group, who commented that spending time with her friends made the event especially fun
for her.
Sarah Bertrand, also a member of the Sacred Heart
youth group, said she was proud of how well the Pelicans
played.
“It was exciting to get to hang out with everyone from
the youth group,” Bertrand said.
Zachary Hardy, a member of Immaculate Conception
Church in Lakeland, said he thought the game would be
good but was surprised by how close the game was and
how much fun he had meeting other people.
Christian Ford, another member of the Sacred Heart
youth group, was not surprised by how fun the game or
companionship was, because this had been his fourth
year in a row to go, and he hopes to go again next year.
“It’s a great way to get people together,” Hardy said.
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T H E
C A T H O L I C
December 26, 2014
The Catholic Commentator
CAROLING AT THE NURSING
HOME – St. Thomas More School
choir students sang Christmas carols and spoke with the residents at
Capitol House and Guest House
nursing home and rehabilitation
centers. Administrators said the
residents were cheered by the students’ visit. Photo provided by Tootie Lee |
St. Thomas More School
TOY DRIVE – The St. Michael the Archangel High School student council held a Christmas toy
drive to benefit the St. Vincent dePaul Society. Students in grades 9-12 collected more than 500 toys
and almost $500, which student council officers used to purchase toys and other items for children
ages 12 and under. The success of the drive was because of a contest among home rooms, which
Religion teacher Donna Bass’ class won. Overall, the seniors collected the most toys and received
the class cup spirit points for this event. Photo provided by St. Michael High School
STORY TEASERS – Fourth graders at Most Blessed Sacrament School dressed as a character
from a book they had recently read as they gave a brief “teaser” about the book to their class. Pictured are, from left, Matt O’Lind, dressed as Star Lord from the book, “Guardian of the Galaxy;” Kendall Gauthier, dressed a Secret Service agent from “Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride;” Justin Maylon,
dressed as Secret Agent Geronimo from the book of the same name; Mia Scott, dressed as Nikki from
“Dark Diaries, Tales from a Not So Glam TV Star;” and Ella Ortego, dressed as Nikki from “Dark Diaries,
Tales from a Not So Happily Ever After.” Photo provided by Carolin Milner | Most Blessed Sacrament School
I
13
Ho Ho Ho-moousios
’ve always thought Santa was
kind of scary. He’s a burly
dude, wearing a red jumpsuit.
He breaks into our homes, steals
our cookies and puts coal in our
stockings. No wonder the majority of young babies cry when sat
on this stranger’s lap. But to tell
the truth, St. Nick was no “walk
in the park.” Let me explain.
Nicolas of Myra was a bishop
of Asia Minor in the 4th century.
Along with being known for leaving gifts on people’s doorsteps
and money in people’s shoes, he
was also one of the many bishops
at the Council of Nicaea in AD
325. In the council, Nicolas was
a proponent for Christian Orthodoxy particularly against the
Arian heresy. The heresy stated
that Jesus was not fully divine
because he was at one point created by the Father. This is obviously wrong; the Second Person
of the Trinity has existed from
all eternity. He is consubstantial, with the Father. The technical Greek term is homoousios, or
“one in being.” We profess it every
Sunday when we say the Nicene
Creed. But that creed came from
somewhere. It came from the
Council of Nicaea. Thanks Santa
Claus. Ho Ho Ho-moousios!
One of my favorite stories
about St. Nicolas has him arguing with Arius, the inventor of the
heresy, on the council floor. After
a long and heated debate, Nicolas
drew back and punched out Arius
cold. That’s right, the jolly ole St.
Nick laid the smack down on that
heretic. Santa Claus IS coming to
town, and he’s bringing the theological hammer.
I don’t recall this story to highlight the violence of it, though I
do believe Bruce Willis wouldn’t
have minded Santa as his Die
Hard sidekick. I bring it up as an
example of how very important
the truths of the faith were to the
early Christians and still should
be today. As was already stated,
we say the Creed every Sunday,
but how many times do we actually think about what we’re saying? Even more, how often do we
understand what we’re saying?
At least the church fathers were
fighting over important things.
We just punch each other for a
spot in line at Macy’s on Black
Friday.
When we look in the manger
we should absolutely see a cute
baby. But we should also see a
great scandal as well. We should
see a complete paradox. It should
Sign of the Times
Deacon Brad Doyle
look like waves crashing into
rocks, a volcano exploding or meteorites crashing into earth. That
cute baby should shake us to our
core and make our knees grow
weak, because in that baby, divinity and humanity were joined,
God became man, the creator
dropped down to his creation,
and our salvation was begun.
The Arian heretics of the
early church didn’t necessarily
“want” to be wrong. The definition of a heretic means they
think they’re right. They were
heretics because they couldn’t
handle the scandal of the incarnation. To them, it was complete
hogwash that God would “actually” become man. To them, Jesus couldn’t be divine because
God just wouldn’t do that. They
were wrong. He did.
There are many lessons we
can learn from St. Nicolas’ encounter with Arius and his heresy. One could be: don’t cross a
Turkish bishop while calling him
jolly. A more important one is:
trust the church. The real difference between St. Nicolas and Arius was that St. Nicolas trusted
Christ and the church that Christ
founded. The entire tradition up
until AD 325 said that Jesus was
divine. The Scriptures said it,
the bishops said it, it was clear.
St. Nicolas trusted the church,
Arius trusted himself.
There will be many times in
our contemporary context that
we will be asked to trust something other than the church. The
church that gave you the Creed,
is the same church that gives you
her teachings today. The question is, will you be Arius, or St.
Nicolas. I, for one, desire to be
like the saint. He knows when
you’ve been bad or good, so be
good for goodness sake. It’s just
safer that way.
14
The Catholic Commentator
MOVIE
REVIEWS
USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting
classifications:
A-I – General patronage
A-II – Adults and adolescents
A-III – Adults
A-IV – Adults, with reservations
L – Limited adult audience
O – Morally offensive
Annie
Columbia
Exuberant, updated adaptation of the
1977 Broadway musical (and 1982 film),
based on the “Little Orphan Annie” comic strip by Harold Gray. In present-day
Manhattan, a foster child (Quvenzhane
Wallis, a native of Houma, La.) dreams of
finding her real parents, while living with
four other girls and a wicked, drunken
mess (Cameron Diaz) of a temporary
guardian. Her rescuer arrives in an unlikely form: a billionaire businessman
(Jamie Foxx) who takes her in for publicity purposes as he campaigns for mayor.
The fun begins as she casts a spell on her
new benefactor, and vice versa. Director
ENTERTAINMENT
Motion Picture Association of America
ratings:
G – General audiences; all ages admitted
PG – Parental guidance suggested; some
material may not be suitable for children
PG-13 – Parents are strongly cautioned
to give special guidance for attendance
of children under 13; some material may
be inappropriate for young children
R – Restricted; under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
NC-17 – No one under 17 admitted
and co-writer Will Gluck’s wholesome
story for all ages carries positive messages about love, family, and forgiveness.
A couple of crass terms, fleeting mature
references. A-II; PG
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Warner Bros.
Director and co-writer Peter Jackson’s
trilogy of films based on Catholic novelist J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 fantasy for children, set in Tolkien’s imaginary world of
Middle-earth, reaches a rousing finale as
the forces of good and evil, both within
and surrounding its characters, confront
each other in a climactic struggle. After
the fearsome dragon (voice of Benedict
December 26, 2014
Cumberbatch) who long ago exiled them
from their ancestral bastion is slain,
the brave band of Dwarves whose quest
to reclaim their fabled citadel has been
aided by the formerly fainthearted Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) is
finally able to recover their stronghold.
But the untold wealth stored up in the
mountain fortress begins to obsess their
king (Richard Armitage), making him
hopelessly greedy and paranoid just as
a vast army of evil Orcs (led by Manu
Bennett) is on the march against them.
The warping effects of avarice are poised
against the redeeming consequences of
heroic selflessness in this combat-heavy
parable, which also sees the return of
Ian McKellen as the wizard who first
prompted Bilbo’s transformation. The
film offers valuable lessons for those
viewers mature enough to endure its
many armed confrontations. Pervasive,
sometimes harsh battle violence with
minimal gore, a couple of crass expressions. A-II; PG-13
Into the Woods
Disney
Despite its fairy-tale roots, this initially pleasing but ultimately problematic adaptation of Stephen Sondheim
and James Lapine’s long-running 1987
stage musical is an inappropriate choice
for youthful moviegoers. As scripted by
Lapine, the action wittily interweaves
a number of classic children’s stories
those of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) and
Rapunzel (Mackenzie Mauzy) among
them with its main narrative tracing a
childless couple’s (James Corden and
Emily Blunt) quest to undo the curse
of barrenness placed on his family by a
witch (Meryl Streep) whom his father
(Simon Russell Beale) long ago wronged.
All this transpires whimsically enough at
first under Rob Marshall’s direction. But
late plot developments lead into brooding reflections on the two-edged legacy
of gaining worldly experience and, more
disturbingly, into an apparent rejection
of objective moral standards in favor of
do-it-yourself ethics. Possibly acceptable
for older teens. Complex moral themes
requiring mature discernment, a scene
of adulterous kissing, some stylized violence, the mildly abusive treatment of
minors. A-III; PG
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
Fox
All creatures great and small, including some long-dead humans, spring to
life when the sun goes down in this goodnatured and mostly family-friendly third
film in the popular franchise, directed
like its predecessors by Shawn Levy. A
guard (Ben Stiller) at New York’s American Museum of Natural History harnesses the power of an ancient Egyptian
tablet, which makes the exhibits around
him come alive at nightfall. But the talisman is decaying, and fixing it requires
crossing the Atlantic to London’s British Museum. A gaggle of Gotham-based
exhibits, among them President Theodore Roosevelt (Robin Williams), an
Egyptian pharaoh (Rami Malek), Attila
the Hun (Patrick Gallagher) and Lewis and Clark’s Native American guide
Sacajawea (Mizuo Peck), accompany
the watchman and his rebel teenage son
(Skyler Gisondo) on their excursion overseas, where Sir Lancelot (Dan Stevens),
legendary knight of the Round Table,
joins the quest. Despite occasional toilet humor and outsized dinosaur behavior that might intimidate tots, overall,
Levy’s film offers viewers good-natured
and amiable fun. Some intense action
sequences, childish scatological humor,
mild innuendo. A-II; PG
Exodus: Gods and Kings
Fox
Big but boring, director Ridley Scott’s
epic 3-D take on the biblical event of the
title is skittish where miracles are concerned and revisionist in its treatment of
the relationship between Moses (Christian Bale) and the Almighty. Raised as a
foster son to Egypt’s Pharaoh (John Turturro) and adoptive brother of the heir
to the throne (Joel Edgerton), the future
patriarch is sent into exile when a corrupt official (Ben Mendelsohn) whose
wrongdoing he has uncovered reveals
his lowly origin as the child of a Hebrew
slave. Working as a shepherd, he finds solace in married life (with Maria Valverde)
until his contentment is once again disturbed when God oddly personified by an
11-year-old boy (Isaac Andrews) calls on
him to lead his enslaved compatriots to
freedom. While Scott’s film has computer-generated effects to spare, especially
in the plague scenes, its human interaction is stilted and uninvolving. Considerable combat and other violence with some
gore, religious themes requiring mature
discernment, restrained sexual content,
including a gay innuendo and two marital
bedroom scenes. A-III; PG-13
The Pyramid
Fox
Cross “The Mummy” with “Alien” and
you get this schlock horror film about
scary things that go bump in the Egyptian night, directed by Gregory Levasseur. His documentary format purports
to tell the “true” story of an American archeological expedition in Cairo in 2013,
set against the upheavals of the Arab
Spring. A father-daughter team of scientists (Denis O’Hare and Ashley Hinshaw)
have discovered a pyramid buried deep
under the desert. A journalist (Christa
Nicola) and her wisecracking cameraman (James Buckley) chronicle their excavation of it. When contact is lost with
a robot rover that’s been sent inside the
structure, its operator (Amir K) joins the
others on a rescue mission. Before long,
of course, it’s apparent that something
sinister is lurking underground. Bloody
violence and gory images, brief partial
female nudity, some profane and crude
language. A-III; R
December 26, 2014
ENTERTAINMENT
What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
Are you waiting on a lightning strike?
Are you waiting for the perfect night?
Are you waiting ‘till the time is right?
What are you waiting for?
Don’t you wanna learn to deal with fear?
Don’t you wanna take the wheel and steer?
Don’t you wait another minute here?
What are you waiting for?
Refrain:
You gotta go and reach for the top
Believe in every dream that you got
You’re only living once so tell me
What are you, what are you waiting for?
You know you gotta give it your all
And don’t you be afraid if you fall
You’re only living once so tell me
What are you, what are you waiting for?
Are you waiting for the right excuse?
Are you waiting for a sign to choose?
While you’re waiting it’s the time you lose
What are you waiting for?
Don’t you wanna spread your wings and fly?
Don’t you really wanna live your life?
Don’t you wanna love before you die?
What are you waiting for?
Tell me what you’re waiting for
Show me what you’re aiming for
What you gonna save it for?
So, what you really waiting for?
Tell me what you’re waiting for
Show me what you’re aiming for
What you gonna save it for?
So what you really waiting for?
Everybody’s going to make mistakes
But everybody’s got a choice to make
Everybody needs a leap of faith
When are you taking yours?
Sung by Nickelback | Copyright © 2014 by Republic Records
When waiting and taking it slow is the right choice
C
1
Of course, there also comes a
time when we need to stop waiting
and act. Going back to my example
above, you could get to know the
person better before asking for
a date. Eventually, you will see
whether the person is open to dating again, and then you can ask
for a date. Waiting does not assure
that the person will take up your
invitation.
Often, when the time to act is
right, you’ll know, but this requires
reflection, the opposite of being
impulsive. You can explore your
feelings and see whether you possess a peace about acting, even if
all the fear about doing so has not
resolved.
Ask God to help in your decisions or actions.
Every prayer for guidance is answered, especially
when you take the time to listen and allow God’s
guidance to appear.
When someone asks you, “What are you waiting for?” you’ll know the answer. Sometimes, we
know the time is not right. Go slow and take your
time making decisions and always ask God to
guide you. Act when you feel it’s time. That’s the
path to a creative and wise life.
On The Record
Charlie Martin
MARTIN is an Indiana pastoral counselor who
reviews current music for Catholic News Service.
Your comments are always welcome. Please write
to: [email protected] or at 7125 West CR 200
South, Rockport, IN 47635, or like this column on
Facebook at “Charlie Martin’s Today’s Music Columns” and post a comment or suggestion.
Plan your 2015 advertising with The Catholic Commentator! Call 225-387-0983.
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(Repeat refrain.)
(Repeat refrain.)
anadian rockers Nickelback have a long list of
awards and success and as
2015 nears, their career almost
spans two decades of music making.
The band’s latest hit “What
Are You Waiting For?” encourages us to think about the idea of
the right timing in our lives.
The song’s protagonist says,
“You gotta go and reach for the
top, believe in every dream that
you got.” He says you have to
“give it your all and don’t you be
afraid if you fall.” In his opinion,
“while you’re waiting, it’s the time
you lose,” so “what are you really
waiting for?”
Contrary to this advice, I’d argue that there
could be value in waiting. Not every step in our
lives appears with perfect clarity. Sometimes, it’s
good to wait until clarity comes along.
For example, let’s say that someone interests
you romantically, but you know the person is just
coming out of a relationship that didn’t work out
and likely is not ready to start dating again. Your
fears tell you that you better act soon before someone else asks her or him out. Another part of you
knows that the individual isn’t prepared to begin
a new relationship. A wise choice would be to wait
and put aside the fear about missing your chance.
In other situations, you may not be certain
about the best decision, but you decide to move
forward. Being impetuous can lead to hurtful
disappointment. Once more, the better approach
is to wait.
The Catholic Commentator
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www.wordgamesforcatholics.com
ACROSS
1 Prize won by Mother Teresa
6 CC less than M
10Pace
14 With speed
15Scintilla
16 Liturgical ___
17Problems
18 Second son of Judah
19 Launch grp.
20 “…world without ___. Amen”
21 Charged particles
23 Number of days Jesus spent in
the desert
24Autocrat
26 Grew less
29 Talking Tolkien tree
30 Cabbage salad
34Melts
37 Examined furtively
38 Serpent’s tail?
39 Joseph and Benjamin, to Jacob
40 Uncultivated country
41 Bone of the forearm
42 ___, amas, amat
43Decrees
44Pilot
45Repudiate
47 Jurisdiction of a bishop
48 Apostles’ or Nicene
49 Standards of perfection
53 What the Magi brought
56Queue
58Born
59 The Archdioceses of Tokyo and
Mandalay are here
60Heroic
62Royal
64 Pole or Croat
65 Eternal ___
66 Ecole attendee
67 Sneaky fellow
68Charges
69Angers
DOWN
1
Adam and Eve were afraid
Mr. D’s
because they were this
Express a belief
Musical groups
Johann ___, 16th century defender of Catholicism
5Wounds
6 French-Canadian Catholic singing phenomenon
7 Permanent state of life characterized by the profession of the
evangelical counsels
8 Windy city transport initials
9Fire
10 Meetings of bishops
11 Pillow stainer
12 Nod, vis-à-vis Eden
13 Say the rosary
22 Melvin of baseball
23 “___ my sheep” (Jn 21:17)
25 Church seats
27 One of the 10 plagues
28 Ran, as colors
31 Easter flower
32 Patron saint of Canada
33 Damage by regular use
34 Former Russian ruler
35 Tarsus, to Paul
36 Hie’s partner
37 “___ be with you”
40 It becomes the Blood of Christ
41 Peter Fonda “golden” role
43 Animal pelts
44 Tennis great Roger
46 Eight days of a holy season
47 Evil deed
50 Zechariah was the first person
in the New Testament to see
this (Lk 1:11)
51Depart
52 Graf rival
53 Breathe convulsively
54 Shipwreck site
55Decree
57 Frozen treats
60 Mischievous person
61 Schoo-fly, for one
63 A Old Testament high priest
2
3
4
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The Catholic Commentator
M
VIEWPOINT
December 26, 2014
A priest’s Christmas
erry Christmas! This
issue of The Catholic
Commentator is dated
Dec. 26, but it usually arrives at
newsstands a day or two early,
so I repeat the greetings of the
feast, Merry Christmas. This is
my favorite time of the year, so
pardon me if I get nostalgic. I
like it all – the Advent preparation, the lighted tree with beautiful decorations, the Christmas
songs, the creche, the parties,
the gift-giving and especially
the Christmas Masses.
Christmas is the feast of
God’s most personal gift to his
creation, the gift of his son, Jesus
the Christ. He could have come
as a powerful king, but he loved
us so much he came as the poor
child of poor parents. There was
not even room for
them in the inn.
No wonder shepherds, the poorest
rung of Jewish
society, could
identify with this
mysterious, totally
unexpected kind
of savior. And that
was God’s plan – in St. Paul’s
words, to the savior all of us
would be equal without worldly
divisions between Jews and
Greeks, men and women, free
and slave, rich and poor. Christmas may be just “holidays” to our
merchants, but to us Christians,
it is Christmas, the feast of God’s
greatest gift to humankind.
Before the secularization of
our society, Christmas was the
great religious family feast. Gifts
were given because the Magi
brought gifts to the Christ child.
The creche was St. Francis’ way
of honoring the humble birth of
Jesus. The evergreen tree was
a reminder of the eternal life
this man – God – came to give
us. Its lights spoke of Jesus who
would become the light of the
world. Christmas carols continued the angel choir’s songs to
the shepherds.
Christmas is a nostalgic feast
– how could it be otherwise? Its
beauty attracts all of our senses.
My family celebrated Christmas
in a big way because my mother
was a Christmas addict. Our
tree was always up by the first
Sunday of Advent, and it always
was the real thing, filling the
house with that crisp Christmastree smell. Unfortunately, in
1965 a few days after Christmas
that year’s tree was a bit dry, and
with 14 children, ours and the
neighbor’s, in the house during
the evening, one of the children
plugged it in, and it exploded
with fire. The tree
and the house burnt
to the ground, but
everyone escaped
safely. My mother’s
response after a very
difficult year was a
bigger Christmas
tree in a new house
on the same lot. Until
she died all of her children and
grandchildren with their spouses
helped her celebrate Christmas.
As a newly ordained priest,
I was assigned to St. Joseph’s
Cathedral. Since I was the low
man on the totem pole after
Msgr. Borders, Msgr. Ott, and
Father Guillot, my Christmas
schedule was concelebrating
Midnight Mass, then helping St.
Pius X with two early morning
Masses, and ending up with
Mass around 11 a.m. in parish
prison. It did help me remember
that Jesus came for all of us.
The prisoners were the shepherds – and also corralled like
the sheep.
Later, in my first pastor-
The tree and the
house burnt to
the ground,
but everyone
escaped safely.
Another
Perspective
Father John Carville
ate at St. John the Evangelist in
Prairieville, what I remember
most was great Christmas music
and wonderful parish council
Christmas parties in the rectory.
In my second year there Father
Vic Messina’s nieces gave me
a Peekapoo puppy for Christmas which had not been house
trained. The council members
arrived for the party to catch me
with dust-pan and paper towels
in hand trying to get rid of the
Christmas presents that puppy
had left me.
In my next co-pastorate with
Father Donald Blanchard at
Christ the King, Christmas was
actually rather quiet since most
of the students went home for
Christmas. But for those who
remained, mostly foreign students, we had an after midnight
Mass party. That is when the
evening begins for students,
but not for 43-year-old pastors
who have to get up for morning
Christmas Masses. But it was
great fun.
Years later in the 90s the
whole parish at St. Thomas
More was invited to the rectory
Christmas party. It was a long
tradition of more than 20 years
started by my predecessor as
pastor, Msgr. Bill Greene. Everyone dressed up in Christmas finery, and people came and went
from about 6 p.m. until the last
one left hours later. The rectory
and parish offices were joined
around a courtyard in the middle and a walled-in back yard,
so there was ample room for a
large crowd. It was a fine celebration and good preparation
for the Christmas Masses with
wonderful choirs in a beautifully
decorated church. Christmas at
STM gathered Broadmoor and
Sherwood Forest into one great
church community.
During that time at St.
Thomas Moore and then back
to LSU, I had another type of
Christmas experience that was
very special. Twice I had to
administer the diocese, after the
death of Bishop Stanley Ott and
after his successor, Archbishop
Alfred Hughes, was made archbishop of New Orleans. Bishop
Ott had begun the tradition
of the bishop visiting the state
prisons within our diocese just
prior to Christmas. So I went
to Angola, Dixon, Hunt and
women’s prison (LCIW) in St.
Gabriel. Visiting inmates on
death row at Christmas makes
you realize that this beautiful
child born for us also came to
die for us. There is a theological
axiom that says, “Whatever of
our human nature would not be
assumed by the human Jesus
would not be redeemed.” And so
Jesus underwent death itself to
free us from eternal death.
I came away from Dixon Correctional Institute with a permanent reminder of the special
place Jesus plays in the lives of
prisoners. One of them there at
| PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PRAY FOR US
Please pray for the priests, deacons and religious women and men in the Baton Rouge Diocese.
Dec. 30 † Rev. Clarence J. Waguespack
Deacon Willie M. Berthelot Sr
Br. Marcel Riviere SC
Dec. 31 Rev. Miles D. Walsh
Deacon William B. Blair Jr.
Sr. Rita M. Lambert CSJ
Jan. 1 Rev. Ju Hyung (Paul) Yi
Deacon Daniel S. Borne
Br. Lincoln Sigwald SC
Jan. 2 Rev. Gerard F. Young
Deacon Claude H. Bourgeois Jr.
Sr. Frances Landry CSJ
Jan. 3 † Bishop Robert E. Tracy
Deacon Eugene F. Brady
Jan. 4
Jan. 5
Jan. 6
Jan. 7
Jan. 8
Br. Ronald Talbot SC
† Bishop Joseph V. Sullivan
Deacon Jerry W. Braud
Sr. Rita Lanie OSF
† Bishop Stanley J. Ott
Deacon Patrick J. Broussard Jr.
Br. Xavier Werneth SC
Bishop Robert W. Muench
Deacon Barry G. Campo
Sr. Joan Laplace CSJ
Rev. Howard R. Adkins
Deacon Jodi A. Moscona
Br. Maurus Bordelon SC
Rev. Donatus Ajoko
Deacon Leon Roy Murphy Jr.
Sr. Marie-Paul Le ICM
Jan. 9 Rev. Michael J. Alello
Deacon Donald J. Musso
Br. James Burns SC
Jan. 10 Rev. David E. Allen
Deacon Roger A. Navarra
Sr. Lilian Lynch OSF
Jan. 11 Rev. Richard R. Andrus SVD
Deacon Angelo S. Nola
Br. Eldon Crifasi SC
Jan. 12 Rev. Joey F. Angeles
Deacon Ricky P. Oubre
Sr. Vernola Lyons OSF
Dixon is a remarkably talented
painter. On the wall of my home
office is a painting he gave me
at my Christmas visit in 2001.
The main figure is of a woman
of Afghanistan with a tear
coming down her cheek. Her
black hair is showing in bangs
under a blue head scarf. In the
right hand corner is an image of
Jesus praying in the Garden of
Gethsemane, and in the background are two smoking towers
laid against an American flag,
the left hand border of which is
crumpled into the shape of the
State of Louisiana. “The child’s
mother and father were amazed
at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and
said to Mary ... and you yourself
a sword will pierce so that the
thoughts of many hearts will be
revealed” (Lk 2:34-35).
During those same times as
diocesan administrator I got to
do another bishop’s thing, serve
at the St. Vincent de Paul soup
kitchen and play Santa Claus for
poor children. Such a wonderful
experience of the true spirit of
Christmas. And this is an experience in which we can all participate. Jesus told his disciples to
feed the hungry and shelter the
homeless. We can’t all fit into the
St. Vincent de Paul centers, but
we can support them and the local Food Bank. This is so much a
part of our Christian calling that
I will devote my next column to
feeding the hungry. But that is
for next year.
Until then, MERRY CHRISTMAS.
FATHER CARVILLE is a retired priest
in the Diocese of Baton Rouge
and writes on current topics for
The Catholic Commentator. He
can be reached at johnnycar
[email protected].
Mission
Statement
The mission of The Catholic Commentator is to provide news, information and commentary to the
people of the Diocese of Baton
Rouge, Catholics and their neighbors alike. In doing so, The Catholic
Commentator strives to further
the wider mission of the Church:
to evangelize, to communicate, to
educate and to give the Catholic
viewpoint on important issues of
the present day.
December 26, 2014
VIEWPOINT
The Catholic Commentator
17
The visitation – revisited
W
e are all familiar
with the biblical story of the
visitation. It happens at
the beginning of Luke’s
Gospel. Mary and her
cousin, Elizabeth, both
pregnant, meet. One is
carrying Jesus and the
other is carrying John
the Baptist. The Gospels
want us to recognize that
both these pregnancies
are biologically impossible; one is a virginal
conception and the other
is a conception that occurs
far beyond someone’s
childbearing years. So there is clearly something of the
divine in each. In simple language, each woman is carrying a special gift from heaven and each is carrying a
part of the divine promise that will one day establish
God’s peace on this earth.
But neither Mary nor Elizabeth, much less anyone
around them, consciously recognizes the divine connection between the two children they are carrying.
The Gospels present them to us as “cousins,” both the
children and their mothers; but the Gospels want us to
think deeper than biology. They are cousins in the same
way that Christ, and those things that are also of the
divine, are cousins. This, among other things, is what is
contained in the concept of the visitation.
Mary and Elizabeth meet, both are pregnant with the
divine. Each is carrying a child from heaven, one is carrying Christ and the other is carrying a unique prophet,
the “cousin” of the Christ. And a curious thing happens
In Exile
Father Ron Rolheiser
when they meet. Christ’s cousin, inside his mother,
without explicit consciousness, leaps for joy in the presence of Christ and that reaction releases the magnificat
inside of the one carrying Christ.
There’s a lot in that image: Christ’s cousin unconsciously leaps for joy in the presence of Christ and that
reaction draws the magnificat out of the one who is
carrying the Christ. Christian de Cherge, the Trappist
Abbott who was martyred in Algeria in 1996, suggests
that, among other things, this image is the key to how
we, as Christians, are meant to meet other religions in
the world. He sees the image as illustrating this paradigm:
Christianity is carrying Christ and other religions are
also carrying something divine, a divine “cousin,” one
who points to Christ. But all of this is unconscious; we
do not really grasp the bond, the connection, between
what we are carrying and what the other is carrying.
But we will recognize their kinship, however unconsciously, when we stand before another who does not
share our Christian faith but is sincere and true to his
or her own faith. In that encounter we will sense the
connection: What we are carrying will make something
leap for joy inside the other and that reaction will help
draw the magnificat out of us and, like Mary, we will
want to stay with that other for mutual support.
And we need that support, as does the other. As
Christian de Cherge puts it: “We know that those whom
we have come to meet are like Elizabeth: they are bearers of a message that comes from God. Our church does
not tell us and does not know what the exact bond is
between the Good News we bear and the message that
gives life to the other. ... We may never know exactly
what that bond is, but we do know that the other is also
a bearer of a message that comes from God. So what
should we do? What does witness consist in? What
about mission? ... See, when Mary arrives, it is Elizabeth who speaks first. Or did she? ... For most certainly
Mary would have said: ‘Peace, Peace be with you’. And
this simple greeting made something vibrate, someone,
inside of Elizabeth. And in this vibration, something
was said. ... Which is the Good News, not the whole of
the Good News, but what can be glimpsed of it in the
moment.”
Christian de Cherge then adds this comment: “In the
end, if we are attentive, if we situate our encounter with
the other in the attention and the desire to meet the
other and in our need for the other and what he has to
say to us, it is likely that the other is going to say something to us that will connect with what we are carrying,
something that will reveal complicity with us ... allowing us to broaden our Eucharist.”
We need each other, everyone on this planet, Christians and non-Christians, Jews and Muslims, Protestants and Roman Catholics, Evangelicals and Unitarians, sincere agnostics and atheists; we need each other
to understand God’s revelation. Nobody understands
fully without the other. Thus our interrelations with
each other should not be born only out of enthusiasm
for the truth we have been given, but it should issue
forth too from our lack of the other. Without the other,
without recognizing that the other too is carrying the
divine, we will, as Christian de Cherge asserts, be unable to truly release our own Magnificat. Without each
other, none of us will ever be able to pray the Eucharist
“for the many.”
OBLATE FATHER ROLHEISER, theologian, teacher and awardwinning author, is president of the Oblate School of
Theology in San Antonio, Texas. He can be contacted
at ronrolheiser.com and on Facebook, facebook.com/
ronrolheiser.
BISHOP 
From page 1
Missal).
“The Word became flesh that we might become
‘partakers of the divine nature’ (2 Pt 1:4). For this is
why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into
communion with the Word and thus receiving the
divine sonship, might become a son of God.’ (St,.
Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 3, 19, 1: PG7/1, 939). For
the Son of God became man so that we might become God.’ (St. Athanasius, De inc., 54, 3: PG25,
192B). ‘The only begotten Son of God, wanting
to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our
nature, so that he, made man, might make men
gods.’ (St. Thomas Aquinas, Opusc. 57:1-2).” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #460).
Beloved sisters and brothers in Christ, Emanuel, “God-with-us”(Mt 1:23) is here. “Let us rejoice and be glad” (Ps 118:24b). Please know how
deeply and gratefully I hold you and yours in my
heart and mind, body and spirit, and in intentions
as I celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Masses at St. Joseph Cathedral. Merry Christmas,
dearest friends, and a Happy, Holy New Year!
Affectionately yours in the Infant Savior,
ST. NICHOLAS VISIT – Bishop Robert W. Muench, as St. Nicholas, who was bishop of Myra, distributed gifts to children at the St.
Bishop Robert W. Muench
Bishop of Baton Rouge Vincent de Paul Society on Dec. 20. Michael Acaldo, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul, said St. Vincent de Paul gave gifts to
more than 1,000 children this year. Acaldo thanked the community for generously donating gifts and the almost 300 volunteers
in giving their time wrapping and distributing the gifts. He also thanked Bishop Muench, who he said “already has it on his calendar” when he is contacted for what he described as a highlight of the year for St. Vincent de Paul and the bishop. Bishop Muench
commented that it warms his heart to give the gifts to the children. Photo by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator
18
The Catholic Commentator
COMING EVENTS
Epiphany Concert – Father Greg Daigle, pastor
of St. John the Evangelist Church in Plaquemine, Bill
Grimes and the Epiphany Orchestra will present a concert on Epiphany Sunday, Jan. 4, 4 p.m., at St. John,
57805 Main St., Plaquemine. Tickets are $25 and proceeds benefit St. John School. For information and tickets, call 225-687-2402.
January Retreats – The St. Joseph Spirituality
Center will host two upcoming retreats in January. On
Friday, Jan. 9, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m., a retreat will be held
for parents and caregivers of elementary through high
school students at Mother Alice Hall, 3080 Kleinert
Ave., Baton Rouge. Attendees will learn how to teach
children to discern God’s will for their lives as well as
discern God’s will for their own lives. Fee is $25. A retreat in Spanish, “Healing Life’s Hurts,” will be held
Sunday, Jan. 11, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., at Mother Alice Hall.
The retreat will focus on the natural process of healing hurts and discovering new gifts for relating to God,
December 26, 2014
community and others. For information and to register,
call 225-383-3349 or visit stjocenter.org. Registration
for the Spanish retreat is in English. If Spanish is needed to register, call the Diocese of Baton Rouge Hispanic
Apostolate at 225-927-8700.
Discalced Carmelite Monthly Meeting – The
Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites welcomes those
who are interested in developing their prayer life according to the teachings of the Carmelite Saints. Meetings are held on the second Sunday of each month at
Our Lady of Mercy Parish Activity Center in St. Gabriel’s Room, 444 Marquette Ave., Baton Rouge, at 1:30
p.m. The next meeting will be Sunday, Jan. 11. For more
information, call Ethlyn White at 225-343-3181 or 225803-3391, or email [email protected].
New Orleans Retreats – The Archdiocese of New
Orleans Retreat Center, 5500 St. Mary St., Metairie,
will sponsor three retreats during January: “Being
Made Channels of God’s Peace,” using the Twelve Steps
with Sister Cathy Cahill OSF, Friday, Jan. 9 – Sunday,
Jan. 11; “Discovering the Purpose in Life and Our Gifts,”
with Father Matt Linn SJ, Friday, Jan. 16 – Sunday, Jan.
18; and “Day of Prayer: Healing Life’s Transitions,” with
Father Linn, Tuesday, Jan. 20. Minimum offering is
$225 for the retreats, which includes meals and accommodations. Cost of the Day of Prayer is $40. For information, visit retreats.arch-no.org, call 504-887-1420,
1-866-937-9170 or 1-866-937-9360 or email retreats@
arch-no.org.
Wedding Anniversary Celebration – Bishop
Robert W. Muench will celebrate a Mass honoring couples in their 25th, 50th and 65th or greater anniversary
Sunday, Feb. 8, 3 p.m., at Our Lady of Mercy Church,
445 Marquette Ave., Baton Rouge. The families of the
couples honored are also invited to attend the liturgy.
Contact your local church parish office if you plan to attend. Registration deadline is Friday, Jan. 30.
The Catholic Commentator
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Accounting and taxes for businesses,
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services. 30 years experience; professional, prompt and personal attention.
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Help Wanted
In sales employment advertisements, the advertiser must name
the product or service to be sold.
Ads must state how wages will be
paid (salary, commissions, etc.) if
money is mentioned. The ad must
also state if there is an investment required.
Full time custodial worker. Christ the
King Church and Student Center LSU.
Partial duties include: restroom cleaning, floor maintenance, general dusting
and room setup. Prior experience and
eye for detail important. Contact Darrel
LeBlanc 225-344-8585 Ext. 15
Local landscape contractor looking for
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Send resume to landscapehires@gmail.
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puBlic notice
PUBLIC NOTICE FOR SEALED BIDS
Sealed proposals should be mailed to:
Baton Rouge Diocese
Child Nutrition Program
3300 Hundred Oaks
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(225) 387-6421
Proposal Opening for the 2015-2016 School Year will
be held on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 for 10:00 am
(Proposals will not be accepted after 10:00 am):
Location: Catholic Life Center, Child Nutrition Office
3300 Hundred Oaks
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Categories for Diversion: Beef, Cheese, Chicken, Eggs,
Flour, Pork, Tomato Paste, Turkey
Proposal forms must be used when submitting. All
others will be rejected.
Specifications and bid forms are available upon request.
The owner reserves the right to reject any or all
proposals and waive informalities.
The public is invited to attend.
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www.wordgamesforcatholics.com
December 26, 2014
The Catholic Commentator
19
Our Lady of the Lake Hospital opens children’s ER
Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center announced
the opening of a new children’s
emergency room and expansion
of its adult emergency department. The recently completed
construction features improvements and additions that will
help to enhance the efficiency,
access and overall patient experience in the emergency room.
“The completion of this phase
of our construction represents
our commitment to provide the
highest level of emergency medicine to both children and adults,”
said K. Scott Wester, president
and chief executive officer of Our
Lady of the Lake. “Emergency
care is a challenge presented to
healthcare providers across the
nation, which is why Our Lady of
the Lake has invested in building
a successful model in our community that is increasing access
to the appropriate level of care.”
The new space for the children’s emergency room, addition
of adult emergency treatment
beds and new Fast Track Unit
builds on a strong foundation of
emergency services at Our Lady
of the Lake as the area’s only
CELEBRATING THE SEASON – The St. George School cheerleaders gathered to celebrate the Christmas season and to give back to the Baton Rouge community. The squad members donated necessary
toiletry items such as tooth paste, tooth brushes and deodorant as well as gifts such as gift cards, nail
polish and socks. Then they used the items to create baskets for St. Vincent de Paul. These baskets will
be donated to teens like them, but who are in need of necessities at Christmas time. Photo by Cheri Gioe | St.
George School
designated Trauma Center and
children’s emergency room. The
additions support the ability to
serve an increased need for acute
and minor emergency treatment
with quality and efficient care.
As the home to the area’s only
Children’s Hospital and dedicated pediatric emergency room
since 2002, Our Lady of the Lake
gives special focus to serving the
NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCE – Several students from Holy
Ghost School in Hammond displayed their talents for the local
community by participating in Fellom Ballet’s Nutcracker. Pictured, from left, are Katie Amos, Olivia Lowentritt, Anna Grace
Hornbuckle, Juliette LeRay and Lizzie Zaffuto. Photo provided by Cindy
Wagner | Holy Ghost School
Joe Skibinski
Agent
1953 Perkins Rd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Bus: 225-387-0201
Toll Free: 888-387-0201
[email protected]
REDEMPTORIST TOY DRIVE – Redemptorist High School students participated in a toy drive in conjunction with St. Paul Church, Baton Rouge. Senior Iriel Evans, a member at St. Paul, says she loves
participating in the toy drive and seeing the faces of parents as they come to pick up toys. The toy
drive was held Nov. 21 – Dec. 11 and the distribution of gifts Dec. 13 at St. Paul. Photo submitted by Redemptorist High School
needs of critically ill and injured
children throughout the region.
The newly constructed children’s
emergency room is a thoroughly
modern facility designed with
attention to the small things that
can make a difference to children and their families.
The number of beds in the
children’s emergency room has
increased from 14 to 20.
20
The Catholic Commentator
RHS 
From page 1
ing offered severance packages.
Verges said the Catholics School Office
will also assist families, as much as possible, with placement of students in other
Catholic schools.
“We are a Catholic family and I do know
the other schools will make every effort to
work with families and try to see if they
can accommodate them,” Verges said.
She added that her office is also working with families to place special education
students. Currently, Redemptorist is the
only high school in the diocese to offer special education classes, although a dyslexia
lab is scheduled to open in 2015 at a school
to be determined.
Redemptorist, which forged a reputation of athletic excellence, including winning three state championships in football,
has seen its enrollment decline, paralleling
the decline of north Baton Rouge. In 1980,
enrollment peaked at 1,081 students, with
87 percent of those Catholic. Five years
later, enrollment was still steady at 1,043
and 88 percent Catholic.
However, 1985 was also the year St.
Michael High School opened and by 1990
enrollment at RHS had plunged to 459.
Enrollment rebounded to 824 in 2000 but
the formation of the Central Community
School System in 2007 seemingly took a
dramatic toll.
By 2010, enrollment had fallen to 405
and this school year Redemptorist has 225
students, less than 40 percent Catholic.
The projected enrollment for the 2015-16
school year was 150.
Bishop Muench said there have been
several feasibility studies during the past
20 years to determine ways to maintain
the school, including financial support.
Currently, the loan balance to the diocese
totals more than $900,000, records indicate.
Also, through the years the school has
received financial assistance through a
myriad of grants, including those from the
Black & Indian Mission, the Catholic Education Trust Fund and the Bishop’s Annual
Appeal.
“This has been a very steady, methodical process that we have hoped against
hope and done everything we know of to
go against that tide,” said Bishop Muench,
who added he has more visited the school
on more than 60 occasions during the past
12 years. “Unfortunately, the projection
makes it not sustainable.”
“The clock has kind of run out in this
situation,” he added. “I know (supporters)
are going to be sad, and I am going to be
sad with them. I care about the faculty, I
care about the students, I care about the
community. My heart is with them.”
Academic difficulties also apparently
played a role in the closing. In October, the
state’s Scholarship Program sanctioned
the school because the voucher students
had not progressed at a level considered
acceptable by the state. Consequently, the
school would not have been able to accept
new voucher students, although the existing ones would have been allowed to continue.
Redemptorist High School and Redemptorist Elementary are the only two
schools in the diocese to be sanctioned,
Verges said.
Verges said the feasibility study of opening a Cristo Rey school played no role in
the decision to close Redemptorist. Cristo
Rey is a Catholic school model developed
in Chicago using a model where students,
all of who come from low-income families,
must work one day a week as part of their
college preparation program.
Cristo Rey supporters are hoping to
open a school beginning with the 2016-17
school year.
Bishop Muench said it is too early to
know what the diocese will do with the
existing building, but emphasized the artwork that is featured in the building will be
saved and preserved.
Regarding alumni, Bishop Muench had
one simple message: “We are so proud of
you, and we will always be proud of you
and we care about you. And you will be
the living legacy of Redemptorist High
School.”
To view the full news conference, go to
CatholicLifeTV.org.
December 26, 2014
RHS Timeline
SEPTEMBER 1947 – St. Gerard Majella High School opens and admits eight
sophomores and 35 freshmen. An 11th
grade would be added in 1948 and a
12th grade in 1949. Sister M. Eugenia
Laker SSND is principal.
1948 – The first Wolves athletic
event is the junior squad football team
playing a junior team from Catholic High on a field with no goal posts
near the Pentagon buildings on Third
Street.
DECEMBER 19, 1950 – Redemptorist
High School receives accreditation
from the Louisiana Department of
Education.
MAY 28, 1950 – First graduating class
is 10 students.
1957 – The first wing of the permanent school complex opens.
1963 – Redemptorist, which had
been operated by St. Gerard Church
Parish, becomes an interparochial
school.
JULY 1, 1995 – Redemptorist becomes a Diocesan School and is governed by a Regional Diocesan School
Board.
1997-98 – School celebrates its 50th
anniversary
DECEMBER 19, 2014 – Bishop Robert
W. Muench announces the closing of
Redemptorist High School.
You Can Make Wishes Come True
In our community, many needy people are wishing for basic
necessities that most of us take for granted, and here at St.
Vincent de Paul, we want to see those wishes fulfilled.
For Julie, in the photo, the greatest gift in her life is her
two-year-old son, Carter. They came to our Bishop Ott
Shelter after being abandoned. Julie was left alone, with no job, no home, and no
way to provide for her child. She had reached a point of despair that few of us have
experienced. In many ways, Julie and Carter’s story is representative of the
thousands of people we serve every year at St. Vincent de Paul – people who have
watched their wishes and dreams collapse under the weight of reality.
This year, we will provide over 25,000 guest nights of shelter to more than
1,200 homeless men, women and children; our Dining Room will serve over
240,000 meals; and our Pharmacy will fill over 36,000 prescriptions. Can you
help someone in need?
People like Julie are fighting a daily battle to survive in a complicated world,
and they need your help. We ask you to join us in praying for the poor and
homeless during this holy season. If you are able to help financially, we ask
you to consider making a gift. $1 will provide a hot meal; $10 will provide one
night’s shelter for homeless families; and $28 will fill a life-sustaining
prescription; so you can imagine what a difference a larger gift can make.
Two Ways to make your gift before the end of the year:
A Prayer for the Christmas Season
Jesus, the Light of the World,
as we celebrate Your birth, may we begin to see
the world in the light of the understanding You give us.
As You chose the lowly, the outcasts, and the poor
to receive the greatest news the world had ever known,
so may we worship You in meekness of heart.
Lord Jesus, help us by Your grace to remember
our brothers and sisters less fortunate
than ourselves in this holy season. Amen
Give the Gift of Hope
I have enclosed a financial gift of $_______.
Name: __________________________________
Address: _____________________________
City, State, Zip: _______________________
Mail your gift to the:
Society of St. Vincent de Paul,
P.O. Box 127, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0127
or give online at: www.svdpbr.org.
¾ Mail your gift to St. Vincent de Paul at P.O. Box 127, Baton Rouge, LA 70821 and have it postmarked by December 31, 2014.
¾ Make your gift online at www.svdpbr.org before midnight December 31, 2014.