May 2011 Catholic Connection

Social JuSticeanswering the call for

VOL. 20, NO.10 MAY 2011

For a free subscription, address changes or article submissions:EMAIL: [email protected]: Catholic Connection

The Catholic Center 3500 Fairfield Avenue Shreveport, LA 71104

CALL: 318-868-4441 OR 800-256-1542 FAX: 318-868-4609WEBSITE: www.thecatholicconnection.orgThe Catholic Connection is a member of the Catholic Press Association.

Publisher Bishop Michael G. DucaEditor Jessica Rinaudo

Regular Contributors

Featured Contributors

Cathy CobbRev. Charles Glorioso

Kim LongKelly Phelan Powell

Dianne RachalChristine Rivers

John Mark Willcox

The Catholic Connection is a monthly publication funded by your Diocesan Service Appeal; mailed to every known Catholic household in the Diocese of Shreveport. Our Mission is to advance knowledge and understanding of our Catholic Faith among the faithful. We seek to foster the application of Christ’s teachings and our Church’s mission in our daily lives and to encourage our sense of Catholic identity within our family, parish, and diocesan faith community.

Our Diocese is recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals as a Non-Profit Organization capable of giving Immigration Legal Advice. We offer Immigration Professional Services to Low-Income Families. To find out if you or someone you know qualifies for an Immigration benefit, please contact Mrs. Rosalba Quiroz at 1-800-256-1542, ext. 265 or 318-219-7265 or email [email protected]

Editorial Board

Bishop Michael DucaKim Long

Fr. Rothell PriceRosalba QuirozDianne Rachal

Jessica RinaudoChristine Rivers

Katie ScibaMike Van VrankenJohn Mark Willcox

Cathy AsmussenAnita Crafts

Kelly Phelan PowellSr. Martinette Rivers

Jerry Rowe

Tim SchaughnassyRandy TillerJohn Vining

Fr. Mark Watson

• Sunday, May 1st – 9:00 a.m. – St. Mary of the Pines Church, Shreveport

• Wednesday, May 4th – 6:00 p.m. – St. Joseph Church, Zwolle

• Saturday, May 7th – 4:30 p.m. – Our Lady of Fatima Church, Monroe

• Tuesday, May 10th – 6:00 p.m. – Mary, Queen of Peace Church, Bossier City

• Saturday, May 14th – 1:00 p.m. – St. Joseph Church, Shreveport

• Sunday, May 15th – 11:00 a.m. – St. Paul Church, Minden

• Sunday, May 15th – 3:00 p.m. – Christ the King Church, Bossier City

• Saturday, May 21st – 5:30 p.m. – St. Paschal Church, West Monroe

• Sunday, May 22nd – 11:00 a.m. – Church of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Monroe

• Sunday, May 22nd – 5:00 p.m. – St. Matthew Church, Monroe

• Sunday, June 5th – 11:00 a.m. – St. Joseph Church, Mansfield

• Friday, July 1st – 5:30 p.m. – Sacred Heart Church, Rayville

2011 Confirmation Schedule

From the Chancellor by Christine Rivers, Chancellor

Official Appointments from the Bishop’s Office

Looking for Bi-Lingual Readers for Anniversary Celebration

MEMORIAL DAY: Monday, May 30 is Memorial Day. The Catholic Center is closed for this holiday.

On the Cover: Father Mark Watson, Pastor of Jesus the Good Shepherd Church, distributes the Eucharist at a Mass for Migrant Farm Workers in Delhi, LA. (Photo by Joann Crone).

Father Patrick Madden has been appointed pastor of St. Benedict the Black Parish in Grambling, LA and also as pastor of St. Lucy Parish in Hodge, LA. These assignments began officially on April 1, 2011. I am pleased to announce the appointment and re-appointment of our three Vicars Forane. They are:

Very Reverend Frank Coens, O.F.M., V.F. – Eastern DeaneryVery Reverend Timothy C. Hurd, V.F. – Southern DeaneryRev. Msgr. Earl V. Provenza, V.F. – Western Deanery

We would liketo have people with different languages and cultures participate through

the Prayers of the Faithful at our 25th Anniversary Celebration Mass on June 11, 2011.

If you or someone you know would like to read a petition/prayer in a language other than English, please contact Rosalba Quiroz at the Office of Hispanic Ministry at 318-868-4441, ext. 257 or [email protected].

May 2011 Contents

From the Chancellor by Christine Rivers .................................... 2

Bishop Michael Duca’s May 2011 Schedule .............................. 3

Bishop’s Reflection by Most Reverend Michael G. Duca ........... 4-5

Time to Celebrate 25 Years with the Diocese of Shreveport on June 11, 2011 by Randy Tiller ............................................. 6

Chris Padgett to Celebrate with Youth at Diocesan Anniversary by John Vining ........................................................................ 6

Liturgy Lines: What We Do at Mass by Dianne Rachal ................. 7

Second Collections: Diocesan Retired Priests Fund and Home Missions by Fr. Rothell Price .................................... 7

Where Do We Find Our Strength? by Mike Van Vranken ............ 8

St. Paschal Youth Sell King Cakes to Attend NCYC by Cathy Asmussen............................................................. 8

LSUS Catholic Student Union Preps Students for Life by Tim Schaughnassy .........................................................9

Honoring Senior Month by Sr. Martinette Rivers ........................9

Message of the Holy Father for World Day of Prayer for Vocations by Fr. David Richter .......................................10

The Humble Crown of Motherhood by Katie Sciba ....................10

School News ...............................................................................11

Answering the Call for Social Justice by Kelly Phelan Powell . 12-13

Fuller Center Work Day a Success by Jerry Rowe ......................... 14

Catholic Charities Plans Immigration Center by Anita Crafts ........ 14

Reaching Out in Faith: Our Ministry to Migrant Farm Workers by Fr. Mark Watson .................................................................. 15

Social Media Has Always Had the Church’s Attention by John Mark Willcox ..............................................................16

Diocesan Teen Rally ........................................................................17

Hispanic Corner by Rosalba Quiroz ............................................ 18

News Briefs by Catholic News Service .............................................19

Greco Summer Schedule ........................................................... 20

Around the Diocese .................................................................... 21

Upcoming Events .......................................................................22

May 2011 Calendar .....................................................................23

Hispanic Lenten Retreat at the Catholic Center ............................ 24

12106 17

MAY 1 Confirmation; St. Mary of the Pines Church, Shreveport; 9:00 a.m.

Sister John Mary Jackson, SSF Luncheon in Celebration of 50 Years of Consecrated Service; Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church Parish Hall; 11:00 a.m.

Catholic Charities of Shreveport Gathering; Home of Dr. John & Mary Ann Valiulis; 6:00 p.m.

MAY 3 Priests Retirement Committee Meeting; Catholic Center; 11:00 a.m.

MAY 4 Confirmation; St. Joseph Church, Zwolle; 6:00 p.m.

MAY 5 Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting; Baton Rouge; 10:00 a.m.

MAY 6 Red Mass; Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Shreveport; 9:00 a.m.

MAY 7 Confirmation; Our Lady of Fatima Church, Monroe; 4:30 p.m.

MAY 10 Confirmation; Mary, Queen of Peace Church, Bossier City; 6:00 p.m.

MAY 14 Confirmation; St. Joseph Church, Shreveport; 1:00 p.m.

MAY 15 Confirmation; St. Paul Church, Minden; 11:00 a.m.

Confirmation; Christ the King Church, Bossier City; 3:00 p.m.

MAY 16 Presbyteral Council Meeting; Catholic Center; 1:00 p.m.

St. Frederick High School Baccalaureate Mass; Church of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Monroe; 5:00 p.m.

St. Frederick High School Graduation; Church of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Monroe; 6:30 p.m.

MAY 17 - 19 Good Leaders, Good Shepherds Program; Cypress Bend Resort, Many

MAY 19 Loyola College Prep Baccalaureate Mass; Cathedral of St. John Berchmans, Shreveport; 6:30 p.m.

MAY 20 Loyola College Prep Graduation; Riverview Theatre, Shreveport; 7:00 p.m.

MAY 21 Confirmation; St. Paschal Church, West Monroe; 5:30 p.m.

MAY 22 Confirmation; Church of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Monroe; 11:00 a.m.

Confirmation; St. Matthew Church, Monroe; 5:00 p.m.

MAY 26 Theology on Tap; Catholic Center; 7:00 p.m.

MAY 27-29 Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre Annual Meeting and Investiture; New Orleans

Bishop Michael Duca’s May scheDule

4 4 Catholic Connection May 2011 5 5 Catholic Connection May 2011

Habiendo celebrado apenas la gran fiesta de Resurrección nos preparamos para celebrar la

experiencia de la fortaleza que da a la Iglesia la venida del Espíritu Santo en Pentecostés. Un día de Pentecostés, en una habitación, mientras se reunía la Gente de Dios que había sido testigo de una vida de NUEVAS revelaciones pero no tenía el “entendimiento” de la grandeza de las enseñanzas de Jesus. ¿Quién había sido antes testigo de una resurrección después de la muerte, o de que los muertos salieran de sus tumbas, o de hacer al ciego ver o al inválido caminar? Los apóstoles y discípulos de Jesús seguro asustados se preguntaban, y ahora ¿Qué sigue? ¿Cómo vamos a seguir nuestras vidas sin Jesús como nuestro líder y maestro? Fue entonces que Dios envió su último

regalo a la Iglesia, el Regalo que había prometido, el regalo del Espíritu Santo. En una ráfaga de gracia los discípulos y apóstoles se llenaron con entendimiento, se les dio un nuevo jarro para depositar el vino nuevo. Al igual que cualquier momento de revelación se emocionaron y se llenaron de gozo. Y su comisión era, como frecuentemente les recuerdo a los candidatos a la Confirmación, la de IR Y PROCALMAR LA BUENA NUEVA…. PREDICAR. Pentecostés dio la fuerza a la Iglesia con nuevo entendimiento de la BUENA NUEVA DE JESUS.

Creo que lo más importante es recordar que el regalo del Espíritu Santo fue exactamente eso, un regalo. A los apóstoles y discípulos se les dio una sabiduría, una valentía y un entendimiento que ellos no podían

comprender por completo por sí solos. Se les entregó como un regalo; un regalo que se le da a la Iglesia hoy.

Aunque nos hemos beneficiado del regalo del espíritu de ese primer Pentecostés, todavía nos encontramos perdidos algunas veces. A veces no podemos imaginar cómo salir de un problema, sobrepasar una duda de fe, soportar la pérdida o como creer en un Dios que permite

tragedia y sufrimiento. Podemos ser como los discípulos en ese cuarto, que habiendo vivido nuestras vidas con Jesus aun así perdidos de cómo avanzar en la fe. Debemos ser valientes y recordar que el mismo Espíritu Santo que les dio la fortaleza e inspiró a los primeros miembros de la Iglesia, se nos da en el Bautismo y confirmación. Este mismo Espíritu Santo nos inspira, a abrir nuestras mentes a un nuevo entendimiento que responderá nuestras dudas, profundizará nuestra fe y restaurará nuestra esperanza. El Espíritu Santo nos dará una respuesta que no podría haber llegado sola, sino solo entendida después de haber recibido el regalo del Espíritu Santo como los primeros discípulos en Pentecostés.

Este regalo del Espíritu no nos es solo dado individualmente, sino a toda la Iglesia. Este año durante la celebración de Pentecostés nos reuniremos en el Centro de Convenciones de Shreveport en celebración de nuestro 25 aniversario como diócesis y renovaremos nuestra conexión con la reunión original de los apóstoles y discípulos en ese cuarto del primer Pentecostés. Quiero estar presente y celebrar el 11 de junio reunido con tantos feligreses como nos sea posible de toda la diócesis para alabar a Dios y juntos buscar el poder del Espíritu Santo. Nuestra celebración el sábado 11 de junio comenzará a las 10:00 a.m. con la celebración de la Santa Misa de Pentecostés a las 4:00 seguida por recepción para celebrar y dar gracias por la manera en que el Espíritu Santo nos ha guiado y sostenido por los pasados 25 años. Voy a cancelar todas las Misas del sábado por la tarde en la Diócesis para que todos nuestros sacerdotes puedan asistir a esta Misa y juntos podamos orar para que el Espíritu Santo inspire a responder a los desafíos que nos esperan en los próximos 25 años. Algo excepcional que será posible reuniéndonos como muchas parroquias pero como una sola Iglesia. ¡Vengan!

Para más información sobre la celebración de nuestro 25 aniversario, vean la página 6 de esta publicación.

La Reflexión del Obispopor Obispo Michael G. Duca

(CNS photo/Crosiers)


Having just moved through the great Feast of Easter we now look forward to celebrating

the empowering of the Church with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost, in a room together, there was a fledgling gathering of the People of God who had witnessed a lifetime’s worth of NEW revelations but had no “way of thinking” that was sufficient to understanding the fullness of Jesus’ teaching. Who before had ever witnessed anyone who had risen from the dead, or caused the dead to rise from their graves, or made the blind see or the crippled walk? The apostles and disciples of Jesus must have wondered what comes next? How do we get on with our lives without Jesus as our leader and teacher? Then God sent the final gift to the Church, the Gift he had promised, the gift of the Holy Spirit. In one rush of grace the disciples and apostles in that upper room were filled with understanding. They were given a new wine skin to hold the new wine. Like any moment of revelation they were excited and filled with joy. And their commission was, as I often remind our Confirmation candidates, to GO OUT AND PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS…TO PREACH. Pentecost empowered the Church with this new understanding of the GOOD NEWS OF JESUS.

What I believe is most important to remember is that the gift of the Holy Spirit was just that, a gift. The apostles and disciples were given a wisdom, a courage and understanding that they could not have fully thought up or engendered on their own. It was given to them as a gift; a gift that is still given to the Church today.

Even though we have benefited from the gift of the spirit of that first Pentecost, we still find ourselves lost at

times. At times we cannot imagine how we will get out of a problem, overcome a doubt of faith, bear a loss or believe in a God who can allow tragedy and loss. We can be like the disciples in the upper room, having spent our lives with Jesus but still at a loss for how to move forward in faith. We should be encouraged to remember that the same Holy Spirit who empowered and inspired the first members of the Church, is given to us in our Baptism and Confirmation. This same Holy Spirit will inspire us, open our minds to new understandings that will answer our doubts, deepen our faith and restore our Hope. The Holy Spirit will give us an answer that we could not have arrived at alone, but only understood after being given the gift of the Holy Spirit like the first disciples received on Pentecost.

This gift of the Spirit is not only given to us individually, but to the whole Church. This Pentecost Sunday we will gather at the Shreveport Convention Center for our 25th anniversary as a diocese and renew our connection to that original gathering of the apostles and disciples in the upper room of the first Pentecost. I want you to be present and celebrate on June 11 so we can gather as many parishioners as possible from all over the diocese to praise God and seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Our day together on June 11, 2011 will begin at 10:00 a.m. and culminate with the 4:00 Mass of Pentecost to celebrate and give thanks for the way the Holy Spirit has guided us and sustained us these

past 25 years. I will be cancelling all Saturday evening Masses in the Diocese on June 11 so all our priests can attend this Mass and together we can pray for the Holy Spirit to inspire our answers to

meet the challenges of the next 25 years. Something unique is possible as we come together as many parishes but one Church. Join Us!

For more information on the upcoming 25th anniversary celebration, see page 6 of this issue.

Bishop’s Reflection

by Bishop Michael G. Duca

A scene from Pentecost is depicted in a stained-glass window at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Greenlawn, NY. The feast marks the occasion of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles 50 days after Christ’s resurrection. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz, Long Island Catholic)


The Teen Rally was a great success! The experience was a true witness of the godly love our diocese has for

teenagers. I’ll never forget the piety of our young people when they were given a choice between music and the confessional...you should have seen the lines forming. The experience, bathed in prayer, was incredible. Thank you Diocese of Shreveport!

Our 25th Anniversary as a diocese is just around the corner and I want to encourage each one of you to make plans to attend. Chris Padgett will be our featured speaker and musician for youth attendees. He has a unique ability to share the faith with young people. His guitar will be in hand too!

Dr. Scott Hahn is a well known author and speaker. He writes of Chris, “Chris Padgett is a devoted husband and father, a talented musician, a very zealous convert, a serious book-addict (it takes one to know one!), an all around great guy, and a real treasure to the Church.”

Steve Ray also writes, “Young people like good music—music with feeling and creativity. Chris Padgett is a convert to the Catholic Church and brings with him a great desire and ability to share the faith with young people through his music and inspiring talks. Our parish recently had 500 teens flock to sing and worship with Chris and none were disappointed. Teens are at the crossroads and Chris’ unique ministry helps them through a maze of modern life as they strive to live out their faith in the real world.”

Come out and support our diocese on June the 11th. Prepare to celebrate Christ Yesterday, Today and Forever!

Is it by accident that liturgically the weekend of the celebration of our anniversary is also the celebration of

Pentecost? The Feast of Pentecost is the beginning and birth of the Church.

The apostles gathered in one place together when the time for Pentecost was fulfilled and tongues of fire descended upon each of them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit imbuing them each with the particular qualities and understanding they would need to accept the great commission of Christ to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…and teaching them to observe all that Jesus had commanded them. (Paraphrase Acts 2:1-4; Matt 25:19-20)

Fifty days before Pentecost we, as Catholics, once again celebrated the Paschal Mystery, the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

June 11, 2011 will give us, the local Church, the opportunity to celebrate the establishment of our particular diocese; the opportunity to come together to be imbued with the qualities to go out and evangelize, take pride in our Catholic identity and build up the kingdom of God.

Bishop Emeritus William Friend will open the day of celebration with a look back at the history of the Diocese of Shreveport. Bishop Michael Duca, the second bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport, will follow with an official presentation

of a vision for the future mission of our diocese.

The youth of the diocese will gather on this day as one body, led by Chris Padgett, and feel the energy of today’s Church from all corners of the diocese.

Reverend Juan Luis Gandara of Lafayette will address our Hispanic brothers and sisters. “Huellas,” a group from Orlando, will also be on hand to entertain us with a performance of both English and Hispanic selections.

Breakout sessions will be held on the following topics: evangelization - spreading the good news of the Catholic Church teachings and traditions; handing on the faith to our youth and young adults to assure the continuation of what was started 25 years ago; Church identity - not only who we are, but why we should be proud to be Catholic and able to defend our faith to other faith traditions; and Vocations in the Church, for we all appreciate the tremendous need for more ordained clergy and religious.

Parishes have been asked to have representatives in the choir being formed especially for the celebration of Mass and to send representatives from

their church leadership to hear firsthand from Bishop

Duca on his vision for the future. All

parishioners and friends are invited to participate in our big day.

We will end the day with our liturgical celebration of

Pentecost through the celebration

of the Eucharist followed by a reception.

Chris Padgett to Celebrate with Youth at Diocesan Anniversary by John Vining, Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry

Time to Celebrate 25 Years with the Diocese of Shreveport on June 11!by Randy Tiller, Director of Mission Effectiveness

Speaker and musician Chris Padgett

Date: June 11, 2011

Where: Shreveport Convention Center

When: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

What: 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Diocese of Shreveport


The Mass celebrates heavenly realities and spiritual truth by “signs perceptible to the senses.” Our prayers should conform to what we see and hear and smell and touch at

Mass. It is through these concrete signs that we join ourselves to Christ.

Postures in the Mass are assumed by the entire assembly to express our unity and our dedication to being One Body in Christ. We pray at Mass through our bodies, and each posture we assume means something and tells us about the action in which we are taking a part.

When we stand, we show respect, and are reminded that we have risen with Jesus to the dignity of the children of God. So we stand for the Entrance procession, the opening rites, the Gospel, the Creed, going up to receive Holy Communion and for the closing prayer.

When we kneel we are reminded of our sinfulness. This is why we usually kneel in private prayer, for the Eucharistic Prayer and after the Lamb of God at Mass.

When we sit we are naturally disposed to listen and to meditate on the meaning of the words we hear. Thus sitting is an ideal posture for listening to the readings and the Homily.

We genuflect by bending the right knee to the ground. Genuflection is used to express adoration of God. This is why we genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament when we enter the church, or whenever, outside of Mass, we pass in front of the tabernacle. We also genuflect to the Holy Cross on Good Friday.

We bow to show reverence and honor. We bow our heads before receiving the Body and Blood at Holy Communion, and at the naming of the persons of the Blessed Trinity, the names of Jesus, of his Blessed Mother, and the saint of the day. We bow our bodies (from the waist) at the words in the Nicene Creed which remind us of the mystery of the incarnation of the Lord.

Standing is the universal norm for the time of the distribution of Holy Communion. The Congregation for Divine Worship has clarified that it is permitted for pastoral reasons for members of the faithful to kneel or sit after receiving Holy Communion.

With the implementation of the new Roman Missal on the First Sunday of Advent, a gesture from the tradition of the church will be reinstated: the striking of the breast at the words, “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault;” in the Confiteor.

From: Msgr. James P. Moroney, The Mass Explained, Catholic Book Publishing, New Jersey, 2008.

The Retired Priests Fund: We have been blessed by priests, given to us by the Lord, who have manifested the gift and Presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. These ordained

ministers of the Church, placing themselves at the service of this driving wind and divine fire from heaven, have proclaimed the mighty deeds of God in our parish churches and missions throughout our diocese and sometimes beyond our boundaries for many years. These retired priests of our diocese, the Diocese of Shreveport, have labored for many years in the vineyard of the Lord, strengthened for the task by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now, some 40, 50 and 60 years or more into their holy vocations, they need our care and support more than ever. In their senior years we have this God-given opportunity to minister to them as they have ministered to us. We are blessed to have these 15 priestly servants of retirement age. Fourteen of these holy retirees continue to give themselves in service to the Lord and his people. Your generous participation to our Retired Priests Fund will assure that these servants of God will journey confidently through their senior years knowing they will receive the care they need and deserve for their good and faithful service. Show them you are grateful; show them you care. Give generously to our Retired Priests Fund.

The Home Mission Appeal Collection: This collection will occur the first weekend in June, but I want to say a little about it in May. The Catholic Home Missions Appeal

works to support home mission dioceses in the United States that are unable to fund important pastoral works including lay ministry training. We, the Diocese of Shreveport, are one of those mission dioceses. The Catholic Home Missions Appeal supports basic pastoral projects like catechists, aid to poor parishes, religious formation and evangelization. Poorer dioceses right here in the United States rely on funds from the Catholic Home Missions Appeal to fill the gaps between need and their own ability to fund ministries. Please help strengthen our diocese and be generous in this Appeal. I’ll share more about this collection next month, including information about the large grant we receive from this national collection. I have no doubt that you will give generously; you always do.

Liturgy Lines: What We Do at Mass by Dianne Rachal, Director, Office of Worship

Second Collections: Diocesan Retired Priests Fund & Home Missionsby Fr. Rothell Price, Vicar General

Retired Priests Fund: Announcement Dates: May 1 & 8 Collection Dates: May 14 & 15

Home Missions: Announcement Dates: May 22 & 29 Collection Dates: June 4 & 5

(CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)

Speaker and musician Chris PadgettRetired priest Msgr. Edmund Moore with Bishop Michael Duca.


We all know the story of Samson whose origin of strength seemed to be in his hair. Of course, the book of Judges tells us that Samson was consecrated to God from the

womb. Accordingly, his strength was also a gift from his creator. But what about us? Sacred Scripture tells us “...we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.” (Hebrews 10:10) Like Samson, we too have been consecrated to God. So, like Samson, has God given us some physical attribute that is the source of our strength?

Look no further than Nehemiah 8:10 which promises us “... for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Joy! It is more than just having fun. One definition includes the words rapture, and treasure and great wonder. It could be said that joy is one of the most powerful spiritual forces we have. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Or, joy that comes from the Lord equals strength. There are times in our lives that living in faith is so difficult that without some supernatural strength we don’t see how we’ll make it. We sometimes pray: “Lord, give me strength.” We might better pray: “Lord, give me joy” because God’s word tells us our strength comes from His joy. Whether we need that strength to bring Jesus to another person, or to just get us through the day, joy is the answer.

Joy is not just a state of mind. Galatians 5 tells us that joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. The joy of the Lord is our strength, and we get that joy by walking in the Spirit of God. What Paul seemed to be saying to the Galatians was that if we are guided by the Spirit, then we will live by that same Spirit. Consequently, the fruit of living or walking in that Spirit includes joy. (Incidentally, the fruit of the Spirit also includes love, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Add joy to that list and we see that walking in the Spirit of God is mighty fruitful!)

Paul explained by giving us a contrast of living in the Spirit. He said the works of the flesh are opposed to the spirit and those works of the flesh include: immorality, impurity, self-indulgence, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealously, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions and drinking bouts. So, according to Paul, exhibiting a life that includes jealousy, selfishness, immorality or hatred will rob us of joy, which in turn will not provide us with strength. However, doing the opposite, living in Christ and walking in his Spirit, will lead to the joy and strength.

Our lives are full of choices. The smart strategy here points us towards a life in the Spirit. During this month, let’s meditate on the fifth chapter of Galatians and reap a harvest of fruit that includes joy. Then, whatever circumstances we face, we will witness that the joy of the Lord is indeed our strength.

At St. Paschal Church our high school youth have only one fundraiser : the annual Mardi Gras King Cake Sale. The St. Paschal youth held their first King Cake sale in 1998. A

former parishioner who owned a bakery was the one to develop our recipe. When her family was transferred out of state the bakery was sold. All recipes were sold to the new owner except the King Cake recipe, which was given to the youth for the purpose of their fundraiser. In those first years we sold 50-100 cakes using the kitchens in St. Paschal gym, the friary and the school. A few years later we were getting requests for more cakes and eventually had to move our baking day to our neighboring First United Methodist Church. They have an ideal setting to roll out the dough and prepare the cakes for proofing and baking in their convection ovens. Baking the cakes for this long we have it down to an efficient assembly line.We now bake 200 cakes!

In order to make the most of our profit, we solicit donations from our area grocers with Johnny’s Pizza donating pizza boxes for us to place the decorated cakes. After 11 years they see me coming and know it is Mardi Gras time! We are so thankful the donors help us with as much as they can donate as we still pay around $300 out of pocket for the rest.

The youth borrow the Knights of Columbus Hall to make the filling on a Wednesday night (10 days before baking) and it is stored in the refrigerators. The following Wednesday they make the dough that rises in plastic bags stored in the commercial refrigerators until we bake them on Saturday at 7:00 a.m. We are usually done baking by noon as the cakes are then driven to the church gym for distribution until 2:00 p.m. Many people love to get their cakes while they are still warm.

We have many parents who volunteer to help supervise the measuring and watch over the heavy duty mixers we use. It is always a great time as parents get to know each other and actually have fun getting their clothes dusted with powder sugar or flour. This year we bought two heavy-duty stand mixers so we don’t have to borrow many personal mixers. The more mixing stations we have, the quicker we get done!

This year the youth received a boost in sales from an article written in a small local paper. If this continues to grow, I am not sure we could handle making much more than 200! The cakes sell for $15 and have been quoted to be “as good as or better than the cakes people order from New Orleans.” Our net total for this year was nearly $3,000! The profits will be used to assist our youth to attend regional retreats such as Steubenville South in Alexandria and the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, IN this November.

Where Do We Find Our Strength? by Mike Van Vranken

St. Paschal Youth Sell King Cakes to Attend NCYC by Cathy Asmussen


For the young men and women at LSUS, May brings thoughts of final exams, degree checkouts, cap and gown rental, and future endeavors. And thanks to the LSUS Catholic

Student Union (CSU), many of these young men and women will remember warmly that their Catholic faith and their pro-life commitments were supported and celebrated during the turbulent college years.

I asked Cathy Cobb, our campus minister, why the LSUS CSU is important: “We offer spiritual support, sacramental preparation, catechetical programs, liturgical prayer, opportunities for service, and the chance to get to know other students who share the Catholic faith. We help develop student leaders, many of whom will fill leadership roles in the Church after they graduate. We help students find a local parish and a ride to Mass. We invite non-Catholics to get to know more about our faith, offer assistance and support for those who wish to become Catholic, and participate in ecumenical activities. The students are able to deepen their relationship with the Catholic Church in an adult way at the very time in which they are growing into adulthood, expanding their educational horizons and discerning their vocational call.”

Trey Dean, CSU president, added “It is very important to have a campus ministry program because it is nice to see and meet with other Catholic students. As a Church we are called to support each other and that is just what these organizations do. The members

affirm one another and provide support in the educational environment. I personally love taking time out of my busy student life to hear God’s word and hang out with fellow Catholic students. It also gives you a sense of togetherness to know that other Catholic students want to do the same.”

I can only add that, as a faculty member, it is wonderful to be able to attend Mass with my students. As students seek truth in the classroom, we can come together and receive truth in the Blessed Sacrament. Not only will our graduates be leaders in business, science and education, they will also help lead our society toward a culture of life. If you are a student at LSUS, please contact me or Cathy Cobb and join us in the CSU! 318-798-1887

May is senior month. “Let us not be afraid of the future, because the future is us.” Blessed John Paul II

During May and into the future, let’s think about all the positive aspects of our aging. Let’s keep our spirits alive, no matter what our limits are. Let’s make it a month of golden service wherever we find ourselves. Don’t waste time; it’s precious. Look forward each day for all the human flowers springing into your life. What new growth can you cultivate with them...peace, patience, kindness, a loving attitude and your smiling face. Can you allow the flowering of your real strength in doing this by showing your ‘heart stuff ’ off to others? Find people you can trust and talk to them about things that matter to you. Optimism and friends improve our health.

Our newly Blessed John Paul II is a perfect example for those of us who are suffering in any way or ill. In his writings, he often spoke of suffering, sickness and old age with loving tenderness. He had a spectacular papacy and left a legacy that will be remembered forever. One of my favorite expressions of his is, “DUC IN ALTUM - Put out into the deep.” Although it was used in other writings, he used it in his Apostolic letter, “Novo Millennio Ineuente” 2000, with a very significant meaning for us. This is one of the greatest commands he could have left to us to reflect upon as we age. “Duc in Altum” actually comes from Luke 5:4 and refers to the calling of Peter and Andrew. But you and I are also called by God to “launch out into the deep,” take our place, ride the waves and walk in the tides. So where is the ‘deep’ in our lives? We all cross over to different shores and ours now is growing older and leaving a legacy behind.

Blessed John Paul II , “put out into the deep” and was a testimony of the dignity of old age and natural death. He did not hide himself or give up, but accepted his Parkinson’s disease with

grace. I beg of you to meet today’s problems with today’s strengths and God will be your strength. That is what Blessed John Paul II did. Let us leave tomorrow’s problems for tomorrow because you do not have strength for them yet. God simply gives us enough for today. That’s our key to crack the code of aging, live one day at a time. May is Senior Month, our EXTRA-ORDINARY Month. We are family so “Let’s be devoted to one another in brotherly and sisterly love” as found in Romans 12:10. Let’s love and respect one another.

Let the month of May, our month for the Elders of the Lord, be a real bonus month for each of you from the Lord. May the blessing you are be shared with someone else. May you continue to be everything God wants you to be. May God continue to honor each of you because you are valuable just as you are in His eyes. Be a genuine and privileged person because YOU ARE LOVED and you will be LOVED by Him forever. Leave a legacy of blessings wherever you go.

LSUS Catholic Student Union Preps Students for Life by Tim Schaughnassy

Honoring Senior Month by Sr. Martinette Rivers

Bishop Michael Duca celebrates the Eucharist for college students during Mass on LSUS campus.

Pope John Paul II. (CNS photo/Catholic Press Photo)


Happy Mother’s Day! Few people can be as aware of God’s divine will and plan as mothers. We laugh, we cry,

we rejoice and lament at any given stage. God remains present in every part of it – from the second you learn of the little life destined for your care to the moment of your last breath.

It was a calm, hot summer morning when I opened my eyes and gently placed my hands on my stomach. Just the night before, my simple, newly-wed life completely changed, much more so than I realized in that moment. It was the night before when I took five pregnancy tests – all of them positive. I was a new mother.

I have never felt more part of God’s will than during pregnancy. God chose me to carry a baby, to protect him or her, and to bring another soul into the world to do His work. My mom always told me when I was a kid, “God has a plan for you, Katie.” Back then it seemed like no big deal – I didn’t even grasp the hugeness of that statement. But even as I write this, the reality of it sinks in a bit more because I understand that His plan for me is interwoven with His plans for my husband and children. Motherhood is therefore a humbling experience. The Great and Almighty God has called upon only YOU for the very important and specific task of giving life to a particular human being; and in doing so, you further His will. What a more humbling honor is there?

My personal experience of motherhood consists of our one year old boy and another little person who will debut in October. Despite the short time I’ve been a mom, I know that motherhood is love and that love is sacrifice. I have my own mother to credit for my understanding, and even more so, I have the Blessed Mother.

Everything I need to know about Catholic motherhood I find in the Virgin Mary. Think about it: As a mother, from the moment of conception, you accept all the countless trials and joys to come as Mary did at the Annunciation. You will deliver your child as Mary did, you will probably panic if he ever wanders off as Mary did, you will stand in awe of what he can do as Mary did, you will see others hurt his feelings, and you will watch him fall as Mary did. All of this she had just with Jesus; consider how much more she experiences this with us as our Heavenly Mother?

Joys and trials are certain and unavoidable, so what do you use to prepare yourself for them? Receive the Sacraments frequently and pray the Rosary often. Who better to coach you in parenting than He who is the Perfect Child and she who is the Perfect Mother? If you are close to Christ, your life as a mom will only send you heavenward. And that’s the key. That’s what someone might call “the secret of motherhood.” Just as it is in marriage, in order to be a top-notch mom – the best mom you could ever possibly be – you have to be close to Christ. Being a mommy to little ones (or bigger ones!) is exhausting in all sorts of ways and to keep up, you have to be spiritually fit.

They say that being a mom is a thankless job, but it doesn’t have to be. Consider the depth of love you have for your children, the struggles you’ve endured, and the bliss you have felt just watching them grow and be happy. In doing so, know that your own mother AND the Blessed Mother have walked the same path. This Mother’s Day, even TODAY or this minute, make sure that none of this goes without sincere thanks to the mother who raised you and the heavenly Mother who watches over you.

The Humble Crown of Motherhood by Katie ScibaMessage of the Holy Father for World Day of Prayer for Vocations by Fr. David Richter, Director of Church Vocations

The Fourth Sunday of Easter, also called “Good Shepherd Sunday” is the World Day of Prayer for

Vocations, falling this year on May 15. In his address to all the faithful, Pope Benedict XVI insists on the great importance of the local Church (each individual diocese) praying for its own priestly and consecrated life vocations: “Vocations … are first and foremost the fruit of constant contact with the living God and insistent prayer lifted up to the ‘Lord of the harvest’, whether in parish communities, in Christian families or in groups specifically devoted to prayer for vocations.’”

Pope Benedict XVI quotes the newly beatified Pope John Paul II when he says: “Particularly in these times, when the voice of the Lord seems to be drowned out by ‘other voices’ and his invitation to follow Him by the gift of one’s own life may seem too difficult, every Christian community, every member of the Church, needs consciously to feel responsibility for promoting vocations.”

Those who are the object of our prayer include the Vocations Discernment Group which meets on the third Sunday of the month, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., at 1000 Fairview Street in Shreveport. It is open to both men and women. If you are interested, please contact Fr. David Richter, Vocations Director, at 318-868-4441.


School News

1. Jesus the Good Shepherd School Took Patriotic Trip

Over spring break, a group of Jesus the Good Shepherd School fifth grade

students, along with their teachers and parents, had a wonderful time immersing themselves in early American history as they toured the Washington D.C. area as well as the Lancaster, PA Amish Country and Philadelphia, PA. The group witnessed the changing of the guards at Arlington National Cemetery, toured the Capitol and visited the Lincoln and Washington Memorials as well as the Vietnam and Korean Memorials. While in the Amish Country, they were able to see the famous Amish wagons and barns. During their tour of Philadelphia, the children saw the famous Liberty Bell and learned firsthand about the famous “crack in the bell.”

2. Loyola College Prep Students Qualify for State Rally

The following students qualified for the State Rally competition in April: David

McKay, Liv Allen, Bailey Monsour, Katie Wiener, Karryn Paulsen, Kim Le, Julia Vanchiere, Carter Boyd, Katie Vanchiere,

Vi Nguyen, Zoey Lex, Harrison Caruthers, Sam deBerardinis, Stephen Bass, Lucia Pagni, Zoe Rech, Lea Baldomero, Kelly Brice, William Windham, Joseph Woodley and Sam McDonald.

3. St. John Berchmans School Won Regional Science Olympiad Competition

The SJB Science Olympiad Team competed in Regionals on March

16th in Ruston at LA Tech. They did a fantastic job and will move on to the State Competition on April 16th in Hammond, LA. They won first at Regionals- 13 first place medals, seven second place and two third place. We are very proud of their dedication and hard work. They never cease to amaze!

4. St. Frederick High School Students Place at Literary Rally

These students placed at the Literary Rally recently held at Louisiana Tech.

Bhuvan Ketha, Brooke Matusiak, Chase Wilson, Cullen Clark, Greg Long, Jake Johnson, Joe Edwards, Judge Shepard, Madelyne Clark, Mason Everett, Nick

Slaughter and Bobby Anderson.

5. Our Lady of Fatima Students Had Pizza Day

Mrs. Hall and Ms. Cappo’s Pre-K 4 class at Our Lady of Fatima recently

learned that “P is for Pizza”. The teachers dressed up as pepperoni pizzas and the students made their own “pizzas” out of art paper to put into Johnny’s Pizza boxes to take home. Everyone had a wonderful time!

6. St. Joseph School Exceled at Mathcounts

The St. Joseph School MATHCOUNTS team recently competed at the regional

and state competitions. At the regional competition in February, Justin Calimlim placed sixth in a field of 84 contestants. Overall, the SJS team placed third out of 12 teams and qualified to compete at the state competition in Pineville, LA.

Mathletes on the 2010-11 St. Joseph team were eighth graders Cole Allen, Jacob Bernard and Sam Matschek and seventh grader Justin Calimlim. The MATHCOUNTS team is coached by Algebra teacher Jo Amy Wynn.

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Social JuSticeanswering the call for

Social justice” is a term Catholics hear often, but many are unsure what the concept means. Essentially, Matthew 25:35-40 gives us our instructions: “’For

I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.’ Then the upright will say to him in reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, lacking clothes and clothe you? When did we find you sick or in prison and go to see you?’ And the King will answer, ‘In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.’”

Father Mark Watson of Jesus the Good Shepherd Church in Monroe explained, “The concept of social justice is working for the common good of society, working for that which will make society thrive.” There are seven central principles of Catholic social teaching: peace; human rights; workers’ rights; building community, family and participation in society; stewarding the environment; solidarity (i.e., all people are one human family); and the dignity of the human person. Putting it in simple terms, he said, “For me, Catholic social teaching is giving to each one

what they truly need and working for the common good – that which makes society thrive.”

Wilfred Guerin, an instructor at the Greco Institute who also taught for over 40 years at Centenary College and Louisiana State University at Shreveport, is something of an expert on the topic of Catholic social justice. He explained that, at the time that Pope Leo XIII outlined his papal teachings on social justice in 1853, he was examining the social problems of Europe, many of which went hand in hand with the Industrial Revolution, and he was concerned about widows, orphans and women who, at that time, didn’t have any rights within society. “Another pope did the same thing 40 years later,” he said. “They were updated from pope to pope. There has been a consistent teaching from the popes.”

So what are our responsibilities as Catholics? Watson said, “We need to see everyone in the world as our brothers and sisters, regardless of race, nationality, gender, social class…see with the eyes of God, see everyone as having this innate dignity that comes from God. We’re all made in the image of God.” He added, “We need to be a people who, when – for example, this situation with Japan – we need to be a people who reach out to others.”

The life of Jesus was the perfect model for a life of social justice advocacy. Watson said, “Part of being Christian is

Left: Workers build a home for a low income family in Shreveport during the Fuller Center’s Catholic Work Day. Right: Bishop Michael Duca at the Annual Walk for Justice on Good Friday in downtown Shreveport.

by Kelly Phelan Powell

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Relief supplies are moved at a Catholic parish where Caritas Japan is offering support to people in need in Sendai, Japan, March 25. Caritas Japan was assisting at parishes in Sendai following

the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami. (CNS photo/Caritas Japan)

"For i was hungry and you gave me food, i was thirsty and you gave me drink, i was

a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick

and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me." - Matthew 25: 35-36

reaching out to those who suffer. In Jesus’s life, he reached out to the marginalized in society.” Dotye Sue Stanford, the Diocesan President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, said, “We’re doing what Christ told us to do in Matthew 25. We go out two by two, as the disciples did, and do home visits. That way, we can see what the people really need. Christ had the disciples go out and see the people, instead of having the people come to them.”

Given these examples, It may seem like social justice and charity are synonymous. But while the two are inextricably related, they’re actually two separate concepts. Watson explained, “Charity is seen as meeting people’s needs; justice is seen as changing institutions.” So issues like pro-life advocacy, death penalty abolition and immigration reform fall under the mantle of social justice.

One of the ways Catholics can promote social justice is to educate themselves and others. Guerin said, “Not enough people know about these things. They’re just not aware.” Watson agreed. “The educational component [of] social justice is very important.” St. Joseph Church in Shreveport, St. Paschal Church in West Monroe and Jesus the Good Shepherd Church in Monroe host a 30-week educational series called JustFaith. According to its Web site, “JustFaith Ministries helps participants to expand their commitment to social ministry within their faith communities.” During the series, participants visit four social agencies working in their communities.

But education isn’t the only way Catholics in the Diocese of Shreveport are helping the causes of social justice. Watson said, “One of the things we do at Good Shepherd is we’re very active in Catholic Relief Services, [specifically] the arm of the American Bishops that [aids in] international poverty.” Also, he said, “Good Shepherd always sponsors an adult mission trip, usually to Mexico. This year, they went to Alabama to help people affected by the Gulf oil spill.”

Of course, Catholics aren’t the only Christians who work for social justice. The Northern and Central Louisiana Interfaith organization brings churches together to meet the needs of the poor in Shreveport and Monroe. Some of their accomplishments include successfully lobbying Sportran and the Shreveport City Council for increased nighttime bus hours, working with the Shreveport City

Council to bring about a Renter’s Code Ordinance to hold landlords accountable for the upkeep of their properties and working with Shreveport Police Chief Henry Whitehorn and law enforcement officers to reduce crime and revitalize neighborhoods.

There are a myriad of ways you can promote social justice in your everyday life. Volunteer at a homeless shelter, donate clothing to a domestic violence shelter, buy fair-trade coffee and recycle. For more information and resources, visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org or www.usccb.org and click on “Social Justice Issues” on the left sidebar.


Another successful “Volunteer Work Day” began on the morning of March 26 for The Fuller Center for Housing

of NWLA. On that Saturday morning a large group of teenagers and adults from different churches and organizations began the task of installing exterior walls, roof trusses and external wrap on the 43rd home built in the Allendale Subdivision of Shreveport. At the end of the day all involved could stand back and be proud of their handiwork.

To continue and complete the construction of this home, “We” as a Catholic community of faithful were asked to participate in a “Catholic Work Day” on Saturday, April 30. All Catholic faithful of the diocese were invited to become partners of hope alongside the 43rd family selected for home ownership. Since this work date occurred too late to meet the deadline for this month’s issue, a final article will be published in June.

Our faith calls us to follow the Ten Commandments, to receive the Sacraments and to pray, but it also calls us to practice charity for our neighbors when they are in need. This opportunity to join our hands together on one day in one location as a part of a broad based “Catholic” volunteer work force does not happen often. Please consider this and any future events of this nature presented by The Fuller Center for the unique opportunity they truly represent for us all.

To get involved, visit http://www.fullercenter.org/shreveport, or call Jerry Rowe at Holy Trinity Church, 318-221-5990.

Fuller Center Work Day a Success by Jerry Rowe

Catholic Charities of Shreveport continues to grow! This is possible due to the strong support

we are receiving from our community, as well as the tremendous need for our services. It was established with four key objectives for its first year: emergency assistance, immigration assistance, disaster response and parish social ministry. Since opening in August, the bulk of our efforts have been spent on emergency assistance. We have also begun working towards our next goal, establishing an immigration center.

There are two goals for this center. The first is to raise awareness about issues facing the immigrant families who live and work in our area. The second is to help these immigrants become incorporated into the larger population. Many immigrants have come here to work in the food service, cleaning, agricultural, construction or oil and gas industries, often living in the shadows of our communities and in substandard conditions. The reason they come here, though, is to provide a better future for their families.

They come with great hope, but often find that their legal status and lack of English skills are barriers. While some immigrants are here illegally, they do want to become legal. Unfortunately, obtaining legal status is an expensive and complicated process, and seemingly impossible for many with the current immigration laws. The closest immigration offices are in Dallas and Alexandria. Because obtaining legal status is a key first step for many of these families, the Catholic Charities immigration center will provide low-income families with legal assistance to guide them through this complicated process. Education will also have an important role at the center, with classes such as English as Second Language, parenting skills, financial literacy and citizenship classes. Each family will have a case manager to work with them and develop a plan so able-bodied adults can work, their children are in school,

and that they all have adequate living conditions as they work towards a better future.

The immigration center is an ambitious project, but it is needed in this community. At this time, there is no such center in this area. Ours will be the first of its kind to offer the array of services needed for the well-being of the entire family and their integration into the larger community. Recent census numbers have shown an increase in immigration into North Louisiana from Mexico, Central America and Asia. The largest immigrant group has been Hispanic and Latino. In Bossier City alone there are now 4,955 Hispanic and Latino residents, double the number from the 2000 census when the Diocese of Shreveport began working with our immigrant population.

Sr. Dolores Sanchez of the Hispanic Ministry Office started the program, hiring Rosalba Quiroz to do the

immigration work in 2003. When Sr. Dolores left the diocese in 2008, Rosalba Quiroz took over both the Hispanic Ministry Office and the Immigration program. Both jobs are full-time, with the immigration work slated to be taken over by Catholic Charities. Rosalba will be working closely with Catholic Charities as we start our immigration center, working on immigration issues as well as helping to recruit translators and other volunteers.

Catholic Charities of Shreveport is excited about this new venture and how it will enable us to assist more people to become fully-functioning and contributing members of our community, able to enjoy the freedoms that so many of us take for granted.

Catholic Charities Plans to Launch Immigration Center by Anita Crafts, Catholic Charities of Shreveport


The Church of Jesus the Good Shepherd has developed a ministry to migrant workers over the past six years. The ministry began with one encounter between myself and

a group of migrant farm workers in Pioneer, Louisiana and has grown into an annual ministry of our parish to which many parishioners look forward.

Beginning in early 2005 I began to celebrate a monthly Spanish Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Oak Grove. After the Mass on Saturday, May 7, Evelyn Ridings, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church, indicated that there was a group of people she very much wanted me to meet. Not knowing what to expect I got into her car and we drove down Highway 17 to an abandoned school building in Pioneer. Upon arriving, I saw a group of farm workers resting after a long week of work. I got out of the car and introduced myself to the men and women. I asked them if there was anything that I could do to make their lives more comfortable. After discussing the matter they indicated that they would like to receive clothes. That Monday I drove back to the building with Fr. Siby, then Parochial Vicar of the Church of Jesus the Good Shepherd. We delivered clothes to the group and scheduled a visit during which we would celebrate Mass with the group.

On May 25, 2005 I joined a group which included Joann Crone, Betty Cummings, Deacon Tim Cotita and his wife Missy, which drove to the abandoned school building. We delivered clothes to the children who lived on the premises and then celebrated Mass with the group in Spanish. The Mass was celebrated on a picnic table. My homily dealt with the dignity of being a member of the Body of Christ. The Mass was celebrated as night fell and the Eucharistic Prayer was prayed by the light of a Coleman lantern and a flashlight. Before the next visit Joann Crone headed up a parish wide effort to gather clothes for the farm workers, which were to be delivered during the next visit to Pioneer. She went to great efforts to publicize the need for clothes among the people of Good Shepherd parish.

In early June a second group visited the farm workers. As we had done during our previous visit we gathered with the workers around the picnic table and celebrated Mass together. As had happened before, the night grew dark as we worshiped together. After Mass each of those who attended the Eucharist Celebration came forward and received a blessing. This has become a

standard part of our Masses with migrant workers, especially for those who do not receive communion. After the Mass the small group gave out the individual bags of clothes made by Betty Cummings and distributed the extra clothes to those who hadn’t requested any during the previous visit. We stayed late into the night talking with and distributing clothes to the farm workers.

These experiences left me looking ahead to the possibility of continuing this ministry in the upcoming year.

As May of 2006 approached Joann Crone contacted Maria who was the foreman of the group of workers who stayed in Pioneer. An initial Mass was scheduled for Friday, May 26 at 7:00 p.m. After planting the sweet potatoes in May the workers left and were then transported back to Pioneer in September to harvest the crop. Therefore, we scheduled a second Mass on Saturday, September 16 at 7:15 p.m.

The farm workers did not return to Pioneer in 2007. Through Barbara Biersmith our group began to travel to Tallulah to celebrate Mass with the farm workers who worked for Lev Dawson. In 2007 and 2008 we celebrated Mass in a former nursing home which was converted to a residence for the farm workers. In 2007 we celebrated Mass inside the residence. In 2008 our Masses were celebrated in a field to the side of the residence. There were about 200 farm workers which attended each of these Masses. In 2007 we had a large clothes drive for the workers.

The ministry continued in both 2009 and 2010. In both of these years Bishop Michael Duca celebrated the opening Mass of the year. Both of these years the Masses were celebrated in packing sheds at the end of the work day. After the Masses the group went out to eat at a Mexican Restaurant in Delhi. These meals allowed us to eat with Lev and his family. For the past two years weather has damaged the sweet potato crop and thus kept the farm workers from traveling to Delhi at harvest time.

I write this article on March 28, 2011. Already I am beginning to reflect on the opportunity to celebrate Mass with and share our faith with our brothers and sisters who will come to our area to plant and harvest sweet potatoes. If you would like to join us, please call the Jesus the Good Shepherd Office 318-325-7549 in order to learn the day and time we will attend. Also please pray for good weather this year for the benefit of both farm workers and land owners in northeastern Louisiana.

Reaching Out in Faith: Our Ministry to Migrant Farm Workers by Fr. Mark Watson

Fr. Mark Watson and Bishop Michael Duca bless the workers at the Migrant Workers’ Mass in 2009.


Social Media Has Always Had the Church’s Attention by John Mark Willcox, Director of Communications

It is important to note that the meteoric rise of social media in the world has not taken Rome by storm, and some may even be surprised that official Church statements on social

media issues date back further than John Paul II’s directive for the creation of the first Vatican web site. Speaking at last year’s World Communication Day, Pope Benedict XVI stated “The world of digital communications, with its almost limitless expressive capacity, makes us appreciate all the more Saint Paul’s exclamation: ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel.’”

After so much upheaval in the Arab world and an amazing major leadership change in Egypt which relied almost exclusively on social networking, there is now no doubt that social media are the fastest growing form of communication in the world, especially among youth and young adults. As Pope Benedict XVI noted in that same World Communications Day address, “This new form of media can offer priests and all pastoral workers a wealth of information and content that was difficult to access before, and facilitate forms of collaboration and greater communion in ways that were unthinkable in the past.”

This day and age sees the Church with a very powerful opportunity to use social media to encourage respect, dialogue and honest relationships; a practice our Pope Benedict XVI has called “true friendship.” To do so requires us to approach social media as powerful means of evangelization and to consider the Church’s role in providing a Christian perspective on digital literacy. At the very least, social media represents a fundamental transformation in the way people receive and use information. Prior to the advent of social media, information and the content of that information were broadcast by the few to the many. Now publication and delivery can be facilitated by anyone and broadcast to everyone. With great opportunities also can come great challenges.

The Social Media Guidelines of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has grouped the challenges and opportunities of social media for Catholic organizations into three primary categories:

• Visibility• Community• Accountability

Visibility With the number of Facebook users long ago eclipsing half

a billion, this high profile forum for the Church’s visibility is hard to deny. The key is to decide on just how you will engage your audience. Because of the immense volume of content and sites, constant input and monitoring are required to hold the attention of a media-savvy public.

Community While it is not a face-to-face encounter, social media is a

powerful tool for strengthening community and it can support believers in a myriad of ways. In his World Communication Day message of 2009, Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that well considered use of social media has the ultimate goal

of encouraging “true friendship” and the addressing of the human longing for meaningful community.

Accountability With any person capable of outsourcing a message to

billions, accountability and responsibility is critical. Trust has become a key component of the web visitor as social media customers use only information gathered from trusted sites and those sites recommended by those they trust. Many experts now describe the adaption of social media as a paradigm shift in how humans communicate, a development as important as that of the printing press and the discovery of electronic communication.

As more and more places of Catholic worship began to enter the world of social media, let us pray that they do so with a set of guidelines and a defined purpose for this broad and very effective form of ministry and outreach.

Much of this material was borrowed from the Social Media Guidelines published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Not included in this article are specific definitions and guidelines that will greatly assist any social media effort you are considering for the good of the Church. Feel free to visit their web site for the entire social media guidelines page at the following address: www.usccb.org/comm/social-media-guidelines.shtml.

Bishop Ronald P. Herzog of Alexandria, La., talks about social media and the Church during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops annual fall meeting in Baltimore Nov. 15. (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec)


The diocesan Teen Rally took place on March 12, 2011 at LSU-S in Shreveport. Over 250 youth from around the diocese attended the event. Guest speakers were Josh Blakesley, Fr. Rothell Price, Fr. Matthew Long, Bishop Michael Duca and Blake Royall.

The Be Renewed Youth Rally was a great religious experience. It was a time to be away from school and every day responsibilities and focus on our calling to be Jesus Christ to others in our community and world.

- Julia VanchiereCathedral of St. John Berchmans

I learned so much about my faith. My favorite part was probably the live Stations of the Cross. My friends and I cried.

- Chelsea BarberSt. John the Baptist Church

I learned that you should thank God during bad times and good times and that you should never turn your back on God.

- Isabella Van SavageSt. Joseph Church, Shreveport

I love the way kids get this opportunity to hang out with friends and get closer to God! I believe music is a great way to express yourself in Jesus’ name. I look forward to going next year!

-Ashley BroylesSt. Thomas Aquinas Church

Diocesan Teen Rally


Caridades Católicas de Shreveport

El Centro de Caridades Católicas se inauguró en Agosto del 2010.

Está abierto de lunes a viernes de 8:30am a 4:30pm y su dirección es:

Catholic Charities of Shreveport331 East 71st St.Shreveport, LA 71106Teléfono: 318-865-0200Fax: 318-865-0230

Sus cuatro áreas de ayuda son: 1. Ayuda de emergencia2. Inmigración3. Respuesta durante desastres4. Ministerio social en las parroquias

Sus dos metas son: 1. Que la sociedad se entere de las

necesidades de los inmigrantes que viven en la diócesis

2. Que los inmigrantes se incorporen en esta población

Próximamente ofrecerán clases inglés como segundo idioma, de ciudadanía, para padres de familia y de manejo de sus finanzas, entre otras.

Se espera que a cada familia necesitada se le asigne un trabajador o voluntario que acompañe y coordine los servicios que la familia necesita.

Pedimos sus oraciones y apoyo para que esta organización crezca y desempeñe su función de ayudar a los más necesitados de la diócesis. Todos tenemos algo que dar, oración, talento o finanzas harán una diferencia en las vidas de nuestros hermanos mas necesitados.

La a Ayuda financiera es siempre bienvenida pero ahora Caridades Católicas está haciendo una campaña de recaudar artículos para despensas especialmente:

Leche en polvo, Azúcar, Arroz, Sopas,

Aceite, Frijo, Pan, Café, Latas de tomate, Sopas y Caldos de lata, Atún, Gelatinas, Cualquier comida enlatada, Artículos de higiene, incluyendo pañales de bebe.

Celebracion de la Diocesis

Los invitamos a celebrar los 25 Años de la Diócesis en el Centro de Convenciones de Shreveport

el 11 de junio de 9:00am a 5:00p.m.El Grupo musical, “Huellas” viene a

deleitarnos con su música.Como presentador para los

hispanos tendremos al Padre Juan Luis Gándara de Chihuahua hablando del tema escogido por el obispo para la celebración:

“Jesús Ayer, Hoy y Siempre”Para más información, comunicarse

con su párroco, con su coordinador o como siempre con la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano: 318-219-7257.

Nota: Llegar al Centro de Convenciones a mas tardar a las 10:00 a.m. para disfrutar de todo lo preparado para nosotros, incluye almuerzo a las 12:00 pm

Hispanic Cornerpor Rosalba Quiroz

Calendario de Mayo del 201117-19 Programa para los sacerdotes: Buenos Líderes, Buenos Pastores.

21-22 Escuela de Ministerios: Pequeñas Comunidades Eclesiales, Sábado 9am - 7pm y domingo 9am a 2pm, Centro Católico, 3500 Fairfield Avenue, Shreveport.

30 Centro Católico Cerrado en observación del Día de Memorial a los Soldados Caídos en batalla.

MisasBossier City: Christ the King Church425 McCormick St.Bossier CitySábado 7:00 p.m.Domingo 3:00 p.m.Lunes 7:00 p.m. Confesiones 45 minutos antes de MisaMarilú Rodriguez Tel: 318-286-1492

Farmerville: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church600 E. Water StreetFarmervilleSábado 7:00 p.m.Rev. Al Jost Tel: 318-243-0115

Mansfield: St. Joseph Church305 Jefferson StreetMansfield2do Domingo 2:00 p.m. y 3er Martes 6:30 p.m.Juanita Ibarra Tel: 318-872-5390

Minden: St. Paul Church410 Fincher RoadMinden2do y 4to Viernes 7:00 p.m.Margarita Bratton Tel: 318-377-9684

Oak Grove: Sacred Heart Church201 Purvis StOak GroveDomingo 5:00 p.m.Feliciano y Rosa Alviso Martinez Tel: 318-428-2137

Ruston: St. Thomas Aquinas Church810 Carey Ave. Ruston2do y 4to Domingo 2:30 p.m.Soledad Broyles Tel: 318-243-1958

Shreveport: St. Mary of the Pines Church1050 Bert Kouns Industrial LoopShreveportDomingo 1:00 p.m.Carmen Bradford Tel: 318-455-2300

West Monroe: St. Paschal Church711 N 7th StreetWest MonroeDomingo 2:30 p.m.Lorena Chaparro Tel: 318-651-9136

Rosalba QuiRoz, DiRectoRa Del MinisteRio Hispano 318-219-7265 • Rev. al Jost, cooRDinaDoR De la vicaRía Del este • 318-243-0115


News Briefsby Catholic News Service

For Pope John Paul II, Spiritual Journey Marked Path to Beatification

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- As church officials keep emphasizing, Pope John Paul II was beatified not for his performance as pope, but for how he lived the Christian

virtues of faith, hope and love. When the Vatican’s sainthood experts interviewed witnesses about the Polish pontiff, the focus of their investigation was on holiness, not achievement. What emerged was a spiritual portrait of Pope John Paul, one that reflected lifelong practices of prayer and devotion, a strong sense of his priestly vocation and a reliance on faith to guide his most important decisions. More than leadership or managerial skills, these spiritual qualities were the key to his accomplishments -- both before and after his election as pope in 1978. From an early age, Karol Wojtyla faced hardships that tested his trust in God. His mother died when he was 9, and three years later he lost his only brother to scarlet fever. His father died when he was 20, and friends said Wojtyla knelt for 12 hours in prayer and sorrow at his bedside. His calling to the priesthood was not something that happened overnight. It took shape during the dramatic years of World War II, after a wide variety of other experiences: among other things, he had acted with a theater group, split stone at a quarry, written poetry and supported a network that smuggled Jews to safety.

Vatican Announces Masses, Oct. 22 Feast Day for Blessed John Paul

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The feast day of Blessed John Paul II will be marked Oct. 22 each year in Rome and the dioceses of Poland. When the Vatican made the

announcement April 11, it also said Catholics throughout the world will have a year to celebrate a Mass in thanksgiving for his beatification. While thanksgiving Masses for a beatification -- like the observance of a feast day -- usually are limited to places where the person lived or worked, “the exceptional character of the beatification of the Venerable John Paul II, recognized by the entire Catholic Church spread throughout the world,” led to a general permission for the thanksgiving Mass, said a decree from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. The decree was published in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, and included information about the thanksgiving Mass, Pope John Paul’s feast day, annual Masses in his honor and naming churches after him. The newspaper also published the text of the opening prayer -- formally the “collect” -- for his feast day Mass in Latin, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Polish. A local bishop or the superior general of a religious order is free to choose the day or dates as well as the place or places for the thanksgiving Mass, as long as the Masses are celebrated by May 1, 2012, which is one year after the beatification, the decree said. In the Diocese of Rome, where Pope John Paul served as bishop, and in all the dioceses of his native Poland, his feast day is to be inserted automatically into the annual calendar, the decree said. Oct. 22 was chosen as the day

to remember him because it is the anniversary of the liturgical inauguration of his papacy in 1978.

Holy Confusion? Beatification, Canonization are Different

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The slight differences between a beatification and a canonization are easy to miss, especially when one pope beatifies another pope. Just three weeks

before Pope Benedict XVI was to beatify Pope John Paul II, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments issued a decree designed, in part, to maintain the distinction. The decree dealt with one of the three main differences: the number and location of dioceses that can hold annual public liturgical celebrations in the holy person’s honor. The other two differences are less noticeable and they deal with who ceremonially requests the pope to act and the level of papal authority involved in the proclamation. During a beatification ceremony, the bishop of the diocese where the person dies asks that the candidate be declared blessed; at a canonization, the prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes speaks in the name of the whole church and asks that the candidate be declared a saint. Even less visible, but more important, is the fact that “papal infallibility is involved” when a person is declared a saint, said Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the papal vicar of Rome. Beatification is an “administrative act” by which the pope allows a candidate for sainthood to be venerated publicly in places closely associated with his or her life and ministry; the place may be as small as one city, although usually it is the diocese where the person lived or died. In the case of Pope John Paul, his Oct. 22 feast day is entered automatically into the calendars of the Diocese of Rome and all the dioceses of his native Poland. A canonization, on the other hand, is a formal papal decree that the candidate was holy and is now in heaven with God; the decree allows public remembrance of the saint at liturgies throughout the Church. It also means that churches can be dedicated to the person without special Vatican permission.

At press time, the beatification of Pope John Paul II had yet to take place. Look for a very special article in our June issue from our on site reporter Sr. Martinette Rivers.

Pope John Paul II prays at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. (CNS photo/Catholic Press Photo)



Around the Diocese

1. St. Paschal Church Celebrated Just Faith Graduates

The second “Just Faith” class at St. Paschal Church in West Monroe

graduated on April 2. Graduates from former classes in the Monroe area were on hand to honor the new graduates. “Just Faith” is a 30-week program about Catholic Social Teaching concerning peace and justice in our world.

2. St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Youth Organization Honored Basketball Players

Congratulations to our CYO Basketball team for coming in third

place during their first year! St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church hosted their First Annual Basketball Banquet to honor the team for their amazing performance during the 2011 Church Basketball

League of Ruston, LA.Left to Right: Zach Faulkner, Rafael

Lacayo, Felipe Ortega, Chris Kennedy, Juan Ramirez, Jesus Rodriguez, Enrique Barrientos, Kramer Newson and Marcos G. Villalba (coach).

3. Youth from St. Joseph Church in Mansfield Attended Abbey Youth Fest

The youth group from St. Joseph Church in Mansfield attended the

Abbey Youth Fest 2011 in Covington, LA March 25-27, 2011. Among the highlights of our journey were participation in Vespers, Eucharistic Adoration, listening to Christian rock bands and some great Christian comedy. It was truly inspiring to get to know the many brothers residing at the abbey and to experience their amazing dedication to our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. Our group even had a seminarian join

them in a round of Ninja Assassin, which was a great treat for all. A great time was had by all and they are looking forward to next year’s events.

4. Fr. Varela Visited St. Mary of the Pines Church

Father Francisco Varela stands with Carmen Bradford and Socorro

Garcia while visiting St. Mary of the Pines as he traveled through our eight Hispanic communities.

5. Annual St. Joseph Altar Celebrated at St. Matthew Church

Bishop Michael Duca joined priests in the eastern deanery to celebrate the

annual St. Joseph Mass at St. Matthew Church in downtown Monroe. The Mass was accompanied by the traditional St. Joseph Altar, filled with goods cooked by parishioners.

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MAY 3: “LIFE HAPPENS ALONG THE JOURNEY” Community Grief Support Group will host its 2nd Annual Community Memorial Service (non-denominational) on May 3, at St. Jude Church. Guest speaker will be Dr. Quinn Nyman at 6:30 p.m. A potluck dinner will follow in Kilpatrick Hall. Attendees are encouraged to bring pictures and other items commemorating their loved ones to put on the altar, as well as a potluck of their choice. Call 318-549-1082 or email Laurie if you plan to attend at: [email protected].

MAY 6: RED MASS The annual western deanery Red Mass honoring local judges, lawyers and law officials will take place at Holy Trinity Church in downtown Shreveport at 9:00 a.m.

MAY 7: MAGNIFICAT PRAYER BRUNCH The Magnificat Nowela Chapter is sponsoring a prayer brunch on Saturday, May 7 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Activities Center at St. Jude Church on Viking Drive in Bossier City, LA. The guest speaker will be Sister John Mary Jackson from Shreveport, LA.

Sister John Mary Jackson, the current Principal of Our lady of the Blessed Sacrament Academy in Shreveport, originally comes to us from New Orleans where she was Principal of Saint Joan of

Arc School prior to Hurricane Katrina.Sister John Mary enjoys donating her

time and talents and finds it a sheer joy in making others smile. She has been involved in many projects in the realm of arts, education, and humanitarianism and has also received several awards in these areas.

The Magnificat is a ministry for Catholic women and this day is set aside to speak to the hearts of women and rejoice in the presence of the Lord. Please no young children.

Admittance is $12 and reservations should be made by calling either Barbara McAlister at 318-747-7029 or Helen Langley at 318-746-6223. Checks for the reservations may be mailed or paid at the door.

3rd SUNDAYS: VOCATIONS DISCERNMENT GROUP A Vocations Discernment Group continues to meet on the third Sunday of the month, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., at 1000 Fairview Street in Shreveport. It is open to both men and women. If you are interested, please contact Fr. David Richter, Vocations Director, at 318-868-4441, ext. 261.

1st SATURDAYS: PRO-LIFE ROSARY Pro-Life rosaries, led by the Vita group at St. Joseph Church in Shreveport, are held the first Saturdays of each month. For more info contact Roxie Tabor at 318-865-3581.

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May 1: Solemnity of the 2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday): For all mothers and fathers who have lost a

child in an abortion: that through the intercession of Blessed Pope John Paul II, Divine Mercy may fill their souls, bringing them healing and new life;

We pray to the Lord.

May 8: Third Sunday of Easter: For mothers: that their many sacrifices will be rewarded by the gratitude of their

husbands and children in this life,and by God in the life to come; We pray

to the Lord.

May 15: Fourth Sunday of Easter: For all who are tempted to sin against human life: that they will heed the voice of the

Divine Shepherd and have the courage to follow him on the path of life; We pray to

the Lord.

May 22: Fifth Sunday of Easter: For those who are homeless, poor, or at the margins of society: that we will recognize in them the face of Christ and generously provide

for their needs; We pray to the Lord.

May 29: Sixth Sunday of Easter: For those who are struggling with disabilities of

mind or body: that others never lose sight of their dignity and worth as persons loved by God, We pray to the Lord.

May Intercessions for Life


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SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

Deadline for June Catholic ConnectionConfirmation,Mary, Queen of Peace Church, 6pmSaint Damien Joseph de Veuster of Moloka'i, priest

Saint Athnanasius, bishop and doctor of the Church

Saint Philip and Saint James, apostles

Our Lady of Fatima 2nd Collection: Retired Priests FundConfirmation, St. Joseph Church, Shreveport, 1pmSaint Matthias, apostle

25th Anniversary Committee Meeting, Catholic Center, 10am

Bishop Duca’s 3rd Anniversary as Bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport

Saint Nereus & Saint Achilleus, martyrs; Saint Pancras, martyr

Saint Bede the Venerable, priest & doctor of the Church; Saint Gregory VII, pope; Saint Mary Magdalene de'Pazzi, virgin

Divine Mercy SundayConfirmation, St. Mary of the Pines, 9amBeatification of Pope John Paul II

Priests Retirement Committee Meeting, Catholic Center, 11amConfirmation, St. Joseph Church, Zwolle, 6pm

Red Mass, Holy Trinity Church, Shreveport, 9am

Confirmation, Our Lady of Fatima Church, Monroe, 4:30pm

Mother’s Day

Vocations Discernment Meeting, Fairview House, 5pm2nd Collection: Retired PriestsConfirmation, St. Paul Church, 11amConfirmation, Christ the King Church, 3pm

Good Leaders, Good Shepherds

Presbyteral Council Meeting, Catholic Center, 1pmSt. Frederick High School Graduation, Jesus the Good Shepherd Church, 6:30pm

Confirmation, Jesus the Good Shepherd, 11amConfirmation, St. Matthew Church, 5pm

Memorial DayCatholic Center Closed

The Ascension of the Lord

Saint Justin, martyr Saint Charles Lwanga & his companions, martyrs

Saint Philip Neri, priest

Saint Augustine of Canterbury, bishop

Saint John I, pope and martyr

The VIsitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Loyola College Prep Graduation, Riverview Theatre, 7pmSaint Bernardine of Siena, priest

Confirmation, St. Paschal Church, 5:30pmSaint Christopher Magalianes, priest and martyr, and his companions, martyrs

Western Deanery Red Mass Honoring Judges, Lawyers and court officials at Holy Trinity Church

in Downtown Shreveport.

24 24 Catholic Connection May 2011

D I O C E S E O F S H R E V E P O R T

3500 Fairfield Ave. • Shreveport, LA 71104

Fairfield

Hispanic Lenten Retreat at the

Catholic Center

Fr. Mark Watson and Fr. Al Jost

lead the procession.

Attendees gather around the cross during Way of the Cross.

On Saturday, March 26, 2011 the Hispanic Ministry Office sponsored a day of reflection

at the Catholic Center. Of about 200 participants, half of them were youth and children. Among other activities, the Hispanic community enjoyed a day of prayer, gathering, confessions, a Way of the Cross and, of course, a Spanish Mass.

Children carry the cross from

one station to the next.

Attendees line

up for lunch!

A sign for the Lenten retreat

hung at the Catholic Center.

Documents

May 2011 Catholic Connection