Sunday, November 29, 2009

Liturgy of the Hours in the Internet Age



Clergy and the religious have an obligation to pray the Liturgy of the Hours (sometimes called the Breviary or The Divine Office). But the laity are also encouraged to participate in the Prayer of the Church.

The Liturgy of the Hours comes in a 4 volume set from Catholic Book Publishing. One edition is in a colored imitation leather (click here) at $149 and the other edition is black leather (click here) at $179. Shopping it from other retailers can save some money.

Folks who begin to learn to pray The Hours find it confusing to know just where to flip within the books for that day's readings, psalms, and prayers. There is a St. Joseph's Yearly Guide that does help (click here) for $2.

Even with this guide, some still find it confusing. But, with new technology, there is an easier way.

Those with Apple iPhones or the Apple iPod Touch can install an application called iBreviary. This application sells for only $.99! That price is accurate. The application contains all of the prayers and text of the printed Liturgy of the Hours. Each day, pressing the refresh button downloads all of that day's prayers for each hour. It matches the book version exactly and is also a good guide to help you learn how to use the books. It includes that day's readings for mass. And it contains many popular prayers. The beauty of the application is in its simplicity and portability. You no longer have to worry about packing a volume with you while traveling. And it also makes it easier for you to pray the daytime hour while away from your normal praying place. The prayers it includes are:

  1. Angelus

  2. Hail Mary

  3. Hail Holy Queen

  4. Magnificat (beautiful Revised Standard Version translation)

  5. Our Father

  6. Apostles Creed

  7. Act of Faith

  8. Act of Hope

  9. Act of Charity

  10. Act of Contrition (traditional and second version)

  11. Morning Offering


It is highly recommended and might just be that excuse you're looking for to purchase an iPod Touch or an iPhone.

See below for a few screen shots of the application.




First Sunday of Advent Homily, the Catechism, and the Compendium


Today, during his homily, Monsignor Romero referenced the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Compendium is a wonderful reference to Catholic teaching that, in turn, references back into the more detailed Catechism of the Catholic Church. Both books are wonderful reference texts to have.

The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

And the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

During the homily, Monsignor Romero referenced first paragraph 596 and then paragraph 597 in the Compendium from the section on the Our Father Prayer.

596. What does “Lead us not into temptation” mean?

2846-2849
2863

We ask God our Father not to leave us alone and in the power of temptation. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us know how to discern, on the one hand, between a trial that makes us grow in goodness and a temptation that leads to sin and death and, on the other hand, between being tempted and consenting to temptation. This petition unites us to Jesus who overcame temptation by his prayer. It requests the grace of vigilance and of final perseverance.


597. Why do we conclude by asking “But deliver us from evil”?

2850-2854
2864

“Evil” indicates the person of Satan who opposes God and is “the deceiver of the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). Victory over the devil has already been won by Christ. We pray, however, that the human family be freed from Satan and his works. We also ask for the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance as we wait for the coming of Christ who will free us definitively from the Evil One.


From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Monsignor referenced paragraphs 2847 thru 2849, from Section VI, "And lead us not into temptation". Also, 2852 from Section VII, "But Deliver us from Evil". Origen, an early church father, is quoted in 2847 and St. Ambrose is quoted in 2852.

2847
The Holy Spirit makes us discern between trials, which are necessary for the growth of the inner man, and temptation, which leads to sin and death. We must also discern between being tempted and consenting to temptation. Finally, discernment unmasks the lie of temptation, whose object appears to be good, a "delight to the eyes" and desirable, when in reality its fruit is death.

God does not want to impose the good, but wants free beings. . . . There is a certain usefulness to temptation. No one but God knows what our soul has received from him, not even we ourselves. But temptation reveals it in order to teach us to know ourselves, and in this way we discover our evil inclinations and are obliged to give thanks for the goods that temptation has revealed to us.


2848
"Lead us not into temptation" implies a decision of the heart: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. . . . No one can serve two masters." "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." In this assent to the Holy Spirit the Father gives us strength. "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, so that you may be able to endure it."


2852
"A murderer from the beginning, . . . a liar and the father of lies," Satan is "the deceiver of the whole world." Through him sin and death entered the world and by his definitive defeat all creation will be "freed from the corruption of sin and death." Now "we know that anyone born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil one."

The Lord who has taken away your sin and pardoned your faults also protects you and keeps you from the wiles of your adversary the devil, so that the enemy, who is accustomed to leading into sin, may not surprise you. One who entrusts himself to God does not dread the devil. "If God is for us, who is against us?"

Homily for the First Sunday of Advent

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, the First Sunday of Advent, is our thirty second podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the First Sunday of Advent homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Readings and Themes for the Week of November 29, 2009

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of November 29, 2009,
First Sunday in Advent

Reading I Jeremiah 33:14-16
I will raise up for David a just shoot.

Psalm 25
"To you, O Lord, I lift my soul."

Reading II 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2
May the Lord make you abound in love.

Gospel: Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
Be vigilant at all times.

THEME:
Be on guard!

In today’s Gospel, the Lord Jesus warns us not to let our hearts become drowsy. Instead, we are summoned to be ready for the coming of the Lord. That stance of readiness is described by Saint Paul today in the letter to the Thessalonians, where we are told to increase and abound in love for one another. As we listen to these inspiring words, let us pray that we will be ready for the coming of the Lord.

Question for Children:
What helps you to grow in your faith?
Who helps you?

Question for Youth:
Advent is the Church season when we prepare for Christ's birth at Christmas.
What is one thing you can do to prepare yourself spiritually for Christmas?

Question for Adults:
Paul exhorts us to "make greater progress" in our spiritual lives.
What one step could you take to make greater progress in your own life?

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Bulletin for the Week of November 29, 2009



The bulletin for the weekend of November 29, 2009 has been posted. Click here to see it.

The calendar on the website has been updated with all events for the coming week along with prayer intention information and information on the second collection for all of the masses. Take some time to look at our calendar here.

Updates are also being made to our St. Landry Catholic Church blog. You can get to the blog from the church home page under the Bulletins and News section or you can just click here to go to it.

Don't forget, we're also sending out live updates via Twitter. Our Twitter name is StLandryCath. You can see updates by clicking here.

Homily for Thanksgiving

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, Thanksgiving, is our thirty-first podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the Thanksgiving homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

U.S. Bishops announce new Advent website


For the second consecutive year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has created a Website http://www.usccb.org/advent/ with suggestions for daily prayer, reading, reflection and action throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons.

The focal points of the site are the interactive calendars for the Advent season, which begins with the first Sunday of Advent, November 29, and the Christmas season, which ends on January 12 with the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. Clicking on each date on the calendar brings up a menu of resources for reading, prayer, reflection and action. Another highlight of the site is the Festival of Lesson and Carols, which can be heard live online or downloaded for later listening.

The Website includes biographies from Catholic News Service on many of the saints whose feasts are celebrated during the Advent and Christmas seasons along with audio “Saint of the Day” podcasts from Franciscan Radio.

Other resources on the Web site include a list of recommend holiday-themed movies from the USCCB’s Office for Film and Broadcasting, prayers and blessings from the USCCB publication Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, and suggestions for remembering the needs of immigrants and the poor throughout the season.

Doll and Toy Fund


This year the Catholic Daughters are again sponsoring the Doll & Toy Fund for Christmas.

Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation please send a check or money order payable to DOLL & TOY FUND % Janis Courvelle, 1826 Edwards St., Opelousas, LA 70570.

We welcome NEW toys, which may be brought to Valentin Hall during office hours.

For more information, call 789-0971.

Come Home for Christmas

As Advent approaches, we celebrate the coming of Jesus. During this particular season of the Liturgical Year, we are reminded of our family and friends who have drifted away from the church.

Once again, the Diocese of Lafayette will be sponsoring their annual “Come Home for Christmas Program”. We want our brothers and sisters to return home to be with their spiritual family.

Every active Catholic is encouraged to invite someone to accompany them to Mass on Christmas Day. Offer to pick them up and bring them with you. Please pray for the success of this outreach.

We also encourage you to participate in your parish program by submitting to the Rectory the name of a special friend or family member that you would like to invite to Come Home for Christmas. Please submit the names and addresses by December 11th. A simple slip of paper in the collection basket with the person's name and address will suffice.

Monday, November 23, 2009

The 2009 Running of the Silver Rose


The Silver Rose program features a sculpted silver rose carried by Knights from Canada, through the United States, to Mexico, bringing the Culture of Life message on its journey. The silver rose is received at councils and parishes along its way and Masses and prayer services are offered. Special border ceremonies with Fourth Degree honor guards are held when the rose is transferred from one state to another. The Silver Rose program is a sign of the Order's unity on life issues.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 24, the Knights of Columbus of Louisiana will participate in a North American effort paying special tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe through the Silver Rose Program. The Silver Rose will arrive in Opelousas and be displayed at St. Landry Catholic Church. The prayer service will begin at 7:00 pm. The public is invited to take part in the service. All 4th Degree members are encouraged to dress out for the procession. If there are any questions, please contact Deacon John Miller, Grand Knight 1173 at 942-2911.

Click here for the official web site.

Thanksgiving Appreciations by Monsignor J. Robert Romero

As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, I offer some reasons for thanks and appreciation this year:

I am thankful for the Parish Mission we had on March 23-24-25, 2009. It was conducted by Father Mark Thibodeaux, S.J. The Theme of the Mission was ‘Cloister’ (one’s intimate relationship with God), ‘Community’ (one’s relationship with loved ones), and ‘Hospitality’ (one’s relationship with the stranger). It was a powerful experience.

I am grateful for the updated church website at http://www.stlandrycatholicchurch.org Mr. Andrew Guidroz II is our web Coordinator for this site. He puts a lot of time to maintain the site. It is a good church presence on the internet. We have a website that has a blog, Twitter, Facebook, video, weekly bulletin, weekly homily and more.

I am also appreciative of the update at Opelousas Catholic School’s physical plant. This work is the result of 5 years of planning. We were able to update the classrooms during the summer so that with school beginning in August 2009 all classrooms were not only habitable but also functional. This update is not 100% improvement, but 1,000% improvement. We are still working on the rest of the project and should be completed soon. I cannot thank the public enough for your gracious support of this project.

This year’s Ministry Fair has given us more parishioners involved in our church ministries. It is a great testament to our parishioners’ love of God and Church. We even were able to grow our ministries, as a group of parishioners is forming a Church Parish Outreach/Parish Visitors Committee. I appreciate our maturity in church involvement.

The Cemetery Tours this year was an excellent way to remember those in our city who did community service. We as a community should appreciate these wonderful people. They are Mr. J. B. Sandoz, Sr. Mary Bernadette Beyer, Mrs. Cornelius Segar, Judge Arthur Simon, Mr. Charles Thibodeaux, Father Hyland, Miss Jannis Marie Ballard, Monsignor A. B. Colliard, and Father Verbis Lafleur. I thank all who made the Cemetery Tours such a success.

On the last day of October, St. Landry Court of the Catholic Daughters of America celebrated their 100th Anniversary. I enjoyed hearing their history. They were first named the Daughters of Isabella. They do great work. I thank God they are in our midst.

In April of 1912, the Daughters of Isabella gave St. Landry Church our Church Bell. The bell was not working as some electric parts were struck by lighting. By the grace of God, we were able to do repairs so that the bell could ring on the 100th Anniversary of the St. Landry Court. [Currently the bell is working, but we hope to get more use from it in the near future. Right now, we are testing the parts to make sure it will work without any problems. In a few weeks, we hope to have it ring on the hour beginning at 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.]. It is good to have a working church bell. It makes church feel more like church.

The visit of the Relic of St. Mary Magdalene was a surprise. WOW! What an impact St. Mary Magdalene made on us. The spiritual attachment we all have to her and her attachment to us is comforting. Let us appreciate a deeper love and discipleship of Jesus in us. The many people who came to St. Landry Church to visit the relic were terrific. It is good to see so many people growing in a deeper relationship to Christ by way of the Communion of Saints. I am most grateful to have witnessed this and give thanks to God.

The Church International Dinner on November 8 was both enjoyable and restful. It was good to be with parishioners and enjoy a good meal. We had around 35 participants. The variety of food and the abundance of food made it look like a food fest. It is a good way to bring us together as parishioners who attend different masses. This helps us know one another. The whole experience was gratifying.

Lastly, [on a personal note] I am grateful for the canonization of St. Damien the Leper on October 11, 2009. St. Damien is buried in the National Shrine of St. Joseph, Louvain, Belgium. He is buried in the crypt of the church. It was in this church I was ordained a deacon on May 1, 1974, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. I was a student at the American College in Louvain. I would at times stop by to visit Fr. Damien’s tomb. As he served in Hawaii, our 50th state, he is not only a Belgian Saint but also an American Saint. In this Year of Priests, may all priests and future priests appreciate the gift of their priesthood and be as effective in their ministry as Fr. Damien.

Opelousas Area Ministerial Alliance Thanksgiving Prayer Service



It was a nice night at the Opelousas Area Ministerial Alliance Thanksgiving Prayer Service. This year, it was held at the Louisiana Memorial United Methodist Church in Opelousas. It is the Oldest United Methodist Church West of the Mississippi. Rev. Pamela Roy was a wonderful host. Our own Monsignor J. Robert Romero gave the Thanksgiving message. He brought in descriptions of the earliest historical Thanksgiving celebrations and called on all of us to reconcile with those we hold hard feelings against. Participating from other churches were Rev. Pete Smith, Rev. Conrad, Rev. Uhl, Rev. Ford, and others.

Music was performed by True Praise Choir, Loren Carriere, Jonathan Young, La Memorial UMC Choir, and Hope Presbyterian Choir. For a quick listen, click here.

A collection was taken up to benefit the Lighthouse Mission, the only men's shelter in Acadiana. The director there is Johnny Carriere who was surprised and very thankful for the donations. Click here for more information on this great organization.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Feast of Christ the King Homily, the Compendium, and a Papal Encyclical


Today, during his homily, Monsignor Romero referenced the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Compendium is a wonderful reference to Catholic teaching that, in turn, references back into the more detailed Catechism of the Catholic Church. Both books are wonderful reference texts to have.

The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

And the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available by clicking here for the Vatican website.

During the homily, Monsignor Romero referenced first paragraph 521 and then paragraph 522 in the Compendium from the section on the Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

521. What is one’s duty toward the truth?

2464-2470
2504

Every person is called to sincerity and truthfulness in acting and speaking. Everyone has the duty to seek the truth, to adhere to it and to order one’s whole life in accordance with its demands. In Jesus Christ the whole of God’s truth has been made manifest. He is “the truth”. Those who follow him live in the Spirit of truth and guard against duplicity, dissimulation, and hypocrisy.

522. How does one bear witness to the truth?

2471-2474
2505-2506

A Christian must bear witness to the truth of the Gospel in every field of his activity, both public and private, and also if necessary, with the sacrifice of his very life. Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith.


Monsignor Romero also quoted from the papal encyclical Quas Primas, "In the first ...", written by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and distributed on the Feast of Christ the King that year. This encyclical was given at a difficult time in the history of the world. Things were changing that set the stage for the impending Second World War. Pope Pius XI calls to all men, from the most humble to those who rule nations, to recognize Jesus as our King and Savior and calls all to look to the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ.

Click here to read the entire encyclical in English on the Vatican's website.

Homily for the Feast of Christ the King

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, the Feast of Christ the King, is our thirtieth podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the Feast of Christ the King homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Hail, King of the Heavens!



Salve Rex Coelorum - Hail, King of the Heavens!

Today is the Feast of Christ the King. It's a good day to post a photo of one of the art glass windows at St. Landry Catholic Church. Click on the photo to see more detail.

Christ is enthroned with all the symbols of kingship: the crown, sceptre, and orb. He sits above a rainbow, his covenant after the Flood. To either side are the Alpha and the Omega, Christ as beginning and end. The world is at his feast. And symbols of the four gospel writers, symbols found again and again within the artwork of St. Landry Catholic Church, sit at four points around him.

Today in Rome, the Holy Father said in his homily, "Choosing Christ does not guarantee success according to the criteria of today’s world, but ensures that peace and joy that only He can give."

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Readings and Themes for the week of November 22, 2009

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of November 22, 2009,
Feast of Christ the King

Reading I Daniel 7:13-14
His dominion is an everlasting dominion.

Psalm 93
"The Lord is King, He is robed in majesty."

Reading II Revelation 1:5-8
The Lord God is the Alpha and the Omega.

Gospel: John 18:33b-37
Are you the King of the Jews?

THEME:
Jesus reigns over us in truth

Let us listen to words that define for us what true kingship is. The Lord Jesus roots his kingly ministry squarely in the truth that comes only from God. As this liturgical year draws to a close, let our hearts once again be open to hearing the truth spoken by Christ the King, whose dominion lasts forever.

Question for Children:
Is it difficult or easy for you to tell the truth?
How does Jesus help you?

Question for Youth:
Today we celebrate Christ the King. How much do you let Jesus' truth rule your life?
How difficult is it for you to follow Jesus?

Question for Adults:
What is the truth for you? How do you live the truth every day?

Friday, November 20, 2009

The arts and architecture



Tomorrow, the Holy Father meets with hundreds of architects and artists within the Sistine Chapel. There will be Catholics, Protestants, agnostics, and some will be atheists. He will speak of how art and faith work together, "because both can and intend to speak of God, making the invisible visible."

This week, the Holy Father gave a talk on architecture and theology as sort of a prelude to the meeting tomorrow. Being blessed with "the big red church", our church parish is a great place to see these elements coming together.

You will notice the arch, semi circles, and circles throughout our church in a style that is reminiscent of Romanesque architecture. Straight lines and corners were associated with man and this world. The circle and arc represented the perfect and therefore signified God and heaven.

The apse ... the sanctuary area ... of our church is a large semi circle. Notice the ceilings filled with arches, semi circles, and circles. Though the art glass windows of our church have more of a gothic influence, each is arched. The doorways in the church have arches over them signifying Christ as the doorway into perfection. The only straight lines within the church ... two doorways, the altar rail, and the angled roof over the tabernacle .... were changes during a renovation around 50 years ago that didn't grasp the larger vision of the original design.

The original architect wanted to convey the feeling that, once you entered the church and participated in the mass, you were as close to heaven as you can get on earth. We are truly lucky to have a building that, in itself, speaks so loudly of our theology.

The following is the full text of Pope Benedict XVI's talk on the architecture this week.

Pope Benedict XVI
Rome, general audience of Wednesday, November 18, 2009


Dear brothers and sisters, in the catecheses of recent weeks I have presented some of the aspects of medieval theology. But the Christian faith, profoundly rooted in the men and women of those centuries, did not give rise only to masterpieces of theological literature, of thought and of faith. It also inspired one of the loftiest artistic creations of all civilization: the cathedrals, the true glory of the Christian Middle Ages.

In fact, for about three centuries, beginning from the start of the 11th century, one witnessed in Europe an extraordinary artistic fervor. An ancient commentator describes the enthusiasm and industry of those times: "It happened that all over the world, but especially in Italy and in Gaul, they began to rebuild the churches, although many of these, since they were still in good condition, did not need this kind of restoration. It was like a competition between one people and another; one might have believed that the world, throwing off its old rags, had wanted to drape itself all over in the white garments of new churches. In short, almost all of the cathedral churches, a great number of monastic churches, and even village oratories were renovated by the faithful" (Rodulfus Glaber, Historiarum 3, 4).

Various factors contributed to this renaissance of religious architecture. First of all, there were more favorable historical conditions, like greater political stability, accompanied by a constant rise in the population and by the progressive development of the cities, of trade, and of wealth. Moreover, the architects discovered increasingly elaborate technical solutions for increasing the dimensions of buildings, simultaneously ensuring both their solidity and their grandeur.

But it was mainly due to the ardor and spiritual zeal of a monasticism in full flower that the abbey churches were erected, where the liturgy could be celebrated with dignity and solemnity, and the faithful could pause in prayer, attracted by the veneration of the relics of the saints, the destination of incessant pilgrimages.

This led to the building of the Romanesque churches and cathedrals, characterized by the longitudinal expansion, in length, of their naves in order to accommodate large crowds of the faithful; very solid churches, with thick walls, vaults of bare rock, and simple, essential lines.

One novelty is represented by the introduction of sculptures. Since the Romanesque churches were the place of monastic prayer and of the worship of the faithful, the sculptors, rather than worrying about technical perfection, cared above all about the aim of education. Since it was necessary to create strong impressions in the soul, sentiments that would encourage the avoidance of vice and evil and the practice of virtue and goodness, the recurring theme was the representation of Christ as the universal judge, surrounded by the figures of Revelation.

In general, it is the doorways of the Romanesque churches that offer this representation, to emphasize that Christ is the Door that opens into Heaven. The faithful, by crossing the threshold of the sacred building, enter into a time and a space that are different from those of ordinary life. In the intention of the artist, once they were past the doorway of the church the believers in Christ – sovereign, just, and merciful – could enjoy a foretaste of eternal beatitude in the celebration of the liturgy and in the acts of devotion performed inside the sacred building.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, beginning in northern France, there spread another type of architecture for constructing sacred buildings, Gothic architecture, with two new characteristics compared to the Romanesque: vertical thrust, and luminosity.

The Gothic cathedrals displayed a synthesis of faith and art that was harmoniously expressed through the universal and fascinating language of beauty, which still causes amazement today. Through the introduction of vaults with pointed arches, resting on robust pillars, it was possible to increase height considerably. The upward thrust was intended to foster prayer, and was itself a prayer. The Gothic cathedral thus intended to translate, in its architectural contours, the yearning of souls for God.

Moreover, with the new technical solutions that were adopted, the outer walls could be decorated with stained glass windows. In other words, the windows became great luminous images, highly suitable for instructing the people in the faith. In them – scene by scene – were narrated the life of a saint, a parable, or other biblical events. Through the stained glass, a cascade of light poured out over the faithful to tell them the story of salvation, and involve them in this story.

Another virtue of the Gothic cathedrals consists in the fact that the entire Christian and civil community participated in their construction and decoration, in different but complementary ways: the lowly and the powerful, the illiterate and the educated all participated, because in this shared house all believers were instructed in the faith. Gothic sculpture made the cathedrals a "Bible in stone," representing the episodes of the Gospel and illustrating the contents of the liturgical year, from the Nativity to the Glorification of the Lord.

During those centuries, moreover, there was a growing perception of the humanity of the Lord, and the sufferings of his Passion were represented in a realistic way: the suffering Christ, the "Christus patiens," became an image loved by all, and capable of inspiring devotion and repentance for sin. Nor were the figures of the Old Testament overlooked, whose stories in that way became familiar to the faithful who went to the cathedrals, as part of the one, common story of salvation.

With its faces full of beauty, sweetness, intelligence, the Gothic sculpture of the 13th century reveals a happy, serene piety, which loves to pour out heartfelt and filial devotion to the Mother of God, who is sometimes seen as a young woman, smiling and maternal, and is mainly represented as the queen of heaven and earth, powerful and merciful. The faithful who crowded the Gothic cathedrals also loved to find artistic expressions there that commemorated the saints, models of Christian life and intercessors with God.

And the "secular" dimensions of life were not left out; here and there appear representations of work in the fields, of the sciences and the arts. All of it was oriented and offered to God in the place where the liturgy was celebrated.

We can better understand the meaning that was attributed to a Gothic cathedral by considering the text of the inscription carved on the central doorway of Saint-Denis, in Paris: "Passer-by, you who wish to praise the beauty of these doors, do not be dazzled by the gold, nor by the magnificence, but rather by the painstaking labor. Here shines a famous work, but may heaven grant that this famous and shining work give splendor to souls, so that with the luminous truths they may walk toward the light, where Christ is the true door."

Dear brothers and sisters, I am now happy to highlight two elements of Romanesque and Gothic art that are useful for us as well.

The first: the artistic masterpieces born in Europe in past centuries are incomprehensible if one does not take into account the religious spirit that inspired them. One artist who has always testified to the encounter between aesthetics and faith, Marc Chagall, wrote that "for centuries, painters dipped their brushes in that colored alphabet which was the Bible." When the faith, particularly as celebrated in the liturgy, encounters art, a profound symphony is created, because both can and intend to speak of God, making the Invisible visible. I would like to share this in the encounter with artists on November 21, extending to them once again the proposal of friendship between Christian spirituality and art that was desired by my venerable predecessors, in particular by the servants of God Paul VI and John Paul II.

The second element: the power of the Romanesque style and the splendor of the Gothic cathedrals remind us that the "via pulchritudinis," the way of beauty, is a privileged and fascinating route for approaching the Mystery of God. What is the beauty that writers, poets, musicians, artists contemplate and translate in their language, if not the reflection of the splendor of the eternal Word made flesh? St. Augustine affirms: "Question the beauty of the earth, question the beauty of the sea, question the beauty of the air, amply spread around everywhere, question the beauty of the sky, question the serried ranks of the stars, question the sun making the day glorious with its bright beams, question the moon tempering the darkness of the following night with its shining rays, question the animals that move in the waters, that amble about on dry land, that fly in the air; their souls hidden, their bodies evident; the visible bodies needing to be controlled, the invisible souls controlling them; question all these things. They all answer you, 'Here we are, look ; we're beautiful.' Their beauty is their confession. Who made these beautiful changeable things, if not one who is beautiful and unchangeable?" (Sermo CCXLI, 2: PL 38, 1134).

Dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord help us to rediscover the way of beauty as one of the ways, perhaps the most attractive and fascinating, to come to encounter and love God.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Bulletin for the week of November 22, 2009



The bulletin for the weekend of November 22, 2009 has been posted. Click here to see it.

The calendar on the website has been updated with all events for the coming week along with prayer intention information and information on the second collection for all of the masses. Take some time to look at our calendar here.

Updates are also being made to our St. Landry Catholic Church blog. You can get to the blog from the church home page under the Bulletins and News section or you can just click here to go to it.

Don't forget, we're also sending out live updates via Twitter. Our Twitter name is StLandryCath. You can see updates by clicking here.

The Crux Vaticana


Photo by the AP.

The Crux Vaticana has been restored and will soon be displayed.

It is a reliquary containing fragments of the True Cross and was given to the people of Rome by Byzantine Emperor Justin II over 1500 years ago. It's considered to be the oldest reliquary of the cross. It's approximately a foot high and has been used in masses and ceremonies around Easter and Christmas.

An anonymous donor funded the restoration. It will be publicly displayed within St. Peter's Basilica starting on April 12. More info at the AP article can be found by clicking here.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Year for Priests

YEAR FOR PRIESTS
Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests

The first imperative [of a priest] is to be a man of God, in the sense
of a man in friendship with Christ and with his Saints.

From Pope Benedict XVI’s meeting with clergy of the Dioceses of Belluno-Feltre and Treviso on July 24, 2007

Monday, November 16, 2009

Pray for our priests - today, Monsignor Romero

Each day, the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana asks all within the diocese to pray for a priest. Today, November 16, it is our own pastor, Monsignor J. Robert Romero, VE.

Eternal Father, we lift up to You these and all the priests of the world. Sanctify them, heal and guide them. Mold them into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus, the Eternal High Priest. May their lives be pleasing to you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

The Relic of St. Mary Magdalene


It's been just over a week since we were visited by the relic of St. Mary Magdalene. Monsignor's letter in a previous blog posting provides beautiful words that sum up how awed we all were with all the faithful who visited and with the beautiful witness that St. Mary Magdalene provides of the risen Christ even to this day.

We've put together some things from that visit all on one page on the St. Landry Catholic Church website. That web page is found at: http://www.stlandrycatholicchurch.org/html/stmarymagdalene.html

The first link on that page goes to a photo gallery of the complete day ... from the preparations, to the arrival of the relic, a day's worth of veneration, a mass, Eucharistic adoration with veneration, and the final packing up. Click here for the photos ... more than 600 of them.

Next, we have podcasts ... audio files of events of the day.

First, we have a French language presentation about the relic from Dominican Father Romaric. Father Romaric has 500,000 pilgrims visit his church each year to see the relic. Click here for an 8 minute long French presentation.

Second, we have an English language homily from the noon time mass that day. This homily was given by Father Romaric. Click here for a 4 minute homily.

Third, we have an English language presentation about the relic given by Richard Borgman. Richard was instrumental in organizing the tour of the relic here in the United States. Richard works with the John Paul II Training Center in Gainesville, Georgia and The Emmanuel Community. To hear his 48 minute presentation, click here.

And fourth, we have the entire mass from that day posted. It was heart warming to see St. Landry Catholic Church so full of people and you can hear their many voices singing in this podcast. Click here for the mass.

Over the next few weeks, we hope to have another first for our web presence: videos. It is the next step in our answering the Holy Father's call to utilize new technologies to evangelize. We have hours of unedited footage from that day that we hope to put together in nice small packages for everyone to enjoy. We'll announce when they are available on the blog. We'll put links to them on the St Mary Magdalene page.

Homily for the Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our twenty-ninth podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Readings and Themes for the Week of November 15, 2009

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of November 15, 2009,
Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I Daniel 12:1-3
Those who lead others to justice will shine like stars.

Psalm 16
"You are my inheritance, O Lord!"

Reading II 1 Hebrews 10:11-14,18
By one offering, Christ has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.

Gospel: Mark 13:24-32
No one knows the day or the hour.

THEME:
Jesus will come again

Today’s scriptures are filled with imagery of the end of time, when Christ comes again in glory. As we prepare to listen to these words, let us ask God to keep us vigilant, always prepared to welcome the Lord Jesus into our hearts at every moment of every day.

Question for Children:
If Jesus came to visit you today, what would you do?
What would you say and how would you act?

Question for Youth:
If today where your last day, what would you be most thankful for?
What would you regret?

Question for Adults:
If today were your last, what would you do with it?

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Bulletin for the Week of November 15, 2009



The bulletin for the weekend of November 15, 2009 has been posted. Click here to see it.

The calendar on the website has been updated with all events for the coming week along with prayer intention information and information on the second collection for all of the masses. Take some time to look at our calendar here.

Updates are also being made to our St. Landry Catholic Church blog. You can get to the blog from the church home page under the Bulletins and News section or you can just click here to go to it.

Don't forget, we're also sending out live updates via Twitter. Our Twitter name is StLandryCath. You can see updates by clicking here.

St. John Lateran Basilica


The Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica is on November 9 which was Monday of this week. Most people think of St. Peter's as the "Pope's church" but this is incorrect. St. John Lateran is the cathedral for the Diocese of Rome and the Pope is the Bishop of Rome.

Villanova University worked with the Vatican to produce a new 3D virtual tour of St. John Lateran and the adjoining buildings. Click here to enjoy this beautiful, important place of worship. Clicking on the view of the Apse will show you the cathedra within the cathedral ... that is, the chair of the Bishop of Rome, the Holy Father.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Letter to the editor from Monsignor J. Robert Romero

November 9, 2009

Letter to the Editor, DAILY WORLD

With the visit of the tibia bone (the shin bone) of St. Mary Magdalene on Friday, November 6, 2009, I express appreciation to the many thousands (6,000 plus) who venerated this relic of St. Mary Magdalene at St. Landry Catholic Church. This is a great blessing for all of us. Young and old, black and white, protestant and catholic came. We who have come to Jesus as our Lord and Savior appreciate the witness of discipleship seen in the life of St. Mary Magdalene. The petitions left by visitors were placed at the foot of the altar. We prayed for all people who came and for their needs during Sunday’s masses.

We came with the attitude of St. Jerome [who died on September 30, 420] who tells us, "We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore Him whose martyrs they are." Our coming to the relic of St. Mary Magdalene and to any relic of a Saint is a time we focus on God Himself who is seen in the life of the Saint whose relic we venerate.

Let us follow St. Mary Magdalene in a greater discipleship of Jesus Christ by coming to Jesus (1) wanting to see and to attend to Jesus Christ, (2) experiencing the joy and surprise of witnessing Jesus Christ in our lives, and (3) responding to Jesus’ instruction to tell others of Jesus Christ.

Mr. Richard Borgman’s reflection is a good challenge for us, “This tibia knelt before the crucified and resurrected Christ. Imagine that your life is lived in such holiness that 2000 years after your death your bones are still bringing people to the Lord Jesus Christ.” Our challenge is to be this holy so that God is seen in every detail of our life. Would not our world be a better place, maybe a touch of heaven on earth!

Remember the Lord said to Mary Magdalene: “Go and tell my brothers that I shall ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and to your God.” (John 20:17)

Let us keep St. Mary Magdalene’s visit fresh in our hearts by praying the following prayer often: “Father, your Son first entrusted to Mary Magdalene the joyful news of his resurrection. By her prayers and examples may we proclaim Christ as our living Lord and one day see him in glory, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” [From the Roman Sacramentary, July 22nd ]

St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us!

Once again, thank you for your openness and your surrendering to God’s will.

Sincerely Yours,

Very Rev. Msgr. J. Robert Romero, V.E.
Pastor of St. Landry Catholic Church
Episcopal Vicar North Region/Diocese of Lafayette

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Year for Priests

YEAR FOR PRIESTS
Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests

The priest …should make his spiritual life his highest priority. He is called to seek God tirelessly, while remaining attuned to the concerns of his brothers and sisters.

Apostolic Exhortation The Sacrament of Charity [Sacramentum Caritatis], no. 80 Feb. 22, 2007

Monday, November 9, 2009

Stewardship Sunday - by Monsignor J. Robert Romero

As we celebrate Stewardship Sunday [November 8, 2009], let me review some basic principles:

Reasons why we should be stewards in our church parish and local community

  1. It is an act of thanksgiving to God who continues to bless us with time, skills, health and wealth. By sharing these blessings with His other children in the parish and outside it, we are returning to God what is due to Him. We Stewardship is the model given by Jesus. He gave generously of himself to others and offered his life for all of us. By our stewardship we make a humble return of that sacrificial love shown by Christ.


  2. By faithful stewardship in our church parish and community we are helping our own brothers and sisters because by creation we are all God’s children and by baptism we are all made brothers and sisters of Jesus our Lord and Savior.



  3. Stewardship by sharing is the ultimate criterion of reward or punishment on the day of the Last Judgment. (Matthew 25: 31 ff: Did we share food, drink, clothing, home, mercy and loving concern with those we encountered?).


  4. Stewardship is the source and means of additional blessing from God: Luke 6: 38: “Give, and gifts will be given to you, a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.”


  5. Stewardship is the sign of a dynamic and growing church community radiating true Christian charity among its members and to the whole world.


  6. Stewardship fulfills a basic psychological need in human beings. God in creating our bodies has gifted us with external organs and senses precisely to reach out to others. They are meant to be our own extensions and God’s extensions through us to reach out to others. Psychologically, the need of the giver to give is greater than the need of the receiver to receive.


  7. Stewardship widens our vision, broadens and softens our hearts and sanctifies our lives.


Lame excuses:

  1. “I have no time. I am awfully busy.” But we always seem to find the time for pleasure, entertainment, socializing and so on.


  2. “I am not talented. I have no special skills.” But God doesn’t make junk! Each one of us is a bundle of skills, potentialities and gifts.


  3. “Somebody else will do it.” Maybe yes, but maybe no. In any case, we are each an integral part of this parish family so we must each play our role, big or small. Each of us is unique.


How can we live out stewardship?

  1. By actively participating in one or more ministries in the church parish or volunteer service groups in the community. [I am appreciative of all who participate in our church ministries and of new volunteers who signed up at the recent Ministry Fair.]


  2. By using our special skills and training in fixing things in the church, Valentin Hall, and rectory we keep cost at a minimal.


  3. By inviting friends and neighbors and by assisting shut-ins to join us in the Sunday worship mass in our parish church.


  4. By faithfully and sacrificially contributing our fair share of support to the church parish, as worthy children of a generous and loving Heavenly Father.


  5. By actively participating in the liturgy by loudly reciting prayers, singing songs and behaving reverently in the church.


  6. By spending our time and talents in the family by training children in prayer life (spending daily at least 10 minutes in prayer and Bible reading) and teaching them Christian behavior, prayers and basics of our faith.


  7. Parents of young children should do something in church ministry. Your example helps your children develop good steward habits. I quote from John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (1839-1937) who said the following: “I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week.” In like way, young children seeing parents involved in church ministry learn to be involved at a young age. As adults, these children are able to participate in church more easily because with their parent’s example while growing up, they are able to develop a life habit of volunteering and doing good.


Source: Fr. Anthony Kadavil

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Homily for the Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our twenty-fourth podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Visit of the Relic of St. Mary Magdalene

Friday was a wonderful day at St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana. The relic of St. Mary Magdalene was venerated all day within our church. I will follow up with a letter from our pastor Monsignor J. Robert Romero soon and will have photos, videos, audio ... a whole host of multimedia information about the day. Watch for all of it here on the blog site over the next week.

In the meantime, click here for an article in today's Daily World.

For a photo gallery at the Daily World, please click here.

We would like to thank everyone who traveled with the relic to bring it to Opelousas, especially Richard Borgman and Father Romaric. We would like to thank the parishioners who helped prepare the church and helped with making the crowds feel welcome. And, most of all, we would like to thank all of the faithful for spending some time with us and we ask them to look to St. Mary Magdalene's example. To her, Jesus was "Teacher" and "Lord". After seeing the resurrected Christ, she went out to the world saying, "I have seen the Lord" just as we are called to do.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Readings and Themes for the Week of November 8, 2009

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of November 08, 2009,
Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I 1 Kings 17:10-16
The jar of flour will not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry.

Psalm 146
“Praise the Lord, my soul!”

Reading II 1 Hebrews 9:24-28
Christ takes away sins by his sacrifice.

Gospel: Mark 12:38-44
The poor widow offered more than all the others.

THEME:
We must give to God until we have given enough.

Today the scriptures open the door into the lives of two poor widows. Their actions speak of hospitality, generosity, and true stewardship. Just as the widow in today’s Gospel gives more than all the others, so we are called to give back to the Lord from our want. This is not easy, especially in a culture of consumerism. Let our hearts be moved as we hear the story of these two brave women.

Question for Children:
What part of your own possessions are you called to share?

Question for Youth:
When you think of your own life, do you consider yourself to be rich or poor?
How do you spend your money?
Is there anything you should be doing differently?

Question for Adults:
When do you know that you have given away enough?

Friday, November 6, 2009

TODAY - Relic of St. Mary Magdalene coming to St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana



Today, November 6, 2009, a relic of St. Mary Magdalene is coming to St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana. A Dominican priest will discuss the story of St. Mary Magdalene and the relic, which is coming to the U.S. from France for the first time. Our address is 1020 N. Main St., Opelousas, Louisiana.

The relic is part of the lower leg bone of St. Mary Magdalene --- the leg that kneeled before Jesus.

The faithful are invited to venerate the relic all day. The schedule of events is below:

Itinerary

8:40 a.m. Opelousas Catholic All School Prayer Service Receiving Relic
Entrance of the Reliquary containing St. Mary Magdalene relic at the beginning of entrance procession. A Dominican Priest gives the homily. Following the Prayer Service, there is personal veneration by the students and public.

10:30 a.m. A French Language Presentation
Following French Language Presentation, there is veneration by the public.

12:10 p.m. Votive mass of St. Mary Magdalene for the public.
A Dominican Priest gives the homily. Following Mass, there is personal veneration by the public.

3:30 p.m. An English Language Presentation
Following English Language Presentation, there is veneration by the public.

6:30 p.m. A Spanish Language Presentation.
Following Spanish Language Presentation, there is veneration by the public until departure of the Relic.

For more detailed information, prayers, and photos of the relic, please click here.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Bulletin for the week of November 8, 2009



The bulletin for the weekend of November 08, 2009 has been posted. Click here to see it.

See the website for additional information on the visit of a relic of St. Mary Magdalene TOMORROW Friday, November 6, 2009.

The calendar on the website has been updated with all events for the coming week along with prayer intention information and information on the second collection for all of the masses. Take some time to look at our calendar here.

Updates are also being made to our St. Landry Catholic Church blog. You can get to the blog from the church home page under the Bulletins and News section or you can just click here to go to it.

Don't forget, we're also sending out live updates via Twitter. Our Twitter name is StLandryCath. You can see updates by clicking here.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court 119 - 100th Anniversary Mass


We had a wonderful turnout for the 100th Anniversary Mass of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court 119 on Saturday October 31, 2009. Bishop Michael Jarrell of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana was the celebrant and the Daughters were very proud of their native son. Monsignor J. Robert Romero of St. Landry Catholic Church, Father Paul Bienvenu of Our Lady of Mercy, Father William Blanda, Deacon Jerome Collins, Deacon Sammy Diesi, and Deacon John Miller all participated.

Representatives of Catholic Daughters from other courts and from both the state and national level were also in attendance.

Click here for an article on the event in the Opelousas Daily World.

To see many photos from the mass and the banquet, click here.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Cremation and the burial of cremated remains

Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana

Guidelines from the Office of Worship

Cremation and the Burial of Cremated Remains

Disposition of the bodies of deceased Catholics by means of cremation is a fairly recent development. At one time the Roman Catholic code of canon law forbade the practice of cremation. In 1963 the instruction Piam et Constantern issued by the Holy Office (now the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) stated that “the practice of burying the bodies of the faithful is by all means to be kept,” but that allowance could be made for cremation in cases of necessity as long as it was not chosen as a sign of denial of the Christian teaching of the resurrection of the dead and the immortality of the soul. This 1963 concession is provided for in the 1969 Ordo Exsequiarum, the Latin edition of the revised Catholic funeral ritual. It was later incorporated into the 1983 Code of Canon Law in canon 1176:

“The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the dead be observed; it does not, however, forbid cremation unless it has been chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching.”
The current Order of Christian Funerals for Roman Catholic Churches in the United States was published in 1989. In 1997 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops requested and received from the Apostolic See an indult to permit the diocesan bishop to allow the presence of the cremated remains of a body at the Funeral Liturgy in the dioceses of the United States. The texts and adaptations for the celebration of the funeral rites were published as an appendix to the Order of Christian Funerals. This Appendix on Cremation is to be used in funeral rites in the presence of the cremated remains of a body.

The Appendix on Cremation addresses the issue of the burial of the cremated remains of a body in section 417:

“The cremated remains of a body should be treated with the same respect given to the human body from which they come. This includes the use of a worthy vessel to contain the ashes, the manner in which they are carried, the care and attention to appropriate placement and transport, and the final disposition. The cremated remains should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. The practice of scattering cremated remains on the sea, from the air, or on the ground, or keeping cremated remains in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased are not the reverent disposition that the Church requires. Whenever possible, appropriate means for recording with dignity the memory of the deceased should be adopted, such as a plaque or stone which records the name of the deceased” [italics added].

Excerpted from the USCCB Reflections on the Body, Cremation, and Catholic Funeral Rites and the Appendix on Cremation from the Roman Ritual Order of Christian Funerals. For additional information, please contact the Office of Worship at 337-261-5554.

Opelousas Catholic School News


OC CORNER
The OC Elementary School Book Fair is in progress this week. Please support more reading in the children’s lives. Contact Brenda Hebert, elementary librarian, for more information.

Congratulations to OC’s 2009 Homecoming Queen, Nicole Barry and Maids Emily Labbe and Emma Harman; and thank God for the great Homecoming game!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Year for Priests

YEAR FOR PRIESTS
Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests

The ability to cultivate vocations to the priesthood and the religious life is a sure sign of the health of a local church.

From Pope Benedict XVI’s response to the bishops of the US in Washington, D.C. April 16, 2008

RCIA - Learning about our Faith

Tuesday, November 2, at 6:30 pm, the adult religion class will be discussing six Commandments of the Church and how they affect our daily lives. Join us at Valentin Hall.

For more information, contact Deacon John Miller at 942-2911

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Prayer Intentions of the Holy Father for the month of November 2009


Pope Benedict XVI praying at the Holy Sepulchre

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for November is: "That all the men and women in the world, especially those who have responsibilities in the field of politics and economics, may never fail in their commitment to safeguard creation".

His mission intention is: "That believers in the different religions, through the testimony of their lives and fraternal dialogue, may clearly demonstrate that the name of God is a bearer of peace".

Homily for the Solemnity of All Saints

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

As part of our answering the challenge of the Holy Father to go out and evangelize utilizing new technologies, we're now offering the homily each week for download. Clicking the link to the homily should download it and automatically start it playing in whatever music player your computer is set up with.

On the technical side, the file sizes are about 5 megs which means it may a minute or two to download on slower internet connections. It is also an MP3 formatted file which means that these are essentially podcasts. Don't worry if all the technical words don't mean much to you. It means we're using the latest in technology in order to make sure our church parish can reach the most people.

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday. This week, The Solemnity of All Saints, is our twenty-third homily to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download The Solemnity of All Saints homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

November is the Month of the Holy Souls, a Month of Prayer for our Beloved Dead

All Souls Day

November 2nd is All Souls Day. From All Souls Day until the First Sunday of Advent the Catholic practice of visiting cemeteries and praying for our deceased is practiced. We have traditionally called November 2nd le Jour des Morts, the Day of the Dead.

Visiting Cemeteries and Praying for the Dead

In visiting the graves of our loved ones and in visiting the cemetery, we do it in reverence, respect, love and care. Their bodies were temples of the Holy Spirit. While their souls live on in God’s care, their remains sleep in the cemetery waiting for the General Resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

We can say a simple prayer:

V. Eternal rest grant unto him/her/them, O Lord.
R. And let perpetual light shine upon him/her/them.
V. May his/her/their soul(s) and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Follow with one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.

Another prayer we may want to do is the following:

Nine Days of Prayer for the Departed

[Begin this novena on any day of the week and continue through the seven days of the week, repeating the two days you began the week until you have accomplished nine consecutive days.]

SUNDAY

O Lord God, by the Precious Blood which Your divine son, Jesus, shed in the Garden, deliver the souls in Purgatory, especially those souls who are the most forsaken of all. Bring them into Your glory where they may praise and bless you forever. Amen.

Our Father. …, Hail, Mary. …,

Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

MONDAY

O Lord God, by the Precious Blood which Your divine Son, Jesus, shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them those souls who are nearest to sharing Your glory, that they may fully praise and bless You forever. Amen.

Our Father. …, Hail, Mary. …,

Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

TUESDAY

O Lord God, by the Precious Blood of Your divine Son, Jesus, which was shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them those souls who are in greatest need of our prayers, in order that they may not long be delayed in praising you fully in Your glory and blessing you forever. Amen.

Our Father. …, Hail, Mary. …,

Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

WEDNESDAY

O Lord God, by the Precious Blood of Your divine Son, Jesus, which was shed in the streets of Jerusalem while He carried the Cross, deliver the souls in Purgatory, especially those who are richest in merits in Your sight, so that when they have attained the high place to which they are destined, they may praise You triumphantly and bless You forever. Amen

Our Father. …, Hail, Mary. …,

Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

THURSDAY

O Lord God, by the Precious Body and Blood of Your divine Son, Jesus, which on the night before his passion He gave to His beloved Apostles and willed to His holy
Church as a perpetual Sacrifice and spiritual nourishment, deliver the souls in Purgatory. Most of all, deliver those who were devoted to the mystery of the Eucharist, that they may praise You together with Your divine Son and the Holy Spirit in Your glory forever. Amen.

Our Father. …, Hail, Mary. …,

Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

FRIDAY

O Lord God, by the Precious Blood which Jesus, Your divine Son, shed upon the Cross this day, deliver the souls in Purgatory, particularly those souls nearest to me and for whom I should pray, that they may come quickly into Your glory to praise and bless You forever. Amen.

Our Father. …, Hail, Mary. …,

Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

SATURDAY

O Lord God, by the Precious Blood which came forth from the sacred side of Your divine Son, Jesus, in the presence and to the great sorrow of His holy Mother, deliver the souls in Purgatory, especially those souls most devoted to this noble Lady, that they may come quickly into Your glory, to praise You with her throughout all ages. Amen.

Our Father. …, Hail, Mary. …,

Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

EVERY DAY OF THE NOVENA

O Lord, hear my prayer. And let my cry come to You. O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful; grant to the souls of your servants and handmaids the remission
of all their sins: that through our sincere prayers they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen

All Saints Day and All Souls Day

All Saints Day, celebrated on November 1st, takes precedence over the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time. All Saints Day acknowledges all saints in heaven. Let us feel close to the Saints in glory, especially as we pray the ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ at mass.

All Souls Day, celebrated on November 2nd, is a time to remember our loved ones who have died but who are not yet in heaven. We pray for them and offer good works for them. November is a traditional time for visiting graves of loved ones, as is the anniversary of death. Grandparents are encouraged to bring grandchildren to visit the graves of family members. This way the grandchildren will know family members and know where they are buried.

Please find with this bulletin an Insert ... click here for the bulletin and insert. One side of the insert gives us information on cremation. As the cremated remains are the remains of a redeemed person in Christ Jesus, we give respect to the cremated remains as we do to the deceased body. We bury the remains in a cemetery. The other side of the insert contains information of prayers to pray while visiting the graves/cemetery and a novena of ‘Prayer for the Departed.’

We always pray for our loved ones who as the First Eucharistic Prayer says, “have gone before us marked with the sign of faith”. We read in the General Introduction of the Order of Christian Funerals, “At the death of a Christian whose life of faith was begun in the waters of baptism and strengthened at the Eucharistic table, the church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end nor does it breach the bonds forged in life.”

These bonds continue in death. Only those people go to heaven who are free of Venial Sin and Mortal Sin, and who are perfected as the Heavenly Father is perfect. Venial Sin wounds God’s life in us. Mortal Sin kills God’s life in us. When we die, if there are any Venial Sins that have not been forgiven and if there are any penance due for forgiven sins then we go to purgatory until we have enough contrition and penance, and have become perfected as the Heavenly Father. Our prayers and good works help the dead. Just like our prayers and good works help the living. Everyone is encouraged to pray and offer works for our loved ones living and dead. Confer in the Bible: 2 Maccabees 12:39-46, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, 1 John 5:16-17.