Homilies for the 26th 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 homilies are 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 --- four years ago. This week, the Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred eighty third and two hundred and eighty fourth!! podcasts to be posted. The homily at 8AM is given by Deacon Dwayne Joubert and the 10AM is given by Deacon Sammy Diesi.

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the 8AM homily and click here to download the 10AM homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Bulletin for the Week of September 29, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

Jesus' words after the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, and after he had washed His disciples’ feet:  [If] I washed your feet...then you must wash each other's feet....What I just did was to give you an example:  as I have done, so must you do."  Jn 13: 14-15.  As Jesus teaches us, our worship of God in the Eucharistic celebration does not end after Mass, but rather is just beginning.  We receive in the Eucharist the grace to live our Christian lives in serving God and each other.  This service extends outside the walls of our church to our neighbors.  We help others by serving in our church and helping those in need.  Thus, our worship of God and our spiritual lives are incomplete without this service.  Traditionally, we have categorized service in the gifts of "time, talent and treasure."  Last week, we spoke of "treasure," that is, monetary gifts to our church and to other charities.  This week, with our Ministry Fair, we focus on "time and talent."

Our annual Ministry Fair is an opportunity for us to see the various ways we can serve here at St. Landry and to consider giving our time and talent for the church's ministry.  There are opportunities for service individually and in a group or social setting.  There's something for everyone.  Since service is the primary function of a deacon, Deacons Diesi and Joubert will preach the homily this weekend about the importance of service in our spiritual life.  Please stop by the Ministry Fair after Mass!    

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of September 29, 2013 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.

And we're also on Facebook --- friend us! You can see our updates on our page SaintLandryCatholicChurch.

Homily for the 25th 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 --- four years ago. This week, the Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred eighty second!! podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Father James Brady.

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

Bulletin for the Week of September 22, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

Enclosed in our bulletin this weekend is our annual financial report for last year and our budget for the upcoming year.  I have worked with the Finance Council to provide you with an accurate and easily understandable presentation of our church finances.  As pastor, I am accountable to you for the proper use of the funds given in support of our church, and these reports are a way of keeping you adequately informed of the financial status of our church family.  Many thanks to the Finance Council for its work and assistance in this endeavor!  Overall, our financial status is stable and getting better.  As I've mentioned in my previous yearly financial reports to you, one goal we've had as a community is to put St. Landry on firm financial footing, and at this point we have achieved that goal.  Many thanks to you for your support, as it would not have been possible without you!

As is indicated in the budget, there is a large project included under "Repair and Maintenance" to replace the underground pipes for our air conditioning system in the church.  This is a project that has been needed for some 20 years, but we have been unable to afford it.  As mentioned last year, the pipes are some 50 years old and have been leaking.  The leaking has worsened over the last year.  The project to replace the pipes will begin in the next month or two after we receive all necessary approvals, and should be completed by Christmas.

Over the last three years, we have been able to save enough money to pay for this project without incurring any debt.  A portion of this has come from our increase in the weekly offering.  However, a large portion has come from special donations we received over the last year, without which the project would not be possible.  The two major donations came in the form of a gift from the Estate of Joseph Wyble and the donation of the Titard Family home.  Many thanks to the Titard Family and Mr. Wyble and his family for their generosity and kindness in remembering St. Landry.

These special gifts to the church are a way to express gratitude for the service of the church to us and our community throughout our lives, and to perpetuate the mission of the Church in providing proper worship of God in the liturgy and service to our neighbors.  Similar to memorials, it is a tangible gift that leaves a spiritual legacy to help those still on their earthly journey.  There are many ways one can provide a gift to the church in their estate planning, including wills, bequests, trusts, life insurance policies or the gift of a family home.  If you are so moved, please remember a gift to the church in your estate planning, and if you have any questions we can certainly help you with the process.

Thanks again for your generosity over the past year and your continued support!

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of September 22, 2013 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.

And we're also on Facebook --- friend us! You can see our updates on our page SaintLandryCatholicChurch.

Homily for the 24th 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 --- four years ago. This week, the Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred eighty first!! podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Father James Brady.

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

Bulletin for the Week of September 15, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

For the next two weekends, we will have our annual stewardship reports and information on service opportunities. Next weekend, September 21st and 22nd, we will begin with my annual report to you regarding the state of our church community, publication of our financial report and budget, and our goals for this coming year. The following weekend, September 28th and 29th, we will conduct our annual ministry fair, coordinated by our deacons, which will provide information regarding our service and social groups within the parish, and provide an opportunity to join those groups in their service to God and neighbor.

Please know of my appreciation to all of you for your support of St. Landry in time, talent and treasure during the last three years. So many of you have generously given and entrusted the gifts with which God has blessed you to St. Landry for the work of ministry. This year, besides our usual financial reports and guidelines for discernment of monetary gifts to the church, we also provide information regarding other ways to give, including memorials gifts. The following is intended to provide information about the nature of a memorial gift (especially as it enhances our spiritual life), and to provide examples of some of the recent memorial gifts that have been given.

Memorials are tangible gifts given in response and remembrance to a gift first given from God to us, usually a person or an event that has touched our lives and helped us to know Jesus more closely. It is a way to thank God for that gift in a tangible way, and to perpetuate the spiritual legacy of the person or event. There are memorial gifts in our church building in many places, from the beautiful stained glass windows to the statues of saints, which remind us of specific events of theological significance such as The Resurrection of Our Lord (the center stained glass in the sanctuary) or saints who have shown us how to live a life in Christ (the various saint statues in the church). These things remind us how we can live a life in Christ by the events or people they depict.

Over the last few months, we have received several memorial gifts for beautification or preservation of our church and liturgy, and these memorial gifts have enabled us to either restore items we use in worship or administration of the church, or to obtain items used for more beautiful worship. Recent memorial gifts include the badly needed restoration of our older and historical sacramental books from the Doucet Family in memory of their beloved sister, Cecile, who passed away last year. The children of Ed and Martha Moise provided the gift of the beautiful restoration of our altar and paschal candle stands, which had not been professionally cleaned in some 50 years, in thanksgiving for Ed and Martha's 50 years of marriage. The estate of Aline Lafond, who recently passed away, provided a memorial gift for her "beloved St. Landry," which will enable us to restore our processional cross and the six candleholders we use during the high liturgical seasons, thus completing the restoration of all of our candle holders. We have recently received a memorial gift for beautiful Sunday vestments which we hope to begin using in the near future. We have also received money donations in memory of a person, which we note in the bulletin if the donor permits, for use by the church as she may need.

These memorials have enabled us to more beautifully worship God, while at the same time acknowledging the gift that God first gave to us in the person or event remembered. It also helps to support the church by providing for things that we would not usually include in our regular budget. Many thanks to all those who have helped St. Landry in this way, be they an individual or family. If you or your family need information on how a memorial might be given, or for memorial ideas, simply call the office and we will be happy to assist.

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of September 15, 2013 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.

And we're also on Facebook --- friend us! You can see our updates on our page SaintLandryCatholicChurch.

Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace in Syria

Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace in Syria

The Holy Father has called for a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Syria back on September 7, 2013. To read a statement from the US Conference of Bishops, please click here. For more related items including the Holy Father’s statement, please click here.

Homily for the 23rd 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 --- four years ago. This week, the Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred eightieth!! podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Father James Brady.

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

Bulletin for the Week of September 08, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

The Annointing of the Sick is a sacrament instituted by Jesus in Sacred Scripture in the Book of James:  "Are there any who are sick among you?  Let them send for the priests of the Church, and let the priests pray over them, annointing them with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick persons, and the Lord will raise them up; and if they have committed any sins, their sins will be forgiven." (James 5:14).  The Annointing of the Sick (sometimes referred to as "Last Rites") is given to those who begin "to be in danger (of death) due to sickness or old age."  In case of doubt about whether the circumstances warrant the sacrament, the sacrament is to be administered.  We receive many calls at St. Landry to provide this sacrament, whether it be someone preparing for a medical procedure, someone who is hospitalized, or someone who is a resident in a nursing home.  The sacrament has brought great consolation and relief to many people in our community.  The sacrament helps us to configure the suffering caused by the illness or injury to Jesus suffering on the Cross for the salvation of the world.  It also gives us consolation in the time of difficulty by helping us to understand and accept the suffering because it has this salvific effect, just as Jesus' suffering saved the world.  It helps us to realize that we have a role in the salvation of the world, and suffering is a part of it, so it aids us "to carry our cross" by giving us the Grace to do so.

I hope that all take advantage of this sacrament when needed.  You need only call the church and myself or Monsignor will be glad to administer it.  As a practical matter, it is good not to wait until the last minute to request it.  Some people are of the mistaken belief that it should only be administered just prior to one's passing from this life to the next.  However, it can be administered any time when someone is seriously ill (or has a serious condition) or is of a certain age (around 70, depending on the person's general health).  Anyone who is homebound or in a nursing home can be annointed regularly (usually every few months).  Please let us know if you have a loved one who needs to be annointed and we will be happy to administer the sacrament.  Waiting until the last minute can be a problem, as there are times when both Monsignor Melancon and I are unavailable.  We've had a couple of close calls due to waiting until the last minute.  In this case, it is certainly better to be safe than sorry!  Also, please know that if there is an emergency and someone requires hospital care at Opelousas General, there is a priest on call each day for annointings.  Therefore, if you are unable to reach myself or Monsignor Melancon at the office, let the hospital staff know that you would like the priest on call to come for an annointing, and they will know how to contact him.

Let us thank God for the goodness He gives to us in all the Sacraments, making sure that we dutifully dispose ourselves to receive them and fully cooperate with the Graces received in them!

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of September 08, 2013 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.

And we're also on Facebook --- friend us! You can see our updates on our page SaintLandryCatholicChurch.

Homily for the Twenty 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 --- four years ago. This week, the Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred seventy ninth!! podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Father James Brady.

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