Bulletin for the Week of August 18, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

This week, Fr. Andrew Moses from the Diocese of Daru-Kiunga in Papua New Guinea will be speaking at all masses here at St. Landry. Fr. Jose is seeking support for his diocese as a part of our diocesan mission program. We recall in our generosity towards our brothers and sisters in need that we are a Universal Church and remain in solidarity with Catholics all across the world, especially in our works of charity. This weekend we welcome Fr. Jose and open our hearts to the support of the work that he does! Below please find information on the mission provided by Fr. Jose.

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady

DIOCESE OF DARU-KIUNGA IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The country of Papua New Guinea is a cluster of islands located south of the equator to the north of Australia and to the east of Indonesia. The Diocese of Daru-Kiunga is one of the 18 Catholic dioceses in this country and covers the entire state of Western Province. The geography of this massive area of approximately 42,000 sq. miles is most challenging: swamps, lakes, rivers and mountains most of which are dense tropical forests cover the area. As the country is close to the equator it is very hot and humid throughout the year.

The tribal people, of Melanesian race, came in contact with the external world when Montfort Missionaries from Canada arrived in the late 1950’s. Since then the Church in this remote and undeveloped part of the world has brought faith, health and education to the people. Today the Catholic population is around 40,000 and makes up approximately 42% of the total population of the state.

The church began its work in the remote villages by establishing schools and primary health clinics which gave brought considerable improvement in the quality of life of the people. To this day it is the diocese that provides basic health and educational needs of the people, in the absence of such services from the government. The area has few transportation facilities and depends on small planes to transport essential medical supplies and other necessities. In the absence of telephones, electricity and roads our only means of communication between parishes and the diocesan headquarters is two way radios.

A very vibrant and energetic Church has emerged here over the past 40 years due to the hard work of the innumerable missionaries, some of whom have given their entire working years in the service of these simple, yet happy and welcoming people. Having emerged in the post Vatican period, the diocese promotes the Spirituality of Communion among all its faithful thus involving them in the decision making from the grassroots level.

One of the main challenges before the diocese is to raise enough funds to continue all these services in the formation of faith as well as other humanitarian and developmental activities. It is with the help of Catholics from Canada, the United States and Germany that the diocese has been able to accomplish so much over these years.

Through the mission appeal during the weekend of July August 17-18, 2013 we invite the parishioners of St. Landry, to join us in bringing the message of Jesus to the people of Western Province in Papua New Guinea. Fr. Andrew Moses will preach at your parish. Please visit us at: missionfrontier.org

                          Fr. Jose K. Jacob SMM.

The bulletin for the week of August 18, 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.

Diocese of Lafayette Vocations Thriving

Our diocese, the Diocese of Lafayette, has a website related to vocations to the priesthood. It contains news about our current seminarians and also information for those considering a vocation to look over. The website is located at: http://lafayettevocations.org/

Some of the very good news there is about the large number of seminarians currently studying. To quote the latest blog entry:

When the average Catholic thinks of problems related to priestly vocations, most likely they envision aging priests and empty seminaries.  In south Louisiana we have a different problem: where to put all the young men desiring to discern priesthood?  Just two years ago (at the conclusion of the spring semester 2012) the student body at St. Joseph’s Seminary College in Covington numbered 80.  Last fall enrollment increased to 106.  And this fall the Benedict monks expect to welcome 120 young men into their program of priestly formation.  This “problem” has required the renovation of a building (long ago designated for storage) into an new dormitory.

Below is a photo of our seminarians taken at Our Lady of Oaks Retreat House in Grand Coteau:

Bulletin for the Week of August 11, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

This week we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother on Thursday, August 15.  In the Assumption, we celebrate our Blessed Mother being taken up to heaven body and soul, a day which we ourselves look forward to at the Second Coming.  It is a holy day of obligation, meaning that we are obligated to attend Mass that day just as if it were Sunday.  We have a special mass schedule for that day, beginning with a vigil mass on Wednesday, August 14 at 5:30pm.  Masses on Thursday will be at 8:40am (school mass), 12:05pm and 5:30pm.  In celebration of this holy day, our offices will be closed Thursday and Friday.

In addition, school starts this week and we welcome back all the students, faculty and staff at Opelousas Catholic.  We also pray for students, teachers and staff at other schools or who are schooled at home.  The beginning of the school year brings excitement to all as we think of our young people continuing the journey of their education, not only an education in academics, but also their growth in faith and human maturity.  Of course, they are growing physically, and it always amazes me how much our children grow each summer!

As we begin this school year, let us pray that our children and teachers have a safe and successful school year, developing the talents given to them for use in service to God and neighbor.  May they, and we, continue to grow in religious maturity, that is, in the growth of faith, hope and charity over the coming nine months.

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady


The bulletin for the week of August 11, 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 Eighteenth 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 Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred seventy sixth!! 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 August 4, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

In our homily last week, we discussed Pope Francis’ emphasis on proclaiming the Good News of God's Mercy in the forgiveness of our sins.  In order to receive God's Mercy, we must first realize our own need for mercy.  In that regard, we must first acknowledge that we are all sinners (if we were not sinners, then why the need for His mercy?) and repent.  Pope Francis himself acknowledges his own sinfulness and need for continued repentance in his own life.  With repentance (meaning sorrow for our sins and the desire to not sin again), God's Mercy is available to all, regardless of what we have done in the past.  God's memory is short for the truly repentant.  That indeed is good news!!

Pope Francis has emphasized from the beginning of his papacy our relationship with each other in light of God's Mercy towards each of us individually.  This mercy is modeled for us by the life of Jesus.  As recipients of God's Mercy, we must be merciful toward each other and are commanded to love each other, just as Jesus did, truly seeking good for each other by being selfless in our lives.

For ourselves, we must remember that in our relationship with each other, our love (or charity) should not be conditioned on the "goodness" we perceive in others, any more than God's love for us is conditioned on perceived "goodness."  In other words, true charity is unconditional in this respect.

Imitating God's Love is indeed a tall order for Christians, especially in our society, which at times is quite unforgiving and unmerciful.  It is easy to slip into the thought process of being charitable (or not) because of the perceived "worthiness" of the recipient.  While fulfilling our family or societal obligations, our available resources or prudence may certainly impact our decisions on how to be charitable toward one another, the perceived "worthiness" of the recipient should not if we are going to truly imitate Christ.  Let us all renew our dedication to love as Jesus did!

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady


The bulletin for the week of July 28, 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 Seventeenth 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 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred seventy fifth!! 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 July 28, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

Over the last several weeks we have had a bulletin announcement seeking volunteers to help distribute Holy Communion to our parishioners at Heritage Manor Nursing Home on the first Tuesday of each month.  What a wonderful response we have had!  We thank those who responded to this request and are able and willing to serve those in need.  With the generous response of these volunteers, we will begin the ministry in August, led by Deacon Diesi, who we also thank for his work in coordinating the program.

There are two nursing homes in our geographical parish, Heritage Manor and Our Lady of Prompt Succor.  Senior Village is also located in our Opelousas community.  We minister at all three nursing homes, but there was a need at Heritage Manor to provide Holy Communion for our parishioners who are unable to attend weekly Mass due to their physical limitations.  In the spirit of St. Landry, we as a parish are imitating his willingness to follow Christ by reaching out and ministering to those who are in need.  Bringing Holy Communion to our fellow parishioners at Heritage Manor unites us as a parish in the Eucharist and also brings the ministers great benefit by being exposed to the resident's wisdom and their ability to live in an institution, often under very difficult circumstances and with great suffering due to their physical condition.  It is in this service to them that we ourselves learn more about Jesus in their suffering and example.  Thus, they minister to us!

Whenever visiting nursing homes, I am always struck by the care and love given by those who work there, as their work affirms the dignity of every human being.  On our part, we can witness to that dignity by providing them the sacraments, reminding them that they are part of our parish and our Church community, and showing them the love and care that Jesus requires of us.    This can also be done by a simple visit.  I encourage all who have family members or friends living in a nursing home to visit when you can.  It is always appreciated and always fruitful.

Thank you again for your response to this call to love as Christ has loved us.

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady


The bulletin for the week of July 28, 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.

Homilies for the Sixteenth 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 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred seventy third and two hundred seventy fourth!! podcasts to be posted. The 8 AM mass homily is given by Deacon Sammy Diesi while the 10 AM mass homily is given by Deacon Dwayne Joubert.

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

Bulletin for the Week of July 21, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

During this time of the year, the "ordination season," we celebrate ordinations to Holy Orders.  As you all know, we celebrated Monsignor Melancon's 50th Anniversary to the priesthood in May.  What a wonderful celebration it was.  At St. Landry, we are also blessed with three deacons who actively serve us:  Deacon John Miller, Deacon Sammy Diesi, and Deacon Dwayne Joubert.  They serve our community in various capacities, from our youth group to our elderly shut-ins.  They are a great help to me personally and to our church community as a whole, and we thank them for responding "Yes" to God's call.  Each of their anniversaries are celebrated this time of year, so we want to thank them for their service and remember them and their families in our prayers.  Their ordination dates are as follows:

Deacon Miller:  June 27, 1977
Deacon Diesi:   September 9, 2006
Deacon Joubert:  August 18, 2012

Please remember them especially in your prayers on their anniversary dates.  We also want to remember the two deacons who have served here at St. Landry and have passed to the next life:  Deacon Carlo Cannatella and Deacon Arthur B. Lognion.  We pray for their eternal rest with Christ and the continued consolation of their families and friends.  We also pray that God continue to bless St. Landry with such good deacons with a heart for service to our community.

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady


The bulletin for the week of July 21, 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 Fifteenth 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 Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred seventy 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 July 14, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

This weekend, we say goodbye to our summer seminarian, Blake Dubroc.  Blake has been a blessing to our parish since his arrival at the beginning of June, and we wish he could spend some more time with us before his departure.  He has worked with our young people, assisted at liturgies, and taken on several projects during his stay.  However, he will be leaving this week a little earlier than usual for World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, where our new Holy Father, Pope Francis, is scheduled to address young people from around the world.  We wish Blake a safe and fruitful trip, and we continue to pray for him, along with all our seminarians, in their discernment for the priesthood.  Blake will speak briefly at all the Masses this weekend, and if you are able, wish him well after Mass at the main entrance to the church.

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady


The bulletin for the week of July 14, 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 Fourteenth 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 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred seventy first!! podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Monsignor Louis Melancon.

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 July 07, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

Follow last week's homily, this week we celebrated Independence Day on July 4, which celebrates the founding of our country. Despite the movement away from the founding principles of our country (as well as Catholic teaching) in today's current climate, especially as it relates to virtue and morality, we are certainly blessed to live in a country where we are able to freely exercise our faith without the concern of retribution or negative consequences. We have been blessed by ancestors who have handed on to us a legacy of freedom on many levels, a legacy no other modern society has provided for its citizens. In that regard, let us thank God for those who had the foresight and inspiration to establish a society with so many freedoms, thank God for those who throughout our history have defended these freedoms (and given their lives for them) by service in the armed forces, and renew our devotion to God who has given us such a great blessing. We have been given an opportunity to live a life few other people in human history have been given, and as such we have a greater responsibility to take advantage of these freedoms and using them for God's greater glory, especially in living out our Catholic Faith. Let us continue to pray for our country to become more just, as we did in the Fortnight for Freedom, but also let us thank God for the great blessing of being a part of this society. May God Bless America!

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady


The bulletin for the week of July 07, 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 Thirteenth 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 Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred seventieth!! 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 June 30, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

This weekend brings an end and a beginning. Last week was the last week of my term as administrator at St. Peter's in Grand Prairie, so my work there comes to an end. St. Peter's new pastor, Fr. D. Blaine Clement, begins his service there Monday, July 1. Please keep him and the people of St. Peter's in your prayers for a smooth transition. Also on Monday, July 1, I begin my annual vacation, and will be out of the parish next weekend and the weekend of July 21/22 (I will be here the weekend of July 13/14). During the time of my absence, the parish will be sacramentally ministered by the capable hands of Msgr. Melancon and Fr. Leger. My heartfelt gratitude to them for taking on the extra duties in my absence.

Last weekend also marked the third anniversary of me being your pastor. As with any parish, we've had our joys and sorrows over the last three years, as well as our successes and bumps in the road. I want to thank all of you for making my job as pastor a joy. St. Landry has been a great blessing to me, and it is because of you. Your patience and support is very much appreciated, and you all have made me a better person and priest. Our parish has changed over this time, and my hope is that St. Landry as a community will continue to adapt to meet all your spiritual needs. Thanks again!

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady


The bulletin for the week of June 30, 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 Twelfth 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 Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred sixty ninth!! podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Monsignor Louis Melancon.

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 June 23, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

Once again this year, the Fortnight for Freedom program will be held in Opelousas at Our Lady Queen of Angels’ parish hall. Fortnight for Freedom is a two week daily group prayer for our country leading up to the celebration of it's founding on July 4. The program began last year in response to regulations in the health care act that require health insurance policies to provide coverage for “health care” that our Church teaches are morally wrong and in some cases a violation of human rights. These “health care services” include abortion, sterilization and the provision of contraceptives. An explanation of the program and the prayers are provided in the bulletin insert contained herein.

      Schedule of Fortnight for Freedom Prayer Meetings
       Friday, June 21, 2013 – Thursday, July 4, 2013
 
      Times of Prayer Meetings
      All evenings will be at 6:00 p.m.
      … except Sunday (June 23) and Sunday (June 30) will be at 7:00 p.m.

As we have discussed in our homilies over the past months here at St. Landry, the health care act is further evidence of the separation of our country’s secular morality from our Christian morality. This separation has been occurring gradually for quite some time, but especially in the last 50 years. We should all remain vigilant in living our lives according to Christian values, those taught to us by God the Father Himself in the life of His Son, Jesus. Jesus’ teaching remain the same; it is our society that is changing, and in some cases, not for the better. Parents should be vigilant in making sure their children are taught these Christian values, which is more difficult to do when societal morality is inconsistent with them.

In the health care act, the government is attempting to force this secular morality on Christians and those of other faiths by requiring them to provide and fund these “health care” services, and in doing so are violating our religious liberty individually and as a Church. The Fortnight for Freedom prayers are for respect of religious liberty as espoused in our Constitution and taught by our Church. The prayer lasts about one-half hour and begins each night at 6pm (except Sundays, on which it begins at about 7pm following the 6pm Sunday evening Mass). All are invited and encouraged to attend any nights possible. If you are unable to attend, the prayers are provided in the insert for your individual and family prayer during these two weeks. Let our prayer be also that our wonderful country, in which we were blessed to be born, can live as “One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!”

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady


The bulletin for the week of June 23, 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 11th 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 Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred sixty eighth!! 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.

Details of a Monstrance and photos from Corpus Christi

On Corpus Christi Sunday, we had day long adoration at St. Landry Catholic Church followed by benediction. The monstrance used is very ornate and includes what looks to be limoges hand painted porcelain pictures of the four gospel writers along with St. Peter and St. Paul.

The monstrance draws its name from the Latin word "monstrare" which means "to show".

First, here is a link to a 3D Photosynth of the monstrance. Clicking at various points on the monstrance will zoom in, bring in more detail, or zoom out. Click here for the 3D monstrance.

There are details of the monstrance within the photo gallery. And there also details of the cope worn by Father Brady during the procession. Click here for the photo gallery.

Men's Mass - Next Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at Our Lady of the Oaks Retreat House 6:30 PM

Men's Mass at the Retreat House - Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Come out and join us on Tuesday - 6:30 PM!

For some years, Keith Hebert has organized a monthly Men's Mass for guys in the Opelousas area. This mass has moved from place to place, home to home, business to business. The hope is that by bringing the mass out to men everywhere, there is an opportunity to bring men both closer to God and to bring men back into the Church.

On Tuesday, June 18, 2013, that monthly Men's Mass will be hosted at Our Lady of the Oaks Retreat House, 214 Church St., Grand Coteau, Louisiana . Jimmy Dauzat, the director at the retreat house, has been gracious enough to host this month's event. Following the mass, a meal of red beans and rice will also be served ... a long time favorite of folks who have attended the retreat.

The mass will be celebrated by our own Monsignor Louis Melancon. Monsignor just recently celebrated 50 years as a priest! When you shake his hand on Tuesday night, just think of how many times those hands have participated in the consecration of the body and blood of Christ over those many years.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to me so we can get a head count. I would also encourage you to invite friends and family who you think might be interested in attending a retreat. This is a wonderful opportunity for your friends and family who are curious about the retreat house to get a chance to visit and look around in a fun atmosphere.

Don’t hesitate to call or email me. 

Andrew Guidroz II                      cell phone: (337) 351‐0732
213 N Main St
Opelousas, LA 70570                 email: andrew@thecajun.com

To see a video about the retreat house: click here.

To visit the retreat house website, click here: http://www.ourladyoftheoaks.com
  

Bulletin for the Week of June 16, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

This weekend we celebrate Father's Day. Many thanks for all our devoted fathers who lead and guide their families by teaching and example through the ways of the world to the presence of Christ, and thus to God, The Father. We pray that in their fatherly vocation they may always stay focused on the true good for their families, the salvation of the souls entrusted to their care. Happy Fathers Day!

At St. Landry Church, our patron serves as a father to us as a church family.  We celebrate the feast of our patron, St. Landry, today (St. Landry's actual feast day is June 10, but we celebrate it today as a full community since he is our patron).  He is a wonderful patron for us in both his teaching and example, and as we learn more about him, we can learn more about what our goals should be as a church community.  His life has a great similarity to what Pope Francis is calling us to be, and the homily this weekend will focus on St. Landry and how we can respond to his example individually and as a church community.

Please note that in the bulletin this week is a survey regarding Opelousas Catholic.  It is the last sheet of the PDF file. An explanation is provided below.  We hope that you are able to take the time to provide the Board of Pastors input on how we can improve the services Opelousas Catholic provides our families.

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady

Opelousas Catholic Survey 

In this bulletin is an insert containing a short survey regarding Opelousas Catholic.  Msgr. Keith DeRouen was recently appointed Chancellor of OC and has asked the members of all "owner parishes" to provide feedback regarding our school.  For your information, there are five "owner parishes" of OC:  Holy Ghost, Immaculate Conception (Washington), Our Lady of Mercy, Queen of Angels and St. Landry.  The pastor of each owner parish is a member of the Board of Pastors, which is charged with leading and guiding OC.  The Chancellor is appointed by the Bishop to be the head of the Board of Pastors and the primary contact of school personnel with the Board.

After being appointed Chancellor, Msgr. DeRouen asked for input regarding the administration of OC so that the Board of Pastors can effectively address any needs at OC.  We ask that you use the survey inserted in this bulletin for this purpose.  The survey is not limited to families who send their children to OC.  All parishioners are invited to respond, including current OC families, alumni, and families with children who chose other ways to educate their children.  In short, we seek input from our entire community.

The survey is short and should not take too much time to answer.  Msgr. DeRouen asked that all surveys be signed.  Be assured that confidentiality will be maintained, as only the pastor of each parish will know the identity of the respondent.  For tabulation and discussion by the Board of Pastors, the names of the respondents will be removed.  Next weekend, there will be a basket in the back of the church for responses, or if you prefer they can be dropped off at the parish office during business hours.  We ask that responses be received by Monday, June 24.

Thank you in advance for your participation.  We hope this survey will help the Board of Pastors in continuing to make OC a place where our children can be educated and formed in our Catholic Faith while developing to the fullest potential the natural intellectual and physical abilities God has given them.

The bulletin for the week of June 16, 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.

Photos from Monsignor Louis Melancon's 50th Anniversary of Ordination Party

May 25th was the 50th anniversary of the ordination to the priesthood of our own Monsignor Louis Melancon as well as Monsignor Paul Metrejean.  There was a wonderful reception held at the Opelousas Catholic cafeteria after the 10 AM Sunday mass. Monsignor began his priestly ministry here at St. Landry in 1963, serving as a teacher at AIC, and now is in residence here. He has spent, altogether, some 23 years of his priestly ministry serving the Opelousas area, including stays not only here at St. Landry, but also at St. Peter in Grand Prairie and at Our Lady Queen of Angels in Opelousas. Monsignor has been a great gift to our community, and he continues to be a vital part of it in his continued service, especially to our children at Opelousas Catholic. Words cannot adequately express the value of Monsignor's presence to our community or the gratitude that we have. However, knowing Monsignor, a simple "thank you" more than suffices. So let us all "thank" him and celebrate God's gift to us by his presence in, and his service to, our community.

You can click here for dozens of more photographs ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thecajun/sets/72157633772673177/

Homily for the 10th 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 Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our two hundred sixty seventh!! podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Monsignor Louis Melancon.

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

Photos from Memorial Day - Patriotic Rosary

St. Landry Catholic Daughters Court 119 sponsored a Patriotic Rosary on Monday, May 27 inside St. Landry Catholic Church. The rosary was led by veterans and members of the Catholic Daughters.

A Prayer for Those Serving in the Military

Almighty God, send your blessing upon all who serve in our armed forces.

 Shield them from all harm. 

Let peace be the sentry that stands guard over them. 

Look with compassion on all victims of war;

 ease their sufferings and heal their wounds. 

Put an end to wars over all the earth, and hasten peace. 

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, now and forever. 

Amen.

You can click here for dozens of more photographs ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/thecajun/sets/72157633773686346/

Bulletin for the Week of June 9, 2013 and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

Last weekend, we welcomed seminarian Blake Dubroc at all our Sunday Masses. Blake is originally from Marksville and just finished his junior year of philosophy at St. Joseph's Seminary College at St. Benedict, Louisiana. He will be with us until July 15. We certainly appreciate him being here, and we hope he has a pleasant stay while living here at St. Landry. Below is a short biography for Blake.

In our Corpus Christi celebration last Sunday, we included a Eucharistic procession and adoration after the 10am Mass until the 5pm Mass. Adoration was well attended throughout the afternoon. Adoration provides an opportunity for quiet prayer in the presence of God. Although it is important that we bring our needs to God and give Him thanks for the blessings He has given to us, it is even more important that we make the time in our prayer to listen to God in the promptings of the Holy Spirit. This is best done in quiet reflection, especially in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

In Opelousas, we have many opportunities for reflection and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Besides the times when the big church is open, here at St. Landry the Valentin Hall chapel is open during business hours during the week, and we have 24 hour adoration every First Friday beginning at 7am and continuing until the 8am Mass Saturday morning. Queen of Angel's adoration chapel is open perpetually, so it is always available for prayer. Our Lady of Mercy also has a visitation chapel (code is needed, just call the office) which is always available. We are blessed in our community to have so many opportunities for quiet prayer with Our Lord. Families that pray together, especially those with children, experience a greater peace and unity that only God can give, especially when we remove the distractions of our daily lives for just a short period of time. Let us all make a renewed effort to increase our prayer so as to better serve God and our community!

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady


To the St. Landry Parish Family

It is a great privilege to serve you this summer as your parish seminarian. My name is Blake Steven Dubroc, and I am originally from Marksville, Louisiana. I am a graduate of the 2002 Class at Marksville High. I then moved out to Baton Rouge in 2002 to pursue my Bachelors of Arts in Political Science at Louisiana State University, graduating in 2006. In January 2008, I decided to move to Lafayette, Louisiana to begin a new career. For four years, I operated my own independent insurance agency, BSD Solutions, LLC. When I initially came out to the Lafayette area, I had no idea I was in the beginning stages of an “internal conversion” back to the Catholic faith, and as I progressed in my discernment, I began to open myself up to the possibility that God may be calling me to the priesthood. With the vocational call everpresent in my mind, I decided to apply to St. Joseph Abbey Seminary College in Covington, Louisiana. In January 2012, I entered the Seminary Priestly Formation.

This fall I will be entering my final year of Philosophy studies. So God-willing, I will be able to serve in the near future as an ordained minister. Please keep me in your prayers as I continue in formation and be assured of my continued prayers for you. God bless you!

Devotedly Yours in Christ,

Blake Dubroc


The bulletin for the week of June 09, 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 Corpus Christi

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, Corpus Christi Sunday, is our two hundred sixty sixth!! 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 June 2, 2013 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, commonly referred to as Corpus Christi. Our formal celebration of Easter concluded two weeks ago with Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world, and to each one of us, to lead and guide us in our imitation of Christ in the particular mission God has given to us. Last weekend we celebrated Trinity Sunday, thanking God for revealing Himself, in the life of Jesus, as the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Today, we celebrate the gift of the Eucharist, the sacrament Jesus instituted at the Last Supper which fulfills His promise to be with us until the end of time and strengthens us to follow the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Sunday after the 10:00am Mass we will have a special devotion to the Eucharist in celebration of this feast. Following Mass we will have a Eucharistic procession in the church and then Eucharistic adoration for the afternoon. Benediction and reposition will take place just prior to the 5pm Mass. I hope everyone is able to spend some time in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament Sunday afternoon. The Eucharist is the "source and summit" of our sacramental faith, and our devotion to Jesus cannot be complete without devotion to His presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

This past week also marked the end of the school year for most of our students, and we wish them a safe and happy summer. Many of us will be taking vacations during this time. A reminder that our worship of God is not suspended when we are on vacation. We all make vacation plans for travel, food, housing, etc. We should include making plans for Sunday Mass (this especially teaches our children the importance of our faith and practicing it at all times). If your vacation plans make it impossible to attend Sunday Mass, it would be good to reconsider the plans to make attendance at Mass possible. If not, then you should consult your pastor regarding the availability of a dispensation prior to your departure.

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of June 02, 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 Trinity Sunday - Celebrating Monsignor Melancon's 50th Jubilee

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 today. This week, Trinity Sunday with thoughts celebrating Monsignor Louis Melancon's 50th Jubilee, is our two hundred sixty fifth!! 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.

Patriotic Rosary on Monday, May 27, 2013 - Memorial Day

St. Landry Catholic Daughters Court 119 is sponsoring the Patriotic Rosary on Monday, May 27 inside St. Landry Catholic Church at 5:30 pm. The public and all Veterans are invited to participate in the rosary. For more information, contact Yvonne L. Normand at 337-308-3474.

A Prayer for Those Serving in the Military

Almighty God, send your blessing upon all who serve in our armed forces.

 Shield them from all harm. 

Let peace be the sentry that stands guard over them. 

Look with compassion on all victims of war;

 ease their sufferings and heal their wounds. 

Put an end to wars over all the earth, and hasten peace. 

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, now and forever. 

Amen.

Pray for our Troops

Christopher Briley; Dr. John Cason; Jacob DeKerlegand; Brian James Dendy; Daryl Brooke Deville; Dakin Doyle; Hunter Dubuc; Chad Guthrie; Eric Hart; A.J. Korn; Garrett Ryan Lanclos; Andre Ledoux; Danny Pitre; Trevor Reilly; Zach Reilly; Joshua Thomassee; Hunter Zerangue

St. Jude, Patron Saint of Hope, keep watch over America and all who defend our flag. Protect all who fight in the name of freedom and liberty!

Photos from the Parish Picnic - May 19, 2013

Here are photos from our annual Parish Picnic that we celebrated last Sunday, May 19, 2013. It was a wonderful day with great weather and lots of fun for everyone.

Click here to see the gallery.

Bulletin for the Week of May 26, 2013 and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

As mentioned last weekend, this weekend we celebrate Monsignor Melancon's and Monsignor Metrejean's 50th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. Congratulations to them both! Monsignor Metrejean's anniversary was celebrated Friday evening at Our Lady Queen of Angels, and we celebrate Monsignor Melancon's anniversary today at the 10am Mass followed by a reception at Opelousas Catholic.

Monsignor began his priestly ministry here at St. Landry in 1963, serving as a teacher at AIC, and now is in residence here. He has spent, altogether, some 23 years of his priestly ministry serving the Opelousas area, including stays not only here at St. Landry, but also at St. Peter in Grand Prairie and at Our Lady Queen of Angels in Opelousas. Monsignor has been a great gift to our community, and he continues to be a vital part of it in his continued service, especially to our children at Opelousas Catholic. Words cannot adequately express the value of Monsignor's presence to our community or the gratitude that we have. However, knowing Monsignor, a simple "thank you" more than suffices. So let us all "thank" him and celebrate God's gift to us by his presence in, and his service to, our community.

Monsignor: Happy Anniversary! Thank You! God Bless You!

           God Bless!

           Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of May 26, 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 Pentecost Sunday

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 today. This week, Pentecost Sunday, is our two hundred sixty fourth!! 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.