Missionaries of Jesus - Welcome!

This weekend we will have with us Rev. Rey Tejico, representing the Missionaries of Jesus in a mission appeal.

Rev. Rey Tejico was born in Iloilo, Philippines and was ordained in Guatemala, Central America on 23 September 1994. He worked with the displaced communities in the marginalized area of Guatemala City from 1991-2002. He then rendered services in the Philippines among the Aetas native communities in Rizal from 2002-2006.

From June 2007 up to the present, he works with two members of the Missionaries of Jesus in the Apostolic Vicariate of Paten, Guatemala. The primary evangelization task is to bring personally the presence of Jesus in the 45 villages within our pastoral care, to announce the message of hope and to celebrate Life with the people as a Church and through the sacraments.

Their website is found by clicking here.

Bulletin for the Weekend of August 2, 2009 now posted

The bulletin for the weekend of August 02, 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.

Year for Priests - Thoughts for this week

YEAR FOR PRIESTS

Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests

"When Jesus lived on this earth, he manifested in himself the definitive role of the priest establishing a ministerial priesthood with which the apostles were the first to be invested. This priesthood is destined to last in endless succession throughout history.”

(#5) PASTORES DABO VOBIS by Pope John-Paul II

Rosary today at the Lafleur Monument

Each Monday at 6 PM during hurricane season, the parishioners of St. Landry Catholic Church will be praying the rosary at the Lt. Father Verbis Lafleur Monument in front of St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas, Louisiana. Please join us each Monday. We encourage you to bring your rosary and a lawn chair for comfort.

Cemetery Tours - October 10,11,17 & 18, 2009

Cemetery Tours are coming! October 10,11,17 & 18, 2009.

Voices from our Past

Remembering the Call to Community Service

Travel to a place where voices from the past will greet you as you journey back remembering the call to community service. The tours of the St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery give one a perspective into how our past has shaped our present and influenced future generations of our community. Learn which families were here and what their lives were like, and what events helped to shape our present day history.

Opelousas, Louisiana’s third oldest city, founded in 1720, is comprised of many cultures, each with unique histories which should be shared.

The St. Landry Catholic Church Parish, Opelousas Little Theatre, St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission along with Community Volunteers are pleased to be able to share these historic portrayals of such an important time period with each of you.

All proceeds from the cemetery tours fund the Cemetery Historical Restoration project. The tours began in 2003 and, so far, 20 grave sites have been restored.

Imperial St. Landry

Standing under the massive cedar trees of St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery, there is a calm that will transport you back in time to a place named Opelousas. From its beginnings as a Spanish Fort to the City of today, it has beckoned people from all ethnic groups to be part of its colorful history. Each person who has been a part of Opelousas and St. Landry Parish has left their mark. Epidemics such as Yellow Fever and Typhus claimed many families and this cemetery, consecrated in 1798, reminds you of the lives that were lost. For nine months during the Civil War, Opelousas was Capitol of Louisiana. In fact, when Union Soldiers occupied the town they even camped out on the church grounds. As with wars before and after the Civil War, here you will find soldiers who fought in every war for what they believed in and the families that remained at home. They helped to create a foundation rich in its culture and traditions, one that Opelousas is proud of.

We invite you to experience it all. Spend some time with the voices from our past and listen to their stories. Some are happy while some are sad and others will leave you wanting more. You will be amazed at what they are willing to share about their live and the struggles they endured. Time and Mother Nature have taken their toll on some of the graves in this cemetery. Many buried here are lost forever but those that do remain await your visit. You’re always welcome beneath the cedars.

Tour Dates:

Saturday: October 10 & 17 Times: 6 PM, 7 PM, 8 PM

Sunday: October 11 & 18 Times: 2 PM, 3 PM


Information Available at office below or click here to download brochure. Click here for information at parish website.

St. Landry Catholic Church, Valentin Hall
1020 N. Main St.
Opelousas, LA 70570

(337) 942-6552

Not handicap accessible. Not suitable for children 10 years of age or under.

Large Groups/Bus Groups (20 or more), please call ahead:

(337) 942-8318

Feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne - July 26

Education of the Virgin - Rubens

Today is the Feast of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary. Although they aren't named within the gospels, early writings after the time of the Apostles referred to them by these names. Many of the stories written about them claim they were childless until St. Anne became pregnant late in life. In art, St. Anne is often depicted helping with Mary's education and, in many cases, is shown teaching her to read. They are the patron saints of grandparents as they were the maternal grandparents of Christ.

Homily for Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 26, 2009

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 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our ninth 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 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time homily.

Feast of St. James the Greater - July 25

Today is the Feast of St. James the Greater, one of the apostles. He was the brother of St. John, a son of Zebedee and Salome. Jesus called St. James and St. John "Sons of Thunder", something that may have referred to their fiery personalities.

St. James was one of a handful of the apostles who were witnesses to nearly all of the greatest events of the New Testament including the raising of Jairus' daughter, the agony in the garden of Gethsemani, and the Transfiguration. The painting of the Transfiguration above is by Raphael.

In the Acts of the Apostles, we find that St. James was one of the earliest martyrs.

Readings and Themes for the Week of July 26, 2009

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of July 26, 2009,
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I 2 Kings 4:42-44

When they had eaten, there was some left over ...

Psalm 145

“The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.”

Reading II Ephesians 4:1-6

Live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received.

Gospel: John 6:1-15

Jesus feeds the multitude with five barley loaves and a few fish.

THEME:
Jesus generously provides and cares for us.

Last Sunday we listened to the Gospel story of how Jesus was moved with pity for the crowds who were like sheep without a shepherd. In today’s gospel, the Lord again looks upon the enormous crowd that had followed him and performs the miracle of the loaves and fishes. As we marvel at the miracle recounted in today’s Gospel, let us remember that, as baptized Christians, we are called to feed the hungry. This is one of the ways that we become more and more like Christ, who fed the thousands with what seemed to be so little. Let us be open to the inspiration that comes from today’s scriptures.

Question for Children:

How do you share with others what you have?

Question for Youth:

What do you have that you should be sharing with others? How can you use your possessions, your talents and your time for the good of others?

Question for Adults:

In what ways do you generously provide for the needs of others who have little or nothing?

Bulletin for the weekend of July 26, 2009 now posted

The bulletin for the weekend of July 26, 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.

Prayers and condolences to the family of Ruby G. Romero

Our prayers and condolences go out to Monsignor J. Robert Romero and his family. His mother, Mrs. Ruby G. Romero, passed away Saturday evening.

Ruby G. Romero
November 30, 1929-July 18, 2009

ABBEVILLE - Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 22, 2009, at a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial, at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Church, honoring the life of Ruby Romero, 79, who died Saturday, July 18, 2009, at Abbeville General Hospital.

She will be laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery with Msgr. Joseph Robert Romero officiating the services. Pallbearers include; Kenneth Romero, Brent Romero, Mason Romero, Scott Romero, Darvey Dupuis and Randy Gaspard.

She is survived by her husband, Joseph Robert Romero, Sr., of Abbeville; sons, Msgr. Joseph Robert Romero, Jr., of Opelousas, Kenneth Wayne Romero, of Lafayette, Michael Romero, of Pensacola, Fla., Brent Timothy Romero and wife, Dena, of Kaplan, and Mason Romero and wife, Liz, of Abbeville; a daughter, Bonnie Susan Romero, of Abbeville; a brother, Kallen Gaspard, of Lake Arthur; two sisters, Dorothy Snoddy, of Lafayette, and Gladys Dupuis, of Mouton Cove; seven grandchildren, Chrystal Desormeaux, Scott Romero, Abbi Cameron, Michelle Romero, Matthew Romero, Olivia Romero, and William Romero; two step grandchildren, Tiffany Luquette and Elena Pecoraro; five great grandchildren, Anthony Desormeaux, Renae Desormeaux, Elizabeth Romero, Isabella Pecoraro and Reese Cameron.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gedeon and Anna Lege Gaspard; three brothers, Paul Leroy Gaspard, Clifton Gaspard and Weston Gaspard; and a sister Wilda Vaughn.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home -Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles Street, on Tuesday, July 21, 2009, from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. with a rosary to be prayed at 7 p.m. They will reopen Wednesday from 8 a.m. until time of services.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincent-abbeville.com.

All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville (337) 893-4661.

Year for Priests - Thoughts for this week

YEAR FOR PRIESTS

Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests

"Every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God" (Heb. 5:1).

The Letter to the Hebrews clearly affirms the "human character" of God's minister [the priest] he comes from the human community and is at its service, imitating Jesus Christ "who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:1)”

PASTORES DABO VOBIS by Pope John-Paul II

Homily now available for Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 19, 2009

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 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our eighth 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 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time homily.

Readings and Themes for the Weekend of July 19, 2009

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of July 19, 2009,
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I Jeremiah 23:1-6

God will gather the remnant of the flock and appoint shepherds to lead them.

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”

Reading II Ephesians 2:13-18

Jesus came to preach peace to all.

Gospel Mark 6:30-34

Jesus was moved with pity when he saw the vast crowd, for they were like sheep without a shepherd.

THEME:
Sometimes we need to pause for rest with Jesus.

Today’s Gospel passage is one of the most moving in all of scripture. Jesus looks out on the crowd and is moved with pity for them, for they “were like sheep without a shepherd.” Apparently sheep are not the brightest of God’s creatures and are in constant need of their shepherd. One might wonder what the attitude of Christ is today as he gazes on this world of ours. Is he moved to pity because we, too, are like sheep without a shepherd? Let us pray that God’s word proclaimed this day will inspire us to cling to the Good Shepherd and listen to his teachings.

Question for Children:

How do you keep Sunday a day of rest?

Question for Youth:

Jesus was moved with pity for the people who were gathered. Who are the people you are moved with pity for? What can you do to help them?

Question for Adults:

Why is rest important and how do you make sure you get enough of it in your own life?

Bulletin for the weekend of July 19, 2009 now posted

The bulletin for the weekend of July 12, 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.

Knights of Columbus Barbecue PoBoy Benefit

Council 1173 will be sponsoring a BBQ Po-Boy lunch with chips on Wednesday, 22 July 2009 from 10:30 am through 12:00 pm and will be available at the KC Hall at 917 N. Main St. or delivered.

Donations are $5.00 each. For more information phone Deacon Miller at 942-2911.

Year for Priests - Faithfulness

YEAR FOR PRIESTS

Faithfulness of Christ, faithfulness of priests

“Without priests the Church would not be able to live that fundamental obedience which is at the very heart of her existence and her mission in history, an obedience in response to the command of Christ: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Mt. 28:19) and "Do this in remembrance of me" (Lk. 22:19; cf. 1 Cor. 11.24), i.e:, an obedience to the command to announce the Gospel and to renew daily the sacrifice of the giving of his body and the shedding of his blood for the life of the world.”

PASTORES DABO VOBIS by Pope John-Paul II

Homily now available 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. This week, The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our sixth homily to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Monsignor J. Robert Romero. Welcome back from vacation, Monsignor!

So, take a listen and let us know what you think. Click here to download the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time homily.

Feast of St. Benedict of Nursia, July 11

Today is the Feast of St. Benedict of Nursia, known as the Father of Western Monasticism. The Rule of St. Benedict, which he wrote, is a book of precepts that guide life within monastic communities. Written 1500 years ago, it is beautiful in its spirituality. The libraries and copying of texts by hand within Benedictan monasteries helped to preserve the accumulated knowledge of Europe.

Click here to read The Rule of St. Benedict online.

Just a few miles from St. Landry Catholic Church, a few miles outside of Plaisance, there is a community of Olivetan Benedictine Monks living within the Mother of the Redeemer Monastery. Abbot James Liprie and the other monks there celebrate the Feast of St. Benedict each year with a mass. It was well attended again this year.

The address for the monastery, if you would like to visit or send a donation, is:

Mother of the Redeemer Monastery
Attn: Abbot James Liprie
168 Monastery Lane
Opelousas, LA 70570

Welcome back, Monsignor Romero

This weekend we welcome Monsignor Romero home from his vacation.

We hope it was a very peaceful, relaxed one.