Homily for the Thirtieth 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 --- one year ago. This week, the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our ninetieth 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 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Readings and Themes for October 24, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of October 24, 2010,
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18

The God of justice knows no favorites.

Psalm 34

"The Lord hears the cry of the poor."

Reading II 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

I have competed well, I have finished the race.

Gospel Luke 18:9-14

"O God, be merciful to me a sinner."

THEME:

God knows and sees our hearts.

Today’s scriptures invite us to come before God with all honesty, admitting our sinfulness and seeking forgiveness and reconciliation. The responsorial psalm reminds us that our God “hears the cry of the poor.” Let us be attentive to God’s sacred word and seek the peace that only God can give.

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

Jesus teaches us to be humble – but what does that mean?

How do you show you are humble?

Question for Youth:

God knows when we are doing things just for show, and when they come from the goodness of our heart.

When have you caught yourself doing something just to be more popular or liked?

How does it feel to do something that you know is good and just?

Question for Adults:

The Gospel reading suggests that we approach God and each other with humility.

What does this mean, in practical terms?

How do we “humble” ourselves? What does that mean?

Bulletin Bites
"O God, be merciful to me, a sinner."

Jesus tells of two very different men, a Pharisee and a tax collector. Both went to the temple to pray. Actually, the Pharisee went to the temple to brag: “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity…”The Pharisee is probably a good man but he thanks God that he has no need of God because he believes he is a self-made man. The tax collector does not even raise his eyes to heaven. He prays, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner”. He acknowledges his dependence on God. He stands before God with all of his flaws and faults and ask God’s forgiveness for the ways in which he has failed to be all that God created him to be. Both are stewards of all that God gave them. But it is the tax collector who understands that. It is the tax collector who asks for forgiveness. Good stewards know and admit when they have failed to be a good steward and are willing to ask their loving God to forgive them. Do we?

Bulletin for the Week of October 24, 2010

The bulletin for the week of October 24, 2010 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 StLandryCatholicChurch.

Homily for the Twenty Ninth 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 --- one year ago. This week, the Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our eighty 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 Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Cemetery Tours start again today!

We had a very successful first weekend of cemetery tours. Lots of old and new friends came by to learn about the history of Opelousas and to help preserve our culture and history.

Don't forget today, Saturday October 16, we have tours at 6 PM, 7 PM, and 8 PM. On Sunday October 17, tomorrow, we have tours at 2 PM and 3 PM.

Bulletin for the Week of October 17, 2010

The bulletin for the week of October 17, 2010 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 StLandryCatholicChurch.

Cemetery Tours - Again next weekend

We had a very successful first weekend of cemetery tours. Lots of old and new friends came by to learn about the history of Opelousas and to help preserve our culture and history.

Don't forget next week, Saturday October 16, we have tours at 6 PM, 7 PM, and 8 PM. On Sunday October 17, we have tours at 2 PM and 3 PM.

Homily for the Twenty Eighth 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 --- just over one year ago. This week, the Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our eighty 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 Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Cemetery Tours - October 9 & 10 and October 16 & 17 2010

Cemetery Tours start tomorrow! October 9,10,16 & 17, 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 9 & 16 Times: 6 PM, 7 PM, 8 PM

Sunday: October 10 & 17 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

Readings and Themes for the Week of October 10, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of October 10, 2010,
Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I 2 Kings 5:14-17

The foreigner Naaman humbles himself and receives God's healing.

Psalm 98

"The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power."

Reading II 2 Timothy 2:8-13

If, like Christ, we hold out even to death, we will reign with Christ.

Gospel Luke 17:11-19

Ten lepers show faith in obeying the Lord, but in the thankfulness, one goes a step farther - straight into the kingdom of God.

THEME:

We are Eucharistic People.

We live in praise and thanksgiving.

The word of God proclaimed today is a word of healing and comfort. At this Mass we bring all our needs to our loving and compassionate God. May the words we hear today inspire us to cry out to God for mercy, healing, and reconciliation. Let us be grateful for the opportunity to be fed so generously at the table of God's word.

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

Are you able to make up a prayer, which tells God you are thankful for everything you have, even if it is not all you want?

Question for Youth:

Only one of the lepers returned to give thanks.

This past week, when have you stopped to thank someone for something good they have done for you?

When have you thanked God this week?

Question for Adults:

What are some ways you can think of to show gratitude to God?

Bulletin Bites
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?"
"Where are the other nine?"
"Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"

Are we the one? Or are we one of the other nine? Gratitude begins with the recognition that someone has done something good for us. In order to be grateful to God for all that we are and all that we have, we must be aware of and acknowledge that God is the source of all that we are and have. Our response to God should be gratitude. And we can best express our gratitude to God by accepting, developing and using to the best of our ability all that He gave us for ourselves and for others. Note that the one who comes back to thank Jesus is a Samaritan who recognized that Jesus., a Jew, had done something miraculous for him. The Jewish lepers should have done the same, but did not. We may not be able to repay the good and kindness others do for us, but we can acknowledge what they have done and say “Thank you!” Gratitude is an important part of being a good steward.

Bulletin for the Week of October 10, 2010

The bulletin for the week of October 10, 2010 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 StLandryCatholicChurch.

Homily for Twenty Seventh 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 --- just over one year ago. This week, the Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our eighty seventh 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 Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Pastor's Corner - Father James Brady

This weekend, Bishop Jarrell addresses us about the Bishop's Services Appeal ("BSA"). Many of you have already received packets regarding this year's BSA. The BSA is the annual diocesan wide appeal which funds programs that help the poor and vulnerable in our diocese. As a practical matter, individual parishes do not have the resources to provide certain kinds of help to those in need, but with the pooled resources of all the parishes, the diocese is able to provide for those needs. One beneficiary of the BSA is our very own New Life Center here in Opelousas, which provides shelter and transitional housing for homeless women and children. Many of our own parishioners use services provided by the diocese, which are funded by the BSA. Let us respond generously to Bishop Jarrell's appeal for the poor and vulnerable of our parish and diocese.

Fr. James Brady

Jesus tells us “Whatever you did for the least ones, you did for me.” (Mt 25:40). Jesus knows that an act of generosity will satisfy many hungers and quench many thirsts for those in our communities who are most in need.

There are a number of priorities facing our Diocesan Church that no one parish alone can address. Some require the strength and resolve of our entire Catholic Community working and sacrificing together as One Body. That is why every parish participates in the Bishop’s Services Appeal, so that through our collective efforts, we can build the Father’s kingdom by advancing the work of the Church.

Please respond generously.

Prayer Intentions of the Holy Father for October 2010

AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito

Prayer intentions of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI for the month of October 2010:

Catholic Universities

General: That Catholic Universities may more and more be places where, in the light of the Gospel, it is possible to experience the harmonious unity existing between faith and reason.

World Mission Day

Missionary: That the World Mission Day may afford an occasion for understanding that the task of proclaiming Christ is an absolutely necessary service to which the Church is called for the benefit of humanity.

Readings and Themes for the Week of October 3, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of October 03, 2010,
Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I Habakkuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4

How long, Lord, will you make me witness misery?

Psalm 95

"If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts!"

Reading II 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

Guard the rich deposit of faith you were given.

Gospel Luke 17:5-10

When you have done everything for the kingdom, do more.

THEME:

Faith is the anchor and force of life!

The prophet Habakkuk cries out to God in despair. The prophet is honest in his cry, for he feels abandoned and without help. Faced with the realities of war, terrorism, greed, and hopelessness that fill our earth, we also cry out to our God. These cries can only arise out of the hearts that know God’s presence, mercy, and compassion. Using the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus tells us of the immense power of faith. Let today’s sacred word strengthen our faith and urge us to proclaim justice to a suffering world.

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

Jesus teaches us that our faith is powerful and with it, we can do great things.

We can forgive, love, and share with others.

Which of these do you do most often?

Question for Youth:

The Gospel story tells us even a little bit of faith is enough to make amazing things happen.

How are you keeping your faith alive and growing?

What good things happen in your life because of your faith?

Question for Adults:

Being “in Christ” means living as Christ teaches.

What signs do you see in your life of generosity, forgiveness, hospitality, or any other of Jesus’ teachings?

Bulletin Bites
"Lord, increase our faith."

In asking Jesus to “Increase our faith!” the apostles reveal a very human trait – the desire to have someone else do for us what we can do for ourselves. Jesus understood that the apostles were asking him to teach them how to grow in their faith, but he responds by challenging them to “Increase your own faith”. Like the apostles, we are stewards of our own faith. We are responsible for the growth, maturity, and quality of our faith. As the Word Made Flesh and God Incarnate, Jesus lived and taught us how to constantly grow in our faith. His life and teachings are recorded for us in the Gospels and the other books of the New Testament. If, like the apostles, we truly want to “increase our faith” we must spend time every day reading and meditating on the Books of the New Testament, especially the Gospels. No one can do that for us. We must do it for ourselves. There will be a test.

Bulletin for the Week of October 03, 2010

The bulletin for the week of October 03, 2010 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 StLandryCatholicChurch.

Homily for the Twenty Sixth 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 --- just over one year ago. This week, the Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our eighty 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 Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Readings and Themes for the Week of September 26, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of September 26, 2010,
Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I Amos 6:1a, 4-7

Woe to the complacent rich!

Psalm 146

"Praise the Lord, my soul!"

Reading II 1 Timothy 6:11-16

Seek after virtues with lasting value.

Gospel Luke 16:19-31

There once was a rich man, and at his gate lay the beggar Lazarus.

THEME:

God cares for the poor and the oppressed and we should too!

Once again we are about to listen to scriptures that challenge us to the core. If any parable is critical of a culture of consumerism and greed, it is today’s familiar story of the rich man and Lazarus. This parable has power to chill us to the bone, since it gets to the heart of what it means to be a true disciple. Let us open our hearts to these words and pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen us on our journey of conversion.

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

Jesus teaches us to share what we have with others.

What do you have that you are able to share?

Question for Youth:

The Gospel story tells us that we are judged by what we do or don’t do for the poor and needy.

How are you currently reaching out to those in need?

What more could you do?

Question for Adults:

What choices can you or have you made to balance your own life with those who are homeless, poor and in need of assistance for daily living?

How does this Gospel reading inform you about that?

Bulletin Bites
"If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead."

The words of Jesus at the end of the story about the rich man who had more than he needed and Lazarus the beggar seem rather harsh. There is no gentle way to say that when we are dead it will be too late to do the good we should have done when we were alive. Unfortunately, when it comes to imitating Jesus we all have a little Scarlett O’Hara in us: “I’ll take care of that tomorrow!” We will get around to it. Try this exercise. Get a pencil or pen and a blank sheet of paper. Draw a circle. Take a pair of scissors and cut along the lines of the circle. Now write inside the circle the letters TOIT, You now have a ROUND TOIT. You no longer have any more excuses for not imitating Jesus. That is, of course, unless you do not know Jesus. And whose fault is that? Here is another exercise: Pick up the Bible!! Read it!! You will learn what Jesus promised and that He rose from the dead. With that knowledge and your ROUND TOIT, you should be all set. Get busy imitating Jesus by loving God and your neighbor as yourself.

Bulletin for the Week of September 26, 2010

The bulletin for the week of September 26, 2010 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 StLandryCatholicChurch.

Homily for the Twenty Fifth 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 --- just over one year ago. This week, the Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our eighty fifth podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Father Joshua Guillory.

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