Bulletin for the Week of September 13, 2015

The Pastor’s Corner 

In the bulletin this weekend is our annual financial report for fiscal year 2014-2015 (side by side with the budget published last year).  On the flip side of the page is our budget for the upcoming fiscal year.  I have worked with the Finance Council to provide you with an understandable presentation of our church finances.  As pastor, I am accountable to you for the proper use of the offerings given to support church ministry and operations, and the report is a way to keep you informed of the financial status of parish.  Overall, our financial status continues to be stable, and I thank you for your support over the last year.

  I would also like to report that The Sanctuary Project has been a great success and we are nearing the end of the work.  As soon as we are able, we will provide an accounting of the offerings given in the campaign and the cost of the work done.  Thanks again for your generosity and support.
The financial statement and budgets reflect that we have been and will continue to operate at or near the amount of our regular offertory and the offertory for repair and maintenance. Our parish is now fully staffed and able to provide all the services a church community should.  In an effort to keep you informed of our financial status throughout the year, we will continue to publish in the bulletin the amount of the average weekly offertory needed to meet our budget (which is $8,650), as well as the actual average for the fiscal year to date.

  Over the next year, we plan to renovate Valentin Hall so that it can better serve the needs of our community. The Finance Council and Parish Advisory Board have agreed that this needs to be done.  Other than the new roof we put on it 5 years ago, no substantial work has been done to the building since it was constructed in 1952.  Some places in the building do not have adequate heating and cooling or adequate plumbing.  We also need to modify some parts of the building to re-purpose it for parish use as opposed to use as a convent.  More details about the renovation will be provided as the plan moves forward.

  The financing for the Valentin Hall renovation will not require another campaign.  We have been able to save some money over the last few years, and we will be able to pay for the renovations by use of the funds we already have on hand if we maintain the level of our regular offertory at the goal we have set.  We ask that you please consider increasing the amount of your offering so that we can reach our goal.  In determining the amount one should offer, the following criteria may be useful:

1. The offering should be thoughtful and made after prayerful consideration, as opposed to arbitrary.
2. The offering should be generous, as it is only giving back what has already been received.
3. The offering should be substantial (as opposed to a token), showing the value we place on our spiritual life.
4. The offering should be appreciative, giving thanks to God for the gifts He has given to us.
5. The offering should be regular and disciplined, habitually keeping in our mind God's gifts to us.
6. The offering should be sacrificial (it is good if we can point to something we gave up to make the offering).
7. The offering should be in joyful spirit, in other words, we are "glad to do it."
8. The offering should not prevent us from meeting our obligations or cause undue hardship.

Also please be reminded of the impact legacy gifts have on our community.  The work we are going to do on Valentin Hall would not have been possible without legacy gifts our church has received over the last few years.  These gifts are a way to express gratitude for the service the church has provided to us and our community, and they help to perpetuate the mission of the Church for future generations. There are many ways one can provide a gift to the church in their estate planning, including wills, bequests, trusts, and life insurance policies, or the gift of stocks or a family home. If you are so moved, please remember the church in your estate planning or make a special donation to the church.  If you have any questions we can certainly help you with obtaining further information.

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

            Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of September 13, 2015 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 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

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

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

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday --- over six years ago. This mass, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our four hundred second (402nd!!) podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Father James Brady.

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

Bulletin for the Week of September 6, 2015

The Pastor’s Corner 

Our annual Memorial Mass for Fr. Lafleur will take place tomorrow, Monday, September 7, 2015 at 6:30pm.  We are especially excited that Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese of Military Services will be the main celebrant and homilist.  As was mentioned last week, Archbishop Broglio is the shepherd of all our military personnel worldwide and their families.  It is quite exciting that he is able to be with us tomorrow, and we certainly welcome him with heartfelt gratitude for his presence.
The fact that the Memorial Mass falls on Labor Day, a national holiday, gives us the opportunity as an entire community to learn about the extraordinary life of Fr. Lafleur. Below is an invitation to you to attend. Please make plans to attend this special moment in St. Landry's history memorializing the life of a man we believe is a saint and for whom St. Landry Church is "home."

LT. FATHER JOSEPH VERBIS LAFLEUR MEMORIAL MASS

“The ‘Friends of Lt. Fr. Lafleur’ request your presence to commemorate the 71st Anniversary of the death of Lt. Father Joseph Verbis Lafleur, Chaplain-United States Army Air Corps, on Monday, September 7, 2015 at 6:30pm at St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, LA. The Celebrant and Homilist will be Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archbishop of Military Services”.

Joseph Verbis Lafleur was born in Ville Platte on January 24, 1912. Later, he would move with his family to nearby Opelousas, where he faithfully served as an altar boy at St. Landry Church during his youth.  After serving as an altar server here at St. Landry, he left for the seminary under the sponsorship of Fr. Colliard and St. Landry Church.  After his ordination to the priesthood in 1938, he celebrated his first Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving here at St. Landry.  He then served a short time in the Lafayette Diocese at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Abbeville (where he is still fondly remembered for his piety and work with the youth).  He then began to serve as a chaplain in the United States Army in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. Fr. Lafleur was captured by the Japanese and was imprisoned, where he ministered to his fellow prisoners. The story of Fr. Lafleur's life is extraordinary, especially in his selflessness, kindness and bravery, all the while he himself was being treated cruelly.

For his service, Father Lafleur was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart, and Bronze star for his valor. After being taken prisoner by the Japanese, by all accounts he served his brother prisoners with honor and distinction.  He had the opportunity to evacuate prior to the Japanese invasion of the Phillipines, but instead stayed in order to serve the men who were entrusted to his pastoral care.  On September 7, 1944, he and several hundred other prisoners were killed when the ship upon which they were being transported was torpedoed. Father Lafleur's body was never recovered, but memories of survivors report that he was last seen aiding others to escape the sinking ship. His memorial monument in front of St. Landry Church serves as our tangible remembrance of his life, as he indicated that if he died during his service to our country that he desired to be buried at St. Landry Church. He is also remembered in the chaplain's memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. The year 2015 marks the 71st anniversary of his death.

Fr. Lafleur is certainly a significant figure in our church parish history and a part of our spiritual patronage that we should all cherish. Let us enjoy the celebration of his life this weekend, become inspired by it, and try to imitate the Christ-like virtues he modeled for us.  All are invited and encouraged to attend the Memorial Mass tomorrow. You can also learn more about Father Lafleur by visiting http://www.fatherlafleur.org or by purchasing the book chronicling his life, "But He Dies Not,” which will be available after the Memorial Mass and is always available in our church office or at Catholic bookstores in Lafayette.

            Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of September 06, 2015 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 22nd 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 --- over six years ago. This mass, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our four hundred first (401st!!) 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 30, 2015 and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

Fr. Lafleur Memorial Mass
We are so pleased to announce that Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for Military Services (in other words, the worldwide leader of the the Catholic chaplains who serve our military personnel and their families whose headquarters is located in Washington, D.C.) has agreed to come to St. Landry and be the main celebrant and homilist at our annual Fr. Lafleur Memorial Mass on Monday, September 7, 2015 at 6:30 pm.  Bishop Jarrell has indicated that he also will be in attendance at the Mass as will many priests of our diocese.  We especially hope that those who have served as military chaplains will be able to attend.  As always, all are invited for this special event, and I hope especially that parents will bring their children to experience the beautiful liturgy as well as hear one of our preeminent church leaders who is both a patriot and a man of God.  Please mark your calendars!

Sanctuary Construction
Hopefully, by the time you are reading this Pastor's Corner the tile in the sanctuary will be completely installed and the work in the sacristies nearly complete.  If not, I hope it is close to being done!  As you know, besides the work in the sanctuary and sacristy, we have been able to renovate both bathrooms and install valves in the air conditioning system that will make it possible to run at least part of the system in the event of a water leak.  Much has been accomplished over the last few weeks, and we continue to thank God for the blessings he has bestowed upon us in giving success to the work of our hands.

In that regard, we will be obtaining furnishings for our sanctuary in the very near future.  Several of you have asked about what is needed for the sanctuary in light of the construction, so we provide here a "wish list" of things that are needed for the sanctuary in order to properly furnish it.  Where possible, we have included the cost of the item.  If you are interested in giving in this manner, please call Fr. Brady (ext. 107) or Deacon Joubert (ext. 104) for more information.  The "wish list" is:

Presider's Chair (please call Fr. Brady for information);
Deacon's Chairs - 2 (please call Fr. Brady for information);
Sanctuary Chairs for Servers/Concelebrants - 12 ($300 each);
Sanctuary Kneelers - 12 ($150 each);
Rugs - 2 (please call Fr. Brady for information);
Formal Cruet Set ($300).

Thanks again for your generosity in the campaign and patience during construction!

Welcome to Fr. Jerry Mesley
Finally, we are pleased to announce that Fr. Jerry Mesley will be coming to live at St. Landry beginning this week and until his usual departure back to New Mexico in February.  Fr. Mesley is well known to many of you because of his many years of service to our area during his yearly trips to south Louisiana. We are so pleased to have the blessing of Fr. Mesley's presence during the next few months.  Please be sure to welcome him when you see him around the church.

            Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of August 30, 2015 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 21st 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 --- over six years ago. This mass, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our four hundredth (400th!!) 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 23, 2015 and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

At the time of this writing, the sanctuary floor is partially installed, and I think that it looks beautiful.  The red carpet has been completely removed and replaced, and I think the new colors look great!  I hope by the time this bulletin is published, that all the new flooring will be nearly completed.  Our planned timing is that we will be putting the finishing touches on the project this week and that it will be completed sometime during the week.

One of the regular questions that has come up in the five years that I've been pastor is whether or not there are tombs located under the main aisle carpet that had been covered when the carpet was installed.  We checked...and there are no markings on the floor under the carpet.  I forgot to take pictures...let the conspiracy theories begin!!

At the last Parish Advisory Board Meeting we elected new officers to serve for the upcoming year.  Sharon Ortego was elected Chairperson (Sharon served as Vice-Chair last term), Harry Ragas was elected Vice-Chairperson, and Lori Briggs was elected Secretary for a second year.  Our outgoing chairperson is Dirk Boudreaux who remains on the council. Thanks to all of them for their willingness to serve our church parish!

Registration continues for our sacramental preparation programs (1st Communion (2nd Grade) and Confirmation (High School Juniors)) as well as our CCD catechism program for first grade through high school juniors.  Please be sure to register if you plan to enroll for the classes.

Music at the 5 pm Sunday Mass

Our youth choir has been singing once a month since Christmas, and it has developed to the point where it will be able to provide the music for our 5 pm Sunday Mass every weekend.  It is an exciting development for us and we look forward to hearing our young people using their God given gifts to praise Him with their voices and help to praise Him as well!

In that regard, this Sunday will be the last Mass for Curt Miller to provide the music at the 5 pm Sunday Mass.  Curt has done a wonderful job and we want to thank him for bringing his talents and gifts to our church and providing music that has enhanced our worship over the years.  If you see Curt, please be sure to let him know how much we appreciate his efforts.

            Father James Brady


LT. FATHER VERBIS LAFLEUR

A MEMORIAL MASS honoring Fr. Lafleur will be celebrated on 9/7/15 @ 6:30 PM… Main Celebrant and Homilist will be Archbishop Timothy Broglio from the US Military Archdiocese. Please make every effort to attend!

      Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of August 23, 2015 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 20th 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 --- over six years ago. This mass, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our three hundred and ninety ninth podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Father James Brady.

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

Bulletin for the Week of August 16, 2015 and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

Last weekend was a wonderful experience for our church community.  The altar, by all accounts, is beautiful and fits into our church sanctuary in both size and style.  As with any project of this nature, there were some bumps along the way, and all who were involved were devoted and flexible in their roles in making the installation possible.  As with any undertaking of this size, there are many people to thank.

So we thank those who helped last week in making the altar installation a success and our liturgy dedicating it a meaningful and touching event for so many.  Insofar as logistics and installation are concerned, we owe a debt of gratitude to the following, without whose hard work and dedication the installation would not have been possible:

• Courvelle Toyota, who provided logistical support for the installation;
• Leonard Bertrand General Contractors, Inc. who provided the preparatory work;
• Carpetland, Inc., who provided preparatory work;
• Phil Borel, sound expert, who provided logistical support;
• J.C. Stone Experts, out of Houston, Texas, who installed the altar;
• The Gatz Home and Garden, St. Michaels, MD from whom we purchased the altar and helped design it;
• Deacon Joubert, who coordinated the installation with the contractors;
• Our office staff, who took on extra work in administrating The Sanctuary Campaign;
• Our maintenance staff, who also took on extra work and provided support to the contractors while on the premises; 
• Fr. Jaison and our brothers and sisters at Holy Ghost, who provided a place for our daily Masses during installation.

Insofar as the Dedication Mass is concerned, we want to acknowledge and thank Bishop Jarrell for his willingness to come and celebrate with us, and also the following:

• Deacon Joubert for coordinating the liturgy and the reception after on our end;
• Deacons Miller and Diesi for their attendance and support;
• Fr. William Blanda and Deacon Jay Bergeron, the bishop's masters of ceremony;
• Our altar servers, readers and other lay ministers who did a wonderful job with a different liturgy;
• Our choir, who provided beautiful music for the liturgy;
• Andrew Guidroz, who was the photographer during the liturgy;
• Our Altar Society (Group 3), who managed to completely clean the church after the installation in time for the Mass.

But most of all, we thank God for his kindness and blessing to us, and you, the members of our parish community, without whose prayers and generosity none of this would have taken place.  Many, Many Thanks!

NEW PHONE SYSTEM
Last month, we installed a new phone system to better serve you.  When you call, please listen to all the options, as you are now able to dial directly all of our office personnel, and if they are not available, to leave a voicemail for them.  The extensions are on the recording, and they will also be placed in the bulletin.  So far, the system has worked well, although there have been a few bugs which we are working to correct.  For now, if you have a problem with the system, please let us know so we can correct it.

      Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of August 16, 2015 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.

Altar Dedication - Homily

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 --- over six years ago. This mass, the Altar Dedication, is our three hundred and ninety eigth podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Bishop Michael Jarrell.

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

Homily for the 19th 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 --- over six years ago. This mass, 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our three hundred and ninety 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 homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Bulletin for the Week of August 9, 2015 - and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

This weekend Bishop Jarrell will dedicate our new altar at the 10 am Mass.  It is a very exciting time for our parish! Please join us for the Rite of Dedication as well as the reception that will follow in the Valentin Hall kitchen. The solemn rite of dedication we will celebrate was formerly called the "consecration of an altar," but is now referred to as the "dedication of an altar."  In the rite, the altar is dedicated for the special use of our parish celebrations of the Eucharist.

The word consecration literally means "association with the sacred." The term has various nuanced meanings in different contexts.  A synonym for "to consecrate" is "to sanctify," or to set apart and  make holy.  Obviously, the most important thing we do as a community is worship Jesus as he taught us in the Eucharistic celebration, and we will dedicate the altar specifically for this special purpose.  A beautiful part of the Prayer of Dedication sums up that for which we hope:  Lord, we stand before you in prayer and ask "that you bless this altar built in the house of the Church, that it may ever be reserved for the sacrifice of Christ, and stand for ever as the Lord's table, where your people will find nourishment and strength."

Every dedicated altar has a first class relic of a saint imbedded in it.  It is most preferable, of course, that a relic from the patron in the parish (in our case St. Landry) be used.  We do not have available a relic of St. Landry, so we have chosen to embed in the altar a relic of St. Vincent de Paul.  The relic of St. Vincent de Paul was chosen because he and St. Landry have a common French heritage and they both gave great service to and had great love for the poor.

Next Saturday, August 15, is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Usually it is a holy day of obligation, but since it falls on a Saturday this year the obligation is suspended. As usual, we will have Mass that morning at 8 am, but because of the solemnity, the Mass will be celebrated in the church rather than the Valentin Hall Chapel.

Finally, school started last week for some of our students, and for some it will start this week. We welcome back all the students, faculty and staff at Opelousas Catholic, especially our new principal, Mr. John Cavell. 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 year, developing the talents given to them by God for use in service to Him and our neighbors. May they, and we, continue to grow in faith, hope and charity over the coming nine months!

OF PARTICULAR NOTE…

Our 12:05 WEEKDAY MASSES for 8/10-8/14 will be celebrated @ Holy Ghost Catholic Church to accommodate our Sanctuary Flooring project! Special thanks to Fr. Jaison and the Holy Ghost staff for their gracious hospitality!

      Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of August 09, 2015 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 18th 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 --- over six years ago. This mass, 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our three hundred and ninety 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 2, 2015 and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

(While Father Brady is away on vacation, he has invited the three Deacons of our parish to be guest contributors. This week we are happy to hear from Deacon Dwayne Joubert!)

Greetings fellow parishioners! I hope that your summer is going well and that you have been able  to find some time for rest and rejuvenation with your families. It is hard to believe that by this time next week many of our area students will already have had their first day of classes! How time flies. I pray that the new school year is fruitful for all.

As most of you know, for the past two years I have been a full time member of the staff here at St. Landry. Over that time my duties have varied and last school year I actually spent time in the classroom as a part time Religion Teacher at Opelousas Catholic in addition to my responsibilities here in the parish. As the demands of our growing parish have increased, Father Brady encouraged me to relinquish that responsibility so that I can be freed to assist him in coordinating the many projects that are underway and are on the horizon for our community. I do intend to continue to assist the administration at OC in any way possible, but the bulk of my time will be spent here in the parish.
In addition to assisting in coordinating  the physical plant projects, my duties include, but are not limited to Director of Religious Education, Youth Coordinator, Liturgy Coordinator and Cemeterian.
The youth programs in our parish are largely in their early stages and continue to grow!. Last school year we re-introduced CCD instruction for our students. About nine months ago our newly formed Youth Choir sang at their first Mass.  We sponsored trips for our youth to attend the Abbey Youthfest as well Steubenville on the Bayou Youth Conference again this year. A couple of weeks ago we held our 2nd Vacation Bible School.  None of these activities would be possible without  the support and prayers of our Pastor and YOU our parish community!   There is more to come… We intend to begin monthly Youth Group Gatherings on Sunday evenings beginning in September. In January of 2016, we are assisting Diocesan efforts in hosting a Youth Rally at Opelousas Catholic (more on that later!), and our Youth Choir’s participation in our liturgies will continue to increase.

This is a very exciting time for our parish and I am humbled to have the opportunity to be a part of it! I continue to grow in my love for you, the parishioners of Saint Landry, and I feel your prayerful support as I try my best to minister to your needs.

My prayers remain with you,

      Deacon Dwayne Joubert

NEW ALTAR!

Installation of our NEW ALTAR is scheduled for the week of 8/3-8/7… This is a very exciting time for us as a Church Community! Bishop Jarrell will be with us to celebrate 10 AM  Mass and Consecrate the Altar on August 9th! There will be a reception following the Mass in Valentin Hall.

WEEKDAY MASS LOCATION!

Our 12:05 WEEKDAY MASSES for the weeks of 8/3-8/7 & 8/10-8/17 will be celebrated @ Holy Ghost Catholic Church to accommodate our New Altar installation and Sanctuary Flooring project! Special thanks to Fr. Jaison and the Holy Ghost staff for their gracious hospitality!

The bulletin for the week of August 02, 2015 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 17th 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 --- over six years ago. This mass, 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our three hundred and ninety fifth podcast to be posted. The homily is given by Deacon Dwayne Joubert.

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 26, 2015 and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

(While Father Brady is away on vacation, he has invited the three Deacons of our parish to be guest contributors. This week we are happy to hear from Deacon Sammy Diesi!)

Of course I am sure that most if not all of you are aware that our pastor Father Jim Brady is on a well-deserved vacation, so me and my fellow deacons were asked by him to fill you in on our duties and ministry responsibilities. Through the wisdom of our pastor, he has delegated different assignments to all of his deacons. Deacon John explained to you last week about his ministry in teaching R.C.I.A. (Right of Christian Initiation for Adults) and teaching his bible classes and next week Deacon Dwayne will fill you in on his many duties and responsibilities. For me, my duties and responsibilities are to reach out to the sick and the aged through hospital and nursing home ministry. Like all clergy, there is no doubt that me and my fellow deacons love what Father Brady has afforded us to do.

Of course as clergy we always need the help of all parishioners especially our laity. It would be wonderful if I could visit all the sick and aged weekly but that would be impossible so we have volunteers who help out with bringing communion to those in the hospital and the homes of those who are shut-in. One thing that you as parishioners could further help with would be to notify the church office when you have a family member or close friend in need of a visit and or anointing. We are so blessed as a parish to have two priests, Msgr. Melancon and Father Brady, who are all too accommodating to do anointings.

Please know that it is my joy to serve you the parish of St. Landry Catholic Church in my role as a deacon but never underestimate your role in helping us bring more souls closer to Christ by what you do and say as a Catholic Christian in the community of believers and also non-believers.

God bless you,

      Deacon Sammy Diesi

NEW ALTAR!

Installation of our NEW ALTAR is scheduled for the week of 8/3-8/7… This is a very exciting time for us as a Church Community! Bishop Jarrell will be with us to celebrate 10 AM  Mass and Consecrate the Altar on August 9th! There will be a reception following the Mass in Valentin Hall.

WEEKDAY MASS LOCATION!

Our 12:05 WEEKDAY MASSES for the weeks of 8/3-8/7 & 8/10-8/17 will be celebrated @ Holy Ghost Catholic Church to accommodate our New Altar installation and Sanctuary Flooring project! Special thanks to Fr. Jaison and the Holy Ghost staff for their gracious hospitality!

The bulletin for the week of July 26, 2015 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 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 --- over six years ago. This mass, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our three hundred and ninety fourth 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 July 19, 2015 and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

(While Father Brady is away on vacation, he has invited the three Deacons of our parish to be guest contributors. This week we are happy to hear from Deacon John Miller!)

As of the twenty sixth of June of this year, I have had the honor of serving as deacon in the Roman Catholic Church for thirty eight years. I was the first deacon in the Opelousas area witnessing many weddings, baptizing countless babies, and grownups, and served under a number of great Pastors.

At the present time, my duty at St. Landry Church is the coordinating of the R. C. I. A. program. In the past years we have had the opportunity to welcome many converts into the Church.

Recently, I decided, it was time for me to no longer serve as Deacon during the celebration of the Mass, and devote most of my time to teaching religion. I enjoy serving but there comes a time when one must realize it is time to step down because of physical inabilities.

Fr. Brady recently asked me to begin a bible study class. This is the one thing that I enjoy very much and of course I was anxious to do so. The classes are held on Mondays. One class begins at ten thirty in the morning and the same class will be at six in the evening for those who are unable to attend the morning class. Starting in September we will begin an advanced bible study class. These will also be held on Mondays at the same time as the classes we are having now. The information on the dates will be announced in the bulletin later on this year.

Anyone who may have questions concerning these classes can contact me at 942-2911. I will be more the happy to help you.

      Deacon John Miller

Festival de la Grand Eglise!

On October 10, 2015,  the St. Landry Church Parish community will be hosting the inaugural Festival de la Grande Eglise… (The Festival of the Big Church). Please start spreading the word now to any family and friends who may be interested in joining us on that day to celebrate a homecoming of sorts, as well as get a look at the renovations to our church which should be completed by that time. The festival will have plenty of activities for the young and old alike!  

AMAZING CHURCH!

In a recent online article, 15 Amazing Churches In Louisiana That Will Blow You Away! topping the list at No. #1 is our own  St. Landry Catholic Church! Here’s the link: http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/louisiana/churches-la/

The bulletin for the week of July 19, 2015 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 15th 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 --- over six years ago. This mass, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our three hundred and ninety three 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 12, 2015 and the Pastor's Corner

The Pastor’s Corner 

Before I leave for vacation this afternoon, I just want to update you on the Sanctuary Campaign and the progress of the work.  The work on our two bathrooms has been completed and they are now updated with new tile and appointments.  Many have remarked to me that they had been coming to church here for years and did not know that we had two bathrooms!  The second bathroom is around the corner from the  outside door to the inside bathroom.  The inside bathroom is now much more handicapped friendly after having installed a ramp to get in the outside door, installing a larger inside door, and mounting bars inside the bathroom.  In order to make more room in that bathroom, we moved the baby changing station to the outside bathroom.  The door on the outside bathroom is still a bit tough to fully open and close, but we have a new door on order that will be installed in the near future.  The bathrooms are now all properly marked and we thank Keith Bono for providing the signs.  I think the bathrooms turned out beautifully and the work was definitely a needed update.  From now on, both bathrooms will be opened during weekend Masses.

Insofar as the new altar and the flooring are concerned, installation of the altar will begin on Monday, August 3.  It should be completed by the end of the week.  On Sunday, August 9 Bishop Jarrell is going to come and consecrate the altar at the 10 am Mass.  After Mass, we will have a reception in the Valentin Hall kitchen with light refreshments.  That Monday, August 10, the contractors will begin to install the new flooring, both the tile in the sanctuary and the carpet in the aisle and foyer.  The flooring may not be finished by the end of the week, but will be finished enough so that we can have Mass in the church the weekend of August 15-16.  If necessary, they will finish the floor work the following week.  During those two weeks (Aug. 3-7 and Aug. 10-14) we will have our daily Confessions and 12:05 pm Masses at Holy Ghost.  We thank Fr. Jaison and our brothers and sisters at Holy Ghost for their kindness, generosity, and hospitality!

Once we finish the flooring, then we will continue the campaign work on the sound system, lighting, sacristies, appointments and pew repair.

We did receive three more gifts to the campaign, and would like to acknowledge them here:

• Ryan and Pamela Hooks, In Thanksgiving for their children and grandchildren
• Pat. D. Brown
• The LeBlanc Family, In Memory of Marcel and Patricia Leblanc

As I mentioned above, I'll be leaving for vacation this afternoon and will be out the next two weekends, returning for Masses the weekend of August 1-2.  We will hit the ground running with the altar installation and flooring upon my return.  Again, thank you all so much for your generosity during the campaign, and please keep me in your prayers over the next couple of weeks.  You can be assured you will be in mine.

      Father James Brady

The bulletin for the week of July 12, 2015 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.