Catholic Men and the Rosary

Today, I ran into an article about Catholic Men and the Rosary ... how praying the rosary can be a masculine exercise not restricted to women and funerals. The news site it is posted on is a secular one and they didn't get everything perfect. But I think you'll find this a nice, enjoyable read.

Also remember, each and every Monday, at 6 PM, there is a rosary prayed in front of the Father Verbis Lafleur Monument. At this time of the year, the rosary is prayed for protection from hurricanes. Come join us tonight!

Here is the article:

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_rosary28.234e215.html

Homily for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

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

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

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday --- just over one year ago. This week, the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our seventy-second podcast to be posted. This week, the homily is given by Father James Brady, our new pastor.

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

Cast the Love of Christ upon the World

This weekend, the second collection will be the Peter's Pence Collection.

The Peter’s Pence Collection provides the Holy Father with the assistance he needs to carry out his most important charitable works. The proceeds benefit the most disadvantaged: victims of war, oppression, natural disasters, and others.

Pope Benedict XVI has said, “God’s love . . . gives us the courage to continue seeking and working for the benefit of all” (Caritas in Veritate, no. 78). Cast the love of Christ upon the world—please be generous in today’s Collection.

The Peter’s Pence Collection derives its name from an ancient custom. In ninth-century England. King Alfred the Great collected money – “pence” or pennies – from landowners as financial support for the Pope. Today, the Peter’s Pence Collection supports the Pope’s philanthropy by giving the Holy Father the means to provide emergency assistance to those in need because of natural disaster, war, oppression, and disease

Examples of Peter’s Pence Collection Funded Programs

• Nazareth Boys Town in Mbare, Rwanda, received assistance from Pope Benedict XVI to take in abandoned orphans who are victims of genocide and civil war.
• Casa di accoglienza Giovanni Paolo II Opera Don Orione is a residence that gives free shelter and specializes in helping special-needs pilgrims to travel to Rome. It was recently refurbished through assistance provided by the Peter’s Pence Collection.
• In Bosnia, the Hospital of St. Vincent de Paul, a health institution in Sarajevo staffed by religious, was established with support of the Collection.

The second reading this weekend reminds us that our abundance must supply the needs of others.  Jesus became poor, so that we might become rich.  We are called to follow his example by giving of our time, talent, and treasure to help those in need.

Contacting Monsignor J. Robert Romero at his new parish, St. Anthony of Padua in Eunice

Contact information for Monsignor J. Robert Romero at his new parish, St. Anthony of Padua in Eunice:

Msgr. J. Robert Romero
St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
P.O. Box 31
Eunice, La. 70535

Bio of our Seminarian this summer, Alex Albert

Seminarian Alex Albert at Altar Server's Day Mass, Teurlings Catholic High School

Hello St. Landry Church. My name is Alexander Albert and I am the seminarian assigned to your parish for the summer. I just finished my first year at seminary and will be classified as a junior at St. Joseph Seminary College (a.k.a St. Ben’s) this fall.

I grew up in Kenner, La. which is just west of New Orleans. I have two brothers, one older and one younger. My parents are married and live in Semmes, just north of Mobile, Al. They moved there about a year after Katrina hit our home because my mother’s job relocated and offered incentives to pay for moving costs.

As for my education, I went to public school in Kenner until 5th grade, when I transferred to our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School. From there I attended Archbishop Rummel High School. I graduated and went to UL where I majored in Middle School Education for three years. During that time I began to grow in my faith with guidance from Our Lady of Wisdom student center and eventually discerned the call to the priesthood. After finishing my junior year at UL, I transferred into St. Ben’s with enough credits to classify me as a sophomore there. Because Wisdom was so integral to my discernment, I decided to enter under the Diocese of Lafayette with Wisdom as my home parish.

I enjoyed my first year at seminary and should be ordained, God-willing, in about 6 years. I look forward to working in the parish and getting to know the community.

God Bless!

Alex Albert

Short bio of our new pastor, Father James Brady

Father James Brady on his way to the installation mass at St. Landry Catholic Church

Fr. Brady was born in Philadelphia, PA and moved with his family to Pascagoula, MS as a child. He is one of seven children, and his older brother is also a priest serving the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. His father is a permanent deacon. After high school, Fr. Brady attended
Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL and received a degree in accounting in 1987. After college he attended the University of Mississippi School of Law where he received a juris doctorate in 1990 and then moved to Lafayette where he practiced law for 11 years. In 2001 Fr. Brady entered formation for the priesthood and attended Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He was ordained a deacon in January of 2006 and a priest in July of the same year. After ordination, he was assigned to study Canon Law at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and received a degree May of 2009.

Since that time, Fr. Brady has been serving as associate pastor of St. Michael’s Church in Crowley.

BLOG EDITOR'S NOTE: Just as in the parable that showed the good in the Samaritan, we need to be able to embrace our Yankee/Ole Miss new pastor (very big smile). Welcome Father Brady!

Google Background Image

Screen shot of St. Landry Catholic Church themed Google Home Page

If you are a big user of Google and need a background image, download the image here: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuM7HFvAHFU1p4yU0LW-rMldgAL0Orkr4EwbMg7Hohi_hUiwMGVHHsa5faw79OMdFZfGW1Q97ktHcx8zc2QIfMTAFUn-BE2L7-Uox0-adUvlBXAluy2mpPC5phXUbPIl1wuRK_zGdpEDRq/

On the Google Home page, there is a link in the lower left hand corner that allows you to pick an image downloaded to your PC as your image.

Readings and Themes for the Week of June 27, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of June 27, 2010,
Thirteenth Sunday

Reading 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21

Elisha left everything to inherit Elijah's prophetic role.

Psalm 16

“You are my inheritance, O Lord”.

Reading II Galatians 5:1, 13-18

A proper use of freedom includes service to others, motivated by love.

Gospel Luke 9:51-62

Jesus expects us to leave everything to follow him.

THEME:

We are invited to "come follow"

Today’s readings give us examples of ways we can respond to the Lord’s call. Elisha abandons his livelihood and his family to become Elijah’s attendant. The Lord Jesus demands a single-hearted response to the call to follow him. Saint Paul reminds us that when we say “yes” to the Lord, much is demanded of us. Saint Paul tells us that our response is summed up in one statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

To follow Jesus means to do what is right.

During this past week, when did you follow Jesus by doing the right thing you were asked to do, the first time, without an excuse?

Question for Youth:

The people in the story had lots of reasons why they couldn’t follow Jesus.

What makes it hard to be a disciple of Jesus?

Why do you make the choice to follow Jesus even though it is hard?

Question for Adults:

Sometimes we are like the people in the Gospel and have many excuses for why we cannot follow Jesus.

This past week when did you follow Jesus even though you had many excuses not to?

Bulletin Bites
"No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God."

When Elijah calls to Elisha, he hesitated, “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye.” Elijah does not prevent him. Then Elisha kills the team of oxen he was driving, uses the wood of the plow to build a fire to burn their flesh and distributes it to the people and follows Elijah. He detaches himself from everything he previously depended on. Paul tells us, “For freedom Christ set us free.” Christ teaches us to be free from attachment to things of this world. This freedom is not for selfish pursuits, but “to serve one another in love.” Jesus calls us to follow him, but we sometimes hesitate. If we start to follow Jesus but let other attachments distract us, we will never be free to discern God’s will for us and respond in freedom to God for all that he has given to us. What are the attachments in our life that keep us from the true freedom that allows us to follow Christ, without hesitation? Make a list.

Bulletin for the Week of June 27, 2010

The bulletin for the week of June 27, 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.

It's official! Welcome to our new pastor, Father James Brady!

Father James Brady on his way to the installation mass at St. Landry Catholic Church

Today is the official first day of our new pastor, Father James Brady!

Father Brady was installed at the 5 PM Sunday mass at St. Landry Catholic Church. We all want to congratulate him on his assignment here at the Mother Church of St. Landry Parish. We all look forward to working together with him.

Father James Brady, after the installation ceremony, sits in the pastor's chair at St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana

We love you, Monsignor! St. Anthony's is getting a fine priest!

Monsignor J. Robert Romero (center) with his brother Kenneth Wayne Romero (left) and his father Joseph Robert Romero (right)

It's official today. Monsignor J. Robert Romero, our pastor for the last 5 years, is now the pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in Eunice, Louisiana. Monsignor, we all want to thank you for your leadership and your love. Good luck in your new assignment and I feel confident we'll see you as part of your duties as episcopal vicar of the northern region of the Diocese of Lafayette.

Installation of Father James Brady

Installation mass of Father James Brady, celebrant Vicar Monsignor J. Robert Romero, St. Landry Catholic Church. http://yfrog.com/5fc4jnj

Homily for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Homilies are now available to download and listen to!

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

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

The current week's homily is available on a link on the front page of the website next to the link for the current week's bulletin. On the page with the prior bulletins, the corresponding homily will be sitting side by side with its bulletin. We started on the anniversary of the start of the Catholic Church, Pentecost Sunday --- just over one year ago. This week, the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, is our seventy-first podcast 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 Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time homily from St. Landry Catholic Church, Opelousas, Louisiana.

Sunday, June 20, 2010 declared a Day of Prayer for oil spill

 First, I'll post the Archbishop's statement and follow it up with the text from the legislature.

Archbishop Aymond expresses gratitude to legislators, calls on Catholics to pray during the Day of Prayer for the oil spill

 

A statement from Archbishop Gregory Aymond, Diocese of New Orleans

 

We thank the legislators for declaring Sunday a Day of Prayer. This is a public sign of our humble dependence upon God.

Our hearts and prayers go out to those who were killed in the explosion. Likewise we offer prayerful consolation to their families and friends.

 

The oil spill has very challenging affects on many people in our community, especially the fishing industry, oil industry and related works. We also need to be attentive to the impact on our environment and economy.

We ask God to reassure us and to walk with us in this very challenging time. We pray that:

• we may not lose hope,
• we will persevere in tough times,
• we will see God’s compassion and love in these trying circumstances,
• God will lead scientists and engineers to a permanent solution soon,
• we will bear this cross with trust,
• we will reach out in prayer and with financial resources to those whose livelihood and family life have been affected.

The Catholic Church through Catholic Charities will continue to be present to those affected by offering food, counseling and other emergency services now and in the long-term.

 

God never abandons us but walks with us during this challenging time in the history of our state and nation.

From the Louisiana State Legislature:

Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 145

BY SENATORS ADLEY, LONG, NEVERS, ALARIO, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, CHABERT, CHAISSON, CHEEK, CLAITOR, CROWE, DONAHUE, DORSEY, DUPLESSIS, ERDEY, B. GAUTREAUX, N. GAUTREAUX, GUILLORY, HEBERT, HEITMEIER, JACKSON, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, MARIONNEAUX,MARTINY, MCPHERSON, MICHOT, MORRELL, MORRISH, MOUNT, MURRAY, PETERSON, QUINN, RISER, SHAW, SMITH, THOMPSON AND WALSWORTH

A RESOLUTION

To recognize and declare Sunday, June 20, 2010, as a Statewide Day of Prayer for Louisiana and for the population and region surrounding the Gulf of Mexico, in particular those people affected by the environmental and economic disasters that erupted in the aftermath of BP Deepwater Horizon oil leak.

WHEREAS, in times of great distress and need, we, the people of this land, have always turned to private, public, and corporate prayer; and

WHEREAS, a Statewide Day of Prayer provides each of us with a powerful opportunity to humble ourselves before our Almighty God; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of Louisiana are urged to pray for a solution to this crisis, each according to his or her own faith, to pray for God's continued guidance and protection, and to join in the observance of a day of prayer, seeking God's blessings upon both our state and nation; and

WHEREAS, although there exists a great diversity of types of prayer, prayer is always about calling upon God, and prayers woven together through common effort can themselves become an awesome and powerful force; and
WHEREAS, a day of unified, intercessory prayer, by and for those people living throughout the regions around the Gulf of Mexico, to pray for an end to this environmental emergency, sparing us all from the destruction of both culture and livelihood; and

WHEREAS, untold millions of people, not only in regions surrounding the Gulf of Mexico, but throughout the world, will be affected by this event; a crisis that remains unaffected by the efforts of mortal man; and

WHEREAS, we now turn our attention and our prayers to the present circumstances and humble ourselves before Almighty God.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby designate Sunday, June 20, 2010, as a Statewide Day of Prayer for Louisiana and for the population and region surrounding the Gulf of Mexico.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge the citizenry of the state and all people of faith throughout the United States and the world to give personal thanks, each according to his faith, for the blessings we have received, for God's continued guidance during these trying times, and for God's grace to bring an end to the devastation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of Legislature of Louisiana calls upon the people of Louisiana to join each other and the entire community that is linked by the Gulf of Mexico in this unified expression of faith and hope.

PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

A few new photos of the St. Landry Bell

St. Landry Bell, photo by Dr. Richard Harmon

I've just posted a few new photos of the St. Landry Bell, compliments of Dr. Richard Harmon.

Find them here on the website: http://www.stlandrycatholicchurch.org/gallery2/main.php/v/StLandryBell/

Or you can find them at Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/stlandrybell?v=photos#!/album.php?aid=10137&id=100000864409668&ref=pb

Electronic Altar Missals?

Our friend James, over at the Opinionated Catholic, has commented about a new initiative to provide the text of altar missals on the new iPad tablet computer. He comments here and gives references back to another blog here and then back to a news article here. To be clear, the Church isn't going to an electronic missal on the altar any time soon. But there is new software that demonstrates that it is functionally possible.

The person behind the initiative is Father Paolo Padrini, the same person who developed the iBreviary app for the iPhone and iPad, iBreviary Pro, and the Pope's social networking site: http://www.pope2you.net/. The iBreviary Pro app is a wonderful app that I use on my iPhone. It contains the full Liturgy of the Hours, all of the readings for the day's mass, the full missal text including the full order of the mass, and many prayers. It is all available in multiple languages including English and Latin.

For years, I carried my own missal to mass. In the case of weekday masses, I have two small missals depending on what part of the year it is. And I have another missal for Sunday mass. But, once I could access them via my iPhone, I stopped carrying them. I have full access, nice and back lit, right on my iPhone. I can adjust the size of the print for easier reading. And it's _always_ with me. I also make notes to myself on the iPhone during the homily, especially when the homilist references the Catechism and the Compendium. I have copies of each of them on my iPhone as well that I can refer to easily.

I prefer to pray the Liturgy of the Hours using one of the four leather bound volumes that applies to the current day. On occasion, though, I'm later than I planned on business or something comes up that I don't have the leather book with me. Being able to pray that particular hour of the day by using the iPhone in my pocket makes life easy. When you consider that the cost of a set of books to pray the Liturgy of the Hours can be around $150, the free price of iBreviary Pro is very attractive. Also, many laymen learning to pray the Hours are intimidated by having to move the ribbon place markers around within the Liturgy of the Hours in the books to figure out what needs to be prayed. The iBreviary Pro puts everything in order so all you have to do is pray. It's a great way for a layman to get his feet wet and decide to acquire the books ... and it can help teach you how to use the books.

Now, being a layman in the pews utilizing an iPhone or iPad isn't the same as using one on the altar. But there are positives there as well. Being able to adjust the print size can be helpful. It can be on the correct page always without having to flip through the book. Lectionaries and altar missals are large and expensive. Electronic versions can be a lot less expensive. In the case of the new translations of the mass that is coming out in the next year or so, we're waiting on the long ramp up time for publishers. With an electronic reader, the changes could be sent out instantly to electronic missals.

All that being said, one thing James compares this to is the use of wax candles for the liturgy. And there, I think he's touched on an important point. There is something organic about the mass --- in its history and development. Wax candles add to that authenticity and symbolism. Proper chalices and vessels add to that. And I think the richness of a heavy, paper book adds to that as well.

The use of an iPad as a missal reader may have applications. In a "travelling kit", where a priest has small vessels in a case, it might be very functional to use an iPad as the missal. Overall, though, within the context of an established church, I don't see it being the preferred form for a missal.

Father's Role in Family and Society

Some recent studies have demonstrated how important a father is to his child's development. Children with fathers present have a lower rate of delinquency, drug, and alcohol use, teen pregnancy, and so on, than those with absent fathers. The father's presence is also a significant positive factor in children’s getting a college education, finding a satisfying job, and making a lasting marriage. Psychotherapists today are saying that both parents are vitally important to the stable development of their children. The mother's input is invaluable in the formative pre-adolescent years but the father's most important influence is at adolescence. Single mothers tell us that it is terribly difficult to teach their children about the meaning of God the Father, who seems so impersonal because their natural fathers have abandoned their children. Adolescent daughters long to hear from their fathers that they are beautiful and loved. In fact, a girl's choice of partner and satisfaction in marriage is often directly related to the relationship she has had with her father. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the vital importance of the father’s role comes from the fact that he with his wife cooperates with God the Creator in bringing a new human life into the world. There is no power greater than that (#2367). (A few Biblical references to fathers: Genesis 2:24, Exodus 20:12, Ezekiel 19:19-20, Sirach 3:1 16, Matthew 19:16-22, John 1:14, 2 Cor. 6:16-18, Ephesians 6: 1-4, 1 Thess. 2:11

Appreciation from Monsignor J. Robert Romero

Last Sunday’s ‘Thanksgiving and Appreciation party’ was great. I appreciate the love I experienced in so many people. Your kindness is wonderful. I would like to say thanks to all who organized the party and to all who cooked the food and prepared items and who provided the environment. It was such a wonderful graced-filled event. Everything was wonderful. Thank you for your love. I love you, too. I will miss you. I will continue praying for you. May God bless you!

Monsignor J. Robert Romero

Thoughts and Updates from Monsignor J. Robert Romero

Cemetery

I was reminded that it was on June 22, 2005 that Father Gene Tremie and I woke up in two different towns, he in Ville Platte and I in Opelousas - Father Tremie, the 25th Pastor of St. Landry Catholic Church; I the 26th Pastor of St. Landry Catholic Church. Father Tremie coached me on a particular need. After putting a new layer of asphalt on the church parking lot, Father Gene told me that he thought the cemetery roads should be asphalted. I told Father Tremie, “I have never been in St. Landry’s Cemetery.” So the first morning as Pastor, I visited the cemetery. It did not take a rocket scientist to agree, the cemetery needed asphalting. So we were able to get the project accomplished before the Cemetery Tours in October.

I did not realize how much an improvement it made to our historic cemetery. Over the years, as I walked to check things out in the cemetery, I realized how beneficial the asphalting is. Visiting the cemetery is easier and its appearance is more attractive. [The appearance is also enhanced with the refurbishment of the fence on Union Street. This was accomplished in the Fall of 2009.]

Mausoleum

At the same time, I noticed the Mausoleum needed attention. I was able to get someone to give it a good cleaning. But that was not enough. It needed more maintenance. In one section the terrazzo floor sank. The curb was falling off in some places. The roof was leaking. The paint was coming off. It needed a good refurbishment. It took a while, as we experienced hurricanes by the names of Katrina, Rita, and Gustav. I wanted a company to do refurbishment who builds mausoleums. So, we were able to get Architectural Concrete Products, Inc. of Gretna, Louisiana to do it. They work for Acme Mausoleum Company. Architectural Concrete is the only company in Louisiana with the specialty to build mausoleums. They did a very good job in refurbishment. The total cost of the project was $31,200. We paid $26,792.30 and borrowed $4,407.70 to complete the payment.

Property and Liability Insurance

Now you may think I am a little cheap. I am conscious of the fact that we need $39,000 to pay the Property and Liability Insurance in July. At this time we have a little over this amount in savings. I am not complaining. I just make a point, income and expenses are not always on the same page. It is not unlike many people’s personal finances. We have to put aside for some bills and wait to pay other bills. The church survives financially from Sunday’s to Sunday’s collection. Many people survive from pay check to pay check. Many of us depend on God from week to week. Our church buildings are big. So our Insurance reflects our condition.

Valentin Hall

Now let me update in regard to Valentin Hall. This is the old convent built in the 1950’s. We use it as our Office and Family Life Center. It is a strong building. It is a beautiful building. Over time, repainting was done inside the building. This winter, with the severe winter, we began work in the cemetery later than usual. We used the time to continue repainting. We repainted two halls, and the east room (yellow room) and the north room (green room). As we continued, we noticed moisture was coming through the walls. We stopped painting in the north room, thinking we should stop painting until we correct the moisture coming through the walls.

So as Father Tremie coached me about the cemetery roads, I now coach Father Brady about Valentin Hall. Contractor and consulting architect advise we begin with the roof and facia repairs at the same time. I also think that we should do water sealing of the bricks so it is complete. This will be difficult for us to do financially as our Property and Liability Insurance takes up most of our savings. We are advised that while the shingles on the roof are asbestos, (at this time) the rules of abatement for roofs are not as complicated as other asbestos abatement. Valentin Hall and the car garage are both in need of attention. This is going to be one of Father Brady’s concerns.

Hearing Assistance

Some parishioners tell me they sometimes have difficulty hearing at mass. We recently installed a special broadcasting device that uses the airwaves to broadcast what is said and sung in church. It is like a radio for inside church. To benefit from this hearing assistance, one needs a receiver with ear pieces. Some who tried this hearing assistance found it helpful, some did not. As we get receivers, we will let parishioners know. The receiver will need to be purchased by the person who will use it and be responsible for replacing the battery in the receiver. The cost of the receiver is to be announced.

Other Items

Now other items were accomplished, namely: We improved our air conditioning in church with a new compressor. We beautified the liturgy with new altar server’s vestments. We refurbished some church vessels. We installed a new bell management software. We have a Father Lafleur shrine in church and monument in front of church. We have a new church website with the weekly bulletin and Sunday homily. We are on facebook and twitter. We have a Father Lafleur website. We did some painting in the rectory but more attention needs to be done. We began a parish outreach ministry, ministry fair, and International Dinner. An item that is still on-going is the work Mr. Lee LeJeune is doing indexing our sacramental records and checking the quality of our digital copies of these records. When he completes the project, we will be more effective in using computers to do archival research.

Our Greatest Resource

Our greatest resource is our parishioners. I find we have great parishioners who are dedicated and talented. We have parishioners who are very spiritual and who are very alive with God. However, we may be working on legacy and not on reality. We are no longer a church parish with 2,000 plus families. We are a smaller church parish whose parishioners number around 800 families. We give around 500 communions a weekend. With our large church building, we are spreading ourselves as a congregation too thin. The 5:00 p.m. mass is attended by a vast majority of non-parishioners from whom we have difficulty finding altar servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers of communion and musicians. There are not many parishioners attending this mass. We have a strong need for our parishioners to know each other and to appreciate each other. We are a small integrated congregation who is spread out among four masses and who is busy with life. [When we divide 800 families by 4 masses we have 200 families per mass, in a big church building.] Even young families with both parents working have a difficult time organizing their family life with church. If we can continue inviting and welcoming, we may see growth in our church life. Let us continue reaching out to each other and seek to grow in the love of Jesus Christ.

Please Keep Growing

Keep coming to Christ as He calls us to deeper conversion of life and to greater love of Him and neighbor, to greater love with each other. Let us follow Jesus’ Way and become parishioners of whom people say of us, “See how they love each other.”

PRAYER

Almighty God, you made St. Landry an outstanding exemplar of Divine love and faith that conquers the world and added him to the role of saintly pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may persevere in faith and love, and become sharers with St. Landry in your glory. We ask this through Christ Lord. Amen.

Readings and Themes for the Week of June 20, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of June 20, 2010,
Twelfth Sunday

Reading I Zechariah 12:10-11, 13:1

He was pierced for our sins.

Psalm 63

“My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God”.

Reading II Galatians 3:26-29

We are children of God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel Luke 9:18-24

Take up the cross.

THEME:

Filled with the Holy Spirit, John the Baptist spread the good news of Jesus

We take up again the Sunday-by-Sunday reading through the Gospel according to Luke that was interrupted by Lent and Eastertime. We find ourselves at a great crescendo in the Gospel as Peter identifies Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus throws cold water on this declaration of faith by reminding the disciples about the Messiah’s sorrowful fate. And the followers of the Messiah must share this fate.

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

How can you follow the example of John the Baptist and tell others about Jesus this week?

Question for Youth:

John the Baptist was sent ahead to prepare people for Jesus’ message.

How does your life, including your words and actions, help others to know what it means to be a follower of Jesus?

Question for Adults:

What can you do this week to spread the good news about Jesus?

Bulletin Bites
"But who do you say I am?"

Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am”? They respond with several names or possibilities. Then Jesus asked, “But who you say that I am”? Now the question is personal. To answer they must reveal what is in their heart and head.

Peter said, “You are the Messiah of God”. That took great faith and courage.

The implications were enormous: Jesus wastes no time in bluntly telling them that the “Son of Man” was going to suffer, be rejected by the authorities: killed and rise on the third day.” Jesus leaves nothing to the imagination. Then he adds what his closest friends were most afraid to hear:

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me”. We may be relieved that we were not present with Jesus two thousand years ago. But Jesus is present with us today—in the Eucharist, in His Church. He asks each of us, “Who do you say that I am”?

How do you answer him? Are we willing to accept the consequences?