Second Street GazetteEst.1728 Sun., Dec. 29, 2013, edition The Feast of the Holy Family Vol. 285 No. 53 merry christmas & happy new year!
children gave when Fourth, ask the Lord to reveal he asked why they some virtue or behavior for you BASILIC OR A had done something to pursue. Fifth, ask the Lord N O of the The MinorI BasilicaF was, "I don't know." to provide direction, insight ImmaculateM Conception T and strength to pursue that E H Even as adults, most 145H Church StreetE of us struggle to act good thing. Sixth and finally, T Natchitoches, LA 71457 with deliberation. use every natural gift at your disposal to grow in that virtue. [email protected] We are motivated I by all manner (Can you tell St. Ignatius was M minorbasilica.org N of things from a soldier? And maybe a little M@minor_basilica O I OCD?) The method is still A #mbic T emotion to reason C P U E to our limited hailed 500 years later as the L C (318)352-3422ATE CON understanding height of practical spirituality. of any one Whether we choose to circumstance. employ the method of St. God is not limited, “But you, man of God, pursue Ignatius or not, if our choices and so, everything He righteousness, devotion, faith, are to truly be placed at the does, He does deliberately. love, patience, and gentleness. service of the Lord, they must Compete well for the faith. If we are to seek after Our be increasingly deliberate. Lay hold of eternal life, to God, we must endeavor to act One cannot give what one does which you were called.“ with deliberation. We must not possess. It is only when I can direct my actions that I The power Christ gives pursue righteousness, devotion, can direct them to the Lord! us is for something... It’s not faith, love, patience and merely power gentleness. Very Rev. Ryan Humphries for it’s own sake. “If our choices are to truly We can't Father Rector Take a moment be placed at the service simply trust to consider that of the Lord, they must be those things Rev. Mr. John Whitehead increasingly deliberate. to appear striking reality... Reverend Deacon Christ does not One cannot give what by magic or merely give one does not possess." coincidence. Tommy Myrick gifts, talents, St. Ignatius Director of Sacred Liturgy blessings, crosses or graces of Loyola advised willy nilly! No, He is God all Catholics to use a Ashley Hebert and God is always deliberate! basic method. First, he Director of Evangelization Comedian Bill Cosby used to said, find a quiet place. Susan Chesal make that distinction between Second, enter into the Office Manager adults and children. Children, presence of God by simple he said, acted as if nothing prayer. Third, consider Dennis Thompson had inspired their decisions. some scripture passage Director of Campus The most common answer his or mystery of faith. parish NEWS NO CCD, JAN. 1st PARISH OFFICE'S Instead, students should attend Mass in HOLIDAY SCHEDULE observance of the Holy Day of Obligation. Those Mass times are listed below. The Parish Office will CLOSE for the holidays NEW YEARS' DAY IS A Friday, Dec. 20th @ Noon HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION New Years’ Day is also the “Solemnity of and will re-open The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God.” Monday, Jan. 6th @ 8a. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. Our usual Holy Day Mass schedule is a Vigil Mass the night ~ before (Tue, 12/31) at 6p & two Masses on Within those two weeks, the day of obligation (Wed, 1/1) at 6:30a & the office will only be OPEN on 6p. Please make every effort to attend and to consecrate the new year to Our Lord! Monday, Dec. 23rd • 8a-Noon and JANUARY 10th IS A Monday, Dec. 30th • 8a-4p. BASILICAN FEAST DAY Friday, Jan. 10th, is the Anniversary of the Elevation of the Minor Basilica. A Plenary FIRST FRIDAY & Indulgence has been extended by the Holy FIRST SATURDAY Father for our Church. An additional Mass The First Friday & Saturday of each month are of indulgence has been added on Saturday, kept in honor of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Jan. 11th, as part of the town's Tri-Centennial The usual on Adoration on First Friday begins after morning events. 6:30a Mass Fri(1/10) & the additional on Mass and continues until Benediction at 5:15p. 10a Mass Sat(1/11) Sign-up at the back of the Church if you can will both end with the proper prayers for All are welcome! watch with the Lord for an hour. First Saturday the Plenary Indulgence. Mass and Benediction are at the usual time, 8a. **The 8a Mass on Sat(1/11) will not offer indulgences.**
WITHIN the SANCTUARY Sat,12/28 - 4pm Mike Bouchie, (Lector) • Elaine Bacon, David Bouchie, Nita Maggio, Michael Yankowski, (EMHC) • D.Bennet, J.Friedel, (Altar Boys) Sun,12/29 - 9am Rebecca Lavespere, (Lector) • Jeff & Carol Green, John Cunningham, (EMHC) • T.Hare, M.Vienne, Jr., P.Vienne, (Altar Boys) 11am Joe Payne Williams, (Lector) • Chris & Jennifer Maggio, Lucile Ingram, (EMHC) • S.Maggio, W.Lee, C.Fisher, (Altar Boys) Sat,1/4 - 4pm Levi Thompson, (Lector) • Kathleen Hicks, Mickey Hennigan, Jimmy Gunter, Carl Henry, (EMHC) • M.Thibodaux, D.Thibodaux, J.Thibodaux, (Altar Sun,1/5 - 9am Karen Apponey, (Lector) • Michael King, Alyssa Odom, Emelda Odom, (EMHC) • R.Cunningham, R.Cunningham, A.Behrendsen, (Altar Boys) 11am John Laborde, (Lector) • Linda Lee, Barbara Laborde, Patsy Melder, (EMHC) • S.Maggio, V.Maggio, D.Thompson, (Altar Boys) Insights from Second Street Families are messy. The German Philosopher Martin Heidegger used a phrase to describe life, he said it was dasein - "thrown in." That's how families work. People who would not necessarily be compatible are thrown in together and find in their difference a kind of unity amidst the drama and discord and frustration. One of the main causes of divorce in our country nowadays is the simple fact that people are unwilling to accept the fact that families are messy by design! God gives us trial and frustration and difficulty as a blessing... as a way of attaining salvation!
As with all things related to salvation, it's a cross... It's hard! It's unpleasant at times... It's also necessary! Without taking up our cross, we cannot get to heaven! And - let's be honest - given the choice, most of us are not going to voluntarily take up our cross. Families are built in order to make us realize our own limitations and weaknesses. They are also built to teach us what happiness, joy and love can be.
It's not particularly impressive to love someone with whom we are completely compatible... Think about it... If every single thing about my spouse were a perfect match for me, loving that spouse wouldn't be heroic - it wouldn't even be impressive! It's only when love becomes sacrificial that it becomes heroic! Loving a cooing baby is easy; loving a pooping baby is not! Loving a spouse who is trying to woo me is easy; loving a spouse who is demanding their way is not! Families are meant to be exactly what they are... They are beautiful and exhausting and dysfunctional and chaotic and joyful and fulfilling and holy!
As we look at our family experience, we must remember that none of us need some kind of perfect utopia - that's a recipe for damnation! What we need are opportunities for heroic virtue... And I imagine every one of us can bring to mind a brother or an aunt or a cousin who is a big, giant, annoying, frustrating, bothersome,
The Jargon... By: Fr. Ryan Consecration is the religious practice of beings need markers and sign posts. We need "setting something apart" or making it holy. to know from where we've come and to where We consecrate those things which may well be we're going. Otherwise, we will find ourselves worldly by their nature, but which we desire spinning our wheels. We need the kind of time to put at the sole service of God. On January that goes forward from past to future (in Greek 1, every Catholic may receive a plenary "Chronos") and that kind of time that cycles in indulgence for consecrating the new year to weeks and months (in Greek "Kairos"). We need the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate to reorient ourselves in life on a regular basis Heart of Mary. There are formal prayers and new years are ideal times to do that. That's which can be said - but the process is simple: why the Church is careful to establish several kneel down, take a moment of quiet and tell seasons which allow us to have new beginnings the Lord that you want this new year to be a throughout the year. We have Advent and time of special grace. Tell Him that you are Christmas, Lent, Easter and Pentecost, and Ordinary Time to allow us to set aside a few consecrating yourself to Him in a new way weeks or months at a time for the Lord. That's this year and that you intend to be nearer to not by accident, nor is it some random invention eternal life at this time next year... Then, make of psychology. The Church year is wonderfully a good confession and receive Holy Communion human in that it moves forward and it cycles. at the Mass for the Holy Day of Obligation It is a true gift and one that as a parish we (remember, Jan. 1 is a Holy Day of Obligation). must receive. There's more to say, but for now, The practice is a good one because we human let this new year be a time for consecration. Extra! Extra! Please Holy Mass Please remember to pray pray for M-F 6:30am for the recently departed. our sick & Sat 8am & 4pm Sun 9am & 11am & 5pm ∼ suffering: May the souls of the faithful Lolette Allen, Lauren Confessions departed, through the mercies of Bienvenu, Mark 30 mins before weekday Masses God, rest in peace. Amen. Birch, Bill Boone, 45 mins before “Sunday” Masses Tripp Bostick, Chad Bouchie, Flo In Case of an Emergency for Pope Francis’ Prayer Brouillette, Bailey the Seriously Ill & Dying Intentions for DecEMBER: Byrd, Carolyn (318)542-3316 That children who are victims of Carter, Emilia Cofio, abandonment or violence may find Kim Cunningham, Office Hours the love and protection they need. Lela Mae Dalme, M-Th 8am-4pm And that Christians, enlightened by Joe Davis, John Fri 8am-Noon the Word incarnate, may prepare DeFee, Marguerite
Felchle, Alma
humanity for the Savior's coming. Fernandez, Tom [ Foshee, Reba Friday, For the week of Vicki Gahagan, In Memoriam [ December 29th: Lillian Giering, (For the week of December 29th) Sophie Gill, Joyce Hayne, Deborah G. Sat 4p: Samuel R. Maggio SANCTUARY Hernandez, Sue Van 5:30p: Janell deVargas CANDLE: Hook, Kalita Jones, Sun 9a: Pro Populo In Memory of Pam Kerry, Mary Keyser, Paul Keyser, 11a: Richard Ragland Daniel Chesal Martha LaCaze, 5p: Daniel Chesal By: David & Susan Daniel Laroux, Chesal Jaden Eli Lodridge, Mon 6:30a: Brennan Manning Joseph Longo, Lisa Tue 6:30a: Buddy Masson Mack, Faris Michael, Meg Michael, 6p: Helen Bostick * Sanctuary Lacey Mitchum, Wed 6:30a: Dora Jeansonne Fr. Joe Montalbano, Flowers may be Mary Moss, Shane 6p: John Boudreaux offered in memory Niette, Mary Odom, Thu 6:30a: Mae Desidier of a loved one by Sharon Roach, Wes Rollo, Makaehan Fri 6:30a: Buster Gordy contacting the Ross, Shirley Roy, Sat 8a: Mr. & Mrs. Benton office. Amanda Rozman, R. Vernon, Jr. Joseph Ryan, Donna Slaughter, Brent Trichel, Billie WITHIN the SANCTUARY (Solemnity of the BVM) Vercher, Ruthie J. Wallboughly, Tue,12/31 - 6pm Kathleen Hicks, (Lector) • P.Vienne, M.Vienne, Jr., (Altar Boys) Tyler Ward, Wed,1/1 - 6pm Gilen Norwood, (Lector) • J.Burrell, (Altar Boys) Jessica Warner, & Janine Waters
* This page is kept loose for your convenience. Please post it in your home & pray for us. Sunday Collection: $8,880 Thank you for your generous return to the Lord
A PRAYER FOR PROTECTION PARISH EVENTS Sat, 12/28 O My God, I adore Thee and I love Thee Additional Saturday evening Mass with all my heart. I thank Thee for having 5:30p @ St. Mary's School created me, for having made me a Catholic Tue, 12/31 and for having watched over me this day. Holy Day of Obligation VIGIL Pardon me for the evil I have done this Feast of Mary, Mother of God @ 6p day; and if I have done any good, deign to Wed, 1/1 accept it. Watch over me while I take my Holy Day of Obligation rest and deliver me from danger. May Thy Feast of Mary, Mother of God 6:30a & 6p grace be always with me. Amen. Wed, 1/1 NO CCD Classes Pope.Quote...... Instead, students should attend HDO Mass Fri, 1/3 “The faithful have a right to a true First Friday Devotions Liturgy, which means the Liturgy Sat, 1/4 desired and laid down by the Church.... First Saturday Devotions Undue experimentation, changes and Fri, 1/10 Basilican Feast Day creations bewilder the faithful. The use Anniversary of the Elevation of the Minor Basilica 6:30a of unauthorized texts means a loss of Sat, 1/11 the necessary connection between the Basilican Feast Day Anniversary of the Elevation of the Minor Basilica 10a lex orandi and the lex credendi. The Mon, 1/20 Second Vatican Council's admonition Martin Luther King Day in this regard must be remembered: NO School & Parish Office CLOSED ‘No person, even if he be a priest, Mon-Fri, 1/27-1/31 Catholic School's Week may add, remove, or change anything Sun, 2/2 in the liturgy on his own authority.’” Blessing of Throats in Honor of St. Blaise ~ Blessed Pope John Paul II