THE CONFESSOR a Publication of St

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THE CONFESSOR A Publication of St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church VOLUME 30, NUMBER 5 www.steddy.org MAY 2020 Parish News World Day of Prayer for Vocations Good Shepherd Sunday (May 3), also Archbishop Aymond has appointed Fr. Seiler as pastor known as the World Day of Prayer for of St. Genevieve Parish in Slidell. Fr. Joseph Man Tran, Vocations, is a day each year when we pray currently pastor of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in with extra concern that God will send more River Ridge, will be the new pastor here at St. Edward. laborers into His harvest. We keep in prayer These changes will take effect on Wednesday, July 1. and express our support for those clergy,

religious and consecrated seculars who are closest to us in St. Edward Church is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. our parish: Fr. Gerald Seiler; Fr. Kevin DeLerno; Deacon Confessions are available at 5 p.m. Monday through Steve Koehler; Deacon Tim Meaut; Sister Julia Stump, Friday and at 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Sister Elizabeth Hebert and Sister Loan Nguyen.

Visit our website at www.steddy.org for a video of our Prayer for Vocations daily private Masses celebrated for the intentions of our O Holy Spirit, Spirit of wisdom and divine love, impart parishioners. your knowledge, understanding, and counsel to all that Additionally, WLAE TV broadcasts daily Mass from they may know the vocation wherein they can best serve St. Louis Cathedral each weekday at 12:05 p.m. and on God. Give them courage and strength to follow God’s holy Sundays at 11 a.m. EWTN also broadcasts Masses each will. Guide their uncertain steps, strengthen their day at 7 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. resolutions, shield their chastity, fashion their minds, conquer their hearts, and lead them to the vineyards where Please continue to support your Church. During this they will labor in God’s holy service. Amen. challenging time, your contribution envelopes may either be mailed in or placed in the Parish Center mail slot. Thank you for your continued generosity. Let Our Adoration Never Cease!

Due to the coronavirus, all parish and school events Although life is different now and many things have have been cancelled until further notice. Check our changed, some things never change. God’s love is website frequently for updated information: constant and unending! St. Paul urged the men of Athens www.steddy.org that “they should seek God, in the hope that they might You may also visit the Archdiocese of New Orleans feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from any of website at: us, for in him we live and move and have our https://clarionherald.org/following-coronavirus being.” (Acts 17:28) Although our adoration chapel has had to close until Although the Parish Center is closed until further further notice, our prayers need not stop and our love for notice, our staff continues to monitor the phone message Him who died for us should never cease. God has allowed line. You may call the office (888-0703) and leave a this time of our being stripped of many things that message. preoccupy us. He calls us to stop, “be still and know that The adoration chapel is also closed until further notice. He is God.” (Psalm 46:10) Let us all use our time wisely. As many of us are learning to reach out to be present to our friends and family through the technology of Zoom or Facetime, you are also invited to “SEE” Jesus through live streaming adoration! If you are online, you can go to www.virtualadoration.home.blog or go to EWTN Adoration. Gather your family and join in a quiet holy hour before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and let Him anchor you in greater faith, hope and trust. Peace be with May 10 all of you!

Introducing Formed.org, an online service of- Order of St. Louis Medallion fering Catholic books, audio talks, movies, documentaries and studies. Let’s make the most of your time at home to Awards Ceremony Postponed better understand, live and share our faith! This service is The Archdiocese of New Orleans’ Order of provided to you as a St. Edward parishioner at no charge. St. Louis Medallion awards ceremony, Register yourself for access with these 4 easy steps: previously scheduled in May, has been postponed. Once it is rescheduled we will ***Go to www.formed.org; click Sign Up; select "I publish the names of the St. Edward belong to a parish or organization" parishioners who will receive this award honoring their **Select your parish: Enter zip code 70001 and select years of dedicated service to our parish. St. Edward the Confessor from the dropdown menu **Register with your name and email address.

St. Edward the Confessor Parish Prayer 2021 Confirmation Registration Heavenly Father, we praise and thank High school juniors and seniors wishing to You for calling us to be Your people. receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at Pour down Your grace and mercy upon our parish. St. Edward in 2021 must register by making Send Your Spirit to renew us an appointment with Trevor Huster, the Director of and open our hearts to Your will. Religious Education. The deadline for registration is Bring us together; make us one family in You. Monday, August 31.

Lord Jesus, we offer and consecrate In preparation for this sacrament, all candidates must our beloved parish to Your Sacred Heart, participate in classes, a retreat, service hours and an through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our Mother. interview. To make an appointment, or for further information, please contact Trevor Huster at 888-0703 or We, the people of St. Edward the Confessor Parish, by email at [email protected]. acknowledge that You and Your Church are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Forgive us our sins and help us to forgive others. We reject the empty promises of the world. Become a Catechist

Lord, it is You we choose to serve. Approximately 50 children in 1st through 11th grades will sign up at St. Edward this fall to learn more about We pray for our priests, deacons, and religious; Jesus and the Catholic faith. Catechists are needed to help for our school and parish ministries; young students learn and grow in the Catholic faith. As for our families, our youth, catechists nurture the faith of our young, they learn and the sick, the lonely and the elderly. grow as well! All instructions and materials are provided We pray for the needs of all our parishioners for you. Average class sizes range from 6 to 12 students. and for our own special intentions. (pause) As one long-time catechist put it, “I learn so much from the children!” Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make our hearts like Yours! Classes are held once per week (on Mondays from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m.), begin on August 12 and end in May. If you St. Edward the Confessor, pray for us. would like to explore the possibility of becoming a catechist, please contact Trevor Huster, our Director of Saint Michael the Archangel, Religious Education, at 888-0703 or [email protected].

defend us in battle. The teaching of Jesus is that we possess things in order Be our protection against the wickedness to be of service to others, and by serving others, we serve And snares of the devil; our Heavenly Father. When we reach out to help someone May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; in need, we feel good inside. It is the Christian Way. It is And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, also joyful, and the Holy Spirit is at work in us. We then by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and discover the wonderful truth that it is in giving that we all evil spirits who prowl about the world receive. seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Social Justice - Respect Life Respect Life Contest Winners The respect life art contest entries were on exhibit in the cafeteria in March. All art depicted a pro-life message and showed the creativity and talents of each artist. Winners (art pictured at left) were: Laila Hoang (1st Place), Gabriella Romero (2nd Place), and Isabella Gibson (3rd Place). Honorable mention were Madison Adams, Addison Kirkpatrick, Kayleigh Jollands and Alaina Coleman. Thanks to all for participating. 1st Place—Laila Hoang

SPIRITUAL ADOPTION PROGRAM Developing Spiritually Adopted Baby Well, your little baby now weighs six ounces. He has fingernails and eyelashes. He has his own unique fingerprints, which will remain the same until he dies. His taste buds are working. His sense of hearing is developing and present at 14 weeks. There are no major developments anymore. Your spiritually adopted baby is already well-formed, internally and externally. All he needs now is time to gain weight and grow strong. What a miracle he is!

2nd Place: Gabriella Romero Sacred Heart Home Enthronement Promises of Jesus for souls devoted to His Sacred Heart: Fifth Promise: I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings. For more information on enthroning your home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, contact Yvette Fouchi at 874-9225.

Holy Spirit Novena 3rd Place: Isabella Gibson The first novena to the Holy Spirit took place in the Upper Room between the Ascension and Pentecost Sunday, with the Blessed Mother and the Apostles and ALUMNI NEWS disciples who were gathered there. Our world today is in dire need of an outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Please join Thomas “TJ” Burgess ‘20 recently our parish community in preparation for the Feast of received the Judy Stewart Social Justice Pentecost, and pray the Holy Spirit Novena with us Award at Brother Martin. Recipients, following all Masses beginning Friday, May 22 nominated by their classmates, are through Saturday, May 30. Copies will be available in caring and selfless students who embody back of church. the ideals of Brother Martin’s Charism If Masses are still cancelled because of the coronavirus and social justice. Congratulations TJ! situation, the novena may be prayed privately.

St. Edward the Confessor Church NONPROFIT ORG. Month of May Recalls 4921 West Metairie Avenue U.S. POSTAGE Special Devotion to Mary Metairie, LA 70001 PAID METAIRIE, LA As the Church continues to bask in the glory of the RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED PERMIT NO. 615 Easter season, rejoicing in the resurrection of our Lord, while eagerly looking toward Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit, it is fitting that we also enter into a month Act of Spiritual Communion traditionally devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Some, who largely misunderstand Catholic devotion to My Jesus, I believe that You are present our Blessed Mother, might consider such a focus on her in in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You this month curious. After all, they might claim, doesn’t above all things, and I desire to receive that attention distract us from God—in Father, Son and You into my soul. Holy Spirit? By reflecting on Mary’s place in our lives Since I cannot at this moment and in our faith, however, we cannot help but be directed receive You sacramentally, back to God. come at least spiritually into my heart. To see one of God’s most vibrant examples of this, we I embrace You as if You were already there and look back, not to Easter but to Advent. Consider the unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. On Mary’s to be separated from You. arrival, the baby in the womb of the previously barren Amen Elizabeth leaps for joy. From within the womb, St. John the Baptist recognized Christ’s presence within the body of His Blessed Mother and John began his own ministry proclaiming the coming of the Lord by leaping in joy. Even at this earliest point, it was clear that through Mary the faithful can most readily recognize and reach her Son — the Son who is God. Through Mary, we have one of our most direct and personal connections to our Lord. Indeed, rather than distracting us from Jesus, as Saint John Paul II so often put it, by honoring the Mother, GENERAL PARISH INFORMATION we cannot help but reach the Son. PARISH STAFF In the coming month, focus on your devotion to Mary Pastor: Rev. Gerald L. Seiler, Jr. and her uniquely special connection to Jesus. Perhaps Parochial Vicar: Rev. Kevin T. DeLerno Deacons: Steven J. Koehler make an effort this month to pray the Rosary. Timothy G. Meaut So as we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day on May 10, School Principal: Dr. Thomas E. Becker, Jr. let us not forget to remember and honor our Blessed Director of Religious Ed.: Trevor D. Huster

Mother in this special month. ADDRESSES , TELEPHONES AND E-MAIL Parish Office: 4921 West Metairie Ave. Metairie, LA 70001-4466 (504) 888-0703; (504) 455-5443 FAX KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS E-mail: [email protected] Parish Website: www.steddy.org The Knights of Columbus free throw contest winners— School: 4901 West Metairie Ave. these St. Edward students won at the district level and are Metairie, LA 70001-4496 going on to state—Jacob Zavala and Brandt Frey. (504) 888-6353; (504) 456-0960 FAX Congratulations! E-mail: [email protected] School website: www.steddyschool.com

SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE Vigil (Saturdays) at 4 p.m.

Sundays at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 noon and 4:30 p.m.

WEEKDAY MASS SCHEDULE Mondays through Fridays at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturdays at 8:30 a.m.

Holy Days of Obligation follow special schedules. See weekly bulletin.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Saturdays at 2:30 p.m., Sundays at 4 p.m., Monday through Friday at 5 p.m., and by appointment.

THE CONFESSOR The deadline is 9 a.m. on the first Monday of each month. Send information to Joanna Whitcomb ([email protected]).