CHURCH TODAY Volume XLVII, No. 8 www.diocesealex.org Serving the Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana Since 1970 August 15, 2016 O N T H E INSIDE Sorry we’re late! The August issue of the Church Today was printed and ready for shipping last Monday by our printer in Baton Rouge when the flood waters came. The shipment was ruined and we had to find another printer. Thank you Natchitoches Times for your professional quick service! Should women be ordained deacons? Pope Francis has appointed a 12-member panel of six men and six women to discuss the is- sue of ordaining women to the di- aconate. How do you feel about that? Read more on page 2. Group of local students attend World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland Back Four students and one Our Lady of Sorrows sister from the Diocese of Alexandria traveled 2 halfway across the world July School! 26-30 to attend World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. Read more about their inspiring adventure PRE-K STUDENTS and use brand new colors and markers to and the pictures they brought draw a picture on the first day of school at St. Mary Assumption School in Cottonport. More than 2,755 back to share. See pages 12-13. students are enrolled in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Alexandria for the 2016-17 school year. PAGE 2 CHURCH TODAY AUGUST 15, 2016 Pope Francis names 12-member panel to study women deacons VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- its report, issued in 2002, did not for the church.” She said she Pope Francis has appointed six offer recommendations for the knew some of the people named men and six women to a commis- future, it concluded that biblical to the commission but was not sion to study the issue of women deaconesses were not the same as familiar with their writings on deacons, particularly their minis- ordained male deacons. women in the diaconate. try in the early church. In June, Pope Francis told “The theological question In addition to the 12 mem- reporters that he had asked Car- isn’t whether women were or- bers named Aug. 2, the pope dinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of dained (in the early church), but tapped Archbishop Luis Ladaria the doctrinal congregation, and rather whether women can be Ferrer, secretary of the Congrega- Sister Carmen Sammut, president ordained as deacons. The church tion for the Doctrine of the Faith, of the superiors’ group, to suggest has stated definitively that wom- to serve as president of the com- scholars to include in the study en cannot be ordained as priests. mission. group. The church has always left the The pope set up the com- At least one of the members question of restoring women to mission at the request of the In- Pope Francis named to the com- the diaconate as open,” she told ternational Union of Superiors mission -- U.S. scholar Phyllis CNS Aug. 2. General, the organization for the Zagano -- has written extensively “It appears to me that this is leaders of women’s religious or- on the role of women deacons an opportunity for the church to ders around the world. Meeting in the early church, arguing that discuss whether women can be the group in May, Pope Francis they were ordained ministers and restored to the ordained diacon- said that while his understanding WOMEN DEACONS? Phyllis Zagano, a senior research associate in the reli- that women can be ordained dea- ate,” she said. was that the women described as gion department at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., is seen in her office cons today. Zagano is a senior Another U.S. scholar also is deacons in the New Testament Aug. 2. Zagano, who has written extensively on the subject of women dea- research associate in the religion among the 12 commission mem- were not ordained as male dea- cons, is one of six women appointed by Pope Francis to a 13-person “Com- department at Hofstra University bers: Augustinian Father Robert cons are today, “it would be use- mission to Study the Women’s Diaconate.” (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz) in Hempstead, New York. Dodaro, president of the Pontifi- ful for the church to clarify this Zagano told Catholic News cal Augustinian Institute in Rome question.” Service she learned of the ap- and a professor of patristic theol- The International Theologi- vises the doctrinal congregation, deacons in a study on the diacon- pointment through emails from ogy specializing in the works of cal Commission, a body that ad- included the question of women ate almost 20 years ago. While friends and that she was “happy St. Augustine. Lafayette priest arrested on 500 counts of child pornography The pastor of St. Bernard Ro- ence that he takes the accusations That there have been no prior and placed Broussard on leave as suspected child pornography man Catholic Church in Breaux seriously and believed the dio- complaints against Broussard soon as he learned of the arrest on were identified on the computer, Bridge was arrested July 27 on cese had to respond quickly. does not necessarily mean there Wednesday. according to State Police. 500 counts of possessing child “As we know in our society, is no problem, he said. State Police said the inves- Deshotel said he knew few pornography, images believed to child pornography is a plague, “This kind of an illness tigation began earlier this month details about the investigation but have been found when he brought and it runs the gamut of all strata hides itself in a person. We don’t when investigators received a believes it began when a com- his personal computer in for re- of society, and it is something that know,” Deshotel said. complaint that a computer Brous- puter technician found the im- pairs, according to the Diocese of has to be addressed right at the Deshotel said he first learned sard had access to contained im- ages after Broussard brought his Lafayette and State Police. beginning as soon as it is known,” of the investigation Tuesday, ages of child pornography. personal computer to a shop for The Rev. F. David Brous- Deshotel said. when he met with State Police, More than 500 images of repair. sard, who also oversees St. Ber- nard School, has been placed on administrative leave pending FORMER SOCIAL SECURITY JUDGE the investigation, said Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel. Deshotel said Broussard, 50, PETER J. LEMOINE has served as pastor at St. Ber- Social Security Disability Law nard for two years and has served as a priest for 23 years. Offices in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Cottonport The bishop said there have Adjunct Professor (1994-1997), Northwestern State University been no previous complaints in- volving child pornography or MEMBER: Louisiana State Bar Association, American Bar Association, sexual abuse against Broussard. Baton Rouge Bar Association, Avoyelles Parish Bar Association, National Organization of Social Security Claimant Representatives, “Never any complaints to Legal Services for Purposes of Disability Committee (Louisiana State any of us from anyone. In fact Bar Association). he was a much loved pastor, the irony is a very loved man in the PUBLISHED ARTICLES: “The Worn-Out Worker Rule Revisited,” parish,” Deshotel said. “... “No “Significant Work-Related Limitations of Function Under 12.05C,” complaints have been made that “Questionable Retirement and the Small Business Owner,” “Crisis of ∲ anything physical or any kind of Confidence: The Inadequacies of Vocational Evidence Presented at Social Security Disability Hearings.” physical abuse occurred.” But Deshotel, who was named bishop earlier this year, said at a Wednesday news confer- 318-876-3174 AUGUST 15, 2016 CHURCH TODAY PAGE 3 Pope shocked by murder of priest during Mass in France By Cindy Wooden “become apostles of the civiliza- Catholic News Service tion of love.” Msgr. Olivier Ribadeau Du- (CNS) -- The murder of a mas, secretary-general of the priest in northern France, taken French bishops’ conference, also hostage with a handful of other was in Krakow for World Youth faithful during a weekday morn- Day. He told media: “We know ing Mass July 26, is another act now they were both terrorists.” of “absurd violence” added to too “We believe that evil and many stories of senseless vio- violence will not have the upper lence and death, said a Vatican hand, and all the French bishops spokesman. share this opinion,” he said. Pope Francis was informed Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vati- about the hostage situation at the can secretary of state, sent a mes- church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rou- sage of condolence to Archbishop vray near Rouen and the murder Lebrun. The cardinal said Pope of 85-year-old Father Jacques Francis was “particularly upset Hamel, said Jesuit Father Federi- that this act of violence took place co Lombardi, Vatican spokesman. in a church during Mass, the li- “With pain and horror” for turgical act that implores God’s the “absurd violence,” Pope Fran- peace for the world.” cis expressed his condemnation In the latest event of vio- of “every form of hatred” and lence, the cardinal said, the pope offered his prayers for all those prayed God would “inspire in all involved. PRIEST MURDERED IN FRANCE. A policeman reacts as he secures a position in front of city hall after two assail- thoughts of reconciliation and “We are particularly stricken ants killed 85-year-old Father Jacques Hamel and took five people hostage during a weekday morning Mass at the brotherhood.” because this horrible violence church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, France, near Rouen July 26. (CNS photo/Pascal Rossignol/Reuters) Chaldean Archbishop Bashar occurred in a church -- a sacred Warda of Irbil, Iraq, was anoth- place in which the love of God is “In the church, everyone “It’s necessary to remember two terrorists,” said a statement er church leader in Krakow for proclaimed -- with the barbaric World Youth Day.