1977 - 2017 La Bonne Nouvelle the good news bulletin

Thursday, August 25, 2016 | 21st Week in Ordinary Time

THIS WEEK’S GOOD NEWS

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pg 4 News by Diocesan Office La Bonne Nouvelle FROM BISHOP FABRE

• If it was not taken up last weekend, then I ask that this weekend, August 27th and 28th, church parishes in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux have a special second collection to assist flood victims in . These funds will be distributed to the dioceses affected to help them to assist their people in recovery. In addition to this assistance, you may also go to the Catholic Charities section of our diocesan website - htdiocese. org/catholic-charities - to learn other ways that you can assist those affected by the terrible flooding in these areas. Finally, prayers also have a powerful effect. As we begin to offer active assistance, may we never forget to also pray for those impacted to have renewed hope now and into the future as they rebuild their lives.

• The Pastoral Center will be close on Monday, September 4, 2016 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

• As we prepare to celebrate Labor Day on Monday, September 4, 2016, please offer special prayers for all who are involved in the gift of human labor. Let us also pray in a special way for all of those who are seeking employment at the present time in this difficult economy.

• I look forward in the coming weeks to my ongoing visits to our Catholic schools to celebrate Mass near to the beginning of this new school year. Please continue to pray for a successful year for our Catholic Schools, and also for our School of Religion Programs.

• In the coming weeks, I will also be visiting parishes that received new at the beginning of July 2016 in order to celebrate with the parish community the formal Installation of their . I am grateful again to these pastors who accepted new assignments, and to the parishes that have welcomed them.

• Father Jules Brunet will be presenting a five-week study on Saint Paul. The study will be held on five consecutive Wednesdays from 6:00- 7:30pm, starting September 7 at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral’s Life Center in Thibodaux. Please RSVP Mary by August 31 at (985) 209-1144 if you plan to attend. • Our Permanent Deacons will be on retreat from September 9-11. Please pray for a successful spirit-filled retreat for our deacons.

• Please continue to pray for success for our ongoing process of Strategic Planning. Consider joining a commission! Your thoughts and ideas are important for this process. We are all in this together! Allons! Click here to visit our Strategic Planning webpage.

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• The Archdiocesan Spirituality Center will hold an informational meeting announcing the next Training Program in Spiritual Direction on Monday, September 19, 10:00am-12:00pm and 7:00-9:00pm, at the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Pastoral Center. Over the years this Internship in Spiritual Direction has certified over 200 spiritual directors now serving a number of dioceses in Louisiana. For information or to register for a meeting, call Doris Melito (504) 861-3254 or click here to register on their website.

• Christ the Redeemer Parish is hosting a Hike for Mercy to the Holy Door at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral for the Year of Mercy on Saturday, September 10, 7:30am. Click here to visit their website for more information.

• ‘Women Make a Move’ will present a Community Engagement Forum “iMatter”, a community event to empower single women/mothers to succeed in life. The effort is a pro-active measure to open the doors for respect and understanding in light of the social unrest we have experienced in Louisiana as well as other parts of the country. This multi-cultural, interfaith prayer event will be held on Sunday, August 28th, 2:00-6:00pm at the Houma Municipal Auditorium. Click here to visit their facebook page for more information.

• In light of the recent changes in the staffing of the Diocesan Office of Safe Environment and until the Office of Safe Environment is filled, please be advised of the following: 1) All routine questions, needs, or concerns regarding all things Safe Environment should be directed to Ms. Melissa Robertson, Director of Personnel for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. She may be contacted via telephone at (985) 850-3170 or via email at [email protected] 2) All incidents relating to boundary violations and/or sex abuse must be reported to the Victims Assistance Coordinator, Sr. Carmelita Centanni, MSC, PhD, as soon as possible. She may be contacted via email at [email protected] or via telephone on (985) 850-3172 or (985) 873-0026. • Priests should mark their calendars to attend the Louisiana Priest Convention taking place from Sept. 19-21, 2017, in . This convention will serve as our 2017 fall continuing education session, so attendance at the convention is expected.

• Please continue to pray for the success of the this school year for our Catholic Schools and our Parish School of Religion Programs. Both have a critical role to play in the evangelization of our young people and in passing on the faith. I express my gratitude to all of those who work to advance the mission of our Catholic Schools and our Parish School of Religion Programs. Pg 2 La Bonne Nouvelle FROM BISHOP FABRE

• Hurricane season. In the Prayers of the Faithful during the celebration of the Eucharist, if you are not already doing so, please immediately include a petition for God’s protection to surround us during Hurricane Season, such as: “Through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, may we be spared the loss of life and property during this hurricane season.” • If a hurricane evacuation is called and affects your church parish, please remember that these evacuation procedures must be followed: 1. Evacuate or Safeguard the Blessed Sacrament – Consume or take the Eucharist with you. 2. Evacuate Sacramental Registers – All sacramental registers must be evacuated from the parish. 3. Protect Vital Records – Place vital records (i.e., marriage preparation files, current finance records, architectural plans, inventories of parish holdings, school records and data, etc.) in sealed storage containers and move vital records to a high place in your parish office or school office. 4. Backup your computers and take the backup device with you.

• Please be sure to review and update your staff and parish emergency preparedness plans. Please come together for a meeting and communicate with your Church Parish Matthew 25 Disaster Planning Team. If you do not have a Matthew 25 Disaster Planning Team and would like to establish one, please contact Catholic Charities and they will be more than willing to assist you as they are able in this effort.

• Priests and Deacons should visit the Rally Point website to be certain that their evacuation contact information is updated. Priests and Deacons who have not set up their accounts with Rally Point should do so as soon as possible. Rally Point is the way Diocesan Officials will communicate with Priests, Deacons and Diocesan Staff in the event of an evacuation. It is critically important that Priests, Deacons and Diocesan Staff activate their accounts if they have not done so in the past. Please do not let a hurricane evacuation catch you without your account set up. There will be a Rally Point Drill in the near future. Please follow the instructions given when the drill takes place.

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WORSHIP Son Rise Christian Music Festival | September 18 Son Rise Christian Music Festival, which was originally scheduled for Sunday, August 21, has been rescheduled for Sunday, September 18, 11:00am-6:00pm at Ardoyne Plantation in Schriever. This event is designed to aid World of Hope Foundation. F Click here for more information.

National Day of Prayer for Peace | September 9 Archbishop Kurtz, the USCCB President, has called for all dioceses to observe a National Day of Prayer for Peace on Friday, September 9, the Memorial of St. Peter Claver. A Mass presided over by Bishop Shelton Fabre at the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales will be celebrated this day at 6:30pm. Also it is requested that at 2:00pm CST (3:00pm EST) on September 9th, all Churches ring their bells at as a sign of solidarity.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Food for the Journey | September 6 The Office of Religious Education sponsors a monthly lunchtime speaker series featuring priests from across the diocese at the Ellendale Country Club (3319 Hwy. 311, Schriever). Upcoming speaker is Fr. Vicente DeLa Cruz - September 6. Call (985) 850-3178 or email [email protected]. F Click here for more information.

NEW EVANGELIZATION Pilgrimage Walk | First Saturdays Join the Little Friars & Little Nuns of Jesus and Mary for a pilgrimage walk from the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales to Holy Rosary Church every first Saturday of the month. Rosary, Confession, Mass, Adoration. 7:30am-10:30am. To learn more about the events offered by the Office of New Evangelization, click below. F Click here for more information.

STEWARDSHIP Rome Pilgrimage | January 2017 The diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development, along with Fr. Simon Peter Engurait as the spiritual guide, would like to invite all for a pilgrimage to Rome, Italy, including a visit to Florence, January 23-30, 2017. Highlights of the trip currently include attending the Papal Audience given by , the Scavi Tour of the excavations under St. Peter’s Basilica, daily Mass in some of Rome’s most beautiful churches, four star hotel accommodations blocks from St. Peter’s Basilica, airfare, daily breakfast, four dinners, and much more. Price for the trip is $3,200 per person based on double occupancy. Reservations need to be made by August 31. If anyone has questions, please contact Jeremy Becker, director of Stewardship and Development, at 850-3155 or [email protected] F Click here for more information including flyer.

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FAMILY MINISTRIES Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Celebration | October 16 Registration is open. Church parishes: Please visit our website for the registration deadlines, online registration, bulletin announcement and other resources. F Click here for more information.

Youth Pilgrimage to the March For Life | January 24-28, 2017 Registration is open. Join us for a life-changing educational experience that will take you from Louisiana to the White House and from the Holocaust Museum to the steps of the Supreme Court. We will join hundreds of thousands from across America who have come to take a stand for life! This Pilgrimage is for youth in grades 10th -12th. F Click here for more information.

Counseling Services | You don’t have to face tough times in life alone The Office of Family Ministries with the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux provides counseling from a Catholic Christian perspective, and places value on the family as well as the dignity of the individual. F Click here for more information.

Retrouvaille | A program for hurting marriages A program to help couples heal and renew their marriages. It provides the tools to help put your marriage in order again. The main emphasis of the program is on communication in marriage between husband and wife. F Click here for more information.

Enrichment Programs The Office of Family Ministries provides enrichment programs that are designed to assist church parishes, Catholic schools, and groups with positive personal growth and development. Some programs include bereavement group training, separation and divorce group training and bereavement/separation/divorce groups for youth. F Click here for more information.

Bereavement Support, St. Francis | Fall 2016 The Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales will offer 8-week sessions to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one through death. Two sessions will be starting in the fall. The first will be offered Thursday, September 8 - October 27, 2016, 6:15pm - 7:45pm, in the Youth Center. A separate 8-week session will be offered on Thursday, September 29, - November 17, 2016, from 10:00-11:30am, also in the Youth Center. Please call the rectory office at 876-6904 to register or for more information.

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FAMILY MINISTRIES 40 Days for Life Campaign | September 28 - November 6 Fortunately, our diocesan area does not have an abortion facility, however, there are several in Louisiana. Your church parish can pledge to pray and fast for an end to abortion. A pre-launch dinner party is also scheduled on Thursday, August 25 at Blessed Trinity in New Orleans. F Click here for more information.

Bereavement Support, St. Bernadette | Fall 2016 If you or someone you know is experiencing grief because of the loss of a loved one, we invite you to attend a bereavement support group entitled: ‘The Journey of Grief’. It is a 15-week session beginning Tuesday, August 30th, 2016, 6:30pm at St. Bernadette Church. For more information and registration, please call St. Bernadette (985) 879-1506.

ETHNIC MINISTRIES Hispanic Ministry | Fiestas Hispanas Fiestas Hispanas (Hispanic Feasts), which invokes the unity in the faith from diverse cultures will be held on September 10, 9:00am – 3:00pm. There will be games, fellowship, foods, and talks. The event is held at the Pastoral Center. For more info, contact Fr. Duc Bui at [email protected].

Hispanic Ministry | Spiritual Reflections with Fr Duc | Fall 2016 Fr Duc Bui will be offering spiritual reflections every week at five different churches throughout the diocese from August - November. For more info, contact Fr. Duc Bui at [email protected] or click the link below. F Click here for more info including flyer.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES Volunteers for Catholic Relief Service Catholic Charities is looking for volunteers to help promote and sell Catholic Relief Service fair trade items. Call or email Margie Duplantis for more information at [email protected], (985) 876-0490.

Catholic Campaign for Human Development Catholic Campaign for Human Development collection is November 20.

Volunteers for Family Income Tax Preparation Catholic Charities is looking for volunteers to assist with free income tax preparation and e-filing for families filing simple returns. A full training beginning in January 2017 will be provided on tax laws pertaining to simple tax returns and computer software. F Click here for a flyer with more information.

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CATHOLIC CHARITIES Flood Response Update Catholic Charities is updating disaster relief information daily at: htdiocese. org/catholic-charities. Collections have now reached $23,000. Additional funds through parish second collections will be reported after they are tallied. The first three homes of Diocese of Baton Rouge staff have been gutted to prevent mold.

CURSILLO Men’s Weekend | September 29-October 2 Cursillo Men’s Weekend will be held September 29-October 2, at Lumen Christi Retreat Center. Registration fee is $120. No one will be denied due to financial difficulty. Email [email protected] or click below for registration forms. F Click here for more information.

TRIBUNAL Tribunal Workshop | September 19 St. Eloi Church parish in Theriot will host a Tribunal Workshop, Monday, September 19 at 7:00pm. The speaker will be Ms. Veronica Songe, tribunal specialist for the Tribunal Office. All are invited to attend regardless of church parish. Call (985) 872-2946 for more information.

LUMEN CHRISTI ‘Journey Toward Christ’ Adult Retreat | September 23-25 Journey Towards Christ - an adult, faith conversion retreat - will hold their annual co-ed retreat at the Lumen Christi Retreat Center on September 23-25. This retreat is ideal for “on the fence” Catholics, anyone struggling with difficulties or challenging family situations, or other life struggles. Please call Henry Orgeron at (985) 381-6151 for more information or to register.

Silent Ignatian Retreat with Fr. Joseph Tregre | October 3-7 Fr. Joseph Tregre is hosting a 4-day “Silent Ignatian Retreat” held at Lumen Christi Retreat Center from October 3-7. One-on-one spiritual direction by Bishop , Fr. Jerry Daniels, Mrs. Monica Karns, and Fr. Tregre will be offered each day, as well as daily Mass. Please call Kritty Chouest at (985) 677- 6317 for more information. Registration is limited to the first 20 participants.

Discernment of Spirits Ignatian Retreat with Fr. Mitch Semar | October 7-8 Fr. Mitch Semar is hosting an Ignatian retreat on the Discernment of Spirits held at Lumen Christi Retreat Center. The retreat begins Friday, October 7, 6:00pm and ends Saturday, October 8, 6:00 pm. Contact Christ The Redeemer Church for more information (985) 447-2013.

YOUTH MINISTRY Junior High Faith Experience | January 14, 2017 Registration for Junior High Faith Experience 2017 is going on now! This is a one-day event for pre-teens in 6th – 8th grade held at E.D. White Catholic High School. The day includes a keynote speaker, planned activities, and celebration of the Liturgy. F Click here for more information.

Pg 7 GET UP TO DATE INFORMATION ABOUT DIOCESAN EVENTS ON OUR EVENTS PAGE @ HTDIOCESE.COM/EVENTS

La Bonne Nouvelle the good news bulletin

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux | Office of Communications Diocesan Pastoral Center 2779 Hwy 311 | PO Box 505 | Schriever, LA 70395 (985) 850-3177