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CHURCH TODAY Volume XLV, No. 2 www.diocesealex.org Serving the Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana Since 1970 February 17, 2014 O N T H E INSIDE Archbishop Aymond: You’d be ‘cooperating with evil’ if you work on new abortion facility in New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond wrote an open letter Feb. 1 caution- ing local Catholics and businesses they would be “cooperating with the evil that will take place” at the $4.2 million abortion clinic under construction in New Orleans if they participate in its preparation or con- struction. See page 2. Schools closed for total of six days because of snow Catholic schools from around the diocese were closed a total of six days in the past three weeks due to snow and ice accumulations. But the students didn’t seem to mind too much. Read more on pages 16-17. Five Louisiana College students, two campus ministers Longest married couple in brave below freezing temperatures to the U.S. lives in Marksville Can you imagine being married for 83 years?! That’s how long the March for Life in longest married couple in the U.S. have been married. Who would have guessed they live in Marksville Washington, D.C. and attend Holy Ghost Church! Find out who they are on page 11. Find out more about their trip on pages 18-19. PAGE 2 CHURCH TODAY FEBRUARY 17, 2014 Pope: Don’t skip Sunday Mass; people need communion with God By Cindy Wooten dience talks about the sacra- penance.” Catholic News Service ments, the pope asked people to In the Eucharist, Jesus truly think about how they approach “Do you go to Mass because it’s a habit or a time to see gives us his body and blood for (CNS) -- Going to Mass and the Mass and what difference it your friends? Or is it something more?” the remission of sins, he said. receiving the Eucharist should makes in their lives and the lives -- Pope Francis Celebrating the Eucharist make a difference in the way of their parishes. also should make a difference Catholics live, Pope Francis said; Do you go to Mass because in the way a parish community they should be more accepting of it’s a habit or a time to see your he loved. church when the church is filled lives, he said. At Mass, Christ others and more aware of their friends? the pope asked. “Or is it Ask yourself, he said, if go- with people who sin like every- gathers people around him “to sinfulness. something more?” ing to Mass helps you reach out to one else. nourish us with his word and his “If we don’t feel in need of “When we go to Mass, we the suffering or “am I indifferent, “In reality, those who par- life. This means that the mission God’s mercy and don’t think we find ourselves with all sorts of or am I gossiping, ‘Did you see ticipate in the Mass don’t do so and identity of the church begin are sinners, it’s better not to go to people,” the pope said. “Does the how that one’s dressed?’ Some- because they think or want to be- and take form there.” Mass,” Pope Francis said Feb. 12 Eucharist we celebrate lead me times people do that after Mass. lieve they are superior to others, “A celebration could be per- at his weekly general audience. to consider all of them as broth- But this shouldn’t happen.” but precisely because they know fect from an aesthetic point of The Eucharist is a celebration of ers and sisters? Does it increase Attendance at Mass also they are in need” of God’s mercy. view -- it can be beautiful -- but if Christ’s gift of himself for the my ability to rejoice when they should lead to “the grace of feel- “We go to Mass because we it does not lead us to an encounter salvation of sinners, which is why do and to weep with those who ing forgiven and able to forgive know we are sinners and want Je- with Jesus Christ, it risks not giv- the Mass begins with people con- weep?” others,” he said. sus’ forgiveness,” the pope said. ing any nourishment to our hearts fessing they are sinners and beg- Pope Francis said it is not Pope Francis said he knows “When, at the beginning of Mass, and lives,” the pope said. There ging for the Lord’s mercy. enough to say one loves Jesus; it that some people wonder why we say, ‘I confess,’ it’s not some- must be “coherence between our Continuing a series of au- must be shown in love for those they should bother going to thing pro forma. It’s a real act of Eucharist and our lives.” Synod on the Family set for October 2014 Cardinal says pope wants to ‘stir things up,’ let people ask questions (CNS) -- U.S. Cardinal Ed- Cardinal O’Brien highlight- example of being prepared to go win F. O’Brien doesn’t know ed several themes of Pope Fran- anywhere and share the faith with what will come out of the Synod cis’ young papacy, among them anyone, Cardinal O’Brien said. on the Family set for October, but the importance of expanding the Inspired by the pope’s focus the former archbishop of Balti- pope’s circle of advisers, subsid- on the poor, Cardinal O’Brien more believes it will be signifi- iarity, solidarity with the poor, said he has become more con- cant. evangelizing at the periphery of scious of how many times the “Hold onto your seats,” Car- the culture and acting as a mis- Old and New Testaments make dinal O’Brien told a gathering sionary church. references to the poor. It reminds of seminarians and faculty at St. The cardinal cited the pope’s him to question himself and think Mary’s Seminary and Univer- interview with an Italian athe- about what the readings mean in sity in Baltimore. “I think Pope ist magazine editor and the light of what the pope is asking Francis wants to stir things up pope’s strong focus on mercy people to do in reaching the poor. and allow people to raise ques- member council of cardinals from “I think a year from now, as examples of his willingness Noting that Pope Francis tions. I don’t think we’re going around the world shows that the we’ll hardly know what the struc- to reach out to others. The pope often compares the church to a to see a change in doctrine, but pope believes he needs advisers ture was, there will be so many has opened up discussions with mother, the cardinal said a mother we will see a change in tone, and both within and outside the curia. different things that will have those who feel alienated from the never deserts her children. “She’s we might see some disciplinary The principal job of the taken place,” the cardinal said. church, Cardinal O’Brien said. always available to listen and al- modifications.” council of cardinals, Cardinal “Maybe the heads of some con- The pope is modeling an ways to extend mercy,” he said. Those modifications might O’Brien said, is to “completely ferences of bishops will be in- include adjustments in annulment rewrite the central administration volved. I don’t know. But we will procedures, the cardinal said. “I of the Catholic Church.” The car- know by the end of February be- think most bishops are very con- dinal said the curia will somehow cause the group of eight will meet cerned that they have more say have to relate to the new council again and come up with formal in annulments in a responsible of cardinals. recommendations.” way,” he said Jan. 27. Cardinal O’Brien’s com- ments were part of a wide-rang- ing address that touched on the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI, the election of Pope Francis and a look at how Pope Francis has governed the church in his first • Behavior Modification • In home, Individual, and year. • Obedience and Therapy Group Sessions Available “He’s seen its strengths Pet Training • Phone Consultations • 30-day Money Back Guarantee and Phone Assessments and its weaknesses,” Cardinal O’Brien said, noting that the 985.226.6458 • www.felinecaninecoach.com pope’s establishment of an eight- FEBRUARY 17, 2014 CHURCH TODAY PAGE 3 Archbishop Aymond cautions Catholics about ‘cooperating with evil’ by participating in construction of abortion facility By Peter Finney Jr. South indicated it would seek a Benjamin Clapper, execu- Clarion Herald state license to perform abortions. tive director of Louisiana Right There are five, free-standing to Life, praised the archbishop for NEW ORLEANS – Faced abortion clinics in Louisiana – in the letter, saying his stance was with the looming construction of New Orleans, Metairie, Baton “edifying and strengthens what a multimillion-dollar, regional Rouge, Shreveport and Bossier we are doing.” abortion facility by Planned Par- City – but Archbishop Aymond “It should be a model for enthood Gulf South, Archbishop said the proposed regional abor- other religious leaders, not only Gregory Aymond wrote an open tion clinic will be “the largest of in this state but in other areas,” letter Feb. 1 cautioning local its kind in Louisiana.” Clapper said. “Most of the time Catholics and businesses they Using information obtained people expect the bishop to say would be “cooperating with the from a construction permit that things and to teach principles, but evil that will take place” at the was approved by the city of New I don’t believe most people expect clinic if they participated in its Orleans in December, experts a bishop to make this real-life, de- preparation or construction.

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