THE CATHOLIC St. Philomena volunteers bridge past to future PAGES 10 & 11 May 30, 2014ommentator Vol. 52, No. 8 SERVING THE DIOCESE OF BATON ROUGE SINCE 1963 thecatholiccommentator.org C HANDS FOR GOD Organist dedicates 70 years playing for the Lord By Barbara Chenevert nun, wife, mother and four- The Catholic Commentator time cancer survivor. “I feel the joy of the spirit Sister Mary Jeanne’s pierc- within me and it comes out in ing eyes frightened 8-year-old music,” said Aubin, who has Ursula Deaton. been an organist at St. Patrick Even though the youngster Church in Baton Rouge since wanted to take piano lessons, the church parish was founded just looking at the nun scared 40 years ago. her greatly. But when Ursula’s She began playing music for mother asked sister if they Masses at St. Gerard Church in could afford her lessons, Sister Baton Rouge where her mother Mary Jeanne took young Ursu- was the organist. “When I was la’s hands in her own and said, 12, Father Baugry at St. Gerard “Some day these little hands came over to my house one will play for the Lord.” Saturday and said our daily More than seven decades organist had quit. He asked if later, the now 82-year-old Ur- I could play for the 10 o’clock sula Deaton Aubin plays daily Mass. I had never played organ for the Lord, something she has and it was an old pump organ. I been doing as a church organist struggled with it. My dad came since she was 12 years old. and pumped while I played. He Sister Mary Jeanne charged did that until I learned to play 50 cents per lesson to build on it. That was the first time I ever Ursula Aubin, organist at St. Patrick Church in Baton Rouge, has been playing for Masses since she was a talent Aubin’s mother began played an organ,” she said. 12 years old. Photo by Barbara Chenevert | The Catholic Commentator instilling in her daughter at the She continued to play on age of 5, when she sat at an old Sunday and at daily Mass at St. high school. lessons after a day spent teach- the feeling that she was meant piano and taught her to play Gerard, rotating with her moth- At the age of 15, Aubin en- ing in Catholic schools in Illi- for family life. She took a year’s and read music. er for either the 6 or 6:30 a.m. tered the convent of the Sisters nois, Mississippi and New Or- leave and met regularly with Music has been part of Au- Mass. After Mass, she would of Notre Dame. She contin- leans. then Father Stanley Ott (later bin’s life through her many vo- board a bus for St. Joseph’s ued to play piano and organ at After 17 years in the convent, bishop of Baton Rouge) who cations as teacher, principal, Academy, where she attended Masses and even taught piano Aubin said she could not shake SEE AUBIN PAGE 19 SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER Churches unify to address St. Francis Xavier kindergarten teach- youth-related issues er Jeanette Campos, left, talks with Bre- By Richard Meek Stones Campaign at a press confer- anna Taylor, right, as The Catholic Commentator ence on May 23. she picks up her son Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of the Charles, 6, who will Louisiana churches are unify- Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, be in the first grade ing in an attempt to turn the tide president of the LIC and a native of next year on the last of increasing child poverty and are New Roads, said Louisiana consis- day of school before calling on the state legislature for its tently ranks as one of the country’s summer vacation. financial assistance. worst states in child well-being, as Photo by Debbie Shelley | That was the message delivered measured by statistics gathered The Catholic Commentator during a launch of the Louisiana by the Annie E. Casey Foundation Interchurch Conference’s Bread or SEE CHURCHES PAGE 20 2 The Catholic Commentator May 30, 2014 | IN THIS ISSUE | DID YOU KNOW HAMMOND NATIVE Vatican’s marshy origins TIM MESSENGER is returning to his roots Webster’s Dictionary Peter’s tomb. Pope Sym- as the new associate defines the word “Vatican” machus (498-514) built a youth director for as the official residence of residence nearby, which the Diocese of Baton the pope located on Vatican succeeding popes added Rouge. PAGE 8 Hill in Vatican City. to. Pope Nicholas III built But where did the name an additional palace on POPE FRANCIS EXTENDS AN INVITA- | come from and how did the the grounds and obtained TION TO PALESTINIAN, ISRAELIAN IN THE NEXT ISSUE church acquire the prop- land for the Vatican Gar- LEADERS to pray together at the Vatican erty that would become its dens. In the 800s Pope for peace. PAGE 4 Deacon Joshua own city-state? Leo IV built a wall to surround the area, Johnson will be The territory on the west bank of the fragments of which still exists inside the CAJUN MUSIC IS THE FOUNDATION by ordained into the Tiber River where the Vatican is now lo- Vatican. which the Law family is able to live out priesthood during cated was known in ancient times as the However, the popes moved to Avignon, their strong Catholic faith. PAGE 5 ceremonies at Ager Vaticanus, a low-lying, marshy area France in 1305, and no popes resided in Sacred Heart Church that had a reputation of being a district of the Vatican Palace until 1377. SPECIAL SECTION in Baton Rouge. ill repute. The present church of St. Peter is When the papacy returned to Rome, situated on the site of the 1st century gar- the church administration moved to Vati- dens of Agrippina. Agrippina’s son, and can Hill and the area continued to become | subsequently the emperor Nero, used the more urban. The present St. Peter’s Basil- INDEX area for chariot exercises, and it became ica was dedicated in 1626. Popes Sixtus CLASSIFIED ADS 18 the site of the Circus of Nero, where many IV, Innocent VII, Alexander VI, Julius II, COMING EVENTS 18 persecutions took place. It is believed that Leo X and Clement VII are credited with ENTERTAINMENT 14 one of those was the crucifixion of St. Pe- collecting the great art pieces found in the FAMILY LIFE 5 ter, who according to tradition, is buried Vatican. nearby on Vatican Hill. In 1929 the State of Vatican City was INTERNATIONAL/NATIONAL NEWS 4 In the fourth and fifth century, the em- created by the Lateran treaty of 1929. It SPIRITUALITY 7 peror Constantin I built the original basil- designated 109 acres as an independent VIEWPOINT 16 ica of St. Peter on the traditional site of St. state with the pope as the sovereign. YOUTH 12 | PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PRAY FOR US LOOK FOR Please pray for the priests, deacons and religious women and men in the Baton Rouge Diocese. THE CATHOLIC COMMENTATOR June 2 Rev. Matthew S. Bonk CSsR June 9 Rev. Edward Chiffriller SSJ Dcn. Daniel S. Borné Dcn. Randall A. Clement AT YOUR LOCAL OUTLETS INCLUDING: ✔ Albertsons on Government St., Bluebonnet Blvd. and College Dr. in Sr. Linda Songy SCSC Sr. Margarida Maria Vasques OSF Baton Rouge and in Denham Springs June 3 Rev. Jules A. Brunet June 10 Rev. Charles Chukwuani Dcn. Claude H. Bourgeois Jr. Dcn. Samuel C. Collura ✔ Alexander’s Highland Market in Baton Rouge Sr. Mary Ann Sullivan CSJ Sr. Doris Vigneaux CSJ ✔ Ascension Books & Gifts in Gonzales June 4 Rev. Gerald H. Burns June 11 Rev. Thomas F. Clark SJ ✔ Benedetto’s Market in Addis ✔ Dcn. Eugene F. Brady Dcn. David L. Dawson III Bohning Supermarket in Ponchatoula Sr. Patricia Sullivan CSJ Sr. Uyen Vu OSF ✔ Calandro’s Supermarkets in Baton Rouge June 5 Rev. John J. Callahan SJ June 12 Rev. Michael J. Collins ✔ Catholic Art and Gifts in Baton Rouge Dcn. Jerry W. Braud Dcn. Guy E. Decker ✔ Daigle’s Supermarket in White Castle Br. Ronald Talbot SC Br. Xavier Werneth SC ✔ Hi Nabor Supermarkets, Drusilla and Jones Creek Rd. in Baton Rouge June 6 Rev. Peter J. Callery SJ June 13 Rev. Paul D. Counce ✔ Hubben’s Grocery in Port Allen Dcn. Patrick J. Broussard Jr. Dcn. Benjamin J. Dunbar Jr. ✔ LeBlanc’s Food Stores in Donaldsonville, Gonzales, Sr. Mary Rose Therese MC Sr. Adelaide Williamson CSJ Hammond, Plaquemine, Plattenville, Prairieville and Zachary June 7 Rev. Joseph M. Camilleri June 14 Rev. Randy M. Cuevas ✔ Matherne’s Supermarkets in Baton Rouge Dcn. Barry G. Campeaux Dcn. W. Brent Duplessis ✔ Magnuson Hotel in St. Francisville Sr. Vandana Thomas CMC Sr. Martha Ann Abshire OSF ✔ Oak Point Supermarket in Central June 8 Rev. John Carville June 15 Rev. Gregory J. Daigle ✔ Our Lady of the Lake College in Baton Rouge Dcn. Michael T. Chiappetta Dcn. Jeff R. Easley ✔ Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge Sr. Thanh Tâm Tran ICM Sr. Mary Alokesh MC ✔ Our Lady of the Lake Physicians Group offices with locations throughout the Diocese ✔ Reeve’s Supermarket in Baton Rouge ✔ St. Elizabeth Hospital in Gonzales ✔ St. Mary’s Books & Gifts in Baton Rouge ✔ St. Vincent de Paul Stores throughout the diocese thecatholiccommentator.org | Facebook.com/TheCatholicCommentator ✔ Schexnayder Supermarket in Vacherie ✔ Whole Foods Market in Baton Rouge Bishop Robert W. Muench Publisher Wanda L. Koch Advertising Manager ✔ Winn Dixie on Coursey Blvd. and Siegen Ln. in Baton Rouge, Father Than Vu Associate Publisher Penny G.