April 19, 2013
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THE CATHOLIC PAGE 3 Sing for peace AprilC 19, 2013 Vol. ommentator51, No. 5 SERVING THE DIOCESE OF BATON ROUGE SINCE 1963 thecatholiccommentator.org Two new pastors named; four reassigned By Laura Deavers Editor Two priests, Father Al Davidson and Father Todd Lloyd, have received their first assignments as pastor of a church in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, while four pastors have been given new assignments. In announcing the assignments, Bishop Robert W. Muench stated that all of the assignments are effective July 1, 2013 for a period of six years. After 50 ½ years of ordained priest- hood, Father Clarence Waguespack is re- Father Bernie Papania, the Catholic chaplain at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, stands in front of the grot- tiring from active ministry. He has been to to the Blessed Mother, which is next to St. Augustine Chapel, the Catholic church inside the prison grounds. The pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Church Catholic chapel is located in the middle of the prison camps and stands amid fields of wheat grown to feed the in Pierre Part for 14 years. Father David- cattle at the prison. Photo by Laura Deavers | The Catholic Commentator son will become pastor of St. Joseph the Worker. Dominican priests have provided for Ministering in Mexican prisons prepares the pastoral needs of the parishioners at St. Joseph Church in Ponchatoula since 1912. This summer Fathers Cayet Joseph Father Bernie for Angola Mangiaracina OP and Father David K. By Laura Deavers him to look at his own life and where he was going. “I be- Seid OP will leave St. Joseph. Father Paul Editor gan thinking about religious life and the priesthood,” Fa- McDuffie has been assigned as the new ther Bernie said during a recent interview. “The accident pastor. Father Bernard Papania grew up on the Mississippi awakened me to things that are more real and less real.” For the last six years, Father McDuffie Gulf Coast where wind, water, beaches and fresh seafood To satisfy his desire to determine what he needed to do has been pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus were part of his life. He now lives at Louisiana State Peni- with his life, he began visiting religious communities in Church in Baton Rouge. He will be fol- tentiary at Angola surrounded by 1800 acres of land where the Diocese of Biloxi and in other states. Living a contem- lowed by Father Miles Walsh, who has cattle graze, and wheat is grown for the cattle and vegeta- plative life of prayer was a big attraction for the young man served for the past 12 years as pastor of ble crops are grown to feed the 6,200 prison inmates. who was searching. At the same time he became active in Our Lady of Mercy Church in Baton Rouge. When he was ordained a priest, Father Bernie, as he is ministry at his church parish as a catechist for the confir- Taking Father Walsh’s place as pastor known by everyone, said he felt like “doors were opening.” mation class and helping with the RCIA program. “I had of Our Lady of Mercy will be Father Cleo Now he is in a place where doors to the world rarely open; to work to pay my student loans,” Father Bernie chuckles. Milano, who has been pastor of St. John but this is where he wants to be – serving among the men Over a year into his quest to find a religious community, the Evangelist Church in Plaquemine for at Angola. Ministering to men who probably will never he went to Los Angeles where he visited the Missionaries of 11 years. have doors opened for them, Father Bernie moves easily Charity, the order established by Blessed Mother Teresa of Father Greg Daigle will leave Immacu- among hardened criminals and those who have found sal- Calcutta. Initially he thought he would be interested in be- late Conception Church in Lakeland after vation after living years behind prison bars. ing a religious brother but then decided to follow a vocation 12 years to become The chaplain’s assignment at the state prison, which is to be a Missionary of Charity priest. In 1990 he entered the pastor of St. John geographically located in the Baton Rouge Diocese, has not Missionary of Charity seminary in Tijuana, Mexico. Four the Evangelist, and been an easy one to fill. With approximately one-third of years later he went to Rome to study basic theology at the Father Lloyd will the church parishes in the Baton Rouge Diocese sharing Angelicum for three years, which was followed by a year in be pastor of Im- their pastor with at least one other church, and in some Calcutta focused on spirituality. The next year he returned maculate Concep- cases two other churches, it has not been easy to assign a to Rome for his final year of theology. tion. priest to a full-time position at the prison. The year in Calcutta, where Mother Teresa first opened Father Wagues- Linda Fjeldso, director of the diocesan Office of Prison homes for the poor and sick, Father Bernie said he “was pack was ordained Ministry for over 20 years, was able to connect with Fa- able to enter in a deep way the charism of the Missionaries in Rome in Decem- ther Bernie through his aunt, Rosemary Poirrier, who is a of Charity.” Father Waguespack ber 1962. He has member of St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge. Poirrier Along with two other seminarians, he was ordained been pastor of Our Lady of Peace Church, told Fjeldso about Father Bernie’s experience working in on the vigil of the first Sunday of Advent at the beginning Vacherie; Ascension of Our Lord Church, some of the worst prisons in Mexico. of the Jubilee Year, December 1999, in Mexico at a chapel Donaldsonville; St. Francis of Assisi In 1986, when he was in his third year at Mississippi that was so small that the ordination had to be held in Church, Donaldsonville; and St. Joan of Arc State University studying architecture, his 15-year-old the parking lot. During the Litany of the Saints, which is SEE ASSIGNMENTS PAGE 20 brother was killed in an automobile accident. This caused SEE ANGOLA PAGE 19 2 The Catholic Commentator April 19, 2013 | IN THIS ISSUE | DID YOU KNOW ROS ME HA maNY CHURCHES AND ba- TION, twO SEMINARIANS make their SILICAS. The Basilica of St. Paul Outside profession of faith and take their oath of Catholicism promotes care of the environment the Walls carries on the ecumenical spirit fidelity. Deacon Joseph Vu and Joshua “Let us be protectors of God’s creation. This en- of the Catholic Church. In this church a Johnson, of creation, protectors of vironmental challenge chapel is set aside for non-Catholic Chris- both God’s plan inscribed in has fundamental moral tians to pray. PagE 4 students nature, protectors of one and ethical dimensions at Notre another and of the environ- that cannot be ignored,” MANY parENTS FEAR THE DIAGNOSIS Dame ment.” said the U.S. Conference OF AUTISM because of the stigma that Seminary Pope Francis of Catholic Bishops in its often comes with it. The Catholic Church in New reflection on the church’s teaches that no one should be isolated, Orleans, Immediately after his teaching, “Justice, Peace regardless of any medical condition. Some will be election, Pope Francis and Human Development.” who have had experience with this condi- ordained made it clear that conser- Earth Day was started tion speak out on the advantages of early May 25. vation and protection of the earth are in the United States by U.S Sen. Gaylord diagnosis. PagE 5 PAGE 11 among his highest priorities. Nelson to create awareness of the earth’s The approach of Earth Day, which is environment and to encourage conser- RECOGNIZED FOR ITS EXPERIENCE observed around the world on April 22, vation efforts. In 1990, Earth Day went IN DISASTER gives Catholics an opportunity to focus international, and today, more than 500 RELIEF manage- on the care of the abundant resources million people in 175 countries observe ment, Catholic given to the planet by God. Earth Day. Charities of | INDEX The Catholic Church has always pro- Although all the other planets are the Diocese of moted care of the environment, which is named after Greek or Roman gods and Baton Rouge CLASSIFIED ADS 18 one of the seven themes of Catholic social goddesses, the name “earth” comes has received COMING EVENTS 18 justice teachings. from the Angle Saxon term “erda” or funding to be ENTERTAINMENT 14 “We show our respect for the creator “erde” in German, which simply means able to help FAMILY LIFE 5 by our stewardship of creation. Care for the ground. In Portuguese the planet is families affected INTERNATIONAL/NATIONAL NEWS 4 the earth is not just an Earth Day slo- called “terra.” In Turkish, it is “donva” by Hurricane Isaac which hit the area last gan, it is a requirement of our faith. We and in Dutch “aarade.” summer. PAGE 10 SPIRITUALITY 7 VIEWPOINT 16 are called to protect people and the plan- The name is at least 1,000 years old. et, living our faith in relationship with all SEE EARTH PAGE 3 AS THEY prEPARE FOR THEIR ORDINA- YOUTH 12 | PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PRAY FOR US Please pray for the priests, deacons and religious women and men in the Baton Rouge Diocese. April 21 Rev. Vincent J. Dufresne April 28 Rev. Henry W. Gautreau Jr. Give us a Ring! Dcn.