December 8,Ommentator 2017 Vol
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE CATHOLIC PAGE 12 Pizza with the Principal December 8,ommentator 2017 Vol. 55, No. 22 SERVING THE DIOCESE OF BATON ROUGE SINCE 1963 thecatholiccommentator.org C A WORK IN PROGRESS Special collection to assist abbey set Dec. 9-10 By Richard Meek special case of great need for The Catholic Commentator the abbey,” vicar general Fa- ther Tom Ranzino said. As St. Joseph Seminary Col- Floodwaters from a nearby lege in St. Benedict continues overflowing river deposited its recovery from floodwaters two to four feet of water on that inundated the abbey in the sprawling 1,200-acre early 2016, the Diocese of Ba- campus, damaging every one ton Rouge is chipping in with a of the 31 main buildings. Al- special collection. though the church itself did Diocesan officials -an not flood, several feet of wa- A special collection in the Diocese of Baton Rouge is scheduled on the weekend of Dec. 9-10 to assist nounced that funds from a ter filled the basement, de- St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, which continues to recover from a devastating flood in second collection at weekend stroying electrical and air March 2016, above. Up to four feet of water flooded the 1,300-acre abbey. Photo provided by St. Joseph Abbey. Masses Dec. 9-10 will be do- conditioning systems. Three nated to St. Joseph. The spe- months passed before the ance on the buildings, leaving before the diocesan Presbyter- were discussed, and one that cial collection is replacing the church reopened. the abbey to shoulder the $30 al Council in September brain- gained approval was replacing annual Religious Retirement The popular retreat center million tab. Although repairs storming as to how the Diocese the Religious Retirement col- National collection tradition- remains closed, with an early have inched past the halfway of Baton Rouge might assist lection with a special collection ally held that same weekend. January date set for reopening. mark, much work remains. in the recovery effort. Father for the abbey. “It seemed that this was a There was no flood insur- Seminary officials appeared Ranzino said several ideas SEE COLLECTIONS PAGE 19 Teen suicide on the rise By Debbie Shelley and that she wanted to watch it. Wary of the The Catholic Commentator messages the series may be presenting, she suggested that she and her daughter watch it Suicide is the second leading cause of death together. among those 15–24 years old, according to the “I left the series traumatized,” said Fargason, World Health Organization. Therefore, concern who said the messages presented no hope or over the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” which anything of a spiritual nature. is seen by many as glamorizing teen suicide, was a catalyst for the Nov. 14 presentation “13 Part 1 of a series Reasons Why (Not),” which looked at the issue of teen suicide and the response of faith and sci- ence. The Offices of Marriage and Family Life The series revolves around a teen named and Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Dio- Hannah who descends into despair brought on A DAY OF THANKS – Bishop Robert W. Muench is shown giv- cese of Baton Rouge sponsored the presenta- by betrayal, bullying and sexual assault, and ing the blessing at St. Vincent de Paul Society’s annual tion, which was held at the Catholic Life Center. commits suicide. She details the 13 reasons Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless. Thanksgiving activi- Dr. Donna Fargason of Family Focus and As- why she decided to end her life in an audio di- ties were scattered throughout the Diocese of Baton Rouge. sociates of Baton Rouge said she was motivated ary which was mailed to a friend two weeks For a sampling of the Turkey Day events please turns to pages to give a talk after her experiences of watching after her death. The series, which is popular 10-11. Photo by Richard Meek | The Catholic Commentator “13 Reasons Why.” Her teenage daughter indi- among teens, has been blamed by families and cated that her peers were watching the show SEE REASONS PAGE 15 2 The Catholic Commentator December 8, 2017 Preserving the past Testify to the light By Renee Richard ans. Former archivist Dr. Emilie Gagnet Leumas spearheaded the recovery that By Dina Dow paring others to hear the The Archives Department was creat- went beyond the current standards for Life-Giving Good News? Are my ac- ed by Bishop Robert E. Tracy within six wet records. She applied for and received I rejoice heartily FAI H tions rooted in the virtues months of his installation and the newly grants to help offset the costs of the effort, in the LORD, in my God of prudence, justice, fortitude, formed Diocese of Baton Rouge. earning the diocese the Joseph is the joy of my soul … (Isa- temperance, faith, hope and The diocesan history was Cardinal Bernadin Award for iah 61:10) love? Am I open to the movement of just beginning in 1962, an outstanding archives The liturgical season of Advent is the Holy Spirit?” but the history of the program from the Asso- upon us. Churches, adorned in purple, Prayer and praise churches and the peo- ciation of Catholic Dioc- signify the “posture” by which the faith- Preparation involves prayer, which ple within the diocese esan Archivists. Since ful are to journey through this season. includes praise. St. Paul closed his began with the arriv- then, the archivists of As the nation hopes for an economic first letter to the Thessalonians with al of the settlers and the diocese have been boost in retail sales, a Christian’s “eco- a hearty reminder to “pray without the missionaries who leaders in this national nomic” boost is realized by investing in ceasing” and encouragement to live in ministered to them. Sac- association serving various preparation, prayer and joy! gratitude for all circumstances we may raments recorded their lives roles on the board of directors Prepare the way of the Lord face. This means to live in the moment, in the Catholic Church beginning in and in educational capacities. A chant is sung during Taize’ Advent offering ourselves, our work and daily 1728. Bishop Tracy initiated a “call in” of Since 2005, the archives department Prayer with the words, “Prepare the activities for the glory of God. Whatev- all the church records dating before 1870 has expanded its services to include di- way of the Lord. Prepare the way of the er we do, we do it for God. and established the first central housing saster recovery and developed and imple- Lord, and all people will see the salva- Where does prayer come from? We of diocesan church records in Louisiana. mented policies to protect records in the tion of our God.” The season is about find in Paragraph 2562 of the Cate- The work of the archives for the first event of flooding or similar disasters. In getting ready for the second most im- chism of the Catholic Church this an- 10 to 15 years consisted of translating recent years, the department has played portant event in salvation history: first swer, “Whether prayer is expressed in and abstracting the early records of the a key role in assisting with the closure of being the resurrection, and second, the words or gestures, it is the whole man church parishes. Many of the sacramen- church parishes and schools. Manage- initial coming of the Messiah. who prays. But in naming the source tal books were in disrepair with pages ment of closed school records, including Week Two of Advent clearly shines of prayer, Scripture speaks sometimes torn and fragile, providing tran- the light on the proclamation of the of the soul or the spirit, but most often causing breaking, scripts, is handled much anticipated savior of the world of the heart (more than a thousand fading and loss through the ar- announced by a bold and courageous times). According to Scripture, it is of information. chives. Other work soul: St. John the Baptist. The cousin the heart that prays. If our heart is far In an effort to of the department of our Lord, relying on the simplicities from God, the words of prayer are in fund the repair of includes partner- of the world for food and clothing, “nei- vain.” the sacramental ing with Catho- ther eating nor drinking” (Mk 11:18), Our prayer is from our heart. Our registers, the de- lic Life Televison spent his adult life baptizing people for body frames us; our soul is the source partment began to produce the the repentance of their sins to signify of life; and our spirit is the capacity for to publish the ab- shows “Roots of an inner purity. Yet, he fully acknowl- praise and worship. Ceaselessly pray- stracts from these Faith” and “Roots edged the one who was to come “will ing leads to an openness of heart. An registers and sell of Faith: Ances- baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” (Mk 1:8) openness of heart leads to prayer. Ask the books to indi- try,” workshops As foretold by the prophet Isaiah, yourself, “Are my preparations during viduals, libraries on proper record the Messiah will come to rescue the na- Advent opening my heart? How can I and historical so- keeping, presenta- tions from sin, selfishness, evil; all that increase my prayer?” cieties for genea- tions to local histo- separates the faithful from God. Jesus Rejoice logical purposes. The current archives vault is filled to capaci- ry groups, librar- is the revelation of the inner voice of Gaudete Sunday is the mid-point of Since 1978, the ty.