The Church Today, November 30, 2020
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CHURCH TODAY Volume LI, No. 11 www.diocesealex.org Serving the Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana Since 1970 November 30, 2020 The school year continues! We truly thank our Catholic school faculty, staff, administration, students, and parents for continuing to support our Catholic schools and for managing all COVID-19 restrictions with prayer and humility. Pictured here, Bishop Robert Marshall visits St. Anthony School students in Bunkie. Please visit our diocesan Facebook page to view a video from Bishop Marshall discussing the benefits and importance of a Catholic School education, or see pages 12-13 for pictures from the school year. INSIDE Keeping the Advent season A treasure trove of prayers Resources for Advent Page 4 lists several ways to observe the The Catholic faith is a treasure trove. See This year, in new and different ways than season of Advent. But, whatever you choose to pages 6 and 7 for an explanation of the image of ever before, we are on the search for hope and do this season, let’s do the hard work of keeping Our Lady of Guadalupe as well as several simple light. See page 14 for a list of resources to help our hearts, minds, and homes focused on the prayers that can be prayed on rosary beads. you establish or improve your faith life this Advent coming of Christ. season - the season of light and preparing our hearts to welcome the Christ Child. PAGE 2 CHURCH TODAY NOVEMBER 30, 2020 INDEX Little by little: a new name for this season Bishop’s Message .................. 2 National / World News ............3 “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out all fear.” Letter from the Editor .............. 4 - 1 John 4:18 Question Corner ......................4 Diocesan News ........................5 This year has been full of Letter from the Editor Feature Story ...........................6 hustle and bustle and worry and Mrs. Cari Terracina Burses / Vocations ..................9 stress. And, as we come to the Publications Manager for the Diocese of Alexandria Parish Spotlight ......................10 holiday season, it can be so easy Picture Spread........................ 12 for us to become even more Feature Story .........................14 overwhelmed. Worry can be the Parish Events ........................15 number one thing we waste time Catholic All Yearl ...................16 on. Let’s decide to shift our focus Make the daily decisions. Get Lent”), during which we prepare with the waiting. Marriage and Family ..............18 in this next season, shall we? back up after we’ve fallen. our hearts and our homes for the Page 4 lists several ways to Schools / Youth .....................20 I keep landing on this fact: And, truly decide to do things coming of Christ at Christmas. observe the season of Advent, but God does not call us to be a mess Diocesan Briefs .....................22 differently to make the coming Advent recalls specifically whatever you choose to do this of stress; He calls us to peace seasons more fruitful than they’ve the wait for the birth of the baby season, let’s do the hard work of Calendar ................................23 and trust. And not for no reason. ever been. Jesus. It can be fun. It can be keeping our hearts, minds, and When you see someone at peace In the Latin Catholic Church, joyful. But it’s all expectant homes focused on the coming of - truly at peace - in challenges, the liturgical calendar begins joy. May and Joseph waited and Christ. doesn’t that make you wonder on the first Sunday of Advent, prepared for nine months for the CHURCH where their peace is coming which means we begin each birth of Jesus, and the Jewish To the waiting, from? year with our preparations for people had been waiting and Cari ODAY Yes, there’s a lot of work celebrating the birth of baby preparing for thousands of years T ahead. Yes, our plates are so full. Jesus! It seems very fitting. for the birth of the Savior! Being Follow Cari on Instagram But, let’s decide to intentionally Advent is traditionally a time of pregnant with my second child, @cariterracina make little by little progress. prayer, fasting, and almsgiving it is clear there is no skipping Have the difficult conversations. (it is sometimes called “little ahead, no matter how weary I am Volume LI, No. 11 November 30, 2020 Go back to parish or not? P. O. Box 7417 Alexandria, LA 71303 Q. Our bishop has suggested [email protected] that the elderly and those with 318-445-6424 compromised immune systems Question Corner “If my people Publisher: not attend Mass in person right Most. Rev. Robert Marshall now. Since I fit into both of who are called these categories, I have not been Publication Manager / Editor: By Father Kenneth Doyle Cari Terracina, ext. 255, going to Mass. I do watch a by my name Catholic News Service [email protected] Mass on television every week, Multimedia Manager / Advertising: and to be honest, I get more out humble themselves, Joan Ferguson, ext. 264; of that than I do from going to [email protected] my parish -- except, of course, and pray and Circulation: Sandi Tarver, ext. 209; that I can’t receive Communion. grateful I am that many foreign Catholic congregations are more [email protected] About four years ago, our preists have volunteered to accustomed and receptive to seek my face, pastor was replaced by a priest come and serve in the United shorter homilies. (Perhaps the The CHURCH TODAY (USPS from Africa. While he is a nice States. In much of Africa and in priest might even be open to and turn from 393-240) is published by the Catholic person, I can’t understand him. certain parts of Asia, vocations having someone else -- a deacon Diocese of Alexandria, once a He gives lengthy homilies (about are plentiful -- and without or lector -- read the homily that their wicked ways, month, free of charge to members of 30 minutes) and then spends the generous sacrifice of these the pastor has prepared.) the parishes in the Diocese of 10 minutes at the end of Mass men, a fair number of American Your last resort, of course, Alexandria, Louisiana. Out of then I will hear talking about events or lecturing Catholic parishes would have is to find another Catholic diocese subscriptions are $20 a year. us on how to be a better parish. had to close their doors. parish nearby. We all need from Heaven, (Most parishioners refer to it as The office is located at I do acknowledge, though, to be nourished regularly by 4400 Coliseum Blvd., his “second sermon.”) that language can sometimes the Eucharist, and a televised and will forgive Alexandria, LA 71303. This has been my home be a barrier to understanding Mass, while helpful, can never Periodicals postage paid at parish for more than 40 years; I and to productive worship. substitute for that. And if your their sin and Alexandria, LA. raised my children here and took Do you know anyone on your health keeps you from attending, Postmaster: part in many parish ministries parish council? Why not share you can ask your parish that heal their land.” Send address changes to until I got sick. Our parish your concern that attendance is Communion be brough to your The CHURCH TODAY, P. O. Box numbers have been dropping, dropping -- in part, you feel, due home. 7417, Alexandria, LA 71306 and several of my friends to the lengths of homilies and to 2 Chronicles 7:14 have been discussing what we the language difficulty. Questions may be sent Website: www.diocesealex.org are going to do when we are Hopefully, that person to Father Kenneth Doyle at To receive a free subscription, expected to return to church. Do could then speak directly to [email protected] call 318-445-6424, ext 255 or you have any suggestions? (City the priest -- in a sympathetic and 30 Columbia Circle Dr. [email protected] e-mail [email protected] and state withheld) and understanding fasion Albany, New York 12203. Advertisement paid for by Marcus Descant A. First, let me say how -- suggesting that American NOVEMBER 30, 2020 CHURCH TODAY PAGE 3 Calls for unity after presidential election By Cardinal Sean O. only possible but urgently O’Malley, Archbishop Paul necessary. The work at hand D. Etienne, Bishop John E. calls us to respect the opinions Stowe, Archbishops William of others, to dialogue about E. Lori and Paul S. Coakley, differing perspectives, to seek and Bishop Alfred A. Schlert reconciliation where there has Catholic News Service been estrangement, to work for healing among the people of our WASHINGTON (CNS) -- country. I confidently believe As the nation awaited the results that as a nation we can achieve of the U.S. presidential election, these goals, to rise above our Catholic leaders called for calm differerences, to embrace our and unity after a fierce election unity as brothers and sisters season. Four days after Election whose lives are a gift from God Day, news organizations such and who share a mission to build as The Associated Press, The a just society. New York Times, and Fox We must not succumb to News announced Joe Biden and resentments based in divergent running mater Kamala Harris political views and divisions had won the race. Biden is the that have emerged from the second Catholic in U.S. history stress of recent months. The to be elected to the nation’s challenge is always to transform highest office, following the a crowd into a community, a late President John F. Kennedy, people who share a commitment who was elected 60 years ago.