CHURCH TODAY

Volume XLVI, No. 5 www.diocesealex.org Serving the Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana Since 1970 May 18, 2015

O N T H E INSIDE State Champions! Four deacons to be ordained May 23 Lady Eagles Menard Softball Team Four deacons -- Brian Seiler, Dale Meade, Joseph Desimone, captures state championship and Walter Ajaero -- will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, May 23 at 10 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral.

Sacred Heart dedicates new Junior High/Media Center to Sr. Ricci

A large crowd of OLS Sisters, parents, students, and supporters came out for the outdoor dedica- tion and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Junior High and Media Center at Sacred Heart School in Moreauville. See pgs. 14-15.

All three Catholic high school softball teams make it to state playoffs

It was a blockbuster weekend May 1-2 for the three Catholic high schools from the Diocese of 2015 LHSAA CLASS 2A SOFTBALL STATE CHAMPIONS. Alexandria -- Menard, St. Joseph,

and St. Mary’s -- who participated in the 2015 LHSAA Fast Pitch State Softball Tournament in Sulphur, La. See pgs. 12-13. PAGE 2 CHURCH TODAY MAY 18, 2015 Logistical issues hamper getting relief supplies to Nepal

By Anto Akkara two-member Caritas Poland staff, Catholic News Service told CNS. “This is nothing new. We KATHMANDU, Nepal have been reading about it for (CNS) -- Anam Tamang was ex- days. It is not going to change cited: A truck of earthquake re- soon,” said Stepczak, who has lief supplies had finally arrived been living in Nepal for four at Caritas Nepal headquarters in years to research the resilience of Kathmandu. Nepalese women. That was late May 6. By May Caritas Singapore wanted 8, she was frustrated: 16 tons of to send relief supplies worth relief material flown in by Cari- $50,000 and was asked to pay tas Poland had already been dis- $32,000 as flight courier charges. patched in small trucks to distant Malla said Caritas had or- centers where local Caritas coor- dered temporary shelter materials dinators eagerly awaited supplies but was not expecting the sup- to reach to people in remote areas plies to arrive until the following of the Himalayan nation. week -- nearly three weeks after “The stores are virtually the quake. Supplies in Indian cit- again empty,” Tamang told Cath- ies around landlocked Nepal had olic News Service. been exhausted. Manindra Malla, program “Now consignments have to manager of Caritas Nepal, con- come from cities like Mumbai ceded there were logistical issues and Delhi by road. We have to be in getting aid to victims of the patient,” Malla added. April 25 earthquake. Earthquake aftermath in Nepalese countryside. Earthquake survivors select clothes from a relief “Obviously, there is still a “We are running short of (re- material delivery near Gorkha, Nepal, May 1. (CNS photo/Narendra Shrestha, EPA) great deal of need, and getting lief) material and it is not easy to supplies in is difficult,” Jennifer get things here as quickly as we Hardy, Catholic Relief Services’ want,” Malla told CNS. sands of victims. “Our problems started even stop in New Delhi for more than a regional information officer for On May 7, the Nepal Red “We were excited to come before we reached here,” said Ti- day as the congested Kathmandu Asia, told CNS from Gorkha, Cross put the death toll at more here with the relief items. But, taniec, who arrived in Kathmandu airport -- 80 minutes of flying where CRS was coordinating re- than 8,400; the government said things are not moving fast,” Mar- in a Polish air force plane with time from the Indian capital -- lief distribution. CRS had sent 20 nearly 400,000 houses have been ta Titaniec, projects coordinator 16 tons of relief material worth was unable to handle the heavy large truckloads of supplies to the fully or partially damaged in the of Caritas Poland, told CNS May $150,000. Caritas Poland pur- rush of relief planes. area. magnitude-7.8 quake. 7 while carrying relief supplies to chased supplies like blankets and “We got the relief material “We are distributing items as Media have been abuzz with Sankhu, 13 miles outside of Kath- tent kits for the quake victims. only on the third day after the fast as Kathmandu or Delhi can reports that relief supplies were mandu, where more than 100 per- Like many other relief sup- flight landed,” Edyta Stepczak, send them,” Hardy added. yet to reach hundreds of thou- ished. ply planes, the Polish plane had to a Polish journalist assisting the Supplies halted again after second quake hits Nepal on May 12

NAMJUNG, Nepal (CNS) Namjung when the quake struck, critical.” seen putting up tents on the road- from Nepal, told CNS that he -- As the magnitude-7.3 quake said she was at a relief distribu- Relief officials said more sides to sleep during the night in fractured his finger and had to hit, screaming and shouting filled tion site in a mango grove. than 57 people died in the May the open. rush to the hospital after he fell the mountain village of Namjung, “Looked like it was snowing 12 quake, one of the many tem- “We are worried,” said Ya- down the steps while running where approximately 600 people mango tree leaves. Surreal,” she blors that followed a magnitude men Kayastha, a Catholic with out of his flat during the May 12 had gathered to collect relief ma- said in a tweet. 7.8-quake that hit April 25 and his wife and three children who quake. terial being distributed by Catho- She also tweeted: “Heart- left more than 8,000 people dead. has taken shelter in the Assump- Meanwhile, the Catholic lic Relief Services. breaking to see ppl frantically Namjung is more than 70 tion compound Church in Nepal announced that When the quake ended May call loved ones after today’s miles from Nepal’s capital, Kath- in Kathmandu. the May 14-16 visit of apostolic 12, the people were anxiously #earthquake, but have no connec- mandu, and on the six-hour drive Kayastha, a musician and nuncio, Archbishop Salvatore looking at dust rising from the tion for hours. Emergency comms back to the city, people could be member of Focolare movement Pennacchio, had been postponed. nearby villages, with the collapse of houses and other buildings. “We don’t know what is Brigitte Paul Kelso Insurance, LLC happening. It has become too frequent,” said Bishnu Kapri, Brigitte Kelso Owner/Agent a schoolteacher whose cracked house was being used by CRS as 2918 S. MacArthur Dr. a storehouse. Alexandria, La. 71301 Jennifer Hardy, CRS com- 2914 N. Bolton Ave. • Alexandria, LA munications officer who was in Phone: 318.448.2226 Fax: 318.448.2280 442-2325 [email protected] MAY 18, 2015 CHURCH TODAY PAGE 3 Castro says is so impressive he might start praying again

By Cindy Wooden Castro also relayed to the Catholic News Service pope the expectations of the Cu- ban people for his upcoming trip (CNS) -- to the nation and outlined how the After spending close to an hour preparations were going, Father with , Cuban Presi- Lombardi said. dent Raul Castro told reporters he During the traditional ex- is so impressed by what the pope change of gifts, Castro gave Pope does and says that he might start Francis a commemorative medal praying and could even return to featuring Havana’s cathedral and, the church. in honor of Pope Francis’ con- “I had a very agreeable meet- cern for migrants, a contempo- ing this morning with Pope Fran- rary painting of a cross made up cis. He is a Jesuit, as you well of migrants’ boats with a migrant know. I am, too, in a certain sense kneeling before it in prayer. because I was always in Jesuit The Cuban artist known as schools,” Castro told reporters Kcho, who made the painting, May 10. was present at the audience and “When the pope comes to told Pope Francis he was inspired Cuba in September, I promise to Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Cuban President Raul Castro during a private audience at the by the pope’s expressions of con- go to all his Masses and will do Vatican May 10. The painting shows a cross made up of migrants’ boats with a migrant kneeling before it in prayer. cern for the thousands of migrants so happily,” the president told re- Castro gave the painting to the pope. (CNS p hoto/L’Osservatore Romano, pool) who risk their lives crossing the porters at a news conference he Mediterranean Sea seeking secu- held later in the day with Italian rity and a better life in Europe. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. could start praying again and re- of the reforms he would like to In December, Castro and Pope Francis gave Castro a Castro said he left his meet- turn to the Catholic Church. I’m make are still being implemented. U.S. President Barack Obama an- copy of his apostolic exhortation, ing with the pope “very much not kidding. I’m a communist, Jesuit Father Federico Lom- nounced that their nations were “The Joy of the Gospel,” and struck by his wisdom, his humil- (a member) of the Cuban Com- bardi, Vatican spokesman, said working toward re-establishing a large medallion featuring St. ity and all the virtues that we all munist Party. The party has never that during their private meeting official diplomatic relations. Both Martin of Tours covering a poor know he has.” admitted believers.” in a studio of the Vatican audi- leaders credited Pope Francis man with his cloak. Father Lom- “I read all the speeches of the Today, he said, the country ence hall, Castro thanked Pope with helping to secure the deal bardi said Pope Francis told Cas- pope,” Castro said, and he told allows people to hold important Francis for “the active role he through his letter-writing and by tro the medallion is a reminder reporters that he already had told positions even if they are not played in improving relations be- hosting a secret meeting at the not only of the obligation “to as- Renzi, “if the pope continues to members of the party. “It’s a step tween Cuba and the United States Vatican between Cuban and U.S. sist and protect the poor, but also speak this way, sooner or later I forward,” he said, although many of America.” representatives last fall. to actively promote their dignity.” Mass for Protection from Hurricane Season to be held June 5 Bishop Herzog has an- nounced that Friday, June 5 has been designated by the bishops Prayer for Hurricane Season of the state as a Day of Prayer Fr. Al Volpe, Cameron Parish, LA and Fasting for deliverance from storms and violent weather dur- O God, Master of this passing world, hear the humble voices of ries are still so vivid and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with ing the coming hurricane season. your children. The Sea of Galilee obeyed your order and returned the passing of time. O Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our Beloved Mother, Prayers and Masses are being en- to its former quietude; you are still the Master of land and sea. We we ask you to plead with your Son in our behalf, so that spared from couraged in all parishes for this live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control. The the calamities common to this area and animated with a true spirit of intention. On June 5, Saint Fran- Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant, can awake from its seeming gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son to reach the cis Xavier Cathedral will begin lethargy, overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land and Adoration of the Blessed Sacra- heavenly Jerusalem where a storm-less eternity awaits us. Amen. ment at 11 a.m. with Benediction spread chaos and disaster. During this hurricane season, we turn to at 11:50. Bishop Herzog will cel- You, O loving Father. Spare us from past tragedies whose memo- Originally dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Audrey in 1957. ebrate Mass at 12:05 p.m.

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