THE CATHOLIC PAGE 5 Clearing the past to prepare for the future March 17,ommentator 2017 Vol. 55, No. 3 SERVING THE DIOCESE OF BATON ROUGE SINCE 1963 thecatholiccommentator.org C SPREADING JOY Seniors delight in St. Joseph altar By Rachele Smith The Catholic Commentator Missy Marchand is proof that if you want something done, all you have to do is ask. Back in 2001, Marchand was serv- ing as the activities director for what is now Gonzales Healthcare Center. Always searching for new activities for the resi- dents, Marchand said she thought a St. Joseph altar would be “something nice they could enjoy.” However, there was just one problem. She knew she couldn’t do it alone. She would need help and lots of it. So, she turned to Nell Bercegeay and Bercegeay’s sister, Jane Rouyes, two of her best volunteers. “When Missy asked me to help, I really didn’t know the first thing about doing a Father Jason Palermo, pastor of St. Joseph Church in French Settlement, blesses a St. Joseph altar at Azalea Estates of Gonza- St. Joseph altar,” said Bercegeay, a parish- les, an assisted living center. In anticipation of St. Joseph’s Day, many altars will be on display throughout the Diocese of Baton SEE ALTAR PAGE 20 Rouge. For a complete list of local St. Joseph’s altars, see page 9. Photo by Rachele Smith | The Catholic Commentator Secular Franciscans satisfy spiritual hunger By Debbie Shelley … and I am going to give you the how harshly he treated his body. The Catholic Commentator saint who is going to get you there.” I never really knew how much he That saint is St. Francis of Assisi. gave up for the love of God and for Secular Franciscan Patsy Bur- The saint whom many place a others to experience the love of gess’ hunger for a closer relation- statue of, complete with adoring God. ship with God intensified as she animals and a bird perched on his “Francis loved the Scriptures continued her education and train- shoulder, in their gardens. The one so much that he immersed him- ing in ministering to youth as a cat- people often think of when singing self in them. He lived them. When echist and youth minister. “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace,” he spoke you had no idea where “When it came to youth minis- at Mass. “He is sweet and peaceful,” his words stopped and Scripture try, I wanted to be able to give them many may say then put him on a began. There is something about more, to see their relationship with shelf and not think about him as a Francis that draws others toward God grow and flourish,” said Bur- model for living the Gospel. But ac- him. For me it was his prayer life, CENTENNIAL – St. Agnes Church recently cele- gess, who has worked with youth at cording to Burgess, minister of the his love for others, his way of bring- brated 100 years as an independent parish in Immaculate Conception Church in St. Joseph Fraternity of the Secular ing others to Jesus.” the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Originally found- Denham Springs and St. Jean Vi- Franciscan Order in Baton Rouge, St. Francis himself started the ed as a mission church in 1912 to help with the anney Church in Baton Rouge. he is a servant leader who challeng- secular Franciscan movement more city’s growing population after the arrival of When she finished her courses es the notion that prosperity and than 800 years ago, said Burgess. the Standard Oil Company, St. Agnes was es- with the Religious Studies Institute, comfort are the keys to happiness. There was a group of lay people who tablished as a parish on Feb. 9, 1917. For pho- she said, “I couldn’t get enough.” “He is so much more. I never wanted to live in the same spirit as tos and the full story see pages 10 – 11. Photo by Burgess said God urged her to knew Francis came from a wealthy St. Francis, and he wrote a rule of Rachele Smith | The Catholic Commentator continue on the path of holiness by family,” Burgess said. “I never knew life for them. telling her, “I want you to do more he fought in a war. I didn’t know SEE SECULAR PAGE 7 2 The Catholic Commentator March 17, 2017 Celebrating St. Joseph Thirsting for God’s word St. Joseph was a man of few words in also trusted in God when an angel came Lord, you are truly in the desert. It took the the Bible, in fact no one, but he certainly to St. Joseph when Jesus was an infant the Savior of the world; Life-Giving miraculous “strike of the played a powerful role in the life of Christ warning him his family was in danger give me living water, that FAI H rock” using the staff of Mo- and continues to do so for fathers every- and they should travel to Egypt until the I may never thirst again (Jn ses to fill the immediate, phys- where. angel said it was safe to come back. 4:15). ical need for water and inspire To no one’s surprise, southeast Loui- St. Joseph is mentioned only briefly them to once again return their hearts to siana celebrates his feast day like no oth- in the Gospels of St. Matthew, St. Luke I am the light of the world, says the God. er place, complete with and once in St. John but Lord; whoever follows me will have the Ironically, Jesus also thirsts. But his traditional altars and not at all in St. Mark or light of life (Jn 8:12). thirst is not for water. Rather, Jesus thirsts staying true to our her- anywhere else in the New for souls. He speaks similar words as he is itage, parades. SAINT Testament. As we enter the heart of Lent, the Sun- hanging crucified on the cross, “I thirst.” St. Joseph’s life A St. Joseph altar, day Mass readings provide impeccable (Jn 19:28) Jesus wants to quench our un- is an example of OF THE MONTH which represents the insight into the riches of the healing pow- belief. He desires for us to thrive in the trusting in the Lord, Holy Trinity, is divid- er of Jesus. A message of hope is mediat- waters of his grace, turning away from sin humility and a spiritual matrix of how ed into three sections with a statue of ed by two powerful Gospel accounts: the and trusting in him. The Samaritan wom- to be a faithful husband and father. Al- the saint at the head. Candles, figurines, woman at the well and the healing of the an’s testimony of the coming of the Mes- though certainly not a man of wealth, St. flowers, medals and many other items blind man. Two prominent themes come siah proves that her faith exists despite Joseph did come from royal lineage, be- are placed around the altar. forth during these two personal encoun- her lifestyle. With this hint of faith Jesus ing a descendant of David. An altar’s signature is its food, ap- ters with Jesus: thirst and vision. tells her who he is. The miracle is she be- His faith was severely tested when he propriate since they began as a way of lieves. She believes! Not only did she leave learned Mary was pregnant after they thanking St. Joseph for providing Sicil- Give Me a Drink behind the vessel (jar) which would carry were betrothed. He knew the child was ians food during a famine in the Middle The words used by the Israelites as the earthly water, she left behind her old not his and planned on quietly divorcing Ages. Each altar features a number of they grumbled to Moses are similar to self. Her encounter with Jesus quenched her so as to not cause her shame or even delicacies, with one of the staples being those used by Jesus in the account of the her parched spiritual journey. She was so cruelty. In those times a woman accused Italian cookies. Traditional foods include Samaritan woman. The Israelites longed transformed she, without hesitation, told of adultery faced the possibility of being cookies, cakes, breads and shellfish. for the immediate “comforts” imposed all the people of her town Jesus quenched stoned to death. The food from the altar is normally upon them despite their enslavement in her soul with the living waters teeming St. Joseph’s trust in the Lord was ex- donated to the less needy in the com- Egypt. Although set free by their merciful with mercy and love. emplified when an angel came to him munity typical through a local agency. God and led by Moses, their faith evapo- What are you thirsting for? How are and said the baby was the son of God. He SEE SAINT PAGE 4 rated as their physical thirst increased SEE FAITH PAGE 4 be sure, I made many trips during those taintop lakes, and lovely cities. The most years and since then as well. Three times reverent liturgy I ever celebrated took the Lord gave me the opportunity to vis- place high in the Andes at a remote mis- it the Holy Land, the land where he lived sion church. To signal that Mass would be and walked, and that was life-changing celebrated – a rare occurrence – the sac- … with FATHER MILES WALSH, pastor, for me; it made Scripture come alive. I vis- ristan rang the church bell for two hours Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Baton Rouge ited Lourdes and Medjugorje twice, and while hundreds of native Americans came those pilgrimages profoundly deepened streaming in from nearby mountain vil- You grew up in a small town, Port my devotion to Our Lady, another tre- lages.