THE CATHOLIC CFebruary 12,ommentator 2021 Vol. 59, No. 1 2020 LPA NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR thecatholiccommentator.org REMEMBER! REPENT! BELIEVE! Guidance for Ash Wednesday and our call to conversion he penitential character “give up” a sense of normalcy my gratitude to every our time. Our first Lenten of what we observe for nearly a year without any pastor and parishioner for liturgy is Ash Wednesday, so Tas church during the indication the pandemic would working together to meet I give this instruction for our Lenten season has surely been soon be over. the challenges of this past gatherings. magnified during the past Most notable this past year year. Unfortunately, we are The Congregation for year! was our inability to gather still in need of vigilance to Divine Worship and the Beginning in March 2020, for the Easter Triduum to slow the spread of this virus. Discipline of the Sacraments Lent was quickly interrupted celebrate the foundational and But unlike last year we are published guidance on Jan. by a total lockdown. The life-giving memorials of the better prepared so we WILL 12 regarding the distribution faithful were unable to institution of the Eucharist observe and celebrate the of ashes on Ash Wednesday. worship in person as we and the passion, death and liturgies of Lent, Holy Week “The priest should first From the Bishop are usually accustomed. resurrection of our Lord Jesus and Easter this year even address all those present, Bishop Michael G. Duca Individually and collectively, Christ. if our gatherings will still and he only says the formula we were forced to literally Allow me again to express need to reflect the realities of SEE BISHOP PAGE 13 Dominican Friars announce withdrawal By Richard Meek The Catholic Commentator The Dominican Friars are leaving Holy Ghost Church and St. Albert the Great Chapel and Catholic Student Center, both of which are located in Hammond and within blocks of each other, no later than the summer of 2022, thus ending more than a century of service in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, most prominently in Tangipahoa Civil Parish. In a letter dated Jan. 26 that was addressed to the Holy Ghost congregation and read at Masses the weekend of Jan. 30-31, Father Thomas Condon OP, Prior Provincial of the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Martin de Porres, said that “after much prayer and deliberation, the province has come to the painful decision that we must withdraw from Holy Ghost Parish and St. Albert Catholic Student Center and close the related Dominican Community in Hammond by June 30, 2022. “We are returning the parish to Holy Ghost Church in Hammond. File photo | The Catholic Commentator the pastoral care and ministry of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, who will community life and to better serve the with Bishop Michael G. Duca to assure “It is our hope, though, that in provide the clergy in the future.” many pressing needs of the church in a smooth transition. times of challenge we can continue to The letter went on to say “we want our province we must consolidate our Bishop Duca, in a letter dated Feb. strengthen our core mission as baptized to assure you that the Dominicans houses and ministries.” 2 and also addressed to the Holy Ghost members of the faithful to bring Christ have no desire to leave you. However, The letter assured Holy Ghost congregation, noted that “change is and his salvation to others.” for the sake of strengthening our parishioners the friars are working never easy. SEE FRIARS PAGE 16 2 The Catholic Commentator February 12, 2021 | DID YOU KNOW Imitating Christ By Dina Dow what I am doing for others leading them on a path of salvation. Am I seeking first, what From green pastures to ashes, we contin- is best for me or best for another? Am I, like ue our pilgrim journey witnessing the liturgi- Jesus with the leper, doing what is good for cal season pass from Ordinary Time to Lent. others for their own personal well-being? Am The Sunday Mass readings in the 6th Week in I making an outcast of others because of their Ordinary Time focus once again afflictions? Am I imitating on the healing ministry of Jesus, Christ in what I think, say followed by the dawn of Lent Life-Giving and do? with the call to prayer, fasting FAI H Come home for Lent (Jl and almsgiving, stepping stones for 2:12-18) our 40-day journey to Easter. Ash Wednesday is here. Some Be gone (Lv 13:1-2, 44-46) have likened this past year as a long season of The prescription of the law during the Lent beyond the traditional 40 days. It could time of Moses directed that anyone bearing seem that way, as we ebb and flow through ‘To dust you shall return’ the sores of leprosy, diagnosed by the chief the pandemic: light one day, darkness the priest, would be designated as “unclean” and next. But how is God allowing us to grow in On Ash Wednesday people push “You will go down to the neth- cast out of the community to “dwell apart, his light during this time. We hear in Chapter aside the culture’s pulsating mes- erworld. making his abode outside the camp.” If one 2 of the Book of Joel the announcement of a sages encouraging the pursuit of “For if the mighty deeds done in were to approach a leper, the leper was to day of the Lord. If you go back to Joel, Chap- worldly indulgences and acknowl- your midst had been done in Sod- identify as “unclean” to avoid a close encoun- ter 1, you will read the announcement of “an edge their mortality and need for om, it would have remained until ter and possible spread of infection: a perma- unprecedented disaster.” repentance. Catholics, and people this day. nent quarantine. This was almost like death It is in Chapter 2 that God calls the Israel- of other denominations, visit their “But I tell you, it will be more to those who were essentially outcast, aban- ites back to him with their entire heart, “with churches and embrace what may tolerable for the land of Sodom on doned and gone from the community. fasting, weeping and mourning.” Times of seem like the stone-cold ritual of the day of judgment than for you.” Be made clean (Mk 1:40-45) disaster remind us of just how precious and receiving ashes and being told, In the Middle Ages those who This reading from the Book of Leviticus fleeting is life. In these times, as even in good “Remember that you are dust and were about to die were laid on the sets the scene for the account of the cleansing times, our hope rests in God’s mercy, love and to dust you shall return.” ground on top of a sackcloth sprin- of a leper in St. Mark’s Gospel. Here we see gratuitous compassion. God only wants what By participating in Ash kled with ashes. The priest blessed a leper approach Jesus. Falling to his knees, is best for his people. Wednesday, Catholics are partici- the person with holy water, saying, the leper, in an act of faith, begs Jesus, “If God does not desire our sinfulness to be pating in the liturgical use of ash- “Remember that thou art dust and you wish, you can make me clean.” The man our end. Rather, he welcomes our repentance, es that originated in ancient times. to dust thou shalt return.” with leprosy not only broke the Mosaic Law, our contrite hearts as we admit our fault and In the Book of Esther, Mordacai Afterwards the priest would he risked his life to request such a petition. desire to be reconciled to him. Upon our act put on sackcloth and covered him- ask the person, “Art thou content What moved him? Perhaps he heard about of contrition, God responds as he opens the self with ashes when he heard of with sackcloth and ashes in tes- or witnessed Jesus’ teaching or performing floodgates of his eternal mercy and invites us King Ahasuerus’ decree to kill all timony of thy penance before the miracles in Capernaum. Hence, he was con- to come home WITH ALL OUR HEARTS. the Jewish people in the Persian Lord in the day of judgment?” The fident on placing himself at the feet of the one St. Paul explains now is the time to be Empire. dying person would reply, “I am he knew could make him clean. The leper reconciled to God for salvation has come in Job lamented in sackcloth and content.” professes hope, “If you wish …” The power of Jesus Christ. Now is the time. Not tomorrow. ashes after being severely tested. Eventually, the use of ashes was the man’s petition is his hope in Jesus’ “yes.” Now. Daniel prophesized that the Baby- adapted to mark the beginning of Jesus, our Lord, “moved with pity,” touched Stepping stones: alms, fast, pray (Mt lonians would capture Israel when Lent. The earliest editions of the the leper without hesitation and said, “I do 1:1-6, 16-18) he wrote, “I turned to the Lord Gregorian Sacramentary, which will it. Be made clean.” Jesus sent the healed So where do we begin? We begin with the God, pleading in earnest prayer, dates at least to the eighth centu- man to the priests to verify the healing and one who walks the path with us: Jesus. He with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.” ry, contain the ritual for the “Days establish him to “dwell within the camp” of not only accompanies us, but he also guides Sackcloth and ashes were also of Ashes.” life in community.