THE CATHOLIC PAGE 3 Budget cuts could affect Catholic Schools February 2,ommentator 2018 Vol. 55, No. 26 SERVING THE DIOCESE OF BATON ROUGE SINCE 1963 thecatholiccommentator.org C ‘UNDER ONE ROOF’ built in the mid-1970s but eventu- St. Aloysius ally the staff outgrew the building and moved into the original convent of the Daughters of Jesus, who in turn took over the smaller office building. More dedicates remodeling and moves into multiple buildings continued over the years to accommodate the growing church new center to the point that “an off-campus resi- dence in the neighborhood became the rectory.” By Bonny Van After prayers and petitions, Fa- The Catholic Commentator ther Cuevas, parochial vicar Father Eddie Martin and Deacon Chauvin “It’s been wonderful,” said Mary Wilkinson walked through the Dawson, director of development 9,958-square foot-administration and communications at St. Aloysius building, blessing each of the offices Church in Baton Rouge. with holy water. They were followed That was her first response when by parishioners, eager to see the new asked what it’s like to work in the new space. Pastoral Services Center on the church “With the completion of our new campus. “In the past, the church staff Pastoral Services center, church staff had to work in three different loca- Father Randy Cuevas, pastor of St. Aloysius Church in Baton Rouge, blesses one of the are finally under one roof again, in a tions on the church grounds, so it’s 18 offices in the Pastoral Services Center. The building also has two conference building specifically designed to bet- been wonderful for us all to be housed rooms, an employee break room and a workroom. Photo by Bonny Van | The Catholic Commentator ter serve the pastoral needs of our pa- in one building. It’s so much more col- rishioners and visitors, and enable our laborative,” she said. tor Father Randy Cuevas for the short for the blessing of the facility. staff to efficiently and effectively func- After Mass on Jan. 21, parishioners walk from the church, across the park- According to Father Cuevas, the tion, communicate and coordinate the and staff at St. Aloysius followed pas- ing lot to the front of the new building first church office for St. Aloysius was SEE PASTORAL PAGE 20 Purgatory ‘cleans up the mess’ SVdP receives By Debbie Shelley tion (on purgatory) by asking the of the Catholic Church has to say The Catholic Commentator question, ‘What happens when we (1032): All who die in the state $1 million grant die?’ ” said Father Miles Walsh, of God’s grace, i.e., in the state Lent is a time to spiritually ap- pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus of friendship with him, but still By Richard Meek ply the principals of spring clean- Church in Baton Rouge. “The imperfectly purified, are indeed The Catholic Commentator ing the house to spring cleaning church teaches that when we die assured of their eternal salva- the soul so we can be united with we are first of all judged by God, tion, but after death they undergo St. Vincent de Paul Society is on the move the resurrected Jesus at Easter. and at that judgment, which we purification, so as to achieve the again. But struggle as we may to “clean call the particular judgment, we holiness necessary to enter the Weeks before dedicating a 42-bed expan- up the mess,” we may have the learn our eternal destiny: whether joy of heaven. The church gives sion of the Bishop Ott Sweet Dreams Shelter for uneasiness that we are not quite we will spend eternity with God the name ‘purgatory’ to this final Women and Children, executive director Michael ready for heaven if we should die in heaven … or whether we will purification of the elect, which is Acaldo announced that St. Vincent de Paul re- because we still attach ourselves spend eternity apart from him in entirely different from the punish- ceived a $1 million grant from the city of Baton to some sins or “dirt” in our souls. hell. And yet, even if we are des- ment of the damned.” Rouge which will pave the way for a 36-bed ex- Placing a soul in purgatory, tined for heaven, our Catholic tra- Father Matthew Graham, ad- pansion of the Bishop Ott Center and day room. therefore, is God’s merciful, loving dition, including Scripture itself, ministrator of St. Elizabeth Church Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome act of final cleansing of the soul, attests that most of those who will in Paincourtville and St. Jules announced the grant Jan. 29. so it can be perfectly purified and go to heaven must first spend a pe- Church in Belle Rose, talked about “We are so excited about being a part of the brought home to him in heaven, riod of time being purified of any references to purgatory in Scrip- mayor’s vision of responding to the needs of the according to clergy of the Diocese and all attachment to sin, and we ture. He highlighted how St. Paul homeless, especially mothers and children who of Baton Rouge. call this state of being purgatory. wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 that have no place to turn for help,” Acaldo said. “We “We might begin our reflec- “This is what the Catechism SEE PURGATORY PAGE 19 SEE GRANT PAGE 15 2 The Catholic Commentator February 2, 2018 | TREASURES FROM THE DIOCESE Jesus’ healing power By Dina Dow of the people with leprosy, the sadness of their family and the outright rejection “I turn to you, Lord, in times of trou- by the larger community. If a person ble, and you fill me with the joy of sal- touched another with leprosy, that per- vation.” Ps 32 son was deemed unclean. The reading itself is quite descriptive, causing one It is interesting the liturgical read- to cringe. Understanding ings for the fifth and the terrible effects of such sixth Sundays in Ordi- Life-Giving a disease, one may say, “Do nary Time are actual- you blame the Israelites ly preparing us for the FAI H for having extreme law?” But season of Lent, which hap- think of a time when people pens to immediately follow these. The treated you as if you had a com- themes resonating from the Scriptures municable disease? Rejection is a fore- speak to the realities of challenges faced runner to the realm of hopelessness. by many, including restlessness and re- jection. Yet, these challenges are over- Healing come through the healing ministry of Yet within the storm filled with de- Jesus and the hope of salvation. spair and isolation, there is hope and healing. Jesus, the holiest one, reaches Restlessness and grasps what is drowning us. We, as The Book of Job is an incredible sto- living missionary disciples, are called to ry from the Old Testament detailing the run into the storm and help. St. Paul re- Eva LeGard, far righr, talks with members of the youth panel at the Black Congress experience of a man completely commit- minds us of the call to mission. Spread- held at the Catholic Life Center in Baton Rouge, March 11, 1989. The congress was well ted to God, whose life is filled with utter ing the Gospel message is more than attended by young delegates. Photo provided by the Department of Archives, Diocese of Baton Rogue tragedy and loss. He is strong in faith volunteerism. Rather, it is an enormous and perseveres, yet he asks questions obligation for all baptized Christians to | that we too may ask out of hopelessness. share in the hope of Jesus, especially DID YOU KNOW He expresses restlessness, comparing it when others are in need of healing. to a slave laboring for hours; longing for Jesus’ healing ministry is seen shade from the heat of the sun. Despair throughout the Gospels, particularly Throat blessing is creeping in. Job poses the question, in the liturgy of the coming weeks. We “When shall I arise?” Ask yourself, read, “He grasped the hand of Simon’s Throat a bit sore lately? candles to his prison cell so he could “When have I been exhausted from the mother-in-law and helped her up. Then Hoarseness setting in? read Scripture. challenges, longing for peace? Is hope the fever left her …” (Mk 1:31) and upon No wonder, considering the wacky By the sixth century, St. Blaise was extinguished? Am I restless? If so, what the request from the man with leprosy, weather that has included snow and being called upon for intercession for is the root of this restlessness? “Moved with pity, he stretched out his ice on two occasions since the calendar diseases of the throat. During the Mid- hand, touched him, and said to him, ‘I flipped to a new year. dle Ages his popularity soared, be- Rejection do will it. Be made clean’ ” (Mk 1:41). We Which makes the feast day of St. coming one of the most popular saints We also hear in the Book of Leviticus can easily embrace the first miracle, yet Blaise on Feb. 3, more commonly known during that era. the origin of the law restricting those the second is more challenging. What’s as the blessing of the throats, perfect One reason for his popularity was with leprosy to a life of exile and isola- easier, to touch someone with a fever or timing in an area where nary a family born out of the fact that he was able tion. One can only imagine the despair SEE GOSPEL PAGE 4 or workplace has escaped the ravages of to cure the sick, especially those with the highly contagious strain of flu mak- throat ailments, thus establishing the | CLARIFICATION ing the rounds this winter.