Messages from the Pastor

March 14, 2010

My dear parishioners and friends,

This is my first opportunity to share with you in the Bulletin since my return from the Holy Land. Our group of 35 persons spent eight full days exploring the places where Jesus was foreshadowed, conceived, born, and ministered, and where He ultimately died and was raised in glory.

It was a great trip. I had been to the Holy Land before, but it was the first visit for everyone else. From what I saw, everyone was thrilled to be able to “walk in the footsteps of” the Lord and to pray at those very places made holy by His presence. You were in my prayers, and most especially in Bethlehem and Nazareth, where our patron St. Joseph had such an important part to play in our Savior’s life.

Two things stand out in my mind from the trip: one was our praying of the Stations of the Cross on the Lenten Friday of Feb. 26, along the actual “Via Dolorosa” in the famous “Old City” section of Jerusalem. What made it unusual was the weather: we prayed in a constant downpour of rain! It was one little way of suffering that even Jesus didn’t have to put up with 2,000 years ago! But it turned out to be special: whenever we pray the Way of the Cross from now on, I think all of us will always recall that special occasion when we walked together in Jerusalem identifying with Christ’s passion in such a unique way.

The other thing I’ll mention for now was the pleasant surprise that all of us realized simply by looking around us: the Holy Land is safe and quite accessible to visitors. Although the region has known much strife and bitterness, and has continuing political problems – and the news media profits greatly by playing this up – in reality Israel is not a dangerous place. It has signed peace treaties with Jordan and Egypt, and the security arrangement with the Palestinians has given them separate areas under their own political control. It’s not a perfect system – the Palestinians are separated by a barrier that seems to me to be overly fearsome, sort of a “Berlin Wall”! – but it has made the Holy Land a safe place to visit. If questions like this have kept you from considering a tour there, I’d encourage you to reconsider.

It appears that everything went smoothly here at the Cathedral in my absence. The Parish Office staff and our regular corps of volunteers (liturgical ministers, money counters, Bulletin helpers, Food Pantry and other social responsibility workers, KCs, Ladies of the Cathedral, etc.), of course, deserve gratitude not only from me but from us all, whether I’m here or not. So many things go on, and it all seems so effortless, but this is due to the dedication of so many.

I also want to express my special thanks to Fathers David Allen, John Carville, Chris Decker, Howard Hall, Matt Lorrain, Pat Mascarella and Jerry Young for supplying both sacramental services and smiles while I was away. You know, priests of the Diocese of Baton Rouge have always considered ministry in our area a “shared responsibility,” and that is never more evident than when we “cover” for each other during illnesses and absences. These are not just “other priests” as far as I’m concerned, but “brother priests.” I hope the mutual affection we have for each other shows in the way we cooperate to serve the Lord and you.

This weekend we’re celebrating another one of our special “Saturday @ 4” Masses: the Choir from St. Thomas More Parish in Baton Rouge will join us for the Vigil Mass and a reception afterwards. Their repertoire has been described as “classically choral,” including historic favorites as well as new compositions which show off their versatility. This weekend why not join us for the Vigil Mass, and share a bit of different music and song with us?

At week’s end, on Friday, March 19, we celebrate the annual patronal feast of our diocese and parish church: the Solemnity of St. Joseph. The noon Mass that day will include a special blessing of the traditional St. Joseph’s Altar prepared by the Ladies of the Cathedral. Also, a free, meatless meal is served in the Parish Hall from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm by them and the Knights of Columbus. St. Joseph gave tender, fatherly care to Jesus, and since he’s our patron I’m sure he offers the same fatherly spiritual care to us all. Please join us if you can!

In Christ,
Father Paul

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