What is Ordinary Time?

The Easter Season officially concluded on the Feast of Pentecost two weeks ago, and and on the following Monday we began “Ordinary Time” anew with the colors of the vestments and altar furnishings returning to green from the violet of Lent and the white of Easter.  What’s so “ordinary” about it?  Actually, “Ordinary Time” is the English translation of the Latin Tempus Per Annum (“time throughout the year”) and gets its name from the word ordinal, meaning “numbered,” because we begin to count the weeks rather than the seasons. Ordinary Time, depending on the year, runs either 33 or 34 weeks, and makes up the time in the Church calendar that does not fall within the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter.

The Church celebrates two periods as Ordinary Time.  The first period, ran from the end of Christmas until the evening of Mardi Gras when Lent begins, followed by Easter. The second period begins on the Monday after Pentecost and runs until Advent begins again in November. This period includes Christ the King Sunday, the final Sunday of Ordinary Time.

The use of the term “Ordinary Time” was used before the Second Vatican Council, but it was not until after the council that the term was officially used to designate the period between Epiphany and Lent, and the period between Pentecost and Advent.  The older names for those seasons were the “Season After Epiphany” and the “Season After Pentecost.”

Ordinary Time celebrates the mystery of the life of Christ in all its aspects, and contains many important liturgical celebrations, including, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, the Assumption of Mary, he Exaltation of the Holy Cross, All Saints, All Souls and Christ the King. In addition, the Church continues to celebrate other feast days of Mary, feasts of many saints, and the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Poinsettias!

Poinsettias in the Sanctuary during Christmas make for a beautiful display. Thanks for helping us decorate the altar!

Vincent Aiola Sr, William Allen, Cherie Austin, Evie Beck, Mr & Mrs Elmo J. Bourgeois, June Bourgeois, Marie Louise Broussard, Marlene Talley Brown, Mr & Mrs William Collins, Maurice Doyle, Claire Brown Fair, Hazel Fair, Aaron Gamble, Lilian Gamble, Leslie Guise, Mercedes Guise, Michael Guise Sr, Mr & Mrs Fred Johnson Sr, Fred Johnson Jr, Benedict LeBlanc, Mr & Mrs Edward LeBlanc Sr, Raymond Ledoux, Rafael Madan, Shirley Mallory, Joy Newman, Richard J. Roth Jr, Debbie Sherman, Bruce Snider, Neil & Georgia Mae Thompson, Gloria Tobias, Dennis Weil, the Marchessault Family, and the Ritchotte Family, Leonard Evans, Earline Johnson, Carroll & Germaine Rhodes, Bessie & Nett Stidham, Nicholas Stidham, All Holy Souls in Purgatory, Paul W. Sanderson, Sr., Theresa Sanderson, Joseph F. Paradelas, Maxine Paradelas, Medina and Burmeister Families, Mr. and Mrs. William A. Heausler, Jr., Richmond G. Favrot, Jorge A.Martinez, Pilar Blasco Martinez, Victor Lamadrid, Sr., Guadalupe Blasco Lamadrid, Celina Milan Blasco, Thomas B. Roche’, Anna Lee Roche’, Ronald J. Harper, Beverly G. Harper.

Good Stewardship

Giving to charity shows a great reliance on God, and God rewards a cheerful giver.  Ever since I began “tithing,” God has given me more blessings than I can imagine.  And as He gives me more, I try to give more away.

Collections in our parish cover less than 50% of our parish expenses. With the costs of insurance, salaries, utilities and upkeep, we have a tough time. Without some generous benefactors donating at year’s end, we would be in bad shape! We’re a parish that is very generous to the poor, but we also need to be good stewards of our church and buildings that have been left to us by past generations.

Please consider the following:  If you give less than $5 into the collection each week, perhaps you can raise it to $5.  And if you give more than $5, perhaps you can raise your contribution by 25%.  Thank you for your consideration in helping to preserve our precious parish!

Your help will make a big difference in our ability to meet our financial obligations. One way to make this easy is to use our electronic giving program. To sign up, visit our Online Donations page to set up your online giving account. You may also use the paper authorization form available here or from Arielle Nash in the parish office. Call Arielle if you have difficulties.

Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions

January 2026

Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.

Please pray for the intentions of the Holy Father!