Msgr. Nalty Homily – April 22, 2018
From the Pastor – April 22, 2018
Jesus said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (Jn 10:1-3)This week is the Fourth Sunday in Easter, and it is traditionally known as “Good Shepherd Sunday” because of the Gospel reading today in which Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd. We’re all familiar with the images: Jesus standing, staff in hand, with the lamb across his shoulders. We have a beautiful stained-glass image of this in the stairway leading up to the choir loft. In fact, it’s the screensaver on my phone! Or perhaps we think … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – April 15, 2018
Peter said to the people: “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away. (Acts 3:13-15, 17-19).A few years ago I met a lapsed Catholic who was somewhat … [Read more...]
2018 World Day of Prayer for Vocations
April 22, 2018 Today the Church throughout the world prays for vocations. Will you make a special effort to ask the Lord for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life?Pray for the priests who have ministered to you throughout your life, both living and dead.Keep our parish priests in your prayers throughout the week.Encourage your children, grandchildren, or other young people to consider a vocation as a priest or religious brother or sister.Pray a rosary for more young men and women in our diocese to respond to God’s call. … [Read more...]
Congratulations to Dotty Forley, Michael & Donna Riess!
On May 6, 2018 at 3:00pm at St Joseph Church, our parishioners Dotty Forley and Michael & Donna Riess will be awarded the Order of St. Louis IX Medallion by Archbishop Aymond at St. Louis Cathedral. The Order of St. Louis IX award was established more than 40 years ago to honor those members of the laity who have contributed their time and talents to the church.Even if you don’t know Dotty, Michael and Donna, you surely know of their work! Dotty is extremely active in our ministry to the poor both at the Rebuild Center and here in our ministry to our neighborhood poor. Michael & Donna headed our Restoration Campaign, which is the reason we’re making so much progress in restoring our church. … [Read more...]
Novena to Our Lady of Good Counsel
April 18 – 26 (say this prayer every day for the nine days)Aware of the powerful intercessory prayers of Our Blessed Mother, let us commit to pray this short prayer for the next nine days.O Holy Virgin, to whose feet we are lead by our anxious uncertainty in our search for and attainment of what is true and good, invoking thee by the sweet title of Mother of Good Counsel. We beseech Thee to come to our assistance, when, along the road of this life, the darkness of error and of evil conspires towards our ruin by leading our minds and our hearts astray. Do Thou, O Seat of Wisdom and Star of the Sea, enlighten the doubtful and the erring, that they be not seduced by the false appearances of good; render them steadfast in the race of the hostile and corrupting influences of passion … [Read more...]
Nine Church Walk
Thanks to our volunteers who greeted pilgrims taking part in the Nine Church Walk on Good Friday. The pilgrims started arriving almost at the completion of our Holy Thursday vigil at 6:00am, and they continued even into the afternoon and evening. We had our handy clicker to count numbers, so we know that close to 3,000 people came to visit St. Stephen’s on Friday. I sat in the confessional from 9:00-11:00 am, and Father Doug from 11:00am-12:30pm, and we were rarely alone. The line was continuous for the entire time. Anybody who doubts the vitality of the Catholic Church in New Orleans need only to have seen the busloads of high school groups, CYO groups, and large families taking part in the walk to have their doubts removed. I was so happy to greet many pilgrims from other parishes where … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – April 8, 2018
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.” (Jn 20:19-21a)How do we define peace? Politically, it can defined as an “absence of conflict.” If we are busy at work, it might mean “no interruptions.” Some parents might equate peace with their kids being asleep or at their grandparents for the night. Peace happens to some people when their cell phone finally runs out of batteries or when a power outage knocks out the internet and the television. Oftentimes we actually “seek” … [Read more...]
Divine Mercy
Divine Mercy Sunday is dedicated to the devotion to the Divine Mercy promoted by St. Faustina , and is based upon an entry in St. Faustina's diary stating that anyone who participates in the Mass and receives the sacraments of confession and Eucharist on this day is assured by Jesus of full remission of sins. According to the notebooks of Saint Faustina, Jesus made the following statements about this day: "On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though … [Read more...]
