Dear Parishioners,
Deacon Michael is serving and preaching at St. James Church this Sunday in honor of Black History
Month. So please welcome Deacon Glenn Hymel who volunteered to take Deacon Michael’s place at our
9:00 am Mass. Deacon Glenn is assigned to the parishes of St. James, St. Philip, and Our Lady of Peace
on the west side of the river.
This Thursday is Alumni Day at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. I usually try to attend Alumni Day
each year to enjoy some priestly fraternity, visit with our seminarians, and support the good work of the
seminary, but unfortunately I am not able to go this year.
Our diocese currently has 9 seminarians: 6 studying at Notre Dame Seminary, 2 studying at St. Joseph
Seminary College, and 1 serving a pastoral year in a parish. We hope to have at least two more men en-
ter the seminary this fall.
We have two men scheduled for ordination this May – Deacon Albert Blount and Deacon Joseph Bres-
owar – but no one scheduled for ordination next year. Meanwhile one priest has announced his plans to
retire from active ministry this summer.
Priests in our diocese are eligible to retire at the age of 68. Most work past that age and we currently
have 8 priests over the age of 68 who are still serving as pastors. (The oldest is Father Mike Moroney,
pastor of St. Alphonsus Church in Greenwell Springs, who is 78 years old.) So please continue your good
prayers for more priestly and religious vocations.
Lent is just over one week away so please take note of our Mass and confession schedule for Lent. Our
Masses on Ash Wednesday, February 22, will be at 8:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 6:00 p.m. Daily Mass re-
mains at the normal time of 5:45 p.m. on Tuesdays, and 8:00 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fri-
days. Confessions are at the regular times and at our Lenten Penance Service scheduled for Wednes-
day, March 15, at 6:30 p.m.
Make sure to mark your calendars for our Lenten Mission to be held on two consecutive evenings, Tues-
day & Wednesday, March 21 & 22, beginning at 6:45 p.m. each night. Our Mission is being led by Father
Stephen Kramer, SJ, a native of St. Louis currently assigned to Jesuit High School in New Orleans.
The Philadelphia Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday evening (that’s 57 for
those who may be rusty with Roman numerals). The Eagles have played in three Super Bowls, losing to
the Raiders in 1981 and the Patriots in 2005, and then beating the Patriots in 2018 for their one and only
championship. Philadelphia’s current roster includes running back Boston Scott from Zachary and wide
receiver DeVonta Smith from Amite.
The Chiefs have played in four Super Bowls and won two of them in 1970 over the Vikings and most
recently in 2020 over the 49ers. The Chiefs have three Louisiana natives on their roster: running back
Clyde Edwards-Helaire from Baton Rouge, safety Justin Reid from Prairieville, and cornerback L’Jarius
Sneed from Minden.
Both teams Þnished the season with identical records of 14 wins and 3 losses. Both teams are well-
coached and enjoy outstanding play at quarterback. Philadelphia is favored by a mere 1.5 points, so the
teams appear to be evenly matched. Enjoy the game and may the best team win!
In Christ,
Father Matt
Deacon Michael is serving and preaching at St. James Church this Sunday in honor of Black History
Month. So please welcome Deacon Glenn Hymel who volunteered to take Deacon Michael’s place at our
9:00 am Mass. Deacon Glenn is assigned to the parishes of St. James, St. Philip, and Our Lady of Peace
on the west side of the river.
This Thursday is Alumni Day at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. I usually try to attend Alumni Day
each year to enjoy some priestly fraternity, visit with our seminarians, and support the good work of the
seminary, but unfortunately I am not able to go this year.
Our diocese currently has 9 seminarians: 6 studying at Notre Dame Seminary, 2 studying at St. Joseph
Seminary College, and 1 serving a pastoral year in a parish. We hope to have at least two more men en-
ter the seminary this fall.
We have two men scheduled for ordination this May – Deacon Albert Blount and Deacon Joseph Bres-
owar – but no one scheduled for ordination next year. Meanwhile one priest has announced his plans to
retire from active ministry this summer.
Priests in our diocese are eligible to retire at the age of 68. Most work past that age and we currently
have 8 priests over the age of 68 who are still serving as pastors. (The oldest is Father Mike Moroney,
pastor of St. Alphonsus Church in Greenwell Springs, who is 78 years old.) So please continue your good
prayers for more priestly and religious vocations.
Lent is just over one week away so please take note of our Mass and confession schedule for Lent. Our
Masses on Ash Wednesday, February 22, will be at 8:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 6:00 p.m. Daily Mass re-
mains at the normal time of 5:45 p.m. on Tuesdays, and 8:00 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fri-
days. Confessions are at the regular times and at our Lenten Penance Service scheduled for Wednes-
day, March 15, at 6:30 p.m.
Make sure to mark your calendars for our Lenten Mission to be held on two consecutive evenings, Tues-
day & Wednesday, March 21 & 22, beginning at 6:45 p.m. each night. Our Mission is being led by Father
Stephen Kramer, SJ, a native of St. Louis currently assigned to Jesuit High School in New Orleans.
The Philadelphia Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday evening (that’s 57 for
those who may be rusty with Roman numerals). The Eagles have played in three Super Bowls, losing to
the Raiders in 1981 and the Patriots in 2005, and then beating the Patriots in 2018 for their one and only
championship. Philadelphia’s current roster includes running back Boston Scott from Zachary and wide
receiver DeVonta Smith from Amite.
The Chiefs have played in four Super Bowls and won two of them in 1970 over the Vikings and most
recently in 2020 over the 49ers. The Chiefs have three Louisiana natives on their roster: running back
Clyde Edwards-Helaire from Baton Rouge, safety Justin Reid from Prairieville, and cornerback L’Jarius
Sneed from Minden.
Both teams Þnished the season with identical records of 14 wins and 3 losses. Both teams are well-
coached and enjoy outstanding play at quarterback. Philadelphia is favored by a mere 1.5 points, so the
teams appear to be evenly matched. Enjoy the game and may the best team win!
In Christ,
Father Matt