Dear Parishioners,
Saturday, July 1, marks the one-year anniversary of my appointment as your pastor. It has been
a very enjoyable year for me, so I thank you for your welcome and openness as I learned my way
around the parish. The second year will hopefully be even better for all of us now that we kind of
know one another. Please extend the same hospitality to new parishioners who move into the
parish. The little acts of welcome make all the difference in creating a sense of family here at Our
Lady of the Holy Rosary.
Several of our neighboring parishes are experiencing a change in pastors this coming weekend.
Father Eric Gyan, pastor of St. Theresa in Gonzales, is moving to St. Jean Vianney in Baton
Rouge, and so will be replaced by Father Matthew McCaughey. Father McCaughey speaks some
Spanish which should be of great beneÞt to the many Spanish speakers in the area.
Father Jerry Martin, pastor of St. John in Prairieville, is moving to Holy Family in Port Allen, and
Father Lamar Partin, CSsR, associate pastor of St. John in Prairieville is moving to St. John the
Baptist in Zachary. They are being replaced by Father Andrew Merrick and newly ordained Fa-
ther Albert Blount.
Also, Father Rubin Reynolds, pastor of St. Mark in Gonzales, is retiring later this summer on Au-
gust 7 and will be replaced by Father Martin Lawrence, a native of Louisiana but a priest of the
Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
This weekend is the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time began on the Monday after
Pentecost but the two Sundays following Pentecost were centered on the Solemnities of the
Most Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi. So, it was only last Sunday that we Þnally returned to green
vestments and our reading of St. Matthew’s Gospel.
Remember that the Þrst reading for Sunday Mass is taken from the Old Testament and selected
to mirror the Gospel reading. The second reading is a semi-continuous reading of one of the
New Testament letters and doesn’t necessarily match the theme of the other readings. For the
next twelve Sundays the second reading is taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans.
Romans is the longest of St. Paul’s letters and the most carefully written and organized. Paul had
not yet visited Rome at the time of his writing, so one purpose of the letter was to introduce him-
self as well as the major themes of his preaching. The Letter to the Romans explores the themes
of sin and salvation, and is considered one of the great works of Christian theology.
We started reading St. Matthew’s Gospel during Advent, Christmas, and Winter Ordinary Time,
and then kind of jumped around during Lent and Easter. Last Sunday we resumed a more order-
ly reading of Matthew’s Gospel beginning with the missionary discourse in chapter 10. Each
Sunday we will spiritually walk with Jesus and his disciples as he slowly makes his way to Jeru-
salem. The Liturgical Year ends with the Solemnity of Christ the King on November 26, 2023.
In Christ,
Father Matt
Saturday, July 1, marks the one-year anniversary of my appointment as your pastor. It has been
a very enjoyable year for me, so I thank you for your welcome and openness as I learned my way
around the parish. The second year will hopefully be even better for all of us now that we kind of
know one another. Please extend the same hospitality to new parishioners who move into the
parish. The little acts of welcome make all the difference in creating a sense of family here at Our
Lady of the Holy Rosary.
Several of our neighboring parishes are experiencing a change in pastors this coming weekend.
Father Eric Gyan, pastor of St. Theresa in Gonzales, is moving to St. Jean Vianney in Baton
Rouge, and so will be replaced by Father Matthew McCaughey. Father McCaughey speaks some
Spanish which should be of great beneÞt to the many Spanish speakers in the area.
Father Jerry Martin, pastor of St. John in Prairieville, is moving to Holy Family in Port Allen, and
Father Lamar Partin, CSsR, associate pastor of St. John in Prairieville is moving to St. John the
Baptist in Zachary. They are being replaced by Father Andrew Merrick and newly ordained Fa-
ther Albert Blount.
Also, Father Rubin Reynolds, pastor of St. Mark in Gonzales, is retiring later this summer on Au-
gust 7 and will be replaced by Father Martin Lawrence, a native of Louisiana but a priest of the
Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
This weekend is the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time began on the Monday after
Pentecost but the two Sundays following Pentecost were centered on the Solemnities of the
Most Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi. So, it was only last Sunday that we Þnally returned to green
vestments and our reading of St. Matthew’s Gospel.
Remember that the Þrst reading for Sunday Mass is taken from the Old Testament and selected
to mirror the Gospel reading. The second reading is a semi-continuous reading of one of the
New Testament letters and doesn’t necessarily match the theme of the other readings. For the
next twelve Sundays the second reading is taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans.
Romans is the longest of St. Paul’s letters and the most carefully written and organized. Paul had
not yet visited Rome at the time of his writing, so one purpose of the letter was to introduce him-
self as well as the major themes of his preaching. The Letter to the Romans explores the themes
of sin and salvation, and is considered one of the great works of Christian theology.
We started reading St. Matthew’s Gospel during Advent, Christmas, and Winter Ordinary Time,
and then kind of jumped around during Lent and Easter. Last Sunday we resumed a more order-
ly reading of Matthew’s Gospel beginning with the missionary discourse in chapter 10. Each
Sunday we will spiritually walk with Jesus and his disciples as he slowly makes his way to Jeru-
salem. The Liturgical Year ends with the Solemnity of Christ the King on November 26, 2023.
In Christ,
Father Matt