The homeless shelters at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul have been a haven for those seeking refuge during the current cold snap. On the night of Jan. 20, St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director Michael Acaldo said more than 100 residents filled the center’s shelters. That number was expected to exceed more than 100 again on Jan. 21. Acaldo said the center has a cold weather plan that when the temperature dips to 39 and below, cots are added to accommodate more people seeking to come in off of the streets. Typically the day center, pictured above, has the capacity to house 36 residents during weather or other emergency events but because of COVID-19 protocols that number is 20. Acaldo said he expects the added beds to remain available through at least next week as below average temperatures are predicted. Photo by Richard Meek | The Catholic Commentator

Bishop Michael G. Duca addressed more than 30 people who braved frigid temperatures and the threat of wintry weather Thursday night to attend the first of nine listening sessions responding to Pope Francis’ call to engage in a synodal process titled “Toward a Synodal Church” Communion, Participation, Mission.” The majority of those in attendance at St. Margaret Queen of Scotland Church in Albany commented on the synod’s three sections, and Bishop Duca offered his thoughts at the end of the gatherings. Photo by Richard Meek | The Catholic Commentator

Pope Francis said on Jan. 5 that it is a civilizational loss when dogs and cats replace children in society, encouraging couples to “take the risk” to become parents. 

Father Mike Schmitz recently marked two major milestones, on consecutive days.

Jesus was born outside of the city, outside of a hospital, outside of a normal house. The Gospels tell us he was born in a stable, outside the city because “there was no room for them in the inn.”

No value in human life has been sung about so much as love. Poems, songs and novels of all literatures of the globe deal with it endlessly. Almost no motion picture leaves it unmentioned. Jokes caricature it and wise sayings try to define what love really is. Suicide and murder sometimes follow its failure.

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University will recognize four alumni and one community member at its annual Fête des Fidèles fundraiser held at The Estuary at The Water Campus on Thursday, Feb. 10.

Discerning a religious life for any young man or woman can often be frustrating as rewarding, as spiritually challenging as spiritually inspiring.

Father Charlie Landry, pastor of St. Gabriel Church in St. Gabriel and Sacred Heart Chapel at Carville, is a humble servant, but well known by military personnel as he passes through the gates of the Louisiana National Guard’s Gillis W. Long Center in Carville.

On Jan. 2 we celebrated The Epiphany of the Lord.  The Gospel on that day presents the story of the Magi looking for the newborn king of the Jews after following the star of Bethlehem.  When did the star first appear to the Magi, before or after Jesus’ birth?  

A series of listening sessions in the Diocese of Baton Rouge responding to Pope Francis’ call to engage in a synodal process titled “Toward a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission,” is scheduled to launch Jan. 20 at St. Margaret Queen of Scotland Parish Hall in Albany. 

Shortly after Hurricane Ida inflicted its carnage on southern Louisiana, the disaster recovery team from Catholic Charities of Baton Rouge was on the streets, providing assistance wherever possible.

he liturgical season is in Ordinary Time. As we move from Christmas to this new season it is important to understand how “liturgy is an action” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1136) in the life of church as the Holy Spirit enables us to gather in the sacramental life.

Bill Newchurch, an usher at St. Elizabeth Church in Paincourtville, welcomes parishioners, all wearing masks, to the 10:30 a.m. Mass on May 17, 2020 as many churches reopened throughout the Diocese of Baton Rouge. The churches had closed in March of that year because of the outbreak of the coronavirus. Photo by Richard Meek | The Catholic Commentator

Kathleen Beckman LHS sees the ravages of evil on families as a member of the exorcist team of the Diocese of Orange County, California and administrator of its healing and deliverance ministry. 

Weather delays STM renovations

VATICAN CITY ‑ Pope Francis said on Jan. 5 that it is a civilizational loss when dogs and cats replace children in society, encouraging couples to “take the risk” to become parents.  “The other day, I was talking about the demographic winter that we have today … many couples do not have children because they do not want to, or they have just one — but they have two dogs, two cats,” Pope Francis said at his general audience on Jan. 5.

On the property of Cletta “Ducky” O’Neal in Maringouin that was once a cornfield but through the years has been cultivated and features a delightful garden hosting a variety of flowers and ferns is a cabana in which O’Neal applies her paintbrush to turn rain barrels into a piece of art.

During the Nazi occupation of France during the Second World War, a group of Jesuit theologians who were resisting the occupation published an underground newspaper, “Cahiers du Temoignage Chretien,” which had a famous opening line in its first issue: “France, take care not to lose your soul.”