September’s stories highlight healing, remembrance, and hope. In this issue of The Collect, discover how retreats are bringing renewal, how our community gathered to remember Hurricane Katrina, and how catechists are being equipped to share the faith. We also honor the life of Father Tom Duhe and reflect on the call to open wide our hearts in dialogue. These stories remind us that even in sorrow and remembrance, faith points us toward hope.

The Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Schools Office releases its Statement of Policy regarding admission of students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at its schools:

Bishop Duca joins other bishops around the United States in congratulating the faithful of the Archdiocese of New Orleans on the appointment of Most Reverend James Checchio as the Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans by Pope Leo XIV.

In the 1870s missionary priest Father John Scollard came from the Archdiocese of New Orleans to minister to Catholics in the area stretching from Kenner to Amite and Clinton.

In 2018 the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued their pastoral letter on racism, “Open Wide Your Hearts.” The document called people to have an enduring love for people of different backgrounds.

It is with sadness that the Diocese of Baton Rouge informs the faithful of the death of Fr. Tom Duhe, a retired priest of our diocese, who passed away on 15 September 2025. Before his retirement, he served as Pastor of St. Thomas More in Baton Rouge. He also served a variety of other parishes and ministries.

In today's world, as people spread the Gospel message, people may rebuff them and demand to "show me the reason for your hope." Catechesis and evangelization require a knowledge and love of the Lord that speaks of a hope rooted in trust and confidence in God.

Twenty years ago, Hurricane Katrina taught people unforgettable lessons about how fragile life is and how strong human and community bonds can be in response. The Baton Rouge community gathered to remember, give thanks, and share messages of hope during a service hosted by the Interfaith Federation of Greater Baton (IFGBR).

During this Jubilee Year of Hope people may abandon their journeys or wander off because of the need for healing. Defeatist thoughts such as, "I can't," "This situation (or person) will never change," and "I need a quick fix" can lead them into being spiritually stuck. Spiritual direction and healing retreats can help these people break through such barriers to freedom.

As we are currently in the midst of the serious part of hurricane season, I'm drawn back to tough memories of Hurricane Katrina, whose 20th anniversary will be coming up on August 29, 2025.

August’s stories highlight faith lived with courage, creativity, and compassion. In this issue of The Collect, walk with educators preparing for a new school year, youth deepening their faith through the Franciscan Experience, and Kolbe Ministries bringing Christ’s love to the imprisoned. Celebrate the blessing of a new chapel at St. Vincent de Paul, Sister Anna’s 100 years of wisdom, and a reflection on the gift of innocence. Together, these stories remind us that the Catholic faith is alive and bearing fruit across our diocese.

As New Orleans sat in the bullseye of Hurricane Katrina, which loomed as a Category 5 storm in the Gulf of Mexico, highways were jammed with people fleeing the area. Archbishop Emeritus Alfred C. Hughes, then Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, evacuated to St. Joseph Abbey in St. Benedict.

Bishop Duca expresses the prayerful support and solidarity of the people of the Diocese of Baton Rouge with the victims of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

Each year, hundreds of people stop by to light a candle and kneel to pray at the Chapel of the Madonna, known as "the smallest church in the world." Several share stories of God’s mighty power in answering the prayers they offered to him there.

Crowned with a tiara and wearing a sash emblazoned with the words “100 & fabulous,” Sister Anna Schellhaas CSJ emerged with her fellow Sisters of St. Joseph after morning prayer. With her luminous trademark smile she greeted the many people gathered at the Hundred Oaks Center in Baton Rouge to celebrate her centennial birthday, which was Aug. 9.

Each day, the St. Vincent de Paul Society buzzes with activity. Staff and volunteers feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, make sure people don’t have to choose between eating and filling their life-saving prescriptions, and provide help for obtaining employment.

Sister Helen Prejean CSJ echoes St. Bonaventure’s words of wisdom by challenging others to, “Ask not for wisdom. Ask for the fire.” She advocates for the abolition of the death penalty and ministers to the “forgotten of society” in prisons.

Youth attending The Franciscan Experience (TFE) expressed that “everything” was the highlight of their week – including toiling in the graveyard, engaging in deep theological discussions, and hanging out at night.

Perhaps in its ideal form, innocence might be described as a human heart stripped of ego and lust, something akin to what James Joyce describes in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man when his hero, young Steven, sees a half-naked girl on a beach and instead of being moved by sexual desire is moved only by an overwhelming wonder and admiration.