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Ashley Boyd and Libby Hotard are part of a close-knit group of women from the cluster churches of East St. James Parish. For them, one spiritually eye-opening moments of their lives was attending the tenth National Eucharistic Congress in 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

BATON ROUGE, La. — St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge will open its emergency Cooling Centers this weekend to provide a safe place for neighbors to escape dangerous summer heat.

Sisters Olivia Maire Gethsemane HMSS and Filia Patris HMSS feel God's guiding hand in their vocational call to becoming Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Through mutual gazes of love with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and the accompaniment of others, they laid down their lives at the altar as brides of Christ.

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University has been ranked the No. 1 accredited nursing school in Louisiana and No. 25 in the nation for 2026 by Allnurses.

Students in the Diocese of Baton Rouge are making their way back to their school campuses for the first day of the 2026-2027 school year. At Holy Family School in Port Allen, the children enjoyed playing, greeting old friends and making new friends, and beginning their lessons with their new teachers. Photos by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator

Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Baton Rouge bustled with activity as Catholic educators excitedly greeted each other before the new year begins. They talked about their plans, dreams, and opportunities for the new academic year.

Participants in the Franciscan Experience (TFE) reported that they spent a week that was unlike any summer camps they had ever attended. They learned deep theological lessons, wiped the sweat from their brows while cleaning a local cemetery, looked into the eyes of the poor they served, and bonded through fun activities.

The schools of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, admit students of any race, of color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at its schools. They do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

July’s stories invite us to reflect on faithfulness, family, education, and service. In this issue of The Collect, discover how we are called to remain rooted in the unity of the Catholic Church, look to the saints for inspiration in our marriages and families, and prepare our children for a new school year with confidence and purpose. We also celebrate new leadership in sacred music and the continued work of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to serve the community. Together, these stories remind us that the Catholic faith touches every part of our lives.

In a Mass described by attendees as "beautiful" and "memorable," Sisters Olivia Marie Gethsemane, HMSS and Elizabeth Filia Patris, HMSS laid down their lives as brides of Christ.

St. Ignatius of Loyola offers help when we are "soaring through the highs" and "sinking through the lows" of life so we can utilize them for spiritual growth.

As part of a series of renovations of its thrift stores, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge (SVdP) celebrated the re-opening of its Starring Lane thrift store.

July is known as the "month of married saints" because the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of several saints couples during that month. Their lives inspire and guide couples today who strive to build their own "domestic church."

Shopping for new school uniforms and shoes, getting haircuts, and getting back on a schedule signals a new school year is about to begin. Moving forward with a positive rhythm, rather than a strict minute-by-minute countdown can help children succeed in school, say Catholic school administrators in the Diocese of Baton Rouge.

The Baton Rouge St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP) is helping students of financially stressed families to positively begin the 2026-2027 school year.

Bishop Duca addresses the faithful of Baton Rouge and gives his guidance regarding recent schismatic acts of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X.

Pope Leo XIV extends his heartfelt congratulations to all Americans on the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.