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To commemorate Flag Day on June 14, Boy Scout Troop 1993 planted flags on the graves of 30 deceased soldiers in St. Joseph Cemetery. The wars that the veterans served in include the Civil War, the Mexican-American War, WWI and WWII, and Vietnam War. The St. Joseph Cemetery Board facilitated the event. Photos by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator

Shirley Johnson was one of the neighbors of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Baton Rouge who received an outpouring of love from the church. Youth from Sacred Heart's Mid-City Mission painted her house and worked in her yard and conveyed that she is not forgotten.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) of Baton Rouge celebrated the opening of its largest thrift store with a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 6.

The Diocese of Baton Rouge will join the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in consecrating the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Mark Legendre, 70, made lifetime memories during his pilgrimage at the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) in 2023. Afterwards he longed to do something with similar experiences. He found the opportunity to do that with his granddaughter, Harper Jenny, 14, by walking the Camino of Maryland together. They are the oldest and youngest participants registered for the event.

Many people are casting warried eyes at the sky and and preparing their emergency supply checklist lists as hurricane season begins. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a total of 8-14 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher) during this year's hurricane season (June 1-Nov. 30).

Deacon John Ryals will draw from his professional and personal life experiences to help youth encounter Christ and families to strengthen their mission as the Domestic Church.

Deacon Todd Pourciau enjoys helping people open up to reading and living the Word of God. As a deacon for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Deacon Pourciau plans to use his background in teaching and personal life experiences to help people discover God's plans for their lives.

Deacon Duane Becnel has lived his entire life in the small sugarcane farming community of Vacherie. He grew up working on a sugarcane farm, and his family life was simple, going to church and school and spending a lot of time with his family. From there, God called him carry out to serve his universal church in his home territory as a deacon.

The Atmosphere at St. Joseph Cathedral was jubilant as three men answered God's call to serve the church as permanent deacons in the Diocese of Baton Rouge.

St. George School in Baton Rouge rounded out its school year with several events: A SGS Talent Showcase, DARE Equipment Day, Accelerated Reader Knight Award, recognizing student council homeroom representatives, recognition of Accelerated Reader Bronze Medal recipients, Dragon Fitness Awards, and Mrs. Loewe’s first graders releasing the butterflies they raised. Pre‑K students also visited the Kindergarten classes for Step Up Day, getting a preview of next year. Photos provided by Ashley Fabre

Historical and cultural changes over the years have created complex views about marriage. The wisdom of the Catholic Church's teachings brings couples "back to the basics" to understand the sacrament of marriage as God created and intended it to be.

St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) celebrated the opening of its first upscale thrift store, Rosalie's Boutique, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 16.

Ascension Catholic Diocesan Regional High School held its Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 9 at Ascension Catholic Church in Donaldsonville. Its baccalaureate Mass was held on May 7 at Ascension Catholic Church. Harlee Marie Landry was named valedictorian and Halle Catherine Gomez was named salutatorian. Photo provided by Wendy Poirrier

Hunter Grace Layrisson recently received the State Knights of Columbus Award Catholic Youth Leadership Award (CYLA). She is a 2026 graduating senior from St. Thomas Aquinas Regional High School in Hammond.

Contributing to the successes of the Diocese of Baton Rouge's Catholic schools are people working "behind the scenes" helping the schools send forth students that will change the world.

The Women's Giving Circle, a group of philanthropic-minded women of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, completed its fifth season of growing its impact within the community. This year it awarded $120,000 in grants to six non-profit organizations.

A large group of Catholics made their presence known amid the buzz of the activity at the 2026 Louisiana legislative session during Faithful Citizenship Day.

Woman's New Life Clinic (WNLC) began 25 years ago as a belief that God was calling a community to be a sign of love in the world. God honored that act of faith through increasing WNLC's ability to provide life-affirming care to women with unplanned pregnancies, according to Allison Daigle, WNLC CEO.

Louisiana state legislators are bustling about the halls and meeting rooms of the Louisiana State Capitol conducting business during the 2026 regular legislative session. The Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops (LCCB) is educating legislators on bills that can impact people physically and spiritually, according to LCCB Executive Director Tom Costanza.