Bulletin

The Parish Office will be closed Monday, December 26^th

and Monday, January 16th.

Congratulations to: Clarence Bueche on receiving the "Membership for Life" proclamation at the

Men's Club annual installation of officers & steak dinner for 35 years of membership in the Men's Club--the organization

which he and two other members formed in 1976.

"And Jesus said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."—Matthew 4:19.

To download a copy of the Proclamation issued to "Mr. Clarence," click here

In Sympathy....

Our Communities of Faith extend our sympathy and prayerful support for the families of Natasha Sanford Dupuy, sister of Alison Dazzio, Michael Sanford, and Stephen Sanford; and

Joseph Owen "Jason" Kuebel, IV, brother of Michelle Cifreo. May the Lord grant comfort and peace to these families and may they and all who sleep in Christ, find in God’s presence, light, happiness, and peace.

Catholic Life Television...

will present "The New Roman Missal: Authentic, Scriptural and Noble"

on Cox Communications Channel 15 on

Sunday @ 12:00 p.m., Monday @ 8:00 p.m.,

Tuesday @ 7:00 a.m., Wednesday @ 10:00 p.m. and

Friday @ 8:30 p.m. and on www.catholiclifetv.org.

Catholic Life Television Prayer Intentions

Prayer is such an important part of our lives; the more we pray the more we begin to see the hand of God in our lives. As a faith community, it is important to remember others in our prayers. Catholic Life Television is now offering the opportunity to join together by airing Prayer Intention Segments during their daily broadcasts. Prayer request will remain on the list for one month so that together we can pray for the needs of all. The first Prayer Intention Segment will premier on February 27^th on Cox Cable Channel 15. To add a name please call 242-0218.

Not Married in the Church Because of a Former Marriage?

Annulments are not punishment; they do not affect children; they do not assign blame to one party or another. Much to the contrary, annulments simply determine if a prior bond was not sacramentally called by God to be an everlasting covenant. The process is much easier than you may think, is not expensive and ultimately serves to purge all the old baggage that may be holding you back from being in full Communion with the Church. Come by the parish office to begin the process!

On your journey in life, listen to the Father, Son and Spirit, for guidance toward a life of fulfillment and happiness.

Then, if you think God is calling you to a vocation, please contact

Fr. Matt Lorrain at 336-8778.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND YOUTH MINISTRY

St. John the Baptist

Next day of class for K-4 is Tuesday, January 10^th,

for 5^th-8^th is Wednesday, January 11^th, and for 9^th - 11^th is Wednesday, January 18^th.

The 11^th grade class has a required Confirmation Retreat on Saturday, January 21^st at St. Alphonsus at 8 a.m. till 5:45 p.m.

Our Lady of the Assumption

Class is today and the next class is January 22^nd.

Began September 1st!

know is interested in learning about the Catholic faith or joining the Catholic Church, our Fall session of R.C.I.A. will begin September 1^st.

Please contact Joey Hebert at 658-4872 for more information

Marriage Annulment

If you have remarried and are not able to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist, you are missing out on one of the fundamental gifts of Jesus Christ when He started our Church. If you have been thinking about applying for an annulment so that you can get your marriage blessed and return to full Communion with Our Lord, please visit our website at www.sjb-ola.org, pick up a brochure entitled "Marriage Annulment-Diocesan Tribunal of Baton Rouge" in the office, or call Ric at the parish office.

St. Bernardine

Most of the saints suffer great personal opposition, even persecution. Bernardine, by contrast, seems more like a human dynamo who simply took on the needs of the world.

He was the greatest preacher of his time, journeying across Italy, calming strife-torn cities, attacking the paganism he found rampant, attracting crowds of 30,000, following St. Francis’s admonition to preach about "vice and virtue, punishment and glory."

Compared with St. Paul by the pope, Bernardine had a keen intuition of the needs of the time, along with solid holiness and boundless energy and joy. He accomplished all this despite having a very weak and hoarse voice, miraculously improved later because of his devotion to Mary. www.americancatholic.org

Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady appeared 18 times at Lourdes, in the Pyrenees mountains in southern France, in 1858, to Bernadette Soubirous, a fourteen year old peasant girl. A spring appeared there which feeds the baths at the shrine today. Many miraculous healings are reported from bathing in the waters. The fact that there is no spread of infection, even though no sanitary precautions are taken when people with all sorts of diseases take baths there, is a marvel in itself. Many miracles take place when the Blessed Sacrament passes in procession during the great pilgrimages. In passing, we notice that this fact testifies to the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist there, a Presence which only the Catholic Church has, and only the Catholic Church teaches. There is a medical bureau there, to which any qualified M. D. can come to check alleged cures. Early in this century, Dr. Alexis Carrel came to scoff, but was converted instead. The Church's demands for checking and proof of alleged miracles are so stringent that in the more than a century since 1858 only a few more than 60 miracles have been approved. Madame Bire in 1908 came there, blind because her optic nerve was withered; she regained her sight when the Blessed Sacrament passed. But when the Doctors inspected her eyes, they found she was able to see even though the nerve was still withered--arranged, doubtless, to keep anyone from saying it was a case of suggestion. The nerve did recover within a few weeks.

http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings/maryd7.htm