Alexandria, LA 71306-0417

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Diocese of Alexandria

Volume XI, No. 11

The Church Today
P.O. Box 7417

November 15, 2010

On the
Inside
Pope Benedict calls for
worldwide day of prayer
for life on Nov. 27

In an unprecedented request,

PRAY
Pope Benedict XVI issued a state-
ment last month asking the entire
world to join him Nov. 27 in a vigil
to pray for nascent (unborn) life.
See page 3 for more information.
FOR UNBORN
Diocese offers Advent
Series in each deanery

The Diocese of Alexandria

will offer a Catholic Classics Ad-
LIFE
NOV. 27, 2010
vent Series in each deanery. Each
deanery’s series will be held once
a week and cover a different faith
topic presented by a different cap-
tivating priest. For a complete list
of dates and topics, see page 5

Louisiana’s first March for

Life to be held Jan. 22

Louisiana’s first Life March

will be held Jan. 22, 2011 in Baton
Rouge on the 38th anniversary of
Roe vs Wade from 10 a.m. –noon.
Go to page 8 for details.
Pope asks the World to pray for unborn life on Nov. 27
Page 2 November 15, 2010

Pope names 24 new cardinals; two are from U.S.

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) --

Pope Benedict XVI named 24
new cardinals, including two
from the United States: Arch-
bishop Raymond L. Burke, head
of the Vatican’s highest tribunal,
and Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl
of Washington.
The pope announced the
names at the end of his weekly
general audience Oct. 20 and said
he would formally install the car-
dinals during a special consistory
at the Vatican Nov. 20.
“The universality of the
church is reflected in the list of
new cardinals. In fact, they come
from various parts of the world
and fulfill different tasks in the
service of the Holy See or in di-
rect contact with the people of
God as fathers and pastors of par-
ticular churches,” the pope said.
The new cardinals come from
13 countries on five continents,
and their number included 10 Ital-
ians. The pope named 10 Roman designates Burke and Wuerl will of 120 that has often been waived.
Curia officials -- a higher number bring the number of U.S. cardi- Seven cardinals will turn 80 over
than expected -- along with 10 nals to 18. Of that number, 13 are the next six months. single country. Italy will have 48 the most outspoken U.S. bishops.
residential archbishops and four voting-age -- matching a histori- Pope Benedict’s latest ap- cardinals overall. In 2004, he was the first
prelates over the age of 80. One cally high number for the United pointments left geographical Ten of the new cardinals are U.S. bishop to say publicly that
unusual aspect of the pope’s list States. balances relatively unchanged Roman Curia officials, which he would withhold Communion
was that two of the residential Archbishop Timothy M. among voting members of the means that Roman Curia elector from Catholic politicians with
archbishops were retired. Dolan of New York was not on College of Cardinals, although it cardinals would number 37, about voting records that contradicted
The November ceremony the list of new cardinals; his re- bolstered the European presence, 30 percent of the total. church teaching on fundamental
will mark the third time Pope tired predecessor in New York, which will have 62 of the 121 po- Cardinal-designate Burke, moral issues.
Benedict has created cardinals Cardinal Edward M. Egan, is still tential cardinal electors. The new 62, is prefect of the Vatican’s Cardinal-designate Wuerl,
since his election in April 2005. under 80, and tradition generally voting-age cardinals included 11 highest tribunal, the Supreme 69, is known for his commitment
After the consistory, he will have holds against two voting-age car- from Europe, 2 from Latin Ameri- Court of the Apostolic Signature. to promoting Catholic religious
appointed about 40 percent of the dinals from the same diocese. ca, 2 from North America, 4 from While the court’s work is gener- education and Catholic schools.
cardinals currently under the age The consistory will leave Africa and 1 from Asia. ally shrouded in secrecy, when As head of the archdiocese that
of 80 and therefore eligible to the College of Cardinals with Eight of the under-80 cardi- it comes to moral and political includes the U.S. capital, he also
vote in a conclave to elect a new 203 members, a new record. Of nals named were Italians, leaving issues -- especially abortion and has been a leader in defending
pope. those, 121 will be under age 80, Italy with 25 voting-age cardinals, same-sex marriage -- Cardinal- Catholic values in public life.
The elevation of Cardinal- one more than a numerical limit by far the largest number from a designate Burke has been one of
November 15, 2010
Violence in Baghdad Cathedral kills 58, Pope calls
injures 75 people attending Mass
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A
deadly militant siege of a Catho-
lic cathedral in Baghdad, Iraq,
was a “savage” act of “absurd vi-
olence,” Pope Benedict XVI said.
The pope urged international
and national authorities and all
people of good will to work to-
gether to end the “heinous epi-
sodes of violence that continue to
ravage the people of the Middle
East.”
“In a very grave attack on
the Syrian Catholic cathedral of
Baghdad, dozens of people were
killed and injured, among them
two priests and a group of faithful
gathered for Sunday Mass,” the
pope said of the Oct. 31 incident.
“I pray for the victims of this
absurd violence, which is even
more savage because it struck
defenseless people, gathered in
God’s house, which is a house of
for worldwide
day of prayer
love and reconciliation,” he said
after praying the Angelus with
pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square
Nov. 27
Nov. 1, the feast of All Saints.
He expressed his closeness
to Iraqi Christians, who have
suffered another attack in their
homeland, and he encouraged the
nation’s priests and lay faithful
“to be strong and steady in hope.”
Pope Benedict renewed his
urgent call for peace in the Mid-
dle East.
While peace may be a gift of
God, “it is also the result of ef-
forts by people of good will and
national and international institu-
tions,” he said.
“May everyone unite their
efforts so as to end all violence,”
he said.
Armed militants wearing
explosives stormed the cathedral
Oct. 31 while an estimated 100
faithful were celebrating evening
Mass, news reports said.
The terrorists first set off
a car bomb across the street in
front of the Baghdad Stock Ex-
change, which left at least two
people dead. Then they stormed
the church, killing another two
people, according to reports.
The militants, who said they
were part of the Islamic State of
Iraq -- a group with suspected ties
to al-Qaida -- held parishioners
and priests hostage in the hopes
of leveraging the release of pris-
oners from their network.
The terrorists demanded
prisoners linked to al-Qaida be
set free from detention in Iraq
and Egypt and they threatened
to blow up the church if military
forces attempted to break the
siege, according to Italian state
media RAI.
Iraqi security forces ringed
the church and U.S. military flew
overhead in helicopters.
After a standoff that lasted
hours, Iraqi forces stormed the
cathedral and the ensuing firefight
and a series of explosions left 58
people dead and 75 injured.
The dead included two
young priests, hostages, Iraqi se-
curity forces and suspected mili-
tants and at least one child was
killed in the incident.
Page 3
In an unprecedented request,
Pope Benedict XVI issued a
statement last month asking the
entire world to join him Nov. 27
in a vigil to pray for nascent (un-
born) life.
The vigil celebrated by the
Pope will coincide with first ves-
pers of the First Sunday of Ad-
vent. The Holy Father requests
that this vigil be observed in
dioceses and respective parishes
throughout the world.
Pastors, pro-life representa-
tives, and members of the faith-
ful are encouraged to observe this
prayer vigil according to what
may best be adapted to local par-
ish and/or deanery settings.
Given the importance of
the Holy Father’s request, the
USCCB Secretariat of Divine
Worship and the Secretariat of
Pro-Life Activities have collabo-
rated to develop user-friendly re-
sources for diocese and parishes.
The program templates are easily
customized for local use and are
posted on the USCCB website
at www.usccb.org/prolife/papal-
vigil.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of
Galveston-Houston addressed
direct threats to human life and
called Catholics to “constantly
witness to the inestimable worth
and dignity of each human life
through a loving concern for the
good of others.” He also encour-
aged participation in the world-
wide “Vigil for All Nascent Hu-
man Life” called for by Pope
Benedict XVI at the start of Ad-
vent.
“I heartily encourage all
Catholics, whether at home or
traveling over the Thanksgiv-
ing holidays, to take part in this
special prayer, whose purpose ac-
cording to the Holy See,” he said,
“is to ‘thank the Lord for his total
self-giving to the world and for
his Incarnation which gave ev-
ery human life its real worth and
dignity,’ and to ‘invoke the Lord’s
protection over every human be-
ing called into existence’.”
Page 4
Changes are a major part
of both spring and fall each year.
They are visible in nature (with
the blooming and falling of leaves)
and even in the gradual changes in
temperature. We are less conscious
of this than other parts of the
country because we usually have
relatively mild winters, but we
do notice this. We just turned the
clocks back with the return to
standard time and the onset of early
evening darkness has a dramatic
impact.
This somber feeling blends
well with the strong focus on those
who have died during this 11th
month of the year. Not only did
we celebrate All Saints Day (even
though not a holy day this year)
and the Commemoration of All the
Faithful Departed, but during the
month special memorial Masses
are celebrated for those who have
died. It is good to remember those
who have completed their earthly
Blessed Virgin Mary is link that connects Jews to Christians
By Denise Bossert
Catholic By Grace
I was 9 years old when my
best friend and I sat on the side-
walk in front of the house where
my family lived. We found a
limestone rock, and we practiced
drawing stars on the concrete us-
ing connecting triangles. A lady
came up the sidewalk and smiled
at our work.
“Are you Jewish?” she asked
journey.
There are a number of very
significant events that will take
place over the next few weeks. An
ecumenical gathering marking the
100th anniversary of the National
Council of Churches will be hosted
in New Orleans and, even though
the Roman Catholic Church does
not have formal membership, the
leadership has requested that there
be a significant Catholic presence.
As one of the consultants to the
USCCB Committee on Ecumenical
and Interreligious Affairs, I
have been asked to be one of the
the two of us. We stared at her
blankly. “That’s the Star of Da-
vid,” she explained. “The Star of
my faith.”
I looked at my friend. I could
see that she didn’t know any
more about Jewish faith than I
did. So we sat in silence. The lady
shrugged her shoulders and kept
walking.
There was a missing link in
the chain. We were connected to
the lady who paused to talk to us,
bishops taking part in this historic
gathering. Immediately following
this I will travel to Baltimore for
our November USCCB general
meeting.
During the week of
Thanksgiving we hope to have
the formal opening of the new
immigration center that has been
several years in the preparation
and is a joint venture shared by
the Diocese of Alexandria, the
Episcopal Diocese of Western
Louisiana and the United
Methodist Diocese. Also involved
in this project is the Northern
but we didn’t quite know how we
were related. We were strangers.
Today, I know what the miss-
ing link is in the chain that con-
nects me to that woman. In the
fullness of time, God’s Son en-
tered the world, born of a virgin.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the
link. From the House of David,
God raised up a poor and humble
girl. And she became the Mother
of God himself! And then she
became the Mother of the Re-
and Central Louisiana Interfaith
organization. It seemed fitting to
try to schedule this ceremony close
to Thanksgiving Day.
The season of Advent marks
the beginning of a new cycle of
celebration for our Liturgical year,
reminding us that we have the roots
of faith in the history of salvation
that is ever new and fresh.
The Diocese of Alexandria has
the privilege of hosting yet another
event as part of the centenary. The
annual meeting of the Conference
of Chancery and Tribunal Officials
of the Provinces of New Orleans
and Mobile has attracted national
attention because our special guest
is Archbishop (by then Cardinal)
Raymond Burke, Prefect of the
Apostolic Signatura (the highest
level of church tribunals) in Rome.
Another unexpected blessing to
our festivities!
deemed as well.
Each Advent, I glance at the
nativity on my mantel shelf, and I
see a young woman peering over
an empty manger. She’s wait-
ing for something. She’s waiting
for God’s promised Son. And
then my eyes go to the Christ-
mas tree, where my blue Star of
David hangs on a branch. And I
November 15, 2010 Vol. XL, No. 11
November 15, 2010
Our anniversary year is
quickly drawing to a close
with two major feasts in early
December. Our diocesan patron
feast, St. Francis Xavier on Dec.
3 will be highlighted by a special
11:00 a.m. Mass in the Cathedral
and the celebration of the Feast of
Our Lady of Guadalupe, so special
among our Latino Catholics, will
also be celebrated this year in the
Cathedral on Sunday, Dec. 12 at a
special 12:30 p.m. Mass.
And, of course, Dec. 8, the
Solemnity of the Immaculate
Conception, is the patronal feast
of our country and a holy day of
obligation.
We have much to rejoice in as
November unfolds and leads into
December.
realize that I have an answer for
that woman who paused to talk to
me on the sidewalk in front of my
house in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
“Yes, I know what I’m draw-
ing. I am connected to you, dear-
lady-with-no-name. And you are
connected to me. Your daughter
has become my mother.”
Like two triangles intersecting.
November 15, 2010 Page 5

Prepare for the Lord this Advent season

Advent is the season in which
we prepare for the great celebra-
tion of Jesus’ birth at Christmas.
But have you thought about what
you will do to prepare your heart
for His Coming?
One of the best and the sim-
plest ways to tune our spiritual
lives to Advent is reading and
praying with the Scripture read-
ings for Sunday and daily Mass.
The readings for the First
Sunday of Advent emphasize
waiting. A world lost in sin
and darkness waits, hopes, and
yearns. We trust in God, for he
has promised light -- but when
will it come?
Everyone of us has some part
of our lives that yearns for light,
that is in deep need of reconcilia-
tion, or that feels lost. A glance at
newspaper headlines tells us how
great is the need of this broken
world.
The readings for the Sec-
ond Sunday of Advent focus on
John the Baptist. He stands in
the desert, roughly clothed, as-
cetic, stark, preaching a message
of power. John the Baptist is not
the only saint we celebrate during
Advent. The calendar is full of
holy men and women who, like
John, call us to conversion and
hope through the most powerful
witness of all: their lives
• Dec. 6: Feast of St. Nicholas
• Dec. 8: Feast of the Immaculate
Conception
• Dec. 9: St. Juan Diego
• Dec. 12: Our Lady of Gudalupe
• Dec. 13: St. Lucy
The third week of Advent
begins with Gaudete Sunday.
Gaudete, meaning “rejoice,” is
the first word of the opening an-
tiphon for the Mass on this day:
Gaudete in Domino semper (Re-
joice in the Lord always). The joy
of Gaudete Sunday shows in the
use of rose as the liturgical color
-- for example, on the Advent
wreath and the priests’ vestments.
The Gospel readings for this
Sunday reveal to us the reason
for our joy: the identity of Jesus.
He is the Word made flesh, the
Christ, the Son of the Living God.
As Advent draws to a close,
we focus more on the Nativ-
ity. We have journeyed with the
people of Israel in their hope for
a Messiah; searched our own
hearts, and looked with hope to
God’s promise to save us and
make us whole. And now, the
time is near. A Child is born!
Source: Our Sunday Visitor
Catholic Classics
Advent Series
The Diocese of Alexandria will offer a Catholic Classics Advent
Series in each deanery. Each deanery’s series will be held once a
week and cover a different faith topic presented by a different capti-
vating priest.
• Avoyelles Deanery: 6:30 p.m., St. Mary’s Assumption, Cottonport
Where’s that in the Bible?- Catechism and Sacred Scripture
- by Fr. Jack Michalchuk
Tuesdays: Nov. 30, Dec. 7, Dec. 14, Dec. 21
• Central Deanery: 5:30 p.m., St. Joseph Catholic Center, Alexandria
The Church Praying, God Working as We Pray
– by Fr. Luke Melcher
Tuesdays: Nov. 30, Dec. 7, Dec. 14, Dec. 21
• Eastern Deanery: 6 p.m., St. Patrick Church Parish Hall, Ferriday.
Advent Topics with Apologetics and Q&A
– by Fr. Louis Sklar
Tuesdays: Nov. 30, Dec. 7, Dec. 14, Dec. 21
• Natchitoches Deanery: 6 p.m. at KC Hall next to St. Mary’s School
The Book of Revelation: Right Here, Right Now, For You and For Me
– by Fr. Ryan Humphries
Thursdays: Dec. 2, Dec. 9, Dec. 16, Dec. 23
For more information, call the Office of RFT, 318-445-6424, ext. 221

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$30 for 11.5 X 11.5 book
$10 for 8 X 8 books
$20 for ornament

Available at the St. Joseph Catholic Center, 4400 Coliseum Blvd., Alexandria, LA
Hours: Mon-Thur. 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Fri. 8 a.m. - noon or call 318-445-6424, ext 255
Page 6 November 15, 2010

USCCB hopes report will clarify doubts by CCHD critics

By Dennis Sadowski
Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) --
Under persistent criticism from a
small but vocal group of activists
as well as questions from some
bishops, leaders of the CCHD
(Catholic Campaign for Human
Development) have established
“stronger policies and clearer
mechanisms” to guide how grants
are awarded to poverty-fighting
groups and strengthen oversight
of how funds are spent.
Made public Oct. 26, the
plan places greater emphasis
on the Catholic identity of the
41-year-old program and renews
the U.S. bishops’ commitment to
fight poverty in all its forms, said
Bishop Roger P. Morin of Biloxi,
Miss., chairman of the bishops’
CCHD subcommittee.
“There were those who were
concerned that renewal in some
way might mean moving away
from a priority of helping the
poor achieve greater self-suffi-
ciency. There is a reaffirmation
that the CCHD will continue to
have a priority for the poor and
in helping the poor to help them-
selves. That has not changed,”
Bishop Morin told Catholic News
Service.
A 15-page document outlin-
ing the changes, “The Review
and Renewal of the Catholic
Campaign for Human Develop-
ment,” provides a “road map for
the renewal” of the program.
It includes 10 commitments
under which the program will
operate. “These 10 commitments
are neither an abandonment of
CCHD’s foundations nor are they
an effort to repackage ‘business
Support the Catholic Campaign for Human Development
Special Collection: Nov. 20-21
www.usccb.org/cchd
sues such as abortion and same-
sex marriage.
their awards for violating grant
guidelines. He apologized to do-
nors -- people in the pews -- for
the program’s lapses.
“This is not a perfect world
or a perfect organization,” he told
CNS. “We can only do our best
to continue the process with the
benefit of finding out where there
is failure. Where there is failure
there is the opportunity to build
something better.”
The first listed commitment
encompasses the program’s Cath-
olic identity and promises to “em-
phasize the principles of Catholic
social and moral teaching in all
CCHD materials and communi-
cations.”
The plan calls for CCHD
staff responsibilities to be reas-
signed so that one person will
“focus on promoting, safeguard-
ing and monitoring the Catholic
identify of CCHD” and checking

Burses as usual,’” the document states.

The effort also aligns itself
with the five priorities the bish-
Donations in October ops established for 2008-2011.
CCHD goals, according to the
Knights of Columbus #9217............................................................ $10.00 document, most closely match
Msgr. Molenschot Burse three of the priorities: emphasiz-
Knights of Columbus #9217............................................................ $10.00 ing the life and dignity of the hu-
Msgr. Molenschot Burse man person, recognizing cultural
Dr. Joseph Landreneau.................................................................. $100.00 diversity and strengthening mar-
Msgr. Henry Beckers Burse riage and family life.
Evelyn Gail Miller......................................................................... $2,500.00 CCHD has been under fire
Rev. Gerald Bordelon Burse since 2008 from critics who claim
the program has lost its way by
funding organizations that joined
Total this month........................................................................... $2,620.00
coalitions taking positions con-
trary to Catholic teaching on is-
In recent years, at least eight
bishops have decided not to par-
ticipate in the annual collection,
citing questions about the activi-
ties of groups being funded.
The criticisms were the most
recent the program has faced.
CCHD’s emphasis on funding
programs that empower poor
and low-income people largely
through community organizing
activities has been the target of
critics almost since the program
started in 1969.
Bishop Morin said five of
the 270 organizations funded in
the 2008-2009 grant cycle lost
on the work of funded agencies.
Other commitments include :
• Bring in at least one moral
theologian as consultant on the
application of Catholic moral
teaching on collaboration and co-
operation.
• Establish a review board to
hear complaints about the activi-
ties of funded organizations and
decide if a grant should be with-
drawn.
• Redesign grant applica-
tions so that they include an ex-
planation that CCHD’s mission
is based on Catholic social and
moral teaching.

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November 15, 2010
Diocese of Alexandria website gets a facelift
The Diocese of Alexandria
launched its newly designed
website (www.diocesealex.org)
Oct. 11. The new format allows
more flexibility in browsing
through its hundreds of pages.
The new website was
designed by Kinetix in Alexandria
and is powered by Drupal content
management system, the same
CMS that is used by the official
White House website. It contains
much of the same information that
was included in the old diocesan
website, but is more attractive and
easier to use.
“The diocesan website is
massive,” said Joan Ferguson,
website administrator for the
diocese, “because of all of the
volumes of information that is
included in this one site. But
despite its complexity, it will allow
users to reach the information they
are seeking with as few clicks as
possible. “
Some of its new features
include:
• Photos of the pastor and
St. Romain Oil Co., Inc.
Wholesale Fuels & Lubricants
(318) 964-2424
DIOCESE OF ALEXANDRIA WEBSITE. Visit the new diocesan website at www.diocesealex.org
parish staff on each of the parish
pages
• Photos of diocesan staff on
office and ministry pages
• Easy access to Diocese of
Alexandria presence on YouTube
Page 7
www.diocesealex.org
• Updated and more Google
maps for reference
• Church Today is available
for easy on-line viewing or
download
• Interactive features that
encourage viewers’ feedback
“Although the new website is
live, it is still a work in progress,”
said Ferguson. “We continue
to fine-tune it and try to make it
better every day.”
Ferguson said she is excited
to see the potential of having such
a complex website, for a diocese
of our size, and the opportunity
it presents to reach a larger
audience.
“We encourage everyone to
visit the website and to see for
yourself the wealth of information
included in this one website,” said
and Facebook Ferguson.
• New and more For more information or
comprehensive section for questions about the website, e-mail
downloadable documents joanferguson @diocesealex.org.
Avoyelles Parish
Businesses
Advertise in
The Church Today
Contact Carla Moreau
318-346-7829
Page 8 November 15, 2010

Louisiana’s first Life March

to be held Jan. 22 in BR
Louisiana’s first Life March through contributions of time,
will be held Jan. 22, 2011 in Ba- talent, and treasure to church and
ton Rouge on the 38th anniver- community pro-life organizations
sary of Roe vs Wade from 10 a.m. making a difference.
–noon. “We believe the Louisiana
The Rapides Right to Life Life March can make history, save

Choose Life license organization is chartering a bus

to take people to Baton Rouge
on that day. Seats on the bus
lives, and mark the beginning of
an abortion-free Louisiana,” said
Benjamin Clapper, director of the
plates available now are $25 per person and the bus is
scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. Call
Louisiana Right to Life. “Please
pray, partner, and promote with
Donna Domzalski at 445-6868 the participants. Governor Jindal us to reach that goal.”
for more information. has been invited to be the keynote The event is being sponsored
In 2006, after a 7-year battle • Call the LA DMV – 225- Participants will gather be- speaker. Organizers are waiting by the Louisiana Right to Life,
in the courts, the OK was given 925-6371 hind the Old State Capitol (100th word on his participation before Louisiana Baptist Convention,
to produce Choose Life and other When you buy a Choose Life North Blvd), and beginning at 10 other speakers are announced. Louisiana Conference of Catholic
special interest themed license license plate, not only are you a.m., process down 4th Street to- After the speakers and Bishops Life/Justice Committee,
plates for Louisiana motorists. donating to pro-life pregnancy wards the steps of the State Capi- prayers conclude around noon, a Louisiana Family Forum, and the
The cost of the plate is only a centers and adoption agencies in tol. The march will be approxi- Life Ministry Mobilization area Knights of Columbus.
$50 fee every two years, over and the state that are helping women mately 0.8 of a mile long, and last near the steps of the Capitol will For more information on the
above your normal license fee. to choose life, but you are spread- anywhere from 20-40 minutes. allow participants to learn how march, go to www.lalifemarch.
This fee collected is distributed to ing the message of life out on the Once at the steps of the they can be directly involved com
agencies that assist women with road! Capitol, beginning at 11 a.m.,
unplanned pregnancies and those Show your support for life faith, civic, and community lead-
considering adoption. with a Louisiana Choose Life li- ers will lead prayers and speak to
Since 2003, more than cense plate.
$100,000 has been distributed to
those agencies from the fees col-
lected for the plate. A one-time
fee of $3.50 is also required to the
Department of Motor Vehicles
(DMV).
When ordering a Choose
Life plate, the DMV will apply
any portion of the registration fee
remaining on your current license
to the new Choose Life license.
You do not have to wait until your
normal renewal date, to obtain a
Choose Life tag.
There are three ways to order
a Choose Life license plate:
• Go to the DMV website
www.omv.dps.state.la.us/special
plates
• Visit the DMV in Baton
Rouge: 7979 Independence Blvd
November 15, 2010 Page 9

(top, left) MADELENE WHITE HOME,

Fatima Public Square ALEXANDRIA. Friends and family
gathered Oct. 16 at noon at the home of

Rosary Rallies Madelene White in Alexandria to pray the

Fatima Public Square Rosary.

(top, right) ST. JOSEPH CHURCH,

MARKSVILLE. St. Joseph Church in
Marksville held a Rosary Rally Oct. 16 at
noon on the steps of the Marksville Court
House.

(middle, left) ST. RITA CCD. The CCD

Students of St. Rita Church formed the
Living Rosary on Oct. 6, in honor of the
Feast of the Holy Rosary on Oct. 7.

(middle, right) ST. MARY’S CHURCH,

COTTONPORT. Catholic Daughters
Court Padre Pio 2141 of St. Mary’s
Assumption Church in Cottonport
sponsored a Rosary Rally for the victims
of 9/11.

(at left, top) ST. JOSEPH, MARKSVILLE.

The youth of St. Joseph Catholic Church,
Marksville prayed the rosary Oct. 20 in
the parking lot of the church where the
Illuminated Rosary is set up.

(at left, bottom) ST. ALPHONSUS,

HESSMER. A Rosary Rally was held
Oct. 16 in front of St. Alphonsus Church
in Hessmer.
Page 10
Restoring a very special chair
Ducote uses ‘old world technology’ to reupholster 155-year-old bishop’s throne
By Jeannie Petrus
CT Editor
After Father John Cunning-
ham picked up his re-upholstered
chairs from Ducote’s Furniture
Upholstery shop in Alexandria,
he was very impressed with the
quality and workmanship of the
job and knew that he had met the
right person to do another job he
had in mind.
“I asked him if he would
FLAX TOW, HORSE HAIR, AND HOGS HAIR. RJ Ducote sorts through the flax tow, horse hair, and hogs hair that
he used to stuff the seat of Bishop Martin’s bishop’s throne. Ducote used ‘old world technology’ to reupholster and
restore the 155-year-old chair.
Natchitoches Parish
Businesses
Advertise in
The Church Today
Contact Joan Ferguson
318-445-6424, ext. 264
take a look at the bishop’s chair at
Immaculate Conception Basilica
in Natchitoches,” said Fr. Cun-
ningham.
R. J. Ducote knew the min-
ute he set eyes on the chair, that
this was no ordinary chair he was
being asked to re-upholster. He
recognized the old chestnut wood
and the intricate carvings on the
tall headrest of the chair. It had to
be one special chair.
It belonged to Bishop Au-
guste Marie Martin, the first
bishop of the Diocese of Natchi-
toches. The chair was made in
France and shipped to America in
1855.
The 155-year-old “bishop’s
throne” (or ‘presider’s chair” as it
is sometimes called) was in bad
need of repair. The seat was sink-
ing, pieces of the ornate wooden
carvings were missing, and the
wood was becoming dry and
brittle.
CARVING of the Madonna & Child is
on the left side of the chair.
It needed a facelift, but not
just any facelift would do. A chair
with such rich heritage and his-
torical significance deserved only
the best craftsman.
Ducote, specializing in cus-
tom furniture reupholstering, has
been in the business for more than
50 years. He learned the business
from his cousin who lives in New
Orleans. His cousin is 89 years
old now, but he employed a furni-
ture refinisher from Italy and oth-
er craftsmen who knew old world
techniques and he shared every-
thing he knew with R.J. back in
the 1960s.
“I learned ‘old world tech-
nology’ from my cousin,” said
Ducote. “To me, re-upholstering
an antique close to its original
design, doesn’t mean using foam
for a new cushion. I use the same
methods for upholstering they
would have used 150 years ago.
There is probably only a hand-
November 15, 2010
CARVING of St. Joseph is on the
right side of the chair.
ful of people in the country who
even know the lost art of this up-
holstering method.”
Ducote started by taking
the chair apart and restoring the
wood. Restoring the wood means
washing it down, filling in the
cracks, and repairing broken or
missing pieces on the carvings.
The intricate carvings of the
Madonna and Child on the left
side of the chair and St. Joseph
on the right side, were cracked
and chipped and a small piece
from St. Joseph’s sleeve was
missing. Since chestnut wood is
no longer available in the U.S.,
Ducote had to use white oak to
repair the missing piece.
“It is the closest match to
chestnut and blends well with
any wood,” said Ducote. “In ad-
dition, Paula and Doug de Priest
from Hanley Gremillion Mill-
works designed and donated a
skid for the chair, which was also
November 15, 2010 Page 11

cousin, Ducote started out with

springs on the bottom and piled
high mounds of flax tow, horse
hair, hogs hair, and moss to cre-
ate the cushion. Then, using a
8-inch curved upholstery needle,
he hand-stitched the cushion
stuffings, until he formed a firm,
solid seat. The hand-stitching and
foundation work alone took about
eight hours.
The last step was to cover
the seat, back and arm rests with
a crimson fleur de lis fabric se-
lected by Father Partain.
“I choose the fleur de lis pat-
tern to coincide with the 300th
anniversary of Natchitoches com-
ing up in 2014,” he said.
The throne restoration is
complete now and the chair is
back in the sanctuary of the Im-
maculate Conception Basilica in
Natchitoches, where it is used

DISASSEMBLED. The first step in the restoration process is to disassemble

it, wash it down, fill in the cracks, and repair any broken or missing pieces on
the carvings. (Photo by David Ducote)

made of white oak.”
The skid, added to the legs
of the chair, gave extra protection
and support to the chair’s stabil-
ity, as well as raising the height of
the chair by three inches.
“Bishop Martin was a small
man,” said Father Chad Partain,
pastor of St. Paul’s in Mansura,
but also a church historian and
overseer of the restoration proj-
ect. “Since Bishop Martin was
only about 5’3” or 5’4,” he had
the throne made to fit his stature.
Today, when a larger man sits in
the chair, it feels like he’s almost
sitting on the floor.”
After re-assembling the chair
and finishing it with a laquer, he
was ready to begin the re-uphol-
stering.
The bishop’s throne was first
repaired in 1953, when it was
100 years old; and then again in
the 1970s. The last re-upholsterer
used webbing and foam for the
seat, which explains why it lost
its shape rather quickly.
Using the “old world tech-
nology” he learned from his
THE BISHOP’S THRONE before it
was reupholstered.
RESTORATION COMPLETE. Father Chad Partain (left) and RJ Ducote
stand next to the recently restored and reupholstered bishop’s throne used
in the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Natchitoches. The
155-year-old chair was originally purchased and used by Bishop Auguste
Marie Martin, the first bishop of the Diocese of Natchitoches.
daily by the celebrant at Mass. honored to do.
“It’s the most historical piece “Throughout this restoration
of furniture I ever restored,” said project, I prayed daily to St. Jo-
Ducote. “Every bishop since seph, the patron saint of carpen-
Bishop Martin sat in this chair, as ters, to help me do the best work I
well as many other bishops and could, on this very special chair.”
priests over the years. It is the St. Joseph, evidently heard
one project that I have been most his prayers.
Page 12 November 15, 2010

OLPS All Saints Day

The 4th grade students at Our Lady of Prompt Succor School in
Alexandria dressed as saints Nov. 1 in honor ot All Saints Day.

PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING.

Father Scott Chemino welcomes the
golfers to the tournament and begins
the day with a prayer.

THE CHRISTUS ST. FRANCES

CABRINI HOSPITAL TEAM loads
up the golf cart before heading out for
the green.

Special thanks to:

Special thanks to:

Bradley Gadel

sponsor of
sponsor of Bishop’s Golf Tournament
Bishop’s Golf Tournament
November 15, 2010 Page 13

Thanks to all of our sponsors:

Bishop’s Sponsor:

Platinum Chalice Sponsors:

Kinetix Broadband
Bradley J. Gadel, APLC
Premier Realty of Cenla

Gold Chalice Sponsors:

Capital One Bank
Kramer Funeral Home
Upton, Draughon & Bollinger/UDB Insurance
Provosty, Sadler & deLauney Law Firm
Southern Chevrolet
Coca Cola
Cenla Beverage
Outback
Red River Bank
FIRST GROSS WINNERS. Robbie Gueringer, Jay Branaham, Gene Ledet, and David Bighear. Vilar & Elliott
Serra Club of Alexandria
Team Sponsors
Payne, Moore & Herrington
Cleco
Tarver Land Development
Dalrymple & Ledet
Team DeBlieux
Gold Law Firm
St. Mary’s Church-Cottonport
R. J. Dunn
FSC Financial Group
Marshall Long
Mike Young
Sabine State Bank
The Management Company
Auzene Law Firm

Hole Sponsors : Knight Masden, APAC; Dr. and Mrs. Edward Villemez, Jr.
Helouin Insurance Company, Catholic Mutual Group
FIRST PEORIA WINNERS. Mike Young, Gray Esterling, Joe Gardner, and Johnny Morton.

Special thanks to: Special thanks to: VIRTUS

Training Sessions

• Nov. 16, 6:00 p.m.

St. Mary’s Assumption, Cottonport

• Nov. 18, 5:30 p.m.

Our Lady of Prompt Succor
sponsor of sponsor of Madonna Room,

Bishop’s Golf Tournament Bishop’s Golf Tournament Alexandria

Page 14 November 15, 2010

Alexandria family’s faith renewed by son’s miracles

After enduring complications a year, Little Boo beats the odds to survive swine flu
By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

A babe in a Bethlehem man- “I was helpless. I opened to God’s faith and

ger changed the world 2,010 years I didn’t turn away. I had a mustard seed
ago, and a 6-year-old currently in
the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
and I watered it; it flourished and it gave me
(PICU) at Children’s Hospital in strength.”
New Orleans is changing hearts Robert Maddox
for the Lord today. Little Boo’s father
Robert “Little Boo” Maddox
V, of Alexandria, La., has spent
almost 350 days in the hospital,
enduring complications from the olic Church in Boyce. They said from doctors, nurses or therapists,
H1N1 virus he contracted in No- their prayers and gave generously the Maddoxes weren’t giving up
vember 2009. to causes but didn’t really know on Boo. They kept praying, as did
This 6-year-old student from Christ. others.
Our Lady of Prompt Succor In fact, Robert said he prob- “You gotta understand, he is
school in Alexandria is a survivor, ably put God fourth in his life be- going to live through this,” Robert
withstanding a medically induced hind himself, his job and his fam- IV said he told the nurses. Robert
coma, suffering major organ (lung, ily. and his wife discerned that they
kidney, liver and pancreas) failure “I have never once needed needed to hear the educated medi-
and living longer than anyone in something that God hasn’t given cal information, even though it
Children’s Hospital history on an ARCHBISHOP HUGHES VISITS LITTLE BOO. Robert Maddox V -- nick- me, but I had been glorifying my- was negative, in order for God to
ECMO (extracorporeal membrane named Little Boo -- receives a pastoral visit from former Archbishop Alfred self before,” Maddox said. “There act within them.
oxygenation) machine that cleans- C. Hughes in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital in New are easier ways to Christ. The gift “There would have been no
es the blood, warms it and returns Orleans. His protracted medical journey has transformed his family’s faith. is free. ... I realize now that God miracle to perform,” Robert Mad-
it as it acts as lungs and heart. Lit- (Photo by Christine Bordelon/Clarion Herald) wants me to raise my child in him. dox said. “God didn’t want us to
tle Boo also endured bed sores and He wants to change me. ... The quit. He wanted us to put on our
so much more. secret to Boo is to lead others to armor every day and stand strong
successful business, said he and faithful Catholics who attended God.” with the Lord.
his wife and four children were weekly Mass at St. Margaret Cath- No matter what they heard “What could I do?” Maddox
Beaten the odds
He has beaten the odds and
astounded Children’s Hospital’s
medical community, rallying from
each setback with no brain dam-
age. He even counts and reads,
with only a few weeks of kinder-
garten schooling before he was
stricken with swine flu.
“In my experience, he should
have died a long time ago,” said
Dr. Timothy Pettitt, a pediatric car-
dio-thoracic surgeon at Children’s
for 11 years, about the child.
Pettitt was consulted once
Little Boo failed regular respira-
tory management. “He had every
complication imaginable,” Pettitt
said. “But we all just kept fighting
for him. ... It was our faith in God
that kept us going and trying dif-
ferent things. It has been a miracle
that he has come through.”
Little Boo’s answer to why he
is alive, “Jesus loves me.”

Faith saved him

His parents, Robert IV and
Renee Maddox, were thrown for
a loop with the illness. Maddox,
a roofing contractor who runs a
November 15, 2010
asked. “I was helpless. I opened
to God’s faith and I didn’t turn
away. I had a mustard seed and I
watered it; it flourished and gave
me strength. No matter how ugly
the devil made our baby, we could
see our beautiful boy. God is the
positive. We had to stay with God
no matter what was thrown at us.”
“This was a learning trial,”
Renee Maddox said.
They said it was their faith
but also the prayers of many, in-
cluding former New Orleans
Archbishop Alfred Hughes and
Mercedarian Sister of the Blessed
Sacrament Sister Dulce Maria of
Baton Rouge that have brought
healing to their son.
“The secret to Boo is to lead
others to him,” Robert said.
“Your faith restored Boo’s
faith,” Archbishop Alfred Hughes
interjected during a recent hospital
visit.
“Clearly there was something
more at work than medicine,” Pet-
titt said. “There really is no reason
why he is still alive, based on what
he has been through. All of us (at
LITTLE BOO AND HIS FAMILY. Robert and Renee Maddox talk with former Archbishop Alfred Hughes about their
son Boo’s improving condition. The family, parishioners from St. Margaret’s Church in Boyce, has been living in New
Orleans to be near their child, who is in Children’s Hospital. He contracted swine flu in November, 2009 and despite
major medical crises, is on the road to recovery today. (Photo by Christine Bordelon/Clarion Herald)
Children’s Hospital) have become
closer to God because of Robert
and his family. ... My faith (as a
Christian) has become stronger,
and I’ve developed a close rela-
tionship with their family. It has
enriched my life getting to know
the family. ... It’s a miracle; every
aspect of Robert (Little Boo).”
God is in the trials
Robert Maddox said endless
blessings have been bestowed on
his family since Little Boo’s ill-
ness: a trailer in which they had
lived in Children’s Hospital’s
parking lot until May 2010 was
donated by a family in Alexandria;
Page 15
the love and faith of Children’s
Hospital’s staff; the help of family
and friends.
“We’ve had a large series
of miracles including our rela-
tionship with Archbishop Alfred
Hughes,” Robert Maddox IV said.
Maddox said he met the arch-
bishop at a Maritime Mass at St.
Louis Cathedral and asked him to
pray for his ill son. The same day,
Archbishop Hughes stopped by
the hospital and has been a fre-
quent visitor, awed by the family’s
faith.
“This is a story of God’s faith
and a remarkable family,” Arch-
bishop Hughes said. “God has ac-
complished extraordinary things
for Boo, Robert and Renee and
members of the staff and the hos-
pital. They (the Maddox family)
have changed other people.”
Boo’s experience has caused
the hospital to change protocol
for turning patients on ECMO,
for frequency of doctor meetings
discussing patient progress, nurse
charting and procedures for chil-
dren with lung disease, Maddox
said.
Little Boo is now starting
to sit up, walk and eat, and show
signs that he will, one day, leave
the hospital.
In fact, Pettitt said he had a
vision that he visited Little Boo in
Alexandria and he came running
to him.
“It’s that vision that has sus-
tained me,” Pettitt said. “I’m look-
ing forward to that day. As each
day goes by, I’m starting to see
that day ahead.”
“We’re going to leave here
when God tells us to leave here,”
Robert Maddox said. “We’re not
doing this. It’s the strength of God
that he has given us.”
“Every Catholic should know
that every time a trial comes about,
it is always followed by a bless-
ing,” Maddox said. “You just have
to stay with God, like Job. When
they say it happens in God’s time,
I now understand it.”
Little Boo’s 7th birthday is
Nov. 22. When he returns home,
he said the first thing he wants
to do is open Christmas presents
from 2009.
Page 16
How faith saved 33 trapped miners in Chile
Trapped miners prayed rosaries sent by Pope ‘incessantly’ during 70-day ordeal
By Jeannie Petrus, CT Editor
and various reports
The 33 miners who were
trapped for nearly 70 days in a
Chilean gold and copper mine,
are all alive and safe now. But
there were several amazing sto-
ries to come out of this ordeal,
involving Pope Benedict and the
rosary, conversions, and the one
thing that helped them all survive
– faith.
Aug. 5: the mine collapses
Diana Olivares’ husband,
Daniel Sanderson, had one foot
out the door before a gentle nudge
from his wife convinced him to
stay with the family instead of
heading to the mine for work.
Later that day, the couple
received word that the San Jose
mine where Sanderson worked
had collapsed, trapping 33 min-
ers, including Olivares’ cousin,
Carlos Buge.
At the beginning, it was
thought they were all lost, as
there was no contact with them at
all. Not a sound. Silence.
For 17 days and nights, the
families of the trapped miners
crowded in tents at Camp Hope
outside of the mine, many of
them turning to the church and
praying that their loved ones
would be rescued from the belly
of the Atacama Desert in northern
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17 million share Olivares’ view
of the dramatic events of Aug. 22,
when the 33 miners feared dead
unexpectedly let the world above
know that they had indeed sur-
vived.
Sept. 3: Pope sends 33 rosaries
The miners’ only contact with
the outside world was through
tiny drill holes into which people
on the surface sent down food,
water, medicine and games.
Cardinal Francisco Errázuriz
celebrated Mass on Sept. 3 near
the Chilean mine where the men
had spent almost a month trapped
2,300 feet below ground.
The archbishop of Santiago,
Chile, also brought a special gift
LAST MINER RESCUED GESTURES NEXT TO CHILEAN PRESIDENT. The for each of the miners: a rosary
last of the 33 miners to be rescued, Luis Urzua, gestures next to Chilean Presi- blessed and sent to them by the
dent Sebastian Pinera, right, at the end of the rescue operation in Copiapo Pope.
Oct. 13. While the miners were trapped, Pope Benedict send them each a ro- The cardinal was able to
sary, which they prayed daily throughout their ordeal. (CNS photo/Alex Ibanez, speak with the miners, telling
Chilean Presidency handout via Reuters) them that on Sunday, Benedict
XVI remembered them during his
address before the midday Ange-
Chile. Bishop Gaspar Quintana Aug. 22: the miners are found lus. The Holy Father assured his
Jorquera of Copiapo, Chile, spent And then the improb- spiritual closeness to the miners
several days at the mine offering able happened: The miners were and promised his prayers for their
support to the families and cel- found. They were all found to be speedy rescue. The rosaries are
ebrating Mass. alive and safe in an underground another way to express his affec-
With each passing day, the case almost 2,300 feet down be- tion, the cardinal explained.
likelihood the miners would be low the earth’s surface. According to a report by
found alive faded, but Olivares “For me, it was a miracle Robert Moynihan of the Vatican
never lost faith. what happened here,” Olivares Magazine, the miners, in an effort
said from outside the mine. to survive, organized their life in
Many in this nation of nearly a disciplined way, even creating a
Watch
Premier Realty of Cenla, LLC
5501 Jackson Street Ext.
Alexandria, LA 71303
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November 15, 2010
little chapel in the corner of their
cave. Praying the rosary, accord-
ing to the report, became a part of
the trapped miners’ daily ritual.
Sept. 17: Drilling begins
The drilling began on Sept.
17. But it was believed that the
rescue operation would take
many months, -- until Christmas
– and that the men, confined in
such a small space, might suf-
fer psychologically before they
could be freed.
Sept. 17: Pope prays at shrine
Pope Benedict offered public
prayers for the miners on several
occasions. The day the drilling
started, the Pope was in London.
At a service on Sept. 17 at West-
minster Abbey, Pope Benedict
and the Archbishop of Center-
bury, Rowan Williams, prayed
before the tomb of St. Edward the
Confessor.
‘Now I believe in God’
Alonso Contreras, a liturgi-
cal dancer and member of the
Virgin of Candelaria, an organi-
zation devoted to St. Mary, led
nightly prayer services for the
people at Camp Hope. His cous-
in, Carlos Barrios Contreras, was
one of the trapped miners.
Contreras had exchanged let-
ters with his cousin since a hole
was drilled 2,300 feet down to
November 15, 2010
chamber where the miners took
refuge. In their correspondence,
the miners asked that their wives
and children look after one anoth-
er. They also requested their fa-
vorite foods, cigarettes and other
diversions. Mostly, the trapped
men want to feel supported, Con-
treras said.
In his first letter, Barrios ac-
knowledged that he never consid-
ered himself religious, but what
he wrote in the second paragraph
made Contreras cry.
“He told me, ‘Cousin, now
I believe in God, I believe com-
pletely,’” Contreras said.
Oct. 9: Drilling reaches miners
The announcement on Oct.
9, that the escape shaft was a suc-
cess and ready for the rescue, set
off celebrations by the miners
underground and by their fami-
lies and rescue workers on the
surface.
But the actual rescue would
have to wait a few more days to
ensure that the entire escape shaft
was safe. While engineers said
that there is only a remote chance
of something going wrong if
the shaft remains unreinforced,
Chile’s success story would evap-
orate if a miner were to get fatally
stuck for reasons that might have
been avoided.
Rescured miners receive Communion in a celebration Mass after the rescue.
Oct. 13: Miners rescued
On Oct. 13, the feast day of
St. Edward the Confessor, the
miners are free.
As miners were pulled one-
by-one from the tunnel in the San
Jose mine, Chile’s churches were
hosting round-the-clock vigils,
special Masses appealing for the
men’s safety and other prayers of
thanksgiving.
At a Mass that began as the
first miner was being brought to
the surface, Santiago Auxiliary
Bishop Cristian Contreras Villar-
roel said the lives of the 33 min-
ers should be seen as a sign of the
need all people have for redemp-
tion.
“There is no saint without a
past, nor sinner without a future,”
he reminded the congregation in
El Sagrario chapel next to San-
tiago’s Metropolitan Cathedral.
An elaborate capsule system
was pulling the miners one at a
time from the tunnel where they
were trapped. Family members,
Page 17
medical personnel, politicians,
reporters and well-wishers were RADIO MARIA’S FALL MARIATHON. RM volunteer Jessica Evans and
there to meet each man as he left Frank Hare, technical director for Radio Maria, encourage callers to call in
the capsule that drew him to the a pledge or donation during the fall Mariathon, held Oct. 19-21. More than
surface. $42,388 was pledged or donated during the three-day semi-annual Mariathon.
Prayer vigils and Eucharis- The money raised is used to operate the 10 Radio Maria stations located in
tic adoration were to continue in six cities across the U.S. The national headquarters for Radio Maria is here in
churches around Chile until the Alexandria with Fr. Duane Stenzel as the national program director.
last miner was pulled from the
tunnel, Chilean church leaders
said.
“This is a propitious moment
for the entire church to unite in
faith and hope,” said Bishop Ale-
jandro Goic Karmelic of Ran-
cagua, president of the Chilean
bishops’ conference.
“Opening the Santiago
Mass, Cardinal Francisco Erra-
zuriz Ossa asked the people of
Chile to be united in prayer with
the 33 miners and their families,
“imploring the Lord to bring all
of them to the surface” without
setbacks. He also prayed for all
the men as ‘they will be starting a
new life,” happy and with the full
blessing of God.”
Page 18 November 15, 2010

SACRED HEART, MOREAUVILLE RECEIVES VISIT FROM TROOP E. ST. MARY’S ASSUMPTION, COTTONPORT CELEBRATES ALL SAINTS DAY. Students at St.
Troop E visited the students in Pre-K- 8 at Sacred Heart School in Moreau- Mary’s Assumption School in Cottonport who dressed as saints to celebrate All Saints Day
vulle, and gave presentations on bicycle safety, S.W.A.T. gear, and seat belt
regulations. Students had the opportunity to tour the Command Center vehicle
(pictured above), the state trooper automobiles, and the S.W.A.T. vehicle. The
highlight was the cycle trooper (below), who drove the cycle inside the gymna-
sium, and students were introduced to a narcotic sniffing canine. A demonstra-
tion from the revolving car demonstrated the importance of wearing seat belts.
Sacred Heart School wishes to thank the troopers from Troop E.

ST. FRANCES CABRINI SCHOOL, ALEXANDRIA CELEBRATES HALLOWEEN. The First Grade class at St. Fran-
ces Cabrini School in Alexandria wait excitedly in their costumes with their teacher, Mrs. Susan Fonville, to begin the
games at the Halloween carnival. The carnival was held Oct. 28.

Is someone you know

NOT RECEIVING
The
Church Today?

IT’S FREE!
Maybe it’s your neighbor who
hasn’t been to church in a
while, or your son who just
got married or your daughter
at college. Call us today and
let’s sign them up!

Call Sandi at
445-6424, ext. 209
November 15, 2010 Page 19

PUMPKIN DECORATING CONTEST. Our Lady of Prompt Succor School students ANIMAL PUMPKINS. Students from Our Lady of Prompt Succor School
show off the pumpkins they decorated as
animals for the decorating contest. proudly display their creations.
Page 20 November 15, 2010

Activities, concerts fill the Christmas calendar

DEC. 5 CARLOW CHOIR CHRISTMAS CONCERT
The Carlow Choir will perform a Christmas concert Dec. 5 at 2:30
p.m. at St. Mary’s Assumption Church in Cottonport. The concert is
free and open to the public.

DEC. 5 LESSONS AND CAROLS

The Cathdral Choir will present Lessons and Carols on Sunday,
Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Alexandria. The
concert is free and open to the public.

DEC. 7 LESSONS AND CAROLS

The Northwestern State University Choir in Natchitoches will
present Lessons and Carols on Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Minor Ba-
silica of the Immaculate Conception. The concert is free and open to
the public.

DEC. 14 RED RIVER CHORALE CONCERT

The Red River Chorale will present two Christmas concerts titled,
Christmas Through the Ages. The first one will be held on Tuesday,
Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Alexandria.
The second concert will be held on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
at Magale Recite Hall on the campus of Northwestern State University
in Natchitoches. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For
more information, call 318-484-4463.

DEC. 7 LESSONS AND CAROLS

The St. Cecilia Choir will present Lessons and Carols on Dec.
14 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Assumption Church in Cottonport. The
concert is free and open to the public.

DEC. 19 ST RITA CHRISTMAS TOUR OF HOMES

A total of five homes to feature! The first four homes you are invited
to visit from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. (at your own leisure). From 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.,
all tourists are asked to make the Rectory their final stop, where we will
have refreshments and entertainment! Tickets are $20 for adults, and
$10 for children under 12 and can be purchased beginning Monday,
Nov. 29 at the Parish Office, or at any of the homes the day of the tour!
For more information, contact Debbie Brown at 445-7141 ext 10.
November 15, 2010
Megamind offers lessons on good use of talents
By John Mulderig
Catholic News Service
NEW YORK (CNS) -- At its
core, “Megamind” (Paramount)
is a parable about an individual’s
positive nature battling to over-
come his negative nurturing.
Director Tom McGrath’s
generally endearing 3-D ani-
mated adventure offers older kids
enough worthy lessons about
making good use of talents and
abilities, and about the dangers
of allowing others to define who
you are, to outweigh its occasion-
al indulgence in mild bathroom
humor.
Victim to that unfortunate
upbringing is the titular character
(voiced by Will Ferrell), a basi-
cally good-hearted alien whose
supposed villainy toward humans
is largely nominal.
As Megamind himself ex-
plains early on, his turn to the
dark side came about when, as
a child, the spaceship in which
his parents dispatched him to
Earth to save him from his home
planet’s destruction accidentally
landed on the grounds of a prison.
Raised by convicts, he naturally
took to breaking the rules.
Special thanks to:
sponsor of
Bishop’s Golf Tournament
MEGAMIND. Animated characters Roxanne Ritchi, voiced by Tina Fey, and Megamind, voiced by Will Farrell star in the
movie “Megamind.” The endearing 3-D animated adventure offers older kids worthy lessons about making good use of
talents and abilities and the dangers of allowing others to define who you are. (CNS photo/DreamWorks)
Touching down simultane-
ously in a suburban backyard,
and thereby gaining a wholesome
environment in which to grow up,
was fellow interplanetary traveler
Metro Man (voice of Brad Pitt).
Now a wildly popular superhero,
Metro Man serves as the protector
of Metro City and as Megamind’s
archrival.
Until that is, one of Me-
gamind’s perpetually inept
schemes for defeating Metro Man
-- carried out with the help of his
trusty assistant Minion (voice of
David Cross), a kindly fish who
lives in the helmet of a deep-sea
diver’s suit -- inexplicably suc-
ceeds.
Finding that his subsequent
mastery of Metro City (or as
he insists on pronouncing it,
Brigitte Paul Kelso Insurance, LLC
Brigitte Kelso
Owner/Agent
2918 S. MacArthur Dr.
Alexandria, La. 71301
Phone: 318.448.2226
Fax: 318.448.2800
brigittekelso@att.net
Special thanks to:
sponsor of
Bishop’s Golf Tournament
“Metrocity”) is not all he had
dreamed, the bored scamp strikes
on the idea of creating a new ad-
versary for himself. But his lat-
est plot also goes awry when he
ends up mistakenly endowing
ordinary cameraman Hal (voice
of Jonah Hill) with superhuman
powers.
Though romance entails fur-
ther complications, the possibil-
Page 21
ity of winning the love of charm-
ing TV reporter Roxanne (voice
of Tina Fey) -- with whom both
Megamind and Hal are smitten --
offers the not-so-naughty knave
hope of ultimate redemption.
A few turns of phrase and
at least one sight gag in Alan
Schoolcraft’s script involve ex-
pressions that parents would like-
ly prefer their youngsters not to
pick up.
But the underlying conver-
sion story -- played out amid
such assurances as “If there is
bad, good will rise up against it”
-- provides a moral impetus that
keeps this diverting, if not strik-
ingly original tale fundamentally
on the right track, and may be
sufficiently valuable to make this
appropriate viewing for at least
some mature preteens.
The film contains scenes
of peril, a few touches of crude
humor and a bit of slightly crass
language. The Catholic News
Service classification is A-II --
adults and adolescents. The Mo-
tion Picture Association of Amer-
ica rating is PG -- parental
2914 N. Bolton Ave
Alexandria, LA
442-2325
Gift Certificates
available
for Christmas
Page 22
NOV. 21 YOUNG ADULT MASS IN COLFAX
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Colfax, will celebrate a
Young Adult Mass on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 11 a.m. Lunch
is provided following the Mass. St. Joseph Catholic
Church is located at 801 3rd St. in Colfax. Please join us for
music, fellowship, and good food.
DEC. 2 SHEPHERD CENTER HIGH TEA
The Shepherd Center High Tea will be held at the
home of Dr. and Mrs. Chad Norton in the Lake District in
Alexandria on Thursday, Dec. 2. There will be three
seatings: 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4 p.m. Make your
reservations by calling the Shepherd Center at 448-3752
between 8 a.m. and noon. Tickets are $40. We are only
able to help those in need with your help.
DEC. 3-5 WORLD WIDE
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND
Just as we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas
holidays by gathering together with family, have you
thought about celebrating your marriage by attending a
Marriage Encounter Weekend? The next available
WWME weekend for our area is Dec. 3-5 at the William J.
Kelley Retreat Center in Bay St. Louis, MS. For more
information, call 1-800-586-5469 or 225-752-5084 or go
to on-line registration at www.wwme-nogl.com or go to
www.wwwme.org
LONGEST MARRIED COUPLE PROJECT
Worldwide Marriage Encounter is sponsoring a
Longest Married Couple Project for all married couples in
the U.S. Winners will receive special gifts on Feb. 14,
2011 presented in person by the U.S. Ecclesiastical Team
for WWME. Individual state winners will receive a special
certificate.
To nominate someone, send in the name of the couple,
their wedding date and where they currently reside plus a
phone or email address to: email dickanddiane66@
bellsouth.net ; regular mail Dick & Diane Baumbach 1430
Scorpious Ct. Merritt Island, FL 32953 or special phone
number 321-453-2475. Nominations must be received by
Jan. 10, 2011.
DEC. 4 IN YOUR FACE YOUTH RALLY
Come and re-live the Steubenville experience in the
winter with this high school age youth rally at St. Frances
Cabrini Church in Alexandria. Speakers and music includes
Paul George, Kelly Pease, Fr. Jose’ Robles-Sanchez and
Righteous B. The day will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 10
p.m.
For more information, call Cabrini Church at (318)
445-4588 or email Liz Hines or Denise Cobb at: lizhines@
cabrinichurch.com or denise@cabrinichurch.com.
Avoyelles Parish
Businesses
Advertise in
The Church Today
Contact Carla Moreau
318-346-7829
KC COUNCIL #1357, NATCHITOCHES. Knights of Columbus
Council 1357 in Natchitoches cooked hamburgers for the youth
attending the St. Augustine Youth Rally held Sept. 25 at Isle Brev-
elle. The council was also recently recognized as one of only 16
councils in Louisiana to receive the distinction of Star Council
for the 2009-2010 fraternal year.   The Council is a proud sup-
porter of St Mary’s Catholic School, Women’s Resource Center,
Natchitoches Association for Retarded Citizens, Special Olympics
and the Boy Scouts of America.  Council 1357 also supports the
ministries of Immaculate Conception, Holy Cross, Church of the
Nativity (Campti), St. John’s (Clouterville), St Augustine and St.
Anthony Catholic Churches.  The Council also participated in the
dedication of the Minor Basilica of Immaculate Conception; laid a
new Monument for the Sisters of the Society of Jesus and hosted
the St. Joseph’s Altar for Natchitoches Parish.   8-9, February 12-13, March 5-6. For more information,
DEC. 5-7 ADVENT MISSION IN MANY, LA
The parish of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in
Many would like to invite anyone from the Diocese of
Alexandria to their mission Dec. 5-7 titled Let Us Prepare
for the Lord. Fr. Jim Sichko of the Diocese of Lexington, KY
will lead the mission services from 7 to 8 p.m. each evening.
Fr. Sichko, the son of the late Bill Sichko, who played for the
Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1950s, is renowned both for his
motivational speaking abilities as well as for his storytelling.
DEC. 9-12 NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
CATHOLIC YOUTH MINISTRY
Plan now to attend the National Conference on Catholic
Youth Ministry, Dec. 9-12 in New Orleans. The NCCYM is
the largest adult conference for Catholic youth ministers in
the country. Thousands of youth and campus ministers,
religious ed leaders, performers, artists and volunteers from
every level come together for four days of inspiring keynotes,
November 15, 2010
challenging workshops, dynamic prayer and worship,
helpful networking, extensive resources, and good-hearted
entertainment. Registration began in June. For more
information or to register, go to www.nfcym. org/nccym
DEC. 12 UNIFIED FAITH FORMATION SERIES.
The Office of Religious Formation and Training and
Sacred Heart Church in Moreauville will host a UNIFIED,
faith formation night on Sunday, Dec. 12 from 5 p.m.
(Mass) – 7:30 p.m. Each UNIFIED night is filled with
music, prayer, evangelism, and catechesis. It is designed to
bring high school students, young adults, and adults closer
to Christ and His Church. For more information, contact
Luc Noel at 1-866-447-7088, extension 221, or e-mail at
youngadults@diocesealex.org, or www.diocesealex.org
DEC. 12 OL OF GUADALUPE MASS
Hispanic Ministry will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady
of Guadalupe with a Mass Dec. 12 at 12:30 p.m. at St.
Francis Xavier Cathedral in Alexandria. Bishop Ronald
Herzog will be the main celebrant for the Mass with other
priests in the diocese concelebrating. A reception will
follow at the St. Frances Cabrini Activities Building on
Texas Avenue. The special Mass will also be held in part
to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Diocese of
Alexandria.
DEC. 15 DEADLINE TO REGISTER
FOR S.A.L.T. RETREAT
The dates for the January and March S.A.L.T. Retreats
were both changed recently. The registration deadline for
January retreat is still Dec. 15. The new dates are January
call Cathy at 318-445-6424 x221 or www.diocesealex.org
JAN. 7-9 HOLY SPIRIT RETREAT FOR TEENS
AND YOUNG ADULTS
The annual Holy Spirit Retreat for Teens and Young
Adults will be held Jan. 7-9, 2011 at the Landmark Hotel in
Metairie.
Speakers include Fr. Steve Bruno, vocation director
for the Archdiocese of New Orleans; Br. Guy Lafranz,
CFR, (the former Matt Bourgeois of Academy of Our
Lady), Timmy McCaffery (Jesuit High), Lindsay Hymel
Binder (St. Mary’s Academy), Nathan Halloran (Jesuit
High), Casey Sprehe (Augustine Institute and CCRNO)
and Liz Mansfield. Music will be provided by the St.
Margaret Mary Praise Band led by Pat Duffey and Mike
Walden.


Online registration at www.ccrno.org until Dec. 6.
$160 includes meals and t-shirt. For questions email Casey
Sprehe at youth@ccrno.org or call the CCRNO Office at
504-828-1368.
November 15, 2010 Page 23

November - December
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

15 VIRTUS Training
16 17 VIRTUS Training
18 19 Youth Concert
20 Young Adult Mass
21
6:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m. “Alvin & the Chipmunks 11:00 A.M.
St. Mary’s Assumption, OLPS Madonna Complex, 7:00-9:00 p.m. St. Joseph Church, Colfax
St. Joseph Church Hall,
Cottonport Alexandria Marksville

PRAY FOR FR. B. ZAGST PRAY FOR FR. A. AELAVANTHARA PRAY FOR FR. T. ALLEN PRAY FOR FR. R. BORDELON PRAY FOR FR. S. BRANDOW PRAY FOR FR. D. BRAQUET PRAY FOR FR. J. BROCATO

22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Catholic Schools Closed for Thanksgiving

Diocesan Offices Closed for Thanksgiving

WORLD WIDE
PRAYER VIGIL FIRST SUNDAY
THANKSGIVING for UNBORN LIFE of ADVENT
PRAY FOR FR. A. CATELLA PRAY FOR FR. S. CHEMINO PRAY FOR FR. D. CORKERY PRAY FOR FR. J. CUNNINGHAM PRAY FOR FR. F. D’CRUZ PRAY FOR FR. W. DECOSTE PRAY FOR FR. D. DE JESUS

29 30
Advent Series:
6:30 p.m. St. Mary’s
Assumption, Cottonport
5:30 p.m. St. Joseph Catholic
Center, Alexandria
6:00 p.m. St. Patrick Hall,
Ferriday
PRAY FOR FR. B. DESHAUTELLE PRAY FOR FR. A. DHARMARAJ
1 2
Penance Service:
DECEMBER 6:30 p.m.
St. Rita, Alexandria
Advent Series:
Penance Service: 6:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m. KC Hall, Natchitoches
St. Anthony of Padua
Natchitoches Shepherd Center High Tea
10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m.,
4:00 p.m. Alexandria
PRAY FOR BISHOP R. HERZOG PRAY FOR FR. P. FAULK
3 4 5
Lessons and Carols
7:30 p.m. St. Francis
Xavier Cathedral, Alex
World Wide Marriage Encounter Weekend, Bay St. Louis, MS
Closing Mass of Jubilee Year In Your Face Youth Rally Carlow Choir
Noon, St. Francis Xavier 9:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Christmas Concert
Cathedral, Alexandria St. Frances Cabrini Church, 2:30 p.m.
Alexandria St. Mary’s Assumption,
FEAST of ST. Cottonport
Natchitoches Festival of
FRANCIS XAVIER Lights, Fireworks at 6 p.m.
SECOND SUNDAY
FIRST FRIDAY FIRST SATURDAY of ADVENT
PRAY FOR FR. J. FERGUSON PRAY FOR FR. T. FEY PRAY FOR FR. J. FOSTER

6 7
Advent Series:
6:30 p.m. St. Mary’s
Assumption, Cottonport
5:30 p.m. St. Joseph Catholic
Center, Alexandria
6:00 p.m. St. Patrick Hall,
Ferriday
Lessons & Carols
7:30 p.m. Immaculate
Conception, Natchitoches
PRAY FOR FR. R. GARRIONE PRAY FOR FR. J. GOOTEE
8 9
Penance Service:
6:00 p.m.
St. Juliana, Alexandria
Advent Series:
6:00 p.m.
FEAST of the
IMMACULATE KC Hall, Natchitoches
CONCEPTION National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry, New Orleans, LA
(Holy Day of Obligation)
PRAY FOR FR. R. GREMILLION PRAY FOR FR. J. HASIEBER
10
Penance Service:
6:00 p.m.
St. James, Alexandria
PRAY FOR FR. A. HERNANDEZ
11 12
OL of Guadalupe
Mass, 12:30 p.m.
SFX Cathedral, Alexandria
Natchitoches Festival of
Lights continues
UNIFIED, 5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
9:00 a.m.
Sacred Heart, Moreauville
Fireworks at 7:00 p.m.
THIRD SUNDAY
of ADVENT
FEAST of OUR
LADY OF
GUADALUPE
PRAY FOR BISHOP R. HERZOG PRAY FOR MSGR. R. HOPPE

13 Advent Series:
6:30 p.m. St. Mary’s14
Assumption, Cottonport
Penance Services:
6:10 p.m.
15 Advent Series:
16 17 18 St. Rita Church 19
Christmas Tour of Homes,
Sacred Heart Pineville 6:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m. St. Joseph Catholic Alexandria
KC Hall, Natchitoches
Center, Alexandria 6:00 p.m.
St. Mary’s Assumption, Red River Chorale Concert Penance Service:
6:00 p.m. St. Patrick Hall, Cottonport 5:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m. Magale Hall,
Ferriday St. Joseph, St. Joseph
Natchitoches
6:00 p.m.
Red River Chorale Concert Immaculate Conception
FOURTH SUNDAY
7:30 p.m. Cathedral, Alex. Natchitoches of ADVENT
PRAY FOR FR. R. HUMPHRIES PRAY FOR FR. B. IBE PRAY FOR FR. I. IBE PRAY FOR FR. H. IMAMSHAH PRAY FOR FR. K. ISHMAEL PRAY FOR FR. G. KROSFIELD PRAY FOR FR. P. KULIGOWSKI