More than two years ago, Archbishop Gregory Aymond launched the opening salvo in what he called the “New Battle of New Orleans” against violence, murder and racism. Part of the Catholic response to the local community’s social ills has been regular prayer and an outreach effort that provides mentors for at-risk children and skills training for single parents who may need help in rearing their children.

The conversation came up naturally over breakfast one morning last week. Cory Howat, the new director of stewardship for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and his wife Molly were discussing ways they might be able to increase their gift-giving as a Catholic couple with two young children.

In his previous position of fund-raising for the construction of a multimillion-dollar rehearsal facility for the LSU Tiger Band, J. Steven Covington (right), the new executive director of the Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of New Orleans , said he came to understand the connection between passion and purpose.

As the school year begins, mixed feelings arise. For students, feelings of excitement mingle with sadness as the summer officially comes to a close, while parents, may feel relief mixed with sadness as the house empties.

View the Image Gallery First Communion is a faith milestone for all Catholic families. But on Aug. 6, the sacrament solidified the power of prayer for the Maddox family as their son, Robert “Little Boo” Maddox V, received the body and blood of Christ for the first time at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in New Orleans.

View the Image Gallery Playing basketball. Hiking. Swimming. Musical chairs. Not the typical activities middle school students might engage in with nuns and priests. But it’s exactly how Father Steve Bruno, director of vocations for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, envisioned the inaugural Vocation Camp for fifth through seventh graders Aug. 4-6 at Camp Abbey Retreat Center in Covington.

View the Gallery Images It’s taken Sylvester “Jimmy” Jones much effort to change a 40-year lifestyle of drug abuse and imprisonment, but he’s finally making inroads through Cornerstone Builders, an AmeriCorps program affiliated with Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans.

El proceso del plan estratégico de las escuelas Católicas de la arquidiócesis se está acercando a una conclusión. ¿Nos podría decir, en donde se encuentra el proceso? Estaremos compartiendo las recomendaciones desarrolladas por el comité de planificación estratégica con los asesores educativos de la Universidad Católica de América en una reunión el 24 de septiembre con pastores, presidentes de escuelas y directores.

Deadline: Submissions due Thursday (10 days before each issue) calendar@clarionherald.org (504) unless noted Aug.18-25 SCHOOLS OUR LADY OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE, Parents’ Club third annual back-to-school spaghetti dinner, Aug. 24, 6-8 p.m., Bahan Center, 917 North Atlanta Ave., Metairie).

The off-season of football euphoria is almost over at Tulane University. First-year head coach Curtis Johnson has sold his program. His team, the Tulane administration and what remains of Tulane’s ticket-buying public have bought in.

Frank Misuraca , who served Jesuit High School for 46 years in multiple roles as a coach, assistant to the president and athletic director, was one of four inductees to the 2012 Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame on Aug. 4.

Are you ready for some high school football? You won’t have to wait long. As a matter of fact, the 2012 season begins on Thursday, Aug. 30 when Archbishops Shaw and Rummel continue their 50-year-old rivalry at Joe Yenni Stadium.

In order to provide pastoral care for the people of God in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Archbishop Aymond has made the following appointments: PASTORAL CARE – HISPANIC COMMUNITIES ON NORTHSHORE Father Jose Roberto Gomez , In Residence, St. Jane de Chantal, Abita Springs, effective Aug. 15, 2012, while giving pastoral care to the Hispanic communities on the northshore, particularly at St. Jane de Chantal, Abita Springs; Annunciation, Bogalusa; and St. Margaret Mary, Slidell.

The website for the Archdiocese of New Orleans –  www.archdiocese-no.org – is a font of information for native and visiting Catholics. In addition to finding links to the many archdiocesan offices and ministries, visitors to the website can find their church parishes on a parish boundary map, check out the latest news and events, access the columns and v-logs of Archbishop Gregory Aymond and view past video episodes of “Issues & Faith.” Many archdiocesan offices and ministries also maintain Facebook pages.

We must vote Metairie Regarding “Catholics can help end gridlock” (July 7, 2012 issue), we do not agree with Supreme Knight Carl Anderson when he says “withholding a vote may at times be the most effective vote.” Those who do not vote are allowing someone else to choose candidates for them.

Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly, a U.S. astronaut, met briefly with Pope Benedict XVI at the end of the pope’s weekly general audience Aug. 8. Giffords, who was shot and seriously wounded during a political appearance in Arizona in 2011, traveled to Rome with her husband after a visit to the European Center for Nuclear Research in Switzerland.

It was early 2006 in Gentilly, and the vegetation outside the Teresian sisters’ swamped convent on Mirabeau Avenue still reflected the color of the congregation’s habits – beige with a complementary touch of brown.

You met with about 200 parish secretaries, administrative assistants and priests on Aug. 2 for the 5th annual Parish Staff and Administrators Day. Why was this important? So often, the people who work in parishes such as secretaries, administrative assistants, finance directors and pastoral associates get overlooked, but I wanted to make it clear that their mission and ministry is vital, and they serve and lead God’s people.

A diverse faculty and student body, including seminarians and religious from Africa and nationwide ministry leaders and educators, are the hallmark of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana.

“God is good all the time,” is Dominican Father Charles Latour’s mantra about what’s happening on Archbishop Hannan High School’s Covington campus as the school celebrates its 25th anniversary. “I think Hannan is a real good example of that.” Since a May 14 groundbreaking, the co-educational Catholic high school on the corner of Highways 1085 and 1077 has been abuzz in building projects to complete the final phase of its 2008 move to Covington after Hurricane Katrina decimated its original Meraux campus.