December 30, 2012 To: The Clergy, Religious and Laity of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ: Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, at the recent Synod in Rome, repeated his call for a Year of Faith and a focus on the New Evangelization.

The 31st annual Johannes Hofinger Catechetical Conference Jan 3-5 at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner included for the first time a clergy track. Keynote speakers told priests and deacons that no amount of book or faith knowledge was enough to bring people to a deeper faith or to encourage those who have stopped practicing their Catholic faith to return to the church.

Because evangelization is “at the very heart of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ,” Archbishop Gregory Aymond has established an office whose mission will be to coordinate archdiocesan evangelization efforts and promote eucharistic renewal.

Our Lady of Divine Providence Parents’ Club in Metairie won the Club of the Year award at the annual banquet of the Council of Catholic School Cooperative Clubs. From left are Catholic Schools superintendent Dr. Jan Lancaster; Suzanne Pareti and Angela Brandstetter, co-presidents of the OLDP Parents’ Club; Joelle Forjet, former CCSCC president; Archbishop Gregory Aymond and  Debbie Davis, current CCSCC president.

For St. Augustine sixth-grader Kyron Summers, it was just a moment in time … but what a moment it was. On Dec. 12, 2012, Summers turned 12 years old. Campus minister Father Tony Ricard thought it might be nice to surprise Kyron with a “Happy Birthday” serenade,  and he selected 12 St. Aug seniors to burst into Kyron’s classroom at 12:12 p.m. for their a capella rendition.

30 de diciembre de 2012 Para: El clero, religiosos y laicos de la Arquidiócesis de Nueva Orleáns Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo: Nuestro Santo Padre Benedicto XVI, en el reciente Sínodo en Roma, repitió su llamado para un Año de la Fe y un enfoque en la Nueva Evangelización.

Deadline: Submissions due Thursday (10 days before each issue) calendar@clarionherald.org (504) area code unless noted Jan. 11-20 SCHOOLS ST. PHILIP NERI, Men’s Club and the Ladies’ Co-Operative Club annual Mardi Gras dance, Jan. 11, 8-11 p.m.; doors open 7 p.m. Parishioners’ Center, 6500 Kawanee Ave., Metairie.

How one envisions family is much influenced by one’s own experience of family, and every family is different. Therefore, as we begin this Year of Family and Faith in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, perhaps it would be helpful to define “family” more objectively.

At the close of the final session of Vatican Council II in December 1965, the American bishops received a Christmas gift with the passage of the one document that depended the most on their leadership – the Declaration on Religious Freedom.

In the days and weeks following the tragic shooting in Newtown, Conn., I read as many of the news reports as I could as I tried to make sense of what had happened. Questions remain, many of which may never find an answer.

It was Sunday, Jan. 11, 1970. The phone rang early in the morning on a somewhat nasty New Orleans day. “If you want to go to the Super Bowl,” said my cousin. “I have an extra ticket.” Hours later, the Kansas City Chiefs played the Minnesota Vikings at Tulane Stadium.

The road to Monroe for the local Catholic high school basketball teams in their quest to win state championships resembles a mine field more than a series of interstate highways. The first half of the season has produced just one school that appears to be a deep  playoff contender: Brother Martin.

The Office of Evangelization and Eucharistic Renewal, whose mission is to encourage “communion with Christ in his Eucharist through an active participation in the Mass and through eucharistic adoration outside of Mass,” has the following programs on tap during the Year of Family and Faith: For Families ➤ A New Look at the Mass: The Eucharist as the Heart of the Family Geared to parents who have chosen to have their children educated in a Catholic school or a parish school of religion, the program is designed to remind parents of the dignity of their role as the first educators of their children in the faith, and of the importance of setting a good example through their actions.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans has established eight places of pilgrimage where the faithful may visit and participate in Mass, eucharistic adoration, benediction or some other liturgical service for the purpose of receiving a plenary indulgence during the  Year of Faith’s worldwide observance, which ends Nov. 24.

The annual celebration of Christ’s birth fills Christians with hope and joy because it is a reminder that the power of God is always at work, and he does great things even through the weak and the small, Pope Benedict XVI said.

The Poor Clare monastery on Henry Clay Avenue is a powerhouse of prayer, so much so that the sisters who live behind the 10-foot brick walls fulfill their identity and purpose through communal and personal prayer.

While schooling Catholics in the tenets and rituals of their faith gives them an important “road map” to use in their lifelong probing into the mystery of God, the most powerful faith formation usually occurs when a fledgling or longtime Catholic witnesses the unassuming, Christ-like work of the clergy and laity at the parish level, said speakers to an assembly of priests, seminarians and deacons at the 31st annual Johannes Hofinger Conference, held Jan. 3-5 at the Pontchartain Center in Kenner.

How were you able to spend your Christmas holidays? I really enjoyed the slower pace that comes after Christmas. I was able to spend Christmas Day with my sister and her family, which is always an enjoyable time.

Jenn Gotzon, a leading actor in the soon-to-be-released “Doonby” and “Alone Yet Not Alone” movies, paid a visit to Holy Cross School before the Christmas break to encourage students to pursue their dreams.

Fresh out of kinesiology school from Louisiana State University in December 2011, Andrew Worrel had no idea that his perspective on life was about to change. On invitation from Father Ronnie Calkins, pastor at Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Worrel traveled to Haiti on an exploratory parish trip to discover the needs of St. Benoit in Dessources, a Catholic parish with whom the Mandeville church had established a twinning relationship.