ROME (CNS) – Ajani Gibson (far left), a member of St. Peter Claver Parish in New Orleans, is still “walking on air” this evening in Rome after a papal audience earlier today. The visit to St. Peter’s Square was organized by the CUA Campus in Rome where Gibson, a junior theology major from New Orleans, is a student this semester.

“A cherished family day such as Thanksgiving offers us the opportunity for at least three things: first, we are able to give thanks to Almighty God for all the blessings he has bestowed on us; second, we can pray with our family and give thanks to God for the blessings of family life; and, third, we have the opportunity to spend quality time with each other.

The 60-year history of St. Pius X was revisited Nov. 16 with the prayerful dedication of parish buildings to the memory of three former pastors and to Archbishop Philip Hannan, who spent part of his retirement as a resident of the rectory.

When author Lisa Brown first discovered the subject of her book, “Posing as Nuns, Passing as White: the Gouley Sisters,” she was intrigued. She had never heard of the African-American order Sisters of Our Lady of Lourdes, even though she had grown up as an African American in New Orleans and attended St. Julian Eymard, Xavier Preparatory High School and Xavier University.

It was a night game, and thousands upon thousands of fans of the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys walked down Girod Street to congregate at Champions Square before the Superdome doors opened. Along the way, many passed a lone table filled with blessed rosaries, medals and pamphlets about the Catholic faith.

The development of 366 acres of land on the northshore –  227 of which the archdiocese has owned since 1902 – began Nov. 15 with the blessing and dedication of the Judge Tanner Road extension and Holy Trinity Drive in Covington.

A crowd of 1,500 people waited anxiously in the dark outside the finally completed Divine Mercy Catholic Church in Kenner Nov. 16, anticipating walking into their new church for the first time. For some, the wait seemed short, considering it took more than three decades to get there.

34 Domingo tiempo ordinario Noviembre 24, 2013 Lucas 23: 32-43 Es admirable como hasta el ultimo momento de su vida, San Lucas presenta a Jesus haciendo presente la salvación. La palabra “reino” se refiere a un área gobernada por un rey.

A crowd of 1,500 people waited anxiously in the dark outside the finally completed Divine Mercy Catholic Church in Kenner Nov. 16, anticipating walking into their new church for the first time. For some, the wait seemed short, considering it took more than three decades to get there.

Deadline: Submissions due Thursday (10 days before each issue) calendar@clarionherald.org (504) area code unless noted Nov. 24-Dec. 3 EVENTS HOFINGER CONFERENCE, registration now open for the 32nd annual Johannes Hofinger Conference, Jan. 9-14, Pontchartrain Center, 4545 Williams Blvd, Kenner.

A conference Nov. 16-19 led by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus discussed the role and mission of the Catholic Church in North, South and Central America.

En nombre de la Arquidiócesis de Nueva Orleáns, el Arzobispo Gregory Aymond firmó un convenio el 6 de noviembre con la iniciativa ecuménica de paz de Nueva Orleáns, pidiéndole a la arquidiócesis y sus iglesias a unirse con las organizaciones gubernamentales, empresariales y comunitarias, para desarrollar y promover actividades que conduzcan a la paz a Nueva Orleáns.

➤ Age: 56 ➤ Seminary year: Pre-Theology I, Notre Dame Seminary ➤ Home Parish: Grew up in St. Francis Xavier Parish, Metairie ➤ Elementary School: St. Lawrence the Martyr (K-1); St. Francis Xavier (2-6) ➤ High School: Holy Cross ➤ College: United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. ➤ Confirmation saint: St. Michael ➤ Why did you choose this saint?

So often we get caught up in the crazy schedules of our own lives that we forget to think about others around us. In October and again in November, I traveled by airplane to two academic conferences on the East Coast.

Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Hannan, two of four teams from the very competitive District 7-2A to make the Division III Select football playoffs, will clash for the second time on Friday. And for the second time, Hannan will have to travel to Slidell to face the host Jaguars at the site of the Hawks’ 22-20 victory on Oct. 4.

For the first time in a decade, the Archdiocese of New Orleans failed to produce a volleyball champion last weekend. Seven area Catholic schools qualified in four divisions for the state tournament, held Nov. 14-16 at the Pontchartrain Center.

That was a load off my mind. Thank goodness Winnfield High School somehow survived in the first round of the Louisiana Non-select Class 2A football playoffs. The Tigers edged Bunkie High School, 49-6.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The goal of the Year of Faith, which concludes Nov. 24, has been to educate Catholics about basic church teachings, strengthen their faith and inspire them to share it with others.

With baptism, Christians are cleansed of sin, but the sacrament doesn’t wash away human weakness nor the obligation to ask forgiveness when they make mistakes, Pope Francis said. Baptism is “God’s powerful intervention in our lives to save us.

We frequently preach and converse about the theological virtues of faith and charity. There is certainly less emphasis on the virtue of hope. The evangelist, St. Matthew, records the prophecy of Isaiah the prophet, who said, “In his name, the Gentiles will find hope” (Matt 12:21).