No one should be afraid to turn to God with prayer, especially in times of great doubt, suffering and need, Pope Francis said. Jesus does not want people to become numb to life’s problems and “extinguish” those things that make them human when they pray, the pope said Dec. 12 during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI audience hall.

There are bad ideas, and then there are really bad ideas. And, the idea of the college football playoffs expanding from four to eight teams, is well, a very bad idea.

Vanity. TSA lines and delays. Addiction. Rehab. When we think or hear of any of these things, we generally associate them with negative connotations.    

At baptism, we become part of the “communion of saints” – the awesome fellowship flowing between Christians both living and dead. So, what advice might our heavenly role models give the living so we can become saints on earth, in the here and now?

Bridal Registry, Clarion Herald The Hallmark Channel has begun showing Christmas movies. I love Christmas and Christmas movies. I suppose you can call me a “sentimental fool.” Watching the twists and turns in the stories, which are love stories at their heart, and concluding with the couple finally getting together leaves a calm smile on my face. Having painted the fantasy picture of the Hallmark movies, reality isn’t always so accommodating or gentle. It is true, at the beginning, couples seem to overlook and ignore the imperfections of the other. They are so charmed by the idea of love and marriage that they are unable to see the pitfalls. They believe the feelings they have for one another will last through all of life’s ups and downs. Yes, they intend to make their lives work out like a Hallmark movie. Life is a reality exercise Unfortunately, life doesn’t quite go like a Hallmark movie. Instead, people come face to face with complications never imagined, from job issues to ailments. An aspect that is so unknown or expected is that of having babies and raising them. It’s expected that when the children come on board, the parents will be able to teach and manage them. Each individual born is a distinctly different personality. The new additions to the family don’t understand the parents’ expectations for life; in fact, they will have their own ideas. All of this makes for an interesting adventure. As families grow each year and lives become more complicated, it’s important to have resources to call upon. The first and foremost resource is God. Our vocation comes directly from him for our formation and the benefit of those with whom we share life. Maintaining a strong focus and relationship with God and his Son will enable answers to be evident. At this time of year, Christmas is our time to turn our undivided attention to the birth of an infant. This baby brings joy and peace; however, he also brings life examples with him. The manner of Christ’s life is a strong example for each person to follow and implement in life. Christ lived a tumultuous life by following his Father’s will. John the Baptist reminds us to “turn to God and away from sin.” This is what Advent is all about: It’s all about anticipation, putting worldly focus aside, seeking an intimate relationship with Christ as individuals and as families. Talk it out with each other Another resource for individuals or couples feeling overwhelmed at this special time is counseling. One never sees that on the Hallmark channel; however, it does enable one to hear another perspective and how some of the elements being experienced can be handled. The Archdiocese of New Orleans has the Catholic Counseling Service available to assist you. Call Cecilia at 861-4345 Monday through Friday. God bless and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Deacon Dave Farinelli, LPC-S, LMFT, NCC, is clinical supervisor and counselor at the Catholic Counseling Service. He can be reached at dfarinelli@archdiocese-no.org.

Emily Pastorek, the K-7 technology teacher at Ursuline Academy, said she strives to give her students hands-on experience in the hard work that goes into the programs, apps and electronic games they use and enjoy every day.

Pre-freshmen Carter Impastato leaves his food donation in a classroom during the food collection. For 15 years, St. Paul’s students have collected thousands of pounds of food for the hungry of St. Tammany and Washington parishes. 

Queridos hermanos:  En este tercer Domingo de Adviento nuevamente tenemos a Juan el Bautista como protagonista, orientándonos con más fuerza hacia la persona de Aquel que viene. Juan aparece en la vida pública en una época de crisis en Palestina: la mayor parte de la población vivía en una gran pobreza, mientras que sólo unos pocos disfrutaban de abundantes riquezas; esa misma población estaba sometida a la dura colonización del imperio romano, a sus impuestos y arbitrariedades; además, los sacerdotes del templo de Jerusalén habían perdido toda su credibilidad entre la gente, porque no era el servicio a Yahvé lo que les movía, sino la usura y los privilegios propios.

In the search for a future spouse, two characteristics are desirable that play parts in the strength and longevity of a marriage. They are the ability of the spouse to be sympathetic, recognizing when a person is suffering, and the ability to be empathetic, that is, feeling the other person’s pain or distress.

From left to right, above: Outstanding Offensive Player St. Paul’s Jack Mashburn was effective passing and rushing

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The fundamental rights of all human beings, especially the most vulnerable, must be respected and protected in every situation, Pope Francis said, marking Human Rights Day, Dec. 10.

The Cabrini High School Science Squad, a science outreach program sponsored by the Cabrini High School science department, sparks student interest and curiosity in a variety of science topics.  The Cabrini Science Squad travels to local classrooms with hands-on science lessons and activities for students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grades.

St. Mary’s Dominican High School’s annual Thanksgiving Basket Drive collected enough donations from homerooms, clubs, athletic teams and personnel to make 93 Thanksgiving baskets.

On Dec. 4, faculty and students at Mount Carmel Academy staged “Spotlight on the Arts,” an evening of Advent fun for fourth, fifth and sixth graders and their families.

More than 250 women met in New Orleans Nov. 2-4 for the biannual National Gathering of the Southern Region of Theresians International. I remember my mother gathering with Theresians in the St. Dominic School cafeteria during the early 1960s. 

Last spring, as Father Peter Finney III was nearing Blessed Trinity Church during the annual “Good Friday Walk” to more than a dozen churches, his eyes were drawn across Broad Street to an elevated, fire-engine red cabinet outside Broadmoor Community Church.

Faith Calagna had a very interesting “What I Did Last Summer” story to tell her friends when she returned to St. Edward the Confessor School this past fall to begin her seventh-grade year.

Mount Carmel’s Ellie Holzman, the Outstanding Player of the Division I state volleyball tournament, was one of five Cubs to sign college scholarships last week when she chose the University of Illinois. Also signing were 

On Oct. 11, Ursuline Academy celebrated the “International Day of the Girl.” Before then, I had no idea what this day meant.  In English II class, we researched girls from different countries. I chose Honduras and found two girls close to my age – Nakisha and Nancy.

At the 2018 Ascension Leadership Convovation in Dallas, Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans (DCSNO) received the “Ascension Living the Mission and Values Award.” Pictured, from left, are: Daughter of Charity Sister Maureen McGuire, executive vice president, Mission Integration, Ascension; Anthony Tersigni, EdD, FACHE, president and CEO, Ascension;