The 2018 Boys’ Flag Football Championships were played Nov. 14 at Immaculate Conception School in Marrero. Home favorite Immaculate Conception (above) beat Our Lady of the Lake to claim the senior championship.

The Council of Catholic School Cooperative Clubs sponsors the annual Keep Christ in Christmas poster, essay and poetry contest. The Office of Catholic Schools selected winners in three divisions: grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. The contest is promoted by the Christ in Christmas Committee, which coordinates the placement of “Keep Christ in Christmas” billboards throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Go to www.keepchristinchristmasnola.org. 

Who is Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa – the priest who will lead the United States bishops in an unprecedented, one-week spiritual retreat at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago in January?

¡Una bendita Navidad para ti y, todo lo que tienes en tu corazón! En la tranquilidad de la noche, en la oscuridad de la noche, una joven pareja no pudo encontrar un lugar para descansar, y se dirigieron a un establo.

My dad started his New Year’s Eve prediction column in the 1960s for the States-Item. He borrowed the idea from Pete Baird, dean of the city’s horse-racing writers, who each year would compile a complete Kentucky Derby “order-of-finish” chart before the race was even run. Baird suggested my dad make predictions for the entire year in sports. 

Seeking ways to cultivate unity in today’s mixed up world? Find inspiration Jan. 10-12 at the 2019 Go! Gulf Coast Faith Formation Conference at the Pontchartrain Center, 4545 Williams Blvd., in Kenner.

As a performing singer at Holy Cross High School, I have had the opportunity to learn from and experience various music conventions, concerts and competitions. None compared to my selection for the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) all-national mixed ensemble.

ST. JOSEPH ABBEY CHURCH, Christmas Eve Mass 11 p.m.; Christmas  Masses 7:30, 11 a.m. New Year’s Day Mass 11:15 a.m. Visit www.saintjosephabbey.com/prayer-schedule for regular Mass times. 75376 River Rd, St. Benedict, Louisiana.

A blessed Christmas to you and all you hold in your heart! In the quiet of the night, in the dark of the night, a young couple could not find a place to rest, and so they went to a stable.

When Gwen Carter heard her name – or at least, her initials, “G.C.” – she froze for a second and thought she must have been hearing things. A long-time parishioner at St. Peter Claver Church, Carter was holding her 30 or so raffle tickets in the parish’s capital campaign fundraiser when a youngster pulled a stub from a revolving drum filled with about 3,000 potential winners.

I’m a great grandmother whose little ones are now grown and have babies of their own. I read the November pages of Kids’ Clarion in its entirety and enjoyed it so much, especially the articles about St. Louis King of France students visiting the seminary, the Immaculate Conception School program that allows students to read to shelter dogs, and the Donut Man’s program for St. Ann children.

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.