Capping off a series of three holidays recognized by many Americans and Christians as connections to their deceased loved ones, St. Paul’s School in Covington held a “Day of the Dead” ceremony Nov. 2. It followed the annual All Saints’ Day School Mass in the Briggs Assembly Center. 

Sister of St. Joseph Patricia Brandner (formerly Sister Joseph Louise), who served for 26 years as an assistant principal and guidance counselor at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini School in New Orleans, died Nov. 24 at Mount St. Mary Convent in Wichita, Kansas. She was 91 and had served for 74 years in religious life.

“Prepare the way of the Lord” echoes the words of the Prophet Isaiah and St. John the Baptist. As St. John the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of Christ, so are we called to do so within our hearts. As you drive around New Orleans, you see the “Keep Christ in Christmas” bumper stickers and billboards.

Pope Francis last week finished up his catechesis on the Ten Commandments at his general audience in Rome. What struck you about his teaching? For decades, popes have used their weekly audience as a time to teach and call us to discipleship.

La semana pasada, el Papa Francisco terminó su catequesis sobre los Diez Mandamientos en su audiencia general en Roma. ¿Qué le llamó la atención de su enseñanza?

The numbers are awe-inspiring – $1.6 million raised locally and $5.6 million raised nationwide for participating ministries, parishes, schools and nonprofits during the 24-hour, #iGiveCatholic online giving campaign on Nov. 27.

Did he live up to his moniker? When LSU cornerback Greedy Williams declared for the NFL draft, he also said he would skip LSU’s Fiesta Bowl game against Central Florida.

Dec. 9-Jan. 11 EVENTS; A GARDEN DISTRICT CHRISTMAS CONCERT, Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Dec. 9, at 4 p.m., preceding 5 p.m. Mass. 1307 Louisiana Ave., New Orleans.  New Orleans’ finest musicians with the Good Shepherd Choir. Mixture of the familiar and unfamiliar compositions by Adolphe Adam, Jehan Alain, Georges Bizet, Benjamin Britten, Charles Gounod, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Cesar Franck, Calvin Hampton, Nicola A. Montani and Pietro A. Yon. Free-will donation will be accepted.  Details: 227-3793.

Father Harry Joseph Adams, the founding pastor of Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Waggaman and the former pastor of St. Joachim Parish in Marrero, died on Nov. 20. He was 79 years old and had served for 50 years as a priest.

Sister of St. Joseph Mildred Guillot, a native of Natchitoches who served for 75 years in religious life, died at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge on Nov. 22. She was 92.

Sister of Mount Carmel Margaret Safford, who served for 66 years in religious life, died Nov. 4 at Our Lady of Wisdom Healthcare Center in New Orleans.  She was 86 years old.

Sister of St. Joseph Jane Aucoin (formerly Sister Mary Aloysius), a native of Baton Rouge who served for 74 years in religious life, died Nov. 2 at Mount St. Mary Convent in Wichita, Kansas. She was 91.

“The Donut Man” – a.k.a., Rob Evans, a Catholic storyteller from Pennsylvania – brought his musical program defining the parts of the Mass to St. Ann Parish in Metairie on Oct. 14.

My neighborhood is like many others in Greater New Orleans: a mix of old and new homes, old and young residents.  When we were first married and in our first house, I would run or cycle almost every day in the early morning hours. 

The 2018 high school football season is officially over for local Catholic schools.  It ended last Friday when Archbishop Rummel, De La Salle and St. Charles Catholic were eliminated in the Select divisions’ semifinal round.  So, we move indoors just in time for the first of many arctic blasts to come. It’s now basketball season.

“It’s that time of year again.” Accompanying the text from my dad were pictures of the house decorated for Christmas. Snowy landscapes, creche with nativity scene, garlanded windows and beautifully decorated trees. 

Queridos hermanos: empezamos un nuevo año litúrgico. Este año corresponde el Ciclo C. Las cuatro primeras semanas del año litúrgico son una preparación de nuestras personas y comunidades para celebrar el nacimiento de Jesús, el Salvador y que llamamos tiempo de Adviento.

God handed down his commandments not for people to hypocritically follow the letter of the law with a proud and righteous heart, but for people to recognize the truth of their weaknesses and acknowledge their need for help, healing and salvation, Pope Francis said.

“African hair is very fragile,” Connie Dorsey Abdul-Salaam, a history professor at Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO) and curator of a current exhibit “Reclaiming Our Heritage: Traditional West African Coiffure Exhibit,” explained to students recently at St. Mary’s Academy.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, On Dec. 8-9, our parishes will be conducting the Retirement Fund for Religious collection. This annual appeal benefits 31,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests – women and men who have consecrated their lives to serving God and the Church.