Pastor's Notes

This past week, I fulfilled a priestly canonical requirement to attend a yearly retreat in order to refresh and recharge my spiritual batteries. I opted for a retreat at St. Meinrad Archabbey in southern Indiana. Our diocese also sponsors a retreat each year, but I prefer some silence. I take long walks, pray, and do spiritual readings.

Instead of having a retreat director, I pulled a book off the shelf written by retired Archbishop Charles Chaput called Things Worth Dying For. I took a break from my retreat this evening (day 2 of 5) to write these notes. I am not sufficiently through the book to offer a recommendation, but meditating on the Archbishop’s words has already been fruitful!

Even the earliest chapters remind me that we can possess the same love as the martyrs of our faith, albeit to a lesser degree if we truly desire it. Archbishop wrote, “The supernatural love of God in Jesus Christ that gives courage to the martyrs helps us to better understand the loves of family, friends, honor, and integrity. The power of these loves—a power so great that we can live and die to remain true to them—does not come from within.” The archbishop asserts that it isn’t about the one who loves but rather their capacity to love someone. A mother or father for his or her child is the clearest example. Good parents will do and sacrifice everything for their children which makes many parents holy parents.

This radical kind of love is rare today, primarily because our world militates against it. With so many life choices, we often fall victim to the sin of self-love. Chaput states that “The most telling feature of our era is that it weakens bonds. It seduces us to live without love.” Even in family life, which is a school for sacrificial love, those who take on the duties of sacramental marriage and child-rearing have declined significantly in the West. It seems to cramp our style.

These ideas have been rolling around in my head during my retreat. Loneliness and isolation due to social media, technology, and overwork do not build the spirit of martyrdom in its greatest sense. Rather, it promotes cynicism and skepticism about martyrdom. Without possessing this love, we doubt the love of real martyrs in the Christian tradition and label it as fanatical. Why would one sacrifice his or her life for others or for the sake of the gospel?

I am writing this column on the Memorial of Sts. John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues, and their companions. These Jesuit missionaries endured unspeakable torture for the sake of the gospel willingly and without hesitation. Eyewitnesses record that, despite this, they died happy deaths. Can the same be said for so many today who live only for themselves?

The final moments of the Jesuit martyrs were preceded by the outpouring of tremendous love to the Native American people whom they served, some of whom put them to death. All this seems so hypothetical to us, ancient stories of honor and devotion that we aren’t called to emulate in the modern era. That’s what I thought until I was reading an online meditation on these Jesuit saints that reported that the 20th century had more Christian martyrs than the first 19th centuries of Church history combined.

That was startling to me. It also reminded me that before we would ever be convinced of “red martyrdom” (to die for one’s faith), we have to live what the church calls “white martyrdom” which describes people who did not die for their faith but who have gone before us after having lived holy lives of patient suffering. They are the people we know who have gone to heaven because of their unbridled love and faithfulness.

As we approach All Saints’ Day, let us give thanks for the saints who encourage us to live sacrificially as the red and white martyrs lived so that one day we too might die happy deaths.

-Fr. Richard

October 16, 2021

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

The October 3rd edition of The Catholic Moment provided some details about the latest Synod of the Catholic Church. A synod is a gathering for meeting and listening in order to guide the Church’s next steps in its mission. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church discerns how to share Christ in each present age.

Pope Francis gave a speech on September 18th to the Diocese of Rome. In this lengthy address, the Holy Father recalls that the synodal model did not begin with the Second Vatican Council. Rather, we find the model in the Acts of the Apostles, and it has continued since.

We are beginning the first stage of this process in local dioceses. We listen inside the Church and outside to see where the Good News and the healing power of Christ may be leading us. And how the Holy Spirit is manifesting gracious gifts.

As the Pope said in his speech, a synod is not a parliamentary procedure where votes are taken. It is not to measure things by who is a majority and who is a minority. It will prayerfully account for where we find ourselves, highlight spiritual gifts to be shared, and make visible the challenges and wounds both within the Church, and within the hearts of all human communities.

Another concept of synod, besides being a listening event, is that it energizes our journeying together. It strengthens Church communion through our Baptism in the Risen Christ. This particular synod invites more than bishops and clergy and theologians, but all of us.

My offices have yet to finalize how we will collect our input, both online and in person. I have deputized a priest and three lay Catholics to assist with this process. A diocesan report of ten pages will be submitted to Rome by April 2022.

We are not starting from zero. The chancery offices and parish leaders have been listening to you all for many years. Consultations have been ongoing in each parish since 2014. Not long ago, every Catholic in our diocese had a chance to submit via computer their dreams and desires. The content of those communications is still referenced and useful.

When we read the Pope’s speech, we notice pastoral guidance that is essential. We start by submitting our heart and will to the Holy Spirit, and trust that the Spirit will lead us past fear and uncertainty. This means more than just praying. It means that we ourselves engage the process as prayerful persons. For this reason, we enter a Synod that does not have a fixed to-do list. Our list comes after listening.


In Christ,

Most Reverend Timothy Doherty
Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana

I began to participate in the family Rosary when I was in kindergarten. My mother set up a shrine in the corner of the “boy’s room," complete with a chalk statue of Our Lady of Grace. (The statue surviving and being intact in that room of boys is a miracle that should be investigated by the Vatican!) This was the final station of our busy childhood days before bedtime. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Mom chose the Rosary, as it most definitely had a calming effect.

To think I fully comprehended what I was experiencing as a kindergartener is ridiculous. Occasionally, I was far away from this highly structured prayer. In fact, I remember the textured, red area rug beneath my kneeling family had typical 1970s designs. During the day, they were busy roads and smog-filled streets for my matchbox cars. It was hard to separate the two.

I did, however, have a sense that the statue, the flickering candles - the flames of which danced across the ceiling - the repetitive prayers (which I learned quickly), and the chain of beads were important. God was with us, as was his mother.

The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was this past Thursday, October 7. It is also known as Our Lady of Victory because it began as a celebration of the victory of the Battle of Lepanto — securing European Christendom against a Turkish invasion on October 7, 1571. It is an example of victory and the power of the Blessed Mother to intercede for us and extend grace to us to live the life of Christians. Mary nursed Jesus in a manger, was present when he performed his first miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana, stood at the foot of his cross at the Crucifixion, and now comforts and strengthens us in our trials.

Pope St. Pius V attributed the victory at Lepanto, one of the most decisive in all of naval history according to historians, to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is because the pope, in an effort to protect Catholic Europe, called for a campaign to pray the Rosary throughout Europe.

I still pray the Rosary daily. Quite often I take a walk down Oak Ridge Road (it's quieter) and “work my beads” as I say. I know other priests that walk on other sidewalks and trails that are praying the Rosary. Let this be a lesson: If you see priests or sisters on walks, look for a dangling rosary before you interrupt!

I also occasionally pray in the car. It certainly has a calming effect in traffic. After so many years of praying, I have set intentions for each decade of the Rosary. It is comfortable and helps me retreat from the world for a few minutes to sit at the Lord’s feet.
There are amazing saints that prayed the Rosary every day and encouraged us to do the same. For example, St. Padre Pio, St. Maximian Kolbe, St. Louis de Monfort, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. John Paul II. I would also add members of the Church militant in regular pews throughout the world, including at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Fulton Sheen once said that “The Rosary is the best therapy for these distraught, unhappy, fearful, and frustrated souls, precisely because it involves the simultaneous use of three powers: the physical, the vocal, and the spiritual…” If it worked for him, it will work for us!

-Fr. Richard

In Matthew’s gospel, after the visitation of the Magi, an angel appeared to St. Joseph in a dream with an urgent message: “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” I didn’t fully appreciate the weight of this scriptural passage until I saw the painting entitled Rest on the Flight into Egypt by Luc-Olivier Merson. Painted in 1879, it depicts the refugee Holy Family fleeing from sinister and power-thirsty Roman authorities.

In the painting, the Blessed Mother and the Christ Child rest in a flood of light in the arms of the sphinx that gazes prayerfully upward. Despite his fatigue, the donkey that shouldered the weight of the mother and child forages for sparse desert vegetation as a dying campfire breathes its last for lack of fuel.

But it was the image of St. Joseph that spoke mightily to me. His response to the angel is matched by his exhaustion. Spent of all strength, he is lying in the sand. His arm is his pillow which had most assuredly gone numb and prickly in the night. The foster father has done everything in his power to protect the life of the Chosen One from the forces of evil. One day the forces of evil will succeed in unjustly putting the child to death on Calvary. But as long as he could, he would protect his charge. Because he was absent at the crucifixion, the tradition holds that St. Joseph had gone to God, and his son sat by his side until his death.

There are so many themes in this little narrative that deserve our attention during Respect Life Month: the violence against a baby; the plight of refugees; the poverty of the Holy Family; the necessity of care for the sick and dying; not to mention the warring and jealous King Herod, a politician that would stop at nothing to preserve his power.

As children, we were taught that we are a nation founded on "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Sadly, in our day, we have come to accept that the right to life is not fully protected, especially for unborn children, the terminally ill, and the elderly, the most vulnerable members of the American family.

We are distributing yard signs this weekend that include the morally non-negotiable statement, “We are Pro-Life.” During this year of St. Joseph, I wonder if we have the passion that St. Joseph had when he was tasked to protect his wife and son. He would do anything. Do we share his passion?

I believe that any answer that will end the assaults against human dignity is found in the teachings of Jesus Christ and his Church.  Please consider learning about our mandate by attending the first of four respect life talks this month. Benedictine Fr. Denis Robinson will speak about forging a complete Catholic identity in the Parish Hall following the 5:30 p.m. Sunday evening Mass. Fr. Denis will present an alternative path.

There is a promise found in scripture that pertains to those who work tirelessly in the defense of human life: “Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come, declares the Lord."

-Fr. Richard

As part of our Respect Life Month observance in October, we invite you to three Sunday evening talks at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. An opportunity to buy a tasty dinner from Joe’s Butcher Shop and have it delivered to OLMC is included!  We will explore with some gifted speakers the best ways to develop strong Christian identities in the midst of tumultuous, stressful times.     

The first talk will be on October 3 by Fr. Denis Robinson, a Benedictine priest and President Rector of St. Meinrad Seminary.  The second will be on October 10 by Fr. Luke Mary Fletcher, CFR, a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal from New York City.  And finally, Sr. Mary Madeline Todd, a Dominican Sister from the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia on October 24. I am very excited to share their wisdom with you!    

Our Gospel of Life Committee meets monthly and seeks to find constructive ways to talk about current events that pertain to the dignity of the human person.  Sometimes we celebrate positive trends and sometimes we have to decry offenses against human life.

Recently we had a discussion about unity and diversity as it is understood from a Catholic perspective.  As we know, the Church is a teacher of truth. There are truths that are taught definitively by the Church. That doesn’t mean that there is no room for conversation and debate—but there are some important truths that after 2,000 years, are settled.

Sadly, the frantic quest for tolerance and “diversity” today is often an anti-Catholic impulse.  To allow people to live and let live is often grossly unfair to good people who find themselves lost and in the shadow of death because they were not mentored in the truth.  There is no diversity in Catholic moral teaching and no mention of diversity as a goal of Catholic life in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Diversity has never been advocated by the great thinkers of the Church either.  Instead, they have preached unity and truth, albeit via many diverse lenses, over the centuries.

For some, this is freeing as they depend on Jesus Christ to define truth.  As one religious order puts it, “He leads. We follow.”  For some, this is a difficult pill to swallow.  It’s hard to give up one’s autonomy to embrace radical truths about human sexuality, questions about when life begins, and so on.  But it’s often much easier when we are fully converted, believing that Jesus is the way the truth and the life.    

So how do Catholics exist in our world today that embraces a very live and let live mentality?  How can we be at peace, and live joyfully and obediently while at the same time acknowledging the vastly different perspectives in our world today?  I believe the answers are deeply woven into the history of the Church.   That is, within the unity of the deposit of faith and the moral teachings of the truth, there is a rich diversity of charisms that flow from the religious orders of the Church.  Some are intellectuals.  Others are preachers.  Still, others care for the poor.  In other words, there IS diversity in how Catholics live out the truth of our faith.

Thus, we have invited these three speakers representing different religious families.  There is a flyer included in this bulletin that gives more detailed information about the talks (and about how to order a meal too, if you so choose).  For now, mark your calendar for October 3, 10, and 24!

Finally, last year we distributed “We are Pro-Life” yard signs. We bought 75 signs and they sold out after only a few Masses. They are very eye-catching and simple and will be available again for a suggested free-will offering of $10 after Masses the weekend of October 3.  Picking one up is a simple and easy way to evangelize about the value of life!

-Fr. Richard

Many years ago, I got a tongue lashing after an 8 a.m. daily Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel—a great way to start one’s day. It was December 7, and we had not mentioned the horror of what happened at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, that led to World War II. A veteran who had once been young and patriotically idealistic had responded to Japanese aggression, altering his whole life for the good of our country. After what he had been through and what he had lost, including some of his peers, there was an urgent sense in his voice. He did not want us to forget the pain of his past and the military heroes of the war.

The American Pearl Harbor tragedy of the new millennium was the events of September 11, 2001. This day does not pass without remembering the 2,977 men, women, and children who lost their lives in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I remember images of death and destruction that human eyes were never meant to see and the sad desperation of first responders who longed to help, many of whom became victims themselves.

This past summer I was talking to one of our Merciful HELP Center interns, and 9/11 came up. As I started to explain my personal experience, I noticed that he wasn’t tracking my words as a fellow witness to the horrible events in 2001. And then I realized that this junior in college experienced this event as a history lesson, not personal experience as only a 2-year-old. I was happy that he hadn’t experienced the sadness and tension of that day. But in another way, I felt like that World War II veteran that I encountered so many years ago. I was desperate for him to understand how radically life changed for the entire nation after 9/11 and how innocence was lost across our country. 

Sadly, so many generations have these moments of tragedy. Sometimes these moments are natural disasters. But most often our communal pain and suffering have been caused by nations and people who perpetrate evil against others for a variety of reasons and motivations. In the end, this common recurring pain should motivate us to promote and pray for peace, justice, and goodwill between nations and peoples. 

On this day, I turn to the wisdom of one of our modern saints, Mother Teresa. Having rushed to countless war zones with her sisters to care for the frightened, the orphaned, the hungry, and the injured, she once said that “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

Even within our country, we have forgotten this important lesson. We have work to do on this sober anniversary as more and more we define ourselves in terms of what divides us instead of what unites us. We are big on labels of condemnation instead of the dignity of every human person. We have forgotten we belong to each other.

I’m into ripples of goodness as a response to the pain of human cruelty and indifference. Maybe we can challenge ourselves this weekend to do three simple things: 1. Pray for peace; 2. Make a contribution to peace by ending a division (in your family or with a friend); and finally, 3. Do some act of charity to remind ourselves and others that there is absolutely a better way that is grounded in human love.

- Fr. Richard

We are hearing many questions regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Specifically: “What am I obliged to do?” And, “What are the moral consequences of either taking it or not?” There is a lot of pain and frustration that should call us to prayer for peace and kindness toward one another.

As faithful stewards, God does not abandon us saying, “Good luck, let me know how things work out!” Instead, he draws near to guide us. He gives us our intellect, to help us know and understand what is good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, and fulfilling or depleting. He gives us free will to make choices that help us grow and develop as healthy integrated people in communion with one another. 

Conscience is a gift that grows stronger the more we cultivate and train it. The Catechism defines conscience as “a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act...” (CCC 1778). Put another way, making a judgment of conscience means applying the moral norms and values that you hold to a particular act in order to understand what you are being called to do. When we examine our conscience for reconciliation, for instance, we look over our past in light of our understanding of what we should or ought to have done. Conscience also comes into play as we leave the confessional thinking about things we should or ought to do in the future.

Conscience plays a role in every decision we make because it is the first step in making a practical decision. Yet in certain areas of life, we tend to be more aware of this than others, medical care being a prime example. People often ask: How do I be a good and faithful Catholic when I am presented with choices about my health? How do I know what is right? Should we be forced to accept medical treatment? Why is there so much confusion and disagreement among authorities and sources of information?

Here again, God draws near to us, providing us a framework and many sources of moral guidance to form and train our conscience. For instance, the God who says “if you love me, keep my commandments” gives us the Ten Commandments. But, since life is messy, we need the authoritative voice of the Church’s magisterium to help define what is authentically in keeping with God’s laws and also to refine how these laws apply in real-world scenarios. And finally, since we are both the agent who acts and who is also most knowledgeable about our own situations, it is through individual conscience that these moral principles and laws are applied appropriately.

This brings us to the questions related to health and conscience concerning vaccines for COVID-19. On December 21, 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued the most authoritative guidance on this matter. This guidance clarifies some important points: (1) taking the vaccine is not intrinsically evil and reception of it can be an excellent way to show care and concern for our neighbor; (2) the decision to accept a vaccine must be free and voluntary; (3) if people do not receive a vaccine, they still are responsible to protect the vulnerable and to serve the common good by taking great care to avoid transmitting COVID-19 to others; and (4) there is a moral imperative for governments, pharmaceutical companies, and organizations to help make COVID-19 vaccines available to poor countries.

So what does the Church say about how we as individuals should approach vaccines? The Church has a long tradition regarding medical decisions, including COVID-19 vaccines. The US Bishops state that:

“Proportionate means are those that in the judgment of the patient offer a reasonable hope of benefit and do not entail an excessive burden or impose excessive expense on the family or the community... Disproportionate means are those that in the patient’s judgment do not offer a reasonable hope of benefit or entail an excessive burden, or impose excessive expense on the family or the community.”

What this means is that every person is responsible for evaluating the burdens and benefits of ANY medical intervention. Further, it means that what might be considered proportionate and obligatory for one individual based on their particular circumstance, someone else might judge it to be disproportionate and not obligatory. It also might mean that something that might be considered proportionate at one point in time might later become considered disproportionate. If some medical intervention is not considered intrinsically evil, then whether an individual patient should take it is a matter of the patient’s own evaluation of the likely benefits against the likely burdens it would entail. 

The main takeaway is this: the Church teaches that we are responsible to form our consciences. How do we do this? A well-formed conscience avoids an echo chamber; it feeds itself on Scripture and Church teaching; it consults trusted and knowledgeable confidants and mentors; it reviews relevant information such as medical literature; it prays and discerns. It also means that we take under careful consideration the guidance of Church leaders as they exercise their teaching office, to assist us in taking counsel and making moral decisions. Only then will our well-informed judgments of conscience lead us to make the most prudent decisions regarding our spiritual, mental, and physical health and well-being.

-Fr. De Oreo

In chapter 14 of John’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a great gift: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

For many people, peace means the absence of conflict or trouble. While this is certainly a definition of peace, it’s not what Jesus was talking about. The peace that Jesus was talking about means rest, quiet, or stillness in your heart despite the world around us. 

This peace pushes through all the disturbing circumstances that life can throw at us. It gives us the ability to be calm even in the face of extreme turmoil like we face in our modern world. It’s not a good luck charm that eliminates trouble. Rather, it gives us the ability to endure it without losing our minds! It is an inner confidence that God is with us in every situation. It removes fear and worry then replaces them with peace, because God will never leave us to face the perils of life alone.  

Modern-day troubles in Afghanistan, Haiti, and in our national politics can leave us bewildered as we search for a safe haven—like under a rock! Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J., comes to mind for me during those thoughts of flight. Imprisoned in the Soviet prison system for preaching the Good News, he came to the conviction that despite his horrible circumstances, he was exactly where he was supposed to be for the salvation of souls. And so he bloomed where he was planted. Despite everything, he was at peace. 

Our modern world has mastered pulling us back into the fray and away from Jesus’ peace. The trouble that is often beyond us is thrust into our faces through constant news loops and social media feeds. It seems like we need to tune out the world for a time. Even if you are a news junkie like me, I need to take a break. I also look for solid Catholic world commentaries that allow me to contextualize what is happening around me.  

You may also notice that nearly every day, I take a long walk with my rosary in hand. I find it soothes my soul and gives me perspective. There is something about pounding the pavement that serves as a correction to what troubles me, and I realize once again that I cannot save the world around me.    

People tell me all the time, “Father, I don’t know how you do it.” And I often say that I do: I laugh! Laughing about the irony of life puts lots of things in perspective. I learned at a conference about grief that while it is important to face sorrow and grief head-on, we also have to give ourselves time for restorative activities and not feel guilty about them. So I love to tell goofy stories, share time with friends, share silly memes, and so on. Lighten up, people! 

It’s also necessary to surrender to God and place our lives in his merciful hands. Without fail, this prompts me to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet each day on my walk. Handing our worries over to Jesus brings peace of mind and releases us from feeling that it’s on us to fix everything. I recall Pope John XXIII’s bedtime prayer often during times of stress. Under the enormous pressure of the papacy in the modern world, he would pray, “I'm going to bed. It's your church. Take care of it!”

Several times a week I send the following quote from St. Teresa of Avila to people who are stressed and potentially despairing. She wrote: “Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you, all things are passing, God is unchanging. Patience gains all; nothing is lacking to those who have God: God alone is sufficient.”

Peace!

-Fr. Richard

One day when I was a teenager, I was sitting in a recliner in a cozy niche in our kitchen reading the newspaper. All of a sudden, things started moving. It was a minor earthquake, and I held on for dear life. Our house was over 100-years old and solid as a rock. But during those few moments, it felt like a poorly constructed gingerbread house. I can’t imagine living in Haiti and experiencing the 7.2 earthquake that happened last Saturday. With the lack of quality construction throughout the country, it was no doubt a hellish experience. 

The preliminary reports are heartbreaking. As we said last week at all of our Masses, the epicenter of this earthquake was within 15 miles of Petite Riviere de Nippes where our sister parish, St. Antoine, is located. The death toll in Haiti at the time of this writing is nearly 2,000 and rising. Thankfully, this earthquake did not claim as many lives as the 2010 Earthquake (ca. 200,000 lost) because the epicenter was not close to a major population center. Still, tens of thousands are now homeless. 

In Petite Riviere, preliminary counts indicate that 2 children died, 213 homes were destroyed, 332 homes were damaged, and 545 families are now homeless. If their homes are still standing, most are afraid to sleep in them until they are inspected, preferring the open air or under tarps. And of course, Monday night, Tropical Storm Grace came through, dumping an estimated 5 - 15 inches of rain, bringing the danger of mudslides and greatly hampering rescue and relief efforts. Disease and sickness are sure to follow. 

For those who might be new to our parish, you might not know that our parish built a high school in Petite Riviere that has educated thousands of teenagers. We continue to assist the school’s mission by paying teacher salaries and doing other special projects for the parish. Preliminary reports suggest that the school is still standing but is waiting to be inspected.  

As if things couldn’t be worse, relief efforts have been hindered by gang violence in the capital, which has restricted or closed the only major road to Petite Riviere. The gangs have pledged to let relief aid through, but there are still reports of relief vehicles being roadblocked and plundered.

Sadly, the Haitian people cannot rely on their government to rise to the occasion during times of crisis. This is truer than ever right now, as Haiti’s president was assassinated in July, and the government is in disarray. Rex Rund, our Music & Liturgy Director, has been in contact daily with St. Antoine Parish and Fr. Volcy, the pastor. At press time, no government help has yet arrived in Petite Riviere. In a crisis like this, Haitians turn to the Catholic Church, other churches, and NGOs to provide aid and relief. 

If there is any good news, we know exactly how we can help as we have a long working relationship with the parish and staff at St. Antoine. We have a reliable channel that allows us to shuttle donations directly to those in need. The help we send to Haiti is sent through Fr. Volcy and his team via the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas (PTPA). One of the other gifts your generosity has brought to Petite Riviere is a bank called Fonkoze. It was built many years ago and is used to dispense teacher’s salaries. It is also the vehicle by which your stewarded gifts are safely delivered to those in need.

We have determined that the best way to ensure that our contributions will be used locally and effectively is through financial contributions. Therefore, there will be a special collection at all Masses this weekend (August 22). You can also contribute online through www.osvhub.com/our-lady-of-mt-carmel-parish/funds.

Let us also pray fervently for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. 

-Fr. Richard

Happy Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary!  

As we start another school year together, we look to our patroness as a guide for how to approach each day. Mary’s fiat truly is the guiding inspiring of our parish and school. This solemnity calls to mind the goal for which we all long: the fullness of eternal life in heaven. I can assure you that this heavenly goal drives all that we do and will do in our parish school.

This past Wednesday, August 11, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School began its 65th year. Like me, many of you have experienced the great blessing of our beloved Catholic school! The school began with a small student body and was staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph that held teaching positions as well as the school’s principal, along with a handful of lay teachers. 

Over the years, we have grown to nearly 650 students, 50 school staff members, and our amazing Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia. Let’s not forget the Sisters of Notre Dame that served our parish school for decades in the interim year as well. As we have grown, what has remained consistent is our steadfast commitment to providing our students with a Christ-centered education that reflects our Catholic faith. All of this is possible because of our parish’s commitment to stewardship! THANK YOU!

Like many schools, this past year brought many challenges and opportunities for persevering. I am so proud of our parents, teachers, and students for taking on and overcoming these obstacles. It was a true community effort. I am grateful to share that our students had an overwhelmingly successful year spiritually, academically, and physically despite COVID restrictions. We hope to do the same this year. 

I also want to report something extraordinary. I was edified and amazed as I recently poured over local and state testing results. The schools in the Diocese of Lafayette broke into the top 10 top-performing school systems, with Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School ranked as one of the top-performing schools in the state! 

Our school is blessed with an amazing staff that brings both enthusiasm and expertise to our classrooms. Teachers are prepared and focused on our mission of being a Christ-centered community, providing excellence in education that meets the needs of the whole child. We are primed to build upon our rich school history as we forge into another school academic year. 

Lastly, I’d like to extend an open invitation to all parish families to visit and learn more about your Catholic school. It is truly a special place where parents partner with highly qualified teachers and staff to not only learn about our Catholic faith but to also live out this faith in an active way.

Please know of my prayers for all parents, students, and educators this school year. 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.

-Tim Fletcher

 OLMC School Principal