What is this?  If you remember,  in January and February of 2022, we had listening sessions throughout our diocese at designated places where all Catholics — lay parishioners, nuns, brothers, priests — were invited to express our deepest preoccupations and hopes for our church.

Church parishes in the Diocese of Baton Rouge celebrated the feast day of St. Blaise on Feb. 3 by a blessing of the throats. St. Blaise is the patron saint of throat ailments as well as wool combers, wild animals and candle makers. Our Lady of Mercy Church in Baton Rouge was filled with people coming to receive the blessing. Photo by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator

A few weeks ago you discussed the seven sorrows and joys of Mary.  Are there similar devotions to St. Joseph?

Erin Candilora, principal of St. Aloysius School in Baton Rouge, said the large school is “a little city in itself” with all the hustle and bustle that makes it interesting and people working in key places to make sure everything synthesizes together for the best of everyone.

Father Michael Alello was unaware the staff at St. Thomas More School in Baton Rouge had nominated him to the Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese of Baton Rouge for the Distinguished Clergy Award.

The Sixth and Seventh Sundays in Ordinary Time invite us to deepen our understanding of God’s law and our response to the law.

Late afternoon rays of sunlight splashed over a large group of people gathered on Jan. 26 at Cypress Springs Mercedarian Prayer Center in Baton Rouge to celebrate a new chapter for the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.

Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.

Catholic education honored

Diocese of Baton Rouge names Distinguished Graduates for the 2022-23 year. Learn more about the recipients here.

The funeral arrangements and Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Fr. Laird, who died Friday while in hospice care.

Bishop Duca makes the following Personnel Appointments effective 13 February 2023.

The upcoming annual Continuing Formation Days for our priests are scheduled for February 6-9, 2023. Due to the location of the retreat, weekday and funeral masses for your parish might be impacted or adjusted. Please pray for our priests and their on-going formation.

Congratulations to Bishop Mario Dorsonville on his appointment as Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux.  He will find in the Diocese a rich deposit of the Catholic faith, a people united by a strong sense of family and community, a vibrant and diverse culture, and exquisite cuisine! I know the faithful of Houma-Thibodaux will embrace their new shepherd as quickly as he is certain to embrace them.